OOC: The CD for this piece (at least the first part of it, before the promo) takes place at roughly the exact same time as the CD for Amelia's second piece that I just posted.
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There was a lot on the mind of La Pequeña Luz these days, to the point where it was starting to feel overwhelming at times.
For that reason, she was grateful that she had a few extra minds around to help her lighten the load and make sense of it all.
The road to Apocalypse certainly hadn't been anything like she would've thought. The simplest path she would've predicted would have ultimately led to her and Amelia defending their World Tag Team Titles against somebody, likely the Dangerous Minds at this point, on the card, and after the couple's respective singles setbacks coming back after Rise to Greatness, the determination to pick themselves back up and push themselves to bounce back and retain the gold they'd fought so hard to reclaim once more would've been there regardless.
The 2024 Trios Tournament, however, had thrown multiple wrenches into that plan, and Luz was still trying to wrap her head around it all.
It was hard to ignore the fact that The Light In The Darkness had a strong showing in the tournament, despite the fact that they had been on opposite sides of the bracket and nearly ended up having their respective teams facing off in the finals. While Amelia had ultimately made it there, Luz's team had been eliminated in the semi-finals... which, admittedly, left a bit of a bitter taste in her mouth, but Luz tried not to dwell on such setbacks for too long anymore. If she let it weigh heavily on her mind, that would typically lead to growing doubts and the kind of mental spiral she was working on trying to put behind her now. In her mind, she'd still put forth her very best, and she was proud that Amelia still had a chance to potentially secure a Trios contract for herself that could set the stage for the couple to broaden their horizons a little more and truly prove to the SCW locker room that they were both just as dangerous on their own as they were working together.
It also meant that while Amelia had that challenge in front of her, Luz would simply have to find another way to prove that on her end. After all, when one door closes, another opens.
Besides, she couldn't say the Trios experience this year hadn't come with some benefits. Training with Scott Reed and Chris Lawler had certainly helped her pick up a few new tricks and ideas she was looking forward to utilizing at some point, and the three of them all seemed willing to maintain contact beyond the tournament, so that had the potential to go a long way. It was honestly funny in a twisted sort of way now whenever Luz looked back on her childhood, how she'd always been kind and friendly but no one aside from her family ever seemed to care for her, treating her like she was less than dirt and her only real value was in being walked all over. Now, though? Now she's not only earned so much respect from everything she's busted her behind to accomplish all over the world, but she also had far more friends than she'd ever dreamed of having, from those close enough she considered them part of her family to others within the business who were willing to hang out beyond the shows and keep the wrestling mindset for the wrestling ring.
Of course, she and Scott both respected the fact that the business had to come first as far as their newfound friendship was concerned, at least for the time being.
While the opportunity to cross paths with Amelia in the Trios Tournament finals in what would've been a very interesting clash was now lost, Luz's quest to prove how good she was on her own had immediately manifested in a different scenario... one that honestly left her a little conflicted because of the asterisks that potentially hung over her head in this situation. Come Apocalypse, she would find herself going from teaming with Scott to facing him, along with Marie Jones, in a triple threat match. Officially, this match would determine the number one contender for the United States Championship, the very title that Amelia had been one win away from obtaining last year only to fall just short despite an incredible effort. The problem wasn't in any concern about her potentially succeeding where Amelia had failed because they had both come a long way since Taking Hold of the Flame last year... it was in the bizarre possibility that instead of becoming the number one contender if she won this match, Luz could instead jump straight to leaving the pay-per-view as U.S. Champion altogether.
To be honest, everything regarding the Frosts as a whole had felt surreal over the course of the entire journey to Apocalypse, and it left her with more concerns than she felt comfortable with. Watching as Deanna slowly seemed to destroy herself because of what happened with The Enigma hurt her on a level she couldn't even begin to describe, especially considering the guy had crossed several lines at this point and seemed thoroughly convinced he was actually some supernatural entity that was bigger than SCW and couldn't be stopped. The fact that Deanna had clearly spiraled so much because of the stunts he'd pulled, desperate to find some justice amid the bizarre circumstances, had Luz wanting so badly to just pull her aside and talk with her about all of this if the other woman would even give her a chance. Unfortunately, Deanna had a single-minded focus, and it led to her putting herself into a situation where if she pushed herself too hard and Enigma took advantage, then Luz could reap the benefits.
She didn't know what left more of a bad taste in her mouth: that thought, or Selena's desperate attempts to prove she'd “lived long enough to become the villain.”
As hard as it was to believe, Luz wasn't going to hold all of Selena's actions against her for how she got her team a victory over Luz's in the Trios Tournament. She wasn't too happy about her slipping in and landing the final blow that led to Lawler being pinned by Raynes, sure, but she'd been teaming with Amelia long enough by now to accept some leeway in tag team scenarios as long as you were mindful of not going overboard with it. What Luz couldn't ignore, however, was how the two of them were actually having the kind of back-and-forth battle that Selena should've been proud of, and yet, the first chance she got, she
faked a tag just to make sure she could avoid Scott should Luz have sought to bring him into the match as her team's legal man. And then, as if Selena felt the need to add a cherry on top, she had decided after the last Breakdown to seek out Amelia while Luz was getting their car to try and get into her head with nonsense that showed how surprisingly little Selena truly knew about them after all.
Implying that the business would ever come between her and Amelia when almost six years of being involved with each other's careers in one form or another had long since proven otherwise? Claiming that if Amelia's team won and one of her partners used their Trios contract to pursue the couple's World Tag Titles that Luz would actually hold it against her when deep down she wanted to welcome that challenge regardless of who wanted to use their contract to step up to The Light In The Darkness?
“You'd think she would know better by now...” she mumbled.
“Who would?” Amelia asked.
Luz couldn't help but be jolted out of her thoughts, her face turning red beneath her mask as she'd almost forgotten what she was doing while trying to sort through everything in her head. Apocalypse was only a few days away by this point, and with SCW wrestlers starting to converge on the city of Vancouver to prepare for the pay-per-view, the name of the game was splitting off to focus on their own matches for this show to further strengthen themselves mentally for their respective challenges that could go a long way in proving what they really wanted everyone to understand. Luz had just parked their car up by the curb in front of the gym where Amelia was set to meet with Xander Valentine, and potentially Billy Heaven Jr. if he felt like he could hopefully get a proper team training session in without irritating his partners to no end. Luz had her own plans in the meantime, but clearly Amelia wasn't too keen on letting her partner leave while several thoughts were still buzzing around in her brain like an angry swarm of bees.
“Sorry,” Luz sheepishly admitted. “I was thinking about all that nonsense Selena tried to tell you after the last Breakdown again... I still can't believe she thought that would work.”
“Well, hopefully the letter I sent to her and her alone will be a step in the right direction to showing her that we don't plan on giving up on her as easily as she thinks we should,” Amelia grinned.
“Here's to hoping Deanna would be up for talking after the show as well, regardless of whether or not she and I find ourselves on a collision course,” Luz sighed.
“We'll figure this all out, one way or another.” Amelia leaned over and gently kissed the cheek of Luz's mask. “We always do.”
“We can fix this together,” Luz laughed, reciting their old mantra whenever they were faced with a daunting challenge that no one thought they could overcome.
With one last smile exchanged between them, Amelia grabbed her bag out of the back seat and opened the door. As she stepped out of the car, though, she paused and looked back at Luz. “You sure you don't want to come in and train with us? I don't think Xander will mind...”
“Nah, you need the time with your team to make sure you're all on the same page for Sunday,” Luz waved her off. “Besides, Marilyn and Avery are waiting for me over at Queen Elizabeth Park, and Avery said they've got a surprise to pass along for our wedding.”
“Alright, as long as you're sure,” Amelia nodded. “I'll see you in a little while?”
“You know it!” Luz replied, losing the battle to resist shooting Amelia a pair of finger guns. It got a giggle out of her, though, so that was a point for Luz at least. “Don't hesitate to call or text if anything happens, though... especially if Billy starts disrespecting boundaries again. I don't care if he's your Trios partner, I will drive back here and turn his lights out if I need to.”
“And I respect you for the willingness to do that, mi amor,” Amelia smiled. “Though I'm pretty sure Xander or myself will have shut him up first... if he even shows up, that is.”
“Well, keep me posted all the same,” Luz requested, getting a nod of agreement from Amelia before the car door was closed and Amelia made her way inside.
After waiting a few moments to make sure Amelia was going to settle in for working out with her team, Luz started the car back up and made her way to Queen Elizabeth Park, ready to see what kind of training was in store for her today. While she'd trained quite a bit with Marilyn at this point to know how she conducted business, she was admittedly very curious about what Avery had in store for her. Considering they were also a wrestler themself once upon a time and now worked for the FBI, Luz could only imagine the kind of crazy workout they had planned to help her try and take her game to the next level so she could keep working to break out and get her own star shining bright.
Not to mention she might've been hoping Avery had any sort of lead on the other problem she'd been trying not to think about.
It had been one thing when her and Amelia got the ominous letter at some point after Rise to Greatness hoping to threaten them into calling off their wedding and their engagement as a whole, but the fact that it had persisted for several weeks now and only seemed to increase in frequency the closer they got to the big day was starting to grate on their nerves. Letters that were still being mailed to them even while they were on the road, notes being left for them at the front desk of whatever hotel they were staying at, text messages that they couldn't block because of the discovery that whoever was doing this seemed to have an endless supply of burner phones to hide behind just about any number in the book... was it really so hard to ask for even a few months of peace and quiet without someone feeling the need to try and screw with her and Amelia?
SCW was one thing, especially since Luz had come to expect that by now with some of the people under contract with the company. It was all in the nature of competition and entertainment, after all. But this certainly had nothing to do with SCW or wrestling at all and she was practically begging whatever god would listen to her at this point to just let her and Amelia have the happily ever after they were sure they'd long since earned by now.
As Luz pulled up to Queen Elizabeth Park and found a parking spot, her brain couldn't help but linger on the religious theming tucked into every message, an obvious calling card of The Empire. Trying to narrow down a list of suspects, however, had proven difficult given the situation that cult was currently in. Caleb was long imprisoned and would never see the light of day again, Amelia's parents were now behind bars, Lily was no longer playing 'double agent' and had no reason to betray the couple now, same with Valentina and Henry being freed from having to serve Caleb's twisted whims. Honestly, of the higher ranking members she was still aware of, the only outstanding ones had been Kiki and that behemoth who'd worked with her to capture them on the day that Caleb was finally arrested, but Lily had spent enough time around them to know their handwriting and could confirm they weren't behind the letters at least. Any other known higher-up within The Empire had either been arrested or took a deal, either because they felt genuine remorse for being brainwashed by a religious lunatic or simply wanted to save their own hides.
“It has to be someone in their ranks,” Luz mused to herself as she walked through the park, trying to use the gorgeous weather to clear her head as she looked for the two people she was here to meet. “Someone who's still loyal despite not being anything more than some common follower in Caleb's eyes... which doesn't make figuring out how to get this to stop any clearer.”
Luz couldn't help but sigh. She and Amelia had made a ton of progress in such a short amount of time as far as putting their wedding together, with a lot of help from her mom, Amelia's siblings and Ivy taking the reins on a lot of the planning so they didn't risk turning into bridezillas over trying to make this perfect,
especially considering they've long since accepted they weren't perfect and didn't need to be.
“Why the long face, kiddo? You getting too deep into your own head again?”
Luz snapped out of her thoughts once more, unable to resist a smile at Marilyn's teasing tone as she stood tall and proud near the park's Celebration Pavilion. Avery stood next to her, grinning as well but also shaking their head at just how naturally Marilyn had started taking to the idea of treating Luz as though she were her own kid.
“Hola Marilyn! Hola Avery!” Luz called as she jogged over to where they stood. “And I'm trying to stay out of the depths of my mind, thank you very much.”
“If you say so kid,” Marilyn's grin faded. “But you know we're here for you if anything's up, alright?”
“Especially since you're going to need a clear and focused mind for what I've got planned for you,” Avery smirked.
Luz's eyes followed Avery's, her jaw dropping as she saw what looked like a military-grade obstacle course set up near the Quarry Gardens.
“Am I going to be running through that!?” Luz exclaimed.
“It's a good test of all the essential skills you need to keep pushing yourself in the business,” Avery explained. “Especially with this triple threat you're facing. I know you've done matches like this before, but this time you won't have Amelia to try and intervene if you can't to keep the match going. This is all about you and what you can do, La Pequeña Luz.”
“Trust me when I say that it took a lot of convincing for Avery to be able to borrow a lot of this stuff, especially taking it out of the country for a few days,” Marilyn noted. “But hey, at least when this is all set and done you'll know you could give them and their FBI buddies a run for their money if need be.”
Avery elbowed Marilyn in the ribs, the two of them settling into the kind of playful teasing that reminded Luz of an old married couple more than a pair of former flames. The sight warmed her heart... and maybe caused her thoughts to drift towards being able to become that kind of couple with Amelia in the distant future. That, however, reminded Luz of what had been bothering her on the drive over, and she couldn't help but pull her phone out of her bag and show it to Avery and Marilyn, both of their eyes narrowing at the last text message she and Amelia had both received after the last Breakdown.
“'Comfort in His welcoming embrace'? Whoever's doing this really needs to get a life at this point,” Marilyn spat.
“Some people are just obsessed to dangerous degrees,” Avery sighed as they handed Luz her phone back. “I wish I could say provide some good news on that front to ease your mind Luz. Our agents have been exploring every possible avenue to try and get this to stop, especially if it's someone who was a member of The Empire behind this, but trying to trace this person is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. They've been several steps ahead of us the whole way and we're just as frustrated as you and Amelia are.”
“It's not your fault Avery,” Luz reassured them. “It's just... all Amelia and I want is to get married without any of this dumb hassle because we're two women who have been in love for years.”
“Well, I do have something to give you before we get started that might be able to help,” Avery admitted as they reached into a bag they had brought with them. Luz watched as they pulled out a folder and pulled three documents from it, and when they handed them to Luz, her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree upon realizing what they were.
“Avery...” she breathed out. “Are these...?”
“Marriage licenses,” they confirmed with a proud smile. “I obtained one certified by the U.S. government, Darius sent over one certified by the crown, and your mother obtained one certified by the government of Mexico. One the two of you sign these documents, you'll be legally recognized as married by all three countries, and I've been given the authority to serve as your witness to verify the signatures are legitimate.”
Luz stood there for a moment, staring at the marriage licenses in her hand in disbelief. She and Amelia had known they would be required at some point, but the fact that others had gone out of their way to obtain them on behalf of the couple and save them a lot of the hassle left her with an indescribable feeling, especially since once ink was put to paper, their wedding itself would simply be a formality with the officiant finalizing their union for the public. Whatever efforts were being put forth by whoever was trying to convince them not to go through with the wedding would be all for naught.
Avery had a feeling that Luz would be happy with this gift, but what they didn't expect was for the luchadora to literally throw herself at them with a hug. Marilyn just laughed as Avery stood there dumbfounded, clearly not expecting this or knowing exactly what to do, but they slowly returned the hug as best as they could, gazing down to meet Luz's bright gaze and beaming smile.
“Thank you Avery,” Luz finally said. “You have no idea how much this helps.”
“I'm just trying my best, especially after all the bullshit you've already had to put up with because of that nutjob and his delusions of grandeur,” Avery admitted. “Now... you think you're up to the challenge I've laid out for you?”
“After this surprise?” Luz laughed. “I'm ready for anything!”
With the licenses safely secured in Luz's bag and Marilyn keeping an eye on it, just in case, Luz threw her all into Avery's obstacle course. For something that was specifically designed to push the likes of FBI and CIA agents to their limits to make sure they were physically and mentally prepared for any threat they could face in the field, Luz looked like a natural navigating her way through it all with a speed that had Avery struggling to follow with their eyes. Even Marilyn was impressed as she glanced between Luz's progress and the stopwatch she'd been tasked with operating. They both knew this girl was fast, even among the most athletic and aerial of luchadors in Mexico's rich wrestling history, but her progress through what Avery figured would be a greater challenge without missing a beat felt like they were witnessing something truly special here.
As Luz opted to dismount from the final climbing wall with a motion that mimicked her Ilumina la Noche finisher, making sure to roll through on the mat laid out for her as a safety precaution, Marilyn stopped the clock, showing it to Avery who stared in disbelief at the time that met their eyes. They turned to Luz as she approached, taking some deep breaths to cool herself down as she smiled up at them with curiosity.
“So... how'd I do?” she asked.
“Luz...” Avery blinked, struggling to process what they were about to say. “You were a few seconds off from beating the FBI's record for this course. I know it's not exactly the same setup because I couldn't get clearance to bring everything with me, but this... this is unreal.”
“It was nothing,” Luz laughed as she shrugged. “Well, not quite, that course was tough for sure, I can see why it pushes agents to the limit. Once I got going though, it's like... everything floating around in my brain shut off and my focus zeroed in on completing the course, wanting to prove I could pull this off to the best of my ability. Nothing was going to stop me from overcoming every obstacle and reaching the end as fast as possible, like how badly I want to be able to walk out of Apocalypse with that title shot so everyone can see that I'm more than just a world-class tag team wrestler.”
“You don't see that kind of focus and determination much in the business anymore. It's admirable.”
Luz, Avery and Marilyn all turned towards the voice that had interjected itself into their conversation, and while Luz couldn't help but gasp in admiration at the old woman who had approached them from the garden, Avery and Marilyn both immediately put their guards up, something that was not lost on her.
“Oh come on sprouts, is that any way to treat an old friend?” she said in a sweet tone that carried with it a painfully familiar prickle the more Luz thought about it.
“You got the old part right, at least,” Marilyn growled, earning an offended gasp from the woman.
“You're... Lady Snapdragon, aren't you?” Luz said, temporarily letting her respect win out over any red flags that something wasn't right here.
“Once upon a time, yes,” the woman grinned. “My real name is Theresa Saintsbury, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Hardly,” Avery scoffed with the kind of defensiveness that they'd only ever shown thus far to anyone who posed a threat to Luz or anyone associated with her.
Admittedly, Luz was a little confused by the response. Theresa Saintsbury was once known to the wrestling world as Lady Snapdragon, arguably one of the first women to ever achieve prominence in the British wrestling scene back during the days when Caleb was still in his prime, a time when the idea of women being able to compete like the men did was often dismissed as a joke. Lady Snapdragon had paved the way for many female wrestlers to give the business a shot, clearly not being afraid to break a few boundaries despite her reputation as a notorious villain in the wrestling scene. Part of Luz was hoping that Marilyn and Avery's response was rooted in a professional grudge, given that she remembered some matches with all of them against one another back when she watched some old shows her dad had competed on outside of Mexico, but she had a feeling burning in her gut that she might be getting her hopes up.
“What brings you out to Vancouver?” Luz carefully asked.
“Well dear,” Theresa casually spoke, “I'm in town to watch the SCW pay-per-view, of course! Just because I've long since retired doesn't mean I can't still enjoy the progress of today's generation of athletes. And I have to say... you and your little partner have certainly caught my eye.”
“We have!?” Luz once again let her admiration for a living legend dictate her excitement, unaware that Avery and Marilyn were watching the older woman like hawks.
“But of course,” Theresa waved her hand in the air to punctuate that the compliment wasn't such a big deal. “I mean, the two of you have spent so long establishing yourselves as such a great tag team, perhaps even one of the best of this day and age. But being able to see you both finally set yourselves free to pursue your own goals and become your own wrestlers? I have to admit, I'm looking forward to that seeing what happens when your paths diverge.”
“What... what do you mean?” Luz asked, alarm bells starting to go off in her head now. Something about the way Theresa was 'complimenting' her and Amelia's ambitions regarding their respective Apocalypse matches was rubbing her the wrong way, and Theresa seemed to smile even wider as she picked up on it.
“Oh come now dear,” she cooed. “I've been watching you two for quite some time now. I've seen your highs... your lows... I've seen everything you've accomplished together, heard all about how much you push each other to greater and greater heights. It's quite sweet... but surely you realize the problems that lie beneath such claims, don't you?”
“I suggest you choose the next words out of your mouth very carefully, Snapdragon,” Avery growled, stepping protectively in front of Luz, who just blinked as though she'd been presented with some incredible secret and she was struggling to comprehend it.
“Oh sprout, you have no legal jurisdiction here,” Theresa laughed. “Besides, I'm not breaking any laws. I'm just helping your little student there open her eyes to just how codependent her little relationship with her fiancée is.”
“Codependent!?” Marilyn roared as she started moving towards Theresa, who cautiously stepped back. “Luz and Amelia have probably one of the healthiest relationships I've ever seen, how dare you try to twist that into something toxic that it's clearly not!”
“Oh please, like you and Avery know anything about a 'healthy' relationship,” Theresa smirked, knowing it was a low blow that would work. Her eyes, however, focused more on Luz, who already looked like she was starting to bury herself deep into her thoughts and question things. “I'm just trying to help out this promising young sprout before it's too late, especially since we all know how easy it is in this business for some stars to rise while others get... left behind.”
“That's not going to happen with Amelia and I,” Luz suddenly snapped, surprising Theresa but only briefly.
“Well, of course it isn't, sprout,” she laughed. “After all, you two have preached on and on about how you seek success to push one another even farther, am I wrong? You're basically admitting that you cannot succeed without each other, the very admission of a codependent relationship! You're intentionally holding each other back because-”
“I think we've heard enough of your commentary,” Avery interjected. “Now, unless you have a reason to be bothering us, I'd like to ask you to leave.”
“It's a public park sprout, I can do as I please,” Theresa waved off the threat. “But I think I've said all I need to say anyway. Good luck in your match Luz... especially since you won't have Amelia to save you while she'll at least have partners to bail her out in her own match.”
Theresa turned and walked away, with Avery actually having to restrain Marilyn from lunging at her. She turned to glance at Luz one more time as she left, a smirk crossing her lips as she saw that her seeds had been planted. Luz may have stood strong, but she could see beyond the front, knowing that her claims had taken root.
As Theresa left and Avery tried to calm Marilyn down, reminding her that, unfortunately, Theresa was correct and Marilyn would be on the wrong side of the law for doing anything, Luz took a few deep breaths to try and refocus her mind on the training ahead. The keyword, however, was 'try,' because unfortunately for her, her brain was now determined to comb through the older woman's claims in a desperate bid to try and prove them wrong... and failing.
The more Luz looked back through everything she and Amelia had been through together throughout their relationship, the harder it was to justify that what they had wasn't a codependent relationship. True, they had clear boundaries and always made sure to give the other person space to open up if they so chose while encouraging their communication to remain open and honest, but was that enough? They had always honestly claimed that any success they found, regardless of what it was, served as a foundation to push each other even farther, but did they really need to motivate one another so often when they each had their own singles careers to worry about, especially now? But they were also still World Tag Team Champions, so that had to be taken into account...
“-id? Hey, kid, can you hear me?”
“H-Huh?” Luz blinked, barely even realizing she'd let her thoughts swallow her whole until she realized that Marilyn and Avery were kneeling down in front of her.
“Welcome back Luz,” Marilyn breathed a sigh of relief. “You looked like you were getting pretty deep into that noggin of yours, and it wasn't looking pretty.”
“I...” Luz started to say before trailing off, suddenly struggling to put into words what was going through her head now. “Do you guys...? Do Amelia and I...?”
“I'm going to tell you this right now, Luz,” Avery firmly jumped in. “Don't listen to a word that old witch says. Back when she was still Lady Snapdragon, Theresa had a gift for getting into people's heads and playing them like fiddles to get what she wants. Probably the only person I've ever seen who had her beat in that department was Caleb, and you and Amelia have already proven you're stronger than his mind games.”
“But... she made some good points...” Luz struggled to say.
“Did she, though?” Marilyn questioned, which had Luz struggling to sort out her thoughts once more. “Trust me Luz, she's trying to get into your head. I wish I had a clue as to why, and what her game is this time, but you can trust Avery and I when we say that what you have with Amelia is not codependent, no matter how much someone like her tries to paint it as such.”
“It's not that I don't trust you guys...” Luz admitted. “It's just...”
“Well, you told us Amelia's training with her Trios team today, right?” Avery asked. “Maybe just send her a text message real quick to ask her to talk when you guys are done. You can talk through this, like you've always done, and see that Lady Snapdragon is full of shit.”
Luz wasn't entirely sure on that, but she knew it wouldn't hurt. Taking a shaky breath, she pulled out her phone and shot Amelia a quick text message. It wasn't anything too special, just asking her how Trios training was going before wondering if they could set aside some time to talk tonight. She thought that sending the message off would help her get her head screwed back on straight, but it didn't. Knowing that it would probably be a little while before she got any sort of response, Luz tried to pass the time by refocusing on her training, but no matter what she did, she found herself struggling, never being able to replicate what she'd done on her first go at Avery's obstacle course. She hadn't done too bad, per se, but it was becoming more and more clear that she was struggling as her worries over Theresa's words began to mentally wear her down.
“I think we're going to call it here,” Avery finally said, concern etched deeply onto their face.
“No, we can keep going Avery!” Luz tried to argue. “I can pull myself together!”
“Forget it Luz,” Marilyn backed up their friend. “That cranky old bitch threw you way off your game, and we're not going to risk you hurting yourself because you want to risk injury to prove her wrong. You're not doing anyone any favors in that case, least of all yourself and your hopes of getting a title shot.”
“But...!”
“We're sorry Luz, but this is for your own good,” Avery firmly cut her off. “Tell you what... I'll keep this stuff with me through the weekend, so once you and Amelia talk this out and confirm that Theresa's bullshit is just that, we can see if you can maybe break the FBI record for this obstacle course. But right now, maybe you should go have that talk before you start to spiral. I'm sure Amelia and her partners will understand.”
Luz wanted to keep trying to argue, especially since she really didn't want to interrupt Amelia's Trios training when they both deserved this chance to prove they could each accomplish success in SCW on their own beyond just their respective Television Title reigns, but she knew Avery and Marilyn had a point. The more her brain fixated on Theresa's words, the harder it was going to be to actually accomplish anything... maybe that was the old woman's plan all along, for reasons she couldn't even begin to comprehend, but she knew the solution lie in actually working through this with Amelia and figuring out together if what they had this whole time was truly codependent or not.
That talk would ultimately get postponed, but Luz would still get some insight that helped her out all the same. Amelia hadn't responded to her text, so she decided to swing by the gym earlier than planned to see if they could have a few minutes to talk. What she hadn't been expecting, however, was for Xander to tell her that something had happened and Amelia ran off looking like she was about to fall apart, which an immediate text from her beloved would confirm just minutes later. They would work together through the problem that plagued Amelia, with Luz promising they could talk about her issue later.
Amelia was adamant that they talk about it, but she wasn't going to force the issue. That talk would happen on Luz's terms, and Amelia would hear her out completely before saying anything. They weren't responsible for anything that was truly going through the other's head today, but other forces certainly seemed determined to try and make them think the worst of themselves.
That was something Luz couldn't help but keep in mind as she ultimately ended up resuming her training while watching Amelia train alongside her team for the Trios Tournament finals, her brain at least confident about one thing: she was getting sick of other people trying to decide what she should think, for better or worse.
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To many who live in Vancouver, Stanley Park is a unique attraction all its own. Composing the northwestern half of the downtown peninsula, the park is unique for being one of the very few parks in the world to have naturally formed instead of being intentionally shaped by an architect. With a rich history, it almost feels fitting that this is where we happen to find La Pequeña Luz, slowly walking along one of the outer walkways around the peninsula as the waters border her path, her gaze locked onto them even as she calmly walks along, the sun beginning to descend in the sky behind her which creates a gorgeous visual. Luz ultimately stops and turns towards the sea altogether, taking a deep breath to keep her mind clear as she watches the approaching sunset, only knowing that we're present courtesy of a brief glance to the side to acknowledge our presence.
“The word Apocalypse has many different meanings. Some are more biblical in origin, others are more broad, but in general, I think we can all agree that the name of SCW's next pay-per-view invokes thoughts of absolute destruction. It goes without saying at this point that I'm sure many people may have been hoping for such a thing regarding The Light In The Darkness. We've heard so many mention our names over the course of this past year, claiming that we're this or that and therefore need to be taken out... and yet, we're still fighting to prove ourselves, and those fans are behind us all the way because they respect our methods. I'll be the first to admit that I'm far from perfect. I wear my heart on my sleeve, I put my all into everything I do in this business, and maybe there's times where I can easily be rattled because of that. But at the end of the day, no matter the end result, I'll pick myself back up, accept that result, and get right back to work because I want to be challenged, I want to keep pushing myself to prove just how good I really am.
That's why Amelia and I are three-time World Tag Team Champions, and despite those setbacks where we lost the titles and had to regain them, it's why we've overall held those titles for the better part of the past year at this point.
It's why I almost went a hundred days as TV Champion, which considering Amelia and I were also in our first Tag Title run during that reign, was not an easy feat defending that title week after week.
It's why there was a point in time last year where Amelia almost called herself United States Champion... and why I now hope to make that same attempt.
Don't get me wrong, there were a number of possibilities I could've been staring down this Sunday night right here in Vancouver. Amelia and I could've been defending our World Tag Team Titles, and I wouldn't be surprised if we'll be tasked to do so at some point in the very near future. We could have even found ourselves facing one another in the finals of the Trios Tournament, which would have been a unique challenge we would've loved to have. Yeah, maybe someone like Selena might disagree with that idea, but she's going to have to try a lot harder if she wants to prove that Amelia and I still fighting for what she used to believe in is a fool's errand.
Of course, Selena is Amelia's to address on this pay-per-view, but that doesn't mean there isn't another Frost that I might need to say a few things to.
The fact of the matter is, my team was eliminated from the Trios Tournament, despite our best efforts. And with Amelia's team fighting their way to the finals, I wasn't sure what would await me. All I hoped was that it would be another opportunity... another chance of any kind to prove what I can do standing on my own. That is where The Light In The Darkness is right now: we are still proudly World Tag Team Champions and we will not back down from anybody who wants to step up and try to take those titles from us, but after how far we've come as a team in this past year, we want to prove to everyone that we're just as good individually too. One would think that some of the opportunities we had back when we put ourselves into a self-imposed exile from hunting for tag team gold would have already proven that, but it feels like a lot of people have forgotten all about that period of time and are ready to reduce us back to being 'just a great tag team' and nothing more.
That's why I was pleasantly surprised when CHBK gave me this opportunity, a chance to win a triple threat match and become the number one contender to the United States Championship. I know I put forward a solid effort in Trios, but I walked away form that tournament feeling like it wasn't enough. But at Apocalypse? I have the stage I need to remind the world exactly of what La Pequeña Luz is capable of even without Amelia Blythe by her side.”
At this point, Luz sighs, her head lowering as she stares at the water, almost as if she's trying to gaze deeply into the depths for the answer to some unspoken question. She stands there in silence for a moment, just looking into the water, before she turns around to lock eyes with us. Beneath the mask, we can tell that something is not sitting right with her, despite the determination she was just showing about this opportunity before her.
“Before I actually talk about this match itself, I need to address a very big asterisk that's attached to it, and in doing so, I also need to address an old friend. Remember when I said there was another Frost I might need to say a few things to? Deanna, I hope you listen carefully to what I have to say right now. Officially, my match with Marie Jones and Scott Reed at Apocalypse will determine the number one contender to the U.S. Title... as of right now. However, CHBK has gone on record to say that if Deanna loses her unsanctioned match with The Enigma, then my match will officially become for the title because Deanna will be stripped of it.
I understand what Alex is trying to do, but I'm also not going to completely stand for it if I have my way.
Deanna, I'm going to tell you this right now: if I am to win this match, then one way or another, we're going to be facing off with the United States Title on the line. Deep down, I know that you can beat The Enigma. I've been in the ring with him twice, and I know for a fact that he's not as dangerous as he likes to paint himself to be. He talks a big game, but he's only ever been able to get anything over on me because he had circumstances in his favor. When he thought he had that over you at Rise to Greatness, you made him pay for it, and him acting like it didn't mean anything is proof that he's not trying to change his approach. I mean it when I say that I'm looking forward to watching you kick his butt and make him realize that if he actually wants people to fear him in this business, then he's going to have to rely on more than smoke and mirrors. And if he wants to keep crossing lines, then he can burn in hell for the disrespect he has shown this business by thinking he can get away with actually threatening people's lives and acting like it's all some big game.
All of that said, I want to make something very clear right now. I know you can beat him Deanna. But, if that somehow doesn't happen, if I were to walk away from this triple threat being able to call myself the new United States Champion instead of the number one contender to that title, then I feel it's only right that my first defense be your rightful rematch. Nothing against Scott and Marie because I know they'll give me a fight and I'm looking forward to it, but if I'm going to be able to call myself the rightful champion, then I want to earn that right by beating the most dominant U.S. Champion in recent history. I know the mindset you're entering right now Deanna, where you think you don't deserve this if Enigma wins, but I refuse to let you believe that just because of some guy who thinks he's the monster in a Halloween slasher film. That's why, if I have my way, you and I will be meeting each other soon with that title on the line, regardless of who's technically the champion going in. You do deserve it Deanna... and you and I deserve the chance to show the world what we're really capable of when the lights are all ours to command.”
Luz flashes a smile, hoping that Deanna takes a moment to listen to her words because she wants to be able to support her friend, she wants to be able to rightfully call herself United States Champion at the end of all of this, regardless of whatever she needs to do to make it happen. In her mind, that constitutes being able to beat Deanna in the middle of that ring, no strings attached. At this point, her usual cheery demeanor starts to shine through once more as she begins walking, taking in the sound of the waves gently crashing up against the peninsula right next to her as we follow along.
“Of course, I know that in order to even get to that point, I first have to win this match, and I'd be a fool to think that's going to be an easy task. The one thing that Scott, Marie and I all have in common is that this match is a chance to prove ourselves. Scott's been scratching and clawing ever since he stepped down from being a road agent, determined to make his own mark on this company. Marie's been doing the same since she returned, fighting to prove to herself that she's got what it takes to succeed and do it the right way instead of feeling like she has to sell her soul to accomplish anything. And then there's me... standing before you already as one-half of the World Tag Team Champions, as we've already established. That fact won't change no matter how this match ends, but that doesn't mean I still don't have something to prove.
I mentioned it earlier... I'm walking into this match determined to prove what I can do when I have to stand on my own two feet. Amelia and I have already accomplished so much as a tag team, but when the time comes for us to hang up our boots once and for all, we want all of SCW to remember us for everything we're truly capable of, and those capabilities don't just lie in what we can accomplish together. I want to be able to one day look back on my time in this company and know that I earned the right to call myself one of its all-time greats, that everyone here got to understand exactly what I'm truly capable of no matter what the situation. I want to keep pushing myself farther, working to get better, seeking the challenges that will allow me to build my own legacy and etch my name into the history books forever. That's a goal Amelia and I both share that extends far beyond what we've already done for the tag team division, because we want our efforts to ultimately elevate the entire SCW roster into stepping up their game and giving their all each and every night, just as those fans pay to see.
If that doesn't strike a chord with you, Marie, then I have no problem showing you firsthand just how badly I truly want this come Sunday night at the Rogers Arena. To me, potentially going on to call myself United States Champion is definitive proof of just how good I really am even on my own, it's a statement that La Pequeña Luz is willing to fight tooth and nail to earn her success no matter what form that takes. Yeah, maybe if I pull that off it'll make me a double champion... that's a challenge I've taken on before, and that's a challenge I want to be able to face again, stepping up my game to elevate both titles I hold because I can prove myself capable of doing so. I want to be able to walk away from this match knowing I was good enough to beat you, Marie, because that is the first step I need to keep building from in order to become the wrestler I ultimately want to be. I want to be able to adapt to whatever challenge you plan on throwing my way because I'm ready to shine as brightly on my own as I do in a tag team, and if I'm going to make that clear, then I need you to not hold back so I can step up to the plate and overcome the Phoenix, no matter how dangerous you are.
The same goes for you, Scott. I'll be the first to apologize for the fact that we aren't standing together, fighting for Trios contracts, but I'm not going to stand here and regret what I was able to prove in that tournament and neither should you. I know you're capable of being among the best in this company, just like Marie. It's because of the fact that we've been partners for Trios that I know you'll give me a war Scott, and that's all I could ask for. I want to know, well and truly, how I compare to you in the ring so we can all see who truly deserves this the most. Regardless of the outcome, I want to be able to push you to keep stepping up to earn that brass ring I know from training with you that you want so badly, and I'd be doing both you and Marie a disservice if I hold anything back come Apocalypse. I want to see the Scott Reed who was hellbent on making sure that nobody ever forgot or overlooked him, I want to face the Scott Reed who took Deanna to her limits and could have very well become United States Champion had someone not stuck their nose where it didn't belong. I want you to give me your best shot Scott... same goes for you Marie...
At the end of the day, we all want this opportunity, but only one of us can earn it. If I'm going to rise to the occasion and prove myself worthy, then I want there to be no regrets at the end of the night. I want to know that I got the very best out of both Scott Reed and Marie Jones and still prevailed because I had what it took to fight harder and prove that I'm just as good on my own, that La Pequeña Luz is more than just a darn good tag team wrestler. At Apocalypse, I am bound and determined to make it clear to the whole world that I am a darn good wrestler, period. I am good enough to win this match, I am good enough to go on to become United States Champion. It all has to start somewhere... for Amelia and I, our ascent to where we stand now as one of the best tag teams in SCW today all started at this very show last year.
This year? I'm ready to fight like my life depends on it to do it all over again, this time to prove that I'm ready to take that next step up on my own and earn my place at the table of SCW's elites.
Maybe that sounds silly to you, Scott and Marie. After all, I've already done it once... but it's a whole different challenge to prove it a second time, this time all on my own.”
With a determined nod to us, Luz stops to look back out towards the setting sun, knowing that no matter what Apocalypse has in store for her, she's ready to step up and prove that her time is now. Whether or not Scott or Marie will be able to give her the fight she wants remains to be seen, but she knows this isn't going to be easy... and as we fade out, we get the sense that's exactly what she's hoping for.
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As Luz continues to stand there, looking out at the setting sun, she knows that she's in for a fight come Apocalypse, and that's all she could ever ask for. This is her chance to prove herself, much like Amelia has her own opportunity. That pay-per-view is their night to put all the doubt to rest, to take the next step in proving who they truly are. It's a lot of pressure weighing on her shoulders, for sure, but she knows she's capable of pulling it off.
After all, she knows she has people who believe in her, one of which is now standing by her side, gently intertwining their fingers as they look out at the sunset together, indicating that she's no longer on camera.
“La Pequeña Luz, United States Champion,” she softly speaks. “I think it has a nice ring to it.”
“Just as I think Amelia Blythe, Trios Tournament winner does as well,” Luz replies, although there's a bit of a nervous hint to her voice that Amelia immediately picks up on.
Amelia doesn't push, despite knowing the promise they'd made earlier. She simply stands there, her thumb gently rubbing along Luz's knuckles, waiting for her to open up if she feels comfortable enough to do so. It's a subtle thing, but it speaks volumes against the issue that's been plaguing Luz's mind for the better part of the day now.
“Ames,” Luz carefully started. “Be honest with me... do you think we're... codependent?”
Amelia turns to look at Luz, surprising the luchadora a little bit by how carefully she's thinking over that question. “What brought this on, if you don't mind me asking?”
Luz sighs before filling her fiancée in on what happened earlier that ultimately brought her back to the gym prematurely while Amelia was still trying to train with her Trios team, even if doing so was a blessing in disguise all things considered now. The words of the woman once known to the wrestling world as Lady Snapdragon, the implications that had wormed their way deep into Luz's thoughts... all Amelia could do was pull Luz closer to lean against her.
“I can see why it's been bothering you all day,” she admitted once Luz had finished getting her up to speed. “I'd be lying if I said there didn't seem like a bit of truth to it... I think what Theresa doesn't understand, though, is that we're not entirely codependent on each other, and the reasons we do fall into that category are because of tendencies that have stuck with us from long before we met each other. But I want you to answer me honestly Lulu... do you feel you're responsible for my problems?”
“Of course not!” Luz exclaims. “Maybe it's not the exact same scenario, but I made it clear to you back when we first met that I understood you better than you wanted to believe. I offered you a shoulder to lean on because I thought you could use it, and even then, the decision on whether or not you took it was entirely on you. I love you Ames, and I respect your boundaries... even if I tend to forget about myself sometimes.”
“Again, that's not entirely your fault, and if you ever want to open up to me, I'm always happy to listen,” Amelia leaned over, resting her head on Luz's shoulder. “I knew coming into this relationship that we were both damaged in our own ways... and that's alright, because we've found a way to make it work and we make sure we're on the same page every step of the way, no matter what happens.”
“You know...” Luz began to admit, “I think I started to realize that myself while I was lending you a hand earlier with your anxiety attack. It's always been hard for me to judge whether or not I'm truly helping other people, but being with you has helped me come a long way in being able to love myself, and that's why I can't wait for the day when I can call you my wife, so we can keep being the bets versions of ourselves and paving the way for whatever the future holds... together...”
“I couldn't have said it better myself, mi amor,” Amelia sighs as she and Luz exchange a soft kiss.
Luz wouldn't say everything about today was perfect, especially since the stunt pulled by the sudden and mysterious appearance of Theresa Saintsbury only raised more questions that she really didn't want to add to the pile, but at least for right now, in this moment, her mind could be put at ease, and a moment's peace with the woman she loved with all her heart and soul days before they stepped up to further expand upon their respective legacies was all she could ever ask for.