02-17-2021, 12:17 PM
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February 12th, 2021
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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“The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock is the bearer of a heavy conscience after she and Selena Frost failed to finish the job that Frozen Hell started in the tag team league. Hell, they didn’t just “not finish the job”, they couldn’t even make it out of the blocks. Braddock and Frost lost in the semi-finals to the Psychonauts, Jordan Majors and Cookie, and could not even make it to the final round. Glory has been competing actively since 2008, she has taken her fair share of losses, but this one stings because she didn’t have to be in that spot. She wasn’t even supposed to be in that spot; it was supposed to be Selena and Regan in the semi-finals and had it been them, maybe they would have gotten the job done? But thanks to Xander Valentine, Regan was on the shelf for the foreseeable future and Selena needed a new partner. Glory Braddock was supposed to be that partner and she failed. When it mattered most Braddock could not get the job done. She failed Selena and she failed Regan.
Glory Braddock had failed.
This was supposed to be part of her redemption; redeeming herself in the eyes of her fans and redeeming herself in the eyes of SCW management. Through most of 2020 the formerly popular superstar had gotten full of herself as she bought into her own hype as being “The Best in the World.” She ran with the likes of Sienna Swann and The Beauty Factory. She cheated Peyton Rice at Rise to Greatness to become SCW Adrenaline Champion. Now the guilt of everything she has done is coming down upon her. She lost the Adrenaline Title to Shilo Valiant, who now threatens to make a mockery of it and everything it stands for. Selena Frost tried to trust The British Bombshell but Glory let her down. Braddock let the fans down. She let Supreme Championship Wrestling down. If this is supposed to be a redemption tour then it is failing miserably.
Even this upcoming gauntlet match, a World Championship opportunity created by none other than Ace Marshall, even this match fails to lift the spirits of The British Bombshell. She should be happy about yet another chance to become World Champion. But the guilt is overwhelming, the pressure to succeed is becoming too much to bear, and Glory is beginning to falter. She couldn’t beat two opponents at Rise To Greatness to become World Champion, she couldn’t beat just one opponent at Apocalypse to become World Champion, how can Glory Braddock possibly believe that she even has a chance to overcome fourteen challengers in this chaotic gauntlet match?
Greatness is expected from her family. Her father was an amateur wrestling legend and a popular professional on the European circuits. Her cousins, Angelica and Kayla Jones of the Jones wrestling dynasty, were both former world champions. Glory Braddock herself is an accomplished grappler with many accomplishments and achievements to her credit, but thus far the one brass ring that has eluded her is the SCW World Championship. Her failure to capture that brass ring, along with all of her recent failures in these past several weeks, have led Glory Braddock to doubt her own greatness. It is leading her to question her very future in this sport.
Silence can be deafening, especially when guilt weighs heavy upon your mind. This is the case for the blonde beauty who sits in her office at the Miami, Florida headquarters of her company, currently known as Global Wrestling Enterprise. This company, her business, this is one of the few bright spots that still remain in her life. She may doubt herself and question just how much she has left to give to the sport of professional wrestling but she knows she can still do a ton of good in the position she sits in now as the owner and CEO of GWE.
As expected from someone who grew up in and around wrestling, her business centers around wrestling. Half of the company is devoted to running a promotion while the other half is devoted to training the next generation of professional wrestlers. Helping the dreams of young, up and coming wrestlers come true is what Glory’s father Glenn Braddock would have wanted and she is happy to make those dreams come true through the efforts of her company. But now her vision is about to expand to include modeling. Modeling was never something Glenn Braddock ever got interested in during his lifetime. Glory herself never cared much for it, even when she was briefly aligned with The Beauty Factory. As a result she initially was reluctant to even consider the idea when it was proposed by her company president, Francis Taylor. Things changed the more Glory learned about the deal…
Apparently Francis Taylor had learned from Ronald D. Kennedy that the modeling agency owned and operated by Kayla Jones-Snow, Glory’s first cousin, was having financial difficulties and was on the verge of going bankrupt. Kennedy, who preferred to be known as RDK, insisted that Glory and Francis could easily buy them out and add the modeling agency to their company. Upon talking with Kayla, Glory learned that RDK was either intentionally sabotaging the company or was just completely incompetent at his job, either way RDK was involved and bore responsibility fo the agency going under and wanted to help Glory buy out the modeling agency just so he could save his own ass and ultimately become the head of the modeling agency himself.
Glory Braddock may not be that knowledgeable about the modeling industry, but her cousin is, and her cousin wants to keep this agency alive. It is her dream, always has been. And these models who work for her, they have dreams too. Glory will do whatever she can in order to help these dreams stay alive. So she will buy out the modeling agency but much to Francis Taylor’s chagrin, RDK won’t be coming along for the ride. Kayla Jones will remain on as the head of the modeling agency.
Silence is still in the air of this clean as a whistle office in Miami, Florida. The walls are an off white cream color and the floor have a rough grayish carpeting. Glory’s desk is by a large window where she can see the sights of Miami. To her left and right are two large bookcases, full of books. Paintings and portraits decorate the walls and there is a large plant by the door. The British Bombshell is sitting at her desk in a black swivel chair wearing a black sleeveless top, a white knee length skirt, and a pair of black patent leather high heel pumps. Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to past the shoulders.
She is joined in the room by her cousin, Kayla Jones-Snow. The redhead Boston native is wearing a scarlet red dress with half sleeves and a hemline that stops just at the knee. She is wearing open toed high heel shoes. Her long ginger locks are pulled into a ponytail in the back and she has a scowl of anger that you might expect from an angry redhead.
“Where is she?!”
“Give her time, mate. She’ll be here.”
“You trust her too much.”
Braddock sighs and nods her head. “I admit that I have trusted the wrong people in the past. But Francis [Taylor] hasn’t done wrong yet. And hopefully she will have a good explanation about this whole business regarding your modeling agency and Kennedy.”
“She’d better because I’m telling you, Glory, I am in no damn mood to be diplomatic. That bastard tried to ruin my company…”
“Allegedly.”
The Boston native rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right,” sarcasm is dripping from her voice.
“I know you’re upset and you have every right to be upset at Kennedy. Whether the bloody fool was pure incompetent at his job or whether he intentionally tried to run you into the ground, you have every right to be mad at him. But we do not know what Francis Taylor knew. She may be ignorant in all of this as you were.”
Kayla studies her cousin for a few moments, still skeptical of Braddock’s optimism. Jones then furrows her brow out of curiosity. “And what happens if you find out today that Francis knew more than what she was letting on?”
“If she was in on this, even just a little bit, and didn’t tell me then her ass is fired. Francis is replaceable.” Glory reaches out and clasps Kayla’s hand tightly. “Family isn’t.”
Kayla smirks knowingly as this loving, warm moment between the family members is shared. But it ends rather abruptly when they hear the doorknob turning. Kayla and Glory both put on their game faces and brace themselves for what will be a tense conversation. Francis knows only that the buy out of the modeling agency will happen she just doesn’t know about where RDK fits into this. Francis expected RDK to be the one who runs the agency once the buyout happens. She is in for a rude awakening.
Braddock and Jones watch as a platinum blonde straight haired woman walks in wearing a sleeveless black dress with a hemline that stops just at the thigh and a black blazer. She is perched atop black high heel pumps. This is GWE President Francis Taylor and she is grinning from ear to ear as she was expecting to hear of the good news about the buyout of Kayla’s modeling agency.
That smile quickly turns into a frown as she notices Kayla herself sitting in the office. “Oh...Ms. Jones…” Francis looks up questioningly at Braddock “...uh, I thought…” Francis is completely taken off guard, which is unusual for an expert businesswoman like herself. Braddock motions to an empty chair next to Kayla.
“Sit down, Francis. We have a great deal to talk about.”
Francis and Kayla lock eyes, and they never cease to watch one another as Francis slowly moves towards the empty chair. The platinum blonde sits down in the chair and sighs as she crosses her legs and folds her arms over her chest. She sighs deeply and then looks over at Glory.
“I thought this was just me and you, Ms. Braddock. So why don’t we address the elephant in the room?” She motions to Kayla. “Why is she here?”
“Because it’s my modeling agency you wanted to steal you bi…”
“Kayla, hush.” Glory says sternly. Kayla glares daggers at her cousin but reluctantly obliges and keeps quiet. Braddock turns her attention back to Francis. “You are a smart woman, Francis. Surely you had to know that I would find out about this eventually, didn’t you?”
“Find out what?”
“Find out about RDK.”
“Kennedy?” A lightbulb goes off over Francis’s head as she realizes now what this must be about. “Sorry that I didn’t mention him earlier but I didn’t think you would care where the information about this deal came from. The deal, the buyout of Kayla Jones’s modeling agency, it is going to be a tremendous deal for our company. Who cares where I got the information from?”
“I care!” Kayla exclaims, again speaking out of turn. “I care because…”
“Kayla…” Glory says sharply. Again Kayla silences herself. Braddock turns back to face Francis. “Francis, look, I hired you to be the president of this company because you are very good at business. You are far better than I am. Unfortunately you are so good at business that you have become disconnected from certain things that are more important to business...namely, family. I told you I would not approve of this deal until I spoke with my cousin first because I knew this modeling agency was hers. After speaking with her and learning how passionate she was about it, how could I possibly allow myself to become the person who kills her dream? I was going to drop it altogether until I met Ronald Duane Kennedy. He’s the one who filled me in on his involvement in this, how he was the one who clued you in on Kayla’s failing agency.”
Francis nods her head, confirming the suspicions. “Yes, RDK told me about it. But so what?”
“But did you know that RDK worked for Kayla’s agency as its Chief Finance Officer? Did you know that either through inept decisions on his part or by intentional sabotage, he bears most of the responsibility for Kayla’s modeling agency going under?”
The platinum blonde president of the company’s face goes white as a sheet. Her eyes grow wide with shock at this news, news she clearly had never heard before. “What?! I...never…”
“Don’t play innocent!” Kayla snaps. Francis shakes her head vehemently.
“I had no idea. Look, we were friends from our mutual interest in business. I met him back when he was a wrestler and I did help him get started in business after he quit wrestling. But I had no idea he had moved on to your modeling agency. If I had known I never would have asked him to jump on board with our plan.” Francis looks over at Kayla, and the redhead still looks skeptical. Francis looks over at her boss, Braddock, and she too looks skeptical. “You gotta believe me.”
“I don’t like the fact that you didn’t tell me everything you knew. Some of this could have been avoided had you just told me about RDK’s involvement from the start.” Glory begins in a lecturing tone, as a mother might lecture a daughter. “But you’ve never done me wrong before. Just next time do not leave out any details, ok? Am I clear?”
“Crystal clear, Ms. Braddock.” Francis says apologetically. She offers her hand out to Kayla for a shake but Kayla shakes her head, refusing the handshake.
“Glory trusts you and that’s good enough for me, but I’m still pissed.”
“May we please put this behind us so we can get down to business?” Glory asks as she gazes at both women. Kayla sighs and nods her head, as does Francis. “Good. Now Francis, you will be happy to know that my attorneys are working on the legal documentation as we speak which Kayla will sign in order to bring the modeling agency under the GWE umbrella. But there is one caveat.”
“Oh?”
“You wanted RDK to be in charge of the modeling agency. That’s obviously not going to happen. Kayla here will remain in charge of the agency. I may own it but Kayla is in charge of it. In fact, since you admitted yourself at our first meeting that you didn’t know much about the modeling business either, you really shouldn’t have any say over the modeling agency. This is why Kayla will be your equal within the company. She answers only to one person and you are looking at her.”
Braddock turns to face Kayla. “You do understand that since you are now in such a lofty position within the company, a position that even puts you in above Tabitha [Silverstone] in terms of authority, that you will be unable to wrestle for GCW any longer due to conflict of interest?”
“I understand.” Kayla answers, nodding her head.
“I hear you and understand all of this, and I agree with all of it,” Francis begins “but I would like to make one more proposal. Due to the fact that this is no longer a company basing itself solely on professional wrestling, I feel the name Global Wrestling Enterprise no longer fits. Don’t you agree?”
Braddock nods her head. “You make a point, but what do you suggest?”
“I suggest something near and dear to your heart; Glorious Golden Entertainment: GGE. That should be the new name of our company.”
The initials “GGE” are known to The British Bombshell. Glorious Golden Era is a faction Glory Braddock ran in another company, alongside Neil Newman and Kyle Butler. Those who have followed Braddock’s career would recognize and appreciate the nod to the group with this rebranding. Braddock nods her head in agreement.
“I agree. Our new name shall be Glorious Golden Entertainment, Francis Taylor as President of our wrestling operations which includes the promotion and the school, and Kayla Jones-Snow as President of our modeling operation. Are we all in agreement?”
“Agreed.” Francis says.
“Agreed.” Kayla answers, still not letting her eyes off of Francis Taylor. No, this may not be the perfect team when you consider how betrayed Kayla feels right now and how paranoid she will continue to feel having to work with Francis Taylor. But at least her dreams of operating this modeling agency can still happen. And Glory Braddock, for her part, feels happy that even if she is failing in the wrestling ring at present time, she is still succeeding at making other dreams come true. Things are looking up.
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February 13th, 2021
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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It’s a warm Saturday morning in Miami, Florida. Glory Braddock sits in a green patio chair out by the pool of her fancy home. The warm rays beating down from the sky above creates the perfect atmosphere to get a tan or take a dip in the pool and swim some laps. Braddock instead just sits here in a loose, floral print sun dress, flip flops, a pair of sunglasses over her eyes, and a hat covering her head. With the exception of some minor road noise off in the distance it has been fairly quiet all morning and Braddock is pleased with that development. The British Bombshell wants this time to herself to sit, meditate, and think.
Primarily she is thinking about the future, a future that includes a bold new step into territory she has never set foot into before; the modeling industry. It is a business she knows next to nothing about and getting her company involved in it is a risky business but she is confident in her cousin’s ability to run the modeling agency. Besides, this isn’t about Glory’s own selfish desire for personal gain. For Glory she wants to help keep her cousin’s dream alive. Modeling saved Kayla’s life and she wants to give back to the industry and help other young girls like her. That is her dream. Glory Braddock wants to help preserve Kayla’s dream and if that means putting her own finances, her own company even, at risk to keep Kayla’s dream alive then so be it. That is what this is about for Glory Braddock; helping others and caring for others more than herself. That is when Glory Braddock is truly at her best, when she is helping others.
Beyond the risk that is the modeling agency there is also the challenge of the gauntlet match on SCW Breakdown for the World Championship. It is a future that The British Bombshell would rather not think about right now. It is one she has been trying to avoid, to be perfectly honest. Doing business with Francis and Kayla yesterday was a godsend for Braddock because she could use it to distract herself from the gauntlet match. Why would Braddock want to distract herself from focusing on what could be one of the biggest matches in SCW this year?
If you could look beyond those sunglasses that cover her eyes you could see the answer; you would see doubt written across the eyes of Glory Braddock. For the first time in a very long time Braddock is unsure of herself. She isn’t even certain if she can lay claim to being the Best in the World any longer after she has failed time and time again to get the job done in clutch situations. She has been choking under pressure when it mattered most. This is why Glory Braddock is nervous about the gauntlet and why she would rather not think about it right now. Yet thoughts of the gauntlet are even now returning to her mind. And she knows that she needs a distraction.
A smile creeps across her face as she hears the creaking of a door coming from behind her. Footsteps are heard across a hard surface. Braddock then turns her head ever so slightly and spots the arrival of her two guests, one of which is her cousin, Kayla Jones-Snow. She is dressed for the occasion in a pair of short-shorts and a red tank top. There is a new face with her, someone Braddock was not expecting. This is a female, who appears to be very young...at most twenty one or twenty-two. She has light brown hair that is long, down to the shoulder blades. She is dressed in an oversized white t-shirt and it is obvious that underneath is a bathing suit of some sort. Clearly this newcomer was told she was coming to a pool.
“Hi Kayla…” Glory says before looking over at the visitor “...and who is your friend?”
“Glory Braddock, meet Fiona Osbourne; she is one of the models still with the agency. Fiona, this is Glory Braddock.”
Fiona is clearly nervous as she meekly holds out her hand and quietly speaks “Nice to meet you, Ms. Braddock.”
“Ah, call me Glory, mate.”
“Uh, right, I will Ms. Bra...I mean, I will Glory.”
Glory chuckles lightly. Kayla gently elbows Fiona in the side. “It’s ok, Fiona. Glory isn’t rabid. She won’t bite.”
“I promise I’ve had my shots.” Glory takes Fiona’s hand and they shake. Fiona’s voice is trembling as she tries to find the courage to speak to The British Bombshell.
“Uh, may I...um…” she points to the pool “...Ms. Snow told me about the pool and...um…”
“Yes you may go for a dip, love.” Glory answers with a nod of her head. Fiona smiles a weak grin before turning around and taking the oversized t-shirt off, revealing a two-piece purple bathing suit. Fiona then dives in headfirst and begins to swim laps around the pool. As soon as Fiona begins her swimming Kayla finds a nearby patio chair, a green one that matches the one Glory is sitting in, and sets it down next to Glory. Kayla sits down in the chair next to her cousin.
“Sorry about bringing along a guest, but I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“No need to apologize, mate. I mean, it is probably good that I get to know the models now that I’m technically working in that business now too. But who is this Fiona? Who is she really?”
“That’s another thing. I’ve taken a special interest in her because she reminds me a great deal of myself. She comes from an abusive foster home where her foster father was a drunk. Her foster father also had connections to the modeling industry, saw his new foster child was drop dead gorgeous, and decided to try and take advantage.” Kayla turns and looks over at Glory. “Sound familiar?”
Indeed the story does sound awfully familiar. Kayla ended up in foster care after the death of her mother and being abandoned by her biological father. Her foster father, an abusive drunk named Oliver Hardy, had many connections with powerful people, including people in the modeling industry. He used Kayla to make money to further support his drinking habits. Eventually Kayla was able to free herself from Hardy, as soon as she was old enough to support herself. She would continue modeling a for a couple more years but that would eventually introduce her to professional wrestling and the rest, as they say, is history.
“Sounds like your life story.”
“Bingo. So yeah, you can see why Fiona does have a special place in my heart.” Kayla sighs. “Gosh I want to see her succeed so badly. I’m so glad she decided to stick around with us and not to drink RDK’s kool-aid.”
Braddock arches a brow out of curiosity. “Is that bloke causing trouble again?”
“Ever since he got wind of this merger and that he was on the outs he began talking to the girls. He’s been trying to fill their heads with lies about how I’m old and washed up, how my ideas and visions are out of date and that somehow his radical new vision is better.”
“What IS his vision?”
“That’s the thing, I’m not sure he even has one!” Kayla exclaims with a laugh. “To my knowledge he never had the first clue about modeling when I hired him. I brought him purely for his knowledge of finances and that was it.” Kayla scowls. “And that is another reason I think Kennedy was sabotaging me. He knows finances well. He isn’t stupid.”
“Are any of the models buying any of the crap he’s selling?”
“Unfortunately, yes. They think he is their ticket to a quick and easy payday but I keep telling them it isn’t as easy as RDK makes it sound. But you know it is? The allure of fame and fortune is hard to avoid.”
Braddock sighs and nods her head. “Believe me, I know. It led me to making some bloody terrible decisions, decisions that nearly ruined friendships and caused me to waste two Trios contracts.”
“Speaking of Trios, what about Ace Marshall’s cash in coming up? You’re in it, right?”
“I’d rather not talk about it.” Braddock says, shaking her head.
“Why not? I would think you would be thrilled that you get a World Championship match?”
“Kay, I have had TWO world title matches thanks to Trios contracts I won on my own. I failed both times. Now I’m getting another opportunity, gifted to me by Ace Marshall. I don’t deserve this. Hell, I’m coming off losing the Adrenaline title to Shilo and then falling flat on my face to Jordan and Cookie in the semi-finals of the tag team league. I do not deserve this opportunity.”
“But you have the opportunity. Seize the opportunity and…”
“And what?” Glory asks, staring stoically into her cousin’s eyes. After a few moments of pause to let the question sink in Glory just simply shakes her head. “I’ll just fail. Again. That’s what will happen.”
Braddock leans back and sighs out of frustration. “Sorry, mate...but like I said, I didn’t want to talk about this.”
Kayla studies her cousin intensely for a few moments. She is about to speak but decides against it. A knowing smirk forms upon the face of the redheaded Boston native. An idea is in her head. “Tell you what, I’ll go inside and let you two have some alone time.”
“Huh?” Glory asks curiously, wondering what her cousin meant by that. Before she can get an answer she looks and Kayla has already left to go back into the home. Braddock then hears the familiar sound of water splashing and then footsteps on the hard surface. This is an indicator that Fiona has emerged out of the pool. Braddock turns her head in time to see Fiona approaching. The young model notices that the seat next to Glory is empty. She motions to it before meekly speaking.
“Is uh...Ms. Snow…”
“She just stepped inside for something.”
“For what?”
“No clue, mate.” Glory motions to the chair. “But sit down if you want.”
“Are you...are you sure it’s ok?”
“Of course. My chairs, my rules.”
Fiona smiles nervously as she approaches the empty chair and finally, after a momentary indecision, musters up the courage to sit down. Glory looks over at Fiona and can tell she is still nervous. She can’t imagine why. Braddock decides to break the ice and perhaps get to know Fiona a little better.
“Have you always wanted to be a model?”
“Well…” Fiona blushes “...not exactly.”
“That’s odd, isn’t it? Do you dislike modeling?”
“Oh no, no, no...please don’t think that Ms. Braddock...sorry! Glory! Don’t think that Glory!”
Fiona is clearly embarrassed as Glory starts laughing out loud. “It’s ok, love. It’s ok to do something else you enjoy or do something you feel you have to do for whatever reason, just so long as you remember your goal and continue to work towards that goal. That’s what my dad always told me. He would always tell me to remember my goals and keep those goals in mind no matter what twist or turn the road may take. Granted he was a wrestler, not a model, but the same principles apply, I suppose.”
“Glenn Braddock said that?”
“Yeah, he…” Braddock just notices that Fiona used her father’s name. How would she know her father’s name? “...wait a second…”
“Oh God, I said too much!” Fiona blushes furiously as she quickly gets up from the patio chair and starts to walk back to the edge of the pool. She sits down with her legs in the pool. Glory gets up out of her chair and cautiously approaches the young Fiona. Braddock kneels down so that she is right at the same height as Fiona.
“Fiona...what is your dream? If modeling isn’t your dream, then what IS your dream?”
“It’s stupid.”
“No it’s not.”
Fiona sighs deeply. “Fine...it’s wrestling.”
“Really?”
“Wrestling was always my passion. Problem is wrestling doesn’t get you a big payday unless you make it to the big time. And my foster parents were dicks, especially Todd my foster father, and he only wanted to use me to make a quick buck. So he forced me into modeling.”
“How old are you now...if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Twenty-two. And yes, I moved away from them. That’s partly why I am so loyal to Ms. Snow; she helped me get away, she helped me support myself so I could strike out on my own. But my passion still is and always will be wrestling. I am determined to one day make that dream a reality. The other models think I’m crazy. They think I should stick to modeling because its easier. But I know my dream and I will stick with it.”
Fiona looks up at Glory Braddock and grins from ear to ear. A tear is rolling down the younger woman’s cheek. “That’s why I am so honored to get work for you now, Ms. Bra...I mean...Glory. Obviously I am a fan of Ms. Snow’s work in the ring but you were always my favorite. You were my inspiration especially during the rough patch of my life when everyone from my foster parents to my own peers in the modeling business kept telling me that my dream was impossible. Because you kept getting knocked down but you never gave up. You were hit with some of the most devastating losses, from your dad’s death, being removed from power by your company’s board of directors, bitter family betrayals, and you fought through it all to stick true to your dream. Even now despite being on a losing streak you have your eyes on the prize. You are still focused on your dream. You are an inspiration.”
Hearing that heartwarming speech from young Fiona adds further guilt to Glory Braddock. Imagine what Fiona would think if she knew the truth? What would Fiona think about her ‘inspiration’ doubting herself and questioning whether she should even continue, questioning the point of even seeing this gauntlet match on Breakdown through? Braddock isn’t an inspiration. She is a coward.
That is when Glory’s eyes immediately grow steely-eyed with a cold determination. Fiona is a reminder of Glory’s purpose in life; her purpose isn’t to merely fight for the purity of wrestling or to receive a fifteenth world championship. Glory Braddock’s purpose is to inspire millions like Fiona. Glory’s purpose is to help dreams come true. Is there still a place for Glory Braddock in this business? Yes, yes there is.
Braddock reaches out and places a hand on Fiona’s shoulder. “Fiona...I will do everything I can within my power to make sure that your dreams come true. And do not listen to what anyone tells you, because if you have the skills, the ability, and the determination then you can do anything. That’s what my father taught me and I still believe it. If you have the determination then I know between Kayla, myself, and my wrestling school we can get you the ability. Your dreams will come true.”
Tears are now flowing freely down Fiona’s cheeks as if a well had erupted. Fiona stands up as does Glory and the two embrace in a tight hug. “Thanks!”
Upon breaking the embrace Fiona decides to go back into the pool for another few laps. Glory smiles warmly as she turns around. The British Bombshell comes face to face with her cousin. Kayla Jones has a smug smirk upon her face and her arms are folded over her chest. Braddock knows immediately that this was a setup all along.
“Manipulate little brasser, you are.” Glory says with a smirk of her own. “Did you tell Fiona to…”
“Not at all.” Kayla shakes her head. “I knew Fiona looked up to you, I knew she wanted to meet you, and I also knew you needed someone to talk you out of this funk you’ve been in. And believe me, you have been in a funk. It’s hard not to notice it. I just brought Fiona in hoping that you two would eventually find time alone together and that she would say something that would spark something in you, hoping that she would say something that would remind you just who the hell you are.”
Braddock chuckles lightly. “Well your risk paid off.” Braddock leans in and embraces Kayla in a hug. “Thanks, mate. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that.”
Upon breaking the embrace Kayla places her hands upon her hips and stares questioningly at her cousin. “So, about that SCW World Championship?”
“I’m going to win it. No excuses, no cop outs, no settling. I will win it or else…”
“Or else what?” Kayla asks with her eyebrow arched curiously.
“...or else there’s nothing. I win or nothing at all. It’s that simple. I’m all in for SCW Breakdown. World Championship or bust.”
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February 16th, 2021
Cleveland, Ohio
On Camera
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Gray clouds cover the sky overhead in Cleveland, Ohio, creating a somber mood in what would ordinarily be a bright cheerful day in this park. Another factor adding to the dreariness of the setting is its vast emptiness. You can see swings, see-saws, and other parts of a playground where children would usually be playing, benches are also scattered nearby where their parents would ordinarily be watching them. But this park is quiet, empty, with an almost solemn feel, the feeling one has just before impending doom. The silence is broken with the sound of approaching footsteps. A few moments pass before “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock steps into the stage from the right. The blonde is dressed in a purple jacket, a white blouse, denim jeans, and black boots. Her long blonde hair hangs straight and unrestrained to just past the shoulders. Her face is stoic, emotionless, or perhaps solem? Solem to match the environment she has set foot in. The British Bombshell turns and approaches one of the black iron benches and the camera follows. Braddock sits down on the bench, leans back, and crosses her legs; meanwhile the camera negotiates itself to where it is facing her. Glory stares deep into the camera, her expression still doesn’t change. She remains intense and focused.
“Something special happens Thursday on Breakdown. Obviously it’s a gauntlet match, chaos from the mind of Ace Marshall cashing in his Trios contract, and obviously it is a SCW World Championship Match. That’s what it is just on the face. Being purely materialistic, that’s all that happens on Breakdown. But if you peel back the onion you’ll see that there are layers beyond just the material. Now I’ve heard a lot of talk about what that is; and I think it changes depending upon who you talk to. For some this is a very special night. Jordan Majors, Kimberly Williams, and others have never been able to say that they have been SCW World Champion. For some this is the closest they’ve been to the main event picture of Supreme Championship Wrestling in a long ass time. For others this is just another day in the office. Now don’t get me wrong, I know Selena Frost wants to be World Champion very badly, I know she respects what the World Championship stands for, but she’s won it before, she’s a Supreme Champion, she’s done it all here in SCW. So another big time marquee match like this gauntlet is nothing new to her. Same thing with Syren and Ravyn, the bitches from Infamous.”
Braddock motions to herself. “But what about me? I have had a lot of time to think about that and I will be perfectly honest with you, my first reaction was the predictable one; finally! Another opportunity to be world champion! I lost the Adrenaline Title to Shilo Valiant but so what? Now thanks to that bloody fruitcake Ace Marshall I can redeem myself and win the World Championship! But then Selena Frost happened, and the tag team league loss to the Psychonauts in the semi-finals happened, and I was jolted right back to reality. And the reality is that I have been living a lie ever since Rise to Greatness XVI.”
“See this gauntlet coming up on Thursday is a result of Ace Marshall’s twisted mind but it is also because of his Trios Contract. Ace is a unique individual, he has pretty screwed up ideas, but do you think Sasha would ever have booked this insanity of her own free will? Do you think she would have willingly given so damn many people an opportunity at the World Championship all at once?” Braddock pauses to let the viewers consider her question before eventually giving them the answer with a shake of her hand. “No, Sasha and SCW would never touch a match like this. Only Trios can make this happen.”
“Now there was a time when I thought a match like the one Ace booked was laughable. There was a time I thought it was degrading to the prestige of the SCW World Championship. At one point I would have mocked Ace for using his Trios in this manner. But then I look at my own previous Trios cash ins. I mean, I have won Trios in back to back years, so I have a history with those bloody contracts. My first cash in was to insert myself into the Rise To Greatness XVI main event against Syren and Alistaire for the World Title. I did it because I didn’t think Alistaire could get the job done, I did it because I felt I was the only one who could stop Syren’s reign of terror. But the end result was Alistaire Allocco proved me wrong by defeating me AND Syren to become World Champion.”
Braddock holds up two fingers. “Then comes my second Trios cash in over a year later, at Apocalypse. David Helms had just become World Champion and I felt that he was unworthy of being champion. The words I used to describe Helms were ‘ancient monolith’. I felt his time had come and gone and that he should step aside and that I would send him packing into retirement. But again I was proven wrong when David beat me to retain the championship. And I really haven’t been the same since. Sure, I was Adrenaline Champion for a time but I eventually lost that to the bloody loon Shilo Valiant. I had another opportunity to form a team with Selena Frost and I screwed that one up to. But that last failure was an eye opener. I came to realize that this entire time from Rise To Greatness XVI until now I have been trying to be someone I am not…”
“...The Best in the World.”
Braddock chuckles lightly. “Funny...I never thought I’d ever say that, but it’s true. I am not the Best in the World. It is the one lesson I never truly learned from my late father. Glenn Braddock was an impressive amateur wrestler and most of his peers called him Britain’s Best but did he ever call himself that? No, he didn’t. He just competed. He fought whoever he had to fight and let the people make up their own minds. He let the chips fall where they may but he was never arrogant, he was never condescending. He lifted people up, he lifted this sport up but me? For far too long I have been lifting myself up. I have been trying to hoist myself up onto the pedestal of Best in the World. To be the Best in the World I had to become World Champion and so it became an obsession. That’s why I really used my two Trios contracts on myself to get a world title match. I did it for my own selfish gain. I did it because I have been obsessed with becoming World Champion.”
“You look at me and my past, you look at the other promotions I have been in and you will see that I have held fourteen other world championships. But the SCW World Championship is the one mountain I have thus far been unable to climb. It had become my Mount Everest and I needed to reach the summit. I needed to conquer this mountain. Having a dream or a goal is fine, but when that dream or that goal turns into an obsession it can destroy you, and in my case it caused me to forget who I really am.”
Glory Braddock stands up to her feet. Her facial expression changes slightly as a little more intensity and emotion seems to form. “But now I know who the hell I am. I am ‘The British Bombshell’ Glory Braddock! I am a woman who grew up surrounded by wrestling, a woman who loves getting in the ring and wrestling week in and week out for all of my friends, my family, my supporters, and most importantly my fans, all of my fans out there who never forgot what Glory Braddock really and truly stood for even when I did.”
“And this Trios cash in from the lunatic mind of Ace Marshall, this is what Trios is all about. Creating opportunities and possibility making dreams come true. Do you think Jordan Majors, who kicked some major ass last week and has had some spectacular matches against Sienna Swann, someone like Jordan who knows she is on the precipice of greatness would love to use this to make her dream come true? Or my own cousin, Kimberly Williams, she has never been a world champion. She has never even had a world title match in her career. And while some dim bulbed, self-absorbed bitches may not think she matters, the fact is that she does matter and she will do whatever it takes to achieve her dream of winning her first world championship. My old sparring partner Asher Hayes, he has never been World Champion either, despite having the talents and caliber to get the job done. I’ve been in the ring with him, I’ve gazed into his eyes and look into his soul, I know he would love to become World Champion.”
The British Bombshell shakes her head. “Unfortunately this is where I have to be the bearer of bad news, this is where I have to tell the world that The British Bombshell is also the woman who will shatter the dreams of each and every individual in that gauntlet. Because that’s the thing about Trios, it CAN make dreams come true but it is never a guarantee to make dreams come true. Only the person who wants it the most will be able to go the distance, survive this chaotic gauntlet, and walk away with the SCW World Championship. It won’t be Syren or Ravyn who have no heart or soul to even speak of, it won’t be Datura who isn’t consistent enough with her dedication to SCW, and it damn sure isn’t going to be the self-absorbed bitch of a World Champion we have now...and Bree, you have to know that your time is running out. Your reign as champion is coming to an end. There is no way you will survive this because there are fourteen other competitors with more heart than you, more determination, and who care about this sport more than you who will sacrifice anything and everything to win. You may go a long way in this gauntlet, you may even come close to surviving, but you won’t survive. You will not retain. That I guarantee.”
“And another thing I guarantee is that the one person who has enough will to win, who has enough endurance to go the distance, is the British Bitch talking to you right now! I have to because this is my personal Mount Everest that I have to climb, that I have to conquer. And it is only fitting that this chance comes not in the form of a one on one or even a triple threat, but a match where I quite literally have to overcome just about the very best SCW has to offer. It isn’t going to be easy, as I have tried to make it on myself the previous two Trios attempts. This time I have to overcome overwhelming odds. But this time I know who the hell I am, this time I am confident, and this time I know it will be a different story.”
Braddock bows her head and closes her eyes. She is silent for several moments as she considers her next words. These are tough words, difficult words that she has thought about for several days, and still isn’t sure if she should say it. But finally she lifts her head and opens her eyes and here eyes still have that same determination as before.
“I am so confident that I here to tell each and every one of you that I am all in for Breakdown. This doesn’t mean I am fully committed to Breakdown and the gauntlet, although it is true that I am fully committed. When I say that I am ALL IN I mean it in turns of gambling. Ask any gambler what it means when you go all in...it means that you are pushing every last chip you have in your disposal into the pot. That means that either you win and live to fight another day or your game of Texas Hold ‘Em is officially done. You see, I am tired of settling for ‘almost’, I am tired of the excuses, I am tired of the cop outs. Most of all, I am tired of not conquering my Mount Everest. So on Breakdown, I will conquer Mount Everest, I will become SCW World Champion, or I will LEAVE Supreme Championship Wrestling.”
Braddock bows her head and shuts her eyes a second time before silently muttering her catchphrase “Sic Semper Tyrannis…”
February 12th, 2021
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
==========
“The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock is the bearer of a heavy conscience after she and Selena Frost failed to finish the job that Frozen Hell started in the tag team league. Hell, they didn’t just “not finish the job”, they couldn’t even make it out of the blocks. Braddock and Frost lost in the semi-finals to the Psychonauts, Jordan Majors and Cookie, and could not even make it to the final round. Glory has been competing actively since 2008, she has taken her fair share of losses, but this one stings because she didn’t have to be in that spot. She wasn’t even supposed to be in that spot; it was supposed to be Selena and Regan in the semi-finals and had it been them, maybe they would have gotten the job done? But thanks to Xander Valentine, Regan was on the shelf for the foreseeable future and Selena needed a new partner. Glory Braddock was supposed to be that partner and she failed. When it mattered most Braddock could not get the job done. She failed Selena and she failed Regan.
Glory Braddock had failed.
This was supposed to be part of her redemption; redeeming herself in the eyes of her fans and redeeming herself in the eyes of SCW management. Through most of 2020 the formerly popular superstar had gotten full of herself as she bought into her own hype as being “The Best in the World.” She ran with the likes of Sienna Swann and The Beauty Factory. She cheated Peyton Rice at Rise to Greatness to become SCW Adrenaline Champion. Now the guilt of everything she has done is coming down upon her. She lost the Adrenaline Title to Shilo Valiant, who now threatens to make a mockery of it and everything it stands for. Selena Frost tried to trust The British Bombshell but Glory let her down. Braddock let the fans down. She let Supreme Championship Wrestling down. If this is supposed to be a redemption tour then it is failing miserably.
Even this upcoming gauntlet match, a World Championship opportunity created by none other than Ace Marshall, even this match fails to lift the spirits of The British Bombshell. She should be happy about yet another chance to become World Champion. But the guilt is overwhelming, the pressure to succeed is becoming too much to bear, and Glory is beginning to falter. She couldn’t beat two opponents at Rise To Greatness to become World Champion, she couldn’t beat just one opponent at Apocalypse to become World Champion, how can Glory Braddock possibly believe that she even has a chance to overcome fourteen challengers in this chaotic gauntlet match?
Greatness is expected from her family. Her father was an amateur wrestling legend and a popular professional on the European circuits. Her cousins, Angelica and Kayla Jones of the Jones wrestling dynasty, were both former world champions. Glory Braddock herself is an accomplished grappler with many accomplishments and achievements to her credit, but thus far the one brass ring that has eluded her is the SCW World Championship. Her failure to capture that brass ring, along with all of her recent failures in these past several weeks, have led Glory Braddock to doubt her own greatness. It is leading her to question her very future in this sport.
Silence can be deafening, especially when guilt weighs heavy upon your mind. This is the case for the blonde beauty who sits in her office at the Miami, Florida headquarters of her company, currently known as Global Wrestling Enterprise. This company, her business, this is one of the few bright spots that still remain in her life. She may doubt herself and question just how much she has left to give to the sport of professional wrestling but she knows she can still do a ton of good in the position she sits in now as the owner and CEO of GWE.
As expected from someone who grew up in and around wrestling, her business centers around wrestling. Half of the company is devoted to running a promotion while the other half is devoted to training the next generation of professional wrestlers. Helping the dreams of young, up and coming wrestlers come true is what Glory’s father Glenn Braddock would have wanted and she is happy to make those dreams come true through the efforts of her company. But now her vision is about to expand to include modeling. Modeling was never something Glenn Braddock ever got interested in during his lifetime. Glory herself never cared much for it, even when she was briefly aligned with The Beauty Factory. As a result she initially was reluctant to even consider the idea when it was proposed by her company president, Francis Taylor. Things changed the more Glory learned about the deal…
Apparently Francis Taylor had learned from Ronald D. Kennedy that the modeling agency owned and operated by Kayla Jones-Snow, Glory’s first cousin, was having financial difficulties and was on the verge of going bankrupt. Kennedy, who preferred to be known as RDK, insisted that Glory and Francis could easily buy them out and add the modeling agency to their company. Upon talking with Kayla, Glory learned that RDK was either intentionally sabotaging the company or was just completely incompetent at his job, either way RDK was involved and bore responsibility fo the agency going under and wanted to help Glory buy out the modeling agency just so he could save his own ass and ultimately become the head of the modeling agency himself.
Glory Braddock may not be that knowledgeable about the modeling industry, but her cousin is, and her cousin wants to keep this agency alive. It is her dream, always has been. And these models who work for her, they have dreams too. Glory will do whatever she can in order to help these dreams stay alive. So she will buy out the modeling agency but much to Francis Taylor’s chagrin, RDK won’t be coming along for the ride. Kayla Jones will remain on as the head of the modeling agency.
Silence is still in the air of this clean as a whistle office in Miami, Florida. The walls are an off white cream color and the floor have a rough grayish carpeting. Glory’s desk is by a large window where she can see the sights of Miami. To her left and right are two large bookcases, full of books. Paintings and portraits decorate the walls and there is a large plant by the door. The British Bombshell is sitting at her desk in a black swivel chair wearing a black sleeveless top, a white knee length skirt, and a pair of black patent leather high heel pumps. Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to past the shoulders.
She is joined in the room by her cousin, Kayla Jones-Snow. The redhead Boston native is wearing a scarlet red dress with half sleeves and a hemline that stops just at the knee. She is wearing open toed high heel shoes. Her long ginger locks are pulled into a ponytail in the back and she has a scowl of anger that you might expect from an angry redhead.
“Where is she?!”
“Give her time, mate. She’ll be here.”
“You trust her too much.”
Braddock sighs and nods her head. “I admit that I have trusted the wrong people in the past. But Francis [Taylor] hasn’t done wrong yet. And hopefully she will have a good explanation about this whole business regarding your modeling agency and Kennedy.”
“She’d better because I’m telling you, Glory, I am in no damn mood to be diplomatic. That bastard tried to ruin my company…”
“Allegedly.”
The Boston native rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right,” sarcasm is dripping from her voice.
“I know you’re upset and you have every right to be upset at Kennedy. Whether the bloody fool was pure incompetent at his job or whether he intentionally tried to run you into the ground, you have every right to be mad at him. But we do not know what Francis Taylor knew. She may be ignorant in all of this as you were.”
Kayla studies her cousin for a few moments, still skeptical of Braddock’s optimism. Jones then furrows her brow out of curiosity. “And what happens if you find out today that Francis knew more than what she was letting on?”
“If she was in on this, even just a little bit, and didn’t tell me then her ass is fired. Francis is replaceable.” Glory reaches out and clasps Kayla’s hand tightly. “Family isn’t.”
Kayla smirks knowingly as this loving, warm moment between the family members is shared. But it ends rather abruptly when they hear the doorknob turning. Kayla and Glory both put on their game faces and brace themselves for what will be a tense conversation. Francis knows only that the buy out of the modeling agency will happen she just doesn’t know about where RDK fits into this. Francis expected RDK to be the one who runs the agency once the buyout happens. She is in for a rude awakening.
Braddock and Jones watch as a platinum blonde straight haired woman walks in wearing a sleeveless black dress with a hemline that stops just at the thigh and a black blazer. She is perched atop black high heel pumps. This is GWE President Francis Taylor and she is grinning from ear to ear as she was expecting to hear of the good news about the buyout of Kayla’s modeling agency.
That smile quickly turns into a frown as she notices Kayla herself sitting in the office. “Oh...Ms. Jones…” Francis looks up questioningly at Braddock “...uh, I thought…” Francis is completely taken off guard, which is unusual for an expert businesswoman like herself. Braddock motions to an empty chair next to Kayla.
“Sit down, Francis. We have a great deal to talk about.”
Francis and Kayla lock eyes, and they never cease to watch one another as Francis slowly moves towards the empty chair. The platinum blonde sits down in the chair and sighs as she crosses her legs and folds her arms over her chest. She sighs deeply and then looks over at Glory.
“I thought this was just me and you, Ms. Braddock. So why don’t we address the elephant in the room?” She motions to Kayla. “Why is she here?”
“Because it’s my modeling agency you wanted to steal you bi…”
“Kayla, hush.” Glory says sternly. Kayla glares daggers at her cousin but reluctantly obliges and keeps quiet. Braddock turns her attention back to Francis. “You are a smart woman, Francis. Surely you had to know that I would find out about this eventually, didn’t you?”
“Find out what?”
“Find out about RDK.”
“Kennedy?” A lightbulb goes off over Francis’s head as she realizes now what this must be about. “Sorry that I didn’t mention him earlier but I didn’t think you would care where the information about this deal came from. The deal, the buyout of Kayla Jones’s modeling agency, it is going to be a tremendous deal for our company. Who cares where I got the information from?”
“I care!” Kayla exclaims, again speaking out of turn. “I care because…”
“Kayla…” Glory says sharply. Again Kayla silences herself. Braddock turns back to face Francis. “Francis, look, I hired you to be the president of this company because you are very good at business. You are far better than I am. Unfortunately you are so good at business that you have become disconnected from certain things that are more important to business...namely, family. I told you I would not approve of this deal until I spoke with my cousin first because I knew this modeling agency was hers. After speaking with her and learning how passionate she was about it, how could I possibly allow myself to become the person who kills her dream? I was going to drop it altogether until I met Ronald Duane Kennedy. He’s the one who filled me in on his involvement in this, how he was the one who clued you in on Kayla’s failing agency.”
Francis nods her head, confirming the suspicions. “Yes, RDK told me about it. But so what?”
“But did you know that RDK worked for Kayla’s agency as its Chief Finance Officer? Did you know that either through inept decisions on his part or by intentional sabotage, he bears most of the responsibility for Kayla’s modeling agency going under?”
The platinum blonde president of the company’s face goes white as a sheet. Her eyes grow wide with shock at this news, news she clearly had never heard before. “What?! I...never…”
“Don’t play innocent!” Kayla snaps. Francis shakes her head vehemently.
“I had no idea. Look, we were friends from our mutual interest in business. I met him back when he was a wrestler and I did help him get started in business after he quit wrestling. But I had no idea he had moved on to your modeling agency. If I had known I never would have asked him to jump on board with our plan.” Francis looks over at Kayla, and the redhead still looks skeptical. Francis looks over at her boss, Braddock, and she too looks skeptical. “You gotta believe me.”
“I don’t like the fact that you didn’t tell me everything you knew. Some of this could have been avoided had you just told me about RDK’s involvement from the start.” Glory begins in a lecturing tone, as a mother might lecture a daughter. “But you’ve never done me wrong before. Just next time do not leave out any details, ok? Am I clear?”
“Crystal clear, Ms. Braddock.” Francis says apologetically. She offers her hand out to Kayla for a shake but Kayla shakes her head, refusing the handshake.
“Glory trusts you and that’s good enough for me, but I’m still pissed.”
“May we please put this behind us so we can get down to business?” Glory asks as she gazes at both women. Kayla sighs and nods her head, as does Francis. “Good. Now Francis, you will be happy to know that my attorneys are working on the legal documentation as we speak which Kayla will sign in order to bring the modeling agency under the GWE umbrella. But there is one caveat.”
“Oh?”
“You wanted RDK to be in charge of the modeling agency. That’s obviously not going to happen. Kayla here will remain in charge of the agency. I may own it but Kayla is in charge of it. In fact, since you admitted yourself at our first meeting that you didn’t know much about the modeling business either, you really shouldn’t have any say over the modeling agency. This is why Kayla will be your equal within the company. She answers only to one person and you are looking at her.”
Braddock turns to face Kayla. “You do understand that since you are now in such a lofty position within the company, a position that even puts you in above Tabitha [Silverstone] in terms of authority, that you will be unable to wrestle for GCW any longer due to conflict of interest?”
“I understand.” Kayla answers, nodding her head.
“I hear you and understand all of this, and I agree with all of it,” Francis begins “but I would like to make one more proposal. Due to the fact that this is no longer a company basing itself solely on professional wrestling, I feel the name Global Wrestling Enterprise no longer fits. Don’t you agree?”
Braddock nods her head. “You make a point, but what do you suggest?”
“I suggest something near and dear to your heart; Glorious Golden Entertainment: GGE. That should be the new name of our company.”
The initials “GGE” are known to The British Bombshell. Glorious Golden Era is a faction Glory Braddock ran in another company, alongside Neil Newman and Kyle Butler. Those who have followed Braddock’s career would recognize and appreciate the nod to the group with this rebranding. Braddock nods her head in agreement.
“I agree. Our new name shall be Glorious Golden Entertainment, Francis Taylor as President of our wrestling operations which includes the promotion and the school, and Kayla Jones-Snow as President of our modeling operation. Are we all in agreement?”
“Agreed.” Francis says.
“Agreed.” Kayla answers, still not letting her eyes off of Francis Taylor. No, this may not be the perfect team when you consider how betrayed Kayla feels right now and how paranoid she will continue to feel having to work with Francis Taylor. But at least her dreams of operating this modeling agency can still happen. And Glory Braddock, for her part, feels happy that even if she is failing in the wrestling ring at present time, she is still succeeding at making other dreams come true. Things are looking up.
==========
February 13th, 2021
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
==========
It’s a warm Saturday morning in Miami, Florida. Glory Braddock sits in a green patio chair out by the pool of her fancy home. The warm rays beating down from the sky above creates the perfect atmosphere to get a tan or take a dip in the pool and swim some laps. Braddock instead just sits here in a loose, floral print sun dress, flip flops, a pair of sunglasses over her eyes, and a hat covering her head. With the exception of some minor road noise off in the distance it has been fairly quiet all morning and Braddock is pleased with that development. The British Bombshell wants this time to herself to sit, meditate, and think.
Primarily she is thinking about the future, a future that includes a bold new step into territory she has never set foot into before; the modeling industry. It is a business she knows next to nothing about and getting her company involved in it is a risky business but she is confident in her cousin’s ability to run the modeling agency. Besides, this isn’t about Glory’s own selfish desire for personal gain. For Glory she wants to help keep her cousin’s dream alive. Modeling saved Kayla’s life and she wants to give back to the industry and help other young girls like her. That is her dream. Glory Braddock wants to help preserve Kayla’s dream and if that means putting her own finances, her own company even, at risk to keep Kayla’s dream alive then so be it. That is what this is about for Glory Braddock; helping others and caring for others more than herself. That is when Glory Braddock is truly at her best, when she is helping others.
Beyond the risk that is the modeling agency there is also the challenge of the gauntlet match on SCW Breakdown for the World Championship. It is a future that The British Bombshell would rather not think about right now. It is one she has been trying to avoid, to be perfectly honest. Doing business with Francis and Kayla yesterday was a godsend for Braddock because she could use it to distract herself from the gauntlet match. Why would Braddock want to distract herself from focusing on what could be one of the biggest matches in SCW this year?
If you could look beyond those sunglasses that cover her eyes you could see the answer; you would see doubt written across the eyes of Glory Braddock. For the first time in a very long time Braddock is unsure of herself. She isn’t even certain if she can lay claim to being the Best in the World any longer after she has failed time and time again to get the job done in clutch situations. She has been choking under pressure when it mattered most. This is why Glory Braddock is nervous about the gauntlet and why she would rather not think about it right now. Yet thoughts of the gauntlet are even now returning to her mind. And she knows that she needs a distraction.
A smile creeps across her face as she hears the creaking of a door coming from behind her. Footsteps are heard across a hard surface. Braddock then turns her head ever so slightly and spots the arrival of her two guests, one of which is her cousin, Kayla Jones-Snow. She is dressed for the occasion in a pair of short-shorts and a red tank top. There is a new face with her, someone Braddock was not expecting. This is a female, who appears to be very young...at most twenty one or twenty-two. She has light brown hair that is long, down to the shoulder blades. She is dressed in an oversized white t-shirt and it is obvious that underneath is a bathing suit of some sort. Clearly this newcomer was told she was coming to a pool.
“Hi Kayla…” Glory says before looking over at the visitor “...and who is your friend?”
“Glory Braddock, meet Fiona Osbourne; she is one of the models still with the agency. Fiona, this is Glory Braddock.”
Fiona is clearly nervous as she meekly holds out her hand and quietly speaks “Nice to meet you, Ms. Braddock.”
“Ah, call me Glory, mate.”
“Uh, right, I will Ms. Bra...I mean, I will Glory.”
Glory chuckles lightly. Kayla gently elbows Fiona in the side. “It’s ok, Fiona. Glory isn’t rabid. She won’t bite.”
“I promise I’ve had my shots.” Glory takes Fiona’s hand and they shake. Fiona’s voice is trembling as she tries to find the courage to speak to The British Bombshell.
“Uh, may I...um…” she points to the pool “...Ms. Snow told me about the pool and...um…”
“Yes you may go for a dip, love.” Glory answers with a nod of her head. Fiona smiles a weak grin before turning around and taking the oversized t-shirt off, revealing a two-piece purple bathing suit. Fiona then dives in headfirst and begins to swim laps around the pool. As soon as Fiona begins her swimming Kayla finds a nearby patio chair, a green one that matches the one Glory is sitting in, and sets it down next to Glory. Kayla sits down in the chair next to her cousin.
“Sorry about bringing along a guest, but I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“No need to apologize, mate. I mean, it is probably good that I get to know the models now that I’m technically working in that business now too. But who is this Fiona? Who is she really?”
“That’s another thing. I’ve taken a special interest in her because she reminds me a great deal of myself. She comes from an abusive foster home where her foster father was a drunk. Her foster father also had connections to the modeling industry, saw his new foster child was drop dead gorgeous, and decided to try and take advantage.” Kayla turns and looks over at Glory. “Sound familiar?”
Indeed the story does sound awfully familiar. Kayla ended up in foster care after the death of her mother and being abandoned by her biological father. Her foster father, an abusive drunk named Oliver Hardy, had many connections with powerful people, including people in the modeling industry. He used Kayla to make money to further support his drinking habits. Eventually Kayla was able to free herself from Hardy, as soon as she was old enough to support herself. She would continue modeling a for a couple more years but that would eventually introduce her to professional wrestling and the rest, as they say, is history.
“Sounds like your life story.”
“Bingo. So yeah, you can see why Fiona does have a special place in my heart.” Kayla sighs. “Gosh I want to see her succeed so badly. I’m so glad she decided to stick around with us and not to drink RDK’s kool-aid.”
Braddock arches a brow out of curiosity. “Is that bloke causing trouble again?”
“Ever since he got wind of this merger and that he was on the outs he began talking to the girls. He’s been trying to fill their heads with lies about how I’m old and washed up, how my ideas and visions are out of date and that somehow his radical new vision is better.”
“What IS his vision?”
“That’s the thing, I’m not sure he even has one!” Kayla exclaims with a laugh. “To my knowledge he never had the first clue about modeling when I hired him. I brought him purely for his knowledge of finances and that was it.” Kayla scowls. “And that is another reason I think Kennedy was sabotaging me. He knows finances well. He isn’t stupid.”
“Are any of the models buying any of the crap he’s selling?”
“Unfortunately, yes. They think he is their ticket to a quick and easy payday but I keep telling them it isn’t as easy as RDK makes it sound. But you know it is? The allure of fame and fortune is hard to avoid.”
Braddock sighs and nods her head. “Believe me, I know. It led me to making some bloody terrible decisions, decisions that nearly ruined friendships and caused me to waste two Trios contracts.”
“Speaking of Trios, what about Ace Marshall’s cash in coming up? You’re in it, right?”
“I’d rather not talk about it.” Braddock says, shaking her head.
“Why not? I would think you would be thrilled that you get a World Championship match?”
“Kay, I have had TWO world title matches thanks to Trios contracts I won on my own. I failed both times. Now I’m getting another opportunity, gifted to me by Ace Marshall. I don’t deserve this. Hell, I’m coming off losing the Adrenaline title to Shilo and then falling flat on my face to Jordan and Cookie in the semi-finals of the tag team league. I do not deserve this opportunity.”
“But you have the opportunity. Seize the opportunity and…”
“And what?” Glory asks, staring stoically into her cousin’s eyes. After a few moments of pause to let the question sink in Glory just simply shakes her head. “I’ll just fail. Again. That’s what will happen.”
Braddock leans back and sighs out of frustration. “Sorry, mate...but like I said, I didn’t want to talk about this.”
Kayla studies her cousin intensely for a few moments. She is about to speak but decides against it. A knowing smirk forms upon the face of the redheaded Boston native. An idea is in her head. “Tell you what, I’ll go inside and let you two have some alone time.”
“Huh?” Glory asks curiously, wondering what her cousin meant by that. Before she can get an answer she looks and Kayla has already left to go back into the home. Braddock then hears the familiar sound of water splashing and then footsteps on the hard surface. This is an indicator that Fiona has emerged out of the pool. Braddock turns her head in time to see Fiona approaching. The young model notices that the seat next to Glory is empty. She motions to it before meekly speaking.
“Is uh...Ms. Snow…”
“She just stepped inside for something.”
“For what?”
“No clue, mate.” Glory motions to the chair. “But sit down if you want.”
“Are you...are you sure it’s ok?”
“Of course. My chairs, my rules.”
Fiona smiles nervously as she approaches the empty chair and finally, after a momentary indecision, musters up the courage to sit down. Glory looks over at Fiona and can tell she is still nervous. She can’t imagine why. Braddock decides to break the ice and perhaps get to know Fiona a little better.
“Have you always wanted to be a model?”
“Well…” Fiona blushes “...not exactly.”
“That’s odd, isn’t it? Do you dislike modeling?”
“Oh no, no, no...please don’t think that Ms. Braddock...sorry! Glory! Don’t think that Glory!”
Fiona is clearly embarrassed as Glory starts laughing out loud. “It’s ok, love. It’s ok to do something else you enjoy or do something you feel you have to do for whatever reason, just so long as you remember your goal and continue to work towards that goal. That’s what my dad always told me. He would always tell me to remember my goals and keep those goals in mind no matter what twist or turn the road may take. Granted he was a wrestler, not a model, but the same principles apply, I suppose.”
“Glenn Braddock said that?”
“Yeah, he…” Braddock just notices that Fiona used her father’s name. How would she know her father’s name? “...wait a second…”
“Oh God, I said too much!” Fiona blushes furiously as she quickly gets up from the patio chair and starts to walk back to the edge of the pool. She sits down with her legs in the pool. Glory gets up out of her chair and cautiously approaches the young Fiona. Braddock kneels down so that she is right at the same height as Fiona.
“Fiona...what is your dream? If modeling isn’t your dream, then what IS your dream?”
“It’s stupid.”
“No it’s not.”
Fiona sighs deeply. “Fine...it’s wrestling.”
“Really?”
“Wrestling was always my passion. Problem is wrestling doesn’t get you a big payday unless you make it to the big time. And my foster parents were dicks, especially Todd my foster father, and he only wanted to use me to make a quick buck. So he forced me into modeling.”
“How old are you now...if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Twenty-two. And yes, I moved away from them. That’s partly why I am so loyal to Ms. Snow; she helped me get away, she helped me support myself so I could strike out on my own. But my passion still is and always will be wrestling. I am determined to one day make that dream a reality. The other models think I’m crazy. They think I should stick to modeling because its easier. But I know my dream and I will stick with it.”
Fiona looks up at Glory Braddock and grins from ear to ear. A tear is rolling down the younger woman’s cheek. “That’s why I am so honored to get work for you now, Ms. Bra...I mean...Glory. Obviously I am a fan of Ms. Snow’s work in the ring but you were always my favorite. You were my inspiration especially during the rough patch of my life when everyone from my foster parents to my own peers in the modeling business kept telling me that my dream was impossible. Because you kept getting knocked down but you never gave up. You were hit with some of the most devastating losses, from your dad’s death, being removed from power by your company’s board of directors, bitter family betrayals, and you fought through it all to stick true to your dream. Even now despite being on a losing streak you have your eyes on the prize. You are still focused on your dream. You are an inspiration.”
Hearing that heartwarming speech from young Fiona adds further guilt to Glory Braddock. Imagine what Fiona would think if she knew the truth? What would Fiona think about her ‘inspiration’ doubting herself and questioning whether she should even continue, questioning the point of even seeing this gauntlet match on Breakdown through? Braddock isn’t an inspiration. She is a coward.
That is when Glory’s eyes immediately grow steely-eyed with a cold determination. Fiona is a reminder of Glory’s purpose in life; her purpose isn’t to merely fight for the purity of wrestling or to receive a fifteenth world championship. Glory Braddock’s purpose is to inspire millions like Fiona. Glory’s purpose is to help dreams come true. Is there still a place for Glory Braddock in this business? Yes, yes there is.
Braddock reaches out and places a hand on Fiona’s shoulder. “Fiona...I will do everything I can within my power to make sure that your dreams come true. And do not listen to what anyone tells you, because if you have the skills, the ability, and the determination then you can do anything. That’s what my father taught me and I still believe it. If you have the determination then I know between Kayla, myself, and my wrestling school we can get you the ability. Your dreams will come true.”
Tears are now flowing freely down Fiona’s cheeks as if a well had erupted. Fiona stands up as does Glory and the two embrace in a tight hug. “Thanks!”
Upon breaking the embrace Fiona decides to go back into the pool for another few laps. Glory smiles warmly as she turns around. The British Bombshell comes face to face with her cousin. Kayla Jones has a smug smirk upon her face and her arms are folded over her chest. Braddock knows immediately that this was a setup all along.
“Manipulate little brasser, you are.” Glory says with a smirk of her own. “Did you tell Fiona to…”
“Not at all.” Kayla shakes her head. “I knew Fiona looked up to you, I knew she wanted to meet you, and I also knew you needed someone to talk you out of this funk you’ve been in. And believe me, you have been in a funk. It’s hard not to notice it. I just brought Fiona in hoping that you two would eventually find time alone together and that she would say something that would spark something in you, hoping that she would say something that would remind you just who the hell you are.”
Braddock chuckles lightly. “Well your risk paid off.” Braddock leans in and embraces Kayla in a hug. “Thanks, mate. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that.”
Upon breaking the embrace Kayla places her hands upon her hips and stares questioningly at her cousin. “So, about that SCW World Championship?”
“I’m going to win it. No excuses, no cop outs, no settling. I will win it or else…”
“Or else what?” Kayla asks with her eyebrow arched curiously.
“...or else there’s nothing. I win or nothing at all. It’s that simple. I’m all in for SCW Breakdown. World Championship or bust.”
==========
February 16th, 2021
Cleveland, Ohio
On Camera
==========
Gray clouds cover the sky overhead in Cleveland, Ohio, creating a somber mood in what would ordinarily be a bright cheerful day in this park. Another factor adding to the dreariness of the setting is its vast emptiness. You can see swings, see-saws, and other parts of a playground where children would usually be playing, benches are also scattered nearby where their parents would ordinarily be watching them. But this park is quiet, empty, with an almost solemn feel, the feeling one has just before impending doom. The silence is broken with the sound of approaching footsteps. A few moments pass before “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock steps into the stage from the right. The blonde is dressed in a purple jacket, a white blouse, denim jeans, and black boots. Her long blonde hair hangs straight and unrestrained to just past the shoulders. Her face is stoic, emotionless, or perhaps solem? Solem to match the environment she has set foot in. The British Bombshell turns and approaches one of the black iron benches and the camera follows. Braddock sits down on the bench, leans back, and crosses her legs; meanwhile the camera negotiates itself to where it is facing her. Glory stares deep into the camera, her expression still doesn’t change. She remains intense and focused.
“Something special happens Thursday on Breakdown. Obviously it’s a gauntlet match, chaos from the mind of Ace Marshall cashing in his Trios contract, and obviously it is a SCW World Championship Match. That’s what it is just on the face. Being purely materialistic, that’s all that happens on Breakdown. But if you peel back the onion you’ll see that there are layers beyond just the material. Now I’ve heard a lot of talk about what that is; and I think it changes depending upon who you talk to. For some this is a very special night. Jordan Majors, Kimberly Williams, and others have never been able to say that they have been SCW World Champion. For some this is the closest they’ve been to the main event picture of Supreme Championship Wrestling in a long ass time. For others this is just another day in the office. Now don’t get me wrong, I know Selena Frost wants to be World Champion very badly, I know she respects what the World Championship stands for, but she’s won it before, she’s a Supreme Champion, she’s done it all here in SCW. So another big time marquee match like this gauntlet is nothing new to her. Same thing with Syren and Ravyn, the bitches from Infamous.”
Braddock motions to herself. “But what about me? I have had a lot of time to think about that and I will be perfectly honest with you, my first reaction was the predictable one; finally! Another opportunity to be world champion! I lost the Adrenaline Title to Shilo Valiant but so what? Now thanks to that bloody fruitcake Ace Marshall I can redeem myself and win the World Championship! But then Selena Frost happened, and the tag team league loss to the Psychonauts in the semi-finals happened, and I was jolted right back to reality. And the reality is that I have been living a lie ever since Rise to Greatness XVI.”
“See this gauntlet coming up on Thursday is a result of Ace Marshall’s twisted mind but it is also because of his Trios Contract. Ace is a unique individual, he has pretty screwed up ideas, but do you think Sasha would ever have booked this insanity of her own free will? Do you think she would have willingly given so damn many people an opportunity at the World Championship all at once?” Braddock pauses to let the viewers consider her question before eventually giving them the answer with a shake of her hand. “No, Sasha and SCW would never touch a match like this. Only Trios can make this happen.”
“Now there was a time when I thought a match like the one Ace booked was laughable. There was a time I thought it was degrading to the prestige of the SCW World Championship. At one point I would have mocked Ace for using his Trios in this manner. But then I look at my own previous Trios cash ins. I mean, I have won Trios in back to back years, so I have a history with those bloody contracts. My first cash in was to insert myself into the Rise To Greatness XVI main event against Syren and Alistaire for the World Title. I did it because I didn’t think Alistaire could get the job done, I did it because I felt I was the only one who could stop Syren’s reign of terror. But the end result was Alistaire Allocco proved me wrong by defeating me AND Syren to become World Champion.”
Braddock holds up two fingers. “Then comes my second Trios cash in over a year later, at Apocalypse. David Helms had just become World Champion and I felt that he was unworthy of being champion. The words I used to describe Helms were ‘ancient monolith’. I felt his time had come and gone and that he should step aside and that I would send him packing into retirement. But again I was proven wrong when David beat me to retain the championship. And I really haven’t been the same since. Sure, I was Adrenaline Champion for a time but I eventually lost that to the bloody loon Shilo Valiant. I had another opportunity to form a team with Selena Frost and I screwed that one up to. But that last failure was an eye opener. I came to realize that this entire time from Rise To Greatness XVI until now I have been trying to be someone I am not…”
“...The Best in the World.”
Braddock chuckles lightly. “Funny...I never thought I’d ever say that, but it’s true. I am not the Best in the World. It is the one lesson I never truly learned from my late father. Glenn Braddock was an impressive amateur wrestler and most of his peers called him Britain’s Best but did he ever call himself that? No, he didn’t. He just competed. He fought whoever he had to fight and let the people make up their own minds. He let the chips fall where they may but he was never arrogant, he was never condescending. He lifted people up, he lifted this sport up but me? For far too long I have been lifting myself up. I have been trying to hoist myself up onto the pedestal of Best in the World. To be the Best in the World I had to become World Champion and so it became an obsession. That’s why I really used my two Trios contracts on myself to get a world title match. I did it for my own selfish gain. I did it because I have been obsessed with becoming World Champion.”
“You look at me and my past, you look at the other promotions I have been in and you will see that I have held fourteen other world championships. But the SCW World Championship is the one mountain I have thus far been unable to climb. It had become my Mount Everest and I needed to reach the summit. I needed to conquer this mountain. Having a dream or a goal is fine, but when that dream or that goal turns into an obsession it can destroy you, and in my case it caused me to forget who I really am.”
Glory Braddock stands up to her feet. Her facial expression changes slightly as a little more intensity and emotion seems to form. “But now I know who the hell I am. I am ‘The British Bombshell’ Glory Braddock! I am a woman who grew up surrounded by wrestling, a woman who loves getting in the ring and wrestling week in and week out for all of my friends, my family, my supporters, and most importantly my fans, all of my fans out there who never forgot what Glory Braddock really and truly stood for even when I did.”
“And this Trios cash in from the lunatic mind of Ace Marshall, this is what Trios is all about. Creating opportunities and possibility making dreams come true. Do you think Jordan Majors, who kicked some major ass last week and has had some spectacular matches against Sienna Swann, someone like Jordan who knows she is on the precipice of greatness would love to use this to make her dream come true? Or my own cousin, Kimberly Williams, she has never been a world champion. She has never even had a world title match in her career. And while some dim bulbed, self-absorbed bitches may not think she matters, the fact is that she does matter and she will do whatever it takes to achieve her dream of winning her first world championship. My old sparring partner Asher Hayes, he has never been World Champion either, despite having the talents and caliber to get the job done. I’ve been in the ring with him, I’ve gazed into his eyes and look into his soul, I know he would love to become World Champion.”
The British Bombshell shakes her head. “Unfortunately this is where I have to be the bearer of bad news, this is where I have to tell the world that The British Bombshell is also the woman who will shatter the dreams of each and every individual in that gauntlet. Because that’s the thing about Trios, it CAN make dreams come true but it is never a guarantee to make dreams come true. Only the person who wants it the most will be able to go the distance, survive this chaotic gauntlet, and walk away with the SCW World Championship. It won’t be Syren or Ravyn who have no heart or soul to even speak of, it won’t be Datura who isn’t consistent enough with her dedication to SCW, and it damn sure isn’t going to be the self-absorbed bitch of a World Champion we have now...and Bree, you have to know that your time is running out. Your reign as champion is coming to an end. There is no way you will survive this because there are fourteen other competitors with more heart than you, more determination, and who care about this sport more than you who will sacrifice anything and everything to win. You may go a long way in this gauntlet, you may even come close to surviving, but you won’t survive. You will not retain. That I guarantee.”
“And another thing I guarantee is that the one person who has enough will to win, who has enough endurance to go the distance, is the British Bitch talking to you right now! I have to because this is my personal Mount Everest that I have to climb, that I have to conquer. And it is only fitting that this chance comes not in the form of a one on one or even a triple threat, but a match where I quite literally have to overcome just about the very best SCW has to offer. It isn’t going to be easy, as I have tried to make it on myself the previous two Trios attempts. This time I have to overcome overwhelming odds. But this time I know who the hell I am, this time I am confident, and this time I know it will be a different story.”
Braddock bows her head and closes her eyes. She is silent for several moments as she considers her next words. These are tough words, difficult words that she has thought about for several days, and still isn’t sure if she should say it. But finally she lifts her head and opens her eyes and here eyes still have that same determination as before.
“I am so confident that I here to tell each and every one of you that I am all in for Breakdown. This doesn’t mean I am fully committed to Breakdown and the gauntlet, although it is true that I am fully committed. When I say that I am ALL IN I mean it in turns of gambling. Ask any gambler what it means when you go all in...it means that you are pushing every last chip you have in your disposal into the pot. That means that either you win and live to fight another day or your game of Texas Hold ‘Em is officially done. You see, I am tired of settling for ‘almost’, I am tired of the excuses, I am tired of the cop outs. Most of all, I am tired of not conquering my Mount Everest. So on Breakdown, I will conquer Mount Everest, I will become SCW World Champion, or I will LEAVE Supreme Championship Wrestling.”
Braddock bows her head and shuts her eyes a second time before silently muttering her catchphrase “Sic Semper Tyrannis…”
![[Image: qyA5u6K.png]](https://i.imgur.com/qyA5u6K.png)
SCW World Champion 1x
SCW United States Champion 1x
SCW Adrenaline Champion 1x
SCW Television Champion 1x
SCW World Tag Team Champion 1x (w/Brittany Lohan)
Supreme Champion
2019 Trios Tournament Winner (w/ Regan Street & Kellen Jeffries)
2020 Trios Tournament Winner (w/ Ace Marshall & David Helms)
SCW Adrenaline Champion 1x
SCW Television Champion 1x
SCW World Tag Team Champion 1x (w/Brittany Lohan)
Supreme Champion
2019 Trios Tournament Winner (w/ Regan Street & Kellen Jeffries)
2020 Trios Tournament Winner (w/ Ace Marshall & David Helms)
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