Supreme Championship Wrestling

OOC: Part 2 – Counts for both Deanna’s matches.

DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction and not to be confused as complete or accurate representation of any beliefs, religions, etc. Please refer to research/articles by experts for that.





Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
July 17th, 2023
3:09pm

A laugh escaped Deanna as she ducked out of the way of the pair of kids that ran past her, the short redhead opting to spin around one of the large, stone gargoyle statues that decorated the massive backyard of her home. The two children, Norm and Sadie, paid her no mind as they chased each other, too enraptured with their game of tag and the little party-favors they held to really see the hostess getting out of her way.

In a way, Deanna’s new location behind the back of the large statue offered her a bit of a respite and the young woman released a slow exhale that was mixed with her laughter as she held her hand over chest, feeling her heart beating a little faster than it normally would.

One of the joys of having children… she thought to herself while she leaned against the smooth stone, the decoration, with its massive wings, back and horns able to cover her entirely with its shadow. Casting her gaze downward, Deanna saw the bright sun surrounding her on both sides, the spring day absolutely gorgeous and perfect for this party.

This party…

She released a quiet sigh as she allowed her eyes to flutter closed for a moment, further savoring the break from the chaos. All of this had started last month. With Amiliah turning five, a big birthday for a kid, Deanna and her wife, Selena, had spared no expense when it came to celebrating, using their time between their SCW engagements to plan a grand party. People in costumes, games, the works. It had been a tiring, yet worthwhile party, especially for Deanna.

She had already missed so many birthdays during her incarceration in Frankfurt, not to mention the many milestones in Amiliah’s young life that when she finally had gained her freedom after being wrongfully accused, her youngest daughter wasn’t really a baby anymore. She was a child, yes, but Deanna had missed first words, first steps, first this and first that – all for the daughter that was, biologically, truly hers. Yes, all three of her children she loved with all her heart. There were no ‘favorites’ in the redhead’s mind and there would never be. Each one of her children were special!

But she would be lying if she laughed and said she didn’t feel like a ‘stepmom’ or a ‘stand-in’ during the early years of her marriage to Selena, and while she had ‘carried’ David in the pregnancy, there was nothing of herself in him or Elsianna – Selena and Ryan Scythe being the biological parents of the two. Amiliah was hers – she had Deanna’s hair and eyes and nose and sense of adventure. She was perfect. She was Deanna’s own ‘biological contribution’ to this family – was that weird? To call it that? – she wasn’t sure.

Regardless, losing nearly two years of Ami’s growth had stung Deanna, leaving the woman no option but to vow to herself that she would savour every other milestone that came her way. Last month, celebrating five years of life had been one of them and Deanna had not shied away from it, jumping into the party-planning all by herself while Selena handled her own ‘issues and demons’ in SCW.

So why another party? In a word: David.

Again, Deanna sighed a little, stealing a glance around her makeshift ‘hiding spot’ to see all the kids running around the backyard. Some were playing the board games she had laid out, others were jumping around in the bouncy castle that was further up the path, closer to the pool and gym house the Frosts kept, others still were helping themselves to the food and drinks table. It took a while for the redhead to navigate her gaze around the mass of children – and adults watching them all, including Gerda, the Grays, Cunninghams and Asmonds – but she finally spotted her son having the time of his life inside the bouncy castle, the little boy bouncing up and down with delight.

What had she really expected from him? She thought good naturedly. He was seven now – or would be in a few days – and had seen his sister get a massively big party last month. Why wouldn’t he have demanded the same thing? Elsianna didn’t care about such things – the eldest daughter sitting to the side with her own friends while also playing with Amiliah over at the games section – but David had always been the jealous type. If his sisters got something, he wanted one too. If they went somewhere, then he had to pick or have a say. Deanna wasn’t sure if it was ‘middle-child syndrome’, such research being more Selena’s thing than hers, but she hadn’t been at all surprised when David had demanded a ‘bigger party’ simply on the grounds that he was ‘older’.

For a moment, Deanna rolled her eyes at the ‘logic’ the child had used – not because he had used it, but rather, as she thought about it from the ‘shadows’, she realized how achingly similar it had been to the logic of some adults she had to deal with in SCW. Hadn’t The One broken her arm months ago because Deanna was rising through the ranks faster than she was, compromising some makeshift ‘mission’ the woman now known as Kristen Scott had made? Bitter jealousy. Deanna thought. And she didn’t even want to get started on the ‘logic’ or people like Kimberly Williams and Adam Allocco. Yes, for the former, Deanna had ‘mended things’ somewhat. She understood the woman a bit more and the ‘chaos’ Kimberly wanted to bring into SCW was, in a way, her version of ‘integrity’. But still, childish logic followed so many people – the kind that even her kids would shake their heads at.

Same with behaviour – from tantrums to whining… Alexis Quinne had even trashed a changeroom due to a loss on Breakdown not too long ago. Even Deanna’s wife was having her tantrums-

Quickly, the Queen’s Guard clamped down on those thoughts, not allowing the train of thought to continue on its current path, though her eyes did travel past the bouncy castle to the dock below the winding path that lead to the lake. Without any trouble, she caught the sight of platinum-blonde hair, the near-white standing out like a sore thumb as the Snow Queen, world champion of SCW, quietly watched the children that had opted to go swimming in the lake that was the ‘center/heart’ of Black Arrow neighbourhood. She could just make out the navy, round neck cutout midi dress her taller wife wore, the wind fluttering a bit of the long skirt that flowed just past the tops of Selena’s shins. As the woman turned, her attention clearly on the children within her care, Deanna spotted the scars lining her wife’s back. Selena refused to let such things inhibit her ‘choice of wardrobe’. She was proud of her scars, something Deanna had adopted – the redhead gazing down, briefly, at the shadow-scar lining her arm.

Her eyes back on Selena, the woman could not help but smile, albeit a sad one, as she watched Selena laughing and smiling at the children. A mask… Deanna thought knowingly.

The pair of them had, seemingly, kept the ‘truce’ they had enacted on their fight during their conference of sorts with the Aldens, the younger Frost reasoning, well-so if Deanna could say so herself, that they keep their ‘unity’ at least until everything in Toronto was ‘handled’.

And it made sense, didn’t it? Deanna had reasoned. What was done was done. She wasn’t going to change her mind about the United States Title OR finally getting on the main-card of Rise to Greatness! D. had PICKED her as the contender for the United States title after she had won the high-end matches she had on the past few Breakdowns and Quinne had challenged her outright over that decision. And while Selena had tried to reason with Deanna about picking one or the other to focus on, the younger woman had flat-out refused.

Why? Partially it was because of Selena and their argument. Enough days had gone by since it for Deanna to, at least, be honest with herself. Selena had gone too far, hitting a metaphorical low-blow with Deanna’s ‘lack of a match on the RTG main card’. It had made Deanna angry and wanting nothing more than to shove it in her wife’s face.

Her win over Kimberly, Adam, and Luz had given her that chance. Not only did she have a shot at the title she desired so much, but she had her match on the main-card to boot. Hell, if she played her cards right, not only could she ‘have her cake and eat it too’, but she could, effectively, push her match so high up on the card, changing what could be an ‘opener’ to one of the ‘main-events’ of the night!!

Now THAT would be the most amazing thing! Deanna thought, unable to stop the giddiness. She could imagine herself standing backstage at the Rogers Center – an arena she had frequented many times in her years as a manager/wrestler – telling Selena ‘oh, I’m sorry, love! I can’t be in your flashy entrance or in your corner for the main-event… My match is right before yours and I’ve got to go prepare! Good luck, though!’… I’d even given her a little peck on the cheek! Deanna giggled a little as she continued to lean on the cool stone.

Of course, she wasn’t REALLY going to miss being part of Selena’s entrance or even being in the Snow Queen’s corner for the main-event, provided the platinum-blonde asked her to. Unlike previous years, Deanna had had zero discussion with her wife regarding their entrances. Deanna wanted something special for her first match on the main-card – not something as flashy as the main-event, that was just crazy, but again, something that drove the point home to her wife that she was there, on the card with her! Competing for a title, just like her, and in more matches than her!

And all I gotta do is beat someone that was good enough to beat Selena…

Like cold water doused on her, Deanna felt all her excitement and, dare she say, smugness be replaced with the nervousness and anxiety that riddled her. She had never been double-booked before! Least not that she could recall! And yes, she had the chance to now not only prove so many people’s perception of her wrong, even get some satisfying retribution on Selena for her words… but to do it all…

I have to beat two former world champions…

She heard the sound of a ‘gulp’ until she realized that it was her own throat making that action. Alexis Quinne on her own was a challenge! But Bree? It was the former world champion that was making Deanna the most nervous. Bree had succeeded where Deanna had failed, not only winning the United States Tournament but also beating the woman that had beaten her in Amelia Blythe!

Despite herself, Deanna felt the familiar pull such ‘opening thoughts’ created. She wasn’t supposed to be thinking about work right now! She was supposed to be playing hostess to her son’s birthday – showing that she could do it all while her wife played ‘superhero’ or ‘savior’ or whatever it was she was in SCW at this point.

But she couldn’t shake it, just like she couldn’t the other times she had thought about it and faced the ‘cons’ of her RTG choice. Bree was one of the best wrestlers in SCW today! Selena had even struggled with taking her on, and that was before the woman had gone away and come back with a better attitude and passion for SCW! Like holy cats… Deanna thought. You want to talk about double-duty! Not only is SHE booked twice too, but she JUST finished holding two titles at once! And she even held the world title and united states title at the same time back when!

It was daunting! Like David vs. Goliath… and Deanna was the Israelite that Goliath had squashed enroute to fighting David! That’s how it felt! Bree’s accolades, her abilities, they all dwarfed Deanna’s! Hell, she had won more titles this past year then Deanna had in her entire career! More experience, better instincts…

“And yet I have to win…” she whispered quietly against the stone, her breath misting over the smooth surface as she kept her head resting against it. Despite her excitement over it all, not to mention the negative emotions of dread and nervousness, what added to the latter was that… she had no idea how. She had spent every moment she had in the last few weeks (in-between Selena-managing, class-taking, and party-planning) studying Bree’s matches, not hard to do given her history, especially the matches since the woman’s return.

She knew the moves Bree liked. She knew the style the woman favored. Could even tell someone the various brands Bree seemed to favour in her attire! Was that relevant? Deanna didn’t know! But it was… something, wasn’t it?!

You’re spiraling… Her mind warned, her reasoning trying to regain control before Deanna suffered a breakdown. Slowly, the redhead breathed in and out from her hiding place. Yes, the weight on her shoulder was massive, and yes! She stood a good chance of crashing and burning so hard against a more experienced, more versatile - hell, just say it! her mind ordered – BETTER superstar in Bree Lancaster, that Alexis Quinne could just easily pick up the scraps of Deanna’s broken form (emotionally and physically broken) and just add that to her ‘win list’.

But… and she felt it again in her soul. The one thing Selena had given her years ago, and even seeing her wife in her ‘spirals’ of anger, frustration and, even, depression, Deanna still had it. That sliver of hope. Of belief. She drew on it now, brought it to calm herself. To replace the fear, once more with excitement. Because, yes, she could crash and burn – be right back to where she was when “The Five Moves of Doom Match” had dogged her for a year…

But…

What if she could win? What if she could do it? What if she could find a way like she had twice over with Adam Allocco? What if she could find a way to do what, she was guessing, not a soul really believed she could do – except maybe Mr. D..

“What if I can…” she whispered, sighing against the statue, feeling the crippling, negative emotions recede back to the dark corners of her doubt and soul. She could, again, hear the sounds of the neighbourhood kids, some even from David’s school, playing and having a good time. She could smell the barbeque that Gerda’s husband, Kai, was using to make hot dogs and burgers for the party goers.

In essence, she was back to… well, not normal cause well nothing about the Frost family was normal, but she was stable. She was grateful for what was headed her way by the end of the week. She was, again, excited for it.

She was excited to go to the Hall of Fame ceremony, dressed in style like Selena would be, and attend the after-party… maybe even steal a dance with Selena before retiring early to get some solid sleep and prepare for the pre-show. Gods! Deanna couldn’t help the laugh that came from her. Maybe Bree will come to the preshow hung over and I’ll have a chance!

It was stupid to consider, but it was the humor Deanna needed to push herself out of the shadow of the gargoyle and step into the sunshine once more. As she did, as if on cue, she saw her wife’s head turn, perhaps catching the auburn of Deanna’s hair as it was, once more, bathed in sunlight. Regardless, the woman offered a small wave to Deanna, which the redhead reciprocated as she continued to, once more, walk through the party, checking in with the adults, some of the kids, and even checking the air-pump-generator that was continuously filling the bouncy castle.

Things will be okay after the weekend. Deanna thought, though she wasn’t sure if she was thinking the notion as strongly because she believed it or because she was trying to convince herself. Either way, she wanted it to be true. She would go to Rise to Greatness and, whether she was right and proved Selena wrong, or she heard the woman’s trademark ‘sigh’ and ‘told you so’ that she had heard so many times in their marriage, especially in Deanna’s ‘blossoming career as a wrestler’ – and that would be it. The issue would be quashed between them and, whether they were both winners or losers in Toronto or some kind of win/loss mixture, they could spend the ‘SCW offseason’ getting back on the same page as a couple.

For that, Deanna was beyond excited. As SCW took its usual August “hiatus” that it did every post Rise to Greatness to reset for the new season, Deanna and Selena had always used that time to spend with their children and one another. It was a time to recharge and a time to recover from just… everything.

Of course there’s the festival first…

Despite herself, the redhead could not help the spark of intrigue that shot through her at the thought, her eyes, once more, seeking out a quick glance at her wife monitoring the children, though it immediately brought with it a sense of sadness as well.

Selena had already made the decision on behalf of the family regarding the festival of Lughnasad, the world champion vehemently refusing any participation in the Alden’s ‘witchcraft’ festival – the odds of their ‘invitation’ being an elaborate trap being just too high in the Snow Queen’s mind.

For that, Deanna couldn’t blame her wife. With nearly seven years of marriage and ‘adventures’ and ‘disasters’ involving the Scythes, Frost/Frostmere, Dragon Slayers, and the monster known as Killjoy, to say that the Frost wives had had their fill of evil families or bitter siblings or murderous cults would be a strong understatement.

For the redhead, much like her wife, Deanna just wanted things to settle down, allowing herself to focus on her wrestling career, winning titles and earning accolades so she could, one day, stand tall beside her wife as a sort of “veteran” or “significant member” of the history of Supreme Championship Wrestling, all while being a good mother and wife in her family.

Still… she was still a curious little cat.

And despite the very possible danger/risk, she couldn’t help being intrigued of the festival – of the unknown. Originally, she had simply joined this ‘crazy notion’ (as Selena put it) to assist her wife in clearing the debt the Aldens had with the rest of their chapter so that the Frosts could move on and leave them in the dust. Simple.

But, as the months had passed and Deanna had attended the classes, listened to lectures, and even doing her wife’s homework (including the handfasting paper she had been riding her wife to finish – Deanna rolled her eyes at the memory), she had, slowly, grown more and more invested and intrigued. In many ways, it was similar to how she had begun as a manager in SCW, watching her wife wrestle more and more, her interest growing until, finally, she had dared to give it a try!

She found this family’s ideas/religions/beliefs interesting. And the idea of seeing a festival of it? I wish I could go… she allowed herself to think, her eyes still watching Selena in the distance as she leaned against one of the nearby trees on the trail. If only to experience it…

“Quite the turnout.”

The voice caught the young woman off-guard, causing her to spin around on the spot towards its source. She was expecting a neighbour, maybe one of them just being a little playful with her – she did have that kind of repour after so many years living here with them.

However, as her emerald eyes took in the man’s trim beard, combed back hair (all a perfect blend of white and black), black suit and obnoxious smirk, the shock that ripped through her was ripped out and replaced with anger and frustration.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, eyeing her surroundings to make sure no one was near them.

“Well…” smiled Raphael Alden, the older man strolling from where he stood – having seemingly snuck up on the youngest Frost wife – to walk around the small clearing of trees. “Unless my information was incorrect, this was an open invitational.” Reaching into his pocket, he held up a flyer, one of the many Deanna, herself, had posted around the neighbourhood lampposts and ‘public bulletin board’ that stood further down the way.

“Yes.” Deanna answered, crossing her arms over her chest. “To friends, neighbours, and family.” She stated.

“Oh…” Raphael smirked, shrugging his shoulders. “And I’m not ‘family’?” His smirk only grow as he tossed that damned smugness back onto Deanna.

“I really don’t know what you Aldens are to one another.” Deanna answered simply. “But you’re not a Frost and you’re no direct relative of Alejandra. So no, you’re not family.”

“Well, that is…” he seemed saddened, fake as it appeared to be to Deanna. It reminded her of the hammy acting she had seen with some of the SCW roster in the past like Holly Adams and Giovanni Aries. “Most unfortunate.” He added with another overly-heavy sigh. “I really had wanted to wish young David a happy birthday. I, actually, thought it was due to some oversight that I did not receive any invitation.”

“No oversight.” Deanna’s tone grew colder at the mention of her son, the redhead instinctively stepping to the side a few steps to better reposition herself in Raphael’s way from approaching further onto the property and party. Quietly, she prayed to Odin that Selena had not noticed her or Raphael. “You weren’t wanted.”

Again, that smugness as Raphael clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “And after I had gone to such trouble inviting you to an Alden-family festival.”

Deanna’s eyes widened, though only marginally, in understanding. “So it WAS you that sent out the invitation for the festival of Lughnasad…” her voice trailed off, Raphael adopting a slight, temporary, expression of surprise.

“Proper enunciation of the name… I’m impressed.” He smiled.

“Why?” Deanna asked. “That I attend class? It’s not that hard.” She shrugged. “Selena’s even better than me.” She flat-out lied, earning a laugh from Raphael.
“Slight exaggeration, I think.” He chuckled knowingly.

“From the man that send a black, embossed letter rather than an email?” Deanna raised an eyebrow. “You know, I threw a social worker off my property recently.” She added, tilting her head a little like she saw Selena do in her promos to look a little more intimidating. “Don’t think I can’t do the same to you.”

“Now now…” Raphael raised his hands. “Violence never solved anything.”
“You do know Selena and I are wrestlers right?” Deanna laughed. “Like actual fighters, right?”

“Sure. Sure.” Raphael laughed. “Thugs in rings, I get it.” He added with a verbal jab, his ‘overly-refined’ accent ringing through with those particularly words.

“Oh, would you prefer ‘Queensbury rules’, my liege?” Deanna mocked, poorly imitating Raphael’s accent while even throwing in a short, mock-curtsy for effect. This time, however, the older man chose to ignore Deanna, crossing his arms over his chest in slight impatience.

“Freya told you it’s customary to attend the festival, I trust.” He stated unflinchingly.

“Freya said a lot of things.” Deanna remarked. “Including a neat little tradition that may or may not involve weapons.” Before Raphael could remark, Deanna pressed forward. “And if that’s all you came here to know, well then you’ve wasted your time, because Selena won’t be there.”

There was a moment of silence between the two as they stood there, the party and music continuing a ways away from them. Yet, as the noises reached their ears and the seconds ticked away, Raphael’s expression morphed to a full on smirk – one that was taking every ounce of Deanna’s willpower not to knee right off his face! Musn’t jump up and break his nose with my knee. Her mind warned. Musn’t give him a concussion!

“And is that your final answer on the matter?” Raphael asked, rubbing his hands together.

“It is.” Deanna stated flatly. “I don’t know what it is you’re planning, Raphael, but we’ll have no part of it. We’re going to keep our word, Selena will graduate into the ranks of witches, whatever debt your chapter has over Alejandra will be erased, and we will be done with you.”

“So you say.” The refined man remarked. “But that will be rather difficult to achieve if you snub the family by not attending. Especially after you were ‘specifically’ invited by a rather high-ranking member.” Deanna’s eyes narrowed, which only prompted Raphael to continue. “Did Freya not explain that?” his grin widened. “A black envelope invitation is a special one. To refuse it is to snub the invitee and publicly insult them.”

“That…” Deanna searched her mind for the right words. “Doesn’t really bother me too much, considering its you. And I’m fairly certain my wife would just laugh in your face over it.”

“Indeed.” Grinned the vile man. “Which means I can take your refusal as a personal insult.”
“Oh, please do!” it was Deanna’s turn to laugh. “By all means-“

“And do what I must to regain my besmirched name.”

The last line forced Deanna into silence, the redhead standing there. She had no idea what Raphael was inferring in that statement, but she knew enough to know that this was the route he had wanted them to take! He WANTED Selena to refuse the invitation to the festival, he WANTED to appear the ‘insulted party’ for ‘acting on a kindness’, probably to ‘welcome’ the Frosts into the Alden family. All so he could enact some kind of ‘righteous vengeance’ on the family or something!

“Are you threatening my family?” she asked, feeling the prickles in her spine as her hands clenched into fists.
Raphael merely shrugged. “I am merely exercising my right to defend my honor. We, Aldens, are a very prideful group. Our reputations are everything to us… though I suppose your wife, like her mother, don’t carry much stock in such things as honor or integrity.”

He’s baiting you! Deanna’s mind screamed. Don’t fall for it! Don’t fall for it!

“You…” Deanna breathed, forcing herself to calm. “Clearly don’t watch SCW.” She simply said. “Otherwise, you’d know how stupid you sound just now.”

“Regardless, Deanna.” He continued, unfazed. “Your ‘fake fighting’ aside, I will be dealing with this slight in time.” He gave a curt bow, his smile never faltering. “I hope your son has a pleasant birthday.” He passed Deanna as he walked, his voice barely a whisper. “Tell Selena I’ll be seeing her really soon.”

She felt her whole body stiffen at that bold proclamation, time seeming to slow in her mind as the older man stepped away from her.

He’s going to hurt Selena somehow…
I’ve got to stop him! I’ve got to protect my wife!
Think, Deanna! You outsmarted Adam FRIGGIN’ Allocco!
Think! Think! THINK!

The young woman’s mind rapidly dug through everything she had read on the Alden’s, witchcraft, and the ‘ways’ they tied. Every assignment she had done, every note she had taken, every paper she had written for Selena so the world champion didn’t fail the damn class! Anything to stop this smug jackass from enacting some glorified slap-in-the-face-with-a-glove over his ‘hurt feelings’-

Deanna’s eyes went wide as the words processed in her brain!

“It is…A sort of duel declaration.”
“Like slapping someone in the face with a glove?”
“Something like that.” Freya nodded.

Freya’s words ricocheted inside Deanna’s mind, the redhead acting on instinct as she spoke. “I challenge you!”

She saw Raphael stop in his tracks, the man slowly turning around to eye Deanna. “Excuse me?” he asked, a mild look of surprise on his face. Too scared to hesitate, of fear it would stop her completely, Deanna marched the few steps needed to get right up in Raphael’s face.

“You heard me.” She only slightly stuttered. “You want to say we ‘slighted’ you or whatever? You want to talk about honor? Fine. I challenge you…” she narrowed her eyes. “Holmgang!”

For a moment, Raphael’s gray eyes went wide before he suddenly threw his head back, laughing but not so loudly that he could be heard by any one but Deanna. For a moment, he simply laughed before reaching up to wipe at his eye with a finger.

“Oh my!” he chuckled. “What has that old woman been telling you?” he asked.
“Do you accept?!” Deanna pressed, refusing to back down.

“Do you have any idea what you’re asking for?” he shook his head.
“Yeah.” Deanna answered, though she knew she was lying. “You and me. A duel. Simple as that!”

His laughter died down, his tone and expression growing more somber. “You’re serious?” he asked.

“Very.” Deanna’s emerald eyes narrowed. “You and me. Settle this matter and let that be the end of it.”

For a moment, Raphael said nothing, his cold-gray eyes studying the woman before him. “Brave of you.” He finally answered. “Fighting your wife’s battles for her.”

“She has her own war to wage.” Deanna remarked defensively. “She doesn’t have time to waste on inconsequential things like your plans.”

“Oh now you’re just egging me on.” The older man laughed. “Very well.” He finally relented. “Time and place?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders. “Tomorrow at dawn?”

“Midnight tonight. Out here.” She gestured to the woods they stood in. “I’ve got kids-stuff to do tomorrow at dawn.”

Again, Raphael released a short balk of a laugh before nodding his head. “Midnight tonight. I’ll arrange everything else.” Was all he said before giving one last bow and excusing himself.

For Deanna, the redhead kept her breath held and her stance steady, strong, and on the spot until she was certain the bastard was out of sight. After that, she felt her knees give – she let them, just like she let herself fall to the soft grass.

“What the hell are you thinking, Deanna?” She whispered to herself. “He’s going to destroy you… and then what?”

She couldn’t stop the swarm of terrible images that came to her head. What Raphael could do – what he would do…

But what terrified her the most as she lay there in the soft grass wasn’t what he could do when he fought Deanna…

It would be what he would do once he defeated her…
_______________________________________________________________






So… how should we start this off?

Because, in case it hasn’t been made clear at this point, I am not Selena Frost. I don’t have two different segments for promos. I don’t have a “Royal Letter” and a “Frozen Central”. Hell, I barely have my own parking space in the family drive-way some days – you know, between the family car and the “Believe it!” bus some days.

What I have is my one segment and what I have are my own thoughts. And for the past two weeks, I have been hearing the same thing surrounding me. The incessant doubt echoing in the minds of the SCW Universe, almost as loudly as that never-ending chant of “We Believe! No, we don’t!”

But doubt can be a very powerful tool. It can be an amazing motivator. It can push us to do incredible things. In the span of a month, I used the doubt that was on me – the doubt that everyone was throwing my way – to not only beat Adam Allocco clean in singles action, but to do it again, along with Kimberly Williams and La Pequena Luz. In a month, not only did I put to rest that blasted “Five Moves of Doom” match that’s been haunting me the past year, but I showed the world what a difference a year can make in a person’s life! To go from “not ready” to “Ready for anything”! From “not it” to “Grit!”! From “Rookie of the Year” to – maybe – a “Champion in the Making!”.

However, there are those that think that, with this newfound confidence in myself – beating former world champions over and over again – there are some that are calling my current endeavour ‘a bit much’. That Deanna Frost, in her desperation to get on the main-card of Rise to Greatness, may have “bitten off more than she can chew”!

And to all of those doubters, True Believer or not, I will say… you are 100% correct.

I am not Adam Allocco. I am not Ravyn. I’m not Ace Marshall. I’m not Kandis. I’m not Bree Lancaster. I’m not arrogant enough or, in Bree’s case, brave enough to think I can take on the world without a hitch or with the utmost faith that I can do it. I’ve never done it before! I don’t have the experience like Bree does to make such claims. You won’t find ‘dual championship reigns’ in my resume. You won’t find main events of Rise to Greatness on my accolades or even top-tier title wins. Such things have eluded me in the year and a half that I have been an SCW superstar.

But in the span of one night, not only did I become the number one contender for the United States Championship, but I punched my ticket to Rise to Greatness’ main-card by accepting a challenge by Alexis Quinne!

I mean, you want to talk about ‘biting off more than one can chew’, right? Either of those matches alone are a pay-per-view quality, main-event calibre match. Alexis Quinne, former world champion, icon in the wrestling world, beaten some of the greatest names in SCW, including Syren. And Bree? I mean, do I even need to bring up her list of accolades? This promo would need another half an hour for me to do it!

Facing either of those women would have been enough and more than worthy for Rise to Greatness XX, but I intend to do the unthinkable. I plan to face both of them, with Bree on the preshow for the United States title and Alexis the next night on the main-card!

And so many people have just come to me in the last two weeks with the same look – the same question. “What the hell are you thinking, Deanna?”

”You’re taking on not one but two former world champions. You’re taking on the winner of the United States tournament and then the woman that nearly beat Selena Frost a few weeks ago on Breakdown! What the hell are you thinking?”

It’s a fair question to ask. And I’m not minding that people are either doubting or, flat out, not believing at this point. Any sane or rational person would focus on Bree Lancaster and the United States championship and just take that for all it was worth, main card or no. I wouldn’t blame anyone else if they had done that if they were in my place.

But, if you will indulge me for a moment here, I’d like to just take a step back from the criticism and the nay-sayers and the people calling me ‘stupid’ or ‘arrogant’ or ‘foolish’ or whatever other adjective you want to slap onto my name!

I want to take a step back to one year ago, where I was put in another championship match on the preshow of Rise to Greatness. And you can ask the “Queen of Chaos” herself, Kimberly Williams, because she doubted me too. She told me I had to ‘embrace her chaos’ to have a chance. She told me that I had to sell out my beliefs and do things ‘her way’. One year ago, I went into the preshow with a chip on my shoulders and everything to prove and I proceeded to prove it!

I drove Kimberly, and myself, through the damn RTG parade display and I became the SCW Underground Champion to headline and cap-off an incredible preshow…

But… you’ll notice that I keep using that word, don’t you? ‘Preshow’. The show that ‘whets the appetite’ of the SCW Universe for the main-card, the show that is Rise to Greatness. And as amazing as that match was, as incredible as it felt to win my first big title on my own skill, my own beliefs, and as wonderful as it was to celebrate with my wife… none of it was good enough for the main-card.

It was a sobering thought. That all the blood I had given for that match, for the company, for all of you, and it wasn’t good enough compared to a “Family Farmstead match”… It wasn’t good enough compared to a contendership match featuring ‘Donnie Darko’. It wasn’t good enough for a ‘Gimmick Battle Royale’.

Now, I’m not discrediting any of those people. Rather I am discrediting the perception of me and what I can do. And after my first match with Allocco a year ago, there was no one to blame but myself – I understand that. There wasn’t much ‘stock’ in my name last year, but you have to understand. To witness one Frost at the main-event of RTG on one end, and for another on the other end of the spectrum. The distance between us in ability and worth… I won’t lie, that realization was just another chip on my shoulders. Another thing for me to carry month after month as I went along. Because I swore that, by the time we circled back around to this magnificent event, not only would I be good enough to fight on the same night as my wife, I’d be good enough to fight for a title!

Fast forward one year, and I have my title shot, but because of those same people that held such low value of me, again, I’m on the preshow so Bree and Datura can have their rightful chance at the world tag-team titles. Again, that bitter feeling swirled around in my gut. The idea that people that just came back – compared to those like me that spent all year trying – people like the Holly Adams Brand, like Team Desire, people like Justin Davis were just handed their spot on the main card…

So when the opportunity came to change all of that, did I take it without really thinking? You’re damn right I did! Because if Holly Adams can be on the main card, then I sure as hell do as well!

Because you have to understand something here. Being on the main card of Rise to Greatness isn’t just about the prestige. It’s not just about the PPV-paycheck or the buyouts or the interviews or even the titles. It’s about what being on the card represents. You get put on the main card? You’re a somebody. You get put on the main card of Rise to Greatness, it means you are something that is a highlight for SCW. You are part of an upper category of talent and ability and so much more!

And when you’re still being accused of ‘riding your wife’s coattails’? The main card of RTG, my own match? That is the resounding, defiant rebuttal I can make!

And the reason I bring all of this up when I haven’t even reached the preshow yet is because I need you to understand, Bree, why things are going to play out the way they are. You see, I don’t have to fluff you up with respectful sentences nor do I have to list off your accolades. You know I respect you. You know I admire you for all you’ve done since you came back. I even envy what you have managed to do in that time. I mean, you’ve won more titles since coming back than I have this whole SCW year. It’s incredible! Dare I say… if I can steal from Selena… it’s unbelievable.

And if this were any other night, under any other circumstances, I would take pride in knowing, in saying to the world, that I could challenge Bree Lancaster and put her to the test. That I could force out the very best in her because of how good I was. That, on any other night, would be the greatest compliment for me! That is how much I admire and respect you, Bree.

You and me? We’re not going to take this personally. We’re not going to be taking cheap shots at eachother. We’re not going to lowball here. We’re going to tell it like it is, aren’t we, Bree? That’s what this match is. It’s integrity. It’s passion. It’s you and me fighting for who we believe is the best person to be the SCW United States Champion!

But…

It goes a little deeper than that for me, Bree. And I didn’t really realize it until last week when I saw Jaina holding the SCW United States Championship in her hands while you were running off with Datura, hunting down Ravyn Taylor and Ace Marshall.

Now, I’m not going to make any assumptions or leaps in logic about that, Bree. I get why that happened and all the good that was intended. But staring down at that title – the title you left behind – it was a realization for me. Because I realized just how parallel that title’s RTG journey and mine were running. Because, like me, regardless of what I had done, regardless of what my name meant, I was still not good enough for the main card. The tag-title reign, ‘Rookie of the Year’, beating former world champions – still not good enough in the eyes of SCW management. Like the United States title, I was being sticked into the preshow and told that was ‘good enough’ for someone like me.

And while facing you, Bree, IS good enough for me.
Fighting for the United States Championship is good enough for me.
Being on the preshow of RTG and ONLY on the preshow of RTG is NOT good enough for me!

Bree, you are a legend in this business. You are a future Hall of Famer, you are a titan that is looking down at a rookie. But while you were chasing the tag-team titles, I was backstage, staring at the United States title and thinking, despite all the respect I have for you, that all of this was WRONG!

A Rise to Greatness – the 20th one – without the United States title was wrong.
Without Deanna Frost after the year I’ve had was wrong.
It all felt, in my soul, to be wrong!

And just like that, this match stopped being just a ‘preshow match with a title’ for me, Bree. This match stopped being just about beating one of the best in SCW for me. This match became the most important match that I have this weekend! This match became a do-or-die match for me! A match that, unlike you, I can’t ‘pace myself’ for the sake of my ‘Sunday match’ and my friend Datura. I can’t ‘save my energy’ so I have something in the tank to win the tag-team titles from. I can’t do any of that, Bree!

Because if I do… if I hesitate, if I give less than all I have, there is no doubt in my mind, you WILL beat me! You will beat me and that United States Championship will sit idly by in your bag on your shoulder.

Uncontested on the biggest night in SCW’s history.

On the sidelines, like I would have been. A mere decoration to a ‘bigger match’ – like I was to Selena last year. Forgotten...

And I cannot let that happen, Bree. I can’t let the title that you and I fought through a damn tournament of some of the best talent in SCW be downgraded as ‘less than important’ than Holly Adams wrestling through some video chat! I cannot let that title be put aside like you did last Breakdown while you chased the tag-team titles! I cannot let that title that has made careers and cemented legacies be more than a decoration at Rise to Greatness!

So not only am I going to save that title from the fate I had last year, Bree, I will also save myself from it. Because not only will I be taking that title from you and taking it to Rise to Greatness, I will be doing what you can’t and DEFENDING it on the main card! I will be putting it on the line, even if I have to limp to the ring from the wounds of our battle to do it!

For the past year, I have lived in the shadow of the Snow Queen. I have feasted well in the House of Frost – seen as royalty in many circles – and yet, all I have ever wanted was to break away from that. All I ever wanted was to be seen as my own woman, my own queen, my own person. You want to talk about a journey for yourself and for Datura? Bree, this is a year long journey for me! It’s a year long journey to not only just BE on the card but to steal the damn show and fight for the greatest titles in the world! It’s coming here week after week, month after month, hearing the detractors and still fighting to break out! It’s over a year of fighting through the pain and scars and the broken arm, not because I ‘am’ a somebody, but because I want to BE a somebody!

You think I don’t know how hard this will be? You think I’m not scared? You think I’m not afraid of failing and crashing and burning more than anyone has before including Kimberly going 0-3 last year? I know it all, dammit!

I know it all and I face it with every step I take to Toronto. Every day that draws me ever closer to this weekend! I face it because I HAVE to face it! I have to face it, Bree!

Because the other option? To go back to the sidelines? Back to being a ‘decoration’? To prove those that think I wasn’t ‘ready’ or ‘good enough’ for the main-card – to prove those people right? THAT is far more terrifying than even facing you!

You will go into this Sunday and, as I live and breath, Bree, I will watch you become the new SCW world tag-team champions! But you are going to have to do it WITHOUT the United States Championship on your shoulder. You’re going to have to do it without being a singles champion. Because I don’t care if takes every ounce of will and grit that I possess in my body, I am going to take this opportunity that no one wanted to give me – a match on the main card of Rise to Greatness – and a title that management didn’t care to see on the main card and I am taking us both up that card until we are sitting as one of the main-event title matches of Rise to Greatness 20!!!

I have waited for a year to stand before the world as my own woman! This Saturday, I will wait no more! I take the title, I set the stage of RTG, I force the graphic guy to change the card display and I change RTG in one fell swoop when I stand there not as just “Selena Frost’s wife”, not just “Deanna Frost”…

But Deanna Frost, SCW United States Champion!

Checkmate, bitches!

OOC: Part 3 – Counts for both Deanna’s matches.

DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction and not to be confused as complete or accurate representation of any beliefs, religions, etc. Please refer to research/articles by experts for that.





Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
July 17th, 2023
11:57pm

For the umpteenth time, Deanna pressed her hands against the nearby tree, using the support of it to stretch her legs, followed by another round of stretching her arms and shoulders. Nervously, she threw a couple of jabs into the air, testing the freedom of movement she had in her black trunks and t-shirt. Her hair was tied tight in a ponytail and her feet felt good in the ground with her running shoes on.

In other words, she was dressed to move… which wasn’t helping at all with her fidgeting as she waited.

She wasn’t wearing a watch on her wrist – of fear of it getting in the way – so she wasn’t sure how many more minutes she had left until Raphael arrived. Maybe he won’t even show up…

Was it wrong to be so hopeful? It did seem a little… ‘overreaching’? Was that the right word? Still, the redhead found herself, at least, partially hoping all the same. Sure, it was like hoping Bree would ‘over-party’ at the Hall of Fame party and come to the preshow with a bad headache, or Alexis Quinne would come in smug and overconfident due to having only one match to worry about while Deanna had two – hoping for such things was a bit of a stretch, but Deanna found herself doing so all the same.

Because she was scared.

Off in the far distance, she could spy her ‘Forever Home’. She had waited till Selena had fallen asleep, quietly kissed her wife’s cheek, then snuck out of the house to get to the forest area of their trail. A little closer than the house, she could also spot the gym/pool house that she realized she should have used. No… she re-reasoned. Darkness might be a bit of a help here tonight.

To clarify, she wasn’t in complete darkness. There were enough lights coming from the streets just a ways off and she had, personally, pulled some battery-powered bright-lights from the garage (usually used for Halloween) to set up a sort of ‘fighting circle’ around the large, wooded space. Still, it was a far contrast to the spotlights that would soon cover her when she took to the ring in Toronto.

Rise to Greatness… gods, what am I thinking? Once again, that thought rode loudly into her mind. The idea of challenging Raphael Alden to holmgang was ludicrous! Of doing so mere days before the biggest pay-per-view of her career? Utterly insane!

Again, the redhead ran every poor scenario in her mind. Yes, Freya had said these battles were meant to be ‘non-lethal’ and no danger to the combatants – a sort of ‘gentleman’s duel’ if that made any sense, but how in Tartarus could she trust that Raphael would even play by those rules? Gods, they hadn’t even DISCUSSED rules! What if he came in with a gun or a pistol?! First of all, that would wake up the kids and Selena – meaning a pissed off wife, yeah, how am I going to explain THIS to her?! – but also the fact that Raphael would be there WITH A GUN!

And even if he did play by the rules Freya Alden had explained, what if Deanna hurt herself? Took a bad step, a bad punch, or something? She wasn’t even sure she could beat Bree Lancaster or, even, Alexis Quinne under ‘normal conditions’. What if she mucked up her knee? Had a nagging injury from this?

She shook her head, trying to ‘stretch out her worries’, but they persisted. There was no ‘maybe’ about it? If she walked into Toronto anything less than 100%, Bree was going to destroy her. Quinne would knock her out and beat her. And everything she had worked for for the last year would be for nothing!

Back to the midcard or preshows. Back to just being part of ‘The House of Frost’.

It wasn’t that she was ungrateful or even unwilling to be part of it. But she was so close to being her own person now! Even O. D. had said so – the very man that had called her out on her tantrums and frustrations earlier in the year, effectively giving her the ‘timeout in the corner’ that she needed to reassess her career and choices. It had been him that not only chosen her as the number one contender for the United States Championship, but had also authorized Alexis Quinne’s challenge against the Queen’s Guard. And this is how you’re going to thank him for finally giving you this opportunity? came the mocking tone in her head. By risking injury…

“Okay, shut up!” Deanna whined to herself in a low growl as she paced around the mildly lit area. She didn’t WANT to do this, but she didn’t have a choice in the matter! She would rather have been sleeping! She and Selena had an eight hour bus ride to Toronto in the morning – the two women both wanting to be in Toronto a few days early to settle in, get some training/studying done and just… settle. Was that the right word?

She gave a shake of her head before casting a glance away from her house and towards the gated exit/entrance of the property. She had left the gate open just a bit, enough for someone to pass through without any difficulty – which begged the question why he was still-

“Thinking I wouldn’t show up?”

Again, that damn voice, like earlier today, seemed to appear out of nowhere, causing the redhead to jump a little, though she refused to cry out, her body dropping into a familiar ‘fighting stance’ that Selena had taught years ago as she spun around towards the voice.

Standing before her, once more, was Raphael Alden. Unlike earlier today during David’s birthday party, however, the man wore black pants and a black wifebeater. His hair was still immaculately combed back and his beard was combed down just as well. Patiently, he stood in the light, waiting for Deanna to lower her hands, which the redhead did.

“Do you always just ‘appear’ like that?” she asked. “I’m starting to see a trend.”

“Old training.” Was the only answer the man gave.
“As what? A ninja?” Deanna shot back without thinking as she walked around the space, her remark earning a slight scoff and smile from Raphael.

“We going to do this?” Deanna asked, shrugging her shoulders.

“In a moment.” Raphael nodded, holding a hand out. “I believe an apology is in order.”
“I’m not apologizing for not inviting you. Neither will Selena.” Deanna almost spat out quickly.

“No. I mean from me.” Raphael sighed, earning a rather shocked expression from Deanna. “It occurs to me that, from the shock of your challenge, that I didn’t observe the… proper protocols.”
“’Proper protocols’?” the young woman asked, resting her hands on her hips.

“Yes.” Raphael remarked. “I am a gentleman, Mrs. Frost.” He stated, ignoring the snort that came from Deanna at his self-observation. “And, as a gentleman, I should have taken your ‘lack of understanding’ of Alden-ways into account with this challenge.”

“Are you backing out?” Deanna asked, trying to hide the note of hope in her voice. “Calling it off?”
“Oh, it’s too late for that.” Raphael remarked. “Family honor and all that.”
“Right.” Deanna sighed. “Then what is it you want?”

Carefully, non-threateningly, Raphael approached Deanna, taking the few steps needed to stand close to her. “I wish to discuss the rules of engagement.”

A moment of silence passed between them.

“That’s it?” Deanna asked.
“That’s it.” Raphael remarked. “Holmgang requires such things, and I, for one, refuse to duel someone without some semblance of order.”
“Okay…” Deanna tilted her head. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Step one.” He started. “Weapons.”
“Ummm…” Deanna shrugged. “I thought fists and kicks were okay.”
“Admirable.” Smiled Raphael. “But this is a ‘duel’. Not a ‘slugfest’.” The way he said that word, trying to adopt an ‘over-the-top’ American accent – Deanna would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t feel mildly insulted by it.

“Well…” Deanna shrugged. “Alejandra said that, if weapons were used… they were dull or wooden-“

Before her, Raphael suddenly produced two identical wooden knives, the white/black-haired man even striking them together twice to prove the material of their make.

“So… you just have wooden knives lying around?” Deanna asked with a raised eyebrow.
“You think you’re the first person to challenge me to a holmgang?” he laughed. “I’m old enough to be your father.”
“Yeah well, you wouldn’t want to…” Deanna shook her head, speaking without thinking as she was prone to do. “Last thing I heard of my parents was that, before they died, they MAY have been part of this ex-Nazi group-”

“Fascinating.” Raphael interjected, his disinterest apparent. “Since I chose the weapons, you may choose the general rules.”
“General rules?”
“Yes.” He answered. “How we declare a victor.”
“Oh!” Deanna huffed. “Yeah… uh… Points or yield. That’s what Alejandra said was the traditional.”

“Fine.” Raphael remarked. “Ten or five?”

“Uh…” It took a moment for Deanna to think of that. Alejandra had said that the traditional number was ‘ten’, but apparently ‘five’ would work too. And while her instincts told her to ‘stick to the basic outline’ of how things were done (as her mother-in-law had described), five points meant that she only had to land a hit on Raphael five times to be declared the winner. And, much like her upcoming pay-per-view matches, Deanna was sure that the longer they wore on, the less and less likely her chance at victory became!

“Five is fine.” She blurted out. If she could catch Raphael by surprise, landing five hits would be so much easier than landing ten!

In response, Raphael handed her one of the wooden daggers. It felt light in Deanna’s hand, the handle fitting into her palm smoothly. She gave it a few practice swings and stabs, testing its weight. She had never really used weapons before, but that wasn’t really her strategy – she thought as she stole a sideways glance towards her taller, broader opponent. Raphael hadn’t said anything about ‘style’ of fighting.

Maybe if I can trip him up or disarm him, I’ll have a better chance…

“Lastly.” He asked, turning his gaze over to Deanna, who stepped back a little. “The stakes.”

“Yeah…” Deanna sighed. “I don’t suppose you could just leave us alone and forget about all of this stuff with the Aldens?”

Despite himself, Raphael released a laugh. “Oh that was good.” He smiled. “You know, if nothing else, I appreciate your ambition and moxy, my dear.”

“Yeah, well… that makes one of you.” Deanna shrugged. “So what is it you want?”
“Well, let’s put this matter plainly.” He shrugged. “The duel itself is enough for me to forgive the slight to denying my invitation. I shall say so to the board of elders. However, should you best me, I will…” he gave it some thought. “I shall consider your mother and her family’s personal debt to me erased.”

Deanna’s eyes widened. “What debt is that?” she asked, once more without thinking. All she had learned about this man was that he had been arranged to marry Alejandra. Her mother-in-law’s running away to Nome to escape said obligations had certainly not been well received, but was that the ‘debt’ Raphael spoke of? It seemed too great a ‘slight’ to be settled in a duel with Alejandra’s ‘daughter-in-law’. “Are you talking about Alejandra’s past with you?”

“Oh no.” Raphael shook his head. “But that’s my business.” He grinned. “Best me and the matter will be dropped.”
“And you won’t challenge Selena to a duel?”
“That’s what this-“
“No, I mean permanently.” Deanna corrected. “You’ll stop getting in her way. You’ll stop with these traps and invitations. I mean you keep the hell away from us.”

He was silent for a moment, his head tilting to the side. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes.” Deanna remarked.

“Disappointing.” Raphael sighed. “I am not sure about your wife, Deanna-“ he used her first name, the redhead’s eyes widening at that ever so slightly. “But from what I’ve heard, you have really embraced the whole ‘learning our ways’ journey. I’ve even heard you’re one of the top students in your class.”

“So?” Deanna asked, shrugging her shoulders.

“Well… it’s disappointing that such an avid learner would wish to deny herself experiences to more learning.”
“I’m not.” Deanna stated, crossing her arms over her chest, keeping the wooden knife pressed against herself. “I just don’t trust you. And I’d rather learn on my own without your help or ‘invitations’.”

“Very well.” The older man shrugged. “Defeat me and I’ll drop any debt the Aldens have AND I will keep away from yours and Selena’s ‘progress’. You have my word.”

“Good.”

“Not quite.” Laughed Raphael. “You still have to beat me. And then there’s the matter if I win.”

The sentence, simply and calm coming from the taller person, still sent a chill through Deanna’s entire core. “If you win…” she whispered, earning a wider smile from Raphael.

“Did you not consider that a possibility when you challenged me?” he half-chuckled.
“What do you want?” Deanna asked, ignoring his remark.

“Oh, nothing much.” He shrugged his shoulders, slowly pacing around the lit area. “No need to get fortunes into this. Still, there is the matter of the festival.” He turned his head to eye Deanna. “That should do I think. If I beat you, you and Selena must take part in the festival.”

Deanna’s eyes narrowed at the man. “You mean your trap?”

Raphael’s grin widened. “Call it what you will.” He simply said. “But that is my prize. If you refuse, this duel doesn’t happen and I will go and publicly deal with Selena’s insult to my invitation myself, which the families will get behind, and I can only tell you how much THAT will make things worse for Freya and-“

“Fine!” Deanna spat. “If you beat me, we’ll be there.”

“Your word?” Raphael asked with a bit of accusatory tone. “I’ve given mine.”

“Yes.” Deanna sighed. “I give my word Selena and I will attend the festival if you defeat me.”

“Good.” He grinned before holding his arms out. “Shall we?”

Looking around, Deanna gave a quick check of her surroundings, slowly drawing around and closer to Raphael as she paced. “Don’t you need a witness or something?”

“Taken care of.” The man smiled mysteriously. “I didn’t think you’d want to be disturbed.”
“Admirable.” Deanna replied with a hint of sarcasm, drawing, slowly, ever closer.

Just keep him talking… her mind whispered. “Or maybe you just don’t have any friends. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you really with anyone. You followed us to Tony’s alone. You weren’t really with anyone at the ball. And now, you’re here by yourself.”

“Or maybe I left my spouse in bed without waking her.” Teased Raphael, his eyes stealing towards the house. “I assume you told her-“

NOW!

Deanna’s mind screamed as she saw Raphael’s eyes move towards her ‘forever home’, the opening too good to pass up! With a burst of energy, she leaped off her back form, springing forward for a stab. She only had to travel a few inches and-

I’ve got him! she almost cried out as the dagger found its home in Raphael’s side… only because the man had sidestepped her leap, letting the knife graze him in order to wrap his arm around the attacking arm of Deanna, the older man turning his head to gaze down at the, now, trapped Deanna.

“Sorry.” His grin was wolfish. “Were we already starting?”

In a flurry, he brought his knife-wielding weapon down. Trapped in his hold, Deanna had no choice to but to take the strike into the shoulder, followed by one to the chest. It was costly move, as it freed her arm, but as she stumbled back and away, she saw the grin on his face as he cranked his neck a little to loosen it.

“I believe that is 2-1 for me?” he stated. “Though that was a good plan!”

“Can it!” Deanna spat angrily, her plan having backfired and, now, putting her at a huge disadvantage. Before her, Raphael merely twirled his own dagger between his fingers. He made no step towards her, but neither did he retreat from the redhead. He merely stood there, eyeing Deanna, which only further infuriated her.

In a rush, she jumped forward, feinting left at the last second and going for Raphael’s leg. Again, she felt her dagger strike home, but once more, she was met with resistance as her attack left her exposed – allowing Raphael to throw the ‘attacked leg’ up, catching Deanna in the side, stunning the smaller woman just long enough for him to land two more stabs: one on her side and the other on her own leg. Once more, Deanna was forced to retreat, jumping back to give her ample space, which Raphael allowed.

“4-2.” He counted. “Last chance.” He added smugly.

It was clear to Deanna, at this point, the strategy the smug bastard was employing. He was LETTING her get in close and get her strikes in. Why not? Why worry about losing a point if you were gaining two for every one your opponent landed?

He’s been toying with me! Deanna’s mind screamed, a familiar blend of rage and embarrassment filling her. It was that familiar feeling of powerless – the one she had vowed to never feel again after being humiliated by Adam Allocco a year ago!

You’re outclassed.
You’re not good enough!
You’re not ready.

The old thoughts that she thought she had killed – perhaps she had and now they were ghosts haunting her – slammed into her mind! Clenching her jaw, she fought back on them with all she had. I AM READY!

With one last cry, Deanna threw herself towards Raphael, who merely waited for it. Holding her dagger up, she went for a quick slash – or so Raphael thought as he moved to intercept and counter. However, it was Deanna’s turn to catch him, the redhead, at the last second, rolling under his arm. Jumping up to her feet, Deanna thrust her dagger forward, pressing it in-between the shoulder blades of Raphael and holding it there. “There!” she breathed. “I win!”

Despite his stunned nature, Raphael turned his head back, his gaze quickly recovering. “I don’t think so.” He remarked. “If anything, it’s still 4-3.”

“I said ‘points or YIELD’.” Deanna corrected. “If I get you in a position that would be considered ‘lethal’, you have to yield.” For emphasis, she twisted the knife a little into his back. “I’d say this qualifies.”

“Unless I leap forward and out of the way.” Raphael countered. “Not like you have a strong hold on me.”

Quickly, Deanna’s hand grasped the top of Raphael’s wifebeater. “There.” She remarked.

“Or trapped you again before you could stab. Or…” he turned his head again to gaze at her. “You could realize where my dagger is.”

Looking down, Deanna’s eyes widened as she saw Raphael’s weapon. It was lower and pointed directly at her, a mere inch or two from touching her body.

“I’d say I stab and I get my 5 points, meaning you must yield.”
“I got you first!” Deanna stated.
“No, you jumped me first.” Raphael countered. “But I would argue I stabbed you before you could even get a ‘killing blow’.”

Slowly, his wolf-grin reappeared. “Let’s ask my witness.” He stated, slowly moving around on the spot, Deanna having no choice but to follow him.

“Where is he?” Deanna asked, her eyes scanning the nearby trees.

“Oh, SHE is over there. See?” with his free hand, he pointed ahead from where he now stood, and Deanna was able to see the sight of her own ‘Forever Home’ standing before her… and also the light that was coming from the balcony…

A light that was now turned on.

“Oh, crap…” Deanna whispered before she was suddenly grabbed and flipped over. One second, she was standing behind Raphael, the next, she was pinned beneath him with his knife pressed right to her throat.

“That, my dear.” He half-whispered, half-growled. “Is a ‘lethal’ position. Now, yield.”

Deanna’s eyes went wide. She couldn’t yield! She couldn’t lose – not this easily! She had come so far! She had trained for so many months to being a better fighter! There had to be a way out of this! Desperately, in the span of a second, Deanna tried to run every scenario in her head, every counter she knew as a wrestler and as a fighter from her time in Frankfurt… and there was nothing. No matter how much she moved, she wouldn’t be able to move fast enough to stop him from enacting that ‘killing blow’, fake as it was with their dull weapons. And even if she could move fast enough to keep it ‘non-lethal’, it would still be a strike, giving him his fifth point and, thus, the victory!

Either way… she had lost. And she knew it…

“I…”

She had barely gotten the word out when she felt Raphael being yanked off her, the man being tossed angrily into the ground, where he rolled a few feet away, his eyes searching wildly for his assailant. He didn’t have to look long as, standing in front of Deanna protectively in a magenta nightgown, stood Selena Frost.

“Enough!” she roared, her eyes blazing at the older man.

“Selena.” Raphael grinned as he pulled himself back up to his feet, even dusting himself off from the first he had rolled around in. “Glad you could make it.”

“You come onto my property…” she growled, every muscle in her body tensing. “And assault my wife.” She added with a hiss. “Give me one reason not to kill you right now.”

“Selena-“ Deanna tried but Raphael spoke over her.

“Other than your wife was the one that challenged and invited me?” he asked with a knowing tilt of his head.

Sapphire eyes went wide, Selena slowly turning her head towards the still down Deanna, who had pushed herself to her kneed. “Deanna?”

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. “He-“
“Holmgang.” Raphael stated. “I’ll admit it’s been awhile since we, Aldens, had it, so this was quite a nice little romp. Wouldn’t you say, Deanna?”

Unable to form any words, her emotions an angry blend of rage, shame, and even cowardice keeping her silent, Deanna merely clenched her jaw and fists, one hand gripping the wooden dagger with all she had. Selena, meanwhile, had returned her cold gaze towards Raphael.

“Well, this ‘romp’ is over.” She hissed. “Get off my property before I remove you myself.” She stole a glance at Deanna. “You’ll find that I’m a lot harder to throw around than my wife is.”

Okay, ouch! Deanna thought but said nothing, the angry woman before enough of a reason for the redhead to keep her mouth shut.

“Very well.” Raphael remarked with a shrug. “I trust you’ll handle matters on my prize, Deanna?” he asked, earning another angry glance from Selena.

“What did you promise him?” she asked.

“Oh nothing for you to worry about.” Raphael stated. “Though make sure your calendar has August 1st cleared.” He stated.

Realizing his inference, Selena’s gaze grew colder towards her wife. “You promised we’d go to the festival if he beat you?”

“I-“ Deanna sighed. “Yeah, I did.” She admitted,

“Oh for Odin’s sake!” Selena spat. “Why?!”

“Well, in her defense.” Raphael laughed. “I didn’t give her much of an option. It was either this or I’d publicly challenge you. Your wife didn’t think that would go over well with your ‘wars’, I believe she said. So… here we are.”

“We…” Deanna tried. “We just have to go to the festival.” Her voice was barely a whisper, her hands still shaking from the rampage of familiar emotions within her, not the least of which was embarrassment.

“Not quite.” Raphael laughed a little. “If you’ll recall my wording: I didn’t say you and Selena had to merely ‘attend’ the festival. I said you two had to ‘take part in the festival’.”

Deanna’s mouth dropped open at Raphael’s words. How the hell could she have missed that?! Yes, it was semantics but what the hell did she expect from someone like Raphael?! That’s why he had seemed so civil to me during that ‘rules of engagement’ crap! she realized. He was trying to slip in his wordplay! Now I’m trapped. she heard the growl in her throat that she hadn’t meant to make, her emotions fuelling it.

“And what, exactly, did you have in mind for us to be ‘involved’ in, Raphael?” Selena asked darkly, her eyes back to being locked on the older man.

“Oh, it’s very simple.” He mused, his hands now behind his back. “The elders were talking a few days ago about the festival and the topic came up that there hadn’t been a certain…” he paused to find his words. “Element within the festival in some times.”

“What ‘element’ is that?” Selena asked. “And if you say ‘sacrifices’, I’m out.”

“Hardly.” Raphael scoffed, amused. “No, Selena, the elders were talking about a handfasting ceremony.”

The remark caused Deanna’s eyes to widen. “Handfasting?” she asked.

“Oh come now!” Raphael admonished. “I know they’d have already covered that in your class-“
“No, I mean… THAT’S what you want Selena and I to be involved in?”
“Pretty much.” Raphael shrugged.

“But…” Slowly, Deanna pushed herself to her feet. “Selena and I are already married.”
“Sure, but not by ‘Alden ways’.” Raphael observed. “It would certainly look good on you if you did it for the elders…”

“Not buying it.” Selena spat, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Whether you do or you don’t…” Raphael grinned. “I am owed for this duel. THAT is my prize.” He eyed Deanna, a smug smirk returning to his face. “Of course, you could deny it and bring the whole Alden family down on you worse than ever before… that’s always an option.”

“Just get the fuck out!” screamed Selena, actually startling the old man, who held up his hands.

“Alright. But if I were you… I’d think about it.” He added before quietly dismissing himself. Within a few moments, he was gone, even closing the gate behind him out of courtesy.

Alone in the wooded space, Deanna slowly brought her eyes to the back of her wife, who had stood in place since Raphael had made his exit.

“Selena, I-“

Immediately, the woman turned, her eyes burning towards Deanna with their glare.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” she asked angrily. “You challenged him to a contest you knew NOTHING about? What did you think was going to happen?!”

“I was trying to protect you!” Deanna tried to explain. “He came to David’s party-“
“And you couldn’t come get me? Couldn’t let me handle this?”

“You’re the one that refused his invitation!” Deanna spat back. “You insulted him and he acted on that! We could have just gone to the festival as visitors and he’d have NOTHING on us! He played us BOTH, Selena!”

Before her, Deanna saw Selena’s jaw clench, the older woman trying to process her wife’s words. In the end, she could only manage out an angry huff before turning on her heel and marching back to the house, leaving Deanna alone with the portable lights surrounding her.

“More than you could chew…” The redhead whispered as she slowly began gathering up the lights in the dark. “Way more than you could chew…”

_______________________________________________________________






Hey guys…

So, I know that usually I sit on the catwalks and talk for a bit – sort of like ‘looking over all of SCW’ as the Queen’s Guard. And I took that as sort of a professional and a personal endeavour.

Personally, I saw it as my responsibility to help maintain the ‘integrity of SCW’ that my wife, Selena, and I believed in. To look over her and SCW and be part of that goal. But personally, I also found myself looking over the catwalks, down into the ring, and wondering ‘what was my place in this SCW Universe’? I’d think about things like ‘will I be a good superstar?’, ‘will people look up to me?’, ‘will I be known as my own person or for who I married’? It’s where I could collect my thoughts and really talk about what was before me….

But, with the RTG schedule the way it is, my wife is currently using the arena for her ‘Frozen Central’ segment, so I’m kind of here… recording in the ‘Believe it!’ tour bus while Eric gets a snack for himself from the convenience store down the street.

And sitting here, being on the outside of the arena looking in, like I would on the catwalks, sort of matches, don’t you think? Matches my year, matches my existence, matches my road to Rise to Greatness. Always fighting, always clawing to get in. To be part of the bigger picture. To be part of the marquee matches, the main-events beyond more than a support or a glorified cheerleader.

Which is why I respect you for challenging me, Alexis Quinne. Because I get why you would do so. Because, like me, you’re clawing through. You gotta fight for your share, for your place, just like I do. So, on that ground, I respect you and I respect you challenging me to my face rather than going behind my back to be part of this.

And make no mistake about it, Alexis, when I am talking about our match, I am referring to it as a United States Championship match because, in case I haven’t made it clear by now, I have EVERY intention of entering into our match being announced as ‘The New United States Champion’! You can rest assured of that!

And, in all honesty, Alexis, you should be terrified of that as well. Because I could see the gears working in your head when you challenged me. You fight me after I’ve fought a legend and future Hall of Fame like Bree Lancaster, then I’ll be banged up and worn out for my match with you, right? Easy pickings for you to grab the United States title and to put a stop to this downward spiral you seem to be having since that loss to Chance Owens aways back, right? Classic booking 101, right?

I’m not judging you on that, Alexis, it’s simply the nature of the beast with these ‘double-bookings’. But where the ‘traditional’ ends with me is that you shouldn’t be less afraid if I manage to beat Bree and come into Rise to Greatness with the United States Championship. No, no… You should be more afraid.

Because let’s dissect that for one second, shall we?! Bree Lancaster, arguably one of the greatest female wrestlers in SCW in the last five years. The woman that took my wife to task inside a roofed-cage match. The woman that has got BOTH tag-team champions running scared. The woman that has won more titles this year, alone, than you and I combined, Quinne. The woman that has actually, unlike you and me, headlined Rise to Greatness before.

You don’t have to beat that. I do. I need to beat that. And I have said it before. I said it now, and I’ll say it one more time: There is no ‘maybe’ for me. There is no ‘hope to’ for me. I NEED to beat Bree Lancaster and become SCW United States Champion. I need to overcome another ‘impossible opponent’ like I did with Glory Braddock and Adam Allocco, just to name a few. I need to do this in order to turn our match from ‘pay-per-view worthy’ to ‘Rise to Greatness 20th anniversary worthy’! I need to do this because this is the moment I have been waiting for since I first laced up a pair of boots!

And I need to do this, Alexis, so that I can, without any doubt in my mind, get YOUR very best against me on Sunday! Because that’s what I want! I want you coming at me with everything you have because deep down, you want that title! You need that title! That’s what I want, Alexis, because if I can beat not only Bree Lancaster’s ‘best’ but your ‘best’ as well?

Then not only will I be SCW United States Champion.
Not only will I be ‘somebody’ on my own terms and ability in SCW.
Not only will I prove my own worth in this business, but I will begin this new chapter of my career with more than a top-tier title.

Do you know what I will have, Alexis?

I will have legitimacy.

And I know that word gets tossed around a lot here in SCW, especially where titles are considered. Promises of ‘bringing legitimacy to a division’ and such, but you misunderstand me, Alexis. I am not talking about bringing legitimacy to the United States Championship division. Bree has done that from last month’s tournament. You and I, should either of us become United States Champion, will continue that kind of legitimacy; of that I am sure.

No, Alexis, what I am talking about is bringing legitimacy to my own name and my own career. I am talking about proving that, when I beat Bree, that the inevitable words and ‘theories’ about being ‘lucky’ or ‘a fluke’ or some kind of ‘divine intervention’ are killed the very next night! I am talking about not only proving my ability and grit in the toughest match of my career against Bree – and I include the Elimination Chamber where my arm was broken when I say that – but proving it beyond a shadow of doubt when I beat you on Sunday!

Defeating Bree Lancaster and becoming United States champion will prove I CAN be a top-tier champion. Beating a former world champion in you, Alexis, will prove that I BELONG here as a top-tier champion!

That is why you should be more afraid of me if – scratch that, please – WHEN I succeed on the pre-show, Alexis. Because, sure, I may be banged up, bruised and hurting in every joint and muscle I have, but never will you see me more determined, more fierce and more driven to see my year-long story reach THAT conclusion! To go from the ‘girl that lost to five moves of doom’ to ‘the woman that beat two former world champions to survive and become the United States Champion’!

Bree Lancaster will get me at my best, and she will get everything I have in order for me to have a chance to beat her. You, Alexis? You will get me at my most dangerous! My most deadly! My most obsessed! Because, with that title in my hand, I will go to a place that few people would endure. I will take pains that most people would rather pass out from. And I will take every move and landing you can throw at me until there is nothing left of my will or my grit!

Because I don’t just want that ‘moment’ like Adam Allocco got last year at this event. I don’t just want a ‘feel-good’ moment that I can hang my hat on and then walk off into the sunset like Owen Cruze deserved. No, this is not about a ‘moment’. This is a year-long journey, Alexis, and it is a year-long journey meant to create many more journeys! This is about not just being a top-tier champion for a breath, no! This is meant to be the START of a top-tier championship reign… but a top-tier champion!

So do you see now, Alexis, why I do not go into this taking you any ‘lighter’ than I would Bree. Why I see you as just as dangerous and just as deadly to those dreams as Bree, herself, is? Because I have seen what happens when you are underestimated. I have seen what happens when people fixate on you as something that is meant to be stepped on enroute to ‘greater things’ and then, you turn around and take those things away from them.

How else did you become world champion? Because Syren underestimated you. Syren thought you were gonna be a pushover, and you pushed her right over and became world champion. And if that is within you, Alexis – the ability to beat one of the best wrestlers in SCW’s 20-year history, then how the hell’s bells could I possibly make that same mistake?

It’s funny because… you know in my year’s journey, I’ve heard it said by a number of people. The idea of certain wins and losses not mattering. Certain matches just ‘don’t matter’. Kandis, Ace Marshall, I’ve heard it from them, usually after they’ve lost a match but I digress.

That’s something that sort of sat with me because I was asked by a fan if simply being on the main-card of Rise to Greatness, isn’t that enough? One step up, wouldn’t beating Bree Lancaster and being United States Champion even for a night and defending it on the main-card, would that not be enough?

And I’ve already spoken my peace on my respect for both Bree and you, Alexis. You know how I feel about facing the two of you, but I need to make it clear: it isn’t enough. It DOES matter!

It matters because this was an opportunity given to me by a man that didn’t believe in me and now thinks I’m good enough to take on his second-highest title division. It matters because of every single person that has stayed with me and The House of Frost from day one and never faltered, even when half the audience was chanting “No, we don’t!”. It matters because I would rather crash and burn then settle! I would rather try and fail than ask ‘what if’ and I would rather epically fail then half-ass and say ‘it was good enough’.

Alexis, if it isn’t clear by now, then I will make it clear in this moment. You are not the one with the ‘advantage’ here. You are not the one with the ‘golden ticket’, you are not the one that has to just wait for your ‘golden goose’ to come home.

No. What you are and what you will be on Sunday is my proving ground. What you are is the nigh-impossible that I need to conquer. What you are is the force that I need to overcome so that I REMAIN the United States Champion!

I have left no room in my heart or soul for alternate outcomes. Either I will do all I say that I am going to do – the impossible… the unbelievable like my wife will… or you can bet your ass that I will burnout trying!

Checkmate, bitches! Because Rise to Greatness…finally… here I come!