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James Evans FF Rp#2

The Book of James: The Virus, Part Five

The G.A.V.I.N. System... CLICK HERE FOR MORE!

OOC: Seeing my dumbass forgot I had a friend over, I decided to write the blog and post the RP now so I can focus all on my other RP I have to do with Konrad also elsewhere when my friend is gone.






Barberville, Florida. Saturday 2nd December. (Offline)

Since eight in the morning, while I was in Pensacola, Florida, I've been up because every driver competing at the Snowball Derby was told to meet the organiser of the Snowball Derby at nine in the morning. Nine in the morning, right on the dot, the Snowball Derby organiser said the races for today have been cancelled due to the weather. The Snowball Derby takes place tomorrow, and the Snowflake Derby is on Monday.

The others were disappointed, but it was great news because I could go to Barberville, Florida, to race there instead, as predicted yesterday. I got my truck driver to bring my UMP Modified car, giving me extra time to work on the car before the Gateway Dirt National Invitational UMP Modifieds race that dirt and even some NASCAR racing fans selected me to do. It was a huge honour that I will commit to.

But I also brought my teammate for the Snowball Derby, Derek Kraus and my good friend, who got me tickets to watch him race in the Snowball Derby last year, to Barberville with me. We left Pensacola straight after the meeting about everything being cancelled today and went to the nearest airport to fly to Orlando and get a taxi to Volusia's dirt track.

Derek Kraus was a guy who's into professional wrestling as well as American Football; he ended up bringing Erik Jones along for the ride as they were close friends, but I forgot he was my teammate briefly for the time I was driving Jimmie Johnson's car back in Phoenix for the Cup Series race via invitation to prepare the car for next year on top of me learning to drive a Chevrolet car too.

We walked around the dirt track, and William was shocked as he had never been to Barberville dirt track before. He saw all the names, and there were many drivers I didn't know this time around, although I signed up at the last minute. I had to do a last-chance qualifier race to race in the feature race today. The first thing Derek talked about with me was professional wrestling, being a fan and doing some races with Kaulig Racing as we walked around the dirt track garages.

Derek Kraus: "How's the good old wrestling going?"

William Byron: "Yeah, I've never heard you talk about wrestling since we've been together."

Konrad Raab: "Well, I got to be honest, I'm not entirely happy about this lottery wrestling bullshit they got next week. Thank god for Daytona Beach IMSA testing with Jenson Button, Jordan Taylor and Colton Herta on Tuesday and Wednesday."

Derek Kraus: "What, for real, you're doing the IMSA Rolex Twenty-Four-hour race in January next year?"

Konrad Raab: "Yes, only just honestly. The team I was going to race with pulled out at the last minute, so there was a rapid change for me to be a part of the WTR (Wayne Taylor Racing) Andretti team. Got very experienced teammates that will help me improve my road course racing which I completely suck at."

The one thing I was disappointed with on my NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship winning run was that I didn't have a single Road Course win to my name. But Erik Jones, my teammate he was for one race, had something to say.

Erik Jones: "I've been watching some of your Xfinity Series races this year; I have to with Derek Kraus racing in that, and you've not done too badly on road courses. Winning the Xfinity Series Championship is a big deal. I came forth in the Xfinity Series Championship back in two thousand and sixteen. It's not an easy championship to win."

Derek Kraus: "Even I was shocked I could get a stage win at the Homestead-Miami race despite the decision being a complete accident."

Konrad Raab: "Ah, I never knew you've been part of the Xfinity Series, Erik. Interesting."

William Byron: "Bet you didn't know I won the Xfinity Series Championship as a rookie a year after Erik Jones competed in the championship. They are right; it is massive for you and takes many balls to defend the championship."

Konrad Raab: "Because I know I got to win a Road Course race in NASCAR Xfinity Series before I can move up. Kaulig Racing always said the Cup Series full-time spot would be available when I'm ready. They are such a great team."

I felt so much more welcome in Kaulig Racing and meeting Josh Williams for the first time as he was part of the Xfinity Series team with the number eleven car and me being in the number ten. I could be in the number fourteen car if Kaulig Racing find a driver to race the number ten car. I showed them my UMP Modifieds car as we walked across the field for William, Erik and Derek to look around.

Konrad Raab: "Here's my UMP Modifieds car. I got everything changed to a Chevrolet engine and everything. This baby has made me win a few races, including a few weeks ago. Beautiful machine, don't you think?"

William Byron: "I've seen Kyle Larson drive one of these lately. He experiments with everything, even doing an Indycar race next year."

Konrad Raab: “Oh, I know. He's such a suitable icon for the sport."

Erik Jones: "From getting to know you more from the Phoenix Cup Series drive, you are as well. With wrestling and racing, you do a lot to grow both sports domestically and internationally."

Derek Kraus: "You seen what he's done to Kandis lately?"

Derek had to bring Kandis up, but I knew what he was getting at. I knew my feelings for what she did to one of my teammates on the show last week.

William Byron: "I find it funny, though. Like she's so pissed about you attacking her during her match, yet she went to attack your teammate because of your actions."

Konrad Raab: "I wasn't mad at all. I laughed so hard after it happened that it only made her a bigger coward. She could've easily come to attack me during the match against Polly, and I wouldn't even care. I'm still laughing about it now."

Erik Jones: "That was weird how she got all bitchy about you attacking her during her match, and yet, she couldn't come to attack you directly. Had to attack that Dakon guy. He's your tag partner, right?"

Derek Kraus: "Yes, and that Ludvig dude as well. I have to ask, though, what is the purpose of that team?"

I don't blame Derek for asking, considering I hadn't been around Dakon and Ludvig much and I didn't need to because I wanted them to find rivalries of their own as a team and I join in if I had to, which was the whole purpose of the Polly match to begin with. I'm okay with who they choose as a target. But Derek, William and Erik had to know the situation with them and the wrestler I got planned coming up.

Konrad Raab: "European Fiery Nation are a team where we're trying to build a stable strictly only of European countries for wrestlers to be encouraged to become professional wrestlers. There might be a lot of European drivers and riders, but when it comes to wrestling, unless you are from the United Kingdom or Ireland, there are no European wrestlers from outside of those two countries."

William Byron: "Yeah, I've noticed that most wrestlers are from English-speaking countries."

Konrad Raab: "I'm so fed up with the lack of European Wrestlers in Professional Wrestling that I've opened up a wrestling school in Germany exclusively for European Wrestlers outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland. To get other European wrestlers a chance to become professional wrestlers. But that's what they are helping me with, and I'm already bringing in Turkish European talent pretty soon, and I've got a French wrestler lady on the wings I'm in discussions with."

Derek Kraus: "Turkish, did you get him when you went to Turkey during the help you provided them from the Earthquakes?"

Konrad Raab: "Exactly, more he came to me to ask me to help him. Not many wrestlers would do that."

We talked for as many hours as possible since I had nothing to lose regarding this race as I was more or less volunteering to do it at the last minute because it beats being in the motorhome over in Pensacola doing nothing but watching the rainfall. Why stay there when I could easily focus on setting up my UMP Modifieds car for the Gateway Dirt Nationals Invitational Race in three weeks?

Erik Jones: "Bro, that's so kind of you to offer some Turkish kid a job to be a professional wrestler. That has me wondering, is that your plan to get out of wrestling and race against some of us in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time?"

Konrad Raab: "That's exactly right. He needs a lot of money so I will train him during Christmas. Some of my children from my second marriage, Jasmine and I, are going to Germany to celebrate Christmas. Dirt Racing Nationals are perfect timing, considering Jasmine must go to Japan next week to qualify for the Olympics."

Speaking of Jasmine, there she comes as she holds my hand, and we kiss in front of my friends; she obviously overheard my conversation with the guys about her.

Jasmine Williams: "I'm a professional skateboarder, so I have my own thing going on as well. Our relationship is pretty slow because of how busy we are. Konrad would love to see me do my skateboarding stuff, but he has racing to do. However, he promised to watch me skateboard in the Olympics."

Konrad Raab: "I have every faith you'll successfully qualify for the Olympics as you're so good at what you do. She's really famous."

William Byron: "Compared to the other bitch."

Konrad Raab: “Much bigger. I've seen what Jasmine can do in the streets and skateparks, and she's excellent."

Derek Kraus: "I thought I've briefly seen X-Games this year. Really nailed your run, huh?"

Jasmine Williams: "Oh yes, and I got a gold medal. Now, I'm also seeking to be a vert skateboarder. The street is about a few ramps, but you hop over them and have grind rails to slide the skateboard on. Vert is just all about ramps."

Suddenly, one of the local UMP Modifieds drivers came to me, and he rushed straight towards me; luckily, I was in my dirt racing leathers anyway, just a little far from my UMP Modifieds
car.

UMP Modifieds driver: "Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but you need to get your ass in your UMP Modifieds and do some hot laps as your group is up next."

Konrad Raab: "Shit, thanks for telling me. Gotta go, boys. This won't take long, and I'll tell you more about my plans to destroy Kandis."

I ran straight to my car and quickly put my lid over my head and strap in before I got into my car and put my belts on before putting the window net on my UMP Modifieds car and went to line up with the rest and did a rapid couple of laps. Then I got out and saw how much Jasmine was getting along with my friends while watching me. I caught up to them.

William Byron: "Man, those cars are noisy as hell."

Konrad Raab: "Yes. As I was saying, I got plans to burn the prostitute for good this time and to tackle whoever they throw me in with, although Dakon and Ludvig said they'll let me win without a fight if we do end up facing each other. Right now, I'm not interested in championships until after I've dealt with Kandis. She needs a beating more than anyone, although I got my eye on The Enigma, a new wrestler in SCW, catching my attention of opponents I want to face in the ring."

Jasmine Williams: "Konrad, what about you spend time with me and let the lads get to know other dirt drivers?"

Konrad Raab: "That sounds like a great idea. Excuse me; my lady friend and I will spend private time together. You guys get sorted until I compete in the upcoming heat races."

They understood and walked away as Jasmine asked for it, showing how much she liked being with me. We hadn't yet attempted to say the famous three words, but I was getting closer to it. We walked back to my garage, and I turned the button to close the doors and lock them.

I also turned the lights off, and we had private time together until I was called for the second heat race. Then, I qualified for the feature race and finished 3rd in the UMP Modifieds race. After the race, we headed back to Pensacola, Florida, for tomorrow's Snowball Derby Super Late Models tarmac race.

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

Fatal Lottery Bullshit blog (Online)

“Honestly, I feel for my team to be put in this bullshit situation of potentially doing solos matches. You see, you may have heard their videos, but they want nothing to do with facing all of you in solos matches. They were signed to compete as a team, not to be solos wrestlers. Facing them and Alistaire Allocco would be a disaster because I don't ever want to face them, but that's what I hate and I don't know why CHBK wants this bullshit Fatal Lottery shit to happen.

Other than those three opponents, I'm all game of facing anyone else in this because you know me, I will tear and burn the living shit out of anyone. Even Kim is in the middle because while I do not face people who I don't consider an enemy like my team and Alistaire, it would be one boring match, but I can't deny that I enjoy a bit of Underground matches because I love that shit and I can't deny it.

But we also have to address the other elephant in the room, hey prostitute Kandis? You made me laugh, literally. I'm not mad about you attacking Dakon at all, nice try you stupid prostitute, but it failed. What the attack on Dakon has made you be is a coward. I knew you couldn't fucking have my head because in reality, you say you don't fear me.

You do and if you weren't afraid of me, you would've come to the ring while I was wrestling Polly and take my head off instead of attacking someone who hadn't touched or done anything to you because I told him and Ludvig right from the start I handle my own problems. At least all the attacks I've done to you have been by my own fucking hand, Dakon and Ludvig had nothing to do with anything I've done. I've planned every single shit myself.

You better fucking hope I don't have you in the ring because you're waiting to enter into your own personal hell of your prostitute days and showing how fucking ugly you are over. Whoever I face in this bullshit lottery wrestling draw, nothing changes, I still will get Kandis's fucking head, making her bleed and burn her body she loves so much to pieces. Also the thought of the idea of you and I teaming together makes me fucking sick. I will attack your ass before the tag match even gets going. Not gonna be stabbed in the back from your plastic ass again.

Everything else is all go and there is one talent that I got my eye on I've not spoken about and he's captured my fucking interest. The Enigma. I would love to face that guy because to be honest, he's the kind of wrestler who really is making a name for himself and he really stands out. He's threatening and dangerous, just the kind of guy I want to face. Since the day you walked in here, this is rare I give you credit for this, but I do. I wonder what you can do when you'll get thrown in Underground matches when you go up against the King and Queen of Chaos Wrestling aka me and Kim?

Continue doing your work because the more you wrestle and more I hear you talk Enigma, more I'm interested in facing you. I will still despite the respect I show beat the living shit out of you, make you all blooded and possibly burned, but maybe I won't go that far with you since you've done nothing to piss me off, but gathering my attention, you have.

Also I don't give a flying fuck about the loss against Polly. She got angry and mad and that's what I expected out of her. I got blooded and so did she. Big deal, losses like wins mean jackshit. All I care about is fucking people up, Kandis specifically. I will show this entire place what the king of chaos is all about because no other guy has been proving me wrong with how much I can out violence them or even Kim for that matter.

Bring on deathmatches and bring on fucking inferno matches. Heck, bring on me, Ludvig and Dakon capturing the tag titles because as much as I don't care for winning titles, as I said, the team do and it's because they know if they become tag champions, they can promote European Wrestling and wrestlers in a way I fucking dreamt about for years and not just have European Wrestlers based in the United Kingdom and Ireland, yet nobody even realises this, not even the useless fucking commentators. They are violent because it's what drew them into wrestling you fucking idiots. Not sticking to the rules pinfall and submissions bullshit. There is no other sport in the world you can use weapons to beat down your opponent. No other sport in the world where they don't stop matches or fights when someone bleeds.

My guys are doing their job and they are seeking out rivalries of their own with my contribution added to it. They don't need to win matches part from capturing the tag titles to accomplish their goal. They've already achieved one of their goals of being wrestlers from other parts of Europe. But I will brutalise, beat and bloody the living hell out of any and everyone not named Dakon, Ludvig and Alistaire and succeed in it, whether I'll win or lose.

Also Kandis, next time you want to come for me and you know I'm having a match, attack me in the fucking ring, don't use Dakon and Ludvig as sending me a message because it won't work and I'll laugh if you do, considering you're such a tough girl, but you're not, you've become weaker and weaker because of me. I'm the devil and the devil is one you fear and you're too pussy faced to admit that what I've been doing scares the hell out of you, knowing your body is at risk of being burned and nobody will ever see the day of light of you exposing your stupid bikini, nudes and your prostitute behaviour again you fucking hooker.

While all of you I treat the same and I'm not going to back down from any of you pathetic pieces of work. I'm going to destroy you all and the only thing you'll be happy with is a win and I always make my opponents look like they've lost matches because that's how I am and I don't give a shit about being champion because you don't need titles to be the top wrestler, just an extra prop to show off. I don't need that shit, I know I'm the top wrestler and don't need some piece of tin belt to say otherwise. If you need titles to show your the top wrestler, you shouldn't be wrestlers. Simple as that.”

{NEHMIAH: Chapter 7}

... And it happened.  My parents and I, face to face, for the first time since I brought their entire world crashing down on them.  My father, the man who helped bring me into this world, being completely disingenuous to me, and I could see through it.  These were the people who were supposed to love me unconditionally, and one of them was there trying to simply get me back on their side, for their own personal gain.

My question is, why now?

Why, when I had been called out by Emma and Hailey, where they could see through my safeguards, see my vulnerabilities, and know that I have qualms about the fact I don't have the perfect relationship with my family, like others do?  That is the question that I ponder and I wonder if time and if everything truly falls into the trope of "everything happens for a reason?"

Does it?

Did I encounter them for a reason?

I don't know... And not knowing is something that doesn't sit well because that has only been my position when I was told to go to my room, not come out, and my parents would engage in activities I still hate to think about.  I feel like not knowing is putting me back in my room, and putting me back in a position where there is something happening in my blind spot and it's my job to just act like nothing is wrong.  And all I ask is one simple question...

Why?

Why would the people who brought me into this world put me in a position where they realized the damage they did in making me "look the other way," and then just immediately think they could impose their will again?  Why would they want that for their daughter?  Why would they want to hurt me for their own satisfaction?

This is the turmoil that boils inside me.  This is what I live with.  This is how I feel day-in and day-out.  Hailey and Emma were able to push through my barriers and now the floodgates of emotion are spilling into my blood and making me ill just feeling everything that I feel.  I am "The One," and my job isn't to "feel" anything, but here I am, worried about people who don't give a damn about me.  They look upon me as a pawn in a game and it's pushing me to the brink of wanting to do the one thing, the one thing...

THE... ONE... THING...

... That I never thought I would ever do, once I took the role of "The One," and that's... Run...

Syren CD for Fatal Fortunes.

Enjoy.



The Syren Song: Verse 376
"Love finding a way is… just damn awesome"

OOC: Please bear with me as I try to catch up some time. Part 2 will skip ahead a bit.

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Fatal Fortunes 2023 #1

OOC: Couple things before we get started here. First off, just so Olek knows, I decided to go full steam ahead with doing only joint efforts for Luz and Amelia. I am aware that this will likely mean they tie in the event they actually end up facing each other, but at this point it's the most feasible option I can do both in terms of their story and with the time I have available and in the state I've been operating in given that the first half of this week was spent battling an abscessed tooth and the second half of this week has been recovering after getting said tooth extracted.

As far as this particular RP is concerned, there is one important note I need to make for anyone reading: any speech you see in italics can be considered to have been spoken in Spanish. This was the compromise I decided to make to include the couple meeting with some characters who only speak Spanish without having to actually try and translate what I wrote into Spanish... both because my Spanish, while passible in terms of words and short phrases, is not good enough to truly write out a full-on conversation without butchering it, and also because that way you all can actually read it without potentially needing Google Translate to understand what's going on.
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Fortune favors the bold, or so the saying goes.

Luz and Amelia are no strangers to this saying, given that a lot of how they got to where they are today relied on taking risks. Ignoring how her entire wrestling style revolves around being high risk and high reward, Luz knows she took a major gamble on that fateful night so long ago attempting to befriend Amelia after dealing the Blythe family prodigy her first proper wrestling loss, especially breaking one of lucha libre's most sacred rules in exposing her face. She could have been outright barred from competing and shunned from her own culture on that very night, but Amelia both understood the magnitude of the gesture and was willing to take her own risk by opening up to the other woman about what her life was like and why she was the bitter person Luz had come to know up to that point. They were brave enough to stand together in defiance against Amelia's family, they risked their friendship on admitting their deeper feelings to one another... honestly, even leaving behind the familiar routine of competing solely in Mexico and Europe had been a bold decision that, at least after their first run in SCW, felt like it had been a mistake.

Considering what they had accomplished in the one year since they'd come back to try again, though, it definitely seems like things had finally paid off for them.

Unfortunately, there were individuals out there who weren't afraid to weaponize that saying, not afraid to take the kind of calculated risks that would benefit only them and leave others to suffer if that's what it took. A legitimate accident was one thing, but knowingly causing severe harm and worse so long as you got everything you wanted was not the kind of boldness that the couple subscribed to. At least in the wrestling ring they mostly had control over what did and didn't happen and knew full well that sometimes injuries were unavoidable, and they had experience to back that up. Playing with people's lives, twisting the narrative and being willing to leave a trail of innocent bodies in your wake as long as it ultimately paid off... that was the philosophy of Caleb White, the creed by which his Empire operated, and the thought of ever having to represent that made Luz and Amelia both want to puke.

And yet, Caleb seemed determined to have them in his clutches by any means necessary, which had made their lives a living hell over the past week.

The attempt to abduct them in broad daylight that day in the restaurant in Milwaukee had only been the beginning. The entire time they and their friends had tried to do anything, more goons decked out in white and gold kept popping up to try and take them away. At least six or seven of them had been arrested by the time the couple actually reported to Fiserv Forum for Breakdown, and it honestly felt like a miracle that Luz had managed to turn back the challenge of Simon Lyman to retain her Television Championship, not just because the formerly-respectable legend was hellbent on making something out of his night after CHBK locked him out of World Title contention, but because Luz was struggling to keep her focus on the match after everything that had happened as of late. Another attempt had been made by the time they returned to their hotel, resulting in three more arrests that night, and that wasn't counting the police being called the following morning to deal with several more men and women doing Caleb's bidding that had tripped the traps Gage, Edward and Emily had set up specifically because of this.

They knew Caleb didn't care how many people he asked to develop criminal records in his name and would never bother posting bail for any of them. To him, most of The Empire were expendable soldiers ready and willing to do his bidding at a moment's notice, the only thing they believed they truly needed to fear was his wrath if they failed or refused. So long as one of these incidents resulted in both La Pequeña Luz and Amelia Blythe being dragged into his cult, it would all be worth it in his eyes. He'd manipulated and abused at least two people who ended up in his care, taken lives just to feel better about his own ego and tie up any loose ends and truly believed he was beyond consequence simply because he claimed everything he did was because it's what God put him on this Earth to do.

Amelia and Luz knew that unless something changed, sooner or later Caleb's bold orders would yield results. The problem was... there wasn't much they could really do about it.

Compounding the problem was the reveal that SCW's next two Breakdowns would be dedicated to the concept of Fatal Fortunes, where every match was completely randomized. The only certainty that they could count on, based on past incarnations of this event, was that they would be guaranteed to defend all the gold they currently possessed at least once. Luz was certain she'd have to defend the TV Title on both shows, and the possibility that she'd have to pull double duty both times as well wasn't off the table, or the possibility that Amelia could also be booked beyond defending the Tag Titles alongside her beloved... potentially against Luz herself. That idea didn't faze them as much as it might anyone else for reasons they've already publicly shared time and time again, but the unknown—while normally a challenge they were more than happy to embrace—became harder to pump themselves up for with Empire goons constantly trying to sabotage their lives, especially with their hard-earned championships at stake.

Sure, they knew they still had long careers ahead of them and could always win more titles or reclaim whatever they lose, but they wanted to make as good of an impression as possible in this run, especially with the Tag Titles.

The first of these shows would be happening in Calgary, which was about a day's drive if a road trip was the plan, but Luz and Amelia had other ideas on their mind. Seeking an escape from The Empire to actually focus for a change, the couple decided to head down to Mexico for a little bit. The country was the only safe haven they could think of considering The Empire's actions disgracing Día de los Muertos and condemning a core part of Mexican culture had effectively branded them as terrorists to the country, and remaining Empire wrestlers who were trying to make statements in lucha libre promotions were fired and blacklisted because of their ties to a man who was already among the nation's top enemies right now for some of the crimes he'd committed. There, they knew they would be safe.

There was another reason for the visit, however, and that was what Luz was focused on as she and Amelia drove their rental car through the streets of Xalapa, Veracruz after their flight had landed. After her mom had found the number and confirmed it still belonged to the person she needed to talk to, Luz had reached out to María Zaius, the wife of the late El Hijo de la Muerte, and asked if she could visit and talk with her. She was, admittedly, a bit surprised that María had agreed, but deep down they both knew they had lost loved ones because of a madman and felt that this conversation was a long time coming.

“Alright, thank you so much Marilyn, it would be greatly appreciated,” Amelia spoke from the passenger seat as she finish up a phone call she'd been having while Luz was driving. She ended the call before turning to Luz with a look of relief. “So, good news: turns out an old friend of Marilyn's works for the FBI and is actually part of the team that hired Ryan to crack the cold case regarding her aunt and uncle. She's going to reach out to them and see if there's anything that can be done to get us all a little extra security, since The Empire is who they're after anyway.”

“That would be a relief,” Luz admitted. “I feel bad about leaving everyone else behind for this trip, but we know they can hold their own if need be, and I hate the idea of cutting into our friends' schedules just because this lunatic's determined to derail our lives.”

“I hate having them involved as well, but I can't say that I'm not grateful that they are,” Amelia replied. “They've all gone a long way to help us in this fight even when none of us want to be part of it at all.”

“Caleb's dragged so many people into this 'crusade' of his because he's convinced himself he's the second coming of Jesus or something,” Luz huffed. “That's why I wanted to do this... now that I know the truth behind papá's death, I owe it to María to help us all find some closure in all of this.”

“Are you sure you'll be alright?” Amelia couldn't help but ask as the car pulled up in front of the address they'd been given.

“I will be,” Luz confirmed as she turned off the car before reaching over to take Amelia's hand. “Especially with you here by my side.”

Amelia nodded and the two exchanged a tender kiss before they got out and made their way up to the modest house. Once they got to the front door, Amelia rang the doorbell while Luz took a deep breath and steeled herself for this. After about a minute, the door opened and they were greeted by a woman just a little bit taller than them, her black hair done up into a bun and her face looking far older than it rightfully should have at her age, a sight that made Luz's heart plummet.

“La Pequeña Luz,” the woman carefully said as she reached out and gently ran her hands along Luz's mask, the addressed woman bowing her head. “It's so good to see you again.”

“Hello, María,” Luz replied, her voice sounding a bit choked up. “You know you can call me Luna...”

“Nonsense,” María told her with a slight grin. “You're a luchadora now, and my husband's spirit would not be pleased if I disrespected the sacred traditions. You've earned this.”

Luz opened her mouth to reply, but found herself getting a little choked up at the praise she didn't feel she deserved. Amelia gently put her hand on her fiancée's back.

“Is it alright if we come inside?” Amelia asked.

“Oh! My apologies, of course!” María stepped aside, blushing in embarrassment at not welcoming them in sooner as the couple entered her home and she closed the door. “And you must be Amelia Blythe, Luz's betrothed. It is a pleasure to meet you as well.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Zaius,” Amelia replied as she shook hands with her while Luz recomposed herself.

“You can just call me María, dear,” she responded as she led the couple into what looked like the living room of her house.

“My apologies... it's an old habit I was forced into,” Amelia sheepishly admitted.

“By your parents, correct?” María asked, getting a surprised not from Amelia in response as she motioned for the couple to have a seat on the couch. “I've heard enough from trying to watch you and Luz in SCW to get the gist and I am so sorry they treated you so horribly. Here, let me get you both some tea.”

“We're sorry too,” Luz chimed in as María briefly left the room, returning moments later with a tea set as she began pouring a cup for each of her guests. “We're sorry about what happened to your husband... I never held it against him when dad died because, you know, accidents happen in that ring, but finally knowing the truth behind it all...”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Luz,” María was kind but firm in her response as she sat down, taking a sip of her tea as Luz and Amelia did the same. “You didn't know... one thing your father was good at that I wish he wasn't was keeping secrets. I know he was trying to protect you and Camila by not telling you about that man, and I had hoped to God that when he disappeared afterward that he'd finally given up on his delusions... or died himself. I hate wishing that fate on another human being, but Caleb has long proven how much he takes humanity for granted. It still doesn't change the fact that your father should have told you about him, just in case... all of this, started happening.”

“Nobody's perfect,” Luz admitted after another sip of her tea. “He had his reasons, even if one could argue against them. It's proof of how much he cared for mom and me... just like how El Hijo de la Muerte cared for you and your sons and did everything he could to keep Caleb's henchmen from harassing your family.”

María nodded in agreement with this before Amelia spoke. “How are your sons doing? If you don't mind me asking.”

“They're doing as alright as they can be... we all are,” María replied. “They took it hard... even blamed El Espíritu Angélico at first for their father being dragged into this mess, but after a while I managed to help them realize that he was just as much a victim in all of this as their father was, and Luz were suffering just as much as they were for the same reasons. Caleb truly is the only person to blame in all of this... blaming anybody else like that man does for his own actions is a sign of how pathetic he truly is.”

“They don't... hate me? For not doing this sooner?” Luz found herself asking, earning a look of concern from her wife-to-be.

“They do not,” María confirmed, to Luz's amazement. “There was a bit of resentment at first when they saw you wrestling, but once they figured out the truth they couldn't hold it against you. Wrestling became your way of coping with your father's death, even if your mother disagreed. It was heartbreaking to see what remained of your family fall apart after your father passed. I wish I could've said something or done more to maybe try and stop it.”

“I don't mean any offense when I ask this,” Amelia spoke, “but why didn't you?”

María took a long sip of her tea before setting the cup back on the table. “Truthfully? I was scared... what Caleb had done to haunt our family had us in a bad place for quite some time, especially after what he did to my husband. I wasn't sure if what was going on between Luz and her mother was another one of his games, and if it was and I got involved...”

“You'd be putting your own family at risk again,” Amelia realized, and María nodded in confirmation.

“Please don't feel like you have to apologize for any of that, María,” Luz firmly added. “Now that I know everything that really happened, I could never hold it against you for trying to protect your family. They should always come first... a lesson I forgot because, truth be told, I think the rift between me and mom was inevitable. She was already worried about dad training me to wrestle... his death just added fuel to the fire that ultimately split us apart. Thankfully, we've long since come to an understanding and we're working on it.”

“We've all suffered needlessly because of that man.”

All eyes suddenly turned to the entryway of the living room, where two young men stood. The 17-year-old had been the one to speak, while his 15-year-old brother just looked stunned to see his mother having very recognizable guests over.

“Diego! Luis! I haven't seen you guys in forever!” Luz cried as she set her cup down before running over, the two kids running to meet her in a big hug. “I am so sorry it took me this long to do this! I meant to come sooner, I swear!”

“It's not your fault,” Luis, the younger brother, couldn't help but say. “You were busy becoming just as cool a luchador as our daddies!”

“Honestly?” Diego, the older brother, chimed in. “I think both our dads would be proud of what you've become. I mean, making a name for yourself here, branching out to find success in Europe, and even joining SCW and being a double champion right now? I don't know if that Caleb creep's bothering you or not, but to do that even if he is? That's super impressive.”

“Thank you Diego,” Luz replied before wiping a tear from her eye. “Unfortunately, yes, that creep is still bothering my fiancée and I, but we're doing our best to keep from letting him get to us. I'm just glad that none of you hate me...”

As Diego and Luis reassured her that they knew the truth and could never hate her, María leaned over to Amelia. “She has a lot more self-doubt than the last time I saw her...”

“It's been a theme with both of us,” Amelia admitted as she finished off her tea. “We've done our best to be each other's rocks and we're certainly doing a lot better than we have been, but Caleb's been trying to insert himself into every waking moment of our lives lately because he's getting desperate, and I think we're both starting to crack a bit... we've got people trying to help us, but until then we just have to keep doing our best.”

“The fact that she has someone like you in her life... I can already tell you that means more than I think even she knows,” María told her, bringing a smile to both women's faces as Amelia couldn't help but finally find a sense of zen that had been eluding her for far too long now with everything else going on.

“Hey Ames,” Luz called out as she returned to the couch with the teens following her. “What do you think about helping me train these guys to join the business one day?”

Amelia just blinked as she took a moment to process this information. “Us? Training them?”

“Well...” Diego started to admit, “since our dad isn't around anymore and Luz is probably the closest we'll get to someone we know, we were hoping it'd be alright. I'm almost of age, and Luis would be eager to get an early start for when he's old enough.”

“We thought it might help you both with any issues you have too,” Luis chimed in.

“What do you say, honey?” Luz asked. “I remember when we tried to train Hairless Penguin to help him out for my Trios team last year... I know we talked about it, and I think it would really help you accept that you're not your parents and can train someone for the business your way. Plus, it'd be a chance for me to do for them what my dad did for me, something they didn't get the chance to have because they were still too young when it all happened.”

Amelia took a moment to ponder this before turning to María. “Would you be alright with this?”

“Yes, actually,” María replied. “I know how much they've been wanting to become wrestlers and follow in their father's footsteps, and I can think of no one better to help prepare them for that moment.”

“In that case... you kids have yourselves a deal,” Amelia told them, causing the boys to cheer and start chanting about how they were going to become wrestlers just like Luz and Amelia. “But... I think Luz and I need to resolve this mess with Caleb first, just to guarantee that your family won't get caught in the crossfire of all this.”

Luz nodded in agreement, feeling that was the best bet for this situation. The boys didn't like it at first, but they understood. After all, Mexico may have been a safe haven for the moment, but knowing Caleb, he would find a way around that somehow.

If nothing else, though, it finally allowed them a proper chance to prepare for the madness that was Fatal Fortunes and everything it had to offer, and knowing they now had some future protégés to train? In a way, it warmed both of their hearts after some of their recent discussions about their future together and gave them a purpose to fuel them toward that moment in time, where Caleb White would no longer plague their lives and, ideally, they'd have continued to prove themselves in the treacherous waters of SCW.

Well, this one feels a bit overdue. If you read Autumn's RP, you'll notice she refers to someone in the narrative as just "he" and "him". That's because the "reveal" of that person was supposed to take place last week, but I ended up doing promo only for that match, so it's happening here instead.

Incredibly though I don't hvae an Autumn cast pic, which... confuses me.

Enjoy.



Ravyn Taylor's Diary
An excerpt from December, 2023