Summer Xxxtreme did not end well for any member of the Lyon's Den. All three of Coach Kaiser's students ended up on the losing end of things.
The only real bright spot from the Lyons Den during the Princess Cruise was Eddie's wedding which Vincent and Victoria had viewed from a distance, and received a quiet but respectful nod from their cousin.
But when it came to their matches all three of them had lost. Eddie failing to capitalize on yet another opportunity. Victoria losing her championship, and in a reign that had lasted just over a year.
And Vincent had lost the Lyon's Den, once again failing to defeat Jayden Harris.
He could do nothing but admit that Jayden was the better man.
He was troubled to find where he would go after this loss and what his next move would be and then it came to him in the form of an unexpected gift. One he wasn't quite sure he even deserved. A championship match against Guy with a Cape.
Truth be told he didn't feel his though he earned it, but as the old saying goes he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. And what better way to rebound from a losing streak than winning yourself a shiny new championship?
It might even ignite the spark he needs to get on the winning side of things.
__________
Vincent looked across the room at his sister. He was a bit inspired because his sister Victoria had not let her huge loss get to her like everyone, himself included, had expected.
Instead she seemed calm, as if ready to face the next challenge and she had been going on about becoming the hunter instead of the hunted.
Her calmness helped him get over his own loss. He was unable to defeat Jaden Harris but he still managed to stand up and fight for what he believed in and maybe that was something.
Now he had the opportunity to become a champion himself.
But why?
He had done nothing to deserve this. He had won no major matches. Surely even Eddie deserved it more than him.
It was Victoria's voice that broke his train of thought.
“You have that look again Vin.” she said "I told you don't worry about what you do or don't deserve. Accept what you're being given and take it.”
“I know… I know..” Vincent said “I just don't understand is all.”
“Then stop trying to make sense of it. TAKE IT. ” Victoria said. “Clearly you must have impressed someone even in defeat which isn't uncommon for any member of the Lyons Den. We may not always be the premier talent, but our hard work and dedication is appreciated, and that's why we all keep getting opportunities. I've already been told there's one in the pipeline for me, and I'm sure they've got something lined up for Eddie as well but this week is about you Vincent.”
Vincent took the words in with a nod. Victoria was right as usual. This was his time to rebound, become a champion and put everything with Jayden Harris behind him.
“I just wish we both could have been Roulette Champions together.” said Vincent.
“Yeah me too.” said Victoria “But I can't take anything away from Harper Mason. She did everything she was supposed to do. She did everything I knew she could do, everything I molded her for ever since I planted that first seed by putting her in that handicap match. She may have taken my championship but it's because I made Harper Mason into something."
“So what is your next move?” Vincent asked
“Well I plan to make a statement on Climax Control.” Victoria said “Beyond that I'm going to see what Underwood was hinting at on X. But like I told you Vincent, you worry about yourself and winning the Roulette Championship.”
Vincent nodded again.
“Guy won't even see it coming.” he grinned.
He wasn't even sure if he believed his own words, because he knew Guy had a dangerous mind. But so did Vincent. He was starving for a major victory, and a starving lion is a very dangerous thing indeed.
__________
It's dark as the cameras catch up to Vincent Lyons Jr standing alone overlooking a lone cliffside. He glances to the camera as they approach and says nothing for a moment, turns to them to speak.
“If you had told me the result of me losing to Jayden Harris in the Lyons Den would be a championship match I wouldn't have believed you.” he said. “But here we are and maybe I don't deserve this opportunity but I can't worry about that. I'm going to take it nonetheless and use it as my rebound to get myself back on track. Winning a championship is the exact motivation I need right now.”
He nods as if reassuring himself.
“So I'm going to do what I have to do and expose the fabricated chaos of Guy with a Cape." he continued. "If that is your real name, I mean it might actually be Guy, you know like Guy Fieri.”
He chuckles.
“That kind of changes your name doesn't it ?” he said. “You're not just some guy with a cape, you literally are GUY with a cape. Either way after Climax Control you will no longer be Guy with a championship. Don't worry I'll let you keep the cape.”
He smirks at the camera.
"But it's time for your fabricated chaos to come to an end." Vincent said "Because that's all it is. Chaos is just a show for you it's not something you live in not something you Revel in like I do and you're going to find out exactly what that means when I take your championship away. Kekekekekeke."
He smirks again.
“I'm going to bring your little reign of terror to an end so I can begin my own reign of terror,." he said "A real one, one that will show SCW exactly what Vincent Lyons Jr can really do. My sister held her own roulette championship for an entire year, now it's my turn.”
He pauses shortly.
“I mean look at you, you want to be just like her.” said Vincent. "You saw what she did as Queen so when you won your second crown you tried to bite off her style didn't you?”
He shakes his head slightly.
“You wanted to be edgy so you made Miles Kasey and LJ Casey fight each other. Brother versus brother looking to knock the other one out.” he said. “But Victoria did it so much better when she put lover against lover in a knockout match of her own. What pisses me off is that little bastard Miles Kasey played along with you, but they pulled a fast one on my sister but that's for another day.”
He pauses shortly.
“You parade around calling yourself King.” Vincent said “Just as she called herself Queen, yet everybody seemed okay with letting it happen for you but when she did it it was a problem. That sort of thing pisses me off. How dare you pinch off her style.”
A scowl grows on his face.
“You don't get to copy her and wear a crown and call yourself a Roulette Champion.” He said “I'm going to expose you for the fabrication you are. It's time for the Roulette Championship to go on the shoulder of a real man and I assure you I am much more of a man than you are Guy.”
He pauses shortly.
“I'm sure there's people out there like Logan Hunter who will be upset that this opportunity went to me.” Vincent continued “But I really don't give a shit. This is going to be my time. I'm going to take the championship away from Guy with a cape and if Logan Hunter or Aiden Reynolds or anybody else has a problem with it, then I'll deal with them too. I was chosen for the opportunity this time and I'm going to capitalize on it. The rest of you can fucking deal with it.”
He exhales heavily.
“You're not going to punk me like you did Artie.” said Vincent “I'm going to be the one doing the punking this time, and maybe I'll rid this company of the guy with a cape problem for good. The thing is once I'm done with Guy with a cape and I win myself a championship then SCW is going to have a much bigger problem then a clown with fabricated chaos. They're going to have to deal with me.”
He laughs a hideous laugh to himself.
“So prepare yourself SCW.” he said “Prepare yourself for the worst, because I'm going to take the Roulette Championship and my reign is going to be the bloodiest one SCW has ever seen.”
He pauses.
“You have been warned.” he sneered.
With that he turns to look back over the cliffside brooding as the camera fades to black.
___________
Vincent Lyons Jr sat in the kitchen of his childhood home as his mother placed the apple pie in the oven. The smell of her home cooking sent a relaxing and nostalgic aroma into Vincent's nose, as he sat at the table sipping hot cocoa from his Disney villain mug. It was Scar because of course it was.
“The pie should be done in a little while sweetheart.” Miss Lyons said "Look at you all skin and bones you can't go into your championship match like that.”
“I'll be fine Ma..” said Vincent
“No you're going to eat some dinner too.” she insisted, "No pie till you do. You don't think I watch your matches and see your pacing? You don't think I see the new bruises on your arms? You've been working too hard again sweetheart.”
“I got to stay ready.” he said, "For myself and for Victoria.”
“Your sister will be fine.” Ms. Lyons said “You need to focus on you right now.”
“Victoria said the same thing.” Vincent nodded.
“And your sister is absolutely correct.” said Ms. Lyons "You would do well to listen to the women in your life.”
“I mean I lost to Jayden.” he said “I lost in the Lyons Den, our family specialty.”
“Your father once lost in the Lyons Den too.” his mother said “But he didn't lose himself, and neither did you. You're still standing ready to push forward.”
He nodded silently.
“I'm serious Vincent Jefferson Lyons Jr. .” she said “Shooting him a look you've been through hell this past year the island your return to wrestling a string of losses but you still stand up and you still lace up your boots if you were given a championship match it's because they see something in you. Something that you need to see in yourself.”
She had used his full name. She wasn't joking.
“I don't know.” Vincent said “What if I'm not that guy anymore? “The one who is hungry and sure of himself, what if that guy's gone.?”
“He's not gone, he's growing.” his mother told him “And sometimes growing hurts. But you can't be the same person forever. You went through something that most people couldn't even imagine going through. You were stranded alone for weeks but you came back and you survived.”
“But surviving isn't the same as winning.” Vincent said “Just surviving is not winning me any matches.”
“Perhaps.” Ms. Lyons said “But don't confuse one chapter of your story for the whole thing. This championship match is a test to see if you believe you're worthy of winning again.”
Vincent looked at the image of Scar on his cup.
“I guess even the villains get their songs.” he said
“Of course.“ she said “Remember, everybody's the hero in their own story, and you're no villain either. You're still my perfect little angel.”
Before he realized it he had a plate in front of him and his mom was dumping mashed potatoes, green beans and a big ol’ piece of roasted chicken on it.
“And don't you dare protest.” his mother told him "You eat you're still my baby boy.”
“Yes Ma.” Vincent said that knowing he couldn't argue as he stuffed a bite of the chicken into his mouth.
Of course it was delicious. It always was.
He had to do it he had to bring home a championship his mother believed in him his sister believed in him and he couldn't let the two most important women in his life down.
But that would be after dinner.
And pie.
__________________
The cameras open on Vincent in a dark room highlighted by a chair dimly late in the center where he sits with fire in his eyes.
“I'll say it bluntly.” Vincent began “Jayden Harris beat me. No excuses, no smoke and mirrors, no complaints. I went in with fire in my chest and Jayden sent me packing with ash in my lungs.”
He paused nodding as if accepting the fact.
"But that kind of loss it also carves something in you." Vincent said "It puts something back in. Something even more dangerous and now that I've been given a second chance this is not something I'm going to squander Guy.”
A scowl appears on his lips.
“This is more than just the gold for me.” said Vincent “I'm going to take your gold, and show everybody that no matter what Vincent Lyons Jr is the man you can't put down completely. Vincent Lyons Jr is the man that somehow, someway, will always find a way to come back and after Jayden, Guy you get to be my comeback. You get to be my second chance.”
There's a sinister smirk on his face all too uncomfortable.
“You want to see real evil Cape Boy?” Vincent said “Good. Because you're about to, so bring your cape, bring your jokes, your dumb little laugh,and all your antics because when the bell rings you'll find out real quick that all I care about is delivering pain. And you will feel pain. If I have to choke you out with your own cape, I will walk out the roulette champion.”
He pauses, keeping his intense gaze eerily locked in.
“I'm not going to come into this match with any swagger or any other sort of glitz or glamor.” Vincent said “I'm not coming in to make this a show. I'm coming in cold and I'm coming to make it a fight. I'm coming to make myself a champion and put an end to this little facade once and for all. Then whoever wants to try to take the championship from a real man can try me, but you you will be nothing but a forgotten memory.”
He laughs to himself again.
“So fly around all you want Guy.” Vincent said "But when reality hits you, when I hit you you're going to fall hard and you'll be forced to look at them raising my hand as you're new SCW roulette champion. I’m catching this rebound and I’m going to dunk on Guy With A Cape.”
He keeps staring at the camera firm, sure and full of confidence as everything fades to black.
_________
