Twelve Person Tag Match

[HardyGirl]

SCW's First Ever 12 Person Tag Team Match
Bree Lancaster, Datura, Cassie Wolfe, Magical Cosmic Princess YUYO, Glory Braddock & Kelsai Adamson vs. James Evans, La Pequena Luz, Amelia Blythe, Polly Playtime, Colleen & Aisling


Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Saturday, February 4, 2023
2 RP Limit for singles; 2 RP Limit PER CHARACTER for tag (no word limits in play)

[Braddock]

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January 26th, 2023
Atlanta, Georgia
Off Camera
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The State Farm Arena is busy at the moment; busy with people rushing to and fro as SCW officials take down the set, other employees and wrestlers get ready to leave the arena either for their hotel room or to head to the next stop. In this case the next stop is Nashville, Tennessee and Body, Heart, & Soul. After this evening’s events, “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock is looking forward to continuing her march towards her goals. Selfishly, materialistically, her goals are to hopefully push forward and either achieve a tag team championship match or a television championship match, as she needs both titles to finally become Supreme Champion. But Glory has other much more personal goals in mind as well.

Braddock has been dealing with a triple threat of crises the past several months. First, her biological mother, Maria Kurinsky, passed away. This left a void in her heart and soul and it nearly drove her mad. Then she began to hear rumors of a possible hostile takeover of her company. The potential suspects; board member Floyd Ryan or minority shareholder Aurora Alan. Last, but certainly not least, Glory’s oldest daughter, Melinda Braddock, not only had drifted further away from her but also began dating Clyde Sutter, a bitter family rival. The British Bombshell managed to deal with the grief and loss of her mother and even managed to mend fences with her daughter. But to ensure her company was safe and secure, Glory knew she had to go back to a dark place within her own soul. Through manipulation and deception, Glory got rid of both Floyd Ryan and Aurora Alan. Floyd Ryan was arrested by federal authorities and Aurora Alan’s power was severely weakened. Braddock was safe once more. All threats were eliminated.

Still, at what cost did this come? Glory had to go deep into her darkest self in order to accomplish this and she found herself spiraling out of control. The darkness she unleashed spilled over into her SCW career. After winning the SCW United States Championship she tried to rename it the United Kingdom Championship, a slap to the face of a country that had been very welcoming and kind to her. She betrayed the trust of many people she once called allies, namely Selena Frost. Why? Just so she could achieve her own selfish designs? Just so she could market herself and promote herself? It didn’t do any good. She would lose the United States Championship in her first defense of the gold, she failed to win the next Trios Tournament, and then when she transitioned towards trying to become Supreme Champion she has yet to get any traction. Yet the one thing that still makes her feel the most guilt is the loss of her fan support. Sure, people like Asher Hayes, Selena Frost, Owen Cruze, and others no longer trust her, but her fans, she betrayed them. They are forgiving fans, they have forgiven her before, but the guilt of knowing that she turned her back on her fans eats away at her conscience.

Body, Heart, & Soul is coming up and Glory Braddock already knows what awaits her is a twelve person tag. She will be teaming with Bree Lancaster, Datura, Cassie Wolf, YUYO, and Kelsai Adamson. The history she shares with Bree and Kelsai is not lost on Glory. That alone makes this match challenging, but it is a necessary challenge on her quest for redeeming herself and achieving Supreme Championship status. Every journey has its beginning point. This is the beginning of Glory’s next journey.

Her match against Asher Hayes has already come to its conclusion and Glory Braddock has changed out of her ring gear and into her standard casual attire. The British Bombshell typically dresses to the nines but tonight she isn’t feeling it. She is wearing a much simpler attire of denim jeans, simple black flats, a black crop top, and a simple black jacket. Her long blonde hair hangs straight and unrestrained to past the shoulders. After tonight, and with Body Heart & Soul just over the horizon, The British Bombshell just wants to get out of here as quickly as possible and make her next plans and preparations. She walks the halls with bags in hand hoping that she won’t run into anyone; unfortunately that hope is dashed when she happens to spot someone very familiar to her standing right in her path; her cousin, Angelica Jones.

“Going somewhere, Glory?” Angelica asks with a note of humor in her voice. Jones is dressed in a knee length black pencil skirt, black patent leather high heel pumps, a red silk blouse, and her signature black leather jacket.

“Trying to leave for my hotel. Or maybe I’ll just go straight to Miami? Either way, I don’t plan to stay here very long.”

“That’s a shame. I was hoping to talk.”

“I don’t really feel like talking, mate.” Glory says as she tries to side step her cousin. Angelica is ready for this and she steps in front of Glory’s path again. Braddock sighs out of frustration and shakes her head. “Seriously, Angel, I’m not interested tonight. I’m tired and I just want to go.”

“Really?” Angelica shakes her head. “Glory, you just lost to Asher. The way you had been acting lately most would have expected you to just walk away and let Kandis beat his ass. But not you. You saved him. Quite frankly, I’d like to know what’s going on in your head.”

“I did the right thing and you think something’s wrong?”

“Yeah, especially considering that doing the right thing hasn’t been your M.O. lately. So I would like to know what is going on. I’m sure that your partners for the twelve person tag would love to know what’s going on in your head.”

“Is that so?” Glory rolls her eyes. “They can wait. Whether I’m loved or hated, I always do my job, I always hold up my end of the bargain in any team I am a part of. Bree, Datura, Cassie, YuYo, and Kelsai can trust me and I’m pretty sure they know it.”

“It’s not that easy and you know it.” Angelica shakes her head. “But a good first step would be to let me in, open up and let me talk to you for just a moment.”

“I’m not interested.” Again Glory tries to sidestep her cousin but again Angelica gets in her way.

“Too bad because I think it is long past time that we talked.”

“Bloody hell…” Glory sets her bags down and then proceeds to rub her temples, as if she has a headache. Angelica is giving her a mental headache. Her red headed cousin has always been very stubborn and Glory knows that avoiding this conversation is unlikely. Therefore she relents and decides to give Angelica what she wants. Glory shrugs her shoulders. “Fine, we can talk. What do you want?”

“Look, I’m not trying to be annoying…”

“Could have fooled me, mate.” Glory answers back sharply.

“...I’m just worried about you. Other people look at you and what you’ve been doing lately and they may think it’s just you and your quirks, its just you being you. But I know you better than them because we are family. I know the real you, not the persona, the front that you give to everyone else behind the scenes and in front of the camera.”

“You know me, eh?” Glory chuckles softly. “By all means, tell me who I am. I would love to know that myself, to be honest.”

“I know you are a good person. Deep down inside you are a good person who has a strong moral compass, a strong belief in right and wrong. And I have noticed that the past few months that good person I used to know has slowly but surely become an overbearing, arrogant bitch.” Angelica states plainly. Glory winces upon hearing this. It may be the truth but it still hurts coming from her cousin.

“A bitch, huh?” Glory nods her head. “I admit that I haven’t been acting like myself lately.”

“That’s an understatement.”

Angelica motions for Glory to follow her. Braddock really wants to leave but she is too deep in this now. She picks up her bags and follows her cousin a short distance to where some folding chairs are propped up against a wall. Jones takes two of them and set them up. She sits down in one and Glory sits down in the other. Angelica folds her arms over her chest and stares deep into her cousin’s heart, piercing into her soul.

“That’s not the only thing that concerns me. If you becoming arrogant and overbearing were it then I wouldn’t be here right now. Hell, I have had my own moments where my ego gets the best of me and I start acting a little delusional myself. But with you there’s something different. Just the last couple of weeks you have changed. You kicked Amelia to the curb, wanting to go it alone. Now suddenly you are all apologetic for how you’ve been acting the last few months. A complete 180 degree turn from how you have been.”

“So I saw the error of my ways and I want to make things right. Is there a problem with that?”

“The problem is how quickly all of this came about. You went from the good person I knew, to an overbearing bitch, back to that good person all within a year.” Angelica shakes her head. “It doesn’t make sense to me. I think something is wrong.”

“You’re the bloody delusional one, Angel.” Glory states defiantly. “I am fine.”

“You’re not fine.” Angelica says, putting the pressure on. “Something is bothering you. I can tell.”

“You can tell what? You can tell how much I’m hurting? Is that it?” Glory shakes her head. “Good for you. I still don’t want to talk about it or anything with you.” There is a tense pause while Angelica and Glory lock eyes. The Boston native sighs and shakes her head.

“Look, you ARE hurting and yes, I can sense it. But whether you want to admit or not we are family and I will not stop or let you leave until you let me help.” A grin forms on her face. “So you may as well open up, otherwise we’ll be here for a long time.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“As serious as a heartbeat.”

“Fine.” Glory rolls her eyes. “Look, I admit that many things have been troubling me lately. Some of them took a toll on me mentally and emotionally.”

“That’s better.” Angelica leans back in her chair. “Tell me all about it.”

“It all began when a member of my corporate board of directors, Floyd Ryan, came to me with rumors of a hostile takeover, about how people within my company were plotting against me. You remember how much it scarred me the last time I was removed from power. Paranoia began seeping back into my mind.”

“What did you do?”

“Ordinarily I would have went to my dad. But that was no longer possible so I went to my mum. At least, I WAS going to talk to her, but then she had a massive heart attack and died. And the icing on the cake was after her death I found out that my oldest child, my Melinda, was dating Clyde Sutter again.”

“Damn.” Angelica says softly. “Three major problems all at once.”

“So yes, you can see why I might have had a shift in attitude?” Glory sighs. “But I took care of all three problems. Everything is ok now. Hence why that ‘good person’ you knew so damn well is back. Now if you’ll excuse me…” Glory tries to stand up but Angelica grabs her arm and brings her back down into the seat.

“Not so fast.” Angelica smirks knowingly. “I don’t buy it.”

“Bloody hell…” Glory rolls her eyes “...I need to find my husband! Kurt probably got the car pulled around by now and is waiting on me so we can get back to the hotel!”

“Your husband can wait.”

“I should text him…” she goes for her cell phone but Angelica snatches it out of her hand and puts it to the side.

“Not so fast.”

“Damn it.”

“There’s something else there, isn’t there? There’s something you still are not telling me.”

“Bullshit!”

“Is it really bullshit?” Angelica asks curiously. “Answer me this, did you really get over the death of your mother?”

“I…” Glory tries to deny it but the words are not there. Instead the emotions and the memories of that painful time returns. Tears form in her eyes. Braddock shakes her head. “...I never…I couldn’t.” Glory begins to cry. Angelica feels a great sympathy for her cousin. She leans over and embraces her in a tight hug.

“It’s ok, Glory. This is helpful and healthy. Let it all out. I grieved too. She was my aunt.”

“Yes, she was your aunt. And I envy you.”

“Why would you envy me?” Angelica asks curiously.

“I spent my entire childhood in England. I didn’t leave for America until I was in my early to mid-twenties. But my mum? She didn’t always get along with dad. She didn’t agree with how damn much he devoted himself to wrestling. So they split up. They got a divorce and after the divorce, mum left England for America and I never saw her again or even spoke to her again until I made my professional debut in America.” Glory points a finger at Angelica. “You and Kayla, you actually had much more time with my mother than I did.”

“I always knew about your strained relationship with your mom but I thought you and your mom fixed that?”

“Yes, yes we did try to bond.” Glory nods her head. “It took awhile but it did finally work. We reconnected. But just as it stuck, just as we reconnected, that’s when she passed away.” Glory wipes the tears from her eyes. “I never got to have any of those special mother-daughter moments with her. So yes, I do envy you, Angel. You had some of those special moments that I never could have with her.”

“You envy me?” Angelica shakes her head. “Glory, dear cousin, I envy you. At least you did have the chance to spend some moments, however fleeting they may have been, with your mother. At least your final moments with your mother were mostly positive. The final memory I have of my mother was when she was murdered.”

“Angel, I…” Glory immediately regrets what she just said. She knows this story all too well.

“I was thirteen when our home was invaded. I was tied up and forced to watch as my mother was brutally murdered.” She taps her head. “Imagine what that does to a psyche?”

“I don’t…” Glory shakes her head “...I don’t want to think about it.”

“I still have nightmares about that day. I still have never truly gotten over her death.”

“Does the pain ever go away?”

“It never fully goes away.” Angelica says, shaking her head. “You can numb the pain. You can cope with it, learn to live with it, but you never just forget. It isn’t that simple. Besides, forgetting or repressing those memories and emotions can be unhealthy. Its best to try and deal with it the best way we can.”

“I’m afraid I have been trying to just forget that it ever happened.” Glory admits quietly. “I went to Aphrodite and decided to live out a fantasy, a fantasy where I was her daughter so that I would still have a mother. Was that a mistake?”

“Who am I to judge any alternative lifestyle?” Angelica shrugs her shoulders. “And if that helps you, then by all means go for it. Just don’t try to suppress the memories and emotions of your mother, of my aunt Maria. Never ever forget.”

“She’s right, you know?” The voice sounds familiar to Glory. She looks up to see her husband, Kurt Logan, has made his way over. Braddock wipes more tears from her eyes as she stands up to greet him.

“How long have you been there?”

“I heard most everything.” He says. “Angelica told me that I should probably hear this for myself.” He places a hand on her shoulder. “Why wouldn’t you talk to me about this?”

“I tried but it was too difficult. Talking about my mother’s death was just too painful.”

“Too painful to talk to me about it?”

“Yes.” Glory admits quietly.

“I think I’ll leave you two alone.” Angelica says as she stands up and walks away. Glory sighs as she turns her attention back to Kurt.

“I won’t deny that I have not been exactly pleased with your actions lately. You manipulated both Floyd Ryan and Aurora Alan.”

“Floyd needed to be gone.” Glory insists. “He had criminal connections.”

“You’re right. But Aurora too?”

“She is an Alan. I cannot trust her.”

“There is that paranoia you were talking about.” Kurt points out sadly. “Is there anyone in the company you can trust? Is there any way you can step aside and just let the company be without fear of any crazy hostile takeover notions?”

“Yes, there is.” Glory nods her head. “And that’s what I’ve done by making Aphrodite a minority owner of the company.”

“Right, Aphrodite.” Kurt says with a frown. “A woman who corrupted you once before and who you are now insisting on calling ‘mother’ just to ease your pain.” He shakes his head. “I don’t like this, Glory.”

“This is different, Kurt.” Glory insists. “I assure you this is different!”

“How is it different?” Kurt asks. “You wouldn’t even tell me that you and Aphrodite had resumed this relationship. I had to find out on my own.”

“Because of this reaction! You never trusted her, you always felt threatened by her but there is no reason to feel threatened. We are not lovers, Kurt! She’s my adoptive mother! And yes, she may have corrupted me once, but she is different now. She has changed. Besides, she taught me everything I know about business. It was her idea to turn Floyd over to the authorities instead of taking him up on his proposal.”

“It was?” Kurt asks curiously. Glory nods her head.

“It was.” She confirms. She embraces Kurt with a tight hug. “Love, I know who I am. I am Glory Braddock. Perhaps I forgot some of what that means? Maybe I forgot what it means to be a Braddock and what I should stand for? And maybe I should try to relearn it? I promise to try. I really do. But at the end of the day I know who I am. I am still Glory Braddock, the same Glory who fell in love with you.” She kisses him on the lips.

“That does help.” He grins knowingly. “But Aphrodite…”

“She’s just someone I use to help ease the pain I still feel over losing my mother. That’s all. It was also her idea to give Melinda and Clyde’s relationship another chance.”

“Wait, that was her too?”

“Yes.” Glory nods her head. “She warned me that I was pushing Melinda away by strongly opposing this relationship between her and Clyde.”

“I’ve been saying that for months but she managed to convince you?” Kurt chuckles softly. “That’s great. Maybe she isn’t as bad as I thought? I just wish you would have trusted me and the rest of your family with these problems you were dealing with, that’s all.”

[Wisteria Waltz]

Breakdown had certainly been one of the more unique experiences in the career of Amelia Blythe.

She was still torn on whether she wanted to interpret that as a good thing or a bad thing.

She shouldn't have been surprised when Polly didn't give her a straight-up wrestling match and insisted on using her wheel to make things more fun, and while the idea of getting to show what she could do in a Submission Match would have been more appealing, having to wrestle in a giant ball pit would have probably been her second choice in all honesty. Any match that involved being tied to your opponent and having to hit all four corners was tricky at best, and she shuddered at the thought of wrestling under sprinkler heads and 'getting all wet' in the context that Polly had implied.

She and Luz were women who at least had some self-respect, after all.

Going into Breakdown, Amelia would admit that she was still in a slightly fragile state of mind after the panic attack that memories of her past had driven her into, in spite of the immense help that her partner had been in working past those issues and trying to get Amelia a chance to finally come clean and apologize to Ivy at long last. Being made to wrestle in what was probably SCW's first ever Ball Pit Match, while a claim she wasn't sure she wanted to be attached to her name, ultimately went a long way in distracting her from the lingering mess of thoughts rattling around in her brain about her past mistakes. Plus, at the end of it all, she was able to leave that ball pit as the new SCW Television Champion, obtaining the first piece of gold to the name of The Light In The Darkness in this company.

Amelia was grateful that Luz had pulled her out when all was set and done as neither one of them had any interest in getting caught in the middle of the issues between the Playgirls and Cassie and YUYO, even if they wouldn't have much choice come Body, Heart & Soul. They still found themselves left with the mystery of James Evans and his acknowledgment after the fact, but that was something to unpack later once they had a chance to properly celebrate Amelia's title win and get their bearings about another SCW first they'd both be taking part in at the pay-per-view.

With Amelia's match in the books, the two had returned to their locker room to unwind and let it all sink in. Amelia had promptly collapsed into one of the chairs in the room, looking down at the new title belt in her hands in almost disbelief that she was actually holding it, while Luz had set about making sure her stuff was packed up before shifting her attention to her girlfriend's gear. She turned to take in the look on her face with a grin, internally screaming with delight at how much happier Amelia looked after the past week or so.

“You know, I envy you,” she told the new champion carefully.

Amelia snapped out of her euphoria to raise an eyebrow at her girlfriend. “Why? Because I got SCW gold first?”

“No, because you got to play in a ball pit tonight!” Luz exclaimed with the goofiest smile she could manage, which had Amelia doubled over in laughter. “I would've killed to switch places with you!”

“Wrestling in a ball pit was certainly a... unique experience, I'll admit,” Amelia replied. “I'm sure if my parents watched tonight's show they'd be figuring out how to sue SCW for the 'disrespect' that I just allowed to be shown to the family name.”

“What about the twins?” Luz prodded.

“Ed and Em will probably blow up my phone when they wake up about how unfair it is that I got to do something like this first,” Amelia giggled before she slowly trailed off into a sigh. “As much as I hate to admit it because it's not exactly what I would've ever wanted to do in this business, it felt... cathartic getting to do that match, in a way. I'm still annoyed that Polly couldn't just give me a normal match and I'm half-expecting her to complain next time she opens her mouth about losing the title to me in a match that she put on her wheel in the first place, but... it was nice going through with it.”

“Yeah?” Luz replied, hoping it would help Amelia open up more since she was starting to tread the kind of mental waters where it might be needed.

“Yeah,” Amelia agreed with a nod. “Polly wanted me to channel my inner child, ignorant of the fact that I've made no secret of the fact that I barely had much of a childhood at all. As embarrassing as it might be to admit, that was the first time I've ever actually stepped into a ball pit. It took a bit of getting used to, especially since I was supposed to wrestle on top of that, but once I got into it I kind of didn't really want to leave if Cassie and YUYO hadn't dove in to start picking fights. For a few minutes, I actually got to feel like I was living a part of my childhood I never actually got to live.”

“Personally, I think it's a crime that you've never had the chance to experience the joy of swimming through a ball pit as a kid,” Luz noted, “but we've already established several times over that your parents are stuck-up scumbags who probably shouldn't have been allowed to have kids if it didn't mean I'd be without you in my life. I still remember all the times I got to divebomb into ball pits to my mamá's amusement trying to emulate papá's...”

Luz slowly trailed off as she began to mention her parents, and Amelia quickly set her new title aside to stand up and pull her into a hug that was quickly reciprocated. The painful trade-off of their upbringings was that while Amelia didn't really have a childhood thanks to her parents, it was virtually impossible for Luz to reflect fondly on the childhood she did get to have without remembering the father she'd lost and the mother who she'd been at odds with ever since. While she didn't often admit it considering how strained their relationship had become in the wake of everything, deep down Luz missed having her mom in her life because she truly wasn't a bad parent like Amelia's had been... she had just given up on the kind of person she was before her father's passing in hopes that she could keep her daughter from meeting the same fate, and ultimately it had driven a wedge between them when it became clear that Camila's grief-driven change of heart was going to stop Luna Nevado from becoming La Pequeña Luz and getting to pursue the life she'd always wanted.

“It's OK, Lulu,” Amelia's voice broke through the raging river of thoughts running through her head, helping to ground her. “Take a few deep breaths and focus on me, alright?”

Luz did as her girlfriend instructed, and after a moment she slowly felt the weight that had suddenly been crushing her disappear. She focused on Amelia holding her tightly, hands beneath her hoodie and softly rubbing circles into her back, the sweat that lined her girlfriend's skin and the smell of the work she'd just put in to earn her first SCW championship... whatever it was, no matter how weird, if it reminded her of Amelia then she put her full focus on it. Finally, Luz pulled away enough to give her a grateful smile, one that Amelia returned as she gently wiped away the tears threatening to spill as best as she could through the mask of her beloved.

“Sorry,” Luz choked out. “I didn't mean to rain on your parade tonight.”

“You dummy,” Amelia responded with a playful tone in her voice. “You're always trying to put others before yourself and I greatly appreciate how much you've helped me over the years, but you're allowed to need help for your own problems. I want to be your champion just as much as you've been mine... never forget that.”

Luz just nodded as the two continued holding one another close for a few minutes before she started to regain the happy spark that truly made the woman feel more like herself, which led to the two of them sharing a kiss.

“Gracias, mi amor,” Luz said once their lips parted from one another. “Between that and you not getting a proper post-match celebration of your title win, I think I owe you a nice dinner.”

“You don't have to Luz,” Amelia stated, her tone stern enough to remind her partner of what she'd just told her.

“I know I don't have to, but I want to,” Luz replied. “We could use another nice thing about tonight to pick us back up after the bad mental spirals of the past couple of days. So, why don't you hit the showers because, no offense, but you could kind of use one-” She found herself cut off by Amelia swatting at her shoulder and grumbling about the fact that she actually wrestled tonight, which ultimately got the two of them laughing again. “Anyways, you go get cleaned up and let those muscles relax under some hot water. I'll book us a reservation somewhere and go get the car loaded up and pulled around once you're all done.”

“If you insist, my princesa,” Amelia chuckled as she retrieved a towel and some soap from her bag along with a change of clothes. She spent a moment trying to give her girlfriend a kiss only for Luz to playfully try to avoid it since she hadn't showered yet, but once they finally kissed she was off to the locker room's showers while Luz took an extra moment to make sure her head was all clear before she started grabbing bags and taking them out to the parking lot.

Sure, the show was still in progress right now, but it had to be getting close to main event time and their presence wasn't really needed anymore. As far as Luz was concerned, that was enough clearance to be able to take off and try to make the most of the remainder of their night having a proper celebration of her girlfriend's achievement.

As she found their car and began loading up their bags, Luz found her thoughts drifting toward the announcement that had been made by Mr. D at the start of the show that revealed their plans for Body, Heart & Soul. On one hand, the thought of being able to say that she and Amelia would be participating in SCW's first ever twelve person tag match would be something the two of them could always claim as it was a piece of history that could never be taken away from them, and unlike the Ball Pit Match Amelia had competed in earlier tonight, this was at least a more proper match that wouldn't get the iffy looks that Luz had honestly grown a little sick of seeing throughout her life.

On the other hand, thinking about the team compositions for this match made her feel a little uneasy.

She supposed it made a bit of sense for some of the participants, considering that Polly and her cohorts had ignited a few fights with the likes of Cassie and YUYO over the past several weeks during her TV Title reign. There was also the fact that James and Datura were in the middle of a heated clash of wrestling philosophies and that had not only drawn Bree in as Datura's friend and prospective tag partner, but also her and Amelia to an extent because of the interest he'd taken in them for reasons they could still only speculate on. Still, despite Mr. D's claims that this match would have implications of some kind, likely for the tag division given some of the teams contained within, it felt awkward competing in this match when they had no issues with anyone else involved... aside from maybe the Playgirls considering Amelia just took Polly's title, but they were supposed to be on the same team for this thing.

The idea of the fans that The Light In The Darkness, especially Luz, busted their asses to put on the performances of a lifetime for each and every chance they got turning on them all because they were teaming with a trio who could care less about the fans as long as they got to play their games and a man they had already turned on because he was trying to shove a message against excessive violence down people's throats instead of finding a more appealing approach they could respect bothered her a lot more than she wanted to admit. If this were something akin to Trios, where she found herself teaming with these kinds of individuals against other teams just as mixed as hers, it'd feel more comforting. But knowing she was up against a team full of wrestlers on the same general wavelength as her and Amelia (with the potential exception of Glory, but one person didn't tip those scales enough to even things out) made it clear that the couple were likely to find themselves having to tune out a negative reaction that they'd receive through association.

The Amelia of old could definitely pull that off given that she was trained to ignore the fans and focus only on doing her job in the ring, but the current Amelia would definitely be rattled after all the work she'd put in over the years to improve herself as a person and prove that she was moving on from her awful past. And poor Luz, daughter of one of Mexico's most beloved luchadores and striving to earn every bit of love and praise that he'd earned in his own illustrious career through her own merits...

Before Luz could start spiraling too much again, she was thankfully dragged out of her thoughts by the sound of her phone ringing. Breathing a sigh of relief as she double-checked that she'd at least gotten all the bags loaded up in the car alright while lost in her own head, she started to pull out her phone but hesitated momentarily. The immediate first thought was that her mom might be calling about something that was inevitably going to lead to another argument, and given that she was barely holding on at the moment for several different reasons she couldn't afford such a shouting match right now. That had her start putting her phone back in her pocket to let voicemail handle it, but the memory of Amelia telling her just minutes prior that she didn't have to do things alone and the comfort Luz had given her earlier in the week made her think that the call might be something else entirely. Sure enough, when she finally willed herself to check the caller ID, she found Gage's name and number greeting her eyes. Realizing how long it had been ringing, she quickly answered it before her voicemail could kick in.

“¿Hola? What's up, Gage?”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not Gage,” a female voice answered back with a bit of amusement. “I borrowed his phone since we thought you'd be more likely to answer if you saw his number instead of a random one. He does say hello, though.”

“Hey, Luz!” Gage's voice could be heard shouting in the background to make sure the call picked it up, which got a bit of a chuckle out of Luz.

“So...” Luz carefully continued as she leaned against the side of the car. “This must be Ivy I'm talking to then, huh?”

“Yup, Ivy Plume is my name,” she confirmed. “Sorry if I left a bit of a bad first impression on you back at that First Voyage event. I swear it's nothing against you, it's just that when I saw who you were with...”

“I understand,” Luz admitted. “Amelia kind of told me about what happened.”

“And you're still standing by her side?” Ivy questioned, hints of anger coming through from the other end of the call.

“Ivy, please hear me out for a moment,” Luz carefully responded. “As much as she means to me, I'm not going to defend Amelia because your feelings are just as valid and you have every right to hate her for what she did to you. Lord knows I've been stabbed in the back by people I thought were my friends far too many times growing up to have any right to tell you otherwise. That said... people do change, and all Amelia wants is a chance to tell you the full story you deserve to hear and apologize for everything she did. What you do from there is entirely up to you and I'm not going to try and sway you one way or the other. Just know that no matter what happens, I'm still going to have Amelia in my life because I've watched her evolve over the years into the kind of person she truly wants to be and we've helped one another through some really hard times in our lives, and if that means I can't be friends with you or Gage then I completely understand and respect your decision.”

Things went quiet for a minute after that, with Ivy's breathing from the other end being the only indication that she hadn't just hung up on Luz right then and there. Luz at least took the opportunity to get the car started so it could warm up a bit, giving Ivy the space to think over how she wanted to proceed. Luz knew what kind of person Amelia truly was and that all of her actions growing up weren't decisions she made willingly, but they still caused real harm to real people and that couldn't just be erased overnight.

“Amelia truly means a lot to you, doesn't she?” Ivy finally asked.

“I honestly don't know if I'd be where I am in life without her,” Luz admitted without hesitation.

There was another moment of silence before Ivy spoke again. “I'll be honest... Gage told me a lot about who you were based solely on what he's seen of you in the ring, and I wanted to believe it was all just a gimmick when I first saw you by her side. But I've been watching the things you guys had to say to your opponents in the past few weeks and... even the Amelia I thought I knew when we were kids, as nice as she was during our friendship, would never be caught dead wearing a onesie in front of people. I even noticed during her last video that she even kept the hair tie I made for her right before she broke off our friendship.”

“She told me years ago that hair tie was special to her but always refused to elaborate...” Luz mused, thinking back to when she'd first asked her girlfriend about why she always wore that specific one anytime they either trained or competed.

“I remember watching a few of her first matches once she finally broke into the business, but seeing what she'd become I quickly tuned out entirely. Too many bad memories,” Ivy continued. “But seeing her now... the difference is like night and day. I really want to know how the two of you met, but I don't want to feel like I'm taking up your entire night if you guys have things to do. I will say that you definitely seem like a good person and whatever you've done has been good for her. It really makes me want to give her a chance and hear her out.”

“Really!?” Luz exclaimed, her grin so wide that Ivy could somehow hear it through the phone.

“Really,” Ivy replied with a chuckle. “Your guys' next show is that pay-per-view next Sunday, right?”

“Yup, up in Nashville,” Luz confirmed.

“You think you both could spare some time to meet up over in Charlotte in the next few days?” Ivy asked. “I doubt Amelia knows this, but I did ultimately start wrestling myself a few years ago to kind of prove a few things to myself. It's all freelance independent stuff, nothing big like SCW, but I want you guys to come so Amelia can see what I'm truly capable of. I think it might help us both out with whatever happens next, and Gage and I can definitely get tickets to your pay-per-view to see you both kick ass in person.”

“I don't think that will be an issue,” Luz happily answered, “and I'm sure Amelia will be over the moon at being given a chance to talk this out. It's really been weighing heavy on her mind since we last crossed paths. Which reminds me that she's probably just about done with her post-match shower and wondering where the heck I am so I should probably get back to bringing our car around so she's not freezing out here.”

“You go do that,” Ivy laughed. “And tell her I said congrats on her title win, will you?”

“Absolutely!” Luz responded before the two exchanged goodbyes and the call ended. It took her another minute or two, but she finally pulled the car up near the arena exit and started scrolling through her phone for restaurant reservations just as Amelia walked out with the one bag she kept, quickly tossing it into the back seat with the rest before hopping in the passenger side and planting a kiss on Luz's cheek.

“Everything alright?” she asked. “I didn't think you'd be pulling up right as I got out. Are you having trouble finding a place to eat?”

“No, I just started searching,” Luz honestly admitted. “I think everything will be alright though... Ivy wanted me to tell you congratulations on the TV Title win tonight.”

“You talked to Ivy?” Amelia's jaw dropped as she looked at her partner in shock, and Luz could only turn to give her a comforting smile.

“I did, and she's willing to hear you out,” Luz explained. “The only catch is that we have to go see her wrestle in Charlotte before we head to Nashville for Body, Heart & Soul.”

“She still pursued wrestling? Even after the awful stuff I said to her when I destroyed our friendship?” Amelia struggled to wrap her head around any of what she'd just heard in the last minute.

“Seems like it,” Luz shrugged. “She said it might help if you got to see what she was truly capable of. I'm not going to say we have to go, but considering she's giving you the chance...”

“I'm good with a detour to Charlotte before the chaos that awaits us next Sunday,” Amelia said, her voice now full of determination. “I owe everything to Ivy for giving me this chance, and I'd never forgive myself if I let it slip away, regardless of what happens.”

“I have faith that this will all work out,” Luz told her before punctuating her statement with a soft peck on the side of the mouth. Even throughout their post-show dinner date, Amelia couldn't stop smiling at how much her fortunes seemed to turn around tonight and Luz was relieved to see her girlfriend in a much better headspace.

No promises could be made regarding what would happen when Amelia and Ivy finally talked, but the fact that it was even happening at all was more than enough for now.

[Braddock]

2 of 2
=====


==========
January 31st, 2023
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
==========

In less than a week, Glory Braddock will be part of a historic “first ever” twelve person tag at the SCW Body, Heart, & Soul event. It isn’t the Television, Underground, or World Tag Team Championship she had hoped for, but The British Bombshell understands that she needs a match like this. She recognizes the many bridges she has burned, the trust she has wasted, and the relationships she has cast aside in the name of success. Braddock recognizes the mistakes that she has made and she knows that it will take a great deal of effort on her part to earn that trust, rebuild those bridges and relationships. A match like this is the perfect opportunity to make inroads to earning the trust back. She will have to work with, function with, five other competitors in order to win the match and none of them have any reason whatsoever to trust her.

It has been said that fate is a fickle bitch. Many might say Glory Braddock herself is a bitch and has earned the scorn and reputation she gained. And, as fate would have it, Glory Braddock will be teaming with someone else who is in a similar situation as her; someone who she has no reason to trust; Kelsai Adamson.

Kelsai recently made her return to Supreme Championship Wrestling but she is no stranger to Glory or her family. Back in GCW, a promotion Glory owns, Kelsai went out of her way to make the life of Julia Braddock, Glory’s sister, a living hell. She orchestrated a plan to cost Julia the GCW Global Championship and tried to stop her from regaining it at every turn. Everything came to a head in a violent war games match that Julia Braddock’s team won, finally putting their rivalry to bed. But Glory Braddock has not forgotten this rivalry. She was fine to sit on the sidelines and watch from afar. After all, she is far too busy being an active wrestler herself in SCW to bother sticking her nose in GCW affairs. But Glory definitely noticed everything that went on. Now she finds herself in the unenviable position of having to deal with Kelsai herself. Can she trust Kelsai to hold up her end for this tag team match? Furthermore, can Glory trust herself to give Kelsai a chance?

The British Bombshell is in her personal gym located in the basement of her luxurious Miami home. She is wearing purple workout shorts, white tennis shoes, and a plain white t-shirt. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. Braddock is working with the heavy bag at the moment, striking it with rights and lefts and even throwing in a fair share of kicks as well for good measure. Meanwhile her husband, Kurt Logan, sits several feet away, watching his wife from afar. Kurt is wearing denim jeans, black boots, and a black t-shirt. Outside of her blood relatives (such as Julia Braddock or Angelica Jones) there is no one who knows Glory better than perhaps her husband Kurt Logan. And Kurt can tell that Glory is not her usual self. The punches and kicks she throws at the heavy bag have much more intensity and fierceness to them. He tilts his head to one side and studies her closely.

“Glory…?”

“Not right now.” She says sharply, basically ignoring her husband as she continues to pound away at the heavy bag. Kurt sighs and repeats himself.

“Glory…” This time she doesn’t even give him the benefit of a response. She continues to punch and kick away at the heavy bag. Kurt shakes his head with disappointment. He stands up out of his chair and slowly approaches his wife, but stands far enough away to avoid any accidental kicks. “...Glory, what’s wrong?”

“Huh?” Finally she stops and turns to face her husband. She props herself against the heavy bag and shakes her head. “What do you mean, love? Nothing’s wrong.”

“You’re about to murder that bag.” He says with a wry grin. “Something is definitely wrong.”

“Yeah?” She looks at the bag and rolls her eyes. “The bag pisses me off.”

“I doubt that.” Kurt approaches his wife and embraces her in a tight hug. “Tell me what’s really bothering you.”

“It’s silly…” she chuckles softly “...you would think me stupid.”

“No I wouldn’t. Actually, I would only think you stupid for not seeking help. Especially when it’s obvious what your problem is.”

“Oh am I that obvious?” Glory gently pushes Kurt away. She puts her hands on her hips.

“Yes.”

“Then enlighten me, oh wise one. What’s my problem?”

“You are bothered by the fact that you are not receiving a Television Title Match…or Underground Title Match…or that you are not part of the tag team title conversation. You are bothered that you are not any closer towards achieving your goal of Supreme Champion. You feel this match is beneath you.”

“Beneath me?” Glory throws her head back and laughs. “Kurt, that was all in the past. The egomaniacal bitch I used to be would have thought that way but I am not her, not anymore. Honestly, I am looking forward to this match.”

“You are?” Kurt asks, looking astonished. Glory nods her head.

“Yes. It is a genuine chance to prove to my fans and the locker room that my change of heart is real, that the real Glory Braddock is back and better than ever. Of course I still want to become Supreme Champion, but I can get there some other time. I can focus on that some other time. This tag match? I’m honored to be a part of it.”

“Ok, I can admit I’m wrong.” Kurt says while nodding his head. “But if that’s not what bothers you then what is bothering you?”

“Like I said, you would think I’m being silly…” she sighs “...or spiteful.”

“Oh I get it.” It is as if a lightbulb goes off over Kurt’s head. “Kelsai is the problem, isn’t she?”

“Yeah.” Glory nods her head. “I watched her for almost a solid year make my sister’s life a living hell over in GCW. I had to sit on the sidelines and watch, do nothing, because Julia did not want me interfering on her behalf, she wanted to handle it herself. I could have helped her because I own GCW. But among the many things Kelsai said about her, was that Julia got to where she was because of who she is related to. So I couldn’t help her. Every match Kelsai cost her, every hateful remark, every beat down…I had to sit and just watch, do nothing…”

“But Julia took care of the situation.” Kurt says. Glory nods her head in agreement.

“Yeah, she did. Now Kelsai is back in SCW and I have to be her partner in this twelve person tag. I mean Bree probably does not trust me but she is a consummate professional and will do her job as long as I do mine. Datura has needed second chances too and I am sure she will give me that second chance and work with me. Cassie and YuYo, they are new. And I have done nothing to lose their trust, nothing that I am aware of, at least. I am confident in our team at all levels except for this dynamic between myself and Kelsai.”

“Are you worried that Kelsai will turn on you, betray you out of spite?” Kurt asks curiously. “I mean, from what I have observed it sounds like Kelsai is genuinely trying to turn over a new leaf.”

“I agree with you, mate. That’s not who I’m worried about.” Glory sighs. “I’m worried about myself.”

“I see.” Kurt wraps an arm around his wife. “Glory, this is why you DO need a match like this.”

“Why’s that?”

“You need to be in a situation like this to prove to the world that you have changed. Do you honestly believe that you and Kelsai are the only ones who know the history between you two? You both need this. You both need to prove that you have turned over a new leaf. If you can work together, if you can be on the same page at Body, Heart, & Soul, then it will prove to the world that you have moved on. You and Kelsai both.”

“I know.”

“Just answer me this; I think we both know what the egomaniacal bitch…your words.. .that you once were, we know what she would do. But you say you’ve changed. You say the old Glory, the REAL Glory is back. What would she do?”

Braddock nods her head. “She believes in second chances because God knows she has needed them herself.”

“Then I think you know what needs to be done.”

“Right.” Glory nods her head. “I need to work with her.”

“You need to work with all of them. You do your job and trust your partners to do theirs. That’s what wrestling…or at least TAG TEAM wrestling…is all about.”

Glory kisses Kurt on the lips. “You sounded like my father just then. You know that?”

“He gave some great advice. He possessed a great wrestling mind. I think he would agree with me.”

“He would.” Glory nods her head. “And that’s what I will do.”

==========
February 4th, 2023
Nashville, Tennessee
On Camera
==========

It is dusk at this time as the camera begins rolling just outside of the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the site that will be playing host to SCW Body, Heart, & Soul tomorrow night. It isn’t long before a figure steps into the scene…none other than The British Bombshell herself and one-twelfth of a huge tag match, Glory Braddock. The British Bombshell is dressed in a black mini dress with no sleeves, black nylon hose, and black open toed high heel patent leather pumps. Her long blonde hair hangs straight to past the shoulders.

“I don’t mind being part of history and supposedly that’s what will happen tomorrow night right here in Nashville at Body, Heart, & Soul when twelve SCW wrestlers compete in the first ever twelve person tag.” Braddock chuckles softly. “There was a time not too long ago that I would have been offended at being put in a match like this. I probably would have thrown a tantrum over not getting an opportunity someone of notoriety like me deserves. But I can honestly think about this match tomorrow night and say that I am honest to goodness honored to get to participate. Any opportunity I get to set foot in a wrestling ring to compete for the fans is an honor. That’s a lesson my father taught me a long time ago. One of many lessons that I forgot.”

“It can also be a life lesson if you think about it. Never forget who brought you to the dance. The fans are the reason each and every one of us are here. If they didn’t buy the tickets and the merchandise we wouldn’t be able to do this job. Hell, this twelve person tag itself is a lesson and an exercise in the life lesson about trust. Namely building that trust, earning that trust, and what could happen if you lose that trust.” The British Bombshell nods her head. “I won’t beat around the bush, its obvious that I am talking about myself right here. Let’s face it, look at the other members of my team. Bree and Datura are close friends. They have been friends for a very long time. Cassie Wolfe and YuYo are slowly starting to form a bond, a friendship if you will. Then you have people like me and Kelsai.” She points a finger at Kelsai.

“That’s right, you Kelsai. You don’t think I forgot about some of the things you said about me and my family back in GCW? Just because I choose not to micromanage my company doesn’t mean I ignore what happens there. I heard everything you said and I saw how you made my sister’s life a living hell. Now you seem to be trying to turn over a new leaf and that’s great, but is there any reason why myself or anyone else for that matter should trust you or give you another chance?” Braddock pauses to let the statement sink in. Then The British Bombshell shakes her head. “No, there is no reason to trust you, not after what you have done. But here is the one surprise from me to you…I am willing to give you a chance.”

“Does that surprise you, Kelsai? It shouldn’t surprise you. Quite frankly, I am just as guilty as you. I know all about burning bridges and destroying the trust of the fans, friends, and family who had once believed in me because I did that myself and have been doing so the past few months. Like you, however, I have been trying to find my way out of the darkness and rebuild that trust. Is it going to be easy?” She shakes her head. “No, for the two of us it won’t be easy. There is no reason for anyone on my team to trust me to do my job. That is the only disadvantage our team faces. Our team is stacked with so much talent that it is insane. We have former world champions, the current and former Adrenaline Champion, if we can trust one another and work together as a unit NO ONE can stop us, not even the team of six that oppose us tomorrow night.” Braddock shakes her head.

“Therein lies the rub…we need to trust one another and I’m not sure anyone fully trusts me. That’s part of why I relish this opportunity and look forward to this challenge tomorrow night. It is my opportunity to prove to the world yet again that the old Glory Braddock is back and she is here to stay! As if the last Breakdown in January weren’t enough evidence, if what I said in the buildup to my match against Asher Hayes wasn’t enough proof, Body, Heart, & Soul will serve as further evidence that The British Bombshell of old is back. And do you wanna know how I did it? Does anyone out there, especially any of my teammates, care to know how I managed to find my way out of the darkness and back into the light?” She shrugs her shoulders. “Simple. I remembered my father’s teachings about the body…the heart…and the soul of professional wrestling.”

“When it comes to body, my dad always taught me to use your natural God given gifts to your own advantage. So if you are naturally big and naturally strong then you use that power to your advantage and you throw your opponents all over the ring.” Braddock pats herself on the chest. “However if you are small, like me, then you rely on three things; first, you rely on your speed, make sure you are faster than your opponent. Second, you rely on your striking ability and you strike your opponent at every turn with martials arts kicking and chops. Lastly, and most importantly, if you are smaller like me, then you rely on your wrestling ability. My father would say that a good wrestler can survive in any situation against any opponent and a master technician can beat up, beat down, and humble anyone no matter who they are.” She points to her chest, specifically where her heart would be.

“When it comes to heart, heart is all about passion and desire. Do you love this business? Do you have a strong passion and drive to compete? Whether you love me or hate me, one thing no one can deny is my heart and passion for this business. It may sound arrogant and I don’t mean it to come off this way, but I would put my heart and passion against anyone else’s any day of the week. My heart led me to the Adrenaline Championship, the World Championship, two back to back Trios Tournament victories, the main event of Rise To Greatness, and the United States Championship. My heart has never once let me down and it will lead me to my next goal of becoming Supreme Champion.” She shakes her head. “Becoming Supreme Champion isn’t about adding some notch to my belt or a trophy to my mantle. It is about competition and seeing if I can match up to some of the best to ever do it in SCW. That, friends, is called PASSION, also known as HEART!” She holds up three fingers.

“Lastly there’s soul. Soul is the wildcard because some have it and some don’t. Also when it comes to soul, you don’t necessarily need a soul to be successful in this business. Some of the worst people human beings imaginable became champions here in SCW but they had lost complete touch with whatever soul they once had. I am a prime example of that. I won the United States Championship but I had lost contact with my soul, with that x-factor that makes me special, that makes me who I am. But if you are working hand in hand with that soul of yours, then that makes you even deadlier and more of a threat.” She points at her eyes and then back at the camera.

“What I see when I look at my team for this first ever twelve person tag in SCW is a team of six individuals whose Body, Heart, & Soul are in complete alignment and working as one functional unit. This makes each of one us a deadly threat. And if we can get on the same page then this match at Body, Heart, & Soul will be as good as ours.” A stoic gaze forms on the face of The British Bombshell. She shakes her head.

“The cheerleading session is over. As much fun as it is to give this feel good speech about how great our team is…and I truly do believe our team is the best…the reality is that the other team is almost as talented as we are. One advantage it has is that our opponents are composed of two actual teams. Light in the Darkness…Polly and her Playgirls…” she rolls her eyes “...as annoying as Polly is, the fact is that she and her cockroaches known as the Playgirls function like a well oiled machine. The same can be said for Light in the Darkness, who I DO respect, unlike Polly. Then there is James Evans, a man who is himself a Supreme Champion in SCW. So is the talent there? Damn right it is.” A smirk returns to Glory’s face.

“But talent alone will only get you so far in this environment. Just look back at the Trios Tournament as an example of that. This first time ever twelve person tag will be won by the strange bedfellow team that can actually co-exist with one another, that can put their differences aside and trust each other to do their job and work together for the common goal of victory. Now I already own up to the fact that I squandered much of the trust that I had built up. But whether my partner like me or dislike me as a human being is beside the point, the important thing is that they KNOW that they can trust me to hold up my end of the bargain each and every time I set foot inside of the ring. I will fight side by side with anyone, friend or foe, in a competitive environment. Hudson and I weren’t necessarily on friendly terms but we worked together and made it to the semi-finals of the Trios Tournament. I held up my end. I did my job. Just like I will do my job tomorrow night.”

“Can our opponents say the same?” She shrugs her shoulders. “I have my doubts. James Evans isn’t exactly acting like the most sainted of individuals lately. And whilst Polly, Coleen, and Aisling may work well together, can anyone trust them? Can James, La Pequena Luz, or Amelia trust the Playgirls to hold up their end of the bargain?” Braddock shakes her head. “We will find out tomorrow night, I suppose. But to my own team, to Bree and Datura, to Cassie and YUYO, to Kelsai, I make one solemn vow to all of you…I will do everything within my power to ensure our team wins. I will hold up my end of the bargain. If you trust me this one time tomorrow night, I promise you that I will not let you down.”

[James Evans]

Peace of Mind: Chapter Five

[Cassie Wolfe]

Cassie had been going through a lot as of late on top of her recent loss to Alexis Quinn, not only was the Aussie Teen struggling to win a third title but the promotion that she had won her first singles title in, MPW, had closed its doors before she could ever get a rematch against Rowan for the TV Title! Now Cassie was one of the twelve competitors competing in the twelve-person tag team match teaming with Bree Lancaster, Datura, Magical Cosmic Princess YUYU, Glory Braddock and Kelsai Anderson to take on James Evans, La Pequena Luz, Amelia Blythe, Polly Playtime. Colleen and Aisling! Can Cassie help her team win?

Cassie’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Wednesday the 1st of February 2023, 09:00am

Can this situation get any worse?

So far 2023 has been a dumpster fire for me, losing the MPW TV Title due to bullshit reasons? Check, management refusing to do anything about it? Check, Krystal having to sign with MPW to keep me on track? Check, me being so pissed off about the MPW situation that I forgot to tape a promo for the TV Title Match in SCW? You’d better believe that’s a check.

Ahh well, at least it can’t get any worse! I had just woken up and was at my laptop checking my twitter before I got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast and stuff.

”Things seem to be pretty quiet, at least by wrestling twitter standards.” I commented to myself as I looked through Twitter, then I saw a tweet from La Blanco Tiger, one of my major rivals in MPW. And read through it expecting some trash talk about me and Krystal at the very least. ”Well, with the closure of Modern Pro Wrestling……….” As I read that tweet aloud it woke me up in a hurry and I quickly grabbed my phone upon hearing a text notification, sure enough? There it was, the news that I frankly, never wanted to hear and if I had a drink with me I’d need a replacement keyboard! Without a second thought I called Krystal via FaceTime and my older cousin answered.

”Cass, do you have any idea what time it is?” Krystal asked in a half tired, half annoyed voice. ”I was getting everything ready for the trip out to London.”

”Err, yeah! About that, you might want to save your packing until we leave for Irvine for Climax Control.” I responded earning a confused look from Krystal. ”MPW just sent a mass text to all the talent, they’ve shut their doors effective immediately!”

”WAIT, WHAT?!” Krystal asked before she checked her iPhone’s texts and sure enough, despite being a guest talent, Krystal had gotten the same text. ”Great, I left my pregnant wife here in the US to travel to England with you for the past several weeks for nothing!”

”How do you think I feel?! I busted my ass, nearly nuked all the bridges I had built in MPW, all to get a shot at a title that’s now worth as much as one of Sandie’s dog toys!” I asked as I ran a hand  through my hair and Krystal gave me a sympathetic look as she could tell that I was stressing out about this. ”And don’t even get me started on getting my ribs cracked and my lip busted by Keira for nothing!”

”It’s okay Cassie, we’ll figure this out.” Krystal assured me as I rested my cheek in my hand. ”It’s not like you’re out of work, I know you work for Supreme Championship Wrestling and PWS: Apex among other places, hell this isn’t even the first fed to die on you.”

”I know and what makes it sting even harder than the failed MCW reboot or Vixen Pro is that at least MPW got off the ground! MCW and Vixen Pro only got as far as announcing my first match for their promotions!” I responded with a sigh before I heard scratching at the door which could only mean one thing, Sandie had realized that I was awake and that I had forgotten to let her back in after I went for a late-night bathroom break. ”Gonna have to cut this short Charlotte, Sandie’s realized that I’m awake and mom’s probably got breakfast on.”

”That’s fine, I need to cancel the flight and get a refund sorted out anyway.” Krystal responded with a nod before I stood up to let my puppy in. ”Swing by my place later, we can plan our next move from there with a clear head.”

”Sounds good, I’ll see you then.” I responded with a nod before I hung up, yeah, this situation just got worse!

Krystal’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Wednesday the 1st of February 2023, 16:00pm

Should go without saying really but in the past several hours I’ve not only eaten but gotten dressed, brushed my hair and eaten breakfast and lunch, but the whole situation with MPW was still proving to be a bitter pill for me to swallow.

But now that I’ve had some time to clear my head I travelled over to Krystal’s house! With Sandie at my side because off course.

”Before you ask, no I’m still pissed about how I found out.” I grunted as I followed Krystal into her house and Sandie ran up to Krystal’s two older dogs Garrus (a German Shepherd) and Tali (a female Golden Lab) who were happy to see the young pup. ”Right now I’m weighing my options for a new fed to join.”

”I don’t mean to come off as insensitive or anything but I’m glad I don’t have to worry about that.” Krystal admitted as she lead me to the living room and we sat down. ”I signed with MPW to keep you from going past the point of no return, I can at least say that I succeeded in that before they closed but besides SCW being my main priority, I can understand your frustration, real question is, what do you do now?”

”Been asking myself that all day, all mom could do when I told her was offer her condolences, same goes for Zoey and Becky.” I sighed as the three dogs entered the room, Garrus and Tali went straight to their owner whilst Sandie came up to me and I picked up the pupper before letting on the sofa with me. ”Haven’t even told Keira yet and she’s been my go to for telling people about new developments in my career! Only made an exception for you because you were part of MPW on a guest contract, at least this means you won’t have to have other SCW talent come in and keep Makayla company.”

”True enough, though Makayla did tell me that she enjoyed watching Shane cook.” Krystal responded with a grin before sighing. ”Okay, I think our first priority should be getting you into a fed a bit closer to home than London, my time in MPW may have been short but I did notice how jet lagged you were after each trip we took together.”

”The jet lag wasn’t that bad when you took me with you on those SCW tours of Greece and India last year, but I guess the travels to England did hit me harder.” I admitted as I thought back over the past couple of months. ”Not that I’d trade it for anything, the end of my reign may have been bullshit but MPW was the first fed where I won a singles title!”

”Trust me Cass, it doesn’t matter if you win it by taking the title out of a briefcase or in a massive clusterfuck of a match, you’ll never forget that moment when you just won your first singles title.” Krystal responded with a warm grin before she stood up and walked to the kitchen with her dogs following her. ”You want something to eat whilst you’re here?”

”Never thought you’d ask! I’m starving!” I responded with a grin before I picked up Sandie and followed Krystal into her kitchen.

Cassie’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday the 6th of February 2023, 14:00pm

*promo time*

Oh boy.

”When I was, a young girl, a wrestling promoter, booked me in a massive clusterfuck, he said “Cassie, you’re in a Twelve Person Tag Team Match, good luck” and I spent the rest of the week wondering how the fuck I was gonna promo for this!” I quickly dropped the “Welcome to the Black Parade” parody as I shook my head. ”Seriously! This match is going to be a bigger headache than that time SCW booked me against some person they pulled off the street! Me and five other wrestlers vs. a team of six other wrestlers! How the fuck am I supposed to keep track of who’s on my side?!”

Seriously!

”I guess the only thing I can say is we’ll carry on because welcome to the black parade folks! Yes I like My Chemical Romance, don’t judge me!” I admitted as I shook my head. ”I’m pretty sure I’ve got a picture somewhere around here of fifteen year old me going through my emo phase, and the fact that that was only four years ago somehow makes it worse! ANYWAY, it’s me with a bunch of other wrestlers against a bunch of other wrestlers, what do you expect me to say?”

My headache is getting worse.

”You know what? It’s time I brought out the puppy prop! Sandie, here girl!” I called out to my puppy and the Labrador puppy came running up to me, I picked her up before placing her on my computer desk where she sat down. ”Sandie, how can I promote a match that pits me and five other wrestlers against six other wrestlers?” I asked the puppy who tilted her head to the side in response, I then picked her back up before resting her on my lap. ”See? Even my puppy’s confused and her breed’s one of the smartest out there………” You’d think I’d have learned about not placing my puppy within licking distance of my face by now, NOPE! ”I’m beginning to see why that James Bond bad guy used a vat as his animal prop during a monologue!” I muttered as I put the puppy back on the desk.

It's that simple.

”If nothing else she’s going to get to big for me to pick up eventually but I’ll cross that bridge when I come too it!” I added as I started stroking the puppy. ”Anyway, it’s me, Bree Lancaster, Datura, Magical Cosmic Princess YUYU, Glory Braddock and Kelsai Anderson taking on James Evans, La Pequena Luz, Amelia Blythe, Polly Playtime. Colleen and Aisling! And somehow I’ve gotta pull out a win for Team Aussie in all this madness! At least I can say that I’ve got experience winning clusterfucks because that’s how I won my first singles title!”

And with that I decided to wrap things up.

”And now I’m sad again because that fed where I won my title closed it’s doors last week! And I never got my rematch for said title so yeah, this is gonna sting for a while!” I let out a sad sigh as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”At least I can never get too depressed with my puppy around, right? To my all my fans? In a world of fake queens, be a rebel princess! And too the others in the clusterfuck? Good luck because we’re all gonna fucking need it but I’ll still be entering the match hungry like the wolfe!”

I turned off the camera as the scene fades.

[Datura]

Sorry for the short post, everyone. My mental health is dangerously off the rails today. Good luck, everyone.


Making History

[Wisteria Waltz]

Amelia and Luz were used to constantly traveling. Given how frequently they'd have to fly back and forth between Mexico and England to compete, often with maybe a day at most to rest off any jetlag and make sure they were in fighting shape, it was a feeling that had become second nature to them at this stage of their careers. The fact that SCW was the only place they were currently competing for meant adjusting not only to actually having a bit of a break between shows to stop back home if they needed to, but also sometimes just having the night off in general because there were no real plans that required their presence.

It was a welcome change for their mental health, but also a challenge given how much they'd grown used to traveling and training with very little room to rest in between.

Then again, they had come to believe it was better for them mentally in those days given that neither one felt like they had any place to really call home at that point.

That was why the detour out to North Carolina during the week leading up to Body, Heart & Soul felt cathartic in a sense. Before the last Breakdown, the plan had been to just head up to Nashville and figure something out during the week to get ready for the pay-per-view since flying home to Anaheim and then coming right back to the same area of the U.S. made little sense in the grand scheme of things. This oddly made things feel like a perfect middle ground between the different times in their careers, the road trip bringing back those memories of how they used to operate while reminding them that they were still on a much-needed little break to relax and refocus for the chaos that no doubt awaited them on Sunday night. They could rest once they got checked in at a hotel, still get some training in before they hit the road again up into Tennessee, and also tackle the business that brought them here in the first place.

Luz honestly wasn't surprised to see Amelia both excited and nervous at the same time.

On one hand, she was finally getting the chance to try and make amends for the damage she'd done 18 years ago to someone that was once her best friend, a chance that she honestly never thought would ever come her way for as long as she lived. On the other hand, just because she finally could tell Ivy the full story and apologize for everything didn't guarantee anything, and Amelia had to be ready to accept the possibility that Ivy still wanted nothing to do with her. It seemed like that was how she was expecting this to go after admitting on the drive out that if she were in Ivy's boots she wouldn't forgive herself either, but Luz had heard the hope in her voice when she'd caught her girlfriend mumbling in her sleep once or twice dreaming about how she really wanted this to go.

Luz wanted to hope this would go well, but she was trying to keep herself grounded in reality. After all, she'd been in Ivy's position before, betrayed by people she thought were her friends only to learn that it was all some elaborate prank or that she was being used to get into her father's good graces because of how much of a hero he was to many. She'd always done her best to shrug it off and keep going, but those kinds of scars don't fade easily and she'd be lying if she said she still didn't hold any resentment toward those individuals even to this day. Granted, none of them ever made a genuine effort to apologize to her like Amelia was trying to do with Ivy, but part of her was still preparing to accept that she'd once again lose out on the chance to gain some new friends because she refused to do to Amelia what had been done to her so many times.

She always believed in being the bigger person, and that in and of itself had gone a long way in helping Amelia finally start becoming the kind of person she truly wanted to be.

Once they'd made it to Charlotte and got settled in, they'd met up with Gage so he could hand over some backstage passes that would allow them to meet with Ivy before her match, but Ivy had made herself scarce so she could focus on getting some final training in before then, something the couple could respect. They'd spent the time leading up to that show preparing themselves as best as they could, knowing they'd be able to work together perfectly fine but trying to be ready for whatever would happen regarding the other four people they needed to account for on their end. The whole thing had them hoping that those four people along with the other six that would be opposing them were also feeling the pressure of whatever would unfold when that bell rang because at least then everyone would be on equal footing and they could figure it out together in the ring like only athletes of their caliber could.

Soon enough though, night had fallen, and that meant shifting their focus to the other issue that had them both stressing out, as much as they'd tried their best to hide it.

“You ready?” Luz asked, squeezing Amelia's hand for comfort.

“As ready as I think I'll ever be,” she admitted.

The two found themselves heading through the parking lot toward one of the back entrances of the little arena where the show would be taking place, quietly appreciating the stark contrast to how it felt whenever they made this same trip into a much larger arena for an SCW show. Even ignoring the fact that they weren't here to compete, it was far less nerve-wracking going backstage for a show that had a much smaller audience with less chance to try and hound them for photos or autographs beforehand. As much as they loved the fans, there were some people out there who were honestly way too pushy and rude just to get what they want, as though either woman owed them the world just because they happened to be somebody's favorite wrestler. They encountered none of that as they approached an open door and found themselves under the curious gaze of a security guard.

“I don't believe any SCW wrestlers were somehow booked for tonight's card,” he admitted, even as they showed him their passes.

“It's alright, they're with me to support Ivy,” came the voice of Gage as he stuck his head through the doorway, and the security guard took a moment to process that statement before he stepped aside and let the couple through, where Gage began leading them to Ivy's locker room. “Glad you guys could make it! I know Ivy will appreciate the extra support.”

“Anything for a friend!” Luz happily replied without any hesitation.

“Are you sure?” Amelia couldn't help but ask, which caused Gage to stop and look at her for a moment. “Even with the whole reason why I'm here?”

Gage seemed to contemplate something before he put a hand on Amelia's shoulder, giving her the best comforting grin he could manage. “No matter what happens, the fact that you still came to support Ivy wrestling tonight does mean a lot to her. She's told me that, if nothing else, getting the chance to be able to show you specifically what she's capable of in the ring now has been the biggest thing motivating her for this match. Even if your talk doesn't pan out too well, she's hopeful that a newfound understanding on the wrestling front will be enough to at least earn your respect.”

While Luz seemed a bit confused by that, Amelia nodded in understanding. Thinking back on the last words she'd spoken to Ivy in 18 years before that chance encounter in San Francisco, if nothing could be repaired between them after tonight then Ivy at least wanted Amelia to walk away knowing that she was no longer “a weakling that could never amount to anything as a wrestler.”

It would be easy to simply say such a thing, but they both knew it would mean so much more if Ivy genuinely earned Amelia's respect as a fellow competitor regardless.

It didn't take them much longer before they found themselves outside of a locker room door, and Gage wasted no time in knocking and letting its occupant know it was him. Once he got the confirmation, he motioned for Amelia and Luz to wait a moment before he entered. Amelia took the opportunity to ground herself with a few deep breaths while Luz's thumb rubbed her knuckles in comfort. After a few minutes, the door opened again and Gage stuck his head out.

“Ivy's ready if you guys are,” he told them before opening the door, and the couple stepped inside. Amelia's eyes were immediately drawn to her former friend, and she froze in her tracks at what she saw.

Without all the layers she'd been wearing when they saw each other weeks ago, it was clear that Ivy had the kind of build that suggested if she wanted to break you in half then she could easily do so with little effort. Both she and Luz knew that there existed a yearly competition to find the “world's strongest woman” but to see that kind of physique in person was an experience all its own. The fact that this stocky strongwoman was the same person that Amelia remembered being maybe a little heavier than her at best when they were kids was already a sign of just how much had changed since they'd last truly interacted with each other.

“¡Mierda!” Luz couldn't help but exclaim. “I'm sorry, but dang girl, I don't think I've ever seen anyone this legit strong-looking with my own two eyes before.”

“Thank you, Luz,” Ivy chuckled as she couldn't resist flexing for a moment. “I spent a lot of time over the past few years getting into working out, trying to make myself stronger and seeing if I could do anything with that. Guess the call of the ring was just too strong for me to ignore though.”

It didn't take long for her and Amelia to lock eyes, and from there a tension seemed to settle into the room. Luz and Gage quickly stepped aside to give them space but their body language made it clear they'd step in if it was absolutely necessary. Slowly, the two of them closed the distance until they were within arm's reach of each other, Ivy's expression becoming more stern while Amelia's nervousness became very visible now.

“Ivy...” Amelia hesitantly greeted her.

“Amelia,” Ivy replied with a nod of her head, keeping her tone neutral. “I've been hearing that you've changed for the better... I've even seen signs that you're not the same girl who destroyed a close friendship on your own birthday for seemingly no reason.” She nodded at the hair tie that she'd made for Amelia all those years ago that was still being worn to this day. “I never understood why you snapped at me the way you did and cut all ties with me, but I agreed I'd hear you out, so go ahead.”

Amelia took a moment to compose herself before she began telling Ivy about everything she didn't know that had gone down between being given her birthday gift by her best friend and then throwing said best friend out of her life for good. Even though she'd heard all of this about a week ago, Luz still found herself getting angry over the fact that her girlfriend had been forced to end a friendship that meant so much to her, and on her birthday no less, just because her parents didn't think Ivy was worth being Amelia's friend because she didn't bring anything to the table that mattered in their eyes. Gage, who up until this point had only heard about what had happened when their friendship ended, had the same horrified reaction that Luz had when she'd first heard all of this, and he swore he would've fainted from the sheer shock that this was something that had actually been made to happen to another human being if he didn't have the lockers behind him to lean against.

Somehow, Ivy maintained a neutral expression through the whole thing, but Luz had been paying close enough attention to see her eye twitch in barely restrained anger as she finally learned the truth.

“I'm so sorry Ivy,” Amelia said once she'd finished telling the story. “I never meant any of the words I said to you that day and I never meant to hurt you, but that doesn't excuse the fact that it did happen. I couldn't stand up to my parents and didn't know how to properly handle my emotions, so I ended up taking it all out on you and giving them exactly what they wanted. I can't take back what I've done and I don't expect you to forgive me, but you deserved to know the truth about what happened on that day. You were the best friend I could have ever asked for, and every day I couldn't help but wonder how things could have been if I had only tried fighting a little harder or come clean to you sooner. You were never too weak to be my friend Ivy... I was too weak to be yours.”

Amelia turned her gaze to the locker room floor, fighting to hold back her tears. As much as it upset her to tell this story again, especially to the person who needed to hear it most, this wasn't about her right now and she wasn't going to let her tears give the idea that this apology was about her own feelings above all else. For Ivy's part, she remained silent as she processed everything, carefully watching Amelia for hints that any of what she'd just said was a lie and finding no indication of such.

“You know,” she eventually spoke, “I picked up on the hints that your parents may have had something to do with it through some of what you've let slip to your opponents over the past few weeks in SCW. I knew they pushed you hard but I never knew just how awful they truly were. That still doesn't change the fact that you did hurt me Amelia, and I spent so many years doubting myself and what I was capable of because your words always haunted my thoughts. But... in a way, I think they also gave me the motivation to try and build myself up into who I am today.”

Ivy reached out and took Amelia's hands, holding them gently enough to not hurt her but with enough strength to make it clear that she could if she felt the need to. Amelia's eyes simply widened at the gesture as she finally looked Ivy in the eyes.

“I wouldn't call us friends again,” she continued. “I'll still need time to truly forgive you for everything, and I need to see for myself firsthand that this person in front of me now is the genuine Amelia Blythe who would do the right thing without a second thought if something like that ever happened again. This, though... it's a start.”

Amelia was in awe of what she'd just heard, especially when coupled with the genuine smile that Ivy was giving her. It wasn't the best-case scenario, but it was still more than she'd honestly thought would come out of this, and she could no longer hold back her tears as she nodded in acceptance of Ivy's decision. Ivy slowly released Amelia's hands as Luz and Gage approached them, the latter pulling her girlfriend into a comforting hug while the former put a hand on Ivy's shoulder with a clear look of pride on his face at how she'd handled this situation.

Unfortunately, the moment couldn't last forever as it found itself interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Ivy Plume?” a voice called from the other side. “You're needed at the Gorilla position in five minutes. Your match is up next!”

“OK!” Ivy acknowledged before she dug around in her bag for a moment and then disappeared into the shower area. After a minute, she reappeared without her glasses, and while it certainly made sense to Amelia and Luz that she would put contacts in to wrestle, it was still a shock to see her without them, especially to her former best friend who could never recall a time where she'd seen Ivy without them. She couldn't help but grin at Amelia's reaction to this as she walked over to the little monitor in her locker room and flipped it on to the broadcast feed of the show going on, where someone was currently speaking in the ring.

“So, Amelia... you ready to see what Ivy Plume is really all about?”

“I'm ready Ivy,” Amelia confirmed, voice still shaky from the disbelief that there was at least a foundation they could rebuild from at all. “Please show me what you can really do... show me, once and for all, that the stupid words of seven-year-old me were always wrong.”

Ivy nodded at both this and some of the additional vocal support that Luz and Gage were happy to give her before she left the locker room, all eyes now turning to the monitor to see what was about to go down. After a moment of waiting, Luz decided it would be best to grab a chair for Amelia, who happily collapsed into it while she knelt beside her and draped an arm over her shoulder.

“You good Ames?” she asked.

Amelia took a moment to think about it before she nodded, a genuine smile adorning her face. “I will be.”

As they watched things go down from backstage, Amelia couldn't help but feel proud as she watched Ivy march down to the ring with the kind of confidence she always deserved to display before finding herself in awe of what unfolded before her very eyes. While she still had a very rough grasp of the technical aspect of things, reminding her of her old friend's struggle with it back when they were kids, she more than made up for it with a display of power and athleticism that left her speechless. The way that Ivy had embraced this style made it clear that she had found what worked for her after all this time, and given that Amelia had slowly but surely found her own way over the years, it wasn't hard for her to genuinely respect the kind of person that Ivy had built herself into and make her want to have an honest in-ring test between the two of them someday to see how well they matched up after all these years.

It was just the thing Amelia needed to finally close the book on one of the biggest mistakes she'd ever made in her life and left both her and Luz hopeful that their futures could continue to grow brighter. There was still some work to do both inside the ring and out, but both she and Luz were confident that they could find a way to make it all work, starting with the massive tag match that awaited them at Body, Heart & Soul.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the benefits of being in Nashville is having access to a multitude of ways to enjoy the river that runs straight through the city. One such method is the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, considered one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world and providing both a unique experience and an incredible view of the Music City. It is at one end of this bridge that we find The Light In The Darkness, seated on a bench and enjoying the sun as it begins to set on the horizon behind them and bathe the city in a beautiful orange glow. The couple have always been fans of spending time by the water to help clear their heads whenever they've had a lot on their minds, and this evening seems to be no exception as they take a moment to just enjoy the sight before turning to face us with stereo deep breaths. As they turn, we also see that Amelia is holding her newly won TV Title belt, which she looks down at as she takes the lead.

“I'm sure this sight is surreal to a lot of you watching, and I'll be honest: it still feels surreal even a week later. Sure, the first time Luz and I were on the SCW roster, we managed to pick up a few wins that some would consider major upsets, but unfortunately, nothing ultimately came of it. We had our chance when we found ourselves fighting for the chance to become number one contenders to the Tag Team Titles, and then we found ourselves on the shelf. Such things happen in this business, sadly, and I'd be lying if I said that it didn't affect us. When we stepped away from this company for about a year and a half, it wasn't just about the physical recovery... in the wake of that, we found ourselves questioning if we could truly make our mark in a place like SCW. We watched as Adam Allocco, the man who was half-responsible for us being put out of commission in the first place, not only capitalize on that opportunity he 'earned' by claiming the Tag Titles, but also go on to have a run as World Champion while main eventing SCW's biggest show of the year. As he waits in the wings to challenge for that title again at the next pay-per-view courtesy of his Trios contract, another member of that same fourway tag match in Kim Williams is not only defending the Underground Title she has proudly held on several occasions since that belt's return but also challenging for the top prize in this company as well.”

“When we did decide to take another shot at SCW, we fully embraced wanting to start over and work our way back up. It wasn't going to be easy, but nothing either of us has earned in our respective lifetimes ever has been. Plus, it was a chance to get to reintroduce ourselves to not only the fans but also a roster that is vastly different from the one we were a part of before. After all, if the status quo isn't the same as it was when we were last seen, then what right do we have to come back and demand our old spot back? That's never been the way we do things, and the result has been a vastly different experience than the first time around. I mean, Amelia and I have both gotten the chance to show what we can do without the other by our side, I got the chance to be involved in the Trios Tournament and Amelia is now holding singles gold. Those two opportunities alone are worth being proud of, and we plan on using them as a foundation to keep rebuilding ourselves to see where this run takes us. Yeah, there were a few results that have been a little frustrating this time around, especially because it sucks seeing a great match fall apart because someone else decided to get involved for one reason or another, but if we dwelled too much on those results then we'd never get anywhere. We can't always control things like outside interference to have the kind of match we really want, but we can still learn from those matches to keep growing as wrestlers.”

Amelia takes a moment to hold up the TV Title so the camera can get a better focus on it for a moment.

“Me winning this title means a lot of things. It means that Luz and I might have to put a bit of a pause on our tag team aspirations for a while because my focus has to shift to defending this belt every single week against all challengers, but that also means more opportunities for both of us to show what we can do on our own as proof that for as much as it means to us to be able to team together and be in the hunt for tag team gold, we are just as capable flying solo as we are working together. It is a major milestone not just for me, but for us, that proves we have what it takes to earn our place in a company long considered to be one of the best in the entire world. This title is motivation for the both of us to keep pushing forward, leaving our pasts behind us to continue blazing our own trails in SCW and building our own legacies. As long as we keep fighting and proving ourselves, there could be more of this in our future... all we have to do is keep working for it.”

“That, of course, brings us to Body, Heart & Soul... the first SCW pay-per-view that the two of us have gotten to compete at since our return. I'm not going to mince words... our first time around, pay-per-views were not our friend. Maybe it was the nerves of being on a bigger stage than Breakdown so early in our initial run, or maybe we simply weren't ready for the challenges that awaited us on those nights, but this show is our chance to prove both to SCW and to ourselves how far we've come since then. We wanted this to be a fresh start and so far we've made the most of it, and now we find ourselves being a part of history. SCW's first ever twelve person tag team match... no matter what happens, this is something that can never be taken away from anyone in this match, and that, in and of itself, is all the motivation we need to make our mark against so many faces that we could meet again in our inevitable pursuit of standing atop the tag team mountain. Yeah, it's going to be chaotic, but for as much as we've tried to stay out of situations like that during our SCW run as a whole thus far, we know that sooner or later we're going to have to face it down if we want to keep building our case.”

Amelia lowers the TV Title and drapes it over both her and Luz's laps before they take each other's hands and rest them atop the belt, the two of them taking a moment to let the beautiful sunset evening bring them momentary peace before Luz continues.

“While I'm being honest here, I want to admit that Amelia and I have an uphill battle we know we might have to face. It's not because of our aforementioned pay-per-view track record or the fight we know all of our opponents will bring to this match... it's more the awkward feeling of knowing that, on paper, we look like we're on the wrong side in this match. Don't get us wrong, we respect everyone in this match on both sides for what they're all capable of in the ring, but we also know that the Playgirls aren't exactly the most well-liked team among the fans and James Evans hasn't really endeared himself to them as of late. Nothing against any of those four for wanting to go about things their own way if that's what they so choose, but Amelia and I... well, the fans out there are one of the biggest driving forces behind why we operate the way we do. Hearing those fans cheer for and appreciate my girlfriend for not only what she can do in that ring when she gets somebody down to the mat but also the fact that she's not shy about wanting to prove that she's doing this for herself and nobody else after a lifetime of being made to think she was just another link in a family chain... it's validation for the fight she's shown to earn that for herself and prove to all of you what kind of person she truly is.

As for me... those fans and their support are everything to me. I was born and raised in a culture where wrestlers were treated as real-life heroes and villains, embracing that love or hatred to a degree that isn't really seen anywhere else in the world. Yes, everyone is still respected for what they can do in the ring, but how you carry yourself is just as important to lucha libre fans as the skills you bring to the table. I grew up idolizing my late papá, not just because of the incredible wrestler he was and the place he forever etched into that culture, but because he was always just as much himself as he was the luchador everyone else. He earned the love and respect of those fans without losing sight of who he was, even with the mask he always wore... he hoped that I would do the same, and every inch I have to scratch and claw and fight for in this business is just as much for all of you as it is for me, because the woman you're looking at right now? This is the real me, mask and all, and I want to be someone who can inspire you and have your love and support the same way my father did.”

“It's not going to be easy, especially since we can't say for sure how well the Playgirls will want to cooperate with us even ignoring the fact that I just wrestled one of them about a week ago and won. We also don't know how far the respect and intrigue of James Evans will continue to extend to us just because of how we always have and always will operate. The one thing we can promise for sure to everyone involved, whether they be teaming with or opposing us, is that The Light In The Darkness are here to compete and give nothing less than our absolute best in this match. I know that the likes of Glory Braddock have their eyes on my title for their own reasons. We know that there are at least two teams on the other side of the ring that we will likely cross paths with again in our collective chase for tag team gold. We are well aware of the fact that this is a chance to test ourselves against the likes of the former and current Adrenaline Champions as well as two former World Champions. That's all we want out of this... win or lose, we want to bring that fight against all of you, we want to make it clear that we don't plan on backing down that easily in the tag team scene, we want to walk away from this match knowing that any and all of you want to be able to meet us in that ring again in some fashion to give those fans what they paid to see and keep fighting to prove that we belong here.

That's all Luz and I want... no tricks, no ulterior motives, just the chance to prove ourselves so we can keep growing and evolving against the very best. We want to earn our place in that conversation and we want to do it our way, and we intend to make that loud and clear come Sunday night.”

With all of that said, the girls slowly stand up and nod to the viewers before they begin walking away along the bridge, wanting to enjoy the last moments of the setting sun before night completely falls to help them focus on the challenge ahead of them and the statement they were hoping to make.

[Jay Gold]

Season 3 / Episode 35 / Body, Heart, Soul

[Simple77]

OOC: Its not much, but it's here

While she was the one doing all of the waiting and watching backstage this time, she needed to admit to herself that this was kind of fun turning the tables on him. She did need to admit objectively that inside of the ring, Chance Owens is one hell of a talent. That was one thing that she would never mention to him however, because being a man, it was a compliment that would go straight to his head as most compliments you try to give to a man normally do. This man was quite possibly the worst type of man too. The good looking but extremely conceited type, the type of man that probably didn’t believe that he had any flaws to point out himself, meanwhile the whole time he just couldn’t wait to tell you exactly what was wrong with you and if you are really lucky, you will get to find out how to fix yourself too.
Yes, by the way she thought to herself in one of those internal conversations that she had been having with herself more and more often recently, she did admit to herself that Chance is a good looking man. Sure, she was going to make certain that he never knew that was how she felt, but she was still allowed to look at men even though she had recently been divorced and she had sworn off any other man as well. At the very least she had sworn off Chance, though he probably wasn’t interested anyway; he was too interested in promoting himself to give her the time of day if she wanted it, which she did not.
Looking at one of those monitors, she barely stifled a laugh, as his match had just ended, and though he put on quite a show, Chance had lost his bid to become SCW Television Champion, as Polly Playtime had defended her title successfully. However, when Chance came backstage, Kelsai knew that he saw her, but he just blew right by her and headed to his locker room. In fact if you want to get it exactly right, Chance came backstage and he blew by everybody. Obviously somebody has a really hard time losing, some people are just like that, and there was no doubt after what she had just witnessed that Chance was one of those people.
Still, Kelsai had taken the time to show up on a night when she was off, and she was not going to be gotten rid of so easily. Quickly she made the decision to follow him, and no sooner was he in his locker was she hot on his heels right behind him. “Now that is no way for you to treat a fan that has been waiting backstage to see you for quite awhile.” You couldn’t wipe that disgust off of his face and Chance was not about to hide the fact that he didn’t want to Kelsai right now. Truth be told, he didn’t look like he wanted to see anyone at this point.
“I’m sorry, but I am pretty sure that I didn’t see any of my fans back here. So if you will excuse me since I just got done with a match, I am going to go take a shower before I get the hell out of here.” “Awww what’s wrong? Chance didn’t like the outcome of his match and that has put him in a bad mood?” Chance scoffs and shakes his head looking very impatient suddenly. “Yeah, I am a professional wrestler who doesn’t like to lose, not like that I am the first person who has followed that pattern. Why are you here tonight, champ? I know that you are not on the card.”
“I was scouting some possible future opponents. SCW has changed a lot since I was here the last time. I doubt that I even know what most people like to use as their finishers now.”
Sighing heavily, probably because he hadn’t been able to get rid of her yet, Chance starts unlacing his boots while calling the bullshit where he knows that he has just heard. “Sorry champ everybody who actually pays attention in this sport knows that you are a stickler for scouting your opponents very carefully, you always have been. It’s one of those things that I find admirable about you.”
It doesn’t happen often but for a second Kelsai was so surprised by what Chance had just said that she didn’t know what to say. “There are things that you find admirable about me, Chance?” “What? Yeah, you were a double world champion for over three months last year, a feat that most people don’t ever accomplish for even one day. Yes, there are things I find admirable about you, champ or at least I did.” While Chance has one boot off and is now working on the second, Kelsai is, judging by the look on her face, very insulted by what Chance just said.
“At least you did, as in past tense? I came here on my night off to offer my thoughts on your match tonight, and you go out of your way to insult me?” “I said what I said if you are insulted by that? That is your business, not mine. I cannot help how you feel when I say something.” Chance looks up from what he is doing for the first time in quite awhile and Kelsai takes that opportunity to get up close to his face. “You know something Chance Owens, you are a real asshole.” For the first time since he came backstage and realized that Kelsai was there, Chance has a slight smile starting to form at the corners of his lips.
“I might be hurt by that if I really cared what you think about me. Thankfully though, I don’t care in the slightest what you think about me.” Briefly looking at her face, Kelsai looks like she is almost ready to explode in a fury before she takes a step back and starts to laugh. If Chance had won his match earlier, he might have been laughing right along with her, but now? He just looked annoyed, because he had already stated wanted to go take a shower, something that she was in the way of right now. “Alright, let's go with that. Even though it’s not true because were it true, you would spend as much of your time watching my matches as you have been recently. Let’s pretend that you don’t really care what I think about you personally, I can do that. Let’s talk professionally though for just a second however and realize that while you are very, very good in the ring, your biggest problem that I say is that you out think yourself in the ring.”
“I out think myself in the ring. Color me intrigued champ, how does one out think themselves in the ring?” “Okay, so people will sometimes say when they are trying to show how much respect they have for someone else inside of the ring that they were thinking four or five moves ahead of their opponents right?” Almost as if they have found common ground for the very first, Chance nods along with Kelsai. “Sure, I know what you are talking about.”
“What I saw in your match tonight, is you were trying to think so far ahead of what your opponent was, you forgot to take care of what was right in front of you first. The real problem is though that not only did I notice, but Polly your opponent noticed this. She capitalized on it and that is why she is the person that left with the belt tonight and you are not.”
Thinking thoughtful on what she has just said for a few moments, Chance looks like he might take the advice to heart. Then he starts to snicker a little bit. “You almost had me there for just a second, you sounded so sincere. But tell me why I should listen to advice from you when you can ‘t even get out of your own way mentally long enough to have a real chance at winning a match anymore?” It has been coming for a few weeks between the two of them, but finally Kelsai explodes on Chance, though not in the way that he expects. Instead of screaming at him, Kelsai starts to cry while not raising her voice at all. “You know what Chance you're right, I am in a really awfully place mentally right now. That’s particularly hard on me because when I was at my best in the ring,” Wiping away a couple tears, Kelsai continues. “ I could out think anybody in the ring. But now, man, I am a mess okay? An absolute mess. My husband left me and decided he didn’t want to be my husband anymore. Granted with everything that was or wasn’t happening between us that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me, but it still hurts like hell.” “Hey now, I didn’t mean..” Kelsai takes her right index finger and presses it to Chance’s lips.
“No, you did mean, and you know what? I deserved it, just like I have deserved everything that I have had coming to me for the last three months for acting like such an awful person for the previous twelve. Now you are going to let me finish okay?” There is nothing else that needs to be said, rather there is just a nod from Chance. “Thank you. You see, MY HUSBAND LEFT ME Chance, not the other way around. You are the only person that I have told the truth about that, but Victor left me because I put wrestling first in my life. More important than him, more important than our marriage, more important than anything. I don’t have my husband anymore and my fans, the legions of fans that I couldn’t possibly? Not only have I lost most of them, they don’t trust me. Even my DAD doesn’t talk to me anymore because he doesn’t trust me!
“They don’t trust me and I don’t deserve their trust. I got everything I ever could have possibly wanted Chance, I was the Champion of the World! But the way I chose to go about it has made me more of a pariah than I ever thought possible. I have lost nearly everyone, so yeah I am in a real awful place mentally and I look at the ceiling in my bedroom every night hoping that I can cry myself to sleep because I am so damn lonely. It is just the worst and I deserve it!, So when I was telling you what I saw from you in your match, yes, there is problem every chance you might not want to listen to me because I am too fucked in the head right now and trying to put my life back together one tear at a time. Remember though, I’m also the person that held that title that you couldn’t capture tonight twice, back before I fucked my whole life up. But anyway, I wouldn’t want to keep you from your shower. Later, Chance."
And this time Chance is standing there watching while Kelsai walks away, knowing silently just how lonely feels too.