01-16-2021, 11:13 AM
01-24-2021, 12:57 AM
Somewhere in Colorado
(Off Camera)
Time, according to physicists, is not as simple as we were taught in elementary school. There is more to time than just the ticking of a clock or counting down the remaining seconds in the fourth quarter of a basketball game. The thought that time travel into the future seems to be a technical challenge, meaning that it’s possible if one could move at the speed of light - or faster.
Lyza reflected on not moving fast enough to get Kimberly Williams back inside the ring, setting up the win for her team. Kimberly would have not been as accessible to Datura, the match could continue and everyone gets to go home with the realization of a win or loss in their column.
Neither outcome was realized, once again leaving a sour note for Doom & Groove.
“If what physicist Carlo Rovelli says is true, viewing things not so far out, nor narrowly, we can have a better grasp of time. And maybe reality?” Lyza ponders. She’s not the first “normy” to entertain these thoughts after watching an early morning news segment or listening to a Mysterious Universe podcast.
With no Devin around, Lyza proceeds to get out of her car, wearing her workout clothes and using a bandana to cover her face. She enters one of her favorite places to let off steam, the batting cages. It had been just about three years since she last set foot in one. The place is run by a Puerto Rican family, one of the owners being a former minor-league baseball player. She is happy to see the same familiar faces behind the counter and on the floor. Where there are steel fences used as safeguards between multiple parties, plexiglass partitions have been added in accordance with CDC guidelines.
“As long as they remain open,” Lyza says to herself after the clerk scans a QR code on her phone. She makes her way to a cage further away from the service desk and other guests, preferring little to no distractions, and also in consideration of her tag team partner.
Before picking up the bat, she shoots Devin a quick text message that reads: “Hey slowpoke, I couldn’t wait any longer in the car. Find me all the way in the back after you check-in. Cups are recommended.” She then puts her phone in her bag, leaving it to the side to pick up a bat. The pitching machine releases a ball at about 65mph.
Swing and a miss. She sucks her teeth, not smacking them as she had wanted.
“I’m still cold,” she says, adjusting her stance in preparation for the next ball.
Another swing and a miss. She was cold and rusty like an abandoned lawnmower in a shed during winter. Regardless, she usually knew how these sessions would go. She’d strike out various times throughout the course, but for every hit, she imagined it being the important one needed in a life or death scenario. Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, with Spike Lee giving a side-eye, communicating, “don’t fuck this up.”
She takes a deep breath, relaxing in position. The machine releases another fastball going about 70mph this time; she does not hear anyone else besides her. Everything but the ball becomes a blur. She raises her bat once again, swinging at the approaching ball. The bat falls out of her hands when she sees the ball fly across the cage, bouncing off the wall on the opposite end.
“Final-freaking-lee,” she says, stepping aside to roll down her sleeves. She looks around in all directions for anyone, though they all seem to be focused on their own performances or their phones. She then scoops up the bat, getting back in position before the next ball comes flying in her direction. Coming in at 72mph, she has one hand on the top and the other on the bottom half of the bat. Curious about bunting, she steps forward, and with the bat, in front of her, she bunts the ball. She takes several steps back, leaning against the fence in amusement.
Some of the patrons from earlier begin to make their exit out of the training facility. By now, Lyza grows curious about Devin’s whereabouts as he’s usually not one to be late or flake out. She goes to check her phone, seeing her last message marked as “Delivered,” assuming he has yet to get to his phone or he didn’t have a response when the message notification popped up on his screen.
She decides to send a follow-up message, “Please don’t tell me you’re in line waiting to pay for a cup??? I was mostly joking. I’ll be here for maybe another hour.”
Giving him the benefit of a doubt, she decides to hang out a little longer. Why leave so soon? She was getting into a groove after all.
SUBSEQUENTLY
ELSEWHERE IN DENVER, COLORADO
(Off Camera)
People stared and Devin felt it. He trudged through the busy streets, moving around anyone who got too close. He couldn’t shake the feeling of danger, no matter how long he was away from his prior lifestyle. He checked his abdomen, fearful to see a knife there. Nothing came that way, and he let out a rough sigh. Turning his attention elsewhere, he looked towards the store nearest him. It was a high-end clothing store, one catering to women. Maybe he should get Lyza a gift as an act of good faith. He wasn’t sure why it crossed his mind, and it made him pause.
“What am I thinking?” he asked himself, chuckling to himself. It would provide the wrong idea if he got herself something extravagant. Maybe a nice scarf would work, something that just caught his eye. As he began for the door, he looked into the reflection and caught a glimpse of something unusual. Of course, there had to be something. The rainfall barely shrouded the sight that caught his attention, because said thing wanted Devin to recognize it.
“Unusual” not referring to something outlandish, but rather someone. As he looked up, he saw a man holding an umbrella with his eyes trained on him. Tucked close to his side, the unknown man carried a gun with a silencer. Devin turned to gaze at the dangerous individual, who motioned for Devin to follow him. Obligating the quiet demand, Devin made his way to an alleyway across the street. As he went deeper in, he heard a voice call out to him.
“Turn your phone off.”
Experience told Devin to follow orders without any resistance. As he did, the figure from earlier made his reappearance, creeping from behind a few crates. He brandished the gun without any apprehension. Devin raised his hand to show off that his phone was off, and the person let out a snicker. It was familiar. Not bothering to hide it on his face, the older man scrunched his features in retaliation to what he realized.
“Haywood,” Devin said. “You’ve grown.”
“I’m no longer just a teenager working under you, Mr. Brando,” the one called Haywood said, lowering his umbrella. He had scraggly brown hair that reached his shoulders, matched with green eyes that were too hostile for their shade. He waved the gun freely in the air, chuckling at Devin’s expression. “And with you gone, I had to find new work.”
“And you pulled a gun out in a crowd to meet up again?” Devin asked, his features going from stiff to annoyed and relaxed.
Haywood grinned and stowed the gun away. “Mr. Brando, are you late for something?”
Devin let the rain speak for a moment before he straightened up. “Yes, but that’s beside the point.”
“Actually, it’s more than that,” Haywood began, looking up at the sky for a brief moment. His face began to harden, countering Devin’s earlier grimace. “Normally, I would celebrate you throwing yourself out there again, but I have the understanding that this woman is special.”
Remaining silent, Devin’s attention landed closer to the weaponry on Haywood. His former student lowered his head to glare down at Devin. “I believe you’re starting to get it and what this conversation is about.”
“You’re working for Stolzen?” Devin bluntly asked.
“This is a professional courtesy to you because we’re old comrades. You taught me how to weave my way through our work field. In addition to that, I’m asking you to step away from Lyza Reyes. For your own good.”
Without any more words, Devin turned his back and began to walk away from Haywood.
“Nothing to say?” Haywood cried out.
Devin’s silence gave him the reply he needed. Instead, he opted to check his phone, seeing several messages from Lyza. He needed to provide a full explanation or else face her wrath. But as Devin turned to look into the alleyway, he knew that he wouldn’t find Haywood standing there. No, it was the last courtesy to leave on neutral ground. Gunfire wouldn’t happen until they saw one another again.
[TEXT TO LYZA REYES]: “Just a meeting with an old friend.”
Maybe he should stop by that store.
-
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado
(On Camera)
Over at the Colorado Rocky Mountains, one of SCW’s newly signed teams, Doom & Groove decided to make a pit stop at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in Dillon, Colorado. Lyza was looking forward to riding the lift several times while allowing herself to have fun and enjoy the change of scene until returning back to New York.
There wasn’t any reluctance on Devin’s behalf as this was a familiar environment to him. Surrounded by mostly locals, the resort was far from reaching its peak visitor capacity, ideal for the cameraman to get decent B roll footage prior to setting up his equipment in the log cabin. Devin exits the scene, wearing a practical sweatshirt and “lumberjack” pants. The camera does not follow him, instead deciding to go to the nicer team member--the “Groove” as she was. Towards the back, Lyza is standing next to the fireplace, her hand's inches away from the flames to warm up before addressing the viewers. Satisfied, she adjusts her knitted hat, brushing her hair with her fingers. She walks over to the couch, taking a seat on the other end, and looks at the camera.
“Greetings and Salutations, everyone. Lyza Reyes over here with my tag team partner, Devin Brando. For those that tuned in to Breakdown over a week ago, it’s not unusual that you may have felt bewildered by what happened during our match with Vengeance. Like I had expressed to Datura, the timing makes all the difference. She felt the need to come down with a staple gun, and who am I to pass judgment on her choice of weaponry? No, by all means, do what makes you happy - all I ask is for a little consideration. Would it have hurt to sit next to the fans and wait until the end of the match to chase Kimberly? In another instance, Datura may have gained more enemies as a result. I digress. Don’t make me regret this, Datura. May you get what you’ve always wanted, but not at the expense of those who wish you well.”
A sigh escapes the New Yorker.
“This doesn’t mean I wouldn’t object to another bout against Vengeance. We had a good thing going. Neither side held back, just as Devin and I wanted from worthy opponents. Unlike Jay Gold and Kelsai Mason, there was no denying Vengeance was physically and mentally there. Alas, there were some things we did not anticipate, though I have a feeling this will not be the last of Vengeance to cross paths with Doom & Groove. As the Archangel, Jessica Lasiewicz would say, do zobaczenia.”
To conclude her statement, Devin makes his entrance to the video by chopping a log of wood in half. The camera cut may startle, but it does what it needs to do. It snatches the attention of the viewers. He does so with ease and experience and raises the ax onto his shoulder. The camera tracks the shot from the blade to his shoulder and then outward. Devin stands there, garbed in a faux fur coat and the usual hostile glare of his.
“It vexes me when people interfere with my affairs. I made noise about that to Datura, and she may never understand why exactly I took umbrage with it, even with her pisspoor apology,” Devin hisses, taking up the wood and offering it to the pile nearby. It was a task that he was able to volunteer for to relieve some stress. “However, I cannot zero my anger in on the culprit, so I have to play to my darker functions and take it out on our opponents.”
“Though, it’s impolite to do anything without an introduction. Blythe and Luz, it’s my pleasure to meet both of you. That may change, but for now, I offer you my respect.”
Devin takes another log of wood and positions it perfectly on the chopping block.
“But that doesn’t come with mercy.”
He splits the log.
“This match could have been different for Lyza and me. Frozen Hell may have some contenders if it was not for a silly girl with a stapler,” Devin stops himself, sighs, and readjusts to prevent a troubled glare from his partner. “Alas, all four of us are here trying to make sense of our division before the Tag League is over.”
“We all want to be contenders, and Lyza and I want to make it a reality. You two are perceptive, knowledgeable, and you watch one another’s backs--as per the definition of lovers, yes?” a small smirk cracks on Devin’s face. “Congratulations, you two made a long journey here, both physically and emotionally.”
“Only to lose to us.”
Devin strikes the ax into the ground, sending bits of snow up onto his upper garments. Done with his solitary activity, he starts for the interior again. Once inside, he brushes the snow off himself and makes his way closer to Lyza.
“The story of enemies pulling a 180 isn’t unique, but it tells me what kind of team The Light In The Darkness is. Your understanding of each other will make it difficult to defeat you. The bond you two share is beautiful, annoying, and strong in the same breath. Lyza and I cannot do anything to match it, but it's the world championship experience we bring that may turn the tide in our favor.”
Devin stands behind Lyza, trying to get warm from the fire.
“I believe in your love and your partnership, but there’s no love in the world that can stop us from progressing.”
Lyza nods in agreement. There was a time and place for all of that. This wasn't it.
“Nothing beats belting out a hearty love ballad from the comfort of your car. You resonate with the lyrics; it hits you in all the feels. Take a look at your partner as they control the wheel, they look back at you when you couldn’t hit the note quite like Anita Baker, but they love you anyway. Apply more pressure on the gas pedal, and before you know it, you’re met with a huge semi-truck.”
Her eyes light up at the notion.
“And you know what happens next. Not to be all dark or disturbing, it’s just not going to be easy for you ladies. In an ideal world, love would conquer all and we’d never have to send our boys to war. Easier said than done when those in power have no regard for anyone but themselves and their own interests. Societies progress because of ambition and greed. Love is left for the poor because that’s the only thing that can keep them going. It’s a harsh reality, and we’re willing to work with that so that it eventually works for Devin and me. Now what about you, Amelia, Luz? It’s a difficult question and must suck to even consider. We all want to find the light at the end of the tunnel in moments of adversity. You keep fighting until you reach the light, that’s your thought process. It’s the best one to have, but it’s not as simple as walking a straight line to get there. There are unexpected bumps, traps, and others racing to get there before you. I trust you both to understand that?”
The sounds of firewood crackling in the flames are prominent while there’s a brief moment of silence from the duo. Devin prods the fire with the proverbial poker.
“And if you don’t understand that, we’ll be happy to educate you.”
A somewhat evil grin crosses his features.
“It’ll do wonders for your relationship.”
(Off Camera)
Time, according to physicists, is not as simple as we were taught in elementary school. There is more to time than just the ticking of a clock or counting down the remaining seconds in the fourth quarter of a basketball game. The thought that time travel into the future seems to be a technical challenge, meaning that it’s possible if one could move at the speed of light - or faster.
Lyza reflected on not moving fast enough to get Kimberly Williams back inside the ring, setting up the win for her team. Kimberly would have not been as accessible to Datura, the match could continue and everyone gets to go home with the realization of a win or loss in their column.
Neither outcome was realized, once again leaving a sour note for Doom & Groove.
“If what physicist Carlo Rovelli says is true, viewing things not so far out, nor narrowly, we can have a better grasp of time. And maybe reality?” Lyza ponders. She’s not the first “normy” to entertain these thoughts after watching an early morning news segment or listening to a Mysterious Universe podcast.
With no Devin around, Lyza proceeds to get out of her car, wearing her workout clothes and using a bandana to cover her face. She enters one of her favorite places to let off steam, the batting cages. It had been just about three years since she last set foot in one. The place is run by a Puerto Rican family, one of the owners being a former minor-league baseball player. She is happy to see the same familiar faces behind the counter and on the floor. Where there are steel fences used as safeguards between multiple parties, plexiglass partitions have been added in accordance with CDC guidelines.
“As long as they remain open,” Lyza says to herself after the clerk scans a QR code on her phone. She makes her way to a cage further away from the service desk and other guests, preferring little to no distractions, and also in consideration of her tag team partner.
Before picking up the bat, she shoots Devin a quick text message that reads: “Hey slowpoke, I couldn’t wait any longer in the car. Find me all the way in the back after you check-in. Cups are recommended.” She then puts her phone in her bag, leaving it to the side to pick up a bat. The pitching machine releases a ball at about 65mph.
Swing and a miss. She sucks her teeth, not smacking them as she had wanted.
“I’m still cold,” she says, adjusting her stance in preparation for the next ball.
Another swing and a miss. She was cold and rusty like an abandoned lawnmower in a shed during winter. Regardless, she usually knew how these sessions would go. She’d strike out various times throughout the course, but for every hit, she imagined it being the important one needed in a life or death scenario. Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, with Spike Lee giving a side-eye, communicating, “don’t fuck this up.”
She takes a deep breath, relaxing in position. The machine releases another fastball going about 70mph this time; she does not hear anyone else besides her. Everything but the ball becomes a blur. She raises her bat once again, swinging at the approaching ball. The bat falls out of her hands when she sees the ball fly across the cage, bouncing off the wall on the opposite end.
“Final-freaking-lee,” she says, stepping aside to roll down her sleeves. She looks around in all directions for anyone, though they all seem to be focused on their own performances or their phones. She then scoops up the bat, getting back in position before the next ball comes flying in her direction. Coming in at 72mph, she has one hand on the top and the other on the bottom half of the bat. Curious about bunting, she steps forward, and with the bat, in front of her, she bunts the ball. She takes several steps back, leaning against the fence in amusement.
Some of the patrons from earlier begin to make their exit out of the training facility. By now, Lyza grows curious about Devin’s whereabouts as he’s usually not one to be late or flake out. She goes to check her phone, seeing her last message marked as “Delivered,” assuming he has yet to get to his phone or he didn’t have a response when the message notification popped up on his screen.
She decides to send a follow-up message, “Please don’t tell me you’re in line waiting to pay for a cup??? I was mostly joking. I’ll be here for maybe another hour.”
Giving him the benefit of a doubt, she decides to hang out a little longer. Why leave so soon? She was getting into a groove after all.
SUBSEQUENTLY
ELSEWHERE IN DENVER, COLORADO
(Off Camera)
People stared and Devin felt it. He trudged through the busy streets, moving around anyone who got too close. He couldn’t shake the feeling of danger, no matter how long he was away from his prior lifestyle. He checked his abdomen, fearful to see a knife there. Nothing came that way, and he let out a rough sigh. Turning his attention elsewhere, he looked towards the store nearest him. It was a high-end clothing store, one catering to women. Maybe he should get Lyza a gift as an act of good faith. He wasn’t sure why it crossed his mind, and it made him pause.
“What am I thinking?” he asked himself, chuckling to himself. It would provide the wrong idea if he got herself something extravagant. Maybe a nice scarf would work, something that just caught his eye. As he began for the door, he looked into the reflection and caught a glimpse of something unusual. Of course, there had to be something. The rainfall barely shrouded the sight that caught his attention, because said thing wanted Devin to recognize it.
“Unusual” not referring to something outlandish, but rather someone. As he looked up, he saw a man holding an umbrella with his eyes trained on him. Tucked close to his side, the unknown man carried a gun with a silencer. Devin turned to gaze at the dangerous individual, who motioned for Devin to follow him. Obligating the quiet demand, Devin made his way to an alleyway across the street. As he went deeper in, he heard a voice call out to him.
“Turn your phone off.”
Experience told Devin to follow orders without any resistance. As he did, the figure from earlier made his reappearance, creeping from behind a few crates. He brandished the gun without any apprehension. Devin raised his hand to show off that his phone was off, and the person let out a snicker. It was familiar. Not bothering to hide it on his face, the older man scrunched his features in retaliation to what he realized.
“Haywood,” Devin said. “You’ve grown.”
“I’m no longer just a teenager working under you, Mr. Brando,” the one called Haywood said, lowering his umbrella. He had scraggly brown hair that reached his shoulders, matched with green eyes that were too hostile for their shade. He waved the gun freely in the air, chuckling at Devin’s expression. “And with you gone, I had to find new work.”
“And you pulled a gun out in a crowd to meet up again?” Devin asked, his features going from stiff to annoyed and relaxed.
Haywood grinned and stowed the gun away. “Mr. Brando, are you late for something?”
Devin let the rain speak for a moment before he straightened up. “Yes, but that’s beside the point.”
“Actually, it’s more than that,” Haywood began, looking up at the sky for a brief moment. His face began to harden, countering Devin’s earlier grimace. “Normally, I would celebrate you throwing yourself out there again, but I have the understanding that this woman is special.”
Remaining silent, Devin’s attention landed closer to the weaponry on Haywood. His former student lowered his head to glare down at Devin. “I believe you’re starting to get it and what this conversation is about.”
“You’re working for Stolzen?” Devin bluntly asked.
“This is a professional courtesy to you because we’re old comrades. You taught me how to weave my way through our work field. In addition to that, I’m asking you to step away from Lyza Reyes. For your own good.”
Without any more words, Devin turned his back and began to walk away from Haywood.
“Nothing to say?” Haywood cried out.
Devin’s silence gave him the reply he needed. Instead, he opted to check his phone, seeing several messages from Lyza. He needed to provide a full explanation or else face her wrath. But as Devin turned to look into the alleyway, he knew that he wouldn’t find Haywood standing there. No, it was the last courtesy to leave on neutral ground. Gunfire wouldn’t happen until they saw one another again.
[TEXT TO LYZA REYES]: “Just a meeting with an old friend.”
Maybe he should stop by that store.
-
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado
(On Camera)
Over at the Colorado Rocky Mountains, one of SCW’s newly signed teams, Doom & Groove decided to make a pit stop at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in Dillon, Colorado. Lyza was looking forward to riding the lift several times while allowing herself to have fun and enjoy the change of scene until returning back to New York.
There wasn’t any reluctance on Devin’s behalf as this was a familiar environment to him. Surrounded by mostly locals, the resort was far from reaching its peak visitor capacity, ideal for the cameraman to get decent B roll footage prior to setting up his equipment in the log cabin. Devin exits the scene, wearing a practical sweatshirt and “lumberjack” pants. The camera does not follow him, instead deciding to go to the nicer team member--the “Groove” as she was. Towards the back, Lyza is standing next to the fireplace, her hand's inches away from the flames to warm up before addressing the viewers. Satisfied, she adjusts her knitted hat, brushing her hair with her fingers. She walks over to the couch, taking a seat on the other end, and looks at the camera.
“Greetings and Salutations, everyone. Lyza Reyes over here with my tag team partner, Devin Brando. For those that tuned in to Breakdown over a week ago, it’s not unusual that you may have felt bewildered by what happened during our match with Vengeance. Like I had expressed to Datura, the timing makes all the difference. She felt the need to come down with a staple gun, and who am I to pass judgment on her choice of weaponry? No, by all means, do what makes you happy - all I ask is for a little consideration. Would it have hurt to sit next to the fans and wait until the end of the match to chase Kimberly? In another instance, Datura may have gained more enemies as a result. I digress. Don’t make me regret this, Datura. May you get what you’ve always wanted, but not at the expense of those who wish you well.”
A sigh escapes the New Yorker.
“This doesn’t mean I wouldn’t object to another bout against Vengeance. We had a good thing going. Neither side held back, just as Devin and I wanted from worthy opponents. Unlike Jay Gold and Kelsai Mason, there was no denying Vengeance was physically and mentally there. Alas, there were some things we did not anticipate, though I have a feeling this will not be the last of Vengeance to cross paths with Doom & Groove. As the Archangel, Jessica Lasiewicz would say, do zobaczenia.”
To conclude her statement, Devin makes his entrance to the video by chopping a log of wood in half. The camera cut may startle, but it does what it needs to do. It snatches the attention of the viewers. He does so with ease and experience and raises the ax onto his shoulder. The camera tracks the shot from the blade to his shoulder and then outward. Devin stands there, garbed in a faux fur coat and the usual hostile glare of his.
“It vexes me when people interfere with my affairs. I made noise about that to Datura, and she may never understand why exactly I took umbrage with it, even with her pisspoor apology,” Devin hisses, taking up the wood and offering it to the pile nearby. It was a task that he was able to volunteer for to relieve some stress. “However, I cannot zero my anger in on the culprit, so I have to play to my darker functions and take it out on our opponents.”
“Though, it’s impolite to do anything without an introduction. Blythe and Luz, it’s my pleasure to meet both of you. That may change, but for now, I offer you my respect.”
Devin takes another log of wood and positions it perfectly on the chopping block.
“But that doesn’t come with mercy.”
He splits the log.
“This match could have been different for Lyza and me. Frozen Hell may have some contenders if it was not for a silly girl with a stapler,” Devin stops himself, sighs, and readjusts to prevent a troubled glare from his partner. “Alas, all four of us are here trying to make sense of our division before the Tag League is over.”
“We all want to be contenders, and Lyza and I want to make it a reality. You two are perceptive, knowledgeable, and you watch one another’s backs--as per the definition of lovers, yes?” a small smirk cracks on Devin’s face. “Congratulations, you two made a long journey here, both physically and emotionally.”
“Only to lose to us.”
Devin strikes the ax into the ground, sending bits of snow up onto his upper garments. Done with his solitary activity, he starts for the interior again. Once inside, he brushes the snow off himself and makes his way closer to Lyza.
“The story of enemies pulling a 180 isn’t unique, but it tells me what kind of team The Light In The Darkness is. Your understanding of each other will make it difficult to defeat you. The bond you two share is beautiful, annoying, and strong in the same breath. Lyza and I cannot do anything to match it, but it's the world championship experience we bring that may turn the tide in our favor.”
Devin stands behind Lyza, trying to get warm from the fire.
“I believe in your love and your partnership, but there’s no love in the world that can stop us from progressing.”
Lyza nods in agreement. There was a time and place for all of that. This wasn't it.
“Nothing beats belting out a hearty love ballad from the comfort of your car. You resonate with the lyrics; it hits you in all the feels. Take a look at your partner as they control the wheel, they look back at you when you couldn’t hit the note quite like Anita Baker, but they love you anyway. Apply more pressure on the gas pedal, and before you know it, you’re met with a huge semi-truck.”
Her eyes light up at the notion.
“And you know what happens next. Not to be all dark or disturbing, it’s just not going to be easy for you ladies. In an ideal world, love would conquer all and we’d never have to send our boys to war. Easier said than done when those in power have no regard for anyone but themselves and their own interests. Societies progress because of ambition and greed. Love is left for the poor because that’s the only thing that can keep them going. It’s a harsh reality, and we’re willing to work with that so that it eventually works for Devin and me. Now what about you, Amelia, Luz? It’s a difficult question and must suck to even consider. We all want to find the light at the end of the tunnel in moments of adversity. You keep fighting until you reach the light, that’s your thought process. It’s the best one to have, but it’s not as simple as walking a straight line to get there. There are unexpected bumps, traps, and others racing to get there before you. I trust you both to understand that?”
The sounds of firewood crackling in the flames are prominent while there’s a brief moment of silence from the duo. Devin prods the fire with the proverbial poker.
“And if you don’t understand that, we’ll be happy to educate you.”
A somewhat evil grin crosses his features.
“It’ll do wonders for your relationship.”
01-24-2021, 12:58 AM
Luz and Amelia firmly believed they knew what they were getting into. Even having only each been in the business for four years, they’d already gone through so much struggle and strife both inside and out of the ring that they were certain a company like Supreme Championship Wrestling wouldn’t be anything they weren’t already used to. Even watching previous shows prior to being personally invited to get a feel for it all as they worked out a deal, they thought they were prepared for this new endeavor they sought to challenge together.
Watching some of what had played out directly in front of them, however, immediately made them realize that maybe, just maybe, some of what they had endured to get to this point in time was just a tiny isolated island compared to the ocean of pure chaos surrounding it they never got to comprehend until now.
It was ironic, in a sense, that a couple who always sought to challenge themselves and prove their abilities without being anchored to other issues found their way to a place that was supposed to present the kind of ultimate challenge they had each dreamed of, only to find that it might also be the single most chaotic environment they could have ever conceived when it came to the wrestling business.
When they first met Sasha and she was showing them around backstage in South Africa and giving them a live feel for SCW’s normal event operations, they had told her the honest truth about not being concerned with all the extracurricular drama and just wanting to compete. They already had plenty of baggage they were trying to unshackle themselves from just so they could go about their own business the way they wanted, and the last thing they desired was any more trouble. As the weeks passed and the negotiations turned into a rollercoaster ride all their own, they watched as everything unfolded and came to realize the hard truth of the matter:
Like it or not, if they wanted to earn their place among the best of the best, they would have to put up with the chaos they had hoped to distance themselves from.
When they had finally signed on the dotted line and been given an exhibition to showcase what they were capable of to anyone who wasn’t familiar with their work, they were in agreement that it was all worth it. It might have just been a start, but being able to get back into the ring and work off some of the rust had been cathartic for them, especially as they hit their stride against the tandem that had been thrown at them and found that even a few months of not having a proper match couldn’t kill the synergy they possessed as tag team partners, nor had it dulled any of the instincts that had been ingrained into them through years of training before they were even old enough to take that leap of faith.
With that first step officially taken, they could only go up from there.
“I can’t believe our second match is going to be our pay-per-view debut with the company!”
“Now that you say it out loud, it does feel a little weird to think about…”
With the last Breakdown in the books and SCW on their way into their first pay-per-view of 2021, the girls had returned to their home in Anaheim to physically and mentally prepare themselves. It was still a little weird to think that they had now been living together in the United States for a few months, but there was a mutual agreement that so long as they had each other, they would make the most of it, and the small mansion they now inhabited had grown on them pretty quickly because of it. It was a life far beyond what Luz was used to and she had become excited by everything she now had around her, while Amelia was grateful that the luchadora’s presence made this place feel warmer and far more welcoming than her family’s manor back in England ever had. Despite being bigger and housing not only her, her siblings, and parents as well as their staff, the Blythe home had always just felt empty.
Not here, though. Not this smaller space shared by her and the woman she loved, where every room felt full of life and love and made getting out of bed every morning worthwhile and not just another task to be done in an effort to adhere to an overly strict regiment.
After spending the majority of the day training, the couple had gotten themselves cleaned up and decided to spend their evening enjoying one of their favorite joint hobbies: snuggling up next to the fireplace in their study and re-reading their favorite fantasy novels together. Even if they could pretty much recite every line by heart at this point, there was always something about sharing the experience with one another and being able to discuss everything from plot points to theories to character development themselves and everything in between that made their hearts feel full, almost like this was something that was just always meant to be.
That said, when you combine the fact that they had done this several times before with this particular novel and having had their first taste of in-ring action since leaving their old promotions behind to tackle this new challenge, it was hard to shift their minds out of a wrestling mindset, and while the books were open they were mostly serving as extra weight in their laps at this point as they reflected on the start of their SCW journey.
“Don’t get me wrong Luz,” Amity had started to reassure her masked maiden after her initial response to Luz’s exclamation didn’t seem like the response she was hoping for. “I could never complain about getting in the ring and having the opportunity to test myself, especially considering who we’ll be up against, but it’s hard not to believe that maybe this is going a little too fast.”
“Too fast?” Luz questioned, her head tilting slightly as she looked at Amelia. “I mean, our second match is against a new signing that won an SCW-sponsored tournament to call themselves ‘the best’ and was kind of the reason we knew we had to get on board, unnecessary drama be damned, and it’s taking place on the first pay-per-view of a brand new year and… yeah, wow, I totally see where you’re coming from now. I know they were really hyped to finally sign us on, but it does kind of feel like we’re being given a spotlight because of who we are and not because we’ve really earned anything all over again.”
Amelia could only blink at Luz after all of that. Even after knowing each other for most of their careers by this point and being in a healthy and robust relationship for as long as they have, the way her girlfriend’s mind worked to reach certain conclusions still seemed to baffle her every now and then. She certainly wasn’t wrong, but it was still odd to think about how oblivious she seemed to some things until it was all laid out in front of her, clear as day.
“Again, I’m not going to turn down this opportunity, and I’m sure SCW just felt like it would make for a good match to add to the show,” Amelia reasoned. “Maybe we still just need to get used to the fact that things are done a little differently in this company than we’re used to.”
“It always was difficult for us to accept the way some people in charge think, especially after how long we spent trying to make our own names in the business instead of accepting that everyone only wanted us to stay in the shadows of the giants that preceded us.”
Luz couldn’t help but give a funny look at how she worded that, and while it elicited a giggle from Amelia she knew why she’d gone to the trouble of structuring it that way. Accepting that they were second-generation talents that would always inevitably be linked back to their parents in some fashion was something they both struggled with, no matter how hard they worked to make their own marks in this sport. Even thinking about her mother and father as exactly that tended to sour Amelia’s mood, considering how abusive and controlling they had been all for the sake of making her into just another tool to represent their family name. Luz at least had a good relationship with her father, the only one of her parents who ever got in the ring, but having front row seats to the moment his life was taken from him because of one in-ring accident and still trying to forge ahead had not only eroded her relationship with her mother but also plagued most of her time in Mexico. After all, how do you earn your own legend in a culture where wrestling has become a proverbial cornerstone if no one can ever mention your name without having to remind people of the icon her father had been in the ring?
“…do you think this was worth it?”
“Hm?” Amelia looked at Luz, first with confusion and then concern at how much the girl’s face had fallen from anything remotely happy. Wherever her mind had gone after even the vague reference to their parents couldn’t be good.
“All the hurdles we created in trying to get signed,” Luz clarified. “I know Sasha was surprisingly open to hearing us out and accommodating us as best as she could, but what if it’s all for naught? What if my mom finds some medical loophole to have me pulled out? What if your parents find someone higher up who will listen to their money and-”
Amelia slammed her lips into Luz’s to keep her from spiraling any further, and Luz almost immediately melted into the love and affection she was receiving from her girlfriend. Among the many things they had discovered in their time together is that Amelia wasn’t the only one that was prone to having a meltdown when her thoughts got too overwhelming, even though it seemed at first like she was the only one who had this issue and Luz was her line to reel her back in from the depths. Lo and behold, Luz had her own moments where she felt like she was drowning in an endless abyss and probably would have self-destructed had Amelia not been there to save her.
It was weird to think that this woman who could bring so much joy and comfort into any situation that desperately needed it, whose wrestling name literally had the word ‘light’ in it and had become just that to the perfect princess when she was in desperate need of someone to show her that she was worth more than just her family name and did not deserve to be torn apart all because she was actually capable of being beaten in the ring every now and then, could sometimes lose sight of who she wanted to be just as easily, but after the first time Amelia had met Luz’s mother, it was hard to ignore part of why Luz struggled so much with trying to find her own way through the darkness.
Thankfully, her boss was pleasantly surprised by her choice of mystery partner, and considering one of their partner promotion’s wrestlers that wasn’t officially on their roster was now holding some of their gold, it wasn’t hard to convince him to open some negotiations into making this work.
Gaining her preferred end result of competing with Luz simultaneously in both promotions had been one hell of a struggle all its own, but all parties eventually agreed that if the two young ladies were willing and able to subject themselves to the immensely rigorous travel schedule of constantly going back and forth between the UK and Mexico to work for them both at the same time, then there was no reason to stop them from doing so. It had taken some adjusting at first, especially since Luz wasn’t as familiar with British culture as Amelia had become with Mexican culture, no thanks to her, but roughly two months in and it was hard to argue that the tandem had become a surprising standout in the wrestling world in such a short amount of time since their official formation, and they were both quickly becoming as comfortable living in each other’s worlds as they had become around each other period.
Defending their newly won gold in England certainly helped bolster their case for a title opportunity in Mexico, and their first Tag Title reign there would come as a result of winning a Ladder Match where both promotions’ titles were on the line. It had been quite the challenge, considering Amelia’s style was counter-intuitive for this kind of match on top of the fact that neither she nor Luz had ever been in one before compared to the decent experience their opponents had on them, but as usual, they found a way to make what they had work and the sight of Luz pulling down all the title belts while one opponent had been knocked from the ladder out to the floor and the other was fading in the grip of her Blight Choke felt like validation for all the work they were putting in to be the best team they could be and prove they were forging their own destinies, no matter what challenge they would need to overcome in the process.
Unfortunately, Amelia found it hard to be too overjoyed about their newest accomplishment when the two had made it backstage and she’d taken in the sight of the battle damage her partner had sustained.
They currently sat in the trainers’ room awaiting a doctor to come look them over so they could take off for the night and find a way to celebrate the win that best fit with everything that represented them. Aside from an admittedly bad bruise on her thigh from being knocked off a ladder and landing across another one that hadn’t been set up, Amelia was relatively fine apart from the usual aches and pains of finishing a match, just amplified a little bit more from her first time of competing while having to take foreign objects into account. Luz wasn’t as lucky, as aside from some bad bruising and marks all over her body (which was partially her fault since giving a natural born risk-taker ladders to play with was hardly a smart idea in Amelia’s opinion), there was a point where one of their opponents had attempted the disrespectful lucha libre tactic of trying to rip and tear at Luz’s mask as a means of stopping her from retrieving the titles. Not only was it weird and, admittedly, heart-wrenching to see part of her actual face exposed to the people who weren’t meant to see beneath it, but when that had failed the guy had resorted to taking them both off the ladder in a nasty fall that had driven Luz’s face into one of the legs of a discarded ladder, and blood had been pouring from the opened wound with no sign of stopping for a solid fifteen minutes at least by this point.
“Be honest,” Luz had managed to finally say after an eternity of silence as they continued to wait. “Is it really that bad?”
“Well…” Amelia but her bottom lip, part of her being worried about upsetting her if she did as she was asked. “You’re definitely going to need a new mask… and some stitches. Hopefully, you won’t need a transfusion or anything, because you’ve lost a pretty good amount of blood since that landing.”
“Mierda…” Luz swore, which stunned Amelia considering it was the first time since they’d met where either one had used such language, but it drove home the point of Luz not quite being happy with this turn of events even if they both knew exactly what they were getting into tonight. Ladder Matches were dangerous for a reason, after all, and there was no doubt that their opponents were just as damaged as they were, if not worse. She hesitantly reached over and placed a comforting hand over one of Luz’s, which earned her a surprised glance from the luchadora.
“I’m sorry Luz, but look on the bright side,” she tried to offer. “This was a new experience for us both, and despite the pain we’ll definitely be in for a while, I think it was worth it to-”
“Luna!”
Both girls looked toward the door, Amelia in surprise and Luz in terror, at the woman who marched into the trainers’ room and belted out Luz’s actual name without a care for the fact that no one was supposed to publicly know it, as per lucha libre tradition. If it wasn’t for the fact that she was a little on the heavier side and wore glasses, she’d be the spitting image of the face Amelia’s seen beneath Luz’s mask on only one occasion, a forbidden moment but one that would forever remind her of how much this girl was willing to prove she was trustworthy.
“H-Hi Mami…” Luz managed to stammer out nervously, but she got no farther before this woman, who had to be her mother Amelia had heard about, dove in like a shark smelling the blood that still leaked from her open head wound.
“Don’t you ‘hi Mami’ me, young lady!” she furiously bellowed. “What were you thinking? You’ve seen how badly your father was hurt in these kinds of matches, and seeing my precious bebé being so reckless and now losing blood from a head wound nearly gave me a heart attack. How could you!?”
“Mami, please-” Luz tried again, but once again she was unsuccessful in silencing this storm.
“Luna, I was fine with this when your father was here to watch over you, but only because I was a fool to let him convince me that this sport was worth all the scars and injuries he suffered over the years. You’ve fought me on this long enough. I’m going to take you home to patch you up, and then we’re going to discuss how this wrestling nonsense is over and find you a much safer career. Something that won’t end with you running all over the world to who knows where and possibly getting killed!”
Luz’s eyes were slowly beginning to get glassy, and it had nothing to do with the amount of blood she’d no doubt lost by this point. Amelia’s eyes slowly widened as she noticed the familiar signs: quick, shallow breaths and tears threatening to spill out as she was trying desperately to shrink into herself in hopes that it would just end this and she’d be forgotten about until this passed. Amelia was no stranger to these episodes; they had been far too frequent over the years when she’d done something that was ‘good, but not perfect’ and it was only when she’d crossed paths with the now-trembling girl beside her that she’d finally accepted that this was both not normal and not right.
Even if this woman was in the right to be concerned as Luz’s mother, that was no excuse for the way she was both berating her daughter for simply wanting to chase her dreams and all but demanding that she submit to her whims of doing something else with her life, and that lit a familiar fire of anger within Amelia that was just begging to be unleashed.
“That’s enough!” she shouted, cutting the woman off right in the middle of a tirade in her native tongue that Amelia wasn’t even going to repeat in her head because she was already furious enough with the way Luz’s mother was acting.
“And who are you,” Luz’s mother began to question, “further corrupting my daughter into believing that this sport is worth sacrificing-”
“I’m Amelia Blythe, and even if that name doesn’t mean anything to you, I’m her tag partner and friend and know that she doesn’t deserve this unnecessary hatred you’re subjecting her to all because she wants to be herself and chase her dreams!”
Luz’s eyes had gone wide in shock as she glanced back and forth between the two women, the throbbing in her head from the wound that still needed to be stitched up almost forgotten now as she was witnessing Amelia actually defend her and speak up on her behalf against the one person she always struggled to put up a convincing argument against and usually opted to just try and ignore and avoid whenever possible.
“Listen here-”
“No, you listen!” Amelia barked back, struggling to maintain her composure as otherwise, she knew she’d fall back into the cold, vicious machine she was before. And even if this woman deserved it for the way she was talking to her own flesh and blood, she knew it wouldn’t help her case any if she lost herself now. “If it wasn’t for your daughter, I wouldn’t be trying to become a better person. I was molded into a machine for the sole purpose of being the ultimate unbeatable wrestling prodigy, and without her, I would be getting the opportunity to actually be me for once in my life. She saved me from my parents, and I’ll be damned if I don’t return the favor and just let you try to strip her of everything that she loves doing. I’m sorry that you lost your husband, and even if I don’t know how much it truly hurts I’ve seen how much it hurts Luz. She doesn’t deserve to have her only remaining parent act like such an overprotective puta that she’s forced to just let go of who she is for the sake of safety you can’t ever truly promise in this world. I let my parents do that to me, and I will not sit here and watch it happen to the very same person who pulled me out of the abyss!”
Amelia tightly squeezed Luz’s hand as she glared at the older woman, who was trying hard not to back down but was slowly beginning to realize that as long as her daughter had this girl around, she wasn’t going to be winning this battle. This Amelia Blythe was determined and passionate, almost a lot like her daughter, and if her little girl had managed to make such a close friend in the business that was willing to stand up for her, then the doctor felt a bitter mixture of happiness at the kind of friend she’d made and anger over the fact that trying to save her daughter from this deathtrap of a sport was going to be far more difficult now.
“…you had better make sure she’s properly patched up since I doubt you’ll let me anywhere near her,” she finally said, anger and frustration clear in her voice albeit somewhat more restrained than it had been before. After that, she began to take her leave, pausing only once to level her daughter with the kind of look that almost demanded she just come along and forget any of this had ever happened, but Luz simply squeezed Amelia’s hand in return and managed to find the strength to shoot a glare right back at her, which finally got her to leave the room.
A tense silence hung in the air after that, only partially tainted by the persistent sound of the cheering fans and the action still going on out in the ring on this night. Amelia was taking soft, deep breaths to calm herself down, Luz’s hand in hers making it so much easier to ensure she didn’t fall over the edge once again. When the two finally locked eyes, Luz was almost in disbelief.
“You… you stood up to my Mami…”
“And I’ll do it as many times as I have to Luz, just as you’ve stood by my side against my own family,” she said before hopping up onto the medical table herself and pulling the battered luchadora into a hug, both of them wincing briefly from their forgotten wounds. “I meant what I said Luz… you are the single most incredible person I’ve ever met, so kind and determined and unapologetically you that it’s not fair for you to have to feel like that’s wrong in any sense of the word. You were there for me when I never knew I needed someone, and you deserve to have that favor returned.”
“This will be worth it Luz,” she said. “Anything worth fighting for always is, remember? I’m not going to promise that we aren’t going to meet some kind of resistance because that’s just how our parents seem to work, no matter how many times we stand our ground, but if this was going to be more trouble than it’s worth then Sasha would’ve dismissed us the moment we told her what we wanted and why we wanted it.”
“You’re right… thank you, Ami,” Luz responded before planting a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. “We just need to make the most of the situation we’re given, like we always do. Sure, maybe we shouldn’t have a pay-per-view match so early in our time here, but we got one, so why not make the most of it and make a statement that nobody in SCW can ignore!”
Luz tries to strike a dramatic pose, but in her excitement, she forgets that she’s practically tangled up with Amelia until the motion causes the two of them to fall ungracefully to the floor. Thankfully, they both can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
After all, they’re able to be themselves and do exactly what they love, and even though they had to jump through a few self-designed hoops to get to this point, and knew that many more would await them so long as people were able to trace their names back to a few high caliber names in the wrestling business, they wouldn’t trade this for the world. This was their challenge, their mark to make, and come hell or high water they were going to eventually retire after making sure that the only legacies they had to live up to were the ones they built for themselves.
And they were going to do it together, because a little hope in each other and in SCW for giving them the chance to prove themselves was all they’d ever need.
Those of you out there who get overly obsessed with having a perfect first impression might, therefore, be raising an eyebrow at the fact that the first time these two young ladies have directly addressed the fans of SCW isn’t in some studio setup or anywhere that feels ‘normal’ for lack of a better term. Instead of bright lights, an SCW banner, and maybe some expensive designer outfits, the sight we get for this first address is the breathtaking mountain view that can only come from hiking through the mountain trails of Denver, Colorado. After panning for a moment to take in the gorgeous sight, we find our girls in the middle of that very activity as they hike their way up the last length of a trail to take their place in front of the camera, the mountains towering behind them. They’re dressed appropriately in hiking gear for colder weather, and while that may not seem good enough for a first impression it’s at least appropriate given the location and time of year, maybe save for Luz’s mask which is just as much a part of her at this point for obvious reasons. Still, these two stand proudly before us, not caring about what kind of vibes people might get from this, because they’re approaching this their way, and that’s all that matters to them.
“Greetings to all the fans of Supreme Championship Wrestling.”
“¡Hola!”
“I’m sure many of you might know who we are by now. Even if you’ve never heard of us before-”
“Which is totally fine, by the way!”
“-it’s kind of hard to ignore two women getting a chance to scout things out before officially putting pen to paper.”
“Or the fact that we got to set foot in an SCW ring for the very first time just a few short weeks ago and give a little sneak preview of what we have to offer.”
“Let’s get the formal introductions out of the way first. I’m Amelia Blythe.”
“And I’m La Pequeña Luz!”
“And we are known as The Light In The Darkness!”
“And we are known as The Light In The Darkness!”
Amelia just folds her hand in front of her, which is the polar opposite of Luz doing some kind of dramatic pose as though she were some kind of superhero. Luz’s antics have Amelia clearly trying hard to suppress her laughter, but she’s not going to stop her partner from being the living ray of sunshine that she is. Maybe in the past, she would have snapped at her to take this more seriously, but not letting herself be consumed by the need to make sure this is nothing less than perfect is a burden she isn’t going to weigh herself down with again.
“I’m sure some of you might have questions, one of them no doubt being why we felt the need to stand out here in hiking gear to speak our piece. Truthfully, this feels symbolic in a way, because we hiked our way up to this very spot as opposed to simply taking an easy drive out here, and our surroundings make it quite clear that even from here, there are still plenty of other mountains to climb. Considering how much we were hyped up and all the time we spent working with Sasha to finalize whether or not we were even going to compete here, it’d be easy to simply assume we would want to come in with all the fanfare in the world and immediately stake our claim like every other team that came before us. After all, the very team that ultimately convinced us that this where we wanted to be walked right up to the current Tag Team Champions and told them to be prepared.”
“That’s all well and good, don’t get us wrong. That’s just… not us. Maybe you think it should be. After all, it hasn’t exactly been a secret that the two of us are both second-generation wrestlers. Amelia’s parents, as awful as they are, were both considered elites throughout Europe many years ago, and it’s hard to walk through Mexico and take in the rich history of lucha libre without having heard of mi Papi at some point. Maybe it would have been easier for the two of us to just coast on the legacies we come from and expect to be handed the world on a silver platter. But if there’s one thing we both believe in, for better or worse, it’s the value of proving we rightfully belong here and deserve everything we seek to earn not because of where we came from, but because of who we are. As much as we respect those who preceded us, we want our legacies to be our own, not just an extension of our families.”
“We wanted to make that clear for two reasons, the most important one being to clear the air right out of the gate about why we’re here because make no mistake: we have no problem stepping up and proving ourselves against the best of the best in a company that’s prided itself on touting a roster possessing such for many years now, but we’re just as willing to start from the very bottom and fight our way to the top of the mountain because that’s the kind of challenge we both agree would make the end result worth the reward.”
“But as for the here and now, we wanted to make sure a tag team that has the trophy to back up their claim of being the world’s best understands what they’re up against, considering they’ve kind of made it clear they seem to have a problem with the idea of wrestling families and the legacy of names and everything that we fit on paper but couldn’t be any more different from in reality.”
Luz couldn’t resist putting on a rare scowl for the camera, the idea of having anything she’s worked hard to earn in her career all just being because of who her father was actually bothering her quite a lot. Amelia couldn’t keep from frowning as well, knowing that she and Luz had spent far too long being weighed down by the burdens they were born with and while they could never fully get rid of them, they would always find a way to adapt to make their case loud and clear.
“We know the two of you aren’t exactly happy about how your last match turned out, and you have no reason to. But when Luz and I stand here and tell you that the only thing you can expect from us is an honest-to-God fight with no strings attached or anyone running around with some sort of vendetta against us, we mean it. If we’re going to overcome Lyza and Devin, then we’re going to do so the old-fashioned way. We know the two of you are determined to prove yourselves here, especially after your last match, and this is the kind of challenge that makes a statement and puts you one step closer to the shot you’ve called. But don’t judge a book by its cover, because for as much as you could make assumptions about us just because of where we came from, it’s easy for us to do the same.”
“Except the two of you have kind of proven that what we see is what we get when it comes to Doom & Groove. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve been impressed by your work, and there’s a reason then when you guys revealed you were coming to SCW full time to build on what you did in that tournament, we knew then and there that we had to dive in as well. But the biggest difference between us is that the two of you carry a chip on your shoulders because you have that trophy and can claim that if we beat you, then we’ve beaten the best. There’s a reason why both sides here want to be Tag Champions, but you feel like you’ve earned the right to walk up to the current champions and warn them that you’ll be waiting on their doorstep when the dust settles from the Tag League.”
“Which, in turn, gives us all the more motivation to defeat you and climb just that little bit higher up the mountain.”
Luz and Amelia both turn to gaze out at the distant mountains, their hands joining together as the camera pans around to a side view, allowing us to see the look in their eyes more clearly. It’s a look of determination, one that makes it clear that they know they’re in for a war and they’re more than happy to fight back if that’s what it takes to earn their place.
“The Light In The Darkness is more than just a fancy name for the two of us… it’s what we are to one another, the light that guided us out of some of the darkest times of our lives, times where we were, as you worded it when you faced Vengeance, Devin, drowning in the shadows of our parents. From the depths of our families and everything both good and bad that came with it, we pulled ourselves up and vowed to make sure that by the time we were done in this business, we would always be remembered for what we accomplished. We don’t care how long it takes or how hard we work because as long as the two of us are willing to fight together, there is nothing that will ever be able to take us down.”
“Maybe you think that’s cute and not worth taking seriously, but we know you were watching our little showcase a few weeks ago, and that was far from everything we have to offer. But by all means, call us out on our legacies, try and convince us that we can’t possibly hold a candle to the world’s best tag team, because the more you accept the hype that you’ve taken on, the more you’re going to respect the work it took for us to conquer this challenge and show the world that Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz belong here in SCW, and not even Doom & Groove will be able to take our light away from us.”
Both girls turn to glance at the camera, their looks clearly those of warriors ready for the combat they’ll soon be walking into. And as this scene fades, these two are more than willing to acknowledge that for all the mountains they’ve climbed up to this point, SCW will be the toughest one yet, and they’re prepared to make that ascent one match at a time. After all, that’s what they do, and that’s something they’ll do together.
And that’s all the first impression they need.
Watching some of what had played out directly in front of them, however, immediately made them realize that maybe, just maybe, some of what they had endured to get to this point in time was just a tiny isolated island compared to the ocean of pure chaos surrounding it they never got to comprehend until now.
It was ironic, in a sense, that a couple who always sought to challenge themselves and prove their abilities without being anchored to other issues found their way to a place that was supposed to present the kind of ultimate challenge they had each dreamed of, only to find that it might also be the single most chaotic environment they could have ever conceived when it came to the wrestling business.
When they first met Sasha and she was showing them around backstage in South Africa and giving them a live feel for SCW’s normal event operations, they had told her the honest truth about not being concerned with all the extracurricular drama and just wanting to compete. They already had plenty of baggage they were trying to unshackle themselves from just so they could go about their own business the way they wanted, and the last thing they desired was any more trouble. As the weeks passed and the negotiations turned into a rollercoaster ride all their own, they watched as everything unfolded and came to realize the hard truth of the matter:
Like it or not, if they wanted to earn their place among the best of the best, they would have to put up with the chaos they had hoped to distance themselves from.
When they had finally signed on the dotted line and been given an exhibition to showcase what they were capable of to anyone who wasn’t familiar with their work, they were in agreement that it was all worth it. It might have just been a start, but being able to get back into the ring and work off some of the rust had been cathartic for them, especially as they hit their stride against the tandem that had been thrown at them and found that even a few months of not having a proper match couldn’t kill the synergy they possessed as tag team partners, nor had it dulled any of the instincts that had been ingrained into them through years of training before they were even old enough to take that leap of faith.
With that first step officially taken, they could only go up from there.
“I can’t believe our second match is going to be our pay-per-view debut with the company!”
“Now that you say it out loud, it does feel a little weird to think about…”
With the last Breakdown in the books and SCW on their way into their first pay-per-view of 2021, the girls had returned to their home in Anaheim to physically and mentally prepare themselves. It was still a little weird to think that they had now been living together in the United States for a few months, but there was a mutual agreement that so long as they had each other, they would make the most of it, and the small mansion they now inhabited had grown on them pretty quickly because of it. It was a life far beyond what Luz was used to and she had become excited by everything she now had around her, while Amelia was grateful that the luchadora’s presence made this place feel warmer and far more welcoming than her family’s manor back in England ever had. Despite being bigger and housing not only her, her siblings, and parents as well as their staff, the Blythe home had always just felt empty.
Not here, though. Not this smaller space shared by her and the woman she loved, where every room felt full of life and love and made getting out of bed every morning worthwhile and not just another task to be done in an effort to adhere to an overly strict regiment.
After spending the majority of the day training, the couple had gotten themselves cleaned up and decided to spend their evening enjoying one of their favorite joint hobbies: snuggling up next to the fireplace in their study and re-reading their favorite fantasy novels together. Even if they could pretty much recite every line by heart at this point, there was always something about sharing the experience with one another and being able to discuss everything from plot points to theories to character development themselves and everything in between that made their hearts feel full, almost like this was something that was just always meant to be.
That said, when you combine the fact that they had done this several times before with this particular novel and having had their first taste of in-ring action since leaving their old promotions behind to tackle this new challenge, it was hard to shift their minds out of a wrestling mindset, and while the books were open they were mostly serving as extra weight in their laps at this point as they reflected on the start of their SCW journey.
“Don’t get me wrong Luz,” Amity had started to reassure her masked maiden after her initial response to Luz’s exclamation didn’t seem like the response she was hoping for. “I could never complain about getting in the ring and having the opportunity to test myself, especially considering who we’ll be up against, but it’s hard not to believe that maybe this is going a little too fast.”
“Too fast?” Luz questioned, her head tilting slightly as she looked at Amelia. “I mean, our second match is against a new signing that won an SCW-sponsored tournament to call themselves ‘the best’ and was kind of the reason we knew we had to get on board, unnecessary drama be damned, and it’s taking place on the first pay-per-view of a brand new year and… yeah, wow, I totally see where you’re coming from now. I know they were really hyped to finally sign us on, but it does kind of feel like we’re being given a spotlight because of who we are and not because we’ve really earned anything all over again.”
Amelia could only blink at Luz after all of that. Even after knowing each other for most of their careers by this point and being in a healthy and robust relationship for as long as they have, the way her girlfriend’s mind worked to reach certain conclusions still seemed to baffle her every now and then. She certainly wasn’t wrong, but it was still odd to think about how oblivious she seemed to some things until it was all laid out in front of her, clear as day.
“Again, I’m not going to turn down this opportunity, and I’m sure SCW just felt like it would make for a good match to add to the show,” Amelia reasoned. “Maybe we still just need to get used to the fact that things are done a little differently in this company than we’re used to.”
“It always was difficult for us to accept the way some people in charge think, especially after how long we spent trying to make our own names in the business instead of accepting that everyone only wanted us to stay in the shadows of the giants that preceded us.”
Luz couldn’t help but give a funny look at how she worded that, and while it elicited a giggle from Amelia she knew why she’d gone to the trouble of structuring it that way. Accepting that they were second-generation talents that would always inevitably be linked back to their parents in some fashion was something they both struggled with, no matter how hard they worked to make their own marks in this sport. Even thinking about her mother and father as exactly that tended to sour Amelia’s mood, considering how abusive and controlling they had been all for the sake of making her into just another tool to represent their family name. Luz at least had a good relationship with her father, the only one of her parents who ever got in the ring, but having front row seats to the moment his life was taken from him because of one in-ring accident and still trying to forge ahead had not only eroded her relationship with her mother but also plagued most of her time in Mexico. After all, how do you earn your own legend in a culture where wrestling has become a proverbial cornerstone if no one can ever mention your name without having to remind people of the icon her father had been in the ring?
“…do you think this was worth it?”
“Hm?” Amelia looked at Luz, first with confusion and then concern at how much the girl’s face had fallen from anything remotely happy. Wherever her mind had gone after even the vague reference to their parents couldn’t be good.
“All the hurdles we created in trying to get signed,” Luz clarified. “I know Sasha was surprisingly open to hearing us out and accommodating us as best as she could, but what if it’s all for naught? What if my mom finds some medical loophole to have me pulled out? What if your parents find someone higher up who will listen to their money and-”
Amelia slammed her lips into Luz’s to keep her from spiraling any further, and Luz almost immediately melted into the love and affection she was receiving from her girlfriend. Among the many things they had discovered in their time together is that Amelia wasn’t the only one that was prone to having a meltdown when her thoughts got too overwhelming, even though it seemed at first like she was the only one who had this issue and Luz was her line to reel her back in from the depths. Lo and behold, Luz had her own moments where she felt like she was drowning in an endless abyss and probably would have self-destructed had Amelia not been there to save her.
It was weird to think that this woman who could bring so much joy and comfort into any situation that desperately needed it, whose wrestling name literally had the word ‘light’ in it and had become just that to the perfect princess when she was in desperate need of someone to show her that she was worth more than just her family name and did not deserve to be torn apart all because she was actually capable of being beaten in the ring every now and then, could sometimes lose sight of who she wanted to be just as easily, but after the first time Amelia had met Luz’s mother, it was hard to ignore part of why Luz struggled so much with trying to find her own way through the darkness.
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After the impromptu trip to England to help her make a statement against her family by putting an end to the seemingly unstoppable Tag Title reign of her older twin siblings, Amelia couldn’t deny that even having never teamed together before that night, she and Luz had something special. Her parents could go screw off for all she cared when it came to what they wanted for her, because their perfect little princess was deciding her own destiny now, and while that destiny would still include singles conquest in due time, it was also going to involve a lot more teaming with Luz if she had her way.Thankfully, her boss was pleasantly surprised by her choice of mystery partner, and considering one of their partner promotion’s wrestlers that wasn’t officially on their roster was now holding some of their gold, it wasn’t hard to convince him to open some negotiations into making this work.
Gaining her preferred end result of competing with Luz simultaneously in both promotions had been one hell of a struggle all its own, but all parties eventually agreed that if the two young ladies were willing and able to subject themselves to the immensely rigorous travel schedule of constantly going back and forth between the UK and Mexico to work for them both at the same time, then there was no reason to stop them from doing so. It had taken some adjusting at first, especially since Luz wasn’t as familiar with British culture as Amelia had become with Mexican culture, no thanks to her, but roughly two months in and it was hard to argue that the tandem had become a surprising standout in the wrestling world in such a short amount of time since their official formation, and they were both quickly becoming as comfortable living in each other’s worlds as they had become around each other period.
Defending their newly won gold in England certainly helped bolster their case for a title opportunity in Mexico, and their first Tag Title reign there would come as a result of winning a Ladder Match where both promotions’ titles were on the line. It had been quite the challenge, considering Amelia’s style was counter-intuitive for this kind of match on top of the fact that neither she nor Luz had ever been in one before compared to the decent experience their opponents had on them, but as usual, they found a way to make what they had work and the sight of Luz pulling down all the title belts while one opponent had been knocked from the ladder out to the floor and the other was fading in the grip of her Blight Choke felt like validation for all the work they were putting in to be the best team they could be and prove they were forging their own destinies, no matter what challenge they would need to overcome in the process.
Unfortunately, Amelia found it hard to be too overjoyed about their newest accomplishment when the two had made it backstage and she’d taken in the sight of the battle damage her partner had sustained.
They currently sat in the trainers’ room awaiting a doctor to come look them over so they could take off for the night and find a way to celebrate the win that best fit with everything that represented them. Aside from an admittedly bad bruise on her thigh from being knocked off a ladder and landing across another one that hadn’t been set up, Amelia was relatively fine apart from the usual aches and pains of finishing a match, just amplified a little bit more from her first time of competing while having to take foreign objects into account. Luz wasn’t as lucky, as aside from some bad bruising and marks all over her body (which was partially her fault since giving a natural born risk-taker ladders to play with was hardly a smart idea in Amelia’s opinion), there was a point where one of their opponents had attempted the disrespectful lucha libre tactic of trying to rip and tear at Luz’s mask as a means of stopping her from retrieving the titles. Not only was it weird and, admittedly, heart-wrenching to see part of her actual face exposed to the people who weren’t meant to see beneath it, but when that had failed the guy had resorted to taking them both off the ladder in a nasty fall that had driven Luz’s face into one of the legs of a discarded ladder, and blood had been pouring from the opened wound with no sign of stopping for a solid fifteen minutes at least by this point.
“Be honest,” Luz had managed to finally say after an eternity of silence as they continued to wait. “Is it really that bad?”
“Well…” Amelia but her bottom lip, part of her being worried about upsetting her if she did as she was asked. “You’re definitely going to need a new mask… and some stitches. Hopefully, you won’t need a transfusion or anything, because you’ve lost a pretty good amount of blood since that landing.”
“Mierda…” Luz swore, which stunned Amelia considering it was the first time since they’d met where either one had used such language, but it drove home the point of Luz not quite being happy with this turn of events even if they both knew exactly what they were getting into tonight. Ladder Matches were dangerous for a reason, after all, and there was no doubt that their opponents were just as damaged as they were, if not worse. She hesitantly reached over and placed a comforting hand over one of Luz’s, which earned her a surprised glance from the luchadora.
“I’m sorry Luz, but look on the bright side,” she tried to offer. “This was a new experience for us both, and despite the pain we’ll definitely be in for a while, I think it was worth it to-”
“Luna!”
Both girls looked toward the door, Amelia in surprise and Luz in terror, at the woman who marched into the trainers’ room and belted out Luz’s actual name without a care for the fact that no one was supposed to publicly know it, as per lucha libre tradition. If it wasn’t for the fact that she was a little on the heavier side and wore glasses, she’d be the spitting image of the face Amelia’s seen beneath Luz’s mask on only one occasion, a forbidden moment but one that would forever remind her of how much this girl was willing to prove she was trustworthy.
“H-Hi Mami…” Luz managed to stammer out nervously, but she got no farther before this woman, who had to be her mother Amelia had heard about, dove in like a shark smelling the blood that still leaked from her open head wound.
“Don’t you ‘hi Mami’ me, young lady!” she furiously bellowed. “What were you thinking? You’ve seen how badly your father was hurt in these kinds of matches, and seeing my precious bebé being so reckless and now losing blood from a head wound nearly gave me a heart attack. How could you!?”
“Mami, please-” Luz tried again, but once again she was unsuccessful in silencing this storm.
“Luna, I was fine with this when your father was here to watch over you, but only because I was a fool to let him convince me that this sport was worth all the scars and injuries he suffered over the years. You’ve fought me on this long enough. I’m going to take you home to patch you up, and then we’re going to discuss how this wrestling nonsense is over and find you a much safer career. Something that won’t end with you running all over the world to who knows where and possibly getting killed!”
Luz’s eyes were slowly beginning to get glassy, and it had nothing to do with the amount of blood she’d no doubt lost by this point. Amelia’s eyes slowly widened as she noticed the familiar signs: quick, shallow breaths and tears threatening to spill out as she was trying desperately to shrink into herself in hopes that it would just end this and she’d be forgotten about until this passed. Amelia was no stranger to these episodes; they had been far too frequent over the years when she’d done something that was ‘good, but not perfect’ and it was only when she’d crossed paths with the now-trembling girl beside her that she’d finally accepted that this was both not normal and not right.
Even if this woman was in the right to be concerned as Luz’s mother, that was no excuse for the way she was both berating her daughter for simply wanting to chase her dreams and all but demanding that she submit to her whims of doing something else with her life, and that lit a familiar fire of anger within Amelia that was just begging to be unleashed.
“That’s enough!” she shouted, cutting the woman off right in the middle of a tirade in her native tongue that Amelia wasn’t even going to repeat in her head because she was already furious enough with the way Luz’s mother was acting.
“And who are you,” Luz’s mother began to question, “further corrupting my daughter into believing that this sport is worth sacrificing-”
“I’m Amelia Blythe, and even if that name doesn’t mean anything to you, I’m her tag partner and friend and know that she doesn’t deserve this unnecessary hatred you’re subjecting her to all because she wants to be herself and chase her dreams!”
Luz’s eyes had gone wide in shock as she glanced back and forth between the two women, the throbbing in her head from the wound that still needed to be stitched up almost forgotten now as she was witnessing Amelia actually defend her and speak up on her behalf against the one person she always struggled to put up a convincing argument against and usually opted to just try and ignore and avoid whenever possible.
“Listen here-”
“No, you listen!” Amelia barked back, struggling to maintain her composure as otherwise, she knew she’d fall back into the cold, vicious machine she was before. And even if this woman deserved it for the way she was talking to her own flesh and blood, she knew it wouldn’t help her case any if she lost herself now. “If it wasn’t for your daughter, I wouldn’t be trying to become a better person. I was molded into a machine for the sole purpose of being the ultimate unbeatable wrestling prodigy, and without her, I would be getting the opportunity to actually be me for once in my life. She saved me from my parents, and I’ll be damned if I don’t return the favor and just let you try to strip her of everything that she loves doing. I’m sorry that you lost your husband, and even if I don’t know how much it truly hurts I’ve seen how much it hurts Luz. She doesn’t deserve to have her only remaining parent act like such an overprotective puta that she’s forced to just let go of who she is for the sake of safety you can’t ever truly promise in this world. I let my parents do that to me, and I will not sit here and watch it happen to the very same person who pulled me out of the abyss!”
Amelia tightly squeezed Luz’s hand as she glared at the older woman, who was trying hard not to back down but was slowly beginning to realize that as long as her daughter had this girl around, she wasn’t going to be winning this battle. This Amelia Blythe was determined and passionate, almost a lot like her daughter, and if her little girl had managed to make such a close friend in the business that was willing to stand up for her, then the doctor felt a bitter mixture of happiness at the kind of friend she’d made and anger over the fact that trying to save her daughter from this deathtrap of a sport was going to be far more difficult now.
“…you had better make sure she’s properly patched up since I doubt you’ll let me anywhere near her,” she finally said, anger and frustration clear in her voice albeit somewhat more restrained than it had been before. After that, she began to take her leave, pausing only once to level her daughter with the kind of look that almost demanded she just come along and forget any of this had ever happened, but Luz simply squeezed Amelia’s hand in return and managed to find the strength to shoot a glare right back at her, which finally got her to leave the room.
A tense silence hung in the air after that, only partially tainted by the persistent sound of the cheering fans and the action still going on out in the ring on this night. Amelia was taking soft, deep breaths to calm herself down, Luz’s hand in hers making it so much easier to ensure she didn’t fall over the edge once again. When the two finally locked eyes, Luz was almost in disbelief.
“You… you stood up to my Mami…”
“And I’ll do it as many times as I have to Luz, just as you’ve stood by my side against my own family,” she said before hopping up onto the medical table herself and pulling the battered luchadora into a hug, both of them wincing briefly from their forgotten wounds. “I meant what I said Luz… you are the single most incredible person I’ve ever met, so kind and determined and unapologetically you that it’s not fair for you to have to feel like that’s wrong in any sense of the word. You were there for me when I never knew I needed someone, and you deserve to have that favor returned.”
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Amelia held firm to that memory whenever she needed to help bring Luz back from the brink because that was the night she paid her masked maiden back for all the help and support she’d given her just by being herself and understanding exactly who she was when she, herself, had started to lose sight of that. As they slowly broke off the kiss, she couldn’t help but smirk at the dopey grin Luz was giving to her as they held each other close.“This will be worth it Luz,” she said. “Anything worth fighting for always is, remember? I’m not going to promise that we aren’t going to meet some kind of resistance because that’s just how our parents seem to work, no matter how many times we stand our ground, but if this was going to be more trouble than it’s worth then Sasha would’ve dismissed us the moment we told her what we wanted and why we wanted it.”
“You’re right… thank you, Ami,” Luz responded before planting a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. “We just need to make the most of the situation we’re given, like we always do. Sure, maybe we shouldn’t have a pay-per-view match so early in our time here, but we got one, so why not make the most of it and make a statement that nobody in SCW can ignore!”
Luz tries to strike a dramatic pose, but in her excitement, she forgets that she’s practically tangled up with Amelia until the motion causes the two of them to fall ungracefully to the floor. Thankfully, they both can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
After all, they’re able to be themselves and do exactly what they love, and even though they had to jump through a few self-designed hoops to get to this point, and knew that many more would await them so long as people were able to trace their names back to a few high caliber names in the wrestling business, they wouldn’t trade this for the world. This was their challenge, their mark to make, and come hell or high water they were going to eventually retire after making sure that the only legacies they had to live up to were the ones they built for themselves.
And they were going to do it together, because a little hope in each other and in SCW for giving them the chance to prove themselves was all they’d ever need.
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When you think of the concept of a first impression, it’s always said that you only get one chance at it, and most people will stress themselves out to no end trying to make sure it’s absolutely perfect. After all, it’s a chance to make a statement right out of the gate that will live on in everyone’s minds as something to look back on in the event you ever reach the top and fulfill every promise you might make in that one opportunity. When it comes to Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz, they already made quite the first impression from the weeks of scouting they did before signing on the dotted line and giving fans a taste of precisely what The Light In The Darkness is all about, even if one could argue that they were thrown a softball in their first match as a way to try and diminish the statement.Those of you out there who get overly obsessed with having a perfect first impression might, therefore, be raising an eyebrow at the fact that the first time these two young ladies have directly addressed the fans of SCW isn’t in some studio setup or anywhere that feels ‘normal’ for lack of a better term. Instead of bright lights, an SCW banner, and maybe some expensive designer outfits, the sight we get for this first address is the breathtaking mountain view that can only come from hiking through the mountain trails of Denver, Colorado. After panning for a moment to take in the gorgeous sight, we find our girls in the middle of that very activity as they hike their way up the last length of a trail to take their place in front of the camera, the mountains towering behind them. They’re dressed appropriately in hiking gear for colder weather, and while that may not seem good enough for a first impression it’s at least appropriate given the location and time of year, maybe save for Luz’s mask which is just as much a part of her at this point for obvious reasons. Still, these two stand proudly before us, not caring about what kind of vibes people might get from this, because they’re approaching this their way, and that’s all that matters to them.
“Greetings to all the fans of Supreme Championship Wrestling.”
“¡Hola!”
“I’m sure many of you might know who we are by now. Even if you’ve never heard of us before-”
“Which is totally fine, by the way!”
“-it’s kind of hard to ignore two women getting a chance to scout things out before officially putting pen to paper.”
“Or the fact that we got to set foot in an SCW ring for the very first time just a few short weeks ago and give a little sneak preview of what we have to offer.”
“Let’s get the formal introductions out of the way first. I’m Amelia Blythe.”
“And I’m La Pequeña Luz!”
“And we are known as The Light In The Darkness!”
“And we are known as The Light In The Darkness!”
Amelia just folds her hand in front of her, which is the polar opposite of Luz doing some kind of dramatic pose as though she were some kind of superhero. Luz’s antics have Amelia clearly trying hard to suppress her laughter, but she’s not going to stop her partner from being the living ray of sunshine that she is. Maybe in the past, she would have snapped at her to take this more seriously, but not letting herself be consumed by the need to make sure this is nothing less than perfect is a burden she isn’t going to weigh herself down with again.
“I’m sure some of you might have questions, one of them no doubt being why we felt the need to stand out here in hiking gear to speak our piece. Truthfully, this feels symbolic in a way, because we hiked our way up to this very spot as opposed to simply taking an easy drive out here, and our surroundings make it quite clear that even from here, there are still plenty of other mountains to climb. Considering how much we were hyped up and all the time we spent working with Sasha to finalize whether or not we were even going to compete here, it’d be easy to simply assume we would want to come in with all the fanfare in the world and immediately stake our claim like every other team that came before us. After all, the very team that ultimately convinced us that this where we wanted to be walked right up to the current Tag Team Champions and told them to be prepared.”
“That’s all well and good, don’t get us wrong. That’s just… not us. Maybe you think it should be. After all, it hasn’t exactly been a secret that the two of us are both second-generation wrestlers. Amelia’s parents, as awful as they are, were both considered elites throughout Europe many years ago, and it’s hard to walk through Mexico and take in the rich history of lucha libre without having heard of mi Papi at some point. Maybe it would have been easier for the two of us to just coast on the legacies we come from and expect to be handed the world on a silver platter. But if there’s one thing we both believe in, for better or worse, it’s the value of proving we rightfully belong here and deserve everything we seek to earn not because of where we came from, but because of who we are. As much as we respect those who preceded us, we want our legacies to be our own, not just an extension of our families.”
“We wanted to make that clear for two reasons, the most important one being to clear the air right out of the gate about why we’re here because make no mistake: we have no problem stepping up and proving ourselves against the best of the best in a company that’s prided itself on touting a roster possessing such for many years now, but we’re just as willing to start from the very bottom and fight our way to the top of the mountain because that’s the kind of challenge we both agree would make the end result worth the reward.”
“But as for the here and now, we wanted to make sure a tag team that has the trophy to back up their claim of being the world’s best understands what they’re up against, considering they’ve kind of made it clear they seem to have a problem with the idea of wrestling families and the legacy of names and everything that we fit on paper but couldn’t be any more different from in reality.”
Luz couldn’t resist putting on a rare scowl for the camera, the idea of having anything she’s worked hard to earn in her career all just being because of who her father was actually bothering her quite a lot. Amelia couldn’t keep from frowning as well, knowing that she and Luz had spent far too long being weighed down by the burdens they were born with and while they could never fully get rid of them, they would always find a way to adapt to make their case loud and clear.
“We know the two of you aren’t exactly happy about how your last match turned out, and you have no reason to. But when Luz and I stand here and tell you that the only thing you can expect from us is an honest-to-God fight with no strings attached or anyone running around with some sort of vendetta against us, we mean it. If we’re going to overcome Lyza and Devin, then we’re going to do so the old-fashioned way. We know the two of you are determined to prove yourselves here, especially after your last match, and this is the kind of challenge that makes a statement and puts you one step closer to the shot you’ve called. But don’t judge a book by its cover, because for as much as you could make assumptions about us just because of where we came from, it’s easy for us to do the same.”
“Except the two of you have kind of proven that what we see is what we get when it comes to Doom & Groove. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve been impressed by your work, and there’s a reason then when you guys revealed you were coming to SCW full time to build on what you did in that tournament, we knew then and there that we had to dive in as well. But the biggest difference between us is that the two of you carry a chip on your shoulders because you have that trophy and can claim that if we beat you, then we’ve beaten the best. There’s a reason why both sides here want to be Tag Champions, but you feel like you’ve earned the right to walk up to the current champions and warn them that you’ll be waiting on their doorstep when the dust settles from the Tag League.”
“Which, in turn, gives us all the more motivation to defeat you and climb just that little bit higher up the mountain.”
Luz and Amelia both turn to gaze out at the distant mountains, their hands joining together as the camera pans around to a side view, allowing us to see the look in their eyes more clearly. It’s a look of determination, one that makes it clear that they know they’re in for a war and they’re more than happy to fight back if that’s what it takes to earn their place.
“The Light In The Darkness is more than just a fancy name for the two of us… it’s what we are to one another, the light that guided us out of some of the darkest times of our lives, times where we were, as you worded it when you faced Vengeance, Devin, drowning in the shadows of our parents. From the depths of our families and everything both good and bad that came with it, we pulled ourselves up and vowed to make sure that by the time we were done in this business, we would always be remembered for what we accomplished. We don’t care how long it takes or how hard we work because as long as the two of us are willing to fight together, there is nothing that will ever be able to take us down.”
“Maybe you think that’s cute and not worth taking seriously, but we know you were watching our little showcase a few weeks ago, and that was far from everything we have to offer. But by all means, call us out on our legacies, try and convince us that we can’t possibly hold a candle to the world’s best tag team, because the more you accept the hype that you’ve taken on, the more you’re going to respect the work it took for us to conquer this challenge and show the world that Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz belong here in SCW, and not even Doom & Groove will be able to take our light away from us.”
Both girls turn to glance at the camera, their looks clearly those of warriors ready for the combat they’ll soon be walking into. And as this scene fades, these two are more than willing to acknowledge that for all the mountains they’ve climbed up to this point, SCW will be the toughest one yet, and they’re prepared to make that ascent one match at a time. After all, that’s what they do, and that’s something they’ll do together.
And that’s all the first impression they need.