La Pequena Luz vs. “The One” Kirsten Scott

[Konrad Raab]

SCW Television Championship

2 RP Limit for singles

3500 word max per RP

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Thursday, November 2, 2023 **NOTE DEADLINE**

[TheOne]

{NEHMIAH: Chapter 5}

What makes a friend?  Is it someone who just enjoys the same things as you?  Is it someone who just agrees with you?  Is it someone who inflates your ego?

The answer is simple... Yes...

A friend is someone who will do anything for you.  A friend is someone who will be there for you through thick and thin, and fight your battles alongside you, never worrying about themselves in the process.  It's something that shows selflessness in the process, and shows them to be someone who you know you can look to in the good and bad times.

A friend is also someone who can be your worst enemy...

A true friend will never just let you down a path of negativity without standing up to you and telling you, "you're wrong."  A friend is someone who isn't afraid to make you mad by telling you things you do not want to hear.  A friend is willing to be "hated" for a day, if to be "loved for a lifetime," knowing they helped guide you on the right path.

And this is turn makes a real friend.

A "real friend" simply is there in the times of the good and the bad.  They will never cease to be there if you need to hear words of encouragement or words that make you hate them in the moment.  A "real friend" knows that when the dust settles the fact that they have become your conscience in your time of need supersedes the good or bad they have had to offer because in the end it was you who made the decision.  Because in the end, a "real friend" is your life, your blood, your sweat, and your tears, in your best of days, and your most difficult of times.

Several days after Emma and Hailey had talked about Kirsten and brought up everything that Emma had sensed about her truest, and dearest friend, Kirsten sits alone out on the same porch that Emma was on that very day.  This time, however, Kirsten isn't reflecting on that moment, but legitimately enjoying the sounds of the wildlife in the farm fields and creeks behind their complex.  Yes, thoughts of what Emma said circle through her mind, as would be normal for anyone, but she just sits there on their balcony, thinking about the grind she had been going through.

Every moment she had been through, cycles, but doesn't take over.  She let's the sounds of nature actually begin to sink in for the first time because she had spent the most time hiding her own perils and angers from everyone else, minus Emma.

As she sits and enjoys the random mooing of cows in the distant farm fields of the Midwest, and the croaking of the bullfrogs in the creek behind their complex, she slowly hears the sliding glass door to her balcony begin to open.  And she slowly looks over, she sees Hailey walking out, and taking a seat in the chair next to her.  There is a bit of an awkward pause as Hailey sits quietly, honestly also listening to the sounds of "nature," while also trying to figure out how to begin the conversation with Kirsten.  Several minutes later, the awkward feeling becomes too much and Hailey tries to begin the natural conversation...

Hailey Brooks: Do those frogs ever shut up?

Kirsten smirks.

Kirsten Scott: Well if you could find them all, I'm sure you could yell at them enough...

Hailey Brooks: And what's that supposed to mean?

Kirsten Scott: Let's be real, if anyone can yell, it's you... And even the creatures of nature would listen...

Hailey shakes her head.

Kirsten Scott: ... Besides, it's like crickets, to me.  They have a sense of calming and soothing to their tone.  It's a legit sound of ignorance to everything we have to deal with.  Their lives are simple.  Like the cows in the background of them.  They eat.  They are milked.  Yeah, they are slaughtered for meat, but the fact is, in their lifetime, they won't remember that last piece.  They';; think of how easy they have it.

Like the frogs....

Yeah we could go down there, run around the creek like lunatics, and probably scare a bunch away from where we are here.  But it would ultimately not shut them up.  They'd just relocate, and continue their lives.  It's a smile way of thinking about everything, you know?  It's a feeling of freedom, a feeling of everything just revolving around you, you know?

Hailey Brooks: For sure...

Kirsten Scott: ... And it's nice to think about a world where you're not always being chased, being fought, requiring to have your guard up, but instead, be rested.  There is no fight or flight... It's just... Nature... You know?

Hailey wipes her eyes, knowing Kirsten is oblivious, and pushes her chair back vigorously and walks toward their balcony railing, hoping it'll spawn a conversation with Kirsten.  Instead, Kirsten's focus is solid on the nature surrounding her.  Hailey keeps looking back, from her standing position, and sees she isn't being given the time of day.

Kirsten lets out a yawn before finally acknowledging her friend, who had been acting very over the top, since joining her on their balcony.

Kirsten Scott: So... Are you going to get angry enough that you finally tell me what's going on?  Or do I need to keep ignoring your fake ass antics more and more until you burst?  Face it, Hailey, I know you're not a "friend" with nature...

Hailey's head droops, realizing she had been caught, and Kirsten realizes this, and her empathy immediately kicks in.

Kirsten Scott: You ok?

Hailey spins around and looks Kirsten dead in the eyes.

Hailey Brooks: No... No I'm not... I am not OK in the least.  I am not OK because my BEST FRIEND won't be completely honest with me.  I am also not OK ith the fact that my best friend has the GALL to believe I'm perfect... Because that's not me...

Hailey slowly walks toward Kirsten, taking a very dominant position.

Hailey Brooks: ... You thinking that is fucking DELUSIONAL about me.  You think I have some family that is going to be written into some family drama on TV?  Fuck you... I don't have that, and you do NOT get the right to think that of me because it's nothing but BULLSHIT on TOAST!  Yeah, my family talks.  Yeah, my family has some kind of relationship.  But guess what, sister, my family is fucking splintered, and yes, I am doing my part to build it back up.  But in order to do so, guess what we have to do?  Guess what I have to do?

We have to pick those pieces up one by FUCKING one...

There is no white picket fence surrounding our house.  There isn't this perfect narrative making our life perfect out of nowhere.

Nah...

It's not that, Kirsten...

This is a Midwestern, fucking, tornado, that we are rebuilding between ALL of us.  It takes each, and every, one of us doing our part to make sure that things are right.  My mom... Ny dad... My brother... Us all have to go out there, night in, night out and make fucking sacrifices out of our ASSES to make this work.  We aren't perfect.  We aren't your TGIF family on TV, Kirsten... We fucking suck, and have to accept it, and have to do our parts to grow from it... We...

Kirsten finally jumps out of her chair and goes nose to nose with Hailey, gritting her teeth as she exclaims...

Kirsten Scott: FUCKING STOP RIGHT NOW...

Hailey snarls and doesn't back down from her friend's show of aggression, pitting the two in a confrontational position they have never been in before.

 

Kirsten Scott: You listen here, Hailey... I don't know where in the FUCK this comes from, or what this is about, but...

Hailey cuts her off.

Hailey Brooks: Emma told me EVERYTHING about your jealousy of me and my family... About you WISHED you had what had, and how you saw us as this perfect resolution to everything we went through, and you... You didn't get that...

Kirsten takes a step back.  She begins to feel a bit betrayed, but her backing down pushes Hailey forward, as she is not going to let Kirsten retreat.

Hailey Brooks: Sit... The... Fuck... Back... Down... And most importantly... LISTEN...

Kirsten realizes she's been backed into the corner of the balcony and has nowhere to go, but literally down back into her chair, and does so.

Hailey Brooks: ... I get it... On the surface I see what you see.  But my family is far from fucking perfect, Kirsten.  But what is perfect is what YOU have.  And what is perfect is what I have.  And it's here.  It's here in this fucking home.  Your "REAL" family is here with you, if you'd just open your damn eyes, and see it.  Yeah, I have my parents who we are working on a relationship with.  But if you look at you, you look at everything you told me, your parents never had YOU at that level.

You were a pawn to them...

You were just like Emma was...

You two are borderline one in the same, with parents who used you both to get what they wanted.  They didn't give a shit about you as children, and it fucking sucks, yeah, but the fact is, it is what it is.  You both had to endure things that you wouldn't wish on ANYONE else, and Ethan and I both watched it, and couldn't do anything about it.  It was the two of you that emerged stronger, together, because you saw in one another what nobody else did, nor could.

And now, now you need to move past that.  You need to move past your parents, as shitty as it sounds, but look AROUND you.  What do you have?  You have a "family."  It may not be that "perfect" family you hear about from the religious zealots, but it is OUR family.  We fucking care.  And we will not stop it.  But until you pull your head out of your ass and realize what you have, instead of what you don't, we can't "save" you, nor will I try.  Why?

Because I was you once...

When he beat me up, when he embarrassed me, I was shunned from my family.  They couldn't associate with me.  They couldn't go anywhere in their hometown.  They were as blackballed as anyone in this situation, when The Prophets were in power and she was the scapegoat.  So I get it.  But it's time you get it, too.  It's time you understand that biology is a big thing, yes, but it's not the ONLY THING in life that can fulfill your need for love and family.  You have that around you.  You have it more than you know.  And that's your life now.  It's not them.  It's not the ones who hurt you... It's...

Kirsten jumps up and resumes her place in Hailey's face, showing she isn't backing down from the situation.

Kirsten Scott: How dare you?

Hailey isn't deterred by Kirsten's show of strength.

Hailey Brooks: Oh shut up with your big girl, "I'm 'The One'," talk, and just fucking listen for once... This is your opportunity, Kirsten.  This is your chance to be free of every damn burden you have in your life, and do so with the "FAMILY" that YOU have chosen, and has chosen YOU!  This is OUR CHANCE to be free.

If you want to live your life in a cage, at The Compound, then fuck you... Do it alone.  None of us are going back to that lifestyle.  It consumed us once, and we are moving on.  We have each grown enough to kiss those days fully goodbye and embrace tne now in which we live.  When you get to that point... Then...

Hailey looks back at the sliding glass door.

Hailey Brooks: ... Then you're allowed back inside.  Until then, consider this balcony your home...

Kirsten continues to try and push a dominant position.

Kirsten Scott: I don't have to answer to ANYONE's timeline...

Hailey smirks.

Hailey Brooks: Well if you want to eat a fresh meal that Emma is making tonight, you sure as shit do... Otherwise, it's "Detroit Lock's City" on this sliding glass door until you get the fuck out of your own Goddamn head!

Hailey immediately pushes Kirsten back enough to where she can exit through the door without Kirsten chasing after her, or her stopping the lock from being applied to it.  Kirsten then hears the board applied to the railing area, adding the extra layer of security to the sliding glass door.  She is initially incensed, wanting to simply break the glass down, and charge her way in.  But as the initial moments pass, the words of Hailey begin to creep into her mind, and she begins to think about every one of them individually as time passes.

She ends up flopping back in her chair, realizing she has much to think about, and angry at herself that she was called out, and bested by someone else, verbally.  But after a couple of hours, she hears the board move from the railings, and the latch be undone.  The door slowly opens, and Emma walks out with a plate of food.  She sets it on the table they have outside between the chairs.

Emma Taylor: I'm not letting you miss a meal... Even if you may hate me for saying something...

The food is fresh, and Emma slowly leaves the balcony, closing the door behind her, but making it very apparent she didn't lock it.  It's this moment that Kirsten begins to start realizing that everyone around her is showing her what caring actually looks like, and in her mind, she begins to see how much happier she has been around them, than she has ever been before.  She looks down at the food, and realizes it's a meal she had once mentioned to Emma she loves, and realizes it was prepared just for her.  She begins to suck up her pride by picking the plate up and slowly walking into to home, where they are living, and simply sitting down at their table and beginning to eat.  She has no words to say, and everyone around her, doesn't try and force any out of her.  They understand the moment, and just let it happen naturally.

[TheOne]

{PROMO}

Each day, each night, each match, they become harder.  And it's to be expected when you're the one who is being asked to go out there, night in, night out, and defend a championship in the BIGGEST promotion in this business.  And yeah, I feel it.  I have battle scars.  I feel my muscles ache.  I have the training staff putting me back together and keeping me as healthy and in shape as I can be for each match.  And I could give it up at any moment, you know?

I really could...

I could sacrifice this title for my health, and simply walk away and plan for something more, but I don't.  I go out there.  I go out there and continue to take the pain and take the beatings I expect because I know that when all is said and done, those will only make me better and stronger.  But the one thing I don't do, the one thing I pride myself is having, is a sense of honor...

Which leads me back to Breakdown, and Alexis Quinne...

Alexis... Our paths were supposed to cross with you bringing your A game to the ring, and pushing me to my limits, and what I saw in the ring was you, rolling around the outside of the ring, acting like you had nothing left.  Initially, I just thought you didn't have what it took to step up to me, and were taking the easy way out, but then, someone said I should watch it back.  It's something I don't usually do because I'm too critical of myself, but they insisted I see what I needed to see, and I saw what Sarah Wolf did.  I saw her mist you in the eyes and blind you...

And that...

That I am not OK with...

You see, I said this before our match, and it's plain and simple... More and more people are trying to stick their noses into my business because they have a personal agenda, or they want to be the one who stops the person from achieving their ultimate goal.  In this case, I think it's a little of both.  I think you and Sarah have a bit of a past, but I also think she's got a bit of a greedy bone in her body, and wants to take from you, the opportunity to take me out.  And honestly if she's going to try and get her way this way, fuck her, she can go to the back of the line because this championship over my shoulder, it doesn't work like that... You EARN your way to me...

Now having said that, Alexis, I believe you have earned your way to me.  I believe you have earned a right at this title.  So, if I still have this title coming out of Breakdown I give you my word that you and I will cross paths again and I won't hesitate at putting the title on the line.  I won't berate you.  I won't say you don't deserve it, by using the trope that I've "beaten you before," because I know Sarah Wolf took you out.  I don't know why, and I don't care.  I'm willing to fucking say she can eat a bag of dick and take her janky input on my business elsewhere because I'm on a mission to do something special...

And THAT is be the GREATEST Television Champion Supreme Championship Wrestling has ever seen...

And if people like that involve themselves in my business, and ruin my chance, or put doubt in the eyes of anyone, that I am doing what I am setting out to do, guess what, they will be refused service.  Because I may be the 7-11 Champion of SCW, and open 24/7, 365, defending it more than any other belt in the business, but I have the right to refuse service.  And Sarah Wolf, consider yourself someone who isn't getting a Slurpee anytime soon because you crossed "The One" in HER WHEELHOUSE by trying to inject yourself where it didn't belong.  If you had EARNED your chance, if you had PROVEN yourself, you would be on my radar.  Now you're simply on security's surveillance to be removed from my presence going forward...

And let that be a warning to everyone in this business... You want a shot at me, prove yourself.  Don't hope for SCW to draw your name out of a hat, because they're running short on candidates to keep me busy.  You earn your shot.  You call your shot.  You MAKE your shot.  You don't go out there and fuck over someone else's, thus fucking me and MY legacy over as well.  Because then, and only then, do you become someone I would do the same to... I would find the corner-cutting way to ruin YOUR CHANCE, simply because that's the precedent you created.

This title isn't something you just get to have as a jump start, anymore... This belt isn't something you get to USE, just so you can say you've been a champion... This belt MEANS something, now, and I will continue to prove it, night in, night out, and never stray away from someone, big or small, rightful or random, who crosses my path...

Kirsten lifts the championship, having been on one shoulder, to the next, before continuing.

... But it does bring me to a bit of a weird moment, where I kind of am at a loss for words, and that's this coming Breakdown because, you see, I have an opponent.  I'm defending my championship.  I am doing what the Television Champion is expected to do, but, there is a bit of a conundrum when I say with the utmost respect, who on God's green Earth is La Pequena Luz?

Seriously, I am at a loss...

I have gathered she's a female Luchador and outside of that, I don't know much about this woman.  Which means I am a bit of a loss when it comes to how to prepare.  Because when you look at a Luchador, male or female, they present their own list of challenges.  They create their own sense of risk involved with every match.  They typically are the high fliers who want to run ropes, fly high, and create a sense of awe with every move they make...

And on top of that, they tend to make it sexy...

But what good does that do me?

Honestly, not much...

You see Luz is walking into this match with me with a major advantage because I don't know her background.  I don't know her style.  I've been told she's a tag specialist, but this isn't that kind of match.  That means she's bringing HER forte to the ring, and not her team's.  That means she is coming to the ring with a gameplan that just involves her, and most likely an aerial assault that I will have to adjust for on the fly.  Which also means I am going to have to get out of my comfort zone to prepare for an attack that isn't in my wheelhouse.  I am someone who fights.  I am someone who grapples.  I am someone who is willing to grind someone into submission, and yet, people who sacrifice life and limb tend to have a bit of that, "je ne sais quoi" to themselves where, they just don't care about their bodies, pain, or what they go through in order to get ahead...

And yeah, that kind of makes me a tad on the nervous side of things...

But I will also say that has been my entire career here, in SCW...

I walked in with no training... I walked in here with no expertise... I came in here wanting a fight and wanting to change a system that reminded me of my past so much, that it rekindled that fire within me.  So fear, nerves, none of that even registers for me.  I expect it.  I need it.  I YEARN for it.  I want it to be the catalyst that drives me every time I walk out there, and every time I either knock someone out, or choke someone out.  Why?  Because without the doubt inside, you have nothing to fear.  You have nothing to make you continue to get better and question yourself.  So a high flier, a Luchador, someone who is going to take me out of my comfort zone is just what I need to continue to improve...

And Luz... I hope you're ready to be that person...

Because when you come down that ramp, you may be doing flippy shit, and making yourself into some Cirque du Solei spectacle.  You may be doing everything you can to get in my head from the very start.  And for that, I'll thank you in advance because if you succeed it'll piss me off even more.  Anyone who actually CAN get me into my head pisses me off and makes me immediately begin to dissect you and your abilities bit by bit.  I begin to find your weaknesses even before the bell sounds.  How?  Because everyone shows them.  It's a matter of translating them and understanding them.  So you can bring the pomp, the circumstance, the wow factor, and I will ultimately find the ultimate way to ground you...

And once you're grounded... All flights will be canceled for the night, and you'll be hitchhiking back home to Mexico!

You see, Luz, you're coming into a match with some advantages, yes, but I also believe a lot of disadvantages.  The fact you're a tag team specialist, the fact you're someone who relies heavily on the person watching your back doesn't serve your purpose here.  This is, as they say, mano a mano.  You and I only.  No friends to watch your back or tag in when you've been grounded from flight school  Instead, you're responsible for your own successes and failures, and I ask you this simple question...

Are you ready for that?

Like I said, you don't have a history that I'm as well versed at knowing.  And while that may be because your skills as a tag team specialist are not where I ventured into may be why I don't know, it still reflects the fact you're walking into a match where your skills, your reflexes, your initial reactions to situations, aren't going to benefit you.  What happens when I hurt you and you turn to the corner, and nobody there to tag in?  What happens when you're ready to pull off some flippy-shit double team move, and you don't have the person you need to facilitate the flippy-shit part?  Can you truly exist alone in a ring, with someone like me, and something this prestigious on the line?  Can you show the world that "The Little Light" can shine brighter than that of the team she is a part of, and glow on her own?

Or will you be a bulb that loses its filament and simply goes dark?

These aren't questions I have for you, Luz.  These are questions I know you have for yourself.  This is your biggest moment on your own and you have to rise to the occasion.  You have to step up and show the world that you're not someone who NEEDS a partner, but can stand, or fly, on her own two feet.  Because if you don't, if you have the rug pulled out from under you, that light will burn out quicker than a birthday candle at a kid's pizza party.  But if you can hang with Kirsten Scott, you'll immediately go from someone just known for her tag team prowess, to someone who, win or lose, can be considered someone ready for a run on her own in the future.

The opportunity is there for you...

The problem, however, is that you're running into a champion, determined for greatness...

You're running into a champion, determined to make history...

You're running into a champion who, once Breakdown is said and done, will make bigger waves than anyone could imagine...

But... Before those waves, you're running into a champion who is ready to teach you fact from fiction.  And the fiction is that someone who brings something new to the world of Kirsten Scott can blindside her and take advantage of her lack of experience.  Where the facts are, that is what everyone has done so far, and this title is over my shoulder for the second time.  So I would say that makes FACTS outweigh FICTION... Just like death... Taxes... And "The One" Kirsten Scott!

[Wisteria Waltz]

La Pequeña Luz wasn't a fan of mind games, especially when she was meant to be the intended victim of them.

She didn't know where the innate hatred for the concept first came from, but she knows that she's been conditioned throughout her life to take offense to the idea of being manipulated for someone else's gain. From the bullies she went to school with always trying to convince her that she was worthless to the kids who only pretended to be her friend just to try and get close to the lucha libre idol that was her father, from everything she'd learned about how Amelia was raised by her own parents to her experiences with Caleb White and The Empire over the course of this year... perhaps the hatred started with how staunchly her father stood against the idea both in and out of the character everyone knew him to be. Whatever the reason, the very thought of trying to gaslight someone into believing whatever you told them always made Luz's blood boil perhaps even more than it did for Amelia, and she had actually lived most of her life trapped in such a scenario.

That was what made her current situation all the more frustrating to figure out, and Amelia was right there with her on every level.

When they had earned the right to be the next challengers to the SCW World Tag Team Championship, they both expected Ravyn to play these kinds of games with them regardless of whether or not Syren agreed with them. The only question was what form it would take, especially since outside of a passing reference to the couple's self-imposed exile from that title picture because of her and Ace's disdain for Selena Frost, they had barely been a blip on the radar for the notorious mistress of mind games. That was what made her attempts to talk with Luz and Amelia while they were apart over the past two weeks all the more confusing, especially considering that she had given Amelia her actual phone number and seemed to be genuinely concerned for how the couple's relationship could turn out the longer they were in this business together. They had at least been wise enough to seek out someone who had worked with Ravyn before in Lucas Knight to get a second opinion on this, but he hadn't been wrong when he said that one-half of the Tag Team Champions was already winning the mental battle because of their struggles to actually figure out how to respond.

The signs that they were being played to some degree were fairly obvious, but Luz knew that it was hard to think straight about what sort of game Ravyn was playing when they were distracted by a potentially far more dangerous game they were caught up in against an equally devious chessmaster.

Even now, over a month removed from the night of the incident, the image of the eyeball that once belonged to Marilyn and Lily's father sitting in a present with a cryptic warning still haunted their dreams. Thanks to some tricks Ivy and Gage had picked up along with some over-the-phone advice from Camila, the couple were at least getting some rest again even if it was far from what it should've been. It had been enough rest to keep them focused and going strong through their recent matches at least, so Caleb hadn't broken them yet, but he clearly knew what he was doing and was taking advantage of everything he possibly could in order to get the upper hand once more in this war that neither Luz nor Amelia even wanted to be a part of.

Whatever reasons he thought he had to make their lives a living hell, though, only motivated them to keep getting stronger until he finally realized exactly who he was dealing with and why no matter how low he sank, he would never get his way when all was set and done.

Same with Ravyn Taylor.

And, ideally, today would be the day that they could finally have all the pieces they needed to start putting these puzzles together so they could endure whatever storms were on the horizon.

It had taken a lot of work to sort out everyone's schedules to find the best way to make this happen, but they'd finally set something up to meet with Ryan Lumis, the private investigator who had once been hired to keep tabs on Luz and Amelia but was now working with them as a way to try and make amends for letting money talk louder than his morals and ethics. Lily had volunteered to pick him up from the airport and meet up with not only the young couple but also Ivy and Gage to hear what Ryan had to share. Edward and Emily were still in England keeping an eye on their parents as plans for this supposed wedding that wasn't supposed to happen still silently continued on, and Valentina had since gone back to Mexico to not only keep her and Luz's mom company but also see about trying to have a fresh start in lucha libre so she could forge a path that was truly all her own, a thought that made Luz tear up in pride just thinking about it. The plan was to keep them in the loop with whatever they learned from this meeting, especially since there was at least an agreement that no one should be left completely alone to the best of the group's abilities right now.

The Empire had suddenly come back out in full force to try and recapture the entire British wrestling scene in Caleb's name, which was concerning enough. But there had also been reports of people sporting The Empire's symbol spouting religious rhetoric in public that was actually starting to garner them some more members, and a public recruiting drive that was making the group out to be much more than just an oversized wrestling stable raised some serious red flags as to what exactly Caleb's endgame truly was and concern over whether or not they could honestly stop it if it was on a far greater scope than they first thought. Add to that what Caleb had pulled on the Clauson family, and it was becoming more and more clear that you weren't safe if you were an enemy of The Empire.

“I know this is supposed to be a serious situation we're about to deal with, but I'm still baffled as to the logic here, Marilyn.”

Luz's remark wasn't unwarranted as Marilyn had led them to what looked like a small but abandoned magick store, one of many that highlighted the cultural heritage that ran deep in the blood of New Orleans itself. With the final Breakdown before Under Attack set to take place here, Marilyn had claimed to know the perfect meeting place where they wouldn't be disturbed on the off chance Caleb's goons were looking to try anything.

“What? This old store is practically Empire repellent!” Marilyn proudly claimed before her voice took on a more somber and reflective tone. “My aunt used to run it a long time ago... one of the best witches in the known world. That's why I know this piece of Clauson family history will keep those nutjobs away.”

“I don't think someone from The Empire will just suddenly combust into flames if they set foot in a place that's very much 'evil' according to their extreme beliefs,” Amelia pointed out.

“I guess we can only hope,” Ivy said with a hopeful chuckle before she headed inside with everyone else following her lead.

The interior of the old shop had certainly seen better days, but that was to be expected when no one had run it for a very long time. The shelves were still lined with all manner of items for witchcraft, voodoo, alchemy and various other occult practices that the group wasn't too familiar with, simply collecting dust from no one seemingly stepping in here in forever. Marilyn took in the surroundings with a tear in her eye before she wiped it away and began carefully clearing off a huge table so it and several chairs could be repositioned to the open space in the middle of the shop.

“I'm surprised all this stuff is still here if this place hasn't been open for a while,” Gage remarked as he examined a shelf of potions.

“Eh, people around here are smart enough to know that stealing from one of these places usually brings bad omens,” Marilyn explained as she continued setting up the table. “No one wants to be cursed by stealing from a witch, and our family hasn't had a reason to clean this place out... even though my aunt hasn't been with us for at least a few decades now. I've actually considered maybe trying to reopen this place once I finally throw in the towel on wrestling, connect with my family roots a bit more.”

“What happened to her?” Luz cautiously asked.

“Her whole family perished in a freak house fire almost 30 years ago,” Marilyn lamented. “No one knows what happened... their house just went up in flames while they were asleep. Her, her husband, their kid... all gone... just like that...”

Luz quietly nodded in understanding, Marilyn knowing full well of the pain she had to have gone through when her father's life was ended just as abruptly. Once everything was set up they all took a seat as Gage began sending off a couple of text messages to the rest of their group while Amelia and Ivy started talking about something and Marilyn texted her sister for updates. Luz, meanwhile, grabbed her own phone and opened up the message that had only further sent her thoughts into a spiral.

While she and Amelia were set to challenge for the Tag Titles at Under Attack next weekend, she would have another title opportunity all her own on this Breakdown when she challenged for the TV Title, the very same title that Amelia had held near the start of the year. She knew Kirsten Scott wasn't going to be an easy challenge, but that was exactly what Luz wanted: a challenge to prove herself. She thought back to the concerns when Amelia had this opportunity and how she'd wanted her title win to be a symbol that they could both succeed and hold gold in SCW... those thoughts, however, quickly found themselves being replaced by Ravyn's words from two weeks ago, taunting her with possibilities that she knew were stupid, trying to imply things that she knew would never happen.

“You OK?”

Luz snapped out of her thoughts when she realized Amelia had spoken to her, even somehow missing the comforting one-armed hug her fiancée had pulled her into. She took a deep breath to try and clear her head before gently kissing Amelia's cheek in thanks.

“I want to say 'yes' out of instinct but I think we both know better by now,” Luz admitted as Amelia glanced down at her phone to see the match notification.

“You're worried about having a chance at singles gold right before we challenge for the Tag Titles,” Amelia said, making it clear it was a statement and not a question.

“I doubt it was intentional, but... it just feels too perfectly timed, given what Ravyn's been trying to imply over the past few weeks,” Luz responded.

“Perhaps,” Amelia noted, “but that doesn't mean you haven't earned this opportunity as well and deep down you know that to be true. Focus on Kirsten and proving all the doubters wrong, then we'll do the same thing together come Under Attack. And as for the games Ravyn's been trying to play... we'll figure this out and overcome it, just like we've been doing against Caleb.”

Luz nodded, knowing that the two of them had started coming to a few realizations about Ravyn's tactics after the last Breakdown but tackling it had been put on the back burner in favor of the bigger issues beyond the ring. As if the universe knew that needed to be dealt with first so they could properly shift gears, Lily finally made her way into the store with Ryan following behind her, the look on his face about whatever he was here to share already raising concern.

“We can talk more about SCW later... promise...” Luz whispered to Amelia, giving her hand a gentle squeeze and planting another kiss on her cheek. Amelia nodded in return, the gesture being proof that she knew Luz would open up to her when they had the time and not try to use this as an excuse to avoid the issue like she'd done in the past.

That would be a talk for later, though... right now, there was more urgent business to attend to.

“First off, I apologize again to the two of you,” Ryan began once he'd taken his seat, nodding his head to Luz and Amelia, “for taking so long with this. The other case I was working was a rather important one and... let's just say some really dark things have been discovered that I won't go into yet. So... which one of you wants to go first?”

Luz and Amelia glance at one another in silent conversation before Amelia nods.

“I will. From what my siblings have told me, my parents and The Empire are still trying to prepare for a wedding that I have made clear will not be happening, and I have to know why they're so hellbent on this unholy matrimony I don't need and never wanted in the first place.”

“You have your father and Caleb to thank for that,” Ryan said as he grabbed what looked like a copy of a contract and slid it to Amelia to look over, with Luz reading along over her shoulder. “Back when they first met, apparently Caleb and Aleister really hit it off in regards to how much pride they have in their wrestling ability and their similar philosophies. Eventually they thought the best move they could make was to sign a contract that ensured a marriage between their respective heirs in order to merge their legacies and create what they believed was the strongest possible bloodline for future generations of wrestlers. Your parents apparently ruled out your sister Emily because of their inability to look past her being a twin, hence their side of the deal fell to you. As for Caleb's end... well... I'll talk about that shortly.”

Amelia's hands trembled with barely restrained rage as she looked over the contract. “They... they already sold me off to be some guy's wife before I was even born... all just to maintain this stupid idea of a 'pure, talented bloodline' regardless of how I actually turned out...”

Luz quickly pulled her into a hug, softly speaking in Spanish to help her try to calm down before she flipped the table, though she wouldn't blame her if she did.

“Luz,” Ryan continued, looking sorry for what he'd revealed to Amelia but making it clear the rest of his findings weren't going to be any easier to swallow. “Your information was a little harder to track down, mostly because Caleb did a real good job of covering his tracks, but his issues with your father clearly crossed several lines of professionalism. I'm sorry to say this, but the evidence I've found doesn't lie... your father's accidents were anything but.  Caleb paid people to injure your father and make sure anyone who could've seen it looked the other way. When that didn't get him to give up wrestling and, worse in his mind, led to him gaining a mother and daughter, he... he went as far as to coerce your father's final opponent to purposely botch the move that could, and did, take your father's life.”

Luz just gave Ryan a blank stare, clearly struggling to process this information. “That can't be... I know papá and El Hijo de la Muerte were fierce rivals, but beyond the public eye they deeply respected one another and he wasn't a bad man, it was just the character he presented himself as. He even retired after that match because of the guilt...”

Luz found herself trailing off as Ryan slid a few papers over to her that made her jaw drop. They were all letters from Caleb addressing Muerte, using that disgustingly manipulative tone he was known for to try and bribe the man into doing what he did in exchange for a hefty sum of money to help bail his family out of the financial trouble they were in. Eventually, even that tone was dropped in favor of flat-out threats on his family if he didn't do as Caleb wanted, the last of which was dated the morning of the fateful match.

“From what I was told when speaking with his wife, Muerte's family had people dressed in Caleb's white and gold color scheme lurking near their home for weeks leading up to that match,” Ryan explained, not even bothering to hide his own disgust. “The poor man realized that someone was probably going to lose something regardless of whether he complied or not, so he went through with it. You're right about him retiring right after that match... I'm sure you've also heard that he took his own life when the guilt became too much, which is another elaborate lie from Caleb. From what I've found, he was actually going to go to the police to admit the truth, willing to serve jail time if it meant clearing his conscience and putting Caleb in the law's crosshairs... Caleb, ever the control freak, made sure he never made it and staged the whole thing to look like what everyone believed it to be.”

It was Amelia's turn to pull Luz into a hug as she stared numbly at the proof in her hands, struggling to comprehend what would drive a human being to go to such lengths, and over a wrestling feud no less. Hating her father just because he always won their encounters was far too petty a reason to stoop this low and not care about the blood on your hands.

“...why...?” Luz finally squeaked out after a moment.

“That might be the most messed up part of all this,” Ryan sighed, bowing his head as he clutched his hands together tightly. “From what I've found... Caleb, at his core, might be one of the most extreme religious zealots I've ever seen, to the degree that he wouldn't have been out of place in events like the Crusades or the Salem Witch Trials. He truly, unironically, believes that God put him on this earth for the sole purpose of saving humanity from itself and making it 'pure' again. Wrestling was the platform that he wanted to use to spread that message, believing it to be the purest form of competition... at least, back in the older days of the sport. He legitimately believes he can either talk everyone around him into heeding his words and changing their 'sinful' ways or convince enough people to do so that he can try to wage a holy war to get the result he wants.”

“That sounds ridiculous,” Gage scoffed.

“It does,” Ryan agreed, “but that is the kind of mindset this man lives in. Everything I just told you about Caleb White, he wholeheartedly believes in. As far as it pertains to Amelia and Luz... Amelia, I think it's clear he and your parents want you to be the 'perfect wife' to not only continue his madness once he finally dies but also bring the next generation into it. Luz... he truly felt insulted by your father's moniker of The Angelic Spirit and believed the man spat in the face of everything he believed in and worked for, hence why he believed he was justified in the awful actions he took. In you, he sees a way to redeem himself for going that far if he can 'save you' from everything that makes you who you are and mold you, Amelia, and anyone else into his image. That includes his stolen heir...”

“Stolen heir?” Marilyn questioned. “You mean that Henry kid?”

Ryan nodded. “Caleb never married nor brought any children into this world, which also meant he couldn't fulfill his end of the deal with the Blythes. So, he decided to 'save' that child while 'saving' humanity from a sinful family through the concept of 'cleansing fire.'”

He slowly looked everyone there in the eyes before his gaze finally settled on Marilyn.

“I'm not supposed to be sharing this with you all, but... the cold case I've been helping with? It was the death of your aunt Martha and her husband Paul... Caleb's older brother. And Caleb himself was the one responsible for it.”

[Wisteria Waltz]

Halloween is a night that many look forward to, whether you're a kid looking to gather an impressive candy haul or a horror movie fan who embraces the scary themes of the holiday to break out your favorites for a marathon, or even an adult simply looking to dress up and party. For the latter, one of the best places to be for a Halloween party has to be the city of New Orleans, and we can see how much the town has transformed to fit the spirit of the holiday. People of all ages are dressed up and seizing the night, whether it be trick-or-treating or watching the Krewe of BOO! Halloween Parade make its way down the streets or simply partying with friends and seeing where the holiday takes them. It's hard not to be mesmerized by the atmosphere as we gaze along the streets from above, taking in the wonder that is The Big Easy fully immersed in the Halloween spirit.

After getting our fill of this incredible sight, our view pulls back to find two familiar individuals who are also embracing the Halloween spirit this evening. Standing hand-in-hand at the edge of the building we're perched on, illuminated by the festive lights of the city, are La Pequeña Luz and Amelia Blythe, taking advantage of the holiday to cosplay as the anime characters Anthy Himemiya and Utena Tenjou, respectively, from Revolutionary Girl Utena. They both glance back to us watching them before Amelia leans in close to Luz.

“The floor is yours, my Rose Bride. Show them what you can do.”

“Thank you, my knight. I give you my word that I will face this challenge to the best of my abilities.”

Amelia chuckles a bit before stepping aside with the kind of bow that's almost introducing Luz to us. As she turns her complete focus to us, we notice that not only is she still adhering to lucha libre tradition by wearing her mask even if it clashes with her cosplay, but that the mask is designed to resemble an elaborate sugar skull. She takes a deep breath and runs two fingers along the side of her masked face before she begins.

“This time of year is always special to me... true, I adore Halloween and will gladly embrace the spirit because not only do I love an excuse to dress up as the characters that have inspired me growing up, but I also have a fascination for the dark and the macabre that comes with this holiday. But as much as I love Halloween, I also love what awaits us after midnight tonight... in Mexico, we call it Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, a holiday where we honor our loved ones who are no longer with us and reminisce on how they have shaped our lives. One such person I have lost is my father, El Espíritu Angélico. Revered as a lucha libre icon for many years, I am honored to have called him my dad, not because he was this incredible wrestler or hailed as a hero in our culture for his exploits in the ring, but because of who he was that only I ever got to see. He taught me a lot growing up... he was my primary trainer when I was coming of age to begin wrestling myself, but he also taught me the value in always being myself and fighting for what I believe in, no matter how much someone tries to tear me down or convince me that fight is a lost cause.

He may no longer be with us, but I know his spirit is always watching over me, cheering me on just as I always cheered him on. Coincidentally, this upcoming Breakdown right here in New Orleans happens to fall right on Día de los Muertos, and while I won't be able to visit his grave with my family, I know he'll be in my corner cheering me on, and I promise him that I will show everyone just how far I've come since the very first time I stepped between those ropes.”

Luz lowers her head for a moment, moving to wipe a tear from her eye as she recomposes herself. With another deep breath, she raises her head once more.

“Say what you want about the kind of person I am, but I can promise you that wrestling means more to me than almost anything else and I'm never one to back down from a challenge. Maybe some of you look at that and believe that I'm some naive fool who can easily be led astray if you play your cards right, but I'm a lot more perceptive than you probably think and I have my experiences both in this business and growing up to thank for that. I'll be upfront: I was the kind of kid who was bullied and deemed worthless just because I was 'weird' or 'different,' and I've heard just about every variation of insult you can think of from those scenarios. As far as what that means regarding SCW... I get it, I haven't had as many solo opportunities as Amelia has, and my track record isn't as impressive as hers. In your mind, that probably paints this clear picture of who between us is destined for greater things and who was always meant to be left in the dust.

Since I know you're probably watching this... am I wrong about that implication in your words to me, Ravyn?

It's funny... Amelia and I have talked about this scenario extensively not just regarding SCW, but on several other occasions over the years. We knew the moment she had her run as TV Champion earlier this year that someone might think to use that against us, hoping to create a wedge between us while eroding my confidence, but she and I also aren't afraid to acknowledge our respective shortcomings... my attempt at the Underground Title, her attempt at becoming U.S. Champion, our first try at the Tag Team Titles, Taking Hold of the Flame... every one of those setbacks create an opportunity to learn and evolve. After all, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it... that alone is why, as much as I want to give you the benefit of the doubt Ravyn, I know that your intentions have nothing to do with what you claim them to be and that it wouldn't be any surprise if you tried to mess with us one more time just to try and prove your claims to be valid.

That said, I think it's safe to say I'm facing someone who also has no interest in your games and just wants to focus on the one thing I know we can both agree on happening this Thursday night: a highly competitive match worthy of the championship at stake for it.”

Luz proceeds to take off the wig for her costume and tosses it over to wherever Amelia is out of frame, almost as if this is her way of making it clear she's taking what lies ahead seriously.

“In about a week and a half, Amelia and I will be tasked with trying to take the Tag Team Titles away from Dark Fantasy, arguably the greatest tag team in SCW history. Before that, however, there is one final Breakdown before Under Attack, and I find myself with another opportunity as I challenge Kirsten Scott for her TV Title. There are many layers of symbolism to this: Amelia's aforementioned reign with that championship near the start of the year, the fact that so many default to that title reign as proof of me being the weak link of The Light In The Darkness, the opportunity to immediately upend Ravyn's implications and unravel some of her head games before Under Attack, and let's not forget that once upon a time Ravyn was also TV Champion... in fact, she once held the very honor that Kirsten has made it clear she wants, and that's the lengthy reign that will define her as the greatest TV Champion in SCW history.

I'm sorry that I might have to play spoiler to that, but it's clear that my next two matches are going to be arguably the toughest challenges I've faced in SCW to date and I'm not going to back down from these fights.

Kirsten, if you were to ask me whether or not I earned this opportunity, I'd be honest and tell you that I'm not sure I have. I know I've earned the Tag Title opportunity on the horizon, Amelia and I have the proof of that, but my singles record alone would be enough to suggest that maybe I'm not the kind of opponent you think you should be facing. If I've learned anything in this life, though, it's that everything happens for a reason, and even if I may not believe I've truly earned this match, it's clear that CHBK or someone else higher up believes I have, and that's all the motivation I need to prove to you, them and everyone else that belief in what I can do was not misplaced. I have this challenge before me to prove what I can do on my own, with championship gold as the incentive, and if I succeed?

Then for all I know, this could be the start of a turnaround for me on the singles front and a big omen for The Light In The Darkness.

I know you've been exactly where I am right now Kirsten... wanting to make an impact and prove yourself on this ultra competitive roster, struggling more often than not to get to where you want to be. But look at you now: a two-time TV Champion with this current reign being almost three months old now, that Trios contract that I know is still in your possession, and several other major opportunities where, even if you didn't walk away with the win, you still made a statement that you are The One and you will continue to fight and improve until everyone around you accepts that.”

Luz chuckles, although those who are truly paying attention will easily pick up on the fact that it sounds a little forced. Even she knows she's not exactly hiding it, but she doesn't seem to care.

“As you said, you walked into SCW with no formal training or experience, just looking for a fight and a desire to make your voice heard. But put yourselves in my shoes for a moment Kirsten. All eyes are on you in your very first match because there's such high expectations, and why wouldn't there be? You're the daughter of a legend, a cultural icon, a man who is no longer with us due to a tragic accident but his spirit still lives on through how deeply ingrained it is in this very sport. Every single mistake you make is magnified because of this belief that your father would have never made such a simple mistake, that you're supposed to be better to fill the giant boots he left behind. That is the challenge I have faced, am still facing, every single match. The inevitable comparison to my father, and even to my fiancée, the questions of whether or not I'm even capable of measuring up no matter how much I've already accomplished or who I've beaten to try and prove just that.

I stand here before you, engulfed by a huge shadow that people are starting to believe is finally going to swallow me whole... not once have I ever stopped fighting to get out from underneath it, though, to not only make my papá proud looking down on me from above, but to define myself. Amelia and I both often speak about what even singles opportunities like this mean for the both of us, and that's not because we're mere tag team specialists... that's our way of always pushing one another to fight harder, to get better, to become the kind of wrestlers we truly want to be both together and as individuals. That's why her holding that title you now hold was important for the both of us... and now it's my turn to have a run with it to see if I can hold it for longer than she did, to motivate her to also step up her game so that we can keep fighting our way to the top and prove to all of SCW that we are exactly what we say we are.

So Kirsten, I ask only one thing of you for this Breakdown, one thing that I know you're already planning to do anyway. I want you to push me beyond my limits, I want you to give me the fight of my life and make me earn that TV Title, not so I can stand here and say Amelia and I have both held it at least once, but so I can hold it high and proudly tell the locker room that La Pequeña Luz is good enough to stand at the top of the mountain and she dares everyone back there to try and knock me back down. That's the only way I'm going to improve, the motivation that will allow us both to continue our evolution into the kinds of wrestlers we want to be, earned through nothing but our own hard work and dedication to this craft that means everything to us.

That, Kirsten, is who La Pequeña Luz is, and with my father's spirit as my witness on this blessed Day of the Dead, I will be the fighter who ends your TV Title run before making my own into the spark that not only continues to define that honor as the true working wrestler's championship, but also brings us one step closer to that brighter future we want for SCW.”

At that, Luz bows her head and we hear her quietly saying what sounds like a prayer in Spanish, perhaps to her father watching over her, before a simple “amen” brings her back to one last determined look to walk out of New Orleans as the new Television Champion. She nods to us before we linger long enough to see Amelia walk back into the picture to help Luz put her wig back on, softly encouraging her beloved and squashing any doubt of just how supportive these two are with one another no matter the situation before we fade away.