Mercedes Vargas was angry.
She was angry at the world.
She was angry at the fans.
She was angry at the shoddy officiating.
Most of all though...She was angry at herself.
To come so close to finally winning her first championship in a while only for another opportunity to slip away made her sick to her stomach. So close, yet so far.
Maybe she never was.
Just like that, it was over. Whatever momentum she carried ahead of Into the Void came to a screeching halt. On any given Sunday, this served as another painful reminder that anyone can beat anyone. Except, this was less about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat and more about the fine line between them. Tempest spoiled another upset from happening and that's what made all the difference. She was still Bombshell Internet Champion, she got to leave with her championship, another victory and another I-told-you-so moment. Mercedes got to leave with broken dreams, wounded pride, a bruised ego and a paycheck.
Things didn't go the way Mercedes hoped at Into the Void. Simply put, she failed, and that was not okay. Her good wasn't good enough. Her best wasn't good either. Failure stings, there’s no denying that, and each individual deals with failure in their own way. Some try to pretend that everything is fine, that they aren't bothered by it, but behind every poker face and display of good method acting, the truth is, they're crushed. Every cloud has a silver lining, but the bad cloud of pay-per-view failure seem to always follow Mercedes, no matter what she tried to do to shake it off. How long this would last, she wasn't sure, she didn't know. What she did know is she had a choice: sit down and feel sorry for herself or do something about it.
She knew what she would do, and for whoever came next, God help whoever was next standing across from her at the next Climax Control. Nothing else needed to be said.
The home of Mercedes' parents, Fernando and Estelle. Her brother, Jorge, was also visiting. The family is gathered around the dining table, finishing dinner.
FERNANDO: They eliminated the position entirely. Budget cuts, they said.
ESTELLE: (angry) That's ridiculous! After all your hard work?
FERNANDO: Ten years, Estelle. Ten years of late nights, missed family events, canceled vacations. And for what?
ESTELLE: Oh, honey. It's their loss, not yours.
FERNANDO: I need to figure out what's next.
[Mercedes lets out a weary sigh, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion.]
MERCEDES: I can't believe it happened again. Another loss to Tempest. It's like I'm cursed.
FERNANDO: Do you want to talk about it?
ESTELLE: Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. Was it a close match?
[Mercedes offers a bitter laugh.]
MERCEDES: Close enough to be infuriating. We were neck and neck until the final moments.
FERNANDO: (putting down his paper) That's tough, Mercedes. But remember, losing is part of the game. It's how we learn and grow.
MERCEDES: (sighs) I get it, Dad. But it's Into the Void! It's the biggest supercard of the year, and Tempest always seems to be one step ahead of me. It's just...frustrating, you know? I work so hard, and it feels like I'm always playing catch-up.
JORGE: Hey, at least you didn't get thrown out of the ring this time!
FERNANDO: (leaning forward) That's the spirit of competition, mija. It pushes you to be better. Think about how much you've improved since last year.
[Estelle sat beside her daughter, gently placing a hand on her shoulder
ESTELLE: We're proud of you, sweetheart. Win or lose. Maybe it's time to consider... other options.
MERCEDES: (shocked) What do you mean, Mamá?
ESTELLE: (hesitantly) Well, perhaps it's time to... retire?
JORGE: (snickering) Yeah, trade in your spandex for some knitting.
MERCEDES: (throwing a napkin at Jorge) Shut up!
FERNANDO: (standing up) Retire? Nonsense! She can't just walk away from her dreams.
JORGE: (teasing) Yeah, and who else is going to give me free tickets to the matches?
ESTELLE: (frustrated) Fernando, be realistic. How many more injuries can she take?
JORGE: (mimicking a ring announcer) In this corner, weighing in at 'concerned mother,' Estelle 'The Dream Crusher' Vargas!
FERNANDO: (ignoring Jorge) You can't give up now, mija. You're so close to the championship!
[Mercedes looks at her family, torn between their conflicting advice. She retreats to the backyard, followed by her family. Mercedes sits on a bench.]
MERCEDES: Maybe Mamá's right. Maybe I should quit...
[Kneeling beside her, Fernando refuses to hear any of it.]
FERNANDO: Listen to me. You have the heart of a champion. Don't let anyone tell you different.
[Estelle softens.]
ESTELLE: I just want you to be happy and safe, cariño. You've been doing this for 10 years now. You've dint anything to prove anymore.
[Leaning against a tree, Jorge continued being insufferable.]
JORGE: Hey, if you retire, can I have your championship titles? It'd make a great Halloween costume.
Mercedes rolls her eyes.]
MERCEDES: You're impossible, Jorge.
[Mercedes stood up, determination replacing the frustration in her eyes. "I appreciate your concern, Mamá, but Papá's right. I'm not ready to quit. This loss, this year, doesn't define me. I'll train harder and come back stronger.
[Fernando beamed with pride. Estelle sighed but nodded reluctantly].
FERNANDO: That's my girl!
ESTELLE: If that's what you want, we'll support you.
[Jorge grins].
JORGE: Great! I was worried I'd have to start calling you 'Mercedes the Merciful.'
[***Fade***]
• • •
Present Day ♦ L O S A N G E L E S • C A L I F O R N I A
[REC•]
[As the scene opens, we’re met with Mercedes Vargas reading a book while sitting with her legs draped over the arms of a wicker chair. A week removed from the Into the Void supercard in Hawaii and less than two days to go before her showdown against Bobbie Dahl, there was a lot to unpack from recent events.]
"Losing happens, it's part of anything you do that's competitive for most of us. How you handle that loss will always say a lot about you. Perhaps more than winning ever could.
"No one likes to lose and I hate losing, but it happens. The difference is the great wrestlers who learn from it, and I've learned plenty. But that's not what this week is about, is it? I've got a different problem this week."
[Looking at the camera with her head tilted to one side and a whimsical expression on her face, Mercedes, in a singsong voice, addresses the situation at the moment.]
"When Queen Victoria Lyons made the card for Climax Control, I was almost surprised I saw my name on it. I guess I should thank Vicky for this opportunity because I'm in that kind of mood to kill a bitch. For whatever reason, I get Bobbie Dahl this weekend, not that I'm complaining, and this is a match I'm looking forward to. We've met before once this year and our rivalry goes back a long time, so there's a lot of history there.
"First off, Bobbie, sooooo sorry you couldn't win the Queen for a Day match. I was pulling for you, knowing the competition you had to face. Diamond, Harper, Seleana, Victoria, Eiley...the ladder itself."
[Mercedes winks at the camera.]
"Don't think I'm looking past you, Bobbie, because I'm not. Matter of fact, that's not possible for anyone. You're not that hard to miss. I know you'll come into this match with something to prove: to me, to the world, to yourself. On paper, this is a match you should win, but in reality, I've hit a wall lately and it seems I'm going through the motions. I mean, I'm hurting, I'm banged up. Injuries. Not in the physical sense, but dealing with a bruised ego and wounded pride, something you will no doubt take advantage of. Now, if you want to compare victories and look past me as a threat, by all means, sweetheart, continue. You want to bring up our history and proclaim your dominance over me, that's perfectly fine. You can hang that over my head, I can hang my legacy over yours.
"Tell you what, Bobbie, if you win Sunday, congratulations. But if you don't, well, you can't say I didn't warn you. I know how good you are. The many years I've seen you proves it. Even in your singles matches, you dominated. But come Sunday, mamita, you and I will be seeing each other again, and despite what anyone else tells you, I'm not enhancement talent, far from it.
"Each and every week, it's about survival of the fittest. Which Bombshell is able to impress Management so they can get that contendership match or title opportunity? Who is able to be the consistent threat, the person everyone is talking about week in and week out. Well, there is several Bombshells who are pretty much above the food chain. There's the champ, Kayla Richards, obviously. Julianna DiMaria is not too far behind. Luna Pasilno is getting there.
"And then there's everyone else who falls somewhere in-between. I guess this where Bobbie and I fit in the hierarchy, and that's okay. I don't care how long it takes, I will be claiming the Bombshell Internet Championship, and Bobbie Dahl is going to be the first step on my journey back to prominence.
"Long before she knew, and long after she remembers."
[***Fade***]
