Slaying Old Demons: Part 1

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Scene 1

Off Camera

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Julia Braddock is grinning from ear to ear as she makes her way down the halls of the arena after her victorious return to UWA against Lilith Evans and Ryan Watson in triple threat action.  Anytime she wins she feels great but this was extra special for her.  She has set out to prove that, despite the words of famous author John Steinbeck saying otherwise; you can come home again, and that specifically she, Julia Braddock, can return to UWA, a place she called home for a very long time until she left several months ago.

It won’t be as easy as winning one match and Julia knows it.  She understands that while being accepted back in the UWA community may be one thing, but returning to her former spot in the company before she left is an entirely different challenge altogether.  Julia Braddock can’t just pick right back up where she left off as a top competitor in the company; she will have to work her way back up to that position.  She will have to earn it once again.

Picking up a victory tonight over Lilith Evans and Ryan Watson definitely helps pave the way towards that goal, and that is what makes Julia smile on this night.  It also helps to hear the fans cheering her, as if all is forgiven for what she did before and after her departure from the company.  This is why, in Julia’s mind at least, wrestling fans are the greatest fans of all time.  They are forgiving.  They are willing to accept you back in their community.

Forgiveness is something Julia needs right now more than anything else.  She recently ended a family rivalry involving herself and her sister Glory.  She has no clue what kind of toll that fight took on their father, Glenn Braddock.  Julia hasn’t had much time to speak to him about it but she knows that he is here tonight, supporting her in her return to UWA.  Even if she cannot talk to him about that, at least now would be a good time to bond and reconnect with her biological father, a man she has known all of her life but never knew until recently was her father.

The blonde haired beauty is still in her wrestling gear, her match against Watson and Evans having just been completed, and she has been walking the halls in the direction of her dressing room.  That search comes to its conclusion as she rounds a corner on the left and spots her dressing room door, cracked open ever so slightly.  She smiles, assuming it must be her father, Glenn Braddock, waiting for her on the inside.

Julia pushes the door open and steps inside. “Dad?”

Immediately she spots her father, the grizzled veteran Glenn Braddock, standing there on the inside, waiting for her with open arms.  She walks over and embraces her with a tight hug.  It is odd to her that he is this intimate.  Glenn Braddock would just assume beat the hell out of you than hug you.  Glenn Braddock is the type of individual who once sent Godzilla scurrying for the relative safety of the nearest active volcano.  In short, Glenn Braddock is not a hugger.  Yet here he is, embracing his youngest daughter.

“You did great out there against Watson and Evans.”

“Thanks, dad.” She smiles warmly.  “Did I mention that I’m glad you came?”

“A few times,” he says with a grin “but I didn’t come alone.”

“Huh?” Julia turns and happens to spot another individual in the room; it’s her agent, Kayla Jones. “Kayla?!  What are you doing here?”

“Something wrong with me being here to support my client?” Kayla asks mockingly.

“No, I guess not…” Julia’s voice fades off as she ponders things “…it’s just that you never have come to my events before.”

“I know,” Kayla says with a sigh and a half-grin forms on her face “and maybe it’s time I change that practice?”

Kayla Jones is a former world champion in her own right, a successful professional wrestler, but now she wants to try things from the other side of the ring, specifically on the outside as a manager and agent of the upcoming superstars.  Julia Braddock is one of Kayla’s clients and Kayla has done her best to manage her career to the best of her ability.

The redheaded Boston native places her hands on Julia’s shoulders. “You were brave tonight, going out there in front of a crowd that you didn’t know if they would be hostile towards you or accepting, against Lilith Evans and Ryan Watson, both of whom who wanted this just as bad as you…”

“Wrong,” Julia says, interrupting Kayla with a shake of her head “Watson and Evans did NOT want this as bad as I did.  And that’s why I won tonight.  I wanted it more.”

Kayla smirks. “Right, be that as it may, you were brave out there tonight, congratulations.  You earned this.”

“Maybe I did, but it is far from over.” Julia remarks, shaking her head. “I was a former Hybrid Champion and former Queen of the Ring Champion here in UWA before I left.  I was a top contender and I threw that away, Kayla.  I threw that away when I left.”

“Yes, but you’re back now.”

“I am back, but it isn’t as simple as that.  I threw my spot, my position, and everything I had built away when I left. I’m going to have to re-earn my spot and one match isn’t going to do that, even if it is a match against the likes of a Ryan Watson or Lilith Evans.  It’ll take several matches, several wins, before I put myself back to where I once was.” Julia shakes her head. “So no, this isn’t over, not by a long shot.  This has just begun.”

“Just begun?” Kayla says as a sly grin forms on her face. “Oh ye of little faith…”

“Huh?” Julia looks on puzzled.  Glenn Braddock then places a hand on Julia’s shoulder.

“Listen to her, Julia.  She has some good news for you.” A knowing grin forms across his face. “I think you’ll like it.”

“Ok then,” Julia turns to face Kayla again “what do you got?”

“I have a match for you, that’s what I have.” Kayla remarks. “What if I told you that by the time the next Outbreak rolls around you could be beyond where you once were, you could be in the driver’s seat of all of UWA?”

“What?” Julia pauses to take it all in and then shakes her head. “No, I don’t want this handed to me.  I want to work for it and earn it.”

“I know, Julia, trust me, I know this.” She says, assuring her. “I know what my clients want and I know you want to earn it yourself.  So I made sure to honor those wishes.”

“Ok, so what match did you get me?”

“Well the match wasn’t my idea, to be fair.  UWA management came up with it.  But I did make damn sure you were included in this match.”

Julia rolls her eyes. “You’ve left me on the edge of my seat long enough…what is the match?”

“A battle royal; a Choose Your Poison Battle Royal, as UWA is calling it.  Your opponents include Lilith Evans, Ricky Octavius, Christian Savior, Angyalka Cruze, Ryan Watson, Alex London, Joey Michaels, Abigail Lindsey, Alana Starr, Mya Denton, and Styxx.”

“Alana Starr, Abigail Lindsey, Ricky Octavius and other big stars of UWA?” Julia nods her head with approval. “Good, I want tough competition, I don’t want to be handed my spot.”

“Right, and with those names and more in the battle royal you won’t be handed anything.  You will have to earn every bit of that win.  But aren’t you curious as to what you’ll get if you do win?”

Julia pauses momentarily and then nods her head. “Sure…”

“It’s called Choose Your Poison because the winner of this battle royal will get to book any match he or she wants at any time.”

“Wow,” Julia’s eyes grow wide “I can see why you said I’d be in the driver’s seat.”

“Exactly.” Kayla remarks with a confident grin. “You win this, you could put yourself in a world title match if you wanted.  You could have anything you want, Julia, just win this match, and you wouldn’t be handed anything.  It would truly be a hard fought and hard earned victory because of the caliber of opponent you’d be up against.”

“In that case…” Julia’s voice trails off, a confident grin forms on her face “…maybe it’s time I put this journey back to the top on the fast track?  Maybe it’s time I choose my poison?”

“Choose wisely.” Kayla says with a wink.

“And don’t doubt yourself.” That’s Glenn voice as he turns her around to face him.  Glenn embraces his daughter in a hug, that’s twice in one night, very unusual. “You’ve earned this, Julia.  Never forget that.”

“I won’t dad.” Julia says with a grin. “I won’t.”

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Glenn Braddock

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I hope all of you bloody wankers were watching; I hope you were watching because many of you were probably stunned and disappointed last Outbreak.  That gobshite Ryan Watson was so popular and infamous and everyone was highly anticipating his arrival in UWA.  And some of you buffoons even thought Lilith Evans had built up momentum and might win.

Yeah, right.

What happened was that Julia Braddock was victorious.  The hometown girl made her return…not a damn debut, but a return, she returned and she was victorious against Watson and Evans.  She denied them their impact and at the same time she made an impact of her own.

Julia Braddock returned and made a statement and that statement should be bloody well clear but in case any of you are brain dead then I’ll spell it out for ya…

“I’m back and I’m ready to reclaim my spot.”

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Kayla Jones

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I stand here tonight proud to say that I am the agent of UWA competitor Julia Braddock.  You do remember her, right?  The Kensington Knockout is a former UWA Queen of the Ring Champion and was the first ever UWA Hybrid Champion before her sudden departure from the company but if you didn’t remember from last Outbreak, then maybe you’ll remember now that she returned with such a definitive win over such stiff competition as Ryan Watson and Lilith Evans.  And that isn’t to take anything away from Watson or Evans, they certainly provided great competition to The Kensington Knockout, but this just wasn’t their night.  This night belonged to Julia Braddock.

Now there’s a choose your poison battle royal and while my client wants to work her way back up to the top, she also understands that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that, if she were to win, she could book herself in any match she wants, even a title match.

And she also understands that this battle royal, with the stakes as high as they are, will feature some of the best competition UWA has to offer, so if she does manage to win, it won’t be anything  handed to her, it will be a victory she will have earned the hard way.

Spoiler alert, ladies and gentlemen…the winner of the Choose Your Poison Battle Royal is going to be my client, Julia Braddock.

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Scene 2

Off Camera

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Outbreak has long since ended.  Julia’s agent Kayla Jones and Julia’s father & trainer Glenn Braddock encouraged Julia to leave with one of them but she insisted she was ok, that she needed to shower first, get changed back into some nicer clothes, and go back to her own hotel.  The Kensington Knockout just wants to be alone to bask in the afterglow of her return to UWA.  After the initial signing of her new UWA contract she wasn’t certain that this would work out, but now that she’s picked up her first win, now that she has come out victorious over Ryan Watson and Lilith Evans in her return match, she is beginning to think that she may very well make it work.

Perhaps she can come home again to her home in UWA?

The beautiful blonde is decked out in a floral print yellow maxi dress with strappy sandals on her feet.  Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length.  She has her gym bag in her hand as she walks through the nearly empty parking lot, trying to find her rental car.  But she is stopped by a voice from seemingly out of nowhere.

“Hey…Julia…”

This startles Julia to no end, primarily because she thought the arena was empty except for herself and a few other officials who have stayed behind to make sure the ring got taken down and everything else was cleaned up.  Julia being a wrestler is no stranger to self-defense, so she’s ready to defend herself if necessary; and yet something about that voice does sounds strangely familiar, as if she should know the person.

Still, in any event, it is better to be safe than  sorry, and so Julia does drop the gym bag to make sure both of her hands and arms are free and available if she does need to fight off a thief, a stalker, or whoever this may be, if worse comes to worse.

“Who is that?” Julia says out loud. “I warn you, I don’t have any money on me and I will beat your ass if I have to.”

“I’m not after your money.” The voice comes out of the darkness but she can pinpoint it now and she spins around to the direction it is coming from. “Besides, you wouldn’t hurt me, Julia.  You never could.”

“You don’t know me.” Julia remarks, shaking her head.

“I know you, you just may have forgotten me.”

“Your voice does sound familiar…”Julia muses out loud.

“That’s because we know each other.”

“I don’t care,” Julia snaps back, shaking her head “I’m out of here.”

She picks up her gym bag and is about to walk away, as fast as she can to get to her car, but the voice calls out after her again…

“Julia, wait!”

“No!” She starts walking away…

“Sure, leave, but aren’t you the least bit curious as to who I am and how I know you?”

Julia stops walking, as curiosity is admittedly getting the best of her.  She drops her bag back down to the ground.  The voice can be heard chuckling from the darkness as she turns to face its direction yet again.

“I won’t hurt you, Julia.  Cross my heart, hope to die.”

“Fine…” Julia says, relenting against her better judgment as curiosity does get the better of her “…come on out, whoever you are.”

“I knew curiosity you would get the best of you.” The voice says with a bit of arrogance. “It always did.”

“Who the hell are you?”

She watches the darkness from afar, the darkness where she feels the voice is coming from.  Eventually a figure, a silhouette, begins to form from the darkness.  She continues to watch until a male figure steps out into the open, into the light.  He is wearing torn denim jeans, black boots, a torn black t-shirt, a black leather jacket, and his brown hair is not styled or combed at all.  Dried cuts and bruises are all over this man’s body, indicating that he lives quite a bad life, most likely on the streets.  He is definitely a far cry from the lifestyle Julia now leads and yet, Julia’s eyes grow wide with a look of recognition as she seems to know him from somewhere.

“My God!” Julia gasps. “Jacob?!”

“I knew it,” Jacob remarks with a chuckle “I knew you would remember me.  Too many awesome memories of the two of us raising hell up and down the streets together for you to forget Jacob Samson.”

“No,” she shakes her head “just no.  I’d rather forget!”

“Oh come on, my British babe.” He holds out his arms as if asking for a hug. “Didn’t you miss your old pal Jacob?”

“I…well…” Julia walks in and accepts the hug from Jacob.  He kisses her on the cheek and he immediately realizes that he went too far as she pushes him away and she backs up a few feet.  Jacob looks on curiously, puzzled…

“What’s wrong, babe?”

“Jacob, I can’t.  I…” she sighs “…I’m seeing someone else.”

“Oh, you mean that muscle-headed idiot Jamarcus Avery?”

Julia cocks her head to one side, studying Jacob curiously. “How did you know about Jamarcus?”

“I’ve been following you, babe.  I’ve been watching your career very closely and I must say, I’ve been very impressed.  Former GCW World Champion, UWA Hybrid and UWA Queen of the Ring Champion; you’ve been awesome.  Now you’re back in UWA and you won tonight…congratulations…”

“Were you in the crowd?”

“Nah,” Jacob shakes his head “I couldn’t scalp any tickets.  But trust me, I was able to watch.  I had my ways.”

“Well if you’ve been following my career as closely as you claim, then you should know that Jamarcus and I are very close.  And that means you and I are NOT an item any longer, Jacob.”

“Right, I kinda figured that, but the thing is, you see,” he runs the back of his hand against Julia’s cheek “you never told me we were split.  Hell, you never even indicated anything was wrong.”

“Jacob, let me explain…”

“No, Julia, let me explain this to you.” Jacob says, growing a little frustrated himself. “I cared about you; hell, I still do care about you.  You were my girl, and as far as I’m concerned you still are my girl, despite what JaMarcus Avery is or was or whatever.  But if you wanted to move on, if you didn’t like what we had going on, that’s fine, but the least you could’ve done was tell me.  But did you tell me anything?”

He shakes his head. “No…one day you’re there with me, doing that crack, that heroine, all of it…and the very next day you disappear.  Can you imagine my surprise when I learn you’ve moved in with that crazy broad Aphrodite Noel?”

Julia rears back and slaps him across the face. “That’s my mother you’re talking about!  She took me in off the streets, she took me out of the situation I was in with you, and believe me when I say my life was in danger and she rescued me!”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not exaggerating.  We were both druggies, Jacob…and by the looks of things, you still are…and those drugs could’ve easily killed me, and had they not killed me, the money we owed to the other drug dealers would’ve led to us being killed.  Mother rescued me, and helped change my life for the better.”

“Oh she changed your life alright,” Jacob says, snickering “I also saw you on television wearing these fancy clothes like you’re some kinda wealthy bitch, calling yourself a queen just because Aphrodite said you were.”

“Jacob, stop,” Julia shakes her head “just stop.  I am a different person.  I am not the same woman you knew back then, that same woman who was hooked on drugs and hooked on that way of life.  I’ve changed for the better and, whether you like it or not, I am NOT your girl anymore.”

“Heh, that’s funny,” Jacob says with a smirk “because when I first saw you running around as Queen Julia, clearly with a ton of money backing you up, I almost decided to approach you then, because I was thinking about how much drugs that money of yours could buy the two of us.  But then I realized that you probably wouldn’t go for it because you bought into that garbage Aphrodite sold you.  You actually believe that you are a changed person.”

“I have changed, Jacob!”

“Nah, not really.” He shakes his head. “You’re still a druggie, just like me, you’re just in withdrawal. You’re in denial. Tell me something, babe…does anyone outside of Aphrodite and maybe your sister know about that you were a…how did you put it…a ‘druggie’ like me?”

There is a long, tense pause as he stares at Julia, waiting on her answer.  She finally shakes her head, indicating a ‘no’ and he chuckles.

“That’s what I thought.  These fans who cheer you, would they still cheer you if they knew you did drugs?  Your peers in the UWA dressing room, would they look down on you if they were to find out you were on drugs?  Now your father may know and he may still be supportive despite that, your ‘mother’ may be supportive because clearly she knows, but do you really believe everyone else would still be supportive if they knew the truth?”

He shakes his head. “Nah, because the truth is you’re living a lie, you’re a fraud.  You’re lying to them.  You’re leading them to believe that you are something you’re not.  If they realized what you did once…they’d turn on you…but me…”

He rubs the back of his hand against her cheek “…I’m always there for you.”

“NO!” She rears back and slaps the taste out of his mouth.  The slap is so hard he staggers backward. “NO!  GO AWAY, JACOB!”

“Fine, I’ll leave.” He smirks. “But I’ll be back, and you know how to reach me when you realize that this life you’re living is a lie.  My number hasn’t changed.  And I still have plenty of the good stuff for you, plenty of drugs…we can pick up right where we left off.”

Julia shakes her head and mutters ‘no’ over and over again as she turns and runs away from Jacob, trying desperately to get away from this demon of her past.

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On Camera

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It’s been said that you should never look a gift horse in the mouth.  In other words, don’t be a fool.  Take advantage of the opportunities gifted to you.

Funny, how things work out, isn’t it?  I made my return to UWA two weeks ago against Ryan Watson and Lilith Evans.  Both were very game, both fought their hearts out.  Both brought their A-Game to the table and I knew that walking away with a victory would be a very tough task to achieve.  Yet, despite the odds, despite it being a triple threat match where I wouldn’t even have to be involved in the decision in order to lose, I still managed to defeat Watson and Evans.  I stopped Lilith’s so-called momentum.  I disrupted Ryan Watson’s great debut.  Instead, I made an impact for myself.  I stepped in and I made a statement to the UWA universe and that statement was received loud and clear…

…“The Kensington Knockout” Julia Braddock was back and she was ready willing and able to work her way back to the top.

That’s where I was when I left.  Or at least, I was almost there.  I had been UWA Queen of the Ring Champion and UWA Hybrid Champion.  I competed in the Elimination Chamber at the Sectioned event last year for the world title.  I was close before and I knew I was on the precipice of greatness when I left, when I threw it all away.

Most would walk right on in and demand to have their old spot just handed to them but not me.  I made it clear two weeks ago that I wanted to work my way to the top, that I wanted to earn my way, to repay my debuts all over again.  It was the least I could do, in my view; and defeating Ryan Watson and Lilith Evans was a great way to get off to a great start on the journey back to the top.

Yet here I stand now two weeks later, next Outbreak, booked in a Choose Your Poison Battle Royal against some of the top talents of UWA; talents such as Lilith Evans, Ricky Octavius, Christian Savior, Rose Savior, Angyalka Cruze, Ryan Watson, Alex London, Joey Michaels, Abigail Lindsay, Alana Starr, Mya Denton, and Styx.

A battle royal is one thing, and if this were just any old battle royal that would be good enough for me, but UWA saw fit to add a little caveat: the winner will get to book him or herself in any match they see fit.

So I could conceivably win this match and put myself in a world championship match.  I could win this battle royal and jump in line ahead of everyone else, ahead of even the former world champion Rachel Lee.

I do make one promise and that is if I win this once in a lifetime opportunity, I will not use it until I feel I am worthy and I am ready for such a huge prize.  I still want to earn my way back to the top and while winning this battle royal will put me in the driver’s seat, I will still honor that promise I made to myself to fight my way back.

Now that doesn’t mean I won’t do anything and everything within my power to come out of Outbreak with a victory.  I am a Braddock and competition runs through my veins just like the blood that pumps through my body, and the other athletes in this battle royal, my competition, they’d better be ready to receive the absolute best of The Kensington Knockout.

Lilith, we already fought two weeks ago and I ended any of that supposed “momentum” you had from “nearly” beating Victoria Salinas.  In my book, nearly beating someone is still a loss, so that’s two straight losses.  I’m about to make it three because you aren’t going to win this, Lilith.  This is my destiny.

While you’re at it, clue Mya Denton into this too.  You’re her pal, right?  Let  her know what is in store for her in this battle royal as she faces off against The Kensington Knockout.  She, like you, will fail.

Ricky Octavius, a loyal UWA standard bearer, but not afraid to voice his opinion if UWA does wrong, and for that I’m impressed.  You are also the X-Limits Champion, potentially the last one if UWA goes through with its threat to get rid of it; another thing I’m impressed by.  I look forward to testing my mettle against you, Ricky.  I look forward to testing myself against one of the best UWA has right now.  But be ready, because I’m going to test you as well, because I want this win just as much as you or anyone else in this battle royal wants it.

Maybe even more than anyone else in this battle royal.

Christian and Rose Savior, you should stay focused on the tag team division.  Focus on Abilana.  Your hands will be full enough with them and I’d hate for you to get distracted.  But go ahead, give it your best shot in this battle royal. Fact is, battle royals are every man and woman for themselves.  Only one can win.  You’ll turn on each other.  It’s academic.

Same goes for Abigail Lindsey and Alana Starr. You two are the current UWA World Tag Team Champions and that is very impressive.  I’d give you the same advice I gave The Saviors, stay focused in the tag team division, but if anyone can split their focus it might be you two, both former world champions.  Though you’ll have to get through me to get it and I will be hard to stop.

Abi, you should know damn well how much of a challenge I can be, and if you don’t remember, just ask your cousin.  Just ask your Aphrodite.

Ryan Watson, we already danced once before, and while you were impressive to the crowd in your UWA debut, you still lost and your UWA debut was a loss thanks to me.  Now you have a chance to make up for it but, just as I told Lilith, I’m going to add yet another “L” to your record.  I intend on winning this and making sure you don’t win it.

Cruze, London, Styx, we haven’t formally been introduced.  My name is Julia Braddock and I am a UWA Original.  They claimed that I made my debut two weeks ago but it was no debut.  It was my coming home party.  I’m back and you’re about to recognize why I am among the many names who helped put this great company on the map and why my star will continue to shine bright.

Last, and certainly least, is Joey Michaels.

Joey, you poor little fool, having to stoop to such lows as to bring my sister Glory into the argument in order to do what?  Try to get under my skin?  Try to make me jealous?  Newsflash, you narcissist punk, I’ve been there, done that, fought with Glory for an hour over my bitterness and jealousy…yeah, I admit it, jealousy damn near tore us apart…but guess what?

We survived.  Not only did we survive, but we grew stronger as a sisterhood because of it.

And you’re right, I am a Braddock and greatness is expected of me, but I’m not here to be Glenn Braddock or the second coming of Glory Braddock, I am here to be the FIRST EVER Julia Braddock and I am here to make a name for myself, not to make a name for someone  else.

That’s why this place, this great company, is MY home…not Glory’s, not Glenn’s…MINE!

Your sad attempt at trying to get under my skin just proves one thing to me, Joey, and that’s that you are insecure. You may not be as confident as you really and truly sound.  Who are you trying to convince with your loud shouting about how great you are?  Who are you trying to convince with all of those damned names you gave yourself?  I can tell you that David Helms and Drew Bryant do not care.  I can tell you Fleur Jamieson does not care.  I can tell you damn sure that the rest of the UWA roster does not care if you want to call yourself The Monday Night Delight.

But maybe, just maybe, you’re trying to convince yourself.

Well listen to this, Joey, because I don’t have to convince myself of anything.  I know my talent, I know my abilities, and I know what I can do inside of this ring.  I know that I have the potential to do great things in the future here in UWA and I know it could happen as early as this coming Outbreak if I win the battle royal…

…and if I don’t win the battle royal, then fine, I continue to bust my ass and work my way back to the top.  But the point is that The Kensington Knockout is NOT just a blip on someone’s radar screen.  I am here to make an impact.

So get ready for the impact that I will make on Outbreak, guaranteed.