You’re Gonna Carry That Weight
Present Day
L A S V E G A S ♦ N E V A D A
[REC•]
[The scene opens on Mercedes Vargas taking a summer evening stroll on the Vegas Strip. As the final weeks of the dog days of August were coming to an end, she decidedly went with a minimal outfit. head. Even on this warm, summer night, she decidedly sticks to a minimal outfit. A white top, light wash jeans, and open-toed sandals. As always, a pair of sunglasses are atop her forehead. As much as the city was just as busy at daytime, Vegas comes alive a night. All the lights…the marquee big sigs…the hotels…the sights and sounds and smells. You don’t need to be a gambler to enjoy it. There is so much to see and do and learn. There are usually crowds of people well into the morning. Mercedes walks on a slow pace, dividing her attention between the camera and her surroundings.]
“Summer ends way too fast, but you know something? I’m kinda glad it’s over. The last couple of months haven’t exactly been anything to write home about, at least when it comes to me. The return of the Mean Girls got off to a hot start, but then that’s when the bottom went out, that’s when we fell off the cliff, and the rest was history. A history that I would like to keep buried at the back of my mind. My match last week was my first time free from anything Mean Girls in seven months. And I get it, for some of you, in your mind you’re thinking, ‘It’s about damn time!†Others are probably indifferent about it. Still, others can’t help cracking jokes and digs every chance they get. The bottom line is, it’s finally over. And not a moment too soon.â€
[Passerby gaze idly at Mercedes as she continues walking Fremont Street, with some even stopping long enough to give her a fixed stare before going about their business.]
"Ever since the Mean Girls breakup, we’ve moved on. Celeste asked for her release, Veronica is simply here for the sake of being here and I’m just keeping my head above water. Bad enough that certain people want to sully my good name and accused me of being handed title matches, but I didn’t let that stop me from challenging for the Bombshell Roulette Championship and giving Samantha Marlowe the fight of her life, even in defeat. That match with Samantha wasn’t easy, but no Roulette Rules match ever is. I like to think that we tour down the house in our TLC match to the point where we both needed medical attention once it was over. Sure, I didn’t leave with the title and making history like I promised, but it doesn’t change the fact that Samantha has big shoes to fill and a long road to go if she ever hope to surpass what I’ve accomplished with the championship she now holds.
“As for me, there’s still a twinkle in my eye, a smile on my face and pep in my step. Men and women want me gone from SCW, they say that I’ve done nothing to get the accolades I deserve, that I don’t have it anymore, that I should retire from the sport. Yet for every claim of being irrelevant, for every shot of hanging on past glories, there are a few people out there who can’t stop mentioning my name. Honestly, I’m not surprised by it. No, see, it doesn’t matter if I’m on my own or with an iconic stable, the name of Mercedes Vargas is, was, and forever will be among the all-time greats in SCW. Notice I did not say all-time Bombshell greats. I meant what I said. The one thing that’s stopping me from making that official is the Hall of Fame, something that my opponent can say she’s accomplished.â€
[Running a hand through her hair and looks down at the ground for a moment or two, before looking back up again.]
“And Amy Marshall is accomplished. There’s not much left for us to accomplish now, is there? We’ve practically done it all. The difference between us and some of the Bombshells in the division is we can literally walk away and be just fine. Roxi Johnson did it after she became Grand Slam Champion. We were the first two to accomplish that, and we’re still here. September 3 will mark almost one year since the last time Amy and I faced each other one-on-one in an SCW ring. If memory serves me, it was her hope that it would be our last time having anything to do with each other. And for the most part it seemed that way. We stayed away from each other for ten months, but six degrees of separation can only last so long because we’ve already met once this year. We all know how Summer XXXtreme went; we all know what happened in the tag match. Somewhere Kate is laughing it up and Devona is patting herself on the back and Jessie is living life. I’m sure the entire Bombshells lockerroom and all of SCW are breathing a sigh of relief and saying it’s about damn time. But I digress. Let’s get this to where it should be.â€
[She smiles before moving her hand over her face, which causes her facial expression to go from a smile to a serious.]
“And so we meet again. Sounds cliché, Amy, but that’s where we are. Violent Conduct IV is just around the corner and we’re not competing in a championship match at the event which is a first for either of us, but that’s okay, too. This match is our little consolation prize, and I’m willing to bet you’re looking forward to Sunday as much as I am, if not more. There’s no point in going over the tale of the tape. We know our strengths, we know our weaknesses, we know the paths to victory and what’s needed to get there. Every encounter we’ve had was always a chess match.
‘And so we meet again.â€
[ Mercedes stops for a minute and steps back as a group of kids run pasts her. Mercedes continues walking and talking, dividing her attention between the ground and looking up at the camera.]
“Gold Coast Casino brings up a lot of memories. Some good, others not so good. Four times I’ve been to this venue. Twice I’ve won, twice I’ve lost, but I’m going to make sure I’m leaving with another victory at your expense.
“You had a tough loss against Crystal Millar, but that shouldn’t have come as a surprise because she’s had your number. Not to mention, but I’ll mention, you only beat her only once in your career – in a tag match - and that was more than six years ago. And it’s been six years since our rivalry began, and half of those battles have taken place in an SCW ring. More often than not, Amy, the outcome remained the same. Nine times out of ten, I had my hand raised at the bell. I can beat you, Amy. You know this, the fans know this, the world knows this. I expect us to wrestle the match of our lives and not disappoint on the big stage but more importantly I don’t want you to hold back because I want the world to know that I didn’t just beat Amy Marshall, but I beat Amy Marshall at her best. Bring what you got, nothing less.
“I want that Amy Marshall who ended my first Bombshell Roulette Title reign inside the confines of a steel cage. The Amy Marshall who was ruthless in retaining that same title and put me through a stack of tables. I need the Amy Marshall, the Punk Princess, who defied all odds and upset Odette Stevens and Delia Darling. Do whatever you feel you need to do to accomplish the one thing you’ve never done in your entire career – beat me in a decisive singles match.
“You want to know how many times I’ve done that to you? This many times.â€
[Mercedes raises a fist and methodically starts counting. First she raises her index finger, and then adds her middle and ring fingers followed by her pinky. She slowly unbends her thumb, now completely holding an open palm.
“And despite what happened at Summer XXXtreme and while SCW can try and hype this match as much as they want, I guess another way of saying this one teensy-weensy but ever so crucial little tiny detail?â€
[Mercedes points at the camera, emphasizing her next words.]
“¡Soy tu dueña!â€
“I OWN YOU!â€
[She shakes her head.]
“There will be haters, there will be doubters, there will be skeptics, and then there will be me, proving you wrong once again. The Mean Girls may be finished, but I’m far from done. And this Sunday, unfortunately for you, Amelia, you won’t be the first, you won’t be the last. You’re just next.â€
[Mercedes again speaks in Spanish]
Haz lo que quieras, digas lo que digas. Que andelantas con esto? En sitio alguno. No le digo nada que usted ya no sabe.
Do what you like, say what you like. Where does this get you? Nowhere. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.]color]
[Fade.]