Supreme Championship Wrestling

4 RP Limit for tag

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Abracadabra Halloween Shop
Manhattan, New York
October 11th, 2022
12:46pm

Deanna spied the flash of red out of the corner of her eye as she walked around the large room, her emerald eyes instantly turning towards it out of instinct. Scanning what was before, the former champion gave a quiet, weary sigh, for it was her own reflection that had caught her attention. This was, far beyond, not the first time this had happened. Having hair as naturally red as hers… well… seeing ‘flashes of red’ was par for the course. Lifting a hand up, the young Frost ran a hand through the free mane, scratching her scalp a little as she did. However, in doing so, she exposed the fading stitches that lined the top right of her forehead, fading marks from her war at Apocalypse and at the ends of Sarah Wolf and her ‘fork you’ of a weapon…

Despite herself, Deanna’s emerald eyes focused on the fading, marked skin for a few seconds, the sounds of the other customers in the shop fading in her ears. She had prayed that such a wound wouldn’t leave a scar on her like Selena’s sides and back. Last thing she wanted was her wife to be forced to look at something and blame herself for bringing Deanna into the ‘wrestling world’ – despite the redhead’s insistence that it was all her choice! Sometimes, she’s too protective… Deanna sighed again, though she knew she wouldn’t change a thing about her beloved for the world.

She had managed to get a measure of revenge against Sarah Wolf in their match last Breakdown – the memory causing a shift in Deanna’s mind and an appreciative smile to form across her lips.

Yeah, life has a funny way of working itself out sometimes… she thought, her eyes quickly scanning her own reflection, seeing the blue jeans, light green and white shirt, and jean jacket that complemented the whole attire. I say that I won’t be defined by any division, suddenly I’m in a tag match. I say that I don’t want to just be seen as “Selena’s wife” and now I’m teaming with her again!

The last part, as it did every other time Deanna thought about it, brought a rush of excitement and giddiness through her. For the first time since April, SCW management had booked The House of Frost to compete in a tag-match… AS A TEAM!... AS TAG PARTNERS!!!

Okay, De… calm down… Geez… Deanna breathed through her nose slowly, trying to calm herself from the familiar zealousness of her emotions. Still, she couldn’t help it! She was beyond excited. Just because she wanted to be seen as more than “Selena’s wife” did not mean that she did not dream of teaming with her wife more often…and maybe… One step at a time… you haven’t tagged together in six months!

She felt the nervousness of that – which she knew was distracting her from her current ‘mission’ but she let it. The news of the upcoming Breakdown had reached them just the other day and… it had taken up a large space in Deanna’s mind. 

First of all, it wasn’t like they were facing ‘local talent’ or would be ‘in action’ as The House of Frost. Oh no, they were hitting the ground running in facing the previous number one contenders for the SCW World Tag-Team Championship in Polly’s Playgirls, Colleen and Aisling! Second of all, it was the main-event of Breakdown! And maybe that was something Selena was use to but… with everything this match held – implications, statements, whatever, all Deanna could think about was how few tag matches she had had with her wife and even fewer that they had won…

Biting her lower lip, she turned her eyes away from her reflection, taking in the sights of costumes that lined the walls and the countless decorations that filled various corners and shelves of the store. Their current location: Abracadabra – the fourth… No. Deanna corrected herself. Sixth. Sixth store the Frost wives had visited after dropping the children off at school (Well, Amiliah and David, Elsianna had continued to take the bus – though she sometimes met her mothers in the parking lot to give them a quick hug and help Amiliah to her class). 

But, yes, from the moment they had dropped the children off, Deanna, with her less than enthused wife in tow, had parked their vehicle in some parking lot space in downtown Manhattan and begun walking the streets up and down Manhattan and even part of New York City, visiting shop after shop, costume and décor – nothing was off-limits to Deanna.

She was a woman on a mission.

It had all happened last week: Selena and Deanna had been enjoying a quiet walk-together through the neighbourhood ‘weekend fun’ when Leslie Sanderson – that damn, nasal-sounding, bigoted troll – had pressed all the right buttons to get Deanna to be part of the Halloween House-decoration Contest, a contest Selena and her had, previously, agreed not to participate this year, wanting to focus their attention on ending the rest of 2022 strongly despite significant losses in SCW from both of them. Plans which I thoroughly screwed up… Deanna thought glumly, running her hand along the smooth plastic bags that held all the ‘cheap costumes’. Not Deanna thought ill of such costumes. It’s just, these were the costumes that were made with cheap plastic and were flimsy masks instead of cowls, or colored shirts instead full-blown attire. Sadly, that quality, she knew, wouldn’t be enough to beat Leslie Sanderson.

Besides, with Selena in the World Series of Wrestling… the redhead thought, referring to the weekly events Selena was doing to help promote SCW to a bigger audience (in-between her full-time SCW schedule of course). We’re not even sure what our costumes will be… the thought seemed to refocus the redhead on her current goal – house décor – to which she marched to the far corner of the room where she saw the tombstones, hanging ghosts, stickers… and nothing that didn’t scream ‘cheap’ or ‘low-quality’. Again, she understood but… it wouldn’t be enough to beat Leslie!

And I can’t stand to hear her say last year was a fluke… she shook her head sadly, her head movement the only reason she spied, out of the corner of her eye, the only other woman who’s hair color could get her attention like her own.

“You know…” Selena sighed, cracking her neck by giving it a twist/jerk to the side. “It would be a lot easier for us if a ) we had an idea of how we were going to decorate the house and b ) if we decided on a theme.”

Biting her lower lip, Deanna turned around, a guilty expression on her face as she beheld her wife. Selena had just finished walking all their purchases from the previous store, ‘Halloween Spirit’, the few blocks to where their Jeep Liberty was parked so Deanna could scout out the next store. That had been their strategy, except now, Selena, admittedly, was getting a little bit tired.

“Maybe we should have set a theme… I just wanted to grab whatever we could. We’ve only got two weeks left.” Deanna shrugged.

“Technically, three.” Selena corrected, rolling her shoulders and hearing the crack (as did Deanna, who winced a little). “Oh, that’s better.” She exhaled in relief. 

“How full is the Jeep?” Deanna asked.
“With the tombstones, lab equipment, various small things?” Selena counted off. “Not to mention the monster statues we dragged out of our storage lockers? Pretty full.”

Again, Deanna winced at that. Even together, the two women had struggled to get Dracula and the Frankenstein monster out of storage, Deanna almost dropping the vampire and possibly wrecking it. She didn’t want to imagine how difficult getting the Wolf Man would be when it finally was delivered (Deanna had sprung for the priority mailing…not telling Selena of the purchase or the shipping costs. It was Deanna’s money after all.)

“Deanna…” the Snow Queen’s voice broke through her thoughts, the redhead focusing on her taller wife. 
“Hmmm? Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention – I mean… not that… I was just lost in thought.”

“It’s okay.” Selena smiled, the redhead seeing one of the rare moments were the platinum-blonde was able to drop her guard and her exhaustion was on display. “Just…can we sit down for a minute?”

Emerald eyes widened. “Wha…yes! Yes, of course!” she replied.

Quickly taking the pale hand of her beloved, Deanna quickly pulled the former world champion out of the store, giving a quick “Be right back” to the cashier. The cold, fall weather hit them and she immediately Selena breathe it in deeply, the redhead knowing how the cold invigorated her wife (as if the black leggings and light blue t-shirt she wore was any indication. Scanning around the space, Deanna quickly spotted two things. One was a bench, unoccupied (thank Odin), and a food truck in a nearby spot of the bench. With a smile, Deanna quickly pull-guided her wife to the bench, prompting her to sit before she scampered over to the food truck, buying a can of cream soda for Selena and a can of Ice-Tea for herself. Paying for and taking the beverages, Deanna quickly rejoined her wife on the bench, handing Selena the can of cream soda.

“Thank you.” The Snow Queen whispered, using her nimble fingers to open the can. “Sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Nervous about Breakdown?”
“Honestly?” Selena’s answer surprised Deanna. “No.”
“Really?” Deanna’s eyes widened. “You’re not afraid we’ll lose?”
“Losing isn’t a problem, Deanna.” Selena sighed. “We haven’t wrestled as a tag-team in what? Five months?”
“Six.”

“Six! Right!” Selena smiled in disbelief before taking a sip of her soda. “We’re going to be rusty. And they’re an established team – former contenders and all. But if you think about… with me facing Luna and Ravyn-“ Selena tensed a little at the memory, particularly getting goddamned tasered! That still shocked Deanna! Chairs and monitors were one thing, but how the hell was Ravyn allowed to bring a damn taser into a match? Didn’t SCW know those things could kill people?! “And you in that Underground match – I mean with Wolf and Kim and all of them… the fact we’re just in a normal wrestling match? Compared to the last few weeks? Losing would be the least of my worries.”

“But you think we’ll lose?” Deanna asked, turning her head as she opened and sipped her ice-tea. 

“I didn’t say that.” Selena shook her head. “I just said that losing isn’t so scary of a thing.” She drank a bit more soda. “And if you’re that worried about it, then why are we here instead of training?” she turned her head, sapphire eyes glaring into emerald ones. “This is your idea, remember?”

“I didn’t think they would put us in a tag-match so soon.” Deanna admitted, shrugging her shoulders. “I thought they would set you up for some big match with someone else and maybe me for…well, wherever they put me.”

“It really shouldn’t be surprising, dear.” Selena sighed. “Considering how few real tag-teams there are. I mean, the last contenders before the Playgirls were a makeshift team of Wolf and Kim. It’s gotten slimer and slimer pickings.” Selena sighed. Deanna knew this was a sore spot for the Snow Queen.

For the better part of 2020, she had worked with her sister-in-arms, Regan Street, to acquire the tag-team titles and be great champions, fighting such iconic teams as The Jackass and Big-Ass Connection, Infamous, Psychonaughts, even Dark Fantasy. Now? The tag-team division had only a small fraction of those teams. The Connection and Pychonaughts were gone, as was AC Unit, Infamous was still splintered and Dark Fantasy were practically done with the tag division beyond special occasions, Syren still obsessed at becoming the world champion to break Jason Zero’s record. 

“And we haven’t been exactly subtle with some of our promos.” Selena eyed Deanna, the younger Frost’s eyes widening. “Have we?”
“About what?”
“Don’t give me that.” Selena smiled, shaking her head. “About being tag-team champions.”
“Okay…yeah…” Deanna shrugged, again with guilt. “I admit I did mention it a few times.”
“So did I.” Selena smiled. “So you can’t be surprised that, now that I’ve dealt with Ravyn and Luna and you don’t have to worry about the Underground division too much unless you want to challenge again, it stands to reason SCW would give us a shot as a tag-team.”

Deanna gave a short nod of your head.

“So, if you’re that worried.” Selena shrugged. “I saw we call it for today and get some training in. Fine tune our moves and work some kind of strategy. Just my thoughts.”

The younger woman cast her gaze back up to Selena. “But…” she turned back to eye some of the Halloween decorations in the various windows. “We only have three weeks.”

“Yep. And our tag match is in a few days.” Selena reminded. “Deanna…” she added after a slow exhale. “How badly is beating Leslie to you?”

The unasked question. The elephant in the room that had been plaguing her wife all morning, Deanna knew that. Taking a deep breath, she drank a bit more of her beverage before shaking her head. “It’s…it’s not about beating her.” She tried to explain. “It’s about ending all of this ‘looking down on us’ crap. I mean…” her eyes cast down the street to see the many vehicles that rode up and down the asphalt and concrete, taxis rushing their riders to their destination. At times, she could even hear the subway below her…that or some kind of construction in the sewers – life in Manhattan. “Aren’t you tired of it? We’ve been living here since before we got married…” her eyes cast down to her hand, on the ring she wore proudly. “And we’re still some kind of ‘best friends living together till we get men of our own’ or whatever. And it’s not just Leslie, and you know it. It’s her circle of friends: Hilary, Terra, Joy, a good part of the neighbourhood. I mean…” she sighed. “I’m just tired of it after all of this time. Of her thinking she runs the neighbourhood and can walk over everyone, talk down to us… she’s basically a big bully, that’s what she is!”

A pale hand reached out to take Deanna’s, the fingers interlacing. “Sounds more like you’re letting her rub you the wrong way.” Selena replied. “You don’t have anything to prove to her.” She offered. “She basically is a trophy wife, living off her husband’s paycheck. That’s all she has. You have a job – a real job…”

“Not according to Leslie and her friends.”
“And you don’t think that stems from jealousy? I mean think about it.” The Snow Queen offered. “Everyone knows Paul is banging his secretary-“
“Selena!” Deanna laughed.
“What? It’s true! It’s the worst kept secret in Black Arrow. And, again, all she does is hang around the neighbourhood with her other stay-at-home moms, gossiping and whatever. You remember what happened when we first moved in?”

“Yeah…” Deanna laughed. “They thought I was a stay-at-home mom because I was pregnant and they ‘Oh so wanted to meet Mr. Frost.’” Another laugh escaped her. “They turned so pale – paler than you – when you walked in and introduced yourself. Then they thought I was your sister or the babysitter or a cousin – they tried a hundred different ways to ‘explain it’.”

“Oh you helped too!” Selena laughed, drinking a bit more cream soda. “The second you told them that you were my manager AND that I was a wrestler – I never saw someone leave so fast!” a bit more laughter escaped her. “Point is, Deanna, they are always going to dislike or even hate us. You’re not going to change their minds by beating them at a contest again.”

“Oh, I don’t want to change their minds.” Deanna quickly corrected. “I just want to stick it to them and make them eat crow.”

“Oh…” Selena’s eyes widened a little. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Deanna shrugged. “I hate how she talks down to us and I want to stick it to her. That’s it.”

“Well…” Selena breathed. “I mean… vindication, retribution… I can certainly understand that. I mean, Ravyn, Xander, Vixen – yeah, I totally can get that. Geez, and here I thought you were trying to turn them ‘good’ or something.”

“Oh please.” Deanna rolled her eyes. “That be like them trying to turn us straight. Not happening.”
“Yeah, no.” Selena shook her head. “Still, we need priorities, Deanna. And, truthfully… I’d much rather have us working towards becoming tag-team champions if fate is in our favor. Imagine waving that around in Leslie’s face.”

“No.” Deanna shook her head sternly. “I don’t want her involved with that in any way. If we win them someday…” she bit her lower lip at the thought. “The titles, I mean, I want it to be something for us and for SCW. She will just taint it somehow. Cheapen it. No… I rather beat her where it hurts her most – these neighbourhood events. Where she thinks she’s the Queen Bee or something. But I get what you’re saying.” She sighed.

“I’m glad.” Selena smiled. “Because I’ve dealt with a lot of people that badmouthed us. And soon as one is gone, another takes their place. It’s inevitable. At the end of the day, what they say and think shouldn’t matter. It’s what you think that matters.”

“I know! I know!” Deanna breathed. “But I still want to beat her.”

A tired smile gracing her features, Selena shook her head. “Come on.” She pushed herself up, helping Deanna to her feet. “I want to go home and take a nap before we start training today.”

Deanna opened her mouth to object before she saw the bags under Selena’s eyes. Not overly heavy by definitely a sign of lack of sleep.

“O…okay.” She nodded. “We can check back here after Breakdown. There’s a few more shops I wanted to see.”
“Oh goodie.” Selena smiled good-naturedly before leading the way down the streets and towards the parking lot, the Snow Queen helping Deanna into the Jeep before getting in and heading back to their home in Black Arrow neighbourhood.

Black Arrow Neighbourhood
Manhattan, New York
October 11th, 2022
2:02pm

The dark blue Jeep liberty pulled into the long driveway, the gates remaining open (decorative as they were). The sound of the wheels going up onto the driveway from the sidewalk was pleasant and not the least bit jarring, which Selena was grateful for as her and Deanna’s home pulled into view quickly. Stopping in front of the garage doors, the Snow Queen parked the car, opening the doors (ensuring Deanna’s was unlocked as well by pushing a button on her own side) and stepping out. 

“We can keep everything in the garage till we decorate.” She remarked, reaching back into the car to push the garage button hanging on the visor attached to the interior. Immediately, one of the large beige-colored doors began ascending, opening to reveal the large garage. Yes, it was much larger than it needed to be for their car. In fact, it was large enough to accommodate their Jeep, the small ‘Galaxy Car’ Selena had purchased in her first few years in SCW, and the Snow Queen’s motorcycle, while still having enough space for the children’s ‘outside sports toys’.

Out of the corner of her eye, Selena spied her wife nodding, the dark-red mane that was Deanna’s hair bobbing with the shorter woman’s movements. Together, the pair moved around to the back of the vehicle to open the trunk, revealing their ‘assorted treasures’ they had picked up.

“What about a sort of ‘monster world’ concept?” Deanna offered. “I mean, we have Drac and Frankie and the Wolf Man’s on the way. What about using the trail from our ‘part’ to visit the different horror stories?”

That idea actually appealed to Selena. She loved the Universal Horror Monsters, part of me even ashamed they hadn’t been able to get their hands on a figure of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (she was still looking…). How many times had she spent the Halloween season, or even just a rainy day, curled up on the couch and watching back to back black-and-white horror pictures from Universal, RKO, and Paramount? Too many, and she would be damned if she didn’t do at least once this season too! 

“I actually like that idea…” she answered as she leaned into the truck to pull out a set of rather full large tombstone. They had gotten lucky on their first store, stumbling onto a set of poly-resin stones rather than the cheap plastic or foam ones that were sold in the stores like Abracadabra or Halloween Spirit and Deanna had, with some cajoling, purchased most of them to decorate the yard. The upside? They were far more ‘authentic-looking’ which made Deanna beam. The downside? They were quite a bit heavier, a fact the redhead knew as she helped Selena pull the first stone out, the pair working together to carry it into the garage. “I don’t really know the rules of this, Deanna.” Selena said as she held the ‘stone’ in her hands. “Don’t they just count ‘the house’ as the competition and not any trails or whatever?”

“Technically…” Deanna replied as she carefully adjusted her grip so as not to cause Selena to drop her end. “It’s a ‘property’ competition, so anything that is on your property can be decorated. They just prefer the name ‘house-decorating’. Sounds more fun, I guess.” She gave a slight shrug as the two moved the stone into the side of the garage, placing it up against the wall securely. The redhead had grabbed some ‘haunting messaged’ tombstones like ‘R.I.P’ and ones with cameos/portraits on them but she had also picked a few of the ‘funny message ones’ like ‘Izzy Dead’ and ‘Emma Goner’. Selena’s favourite was the one that said ‘For Rent. Neighbours are quite dead.’ 

If only that were true for one specific case. the platinum-blonde hummed to herself. Then we wouldn’t have to worry so much about this-

“SELENA! DEANNA!” It was like summoning the devil just by thinking of him! Selena was sure of that and she mentally cursed herself for it! Looking up, the older Frost saw Deanna roll her eyes and clench her jaw.

“Can’t we just pretend we didn’t hear her?” Deanna looked up, her emerald eyes almost pleading with Selena. 

“We still have to get the rest of the stones.” Selena sighed, dusting her hands off before walking out of the garage and back into the afternoon sun, her eyes only wincing a little as they adjusted to the light levels. To her, and Deanna’s dismay, their hearing had been accurate, but worse still, the source of the voice had not bothered with any waiting but had sauntered onto their driveway and was leaning into their Jeep, touching the tombstones.

“Well, aren’t these so cute!” Leslie remarked. “Oh the kids will love them! That one’s funny!” she pointed to one of the top ones that read, ‘Lose Weight Now! Ask Me How!’. 

“Please move.” Deanna remarked, pressing Leslie out of the way and, with some irritation, pulling out the next tombstone out of the Jeep, Selena joining in.

“Well, I think it’s cute that you’re going local with the decorations.” Leslie remarked, moving her hand to blow across her fingernails. “Paul and I thought it be more creative to outsource. Bring some new art into Black Arrow, ya know?”

No, Selena did not know, and she was pretty sure that Paul probably didn’t ‘know’ either but was just leaving his credit card where Leslie could find it and use it – probably a nice way to keep her quiet while he slept around with that secretary.

“We really don’t know.” Deanna remarked. “But we like to work with local businesses.” 

“Well…some prefer quality…” the pair heard Leslie mutter under her breath, the Frost wives choosing not to remark on the comment, which only caused the older woman to change topics. “Why didn’t you hire someone to deliver these and move them?”

“Why would we do that?” Selena asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s just a bit of work. Not that hard.”

“Besides…” Deanna cast an emerald glance at Leslie as the couple placed the stone into the garage next to the first one before rejoining their neighbour on the driveway. “You may be shocked to know, but married couples like to do stuff together. Not just sit at home and spend their cash on deliveries.”

The shade was not lost on any of the women and Selena almost smiled over the fact that Deanna had been having similar thoughts to Leslie’s remarks as she had. Speaking of which, the oldest woman of the three merely bit the inside of her cheek, adjusting her polka-dotted blouse and shook her head to adjust her hair a little.

“Well, to each their own. Personally, I couldn’t lift my purchase.” She gestured down the driveway and a few houses to the right to where her house. It was a rather large house, larger than the Frost’s ‘forever home’, and just as gawdy-looking inside as it was outside. It was all flash and no substance, Selena had seen that the first time she had spied the house when she purchased hers and Deanna’s, a fact that was confirmed every time she had been invited to the ‘neighbourhood parties’ the Sandersons hosted. 

Still, the true focus Leslie was indicated were the workmen and the decently-sized van that was in Leslie’s driveway. Three men in jeans and white shirts were carrying something large, the Snow Queen unable to make out some kind of claw and wing in-between the workmen.

“OVER THERE ON THE PORCH, BOYS!” yelled Leslie, making her voice ten times more unbearable, like a siren, by increasing her volume to a yell. “DON’T YOU DARE DROP IT! IT’S WORTH MORE THAN YOUR YEARLY SALARY!”

Both Selena and Deanna remained silent at Leslie’s defamations, instead focusing on the large object that was placed there. Despite the workers being careful, the figure made a loud, scrapping sound as it was placed on the porch, stone placed on stone, that was heard even from where the Frost women stood.

“Isn’t it breath-taking?” Leslie remarked. “Ugly as hell but perfect for the occasion.”

To both Selena’s and Deanna’s eyes, a large, possibly taller than Selena, gargoyle now stood on the porch. It had long horns jutting out of the sides of his head towards his back, a tail of hair between the horns, a beak for a mouth and wings and claws that took up a good chunk of the porch space, almost reaching the door to the house.

“I specially had it ordered. The sculptor, Pierre Holsten, has done countless statues like that for churches and castles! World-renowned!”

Despite herself, Selena tilted her head, taking in as much detail of the statue as she could from her distance away, though she refused to step towards it and give Leslie the satisfaction of knowing of her intrigue. “Ugly” wasn’t the right word for the Snow Queen in regards to the gargoyle. If anything, it looked charming to her, but then again, she had always had strange tastes and she knew it. She enjoyed snowflakes and winters when everyone else loved spring and summers. She like ice-cold baths while everyone else preferred hot showers. In SCW, she valued integrity and protecting people, like Nicole Kinneck, while others would step on each other just to get ahead in their careers. 

Even so, she could not deny how fascinating the gargoyle looked from where she stood.

“If you thought it was ugly, why did you order it?” came Deanna’s voice, gaining Selena’s attention. “Or pick a design you liked?”

“Silly, Deanna.” Laughed Leslie. “It’s not about ‘liking’ it.” She turned her head back over Deanna, her brown eyes boring into Deanna’s emerald ones. It was unnerving. “It’s about winning. And ‘ugly/scary’ gargoyles work for Halloween.”

The two stared each other down, the implication clear in Leslie’s voice. A growing desperation to help her wife overtaking her, Selena crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t think it looks scary. I think he looks pleasant.”

The remark caused a flash of irritation on Leslie’s face, the black-haired woman turning her head to regard the Snow Queen. “Well… I’ll trust the man I paid five thou on what is ‘scary’.”

“Wait…” Deanna’s eyes widened. “You spent five thousand dollars on one gargoyle? Just to win this competition?”

“Paul had that lying around in a change jar somewhere.” Leslie shrugged. “We weren’t using it.”

“Wow…” Deanna breathed. “You’re an idiot.” Her hands flew up to her mouth to stop herself a second too late.
“Excuse me?!” Leslie asked, her eyes going wide.

“I believe Deanna was remarking that such a purchase seems… a bit much for such a simple neighbourhood competition. I mean…” she gestured towards the tombstones still in her Jeep. “We got this whole set for a few hundred.”

“And it’s cute.” Leslie remarked. “But don’t be mad that I’m putting more of an effort into this than you. Just means I want to win more.”

“I think we have differing opinions of ‘effort’, Leslie.” Selena countered. “Considering all you did to get that gargoyle was use a credit card. Someone else carved it, someone else moved it, someone else just now put it on your porch.”

“Potato pototoe, Ms. Frost.” Leslie half-hissed, half-shrugged.
“Mrs. Frost.” Selena shot back. “I’ll happily show you the marriage certificate again in case you forgot about it.”
Leslie answered back dismissively. “You can lug rocks into your garage and I’ll…I’ll bring art and nuance to this competition. We’ll see who Black Arrow really appreciates in the end.”

Without another word, Leslie turned on her foot, laughing a little as she made her way down the Frosts driveway.

“Hey, Leslie!” Deanna called out, regaining the neighbour’s attention as she turned around. “Make sure you tell your ‘guidance counselor’ hubby about the statue. Last thing you want is for him to get lost looking for the house after his late night visits with his secretary!”

Again, that familiar look of disdain, the clenching of the jaw, and the fire in those dark eyes as Leslie glared down Deanna. "He's not a 'guidance counselor." Leslie fired back. "He's a psychiatrist."

"Hey…” Deanna shrugged. “Potato…potote.” She grinned back at Leslie, taking Selena’s hand and bringing it to her lips, kissing the palm and sending a small shiver down Selena’s spine, though she hid it well.

Miffed, Leslie marched away, never looking back as the Frost women stood in the driveway until Leslie had entered her house, slamming the door shut with a thud.

A sigh escaped Selena. “Petulance…” she eyed Deanna. “Such a turn on.” She added before turning back to her Jeep and working another tombstone out of the trunk.

“Oh come on!” Deanna smiled playfully, moving over to her wife’s side and nudging her with her shoulder. “She deserved it. And weren’t you the one that referred to Xander’s ‘kingdom’ as a ‘fancy roof’ on Twitter the other day?”

“Doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do with Leslie, Deanna.” Selena sighed. “You know I was cheated on too, right?”

Deanna’s head turned back to Selena, emerald eyes wide. “Yeah…but… I mean that was different. Ryan’s a bastard. I don’t blame Paul given how Leslie treats him.” She tried to explain. “And besides! You make fun of her about it too!”

“Yes, I have.” Selena sighed. “And I shouldn’t have. Because I think about how I would feel if someone threw my past relationship errors in my face… Whether she deserves it or not, there’s no justifying cheating on your partner.” That last part was cold and directed at no one, but it held a certain pain in Selena’s voice. She had tried many times to not speak her thoughts on the Sanderson’s worst-kept secret aloud, but she would be lying if Leslie’s annoying and disrespectful behaviour did not, at times, cause it to slip out – the Snow Queen as desiring as the Queen’s Guard to get the last word in on the irksome woman.

“We need to stop using that for our arguments.” Selena decided, pulling the stone out and waiting for Deanna to take the other end before moving it completely out of the Jeep and towards the garage with the others. “Cause, whether we like her or hate her, she’s clearly hurting over that and it’s…” she sighed. “Unfair to be cruel to her over her husband’s unfaithfulness.”

She saw Deanna bite her lip, more out of thought than exertion of moving the tombstone, this one reading the simple ‘I Told You I Was Sick” etched along it. 

“Great…now I feel guilty.” Deanna sighed. “Thanks a lot, Selena.” She huffed, half-irritated, half in understanding. “Way to spoil my good mood.”

“That’s what marriage is, pet.” Selena grinned as they placed the tombstone with the others. “Growing old, loving each other, and getting jollies from ruining one another’s fun.”

“Remind me of that next time you’re in a good mood, minx.” Deanna grinned wickedly, though it faded as her eyes turned to gaze out the garage towards the gargoyle. “It’s a gorgeous statue.” She added wistfully.

“RIGHT?!” Selena breathed. “I thought it was just me that thought so! It has character.” She bit her lower lip to gaze at Deanna. “You realize that she might win this way, Deanna. If she’s willing to throw away that much money just to overwhelm us…”

“You think she’ll bury us with sheer numbers?” Deanna asked, earning a nod from Selena.

“I won’t buy you this competition.” She added sternly. “That isn’t winning.”

Slowly, Deanna nodded her head. “I wouldn’t want to win that way anyway. It’s…it’s shallow. I want to earn everything we win.” Her eyes lifted to Selena’s. “Like when we become tag-team champions one day…”

A tired, but genuine smile came to Selena’s features as she shook her head. “Baby steps, darling.” She reminded, her eyes turning to the tombstones. “Start with one piece and build up to a bigger picture. Remember, it took Regan and I seven months to get there when we did it with Frozen Hell.”

The redhead gave a nod of her head. “So not only do I have to be more ‘noble’ and ‘understanding’ around Leslie, but we’re taking the slow path for a chance to be tag-team champions?” She gave a huff again. “Any good news today, wifey?”

Smiling amusingly, Selena checked her phone, her eyes going wide a little. “Yeah, we need to hurry up. The kids will be out of school in less than an hour.”

Eyes widening as well, Deanna pulled her own phone out to check the time. “Holy cats…” she breathed before rushing out of the garage and back to the Jeep. “Come on!” she called out. “There’s still three or four more stones!”

With a knowing smile, Selena gave one more shake of her head. She had no desire to tell Deanna that it was her that had put the bug in the ear of SCW management to consider them teaming them up more often as ‘The House of the Frost’. The last thing she wanted to do was get her wife’s hopes up…

Still… Selena cast her eyes out the way Deanna had run… her smile changing to one far more hopeful. Still, her and Deanna as tag-team champions… she felt her heart flutter at the thought, something she had not felt since teaming with Regan Street.

Whether it takes a year or a month… I’ll make it happen… she silently vowed before exhaling and walking out to join her wife, the task at hand needing to be completed. “You know we’re going to have to talk to the children about not knocking these over or climbing on them, right?”

“Yep! You can be the buzzkill for that!” Deanna called back. “Seems to be your thing today.”
“Oh come on, Deanna.” Selena laughed. “You know I’m right about what I said.”
“Yeah…but if it ain’t broke?” Deanna raised an eyebrow. 

“Fine.” Selena huffed. “But you gotta tell them not to go climbing on Leslie’s gargoyle. Cause you KNOW David is going to want to.”

Emerald-eyes went wide at that fact. “I would like to reconsider my position in all of this-“
“No takebacks!” Selena shot quickly.
“Dammit!” Deanna cursed as the two continued to work to get the stones into the garage. “He’s going to be so mad at me.”
“Yep.” Selena smiled. “And I’ll be the ‘favorite mom’ today! Mwuhahaha!”

The redhead gave an eyeroll as the wives worked the last stones into the garage, both taking a moment to stare at the gargoyle as they made their way back to their Jeep and opening the doors.

“You know…I feel sorry for him.” Deanna remarked.
“Him?” Selena asked. “You sure it’s a he?”
‘Pretty sure.” Deanna shrugged. “But he’s gotta live with Leslie…”
“Well…let’s hope he’s got rocks in his head and gravel in his ears.” Selena teased. “Cause I don’t think even Xander Valentine could endure that for too long.”

The two shared a laugh before re-entering the Jeep and starting it up, the pair departing to pick up their children for school…

Short, by design..........

Season 3 / Episode 16 / Icebreakers - Part 1

The camera fades in to reveal the interior of Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, the site for tonight’s episode of Breakdown. With the ‘special edition’ episode of last weekend’s past, there has not been much time for things to process as SCW returns immediately with the continuation of the fallout of Apocalypse.

The arena interior is empty, not uncommon for this promo-set, and a series of arctic blue and white  lights shine down on the ring that has been set up. As the draws closer through one or two fades, the lone woman can be seen seated on the turnbuckle, her long, red hair standing amidst the softer colors of the lights.

Surprise! the young Deanna Frost beams, waving towards the camera and the audience. I know, right?! ‘Didn’t we just see her last Breakdown? What’s she doing back here in her wrestling attire?’ Deanna observes herself, specifically the wrestling clothes she wears.

And that would be an amazing question. Nope, you’ve not stepped into some kind of worm-hole or extradimensional pocket and travelled back a few days. It’s me, Deanna Frost, and I am here because I am wrestling tonight for Breakdown, too! That’s right! I get a twofer! WOOO! she exclaims, raising her arm and whooping a little.

What? I’m excited. Aside from the SCW Television Champion, which is more because of the title itself, who else can claim that? And no, I don’t think it’s necessarily my ‘sparkling personality’ but rather the idea that SCW management seems to really love… because while I am booked again this week, it’s not like a few days ago last week when it was a singles match. She smiles excitedly, biting her lower lip.

Because… for the first time in many, MANY, months, I’m going to be participating in a tag-match…or rather… The House of Frost will be participating in a tag-team match! an excited giggle escapes her.

Okay, yes, I am excited! How can I not be? First of all, so much has happened since last time I got to team up with my wife! First, I got to hold two of SCW’s amazing championships in the Television and Underground championships. Second, Selena completed the longest reign of the SCW World title in SCW’s history. Third… her expression falters a little. We’ve both grown a lot through setbacks and hardships. Like it was made clear last Breakdown, I am no longer the Underground champion and Selena, who hasn’t been the world champion since the end of July, has had to return to protecting people in SCW and standing against those that… well, the ‘monsters’ of SCW.

The redhead sighs a little as her feet dangle off the turnbuckle. And I’ve had my share of monsters. Last week, Sarah Wolf tried to just brutalize me just because… well, because that’s what she does. And while I was able to walk away with the victory in that match, I’m still feeling some of the shots from that faceup. And as much as some people are questioning my sanity in taking on another match so soon after facing her, I just… I feel like I need to.

I mean, teaming with Selena is enough of a reason, but I’ll get to that. There’s also… okay, I don’t like that this place has people tasing other people or smashing forks into foreheads or whatever. I don’t like watching people smash people’s spines into paste with a chair or try and slice their faces open with maces.

But, I have to agree with my wife in this. Someone has to stand up for this place. Has to stand up for what the letters S-C-W stand for. Someone has to take a stand and say ‘this isn’t the way things should be’ or ‘we’re not going to play by such warped rules but with integrity and honor’. she places a hand over her chest. Because what about ‘dreams’? What about all that stuff about earning shots and working through skill and ability? What about things like ‘honor’?

And, yeah, The House of Frost hasn’t always succeeded in that, but look around! Aside from the bad stuff, there’s good stuff, too! Bree Lancaster and Alexis Quinne coming back to help Datura and expose The Brand? Ravyn being held accountable for her actions? Even people like Wolf and Raab, they get held to task too.

I guess my point is that… for all the bad stuff, I still can’t be more excited at being an SCW wrestler and teaming with my wife here in Mexico City! Because I said last week that I wouldn’t let one division ‘define’ who I was and what I could do. Last week, it was a brutal singles match! Now? I’m in a tag match! And you know what else? It’s against the former number one contenders for the SCW world tag-team titles in Polly’s Playgirls, Colleen and Aisling! I mean, talk about hitting the ground running for Selena and I!

A little excited, Deanna bounces on the top turnbuckle, her hands securing herself but holding the ropes. I mean, it’s no secret, or if it is, I’ve done a poor job in hiding it. One of the reasons I decided to transition from manager to wrestler is because I wanted to wrestle with Selena. I wanted to team with her and… Deanna closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. …And win the SCW World tag-team titles.

I know! It’s not new and it’s not ‘original’ but… I just want to, okay? I want to hold those titles with my wife. I want to be seen not as just ‘her wife’ but as her partner. I want to stand proudly beside my wife and…and… the redhead stops her rambling, takes a deep breath before smiling and chuckling a little. And I’m getting ahead of myself again. Not even one match and I’m trying to see the prize at the end of the finish line. I don’t even know how this is going to go.

Still… Slowly, the Queen’s Guard leans off the turnbuckle, hanging upside down on the outside of the ropes, the camera changing so it’s still on her face. Do you girls do the same? Colleen? Aisling? Are you looking past Selena and I and towards another shot at the tag-team titles? I mean, at Apocalypse, you made it clear how much you want them. You won a big match at Rise to Greatness to get your shot. And while you came up short against the Farmstead Friends, you clearly haven’t given up. So… She swings a little from left to right, even giving a shrug with her shoulders. What’s the plan? You want to make an example out of Selena and I? You want to state a message? Keep your status as the number one contenders?

She swings a little more. I mean, I can’t say I’m against that. I want to do the same. Like I said, I want to go wherever and everywhere in SCW. Any division. Any place. Like how Cid Turner jumped from tag, to world to Adrenaline in less than a year or how Autumn fought for the TV, World, Adrenaline AND Underground in the same amount of time! I mean…talk about being a wildcard!

And I also want to finally give The House of Frost some real credit as a tag-team besides what Selena and I can do individually. So, if you’re hoping to beat a former world champion and a fast-rising singles wrestler to do that… I can’t be upset because I want to beat the former contenders as a tag-team to show what Selena and I can do…

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

A voice falls over Deanna, as does a shadow as the redhead looks ‘up’ to see Selena Frost reach her from the outside of the ring. Like Deanna, the former World Champion is dressed in her wrestling attire, the black of her outfit contrasting with the white of her snowflakes and platinum-blonde hair.

Hey… she smiles at her upside down wife.
Hey! Deanna grins back.
Just… she gestures to the redhead.
Yep. Deanna nods. Hanging around.
Mind if I take over?
Be my guest.

With a smile, Selena leans down to capture Deanna’s lips in a full kiss that would make Tobey McGuire jealous. That taken care off, the Snow Queen moves past Deanna and slides into the ring, the camera following her as she pushes herself to her feet.

I agree with my wife, ladies. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to reaffirm your stance in the tag-team division and using us to do it. I mean, beating Deanna and I? That’s instant credit to you guys! That’s immediate attention and exposure! But I think that’s not what we’re in for. she shakes her head. You see – I know what losing a big match does to you, or what it can do to you. I’ve seen it in Owen Cruze, Regan Street, Sienna Swann, Xander Valentine, Syren. On and on…

She gives the shrug.

The doubt, the hesitation, trying to find a reason or someone to blame when it just wasn’t meant to happen. And I’ve been in the tag-division enough times to know how much of a ‘club’ it is. I had the Connection telling me for months that I didn’t belong there with Regan. That I didn’t deserve to be there…

And… her hand reaches for the ropes on the opposite of the ring from where Deanna is, the camera still on the former world champion. And it was all just one big distraction. A distraction of how afraid they were of Regan and I.

Selena shakes her head. And I think that’s what you two really are. I think you two are afraid of Deanna and I. Because you two clearly are an amazing tag-team. You wouldn’t have gotten as far as you did if you hadn’t. But Deanna and I coming into this division? Even the idea of it?

She turns her head towards the camera. That’s a game-changer. That’s a standard-changer. That’s a shakeup in the division that needs to happen. For SCW to see what ‘could be’ with The House of Frost being part of it…

Because I share my wife’s desires. The idea of Selena and Deanna Frost as the tag-team champions? It’s awfully tempting. And I know well enough that it takes time to earn that, but so what? It starts with a step and that’s tonight.

And that terrifies you, doesn’t it? she tilts her head. That maybe the standard of the tag-team division is going to change the same way the standard to the world title changed when the House of Frost got involved. That maybe it will become something bigger? Something better? Something that, maybe, Polly’s Playgirls won’t be able to keep up with?

Selena sighs, shrugging her shoulders. Cruel as that sounds – that does need to happen. The division needs a fine-tuning. That much has been clear given the makeshift teams that have been thrown together the last few months and the insanity that has engulfed it…

Still, I know better than Deanna.
HEY! The voice is off camera and Selena ignores it.

And I saw what you two did to the Farmstead Friends a few weeks ago. How you went beyond mere ‘retaliation’ and bleached Dancing Bear… all to state a message. But if you think that, then you must think that Deanna and I are on the same level as those tag-teams you beat or the childish minds of the tag-team champions?

Selena turns to glare at the camera. And that is your grave mistake, girls. Because Deanna and I, even when not officially “The House of Frost” on the bill sometimes, have fought wars together against the likes of masterminds like The Brand and Infamous. We’ve strategized how to deal with those too afraid to win on their own and that rely on interference or those that have run from us, too scared to lose to our standard of talent and faith.

In short, Colleen and Aisling? While you think you hold all the cards here tonight, you don’t. You don’t hold one card and that’s the wildcard. You don’t know what Deanna and I can do as a tag-team. How many hours we have put in training for this return. Training for this opportunity to not just tip-toe into this division, but kick the damn door down and make our presence felt!

Slowly, the Snow Queen makes her way away from the ropes and back towards the inside of the ring, specifically the corner where Deanna is, once again, perched on.

Because if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to turn a tag-team into world-class champions. It’s how to fight our way to the very top and make the world recognize – make them believe – that we belong here with you and the other teams.

Reaching her wife, Selena turns and leans her back into Deanna’s waiting arms, the redhead wrapping them around Selena’s shoulders.

And if there’s one thing Deanna knows better than most, it’s how to adapt and survive in a new division. So whether you want to show us what made you number one contenders or you plan to just use us to state a message as you did with the Penguin and Bear, we will adapt and we will fight our way to win this match.

A smile crosses Selena’s lips. Prepare yourselves, ladies. The standard of the SCW World Tag-team division is about to change forever… Believe it!

Deanna leans forward against and over Selena. Checkmate, bitches!

The camera fades on the two women before going entirely to black.

ALSO short by design.  p00pie....  *insert CTface here*

Season 3 / Episode 17 / Icebreakers - Part 2