A/N: Set in an alternate history which will be covered in a future story. The COVID pandemic never happened in this world.
Sasha Banks & Charlotte Flair were the Women's Tag Team Champions in their first reign together, Becky Lynch was the Smackdown Women's Champion in her record 4th reign with the title. There was one girl that wasn't a champion - Bayley. Still though they were a solid tandem as a stable - The Four Horsewomen. But things were about to change...
The four of them were all gathered together in the ring to essentially flaunt all their gold in the main event segment of that night's Raw which in a horrible bit of possible foreshadowing took place in the same arena that The Shield had once splintered in, Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana...
Bayley had meanwhile stood alongside her sisters, happy for them and all the gold they had, but it was secretly killing her on the inside to not have a belt of her own. She cracked a little smile as she saw Sasha raise her mic to speak..
"You see this? You see the four of us? This is what true dominance in women's wrestling looks like! This is a new era in women's wrestling history!" Sasha announced to loud cheers.
"Me, Sasha, Becky and Bayley, the 4 most powerful women in WWE! WOOOOO!" Charlotte crowed.
"And if anyone wants to pick a fight with us, you know what happens when The Man comes around..." Becky chimed in. Before Bayley could speak however, the music of their NXT mentor Triple H hit the PA and Bayley unnoticed by her teammates slipped out of the ring and got a chair..
"Ladies, I must say, when we paired the four of you as a team, we never thought you'd attain such championship greatness so quickly. Well...at least 3 of the 4 of you.." Hunter began, a little smirk on his face, clearly instigating something given that Bayley lacked a title..
Hunter focused his gaze on Bayley who had gotten back into the ring, a fair distance from her sisters. "Bayley sweetheart, through no fault of your own, you've been completely overshadowed by them. Think about it. You were the last to leave NXT.."
"All of them have more reigns than you do. Becky, Sasha and Charlotte have all main-evented Pay-per-views. Sure, you had a run as Raw Women's Champion, but it's barely remembered. People have always seen you as the weak link of the 4 Horsewomen. You can become a great champion if you stand on your own. Otherwise, no matter what you do, you'll always be the weak link in your group, and it hurts me to say that Bayley, because your character work is fantastic, but where has it really gotten you?" Hunter asked, blatantly forgetting that Bayley and Becky were the first Women's Tag Team Champions and that Bayley was a Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion, though that was understandable as to this point her main roster title reigns outside of her tag title reign with Becky had been largely forgettable.
"Think about the great champions in women's history Bayley. Mickie James, Trish Stratus, Victoria. What do they have in common? They all worked alone. Sure, having friends is great and all, but sometimes you have to just look out for only you to truly be great."
"Hold up a second Hunter. Just what are you getting at? Bayley is our sister, we've always had her best interests at heart! I was the first Women's Tag Team Champion alongside her!" Becky defended wanting Hunter to treat her sister with more respect.
"Best interests for her...or for you Becky?" Hunter replied, the famous Cerebral Assassin smirk on his face.
Becky was stunned silent by Hunter's counter as Bayley gripped her chair a little tighter as Hunter began to speak once more.
"I'm just saying Bayley, look at me for example hon. I became an icon in this business by playing solo.
Sure I had to stab people in the back to do it, but I made them stronger in the process of doing so. Look at myself and Shawn Michaels. We were never going to become legends as a team. I'm telling you this because I know what it's like to be in your place.
If you want to go far, sometimes you gotta break hearts kiddo. Let me ask you this. Would you rather be a statistic in Alexa Bliss' Hall of Fame speech or do you wanna be a damn legend, immortalized forever?! You'll never make it as part of a group, no one does!
I know you want to become an icon in this business, but you can't do that tagging along as these 3's cheerleader. This is a moment that will define your career kid! I see so much freaking potential in you Bayley! Make the right decision!" Hunter roared.
"If you pass this up Bayley, you'll always be an afterthought, a weak link in WWE history. I know this will hurt, but I'm telling you this to help you kiddo. Trust me. You will be much better off if you break a few hearts first. You can win them back anyway." He said, trying to coax his top NXT starlet.
Bayley gripped the chair, tears of anguish in her eyes. Hunter was right about one thing, it was killing her. She wanted so badly to be a star. But was it worth sacrificing 3 lifelong friendships for glory at the top? Which was more important? Self-success or friendship?
"Bayley hon, it's not like you'll be alone. Steph and I, we can unlock your potential, make you the greatest superstar in women's wrestling history. You talk about being a role model right? Role models do whatever it takes to be the best." Hunter added on, trying to soothe her.
"You're right Hunter...you're right..." Bayley whispered softly, seeming to take her mentor's words to heart before she heard the soft Carolina drawl of Charlotte in her ear.
"Listen Bay, we're not The Shield, we'll always be here for ya babygirl." Char chimed in.
"Right, we love you." Sasha added.
"Bayley, think about it. This was your Plan A. Here's your Plan B. There's always a Plan B..." Hunter replied, echoing the exact words from moments before Seth's famous heel turn..
"Plan B...Plan B...he said that to Seth before he broke Dean and Roman's hearts. Am I...am I really going to sell them out just for glory?" Bayley asked herself.
"You only get one shot at history kid! Make the right choice for your career!" Hunter urged.
Bayley sighed, adopting a neutral mask as the tears ran down her face as she gripped her chair. "Girls...forgive me someday. I'm sorry...I love you..." She whispered softly before she stepped forward and swung as hard as she could into Becky's back...
"OH MY GOD! NO NO NO NOT LIKE THIS! THIS IS JUST LIKE THE SHIELD!" Cole yelled.
Sasha and Charlotte looked at Bayley, frozen in shock..
"I...I don't understand this at all Cole! They were on top of the world together!" Graves yelled. If anyone were to betray the team, he had thought it would've been Sasha or Charlotte given their history of betrayals, but NEVER Bayley. She was the least likely option in his mind.
Sasha and Charlotte meanwhile charged Bayley only to get the chair to the gut and for Bayley to bash it over their backs. She kept repeatedly smashing Charlotte with the chair before focusing her assault entirely on Sasha, ignoring her grunts and groans of pain..
"My God, Bayley is DESTROYING Charlotte and Sasha!" Cole exclaimed, almost wanting to look away.
Eventually Bayley tossed the chair away, looking visibly unhinged...
"She...She broke that chair over...broke that chair over Sasha and Charlotte..." Corey murmured, absolutely stunned at Bayley's actions...
Bayley then grabbed a second chair and set it down in front of Sasha's barely conscious body as she tried to get up..
"No no no no! Bayley no, don't do this! This is too far!" Graves yelled. He knew exactly what she was about to do, in taking a page out of a good friend's playbook...
Bayley hit the ropes, jumped as high as she could and BAM!
"My God no, the Curb Stomp on to the chair, just like Rollins!" Cole yelled.
As Sasha laid there, out cold, Bayley noticed that her Curb Stomp had been a little too effective as Sasha had been busted open.
The crowd like Seth before her serenaded her with LOUD chants of "YOU SOLD OUT! YOU SOLD OUT!" as she stood there before she did something unexpected..
Glaring emotionlessly, she grabbed at her hair and completely undid her signature side ponytail, letting her hair fully hang down...
"Guys...Bayley, did she just make a deal with the devil?" Cole asked, utterly stunned..
"Guys...how did The Game...accomplish THIS? How did he get to Bayley?" Graves asked as Bayley stepped out of the ring to Hunter.
At ringside near them, there were kids in tears. They had all considered Bayley their hero, and to see her do this had torn their hearts to pieces...
"WHY...WHY?!" One older fan yelled.
Bayley then led Hunter back into the ring...
Bayley then picked up Becky while Hunter picked up Charlotte.
Hunter looked at Bayley and gave her a little nod, knowing just how to put her over.
With perfect timing, the 2 hit stereo Pedigrees..
Hunter wrapped an arm around Bayley, much like Seth before her, and looked into the hard camera, smirking.
"That's Evolution. I win." He mouthed as Bayley looked down at her former stablemates with utter disgust as fittingly Line In The Sand played...
"Guys...at the start of this night, Bayley was part of a stable that held nearly every women's championship in WWE.." Cole mused.
"Now...now she's committed the ultimate betrayal.." Graves mused. He was in utter disbelief that this would ever happen...
Hunter patted Bayley's shoulder. "You did the right thing." He told her as Line In The Sand stopped, as the crowd's booed had begun to drown it out completely.
"YOU SOLD OUT! YOU SOLD OUT! YOU SOLD OUT!" The crowd boomed at Bayley.
Hunter leaned in Bayley's ear to whisper. "Don't listen to them. You did what was best for you. For YOUR future."
Bayley nodded, staring down at Charlotte, Sasha and Becky like they were trash...
Hunter then symbolically raised Bayley's arm, pointing at her. "This, right here, this is your future! This is the new icon of women's wrestling!" Hunter yelled towards the crowd.
Bayley had a little smirk form on her face at Hunter's praise as the crowd continued to drown her in boos...
Hunter then led Bayley out of the ring as fittingly King Of Kings hit over the PA.
🎵BOW DOWN TO THE, BOW DOWN TO THE KING!🎵
Bayley then turned around, giving her former stablemates one last look..
Hunter stood on the ramp alongside Bayley who raised both of her arms, smiling smugly. "This is MY moment!" She yelled.
Becky meanwhile had gotten up on her stomach, leaning on the ropes, staring at Bayley, heartbroken. "Why...why Baylz?" She mouthed as King of Kings continued...
As Bayley and Hunter headed to the back, one of the interviewers came to Triple H. "Triple H, can you explain what happened out there, and why?"
Hunter just smiled. "Don't ask me. Ask her." He said as he and Bayley walked off.
To be continued...