Long overdue conversation (Julia CD featuring Sophie)

[admin]

==========
London, England
Off Camera
==========

The famous Braddock Wrestling School looks intimidating to those who know of the Braddock family’s wrestling history. Many have come and gone through this building. Most have gone to have successful wrestling careers. For Chastity Noel, this place represents so much more. This is where she went through the same training as her older sister, Glory Braddock. But she didn’t catch on as quickly as Glory, and she didn’t have the same passion for wrestling as Glory did; at least not at first. Both of these factors made training under her father, Glenn Braddock, all the much more difficult, all that much more challenging. This place brings back memories, both good and bad. The beautiful blonde is approaching the modest training facility dressed in a tight form fitting cream colored dress that stops just at the knee and a black woman’s suit jacket. She is perched atop black patent leather high heel pumps. Most would be intimidated by this place and its legacy. But for Chastity, this is common. This is in her blood, it is her inheritance. She walks right through the front door. She watches the goings on. Some are working heavy bags, others on grappling on a blue wrestling mat amateur style, and there still more inside of a standard wrestling ring. It is the ring that has Chastity’s attention. She has her eyes set upon none other than Mark O’Brian, a close friend of the family and trainer at the school.

“Now I want yous to hit me! Hit me as hard as ya fucking can!”

Chastity chuckles. Mark never did mince words. One of the students runs off the ropes and attempts a shoulder tackle on Mark but Mark barely budges. The student, however, falls flat on his back. Mark guffaws. “Pathetic! Totally pa…” Mark looks over and catches sight of Chastity standing there. He winks and then looks down at the student. “...look, you can do better than that! All of ya can do better than that! Now work on what I just told ya! I’ll be right back!”

Mark exits the ring and then hops off the apron. Chastity and Mark approach one another. They meet in the middle and embrace in a tight hug. They share a laugh upon breaking the embrace. “How are you, Mark?”

“I’m great, Jules. But how the hell are you? You hardly ever come down to see us!”

“True. But I have been busy.”

“Right, that Foundation thingy right?”

“Yes, The Julia Foundation. It is going great but unfortunately it keeps me busy. I hope Glory will be able to get involved soon and that will take some pressure off of my shoulders.”

“I hope so. It’s always good to see the two of ya working together instead of against one another. Y’know?”

“My sentiments exactly.” Chastity looks around curiously. “I don’t see your sister. Where is she?”

“She’s in Glory’s office. Why’d ya wanna see that grouch?”

“That ‘grouch’ as you so eloquently put it why I’m here.” Chastity says with a grin. “She asked me to stop by.”

“I getcha.” Mark chuckles. “Anyway, nice seein’ ya again, Jules. Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t.”

With that Chastity turns and makes her way over to the office of her sister. It is virtually unused by Glory herself. It typically is used by either head trainer Randall Williams or Sophie O’Brian. In this case, Sophie is using it. Chastity notices that the door is already slightly ajar and pushes it the rest of the way open. She steps inside. She finds Sophie sitting at Glory’s desk. Sophie’s facial features remain stoic and emotionless. Sophie has the perfect poker face. She never lets any of her intentions slip away via emotion.

“Hello Julia.” she motions to one of the chairs. “Please, have a seat.”

Chastity isn’t quite sure what Sophie wants to see her about. Sophie and Glory were very close friends. Chastity and Sophie never were that close. They were friends but not as close as Sophie was to Glory. Chastity can’t help but wonder if this has to do with Sophie’s recent announcement of her intentions to enter the GCW Civil War Match this year.

“I have to admit, I was surprised that you called, Sophie.”

“True. Perhaps too long? I will take the blame for the fact that you and I didn’t have the same kind of close relationship that myself and your sister do.”

“I am a few years younger, so there is that.”

“Of course, but that is no excuse. I should have been there for you, and should have been as loyal to you, as I was to your sister. For that, I apologize.”

Chastity shakes her head. “No need to apologize for any of that, Sophie. You did nothing wrong, neither did I. It just kinda happened. Its life. No big deal.”

“So you say, but I believe our emotional distance created a problem. And to be honest, Julia, there is something we should discuss. It is something we should have discussed a long time ago and since I am returning to Global Championship Wrestling, perhaps there is no time like the present to talk about this matter.”

“What are you on about, mate?”

“I have been watching you closely, Julia. Ever since you won the Civil War Match last year I watched you closely. Some of your tactics I agreed with but not all. Certain tactics I thought were grave mistakes. Such as your decision to go it alone, your decision not to embrace your heritage, to use all of those resources you have as a Braddock to your advantage.” She motions to her. “Look at you, you sit here before me without a championship. And instead of insisting for a rematch you want to enter this year’s Civil War Match and win it a second straight year?”

“Yes, what is it to you?” Chastity remarks.

“It just makes no sense to me. Nothing of what you have done lately makes sense to me. And I wish you to explain it to me. Take for instance your double life. You wrestle as Julia Braddock but when the show is over you go back to being Chastity Noel. Why the duality my dear? I wouldn’t exactly approve of you throwing away your Braddock heritage but at least I could respect you for making a decision and choosing the other.”

“I did make a decision, Sophie.” Chastity remarks with a frustrated sigh. “The truth is that I am BOTH Julia and Chastity. Julia Braddock is the wrestler. She always has and always will be. She is the embodiment of what my dad imagined for wrestling; the spirit of competition, going out there and proving yourself as the best by facing the best and doing it the right way. Chastity is not a wrestler. Chastity represents the legacy I want to create for myself outside of the shadow of my famous father and famous sister. The Charity and Rehabilitation Clinic, the Julia Foundation, that is going to be my legacy as Chastity. I did that as Chastity without any of those so-called ‘resources’ being a Braddock. But Julia Braddock is the wrestler. That’s her only existence. She exists to wrestle.”

Sophie chuckles lightly to herself. Chastity doesn’t find this humorous. “What’s so funny, mate?”

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Sophie answers. “Abraham Lincoln said that.”

“Yes, and what does that mean to me?”

“Your enemies think they can read you. They believe that they can interpret you and get into your mind. But they are all fools. Even the so-called greatest mind Adrian Waters doesn’t know what he is talking about when it comes to you.”

“And you do?” Chastity asks. Sophie nods her head in response.

“As a matter of fact, I do. I have been around you all your life. I watched you grow up, I was there as you began your training under Glenn Braddock, and I know you. I know Julia Braddock. Julia Braddock and Chastity, they are polar opposites. You try to live as both because you refuse to give up one. But they are polar opposites and despite that fancy saying, opposites do not attract. These two sides of your personality, one a dark side and the other a light side, will push each other way. Eventually, over time, you will be forced to either embrace the light or embrace the dark. I know this because I tried to have a dark side and a light side, I tried to live both. But I quickly realized that I could not be both. I realized I had to choose. I chose to embrace my dark side.”

“Is that what you want me to do? Do you want me to embrace my dark side?”

“I honestly do not care what your decision is, Julia. But I do care about you, your family, and that is why I am trying to help you. I am trying to save you from the anguish of trying to live this duality that is destined to fail. Make it easy on yourself by just picking one and going all in. I also want to help you…” Sophie smirks “...you cannot go it alone. You will need allies.”

Chastity sighs and shakes her head. “Look, Sophie, I appreciate your concern. I really do. But I know what I’m doing. And I get it, backup and allies, they’re a great asset to have, but in the Civil War Match coming up, a match YOU ARE IN TOO might I add, there are no allies. There can only be one winner. And I intend for that to be me.”

“This is true. Your strategy for Civil War may be wise, but what about after the Civil War? What happens when you eventually win back your championship and become the target again? You tried to defend it on your own once. You got lucky at Survival of the Fittest but then you were conned by Kelsai who showed her true colors.”

Chastity rolls her eyes. “I’ll figure it out when the time comes. But right now I don’t need help.”

Sophie sighs and nods her head. “Fair enough. I am only offering my services. Consider my words carefully, Julia…or Chastity…embrace your fate, whether it be light or dark, and make some friends, make some alliances. Whether it be with me or someone else. You will need them in the future.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Chastity rises up out of the chair. “I won’t be a stranger, Sophie. See you later.”

With that Chastity turns and walks off. As she walks away she thinks about what Sophie said. A lot of what she said did make sense and hits hard in the heart of Julia Braddock. Ever since becoming Global Champion last year, her dark side, Chastity, told her that she needed to do whatever it took to remain champion. But she wanted to do it the right way. She wanted to win the right way. And the more successful she was, the quieter that dark voice got. But when she lost the title in the manner that she did at the End of the Year Bash, the voice was back like a vengeance telling her nastily “I told you so”. Are Sophie…and Chastity…right? Should she embrace her darkness and fight fire with fire? Fight to win by any means necessary? She still wants to be a successful wrestler the right way. But that thought, that light, is hanging on by a thread.