She found it quite hilarious, watching her moronic cousin get blasted in the face with mist, courtesy of the Entity.[/i]
“Oh Eddie, when will you stop being so foolish.” Victoria smirked as she turned off the television set.
Her twin brother Vincent had been watching alongside her, and he nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, he’s a total doofus sis” Vincent laughed.
“Say, where is Alex?" Victoria asked, “We should show the COOL cousin what happened to the dumb one.”
“I saw him arguing with Cleo, then he stormed out of here.” Vincent replied. , “I think he’s pissed off about the whole PWS deal, how he didn’t get a return contract.”
“Can’t say I blame him. He deserved a contract over Jazz at least.” Victoria shrugged.
The Head Lyoness she called herself, considered herself the matriarch of the Lyons family and was more than cross with Eddie for not seeing things the way her brother Vincent or cousin Alex did.
“But finally, Coach Kaiser does something right, and has sent me to SCW, so I can clean up the mess Eddie left on our name.” said Victoria.
“Alex and I should be there with you.” Vincent replied
“Yeah, but don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” said Victoria.
“I know you will sis.” said Vincent.
“Our message will be spread to Sin City.” Victoria continued, a voice of confidence and authority, “The SCW fans need a real leader, someone who can teach them and inform them of all the wrongdoings being cast upon them. Not just the fans, but the stars as well. This…Nakita Niles doesn’t even realize how much of a mindless drone that THEY have made her into.”
“Couldn’t agree more.” said Vincent, a voice of obedience. There wasn’t a chance he was going to disagree with what his twin sister said. He might get the hole again, and last time she left him in there for six months.
“So, I appreciate the concern dear brother, but I’ll be fine.” she said with her creepy smile, “How about we just watch Eddie get misted again?"
“Sounds great.” Vincent smirked.
She restarted the video, and the two twins spent their next several minutes watching the entity mist their cousin on repeat, cackling like a couple hyenas each and every time.
_________
The cameras open with an American Flag backdrop, the tune to Yankee Doodle begins playing as Victoria Lyons marches into frame dressed in a US Marines costume that looks like it was purchased at Spirit of Halloween store. As she marches into frame she can be heard singing.
“Nakita Niles came to town. As part of a tag team. Lost that fight, but won the next. When she beat Miss Manners.” as she turned to face the camera, she marched in place and continued, “ But Bea Barnhart got in her head, And she lost her focus.... Got hell bent on revenge....So the Lioness ripped her heart out.”
As the music dies down, Victoria slowly stops her marching and salutes the camera with a salute.
“ATTENTION!!!” she declares with an arrogant smirk on her face, “Are you paying attention solider? Private Niles you would be wise to pay attention to my words, because in the end…I’m only trying to help you. I promise.”
Victoria giggles to herself.
“The U.S. Marines.” she continued, “The elite of all the armed forces. That’s what they’re considered right? We parade them around as symbols of bravery, symbols of sacrifice, when in reality you’re just a mindless drone, trained to follow orders without question. You get any sense of individuality stripped away, allowing Uncle Sam to thrive on your blind obedience, so he can send you off to die in a war that only benefits the interests of a few.”
He eyes seem to somehow grow evil, almost hypnotizing as she speaks. If her words were to fall under more impressionable ears, one could find themselves under her control.
“You know I’m right but you’ll be too proud to admit it. You get sent off to spread democracy, “ Victoria said, making air quotes with her hands., “But really you just help pave the way for corporate exploitation and political manipulation. As for your honor? A facade. Made up to hide the blood on you and your fellow soldiers hands from all the civilian casualties and war crimes that seem to just get swept under the rug. Is that really honorable? Or is your moral compass simply been compromised?”
She shakes her head in disgust before continuing.
“And what do you return home to? Nothing!”[ she growled, “You get hurt fighting one of your wars, or even out there in the ring then you’ll just be added to all the PTSD riddled veterans that already litter our streets. The system gives you little to no support, but still demands your undying loyalty, and you’re too ignorant and indoctrinated to see the chain they have around your neck so you just obey orders. You stay always faithful. Semper Fi right?”
Victoria scoffs.
“Pathetic.” she continued still her intoxicating eyes still full of hate. “It’s people like you that are the problem with this clown world we live in. Nobody is a free thinker anymore. But you all hate on someone like myself for daring to go against the narrative. You think you’re some sort of hero Nakita, but all your doing is enforcing the will of a corrupt government that doesn’t give a DAMN about the lives you destroy.”
She points an accusatory finger at the cameras, with a scowl on her face.
“How many more bodies need to pile up Nakita?” Victoria asks, “How many more homes must you invade overseas before you realize how indoctrinated you are? How many more lives will you destroy? How many more cultures will vanish at your hands? When will it end Nakita?”
Victoria shakes her head again, with the same look of disgust.
“You don’t protect You conquer and you destroy.” Victoria went on, “Your too brainwashed to see that they’ve made you into a weapon that they can deploy at will, and once you get too old to work properly, you get tossed aside for a newer and younger model. It’s the sad truth and deep down you know it. Remember when I said I was trying to help you? Well I can..”
Victoria smiles at the camera
“I can help guide you to the truth.” she said, “I can help you fight back. You can make those monsters pay for what they’ve done to you. You just need to allow me to open your eyes ot the truth, and you will realize that we are in fact…Stronger together.”
She continues her smiling, and winks. Suddenly theres a large CRACK and a quick flash. The flag is now desolate, looking wartorn and full of holes, Victoria has dog tags on now, which she holds out to show they have the name NILES, NAKITA on them.
“Of course there’s the more likely outcome that you won’t listen.” she hissed, “You’ll allow yourself to remain indoctrinated and proclaim that you must defend the honor of your fellow servicemen and women against my words. Well my words are a hard truth Nakita, and if you won’t listen then I’ll just have to take matters into my own hands and force you to."
She exhales a heavy breath, as she hauntingly gazes into the camera.
“You think I care about playing nice?” she said with an eye roll, “I’m a lioness Nakita. Not just a lioness, but the HEAD LYONESS of my entire family. It’s time I come out of the shadows and show the world who really runs things at The Lyons Den. You think my insolent cousin runs anything? Eddie is a fool blinded by his own honor, much like yourself. Lets not forget who started this new generation wave for our school. It was me, and it was Vincent back in WWH. This whole new generation of talent Coach Kaiser is releasing. WE ARE THE FUCKING FOUNDATION. But does he thank us? No. Instead he keeps sending out new talent after new talent. Forgetting about the talent that really gave him the jolt of life he needed to get his head back into the game again.”
She scowls, and is almost seething.
“But what would you know about that anyway?” said Victoria “What would you know about being betrayed when you needed guidance the most? I was part of a revolution once you know. Me, my brother Vincent and a former friend named Renee Jonae fought against a man called Havoc. We fought tooth and nail to end his regime and in the end we finally did. Then the company closed, and it was then I realized…Havoc had been right the entire time. Our entire revolution, was a farce.”
She sighs heavily.
“We should have listened.” she said shaking her head, “But we were young, dumb and stupid. I even got married there. Like what the actual fuck was I thinking? It wasn’t until I traveled into the valley of darkness and found the true light on the other side did I become who I am now and start to find my own success. .Yet each time I win a championship, the goddamn company would close, like I was some sort of damn curse. It’s going to be different here. It’s been far too long, but one of the ORIGINAL Lyons is back on the scene, and that’s going to be a problem for the entire division. Nakita Niles is only the beginning. I will break down each and every one of you, from Julianna Dimira to Kallie Reznik. From Alexandra Calaway to Roux. It doesn’t matter. There’s a lioness in this jungle now, and she’s on the hunt because she has been starving for far too fucking long, so watch out because you never know where she might strike.”
She pauses for a moment.
“As for you Nakita.”she grins, “Talk as proud as you want, it won’t save you. You are not ready for this battle solider. But at this point, there’s nothing you can do to stop it. But don’t worry, they’ll memorialize you the following Monday.”
She winks at the camera, and marches off singing The Marines Hymn as the scene fades out.
“From From the Halls of Montezuma…..To the shores of Tripoli….”
__________
In one of the backrooms she looked to both of her boys, Alex and Vincent, she knew they both wanted contracts but she couldn’t do much about it since getting contracts was Coach Kaisers thing. All she could do was reassure them that she had everything under control.
“I keep telling you boys.” she said, “I’ll be fine. I’m the matriarch of this family for a reason and it’s time I stepped up as its leader. I know this is Coach Kaisers attempt to pull us apart. He thinks keeping me away from you two will cause some sort of rift and make us into less unruly students.”
She paces in front of them continuing to speak, as the two stand and listen.
“But all he’s done is unleash my fury onto the SCW roster.” said Victoria, “He holds our contracts, but he doesn’t hold us. Our school is The Lyons Den, not the Dragons Den. He would be wise to remember that.”
She paces some more continuing on.
“Everyone there loves our cousin Eddie.” she hisses, “But on our family name, I will be the one to show the world what Lyons are really made of. Eddie himself doesn’t know how strong he can be, if he just chose to free his mind and not worry so much about honor and doing the right thing.”
“His mind has always been weak.” Vincent noted
“Yes, even as kids we were the ones who had to look after him when the other kids pushed him around. Because he was our little cousin, and he was family.” said Victoria. “But he’s lost his way, stuck in his grand delusion of honor and glory.”
“He does have a championship.” said Alex
“And?” Victoria snarled, “We’ve all been champions before too. Eddie can get the job done, because it’s in his blood, but it’s about how much STRONGER he could become if he would just listen to his family instead of his friends.”
“He won’t” said Vincent.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” said Victoria, “Nakita Niles is who I should be focusing on anyway. My debut match isn’t one I’m keen on losing.”
She taps her forehead as she paces, and a cocky smirk appears on her face.
“I have an idea..” said Victoria, “Can we use your laptop Vincent?”
Her twin brother nodded, she had spoken to him kindly but he still knew it wasn’t a request but a demand, one he knew better than to say no to.
__________
The scene opens with a video of the American flag waving in the wind, followed by some soldiers marching, and some shots of training as a woman who looks to be the splitting image of Nakita Niles appears in frame in front of a military base backdrop and speaks.
“Hello solider.” she said, “I’m Sergeant Niles and I’m here to tell you all about being a Marine.”
“Nakita” salutes the camera
“See, being a Marine is all about respect, and honor.” she continued, “And making sure those who oppose us meet their end. People who are a blight on this world and need to be exterminated. We are the good guys, don’t forget that.”
She nods to the camera.
“You would do best to follow order, do not question your superiors, and of course eliminate any commie bastard that gives you a dirty look. Remember your goal is to eliminate the enemy at all cost. Stay strong solider, you got this. Semper Fi.”
“Nakita” winks and salutes the camera, as we fade to the words “Produced by Lyons AI”.
As we fade back in, we see Victoria Lyons gleefully lounging in a chair.
“You see how easy that was?” said Victoria. “For me to make that AI rendering of you, with your voice and everything. Amazing the society we live in, if that leaked some might actually believe it’s actually you!”
She feigns surprise, with the hands on face “shocked” expression.
“But that’s the world we live in isn’t it Nakita?” Victoria continued, “Any clown with a computer and half a brain can make a video of someone they don’t like using all this modern AI technology. Artificial Intelligence was once seen as a tool to liberate humanity. Now more and more jobs get automated all over the world, leaving millions facing unemployment with no plan for their future.”
She shakes her head.
“This is the world you want to live in Nakita?” Victoria questioned, “The world you want to defend? You would fight for those who invade your privacy? You would defend a world doomed to fail? You need to embrace the truth, and the truth is…we already lost.”
Victoria's gaze starts to grow more eerie now.
“Yes, humanity..we have failed, all we can do now is purge the weak, and rebuild a new better world where only the strongest, and smartest shall survive." she continued, "Those of a weak mind like yourself Nakita, will fall victim to the purge. Unless of course you can awaken yourself to the truths that I have laid before you, otherwise you are just as doomed as the rest of the sheeple.”
She pauses and takes in a breath.
“Look around you. You know I’m right.” said Victoria, “People have become such sheep, being fed algorithms and following the latest trend. Only to follow a new one weeks, days sometimes hours later. You’re either a predator or you’re a sheeple and I have no intention of following anybody. Unlike you Nakita, I give orders to myself, I don’t follow orders from anyone. That’s why I’m a predator, and you’re the prey.”
She keeps her evil gaze on the cameras.
“You’re too keen to follow order, rather than take tour own.” Victoria continued, “It’s not all your fault, you’ve been conditioned this way. But you still allowed it. You allowed yourself to wear an invisible chain around your neck that will always hold you back, and until you break free from the chains that bind you, you will never have true freedom, and will continue to squander your true potential.”
She shakes her head in disappointment
“Until we dismantle this system and build one that is truly equitable, we will continue to live in a world where human potential is squandered and lives are sacrificed on the altar of greed." Victoria continued, “But I won’t stand for it. You’re only the first victim Nakita, and I have every intention of making an example out of you as I put the entire women's division on notice. Mark my words bitches, the game has just changed and you better wake up if you wish to survive.”
She glares into the camera, as it fades out to black.
__________
She could see Eddie training in The Lyons Den. He had The Felon with him, and now The Addict was part of their little crew. Sure they had real names, but Victoria didn’t care. Cleo and Jazz were The Felon and The Addict to her, and she certainly didn’t trust them.
She had Alex and Vincent behind her on her approach, Eddie huffed when he saw them and stopped his drill, both Cleo and Jazz took spot behind Eddie, their arms folded keeping eyes on the two behind Victoria.
“Tough break out there on Climax Control.” said Victoria, “You get your vision back yet dear cousin?”
“You know Victoria..maybe you should focus getting ready fro your match.” said Eddie,”Why do you always have to bother me? You got what you wanted, you have a contract. Now go prove you deserve it.”
Victoria laughed.
“Oh I’ve always deserved it.” said Victoria, “It’s just about time I was given my fair chance.”
“Well, so far all you’ve done is piss people off.” Eddie said, “Night one, and you already have everyone telling you to shut the fuck up.”
“You can’t change people overnight.” said Victoria, “Those people are all victims who have been blinded and unable to see the truth. They don’t understand that the powers that be want division among us. But through my actions, my words and my victories they will learn, that we are STRONGER TOGETHER.
Both Vincent and Alex speak in unison right after Victoria
“STRONGER TOGETHER” they repeat, prompting an eyeroll from Eddie.
“I still don’t understand what this has to do with me.” Eddie said, “I’m trying to prepare for Aiden Reynolds here, Cleo has her debut as well and Jazz is getting hers before long. So we’re a little busy. Besides, aren’t we supposed to be leaving each other alone?”
“We never shook on anything.” Victoria reminded him, “Besides we’re not at work, and I’m not planning to get involved with your career. I’ll be far too busy with my own. Maybe I just wanted to talk to my cousin. See how you’re doing after what happened on Climax Control with the Entity.
“He’s fine, now why don’t you get to steppin.” said Cleo, as Eddie made a hand motion to tell her he’s got it under control.
“It’s okay Cleo.” he said with a slight laugh, “Look, I know you three were watching that clip on repeat. So I don’t need your false sympathy. But as Cleo said, I’m fine. So was that all?”
“How are you doing Jazz?” Victoria grinned, ignoring Eddie on purpose. “You know it’s not easy being on the road and going out there in front of all those people. It sure puts a lot of pressure on a person.”
The other girl beside Eddie, and the newest Lyons Den student Jazz Jaguar raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t need to worry about me.” she said. “We aren’t even signed to the same company.”
“Ah, but we all come from the same orphanage.” said Victoria, “How long will it be before the pressure gets to you? Before you relapse…”
Eddie cut her off before she could finish
“No.You’re not doing that.” said Eddie, “I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s not happening on my watch. Cleo you wanna get her away from here?”
Cleo nodded, she could see it too and wasn’t about to let Victoria’s attempts to manipulate her sponsee go any further, she quickly ushered Jazz away from the scene.
“What the hell is your problem?” Eddie said angrily, “Jazz is in recovery. She’s 16 months clean. You really want to try and mess that up for her by implanting thoughts into her head? That’s low, even for you.”
“I only wish to help the girl.” said Victoria, “Who do you think is a better choice to help her? A convicted felon or the matriarch of a successful wrestling family?”
“You know that isn’t who Cleo is anymore.” said Eddie, “And ever think about Cleo knows more about where Jazz comes from that you, or even I do? As for being the matriarch. You gave yourself that title.”
“Well, Vincent and Alex support me.” she grinned, as both nodded in unison, “That’s three to one, so looks like you’re the wayward one now.”
Eddie just shook his head.
“Whatever. It means nothing to me if you want to call yourself that.” said Eddie. “I’m still going to do as I please.”
“Well, just remember, our door is always open.” Victoria smiled, “You can always come to us for help. There’s always time to come home. After all you are family, and what is family for?”
“Fair enough, and the same goes to you. ” Eddie said, smiling back. “If you, any of you ever need my help. If you just want to talk through anything you’re going through, maybe you’re lost and need to find who you once were. You can come to me, and if you come with an honest attempt to find yourself again, I’ll be there. It’s the honorable thing to do,and after all…what is family for?”
Victoria smirked,and laughed to herself.
“That’s cute.” she said, “But I won’t be that foolish girl ever again. It’s a shame you won’t come around and join your family Eddie, because you could be the strongest of all of us. We’ll leave you for now. Good luck against Aiden, dear cousin.”
She winks at Eddie.
“Let’s get out of here boys.” Victoria said snapping her fingers.
Vincent and Alex followed her as she took her exit, presumably to either train or work on another of her socio-economic sermons. SCW had two very different members of the Lyons family on it’s roster, and both were there to raise hell in their own way.
__________
So the SCW career of Victoria Lyons begins. It’s unclear if she will find the success her cousin Eddie has. What has become clear is she’s going to be vocal. She has things she wants to talk about, and wether anyone wants to hear it or not, they’re going to. Eddie fights to be an image of honor, and honesty. Victoria however wants blood and carnage and has little to no sympathy for those who oppose her. But as different as they are, if they come from the same school of teaching and work under the same tools then Victoria should at least be seen as much of a threat to the women in SCW as Eddie would to the mens. And if Eddie won a championship in under a year without taking shortcuts, what does that mean for Victoria who would have no problem taking those shortcuts? Well, it should at least spread some concern for the Bombshells. There is a Lioness on the prowl now and she can strike at anytime.
