11-27-2022, 12:17 PM
12-01-2022, 05:40 PM
To say that the past year and a half has been a frustrating one for the duo of Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz would be an understatement.
To be fair, though, having your ambitions derailed by injury tends to do that, especially when this is the first time in your career that you've found yourselves in this situation.
The tandem known as The Light In The Darkness had walked into the 2021 Retribution pay-per-view determined and ready to give it their all. Fresh off the biggest win of their time with SCW and with the opportunity to earn a shot at tag team gold, they had all the motivation in the world to continue making a statement.
Unfortunately, it would be the Golden Boys who would throw a massive wrench into those plans, first with Amelia landing awkwardly on her neck after being powerbombed out of the ring by Bison Jones and having to be helped to the back and then with Luz doing her absolute best to soldier on alone before a title belt shot from Adam Allocco had landed just right to cause a serious concussion that led to her downfall.
After being looked at by doctors following the show, it was determined that Luz was going to be out of action for several weeks and wouldn't be allowed to step back into the ring without clearing a concussion protocol first. Amelia's injury thankfully wasn't as severe as things had looked, but she would still be sidelined for much longer to make sure there was no lasting damage done. While Luz could have chosen to return to SCW and compete on her own until Amelia was ready to go again, she had instead opted to stay by her partner's side, wanting to return to action only when they were both truly ready to do so.
Physical toll aside, the injuries had also hit hard mentally. Being the first time that either woman had been sidelined for a significant amount of time, it made them begin to question if they were truly ready to tackle the challenge of SCW yet. Watching in subsequent months as the Golden Boys capitalized on the opportunity they had cheated to earn and had a run as Tag Team Champions didn't help matters.
Nor did the turbulent forces of their respective family issues in the wake of this.
Luz hadn't been surprised when her mother had caught wind of her injury and had been blowing up her phone, making it clear that she had warned her about this happening and this had been the exact reason why she didn't want her daughter wrestling in the first place. When Luz had retorted that her father sustaining a similar concussion had been what led to the two of them getting together in the first place, especially considering she was well aware that her mom had no issue with the wrestling career of El Espíritu Angélico until Luz following in his footsteps had become a possibility... to say that the rift between mother and daughter had grown significantly would be an understatement. Phone arguments between the two would become a frequent thing over the next several months, and if it wasn't for having her girlfriend to keep her grounded, Luz probably would have spiraled in that time and lost a lot of what made her who she was.
Amelia also hadn't been surprised when she finally heard from her parents for the first time since cutting ties with them, and it took all her willpower to maintain her composure as her mother had basically gloated about this setback against her career and how it would've never happened had she not “thrown away everything they'd worked so hard to build for her by deciding to pursue this ill-fated friendship and romance with that worthless luchadora.” She had simply reminded her mother that she had achieved more than her parents had and at a much faster pace with Luz by her side, and her injury was only a minor setback that wasn't going to keep her out forever.
Hearing her father chime in to twist the knife about this setback and question if SCW would truly want them back when they had only lasted a few months before this incident finally got her to crack, but Luz would return the favor and be her rock as they told Aleister Blythe off and vowed to return to SCW stronger than ever.
As the two recovered, they had kept an eye on the promotion and taken careful note of all the twists and developments that went down in the meantime, although a lot of the drama, particularly in terms of who was running the shows, had only furthered the questions on whether or not they were truly ready to take another shot at the place. Ultimately, once they were both cleared to compete again, they had decided they wanted to take this slow and be absolutely certain they were prepared the next time they actually set foot in an SCW ring. So, in an unprecedented move, they asked to be released from their SCW contracts, but wanted to be able to stay in touch once they felt that time had come to try again.
The SCW Board of Directors were far more understanding than they had expected and the tandem had not only gotten their wish, but various members of the Board had kept in touch over the course of the following year for updates on their progress.
The couple took their time in training themselves for their inevitable return to the ring, wanting to be certain that all the physical issues from their respective injuries weren't going to hinder them long term. In that time, they had heard from Amelia's twin siblings Edward and Emily about the secret plan their parents had been working on back in England as it went into motion. As it turns out, Aleister and Ophelia had scouted a ruthless up-and-coming group of girls breaking into the business and pulled a bunch of strings for them, getting them together to debut under the moniker of the Banshees and having a hand in them being booked favorably with the explicit goal of making the group so successful that they virtually erased not only all the European circuit accolades that the couple had fought tooth and nail to earn, but also did the same to the twins for their own 'betrayal' of the family legacy. With Amelia and Luz still rebuilding themselves to return to the ring, Edward and Emily had no one to help them when the group had dominated them to take their Tag Titles and tormented them for months afterward.
The Banshees would be stunned, however, when the very couple they happily took to bad-mouthing under the belief that they'd never show up to defend themselves did just that, as Amelia and Luz finally returned to action as the mystery partners of the former's siblings in an eight person tag match and quickly proved that being sidelined with injuries had only motivated them more. Coupled with the two becoming much more comfortable with each other's styles and more willing to pull from the other's arsenal, The Light In The Darkness would not only aid the Blythe Twins in striking back against the Banshees, but the couple would also shortly afterward take the Tag Titles away from the two who had dethroned Amelia's siblings, and subsequent failures by the group to reclaim them or make any further progress ultimately caused the stable to fracture.
Throughout 2022, Luz and Amelia would continue competing not only in Europe but also return to Mexico as well, adding to their accolades as they rebuilt the confidence they had lost in their short-lived SCW run. While being back in familiar territory did come with its own challenges—namely, doing what they could to avoid their respective parents in their respective parts of the world—the opportunity had helped them come a long way.
That was why, when the two noticed that SCW would be holding a Breakdown in Mexico City on October 13th, they not only attended the show, but also used the opportunity to re-open talks with SCW about finally feeling ready to take another shot at the promotion. It would take a few weeks, but on the day of the Under Attack pay-per-view, ironically in Amelia's part of the world this time, they would finally sign brand new contracts and their return was revealed to the world right before the Tag Title match, which they watched with a vested interest to learn who they'd be working their way towards this time around.
While some in their position would probably go out of their way to make a big statement and likely complain about having to start at the bottom all over again just because they were out for so long, Amelia and Luz were just looking forward to getting the ball rolling and working to remind those who had seen them before and prove to those new to seeing them that they were worthy of being champions in SCW.
After all, if they couldn't succeed the right way, then what was all that time and effort for in the first place?
That was the thought that had them cuddled up on their living room couch as they watched back through some of SCW's recent shows to refamiliarize themselves with the chaos they would be diving back into. Granted, they knew they'd be in just as uncertain a position as everyone else with the announcement of Shaun Cruze stepping down as commissioner after he'd been the one to oversee the signing of their new contracts, but that would be just another thing they would have to adapt to. As they reached a point where it felt right to take a break, Amelia glanced over to her partner.
“You've been awfully quiet tonight, sweetheart,” she said, which drew Luz's attention. While she knew Luz could become so hyperfixated at times on something that silence was inevitable, it was still concerning at times because Amelia knew that being quiet was the opposite of what made Luz who she was. “Something on your mind?”
“Maybe I'm just focused on what awaits us as we get back into SCW,” Luz replied, though Amelia picked up on the playful tone hidden in the bite she tried to put behind her words. “Ever think of that?”
“Fair point,” Amelia said with a giggle that got Luz grinning. It didn't take too long for Amelia's more serious demeanor to return, however. “But seriously, I can tell something's bothering you.”
“You mean besides the fact that my mom's still up in arms about my concussion last year and that it hasn't gotten me to reconsider being a wrestler?” Luz lamented, and Amelia couldn't help but sigh in frustration at Camila Nevado's persistence in that matter.
“We'll figure something out regarding your mom Luna,” Amelia told her, knowing that in the privacy of their own home the luchadora was alright with her real name being used by one of the very few people who actually knew it. “Just like we'll figure something out with my own parents. But that's not all there is, is it?”
“I guess I still have some doubts I'm having trouble shaking,” Luz admitted. “I mean, SCW's changed quite a bit since we were last on the roster, and yet it still has its fair share of problems too. There's still some weird issues going on regarding the people in charge, the tag division kind of doesn't feel like its as alive as it was the last time we were here... I guess I'm second guessing if we were truly ready to try out hand at this again.”
Amelia nodded before gently kissing the forehead of Luz's mask. “I won't lie: I've been having those same thoughts the closer we've gotten to actually being in an SCW ring again. I know this just isn't something we've really dealt with before, and how we managed to fly under the radar on that front through our first run up until the injuries still astounds me to this day. You know what's helped me overcome those thoughts?”
“What?” Luz asked, some of her excitement starting to return which helped put Amelia at ease.
“I think back on some of the bullshit with my parents,” she stated. “My whole life can be boiled down to one big game of manipulation and having to find my own way even when they dictated my every move. You, Luz, became the light that helped me through that darkness, and once I started to overcome it, I've constantly used that experience to deal with whatever obstacle they've thrown at me next. That's how I knew to reach out to you for help in silencing my siblings while mom and dad watched from ringside as their big plan to put me back in line failed, and that's how we upended whatever they had hoped to achieve with that Banshees stable they pulled strings for just to try and erase what we've built together. If I can deal with that, then I know I can deal with whatever crazy things SCW has in store for us this time around.”
Luz took a moment to ponder this. While she hadn't dealt with Amelia's parents as much as she had and it was hardly a fair comparison to make, she knew that she had still put up with her own drama for most of her life. From growing up listening in to her parents arguing about her future to losing her father and her mother virtually closing herself off out of concern for her daughter's safety and all the pressure of having to live up to her father's legacy, it had been a struggle all its own that was only alleviated by her chance encounter with Amelia and the friendship and eventual relationship it had led to.
“Maybe you're onto something, mi novia,” Luz said. “We both have our respective dramas outside the ring with our parents, and in a way, dealing with that for so long has prepared us for whatever drama we may encounter both inside the ring and perhaps elsewhere in our lives.”
Amelia nodded as the two exchanged a soft kiss before they got up to head into the kitchen. Amelia began brewing some tea while Luz gathered some snacks so they could be a little more relaxed as they continued catching up on all the wild affairs of SCW in the time they've been gone.
“You think there will ever be a time when things with our parents won't be such an issue?” Luz suddenly asked.
Amelia looked to her, and the pain they could see in each other's eyes said more than words ever could. To be honest, Amelia's heart ached for her girlfriend because aside from the overbearing desire to try and protect Luz even if it meant deciding her future for her, Camila did seem like she'd be a good mom. The same could not be said of Aleister and Ophelia, but somewhere buried deep inside she could only hope that one day, somehow, she would get to know what a loving parent truly felt like to have in her life.
“One can only hope, hermosa,” Amelia finally said, reaching over to take Luz's hand and lace their fingers together as her thumb rubbed the back of her girlfriend's hand. “Maybe we should try to fill the gap in the meantime by making some new friends? Don't get me wrong, I know there's your dad's old friends who helped train you and then there's my siblings, but...”
“I hear you,” Luz replied. “Maybe once we get ourselves settled back in with SCW we can see what kind of connections we can forge.”
Amelia gave her a smile and nod as the tea finished brewing and the two returned to the couch to resume their SCW catch-up marathon. Still, they found themselves pondering how well they would fare in trying to forge new friendships, given their rough track records growing up between Amelia's parents dictating every aspect of her life and Luz being bullied due to her eccentric interests and no one believing that she was the daughter of a lucha libre legend.
Perhaps there were people out there waiting for them that wouldn't mind just hanging out and grounding the couple in some sense of normalcy beyond the wrestling business, but they'd never know until they put themselves out there. Just as they'd never know if they had made the right call on being ready to give SCW another shot until they stepped between the ropes.
To be fair, though, having your ambitions derailed by injury tends to do that, especially when this is the first time in your career that you've found yourselves in this situation.
The tandem known as The Light In The Darkness had walked into the 2021 Retribution pay-per-view determined and ready to give it their all. Fresh off the biggest win of their time with SCW and with the opportunity to earn a shot at tag team gold, they had all the motivation in the world to continue making a statement.
Unfortunately, it would be the Golden Boys who would throw a massive wrench into those plans, first with Amelia landing awkwardly on her neck after being powerbombed out of the ring by Bison Jones and having to be helped to the back and then with Luz doing her absolute best to soldier on alone before a title belt shot from Adam Allocco had landed just right to cause a serious concussion that led to her downfall.
After being looked at by doctors following the show, it was determined that Luz was going to be out of action for several weeks and wouldn't be allowed to step back into the ring without clearing a concussion protocol first. Amelia's injury thankfully wasn't as severe as things had looked, but she would still be sidelined for much longer to make sure there was no lasting damage done. While Luz could have chosen to return to SCW and compete on her own until Amelia was ready to go again, she had instead opted to stay by her partner's side, wanting to return to action only when they were both truly ready to do so.
Physical toll aside, the injuries had also hit hard mentally. Being the first time that either woman had been sidelined for a significant amount of time, it made them begin to question if they were truly ready to tackle the challenge of SCW yet. Watching in subsequent months as the Golden Boys capitalized on the opportunity they had cheated to earn and had a run as Tag Team Champions didn't help matters.
Nor did the turbulent forces of their respective family issues in the wake of this.
Luz hadn't been surprised when her mother had caught wind of her injury and had been blowing up her phone, making it clear that she had warned her about this happening and this had been the exact reason why she didn't want her daughter wrestling in the first place. When Luz had retorted that her father sustaining a similar concussion had been what led to the two of them getting together in the first place, especially considering she was well aware that her mom had no issue with the wrestling career of El Espíritu Angélico until Luz following in his footsteps had become a possibility... to say that the rift between mother and daughter had grown significantly would be an understatement. Phone arguments between the two would become a frequent thing over the next several months, and if it wasn't for having her girlfriend to keep her grounded, Luz probably would have spiraled in that time and lost a lot of what made her who she was.
Amelia also hadn't been surprised when she finally heard from her parents for the first time since cutting ties with them, and it took all her willpower to maintain her composure as her mother had basically gloated about this setback against her career and how it would've never happened had she not “thrown away everything they'd worked so hard to build for her by deciding to pursue this ill-fated friendship and romance with that worthless luchadora.” She had simply reminded her mother that she had achieved more than her parents had and at a much faster pace with Luz by her side, and her injury was only a minor setback that wasn't going to keep her out forever.
Hearing her father chime in to twist the knife about this setback and question if SCW would truly want them back when they had only lasted a few months before this incident finally got her to crack, but Luz would return the favor and be her rock as they told Aleister Blythe off and vowed to return to SCW stronger than ever.
As the two recovered, they had kept an eye on the promotion and taken careful note of all the twists and developments that went down in the meantime, although a lot of the drama, particularly in terms of who was running the shows, had only furthered the questions on whether or not they were truly ready to take another shot at the place. Ultimately, once they were both cleared to compete again, they had decided they wanted to take this slow and be absolutely certain they were prepared the next time they actually set foot in an SCW ring. So, in an unprecedented move, they asked to be released from their SCW contracts, but wanted to be able to stay in touch once they felt that time had come to try again.
The SCW Board of Directors were far more understanding than they had expected and the tandem had not only gotten their wish, but various members of the Board had kept in touch over the course of the following year for updates on their progress.
The couple took their time in training themselves for their inevitable return to the ring, wanting to be certain that all the physical issues from their respective injuries weren't going to hinder them long term. In that time, they had heard from Amelia's twin siblings Edward and Emily about the secret plan their parents had been working on back in England as it went into motion. As it turns out, Aleister and Ophelia had scouted a ruthless up-and-coming group of girls breaking into the business and pulled a bunch of strings for them, getting them together to debut under the moniker of the Banshees and having a hand in them being booked favorably with the explicit goal of making the group so successful that they virtually erased not only all the European circuit accolades that the couple had fought tooth and nail to earn, but also did the same to the twins for their own 'betrayal' of the family legacy. With Amelia and Luz still rebuilding themselves to return to the ring, Edward and Emily had no one to help them when the group had dominated them to take their Tag Titles and tormented them for months afterward.
The Banshees would be stunned, however, when the very couple they happily took to bad-mouthing under the belief that they'd never show up to defend themselves did just that, as Amelia and Luz finally returned to action as the mystery partners of the former's siblings in an eight person tag match and quickly proved that being sidelined with injuries had only motivated them more. Coupled with the two becoming much more comfortable with each other's styles and more willing to pull from the other's arsenal, The Light In The Darkness would not only aid the Blythe Twins in striking back against the Banshees, but the couple would also shortly afterward take the Tag Titles away from the two who had dethroned Amelia's siblings, and subsequent failures by the group to reclaim them or make any further progress ultimately caused the stable to fracture.
Throughout 2022, Luz and Amelia would continue competing not only in Europe but also return to Mexico as well, adding to their accolades as they rebuilt the confidence they had lost in their short-lived SCW run. While being back in familiar territory did come with its own challenges—namely, doing what they could to avoid their respective parents in their respective parts of the world—the opportunity had helped them come a long way.
That was why, when the two noticed that SCW would be holding a Breakdown in Mexico City on October 13th, they not only attended the show, but also used the opportunity to re-open talks with SCW about finally feeling ready to take another shot at the promotion. It would take a few weeks, but on the day of the Under Attack pay-per-view, ironically in Amelia's part of the world this time, they would finally sign brand new contracts and their return was revealed to the world right before the Tag Title match, which they watched with a vested interest to learn who they'd be working their way towards this time around.
While some in their position would probably go out of their way to make a big statement and likely complain about having to start at the bottom all over again just because they were out for so long, Amelia and Luz were just looking forward to getting the ball rolling and working to remind those who had seen them before and prove to those new to seeing them that they were worthy of being champions in SCW.
After all, if they couldn't succeed the right way, then what was all that time and effort for in the first place?
That was the thought that had them cuddled up on their living room couch as they watched back through some of SCW's recent shows to refamiliarize themselves with the chaos they would be diving back into. Granted, they knew they'd be in just as uncertain a position as everyone else with the announcement of Shaun Cruze stepping down as commissioner after he'd been the one to oversee the signing of their new contracts, but that would be just another thing they would have to adapt to. As they reached a point where it felt right to take a break, Amelia glanced over to her partner.
“You've been awfully quiet tonight, sweetheart,” she said, which drew Luz's attention. While she knew Luz could become so hyperfixated at times on something that silence was inevitable, it was still concerning at times because Amelia knew that being quiet was the opposite of what made Luz who she was. “Something on your mind?”
“Maybe I'm just focused on what awaits us as we get back into SCW,” Luz replied, though Amelia picked up on the playful tone hidden in the bite she tried to put behind her words. “Ever think of that?”
“Fair point,” Amelia said with a giggle that got Luz grinning. It didn't take too long for Amelia's more serious demeanor to return, however. “But seriously, I can tell something's bothering you.”
“You mean besides the fact that my mom's still up in arms about my concussion last year and that it hasn't gotten me to reconsider being a wrestler?” Luz lamented, and Amelia couldn't help but sigh in frustration at Camila Nevado's persistence in that matter.
“We'll figure something out regarding your mom Luna,” Amelia told her, knowing that in the privacy of their own home the luchadora was alright with her real name being used by one of the very few people who actually knew it. “Just like we'll figure something out with my own parents. But that's not all there is, is it?”
“I guess I still have some doubts I'm having trouble shaking,” Luz admitted. “I mean, SCW's changed quite a bit since we were last on the roster, and yet it still has its fair share of problems too. There's still some weird issues going on regarding the people in charge, the tag division kind of doesn't feel like its as alive as it was the last time we were here... I guess I'm second guessing if we were truly ready to try out hand at this again.”
Amelia nodded before gently kissing the forehead of Luz's mask. “I won't lie: I've been having those same thoughts the closer we've gotten to actually being in an SCW ring again. I know this just isn't something we've really dealt with before, and how we managed to fly under the radar on that front through our first run up until the injuries still astounds me to this day. You know what's helped me overcome those thoughts?”
“What?” Luz asked, some of her excitement starting to return which helped put Amelia at ease.
“I think back on some of the bullshit with my parents,” she stated. “My whole life can be boiled down to one big game of manipulation and having to find my own way even when they dictated my every move. You, Luz, became the light that helped me through that darkness, and once I started to overcome it, I've constantly used that experience to deal with whatever obstacle they've thrown at me next. That's how I knew to reach out to you for help in silencing my siblings while mom and dad watched from ringside as their big plan to put me back in line failed, and that's how we upended whatever they had hoped to achieve with that Banshees stable they pulled strings for just to try and erase what we've built together. If I can deal with that, then I know I can deal with whatever crazy things SCW has in store for us this time around.”
Luz took a moment to ponder this. While she hadn't dealt with Amelia's parents as much as she had and it was hardly a fair comparison to make, she knew that she had still put up with her own drama for most of her life. From growing up listening in to her parents arguing about her future to losing her father and her mother virtually closing herself off out of concern for her daughter's safety and all the pressure of having to live up to her father's legacy, it had been a struggle all its own that was only alleviated by her chance encounter with Amelia and the friendship and eventual relationship it had led to.
“Maybe you're onto something, mi novia,” Luz said. “We both have our respective dramas outside the ring with our parents, and in a way, dealing with that for so long has prepared us for whatever drama we may encounter both inside the ring and perhaps elsewhere in our lives.”
Amelia nodded as the two exchanged a soft kiss before they got up to head into the kitchen. Amelia began brewing some tea while Luz gathered some snacks so they could be a little more relaxed as they continued catching up on all the wild affairs of SCW in the time they've been gone.
“You think there will ever be a time when things with our parents won't be such an issue?” Luz suddenly asked.
Amelia looked to her, and the pain they could see in each other's eyes said more than words ever could. To be honest, Amelia's heart ached for her girlfriend because aside from the overbearing desire to try and protect Luz even if it meant deciding her future for her, Camila did seem like she'd be a good mom. The same could not be said of Aleister and Ophelia, but somewhere buried deep inside she could only hope that one day, somehow, she would get to know what a loving parent truly felt like to have in her life.
“One can only hope, hermosa,” Amelia finally said, reaching over to take Luz's hand and lace their fingers together as her thumb rubbed the back of her girlfriend's hand. “Maybe we should try to fill the gap in the meantime by making some new friends? Don't get me wrong, I know there's your dad's old friends who helped train you and then there's my siblings, but...”
“I hear you,” Luz replied. “Maybe once we get ourselves settled back in with SCW we can see what kind of connections we can forge.”
Amelia gave her a smile and nod as the tea finished brewing and the two returned to the couch to resume their SCW catch-up marathon. Still, they found themselves pondering how well they would fare in trying to forge new friendships, given their rough track records growing up between Amelia's parents dictating every aspect of her life and Luz being bullied due to her eccentric interests and no one believing that she was the daughter of a lucha libre legend.
Perhaps there were people out there waiting for them that wouldn't mind just hanging out and grounding the couple in some sense of normalcy beyond the wrestling business, but they'd never know until they put themselves out there. Just as they'd never know if they had made the right call on being ready to give SCW another shot until they stepped between the ropes.