Victoria looked across the room of her Monaco hotel at her brother Vincent who had been staring at his new championship silently for some time.
“I just realized..” she said “I never congratulated you on your championship victory. So congratulations dear brother.”
Vincent sighed and shook his head not turning to look at her, his eyes still fixated on his championship.
“Wasn't a victory.“ he muttered
Victoria nodded to herself she knew what he meant.
“Look it doesn't matter now how it happened.” Victoria said “Whatever happened with Guy and everything, none of it affects you and none of it affects the Lyons Den.”
“It was just handed to me.” Vincent muttered again
“Because you are the best man for that championship now.” she said “That's why. Don't worry about the how , just worry about the now. You are a champion because nobody else deserves it like you do.”
Vincent shook his head and looked back at her.
“No.” he said “I haven't earned shit. I don't deserve this championship. Not yet. But it's not in my nature to just give it up either. I'm sorry Victoria, but you can't help me with this but I think I know who can.”
“Oh.” Victoria said curiously “and who might that be?”
“Eddie.” he said “He always knows the right thing to do.”
Without further word Vincent grabbed his championship, slung it over his shoulder and with a nod at her, he left the room. Victoria watched him until she heard the door click shut behind him.
“I hope Eddie has the answers you need brother.” she said to herself.
With a sigh, she stood up and walked over to a nearby vanity and looked at her reflection in the mirror.
“And what does the future hold for you?” she said “The easy answer of course is the Bombshell World Championship. How you're going to waltz right through Bella and Alexandra, take Kayla's championship, change the narrative and go on to face Andrea Hernandez instead.”
She laughs slightly to herself.
“But nothing's that easy is it?” she said “Through it all you know what both Alexandra and Bella are capable of. You've gone to war with both of them, and you know they were some of the toughest wars you've ever been in.”
Of course she is still herself and that cocky grin appears on her face.
“But as tough as those wars were.” she said “Who came out on top every time? You did. Alexandra and Bella have given you some of the best fights of your life, it's true, but they haven't beaten you. There's no reason for you to let that start now.”
Through a sigh, her expression changes to one that looks slightly uncomfortable.
“But even if you do win, then what?" she said “You have to face Kayla Richards and you know who hasn't beaten Kayla Richards? YOU. You know who Kayla Richards has beaten? YOU.”
She growls slightly accepting an uncomfortable truth.
“So how are you spinning that narrative?" she said “Oh right! You won the mixed tag titles from her and Finn!”
She shakes her head.
“Wrong again.” she said “Eddie won those belts for the two of you, and you know who lost them for the two of you? You did. As dominant as you were in your first year, there's still one woman that's always been better at each and every turn and that's Kayla Richards.”
She nods to herself.
"What you need to do is change the narrative." she said "Kayla Richards has been calling for a new contender and even said she'd rather it be you than Andrea. How about we give her what she wants? Let's change the narrative and become the wrench in the works that Kayla nor Andrea were ready for.”
With a confident nod she laughs a bit to herself before moving back to relax on her comfy hotel bed.
__________
The cameras open in a smooth Velvet Lounge dimly lit with some soft jazz music fill in the air as they find Victoria Lyons with a glass of red wine sitting at a big comfy lounge chair. She looks at both shoulders and then touches the top of her head and shrugs.
“I suppose this makes both of you happy.” said Victoria “To see this to see me with nothing, no championship, no crown, just me.”
She pauses for a moment once again looking at her empty shoulder.
"This is the image you always wanted to see isn't it?" she said "You wanted to see me fall everybody's been waiting for Victoria's fall from grace.”
She shakes her head with a slight laugh to herself.
“Well laugh it up ladies.” she said “Enjoy it while it lasts, because it won't last long now that I've been given a goal, and that goal leads me straight to the Bombshell World Championship.”
She takes another short pause, her eyes still lingering at the camera.
“I mean I may have nothing." she said “But neither do the two of you. In my record-breaking championship reign, both of you failed to be the one to succeed me. Harper Mason was the one who had what it took and that's because of the drive that I instilled in her mind. So while I reigned what were the two of you doing?”
She pauses looking into the camera wide-eyed like she's Dora the Explorer waiting for a response.
“How about you Alexandra?” she said “You came at me a couple times and couldn't get the championship from me. I will give you credit however, you did prove yourself a queenslayer when you burned my throne and then took the crown. You ended my reign as queen and I didn't really see it coming. I was truly expecting a more physical encounter if I were to lose my crown, but you played it smart and you didn't even need to fight me to end my reign as queen. Very impressive indeed. “
She sips her wine and gives a nod to the camera with a tip of the glass.
"But as impressive as it was that didn't make you a champion." she said "And you're still out there chasing championships. Do you know why? Because something about you in SCW just seems softer. The Alexandra Calaway that I see teaming with my cousin in PWS is a completely different animal. That Alexandra Calaway is a champion. That Alexandra Calaway wants nothing but destruction. That Alexandra Calaway along with my cousin Alexander beat the shit out of Bella Madison's husband in PWS. I thought you and Bella were friends I wonder how that makes Bella feel?”
She laughs to herself with a wink.
“So why are you softer in SCW?” Victoria said raising an eyebrow “I think the common denominator is Alexander. He's not here with you in SCW, so you stick around LJ and that's what makes you weaker. With LJ you're worried too much about being a loving girlfriend and having a happy little relationship. But when you're with Alexander there's no romance involved, just destruction. Just the two of you causing chaos. That's the Alexandra Calaway you need to bring, not the cute little loving girlfriend of LJ Kasey. Because if you don't, well then you're just making my job that much easier.”
She takes another sip of wine keeping her relaxed posture.
“And what about you Bella?” Victoria said "You actually did manage to become a champion after I defeated you. But instead of holding on to it month after month like I did, you decided to take the Internet Championship and begin a game of hot potato. You won the title then you lost to Aleesha, then you won it back, then Mercedes Vargas won it, then Lilith Locke won it, then Mercedes won it back again. Maybe you should try holding the championship for longer than a couple months. Try a year, that's how I did it.”
There's that arrogant smirk on her face again.
“It's no wonder this match came about either.” she said “After Kayla Richards expressed her displeasure about her next contender on X. But she gets her wish now, she'll have to defend against one of us before she even gets to Andrea Hernandez and I'm sure Andrea is going to be watching everything closely as well.”
Victoria takes a short pause and a sip of wine.
“You're going to be in that lounge with a very different Victoria than you remember from our past encounters.” she continued “I was satisfied, content, had everything the last time I faced either of you. Now I have nothing which means I'm hungry and I need that hunger to be satisfied. You are nothing more than obstacles in my way of fulfilling the ultimate hunger and becoming the Bombshell World Champion.”
She smirks confidently through another sip of wine.
“This is going to be where everyone learns that Victoria Lyons doesn't fall from grace.” she said “Victoria Lyons rises through it and becomes stronger and more dangerous than she was before. What? Did you think it was the end of me because I lost the Bombshell Roulette Championship?”
She faints tears with the mock crying motion.
“If that's what you think.” she said “Then you really don't know who Victoria Lyons is at all. Because she's only just begun. The Bombshell Roulette Championship was only the first chapter in a much longer story. I made my mark as the longest reigning and greatest Bombshell Roulette Champion of all time.”
She lifts her glass and drinks down the remaining contents.
“The entire game is about to change now that I have arrived in the world title scene.” she said “I know it's the arrival everybody's been waiting for, everybody's wondering when I would begin to make moves toward the Bombshell World Championship. The truth is I've always been ready. But I was busy. I had the Roulette Championship to worry about. But now I trust in the good hands of Harper Mason that she will be a perfectly fine champion, not as good as I was of course but a perfectly fine champion nonetheless.”
She laughs to herself with an arrogant grin.
“But now it's time to give the people what they want.” she said “And they want Victoria Lyons as the Bombshell World Champion whether they want to admit it or not. Everybody knows the best thing for this company is that belt around my waist and I will stop at nothing to give them what they want.”
She pauses shortly.
“My time is coming.” she said "I will be on top again and the rest of you had better…”
“Be Prepared.”
She nods confidently at the camera and rises from her seat walking off with style and grace as the scene fades out black.
__________
Victoria walked through the halls of the Monaco Convention Center this was to be at one another one of those promotional appearances. She was going to have to sit at a table sign autographs and smile for photo ops.
She was never really a fan of when she was chosen to do these but contractual obligations required such of the SCW superstars at times, she could do nothing but grit her teeth and get it out the way.
She meant to pay no mind to the three girls dressed in various SCW t-shirts chatting amongst themselves, and the classic sunglasses/ball cap disguise did well to hide her face from the fans.
Then she heard words exit one of their lips that she couldn't ignore.
“Victoria Lyons.” the one wearing sunglasses said.
That stopped Victoria dead in her tracks and she moved to lean against a nearby wall hiding her face as though she were just doom scrolling her phone but she was listening, listening to every word.
“She peaked in the roulette division” sunglasses continued “and Harper Mason exposed her.”
“Yeah I was really getting tired of her.” said one in a Kayla Richards t-shirt “Kayla Richards had a better reign anyway. With Victoria it was just like hey we've got Kayla Richards at home.”
The trio laughed.
“She thought she was so untouchable.” said the third one with the ponytail “Now she's just another Bombshell.”
They laughed again and then continued about their way. Victoria stayed at her post saying nothing. She let herself feel the weight of the words those girls were saying. Maybe they bothered her a little bit but she knew she could prove them wrong and when Violent Conduct rolled around, and she walked in as the Bombshell World Champion, nobody would deny her again.
She stepped away from the wall and continued her way towards the signing room, where she would be forced to interact with some members of the SCW universe.
___________
sign.
smile.
pose.
sign.
smile.
pose.
This was the stale routine that Victoria had fallen into. Another fan sent forward from the line.
sign.
smile.
pose.
And another fan sent on their way.
A small group came next and her interest perked. It was them. Sunglasses, Kayla Shirt and Ponytail.
“Oh my gosh.” Sunglasses said. “We are such big fans. Your reign as Bombshell Roulette Championship was nothing short of incredible.”
Victoria raised an eyebrow curiously.
“I really liked your Barbed Wire Massacre with Bella Madison at last year's Violent Conduct.” said Ponytail.”
“Yeah my favorite was the High Stakes Marathon with Luna at High Stakes.” said Kayla t-shirt
Were these girls serious? Earlier they were trashing her, now here they were eager to get their little pictures signed and even prepping for a photo op.
She knew it should bother her and she should say something, maybe question why she's wearing a Kayla Richards shirt and not a Victoria Lyons shirt but she was trying to keep her focus correct. She could feel that World Bombshell Championship just within her grasp and she wasn't going to let this gaggle of fake bitches to cause her to lose focus.
sign.
smile.
pose.
With a smile just as fake as the girls themselves Victoria thanked them and off they went as another fan was called up. Well at least this one was wearing a Victoria Lyons t-shirt.
“They're just going to sell all those pictures you signed on eBay.” she commented as she walked up “I overheard them in line.”
“Then let them.“ Victoria said “At the end of the day they're still profiting off of my name.”
“I guess that's true.” the fan said “It still feels a bit insulting to your real fans.”
…Real fans? Victoria gave a curious look as the words entered her ears.
“What you think you don't have fans?” the girl said. “You held the Bombshell Roulette Championship for a year and took no prisoners. Some of us were inspired by that.”
“Is that right?” said Victoria “Well thank you. Sorry I never got your name.”
“Stacy.” the girl replied.
“Well it's nice to meet you Stacy.” Victoria said “I'm….”
“Victoria Cadney Lyons.” Stacy said with a smile. “Named after your mother's two best friends Victoria Crawford and Cadney Nyyushiin. That's Cadney not candy. You are exactly thirty-seven seconds older than your brother Vincent, and the two of you are actually born in different years due to your mom giving birth just around midnight on New Year's Eve. You were class president in high school and your favorite band is Blink-182.”
“Well yes that's all correct.” Victoria replied.
“I told you you have real fans.” said Stacy. “I won't lie I didn't like you at first but watching you carry yourself like a champion and take on all comers for a year you turned me around and made me a fan. I know some still don't like you but there's those of us that understand you're just standing your ground".
“I appreciate that Stacy.” Victoria said.
“Good luck in your match.” Stacy said “I'll be rooting for you, and I hope you become the Bombshell World Champion because you deserve it.”
Stacy's words were motivational to Victoria, and she was going to do this for her fans she couldn't be concerned about what any of the other fake fans thought she had her own, and as she was making a shift from deplorable cunt to annoying bitch, it was good to know that there were people out there who supported her.
Victoria then caught sight of one of the workers giving her a look and tapping their wrist.
sign.
smile.
pose.
“You have a good day Stacy.” Victoria said has the workers ushered Stacy away to push forward for the next fan who said nothing exciting, not even hello. He just pushed another promotional picture right in front of Victoria.
sign.
smile.
pose.
The routine was back on, but at least Victoria had a new motivation. She was gaining fans? Who would have thought it? Now she had even more reason to bring home the Bombshell World Championship.
Until then.
sign.
smile.
pose.
__________
The lights of Monaco sprawled on behind her as the cameras opened with Victoria on her hotel balcony. She seems relaxed yet still has that aura of confidence about her.
“You know ladies.” she said “There is something I've been wondering about our match. I'm wondering about a little thing called hesitation. “
She pauses for a moment stroking her chin.
"Not by me of course." Victoria said "Because I won't hesitate. But what about the two of you? Will your friendship get in the way? I understand you both have respect for each other, and I'm sure you'll even be fine getting aggressive against each other if you need to. But how aggressive are you willing to get with one another?”
There's that smirk everyone's grown to love.
“If one of you has the other down, and can deliver the killshot will you take it? Or will you hesitate, even if just for a moment and then take it?” Victoria said. “For your sake it should be the former because, if you hesitate even for a second I am going to capitalize. You want me to be honest? I respect both of you as competitors but I don't like either one of you and I certainly don't give a shit about either one of you.”
“And don't think I'm not ready for the possible double team. “ Victoria said “I'm not stupid. I held a championship for a year. I'm well aware that the two of you could be concocting the strategy to take me out, and then fight amongst yourselves. You don't think I'm ready for that? So if that's your strategy, then I dare you to go ahead and try it. The two of you would need to team up on me anyway, since neither of you could beat me one on one.”
She's still keeping that look of arrogance about her.
“That's the thing about friends in this business and why I choose not to have too many.” she said “They can slow you down, they can make you hesitate and I don't need any sort of distractions on my path to greatness.”
She takes a short pause letting her words linger.
“And if we're being honest ladies.” Victoria continued “This is the match everybody wants. They want Kayla Richards against Victoria Lyons with the World Bombshell Championship on the line. They've wanted it for a long time. I was just too busy defending a championship of my own but now the time has come.”
She grins.
“Everybody knows I'm the one to watch now.” Victoria continued “Ever since it became clear my reign as Bombshell Roulette Champion was going to be more than just an ordinary reign. Everyone has been waiting to see me step up to the next level. What they're going to find out is I've always been on the top level this entire time.”
She takes a short pause again.
“It's time to change the narrative ladies.” Victoria said keeping the smirk on her face “And that means me going into Violent Conduct as your Bombshell World Champion. If either of you want to have a chance at stopping me from challenging Kayla Richards, then…… Don't hesitate.”
She winks keeping her arrogant gaze on the camera letting everything fade to black.
