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.
The Witches of Alden
”Devil”
The Eyrie Tower
New York City, New York
January, 24th, 2024
2:12pm
Deanna couldn’t even see the top of the building as she stood at the ground, staring up, the construction-goliath seeming to fade into the very clouds as it towered above her. Ever since she had moved into the city of Manhattan, the tower had existed within the skyline, one of, if not the tallest, tower across the horizon. In general respects, it was not as tall as the One World Trade Center, but it certainly held its own along the skyline. It had always captured Deanna’s attention more than the latter, however, because of its castle-design at the very time, similar to the Brooklyn Tower in, of course, Brooklyn, but with far more stone than glass and steel (though those were used as well).
In short, the building began as a simple skyscraper hotel before ascending to the top of the world with a castle above some of the clouds.
I should have known it was here… She sighed to herself before quietly walking through the doors, which opened automatically as she entered. Immediately, the ‘class’ of the place hit her full force. The lobby itself was almost like a massive hall, with tiled floors and stone walls. There were elevators, at least three or four, on each side of the wall and hallways that continued the travel through the ground floor of the building, the redhead was sure. While it wasn’t as intimidating as viewing the building from the outside, it still held some form of such power, enough to make Deanna still feel small in comparison, making her wonder, not for the first time this afternoon, question her choice in attire. The redhead had chosen to show up as ‘strong’ as possible-
She rolled her eyes at the thought at her mental choice of words. Still, there was no other possible way she could put it. She was going to meet a powerful person – last thing she wanted to do was look weak… which wasn’t exactly hard considering she still had a slight limp in her step and… well… she wasn’t exactly batting a thousand at work right now. She exhaled a long breath, trying to banish the train of thought, temporarily from her mind. That wasn’t a fair thing to think, and she would need to deal with that later. Still, the redhead had to supress the feeling of inadequacy as she stared into the lobby, her eyes travelling downward to take in her own appearance. She had chosen a more formal attire: dark-green dress pants, a white, form-fitting t-shirt under a black dress-coat. The only thing that would be seen as ‘oddish’ would have been her chose of Blundstone shoes over heels. It couldn’t be helped. She still had trouble walking in heels with her knee…
Speaking of appearing weak… she thought bitterly.
Looking ahead, the young woman saw the desk at the end of the hallway, and the receptionist that had looked up to assess her for the third time since she had walked in. Without a work, Deanna stepped forward, doing her best to keep her walk even without a limp. Her knee had certainly healed, and she was set to be ‘cleared to wrestle’ within another weak or so – just in time for the first Breakdown following Body, Heart and Soul, but there was still a slight limp in her step… one she wished she could wish away for just today.
Reaching the desk, she waited for the receptionist, a young woman – maybe a few years younger than Deanna – look up at her. She had brown curls that weren’t as long as Deanna’s red locks and gray eyes. She wore a pantsuit and screamed of ‘status’ or some kind of ‘success’, which only further added to the ‘class’ of the building itself.
“Hello.” She greeted cordially, almost rehearsed. “Welcome to Eyrie Tower.”
“Hi…” Deanna offered, her voice meeker than she intended, emerald eyes flying to the golden nametag pinned on the woman’s breast pocket. “Sam.” She read the name easily enough. “I’m here to visit-“ her breath hitched a little as the name entered her mind. “M-m-mrs. Frost.”
If this ‘Sam’ girl was put off by Deanna’s stutter, she gave no sign of it. Instead, she merely picked up the black, plastic phone-receiver and, checking her list of extensions, turned her head to regard Deanna once more. “That is Selena Frost?” she asked, earning a nod from Deanna. “Name?” she asked, casting a glance back at Deanna.
“Her…” Deanna stopped herself before she could say the last word, or rather, her throat stopped her from saying it. For some reason, she couldn’t say it, though she was it still… wasn’t she? “Deanna Frost.” She settled on in reply.
The name was enough for the receptionist to raise an eyebrow, clearly hearing the last name and seeing that it was the same as the resident. Still, she gave a short nod, before quickly pressing a few keys on the dial pad. Seconds ticked by as she held the phone to her ear. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Frost.” She offered brightly. “This is Sam over at reception. We have a visitor here for you…” she waiting a second. “Her name is Deanna Fr-” she suddenly stopped, intently listening to a conversation Deanna was only hearing half of.
For a moment, the champion felt a spike of panic rise in her chest. What if she told Deanna to go away? That was a very real possibility, especially given the fact that she hadn’t expected the woman to be here or even find her…
Yeah, I’ll have to explain that… Deanna thought glumly, biting her lower lip to remain silent, her hands clasping and unclasping one another nervously as she waited for, what was probably only a few seconds and yet seemed like hours.
“Understood.” Sam finally said before lowering the phone down. Without a word, she pushed herself out of her chair and stood up, revealing her height to be just above Deanna’s. “This way, please.” She gestured towards the stone wall on the side where all the elevators were, walking towards them with her heels clicking against the tiled floors. Briskly, brought on mostly by relief that was slowly becoming dread, Deanna followed as the two reached the closest elevator, the receptionist pressing the up button. A few more seconds passed before the large, metal doors (with some kind of crest decaled onto them) split apart to allow them access. Stepping into the metal-glass chamber, Deanna watched Sam pull at her cardkey, tapping the small, black sensor at the bottom of the large panel of buttons and then pressing the highest button, labelled ‘PH’. It wasn’t hard for Deanna to comprehend what was happening. Access to where she was going needed said keycard, which only further drove home the status of this building… and increased her worry about going up.
“Have a good day.” She barely heard and had time to nod her reply towards Sam as the doors closed, Sam stepping out of the elevator quickly. Immediately, Deanna felt the familiar sensation as the elevator moved upwards, the screen informing her of each floor she passed. She could vaguely hear some kind of ballroom music playing in the background as she ascended. It still wasn’t enough, however, to distract her mind from running rampant with her thoughts.
To say the year had started weirder than she could have imagined would still have been an understatement. First, though she had successfully defeated Kelsai Adamson to advance to the world title match, she had, ultimately, come up short against Asher Hayes, failing to capture the SCW championship at the End of the Year event. That, in and of itself, would have been enough of a ‘sad moment’ for the redhead, but it was a loss that she had known she would recover from, just like her knee injury.
That had been surprise number two. In said championship match, her knee had collided in mid-air with Asher Hayes’, earning her a ‘check-up’ with doctors over the next few days to assess the damage, at CHBK’s insistence. And it was there that she had been asked to ‘stay off wrestling’ for a few weeks to allow the knee time to properly heal, again at the insistence of CHBK (but this time backed by doctors, which made the argument even more impossible to ignore).
Now… losing the world title match AND having to take about a month off wrestling would have ALSO been enough of a ‘sad moment’ for Deanna, but again, these were things she knew she could overcome in time. She’d bounce back, come back like she did after her arm was broken, and be better than ever, maybe even get another chance to challenge for the world title again if she worked hard enough, but, more importantly, she would continue to defend the United States Championship as long as she could.
That was always her primary focus. She didn’t just want to ‘move on’ now that she had tasted the world title. No, she owed this division so much and, for her first singles-run with a top-tier title, she wanted it to matter. She wanted it to be something she could look back on and be proud of. And, she shrugged without realizing it immediately, it would help her improve and be ‘good enough’ for world-title level. The United States Championship, on its own, would bring more competitors. Her next challenge, Polly, had never shied from making it clear that her goal was to take the title. Others would come too, especially if Deanna kept laying out challenges like she had with the Elimination Chamber late last year.
In short, nothing had really thrown Deanna off her ‘game’ coming out of End of the Year – not the loss, not the injury, none of it.
But seeing her own wife, Selena Frost, standing in the middle of the ring over the fallen Asher Hayes, SCW world title in her hand on the first episode of Breakdown of the new year? Yeah… that had done it.
In a moment Deanna could still remember vividly, including the way her heart had stopped in sheer shock, she had watched Selena return to SCW. And not just quietly, oh no, she had invaded!
Because it turns, out, while I was fighting two matches and injuring myself… she thought bitterly.
She was in the arena the whole time!
She felt her jaw clench and her hands nervously adjust her suit-top, eyes flicking towards the panel to see the floor she had now reached, still some ways away from her destination. Gods, this was a tall building!
The situation with Selena had only escalated, with the redhead first trying to confront her at the Breakdown of her revelation, and, surprise surprise, getting nowhere. From there, she had, once more, been ‘instructed’ by CHBK to spend her recovery at home in Manhattan to help the ‘healing process’.
Translation? Selena was back and until Deanna could fight, the new boss of SCW wanted them as far apart as possible. Okay okay… it wasn’t as black and white as that. Maybe Selena had demanded something of the SCW icon. Maybe he was simply looking out for Deanna and, to a lesser extent, Selena by giving them some space until Selena got adjusted and Deanna got use to the idea of the Snow Queen being back.
Cept she isn’t just the ‘Snow Queen’. Deanna thought, again the feeling of bitterness still lingering.
She’s also now ‘The Blue-Eyed Devil’.
She scoffed a little without meaning to. If ‘adjustment’ was what CHBK had wanted, then Selena had been a ‘pro’ at that. The woman had walked in, gotten her rematch clause and, in her first match back in SCW, had, once again, become the SCW World Champion! Could a louder statement have possibly been made?!
Nervously, Deanna reached up to work at her thumb with her teeth, a nervous tic. It was… gods, though she had so many questions, so many mixed feelings about all of this, there was no denying the feat her wife had accomplished. She had struggled with Asher, which would have been the case whether she had wrestled a match prior or not. The man was smart with no qualms of taking shortcuts. He had beaten and outsmarted Deanna… but had been destroyed by Selena.
That was the only word Deanna could use. It had been a good match, watching them from her ‘Forever Home’ in Manhattan, but… Selena had torn Asher apart, ending things with a move she had never seen her wife use before and knocking the man out.
And yet, rather than be happy for the platinum-blonde, all Deanna had felt, even now, was dread. Gods, it was horrible – did it make her horrible to feel this? She was the one that had wanted Selena back in the first place! Had begged and pleaded and even tried various ‘games’ to make that happen. She had all but driven Selena away because of that goal. Now? She had what she wanted! Selena was back in SCW… and yet… it wasn’t what she had wanted. Not like this.
Deanna shook her head, seeing the numbers continue to climb and draw her closer to the top of the tower.
Once more, she was back under a microscope in SCW. Not only had Selena stunned and shaken SCW, she had, in the span of a month, outshined all the work Deanna had done for herself and being her own person – her own wrestler. She had succeeded where Deanna had failed in capturing the world title AND done so in her first match back.
It made her match with Polly all the more nerve-wracking for Deanna. What if she came back, returned as it were, and immediately failed? Polly was a ruthless contender and was growing more and more driven by the day. Hell, the woman had almost beaten Deanna in the chamber, making it to the final two with her. What if she managed it this time? Whether it was straight-up or she had the Playgirls get involved or something else? What if Kandis got involved to mess with Selena? What if- it didn’t matter the ’how’ or the ‘why’ she quickly mentally yelled at herself.
If she lost… then it was back to square one.
It was a terrifying thought, but no less true. Maybe it was ‘forgivable’ to her ‘rank’ that she had failed where Selena, a much more seasoned wrestler, had succeeded with Asher Hayes. But if she came back in her return match and lost the United States Championship, the first show after her wife had captured the world title?
There would be no end to the comparison. It would all come rushing back.
“Not as good…”
“Still in Selena’s shadow…”
“Irrelevant now that Selena is back…”
They all stung her, yet she remained silent inside the elevator. It was something nobody would understand, especially Polly. Not even the SCW Universe would entirely get it- not even SELENA would entirely get it… but her wife’s return to SCW had made this match more do-or-die for Deanna than the damn chamber match had been.
This was the pace-setter. This was the statement that would set up the new year. And she needed to win this match, recovering or no. Lingering injury or otherwise. She couldn’t allow things to ‘go back’ to where they were. She couldn’t allow her rank to go down further than it had with that loss to Asher. She needed to emphatically state that she was STILL the United States Champion! Still doing things ‘her’ way even with Selena back in SCW!
And I’m not going to be able to do that until I clear my mind by getting some damn answers! she briskly reminded herself, taking a calming breath with a quick ‘huff’ of an exhale to center and encourage herself. Yes, the first step to all of this – getting herself to where she could win and retain her United States Championship – was making sure she wasn’t distracted by her wife’s presence in SCW. That meant getting everything out and them on the same page, or at least to a compromise. Clearly, seeing as how their last interaction – the Breakdown of Selena’s revealing – had gone, it was up to her to make that happen-
DING!
The sound of the elevator reaching the top floor rang in Deanna’s ears, causing her heart to leap into her throat as the doors slowly opened. To her surprise, they did not open to reveal another lobby or ‘hub of elevators’, but rather, like the doors to a house, lead right into a hall with pathways in front and to the sides. Turning her head, Deanna spied a closet by her, complete with various coats and shawls -
she never did enjoy wearing hats. Even in the cold winters..
“Hello?” she called out a bit nervously as she stepped inside, earning no answer right away. Further into the abode she stepped, each trek further into the hall only cementing the vast size of the penthouse. She spotted paintings on the walls, staircases that lead to a second floor and even a third floor! Hesitantly, she stepped further, letting the hall guide her journey, though she was certain she would get lost if she roamed too far. “Hello?” she tried again, her voice a little lighter and more uncertain. Had that girl, ‘Sam’, been misinformed or something?
Standing within the center of the penthouse, a supposed ‘Great Room’ of some kind, Deanna kept her hand on the nearby large table, gazing at the stairs that stretched upward – there were a few of them, all leading to separate places, she was sure. The walls were decorated much in the way the outside was. A stone, metal and glass combination that looked book like a castle and also somehow up-to-date. Despite herself, she had to admit that – that being here, inside it, she did feel a little like royalty. Or that she was visiting royalty –
some kind of ‘Holy hell! A Queen lives here!’ kind of deal!
“Deanna…” the voice trailed across the space gently, landing on her ears and immediately putting her attention to the stairs she had just previously viewed. It was only a second after that that the redhead spied the woman appearing before her, walking from around a nearby tapestry – one of many of snowflakes hanging from the wall (black and white designs) – to stand before the younger Frost. The woman wore… Deanna needed a second to let her brain reconnect, temporarily losing her thoughts at the sight of the woman before her…
A brisk shake of her head did that well enough, allowing her to refocus on the woman waiting patiently for her to speak. She wore white pants with a matching white longcoat that flowed behind her to the back of her feet. It was buttoned only with one set, revealing a matching corset the wrapped around the lithe frame Deanna knew was there. Her hair was in it’s braid, no surprise there, but she… well, she looked good, Deanna had to admit that to herself.
Quick, idiot! she told herself, seeing her wife’s gaze still waiting on her.
Think of something clever to say! “You look more like an angel than a devil!” she said awkwardly, hating the silence that followed.
Except for the small giggle, more of a courtesy than amusement, that came from Selena. “And you look better than I last saw you.” She replied gently. “How is the knee?”
“Better.” Deanna answered quickly, trying to forget her previous remark. “They say I’ll be cleared by next weekend and ready for Breakdown. I’ll be defending the United States Championship against Polly.”
“Good.” Selena smiled, slowly making her way down the stairs in her matching heels. “Polly’s a trickster of a wrestler, but you shouldn’t have a problem with her. She’s desperate to face you on her ‘own’, so that makes things a more level playing field for you.” She eyed her wife as she reached the same floor as her. “Outlast her and you’ll be fine.”
“Did…” Deanna’s eyes went wide. “Did you just give me advice on wrestling?”
As an answer, another laugh, this one a genuine one, escaped Selena, the woman hiding it behind the back of her hand. “You’re still adorable.” She remarked with a sigh before turning. “Come on.” She offered with a sweep of her hand. “Come sit down for a bit. I rather not impede your recovery.”
It took a moment for Deanna to realize the taller woman was moving, walking down a hallway adjacent to the stairs. Quickly, she followed, part of her trying to take in the scope and scale of this place, while another part of her couldn’t tear her eyes away from the leading figure in white.
“So…” the redhead tried, wanting to address the three or four elephants in the room, but finding herself at a loss for words. “Nice…place…” Gods, she hated how lame she sounded! She was getting better at talking at her promos – though she still didn’t have a catchy name to go with it. Months now and she was still just ‘Deanna Frost’. No nickname to inspire or just ‘be cool’ in SCW. Just… nothing had really fit or seemed right. She wasn’t something fierce like a lion, was she? She didn’t have some kind of ‘plug’ like Kandis and ‘Shameless’. She wasn’t like Polly, who had started as Polly ‘Playtime’ – actually, Deanna hadn’t really understood that particular gimmick. “The Girl that just LOVES to play…”. What did that mean? She loved to play games? She had heard of wrestlers like that in SCW’s past like Sketch Retro and wasn’t there one that had been on a YouTube video of ‘SCW’s strangest gimmicks’? Captain S? Commander V? Something like that.
Anyway, Deanna didn’t want that either. She wanted the next step in her career and her own, independent path to make sense. And she wasn’t going to just throw in any name or idea.
Maybe the SCW Universe can help me… or… She eyes the back of Selena.
Maybe I can run into Shawn Winters and he can come up with something cool… though I doubt he’ll hand me ‘The Face of SCW’-level of a name like he did for Selena. She shook her head. She had no desire to be ‘The Face of SCW’. Even with Selena gone, everyone had been clamouring to be that spot – the next person to take that mantle. No one had really ‘stood out’. Sure, there were crowd-favorites, but SCW had, sort of, tried to let things settle and see who emerged as the face of this new version of the company.
Deanna wanted no part of it. That would just tie her to another comparison with the platinum-blonde. Casting another gaze up, she was surprised to see her wife had turned her head, stopped and was gazing at her.
“Deanna?” she asked with a tilt of her head.
“Hmmm? Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”
Another small laugh – how many of those had she done? It was a moment that allowed Deanna to truly take in her wife’s demeanour. The way the woman had walked, gracefully in heels while Deanna still had a slight limp with her boots. Her shoulders were relaxed and her eyes… well, Deanna hadn’t gotten a good look until Selena had turned her head just now. Seeing the sapphire orbs, the redhead couldn’t help but see such light behind them. It wasn’t as bright or free as it could be, but it was definitely an improvement than what she had seen the last few months.
“I actually said that I didn’t hear what you said.” Selena answered.
“What did I say?” Deanna’s asked, her eyes widening a little.
“Don’t know. I missed it.”
“Oh…Uh…” Desperately, Deanna wracked her brain for an answer. Thinking about her name, her place in SCW – because it was now thrown into the woodchipper with the powerful return of Selena – unable to talk about the elephants in the room… THE ROOM! “I said ‘nice place’. That was it! Ha! I did it!” she said the last part more to herself, because, dammit, it felt good to be able to solve problems, however small, and she needed every personal victory she could get her hands on.
“Oh.” Selena nodded her head in understanding. “Thank you.” She smiled. “I always had my eye on it.” She turned to continue her walk through the halls. “I suppose you can take the girl out of Nome, but you can’t take the Nome out of the girl.” She gave a shrug.
“Not sure what that means.” Deanna responded.
Again, Selena simply nodded her head as she walked into another room. The space was massive, a dining room with a large table and even a fireplace nearby. If she turned her head, she could see, through a doorway, a large kitchen space, sterile and clean, no doubt. Still, Selena moved further from the table and the fireplace and further into the room. At the other end, there was lovely furniture – sitting chairs, a throne chair (no doubt for the Snow Queen), a couch and a large window. “Wow…” Deanna whispered to herself, Selena not hearing her.
“Hmmm?”
“Nothing.” Deanna remarked quickly. “Just lovely. What did you mean about the ‘Nome in the girl’?”
Carefully, Selena moved over to the black leather of the throne chair, sitting in it and gesturing for Deanna to choose a sit for herself. Despite herself, the younger Frost moved over to the couch. It was almost on instinct… she always took the couch in their family room in Manhattan.
“I suppose…” she heard Selena answered, the platinum-blonde contemplative. “Before everything, I had been the woman on top of the hill. The loner. Nome made me into the Snow Queen and… maybe I never outgrew it.”
“But…” Deanna tried, shrugging her shoulders. “You don’t have to be here.” She added lamely. “I mean… you don’t really belong here.”
“Yes, I do, Deanna.” Selena sighed, as if knowing the conversation would take this direction. “I have to be here. Alone. Speaking of which.” She eyes the redhead. “How did you find me?”
“It…” Deanna sighed. “Jean.”
“Ah.” Selena nodded in instant understanding. Jean Black, their old friend and detective. “Still the pro.” She remarked with a knowing smile.
“It wasn’t hard for him really.” Deanna shrugged. “All you were doing was using a private account that I didn’t have access to.”
“That isn’t what you think.” Selena said quickly, holding a hand up. “It use to just be an account for expenses with SCW. I would keep putting in money from my paycheck into it-“
Deanna shrugged. “It’s not like you had an alias or it was an off-shore account. The woman downstairs had said your real name, so… I, honestly, never really thought it was anything.” She eyed her wife honestly, earning a grateful, relieved nod from the woman in white. “Actually, I can’t really make sense of a lot of things right now.”
She took a moment to gaze around the room, feeling so small and…just so small. It was so different than their ‘Forever Home’. A place filled with love, or it had been. This place was bigger, probably far more expensive, but it seemed so… empty.
“Selena…” she turned her gaze to her wife. The expression wasn’t cold or closed off, but open and patient.
Where was this woman all these months? her mind wanted to scream, but she couldn’t let that happen. She didn’t want another fight with Selena. She wanted answers, yes, but not to push her wife further away – look how THAT had ended up. “Why?” was the only word she could squeak out, and yet, it seemed to say enough as Selena slowly nodded her head, pushing herself out of her throne chair and moving towards the massive window. Deanna even spied a rather impressive looking telescope sitting by the window.
“I suppose you deserve that answer.” She heard the platinum-blonde say.
Deanna wanted to give Selena the chance to further speak, but the questions were suddenly rushing out of her as she pushed herself off the couch to follow the platinum-blonde. “Did you mean anything you said at Tannis’ funeral?”
“Of course I did!” Selena remarked. “I truly believed you could have beaten Asher Hayes and become world champion!”
“But YOU were already making plans!” the redhead stated. “You were there the whole time!”
A sigh escaped the older woman. “Yes…”
“What you did… what CHBK said… how it all went down… you planned all of it.”
“Yes, I did.”
“You manipulated the board.”
“I made demands.”
“Before or after I was announced as one of the people for the world title shot?”
“After.”
“Before or after the cemetery?”
“Before.”
Deanna scoffed at the pile of answers. “And yet you still said you believed in me? That doesn’t make sense!”
“Yes, it does.” Selena shrugged, casting her gaze out the window. Below, there were clouds and then the numerous shorter buildings and streets, people looking like little more than tiny dots, only slightly smaller than the cars.
“Selena!” Deanna huffed. “You can’t say you believed in me becoming World Champion if you were making plans for the next shot! That would mean you didn’t believe in me beating Asher, so you were coming in to do what I couldn’t!”
“Or it didn’t matter to me who was the world champion.”
The statement, emotionless and simple, stopped Deanna in her tracks, verbally speaking. For a moment, she just stared there, staring at her wife in shock.
“It…” she tried. “It didn’t matter?”
Slowly, Selena turned her head towards Deanna. “I told you that you didn’t know what you were begging for.” She remarked. “No, it didn’t matter. My plan worked perfectly. Take the invitational, get a new contract and make management pay through the nose for it, and then take the world title. The ‘who was the world champion’ was irrelevant.”
“So…” Deanna gulped, her mind barely able to process the words assailing her mind. “You would have… attacked me.”
Selena shrugged. “Perhaps not as viciously. Perhaps not at all. I’ll admit, Asher Hayes’ actions and words towards you did give me a reason to… think outside the box… in certain parts of my plan.” She grinned, clearly recalling her night of ‘revealing’ on Breakdown.
“But you would have fought me? Would have tried to take the title from me if I had won?” Deanna asked.
“Not tried.” Selena scoffed. “We both know I would have.” She turned away to move back into the sitting room, once more taking a seat on her throne.
“How…how could you plan that?” Deanna asked in disbelief. “How could you do that to me?”
“I told you!” Selena barked at her wife. “How many months, Deanna? How many months did I beg you to leave me out of SCW! To stop talking about me! To stop showing me things! To stop trying to get me back there! Did you listen?!”
“I-“
“DID YOU?!” Selena’s voice echoed within the large space of the room within the castle, imposing and startling the poor redhead, rendering things into silence. Still, Deanna could only shake her head as an answer.
No, she hadn’t. She hadn’t listened. She had kept trying to push Selena back into SCW. Kept trying to get her to return to wrestling.
“I just…” she felt herself shake a little, staring down at her hands. “I was just trying to make you happy again.”
“Well… I am happy.” Selena stated, rising to her feet. “Or, I will be.” She corrected. “I’ve put things on that trajectory.”
“As the Blue-Eyed Devil?” Deanna shook her head, earning another scoff from Selena.
“Grow up, Deanna.” She remarked, shifting before Selena’s eyes. Her expression was the same as it was in those promo against Asher that Deanna had watched, her wife dissecting the man’s very career with her words. The confidence, the power… a far cry from her promos early last year. Now, that tone was radiating in Deanna’s ear as Selena spoke.
“What were you hoping for? That I’d come back just as before?” she laughed. “As if they would let me.” Her voice trailed off at that for a moment.
“I know they hated you.” Deanna moved further into the room again. “But we could have worked on that. We still can! I got them to get past their hatred of me! It can be done.”
“I don’t want them to get past it.” Selena stood by the fireplace, turning to gaze down her wife. “Why would I? What does that prove? Doesn’t change what they did. Doesn’t change that their fickle. Doesn’t change that they have no integrity. That they sell out those ideals to whatever is ‘entertaining’ or whatever.”
“That’s not.”
“Deanna.” Selena pressed, effectively silencing the U.S. champion. “No.” she added with finality. “I’m not interested in being the ‘favorite’ or whatever. You wanted me back. You got your wish. You got exactly what you wanted.”
“I didn’t want this!” Deanna almost shouted. “I didn’t want my wife to leave me and the kids and our home. I didn’t want my wife to become this…this…”
“Devil?” Selena asked knowingly. “I warned you, Deanna.” She stated again. “I told you that you wouldn’t like what would happen.”
“So, this is my fault? You’re blaming me for your actions?”
“I’m saying actions have consequences.” Selena fired back coldly. “I’ll pay for mine, but you’re not willing to pay for yours.”
The two glared each other down, Selena stepping closer. “You asked for this. You got it. You wanted this. You got it. Just because it’s not what you pictured doesn’t change that you made this happen.” She eyed the redhead’s knee. “Your knee was injured because you chose to go for the world title. Your choice.”
Deanna said nothing, merely standing in spot, staring down her wife.
“You walked out on me when I refused to go back. You left me alone with the children.”
“That was…”
“No different than what I am doing now.” Selena barked back. “You don’t get it both ways. You don’t get the doting housewife and the wrestler. I warned you of that.”
“So…” the redhead felt a slight sniffle escape her. “So what now? You just stay here? Bankrupting our savings on such a place?”
A laugh escaped Selena. “You really don’t know.” She remarked. “Did you think I didn’t negotiate a new contract with my return? Did you really think I would plan out everything and not account for this?” She gestured towards her space…
Her new home... the thought was heartbreaking to Deanna. “This is my castle, Deanna. Here is where I will become exactly what I need to be.”
“What about the children? What about me?”
Selena seemed to falter a little at that, probably thrown off because she had expected Deanna to ask follow-up with asking what Selena needed to be.
I still know her better than anyone… the younger woman reminded herself.
“I will still be there.” Selena remarked strongly. “I’ll be there to take them to school. And they can visit me here. I’m sure David would love the second floor…” she eyed the ceiling for a second before returning her focus to the present. “Same goes for you.”
“Oh, I’m welcome here?” Deanna scoffed sarcastically. “How generous.” She looked around the room, the vastness of the entire castle. She felt her hands clench into fists. All that she had learned: How Selena had worked everyone. The management for a better contract, CHBK for the title shot, the fans by throwing their hatred back on them.
She still had so many mixed emotions about it all. Because some of it, yes, she could see Selena’s point of view. But some of it… was just wrong.
“So, what about work?” Deanna finally asked. “Since you’re back, where does that leave us?”
“Very simple.” Selena remarked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Stay out of my way.”
The redhead’s eyes widened. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s a warning, Deanna.” Selena corrected, almost with a hint of care. “I’ve come too far now to simply fall back. I’m not going to stop now. Not till I dominate SCW. You have your title. Your reign is impressive. Stay there and we’ll have no problems. I’ll leave you be.”
She felt her jaw clench at those words and her spine stiffen. “And if I don’t?”
She watched sapphire eyes narrow before a long sigh escaped Selena. “Then I will do what I have to.”
“So it IS a threat.”
“It’s a promise.”
The two stood there in silence, Deanna biting her lower lip and staring at the floor for several minutes before lifting her head up and marching towards the world champion.
“I was taught never to back down from a threat. I was taught to never cower from someone trying to scare me off. I was taught to rise to every challenge. You know who taught me that?”
Selena said nothing, merely keeping her poise by the fireplace.
“You did.” Deanna answered the question herself. “So, I don’t care how you justify yourself and all you do. I don’t care how you play this. You want to go this route… then I’m not following it.” She stared her wife down for a second. “And… just like you’re not going to stop… I’m not going to stop being who I am! I’m going to be… be…” she breathed for a second, mustering her courage. “I don’t care how long it takes me. I am going to be a better champion than you. I am going to be a better superstar than you. And I am going to be something you’re clearly not interested in being. Something for people to believe in!”
She was almost surprised when she saw the smirk appear on Selena’s face, but it only prompted her further.
“And…” she glared. “If I end up having to go through you to do it. So be it!”
“Who’s threatening who now?” Selena asked, amused.
“I am.” Deanna refused to back down. “I am threatening you. It won’t be today or tomorrow, Selena. But sooner or later, I will be coming for you. World title, my title, no title. Don’t care. One day, I will be the one facing you in the ring. And when I do….” She moved a step closer, only an inch away from her wife, maybe less. “Do me a favor and actually show up.”
The raw emotion between the two almost knocked Deanna back a step but she forced it back, refusing to back down. Instead, she merely watched the Snow Queen – the queen of this Eyrie castle – sadly smile at her. “I will.” She answered simply.
Without another word, Deanna moved away, suddenly not wishing to stay in this place another second. She was barely out of the room before she heard. “Good luck.”
Again… that same two-word message that Selena had ‘graced’ her with the night she had entered the Elimination Chamber. That was all she was worth than and now – eight years of marriage, three kids, a dog, and two words was all this woman could muster.
She felt no anger at that or bitterness. No, Deanna merely felt sad that her dreams – noble as they had been – had become such a nightmare. But if Selena was telling the truth… if she, and she alone, was responsible for unleashing The Blue-Eyed Devil on SCW and all the SCW Universe… than maybe Selena was right. Maybe she DID need to take responsibility…
I can’t till I’m strong enough… she had to admit to herself. Right now, the difference was… well, like when she had been on the ground floor, staring up at the building. Selena was at the top. She was on the ground floor. But she would get to the top. She would a better champion and wrestler until the time came for them to fight.
That will be where I take responsibility for my actions…
Turning around to face Selena once more, Deanna merely shook her head. “I don’t need it.” She answered simply. “I never did.” Before continuing her walk down the path. She could feel the heartbreak in her chest – she still loved Selena and knew the woman, strange as she was now, still loved her.
But she had to walk away, as she was doing now. Because she had work to do – a family to raise, a title to defend, a career to restore, and a devil to prepare for…
_______________________________________________________________
So… where do we start?
Because usually, I say that when it’s been like a week or two or only an event or two has passed. Instead, I’ve had to really just stay quiet for like a month and some and watch the entire landscape of SCW change. So, when I ask that question, there really is so much to cover, isn’t there?
I mean, do I open up with the story of a Frost challenging for the SCW world title? Of a woman doing her best to ascend to a new level and become the SCW world champion? Do I talk about waging war with Asher Hayes and pushing him to the brink that he incorporates pulling the tights as a desperation tactic? Do I talk about the SCW Universe watching with baited-breath over who would emerge as champion? Do I talk about neither superstar being the same ever again?
*shrug*
Maybe… but if I do… then the inevitable question comes up…
Which Frost am I talking about?
Yeah… In the mere span of three weeks, my world was utterly turned upside down. Not only was I given the chance of a lifetime, not only was I chosen by you, the fans, for this golden opportunity, but I took that opportunity, I gave it everything that I had. I left EVERYTHING in the ring. I injured myself and tried to keep fighting…
And I lost.
I won’t make excuses. I did all I could and I messed up. Call it a miscalculation. Call it a misstep. Call it whatever you want. The bottom line is that I lost the chance you, the SCW Universe and Little Gritters, gave me and I will never be able to apologize enough for that. I am, truly, sorry.
You know… maybe this was a case of Icarus. Flew too close to the sun or something like that. Maybe this was me jumping too far ahead too fast, but believe me, I truly believed that I could achieve world-champion status that night. I truly believed that I could do what you all believed I could do. Toronto, EOTY, it wasn’t my night and I have to live with that. I had to live with that as I recovered.
But, like I said… there’s another Frost in this story. And in addition to failing, I had to watch as my wife, Selena, invaded SCW and reclaimed the world championship, beating the man I couldn’t.
And since then, like in September, the questions have just kept coming my way. Questions on Selena, the world title, all of it. And I gotta tell ya, for a brief moment – a brief moment – I was bitter. I was angry. It felt like the last few months of my career: the chamber matches, defending the title, being a champion for about 180 days had meant nothing. And for Selena to succeed where I failed just made it all the more frustrating as I sat at home, under medical order to recover.
In the span of a month, I went from feeling like I was on top of the world, to back at the bottom of the hill. And I don’t blame anyone for that. Not Asher who did what he was supposed to do in defending the title he cared about, not you guys for believing in me, not even in Selena for coming back. Rather, I blame myself.
I blame myself and I hold myself accountable but that also gives me something I desperately need in all of this. A direction. A focus. Because, while I am not the world champion, I am still the United States Champion. And while I may not be on top of the world, I can still walk back up that hill, step by step. Bit by bit, up that mountain, taking this beautiful title with me until I am ready to try again!
That’s the truth of the matter. Cause for a long time, I’ve been told by people that I get ‘handed’ things. That I was handed a shot at the United States Championship at the RTG Preshow last year. That I was handed a contract because of my last name and who my wife is. That I have had a rocket strapped to my back thanks to being a “Frost”.
And maybe… maybe part of that was true. Maybe there is some validity to that statement. I don’t want to believe it, but it wasn’t like I had much opposition in requesting a contract upgrade from manager to wrestler. But that doesn’t excuse the reality. And the reality is that, for two years, I busted my butt and earned every step and every scar that I have. And for the past four months, I have worked harder than anyone else to establish myself here in SCW. To establish myself as my own person.
And for someone like Selena to come in and do it so easily, redefined and all, yeah, it upsets me. It casts doubt. But it also lights a fire in me. A fire in me to be better. A better champion. A better superstar. A better Frost!
So that’s my challenge now. If she’s at the top and I am at the bottom, than dammit, I am going to do what I do and work harder than anyone else to climb that hill, climb that mountain, and BE BETTER! I don’t need to be world champion to do it! I don’t need to be crying over ‘unfairness’ and ‘it should be me’ to do it!
What I need to do is make this championship that I hold the true prize in SCW. The true workhorse title. The title that everyone wants to see. That everyone wants to talk about! That everyone wants to pay attention to! That legends and main-eventers and icons and Hall of Famers and new people and rookies – that EVERYONE wants a piece of!
And slowly, SCW Universe…Gritters… step by step… we are going to climb that mountain together! That I promise you!
2024 needs to start strong for me because I’ve already missed a month! I already missed a pay-per-view! I need to make up for that! I need to make up for that by stealing the show this Breakdown when I defend the United States Championship against Polly!
Now, Polly, you and I are no strangers to each other. It’s out there. You were the person I last eliminated in the chamber. You shocked the SCW Universe by outlasting not only the Hall of Famers Lucas Knight and Katie Steward but Gavin Taylor and the fast-rising Cassie Wolfe. And I know, you and I, we fought in tag matches with the Playgirls and the House of Frost and all that, but since that chamber match, your stock has kept rising and rising!
I’m not going to downplay that, Polly. I’ve seen your struggles, wearing a collar and leash, and I’ve seen your success against so many people, including last pay-per-view when you beat Sarah Wolfe! I said it then and I’ll say it now: after the chamber match, I knew that it was never a question about if I would defend this title against you again, but a matter of ‘when’.
I got my answer to that. It’s tonight. It’s in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it’s gonna be one of the main-events on Breakdown!
I could not ask for a better return, Polly. Could not ask for a better chance to prove a positive or prove a negative. What does that mean? I’ll explain!
Tonight, I have the past month – my loss to Asher, failing to capture the world title, my wife coming back and taking the world title – all of that behind me and a new year and that hill… that mountain… in front of me. And the question is how do I want that first step to be? Do I want to show the world that I’m shaken? That I’ve lost a step from that big loss and subsequent events? Or do I want that first step to be loud and full and showing the world that I am not done! That I am not going to stop! That I am going to take that loss and make something of it!
Like everyone else who deals with hardship, Polly, including you, you can either define it or let it define you! I choose to define it as a stepping stone! A lesson! An opportunity to learn and to grow and use it as a lesson!
What about you, Polly? Because I’m not sure you view it the same way. Because you… you say things like you ‘weren’t yourself’ when I beat you in the chamber. That it was Marissa Swanson controlling your mind or something? Hey, I’m not going to say a bad thing about mind games. They happen here in SCW, I get that. I’ve seen it firsthand.
But you used the same line on Wolfe, didn’t ya? That it was someone else responsible for your actions. And that sort of sits a little ill with me. Because the more and more you talked about it, the more and more it sounded less of a reason and more of a crutch. That you’re trying to absolve or forget about your past failings. Start clean or something.
And see, Polly, that is where we are fundamentally different. You say you have heart, I believe you. You say you want the United States Championship, I believe you. But where you make excuses about your losses, I own mine.
I own my shortcomings. I owned the ‘Five Moves of Doom’ match I had with Adam Allocco and used it as motivation to NEVER be so underprepared again. I used The One’s breaking of my arm to push myself further than ever and become someone that could overcome such a handicap. See, I don’t let those moments define me. I DEFINE them! I make them the stepping stones to surpass those moments.
And while you hide behind excuses of not ‘being yourself’ or ‘not being ready’ in our last chamber match, I saw that match as an eye-opener. I saw it as a lesson for me, especially where you are concerned. Because unlike the chamber, I’m not going in not knowing everyone. I’m going in with knowledge of you. Of knowing how good you are as a singles wrestler. Of how you move, how you ‘fly’, what you favor. I used that match to better prepare myself against you BECAUSE I knew I would face you again.
Just like I know that if I give you a second, you’ll get me and be the new SCW United States Champion! If I hesitate, if I second-guess, if I let my mind wander, SCW will have a new SCW United States Champion. And that is not something I am ready for, Polly. That is not something that I want to happen for me on my first match back in 2024. That is my credit to you!
But you need to actually give me some credit here. Not excuses. Not “oh if only I…”! No. There is a reason that I am the United States Champion and you’re not. There is a reason that I survived not one but two chamber matches with this title on the line and you haven’t. There is a reason that I was chosen for the chance to fight for the world title and you weren’t.
It’s because, like you, I have heart. I have grit. And when it comes down to it, I can go down deep. So deep that it takes an injury to take me down and keep me down. A broken arm, a busted knee, but I’ve always come back better than before- THAT is what you need to be concerned of, Polly!
Because I hear it. People wondering how I am going to bounce back. People asking how I’m going to make it work this year. Can I still do it? Asher Hayes didn’t think so. He thought I should ‘call it a day’ and that I wasn’t on his or any level. “Some people can do it and others can’t” right? But where’s he at now after his big loss?
Tucked tail and ran! He quit.
But I’m still here. I’m still here because that’s not a choice for me. I don’t quit. I don’t give up! I KEEP GOING! Regardless of the opponent, of the challenge, of the opinions, of the fear! I. Keep. Going! And I just get better. Every win, every loss, every lesson, I just get better and better. And he’s gonna enjoy watching that from his hotel or on his book tour or his movie tour or whatever else he’s got going on. He’s gonna sit and watch the woman he ‘dismissed’ get better and better. And you, Polly, you are going to see it tonight. You’re gonna see just how much of a ‘step’ I’ve, apparently, lost. You’re gonna see how much better I am and have a taste of how much better I am going to become!
I’m starting February – and 2024 - with a bang, Polly. You? You’re gonna start it with a win from Wolfe… and a Burnout from me!
Checkmate, bitches!![[Image: dove-cameron.gif]](https://media.tenor.com/GukQFlLWy1oAAAAd/dove-cameron.gif)
![[Image: 0f539315335f85b7d7d860690cbcfe95.gif]](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0f/53/93/0f539315335f85b7d7d860690cbcfe95.gif)