Glory Braddock vs. Amelia Nevado

[Konrad Raab]

2 RP Limit for singles

3500 Word Limit Per RP

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET FRIDAY, June 13, 2025

[Braddock]

1 of 2
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June 4th, 2025
Charlotte, NC
Off Camera
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Taking Hold of the Flame has already come and gone; it was the kickoff of Rise To Greatness season. Glory Braddock was originally supposed to participate in the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal but she refused to play by CHBK’s rules, she refused to be a pawn in his game. The British Bombshell instead backed out of the battle royal and opted to get back to the World Championship picture the old fashioned way; through hard work, by winning match after match. Already Braddock has built up a good winning streak, defeating Kemal Yilmaz and David Striker. Now that Rise To Greatness season is here, she looks to extend her winning streak to three. But she knows it won’t be easy; she faces a fellow Englishwoman, an opponent she has done battle with on numerous occasions; Amelia Nevado. Braddock and Amelia had a one on one match in which Braddock was victorious. They also have a history in tag team warfare when Twisted & Sadistic clashed with Light in the Darkness over the SCW World Tag Team Championship. Braddock respects what Nevado can do inside the ring and looks forward to renewing their professional rivalry inside the confines of the squared circle. She hopes she can win, adding a third victory to her streak, and build that all important momentum heading towards the show of shows for Supreme Championship Wrestling.

Glory Braddock still has another problem on her mind that she has to take care of and that involves her company; Glorious Golden Enterprise. Braddock’s best friend, Frances Taylor, had served as president of the company for a long time. These two had been friends since they were children and Glory thought she could trust Frances, but little did she know Frances was jealous and wanted more power. When Glory was unwilling to grant her more power, Frances quit the position and revived her own company, Taylor Enterprises, promising to run Glory out of business. This was a stunning move because Glory thought Frances was financially incapable of bringing back Taylor Enterprises but apparently Frances’s new boyfriend, Dominic Sterling, has funded its financial revival. After further research, The British Bombshell learned that Dominic got all of his wealth mostly through fraud and deceit, defrauding and stealing the money from his own family. Braddock and Melody Murphy, Frances and Glory’s mutual friend, are worried that Dominic may be scamming Frances, trying to manipulate her and use her for his own deceitful ends. The British Bombshell has asked Melody to set up a meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, headquarters of Glory’s company and Frances’s current residence. Braddock and Melody hope that this meeting can serve two purposes; one, eliminate the threat of Frances Taylor and Taylor Enterprises from running Glory out of business, and two, to save Frances from what could be a ruinous scam at the hands of Dominic Sterling.

The low hum of conversation blended seamlessly with the clinking of crystal and the muted rustle of fine linens inside The Palm, an upscale restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chandeliers crafted of gold-veined glass hung like frozen fireworks from the vaulted ceiling, casting a warm, flattering glow across the room. The view beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was breathtaking; the city sprawled below in glittering lights, a living constellation under the night sky. Soft piano music trickled through the air, adding a touch of serenity that barely masked the tension at one particular table near the window. The maître d’ had personally escorted them to a private alcove set apart from the rest of the dining area. Draped in cream and bronze, the circular booth was plush and intimate, ideal for delicate negotiations or clandestine reunions, which, in this case, were one and the same. A bottle of vintage Chardonnay rested in a polished silver cooler beside the table, untouched. Glory Braddock sat poised at the center, her tailored navy-blue sheath dress clung to her frame with effortless precision, structured shoulders lending a regal silhouette to the otherwise sleek design. A thin silver belt cinched her waist, matching the subtle glint of her jewelry — a minimalist bracelet and small diamond stud earrings. Her golden-blonde hair, as always, was immaculately styled in soft waves that brushed just below her shoulders. To her left, Melody Murphy brought a more playful elegance to the table. Her dress, a cream-colored wrap with a modest V-neckline and three-quarter sleeves, gave her a softer, more romantic air. The fabric shimmered subtly with every movement, catching the light in quiet bursts. A thin gold chain around her neck held a tiny star-shaped charm, and her open-toe heels added a hint of youthful flair to an otherwise mature look. Her long blonde hair was tucked behind one ear on one side, cascading in soft curls on the other.

Opposite them sat Frances Taylor, and her entrance had made the maître d’ noticeably stammer. Frances’s aura was colder, more calculated. Her black pencil dress featured an asymmetric neckline that bared one shoulder, the cut sharp and modern like the woman herself. A platinum brooch gleamed at her collarbone, a silent badge of her revived company, Taylor Enterprise. Her sleek blonde hair was pulled into a chignon so precise it might have been sculpted. Her red lipstick stood in bold contrast to her otherwise monochromatic palette, a deliberate statement. She looked like a woman who had come to reclaim something, or destroy it. A waiter approached and silently poured the wine, expertly reading the tension and knowing better than to comment. When he left, there was a pause, heavy and anticipatory. The city lights sparkled behind them, casting reflections across the polished mahogany of the table. Cutlery gleamed, menus lay untouched, and glasses remained held but unsipped.

“Isn’t this nice?” Melody speaks up after a tense moment of silence, hoping to break the awkward tension. “The three of us are back together again. Just like old times, am I right?”

“Yes, it is nice, I suppose.” Frances says coldly and smoothly. She nods in Melody’s general direction. “How are you and my brother doing?”

“Matty’s a sweetheart.” Melody says, referencing her husband, Frances’s younger brother. Glory Braddock remains silent for now. She finds this small talk that Frances and Melody are engaging in to be troubling. All three know the real reason why they are here. They are here to discuss the ongoing feud between the two companies. But no one seems ready to broach the subject. No one wants to bring it up first. Frances then turns her attention to Braddock and smirks.

“What about you, Gloria? How is the wrestling business?”

“It’s great, Frances.”

“Really?” Frances chuckles. “I heard you quit Taking Hold of the Flame. I never took you for a quitter.”

“You misunderstand. I quit because Alex Desoubrais tried to make me the number one entrant out of forty, but I refuse to play by his games and I refuse to be number one just because he says so. The fact is, Frances, that Taking Hold of the Flame, as difficult as it is to win, is just a shortcut to a title match. Anyone can jump from curtain jerker to challenging for the World Title at Rise To Greatness in an instant if they win that match. So it’s a shortcut, plain and simple.

“And…?”

“And I chose to take a harder, more difficult path. I would rather EARN my way back to the top by winning matches, by defeating opponents in the center of the ring. And THAT is going quite well. I have won two straight matches and hope to win a third straight Amelia Nevado.”

“Well I wish you the best of luck, Gloria.” Frances nods her head, but The British Bombshell can tell by the tone of her voice that she is far from sincere in her well wishes. Frances takes her glass of wine and sips it. She motions to Glory’s own untouched glass of wine. “Go ahead, have a drink. You certainly seemed to enjoy drinking wine during Taking Hold of the Flame.”

“Ok, that’s it…” Glory has had enough of the small talk and the passive-aggressive nature of this conversation. “...let’s cut the crap, Frances. We’re not here to talk about Melody’s marriage or my wrestling career.”

“Glory…” Melody, who wanted this be as peaceful and diplomatic as possible, is showing signs of panic as she sees Glory starting to lose her patience. Braddock ignores her and continues with her rant.

“We are here to talk about how you want to run ME out of business.” Glory says, pointing an accusatory finger at Frances Taylor. Melody fears that Frances may get angry and retaliate. Instead Frances remains calm, with a cold grin on her face.

“This is why you nearly ran yourself out of business in those early years, Gloria.” Frances chuckles quietly. “You never had the patience for the cutthroat corporate world. You needed me, or Aphrodite Noel, to save you. Now that you no longer have me, and you are apparently unwilling to go crawling to Noel, you are begging Melody for help.”

“Now that’s unfair, Frances.” Melody snaps back. “I’m just here trying to be a peacemaker. Remember that we used to be friends, really close friends. I don’t want to see a good friendship ruined over business.”

“Have you gone soft, Melody?” Frances asks, arching her brow.

“No, I just matured and realized that some things are more important than business.” Melody remarks. “So yes, I am glad you came, Frances. Glory is glad you came, too. Maybe we can put an end to this silly feud?” Melody turns and glares at Glory. “RIGHT, Glory?”

“Yes…” Glory sighs out of frustration “...Melody is right, we have been friends forever. We grew up together, went to school together. There’s no need to let this business rivalry destroy out friendship.”

There is a tense pause as all three women exchange glances. Once again, no one dares to speak up next, afraid of making the wrong move in a dangerous game of corporate chess. Melody, nervously, takes a sip of her wine. Even Glory finally decides to sip on her previously untouched glass of wine. Finally Frances breaks the ice with a bit of laughter.

“I am happy to hear it.” Frances begins. “I am happy that you came to your senses.”

“Came to my senses?” Glory repeats, obviously confused. Frances nods her head.

“Yes, you obviously are nervous, you are afraid. You should be, by the way. I am far more experienced in the corporate world than you. I also know the inner workings of your business probably better than you. If anyone can run you out of business its me. If anyone can bankrupt you, its me.” Frances sips on her wine. “But don’t worry…losing your company won’t be the end of the world…you can always fall back on SCW. Unless you manage to piss off that nice Mr. Desoubrais and he fires you.”

“Of course you would like his old ass.” Glory rolls her eyes.

“Great minds think alike.”

“I’m beginning to question the greatness of YOUR mind, Frances, especially if you think that you can bankrupt me.”

“Oh but the work has already started. Taylor Enterprises is in the beginning stages of starting a wrestling school and a modeling agency to challenge yours.”

“I knew it. I knew you were trying to steal students from the Braddock School. Targeting me, though? That’s fine. But you started a modeling agency to challenge ‘my’ modeling agency? That is low even for you.”

“How do you mean?” Frances asks innocently. “I told you I would tear down everything you own.”

“You know damn well that modeling agency belongs to my cousin.”

“Your cousin may run it with free reign without your interference but you still own it.” Frances smirks knowingly. “Which, interestingly enough, is all I ever wanted…to run your company for you without your interference.”

“You are poaching talent!” Glory exclaims. Melody is obviously nervous. This exchange is drawing curious looks from other patrons in the restaurant. Frances, however, maintains her composure. She still believes that she is in the position of power.

“I did nothing illegal.”

“It may not be illegal but it was damn sure unethical.”

“You cannot succeed in business by being ethical and moral.” Frances points out. “That’s why you nearly went out of business twice in the early years of becoming a businesswoman. That’s why you first turned to me and later to that fool who pretends to be your mother, Aphrodite Noel, because the two of us have no qualms about throwing ethics and morality out the window in favor of being successful.”

“I can be successful AND ethical at the same time.”

“Wrong.” Frances shakes her head. “You can be successful OR ethical, not both. If you want to stop me from running you out of business, you are going to have to break your precious rules.”

“Whoa, hold on ladies!” Melody speaks up. This meeting is obviously getting out of hand and she knows that she needs to reign them back in. “Remember where we are. Try to remain quiet and don’t make a spectacle of yourselves, otherwise we will get thrown out.”

“I have been perfectly calm and quiet.” Frances says with a knowing grin. “Gloria is the hothead.”

“Hothead?!”

“Glory…” Melody interrupts her “...you are the one who has raised your voice. Please, try and remain calm. We all want peace, right?”

Braddock hates it but Melody is right. Frances may have been taunting her and provoking her but Glory should have known better. Glory should not have taken the bait and allowed herself to lose her temper. She is playing into Frances’s hands. The British Bombshell sips her wine to soothe and calm her nerves. She nods her head.

“You’re right. We all want peace…myself included.”

“Frances?” Melody turns her attention to their mutual friend.

“Yes, I do want peace. And for the record I did attempt to give Gloria an out. All she had to do was give me unrestricted control as president of Glorious Golden Enterprise.”

“You still don’t understand why I had those restrictions on you in the first place.” Glory shakes her head.

“No corporate president has to deal with the kinds of insidious restrictions you placed upon me. I wanted the kind of power any normal company president should have but you refused because you didn’t trust me.” For the first time Frances’s cold, confident demeanor seems to break. “I thought we were friends. If I am your friend, how is it that you do not trust me?”

“Frances, I…” the question hits Glory like a punch in the gut “...I’m sorry, but I…my friends have betrayed me in the past…”

“Maybe that’s why you’re not cut out for the corporate world?” Frances states. “But I am willing to offer you one final out. I am proposing a merger; Glorious Golden Enterprises will absorb Taylor Enterprises.”

“And let me guess, you want to be an equal partner?” Glory asks with a skeptical gaze. Frances shakes her head.

“No. You can still be the sole owner, the most powerful person within the company. But I want to be the second most powerful person within the company behind you. Everyone within the company…except you…answers to me. And you promise to keep your hands off and let me run things the way I see fit.”

“That’s your offer?” Glory arches her brow. Frances nods her head.

“Yes. It is a wonderful deal, if you ask me. You get to sit back, do nothing, just focus on your stupid little wrestling, your matches against Nevado and others, your war of words with Desoubrais, and I will be busy making you wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.”

“Sounds like the same exact deal as before.” Glory rolls her eyes.

“I admit it is similar. The question is, do you trust me…friend?”

“This has nothing to do with trusting you.” Glory shakes her head. “I admit, at first it did, but now? Now this is bigger. Because it’s not you I don’t trust. It’s Dominic.”

“Dominic?!” Frances is taken aback. For the first time since this meeting began, she is shocked. “What does he have to do with any of this?”

“I think you know exactly what I mean.” Glory states. She has been accused of being soft when it comes to business. But now she feels confident. More than that, she feels cutthroat. She is ready to go in for the kill. “Do you have any idea how Dominic obtained all of his wealth?”

“We’ve already been through this…” Frances is cut off. Glory won’t let her finish her thought.

“No, not really. Because I’ve done some research on my own. Melody and I both have because we ARE your friends and we don’t want to see you scammed, to fall for some manipulative con artist. Yet, as brilliant as you make yourself out to be, Frances, you ARE falling for a con-man. Did you know that Dominic likely inherited that wealth through fraudulent and deceit? He tricked some of his relatives into signing over their inheritance when they were elderly and clearly in cognitive decline. Others he just outright wrote forged documents transferring the inheritance to himself.”

“You’re lying.” Frances shakes her head furiously.

“His entire wealth has been obtained through deceit. Look into it yourself if you don’t believe me. His own family has ongoing civil actions against him, trying to force him to return the money. But now that his family has caught onto his game he needs a new sucker.” She points a finger at Frances. “You’re the new sucker.”

“Glory’s right.” Melody chimes in. “I have evidence. Dominic is using you. He wants your wealth. He wants you for your money.”

“It’s not true.” Frances shakes her head. “But even if it were true, it still doesn’t change my mind. Remember that all three of us grew up in wealth and privilege and were expected to marry into it and were expected to chase more wealth and more power. That’s the nature of the class we were born into. Love, true love, doesn’t exist for people like us. Except I am the only one who seems to remember that.”

Frances points a finger at Melody. “You married my idiot brother who threw away his inheritence for some ungodly reason.” She points a finger at Glory.

“And you married a poor, lowly, professional wrestler barely making ends meet. You have some accusing Dominic of using me to keep himself up when your own husband would be a bum on the street if he hadn’t married you.”

“What are you saying?” Glory asks.

“Dominic may be everything you accuse him of being but you know what else he is? He is the man who reminded me that I do not need to be YOUR lackey, Gloria.” Frances stands up. “You have treated me like your lackey for a long time. I deserve to be your equal. That’s what friendships are, right?”

Frances turns and storms away from the table in an angry huff. Melody starts to get up to go after her but Glory stops her. Melody looks at Glory curiously.

“We have to stop her…this has been a disaster, we cannot let her walk away…”

“It has been a disaster.” Glory nods her head. “But she’s right. Ever since I brought her into my company I have treated her like my sidekick, not like a friend.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Melody asks. “Take her up on her offer? Absorb Taylor Enterprises and give her the power she wants?”

“I am considering it.”

“But do you really want Dominic Sterling, a known con-artist, in that kind of influential position?” Melody asks.

“Absolutely not.” Glory says. “It would be insanity. If I agree to the merger, I have get rid of him first. Somehow we need to make Frances see reason, see that he is not who he says he is.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Then we find another way.”

[Braddock]

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June 7th, 2025
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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The sun had begun its slow descent into the horizon, painting the Miami sky in shades of lavender, amber, and gold. Windows in the spacious living room drank in the dusky light, casting a warm, diffused glow across the minimalist interior. White walls broken only by framed abstract paintings and a smooth marble floor that reflected hints of the soft evening light. Outside, the breeze stirred the palm fronds and carried the distant murmur of the ocean, just beyond the backyard’s pool. In the heart of this tranquil setting, Glory Braddock sat curled into the corner of an expansive cream-colored sectional sofa, legs tucked neatly beneath her. Her long blonde hair cascaded over one shoulder in waves, still faintly tousled from the humidity of the day. A slim tumbler of gin and tonic rested in her hand, the glass clinking gently with each motion, ice catching the light like polished crystal. The British Bombshell wore a silky royal purple blouse with the top buttons casually undone and a pair of cream-colored linen pants. Across from her Kurt Logan sat with one arm draped along the back of the sofa. His short black hair was slightly damp from a late afternoon shower, and his open collared shirt, charcoal gray with the sleeves rolled up, clung comfortably to his broad frame. He cradled a lowball glass in one hand, the smoky scent of his bourbon adding a faint but distinctive layer to the room’s atmosphere, already heavy with sea salt and the faintest trace of Glory’s perfume. The flat-screen television, mounted above a sleek electric fireplace, was turned off. Music played softly from hidden speakers. The house, so modern and refined, still held a feeling of warmth, of a life lived between business calls and airport gates. A subtle scent of citrus from a burning candle flickered on the coffee table, joining the warmth of the light and casting soft shadows that danced along the edges of the room. Behind them, the kitchen was spotless, its chrome and black marble counters catching the glow from under-cabinet lighting. A half-empty bottle of gin stood alongside the bourbon on the island, beside a neatly folded linen napkin and the heel of a baguette from earlier. The dinner dishes had been cleaned and put away hours ago. Now, there was only the stillness of early evening; a space suspended in that quiet pause between day and night. Glory took a sip, her eyes distant for a moment, then refocused on her husband. Her posture suggested comfort, but her fingers absently tracing the rim of her glass. Kurt leaned forward just slightly, the leather of the sofa creaking gently under his weight. His dark eyes studied her, the easygoing warmth in them tinged with curiosity, maybe even concern.

“You seem to be distracted.” Kurt points out. “Is everything ok?”

“Huh?” Glory, who indeed was distracted, turns and looks at Kurt. She forces a smile. “Yeah…”

“No, you don’t seem to be ok.” Kurt is obviously not convinced. “Does it have anything to do with SCW? I know how bad you were hoping to get back into the SCW World Title picture and now that you missed Taking Hold of the Flame, that dream is delayed for at least a few months.”

“Look, I didn’t miss Taking Hold of the Flame. I skipped out on it and it was my decision. CHBK seemed insistent on forcing me to be the number one entrant. I would rather fight my way back into the World Title scene by winning matches, defeating opponents in the center of the ring, rather than run this ridiculous Taking Hold of the Flame gauntlet. And let’s face it, my plan has gone well so far. I beat Kemal of the European Fiery Nation, I beat David Striker, and now I’m going to defeat Amelia Nevado.”

“You seem confident.” Kurt smirks.

“I do own a one on one victory over her.” Glory points out. “But hey, she got some over me and Britt when we feuded over the tag titles. I have all the respect in the world for Amelia. But I know how good I am and what I am capable of. Yes, Kurt, I am confident. No, I won’t be challenging for the SCW World Title before Rise To Greatness, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be challenging for any titles, that doesn’t mean I won’t have a good spot at Rise To Greatness. And yes, I will eventually make my way back to the SCW World Title.”

“Ok, so if its not SCW that has you down, then what is it?” Kurt asks curiously, with a hint of concern in his voice.

“It’s Frances.” Glory admits with a frustrated sigh.

“She’s still budging on her plans to run you out of business?”

“No,” Glory shakes her head “we’ve been friends for so long. I have no idea why she would do this, why she would want to declare some sort of corporate war on me, try to put me out of business.”

“In fairness, you DID keep her on a tight leash as president of your company.” Kurt points out. Glory shakes her head.

“Yeah, that’s her story and her excuse for going to war, but I don’t buy it. I think there’s something else there and Melody agrees with me.”

“Oh yeah?” Kurt seems intrigued. Glory nods her head.

“Melody has known Frances as long as I have, maybe longer. She can tell that Frances isn’t telling us the whole story. Melody also has access to more resources than I do.” Braddock grins. “She did some digging and some of what she found is rather disturbing.” She sets her glass down. “Remember Frances’s new boyfriend?”

“Dominic Sterling.” Kurt nods his head. “Yes.”

“It turns out that all of that money he inherited from deceased relatives…that was all some shady stuff. His family accuses him of stealing the wealth by forging documents and manipulating his elderly relatives who have dementia. He’s a con artist, Kurt. Unfortunately for ol’ Dom, his family has caught on and has been fighting him in court so he can no longer steal from his family. He needs a new source of income.”

“And you think Frances is his next victim?”

“Right.” Glory nods her head. “He’s using her for her money.”

“So what do you plan to do?” Kurt asks as he sets his drink down.

“I’m not sure what I can do.” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “Melody and I confronted her with our theory and she doesn’t seem to care. Frances seems to be so blinded by her desire for power that she doesn’t care if she’s being used, as long as she gets what she wants.”

“What does she want?”

“She did offer a proposal.” Glory sighs. “Glorious Golden Enterprises would absorb Taylor Enterprises but Frances would become the second most powerful person in the company behind only me. And I would have to swear to stay out of her business and let her run the company how she sees fit.”

“Are you considering it?” Kurt asks curiously.

“I don’t want to give up.” Glory shakes her head. “Besides, knowing what I know about Dominic, I would rather NOT put him in a position to have any influence over my company and if Frances has total control and he is dating Frances, he would have way too much power and influence.”

“Good point.” Kurt nods his head.

“If I could get rid of him, I would agree to it in a heartbeat.” Glory states. “Frances may be greedy but she’s not dumb. She knows how to run a business, she knows how to make it a success and it would be in her best interest to make sure Glorious Golden Enterprise was a success. Furthermore I do not want to be a micromanager, I do not want to run the whole company myself. It would be perfect.” She shakes her head. “I just don’t trust Sterling and, unfortunately, he’s still part of the package.”

Kurt can tell by the look on his wife’s face that she is definitely bothered by these turn of events involving herself and her now former best friend and business partner Frances Taylor. He cannot help her as he doesn’t know what advice to give. But he does offer the one piece of comfort he can provide. He leans over and kisses her on her forehead.

“You’ll be fine, babe. I know you will.”

“Now you’re the one sounding overly confident.” Glory says, rolling her eyes.

“I’m confident because I know you.” He says with a smirk. “Sure, the corporate world may be Frances’s domain, she grew up in it, but you have been a quick learner in the few years you have been a business woman. I couldn’t begin to count the number of hostile takeovers and other crisis events that you have had to overcome in your time in charge of that company. You will overcome this, I know you will.”

“I hope you’re right.” She lets her head rest against his chest. “I feel torn…”

“How so?”

“Part of me wants to win for the sake of my company, for my employees. But another part of me wants to give in, give her everything she wants despite knowing that it puts my company and my employees at risk, just because I want my friend Frances back.”

“But would a true friend put you in that situation to begin with?” Kurt asks. “What you should be asking yourself is this…is there a way you can salvage your friendship AND protect your company at the same time?”

“I’m not sure there is.” Glory sighs. “I fear that, ultimately, I may have to choose.”

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June 12th, 2025
St. Louis, Missouri
On Camera
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We open in a stylish, atmospheric interior of a high-end hotel lounge. The setting is refined and thoughtfully designed: smooth, neutral-toned white walls bathed in soft lighting form a clean backdrop for the room. Warm golden hues from a chandelier overhead cast an ambient glow that mingles gently with the natural light spilling through sheer curtains. Behind the main subject, elegant furnishings add depth; there’s a low glass table, decorative accents, and a potted plant, giving the room a sense of lived in luxury. The floors gleam of polished hardwood, reflecting the light subtly. At the center of the scene is the poised and commanding Glory Braddock. The British Bombshell exudes elegance and confidence. Her long, straight blonde hair cascading neatly past her shoulders, her skin is luminous, her makeup understated yet flawless, with a focus on defined eyes and neutral lips. Glory Braddock is wearing a striking two-piece outfit composed of a sleek black crop top and matching high-waisted black pants. The crop top is form fitting with a halter-style neckline that accentuates her shoulders and arms. It’s cut high enough to reveal her midsection, showcasing her toned stomach with confidence and purpose. The clean, minimal design of the top, without frills or ornamentation emphasizes modernity and a refined sense of style. Her high-waisted pants are tailored and sophisticated, sitting snugly at her waist and flowing down in a smooth, straight leg silhouette. Her posture is relaxed yet deliberate, with one hand resting on her thigh and the other lightly placed on the surface beside her, showing composure and assurance. Glory’s expression is enigmatic; slightly smirking, showing off the confidence she feels.

“Rise To Greatness season is officially here and like everyone else in the SCW universe, I am very excited about things to come and I am anxious to see what the future holds for The British Bombshell at the show of shows.” Braddock grins knowingly. “Does that surprise you? I mean, I don’t get to main event Rise To Greatness. I don’t get the coveted SCW World Title Match. But that was my decision. If I have to run a gauntlet to get back to World Title contention I would rather do it the traditional way, MY WAY, by facing opponent after opponent, winning match after match, until I open the eyes of management and earn my SCW World Title shot. I refused to run the gauntlet of Taking Hold of the Flame just because that idiot CHBK says so. He doesn’t dictate my career here. Only I do. My fate and future is not in his foolish hands. My fate and career is in my hands and my hands alone. If I go down, I will go down fighting in the center of the ring against some of the greats this company has to offer, because that’s what this sport is all about. This is about competition…two warriors stepping between the ropes and battling it out to see who is the best…and hey, no one can deny that so far I have backed up every single one of my words.” She holds up three fingers.

“Kemal Yilmaz…beat him.” She lowers one finger, leaving two up.

“David Striker…beat him.” She lowers another finger, leaving only one left, which she uses to point at the camera.

“Which brings me to you, Amelia Nevado, the next competitor on the list. I respect the hell out of you, Nevado. How can I not respect you? We come from similar backgrounds, the European English style of wrestling. We both have that same rich tradition of professional wrestling running through our veins that makes us respect the business. We both understand that ultimately this sport is about competition. You and me, stepping foot in the center of the ring, and we wrestle. We wrestle to see who is the best on that night. That’s what this is about on Breakdown. That’s competition. You understand that just like I do. But that’s not the only reason there is a deep respect here from me to you. There is respect because I know damn well what you are capable of, and it isn’t just because I study tape or have done my homework. I know what you are capable of from firsthand knowledge and experience of having thrown down with you time and time again. February of 2023 we locked up in our first…and so far only…singles match and I defeated you to claim the SCW Television Title. Fast forward just a little bit from that point and we locked up again, this time with our partners Brittany Lohan and Luz by our sides. We traded the tag team championships back and forth and in the process, I became Supreme Champion. The history is there and here again, on the road to Rise To Greatness, we once again lock up. We renew the rivalry.” Braddock nods her head.

“I bet you are excited about this one…sure, you got a sense of retribution with those tag team victories over Twisted & Sadistic. But I bet you remember all too well that one and only time we fought one on one, when I took the Television Title away from you. Like I said, this sport is about competition and the unfortunate side effect of a competitor is that fierce competitive streak. Whenever someone loses, they desperately want that win back. They want to avenge that loss. Light in the Darkness beat Twisted & Sadistic but its never going to be as pure as a victory over The British Bombshell herself would be. You want this win back, I know you do and there’s no use denying it. There’s no shame in denying. Hell, I’m no different. I would love to find a partner and get one of those wins back against you and Luz. I would love to get one more opportunity to win back my Adrenaline Title from Dexter Grant. I would love to have one more opportunity to put Syren in her place. It’s the nature of the beast. It’s the nature of being competitive and you, Amelia, you are a competitor like me. So I know you want this win badly.” The British Bombshell motions to herself.

“Unfortunately I have my own motivation. See, I took a big risk in not competing in Taking Hold of the Flame. It rubbed people the wrong way, ruffled some feathers, and maybe it even offended you, but I hope you understand why I did it. If that damned fool CHBK was going to force me to run a gauntlet back to the SCW World Title picture, that’s fine, but it wouldn’t be through thirty-nine people in one night in that gimmicky ass battle royal. I chose to bet on myself and take the far more difficult, much more challenging path of actual competition; taking on competitor after competitor, winning match after match, until I have earned my way back into the championship picture. I bet on myself that I could earn my way into something spectacular at Rise To Greatness even if it wasn’t the World Title itself. Maybe I can get that rematch against Dexter Grant? I own a victory over the Underground Champion, maybe I could face her? The United States and Television Titles are both out there as well. I believe in myself and so I bet on myself that I could skip out on the Flame and still position myself into what I want through the old fashioned way of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. And already I have gone two and zero on that path…” she points a finger at the camera.

“You’re number three, Amelia, and I cannot let you be a road block. I cannot let you stop me. This is a big gamble I took, one most would have shied away from. Not me. What I am doing is a far bigger challenge than Taking Hold of the Flame, but I am confident that I can do this because I have the support of the fans, who also believe in me, and I also know deep down in my heart and soul that Britain’s Best and Best in the World, two monikers of the Braddock family, are not just nicknames, they were earned. I am Britain’s Best. I am THE best. And I know I can beat you. I have to beat you, Amelia. Losing to you on Breakdown would be equivalent to throwing away everything I have ever worked for these past few months. Losing to you on Breakdown means I have no path forwards into Rise To Greatness. I have to beat you because this risk I took, this gamble I took, it is all or nothing.”

“You can afford a loss, Amelia. No one would look down on you for losing to me, a former Supreme Champion. And a loss wouldn’t derail your Rise To Greatness plans. You have so many possibilities out there ranging from those tag team championships to even that Trios Contract. You could have just about anything you want based solely on the trail you and Luz have blazed the past couple of years. But me? I cannot afford to lose. If I lose I’m done. If I lose, I might not make it to Rise To Greatness. That’s how serious I am taking this one, Amelia.” Braddock nods her head. “So good luck, I mean it. Let’s go out there, have another great match, and show the world what real competition is all about. But understand this…I have to win, and I will do whatever it takes to pick up that win. I’m betting on myself and I like my chances.”

The British Bombshell turns and walks off. The camera fades to black.

[Wisteria Waltz]

Amelia Nevado was getting tired of this.

If she were being honest, Amelia was tired of this years ago when it first started becoming a problem, and she knew her wife was in agreement with her on that.

When The Empire had first started becoming a thorn in their side, it was a matter that had started in the wrestling business. When Amelia and Luz had returned and started working to re-establish themselves in SCW and prove everything they had wanted to the first time around before injuries and the following crisis of confidence derailed everything, The Empire was surfacing over in the old British companies Amelia had initially come up in, claiming they were going to 'save' and 'purify' the business. Being led by arguably one of Britain's most well-known living legends of the industry and with her parents involved, at worst it seemed like a group that was determined to return wrestling back to 'the good old days' and would inevitably try to find a way to cross paths with The Light In The Darkness solely due to the spite Amelia's parents had towards her not being their 'perfect prodigy' anymore, all because of La Pequeña Luz.

Two years later, and things had escalated to a point that Amelia had never thought she would ever find herself in, even if she had stayed under her parents' thumb.

Any traces The Empire had in the wrestling business may as well be gone now, the legacies of any wrestler among it ranks certainly tarnished by this point. They had gone from being a wrestling stable using religion as justification to 'restore' wrestling to what it 'should be' to a full-blown religious cult that treated their leader like the second coming of Jesus Christ and completely bought into his belief that the entire human race needed 'cleansed' so that only those who were 'truly worthy' would be left with the paradise they swore to make of the Earth.

Amelia was certain that God himself was disgusted with the way they were using His name to justify the horrible things they were doing, but these people were either so far gone already or so thoroughly brainwashed by Caleb White that they never stopped to consider that possibility. No, Caleb's word was the word of God to them, and his word was absolute: the road to paradise ran straight through a sapphic couple who wanted nothing to do with them and never asked to be made into the 'ultimate evil' by some deranged lunatic seeking to use them for his own salvation.

“Why couldn't they just leave us alone?” she lamented out loud. “Let us just live our lives and wrestle to our hearts' contents without fearing for our lives? What did we do to deserve being labeled the 'necessary evil' they have to purge trying to carry out this insane desire that will never come to fruition anyway?”

“Exist, apparently,” Ivy offered from where she was packing up her gear, not even bothering to hide her disgust.

Amelia turned to look at her oldest friend, blushing a bit from the fierce protectiveness that she picked up on as she couldn't help but wonder now: if all this chaos with The Empire had evolved into its current form longer than two years ago, would Ivy have been just as willing to stand up and fight for her old friend? Or would she have still been skeptical enough of how much Amelia had changed for the better since she had been blackmailed by her own parents into cutting ties with her that she would have left Amelia to the proverbial wolves.

She really didn't want to think about how much worse that timeline would've turned out, and Luz seemed to pick up on the potential distress her thoughts were causing as she nuzzled closer to her to help clear her head.

Taking Hold of the Flame was in the books for the couple, and they weren't beating themselves up over having not won the battle royal. Part of them wasn't expecting to, but they'd still given it their best shot and arguably had better runs overall compared to their last attempt at this match two years ago, having hung around for quite a while and scoring a number of eliminations to their names. In their minds, the highlight was easily when they had eliminated the now-former World Champion James Evans, scoring a measure of long overdue revenge for everything the Fall of Man had put them through for so long. Maybe none of that sounded like a big deal to anyone else, but they would take the small victories as a sign of their progress as their focus shifted towards whatever the road to Rise to Greatness had in store for them this year.

Of course, the bigger problem still lingered beyond SCW, and the couple truly hoped it stayed that way despite knowing full well their enemies had taken a vested interest in their SCW careers in hopes of weaponizing their failures and feuds to coerce them into considering the notion of letting themselves 'be saved' by Caleb. Or at least... part of The Empire seemed to, which was why the situation had somehow become even muddier than before. The Empire pulling some sort of morally questionable stunt they tried to justify with religious rhetoric that arguably didn't truly apply, that was par for the course at this point. Attempts to force a conversation that would allow Caleb to try and get his hooks into Amelia and Luz, up to and including threatening the lives of the people closest to them? Nothing new by now.

Actively trying to take lives, including Amelia and Luz themselves? That was a stage they didn't think The Empire would resort to until Caleb felt he literally had no other choice and deemed the couple 'beyond saving,' and by his own admission, things hadn't escalated that far quite yet.

“Alright, here's what we know so far,” Avery dictated from where they sat, watching as Evie arranged a little corkboard to organize everything that they had gathered up to this point. “Intel from Vladimir and Adrian, of all people, confirms there's serious cracks within The Empire's elites, to the point where an entire splinter cell seems to have formed from it that's even defying Caleb's orders in favor of just trying to get rid of all of us once and for all to 'clear the way' to their so-called paradise.”

“The letter Adrian dropped was written by Caleb himself, confirming this,” Darius noted as he pinned the letter in question to the board. “We analyzed the note as a precaution and can confirm that this is his handwriting.”

“We can also confirm based on past encounters that Vladimir and Adrian are against this splinter cell and still firmly licking Caleb's boots,” Evie added as she pinned some photos to one end or the other of the board. “Ophelia is for sure on the side of this splinter cell, and it's safe to assume Aleister would be as well.”

“She also told me, to my face, that any desire they might've had to 'save' me is out the window because they're considering trying to conceive a 'replacement' for me in the Blythe legacy,” Amelia spat, thinking back to that encounter in London and how badly she wanted nothing more than to see the woman that was her mother in biology only once again behind bars, this time for good.

“Definitely going to need to keep an eye on that situation since they've long since proven they are not worthy of calling themselves parents to anybody,” Darius muttered, trying to restrain his anger over that thought.

“About the only other thing we know for sure is the Blythes are not leading this splinter cell, which likely leaves any of the other elites still unaccounted for in regards to picking sides,” Avery noted as they added photos of the other elites to the board, including ones Amelia and Luz only vaguely remembered being part of the little hologram display Caleb 'gifted' them on the night of their wedding to announce his jailbreak.

“And that Caleb is desperate enough that he's hoping we can work together as an 'enemy of my enemy' situation,” Luz pointed out.

That reminder caused the air to grow heavy in the hotel conference room the NCA agents had commandeered to give themselves enough space to try and sort this out. It made sense to Amelia and Luz to head to St. Louis, site of the next Breakdown, shortly after Taking Hold of the Flame was in the books, mostly because Ivy also happened to have a show for the promotion she wrestled for in this same city, giving them a chance to enjoy watching Ivy get to put in work and prove just how much farther she's come as a wrestler before Amelia walked into Breakdown to renew an old rivalry with Glory Braddock.

While the agents continued to lay out everything they knew thus far, wanting to make sure they left no stone unturned that could lead to any nasty surprises they were caught unprepared for, Amelia looked away from the corkboard that was starting to remind her almost of those conspiracy boards some people poured way too much time and energy into. Her gaze ended up back on Ivy, who was making sure she had every piece of her gear accounted for, especially her contacts so she could see as she wrestled. It was still so surreal to Amelia that a little over two years ago, a chance encounter with her oldest friend opened the doors for her to try and fix what she still considered her greatest mistake, and she still couldn't believe that Ivy had not only ultimately forgiven her, but their friendship had been reforged as a result. It certainly wasn't exactly as it used to be, far from it... but Amelia couldn't say she hated how things were between them now, mostly because she actually had this powerful woman who was always stronger than Amelia's parents ever bothered seeing back in her life at all.

“Care to share what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Luz teased as her masked cheek nuzzled against Amelia's bare one.

“You say that like your own head isn't pretty,” Amelia teased back before briefly catching her wife's lips in a kiss.

“I swear, you two are so sweet you're going to give me cavities,” Ivy playfully interjected from where she sat by the door as she zipped up her bag.

“You love it,” Luz sang before sticking out her tongue before Ivy returned the gesture.

Amelia couldn't help but laugh, her heart fluttering at how well her wife and oldest friend got along. She felt a small pang of jealousy, but it was quickly banished as she remembered how cold Ivy was to even Luz at first, purely because she was teaming with Amelia, but Luz's trademark persistence and overall sunny disposition had been the key to ultimately convince Ivy to give Amelia a chance to share her side of the story and finally clear up some of the gaps that made no sense otherwise so many years later.

“I guess I'm just... reflecting on how lucky I am to call you my friend again, Ivy,” Amelia admitted, which caused Luz and Ivy's smiles to disappear a bit as they turned their attention back to her. “There was a part of me that never thought we'd be together again, that you would turn me away even after I told you why I did what I did all those years ago... and I'd already accepted that possibility, to the point where I think I was expecting it. I'd hate to think about how things would be playing out right now in a world where we weren't friends again... or even a world where I was still under my parents' thumb and probably serving The Empire in misery just because I was doing what was expected of me. But I see you now as the girl I should've seen you as back then, the girl I should've stood up to my parents for: the strong girl with the big heart who deserved so much better.”

Ivy just blinked at Amelia, taken aback a bit by how raw the admission was, even if she'd heard some variation of it several times by this point. She knew Amelia still struggled to believe she truly deserved having Ivy back in her life after everything, even though the only people to truly blame at the end of it all were her parents, but after everything those two had put their youngest daughter through... Ivy was certain that if they didn't end up back in jail when The Empire was dealt with once and for all, then she would happily serve jail time for murdering the two of them herself for everything they'd done to break her oldest friend and try to weaponize Amelia to ruin her own life.

“Hey,” Ivy called as she stood up and set her bag aside, walking over to where Amelia was sitting and putting a firm but comforting hand on her shoulder. “It's not your fault Amelia. It hurt, I won't lie, but you were doing what you thought was best to protect me, and your parents blackmailing you like that as a child, on your birthday? That's all I need to know that they are scum of the Earth and they never deserved a daughter like you. Make no mistake, Ames: I can't begin to tell you how glad I am to call you my friend again too, and how lucky I am to see you become exactly who you wanted to be, who you deserve to me, your parents and The Empire be damned. I don't care if they think they can end your life or act like they're 'saving' you or whatever... they're doing it over my dead body.”

“Really hope it doesn't have to come to that,” Luz admitted nervously, which only resulted in Amelia pulling her wife into a group hug with her and Ivy.

“Agreed,” Avery nodded. “Especially considering this situation is very delicate right now and we need to tread lightly considering there are some within The Empire who are no longer hesitating to kill.”

“Where this gets tricky is with Caleb's little plea,” Evie huffed. “Obviously, we don't want to help him for any reason, but we can't just ignore this splinter cell within their ranks when they're clearly the more immediate threat, at least as of this moment.”

“Perhaps the only thing we can confirm there is the fact that none of them are likely to directly attack Caleb himself, seeing as how he's their 'lord and savior,'” Darius added with clear disgust. “We also know almost certainly that Caleb cares very little for anyone serving him and would love to punish those acting of their own accord.”

“I have to ask... what happens if we can figure out who started the splinter cell?” Amelia asked.

“What do you mean?” Evie replied as everyone eyebrows raised at wherever she might be going with this.

“Well... I think we all know Caleb is a narcissistic egomaniac,” Amelia noted. “Yeah, he may be asking for our help, but only because it's getting in the way of his plans and he's hoping either the NCA can pick off enough of his rogue followers that it makes them reconsider going against his word, or we can deduce who's behind this for him so he can deal with that elite himself. But what if... what if we beat him to the punch?”

“Wait... are you suggesting we not only find out who started escalating things against Caleb's wishes and then take them out ourselves?” Luz asked, eyes lighting up at her wife's resulting grin.

“Not necessarily take out,” Amelia noted. “But if that person is arrested...”

“...then we have a bargaining chip Caleb can't ignore!” Ivy finished with a wide grin of her own.

“Of course...” Darius nodded, stroking his little goatee. “Caleb would want so badly to deal with this himself since it's 'housekeeping' to him, to make an example to the rest of his flock on why you don't defy his orders, that he would likely be willing to bargain almost anything for us to hand that elite over. It's brilliant!”

“Mi brillante y hermosa esposa!” Luz couldn't resist cheering as she planted a big kiss on Amelia's cheek.

“Luz!” Amelia couldn't help but laugh as Luz began attacking her with kisses, causing the two of them to fall to the floor in a giggling heap.

Ivy couldn't help but laugh herself, smiling at how happy her oldest friend was and admitting, for probably the umpteenth time, that Luz really was good for her.

“Well, I hate to bail now that we've got an idea of our next plan of attack,” she said as she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, “but I need to get going or else I'll be late for our show. That means wifey time is over until you're both alone in your own room, you two.”

Amelia and Luz both went crimson as they untangled themselves and helped one another back to their feet, neither one wanting to miss seeing Ivy in action once more.

“I'll escort you both, just in case,” Evie noted, leaving Avery and Darius to resume discussions on their plan of attack that she could be filled in on later as the four ladies left the conference room and made their way outside, nodding to some of their friends who were just chilling around the hotel lobby waiting for them. Everyone gathered together and made their way through the doors, taking in the warm weather of a peaceful night and happily chatting about what Ivy was going to do to her opponent once that bell rang.

It was a moment of peace that Amelia couldn't help but smile over, her own excitement to see just how much farther Ivy had come as a wrestler almost impossible to contain.

If only the peace could last... or maybe if Amelia hadn't let her guard down for even a split second to enjoy it, because Ivy caught it before she did.

“GET DOWN!”

The next thing Amelia knew, Ivy was tackling her to the ground and the others were scattering as a gunshot rang out, immediately stirring up panic in the streets of St. Louis as people who were just minding their own business frantically fled. Evie wasted no time in drawing her gun, catching sight of an armed man in a familiar red cloak trying to duck into a nearby alley across the street, only to drop when her shot caught him right in the kneecap. She immediately sprinted over to pin him down before he could retaliate, with Darius immediately bolting out of the hotel to back her up as Avery checked on everyone else to make sure they were alright.

“Holy shit...” Amelia breathed out, her heart racing at just how close that bullet came to meeting her skull, swearing she'd felt it whiz right by her head. “Thank you Iv-”

Amelia cut herself off as she caught sight of a familiar crimson substance, and while she was silently thankful it wasn't emanating from her... seeing it trickling from a small but noticeable wound across Ivy's shoulder just about stopped her heart all on its own.

“I told you...” Ivy chuckled through gritted teeth, clearly in pain. “Over my dead body...”

“IVY!” Amelia shrieked, immediately drawing Avery's attention. They were quick to rip part of their shirt sleeve off to form a tourniquet and slow down the bleeding as Henry joined them in helping Ivy up. She looked alright aside from that, save for obviously being rattled, but Henry refused to take any chances as he put whatever medical training he'd no doubt had drilled into his head by his uncle to actual good use while Avery made sure to inform the police that quickly arrived to the scene that an ambulance was needed, despite Ivy's claims that she was fine and the bullet only grazed her.

Amelia, however, wasn't sure if she was fine, even if she was physically unharmed, and not even clinging tightly to Luz could erase the horror pulsing through her veins at this latest attack from The Empire's murderous splinter cell.

[Wisteria Waltz]

Amelia couldn't stop herself from trembling in the chair she was seated in at the hospital. She wasn't sure if it was from rage or terror, but not even Luz had been able to stop her body from shaking and twitching as she sat there, barely tuned in to the world around her.

She knew that things hadn't been too bad, thankfully. The doctors had confirmed that the bullet only grazed Ivy's shoulder and hadn't actually ripped through it, so no significant damage was done aside from a noticeable wound that had to be closed up. Ivy was still in pain, but she wasn't seriously hurt, nor was it an injury that was going to keep her down for very long.

Still, Ivy had ended up missing her chance to wrestle tonight, though she was reassured that the whole show was being canceled and rescheduled as a precaution for the safety of the rest of he promotion's roster. As far as Amelia was aware, SCW was still planning on hosting Breakdown next week, especially with reassurance from local law enforcement that there were hellbent on making sure nothing like this happened again, to this group or anybody else. Avery, Darius and Evie were already assisting with the efforts to comb every last inch of the city for any more Empire members waiting to strike, and backup from the NCA was also on its way in from Britain to continue the hunt.

It didn't change the fact that Ivy had gotten hurt... and, in her mind, it was all Amelia's fault.

Sure, Ivy was sitting up in her bed looking completely fine aside from the wrap that she knew was around the woman's shoulder where the wound was, happily chatting away with Luz, Henry and Gage like nothing had happened, but it didn't stop Amelia from struggling to come to terms with the fact that her oldest friend had once again gotten hurt because of something to do with her.

Nor did it stop Ivy from noticing her friend's spiral.

“Hey, can you guys give Amelia and I some privacy for a few minutes?” she asked them.

Amelia's head snapped up at that, eyes wide and nervous as she watched her wife and their friends all nod in agreement and step out of the room. Luz is the only one who lingered, but only long enough to kiss her wife on the cheek and whisper in Spanish that everything was going to be alright. Amelia could only nod as she watched Luz close the door behind her, before her nervous gaze turned towards Ivy, who gave her a look that was both firm but clearly happy.

“I'm sor-” she started to say.

“Don't,” Ivy quickly cut her off. “You have nothing to apologize for, Ames. Are you alright?”

“Am I...?” Amelia nearly choked on her parroted words in disbelief. “Are YOU alright, Ivy? You literally took a bullet for me!”

“And I would do it again in a heartbeat,” Ivy immediately replied. “You know why? Because it was my choice to save you from probably not even making it to your next Breakdown, much less see the sun rise tomorrow. My choice... that's more than either of us had during your seventh birthday party.”

“But... your wrestling match...” Amelia still seemed like she was struggling to fully comprehend, which is when Ivy kicked off her covers and removed herself from the bed to take Amelia's hand and pull her up to her feet, her grin meeting Amelia's stunned gaze.

“I'll have plenty more chances to prove myself in the ring once the doctors fully clear me,” Ivy stated, “which probably won't take too long since, again, I was only grazed and the wound's not that serious. If that shot had hit as intended... you would've never had another chance for anything. No match coming up, no Rise to Greatness, no SCW, no life with Luz or friendship with me, nothing.”

It took Amelia's brain a moment for that to fully sink in, but once it did, she couldn't keep herself from chuckling over how absurd it all sounded, even if her brain felt she had been justified in feeling guilty. But Ivy was right... what she'd done had been 100% of her own volition, and a minor wound was a small price her friend had willingly paid to make sure she still had a life to live.

“You're right,” she finally admitted, to Ivy's widening grin. “It just hurts seeing you get hurt again because of something involving me, but you're right... and thank you, for allowing me to be able to see another day.”

“I get it,” Ivy admitted, “though I have a feeling you'd have been even more regretful in the afterlife. It's one of those things that hurts either way... but, if it helps, I'm sorry for scaring you, even if I saved my best friend's life.”

“Is there... anything I can do for you?” Amelia asked, and Ivy could feel the sincerity echo from Amelia's voice right through her very being.

“Actually...” Ivy trailed off to pull Amelia into a strong one-armed hug, feeling Amelia's arms wrap around her in return. “You can stand strong and show Caleb and his whole Empire that not even this will keep Amelia freaking Nevado down or throw her off. I'll shake this off, I promise, so promise me that you'll rise above this and walk into Breakdown ready to kick some ass despite this incident.”

Amelia couldn't help but laugh and wipe a tear from her eye, not out of sadness or fear, but of joy at the Ivy she knew and loved as her best friend since childhood finding a different way to look at this situation, to the point where she only really had one response that was truly fitting:

“I promise, Ivy.”

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

The first thing that greets our eyes is the familiar landmark of the Gateway Arch, easily the most recognizable landmark in all of St. Louis. We linger on this site for a moment before we begin to pull away from it, making it clear that the Arch isn't quite our destination this time around. That said, its silhouette still dominates the skyline even as we get to appreciate more and more of the city and some of the many sites it has to offer for anyone visiting. From this angle, we even get a breathtaking view of the Mississippi River running behind the Arch, and in front of the Arch lies the Enterprise Arena, the site of the first Breakdown on the road to Rise to Greatness. As beautiful as all of this is, however, the view feels maybe slightly tainted by the overcast sky, the clouds not grey enough to threaten rain but prominent enough to hide the sunlight. Perhaps this is a fitting atmosphere as we realize we're on a hotel balcony, and sitting at a table and looking out over the city is Amelia Nevado. Her face wears a neutral expression as she takes in the city spanning before her, almost as if something is on her mind. Whatever it is, she seems to shake it off before turning her gaze to us, taking a deep breath before she seems to relax a little bit.

“Well, I tried, guys. I wish I could sit here and say that I won the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal and will get to experience the main event of Rise to Greatness, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. Not for a lack of trying, though... truth be told, I wasn't expecting to actually pull it off this year, and I believe I said as such going in. But, as the old saying goes, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. That's why I still stepped up to the plate and gave it my best shot, even despite a few individuals having me as a target for one reason or another or certain others saying it would've been better had I just backed out. Last year, I was perfectly fine with not taking a stab at it, as Luz and I were upfront about wanting to keep our primary focus on carrying the torch for the tag team division and lighting the way for any team to step up and give us their absolute best. But this year? This year, I had no excuse not to at least see how far I could go, and I'd like to believe I had a solid performance.

Maybe that sounds ridiculous to many of you out there, but I'm willing to take the small victories as proof of my progress and build on them moving forward. So I may not have a World Title match at the biggest show of SCW's calendar year... that doesn't mean I can't make enough of an impression to prove myself worthy of another opportunity. That's the beauty of this road towards Rise to Greatness not being so clear-cut: I have plenty of time to assess my options and work towards proving I deserve whatever awaits me on that night, no matter what it may be. Perhaps I'll earn an opportunity at another championship to finally prove to people that I am just as good as my wife is, since I know many of you still seem to doubt that because you only judge us on accolades alone. Or, maybe one of the several people who seem to enjoy keeping my name on their lips want to settle this on a stage where the lights are brightest, seeking that ultimate validation. Whatever it is, I'm looking forward to proving that I'm ready for it.

That said, I'm more than aware of another crowd out there, being quite vocal about believing that whatever I wish to work towards for Rise to Greatness this year doesn't matter, that I can simply say the word and manifest whatever destiny I desire without having to earn or prove anything. And I know exactly why they not only believe that, but also desperately want me to hear their voices and give in to that temptation.”

Amelia taps her finger on the table, and it's at this point that many of us likely notice the familiar manila envelope that's been resting there this entire time. It's not hard to guess what's inside that envelope, but even as Amelia turns her gaze down towards it as the wind picks up enough to catch her hair in the breeze, the uncertainty in her eyes is clear.

“It's no secret at this point that I'm the last member of my team still holding onto my Trios contract, and I'm aware the clock is ticking for me to use it. Maybe you'd all like to see me cash it in and simply include myself into the Rise to Greatness main event anyway, just give myself the biggest World Title opportunity I could ever have on top of a chance to not only pick things up once more with the Fall of Man, but also perhaps prove something to Xander as well. Or maybe I could just use it on any of the other titles whose Rise to Greatness dance cards are still waiting to be filled. Why work towards earning my place on the biggest show of the year when I could just turn this over and make it a reality?

If it were anybody else, or if this were the Amelia Blythe still corrupted by her parents who simply believed the wrestling business owed me for gracing it with her presence... maybe that would be the case. But not me... not the woman I am today, the woman I truly want to be.

Perhaps if we were talking about another show, I would assess my options a little more, but I'm not going to sit here and simply interject myself into a position on the biggest show of the year when I know I don't deserve it. I've remained quiet about even still holding onto this contract because... being completely transparent? I've been trying to prove that I deserve to hold it, that I truly deserve whatever opportunity I will ultimately use it on. Winning this contract the way I did last year still hasn't sat right with me, and while I know I will have to use it very soon... it won't be at Rise to Greatness. Not when I know I can use this as an opportunity to not only prove to the roster, to all of you, and especially to myself, that whatever awaits me at Rise to Greatness is something I well and truly earned. And maybe, along the way and at Rise to Greatness itself, I'll also prove that I'm ready for whatever I choose to do with this golden opportunity.”

Amelia takes a deep breath as she slides the envelope containing the contract away from herself, and the familiar hand of La Pequeña Luz can be seen reaching into the shot to retrieve it. We hear Luz's voice say something in Spanish and Amelia responds in kind, nodding her head before Luz can be heard shuffling back around us and into their hotel room. Amelia seems to take a moment to herself, her mind thinking over the words that Ivy shared with her not that long ago, and that gets her nodding to herself as she takes another deep breath, and it's at this point that the familiar fire is back in her eyes.

“Speaking of golden opportunities... it's almost poetic, in a weird sort of way, that this year's road to Rise to Greatness will start in the very same city where last year's Rise to Greatness emanated from, and my road is going to begin with one of the people it ended with last year on the grandest stage of them all. Long time no see, Glory, and I'm willing to bet you're already prepared to try and erase the memory of last year when Luz and I finally proved that, no matter how many setbacks we had to endure to get to that point, we were able to push ourselves and improve enough to earn that win over you and Brittany, fair and square. It's as we've always preached: anybody can beat anybody else on any given night if you work hard enough, and I've only gotten better since our last encounter. Of course, you have as well, and I'd be a fool to ignore the run you had as Adrenaline Champion for a while after that match, which is living proof all on its own of how quickly you picked yourself back up and found a way to bounce back.

Of course, there's an elephant in the room that I'm sure you and many others are waiting for me to address, that being the fact that you were supposed to be the number one entrant in the battle royal and instead opted to pull out and find a different path. Am I disappointed in you making that decision? Maybe a little bit, going back to what I said earlier because for all anybody, yourself included, knows, you could have pulled it off and gone all the way. But at the end of the day, it was your decision to make, and considering neither Luz nor myself took part last year, I would be a hypocrite to take any sort of issue with a decision you made.

The attitude over feeling like you deserve a World Title opportunity at some point in time based purely on your status is a bit of a different story, however, which explains why you're holding yourself to such a high standard that you're going to risk crashing and burning if you aren't careful.

Think back to the start of this very same road last year, back when a World Tag Title clash between The Light In The Darkness and Twisted & Sadistic was all but set in stone for the biggest show of the year... until Luz and I got caught because we were worrying about what was still too far ahead of us that we couldn't see what was right in front of us until it was too late. Do you remember what our initial response to that loss was, Glory? We were willing to accept having lost out on that Rise to Greatness moment in favor of getting CHBK to agree to lock us out of any title contention, period, until we ran a gauntlet of our own design and proved we could beat everybody on the SCW roster at least once. That was how much we cared about proving ourselves here in this company, what being not only World Tag Team Champions but a part of SCW altogether meant to us that we were willing to risk throwing it all away just to bury ourselves under immense pressure that, in hindsight, would have probably broken the both of us.

Maybe it's not the exact same scenario, Glory, but when I look at where you're at right now and how much you're making it clear that you need to beat me, like this outcome has already been decided and you just need to put the final nail in the proverbial coffin, it doesn't feel too far off. You're not wrong when you say that I'm excited about this one, that I would love nothing more than to make a statement by renewing this little friendly rivalry of ours and getting back that win from two years ago where you cut my Television Title reign short in my very first defense... but just like with Ryan right before Taking Hold of the Flame, the more you push yourself into believing you cannot, under any circumstances, lose this match or else Rise to Greatness may not even be in the cards for you, the more likely I am to seize an opening and be the one to catch you this time, not simply because I will have proven that, at least on this night, I'm finally good enough to beat Glory Braddock one-on-one, but because you're making the same mistake I did last year that I am all too familiar with.

Barring some sort of unforeseen injury or you choosing not to make it happen, I will gladly tell you, to your face Glory, that you will make it to Rise to Greatness, no matter where this road takes you. It may not lead to exactly what you're hoping for, but every match is a chance to prove yourself and every setback is an opportunity to learn, grow, and adjust to make an even greater statement next time. That's why I am the woman I am today, and that's why I'm going to happily meet you in the ring over there, at the Enterprise Arena, come Breakdown and tear the house down with you. The real question, Glory, is how prepared are you for someone who's just as hungry as you are and isn't just going to sit here and let you have this win all because 'I can afford the loss' when I humbly disagree. And should things turn out that I am the better wrestler, at least on this night... how do you respond in the face of this setback to make whatever you want to happen at Rise to Greatness a reality regardless?

I wish you the best of luck come Breakdown Glory, and I hope you have the answer to that question in mind, just in case, because I don't plan on leaving St. Louis without a one-on-one win over you to my name if I can help it.”

Amelia slowly rises out of her chair, letting the wind continue to catch her hair in its breeze as she stands against the St. Louis skyline and the silhouette of the Gateway Arch, a smile on her lips. It's not a smile of overconfidence, but one she hopes will challenge Glory to put forth her absolute best no matter who wins come Breakdown. As we slowly fade out, we know one thing for absolute certain: whatever Rise to Greatness has in store for Amelia Nevado, she plans on earning it with nothing more than her bare hands and the wrestling skills that brought her this far in the first place.