Excellence lands smoothly in the middle of the tiny village that Betsy Granger had recently become acquainted with. As she stepped through the doors, unarmed with her head held high, she could feel many sets of eyes fix themselves upon her. Hidden amongst the small cluster of cottages and shacks that made up the community, the owners of the intensely watching eyes hadn’t as yet chosen to come out of the shadows to greet her. It shouldn’t matter either way if the locals were friendly or not, they all knew she was no enemy of theirs. The tension in the air was palpable, a heady mixture of distrust, disgust, and open curiosity accompanied her every step. It was brash and more than a touch foolish for her to come to this place, rudely unannounced and entirely alone. And if the welcome was anything to go by, the only friend she had here was still quite a few houses up the dirt path.

Way to go Granger.

This wasn’t the way this was meant to happen.

Frustration boils through her once more, the poster for the upcoming XWF PPV, Relentless flashing before her minds-eye once again. The brutish faces of Them No Good Bastards hyped up nauseatingly as the force the marketing team imagined them to be. And in that very last little bit of white, flowy font, the announcement that she would be challenging for the tag belts... This wasn’t a surprise; everyone knew that was coming. She’d made no secret of her intent to chase The Bastards for them; no, it was the reveal of the hand that she had hoped to keep close to her chest, for the time being, at least.

The reveal of a mystery partner that would step up to the plate and walk down to the ring at her side; a partner she had unconsciously decided long before now.

A woman who had as much a score to settle with the Bastards as she did.

A name that had been long linked to hers, but never in this sense... And one she had yet to speak aloud to anyone with this intent. Not even James (Raven, not the one she just destroyed on Savage) had been privy to the idea that had been rolling around the ol’ noggin.

And yet, somehow, someway, someone had worked out this inevitable conclusion before the name had ever left her lips.

Lycana.

As she picks up her pace towards the house that acted as Lycana’s base of operations, her determination increases. This wasn’t just fate having a go at her this time; someone had her figured out on a very dangerous level. Through her ire, the familiar stabbing sensation of fear nags at her heart; whether she would admit it to herself or not, whoever was sabotaging her was ensuring she was getting everything she wanted.

Her stomach grows heavy as she thinks of one man clever... and powerful enough to make this happen before she could ever speak the desire out loud. An act meant to please her only fills her with cold dread as she finally reaches the doorway she sought. This wasn’t the first time he had pulled Lycana into these games he liked to play with her, but now he was deliberately keeping them together. Whatever the reason, it didn’t sit well with Betsy and she doubted Lycana would feel any different.

Before she could even knock on the door to announce herself, Lycana opens it from the other side, a knowing smile gracing her blood-red lips. A moment of shock passes quickly as Betsy remembers that the wolves had a telepathic connection; Lycana had known about her arrival before she’d ever stepped out of Excellence.

“I had a feeling you’d come,” Lycana says to her, stepping back as she gestures for Betsy to enter.

Not having to be told twice, Betsy steps eagerly through the doorway, relieved to be freed of the scrutiny. “So, you saw what I saw.”

“I did... I’m sure you could imagine my surprise, seeing my name linked to yours at Relentless. Was there something you’ve been meaning to ask me?” Lycana says, her voice lightly teasing as she leads Betsy towards her meeting room.

Betsy lets out a mirthless chuckle as she follows the sapphire beauty into a brightly lit room. Her words catch in her throat as she locks gazes with Marf, who happened to be waiting in the room for them. While his demeanor made it clear that he’d prefer her absence, his half-nod before taking a seat at the table allowed her nerves to calm. Lycana gestures for her to sit, dropping gracefully into the chair next to Marf; Betsy hides a little smile when she notices how closely they sit together. Sinking slowly into a chair across from them, she rests her arms on the cool tabletop, folding her hands together tightly.

”I’d say the cat’s out of the bag on this one, but I wasn’t the one who let it out.” Lycana tilts her head slightly as Betsy continues. ”I consulted the marketing team after those posters hit; not a single person ever recalls writing that out the way it was presented.

Lycana lets out a sharp, bark-like laugh, unable to hide her disdain. “Of course, nobody wanted to come forward with it; who wants to be responsible for ruining the surprise?”

”A surprise I never even told James about?” This cuts Lycana’s laughter short. ”That’s the thing Ly, this news... It dropped before my mind was even fully made up on you.” Now the two women lock gazes as Lycana grows serious. ”A pattern is forming and it continues to link us at every corner; someone wants this partnership to happen and has for a long time. Or...

“Or they knew that you have been wanting this and decided you should have it.” Lycana finishes her thought.

Betsy nods, relieved, though unsurprised, that Lycana was able to catch on to her thought process so quickly. ”Exactly. I also have reason to believe that the person responsible for this is the same person who sent us to Candyland.”

Now Lycana tenses visibly, remembering green eyes peering at her through a pod and the disaster that had led them to War Games. An inhuman growl leaves her throat as her fists clench tightly. “Someone is trying to use me as a pawn to get to you?”

”I don’t know if that’s exactly what The Admiral wants with you, but it’s clear that he’s up to something sinister.” Betsy gives Lycana an apologetic gaze, her mouth forming a tight line across her face. ”I don’t know why he felt the need to drag you into this quest of his, but you have my word that I will keep you safe from whatever he has plotted. You won’t be destroyed because of me.”

“It seems you’ve forgotten who you’re talking to,” Lycana says, her face darkening. “I’m perfectly capable of handling myself, so if this Admiral wants to trifle with me, let him.” Her chin rises slightly. “I’ll rip his jugular from his throat before he’ll realize my teeth were ever bared.”

Betsy is unable to keep the grin from her face as Lycana gets riled up. ”This is why you were the only choice when I was offered the opportunity to challenge for the tag titles.

The Dissentients exchange a troubled glance at her words before turning their gazes back to her. “Why Ly, though?” Marf asks, finally joining the conversation. “You could ask anyone you want.”

Betsy rises to her feet and begins to pace the length of the table, back and forth. ”Thrawn seems determined to reel me in, using whatever means he considers necessary. The problem is, I never know which Thrawn I’m going to get. He pursues me the most with his younger self before he reached the rank of Grand Admiral, but I have met with him on previous occasions, long after the Emperor had granted him that rank. He’s found a way to travel through time to chase me, and he won’t stop until he’s caught me.” Her steps pause as she considers Marf for several moments. ”And lately, he, or something else, seems bent on ensuring Lycana and I are bonded, unquestionably. Something links Ly and me on a cosmic level; I haven’t figure it out yet myself, but Thrawn knows something that he hasn’t shared with me. We’ve been dancing on the skirts of an alliance for ages now; whatever this is between us, we were destined to reach this point. It’s time we both stopped ignoring the signs and stared this straight in the face.”

“So, you’re proposing we form this team and give this... Thrawn, is it? Exactly what he wants?” Lycana’s voice is filled with doubt as she glances at Marf again, reaching out and taking his hand into her own. “And what about the Dissentients? I can’t just toss Marf aside...”

”I would never ask you to discard Marf, nor would I ask either of you to agree to dissolve the Dissentients. Think of this as more of a... side quest.” Lycana’s eyebrow cocks in amusement as Marf’s expression hardens. ”We both have a blood-thirsty desire to end the reign of the Bastards and now we have an extraterrestrial force trying to keep us close together. Why not kill two birds with one stone for now? You and I handle business in the XWF and begin the crumble of the Patriarchy that keeps its stranglehold over the XWF; and once we’ve claimed the tag belts for our own, we turn our attention to the Admiral and figure out what the fuck he wants with us.

There is a long pause as Marf and Lycana stare at one another silently. Betsy watches them, wondering if there was something more to Marf than what met the eye; she wasn’t aware of anything that made him remarkable in the same sense as Lycana and herself. After several minutes, they both turn their gazes back to her, studying her intensely.

“I’m always willing to help Betsy, but I don’t know if I can abandon the tag team hunt with the Dissentients just yet...” Despite the words, Betsy doesn’t miss the hesitation behind them.

”Only temporarily; and let's be honest, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you and I were the chemical mixture that finally brought down Them No Good Bastards.” A glimmer of hope begins to work its way through her as she pushes on. ”I may not have told anyone of my plans to ask you to be my tag partner; hell, I’d barely had the decision made up myself. This wasn’t how I wanted to approach you with this, and it was rather bold of the Admiral to alter the posters before he knew you’d even accept... Unless he knew something I didn’t.” A flicker of concern crosses her features. ”But I’ll have to worry about that at another time and it doesn’t matter how all of this has happened. It’s in the universe now and the only thing left is to find out whether or not you want to join me on this crazy quest to the tag belts... And to figuring out why the Admiral is suddenly so interested in seeing us linked.”

Abruptly, Marf turns to Lycana and takes both of her hands into his as he stares deeply into her eyes. “Alright, I don’t fuckin’ like this, but I think you should do this.” Lycana’s eyes widen in surprise as she shakes her head and opens her mouth to reject this; Marf talks over her, his voice gruff. “No, I’m serious, I think you should. The only way to figure out what this Admiral Dipshit wants is for you to do this. To make it seem like you’re playing into his hands. If that means putting the Dissentients on the back burner for a bit, so be it; there’s plenty of ass for me to kick while I wait.” He turns a sharp glare to Betsy, still clasping Lycana’s hands. “And you, you’d better just keep her safe against the shit she isn’t familiar with. I know you can take care of yourself,” he starts, turning back to Lycana as she lets out an indignant grunt. “But this is a lot more than you’re accustomed to. Earthly supernatural threats are one thing, but this is a space guy with space armies and shit... This is not what you’re used to going up against, not like her. So I expect her to educate you on everything you need to know so that when it is time to handle business with Thrawn, you’re as ready as you can be.”

The face of the Impossible Traveler is solemn as she nods her head. ”I won’t fail you... I can’t fail you, or this system as a whole will fall under Imperial control. And I... Well, I don’t matter in the grander scheme.” She gazes steadily at Marf, who still looks at her with open distrust and contempt. ”I would never allow for her to go into that sort of danger without knowing how to defend herself against it... Which is why I fashioned one of these for her.” Reaching into her hoodie pocket, Betsy produces a newly crafted lightsaber, the silver metal of the hilt gleaming under the dim lights of the room. Both the Dissentients stare down at it with mild interest for a moment before looking back up at Betsy. ”We still have to take you to find your kyber crystal, but that shouldn’t be an issue, I know several folks who can help with that. I just figured if I had a lightsaber, it was only right that you did too. I’ll also teach you how to work a blaster properly, I won’t have you looking as inept as a Storm Trooper.

Marf still looks completely nonplussed as Lycana draws her eyes back to the lightsaber, finally picking it up to inspect closely. “It’s an impressive weapon... thank you.” She sweeps sapphire eyes upward to look at Betsy. “I know our beginning was... well, tumultuous to say the least. Yet, something bound us together, something we both felt very tangibly, but could never acknowledge out loud. To think of how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time confuses me... And yet, I find myself unsurprised to be here. As if it were always meant to come down to this; I think that’s why I’m compelled to stand at your side through this... All of it.” Lycana rises to her feet, a smile touching her lips. “The Bastards? Considered them handled. Everything else... Bring that on too.”

Betsy nods, relieved for the moment at the win. ”Awesome. I have to be going, but start preparing. The task of finding your kyber crystal is going to take some strenuous effort... Be prepared for anything. I have a feeling there will be walking, running, and possibly some fighting, so attire yourself accordingly.” Betsy looks between the two, her expression crumbling with concern. ”This is dangerous, Ly... I’m asking a lot of you, of both of you. You could tell me to fuck off and get out of here and I wouldn’t be a single bit mad at you for it. You didn’t even put up a fight... why?”

“You said it yourself, Bets: this is bigger than any of us. It seems-” Lycana says, moving around the table to stand before Betsy, never breaking their locked gaze. “-we both have much we wish to atone for. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give this lovely little blue ball of ours a fighting chance.”

Instinctively, they reach out their hands and clasp each other by the forearms. The moment they do, white-hot light emits from The Impossible Traveler, as a dark purple smoke-like light emits from Lycana. Marf’s eyes widen in fascination as the two women seem to be enclosed by a bubble created by their combined energies. They look around themselves in surprise, never thinking to loosen their grasp on one another. Their eyes meet once again in unison, both of them grinning at some unknown secret that they were on the cusp of uncovering. Finally, they let go of one another, immediately causing the bubble to fade. Silence continues to fill the room as the three continue to wrap their heads around what they’d just witnessed...

****Oh Shit Kids, It’s That Time Again****

”Now here we go for the hundredth time... That’s what it’s starting to feel like, don’t you think Bourbsy? Even with Relentless right around the corner, booking just doesn’t want to keep us apart... Though I heard a rumor that you might have had a little sway in this. It certainly sounds like something you’d attempt; it would be just like you to agree to a ‘no interference’ rule, just to find some loophole to get TK involved. Rainbow Laser Death Sequence this, BoB that, we’re the greatest tag team ever, blah dee fucking dah.

Classic Bastards.

You boys are getting a touch predictable.

Dare I say... boring?”

Betsy pauses for a moment, peering at the camera from the pilot's chair of Excellence. A smirk touches her face as she leans her chin into her closed fists and continues.

”Listen Bourbsy, I appreciate you throwing in some stips to keep things fresh between us; but you didn’t have to dangle your mask in front of me. I was always planning to tear that stupid fucking thing off your face and reveal the coward that hides beneath. I’d compare you to Sampson, but he at least got laid before Delilah betrayed his fool ass. You’re just offering me what I always intended to take.

As for the spoiler snafu on the Relentless posters? No biggie, it just means that now you know what I know. I can hear the contempt in your tone already, the disdain that radiates off both the Bastards at my partner of choice. Have your fun, make your usual jokes, then laugh it off like the empty-headed fucktards you are.”

Betsy leans forward now.

”This is just foreplay, Bourbsy. Enjoy your self-given title as the Sultan of Smacktalk as much as you like; tomorrow night, I’m going to smile as you choke on every word you’ve ever said. I’ll make you watch as I smile into your bloated face; you’ll hear my laughter as your mask wetting with tears as you choke on the massive load I force down your fucking throat. And as you gag on every sweet syllable, you’ll begin to get a taste of what’s to come for both the Bastards at Relentless.

All this time I’ve been trying to handle you and TK and I’ve been coming at it all wrong.

It was never about the boys. Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned.

And now you have two powerful entities coming after you... your tag titles... and whatever the fuck else we can take along the way.
This is the beginning of the end, Bobby Bourbon. I’ll leave just enough of you left to warn TK and at least participate at Relentless.
Can you feel that change in the air, Bourbsy? That clinging heaviness that you can’t shake off, like an ominous sign?

Mind it, Bourbsy. The Bastards are dancing on the cusp of their downfall.”

Betsy lifts her face into the air, holding out her arms and staying in that pose until the camera fades to black.

FORMER