One thing that Luz and Amelia have held in high regard their entire careers is what they've deemed 'the law of the ring.'
Simply put, it's the belief that wrestling problems should be resolved in a wrestling ring, where it truly matters.
They've mentioned it before whenever they've been on camera, and it's one of the biggest reasons why they've somehow managed to avoid most of the issues that have historically consumed SCW's locker room throughout its history. They've even stepped up to assist security whenever possible to try and cut down on the unnecessary fights until a proper match can truly settle the dispute, with a result set in stone that defines who the better wrestler really is... at least, at that point in time.
One thing they both knew quite well about life itself was that nothing was truly permanent. After all, Luz had lost her father, Amelia had found a way out from underneath the expectations of her parents that have paved the path she was expected to walk towards her future, the two of them had found their lives plagued by a religious cult led by a delusional sociopath insistent on 'saving' them, all just to name a few unexpected twists and turns in their lives. Even when it came to wrestling, nobody was perfect, and someone who beat you in the past could find themselves on the losing end next time if you want it more and are willing to put in the work to get better.
That was how Luz and Amelia had always been able to eventually pick themselves back up after their toughest losses: they learned, they adapted, they adjusted, until they were ready to step back up to the plate and prove just how far they'd come since that last meeting to see if the ones who had defeated them had also improved in expectation of that rematch... or if they were growing complacent on the belief that past results would always dictate future outcomes.
Luz and Amelia were definitely coming out of Rebirth with quite a bit of momentum back to their names. The win they had scored on the Breakdown after Retribution over the Shinigami Foundation, Amelia's victory over Kirsten Scott, Luz resolving a little wrestling problem of her own at Rebirth by showing Jordan Majors just how motivated she was to one day get the United States Title back whenever the questions surrounding it were answered... they were all building blocks towards fighting their way back up, proving themselves worthy, and reminding themselves of the guiding light they sought to be towards the future of wrestling.
That line of thought brought them back to the concept of inevitability... and the looming rematch with the Fall of Man.
It went without saying that they knew this was going to be a war. They had clashed with every member of the group for months at this point in one form or another, become quite familiar with how they operated. They were also familiar with the fact that the Fall of Man had the upper hand over them for most of that war, no matter how hard they fought or how far they pushed the likes of James Evans, Giovanni Aries and Waylon Creek beyond their own limits to earn those wins over them every single time. If they had earned any respect from any of those men, it was well buried... after all, William Heaven seemed to struggle with the thought of showing weakness and having the group's plans be set back even a little bit. They had watched the segments of past shows where William didn't properly address what Waylon was feeling when he'd finally tasted defeat, when Xander had beaten him at Retribution to defend the World Title. Instead, he'd just taken the Tag Title that James had won from them and thrust Waylon into defending it alongside Giovanni via the old freebird rule while James pursued Xander next, the group using their numbers to try and overwhelm Xander much as they did to The Light In The Darkness for so long in a desperate bid to cling to whatever power they thought they still had over the entire roster.
That thought burned itself into Luz and Amelia's minds as they trained for this rematch once Rebirth was in the books, pushing themselves farther than they ever had in their training before but also being mindful, with help from their closest friends and family, of pushing too hard and destroying themselves. There was no guarantee that the work they were putting in would be enough, but they were bound and determined to make sure that, no matter the result, the Fall of Man knew that this was not the same La Pequeña Luz and Amelia Nevado they had faced several times throughout this year already. On top of that, the couple were also preparing themselves for anything, as the actual match they'd be getting their rematch in was being left up to the fans to vote for, much as they did for the End of the Year awards. At least unlike Fatal Fortunes, where they literally needed to be ready for anything and everything, this time they knew the options.
While they had no idea how the voting was playing out as this special Breakdown grew closer, they had a preference, one they knew their found family had cast votes for, but regardless of whether they wrestled this match under Tornado Tag rules, or inside of a steel cage, or best two out of three falls wins, they wanted to be ready to put their best feet forward and not only show Waylon and Giovanni their own definition of inevitability, but also hopefully earn their fourth World Tag Team Title reign and pick up where they left off atop the tag team division that meant so much to them.
“Damn, you two are hungry!” Marilyn laughed from where she stood as the referee to the sparring match where the couple wrestled against Edward and Ivy. It was a weird combination of opponents for sure, especially given Ed being far more comfortable teaming with his twin sister, but everyone decided it was the best possible combination to emulate Waylon's power and Gio's unpredictability.
“Kick his butt, sis!” Emily gleefully called out as she watched Amelia slip free of her twin's attempt at Giovanni's Anunnaki Annihilator before trying to take him down into the Blight Choke, causing Edward to groan not just from his twin's playful betrayal given the circumstances but also from Amelia doing everything she could to rip her brother to the mat and cinch in their family's signature submission deep. Ivy would end up thwarting the attempt by diving in before she turned to stun Luz as she ran at her before hooking her for Waylon's Consequences maneuver, but Luz kicked her feet before falling behind her friend, delivering the Lights Out in the process.
The one thing everyone watching this sparring match picked up on, especially as it grew more intense, was how much more attentive Luz and Amelia were being in regards to each other whenever all four competitors were in the ring. Losing track of James when they'd planted Giovanni with the Moonlight Conjuring back at Retribution had been their undoing, and this time they were making good and sure to have that weakness shored up, especially if the match was voted to be anything other than best two out of three falls. That was the only scenario where all four wrestlers wouldn't be in the heart of the action at all times, and making sure they knew where both of their opponents were at all times made sure they were prepared for any surprises that the Fall of Man would hope would keep the titles in their possession.
“Alright, I think it's time for a break,” Marilyn called, despite the sparring match having no winner yet. This one had been going for a solid twenty minutes now, and they'd run this match at least three other times already under both Tornado Tag and Two Out of Three Falls rules, just to cover those bases. As tempting as it was to figure something out for a mock Steel Cage Match, she didn't want Luz or Amelia to risk hurting themselves too badly before a match that was clearly important to them... not to mention trying to explain to the owner of this Kansas City gym why a cage-like structure would've been erected around his training ring in the first place.
Ivy and Edward rolled out of the ring, immediately getting handed water bottles by Gage and Emily respectively so they could rehydrate and catch their breath. The move also made sure Luz and Amelia acknowledged that it was break time, given the two's notorious issues with getting so invested in their training that they completely blocked out everything else until they were either finished or something snapped them out of it. While they looked a bit sheepish as they climbed out of the ring to receive water bottles from Valentina and Henry, they received nothing but kind and knowing smiles from their found family, touched that they had figured out a way to truly make sure they were broken out of their zone before they pushed too far.
“I've got to hand it to you, ladies,” Gage commented as he sat on one of the benches. “I've seen you two competing together for a very long time, even well before I got to call myself your friend, and I don't think I've ever seen you two more in-sync and fluid with each other.”
“Thanks,” Amelia admitted. “Luz and I have probably watched back that Retribution match a thousand times by now... we're not getting caught off guard again.”
“If Waylon and Gio want to keep those titles,” Luz grinned, “then they better have a new trick up their sleeves.
“You two have been waiting for this moment,” Marilyn acknowledged as she climbed out of the ring. “It's time you take it, make them understand that you're not on their time anymore, that
they don't dictate what
you do. They had their fun, but now you're the masters of your own destiny and that destiny is saying you'd like your titles back.”
“Please and thank you,” Valentina added, which got a laugh out of everybody.
“We'll do our best guys,” Luz admitted, trying to stay humble. “If nothing else, we want to make it clear to the Fall of Man that even if they get out of this with those titles still, the time where we'll have grown to be good enough to get them back won't be too far off if Thursday night isn't the night.”
“And even then,” Amelia notes, “there's plenty of other paths we can take in the meantime to both further improve ourselves and earn more opportunities. As much as they want to tout their perceived superiority over us, the Fall of Man can't truly stop us forever.”
“Not unless they think they're able to take you out for good,” Edward quips, which earns him a punch to the arm from Emily.
“Don't go jinxing them, dummy,” she says as Ed runs his arms and gives a sheepish look of apology to his younger sister and sister-in-law.
“They can try,” Luz boldly claims as she and Amelia stretch out a bit, feeling the ripple of muscles as they've grown stronger, faster, tougher throughout their time with SCW thus far, always willing to keep trying to ascend to that next level and etch their name into the history books to inspire future generations.
“Speaking of trying to take something out for good,” Amelia openly ponders. “Where's Avery?”
“As far as I've heard, helping Darius and Evie try to get any sort of lead that could help the NCA track down wherever The Empire's been hiding,” Marilyn notes, though there's a bit of a concerned tone to her voice for her former flame.
Luz and Amelia couldn't blame her, considering the razor's edge they knew they were navigating outside the ring at this point in regards to the cult whose leader saw them as the key to his own 'redemption' he clearly didn't deserve. Amelia's secret message about Vladimir being in contact with them had been delivered by her siblings to Avery, and knowing full well the former FBI technician was probably keeping tabs on their every move through some definitely illegal method, their found family had taken to using coded messages both written and verbal to discuss the matter without him catching on, as the threat he had posed about the safety of their loved ones if they knew was loud and clear and they weren't about to risk exposing that breach of 'trust' for as long as they could help it. Avery, for their part, had been working closer with her new associates in the NCA and other willing organizations that dealt with telecommunications to see if there was any possible way to narrow down where Vladimir was contacting them from despite the tactic of always using a new burner phone every time he reached out to them.
Ideally, the couple would love if this nightmare could just come to an end already because they were sick and tired of having to watch their backs for an enemy that had an unhealthy obsession with them. They had been putting off their honeymoon for months now out of fear of The Empire crashing it while the two of them were alone just trying to relax and celebrate their marriage, any talk of where they wanted their lives to go outside the ring now that they were married (especially discussions about potentially having children in some fashion) had been taken off the table until Caleb White and his fanatical followers were all behind bars... it was maddening seeing how much of their new life together they were putting on hold just for the safety of themselves and those around them all because of a group following one man's desires that had gone far beyond anything reasonable or logical even from a religious standpoint anymore.
It was at that point where Amelia heard a buzzing sound coming from her gym bag, and she quickly moved to take a look. Almost unsurprisingly at this point, her eyes noted the random number calling, and she let a sigh in response as Luz glanced over her shoulder and grimaced at the perfect timing.
“We'll be right back guys,” Amelia told the group. “Camila's calling us about dinner plans.”
The group all glanced at one another, knowing full well that Luz's mom had returned to Mexico after Rebirth to resume her doctor duties, having taken quite a bit of time off to spend with her daughter and daughter-in-law on their wrestling adventures. It was clear that a certain someone was reaching out to them and that was their excuse to step away while knowing everyone would understand why they weren't supposed to know who was actually reaching out to them. Still, it was hard to hide the concern on their faces as they all glanced at each other while Luz and Amelia walked over to an unoccupied corner of the quiet gym.
“What do you want?” Amelia answered the phone, holding it close enough that she and Luz could both hear and speak without putting it on speaker to tip off the man they knew was on the other end.
“Is it so wrong that I wish to call and tell you Caleb's been impressed by the progress he's seen with your training?” Vladimir's raspy, creepy voice responded.
“What does he care?” Luz quietly spat. “He's had nothing to do with it.”
“But he could,” Vladimir offered. “I'm sure he'd be willing to talk with you right now if you wish. For as much as you've both improved, I think you'll agree with me that you might need a true veteran's perspective to help ensure you get your precious titles back from those delusional little lambs who follow The Empire's message without any of its soul.”
Amelia and Luz both exchanged looks, almost wanting to gag at everything they'd just heard. As much as they had no problems comparing the Fall of Man to The Empire because there were, unfortunately, similarities between how they both operated, especially considering The Empire had started off as a wrestling stable before evolving into the deranged cult it was recognized as today, to hear one of The Empire's elites make note of that didn't sit right with them.
That said, there was one thing Vladimir had said that definitely got their attention, and as much as it made their skin crawl, he probably knew it would be something to think about. He had offered to potentially hand this phone conversation off to Caleb himself, which would mark the first time they'll have actually heard from him since the stunt he pulled on their wedding night. As much as they hated the idea of hearing his voice and interacting with him in any fashion... Vladimir, unfortunately, had a very good point. Caleb was a veteran of the wrestling business, someone who had spent most of his life competing between the ropes and, before he had tarnished his reputation with everything he'd done since evolving The Empire beyond the wrestling business into an actual religious cult to follow his twisted beliefs, a very well-respected competitor who was highly revered by so many, especially in European wrestling circles. He'd seen and done it all, and he likely had some insight they could use for their rematch with the Fall of Man that they, themselves, had missed.
“What do you say, ladies?” Vladimir prodded from the other end of the call. “Would you like for personal differences to be set aside so Caleb's light can guide you to victory?”
Luz and Amelia looked more concerned at each other now, almost in disbelief that they were seriously considering this. A lot of it reeked of some sort of trap, but despite him being an enemy of theirs, Vladimir hadn't exactly been deceitful in anything he's said up to this point, which only made it worse. They could almost see Caleb offering them advice before it slowly turned to him trying to get them to 'renounce their sinful ways' to repay him for the help, feeling like they owed him and thus could finally be brought into The Empire just as he truly wanted. But the way Vladimir had worded it was clever, and they couldn't deny that... playing on their insecurities, the doubts that lingered beneath they tried to play off. How badly they wanted to get one back from the Fall of Man, to validate how hard they've fought against the group that clearly desired to take over SCW and remake it in their own distorted image... it was no secret, even if they could pick themselves back up should they lose on the Fan's Choice Breakdown.
“Are we...?” Luz started to whisper to Amelia before clearing her throat. “¿Realmente estamos considerando esto?
Amelia briefly raised an eyebrow at Luz intentionally switching to Spanish, but she nodded her masked head towards the phone. It sounded surprising that someone like Vladimir wouldn't understand Spanish, but that seemed to be what Luz was banking on so they could actually talk about this briefly before making any sort of decision, especially one they both had a feeling they'd regret even if it could be the difference maker.
Before Amelia could respond, however, there was a sudden commotion on the other end of the gym, and the couple's eyes both widened at the sight that greeted them.
A group of people had barged into the gym, all of them wearing the familiar Empire attire of white and gold cloaks with plague doctor masks obscuring their identities. Most of them had formed a semi-circle around their found family, guns drawn and warnings being delivered about not making any moves, while some kept a close eye on the other gym-goers who were clearly scared out of their minds, not that they could be blamed. One of them even pointed a gun at the man at the front counter, as if to warn him not to get any bright ideas about calling the police. But perhaps the most concerning thing was the three figures that were approaching Luz and Amelia, guns drawn and fingers clearly looking ready to just pull the triggers.
“What's going on?” Vladimir asked from the other end of the phone conversation.
“You really didn't think we'd consider hearing Caleb's advice, did you?” Amelia spat as she and Luz warily eyed the approaching Empire goons. “He had to send some of his followers to strong-arm us into saying 'yes.'”
“What are you talking about?” Vladimir sounded genuinely confused.
“Phone down, hands up!” one of the Empire members shouted as the trio closed in, close enough now that any sudden moves to try and protect themselves would instantly draw gunfire.
“Whoever you're talking to, that conversation's over!” another stated firmly.
Luz and Amelia glanced at one another, sensing some sort of disconnect here.
“You mean, you're not here to make sure Vladimir gets his way?” Luz carefully questioned.
“What are you talking about?” the third Empire member spat. “Now hang up the phone and prepare to be cleansed, filthy sinners!”
Amelia and Luz looked extremely baffled now, but it didn't change the fact that they were standing here with guns pointed at them and men clearly ready to pull the triggers. Knowing that they might as well have been staring death in the face... it sent a shiver down their spines and a shock through their nerves that felt like they were being dunked into a tank of ice water. Amelia slowly moved her thumb to end the call, but Vladimir was having none of this.
“...put the phone on speaker,” he demanded, enough of a warble to his tone to make it clear that something was amiss and even he was starting to lose his carefully crafted composure now.
Amelia's thumb moved, instead of ending the call, tapping the button that put in on speaker instead. After a moment, Vladimir's voice was heard loud and clear to even the three men who were supposed to be considered underlings in a sense to someone in his position.
“What do you think you're doing?”
It wasn't a question. It was a demand, and Vladimir's raspy tone somehow sounded even more threatening than it ever did when he was trying to be cryptic.
“M-Mr. Vladimir?” one of the masked men struggled to maintain his threatening aura. “Why are you wasting time speaking with these disgusting-”
“I'm sticking with the plan,” was the curt response Vladimir's voice cut him off with. “I do believe you and everyone there with you are familiar with the plan as Caleb laid it out, correct?”
“Your plan is nothing but a waste of time!” another member of the trio yelled. “It's why we were ordered to just eliminate this threat to our plans for unity while we can!”
“Sinners will be allowed no quarter,” the last one calmly said, almost like chanting a mantra to keep himself focused on whatever task he thought he had. “Kill them all, and let God sort them out.”
“That's... exactly what someone texted us right before Rebirth...” Luz mumbled.
“...is that so?” Vladimir mused over the phone, his intrigue sounding quite concerning. “First of all, how dare those who seek to be guided by Caleb's light spit in the face of his will as ordered by God above. Second, I command you, as your Elite, to tell me who sent you to interfere with a delicate operation that did not concern you.”
“We owe you nothing!” the hothead of this group shouted again. “You are not the Elite we answer to! He clearly seems to be the only Elite among you who isn't blinded by false hope for something that we know will never come!”
The man cocked his gun, clearly ready to fire, but that was about as far as he got before he dropped to the floor, out like a light. The other two tried to turn, but were almost immediately disarmed and taken down as Darius and Evie handcuffed them, with Avery standing over the unconscious one and starting to cuff him as well. Looking past them once the couple opened their eyes, Luz and Amelia breathed a sigh of relief as NCA agents and Kansas City police had managed to subdue the other Empire grunts without any shots being fired.
“Are you two alright?” Avery asked them.
“We're... we're fine... we're OK...” Amelia confirmed, turning to Luz who furiously nodded in agreement.
“Thank goodness we got here in time,” Evie admitted as she, Darius and Avery handed off their captured goons to their fellow agents to take out of here.
“We got wind of a small, armed group of Empire scouts moving through the city and mobilized as soon as we knew where they were heading,” Darius explained. “Sorry you two and everyone here had to be in this position at all, though.”
“It's alright,” Luz admitted. “Well, what happened wasn't alright, but at least you guys got here before anything serious happened.”
Amelia slipped an arm around Luz's waist, feeling her wife trembling against her as she tried to get her nerves under control. Luz's arm ended up doing the same, the two women using each other as their rocks to try and help catch their breath after finding their lives at risk, even briefly. Avery, Darius and Evie all lingered to make absolutely sure they'd be alright, but the moment Avery saw the phone still in Amelia's hand, a call still in progress, they mouthed something to their partners and the three of them gave the couple some space to go check on the others. Amelia and Luz watched them go, quietly noting that Avery was aware and seemed to be playing along so as not to arouse any suspicion on Vladmir's end, but this whole situation seemed surreal for a number of reasons that the safety of their loved ones because of whatever Vladimir thought he could do from afar almost felt lost in the shuffle of their thoughts.
“...so it's a he...” they heard Vladimir muse as the call remained on speaker. “My apologies, ladies, it appears some housekeeping might need to be in order before we try this again. But please... consider what I've offered. If not now, then for down the line.”
With that, the line went dead, leaving Amelia and Luz more confused than ever. It truly seemed like there was some sort of internal power struggle that might be going on within The Empire now among its elites, and they appeared to be at the heart of it, whether they wanted to be or not. As sick and tired as they were of having to watch their backs, it appeared there was even more of a reason to do so now, and they couldn't help but hate it.
Even still, an internal conflict seemed like it was valuable information to have, especially if they could figure out a way to use it to crack The Empire's foundation enough to make it crumble once and for all so they could well and truly get their lives back and live them however they saw fit.
Just as they hoped to use the issues that lingered among the Fall of Man to prove they were a united front that earned the right to have the SCW World Tag Team Championships back around their waists, ready to step up and prove themselves the heart and soul of the tag team division once more.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There's nothing but darkness when we open up... or at least, we think we've opened up. It's almost hard to tell for a moment. But soon, light cuts through the darkness. Those lights belong to three TV screens, each one playing highlights of past matches involving The Light In The Darkness. Closer observation shows that these clips were carefully curated, as one TV is playing clips of Tornado Tag matches, one is playing tag team championship matches from Mexican promotions that are contested under Two Out of Three Falls rules by default, and the last one is playing clips of Steel Cage matches... the three match types that you, the fans, can vote between to decide which one will see The Light In The Darkness try to reclaim the SCW World Tag Team Championships from the Fall of Man.
After a moment of watching these clips, proving that La Pequeña Luz and Amelia Nevado have experience in each kind of match and are more than ready for any one of them depending on the vote, a spotlight suddenly comes to life, cutting through the darkness in front of the trio of televisions and illuminating the two women we're here to see. Luz and Amelia stand side-by-side, hand-in-hand, a fire burning in their eyes... and we know exactly who that intense focus is directed towards. They stand there for a moment, letting the silence linger, before Amelia is the one to take the initiative.
“At Retribution, Luz and I lost the World Tag Team Titles to the Fall of Man. And yet, if the hopes of James Evans and Giovanni Aries on that night was to break us body, mind and spirit... they failed. We picked ourselves back up, we pulled ourselves together, and we walked into the very next Breakdown new and improved, something we proved when we defeated the Shinigami Foundation. From there, we let the question hang over the heads of the Fall of Man: when would we take our rematch? When would we come to try and get those titles back? They may have retained them against the Dangerous Minds, but we could see it... no matter how much they mentioned our names, no matter what they had to say about the 'inevitability' they brought to fruition by defeating us in the first place, we never took the bait. We didn't immediately go after them, demanding our rematch and giving them every reason to take advantage while we were still rebuilding.”
“That's the thing: the whole time we were fighting with them for the first few months of this year, we let them dictate the terms of how this game is played. They overwhelmed us with numbers, they took advantage of others who stepped up to fight alongside us for their own reasons, and they exploited every trick they could to get into our heads. But if there's one thing we've proven time and time again, it's that we know how to learn from our mistakes. If we were going to step back up to the plate, we were going to do so once we were absolutely sure we were ready for this fight, not when they demanded that we do so in hopes that they could just be rid of us already. That's why we waited, exploring other paths in the meantime while we prepared, with Amelia reminding the world of just how good she can be on her own and me reminding the world that I deserve to still have my name in the discussion regarding whatever's going on with the United States Championship. But now, here we are... Breakdown, May 1st, live from the Hyvee Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, and Amelia and I are ready to see if the Fall of Man are just as good at being the hunted as they are being the hunters.”
“But there's more to this match than just that, isn't there? For one thing, James Evans is not competing this time, passing that honor off to Waylon Creek via the freebird rule. But there's also the bigger element at play here: the fact that we don't know what kind of match we're even going to be competing in. Unlike Fatal Fortunes, however, we do know the options up front, and we're more than familiar with all three of them. Now, Luz and I may have a preference, but at the end of the day, that decision belongs to each and every one of you watching this, and we don't want to influence your votes. Pick whichever choice speaks to you the most, because at the end of the day, Luz and I will step into that match no matter what it is and make it clear to the Fall of Man that for as big and bad as they think they are, for as 'inevitable' as they think their domination is... nothing is ever set in stone, and what might have seemed inevitable in their minds back around Retribution may not be so this time around. After all, Luz and I have been hard at work to make sure we're more than ready this time, improving ourselves however we can to make a statement that echoes throughout the souls of Waylon and Giovanni this time around. Can the two of you make the same claim? Or do you not believe it necessary because you're still fixated on an 'inevitability' with a changing definition as time goes on and complacency is punished.”
“There's a reason we've held those titles three times now, why we've reigned for so long as champions. It doesn't matter who we face or how badly they want it, we always step up to mete that challenge. And if that challenge is too much for us? We improve for the next time, because inevitably, this was going to happen again, even if Amelia and I didn't take our rematch. If the Fall of Man is as unstoppable as they claim, then sooner or later we would've worked our way back to the top of the mountain, better than ever, and challenged them for the throne. That's what it means to be a champion... we know Waylon understands that, given his lengthy Television Title reign, but we doubt this is exactly what he truly wanted coming out of Retribution. And as for Giovanni? He's made it clear he doesn't care for championship gold, but like it or not, as long as he's a champion he's going to be hunted, and no matter how much he believes he's 'screwing over the Lizard Kingdom' by holding a title hostage... who's to say he's actually making any progress in the fight he believes he's fighting?”
Luz and Amelia exchange quiet glances, smiling to one another as they've found that rhythm that works for them. Behind them, all three TVs change what they're showing, now displaying clips from recent weeks such as Waylon's first defeat at the hands of Xander Valentine at Retribution or his frustration in the wake of it, not to mention the failed efforts of Giovanni to get through to him.
“I warned you earlier this year, did I not, Waylon? I warned you, from my own experience, about getting so caught up in the belief that you were truly unbeatable than when you finally tasted defeat for the very first time, it was going to shatter the very foundation you've stood on for so long. When that happened to me, long before I was even on the radar of SCW, I was able to recover because the woman by my side, the one who handed me that very first loss, was willing to pick me back up and show me that one loss was not the end of the world. Without that expectation weighing me down, I found the freedom to decide who I truly wanted to be, who I could become now that it was proven I was mortal. And yet... you haven't received that, have you? Instead of talking you through what happened and helping you, William Heaven handed you the Tag Title belt that James had won as a consolation prize before pivoting to trying to get him the very title he said you were destined to hold. But I can see it in your eyes, Waylon... if you wanted to be a World Tag Team Champion, you would have been the one in that match against us at Retribution, earning it yourself just as you've earned the right to call yourself arguably the greatest Television Champion in recent memory.”
“You're better than that, Waylon... Amelia knows it, I know it, and you know it. The problem is, William Heaven doesn't want you to know that. As my wife said when you and her faced off all those months ago, how valuable you were to not only Heaven but also the Fall of Man was dependent on how long he could market you as a truly unstoppable force. Make no mistake, Waylon... you're still a force, that hasn't changed, but now that you've been faced with your own mortality, the only person who can truly decide where to go from here is you. Far be it from us to tell you what to do, but if you don't want to defend a title you never won and didn't want to begin with, then don't. Tell James to defend it because he won it, tell William that you want to prove that you deserve a title that you won on your own. But if you want to face us in this match, whatever the fans decide it to be, then know we'll be coming at you with everything we've got even if being the first proper blemish on your record is no longer a prize. Ames and I have said time and time again that we want to face the very best, and you're on that list Waylon, even with a loss to your name without an asterisk beside it. You can either prove that to us, show us the man who was more than willing to bulldoze his way through us... or you can continue to fall apart now that you've learned the world will not just bend before you because you or William demand it to. The choice is yours.”
“Of course, that raises another interesting question... what do you think about the way you've been used by William Heaven, Giovanni? We know you probably think we should save our breath because we're 'pawns of the Lizard Kingdom trying to trick you' or whatever narrative you wish to weave this time, but deep down, you know there's truth in our words when we question your place in the Fall of Man. We know you've seen it... the way William ignores your opinion on championship gold, the way he obsessed over Waylon or James becoming World Champion. He told you that it was necessary for your mission... but do Waylon and James see it that way? Would they desecrate a title belt just as you've done because, as you claim, they are but trinkets meant to distract and give the 'Lizard King' power? Or would they proudly flaunt it, rubbing the fact that they're a champion in the faces of everyone else as they indulge in that feeling of superiority... basically becoming the very corrupted thing you've sworn to destroy by any means necessary?”
“You believe that our obsession with those titles the Fall of Man took from us will ultimately be our downfall... and yet, if we were as obsessed as you believe, then why did we wait before we invoked this rematch? Why were we willing to leave our fate in the hands of the fans, whom you claim simply wish to see us slaughtered? The truth is, Gio: for as much as we took pride in calling ourselves champions, being a part of this business and getting to step into that ring is what matters to us above all else. This is what we live for, this is what we've devoted our hearts and souls to doing, and earning the right to call ourselves champions is just a part of that. Maybe in your mind that makes us 'pawns' to the man you view as the 'vile Lizard King,' but answer this for us: say we decided to walk away from SCW, or if the Fall of Man succeeded in destroying this company and defeating the 'Lizard Kingdom.' What's stopping us from finding a new company to call our home and starting over? Would that, too, be a Lizard Kingdom because aside from different faces and different titles, what would make it so different from SCW?”
“That's the thing the Fall of Man as a whole doesn't seem to grasp. You can try to destroy SCW, claim that doing so is necessary even if it ultimately renders everything you were hoping to accomplish while here irrelevant... but the wrestling business as a whole will continue to thrive, and Luz and I will continue to fight to be that light that guides others through the darkness into a brighter future of professional wrestling. We're here because we firmly believe in everything that SCW has built and we want to help shape its future in whatever way we can, and that's why we're going to walk into Breakdown and make it clear that, win or lose, we cannot be broken and we cannot be gotten rid of, not so long as the blood of this sport pumps through our veins. You can claim that you're going to destroy us however you can, you can try to play mind games with us... but you aren't the first to try, you won't be the last to do so, and the fact that we're still standing and coming back for more should be all you need to know how well it's worked for you so far.”
“We know we're in for a war in Kansas City, and that's exactly what we want. History may not be in our favor, but as the old saying goes: 'Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.' There's a very good reason we've always walked into rematches for those titles as an entirely different team than we did when we lost them, and this time will be no different. But please... ignore what we've had to say, believe that the outcome of this match is inevitable if you wish. It doesn't change the fact that Waylon is holding a title he didn't win as a consolation prize and Giovanni is nothing more than a tool instead of the leader in a war he's been fighting in his own mind for years now, all because you both are expendable so long as William Heaven gets what he wants at the very end of the day, no matter what he has to say to get you two to do what he cannot. Nor does it change the fact that we're coming into this match a truly united front hellbent on not just winning those titles back, but proving that we can beat the Fall of Man, no matter what combination you try to throw at us believing you've already won.”
“We aren't doing this for the 'Lizard Kingdom' or to call ourselves SCW World Tag Team Champions for a record-tying fourth time.”
“We're doing this for us, because we know we have what it takes to show you our definition of inevitability... and that's exactly what we're going to do in Kansas City.”
The married couple take one final moment to stare into our souls with every last ounce of determination and fight they're ready to give. While we'd expect the spotlight to go out and plunge everything back into darkness, what happens instead is all the TV screens suddenly flicker to white, almost blindly so, as the spotlight shining down on Luz and Amelia also turns up in intensity, the darkness slowly giving way to the light as we fade to white, the message delivered loud and clear.
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