Light in the Darkness vs. European Fiery Nation

[Konrad Raab]

4 RP Limit for tag matches

3500 word max per RP

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET THURSDAY, May 2, 2024 (Deadline will return to Wednesday next week)

[Wisteria Waltz]

Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz missed the days when things seemed simpler.

Granted, their lives had never truly been simple. Amelia's upbringing under her parents had left her stressed and burnt out constantly because if she was even the slightest bit imperfect, she would be punished and forced to “correct the issue” before she was allowed to actually have some time to rest. Luz, on the other hand, had to endure a childhood of bullying because she was unashamedly herself and nobody liked that she refused to conform to their norms, and that wasn't even including the pressure and expectations that came with being the daughter of a lucha libre icon.

As with many such challenges in their lives after they met, however, together they found a way to make it all work for them.

Their definition of “simpler” was in regards to wrestling, when all they had to worry about was the next challenge in front of them. They'd show up to compete, wrestle their hearts out, and then it was on to whatever challenge awaited them next. Given that they constantly flipped between competing in Mexico and all throughout Europe, the whole thing wasn't as simple as they made it seem, but they found a routine that they were happy with and it made them excited at the mere idea of simpler things like getting to wrestle in this city or being able to face that opponent. The young couple had traveled all over the world and faced arguably some of the best in the business even before they came to SCW, and they were starting to consider the possibility that it all seemed much easier in hindsight not because what they were doing was any less demanding of them, but because of that simple process where they rarely had to worry about any sort of chaos or drama outside the squared circle, and any that did pop up was due to something they were already expecting to have to deal with sooner or later anyway.

In addition to being a test of their skills, SCW was slowly starting to become a test of their patience as well.

In the back of their minds, Luz and Amelia had anticipated the possibility of being stuck with cleaning up the mess that Twisted & Sadistic had left behind in the wake of their efforts to speedrun their way back into title contention. They had hoped, perhaps foolishly in hindsight, that their status as the reigning champions would give their voices a little more power in convincing the rest of the division that, like it or not, Glory and Brittany were their problem now and they would take care of it as they'd been trying to do for quite some time now. Considering so many teams seemed to be under the impression that The Light In The Darkness had some semblance of authority despite their repeated statements to the contrary, the idea of them telling the rest of the division to back off and properly sort out who would be next in line after this issue with Twisted & Sadistic was finally resolved didn't sound unreasonable, especially when those teams could always step up and face them in the ring if they disagreed.

It seemed like the newer teams to the fold, however, could care less about their status as the champions or any preconceived notions about whether or not they did have some sort of secret booking power. The Cowgirls From Hell made that perfectly clear on the last Breakdown, using a koala of all things as a blockade of sorts to deny Twisted & Sadistic the confrontation everyone had been wanting in favor of starting a fight with them, and then trying to start a fight with Luz and Amelia right after. The sight of the group calling themselves the Phantom Troupe also staring down Glory and Brittany irregardless of officials trying to maintain order wasn't lost on the couple either, and the thought of them joining the fray had David Striker not still been recovering from his insane match at Taking the Leap was a viable one.

If they weren't so dedicated to the craft they love and proud of the work they were still putting in as champions, the poor women would have contemplated the idea of asking for some time off to take a well-deserved vacation.

Thankfully, SCW was able to provide them with just that opportunity while also letting them do what they loved most.

This “workation” of sorts was because the next Breakdown was set to take place in Saitama, Japan, allowing them the chance to explore one of their favorite cultures before they would have to take care of business against the European Fiery Nation. While they were hesitant to admit it, the chance to spend time somewhere that was outside of the borders they had frequented quite often by this point was a welcome relief. Not that they didn't love the places they've visited throughout Europe and North America, it's just something they've done so often now and going to Japan was a rare experience by comparison. The thought of a fresh experience might just be what the doctor ordered to clear their heads and help them figure out what they were going to do about their current SCW conundrum.

The one downside to this excursion was that they wouldn't have any of their found family joining them. As much as all of them would've loved the chance to visit and explore Japan in their own right, it was understandable that most of them were busy with other matters, be it their own wrestling careers or running a wrestling school or even needing to help solidify the evidence that would truly close the book on the monster who had tried to seize their lives and mold them into his own twisted picture of purity. Not to mention their loved ones were all doing an admittedly poor job of hiding just how much they felt the couple deserved some proper alone time at long last... granted, it had been hard for everyone to let go of the mindset of needing to watch their backs and stick together as much as possible after spending so long doing it to defend themselves from The Empire.

That's how Luz and Amelia found themselves in Saitama well before the May 2nd Breakdown, taking advantage of the opportunity to just be tourists and immerse themselves in a culture that they had only admired from afar, but still had a hand in shaping who they were even in that respect.

After a few days of enjoying the sights of Saitama and freeing their minds of the burden of being SCW World Tag Team Champions, even if for a little while, the tandem had decided to end this day by visiting an onsen, hoping to use a dip in the calming hot waters as a way to help wash away all of the stress and aches that had been building up both physically and mentally for far too long. Considering they had taken a break from touring the city to actually get some training in for their upcoming match, it felt like the best way to end today so that tomorrow they'd be rejuvenated enough in all respects to shift gears and make sure they were absolutely ready for the fight they knew was coming.

They had ended up paying for a private onsen, both because they were still very self-conscious about their bodies in any state of revealing attire (or none at all in this case) in a public setting even if there were rules in place meant to allow them to be as comfortable as possible, and because of a respectful exchange of cultural values to ensure that Luz didn't break the onsen rules by wearing her mask while in the water but also didn't feel like she was breaking lucha libre tradition by allowing her face to be seen in public.

“Ahhhhh...” Amelia let out a sigh of relief as she sank her body into the water, feeling every muscle in her body start to relax for the first time in what felt like ages as even her thoughts began to feel clearer. “This... I needed this...”

“I think we both did,” Luz admitted as she slowly untied the strings of her mask and carefully pulled it off, gently laying it on top of her towel before she climbed into the water right next to Amelia. “Ay dios mío! This feels... soooooo goooooood...”

Luz began to sink further into the water, but stopped just before her head started going under as Amelia gently tapped her shoulder.

“Don't forget about the rules just because of how good this feels, hermosa,” Amelia playfully scolded her fiancée. “Our hair can't touch the water in order to maintain its purifying effects. We don't want to seem like disrespectful guests, now do we?”

“Absolutely not,” Luz replied as she lifted herself up enough that she could at least rest against the edge of the bath while keeping everything from the chest down submerged, her face a shade of red that Amelia knew was more from embarrassment rather than the heat.

Then again, the situation was a good excuse to justify the blushing messes they were anyways. Sure, they were familiar with one another's bodies and had been intimate before, but never in a public setting. Even then, there was usually a ton of reassuring that came first before anything happened, a reminder of how perfectly imperfect they were because of all that had endured to be where they are right now.

“I wish SCW would do these international excursions more often,” Luz admitted after a few minutes of silence. “I know we're familiar with Mexico and Europe at this point, but it feels good getting to see some new sights outside of the U.S. and Canada... no disrespect to those countries, of course!”

“I know what you're getting at, Luna,” Amelia smiled, putting her partner's amusingly nonsensical worries to rest. “Traveling for our job is nice, but eventually there comes a point where you feel like you've seen it all, no matter how large the country may be.”

“...is it weird that being able to explore Saitama with you and not have to worry too much about SCW for the past few days has made me think about what we should do for our honeymoon once we're finally married?” Luz suddenly asked.

Amelia glanced at Luz with a raised eyebrow and an amused smile, and in response, Luz slowly looked away from her and tried to focus her gaze on the water. This didn't last long, though, before Amelia gently took Luz's chin between her fingers and turned her head back to they could lock eyes and the latter could see all the love and care in her beloved's gaze.

“It certainly isn't,” she firmly replied. “I know we're champions and have proven how dedicated we are to the sport, but I don't think anyone on the roster has any right to disagree with the idea that even we deserve to have more moments like this from time to time. Just you and me, enjoying some time together without any worries about who's coming for us or how we're going to navigate the turbulent waves that have formed lately.”

Luz just stared into Amelia's eyes for a moment, reminding her almost of a lovesick puppy dog with the look of adorable admiration she wore. She couldn't help but silently think that they deserved more moments like this particular one as well... she loved Luz with or without her mask and held a great deal of respect for its meaning in the culture of lucha libre, but she secretly enjoyed these rare moments where she could enjoy just how much more expressive and detailed Luz's face was without the mask hiding most of it.

“It does sound nice,” Luz admitted as she gently grabbed Amelia's hand and moved it from her chin to her bare cheek before her own hand found its way to Amelia's cheek. “It's hard to remember that sometimes, even after everything we've been through together.”

“Any thoughts on what we can do about it?” Amelia grinned, and Luz quickly picked up on the playful challenge in her tone.

“Well, we're the ones in control of our own destinies,” she grinned back. “The Empire has collapsed, your parents no longer have any power over you, we've mended so many bridges and built new ones in the past few years, and that's not even getting into all we've done to finally earn our place in SCW's history books. It's not always easy, and we may keep forgetting this fact, but as long as we have each other and the people who care about us... we'll find a way.”

“That is such a 'Luz' answer, and I love it,” Amelia giggled before she gently kissed Luz's lips. “Just like I love you and everything that you are, mi amor.”

“Yo también te amo, Amelia,” was Luz's response before they kissed once more. They kept it soft and made sure they pulled apart before any tempting thoughts crept into their mind, refusing to disrespect and defile this sanctuary.

Several minutes passed after this where the two just sat there, closing their eyes and letting their naked forms be cleansed by the onsen waters and the calm night air as they held each other close, enjoying the moment.

“You know where I think we should visit tomorrow?” Luz suddenly asked.

“Hm?” was Amelia's reply as she opened an eye to glance at her partner.

“I was thinking we could pay a visit to the Akasaka Hikawa Shrine over in the Tokyo area,” Luz told her, a soft smile gracing her lips as she opened her eyes to meet Amelia's gaze. “I've heard the shrine gives special blessings to ward off bad luck and bring good luck in marriage. I know we're not officially married yet, but...”

“It wouldn't hurt to receive a blessing from the gods to make sure our marriage is a long and healthy one,” Amelia noted, earning a nod from Luz.

“I know we're had our worries over the past few weeks,” she admitted, “given how some of the other couples in SCW seem to be having issues because of the business itself. Maybe it seems silly, but... any reassurance that we won't fall victim to that ourselves might help.”

“I don't think it's silly at all, honey,” Amelia told her, turning and leaning in so their foreheads were touching. “Well... the old me might've thought it was dumb or something like that, but that's not who I want to be. Just being able to enjoy a lot of the things we've done together while we're here in Japan wouldn't have been possible without you barging into my life and melting the walls of ice I kept around my heart just to survive. Thank you, Luna.”

“Aw, Amelia,” Luz cooed. “That might be one of the cheesiest things I think I've heard you say... but I love it so much.”

Amelia giggled and was about to respond, but both women's attention was suddenly diverted towards the sliding doors that led out to their private onsen. It sounded like there was some sort of commotion going on inside the building, and while it was hard to keep up with the frantic Japanese language that they could hear from it despite how fluent they had started to become, there was one voice that stood out to them amid the cacophony, mostly because it didn't sound like it belonged at all.

“Where are they!? I know they're here! Get your hands off me! I'm telling you, they need to be exposed for the greater good!”

Amelia and Luz exchanged concerned glances, worried about whatever was going on and definitely involving some tourist who didn't understand and/or respect the cultural rules of a Japanese onsen. Before they could even contemplate the idea of trying to ignore it and resume their well-earned relaxing bath, the sliding door was harshly thrown open. Both women screamed and covered their chests with their arms as Amelia instinctively positioned herself in front of Luz, determined to keep her face hidden from public view as best as she could despite the situation.

“Ah ha! Found you, vile imposters!”

Standing in the doorway was a caucasian man who looked to be in his mid-to-late 30s if they had to guess, with slicked back brown hair, a soul patch and mustache stubble to go along with the glasses over his blue eyes. He was dressed almost like a private investigator, but his mannerisms made it clear rather quickly that this buffoon was anything but. He immediately raised a camera he had around his neck and started snapping pictures, causing Amelia and Luz to further try and cover themselves while hiding the latter's face as best as they could.

“¿¡Quién eres!?” Luz yelled.

“What the heck are you doing!?” Amelia joined in.

“Exposing you for the frauds you are!” the man yelled as he kept snapping pictures, only to lower his camera when he seemed to spot something. Amelia carefully followed his gaze with her eyes and realized what had grabbed his attention: Luz's mask. “And this will prove it!”

The man made a beeline for the mask, with Amelia and Luz frozen in place as they were afraid to expose themselves, especially Luz in the face of what should've been a safe place to not have to worry about breaking a luchador's most sacred rule. Thankfully, the commotion the man had caused before came back to bite him in the ass as a pair of police officers quickly rushed in and tackled him to the ground, his fingertips just shy of being able to grab the mask or even the towel it was resting on. Even that effort was finally cut off as his arms were forced behind his back and he was cuffed, the officers reading him his rights in both Japanese and English only for the man to virtually waive them as he kept ranting and raving about needing to be let go because “he's the good guy” and “those imposters need to be exposed” and other such nonsense.

Luz and Amelia were given enough privacy to pull themselves out of the bath and at least wrap themselves up in their towels, with Luz also putting her mask back on. Amelia held her close and did their breathing technique together as they talked with the onsen operator and one of the officers, making it clear that they had no idea who than man was or what he was talking about. After reassuring them that the pictures he took of them were illegal and his camera would be wiped, the officer left them to try and enjoy the rest of their evening while the operator apologized for the incident and offered to not only comp their bath tonight but also allow them to have one more free private onsen visit while they were still in the country to make amends, an offer that the couple gratefully took him up on.

That still didn't calm their nerves from what had happened, though. The onsen staff couldn't be blamed because no one could've seen this coming, especially considering Luz and Amelia were certain they'd never have to deal with anyone basically stalking their every move ever again when Caleb was finally arrested. They had no idea who this lunatic was or why he was rambling about them being “imposters,” but it became an issue they decided had to be looked into if he'd gone through all the trouble of desecrating the laws of an entire culture in pursuit of them, especially after he'd had the audacity to take naked pictures of them in what was supposed to be a private setting.

At least they'd have another chance to visit and hopefully have some actual peace next time... that seemed like a good plan for after Breakdown, since they had a feeling the European Fiery Nation weren't going to stick to the rules for very long and their bodies could use the soothing hot waters to rejuvenate them after whatever chaos they were hoping to add to the raging inferno that seemed to be fueling the entire tag division these days.

[The European Fiery Nation]

Atlanta, Georgia. Wednesday 24th April. (Offline)

It had been a week since Dakon's and Ludvig's new arrival from Turkey, Kemal Yilmaz had arrived, and they had been busy getting Kemal settled into America. So instead of going out to a bar, although they could have if Kemal didn't have alcohol, they decided to hang out in a Starbucks coffee shop around the corner from where they were living. Granted, Kemal knew he had to start everything from scratch, maintaining his Halal meat and Muslim status, which was new for Dakon and Ludvig to learn about and for Konrad in a way, too.

They all got hot coffee, seeing how packed it was in the area, and because they had been busy with their own careers with their clubs. At the same time, they've kept an eye out for Kemal and him getting settled in America. They barely got to know him in the last two weeks, apart from the halal and Muslim religious stuff.

Dakon Theron: "It's so good to see you settling in America well, despite how much of a culture difference it is from Turkey to Germany and now here."

Kemal Yilmaz: "All three are very different countries for sure. I still struggle with the English language at times."

Ludvig Eriksson: "Honestly, you speak better English than I did when I first got here, and even Dakon does too."

Dakon Theron: "All despite losing everything in the earthquakes."

Kemal Yilmaz: “Don't remind me. But I do need to tell you how I survived."

That was still heartbreaking for Kemal a year on from the tragic earthquakes that made him lose everything thoroughly, and he goes into more detail on the story about his days of being homeless as they didn't know much about that.

Kemal Yilmaz: "I was wandering the streets for six months, barely surviving because many places in Turkey had run out of food, and we barely had any visitors because everything was demolished, even the airport. So I had to search out of Antakya to various places in Turkey where I could get food."

Dakon Theron: "You didn't get money by buying and selling drugs, did you?"

Kemal Yilmaz: "Of course not, because things like that are forbidden in Turkey. I was offering only money. I mean, a lot of people in Turkey somewhat resorted to that, even if it's forbidden, but I didn't. It was so hard, very hard, and I came back to Antakya to remind myself over and over again about losing everything, and then Konrad came around."

Ludvig was less emotional about the situation at first because he was still the youngest member, but Kemal was only a couple of years older and had only been training for a few months. He still had yet to visit the Atlanta Wrestling Alliance wrestling school. Dakon pats his back, seeing how hard Kemal had to endure the earthquake disaster.

Ludvig Eriksson: "It is commendable that you didn't resort to selling illegal drugs."

Kemal Yilmaz: "I didn't want to live that life of being in danger when I was already in danger of trying to survive. It's all thanks to Konrad, that really saved my ass, honestly. To think I met Konrad for the first time nine months ago and got to where I am now is remarkable."

Dakon Theron: "Yeah, and I pitched the idea to create The European Fiery Nation tag team to attract young kids like yourself into the sport."

Kemal Yilmaz: "What a great idea you proposed to Konrad. He has helped me, that's for sure."

Kemal didn't know the relationship between Dakon and Ginny was closer than just being a team manager. But that's to be discussed later on, as that wasn't important right now, especially since Kemal was still getting his stuff daily from Germany to America, although it was a little stuff.

Ludvig Eriksson: “We're all proud of Konrad. Anyway, you've settled in nicely. Dakon and I have jobs, but you should consider having your own job here and being a professional wrestler. Trust me, it will help you pay for wrestling sessions you'll get, and we can help you with that."

Kemal Yilmaz: "I want to open a Turkish restaurant in Atlanta. This town and the country need to be aware of cultural differences, honestly, and it would encourage people from Turkey to come to America."

Dakon Theron: "Man, you're fucking brilliant; you're already embracing the Europe side of our team. No wonder why Konrad wanted you as well. I never considered having more of a Norwegian part of my motorcycle club, and I must do something about that."

Ludvig Eriksson: "Well, currently, I'm arranging for the World Poker Tournament to come to my casino. There are still discussions about it, and some players are from Sweden, so I've got that covered."

Of course, they have yet to speak about wrestling because it was vital for Dakon and Ludvig to get to know Kemal more. They only met him for the first time a week ago, and there was a lot to discuss. Dakon shook his head and immediately said this as they continued drinking coffee. Of course, Kemal discusses something he had not brought up with anyone, not even Konrad.

Kemal Yilmaz: "I've never had a girlfriend."

Ludvig Eriksson: “Welcome to the club. I never had a serious girlfriend, either. I'm sleeping with lots of women every day. I'm pretty wild when it comes to that."

Dakon Theron: "Don't take lessons from him, especially with your culture and all."

Kemal Yilmaz: "Although I feel I should have freedom, I want to honour my parents and my country. Any girl I get who lives in America and is from Turkey will automatically be my girl. I've not even had sex at all in my life. But at the same time, I came here to start everything from scratch and create my own family when I found the right girl."

Of course, it was understandable, considering Kemal was trying to survive for six months and hadn't been interested in dating until now due to the earthquakes. Of course, they were enjoying time to discuss things about Kemal's life, and he was a permanent member of the Dakon and Ludvig household now who had a Turkey flag above his bed like Dakon and Ludvig have their own flags above their beds too. Dakon finished drinking his coffee while Ludvig and Kemal still had some left.

Dakon Theron: "I can relate to that for real. It's great you're so motivated to start your own family, a bit like I want to do."

Ludvig Eriksson: "I have no desire to do that, but in your case, it's understandable after that tragic event. We give you three more weeks to settle in before we take you to Atlanta Wrestling Alliance to get more training and get you matches for at least a few months. We've already told them about you coming to America and how we feel you needed to get settled before you get to the school to learn more wrestling skills."

Kemal Yilmaz: "I have to be honest. I'm nervous about wrestling in front of a live crowd for the first time at Atlanta Wrestling Alliance."

Dakon Theron: "We will make sure your first match will have Ludvig or me managing you at ringside, as everyone has to be in a single match in their first professional match in the company. Ironically, Ludvig's first match was against me."

Kemal widened his eyes at the discovery because they were European wrestlers. Still, he wondered about the history as he sipped on his coffee, smiling and delighted at being in America. He was relaxed because Dakon and Ludvig had helped Kemal get to know Atlanta better, which they had done, and they even showed him the halal meat shop that they had discovered a few weeks ago themselves.

Kemal Yilmaz: "What about my dreams of opening a Turkish restaurant?"

Dakon Theron: "When we get back from Japan and Australia, we'll look around online for any former restaurants that are permanently closed. While you're away, though, just go to community clubs around here to talk to people and play bowling and arcades; that's not gambling machines, of course."

Kemal Yilmaz: "Of course, I explore the city a bit as well."

Ludvig Eriksson: "We get you a key cut tomorrow so you can explore Atlanta and leave you with money; trust me, I make a lot of money with casino and private strip dances that you never have a problem lacking money. I will leave you three thousand dollars, which should last two weeks. Welcome to Atlanta, Georgia, and welcome to The European Fiery Nation team for now, at least until we, including Konrad, feel you're ready to wrestle in SCW."

Kemal Yilmaz: "Thank you guys for everything. I guess I'll leave you guys to pack for Japan. It's such a shame you have to leave me in America on my own when I've only just arrived."

Dakon Theron: "We will also set up your bank account tomorrow so you have your own card, and Ludvig would put at least three thousand dollars in there to start you off with. Yeah, we are going to get our things together and get our visas sorted for Japan, too. Let's go home."

Ludvig and Kemal finished their coffees and left the table to head back to their home, which was the most significant home Kemal had ever seen; he relaxed for the entire day, getting settled in America, not doing anything until tomorrow, while Ludvig and Dakon go on the computer and enter their flight details.

They also got a suggestion from Konrad about the hotel he suggested for them to stay in Japan. To their discovery, even Dakon didn't know, considering he and Konrad had been friends for a long time; Konrad lived in Japan for two years, can speak and write Japanese and is willing to help them translate their video into Japanese for Japanese wrestling fans.

Although Dakon and Ludvig did the hotel stuff on the phone to Konrad as they didn't understand the language, it didn't take them long to sort it out with Konrad's help. They got their stuff together, or at least bits of it, and socialised with Kemal the rest of the day in their home.

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

Going to Japan to wrestle is a great start, but we should be wrestling in god damn Europe as well youtube.com shoot. (Online)

Dakon Theron: “The fact that there's not a single European Tour this year for SCW and Japan and Australia get one makes me sick. We should be wrestling in Europe too. Getting to the topic in hand. Losing to Glory and Brittany and them pinning us was pathetic and a joke because not only it shouldn't have happened, but their days in the tag division are over, the most undeserving team in the entire match. They have no business being tag title contenders at all. What are they going to do when they fuck up again?”

Ludvig Eriksson: “Retire is what these two will do after they've failed against you lot for tag titles they didn't deserve once again. Hello, you remember us attacking you both when you were tag champions last time?”

Dakon Theron: “We fucked you both up good and we loved that. People say we should show respect for teams and how we should change, change to being respectful, change to being individual wrestlers like everyone else in this god damn place because they are scared to be stuck in one division?”

Ludvig Eriksson: “It's stupid and shows the lack of dedication the teams have for tag wrestling. Anyway, what does your tag name even mean? Like how can you possibly have light in the dark, unless you have green LED lighting like Konrad has sometimes?”

Dakon Theron: “I mean you two don't help yourselves, do you to be on the end of us being your target because you're tag champions. Anyone who's a tag champion is automatically a target and those tag contenders aren't true tag wrestlers, they only exist for Glory's pathetic grand slam achievement.”

Ludvig Eriksson: “The fact is we're completely different to anyone you've seen. We're hardcore wrestlers that beat the shit out of people and we are very different, more so when we bring the Turkish kid in our team who's culture is completely different from us and we come from the same continent. We represent our European countries and we represent Konrad's wrestling school.”

Dakon Theron: “But somehow, despite Konrad doing a lot of attacks on his own without us, we're his lackies when Konrad does absolutely nothing with us. We seek rivalries on our own, like we did with you both. Konrad didn't tell us to attack you both, we decided on our own accord.”

Ludvig Eriksson: “It took SCW bosses this long to get us to face you guys. We're the only ones that are consistent with our goal of being tag champions. That's the only thing we care about and we don't acknowledge individual glories of being solos champions because we don't give a damn.”

Dakon Theron: “What you got around your waists is what we care about and what we came to do. We exist only for tag titles and once we done it, we aren't going to retire, we're going to win the belts again and again, multiple times with or without Konrad and our future Turkish wrestler on our side.”

Ludvig Eriksson: “We aren't changing because of teams changing shit, changing shit isn't going to solve anything and we're still doing the same thing because it's what we are good at. Why change when we enjoy what we do?”

Dakon Theron: “Because they want to win matches regularly, we only care about winning if it's beating tag champions or beating every team that should've happened at the PPV because we're the better team, not hacks of Glory and Brittany. You guys might not be hacks, but please, make sense when coming up with a tag name because there's no light inside of darkness.”

Ludvig Eriksson: “Everyone was so happy when you guys won the tag titles from the hacks, but we know you're already a better team than them, but we're better and when we win this match from you both, we'll be in the tag title hunt too because that's where we should be clearly.”

Dakon Theron: “And we'll fuck you both up far worse than we did when we attacked you both from behind because of our decision to. We lost every tag match, so what?”

Ludvig Eriksson: “Except for the Retribution PPV, none of them meant a damn thing, we weren't getting the tag title match if we racked up a lot of wins, we win when things matter and we are going to win this match.”

Dakon Theron: “We do what we're here set out to do, beat the living hell out of the pair of you and we'll do it over and over again until we get our rightfully deserved tag title shots that we, not Glory and Brittany should've gotten. What a right way for us to show anger than to dish it out on you tag champions who have the tag title contenders saying they've should've beaten you both.”

Ludvig Eriksson: “You two are fucked and done for honestly. We're sick of being called Konrad's lackies when we do nothing for him in favour, despite Enigma being a coward because he's afraid of attacking Konrad.”

Dakon Theron: “But it's fine because despite me wanting to beat the shit out of Enigma for reasons I can't say, we're going to unleash hardcore wrestling onto you girls because great champions you both are, but we're so much better and we don't need wins unlike Glory and Brittany do for some reason to prove that we're more deserving. The attacks we've done will be a distant memory of the brutality and pain we'll give to you girls. Because hot headed Europeans have that style in them.”

[Wisteria Waltz]

OOC: Just to go the extra mile to have a little bit more fun with this, consider the following promo as having been done with Luz and Amelia speaking in Japanese and the text you're reading is the "translated version" appearing in "subtitles" as you watch the promo.

Or you can just consider the whole thing in English if you don't want to have a bit more fun with picturing this in your head as you read. Up to you.
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Breakdown may emanate from Saitama, Japan this week, but that doesn't mean a trip to the nearby city of Tokyo should be out of the question if you have a reason to make the roughly 40-minute trip. We can quickly assume that The Light In The Darkness had such a reason, given that anyone who's familiar with Japan would quickly deduce that we are nowhere in Saitama right now. Instead, we find ourselves at the torii to the Hikawa Shrine located in the Akasaka district of Tokyo, one of the most historic shrines in all of Japan and one of the ten shrines recognized by the Emperor himself as a representative shrine to pray for Tokyo's protection and the peace of all people.

In the presence of this incredible sight, we find Amelia Blythe and La Pequeña Luz walking through the torii and towards us, seemingly having finished whatever they came here to do. With the unending exception of Luz's luchadora mask, both women are dressed in beautiful and elegant kimonos—purple for Luz and pink for Amelia—which are decorated with patterns of falling wisteria leaves and what resemble little floating orbs of light. Notably, there is no sign of their Tag Title belts, though considering our location it makes sense that they felt they should only bring what felt essential for visiting such a sacred place. The couple notice our presence and delicately stand with the shrine and its torii looming in the background, hands folded in front of them in a manner reminiscent of how Amelia stands during their entrances. Maybe it's a bit surprising to see Luz looking a little more subdued than usual, but it's clear that even she acknowledges the spiritual weight all around them.

“Good afternoon everyone, and we're hope you're having a pleasant day no matter where in the world or what time of the day you happen to be watching this. Now, we have to apologize a bit for any potential confusion you might have right now... yes, Breakdown is scheduled to take place at the Saitama Super Arena this week, but Luz and I are not currently in Saitama. We'll be honest... it's not too often we get to come to Japan, much less compete in front of its fans, so we felt it was only right to immerse ourselves in the culture while we had this rare opportunity to do so.”

“Amelia and I love Japan, and not just because we aren't ashamed to admit that anime and manga have had a major influence on helping us consider the kinds of people we truly wanted to be in our lives. Japan is also steeped in a rich history with an amazing culture that you have to experience for yourself to truly appreciate everything that it has to offer. That's actually why we felt that it was only right to make a stop here, to the historic Akasaka Hikawa Shrine... I'm sure SCW fans haven't forgotten that Amelia and I proposed to one another during our Rise to Greatness entrance last year, and we're hoping to have our wedding before this year is done if all goes according to plan. This particular shrine is known for giving special blessings to ward off bad luck and bring good luck in marriage... a marriage we hope will thrive and prosper for the rest of our lives.”

“It also didn't hurt to ask for a blessing regarding our luck in SCW as well, because we're not going to lie... we knew, even before the first time we even challenged for the World Tag Team Championships, that being at the top of the mountain was not the end of the challenge, but rather, the beginning of an even greater challenge. We know full well we have a giant target on our backs and everyone wants to be the ones to ultimately dethrone us, and we have welcomed that challenge with open arms time and time again because we want to be pushed beyond our limits in order to keep getting better. What we weren't expecting, however, was that everything would be plunged into chaos because nobody wants to listen and everyone wants to march to the beat of their own drums thinking that's how they're going to cut the line and get to us the quickest.”

“Make no mistake, we have our own issues with Twisted & Sadistic just like everyone else does, and that in and of itself is one of the biggest reasons why we've actually acknowledged their statements and want to prove them wrong. Even then, we've made it clear we don't condone what Glory and Brittany did to try and get back to where they are now, but like it or not, they're recognized as the number one contenders and that makes them our problem... not the Cowgirls From Hell, not the duo of Striker and Dumont, not anyone else in the tag team division, but OUR problem. Call us selfish for wanting to keep some semblance of order if it interferes with everyone's desire for revenge, but if Amelia and I are going to make this inevitable title defense count and prove to Glory and Brittany once and for all that The Light In The Darkness CAN beat Twisted & Sadistic 2v2, then we want there to be absolutely no excuses on either side. Can any of you honestly say that if we win that match but those two weren't at 100% that they won't simple repeat this cycle all over again because 'we didn't beat them at their best'?”

“This has been the difficult tightrope we've had to walk ever since we won these titles back, and it's honestly heartbreaking that so few of you are either putting your faith in us to turn back this challenge or hoping for us to be dethroned once again so Twisted & Sadistic has an even greater target on their backs. Instead, you're all taking matters into your own hands and trying to dictate how you believe things should be according to your own whims instead of actually earning the right to try and call yourselves champions, something we made clear to Glory and Brittany, to their faces, that we weren't going to acknowledge or accept when it comes to how you get us in the ring to take your shot.

That, funny enough, actually brings us to this upcoming Breakdown...”

Amelia turns to glance at Luz, a playful smile forming on her lips.

“Luz, do you remember what happened back on the final Breakdown of 2023?”

Luz takes a moment to ponder this question, tapping her chin in thought.

“Let's see... if I remember correctly, I successfully defended the Television Title I held at the time against Derek Adonis. I was all set to celebrate my reign continuing, and then everything changed when the European Fiery Nation attacked.”

Amelia can't help but laugh as Luz just grins at her, knowing full well what she's done.

“You just couldn't resist the Avatar reference, could you?”

“Nope!”

The grins they're giving one another soon give way to more serious looks as they turn their full attention back to us.

“But in all seriousness, Konrad attacked Adonis just because he was furious over his Fatal Fortunes drawing because he had to wrestle in a match sponsored by... well, I'm not too comfortable continuing on with that thought. But before we could intervene because the whole thing was unwarranted, Dakon and Ludvig attacked us, both to make sure we didn't get involved and to make a statement of their own.”

“A statement they then spent weeks bragging about, claiming they got our attention and believing it would soon lead to a title opportunity for them and they did it without actually having to play by the rules. Now, we could have very well pursued the idea of revenge for that little stunt, but we realized it would ultimately accomplish nothing. Even a non-title match would be justifying the purpose behind their attack on us, and between Luz's Television Title reign and the challengers we had lined up already for our World Tag Team Titles, it just wasn't worth it. If Dakon and Ludvig wanted to face us that badly, all they had to do was ask. Better yet, they could have earned the opportunity to challenge us with the titles on the line because they have claimed time and time again they are the most dedicated tag team in all of SCW today, which begs the question...

Why aren't you showing that dedication you claim to have?”

“Your claims are founded on the belief that because the World Tag Team Championships are the one and only championship in all of SCW that matters to you and you refuse to compete outside of tag matches together unless forced to do so, then you must be justified. And yet, time and time again you've proven that as soon as things don't go your way, your first instinct is to break out the weapons and take one step backwards in your pursuit, refusing to get better so that you can validate those bold claims and earn the opportunities you crave so badly. You excuse this by claiming that you're just 'spicing things up' because you find the way we prefer to do things 'too boring.' That, to us, doesn't sound like a team that's truly dedicated to the craft of tag team wrestling.

Let's be clear here: Amelia and I are not afraid to step outside of our comfort zone if that's what it takes to prove ourselves, but there has to be a reason to raise the stakes to that level. Repeatedly going the hardcore route just to 'spice things up' will inevitably make that option stale as well. More importantly, you're implying throughout all of this that we aren't as dedicated to tag team wrestling as you are just because we've both had solo opportunities and took them without a second thought. Never mind the fact that we have always supported each other no matter what opportunities come our way, never mind the fact that we willingly exiled ourselves from Tag Title contention for MONTHS just to prove to the then-champions how much all of this meant to us and what we were willing to do to prove it.”

Luz opens her mouth to keep going, but Amelia gently places a hand on her shoulder to stop her. The two fall into a silent conversation before nodding to one another as Amelia takes over.

“Luz could keep going, but I think our point is pretty clear. Bear in mind that tag team wrestling wasn't even in our plans when we first entered this business... Luz's father was never a tag team wrestler, nor were my parents. My older siblings were, but that wasn't entirely by choice thanks to our parents refusing to see past them being twins in their plans for our family legacy. The plan for me was to become the best singles wrestler I could be, and I know Luz had similar aspirations... and yet, here we are, recognized as one of the greatest tag teams in the entire world. That's an honor we have earned, time and time again, by pushing ourselves in that ring and training our butts off until we were so in sync with each other our opponents started to believe we could communicate telepathically with each other. We know the path to the top never gets easier the farther you go, and we have embraced that challenge and evolved to stand here as your two-time and reigning SCW World Tag Team Champions.”

“And yeah, in the meantime we've both reigned as Television Champion and had other opportunities at singles gold, but even those accomplishments ultimately contributed to pushing each other to get better and preparing ourselves for those situations where one of us has to stand alone until the other can recover to get back in the fight. There's just as much to learn fighting on your own as there is to fighting by each other's side.”

“We have pushed ourselves beyond our limits for years to build a legacy that was all our own, and the fact that we stand here today proudly trying to carry the SCW tag division on our backs and encourage teams just like you to step up and prove how badly you truly want this is a testament to just how much tag team wrestling, SCW or otherwise, means to The Light In The Darkness. You're not the first to have called our dedication, our integrity, everything that all of this means to us, into question, and you certainly won't be the last. But... Dakon, Ludvig, understand that when that bell rings, you will find all of that out firsthand, and then you'll have a very difficult decision to make. When push comes to shove and you realize just how worthy of the mantle of SCW World Tag Team Champions Luz and I truly are, will you push yourselves to that next level to actually prove to us that your dedication to this craft IS stronger than ours and earn that opportunity you want so badly? Or will you take the coward's way out, rushing for the first weapons you both can get your hands on and hoping, in the face of all the evidence to the contrary we've provided to you and the rest of the division for months now, that if you 'beat' us without your names being announced as the actual winners of this match that it will have proven anything?”

“Know this: we're not afraid of you or anything you think you can do to us to make your point. It's going to take a lot more than excessive violence to snuff out The Light In The Darkness, and if that's the game you want to play, then you only have yourselves to blame with it blows up in your face in more ways than one.”

With that, Luz and Amelia actually bow in a show of respect to us for hearing them out before turning and bowing one last time to the shrine in thanks for the blessings they have received today and the chance to visit. With their minds clear and their focus on this upcoming match absolute, the couple join hands and take their leave as we linger on the sight of the shrine's torii for just a little longer before fading out.