Mason, Katie Steward & Hudson Vs. Xander Valentine, Billy Heaven & Amelia Blythe

[Wisteria Waltz]

SCW has come to Boise, and we find ourselves in the stands of the ExtraMile Arena. Down below, we can see the techs and ring crew hard at work getting everything set up for the Breakdown that will see the start of the 2024 Trios Tournament. As we pan around, taking it all in, we notice someone sitting up in the stands not too far from where we are. Amelia Blythe, already dressed in her gear, has her eyes locked down on the ring as its being assembled for the coming night of action, a fire burning in her gaze. There's no sign of her championship belt, but she knows it's not a point of focus for tonight, at the very least. Instead, she leans forward, looking rather deep in thought as we move closer to her.

“Early on in 2023, I found myself holding gold, being able to call myself the SCW Television Champion. It was the first time that either member of The Light In The Darkness could call ourselves champions in any sense of the word since we arrived in SCW, and it got people talking. Maybe some of you out there don't put that particular title on too high of a pedestal compared to the others, and that's your prerogative. But for me? That night felt like a sign of things to come if I just kept pushing myself, not just for me, but the kind of spark that could open the door for my partner to join me in trying to blaze our own trails in this company.

A few months later, around the time of Taking Hold of the Flame, I found myself reaching the finals of a tournament for the then-vacant United States Championship. While I will continue to hate how my first round match with James Evans panned out in that tournament, there is no arguing that I did truly earn my place in the finals when I managed to defeat the current champion, Deanna Frost. I believe I'm the only person aside from Asher Hayes over the course of the past year who can claim to have truly been able to best Deanna one-on-one. Again, people sat up and took notice, whispering of what I was capable of... and I, perhaps foolishly to some of you, chose to focus more on the whispers about how I seemed to be destined for a bright future while my partner was struggling to find her footing, the suggestions that maybe I would leave her in the dust and forge ahead on my own.

Here we are, a year later, and to some degree those questions have either been flipped or altered entirely. Luz managed to achieve her own run with the Television Championship, a run that I will fully admit put mine to shame. Together, we now call ourselves three-time World Tag Team Champions, and it can be argued that we might be the greatest tag team in SCW today. But on our own? People have seen how much better Luz's singles record looks compared to mine, thinking that maybe she's the one destined for bigger things while I've lost my way. If not that, then the both of us have found ourselves being viewed as just 'tag team specialists' and not much else.

That raises the question... what happened to Amelia Blythe?”

Amelia looks annoyed as she puts a voice to that question, taking a moment to crack her wrists as she seems to ponder it before she slowly rises to a stand, her determination shining through as she stares directly at us.

“I'm going to tell you right now: nothing happened to me. I'm still the same woman who walked into this company what feels like so very long ago now alongside La Pequeña Luz, ready to fight with everything I have and prove myself no matter what form that took. Yes, maybe I haven't proven myself on my own as much as some of you probably want to see, but it doesn't matter whether or not my accomplishments are entirely my own or are shared with the woman I love, I have proven exactly what I'm capable of time and time again whenever I step into that ring, no matter the kind of match. I have gone toe-to-toe with some of the very best SCW has to offer, and if I haven't been able to best them in the ring just yet... well, I'm humble enough to admit that I have more work to do. You could have all the natural talent in the world, but if you aren't willing to put in the work to build upon it, then you'll find yourself constantly hitting that glass ceiling, unable to break through it as it waits there for you to well and truly earn it.

This Breakdown, right here in Boise, Idaho... this is my chance to prove exactly what I'm capable of, even without Luz. This is my opportunity to try and prove that I've worked hard enough to shatter that glass ceiling on my own, just as I've done with Luz by my side so many times already.

Maybe you think that sounds ridiculous. After all, I'm not truly alone in this endeavor. But that's the beauty of the Trios Tournament. Every team was drawn at random, and I'm well aware that not only am I not teaming with Luz, but she's on the opposite side of the bracket from me. That said, I may not truly be alone in this endeavor, but anyone who's started to believe that I'm no longer able to accomplish anything unless it's with Luz by my side in a tag team match will have a front row seat to see me prove them wrong. After all, these aren't wrestlers I'm used to teaming with, I won't have that seamless synchronized flow that The Light In The Darkness just gets into so easily. Here, I have only my tag team knowledge and my own talents to help contribute to what will hopefully be a very strong run, ideally ending with me being able to walk away from this with a contract that affords me a luxury unlike any other.

And if it just so happens that I have to go through Luz and her team to make it happen... well, mon amour, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Amelia softly smiles to us, but it's not hard to tell that something is running through her mind. She can hear Xander's voice echoing through her thoughts, asking that all-important question that she knew would come up at some point during this tournament. He had asked her, point blank, during one of the few times they'd trained together heading into this Breakdown if she would be able to treat Luz like she would any other opponent if that match happened to fall into place. She knew her answer, she'd known it every single time it had been asked over the years when this scenario was at play, but she wasn't going to address it just yet. That was a matter best saved for if and when it became a reality.

“I'm going to be honest, I'm hopeful about my team's chances for this tournament. Not only because of what I know I'm capable of and am more than ready to prove to all of you all over again, but because of what my partners bring to the table. After all, what can be said about Xander Valentine that hasn't already been said about him? He's a legend in this business, he's proven himself several times over at this point, and as of two weeks ago I can now personally attest to the drive and passion he still has for this business. Xander, you have no idea how much it means to me to hear someone of your caliber believe in me, to have that respect reinforced now that we've shown each other what we can do and how far we'll fight to earn our rewards. You know exactly what you want, and you know that a Trios contract could be exactly what you need to make it happen. You've done it before, after all, and I would be honored to help you do it again.

While Xander is highly regarded and rightfully feared for a reason... I'm sorry, I don't know if I can completely say the same about our other partner. Billy Heaven Jr, the son of the man who brought together a new group looking to scorch the earth of SCW, and a man who is... unique, I suppose. I can't really say too much about what Billy is capable of from an in-ring standpoint, especially since training is one thing and making it come together when it really counts is a different story entirely. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, however... maybe that's foolish of me to do, but there does exist a world where I perhaps could have had a similar attitude to Billy's had someone not extended the olive branch to me and shown me that it's possible to be the kind of wrestler and person I truly wish to be. I'm willing to believe in Billy to be able to hold his own and help Xander and I make this work.

That said Billy, I'm going to give you one warning right now, and only one... if you're going to tag me, I'm asking nicely that you keep it clean. If your hand wanders somewhere it's not supposed to just so you can enter the match, I will not hesitate to break every single finger on that hand to make sure you get that through your head. Understood?”

It's an uncharacteristic warning to come from Amelia, but her tone carries hints of a frustration that's maybe best left untouched at the moment. As she takes a deep breath to refocus herself, Amelia sits back down in her seat, turning her attention back to the ring as it really comes together, knowing that she has a chance to prove so much between those ropes here tonight.

“The road to a Trios contract will not be easy, that I know for sure. And it all starts with a tough first round match. Blake Mason, Katie Steward, and Josh Hudson... to anyone else, perhaps that kind of challenge would be daunting. After all, Katie has earned her place in SCW's Hall of Fame, Blake is as dangerous and conniving as they come, and Josh... well, he's the reigning World Champion for a reason.

Out of the three of them, Katie is the only one I can say I know all too well at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if you're chomping at the bit from seeing my name on the team opposite yours Katie. Several times over the course of the past year, you and Gigi and crossed paths with The Light In The Darkness and fallen short despite your best efforts. Shortly after Taking Hold of the Flame, however.l.. well, Luz and I asked you both to step up and prove to us how badly you wanted to end our run as World Tag Team Champions, and you both delivered. You became a Supreme Champion at our expense... I'm going to be painfully honest, regaining the gold from the two of you at Rise to Greatness hasn't washed that bitter taste out of my mouth. Thankfully, the point of asking for that match to be elimination rules was to have a definitive winner, and while you could go the same route that Twisted & Sadistic did, the fact of the matter is that you were pinned on that night Katie, even if it wasn't by our hand. Luz and I weren't even legal at that point and had no reason to intervene, so you have no one to blame but yourself for how you and Gigi were eliminated.

If that's not enough, though... if you want to use this as your opportunity to get some payback, maybe even seek to win that Trios contract to step up and challenge for tag team gold one more time, then I want you to give me your best shot. I want you to prove that the Katie Steward I saw on that fateful Breakdown in Miami, Florida wasn't a one-time thing motivated solely by your quest to become a Supreme Champion. I want you to show me what made you a Hall of Famer... because that's how I'm going to keep stepping up my own game and proving that I'm just as dangerous on my own as I am with the woman I love fighting by my side.

Then, of course, there's Blake Mason... Blake, I vaguely remember you from when I first came to SCW before injuries unfortunately derailed everything for me, and the man I'm seeing now isn't quite the same man I remember from that point in time. I suppose you'll take that as a compliment because you want people to once again see you as the Blake Mason who will confidently step up and call his shot because he knows what he wants and will not let anyone stand in his way of getting it. You made it perfectly clear: in a few weeks, Breakdown will be coming to your hometown of Boston and you are determined to be the World Champion by the end of that show. It's why you went out of your way to attack the World Champion to announce your return, why you want that Trios contract to secure your ambition.

It's a bold move Blake... I just have to wonder if you truly thought everything through. After all, ignoring everything else in the works outside of Trios, both of your partners will also have their own contracts to use as they see fit should you win. Who's to say Katie won't try to cut in on your World Title plans like she did with the World Tag Title picture? Or that Josh won't use his to deny you what you want as karma for attacking him? And that, of course, is assuming your team even wins, and I'm going to make something clear to you right now Blake: for as nice and respectful as I am, I don't plan on letting my teammates down for even a second, so assuming you and Josh are able to put that whole incident aside and work together, know that if you want everything to fall into place exactly the way you want it... I'm going to make you earn it, fair and square, inside that ring.

And then there's Josh Hudson...”

Amelia pauses for a moment, collecting her thoughts as she turns to lock eyes with us again, knowing how much weight that particular name carries at this moment in time.

“Josh Hudson, the reigning SCW World Champion... I'd be lying if I said I didn't think that, in and of itself, would be a daunting task. You fought tooth and nail to earn that title at Rise to Greatness Josh, and I'd be blind if I didn't acknowledge that for everything I'm capable of as an in-ring technician, your experience certainly gives you one heck of an edge over me in that department. Even still, I threw everything I had at Xander two weeks ago to earn his respect, and I plan on earning yours as well, regardless of the end result. You've acknowledged that both Luz and I could very well be ready to break into the upper echelon, but this is my chance to know for sure how ready I am, how well I match up with a legend of your caliber, knowing that depending on how the cards all fall, there could come a time where I maybe find myself challenging you for that very title. I want to treat this encounter as exactly that: a test, to see how far I've come and how much farther I still have to go. I'm not going to shy away from locking up with a grappler of your skill and experience Josh, I'm going to use everything in my arsenal to make you take notice of exactly who I am.

Maybe the time where I can call myself a World Champion in SCW is still very far off, but I'm sure you of all wrestlers know that you miss 100% of the shots you don't take, and I owe it to those fans, my teammates, and most importantly, to myself, to give you the fight I know you want from me so you, just like Xander, can know exactly what I want each and every SCW fan to truly remember once the dust settles on this year's Trios Tournament:

Amelia Blythe is the real deal, and I'm going to show the world that for as great as I am teaming with Luz... my star is just as bright when I'm fighting on my own.”

With that, Amelia stands up and takes one last look down at the ring, visualizing how things may go later tonight come Breakdown. It's not going to be an easy vision to make into a reality, but Amelia knows she's not truly alone in this endeavor, and no matter what happens, she's determined to prove herself and make her mark, no matter what.