[
A steady stream of water swirls around a bathroom drain next to a pair of feet. Through the pebbled glass of the shower door, we see a female outline. Inside the shower, there is a variety of shampoos, conditioners and bath balms. Mercedes stands beneath the showerhead, breathing in the steam before turning her face up into the scalding spray and closing her eyes for a moment. She lingers like this for a second or two before settling to lathering her hair with shampoo. She opens her eyes, but they are half open. There is a trace of sadness on her face and the sound of the running water was replaced with her own racing thoughts, overlapping all at once.]
I was unpinned for 14 months, now this?
Was losing to Natalie McKinley the highpoint of my career?
I can’t beat Polly Playtime…Polly Freaking Playtime!
[
There were other things, more pleasant things she could be thinking about: tomorrow’s to-do list, catching up on the newest telenovela, sex, Janet Leigh's killer wash-up scene in "Psycho†– well, maybe not that last one – but all the same these nuisances were trivial compared to what happened more than four days ago at Climax Control. The agony of defeat was still fresh even after her return flight from Boston was halfway through Kansas and there was doubt she wouldn’t hear the end of it from her partner. The outcome of their semifinal loss ruined her will to break out in song. Now half of her shower is convincing herself to get out the shower.
The shower door is covered in steam so thinking of her next drawing was on her mind a lot. Last time she replicated the Sistine Chapel. But just like time, hot water is running out. It's just lukewarm now and will be freezing in a few minutes. Mercedes steps out of the shower with a fluffy towel around her waist and reaches for another towel drying her hair. She looks at herself in the mirror, the expressionless reflection stares back at her then looks away. How could she withstand the shame, the embarrassment of it all?]
[
A few moments later, she stands outside the bathroom in a bed robe but not before she opens a linen closet and tosses the pair of towels in it. She grabs something and starts walking toward the bedroom and just as soon falls into bed as if she’s been shot.
Things always get better. They always do, don’t they?
With Into the Void two weeks away, she sure hoped so.
For her sake.]
~ ~ ~Postscript 2 de mayo de 2 0 1 7 ♦ L O S A N G E L E S, C A L I F O R N I A [REC
•]
[
The camera opens on Mercedes Vargas who has a smile on her face despite what took place a few weeks ago. Inside the living room of her residence in Los Angeles, the Argentine Mean Girl is seen sitting on a chair with one leg crossed over the other and arms resting on her thighs. Wasting little time, she leans forward in her chair and addresses the camera.]
"I’m going to be completely honest, I don’t fully understand how matches are determined on any given Sin City Wrestling card, but I stopped asking or caring because life’s not fair. Bad things happen to good people. Sometimes underserving people get good things. Sometimes you do everything right but life still finds a way to point and laugh and keep messing with you just to ruin your day. But I guess if you whine and bitch and moan a lot, maybe one day, one day, your time will come. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, right?â€
[
Mercedes shrugs helplessly with her shoulders and flashes a small smile.]
“I’m not knocking it, I just want to know when that’s ever worked for anybody because there’s two ways you can go about this. You can shut up, pull up your boot straps and improve in the ring or you can continue to be the constant annoyance of the entire company. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out which one that second-generation rookie is.â€
[
Mercedes cocks her head to one side as it’s clearly obvious to those in the know who she’s talking about.]
"Chelsea Payne is one tough girl as far as Bombshells go in their first year, but credit where it’s due, she isn’t going to go down without a fight. My first year, I had some tough matches but I still ended up with a winning record at the end of the year. Going on three years later I’m still here and while my record isn’t perfect, I’ve more than proven that I can fight with the best and beat the best in the Bombshells Division."
[
Mercedes now turns to more recent events.]
“So Max Burke and I faced the second favorite team to win the tournament, Ben Jordan and Samantha Marlowe. Not bad for a team no one expected to survive past the first round. But here we are; the team that’s caused a ripple effect through the entire tournament. No, Jessie Salco got lucky to get Nico as her partner and we’ll see how long that last because you can only be so lucky for so long and for the past two months boy has she been lucky. Jessie should be thanking her lucky stars she’s not defending her title again this weekend because we both know Evie would have easily wiped that smile off her face and then use her face to wipe her tears off the canvas as most expect her to. And she did.
“If there was a team that stood an equal chance of beating Max and I, now would be a great time for them show up because they sure wasn’t any of the three teams still alive in the tournament at the time. Sorry, I just don’t see it, especially in Ben and Sam. Am I supposed to be impressed they got past Jordan Williams and Remi when one had to substitute for one of the Superstars last minute and the other has floundered since she got here? No. They survived by the skin of their teeth in the next round only because Amy Marshall is a failure in life. Max and I wasn’t facing the Cockney King and the Sin City Sweetheart in Boston, we were facing someone who is on his last run in SCW and someone who is a shell of their former self and hasn’t recovered since I ended her World Bombshell Title reign. Lady Luck was on their side again, but how long that last is the question.
“The short answer? Not for long.â€
[
Mercedes leans back into her chair, still holding her position. What calm demeanor she had earlier is replace now with a serious expression that she maintains throughout the rest of the promo.]
“Max is angry at me after we lost when he should be eternally grateful that we made a deep run in the tournament. As far as I’m concerned, he got a free ride through all of it BECAUSE of me, not IN SPITE of me. Did you seriously think I was going to let him get a World Heavyweight Championship match when I did all the work while he got all the glory?
[
She slowly but strongly shakes her head in the negative.]
“Uh-huh. I’ve had to deal with that twice with Traci Patterson and I promised myself that would never happen again. Max wants a World Championship match? Well, he can blaze his own trail and EARN that future title match and the good folks over at SCW got the ball rolling by placing him in a match with Ivan Darrell but then that's par for the course because he already beat him in the tournament.
[
This wasn’t an endorsement that her former tournament partner was going to win so much as his opponent was overmatched in every which way. In any event, Mercedes retraces back to her favorite subject at the moment.]
“As far as Samantha goes, while I’m not as high on her as, say, 95% of the roster, she is far and away the most popular among the women in the division and probably the top five on the whole roster. And betcha by golly wow is she fun to be around with kids. Their eyes light up when they meet her backstage or in the crowd. Yes, Sam sure is a role model to kids – of what NOT to be when you grow up.
“How could a woman so righteous and pure of heart be such a hypocrite? Claiming to be a role model when you’re clearly not offends me, Sam, because we all can strive to be one. The Metal and Punk Connection are role models because they continue finding new ways to impress SCW with their mediocrity, Crystal Millar is a role model because, like her waiting for her next bring break in her failing acting career, she just doesn't know if she's a bitch or a nice girl. Drake Green is a role model because his wife proves every day that you can’t turn a whore into a housewife, and Polly Playtime is a role model because being delusional will obviously get people to pay attention to her."
[
Mercedes rolls her eyes.]
“I don’t claim to be a role model, not that I want to, but I’m sure as hell would be closer than she would ever be. I’m strong, athletic and powerful. I’m the most accomplished wrestler in SCW – and that doesn’t include the Bombshells Division. And I’m the only Bombshell still active from the 2013 class that also included Roxi Johnson. Not everyone that came to SCW from another company has been a great signing, but I was the exception to the rule. A lot of people get by where they are because of looks and for some people attitude can take you only so far, but talent trumps them all. Lucky for SCW, they get all three in yours truly because among the girls who are a dime a dozen, I’m a rare find and one-of-a-kind. And when you’re clearly the heart and soul of the most feared stable not just in the division but the entire company, it says a lot. I’ve accomplished more in three-plus years than most would have in a lifetime. That alone makes me a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.â€
[
Mercedes makes it a point to say those final three words with emphasis.]
“The past few months have seen everyone label me as an afterthought in the division and some going as far as saying my best days are behind me but at 36 years old, I’m far from done and I still have time to get back to once again claiming my place on top of the division. For as much as I’ve done for the company, I’m more than deserving, but even more so, I’m more than going to earn it. Melody and Crystal may be challenging for the title, but I’m a threat to Polly Playtime then they’ll ever be. Why do you think she had to cheat – twice – in order to beat me when she was Internet Champion?
“So am I upset that Samantha beat me to get to the finals? Nope. I already proved that I’m better than her, all the fans backing her means nothing, and her fluke win over me won’t matter at the supercard anyway. Unlike Trish and Amanda, Sam is going to be sticking around in SCW for a long time. Look at the bright side: She can start facing the bottom feeders of the Bombshells Division or, at the very least, Christian will reel her back in and have her working the concession and merchandise stands before you know it since she loves putting smiles on people faces.â€
[
Mercedes returns to a smile of her own.]
“She certainly brings a smile on mine.â€
[
Fade.]
~ ~ ~ ___________________
CASA DI VILA APARTMENTS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA♦ ♦ ♦el mierocoles por la tarde 5 de mayo de 2017
Pacific Daylight Time
[
The ceiling fan above the kitchen spins lazily, the rotating blades alternately block and unblock the light. Even at its highest setting, the stale and stagnant warm air made it damn near impossible to sit comfortably, let alone sleep in the dead of night. This was one more thing Mercedes Vargas had to deal with on this sticky night in Los Angeles. She was sure her cousin Carmen had life better in Santa Monica where the weather was cooler. In fact, anywhere near the ocean was better than here – and summer was still weeks away. Mercedes looks disheveled with her brunette hair in tangles and seemingly out of it, slumped at her kitchen table in her bedrobe while absently stirring some herbal tea with a spoon. A radio plays in the background, the lyrics she couldn’t quite place, but it was a while before she realizes that those words were her own racing thoughts, overlapping all at once.]
[
And yet those questions led into a fresh batch of new questions after last week. Last week. There she was, one win away from making into the finals of Blast From the Past Tournament with Max Burke, one of the surprise teams that should, could, would have made it and won it all. But against another one of the clear favorite teams in Ben Jordan and Samantha Marlowe, she blew that opportunity. She tapped out, she made the conscious effort of giving up, quitting, throwing in the towel just as things were looking up. For 28 Superstars and Bombshells, all they have left were dashed hopes, broken dreams, and unfulfilled wishes. Mercedes and Max Burke are now among them. And atop of those missed opportunities, regret was one more chestnut she could add to the pile.]
[
Mercedes looks down into the tea cup, what was once a simmering tea bag was now a floating mass of finely-broken tea leaves. She then sighs, annoyed. Finally, she lifts the cup to her lips taking in a sip and winces from the bitter brew that settles in her empty stomach. Just then the house phone rings from across the room. Mercedes stares at it deciding whether to answer it, but thinks better of it. She wills herself to get up and staggers away from the table towards the living room, a walking corpse. She steps around half open luggage she never bothered storing away and laundry piled up and overflowing in a basket to find unfinished crosswords puzzles strewn across the floor and Wheat Thins spilled out of a box on the coffee table.].
[font color=gold]~ ~ ~[/color]
[
We float up to Mercedes’ room where she is on her cellphone, agitated.]
Mercedes: I can’t disagree. I can only agree. This is not fair, it’s not right, and you don’t deserve this.
[
Veronica Taylor is on the other end of the phone conversation. We see the former Bombshell Roulette Champion outdoors by a sundeck wearing sunglasses and a bikini while sitting on the edge of a reclining lounge chair. She absently looks down at her iPad. Apparently, she is reading something that upsets her that causes her to shake her head in disgust, that being the card for next weekend’s Into the Void supercard. Split screen as Mercedes and Veronica continue speaking.]
Veronica: Like, OMG, can you believe that Mark Ward, like, did that!? Do you know how long I’ve had to wait for MY title shot, and now he puts that undeserving basic uggo making in into a triple threat?!
Mercedes: How about being put in two Roulette Rules matches in three weeks and having to face #CrybabyChelsea again at the supercard. You know, this game that Mark and Christian are playing trying to one-up each other has gone way too far.
[
Veronica nods in agreement.]
Veronica: And you’re facing Kate Steele at Into the Void.
Mercedes: Really? That’s crazy. I’m literally jumping for joy. I’m so excited. I can’t contain myself. I just knocked over a plant celebrating.
[
Back to Mercedes, who isn’t jumping for joy and by her deadpan facial expression and tone of voice, she’s really taking the news well. To add to her “excitementâ€, she turns to a nearby table and gently tips over a ceramic houseplant. After her ungraceful exit from the Blast From the Past, this match felt more like a booby prize than a consolation one.]
Mercedes: I would rather walk on hot coals while eating a bowl of sharp glass and dipping each shard in a salsa of acid than being in the ring with her. I would much rather slap her in the face than shake her hand. Then have her turn the other cheek so she can get slapped again. That’s what happens when you’re a two-faced bitch.
Veronica: Harsh much, Mercy?
[
Mercedes doesn’t skip a beat.]
Mercedes: Well, she IS two-faced.
[
Veronica eats a loaf of French bread.]
Veronica: Have you seen Giani anywhere?
Mercedes: You mean he’s not with you?
Veronica: Um, hello? If he was I wouldn’t be asking? Duh!
Mercedes: He’s not at the beach?
Veronica: No.
Mercedes: At the nightclub?
Veronica: Not unless we’re together.
Mercedes: Putting the moves on some hot little dancer?
Veronica: As if! He has me to go home to every night, Mercy. Why would he see anyone else?
Mercedes: And you checked every bar, hospital and jail, right?
Veronica: Ugh, do I look like the Yellow Pages?
Mercedes: Well, guess that leaves him hanging out with Dax and Mickey. I’ve been noticing that lately, Celeste too. I don't know but...forget it.
Veronica: What were you going to say?
Mercedes: Seriously, it’s no big deal.
Veronica: It must be a big deal, I think I know what you’re getting at. Giani, Dax, and Mickey spend less time with us than with each other. Boys will be boys. How can you be, like, so smart and clueless?
Mercedes: I’m glad one of us is, though I don’t think anyone has called me clueless before, that’s a first.
Veronica: Ugh, whatever. Giani hasn’t been answering his cell phone and I wanted to make sure he’s okay.
Mercedes: I know Mickey and I have been distant lately, but that’s because I’ve been focused on winning a championship again. I feel almost guilty, and Celeste tells me I need to live a little. I can't do that. Not with after the stuff I've been reading on Twitter. Have you been reading Giani's tweets lately?
[
Veronica says nothing. Mercedes couldn't speak for her, she could only deal with her own matters, yet it affected all three Bombshells just the same, although they reacted differently. While Celeste saw nothing wrong with Giani and Mickey's shocking reveal, Mercedes was a little taken back.]
Veronica: No lo veo. No entiendo.¿Y qué vamos a hacer?
Mercedes: Ya no sé qué hacer. Puede que sÃ, puede que no.
[
Veronica hangs up on her.]
[font color=gold]~ ~ ~[/color]
Blog: #BadThingsHappeninThrees semana del 30 de abril del al 6 del 6 de mayo 2 0 1 7In any event, Into the Void VI I get to face Kate Steele, everyone’s favorite little potty mouth Brit and someone I know all too well. For as many times we’ve crossed paths in the ring - some nine matches in four years and three promotions – I can’t begin to understand why I bother to waste my time facing someone like her when we both know she’s not on my level. Not even claiming to be the “Siren of Ladder matches†can she hope to reach my level, and she’s not even going to try. To me, it seems like Kate has a death wish and SCW defied all odds, logic by willingly granting it. Well, I’m going to prove to her and SCW why making this match was a big mistake. She should save herself the trouble and go back to living out her rock star dreams because if she shows up to Central Park, it will be the last thing she will ever do.
Last time you and I got together, it was the last Climax Control of the year and in the week leading up to that tag match, you criticized me to the point of no return. Basically saying that I coast entirely on my name and what I used to do and what I used to be. And you know what, I grinned and bared it because nothing you say means anything to me. Why? My name has value. It’s the reason why I get the main events, the title matches, the pay-per-view matches because SCW knows that I’m a capable performer and they know what they’re getting when they put me on a card. It’s the reason why I can come in here and don’t have to face Twisted Sister or why in a few matches I’m higher on the card than you, despite not being here as long as most Bombshells.
You get one little title run, break my Bombshell Roulette Championship singles record, and you think you’re something when you’re nothing. You’ve barely scratched the surface of being great like yours truly, and maybe one day you’ll be as great as me, but it sure as hell won’t be anytime soon.
It took 17 months, but someone had to break my record for longest reign. Natalie couldn’t do it. Crystal couldn’t do it, Keira couldn’t do it. Melanie couldn’t do it. Mikah couldn’t do it. All you did was win a vacant title. You won a vacant title that Mikah once used to pay her fucking bar tab. That’s goes to show how low that title has become since my reign ended, and Amy and Jessie hasn’t convinced me to change my mind in the slightest. I honestly can’t remember the last memorable reign by a Bombshell Roulette Champion. It’s been THAT long. Yeah, I get that Melanie held the belt for over four months – the best of the bunch so far – but facing Crystal, Keira and Candy isn’t what I would call stiff competition. The other reigns barely lasted two months, if that.
Somehow, Kate, you brought back prestige to the title – maybe even a little bit – but it’s real easy to say you’re the longest reigning champion when you had more than a month-and-a-half between defenses, isn’t it? When I was Bombshell Roulette Champion, I defended that title every 3 weeks between defenses. Those were the good old days, the halcyon days when the Mean Girls didn’t just run the Bombshells division, we ruled it. We were the exception to the rule because we held all the gold. Nowadays, the Bombshells titles have never been more an afterthought when you get bloated title reigns like that of Mikah and Crystal because they think they’re too good to defend their titles on Climax Control, if at all. Did anyone know the Female Elders still held the World Bombshell Tag Titles before Blaze of Glory happened? The only way I knew Melody was World Bombshell Champion was either she was listed on the match card or she walks out with it every time she makes an appearance. Crystal goes on vacay when she was champ and no one even knew she was still on the roster. But as long as you hand in a doctor’s note (for eating a bad case of Tex-Mex, no less), everything will be honky dory. And maybe nobody wants to say this, but it needs to be said: It's a fact. The Bombshells Division has seen better days.
They say the Mean Girls were being overpushed and the other women were not getting a chance to shine when the truth is we have a proven track record and SCW was smart to capitalize on said success. That’s why we are the most prominent stable in SCW. That’s why we have a collective 14 champions between me, Veronica and Celeste. 20 if you add Delia, Amanda Cortez and Liz Smalls titles.
Sometimes it’s not about the name of the stable then about who is in it. Just like how it sometimes not about the song that makes you emotional, it’s the people and things that come to mind when you hear it. Naturally, when people hear Mean Girls in Sin City Wrestling they think of Veronica Taylor, they think of Delia Darling, they think about Liz Smalls. Honestly, I didn’t want to put on a pedestal, but I’ve been known as the heartbeat of the stable and, quite frankly, the most successful.
Winning the Bombshell Roulette Championship is difficult to capture once, let alone three times, but I did it. You may have beat my singles reign, Kate, but I still am the record-tying three-time, most defending and longest combined reigning Bombshell Roulette Champion of all time, and that’s never going to change. No matter how many members of the Metal and Punk Connection you want to recruit. Many have tried to tear down the Mean Girls, and no one has ever succeeded. That’s staying power. We’re still a thing. We’re still relevant and, yes, people still care about us. And the best part?
We’re only getting better.
I’m about to return to the state of New York for the 17th time in my career and the first time since SCW’s military tour three years ago when we went to West Point. You want to know what all those visits have in common? I’ve lost just four times. Four. This time will be no different. Is that a little brash, a little cocky? Yeah, it is. But I’ve earned that right to be. I’ve earned the right to call myself the most accomplished wrestler, not just in the Bombshells Division, but WRESTLER in all of SCW.
If you have plans for an upset at Into the Void, cancel them. Better yet, crumple it out and throw it away. You’re going to want to be ready for the disappointment coming your way in New York City. If you already planned to be in there, then good. You are where you are supposed to be. Remember when I said bad things happen to good people a little while ago? It also happens that bad things come in threes. In less than two weeks, those poor fans in New York City find out how true that is when the Metal and Punk Connection are swept in their matches: Amy gets schooled by a rookie, Jessie’s title reign mercilessly comes to an end and you’re going to learn first-hand that while silence is golden, I’m about to make my statement loud and clear and for all the world to hear when you end up on my checklist. But you already know what that’s like, don’t you, KitKat?
And, honestly, I really feel bad for you. You can’t seem to catch a break this year. Other than beating Amy Jayne at Blaze of Glory, you couldn’t win back the Internet Title from Polly, Alexis beat you in a hardcore match, which you requested, you and Joshua Acquin was one-and-done in the Blast in the Past Tournament, and you failed again to retain the Internet Title when Mikah pinned you two weeks ago. Your string of bad luck the last couple of weeks continues next weekend. That is, if you won’t be distracted by then. A little bird told me you’re going to be plenty busy this week too. Two matches in four days. A match in Hawaii tonight, another in New Orleans. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to worry about little ole’ me. Except, you’re fighting your band mates in those matches. Yeah, good luck with that.
So go ahead and tell me I’m about to be shipwrecked. I’ll make the most of it.
You’d be surprised at how fast I can survive clear and present danger.~ ~ ~Quizás, Quizás, Quizás
Now Playing: Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps – Doris Day ___________________
CASA DI VILA APARTMENTS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA♦ ♦ ♦el sabado por la noche, 5 de mayo de 2017
Pacific Daylight Time
OK. Just like we practiced. Take the lead.I’m beginning to think this was better in theory than practice.[[ The sweet sounds of tango drifts through the air outside a gated apartment complex. Inside, we notice pairs of feet gliding across shiny laminate wood tiles then the view tilts up. Mercedes Vargas is under the hem of a flowing black minidress standing across from Mickey Carroll, wearing dress slacks and a collared shirt. The pair is dancing a tango routine. Mercedes stands besides Mickey and holds him close.]]Mercedes: Transfer. Careful. Now as I step forward move your right foot back with your left foot. Forward with your right. Forward with your left. And then twirl with me...
[[Mickey follows Mercedes instructions, but he’s finding the footwork very difficult. Mercedes masks her frustration with some encouragement, though even she finds it just empty words.]]Mercedes: Don’t sell yourself short. You’re getting the hang of it. Mostly.
[[As she swing and move ther legs to the beat of the earthy and dramatic music, the swish of the skirt is a mesmerizing site to behold.]][[ This was a heck of a learning curve, but wishing it away wasn’t going to be easy. Wincing in pain after repeatedly being stepped on was one thing, but they’ll heal. The night was still young. Local anesthesia was not off the table either.]]Mickey: I can tell by the look on your face. I don’t dance. You make this look easy.
Mercedes: Rome wasn’t built in a day. Come on, Mickey. You mean you’ve never danced before?
Mickey: Tried it once. Didn’t like it.
[[With a smile, Mercedes comes around to Mickey and sweeps him into a boisterous turn and they glide across the floor through several turns.]]Mickey: Tango is not my bag.
Mercedes: Hey now! We had a deal. I would show you the tango if you would teach me the Irish dance. You can’t back out of this.
Mickey: Notice the I didn’t like it just a second ago.
Mercedes: It’s an art form. You can’t learn it in one lesson or one night. Have you been to Argentina?
Mickey: I’ve never been, but maybe yer can entice me. I hear it’s a beautiful country, but thar's also de fierce aspects ter worry aboyt too, aye?
Mercedes: Of course.
Mickey: What is it like? Are there beaches in there?
Mercedes: You have everything. You have beaches, you have mountains. Depending on where you are, the weather is usually hot and humid in Chaco, mildly pleasant in the Pampas, or very, very cold in Santa Cruz, and it snows year-round. Yeah, so a little bit of everything.
Mickey: Is it safe ter travel in Buenos Aires? oi'm not gonna wan day git mugged an' kidnapped, scon oi?
Mercedes: No, you'll be just fine. Buenos Aires isn't any different than, say, Los Angeles. It's a large, bustling town. There's neighborhoods, millions of people, families, just like any normal city. Of course, when visiting a country you should be street smart. You really should come.
Mickey: I’m convinced.
Mercedes: Somehow, I knew you would come around. Beautiful women, great cuisine, breathtaking scenery. And there's the tango, the most beautiful music in the world. God, I'm starting to sound like a travel agent. (laughing)
Mickey: You did a great job.
Mercedes: Now perhaps you can convince me on something else.
Mickey: What do yer mean?
Mercedes: Tenemos que hablar. We need to talk.
