01-10-2022, 06:49 AM
Pages: 1 2
01-12-2022, 10:47 AM
01-12-2022, 10:50 AM
01-13-2022, 12:13 AM
OOC: Selena’s first roleplay.
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
January 8th, 2022
4:51pm
“You cannot be serious!”
The declaration was so loud that Selena’s hand flew up to her headphones, pulling one of them away to ease the loudness against her ears. She had been dealing with this varying degrees of loudness for the past two hours, adjusting the volume constantly to try and listen to every word – to the people speaking normally – and the one person that seemed to grow louder with each declaration.
Hardly the behaviour of someone wanting to be mayor someday… she mentally teased, quietly taking delight at seeing her former fiancé throw something so close to a tantrum.
Not that she could really blame him, for the news had stunned her as much as it had him – though the Snow Queen was doing a far better job of concealing it.
She stared at the six faces on the screen of the Zoom call, which included her own. With SCW altering it’s ‘scheduling plans’, moving Breakdown from Thursday to ‘a special episode on Friday’ (something it was repeating next week as well), Selena had been unable to get to Nome, Alaska, for today to attend the reading of Malcolm Scythe’s will. Fortunately, Talia and Gavin had arranged for the conference to take place via Zoom link video conference, which allowed Selena to attend electronically, as she was now.
Taking a quick measure of everyone’s different backgrounds, which included different colored wallpaper and furniture, the Snow Queen surmised that everyone, even the married couple of Ryan and Talia Scythe, were attending the video call in different locations.
Perhaps Talia knew Ryan would react like this… the platinum-blonde thought to herself.
“There’s a mistake.” The eldest Scythe son, Ryan, declared. “You’ve misread it, Peter!”
“No mistake, Mr. Scythe.” The elder man, Selena assumed was the family lawyer, slowly shook his head. “Though I can read it again, if you insist.”
Clearing his throat, Selena felt her hands tighten around the armrests of her chair, her body growing tense at the idea that this would all be revealed as some sort of prank or joke – a big ‘gotcha’ like Ryan had pulled at Malcolm’s memorial service last month. Still, despite her nerves going off, the suited gentleman read the paper in front of him.
“Section 7, Paragraph 4. In the matter of my finances, I, Malcolm Henry Scythe, do bequeath the following amounts to the following groups/individuals. To the Pilgrim Springs Orphange… 500 thousand dollars. To the Nome “Homes for Homeless” Foundation…. 1 million dollars-“
“We’ve heard all that.” Growled Ryan. “It’s the last part that makes no sense!”
“The last part, Mr. Scythe?” Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.
“If I may…” came the accented, smooth voice of Jean Black, who had stayed quiet throughout the entire proceedings. “I believe Mr. Scythe is indicating the lines regarding Malcolm Scythe’s grandchildren, David and Elsianna.”
“Ah, I see.” Peter replied slowly before returning his attention to the papers, his gray eyes scanning down the paper. “Hunting grounds…Preservation grounds… Memorial Center…”
For a moment, Selena could only tilt her head, somewhat awed that a ) the deceased, former mayor of Nome had such resources and b ) was giving so much back to the town and…
“Grandchildren Elsianna and David Frost, care of Selena and Deanna Frost…” Peter found. “5 million dollars each, to be held in accounts under care of Mrs. and Mrs. Frost until the children are off age.”
“RIDICULOUS!” roared Ryan – had he expected the line to miraculously change between the first reading and second reading?
“Ryan…” Talia tried from her own screen. “They are his grandchildren-“
“And MY…” he bit back his response. “That’s ten million dollars that was meant for my campaign!” he countered. “They don’t even need that money with what she makes-“ he gestured to the screen and Selena assumed, correctly, that he was indicating her.
Still, while she did have a large fortune amassed from her years of wrestling in SCW, ULW, and IWC, as well as her father’s gold mine, ten million dollars was nothing to sneeze at! In one swoop, the children would have enough to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, though Selena wasn’t sure that kind of dependence was a good thing – something she would have to discuss with Deanna later.
“Be that as it may, Mr. Scythe.” Peter spoke sternly. “I cannot disregard the contents on the will based on such opinions. It is as I have read it.”
“Perhaps Malcolm felt like he needed to do more for his grandchildren.” Came the calm, negotiating voice of Gavin Scythe, the younger son trying to offer some insight. “After all that he had been responsible for.”
“All that he and you were responsible for, Ryan.” Jean Black added sharply, eyes ‘focused’ on Ryan Scythe.
The jabbing comment caused Ryan’s jaw to clench.
“How can you support this, Gavin?” Ryan tried, altering his tactics. “Next to that, he left us next to nothing! I was counting on those resources for my campaign!”
“Which I am glad you brought up, Mr. Scythe.” Came Peter’s voice. “There is a clause to both yours and Gavin’s inheritance on page 14.” He cleared his voice. “While this money can be used for various means, it IS NOT to be used in any political endeavours. Any violations of this will lead to forfeiture of the inheritance, effective immediately.”
If Selena had thought she’d seen Ryan Scythe angry when her children had been named inheritors to a large portion of Malcolm Scythe’s fortune, she had seen nothing at that moment. Hearing the clause, the oldest Scythe’s mouth hung open, her former fiancée stunned into silence for what felt like a good twenty minutes.
“Son of a bitch…” he finally growled, pushing himself to his feet, smartly muting his microphone… though he failed to remember that, while Talia was in a different room while she took this call, she was still in the same house. From her microphone, the sound of loud cursing was heard, Selena imaging that Ryan’s face was turning as purple as those suits he always wore.
Still, to say that she was stunned to near speechlessness would have been untrue. After so many years of being her greatest enemy, she had offered Malcolm a modicum of happiness in letting him spend a day with Elsianna and David – was that really worth ten million dollars?
Maybe to him it was… she thought to herself.
“I’m sorry.” Talia tried, apologizing for her husband’s behaviour. “We were just…he was counting a lot on that inheritance.”
“I am sorry to hear that.” Peter offered lamely.
“Perhaps…” Gavin sighed before shaking his head. “Nevermind.”
“What is it?” Selena finally spoke, earning his attention, as well as his surprise. “I’m sorry I haven’t spoken much.” She gave an apologetic shrug. “I’m just as confused as you all are by these events. But please say what’s on your mind, Gavin.”
“Well, it’s just…” the younger Scythe held his fingers to his scalp, nervously scratching his head. “Remember what Ryan said at father’s memorial service? About him being a ‘self-made man’ and all that?”
Selena gave a nod, as did Jean and Talia.
“Well, father didn’t have a dime when he came here but worked his way up to become mayor. I won’t pretend to be ignorant by saying it was all ‘decent’ or ‘kind’ but he did do it off his own work. Maybe…” he gave another nervous shrug, his hand clutching his arm. “Maybe he felt that, if any of us wanted to succeed him, we would have to earn it like he did. Off our own back…”
For a moment, Selena’s eyes widened in surprise, her mind wondering when the bitter, immature boy that had bullied and abused her throughout her childhood and teenage years had transformed into such an insightful, calm young man. It was almost unreal and yet, Selena could not help the smile that came to her at the thought.
“Well…” Selena offered teasingly, trying to break the tension. “I did take that leather jacket off your own back.”
Hearing that remark, Gavin’s eyes widened. “You still have that?” he asked with stunned smile.
“It still fits!” Selena stated. “Why throw away a good coat!”
“She wears it on TV.” Talia added, trying to ignore more cursing that seemed to come from within her abode from another room. “I’ve seen it in some of her segments.”
“Like I said.” Selena shrugged. “It still fits. And I’m not giving it back. I earned it.”
“Fair enough.” Gavin laughed, seemingly grateful at the breaking of tension. “Wouldn’t have fit me now anyway.”
“I will add.” Came the old lawyer’s voice. “That should any of you have issues with this, you can contest the will.”
It was at that moment, almost unfairly so, that Ryan’s face once more occupied the screen, his microphone unmuting. “Which is exactly what I intend to do.” He stated sharply.
“Done with your little temper tantrum, I see.” Selena shot back. “I was surprised you knew so many cursive words. Thank goodness my children were not in the room.”
“I muted-“
“Your wife is also in on this call.” Jean Black fired back. “Or did your forget that?”
For a moment, Ryan was silent, taking a few breaths to avoid a repeat performance of his cursing vernacular. After a moment, he slowly spoke. “I will be contesting the will.”
“Under what grounds?” asked Jean a split-second before Peter did as well.
“Under the grounds that my father was not in the proper mental capacity when he wrote that will!” came the response, earning a loud sigh from Talia.
“Ryan…” she tried.
“Come on, Talia! Think about it!” Ryan stated. “First, he quits being mayor – out of the blue. Then shuts himself up for how long? Weeks? Months? Then, when he finally emerges, all he wants to do his see his grandchildren, whom he’s had nothing to do with most of their lives. And on top of that, soon as he does, he rewrites the will just before he is murdered? Come on!”
If anyone else had suggested it – the series of events and the resulting allocation of assets – Selena might have entertained the notion. But coming from the purple-suited man, it sounded so much more desperate, especially as he turned his eyes to the screen and she felt said eyes on her.
“Why else would Selena have been so buddy-buddy with him? She planned this! I’ll go as far as to say she knew Malcolm was going to be murdered, maybe even-“
“Wait a minute!” Selena tried, but another voice cut her off.
“I’ll remind you, Mr. Scythe.” Jean Black’s voice loomed in darkly. “That I am Mrs. Frost legal advisor and I still have my licence to practice when the need arises. And the direction you are going is tantamount to slander, which, if you continue, could be liable to a lawsuit all its own.”
“Figures the old coot would say that.” Ryan scoffed.
“Ryan, you’ve got nothing to go on.” Gavin tried. “You just have conjecture. Whether or not Selena knew of the new will is meaningless. The money doesn’t benefit her, only her children.”
“But she’d do anything to screw over our family!” Ryan countered. “Right, Talia?”
For a moment, the dark-haired woman sighed, reaching up to massage her temples with her hands, clearly not wanting to be part of this argument.
“Ryan.” Selena spoke, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. “I had no idea that Malcolm had done any of this. In truth, I’m as stunned about this as you are. But Gavin had a point while you were gone.”
“What point?” Ryan asked bitterly.
“Malcolm was a self-made man. He believed in that – you said so yourself at his memorial.” Selena started, only to be scoffed at by Malcolm.
“He was also a bastard that didn’t care about how many necks he stepped on or how many people he crippled to get what he wanted. Your point?”
“My point is that maybe Gavin was right. Maybe Malcolm wanted his sons, you and Gavin, to succeed or fail on your own. Maybe he believed that you two could do it on your own without needing his money to do so.”
“Well, put that on a piece of paper and you have a nice Hallmark card!” Ryan laughed bitterly. “And meanwhile, you walk away with ten million dollars.”
“I don’t walk away with anything!” She countered. “I wouldn’t want it if it was for me. But it’s for David and Elsianna, remember?”
Her sapphire eyes bore into the screen, straight at Ryan – or she hoped he saw that – the implication very clear. Your biological children!
Sadly, for the Snow Queen, the implication seemingly had no effect on Ryan, who shook his head. “This whole thing is bullshit.” He stated. “And I refuse to believe he just suddenly ‘chose his bastard children’-“
“Watch it!” Selena warned.
“- over his sons!” He ignored the platinum-blonde’s warning, once more on a rant. “That’s he’d endanger the legacy of our name over a ‘lesson’!”
“So does this mean that you intend to contest the will?” Peter asked. “I will point out one more clause, Mr. Scythe, if you proceed with this.”
“What clause?” Ryan scoffed. “Does Selena get his house as well?”
“No, that was assigned to Ms. Talia Bridge, also known as Talia Scythe, independent of her marriage to you.”
“What’s the damn clause?” Ryan barked, not wishing to hear of another asset he believed he had been screwed out of.
“That, while you are free to contest the will, you will do so at your own risk, relinquishing your right to any inheritance in the current version of the will. If, however, the will is found to be valid and free of any issues-“
“In other words, if you call ‘foul’ and are proven wrong.” Jean Black translated.
“Precisely… should that occur, you will not be reincluded into the will and, having relinquished your inheritance, shall receive nothing.” Peter concluded.
“Meaning if you want to try and screw over Elsianna and David…” Selena stated, again with that tone that reeked of implication. “It will be a costly gamble.”
“And not just financially.” Black added, playing with his cane as he spoke from his screen. “Such a massive issue would certainly become news in Nome – that the prospective mayor is trying to undo his father’s final wishes.”
“I’m undoing a clear mistake-“
“And should it come out that he’s screwing over his own biological children to do it-“ Black added darkly.
“Jean!” Selena stated darkly, trying to stop him.
“What?” Jean shrugged. “Malcolm didn’t make me promise not to tell anyone.”
“You wouldn’t.” Malcolm threatened. “I’ll make your life a living hell.”
Jean’s dark eyes narrowed. “Better me than Elsianna and David, boy.”
There was a moment of silence shared by all until Ryan’s video suddenly went dark, the prospective politician having left the conference.
“I see.” Peter sighed. “Well, if he submits anything, I shall inform everyone here.”
“Thank you.” Selena replied. “I’m sorry things have become so… strange.” She added, casting her gaze to the videos of Gavin and Talia. “Especially for you two.”
Gavin held up his hand. “I’m glad father had a plan for Elsianna and David. I’d rather they be safe than me just having more money. They are my niece and nephew after all.”
Bidding a quiet farewell, Gavin was the next to depart from the conference, followed by Jean and Peter, who quickly explained what papers he would be submitting for Selena to claim the inheritance for her children and how to safely deposit it in savings for their use when they came of adulthood.
With only Talia and Selena remaining in the chat, Selena released a sigh almost at the same time Talia did.
“Is it okay that we talk?” Selena asked her former best friend, earning a nod from the lawyer.
“Ryan stormed out of the house a couple of minutes ago. I heard the door slam.”
“I’m sorry, Talia.” Selena quickly spoke. “I didn’t expect things to go this-“
“Trust me, I know.” Talia sighed. “But I did.”
“What? You knew?” Selena asked in surprise.
“I was the one that helped him write it and submit it. There’s a reason I was named, in the will, as handler of his archives and past ventures. Peter is just the family lawyer.”
“But…” Selena shook her head. “Why? Why didn’t you stop him? If not for Ryan’s sake than your own.”
“Because…” the lawyer ran a hand through her hair. “I hate the idea of Ryan becoming mayor.”
Sapphire eyes widened. “You do?”
“It scares me, Selena.” She admitted. “I don’t know when it started, but he’s becoming so much more ruthless and angrier than his father.”
“Are you safe?!” the wrestler quickly asked. “You don’t need to stay there if you’re not!”
“I’m okay.” Talia assured. “I’m not sure where he and I stand, but I think he does love me.”
“I wish I could see that.” Selena sighed. “All I see is him not caring who he steps on to get where he is… and you’re the closest thing for him to step on.”
“Even so... I appreciate the escape plan if I need one. And…I agree with Gavin. I think Malcolm was in the right mind when he chose Elsianna and David. I think it may have been one of the few good things he ever did, which is what really infuriates Ryan.”
The Snow Queen gave a nod, allowing a moment of quiet to pass before speaking again. “Talia…there is something I need to ask you.”
“What is it?” Talia asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I…” for a moment, Selena’s mind flashed back to that time in the cemetery when she had confronted Killjoy for a second time, making her debate how much she could tell Talia. “There is something that I think Malcolm would have wanted me to do.”
The lawyer gave a tilt of her head, prompting Selena to continue.
“I think he wanted me to find out who this killer is. Because I think they will be coming after me as well.”
“So you DO think he was murdered.” Talia asked, earning a nod from Selena.
“I think Ryan’s theory about me is fucked up… I think Malcolm knew he was going to die before he did. And I think he knew who was going to kill him.”
“Did he say as much?” Talia asked.
“In a way…” Selena tried to explain, though she refused to endanger Talia by revealing too much. “At the Serpentine Springs, he talked about being happy and enjoying what little life was left – I don’t know, it just felt like he knew that something was going to happen. And with him quitting as mayor, it just… I think he knew and I think he left a way for his killer to face justice.”
“So where do I come into this?” Talia asked.
“I want to research Malcolm’s past with you. Go through his files and his ventures. Try to find anything that can give us a solution.” Find anything that can tell me what ‘Project: Black Ice’ is…
“Selena…” Talia huffed with an amused expression. “It’s gigabytes of forms and papers. Terabytes of conferences and interviews…”
“I believe that.” Selena sighed. “But I…I need to do this. And I know Jean and Zelda will helps us if we include them.”
The lawyer seemed to think about this for a moment before sighing and nodding her head. “I’ll send them to you – encrypted – in the next few days. Anything else?”
“Yeah…” Selena thought, her mind jumping to one last thing – unrelated to everything that had occurred today. “Suppose you wanted to do some team-building exercises for a new partner at work… what would you do?”
Project: Black Ice
”What Will Be Done”
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
January 8th, 2022
4:51pm
“You cannot be serious!”
The declaration was so loud that Selena’s hand flew up to her headphones, pulling one of them away to ease the loudness against her ears. She had been dealing with this varying degrees of loudness for the past two hours, adjusting the volume constantly to try and listen to every word – to the people speaking normally – and the one person that seemed to grow louder with each declaration.
Hardly the behaviour of someone wanting to be mayor someday… she mentally teased, quietly taking delight at seeing her former fiancé throw something so close to a tantrum.
Not that she could really blame him, for the news had stunned her as much as it had him – though the Snow Queen was doing a far better job of concealing it.
She stared at the six faces on the screen of the Zoom call, which included her own. With SCW altering it’s ‘scheduling plans’, moving Breakdown from Thursday to ‘a special episode on Friday’ (something it was repeating next week as well), Selena had been unable to get to Nome, Alaska, for today to attend the reading of Malcolm Scythe’s will. Fortunately, Talia and Gavin had arranged for the conference to take place via Zoom link video conference, which allowed Selena to attend electronically, as she was now.
Taking a quick measure of everyone’s different backgrounds, which included different colored wallpaper and furniture, the Snow Queen surmised that everyone, even the married couple of Ryan and Talia Scythe, were attending the video call in different locations.
Perhaps Talia knew Ryan would react like this… the platinum-blonde thought to herself.
“There’s a mistake.” The eldest Scythe son, Ryan, declared. “You’ve misread it, Peter!”
“No mistake, Mr. Scythe.” The elder man, Selena assumed was the family lawyer, slowly shook his head. “Though I can read it again, if you insist.”
Clearing his throat, Selena felt her hands tighten around the armrests of her chair, her body growing tense at the idea that this would all be revealed as some sort of prank or joke – a big ‘gotcha’ like Ryan had pulled at Malcolm’s memorial service last month. Still, despite her nerves going off, the suited gentleman read the paper in front of him.
“Section 7, Paragraph 4. In the matter of my finances, I, Malcolm Henry Scythe, do bequeath the following amounts to the following groups/individuals. To the Pilgrim Springs Orphange… 500 thousand dollars. To the Nome “Homes for Homeless” Foundation…. 1 million dollars-“
“We’ve heard all that.” Growled Ryan. “It’s the last part that makes no sense!”
“The last part, Mr. Scythe?” Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.
“If I may…” came the accented, smooth voice of Jean Black, who had stayed quiet throughout the entire proceedings. “I believe Mr. Scythe is indicating the lines regarding Malcolm Scythe’s grandchildren, David and Elsianna.”
“Ah, I see.” Peter replied slowly before returning his attention to the papers, his gray eyes scanning down the paper. “Hunting grounds…Preservation grounds… Memorial Center…”
For a moment, Selena could only tilt her head, somewhat awed that a ) the deceased, former mayor of Nome had such resources and b ) was giving so much back to the town and…
“Grandchildren Elsianna and David Frost, care of Selena and Deanna Frost…” Peter found. “5 million dollars each, to be held in accounts under care of Mrs. and Mrs. Frost until the children are off age.”
“RIDICULOUS!” roared Ryan – had he expected the line to miraculously change between the first reading and second reading?
“Ryan…” Talia tried from her own screen. “They are his grandchildren-“
“And MY…” he bit back his response. “That’s ten million dollars that was meant for my campaign!” he countered. “They don’t even need that money with what she makes-“ he gestured to the screen and Selena assumed, correctly, that he was indicating her.
Still, while she did have a large fortune amassed from her years of wrestling in SCW, ULW, and IWC, as well as her father’s gold mine, ten million dollars was nothing to sneeze at! In one swoop, the children would have enough to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, though Selena wasn’t sure that kind of dependence was a good thing – something she would have to discuss with Deanna later.
“Be that as it may, Mr. Scythe.” Peter spoke sternly. “I cannot disregard the contents on the will based on such opinions. It is as I have read it.”
“Perhaps Malcolm felt like he needed to do more for his grandchildren.” Came the calm, negotiating voice of Gavin Scythe, the younger son trying to offer some insight. “After all that he had been responsible for.”
“All that he and you were responsible for, Ryan.” Jean Black added sharply, eyes ‘focused’ on Ryan Scythe.
The jabbing comment caused Ryan’s jaw to clench.
“How can you support this, Gavin?” Ryan tried, altering his tactics. “Next to that, he left us next to nothing! I was counting on those resources for my campaign!”
“Which I am glad you brought up, Mr. Scythe.” Came Peter’s voice. “There is a clause to both yours and Gavin’s inheritance on page 14.” He cleared his voice. “While this money can be used for various means, it IS NOT to be used in any political endeavours. Any violations of this will lead to forfeiture of the inheritance, effective immediately.”
If Selena had thought she’d seen Ryan Scythe angry when her children had been named inheritors to a large portion of Malcolm Scythe’s fortune, she had seen nothing at that moment. Hearing the clause, the oldest Scythe’s mouth hung open, her former fiancée stunned into silence for what felt like a good twenty minutes.
“Son of a bitch…” he finally growled, pushing himself to his feet, smartly muting his microphone… though he failed to remember that, while Talia was in a different room while she took this call, she was still in the same house. From her microphone, the sound of loud cursing was heard, Selena imaging that Ryan’s face was turning as purple as those suits he always wore.
Still, to say that she was stunned to near speechlessness would have been untrue. After so many years of being her greatest enemy, she had offered Malcolm a modicum of happiness in letting him spend a day with Elsianna and David – was that really worth ten million dollars?
Maybe to him it was… she thought to herself.
“I’m sorry.” Talia tried, apologizing for her husband’s behaviour. “We were just…he was counting a lot on that inheritance.”
“I am sorry to hear that.” Peter offered lamely.
“Perhaps…” Gavin sighed before shaking his head. “Nevermind.”
“What is it?” Selena finally spoke, earning his attention, as well as his surprise. “I’m sorry I haven’t spoken much.” She gave an apologetic shrug. “I’m just as confused as you all are by these events. But please say what’s on your mind, Gavin.”
“Well, it’s just…” the younger Scythe held his fingers to his scalp, nervously scratching his head. “Remember what Ryan said at father’s memorial service? About him being a ‘self-made man’ and all that?”
Selena gave a nod, as did Jean and Talia.
“Well, father didn’t have a dime when he came here but worked his way up to become mayor. I won’t pretend to be ignorant by saying it was all ‘decent’ or ‘kind’ but he did do it off his own work. Maybe…” he gave another nervous shrug, his hand clutching his arm. “Maybe he felt that, if any of us wanted to succeed him, we would have to earn it like he did. Off our own back…”
For a moment, Selena’s eyes widened in surprise, her mind wondering when the bitter, immature boy that had bullied and abused her throughout her childhood and teenage years had transformed into such an insightful, calm young man. It was almost unreal and yet, Selena could not help the smile that came to her at the thought.
“Well…” Selena offered teasingly, trying to break the tension. “I did take that leather jacket off your own back.”
Hearing that remark, Gavin’s eyes widened. “You still have that?” he asked with stunned smile.
“It still fits!” Selena stated. “Why throw away a good coat!”
“She wears it on TV.” Talia added, trying to ignore more cursing that seemed to come from within her abode from another room. “I’ve seen it in some of her segments.”
“Like I said.” Selena shrugged. “It still fits. And I’m not giving it back. I earned it.”
“Fair enough.” Gavin laughed, seemingly grateful at the breaking of tension. “Wouldn’t have fit me now anyway.”
“I will add.” Came the old lawyer’s voice. “That should any of you have issues with this, you can contest the will.”
It was at that moment, almost unfairly so, that Ryan’s face once more occupied the screen, his microphone unmuting. “Which is exactly what I intend to do.” He stated sharply.
“Done with your little temper tantrum, I see.” Selena shot back. “I was surprised you knew so many cursive words. Thank goodness my children were not in the room.”
“I muted-“
“Your wife is also in on this call.” Jean Black fired back. “Or did your forget that?”
For a moment, Ryan was silent, taking a few breaths to avoid a repeat performance of his cursing vernacular. After a moment, he slowly spoke. “I will be contesting the will.”
“Under what grounds?” asked Jean a split-second before Peter did as well.
“Under the grounds that my father was not in the proper mental capacity when he wrote that will!” came the response, earning a loud sigh from Talia.
“Ryan…” she tried.
“Come on, Talia! Think about it!” Ryan stated. “First, he quits being mayor – out of the blue. Then shuts himself up for how long? Weeks? Months? Then, when he finally emerges, all he wants to do his see his grandchildren, whom he’s had nothing to do with most of their lives. And on top of that, soon as he does, he rewrites the will just before he is murdered? Come on!”
If anyone else had suggested it – the series of events and the resulting allocation of assets – Selena might have entertained the notion. But coming from the purple-suited man, it sounded so much more desperate, especially as he turned his eyes to the screen and she felt said eyes on her.
“Why else would Selena have been so buddy-buddy with him? She planned this! I’ll go as far as to say she knew Malcolm was going to be murdered, maybe even-“
“Wait a minute!” Selena tried, but another voice cut her off.
“I’ll remind you, Mr. Scythe.” Jean Black’s voice loomed in darkly. “That I am Mrs. Frost legal advisor and I still have my licence to practice when the need arises. And the direction you are going is tantamount to slander, which, if you continue, could be liable to a lawsuit all its own.”
“Figures the old coot would say that.” Ryan scoffed.
“Ryan, you’ve got nothing to go on.” Gavin tried. “You just have conjecture. Whether or not Selena knew of the new will is meaningless. The money doesn’t benefit her, only her children.”
“But she’d do anything to screw over our family!” Ryan countered. “Right, Talia?”
For a moment, the dark-haired woman sighed, reaching up to massage her temples with her hands, clearly not wanting to be part of this argument.
“Ryan.” Selena spoke, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. “I had no idea that Malcolm had done any of this. In truth, I’m as stunned about this as you are. But Gavin had a point while you were gone.”
“What point?” Ryan asked bitterly.
“Malcolm was a self-made man. He believed in that – you said so yourself at his memorial.” Selena started, only to be scoffed at by Malcolm.
“He was also a bastard that didn’t care about how many necks he stepped on or how many people he crippled to get what he wanted. Your point?”
“My point is that maybe Gavin was right. Maybe Malcolm wanted his sons, you and Gavin, to succeed or fail on your own. Maybe he believed that you two could do it on your own without needing his money to do so.”
“Well, put that on a piece of paper and you have a nice Hallmark card!” Ryan laughed bitterly. “And meanwhile, you walk away with ten million dollars.”
“I don’t walk away with anything!” She countered. “I wouldn’t want it if it was for me. But it’s for David and Elsianna, remember?”
Her sapphire eyes bore into the screen, straight at Ryan – or she hoped he saw that – the implication very clear. Your biological children!
Sadly, for the Snow Queen, the implication seemingly had no effect on Ryan, who shook his head. “This whole thing is bullshit.” He stated. “And I refuse to believe he just suddenly ‘chose his bastard children’-“
“Watch it!” Selena warned.
“- over his sons!” He ignored the platinum-blonde’s warning, once more on a rant. “That’s he’d endanger the legacy of our name over a ‘lesson’!”
“So does this mean that you intend to contest the will?” Peter asked. “I will point out one more clause, Mr. Scythe, if you proceed with this.”
“What clause?” Ryan scoffed. “Does Selena get his house as well?”
“No, that was assigned to Ms. Talia Bridge, also known as Talia Scythe, independent of her marriage to you.”
“What’s the damn clause?” Ryan barked, not wishing to hear of another asset he believed he had been screwed out of.
“That, while you are free to contest the will, you will do so at your own risk, relinquishing your right to any inheritance in the current version of the will. If, however, the will is found to be valid and free of any issues-“
“In other words, if you call ‘foul’ and are proven wrong.” Jean Black translated.
“Precisely… should that occur, you will not be reincluded into the will and, having relinquished your inheritance, shall receive nothing.” Peter concluded.
“Meaning if you want to try and screw over Elsianna and David…” Selena stated, again with that tone that reeked of implication. “It will be a costly gamble.”
“And not just financially.” Black added, playing with his cane as he spoke from his screen. “Such a massive issue would certainly become news in Nome – that the prospective mayor is trying to undo his father’s final wishes.”
“I’m undoing a clear mistake-“
“And should it come out that he’s screwing over his own biological children to do it-“ Black added darkly.
“Jean!” Selena stated darkly, trying to stop him.
“What?” Jean shrugged. “Malcolm didn’t make me promise not to tell anyone.”
“You wouldn’t.” Malcolm threatened. “I’ll make your life a living hell.”
Jean’s dark eyes narrowed. “Better me than Elsianna and David, boy.”
There was a moment of silence shared by all until Ryan’s video suddenly went dark, the prospective politician having left the conference.
“I see.” Peter sighed. “Well, if he submits anything, I shall inform everyone here.”
“Thank you.” Selena replied. “I’m sorry things have become so… strange.” She added, casting her gaze to the videos of Gavin and Talia. “Especially for you two.”
Gavin held up his hand. “I’m glad father had a plan for Elsianna and David. I’d rather they be safe than me just having more money. They are my niece and nephew after all.”
Bidding a quiet farewell, Gavin was the next to depart from the conference, followed by Jean and Peter, who quickly explained what papers he would be submitting for Selena to claim the inheritance for her children and how to safely deposit it in savings for their use when they came of adulthood.
With only Talia and Selena remaining in the chat, Selena released a sigh almost at the same time Talia did.
“Is it okay that we talk?” Selena asked her former best friend, earning a nod from the lawyer.
“Ryan stormed out of the house a couple of minutes ago. I heard the door slam.”
“I’m sorry, Talia.” Selena quickly spoke. “I didn’t expect things to go this-“
“Trust me, I know.” Talia sighed. “But I did.”
“What? You knew?” Selena asked in surprise.
“I was the one that helped him write it and submit it. There’s a reason I was named, in the will, as handler of his archives and past ventures. Peter is just the family lawyer.”
“But…” Selena shook her head. “Why? Why didn’t you stop him? If not for Ryan’s sake than your own.”
“Because…” the lawyer ran a hand through her hair. “I hate the idea of Ryan becoming mayor.”
Sapphire eyes widened. “You do?”
“It scares me, Selena.” She admitted. “I don’t know when it started, but he’s becoming so much more ruthless and angrier than his father.”
“Are you safe?!” the wrestler quickly asked. “You don’t need to stay there if you’re not!”
“I’m okay.” Talia assured. “I’m not sure where he and I stand, but I think he does love me.”
“I wish I could see that.” Selena sighed. “All I see is him not caring who he steps on to get where he is… and you’re the closest thing for him to step on.”
“Even so... I appreciate the escape plan if I need one. And…I agree with Gavin. I think Malcolm was in the right mind when he chose Elsianna and David. I think it may have been one of the few good things he ever did, which is what really infuriates Ryan.”
The Snow Queen gave a nod, allowing a moment of quiet to pass before speaking again. “Talia…there is something I need to ask you.”
“What is it?” Talia asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I…” for a moment, Selena’s mind flashed back to that time in the cemetery when she had confronted Killjoy for a second time, making her debate how much she could tell Talia. “There is something that I think Malcolm would have wanted me to do.”
The lawyer gave a tilt of her head, prompting Selena to continue.
“I think he wanted me to find out who this killer is. Because I think they will be coming after me as well.”
“So you DO think he was murdered.” Talia asked, earning a nod from Selena.
“I think Ryan’s theory about me is fucked up… I think Malcolm knew he was going to die before he did. And I think he knew who was going to kill him.”
“Did he say as much?” Talia asked.
“In a way…” Selena tried to explain, though she refused to endanger Talia by revealing too much. “At the Serpentine Springs, he talked about being happy and enjoying what little life was left – I don’t know, it just felt like he knew that something was going to happen. And with him quitting as mayor, it just… I think he knew and I think he left a way for his killer to face justice.”
“So where do I come into this?” Talia asked.
“I want to research Malcolm’s past with you. Go through his files and his ventures. Try to find anything that can give us a solution.” Find anything that can tell me what ‘Project: Black Ice’ is…
“Selena…” Talia huffed with an amused expression. “It’s gigabytes of forms and papers. Terabytes of conferences and interviews…”
“I believe that.” Selena sighed. “But I…I need to do this. And I know Jean and Zelda will helps us if we include them.”
The lawyer seemed to think about this for a moment before sighing and nodding her head. “I’ll send them to you – encrypted – in the next few days. Anything else?”
“Yeah…” Selena thought, her mind jumping to one last thing – unrelated to everything that had occurred today. “Suppose you wanted to do some team-building exercises for a new partner at work… what would you do?”
01-13-2022, 12:15 AM
![[Image: 7iel1fg.png]](https://i.imgur.com/7iel1fg.png)
01-13-2022, 12:16 AM
OOC: Deanna’s first roleplay. Because of the name changes, I’ve provided a legend.
Pink: Jordan Majors/Majora
Red: Deanna/Springzee
Aqua: Selena/Freya
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
January 12, 2022
1:56pm
Deanna still wasn’t sure how this entire thing had come about as she sat at the large table in the ‘game room’ of her, Selena’s and their children’s home in Manhattan. Beside her, on her right, sat her wife, wearing a dark green sweater – the wrestler looking as unsure as she was. To her left sat their guest, who seemed only mildly uneasy, perhaps because she was in another person’s house. Still, out of the three of them, Jordan Majors seemed the most comfortable with the vast array of dice and miniatures that were splayed across the table.
On the other side, at one of the heads, and heading behind what Deanna could only describe as some pieces of ‘cardboard with drawings on them’ sat Asuna and Elsianna. The 12-year-old Asuna Gray was the daughter of their neighbour Dorian and Sybil and was Elsa’s best friend, even before the Frost family had had to stay in Germany for a few years.
As for their eldest daughter, Elsianna had been the one to suggest this whole thing. For the last few days, Selena and Deanna had been worried about their next Breakdown match, Deanna especially, which saw the three women in the room facing off against The Brand in its entirety. For Deanna, she simply didn’t want The Brand to hold another victory over her wife. Still, she could not ignore the nagging in the back of her head… the elephant in the room…
Elsianna had suggested inviting Jordan to the house for a sort of ‘game day’ and instantly gotten to work writing a story for this – she and Asuna had called it a campaign mini-session or something like that.
“So…” came the redhead’s voice. “Who are we again?” she cast her eyes down towards her sheet. “It says here my name is Springzee and I am a champion fighter…” I wish… Deanna thought sadly. Then maybe I wouldn’t feel so useless…
“Right.” Asuna explained. “And Mrs. Frost.” She gestured to Selena. “Is the Light Cleric, Freya.”
The Snow Queen raised an eyebrow at that, a series of papers in front of her. To say that the wrestler was ill-prepared for this would have been an understatement as her sapphire eyes danced across each page, trying to understand the rules and what her ‘place’ was within the game.
“And Ms. Majors is-“ Asuna started but Jordan was quick to intercept.
“The barbarian hunter known as Majora! Fear my rage!” she let out a playful roar as she held up her little miniature.
“Exactly!” Asuna stated. “And you guys are inside the dungeon of SuChamWre! Your task? Destroy the evil that lurks within!”
“Sounds simple enough.” Deanna shrugged.
“Speak for yourself.” Selena laughed, holding up one of the many pages in front of her. “You don’t have ‘spell slots’ to worry about.”
“Well…” Asuna smiled as Elsianna moved around the table, ready to help her mothers out when they needed. “If you guys are ready…” the young girl took a deep breath. “You find yourselves in a dark dungeon entrance…”
************************
The Dungeon of SuChamWre
Fields of Drachen
Mid-Day
”Huh…why can’t it ever be in a nice sunny field?” Majora whined, reaching up a hand to rub at her eyes. ”Can’t see a damn thing here…”
Upon those words being uttered, a bright, yet small ball of light emitted from a nearby sword, the light cleric, Freya, touching the sword belonging to the third member of their party, the warrior Springzee.
”I think that should help…” Freya replied nervously.
”Thanks, hunny!” Springzee smiled, leaning up to kiss the cleric on the cheek-
******************************
“Oh…” Asuna remarked, seeing Deanna kiss Selena’s cheek. “Are Springzee and Freya together?”
Turning her head, Deanna was a little stunned for a moment. “Oh, well, I just…” she turned her head to Selena. “Are we?”
“Don’t look at me.” Selena laughed. “You’re the one that kissed me and called me ‘hunny’.”
It wouldn’t have been an issue if Deanna knew the game better, but she was so scared about breaking the rules or messing up this ‘get-together’ that the three of them needed. “Can…can I do that?”
“You can do whatever you want.” Asuna laughed. “It’s your character and backstory.”
“Really?” Deanna grinned. “Well, in that case – Yes, I am-“ she thought about it for a moment. “I am married to Freya, the light cleric, even though her church is strongly against it.”
“I’m that smitten with you?” Selena asked, eyebrow raised. “That I turned against my church’s rules?”
“You prayed A LOT on it.” Deanna assured. “Besides, I make it up to you.” She winked.
The Snow Queen gave a roll of her eyes, though her free hand reached down to take Deanna’s hand into hers, a gesture that was not missed by Jordan.
“So…back to things…” Asuna tried, regaining the focus of the group. “You’re walking through the dungeon…”
************************************
”Uh…Dea- I mean, Springzee…” Freya spoke as the three walked through the dark dungeon. ”Do you remember what we’re supposed to be doing here?”
”Oh I do!” exclaimed the barbarian Majora. Unlike Freya, who wore elegant robes of her church, which hid the elven chainmail armor she wore for protection, and the knight-armor Springzee wore as a warrior, Majora was dressed in leather pants and a fur-vest, holding her axe in her hands with ease. ”The people of SuChamWre have been plagued by an evil sorcerer known as…” the barbarian stopped for a moment to laugh for no reason. ”Oh, I love this. An evil sorcerer named Holly Badams!”
With a laugh, Majora gave her axe a good swing. With my mighty axe, I shall slay this monster and the evil ‘god’ that has brainwashed by dear friend, Princess Cooks!
”Can’t argue with that logic-“
”FOOLS!” the loud voice echoed through the dungeon walls of stone, surprising the adventurers. ”You think you could fight me? Defeat me? With my mighty army and unbeatable Brand-monster?”
”What’s a Brand-Monster?” Freya asked, turning towards Majora and Springzee.
”No idea.” Springzee shrugged before turning towards the voice, speaking loudly. ”Yes! We will defeat you! Come out and face us!”
”Such boldness! Such courage! But no! I will not come out and face you! I will have my minions do that!”
”Coward!” proclaimed Majora. ”Return Princess Cook to me from the evil Gleebnorb’s clutches!”
”Your princess serves Gleebnorb, who serves me. She has found enlightenment thanks to him and my own cleric, GiAir! You too shall see things my way… or you will die!”
”Hell of a choice…” Freya whispered as the sound of chanting suddenly filled the room.
”Makeup!”
“Fashion!”
“Riches!”
“Beauty!”
The chants are such superficial concepts as a small horde of zombies waddle out before the adventurers. They were torn clothes that have words like “Holly” and “RDHCrew” (clearly a magical spell word or something to curse them). They drag their feet as they make their way towards the adventurers, their eyes lifeless as they continue their chanting.
”Yes, my fans! You love me! You love your Holly! Now protect her from these evil creatures!”
”Wait…I thought we were the good guys.” Majora remarked.
”We are!” Springzee stated. ”But it seems Holly has brainwashed more than just the princess with Gio… I mean, GiAir and Gleebnorb’s help!”
”So…is this where we attack?” Freya asked, seemingly unsure.
”Oh, I am so ready for this!” exclaimed the warrior. ”I’m finally going to beat something!”
With a mighty roar, Springzee leapt into action, bringing her sword down to cleave a nearby zombie in two! With a raging yell, Majora joined the fray as well, the two working like madwomen to bring down the numbers of the mindless servants of the evil sorcerer. After only a minute, though, Sprinzee turned her head to see Freya looking at her hands. ”Are you alright?”
********************************************
“Are you alright?” Deanna asked. “Selena?”
“No.” Selena sighed. “Every time a roll, my numbers aren’t high enough to land an attack. The highest I got was a 12 and that still wasn’t enough.”
The Snow Queen looked apologetically at her partners. “Sorry, guys. I’m not doing really well here-“
“Mother…” the voice came from her daughter, Elsianna, who had shuffled over to her side, taking the dice Selena had been using. “You’re using the wrong dice. That’s a d12 sided – you need to use this one.” She remarked, picking up a rounder, larger dice – a d20 sided dice – and handing it to Selena.
“Oh…” Selena looked down at the dice in her hand. “Okay…thank you sweetie…” she added before letting the dice roll out of her hand.
**************************
A mighty blast of light soared through the crowd, creating a massive explosion that took out several of the zombies! Turning to gaze back at the caster of such power, Springzee could only smile at the grinning Freya, the cleric holding her hands up still from the magic she had cast.
”You did it, Freya!” she exclaimed.
”Thanks be to the goddess of light, Elsa!” Freya exclaimed!
Renewed by the return of Freya’s magic, the group fought back, destroying all the zombies in only a few rounds!
”That’s the last of them!” Majora declared. ”Easy peasy!”
”No fair!!!” Came the loud voice once more as it echoed throughout the room. ”You cheated! You didn’t play fair!”
”Fair? You sicked 12 zombies on three adventurers. How is THAT fair?” Freya countered.
”That’s human math! Holly math makes it quite fair! In fact, the fact that you won proves you cheated!”
”How?” Majora asked. ”My pet familiar Addy has a wisdom score of 8 and even he knows that doesn’t make sense.”
”EVIL! YOU ALL ARE EVIL CHEATERS BECAUSE I SAY SO!” bellowed the voice. ”I will destroy you all and save the world!”
Deciding to leave the voice to its own ravings, our adventurers made their way out of the room and through a set of doors, moving further into the dungeon...
***********************************************
“I actually think I’m getting the hang of this.” Deanna exclaimed as she reviewed her character sheet after the first hour of playing. “I just need to keep using extra attacks and know when to use action surge!”
“Essentially.” Jordan, the more experienced game-player, remarked. “How are you doing, Selena?”
“It’s a little tricky.” Selena admitted. “Not only do I have to figure out what spell fits what situation best, but I have to constantly be watching over both of you in case you need healing or defence or protection. Not that I mind…it’s just a lot.” She smiled a little, giving a shrug.
“I think you’re doing fine.” Deanna smiled. “We managed to get through quite a few fights without much healing needed.”
“Thankfully.” Selena sighed.
It had been a rather eventful hour of playing – Asuna and Elsianna (the writers of the campaign – have loaded the beginning with a lot of small battles to get the three women more accustomed to the game mechanics (not necessarily needed in Jordan’s case, but it was welcome nonetheless). From battling the Gemini-Demon Tommdis, which was connected at the rear, to the succubae Rav and Syr. And while there had only been one or two close calls in terms of ‘game over’, there was no denying that the game was starting to get more and more fun for Deanna, Selena and Jordan.
“Alright…” Deanna clapped her hands together enthusiastically. “So, we’re in a large, seemingly empty room?”
“Right…” Asuna continued while Elsianna sat in her mother (Selena’s) lap. “You hear nothing but the sound of your own footsteps echoing through the chamber…”
************************************************
”This is so cool…” Springzee remarked. ”Hello!” she yelled out, listening to her voice echo throughout the chamber. Immediately, however, Freya’s hand flew out to grasp her beloved’s shoulder.
”Springzee!” she whispered. ”Don’t be so foolish! You can’t just rush into places without a plan! Such inexperience will cost all of us…”
A look of sadness crossed over Springzee’s features, the red-haired warrior giving a nod. ”Right… yeah…totally got it…”
”I don’t believe in you… you’re going to let us all down…”
Springzee’s head snapped up at the voice and the bite in the tone that filled her ears. ”What?” she asked, shock rolling through her.
”I said, ‘We need to be more careful, dear. But you’re learning and getting better!’”. Freya smiled, reaching up to caress the fighter’s face.
”Better?! Pfft! I’m paired with two people that’s failed so many times with people like this – and the warrior is inexperienced and useless!” Both Freya and Springzee’s head jerked towards Majora, emerald and sapphire eyes wide.
”What?” Majora asked. ”Is there something behind me?”
”Did you just say something?” Freya asked, her voice laced in alarm.
”Now? I just asked why you two are looking at me weird.”
”I don’t need any of you…the second you turn your backs, I’m killing both of you and becoming stronger than ever!”
The second you turn your backs… I’m unleashing my true power – the power of evil! – you all thought I was a good cleric of light… FOOLS!
”The second you turn your back…”
The trio spun around, eyeing one another as they each stood only a few feet apart. ”Please tell me someone else is hearing those voice…”
”You mean your voice? And your voice?” Majora asked, indicating both Springzee and Freya.
”It’s your voice too.”
”She’s evil… completely evil… you can’t trust her…” came the echoing voice throughout the chamber. ”You heard her…she admitted it…”
”That wasn’t me!”
”That wasn’t me!”
”That wasn’t me!”
All three women shouted into the chamber, with Freya’s voice being the loudest. However, the supposed ‘voices’ of the each member continued to ring, indicating evil intentions and betrayal from one another…
***********************************************
“No way.” Selena shook her head. “This is just some kind of trap made by Holly using our voices or something. Trying to make us seem evil when we aren’t.”
“Totally.” Jordan nodded her head.
“But how do we beat that?” Deanna asked, checking her character sheet before her face suddenly lit up with an idea. “Asuna- I mean Dungeon Master!”
“Yes?” the twelve-year old girl asked, tilting her head.
“Can I use that ‘insight’ skill to see if it’s really Freya and Majora speaking?” the redhead asked.
“Sure. You can make the roll-“
“Wait!” Jordan called out, her own knowledge of the game shining through. “It won’t work for me, but Freya is your wife, right?”
“Right.” Deanna nodded her head, casting a quick glance at Selena.
“Well, you know her better than some sorcerer – shouldn’t you have an advantage on that roll?”
“I…I think so.” Asuna answered instead. “Roll with advantage if the insight is on Freya.”
“Can I do the same for Dea- I mean, Springzee?” Selena asked, raising her hand as she asked.
“And I’ll do the same… for Freya!” declared Majora.
“But…” Asuna tilted her head in confusion. “You’re not married to Freya. You don’t know her.”
“Not personally as Springzee does – but I know the Order of Light that she serves and by her reputation! I know that a cleric of such an order would never stoop to such evil methods. It’s against everything they believe in!”
The three sat in silence as Asuna contemplated the argument, the young girl’s head tilting this way and that before she suddenly gave a nod of her head.
“All of you… roll with advantage…”
********************************************
”You’re a liar!” Majora called out to the space. ”You’re just trying to manipulate us by twisting our words or faking our voices! The only one evil here is you!”
”How about you stop hiding behind your tricks and pathetic deceptions and face us!” Freya challenged.
”Yeah! We’re not afraid of you!” Springzee added, brandishing her sword.
”You’re all blinded by your own evil! You don’t see it in one another!”
”Just because you say it over and over again doesn’t mean it’s true!”
”EVIL! EVIL! EVIL! EVIL! EVIL!” the voice repeated as it faded away.
”That gets real old, real fast.” the light cleric remarked, giving a roll of her eyes as she ran a hand through her white hair.
”Oh…tired, are we?” came the eerie voice as a large, white rabbit, wearing a purple vest hopped into the room. He stood the same height as Freya, the tallest of the three. ”Seeking aid, are we?”
”Who are you?” Freya asked, immediately raising her hands, ready to cast a spell to protect Springzee and Majora.
”Oh, don’t mind me! I’m just a rabbit selling peace.”
”Piece of what?” Majora asked.
”No no no…” chided the rabbit. ”I offer inner peace. A state of wellness that will sure empower you! That will surely strengthen you! That will make you better than ever bef-
“INSIGHT CHECK!”
*******************************************
All three women shouted at once, surprising everyone at the table.
“Like hell we’re going to listen to a talking rabbit that sounds like that!” Selena remarked.
“All that’s missing is a white van and the promise of candy.” Deanna shivered a little.
“Seriously…” Jordan shook her head. “Has anyone not seen Monty Python? Never trust the rabbit!”
**********************************************
”Sacred Flame!” Freya declared shooting radiant fire at the vested creature.
”Multi-slash!” Springzee joined, slashing quickly and many times!
”RAGE!!! AND SMASH!!!” Majora declared. ”Rabbit stew!”
Despite landing their attacks on the surprised rabbit, the creature is not vanquished. Stunned and hurt, he still manages to give a laugh.
”So tense and overly focused…you will never find the inner peace…Still…”
From behind and from the shadows, more zombies from the previous battles come springing forth, all charging at the three heroes. By the time they are dispatched, low-level and mindless as they are, the rabbit has long since gone.
”Coward.” Freya growled. ”Just like Holly!”
”We’ll get them.” the red-headed Springzee assured, taking Freya’s hand in hers. ”And we’ll beat Holly.”
”And rescue Princess Cooks from Gleebnorb.” Majora added.
”Oh…you fools…” came the bellowing voice. ”If only it were that simple…”
****************************************************
“Umm… Mrs. Frost.” Asuna stopped, looking up at Selena and Deanna, who both regarded as she, inadvertently, called both their name.
“Yes, sweetie?” Deanna asked.
“Do you mind if we take a quick break…I’m kind of hungry.” The young girl sounded so guilty in asking this, it was practically adorable. Casting a look at one another and then at Jordan, the Frost wives gave a nod.
“I’ll make some sandwiches.” Selena sighed, pushing herself out of her chair and making her way upstairs with Deanna following.
“Tuna okay?” the redhead asked, her eyes on Jordan.
“Sure.” Smiled the Adrenaline champion. “But then we can kill Gleebnorb?”
“I don’t know…” Deanna asked. “He is a ‘god’.”
“No, he isn’t!” came the proclamation from upstairs, Selena having heard the conversation.
With a laugh, Deanna scampered upstairs, seeing her wife in her black track pants and dark-green sweater, already working on mixing the tuna with the mayonnaise.
“So…” the redhead started, pulling the sliced bread out of the drawer. “Elsianna thought of all this, huh.”
“I’m just as surprised as you are.” Selena shrugged. “All that reading I suppose.”
“And probably watching YouTube videos.”
“That too.” Selena laughed. “You think we’ll actually get to Holly?”
“In the dungeon or on Breakdown?” Deanna asked, raising an eyebrow.
The Snow Queen’s hands stilled. “I don’t really want to think about that right now.” She admitted. “I just…” she sighed. “Downstairs – it’s is just a game…” she whispered. “Breakdown –“ a laugh escaped her. “I honestly wish I could just cast a spell and blast them all away.”
“And I wish I could use a sword and have that wicked health!” Deanna remarked. “But…I still think we’ll be okay.”
“It’s…” Selena sighed. “I’m more concerned at how they’re going to cheat.” She admitted. “I mean, me with Gio, me with Cid after the match, End of the Year – how many times before we get a fair match?” she shrugged. “And rolling a dice won’t help.”
“I know.” The younger Frost remarked, moving across the kitchen to embrace her wife. “And you’re worried about me. Because I’m-“
“Don’t say it.” Selena warned. “You’re not. Jordan and I believe in you-“
“Yes, but-“
Deanna’s words were cut off when they spied Jordan walking into the kitchen, a look of unease on her face.
“What is it, Jordan?” Selena asked. “Everything alright.”
“Well…I’m not sure.” Jordan laughed. “Asuna and Elsianna asked me to leave the room because they want to rewrite the next part of the game…they want to make it harder.”
“Harder?” Both Deanna and Selena asked in surprise.
“Apparently.” Jordan laughed. “I think we might be in for some rude surprises… and we might get our butts kicked…”
Casting a glance at her beloved wife, Deanna gave a shrug of her shoulders. “Well…I’m open to suggestions…”
Pink: Jordan Majors/Majora
Red: Deanna/Springzee
Aqua: Selena/Freya
Project: Black Ice
”Dungeons and Dragon-Yer-Feet Part 1: Beginnings”
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
January 12, 2022
1:56pm
Deanna still wasn’t sure how this entire thing had come about as she sat at the large table in the ‘game room’ of her, Selena’s and their children’s home in Manhattan. Beside her, on her right, sat her wife, wearing a dark green sweater – the wrestler looking as unsure as she was. To her left sat their guest, who seemed only mildly uneasy, perhaps because she was in another person’s house. Still, out of the three of them, Jordan Majors seemed the most comfortable with the vast array of dice and miniatures that were splayed across the table.
On the other side, at one of the heads, and heading behind what Deanna could only describe as some pieces of ‘cardboard with drawings on them’ sat Asuna and Elsianna. The 12-year-old Asuna Gray was the daughter of their neighbour Dorian and Sybil and was Elsa’s best friend, even before the Frost family had had to stay in Germany for a few years.
As for their eldest daughter, Elsianna had been the one to suggest this whole thing. For the last few days, Selena and Deanna had been worried about their next Breakdown match, Deanna especially, which saw the three women in the room facing off against The Brand in its entirety. For Deanna, she simply didn’t want The Brand to hold another victory over her wife. Still, she could not ignore the nagging in the back of her head… the elephant in the room…
Elsianna had suggested inviting Jordan to the house for a sort of ‘game day’ and instantly gotten to work writing a story for this – she and Asuna had called it a campaign mini-session or something like that.
“So…” came the redhead’s voice. “Who are we again?” she cast her eyes down towards her sheet. “It says here my name is Springzee and I am a champion fighter…” I wish… Deanna thought sadly. Then maybe I wouldn’t feel so useless…
“Right.” Asuna explained. “And Mrs. Frost.” She gestured to Selena. “Is the Light Cleric, Freya.”
The Snow Queen raised an eyebrow at that, a series of papers in front of her. To say that the wrestler was ill-prepared for this would have been an understatement as her sapphire eyes danced across each page, trying to understand the rules and what her ‘place’ was within the game.
“And Ms. Majors is-“ Asuna started but Jordan was quick to intercept.
“The barbarian hunter known as Majora! Fear my rage!” she let out a playful roar as she held up her little miniature.
“Exactly!” Asuna stated. “And you guys are inside the dungeon of SuChamWre! Your task? Destroy the evil that lurks within!”
“Sounds simple enough.” Deanna shrugged.
“Speak for yourself.” Selena laughed, holding up one of the many pages in front of her. “You don’t have ‘spell slots’ to worry about.”
“Well…” Asuna smiled as Elsianna moved around the table, ready to help her mothers out when they needed. “If you guys are ready…” the young girl took a deep breath. “You find yourselves in a dark dungeon entrance…”
************************
The Dungeon of SuChamWre
Fields of Drachen
Mid-Day
”Huh…why can’t it ever be in a nice sunny field?” Majora whined, reaching up a hand to rub at her eyes. ”Can’t see a damn thing here…”
Upon those words being uttered, a bright, yet small ball of light emitted from a nearby sword, the light cleric, Freya, touching the sword belonging to the third member of their party, the warrior Springzee.
”I think that should help…” Freya replied nervously.
”Thanks, hunny!” Springzee smiled, leaning up to kiss the cleric on the cheek-
******************************
“Oh…” Asuna remarked, seeing Deanna kiss Selena’s cheek. “Are Springzee and Freya together?”
Turning her head, Deanna was a little stunned for a moment. “Oh, well, I just…” she turned her head to Selena. “Are we?”
“Don’t look at me.” Selena laughed. “You’re the one that kissed me and called me ‘hunny’.”
It wouldn’t have been an issue if Deanna knew the game better, but she was so scared about breaking the rules or messing up this ‘get-together’ that the three of them needed. “Can…can I do that?”
“You can do whatever you want.” Asuna laughed. “It’s your character and backstory.”
“Really?” Deanna grinned. “Well, in that case – Yes, I am-“ she thought about it for a moment. “I am married to Freya, the light cleric, even though her church is strongly against it.”
“I’m that smitten with you?” Selena asked, eyebrow raised. “That I turned against my church’s rules?”
“You prayed A LOT on it.” Deanna assured. “Besides, I make it up to you.” She winked.
The Snow Queen gave a roll of her eyes, though her free hand reached down to take Deanna’s hand into hers, a gesture that was not missed by Jordan.
“So…back to things…” Asuna tried, regaining the focus of the group. “You’re walking through the dungeon…”
************************************
”Uh…Dea- I mean, Springzee…” Freya spoke as the three walked through the dark dungeon. ”Do you remember what we’re supposed to be doing here?”
”Oh I do!” exclaimed the barbarian Majora. Unlike Freya, who wore elegant robes of her church, which hid the elven chainmail armor she wore for protection, and the knight-armor Springzee wore as a warrior, Majora was dressed in leather pants and a fur-vest, holding her axe in her hands with ease. ”The people of SuChamWre have been plagued by an evil sorcerer known as…” the barbarian stopped for a moment to laugh for no reason. ”Oh, I love this. An evil sorcerer named Holly Badams!”
With a laugh, Majora gave her axe a good swing. With my mighty axe, I shall slay this monster and the evil ‘god’ that has brainwashed by dear friend, Princess Cooks!
”Can’t argue with that logic-“
”FOOLS!” the loud voice echoed through the dungeon walls of stone, surprising the adventurers. ”You think you could fight me? Defeat me? With my mighty army and unbeatable Brand-monster?”
”What’s a Brand-Monster?” Freya asked, turning towards Majora and Springzee.
”No idea.” Springzee shrugged before turning towards the voice, speaking loudly. ”Yes! We will defeat you! Come out and face us!”
”Such boldness! Such courage! But no! I will not come out and face you! I will have my minions do that!”
”Coward!” proclaimed Majora. ”Return Princess Cook to me from the evil Gleebnorb’s clutches!”
”Your princess serves Gleebnorb, who serves me. She has found enlightenment thanks to him and my own cleric, GiAir! You too shall see things my way… or you will die!”
”Hell of a choice…” Freya whispered as the sound of chanting suddenly filled the room.
”Makeup!”
“Fashion!”
“Riches!”
“Beauty!”
The chants are such superficial concepts as a small horde of zombies waddle out before the adventurers. They were torn clothes that have words like “Holly” and “RDHCrew” (clearly a magical spell word or something to curse them). They drag their feet as they make their way towards the adventurers, their eyes lifeless as they continue their chanting.
”Yes, my fans! You love me! You love your Holly! Now protect her from these evil creatures!”
”Wait…I thought we were the good guys.” Majora remarked.
”We are!” Springzee stated. ”But it seems Holly has brainwashed more than just the princess with Gio… I mean, GiAir and Gleebnorb’s help!”
”So…is this where we attack?” Freya asked, seemingly unsure.
”Oh, I am so ready for this!” exclaimed the warrior. ”I’m finally going to beat something!”
With a mighty roar, Springzee leapt into action, bringing her sword down to cleave a nearby zombie in two! With a raging yell, Majora joined the fray as well, the two working like madwomen to bring down the numbers of the mindless servants of the evil sorcerer. After only a minute, though, Sprinzee turned her head to see Freya looking at her hands. ”Are you alright?”
********************************************
“Are you alright?” Deanna asked. “Selena?”
“No.” Selena sighed. “Every time a roll, my numbers aren’t high enough to land an attack. The highest I got was a 12 and that still wasn’t enough.”
The Snow Queen looked apologetically at her partners. “Sorry, guys. I’m not doing really well here-“
“Mother…” the voice came from her daughter, Elsianna, who had shuffled over to her side, taking the dice Selena had been using. “You’re using the wrong dice. That’s a d12 sided – you need to use this one.” She remarked, picking up a rounder, larger dice – a d20 sided dice – and handing it to Selena.
“Oh…” Selena looked down at the dice in her hand. “Okay…thank you sweetie…” she added before letting the dice roll out of her hand.
**************************
A mighty blast of light soared through the crowd, creating a massive explosion that took out several of the zombies! Turning to gaze back at the caster of such power, Springzee could only smile at the grinning Freya, the cleric holding her hands up still from the magic she had cast.
”You did it, Freya!” she exclaimed.
”Thanks be to the goddess of light, Elsa!” Freya exclaimed!
Renewed by the return of Freya’s magic, the group fought back, destroying all the zombies in only a few rounds!
”That’s the last of them!” Majora declared. ”Easy peasy!”
”No fair!!!” Came the loud voice once more as it echoed throughout the room. ”You cheated! You didn’t play fair!”
”Fair? You sicked 12 zombies on three adventurers. How is THAT fair?” Freya countered.
”That’s human math! Holly math makes it quite fair! In fact, the fact that you won proves you cheated!”
”How?” Majora asked. ”My pet familiar Addy has a wisdom score of 8 and even he knows that doesn’t make sense.”
”EVIL! YOU ALL ARE EVIL CHEATERS BECAUSE I SAY SO!” bellowed the voice. ”I will destroy you all and save the world!”
Deciding to leave the voice to its own ravings, our adventurers made their way out of the room and through a set of doors, moving further into the dungeon...
***********************************************
“I actually think I’m getting the hang of this.” Deanna exclaimed as she reviewed her character sheet after the first hour of playing. “I just need to keep using extra attacks and know when to use action surge!”
“Essentially.” Jordan, the more experienced game-player, remarked. “How are you doing, Selena?”
“It’s a little tricky.” Selena admitted. “Not only do I have to figure out what spell fits what situation best, but I have to constantly be watching over both of you in case you need healing or defence or protection. Not that I mind…it’s just a lot.” She smiled a little, giving a shrug.
“I think you’re doing fine.” Deanna smiled. “We managed to get through quite a few fights without much healing needed.”
“Thankfully.” Selena sighed.
It had been a rather eventful hour of playing – Asuna and Elsianna (the writers of the campaign – have loaded the beginning with a lot of small battles to get the three women more accustomed to the game mechanics (not necessarily needed in Jordan’s case, but it was welcome nonetheless). From battling the Gemini-Demon Tommdis, which was connected at the rear, to the succubae Rav and Syr. And while there had only been one or two close calls in terms of ‘game over’, there was no denying that the game was starting to get more and more fun for Deanna, Selena and Jordan.
“Alright…” Deanna clapped her hands together enthusiastically. “So, we’re in a large, seemingly empty room?”
“Right…” Asuna continued while Elsianna sat in her mother (Selena’s) lap. “You hear nothing but the sound of your own footsteps echoing through the chamber…”
************************************************
”This is so cool…” Springzee remarked. ”Hello!” she yelled out, listening to her voice echo throughout the chamber. Immediately, however, Freya’s hand flew out to grasp her beloved’s shoulder.
”Springzee!” she whispered. ”Don’t be so foolish! You can’t just rush into places without a plan! Such inexperience will cost all of us…”
A look of sadness crossed over Springzee’s features, the red-haired warrior giving a nod. ”Right… yeah…totally got it…”
”I don’t believe in you… you’re going to let us all down…”
Springzee’s head snapped up at the voice and the bite in the tone that filled her ears. ”What?” she asked, shock rolling through her.
”I said, ‘We need to be more careful, dear. But you’re learning and getting better!’”. Freya smiled, reaching up to caress the fighter’s face.
”Better?! Pfft! I’m paired with two people that’s failed so many times with people like this – and the warrior is inexperienced and useless!” Both Freya and Springzee’s head jerked towards Majora, emerald and sapphire eyes wide.
”What?” Majora asked. ”Is there something behind me?”
”Did you just say something?” Freya asked, her voice laced in alarm.
”Now? I just asked why you two are looking at me weird.”
”I don’t need any of you…the second you turn your backs, I’m killing both of you and becoming stronger than ever!”
The second you turn your backs… I’m unleashing my true power – the power of evil! – you all thought I was a good cleric of light… FOOLS!
”The second you turn your back…”
The trio spun around, eyeing one another as they each stood only a few feet apart. ”Please tell me someone else is hearing those voice…”
”You mean your voice? And your voice?” Majora asked, indicating both Springzee and Freya.
”It’s your voice too.”
”She’s evil… completely evil… you can’t trust her…” came the echoing voice throughout the chamber. ”You heard her…she admitted it…”
”That wasn’t me!”
”That wasn’t me!”
”That wasn’t me!”
All three women shouted into the chamber, with Freya’s voice being the loudest. However, the supposed ‘voices’ of the each member continued to ring, indicating evil intentions and betrayal from one another…
***********************************************
“No way.” Selena shook her head. “This is just some kind of trap made by Holly using our voices or something. Trying to make us seem evil when we aren’t.”
“Totally.” Jordan nodded her head.
“But how do we beat that?” Deanna asked, checking her character sheet before her face suddenly lit up with an idea. “Asuna- I mean Dungeon Master!”
“Yes?” the twelve-year old girl asked, tilting her head.
“Can I use that ‘insight’ skill to see if it’s really Freya and Majora speaking?” the redhead asked.
“Sure. You can make the roll-“
“Wait!” Jordan called out, her own knowledge of the game shining through. “It won’t work for me, but Freya is your wife, right?”
“Right.” Deanna nodded her head, casting a quick glance at Selena.
“Well, you know her better than some sorcerer – shouldn’t you have an advantage on that roll?”
“I…I think so.” Asuna answered instead. “Roll with advantage if the insight is on Freya.”
“Can I do the same for Dea- I mean, Springzee?” Selena asked, raising her hand as she asked.
“And I’ll do the same… for Freya!” declared Majora.
“But…” Asuna tilted her head in confusion. “You’re not married to Freya. You don’t know her.”
“Not personally as Springzee does – but I know the Order of Light that she serves and by her reputation! I know that a cleric of such an order would never stoop to such evil methods. It’s against everything they believe in!”
The three sat in silence as Asuna contemplated the argument, the young girl’s head tilting this way and that before she suddenly gave a nod of her head.
“All of you… roll with advantage…”
********************************************
”You’re a liar!” Majora called out to the space. ”You’re just trying to manipulate us by twisting our words or faking our voices! The only one evil here is you!”
”How about you stop hiding behind your tricks and pathetic deceptions and face us!” Freya challenged.
”Yeah! We’re not afraid of you!” Springzee added, brandishing her sword.
”You’re all blinded by your own evil! You don’t see it in one another!”
”Just because you say it over and over again doesn’t mean it’s true!”
”EVIL! EVIL! EVIL! EVIL! EVIL!” the voice repeated as it faded away.
”That gets real old, real fast.” the light cleric remarked, giving a roll of her eyes as she ran a hand through her white hair.
”Oh…tired, are we?” came the eerie voice as a large, white rabbit, wearing a purple vest hopped into the room. He stood the same height as Freya, the tallest of the three. ”Seeking aid, are we?”
”Who are you?” Freya asked, immediately raising her hands, ready to cast a spell to protect Springzee and Majora.
”Oh, don’t mind me! I’m just a rabbit selling peace.”
”Piece of what?” Majora asked.
”No no no…” chided the rabbit. ”I offer inner peace. A state of wellness that will sure empower you! That will surely strengthen you! That will make you better than ever bef-
“INSIGHT CHECK!”
*******************************************
All three women shouted at once, surprising everyone at the table.
“Like hell we’re going to listen to a talking rabbit that sounds like that!” Selena remarked.
“All that’s missing is a white van and the promise of candy.” Deanna shivered a little.
“Seriously…” Jordan shook her head. “Has anyone not seen Monty Python? Never trust the rabbit!”
**********************************************
”Sacred Flame!” Freya declared shooting radiant fire at the vested creature.
”Multi-slash!” Springzee joined, slashing quickly and many times!
”RAGE!!! AND SMASH!!!” Majora declared. ”Rabbit stew!”
Despite landing their attacks on the surprised rabbit, the creature is not vanquished. Stunned and hurt, he still manages to give a laugh.
”So tense and overly focused…you will never find the inner peace…Still…”
From behind and from the shadows, more zombies from the previous battles come springing forth, all charging at the three heroes. By the time they are dispatched, low-level and mindless as they are, the rabbit has long since gone.
”Coward.” Freya growled. ”Just like Holly!”
”We’ll get them.” the red-headed Springzee assured, taking Freya’s hand in hers. ”And we’ll beat Holly.”
”And rescue Princess Cooks from Gleebnorb.” Majora added.
”Oh…you fools…” came the bellowing voice. ”If only it were that simple…”
****************************************************
“Umm… Mrs. Frost.” Asuna stopped, looking up at Selena and Deanna, who both regarded as she, inadvertently, called both their name.
“Yes, sweetie?” Deanna asked.
“Do you mind if we take a quick break…I’m kind of hungry.” The young girl sounded so guilty in asking this, it was practically adorable. Casting a look at one another and then at Jordan, the Frost wives gave a nod.
“I’ll make some sandwiches.” Selena sighed, pushing herself out of her chair and making her way upstairs with Deanna following.
“Tuna okay?” the redhead asked, her eyes on Jordan.
“Sure.” Smiled the Adrenaline champion. “But then we can kill Gleebnorb?”
“I don’t know…” Deanna asked. “He is a ‘god’.”
“No, he isn’t!” came the proclamation from upstairs, Selena having heard the conversation.
With a laugh, Deanna scampered upstairs, seeing her wife in her black track pants and dark-green sweater, already working on mixing the tuna with the mayonnaise.
“So…” the redhead started, pulling the sliced bread out of the drawer. “Elsianna thought of all this, huh.”
“I’m just as surprised as you are.” Selena shrugged. “All that reading I suppose.”
“And probably watching YouTube videos.”
“That too.” Selena laughed. “You think we’ll actually get to Holly?”
“In the dungeon or on Breakdown?” Deanna asked, raising an eyebrow.
The Snow Queen’s hands stilled. “I don’t really want to think about that right now.” She admitted. “I just…” she sighed. “Downstairs – it’s is just a game…” she whispered. “Breakdown –“ a laugh escaped her. “I honestly wish I could just cast a spell and blast them all away.”
“And I wish I could use a sword and have that wicked health!” Deanna remarked. “But…I still think we’ll be okay.”
“It’s…” Selena sighed. “I’m more concerned at how they’re going to cheat.” She admitted. “I mean, me with Gio, me with Cid after the match, End of the Year – how many times before we get a fair match?” she shrugged. “And rolling a dice won’t help.”
“I know.” The younger Frost remarked, moving across the kitchen to embrace her wife. “And you’re worried about me. Because I’m-“
“Don’t say it.” Selena warned. “You’re not. Jordan and I believe in you-“
“Yes, but-“
Deanna’s words were cut off when they spied Jordan walking into the kitchen, a look of unease on her face.
“What is it, Jordan?” Selena asked. “Everything alright.”
“Well…I’m not sure.” Jordan laughed. “Asuna and Elsianna asked me to leave the room because they want to rewrite the next part of the game…they want to make it harder.”
“Harder?” Both Deanna and Selena asked in surprise.
“Apparently.” Jordan laughed. “I think we might be in for some rude surprises… and we might get our butts kicked…”
Casting a glance at her beloved wife, Deanna gave a shrug of her shoulders. “Well…I’m open to suggestions…”
01-13-2022, 12:47 AM
01-13-2022, 12:58 PM
01-13-2022, 05:35 PM
01-13-2022, 10:07 PM
OOC: Selena’s second roleplay. Because of the name changes, I’ve provided a legend.
Pink: Jordan Majors/Majora
Red: Deanna/Springzee
Aqua: Selena/Freya
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
January 12th, 2022
5:02pm
Quietly, after checking on David, Amiliah and Oberon, Selena pulled out another bottled water from the fridge, matching the one she had just pulled out a moment ago and given to Jordan Majors, who had followed her to have a bit more of a heart-to-heart talk about… well, things.
In truth, Selena enjoyed having such a wide range of topics with the young woman. She was bright and kind and had a lot in common with the Snow Queen. Not only that, but the woman was beyond talented as a wrestler – Selena knew that from personal experience – the fact that she had not yet won the World Championship was a travesty in and of itself – a far cry from Holly Adams.
Just as quickly as the name had come up, Selena banished as much of that vile woman’s presence from her mind as possible. Breakdown was only a few days away, and she would be lying if that hadn’t also been a particular topic between her and Jordan. As it stood, Jordan was far more confident in things than Selena was. Her eagerness and desire to win and ‘show the Brand what we’re made of’ was endearing.
It was not so easy for Selena.
The platinum-blonde had run every scenario in her head and had come to the same conclusion. While she had beaten both Giovanni and Cid Turner in the past, she had never had a match with Holly Adams that hadn’t ended in controversy. In the end, Holly only cared about getting the last laugh and looking good. And with all three members of the current Brand involved, Selena didn’t believe for a second that the match was going to be anything but controversial – or, in more laymen’s terms: tainted.
With a sigh, the young woman rested her head against the cold fridge. She was sick of it. Sick of it always having to be so. Why couldn’t she just fight people without controversy? Why couldn’t it just come down to talent and will instead of ambushes, sneak attacks and ‘tricks’? Wasn’t that what SCW was supposed to represent?
“Hey…”
She recognized the voice instantly, lifting her head to see the patient, smiling face of her redhead of a wife, Deanna, resting her arms over the top of the open fridge-door. Her emerald-green eyes were patient with a hint of concern. “Tired?” she asked softly, reaching down to caress Selena’s cheek with her fingers. “We’ve been playing for a few hours now.”
“Yeah…” Selena laughed before pushing herself up to her full height. “I mean – is this really what Elsianna was playing once a week for hours on end? I can’t imagine having that much patience for a game.”
“I know.” Nodded Deanna as she moved away from the fridge so Selena could close it, the world champion offering one of the bottles of water to the shorter Frost. “Remember when she liked ‘Snakes and Ladders’ or ‘Battleship’?”
“Oh…those were the good days!” Selena added, joining in on the humor. “But then she learned how to play Monopoly and it just went downhill from there!”
The two shared a laugh as Selena leaned against the counter, not surprised when Deanna moved closer to her, leaning her back up against the front of the taller Frost.
“She’s so talented.” Deanna observed. “That she came up with this…”
Selena nodded. For a nine-year old to come up with the story that was captivating three adult women, Selena could not help but be impressed at her eldest daughter. Yes, the insults were simple, actually were a bit like that warped version of “Wizard of Oz” Holly had filmed a few weeks ago in their exaggerations and such, but Elsianna was nine, not an adult like Holly claimed to be.
“She believes in us.” Selena replied wistfully.
“I…I wish I did.” Came the sigh from the redhead, earning a look from Selena.
“You don’t think I can beat her at the pay-per-view?”
“No…I do.” Deanna quickly stated, though she gave another sigh. “But I’m not talking about that… I’m talking about Breakdown…”
***************************************
The Dungeon of SuChamWre
Fields of Drachen
Night
”Hey, Springzee…” the barbarian hunter Majora asked as the group rested around the campfire. They had opted for a long rest to restore their health and attributes, picking a room to remain safe in before heading to the end of the dungeon.
Looking up, the armored fighter tilted her head. ”Yeah?”
”Dumb question…Back when we first entered the cave, you said ‘finally, I’m going to beat something…’ What did you mean?”
The warrior’s eyes grew wide for a moment, her mouth opened only slightly as it struggled to formulate the words. Patiently, Majora waited, tilting her head this way and that as she ate her food rations.
”Well…I mean…” Springzee started until she finally gave a loud sigh. It was that sound that prompted the light cleric, Freya, Springzee’s wife, to lay her hands gently on the armored shoulders of the redhead, quietly encouraging her to be honest. ”It’s just…before we got here… I’ve never won a battle before.”
”What? Like…never?” Majora asked in surprise.
Glumly, Springzee shook her head. ”I’ve always either been too weak or too stupid to win a fight in the past. My inexperience and… she lifted her arms to shrug. ”Freya’s won tournaments for the kings and queens, healed the sick – she’s loved back in SuChamWre with many believers of her faith – even if the church hates who’s she’s married to.”
Springzee gestured to herself. There were some that believed that Freya’s marriage to Springzee was taboo, something evil based on their age difference and that they were both women, as well as Freya’s connection to the Order of Light.
”She’s always been the leader, keeping us alive in our adventures, even before we met you, Majora… and every time I’ve ventured out on my own – or tried to win fights in town… I just can’t compete…”
”Such things take time, beloved.” Freya leaned in to whisper her words against Springzee’s temple.
”But what if it gets us killed?! What if Badams uses it to beat us?”
”She will.” Majora shrugged her shoulders, earning a look of sadness from Springzee and a look of surprise and slight disapproval from Freya. ”Something you’re not quite remembering here, Springzee. Holly is terrified of us.”
The barbarian paused for a moment, shaking her head to get some of the kinks out of her neck. ”I mean think about it. She’s sent her bunny cleric GiAir after us, we’ve fought her zombie horde, and countless others, but every time she shows up, she never… well shows up. Never faces us on her own.”
”She’s a coward.” Freya remarked bitterly.
”But why would she be so afraid of us if we couldn’t match up to her? Take her and her Brand on? Why not just kill us if it’s so easy? That’s my point. She’s afraid and she knows we can so she’s going to use everything she can just to beat us. It’s desperation.”
”So you’re just saying she’s going to use my inexperience against us.”
”I’m saying she’s afraid of what this team can do-“ reaching out, Majora placed a strong hand over Springzee’s. ”That includes you, De- I mean, Springzee.”
Without a sound, Freya placed a pale hand over the two as well, grasping them tightly as she smiled at the two. ”Well said, Majora. Well said.”
*****************************************************
“Majora…” Asuna called out to Jordan, earning the young wrestler’s attention. “Please take inspiration for that rousing speech.”
“Alright!” Jordan cheered, as happy as a kid at Christmas, at her reward.
“That was really beautiful.” Selena remarked, impressed by the young girl’s encouragement.
“Yeah.” Deanna replied before quickly reaching up to wipe at her eyes with a free hand, earning an adoring laugh from Selena.
“You made Deanna cry, Jordan!” she exclaimed playfully, leaning in to kiss her wife the same way Freya had kissed Springzee.
“I’m not crying!” Deanna remarked, burying her head in Selena’s shoulder and chest. “You’re crying.” Came the muffled addition as Selena patted her wife’s head with her free hand.
“Alright…” Asuma smiled, waiting for the group to refocus. “So is the long rest finished?”
“Yeah.” Jordan replied with a smile.
“Yes.” Selena nodded, casting her eyes back on Deanna, who sat back up in her chair.
“I’m good.” Deanna stated, her voice only slightly shaky.
For a moment, the Dungeon Master said nothing, only turning her head to gaze at Elsianna sitting beside her. The Frosts’ eldest daughter merely gave a slow nod.
“Alright.” Asuna said, taking a deep breath. “I suggest you guys finish doing any other preparations… cause you’re about to enter the final room in the SuChamWre dungeon… where your enemy is waiting for you…”
_______________________________________________________________
Dear Holly Adams and The Brand,
Forgive me if there is a tinge more bitterness to this Royal Letter, but I feel it’s necessary given recent events. Tell me, Holly, Cid, GiGi – do you feel any satisfaction in how things have progressed? Do you feel any kind of actual remorse at how this supposed ‘supreme stable’ has stooped lower and lower every week in order to deal with me and my family?
Stealing the world title?
Bugging said title?
Having all three of you and Cookie being involved with the End of the Year match?
And all of it to deal with one little Snow Queen and her, what was it? ‘Child Bride’?
I must say I am impressed… because afterall: you, Holly Adams, you talk such a big game. Giovanni Aries talks such a big game. Cid Turner talks such a big game.
And yet… when push comes to shove – when it comes time to prove what they say…well, they’re just like Infamous, though not as smart, Blood Grove, though not as tough, Monarchy, though not as skilled, and the Jackals, though… okay, you’re far more annoying than the Jackals, I’ll give you guys that one!
But how else can we look at you guys – you had the chance to regain the world championship! You had the chance to start 2022 on YOUR terms… and you guys couldn’t even work together enough to properly screw me out of the title! I doubt Infamous would ever have made that mistake…
Hell, you guys can’t even get straight ‘the number of payments’ it takes to get your product. Seriously, is it like stock? The value goes up and down depending on ‘performance’? Cause if that’s the case, let’s see…
Cid couldn’t silence me and is now crying the same tune as The Brand and blaming “witch hexes”.
Giovanni needed a plant to beat me.
And Holly? You needed both of them AND Cookie just to steal – not become – the world champion!
And yet, you keep telling everyone that it’s all ‘part of the plan’. That you becoming world champion is ‘inevitable’. That my ‘exposure is inevitable’.
Guys, it’s a lie. It’s a lie just like all your product promises.
Because this isn’t some story where you control the narrative – nice ripoff, by the way, reading a book while parodying its ‘movie version’? Have you guys even read the actual book?
This isn’t your vapid tv-show where editors can clip and cut all the BS Holly says and does, and I am sure there’s tons of footage of that, to make her look like either the victim, the star, the ‘greatest thing on television’ or a combination of all three.
This is Supreme Championship Wrestling. And at the end of the day, none of you control a damn thing about it. Not me, not the people or their opinions, or the world championship! So when you spout crap here, you get called out on it!
For weeks, The Brand has been viewed as, not unstoppable, but difficult to shut up. You lose the Adrenaline title, you shrug it off and say it doesn’t matter. You lose the world title, you shrug it off and declare cheating and conspiracies and luck. You lose your chance at the world title and you claim it’s ‘part of the plan of exposing Selena as a liar and a witch’ blah blah blah blah blah.
Now, the witch thing aside, cause I’ll get to that at some point between now and Body, Heart and Soul, I am sure, but you get the point. You lose and none of you want to take responsibility for that. None of you want to own up to it. See, Holly, I know I lost at End of the Year. And yes, it makes me angry to no end that I did because I wanted to prove that, just like with Cid Turner, your ‘brand’ of things was not the standard of SCW.
But I owned that loss. Unlike you, I didn’t just run away and say ‘this person won’t get a shot! This person won’t get a shot’ – I didn’t do to you what you did to Datura just because you BLEW your chance to become World Champion because your plan failed, which you wouldn’t have needed if you had enough of a spine to face me on your own.
No, I eagerly agreed to the rematch that will happen at Body, Heart and Soul and because I don’t want End of the Year to be the end of this. I don’t want “a retaining by disqualification” to be the reason I am still champion – not when I KNOW that I can retain the championship by beating your pompous, overpriced ass!
But that is Body, Heart and Soul. Tonight, it’s time for the Brand to stand together. It’s time for the Brand to be a team in an official match…
Now, you see that and you laugh – you guarantee dominance and victory! - and why wouldn’t you? You got Cid Turner, who’s taken me to the brink every single time we’ve faced. You’ve got Giovanni, who’s clearly obsessed with me because he can’t seem to stop talking about that win a few weeks ago that he was handed by interference, and we’ve got Holly, the supposed “Real Face of SCW”.
A real housewife of Beverly Hills the ‘Real Face of SCW’, huh? I think I’ll steal a line from Cid Turner post-mutism. ‘If that’s the case, SCW needs a facelift pronto!’
But you laugh because all three of you have the advantage of being a team – that experience. Jordan Majors and I? We’ve not really teamed all that much. We’ve fought one another and we’ve had a hell of a time going up against each other. And my wife, Deanna? Well, I’ll let her speak for herself when the time comes.
From Cid to Giovanni, you are all confident because the Brand has all the advantage. The numbers, the styles, hell, if Holly still wears that damn faceguard to protect her ‘life-threatening’ broken nose, she’s effectively weakening my greatest weapon. There is not a single thing Jordan, Deanna and I have in our favour going into this match.
Except for one thing.
Because at End of the Year, the Brand showed that it can have all the advantages in the world and still fail. For all your interferences, all your plans, all your scheming, Holly Adams should have easily become the world champion… and yet she didn’t. Because, even with all those advantages, the Brand couldn’t deliver a single promise. The Brand couldn’t get the job done properly. The Brand fucked up.
Just like your plans to ‘record me’ on Breakdown to ‘expose me’. Great plan…except you got nothing out of it. Again, the Brand had weeks to put that plan together…and still failed.
In two nights, you not only proved that, even when everything is handed to you on a silver platter, you drop the ball, you proved that the Brand and every one of you are fallible. That, for all your ‘nirvanna’ and ‘coaching’ and ‘Gleebnorb’ and ‘tv-shows’ and ‘secret plans’, you are not some dominant, superior beings. You are just a couple of bitter, insecure, cowardly whiners that want what you can’t get on your own.
So, back to what’s on paper and let’s look at it with that in mind, shall we?
Cid Turner, a man that fell to me twice and then threw a tantrum because he couldn’t handle the fact that someone was better than him. Who blames me for – well, basically everything it seems, without a shred of real proof – but lately, he blames me for End of the Year when he was the one that came to the ring and told Cookie to hit me with the world title. A man that calls me a ‘gaslighting’, ‘manipulating’ fraud with a ‘false-sense of superiority’ when he’s the one running around saying he’s a god and should be worshipped. A man that thinks we’re ‘hiding’ when all he seems to do is run away when trouble comes for him.
Giovanni Aries, the man against the ‘establishment’ joining one and becoming, basically, Holly’s overpaid escort. Wherever she goes, he goes. A man that’s fallen so far off the…well, off the scaffold… that’s his only true claim that he earned on his own was beating an old man into a hospital. I mean, seriously, Gio, does nirvana translate to ‘peace with the fact that I can’t beat Selena Frost without someone helping me’? Is that it? Cause I’m pretty sure it’s not worth six or seven or eight payments of $19.99 or $29.99 or whatever number you put before the ‘9.99’ part.
And then there’s Holly Adams. And Holly? You’re still easy to figure out. Cause I dealt with this when I faced you in Ottawa. I dealt with this when you teamed with Asher against me and Deanna. I watched this as Jordan kicked your ass inside that chamber and, thankfully, removed you as Adrenaline champion.
You run. You hide. You wait till the coast is clear and then you make an effort. You wait till all the work is done and then you go on the attack. You wait till the back is turned and you stick the knife in. And you claim that you’re the ‘hero’ in all of this, just like Cid?
Holly…you are the reason that no one believes in The Brand’s dominance anymore. When Cid was champion? Absolutely. When Asher was around, untouchable with his fake World title? Absolutely. But then you come around and, like I said, you can’t get it done despite having THREE people holding your hand.
See, I didn’t need three people to beat Cid or Syren or Giovanni or Asher or anyone. I’ve always done it on my own… you all say it’s hexes because you can’t admit what it really is. Integrity and heart – two things none of you have, but that makes the Brand look bad so you call it “witch hexes”!
But tonight, when Breakdown comes around… I won’t be on my own. Tonight, I am not just happy – I am EAGER to have people with me in this war.
Because I, the BETTER World champion I’ve got the BETTER Adrenaline champion in Jordan Majors and I’ve got the BETTER manager, advisor, and coach in Deanna Frost with me!
Because one thing that’s been proven through all of this: beating Cid Turner, fighting Giovanni, and retaining the title against you, Holly, is that the Brand does one thing better than any other stable like Infamous and Monarchy - and that’s give up!
Cid Turner? Seems he’s into cardio now, running for the hills every time Brittany Lohan or the Connection shows up.
Giovanni Aries? Took him about five or eight minutes before he was calling for help against me.
You, Holly? You couldn’t even wait till the match started to give up on facing me on your own.
On paper, you are ‘The Brand’. You are a dominant force of tricks, excuses, and cheap ploys. But in reality? You guys don’t have the heart or the integrity and, even with all the odds in your favour, you are still beatable! And you’ve proven that over and over again.
And you’re up against the woman that refused to give up in the End of the Year invitational, the iron woman that tore through the elimination chamber from beginning to end, and the woman that refuses to quit. Three woman that choose to keep fighting while you choose to run, call for help, or just blame something like hexes.
And I’d rather have those two women with me than all the ‘advantages’ you have. And this Breakdown, you will HAVE all those advantages – everything in your favour handed to you on a silver platter. And just like every other time, you will fail to prove anything beyond what the world already knows. That you are cowards. That you are liars. And that you fear what we represent – what SCW truly represents!
Because Jordan and the Frosts? We’ve made a career at defying odds. We’ve made a living out of turning back cheats and cowards like you. And Breakdown? It’s gonna be another day at the office for us as we do the exact same thing!
Believe it, guys. Because it’s OUR turn to show you how real champions win matches.
Sincerely,
Selena Frost
SCW World Champion
Pink: Jordan Majors/Majora
Red: Deanna/Springzee
Aqua: Selena/Freya
Project: Black Ice
”Dungeons and Dragon-Yer-Feet Part 3: Inspiring Leader”
Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
January 12th, 2022
5:02pm
Quietly, after checking on David, Amiliah and Oberon, Selena pulled out another bottled water from the fridge, matching the one she had just pulled out a moment ago and given to Jordan Majors, who had followed her to have a bit more of a heart-to-heart talk about… well, things.
In truth, Selena enjoyed having such a wide range of topics with the young woman. She was bright and kind and had a lot in common with the Snow Queen. Not only that, but the woman was beyond talented as a wrestler – Selena knew that from personal experience – the fact that she had not yet won the World Championship was a travesty in and of itself – a far cry from Holly Adams.
Just as quickly as the name had come up, Selena banished as much of that vile woman’s presence from her mind as possible. Breakdown was only a few days away, and she would be lying if that hadn’t also been a particular topic between her and Jordan. As it stood, Jordan was far more confident in things than Selena was. Her eagerness and desire to win and ‘show the Brand what we’re made of’ was endearing.
It was not so easy for Selena.
The platinum-blonde had run every scenario in her head and had come to the same conclusion. While she had beaten both Giovanni and Cid Turner in the past, she had never had a match with Holly Adams that hadn’t ended in controversy. In the end, Holly only cared about getting the last laugh and looking good. And with all three members of the current Brand involved, Selena didn’t believe for a second that the match was going to be anything but controversial – or, in more laymen’s terms: tainted.
With a sigh, the young woman rested her head against the cold fridge. She was sick of it. Sick of it always having to be so. Why couldn’t she just fight people without controversy? Why couldn’t it just come down to talent and will instead of ambushes, sneak attacks and ‘tricks’? Wasn’t that what SCW was supposed to represent?
“Hey…”
She recognized the voice instantly, lifting her head to see the patient, smiling face of her redhead of a wife, Deanna, resting her arms over the top of the open fridge-door. Her emerald-green eyes were patient with a hint of concern. “Tired?” she asked softly, reaching down to caress Selena’s cheek with her fingers. “We’ve been playing for a few hours now.”
“Yeah…” Selena laughed before pushing herself up to her full height. “I mean – is this really what Elsianna was playing once a week for hours on end? I can’t imagine having that much patience for a game.”
“I know.” Nodded Deanna as she moved away from the fridge so Selena could close it, the world champion offering one of the bottles of water to the shorter Frost. “Remember when she liked ‘Snakes and Ladders’ or ‘Battleship’?”
“Oh…those were the good days!” Selena added, joining in on the humor. “But then she learned how to play Monopoly and it just went downhill from there!”
The two shared a laugh as Selena leaned against the counter, not surprised when Deanna moved closer to her, leaning her back up against the front of the taller Frost.
“She’s so talented.” Deanna observed. “That she came up with this…”
Selena nodded. For a nine-year old to come up with the story that was captivating three adult women, Selena could not help but be impressed at her eldest daughter. Yes, the insults were simple, actually were a bit like that warped version of “Wizard of Oz” Holly had filmed a few weeks ago in their exaggerations and such, but Elsianna was nine, not an adult like Holly claimed to be.
“She believes in us.” Selena replied wistfully.
“I…I wish I did.” Came the sigh from the redhead, earning a look from Selena.
“You don’t think I can beat her at the pay-per-view?”
“No…I do.” Deanna quickly stated, though she gave another sigh. “But I’m not talking about that… I’m talking about Breakdown…”
***************************************
The Dungeon of SuChamWre
Fields of Drachen
Night
”Hey, Springzee…” the barbarian hunter Majora asked as the group rested around the campfire. They had opted for a long rest to restore their health and attributes, picking a room to remain safe in before heading to the end of the dungeon.
Looking up, the armored fighter tilted her head. ”Yeah?”
”Dumb question…Back when we first entered the cave, you said ‘finally, I’m going to beat something…’ What did you mean?”
The warrior’s eyes grew wide for a moment, her mouth opened only slightly as it struggled to formulate the words. Patiently, Majora waited, tilting her head this way and that as she ate her food rations.
”Well…I mean…” Springzee started until she finally gave a loud sigh. It was that sound that prompted the light cleric, Freya, Springzee’s wife, to lay her hands gently on the armored shoulders of the redhead, quietly encouraging her to be honest. ”It’s just…before we got here… I’ve never won a battle before.”
”What? Like…never?” Majora asked in surprise.
Glumly, Springzee shook her head. ”I’ve always either been too weak or too stupid to win a fight in the past. My inexperience and… she lifted her arms to shrug. ”Freya’s won tournaments for the kings and queens, healed the sick – she’s loved back in SuChamWre with many believers of her faith – even if the church hates who’s she’s married to.”
Springzee gestured to herself. There were some that believed that Freya’s marriage to Springzee was taboo, something evil based on their age difference and that they were both women, as well as Freya’s connection to the Order of Light.
”She’s always been the leader, keeping us alive in our adventures, even before we met you, Majora… and every time I’ve ventured out on my own – or tried to win fights in town… I just can’t compete…”
”Such things take time, beloved.” Freya leaned in to whisper her words against Springzee’s temple.
”But what if it gets us killed?! What if Badams uses it to beat us?”
”She will.” Majora shrugged her shoulders, earning a look of sadness from Springzee and a look of surprise and slight disapproval from Freya. ”Something you’re not quite remembering here, Springzee. Holly is terrified of us.”
The barbarian paused for a moment, shaking her head to get some of the kinks out of her neck. ”I mean think about it. She’s sent her bunny cleric GiAir after us, we’ve fought her zombie horde, and countless others, but every time she shows up, she never… well shows up. Never faces us on her own.”
”She’s a coward.” Freya remarked bitterly.
”But why would she be so afraid of us if we couldn’t match up to her? Take her and her Brand on? Why not just kill us if it’s so easy? That’s my point. She’s afraid and she knows we can so she’s going to use everything she can just to beat us. It’s desperation.”
”So you’re just saying she’s going to use my inexperience against us.”
”I’m saying she’s afraid of what this team can do-“ reaching out, Majora placed a strong hand over Springzee’s. ”That includes you, De- I mean, Springzee.”
Without a sound, Freya placed a pale hand over the two as well, grasping them tightly as she smiled at the two. ”Well said, Majora. Well said.”
*****************************************************
“Majora…” Asuna called out to Jordan, earning the young wrestler’s attention. “Please take inspiration for that rousing speech.”
“Alright!” Jordan cheered, as happy as a kid at Christmas, at her reward.
“That was really beautiful.” Selena remarked, impressed by the young girl’s encouragement.
“Yeah.” Deanna replied before quickly reaching up to wipe at her eyes with a free hand, earning an adoring laugh from Selena.
“You made Deanna cry, Jordan!” she exclaimed playfully, leaning in to kiss her wife the same way Freya had kissed Springzee.
“I’m not crying!” Deanna remarked, burying her head in Selena’s shoulder and chest. “You’re crying.” Came the muffled addition as Selena patted her wife’s head with her free hand.
“Alright…” Asuma smiled, waiting for the group to refocus. “So is the long rest finished?”
“Yeah.” Jordan replied with a smile.
“Yes.” Selena nodded, casting her eyes back on Deanna, who sat back up in her chair.
“I’m good.” Deanna stated, her voice only slightly shaky.
For a moment, the Dungeon Master said nothing, only turning her head to gaze at Elsianna sitting beside her. The Frosts’ eldest daughter merely gave a slow nod.
“Alright.” Asuna said, taking a deep breath. “I suggest you guys finish doing any other preparations… cause you’re about to enter the final room in the SuChamWre dungeon… where your enemy is waiting for you…”
_______________________________________________________________
The Royal Letter
Dear Holly Adams and The Brand,
Forgive me if there is a tinge more bitterness to this Royal Letter, but I feel it’s necessary given recent events. Tell me, Holly, Cid, GiGi – do you feel any satisfaction in how things have progressed? Do you feel any kind of actual remorse at how this supposed ‘supreme stable’ has stooped lower and lower every week in order to deal with me and my family?
Stealing the world title?
Bugging said title?
Having all three of you and Cookie being involved with the End of the Year match?
And all of it to deal with one little Snow Queen and her, what was it? ‘Child Bride’?
I must say I am impressed… because afterall: you, Holly Adams, you talk such a big game. Giovanni Aries talks such a big game. Cid Turner talks such a big game.
And yet… when push comes to shove – when it comes time to prove what they say…well, they’re just like Infamous, though not as smart, Blood Grove, though not as tough, Monarchy, though not as skilled, and the Jackals, though… okay, you’re far more annoying than the Jackals, I’ll give you guys that one!
But how else can we look at you guys – you had the chance to regain the world championship! You had the chance to start 2022 on YOUR terms… and you guys couldn’t even work together enough to properly screw me out of the title! I doubt Infamous would ever have made that mistake…
Hell, you guys can’t even get straight ‘the number of payments’ it takes to get your product. Seriously, is it like stock? The value goes up and down depending on ‘performance’? Cause if that’s the case, let’s see…
Cid couldn’t silence me and is now crying the same tune as The Brand and blaming “witch hexes”.
Giovanni needed a plant to beat me.
And Holly? You needed both of them AND Cookie just to steal – not become – the world champion!
And yet, you keep telling everyone that it’s all ‘part of the plan’. That you becoming world champion is ‘inevitable’. That my ‘exposure is inevitable’.
Guys, it’s a lie. It’s a lie just like all your product promises.
Because this isn’t some story where you control the narrative – nice ripoff, by the way, reading a book while parodying its ‘movie version’? Have you guys even read the actual book?
This isn’t your vapid tv-show where editors can clip and cut all the BS Holly says and does, and I am sure there’s tons of footage of that, to make her look like either the victim, the star, the ‘greatest thing on television’ or a combination of all three.
This is Supreme Championship Wrestling. And at the end of the day, none of you control a damn thing about it. Not me, not the people or their opinions, or the world championship! So when you spout crap here, you get called out on it!
For weeks, The Brand has been viewed as, not unstoppable, but difficult to shut up. You lose the Adrenaline title, you shrug it off and say it doesn’t matter. You lose the world title, you shrug it off and declare cheating and conspiracies and luck. You lose your chance at the world title and you claim it’s ‘part of the plan of exposing Selena as a liar and a witch’ blah blah blah blah blah.
Now, the witch thing aside, cause I’ll get to that at some point between now and Body, Heart and Soul, I am sure, but you get the point. You lose and none of you want to take responsibility for that. None of you want to own up to it. See, Holly, I know I lost at End of the Year. And yes, it makes me angry to no end that I did because I wanted to prove that, just like with Cid Turner, your ‘brand’ of things was not the standard of SCW.
But I owned that loss. Unlike you, I didn’t just run away and say ‘this person won’t get a shot! This person won’t get a shot’ – I didn’t do to you what you did to Datura just because you BLEW your chance to become World Champion because your plan failed, which you wouldn’t have needed if you had enough of a spine to face me on your own.
No, I eagerly agreed to the rematch that will happen at Body, Heart and Soul and because I don’t want End of the Year to be the end of this. I don’t want “a retaining by disqualification” to be the reason I am still champion – not when I KNOW that I can retain the championship by beating your pompous, overpriced ass!
But that is Body, Heart and Soul. Tonight, it’s time for the Brand to stand together. It’s time for the Brand to be a team in an official match…
Now, you see that and you laugh – you guarantee dominance and victory! - and why wouldn’t you? You got Cid Turner, who’s taken me to the brink every single time we’ve faced. You’ve got Giovanni, who’s clearly obsessed with me because he can’t seem to stop talking about that win a few weeks ago that he was handed by interference, and we’ve got Holly, the supposed “Real Face of SCW”.
A real housewife of Beverly Hills the ‘Real Face of SCW’, huh? I think I’ll steal a line from Cid Turner post-mutism. ‘If that’s the case, SCW needs a facelift pronto!’
But you laugh because all three of you have the advantage of being a team – that experience. Jordan Majors and I? We’ve not really teamed all that much. We’ve fought one another and we’ve had a hell of a time going up against each other. And my wife, Deanna? Well, I’ll let her speak for herself when the time comes.
From Cid to Giovanni, you are all confident because the Brand has all the advantage. The numbers, the styles, hell, if Holly still wears that damn faceguard to protect her ‘life-threatening’ broken nose, she’s effectively weakening my greatest weapon. There is not a single thing Jordan, Deanna and I have in our favour going into this match.
Except for one thing.
Because at End of the Year, the Brand showed that it can have all the advantages in the world and still fail. For all your interferences, all your plans, all your scheming, Holly Adams should have easily become the world champion… and yet she didn’t. Because, even with all those advantages, the Brand couldn’t deliver a single promise. The Brand couldn’t get the job done properly. The Brand fucked up.
Just like your plans to ‘record me’ on Breakdown to ‘expose me’. Great plan…except you got nothing out of it. Again, the Brand had weeks to put that plan together…and still failed.
In two nights, you not only proved that, even when everything is handed to you on a silver platter, you drop the ball, you proved that the Brand and every one of you are fallible. That, for all your ‘nirvanna’ and ‘coaching’ and ‘Gleebnorb’ and ‘tv-shows’ and ‘secret plans’, you are not some dominant, superior beings. You are just a couple of bitter, insecure, cowardly whiners that want what you can’t get on your own.
So, back to what’s on paper and let’s look at it with that in mind, shall we?
Cid Turner, a man that fell to me twice and then threw a tantrum because he couldn’t handle the fact that someone was better than him. Who blames me for – well, basically everything it seems, without a shred of real proof – but lately, he blames me for End of the Year when he was the one that came to the ring and told Cookie to hit me with the world title. A man that calls me a ‘gaslighting’, ‘manipulating’ fraud with a ‘false-sense of superiority’ when he’s the one running around saying he’s a god and should be worshipped. A man that thinks we’re ‘hiding’ when all he seems to do is run away when trouble comes for him.
Giovanni Aries, the man against the ‘establishment’ joining one and becoming, basically, Holly’s overpaid escort. Wherever she goes, he goes. A man that’s fallen so far off the…well, off the scaffold… that’s his only true claim that he earned on his own was beating an old man into a hospital. I mean, seriously, Gio, does nirvana translate to ‘peace with the fact that I can’t beat Selena Frost without someone helping me’? Is that it? Cause I’m pretty sure it’s not worth six or seven or eight payments of $19.99 or $29.99 or whatever number you put before the ‘9.99’ part.
And then there’s Holly Adams. And Holly? You’re still easy to figure out. Cause I dealt with this when I faced you in Ottawa. I dealt with this when you teamed with Asher against me and Deanna. I watched this as Jordan kicked your ass inside that chamber and, thankfully, removed you as Adrenaline champion.
You run. You hide. You wait till the coast is clear and then you make an effort. You wait till all the work is done and then you go on the attack. You wait till the back is turned and you stick the knife in. And you claim that you’re the ‘hero’ in all of this, just like Cid?
Holly…you are the reason that no one believes in The Brand’s dominance anymore. When Cid was champion? Absolutely. When Asher was around, untouchable with his fake World title? Absolutely. But then you come around and, like I said, you can’t get it done despite having THREE people holding your hand.
See, I didn’t need three people to beat Cid or Syren or Giovanni or Asher or anyone. I’ve always done it on my own… you all say it’s hexes because you can’t admit what it really is. Integrity and heart – two things none of you have, but that makes the Brand look bad so you call it “witch hexes”!
But tonight, when Breakdown comes around… I won’t be on my own. Tonight, I am not just happy – I am EAGER to have people with me in this war.
Because I, the BETTER World champion I’ve got the BETTER Adrenaline champion in Jordan Majors and I’ve got the BETTER manager, advisor, and coach in Deanna Frost with me!
Because one thing that’s been proven through all of this: beating Cid Turner, fighting Giovanni, and retaining the title against you, Holly, is that the Brand does one thing better than any other stable like Infamous and Monarchy - and that’s give up!
Cid Turner? Seems he’s into cardio now, running for the hills every time Brittany Lohan or the Connection shows up.
Giovanni Aries? Took him about five or eight minutes before he was calling for help against me.
You, Holly? You couldn’t even wait till the match started to give up on facing me on your own.
On paper, you are ‘The Brand’. You are a dominant force of tricks, excuses, and cheap ploys. But in reality? You guys don’t have the heart or the integrity and, even with all the odds in your favour, you are still beatable! And you’ve proven that over and over again.
And you’re up against the woman that refused to give up in the End of the Year invitational, the iron woman that tore through the elimination chamber from beginning to end, and the woman that refuses to quit. Three woman that choose to keep fighting while you choose to run, call for help, or just blame something like hexes.
And I’d rather have those two women with me than all the ‘advantages’ you have. And this Breakdown, you will HAVE all those advantages – everything in your favour handed to you on a silver platter. And just like every other time, you will fail to prove anything beyond what the world already knows. That you are cowards. That you are liars. And that you fear what we represent – what SCW truly represents!
Because Jordan and the Frosts? We’ve made a career at defying odds. We’ve made a living out of turning back cheats and cowards like you. And Breakdown? It’s gonna be another day at the office for us as we do the exact same thing!
Believe it, guys. Because it’s OUR turn to show you how real champions win matches.
Sincerely,
Selena Frost
SCW World Champion
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