Thursday, June 11, 2015

The Trials of Mason Van Stanton



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One Day After RIOT
Off Camera
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Running of water is heard only briefly as it comes to a slow halt.  It has been going on for quite awhile as its occupant has taken a nice long bath after a long and hard day.  The sliding glass screen opens up and the lovely Julia Alexis Braddock emerges from the bath, wrapped up in a white bath towel.  She approaches the mirror, takes hold of the hair dryer, and begins work on her hair.  She doesn’t get very far until she hears a loud banging nearby…

“Huh?”

Braddock turns the hair dryer off and puts it down in a safe place.  Julia slowly walks towards the door and pushes it open, exiting the bathroom and entering her bedroom.  She reaches over to the corner and grabs a nearby club as a weapon.  She hears the banging again and now she can tell where it is coming from…

…her window.

Braddock slowly walks towards the offending window.  She is careful and cautious, watching to see who may be there.  Upon arriving she jumps back and shrieks as the window shoots up and she spies Mason Van Stanton there, standing on a ladder to reach her second story window, wearing overalls and a t-shirt that reads “Mika Kozlov Is My Wife”.

“Hullo, I am here to, as you Americans zay, vipe your vindows!” Mason remarks in a thick French accent that he is clearly faking.

It takes just a moment for Julia to recover from the shock of seeing her former agent standing there on the ladder at her window.  She frowns, cocking her head to one side.

“What the hell are you doing here, Mason?”

“Mason?  I do not know zis Mason zat you speak of!  I am Jaquestrap Coustaeu, world vamous French vindow viper!”

“No, you’re Mason Van Stanton, a complete ass!” She motions to his shirt. “And what the hell are you doing wearing that dumb shirt?”

“Oh zis?  Mika Kozlov is a voluptuous big breasted beauty who eez the velly definition of sexy!”

Julia sighs. “Really, Mason?”

Mason Van Stanton finally sighs. “Oh alright, it’s me!  What gave it away?  Was it the dashing good looks?  The brilliant smile?”

“No…” she reaches out and places a hand on the ladder “…it was your putrid odor…”

With one shove of the ladder Mason finds himself plummeting to the ground below…

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The Next Day
Off Camera
==========

It’s nighttime and the household of Julia Alexis Braddock is empty…but not for long…the doorknob slowly turns and the door is pushed open.  Julia enters the house, reaches over and flips on the lightswitch to turn the lights on.  Julia Braddock places her coat on the coat rack and then heads over down the hall and turns right towards the living room.  Upon entering the living room Julia flips on the light and shrieks with shock and horror.

“Hi there, My Queen!”

Mason Van Stanton stands there in jeans and his “Mika Kozlov Is My Wife” t-shirt, waving stupidly at Julia.    But what stands next to Mason shocks Julia the most…

“EXTERMINATE!”

Yes, it’s a Dalek.   But not just any Dalek.  It’s THE Dalek.  The IWC Dalek.  Dalek Street Carter Skyy Zellor Scott Hardy Haze Mason Chase Starr Lindsey Silverstone…

…I could go on but the list of Dalek’s surnames would take up at least 50 pages…

“No, no, no!” Mason says quickly and vehemently at the Dalek. “Do NOT exterminate Queen Julia!”

“BUT I AM A DALEK!”

“I don’t care!” Mason shouts. “You are NOT here to exterminate her!”

The Dalek rolls over to Julia.  It’s eyestalk looks up at Julia. “YOU ARE MY WIFE!”

Julia rolls her eyes as she whips out her cell phone and begins dialing a number.  Meanwhile Mason Van Stanton rushes over to the Dalek and gives it a swift kick.

“NO!  You are NOT to marry her!”

“THEN WHAT AM I TO DO?!  I AM A DALEK AND I MUST HAVE ORDERS!  EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN!”

“Yes, thank you…hurry please…bye…” she hangs up and then gazes directly into Mason’s eyes. “Do you know who that was, Mason?”

“Um….no?”

“That was the police.” She smirks knowingly. “You’re about to spend the night in jail.”

Mason frowns. “Oh…shit…”

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Present Day
Off Camera
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Benjamin Franklin once said that you should “never ruin an apology with an excuse.”  This holds true for Julia Alexis Braddock more so than perhaps anyone else.  The lovely blonde and currently the youngest of the Braddock Wrestling Lineage, feels a great weight upon her shoulders and a guilt of a thousand generations riding in her conscience.  Julia could tell the world about how she was jealous of the success of her older cousin, how everyone praised her and how great she was, she could tell the world about how she was pressured to live up to Glory’s greatness and was looked down upon because she could never measure up.  Julia could mention how all of this stress, pressure, and most of all the jealousy combined together turned her into a monster willing to sell out to Aphrodite Noel, willing to work hand in hand with that megalomaniacal mad-woman in order to give her the one thing she desired more than anything else…

…Glory Braddock on a silver platter.

That’s what Aphrodite wanted.  She never really wanted Julia, Julia was just a means to an end, a way to get at the person who claimed to be The Best in the World.  Julia thought that bringing Glory down a peg, and in the process letting Aphrodite heap the praise upon her instead, she would finally have what she wanted: she would be out of the shadow of Glory Braddock, she would be the number one child.

Julia could try and tell everyone about all of this.  Julia could try and sell this to the entire wrestling world but no one would buy it.  It’s just an excuse.  Plain and simple.  Julia’s jealousy led her to it and, to top it all off, the reverse happened.  It all backfired on Julia.  She was left isolated, just like she was before.  Giving in to her feelings of jealousy did nothing.  It proved nothing.  It’s just an excuse and that is all it is.

She knows that excuses will not change anything, nor will they right the wrongs that she created.  Excuses will not change what Julia Braddock did to people like Marina Valdivia, Selena Frost, and so many others.  It will take so much to earn their trust back…

…then there’s the trust of her own family, her uncle Glenn Braddock.

“Ah, we’re here!”



That’s the voice of Dr. Henry Van Stanton and he is in the passenger’s side of the car, riding with none other than Julia Braddock.  The ‘here’ he is referring to is the Braddock Wrestling School owned and operated by Julia’s Uncle, Glenn Braddock.  The Doctor wears a grayish tweed jacket, a button up white shirt and bowtie, and a chocolate brown khaki pants.  He is anxious to get out of the car and watch the legend Glenn Braddock go to work but, as he reaches for the door handle, he notices that Julia is less than anxious to get out…

…in fact, she’s not getting out at all…

Julia Braddock sits there and stares at a photograph.  It is one of her with her cousin Glory.  This was back during better times, happier times, before Aphrodite Noel ever came along.  But now things have changed.  Julia let her jealousy get in the way of her better judgment.  She worked with Aphrodite to help her capture Glory and to enslave her.  But Julia thought it would end at enslavement but it turned out she and Aphrodite did too good a job.  Glory has been completely and totally brainwashed.  The Glory Braddock and that Julia knows and loves is gone.  In her place is Gloria Marie Noel, daughter of Aphrodite Noel, and it is all Julia’s fault.

Almost as if he can read her mind, Henry reaches over and pats Julia on the back gently, comfortingly.

“It’s ok, Julia.  It really is ok.  We will get her back.  I promise you.”

She sighs deeply. “It’s all my fault, Henry.”

“No, it isn’t all your fault.”

Tears are flowing down her cheek. “Yes it is, Henry!  I got jealous and wanted to destroy Glory!  And I did!  I destroyed her!  Now she’s gone and I have to face Uncle Glenn every day knowing that I took his daughter away from him!”

“Yes, Glenn Braddock lost his daughter to a megalomaniac and you have to look him in the eyes every day knowing that you are at least partially responsible.  That is part of your penance.  But don’t let it get you down, Julia.  If anything use it as further motivation.  Use it to motivate yourself to fight to not just make things right with everyone you wronged as Julia Noel but to rescue your cousin Glory Braddock from a living hell.”

The beautiful blonde stares into Henry’s loving, caring eyes.  It brings a smile to her face knowing and realizing what all he has done for her so far.  It is quite ironic, considering the fact that Henry’s family and the Braddock family at one time were bitter enemies.  Now Henry, to make up for his family’s sins, is trying to rescue the Braddock family from utter destruction.

Julia leans over and embraces him in a big hug. “Thanks, Henry.”

“Sure, anytime.” After breaking the embrace he points over to the front door of the Braddock Wrestling School. “Now we’d better go inside.  I think it’s a bad idea to keep your uncle waiting.”

Julia chuckles lightly. “Yeah, I guess you’re right…”

Braddock opens up the driver’s side door and exits, followed by Dr. Henry Van Stanton who exits out of the passenger’s side door.  Julia leads the way, with Van Stanton following not too far behind, towards the famous wrestling school.  The blonde pushes the door open and steps inside, followed by Henry Van Stanton.  Upon scanning the area they notice that this self-styled gym is empty.  Glenn Braddock cancelled all training sessions so he could have plenty of time to work with Julia.

Speaking of the dreaded drill sergeant from hell, the grizzled veteran known as Glenn Braddock is already standing in the make-shift ring, wearing his own workout attire, leaning up against one of the ring corners.  He taps his wrist impatiently.



“You’re late…”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Braddock…” Julia says lowly, quietly.

“Damnit, we’ve been through this!  I told you to call me Glenn or Uncle Glenn.  Not Mr. Braddock.”

“I know, but…” she sighs “…I don’t feel worthy of the name.”

“I’ll tell you what you’re worthy of.” He growls angrily. “Now get your ass in the ring.  I want you to spar.”

Julia cocks her head to one side, frowning. “Wait a minute…I’m confused…no workouts?  No warm-ups?  Skipping it all and going straight into sparring?”

Glenn nods his head. “Yeah, do you have a problem with it?”

“Ummm…no?”

“Good, now don’t question my judgment again.” He motions to the ring. “Get in the ring.”

With a shrug the lovely blonde makes her way towards the make-shift ring.  She steps up the ring apron and enters the ring through the ropes.  Braddock walks over to the center and braces herself for an attack.

“Ok…let’s go…”

Glenn snickers. “What?  Do you think you’re fighting me?”

“Yes?”

He shakes his head. “No…”

Glenn Braddock snaps his fingers.  Julia looks around, waiting for the surprise.  Glenn’s surprises are never good.  She hears a door open and then slam shut.  Braddock turns and watches first in shock and then with bemusement and disgust as Mason Van Stanton, in women’s clothing and a blonde wig and with black contact lenses in his eyes, makes his way, towards the ring.  He even has a foam toy title belt over his shoulder.

“Mason!” She exclaims. “What the hell?!”

She turns to face Glenn. “What the hell is this, Uncle Glenn?!”

He points to Mason, balancing carefully on high heeled sandalds…why he is wearing high heeled sandals to a sparring session is anyone’s guess…

“THAT…is your sparring partner…”

“But that’s…” she looks over at Mason who gingerly makes his way into the ring “…that’s…”

“I am Serenity, your world champion, TaTa for now!”

Julia frowns. “TaTa is generally said when you are leaving…”

“I can say it whenever I want because I am a liberated woman so says this great new book I’m reading!” He pulls out a book.  “How To Win Friends & Cut Their Insides Out Feeding Their Entrails To German Shepherds” by Cindy Todd. “See?”

Braddock sighs. “For the love of God…”

She turns to face Glenn. “Where did you find him?”

“He came up to the front door.  Said he was Serenity and wanted to spar with you.”

 “You don’t actually believe this act, do you?”

“Do I look like I’m suffering from dementia?  I know that ‘s Mason pretending to be a girl.  But I know you needed someone’s ass to kick as part of your training, so I figured why the hell not?”

It takes awhile for Julia to finally figure it out, but when she does an evil grin crosses her lips.  She does have a great deal of frustration and angst to get out of her system, a lot of it created by Mason himself.  Why not get that anger out of her system now?

Julia turns to face Mason, who walks carefully up to Julia while wearing his first pair of high heels ever, he then kneels down on one knee and bows his head.

“My Queen!”

She wastes no time in giving Julia a swift kick to the face, knocking him backward onto the back.  Mason scrambles to try and get to his feet and ordinarily he would get to his feet but his high heels (his…that word just doesn’t go with high heels) gets in the way.  Julia mounts Mason and pours on right hands onto his face.

Braddock eventually gets up off of Mason and then pulls him up to his feet.  She drops him with a Gloria In Excelsis Deo…the codebreaker, if you will.  Julia smirks as she watches Mason writhe in pain before pulling him back up again, getting his arms set, turning him, and dropping him on his head with Glorification.

Still she’s not done.  Julia gets on the mat and locks Mason up in Shekhinah Glory, her cousin’s version of the triangle choke submission.  Henry Van Stanton almost pities his annoying brother…almost.  Glenn Braddock just laughs loudly at his niece beating the hell out of Mason.

“Ok, ok, ok!” Glenn shouts. “I think he’s had enough.  Get up…”

Reluctantly Julia obeys, releasing the hold and getting up off of Mason Van Stanton.  He’s been choked out unconscious.

“Good job.” Glenn says approvingly. “Looks like I taught you that move well.”

Of course he is referring to his daughter’s submission, the triangle choke.  Julia smiles, beaming with pride.

“Thanks, Uncle Glenn.”

Julia then turns and looks down at the unconscious Mason Van Stanton.  She playfully waves at him.

“TaTa, Mason…”

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Promo Time
On Camera
==========

“Good evening, good afternoon, good morning…I think I covered all my bases depending upon where you are currently watching this!”

The energetic man in front of the camera is wearing a grayish tweed jacket, a button up white shirt and bowtie, and a chocolate brown khaki pants.  It is none other than Dr. Henry Van Stanton.

“I am The Doctor, Dr. Henry Van Stanton, and I wear bow ties, because bow ties are cool.  Do you know what else is cool? Or rather should I say who else is cool?”

He grins knowingly. “Julia Alexis Braddock.”

“Who doesn’t love a good redemption story?  This is better than Gone With The Wind or The Green Mile.  This is a GREAT story!  Julia Braddock overcame her jealousy, fought through her sins, and is now fighting to pay her penance, to make things right between her and everyone else she may have wronged.”

He snaps his fingers and points at the camera. “Now I’ll tell you this, Julia’s story is far from over.  The redemption of Julia Braddock isn’t the final chapter of the story.  The final chapter is going to be when she wins gold and brings honor back to the Braddock Family.”

“That said…I turn this over to the lady everyone has been wanting to hear from…my good friend Julia Alexis Braddock.”

The scene fades out and when it fades back in we see Julia Braddock standing there in a tight black strapless dress and black high heeled pumps.

“Thanks, Doctor…”

She nods her head “…RIOT went exactly as I had hoped it would.  No, I didn’t win, but winning wasn’t my goal.  My goal is simply redemption.  I want to make things right.  I did a lot of wrong to a lot of good people and damnit I want to do everything I can to fix things.  That is my primary goal and I think I got off to a good start on RIOT.”

“Mason Van Stanton tried to get me to cheat, he tried to get me to return to Camelot…” she shakes her head “…it isn’t going to happen, Mason.  I will NEVER return to you or to Aphrodite Noel.  My days with Camelot are over.  I am a Braddock and I am NO ONE’S PUPPET!”

She points a long slender finger at the camera. “That’s a message for YOU Silas Mason!  I hope you don’t think I’m going to just do your bidding and do your dirty work.  Did you send Mason Van Stanton after me to harass me to try and convince me to return to my old ways?  It isn’t going to happen.  From now on I do things honorably, which is the Braddock way!”

“Cassidy Haze, you have NO reason to trust me, you have NO reason to believe I have changed.  Some believe me and are giving me another chance, like Marina Valdivia.  Others refuse to believe me just yet, others like Selena Frost.  And I can’t blame Selena.  I honestly cannot blame her for not believing me.”

“And I cannot blame you if you do not believe me either.  I cannot blame you if you refuse to give me another chance.  But I’m telling you right now, you can rest assured our match on RIOT will be fought down the middle with no shenanigans on my part.  I will do things honorably and win or lose, I look forward to a great match with you, Cassidy, because once again this isn’t about winning…it isn’t about losing…”

Her face grows very intense “…it’s about redemption.”

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