[Time flies when you're having fun. It wasn't so much that “fun” was doing PR for SCW and the like, but Mercedes Vargas knew the lingo by now. Being the consummate professional that she is in the promotion after all the success that came with it came with the territory, and she staked her claim as a bonafied legend in the company. Open to the confines or a radio studion. It's just after 8 AM and the Argentine is wrapping up a Q-and-A in downtown LA. Typical day, blue skies, and not a single cloud in the sky. The kind of weather you'd expect here in early February.

After the interview ended, Mercedes, relieved that her duty was complete, thanks the host before, exits the studio, walks down the orphaned hallways, and steps through the double doors of the building and into the balmy weather. She fishes through her purse and comes up with the car keys. As she is walking, she aims her car remote as two brief flashes from the headlights comes from a white corvette in parallel park.

She opens the door, climbs in and starts the engine. Adjusting her rearview mirror, she backs out of the garage into the street and drives off.

Reaching for the radio to drown out the silence, the dial glows with an eerily orange light. Rap. Classical. Rock. Her hand draws back as she settles on the tail end of a Gloria Estefan number, before a video call comes in.

Split screen. Mercedes is driving while Irma is on the phone from her house. Mercedes watched Irma with the dabs and strokes coming together into a nature scene. Irma continues adding paint on top of still-wet paint.]

Irma: Hey, how did your match go?

Mercedes: I didn't have a match this week.

Irma: No, but you had a match last week.

Mercedes: Wouldn't you like to know?

Irma: Uh, yeah, that's why I asked.

[She knew it may look like she was being a bitch, but that's only because she was acting like a bitch.]

Mercedes: I didn't leave my match like I hoped. No big deal.

Irma: Funny, because you were making a big deal out of it the moment the card was announced.

Mercedes: Even the best loses matches sometimes. Like I said, it's nothing to worry about. I’m sure I’ll be back in a title scene sooner than I think.

[Irma gives a long hard look at Mercedes. She wanted to say something, but decided to hold her tongue. Getting up, she mutes her TV playing The Joy of Painting.]

Mercedes: What are you up to?

Irma: Art exhibition this weekend and I got a few samples I want to show off. I think I’m getting this water color ice cold. How’s the memoir coming?

Mercedes: Slowly, but surely. Like my career.

Irma: I know this book was really hard for you. How are you dealing with everything?

Mercedes: I don’t know. I mean, there’s still so much to tell, so much to do. I’m coming up on my contract year, and, it’s like, I’m nearing the end of my rope. Just have to tie a knot and hang on.

Irma: We just show you how, but you make the decisions. When you have this much power, you make the decisions. There’s beauty in every tree and bush. Just take the time to look at them.

Mercedes: That was deep. I guess I never thought about it that way. Who told you that one?

Irma: The Joy of Painting. Bob Ross should be a philosopher.



Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 30 de enero al 6 de febrero de 2022

They say it’s lonely at the top. There's a reason they say that. It’s lonely at the top because the top is generally success. Other people come to you to get it, not because they like you and care for you, not because they respect you. At the top, there’s no real friends because they envy you, and your friends, who flatter you, are often plotting your downfall to elevate themselves. The top is a place full of fear, hate, insecurity, greed, domination, backstabbing. That’s just par for the course. And there’s no place where this happens more than this industry.

I know what success is like because I am the most decorated woman in Sin City Wrestling and the only one who can be seen working in two brands. At the end of the day, I’m pretty simple, I turn up, do my thing and get paid, sometimes even enjoy what I do but good Lord almighty it’s like being in the Hunger Games sometimes.

So what exactly keeps me getting up every weekend and continuing to perfect my legacy? What could possibly motivate a person to continue to go through that grind after already accomplishing so much and building quite the legacy along the way? I've practically accomplished everything there is to accomplish in Sin City Wrestling. I'm at or near the top of pretty much every statistical category in the women's division if not the company and I've broken numerous records since I joined the roster. Time and again, I've proven that I'm still a threat in the women's division. Before my prime, in my prime, past my prime, it doesn't matter.

Proving myself is justified.

The Wolf on the top of the hill is never as hungry as the wolves still climbing the hill. Imagine you're, say, a superhero. You're the strongest hero to ever exist. Any foe that you have is practically nothing when they fight with you. With one touch you throw them into oblivion.

They say it's lonely at the top, but I feel it's an acceptable burden for Amber Ryan because it is an honour to lead. Amber has never felt she’s too amazing to treat others like they don’t pose a threat, or those who put her on a pedestal. I’m not going to do that, wouldn’t be me if I did that. See, because unlike most of the Bombshells , I have zero fear of Amber Ryan. No, I’m not trying to psyche myself out for my match, I just never feared Amber when the ink dried on her contract, I never feared her when she was announced as the newest Bombshell to the roster on Twitter. Certainly didn’t fear her in our first go round. And that won’t change this weekend.

I put my ear to the ground and I hear the doubters and the critics and the naysayers. They don't think I can do it. And to the surprise of no one, there’s a lot of opinions on how Sunday’s main event is going to go. “Mercedes doesn’t stand a chance, Amber’s gonna kill you!” and so on and so forth. People seem to forget that I'm one of the few people who has never lost to Amber.

In less than forty-eight hours, the first round of the Blast From the Past Tournament begins in what will be a very tough field, it always is every year. The teams were chosen, the matches were made. Now it's time to get this show on the road. And I’m going to hit the ground running with a match I didn’t expect to be in.

The lethal lottery can be a cruel mistress sometimes. Some may hide their dismay for a partner they didn't want or a matchup against a team that is favored to win the tournament by outright. History hasn’t been kind to me with partners in the tournaments the last few go rounds. Now, granted, I can get along with just about anybody., and personally any of the Superstars would want someone as accomplished as I am as their partner, but I can only do so much. You can only do so much when you’re partner isn’t just a newcomer but also a rookie into the wrestling business. Did I mention he’s a YouTube star? I didn’t? Well, it bears repeating: he’s a YouTube star.

Great.

Conventional wisdom says that Shane Hawthorne and I are facing an uphill battle. Conventional wisdom says that
my last few appearances in the Blast From the Tournament haven’t been anything to write home about. Conventional wisdom says that my team could be one of the first to be eliminated early. Conventional wisdom says that Amber and Hitamashii are a shoo-in to at least get far in the tournament than any team.

Win or lose this week, I have a chance to make a statement by proving that I’m able to stand toe to toe with Amber, something that not many have accomplished. Amber is known by a lot of names. The Painted Hurricane. Then again, that bitch has piled up a lot of bodies in SCW. She’s defeated practically every woman in the company. She’s beaten Roxi, Crystal, Myra, and Jessie multiple times during her title reign. They might not like to hear it, but facts are facts. No wonder why Amber is bored. The only name NOT on that list is mine. You know your women's division is the best in the world when it takes two years to find somebody to finally shut her up. I’m very self-aware of her superior talent, and if it wasn't for her arrogance and tendency for showing off, she'd be unbeatable (instead of just mostly so).

As we all learned from The Matrix Reloaded, you never truly know someone until you fight them. There’s a reason Amber and I are fighting this weekend, it’s up to me to embrace it. It’s up to me to show everybody what Mercedes Vargas is truly capable of. I have an unquenchable fire. More specifically a fire inside of me that just wants to see me standing over someone and my hand raised in victory.

I'm not willing to bend or break for anybody. I sure as hell don't need to validate myself to the fans, this company, or the lockerroom, because theirs or anybody's expectations will never exceed mine. I mean that with so much emphasis.

If I had a middle name, history would be it. Last name Vargas, first name Mercedes. Prefaced by the most important thing.

New. Bombshell. Champion.

 

B E V E R L Y H I L L S • C A L I F O R N I A

[The stakes couldn't be any higher. This weekend's tag match was just the appetizer. Las Vegas were lucky to get to host the most important tournament at this point. Mercedes Vargas will have to be at her level best to win, especially this weekend.]

MERCEDES: What else you got?

RICARDO: Nothing as good as Statue Of Eternity. It’s brilliant.

MERCEDES: I’ve heard better. Change the title and send it back out.

RICARDO: That’s like me asking you to change your face Mercy. The title is everything.

[Ricardo is having a creative dry spell and meets Mercedes at the local restaurant.]

MERCEDES: What does Statue of Eternity even mean?

RICARDO: I’m just spitballing here, but it’s the next superhero movie. Think Wonder Woman meet Lady Liberty.

MERCEDES: So, an action movie, right?

RICARDO: Could be. A dark crime thriller works too.

MERCEDES: Richie, if anything this should be a comedy. The title and script is so bad.

RICARDO: Well, excuse me, princess. I’m trying to be original here, do something different, alright? That’s my problem, no one ever understands me. If they took the time to read my stuff, this would be box office gold.

MERCEDES: You’re not an artist. Let’s finish our drinks and get to the airport.

[Richie downs his beer.]

MERCEDES : Let’s go.

RICARDO: I still don’t see anything wrong with it? Come on,, it’s just a title!

MERCEDES: If someone sent me a script with a name like that, I wouldn’t read it.

RICARDO: Alright…let’s get out of here. Maybe you’re right.

MERCEDES: I like to think I always am, but thank you.

[Mercedes downs her pina colada. Ricardo puts money on counter, waves to the local bartender who waves back.]



Present Day ♦ S A N T A M O N I C A, C A L I F O R N I A

[REC•]

“¡Imbécil, enciende la maldita cámara!”
“Moron, turn the damn camera on!”

[Open up on an breezy late evening where we find Mercedes Vargas sitting outside the patio, a block from the Santa Monica Pier and 3rd Street Promenade, with fountains and metal sculptures overlooking the scenic views of the Pacific Ocean and of the Santa Monica Pier. The sun has sunken below the horizon and the low tide glittered invitingly. The usual crowd was here. The residents, the surfers, and the accidental tourist. All were welcome.

For someone who just suffered a tough loss recently, Mercedes is visibly upset. The Argentine stares back at us through the camera dressed in bootcut jeans and representing her Mean Girls pride, sporting a black t-shirt with the iconic Mean Girls logo, and the occasional baseball cap. She looks down a bit, waiting for the words to come to her. When she has the words at the tip of her tongue, she lets out a breath, then begins. Obviously, her upcoming match and the events of the past few weeks has really got her fired up.]

“The World Mixed Tag Team Championship are no longer with Goth and I after Inception, and I’ll take that. It’s my fault why we’re no longer champions. And I bet a lot of you out there are thinking now that Reckless Elite have the titles that Goth and I have largely fallen by the wayside. And you would be dead wrong. Because we have a rematch in our back pocket, and this damn sure isn’t over. Not by a long shot. So Kris and Mikah, if I were you, I wouldn’t plan on keeping those titles very long.”

[Though Mercedes and Goth gave Reckless Elite a respectable match at Inception, the result was no different than her previous matches or against Mikah for that matter. Mercedes pauses for a long moment, her eyes closed, clenching her fist, emotions having caught up with her state of mind. Only when she opened her eyes again and looked up at the camera did the next words were spoken with conviction.]

“No matter how good you are, no one is invincible. Whether you're the most decorated wrestler in the entire company, or one of the popular tandems in SCW. And even me being the most decorated talent by far here in Sin City Wrestling, I still don’t get the respect that I deserve. Regardless of what the other Bombshells say about me, I’ve worked for it. I’ve earned it. I damn well deserve it. Apparently, now you have people going on media sociale trying to become aspiring comedians subjected to making jokes at my expense, intended to amuse their little peanut gallery. Little do they know, the joke is on them. So who is headlining the first Climax Control after Inception? Who’s headlining the first Climax Control of 2022? Where’s the roastmaster? Didn’t even get a mention.”

[Mercedes raises her index finger in a wait-a-minute gesture.]

“You know who IS headlining the first Climax Control after Inception? Who’s headlining the first Climax Control of 2022?”

[Mercedes points at herself.]

“This girl right here! Even better? It’s the 10th annual Blast From the Past Tournament, which I just found my match also doubles as a World Bombshell Championship match against none other than Amber Ryan in the opening round.

“Sabes, la familiaridad genera menosprecio. Así como la familiaridad engendra desprecio, así también el éxito engendra autocomplacencia.”
You know, familiarity breeds contempt. And just as familiarity breeds contempt, success often spawns complacency.

“They say familiarity breeds contempt. I don’t know about that. I better get used to the fact that I'm not going to get any sleep this weekend, because apparently, familiarity is the least emotion I’m feeling right now. More like excited. I'm very excited to return to UNLV and the Cox Pavilion, I'm very excited to come down to Las Vegas , I'm very excited to see my fans. And I’m just as excited facing Amber again.Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure it's all real.”

[Mercedes waves her hand in a dismissive gesture toward the camera. Fortune may favor the bold, but against Amber Ryan, it's going to take more than that to unseat her from her place on top of the division.]

“Inception V may not have gone the way that I wanted. A pair of losses may not have gone the way I wanted, but excuses aren’t going to cut it. I failed, that's just the way it is. But failure isn’t fatal. Sunday is about making a statement. It’s about sending a message that I take a backseat to no one, and Amber is going to learn that lesson the hard way.”

[Nodding her head, Mercedes allows her words to settle in and find their place in the hearts and minds of those watching. The indignant expression remains on her face as Mercedes crosses her arms.]

“Anyways, it’s been awhile since I crossed paths with Amber and I won’t be taking it lightly. I didn’t die last time we fought but I didn’t win or lose either. I almost wish we met in different circumstances with the title on the line. Amber don’t deserve to defend her title in a mixed tag match, especially in the Blast From the Past. But then again, I don’t book the matches. She’s actually have to kill me this time to keep that title.

“You woke up and chose violence today, didn’t you, Amber? I may have lost the last few times, but there's still a twinkle in my eye, a smile on my face, and a pep in my step. This is what confidence looks like. Because even in defeat, I cannot be dismissed. Let’s face it, Amber, Christian Underwood didn’t set this matchup this weekend as a another easy defense, he set it up to really push you.

“That being said, Amber, here’s your chance to accomplish that goal, to make your dream become a reality. But let’s get one thing perfectly clear: if there is anyone under pressure leading into this match, it's you. I’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to gain. You have everything to lose, and nothing to gain. And that's a scary thought. What’s scarier? You're gonna need to lose that title to understand what winning it and keeping it means. I don’t win by outlifting people or outrunning people…I win by outsmarting them.

That is what being a champion is all about. Whether I was a tag team champion, Bombshell Roulette champion, world champion...it didn't matter. When my feet was put to the fire, I walked on hot coals and survived. When I was put to the test, I passed with flying colors, and when there's an obstacle in my way, I remove it from my way. I'm not counting the days, Amber. Instead I'm going to make them count. I've done that for nine years now..

"You know, Amber, just between us, I just have to ask you: are you enjoying your title reign? See because over the last few title reigns, a lot of people were talking. When Alicia had her 2019 title run, people like Roxi Johnson said the title was in purgatory. I wonder if she’s saying that about you now? So, I'm not surprised that there's a target on your back and everyone wants at you for your title. You’re not getting those eight hours of sleep a night. Constantly wondering and worrying what new challenge awaits, who will be coming next to end your title reign, what Bombshell will be gunning for you. The expectations..."

[Mercedes raises a hand above her head.]

“...are that much higher."

[Her voice was scarcely more than a whisper, but just enough to still be heard.]

“So are the stakes."

[Mercedes makes her hands go limp as she crosses her arms in front of her.]

“See, I live for matches like these, Amber. Because no matter how high the stakes are, no matter what the odds are, no matter how intense the pressure, I always answer the bell. The question is, will you? Will you meet those expectations one more time? Because if you think that you will meet them at my expense, then you couldn't BE more wrong. Come Sunday, the world will be watching and waiting and wondering if you can pull off an encore performance. And at the end of the night, they will have their answer. You're going to let a lot of people down that night: your fans, your fellow Bombshells, your husband, but, more importantly, yourself.

“You're going to disappoint once again. Because when you and I meet in that ring, yeah, it will be very different than our last match two years ago, mamita. I also want you to think that this match is in your favor. Train to your little heart's content. I want you to look past me. Go ahead, do it. Kick back and relax a little. I dare you. I want you to be consumed with the notion that you will beat me, and then realize that while the crowd expects it, the outcome won’t be.

“As for you? All you'll be leaving with are bumps and bruises, stitches, your wounded pride, and a paycheck. Oh, and a lonely flight back to that third-rate shitty state you call New Jersey.”

[She smirks. and holds out her hands in a defiant manner.]

“The only caveat saving your title reign is me beating your ass in the middle of the ring. You better hope Hitamashii saves your title reign, or Shane Hawthorne defeats Hitamashii.”

[Mercedes swipes a hand over face. The once proud smile she had has transformed into a serious expression.]

“I guess what I'm really trying to say Amber, is while you seem to always have a chip on your shoulder, I’ll be more than welcome to take that chip off your shoulder, and that title off your waist. I'm going to make or break you at this Sunday.”

[In the end, there was only one person that was going to walk in and walk out of Climax Control with the win. In her own mind, she was the one. In her mind, she was the only one, and she knew it. In less than three days, her opponent would find out why. The thing is, she was going to find a way, not a way out.]

“Whether you love me, hate me or feel completely indifferent about me, there’s no denying one thing: when it comes to the all-time greats, when there’s a historic moment about to be made, when you talk about champion of champions? Nobody does it better.

“The crazy part is, I got my start in this company at 32. I’m still winning championships nine years later. And like fine wine, the older I get, the better I get. There’s not a damn woman on this roster who compares to me.”

[Mercedes fluffs and straightens out her hair and then slowly cross her arms.]

“There’s more to Mercedes Vargas than irrelevant facts and snippets of random trivia. Just so happens that I’m the only 14-time champion in history. But you know what’s better than being a 14-time champion?

“Being a 15-time champion.”

[Looking deadset into the camera lens, her voice drops to a whisper though her words hold conviction behind them.]

"Estar preparado para lo peor, esperar lo mejor."
"Prepare for the worst, hope for the best."

[She pauses for effect, lowering her voice just above a whisper.]

"Y que la suerte está siempre en su favor.”
“And may the odds be ever in your favor."

***Fade***

Madison Square Garden | N E W Y O R K• N E W Y O R K

[After the High Stakes pay-per-view broadcast went off the air, we fade backstage where we find Mercedes Vargas, still in her wrestling gear, walking with her back to the camera. A random cameraman finds her for an on-the-spot interview and calls out to her.]

Cameraman:
Mercedes Vargas! Mercedes, would you like to comment on what happened out there tonight?

[Mercedes turns around, which causes the cameraman to react in surprise.]

Cameraman:
Are you...Are you crying?

Mercedes: (sarcastically)
No, no, my sinuses are acting up again. Of course I’m crying, you idiot. But don’t be fooled, these are not tears of sadness, these are tears of joy.

[She wipes her eyes with the few pieces of crumpled tissue, before she runs a hand through her hair and looks up again at the cameraman.]

Mercedes:
You want to talk about the fact that I lost? Sure, I lost, okay? And it could have happened for any number of reasons: Maybe I came in a little unprepared, maybe I was a little over prepared, or maybe I may have underestimated the competition. The better team won tonight, and I’m happy for Austin and Tempest. I think they’re going to break the all-time singles record.”

Cameraman:
So, um, what’s next for Mercedes Vargas in SCW after tonight?

Mercedes:
What's next? That’s a good question. Maybe I’ll remain in the title picture, I don’t know. After tonight, I’ll just have to pick myself up, dust myself off and get ready for the next Climax Control.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone."

[Mercedes pushes the cameraman out of the way and heads towards the lockerroom area as we fade to black.]

Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 21 al 28 de noviembre de 2021



Let’s not waste anymore time. Hats off to Austin and Tempest at High Stakes. The way they have been some dominant lately, it would have been easy for Goth and I to phone it in just like the other teams they’ve beaten. Instead, we gave Austin and Tempest a run for their money and the four of us went all in to create an exciting match. The fans knew it, the owners knew, Austin and Tempest knew it. Everybody wants to beat them and want their best game. Goth and I made them earn their recent title defense, which is more than I can say for the few months they’ve held the titles. So, it’s not lost on me that we’re going to have a return match this weekend. Not that I’m not appreciative, oh no, it's Thanksgiving week, which is a good excuse as any to reflect on what we’re grateful for. And I bet you’re all wondering is Mercedes Vargas thankful for anything? Turns out, I am. I’m more than thankful that Goth and I get a second chance to make a first impression.

An attitude of gratitude is always helpful, in my experience.

High Stakes was my first opportunity at the World Mixed Tag Team Championship since my second reign and the end of said reign two years ago. I still haven’t gotten over the loss three weeks ago, and I’m pretty sure Goth hasn’t either. High Stakes made us hungrier and dare I said it we’re out for a little revenge. Losses serve as a learning experience, and experience, as they say, is a great teacher. Goth and I pride ourselves in learning from our mistakes and this weekend will be no different. At Climax Control, we’re going to be walking out new World Mixed Tag Team Champions.

Last time we met, Austin and Tempest made this match about respect, and that’s the way it should be. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, as the old saying goes. Most opponents tend to go for the cheap shots and zingers to drum up interest for the match, but not Austin and Tempest. Still, like I said at the supercard that night, playing the respect card can only get you so far, especially when it comes to the members of Wolfslair, who throws around respect only when it depends on whose is standing with their hand raised at the end. On the other hand, Tempest has lost the respect she once had for me and she didn't let up on how she really felt about that, but to be honest, I couldn’t care less what she says or thinks of me anymore.

I’ve been mocked over the claim that my title reigns define my career. The other Bombshells may think whatever they want, but it’s been both a blessing and a burden for me. It’s a testament that I know how to capitalize on my golden opportunities and display a resiliency that enables me to rebound from my mistakes along the way. It’s why I have a firmer place in Sin City Wrestling history and a deeper appreciation for my accolades and achievements, as everyone should have. It’s why I am a two-time Hall of Famer in this company. Proud of it, not ashamed to say it. I've been all around the world, a veteran of many tours in Japan and Europe and Canada. I've been mostly successful everywhere I've gone, including here in Sin City Wrestling.

It’s why I am the only 12-time champion in history. But you know what’s better than being a 12-time champion? Being a 13-time champion. It’s been two years out since my last title reign when I won the Mixed Tag Titles twice in 2019. No one should doubt that I will be ready for Climax Control given my track record. No one should think that I don't stand a chance in title matches. No one should have a doubt in their mind that I don’t have what it takes to once again have a championship around my waist.

Mark and Christian didn't have to give Goth and I this rematch. This match isn't something that I need to do to prove to the rest of the division that I'm that damn good. I've won that argument. I'll always win that argument. My legacy is still intact, my title reigns and accolades aren't on paper, it's in the record books, and I'm on the damn cover. I highly doubt none of the other Bombshells are capable of taking my spot on the roster until I'm ready to give it up.

The Bombshells should be thankful that yours truly is here to give them something to strive for. 

Sunday, I get to make history one more time.

It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t, now would it?

 

B E V E R L Y H I L L S • C A L I F O R N I A

[Dressed in a simple Reba Wool cowboy hat, blue jeans and a tank top, Mercedes Vargas is deep in thought seen holding playing cards which hides her face. She peaks her eyes through the cards, showing the intense stare of her dark brown eyes as the person sitting across from her throws their cards to the center of the table.

“Full House. Beat that."

[What was once a brief smile disappears into shock. Shaking her head, Mercedes glanced at the smug expression coming from Jorge, leaning back with hands laced behind his head. Knowing that this was the end, Mercedes peers down at her cards again before she set her cards on top of the pile.]

.::MERCEDES::..
Well, I don’t know. Will an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and a 10 do the job?

..::JORGE::..
Curses! Foiled again!

.::CARMEN::..
I told you we should have played Twister.

[Carmen, of course. She smiles as Jorge covers his face with one hand after being beaten with the Royal Flush.]

.::CARMEN::..
You bit off more than you can chew.

..::JORGE::..
I hate you...

.::MERCEDES::..
You can’t win them all. There's no shame in losing.

..::JORGE::..
Easy for you to say. You beat me twice.

[<Carmen looks up at a notepad, tapping a pen against it.]

.::CARMEN::..
Three times. But who’s counting?

..::JORGE::..
Shut up! You only won because...

.::MERCEDES::..
Because...?

..::JORGE::..
I let you win!

.::MERCEDES::..
Whatever helps you to sleep at night, that’s fine with me.

..::JORGE::..
Best three out of five?

.::MERCEDES::..
No.

..::JORGE::..
Four out of seven?

.::MERCEDES::..
OK.

..::JORGE::..
Really?

.::MERCEDES::..
No.

[Mercedes with a pencil at the ready starts on a crossword puzzle.]

CARMEN::..
At least you did something productive with your time.

.::MERCEDES::..
Its therapeutic.

.::CARMEN::..
Crosswords are crosswords. What's the difference?

.::MERCEDES::..
That depends on the day. It's all a matter of perspective, and how difficult I want my crossword to be.

.::CARMEN::..
I don't follow.

[I've seen that look before. It was the look that said, “I have no idea what you just said. Merce. Try to give am an illustration or something.” And so, I used an illustration to get my point across.]

.::MERCEDES::..
The New York Times gets more difficult during the week. Monday is the easiest. Saturday is next to impossible. Most papers are run by subscription service, but the Times is one of a very few that has good editor like Will Shortz.

.::CARMEN::..
Uh huh.

.::MERCEDES::..
And it's not really about the ease of the crossword, but the ease of finding the crossword. Also, the folding, the reading, the jotting. If I'm late for the bus, the crease has to be folded at just the right angle. By reading, I mean whether I have to squint to see everything or use my reading glasses, and jotting obviously whether there's enough space to scribbling next to clues themselves.

.::CARMEN::..
Because you write crosswords only in pen.

.::MERCEDES::..
Exactly. It's a blessing and a curse. You're on vacation and suddenly you know that tourist who always want to borrow a pen, only to forget to return it? That's the most frustrating part. Now, you're the one needing to borrow a pen and everyone is looking at you Ike you're the tourist.

.::JORGE::..
Sorry, sis. Kinda got plans for the evening.

.::MERCEDES::..
I have a flight to catch in about an hour. Where are you going that's so important?

.::JORGE::..
The movies.

.::MERCEDES::..
Again? That's the third Sunday in a row. Can't you go another night?

.::JORGE::..
Sorry, but I've got to see this movie. It's supposed to be a good.

.::MERCEDES::..
That's what you said about the movie you saw last week.

[Carmen moves to the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinet.]

.::CARMEN::..
Where are the crackers? Don't tell me you ate them all! Again!

.::JORGE::..
Yes, I did. I couldn't help it. They're were so good.

.::CARMEN::..
I thought you didn't like crackers?

.::JORGE::..
Well, I don't like graham crackers. But Wheat Thins are different. I love them to death.

.::MERCEDES::..
Huh, I didn't know that.

.::JORGE::..
Well, tell you what, Wheat Thins taste even better with a glass of cold milk, or beer, or apple juice.

[Returning to the room, Carmen leans against the door frame and has her arms crossed in front of her while shaking her head.

.::MERCEDES::..
This is why we can't have nice things, Jorge. And what about this movie anyway? I'm almost sure you said that about the last movie you saw?

.::JORGE::..
Eh, The Godmother was okay. Didn't really live up to the hype.

[Mercedes returns to her crossword.]

.::MERCEDES::..
Maybe it's because it was about, oh, I don't know, a godmother instead of a crime boss? Honestly, who writes this crap?

.::JORGE::..
I have no idea. The Hunt for Red September makes it all worth it.

.::MERCEDES::..
Don't you mean “The Hunt for Red October.”

.::JORGE::..
No, I mean The Hunt for Red September. It's the prequel.

.::MERCEDES::..
Riiiight. What will they think up next?

[She quickly jots in the spaces for said word as she prepares to leave.]

.::MERCEDES::..
It's late, and I got a flight to catch tomorrow. Can't help looking after the dog tonight.

..::JORGE::..
What? But you promised me over the phone!

.::MERCEDES::..
So, same time next week?

..::JORGE::..
You're going down next time!

..::CARMEN::..
Let's keep praying, huh?



Present Day ♦ N E W Y O R K C I T Y

[REC•]

"Some things are better left unsaid, but you can bet I'm going to say it anyway. I can't help being who I am."

[When our scene opens, we see a classic radio on a white sand beach with the sea and waves in the background. A single surfboard stuck in the sand. Not too far off, a lone female figure meditates as a glorious sunrise beckons. The ocean is calm. The woman slowly opens her eyes, observing the slight waves which roll in towards the shore. Looking out towards the sea, she shields her eyes. A few swimmers are lying in wait in hopes of catching an incoming wave. As Mercedes stifles a yawn, a slight breeze caresses her face and plays with her hair. Unconsciously brushing away strands of brown hair out of her face, she talks directly in the camera.]

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, it was an interesting night in New York City. If you watched High Stakes, you might have noticed that I didn’t win three weeks ago. Apparently, Austin got the pinfall on Goth, but that’s okay. Christian Underwood and Mark Ward thought we were good enough to get another shot at the champions, and here we are. Wrestling, much like in life, is so crazy sometimes. You know what? Even though Goth and I didn't win at the supercard, I'm not going to let this get to me. I already know what the peanut gallery is going to say, so save it. I’m once again in a title match I don’t deserve and Tempest and Austin are probably somewhere laughing after High Stakes and if they want to call that a victory, well, it’s a pretty weak one. The simple fact is they can't be celebrated for their win at High Stakes. They just can't. They didn’t beat Goth and I, they survived. There’s a big difference. They say you're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose. You're only as good as my your last match. Or, in this case, my next one.”

[Her eyes doesn't meet the camera as she looks down for a moment, gathering her thoughts as she brings her hands to her face. This wasn't something that she wanted to get herself into, but there was no turning back now. The match was on whether she liked it or not. A short sigh and she looks up again, a determined stance in her voice, a redemptive fire in her eyes.]

"Tempest, you wanted my best, you got my best. It wasn't enough, but the only thing that saved you and having those titles for another week was three seconds."

[Mercedes raises three fingers slowly, one at a time.]

”Three seconds."

You don't need to like me. You do not even need to respect me now because I will make sure that come Climax Control, the Argentine Assassin will beat the respect out of you. I've been all around the world, a veteran of many tours in Japan and Europe and Canada. I've been mostly successful everywhere I've gone, including here in Sin City Wrestling.”

[Mercedes suddenly becomes quiet as she reaches for her glasses and slowly pulls them off, folding them in her hands and then placed them next to her.]

“So I've been noted as being bitter, disgruntled and outspoken. I don’t think people appreciate me right now. They say you don't know what you got until it's gone. And when I’m gone, I will go down as the greatest ever, Superstar or Bombshell. I have accomplished everything there is in Sin City Wrestling. Basically, I'm in a class by myself. Some people say I'm entitled which to that I'll politely smile and say thank you because I've earned it. As for earning the right to be arrogant, I've earned that too. That's not what else I've earned, though. I've earned the professional jealousy of every past and present Bombshell and Superstar on the roster because what it took their entire careers to accomplish, it took me only five. I've earned the jealousy of every fan in the arena and watching at home because I'm 12 times the champion they'll ever be as they wake up to their nine-to-fives every morning, and some take advantage of my kindness so they can get an autograph and sell it online because they're too lazy to find a real job

“This match isn't something that I need to do to prove to the rest of the division that I'm that damn good. I've won that argument. I already won at this pay-per-view before too on two occasions. If I were to win this match again, I'd be very surprised. But even if I don't, would it matter? My legacy is still intact, my title reigns and accolades aren't on paper, it's in the record books, and I'm on the damn cover. I highly doubt none of the other Bombshells are capable of taking my spot on the roster until I'm ready to give it up. Goth has that same mindset. We will not go gently into that good night, that is until we capture the World Mixed Tag Team Championship.

"Tempest, I'll see you this Sunday."

Present Day ♦ L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A

[REC•]

Across from the El Rey Theatre, the Ace Gallery on Wilshire Boulevard is one of the hidden gems of Mid-City L.A. It made for a good selfie spot too, not to mention it was free and open to the public.

Mercedes Vargas, in leopard prints and bootcut jeans, stands in front of her favorite piece, a wall of neon pink circles. The camera pans back to frame the SCW Hall of Famer, her brunette hair styled in curls and hiding behind cat eye sunglasses, and with a look of aplomb.

"Another Sunday, another Climax Control and where do I find myself this weekend? Moving on to the semifinals of the Bombshell Internet Championship Tournament. And you know, it just feels right, like where I'm supposed to be. Was Johanna Krieger going to be easy to beat? Of course not. Out of the first round matches, I had the toughest draw. She gave me everything I could handle and made me work to beat her. But as good as Johanna is, at the end of the night, Johanna was just a speed bump on my way to the next round and hopefully getting my ticket to the tournament final. Johanna, just like other opponent I've defeated this year, fell to the Black Rose Overdrive, and it was all academic from there. One, two, three."

She holds up three fingers, one at a time, to emphasize this.

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but I think I have a little more pride in myself than to just curl up into a ball and die because I'm not getting the spotlight I deserve. It took me months - months! - to get back into title contention and you think I'm going to apologize for stringing a couple of wins together and feeling like on top of the world? No how, no way. I'm getting ready for the fight of my life pretty soon and every win counts. So, as I head into my match Sunday, I'm going to keep my eyes on the prize. And as much as I would love to pat myself on the back some more..."

Mercedes actually does so just because she can.

"I really don't have time to celebrate because whatever small victory I had last week pales in comparison to what's ahead this week. My next opponent in the semifinals could either be Dani Weston, it could be Bobbie Dahl or even Andrea Hernandez. Looks like I got the short end of the stick again because Bobbie is the exact opponent I'm facing. This news makes me excited and afraid.

But mostly excited.

Or should I be mostly afraid?"

Mercedes shrugs. In truth, no matter who Mercedes was up against in the semifinals, it was always a tough out. That's just how life is when you're in one of the toughest women's divisions in the world as no night is ever the same twice.

"In a moment, everything can change, and in a moment, one person can change everything. One year ago, I had a match against Bobbie Dahl and I thought my career ended right then and there. Simply because Bobbie was so rightly afraid of me that she had to lower herself to use a biker chain behind the referee's back to beat me. She was so threatened by someone supposedly past her prime that she had to use a weapon. Here's someone who outweigh most by over 100 pounds and should be throwing those girls around like ragdolls and building herself up as a force not to be messed with having to cheat to beat me. 

"That's just sad. That's just pathetic. That's just sad AND pathetic."

Mercedes holds up her index finger in a wait-a-minute gesture.

"And on top of that, I had to miss a month of shows due to the concussion. And I mean, I get it. Bobbie was upset, she was frustrated. She was tired of being a joke, laughed at, or generally underestimated. She was starting to become more aggressive to the point where she was outright injuring other Bombshells, like Alicia, like Candy. Bobbi didn't care. She was going to ride that gravy train straight to the top and either you stayed out of her way or you got ran over. And where did Bobbie's wanton of destruction lead her? Notoriety, racking up wins, finally capturing gold in the company? You would think that, but last year was anything but. A subpar win-loss record that year, failing to win the World Bombshell Championship, and earning the wrath of almost every female talent in the division is what really happened. The only thing notable about last year was that Alicia was able to get her revenge on Bobbie for putting her on the shelf for nearly half the year. 

"Five months is all Bobbie could handle before she went on another hiatus then showed up for a few matches this year and then another break. Just when I thought she was out, they bring her back in. I didn't think Bobbie would take part in this tournament and while it's not my place to say whether she's deserving or not, I have some unfinished business with Bobbie and you can bet that it will be settled this Sunday.

"I have everything you want in a wrestler. In-ring, mic, charisma, unmatched star power, gives everyone their best match, mainstream attention. I deserve to be treated like the star I know I am and not only put people over.
If there's anyone who deserves to be the next Bombshell Internet Champion, there's no question who it should be. Words alone won't do it, sadly. So, proving it is the way to go. And nobody does it better than yours truly. Seriously. That's not hyperbole, that's not exaggeration, that's not an opinion, that is a straight facts."

A brow raises above her sunglasses as if to say, "anyone wants to debate me on this".

"After beating Keira last week, seems like Bobbie hasn’t lost a step. That was her return match from beating Tempest three months ago at Into the Void, and she moved as smooth as she always did. I don't know why Bobbie is already doubting herself ahead of our match. Still, you have to think given her success against me the last two times we met, she should be more confident. If she were facing Andrea or Dani, maybe she would be a little concerned, but facing little old Mercy is just a waste of time. My name doesn't strike fear in the hearts of opponents. It doesn't take much for people to look up at Bobbie and see someone who is just as intimidating as Tempest, if not more so it doesn't make sense to me why she's hiding in her shell now when she's got the easiest path to the finals she can ever get.

"It's great that Amber is giving you words of encouragement and maybe she knows something I don't, Bobbie, but I know what you're trying to do. You're thinking I'm going to overestimate you and make me pay for it on Sunday. Nice try, mírame. I think I've been around long enough to know what happens when you're a little too sure of yourself so consider our match Sunday as me taking a little precaution as what could happen.

"You’re willing to put your reputation on the line, Bobbie, that’s great. But now you’re gonna have to step through the ropes, step into my ring, and prove that you belong here and this tournament."

Mercedes takes off her sunglasses and lets them hang from her blouse before returning her gaze to the camera.

"In forty-eight hours, four women battle for the right to advance to the tournament final at Violent Conduct. For some, it will be about survival; for others, their fates have already been sealed.

"Are you ready Bobbie? Maybe physically you are, are you ready mentally? Are you ready to sacrifice your return all the way to stop me from getting what I want? If the answer to all of those things is yes, than I expect the fans to get a real treat. But as for me, I can’t wait for my path to redemption. And after Johanna, you’re the next step.

"Long before you knew, and long after you'll remember."

With that, the scene fades on Mercedes' confident smirk before she offers a heart gesture with her hands before breaking it in two.

***Fade***

Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 13 al 20 de junio de 2021

A mosquito. How can something so small become so annoying and universally hated? This Sunday at Climax Control, for SCW's amusement, I'm facing Jesse Salco in a street fight.. Yes, you read right, a street fight.

Anyone who read the preview to our match would have expected a hard-fought match between two of the very best in the women's division. See, beating Jessie isn't about proving who the better wrestler is. We already know who that is, and it's not Jessie. This isn't a contest, certainly not a close one, no matter what the stipulation is. And while the result won't mean much of anything as far as momentum, I can't say I'm not looking forward to it either. I've been pissed off for a long time now, considering I've been losing far too many matches this year. Someone as talented as me can't stay winless forever.

There’s plenty of talent on the roster that struggle to make the card every month. Some talent might enjoy collecting a paycheck and sitting at home or in catering for six months off television, others probably don’t want to let their talents be wasted moving on for greener pastures. I don't have to worry about that. There isn't anyone who has been more loyal to Sin City Wrestling than me, there isn't anyone who deserve more respect in this company than me, and for what just happened to me over the last three days, in an act of jealousy, disdain, and disrespect, for Jessie and Andrea - An-dree-a, Ahn-dray-a. In all the time in SCW, I never asked her name, but does it really matter? - to attack me on social media should be a criminal offense. It's like they can't help themselves, getting in their little shots and playing their little passive-aggressive games that they think it's going to affect their careers. It's almost as if they want you to get the idea that the more they keep doubling down about one misstep is going to change anything about my career compared to theirs.

Some wrestlers were born for this sport, others not so much. I took a different path to get here and I'm not afraid to shamelessly admit that I was a late bloomer. And yet year after year, SCW signs all these new talent and only a few has managed to stick around. SCW has a roster that's capable of leading the company into the future and many new faces will eventually find their way to the company. So at this stage of my career, now over a decade in, nine years in SCW, fear, uncertainty and doubt seems to creep in. Well, not so much fear, but definitely the last two. I'm half-way out the door, always wondering when my time is up. Maybe I go out on my own terms in a blaze of glory or probably stayed around too long, it's a decision everyone goes through. I've had to work for everything I’ve gotten. There were days where I wondered if there was a light at the end. I think a lot of people have been saying that I don’t win where it matters, and they're not wrong. The fact that I can't close the deal is something that's bothered me in the last year to the point where I'm getting annoyed and maybe a little pissed off because I carry myself to a higher standard. Whether you support me, cheer me, boo me, like me or hate me, the fact remains that I will leave my mark and the future will be thankful for my accomplishments in due time.

I've accomplished a lot more than what people gave me credit for. I've carved out a legacy that will never be surpassed or equaled. There's a reason why I've gone on to have the career that I have, why I've been more successful than any other woman in this company, past, present or future. There's a reason why I am one of if not THE most decorated wrestler in SCW history. I've set the bar, now I AM the bar. The records, the titles, the accolades and accomplishments, the things that made me great... I’ll always have those, win or lose those memories will always be there, and nobody can touch them. Nobody can knock me off this pedestal that I’m on, nobody can destroy the legacy that I built..

As far as Jessie goes, in the humble words of Esther Azrov, listen here you little bitch. The day you talk down to me, or quite frankly anyone is the day you actually win the Bombshell Championship. J2H made you relevant in one night then any moment on your own in your career. It took one night for Christian Underwood finally lifting the supposedly indefinite title ban Mark Ward slapped on you for being an insufferable piece of shit. Almost as painful as your career is the criticism you get in your never-ending chase for the World Bombshell championship.

Let me remind you, Jessica, that every time you ran your mouth, more often than not, you end up regretting it. But being the glutton for punishment that you are, I bet you're going to love this weekend. Street fight, anything goes. And it will. There's no refs to save us, there's no rules to save us. Or should that be there will be no one to save you. It's no secret you've pissed off a lot of people over the years, Jessie. Not only do you have me to deal with, but Maki apparently has you in her tracks. So ask yourself, do you feel lucky? Well, do you?

You're not my rival, Jessie. You never were, you never have been, you never will be, not even in your wildest dreams or your worst fantasy. I've beat you twice as many times as you beat me. You take that win from five years ago but that was then, this is now. And right now, in this moment, it's the only decisive win that you'll have over me, sweetheart, as if it's supposed to mean you're better than me. You shouldn't be confident that you think you will beat me, you should be damn near terrified if you don't because the fact is while I may be the oldest woman on the roster, I'm living proof that age is nothing but a number. It's something I've embraced, not ran away from. You couldn't touch me even on my worst day much less before my prime, in my prime, or past my prime.  Better competition deserve that mantle of being my rival: Christina Rose, Samantha Marlowe, Alicia Lukas, Amber Ryan, Andrea Hernandez.  You're a joke, Jessie. You're nothing except a disappointment, a small insignificant thing. And this Sunday, nothing will give me more satisfaction when I get to squash my mosquito.

So when you tap out or go nighty-night, you will know the difference between reality and fantasy. The reality is you're getting your ass beat, the fantasy is you thought you had a choice in the matter.

I'd tell you to stay home, take the forfeit and spare yourself the embarrassment and humiliation coming your way, but when were you ever one to listen to good advice from anyone about anything?

That's okay. After Sunday, the only advice you'll be needing is a career change.

You should know better not to tempt fate.

 

Flashback - April 2009, Nagasaki, Japan

Un Sueño - Faded Glory

[If I were to tell you that my first year in wrestling was traveling to some 15 cities and five different countries, chances are you would say I was probably some rock star on tour or that I really love racking up those frequent flier miles.

Getting there is half the fun, the half is gett—

Oh. Jet lag. Hold on. 

Anyway, it's late February and what better way to spend winter than in Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun. I took a leap of faith joining my first wrestling promotion after a few years off doing the modeling and acting thing, even then the wrestling bug never went away. My first overseas trip, first tour of Asia, and my first visit to Japan was the trip I never knew I needed.

Come as you are, leave different than you came.

So I'm in Nagasaki for the first time. I've rented an apartment here in the city to which I can always come back to on a whim. In a lot of ways, living in a Japanese apartment was a lot like a real life version of The Sims, where everything was so small. I still drove through the city or walked, just to take in the sights. But that's not all I'll get to because I had my first tag match to get ready for. I was excited and afraid. But mostly excited.

Or maybe more afraid.]

"So you’re on your deathbed surrounded by family and friends. You’re old and you’ve lived a wonderful life. Your grandson hands you a smartphone and asks you to Tweet a final time. What do you tweet?"

Mercedes is eating from a bento box using a pair of chop sticks. There was something whimsical, challenging and visionary about mastering this technique, not that Mercedes was accomplishing this task very well. She would be just as comfortable eating with her fingers than cutlery if she could get away with it, but there was always that “when in Rome” golden rule in the back of her mind. At least now she has options.

.::MERCEDES::..
Tell Oprah I love kittens. No, wait. Can you hear me now? Good. No, that's not it. How about...This is a lot harder than I thought."

If I knew then what I know now, I would know a lot more sooner.]

.::MERCEDES::..
When are we going?

.::CARMEN::..
We've been over this? We're spending Easter with family.

.::MERCEDES::..
I don't know why we do this every year Carmen, it's annoying. Plus, I'm thousands of miles away. Looks like you're on your own. I almost feel bad for you. Almost.

.::CARMEN::..
Oh, get a grip, Mercy! It's really not as bad as you think. I thought it would be nice to surprise them this year.

.::MERCEDES::..
You could have gone by yourself. You didn't have to drag me along.

.::CARMEN::..
You seem surprised, I don't see why.

.::MERCEDES::..
Not really surprised. More like amused.

.::CARMEN::..
Are we in the end times?

.::MERCEDES::..
If I decided to go, can I be in charge of the Easter party?

.::CARMEN::..
No.

Why not?

.::CARMEN::..
I don't think anyone forgot how the Easter egg hunt went. Your idea of a fun Easter weekend? Advertising an Easter egg hunt and then not hide any. Watch people go nuts trying to find what's not there.

.::MERCEDES::..
Never going to live that down, am I?

.::CARMEN::..
Nope.

 

L A S V E G A S • N E V A D A

REC•]

[The scene opens up on a close up shot of the nameplate on the World Nightmare Championship draped over a chair. The silver design glistened in the light on the center plate and the nameplate that read MERCEDES VARGAS. Slowly, the camera pulls back to reveal said champion in the living room of her Los Angeles residence though she is not in the best of moods. She’s contemplative, a little somber and reflective in light of recent events as the Hall of Famer sits in a wicker chair and begins filing, sharpening, her nails with one fluid motion from side to center with a cerulean nail file.

Mercedes divides her attention between her filing and the camera.

"This show cycle has been a living hell. This week has been a living hell. Where do I start? Where do I begin? When will it end?

I'll tell you how it could have ended. You wouldn't be seeing me talking into a camera right now. No, see, after last Climax Control, you would be seeing me behind bars because I came thiiiiis close

Mercedes raises her thumb and forefinger in the "this close" gesture.

"to committing attempted murder."

i]Mercedes pauses.[/i]

"I still might, you know."

Mercedes goes back to filing.

"Look, I didn't expect to be put in a street fight, I usually get the week off following my match, and at first I wasn't too thrilled about it but as this match was announced, I started to come around. I tried really hard to keep my composure and even now, it's not getting any easier. Jessie Salco don't know how good she's got it. As pissed off as I am over what Bella did to me last week, Jessie seemingly thinks that she's going to pull off an upset against me. She very well could, but there's also the chance she falls at my feet. Again."   

Mercedes has a bemused "you can't be serious" look on her face. There are rivalries and there are one-sided rivalries. The rivalry between Mercedes and Jessie fit the second category as more often than not, she's gotten the better of SCW's resident Metalhead. Would this weekend be any different?

"But that's not what this is about now, is it? This is because I was one of the three woman who failed to send in a video submission for a match but at least spoke up about it because had it been Sam or Violet they would go back in their shell or get eaten alive.

"Pero a diferencia de ellos, no me voy a andar por las ramas."
"But unlike them, I'm not gonna mince words."

"Oh, I didn't send in a video submission? I've got two words for you, big deal. Shouldn't be surprised about you making the same taking points against me like everyone else because what else are you going to do, right? I’m giving you an E for Effort and a T for Nice Try.

"Mercedes, you didn't send in your video submission. Bad Mercy, bad!"

Mercedes swats the back of her hand with the filer the way a nun would correct a Catholic student for misbehavior.

"You mad, Jessie, hmm? Which is fine, I don't care. Were you and Andrea waiting to see if I was going to be submitting a video promotion this weekend? So, is this serious? Is this, is this a real thing? Are you going to name and shame any of the Superstars who don't promote matches this time on media sociale? Inquiring minds want to know."

Mercedes raises her hands in resignation as she stands to her feet.

"You know what, you and Andrea and whoever else can stay mad. It's not going to affect me, my career, or my legacy. I hope that all of this is going to mean something and not Andrea having to wait another few weeks before she gets another match or that you, Jessie, will have to wait a couple of months before you get another title match. Then again, you may not even see another match. You think what I did to Bella a few weeks back was bad? That was nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you this Sunday."

Mercedes stops momentarily as she takes up her championship and places it over her shoulder.

"Hope for the best, prepare for the worse and may the odds be ever in your favor."

***Fade***

Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 14 al 21 de febrero de 2021

In less than forty-eight hours, four teams will be after the same thing in the first round of the Blast From the Past Tournament in what will be a very tough field, it always is every year. For the other teams who already made to round one, they earned their stripes. Now it's up to me and Agostino to be one other other four teams to make it to round two. But that won't be a problem for the other teams because they're trying to do the same thing, because they want to be one step closer to booking their trip to the main event of Blaze of Glory. The teams were chosen, the matches were made. Now it's time to get this show on the road.

The lethal lottery can be a cruel mistress sometimes, and you just have to look at thrvpsutingd this year to see why. Some may hide their dismay for a partner they didn't want or a matchup against a team that is favored to win the tournament by outright. Not that I'm complaining because this year I'm teaming up with a champion as my partner. Personally, any of the Superstars would want someone as accomplished as I am as their partner, and Agostino Romano won the lottery. Even more, we face Coby Quik and Candy in the first round so it shouldn't be this hard.

Or should it?

Because conventional wisdom says that I've been in quite a rut lately. Conventional wisdom says that it's been four years since my last appearance in the Blast From the Tournament. Conventional wisdom says that my team could be one of the teams eliminated early. Conventional wisdom to says that Candy has had my number lately. Conventional wisdom also says Coby is a shoo-in to at least get far in the tournament pro that any team not named Despayre and Amber Ryan is a lock to win the tournament.

But just because millions of people believe a fooling thing, doesn't make it any less foolish.

This match goes beyond win-loss-draw-records and title wins, none of that matters in the Blast From the Past Tournament because I have held championships before he ahead of the tournament and it didn't get me anywhere. So what makes my first round match any different than any of the others this Sunday? It's a matter of if, not when, they will end up on my checklist.

Maybe it's me but the fact that Keira and Roxi facing each other and that I got Candy as my opponent is making me think more and more that this tournament isn't as random as people seem to think it is. Maybe I'm crazy, but what are the odds?

The last time Candy and I were in the same ring, she went on to beat me in her signature match and I walked out of High Stakes with nothing to show for it - and a whole lot of glitter in my hair.

She may not be the brightest penny in the piggy bank, but Candy's had her fair amount of upsets. Anyone dumb enough to underestimate her are smart enough to know not to make that same mistake. Perception is reality and all that. Now, granted, Candy hasn't exactly been in the win column, but don't tell her that, she's just here to have fun. Me, I just want to throw the gasoline onto that fire and watch her burn at the stake. Well, the last few weeks, she's been keeping your head above water. But how much longer is she going to gasp for air before she go under? Right now, she's in deep water. Sunday can mean any number of things, a consolation prize, a welcoming match, a step-up in competition. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and in my eyes this isn't a BFTP match, this is an exhibition match. Because Candy, isn't going to step into the ring with just anybody. She's not going to step into the ring with one of her wrestling school trainees, she's not going to step into the ring with someone who just graduated from wrestling school just yesterday, she's going to step into the ring with one of the most accomplished Bombshell on this roster or any other roster. She's standing across the ring and looking into the eyes of a proven veteran, someone who is more than capable of taking you to school and showing her what wrestling is all about. But when I look into her eyes? I don't see a worthy challenger. No, I see someone who's heart isn't in it anymore. Her losing streak has taken a heavy toll on her and it's clearly obvious that she's going to fold het tent, again, this Sunday. I'm not buying the pep talk, Candy. You don't care anymore. You're done.

That won't be me. I've got everything to gain and even more to lose in a match that has everything riding on a win. And I don't give a damn who I have to beat in that match or the reward. You can outpower me, you can outwrestle me, but you can't outsmart me and when it comes down to beating you in this match and taking away your opportunity to compete further in the tournament then I guess that's just what I'm going to do.

Make no mistake Candy, I'm walking into this BFTP the same way I'm walking out, and that's with my head held high and living to fight another night. Everything I've fought for in over is on the line, only one can leave with an opportunity of a lifetime.

One night. One match. One decision. That’s all it takes for me to turn my career around and that’s one of the many reasons why I will not be denied.

The matchup could possibly steal the show at Climax Control. Sunday will be filled with fireworks and this match will be one of them. Victory won't be easy, but it will be worth it.
.
And if I fail?

Then I guess I'll be going out in a blaze of glory.

 

L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A

Un Sueño - Faded Glory

Still fresh to the beat, Mercedes Vargss sits quietly with her coffee listening to the early morning bustle of the police station. The automatic doors slid open with a hiss as officers in tatical gear arrive and leave, not even going as far as saying greetings as they passed. Mercedes could use the distraction as the officer sitting across from her was boring her to tears.

OFFICER: So I was watching this old-school cop show from the late 20th century. It was called "21 Jump Street." It had a total of five seasons and I'm about halfway through.

MERCEDES: Um,, officer while I love sitting back and taking about TV shows, I'm here about my problem?

The officer blinks, then slowly comes to the realization as she looks down at the manilla folder.

OFFICER: Right, of course. Anyway, the acting and action was a little over the top, but I enjoyed it. There was gangs and robberies. And I always sang along to the theme.

The officer starts singing said theme. She could barely carry a tune. Mercedes covers her face.

MERCEDES: I filed a police report for months, now you're looking into it?

OFFICER: Ma'am, you realize these these things take time and -

MERCEDES: Someone broke into my house, ransacked the place, and you're telling me these things take time. My God, what do I pay you people for? Is my tax dollars going to waste cause I'm sure there's a Planned Parenthood out there that could really need the funds."

Fast forward to Mercedes' where she is recounting her story to Irma who divides her attention between the TV and a canvas set on an ease, a firm paintbrush in one hand. She's watching the Joy of Painting.

Irma: Did you ever file the police report?

Mercedes: I did, somewhere between Taxi and Elsewhere, but it wasn't easy. I have a healthy active lifestyle, so I don't get to watch a lot of TV?

Mercedes: Ever wonder how all colors come from just three basic colors?

Irma: Hm-mmm.

Mercedes: There's so many different colors, and what even is color anyway?

Irma: It's the absence of color that its reflecting. Don't question it, that's just the way it is.

Mercedes: I knew that, but doesn't make it any more crazy?
.[/i]

Mercedes: So what do you think?

Irma: About your autobiography? There's some good ones, but I think we got to find the best ones. Ricardo says he's still working on the first draft. We're going to need a lot of work on this one.

Mercedes: I didn't know writing an autobiography was going to be this hard. How come Bob Ross never had an autobiography?

Irma: Now that I think about it, I'm wondering the same thing.


L A S V E G A S • N E V A D A

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the 27th: Mentiras, Malditas Mentiras (Lies, Damned Lies..., Part XIII)

[REC•]

It's later in the day in Los Angeles, where Mercedes is staying over her cousin's house. Our scene fades in on a guest room as the camera settles on Mercedes sitting by the windowsill and looking at the camera.

"Did you get to finish your New Year's resolutions yet? I still haven't got around to mine, sadly It's just as well. I've already failed. See, because I was planning to change my life around by eating healthy this year. Unfortunately, SCW doesn't seem to think so considering who I have to face this Sunday – Candy.

"You know things are bad when you opponent is named after confection food. It can't be any worse than virtue names, right?"

Mercedes pauses as she sweeps back her hair from her face.

"In a moment, everything can change, and in a moment, one person can change everything. In one week, four teams battle for the right to advance in the Blast From the Past Tournament. For some, it will be about survival; For others, their fates have already been sealed."

Was this arrogance on the part of Mercedes? Hardly. But it was understandable that few would mistake that for confidence. Nonetheless, it never stopped her before, and it damn sure wasn't going to happen at Climax Control.

“You've had your fun, Candy and although I lost every one of our matches, here I am. Still here, still standing and, yes, still talking. The talking is easiest, backing it up, not so much."

Mercedes goes quiet for a moment as she lowers her head. She lets out a sigh before raising her head again.

"Close doesn't win matches in Sin City Wrestling. I would have twice as many victories if it did. Alicia said what she was going to do and did what she was supposed to do. That's all that mattered. Maybe I can't change what happened at Inception against Alicia, maybe I can't change what happened in our match..."

Mercedes holds an index finger in a wait-a-minute gesture.

"Well, maybe there is one thing. Try and make it right. It's the least I can do because while familiarity breeds contempt, that's the least emotion I'm feeling this weekend."

Mercedes shakes her head while mouthing the word “no.”

"More like redemption. That's why this match is one where I'll be showing up. That I get to visit an arena I've already been to four times is a moot point. At Climax Control, I'm reigniting that fire and focusing all my energy this tournament because it's about time I get back to the potential I know I have. I'm willing to risk it all. I'm willing to put my cards on the table. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to take down whoever is in front of me, and I'm not too picky. Any Bombshell left in the tournament, I know that I'm still a threat. Sunday won't be a lesson, it will be a reminder. At Climax Control, I hope you're prepared Candy because I'm already prepared."

Looking deadset into the camera lens, her voice drops to a whisper though her words hold conviction behind them. She pauses, mostly for dramatic effect.

"It doesn't matter what any of the other teams have to say, because in the end, there is only (holds up her index finger) one team walking out as the number one contenders at Blaze of Glory...and it's gonna be me and Agostino.

"Long before you knew, and long after you'll remember."

The scene fades on Mercedes flashing a smile and waving back at the camera before we fade to black.

***Fade***

"Reunited and it feels so good."

Mercedes laughs as she signs an autograph book for a female fan while at the same time trying to engage in conversation.

Mercedes: You enjoyed the show?

Female Fan: Yeah, it was pretty good. You and Keira never missed a beat out there.

Male Fan: Mercedes, who did you vote for in the election?

Mercedes: I voted for…the candidate who would do the least harm to the country. It’s not like it can’t get any worse, right?

One or two people ask for their picture to be taken. A man stands next to Mercedes, holding up a camera phone and poses before the snapshot is taken. He trades spaces with three female fans, each wearing SCW t-shirts, as another shot is taken. With another stroke of a pen, her last autograph request is fulfilled and she is finally relieved. She parts through the crowd, pulling her tote bag behind her. She turns back and waves.

Mercedes: See you next year, we love ya!

As she heads for the arena parking lot. Mercedes jumps in the air while clicking her heels together, but lands awkwardly. She gets up and continues on as onlookers helplessly stare.



Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 3 al 10 de enero de 2021

My crystal ball isn't right all the time, but I have a good feeling there's going to be a new World Bombshell Champion in 2021. Call it a hunch, call it a premonition. The Era of Keira Fisher-Johnson is over, and not a moment too soon. Her reign is done. I guarantee it.

But just because I'm expecting a new champion to walk out in the new year doesn't mean the choices will revive the division. As of right now, Keira and whoever will be number one contender could be just about anybody. It could be Alicia looking to be a three-time champion, could be Andrea who's has had Keira's number in every one-on-one match they've been in. For all I know, Roxi might get another shot after everything that went down in her title match simply because she's Roxi, the embodiment of everything that is right and fair and true.

That we're suffering through a first reign of Keira is one thing but another Christina Rose title reign is like giving an assassin another bullet for their gun because they missed you the first time. If you survived the first four reigns of Christina Rose, sorry, but you're still aren't getting a lousy t-shirt. A fifth reign would be worse. And another Roxi reign or another Alicia reign isn't much better. That's a dumpster fire right there.

Whoever wins, we ALL lose.

Like I said before my match with Keira, that wasn't a real celebration when she beat Alicia for the Bombshell Title at High Stakes. All this talk about believing in yourself and never giving up and overcoming obstacles? All Keira really proved at High Stakes is that anybody can be World Bombshell Champion.

In a lot of ways, Keira should be kissing the ground Andrea walks on for saving her title reign - not that she really cared about her or her wife - because it would have ended either with Roxi laying down so she could pin her shoulders to the mat for the three-count or she would have gotten herself disqualified.

I always wondered how Keira became so popular. Not that she's World Bombshell Champion. Not that she retained by the skin of her teeth in her first defense. She got the attention of all those fickle fans who will sing your praises today and despise you tomorrow. If anyone think they're supposed to be intimidated by her, she's going to be sadly mistaken. Dreams may come true, but dreams can also shatter. Which is the reality she'll be waking up to when she's beaten and be the good little transitional champion she is, was, and always will be.

So I've been noted as being bitter, disgruntled and outspoken. Awesome. Look, I'm not in a position where I feel like I need to be pushed around and take whatever is given to me. If I don't like something I'm going to say something, and I don't give a damn who likes it. I don't care about the money, so they can fine me and take away bonuses all they want, but that isn't going to shut me up. Personally, the favorite to beat Keira in a future title match should be me, but I'm going to step aside and not be selfish for a moment.

SCW has a roster that's capable of leading the company into the future and many new faces will eventually find their way to the company, but it's going to take more than a mean streak to survive in the Bombshell Division. Year after year, SCW signs all these new talent and only a few has managed to stick around. Krystal and mystery girl from GRIME hiding behind a mask both mean well, but this is not Sin City Underground where they had it so good, this is Sin City Wrestling where the big kids play.

Alice, on the other hand, is nothing more than an underachiever, which is kind of shocking when you think she's been in SCW, on-and-off. But I need something explained to me: why is it that people like Alice get to come and go from SCW whenever she pleases? What makes her so special, huh? It’s no secret that she won’t have much to offer in this match. It's painfully obvious that she won’t even take this match seriously because honestly, by the same token, even after four years of holding a roster spot, she's still nothing but another fringe player on the Bombshells roster. How she Christian Underwood got her another contract is a miracle in and of itself.

Now, Johanna Krieger had a very strong first year, maybe the best in recent memory, I'm not going to deny that. Three championships in a single year, fastest two-time Bombshell Roulette Champion in history, one-half of the most defending Mixed Tag Team Champions in history. Like I said, a very strong year, but can she repeat that success, only time will tell. In the meantime, Johanna has her match with Mikah this weekend, and I wouldn't miss that for the world.

As far as Sunday, if Johanna had to pick who she wanted to defend her title against, I think she'd want to be find someone who would really push her. There is nothing as more unpredictable than a Roulette Rules match. You have all these unseen elements; you have to expect the unexpected. I've been in more Roulette Rules matches than anyone; Royal Purple and Krystal Wolfe has never had such a match until now while Alice has only been in one, and that was her SCW debut four years ago. Pretty sure this gives me an advantage, no?

Now, Royal Purple beat an accomplished performer in Candy. She did something I have yet to do, and it was on her first try, too. She beat a former Bombshell Roulette Champion who held that title for over five months in only her second match and when you're able to pull off something like that, it definitively means you're going places, and to be honest, I'm looking forward to being in the ring with Royal Purple. She probably won't feel the same about me, but I'll manage.

Maybe because Krystal has been trained by two of the best in the SCW that she thinks she can run figure-eights around the other girls on this roster, and you know, I wouldn't doubt it for a second. Don't get me wrong, she has a bright future, her SCU career notwithstanding, but Krystal is going to be in for a rude awakening the same way she got in her last match against her fellow OG alum, Tempest.

I may not be the most popular or being Mark Ward's favorite Bombshell or being voted number one on some stupid list, but I'm renowned for being the Champion of Champions, and now is my time to actually win some gold. If there is anyone who is bona fide, certified, and qualified to put a stop to Johanna's title reign at Inception - that is, if she's even champion by then - SCW management found the right one. If there is any Bombshell Johanna thinks she can intimidate, she found the wrong one, and if there is any Latina who is going to be the new champion in 2021, they got the best one.

I've accomplished so much in SCW already as a multi-champion, Grand Slam Champion, Hall of Famer - and the list goes on and on if you want to go to Wikipedia yourself - that it’s easy forget that it's been eight years since I debuted.

Next Sunday isn't an audition, it's a reminder. You don't have to be impressed with my accomplishments; I can sleep at night with my eyes closed and I don't have to wake up every day to impress none of you. You may not like that I am one of the top stars in the Bombshells Division, but you better learn to love it because I am a dynasty. This isn't a race, it's a marathon, and I don't think any of you can keep up.

The gloves are off, the war paint is on, and the checklist is always at hand. Hope springs eternal and it will only be a matter of time, a matter of when, not if, and a matter of who I'll have to go through to get another opportunity at championship gold. Like it or not, believe it or not, I'm walking out of the first Climax Control of 2021 with my hand raised and being one step closer to making history one more time.

So then the question isn't who's going to let me...

it's who's going to stop me?



L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A

Despite all of the unpredictable and, at times, improbable things that happened during the 2020 calendar year-- no wrestlers from Sin City Wrestling, Sin City Underground or GRIME lost to COVID-19, Teddy Warren-Steele's sudden crossdressing phase and nabbing an SCW Year-End Award, Violet Amelia Holt, Jessie Salco, and Keira Fisher-Johnson winning titles, to name a couple -- Mercedes Vargas finishing the year with only four wins and winning zero championships feels uniquely odd in a career conditioned by seven years of domination.

What have Mercedes learned in 2020? It was a good question. They say that in life, nothing ever stays the same, though she wondered if she could say the same for herself. Have she really changed at all last year? Did she manage to reach check off all the boxes over the past twelve months? Another good question.

She heard a fly buzz when she died...

A wreath of white flowers, roses and daises surrounds a closed white casket.

But she was pretty sure it was crying. Pretty sure...

Minister: We are gathered here today to mourn the sudden passing of a dear friend to all of us…

As the grief-stricken stand shoulder to shoulder at the burial grounds, we noticed that Mercedes Vargas is amongst them, dressed in a jacket, blouse and slacks. Ricardo, in a navy blue blazer and slacks, is with her.

Ricardo: She was so young. Of all people, why her? Why did she had to die?

Mercedes:: It.

Ricardo: What?

Mercedes: Why did it had to die.

Ricardo: I know you two weren't very close, but you will NOT refer to her as a thing!

A fellow griever from behind offers him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Fellow Griever: It's alright, son, it's alright. He may be gone, but he won't be forgotten.

There was a poster of a salt-and-pepper Tervurens dog, named Friday. Mercedes never did interact with the K-9 that served in the Santa Monica police force but she did read stories of the dog in the local paper or heard from her cousin Carmen who works for the LAPD. The way people tell it, Friday was treated like a decorated war hero from the stories they retold. Nonetheless, Mercedes may not have been all there physically, in spirit, or mentally at the funeral. Maybe all three.

Mercedes: Sorry, I'm just taking it hard. I once was a little late for the funeral of the creature that named after me. My brother's parrot.

Fellow Griever: Yeah, and what did he die from?

Mercedes: I don't want to say, too embarrassing.

Fellow Griever: Can't be that bad.

Mercedes: Talking too much.

Come for the grieving, stay for the refreshments.


L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the 25th: Mentiras, Malditas Mentiras (Lies, Damned Lies..., Part X)

[REC•]

"Some things are better left unsaid, but you can bet I'm going to say it anyway. I can't help being who I am."

We fade in on Mercedes Vargas sitting in a director’s chair in front of the camera in front of a magenta backdrop. She is wearing a baby blue short dress that shows off her long and slender legs, one crossed over the other, and sandles.

"They say it's lonely at the top, and that couldn't be further from the truth. I was not the first to walk this trail, climb this mountain, or witness these views. Someday, one day, when I finally decide to hang up my wrestling boots and look back at my SCW career, I will realize that many will come after me. I'm just hopeful to leave my mark and, just as I'm thankful of those who came before, the future will be thankful for my accomplishments in time.

"If you want to talk about dedication, if you want to find one of the pillars of the women’s division, you don’t have to go very far. I’ve been on practically every show. Whether on Climax Control or at pay-per-view; whether I was featured in the opening match, the mid-card or main event, there was a good chance my name was on the card and a very good chance you would see me in the ring.

I'm too important in this company to ever be considered a stepping stone. I’ve reached milestones, shattered records, and dominated opponents since I joined the roster. With or without a title, I've proven without a doubt that I'm the most accomplished talent in the women's division and there is not a person alive on this roster that can say that I don’t have what it takes to become champion.

"Excuse me if I sound a little jaded. 2020 didn't go my way. What happened last year just added fuel to the fire and I'm coming back this year with a vengeance. Anyone who know me know I'm not one who needs extra motivation for any type of competition, let alone the first match of the new year. Requesting the 12-time champion is bold, but bold is not always wise."

Mercedes now speaks in Spanish, with her translation being highlighted.

"Ya sabes, meterse con el toro, coger los cuernos."
"You know, mess with the bull, get the horns."

She tosses her long, brown hair that is styled in ringlets which falls at the side of her face as she continues.

"I certainly wouldn’t want this to be all about me, but let’s face it, that’s what you’re going to get. Since we both know the results of who’s going to win, I guess we really don’t have much to talk about.

Or do we?

"Fortunately, I’m actually in a very good mood this week, and having you all as my opponents, even better. Don’t get the wrong idea, I‘m not out to hurt any of you. The least that could happen is you'll probably break a nail...

Probably.

"I’m just going to treat you all like any other opponent and be on my merry way. That’s all. No more, no less."

Mercedes slightly looks down shaking her head in disappointment before returning her gaze to the camera.

"We'll find out a lot of things come Sunday. Alice Knight loves to brawl and Royal Purple and Krystal Wolfe are like a cat in the ring, so agile and so impressive. Royal Purple especially thinks her agility will help her win Sunday, but she should also know that speed kills. At some point, she's going to tire herself out and that's when she's going to make a mistake. Against veterans like myself, we take advantage of those and make them pay. I like to think I have an excellent mat game and I am quick on my feet too, maybe not as I used to be, and I'm not afraid to take risks either. Now, they may be younger and think they're faster. I may be a little bit older, but I'm definitely smarter and wiser. Because for the first time ever, they're not in a match where they are the favorite. In other words, when Alice, Royal Purple, and Krystal step in the ring with this porteña, with this Latina, they're going to be in for a long night ahead.

"Oh, the mistakes of youth. Old enough to know better, young enough not to care. But that's not what this week is about, is it, chickadees? A roulette wheel decides what fun we're going to be having, and trust me, this is going to be as much fun for me as it will be for any of you."

She pauses for effect, lowering her voice just above a whisper.

"Estar preparado para lo peor, esperar lo mejor."
"Prepare for the worst, hope for the best."

"Y que la suerte está siempre en su favor.”
"And may the odds be ever in your favor."

Mercedes winks and blows a kiss at the camera, before returning to the coy, almost snobbish expression. She smiles again, and then waves and we fade to black.

***Fade***

L O S A N G E L E S, C A L I F O R N I A

T'was the night before Halloween, the spookiest night of the year. Four souls stumble blindy, under a moonlight clear. After what seemed like hours, it was a sad sight, four souls were sitting  in a pumpkin patch in the middle of the night.

Mercedes: 'Join us!', they said. 'It will be fun!', they said. I'd rather be trick-or-treating.

Irma: We've been here for hours. I'm beginning to think this wasn't such a great idea. Of all the nights, did you had to pick this one?

Hugo: They say if you're very quiet The Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch and flies through the air. Relax, he'll come, I just know it.

Tomas: What he said.

Mercedes: We're doing this again? You're wasting your time. The Great Pumpkin isn't real.

While their ambition was noted, it proved to be no match, as they continued their search in a pumpkin patch. Their only sane reason, the reason they cared in hopes that The Great Pumpkin soon would be there.

Hugo: I'm telling you, when the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch, we'll be here to see him. We'll just sit here in this pumpkin patch and you'll see the Great Pumpkin with your own eyes.

As they waited, Irma tells him something.

Irma: We didn't see him last year, or the year before that. What makes it different?

Hugo: Because this is the most sincere pumpkin patch and he respects sincerity.

Mercedes: You sure you didn't read this review of Yelp?

They hear some rustling, which surprises them.

Irma: What was that?

Mercedes: I don't know.

Hugo: It's him! I HEAR THE GREAT PUMPKIN!

The rustling noise gets louder and louder, until a silhouette appears, which Hugo thinks is the Great Pumpkin

Hugo: There he is. There he is! It's the Great Pumpkin! He's rising up out of the pumpkin patch!

Hugo suddenly faints, but the dark silhouette just turns out to be Ricardo rising out of the pumpkin patch

After awhile, Hugo wakes up to everyone staring at him.

Hugo: What happened?

Mercedes starts to get mad at Hugo for what happened.

Hugo: Did I faint? What did he leave us? Did he leave us any toys?

Mercedes waves her fists in anger, and starts shouting

Mercedes: How could I have been so stupid!

Hugo gets up and Mercedes continues shouting over what happened.

Mercedes: I wasted the whole night waiting for the Great Pumpkin, when I could've been out for tricks or treats! You kept me up all night waiting for the Great Pumpkin, and all that came was a Ricardo.

Mercedes grabs Hugo by his shirt and shakes him angrily.

Mercedes: YOU OWE ME RESTITUTION!

Mercedes then walks angrily away from Hugo, as he gets shocked over what happened, and then he talks to Ricardo and Thomas.

Hugo: Like a woman scorned, huh?

Tomas: What he said.

Ricardo: This night can't get any better.


L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the 21st: Mentiras, Malditas Mentiras (Lies, Damned Lies..., Part VI)

[REC•]

The camera warms up on Mercedes sitting cross-legged on a beanbag chair, slightly pensive to the events of the past few weeks, and for the weeks to come.

"Some things are better left unsaid, but you can bet I'm going to say it anyway. I can't help being who I am.

"Usually, I like to start my promos off slow. I introduce myself to my opponent. Sometimes I offer a little interesting fact about them or a little history lesson that can be hit or miss. Could be a witty quote I overheard one day.

"But I don't think I'll need to do that with who I'm up against this week thanks to Candy. Bless her heart. We don't deserve her. No, see, with Roxi Johnson, there's a lot of history between us. We both debuted in Sin City Wrestling in the same year. We've won the world championship multiple times. We're both Hall of Famers, although in my case, this company seems to forget that part. Yeah, it grinds my gears a little, but if you're going to heap praise on my opponent, the very least you can afford to do is offer the same thing to me.

"Anyway, so me and Roxi. We've known each other for the better part of a decade, that's a long time. And even then, you can sense - literally, figuratively, emotionally - that there's a lot of tension. Not the sexual tension she and Amber seem to have when they're around each other. No, this tension is raw, unfiltered, unadulterated. We just plain don't like each other and if given the chance we'd probably avoid having to pass each other in the hallway altogether. Hi-and-bye won't cut it. Sometimes during shows depending on the venue, the Bombshells are cramped in one room designated as a dressing room. Putting us in the same room alone would likely see a double homicide CSI investigation.

"I guess where I'm going with this is a match like this has been a long time coming. No, I get that Roxi and I have crossed paths before, but in all that time, the seven, eight years we've been with this company, we have never gone one-on-one before.

Until now.

"A match like this, between two Hall of Famers who have combined to win 19 overall championships, five world championships, 11 year-end awards nominations, eight year-end award wins, and are one and two in most career wins in the company should be main-event worthy. Instead it's placed early in the show while someone not even contracted to the company gets to headline against someone who's going to embarrass and humiliate her just like she did to her mother. Tell me how does this make sense? In any event, I was snubbed.

"Seems to be a common theme with me lately. I'm one of the most winningest women in the company, but some only see what I've done lately. I mean, I get that this is a results-oriented business and all, I get that. If the typical fan  - as fickle as they are sometimes - just started watching SCW, they might see me as a jobber, which completely flies in the face of all the hard work I've done in my career.

If anything, I'm not a jobber, far from it. I'm a fucking legend goddammit and I should be treated as such.

"In a women's locker room that often sees competitors come and go within a couple years, if that, I've been the most stable presence. After all, 80 percent of success is showing up. Or, the best ability is availability. Same difference. How many people can say they've wrestled more than 100 matches and perform regularly on TV?  Answer: You can count them on one hand. I've been such a constant presence for the past seven, eight years now that it's almost easy to forget about my successes. I'm practically the Roger Dangerfield of the women's division, maybe even the entire company.

"I'm going to come out and say it. I'm not happy. I'm not happy about what happened in my last match. I'm not happy about this losing streak I'm on. I'm not happy how this year has gone. Maybe this is too on the nose, maybe there's some frustration in there, but it's the truth."

Nothing else needed to be said. The look on her face told the story. She divides her attention between the ground and the camera.

"Kudos to Kiera, she went out there and proved the critics wrong. Am I surprised that she won? I am. I'm not going to lie. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, and I'm sure Keira won't let me hear the end of it at the next show. Mark my words. But let's get this where it should be. I'm facing her better half and I already know I'm getting a focused Roxi this weekend and I wouldn't have it any other way. A focused Roxi is a dangerous Roxi.

"Well, I, too, like to live dangerously. Here I get a rare chance to cut loose without so much as worrying about the outcome."

Mercedes pauses, smirks a while. She knows where she was going with this.

"Roxi and I are headed on a collision course and I didn't even need to ask for this match. Thanks to Candy, I get Roxi all to myself, an opportunity I was robbed of some seven years in a promotion that you don't really need to know the name of, but these are the matches you circle the calendar for.

"No title on the line here, no off chance that SCW is going under just days before an event. Murphy's Law isn't going to mess this up for me because this is a match years in the making. With all that's been going on, you're probably thinking that I don't even care about my match, that my mind is elsewhere, that I'm distracted, but dot, dot, dot...you're wrong."

Mercedes produced a clipboard and turns it towards the camera where a check box next to, yup, you guessed it, Roxi's name is written in red marker. As her cellphone goes off, Mercedes' holds up her index finger in a wait a minute gesture, bringing the phone to her ear.

"Hello? Yes. Who is this? How did you get this number!? I told you I DON'T WANT ANYTHING FROM YOU! STOP STALKING ME!"

Closing her phone, Mercedes turns back to the camera, a pleasant smile on her face.

"Sorry, credit card companies. Can't live with them, can't live without them. Where was I? Oh, right. I've been counting them down, Roxi. The hours. The minutes. The seconds until the day we meet at Climax Control. You know you have your sights set on Amber at High Stakes, but before you get your hands on Red, you have to get through me first. Simple, right?"

Mercedes pauses, shaking her index finger at the camera.

"Not so simple, but you know what they say: what kills you make you stronger. And I like to play to my strengths. No hero puns this time, I'm not in the mood."

Mercedes offers an nonchalant shrug while mouthing the word "sorry" before continuing. The offer was non-negotiable.

"For me, where I am on the show has never mattered too much. I go out there and I give it everything I got every time I'm booked and week will be no different."

Mercedes swipes a hand over face. The once proud smile she had has transformed into a serious expression.

"The holiday season is just around the corner, but people like me know better because things really get going by the time Halloween rolls around. So now the pumpkins and the treasure trove of candy is already bought, the Thanksgiving turkeys are already in stock. And we can't about Christmas. Well, this match is Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas rolled up into the one.

"And it couldn't have happened to a nicer person."

For a moment the smile returns to her face while running her fingers through her hair.

"Hope for the best, prepare for the worse and may the odds be ever in your favor."

***Fade***

Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 6 al 13 de septiembre de 2 0 2 0

I'm not going to waste too much time here. We all know that I didn't win the battle royal two weeks ago, that Alicia got super lucky, and that Maki should be thankful that she left as fast as she did when she got eliminated because the only reason she's still around is by the grace of God and because I'm a nice person.

Maybe not all the time, but most of the time.

Anyway, Sunday is the go-home show to Violent Conduct and surprise, surprise, I have a golden opportunity for a Bombshell Roulette Championship title match at the supercard. Only problem is Johanna Krieger and Bea Barnhart stand in my way.

You know, it’s a good thing Johanna is going into this with such confidence, because we all know she's the baddest bitch in the Bombshells Division, and she will let you know that fact.

Well, if she wanted competition, she's got the right one because I sure do love testing myself against the up-and-comers here and find out if they're really ready to take on the best the company has to offer.

Good thing Johanna has had a pretty good standing up until now, she's going to need it. Now that she's moving on to a singles career, we're going to find out if she'll sink or swim. Bea Barnhart, bless her heart, the girl is trying to keep her head above water, but it's not whether she can stay alive, it's how long until she goes under.

Anyway, facing Bea Barnhart should be fun. Add in Johanna Krieger, now we have a party.

I have two opponents to get through Sunday. Am I going to guarantee walking out number one contender? No. I'll guarantee the pursuit of it, whatever it takes.

One day, someday, I will be champion again. But just as how I'm not going to let anyone stop me, I'm not letting failure stop me either. This year is only a setup for my comeback. And despite what you may think, failure isn't fatal. But I am.

Long before you knew, and long after you remember.


FLASHBACK

A plane chases the sunset.

Inside the plane, Mercedes wakes up from her afternoon nap and looks outside her window seat. The pyramids of Giza were best viewed at daytime, but seemed even more majestic under the orange glaze that settled behind the.historic landmarks. A man walks his camels over the desert sand dunes to wherever he was going.[/i]

Jorge: So, where you're off too next, Carmen Sandiego?

Mercedes: I told you, I'm going to Africa for a show on the twentieth. Did you get my tickets for Egypt yet?

Jorge: Took care of it.

Mercedes' brother passes the time listlessly turning the pages of a travel brochure about the continent. All the pertinent details are there – glossy photos, a few interesting trivia, nightlife.

If getting there was half the fun, usually the other half wasn't worth the price of admission.

He looks up from his reading.

Jorge: You know, Merce. I'm kind of surprised you took me along after, well, you know, the Egypt thing.

Mercedes: Well, as the Good Book says, you should forgive others, and I forgive you, Jorge.

Jorge: You never told me why you're taking me with you to the Ivory Coast.

Mercedes: Don't you want to see your own sister win back her tag team titles that she lost a month ago? Relax. Getting there is only half the fun.

Jorge shrugs.

Jorge: If you say so. Just that, you know, those girls you're up against scare the hell out of me, especially the girl with the guns. Oh, well. Might as well be prepared. What did you bring with you?

Mercedes holds up an iPad.

Mercedes: Movies and music? You?

Jorge: Even better. I've brought along some board games, playing cards, and dominoes to play with. This is going to be one long flight. Gotta have something to do or I'm going to be suffering from bordom-induced coma.

Mercedes stares back at her brother before lowering her face into her hand. Yup, this was going to be the beginning of what would be the week from hell. Will she be able to survive it is the question. The male passenger, who has since woken up from his nap turns to Mercedes, waving at her, which in turn weirded her out.

As the plane flies over the majestic Atlantic Ocean under the guise of sunrise, our scene fades to black.


L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the Eighteenth: Mentiras, Malditas Mentiras (Lies, Damned Lies..., Part III)

[REC•]

The camera warms up on Mercedes sitting cross-legged on a beanbag chair, slightly pensive to the events of the past few weeks, and for the weeks to come.

"Some things are better left unsaid, but you can bet I'm going to say it anyway. I can't help being who I am."

Mercedes takes a deep breath, brushes away a few strands of her hair from her eyes.

"There's one thing everyone knows I love to do and that's talk. So, when I talk, most of the time you know I'm going to say a lot and usually something somewhat controversial. You hinge on every last word, you're watching, waiting, and wondering just what I'm going to say. Most of the time, my words seem to stay in people's mind. So when it comes to this match and finding out who will be next in line to challenge Seleana Zdunich for the Bombshell Roulette Championship at Violent Conduct, well, I guess I have to say something, right?

"On paper, this is Johanna's match to lose. Johanna has the better record, the most wins, and the fewest losses. She's had an incredible, incredible year. SCW is always on the lookout for the next breakout star. A lot of the higher-ups believe she's had a breakout year of any woman on the active roster and it's only a matter of time before she winds up with her first singles championship and maybe even the top championship in her future. Bea Barnhart hasn't had a great year, but SCW sees a lot of potential. Like I said, on paper.

"In reality, though?"

The pause, then small smile on her face was a telltale sign to the viewer that Mercedes was about to once again defy all kinds of logic by not talking about herself.

"In reality, there's only one real threat in this triple threat. Sorry, it's not Bea or Johanna. And if you really had either of those two in mind, please leave the room. Don't get me wrong. Johanna is good, she may even be great, but she's only beginning her climb in Sin City Wrestling. She may be enjoying the honeymoon now, but it's not going to last forever. Alicia is a good example, so is Andrea. They were the hottest thing going last year, nobody could stop them. This year? Not so much.

"I know what you're thinking. There's no woman who's invincible. And as sure as the sky is blue I'm not either. I've taken my knocks, I've lost more than my fair share. But, see, the thing is I always got back up. I always get back up.

"I don't need 40 minutes to tell you what I can already say in 10 minutes. I could tell you about my title reigns and accolades, the championships I've won, the numerous records I've set and broken, the milestones I've reached, everything I've done in my career,, but, really, where's the fun in that? I've accomplished a lot more than what people give me credit for. I've carved out a legacy that will never be surpassed or equaled. You've read the history book, you've seen the monents. And if you did none of those things, you probably heard about it."

And while Mercedes may not be headlining shows or main events, no longer one of the top stars of the company or hold a title or even the top title, she was still a dangerous opponent, no matter what her win-loss record says.

"Johanna already made it clear how she feels about me and that's perfectly fine because I was never moved by emotions and I really don't care how people see me. If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best, either the fans and the other Bombshells takes me for granted or they don't.

Mercedes offers an nonchalant shrug while mouthing the word "sorry" before continuing. The offer was non-negotiable.

"I've made history many times over at Violent Conduct. Do I have to win this match? Not really. Do I have anything to prove? Not really. My legacy won't be threatened, especially from who I'm facing next Sunday. This match is just the stepping stone to either Bea or Johanna in taking that next step. That doesn't mean I won't make you earn it."

Mercedes pauses, smirks a while. She knows where she was going with this.

"So when SCW poses a question that whoever wins Sunday won't know what they're getting into at Violent Conduct, I can only shake my head.

Maybe they forgot that I've been in more Roulette Rules matches than any woman in SCW history, or that I have more wins in Roulette Rules matches than anyone. Or the fact that I was the first-ever four-time Bombshell Roulette Champion."

Mercedes pauses, then adds.

"Or that there's nothing that roulette wheel can throw at me that I can't handle against Seleana. After all, I ruined her pay-per-view debut."

Mercedes swipes a hand over face. The once proud smile she had has transformed into a serious expression.

"And maybe Bea Barnhart seem to forgot that I have a singles win over her. Or that Jojo forgot that the last person who got in my face from her stable got her first loss handed to her. I'm willing to bet Sierra still has nightmares over it.

I know I'm a nightmare for anyone who stands across from me in that ring and I've proven that time again. In my prime, past my prime, it doesn't matter. Underestimate me at your peril and see where that gets you.

“So just how am I going to prepare for this match? I should be freaking out,, biting my nails and wondering how will that roulette wheel decide my fate this time.

“But I know better because it doesn't matter what the stipulation is. I don't have to get ready, I stay ready. Whatever the spin of that roulette wheel, I'll face it head on. Whatever challenge the two of you pose will be nothing like the first time anything before it. Am I at disadvantage? No question. And the scary thing is, I know neither of you like me, and maybe the greatest disadvantage is that you have every advantage. But here's the thing, I'll find a way, not a way out. I always do, because that's what I do.”

See, it's really simple: in order for me to make history one more time at Violent Conduct, for me to achieve my dreams, I have to crush yours. So Bea and Johanna will lose their Violent Conduct debut, and they might have to wait a little bit longer for that elusive singles title win.

"Ladies, you shouldn't be afraid of my words, you should be afraid when I have to put my boots back on and ready to kick ass and take names. So which one of you are going to end up on my checklist Sunday? Doesn't really matter. Pretend this is the Hall of Fame, you're both inducted, so pat yourselves on the back. You've earned it."

"So the question isn't who's going to let me..."

For a moment the smile returns to her face while running her fingers through her hair.

"it's who's going to stop me?"

Mercedes stops to open her arms wide in challenge.

***Fade***

[size=10]Blog: Almighty Fire[/size]
semana del 16 al 23 de agosto de 2 0 2 0[/font]

“The art of losing isn’t hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster…
Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.”

– One Art (By Elizabeth Bishop)

Another year, another loss at Summer XXXtreme. Go figure.

At least I had an excuse last year. This time last year, I entered Summer XXXtreme Bombshell Roulette Champion and I had to defend against multiple challengers in the Ultimate X Over the Pool. Two weeks ago I had no excuse. Two weeks ago I was one three count away from finally putting Christina behind me. Two weeks ago, I had Christina Rose right where I wanted her, and I let her off the hook.

When I said that Christina wasn't going sleaze her way out of another match, I meant it. When I said she wasn't going to get off that easy, I meant it. She wanted to walk out of that cruise ship, she wasn't simply going to get by with half the effort. She had to work twice as hard that night to earn it.

So another chapter is written. May not be the way I drew it up, not the conclusion I hoped for, not the outcome I wanted, but we have to move on. I have to move on. It's necessary. Time is running out and there's still so much left to do. I've had too many opportunities slip through my fingers, matches I should have won, championships I should have around my waist, records and accolades that should have been broken. I'm sorry if this gets personal it's just all over the place right now. I've hit my breaking point and need to let it out. I'm sorry again if it's too long you don't have to read it all...

No, you know what? Fuck it, I'm done apologizing.

I've been in this company for a long time. Seven years, to be exact. That's longer than any place I've ever been employed in my career, by far. And for seven of the 11 years I've been in this industry, I've practically done it all in Sin City Wrestling. I've made moments, I've set and shattered records, you've seen me be a part of the most dominant stables in SCW history and I held my own during and after the both times it ended. As a matter of fact, I'm the last ex-member still on the active roster. The names change, the faces change, but for the seven years I've been here, you never saw me without a championship around my waist. Hasn't been done before, hasn't been done since. I've been nothing but successful, year after year after year. Regardless of what my win-loss record says.

This year has seen me fall more times than I can count, and I know a lot of people are tap dancing on my grave.

But little did they know, I'm not dead yet. 

And as for Bea…

Looks like you found yourself in a very tough spot this weekend, sweetheart. Not only do you have a losing streak a mile wide, but you get me inside the six-sided ring. And I'm not in a very good mood. And when I'm not in a very good mood, bad things happen. Especially when it comes to people like you.

 I don't know how or why you're got to challenge for the Bombshell Roulette Championship but then again I don't book the matches. Maybe Mark and Christian' should start a Kickstarter campaign for you to never get another title match again, but I'm not holding my breath.

I know you're ready and waiting. I know you see blood in the water and are just ready for the final kill. I hope you get that chance but just know that  you're going to be in for a long night because on Sunday, you're not getting Mercedes Vargas, the SCW Hall of Famer. You're not getting Mercedes Vargas, the only 12-time champion in history. You're not getting Mercedes Vargas, the Argentine Assassin. What you're getting, Bea, is just a Bombshell, a Latina, a woman. A dangerous woman with nothing to lose, so play that hand, roll the dice, and we'll see if the house wins.

I may not be in the main event scene, or holding a title, or even the top title, but that still doesn't mean I can't mess your day up. Yeah, I'm in a slump. Yeah, I only have one win to my name, but you know that can't last forever, and you should be downright scared, you should be damn near terrified. You really don't know what you got yourself into. Any doubts you have about my competitive drive before Climax Control will disappear when I whip your ass like a red-headed stepchild, cabrón because I will be damned if you’re going to beat me. And yet I rolled through the punches when most would have cracked or given up. Fighting and surviving go hand in hand and that is what makes my resilience unstoppable than any opponent standing in my way. I don't give up, I don't give in, I don't back down and I sure as hell don't quit. Because if I can deal with all of that, if I can survive all of that in almost two years since I got here, Bea, than I can survive beating you this Sunday. I've faced worst odds, battled through cracked ribs and being put through flaming tables. I've dodged the shots fired by every mealy mouth bitch on the roster. And for every loss, I get up, dust myself off and keep going. Nothing hasn't changed.

So, Bea Barnhart, do your worst, because even at your best, I'll be prepared for it. Like it or not, believe it or not, Lady Luck won't be helping you this time around so you might as well prepare for the disappointment heading your way. There's no getting over, under, around or through it.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best...

And may the odds be ever in your favor.

>~~~

L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A

The strain of violin music floats in the night air. The exclusive restaurant is relatively quiet for a Thursday evening with the chatter of other guests enjoying their dinner and the quality service that a competitive establishment demands. Mercedes, Ricardo, and Tomas are already at a table in the Chinese restaurant

Mercedes: They're still performing? I don't get it. Can they still be New Kids if they are damn near 50?

Tomas: If Vanilla Ice can still hit Ice Ice Baby and Smashmouth can perform at a motorcycle festival, than I don't think we should cancel 2020 just yet.

Ricardo: They cancelled everything else.

Mercedes: Anyone ever tell you should run for mayor?

Ricardo: Politics, not my thing.

Mercedes: Where is someone? I'm starving.

Ricardo: We're kind of low on funds and the check is here. Where's the manager?

Tomas gestures across the room.

Tomas: I think that's the manager over there.

Ricardo: You thinking what I'm thinking?

Tomas: Dine-and-dash?

Mercedes: Excuse me? Oh, no, no. I will not play in your reindeer games. What if we got caught?

Ricardo: What if we don't?

Mercedes: I can't go to jail. Nothing good ever happens there.

Ricardo: So you have been to jail before? Who knew Mercedes was a jailbird?

Mercedes: It wasn't my fault, first of all. Secondly, my brother scared people in the airport when he ordered a Jägerbomb at the airport and someone overhead and caused a scene. Come on, Richie. We're better than this.

Ricardo: Well unless we can split 100 dollars, we're planning our getaway.

Mercedes: Where's Hugo?

Tomas: I don't know, he said he was running late or something. I'll have to call him, tell him we're we are. 

Ricardo: Look, if we don't get going, we're not going to make it to the movie. So are you in or not?

Mercedes: Really? Is that a risk you want to take?

Ricardo: Yes. Watch and learn, my friends, watch and learn.

Ricardo pulls back his chair, makes a spin move to avoid a waitress and calmly walks towards the exits. A female receptionist and two waiters greet him.

Receptionist: Can I help you?

Ricardo: Uh, yeah. Could you tell me what year this is on the Chinese calendar? I'm not sure if it's the Year of the Rabbit or The Year of the Cat.

The woman starts talking to the two waiters in Chinese. Ricardo understandably is confused even trying to catch on. She smiles at Ricardo.

Receptionist: How would you like to spend the night washing dishes?

Smiling nervously, Ricardo backs away gracefully and promptly returns to the table where Mercedes and Tomas looked on.

Tomas: What happened?

Ricardo: Looks like we're going to take a raincheck on that movie, guys.

Mercedes: Ugh! This is why we can't have nice things!

>~~~

S A N T A M O N I C A • C A L I F O R N I A

[size=10]It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the Sixteenth: Mentiras, Malditas Mentiras (Lies, Damned Lies...)[/size]

[REC•]

"Some things are better left unsaid, but you can bet I'm going to say it anyway. I can't help being who I am."

The camera tilts upward, showing Mercedes Vargas at Santa Monica Pier walking along the pier. There's a low tide on the beach west of here as we see several tourist spending a lazy weekend.

"So I've been doing a lot of thinking this week, a lot of soul searching after my loss to Christina. Which is why I came here."

Mercedes turns her side and points at the Pier. 

"I came here to find peace of mind, but also absolution. I think back to our match two weeks ago and I wonder if Christina will ever forgive me for how I treated her over the years. Despite the fact that I can answer my own question, the way I see it, she can really give a shit just so long as she walked away with another win at my expense. It's Christina. And I'm going to leave it at that.

"I didn't think I would have a match this weekend, certainly didn't think it would be against someone I've never faced before, but here we are. Now, I can't say I know Bea Barnhart personally, but I'm willing to bet she's gotta be loving this. Sure our match is early in the show and this is supposedly some kind of proving ground match to see if we're worthy to be chosen for the big battle royal coming up to decide who Evie faces next for her World Bombshell Championship, but it's more than likely we're also fighting for her entertainment.

"And the all-important 18-34 male demographic. Because, you know, they're people too."

She shrugs her shoulders. Besides making the social media trends, the demo is the most important in wrestling circles these days. At least, that's what she's seen in more mainstream companies these days.

"I can understand how some people are wondering, 'Well, by golly, how in the world did Mercedes get into this match? Surely, SCW could do better'. Surely, they could have chosen someone else, right? I'm not really sure if she's pulling an act or if she's really that stupid, but she's made a believer out of me."

Could you imagine if Mercedes were to lose? Her reputation would be ruined. Her street cred would be revoked. She'd have end-of-days depression! We can't go that far, but it is possible

"Don't get me wrong, I fully expect Bea to give her all and put up as much of a struggle as she can, but in the end, it won't matter. It's obvious that she needs this match in the worst way, but there's not much more I can say that's going to change the outcome Sunday. She's not competition, she's not even a contender. What she is, is just a fringe in the division whose existence doesn't matter in the least unless the top brass remembers she's still on the company payroll. In any event, Bea is rearing to go. She wants to live up to her namesake, and I kinda hope she does. She hasn't had the best of luck since she debuted but the girl has more wins then I do, so there's that."

She runs a hand through her hair. She knew this wasn't going to be easy with the slump she was in, but hell or high water, Mercedes Vargas was going to make it to Climax Control.

"Bea, I'm almost surprised you've stuck it out for this long because most girls like you usually don't last, but kudos to you. Thing is, we're kind of in the same boat, aren't we? You haven't exactly been setting the world on fire and the last time you won a singles match was back at the first pay-per-view of the year. Are you sure running your mouth is such a good idea? Shake your head no, Bea.

"It's not a good idea, sweetheart. And this weekend, you're about to find out why that is. And maybe, just maybe, a little humility will be good for you. I know it will be for me.

I can't lose to you. I'm Mercedes Vargas. And you're... well, you're Bea Barnhart. Don't worry, I'll remind you where your place is on the SCW roster. It will be my honor."

Mercedes crosses her arms and looks away defiantly, before looking back at the camera.

"Long before you knew, and long after you remember."

"See you Sunday!"

***Fade***

 Blog: Almighty Fire

semana del 14 al 21 de junio de 2 0 2 0

So here we are.

A little more than two weeks removed from another SCW pay-per-view, and I walked out with nothing to show for it. Or did I? At Into the Void, six women fought, scratched and clawed their way to scale a 15-foot ladder and grab what essentially was a golden opportunity that was too good to pass up. Six women entered the Queen for a Day ladder match, but only one left as the last woman standing. Given the amount of talent involved, whoever won the match would have had bragging rights for life.

Excuses, I have none. Regrets, none in the slightest. Jealousy, unbridled revenge, sorry, can't say there is any.

I never made any promises to win Queen for a Day, and even if I did, I'm definitely not getting bent out of shape just because a match didn't go my way. I'm better than that. I'll give credit where it's due, the stars aligned for Christina Rose and she made the best of the situation. Does it change the fact that she's already been eaten alive the second the card for this weekend was made public? No. Do I enjoy the fact that this was bound to happen? No. Of all people, Christina deserved bet -

Oh, who am I kidding, it couldn't have happened to a nicer person. It's only so nice that she thought of placing me on the card against someone I have never faced before.

How do I feel about facing Amber Ryan? I don't know, I'm not sure. Amber is coming off a loss at the supercard too, but while Myra was the better woman in their match, Amber is the better wrestler. I'm pretty sure she wanted to be both, but, hey, you can't win them all, right?

"It’s too early in her run to know how Amber will fare in SCW, but I have a feeling about this one. She's an unusual girl, she really marches to the beat of her own drum. She is different. Different is good. I think after the last few video submissions I've seen from her, she also has quite the mouth on her. I can already tell we're going to be the best of friends."

And this Sunday, Amber, maybe fortune will smile on you because you’re facing someone who isn't having a great year.  But make no mistake about it – I may not be where I should be right now in SCW in terms of wins and losses, but there's a reason why I give the rest of the women's division nightmares when their name is across from mine on a typical card.  

I remember when I used to be the new girl on the block in the Bombshells Division, the night I had my debut match is still fresh in my mind till this day. I could tell you about my titles and accolades, the championships I've won, the numerous records I've set and broken, the milestones I've reached, everything I've done in my career, including outside of this company, but, really, where's the fun in that? You've been just as successful, if not more so. You certainly didn’t become a multi-time champion just by sitting around and drinking piña coladas with little umbrellas. You are what they call a commodity. Most people wouldn't know me from Eve. I would say that for all our differences, we're a lot a like, but that would be crazy talk. We couldn't BE more different. When someone steps into the ring against you, it's going to be a war. You like to fight first and ask questions later. I like to think I have an excellent mat game and I am quick on my feet, maybe not as I used to be, and I'm not afraid to take risks either. You're a redhead, I'm a brunette. Stereotypes aside -  and, I mean, they could be true, probably not, but they could be - redheads might not have more fun, but their definitely more interesting. And while blondes claim to have more fun, we brunettes take care of business.

I’ve sacrifice more than just my own blood, sweat and tears to get to where I am today. Attention, opportunity, trust, and RESPECT. I worked for it. I earned it. I deserve it. If anything, I'm consistent. Maybe I'll never be as high, or as low, but I'm able to stay in the game always. I never give people a chance or an opportunity to miss me, so if you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best, either the fans and the other Bombshells takes me for granted or they don't.

I may not be headlining shows, I may not be in the main events, I may not be one of the top stars here or hold the top title, but I can promise you that Amber and I will make this match worth the price of admission. It's up to everyone else to try and top it.

2020. We're living in strange times. I haven't had much to cheer about since the year started. This year will go down as maybe one of my toughest yet in SCW. Exciting times.

I'm just trying to keep my head above water, but you know I guess what they say is true.

If you're born to be hanged, you'll never be drowned.

~~~

L A S V E G A S • N E V A D A

Saying that the first half of 2020 for Mercedes Vargas have been crappy is, well, an understatement. Things were bad enough when she let opportunities slipped through her fingers, but for the most part, this year was already coming off the rails. Losing to rookies half her age, being the victim of Christina's vendetta against her, having to put up with people besmirching her name all the while just trying to survive. Maybe taking out her frustrations on a referee would do wonders for her career. It worked for Bobbie Dahl, suspensions be damned (though the punishment really seemed to be slaps on the wrists than just making an example of someone). She's surprised the powers that be haven't docked her paycheck after that.

Today she should wash her hair, but time is not on her side. It was one of those mornings when she hit the snooze button one too many times.

Mercedes always thought that if she forgot all the bad things that happened to her this year it was inevitable that she would forget all the good things, too. She never thought that focusing so much on the bad things would attract the wrong things in life.

You have boyfriend?  

Brushing her teeth at the sink, Mercedes was in no mood for talk and was unpleasantly surprised at her mother's question.

Mercedes: Can we not?

Mercedes spits out a mouthful of toothpaste.

Estelle: So you do have boyfriend?

Mercedes: Again, can we not?

Mercedes grabs a hairbrush  and works with whatever hair clips, bobby pins and elastic hairbands she could find to come up with a simple updo.

Estelle: Got a date?

Mercedes looks away from the mirror, at her from her laptop.

Mercedes: What?

Estelle: Well, only time you have hair fancy is when you're on hot date.

Mercedes: I'm going to hang up the phone if you can’t stop nagging because I didn’t visit enough this year.

Estelle: You never call, you never write. It's like I don't even know you anymore.

Mercedes: ¡Basta ya! Estoy así de cerca!
Enough already! I am this close to leaving!

Estelle: Por favor, no vayas.
Please, don't go. Pararé, lo prometo.

Mercedes: Listen, there's something I want to talk to you about. I wasn't ready until now but I think it's time.

Estelle: It's finally happening, you're getting married, aren't you?

Estelle holds a hand to her heart and is overcome with emotion. Mercedes settles for an eyeroll as Estelle trails off in Spanish, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

Estelle: This is wonderful news mija. I almost lost hope in you.

Mercedes: Thanks, mom. But that's not what I was going to -

Estelle: You're coming out of the closet, aren't you?

Mercedes glares at her mother.

Mercedes: Christ, mom! Can you BE any less insensitive!?! No, that's not it either!

Estelle: Then why are you calling? I'm in the middle of watching telenovelas.

Mercedes: You win. You finally get what you want, but it's been a long time coming.

Estelle is paralyzed to even move, let alone look away from her obsessed face as she continues to listen in awkward, confined silence

Mercedes: I'm done, I'm calling it a career.

Estelle is still a little confused.

Mercedes: That little "intervention" you had, on Thanksgiving, the one night a year where we get to enjoy each other's company and engage in a roundtable discussion about what we're most thankful for? I guess it finally worked. Sure, it was four years ago, but who cares, right? Everybody wins! Carmen telling me to walk away? She gets her wish. Dad never wanted me to wrestle, but did I listen? No. I guess I'll be seeing him and you a lot more often now.

Estelle starts giving this apologetic look.

Estelle: But mija, wrestling is your life. Me and your dad, your brother, your cousin, we may not agree with it in the beginning, but things change. We cheer for you on show day, we try to make it to shows when we're able to. Of course, we can't now because of the pandemic, but still. You're successful, have been for a long time. Whatever decision you make, will be the right one.

Estelle takes up a whine glass and pours herself some sherry.

Estelle: I need a drink.

Mercedes was getting tired of the cold and eagerly waiting summer. But this summer was going to bring more than sunshine and easy days at the beach because something was lurking in the air - COVID-19.

COVID-19 doesn't care. It doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care about race or orientation. It doesn't care about hypocrisy. It doesn't care about income. It doesn't care when sports, concerts, or events come back, if ever. It doesn't care about politics or  party affliction. It doesn't care about protests. It doesn't care about seasons or holidays. It just doesn't care.

Mercedes closes her laptop.

At this point. She just didn't care either.

***Fade***

~~~

Present Day • L A S V E G A S • N E V A D A

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the Thirteenth: Mockingbirds the Second: El ruido y la furia (The Sound and the Fury)

[REC•]

"Some things are better left unsaid, but you can bet I'm going to say it anyway. I can't help being who I am."

The camera tilts upward, revealing Mercedes Vargas looking straight into the camera. We find the Argentine and SCW Hall of Famer wearing her authentic t-shirt.[/

“You know, if I didn’t know any better, I'd thought this match would have been more exciting, but turns out it’s been anything but. Maybe it’s just me?" 

Mercedes shrugs her shoulders.

"Maybe I'm anxious and just want to get this match with Amber Ryan over with, even though we're less than a two days from the fallout show from Into the Void from two weeks ago. Could be I'm a little weary from the hell I went through in the Queen for a Day ladder match. A match that, yes, Christina Rose won. I won't take that away from her. She did what she had to and got the win. Looking at what's in store this weekend, I sure as hell didn't have "Christina hands wife main event title match opportunity", "Christina finds loophole to get world title match" or "Christina Rose: One-Woman Show" on my 2020 bingo card."

She tilts her head and offers a slow applause.

"I bet it didn't take long for Christina to come up with the card for this weekend's show. Call it a hunch, but I knew that I was going to be punished because that is the kind of vindictive person she is. See, I know I'm not going to have an easy time of it in my match with Amber. She is good as advertised. She's kind of a big deal. She is what they call a household name in this business, a hot commodity, a brand. Any company who has her on their roster already know they're getting a killer. When she needs a place to work, she doesn't need to call them to be on their roster, they call her and demand that she's on theirs. On one hand, Amber is another kettle of fish, on the other she's a big fish in a small pond, or maybe a big fish in a bigger pond, depending on who you ask. Alicia deserves a medal for getting her to sign to SCdub because while the Bombshells Division has the best collection of female wrestlers right now, it's even more better with Amber in it. So it's not lost on me why Christina will be salivating at the chance to see someone finally put me in my place, and I wouldn't even put it pass Amber for the honor, because only a fool wouldn't see that Christina only wants to soften me up before she finishes the job.

Sure, we may have been in different circles, but you may be surprised to know that I've heard about Amber, even before the ink dried on her SCW contract. I doubt she liked being used like a library book to further whatever master plan Christina has cooked up, but then again when you have someone like Amber on the roster, you don't need an excuse for your next kill."

Mercedes swipes a hand over face. The once proud smile she had has transformed into a serious expression.

“But you want to know the real reason why Christina wants a match with me? It's not because she thinks this match at Summer XXXtreme will happen on her terms or that she has a superior record against me in SCW or even that she thinks I give two shits what imaginary threats she want to throw my way on social media. No, it's because Christina Rose, Williams, Hilton, Millar, Lopez, Zdunich,  fears Mercedes Vargas. I'm not going to be intimidated or shamed. She wants to make me a target, I say make my day. One opponent, two opponents, three opponents, send in the whole damn roster for all I care."

Mercedes holds up her hands in reservation, shaking her head.

"Show of hands, who else thought Christina was going to change once she finally claimed her identity? Because she didn't prove me wrong about everything I said about her, she proved me right. She's a narcissist, she's a liar, she's a bully, she manipulates to get her own way, she plays the victim card when she feels threatened. She can't continue to hide behind a real mental condition and make people think she's a good person, because she's not, far from it, no matter what her complicit wife says. Winning Queen for a Day may have magnified all those evils by a thousand.

Christina has said in numerous promos, she grew up in this business. This business is in her blood, she's third generation. At one point of her life, in her teens, she was learning the ropes from her father. I'm sure he is beaming with pride.

When you're a 16-time world champion, a four-time Hall of Famer, and the daughter of a wrestling legend you can excuse the way Christina does things. When you’re just starting out and trying to make your name like I did, you don’t have that luxury.

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

What I can't admit, can't accept, and can't get over is how his third-generation daughter can be so thick-skinned. Christina seems to have it out for me because of some things I said about her. She always paints this picture that I'm the bad guy because of some perceived slight that I just don't like her. Look at the people she's been in the ring with, the things other Bombshells have said on record about her. I'm sure Alicia Lukas has said much worse, Andrea Hernandez has said much worse, Roxi Johnson has said much worse, even her bestie Sydney Knite has said much worse when they were opponents on occasion. I wonder how I got to the top of this dance card?

"One minute she says she's about giving chances and giving opportunities to those who deserve it in SCW, the next she sets a bounty on my head and goes as far as giving an ultimatum to face her at the next supercard. Now, Summer XXXtreme is five weeks away. Anything can happen between now and August 2, but the question that I need to ask about that and about my match this weekend is what did I do to deserve this? I can't be that special. Christina can play the victim, but I won't. I won't give her the pleasure and she won't get the satisfaction.

"Mujeres fuerte, mujeres reales, no le juegues a la víctima, no se hagan ver lastimosos, no señale a nadie, y admite cuando se equivoca.

Strong women, real women, don't play the victim, don't make themselves look pitiful, don't point fingers, and admits when she's wrong.

"Christina can pull out the punk card as to why a match between us isn't going to happen, she can claim my age has something to do with it - yes, I'm about to turn the big 4-0 four days after my match happens - but does it change the fact that even at my age that I accomplished more in SCW then everything she's done in her career? Does it change the fact that even past my prime, I can still still beat any girl here in their prime?

OK, so the days where I could drink whatever I want without having a terrible hangover the next day are long gone and maybe I've said "I'm getting too old for this" a time or two when I see something stupid, but is that so wrong?

Or maybe Christina is one of those "don't trust anyone over 30" crowds? Surely she's one to talk when she's seven years younger than me. We were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the same time, but I'm not surprised that people will say she's had the better career. Your miles may vary." 

Mercedes snaps her finger, remembering something. 

"Speaking of birthdays, I hear a special someone is celebrating a birthday today. Is that you, Amber? If you had told me earlier I would have bought you a present. Well, it's never too late for gifts so I guess our match will just have to do. And what better way to celebrate than with friends, right? Maybe not in a soldout arena, but a small gathering works too. I can't wait to give you the birthday beatings this weekend. I don't think I'm going to stop at 31 though, but you can handle it, can't you, sweetheart? You don't just play a tough girl on TV. I know that you hit hard, kick hard and you're a glutton for both taking and dishing out punishment, but I can hit and kick hard with the best of them. Don't let the looks fool you. I'm smarter than you think, stronger than I look, and notice more than you realize.  Feel free to underestimate me at your risk.

Sweetheart. I have nothing to prove. I’ve done it ALL. It’s not about me. At least I’m not trying to make it happen that way. But I can’t help that I’m a force of nature.

Few would mistake her arrogance for confidence, but it never stopped her before, and it damn sure wasn't going to happen now.

"Christina says she wants to make my life a living hell, but she knows that I can make her feel like she's living in one. She knows deep down inside, within every fiber of her being, that the only way she's going to get me in the same ring with her is in her wildest dreams, but that won't even happen in reality.

"The reality is I'm ready to take Amber to the distance and I'm going to make her work hard for the victory. The reality for Christina is I'm still here, still standing and, yes, still talking. When I go out into that ring Sunday night, when I give it my all, when I lay it out on the line, there is no one that's going to stop me. And I'll let you off with this, Christina, and I mean every word.”

Mercedes goes quiet for a moment as she lowers her head. She lets out a sigh before raising her head again.

“You may be 'Queen for a Day', but sweetheart you damn sure aren't the queen of me. So put this in your royal proclamation, bitch: you better hope Amber takes me out. Because if she fails, it's going to be your hands.

Long live the Queen."

Mercedes makes a heart symbol with her hands and that's the last image we see of her before she reaches to turn off the camera as the scene fades.