Statera vs. Twisted & Sadistic vs. Light in the Darkness

[supremecw]

Statera vs. Twisted & Sadistic vs. Light in the Darkness
Lucha Libre Rules
Number one contendership to the SCW World Tag Team Championship

4 RP Limit per team
Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Monday, October 2, 2023

[Braddock]

1 of 2
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September 23rd, 2023
Charlotte, NC
Off Camera
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So far Glory Braddock’s quest of earning a tag team championship opportunity, and thus a shot at completing the Supreme Championship in SCW, has been so close but still so far away. In the tag team turmoil on Breakdown, Braddock and Lohan came up short in their bid to become number one contenders. Twisted & Sadistic have not let this setback keep them down. In fact, they are already preparing for another opportunity to step up and put themselves in contention for the SCW World Tag Team Championship. In an unexpected turn of events, Ace Marshall vanished and will unlikely be able to attend Apocalypse. Now it seems as if the tag team championships are yet again in turmoil as Ravyn and her new partner, Syren, are set to defend against The Alloccos. With new champions and challengers in place, Apocalypse will also crown new number one contenders. Twisted & Sadistic, Bree and Datura, and Light in the Darkness will all vie for an opportunity to face the champions. The old saying is that ‘where there is chaos there is opportunity’, and perhaps Glory Braddock and Brittany Lohan can take advantage of this chaotic new opportunity, under lucha libre rules, to get an opportunity at the SCW World Tag Team Champions, whomever they may be after Apocalypse concludes?

Braddock plans to prepare in earnest for this opportunity, beginning next week as she spends the entire week in Birmingham, England with her “uncle” and trainer Blake O’Malley. Blake has been a wise voice and guide for her in the past and has a good reputation for preparing his trainees for chaotic scenarios, the type of chaos that can be expected when facing the likes of Statera and Light in the Darkness in a lucha libre rules tag match. If anyone can get The British Bombshell prepared for Apocalypse, it is Blake O’Malley; thus she will be heading to England shortly. Before she can make that trip, she still has business to take care of in the United States, namely in Charlotte, North Carolina, the corporate headquarters of her company Glorious Golden Enterprises.

Under normal circumstances, Glory Braddock would just simply entrust the run of her company with her corporate president, her longtime friend Francis Taylor. Lately, however, Braddock has come to distrust her friend’s judgment. It all started when Francis decided to organize a partnership between GGE and a wealthy English investor known as Melody Murphy. Melody is well known to both Francis and Glory; the three women were the best of friends once upon a time and they went to school together. They were the tyrannical bullies of the school, they terrorized the school and the other kids. Braddock’s unexpected and unplanned pregnancy during her teenage years led to Francis and Melody turning on her, betraying her. Glory found herself as the one being bullied, as the outcast, as the outsider. That was nearly two decades ago and for the most part everyone has moved on. Glory and Francis, in fact, have been on friendly terms for many years now. But Glory took the betrayal of Melody the most personal and she has found it very difficult to forgive her. The added surprise that Melody has begun dating Francis’s brother, Glory’s best friend Matthew Taylor, has further created skepticism and confusion in the mind of The British Bombshell. She is convinced that Melody is bad news for Matthew and that she is just using him. The evidence is there; Matthew has already told her certain secrets about Glory Braddock, secrets that Melody has used to mock and tease her, to try and provoke her.

What is Melody’s game? What is her agenda? If she really wants to do business with Glory, as she claims, then why mock her future business partner? Does Melody have ulterior motives? Glory still doesn’t trust her and intends to try and find out as much as she can about Melody and her motives before she lets this business deal go through. Which is what brings her to the Charlotte headquarters on this day, one day before she is to make the flight to England. Today is supposed to be the day that their business partnership is finalized. The British Bombshell isn’t quite sure that she will let this happen. Not yet. The British Bombshell is walking the halls of the Charlotte offices of GGE. Glory is dressed nicely in a pink two piece jacket and lace dress with matching pink high heeled leather pumps. A warm, friendly smile is etched across her face. The British Bombshell approaches her secretary, a young lady with black hair who is stationed in front of the conference room. Her name tag, “Bailey” is on her jacket. The secretary is dressed in a navy blue suit skirt outfit.

“Hi, Bailey.” Glory says with a friendly smile on her face. “How are you?”

“I’m doing wonderful, Ms. Braddock. How are you?”

“I’m great, thanks.” She points to the conference room. “Have Francis and Melody arrived yet?”

“Yes.” Bailey nods her head. “They are waiting on you.”

“Perfect.” Braddock winks. “Thanks, Bailey. I don’t think this meeting will last too long.” Glory then proceeds to walk on past Bailey and into the conference room. Immediately upon entering the large conference she spots Francis and Melody at the far end of the room sitting at the end of the ovular/egg shaped wood oak desk sitting in comfy leather rolling desk chairs. Sitting in the middle of the desk is a man in a gray suit. As Glory approaches, both Francis and Melody rise up from their seats. Francis is wearing a black and white professional looking skirt suit combo with black high heeled pumps. Melody is wearing a gold pencil skirt, a white silk blouse, and gold open toed high heel pumps.

“Glory! You’re here!” Francis says happily. She wants a hug but Glory instead offers a handshake. Francis chuckles somewhat uneasily and accepts the handshake instead. Braddock then turns to offer the same handshake to Melody.

“Nice seeing you, Melody.”

“It’s nice seeing you too, Maria.” Once again Melody uses Glory’s middle name, the name she used when she was one of them. A name she would rather not acknowledge any longer. Braddock lets it pass and shakes Melody’s hand. The man in the gray suit approaches. Francis steps forward and motions towards him.

“Glory, meet Derek, he is the attorney who will hopefully make this deal a reality.” Francis smiles as Derek extends a hand to Glory.

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Braddock.”

“Nice to meet you, Derek. I trust this won’t take too long?”

“It shouldn’t, Ms. Braddock.” Derek responds, shaking his head.

“Yes, our girl Glory here is a busy woman. Not only is she a successful business woman but she is an active professional wrestler.” Francis quips. Glory nods her head.

“That’s right, after this meeting I’m planning to catch a flight to England. My husband is already there.”

“Planning to train with my man, Maria?” Melody says with a knowing grin. Glory rolls her eyes.

“Hardly. I am going to be spending most of my time with my husband Kurt and with my trainer, Blake O’Malley. I have a lot to prepare for this coming week, a match that is very important for me. So as I said, I hope this doesn’t take too long. So if you don’t mind can we please get down to business?”

“Of course.” Derek says as he motions for everyone to sit down. Francis and Melody take their seats. Glory sits down next to Francis and Derek passes some documents down the table to each of the three women. “This is a copy of the agreement, these are not official, just copies that each of you may keep. I have the official with me that we shall sign shortly. Contained within are the terms of the agreement. Ms. Murphy will invest millions of dollars into Glorious Golden Enterprises and the GGE may use those funds however it sees fit.”

“Seriously? That’s it?” Glory furrows her brow out of curiosity and confusion. “She gives us millions of dollars of her own money and we can use it for whatever we wish? No questions ask, no strings attached?”

“Correct.” Derek, the attorney, answers.

“Well forgive my skepticism but in my experience there are always strings attached to every deal.”

“You can read the terms yourself, Ms. Braddock.” Derek responds. “There are no strings attached. Your company may use the money however you see fit.”

“Why would Melody just give us a blank check?” Glory asks, still pressing the issue as she isn’t convinced of any of this. It just sounds too good to be true.

“Don’t be like that, Glory.” Francis pipes in. “Think about it, you are a very recognizable name in professional wrestling and in business. Melody loves what our company does and believes in our causes; health insurance for all, modeling, she’s even warming up to the idea of the wrestling business.”

“Dating Matthew may have had a bit to do with that.” Melody says with a wink.

“And with this money we can expand, we can grow our corporate empire, Glory.” Francis says with a big grin on her face. “Think of all that you can do with that money; you could grow your father’s wrestling school exponentially, you could guarantee the survival of your cousin’s modeling agency for decades to come, and so much more.”

“And no strings attached?”

“None.” Francis replies, shaking her head.

“It does sound like a great deal.” Glory admits.

“So do we have a deal then?” Francis asks with a hopeful smile on her lovely face. “Can we sign the documentation and make this partnership official?”

“No way.” Glory says, pushing her copy of the paperwork away from her and back towards Derek. “No deal.”

All three individuals in the conference room are dumbstruck by Glory’s response but most especially Melody Murphy, whose money is supposed to be invested. Her jaw nearly hits the floor when she hears that Glory is rejecting the offer. Everyone thought that this was a done deal. But the majority owner of the company has just put a halt to this deal. After several seconds of awkward silence, Francis Taylor speaks up.

“What’s wrong?!” She exclaims. “This is a perfect deal! No strings, no fine print, nothing sinister! She’s literally giving us her money to do with as we see fit!”

“That’s just the problem.” Glory rises up out of her chair and approaches Melody, who also rises up out of her chair. “I know you all too well, Melody. And I know what kind of person you are.”

“I am a businesswoman who wants to invest in your company.” Melody answers back sharply.

“Maybe you are? But you are also someone who I cannot trust, someone I do not trust, and I cannot and will not do business with someone I cannot trust. You see, Melody, I don’t know what your game is, but I know you have an agenda, despite what you, your attorney, and what Francis are all saying, I know that this isn’t some blank check. There are strings attached. There is no such thing as a deal with no strings attached.”

“Glory, listen to reason…” Francis tries to interrupt but Glory stops her immediately.

“I’m not sure I trust you either. You may be in on this too for all I know.” She turns her attention back to Melody. “You tried to destroy me once, I won’t let it happen again. And I am sure you are using Matthew. I don’t know why, I don’t know what reason you have, but someone like you doesn’t date a good person like him. But I can’t control what Matty does. If he wants to get hurt by you, that’s on him. I will not have a part in it, or any of this.”

“Glory!” Francis exclaims. “You’re being unreasonable!”

“No, Francis, it’s ok.” Melody responds. Then she turns her attention back to Glory Braddock. “I get it, you don’t trust me. And I understand why you don’t trust me. I thought we had already been through this but if we have to go through it again then fine.” Melody sighs. “I apologize for mistreating you when we were kids. I apologize for bullying you. But I have changed and seriously,” she points a finger at Glory “you should consider moving on as well.”

“Like Matty apparently has?”

“Yes, precisely.” Melody answers. “Matthew has moved on. He accepts that people can change, that I have changed.”

“Bullshit.” Glory snaps back with venom dripping from her voice.

“You’re being unruly!” Francis argues back.

“Stay out of it!” Glory warns her again. “You were just as bad as Melody. You treated me as horribly as she did. You even bullied your own brother back then. I thought you had changed but now I’m not so sure.” Braddock takes a copy of the business arrangement and then slams it down on the floor. “THIS deal is over…it isn’t going to happen, at least not until I know damn well where everyone stands…” she points a finger at Melody “...especially you. You can keep your blood money until and unless I AM ready to accept it on MY OWN terms and if you really are sincere about wanting to invest, then you will wait. You will work with me on my time and on my terms. If you’re not sincere then stay the hell out of my life.”

And with that Glory Braddock turns and starts storming out of the conference room, leaving all three individuals in a stunned silence. Braddock exits the room and steps out into the hall where she passes by the secretary, Bailey. She looks at Bailey and smirks. “I told you it wouldn’t last long.”

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September 26th, 2023
Birmingham, England
Off Camera
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Its been several days since Glory Braddock blew up in the business meeting that was supposed to finalize the deal between her company and Melody Murphy. That deal never went through due to The British Bombshell intentionally torpedoing the deal, intentionally sabotaging it due to her distrust of Melody Murphy. Melody was a vile, heinous human being when they were kids at school and she has seen no evidence that she has changed. What surprises her most is the fact that Matthew Taylor, one of her many victims in school, now dates her. Glory is convinced he is just being used, she just doesn’t know what her agenda is. Nevertheless, she refuses to play a role in it and refuses to work with Melody Murphy. Now that she has, hopefully, put an end to any future partnership with her longtime former rival, Glory Braddock can put her entire focus on the most important task at hand and that is earning a shot at the SCW World Tag Team Championship.

Apocalypse is coming up this Sunday, October 1st in Nashville, Tennessee and Glory Braddock, along with Brittany Lohan, will face arguably two of the most formidable tag teams in the SCW tag team division, Bree Lancaster and Datura as well as Light in the Darkness, in a lucha libre rules match to determine the next challengers for the SCW World Tag Team Championship. Braddock and Lohan already beat Light in the Darkness, and Statera already beat Twisted & Sadistic, yet both arguably come with asterisks due to the fact that the teams were fatigued heading into the match due to the ‘luck of the draw’ rules of the Tag Team Turmoil. No such excuses will be allowed in this case. All three teams will be fresh and prepared. Once and for all the better team will be decided and Glory will do her very best to make sure that team is herself and Brittany Lohan. To do this she will be spending the vast majority of her time with her new trainer, her ‘uncle’ Blake O’Malley. O’Malley isn’t really her uncle by blood or even by marriage, but he was a close friend of her father, Glenn Braddock. Blake was always around Glory when she was growing up. He was around so frequently that she began thinking of him as an uncle. So who else but her ‘uncle’ should prepare her for this very important match?

The British Bombshell finds herself in front of a heavy bag at Blake O’Malley’s gym. She is dressed in purple workout shorts, white sneakers, and a plain white top. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. Blake stands a few feet away, watching as she lays into the bag with vicious rights and lefts. Blake is wearing gray sweat pants and a matching gray shirt. A stoic gaze is upon his face as he judges his charge’s performance.

“Good…now mix the shit up a little, throw some kicks…” upon hearing his command, Glory starts throwing a few quick kicks at the bag “...remember, do not get into too much of a pattern. Do not let your opponent start to predict your every move.”

“Britt and I have been at this tag team scene for a long time, mate.” Glory says in between punches and kicks, beginning to ‘mix it up’ as Blake instructed. “I’m sure there’s plenty of tape on us and our opponents can learn everything about us.”

“This is different.”

“How?” Glory asks after delivering a roundhouse kick to the bag that knocks it back. She steps out of the way to avoid it flying back into her face. She approaches Blake who motions for her to step forward.

“This isn’t your traditional tag team match. Under normal tag team rules, quite frankly, I’d think you’d be wasting your damn time here with me. You and Lohan are good, you are damn good as a tag team. But this is lucha libre. This is a whole new animal.”

“Hey, nothing I can’t handle.” Glory says with a playful grin.

“Don’t be too confident, Glory. You and Lohan aren’t the favorites here, at least not in my opinion. A match like this favors Amelia Blythe and Lizzie…Lassie…Luzzie…

“Luz.”

“Yeah, her. Whatever. Point is, Light in the Darkness are the clear favorites as this is their type of match. Plus you have the added pressure of the fact that Datura and Bree already beat you once.”

“Technicality.” Glory says with a frown. “We had already wrestled twice before. They were fresh.”

“A loss is a loss no matter how it happened.” Blake points out. “Excuses don’t look good on a future Supreme Champion.”

“Fair enough.” Glory sighs and nods her head. “So what’s next?”

“Next we’re going to work on speed, specifically how long can you keep up with working a very fast pace. Understand that with the whole ‘tagging’ rule thrown out the window, that means this match will no doubt be a lot faster than usual. So what I want you to do is go to that treadmill across the room and put it on as fast as it will bloody go and run as long as you can.”

“Seriously?” Glory seems dumbfounded by this instruction. “No sparring?”

“Sparring can come later. Speed, long lasting speed, is most important. So get to it and…” Blake stops and shakes his head. Something is clearly wrong. Glory turns around to see what has happened, what got his attention that bothered him so much? Then she sees it, or rather she sees him; she sees Matthew Taylor entering the gym wearing denim jeans, black boots, and a black t-shirt. He is glaring angrily.

“Bloody hell…”

“Yeah, I should have seen this coming.” Glory answers. Then she turns back to Blake. “Do you mind giving us some time alone?”

“Sure.” Blake turns and walks away just as Matthew approaches. Glory was so focused on Apocalypse, so focused on trying to earn a tag team title shot, so focused on completing her quest to become Supreme Champion in SCW that she completely forgot about this ghost from her past rearing its head. Matthew and Glory are friends, sure, but just a few days ago Glory told off Matthew’s girlfriend. She should have known that this was a possibility. But she didn’t consider it.

“Matty…what can I do for you?”

“You came to Birmingham and didn’t expect me to confront you about what you said to my girl, to Melody?” He sounds incredulous.

“I was kinda hoping to avoid this, yeah.” Glory shrugs her shoulders and smiles sheepishly. “I mean, I have a big tag match with my mate Britt coming up and I need to be ready. Dealing with soap opera love and the restless bullshit isn’t gonna help me right now.”

“Sorry, but you’re going to have to take some time out of your so-called ‘busy’ schedule to talk to me.” Matthew says matter-of-fact. “You were rude to Melody and I want to know why.”

“What do you want from me, Matty?” She shrugs her shoulders. “You of all people should know that I do not trust her.”

“But you two were getting along great!” He exclaims. “At least I thought you were, but then Melody comes to me crying after that meeting Saturday.”

“Crying?” Glory chuckles. “She’s an actress too.”

“You think this is funny?”

“No, I don’t.” Glory shakes her head. “I just think that you are a very confused individual and you are getting yourself into trouble being romantically involved with Melody Murphy. That’s what I think.”

“You’re joking? Right?” Matthew asks. Then he shakes his head. “You know what? I know what it is. I know what the problem is, Glory.”

“Do enlighten me, Matty.”

“You are jealous of her.”

“You think I’m jealous of her?” Glory starts laughing again. “Why the hell would I be jealous of a plastic Barbie like Melody? I have a family I love, a career, I have no reason to be jealous of her.”

“Then why did you talk down to her?” Matthew asks demandingly. “Why did you say those things to her?”

“Look…” Glory’s voice trails off “...I’m sorry, ok? I apologize. I am not apologizing for upsetting that twit Barbie rip off. But if I said anything to her that upset YOU, Matty, then I do apologize. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Then why did you say it?”

“Because I am worried about you!” Glory exclaims. “You should know better than to trust her. She was the leader of the clique, the clique of wealthy mean girls who terrorized the school, the same clique that terrorize and bullied YOU…and yet now here you are dating its leader. So yes, Matty, I’m sorry but I am worried about you possibly getting hurt by her.”

“I appreciate that you are concerned about me, Glory, but people can change and so has Melody.”

“I agree. People can change.” Glory nods her head in agreement. “People can change, and you are a fine example of that, mate.”

“What does that mean?” Matthew asks incredulously.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Matty. I was never going to bring this up but you stormed in here like an angry bull to confront me so you brought this on yourself. See, I know about how you have betrayed my trust. You told Melody all about the affair you and I had, when I cheated on Kurt with you. She knows about my deep love and affection for Aphrodite Noel, an affection so deep that I allowed myself to be adopted by her and become her daughter. That’s something few people know. Yet somehow Melody now knows.”

Matthew Taylor remains silent for several moments after bowing his head in shame. Glory continues to stare at him with her arms crossed over her chest. Finally Matthew nods his head and speaks. “Yeah, I admit, I told her a few things about you. Melody and I had a drink or…three, maybe four?” He chuckles and shrugs his shoulders. “But yeah, I was drunk and we were partying and I guess my mouth got the better of me.” With that said, Glory Braddock rears back and slaps Matthew across his face.

“Damn right it did. You betrayed my trust, Matty, so don’t come barging in here and complaining about how I spoke to your girlfriend.”

“I…” he shakes his head “...I’m sorry, Glory. I had no idea Melody would actually bring it up to you.”

“What else did you tell her?”

“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “Nothing at all.”

“How am I supposed to believe that? You yourself said you were drunk. Maybe you said something and forgot?”

“No, no,” he shakes his head “I’m sure that was it. Nothing else. Besides, so what if she knows about you and Aphrodite? And Kurt already knows about the affair. It isn’t like any of this can be held over your head?”

“No, it can’t. And Kurt and I have resolved our problems a long time ago.” She points a finger at Matthew. “But now you betrayed my trust and that is a problem that YOU have to fix, Matty.”

Glory Braddock turns her back on Matthew, her longtime childhood friend, and walks away. She doesn’t have time for this, she doesn’t have time for someone who betrayed her trust and seems hell bent on potentially ruining his life by being with a con artist like Melody Murphy. If that’s who he wants to be with and be like, then let him. Glory has more important things to do right now. She has a tag team championship to win. She can no longer afford to let her so-called friend disturb her at this juncture. Still, it does hurt emotionally that this whole situation with Melody may have just cost her a close friend. Tears form in Glory’s eyes. She is grateful that her back is turned towards Matthew. She does not want him to know how sad she truly is.

[Braddock]

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September 27th, 2023
Birmingham, England
Off Camera
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Its been a little over twenty four hours since Glory Braddock had a confrontation with her childhood best friend Matthew Taylor. Everything began back a few days ago in Charlotte, North Carolina when Glory finally had enough to exploded at Melody Murphy, Matthew’s girlfriend and Glory’s former friend and rival. Braddock practically humiliated her that day with wild accusations about Melody’s true motives behind her return to public life, namely returning to the public life of Glory Braddock and her close friends and family. Braddock is convinced that Melody has underlying, ulterior, and rather nasty motives behind it all and she called her out on it. Yesterday, when Glory Braddock was supposed to be working out at the gym with her trainer ‘Uncle” Blake O’Malley in Birmingham, England, an enraged Matthew stopped by to find out what happened and why Braddock was rude to his girlfriend. The British Bombshell did not spare him. She did not leave anything out. Braddock told him everything she truly thought about Melody. She also confronted Matthew with how he hurt her by sharing with Melody some of their deepest, darkest, secrets. As far as her personal life is concerned, Braddock can feel that her close childhood friendships are slowly slipping away. She feels this bond she once had with Matthew may be slowly but surely dying, all thanks to the involvement of Melody Murphy. And perhaps that was Melody’s plan all along? Perhaps, to spite Braddock, Melody wanted to take one of the few things she held near and dear to her heart; her friendship with Matthew. If that is the case, then Melody may very well have succeeded. After the way Glory spoke to Matthew yesterday, their friendship just might be over.

Still, there is something else that bothers The British Bombshell. She and Melody were close once upon a time and back when they were kids, yes, Melody would be spiteful enough to get close to Matthew just to try and ruin his friendship with Glory Braddock. And while Glory doesn’t think Melody has changed much or matured much since then, she is certain Melody wouldn’t do that. She thinks, if anything, someone like Melody, who was born into wealth and privilege, would seek for higher goals and have a more ambitious plan. Braddock suspects that Melody still have something else planned, she just isn’t sure what it is yet. Nevertheless, Braddock cannot concern herself too much with all of this; she still has more pressing matters, namely the tag team championship contender’s match coming up at SCW Apocalypse.

Glory Braddock and Brittany Lohan have had great success in SCW since reuniting as Twisted & Sadistic. The only bump in the road came in tag team turmoil and even then they did quite well, winning several matches but only coming up short against Bree Lancaster and Datura; and one could argue that they lost only because of the fatigue of having to wrestle twice earlier against a team that was fresh as a daisy. One could make that same argument for Light in the Darkness, whom Braddock and Lohan eliminated from tag team turmoil first. It is for this reason that this tag team contendership match is taking place. Twisted & Sadistic facing Statera and Light In The Darkness to determine who will be next in line to challenge for the SCW World Tag Team Championship. It is the one championship that Glory has yet to win, it is the one title that keeps Glory from becoming Supreme Champion in SCW. This match at Apocalypse is truly must win for The British Bombshell. Therefore she has had to force her personal matters involving Matthew Taylor and Melody Murphy out of her mind and focus singularly on training and preparation for this difficult tag team challenge. Ever since that confrontation yesterday came to an end, Braddock has placed her entire focus on professional wrestling. She has spent all day today with her trainer Blake O’Malley, studying tape and talking strategy. She has been put through the wringer at his gym. Now that the day has ended it is time for a much needed and well-deserved break.

Blake O’Malley and Glory Braddock walk into a pub in Birmingham, a favorite ‘watering hole’ for Blake ever since he was an active wrestler himself with Glory’s father, the late Glenn Braddock. The pair almost look like father and daughter having a night out as opposed to student and teacher. Blake is wearing black denim jeans, black boots, and a plain gray t-shirt. Glory Braddock is dressed in denim jeans, black high heel leather boots, and a purple blouse. Her long blonde hair hangs straight and unrestrained to shoulder length. Blake and Glory approach two empty stools at the bar and sit down. The bartender, a man who appears to be in his mid to late thirties, wearing jeans and a black shirt with messed up black hair, approaches them.

“What’ll ya have, mates?”

“Guinness for me.” Blake says roughly.

“Same.” Glory answers. The bartender turns and walks away to fill the order. Blake turns and looks at his charge with a smirk on his face.

“None of that fancy shit for ya today, love?”

“Not tonight.” She shakes her head. “I suppose I need something a little stronger.”

“Anything other than the obvious bothering you?”

“I think me and Britt having to back up our tough talk by beating two of the best tag teams in SCW is a difficult enough task, Uncle Blake.” Glory answers as the bartender returns with the two pints of Guinness. Glory takes hers and quickly takes a sip. Blake does the same. Then he sets his glass down and shakes his head.

“You know I’m not buying that crap, Glory. I followed your career since your dad got you that gig back in 2008 with Global Division of Wrestling. Even when you were a bloody wet behind the ears rookie you never let anything or anyone intimidate you or get under your skin. Now suddenly you’re facing two tag teams in SCW and you’re concerned? You and that Lohan have held tag team championships together. You are a proven force. Yet you’re suddenly concerned?”

“Yeah?”

“Sorry, I don’t believe ya.” Blake takes a sip of his Guinness. Glory sighs and shakes her head.

“Well there’s a first time for everything.”

“Not with you.” Blake remarks stoically. “Look, Glory, we have been working on this for days. I watched you bust your ass, meticulously studying tape, I know damn well you are ready for this. I also know from that fire in your eye that you are confident that you and Lohan will win at Apocalypse. It’s the same fire that your old man used to get right before a big match.”

“He got that crazed look in his eye before EVERY match, Uncle Blake.” Glory says with a knowing grin.

“Fair enough. But my point is you are not too worried about Apocalypse. You’re ready and you know it. I think we both know what’s really bothering you right now.” Blake points out. Braddock takes a sip of her Guinness and nods her head.

“Fine…” she sighs “...I admit that what happened yesterday between me and Matty is still bothering me. I’m sure you could hear everything we were saying.” Braddock says. Blake nods his head in confirmation of that fact.

“I did my best to give you two privacy but, yeah, you were both pretty loud. I couldn’t help but overhear.”

“He said I was jealous of Melody.” Glory scoffs. “I’m not jealous of that brasser. But I am worried about him and what she might do to him before she is done using him.”

“You really are convinced that she’s using him, don’t you?”

“I know she’s using him, Uncle Blake. I have no hard evidence to prove anything, its just a gut feeling.”

“I admit that his new girl doesn’t exactly strike me as Matthew’s type.” Blake says after taking a sip of Guinness. “She’s too upscale, too formal, too classy, and way too wealthy. Hell, that boy was born into wealth but intentionally lived like a homeless bum in order to get away from that lifestyle, that’s how much he hated it.”

“Exactly!” Glory exclaims. “Now he is dating someone who is the very definition of an upscale wealthy snob, the kind of wealthy upscale snob he tried to run away from as a kid. Melody is not only a snob, but she is also a liar and a manipulator.” She sighs and shakes her head. “And I should know, because I was just like her once.”

“Oh yeah?” Blake arches his brow out of curiosity. Glory nods her head.

“Mum and dad weren’t born into wealth, as you know. They had to work to earn their wealth. But by the time I was born, they had already had wealth. So I was born into it. That’s what attracted Melody and I together. We were both wealthy and she endeared herself to me because I was wealthy like her, and I was gorgeous like her. And back then, I was easily influenced, so by hanging out with her I became a snob, a stuck up mean girl just like her. That was back when I was Maria.”

“Wait a sec,” Blake furrows his brow in confusion “I thought your name was Maria? Well, your middle name, at least.”

“It is.” Glory nods her head. “Dear old dad named me Gloria, after my grandmother. But before the divorce I grew up adoring my mother and she gave me the middle name Maria after herself. I identified most closely with her so I identified as Maria Braddock. That’s who Melody and Francis met. Melody Murphy, Francis Taylor, and Maria Braddock, the terrible trio of mean girls who terrorized the school.” She chuckles softly before taking another sip of Guinness. “We were tight. We were close. Until my boyfriend Thomas got me pregnant and ran away. Then Melody turned on me, she betrayed me, and Francis, being the follower she always has been, followed suit.”

“So Melody quit being your friend because you were pregnant?” Blake shakes his head. “That makes no bloody sense to me.”

“Me either. Maybe she’s just that petty and spiteful? I have no idea. But once they did turn on me and I became the victim of the same bullying and harassment that we had once dealt out to others, I saw how rotten I had become. I wanted to turn away from that, all of it. I wanted to turn from that life completely. That’s why I never again acknowledged the name Maria Braddock ever again. Dad named me Gloria, so that’s who I became. Glory for short. That’s who I am now and that is who I will be until the day I retire.”

“Then what happens?” Blake asks curiously.

“Maria Braddock was my mum, she’s dead. Maria was also a snobby brasser and I never want to become that person again. Glory, honestly, was the son my dad always wanted but never got. He’s dead too. I kept Glory around for the people who love her, who look up to her. I kept her around as a symbol for what wrestling should be. When my career is done there is no need to keep her around. So I do something I should have done a long time ago. I repay a debt to my mentor, the person who helped me the most when my parents were no longer with me. I give my mentor, Aphrodite Noel, the daughter she always wanted by becoming Lindsey Noel. I live for my husband Kurt, for my children, and for her, because I will have given everything else, everything I could possibly give, to professional wrestling.” She chuckles. “And honestly, Uncle Blake, I am not sure how much left I have to give to professional wrestling. So I know that time is coming up soon.”

“What’s in a name?” Blake shrugs his shoulders. “All I know is that you have changed a great deal from that snobbish teenager you were into the kind but fierce young lass you are today.”

“Thanks, Uncle Blake.” Glory sips her Guinness. “You know? That’s the real problem with Melody.”

“What is?”

“I don’t think Melody has changed. I do not think she has changed one bit. That same stuck up brasser she was in school, that is who she still is today. That is my problem with her. And if she is still that same person, I know she will hurt Matty.”

“How sure are you that Melody is still that same spiteful, arrogant person you knew in school?”

“Like I said, its just a gut feeling.” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “And I am certain she is using Matty for something. She isn’t his type. They are not compatible. Back when we were best friends in school, Melody wouldn’t be caught dead being friendly to anyone like Matty. Back then, Matty was the type of person she harassed and ruthlessly mocked and ridiculed.”

“If that’s true, why is she dating him now?” Blake asks.

“I don’t know. She must want something out of him. But he doesn’t have anything of value. He went as far as to disinherit himself from all the family fortune he was born into. He literally owns next to nothing outside of the bloody shirt off of his back.”

“You’re wrong about that.” Blake says as he takes a big swig of his beverage.

“What?”

“He does own something of value.” Blake pats himself on the chest. “He owns a majority interest in my gym.”

“Wait…” Glory furrows her brow “...you’re serious?” She seems incredulous, not wanting to believe him, but Blake nods his head in confirmation.

“Yeah. I always had a soft spot for that kid, he was my first student and he was always devoted to me. And as I got up in age, as I heard about your mum’s death and I heard about your father’s death, I got to realizing about my own mortality. I didn’t want my gym to just die out. I wanted to pass it on to someone who I knew would continue my legacy. So I sold him a majority interest in my gym.”

“That’s it…” Glory’s eyes grow wide as a look of realization washes across her face “...that’s what Melody is after. She wants your gym.”

==========
September 30th, 2023
Nashville, TN
On Camera
==========

It is a bright baby blue sky overhead in the city of Nashville, Tennessee. Specifically, we are outside in front of one of the famous landmarks of this city; the country music hall of fame. Surprisingly things are calm, slow, and relatively empty today. It isn’t long after that the camera spots “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock entering the view from the right. Braddock is wearing denim jeans, white sneakers, and a plain purple t-shirt. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. A pair of sunglasses cover her eyes.

“Well here we are, one night away from Apocalypse, which will take place right here in Nashville, Tennessee. I love competing in Nashville. Nashville is so full of history, it is one of the many music capitals of the world, and it is one of the many entertainment capitals of the world. Music, entertainment, history, all of that wrapped into one great blitzy, blingy package. You gotta love it. Tomorrow night at Apocalypse will definitely be a night to entertain the great fans of Supreme Championship Wrestling. It is one of the many reasons I do what I do in this business. But I’d be lying if I said this was simply about entertaining the fans. The great people who come here to Nashville to see people like me and Britt put our bodies on the lines, they appreciate it, but they fail to realize and maybe even fail to appreciate why we are putting our bodies on the line. It’s the same reason Bree, Datura, Amelia, and Luz all put their bodies on the line, why they are willing to go all out tomorrow at Apocalypse…it’s about being the best.” Braddock points to the building standing behind her, the country music hall of fame.

“This building behind me stands here to remind everyone about the greats of the country music industry. This place is here to honor those who were the very best at what they did in the country music industry. Right now, in Supreme Championship Wrestling, the tag team division is stacked with incredible talent. We already had a showcase of that talent a couple of weeks ago on Breakdown in tag team turmoil. My pal Britt, she challenged the entire division. She challenged them to prove her wrong, to prove that they belonged in the ring with me and her, with Twisted & Sadistic. There were some who failed to live up to expectations. The Playgirls, European Fiery Nation, Team Desire…” Braddock shakes her head “...sorry, but you just couldn’t answer the call. You fell flat on their faces.” She smirks knowingly.

“Still others answered that call. Light in the Darkness went through two tag teams before running into Twisted & Sadistic. Britt and I put an end to their cinderella run. Luz, Amelia, I get it, you two have been patiently waiting for this opportunity for a long time, ever since you had that little deal with The House of Frost. But Selena isn’t here anymore, the House of Frost is no more, and Britt and I are not obliged to honor any agreements. In this game, you earn your keep. And when the chips were down, you couldn’t beat Twisted & Sadistic. I will give credit where it is due, you two are a hell of a team and you have proven to be a threat in this tag team division. But are you going to earn this tag title opportunity? Are you going to get through Twisted & Sadistic?” She shakes her head. “Unlikely.”

“Bree Lancaster and Datura, you two have proven that you are not just some randomly thrown together unit. You have chemistry, you are a great team that was worthy of the number one contendership…WAS…you two claim that you still have business with Rated X.” Glory shakes her head. “Just like I said, it doesn’t work that way. You may THINK you have business with Rated X To deal with, but Britt and I are not just going to sit back and wait patiently until you two feel as if you have gotten whatever revenge you think you’re due. I am pretty sure Amelia and Luz would agree with me on that. Stop me if I sound like a broken record, but that isn’t how this works. You EARN your keep in this business, and when it comes to the greatest tag team division in professional wrestling, a shot at the tag team championship should be decided not based on some past agreements or some damn grudge, it should be decided based on who is the best.”

“I would also argue that contendership shouldn’t be decided based on luck. Light in the Darkness, Statera, and Twisted & Sadistic, all three of us at one point or another dominated tag team turmoil until bad luck bit us in the ass. That isn’t to take anything away from Adam and Alistaire Allocco’s accomplishment, but still, you have to ask, what would have happened if all of these other teams had battled on an even playing field? Would the outcome still have been the same had endurance not been a factor?” She shrugs her shoulders. “What I do know is that the three of us, Statera, Light in the Darkness, and Twisted & Sadistic, we represent the very best of tag team wrestling in the very best tag team division in professional wrestling. That’s not arrogance speaking, that’s me stating simple facts.” She takes her sunglasses off and tosses them aside.

“Tomorrow night right here in Nashville there will be a showcase of the greats, just like the country music hall of fame showcases the greatest singers of Nashville, SCW will showcase the best tag teams in the business. And unlike tag team turmoil everything will be on an even playing field, no luck involved, and most importantly there will be absolutely zero excuses.” The British Bombshell shakes her head. “No excuses! None! This time Britt and I will step out onto the grand stage and show why we are exactly what we say we are; one of the most dominant tag teams in the sport, one of the most fierce tag teams in the sport, and why we will become the number one contenders to the SCW World Tag Team Championships.” Braddock points to herself.

“See, for Twisted & Sadistic, we are not content with just showcasing our ability, we are not content with just showcasing what we can do. We don’t want to simply be viewed as one of the best, we want to be viewed as THE BEST…and hell, let’s face it, our tag team champions is, for all intents and purposes, Dark Fantasy and that’s only because Ace Marshall is missing in action. The top contenders, The Alloccos, are number one contenders because they drew a sweet spot in the tag team turmoil. The VERY BEST of this division is right here, these three teams in the contendership match at Apocalypse, and Britt and I are going to prove that we are THE BEST OF THE BEST, that we are the elite of the SCW tag team division. From there, we will give SCW a real tag team championship team. We will take out Dark Fantasy or The Alloccos and become new Tag Team Champions. And me…” Glory smirks “...I will have finally achieved my destiny, I will have become Supreme Champion.”

“Apocalypse is Twisted & Sadistic’s showcase, a showcase of our greatness. And no one will stop us.” She shuts her eyes. “Sic Semper Tyrannis.”

[Wisteria Waltz]

'Be careful what you wish for,' as the old saying goes.

The Light In The Darkness had walked into Breakdown the night of September 14th with one simple request: they wanted to be one of the starting teams for the night's tag team turmoil. They wanted to try and run the entire gauntlet as their means of proving that they were ready to be the ones leading the tag team division in this new era of SCW with CHBK at the helm. Even if they failed in this task, they were hoping to make enough of an impact with their bold request that even the team who would knock them out would know to expect the couple to be hot on their heels as soon as they bounced back.

While they would never know if it was the draw deciding to work in their favor or CHBK honoring their request, they were ultimately the very first team to hit the ring, a fire in their eyes and a determination to push themselves as far as their bodies would allow. In that respect, they would turn in yet another lengthy performance that was quickly proving how tenacious they could be even if things got into the proverbial deep waters. After two tough battles and over half an hour of combat, though, their run would ultimately come to an end at the hands of Glory Braddock and Brittany Lohan, though not without Luz and Amelia pushing through any exhaustion they had to make sure the winning tandem truly earned it. When the dust would settle, however, it would not be Glory and Brittany having an even more impressive run that would earn them number one contendership, nor would it be the run of Statera once they had eliminated Twisted & Sadistic. The father and son duo of Adam and Alistaire Allocco would ultimately be the ones to stand tall in the end, earning the right to challenge for the Tag Team Titles at Apocalypse in not only their first match actually teaming together but also Alistaire's first match back since being run down by his own father.

On one hand, Luz and Amelia felt a little disgusted at seeing Adam once again get an opportunity at the prize they'd been chasing for so long now, even if they couldn't hold it against him or Alistaire that they'd made the most of what was essentially the final proper entry spot in the match. On the other, they could certainly respect Alistaire as a competitor who was cut from the same cloth they were in terms of not only being a second generation talent but also wanting to do this the right way and properly earn his accomplishments in that ring. Sure, maybe it stung a bit that Alistaire seemed to have a habit of finding success in short amounts of time where they were still fighting for theirs after so long, but instead of being jealous they saw it as motivation.

After all, they were one of the only few teams to not only score any wins in this gauntlet but also make a run out of it. That was a positive to build from, and The Light In The Darkness would be more than happy to get back to the drawing board and tackle the mistakes that kept them from their goal.

After they'd been eliminated, the exhausted duo had helped one another back to their locker room to ice down their aching bodies while watching and studying the remainder of the gauntlet, trying to figure out where to go from here so they could keep themselves in the hunt and continue fighting their way up the mountain going into Apocalypse. Once the show as a whole was over and the two showered and cleaned up, they considered the likelihood of both Statera and Twisted & Sadistic trying to use their runs to stake claims to being next in line after the Alloccos, something they could technically do as well if they so wished. That was never their style, though, and there were doubts that either of the other teams would be fully on board with letting them into the discussion of proving in the ring, on completely equal footing, who truly deserved to be next.

That would be something to address next week in Austin, Texas though. Right now, the couple just wanted to meet up with their friends outside the Amalie Arena and return to their hotel to rest up after the long night they'd had.

As they were getting their things packed up, Luz took a moment to send out a couple of texts. One was to Ivy so she knew that they were about ready to go and she and the others could get ready to meet up, and another was to Marilyn to see if she'd followed through on her word to catch the show on TV so she could pass along some critique they could incorporate into their training to bounce back after tonight. The reply from Ivy saying they'd be waiting outside was instantaneous, while Marilyn's message sat on simply being sent until the two were about ready to start heading out.

“'I saw, you kiddos did good all things considered. Will get in touch tomorrow, currently dealing with something important,'” Luz read the text out loud before putting her phone away as she and Amelia closed their locker room door and began heading through the halls out to the parking lot with their bags in hand. “What do you think she's dealing with?”

“I'm sure she'd tell us if she wanted us to know, Luz,” Amelia gently told her fiancée, who pouted a bit in response. “I know it's in your nature to want to help people—that's one of the reasons I fell in love with you, after all—but you know Marilyn kind of prefers keeping things close to the chest unless she absolutely needs to spill it. Maybe she'll tell us tomorrow, maybe she won't if it's something personal or family-related or if she feels it's best if we stay out of it.”

“Maybe it's got something to do with Lily?” Luz pondered out loud, not letting her brain be deterred from coming up with answers until she got an actual one. “You know Marilyn spent most of our time training with her trying to reach her sister. The Empire could finally be making another move.”

“I would think if that was it then Ed and Em would've tipped me off by now,” Amelia countered before pausing to check her phone as a precaution. The last message she'd received from the group chat she had with her siblings was the both of them wishing her and Luz luck right before the start of the tag team turmoil, and there had been no word before or after then about anything new regarding The Empire or even their parents.

“I hate waiting to see what their next move is,” Luz admitted. “I know they really aren't doing much of anything right now so trying to take the offensive could easily backfire on us, but I hate knowing that this is far from over and we're just sitting around until something happens.”

“I truly wouldn't put it past Caleb to be hoping to lure us into a false sense of security with a lengthy period of silence,” Amelia sighed. “It's the kind of head game that's definitely in his wheelhouse, especially if he knows that we know he's far from finished.”

Luz groaned at the headache this proverbial chess match was causing the both of them. Part of her longed for the days at the start of her career when her biggest concern was simply trying to forge her own name from under her father's huge shadow, especially after his passing. Sure, there were the arguments with her mother that were now thankfully a distant memory and the challenges that came with both fighting and then befriending the woman who she was now engaged to, but all of that seemed so simple compared to whatever war they found themselves at the center of all because of an enemy who had still-unknown ties to both girls and their families. The fact that they'd been able to maintain their focus in SCW well enough to even be doing as well as they had been overall was impressive in and of itself, but they couldn't allow their grip on that to slip just because of the tense peace they'd found themselves in at the moment.

It wasn't too much longer before the girls stepped outside of the arena, though the thought of going back inside and seeing if they could just sleep here tonight certainly crossed their minds as the Florida heat refused to let up even late into the night. Thankfully, they ignored how hot and humid it was as soon as they saw Ivy and Gage happily run up to them with Valentina trailing behind. Her wanting to join in on these excursions as Luz and Amelia wrestled for SCW while Ivy did her independent bookings and Gage had finally managed to lock down a job as a commentator for a new promotion that had opened its doors had been a surprise at first, especially since she was still trying to adjust to having a proper caring parental figure in Camila, but she was also working on bonding with her new sister and the friends she'd made who all had their own hand in saving her. It also worked that she was considering continuing on with her wrestling career, just with her own identity and on her own terms this time instead of the chains Caleb had forced around her. Luz made absolutely sure she knew that the decision was entirely hers and she didn't have to keep doing it if she didn't want to... she would love her new sibling all the same no matter what she did, and Valentina certainly needed to know that given how long she went without any real support or care in her life.

“You guys were amazing out there!” Gage happily yelled as he slipped behind the couple and threw his arms around both of their shoulders, causing them all to laugh a bit as the motion nearly caused their tired bodies to fall over from his extra weight.

“Seriously,” Ivy added. “I know I've seen you two pull off some wild performances these past few months, but damn... Amelia, I don't think I could've ever comprehended the idea of you wrestling for that long against a challenge like this when we were still kids.”

“You know that if I ever did have one similar to tag team turmoil and forced myself to go as far as I could, it would be because I had to be 'perfect' to fit mom and dad's expectations,” Amelia replied, the irritation that was directed at her parents and what they tried to make her into loud and clear in her tone.

“I'm sorry...” Valentina nervously cut in, drawing all eyes to her. “Luz and Amelia didn't go all the way and win, and yet you guys are proud of them regardless?”

“Hey, we tried our best,” Luz responded with a shrug of her shoulders. “Unfortunately, our best wasn't enough to literally beat every team in SCW right now, but we know where our benchmark is at and the work we have to do to move past it so we can get to where we want to be.”

“As far as we're concerned, we still proved a lot tonight,” Amelia added. “After all, in a field of ten teams—because I'm not counting that last 'leg' of the gauntlet after what Ace and Ravyn pulled—only four of them secured any wins and we were one of them. Maybe now isn't our time, but we proved we belong in the discussion of who should be next after Adam and Alistaire and we've got plenty of time to make sure we're ready for whatever challenge awaits us next.”

“I just... I don't... how...?” Valentina mumbled as she seemed to struggle with comprehending how Luz and Amelia were holding their heads high, even with all the valid points they made, despite not going bell-to-bell like they wanted.

“Hey,” Luz gently said after breaking away from the rest of the group to put a comforting hand on Valentina's shoulder. “I get it V, Caleb was the kind of jerk who would see failure in any form as unacceptable and insist that you be punished for it. That was wrong, and that's not the kind of thing you're ever going to face with us around. Between all the pressure that was put on me to live up to papá's legend and everything Ames had to endure from her parents and their own obsession with a family legacy, we agreed a long time ago that we would never treat each other or anybody else like that.”

“It takes some getting used to,” Amelia admitted as she moved in as well, with Ivy and Gage also giving her looks of support. “Even now, Luz and I are both prone to losing ourselves in our setbacks and pushing ourselves way too hard to make up for them. It's not something that just goes away, but time and a good support system go a long way in making sure it doesn't destroy us like it used to. We're here for each other, we have our friends here with us now too, and we're all here for you Valentina.”

Valentina couldn't help but be in awe for a moment before she finally let a grateful smile grace her lips, her mind still getting used to all the support and affection she now had in her life.

“Thanks, you guys...” she said before wiping away a tear that started to form in her eye. “I'm sorry if I dragged the mood down... this is all still so new to me, especially since you're right on The Empire not tolerating failure sis. If we lost in that ring, then... Caleb would...”

“Hey, no tienes que hablar de eso si no estás lista,” Luz gently told her upon seeing the fear and hesitation that was starting to show through. She knew Valentina was still coping with everything she'd gone through, and now she had a sister who would make sure she was well and ready before she needed to worry about sharing all the details. It would be a difficult discussion regardless, but she would make sure Valentina would never suffer at the hands of that lunatic ever again.

No one would... not if La Pequeña Luz and Amelia Blythe had anything to say about it.

“So, Valentina,” Gage carefully began asking. “Would it help if you joined us in going out to celebrate how well Amelia and Luz did tonight even if they didn't win the whole thing?”

“Maybe...” Valentina pondered.

“I know it's supposed to be for us, but I think Luz and I will pass Gage,” Amelia cut in. “No offense, but we did wrestle for well over a half-hour with very little time in between for breaks. We may have been able to rest after we got eliminated, but we're still sore and exhausted.”

“I was actually about to suggest that,” Ivy threw out, a look of understanding on her face. While she had never wrestled for that long in one sitting, she knew from lengthy powerlifting sessions that pushing your body too hard for too long was going to take its toll for quite a while after you finished.

“We can always go out and do something tomorrow before we leave Tampa,” Luz offered when she saw Gage begin to pout a bit. “Next week's Breakdown is in Austin and the show you're calling and Ivy's wrestling on in New Orleans isn't until Monday, so we've got some time before we need to set out.”

“...as long as I get to pretend to be a Bucs fan for a little bit just so I can get some pirate stuff,” Gage responded, which got them all laughing and rolling their eyes before they all piled into their rental car and drove back to the hotel they'd been staying in.

During the drive, Luz found her thoughts going back to the text she'd gotten from Marilyn, particularly the 'something important' she was currently dealing with. She knew that Amelia had a point about it probably being none of their business and that they should give her space, especially after she'd gone out of her way to explain how she and Lily had gotten involved in this ordeal with Caleb in the first place. She was a woman who clearly had a lot of things she preferred to keep to herself, so to open up even that much to her and Amelia was significant. Still, something about that response gave Luz a bad feeling, and it was hard to ignore considering her bad feelings have almost always ended up being justified.

When the group returned to the hotel, Luz and Amelia parted ways with them so they could head straight to their room to get ready for bed. Gage, Ivy and Valentina were fine with this as they wanted to grab a bite to eat before they turned in for the night. The couple made it to their hotel room and quickly changed into their pajamas before collapsing onto their bed, snuggling up as the toll from their impressive run to start the gauntlet hit them full force. Before they started nodding off, though, Amelia could feel some extra tension in Luz's back and shoulders and knew something was weighing heavy on her mind.

“Alright, mi amor,” she said, pausing to slowly help Luz pull her mask off before kissing the bridge of her nose. “I know something's on your mind... care to share?”

Luz sighed in defeat at having been discovered before trying to relax herself. “I'm sorry Ames, it's just... I know you said to leave whatever might be going on with Marilyn be, but I can't help but have a bad feeling about all of this.”

Amelia could only frown, knowing from firsthand experience from at least being Luz's friend for so long that there was almost always merit to her beloved's bad feelings about something.

“Well... she said she'd give us some critique tomorrow about what she saw from our turmoil run,” she reasoned. “Maybe we could at least ask if it's something she'd be willing to share? If she doesn't want to, though, then we don't push the issue.”

“That's fair...” Luz sighed again. “I know I can't always interject myself into problems and magically have a solution, I just... Marilyn's been good to us even when she had no reason to, regardless of whether or not we have a common enemy. I just hate the thought of anything happening to people I care about...”

Amelia pulled Luz closed, letting her hand softly stroke her hair as Luz took some deep breaths to calm herself down. Being in the arms of the one person she cared for above almost everyone else went a long way in helping her ground her thoughts before they started spiraling. At the very least, she had Amelia right here with her, not going anywhere and not in any sort of danger. That led to her rationalizing that her friends were alright wherever they'd gone to get something to eat because they were together in a group and no one would be stupid enough to try anything in public. Perhaps Marilyn was alright too and she was just overthinking this whole thing because of stress.

“Lulu, listen to me,” Amelia told her in a tone that was both gentle and firm. “You are the kindest, most caring soul I have ever met in my entire life. You've been through so much in your life and lost so much, so it's natural to worry about the people that mean something to you. But you're not alone... I care just as much for them, and they all care just as much about each other and us. I'm... also scared that maybe something did happen, but I know that somehow, someway, we'll figure this all out, and we'll do it together. Don't forget that no matter how strong we all are on our own, together we can overcome anything that stands in our way.”

Luz breathed another sigh, though this one was of relief as she completely relaxed in Amelia's arms.

“Thank you Amelia,” she tells her fiancée. “And I'm sorry... it's so hard not to get worked up over everything that's going on, especially when we're just trying to focus on proving ourselves in SCW. It kind of makes me wish things were a little simpler-”

Luz is cut off as both girls hear someone knocking on their door. They exchange confused looks before they slowly pull apart and Amelia gets up to go answer it while Luz grabs her mask, wanting to be prepared because she's not going to let someone catch her without her mask on and violating lucha libre's most sacred tradition. As Amelia opens the door, however, she finds no one on the other side. Poking her head out, a quick glance in both directions shows no signs of anyone in the hallway and no sound of anyone having quickly retreated. She's about to shrug it off and close the door when she notices something sitting on the floor right in front of the doorway: a white box tied shut with a gold ribbon. Seeing the familiar crest of The Empire on the note that's been tucked under the ribbon, she cautiously grabs it before closing the door and bringing it over to set it on the bed, with Luz just as baffled as she looks at it.

“A present...?” she mumbles as Amelia grabs the note and reads it out loud.

“'Do not let the sins of the Clauson family be yours to share. Your friend, Caleb.' Ugh... those last three words alone make me feel sick.”

“What the heck does he mean by 'the sins of the Clauson family'?” Luz questions as Amelia carefully starts to open the present, almost dreading how curious she knew they both were about whatever was inside.

“I don't know,” Amelia pondered. “We know he's had beef with them for years, but I wouldn't think-”

Amelia cuts herself off as she opens the box and a shriek of pure horror rips from her throat. Luz echoes her scream as she falls off the bed in a desperate attempt to get away from its contents, the two girls quickly backing up against the wall and clinging to one another tightly. It takes a few moments for the screams to subside, but they both feel sick as they find themselves inching closer to confirm that what they're seeing is, unfortunately, the real deal.

Resting inside the box is an eyeball, the bright shade of brown on the iris that stares back at them immediately bringing to mind the eyes of Marilyn Clauson. The smell of the dried blood coating the inside of the box confirms their fears and makes them gag. When they finally pull their gaze away from the eye, they see another note tucked beneath it, the message on it written in a familiar elegant script that clashes with the grizzly contents it accompanied but makes it clear exactly who wrote it, the earning loud and clear.

“AN EYE FOR AN EYE”

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As we fade in, we find ourselves panning around a room that is covered from wall to wall in masks, each one a replica of a famous luchador. Just by looking at them, you get the feeling that each one has its own story to tell, and the various designs feel like they're calling out to you, wanting you to know more about the wrestler who wore them and what they contributed to a rich and illustrious culture that has carved its own place in the history of the wrestling business. As we continue looking at all of these masks, we can hear what sounds like salsa music playing in the background, and soon enough, we shift just enough to catch sight of a familiar couple dancing in the middle of this room of lucha libre history. The rhythm may be fast, but Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz are able to dance along without missing a beat. As we watch, the song suddenly shifts from a salsa tune to a traditional country song befitting of the Music City itself, and the couple somehow seamlessly shifts with it into a dance that better matches the new rhythm. After a moment, the two nod to one another mid-dance before stomping in stereo, which seems to be the signal for the music to cut entirely. The couple can't resist exchanging grins before they turn to face us, with Amelia reaching into her pocket for a hair tie while Luz takes a moment to adjust her mask to make sure it's still good, running her fingers along it as though she's trying to gauge whether or not it may one day be worthy to end up on one of the surrounding walls in recognition of her career as a luchadora. Amelia, despite her hands working to tie back her hair, opts to take the lead.

“I'm sure there are some of you out there who have been curious... why do Luz and I always prefer to dance our way down to the ring before a match? The obvious answer would be to show how in sync we always are with one another, but the truth goes so much deeper than that. You see, music is often called the rhythm of the soul. It is a link between our memories, our experiences, our emotions... when Luz and I dance before a tag team match, it's just as much an exercise to warm us up and make sure that we are, well and truly, as in sync with each other as you all see and believe. We go out there and share who we truly are with all of you in that waltz, just as any musician who has made their name right here in the Music City itself performs with every last ounce of their heart and soul to share who they truly are with all who come to watch them. It isn't always easy... no musician ever became a household name without practicing and improving until each and every note became that extension of themselves, and our waltz down to the ring is the result of countless hours of practicing it, using it as a workout to improve ourselves physically and mentally while coming to understand one another on every possible level as tag team partners, best friends and even lovers.”

“The thing about music, whether you're performing it or dancing to it, is that you also have to be willing to constantly adapt to be able to keep up, whether it be shifting trends in the music business or a difference of tempo or genre when you move your body to that rhythm of your soul. As humans, we're so much more complex than some people probably want you to believe, which makes being able to grow and adapt a necessity. That's why, especially when it comes to wrestling, Amelia and I are always learning and pushing ourselves, fine tuning our gameplan and doing everything we can to always come into the next match even better than our last one because we know full well that if we don't put in that work, then the wrestling business will leave us behind. That, however, is what makes lucha libre so unique in this world and why I am so honored to have been forged and battle tested by its rules. Lucha libre, by its very nature, heavily encourages both creativity and adaptability because the action is always fast and fluid, the characters these larger than life figures who transcend the very concept of mere wrestlers, the action creating a story all its own that doesn't stop for anybody. You always have to be prepared for anything, and that holds especially true for tag team matches.”

By this point, Amelia has finished tying back her hair as she moves her hand to take Luz's, their fingers threading together without either one taking their eyes off of us. Amelia almost looks a little nervous about speaking again, whatever she wants to say clearly not sitting right with her. Luz almost immediately picks up on this and whispers something in her ear, which causes her to nod in response and take a deep breath as Luz opts to keep going for the moment.

“Out of any wrestling culture in the world, I can confidently say that lucha libre holds the strongest values when it comes to tag team wrestling. That incredible synergy you see from the two of us every time we team together in that ring? That was honed down in my home country of Mexico, in matches like the one we'll compete in at Apocalypse. In lucha libre tag matches, there is no need to tag your partner in and out of the ring. The moment they leave the ring, no matter how it happens, you can immediately jump in and will be considered the legal competitor. You always need to know where your partner is, and more importantly, where your opponent's partner is, because the action never slows down and encourages teams to move in tandem far more than you'll find in any other kind of tag team ruleset. Rarely will you ever find a situation where the end result of a match can be questioned because of confusion over who was or wasn't legal, making this arguably the fairest way to pit teams against one another to truly find out, in that moment, who the better one is.”

“I'll be honest... when I first crossed paths with Luz in the ring, the way she moved and the strategies she used were like nothing I had ever seen before. I took an excursion down to Mexico because I needed to understand firsthand how different it was to everything I had grown up knowing about this sport, and it became apparent immediately how quickly I would need to adjust and adapt in order to just keep up. When Luz and I began working as a team, it became a learning process for the both of us because teaming together under lucha libre rules and having to keep in mind that tagging in and out is unnecessary because it slows down the flow of the match. You always have to be ready to jump in at a moment's notice because even if you just stepped out of the ring to try and catch your breath, the moment your partner leaves the ring you could end up right back in, regardless of whether them leaving is of their own volition or not. It's because we've pushed ourselves in these kinds of matches that we have that level of synergy in the ring and operate as though we always know where the other is at all times, even when we have to tag in and out to make the legal competitor official.

Before anyone goes and says that our experience under these rules means we have any sort of advantage, Luz and I will be the first to admit that we still have a lot of work to do, no matter how perfectly we seem to work together when we're sharing that ring.”

Amelia's words feel like they carry a lot of weight to them, and as she and Luz take a moment to gaze around the room at all the masks surrounding them, part of the reason why slowly starts to become apparent. As great as they may seem in the eyes of the fans, in the presence of legends they still feel so small and out of place, struggling to prove that they deserve to stand here among them.

“A lot can be said about how things went down during tag team turmoil a few weeks ago. Amelia and I asked to start that match and we did... it wasn't because we were confident enough to think we could run the entire gauntlet, but because we wanted to put ourselves to the test to see how far we could push ourselves and if it would be enough to go bell to bell. We don't know if CHBK willingly granted our wish or if the draw was in our favor in that regard, but we were looking to make a statement and as far as we're concerned, we did just that. True, we didn't win, but we were the only team who dared to stand up and say we want to try running that entire marathon, and I'd like to think that goes a long way in proving just how far we will push ourselves and what tag team wrestling means to us. We will also be the first to admit that we simply didn't have enough in us to be able to go all the way, but we still walked away knowing exactly what to work on so that we can push ourselves even father come Apocalypse, especially against the two other teams aside from the Alloccos who strung together runs through the match.”

“Twisted & Sadistic is the team that ended our run, and Statera is the team that ended theirs... it almost seems fitting that pitting our three teams against one another will once again ask me to lock up with the likes of Glory Braddock and Bree Lancaster, two women who have started title reigns at my expense because on those nights I simply wasn't good enough to defeat either one of them. In that regard, you could consider our team at a disadvantage just because of the records, but I've always been someone who has viewed my defeats as learning experiences to go back and study from, because expecting the same result every time our paths cross is a dangerous mindset that often breeds doubt in the loser and overconfidence in the winner. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have watched back my singles matches with the two of them in addition to our tag team clash in the turmoil, nor can I properly express how excited I am to tackle this challenge once more against the both of you to see just how much I've adapted and will continue to evolve as we write the music of this match for all in Nashville to enjoy.”

“Of course, to forget about their partners under these rules would be a death sentence. I know firsthand the raw power that Brittany Lohan brings to this match and I've seen just how committed Datura is to proving herself in that ring in her own way. The two of them are more than willing to fight with all they have to support their partners, and I'd be stupid to ignore the synergy that does exist with both teams we're facing. After all, Bree and Datura have been friends for a very long time and have proven how capable they are as a team even if they haven't had much experience actually teaming together, and Brit and Glory have made it no secret that they have a long history of teaming together. The only question I have for you ladies, though, is this... what does winning this match and potentially becoming Tag Team Champions mean to the both of you? I know how hard you, Datura, will fight to support Bree, and Brittany has made it no secret that her primary reason for being here is to hold those titles with Glory so she can finally achieve Supreme Champion status. Amelia and I, though? We're in this together, no matter what form that takes. That's why we almost always second one another if we're competing solo, to support one another and have each other's backs if anyone thinks they can try anything. That's why we have committed ourselves so thoroughly to being a tag team and proving ourselves the hard way, from willingly holding ourselves back from going for those titles again until we well and truly earned it to being willing to start an entire gauntlet and try to run it all the way through.”

“When Luz and I leave this sport somewhere down the road, we want future generations to be able to look back on us and acknowledge just how hard we fought to prove ourselves our way, no matter what obstacles stood in our way. We want to be able to see our names among the greats like the masks of all these lucha libre legends that surround us right now, knowing that we truly earned that right. In our minds, we're entering this match as the team with the most to prove. We're the team that, collectively, hasn't accomplished as much as either Twisted & Sadistic or Statera. We're the team that's fighting to hold those Tag Titles and bust our behinds to raise the bar because this means that much to us, not because we're tunnel visioned about using this to achieve a very specific accolade or determined to get another crack at a very specific set of champions. No offense, because Luz and I wouldn't doubt that either set of you would make for amazing Tag Team Champions and we'd be honored to throw down in that ring with those titles on the line anytime, anywhere... but this moment, this opportunity, is something we have devoted ourselves to entirely.”

“We still have long careers ahead of us and plenty of time to build our SCW resumes with singles accolades, but being able to succeed together and prove that we can be the tag team at the top of the mountain in arguably the greatest wrestling companies in the world today... that is the foundation that The Light In The Darkness will build its legacy on, and being able to share that moment together is what will always drive us to keep fighting and evolving until we seize that moment.”

“We wish both teams luck, but we warn you now: do not write us off because of how the tag team turmoil went or because you think you want it that much more than us. As Luz said, this is the path we have dedicated ourselves to from the moment we set foot in SCW for the very first time, and we will gladly welcome you into our world to let our actions show you just how important this whole endeavor is to us. We hope you're ready, because I can promise you that this dance we're all about to perform is unlike anything that any of you have ever experienced before. To all the Nashville fans... we sincerely hope you enjoy the experience you'll soon bear witness to.”

At that, Amelia and Luz take deep breaths in stereo, refocusing their efforts as their determination shines through and sticks with us even as we leave them to continue preparing for this challenge their way. They know the fight they're going to have to put up at Apocalypse in order to finally return to the gates at the very top to challenge for the gold once again, but they've come a long way since that match with the House of Frost so many months ago, and they're hellbent on showing the world just how far they've truly come.