Glory Braddock vs. Deanna Frost

[Braddock]

2 of 2
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May 8th, 2023
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
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Breakdown will be live from Salt Lake City, Utah and that is when Glory Braddock will begin her quest to regain the SCW United States Championship. No, it is not the primary target she is after. Braddock wants to become World Tag Team Champion in SCW in order to complete the Supreme Championship Status. However she is not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, this is an opportunity most would kill for and she will not turn it away. Besides, the last time she held the United States Title she disrespected it and drug it through the mud by carrying around a fake United Kingdom Title belt with her. She burned a lot of bridges during that reign as champion and to this day many do not believe that she has changed, there are still those who doubt how genuine she truly is when she says that she is a changed person, that she has turned over a new leaf. Among those who question her happens to be her first round opponent, Deanna Frost. Deanna and Selena both question Braddock and justifiably so. This presents a unique opportunity for The British Bombshell to rewrite history. She can defeat Deanna, prove that she has turned over a new leaf, and then go on to become United States Champion. Winning the US Title for a second time would give her the chance to have a legitimate, honest run as champion. She can give it the proper respect it deserves. Being Supreme Champion is important for Glory Braddock, and she is one title victory away from achieving that goal. But she is not proud of all of her championship wins. Her victory and subsequent reign as US Champion is just one example. She cannot rewrite her entire SCW history but this is one rare opportunity to rewrite history and leave a positive mark on the United States Title.

Before she makes the trip across the nation to Salt Late City, Utah, The British Bombshell is going make a quick trip up north to visit with her cousin, Angelica Jones. Braddock and Angelica work for SCW, but Angelica is a manager now, manager and advocate of Kimberly Williams. So Glory would more than likely have seen Angelica at Breakdown anyway, but what she needs to speak to her cousin about is very important, for too important to put off until Breakdown. This is a topic that Glory would rather speak about in private, not backstage at Breakdown where evesdroppers are everywhere. After all, this has to do with their shared family history, a history that Angelica is all too familiar with while Glory is seeking those answers; answers that Angelica may have.

The British Bombshell is making her approach towards the front door of her cousin’s home in Boston, Massachusetts. Braddock is wearing tight form fitting denim jeans, black boots, and a forest green crop top. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. She is carrying her bags with her, bags that contained extra changes of clothes as well as her wrestling gear. She intends to make the trip to Utah with Angelica. Glory and Angelica have never traveled the road with each other, despite wrestling for the same promotion on more than on occasion. So this will be a unique experience for both of them. More importantly, it will give the cousins plenty of time to talk. Braddock makes it up to the front door and rings the bell. She waits patiently for an answer. A few seconds later she hears the door unlocking. The door opens and she spots her cousin, Angelica Jones, standing there ready to greet her. Jones is dressed in a floral print maxi dress, sandals, and a black leather jacket. Her long hair, typically red, has been dyed a platinum blonde color. Braddock immediately furrows her brow in confusion.

“Glory!” Angelica exclaims as she embraces her cousin in a hug. “You told me you were coming but I’ll be honest, I didn’t believe you until I saw you just now.”

“That makes us even.” Glory points to Angelica’s hair. “I can’t believe you dyed your hair.”

“You don’t like it?”

“Oh I like it just fine. It’s just different.”

“I happen to like it.” Angelica smirks. “But don’t worry, I’ll be ginger again in a few weeks. I just wanted to try something different.”

“Speaking of different, me and you traveling together will be different, won’t it?” Glory says with a knowing grin. Angelica nods her head.

“That it will. Quite honestly, I’m surprised we’ve never done this before.” Angelica steps aside and motions for Glory to step inside. Glory crosses the threshold and into her cousin’s home. “Just leave those here for now. Let’s go and relax.” Glory drops her bags and follows Angelica into her living room. Glory sits down on the sofa and Angelica sits down next to her. “So what is the motivation behind you wanting to travel with me to Breakdown this week? Is it because you’re facing Deanna Frost? Because if you’re looking for advice you’re barking up the wrong Jones. I have plenty of experience fighting Selena but I’ve never fought Denna. Kim has fought them both and beaten them both but never by pin or submission.”

“Thanks for the offer, mate, and I may pick your brain sometime during the trip, but honestly, advice on how to proceed against Frost is not the reason I wanted to spend some time with you the next few days.”

“Oh?”

“I’m not sure if I told you but I spent the last few months in my home…and by my home I mean England.”

“Excited about the Coronation I take it?”

“Me? No.” Glory chuckles softly. “I’m not all into the pomp and circumstance. In fact, I returned to Miami before the festivities began. I was there in England to rediscover myself. After spending so much time in Miami I began to realize I had become a hot and sunny Florida girl, but I forgot my roots as a cold, muggy English girl. I needed to find myself.”

“Did you find yourself?” Angelica asks. Glory nods her head.

“I’d like to think so.”

“Well I, for one, can tell. You have been acting like the Glory Braddock I remember. The good hearted, good person, that I always knew you were deep down inside. The arrogant, condescending person you had become…” Angelica shakes her head “...that’s just not you. I am glad you found yourself.”

“I didn’t just find myself on that trip, mate.” Glory states. “I did some digging around while I was there and I learned some things about my mother.” Glory lets that sit for awhile. Angelica tilts her head to one side and studies Glory carefully.

“You mean Aphrodite or…” Angelica asks, knowing that Glory has a unique relationship with one Aphrodite Noel, a woman Glory actually calls ‘mother’. Glory shakes her head to confirm that this is not the case.

“No, I mean my biological mother. Your aunt Maria.” Glory states. Angelica is immediately interested at this point.

“What did you learn?”

“Do you remember why I was so angry with my mother?”

“You were ticked off that she left England after breaking up with your dad.” Angelica answers. Glory nods her head.

“I thought that she had just abandoned us. I thought that she just didn’t want to be a parent, she didn’t want to be a mother, and so she just left as soon as she could, as soon as the divorce was finalized she left the country and left me and my sister behind. Yes, I held that grudge close to my heart for a very long time. But while I was in England I learned that she had actually left England in order to protect me.”

“How do you figure that?”

“There was a man who had been stalking her in the months leading up to and the months following the break up and break down of my mom and dad’s marriage. I don’t know much about this man except that he was a Russian national.” Glory stares quietly at her cousin, waiting to see her response. The response is one of great emotion. Tears begin to flow down Angelica’s cheek. Angelica immediately knows where Glory’s train of thought is going with this.

“My mom…Aunt Maria’s sister…she was murdered by a Russian national…”

“Yes, I know.” Glory is getting emotional as well. The cousins embrace in a tight hug to comfort one another. After breaking the embrace they wipe the tears from their eyes and struggle to regain their composure. “I believe my mom knew that she was in danger, that this man wanted to harm her, so he left the country and fled to America to protect me.” Glory sighs deeply. “But she unwittingly led him to her sister…your mother, my aunt Kelly.”

“I think you could be right.” Angelica says, nodding her head. She rises up off of the sofa. “Stay there, Glory. I’ll be right back.”

Glory watches as Angelica exits the living room. She begins to question whether or not this was a wise decision to confront her cousin with this news. Angelica has always been a very emotional person. The death of her mother, Kelly Kurinsky Jones, scarred her for life. Glory believed that she had a right to know about this, considering the connection, but will this just bring back more painful memories? Will it scar Angelica even further? Braddock ponders these questions for a few more moments until she sees Angelica returning to the room. She has a blue book in her hand and she gives it to Glory.

“What’s this?” Glory asks curiously.

“It’s your mother’s diary.” Angelica sighs. “I kept it from you, mainly because I knew you had harbored ill feelings toward your mother for so long and I didn’t think you’d want it. But now I think maybe you need this. It might provide the answers you need.”

“Thank you.” Glory hugs Angelica one more time. After breaking the embrace she looks lovingly at the diary. This will provide great insight into her mother, insight that she never had before. Still, there is one more question Glory needs answered, a question that might lead her to the answers she seeks. “Angel, this may be hard but…the man who murdered your mother. What was his name?”

“Dmitri.” Angelica says with some difficulty.

“Dmitri what?”

“Dmitri.” Angelica shrugs her shoulders. “That’s all I know.”

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May 10th, 2023
Utah
On Camera
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We open out in the middle of a deserted road that appears to be in great disrepair. There are many potholes in the road, many bumps and other cracks that would make this particular road a nightmare for drivers. Just then Glory Braddock enters the scene from the right. The British Bombshell is decked out in a simple yet elegant pink floral print spaghetti strap midi dress. She is perched atop pink high heeled sandals. Her long blonde hair flows down to just past the shoulders.

“Author Maya Banks once said that ‘bad things happen to good people all the time. It sucks. It's not fair but then much of life isn't fair. It's how you live that matters. It's how you deal with the bumps in the road.” Braddock turns and takes a quick glance at the road that is in great need of repair. She chuckles lightly and then turns back to face the camera. “This road definitely needs some help. Anyone who travels on this road will definitely have some trouble. Professional wrestling is like that. There are many goals you can seek out in this business, and there are many avenues and many roads that lead towards those goals. Some people like to take shortcuts along the road to success. Sometimes those shortcuts work out well for them and they get exactly what they want out of this business. Other times those shortcuts just don’t work out. Just ask the Donner Party. They took a shortcut and I think everyone can remember what happened to them. If not, google it. Just don’t google it before dinner.” Braddock winks at the camera. “Point is, those who take shortcuts sometimes get what they want. That’s not fair. The same can be said for those who go along the right path, who stick to the straight and narrow. Sometimes those make it to their destination, they achieve their goals, and they are celebrated. Sometimes they do not reach their goals, sometimes these bumps in the roads, these potholes, will just ruin their travel plans altogether. And is that fair to those who play by the rules?” Glory shakes her head.

“No, it isn’t fair. Deanna, you and Selena’s run recently has been fraught with nothing but potholes and bumps in the road that have ruined your plans. My misunderstood, demented, eccentric cousin Kimberly ruined your tag title ruin. Then Ace Marshall put the final nail in the coffin.” Glory points to one particularly nasty looking pothole and then to a real nasty looking bump in the road. “Let’s call that pothole Kim and that bump in the road Ace. All you wanted to do was make the SCW World Tag Team Championship mean something. You wanted to restore honor and pride to those belts, some honor and pride that some would argue had been lost since the reign of a Penguin and a Bear at the top of the tag team division. And I’m sure you’re thinking that thanks to Kim’s Cash In followed by Ace and Ravyn at Playing the Wildcard that all of your hard work has been for nothing.” Braddock shakes her head.

“You’re wrong. It wasn’t for nothing because you have inspired people. Look at the tag team division as it stands. Light In The Darkness is ready to take up the fight integrity in the tag team division. And of course I’m going to be stepping foot into the tag team division very soon myself and yes, you two inspired me to a degree. You may believe me, you may not, and you’re justified in not believing me, but I have changed. Your continued effort to fight for what is RIGHT about this business and what is GOOD about this business helped remind me just who the hell I am. And when the time comes, I will carry on the same fight in the tag team division to complete my journey, to finish going down this long treacherous road towards becoming Supreme Champion.” Braddock points to another pothole.

“Now this pothole affects me and my journey. It affects yours too, Deanna. I’m sure you would love nothing more than to get back in the saddle and try to wrestle those belts away from Ace and Ravyn. I would love nothing more than to finish the job and become Supreme Champion. But this pothole is the one created by Owen Cruze when he defeated Josh Hudson to become SCW World Champion and retain the US Title only to retire after Playing the Wildcard. I’m not criticizing him. After all he’s been through he’s certainly earned the right to retire on top. But this now creates the necessity to hold these tournaments to crown a new United States Champion and a new World Champion.” Braddock motions to herself.

“You and I have the distinct privilege of getting an opportunity to participate in the United States Championship Tournament. Now I know what the talk will be where I’m concerned. People are going to say that Glory Braddock is just in this to win championships, to rack up more accolades for herself. Yeah, as if I control who books these matches and who gets invited to these tournaments. But what other people say about me no longer bothers me. They can talk all they want and it won’t bother me. At the end of the day I know who I am and I know that this business and maintaining the spirit of this business, the spirit of competition, is the most important thing to me. Hell, maintaining the spirit of competition is more important to me than even becoming Supreme Champion. And you do not get much closer to the spirit of competition that professional wrestling was built upon than a good old fashioned tournament.” Braddock pats herself on the chest.

“Just in case you forgot, Deanna, I am really good at these tournaments. In my professional debut in January of 2008 I was a late replacement in a one night single elimination tournament to crown a new GDW International Champion. And I won! Fast forward to my years in SCW, I won back to back Trios Tournaments! And the last time a tournament was held to crown a new United States Champion, I made it all the way to the finals. I have a proven track record of being really good at these tournaments. Tournaments are my specialty.” Glory shakes her head. “But I’m not looking past you. I am not looking past you even for one second. You have a history of beating people at their own game, Deanna. All people have to do is ask my cousin Kimberly about that.” Braddock smirks knowingly. “That’s why there are those people out there who believe that you are in Selena’s shadow. That’s why people like Ace accuse you of being just a glorified Selena Frost cheerleader. They say that because they know you are capable of being great on your own and not just as a member of the House of Frost. I won’t bore you with those same accusations or ridiculous insults. But trust me when I say that I am not looking past you just because you are best known for being a tag team champion with Selena Frost. Anyone who can push Kim Williams to her limits in the Underground and even beat her is someone who should be taken seriously. So you can BELIEVE THIS, Deanna…I will bring the absolute best I have to the table on Breakdown. I will throw everything I have in my arsenal. I won’t be a one dimensional submission only wrestler. I will use any and every potential strategic attack plan in order to win this match and advance in the tournament. That’s how much respect I have for what you bring to the table.”

“Yet still one question remains; what is in it for Glory Braddock? What do I get out of it?” Braddock shrugs her shoulders. “I mean, I already won the US Title. This pothole is just delaying my real goal, right? At least, that’s the narrative certain people are going to want to tell. That’s the portrait certain artists are going to want to paint. The problem is that its all based on fiction, the fiction that I am only in this business for championships and glory…” Braddock chuckles softly “...pardon the pun.” The British Bombshell shakes her head. A look of fierce intensity washes across her face. “I am not in this for mere accolades. I am not in this for trinkets of gold. I am in this because of my passion for professional wrestling. I love what I do. I love this business. I love the thrill of competition. Have I done everything to perfection? Has my career been immaculate?” Glory shakes her head.

“No, it hasn’t. I wish I could say I never once made a mistake but damn it, I cannot say it. I have made many mistakes and one of the biggest mistakes, one of the biggest black marks in my career was running around claiming to be the United Kingdom Champion during my first reign as United States Champion.” Glory sighs. “It was a disgrace to the title and a disgrace to my own legacy because I know that I am better than that. I know that I can be better than that. And I get the rare opportunity to fix that mistake.” She chuckles softly. “Only in science fiction do you get to go back and rewrite history. Back To The Future, Star Trek First Contact, Doctor Who, there’s plenty of example in film and television of people going back in time to rewrite the past. Reality is that you can’t rewrite the past.” She pats herself on the chest. “Except me! I get this rare opportunity to rewrite my own history! If I can win this tournament and become United States Champion, then I get to rewrite my own past. I can erase that black mark off of my record and finally have a US Title reign that I am proud of.” She points a finger at the camera. “But first I have to get through you, Deanna.” Braddock points at another pothole in the road. “You are my first pothole on this road to redemption, this road to rewrite my history and regain the United States Title.”