[Mark Ward]

 Post all roleplays for this match in this thread.
Limits: 10,000 word max per character, 1 roleplay max per week.

Good luck

[Jessie Salco]

 RP Title: “Easy victory to round off a shit year.”

It was time for the last Supercard of the year and despite winning the Chamber of Extreme match against Christina Rose at High Stakes IX Jessie wasn’t in title contention as she had lost her qualifying match for the World Bombshell Championship last month when Roxi Johnson pinned Alice Knight to advance and wasn’t even considered for the Triple Threat Match to determine Sam Marlowe’s next challenger for the SCW Bombshell Roulette Championship, there was apparently a consolation prize headed her way but nothing came off that either so where did that leave Jessie?

In yet another match against Mercedes Vargas, this wasn’t the first time that they had faced off in singles competition as Jessie had pinned Vargas to win the Bombshell Internet Championship back in 2017 and they had been fighting off and on since that date and now both women, who had failed to qualify for the Six Pack Challenge, where squaring off on December to Dismember IV, can Jessie end the year with a win?

Jessie’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Saturday the 7th of December 2019, 11:00am

From one of the featured matches on the High Stakes IX Card to a random match against one of my oldest rivals, this has been one hell of a turnaround.

Look, I’m not going to male excises for the fact that I’m not in the Six Pack Challenge for the World Bombshell Championship and Christina is, in fact, if you ask me then I’ll happily tell you that the only reason they didn’t book a rematch between me and Christina during the qualifiers was because they didn’t want their precious golden girl out of the last main event of the year even though I had put her, and my body, through hell in the Chamber of Extreme Match.

Some gratitude huh? And what do I get instead? Mercedes Vargas for the hundredth time.

I’m sure she’ll give a more accurate number, being SCW’s resident historian and all, but it feels like I’ve been fighting Mercedes since the beginning of my SCW career although in reality Mercedes joined the company a year after I did, she was the Bombshell I pinned to win the Bombshell Internet Championship all the way back in 2017 and since then we’ve been fighting off and on since then, mostly in tag team matches and before this match our most recent encounter was in SCU’s Open Invitational Battle Royal.

While disguised as Jason Vorhees and Marie Antionette respectively, I don’t count that as a loss to Mercedes for one reason, I was eliminated by Ariana Angelos, not Mercedes who would go on to last eliminate HB Carter to win the match and shot at Veronica Taylor and, well, we both know how that ended.

And to answer any confusion over the fact that I moved to California during SCW’s hiatus, well, after my one time appearance in SCU we made the decision to move back to Vegas, main reason being the impracticality of us having to make four hour trips whenever SCW returned to its home city, we got lucky in that there was a home up for sale just a few days after we made that decision though I will admit to missing California.

“Jess, are you going out at all this week?” Jake asked as he walked up to me, in truth, I’ve largely remained at home since returning to Las Vegas for the Supercard Period to clear my head more or less, I just neglected to tell them that, right now I was in my bedroom playing Total War Rome II on my gaming PC and the last I heard from the boys was when Shane asked me if I wanted anything from the store before he left to get some shopping done. “Your missing out on a lot of training.”

“Maybe because I’ve got a lot on my mind?” I asked with an annoyed tone as I turned to my brother. “I still think the only reason the bosses didn’t book a rematch between me and Christina for a spot in the Six Pack Challenge was because they wanted Christina in that match.”

“Back to your old conspiracy theorist ways, huh?” Jake asked and I shook my head, its not a theory if its true. “I’m turning thirty next year, with my wrestling style, there isn’t much time for me to achieve my goal of winning the World Bombshell Championship.”

“Mercedes is older than you and has held the title before.” Jake pointed put and I leaned back in my computer chair. “So is Amy for that matter.”

“Mercedes also wrestles a more hybrid style than straight up high flying.” I pointed out and Jake frowned when he realized that I had a point. “Amy is predominately a highflyer but unlike me, her main finisher isn’t a high risk move, I’m just being realistic here.”

“Then maybe it’s time you changed your style your trainers did teach you that you never stop learning in this business.” Jake suggested and I frowned. “Not saying that you drop the high flying, but you could take Mercedes’s approach.”

“And who would train me, exactly?” I asked before listing off names. “It’s easier to list the people I didn’t burn bridges with after my anti-Ben Jordan rant, last I checked, Amy is still on hiatus working with her film studio and the school where I did train originally shut its doors after the head trainers/owners went bankrupt late last year, I don’t have a lot of options.”

“But you still have a week to weigh them, you were able to mend the bridges with Amy after that feud with her last year so it’s not like it’s impossible to repair some of those bridges. Just something to think about whilst you do your promo.” Jake responded before leaving the room, but since I wasn’t about to do my promo in my bedroom, I exited out of the game of Total War Rome II and headed downstairs into the living room so I could do my promo.

“Hello Mercedes my old friend, I’ve come to wrestle you again, well, okay, friend is stretching things a lot but you get the idea because to me, it feels like we’ve been wrestling each other, singles or otherwise, for well over a hundred times, go ahead and correct me if you must since you are SCW’s resident historian but tell you the truth? I don’t care, there’s only two matches I care about as far as we’re concerned at the moment.”

You get no prizes for guessing the first one.

“Obviously the first match is our one on one match next Sunday at December to Dismember IV, also I can’t help but find it fucking hilarious how people are calling me a perpetual underdog even though I’ve held most of the titles in the company, defunct or otherwise, and won the Ms. SCW Trophy at the Full Circle event before SCW went on hiatus but I digress, the other match on my mind actually ties into success I just mentioned.”

Yep, you guessed it.

“If you guessed the Bombshell Internet Championship match, we had back in 2017, ding, ding, ding, we have ourselves a winner, your prize? Your ass getting kicked by me! True I’ve been unable to repeat that success since then but that’s about to change! I’ve said repeatedly that 2020 will be my year and throw in the fact that I’ll be two years away from ten years in SCW and that just makes me that much more motivated to succeed.”

But motivation isn’t enough.

“If motivation was enough to win a match, I would’ve won the World Bombshell Championship years ago but the main thing is Mercedes, we’re both getting older and whilst I’m nearly thirty, you are nearly forty and your not getting any younger, you can say that age is just a number all you want but the truth is that if you could keep up with the younger Bombshells in the division, wouldn’t you be challenging Alicia for the title in the Main Event instead of facing me? I rest my case.”

And with that I decided to wrap things up.

“You were once on my level Mercedes but now? You’re just a shell of your former self unable to keep up with the new breed of Bombshells and your recent performances in the ring prove it without a shadow of a doubt! In the end, this is just an easy win to round off a shit year for me but The Unsainted Angel Jessie Salco will go into 2020 with a win under my belt whilst you are left with nothing but yet another loss to your name!”

I returned to my room as the scene fades.

[Mercedes Vargas]

 Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 1 al 7 de diciembre de 2019



Credit where it's due, Samantha Marlowe finally beat me in a decisive singles match for once in her life. Couldn't have happened to a nicer person. She pulled out all the stops in Primm, Nevada at the go-home show and I'm willing to bet she had a Texas-size grin on her flight back home to Houston. Don't get me wrong, I'm still not happy about the loss, but could you imagine if I had won? Could you imagine seeing the puppy-dog look on her face had I put her down for three or made her snap, tap or nap? Dare I say it, her confidence would have been shakier than a bowler facing a 7-10 split. Samantha needed this win more than I did because Lord knows another loss to me would have scarred her for life no matter what she did to talk herself out of it.

I gave her a run for her money at Climax Control, just like I always do, and I seriously don't think this will be the last time Samantha and I will be seeing other either. I mean, I was under the impression that Mark and Christian wanted to find somebody who would challenge her, somebody who would take her to her limits, somebody the fans want to see her tangle with.

Now it's clear to me that the co-owners just love seeing me put Samantha through such misery, it's a hell of a lot more fun for me, at least.

Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. That's how it goes, right? Some might say that if you do what you love for a living, chances are you’ll probably end up loving it a little bit less. Not for me. Coming into SCW, it takes work to work your way up the ladder. For some, like Lachlan and Sierra, you could get an opportunity in your first match. For others, you'll need to work twice as hard as everyone in the locker room.

Then there's me. See, people like me are a rare breed. It's the reason why I can come in here and don't have to face the Twisted Sisters, Iron Maidens and Apple Corens of the world for an easy win or why in a few matches I'm higher on the card despite not being here as long as most Bombshells. My name has value. It's the reason why I get the main events, the title matches, the pay-per-views because SCW knows that I'm a capable performer and they know what they're getting when my name is on a typical card. But ever so often, there's going to be people who don't see that, and that's fine too.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. I'm done apologizing for being that damn good. Don't like me bragging about it, sick and tired of hearing the same old thing? Guess what? There's two things you can do about it - nothing and like it. I’m going to continue to prove my worth as the standard not just in the women's division but in the entire company, and nothing and no one is going to stop me.

In 2020, when you wake up and check the roster page on the SCW website, the name Mercedes Vargas will still be there, so there's your spoiler if you were wondering whether I'll be returning or not.

But there's still a few weeks left in 2019. At the start, I said that this was going to be my year and what do you know, turns out I was right. Most winningest female wrestler ever on Climax Control and pay-per-view, most wins ever in singles matches, the only 12-time champion and the first-ever fo-fo-fo four-time Bombshell Roulette Champion in history. I won on the night of my 100th match on Climax Control.

How many of you can say they've never missed a PPV since their first PPV match or have won a title every year since joining the roster?

I have stood against the best that this company have to offer, I have beaten more people on this roster than I care to admit. Why? Because I don't make promises, I fulfill them. I claim nothing, I prove everything.

And what exactly do I have to prove this week? Well, if you found the time to read the preview to my match against Jessie Salco, I think you'll find it interesting. Were there a few wins that slipped through my fingers this year? Yeah, I won't deny that. Is this match really a "must win" for either of us to get back in the title picture? That makes one of us, because I've always been a contender. That shouldn't even need to be said, doesn't make it any less true. Whenever there's a gold-carrying member of the roster that is put in front of me, nine times out of ten, they're usually on the lonely flight back home with little else but their wounded pride, a shattered ego, and their title finding a new home. Ask Samantha Marlowe what that's like, or any of the women I've taken titles from over the years. It's not a nice feeling.

You know what else is not a nice feeling? Being an underdog. It's great that people like Jessie and her partner in crime Amy Santino are taking that role and running with it. Kind of suits them, to be honest. And, you know, it kind of gives them a leg up on the competition. If you got the fans backing you, there's no way you can lose.

Except losing is Jessie's specialty. That, and putting her foot in her mouth. They go hand in hand.

What I don't get it is how can you call yourself an underdog if you find new ways to fail? Why do we celebrate these lovable losers when you can rise above? The underdog is a nice way to say you're say you're a perennial loser and then when you do lose, you can just say nobody ever expected you to win anyways, why let it bother you? In that case, yeah, it's a great Jedi mind trick that works every time.

It seems to work for Jessie. It's the part where she seems to think by clinging on to a few breaks she had against me that makes her think she's seemingly a threat that I find laughable. It's good to be confident, but it's unhealthy to be so delusional. That's Jessie in a nutshell, but SCW loves her anyway.

Everybody wants to #BeLikeJessie.

Some of us know better.

Barely scrapping by Christina Rose for only her second win of the year doesn't impress me all that much. It just shows that she's barely above her on the todem pole. Look at their records. I have more wins than Crystal. I have more wins than Jessie. Hell, I have more wins than both of them combined.

So facing Jessie Salco. I can't contain my excitement right now.

That was sarcasm, by the way.

I rather have coal in my stocking.

That was not sarcasm.

If this is a Christmas gift come early, then it looks like I'll be winning at December 2 Dismember for the second time in a row.

~~~

B R O O K L Y N • N E W Y O R K 

Your Hairiscope Beauty Salon. Mercedes is in the chair. Marta, her stylist, has been doing her hair for as far back as she could remember. With all her accessories tied to her waist, the hair stylist is combing Mercedes' wet hair while recounting a story, her Brooklyn accent noticeable.

Marta: So I said to the funeral director, "I don't think that's a good idea. If I wanted my cousin to die in peace, he'd be at the gentlemen's club." Well, naturally, this offends her so the deal was off. You know things are bad when the place is called Hooker's Funeral Home.

Mercedes has been nodding her head, but she had obviously not been listening.

Marta: Tell me you would not have handled it differently, Mercedes. Am I wrong?

Mercedes looks away from the television.

Mercedes: Oh, I'm sorry, Marta, I didn't realise you'd stopped talking.

Marta: Well, I did tell you to stop me at any time.  

Marta glanced at the television showing a replay of last year's Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The Rockettes are doing one of their prized dance numbers set to a portion of the song "Sing Sing Sing" by Benny Goodman's jazz band in the 1930's.

Marta: Hey, it's the Chips Ahoy song! I used to live off those. They were good, but Oreos are the best, hands down.

The captivating performance of the Rockettes. The sets, the costume, the music, each had a story.

Marta: Out on the road or back in town?

Mercedes: A little from column A, a little from column B.

Marta: I didn't know you like the Rockettes, Sedes. I wasn't planning on going this year, but I know a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend where I can score some tickets.

Mercedes: I always wanted to be a Rockett.

Marta: Yeah?

Mercedes: When I used to live in New York, I visited Radio City every chance I got. Answered an open casting call.

Marta: What was that like?

Mercedes: Obviously, I was excited. I was going to wow the judges. I was going to kick as high as I can, perfect my tap routine and sing until until I couldn't anymore.

Marta: Yeah, and then what happened?

Mercedes: Well, I survived the height test, then the first day of cuts. Then made it to the few lucky women left standing return the next day for more choreography. And I'm ready for my name to be announced.

Marta: Unbelievable. You were a Rockette.

Mercedes: Could have been. Problem was I was too slow, too clumpsy, and I couldn't tap my way out of a paper bag. Plus, I don't think my version of "Tomorrow" was more than a day away -- it seemed to take a week to get to the end.

Marta: Believe it or not, it takes a lot more than some high kicks and smiles to make it onto that stage.

Mercedes: Thanking for sharing in my pain. With friends like these who needs enemies?

FADE.

~~~

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the Second
Present Day • L O S A N G E L E S, C AL I F O R N I A

[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 cameras are warming up. The SCW Hall of Famer is wearing her authorized SCW t-shirt as usual at the Micheltorena Stairs, the mural done by local artist Corinne Carrey.

"My last two matches haven't been anything to write home about. Am I beating myself up over it? No, but I will beat somebody up over it. Enter Jessie Salco, who's proven to be the cure-all for any ailment."

Despite the outcome of her recent pair of losses, it was surprising even to her how she managed to keep a positive spin on things.

"They say that if you repeat a lie long enough, you really start to believe it and it's not lost in me that Jessie thinks she had my number over the years. You look at how many she has over me and you can see that it's just not true."

Mercedes shakes her head not because of the accusative nature of these attacks, but merely to understand.

"I can't help but remember the little blurb written about our match. The most shocking -- and sort of hilarious, at least to me -- part of everything is what was said how this match is a must-win for both of us. Excuse me? Last time I checked, I'm an SCW Hall of Famer and I deserve to be treated with respect. I'm an SCW Hall of Famer and a two-time World Bombshell Champion. Those are both accomplishments Jessie will never be. If SCW want me to further prove everything that I have been saying, then I have absolutely no problem adding Jessie's name again to my checklist.

"The fact that she's viewed as an underdog? How, exactly? What’s the measurement of proving that? Winning? Looking awesome before suffering an inevitable defeat? Because Jessie's been doing a lot less winning and a whole lot of staring up at the arena lights. She's the only wrestler in this company's nine year history to lose over 100 matches. This is the same Jessie Salco who got banned from title matches for nearly a year because she's incapable of not opening mouth and saying something stupid, or controversial that gets the owners angry.

"Me losing to Jessie next Sunday?"

Mercedes suddenly burst out laughing, wipes eyes, tries to control breathing.

"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***

[Mercedes Vargas]

 Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 8 al 15 de diciembre de 2019

Pressure.

Some people do well under it.

Others, not so much.

The stakes are high, the pressure higher. All it takes is one play. One mistake. One match. It's a fine line between those who crumble under pressure; and those who thrive under it.

For me, pressure situations is nothing new in my career. Ten years is a lot of time to practice. Sometimes I've succeeded, sometimes not so much. That didn't stop me. I wouldn't have won the numerous championships in my career if it did. Because I knew I was good, I didn't know I would be that damn good.

Sin City Wrestling would be the acid test. And for the most part, I did okay. I could have easily left the promotion during the rough times a couple of years ago. If SCW didn't reopen last year, I probably would have. Some say it was because of loyalty. I stayed because I believe in finishing what I started.

I was told that I would never last in SCW in my first few months here by many people who have since moved on. Nevertheless, I persisted.

I was part of the greatest stable ever assembled and was told that by joining them my career would be ruined. As it turns out, my success flourished even more, during and after they disbanded. That group is no longer around. Nevertheless, I persisted.

I'm not quite sure why Jessie mentioning our ages has anything to do with how screwed she's about to be this weekend in Vegas but if being age-shamed by The Woman With 100 Losses is supposed to shake me, she couldn't be more wrong. That should tell the rest of the roster to try and keep up. They say life isn't a sprint, it's a marathon, but if there's one thing I know, if life isn't a sprint, it's definitely not a marathon. And there's no one who can keep up with me.

If anything, Jessie has proven that she literally can't win a match to save her life no matter the incentive or opportunity Mark or Christian gives her, though her cockroach-like ability to always appear when you least want her should be commended. What's more, she's been on a two-year title drought while I've held a championship since I've been on the roster - for seven years straight.

Let's get one thing straight: this isn't about who is the finest Bombshell to ever set foot in the ring or the most proven between Jessie and I or even in SCW, that's long been decided. I've taken that mantle by force, and no one has the ovaries to take that from me, whether they think I'm entitled or whether they're holding the top championship in the company.

Sunday sure as hell won't be a "must win" for two Bombshells as they race for the top rung of the championship contenders ladder, this is about me being at the top of that ladder and bashing Jessie's head on every rung of that ladder on the way down.

Competition brings pressure, it brings out the best in people. Jessie Salco will get my best. I'm battle-tested, forged in fire, deadly persistent, unbowed, unbent, unbroken. That I've gone this far and survived for this long is only a testament to one universal truth. Pressure burst pipes or they can make diamonds.

2019 is almost over but there's one last hurdle I have to get through. One last obstacle in my way that prevents me from ending the year on a high note and make history while I'm at it. All it takes is to put down Jessie Salco for three or make her tap and I'll wave back at the her as she's in my rearview.

Maybe the name Mercedes Vargas isn’t what it used to be, but it's still Mercedes Vargas, and Jessie Salco is still Jessie Salco.

Nothing else needs to be said.

~~~

Q U E E N S, N E W Y O R K

A street level view of THE BARCELONA APARTMENTS, a post-war low-rise apartment complex in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens. Parked cars lined the city block, though one would be hard press to find them under the cavalcade of snow, which has blanketed the area for weeks now, with seemingly no end in sight.

“I have an announcement to make.”

Mercedes Vargas stands in the living room of the Mattsons, Harry and his wife Ruth. A few of the neighbors  looked at each other with confusion as to what Mercedes' news was all about. There was Phil Balkens from Apartment 2G. Mrs. Chen and her son Kyoung, who lived in apartment across the hall. And there was Mr. Gerwazy, though most people around the apartment complex known him as Mr. Parker Brothers. It didn't matter what the game was, he knew how to beat you. Whether it was Clue, Monopoly. Or...

Mr. Gerwazy: Yahtzee!

Mercedes gives him a stern look.

Mercedes: Not now, Mr. Gerwazy.

Mr. Gerwazy: Sorry!

Ruth Mattson takes over the meeting.

Ruth Mattson: Now what is this all about, Mercedes? Scandal is on tonight and I don't want to miss it.

Harry Mattson: Isn't that why we got DVR? We'll catch it later.

Mercedes: Meanwhile, back at the ranch...I'm moving to Miami.

Phil Balkens: What? What do you mean you're moving?

Mercedes: There’s just something about LA. I hate the traffic, there's barely public transportation. Everyone is vain and the only jobs they can get are acting or directing. I hate the pollution. There's no neighborhoods. LA just rubs me the wrong way, and this coming from someone who's lived there for ten years. Look, I think it's about time. I need to find new adventures, explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations.

Mrs. Chen: You're only going to be thousands of miles away, not on Star Trek. I wonder if you really hate L.A. or just think you do?

Ruth Balkens: What's not to like? It's near the beach, the weather is warm all year, there’s a lot to do, it’s got good sushi. Plus, you get to spot celebrities all the time. At least, that’s just something I would enjoy!

Mr. Gerwazy: That's tiddlywinks compared to what she's about to do. Shouldn't you think about this? You're taking a big risk here, and I don't think you know the first clue about moving to another state or country.

Mercedes: I moved from New York, didn't I? Since I made it there, I can make it anywhere. My mind is made up. I'm moving in the New Year. 

A small commotion starts up, but Mercedes quells this by with a raise of her hand.

Phil Balkens: We're gonna miss you, Mercedes. Hey, remember that time when you dressed up as Woman Woman?

Mrs. Chen: Yeah, and she was on the top of the building.

Kyoung: Or remember that time when got stuck in the elevator?
  
Harry Mattson: Or that time when the Cortez's dogs chased after her?

Mr. Gerwazy: Or that time when she sang her dating profile at karaoke night to Total Eclipse of the Heart?

The neighbors turned to Mr. Gerwazy. Ruth spoke up with a matter-of-fact tone.

Ruth Mattson: No, Mr. Gerwazy, you were drunk that night, you just thought she was singing her dating profile. So, when you're coming back to visit, Merce?

Mercedes: I'm not sure yet. But trust me, you'll be the first to know.

The neighbors hug Mercedes in turn and we fade to black.

~~~

It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the Third
Present Day • L O S A N G E L E S, C AL I F O R N I A

[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 cameras are warming up. Across from the El Rey Theatre is the Ace Gallery on Wilshire Boulevard. Mercedes stands in front of a wall of neon pink circles, the work of artist John M. Armleder.

"There's just something about conventional wisdom. Even the name sounds wholly appropriate. You don't question it. You don't even think about it.

"Conventional wisdom says that Jessie Salco's has had my number in PPV matches so Sunday at December 2 Dismember IV is just a formality. Conventional wisdom says Jessie is younger than me, and thinks she's faster than me and probably smarter too so there's no way I'm going to keep up with her in our match, and I'm not even gonna try. Conventional wisdom says that Jessie's got herself an easy win under her belt to compensate for the god-awful year she's had in 2019 because according to her, and I'm paraphrasing here, I can't keep up with the younger girls on the roster.

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

Clicking her tongue partly out of dismay and partly out of the sheer wonder of it all, Mercedes' smile faded as she briefly places her arms akimbo, a look of wishful thought in her gaze.

"December 2 Dismember is just around the corner and, to the surprise of no one, yours truly has now competed on every PPV this year - something I've accomplished six straight years and counting. How awesome is that?Consistency is key, kids. Now, granted, because I love tooting my own horn..."

Mercedes slightly turns to the left as she forms a trumpet with her hands.

"Toot, toot!"

Then promptly drops the gesture, returning her arms at her waist.

"I can't leave out the fact that I won the first-ever Queen for a Day match at the last December 2 Dismember show four years ago. Making history is what I do, and come Sunday in Vegas, yours truly will add a few more records to what has already been a historic 2019. What else would you expect from a bonafide legend like myself?"

Mercedes offers an casual shrug.

"But let's get back to where this should be, and that's my match against Jessie Salco. I'll be honest, Jessie, I'm a little surprised you haven't cornered Mark and Christian into changing our match because after the many times we've faced each other over the years, you have to be sick of seeing our names across from each other, just as Amy and Mikah was in the past when I faced them and just as Samantha is now. And here I thought SCW was about giving the fans fresh matchups, but then, I don't book the matches, I just win them. Maybe not all the time, but most of the time.

"And it's that "not all the time" moments where my hand isn't raised at the end. It's those moments you love to bring up constantly, but let's be honest, as much as I love bringing up history, apparently you can't let go of it either. I get that you can't get out of your own way and losing is in your DNA. I get that you delude yourself by clinging to some distant past events to justify your existence, but really is that all there is? Tell me you're not that desperate."

Mercedes pauses, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, you are.

"Sweetheart, you have a total of two wins this year - two! - and the only one who is worst than you is Apple Coren who couldn't even win one match, which is a surprise, even to her. You've never even had a winning record in all the time you've been here and you have an infamous record of choking in world title matches. The mere notion of you talking down to me is downright laughable when you consider that through all the success you've had, that still won't change the fact you're amongst the bottom feeders in the women's division, and no traveling through memory lane will change that."

Mercedes holds up a finger to add another thought.

"That Bombshell Internet Championship reign that you beat me for three years ago? You should be counting your lucky stars I never got my rematch and you should be kissing the ground Mark Ward walks on because had it not been for our esteemed co-owner, Melody Grace would have beat you for the title, which she did eventually, and you would have been one-and-done. We both know better than anyone that you can't seem to hold a championship past the first defense so let's not go there.

"Now, Jessie, I know Christmas is a little less than two weeks away but let it never be said that Mercedes Vargas is a Grinch. Oh no, I did manage to get you a gift. It's not the most glamorous, but it's the thought that counts. Hold on one second."

Mercedes produces her Christmas gift for Jessie, a scratch-off ticket.

"It's a lotto ticket! Yay! Jessie, it's a lotto ticket with the potential for you to walk away with a hell of a lot of money."

Mercedes observes the ticket.

"I mean, the chances of you winning is pretty good. Did you know the chances of winning the lottery is one in 175 million? Compared to our match Sunday, the odds would be in your favor because you seem to think you have a chance at beating me this Sunday in Las Vegas.

"They say sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. I think we both know you're not very good, but you've been lucky for most of your career. But who are we kidding? If it wasn't for good luck, you would have no luck at all. How appropriate that we'll be in Vegas this weekend for the supercard. Like it or not, believe it or not, Lady Luck won't be helping you this time around Jessie, so you might as well get ready for the disappointment headed your way."

Mercedes points to herself and moves her hand back and forth towards the camera and back to herself as she locks eyes with the lens.

"You and me are one of the few people to have been in SCW the longest, but there's no comparison as to who has done more since joining the roster. You want to talk about how you're close to reaching 10 years here? That's great and all, but while you're still struggling to win your first World Bombshell Championship in the next two years, I'll be well on my way to to winning more championships in the next five.

"Know what else? All these new girls coming in at a clip probably won't be around in five months, much less five years. That whole "can't hang with the younger talent" spiel doesn't hold up when I've been hearing the same thing now for the last seven years. It says more about my staying power than it does about wins and losses. Besides, I have twice as many wins than you do.

"And why are you concerned about me not going after Alicia when the closest you'll ever be to beating her is in the SCW video games Doesn't makes sense to me. Kind of like, well, conventional wisdom."

Mercedes smiles, running her fingers through her hair.

"Conventional wisdom says that Jessie Salco is walking out of December 2 Dismember with a win at my expense. Unfortunately, conventional wisdom is often wrong.

"SCW fans, you don't want to miss this. So get in your cars, hop on the bus, the train, your bike, whatever. Get to Las Vegas, get to 4000 W Flamingo Rd, get in the damn building, and watch yours truly, yet again, embarrass Jessie Salco."

A small mischievous smile plays on her lips as she whispers.

"Mucho antes de que ella supieras, y de que ella  recordarás."
"Long before she knew, and long after she'll remember."

***Fade***