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+---- Thread: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal (/showthread.php?tid=3327)
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Lt. Erect - 06-03-2023
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RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Sean - 06-03-2023
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Xander Valentine - 06-03-2023
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RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Wisteria Waltz - 06-03-2023
OOC: This is my effort for Luz. I apologize that it's CD only, but between screwing my head back on straight after losing my job earlier this week and then trying to sacrifice sleep to get something done for this show, I'll admit that I screwed myself. At least I'm happy with the story I told. Also, I'm posting Luz's first because some of the things for it set up my Amelia piece... which will also be CD only for the same reason. I'm sorry everyone.
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La Pequeña Luz had a lot on her mind, and that very rarely led to anything good.
As SCW headed into Taking Hold of the Flame, she found herself reflecting on the road she and Amelia had taken up to this point and how their paths almost felt like they were starting to diverge. While nothing would change the fact that they were both a couple and a tag team, Amelia was quickly establishing herself as a singles competitor in SCW as well. A TV Title reign to her name, only one proper singles loss so far if you didn't try to make sense of any times she and Luz had been pinned during Kim's Trios chaos, and pulling double duty at the pay-per-view because not only were both women entering the battle royal as a means of further testing themselves, but Amelia had also reached the finals of her tournament and was one win away from being able to call herself the new SCW United States Champion.
Luz had only competed in two proper outings on her own thus far, and she had come up short in both of them.
Her team being knocked out of the first round of Trios stung because of the shenanigans that had led to her team getting disqualified, leaving her feeling empty in terms of having proven anything. Her one and only singles match seeing her come up short in dethroning Kim for the Underground Title despite an amazing effort in an environment she wasn't used to had been an impressive display of her adaptability, but at the end of the day she knew that people would only care about the end results and nothing else. In that regard, it painted a picture that showed Luz as nothing more than a tag team wrestler and anything she'd achieved thus far hadn't entirely been on her own.
Deep down, she knew that she was every bit Amelia's equal when it came to what they were capable of individually. The problem was actually getting herself to believe that truth.
This whole situation actually reminded her a lot of the early days of her career, long before she and Amelia first crossed paths. How many matches had she struggled in because of the memories flashing through her head of what had happened to her father in the ring? How many times had she either won or at least walked away feeling as though she'd proven something only to hear everyone write it off because she was constantly being compared to her father, seemingly trapped in his legendary shadow? Hell, if it wasn't for the infamous match where she had not only handed Amelia her very first direct defeat but also become, to date, the only person to have survived her application of the Blight Choke, people might not have finally sat up and started to see her as more than just the daughter of El Espíritu Angélico.
The more she thought about it, the more she had realized that this had to be what Selena wanted to see from her. Luz didn't know if she knew of the early days of her career and how she had done then what she had yet to do in SCW, but it was clear that it was going to take a lot more than offering advice and trying to help rebalance the scales to prove that she truly belonged on this roster. She could score the pinfall in historic matches or over legendary figures, but until she could truly prove that she could be just as successful in singles action as her girlfriend, then it would always feel like she was getting nowhere.
The obvious solution to that issue would be to pull off something like winning the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal and going on to main event Rise to Greatness, but just like with Kim's Trios cash-in, she wasn't going to overestimate her abilities and make claims that would only blow up in her face if she couldn't deliver on them. If it happened, then that would be amazing, but she also needed to think ahead and be realistic about what her plans for Rise to Greatness might look like, especially with the possibility that she and Amelia might not get to team together for their very first one.
In Luz's mind, the answer to this problem could be found by going back to her roots. Coincidentally, that course of action allowed her to finally pursue a conversation that's been long overdue.
As her rental car drove towards its destination, Luz had to admit that it felt weird being back here all by herself. This was arguably the first time since she left to go be Amelia's mystery partner against her siblings all those years ago that she'd set foot in Mexico without the other woman by her side, even when Amelia had no reason to come with her. Up until now, she'd always reasoned that in addition to how close they had become, Amelia opted to travel with her as a living security blanket of sorts, knowing full well how quickly things could break down if Luz and her mother ever found themselves face-to-face. She had even offered to join her on this trip as well, with the additional reason being that sticking together felt like a safe bet considering it felt like things were too quiet regarding whatever was going on with The Empire following that confrontation several weeks ago.
It hurt to part from her, but she ultimately understood that this was something she had to do alone.
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“You're packing a little early, aren't you?” Amelia suddenly said as she walked into their bedroom to find her girlfriend packing a suitcase. “We've only been back home for a few days and don't need to fly out to Milwaukee for the pay-per-view for a while still.”
“I know,” Luz replied as she finished stuffing a small pile of neatly folded shirts into the suitcase, and Amelia immediately noticed the familiar nervous tic of Luz playing with her hands before they grabbed a few more clothing items.
“Luz?” Amelia asked carefully. “Is everything alright?”
“I... don't know, to be honest,” Luz admitted, which had Amelia letting out a sigh of relief that she was at least being honest. “I'm going to figure that out, though. Which is why... I'm taking a trip back to Tulancingo for a little bit.”
“Oh Luz,” Amelia said with that soft tone of affection that always spawned a swarm of butterflies in her stomach even after all these years. “You should've said something earlier! Let me shower and throw these gross sweaty workout clothes in the laundry quick and I'll-”
“Ames,” Luz cut her off softly but stern enough to make sure her next words would be heard clearly. “I'm sorry, but this is a trip I need to take on my own.”
Amelia looked gobsmacked at that, her mouth working soundlessly as she tried to think of a response while Luz continued to pack.
“L-Luz...” was all she could think to say, though it did earn her a soft peck on the lips from her girlfriend.
“This has nothing to do with you, cariño, and I promise that I still love you and nothing will change that,” Luz reassured her. “I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since I fell short against Kim, and as much as you know I support you 1000% percent and believe in you walking out of Taking Hold of the Flame as the new U.S. Champion, it's really made me think about how much you're proving yourself while I... well... haven't really been able to do so.”
“Luz, that's ridiculous,” Amelia told her. “You got to participate in Trios where I wasn't even picked, you will forever be able to say you scored the winning pinfall in the first ever twelve-person tag match, you pinned a Hall of Famer in Amy Chastaine... hell, Kim may have retained against you, but you proved you could adapt to something you weren't fully comfortable with and made her acknowledge your efforts.”
“That's just it,” Luz responded. “Believe me, I know those all mean something to the progress I've been trying to make, but everybody else beyond the two of us will look at all of that and point out how I still fell short on my own or that I pulled it off because I was teaming with you. It's the idea of living in the shadow of my father's legend all over again.”
As soon as she said those words, Amelia immediately understood the struggle Luz was having. The two had similar struggles early on in their careers of having to live up to the legacies they were meant to be the second generation of, except while she constantly had her parents breathing down her neck and punishing her at the slightest imperfection in her technique, Luz was constantly reminded of how great her father was by the people around her and always took it to heart every time she heard someone compare her to him. To hear that old fear had returned except that she was the one Luz was beating herself up over being constantly compared to...
“Again, it's not your fault Amelia,” Luz quickly reminded her, “it's just that I feel like I need to... I don't know, go back to where it all began, maybe see if it helps me figure out how to do in SCW what I did once before back there to prove I'm able to make something of myself just like you've been. Besides... I reached out to my mom recently, and after that whole mess with The Empire weeks ago and clearing up everything regarding our fake Luz, she and I both agree that we give an actual civil conversation a try. I can't ask you to put off your training for your big match just for me, especially since I know you'd do it without a second thought because I'd do the exact same thing. You deserve to give Bree your very best and need to be absolutely focused on that.”
“But... what about making asking Ivy to go with you? Or maybe Gage?” Amelia asked. “Not because I don't think you can't do this alone, I just... I'm worried about you being completely alone in case Caleb or Henry and their flunkies try anything.”
“OK, fair point,” Luz admitted as she packed the last of her clothes and closed up the suitcase before sitting on the edge of the bed, locking eyes with her partner. “But this is something I still feel I need to tackle on my own. I'll be with my mom so I won't be completely alone, and part of me feels like The Empire wouldn't risk anything since last I heard they were on thin ice now that the bookings they've been given out there have almost entirely dried up now that it's clear they've had someone masquerading as me and spitting in the face of some of lucha libre's most sacred traditions.”
Amelia nodded, but Luz could still see just how nervous and worried she was. To that end, she slowly got off the bed and pulled her into a tight hug, letting the other woman nuzzle into her neck as she peppered her hairline with kisses.
“I promise that we'll reunite before showtime Ames,” Luz vowed. “I swear on my mask that I'll come back to you both in one piece and ready to use the battle royal as the first part of the statement I'm going to make going into Rise to Greatness. Soon they'll know that La Pequeña Luz is every bit as good on her own as she is teaming with you, just as you have been proving, Amelia Blythe.”
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“I'll figure out a way to prove that I'm every bit the real deal like you are Ames, I promise,” Luz said out loud in the empty car as she finally drove into the city of Tulancingo, her lips slowly curving into a nostalgic smile at all the old buildings she had taken such pride in being around as a child. In some ways, being back here truly felt like a long overdue mental reset she knew she'd needed for a while but just couldn't figure out how to make it happen.
It would never beat the home she'd made with Amelia, but the prospect of being able to have her old hometown truly back in her life brought with it a sense of wholeness.
As she drove, she found herself slowing to a stop at the sight of a familiar statue that sat in one of the busier parts of town. Considering the impact he'd made, it was no surprise that after her father passed, a statue would be erected in his likeness so that all who visited the city would know of the legendary luchador who had been the pride of the city for so long. Looking at the various bouquets of flowers and small gifts and crafts that had been left at the statue's base, Luz felt an odd sense of relief that the memorial was being treated as such so that her father's actual grave could be left in peace.
At that thought, Luz grabbed her phone and shot a quick text to her mother to both let her know that she'd rolled into town and that she had a stop she needed to make before she'd meet up with her back at her childhood home.
It didn't take Luz very long to drive from the statue to her destination, though as soon as she stepped out of the car she could feel the nerves overtaking her. She hadn't been to this place in years, not since things between her and her mom had collapsed so badly that even being back in this city just felt like an invitation to disaster. Deep inside, it pained her that she hadn't been able to come here in so long, but she knew what she had to do in response to that as she took her first steps into the cemetery and made her way along the headstones until she found the one she was looking for.
Unlike the statue she'd seen of the man just minutes ago, her father's grave was simple and blended in perfectly with his neighbors, identifiable only if you actually read the name etched onto it. The perfect resting place for a man who was extremely humble despite the heavy weight of the status his name carried at all times.
“Hola papá,” Luz quietly said as she sank to her knees in front of the grave. “I apologize for not bringing any flowers... or even so much as stopping by in the past few years. Things have been pretty crazy, I won't lie. I'm sure you might already know all about what I've been up to, given that you're probably looking down on me from up above and truly embracing the name you took on so long ago. Still, I'd love to tell you about it all, if you'll let me. And it starts with me apologizing for not coming by for all that time. I really wanted to, I swear, it's just... things between mom and I got really rough after you left. She was so scared that I might have something happen to me like what took you from us, so me going through with following in your footsteps kind of drove a wedge between us. Maybe I threw myself into trying to do that a little too much, maybe I was so scared that she'd be right and I would meet the same fate... I'm just as much to blame as she is for letting things get this way. Fighting with mamá, not coming to visit you, struggling to make my mark in the wrestling world you left behind for me... lo siento...”
At that, Luz just let herself talk about everything that had happened over the past few years, from her struggles at the start of her career to finally establishing herself both here and in Europe, her signing with SCW and the injury that had sidelined her and rattled her confidence, and even where she stood now and the mental turmoil she had been going through. She talked about the chaos outside the ring regarding The Empire that she'd found herself swept up in with the imposter posing as her trying to ruin her image and her concerns over the man behind it all being an old rival of her father's. She even found herself really getting lost in her thoughts about realizing that she was bisexual and the woman who had claimed her heart in spite of their rocky beginnings, going on and on about Amelia and how much the woman meant to her.
Not once did she realize that she wasn't alone, but the smile on the face of the other visitor never left since the first words she'd heard Luz speak to the man who rested here.
“Ay papá, how I wish you were still around to meet her. I just know you'd love her! She's smart, gorgeous and such a talented wrestler! I know you would've loved her... she could've seen you as the father she never truly got to have because her parents are just awful. You...” Luz paused for a moment to wipe a tear away as she sniffled. “You always knew how to bring out the best in everyone... you inspired me to do that with her and she's become so much better for it, embracing the incredible woman she's always been deep inside. You would know how to help me understand how I make my solo mark on SCW just like she is now... maybe you'd even help me figure out how to propose to her...”
“I'm sure he'd have quite a few ideas... ay, he was always such a romantic...”
Luz's eyes widened as she whipped around, thinking that maybe she'd misheard the voice that had just spoken. But there was no mistaking the woman in front of her. Her hair was starting to show some visible graying and had gotten a lot fluffier than she remembered, but there was no mistaking the woman who, barring the glasses and her hair, looked very much like an older Luna Nevado if the mask were ever to be removed.
“Mamá?” she carefully spoke.
“Hola, mi Pequeña Luz,” Dr. Camila Nevado spoke softly, knowing full well that a lot still needed to be resolved between the two of them. “Somehow I had a feeling this is where I'd find you when you said you had a stop to make first.”
“Lo siento,” Luz apologized. “I didn't mean to make you wait-”
“It's quite alright, Luna,” Camila reassured her daughter. “I don't blame you for wanting to see him... it's been so long since you've gotten the chance to catch up with him, after all. I know how that feels...” She carefully closed the distance until she was standing beside Luz before her husband's grave. “I could never bring myself to come see him for so long... I just felt so guilty for how everything got to this point. I kept blaming the wrestling business for taking him away from us and holding that against you when you insisted on following through with your dream to be just like him, and that wasn't right.”
“Mamá, no...” Luz pleaded. “I'm just as much to blame for not listening to you. Yes, I wanted to follow my dream so badly, but then I just kept second guessing myself because I couldn't stop thinking back to that night... I'm honestly surprised one of those incidents didn't lead to me getting hurt. And then I actually did get hurt my first time around in SCW and insisted on picking fights with you about everything instead of just... talking through it all like an adult.”
“We've both made plenty of mistakes Luna,” Camila said as she gently rested a hand on her daughter's shoulder. “We can't change the past, but we owe it to both your father and ourselves to at least try for a better future, one where maybe we can have a proper relationship as mother and daughter again.”
Luz sniffled a bit more as she slowly rose to a stand and hugged her mom, who returned it once she got over her initial surprise. “I'm willing to try if you are.”
Camila planted a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead, right on the sun and crescent moon symbol that had virtually become the definitive logo for The Light In The Darkness at this point. In a way, Luz wanted to think of it as her mother giving her blessing for the relationship her daughter had, but she knew that Camila had a few heated conversations with Amelia as well in the past when her girlfriend had stepped up to defend her.
“So...” Camila carefully broke the silence. “Proposing to Amelia, hm?”
She couldn't help but grin at how red her daughter's face became under her mask.
“I haven't done it yet!” Luz held out her hands in pleading. “And- and I was going to tell you, but I know you and Ames don't exactly have the best track record with each other even though she totally knows we're finally talking things out now, but I love her so much and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else at this point and-”
“Breathe, Luna,” Camila ordered, and Luz cut herself off and finally took a moment to actually catch her breath after rambling for a moment there, which only caused her blush to deepen. “Believe me, I understand your concerns, but you don't have to worry. As much as I am at fault for picking a fight with her whenever she stepped in, I could clearly see how much that young lady cares for you and wants you by her side as much as you want her by yours. Considering how highly you praised her while talking with your papá, how could I not give my blessing for your marriage?”
Luz's jaw dropped at that, having not expected this to be the direction this conversation went in. “You... you really mean that?”
“Sí, Luna,” Camila confirmed with a gentle smile. “I'll even help you take the first step to proposing... you're going to need a ring, after all, and your abuela gifted me her old wedding ring to pass on to my own child. It might not have been the exact circumstances she had in mind, but I don't think she'll raise a fuss over you getting married to someone who truly means the world to you.”
“Mamá...” Luz started to tear up again as she hugged her mother tight in thanks, the two of them just standing there at the grave of their fallen father and husband respectively and taking in this moment that had finally become real. Mother and daughter, reunited at last.
It wasn't going to be an easy road and there were plenty of conversations to still be had, but Luz felt like she was taking the first steps to truly being able to make her mark in this world.
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Wisteria Waltz - 06-03-2023
OOC: Just to be on the safe side, I'm posting my Amelia Blythe effort, despite also being CD only, into this thread as well because I'd like it to count for both matches.
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When Amelia Blythe was growing up and her parents were training her to be the next generation of their family legacy, one of the things they repeatedly drilled into her head was that she should always be in control of the situation at hand, regardless of whether it was inside the ring or out.
If she wasn't in control, then defeat was inevitable.
Ever since La Pequeña Luz came barreling into her life, though, she's done her best to stop taking that train of thought to heart. Luz and her spontaneous nature had constantly thrown her off, whether it be during their clashes back when they were still bitter rivals or being willing to extend an olive branch and be her friend when she had absolutely no reason to do so. She had taught Amelia that sometimes, no matter how prepared you think you are, life will find ways to throw curveballs at you and no one could possibly be prepared for every single scenario. In the past couple of years alone, that realization had become clearer than ever before.
After all, how could she possibly prepare for landing awkwardly on her neck after being powerbombed out of the ring and her body refusing to move? Or finding her career haunted by the specter of both her parents and some group led by a man her father idolized whose nephew believed that him marrying her was all but inevitable?
One other thing she'd come to accept as the years went by is that old habits forcibly ingrained into her very way of thinking were hard to break. Even now, as she busted her back training as hard as she could for the challenge that was on the horizon at Taking Hold of the Flame, she could feel the desire to take control of situations where she felt like she didn't currently have it attempting to override all of her senses and trying to fight it was just as much of a challenge as she knew Bree Lancaster would be. Still, while she knew she could control exactly how prepared she was for that clash, her mind was fixated on the fact that Luz wasn't with her right now, having gone back home to Tulancingo alone in search of answers to her own mental blockades while seeking to make amends with her mother at long last. It sounded silly when she thought about it... after all, she and Luz were each their own people and as much as they loved and cared for each other that didn't mean they needed to stick together 24/7. That didn't stop the excessive worrying about anything happening to her while she was on her own, the thoughts ranging from the ridiculous like Luz's mom trying anything that sounded more like her own mother to the more realistic like The Empire making some sort of move considering they'd been eerily quiet for the most part lately.
In a twisted sort of way, it almost felt like her parents were so paranoid over the idea of never being in control of a situation that they forced her to take on that same trait as a means of guaranteeing that they always had some degree of control over her even if it seemed like they'd lost that.
“Focus, Boots!”
Amelia snapped out of her thoughts and turned her attention to the voice who had called out to her, pondering if she should be amused or annoyed at the name she'd been called. Marilyn Clauson simply grinned from where she stood outside the training ring in her wrestling school, where Amelia had seemingly gone on autopilot for the past few minutes while she was lost in her own thoughts. She now realized that she'd lost control of the submission she'd been practicing on one of the other students at the school and quickly reversed the position she'd ended up in to regain the upper hand and apply a heel hook to the young man who was a few years younger than her, to which he immediately tapped out and she let him go.
“Dang it, I thought I might've had her once she started zoning out there,” the young man said.
“Eh, don't feel bad Remy,” Marilyn reassured her student, who also happened to be her adopted son. “I recognize just how thoroughly Boots over here has been trained by her parents. At least in terms of how talented she is, her parents got that right... though I hate everything I know about how they got her there.”
“That's good ol' mom and dad for you,” Emily chimed in from the bench she and Edward were sitting on not that far away where they were both doing some curls.
Amelia let her gaze flicker over to them before she turned to look back at Marilyn in confusion. “Boots?”
“Don't put too much thought into it, Amelia,” Marilyn replied, using the woman's proper name this time. “I like calling people by nicknames... kind of helps them remember not to take all of this so dang seriously all the time.” She slowly climbed into the ring before leaning back against the ropes with a smirk. “If you ask me... if you're going to be a wrestler than you should actually enjoy the wrestling part of it. If you take this sport too seriously and put all your stock in winning and losing being the end all, be all of what defines you as a wrestler, then you're going to find yourself trapped in a spiral of pushing yourself too hard to win only to inevitably lose because of that single-minded focus. Wash, rinse, repeat... I've seen that vicious cycle play out with my own eyes and watching somebody tear themselves apart over it is never pretty.”
“Why Boots, though?” Amelia asked, still confused but Marilyn could at least pick up on the hints of amusement in her tone.
“Your boots,” she replied, pointing at Amelia's wrestling boots like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “are probably some of the fanciest boots I've seen since your mom's. Yeah, it's just simple black boots with a design on them, but even with footwear like that being more common these days yours just give off that impression that those moons on there are made out of real gold. So, congratulations, you're now Boots to me forever.”
Edward and Emily couldn't resist bursting out into laughter at the absurd reasoning behind such an equally absurd nickname, and Amelia herself couldn't resist chuckling a bit at it which only caused Marilyn's smirk to widen. As much as her brain was trying to convince her of how dumb the whole idea was, she knew that was just her parents talking and she appreciated Marilyn's attempt to lighten the mood and remind her that despite what her parents had done, she'd truly found something to love about wrestling that was all her own and she would still have that even if she fell short at Taking Hold of the Flame.
“That's what I was hoping to see,” Marilyn laughed as she closed the distance and put a comforting hand on Amelia's shoulder. “Feeling better?”
Amelia simply nodded in response, though her smile slowly faded as another thought crossed her mind. “I just wish Luz could keep that in mind and not beat herself up whenever she falls short. I know how much it sucks and I've beaten myself up over my own shortcomings far too often over the years... thanks mom and dad... but she deserves to be able to see herself as the incredibly talented wrestler I always see her as.”
“That kiddo will get there in time, just as you will,” Marilyn told her. “You two have been through a lot, and I'm not talking about inside the ring. You were straight-up abused by your parents because of their obsession with that family image they insist has to be perfect at all times and Luz watched her dad die in the ring because of an unfortunate accident. Things like that have a way of sticking with you for a long time, maybe even your whole life, like a ghost who doesn't have anything better to do. Take it from a cancer survivor who doubted that she'd ever be able to get back in the ring again and still worries she might be a little fragile because of that... she'll find her way and be kicking just as much ass as you are in no time, and it won't be long before all of SCW knows that the two of you aren't ones to mess with in any form.”
As Amelia focused on Marilyn's sage advice and nodded to show she understood, she began to realize something else about the situation. Any moments where her focus had slipped during training had been due to her concern for being separated from Luz and her girlfriend being on her own... a reasonable concern given the mess they were somehow involved in, but it almost felt like she was being dependent on Luz. True, it was great that they could be there for each other when they needed it, but they had other friends and family now they could reliably turn to if necessary so it didn't feel like they just couldn't do anything without the other present. Thinking back to before Luz left for her solo trip to Tulancingo and how much she was trying to compare her solo exploits to Amelia's further drove him just how intertwined everything had seemed to become between them, and for as much as they took every step imaginable to keep their relationship as healthy as possible, it was hard to deny the negatives that were present if they couldn't truly prove, both in and out of the ring, that they were both capable of standing on their own two feet when the situation called for it.
“Ed? Em?” Amelia suddenly asked as she turned to look at her siblings, who immediately stopped their own workout to give her their undivided attention. “Can I ask you an honest question?”
“We're all ears, sis,” Edward replied, and while his voice sounded a bit too jovial for what she wanted to ask, she knew that once she spoke he and Emily would treat this seriously.
“Do you guys ever feel like...” Amelia paused as she contemplated how to actually word this. “...like you're too reliant on each other to do anything?”
As soon as the question had been asked, the twins exchanged concerned glances. Marilyn had taken a step back and observed this situation playing out before her with curiosity, while Remy had since taken a seat on the top turnbuckle of the ring and was watching the way someone who was invested in drama playing out before their very eyes would.
“Honestly?” Emily finally said after a minute. “Yeah, it kind of does feel like Ed and I rely on each other too much sometimes. Nothing against him because he's an amazing sibling who I know will always have my back, but we both know we're just as capable of doing things on our own and not having to just be a 'matching set' all the time.”
“It's hard to convince ourselves of that sometimes though, and you know full well who's to blame for that Amelia,” Edward added, and Amelia nodded in understanding of that. “Operating as twins is kind of like a safety blanket for us: it's familiar territory and we can take comfort in the fact that no matter what one of us is doing, the other will always be there if need be. It's just that, we can tell ourselves all we want that even if we were to completely go off and do our own things that the other will still be supporting us, but that fear of drifting apart and losing that safety blanket always creeps in eventually and throws us way off. Heck, I still have nightmares to this day about being alone forever if we all ever just went off to do our own things... it's ridiculous, yes, but that's how we were raised to think our whole lives.”
“It's a little different with you and Luz because you weren't raised that way,” Emily tacked on, “but you two were arguably the best thing that could've happened to one another. Through your respective traumas, you could peace and safety in each other's presence, to the point where it kind of feels like you might be relying on it a little too much in order to conquer it. There's nothing wrong with that, but you and her also need to realize that being able to have space from one another that doesn't change anything about your relationship is just as healthy.”
“You're right,” Amelia nodded. “It's been hard trying to focus on this huge opportunity I have right in front of me because I've been so worried about Luz, both her being alone right now and how it might affect her if I do win this championship. I know she's strong enough to take care of herself without any issue, and I doubt The Empire would really try anything since word spreading about their Luz being an imposter really hurt a lot of the credibility they were trying to build up for their claims. It's just hard sometimes... after mom and dad forced me to cut all ties with Ivy, Luz was the first person to actually see beyond all the walls I tried to put up and show me kindness I hadn't known in years.”
“That'll do it,” Edward notes.
“And we're sorry for our role in pushing you to that point sis,” Emily adds. “We all know how good mom and dad are at breeding a toxic environment that encouraged us to fight among ourselves instead of presenting a united front against all their bullshit.”
“Jeez, how did you become so good at finding people with parental issues Marilyn?” Remy suddenly chimed in, to which Marilyn just responded by grabbing an empty water bottle and bonking him on the head with it, which drew some laughter from everyone and helped to lighten the mood after the past several minutes.
“Alright, now that we've all gotten that out of our systems, how are you feeling Amelia?” she asked.
“Better,” Amelia honestly admitted. “I think I'm starting to get to where I really need to be, but next chance I get I'm definitely talking with Luz and making sure we're on the same page about this.”
“See? You two really have nothing to worry about after all,” Marilyn grinned. “Honest to whatever gods exist up above, you two might truly have one of the healthiest relationships I've ever seen. Makes me feel like I could learn a lot from the two of you someday...”
“What was that?” Amelia asked, having barely caught Marilyn's last words.
“Nothing!” Marilyn quickly tried to cover her tracks. “We should get back to work. Remy, hop down here and try to charge Boots over here with a spear-”
Before Marilyn could finish outlining the scenario she wanted to have her son replicate as a stand-in for Bree, her phone suddenly started ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket and raised an eyebrow at whatever she saw on the caller ID before holding up a finger to everyone as she answered.
“Hello? Lily?” All eyes were suddenly focused on Marilyn as she seemed to be waiting for something, listening intently to her phone. After a moment, her eyes widened, and before anyone could ask her what was going on, she pulled her phone away from her ear and tapped the screen a few times before holding it out as everyone suddenly heard what was coming through from the other end of the call courtesy of speaker mode.
“I can't believe this!” the familiar voice of Ophelia Blythe came through. “How has that ignorant fool managed to run that company for as long as he has? It just doesn't make any sense!”
“I suppose those who live in North America have less efficient business practices that nobody questions,” her husband Aleister chimed in. “I suppose it's true what they say about the United States, Canada and Mexico valuing sports entertainment over actual, honest wrestling.”
“A shame really. All these great things I'd heard about the quality of wrestling in the latter two, and yet we continue to be disrespected at every turn.”
“Caleb White...” Marilyn growled, not bothering to keep her voice low. The twins proceeded to slide into the ring at that point, each one putting a hand on one of Amelia's shoulders as she bit her bottom lip. It was one thing to hear how eloquent he was on the microphone that could have an entire crowd of people believing in his every word, but to hear him for the first time in what sounded like a more personal setting was far more chilling.
“Shouldn't we be keeping our voices down?” Emily hissed.
“No need,” Marilyn revealed as she showed her phone's screen, pointing out one particular thing on it. “It's a little trick Lily and I figured out with the right setup for situations like this. We're both on speaker but I've got myself muted, so her end can't hear anything we're saying while Lily feels like we've got a perfect chance to eavesdrop and get some crucial information.”
“What the heck are they even talking about, though?” Remy asked.
“...dad and Caleb have been trying to not just put in a bid to become the new owners of SCW, but outright offer enough money that they're confident no one could come close to matching it,” Amelia revealed, which was news to everyone else in the room. Before they could question any of it, however, they heard the conversation from the other end continue.
“It's truly a shame that Mr. D cannot see reason and refuses the offer just because he doesn't agree with your philosophies, Caleb” Lily said, and Amelia felt a chill go down her spine at how convincing she was at sounding like she fit right in with these monsters.
“There has to be something we can do to change his mind,” Ophelia snarled. “Surely we can just find some other avenue to just buy out the company and be done with this whole charade.”
“I don't believe that will be necessary,” Caleb spoke, seemingly unfazed by what sounded like an unforeseen brick wall they'd run into.
“With all due respect Caleb,” Aleister pleaded, “SCW is a veritable sanctuary for our daughter right now. If we can't gain some measure of control then we'll never be able to make her fall in line so we can complete our end of the deal.”
“There is more than one way to force a lost little lamb back into the flock, Aleister,” Caleb replied. “Though I must admit that Amelia and Luz have proven to be quite resourceful... they are formidable foes indeed, though I expected no less from a pair of second generation talents from such impressive legacies.”
The twins tightened their grip on Amelia's shoulders, clearly not liking the tone this guy was using to describe their baby sister. Amelia, on the other hand, found her thoughts latching onto the mention of a deal between her parents and Caleb. She didn't doubt for a second that it had something to do with this lie they had tried to spread about her being engaged to Caleb's nephew, but she needed more details on what exactly this supposed deal was so she had a better idea of how to contend with it going forward.
“I don't understand why that little masked bitch is even worth our time in the first place!” Ophelia yelled. “She has no place in our Empire, especially not when she still has the chance to be with our Amelia even when she's married to Henry!”
“Just as I am with the Blythe family, I'm simply fulfilling a promise I made to an old 'friend' of mine,” Caleb nonchalantly replied. “Someone has to be the voice of reason that guides these children in the right direction, after all.”
“But what about our Luz?” Lily chanced asking.
“Unfortunately, the little stunt that the real Luz and her friends all pulled some time back has exposed her as a fraud,” Caleb said, somehow still sounding unfazed by any of this to the point that it was getting real unsettling. “She is still able to be booked down in Mexico, however they will not book her unless she changes her name and attire so as not to mislead fans any further. She no longer has any use to us, so we will be rid of her soon enough for her failure.”
Lily could be heard audibly gasping, and Amelia felt her blood boiling at the sound of that. From what she'd picked up from that confrontation, it was clear that the imposter was seen as nothing more than a tool to The Empire, and while she wanted to hope that he was simply implying she would be kicked out of The Empire, something in Caleb's tone made her fear that far worse was in store for that poor girl.
“Caleb, you're talking about a young girl that you adopted, took in off the streets and gave her a home,” Lily pleaded. “Surely there is something else we could do with her.”
“You really should watch that bleeding heart of yours Lily,” Caleb warned, finally showing the first real emotion of this entire conversation. “Your failures in convincing your sister to my cause have you on thin ice as well, and you have no place in caring for people who are worthless if they cannot do the tasks I give them. I will, however, give the girl the courtesy of a few more weeks to try and figure out on her own how to regain control of this little ruse... if she cannot, then she will be dealt with accordingly. You, however, should concern yourself more with how little time you have left to fulfill your obligation to me Lily. Tick, tock... am I clear?”
They all heard Lily nervously acknowledge this before the sound of people walking around could be heard, and it wasn't long after that the call disconnected. Everyone just exchanged stunned looks at what they had heard, and Marilyn was suddenly looking a lot more nervous than she had earlier.
“What the hell is wrong with this guy!?” Edward broke the silence.
“And mom and dad are helping him with whatever all of this is without concern for any of it...” Emily growled.
“I know Caleb is cold and cruel, but hearing that... Jesus Christ...” Marilyn mumbled.
Amelia's thoughts went into overdrive, realizing that SCW might be safe for the moment from anything pertaining to The Empire, but clearly this conflict was just getting started and was only going to get uglier before it got better. The one thing she could take pride in, however, was the confirmation that they had managed to ruin a lot of Caleb's active plans, and with a little more information on what he was up to...
Maybe... just maybe... they could help the people trapped within who needed it and outwit this ruthless mastermind to upend his entire operation after all.
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Jay Gold - 06-03-2023
2 of 2.
Season 4 / Episode 2 / Obsessor
![[Image: dove-cameron-gif-23587437.gif]](http://tenor.com/view/dove-cameron-gif-23587437.gif)
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Jay Gold - 06-03-2023
Colleen.
I already want to be his Protector. After what Polly went through in her unannounced trip to Chicago, I know I will have to protect her too, at all costs. My head will definitely be on a swivel, but to me, that’s fine. I can handle it. I’m more than just a big girl in size. I’m a big girl on the inside too. I am ready, willing, and able to sacrifice myself in order to protect those who deserve to get what they are seeking.
With Josh, I know what he wants. He wants the SCW World Championship back and I don’t blame him. What I want from him, I already got. We have agreed to a truce. I told him I would be more than willing to help him with any situation as long as he teaches me how to excel and thrive in this business of ours. I’m not stupid. Josh knows a lot and has been through so much in his wrestling career. That’s why I did what I did during Kimberly Williams’s cash-in, and it paid off. I know what you all are thinking. Oh Colleen, you didn’t win anything. Josh did.
So?
I’m still young. I will have my chances. Hell, I already have. I took Josh to his limits twice, which is why I respect him. When I had my secret meeting with him, he respected me too. None of you would get it, but we do share a common bond. We have both been pushed to the side in our lives, and while Josh did get to settle down and become a family man, I am still at my early stages. Without Josh and without Polly, I would be all alone.
Tomorrow night though I won’t be all alone. I will for the second time be entering the Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal. I was just debuting last year and I made it clear right from the get-go that I was not an easy out. This year though could be different. To me, I am all about being The Protector out there.
So once all the bedlam starts, it would be a great idea if any of you in the ring are wanting protection, to reach out to me. Work with me and not against me. Polly gets it. Josh gets it. If you are respectful and just want to compete, that’s fine with me. I will be there to help you in any way I can. Who knows? Maybe I will even sacrifice myself for you. Hell, I’ve been literally kicked to the curb before anyways. It wouldn’t be anything new to me.
But if anyone in that ring is in there when I get in there and doesn’t want my help? Oh well. I guess you can just say Polly’s theme song, c’est la vie. I won’t hesitate with putting you down with my big butt, lifting you up, and eliminating you from this thing.
Besides, my main focus is to make sure Josh and Polly survive to the very end. I am willing to sacrifice my chance for them. For the rest of you, that’s up to you.
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Kandis. - 06-03-2023
Taking Hold of the Flame 2023 #2
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - Simple77 - 06-03-2023
#ooc- Enjoy, and good luck, everyone. Edited to add - This RP should be read after Amy Chastaines second RP which immediately follows this RP
It All Comes Crashing Down
RE: SCW Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal - HardyGirl - 06-03-2023
OOC: Edited to add banner
![[Image: AmyBioLinkS.png]](http://www.hardygirl.net/graphics/AmyBioLinkS.png)
Taking Hold of the Flame 2023 #2
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