Project: Black Ice
”A Moment Tainted: Not Everyone’s Hero”
American Airlines Center
Dallas, Texas
June 16, 2022
11:43pm
Selena had been gone for a solid twenty or so minutes. Deanna knew that because she had been constantly checking the clock that hung on the wall every two minutes and had now reached ‘13’ in her number of ‘checks’ as she sat in the small but cushioned chair in the hallway of the American Airlines Center, the episode of Breakdown having ended almost forty-five minutes ago.
But what a show it had been!
The road to Rise to Greatness was in full swing and, in all truth, Deanna could not have asked for a better start. It was going to be, if she was lucky, her first ever time wrestling in the pay-per-view (she prayed management would give her a match).
Hell, I’ll even defend the Television title if I still have it! It’s been done before…
Her thoughts tapered off again as the same thought came into her head for the umpteenth time, causing her emerald eyes to gaze down at the championship title she kept in her hands and on her lap, watching it bounce as her legs did on the balls of her feet, part anxious and part bored. Her favourite part of the title…she smiled a little in guilt of this, was the red leather. Whether it was ‘fate’ or ‘happenstance’, she wasn’t sure, but the red leather that held all the silver metal plates in place was the exact same shade as her hair. Funny how she had never noticed that without having the belt up close.
Which was only possible because…
“I’m a champion.” Disbelief coursed through her. She had been so focused in her match with Jenni Anderson that she had barely given any real thought (beyond her promo) of what being the winner would mean. Yes, she had spoken about it, but it was one thing to talk about it and promise things (even if you meant them), but to have it actually happen? It was still so surreal.
She was a champion, just like her wife – just like Selena.
Again, her eyes flew up to the clock, taking in the short time that had elapsed since her last check. She was still in her wrestling attire. She had refused to shower or change until after Breakdown for two reasons:
First, she didn’t trust Adam Allocco. That wasn’t to say that she had any dislike or personal issues with the new Taking Hold of the Flame royale winner, per say, but… she released a small huff. It was just hard to explain…
Deanna had kept backstage in the final segment of Breakdown, when the new number one contender to the world title had demanded that Selena meet him in the ring. Not because Selena had told her too, but… but because it wasn’t her moment. It was Selena’s moment. It was Adam’s moment. It was the establishment of the main-event on the biggest pay-per-view in SCW’s year! The main-event of Rise to Greatness. Neither of them needed a third-wheel like her there! She had had her moment and she was going to have more moments by defending the title every Breakdown – that part thrilled Deanna to no end, having more matches and fighting more and more of SCW’s roster, improving herself and her abilities! It was beyond amazing to consider.
But still, while she had given Adam and Selena their ‘space’, as it were, she had still hung back in gorilla position. Why? Because as much as she didn’t have anything personal against Adam Allocco, he had more than just a ‘bad reputation’. Deanna had been witness to all the ways Adam had disgraced SCW and, more importantly (she had no desire to bring such things up when the man was clearly recovering for his own health and life), had no limit to how low he would stoop to get what he wanted, if memory served her correctly. Now, while that may have changed, as the “King of Strong Style” had indicated, he had still proven that he wasn’t above ambushing his opponent, as he had in his return, running out and taking Ace Marshall during his match with Syren. He even clearly had said that he wasn’t a ‘good guy’ in his more recent promos, though Deanna wasn’t even sure that was even a term to use in this day and age. What even was a ‘good guy’, anyway?
Briskly, the redhead shook her head, her tied back hair long since freed and now the red waterfall her beloved wife enjoyed. She was certain that she would find, at least, some of the answer she was looking for next week when she challenged Allocco to a match.
Yeah, that was something that made Deanna buzz with excitement. During the final segment, while Allocco had been throwing the basic ‘challenger promises’ to dethrone Selena, Shaun Cruze had been watching as well. Immediately, Deanna had asked (not demanded – the Frost women refused to do that beyond extreme situations) – to challenge the new number one contender… and she had got it! Sure, Selena wasn’t too thrilled about it, but Shaun had liked the idea, it seemed. And Adam had accepted just a short while ago! It was awesome! True, she wasn’t allowed to put her new title on the line, which was a bummer, but how could she be sad about such an amazing opportunity? The main-event of Breakdown – ON HER OWN! Not as Selena’s wife/tag-team partner, not as some add-on, but as herself: Deanna Frost…
Was she nervous? Scared? Absolutely! This wasn’t against an opponent like Jenni Anderson, who, while talented, was too cowardly to wrestle like a damn champion. Adam Allocco was a twenty-some veteran in SCW! A former champion of higher-tier titles! He was leagues above Jenni and a rookie like Deanna… but how could the redhead NOT challenge him? Selena hadn’t really understood that, though she did accept the match’s existence for what it was before asking Deanna to just sit in her current seat “before you challenge the entire SCW roster to a match”…
Pfft… Deanna thought, the sound escaping her lips in a similar sound.
You can’t challenge the entire SCW roster to a match… can you?
Her boredom of waiting was reaching new high. Where was Selena? Where had she gone? She had said she’d be right back, hadn’t she? But it was – she checked the clock – before a loud “Screw it” escaped her, the redhead pushing herself out of her chair and grabbing her duffle bag. She was going to find Selena herself! Whatever surprise her beloved wife was planning, Deanna was too impatient to wait another minute.
With a strong stride that played against the soreness in her legs, Deanna marched out of the changeroom, immediately noticing the contrasting emptiness of the hallway. Most, if not all, of the talent were long gone, either to their hotels for the night or maybe to the airport or cars to head home till next week’s episode of Breakdown. The only people that remained were the SCW crew, taking down and packing equipment as they shut down production for the evening. Despite her march, the new TV champion said a quick hello to the people she passed: Ray in catering, Susan in makeup, Holden in tech – she had spent so much time back here that she knew several of the staff by a first name basis. She also asked a few of the people she passed if they had seen Selena, and while most hadn’t, James (one of the cable-guys that hooked up the tech booths) had seen the platinum-blonde heading to the parking lot, which made it beyond clear to the Queen’s Guard where her queen had gone. The only thing of worth in the parking lot for “talent/employees, etc” was their bus: Selena’s “Believe It!” bus. Her direction clear, Deanna followed the directions on the arena wall until she felt the warm air of the Texas night hit her. The parking lot was large but, even from the distance from arena doors to back space of the lot, she could see the large limo bus. Who else in SCW still used that? Not like the Brand would splurge on anything like that for the group – and maybe that was for the best. Last thing she wanted to see was the smug faces of Holly, Cid, Giovanni, and the others plastered so many feet wide and high… yuck.
She felt the hard concrete against her boots as she walked down one of aisles of the lot, passing several cars of various models and colors – though it was all peripheral vision as she kept her eyes locked on the top of the bus that she could see. What was it that Selena wanted her to wait for? Was she handling an errand? Or was she back in the arena, trying to get Shaun not to go through with Deanna’s match with Allocco next week?
The idea caused the redhead to stop in her tracks. Was Selena THAT upset? Did she not like the idea that much? Yes, Deanna knew she needed to concentrate on her new reign as Television champion and there HAD been some teasing between her and Kim Williams on Twitter which the Underground Champion had taken advantage of tonight – trying to spoil Deanna’s championship celebration – but THIS was important too! Nervously, the young Frost cast her gaze back towards the arena she had exited, her overactive brain contemplating whether or not to go back in and search the area first. Maybe Selena just needed more convincing. Yeah, Adam was more experienced and riding a huge wave of momentum and maybe it was a little bit of ‘biting off more than she could chew’, but why was that so bad?! Why was losing such a bad idea?
Even if she got beat, wouldn’t it be a learning lessons? A year ago, she wouldn’t have even been considered to get in the ring with a wrestler like Adam! A year ago, she wouldn’t have even been considered a wrestler or challenger to Jenni Anderson. “Maybe it’s something I want.” Deanna whispered to herself. “Maybe I WANT to do this, even if I fail.”
A month or so ago, Deanna had watched Selena utterly dismantle a person out of her realm of abilities in Samuel Davis. Was the Snow Queen trying to keep Deanna from suffering a similar fate, so fresh off of winning the Television title. Shaun had asked Deanna to try and do for the Television Title what the platinum-blonde had done for the world title: bring integrity to it. Being squashed by Adam Allocco, maybe, wasn’t the best first step…
But why not?! Deanna’s mind rebelled! Why not challenge the hottest superstar in SCW right now? - Hot as in ‘momentum”, not hot as in attractive. Wasn’t that what Adam was doing? Going for broke against Selena at Rise to Greatness? Fighting someone deemed by many as “unstoppable” in Selena Frost? The only difference was that, in this case, Allocco was seen as the ‘unstoppable’ or ‘the mountain to conquer’.
And if Adam believed he could beat Selena, why couldn’t Deanna believe she could beat-
An odd sound drifted towards Deanna’s ears, causing the redhead to spin around and refocus on the large bus just half of the parking lot away from her. It was faint but she definitely heard it – and when she heard it a second time (louder this time), accompanied by some kind of metal ‘banging’, she was on the move, her curiosity winning out.
She stepped a bit more briskly towards the bus, the sounds growing louder as she slowly recognized them.
The sounds of something being thrown against metal.
The sounds of fists flying and connecting with their target.
The sounds of cursing and shouting.
Deanna’s eyes flew down to the ground to see her legs – when has she started running?! And how had she covered so much distance in so much time. She could see the majority of the bus now as she sprinted awkwardly, one arm holding her title and the other holding her dufflebag.
Reaching the last car that stood in her way, Deanna ran around it just in time to see two men lying on the ground. One wore blue jeans, a Hairless Penguin mask, and a red “SCW logo” t-shirt that, even with his obese frame was two or three X’s too large for him, covering him almost like a poncho. The other also wore a Hairless Penguin mask, but was very thin build, wearing a black ‘The Brand’ t-shirt and gray track pants. It was this light man that Eric, the Frost family’s good friend and bus-driver, was lifting up and slamming into the wall hard – with enough force to rattle the metal frame of the bus loudly. Revving a fist back, he connected with the masked boy right in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.
“ERIC!” Deanna cried out in alarm as he saw the boy hit the ground, gaining the tall, broad man’s attention.
“Get back!” Eric yelled out, but there was no need to worry. The men were clearly incapacitated, clearly not expecting a fight with a powerhouse like Eric.
“What the hell-“
Deanna’s words died out as her eyes finally took in the sight behind the young man. Sitting against the side of the bus, her head rolled to the side shoulder facing Deanna, was Selena.
“SELENA!” Deanna cried out, dropping her bag and title without a second thought and rushing to her wife’s side. Kneeling down, the younger Frost gingerly took her wife’s head into her hands to guide it up to look at her. “Look at me! Please open your eyes…”
Slowly, as if with great effort, Selena’s eyes opened, sapphire orbs meeting emerald ones. But the light of the bus’ interior cast out the windows allowed Deanna to see so much more. The left eye (Deanna’s left, Selena’s right) was red and was already swelling. The lip was cut a little and swollen – growing fatter as the seconds ticked away – all things Selena did not have fifty minutes ago.
“Hey…” Selena groaned under her breath. “So…something came up…”
Hardly in the mood for jokes, Deanna turned her head in time to see Eric lifting the thin man up again by his hair and driving an elbow into his throat as he held him up against the bus. “You realize what the hell you’ve just done?” he roared angrily, ripping the mask off the boy’s face to reveal the splotchy array of acne across the boy’s skin.
“She lied to us!” the boy shouted. “She was supposed to show up!”
“Shut the hell up!” Eric yelled back. “Deanna, call the police!” he ordered, reaching into his pocket with his free hand to toss Deanna his cellphone. The redhead quickly caught it with one hand.
“Why?!” yelled the large man as he struggled to get up. “It’s her fault!”
“Stay on the ground or I’ll clock you again!” Eric warned.
“It is!” the large man shot back, but he remained on the ground. “She promised to show up to my little sister’s birthday party and she never did! We paid her $3000 to show up!”
“Bullcrap!” Deanna barked. “I’m her manager! If she had an engagement, I would have-“
“I have the proof!” the thin boy remarked. “Trey- you got my phone still?”
“Yeah…” the large man looked around before picking up the phone that had hit the ground when he had dropped it from Eric’s punch.
“Were you recording this?!” Eric looked in shock. “The fuck is wrong with you?!”
Ignoring him, the man pulled up a series of photos on his phone – screen captures that he showed in front of Eric.
“There?! See?!” Both men said at the same time, though their voices were quite different. “For months we chatted with her – we were her fans and she-“
“That’s not her account.” Eric replied coldly. “Selena doesn’t even have a WhatsApp.”
“What-“
“And that isn’t her account – right Deanna?” Eric asked before spouting out a number.
“No…” Deanna shook her head. “That’s not even close to our account number.”
Despite herself, Deanna felt a twinge of sadness at the crestfallen look of the two boys at this realization.
“But…then-“ they tried.
“You idiots were catfished.” Eric replied. “And even if you weren’t, that doesn’t justify assaulting her!”
“We…” they were trying so hard. “We drained all of our savings.” The restrained boy cried. “My sister doesn’t have- she has cancer and-“
“Shut it!” Eric spat back. “I don’t care what the reason is. Are the police on their way-“
Deanna was about to call them when a pale hand took hers, stopping the motion. “No…” came the pained whisper of the world champion. “Eric, let them go.”
“What?!” Eric asked in disbelief. “They just attacked you!”
“I know.” Selena smiled sadly, and it was in her eyes, one swollen, that Deanna could see a glimpse of the true damage. “But…” she released a long exhale. “Just let them go, please.”
Her attention turned back to Deanna. “Go help them, Deanna.”
“Wha- what about-“
“I promise, I won’t go anywhere.” She half-laughed, though it was weak as she sat against the bus. “Wire them their money so they at least have that.”
For a moment, Deanna cast a glare at the two boys before releasing a huff. “Fine!” she barked, gently ensuring Selena was alright before pushing herself to her feet. Marching over to her dufflebag, the redhead retrieved her phone and barked out orders to the assailants, demanding their email for Interac. A second later, Deanna’s and Selena’s shared account was out three grand but at least the boys had their money back.
“Now go.” Deanna replied coldly, glaring them down. “Don’t ever let me see you near my wife again.”
“I…we…” the thin boy tried clumsily. “We’re sorry. We thought that she-“
“No talking.” Deanna warned, on the cusp of snapping and punching the boy in the face like Eric had. “Just go.”
“But-“ the larger man tried but was quickly seized by Eric, who shoved both boys away from the bus.
“Get the fuck out of here before they change their mind!” he shouted. “And if I ever see you two again-“
They were gone before Eric could finish his sentence, scampering into the night and out of the parking lot. The danger gone, Deanna returned to her wife’s side, seeing the platinum-blonde smile weakly at her wife.
“So…new plan.” Selena tried. “No more spontaneous decisions from me.”
It was then that Deanna spied the outfit Selena was wearing. It wasn’t the casual attire that she had worn during Breakdown, her lack of booking meaning she could dress in her alternate street-wear attire. Instead, she was wearing her wrestling gear.
“Wha-“ Deanna’s question died as she saw Eric gathering her bag and new title.
“It’s under the bus.” Selena whispered to Eric, causing the tall man to nod before leaning down and reaching under the bus to pull out the SCW world title – Selena’s title.
“I don’t-“ Deanna tried again before the pieces suddenly clicked together. “You were setting up a photoshoot…with me.”
A sad smile returned to Selena’s face. “I wanted to celebrate your first championship win.” She admitted. “Get that photoshoot you wanted.”
Hearing those words, Deanna bit her lower lip. It was her fault… she had said on her promo against Jenni that she loved the idea of doing a posing photoshoot with Selena – the World Champion posing with her wife and new Television champion… that’s why Selena had left by herself to change, to surprise her. Otherwise, they would have left together and maybe held their own against the assailants.
“She was just on her way back after changing when I heard the commotion.” Eric explained. “They just jumped her and attacked her. I don’t…” he sighed. “I can’t believe people would do this.”
Unable to say a word, Deanna shook her head before gently gathering her wife into her arms and lifting her up bridal style – despite Selena being the taller and heavier, she was actually light in Deanna’s arms.
“Deanna…” Selena tried weakly. “I got punched and kicked – I can walk you-“
“Eric, can you get the door.” Deanna asked. “Just throw my things on the couch and get the big bags of ice from the large freezer. Selena needs a bath.”
“Deanna…” Selena tried. “I…”
“No.” Deanna’s eyes narrowed, knowing what her wife would say. “I’ve got seven days to worry about everything else.” Carefully, she carried Selena into the bus and towards the back where their bathroom and bed were waiting. “Or…rather the Queen’s Guard has seven days to worry about everything. Right now… Deanna is worrying about her wife. No argument.”
It was the last words they would say for the rest of the night as the Frost family gathered themselves up and prepared for a sad departure, and a rather rough night.