Chris Dumont, Shaun Cruze & Syren vs. Amelia Nevado, Polly Playtime & Gavin Taylor

[Kemal Yilmaz]

6 RP Limit for team

3500 word limit

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Wednesday, July 1, 2026

[Jay Gold]

"There was no possibility of taking a walk that day."

- Charlotte Brontë

Season 8 / Episode 5 / The Push Forward (Part 5 - Receiving Answers)

[Wisteria Waltz]

Taking Hold of the Flame had been one of the most confusing nights of Amelia Nevado's life.

Unfortunately, that seemed par for the course these days... and it had her beginning to reflect on her decisions and question if she'd made mistakes it was too late to take back.

It had been bad enough having to humiliate herself by standing before the thousands in attendance and the millions watching around the world in nothing but skimpy lingerie, made even worse by the fact that it wasn't even lingerie she had picked for herself. While she obviously hadn't coordinated with Luz, she had already given up on the idea of ever winning an advantage in the first part and settled for something that was both modest and comfortable enough to wrestle in, something that only Luz truly deserved to see her wearing. But as infuriating as it was, she shouldn't have been surprised the Glimmers had seized a moment where they were both out of the locker room they'd shared for the first time in months to 'spice things up.'

If all their sickening comments about her and Luz being 'just as curvy as them' didn't disturb her, then their antics during the match absolutely had. Every handful they grabbed, every attempt to try and cause Luz to have a 'wardrobe malfunction,' and especially the display Gia (she believed) pulled on Luz in the corner that gave Amelia every right to nearly suplex her through the canvas... not even her dumbest moments of being considered a 'useless lesbian' when it came to other women would find any of that attractive, considering it effectively felt like whoever had approved that Trios cash-in had also approved what felt like borderline sexual harassment.

If Mr. Delatosso actually allowed the Glimmers to have their Tag Title rematch, she wasn't going to think twice about choking one of those twins out in record time... maybe she could even see if he'd be willing to permanently ban the Glimmer Sisters from ever being able to challenge for the World Tag Titles ever again once she and Luz put them in their place for even daring to cross so many lines with them, especially with Luz.

“Luz...”

Amelia couldn't help but turn her thoughts to the true reason her head and heart were in such disarray, because it had nothing to do with the Glimmers or their desperate attempts to practically inject themselves into her strained relationship. By this point, Luz was fully in the loop about what was going on with her, despite her best efforts. She clearly saw that Amelia had effectively become the crown jewel of Mr. Delatosso's New Order and was being presented as THE face of the entire company, and the only thing she agreed with the CEO on was the fact that Amelia had earned the right to be at the top... which stung once it sank in that Luz didn't resent her for any of her choices when Amelia had started to resent her for Luz's success and her own lack thereof and felt like it was driving them apart.

“She understands... she doesn't agree with it, but she understands why I did this...”

Even worse was that her bigger secret had finally gotten out, and she now had confirmation that Caleb had willingly let it slip because he was banking on a rift beginning to tear the once-happy couple apart. Luz knew that she joined The Empire... the only piece of the puzzle she and everyone else was likely missing was that she had done so willingly in order to try and protect Luz.

And yet, despite all her recent success in SCW, she had failed to do that outside the ring.

As much as she hated to admit it, she had sorely underestimated just how dangerously brilliant Caleb White truly was. For all his efforts that had failed before, all his gloating and arrogance about how he believed he was always several steps ahead at all times, it had lulled them all into a false sense of security. Amelia had genuinely believed that Caleb, as a God-fearing man desperate to pull off his envisioned 'cleansing' of the human race, would have kept his word of leaving Luz alone because he at least had one of the women he'd been so desperate to 'save' for no other reason than his own personal forgiveness that she hoped God never gave to him. And yet... she was permanently scarred with the sigil of his cult, her wife believed that she had willingly joined Caleb's flock with no ulterior motives, and the recent revelation that Caleb had been the spy known as Paul all along had not only devastated her, but surely had to have broken Luz.

And yet... as far as she could see, Luz kept pushing herself forward.

Luz had been upfront with her in the locker room about not wanting to take the World Title from Amelia despite the stipulation the Glimmers had slipped into Gina's Trios contract that allowed for it, and not only had she tried to stay true to her word by fighting her basic wrestling instincts to make sure Amelia ultimately got the winning fall, but she had fought her heart out not just in that match, but the battle royal as well. If Luz had been broken by Caleb's efforts, then either she was doing a horrifyingly good job of hiding it... or she wasn't as broken as Caleb had hoped. If anything, she was burying any self-hatred she probably felt over letting a disguised Caleb into their found family in the first place beneath her desire to make things right... and Amelia herself was the end goal.

“Luz, you lovable idiot... heh... I want so badly to find you next Breakdown and scold you for what you're doing, but I'm not exactly in any position to talk, now am I?”

Amelia sighed as she looked around the extravagant bedroom she currently found herself in. Despite the fact that the first Breakdown on the road to Rise to Greatness was set to take place in Houston, which was in the same general area of the country as Las Vegas, Caleb had sent some of his cultists to retrieve her as soon as the pay-per-view went off the air. He claimed he didn't want her lingering in a place that proudly called itself Sin City, but she had a different theory: Caleb wanted to take advantage of the break period following the pay-per-view to retreat back to England and assess his next course of action, considering whatever had happened in D.C. had blown his cover and his whole undercover spy endeavor he'd been pulling over the course of the past year was now off the board.

So, here she was... in Castle Blythe, holed up in a bedroom that clearly belonged to one of her ancestors as the portrait of a woman who looked very similar to her stared down at her from its place above the elegant bed, almost as if it was judging her. While the rest of the Empire preferred to hole up in the secret chamber they'd built beneath the castle that had explained why the NCA had found it near-impossible to uncover where they'd been hiding, Caleb claimed it felt fitting if the 'princess of the new world' stayed in the chambers that once belonged to a Blythe from the old royal court.

“The only person I ever want to hear call me a princess is mi propia princesa,” she growled while glaring at the portrait, venting only to herself... or, perhaps, to that voice in her heard she knew was just chomping at the bit to chime in at any point about something.

The more she thought about her wife, the worse Amelia felt. She knew what Luz was trying to do... she'd have to be blind not to see the fight Luz had chosen to take up throughout all of this, and no more had that been apparent than when she watched Luz almost punch her ticket to do exactly as she'd swore she wanted to do: face Amelia for the World Title in the Rise to Greatness main event. Deep down, she knew that if she met Luz in the ring and they threw everything they had at one another, she would end up letting Luz in. The pure art they would make out of this sport that meant so much to them would connect them on a deeper level that no one else could understand, and in the face of the love and support Luz still showed her and would no doubt continue to... Amelia knew she would crumble.

'You really need to stop thinking about her then.'

Amelia sighed, knowing this was coming sooner or later. She glanced around the room, wondering how her brain was going to try and manifest Other Amelia this time. Her first instinct was any of the mirrors scattered throughout the room, but the reflection that greeted her was completely in sync with her movements and facial expressions. It was only when she turned her eyes back to the painting that she found it actively grinning down at her, something that should have been physically impossible unless...

“You look ridiculous,” Amelia quickly shot at the paint version of her inner critic.

'I simply look like the royalty we were always meant to be,' Other Amelia chuckled, the haughty attitude not helping Amelia in the slightest. 'You know I speak the truth, though. It'll do you much better in the long run to stop thinking about Luz and leave her behind. She clearly can't keep up with you anymore.'

“I disagree,” Amelia argued with herself. “She more than held up her end of the bargain she shouldn't have even needed to be a part of in the first place. I snapped at her on the Breakdown before and she still didn't hold it against me! She took so much more abuse in that match than I did, and the Glimmers put me through a table! But she still prioritized me retaining the World Title... and then turned right around and almost won Taking Hold of the Flame.”

'But you refused your half of the Tag Titles,' Other Amelia smirked. 'You abandoned her yet again... how many times does that make now, Amelia? And how many more until she gets the hint that you don't-'

“I would stand by her side in a heartbeat,” Amelia cut off her inner critic without any hesitation.

'What?'

“I may have refused the belt, but I'm still her partner as World Tag Team Champion,” Amelia firmly stated, as if trying to reassure herself above all else. “If she needs to defend those titles, I would join her. I refused... I refused to accept the belt because I need to figure things out first, and I trust Luz to keep mine safe for me.”

'What could you possibly have to figure out?' Other Amelia insisted. 'You are finally among The Empire, where you were always destined to be. You are the World Champion of the biggest wrestling company in the world, it's face! You are the crown jewel your CEO is building everything around, and you did it all because you finally stopped playing nice!'

“I let myself believe that Caleb was actually a holy man of his word,” Amelia responded. “I let Frank give me opportunities I didn't think I'd ever earn, no matter how hard I worked.” Her body was trembling now as she grit her teeth and glared at the portrait of her ancestor her inner critic had chosen to manifest as. “I let them take advantage of my guilt, my frustration, all so I could...!”

Amelia gasped sharply as she turned away from the portrait, only to find herself face-to-face with her own reflection in the mirror. She wanted to say that it was another trick Other Amelia was using to try and derail her confidence, keep her feeling like she needed to be the person her parents had raised her to be... but she knew it wasn't. The brown hair, done up in a neat bun instead of the ponytail she preferred. The clothes, classier than she would've liked because she'd never been a fan of flaunting the wealth she came from, even if her mother had always insisted upon it. She looked like a World Champion, sure... but she also looked like a porcelain doll, constantly fixed up and repainted to hide the cracks that no one was supposed to ever see.

“I could become... the very thing I fought so hard to break free from...” she finally choked out.

'I could personally do with a little less rule-bending,' she heard Other Amelia chime in. 'You're too good to ever need to resort to it. But beyond that? You're finally the wrestler you were always meant to be. Welcome back, Amelia Blythe.'

Amelia shook her head, refusing to look in the mirror or at the painting any longer. She opened her mouth to argue with her inner critic, to scream, to cry, to do anything... but all that left her throat was a pained gasp. The painful reality of her situation began to swallow her alive: she had chosen this path. She had let her desperation for success open the door for a man who promised the world to mold her into something she never wanted to be, just like her parents. She had tried to play the selfless hero, sacrificing herself to save her wife, and deep down she was certain she was going to lose everything because of it. She had pushed Luz away, thinking she wouldn't understand, and her vulnerabilities had left her to be taken advantage of.

Even worse... she had no idea if she could even come back from this.

Before she could spiral any further about this, she heard a knock at her door. Before Amelia even had a chance to address it, the door opened and a familiar old woman stepped beyond the threshold, her amused grin not doing Amelia's frayed nerves any favor right now.

“You look dreadful, sprout,” Theresa Saintsbury, arguably the most devoted and fanatical of Caleb's elites, pointed out. “I don't blame you... no offense to the hard work of that CEO who believed in you, but SCW seems to be in dire need of new management all around, because pests like those Glimmer Sisters don't belong anywhere near such a perfect rose like yourself.”

“...I'm not in the mood for your plant analogies,” Amelia mumbled as she tried her best to quickly recompose herself. “What do you want?”

“Lord Caleb asked me to come fetch you,” the former Lady Snapdragon said without a hint of remorse for Amelia clearly not wanting to so much as leave this room right now. “He wants to help you forget about that awful lingerie garbage. And before you ask, this isn't optional, so it's best not to keep our lord and savior waiting.”

Amelia wanted so badly to snap back at Theresa, to vent everything wrong with what she just called a man who she held such blind devotion to... but she knew better. As much as she hated the reality she had put herself in, she knew that if she didn't start playing along more, then all of this would be for naught.

Even if it was too late for her to be saved... she still wasn't going to let The Empire torment the light in her life any longer.

It took her a moment, but she managed to pull herself together enough to follow Theresa without question or complaint, instead choosing to stay silent and put on the 'perfect child' act that her parents had insisted she master for so long. A Blythe never shows weakness, or so she was told over and over again as a child.

Theresa tried to make conversation, though it became clear right away she just wanted an excuse to hear her own voice. Amelia tuned her out, nodding on occasion to at least pretend she was listening. Oddly enough, she found her thoughts being preoccupied with wondering if Selena Frost had her own version of the tired Blythe mantra to explain why she'd held firm to what she'd become for so long now.

Eventually, Amelia found herself being led down to The Empire's secret lair beneath the castle, following Theresa into the biggest room where Caleb held his 'congregations,' and where she had been branded and welcomed into the flock. Theresa eventually stopped walking, nudging Amelia forward as the other elites slowly surrounded her. Her focus, however, was entirely on the man who sought Heaven so badly he was trying to leave Hell in his wake on Earth.

“Amelia,” Caleb spoke, trying to keep his tone deliberately warm and comforting, but as far as she was concerned, it was the equivalent of someone trying to use a rusty nail to carve into her flesh. “You have been through quite an ordeal this past weekend. It may not have been entirely of your own will, but your have been tainted. I can see it in your eyes... the temptations that you are trying to rise above shackling themselves to you once more. In the name of the Father and The Empire, allow us to remove this wicked burden from your back.”

Before Amelia could even begin to question what the heck Caleb was even talking about, she found her arms restrained by both Mason and another woman who was quite tall and imposing, although her grip was somewhat gentler than the man who had branded her.

“What... what are you...?” Amelia tried to struggle as they forced her to her knees. The next thing she knew, another of the elites had moved behind her and literally ripped her shirt off. She still had her bra on thankfully, but the chilling air against her exposed skin only made her struggle even more, especially as she felt it against the lingering wounds from the table the Glimmers had put her through.

“Just relax, sprout... this is for your own good.”

Amelia didn't like those words from Theresa, nor did she like the sound of something being pulled taut. She tried to turn her head to see what they had planned for her, but the tall, silent woman kept Amelia's gaze forced towards Caleb, who was only pretending to look remorseful for whatever was about to happen.

She opened her mouth to ask again what they were doing... and then the answer made itself clear in the form of the pain tearing through her back.

Amelia cried out in pain as something cracked across her back, covered in spikes that dug into her flesh and tore open the welts that had resulted from being put through a table. Before she could try to get her bearings, it tore across her back again, the cracking sound violent against her ears. She cried out in pain again before staring up at Caleb in disbelief.

“Really?” she found the strength to call out. “You're whipping the 'sin' out of me?”

“It was one of the only good things your parents did when they raised you,” Caleb sighed. Amelia felt the spiked whip crack across her back once more before he continued. “I'm truly sorry, Amelia... but the time will soon be upon us to end this little chess game, and if I am to finally obtain the last piece I need to move forward towards humanity's salvation, you must be cleansed of all the vile sin that has tainted your blood.”

Amelia wanted to argue, even knowing full well it was a terrible idea when surrounded by Caleb and all of his remaining elites, but she never got the chance as Theresa continued to whip away at her back, carving it up with the spikes she had outfitted the weapon with. Caleb kept insisting that it would be fine, that she wasn't scheduled to compete next show anyway and Heather (the tall woman helping to restrain her) would patch her up before she did need to compete again, but Amelia could feel the blood pouring down her back as she was 'cleansed' through pain.

She hated every second of it, but she had brought this upon herself.

Just as she had affixed herself to the puppet strings of a man who cared only for his own warped version of the business Amelia strove to bring to life.

She had chosen this path... but she knew from experience how to play along until she could figure things out on both fronts.

By the time her 'cleansing' had concluded, Amelia appeared to The Empire's elites like a cold, focused machine, devoid of any feelings to chain her down.

After all... a Blythe could never show weakness.

She may not have been a Blythe anymore... but she still remembered how to play the part, at least for now.

[Syren]

Eh, I hate when the deadline is only a few days from when the card goes up, because by the time I realise I'm booked, it's almost too late. I only had time to get the one up this week, as you can likely tell.

Enjoy.



The Syren Song: Verse 433
"If this involves the UN…"

[Corner G]

Gavin Taylor: The Fountain

^ CLICK ABOVE TO MAKE SCW GAVIN AGAIN! ^

[Shaun2025]

PREVIOUSLY - OFF CAMERA

(This was the longest wait imaginable, as the police tried to recover enough DNA to figure out if the body at the bottom of the ravine has truly been Drew. Part of wished it wasn’t, as Drew had been once a good friend who had obviously gone off the rails, but the other part hoped it was him and would bring an end to this sorry mess. Shaun had tried to get on with his life, making sure that Dorothea dominated his time, and the rest he spent trying to find a job, anything that could bring in some money as his limited savings dwindled. Owen’s offer to mentor students seemed like his only hope, especially as he looked at the employment websites, and sat in one of his favorite cheap cafes in Los Angeles.)

???: Mind if I take a seat…

(Shaun looks up, his eyes widening as he sees Kai looming over him, until without invitation he takes a seat anyway.)

Shaun: What do you want?

Kai: Oh, very kind of you Shaun, I’ll have a flat white please.

Shaun: I wasn’t asking what you wanted to drink

(Kai doesn’t say another word, so with a sigh he calls over the waiter and orders the drink.)

Kai: Thank you. Is there any harm in us being civil with each other?

(The arrogance of the man frustrated Shaun to the point he wished he could just lay him out there and then, but he maintains his composure.)

Shaun: Sure, why not? You’ve only ruined my life after all.

(Kai is about to say something but the waiter returns with his drink, Kai taking a sip before he continues.)

Kai: Did I though Shaun?

Shaun: Well…

Kai: Let me stop you there. It wasn’t me who swindled you out of your money, that was Drew. It wasn’t me who was stupid enough to sign a contract for a half-assed idea about some wrestling show. Like, who watches that shit these days anyway. Am I the beneficiary, yes, I am. But I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth when I had the opportunity to get my money back. I’m not the monster, you think I am Shaun. I’m the monster you want me to be and that’s different.

Shaun: You really are something else. And the fact Drew was found at the bottom of a ravine burnt so badly that the cops can’t even ID him, I guess that doesn’t make you a monster either?

(Kai scoffs, totally unfazed by that comment.)

Kai: That was an unfortunate circumstance.

Shaun: It was a warning you mean.

Kai: A much needed one if you ask me. And from your last text, I’d say it had the desired effect.

(Shaun was feeling increasingly uncomfortable as the time passed, the need to get out of this situation almost overwhelming. He felt like a puppet on a string and had little to no control. Kai wasn’t just a monster; he seemed to be very intelligent. And three steps ahead of Shaun, and the authorities.)

Kai: So, are we able to now put an underline to all this, or are you going to cause me more problems?

Shaun: I told you, keep the money I don’t care anymore. Just leave my family alone. You have my word.

Kai: And you will tell LAPD the same story… that you don’t want them to carry on their investigations.

Shaun: What? You think that is going to stop them after your little stunt. This is a murder investigation now, and I’ve already made you the primary suspect.

(Kai chuckles which increases Shaun’s unease.)

Kai: I like you… you’re a funny guy. Let me explain. Firstly, you’ve given the cops a name that they don’t recognize, and you don’t have the first clue what my real name is. You have no photographic footage, no CCTV so as far as they are concerned, I don’t even exist so good look pinning a murder on someone they don’t even know. And secondly, and here’s the kicker Shaun, but I didn’t want to divulge until I had your word… do you want to know a secret?

Shaun: Stop playing games Kai and tell me

Kai: Once they get it all figured out and the DNA they need, they are going to realize that it isn’t Drew Bryant at the bottom of that ravine, and that it is randomly picked up off the street. Someone that no one is ever going to care is gone. They will close the case; I’ll go on with my life and you… well what you do is up to you really. But, if you want to take my advice, forget I ever existed.

Shaun: Drew’s alive?

Kai: Absolutely… and if you play nice, it will stay that way. Drew is ‘useful’, let’s just leave it at that. If I see you talking to the police again, THEN we’ll have a problem, and you understand what I mean by that yes?

Shaun: Yeah, I do.

(Kai gets to his feet and finishes off his drink, nodding towards Shaun and making it clear he meant what he said.)

Kai: Good talk… hope I don’t see you around.

(Kai walks off down the street, turning the corner until he is out of sight, Shaun finally able to exhale. He couldn’t believe Drew was alive and hadn’t come to him. He also couldn’t believe he was down millions of dollars. The worst part of all, however, was the fact he had to let it go.)

PREVIOUSLY – OFF CAMERA
TWO MONTHS LATER

(The police had indeed found out it was just some homeless guy and had indeed almost immediately closed the case. He hadn’t heard from Drew, nor Kai, but for that he was thankful and he had tried to carry on. To many people this was just everyday life, but to Shaun Cruze, walking to the grocery store for a few provisions had for the longest time been alien to him. Sure, he went to the off license on occasion, yes, he had stuff delivered, but hardly ever had he stepped in a store, walking around it with basket in hand. The local store was only a couple of minutes from his rented accommodation, but more importantly, Shaun had to be careful with the little money he had left, and his shopping had been stripped back to only what he needed. He even found himself picking up tins and comparing prices, that’s how serious he was taking his situation. As he walks around the store, keeping himself to himself, he becomes aware of being watched. A woman in her early 30’s looking at him and then turning away whenever he catches her gaze. This continues for a couple of minutes, until Shaun approaches her. Since recent events, Shaun had grown more paranoid and already surmises that this is another of Drew’s ex’s looking to warn him or even tell Shaun where he is.)

Shaun: Can I help you?

(The woman tries to pretend she hasn’t heard him, embarrassed that she has been caught.)

Shaun: Excuse me?

(The woman looks up, her cheeks reddening.)

Woman: I’m sorry…

Shaun: For what, I mean you were looking at me right? I must ask, do you know Drew?

Woman: Drew… no I don’t think so. I was just…

Shaun: Just?

Woman: Oh, what the hell… years ago we met in Madison Square Garden for an SCW event, you were doing a meet and greet.

(She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a photograph, showing it to Shaun who recognizes them both.)

Woman: Since that day I was a proper fangirl, I went to the cinema to watch all your films, and I was gutted when you retired. I’m not some stalker… I promise.

(Shaun softens, and his guard comes down, recognizing that the women is far away from being a threat.)

Shaun: Look how young I look in that picture… Wow. Thanks for supporting me back then. Without you guys I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere so it is appreciated.

Woman: You’re more than welcome… I’m Grace by the way.

Shaun: Pleased to meet you Grace, and next time just come up to me and say hi huh?

Grace: Sure… if you don’t mind.

Shaun: Always happy to meet a fan…

(He looks at his shopping, and in that moment the realization of his existence hits him. He never wanted to be the sad guy doing his own shopping and yet here he was. He puts his basket down, who needed food anyways, and turns back to Grace.)

Shaun: Do you want to go and grab a coffee or something?

Grace: Do I? Of course I do. If you have the time.

Shaun: Grace, these days I have nothing but time. Come on, I know a place just round the corner

THIRTY MINUTES LATER

(When Grace had said she was a fangirl she wasn’t joking, and after getting their coffees, Shaun had marveled about just how much she knew about his career. It didn’t come across as creepy, and was a genuine interest of hers, wrestling had somehow become her escape from the real world, and Shaun had been her favorite wrestler. No doubt, this was a real moment for Grace, but it was just as significant for Shaun who was enjoying talking about something else other than Drew Bryant.)

Grace: I’m sorry, I bet like I sound like a right weirdo, don’t I?

Shaun: No, not at all. Must admit, it crossed my mind before, but I know more than most how much wrestling can be an escape from real life. I’m happy to meet someone who I had a legitimate effect on, no matter how small that might have been.

(Grace chuckles.)

Shaun: Something funny.

Grace: If my sister could see me now, she’d never believe I was sitting with you. She was almost as big a fan and I was.

Shaun: Do you want to take a selfie or something to send to her.

Grace: Would love to, but not sure how she’d get it. She died about five years ago… cancer.

Shaun: I’m so sorry

Grace: Don’t be, you didn’t know, did you? It’s just a nice thought that she could have seen this. Her illness taught me something though.

Shaun: Yeah, what was that?

Grace: Sounds a bit cliché but there is nothing more precious than life. Not money, possession… not anything. If I wake up in the morning, I reckon I’ve won. Because there will be many that don’t.

Shaun: Damn

Grace: I might look simple, but I reckon I could teach people a thing or two about life. I mean, I’m not special but look at me, having a coffee with the Impact Player.

(It all seemed so logical having heard the words, but even if Shaun had lost his money, he didn’t have anything while ever he had Dorothea and his own health. He didn’t need anything else. Years ago, he would have pursued Drew to the ends of the earth, probably putting himself into an early grave. He was right, let the cops deal with it and what will be will be.)

Shaun: Grace, I’ve liked talking to you… do you think we could do this again?

Grace: Are you serious right now?

Shaun: Yeah… do you want to swap numbers or something?

(By the time he finishes the sentence her mobile phone is out, and Shaun is inputting his number before allowing her to call him to hers.)

Shaun: There… I’ll give you a call.

Grace: Really?

Shaun: I promise.

(The smile on Grace’s face was everything. It was just like the good old days, when all Shaun did was make people happy, instead of ruining their lives. This felt like a moment, something that he would remember. He had someone other than Owen that he could talk to. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, that felt good.)

RECORDING – ON CAMERA

“Yeah, I’m annoyed.”

(His expression changes and a grin form on his face.)

“Always the bridesmaid and never the bride. I’m not certain how many of these things I’ve been in, what I do know is that I have never finished outside the top ten and ultimately that is something to be proud of. Coming third at Taking Hold of the Flame is a difficult pill to swallow, especially what I went through to get there, but you can bet next year I’ll be front and center to try again. Don’t care much for what has happened since, but hey… it’s par for the course in this company isn’t it? I’ve lost count how many times the lunatics have been allowed to run the asylum; I’m way too long in the tooth to get annoyed by it. Doesn’t mean to say however I’ve going to stand back and allow it to happen. See, it’s funny how people like Syren and myself are seen as ‘hogging’ the limelight. The outcry when Syren became World Champion again was like a tsunami of abuse from those that hadn’t quite managed to climb the mountain themselves. You heard Polly blaming the machine, you’ve seen people come back and join Frank’s cause. All because what… we should all just fade away and wither. Someone should have had a word in Frank’s shell-like because that was never going to happen. I’m not going to relinquish my place on this roster because people who haven’t smashed through the glass ceiling mistakenly believe it’s my fault. Let’s not forget that this stance that these people stand for, it came about because good old Frankie Boy wanted ME to lead HIS revolution. The one you all claim is taking up roster space was Frank’s first choice before any of you clowns jumped on the bandwagon. Once again, you all exampled how little grey matter you all had by siding with him due to promises of greatness. And I can’t deny that some of you have indeed been successful. But, if you are all stupid enough to believe that Frank wouldn’t cast you aside in a heartbeat if you weren’t helping his cause, to take over SCW, then you deserve everything that you will get. He cares about one thing, stirring you all up so you are more than happy to make your way to the trenches, and prepare for this incoming war. Like I said, this isn’t my first rodeo, and certainly not my first hostile takeover to deal with. I’d go as far as to say this current incarnation wouldn’t even make my top ten.

Which brings me to this next ‘match’ thoughtfully booked to give some more leverage to the ‘outsiders’ who relish the opportunity to escape from this ‘outside looking in mentality’ they have brought on themselves. We have the current SCW World Champion Amelia, who represents everything that is wrong about this company, Gavin Taylor who… well is just being Gavin Taylor. And poor old Polly Playtime, still banging the drum for irrelevancy. Still making claims from her imaginative little mind, still claiming I dismissed her when I first came back to the company.

Taking Amelia first, she is the World Champion after all.

See Amelia, one thing you need to understand is, whether it’s true or not, you are always going to have to handle allegations of how you were ‘helped’ towards that world title. Not me, I’ve spoken at length as to how talented an individual you are, and when we had our contendership match, I think I was the only one who stated that. You may not care about reputation, or what people think about you and honestly that is a good attribute to have. But by the same token, the more your world title reign is controlled by an individual who seems to be treating you like some kind of ‘glamor’ project, the more you are never going to be taken seriously as World Champion. Now, before you respond and go out on a limb about how disrespectful that is, I agree, and don’t shoot the messenger. I’m a firm believer that the only thing that matters is your own attributes, and you should be judged on that. But I’m promising you something right now Amelia, the moment a certain someone sees it all slipping away, they are not going to stand by and rely on your talent. They will get involved, and when they do, your title reign is delegitimized by someone who let’s face it should know better. Already, someone else is being called the Premier Asset, from his own mouth. THAT’S disrespect Amelia, because YOU should be the only asset that matters, because you hold the most important wrestling accolade that everyone aspires to. And the words I am hearing are things I have heard so many times before. The difference. I’m the one who’s still here, not to take up space, but to prove my worth. Try as you may Amelia, you cannot claim any difference.

Which brings me to a former Champion, Gavin Taylor.

You know something, I find it astonishing that you still manage to carve a profession out of this industry off the back of being nothing more than a clown who would be better placed on Trump’s Government than he ever be as a professional wrestler. Again, much like Amelia, I’d never dream of pulling you up on your wrestling ability, but you Sir are the epitome of wasted roster space, because even now after many years of knowing you, I’m still waiting for you to rely on anything other than comedy skits and an entourage doing the dirty work for you. I don’t expect you to agree with me, in fact I expect the usual redundant retorts about how you are the best thing in wrestling to every walk this earth, but some of us Gavin, we know where you came from, and how this whole persona you have created is drawn out and ultimately tired, You had your moment, you got a World Championship, I thought it would be the end of it. And yet here you are, larger than life, stealing a living as per. It will be my pleasure to once again show the world how deluded you are

Just like our third individual Syren, Chris and I will face.

And there seems to be a common theme here Polly, because as stated before and totally opposite to what you claim I say, you are also another talented individual, but another who five years down the line has still not evolved enough to warrant this bitch fest we get from you every single week. Yeah ok, you’re not the gamer chick anymore, and portray yourself as some kind of badass, but your attitude and your mentality unfortunately suck. I was nothing but complimentary to you, I didn’t shun you as you claim and still haven’t, yet still you double down on it as if magically it will make it fact

It won’t

And thus, you’ll be kept in this endless loop whereby it’s everyone’s fault but your own. Learning nothing, while at the same time expecting to be given handouts just because you asked for them. I can hear it now in fact, if your team win on Breakdown, you are believing that in some way it means something.

It doesn’t.

This match means nothing in the grand scheme. I’m more intrigued by Alistaire showing up. Of course, I want to win, because it’s all about momentum heading into the biggest show of them all, but I won’t lose any sleep if we don’t. Battles are won and lost something else you need to learn. You’re fighting an enemy that doesn’t exist, an enemy that couldn’t care less about how you feel towards me. That’s dismissive. But it’s the truth Polly, and no matter how much you claw and scratch, every week, every newcomer, you fall further down Frank’s pecking order. Just like I told you months ago.

So finally, Chris, Syren… I think we all know this won’t be a balanced playing field; it very rarely is. Good old Frank is no doubt already stacking the deck in their favor. But I think we all agree on one thing, and that is that odds mean nothing. Overcoming them, it’s what we have done all our careers. “

(He laughs and then winks at the camera.)

“Shaun Cruze and Syren on the same side. Chris Dumont, ambitious and always up for a fight. All three, on the same page, whilst our opponents all crave the spotlight. Stacks the odds all you like, because the truth is, it ain’t going to matter.

It’s Rise to Greatness season Ladies and Gentlemen.

What better time to make an Impact… Players.”

(Scene fades.)

[Thunderhorse]

(Dumont) "Fight Music"

[Wisteria Waltz]

The setup we find is professional enough. Good lighting, carpeted floor, a plain wall behind a banner advertising the upcoming Rise to Greatness... perhaps the only thing that doesn't fully check out at first glance is the fact that the Rise to Greatness banner is clearly an old one from before the main event was set in stone, and to be fair, it's still not quite set in stone at the moment despite there being a clear World Champion and a clear winner of the Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal. Still, while there's nothing inherently wrong with this setup, something about this scene just feels wrong for reasons we can't quite seem to place. After a few moments, we see a figure move to stand in front of the Rise to Greatness banner, her brown hair tied back into a neat bun and a fine black pantsuit making her look like a proud professional. That feeling of wrongness only seems to intensify as the figure turns and reveals herself to be none other than Amelia Nevado, the SCW World Championship resting proudly over her shoulder. Despite the fact that she's also one-half of the World Tag Team Champions as well now, that title is nowhere to be found, apparently truly left in the possession of her wife after everything that went down in Las Vegas. After taking a moment to position herself comfortably, she begins to address us, though it becomes noticeable almost immediately that there's some sort of strain to her voice.

“June 14, 2026 is a night I would like to forget about for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, it is a night that will forever be etched into the memories of everyone who bore witness to what happened, which unfortunately can be considered a small victory for two people who have spat in the face of everything women like myself have worked so hard to achieve in our careers. But to the Glimmer Sisters... I warned you. I warned you that you were so lost in your disgusting and delusional fantasies that you would think your little scheme was a gimme, and you paid the price for it. The honor of being considered one of the very best in a company like SCW is not something you can lay claim to just by flaunting your bodies and skating by on as little effort as possible... it's something you can only truly earn. You stepped up to a tag team that well and truly earned the right to be considered one of the best to ever work together, and as I said... no matter where things may stand between us right now, Luz and I are defined by a synergy you could never understand.

You had every advantage you could possibly ask for, you forced us into the most humiliating situation we will ever find ourselves in, the way the both of you kept 'playing' with us should honestly have the two of you fired for blatant sexual harassment... and yet, despite it all, you still lost. You can laugh all you want about how you forced us to wrestle in nothing but... I want to say our lingerie, but you couldn't even let us have that. By the time that bell rang, I walked out of Allegiant Stadium not only still proudly calling myself the SCW World Champion, but also finally returning the World Tag Team Titles to a team that respects the art of tag team wrestling and will scrub away everything the two of you did to taint the proud legacy that was built by myself and... and...”

It's obvious what Amelia wants to say next, but she finds herself struggling to get the name to leave her lips. Even when she did mention the name earlier, there was a moment where the strain seemed to break, where a passion we thought was starting to be buried managed to claw its way through for the briefest of moments. There's a brief tremble that rips through her body, but she takes a deep breath and manages to push forward, her composure restored... for now.

“I guess I can't ignore the elephant in the room forever, can I? In order to retain my World Title at Taking Hold of the Flame, I needed the help of La Pequeña Luz. It wasn't by choice from either of us, but that didn't stop us from pulling together when it mattered most to deprive the Glimmers of what I think we can all agree, regardless of where you stand in the SCW landscape right now, would have been the darkest day in this company's history. After we won, I chose not to accept the Tag Title belt that rightfully belongs to me now... let me clarify: I did not refuse the belt and leave Luz as one person defending the Tag Team Titles by herself. The Light In The Darkness are your World Tag Team Champions, and after all the work we put into helping to make the division what it was before the Glimmers got their hands on those belts, I am not going to turn around and disrespect those efforts by leaving her to clean things up by herself. We're a team, in wrestling and in life.

At least for right now, though... I need to focus on what's in front of me, and I need to figure some things out. There will come a day where I will feel ready to hold that title belt again, but my immediate concern is Rise to Greatness, its main event and trying to walk out of it the same way I'll be walking in: as your World Champion.

And my opponent on that night could have very well been Luz herself.

I'm willing to be honest for a moment... where we are now? It's my fault. There are some individuals out there who should share in some of the blame, but ultimately, we're here because of me. I've noticed, Luz... I've seen how supportive you've been of me being World Champion, even when you don't agree with anything Mr. Delatosso has done, and I'd be lying if I said some of this hasn't gotten a little too out of hand in my own opinion. And yet, like the lovable dummy you are, you just keep pushing forward, ignoring all of your own issues because all you want is to make it back to me... even after I've snapped at you, even after I got so jealous of all of your success that I let it completely derail me and started lashing out at everyone around me. When I saw you eliminate one of the men I'll be facing this Thursday night and make it to the final two... I found myself cheering a little bit, believing that you might make the impossible a reality, even after everything the Glimmers had just put us through.

All I'm asking for is a little time Luz... a little time, and for you to keep holding onto that hope that has defined you from the moment I first met you.”

The smile Amelia gives isn't one of arrogance or confidence... it's a real, genuine smile that's become rarer and rarer to see from her as of late. For perhaps this one moment in time, that feeling of wrongness fades, as if something is finally right in the universe once more. Unfortunately, the moment doesn't seem to last, as Amelia lets out a sigh, and the smile is gone. There's a familiar focus in her gaze, but not even the proverbial mask of professionalism she's now wearing can hide the cracks we've seen beginning to form.

“Put yourselves in my boots for a moment. You've been scratching, clawing, fighting with everything you have for months to prove you're good enough. It's been years since the last time you earned a real opportunity all on your own merits, and even when you feel you're ready and step up to take your shot at the biggest opportunity of your life, all you're told is that you didn't truly earn it, that you don't deserve to be here. Even when you falter, you push yourself harder than ever, trying to prove you are good enough, that you still belong in that discussion and deserve another chance. One could argue that setback after setback, failure after failure are proof that you just aren't ready, but then you turn around and see people who haven't won a match in ages, people who have cheated to 'earn' their keep with barely any effort, people who you know you've worked harder than be rewarded with opportunities for their efforts while your own are ignored and buried beneath the failures... failures that aren't the same burden they should be to all those other names. All you want is one opportunity... just a chance to finally prove you do deserve it.

When someone steps up and offers you that very chance, even if you aren't certain you can trust them... are you going to turn it down?

It's easy to say you could resist that temptation, but it's a lot harder to actually turn in down when the times comes. Deep down, you know you're good enough, that you just need that chance to finally prove it. It's a chance that Syren has taken before, that Shaun Cruze and Chris Dumont would take if they found themselves at their lowest and desperate to put an end to all the critics telling you that you aren't good enough, that you don't belong here. Don't even try to deny it guys, because at the end of the day... we're all human, we all make choices that others don't agree with, and we bear the burden that comes with those choices. Maybe I will always hear that I wouldn't be World Champion right now if Frank Delatosso didn't open the door for me... but let my title reign and my body of work in that ring speak for itself before you judge me for the actions of others.

I'm not going to stand here and say I agree with the actions of my New Order partners this week, Polly and Gavin, but I do understand why they felt this was the path they needed to take. Just like me, how long have they been trying to make their mark only to be told the burden of their failures weighs heavier on them than it does someone else, perhaps someone who's also failed time and time again but keeps being rewarded for their efforts while the likes of Polly and Gavin are told they're just not good enough, that they just need to start winning. The human psyche can only take so much hypocrisy and criticism before it ultimately snaps... that's why Gavin is far from the pure athlete who cared only about putting on his best performance in that ring and letting his efforts prove why he was called the All-Star. That's why Polly has gone through several iterations at this point and grown increasingly more unstable with each one. Did any of their victims deserve what they did to them? I would actually argue no... but unfortunately, something like this was bound to happen eventually, and that is what Mr. Delatosso is trying to fix.”

Amelia lets out a slow, shaky breath, still clearly struggling with something going on in her head, but she does briefly flash a look of apology towards us. Maybe Gavin and Polly won't fully agree with what she's had to say, but while they may all be part of the New Order, that doesn't mean she has to fully agree with everything going on. It's why she stuck to her own address to open the last Breakdown and then let Mr. Delatosso and everyone else have the floor after her while she left to watch the rest of the show play out.

“Now, on paper, this match makes sense. The team we're facing isn't just composed of wrestlers who've stood to oppose Mr. Delatosso and the New Order, but every member of that team has a specific issue with one person on our team. Chris Dumont wants to get his hands on Gavin, Shaun Cruze has been trying to deal with Polly, and it's obvious I'm holding the very thing that Syren wants.

So I guess that's where we'll start then.

Syren, I mean this when I say it: I truly do respect you as a wrestler. Everything you've accomplished in that ring is proof of why you're a member of SCW's Hall of Fame, why you've held the most World Titles out of anybody in history, why you call yourself the Alpha Female. I said as much when we crossed paths for the very first time, back during the first run Luz and I had here before injuries derailed everything. CHBK dictated your path directly at that point in time, and while we were still such a new team around here, he gave us a contract to face you in tag team action. I said as much every single time Luz and I crossed paths with Dark Fantasy in or efforts to finally become World Tag Team Champions for the very first time. I even said as much going into the match where you beat me back at Under Attack.

As I asked you going into Hubris, though... when does your desire to be the best start becoming pure greed on your part?

You know exactly where I'm at right now Syren... you've made it clear you want me to step off this path because you've traveled it before. Now, I've never resorted to shoving Infamous back in your face like everybody else likes to do, believing you haven't changed... but it's getting harder and harder to know for sure how much you truly have. How many times during the period where you were required to win ten matches in a row before you could be World Title eligible again did you end up with other opportunities, even when you were struggling and your streak kept being reset? How many wrestlers could have been a future World Champion one day, only to be sacrificed because Syren had to be the best and fight her way to the top no matter what? When is enough truly enough, Syren?

When does it stop being about you proving you're the best when you've already done that several times over... and it starts being about you convincing yourself that you're the only one who should ever hold this title?”

Amelia's voice falters a bit towards the end, but she clears her throat and seems to pull herself together. It's hard not to miss that she sounded a little upset at having to say that, but she soldiers on anyway, proverbial mask firmly back in place and that fire still burning in her eyes despite everything.

“Just because Syren is my 'destined rival' I suppose when it comes to the lineup of this match, that doesn't mean I don't still have two other opponents to address, just as I know they'll address me. Shaun Cruze is one such individual, a man who came very close to being my opponent for Rise to Greatness in his own right. Shaun, I've heard what you have to say, and I do understand where you're coming from. The problem is that you're making a lot of assumptions about me just because you're trying to paint yourself as the hypothetical messenger telling me what I've already been hearing from the moment I won this title... never mind that I won our four way at Retribution with nothing but my bare hands, never mind that I did the same at Hubris to win this title even when everyone else in that match had somebody getting involved to try and help them win. Even at Taking Hold of the Flame, forced into a stipulation meant to humiliate and degrade me, I still proved that my own wrestling talents are why I am at the top.

And if anybody else in the New Order wants to try and take my place? All they have to do is meet me in that ring and prove they're good enough.

Resolving wrestling problems in a wrestling ring... that's the philosophy I've always subscribed to Shaun, even now. If Mr. Delatosso doesn't believe in my ability to be World Champion, he would have never opened the door for me to grab the brass ring and run with it myself from there. If he starts to doubt me, then he can say as much to my face, just like you've got the opportunity to come Thursday night at the Hyvee Arena. But you've experienced this for yourself now Shaun, so you should know: I have sacrificed everything to pull myself up and prove that I'm worthy of being at the very top, and I will continue to sacrifice if that's what it takes to stay here and keep proving I'm good enough.”

Amelia's gaze drifts for a moment as something seems to cross her mind. There's one other unspoken thought, one she dares not acknowledge even if it would destroy Shaun's entire argument: she knows, now more than ever, that if Mr. Delatosso ever does decide that she needs to be replaced, any move he makes towards doing so will find interference to counter it by the one person who's made it clear she always believed in her and always will. Knowing that is enough to push Amelia forward through her last obstacle.

“All that leaves is Chris Dumont... a man who probably no longer cares about the respect that used to exist between us, the battles we fought together against a common enemy in the Fall of Man. If all you see me as is just another person who needs to be destroyed with no regard to the reasons as to why I'm standing across from you Chris, then I'm sorry you feel that way. Truth be told... you, just as much as your teammates, should know as well as anybody that this business isn't always as black and white as it seems on paper. While I'm not going to stand between you and Gavin if that's what you want above all else, as I said earlier I've always been an advocate of resolving wrestling problems in a wrestling ring, I will make it clear that you have no right to blindly judge me when your actions, time and time again, have tread that line perhaps more than anybody else on this roster.

It's one thing to want vengeance... it's another to try and hold others to the same moral standards you refuse to be held to.

If you wish to try and end me all the same, then I will remind you of why that task is far more difficult than you realize, just as I will bust my behind to once again prove to Syren and Shaun why, despite everything, I truly have earned the right to stand at the top of the mountain. This may have started with Mr. Delatosso, but everything else has been me taking that ball and stepping up to prove that I can carry this company on my back.

Polly? Gavin? Come Breakdown, we'll prove this and more once again. We don't need tricks or help to get the job done... trust in me, as your World Champion, when I tell you we're good enough with the tools in our arsenal to get the job done in a way that leaves no doubt as to how good we truly are.”

While Amelia's face has gone completely emotionless, the look in her eyes is a different story entirely. There's almost a sense of conflict going on within her head, one that's not quite enough to make us believe she fully disagrees with anything she's said here today, but as we begin to fade out, it's clear enough that maybe, just maybe, her recent experiences have started to chip away at the walls she's put up around herself... just like so very long ago.

[Jay Gold]

"As we go on, we remember
All the times we had together
And as our lives change, come whatever
We will still be friends forever"

-Vitamin C

Season 8 / Episode 6 / The Push Forward (Part 6 - Her Commencement Speech)