La Pequena Luz vs. James Evans

[Konrad Raab]

2 RP Limit for singles

3500 Word Limit Per RP

Deadline: 11:59 pm ET Wednesday, January 8, 2025

[James Evans]

OOC: I've not had a clear direction Cd wise for James, so this CD should explain what's been going on. Some things may, or may not, have been in James' head only. I started, deleted, and restarted this a few times, but then something clicked. Good luck, Rupp.

To The Mind, Open Wide: Chapter One

[Wisteria Waltz]

In the humble opinion of La Pequeña Luz, each year seemed to bring more challenges than the last.

For the most part, she and Amelia didn't mind this. They were always ready and willing to be challenged and pushed to their limits so they could keep growing both as wrestlers and as people, and it could probably be argued that they wouldn't be who they were today had it not been for some of the most difficult challenges they've endured over the years.

That said, 2025 already seemed to be shaping up as potentially the most challenging year of their lives and careers... and they honestly weren't too sure how to feel about that, for once.

Things looked promising enough, at the very least. After all, the couple were finally married and ready to explore where their lives would go now that the knot was tied. Not to mention the fact that they'd entered this year as champions, with Luz in particular having the double champion mantle once more. Being voted by the fans as SCW's Tag Team of the Year for a second year in a row also firmly cemented just how appreciated their efforts were to continue elevating the tag team division and make those titles as highly sought after as even the proper World Championship.

That, however, seemed to be where the bright spots ended.

Luz and Amelia were growing frustrated to no end that the Fall of Man continued to believe they could run roughshod over everybody and just take what they thought they deserved instead of actually earning it, which Luz couldn't help but laugh about given how much James Evans in particular had tried to claim The Light In The Darkness hadn't truly earned anything. The fact that as of last Breakdown they now had Giovanni Aries among their ranks had also set off some alarm bells as the group continued to grow in both number and how brazen they were being about simply wanting to destroy SCW and reshape it into something that only benefited them, despite the claims to the contrary from the likes of William Heaven. While they remember the headache that Aries had been when they were dealing with the Holly Adams Brand, they knew full well this wasn't the same man who had claimed himself to be Holly's spiritual advisor.

They vaguely remembered this version of Aries from their first stint with SCW, but were thankful to have avoided him in the few matches they had before being sidelined with injuries. That, unfortunately, no longer seemed like an option this time.

If the Fall of Man wasn't haunting their thoughts with every attack they launched week after week to try and get their way, then it was The Empire who continued to loom over their heads like specters decked out in white and gold. Despite the warranted concern over the fact that Caleb White had been broken out of prison on their wedding day, he and his newly revealed 'true elites' had been completely silent ever since. No attacks, no messages, nothing. Given Caleb had never been shy about using anything he did as an excuse to try and guilt trip Luz and Amelia into believing they were responsible for every heinous stunt he pulled in the name of God and by submitting to his plans it could all end, not to mention the collective egos surrounding him now, the fact that they hadn't made a move since Día de Muertos unnerved the couple.

The easy assumption to make was that they were rebuilding their cult, making sure they had the numbers to back up the holy war they sought to start, and they had every reason to be laying low with the authorities hellbent on ending this once and for all, but the more time passed where nothing happened, the easier it became to feel paranoid about how big that first strike from them was going to be.

At least Luz, Amelia, and their found family all had a clue as to possible avenues Caleb may have been scheming while he was still incarcerated, all thanks to an unlikely source.

The meeting with Jacob Harrison before the final Breakdown of last year, in addition to confirming what they already suspected about his 'insider source,' also revealed the likely possibility that the happenings within SCW may be playing a bigger role in Caleb's schemes than they thought. With the power of hindsight, Jacob's antics courtesy of Theresa Saintsbury, along with the old woman's own efforts after Jacob had been shut down, seemed designed to push them to a point where they would believe everything they fought so hard for was ultimately meaningless, which was intended to lead them into Caleb's clutches like lost sheep being herded by a shepherd. Luz recalled clearly how frustrated Selena had felt when everything she'd given to SCW seemed like it had been betrayed upon Mr. D selling the company and stepping back from being the man directly in charge, leading to the birth of the 'Blue-Eyed Devil' she portrayed herself as now both inside and, to some degree as far as she could tell, outside the ring.

Knowing Caleb seemed to have a more vested interest in their SCW careers than they may have first thought terrified them about what he could be planning for when The Empire finally stopped hiding, especially given the frightening similarities between them and what the Fall of Man was starting to turn into.

While it had been hard to relax knowing Caleb and his followers were still lurking in the shadows, the holiday break that SCW had put into place this year had been very much needed in Luz's opinion. Not only did it allow for her and Amelia to enjoy both their first Christmas and New Year's as a married couple at home with all their loved ones, but they were desperately in need of some time to heal up after everything they'd endured over the course of that past month. From the Chamber to their brutal Fatal Fortunes draws and every attack launched by James and Waylon along the way, it almost felt like both women were being barely held together by duct tape after the December 12th Breakdown. It had been a relief walking into the previous show feeling so much better to both accept their award and deal with the Fall of Man, despite how the latter had turned out.

With the next Breakdown set to take place in Philadelphia, Luz knew exactly what she needed to do to make sure she was ready for the war ahead of her. That was why she found herself before the 72 stone steps that led up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, running up them in a hoodie and sweatpants just like Sylvester Stallone did for the old Rocky movies. True, it felt good to pay tribute to arguably one of the most famous underdog stories in all of cinema, but it was also great for her cardio coming off of the holiday break. The words of James Evans burned in the back of her head, fueling her climb as she pushed herself to prepare for the fight she knew he would give her. It was the kind of statement win the Fall of Man really needed to validate all of their claims and attacks, and Luz couldn't let him have it at her expense.

Especially remembering how rattled Amelia had been after the accident in her match with James way back that had injured him, and how determined he was to use that against her to justify his twisted agenda.

Thinking about Amelia seemed to make her falter for a moment in her climb, but that specific memory helped her recover quickly enough to increase her speed, finishing the climb against the cold wind biting at her face. Once she reached the top, she couldn't resist raising her arms in the air and hopping up and down like Rocky, giggling to herself at how silly it probably seemed, but that was who she was and she'd be damned if anyone put her down anymore for being her authentic self.

“Someone certainly enjoyed their climb.”

Luz turned at the unexpected comment, eyes and smile growing wider as she saw Marilyn sitting on the top step off to the side, as if she'd been waiting for her.

“Marilyn!” Luz exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“Eh, Lily dragged me here,” Marilyn laughed with a nonchalant shrug. “She's got a big thing for museums and has even considered wanting to work at one whenever she completely hangs up her wrestling boots. Your wife told me you were out here training so I figured I'd wait for you to reach the top. Gotta say, though... I figured she'd be doing this run right alongside you.”

“So that's who she said she was meeting up with,” Luz chuckled, recalling how intentionally mysterious Amelia was being this morning about her own reasons for visiting the museum if it wasn't to join Luz in her run. “Nah, she said she might run with me later since this is definitely not the only time I plan to tackle these steps, but I'm guessing she really wants to catch up with Lily first.”

“Can't say I blame her,” Marilyn nodded. “I knew about Lily helping to mentor her a bit back when she was about to make her debut at the 'request' of her parents, but I think Lily's been more of a mother figure to her than Ophelia ever was. Personally, I think your mom has them both beat in that department, but don't tell my sister I said that.”

Luz just giggled as she took the chance to catch her breath and let her legs rest, taking the opportunity to appreciate the incredible view that being up here offered her. As she took it all in, however, her couldn't resist thinking about her wife, and the thoughts of Amelia caused her smile to falter a bit.

“There it is again,” Marilyn noted as she slowly pulled herself to her feet.

“Huh? There's what again?” Luz asked, snapping out of her thoughts to glance towards the older woman.

“Something's going on in that noodle of yours,” Marilyn clarified, approaching Luz and putting a finger on her forehead, right where the symbol on the top of her mask proudly sat. “I noticed you stutter a bit in your run up here, too. Spill it.”

“I, uh... it's... it's nothing, really,” Luz finally spat out. “Just kind of distracting myself maybe a little too much thinking of places to go with Amelia for our honeymoon.”

“You two didn't take it during the little holiday break SCW gave everyone?” Marilyn questioned, eyebrow raised.

“We considered it,” Luz explained, “but we decided spending the holidays with everyone felt like the better choice. Besides, we've got plenty of time to plan one out and make the trip truly memorable.”

“Uh huh...” Marilyn replied, stroking her chin in thought before she looked out at the impressive view for herself. After a moment, she gave Luz a side-eye and smirked. “Not one of your better lies, kiddo, and I thought we were making progress on getting you to knock this off.”

“Huh!?” Luz looked stunned. “But... what if I was telling the truth?”

“Don't get me wrong,” Marilyn explained. “You and Amelia deserve a hell of a honeymoon, and I'm not saying that planning that trip isn't on your mind. But I doubt that would be enough to throw you off as much as what I'm seeing.”

Luz just looked at Marilyn, trying to be annoyed at her smug grin, but she eventually sighed. “You're right... I'd love to have mental trip planning distracting me from how badly I want to kick James's butt on Breakdown this week or whatever Caleb and his goons have been plotting after all this time, but it's not doing it for me.”

“You're not afraid of whatever James might try to pull in this match, are you?” Marilyn asked, the concern clear in her voice.

“Absolutely not,” Luz firmly responded almost immediately. “I don't care what he claims he's going to do to me, I'm not backing down and I'm not letting him have this win. Besides, unless he doesn't care for the win and just wants to maim me, he doesn't have the freedom to get what he wants like he did during Fatal Fortunes, and Amelia will be right there to make sure he and the Fall of Man don't succeed anyway.”

“So what's the problem, then?” Marilyn pressed again.

“It's...” Luz took a deep breath that ended with another sigh. “It's Amelia...”

Marilyn frowned in response to this revelation. “There isn't trouble in paradise already that you're both trying to hide, is there?”

“No! Ay dios mío, no!” Luz frantically clarified before trying to calm down again. “It's just... I haven't talked with her about this because I wasn't sure if or how to bring it up, but... I'm worried about Ames and I don't want her to feel bad.”

“Worried about what?” Marilyn kept pressing, looking legitimately lost.

“How SCW may be perceiving the both of us,” Luz admitted, pausing to run a hand along her mask as though it would help her worries settle. “Yeah, we won Tag Team of the Year again and we're still Tag Champs, but... despite that, despite everything we've said and how much we've clarified it to each other and everyone else, I'm worried SCW might be seeing an opportunity to try and really have me take off if and when we finally lose those titles again. I know part of it was because of being a double champion and everything, but I've had more singles matches than Amelia at this point, and arguably more singles success than her too. The U.S. Title... interim or not, I succeeded where she failed, I had the longer TV Title reign of the two of us, and part of me feels like someone higher up is using all of that as an excuse to not give her opportunities she absolutely deserves without me. Heck, I saw I was on the ballot for Female of the Year and her name was nowhere to be found! I just... I'm probably worrying over nothing, but knowing the mindset she can't fully shake because of how she was raised, I'm worried she might pick up on this and take it to heart.”

Luz found herself fighting back tears, not realizing just how heavily the thought was weighing on her mind after all. Maybe it did all sound silly in the grand scheme of things, but she knew where Amelia's head could go after everything she endured with her parents growing up, and the last thing she wanted was for her wife to start resenting her with how things had panned out thus far.

“Don't take this the wrong way, kid...” Marilyn carefully said. “But that's stupid.”

Luz shot Marilyn an offended look, but she ignored it and kept going.

“Yeah, maybe you're a double champion again and she isn't. Maybe you wouldn't have ended up that way if Deanna was healthy enough to defend her title against you. Who knows? But you wouldn't even be in that position if that title shot hadn't been the consolation prize you were offered because Amelia made those Trios finals and you didn't. That said, she's got that contract for any match she could ever want. Yeah, maybe she'd prefer to properly earn her opportunities because I know how much the two of you value honest effort and hard work, unlike that hypocrite James, but what's stopping her from using that to, I don't know, be the first to become World Champion between you two? Plus, it's like you said... you two are always pushing one another so you both can get better, and for all you know she might see any of this as a reason to step it up and make 2025 her year, like you kind of made 2024 yours. Would that really be a bad thing?”

“Not at all,” Luz admitted. “But... I mean... even this match with James should really be hers more than it is mine.”

“Hey, that psycho has hurt the both of you, and you've got just as much reason to kick his ass as she does,” Marilyn stated as she put a comforting hand on Luz's shoulder. “She'll get her chance to prove his nonsense wrong, I know it. Trust me when I say this: the two of you have something really special together, something that very few couples actually have and especially in this business. I thought I had that once with Avery back in the day, and I blew it. Take it from me... if you're so worried about this, talk with Amelia about it. You know as well as I do that either one of you bottling things up only leads to problems, and I'd hate to see you follow in my footsteps and risk losing someone who clearly means the world to you over something so dumb.”

“I guess you're right...” Luz admits, taking a moment to wipe her eyes before flashing Marilyn that familiar smile. “Thanks, Marilyn. And... sorry that I can't seem to keep from getting worried like this and trying to hide things.”

“Don't worry about it, kid,” Marilyn nodded. “You're human, and one who has her traumas and unfortunate instincts because of them. Been there, done that, and we both know your wife has too. It's not something that just disappears overnight. Tell you what: why don't we go see how the nerds are doing and you and Amelia can talk through this before you go throwing yourself at these steps again?”

“You say that like I'm not a proud nerd myself,” Luz laughed as she and Marilyn began heading towards the museum proper. “By the way, any chance you're ever going to tell me the full story of what exactly happened between you and Avery?”

“Maybe someday, kid,” Marilyn sighed. “Might have to actually take a page out of your book and sort some things out first, though.”

Luz knew better than to pry any further as it was none of her business unless Marilyn was willing to share. Still, she was feeling a bit better as she prepared to reunite with her wife and see what she and Lily had been up to inside for the past little bit. She still had plenty of time to run those steps again and so much more to make sure she was ready to go to war, not just to make James Evans eat every single word he's ever said against both her and Amelia not just lately, but for quite some time now all because something the couple did clashed with whatever viewpoint he was parading around at the time.

If James wanted to make his statement, he was going to have to do so over her dead body.

And unfortunately for him, her light wasn't going out anytime soon.

“Luz!”

Luz was snapped out of her thoughts by Amelia's voice, refocusing to find her wife rushing to meet her before she got to the front doors. Lily wasn't too far behind, and judging by the looks on both of their faces, something had happened and her guard went up almost immediately.

“Whoa, what's up with you two?” Marilyn asked.

“Theresa, that's what's 'up' with us,” Lily admitted, and Marilyn's demeanor shifted almost immediately.

“Where is she?” she growled.

“Not here,” Amelia shook her head, though her tone did nothing to ease Luz's worries. “But I just got a text from one of those burner numbers again, Avery confirmed it when I passed it along, but... look...”

Amelia held out her phone for Luz and Marilyn to see, and Luz's breath hitched in her throat immediately. The video Amelia had been texted wasn't even playing, but the very first frame of it showed what looked like Jacob Harrison bound to a chair and gagged in some dimly lit room.

Standing behind him, hands on his shoulders like she was trying to comfort the clearly scared man while making sure the malicious glee on her face could be seen clear as day, was none other than the former Lady Snapdragon.

[James Evans]

To The Mind, Open Wide: Chapter One.Five

[Wisteria Waltz]

OOC: The CD at the start of this picks up directly where my first post for this match left off. I felt that would work the best to give myself enough to work out what I hope worked out in terms of my story plans. Best of luck to you too, Josh!
--------------------------

As the group stood in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, there was a feeling of uneasiness that had overtaken all of them. Luz especially felt her blood run cold just at the mere sight of the first frame of the video on Amelia's phone. They knew Theresa Saintsbury had no qualms about 'pulling weeds from her garden' as she would refer to it, considering she had thrown several prominent members of The Empire under the bus without hesitation in exchange for Jacob's initial freedom, but to see the poor man who no doubt idolized her like the wrestling legend she was bound and gagged before her, terrified out of his mind...

Luz didn't know how she kept her stomach from emptying its contents at the sickening thought of whatever awaited them.

“We haven't seen it yet,” Amelia admitted.

“We thought it'd be preferable to inform the two of you first,” Lily added, trying to somehow maintain her composure even though it was clearly a losing battle.

“Alright then, let's see what that old bag of bones thinks she's pulling this time,” Marilyn nodded. Amelia, however, hesitated in playing the video, turning to glance at her wife instead.

“Lulu?” she carefully asked, making it clear she wanted Luz's permission before continuing. It briefly brought Luz's thoughts on a rollercoaster ride through everything they'd been through together, all the concern they showed for one another. In particular, Luz's thoughts paused on how much she'd given Amelia a shoulder to lean on when she was rattled by the accident that had injured James, despite some of the simmering issues she'd had over Amelia's run in that U.S. Title tournament while she was struggling to find her own footing outside of their tag team exploits.

In that moment, she found her clarity, realizing how stupid she was for worrying that Amelia would be resentful of her recent success. True, she had every reason to worry given Amelia's frame of mind, but there was nothing they couldn't solve by just talking things through, just as they always have... just as they often forgot when their thoughts tended to spiral.

That would be something to work out later, however.

“Play it, Ames,” Luz confirmed, her hand moving to gently rest over Amelia's holding her phone.

The couple took deep breaths in stereo to prepare themselves, and then Amelia hit play.

“Greetings, sprouts,” Theresa's sickeningly sweet voice cooed over Jacob's frantic attempts to speak through the cloth he was gagged with. “I hope this video reaches you alright. Technology isn't quite something I particularly care for, which is why I usually seek help in that regard. Something that our little pest here knows all too well, don't you Jacob?”

The four of them could see tears forming beneath Jacob's glasses as he attempted to perhaps beg for mercy, but the gag made it hard to understand him. Not that Theresa seemed to care, which only sickened them more. Sure, they had their justified reasons for still not liking the wannabe wrestling journalist, but not even he deserved this.

“I heard through the grapevine that our dear little journalist here,” Theresa continued, her finger stroking the side of Jacob's cheek in a fashion that made Marilyn audibly gag, “seemed to develop a guilty conscience and had a little chat with the two of you recently. Truth be told, it matters not if you know I was his little source all along. He outlived his usefulness the moment he started questioning what I told him... I suppose you, Amelia and Luz, truly are full of surprises, aren't you? It's no wonder why Caleb is so fascinated by the two of you, why he has such high hopes for you in the paradise he has promised us all.”

“And why we're going to stop him from having any of it, no matter what it takes,” Luz fiercely replied, even though she knew Theresa couldn't hear it.

“Just like we'll survive the Fall of Man and turn them back as well,” Amelia grinned, giving Luz a peck on the cheek of her mask.

“Personally, I think the two of you are too soft to be of any real use to us,” Theresa continued as the video kept playing. “But I suppose there is potential buried beneath the surface if you're pushed far enough. I'm sure Jacob filled you in on how invested we've become in your little wrestling company of SCW... perhaps those little wildflowers calling themselves the Fall of Man could be of use to us before they find themselves purged along with the rest of the unworthy. After all, every tool eventually outlives its usefulness...”

The disturbing smile on Theresa's face as she trailed a finger across Jacob's throat had Amelia about ready to throw her phone, unless Luz beat her to it. Marilyn and Lily, however, placed hands on their respective shoulders to help try to calm them down, despite the clear anger they were trying to restrain in their own rights. After all, there was nothing they could do about a pre-recorded video.

“While I would love to show Jacob here what happens to weeds that have no place in my garden,” Theresa cackled as she looked straight into the camera filming this. “I feel that spilling blood senselessly wouldn't really get the message across, now would it? So, consider my hesitation a peace offering from Caleb. Jacob here can live... for now. If you, Luz, show us something in your match with that James Evans fellow on Breakdown, then perhaps he'll stay that way. If he simply runs roughshod over you like the ill-mannered ruffian that he is... well, I think you and Amelia can figure it out.”

The video ended with Theresa pulling back from Jacob, that sick smile never leaving her face. Luz, for her part, was trembling. From fear, from anger, from some combination of the two, she didn't fully know.

“She... how can she...?” she managed to shakily say.

“Deep breaths, Lulu...” Amelia said, although it was clear she wasn't holding up much better. Still, the two of them did their deep breathing routine, slowly pulling their thoughts away from what they'd just seen.

“As Amelia said, this has already been passed along to Avery,” Lily chimed in with enough of an edge to her voice to confirm she was just barely maintaining her own composure. “The FBI is already working to find where Jacob's being held.”

“He...” Luz choked out. “He was a creep, but...”

“Not even he deserves this,” Amelia managed to finish her wife's thought.

“And The Empire is not going to get their way,” Marilyn firmly said as she knelt down in front of both ladies. “Nor is the Fall of Man. No matter how they spin this, no matter what either of them tries, in or out of the ring, none of it is your fault. Never forget that.”

“Right...” Luz breathed deeply one more time. “Because if we let them inside our heads, that's how they win. And we won't let either one get the better of us no matter what they try.”

“That's the Luz I know and love,” Amelia said before pulling her wife into a deep kiss, which only fueled Luz's resolve.

It was far from an ideal situation, and Luz certainly couldn't fault James for being the catalyst to an incident that he was unknowingly a tool for, but she and Amelia were no strangers to these kinds of tactics. In a way, they've been fighting wars like these for most of their lives, and as long as they had each other and stayed true to themselves, they would find a way to overcome.

No matter what Caleb or Theresa or anyone else in The Empire tried.

No matter what James or the Fall of Man threatened them with.

No matter how deep the darkness surrounding them, they would be the light that would guide the way out of it, come hell or high water.

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

Arguably one of the most surreal sites you can find in the city of Philadelphia is known as Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. As far as the eye can see spanning at least three city lots is a massive and immersive mixed media art environment, filled with mosaics created with everything from kitchen tiles to bike wheels to bottles and mirrors and countless other assorted objects. Created by mosaic artist Isaiah Zager starting in the late 1960s, the area now stands as a surreal experience promoting community and championing concepts like originality, creativity and open-mindedness.

The perfect place where someone like La Pequeña Luz can feel right at home.

The luchadora almost blends in seamlessly with the mosaic artwork surrounding her, given her rather colorful mask along with her hoodie and sweatpants to combat the chilly weather. Thankfully, the two title belts currently resting over her shoulders serve as a beacon to help her stand out amidst the beautiful chaos all around her, and judging by the bright smile on her face, she's enjoying her time here. As she notices us, she turns and slowly walks down some mosaic steps towards us, her smile slowly fading just a bit as she knows it's time to get down to business.

“Do you know what I love about places like Philadelphia's Magic Gardens? They're monuments to the power of creativity, living proof that it doesn't matter if people see you as 'weird' or question why you are the way you are, because those kinds of people are just as capable, if not more, of leaving a lasting impression on the world around them. Everything around me is the living legacy of a man named  Isaiah Zager, who started creating all of this beautiful work as a form of therapy before dedicating himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood of this great city, igniting the spark that revitalized this whole area and giving its residents a reason to not only live here, but fight to preserve everything that he had done so its beauty can be shared to everyone, inspiring future generations.

I've made it no secret that I had a hard time growing up. I was always seen as the 'weird kid' at school, bullied and pushed around all because I enjoyed losing myself in the things I loved and expressing myself... maybe a little too much, in hindsight. That was just who I was: a girl who loved things like fantasy stories and magic and wrestling and refused to hide any of it, because I wanted people to know the real me and like me for who I truly was... who I truly am. Not even the legacy of my father and his status as a lucha libre icon and hero stopped the bullying... if anything, it only fueled it because how dare someone like me be in a position that so many others dreamed they could be in? How dare I be the daughter of such an incredible man whose name was known all across Mexico?

The point is... I'm no stranger to bullies and fighting against adversity. I've heard it all growing up, I remember all the bruises that used to cover my skin... heck, if it wasn't for the person I was, then it was because of the fact that I am proudly LGBTQ+ and I could care less if anybody thinks who I love is wrong because, again, I am who I am, and I'm not going to back down and bend to someone else's will just because they say so or think they can threaten me. These gardens around me exist because one man wasn't afraid to share his vision with the world and didn't back down when some people out there had a problem and threatened to tear it all down, and I'm not afraid to fight to protect everything that I have sought to build in SCW, not just for myself or for the woman I love with all my heart, but for every person out there waiting to be inspired so that they can chase their dreams, perhaps, earn their own place on this roster and make their own marks someday.

Unfortunately, that's not the kind of SCW that the Fall of Man want any of you to have.”

Luz reaches up and slowly pushes her hood off, letting the breeze catch her hair a bit as her smile is completely gone now. Behind that mask, there's a very clear fire burning in her eyes as she stands firm before us.

“You know, I could be standing here talking about any number of positives I got to come into this new year with: the fact that Amelia and I are still your World Tag Team Champions after a great fight from Aisling and Belmont to close out 2024, the fact that I can still call myself a double champion, even the fact that Ames and I were voted by all of you as SCW's Tag Team of the Year for the second year in a row. Thank you all so very much for that, by the way, it means the world that each and every one of you respects and appreciates the hard work my wife and I put into each and every match that we wrestle and are dedicated to elevating not just SCW's tag team division but also everybody we are honored to share that ring with week after week. It is because of you that we keep pushing ourselves farther and stepping it up every time we go out there to compete.

For all of those incredible things, however, there's been this huge shadow looming over our heads ever since Under Attack, trying to eclipse everything we fight for just because it doesn't align with 'their vision' for SCW. Week after week, the Fall of Man have sought nothing but destruction for everything around them. They have put wrestlers on the shelf and attacked whoever they thought would be a worthwhile target. Why? If you ask James Evans specifically, it's because they're 'fixing' this company, thinning the herd and leaving behind a roster worthy of carrying the letters 'SCW' into the future. They see problems left behind by Mr. D, problems that CHBK is refusing to fix, and by burning it all to the ground he and his friends can rebuild it into something truly worthy of being called the greatest wrestling company in the world.

What none of them are being upfront about, however, is how much this vision of what SCW should be revolves around them and no one else.

James, you've been claiming for weeks that what you guys are doing is necessary, but for as open-minded as I'm trying to be towards the method to your madness, I'm just not seeing it. Honestly, trying to purge this company of everyone you feel isn't 'worthy' is far from original... I'm pretty sure Amelia and I called out the Shinigami Foundation for wanting to pull that same stunt to gatekeep the tag team division heading into Under Attack. We've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you earned an SCW contract, then you being on this roster is no accident because you've earned your right to be here. According to you, that's what is supposedly at the core of all of this, isn't it? People earning the things they bust their behinds for. That was your excuse as to why you and Waylon attacked us in the first place, why you're so hellbent on eliminating us from SCW, despite the fact that we have fought with everything we have to earn each and every single accolade we have to our names since we first came to this company.

By the way, on the subject of wrestlers earning their place in SCW... isn't it funny how Billy, by his own admission that's never been disputed by his father, got his contract because William talked CHBK into it, and yet he's seemingly immune to your ideals because he helps pad the numbers you've started relying on whenever you decide to strike?”

Luz sighs and shakes her head. Her thoughts immediately turn to The Empire, how Caleb all but confirmed that the vast majority of his followers were never 'worthy' of the world he wanted to create but he strung them along anyway because the numbers made them into the threat they became. It truly made her want to vomit thinking about how disturbingly similar the Fall of Man and that cult were starting to become.

“You want to know the saddest part about this, James? For as long as I've had you pegged as a hypocrite to everything you constantly preached, all the way back to when you first took an interest in Amelia and I back during your whole 'anti-violence' phase shortly after we came back to SCW to try again, I still respected what you could do in that ring. I still do, actually. You're a former World Champion, you've earned the right to call yourself a Supreme Champion, something I know full well isn't an easy honor to gain. That alone is all the reason for me to know I need to bring my A-game and beyond to Breakdown this week right here in Philadelphia. To some degree, maybe you've even got a point about certain people, like Waylon, who've earned the right to more opportunities than they've been given.

Maybe the Fall of Man would be more likely to get what you all want if you stopped trying to force people to just give it to you and have a destructive meltdown every time someone calls you out on your bullshit.

Case in point: last week's Breakdown. You were all certain that Waylon would win Star of Tomorrow and thought you could just bully CHBK into handing it over, but when it was revealed the fans thought otherwise, you backed down from the woman who did earn it because she's 'not worth it.' Heck, if you follow the timeline of every single attack you've launched as of late, it's clear that you're trying to bully your way into a Tag Title match against Amelia and I despite having never wrestled a single match as a team. You claim it's because we've 'had it easy' and believe you can provide the challenge that will prove we don't deserve every last drop of blood, sweat and tears we have given to this division for the past two years. Answer me this, James: who's the team that has gladly stepped up to the plate against anyone who challenged us, titles or not? Who's the team that asked to start a tag team turmoil to try and run the gauntlet, or the team that embraced the challenge of going bell-to-bell inside the Chamber? Who's the team that has always been honest and upfront about the future we want for this company and delivered upon that vision every... single... match?

The Light In The Darkness, that's who.

This Thursday night right here in Philly will be no different, James. I know full well that to you, a win over me validates every disgusting tactic you claim is 'necessary' to get your way, that you're in the right about how SCW can only succeed if it bends over backwards and revolves entirely around you and Waylon and nobody else, not because you're willing to earn it the right way but because you just want people to fear you. 'Rules for thee, but not for me,' right? Hate to break it to a matón like you, but despite everything you, Waylon, Billy and now Giovanni Aries have thrown at us, The Light In The Darkness has kept fighting onward, and that's not going to change this week. By all means, bring your army if it makes you feel comfortable, because I know Amelia will always have my back and no matter how much you put value in having a numbers advantage, it means nothing when it's just you and me, one-on-one, competing to see which one of us will be leaving the Wells Fargo Center as the better wrestler on that night.

Every bully that has ever tried to break me, beat me down, make me feel worthless just because of who I am has ultimately failed.

What makes you think you'll be any different, James?”

With that, Luz turns and heads back up the steps, almost fading into the mosaics around her like a chameleon before she rounds a corner and disappears into the colorful and creative labyrinth. We linger for a moment longer on this incredible sight all around us, taking in the message it has to share with us that drew Luz here in the first place, before we take our leave.