Light in the Darkness vs. Twisted & Sadistic vs. Team Desire

[Braddock]

2 of 2
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July 19th, 2024
Detroit, Michigan
Off Camera
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Rise To Greatness is fast approaching. The biggest event on SCW’s calendar year is now just a little over a week away and Glory Braddock and Brittany Lohan, the pair known as Twisted & Sadistic, are hoping that they can finally reclaim the SCW World Tag Team Championship that they lost at Retribution. Once again it will be a three way dance against two other teams; Light in the Darkness and the champions Team Desire. Except this time it is an elimination format. In other words, each team must be beaten before the match can end. This is exactly what Glory and Brittany wanted from the beginning. They want no excuses and no question marks remaining as to which team really is the best team in SCW. Glory Braddock is certain that this is their moment. She is certain that Rise To Greatness is going to be the night they recapture the tag team titles. Brittany Lohan is also certain of this but she wants to leave no stone unturned. After all, this journey has been a long one. The War Machine also recognizes what this means for The British Bombshell. It first meant just a means to achieving the Supreme Championship. Now Glory has in turn committed herself to Twisted & Sadistic and giving this team, and Lohan, a proper run with the titles. Brittany knows that they cannot risk anything. She believes that as good as they are together, that maybe they need something else. She believes she needs to tap into the past and some of the energy that brought these two unique individuals together in the first place. Lohan has tried to help Braddock remember the past by taking her to some of her favorite rituals; namely billiards and karaoke. Slowly but surely, over the course of these unique team building exercises, Lohan has noticed the reemergence of her best friend, the woman she first met and went to war with and against as part of Twisted & Sadistic. More and more the confidence is building and both Braddock and Lohan believe that their second tag team title reign is near. Still, Brittany has another idea, one final plan to strike a nerve with her tag team partner and friend Glory Braddock.

This is why the pair are still in Detroit, Michigan whilst most everyone else from SCW has already left, either for their respective homes or straight for the sight of Rise To Greatness itself. Braddock and Lohan have stayed behind because The War Machine wants to make one final stop before leaving the area. Currently The British Bombshell finds herself in the passenger’s seat of a rental car being driven by Brittany Lohan. Glory’s golden blonde locks of hair now pulled back in a casual ponytail. She wore a pair of stylish, dark-wash jeans that accentuated her figure, paired with a soft, fitted sweater in a shade of purple, her favorite color. Sitting behind the wheel of the rental car was Brittany Lohan. She wore loose fitting jeans, boots, and a worn t-shirt.

“The Shinigami Foundation, huh?” Lohan snarled. “So those are the clowns that decided to get involved in our business?”

“Britt…” Glory attempts to chime in but Lohan is already on a tear.

“And they call us complainers?! Next time we see them, we need to put them in a damn ground and…”

“Britt!” Glory exclaims.

“What?!”

“Look, I get it, they cost us a match, but they are not our problem right now. They are The Shining Maidens’s problem. Going after them now would just create too much chaos and you see what the chaos WE created did.”

“Yes, we got a tag title shot at Rise To Greatness.”

“Again TWO teams, not just the one which is what we would have preferred.” Braddock remarks. “All because the chaos we created caused a delay in our title shot, due to Amelia and Luz having to help us fight off all the people we pissed off.”

“We never asked for their help.”

“No, but it was necessary if we were to finally move on.” Braddock sighs. “In any event, my point is that Rise To Greatness is our immediate concern. Fighting and defeating Amelia, Luz, and Team Desire to recapture the SCW World Tag Team Championship should be our immediate concern.” She turns to look at Lohan. “We are on the same page on this, right?”

“Yeah…” she sighs “...but when we win the titles, we go and get our pound of flesh.”

“Fair enough.” Braddock smirks. “After we win the tag titles we can get some revenge.”

“Good.” Brittany says. Braddock nods her head and turns her attention back to the road, looking out at the sights and features of Detroit as they drive on down the road. After a few seconds of silence, The British Bombshell turns her attention back to Lohan.

“Hey, Britt?”

“Yeah?”

“Where exactly are we going?” She asks curiously. “I know you mentioned something last night, one last stop on this trip down memory lane or something like that. But you never said what.”

“I know.”

“Ok…” Glory shrugs “...so where are we going?”

“Don’t worry.” Lohan says. “We’re almost there.”

Braddock wishes she knew where they were going but she trusts Lohan’s judgment. So she turns her attention back to the road, watching as Lohan drives along. Eventually they turned off the main road and into a unique car lot. Glory looks up out her window to see a sign that indicates that this is not just a used car lot but also a car repair shop. The lot was a mix of vehicles in various states of repair, their hoods open and tools scattered about, while rows of used cars sat waiting for new owners. The scene was a blend of industry and opportunity, the scent of motor oil and rubber hanging in the air. Lohan maneuvered the car smoothly into a parking space, the gravel crunching under the tires as they came to a stop. She cut the engine, and the hum of the city was replaced by the sounds of the lot: the clank of tools, the murmur of mechanics, and the occasional burst of laughter or conversation. Glory exits the passenger’s side door. She takes a moment to stretch as she scans the lot with a curious interest. Lohan walks around the side of the vehicle and joins Braddock.

“What are we doing here, mate?” Glory asks curiously.

“You’ll see.”

The British Bombshell still wants to know what is going on but she just sighs and decides to go with the flow. Brittany motions for her to follow her as she approaches what appears to be the main office; a small building with large windows showcasing the activity within. They step inside and are immediately greeted by a middle-aged man with grease-stained overalls, graying hair, and a friendly smile. He recognized the dark-haired woman immediately, extending a hand in a gesture of familiarity.

“Hey there!” He says. “Nice seeing you again, Ms. Lohan!”

“Yeah, back at you.” Brittany responded.

“So…” Glory looks at the man and then back at Brittany “...what are we here for, Britt?”

“Sorry.” Brittany smirks. “This is Hugh. He runs this place. Hugh, meet my friend…”

“Glory Braddock.” Hugh answers, finishing Brittany’s own statement. “I am a big fan of you, of both of you.”

“Really?” Glory furrows her brow. “You’re a wrestling fan?”

“I’ve been a big fan all of my life, since the golden age of wrestling. And you two, wow, imagine my surprise when you two got back together and reformed Twisted & Sadistic? That was some fun stuff.” He winks. “I am cheering for you at Rise To Greatness.”

“Nice…thanks…” Glory turns her attention back to Lohan “...this is nice and all, mate, but did we really spend an extra night in Detroit just to make a fan’s dreams come true? That sounds more like something I would do than some idea of yours.”

“Trust me, Glory.” Brittany says confidently. “There’s much more to it than that.” Lohan turns to face Hugh. “Why don’t you show us the goods.”

“It’ll be my pleasure, Ms. Lohan.”

Hugh walks past them and motions for them to follow. Brittany immediately follows and Glory reluctantly follows along as well. They exit the office and return to the lot. They walk past the main repair shop area and walk up a small hill towards another building that resembles a car repair building except it seems mostly abandoned. In fact, the closer she gets, Glory notices that this building seems to only contain one vehicle.

“What’s in there?” Glory asks.

“You’ll see.” Hugh says. “It’s my special item.”

“I’m really getting tired of hearing those words.” Glory says with a roll of her eyes.

“What’s that?” Brittany asks.

“You’ll see”

Brittany chuckles. She, Glory, and Hugh approach the abandoned building and step inside. Hugh approaches the vehicle that is being stored inside. Braddock and Brittany look at it. Lohan seems unphased by this, as if she already knows what the significance of it is. Braddock studies it closely trying to figure it out.

“Do you know what this is?” Hugh asks.

“Ford Fusion.” Glory says. “Maybe a 2010?”

“That’s correct.” Hugh nods his head. “But this is a very special car.” He motions to a very noticeable dent on the hood of the car as well as some cracks in the window. “And that damage right there is the main reason why I will never get rid of it.”

“I’m sure you could fix it up and sell it.” Glory says.

“Oh I could. But that’s not the point.” Hugh says. “These damages make the car far more valuable.”

“Wait, what?” Braddock is now thoroughly confused. “I don’t get it.”

“Do you know the show Pawn Stars? Most Wanted Treasures?” Brittany asks.

“Yes, I’m familiar with it but…” she pauses and looks again at the car “...wait a sec, is that…” her voice trails off.

“It is.” Brittany nods her head. “That is the car that I power bombed you on during our first fight.” She points to the dent. “See? That Glory Braddock Ass Print is probably worth millions.”

“That’s not my ass…” Glory chuckles “...but, seriously, how the hell did you find it?!”

“People collect the strangest of items. Especially fans, fans will collect celebrity memorabilia all the time. It wasn’t difficult to track this down. I was going to spring it on you as a surprise after we won back the tag titles but then I figured, why not show you now? Maybe it could serve as an inspiration as we go into Rise To Greatness?

“I’m surprised.” Glory smirks. “You aren’t usually known for being this deep.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“This is incredible.” Glory says. “It marks our very first confrontation.”

“That’s not all I have.” Hugh says. “Stay right there.” Hugh walks over to the driver’s side of the car. He opens it up and reaches inside. He produces a photograph of a man and he hands it to Glory. She looks at it and notices that this is a photo of none other than the late Orlando Cruze.

“It’s Cruze…” she shows it to Lohan “...see? It’s Orlando.”

“Yeah, sure.” Brittany rolls her eyes. “Do we really need to see his mug, though?”

“You wanted me to see the car, to remind me of our first encounter.” She points to Cruze. “But this guy, he played a big role in Twisted & Sadistic.”

“Yeah…” Lohan sighs “...it was his idea of a sick joke to put two enemies together as a team.”

“And what happened?” Glory asks. “We learned to get along. We learned to complement each other. What might have started out as his idea of a joke turned into one of the most dominant teams in tag team wrestling. Now we are on the precipice of becoming two time SCW World Tag Team Champions at Rise To Greatness and Britt, like him or not, you do have him to thank for at least part of this coming to be.”

“I suppose we did make the most of it.” Lohan says.

“We did. And thanks, Britt. Thanks for all of this! I needed this trip down memory lane to remind me of who we are and what we need to be.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear.” Brittany smirks. “Now let’s get the hell out of here. We have to work get done.”

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July 23rd, 2024
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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The trip down memory lane is exactly what Glory Braddock and Brittany Lohan needed. They needed this opportunity to remember the past and how they came together in the first place. They needed this opportunity to remind themselves what makes them great isn’t their similarities but their unique qualities, namely their differences. Brittany Lohan’s weaknesses happen to be Glory Braddock’s strengths. Glory Braddock’s weaknesses happen to be Brittany Lohan’s strengths. It is their differences that make Twisted & Sadistic a formidable duo and it is for this reason that they are confident that they will march into Rise To Greatness, defeat Light in the Darkness and Team Desire, and regain the SCW World Tag Team Championship. Most importantly, Brittany is satisfied that she has her friend back, the woman she truly wants to share the ring with. She is confident that she finally has the old Glory Braddock back.

Now that has been taken care of, the real hard work can begin. Lohan has traveled with Braddock back to her home in Miami, Florida where training and preparation will begin in earnest for the three way dance at Rise To Greatness. Luckily Glory Braddock has a private gym of her own in the basement of her luxurious Miami home. The floor is covered with thick, black rubber mats to ensure safety and comfort during intense training sessions. To the left, there's a full-sized regulation wrestling ring, complete with red and blue corner pads, ropes, and an overhead light system for evening practice. Around the ring, several heavy bags hang from sturdy beams, including traditional heavy bags, speed bags, and a couple of double-end bags for precision training. Adjacent to this includes a variety of free weights, kettlebells, medicine balls, and resistance bands. There’s also a squat rack, a bench press, and a selection of cardio machines like treadmills and rowing machines. The equipment is arranged in a way that allows for circuit training, blending strength, agility, and endurance workouts. In one corner of the gym, a small lounge area provides a place for relaxation and recovery.

Lohan finds herself in front of the heavy bag, throwing hard rights and lefts. Glory Braddock stands off to the side with some weights. Eventually Braddock puts the weights down and slowly approaches Lohan. She smirks as she watches The War Machine lay into the heavy bag with ruthless aggression. Braddock chuckles.

“So who are you picturing when you beat on that thing?” Glory asks. “Amelia? Luz? Katie? Gigi?”

“All of the above.” Lohan says quickly as she throws a rapid of combination punches.

“Don’t wear yourself out, mate.” Glory winks. “We need to save some of that aggression for Rise To Greatness.”

“Don’t worry.” Lohan stops her punching momentarily and turns to face Glory. “That was just half of the aggression I plan to unleash.”

“Half?” Glory arches her brow out of curiosity. “Damn. I’d hate to see one hundred percent.”

“I plan to leave a tag title and at least someone’s head on a platter.” Brittany remarks. Glory nods her head.

“Yeah, that’s the spirit alright, but temper the enthusiasm there, Wolverine, ok? This might be our last shot. We worked hard to get here and we are going to make the most of it.”

“Right.” Lohan nods her head in agreement. “So now what? Sparring?”

“I like that idea.” Glory smirks. “Just try not to power bomb me on any more vehicles, ok?”

“You got it.”

So far their training has gone quite well. They have had several workout sessions like this since returning from Detroit. This is the final stretch, the final leg of their road to Rise To Greatness. Glory and Brittany worked hard to get back into this situation where they can once again become tag team champions. They are not going to let anything or anyone get in their way to jeopardize their chances. Everything seems to be falling into place perfectly, like a puzzle. But it seems as if when everything is going perfectly, that is when the rug is pulled out from underneath you. Sure enough, just when Braddock and Lohan start to approach the wrestling ring, they hear the door opening wildly and slamming shut. Both women turn around to see who it is that decided to interrupt their workout. At first they assume it would be Kurt, Glory’s husband. He does live here too. But then they see that it is someone who believes that they have a vested interest in this; Aphrodite Noel, Glory’s adoptive “mother.”

“Mother!” Glory’s face lights up upon seeing her. Lohan rolls her eyes. “What are you doing here?” Glory meets her and embraces her in a warm hug.

“I had to come see you, Gloria.” Aphrodite says. “It’s been far too long since I have seen or heard from you.”

“Well we do have more important things to do than babysit you.” Lohan remarks coldly. “Like, say, winning the tag titles at Rise To Greatness.”

“Silence!” Aphrodite points an accusatory finger at Brittany. “You do not speak! You have corrupted by daughter long enough! It’s your fault she has ignored me!”

“There’s really no need for this…” Glory says, trying to be the voice of reason. Unfortunately it is far too late for that as neither woman is paying attention to Braddock.

“If by ‘corrupted’ you mean making her realize she doesn’t need to be just like you then yeah, I did.” Brittany remarks. “I need Glory Braddock watching my back, not Aphrodite Jr watching my back.”

“I know what’s best for my daughter. I know what’s best for Twisted & Sadistic. I helped you win the tag titles in the first place. I helped you get back on the same page.” Aphrodite insists. “I helped Gloria become ruthless and aggressive, just like me, and just the way YOU wanted her.”

“Me and Glory are at our best when we complement each other. I do not need your twisted version of Glory. I need my friend.” Brittany counters. “All you did was brainwash her.”

“It isn’t true.” Aphrodite says. She turns to Glory. “Tell her it isn’t true.”

“Mother, please, don’t…”

“If you truly cared for Glory the way you claim you do then you would accept Glory for who she wants to be and not pressure her into becoming who you want her to be.” Brittany insists.

“Enough!” Glory shouts before turning and storming away. Glory finds a nearby door and opens it and exits, she slams it shut behind her. Lohan turns and shoves Aphrodite down on her ass.

“See what you did?!” Brittany exclaims. With that, Brittany quickly gives chase, following the path Glory just took. Lohan throws open the door and exits. Immediately she finds The British Bombshell there just outside the door. She isn’t crying, but she does look angry. Lohan frowns.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.” Glory says quietly. “I’m just frustrated because once again all three of us are at odds. I thought we had dealt with this?”

“I thought so too.” Brittany sighs. “What do you see in her anyway? Don’t you see what she’s trying to do?”

“Yes, I know what she’s doing.” Glory nods her head. “Mother and I don’t have the same moral compass. I get that. That’s why I typically let most of what she says go in one ear and out the other. But she isn’t all bad, Britt. She taught me how to negotiate through the cutthroat business world. She was a mother figure when my own mother mostly stayed out of my life. So yes, I consider her my mother, I call her mother, because it makes her happy. But that doesn’t mean I have to be exactly like her, that doesn’t mean I have to do everything she says. It certainly doesn’t mean I have to throw my moral compass out the window. That’s what had me confused about commitment. I don’t have to do everything she says in order to be committed to having this close friendship with her.” Glory pats Brittany on the back. “Just like you and I do not have to be clones of one another in order to make Twisted & Sadistic work. Like you said, our differences make us stronger. Our different approaches make this team work. We are completely different people, Britt, but we are still committed to each other and to this team.”

“You’re right, of course.” Brittany sighs. “I suppose Aphrodite is something I’ll have to just learn to live with, along with your other annoying quirks.”

“That’s right.” Glory winks. “Although you do have my permission to punch her.”

“Seriously?” Brittany asks.

“Why not?” Glory smirks. “I think Mother could use a good humbling every once and awhile. I won’t mind.”

“What will Aphrodite think?”

“Oh I will take care of her. If I have to put on a show of pretending to lecture you about it, I’ll do it. If she doesn’t like it, she can get over it. Commitment is about more than living up to someone else’s standards. I am committed to her…to you…and to Twisted & Sadistic. And I am committed to winning back the tag titles.” She holds out a hand. “So are we good?”

“We’re good.” Lohan says, shaking Glory’s hands.

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July 24th, 2024
Miami, Florida
On Camera
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The camera begins to roll. The scene is the private gym in the basement of Glory Braddock’s home in Miami, Florida. The British Bombshell herself sits on the apron of the regulation standard size wrestling ring. She is wearing denim jeans, sneakers, a royal purple t-shirt, and a black blazer. Her long blonde hair cascades down in waves to past the shoulders. A confident smiles is etched across her face. Standing next to her is her tag team partner and friend, “The War Machine” Brittany Lohan.

“This journey is nearly a year and a half in the making. It started after I became the SCW Television Champion, which meant I only needed the SCW World Tag Team Title to become Supreme Champion, one of the few brass rings that had eluded me in my SCW career. This was about me wanting to test myself. I wanted to challenge myself. Most importantly, I wanted to prove everyone wrong. Everyone who said I couldn’t hang in SCW when I first debuted, I wanted to win the Supreme Championship and rub it in their faces.” Glory pats Britany on the back. “My friend here loves rubbing things in people’s faces…namely fists…so she stepped up and volunteered to be my tag partner. She volunteered to help me get to where I wanted to go. There were certainly some doubts early on as to whether or not a Twisted & Sadistic reunion was the right path, but those doubts were quickly erased when we ran roughshod over the tag team division. The number of teams who actually pinned us, or made one of us submit, you can count it on one hand. We jumped through all the hoops, we beat every team placed in front of us, and there were many trials and tribulations, many controversies, many ups and downs, but we pressed forward through it all, we confronted every challenge and in the end we earned our opportunity. We took that opportunity and we ran with it. We became SCW World Tag Team Champions.” Braddock chuckles.

“Then Retribution happened. Triple threats are a bitch, huh? We lost the titles but we were never beaten. Light in the Darkness, Amelia and Luz, as good as you two ARE and yes, you two are really good, you have been the cornerstone of this tag team division for a long time now, but you have never beaten Twisted & Sadistic straight up. Now I could have let that be the end of the story. I became Supreme Champion. That’s what I wanted, right?” Braddock shakes her head. “No, not like that. I refused to let this dream team Brittany and I created end on THAT note. I was committed, not just to the tag team division but to Twisted & Sadistic. I was committed to trying to recapture the tag titles, I was committed to proving one way or another whether Light in the Darkness really was the best team or if, like Britt and I thought, it was all a fluke, brought about due to triple threat rules? So we went about making sure the match happened. Yes, we created some chaos. We created some carnage. What else do you expect from a team named Twisted & Sadistic? But in the end we forced the hand of CHBK. We once again EARNED our tag team title shot. Simple, right? Twisted & Sadistic against Light in the Darkness.” Braddock shakes her head.

“Nothing is ever simple. While we were causing chaos and carnage, wreaking havoc all over the tag team scene, Team Desire was waiting in the wings, biding their time, and look at what happened! New tag team champions!” Braddock applauds, though it is difficult to tell whether it is sincere or sarcastic. “Congrats, Katie! Congrats, Gigi! You finally did it! No longer are you the laughing stock of SCW. You took down the machine that is Light in the Darkness. Been there, done that. But you know what YOU haven’t done?” Glory pauses for a moment, as if waiting for an answer. She smirks. “You have never beaten Twisted & Sadistic. Hell, at least Light in the Darkness can claim to hold a victory over us, even if they never pinned us. You two have never beaten us in any manner, in any shape, in any form. And I hate to be this blunt, ladies, but your reign as champions, it is on borrowed time. Regardless of whether you get eliminated first or second, you will be eliminated and you will lose those championships. Your brief moment in the sun will be extremely brief. Bet on it.”

“And for anyone who thinks that we are going to gripe and complain about yet another three way for the tag titles,” Glory shakes her head “not this time. See, this is what I wanted. This is what I thrive upon. In this business you live or die on competition. You live or die based on who is the best and this tag team division deserves to know who is the best. The team that survives elimination will be the best, will be the tag team champions, and that tag team will be myself and Brittany Lohan. Light in the Darkness has yet to pin or submit us. Team Desire has yet to beat us. But we’ve beaten both of them before. Many times. We’ll beat both teams again at Rise To Greatness to cement our status as the unquestioned best tag team of the division.”

Glory looks at her tag team partner. Britt nods, getting her cue to speak. “Glory Braddock is the most driven woman I know...” Brittany Lohan finally chimes in. “... that is one of the reasons why she is my best friend and the best tag team partner I’ve ever had. Sorry to anyone else I had the pleasure of teaming with. I would not have come out of retirement a year ago for anyone else. Not my sisters. Not Harmony Fisher. Insert anyone else I have teamed with in the past. Not gonna run through the list of names. In fairness, a lot of people can’t stand me. The list of partners exists on one hand probably.”

Britt shrugs. “Anyway. Losing the tag titles would have been an excuse for me to say fuck it, I’m out. Could have told Glory, you got your Supreme Championship, I did my job. As Glory has said countless times, our reign wasn’t supposed to end that way in a triple threat where Light in the Darkness couldn’t even pin us. Being in the same room as this woman, feeling how passionate she is rivals how much of a twisted and sadistic mind I possess. Competition is nice and all. We all know what gets me going. Driving my fists into anyone’s skulls that stand in my way. Provoked or not. Deserved or not. Trust me, there have been people in this company who have grinded my gears.”

“Light in the Darkness.”

“Team Desire. You two fit the bill.”

“Lucky for me this triple threat elimination match affords me the chance to clobber the both of you. No, I am not going to spend the next five minutes explaining in great detail how much I plan on hurting both teams. People who ramble on about that are boring. Plus. At this point in my career, I know better than to bore you with the blood and guts malarky.”

Brittany takes a deep breath. She cracks her knuckles. “It wasn’t just Glory’s desire to get back to this point that was the only motivator. My fire was stoked too. I shouldn’t pay much mind to what some of the fans say. Hard to ignore. I hear how I am just along for the ride. All I am is the muscle of Twisted and Sadistic. My legacy in this sport has been questioned.”

“For a good chunk of my career I didn’t care about legacy and leaving a lasting impression that anyone would give a damn about. I started in SCW as a member of Dark Triad, later Infamous. Longevity and accomplishments wise, Syren and Ravyn have me beat there. Impact on this company? Won’t reach their level. I wasn’t as hungry for seeking their level of infamous I guess. The older I’ve gotten, the longer I’ve stuck around, knowing that I still got it. Being on the run I have had with my best friend... getting the tag team championships IS the most important thing to me.”

“The institution of Twisted and Sadistic is my proudest accomplishment. A legacy of winning championships everywhere we’ve been. The friendship Glory and I have continued in spite of our obvious differences. Remembering how I almost lost my best friend because I chose to become someone's hit man, the words she spoke to me about being better than a thug still ring true. Glory believes in me, faults and all. She risked tarnishing her reputation to keep the good times rolling, how could I not repay that?”

Brittany smirks.

“So at Rise to Greatness, Twisted and Sadistic rides again. Luz, Amelia. Team Desire. I could say whatever you are expecting me to say about you. It doesn’t matter. My one thousand percent focus ensuring me and Glory are back where we belong, on top of the tag team division. We will be the last team left standing. Try your best to stop us.”