The Light in the Darkness vs. The Shinigami Foundation

[Wisteria Waltz]

Retribution

A pay-per-view that continues to haunt The Light In The Darkness for reasons even they can't seem to fully understand.

Earlier tonight, right here in the Alamodome, Amelia Nevado and La Pequeña Luz fought with everything they had, giving James Evans and Giovanni Aries a fight they clearly weren't expecting. The Fall of Man threw everything they had at the couple, but they refused to stay down and kept pushing forward.

Unfortunately, one capitalized opportunity later, and yet another loss at this event was on the ladies' resume.

Their third World Tag Title reign... ended at 231 days.

It left a bitter taste in their mouths as they helped each other back to their locker room to shower and change. While the Fall of Man would ultimately not get the complete domination William Heaven had so boldly predicted as Xander Valentine finally proved that Waylon Creek wasn't infallible, it hadn't done too much to soften the blow Luz and Amelia were dealing with as they didn't say a word, not even to each other, throughout their showers or their watching of the main event together. It wasn't the fact that they were no longer champions anymore... they'd been through this song and dance before and knew the end would be upon them eventually. The fact that they had reigned for so long this time was impressive in and of itself, truth be told, and put them into a very select group of Tag Team Champions in SCW's long and storied history. If anything, their efforts had solidified the belief of so many others that they may very well be the greatest tag team in SCW today.

It was the bitter pill they had to swallow that they had lost the titles to the Fall of Man.

Deep down, they knew they were capable of defeating the faction that had made it all but clear they wanted to seize power in the company just so they could burn it all to the ground. They had survived fights against them before, overcome the odds to hand them defeats... even tonight, they effectively had James and Giovanni teetering on the brink, all to be undone by one small moment where they took their eye off the ball and paid for it. They know the Fall of Man will gloat about tonight and act as though this truly was inevitable, believe that this match had been much easier than it really was... assuming they weren't spiraling over the fact that Waylon had finally been properly defeated.

There were sighs and huffs and deep breaths, but no words from either Luz nor Amelia as they sat in their locker room, hunched over and eyes locked on the floor. They knew the show was over now, knew their loved ones were no doubt waiting for them outside to try and lift their spirits, and they truly did appreciate the love and support they knew they had that would help get them back on their feet. Deep down, they also knew this feeling wouldn't last and they'd be ready to start working to turn things around as early as the very next Breakdown, but that didn't stop them from beating themselves up over this loss after everything they had poured into trying to earn the opposite result.

The human brain is a fickle thing, after all, especially when you've spent most of your life beaten down and so thoroughly convinced of your flaws.

“We failed...” Luz mumbled after a moment, her voice cracking in a way that made it clear she was fighting the urge to cry. “We fought... and we tried... and it wasn't enough...”

Luz threw her head back, running her hands along her mask in frustration as she ended up virtually leaning back so far into the locker behind her that she almost fell off the bench into it. This led to a noise of frustration escaping her lips. Amelia didn't react, remaining quiet in a manner that was disturbingly reminiscent of the old 'mask' she used to wear because of her parents to hide when things weren't actually alright. This led to a few more minutes of silence as Luz pulled herself back to a proper sitting position on the bench, sighing in unison with Amelia as they both closed their eyes.

“I'm sorry.”

The admission came in perfect harmony, and it caused the two of them to both snap their attention to one another, almost in sheer disbelief that the other had said those words.

“Why are you apologizing?” Luz asked, clearly confused.

“Because I was the one who got pinned,” Amelia pointed out. “If I hadn't been hit from behind... if I hadn't been knocked into you, we might still be champions!”

“It's not your fault, Ames,” Luz tried to argue. “It's mine. I should've been paying attention to where James was. I should've warned you to duck!”

“And then what?” Amelia snapped back. “I duck and you take the hit instead?”

“I wasn't legal!” Luz snapped back. “At least then you could've... I don't know, put him in the choke, or rolled him up, or something! I would've sacrificed myself if it meant-”

“I wasn't going to let you take any hit for me, you dummy!” Amelia fired back as she practically threw herself at Luz, wrapping her arms around her as the tears began to roll down her cheeks now. “Even still, it's not your fault we lost track of James trying to make sure Gio was out of the equation. I'm the one who took him down, I'm the one who left him be to save you from whatever Gio had planned. I'm the reason we lost tonight, and you know that's how they're going to spin it.”

“¡Mierda!” Luz yelled as her arms snapped shut around her wife like a human bear trap, holding her tightly. “If you hadn't gone after Gio, he would've just turned around and stopped you from getting the pin anyway. It's not your fault, Ames!”

“It's not yours either, Lulu!” Amelia retorted.

For the next few minutes, the two of them sat there, trembling, as they tightly embraced one another, crying into the other's shoulder. They were both breathing heavily, feeling the energy and frustration draining from their bodies as things began to sink in. They both knew arguing about this was silly and stupid, and yet, here they were, refusing to let the other take the blame for this particular defeat and acting like this was a hill worth dying on for each of them. Any sobs and huffs that escaped their lips soon gave way to bitter chuckles as they held each other closer.

“It's neither of our faults...” Amelia finally breathed out.

“...maybe you're right...” Luz ultimately admitted, even if her tone clearly showed she was struggling to believe that.

“You don't sound convinced,” Amelia noted as she pulled back a bit to look Luz in the eyes, but this also revealed the uncertainty in her own gaze.

“Ditto, cariño,” Luz replied, slowly shaking her head and taking a deep breath to try and clear her thoughts. “It's just... it's hard not to fall down that rabbit hole when everyone else always made you feel like you were always to blame when something went wrong.”

“Or when you were raised believing you were never good enough and had to strive for more,” Amelia added, “no matter what you truly proved already going above and beyond.”

“...we really are a mess, aren't we?” Luz forced a laugh at her own words.

“Mi amor, I don't think we'd really be us if we weren't,” Amelia sighed.

“Why do we keep doing this to ourselves?” Luz found herself asking as she and Amelia slumped against each other. “Aside from the obvious, I mean. I'd have thought we would know better by now.”

“Old habits die hard, unfortunately,” Amelia admitted. “I wouldn't be surprised if our brains didn't fully get the memo and start forgetting those negative aspects until the day comes when we finally retire. Plus, it just feels so easy to take all the blame when things go wrong and spiral figuring out how we could've done anything differently.”

Luz nods, knowing the logic from her wife was incredibly sound. She really hated to admit it, but deep down, she knew there was truth in Amelia's words. They had both been emotionally scarred by others and struggled for years to pick up the pieces, even once they had each other to rely on. No matter how many steps forward they took, losing all that progress just felt like second nature at this point, knowing what the next step would always be: pushing themselves way too hard to try and put the pieces back together in whatever way would prove that they were already making huge leaps and strides towards becoming an even better team than the version of themselves that lost like they had tonight. Just because it had worked as a coping mechanism for so many years didn't make it healthy, and if they didn't admit that to themselves right here and now, they knew they would hear all about it from their found family as soon as they finally stepped outside.

“OK, let's try looking on the bright side...” Luz mused as she slowly stood up, offering a hand to help Amelia to her feet as well. “Despite James and Gio's best efforts, we're still standing.”

“Right,” Amelia nodded. “They may be the champions now, but there's nothing keeping us from getting right back in the ring and fighting our way back to the top of the mountain.”

“Heck, we still have our rematch!” Luz pointed out, slowly regaining the excitability that Amelia loved about her wife so much. “And for as much as those two think we can't overcome them, we've always gone into rematches learning everything from our previous mistakes and making the most of the second chance!”

“Not to mention, there's other doors open to us if need be, especially if William tries to pull anything scummy in a desperate bid to avoid a rematch he knows threatens his already shaky narrative after tonight,” Amelia nodded, her lips slowly curling into a grin. “I still have my Trios contract I need to figure out what to do with, and I'm pretty sure you still have a rematch for the U.S. Title as well... regardless of whatever nonsense that one stunt was from earlier.”

Luz rolled her eyes at the reminder. “No me lo recuerdes. I don't care if it's Asher or if SCW actually recognizes whatever stunt this Jordan Majors woman is pulling. You're right, Ames, we've got options, we can still fight, and nothing's stopping us from walking into Breakdown and reminding the world that The Light In The Darkness can't be snuffed out that easily.”

“Not after how hard we've fought and how far we've come,” Amelia added, leaning in to capture Luz's lips in a soft, tender kiss. The two of them embrace for a moment as the kiss deepens just a little bit, but it's not long before both women pull away with nothing but tender love and affection in their eyes for one another.

“I needed that,” Luz said after a sigh of relief.

“We both did,” Amelia nodded. “We both made mistakes tonight, but we're not letting them define us.”

“Fourth longest reigning World Tag Team Champions,” Luz giggles. “No one can take that away from us, and we certainly didn't pull that off by accident.”

“Let's take advantage of the time we'll have to slow down, catch our breath, and clear our heads,” Amelia proposes. “Once we know if Breakdown has anything in store for us, we'll hit the ground running then.”

“And no going off the deep end trying to rebuild,” Luz nods.

With the tension dying down and the atmosphere around them feeling lighter than it normally would have after a tough loss like tonight, Luz and Amelia grab their bags before joining hands, their fingers threading together as they exit their locker room and finally start heading out to the parking lot, where they know everyone will be waiting for them. It honestly felt weird walking out of the Alamodome without that usual dark cloud hanging over their heads, but they were hopeful that their brains were finally starting to adapt to the idea that despite their mistakes that cost them their match tonight, the only ones they truly had to blame were the Fall of Man for taking advantage of them, creating that motivation to turn the tide and pull themselves out of the abyss and back into busting their behinds to keep defining their own legacies in the wrestling business.

Just when the door leading outside to the parking lot is in sight, however, Amelia's phone begins to ring. Thinking nothing of it, she retrieves it from her bag and checks the caller ID before frowning at the unknown number. Luz peeks over Amelia's shoulder at it, scowling.

“Should we even bother?” Luz asks, even though her tone makes it clear what her answer already is to her own question.

“We know it's not our friends wondering why we're taking so long,” Amelia notes. “Maybe we'll see what kind of voicemail they leave and call them back if it's important.”

“No need. I had a feeling you wouldn't fall for that old trick again.”

Amelia and Luz start looking around, clearly not having expected anyone else to chime in on their conversation. There's no one else around, most other wrestlers either being long gone by now, washing up in the likely case of at least Xander and Waylon, or being checked out by the trainers, and any crew are no doubt working on tearing down the ring already. As far as the two of them can see, they're completely alone.

“Did I startle you?” the voice calls again, sounding almost grainy... and vaguely familiar, in an eerie sort of way.

“¿Quién eres?” Luz replies.

“Show yourself!” is the demand for Amelia.

“Oh, but I'm sure you two already know who I am,” the voice calls once more. “I believe an old... associate of mine filled you in some time ago after my last calls to you. A shame about how far from grace dear Avery ultimately fell.”

As Luz keeps looking around, Amelia thinks back for a moment, the puzzle pieces slowly fitting together in her brain. The eerie, cryptic voice, the way it certainly sounded like its owner was likely not actually present, the way they spoke about Avery as though they knew them...

Amelia slid her phone into her pocket, knowing the name was on the top of her tongue as she snapped her fingers, trying to run back through her memories until she recalled a conversation with Avery prior to her and Luz's wedding day about the mysterious messages they'd been receiving, trying to convince them to call off the ceremony because 'God wouldn't approve of it' and other religious nonsense.

“Vladimir Basmat,” she finally says, her tone laced with a growl that was justified if she was correct on this.

“You do know who I am,” the creepy voice, now confirmed to belong to Vladimir, chuckled. “I'm touched... yes, this is Vladimir, former technician and communications specialist for the FBI-”

“And lackey to Caleb White and his insane religious crusade,” Amelia finished for him, though the grunt she heard in response made it clear Vladimir didn't seem to agree with that description.

“How rude,” he scoffed. “And here I'd heard your parents go on and on about how they raised you better than that. You truly have been led astray, haven't you, Amelia?”

“Big words from someone hiding behind a speaker,” Luz jumped in as she started walking over to a set of production crates. It took a moment to push them away from the wall, especially given that she was still a bit sore from their match earlier, but she dug around in the gap she'd made before pulling out what looked like a miniature version of those two-way speakers fast food places use for their drive-thrus. “Check it out, Ames. I thought the effect on his voice sounded familiar.”

“Really?” Amelia shook her head, her arms folding across her chest as she looked at the speaker with disdain even as Luz set it on top of the production crates. “You're really still pulling this nonsense of trying to stay hidden as you try to convince us of our sins or mistakes or whatever nonsense you're hoping to spew this time?”

“Unlike some of my other associates, I prefer to take the cautious approach,” Vladimir's voice claimed over the speaker. “The two of you know full well how many wars are lost because one side got careless. Caleb sends his apologies for the loss of your titles recently, by the way.”

“Noted and ignored,” Amelia replied, earning an annoyed grunt from the other end of the speaker she had a feeling Vladimir was trying to hide.

“Out of curiosity, Vladdy,” Luz added, grinning in amusement as she heard something from the other end that made it clear this creep didn't like the nickname she'd just given him. “What's stopping us from just walking away right now and leaving you talking to an empty backstage area?”

“Would the lives of your loved ones not be enough incentive?”

Luz and Amelia both feel a chill run down their spines, exchanging glances for a moment.

“You know we've been watching you,” Vladimir's voice continues. “You know we're more than willing to take lives in the name of our crusade. You also know that I'm not present in San Antonio... but how do you think my little device found its way backstage, hm?”

Luz mutters something under her breath in Spanish before she and Amelia go to start rushing outside, only for Vladimir's voice to call out to stop them.

“They're fine... for now. Of course, that could change if you go blindly charging in, looking to play the heroes... that worked out so well for you in dealing with your little wrestling problem, now didn't it?”

“What do you want?” Amelia snapped.

“I'm just delivering a message on behalf of Lord Caleb,” Vladimir responded, making Amelia and Luz want to vomit at the way he referred to his psychopathic zealot of a boss. “He's willing to extend an olive branch to the two of you, prove he's not the bad guy you believe him to be. He wants you to know he's willing to help the two of you if you wish to... take a different approach to your rematch with the Fall of Man, I believe they call themselves. And before you jump to conclusions, this is not an offer, nor an obligation, to join us in The Empire. This is Caleb simply wanting to show you he only has your success and best interests in mind, and you won't even have to give up any of your sinful ways. He's willing to see things from your point of view and help... won't you return the kindness?”

Luz and Amelia take a moment to engage in a silent conversation, weighing their options. Obviously, anything to do with Caleb was bad news, no questions asked. Vladimir could frame it however he wished, there was nothing in this or any reality that would ever truly get them to want to give Caleb the chance he was asking for.

That said, there was the matter of the people who meant everything to them. For all they knew, it could be a very easy bluff, especially since they knew their found family could handle themselves if need be. And yet, it was an unnecessary risk they didn't want to take against a force they knew would not hesitant to turn lethal just to prove a point, given that they remembered Empire members having pulled guns on them before, and who knows how many of them were actually trained to know how to effectively use them at this point.

“...we'll think about it,” they reluctantly answered together, their shoulders trembling as Luz bit her bottom lip and Amelia clenched her fists tightly.

“That'll do for now. Oh, and please keep this between us if you want to continue to ensure their safety. We'll be in touch,” Vladimir's voice replied before they heard the speaker click off, followed by it literally falling to pieces right before their very eyes.

Everything about the last few minutes made the couple sick to their stomachs, but they knew they were walking a delicate tightrope as they prepared to leave San Antonio and Retribution behind. They knew they could get their titles back from the Fall of Man, and they knew they didn't need anything Caleb was offering to do it... but were they really willing to risk more lives, especially ones important to them, if The Empire seemed like they were done playing games and ready to make a big move?

It was a question they honestly didn't want to answer, but they knew they had little choice now.