When Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz woke up on the morning of Monday, January 22, they were still the SCW World Tag Team Champions.
It was a fact that was still sinking in for them even as they slowly dragged themselves out of bed to get ready for the day. Syren and Ravyn Taylor had long been considered arguably the greatest tag team in SCW history, something the couple had admitted as much when they'd been in front of a camera speaking their piece for both encounters with them. Even though Dark Fantasy had still been rediscovering their chemistry as a team the first time around, they had still been viewed as the heavy favorites back at Under Attack and that had only fueled The Light In The Darkness to find a way to topple them and finally reach the top of the tag team mountain in SCW.
Beating them twice in a row, though?
Very few people could legitimately claim to have done that against either woman in singles action, let alone as a tandem, and those that could were easily among some of the greatest to ever grace an SCW ring. Amelia and Luz could now add their names to that prestigious list, and it was a surreal feeling, to say the least.
The match hadn't been without controversy, however, which the couple had only fully learned of long after the bell had already rung. While the argument could be made that they had the match in hand with the Wisteria Waltz on Syren and Luz at the ready to keep Ravyn from breaking up Amelia's pin, they would never know for sure if that's how it would have worked out or not. Twisted & Sadistic had been sitting in the front row, and they couldn't be blamed for wanting to do some scouting, but Brittany Lohan had involved herself near the end by guaranteeing that Ravyn couldn't have tried to interrupt the pin even if she wanted to. That didn't sit right with the two of them, especially knowing that Brittany and Glory awaited them on the next Breakdown, but the best they could do right now was focus on that challenge and then figure out how to proceed from there, especially considering they were half-expecting Lexy Chapel to raise an argument over it about Dark Fantasy being owed another rematch.
They'd be happy to give it, too, but they had a feeling CHBK would ultimately have the final say on that, given the circumstances.
That and their next title defense wouldn't be for about a week and a half, though, leaving the couple plenty of time to think over how they would respond to whatever happens and make sure they're still at the very top of their game to survive the last leg of this little gauntlet. At the very least, they feel they'd earned a cooldown day to actually relax and enjoy themselves while they were still here in Boston... at least, as best as they could. There were plans to do a bit of sightseeing together, see what options were on the table for a little date night. Given that the next Breakdown would take place in Charlotte, they'd spend that time doing a bit of a slow tour with their friends along the East Coast, cheering Ivy on and supporting Gage in his commentary work for the independent show or two they would be working in the interim, all the while training and preparing for arguably the toughest title defense they would have to date.
That was the plan, at least... whether or not it would pan out that way was up in the air, and that was all because of the ever-lingering threat of Caleb White and his Empire.
After the tense transaction back in Brooklyn that had gotten Ryan Lumis back safely in exchange for letting Aleister Blythe go, there had been a feeling of uncertainty hanging in the air that was nearly impossible to ignore. Between the two of them and the FBI and NCA agents working to try and shut The Empire down once and for all, there was an understanding that Caleb never made deals with anyone unless he knew he could ensure the terms always benefited him more once it was said and done. Even Ryan, who had initially shared that information prior to his kidnapping, was at a loss regarding how the whole thing seemed to go too smoothly, but both sides had their respective people back and that seemed to be the end of that.
The best anyone could figure was that the whole thing was meant to be another attempt to try and convince Luz and Amelia to surrender themselves to be 'saved' and 'purified' by Caleb through words and not the underhanded and borderline illegal actions his followers have been taking over the past several months. By playing along with all the agreed-upon terms in their presence and sticking to his word about releasing Ryan unharmed, perhaps it was his hope that it would prove to them he's not the bad guy they think he is and he genuinely wants to save their souls... unfortunately for him, Luz and Amelia knew full well they didn't need saving. They were good people, and all they wanted was to live their lives their way and focus on their wrestling careers. Even if that wasn't the case, Caleb had already involved himself too much in their lives before they even fully knew who he was, and his actions had ensured they would never see him in the 'righteous light' he wanted them to.
“We're still doing that breakfast with the agents this morning, right?” Luz suddenly asked as she tightened the laces on the back of her chosen mask for the day, making sure everything was in place as she continued her strict adherence to lucha libre traditions in public even outside of Mexico.
“Yup, just got a text from Darius saying that they're arriving to the restaurant now and will save us some seats,” Amelia responded before setting her phone aside, putting on a sweater to combat the chilly Boston weather.
Initially, the plan had been to have the two sit down with the agents who had been heading up the case regarding The Empire to discuss what Ryan had managed to pick up about any of Caleb's plans while captive the day after they'd made the exchange, but Ryan had seemingly caught something the day it all went down and letting him rest and recover first was deemed the best course of action. Something about the coincidence admittedly still bugged Amelia, but Ryan had confirmed several times by now that Caleb hadn't harmed him in any way during his time as their prisoner and he was certain he'd just caught some sort of bug from the stress of the whole situation. She at least agreed with Luz and the agents on letting the man recover since he'd likely never been involved in a situation like this as a private investigator, and the FBI had even taken the precaution of putting him in quarantine just in case since COVID-19 was still very much a thing and they had no way of knowing for sure if anyone within The Empire that had been keeping an eye on him could have been sick with anything or even been an asymptomatic carrier.
There was a general agreement that the whole scenario was just far too convenient given how peacefully this chapter of the case resolved, so it was better to be safe than sorry.
Avery had ultimately made the call on putting the discussion on the backburner while Ryan recovered so Luz and Amelia could turn their undivided attention to the title defense they'd just gotten through with Dark Fantasy while the FBI and NCA continued to watch their backs and figure out Caleb's next move. From that point, the only thing that had really happened was Avery calling them the morning of Body, Heart & Soul to let them know Ryan was feeling well enough to talk and they had agreed to discuss everything over breakfast the following morning so as not to detract from their wrestling focus. Having heard from Marilyn while doing some training under her going in that Avery had also been a wrestler during the earlier days of her career before ultimately stepping away to try and join the FBI cemented that they more than understood how much all of this meant to the couple, though there were a few loose threads they would love to follow up on when things were hopefully less hectic.
It still didn't stop them from speculating on what kind of relationship Marilyn and Avery had once upon a time and what had happened to pass the time as they drove through the busy Boston streets to their destination, the idea of the two having been romantically involved at one point in time based on the hints they'd gathered proving to be a welcome distraction from whatever bombshell Ryan was going to drop that would no doubt give them even more reason to worry over whatever Caleb was scheming. At the very least, it allowed for the two of them to arrive at the restaurant in good spirits as they joined Avery, Darius, Evie and Ryan at their table.
“You two are looking happier this morning than I think I've seen as of late,” Evie remarked.
“A successful title defense last night probably helped a lot with that,” Avery noted, nodding with a smile at the couple as they sat down. “Congratulations, by the way.”
“A splendid match indeed,” Darius confirmed. “Not a fan of that brute who saw fit to stick her nose where it didn't belong, but I suppose you'll get to put her in her place soon enough.”
“Believe me, we're not happy about it either,” Luz huffed. “We hoped our Tag Title reign would allow us to try and further elevate the division to the level we know it deserves to be at, but our defenses so far have been... not quite what we were hoping for, in all honesty.”
“At least you two aren't trying to be all high and mighty about it all,” Darius replied, specifically looking at Amelia as he spoke. “That was one of the things about your father that always irritated me during my own time in the sport, and when he met Ophelia the both of them just became so insufferable about it all that I couldn't stand it anymore.”
“Is that why you stepped away to work for the NCA instead?” Amelia couldn't help but ask, always eager to get a little more tea about her parents' pasts if it meant something she could use to make them back off whenever they tried to play their games again.
“It was a small part of the reason,” Darius admitted with a shrug. “Mostly it was the realization that the sport just wasn't something I truly enjoyed. It was something I was good at and willing to pursue because Aleister had been a childhood friend of mine, but once the business changed him for the worse I couldn't justify doing it anymore, not even for a man who no longer considered me his friend.”
Amelia opened her mouth to inquire further, knowing that her father and Darius had been old friends but not knowing too much beyond that, but she paused when she looked over at Ryan. He looked well enough to be able to sit upright at the very least, but closer inspection seemed to tell her that he was somehow looking
worse than the last time she'd seen him. He was certainly doing a good job of trying to hide it, but her gut was telling her something was very wrong here.
“Ryan... are you alright?” she asked, turning all eyes to him.
“I'm...” he started before being cut off by a small coughing fit. He took a moment to clear his throat and take a drink of water before trying again. “I'm at least feeling a little better than I have been.”
“Are you sure?” Luz jumped in, concern very clear in her voice. “You look like death warmed over, no offense... we don't have to do this now if you-”
“No, no, it's alright,” Ryan responded. “I know I've been feeling awful this past week, but I don't think we can really put this off for much longer.”
“Even still, we didn't need to come out and do this over breakfast if you still weren't feeling well,” Avery noted.
“I promise you all I'm well enough to do this,” Ryan told them, taking a shaky breath to try and calm himself down. “If I start feeling too bad, I'll let you all know. Truth be told, I think a hearty breakfast would help a lot in my recovery... the food you've been making sure I was served while in quarantine has been delicious Avery, don't get me wrong, but I haven't had a proper meal in what feels like forever... would certainly go a long way in forgetting about the awful taste of whoever Caleb had cooking my meals while I was his prisoner.”
Avery just nodded, and Evie in particular gave him the kind of look that warned him she was going to hold him to that. Amelia and Luz could only exchange worried glances before the waitress stopped by their table, pausing the conversation so they all could order. Once the waitress had left, Luz shot a questioning glance towards Avery, who seemed to pick up on what she wanted after a brief nod over in Ryan's direction.
“If you're worried about Covid, then I can assure you both right now that Ryan's passed every test he's been given,” they told the couple. “Whatever he's sick with, at least we know it isn't that.”
“We wouldn't have even agreed to do this over breakfast if that were the case,” Darius agreed.
“Thank you all, by the way, for your concern,” Ryan admitted, getting everyone's attention once more as he coughed a bit before continuing. “Not just because of whatever bug I've caught, but just the fact that you were willing to let Aleister Blythe go if it meant my safe return. You really didn't have to do that.”
“Of course we did,” Luz told him, cutting off the agents before they could say the same thing which warranted an apologetic look from her.
“We know you didn't exactly get off on the right foot with us considering you were working for both my parents and Caleb to feed them information about us that they could use,” Amelia said, “but you were simply doing your job and didn't know any better. Those three are easily some of the biggest manipulators I've ever known, able to convince anyone to do whatever they wanted if they spin the story in just the right way. It's the only way they know how to get whatever they want... you're not the first person who's fallen for their lies, and you certainly aren't the last.”
“Even if that wasn't the case,” Luz continued, “you're still a human being who deserves the chance to live your life like anybody else. That alone would've been all the reason needed to make sure you were safe and sound over keeping Amelia's dad behind bars. It's not like he can't be put back there again, along with Amelia's mom and Caleb and everyone else willingly breaking the law to help him with whatever the heck he's up to. You only get one life, and you don't deserve to have it ripped away by some deranged nutjob who thinks he's God's chosen one or whatever.”
Ryan looked like he was tearing up a bit at Luz and Amelia's responses, clearly having not expected them to care so much about a private investigator who admittedly knew far more about them than he really should while they knew little to nothing about him, especially after how they'd first crossed paths. It was proof to him that there were some truly great people in this world if you knew where to look... a stark contrast to everything The Empire had attempted to instill in him while he was their captive.
“Thank you... both of you...” he finally said after a moment, wiping away a tear.
It wasn't too long after that the waitress returned with their food, and the six of them took the opportunity to eat in peace for a few minutes. It felt like the least Luz and Amelia were owed after their big win the night before, and Ryan was certainly appreciative of what felt like his first proper big meal in weeks. Some light conversation was had to at least keep a positive atmosphere, knowing that whatever Ryan would ultimately have to share would very likely bring it back down so any mental cushion they could put in place was very much appreciated.
“Alright... I think we've waited long enough to do this,” he finally said once his plate was almost empty, and everyone's faces slowly became more serious at the implication.
“I guess I'll start by asking this,” Darius led. “Did you happen to catch anything about whatever Caleb's major plans are? Or his next move? We've had contact with his nephew who's attempting to work as a double agent right now—despite our best efforts to just get him safely away from that madman altogether—and he's informed us that Caleb's keeping a lot of his cards close to the vest right now.”
Ryan simply shook his head, holding onto the table to keep himself steady as the motion seemed to disorient him a bit in his ill state. “Nothing... I made attempts to see if he'd be willing to gloat to me about whatever he's scheming, but he saw through it right away and just kept spouting cryptic rhetoric about being 'humanity's savior' and all that nonsense. Some of his followers took the bait, but aside from their recruitment efforts and other things we already know about, I got nothing useful from them. They're all completely in the dark about what to do even after this exchange went down until Caleb gives them their marching orders.”
“There's definitely cause for concern there,” Avery noted, resting their elbows on the table and folding their hands together in front of their face in contemplation. “That, in and of itself, feels like the kind of red flag that should start raising questions. If they're all just blindly following without hesitation, then they're either brainwashed somehow or their faith in Caleb is so unwavering that they truly believe he is what he tells them he is.”
Amelia and Luz cringed at the thought. Even if Amelia didn't have her own childhood experience of seeing her parents in that same light for a while after she'd been made to cut ties with Ivy, they were both smart women who weren't blind to what someone what that kind of power and support could do if given the chance. They already had every reason to be concerned about whatever Caleb was plotting now, but the confirmation that all but perhaps Henry weren't even bothering to question the way things were run within The Empire made the thought even more terrifying. If Caleb wanted to do something big, he had a small army that would definitely not hesitate to lay down their lives and die for him if it meant he could succeed.
“Caleb did share one thing with me, however...” Ryan continued, turning his attention to Luz and Amelia now. “I know what role the two of you are meant to play within his twisted machinations, and I already know you're not going to like it.”
“We know I was apparently intended to be Henry's wife to try and keep a 'pure, talented bloodline' going for the future,” Amelia spat with disgust.
“And if something Henry implied before we fractured his faith in his uncle is any indication, he had plans of trying to adopt me as a daughter despite my mom still being very much alive and not on board with any of that,” Luz added, not bothering to hide her own anger at the mere thought. “And that's not even getting into how much I hate that thought just because of what he pulled with Valentina.”
“If that was all there was to it, then there would have been no real need for all of this,” Ryan responded, slowly motioning to the fact that they were all gathered for breakfast to talk about this at all.
“So what?” Evie chimed in as she took a bite of the steak and eggs she was still eating. “Does he want them to be his 'poster children of purity' or something?”
“That's a part of it, yes,” Ryan admitted, which caused Evie to do a spit take that earned her an irritated glare from Darius as he quickly wiped himself off.
“I was joking!” Evie admitted, throwing her hands up in frustration at the correct guess before shooting an apologetic glance at Luz and Amelia, who both just looked stunned.
“When it comes to Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz,” Ryan continued, “he intends for them to be front and center as his—and therefore God's—handpicked champions of salvation. His aim is to have them join Henry in basically preaching Caleb's message while being living proof of how he has saved their souls from a life of sin and that together The Empire can help save the souls of every human being before something he refers to as the 'Day of Cleansing' which... may be the only hint I've gotten to whatever his secret endgame truly is. His wording was a bit cryptic and elaborate, but the gist of it I could gather was that he plans on completely breaking Luz and Amelia mentally before 're-educating' them to be the perfect loyal 'angels' aiding his cause. Amelia would marry Henry and they would produce future heirs to this cause, and Luz would do the same with some guy Caleb would also handpick that he feels is worthy, with the both of you being connected to his family tree either through Amelia's marriage to Henry or what I can only assume is some illegal means of brute forcing an adoption of Luz. Through preaching and through force, you two and Henry would work to 'cleanse' the wrestling business as further proof of Caleb's so-called truths... though whatever he's scheming is also supposedly a way for him to ultimately absolve himself of any of the wrongs he's committed over the years, claiming it is his atonement that will allow for him to ascend to Heaven where he thinks he belongs when his time finally comes.”
Ryan ultimately breaks into another coughing fit, though whether this is due to his illness or a sign of his absolute disgust with everything he just revealed is unknown. What is certain, however, is that everyone else at the table is some combination of disturbed and furious at this broader scope of what Caleb at least intends to do with two women whose lives he's already tried to insert himself into for his own selfish and twisted reasons. Luz and Amelia, the two who would be affected by these machinations, are absolutely horrified at the mere idea of Caleb seemingly being so confident that he can completely break them before remolding them into his own desired image that it takes every last ounce of willpower they both possess to keep from throwing up the breakfast they'd just finished. There are several thoughts that run through their head of how he could actually achieve such a result, the mental floodgates open in their stunned state, and each one nearly brings them to tears over just how awful and unspeakable the horror of it all really is.
“I'm sorry...” Ryan finally says as he takes in these reactions. “I shouldn't have... but... it was probably better if you knew and could prepare...”
“No, no, we needed to hear this,” Amelia shakily said.
“However he plans to pull that off is a sickening thought all its own,” Luz adds, “but it's better to prepare for the worst than go in blind and-”
Luz is cut off as Ryan slowly tries to stand up, his body quivering in a rather unnatural way as he sounds like he's struggling to breathe. He makes an attempt to excuse himself to the restroom, but he can barely get the words out before falling victim to another significant coughing fit that's loud enough to attract the attention of everyone in the restaurant right now. Saliva is pouring from his mouth like a fountain as he makes one more attempt to say something before his eyes roll into the back of his head and he collapses to the floor, convulsing horribly.
“Ryan!”
In a split second, panic overtakes the entire scene. Darius and Evie are immediately out of their seats, checking on Ryan and doing their best to try and stabilize him while Avery wastes no time in calling 911. The restaurant staff quickly recover and understand the severity of what's going on as they do their best to keep people back and make sure enough space is cleared for when the EMTs arrive.
Through it all, Luz clings tightly to Amelia, the both of them frozen at the sight playing out before their very eyes, powerless to do anything. Amelia is mentally kicking herself, thinking this has to be the result of something Caleb did but not knowing how. She's never beared witness to something like this, the fear crawling under her skin as her mind tries to find some thread of logic that could be of any help. Luz wasn't faring any better, having already been a witness to one person she cared about losing their life right in front of her and now finding herself trapped in that painful memory all over again, silently praying that whatever happened will pass and Ryan will be alright.
Seeing the grim looks on the faces of both the EMTs and the agents as they rush out the door with an unconscious Ryan, though... they can't resist fearing the worst.
Barely an hour later, the nightmare has become a reality... Ryan Lumis had died, right there in front of them.
And there was nothing they could've done to save him.
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We find ourselves roaming along the edge of the Catawba River just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, taking in the sight of what feels like it should be a beautiful day. The weather is on the warmer side for the end of January even around these parts and the river is flowing freely without any hints of being frozen over. Despite that, however, the sky is blanketed with thick gray clouds that cast a somber feeling over everything beneath them. Perhaps it is a coincidence, or perhaps the heavens are reacting to something we're unaware of... regardless, it does seem to properly set the mood as we eventually find Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz sitting along the river's edge, dressed in clothing more befitting of the warmer weather than what they may have been expecting. One noticeable thing that can be picked up on, though, is that the two of them are both wearing a similar color scheme, which isn't something we've normally seen of them outside the ring. Their choices of clothing are mostly black, but there's enough white present that it almost feels like a sort-of representation of their namesake. Perhaps there's a deeper meaning to it as the looks on their faces seem to hint at something having happened recently that may not be related to SCW, but they don't seem to acknowledge us as their somber gazes stare into the center plates of their respective SCW World Tag Team Championship belts. As we get closer, however, Amelia suddenly begins speaking.
“Have we ever told you all what tag team wrestling truly means to us? I know we've revealed aspects of ourselves and our lives that most others wouldn't dare to, afraid of ruining some sort of image they're trying to portray. Luz and I, though... everything we do, either in the ring or outside of wrestling as a whole, is a genuine representation of who we are... the kind of people we want to be. We want all of you to truly know the real us and respect us for being ourselves and showing week in and week out what we're truly capable of. The Light In The Darkness isn't some fancy name or something we wanted to present ourselves as... it's what we aspire to be, both in the wrestling business and even in this crazy world we all live in. We want to be an inspiration to others, to show that no matter how dark things get, no matter how tempting it is to give in to darker temptations and feel like you have to sell your soul to get what you want, it is possible to be who you truly want to be through nothing more than hard work and sheer determination to get to where you want to be.”
“In the eyes of many people back when we first started, we were meant to be nothing more than extensions of our respective family legacies. Great things were expected of us... efforts to force us to fill the big shoes left behind and fit into the molds that people think were left behind by my father and Amelia's parents. I won't lie... I didn't have the greatest start to my career, not like mi papá did, and it hurt to think that I was letting down the fans because they expected so much of me and I just couldn't meet those expectations. And Amelia... yeah, maybe she went on this crazy undefeated streak to start her career, but she was forced to operate exactly as her parents wanted her to and she hated every moment of it. She didn't want to be this cold, merciless machine who didn't care about anything other than being the best because it was demanded of her. We both felt like we were drowning, unable to truly find our own way... until we crossed paths and worked to understand one another, accepting each other's flaws and imperfections and forging the bond that would open up every door we could ever want to become the wrestlers we truly wanted to be.”
“Tag team wrestling played a major role in helping us get there... it was something new that we could both branch out and do, something that our respective parents hadn't truly accomplished, something that we both discovered really clicked for us once we started working together. For those who know my family, they could argue that my older twin siblings were already filling that role in the Blythe family... you wouldn't be wrong, but being a team because they were twins was expected of them by our parents as well, any opportunity to try and prove what they could do on their own denied because it 'didn't fit the family image.' Luz and I found both success and enjoyment working together as a team, and in the process we even opened those same doors for my siblings to finally take a shot at doing what they want to do, just as we've helped so many others make decisions about their own lives and careers just by proving to them, in the ring, that this means so much to us and we will gladly give every last bit of what we truly have to offer if it means further challenging both ourselves and our opponents to reach that goal we're pursuing.”
“We've both accomplished so much over the years, both together and on our own, but it always comes back to that moment where we forged our team that truly set us on the path we still walk today. Could we have eventually found the success we were both looking for on our own? The possibility was always there... but it means so much more because that was the moment where we finally freed ourselves from the burden of those immense expectations of what people think we should've been. They got to see the real La Pequeña Luz and Amelia Blythe, legitimately enjoying something they love doing and always striving to push forward so that we can keep loving every last bit of this. The SCW World Tag Team Championships are a reflection of that: the injuries that cut our time here short initially and rattled our confidence, the failure in our first shot at earning these titles, the decision to not just go to the back of the line but remove ourselves from it entirely until someone we trusted truly believed we were ready to get back in the hunt... every challenge, every setback, it kept pushing us to get better and better, to keep striving to be the best genuine versions of ourselves and show the world that our way does work, that hope always exists no matter how hopeless a situation may seem.
...even when your faced with those who disagree so vehemently that they will go to any lengths possible to rip it all away.”
The bitter way in which Luz makes that last remark certainly makes it clear that it's a message directed to someone specifically, though whether that's meant to be the team that awaits them on Breakdown this week or if it's a message to someone else entirely is hard to gauge. We do see Amelia slowly stand up before offering a hand to Luz, who accepts the help back up as they briefly gaze at their respective title belts once more before taking a moment to properly position them over their shoulders, joining hands and lacing their fingers together as they get their bearings.
“That is why we fight tooth and nail every single chance we get to team together, pushing ourselves top defy every odd that is stacked against us. We know we're both more than capable of earning gold here on our own and have proven it with our respective Television Title runs, but to call ourselves arguably the best tag team on the most elite roster in all of wrestling right now and have the rewards to prove it... that is everything we could ever ask for out of our time here. It's proof that we have made the most out of what we embraced to help set us apart from the legacies we were born into while also silencing anyone who doubted we would ever reach the same heights as our predecessors. At the same time, though, it's also a challenge in and of itself... a challenge to see just how far we can keep ourselves in that position, and what we can do with it not just for ourselves but also for the rest of SCW and its tag team division. That is what's going to help us keep getting better and enjoying every single minute of why we do this together while encouraging everyone else to do the same... we know our reign won't last forever, and we don't expect it to, but we also want the team that ultimately succeeds us to prove that they are going to pick up wherever we left off while we happily start this journey all over again.
That said... we'd have to argue that our work in this position isn't done just yet, and that's why we don't plan on passing these titles off to Twisted & Sadistic come Breakdown.”
“Glory, Brittany... to say that we do have respect for the two of you is an understatement. You've been on a similar journey to us, fighting week in and week out just to get to this moment, and we're more than happy to finally defend these titles against the two of you. You're right... this is the match that we all knew needed to happen eventually. Glory's beaten Amelia one-on-one while I've done the same to Brittany. The two of you eliminated us from tag team turmoil while we got the win over you and Statera to earn the chance to reach the top of the mountain in the first place. You could argue that both of those tag matches should have asterisks beside them if you really want to get technical about it, but we're not going to argue semantics about our loss when we asked to be one of the first teams to try and run the whole gauntlet only to not have the stamina to pull it off. Our failures are always the perfect motivation to get better, which is why it's a little refreshing to know that the two of you aren't expecting this to be an easy task just because of past results.”
“It does seem like those results do have some meaning, though, given how much Glory made a point out of ending her journey the same way she started it around this same time last year. Even if she knows we're far from the same two women she's crossed paths with as recently as a few months ago, she does seem fixated on this poetic idea that her journey to Supreme Champion status is about to come to an end, and at our expense no less. I suppose I have to ask then Glory: say you and Brittany do want this more than us and you prevail come Breakdown... what then? You'll have reached Supreme Champion status, conquered what you consider to be the ultimate challenge that SCW can provide you, Glory Braddock will have done it all... but then where do you go next? Sure, you and Brittany will have your title reign as a challenge, but what do you do when that ultimately comes to an end? If you don't have the answers to those questions yet, then maybe it's not time for you to reach that coveted status just yet, especially not if you can't look us in the eyes and tell us that these titles will mean as much to you and Brittany as they do to us and aren't simply a means to an end, because... right now? I hate to say it, but that's how you're making this sound.”
“Body, Heart & Soul certainly doesn't help with that... I'm sorry, we've been trying to ignore the proverbial elephant in the room, but it's hard not to when I don't think you in particular Brittany understand the ramifications of your actions on that night. Yes, we're upset that our defense against Dark Fantasy is now tainted, even if it seemed like we may have very well had the match won at that point regardless, but it's not just about your actions ruining what we're trying to achieve in our time with these titles. Do you honestly believe, for one second, that Lexy Chapel is going to let this go that easily? Or Ravyn, the woman you attacked while the referee wasn't looking? What happens if they decide turnabout is fair play and interfere to cost you and Glory this opportunity since you did it to them? Or... have you considered what would happen if they decided to screw us over, thereby tainting Glory's big moment? You supposedly know Ravyn very well, which means you'd have to know what kind of fire you were playing with by actually getting involved at Body, Heart & Soul and how she, going off her and Syren's win over you both a few weeks ago, could justify it as the headgame she needs to cut us out as the team they haven't been able to overcome in favor of the team they believe they'd have the better chance against.”
“Things like that are just a small part of exactly why we do things the way we do... why we want to be that inspiration to encourage others to step up and give us the kind of fight we know the both of you will give us regardless come Thursday night. We want to leave no doubt behind in that ring when we leave, proving to both our opponents and to ourselves that we wanted it more and were the better team on that night. That's why this match is just as important to us as every single title defense that's preceded it and every one we want to succeed it as well... to us, a clean win on Breakdown isn't just another successful title defense or a claim that we prevented Glory from reaching her goal just yet, it's undisputed proof that, at least on this night, we truly were the better team, that we've improved enough to have truly overcome two of the toughest challenges we've faced time and time again. On that note, think about what a loss might mean... for Glory, it's more time to think over the question I posed so she can feel confident in knowing what may come next once she finishes this journey, not to mention a chance to further improve for the both of you just as we always are so that our next meeting is even better than this one.”
“If this Breakdown doesn't turn out the way both of you would like it to, then it's not the end of the world. The same can be said of us if our time in this position is truly at an end... but... know that if you're going to take that last step Glory, if your time truly is now, then you and Brittany are going to have to pry these titles from our cold, dead hands with everything you've got and more. There's nothing stopping us from ultimately working our way back to this point and winning the titles for a second time, and maybe even more, just as there's nothing stopping the both of us from further establishing what we can do as singles stars now that we've been the top tag team at least once. But with how much these titles mean to us and everything we represent right now, we have to keep pushing ourselves to see just how far we can go to make the most out of this title reign. We have to rise to this challenge, because that is how we are going to ultimately leave our mark on this company when the time finally comes for us to hang up our boots. We have no doubt that Glory Braddock will earn her place in history and Brittany Lohan will help her get there... but it's not going to come at our expense... not yet. Not after everything we've done to get here and make this run truly mean something.”
“We're looking forward to an incredible match this Thursday night, and we apologize in advance if we have to play spoiler, even if it might actually help the both of you out in the long run.”
“One thing we will never be sorry for, however, is being The Light In The Darkness. Whatever it takes in that ring, we will always stay true to who we are and why we do this. That's why we love each other, why we love this business...”
“...and why we will find a way to walk out of Breakdown still your SCW World Tag Team Champions, no matter what Twisted & Sadistic throw at us.”
Amelia and Luz look at one another for a moment, tears starting to form in their eyes from the raw passion of how much being in this position truly means to the both of them and why it's hard to argue that anyone wants to be World Tag Team Champions more than they do, no matter the rationale behind it. We see them both close their eyes and lean their foreheads against one another, quietly saying something that we aren't able to pick up, but it's clear that they've delivered their message loud and clear and we proceed to give them space to mentally prepare for the daunting war ahead as they seek to add another chapter to the story of their tag team and how important it all means to them.
![[Image: PHOE_01012022jg_0043--addcf6e629acc7e9ed...6c7846.jpg]](https://www.wwe.com/f/styles/og_image/public/all/2022/01/PHOE_01012022jg_0043--addcf6e629acc7e9ed08ac720a6c7846.jpg)