Supreme Championship Wrestling

4 RP Limit for tag

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Thursday, April 14, 2022 (Show still takes place on Thursday)

**Please note that this match will have some things change on the show. Trying some creative booking to try and do some unique things which will help the build for Holly-Wood of the South but also after.

Frost “Forever Home”
Manhattan, New York
April 10th, 2022
11:21am

With every step she took, Selena felt the exhilaration shoot up and down her spine. The garage door was already up and the sun was shining bright, promising an end to the dark, snowy days of winter.

Days that the Snow Queen would miss, as she did every year when the cold season bid adieu. Winter was part of her – her favourite season, her very makeup in some ways. She would have to return to her home of Nome, Alaska, to see any semblance of snow again until November rolled back around.

And yet, part of her had been eagerly awaiting this day. When spring was certainly back – with no chance of any lingering snow storms to obscure the roads.

Her smile as bright as the sun, the world champion pushed the object of her enthusiastic attitude out onto her driveway, feeling the heaviness of the vehicle and hearing the sounds of the thick tires rolling against the asphalt. 

This was one part of the spring she loved!

Carefully, Selena kicked out the kickstand to allow her motorcycle to stand there on the driveway. The sun shined off the sleek black of the 2015 Kawasaki Ninja, Selena having cleaned and polished it last week – an attempt to distract her mind from the events of Breakdown as well as the troubles still lingering in her personal life.

“Hey, girl.” She whispered, running a hand along the sleek leather and hard black plastic that covered various parts of the motorcycle. “Been looking forward to this too, haven’t you?”

She smiled brightly as she stood there, her hand staying on one of the handles of the motorbike. “First ride of the season…” she gave the metal and rubber handle a light pat with a pale hand as she walked around the bike, giving it one more final check. She felt the wind blow against her, ruffling her leather jacket and blue jeans. Her hair was tied back in a shorter version of her iconic braid - perfect for riding. 

That was the word that filled her. The day was perfect for this – or maybe she just needed this distraction so desperately.

She loved riding her motorcycle, that was without question, but there was no denying that there was also a certain need for a distraction from the frustrating weeks Selena and her wife, Deanna, had gone through.

Which was a sad reality when the truth of the matter was that things had, actually, started off so well! 

To start, Gavin Scythe had returned to Nome, Alaska, choosing to continue in his pursuit for the role of mayor of Nome against his brother, Ryan, despite the looming threats of Killjoy. Selena had to admit that she was beyond proud of the man – that he was facing his fears head on. According to the young man, spending the last few weeks in Manhattan with his niece and nephew, Elsianna and David, had been the deciding factor. 

”I’ve seen what my brother is willing to do – how far he is willing to sink to get what he wants.” He had remarked. “And if I just sit there and do nothing – if I let him just take father’s seat as the mayor to hurt Elsianna and David, when I could have stopped them, then how could I leave with myself?”

It had been a rather pained farewell when he had made his way to the airport last week, the Frost wives beyond worried for him. Still, he had promised to keep in touch and update them when and if he needed them there before bravely boarding the plane. Within two days, he was on the campaign trail again with Jean and Zelda, doing all he could to make up for lost time. It was actually inspiring and had prompted Selena and Deanna to push harder in all their pursuits.

The first of which had been their continued research into “Project: Black Ice”, the looming ‘clue’ that Killjoy had left them at Malcolm’s memorial service. Hours upon hours the two wives dug into Malcolm’s history, trying to find some clue in regards to it.

They had found nothing.

Then, they had tried to parlay such frustration into their tag-team debut, which had resulted in their opponents bailing on them and their replacements – The Connection, which was intimidating in and of itself for a new tag-team as her and Deanna – fighting them to a standstill, which meant that their ‘official’ debut as a tag-team had been a handed win and a draw, none of which sat well for either woman, as they returned back to Manhattan and resumed their hunt through Malcolm’s records.

To which they had STILL found nothing!

“Oh…last night…” Selena whispered, reaching up to rub her finger and thumb against her temples. Last night, the Frost wives had stayed up late into the night, long after their three children had gone to bed, staying in Selena’s office, reading files and forms of the past until their eyes had gone cross-eyed. It had gotten so bad that Deanna had fallen asleep curled up in Selena’s lap, with the Snow Queen joining her minutes later as she sat in her office chair, the pair not waking up until they heard Oberon barking as the sun rose. 

A break was needed. A break away from work, from SCW, from all of that damn reading – even for a few hours. And what better way than the first motorcycle ride of spring? Selena thought, her smile returning a second before she heard the house door to the garage open. 

Turning her head, she was just in time to see the younger woman hop out, immediately posing against the nearby wall. Her fire-red hair was curled - was that what she was doing for the last hour? Selena thought – and, unlike her wife who only wore the leather jacket, Deanna was clad in leather, from the jacket she wore to the pants, which-

“Are those my pants?” Selena asked, crossing her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow as Deanna skipped towards her.

“You said we were going ‘biking’.” Deanna teased as she hopped in front of Selena, her hands behind her back.

“As I recall, I said I was going biking, to which you replied-“ Selena cleared her throat, her voice adopting a over-the-top high voice as she shook her hands childishly, “Oooo! Let me come with you! Let me come with you!”
“I don’t sound like that.” Deanna grumbled a little, clearly not liking the imitation.
“So, why are you wearing my pants?” Selena asked with a laugh.
“I’m a biker chick!” Deanna remarked, twirling on the spot to display herself to her wife. “Your biker chick.”
“You look like you’re trying to get the role of Catwoman on The Batgirl.” Selena remarked, recalling one of their favourite TV shows they had been binge-watching during their travels to different SCW arenas.
“They already cast her.” Deanna shrugged before eyeing her attire. “Are you saying that it doesn’t look good on me?”

Now THAT was something Selena could not say – at least not convincingly. While she did have the slightly larger chest than Deanna, the redhead had her beat in the posterior department, which made her fill out the leather pants far better than Selena could – a fact that made Selena’s sapphire eyes unable to tear away from the round, perfect-

“You’re staring.” Deanna smiled, tilting her hip a little towards Selena to give her a slightly better view.
“I sure am.” Selena nodded her head. “And now I’m thinking you’re trying for Sandy from ‘Grease’.”

Throwing a hand over Selena’s shoulder, Deanna gave a playful tilt of her head and a smoky gaze into Selena’s eyes. “Tell me about it, stud.” She winked at the taller woman, though her hand positions allowed the Snow Queen to notice one last accessory the redhead wore.

“What’s with the leather gloves?” she asked with a look of confusion and amusement.
“Don’t biker chicks wear leather gloves to grip the handles better?” Deanna asked, clearly believing such a statement. To answer her, Selena held up her own pale hands, devoid of any such wearings.

“That would explain why I couldn’t find any ‘biker gloves’ in your compartment.” Deanna remarked, staring at her hands. 
“Yeah…those are winter gloves, sweetheart.” Selena laughed a little. “And they don’t really match your outfit.”

With a sigh, Deanna turned and quickly jogged back into the garage and to the door that lead into their house. Opening it, she carefully placed the gloves on the nearby entryway table, calling into the house as she did so. “We’re going now, Gerda! Call us if there are any issues. We won’t be more than a few hours!”

She seemed to hear an answer, for she gave a nod before closing the door and re-exited the garage, closing it behind her with the built-in keypad before rejoining Selena. “Ready!” she declared, causing the older Selena to tilt her head in mild amusement.

Not saying a word, the platinum-blonde turned and gracefully threw her leg over her motorcycle to straddle it properly. She felt the bike shift and move under her as Deanna joined her, sitting just behind her and wrapping her arms around Selena’s lean waist. Reaching out to the side, Selena grabbed the two black helmets, handing one to Deanna before sliding the other over her own head, being careful to keep her hair in a comfortable position to avoid any pulling or tugging coming from the helmet position. She fiddled with the intercom on her the helmet and on her phone as Deanna pulled her own helmet on.

“Can you hear me, sweetheart?” Selena asked softly, testing the intercom.
“Yep.” Deanna’s voice rang in her ear.
“Good. Hold on tight.” 
“But we’re not moving yet.”
“Your point?” Selena asked, her voice adopting a teasing tone. In answer, she felt her wife squeeze her arms around her frame, her chest pressed into Selena’s back. 

She felt so alive when she twisted the handle to start the engine, feeling the bike do the same from under her! “Atta girl…” Selena whispered.

“You mean me?” came the voice from her ‘head’, Deanna’s intercom still working.
“No, but I appreciate you anyway. Here we go!” Selena answered back before kicking the kickstand back in place and shooting down the driveway and out into the streets of Manhattan! 

*********************************************************

Years ago…
Manhattan, New York
April 18th, 2016
3:34pm

“Here we go…” Deanna breathed as she reached up for the top shelf, sticking her tongue out and stretching as far up as she could where the Oreo cookies were. She had been craving them all day and, finally, she would soon have them! If she could just reach a little farther… 

She felt so sluggish and heavy as she tried to stand on her tiptoes, her legs shaking against the strain of trying to support herself. As if I need any other reason to feel fat… the redhead remarked glumly, though she kept trying to reach the damn bag of cookies. “Almost…” she whispered, her fingertips just grazing the wrapping of the cookie-box. “Almost…” she huffed, growing more winded with each exertion. She felt her lower back spasming as she overstretched and just as she was about to collapse, she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her, and a soft, yet toned body pressed against her in support, pulling her back – to the relief of her muscles and spine.

“Deanna!” she recognized the voice instantly but cringed at the tone – I’m in trouble….  “What are you doing?”

Turning around, Deanna bit her lower lip, the guilt evident on her face as she saw the concerned expression of her wife, Selena Frost. “I was just…” she gestured with a hand towards the top shelf of cookies in the baked goods aisle of the grocery store. “Just wanted…”

Following her gaze and gesture, Selena’s sapphire eyes spied the box on the top shelf. “Couldn’t you have waited?” she asked, trying her best to be patient as she reached up, standing on her tip toes to grab the box with ease, taking it off the shelf to place it in the grocery cart that stood nearby. “Let me help you.”

“I can…” Deanna tried, biting her lip, trying to hide the upset nature of seeing her wife achieve the redhead’s desired goal with such ease. “I’m not useless.” She muttered under her breath, but Selena still heard her.
“Of course you’re not useless!” she urged, taking her wife’s face into her hands. “But you ARE carrying our baby.”

At those words, Deanna’s hand drifted down to rest over the swell of her belly. She was only a few months away from delivering their child – they still had no idea what the child would be, nor did they care – and it seemed like the young one couldn’t wait to be born, a feeling shared by both Frost women. Still, Deanna could have done without the added weight and feeling incompetent and useless.

It was hard not to feel this way, especially recently. Her wife had just won the biggest tournament in SCW – the Best of the Best Tournament. Not only that, she had won the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament a month or two ago as well, making her the current Adrenaline champion in SCW! The world was abuzz about Selena Frost and her making an impact, easily the biggest, in her career! There were even talks of her becoming world champion, something that Deanna was beyond proud of her for her beloved.

Except she’s winning tournaments… she thought. “….and I can’t even get a damn box of cookie off the shelf…” but muttered the last part, only realizing she had when she heard Selena’s voice.

“What?” came the accented voice, making Deanna’s eyes widened as she realized her error. “What did you say, Deanna?”
“Nothing.” The redhead shook her head. “Nothing important.”
“Deanna, if something’s bothering you-“ Selena implored. “Please tell me. The stress isn’t good for the baby.”

“I said, ‘Here you are winning tournaments and titles and maybe even becoming a world title contender, and I can’t even get a damn box of cookies off a shelf!” her voice cracked as she repeated herself, shocking her wife and hating herself for doing so.

“I…” Selena tried, unable to fully process the outburst her pregnant wife had just unleashed. “I haven’t heard anything about being a world title contender – I wouldn’t even if there was. I’m not ready or deserving of that-“

“That’s not my point.” Deanna half-cried, her emotions running wild as she swiped at her eyes. “You are… you’re amazing.” She huffed. “Your office is full of trophies and those two new ones for the tournaments – and all I can do is carry around a baby and, let’s face it, I’m pretty sure I’d fail that if you weren’t here.”

“Don’t say that.” Selena tried. “I’m beyond proud of you and I couldn’t ask-“
“Please don’t placate me!” Deanna begged, doing her best to keep her voice down as it cracked under her emotions. “I’m nowhere near your level, okay? You’re the superstar, the breadwinner, the celebrity – I’m a hick from Kentucky you found and took pity on.” She sniffled again and, again, reached up to wipe at her teary eyes with her hand.

Selena, meanwhile, stood there in silence, her jaw moving a little up and down but no sound came out. There were not many other shoppers, thank Odin, but she had spied one or two of them peek their heads in, perhaps they heard one of Deanna’s cries, the young wrestler wasn’t certain. Nervously, Selena reached up to grab and twist at her long braid, feeling the thick hair in her hands.

“Please tell me this is the hormones talking.” She tried. “Because I’ve never- I’ve never thought of you-“
“It’s not you.” Deanna was crying a bit more, though she was doing all she can to keep her voice down and not embarrass anyone. “I’ve been feeling that for so long now.”
“Feeling what?” Selena asked. “I don’t understand.” She tried desperately. “All I’ve done is because of you. You’re the reason I work so hard and try so hard to win-“

“You tried to win to keep your name-“
“Our name.” 
“Because we thought Brachiss and the others were going take it.”

“That’s partly true, yes.” Selena admitted. “But it’s also you! I mean – I want you to be proud of me. Proud that you married me…”
“How do you think I feel?” Deanna half-laughed. “I can tell everyone in the neighbourhood that Selena Frost, SCW Superstar, is my wife! Can you say the same?”
“Well…no, because I can’t really marry myself.” Selena tried, laughing awkwardly at her poor humor.

“Try it.” Deanna sniffled. “What can you say about me that you’re proud of?”

The Snow Queen seemed to pause at that as the pair stood in the aisle, her mind racing as she tried to put all the pieces of the last three minutes together. Maybe this wasn’t just hormones… she would be lying if she hadn’t noticed how much her stock in SCW had skyrocketed lately, the massive wins she had accumulated making her somewhat of a megastar, perhaps in the same vein as those with the world championship like Syren or her best friend, Regan Street.

Did Deanna feel inadequate in comparison? Because she was a stay-at-home wife? Or was it because she was a manager while Selena was a superstar? Someone that was seen so often versus someone that stayed in the back?

“You can’t can you?” Deanna smiled sadly, sniffling once more. “I’m sorry.” She sighed. “I know I’m being unfair – you’re working so hard to do all these great things. Things I can’t possibly do or will ever do. And I need…” she took a deep breath to try and calm/recenter herself. “I need to get use to the fact that I’m going to be ‘Selena’s wife’ and that’s it.”

Every nerve in Selena’s body fired off at that, her mind racing as she beheld her wife’s exhausted and broken expression. How many years, how many decades, had Selena, herself, had to deal with a name she despised? The Crazy Miner’s Daughter? A name she hadn’t deserved, a reputation her father didn’t deserve! Or at least he deserved better!

Just like Deanna did! She wasn’t asking for praise or adulation! She wasn’t asking anyone to worship her as some sort of god! She wasn’t even asking to be some kind of celebrity like Selena was becoming in the SCW Universe. 

She just wanted to feel worthy….

Worthy of being Selena’s wife.
Worthy of bearing Selena and her children.
Worthy of being a Frost.

She wanted to feel as needed and worthwhile in this relationship as Selena was. It didn’t have to be seen as easily as Selena’s case was. It just had to be there.

Lifting her head, Selena’s eyes caught sight of one of the apron-wearing employees of the grocery store. The young lady, raven-haired and short, seemed to be stocking jars of peanuts on one of the displays. Holding up a finger to Deanna, Selena excused herself, taking a few steely breaths to calm herself as she approached the woman. 

Seeing the platinum-blonde coming, the dark-skinned woman offered a kind smile, no doubt part of her training in such a profession. “Hello, ma’am.” She offered. Now I feel old… Selena thought before shaking her head, clearing just in time to get the second part of the employee’s message. “Can I help you?”

“I hope so…” her eyes scanned down to the nametag on the left side of the woman’s apron. “Connie. I really hope so…”

***********************************************************

”…I hope so…” Selena offered a smile to the young woman, named Connie, according to her nametag if Deanna’s eyes were working correctly, as she watched her wife move to the side and point towards the redhead from where she stood just a few yards away. “Do you see that woman there?”

“Yes, I do.” Connie remarked, slightly unsure of the direction such a question was leading, clearly different from the atypical ‘Where is so and so?’ that she was used to in her 9-5 full-time job.

“Well…” Selena smiled at the young employee. “That is my wife, Deanna.” The platinum-blonde began. “She is the mother of my child, and she is the reason that we are able to shop here today.”

Awkwardly, Connie nodded her head. “Oh…okay…”

“See-“ Selena continued, unfazed, her eyes on the redhead, whose cheeks were begin to dust with a slight blushing at her wife’s actions. “There was a time that I was in a rather bad place – and I mean a REALLY bad place. Like rock-bottom, ready to quit everything, curl up into a hole and just let oblivion take me. I was simply going through the motions of life. Nothing, not even my job, could bring me fulfillment like it use to. And then, she came into my life. Unintentional, a matter of luck, really. But in she came and…” Selena sighed, a content smile and sigh coming from her. “Ever since, I’ve never had to feel that way again. Never had to feel so low and worthless. Because she makes me feel like I can do anything, be anything, achieve anything.” Despite herself, Deanna could see her wife’s sapphire eyes become a little misty from the emotions Selena was channelling, causing her own eyes to well up a little. “She literally saved my life.” She heard Selena conclude. “And she does it every day.”

A long, pregnant silence followed the trio for a good twenty seconds, Selena and Deanna only able to keep their eyes on each other.

“Um… well, if you’re shopping for baby-stuff, we have baby food in aisle 4.” Connie tried lamely, effectively breaking the moment but also the tension. Giving an amused laugh, Selena thanked the woman, even tipping her an hour’s wages for her time before letting the young woman get back to work, the Snow Queen returning to her wife’s side.

“Was that necessary?” Deanna tried to chastise as she wiped the tears away from her eyes.
“It is if you need it to be.” Selena whispered, reaching out to wrap her arms around her wife, holding her snugly to her form. “Because if I have to tell that to every person we meet so you can understand your worth, then I will.”

Despite her chin resting on Deanna’s mane of red hair, Selena ‘felt’ her wife roll her eyes at her statement.

“That won’t be necessary.” Deanna huffed a little. “I’m just being emotional.” 

The two in better spirits it seemed, they managed to finish their shopping for the week, making their way out of the store without any further delays or difficulties, except for a rather entitled driver honking his horn loudly as Deanna was trying to pass, the large vehicle whizzing past her as if it had the right-a-way.

“Hey!” Deanna called out, mildly irritated. “Lady with a baby here!”, causing Selena to laugh a little. 

“New York traffic.” She remarked as she pushed the cart.

“Apparently so.” Deanna sighed. They had been living in their new ‘forever home’ only a few weeks now – Deanna’s birthday present (one of many from the Snow Queen) – but they had lived in New York a bit longer and yet the redhead still was not used to the aggressive nature of its drivers. “Everyone is in hurry it seems.” She sighed, keeping her hand on her pregnant belly as she crossed the parking lot space to get to their parked Jeep Liberty. “It’s so strange. Because our neighbourhood seems so nice – Gerda helping babysit Elsa, all the ‘neighbourhood events’ we’ve been invited to already. It’s like it’s a quiet world onto itself and- Selena?”

It was only after putting some of the lightest items in the backspace trunk of the Liberty amidst her ramblings that Deanna realized that her wife was not helping her pack the van. Turning her head a little, she spied the platinum-blonde staring off down the parking lot to a nearby space. Following her gaze, Deanna felt her heart sink a little when she saw the tall, tanned beauty dressed in a leather jacket and black pants. In a word, the woman screamed ‘model’, complete with a bust that seemed to defy gravity to the redhead’s eyes. She was sure the woman was even taller than Selena. With a saunter that exemplified the woman’s awareness of her looks, she strolled towards the grocery store they had just exited.

“She…seems nice…” Deanna replied glumly, casting her gaze over her ‘enlarged’ self dejectedly. “Go and talk to her. I’ll finish packing the car.”

In response, Selena turned her head back to Deanna, a look of absolute confusion. “What? What are you talking about?”

“The girl you were staring at.” Deanna replied. “She went into the store.”
“Girl?” Selena asked, casting her gaze around before spying the woman just as she entered the grocery store. “Oh, gods.” Selena laughed. “I wasn’t…” she laughed a bit more before leaning in to capture her wife’s lips in strong, reassuring kiss. 

“She’s not my type.” Selena remarked. “I like my women redheaded, cute and sexy at the same time, and, if the occasion calls for it, pregnant with my baby.” She purred sweetly, leaning up to nibble on Deanna’s earlobe, earning a shudder from the redhead.

“Selena…” Deanna whined a little, shifting a little as her body clearly reacted to her wife’s actions. “Then what were you looking at?”

“Oh…” Selena sighed, turning a little to the side to give Deanna a better look. “That.” She gestured to the same spot the ‘model’ had been standing, specifically the vehicle the woman had parked with. In the space stood a sleek red and black number that caused Deanna to tilt her head for a moment before turning her gaze back to Selena.

“A motorcycle?” Deanna asked in surprise, earning an exhaled sigh and a nod from the taller Selena.

“I use to love looking at them.” Selena remarked. “There was a repair shop on 73rd that I would visit just to walk around and see the models. They were…” she sighed. “They were like the ultimate ‘rebel’ thing, you know?” She cast her gaze over to her wife. “You know that big hill that leads up to my old house in Nome?”

“Yeah.” Deanna nodded, having visited her wife’s home a few times before in the year plus of their relationship. “Monster Hill, right?”

Selena nodded. “I use to ride my back down the hill without pedaling wearing my leather jacket, pretending that I was actually driving some sleek motorcycle. A total badass in leather.” She mused. “Giving Anastasia a heart-attack or something. I even got-” Reaching into her wallet, Selena pulled out a plastic card, at least ten years old. On it was a young sixteen-year old Selena Frost, complete with her then information with the letter ‘M’ marked on it. Laughing a little, she handed the plastic over to Deanna. “I even got a driver’s license for a motorcycle. Anastasia demanded I get my G and I spent the money on getting lessons and getting my M instead. She was furious.”

“Shocking.” Deanna smiled, laughing at the horrid picture of the very content Selena. “So why didn’t you get one?”
“I fought her on it, of course she won. She had the money.” Selena remarked. “I eventually got my G as she demanded.”
“But what about after? Like when she left you to live on your own?”
“Are you kidding?” laughed Selena. “At a waitresses’ salary? No way I could afford that. And then when I was with Ryan, well, Elsianna came along, and of course, the fiancée of the son of the mayor of Nome couldn’t be so rebellious, gods that would have been fun!” the Snow Queen remarked amusingly. “Ryan would have blown a gasket for sure.”

Despite herself, Selena continued to gaze at the motorbike with a nostalgic smile.

“Why don’t you get it?” The voice came from the pregnant Deanna, regaining Selena’s attention, the platinum-blonde’s gaze going wide-eyed.

“What? No! I couldn’t-“
“Why not?” Deanna smiled good naturedly. “I’m sure it wouldn’t cost much to retake the test or get some driving lessons to resharpen your skills-“

“Deanna.” Selena sighed, reaching out to caress her wife’s face before turning back to their shopping cart to pull the heavier bags into the large Jeep. “It’s a seasonal vehicle. Good for only, at most, six months of the year. I can’t justify such an expense like that.”

“But you-“ Deanna started but a jerk of Selena’s head, sapphire eyes gazing at her, silenced her.

“We have the house to worry about. It still needs to be furnished a bit more. Furniture, televisions, clothes for the baby and for Elsianna.” She shook her head. “We don’t need it. Besides…” she finished putting the bags away in the Jeep before reaching up and pulling the trunk door closed. “I don’t need to be a ‘rebel’ anymore.” She offered her wife a smile. “I can be whatever I want with you.”

“Yeah, but…” Deanna tried again, but Selena was already on the move, walking over to the driver’s side of the Liberty and opening the door to enter it. With a sigh, Deanna cast one last glance at the motorcycle across the way before rejoining her wife, opening the door and entering the Jeep. While she did her seatbelt, the redhead offered a glance to the platinum-blonde.

“You’re allowed to have good things just for you, Selena.” She tried, emerald eyes gazing lovingly at Selena.

A slow smile breaking across her features, Selena reached over to turn the key and start the car before reaching that same hand over to take Deanna’s closest one. “That’s why I have you.” She answered again, squeezing her wife’s hand affectionately, biting her lower lip as a wicked thought came to her. “And besides… I’m sure riding you is far more fun.” She winked, earning a playful slap on the arm by her wife.

“No hitting.” Selena laughed. “I’m driving.”

“Yes. Driving me crazy.” Deanna rolled her eyes.
“That’s why you married me.” Selena countered as the pair drove away, heading back to their new ‘forever’ home…
************************************************************

Central Park
Manhattan, New York
April 10th, 2022
2:43pm

Deanna gazed down at her wife’s expression as Selena’s head rested in her lap, the world champion having fallen asleep about half an hour ago. Gently, Deanna ran a hand through the strands of platinum-blonde, gently caressing part of Selena’s forehead too. 

Lifting her head, the redhead spotted her wife’s motorcycle parked just a short-ways away in the parking lot, the sight of it bringing a smile to her face.

It had not been easy to acquire. Not because they couldn’t afford it – well, yes that had been an issue back in 2016, as most of their resources went towards fixing up their forever house, on top of any extra expenses for SCW, and, most importantly, the arrival of their prince, little David. But shortly after their son had been born, Deanna had gotten to work cutting the family budget here and there, as well as selling some of her personal items on eBay and other places – and the bonuses from Selena being Adrenaline and World champion for a time. It had taken her till 2017, during that war between Vixen Cain, Kelcey Wallace and Selena over the World title that took up the whole spring/summer that she managed to purchase the used 2016 Kawasaki Ninja. 

She had been so scared that Selena would chastise her for it. That her wife would remark on wasting money and resources for a used vehicle… but…

Deanna cast her gaze back down upon her wife’s sleeping face. Her beloved had lit up like a Christmas tree at seeing it. She had immediately gone to work, spending hours a day working on it and learning about how motorcycles worked, even regaining her M license in her order to drive it – which she finally managed to do during the RTG break after she defeated Vixen Cain.

Deanna remembered so much of that time – the smile on her wife’s face as she rode it for the first time. The tears Selena had shed when she had finished said ride and parked it in the garage. 

“I’d do anything to keep you that happy.” Deanna whispered, caressing her wife’s face once more.

She had seen that same kind of happiness throughout the years. With their children, when Selena had won the world championship for the first time and again when she won it against Cid for the first time in four years, when they had been reunited over a year ago from Deanna’s incarceration. And…

Deanna tucked a stray lock of red hair behind her ear as she remembered the last time she had seen her wife so utterly happy. It had been when Deanna had won her first match, defeating Diamond Steele on Breakdown. After months of training, Deanna was no longer ‘winless’ in SCW! 

Selena had been so proud…

With a tilt of her head, Deanna sighed, her breath escaping on the air as she leaned against the tree the couple sat/lay under. Her wife looked so tired, peaceful but tired. Ever since she had become world champion again, it was like every setback only pushed her further to work harder. She would train with Deanna first, but, after Deanna had ‘done enough’ according to Selena, Selena would then set off to do her own workout, as if she had another ‘level’ of workout she needed to accomplish.

It was almost superhuman in Deanna’s mind – and just as terrifying. Eventually, she was certain, her wife would burn out. And what then? What would happen to Selena? The World title? The integrity of SCW? 

All I want to do is make you happy… her mind thought again. Except she didn’t know how.

She was terrified of Breakdown. Fighting Twin Magic or even the Connection was one thing, there was some semblance of ‘wrestling’ in that, for the most part. But fighting The Brand again? Deanna shook her head. Last time she had been in the ring with Cid and Giovanni, they had had Jordan Majors with them to help make up for Deanna’s inexperience. 

But Jordan was gone…

Biting her lower lip, Deanna closed her eyes to slowly inhale the spring breeze, trying to calm herself. Just admit it. She told herself. Admit that you’re scared. 

“Okay…” she whispered, trying not to wake Selena. “I’m scared. I’m 25 years old and I’m scared.” She wasn’t sure why she mentioned her new age, but it helped. She was scared of what Cid and Giovanni would do to Selena. Cid had nailed Autumn Valentine in the head with the Adrenaline title last week just to save his coward of a ‘boss’ in Holly Adams and Giovanni couldn’t go a week without tweeting about Selena in some form or fashion.

The man was obsessed with her! Like some stalker who couldn’t take the hint.

Did they even care if they won or lost against The House of Frost? Holly Adams sure as hell didn’t last week. The Connection didn’t last week! And Deanna didn’t even want to think about the tag-team champions and whatever messed up perceptions they had about tag matches. It seemed the only team that wanted to show any kind of actual wrestling was her and Selena – and they were still green as a tag-team!

Again, her eyes found her wife’s features. Cid and Giovanni – they only saw this woman as the world champion. They only saw this as ‘beating the world champion’ or ‘sending a message to the world champion’, same as Kandis had with the tag-champions. 

They would hurt her…hurt her beloved wife. Maybe even throw away the match like Twin Magic had without a second thought, leaving The House of Frost having, once again, proven nothing when all they wanted to do was show what they were capable of as a tag-team.

Despite herself, memories flooded Deanna’s mind of Selena being hurt. With long, deep cuts covering her back and sides, with her holding her ribs, limping on her foot, bleeding from her forehead, throwing up from a concussion…

She felt hot tears prick her eyes at the memories. “Yeah…” she whispered. “I’m definitely scared.” She whispered. Unable to help herself, she leaned over to softly press her lips against Selena’s forehead.

“I’ll protect you.” She whispered. “I’ll do all I can to protect you.” She added to the vow, though she jerked back a little as she felt her wife stir under her. A second later, sapphire eyes flew open as Selena awoke, the Snow Queen sitting up to stretch her back.

“Was I asleep long?” she asked but stopped herself when she felt something on her face. Reaching a pale hand up, Selena wiped at her cheek to see the drops of water. “Was I crying in my sleep?” she asked, her voice filling a little with guilt.

“Oh…no.” Deanna wiped at her eyes quickly. “I mean… did you have a bad dream or something?”

“Uh…” the woman shrugged in her leather jacket. “Same dream as always.”

Deanna nodded. The platinum-blonde had disclosed her dreams to the redhead. How they were often so similar. Snowy desert, glowing yellow eyes, her wife’s eventual death, oblivion…

“Have you considered seeing a doctor?” Deanna asked, earning another shrug from Selena.
“I don’t know.” Selena sighed. “I’m not opposed to the idea, but what is he going to tell me that I don’t already know?”

Moving a little to sit beside Deanna, the young world champion cast her gaze to her wife. “I’m scared.”

“You are?!” Deanna asked, eyes wide.
“Utterly terrified.” Selena sighed. “I mean… we were supposed to approach this tag thing slowly, you know? Get you use to things! Get US use to things. Start off small with similar opponents, learn how to work against them, how to pace ourselves. Focus on the wrestling – just… just for fun! No demands, no requesting titles or anything. Just us…”

“Enjoying being together?” Deanna finished the statement, earning a nod from Selena.

“But now?” she shook her head. “If it was anyone else, I wouldn’t be worried. But it’s Cid and Giovanni… and with you and I…” She turned her gaze back to Deanna. “Please don’t be mad at me.” She sighed. “I believe in you… I love you.”

“I love you too.” 

“But we’re not ready for this. They’re sick and twisted and desperate and if Twin Magic and the Connection don’t give a shit about facing us to the end, what the hell are they going to do?”

Deanna nodded. “I’m not mad.” She assured, reaching out to squeeze her wife’s hand. “I’m scared too.” 

Selena remained silent, allowing Deanna to continue. “One’s bitter that you beat him twice for the world title and the other is obsessed with you – there is NOTHING about this that feels right to me. Maybe if you had Regan…”

She didn’t mean to say that last part but there it was. If Frozen Hell had been around, Selena wouldn’t have any hesitation. They would have walked into Breakdown, guns blazing and laid siege to the arrogant and entitled “Brand” with their personal ‘brand’ of ass-kicking.

But The House of Frost? With Deanna still new to all of this?

“What are we going to do?” Deanna asked, her eyes gazing at Selena, desperate for an answer.

The Snow Queen took a deep breath, remaining silent for several minutes, before pushing herself to her feet, offering a hand to her beloved. “We get back to work.” She replied, helping Deanna to stand. “And whatever happens – whatever they throw at us… we keep fighting.”

Slowly, the redhead gave a small nod. “No matter what?” she asked, earning another nod from Selena. “We’re going to need a long shower after.” She sighed, wincing at the thought of the rough night they were headed towards.

“The longest.” Selena replied, biting her lower lip as a wicked thought crossed her mind. “Think we can make theirs longer?”

The redhead seemed to think for a moment before nodding her head as the two headed towards Selena’s motorcycle. “Worth a shot!” she remarked. “I think they’d look good with matching headaches and black eyes!”

The camera opens up to the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, the place empty of people as the camera scans the area. Empty chairs are seen. An empty rampway is seen, but as the camera changes to strolling along the catwalks, there is one person seen. A woman with red hair sitting on the catwalks, her feet dangling over the side. She is dressed in blue jeans and a dark green sweater that’s a little too big for her, for it hangs cutely around her shoulders, a little baggy but adding to her character. Her hair is tied back with a few locks framing her face.

Okay, so maybe I’m still new to this whole thing as a wrestler, but can I ask a simple question here?

What is everyone’s fascination with ‘maybes’ and ‘what ifs’? More accurately, what’s the deal with people making assumptions that they have no basis or facts on? she asks as she looks down, observing the empty arena that will house Breakdown tonight.

Example, the assumption that if you complain enough, you’ll get what you want. If you post enough messages on Twitter, you’ll get what you want? I mean, I really don’t get that. Don’t get me wrong, Twitter is fun! I love posting photos and messages of my day and my life with Selena and our children. It makes me smile. But two weeks ago, Kim Williams and Marie Jones whine on and on about Kim getting a shot at the Underground championship. I mean, they even come up with some dumb nicknames for everyone – except I don’t think I got one, which is fine with me because they’re stupid names. I mean, Selena isn’t from Juneau, Alaska. She’s from Nome! I mean, anyone that’s paid even the slightest bit of attention would know that about her – she’s the damn Snow Queen, right?!

The Queen’s Guard gives a shake of her head, pulling herself to her feet with help from the guardrail. I’m sorry guys… she sighs. I guess I’m still a little mad about that match. I mean – no one likes getting stood up, in real life or in wrestling. But Twin Magic bailing let down all of you too. And the truth is… I really wanted to face them and make them pay for what they did to me and to Selena over the past few months. I mean, you get kidnapped, handcuffed to a fence and whatever, and you kind of want some kind of payback to your kidnappers. Am I wrong? But more than that… I wanted to show the world what Selena and I could do as a team. I’ve wanted to truly show that… for a long time now. To stand side by side with my wife, as an equal in the eyes of the True Believers and the SCW Universe. As someone that not only supported Selena’s fight for integrity, but fought for it as hard as she does.

She clicks her tongue inside of her mouth. But, like little boys that pull a girl’s pigtails and then run away – those two sisters didn’t want any part of The House of Frost…. Which I also don’t really get.

I mean, with Selena, I get it! She’s the world champion! Best in the world kind of thing – not meaning to steal from Glory but Selena IS the world champion. Stands to reason Kim and Marie wouldn’t want someone of THAT calibre. But me? I mean… I think I’ve won three matches now in my entire career? Compared to that, didn’t Alistaire Allocco become World Champion after three matches? Not like I’m near that level of “holy cats!”.

Now, I would talk about the Connection, but I think the Snow Queen is waiting till Breakdown to deal with them. So…back-a-roo to what I was saying to all of you. Kim’s got it in her head that she can bail on her matches and still get title shots. Spit in the face of opportunities and then get more?

What the hell kind of logic is that? Deanna shakes her head in disbelief, turning her gaze to the camera.

Kim, you lost to us. You forfeited. Now you think you’re deserving of another title match of some kind? Seriously? You still owe ME a decent match! she smacks her chest with her hand.

I just don’t understand why people would run away from matches. I mean, even if you lose, it’s a learning experience, right?! A chance to get better? Learn more about being a wrestler and the opponents you face, right? Isn’t that how you become a better wrestler? Isn’t that how you learn to win matches and thus truly EARN opportunities? I may be new as a wrestler, but I managed Selena for a number of years and I definitely remember the countless GMs of SCW saying things like that. “Earning Opportunities”. I don’t know – running away from matches just seems counter productive to that.

The redhead gives a little shrug before slowly walking down the catwalk, her hand on the rail and the camera keeping on her. Least I don’t have to worry about tonight’s opponents running away. But speaking of people making assumptions based on no facts…

A dry laugh escapes her. Yeah, yeah guys – Cid and GiGi – we know the history, don’t we? ‘Manipulating’, ‘brainwashing’, ‘fraud’, ‘paying off officials’, ‘witchcraft’ and indecent insults that made no sense when you started them back in April or May of last year, Cid. Want to know how I know that? Cause it’s always the same with The Brand – the same logic. The same excuses. Just… the same. Cause it worked for Cid Turner… once.

Smiling a little, though it’s in mild annoyance, Deanna looks up a little. Seriously, Cid, at what point are you going to stop trying to insult my place in all this? For months, even till recently, you insulted my marriage to Selena. Now, you think that she’s hiding behind me? Like you hide behind Cookie or hid behind Asher, or hid behind Holly, that it? When did that happen for my wife, Cid? Was it Taking Hold of the Flame, where my wife beat you in the ring by herself? Was it Apocalypse where Asher ran out to help you? Was it that Breakdown episode where I was barred from ringside and my wife, for a third time, fought you on her own? When did Selena use me as a shield, Cid? When did she hit YOU from behind with the world title? When did she hit YOU with a steel chair?

Or are you just spinning that narrative because you think it’s like jingling car keys in front of us? That if you do it enough, say it enough, we’ll believe you? That it’ll distract us from the reality that you’re the one that’s hiding, Cid. That you’re the one that needs someone. That you’re the one that’s always needed someone to get you through.

Because if I was just some ‘dumb’, ‘manipulated’ woman, Cid… If that were so, then maybe it be me where Cookie is right now. Or do I need to bring up how you tried to bed me because of some stupid prophecy your ‘head-follower’ told you about? Yeah, pretty sure that wasn’t discussed too much out loud, was it? Back at the end of 2021, True Believers, Cid tried to convince Selena and I to let Cid have sex with me. Apparently, he was trying to further his place in his cult and impregnate me simply because I have red hair. He didn’t care about my and Selena’s wedding vows of loyalty and fidelity – opting even for a menage-e-troi between the three of us, just to sire another kid – just like he tried with Syren…

Visibly, Deanna shudders at the memory of that proposal and the implications of it. Why do you have to make things so ugly, Cid? Why do you try and paint something as wonderful as my marriage with Selena as something filthy? Or me being with my wife as something we should be ashamed of? Something that can be traded away just by a proposition or something that we should be ashamed of for considering in regards to me being a wrestler? Why does my love for Selena have to be something taboo? Can’t it just be what it is? Can’t she and I just be what we are? Two consenting women in love? And moreso, how can you, a man of a failed marriage, a man who stalked Syren for months out of ‘love’ as he put it, a man who then proposed to the first woman that said yes to a date with you – proposed on said date – how can a man with all that baggage and more judge my relationship of nearly seven years?

Better yet, how can a man that has no integrity look down on my wife who has done nothing but fight for it? How can a man that preaches ‘betterment’ for everything and everyone destroy everything he touches?

Seeming to think about it for a moment, the young Frost gives her head a shake. What am I saying? This is what Cid Turner really does, doesn’t he? He makes everything cheap and ugly. Your matches with Tommy Valentine and then with Asher Hayes were proof of that.

Speaking of which, why couldn’t you do some real good for Asher Hayes? He wouldn’t be after you if you had been there for him like you promised you always would be. And Cookie! You took her friendship with Jordan Majors and destroyed it, making it seem like some ugly thing – why can’t you do some good, Cid, like you claim to do?! Why can’t you FIX Cookie’s relationship with Jordan instead? Isn’t that what a ‘god’ should do? Isn’t that what a ‘being out to make SCW a better place’ should do? Jordan Majors is going to be married in the near future – I know she would want her dear friend to be there. So why aren’t you helping make that happen? Helping to heal that bridge?

While we’re on the subject, why can’t you take responsibility for your part in Asher’s fall – in the fall of A/C Unit. I was never a fan of you two, but after all Asher did to bring you back into SCW, doesn’t he deserve that much? she scoffs.

But no. That is, apparently, asking too much of ‘the great Cid Turner’. ‘A god inside you’, and yet you couldn’t even give Asher a decent title match one-on-one at Retribution, could you? You couldn’t fight him on your own for the sake of your friendship. You had to screw him out of his match and declare Giovanni as “replacement Aasher”. Is that what Gleebnorb stands for? Is that what being ‘more’ is to you? Taking shortcuts, selling out just for any semblance of power, and, like a parasite, going from new host to host?

Deanna stops at the cat walk. Cause if it is, Cid, I am glad that I am not part of that nonsense other than fighting you in this ring – and if you think I’m going to be intimidated by your repeated words of ‘punishing’ me or ‘spiking me on my head’ like you said the last time we fought, I’ll remind you of something about that. Last time you uttered those words? You failed and we sent you packing.

Seeing a crumpled up piece of paper on the floor, Deanna plays with it with her foot. You guys… you just make everything that you touch into something ugly. The stain that was the Co-World Champions crap, attacking with titles, having your flunkies interfere in your matches- didn’t you say, Cid, that Sammy, Clamydia AND Cookie would be there for this match? What? 5-on-2 the only why you and GiGi are going to show up? Why?! her head jerks up back to the camera.

I mean, what is SO terrifying of losing?! I’ve lost before! I learned from it! I’m sure I’ll lose again and, again, I’ll learn from it. I don’t like losing, but I’m not going to have an army standing around waiting to jump my opponent just to get an ego boost from some win that wasn’t even earned!

And don’t act like you’re any better, Giovanni – least Cid WAS decent in his matches for a few months when he was World Champion – winning them fair and square. You haven’t had a shred of integrity in years! Are you really helping Sammy? Or did you run out of Wonderland-flunkies and just made do with who you could find? Cause last I checked? He hasn’t gotten any better as a wrestler or as a husband. But he seems to be giving you what you needed in saving your ass against Josh Hudson. In keeping you in your ‘winning ways’ as it were. Funny how the only person that seems to be benefitting from “nirvana” is the guy that claims to be giving it to others. And you say Selena is the one manipulating people? Hypocrisy much? she scoffs at that.

The fact is, you both are the frauds here. Neither of you have made SCW a better place or helped anyone or brought integrity to this federation – cause at the end of the day, that’s never been the plan for either of you, has it? Cause if it were, Sammy would be better off. Cookie would be better off. The FANS of SCW would be better off. And there would be no controversy. There would no cheap-ploys or scandals or lies or pyramid schemes or paid plants running in or ambushes orchestrated by you – and SCREW your half dozen segments playing on Breakdown every damn week!

It would be you two coming down here as Selena and I have done and earning every inch. Defending titles with integrity and honour. It would be you two coming down here and fighting Selena and I simply because it’s a main-event worth watching! ‘Something special’ as Cid said.

Slowly, Deanna shakes her head. But that’s not what Nirvanna is about. That’s not what Gleebnorb is about. What those two things are about is what they’ve always been about – make Giovanni Aries and Cid Turner relevant. Make Cid Turner and Giovanni superstars and to hell with the rest.

And it bothers me because for almost a year now, I’ve seen the real thing – the thing that you two have ‘claimed’ to bring but never have. I’ve seen true integrity. I’ve seen true care and love for this place. I’ve heard words – words that people like you two scoffed at. Words like “honor”. Words like “earning opportunities”. Words like “a standard worthy of SCW”. And these weren’t just words to put on a t-shirt or to sell tickets. These were words that were laced in ideals. Words that were part of true beliefs.

They were the beliefs of my wife and they were my beliefs. Beliefs that we have been willing to fight for and put our bodies on the line for while you two say them and then either run away or hide behind your one or more of your followers! Hide behind title attacks and ambushes…

Gently, Deanna raps her knuckles against the metal of the guardrail. Beliefs that have been the backbone of one of the greatest World Championship reigns in the last decade! Ideals and words that have kept us going through every dark moment of our profession and personal lives! Kept us believing! You want to know why Selena and I aren’t some ‘liars’ waiting to ‘pull the wool’ and ‘show our true colors’? Because THESE are our true colors! We’re the ones fighting for the good of SCW while you use OUR words, OUR beliefs, OUR goals as a punchline or as some schilling attempt to make some cash!

WE are bringing integrity and betterment to SCW! You guys are the ones cheapening it to line your pockets and prey on the most broken of us and it makes me sick! her voice echoes throughout the empty arena, a pause coming from her as the echo dies down.

And it’s so simple because all I want is to show SCW what Selena and I can do as a tag-team. Not for the titles, not to move ahead in the ranks or however The Connection wants to word it but because… because we love each other and because we love the idea of teaming together. But all we’ve met is problems and ugly situations – and against you two? I’m not naïve to believe that this will be anything but ugly. That the two of you will, just like you have with everything and everyone else, from your television shows with Holly, to Cid’s title reigns, make this match into something ugly.

She gives one last shrug. Well I am prepared for ugly. I am prepared for ugly and I know Selena is as well. We are prepared for ugly. We are prepared for excuses. We are prepared for everything that you two can throw at us because, like I said, you are cheap imitations and we? We are the genuine article, you hear me?

This is a hill that Selena and I are ready to fall on. The question is… can you two say the same?

Eyeing the crumpled piece of paper, Deanna gently kicks it off the catwalk, watching it fall down…down… to the ring below…

Where it is caught by a pale hand, the camera catching sight of a familiar platinum-blonde. Thank you, dear. Selena Frost smiles as she stands in the ring amidst the arctic blue and white lights, sapphire eyes gazing at the crumpled paper in her hand. But speaking of falling… if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it… did it actually make a sound? Gracefully, she tosses the paper out of the ring and out if sight and adjusts the leather jacket she wears over her maroon t-shirt and black jeans, the SCW World title resting over her shoulder.

It’s an old riddle, but it’s a rather effective one. It symbolizes the power of a message – the power of words – as only being powerful if it has an audience that hears it. And therein lies the situation for the four of us, but moreso between me and you, Giovanni.

A content smile graces Selena’s features as she gestures towards the camera before her with her free hand. You finally got your wish, GiGi. I’m finally talking about you. And isn’t that what you’ve wanted for oh so long now? My attention? For months, at least once a week, sometimes more!, on Twitter you would go, like the proverbial troll, typing your short sentences directed at me. Throwing shade, discrediting me, insulting everything about me… on and on you went… with no one but a bitter Kimberly to keep you company. Even Holly Adams wouldn’t waste her time with your messages!

A small laugh escapes her. I loved it, Giovanni. I loved watching you get more and more desperate to try and get my attention. It was like watching a cartoon character, an Elmer Fudd or Daffy Duck, get madder and madder and I could just imagine your face turning red… of steam just shooting out of your ears – to the point where you just couldn’t take it anymore! You ran out on Breakdown, declaring up and down that “I beat Selena! I’m the only one of the Brand that’s beaten Selena!”. Which isn’t true, but it was fun as hell to watch you go off like that.

Licking her lips, Selena tilts her head in contemplation. Because you would think that someone with ‘nirvana’, with ‘inner peace’ wouldn’t be so hot under the collar when it came to me. Wouldn’t be so bothered by a simple Snow Queen and her beloved redhead. What happened to all that calm, Gio? What good is huffing all that sage if you can’t go a week without crying about me on Twitter? Is that inner peace? she leans forward a little as she asks.

Or, is it that for the first time ever, I am the one that’s in your head? she points to the camera.

Yes, I’ll bet that’s what it is, ‘GiGi’. You were all calm and full of yourself when you were in my head all those years ago. You were all confident when you beat me and I was frustrated over that interference that handed you the victory. You were the untouchable when I was arguing with you on Twitter and you just kept laughing your head off… but like that proverbial tree, once I walked away - once I left you and ignored you and your message and just did what I vowed I would do and be the world champion that you could never be… Once I lead by action – inspiring thousands of True Believers - and I let you just run your mouth like some false-prophet I’ve seen on the streets of New York – suddenly, all that calm, all that confidence… poof! she snaps her fingers with a smile. Gone.

And just like that, Giovanni Aries was no longer a mastermind or some mystical shaman or whatever you’re calling yourself these days. No longer was Giovanni possessing all the answers. No! The mystique has been shattered and all this “new GiGi” is at the end of the day is just another entitled crybaby whining for a title shot because he won one match. A crybaby the same vein as Kimberly, Kandis, and so many others. Wanting a handout. Wanting a shortcut. And all I had to do to make that happen was ignore you and let YOUR true colors show.

Another chuckle escapes the world champion. Funny how that is. All this time of the Brand declaring me a fraud and ‘hiding my true colors’ and you’re the one that shows theirs at long last.

Because it came down to one reality: and that’s the fact that I don’t have a thing to prove to you, Gio. I don’t. I don’t have to defend my marriage to you. I don’t have to explain my relationship with my wife to you. I don’t have to defend my actions as the SCW World Champion to you or to Cid. And that’s what you’ve been trying to get me to do. That’s what Cid keeps trying to get me to do. Shift the truth, change the perspective…

I beat Holly Adams so I MUST have paid off the official.
I beat Cid Turner, so I MUST have used witchcraft.
I don’t reply to your antics so I MUST be hiding from the truth.

Over and over again, trying to act like I owe you something and the truth is… I don’t. I don’t because I don’t answer to sleazy salesmen like you two. I don’t answer to The Brand, or the Positive State or the Haus of Nirvana. I answer to the SCW Universe. The millions of True Believers that want to see integrity in the world title, want to see integrity as the new standard of SCW and know that I am fighting with all I am, all I have, to make that happen.

Slowly, Selena takes a deep breath, her calm on display. You see what I’m doing there, Giovanni. This. This is calm. This is true peace. This is what happens when you’re not occupying space in my head and it is SO liberating! It doesn’t happen to me often with my opponents, but with you – dealing with you? It comes so easily. Because you, just like The Brand, keep trying so desperately to paint me a certain way. Paint the House of Frost a certain way and it’s gotten to a point where the SCW Universe… we just ignore you. We ignore you because, like declaring the world is flat in this day and age, some people just won’t accept the reality – and that’s you and Cid and Holly.

Selena shakes her head. And the reality is, boys, is that you can point at our inexperience as a tag-team and you can blast me as the World Champion. But there’s a reason your boss failed despite YOUR best efforts to screw me out of the title. There’s a reason I beat her, and I beat you, Cid. And there’s a reason that Giovanni hasn’t gone a match with me in years without needing someone to hold his hand through it.

She smiles knowingly. It’s because, no matter how The Brand tries to stack the deck against me and against Deanna, we rise above. We continue to keep going. It’s because Deanna and I are operating at a new standard now. Every day, every match, we raise the bar just a little higher, doing all we can to bring integrity back into SCW, raising the standard of what it means to be S-C-W. And while many have come close to that standard, including both of you at some point, no one’s been able to match it and keep up with it, again including both of you! Which is the real reason I am still World Champion and why your boss failed THREE TIMES in trying to take this from me. And that terrifies the both of you, doesn’t it?

She gives a shrug. I mean, it terrified you so much, Cid, that you ran to the Adrenaline division and settled on the title there! Hell, these days you can’t even go a title defence without Cookie helping you.

What happened to you, man? Like you said, there WAS a time that you and I fought over who was the best in SCW. Where we would, indeed, bring out the best in each other. What happened to that guy that fought me with all he had and only by himself, Cid? What happened to that guy? I can’t say something like that to Giovanni because he was never like that – check the receipt: Xander, friends, Holly, he’s always needed someone when dealing with me, but you? What happened to you?

Asher got his balls in the divorce!

Casting her gaze up at the voice, Selena smiles at her guarding wife. Then what does Candi get?

I don’t want to know! Deanna responds.

But isn’t it funny? Cid’s gone from calling me evil, to calling me a manipulator and a cheater, to now – well, he still calls me all those things, including still being on that kick about me paying off officials – when he’s the one using Cookie to hand him his wins. When he’s the one that’s STILL attacking people with title belts over and over again like it’s 2021…

But he thinks he’s going to help me. He thinks he’s going to help the world champion.

Oh, well, maybe we should say ‘thank you’. Deanna rolls her eyes at that.

Hearing that, Selena tilts her head in good nature to Deanna before turning back to her own camera. You want to help me, Cid, huh? Like you helped Asher? That the kind of help you mean? Where you stick around as long as it benefits you to do so and then, when it doesn’t, you bail and pretend you had nothing to do with him? You wanna help me like you’re helping Cookie? Turning her into an addict of you and your teachings where all she has is you? Where she can’t act or think for herself because of you? Where she can’t even speak for herself without you there? You want to help me like you ‘helped’ Tommy Valentine in the Trios Tournament? Where you ran away when the match got ‘too tough’ for you? You want to help make me better like at the End of the Year, where you tried to have Cookie smash me in the head with the world title so Holly could win it? That the kind of help you want to give, Cid? How did all those times go, Cid? Deanna, do you know?

For an answer, the sound of a loud ‘raspberry’ is heard throughout the arena, causing a laugh to come from the Snow Queen.

See, that’s the difference between you and me, Cid. I’m not going to bury you under your twisted logic that makes zero sense. I’m not going to try and twist the narrative just so I can have a semblance of ‘fighting spirit’ or whatever you want to call it. I deal with reality. I deal with the real problems. I call it as it is, not how I ‘need it to be’ to appear a certain way. That’s called honesty, Cid, and if you truly had it, it would be you that wouldn’t be able to look in the mirror, wouldn’t it? It would be you that would hate your own reflection, wouldn’t it?

Holding her title, Selena paces a little in the ring. You want to know how I know that, Cid? Because after all this time, you still can’t admit that I beat you twice. You still can’t admit that I was better than you twice over. No, it’s all under your ‘grace’, isn’t it? You ‘letting it happen’, right? You ‘letting people win’ and how I ‘owe you for being where I am’, right? That the kind of business you think we’re in, Cid? That how fragile your ego is? S-C-W: we let people win, right? That’s what people are tuning in for? That’s what people are wanting to believe in…

But you want to help me. You want to raise me up, huh?

A sad smile appears on Selena’s face, her tone quieter but more pointed. Cid, how can you help me ‘be better’, when you can’t even make yourself better? How can you make me a better champion when you’re still a poor excuse for one? How can you help me be a more integrity-filled champion, when you don’t have any integrity at all?

Like I said, a message is only as powerful if it is heard. And while you spend every moment falling further and further from the world-class competitor that you once were, every month that passes, it’s been the House of Frost in this ring that has picked up the bar and raised it. It’s been the House of Frost, while you were all hiding behind your segments, followers, and dozens of vignettes, that the SCW Universe has believed in. The House of Frost that the thousands have cheered for, while they have booed your ‘Brand’ every step of the way. And every challenge the House of Frost turns back, every time I retain this world championship, every time Deanna proves herself in this ring, that message gets louder and louder. That belief in integrity gets stronger!

Slightly aloof, Selena leans back, shrugging her shoulders. You don’t believe me, boys? Watch Deanna and I prove it tonight. It’s going to be so simple! Like she said, this isn’t going to be a tag match where we show what we can do as a team. We’ve done this dance so many times that it’s not even funny. Hell, Cid, you just admitted that you’re bringing THREE extra people to the ring just to deal with us – though I wouldn’t be surprised if it was four…

And the reason this won’t be the main-event SCW deserves is because of you, Gio. Like Cid said, you’re the ‘new Asher’. Because just like with Asher, Cid is dangling the world title in front of you and making promises that he made so long ago to Asher – promises of becoming world champion right before stealing it from him. Yeah, go back to how Cid became world champion in the first place. Asher was actually a deserving contender for the world title before Cid took it all away from him.

The Face of SCW shakes her head. But you see, with such promises, and such numbers against us, that’s how Deanna and I know this match will be a mess! That’s how the SCW Universe knows it will be a mess. Because they know that if you were to lose – every claim you THINK you have against me disappears in a flash, Gio! Every insult you’ve thrown my way. Every thing you’ve claimed about me, hung your hat on, Giovanni,  RELIED upon for months… gone in a poof if Deanna and I beat you.

And we both know you’re both too much of a pair of cowards to risk that. I mean… if Josh Hudson and Asher Hayes – amazing athletes in their own right – spooked you both to the point you needed help, what does that mean for Selena and Deanna Frost?

So, let’s break this down to true expectations. Cid’s gonna try and hit one or both of us with his title and Giovanni will have Sammy or Clamydia or both save him the second he can’t go anymore – maybe all FIVE (or six, make it half a dozen) rush the ring to try and put a hurting on Deanna and I.

The Snow Queen winces a little at the thought of such an ambush before casting her eyes back at the camera. It’s gonna be ugly, it’s gonna be tainted, it’s going to be nothing that should define SCW… and I hate that I have to say that for a match involving the current world champion, a former world champion, a former THOTF royale winner and one of the fastest rising rookies in SCW today but it’s true. Any journalist worth his salt, any fan with a knowledge of this history will know that this match, the second it was put on paper, screams controversy, screams tainted finish, and is everything against what Deanna and I believe in for SCW and its standard.

Save for one thing… she holds up a finger to the camera. The part where Deanna and I get back up and keep fighting until we’ve kicked your asses.

See, much like the tree in the forest and ignoring “Troll-mode” Gio, if Deanna and I can take your cheap ploys and keep fighting. If we can take your henchmen and ‘belt-shots’ and keep fighting… then oh what will that say about The House of Frost?

I mean – Zenmaster Gio with his ‘perfect peace’, how perfect is it if he can’t beat us on his own? “God-mode” Cid Turner! How great is Gleebnorb if he needs a title and three other people at ringside to get the job done? Certainly not so great that they deserve X number of payments of – what was it? $29.99? – to share their secrets, am I right? she chuckles a little.

I said it before, Cid, and I’ll say it again. I didn’t become world champion because of you. I didn’t stay world champion because you ‘allowed it’. I stayed world champion IN SPITE of you. I kept fighting in spite of you and Giovanni and The Brand because that’s who I am. That’s who Deanna is. It’s because we are not afraid to do what you two preach and carry the hopes and dreams of millions on our shoulders and keep going – IN SPITE of you! she pauses for a moment, allowing her words to sink in.

One of you faced me, lost to me, and never recovered from it. The other is too afraid of that to make a genuine effort against us. And at the end of the day, like my wife said, a genuine effort is what The House of Frost is all about. We are united in that cause. We are driven by that cause. Integrity that redefines SCW from the con-artists and crap-sellers like the two of you. And tonight, when it comes time to prove our message, it will be your house, boys, that folds like a house of cards.

And it will be our house – The House of Frost – that the SCW Universe will hear loud and clear!

Selena takes a deep breath. Believe it, boys! Because no matter how much you hurt us! How much you screw with us, how much you outnumber us, how much you knock us down… The Brand, The Positive State, The Haus of Nirvana? It all goes silent! Drowned out by the two words you both hate more than anything…

”We Believe! We Believe!” rings Deanna’s voice.
”We Believe! We Believe!” comes Selena’s voice before a moment of silence, Selena’s voice dropping to barely a whisper as she glares into the camera before it fades to black.

We believe… We… Believe…