It was a relaxing evening in the home of Victoria Lyons, she and Darian had just finished putting up the last of their Halloween decorations out in front of their new home, which and an addition to the common jack-o'-lanterns included a dummy hanging from a tree, a scarecrow and a witch plastered on the rooftop.
They sat cuddling together on the sofa blindly scrolling through the Netflix selection looking for something to settle into for the evening. This was the two of them behind all the theatrics they created when the cameras were rolling, a normal couple like anyone else with perhaps….. a few odd kinks thrown in.
“It all went so beautifully on Climax Control.” Victoria smiled at Darian running her fingers through his beard, “Now I get my shot at the Bombshell Internet Championship, and Harper Mason is sure having a hissy fit about it.”
“Let her cry about it, I say.” Darian replied.
“Oh I intend to Dare Bear.” Victoria continued to smile “It just shows Harper really is. “Champions don't whine when the situation changes, they adapt. I doubt Mercedes likes this new setup either, but she's kept her mouth shut which means she's likely trying to figure out how to adapt herself instead of crying about it.”
She leaned back on the sofa resting her head against the cushion.
“Harper just lacks discipline.” Victoria said “The situation changes and she can't keep up. I knew what I wanted, and I took what I wanted.
“And you didn't even break a sweat doing it.” Darian chuckled
“Exactly.” Victoria said her smirk deepening “They all say I got added to the match, I say I made myself impossible to ignore. That's why I'm on such a different level than most of the Bombshells. I don't wait to be given chances, I take them.”
She stretched her arms slightly keeping the smirk on her face.
“Should anyone really be surprised?” said Victoria “Before I was placed into the High Stakes tournament, I called out Mercedes in the ring, and I told the entire locker room to keep their head on a swivel. So after my….elimination from the High Stakes tournament, I needed to restate my claim because that's who I am and it's who I've always been.”
“That's what I love about you.” Darian smiled at her, "You're ruthless, it's just in your blood.”
“Exactly, I never had to learn it because I am it.” she said “I don't pretend to be the good guy, or pretend to play fair. I do what gets results. People like Harper Mason need to realize that fairness doesn't exist in this business. I learned that before I even left my first pair of boots.”
She exhaled softly.
“Harper wants to cry about how I took her moment.” said Victoria “The same woman who couldn't even hold on to the Roulette championship long enough for me to even miss it. It's almost insulting to me that she was my successor after everything I did for that championship.”
“I doubt they even had time to change the name plate.” Darian grinned.
Victoria laughed.
“Right?” she grinned “All that talk about earning opportunities, but when she had one she couldn't handle the pressure that's why she will always be all shine and no staying power.”
“A flash in the pan.” Darian remarked.
“That's what separates people like me from people like her, Dare Bear.” Victoria said "I don't crumble and I don't panic. I adapt if one door shuts I kick open another one, losing to Bella in the tournament wasn't it a failure it was just a redirection.”
She paused shortly.
“I'm the reason this match has people talking now.” Victoria said “Mercedes has the championship, but I'm the threat. Harper's just noise in the background at this point.”
Victoria leaned back into the sofa as Darian listened.
“Of course there's Mercedes herself.” Victoria said, “She seems to think seems some sort of dominant champion, but all I've seen her do is lose the championship as fast as she wins it.”
She shrugs.
“She loses it to Bella, and she wins it back. She loses it to Lilith Locke and she wins it back again.” Victoria said “It's like she's caught in this endless game of hot potato. It might add more reigns to her resume but it shows a lack of consistency, it shows that she doesn't know how to stay on top anymore.”
“Well if you ask me.” Darian said “The games are going to stop with you.”
Victoria smiled, kissing Darian and softly on his cheek.
“Of course they will.” Victoria said “Because I know how to remain on top, champion or not. The thing about Mercedes is she needs that championship to be relevant. The championship makes Mercedes Vargas, but me? I make the championship.”
She turned her head towards Darian with a smile.
“The landscape of the Bombshell Internet Division will be changing soon.” said Victoria “There will be no more revolving door of champions who can't keep the thing for more than a few weeks. I will be the constant that the championship has needed for a long time.“
“So no mercy?” Darian grinned
“Mercy?” Victoria chuckled to herself with a smile “Mercedes deserves no mercy. She's had her spotlight. I'm not coming to add another chapter to her book, I'm coming to close it.”
“That's my queen.” Darian smiled.
“I'm not just coming to win the Internet Championship, Dare Bear.” Victoria said "I'm coming to redefine it. I'm going to remind people what dominance feels like. The Bombshell locker room won't have to think about who happens to have the Internet Championship this week, they'll know it belongs to me.”
She smiles confidently.
“So Harper can keep throwing tantrums online.” Victoria said “Mercedes can keep trying to play her game of lose one win one. So when the smoke settles, and I rise as the new Bombshell Internet Champion, they will both realize they were just keeping my seat warm.”
“You never stop do you?” Darian smirked.
“Why would I?” she replied grabbing the remote, “Winning is all about keeping your rhythm.”
She scrolled through the Netflix queue some more before finally stopping on Halloween Kills.
“This is the one.” she said.
“Works for me." Darian smiled.
As the universal logo faded in, the glow of the TV danced across their faces as the two snuggled up close together. Tonight was a romantic evening and horror movies with her Dare Bear, a true calm before the storm that she intended to bring at High Stakes.
__________
The family home hadn't changed in years her mother still had the same curtains up, and the mantlepiece was decorated with the same candles and family portraits that it had gathered over the years.
There were pictures of her parents' wedding, several of her and Vincent as children, and even a couple of Eddie.
She grabbed one of the family on a fishing trip and looked at it with a smile, Vincent was holding a large fish he had caught and of course he had his arm around their mother. She was on the opposite end, hanging off her father's arm.
“How come you never redecorated?” she said setting the picture back down, turning to her mother who had emerged from the kitchen with two cups of coffee.
“I like keeping things how they were.” her mother said “Somehow makes the house feel less empty.”
Victoria sat across from her mother and took a sip of the warm coffee. She watched her mother's gaze shift to the pictures on the mantelpiece.
“Feels like yesterday this house used to be nothing but noise.” her mother said “You and your brother fighting one minute, and then laughing the next. I miss it. It's just so quiet around here now.”
“Well, we couldn't live here forever mom.” Victoria said.
“I know…” her mother replied “You and your brother live your own lives now. It's just we don't have your father anymore either, so I just.. I get lonely.”
“You know you can come visit at anytime.” Victoria “I'm just not sure you'd like the noise of my life.”
“I can handle the noise.” her mother said “It's the distance, both of you have started to drift so far away…. especially from each other.”
“Oh is that what this is..?” Victoria's sighed.
“I'm just saying maybe you could pick up the phone.” she said “Vincent's going through a lot he could use his sister right now.”
“He's the one that pushed me away first!” said Victoria.
“Like I told you he's going through a lot.” her mother said “Maybe he said some things he didn't mean. You allowed him to push you away.”
“That's not fair!” Victoria replied. "You always do this! You always protect him!”
“That's not true.” her mother replied
“Yes it is!” Victoria insisted. "While dad was teaching me how to take on the world, you were busy pampering your baby boy.”
“Your father also let you get away with everything because you were his baby girl.” her mother said, eyes narrowing. "If your brother broke a rule, he got grounded for a week. You break the same rule and all you’d have to do is smile and he'd bend.”
“That's called charm.” Victoria said, lowering her voice looking her mother directly in the eyes. “Just one of my many talents”
Her mother sighed softly, shaking her head “But charm won't always get you through life Victoria.”
“It's got me this far.” Victoria replied “And I'm not planning on slowing down now. Not for Vincent, not for anyone.”
“Or maybe that's the problem.” her mother replied “You want to keep climbing higher, but you forget the people who helped you start to climb in the first place.”
Victoria looked at her mother with a look of defiance.
“People didn't help me get anywhere mom.” she said “No one handed me a damn thing I made my own way.“
“He's still your brother.” her mother said
“Who made the decision that he didn't want me around.” Victoria interrupted “I tried to reach out but he keeps making me feel like the villain, so I'm not going to go out there and chase him down to apologize for something I didn't do.”
“You both lost your father.” her mother replied “And that kind of pain can change people, you shut down in your own way after it too. Over the years, it's changed you both.”
“Maybe..” said Victoria “But I used it to strengthen myself, Vincent's the one that uses it as an excuse.”
“You're a lot like him, you know..” her mother said “Your father, you have the same need to prove yourself but your father also knew when to stop fighting. Need to be proud of you and all you've accomplished but he would also tell you to slow down and enjoy the view every once in a while.”
“He also taught me to never back down.” Victoria replied.
“Promise me you'll call your brother.” her mother said “And don't move too fast with that Darian just take it one step at a time.”
Victoria frowned.
“Vincent has a phone. He can call me.” Victoria said “And you don't worry about Darian he gets me. Him and I will be just fine. In fact I should probably go anyway, she's waiting for me."
Victoria drink the last sip of her coffee and set the cup down on the table.
“Thanks for the coffee mom.” she said as she stood up and walked to the door.
She got to her car started it and then headed off down the road, her irritation with her mother had only fed her fire and that fire was going to spread right across Mercedes Vargas and Harper Mason.
__________
Darkness surrounds Victoria Lyons as the cameras open, the faint outline of smoke filters behind as her voice cuts through the quiet with the precision of a blade.
“You ever notice how those who scream the loudest about fairness tend to be the ones least equipped to deal with reality?” she said with a cold tone “They always paint themselves as victims of circumstance, like they were some martyr to some grand injustice. When the truth is, they were never strong enough to take what they wanted in the first place.”
She smirks.
“That's Harper Mason in a nutshell.” she said “A little birdie chirping about how unfair it is that I found my way into this match. Because she was supposed to have her big one-on-one and she earned this moment.”
Victoria laughs and shrugs nonchalantly.
“Newsflash Harper.” Victoria said “You didn't get cheated, you got out played. The universe doesn't reward those who play fair. You have to take matters into your own hands, and take what you want if you want to be successful.”
She takes a few steps closer to the camera, keeping a steady gaze on the lens.
“See when my high stakes journey didn't go as planned.” Victoria said “I didn't make excuses or complain about it, I just found another path because that's what predators do. If one trail goes cold we find another that leads us to a feast.”
She licks her lips and in a seductive yet cruel way.
“You would have sat around and waited.” said Victoria “Hoping that someone would come along and offer you a second chance. But I'm not someone who waits. I sought out my second chance, and I took it.”
A faint smirk creeps across her face.
“You should have seen the look on your face when I dropped you with the Lions paw.” Victoria grinned “I could practically taste the fear, the moment you realized that all your pretty little dreams about being next in line just went up in smoke.”
She pauses shortly.
“You couldn't even capitalize on the biggest win of your career.” said Victoria “You ended the greatest Bombshell Roulette Championship reign of all time, my reign. But then you couldn't handle the pressure. You lost that championship before you could even make your victory matter. That makes you a placeholder, not a champion.”
That ever familiar arrogant smirk creeps across her face again.
“You had every opportunity to make something of yourself.” said Victoria “A huge win, a championship, and you failed. Should lightning strike twice, and you somehow walk away as Bombshell Internet Champion, who's to say that won't happen again?”
She looks into the camera as if waiting for a response.
“Of course there's the matter of the champion herself, Mercedes Vargas.” Victoria continued “Mercedes, you and I don't have to like each other to understand one another. You at least know how to act like a proper champion. That's why I don't hear you whining and complaining like Harper. You may not like this new development but like a champion you're ready to embrace whatever's thrown your way. The thing you lack is consistency.”
She pauses, keeping her attention on the camera.
“You are the champion, you're not the champion, you're the champion again, then you're not, then you are once more. That's been your cycle lately hasn't it Mercedes?” Victoria continued “You just can't seem to keep a hold on that championship for more than a couple of months before you need to win it back. When I was roulette champion I was the constant in that division for an entire year. I made the championship mean something and then Harper pissed it all away.”
She shakes her head, disappointed.
“But that's between Harper and myself.” said Victoria “As far as you're concerned Mercedes, I know you've built your legend on blood and persistence and that is something I can respect. Your iron will has led you to multiple championships over your career.”
She grins into the camera.
“But even iron rusts when it's out in the rain too long.” she said “And it's been raining on you for a while Mercedes. You spent so long cleaning into your past glory days, you don't even see how close to thunder is. You don't realize that I'm the storm that finally washes you away.”
She tilts her head at the camera.
"Over the years Mercedes, your hunger turned to habit." said Victoria "And now you wear the Championship like an heirloom instead of a weapon. I'm not looking to hold the Bombshell Internet Championship like some sort of prize, I'm coming to consume it and make it part of me. Just like I did with the Bombshell Roulette Championship I'm going to etch my name into the Bombshell Internet Championship so deep it will never forget the taste of my hands.”
She takes a couple precise steps closer to the camera.
“This isn't about any sort of validation for myself.” [/color]she said “It's about control of the conversation, and control of the entire division. Whether they admit it or not, every Bombshell in this company looks at me and knows what I represent, the cold-hearted truth that the world doesn't reward the kind-hearted or deserving.”
She pauses for a beat.
“The world rewards the relentless.” Victoria said “That's why I always come out ahead in the end. I'm not chasing a fairy tale ending I'm going to craft an Empire of inevitability.”
She smirks arrogantly.
“My father used to tell me that a lion doesn't need permission to hunt.” she said “And that's something that's stuck with me. I hear his voice in the back of my mind when I see Harper Mason crying about what's fair, or Mercedes Vargas leaning on her legacy. A lion doesn't wait for the jungle to approve of its actions, a lion just takes, and that's what I've done my entire life.”
She keeps her words firm and confident.
“I have no doubt that Harper Mason will come out swinging with all the heart in the world.” she said “But hearts are soft and hearts get crushed. When I crush hers maybe she'll finally understand what I've been saying all along about how this business doesn't reward those who play nice “
She pauses.
“Mercedes will come out methodical and calculated.” she said “She'll think she read me because she feels like she's seen every kind of opponent by now, and maybe she has. But she's never been ready for me in the past and she's not going to be ready for me now. I'm not some little girl chasing relevance and I'm not a veteran clinging to legacy. I'm the next inevitable thing.”
She keeps a strong confident gaze on the camera.
“You both like to talk about legacy and opportunity.” she said “But what you both want is validation, that's what drives you isn't it? Harper you want to prove you belong here, and Mercedes you want to prove you still got it. I don't need to prove anything to anybody. I'm here to take what I know I deserve.”
She takes another short moment to pause.
"Harper Mason you can keep trying to convince everyone you're more than just a moment she said but you can't even convince yourself of that can you?" she said. "Even with your big win over me, you're nothing but a footnote in my story. You're not the woman who defeated me for the Bombshell Roulette Championship, you're the one who lost it the moment you stepped out of my shadow.”
She takes another slow step toward the camera.
“And you Mercedes, your survival turned into stagnation.” she said “You used to be dangerous but now you're just familiar. You built an entire empire on being the veteran standard, or some sort of measuring stick and you don't even realize you've been measured. That's why you have to win the same title over and over again because you've got nothing left to chase, you don't rule perra, you recycle.”
She laughs softly to herself behind an arrogant smile.
“When the bell rings Harper will be the first to crumble because she's all heart and no spine.” said Victoria “Mercedes will fight harder because she has pride and her own legacy to worry about. But she will repeat the pattern and lose her Championship here to me only this time I break the cycle and she won't be getting it back.”
Her expression hardens completely.
“After High Stakes there won't be debates about who deserves what.” she said "Or the same old lines about longevity. There will only be me standing with the Bombshell Internet Championship in my hand. I don't chase moments, I make them and this one belongs to me.”
That smirk grows on her face as sharp as ever.
“Ladies..” she said “Consider this your warning that you had better…..be prepared.”
She pulls her spiked glove, The lion's paw out of a pocket and puts it on. She licks some of the barbs and winks to the camera has everything fades to black.
It was getting dark by the time Victoria and Darian pulled into the diner, Victoria looked at the place with a frown, it looked dingy and cheap but it was going to have to do.[/i]
“Charming.” she said to Darian but it wasn't a compliment.
"It's this, gas station sandwiches, or the drive-thru.” Darian said “You've got to pick your poison.”
Victoria gave an annoyed exhale.
“Fine.” she said “But if they hand me a menu filthy enough to attract flies we're leaving.”
The door chime gave a ring as they stepped inside, it looked to be a fairly quiet night. An old man eating a slice of pie at the counter, a pair of teenagers on a date, and a small handful of families filled the seats.
“Welcome in.” the waitress said with a friendly smile “Feel free to find a seat.”
They found a booth near the back window, the same booth that unbeknownst to them had hosted some familiar faces earlier that day.
The waitress came to their table with a smile and a coffee pot.
“Coffee?” she asked.
“Yes.” Victoria said “But we want it fresh, not whatever's been sitting in the pot for the last 3 hours.”
The waitress, whose name tag read Mindy gave a faint knowing smile.
“....Of course.” she said “I'll be right back with your menus and some fresh coffee.”
“Good.” said Victoria “And if it's not fresh, I send it back.”
“..Of course.” fake smiled Mindy.
As Mindy disappeared Darian looked at Victoria with a grin.
“You really know how to charm people don't you?” he said
“What?” said Victoria “Is a fresh cup of coffee too much to ask? Besides, you find me pretty charming.”
“Touche.” smiled Darian.
Mindy returned moments later with two menus and fresh hot coffee.
“Here's your coffee.” she said “And I'll be back to take your order whenever you're ready.”
“Very good.” said Victoria dismissively.
There was a moment of hesitation and then Mindy spoke again.
“Please forgive me for asking.” she said “But you look familiar have we met?”
“No.” said Victoria annoyed “If we had you wouldn't need to ask.”
“Right.. sorry..” Mindy said “It's just your eyes, they're…. familiar. Anyway, take a look over the menu and I'll be back shortly to see if you're ready.”
Mindy turned and left to help with some of the other customers.
“That was weird.” said Darian
“Well we are in Tucson.” said Victoria. "It's not like we're dealing with any scholars out here.”
“Maybe she watches SCW.” Darian suggested.
“If she watched SCW, I would be more than just familiar to her.” Victoria said “She probably just saw a flyer or billboard with me on it or something.”
“Yeah, probably.” Darian agreed.
Mindy returned to the table side a few moments later.
“You folks ready?” she asked.
“Yes." said Victoria “I'll have the classic burger, I want it cooked medium, no onions. I want the lettuce and tomato on the side. They come on the burger, I send it back.”
“Of course ma'am..” said Mindy biting her lip “And for you sir?”
“The gentlemen will have the grilled chicken sandwich.” Victoria said “And we both want fries, and we want them hot and fresh. They come cold, we send them back.”
“Coming right up ma'am.” said Mindy through her fake smile.
As Mindy walked away toward the kitchen, watch Victoria take a sip of the coffee.
"So what's the verdict on the coffee?" Darian asked.
“It's… passable.” Victoria said “But I can't expect too much out of Tucson.”
“You know, we could have just ordered room service at the hotel.” said Darian
Victoria shook her head.
“Not in this city.” said Victoria “I looked at our hotel's idea of room service, and I wouldn't even feed any of that to a stray dog. This is the best we're going to get, unfortunately.”
“I guess it's a good thing we stopped here then.” Darian chuckled.
“Yeah.. good… if you can call it that.” Victoria said.
They continued their chatter until Mindy returned and set two plates down in front of them.
“Medium burger no onions, lettuce and tomato on the side.” she said “And the grilled chicken sandwich for the gentleman.”
Victoria poked at her food like a science experiment lifting a fry between two of her fingers investigated it closely before dropping it back on the plate.
“Garson..” she said, snapping her fingers to get Mindy’s attention just has she turned to leave.
“...Something wrong ma'am?” Mindy asked.
“These fries are not fresh.” she said “Take it to whoever's back there, and tell them I said fresh, Not the fries that were cooked during lunch rush. His too.”
“I don't know mine are pretty good..” Darian said munching on a fry.
“And that's why you need me, Dare Bear.” Victoria said “You deserve better. You don't need to accept this. Now run along Mindy and fix it.”
“....Of course.” Mindy said with a thin tone gathering the plates and returning back to the kitchen.
“You're enjoying this aren't you?” Darian said.
“I just expect competency.". Victoria smirked “Besides I'm helping her improve.”
“Oh yeah, I'm sure she'll thank you later.” Darian grinned.
Mindy returned moments later with tired eyes and fresh plates sat down in front of them.
“There you go, fresh fries from the fryer.” she said, still faking a smile “I do apologize it's been a long day.”
“Been workin’ the diner all day?” huh said Darian
“Just about.” Mindy replied “Been here since brunch.”
“Well, if you're workin’ the diner all day..” Darian grinned, “Maybe your parents should have should have named you Gina.”
Genuine laughter left Victoria's lips and she nearly choked on her coffee.
“Oh that's a good one Dare Bear.” she said “You get it right Mindy? Like the Bon Jovi song.”
“Yeah..I got it.” Mindy muttered “I do hope everything is to your satisfaction now.”
Victoria inspected her fries once more.
“Not great..” she said “But better. They'll have to do.”
Mindy just gave a nod and turned and walked away.
“You know that waitress has a bad attitude.” said Victoria “She's lucky I'm such a nice person, but she should probably work on that.”
“The nerve of some people.” smirked Darian.
“Seriously.” said “I just hope this place doesn't give me food poisoning before my match with Mercedes and Harper.”
“Like a little thing like food poisoning would stop you anyway.” said Darian
“Very true." Victoria smiled back at him “Mercedes thinks because she's been around forever she's untouchable and Harper's still playing dress up acting like she deserves to be in the ring with the grown women. It's time to remind them who the queen is around here.”
“Then I guess Tucson better brace itself.” Darian chuckled.
“It's not ready.” Victoria said between bites of her burger, “But nobody ever really is.”
The two continued to finish their meal and when it was done, left just enough money to cover the bill.
“See you later Gina.” Victoria said with a grin at Mindy as they made their exit. The door made the same tired jingle it did when they arrived.
“Come on, let's get to the hotel.” Victoria said as her and Darian hopped into their vehicle and continued along down the highway. Mediocre dinner aside her eyes were focused on the real prize and that was the Bombshell Internet Championship.
__________
An endless highway stretched before them, a light glow from the dashboard painted Victoria's face as Darian drove with one hand on the wheel. She stared at the window at the endless scenery passing her by letting herself get lost in her thoughts.
The Bombshell Internet Championship.
It rested in her mind more and more as the days grew closer, a match that was about the championship as much as it was about validation. Proof that she was more than just her run as Bombshell Roulette Champion champion. It was proof that Victoria Lyons still had more to do and more records to break.
She wanted that championship, but it was more than that. It was about control and defining herself as the queen of another division. It was about reminding everyone that Victoria Lyons belonged on top.
She looked over at Darien who had his eyes fixated on the road and wondered how this whole thing had even happened. However it had, she knew her feelings were real and perhaps she even loved him.
The thought of her brother crept in like a ghost. She hadn't spoken to Vincent in weeks, not since he tried to recruit her into doing his dirty work against Alexandra Calaway. They were supposed to be unstoppable together, but their twin egos proved to be too much to handle each other.
She was actually getting along better with Eddie these days. Her cousin that she had once been a tag team champion alongside. The relationship wasn't perfect but they always had some sort of mutual understanding. She even got to meet baby Jordan a few times…. with supervision.
But that was more than Vincent. Eddie had made it known that Vincent wasn't allowed around his daughter. Vincent had a long way to go with making things right with Eddie.
As for her, she wondered if her own wound with Vincent would heal. Or if he ever thought about her. Whatever was going on in the storm of his mind these days, did he still remember the days when it was just the two of them?
“Penny for your thoughts?” Darian's voice came through.
“Hmmm?” said Victoria, breaking from her little daydream.
“You've been staring out that window for a while.” Darian said
“Oh ...." said Victoria “Yeah…. just thinking about the match”
“Figured as much.” said Darian “You've got your battle mode eyes on.”
“Do I now?” said Victoria
“Yep.” said Darian “I bet you've already imagined three different ways to finish off Mercedes and Harper.”
“Four actually.” grinned Victoria. “But it's more than that, it's about everything that comes with winning the championship. The statement that Victoria Lyons belongs on top. Because it seems like people are starting to forget that.”
“You want to remind them.” said Darian
“Yes.” she said “And maybe remind myself. I know I've had my ups and downs lately but it ends here. I can't be the Victoria that lost the High Stakes tournament to Bella Madison, I need to be the Victoria that beat Kayla Richards in the High Stakes tournament.”
“Ups and downs or not Vic.” Darian said “I think underestimating you at any time would be a mistake.”
“Exactly.” said Victoria “That's what I love about you Dare Bear, you get it. Harper and Mercedes think I'm not as good as I once was, they're about to find out how wrong they are. I'm ready for this I'm ready to once again be a champion and have another record-breaking reign.”
“Imagine." he said “The longest reigning Bombshell Roulette Champion of all time, and the longest reigning Bombshell Internet Champion of all time, you'd be undeniable.”
“Oh I already am.” she said “I just need to make them all see it.”
“You will.” Darian reassured her.
She smiled at him, her Dare Bear. Always so supportive. He was right though it was time for Victoria Lyons to be a champion again. It was time for her to take the Bombshell Internet Championship from Mercedes Vargas and dominate another division. It was time to show Harper Mason that lightning does not strike twice, and it was time to show the entire SCW fanbase that Victoria Lyons was still the queen. She leaned back in her seat, looking back at the window, keeping her mind focused on gaining her next crown.
__________
Static, and then the camera flickers to life on Victoria sitting in front of a vanity looking at her reflection in the glass. She avoids looking at the camera lens only looking at herself as she begins speaking.
“They say mirrors don't lie.” Victoria said “But that's not the truth. Mirrors show us what we want to see, a familiar polished reflection.”
She pauses still not looking at the camera.
“Harper Mason, you sit there in front of the camera and do your little vlogs.” said Victoria “You have that same mirror mentality talking about curses and bad luck. But the truth is you're not under a curse Harper, it's just your pattern.”
She turns in her seat, finally facing the camera.
“All I heard from you were excuses.” said Victoria “Blaming everybody else for your own failures because you can't accept that you simply aren't good enough to hang at the top. You call me the queen of choking? Sweetheart, you're confusing choking with pressure. You know what that is right? You've been under it before. You call it a curse and I call it your ceiling.”
She looks back at the mirror smiling at herself.
“You think I attacked you out of fear?” said Victoria “I only came to restore order, and take what's right. I didn't take your spotlight. I am the spotlight. You're just the light that flickers out when the pressure hits too hard. You're sole victory over me is your defining moment, and you couldn't even make that last. Think about it, nobody cares that you won the roulette championship, they care because of who you beat to become the Roulette clChampion. Alexandra Calaway is one of the top Bombshells in that locker room, but nobody talks about me starting my reign by defeating her. But with you all they talk about is how you ended the reign of Victoria Lyons. That's because when I took the championship I made it and myself great. It wasn't just about who I beat.”
She pauses for a moment.
“Hypocrite.” she said “That's what you called me right? Hey, maybe I've stumbled a bit since losing my sweet Rue, but you don't understand that the fall isn't the end, it's a recalibration. My dominance is about longevity, because I'm not looking to just create moments I'm looking to create a legacy.”
She exhales.
“But you're just someone addicted to moments.” said Victoria “The flash of victor,y and a feeling of validation that disappears as fast as it came. I'm addicted to evolution Harper. I come and tear down what isn't working and rebuild it stronger. You can cling to your one victory over me like a little life raft, because you know that's the only thing that keeps your name from fading into obscurity. I'm chasing greatness, you're the one chasing validation.”
She leans back slightly in her chair keeping her callous expression on the camera.
“The truth is you need me to stay relevant.” said Victoria “But I can be relevant on my own. My name carries its own gravity, because Victoria Lyons commands attention. You've just been comfortable living in my shadow.”
She laughs to herself.
“You can call me whenever you want Harper.” Victoria said “You can call me whatever helps you sleep at night, but when we get into that ring at High Stakes, you'll remember why you couldn't be a champion for long. That same pressure will close in and the weight of that expectation will break you apart. People like Mercedes and myself feed off that. That's why we're seen as actual dominant champions. That's why Mercedes has a legacy and that's why I'm creating mine.”
A smirk curls on her lips.
“I'm sorry I had to make you the afterthought.” said Victoria “But one of the big girls had to give Mercedes a real challenge. Someone had to step up and that's exactly what I did. If you don't like it, then you need to put your big girl pants on and do something about it.”
She stops to catch some air.
“Of course that brings me to you Mercedes.” Victoria continued “You sit there under your city lights telling everyone how untouchable you are talking about the inevitability of your dominance, and honestly I get it. That confidence is necessary in this business, and you need that sort of attitude to survive. It's what makes women like you, and women like me predators, and women like Harper Mason the prey. Because you know as well as I do, that that's all Harper Mason is in this match you and I are the predators Mercedes."
She laughs slightly to herself.
“I'll give you your credit Mercedes.” Victoria said “You make dominance look like art, and that's something you've mastered over your career. But you seem to have forgotten some things while you sit there in your silk robe, letting the sun shine on your championship with just the right hint of light.”
She exhales softly.
“You've been around so long you forgot about what hunger is like, and you assume that because someone hasn't been sitting in first class for over a decade they aren't equipped for the air.” Victoria said “You painted Harper Mason as a tourist in your city gasping for breath at the summit where the view is reserved. But high altitude doesn't define who can fly, and you will find out that Victoria Lyons is capable of flying higher than anybody.”
She pauses.
“You love to talk about legacy.” Victoria said “About history recording you, like your past performance guarantees your future dominance. What happens when someone new comes along and doesn't observe the sunset from your rooftop but decides to build a bigger house that outshines it?”
She keeps her eyes glinting on the camera.
“You think I'm still workshopping my persona halfway through the year?” Victoria said “Mercedes…. I've always been the queen I don't need a crown or a throne to be that. I just need to be the strong independent woman that Victoria Lyons has always been. Queen is a mindset, that's something a strong independent woman like you should understand. It's what helps me build confidence in myself. What are you if not the Argentine Assassin? What is Harper Mason if not the Slaytanic Avenger?”
She raises an eyebrow.
“You like to lecture me about accountability.” said Victoria “About dropping the baggage that was my brother. Make me sound like a fragile woman clinging to excuses but I'm not fragile and I'm not clinging to anything. Every obstacle you point to, every revelation you try to weaponize against me, I use it as fuel against you and that's what makes me dangerous.”
You can almost see a fire growing in her eyes at this point.
“Legacy isn't about pretty optic sunsets or fancy robes.” said Victoria “Legacy is the impact you leave behind when someone else tests your supposed perfection and doesn't flinch, even when you assume control is absolute. You want me to prove myself on your terms, but I don't bend to anybody not even you Mercedes. But you will bend to me and you and Harper both will be forced to call me the new Bombshell Internet Champion when High Stakes comes to an end.”
She smiles that ever confident smile.
“So sit on your rooftop and count your victories Mercedes.” Victoria said “Tell everyone about the inevitability of your reign, tell Harper to quiver about altitude sickness, tell me I'm digging myself into a pit, because when that bell rings you will realize the reality of the chaos that I truly am in reality is unavoidable.”
She turns and looks back at herself in the vanity.
“I promise you both, when the bell tolls on Sunday,” Victoria said “The Bombshell Internet Championship will have a new name. Not Mercedes Vargas, and not Harper Mason but Victoria Lyons, and that Mercedes will be the view from the top you didn't see coming.”
She looks to herself in the mirror with confidence and a smile in the scene slowly fades out to black.