06-03-2023, 11:28 PM
OOC: This is my effort for Luz. I apologize that it's CD only, but between screwing my head back on straight after losing my job earlier this week and then trying to sacrifice sleep to get something done for this show, I'll admit that I screwed myself. At least I'm happy with the story I told. Also, I'm posting Luz's first because some of the things for it set up my Amelia piece... which will also be CD only for the same reason. I'm sorry everyone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
La Pequeña Luz had a lot on her mind, and that very rarely led to anything good.
As SCW headed into Taking Hold of the Flame, she found herself reflecting on the road she and Amelia had taken up to this point and how their paths almost felt like they were starting to diverge. While nothing would change the fact that they were both a couple and a tag team, Amelia was quickly establishing herself as a singles competitor in SCW as well. A TV Title reign to her name, only one proper singles loss so far if you didn't try to make sense of any times she and Luz had been pinned during Kim's Trios chaos, and pulling double duty at the pay-per-view because not only were both women entering the battle royal as a means of further testing themselves, but Amelia had also reached the finals of her tournament and was one win away from being able to call herself the new SCW United States Champion.
Luz had only competed in two proper outings on her own thus far, and she had come up short in both of them.
Her team being knocked out of the first round of Trios stung because of the shenanigans that had led to her team getting disqualified, leaving her feeling empty in terms of having proven anything. Her one and only singles match seeing her come up short in dethroning Kim for the Underground Title despite an amazing effort in an environment she wasn't used to had been an impressive display of her adaptability, but at the end of the day she knew that people would only care about the end results and nothing else. In that regard, it painted a picture that showed Luz as nothing more than a tag team wrestler and anything she'd achieved thus far hadn't entirely been on her own.
Deep down, she knew that she was every bit Amelia's equal when it came to what they were capable of individually. The problem was actually getting herself to believe that truth.
This whole situation actually reminded her a lot of the early days of her career, long before she and Amelia first crossed paths. How many matches had she struggled in because of the memories flashing through her head of what had happened to her father in the ring? How many times had she either won or at least walked away feeling as though she'd proven something only to hear everyone write it off because she was constantly being compared to her father, seemingly trapped in his legendary shadow? Hell, if it wasn't for the infamous match where she had not only handed Amelia her very first direct defeat but also become, to date, the only person to have survived her application of the Blight Choke, people might not have finally sat up and started to see her as more than just the daughter of El Espíritu Angélico.
The more she thought about it, the more she had realized that this had to be what Selena wanted to see from her. Luz didn't know if she knew of the early days of her career and how she had done then what she had yet to do in SCW, but it was clear that it was going to take a lot more than offering advice and trying to help rebalance the scales to prove that she truly belonged on this roster. She could score the pinfall in historic matches or over legendary figures, but until she could truly prove that she could be just as successful in singles action as her girlfriend, then it would always feel like she was getting nowhere.
The obvious solution to that issue would be to pull off something like winning the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal and going on to main event Rise to Greatness, but just like with Kim's Trios cash-in, she wasn't going to overestimate her abilities and make claims that would only blow up in her face if she couldn't deliver on them. If it happened, then that would be amazing, but she also needed to think ahead and be realistic about what her plans for Rise to Greatness might look like, especially with the possibility that she and Amelia might not get to team together for their very first one.
In Luz's mind, the answer to this problem could be found by going back to her roots. Coincidentally, that course of action allowed her to finally pursue a conversation that's been long overdue.
As her rental car drove towards its destination, Luz had to admit that it felt weird being back here all by herself. This was arguably the first time since she left to go be Amelia's mystery partner against her siblings all those years ago that she'd set foot in Mexico without the other woman by her side, even when Amelia had no reason to come with her. Up until now, she'd always reasoned that in addition to how close they had become, Amelia opted to travel with her as a living security blanket of sorts, knowing full well how quickly things could break down if Luz and her mother ever found themselves face-to-face. She had even offered to join her on this trip as well, with the additional reason being that sticking together felt like a safe bet considering it felt like things were too quiet regarding whatever was going on with The Empire following that confrontation several weeks ago.
It hurt to part from her, but she ultimately understood that this was something she had to do alone.
“You're packing a little early, aren't you?” Amelia suddenly said as she walked into their bedroom to find her girlfriend packing a suitcase. “We've only been back home for a few days and don't need to fly out to Milwaukee for the pay-per-view for a while still.”
“I know,” Luz replied as she finished stuffing a small pile of neatly folded shirts into the suitcase, and Amelia immediately noticed the familiar nervous tic of Luz playing with her hands before they grabbed a few more clothing items.
“Luz?” Amelia asked carefully. “Is everything alright?”
“I... don't know, to be honest,” Luz admitted, which had Amelia letting out a sigh of relief that she was at least being honest. “I'm going to figure that out, though. Which is why... I'm taking a trip back to Tulancingo for a little bit.”
“Oh Luz,” Amelia said with that soft tone of affection that always spawned a swarm of butterflies in her stomach even after all these years. “You should've said something earlier! Let me shower and throw these gross sweaty workout clothes in the laundry quick and I'll-”
“Ames,” Luz cut her off softly but stern enough to make sure her next words would be heard clearly. “I'm sorry, but this is a trip I need to take on my own.”
Amelia looked gobsmacked at that, her mouth working soundlessly as she tried to think of a response while Luz continued to pack.
“L-Luz...” was all she could think to say, though it did earn her a soft peck on the lips from her girlfriend.
“This has nothing to do with you, cariño, and I promise that I still love you and nothing will change that,” Luz reassured her. “I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since I fell short against Kim, and as much as you know I support you 1000% percent and believe in you walking out of Taking Hold of the Flame as the new U.S. Champion, it's really made me think about how much you're proving yourself while I... well... haven't really been able to do so.”
“Luz, that's ridiculous,” Amelia told her. “You got to participate in Trios where I wasn't even picked, you will forever be able to say you scored the winning pinfall in the first ever twelve-person tag match, you pinned a Hall of Famer in Amy Chastaine... hell, Kim may have retained against you, but you proved you could adapt to something you weren't fully comfortable with and made her acknowledge your efforts.”
“That's just it,” Luz responded. “Believe me, I know those all mean something to the progress I've been trying to make, but everybody else beyond the two of us will look at all of that and point out how I still fell short on my own or that I pulled it off because I was teaming with you. It's the idea of living in the shadow of my father's legend all over again.”
As soon as she said those words, Amelia immediately understood the struggle Luz was having. The two had similar struggles early on in their careers of having to live up to the legacies they were meant to be the second generation of, except while she constantly had her parents breathing down her neck and punishing her at the slightest imperfection in her technique, Luz was constantly reminded of how great her father was by the people around her and always took it to heart every time she heard someone compare her to him. To hear that old fear had returned except that she was the one Luz was beating herself up over being constantly compared to...
“Again, it's not your fault Amelia,” Luz quickly reminded her, “it's just that I feel like I need to... I don't know, go back to where it all began, maybe see if it helps me figure out how to do in SCW what I did once before back there to prove I'm able to make something of myself just like you've been. Besides... I reached out to my mom recently, and after that whole mess with The Empire weeks ago and clearing up everything regarding our fake Luz, she and I both agree that we give an actual civil conversation a try. I can't ask you to put off your training for your big match just for me, especially since I know you'd do it without a second thought because I'd do the exact same thing. You deserve to give Bree your very best and need to be absolutely focused on that.”
“But... what about making asking Ivy to go with you? Or maybe Gage?” Amelia asked. “Not because I don't think you can't do this alone, I just... I'm worried about you being completely alone in case Caleb or Henry and their flunkies try anything.”
“OK, fair point,” Luz admitted as she packed the last of her clothes and closed up the suitcase before sitting on the edge of the bed, locking eyes with her partner. “But this is something I still feel I need to tackle on my own. I'll be with my mom so I won't be completely alone, and part of me feels like The Empire wouldn't risk anything since last I heard they were on thin ice now that the bookings they've been given out there have almost entirely dried up now that it's clear they've had someone masquerading as me and spitting in the face of some of lucha libre's most sacred traditions.”
Amelia nodded, but Luz could still see just how nervous and worried she was. To that end, she slowly got off the bed and pulled her into a tight hug, letting the other woman nuzzle into her neck as she peppered her hairline with kisses.
“I promise that we'll reunite before showtime Ames,” Luz vowed. “I swear on my mask that I'll come back to you both in one piece and ready to use the battle royal as the first part of the statement I'm going to make going into Rise to Greatness. Soon they'll know that La Pequeña Luz is every bit as good on her own as she is teaming with you, just as you have been proving, Amelia Blythe.”
“I'll figure out a way to prove that I'm every bit the real deal like you are Ames, I promise,” Luz said out loud in the empty car as she finally drove into the city of Tulancingo, her lips slowly curving into a nostalgic smile at all the old buildings she had taken such pride in being around as a child. In some ways, being back here truly felt like a long overdue mental reset she knew she'd needed for a while but just couldn't figure out how to make it happen.
It would never beat the home she'd made with Amelia, but the prospect of being able to have her old hometown truly back in her life brought with it a sense of wholeness.
As she drove, she found herself slowing to a stop at the sight of a familiar statue that sat in one of the busier parts of town. Considering the impact he'd made, it was no surprise that after her father passed, a statue would be erected in his likeness so that all who visited the city would know of the legendary luchador who had been the pride of the city for so long. Looking at the various bouquets of flowers and small gifts and crafts that had been left at the statue's base, Luz felt an odd sense of relief that the memorial was being treated as such so that her father's actual grave could be left in peace.
At that thought, Luz grabbed her phone and shot a quick text to her mother to both let her know that she'd rolled into town and that she had a stop she needed to make before she'd meet up with her back at her childhood home.
It didn't take Luz very long to drive from the statue to her destination, though as soon as she stepped out of the car she could feel the nerves overtaking her. She hadn't been to this place in years, not since things between her and her mom had collapsed so badly that even being back in this city just felt like an invitation to disaster. Deep inside, it pained her that she hadn't been able to come here in so long, but she knew what she had to do in response to that as she took her first steps into the cemetery and made her way along the headstones until she found the one she was looking for.
Unlike the statue she'd seen of the man just minutes ago, her father's grave was simple and blended in perfectly with his neighbors, identifiable only if you actually read the name etched onto it. The perfect resting place for a man who was extremely humble despite the heavy weight of the status his name carried at all times.
“Hola papá,” Luz quietly said as she sank to her knees in front of the grave. “I apologize for not bringing any flowers... or even so much as stopping by in the past few years. Things have been pretty crazy, I won't lie. I'm sure you might already know all about what I've been up to, given that you're probably looking down on me from up above and truly embracing the name you took on so long ago. Still, I'd love to tell you about it all, if you'll let me. And it starts with me apologizing for not coming by for all that time. I really wanted to, I swear, it's just... things between mom and I got really rough after you left. She was so scared that I might have something happen to me like what took you from us, so me going through with following in your footsteps kind of drove a wedge between us. Maybe I threw myself into trying to do that a little too much, maybe I was so scared that she'd be right and I would meet the same fate... I'm just as much to blame as she is for letting things get this way. Fighting with mamá, not coming to visit you, struggling to make my mark in the wrestling world you left behind for me... lo siento...”
At that, Luz just let herself talk about everything that had happened over the past few years, from her struggles at the start of her career to finally establishing herself both here and in Europe, her signing with SCW and the injury that had sidelined her and rattled her confidence, and even where she stood now and the mental turmoil she had been going through. She talked about the chaos outside the ring regarding The Empire that she'd found herself swept up in with the imposter posing as her trying to ruin her image and her concerns over the man behind it all being an old rival of her father's. She even found herself really getting lost in her thoughts about realizing that she was bisexual and the woman who had claimed her heart in spite of their rocky beginnings, going on and on about Amelia and how much the woman meant to her.
Not once did she realize that she wasn't alone, but the smile on the face of the other visitor never left since the first words she'd heard Luz speak to the man who rested here.
“Ay papá, how I wish you were still around to meet her. I just know you'd love her! She's smart, gorgeous and such a talented wrestler! I know you would've loved her... she could've seen you as the father she never truly got to have because her parents are just awful. You...” Luz paused for a moment to wipe a tear away as she sniffled. “You always knew how to bring out the best in everyone... you inspired me to do that with her and she's become so much better for it, embracing the incredible woman she's always been deep inside. You would know how to help me understand how I make my solo mark on SCW just like she is now... maybe you'd even help me figure out how to propose to her...”
“I'm sure he'd have quite a few ideas... ay, he was always such a romantic...”
Luz's eyes widened as she whipped around, thinking that maybe she'd misheard the voice that had just spoken. But there was no mistaking the woman in front of her. Her hair was starting to show some visible graying and had gotten a lot fluffier than she remembered, but there was no mistaking the woman who, barring the glasses and her hair, looked very much like an older Luna Nevado if the mask were ever to be removed.
“Mamá?” she carefully spoke.
“Hola, mi Pequeña Luz,” Dr. Camila Nevado spoke softly, knowing full well that a lot still needed to be resolved between the two of them. “Somehow I had a feeling this is where I'd find you when you said you had a stop to make first.”
“Lo siento,” Luz apologized. “I didn't mean to make you wait-”
“It's quite alright, Luna,” Camila reassured her daughter. “I don't blame you for wanting to see him... it's been so long since you've gotten the chance to catch up with him, after all. I know how that feels...” She carefully closed the distance until she was standing beside Luz before her husband's grave. “I could never bring myself to come see him for so long... I just felt so guilty for how everything got to this point. I kept blaming the wrestling business for taking him away from us and holding that against you when you insisted on following through with your dream to be just like him, and that wasn't right.”
“Mamá, no...” Luz pleaded. “I'm just as much to blame for not listening to you. Yes, I wanted to follow my dream so badly, but then I just kept second guessing myself because I couldn't stop thinking back to that night... I'm honestly surprised one of those incidents didn't lead to me getting hurt. And then I actually did get hurt my first time around in SCW and insisted on picking fights with you about everything instead of just... talking through it all like an adult.”
“We've both made plenty of mistakes Luna,” Camila said as she gently rested a hand on her daughter's shoulder. “We can't change the past, but we owe it to both your father and ourselves to at least try for a better future, one where maybe we can have a proper relationship as mother and daughter again.”
Luz sniffled a bit more as she slowly rose to a stand and hugged her mom, who returned it once she got over her initial surprise. “I'm willing to try if you are.”
Camila planted a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead, right on the sun and crescent moon symbol that had virtually become the definitive logo for The Light In The Darkness at this point. In a way, Luz wanted to think of it as her mother giving her blessing for the relationship her daughter had, but she knew that Camila had a few heated conversations with Amelia as well in the past when her girlfriend had stepped up to defend her.
“So...” Camila carefully broke the silence. “Proposing to Amelia, hm?”
She couldn't help but grin at how red her daughter's face became under her mask.
“I haven't done it yet!” Luz held out her hands in pleading. “And- and I was going to tell you, but I know you and Ames don't exactly have the best track record with each other even though she totally knows we're finally talking things out now, but I love her so much and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else at this point and-”
“Breathe, Luna,” Camila ordered, and Luz cut herself off and finally took a moment to actually catch her breath after rambling for a moment there, which only caused her blush to deepen. “Believe me, I understand your concerns, but you don't have to worry. As much as I am at fault for picking a fight with her whenever she stepped in, I could clearly see how much that young lady cares for you and wants you by her side as much as you want her by yours. Considering how highly you praised her while talking with your papá, how could I not give my blessing for your marriage?”
Luz's jaw dropped at that, having not expected this to be the direction this conversation went in. “You... you really mean that?”
“Sí, Luna,” Camila confirmed with a gentle smile. “I'll even help you take the first step to proposing... you're going to need a ring, after all, and your abuela gifted me her old wedding ring to pass on to my own child. It might not have been the exact circumstances she had in mind, but I don't think she'll raise a fuss over you getting married to someone who truly means the world to you.”
“Mamá...” Luz started to tear up again as she hugged her mother tight in thanks, the two of them just standing there at the grave of their fallen father and husband respectively and taking in this moment that had finally become real. Mother and daughter, reunited at last.
It wasn't going to be an easy road and there were plenty of conversations to still be had, but Luz felt like she was taking the first steps to truly being able to make her mark in this world.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
La Pequeña Luz had a lot on her mind, and that very rarely led to anything good.
As SCW headed into Taking Hold of the Flame, she found herself reflecting on the road she and Amelia had taken up to this point and how their paths almost felt like they were starting to diverge. While nothing would change the fact that they were both a couple and a tag team, Amelia was quickly establishing herself as a singles competitor in SCW as well. A TV Title reign to her name, only one proper singles loss so far if you didn't try to make sense of any times she and Luz had been pinned during Kim's Trios chaos, and pulling double duty at the pay-per-view because not only were both women entering the battle royal as a means of further testing themselves, but Amelia had also reached the finals of her tournament and was one win away from being able to call herself the new SCW United States Champion.
Luz had only competed in two proper outings on her own thus far, and she had come up short in both of them.
Her team being knocked out of the first round of Trios stung because of the shenanigans that had led to her team getting disqualified, leaving her feeling empty in terms of having proven anything. Her one and only singles match seeing her come up short in dethroning Kim for the Underground Title despite an amazing effort in an environment she wasn't used to had been an impressive display of her adaptability, but at the end of the day she knew that people would only care about the end results and nothing else. In that regard, it painted a picture that showed Luz as nothing more than a tag team wrestler and anything she'd achieved thus far hadn't entirely been on her own.
Deep down, she knew that she was every bit Amelia's equal when it came to what they were capable of individually. The problem was actually getting herself to believe that truth.
This whole situation actually reminded her a lot of the early days of her career, long before she and Amelia first crossed paths. How many matches had she struggled in because of the memories flashing through her head of what had happened to her father in the ring? How many times had she either won or at least walked away feeling as though she'd proven something only to hear everyone write it off because she was constantly being compared to her father, seemingly trapped in his legendary shadow? Hell, if it wasn't for the infamous match where she had not only handed Amelia her very first direct defeat but also become, to date, the only person to have survived her application of the Blight Choke, people might not have finally sat up and started to see her as more than just the daughter of El Espíritu Angélico.
The more she thought about it, the more she had realized that this had to be what Selena wanted to see from her. Luz didn't know if she knew of the early days of her career and how she had done then what she had yet to do in SCW, but it was clear that it was going to take a lot more than offering advice and trying to help rebalance the scales to prove that she truly belonged on this roster. She could score the pinfall in historic matches or over legendary figures, but until she could truly prove that she could be just as successful in singles action as her girlfriend, then it would always feel like she was getting nowhere.
The obvious solution to that issue would be to pull off something like winning the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal and going on to main event Rise to Greatness, but just like with Kim's Trios cash-in, she wasn't going to overestimate her abilities and make claims that would only blow up in her face if she couldn't deliver on them. If it happened, then that would be amazing, but she also needed to think ahead and be realistic about what her plans for Rise to Greatness might look like, especially with the possibility that she and Amelia might not get to team together for their very first one.
In Luz's mind, the answer to this problem could be found by going back to her roots. Coincidentally, that course of action allowed her to finally pursue a conversation that's been long overdue.
As her rental car drove towards its destination, Luz had to admit that it felt weird being back here all by herself. This was arguably the first time since she left to go be Amelia's mystery partner against her siblings all those years ago that she'd set foot in Mexico without the other woman by her side, even when Amelia had no reason to come with her. Up until now, she'd always reasoned that in addition to how close they had become, Amelia opted to travel with her as a living security blanket of sorts, knowing full well how quickly things could break down if Luz and her mother ever found themselves face-to-face. She had even offered to join her on this trip as well, with the additional reason being that sticking together felt like a safe bet considering it felt like things were too quiet regarding whatever was going on with The Empire following that confrontation several weeks ago.
It hurt to part from her, but she ultimately understood that this was something she had to do alone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“You're packing a little early, aren't you?” Amelia suddenly said as she walked into their bedroom to find her girlfriend packing a suitcase. “We've only been back home for a few days and don't need to fly out to Milwaukee for the pay-per-view for a while still.”
“I know,” Luz replied as she finished stuffing a small pile of neatly folded shirts into the suitcase, and Amelia immediately noticed the familiar nervous tic of Luz playing with her hands before they grabbed a few more clothing items.
“Luz?” Amelia asked carefully. “Is everything alright?”
“I... don't know, to be honest,” Luz admitted, which had Amelia letting out a sigh of relief that she was at least being honest. “I'm going to figure that out, though. Which is why... I'm taking a trip back to Tulancingo for a little bit.”
“Oh Luz,” Amelia said with that soft tone of affection that always spawned a swarm of butterflies in her stomach even after all these years. “You should've said something earlier! Let me shower and throw these gross sweaty workout clothes in the laundry quick and I'll-”
“Ames,” Luz cut her off softly but stern enough to make sure her next words would be heard clearly. “I'm sorry, but this is a trip I need to take on my own.”
Amelia looked gobsmacked at that, her mouth working soundlessly as she tried to think of a response while Luz continued to pack.
“L-Luz...” was all she could think to say, though it did earn her a soft peck on the lips from her girlfriend.
“This has nothing to do with you, cariño, and I promise that I still love you and nothing will change that,” Luz reassured her. “I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since I fell short against Kim, and as much as you know I support you 1000% percent and believe in you walking out of Taking Hold of the Flame as the new U.S. Champion, it's really made me think about how much you're proving yourself while I... well... haven't really been able to do so.”
“Luz, that's ridiculous,” Amelia told her. “You got to participate in Trios where I wasn't even picked, you will forever be able to say you scored the winning pinfall in the first ever twelve-person tag match, you pinned a Hall of Famer in Amy Chastaine... hell, Kim may have retained against you, but you proved you could adapt to something you weren't fully comfortable with and made her acknowledge your efforts.”
“That's just it,” Luz responded. “Believe me, I know those all mean something to the progress I've been trying to make, but everybody else beyond the two of us will look at all of that and point out how I still fell short on my own or that I pulled it off because I was teaming with you. It's the idea of living in the shadow of my father's legend all over again.”
As soon as she said those words, Amelia immediately understood the struggle Luz was having. The two had similar struggles early on in their careers of having to live up to the legacies they were meant to be the second generation of, except while she constantly had her parents breathing down her neck and punishing her at the slightest imperfection in her technique, Luz was constantly reminded of how great her father was by the people around her and always took it to heart every time she heard someone compare her to him. To hear that old fear had returned except that she was the one Luz was beating herself up over being constantly compared to...
“Again, it's not your fault Amelia,” Luz quickly reminded her, “it's just that I feel like I need to... I don't know, go back to where it all began, maybe see if it helps me figure out how to do in SCW what I did once before back there to prove I'm able to make something of myself just like you've been. Besides... I reached out to my mom recently, and after that whole mess with The Empire weeks ago and clearing up everything regarding our fake Luz, she and I both agree that we give an actual civil conversation a try. I can't ask you to put off your training for your big match just for me, especially since I know you'd do it without a second thought because I'd do the exact same thing. You deserve to give Bree your very best and need to be absolutely focused on that.”
“But... what about making asking Ivy to go with you? Or maybe Gage?” Amelia asked. “Not because I don't think you can't do this alone, I just... I'm worried about you being completely alone in case Caleb or Henry and their flunkies try anything.”
“OK, fair point,” Luz admitted as she packed the last of her clothes and closed up the suitcase before sitting on the edge of the bed, locking eyes with her partner. “But this is something I still feel I need to tackle on my own. I'll be with my mom so I won't be completely alone, and part of me feels like The Empire wouldn't risk anything since last I heard they were on thin ice now that the bookings they've been given out there have almost entirely dried up now that it's clear they've had someone masquerading as me and spitting in the face of some of lucha libre's most sacred traditions.”
Amelia nodded, but Luz could still see just how nervous and worried she was. To that end, she slowly got off the bed and pulled her into a tight hug, letting the other woman nuzzle into her neck as she peppered her hairline with kisses.
“I promise that we'll reunite before showtime Ames,” Luz vowed. “I swear on my mask that I'll come back to you both in one piece and ready to use the battle royal as the first part of the statement I'm going to make going into Rise to Greatness. Soon they'll know that La Pequeña Luz is every bit as good on her own as she is teaming with you, just as you have been proving, Amelia Blythe.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“I'll figure out a way to prove that I'm every bit the real deal like you are Ames, I promise,” Luz said out loud in the empty car as she finally drove into the city of Tulancingo, her lips slowly curving into a nostalgic smile at all the old buildings she had taken such pride in being around as a child. In some ways, being back here truly felt like a long overdue mental reset she knew she'd needed for a while but just couldn't figure out how to make it happen.
It would never beat the home she'd made with Amelia, but the prospect of being able to have her old hometown truly back in her life brought with it a sense of wholeness.
As she drove, she found herself slowing to a stop at the sight of a familiar statue that sat in one of the busier parts of town. Considering the impact he'd made, it was no surprise that after her father passed, a statue would be erected in his likeness so that all who visited the city would know of the legendary luchador who had been the pride of the city for so long. Looking at the various bouquets of flowers and small gifts and crafts that had been left at the statue's base, Luz felt an odd sense of relief that the memorial was being treated as such so that her father's actual grave could be left in peace.
At that thought, Luz grabbed her phone and shot a quick text to her mother to both let her know that she'd rolled into town and that she had a stop she needed to make before she'd meet up with her back at her childhood home.
It didn't take Luz very long to drive from the statue to her destination, though as soon as she stepped out of the car she could feel the nerves overtaking her. She hadn't been to this place in years, not since things between her and her mom had collapsed so badly that even being back in this city just felt like an invitation to disaster. Deep inside, it pained her that she hadn't been able to come here in so long, but she knew what she had to do in response to that as she took her first steps into the cemetery and made her way along the headstones until she found the one she was looking for.
Unlike the statue she'd seen of the man just minutes ago, her father's grave was simple and blended in perfectly with his neighbors, identifiable only if you actually read the name etched onto it. The perfect resting place for a man who was extremely humble despite the heavy weight of the status his name carried at all times.
“Hola papá,” Luz quietly said as she sank to her knees in front of the grave. “I apologize for not bringing any flowers... or even so much as stopping by in the past few years. Things have been pretty crazy, I won't lie. I'm sure you might already know all about what I've been up to, given that you're probably looking down on me from up above and truly embracing the name you took on so long ago. Still, I'd love to tell you about it all, if you'll let me. And it starts with me apologizing for not coming by for all that time. I really wanted to, I swear, it's just... things between mom and I got really rough after you left. She was so scared that I might have something happen to me like what took you from us, so me going through with following in your footsteps kind of drove a wedge between us. Maybe I threw myself into trying to do that a little too much, maybe I was so scared that she'd be right and I would meet the same fate... I'm just as much to blame as she is for letting things get this way. Fighting with mamá, not coming to visit you, struggling to make my mark in the wrestling world you left behind for me... lo siento...”
At that, Luz just let herself talk about everything that had happened over the past few years, from her struggles at the start of her career to finally establishing herself both here and in Europe, her signing with SCW and the injury that had sidelined her and rattled her confidence, and even where she stood now and the mental turmoil she had been going through. She talked about the chaos outside the ring regarding The Empire that she'd found herself swept up in with the imposter posing as her trying to ruin her image and her concerns over the man behind it all being an old rival of her father's. She even found herself really getting lost in her thoughts about realizing that she was bisexual and the woman who had claimed her heart in spite of their rocky beginnings, going on and on about Amelia and how much the woman meant to her.
Not once did she realize that she wasn't alone, but the smile on the face of the other visitor never left since the first words she'd heard Luz speak to the man who rested here.
“Ay papá, how I wish you were still around to meet her. I just know you'd love her! She's smart, gorgeous and such a talented wrestler! I know you would've loved her... she could've seen you as the father she never truly got to have because her parents are just awful. You...” Luz paused for a moment to wipe a tear away as she sniffled. “You always knew how to bring out the best in everyone... you inspired me to do that with her and she's become so much better for it, embracing the incredible woman she's always been deep inside. You would know how to help me understand how I make my solo mark on SCW just like she is now... maybe you'd even help me figure out how to propose to her...”
“I'm sure he'd have quite a few ideas... ay, he was always such a romantic...”
Luz's eyes widened as she whipped around, thinking that maybe she'd misheard the voice that had just spoken. But there was no mistaking the woman in front of her. Her hair was starting to show some visible graying and had gotten a lot fluffier than she remembered, but there was no mistaking the woman who, barring the glasses and her hair, looked very much like an older Luna Nevado if the mask were ever to be removed.
“Mamá?” she carefully spoke.
“Hola, mi Pequeña Luz,” Dr. Camila Nevado spoke softly, knowing full well that a lot still needed to be resolved between the two of them. “Somehow I had a feeling this is where I'd find you when you said you had a stop to make first.”
“Lo siento,” Luz apologized. “I didn't mean to make you wait-”
“It's quite alright, Luna,” Camila reassured her daughter. “I don't blame you for wanting to see him... it's been so long since you've gotten the chance to catch up with him, after all. I know how that feels...” She carefully closed the distance until she was standing beside Luz before her husband's grave. “I could never bring myself to come see him for so long... I just felt so guilty for how everything got to this point. I kept blaming the wrestling business for taking him away from us and holding that against you when you insisted on following through with your dream to be just like him, and that wasn't right.”
“Mamá, no...” Luz pleaded. “I'm just as much to blame for not listening to you. Yes, I wanted to follow my dream so badly, but then I just kept second guessing myself because I couldn't stop thinking back to that night... I'm honestly surprised one of those incidents didn't lead to me getting hurt. And then I actually did get hurt my first time around in SCW and insisted on picking fights with you about everything instead of just... talking through it all like an adult.”
“We've both made plenty of mistakes Luna,” Camila said as she gently rested a hand on her daughter's shoulder. “We can't change the past, but we owe it to both your father and ourselves to at least try for a better future, one where maybe we can have a proper relationship as mother and daughter again.”
Luz sniffled a bit more as she slowly rose to a stand and hugged her mom, who returned it once she got over her initial surprise. “I'm willing to try if you are.”
Camila planted a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead, right on the sun and crescent moon symbol that had virtually become the definitive logo for The Light In The Darkness at this point. In a way, Luz wanted to think of it as her mother giving her blessing for the relationship her daughter had, but she knew that Camila had a few heated conversations with Amelia as well in the past when her girlfriend had stepped up to defend her.
“So...” Camila carefully broke the silence. “Proposing to Amelia, hm?”
She couldn't help but grin at how red her daughter's face became under her mask.
“I haven't done it yet!” Luz held out her hands in pleading. “And- and I was going to tell you, but I know you and Ames don't exactly have the best track record with each other even though she totally knows we're finally talking things out now, but I love her so much and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else at this point and-”
“Breathe, Luna,” Camila ordered, and Luz cut herself off and finally took a moment to actually catch her breath after rambling for a moment there, which only caused her blush to deepen. “Believe me, I understand your concerns, but you don't have to worry. As much as I am at fault for picking a fight with her whenever she stepped in, I could clearly see how much that young lady cares for you and wants you by her side as much as you want her by yours. Considering how highly you praised her while talking with your papá, how could I not give my blessing for your marriage?”
Luz's jaw dropped at that, having not expected this to be the direction this conversation went in. “You... you really mean that?”
“Sí, Luna,” Camila confirmed with a gentle smile. “I'll even help you take the first step to proposing... you're going to need a ring, after all, and your abuela gifted me her old wedding ring to pass on to my own child. It might not have been the exact circumstances she had in mind, but I don't think she'll raise a fuss over you getting married to someone who truly means the world to you.”
“Mamá...” Luz started to tear up again as she hugged her mother tight in thanks, the two of them just standing there at the grave of their fallen father and husband respectively and taking in this moment that had finally become real. Mother and daughter, reunited at last.
It wasn't going to be an easy road and there were plenty of conversations to still be had, but Luz felt like she was taking the first steps to truly being able to make her mark in this world.
![[Image: VU13RwA.png]](https://i.imgur.com/VU13RwA.png)
Tag Team Record: 18-7*
La Pequeña Luz Solo Record: 8-5
Amelia Blythe Solo Record: 4-5-1
*The tag team turmoil on the 9/14/2023 Breakdown is counted in this record as the three separate matches LITD had in the gauntlet up until their elimination.
Breakdown 3/30/2023 - Kim Williams' Trios Cash-In
La Pequeña Luz: 3 Falls
Amelia Blythe: 2 Falls
*Neither one finished high enough to win any championships in this match
*Result listed separately and not counted in records due to lack of clarity on how to count falls
SCW Accomplishments
SCW Television Championship (Amelia Blythe - 29 Days)
SCW Television Championship (La Pequeña Luz - 98 Days)
SCW World Tag Team Championship (81 Days)
SCW World Tag Team Championship [2] (Current)
2023 Tag Team of the Year
2023 Match of the Year (Kim Williams' Trios Cash-In)