[SCW Staff]

Please post all roleplays here! Have fun and good luck!

[Mercedes Vargas]

Almighty Fire
semana del 28 de diciembre 2025 al 3 de enero 2026

It’s funny how people always seem to forget. A few months without a headline, a few new faces on the roster, and suddenly they start talking like the name Mercedes Vargas doesn’t carry the same weight it used to. I’ve heard it all before — “she’s slowing down,” “she’s past her prime,” “it’s somebody else’s time.”

But the thing about experience? It doesn’t fade. It evolves. And when you’ve built your career on excellence, every time you walk through that curtain, you remind people why your legacy doesn’t get replaced — it gets reinforced.

This week isn’t just another match. It’s the first shot of a new year, and like every year before it, I’m starting it the only way I know how: by taking the spotlight back and turning it into fire.

For a minute there, some of you probably thought Mercedes Vargas was slipping. That I was done. That I was finished. Then I walked down that ramp, stepped in with Amelia Reynolds, and reminded this entire division exactly who the hell I am. I didn’t just win — I walked through her. That’s what happens when a Hall of Famer decides to stop playing nice and start reminding people of the pecking order.

That’s the difference between ambition and legacy. She was hungry. I was inevitable.

Everyone’s talking about how she’s the future. Cute story. Here’s the reality: the “future” has to go through me. And Amelia was not ready for that. She was walking into a fight with a woman who’s been winning big matches since she first laced up a pair of boots. You want to make your name off Mercedes Vargas? You’re going to find out the hard way that all you’re doing is signing up to be another stepping stone.

Amelia Reynolds was my warm-up. She was where I sharpened the blade. Because now, this is where I’ve got a little storm brewing. Crystal Caldwell has the World Bombshell Championship, she’s got the pressure, and she’s got her personal life trying to tear her in half in front of the world. That’s her business. At the end of the night, she still has to be ready to stand next to me.

Because then, we get to Inception.

At Inception, it’s me and Crystal — partners, Hall of Famers, equals — standing across from Seleana and Zenna Zdunich. The happy little family reunion, right? Wife in the ring, sister by her side, gold on the line, emotions everywhere. Everyone’s crying, everyone’s conflicted... except me. I don’t care about who’s hurt, who’s jealous, who’s trying to “save” who. I care about winning and walking out with my hand raised while the rest of you try to pick up the pieces.

The wife. The challenger. The never-ending emotional baggage. Seleana proved something in that main event. She proved she could survive Crystal before she started dreaming about Inception. Zenna picked the wrong time to stand next to her sister, because she’s walking into a war she is not ready for.

And Crystal... partner... when that bell rings at Inception, I need the World Bombshell Champion, not the woman drowning in drama. Because when Mercedes Vargas walks into that ring, there are no distractions, there are no feelings — there is only victory.

Mommy’s got her mojo back, and everybody from Amelia Reynolds to the Zdunich family is about to pay for ever thinking she lost it.

You see, people forget how long I’ve been doing this at the highest level. They forget that I’ve been walking into wars long before half this roster ever dreamed of stepping into one. They forget the nights I bled, the nights I fought through injuries, the nights I stood in the center of the ring with everything stacked against me — and still left with my hand raised. But that’s the thing about greatness. When you make it look easy for so long, people start thinking it actually *is* easy.

That’s the illusion I let them live with for a while. But Inception? That’s not going to be another chapter; that’s going to be a reminder — the kind that echoes through every locker room and every timeline after the final bell hits.

Crystal, I hope you’re listening, partner. Because what’s waiting across that ring isn’t just another tag match. It’s not about families or reconciliations or redemption stories. It’s about legacy. Mine. The one I’ve built brick by brick, year after year, win after win. The one that doesn’t crumble under pressure — it thrives on it.

The Zdunich sisters want to make history together? I’ve been making history for a decade. They want emotion to fuel them? I’ve seen emotion tear better people apart. And when that moment comes — when the lights hit just right, and everything fades except that ring — they’ll realize exactly who they’re sharing it with.

At Inception, there are no fairy tales. There’s no happily ever after. There’s Mercedes Vargas, back in her element, doing what she’s always done best: dominating. And when the dust settles, when the talking stops and the fighting starts, I’m walking out with gold on my shoulder and another statement made.

Because legends don’t fade — they take back what’s theirs.

You can feel it, can’t you? The air shifting. The murmurs turning into whispers, then into fear. Because deep down, everyone knows what comes next. When Mercedes Vargas starts rolling, there’s no stopping her. There’s no detour, no miracle comeback waiting in the wings. There’s just the inevitable: domination.

Inception isn’t just a stage — it’s a reckoning. It’s where the dreamers meet reality. Amelia Reynolds, Seleana Zdunich, Zenna Zdunich, even Crystal Caldwell — all of them are about to remember what it’s like to stand across from someone who doesn’t need to *prove* she belongs, because she *defines* belonging.

The difference between me and them is simple. They fight for validation. I fight because it’s in my blood. I don’t need applause. I don’t need redemption. I don’t need the spotlight — the spotlight needs me.

Crystal, I hope you bring your best self, because if you show up distracted, heart tangled between loyalty and survival, you’ll find out the hard way that I don’t carry people — I crush them. And as for the Zdunich sisters, enjoy your heartwarming moment while it lasts. Because once that bell rings, it’s not family. It’s not friendship. It’s me standing in that ring reminding the world why legends never retire — they just reload.

At Inception, history doesn’t repeat itself. It stands tall, smiles, and raises a championship high while the rest of you realize that Mercedes Vargas never lost her edge — she just sharpened it.

Let’s talk about my opponents for a minute — because apparently, someone has to separate hype from reality.

Seleana Zdunich, you’ve been chasing the same glory for years now. Always the sentimental favorite, right? The underdog, the comeback story, the fighter who never quits. Cute. But here’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud — "heart" doesn’t win titles when you’re standing across from someone like me. You can pour every ounce of willpower into a match, but when I lock eyes with you, you’ll remember that experience devours effort *every single time.* You’ve fought hard, sure, but you’ve never beaten me when it mattered — and Inception won’t be the first.

Zenna, I don’t know if you stepped up to back your sister or to live vicariously through her, but either way, you’re in way over your head. Tagging with family sounds poetic until you’re watching your own blood get steamrolled right beside you. You talk about unity and strength, but I talk about results. And the result at Inception is going to be both Zdunich sisters realizing that sentimentality doesn’t survive in my ring.

And Crystal... oh, Crystal. This is where it gets interesting. The World Bombshell Champion, the so-called face of the division. But lately, it seems the only thing you’re facing is yourself. You’ve got a foot in two worlds — one trying to defend the title, the other trying to hold your personal life together. You can’t do both. And the moment you try, one of them breaks — and trust me, it won’t be mine. So, when I see you tagging in, I’m not seeing the woman who beat Frankie Holliday for the title. I’m seeing the one who’s too distracted to keep it. One wrong move, one pinfall on you, and the title changes hands to the sister act across the ring. I’m not letting that happen — but I won’t carry dead weight either.

You three want to make Inception your moment? Fine. But just understand that your “moment” ends the second Mercedes Vargas walks through that curtain. Because I’m not just walking in to compete — I’m walking in to expose every weakness you’ve been pretending doesn’t exist.

You know what separates me from everyone else in this match? I don’t *hope* I win — I know I win. There’s a difference between believing you can do something and living it, breathing it, embodying it. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that preparation doesn’t lie, and pressure doesn’t scare me — it fuels me.

So here’s the guarantee. At Inception, the lights will hit, the cameras will roll, and the whole world will watch three women walk into that ring thinking they have something to prove. Then they’ll watch as I turn those expectations into ashes. You’ll see Seleana’s spirit break, Zenna’s confidence crack, and Crystal’s focus fade... right up until one of those sisters smells blood and goes for the pin that ends her reign Because while they’re struggling to survive the chaos, I’ll be standing calm in the center of it — clear-eyed, unbothered, unstoppable.

I’m not walking into Inception to share the spotlight. I’m walking in to *own* it. I’m walking in to remind every single person in that arena, every critic hiding behind a keyboard, every rookie dreaming of their big break, that Mercedes Vargas doesn’t chase relevance — she *is* relevance.

When that final bell rings, you won’t be talking about family drama or comeback stories. You’ll be talking about greatness. About dominance. About inevitability.

You’ll be talking about Mercedes Vargas — Hall of Famer, legend, and soon-to-be the reason the World Bombshell Championship goes exactly where it belongs.

To the critics — the ones who write me off every couple of years, who whisper that “maybe she’s lost a step” — keep watching. Keep doubting. Because your disbelief is my favorite fuel. Every time I step through those ropes, I turn your predictions into punchlines and your articles into apologies.

And to everyone in that locker room who’s watching this match like it’s a passing of the torch — newsflash: I’m not done holding it. Not yet. Not for a long time.

At Inception, I don’t just show up. I take over. The Hall of Famer. The standard-bearer. The storm you can’t outrun.

Mercedes Vargas is back at full strength, back in command, and back to remind every single person that legends aren’t made by history — they write it.

See you at Inception, Wildside. Bring everything you’ve got — because I’m bringing everything I am.

~~~

INT. COMMUNITY HALL - DAY

[The fluorescent lights flicker above a worn-out hall that’s seen too many bake sales and broken dreams. A group of kids, ages eight to twelve, stands awkwardly on a rickety stage under the sagging stage banner: “CHRISTMAS PAGEANT REHEARSAL." Their voices strain through “Silent Night,” small and scared, barely reaching the folding chairs in the front row.

The youngest girl falters on a high note. Her voice cracks, trembling. Someone snickers. Another yawns mid-measure. The sound cuts through the choir like shame. Nobody meets anyone’s eyes.]

KID SOPRANO
...Si-i-lent ni-i-ght...

[Suddenly, the doors burst open. Mercedes Vargas, all fiery charisma, strides in with the authority of a general, her heels clicking like gunfire. Flanking her are Ricardo on drums, Irma on harmonies, Hugo on choreography, and Tomas on keys.

Mercedes claps sharply, the sound cutting through the timid singing.]

MERCEDES
¡Basta! Enough whispering, mis pequeños estrellas! Time to roar like lions in Bethlehem!

KID ALTO
Miss Vargas, we’re trying.

[Mercedes whirls, her tone like espresso and danger.]

MERCEDES
Try harder. Even Santa’s interns have more soul than this. And they're unpaid!

[She stalks across the stage, taking control like she’s directing an army.]

MERCEDES
Ricardo—drums! Irma—harmonies! Hugo—feet moving! Tomas—make it sexy but still legal.

[Tomas blinks, unimpressed.]

TOMAS
You just described jazz.

[The kids freeze, wide-eyed.

Ricardo grabs a pair of paint buckets and pounds out a fierce, pulsing rhythm. Irma steps forward, showing them how it’s done, her voice soaring.]

IRMA
Joy to the WO-O-O-RLD!

[Hugo launches into a dance routine that looks halfway between reggaeton and physical therapy. The kids stare, unsure whether to laugh or run. He moves to the edge of the stage and breaks into motion, hips swinging, calling out to the children.]

HUGO
Hips out! Step-step-sway! Like this—uno, dos, fuego!

[One boy sways half a second behind everyone else, fully committed to the wrong rhythm.]

KID ALTO
Is this... still church music?

TOMAS
Depends on your church.

[Tomas grins and layers in funky beats on his keyboard, each chord more dubious than the last.

Mercedes strides through the kids, adjusting shoulders, closing their jaws, tapping rhythm into their chests.

She stops in front of the timid soprano, eyes locked.]

MERCEDES
Breathe fire, not air! Chin up—eyes like daggers! From the soul — ¡Otra vez!

[The choir takes a collective breath. Their sound swells, gospel energy bursting through the hall. The windows vibrate. One ceiling tile gives up and falls harmlessly behind the group.]

CHOIR
Joy to the world! The Lord is come!

[Hesitant notes explode into full harmony. The room comes alive—kids grinning, feet stomping, sweat flying in rhythm. Laughter erupts when Hugo accidentally trips over an extension cord. He falls off the stage in slow motion, into an inflatable snowman, sending fake snow everywhere. From the floor, he throws up a dramatic thumbs-up.]

HUGO
I meant to do that! Experimental choreography!

[The kids howl with laughter. Mercedes can’t fight back a grin; it slips through, uninvited but genuine.]

MERCEDES
Tomorrow, we own this town!

[The soprano kid looks up from her sheet music as she raises a tentative hand.]

KID SOPRANO
Can we own lunch at least?

MERCEDES
Lunch is for amateurs. Bring snacks and rage. See you at dawn.

[The kids groan but can’t hide their smiles.
They’re doomed, but they believe in her now—and that’s the real danger. Mercedes turns to her crew—pride mixed with impending regret. She watches the kids cheer, off-key and overly excited. She's half proud, half terrified she’s just created something she can’t control.

She grins anyway, certain of one thing: they’ll either make history—or a YouTube blooper reel.]

FADE OUT.

~~~

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

[REC•]

[Mercedes Vargas’s residence, Los Angeles. Late morning. The sunlight slices through floor‑to‑ceiling windows, scattering across a pristine glass terrace. Outside, the city hums awake — muted traffic, faint palm shadows, the pulse of motion far below. Inside, everything gleams: white marble, sharp lines, no trophies, no titles. Just air, light, and stillness.]

[The camera glides past the open doors where the breeze moves thin curtains. Mercedes stands near the window — barefoot, black linen wrap belted casually, hair sleek and falling over one shoulder. Her reflection mingles with the skyline.]

"You can feel it, can’t you? The tension - the cracks in the air before the glass breaks. Some call it pressure. I call it presence."

[She turns, sunlight catching her features, deliberate yet effortless.]

"Inception VIII — they called it history in the making. But for me?  It’s just another reminder that history only remembers the ones strong enough to write it themselves."

[The camera follows as she crosses the room. A cup of espresso sits untouched on the table beside her. The city’s gold light flashes across her arm as she moves.]

"Fire & Fury — Crystal Caldwell and Mercedes Vargas. Wildside — Seleana and Zenna Zdunich. Two teams. One title. And a thousand little truths waiting to be exposed. Sounds like a great way to start a new year."

[She sits on the edge of a low couch, leaning forward slightly — relaxed but fierce.]

“Crystal and I, we’re not partners out of convenience. We’ve bled for these lights, built a legacy out of every woman who thought she could take what’s ours. We’re a brand — forged from main events, blood, and unmatched brilliance. She’s my equal when it counts, my mirror when it matters. We don’t need matching bloodlines to move in rhythm. We don’t need family dinners to understand loyalty. No family drama. No fragile sisterhood. Just two women who understand that dominance looks best under bright lights. We just win. That’s our language."

[She leans back, a faint smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.]

"Seleana… You think you know Crystal because you share a home, not a ring. 
But when that bell rings, there’s a part of her you’ll never reach — the part that only wakes up for nights like this. The part I’ve fought beside enough times to know exactly when it breathes.

"And Zenna… you’re stepping into a fire that doesn’t care what last name you carry.  You’re proud, you’re fierce — but you’re unproven. And standing across from me, pride becomes weight. 
Weight turns into hesitation. And hesitation? That’s when I end you."

[Mercedes leans back, light tracing the line of her jaw. A subtle, knowing smile follows.]

"The irony? The greatest threat to your family isn’t across the ring — it's the woman Crystal trusts enough to stand beside her."

[Soft thunder murmurs over the California hills in the distance as a storm brews — faint rumble underscores her silence.]

"I don’t need to scream to make my point. 
I just have to wait. Because at Inception, when the dust clears, when the crowd realizes that blood doesn’t guarantee victory — you’ll see me standing there. Calm. Collected. Still champion material, even when I don’t have the belt around my waist."

[The camera zooms closer. Her eyes — steel, steady.]

"That’s the difference between legacy and lineage"

[Her voice drops lower — intimate now, lethal in its softness.]

"You thought you could take my place? Rewrite my legacy? No. Legends aren’t written — they’re remembered.. They’re carved into history with every fight, every scar, every name I’ve buried under my boots — that’s my scripture.

"I don’t end people. I let them live in my shadow. You’ll wrestle. You’ll win. The crowd will say, ‘She’s good.’ Then they’ll whisper MY name — because you can’t escape me. You can’t outshine me."

[She rises and walks toward the window once more, the citylight washing over her like gold dust.]

"I’m not the mountain you climb. 
I’m the sky you’ll never reach."

[Mercedes doesn’t move, only smiles faintly — content in her own certainty.]

"You tried to kill a goddess? You should’ve aimed higher. Now you’re trapped in purgatory — forever watching me reign above you. A punishment worse than death: you’ll spend the rest of your life reminding the world that you failed."

[Pause. Her eyes lift slightly.]

"Funny thing about gold — it’s loyal to no one. One day, it’s around your waist. 
Next, it’s between two people who trust each other just enough to walk into a war. That’s where Crystal and I live. Fire & Fury. Built through battles, not bloodlines. Two names carved into the bones of this business because we earned our shine the hard way — summits, scars, main events. We’ve been through it all. But at Inception VIII, history doesn’t give us a fairytale. It gives us a test: the World Bombshell Championship on the line… and across the ring? Crystal’s own wife and her sister."

[A low California wind drifts through the open doors, tugging gently at the curtains.]

"Seleana. Zenna. You call it family. I call it temptation.  Because no matter how much you say this match won’t change anything—  something always breaks when pride and gold share the room."

[Her eyes find the lens again, carrying the weight of everything she’s just said.]

"See, I don’t need to be champion to own this division. I walk like one, talk like one, and make every woman in that locker room measure herself against the standard I set. That’s what experience does — it rewrites the script before anyone else knows what story they’re in."

[Her tone dips lower — almost a whisper.]

"Seleana, you know Crystal’s heart, not her instincts. Zenna, you’ve got her blood, but not her rhythm. Me? I’ve got the part of her that only wakes up when everything’s on the line."

[Mercedes stands — slow, deliberate. The title remains on the table as she circles behind it.]

"When that bell rings, I’m not fighting family drama. I’m managing chaos, controlling pace, and showing the world that “team” means something different when I’m involved. Because Crystal Caldwell may walk in with the gold… but she walks in beside me. And that means her title, our legacy, stays untouched by sentiment."

[Her eyes find the lens again, carrying the weight of everything she’s just said.]

"Inception VIII isn’t about who bleeds first. It’s about who breaks last."

[She looks off-camera again, voice low, near a whisper.]

"And I’ve never broken."

[Mercedes pauses, letting the words hang in the air.]

"Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best. And may the odds be ever in your favor."

[Fade to black.]

[Seleana Zdunich]

Off-Camera


Room 112
Luxor
Las Vegas, Nevada
Saturday, January 3, 2026
8:01 AM PST





People would ask, why Luxor?

There are so many newer and "better" casinos on the Strip in Las Vegas including the one right next door in the Mandalay Bay. The Luxor was an eye-catching example of things that used to automatically mean "Las Vegas." Now it gets mentioned as an example of something that isn't all that anymore even though the pyramid still gets attention and light at the top gets even more.

But why would somebody like Seleana Zdunich stay here?

Because her children, Aurora and Elijah, asked if they could. Given that neither child tends to ask for much of anything, when they both ask for the same thing at the same time completely independent of each other, that's more a sign than anything else.

Seleana Zdunich: This is good, ja?

Aurora and Elijah both nod, as usual, Aurora much more enthusiastically than Elijah.

Aurora Zdunich: We get to be here for more than a week?

Elijah's eyes go wide.

Elijah Zdunich: We do?

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, Freja and Maja will be around quite often since Lucy still lives here and Maja will be discussing opening a new gym here. I do not know who she discusses that with but I know she does that. It has been a thing she discusses many times.

She grins.

Seleana Zdunich: Shenzi talks with her but it will not be Shenzi. She is not moving from New Orleans with the four little girls there. She would not make her wife give up her childhood home.

Aurora grins.

Aurora Zdunich: Aunt Li loves that house.

Seleana nods in agreement.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, that is Shenzi as well.

Elijah frowns.

Elijah Zdunich: That's still Aunt Z, right?

Aurora nods before Seleana can answer him.

Aurora Zdunich: Yeah, they all have nicknames from the Lion King. Aunt Z is called Shenzi because she sounds like a hyena when she laughs. Mama is called Sarabi because she's the oldest sister. Aunt Katra being the youngest is called Nala.

Elijah nods understandingly.

Elijah Zdunich: Ok, that makes sense.

Seleana smiles.

Seleana Zdunich: There are other but ja…

She goes quiet and then shakes her slightly.

Seleana Zdunich: You can go food court now. I will be few minute.

Aurora and Elijah grin and rush out the door leaving Seleana alone with her thoughts. As she shakes her head to try and keep from crying, the door opens and her sister, Zenna walks in.

Zenna Zdunich: Sarabi?

Walking over, Zenna sits down next to her sister.

Zenna Zdunich: What's wrong?

Seleana shakes her head, unable to stop the tears.

Seleana Zdunich: I fail.

Zenna stares at Seleana, concern growing in the redhead's eyes.

Zenna Zdunich: Sarabi…

Seleana looks away.

Seleana Zdunich: Aurora talk about Lion King names. I feel guilty because she ask if we go home and the names are something Christina ask for.

Zenna looks taken aback.

Zenna Zdunich: She want one?

Seleana nods through her tears.

Seleana Zdunich: Everybody alway say I give her everything she want but I no give her that. I no…

She trails off, searching for the correct word.

Seleana Zdunich: Särskild.

Zenna nods understandingly.

Zenna Zdunich: Ja, special.

Seleana nods sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: I no know what do.

Zenna sighs heavily, nodding slowly.

Zenna Zdunich: You decide what you want, Sarabi. Mercedes opened the door. Now, it is all down to what you and Christina want. That fitta need our boots in her ass. If Christina and you still want, it time to fight for it.

Seleana looks up at her sister in surprise.

Seleana Zdunich: You would?

Zenna nods pointedly.

Zenna Zdunich: Mercedes deserves all we can do to smash her. She gave Christina an ultimatum. We should say thank you for that and use it to bludgeon her for being such a fitta.

Seleana ponders this for a second and then nods.

Seleana Zdunich: Okej.





On-Camera


Room 112
Luxor
Las Vegas, Nevada
Saturday, January 3, 2026
8:01 PM PST





The camera opens on Seleana Zdunich in her hotel room sitting on her bed, waiting to join her sister and kids in the casino.

Seleana Zdunich: This is when I break, ja?

She nods, still looking down, seemingly unable to make eye contact with the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: This is when my wife and the fitta end me take my sister with me?

Drawing a deep breath, she looks up.

Seleana Zdunich: Christina, I love you and I hope I see you soon. But this…

She shakes her head slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: This is not as much about you as it is the fitta, and that is sad when you are the champion we are all supposed to be chasing.

She glares into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Mercedes Vargas!

Her anger radiates off her.

Seleana Zdunich: you do not know what I say?

She nods like she already knows the answer.

Seleana Zdunich: Presta más atención, no seas pelotudo.

She looks away, shaking her head.

Seleana Zdunich: No soporto a ese forro, es insoportable.

She looks back into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Yes, Mercedes, I am talking about you, puta.

Pointing accusingly into the camera, Seleana lets her rage flow.

Seleana Zdunich: You have been trying to tear my family apart since we were in Sweden months ago.

Her hands ball into fists.

Seleana Zdunich: You have never liked me, much less respected me. You have always looked down upon me no matter what and you would never admit that I have beaten both of you many times in the past.

Seleana glares lasers through the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I hate you, Mercedes. There is no upside to you. You are talented and should not need to do half of what you do and yet you cannot seem to help yourself especially when it comes to me. you said what you said in Stockholm and tried to get me in trouble with Cassie.

She nods, looking away.

Seleana Zdunich: I pay for that and more because you thought you saw an opportunity to end me.

Seleana glares back into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I have to almost laugh because it means you make hens out of feathers.

She nods pointedly.

Seleana Zdunich: You are a liar, Mercedes. You say I am beneath you. You say I am worthless and yet, you dedicate yourself to ending me and ruining my life.

She nods harshly.

Seleana Zdunich: If I mean nothing to you, why do your actions say I am more important to you than all the champions combined?

Her head cocks to the left.

Seleana Zdunich: Why do I threaten you, Mercedes?

She nods angrily.

Seleana Zdunich: I will end you, fitta. No more running, no more avoiding.

She points to herself.

Seleana Zdunich: Jag!

Nodding forcefully, she continues to poke herself in the chest.

Seleana Zdunich: I…

Her glare intensifies.

Seleana Zdunich: I will fucking end this, Mercedes, whether you like it or not. You will not end me.

She shakes her.

Seleana Zdunich: You cannot, you will not. This cat will show you her claws.

[Seleana Zdunich]

Off-Camera


Room 114
Luxor
Las Vegas, Nevada
Saturday, January 3, 2026
8:01 AM PST





People would ask, why Luxor?

Well, when your sister is paying and her kids want the big black pyramid, you stay at the big black pyramid. Now, in the next room down, Zenna Zdunich looks at the faces of her young children playing in the living room back home next to the English bulldog, Lucy.

Zenna Zdunich: The girls are enjoying themselves, ja?

Her wife, Linnéa Lacroix, grins.

Linnéa Lacroix: Always.

Her sisters-in-law, Alissa Lacroix and Kelly Taylor, sit on the opposite couch.

Alissa Lacroix: They love playing on the floor.

Kelly nods in agreement.

Kelly Taylor: If Lucy moves, they'll start bloody speed crawling in what looks like a race to the kitchen.

Zenna grins.

Zenna Zdunich: We're at the Luxor. I''m half-surprised your niece is not here.

Kelly frowns but Alissa nods.

Alissa Lacroix: They admit they're sweet on each other yet?

Zenna shrugs.

Zenna Zdunich: Do they need to? They're teenagers who would emulate their mothers. Aurora especially worships hers.

Kelly grins.

Kelly Taylor: Brilliant!

Alissa Lacroix: Aw, Rori and JuJu wouldn't have to worry about parents' approval would they?

Zenna shakes her head.

Zenna Zdunich: Nej.

Linnéa grins.

Linnéa Lacroix: So, does that mean we're waiting for them to admit they're sweet on each other, or waiting to admit they already acted on it?

Zenna shrugs.

Zenna Zdunich: Could be either…

She pauses.

Zenna Zdunich: Though, they're probably waiting to see what happens in a week after the fight finally happens.

Alissa grins.

Alissa Lacroix: You getting the fitta too?

Zenna nods.

Zenna Zdunich: Ja, Christina AND the fitta against me and Sarabi.

She pauses again.

Zenna Zdunich: And we see if Christina shows up or Crystal does.

Linnéa nods and then starts singing.

Linnéa Lacroix: I never wanted to know
Never wanted to see
I wasted my time 'till time wasted me
Never wanted to go
Always wanted to stay
Cause the person I am are the parts that I play
So I plot and I plan
And hope and I scheme
To the lure of a night
Filled with unfinished dreams
And I'm holding on tight
To a world gone astray
As they charge me for years I can no longer pay

Zenna nods.

Zenna Zdunich: Ja.

Alissa nods genuinely curious.

Alissa Lacroix: Which one do you expect?

Exhaling deeply, thoughtfully, Zenna ponders the question. Which one did they expect, Christina or Crystal?

Zenna Zdunich: I…

She looks down at her feet, thinking it over.

Zenna Zdunich: I want it to be Christina. I do…

Trailing off, Zenna looks up.

Zenna Zdunich: But I am afraid it will be like we were the first time we were in recovery and no matter how much we wanted to stay from the shit…

Alissa and Kelly both nod understandingly.

Linnéa Lacroix: Sarabi?

Zenna Zdunich: She has always wanted it to be Christina.

She sighs deeply.

Zenna Zdunich: I think Sarabi hopes beyond hope that it will be Christina but is afraid the fitta has gotten in too deep.

Linnéa nods.

Linnéa Lacroix: And you are more?

Zenna nods.

Zenna Zdunich: I hope but I am more waiting for the worst.

Linnéa nods.

Linnéa Lacroix: Well, let's hope that hope wins.

Zenna nods slightly.

Zenna Zdunich: Ja.

She leans forward and ends the call.

Zenna Zdunich: Ja, hopp och kärlek.





Off-Camera


Room 114
Luxor
Las Vegas, Nevada
Saturday, January 3, 2026
8:01 PM PST





The camera opens on Zenna Zdunich standing in front of the bed in her room.

Zenna Zdunich: So here we go, ja?

She nods firmly.

Zenna Zdunich: Christina has to admit which one is real and what she wants and stop listening to that fitta, Mercedes Vargas!

She looks away, seething.

Zenna Zdunich: Fire And Fury is a bullshit name. There is no fury and the fire is cold.

Turning back to the camera, Zenna nods as if she's already made a point.

Zenna Zdunich: You make hens out of feathers, both of you.

She nods pointing accusingly into the camera.

Zenna Zdunich: Christina does it so she doesn't have to show who she really is and you, Mercedes…

She lets her head cock to the right.

Zenna Zdunich: You try to act like Sarabi is not a good wife or mom or anything else. You try to act like Christina would be better off without her and try to drive a wedge.

Zenna shakes her head incredulously.

Zenna Zdunich: You are the most insecure team I have ever met in my life.

She nods pointedly before continuing.

Zenna Zdunich: You should both be absolutely set in your careers and yet, no matter how much you win, no matter how much you accumulate, it is never enough to cover up the sad little girl at the core.

Her anger starts boiling up.

Zenna Zdunich: You are not stuck in Argentina fighting drug gangs for control. You got away and made something of yourself so why are you acting like you are just a poor girl stuck in a warzone you cannot escape?

Shaking her head, Zenna points to herself momentarily.

Zenna Zdunich: We are not the white people you sell that to.

She shakes her head again.

Zenna Zdunich: We do not see you as a victim to save from poverty. You should not need saving from that!

She pauses to let that settle and then nods.

Zenna Zdunich: But you do need saving from us.

She shakes her head and spits in disgust.

Zenna Zdunich: Fitta!

She glares back into the camera.

Zenna Zdunich: You start this. We end it and if we need to end you to do it, we will.

The camera zooms in to just a close-up of her face.

Zenna Zdunich: Din jävla fitta!

 

[Crystal Zdunich]

Hollywood Hills, California
Zdunich Estate

Despite living in such a large extravagant home that only a movie star could live in there was a void that was left in this luxurious estate. Crystal Zdunich had felt empty. Just a few weeks ago Crystal would be screaming out her submission on Climax Control as her wife Seleana Zdunich beat her yet again but to make matters worse. The woman who she thought was her best friend in the form of Mercedes Vargas had been taking verbal shots at her, making her choose between Fire & Fury and her wife Seleana. As much as she wanted to have her cake and eat it too, she knew at some point she would have to make a decision and it would be one that would affect her life in the immediate future. The only thing that Crystal did feel is that she hated feeling alone. It had been forever since she got to spend time with her spouse and with the current misfortunes inside of the wrestling ring Vargas didn’t want anything to do with her either.

Crystal sat alone in the living room watching television in her Christmas pajamas. She held a cup of hot chocolate in her hand and offered a long sigh as she held the remote control in her hands.

Crystal: Why is there never anything to watch?! I hate being alone for the holdays…

Before anything else could happen the chime of her doorbell could be heard all throughout her house. Crystal raised her eyes in disbelief not really expecting to have any company but she quickly stood up as she walked over to the front door. She opens it and is shocked when she sees the woman that is standing in her entrance.

Crystal: What the hell are you doing here?!

Zelda: It’s the Christmas season and you are obviously feeling alone. I figured I would be doing my duty of community service if I gave back to the needy, and it’s apparent that you definitely need me. You don’t have a spouse to share this home with and you certainly don’t have a best friend because I don’t know what you call Vargas but she is not YOUR best friend because that’s me!

Crystal just stares at Zelda blankly as she shrugs her shoulders at her.

Crystal: I really don’t understand you though. I appreciate you showing up but I really don’t understand?!

Zelda Knite was the long time best friend of Crystal Zdunich and at one point former tag team partner. It had been a long time since the two of them had spoken with one another but with Crystal feeling at her complete lowest and having nowhere to turn, this is when Zelda had decided to show up. Zelda just crossed her arms as she walked inside of the empty Hollywood Hills home. The video gaming nerd looked deeply into Crystal’s eyes as she took a seat on her couch.

Zelda: So what is going on with you Christina?! For as long as I have known you Crystal you should be at the happiest that you have ever been in a long time. You have waited so long to finally be on top of the wrestling world again. You are the best of the best but lately it just seems like you don’t have anything to smile over. That’s not like you.

Crystal: I really want to smile and I thought that winning the title would bring a smile on my face but lately it just seems like that isn’t even the case. I am at a loss of words because I don’t know in which direction I should take my life in. I want to be the best champion I can be. Everybody knows how much my wrestling career means to me. It’s always everything to me but lately I keep feeling that my professional career isn’t bringing the smile to my face as I thought it would. It’s not filling in the void that has been empty since my wife has left the home, and I don’t even want to touch on Mercedes.

Zelda looks back over at Crystal as she just shrugs her shoulders back at the Latina woman. She quickly shakes her head as she replies abc to her.

Zelda: If I can be completely honest you shouldn’t be worried about those things and I saw what Mercedes has been saying. As much as you wish to value her and her opinions she isn’t your best friend nor is she really looking in your best interests. She is supposed to be your tag team partner but she is giving you ultimatums as if her word is important. A real best friend wouldn’t make you choose between your career and your marriage. Only a selfish person would try to put that on you. I don’t even know why you want to hold onto Mercedes for so long. At the end of the day she is only looking out for what is in her best interests. She’s using you just to further her own useless career. Maybe at a point she helped you along the way but when you put your mind to things you know you can accomplish anything!

Crystal nods her head as she looks back at Zelda:

Crystal: I guess you have a point… Somewhere in my brain I know being paired with her is the wrong decision. I know my mind should solely be on trying to make things right with the wife but I just can’t shake the feeling that I am going to make the wrong decision no matter what I decide.

Zelda nods her head.

Zelda: You got that right, nothing you decide will be the right decision but think about things from a logical standpoint. What is more important to you in your life. Is it a piece of championship gold or is it your marriage?! Now before you answer that question a true best friend like myself would never even question you on such a ridiculous thing. Everybody knows that championships in wrestling will come and go. You can always go about and just win yourself another one. Hasn’t that been your story for like twenty four different occasions.

Crystal: Maybe it’s more like twenty five but who is honestly counting?!

Zelda just looks at Crystal shaking her head at her as she sighs in disbelief.

Zelda: You really weren’t supposed to answer that. I am trying to get it as it’s in plain sight that Mercedes is a leech. She’s a woman that wants to use you. Use you to get what she wants, which is getting a piece of relevancy.She may have had that when she was the Internet Champion but since then you have really taken off and she doesn’t mind stepping on you to get what she wants. I know you are a woman who loves to constantly wear her heart on her sleeves but I want you to think over what I said. Vargas is not what is in your best interest. She wasn’t in NCW, she wasn’t in 3WL, and she certainly is not in modern day SCW. I know your wife has been telling you this but you are the only one who needs to see it for yourself.

Crystal: Maybe you are on to something.

Zelda: Crystal don’t be such a goomba. Let’s really look at the facts. You have had a peaceful marriage until you started talking to Mercedes. The moment that you started to let her enter your life is the moment that things started to go astray for you. It’s the moment that Seleana walked out and it’s the moment where you lost everything that you felt was important to you. I could go on and on but at the end of the day you already know what you need the most. You know the decision you need to make but you need to see it for yourself. Once you make that decision you can finally be happy with where things are going to go.

Crystal thinks about it as she forms a wicked grin and looks right into the eyes of her best friend. Zelda cracks a grin in return as she nods her head.

Crystal: Thank you so much Zelda, I honestly don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have you in my life.

Zelda: Probably relapsing on the street somewhere or being pimped out in the back of a car.

Crystal: …

Zelda: What?! It’s a joke… Listen, just be happy that I came here to talk to you. At the end of the day it’s always about every man’s fantasy and nothing, and nobody can ever replace the best friendship that the two of us have. Now I didn’t come all the way from Texas just to talk. Let’s spend time as best friends should. I do believe we have some video gaming to catch up on, and I bought my joy cons. Hopefully you aren’t that pitiful in Mario Party…

Crystal: Oh it’s on but I have gotten a lot better since the last time the two of us played.

With that the two women just smile at one another as we slowly fade out on this image.

I know it won’t be that long until Inception is upon us and honestly I don’t know how to feel about the match up that I am going to be participating in. No matter what happens I know for a fact that it sucks to be in this position that I am in. it’s going to be Mercedes and I taking on my wife Seleana and her sister Zenna in a tag team match. If I get pinned or submitted then whoever pins me will walk away with the World Bombshell Championship. This is a very unique situation for me because no matter what happens I feel like I am going to walk away as a loser.
 
I love being the World Bombshell Championship. Winning it for a record breaking and setting sixth time is a feeling that can’t ever be replaced. I poured everything into finally going about and winning the championship but what hurts more than that is now in order to really get through one of my first defenses I need to go through my wife in order to do so. In addition she will be teaming up with my sponsor in the form of my sister in-law. I am not going to lie or bite my tongue. I don’t like being in this situation.
 
I don’t like it at all. I also don’t appreciate that my supposed partner and best friend is trying to push me to do things that I really don’t want to do. Mercedes the two of us have known each other for a very long time. We have been there through the worst of times and we damn sure have been through the best of times as well. You are the oldest person that I have known in this industry and when everybody gave up on me and told me I was worthless and didn’t have it in me anymore. You kept pushing me to do better.
 
You were high and mighty on your pedestal as the Internet Champion and you gave me the motivation that I could maybe pick myself back up and make something of my career again. On paper that all sounded good and you were my biggest advocate but that seems to have changed when you lost your title and now I am the one standing tall as the World Bombshell Champion. I possess the title that makes me the best out of all the females on the roster and I know I have a big target on my back.
 
Lately it just seems like instead of being my biggest supporter you have been taking verbal shots at me. I would be a fool if I didn’t read between the lines and listen to comments such as the Zdunichs are thinking that everything revolves around them, and you don’t want the World Championship scene to be one marriage dispute.
 
I know when you are using the term Zdunich even though I have been competing under the name of Caldwell that you are including me in the mix. I would be living under a rock if I didn’t see what you are really all about. The entire world keeps telling me what would happen if the focus wasn’t on Vargas anymore. What would happen if I was the one with the title and you are the one that doesn’t have anything?
 
It seems we are living in that situation right now and what I do know to be true is that I am not a weak individual. I am not going to listen to your ultimatums and have you question me on why I lost to Seleana and trying to put down my wife as if she is trash. Have I ever beaten her in the ring?!
 
No, I haven’t beaten her in a one on one match ever. She has always gotten the better of me. She has submitted me twice and beat me in that chain match. Maybe people can claim that I had an off night but the truth is as much as everybody loves to talk down my wife. She is not the prized little trophy wife that can’t do anything.
 
I taught Seleana everything she knows in that ring. She knows me like an open book and there’s a woman who when pushed can do so much. She can beat just about anything when she really puts her mind to it. You don’t have to sit on your high horse and question if the old Crystal Hilton is going to come out and fight like this match means anything.
 
Of course I am going to fight; of course I am going to show out because that’s what I do. It’s what I always do and I owe it to the people who pay good money to put on the show of a lifetime. Whether it’s booing me to get my ass kicked or if they actually want me to win. I need to go out there and fight to my heart’s content because I poured so much into winning the title but now I need to show that I can also defend it.
 
I don’t need YOU of all people questioning me if I know what I need to do. Instead of trying to stir something up what I do need from you is let’s keep all of this professional and not personal. I am trying to get back with my wife and I would appreciate if nothing else comes in the way of that. If I can be honest the reason why Seleana and I are separated to begin with is because of YOU. She thought I was sleeping with you and I just let it go.
 
Now I am at a point where I won’t let anything go and I know what I want and I know who I want. Seleana is the most important treasure in my life. She sees me in ways that others don’t see me and I need to prove to her that the woman she fell in love with is not gone. If that means preparing myself to be at my best and to not hold back so be it.
 
I am tired of being on the losing side and it’s time I fight for what my heart really wants. Zenna as much as we have gotten into it on numerous occasions I see you for what you are. You are a sister who would do anything to protect her sister. Right now you don’t know if I could be trusted and seeing as you are my sponsor I know you see certain tendencies that might make you think I am using again.
 
Let me explain something, yes I am on a drug, but the type of drug that I am addicted to is your sister Seleana. She is MY drug, she is the mother bear to my children and I am longing to do whatever it takes to get that back. I won’t let you come in the way of me getting my life back on track and definitely the life that was meant for me to build with your sister.
 
Everybody wants me to make me a target. Everybody wants my title and by all means if it’s the title you want so badly then you better come after me and give everything you have in order to grab it.
 
Rest assured though no matter if you have gotten better. No matter if you are a spouse, or a sponsor, or even my best friend. When I walk into that ring it’s as the champion and I plan to do whatever it takes to leave as a champion.
 
So bring it on, give me all the smoke and I will show that I can handle all the pressure that everybody throws at me. Come Inception Fire & Fury will get past Wild Side and when that’s over I will be looking towards the future and continuing the legacy of being the best damn champion in this company. See all of you soon.
 
 
 

[Mercedes Vargas]

Almighty Fire
semana del 4 al 11 de enero 2026

There’s a point in every rivalry where words cut deeper than punches — where respect turns to doubt, and friendship to fire. This weekend, that line gets crossed. The spotlight burns hotter, the stakes climb higher, and loyalties begin to crack under the weight of ambition.

Funny thing about fire — people forget it doesn’t always destroy. Sometimes, it reveals what’s left when everything else burns away. That’s what this weekend is: a reckoning. Everyone’s talking about loyalty and redemption… but me? I’m talking about truth. Because when the smoke clears, only one of us walks out proving she still belongs at the top. The rest? Ashes in my wake.

You know, Crystal, I almost don’t recognize you anymore. The fiery competitor who once demanded the spotlight now sounds like someone drowning in her own excuses. Sad, really. I expected better from the record six-time World Bombshell Champion — the one who claimed to carry the division — but here you are, turning a title defense into a soap opera.

You call me your best friend, your sister in arms. You say I was there when no one else believed in you. I believed when everyone else laughed. And you’re right — I did believe in you. I was in your corner when the world turned its back. I saw something in you that others didn’t — a warrior who refused to quit. But lately, the only thing I see is someone who’s let emotions cloud her judgment. Friendship doesn’t mean I’ll look away when I see weakness. I didn’t push you to break; I pushed you to rise. There’s a difference — one you used to understand.

And now you point fingers, say I’m part of the reason you and Seleana fell apart, that I’ve changed since losing the Bombshell Internet title, that somehow, envy drives me now. Maybe that’s easier to believe than the truth: the weight you’re feeling isn’t pressure; it’s fear. Fear of being the target every champion becomes. When you know every woman in this company — even the one standing next to you — wants it.

Let’s get one thing straight, mamita — I don’t need to ride your coattails. I don’t need your title to validate who I am. Mercedes Vargas is a name that stands on its own. My resume speaks for itself: the reigns, the records, the legacy. But I’m not blind either. You’ve got that belt, and whether you like it or not, Crystal, you’re the hunted. That’s the price of being champion — and deep down, I think you know you can’t handle it.

You think I’m attacking you? No. I’m challenging you. Because somewhere beneath the guilt and noise, the real Crystal Hilton is still there. I just want to see if she can still fight.

You talk about being “addicted” to Seleana, about wanting her back, about proving something to her. That’s cute. But when that bell rings, none of that matters. In the ring, love stories become submission holds, sweet words become sharp elbows, and fairy tales turn into wake-up calls. I don’t care if it’s your wife, her sister-in-law, or your reflection standing across from us — I’m not walking into Inception to play therapist. I’m walking in to win.

If that means preventing Seleana and Zenna from pinning you — then so be it. Because let’s be honest, Crystal — the only thing holding that team together is nostalgia and denial.

You may not see it, but Seleana’s been treading water for years — not sinking, not swimming, just drifting. Too decent to disappear, too dull to matter. She isn’t competition anymore — she’s what’s left when you lose your edge and start grasping at what used to work. She’s fallen off a cliff these past few years, and those eight years in SCW tell the same story — a name on the roster, not a threat in the ring.

And that’s the harsh truth, isn’t it? Longevity doesn’t equal legacy — not when all she’s done is stand still while the division moved on without her. I’ve spent thirteen years setting the bar in SCW; Seleana’s spent eight trying to reach it. Even her Bombshell World Title and Roulette Championship reigns feel like distant memories now — proof that she had her moment, but couldn’t make it last. She isn’t feared; she’s remembered — and that’s worse.

Seleana’s had your number in every singles match the two of you have ever had — three times, to be exact — and that’s exactly why she holds power over you now. And that stings, doesn’t it? You don’t want to admit it, but part of you knows those losses changed you. They made you question if you were still the star everyone believed you wereYou talk about love and redemption, but what you really want is to erase the one person who keeps proving you can be beaten. That’s not rivalry, that’s obsession — and she’s been living rent-free in your head for years.

That’s who you’re defending, Crystal. Not the fighter she was… but the comfort she gives you now. Your wife hasn’t posted a winning record since 2019, hasn’t held championship gold in five years, and hasn’t tasted the World Title scene since that same year.

You call that competition? I call it complacency. And yet, that’s who you’ve hitched your redemption story to.

You can blame me, you can blame Seleana, you can even blame destiny if that helps you sleep. But when Fire & Fury torches Wild Side, remember this: you invited the fire.

You told me not to make it personal. Too late. It's already personal. Because I still care enough to bring out the best in you — even if it breaks what’s left of us.

I told you before — I don’t break friendships, I expose weaknesses. And at Inception, the world will see the truth. Crystal, you’re not the same woman who once defined this division. You’re the one clinging to what’s left of her glory while I stand ready to claim it again. When the bell rings, remember — we asked for this.

And when Fire & Fury burns Wild Side to the ground, you’ll see that I wasn’t your downfall… I was your reminder of what greatness looks like.

So keep clinging to love and redemption if that helps you sleep at night. But when the lights hit, I’ll be right there — reminding you that respect, loyalty, and friendship all take a back seat to victory.

And when it’s all over… you’ll finally understand why Mercedes Vargas doesn’t follow legacies.

I create them.

~~~

INT. “THE FLOATING PENALTY BOX” – MORNING

[The sign hangs crooked over a galley window. Inside, the fry station hums like a jet engine. Hugo flips something unidentifiable on the griddle. Mercedes leans on the counter, sipping cold coffee.]

MERCEDES:
Remind me again why our restaurant has life vests hanging instead of menus?

[Hugo straightens, proudly waving a spatula like a conductor’s baton.]

HUGO:
Theme, Mercedes. Authenticity! Diners eat “danger with a dash of dill.”

[A wave rocks the boat. A pickle jar rolls off the counter.]

MERCEDES:
Yeah, nothing says “fine dining” like motion sickness.

[Irma storms in, clipboard in hand, her hair already frizzing from humidity.]

IRMA:
Okay, people, inspection day. If we fail again, the city pulls our dock permit.

[Below deck, Tomas’s voice echoes through the floorboards.]

TOMAS:
Maybe if you stop calling it a “dock permit” like it’s parole, they’ll take us seriously.

[He climbs up holding a wrench and a half-eaten donut. Ricardo follows.]

RICARDO:
We’d pass inspection easier if the floor wasn’t listing like a bad relationship.

TOMAS:
It’s a boat. Tilting is part of its charm.

HUGO:
Charm doesn’t pay bills. Customers keep asking if seasickness bags are complimentary.

[Mercedes smirks, crossing her arms.]

MERCEDES:
They should be — it’s the only takeaway we offer that’s actually free.

[Another wave rocks the hull. Pots rattle somewhere below.]

INT. KITCHEN AREA — CONTINUOUS

[Irma checks the ice machine, frowning as it sputters dramatically.]

IRMA:
This machine’s older than my parents’ marriage.

RICARDO:
So, unreliable and leaking?

IRMA:
Exactly.

[She slams it shut. Water splashes onto her shoes.]

MERCEDES:
Don’t worry. That’s purified ocean water now. Eco-friendly.

[Tomas appears behind her, wiping grease from his hands.]

TOMAS:
If the inspector asks, tell him it’s a “nautical vibe.”

HUGO:
Or tell him it’s performance art. That always confuses them long enough for me to finish cooking.

[Mercedes peers at his skillet suspiciously.]

MERCEDES:
Cooking what, exactly?

[She peers at the skillet. It looks suspiciously like an oil slick. Hugo grins proudly.]

HUGO:
Today’s special: “Mystery Marine Meat.”

RICARDO:
That’s not a name, that’s a lawsuit.

EXT. DECK — MIDDAY

[The crew sets up patio tables on the uneven deck. Seagulls hover greedily overhead. Tomas struggles with an umbrella that refuses to stay upright.]

TOMAS:
This place will take off, he says. We’ll be legends, he says. Floating cuisine — it’s revolutionary, he says.

IRMA:
So was the Titanic.

MERCEDES:
At least they had music while going down. We’ve got Hugo.

[HUGO strums a ukulele he found in lost‑and‑found. It’s decisively out of tune.]

HUGO:
It’s all part of the ambiance — live music, sea breeze, mild panic.

RICARDO:
You’re one bad chord away from summoning dolphins for help.

[A tourist cautiously climbs aboard wearing a sun hat and uncertainty.]

CUSTOMER:
Uh… is this place safe?

[Mercedes flashes a smile.]

MERCEDES:
Define “safe.”

[Irma waves energetically, ushering the woman to a table.]

IRMA:
Ignore her. Of course it’s safe! We haven’t sunk once this week.

[Tomas swoops in enthusiastically.]

TOMAS:
Please, sit! Try the house special — whatever Hugo hasn’t burned yet.

[The customer sits uneasily. Mercedes forces a smile and hands her a laminated menu warped by humidity.]

INT. GALLEY — MOMENTS LATER

[Mercedes slips beside Hugo, keeping her voice low.]

MERCEDES:
Cook something normal. No experiments, no “seaweed soufflé.”

HUGO:
Fine. Normal it is. What’s more normal than “boat tacos”?

[Ricardo cranes his neck from the hallway.]

RICARDO:
Boat tacos?

HUGO:
Tacos… cooked on a boat. Branding, baby.

[Irma crosses her arms and glares.]

IRMA:
Branding or brain damage — fine line there.

[The line breaks them — everyone bursts laughing as Hugo shrugs innocently.]

EXT. DECK — LATER

[The tourist eats cautiously while the gang hovers nearby, nervous hosts waiting for a verdict.]

CUSTOMER:
It’s… crunchy. Is that supposed to happen?

[Hugo nods earnestly.]

HUGO:
Yes! That’s the… sea salt crust.

[Mercedes whispers an aside without losing her smile.]

MERCEDES:
Translation: overcooked tortilla.

CUSTOMER:
I’ll take two more.

[Everyone freezes.]

IRMA:
Wait — you like it?

CUSTOMER:
It’s unique. Like eating a sunset.

[They exchange stunned glances of disbelief. Tomas beams in triumph.]

TOMAS:
See! Legends in the making!

[A loud HONK cuts him off. A small patrol boat glides up — the health inspector stands aboard wielding a clipboard like divine judgment.]

EXT. DOCKSIDE — CONTINUOUS

[The group stumbles into nervous formation as the inspector climbs aboard.]

INSPECTOR:
Afternoon! Health Department! We’re here for your unscheduled review.

[Everyone panics just enough to look guilty.]

[Mercedes mutters under her breath.]

MERCEDES:
Unscheduled review — my favorite horror movie.

[Hugo steps forward with blinding confidence, plate in hand.]

HUGO:
You’re in luck! Free samples from our head chef — me.

[He offers a boat taco. The inspector eyes it suspiciously, takes a nibble, and pauses mid‑chew.]

INSPECTOR:
That’s… surprisingly good. Slightly burnt, but good.

[Each of them exhales at once — silent victory.]

INSPECTOR:
Now, structural safety check.

[He steps forward. The deck groans, a nail pops loose. Ricardo reacts instantly.

RICARDO:
That’s our alarm system! Keeps gulls away.

IRMA:
And inspectors!

[The nervous laughter buys them time while Hugo hums faux elevator music.]

INT. GALLEY — MINUTES LATER

[The team huddles in the cramped kitchen like conspirators.]

TOMAS:
If we survive this, drinks on me.

MERCEDES:
If we don’t, I’m haunting you, captain.

HUGO:
Relax — the inspector looks happy!

[They peek through the door. The inspector wipes sauce from his chin, looking content.]

INSPECTOR:
I’ll give you folks a conditional pass. Fix the deck, label your fridge contents, and… for the love of God, stabilize the bathrooms.

[Tomas thrusts his wrench skyward.]

TOMAS:
Conditional pass! That’s practically a trophy.

[Everyone cheers. The inspector departs. They slump in exhausted celebration.]

EXT. DECK — SUNSET

[Golden light floods the floating restaurant. The gang sits around a mismatched table, clinked coffee mugs together.]

RICARDO:
We did it. “The Floating Penalty Box” lives another day.

IRMA:
Barely. But hey, improvement — no electrical fires today!

HUGO:
And one paying customer. Technically two, if you count the inspector.

MERCEDES:
I’m counting every soul brave enough to climb aboard.

TOMAS:
So what’s next for our maritime empire?

[Mercedes looks out toward the setting sun.]

MERCEDES:
Simple. We survive tomorrow. Then the week. Then maybe, just maybe, make rent.

[They laugh. The boat rocks gently under the fiery sky.]

[The boat rocks lazily. Hugo raises his mug again, ever the optimist.]

HUGO:
Hey, if this thing ever sinks, at least we’ll finally have a poolside restaurant.

RICARDO:
You mean pool‑in restaurant.

[Groans all around.]

IRMA:
Still better than “Mystery Marine Meat.”

MERCEDES:
Alright, team — same chaos tomorrow?

ALL:
Always!

[Mercedes laughs and stands to raise her cup higher than the rest.]

MERCEDES:
To The Floating Penalty Box — unsinkable, unprofitable, unforgettable.

[A wave hits, splashing coffee everywhere.]

HUGO:
Unsinkable, huh?

MERCEDES:
Shut up and grab a bucket, captain.

[The crew bursts into laughter as water drips from the ceiling.]

[END.]

~~~

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

[REC•]

[A panoramic view of the Las Vegas Strip explodes behind floor-to-ceiling windows. Neon lights pulse like veins — electric red, gold, and white streak across Mercedes Vargas’s outline as she sits in a black chair, centered in front of the skyline. The city hums below: slot machines, faint laughter, passing sirens, the low grind of traffic. A single desk lamp casts a muted circle of light around her. She sits still — calm, composed — folding her arms.]

"You know, it’s funny... I actually planned on spending this week relaxing before Inception. Maybe a spa day, maybe a beach in Buenos Aires."

[She tilts her head, letting her voice linger a beat before she looks directly into the lens.]

“Maybe shut off my phone, step away — but somehow, it still finds me.”

[A dry smile crosses her lips as the neon flickers over her face.]

"Apparently, I can’t even have a quiet week before Inception without my feed getting flooded by the Zdunich sisters — crying, screaming, blaming me for everything wrong in their lives. It’s almost sad how predictable it’s become lately."

[She laughs quietly, the sound short and razor-sharp.]

"So this is what it’s come to. A family feud in the middle of my match — the Zdunich Family Circus live at Inception. Crystal defending the World Bombshell Championship, Seleana and Zenna trying to save face. Instead of challengers, we’ve got a therapy session."

[She tilts her head slightly, mock sympathy flashing in her eyes to match her tone.]

"Seleana, you’ve been replaying the same speech for years now. Everyone’s against you, everybody’s trying to break up your perfect family, and somehow I’m supposed to be the villain."

[She shakes her head slowly.]

"Sweetheart, I don’t need to tear your family apart. You’re doing that just fine on your own."

[The faint reflection of casino lights dances across her cheek as she chuckles under her breath. She leans forward, elbows planted on her knees. Her gaze hardens.]

"For most of your eight-year career in Sin City Wrestling, you’ve made an exceptional career out of playing the victim. Every loss has an excuse, every mistake a scapegoat — and somehow, it always circles back to me. It’s poetic, really. Like watching a car crash in slow motion and knowing they’ll blame you for standing there. You call me a liar? A snake? Say that I’m obsessed with you?"

[She gestures dismissively before pointing toward the camera.]

"There is nothing about you that keeps me up at night. You’re just… convenient. A walking example of wasted potential that people like me have to keep stepping over.

[Mercedes rises, pacing deliberately toward the window — her reflection fractured in the glass.]

"If I’m obsessed, querida, it’s only with winning — something you seem allergic to when it actually matters. You’ve had more second chances than most people get careers, and every time, when the lights are on and the title’s on the line, you choke."

[Her brow arches.]

"But sure, blame Mercedes Vargas. It’s easier than facing the mirror."

[Her smirk fades, eyes narrowing.]

"But let’s not pretend I didn’t hear what you said. And you know what? I felt it. For a second, I almost believed the emotion in your voice. Almost."

[She blinks once, slowly.]

"Then I remembered — that’s all it is. Emotion. Theatrics. Performance."

[A step closer to the lens now — the edges of her face half-lit, the rest falling into shadow.]

"All that venom because what — I told the truth about you and Crystal? You think you scare me, Sarabi? You think because you finally found your voice, it changes the fact that you’re soft like Charmin?"

[She steadies her breath and lowers her tone.]

"It doesn’t. You’re still the same woman who crumbles whenever life gets heavy."

[Her reflection in the glass trembles slightly with the flicker of passing headlights from the Strip. Mercedes stands now, face inches from the lens, her tone growing sharper with each word.]

"And Zenna? I almost forgot you existed until you started screaming my name like it was supposed to scare me."

[The faintest trace of a laugh escapes her.]

"You can curse me out in Swedish all you want; I still hear the insecurity dripping off every word.

[She points slightly toward the camera, her stance unyielding.]

"You talk about me being "insecure" while you’re fighting your sister-in-law’s battles because she can’t win them herself.That’s rich.

[Mercedes straightens her posture, letting the fury surface beneath her controlled tone.]

"You think calling me insecure or poor is going to rattle me? I’ve walked through wars, championships, and generations of so-called "icons" who all thought they were going to be the one to end me. You won’t be any different."

[She tilts her head, letting the fury take full form now.]

"You call me fake, call me cold, call Fire and Fury “bullshit”? No, sweetheart. What’s bullshit is pretending your family’s drama belongs anywhere near that ring. You two aren’t fire and fury — you’re smoke and mirrors. I’m the only one in this match who’s never needed to hide behind someone else’s shadow — wife, sister, champion, whatever label you’re wearing today."

[She stops at the camera, standing nose-close to the lens.]

"You want to talk about ending me? I’ve survived everyone this company’s thrown at me. I’ve watched careers die, titles change hands, entire divisions rebuilt — and I’m still here. You two are a moment. I’m the legacy. You don’t end me. You can’t."

[Mercedes points into the camera, venom lacing every word.]

"But if you still want to try, fine. At Inception, I’ll remind both of you what you seem to forget. You can hate me, scream my name in three different languages, throw every curse word you know. None of it changes the outcome that’s already written. When the bell rings at Inception, I’m the same woman I always am — calculating, patient, dangerous — and when it’s over, I’ll still be standing next to the World Bombshell Champion."

[She brushes a speck of imaginary dust from her shoulder. The smile is understated, victorious before the fight even begins.]

"Because no Zdunich — not a wife, not a sister, not a savior — is taking that title away. Not from Crystal. Not from me."

[Mercedes whispers softly, eyes cutting like glass.]

"Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best. And may the odds be ever in your favor."

***[FADE]***