Taking Hold of the Flame 2026
#11
ooc: Time to introduce you all to the main character I've been running long before I showed up here in SCW with the Glimmer Sisters! The character of Nicholas Balthazar, the IC owner of the fed I'm currently running her in, is used with permission.



Welcome, one and all! I am Glitter Joy, champion of justice and smiles for all!

Now, I know some of you may not be familiar with me, but as you can see, I'm a bit of a clown and a magical girl! The best of both worlds! I put on shows both comedic and daring to keep all of you smiling and happy, but when push comes to shove and dark forces emerge threatening to wipe those smiles from your faces, I'm always the first line of defense to keep you happy and show evil it's not wanted in this world!

Take this, for example: not that long ago, I engaged in a thrilling battle of epic proportions against my arch-nemesis, the dreaded Sideshow Psycho. I mean it, the guy genuinely acts like a bloodthirsty monster and doesn't care who he hurts so long as he can think he rules the world. Sure, he's of the sideshow variety, but he's a fellow clown and should be making you all feel giggly and joyful! I don't know why he has such a problem with that, or why he can't seem to leave me alone, but I refuse to ever let evil triumph over good. If someone like him were to have his way... would that really be a world worth living in?

Anyway, I stepped up to right a wrong he'd committed by stealing the world title belt of power I held so proudly. It's not the first time he's taken something like that from me, but the good people of Pacific Coast Wrestling deserve a champion who truly cares about them and wants them to go home happy! So, I fought with all of my funny magical might, making sure I didn't fall for the same tricks that dastardly devil used last time. Finally, a little Glitter Carousel action opened the door for me to finish the show by hanging the Cotton Candy Moon in the sky, and now I've got my crown back! Hooray!

What's next for the magical clown who fights to put a smile on your face and chase the gloomy clouds away? Well, let's raise the curtains and find out! Spotlight up! Let's get on with the show!


???: Are you ready yet, Abby? Show starts in 15 minutes and everyone needs to be in their places now! Stop monologuing and make sure you get up on the tightrope!

Glitter Joy: I'm getting into character! Can't make sure the whole world's smiling if I don't set the scene properly, Kendra!

A sigh is the only response she got, but she still got the message loud and clear as she finished putting on her makeup. Who is she, you ask? Well, in the likely event you're new, the “she” in question is Abigail Graham, a young woman with big dreams and enough joy in her heart to rival the brilliance of a sunny day. Though, you'd be forgiven if the name is unfamiliar, because you may be more familiar with her alter ego: Glitter Joy, the magical clown girl and champion of justice and smiles.

And in case you're curious... yes, an opening monologue recapping her exploits is normal. Blame a lot of old animes who popularized the use of recaps in case you missed the previous week's exciting adventure.

Now, you're probably more confused than anything else. After all, magic doesn't truly exist in this world, and while there are unfortunately villains out there, none would fall into the category of “super” villains for the same reason. Truthfully, as a lifelong fan of both the circus and magical girl media, Glitter Joy was originally a stage persona Abigail concocted to try and blend her two most favorite things in the world together, even if she was technically only bringing one of her dreams to life. While magical girls may not be real, clowns and circus performers absolutely are, and they don't get much better than Abby Graham. While she's small in stature, she makes up for it with an agility, flexibility and energetic enthusiasm unlike any you've seen before. She loves performing, she loves bringing smiles to people's faces, and whether it's clowning around, flying across the trapeze or dancing along the high wire, she puts her all into every performance and makes so nobody who comes to any circus she performs at goes home without feeling like they just experienced true magic.

Now, you probably caught mention of wrestling in her little recap monologue, and now you're wondering... how the heck did someone like her end up in the wrestling business, let alone as a world champion somewhere?

While she'll spin you a completely different story, the reality is that it was entirely unintentional and somehow grew into the spectacle it is today.

While Abigail is a freelancer in the circus scene, never staying tied down to any one circus in her efforts to spread as much joy and excitement as possible, the main circus she used to frequently perform at was a business partner of a now-defunct traveling wrestling carnival. One of their shows saw the one and only Glitter Joy performing as part of the circus's contribution to help entertain the crowd, until their top champion, a man who went by the name Sideshow Psycho, apparently took issue with her mere existence and went off-script to drag her into a match... a match that she won on sheer acrobatic ability and “magical girl instincts.” From there, she somehow proved to be a natural, and while she still performs for circuses throughout the west coast area, her wrestling exploits have become her primary endeavor lately.

Likely because she can more believably breathe life into the whole “magical clown girl” concept she's fully embraced on a stage that doesn't care how wonderfully weird and quirky you present yourself as so long as you're willing to put up a good fight, and like any magical girl, Glitter Joy is a fierce and determined warrior beneath all the sparkles and sunshine.

Glitter Joy: Thank you for the reminder, Kendra. But you probably shouldn't broadcast that you know who I really am. Last thing we need is for another evil-doer coming after you just to get to me.

As Glitter Joy (now that her “transformation” is complete) finally steps out of her trailer and starts heading towards where she needs to ascend for her high wire act today, she flashes a dazzling grin to Kendra, her circus bestie. Maybe it doesn't always seem that way given how Kendra gets exasperated so easily with Abigail's antics, but the veteran acrobat does have a soft spot for the tiny star in pastel cotton candy swirls. She's followed Abigail virtually everywhere as far as the circus was concerned, had a hand in training her acrobatically, and she'll be the first to admit that “somebody's got to look out for the clown singing about cotton candy moons and vanquishing evil with a smile and a giggle.”

Kendra: I want so badly to tell you how absurd that sounds, but I can't exactly argue, can I? Makes me kind of happy EGC went under so I never have to be dragged into anything like that again. Heck, I don't know how on earth you even stand doing all that crazy wrestling stuff!

Glitter Joy: All I can say is that it just feels right. I'd explain more, but I think it's one of those things you just have to experience for yourself to understand because words will never do it justice.

Kendra opened her mouth to pry further, but thought better of it. Abigail was a weird little enigma, especially when she was fully immersed in this character she'd crafted for herself, but she did understand some truth to what the self-proclaimed funny heroine was trying to say. After all, she'd been performing acrobatic feats for most of her life, and nothing compared to the feeling of hearing a crowd go wild whenever she pulled off some breathtaking stunt. She knew Abigail felt the same way about performing for the circus, but to hear she felt the same way about wrestling? It could only be because that was a world that embraced the absurd as much as it personified athleticism, both of which described her friend to a tee.

Then again, considering her only direct experience with wrestling was through one of those old Extreme Grappling Carnival shows (the aforementioned wrestling carnival that shut down years ago) when some group kidnapped her as part of a stunt to try and lure Glitter Joy into a beatdown? Yeah, wrestling probably wasn't something she wanted to touch with a 50 foot pole anytime soon.

Kendra: Alright, I've got no room to argue with what makes you happy. Just... don't stretch yourself too thin, alright? Even “champions of justice and smiles” can get worn out by trying to juggle too much, and I'm not talking about the actual routine.

Glitter Joy did a “magical girl” pose, which was her way of saluting in acknowledgment, and that was enough for Kendra to part ways with her with a chuckle, proving that the magic of Glitter Joy was real... at least, as far as Abigail was concerned as her platform rose until she was up where she needed to be. She grabbed a variation of her “Cotton Candy Moon Wand” that she knew this particular circus kept in its inventory just for this particular act of hers, smiling at the ribbon that streamed from the bottom of it as she looked down from the shadows of the rafters at all the people smiling and laughing and having a good time as other acts performed below her.

Quiet moments like this reminded her of exactly why she chose this path. It was no different than waiting to make her entrance for a wrestling show, when she could peek out the curtain and see everyone eagerly awaiting the performance she was going to put on for them in her never-ending quest to vanquish evil and sorrow from the world... at least as far as Glitter Joy was concerned. For Abigail, just putting her all into everything she did and hearing the cheers of the crowd was enough to justify her place in this world and how far she'd come in trying to make her mark.

And yet, she couldn't help but question if it was ever enough.

Don't get her wrong, she'd accomplished a lot in the four years she'd been wrestling, far more than many often achieved in their entire careers. Still having a thriving career as a circus performer even if it felt like a bit more of a side hustle now? Very few people could pull off the kind of workload this young lady had chosen to carry on her shoulders.

There comes a point in every young heroine's life, however, where they question if the good they're doing is enough. For most, believing that's the case feels like an obligation because they're fighting evil that always seems to show up right in their own backyard, drawn to the fact that most evil masterminds believe that if there's a hero to fight them, that fight will go anywhere so it's better to bring the fight to them first, try to catch them off-guard. But while she's regained her position as the “hero of PCW” in winning back their world title recently from her longtime rival, she knows that there are other wrestling companies out there who could use a hand in trying to make sure good triumphed over evil.

One such place she'd heard about was known as Supreme Championship Wrestling.

Now, Abigail had attended a few shows whenever SCW had come around along the west coast, so long as her schedule was free, and she knew full well the company was far larger than the likes of anything wrestling-wise or maybe even circus-wise she'd ever encountered before. The thought of actually competing for them, however? Not once did it cross her mind, not because she didn't have the talent to belong there, but because she was certain she wouldn't be able to fully commit to their travel schedule without letting go of some of the things that had weaved themselves so thoroughly into her very being along the west coast.

However, she'd recently been told by PCW owner Nicholas Balthazar that he'd been contacted by someone on SCW's board with an interesting offer. Apparently they had a pay-per-view coming up and the marquee match on the card was a 40-person battle royal, where the winner went on to their biggest show of the year to challenge for their world title. Because SCW loved to include surprises to help round out such a field, especially since they apparently had some wrestlers who were too stubborn to actually want to participate for one reason or another, they had reached out to the smaller promotion and offered a spot in the battle royal to one of their wrestlers to help get the company some exposure. The only reason she knew about this was because, you guessed it, she was the wrestler Mr. Balthazar wanted to represent them.

Granted, she did earn the honor since he'd clarified he was going to offer it to whoever won her latest world title clash with Sideshow Psycho, proving once again that good triumphed over evil when the stakes were highest, but she still hadn't fully committed to the idea yet.

Even if it was for only one show, the possibility that she could pull this off would mean she'd have to stick around SCW longer, and she wasn't sure if Mr. Balthazar fully understood what that might mean yet... unless he did and already had something worked out with SCW about it. There was also the fact that SCW was often viewed as one of, if not the, top wrestling company in the world right now, and while Glitter Joy had shocked the world and made a name for herself over the span of four years, she wasn't sure if she was truly ready for that level of competition, despite all insistence that she was.

On the other hand, she'd checked in on them fairly recently, just in case she decided to go through with it, and she couldn't deny that the place could probably use someone like her even for a tiny bit. There was corporate corruption fueling an army trying to “fix” the way the business should work, that matter had seemingly corrupted one-half of who she would've assumed the top heroines would've been based on what she'd seen, there were a pair of twins who not only made a mockery of the sport but also a mockery of the very circus craft she championed. She saw tons of people who took things so seriously that they would probably get the wrong impression of her and brand her “evil” for not fitting their elite purist mold, people who'd become consumed by their sadness that they turned to the dark side to solve it... and all of that was just scratching the surface.

Glitter Joy: Could I make a difference in a place like that, though?

Ringmaster: Now, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for a very special act! You may know her as a stunningly talented wrestler who recently reclaimed the PCW world championship recently, but what is a champion of smiles if she can't put one on your faces? We are honored to welcome back to the high wire, the one and only... GLITTER JOY!

At hearing her cue from the ringmaster, Abigail shoved these thoughts to the back of her mind for now. After all, she had a job to do and a crowd who needed to be shown the glittery rainbow path to happiness to help them fight off the gloom and doom of a world that tried its hardest to put everyone down!

Glitter Joy: SPOTLIGHT UP! GLITTER TWIRL TRANSFORMATION!

Her lively, joyous call was accompanied by the sound of magical transformation music that was more at home in an anime of the 90s, maybe early 2000s if you were generous, before Glitter Joy literally flipped from her platform onto the high wire and into the spotlight, posing for the audience who erupted in cheers. The next few minutes were a sight to behold as she danced, twirled, flipped, and performed her little heart out, twirling her ribbon and even incorporating some clown antics and pratfalls that added an element of daring and danger to the spectacle, but always got the circus-goers cheering and laughing no matter what she did. Whether or not they truly believed she was some weird cross between a clown and a magical girl didn't matter... they were entertained, they were smiling, and they were happy, and that was all that mattered.

It was looking out over those happy faces down below as she performed an incredibly difficult series of ribbon twirls and corkscrew backflips where one wrong move would tangle her up and cause a legitimate problem when she realized that, even if for a single night, she could bring that to an SCW stage, and even if she didn't stick around for long, she could give those fans hope that everything would be alright, regardless of whatever happened with villains like CEO Frank Delatosso and his henchmen or twisted reflections of her like the Glimmer Sisters running around. And sometimes, the hope that shined the brightest could be born from a single sparkle of joy from someone willing to stand up and fight for what's right.

Abigail didn't even know when she'd finished performing, having become so consumed in the thrill of being Glitter Joy and bringing hope and smiles to the masses that the next thing she knew, she'd taken her bow and descended from the high wire, a bright smile on her face and a skip in her step. It truly was a feeling like no other, and she would happily get lost in it every day of her life if she could.

???: Well, that was quite the show.

Glitter Joy turned to acknowledge the compliment and the clapping that accompanied it, and she gasped at the sight of the familiar face grinning down at her. Never had she expected to see Nicholas Balthazar at any of her circus endeavors, considering the man was quite busy not only with running PCW, but also still having an active wrestling career of his own in a few other companies in the area.

Glitter Joy: Mr. Balthazar? What are you doing here?

Nicholas: What? I can't stop by and enjoy a show that puts a smile on my face?

Glitter Joy: I'm flattered, Mr. Balthazar, but I'd hate to think of anybody knowing you were here and thinking I was being given special treatment or anything. It's not right or fair.

At that, her boss in PCW nods, and his look grows more serious.

Nicholas: I was honestly just passing through and thought I'd stop by, and I did enjoy that insane routine you put on up there. I'd never do anything that brings my integrity into question or compromises what you believe in, Glitter Joy. That said... SCW needs an answer from me today on who's going to represent us in that battle royal. If I don't give them one, they're going to retract the offer and turn to somewhere else. I have a few other options if you really don't want to do this, but I truly think you'd benefit from that kind of opportunity as much as our whole company would.

Glitter Joy took a moment to think about it, weighing her options even though she knew exactly where her heart was guiding her. She's certain her decision was final the moment she saw all those smiling faces cheering her on up on the hire wire.

Glitter Joy: Mr. Balthazar? Tell SCW they're going to be getting your best and brightest warrior, and I'll gladly bring the fight for justice and smiles to Taking Hold of the Flame and give all those people the hope they desperately need for a brighter tomorrow.

With her decision made final, Glitter Joy knew what was next for the magical clown who fights to put a smile on your face and chase the gloomy clouds away. And if she had her way? Then SCW was in for a show unlike anything it had ever seen before, and when all was set and done, she was certain that SCW would forever know the name of the magical girl who brighten their night and helped to save the day.


The one and only champion of justice and shining beacon of hope and joy for all... Glitter Joy!
Reply
#12
The Man Who Could: Chapter Two
[Image: Soren-Cross-Banner.png]
Reply
#13
Marcus V. Lopez | Dresser Boys | “Rebirth”


Marcus walks into the arena. The site for SCW’s 2026 Taking Hold of the Flame event. He walks through the backstage area  and quickly notices how much things have changed since he’s last been around. Feeling severely underdressed in his old gym wore clothing compared to the fancy suits to most everyone around him. He seriously has no idea what he’s doing here.
“What am I doing here?” Marcus shakes his head in disbelief. He knows this is some crazy shit. He walks up to one of the stagehands backstage that looks to be helping with getting the event in order. “Hello. I’m here for the battle royal.”
“Oh, hi, that’s great. I’ll just get your information then take it to guerrilla, ok. Your name?” The very young intern looks at Marcus.
“Seriously. I’m in the SCW Hall of Fame.” Does she seriously not recognize him?
“Oh yeah, we got a lot of those in the battle royal this year.”
“Of course. That makes sense.” Marcus takes a breath already feeling the humiliation thinking he would like to impress them. “Marcus. Or MV.”
The intern smiles and tells him “Thanks. I’ll let the higher ups know you’re here.”
“Yeah.” Marcus nods along. He watches them walk away. He turns and heads to the locker room with his bag over his shoulder.

You’re probably surprised to see me here. I didn’t think I’d be back for another run. I’m probably not. I know you’re all wondering about where in the world have I been the last few years. For the most part it's all very boring. That is until I reconnect with my daughter, Isabella. She got into NYU so she lives close by and we have a lot of time together now. Also apparently I’m a much bigger influence than I realized when she decided she wanted to try out wrestling for herself. At first, I was against it. Still am, because I do like being alive and all. You know what though, She seems to really be enjoying herself…
A bit of a montage of shows over the last couple of months. The Legacy Dolls having a bit of success on the independence. The word had spread viral all over social media about a hot new masked tag team shocking championship win. The camera then lingers on Isabella’s partner. Her blonde hair flowing out behind her mask.
That’s Ash. Isabella’s apparent best friend that she met in college. I don’t know anything about her. She’s very secretive. Can’t really figure who she is. They’re a team though and somehow I got roped in as their manager. So hopefully as long as Isabella gets her fill of this wrestling bug and gets out of it and I’m still alive. Everything should be good. Nobody would be the wiser anymore.


Marcus walks around the arena looking for the locker room area so he can get ready for the big show. He arrives in the area where most of the participants are gathered. A few of them are warming up. Getting themselves loose and limber for the big rumble match. Marcus’ eyes become fixated on one talent. They stretch one of their legs straight up into the air and hold it there for a few minutes. Like a ballerina. Marcus’ entire body suddenly feels a whole lot of pain from just watching.
“Nope. This is not for my year or any year.” Marcus has seen enough. He definitely is not interested in waking up tomorrow morning unable to move because his own body is sore.
Marcus spins around to try and find some backdoor so he can sneak out before anyone notices him. Or before Sparky decides to show up. However something much worse happened when Marcus turned the corner. Coming face to face with another familiar face that of Robert Sparklett, an old rival.
“Sparklett.” Marcus looks on horrified seeing him.
“Well, well, well look at whose back. I was expecting this.” Sparklett stares back at Marcus giving him a bit of an evil stare.
“But, I haven’t been around in years. How would you know I’d be back?” Marcus questions him.
“Oh, I got the newsletter. Read every issue. I like to stay up to date and in the know of what’s happening everywhere. Now to my surprise I found a certain someone who showed up at a local show in New York.” Sparklett pulls out the said newsletter and flashes the evidence at Marcus.
Marcus gasps, staring at it. “Buy 1, Get 1 Free Drinks with any Combo Order”?
“Ok, so I don’t have the issue on me. I’m not a loser.” Sparklett laughs at the accusation.
“You mean nerd.” Marcus corrects him.
“Whatever. I don’t know what you’re up to, but whatever it is, you’re not getting away with it.” Sparklett points a finger in Marcus’ face. He walks away in disgust.
“I’m just trying to leave.” Marcus pleads.
“Leaving.” Sparky shows up standing next to him. “You can’t leave. Not now. You made a promise. Do you remember?”
Marcus takes a deep breath. “Yes.”

Marcus walks with his daughter, Isabella back to her dorm on NYU campus after spending the day together.
“This is nice.” Marcus smiles. He hasn’t seemed this happy in years.
“Yeah. It’s been great getting to know each other. Also I’m so happy that you’ve calmed down about the whole wrestling thing. I know how mom feels about it, but Ash and I were talking about it. We just thought it might be fun to try out. Who knew that we were good.” Isabella laughs. She was amazed at just how much she enjoyed it.
“Well, I mean, you are my daughter. So it’s not really that much of a surprise that you’ll be gifted. People always said I was special. Got a lot of looks my way.” Marcus continues to smile.
“Why don’t you get back into the ring, Dad?”
“What? No. I can’t do that. I’m pretty much retired.” Marcus shakes his head, refusing the idea.
“Come on, isn’t there some little part in you that wants to give it another go. Like Ash and I actually won our debut and I saw you. You were smiling. You looked really happy.” Isabella nudges her dad in the arm pushing him a little.
“Ok, sure. That was a nice moment. A lot of things were running through my head also. Me wrestling again. That is not one of them.”
Isabella lowers her head. Looking a little disappointed. “I understand. I know seeing me happy is probably all the happiness that you want to see from now on. I was just thinking that I also want to see you happy. Didn’t mom tell me that it was your dream of winning the big one?”
“Yeah, she might have said that. It’s also the reason why she hates it and blames me for ruining everything. Also why will she kill me if she finds out you’re doing it now.”
“Yeah, I know and I told you, Ash and I are being very careful about that.” Isabella tries to make her dad less stressful over it, but she continues to push on a return. “I just, I would love to see you wrestle in a ring and not old matches on a jail broken firestick.”
“Hey, Sparky paid a lot of money for that. It was definitely worth it too.”
“Right. Just do it for me. I’ll be rooting for you.” Isabella hugs her dad. She turns and heads into her dorm finally reaching the end of their walk together.
“Return to the ring.” Marcus says to himself. “I can’t do that. Can I?”


“I wasn’t talking about that promise.” Sparky interrupts.
“Of course, you’re probably referring to some obscure promise that I apparently made to you.” Marcus getting pissy with him.
“As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what I was referring to. Don’t forget this was our goal long before you reconciled with your daughter.” Sparky puts his arm around Marcus and spins him around. Leading him back inside towards the arena. “Sure Taking Hold of the Flame is one of the most stressful and grueling experiences one can endure. One false move and you’re flat on your ass and it’s all over. You got me though. I’ll make sure you reach the finish line. Then you can look like a champion for Isabella.”
“I was just there. Watching everyone pairing for it. I already hurt.”
“That is not a problem, Marcus. I can help slim down the competition.” Sparky winks at Marcus with sinister intention.
“No. We’re not poisoning anyone or breaking kneecaps. Or giving explosive diarrhea."
“Sorry about that.” Sparky lowers his head a bit ashamed.
“Those cookies were delicious though.”
“Ok fine. I’ll be on my best behavior then, but you’re not leaving. Not until after we win this thing. Now if you don’t mind. I’ll just go and take some notes on your competition. I’m sure knowing weaknesses for strategicness  is something you’ll be ok with.” Sparky wanders off into the crowd leaving Marcus alone.
Marcus stands there. He thinks of what Sparky said. Remembering Isabella’s words. So he’s probably going to be in a lot of pain after this. Though it’ll probably be something Isabella would always remember seeing. Marcus nods his head along. “It’ll be worth it.”
Marcus looks up and from across the room he sees Robert Sparklett watching him. Sparklett making the ‘watching you’ jester. Marcus slowly turns and hurries away. Far away from the lunatic.[/i]
[Image: wk3BgLS.jpeg][Image: mFro5V6.jpg]
Reply
#14
RP 1: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cpg1...sp=sharing
Reply
#15
First for Taking Hold of the Flame. I had a lot of fun writing this.

Enjoy.

[Image: syren-divider.png]

The Syren Song: Verse 431
"The Devil absolutely can get pregnant"
[Image: syren2021.png]
Reply
#16
OOC: Posting Luz's RP from the World and Tag Title match here so it can count for both matches.
----------------------------------

La Pequeña Luz felt like her entire world was shattering around her... and she had no idea what to do to save it.

For months now, Luz had watched her wife fall further and further into frustration, letting her setbacks eat away at her even though Luz knew, better than anybody, just how good Amelia truly was. They'd both been through rough patches but ultimately pulled themselves out of those ruts with one big win, and Amelia had done just that when she won the right to become number one contender to the World Title in her home country, even succeeding where Luz had failed when it came to Retribution, the pay-per-view that always seemed to haunt them.

She never knew just how far Amelia had seemed to fall... nor could she convince herself that any of it was real.

When Amelia had seemingly vanished after that Breakdown in Nashville two months ago, Luz had struggled to justify it. Worst case scenario, she figured Amelia was simply avoiding her out of fear and shame for whatever Luz thought about the reveal of her allegiance to Frank Delatosso and this 'new order' he was preaching now. It wasn't ideal, but Luz could at least understand and try to reassure Amelia that she didn't hold her frustrations against her.

Never, not even in Luz's absolute worst nightmares, did she ever think she would see the day Amelia Nevado would be among The Empire.

The only thought that made any sense in her mind was that Amelia had been abducted by them... but based on what little evidence she was working with, Amelia looked more like a willing member than someone who was under The Empire's banner by force.

Looking back on the past month or so, a lot of things finally began to click. While Amelia had been actively trying to avoid her backstage for the most part, how cold and distant she'd been couldn't have been the CEO's doing. Delatosso may have started fancying himself as the man who 'needed' to steer the ship in SCW, but not even he understood Amelia well enough to drag traces of her old self out. That was straight out of the playbook of The Empire's self-proclaimed lord.

Unfortunately for both of the manipulators that had gotten their hooks into her wife, La Pequeña Luz was never someone who backed down from a challenge, especially when someone she cared about was at the heart of the issue.

While this past Breakdown had made it clear to Luz that, despite what both she and Amelia had ended up claiming, there were some cracks in the foundation of The Light In The Darkness, as evidenced by the disjointed way they had ultimately beaten Hollywood, it also proved that Amelia wasn't beyond saving. Luz had seen it... the slight hesitations from Amelia whenever she was brought up, the contemplation over the fact that Luz was still willingly trying to support her and give her the moment she'd earned, the fact that Amelia had listened to her and let go of some of her frustration when Luz tagged herself into the match.

It was subtle, but Luz's haphazard idea of a plan was working, and she couldn't afford to give up now, regardless of what she'd seen.

In order to make the next crucial step a reality, however, she would have to overcome her most daunting challenge yet... and hope Amelia understood why she was doing this.

First, she needed to help Amelia retain her World Championship, and try to secure their record-tying fourth reign as World Tag Team Champions together in the process, by dealing with the Glimmer Sisters and their deranged challenge. The only thing Luz would honestly give Gia and Gina credit for is screwing up any plans Delatosso had to try and keep her and Amelia completely separated, because by forcing this scenario with Gina's Trios contract all just because their egos couldn't comprehend that she and Amelia had earned their status and reputation, it gave Luz the opportunity she'd been hoping for to finally try to communicate with her wife and repair that rift that had formed between them.

It wasn't perfect as she'd been unable to get a private moment to try and discuss everything, and she wondered if Delatosso was onto her or just trying to play nice with her to prove his claims of 'opportunities for all who've earned it' true, but it was an in she had to make the most of while she had it.

She just wished her next match teaming with Amelia didn't have to be in their underwear... for that, the Glimmers might actually find out what happens when Luz stops being the ball of sunshine and hope she's always prided herself on being.

Once that mess was behind her and Amelia had her place in the Rise to Greatness main event, the next half of the challenge needed to see Luz claim the spot in that match as Amelia's challenger. To do that, she was going to have to push through whatever the Glimmers do to her and successfully pull off a daunting task that she'd come nowhere close to doing before: winning the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal.

At least she'd be able to wrestle that match while wearing proper attire.

Obviously, that was quite the challenge for anybody to pull off, considering she would have to overcome 39 other wrestlers all fighting for the same thing... but that was where she believed her edge lie. Everyone else in this match was fighting solely for a World Title shot and the honor of main eventing Rise to Greatness. While she'd be more than happy to lay claim to both herself, they were secondary to the primary reason she felt she had to win this match, and that was getting Amelia in the ring one-on-one.

“Wrestling helped work before,” she told herself. “It's what brought us together and helped us understand one another, and if I can make this happen, I know I can get through to her again and bring her back.”

She could sound more confident in the idea, but Luz knew she was working against a lot of unknowns here. There were the obvious ones, such as when she'd enter the battle royal or who would enter the match that hadn't been publicly confirmed yet, or even how she'd be feeling after fighting to complete phase one of this plan first. But then there was the unknown only she knew about that haunted the back of her mind: just how deep in Caleb's clutches was Amelia?

“No, don't think for a second he's completely changed her,” Luz shook her head to exile that thought from her brain. “You got through to her when she was completely under her parents' thumb for years... that psicópata has had her for nowhere near as long and I know she's still in there somewhere.”

Luz paced back and forth in front of the whiteboard she'd set up in her D.C. hotel room at some point, which she knew had drawn some concern since Luz was usually never a planner to this degree and had already admitted that this particular plan may as well have been held together by duct tape and fragments of hope. The only reason no one in her found family had done anything about it was because Luz had explained it was to help her brain focus on exactly what she needed to do to hopefully pull this off, and given that everyone was well aware by now she had ADHD, it was a sound and responsible argument on her part.

That still didn't stop them from checking in on her and making sure she hadn't started spiraling herself, and a knock at her door snapped her out of her thoughts. She could only sigh and chuckle to herself, feeling a little annoyed but grateful that everyone was trying to look out for her... as well as guilty over the thought that she hadn't tried hard enough to keep Amelia from slipping to this low point.

Of all the people she'd expected to see standing on the other side when she opened the door, Paul hadn't been one of them. Maybe it was still the shock of seeing him again after he'd abruptly left them to supposedly make sure his family (which he'd never mentioned having until that day) was alright, maybe it was still the weird feeling she couldn't quite identify whenever he was around, but it didn't change the fact that she just didn't think for a second he'd be willing to check up on her. Seeing him here now was a pleasant surprise... or at least, she hoped it was pleasant, considering he'd been the one to break the news about Amelia's place in The Empire now.

“Can I help you with something, Paul?” she asked.

“My apologies Luz,” he bowed his head a bit. “I just wanted to check up on you and see how you were doing. I... can't imagine the bad news I shared a few days ago has been sitting well with you.”

“It hasn't,” Luz honestly admitted, “but it also hasn't derailed my efforts. If anything, it's made me more determined than ever to try and figure out what's going on so I can help Amelia back from the edge.”

It had been strange enough that Paul hadn't apologized for sharing the news about Amelia to her, as human beings naturally felt inclined to do because no one wanted to be the bearer of bad news and see someone hurting because of it, but she also didn't miss the confused look he gave her over her response.

“That's quite...” he seemed to stumble a bit in figuring out what he wanted to say to that. “Some would probably call that stubborn.”

“Maybe,” Luz shrugged, “but I've never been one to give up on people. If I do, then they're truly lost, and I know the woman I love is still in there, no matter what Caleb thinks he's probably done to her.”

“...may I come in?” Paul asked, almost coming off like he wanted to change the subject all of a sudden.

Luz contemplated for a moment before she stepped aside and let him in, though she decided to leave the door open just in case. She hated not fully trusting Paul, but too much about the guy just didn't add up despite the kindness she'd showed him and she wasn't about to lose the ability to call for help if she needed it. For his part, Paul seemed to focus primarily on the whiteboard where the next phase of Luz's 'plan' had been scribbled into existence.

“This is... quite a daunting task you've burdened yourself with,” he admitted. “Are you sure you'll be able to-”

Paul had started turning to face Luz again as he spoke, but he cut himself off when his eyes landed on the bed. Luz, for her part, felt her face go crimson beneath her mask as she quickly dove towards the bed, grabbing the lingerie she'd had laid out and cramming it into her bag with an embarrassed laugh. The lingerie wasn't anything that screamed 'sexy' and probably wasn't going to win her and Amelia the contest portion of the mortifying nightmare that awaited her in Las Vegas, and she wished she didn't even need to devote any thought to that at all, but it still embarrassed her that she'd forgotten to pack it up before letting someone else into her room.

“Lo siento,” she shakily apologized. “I forgot I had that out...”

Paul just gave her a look that could only be labeled as pure disgust, but he let out a pained sigh and turned his gaze back to the whiteboard. “I wish I hadn't seen that, but I also wish you and Amelia didn't even need to compete in such revealing attire. It's unbecoming of a woman to show so much of herself to strangers, and SCW should have outright declined such an ill-fitting display.”

“Believe me, if I had any say in this matter, I wouldn't touch this match with a 5000 foot pole,” Luz tried to reassure him, her own disgust over the Lingerie Showdown leaking through. “Like it or not, though, Trios contracts are ironclad and the Board rarely says no to any idea, especially one as... ugh... unique as this.”

“It's truly sad the way this world is,” Paul lamented. “Women being forced to flaunt themselves against their will, women who willingly show themselves off and call it empowerment, those who hide their true intentions from the people who care about them and are led astray-”

“Hey!” Luz suddenly snapped, startling Paul a bit. “I don't know how Amelia ended up in The Empire's clutches, but there's only one person to blame for that and it's their narcissistic leader and his god complex.”

“Are you quite sure about that, Luz?” Paul questioned. “Hasn't she been lashing out at you all year, frustrated over her failures and your successes? Isn't she the crown jewel of this 'new order' formed by SCW's CEO? And, if I read the 'rules' of this match correctly... don't you risk sending her even deeper into this proverbial abyss if you score the win and take that World Title from her?”

Luz felt her hands trembling as Paul dug rather deep with these theories of his, her skin crawling because he wasn't exactly wrong. He may have been trying to blame Amelia for all of this, but it ignited the embers deep in Luz's mind of how much of this she felt was her own fault for not trying to do something sooner. The inferno that resulted, however, resulted in Luz suddenly standing up and getting in Paul's face as best as she could, given how much taller he was compared to her.

“That's enough!” she yelled, something that definitely caught Paul off-guard. “I know Amelia far better than you do... you're not wrong, but you're also not right either, and you're starting to really cross a line again, Paul. Yeah, that risk is real, but I do not plan on letting this match end any other way than Amelia being the one who leaves as World Champion. I'll have plenty more chances to reach the top of the mountain, but you and everyone in SCW don't understand that this isn't about me! And before you bring up the battle royal... yeah, I plan to win, and if I beat Amelia for the World Title at Rise to Greatness, then so be it. But I'm not doing this to outshine her... I'm doing this because wrestling her is my best chance to save her, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen! The biggest stage, the brightest spotlight, the highest stakes... no excuses, nothing but the very best we know we can give each other. I have to make that a reality... even if I have to put up with wrestling in an uncomfortable situation to do it, even if I have to survive a test of endurance the likes of which I've never faced before. I would walk through Hell itself if I had to for the woman who means everything to me!”

Luz felt her fury starting to lose steam as she took deep, heavy breaths, turning away from Paul to let him really think about her words. Luz never snapped like that... not without good reason, and for as much as she wanted to give Paul the benefit of the doubt, he was pushing her to a place she really didn't want to be right now... but knew she might have to be in order to get the results she wanted at Taking Hold of the Flame, be one step closer to fixing everything.

“My apologies, Luz,” Paul said, though Luz wasn't so lost in her emotions that she missed the strange tone to his voice. “I was just concerned for you is all, and I just don't want you to get hurt. I can see how much this means to you, and I want to help however I can... even if that means helping you win this showdown thing. Perhaps it would help if you considered leaving your mask-”

Paul never got the chance to finish that sentence.

Any good luchador had a sixth sense when it came to their mask, as it was an integral part of the identity they built for themselves in the culture of lucha libre and Mexico as a whole. You always had to be prepared to defend yourself against anybody wanting to see beneath it... and that instinct had Luz seizing Paul's hand before it got anywhere near the laces before she threw a back elbow with her other arm, sending Paul stumbling back. Still, even though Paul absolutely deserved it for getting caught red-handed trying to mess with her mask, Luz still felt bad that she'd hit him in the first place.

She opened her mouth to apologize to him... only for her words to die in her throat as Paul pulled himself together. Except... it wasn't Paul's face that was staring back at her. The long brown hair, the bushy beard... they'd been knocked askew. There was a familiar scar across the bridge of his nose that hadn't been there before, no longer hidden beneath makeup. Everything suddenly made sense... the attempts to 'help' that sounded more like subtle gaslighting, the insistence on being involved in things that didn't concern him, the overall uncomfortable feeling whenever he was around...

“...Caleb White...” Luz managed to say, her blood running cold as she locked eyes with The Empire's leader... and the man who had been masquerading as a target of theirs for almost a year now.

“Well...” Caleb huffed, no longer using an over-exaggerated version of his British accent as he slowly pulled the fake hair off his head. “Bravo, Luz, you've uncovered the truth. You even know before Amelia figured it out. Although... she did get close. It must be painful, knowing your wife made such a reckless mistake that put everyone in danger and choosing to keep you in the dark anyway.”

Luz wanted to respond, tried to force herself to respond, but it felt like her body had been struck by lightning. She could feel all of her nerves on fire, her legs shaking, her hatred torn between the man who was trying to destroy her life for his own 'salvation' and herself for being stupid enough to let any of this happen.

'Had Amelia truly known? Is that why she...?'

Before Luz could begin to spiral, she saw Caleb casually moving towards the door. He was saying something, probably gloating in that self-righteous tone of his, but Luz didn't hear any of it... all she could focus on was the fact that he thought he was just going to walk away after he'd broken whatever hope she was still clinging to.

“Hey!” she yelled, cutting off whatever she was saying as she lunged for him. Caleb quickly stepped out of the room and booked it down the hall, moving surprisingly fast for a man his age. Luz pursued him like a wild animal, refusing to let him get away after everything he'd done as she chased him all the way down the stairs and into the front lobby, which immediately grabbed the attention of everyone there... including her loved ones.

They tried to ask her what was going on, tried to even stop her, but she couldn't hear them. She was hellbent on making sure Caleb didn't get away, and as soon as they saw The Empire leader trying to flee, they moved to help her without question.

Unfortunately, Caleb wasn't going to let his plans be ruined any further as he tossed something behind himself, which detonated in a thick black cloud of smoke that obscured him. While that slowed down the others, that didn't stop Luz from barreling through the smoke and lunging... only to grab nothing as she tumbled onto the sidewalk. She looked around frantically, but unfortunately, Caleb had managed to escape, and she could only pound the pavement and let out the most heart-wrenching scream anyone had ever heard from her.

“Luz?” she heard Avery asked as all but Darius and Evie carefully approached her, concern etched all over their faces as the other two NCA agents worked to clear the smoke and make sure anyone else in the lobby was alright.

“There was no Paul...” she finally choked out in a voice that tore at everyone's hearts. “He was Caleb all along... and I let him be one of us... I was just trying to... to...”

She couldn't keep going after that, and no one could blame her. This revelation rocked all of them, and even those who suspected Paul of being an Empire spy never once thought it was actually their leader himself getting his hands dirty... taking advantage of Luz's trust and caring nature.

She may have been devastated, but what Caleb didn't realize is that he didn't break La Pequeña Luz on this night... he only ignited an inferno that was more determined than ever to make things right.

Even if it meant letting the flame consume her to fix this mess... fix the mess that she felt responsible for.
[Image: uKMzpho.png]

Tag Team Record: 30-12-1*
La Pequeña Luz Solo Record: 25-13
Amelia Blythe Nevado Solo Record: 19-16-1**

*The tag team turmoil on the 9/14/2023 Breakdown is counted in this record as the three separate matches (2 wins, 1 loss) LITD had in the gauntlet up until their elimination.

**The Underground Championship Breakdown Turmoil match from the 2/19/2026 Breakdown is counted as both 1 win and 1 loss in this record as Amelia did win an Underground Title reign out of it, but also lost the title as well and was unable to finish the match as champion.

Breakdown 3/30/2023 - Kim Williams' Trios Cash-In
La Pequeña Luz: 3 Falls
Amelia Blythe Nevado: 2 Falls
*Neither one finished high enough to win any championships in this match
*Result listed separately and not counted in records due to lack of clarity on how to count falls

SCW Accomplishments
SCW World Tag Team Championship [3] (1 - 81 Days) (2 - 109 Days) (3 - 231 Days)
SCW World Championship (Amelia Nevado - Current)
SCW United States Championship (La Pequeña Luz) [3] (1/Interim Reign - 94 Days) (2 - 98 Days) (3 - 93 Days)
SCW Television Championship (Amelia Blythe Nevado - 29 Days)
SCW Television Championship (La Pequeña Luz - 98 Days)
SCW Underground Championship (Amelia Nevado - >1 Day)
2024 Trios Tournament Winner (Amelia Blythe Nevado, w/ Xander Valentine and Billy Heaven Jr.)
2023 Tag Team of the Year
2023 Match of the Year (Kim Williams' Trios Cash-In)
2024 Tag Team of the Year
Reply
#17
[Image: vJXLyBV.png]
Reply
#18
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JT5w...sp=sharing
SCW Star of Tomorrow — (2024)
SCW Television Champion (1x) — 60 Days


Reply
#19
(Belmont) "Welcome to the Dark Carnival"

OOC Notification: David Belmont, Dante Lannister, Gabriel Walker, & the Rabbit all appear with the permission of ECWF. All apologies for Belmont's... opinions.

He is rather full of himself, no denying that folks. Again, apologies if needd.
Reply
#20
"What's in a name?"
- William Shakespeare



[Image: dove-cameron-gif-4890799164357161511.gif]



Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 7 Guest(s)