The fun and games were over. Neither of the Lyons twins were amused with either of their current rivals. Vincent was ready to officially cut the rope and complete the execution of Jayden Harris. Victoria had heard one word from her rival that had stuck in her brain and she took it personally that word was..
Afraid.
That word would be Harper Mason's final mistake. Victoria's opponents could say a lot about her. She was callous, she was conniving, she was cruel, and she was quite frankly a bitch. But the one thing she had never been and nobody would ever dare call her again was afraid.
It was time to break Harper Mason both mentally and physically. And it would start by destroying her best friend and partner in Cassie Wolfe, before Victoria was to lead her own execution of Harper Mason at summer XXXtreme.
And if that pesky little cockroach Kate Steele wanted to get involved then she could get it too.
She didn't agree with her cousin Eddie often but he was right about something he said leading into his match last week.
After Summer XXXtreme the only name that matters will be Lyons.[/i]
__________
The old Lyons Greenhouse was cleaner than it had been in years, the pathways were swept, the broken glass panes replaced, the only thing that was left as they found it, was the decay of the dead flowers and weeds which Victoria had chosen to keep.
Somehow the decaying dead orchids and wilted roses seemed beautiful to her, it was something that once sprouted with life like she had when she was Queen but now like her was, left something more decayed and broken.
But broken things could still be beautiful, and this place was beautiful to her. This was her new comfort area, her new throne room, this was her place.
“Look at it Vincent.” she said motioning around the greenhouse, “Look at what we've done with the place. We've restored it. It looks even better than it did when we were kids.”
“Yeah it's great.” Vincent said no emotion in his voice.
Victoria looked at him curiously.
“Everything okay over there little brother.” she asked.
“Yes I'm fine.” Vincent exhaled shaking his head “Sorry, just this whole Jayden situation I need to handle it, and I will. I just I need some air.”
Without further word Vincent took an exit from the greenhouse and Victoria let him go. Despite all accusations against them, she did not control him. He chose Jayden as a target on his own and she knew Vincent would finish Jayden on his own.
She had her own problems anyway. The whole Harper Mason situation had grown incredibly out of hand, and now Kate Steele was buzzing around being honestly more annoying than Harper Mason was.
But without even realizing it the powers that be had actually given her a gift. A gift in the form of Cassie Wolfe. The teammate and close friend of Harper Mason. Now she had the chance and opportunity to send a powerful message to Harper Mason before their War upon the Princess Cruise. She would take her dear friend Cassie Wolfe and make a complete example out of her.
“I'm not fucking afraid.“ she muttered to herself.
It was that word that she took personally. AFRAID. It was that word that ate at her. She was the Bombshell roulette champion, the current longest reigning champion in the company. Who did she have to be afraid of?
Certainly not Harper Mason, definitely not Kate Steele, and especially not Cassie Wolfe.
She looked at her own reflection in the newly restored pond still hidden somewhat among the dead brambles. She wasn't a queen anymore and she had learned to accept that but now she had to figure out who she really wanted to become was it a goddess as she originally thought or was that too easy, too obvious?
Did it really matter? Because her true identity was the Bombshell Roulette Champion, her true identity was just Victoria Lyons. The scourge of the Bombshell Roulette Division. The one they still refused to show any respect to.
Afraid. What a childish remark. But she should have expected no less from a child like Harper Mason a child she wanted to help grow, but now was being forced to destroy, and the first step in that ways to destroy her mental state and in order to do that she needed to make an example out of one person.
Cassie Wolfe.
She smiled back at her own reflection. Everything was going to play out fine. She would make an example out of Cassie Wolfe and just like last year she would enter and leave the Princess Cruise as a champion.
__________
She had found Vincent lingering around the outside of the greenhouse, and she had let him be but now was the time to be his one minute older, bit still older sister and make sure he truly was ready for Jayden Harris.
“Hey Vin.” she said upon her approach “You get enough air?”
“Oh hey Vic.” he said turning to her. “Yeah I'm fine.”
“You sure about that?” she said with an intrigued look “You left kind of hastily.”
“I just don't know if I can take another loss to Jayden.” said Vincent "I need to win at Summer XXXtreme. I made it our match, our family specialty, if I lose this time does it mean Jayden Harris is right?”
“Don't you even talk like that.” said Victoria, “Remember you're already winning the bigger game against Jayden and he doesn't even realize it. You are in his head just the thought of you drives him crazy and that is your true victory.”
“He covered us in shit.” Vincent reminded her
Victoria went quiet for a moment and there was a slight quiver of her lip and fury in her eyes before a heavy calming exhale.
“He did.” she nodded “But he did that because he had to. He has nothing left, so he had to become Johnny Knoxville because all Jayden Harris is is a jackass.”
“Still would be nice to have my name etched as the victor.” said Vincent.
“You can't let those losses get to you little brother.” Victoria said, "Look at me I'm not on my best run either. You'll get to deal with Jayden on the cruise ship right now but you need to do is focus on Felix Hernandez. Take it as a warm up before Jayden, so when the time comes you can pull the trigger and put Jayden out for good.”
Vincent let out a calming exhale of his own.
“Yeah, you're right Vic.” said Vincent "I'll figure out what to do about Jayden on the cruise ship, but first maybe I can shake a little of whatever this is off and make Felix Hernandez my personal toy that I will abuse and humiliate.”
“And I'll do the same to Cassie Wolfe” said Victoria “Before I end Harper Mason on the cruise ship.”
“While we're on the subject of the cruise ship…” said Vincent “Eddie is getting married on the ship you planning on attending?”
“Please.” said Victoria “He clearly doesn't want us there, so why would we go.?”
“I mean he sent out an invite to the entire roster.” said Vincent.
“Yes I saw that.” said Victoria “But we are his family. We should have got a personal invitation and we didn't, which means we're not wanted.”
“We could crash it.” grinned Vincent.
“No.” said Victoria “It's no concern of ours. We need to focus on our matches, trying to crash Eddie's wedding would only be a distraction for us.”
“Yeah.” said Vincent “I get it and I don't want any distractions, because I don't plan on taking the loss this time. This is going to be the match that matters between Jayden and myself, this is the one I need to win and it's the one I will win Vic. I will win. I will.”
“I know you will.” Victoria replied “Come on let's go back up to the house, mom said she was going to make her chocolate chip cookies.”
That brightened up her brother's eyes and she knew it would ever since they were kids their mother's homemade chocolate chip cookies had been a favorite of theirs even into adulthood it just made them feel like they drifted back into childhood.
As they approach the main house the house they lived in as kids they could smell the aroma of the cookies wafting into the outside air in a sense of comfort came over them. A sort of warmth. As callous has both of them could be, even for them there truly was no place like home.
__________
“Theres my sweet little angels.” Ms Lyons said as the twins entered the kitchen. “I knew you two would turn up for cookies sooner or later some things never change.”
“Thanks!.” they both said in unison with smiles, each giving their mother a hug in turn.
Vincent as usual was the first to grab a cookie off the tray.
“Oh you put extra chocolate chips in them this time!” said Vincent “You're the best mom ever.”
“Well you're still my sweet little boy.” she smiled back at him.
Victoria watched as Vincent bit into his cookie and she could see in his eyes as he began being transported somewhere else and she knew that feeling as well as he did.
“Thanks again mother.” she said with a smile at her mom.
“Of course.” Ms Lyons replied “You're my perfect little daughter after all.”
“Always.” Victoria replied with a smile has she been into her own cookie and then she had that feeling and it brought her back to a different time in her childhood.
…………….
……….
….
..
.
“How's the cookie sweetheart?” Vincent Sr. asked his young daughter.
“It's great.” the young Victoria replied back looking at her father “Mother always makes them so delicious.”
“I know she does.” replied Vincent Sr. “So you and your brother start Sixth Grade next month, Middle School, and I hear you've made the leadership team.”
“Yes. They said since I did really good in elementary school.” said Victoria “I'm someone they want to set an example for the rest of the kids. I'm supposed to start off with hall monitor duties.”
“Well I always knew you had it in you sweetheart.” her father said “I always knew you were a leader. Not just any leader, a good strong leader. I see how you helping your brother when he's a bit off track, as us Lyons men tend to get.”
“Yeah, Vin can be a bit of a doofus sometimes.” Young Victoria said with a grin.
“And you're the first female Lyons in a few generations.” her father said “My father had two brothers, and his father before him had a brother, and their father was a single child. Beyond that we are unsure but there have not been any females to carry the Lyons name and bloodline in some time, until you and that makes you a head lioness. There will come a time when I'm not here anymore, and you're going to need to be the leader of the family.”
“What about Vincent?” she asked her father.
“Vincent will carry my name.” her father said “But you need to be there with him, to help lead and guide him. Remember you are stronger together, and your bond must never be broken.”
“I understand.” she nodded.
“Don't worry you're going to be great.” her father said to her “Your school's leadership team is lucky to have you.”
“I will perform my duties as Hall Monitor dutifully.” she said “I will make sure to keep order in my hallways.”
“That's what I'm afraid of.” her father said with a grin, “Anyway come on let's go get some more cookies before your brother eats them all.”
She smiled back at her father and followed him back to the kitchen where more cookies awaited.
……………
………
…….
…..
…
.
Suddenly there she was back in her kitchen, just her Vincent and their mother, her cookie now nothing but crumbles on the plate below her. She looked across to her brother as he finished up his, and their gaze met.
She was the leader and there was still some guidance for Vincent, his attention was laser focused on Jayden Harris and it was up to her to make sure she led him to victory because if he failed it was because she failed to lead him properly.
But she would always stand by him because their bond would never be broken and they were stronger together.
“I will lead you.” she muttered quietly to herself, her gaze still on her brother.
___________
The cameras find Victoria alone among the dead weeds and brambles of the old Lyon's greenhouse. She sits with the Bombshell Roulette Championship on her shoulder, casually among the dead orchids and roses with an unreadable look on her face as she keeps her gaze on the camera.
“You know all this started because of you Cassie.” said Victoria. “It all started because you chose to come into SCW, and pull your supposed friend Harper Mason back from her true potential. You are the cause of all of this.”
She furrows her brow and there's a quiver in her lip.
“What is your team supposed to accomplish anyway?” said Victoria “There are no Bombshell Tag Team titles. So is there really a point to Young Justice?”
She shakes her head no as if answering her own question.
“The answer is no.” she said “So all you're doing is putting your friend in a tag team that doesn't even matter. You took all the opportunities that could have been hers and what did you do with them? You squandered them all. Blast from the Past. Queen For a Day. Championship opportunities. All of it.”
She stands and begins moving along the paths of the greenhouse the decayed flowers decorated on both sides.
“And look at you now Cassie.” she snarled “Seeking another opportunity, another chance to take something away from Harper. You're going to use this as your opportunity to worm your way into her championship opportunity in hopes that you become a champion instead of her."
She shakes her head in disgust.
“But that's not how this story plays out Cassie.” said Victoria “Because this isn't your hero arc. It's Harper's. Harper Mason is the one trying to play hero and now she's about to get to the chapter where the hero's best friend gets destroyed, sending the hero into a downward mental spiral. That is your role in this story Cassie, you are going to the sacrifice so Harper Mason can see the true price of her heroism.”
She finds one of the larger boulders and sits on it, exhaling softly before continuing.
“This is everything you deserve Cassie.” said Victoria “It's a shame I couldn't convince Harper to see her true potential. It's a shame she wants to remain on this heroes arc instead of embracing and learning from a true leader that only wanted to guide her. But I suppose you can't win them all. Some people are just beyond helping and don't understand what a good leader is.”
She pauses for a short moment.
“But as a leader I need to do what I need to do.” said Victoria “And I refuse to let you do this to Harper Mason again and again and again. Taking you out is not going to only be beneficial for her but it's to teach you a lesson as well. You don't deserve a shot at my championship and you won't be getting one. All you're going to get is pain and suffering, the pain and suffering that you've brought upon yourself. The pain and suffering Harper Mason has forced me to give to you.”
That ever cocky grin appears on her face again.
“I am the truth.” said Victoria “And I'm going tired of the disrespect being thrown my way. I'm tired of people still doubting me, still saying I'm not enough when I've held my Bombshell Roulette Championship for the past year and stood up to any and all challenges put in front of me and Harper wants to call me afraid?”
Victoria laughs.
“You know Alexandra Calaway once thought I was afraid of her.” said Victoria “And she came to realize that I was anything but afraid. I put her in her place just like I have everybody that's tried to take my championship, and the funny thing is Cassie and I can't believe I'm going to say this but Alexandra Calaway is more woman than you and Harper Mason combined.”
She scoffs slightly at her own comment.
“I only speak the truth.” said Victoria “And she is the one who successfully lived up to her own Queenslayer moniker. She successfully burned my throne and she managed to seize my crown. She warned me that she was going to end my reign as queen and she did. She didn't even have to lay a finger on me to seize my crown and that's commendable. But afraid? I was never afraid of her and I'm certainly not afraid of the two of you.”
She pauses for a quick beat.
“I do wonder what Harper Mason would do though if you did make it into our match.” said Victoria “We know Kate Steele is already trying to worm her own way in as well, so what happens if I get stuck in another multi women match? I can tell you I will pay whoever I have to to win and retain my championship because I’m a winner and that’s how winning is done, but your friend Harper Mason she has to win by pinning one person. Me.”
Victoria grins.
“By Harper's own words.” said Victoria “She has to pin me or she'll be a coward. If this becomes a multi-woman match and she wins by pinning somebody that's not me, somebody that's not the champion, than by her own words that would make her a coward, and that would make her afraid of me, and it would make her a weak champion.”
She pauses letting her words linger.
“But that's going to be Harper Mason's burden to bear.” she said, “Just as what's going to happen to you will be her burden to bear Cassie. It's time for her to learn what her heroism gets her, and it's time for you to learn how to be a better more supportive friend and tag team partner.”
She rises to her feet her championship still displayed proudly on her shoulder.
“You all can say what you want.” she said “But I am the champion of the Bombshell Roulette Division, and if that bothers you too bad. I'm not hiding from anybody and I'm not going to just roll over and just give up my championship. I don't care about people saying it's the Paperweight Championship or I'm not as much of a champion as Kayla Richards."
There's a disgusted look on her face.
“I made this championship great.” said Victoria “I made the championship mean something, more than it has in sometime. But yet I still have doubters I still hear whispers that I'm just a champion of a weak division. If that's the case then maybe they should find me better competition because if I'm going to lose my championship, somebody's going to damn well earn it I haven't kept it this long to just roll over and die. If that means I'm Champion for another year then so be it that's exactly what I'll do. Harper thinks I'm afraid of her but I'll show her and I'll show you Cassie how unafraid I really am.”
She takes another short pause.
“I am Victoria Lyons.” she said sternly “And I am your Bombshell Roulette Champion. I'm not the champion by being afraid of anybody. I'm the Champion by setting up to every challenger before me and laying waste to them. After I'm done with you Cassie I'll move on to Harper and leave her in a wake of my destruction, and she will have nobody to blame but herself because she chose this. She chose to remain loyal and by your side and now it's time to face the consequences and pay the price of heroism.”
Keeping her posture confident and her expression just as she stays focused on the camera as it all fades to black.
