Chamber Match

[SnowQueenSCW]

The camera opens up to the interior of the Little Caesars Arena, the site of Under Attack. As per the norm of this segment, all is set up for the event: The ring, the ramp, the titantron screens, and the massive chamber hanging high above the ring, the lights that are on casting jagged illuminations through the chains as the camera catches it before the shot is changed to the middle of the ring, where the woman is standing.

She wears her wrestling attire, including the black snowflake-coat that is part of her entrance. Her hair is in its braid and she gazes up at the structure above her, clicking her tongue inside of her mouth.

Detroit, Michigan…

Do you believe?!

Do you believe in traditions? Patterns? Cause here we are, back again into the metal confines… she whispers before lowering her head carefully. Sorry, can’t stare at that thing too long – hurts my neck, which is still a little sore. She points at her pale neck, the same one that had been spiked with a piledriver not too long ago…

Welcome… she smiles. Welcome, SCW Universe, disbelievers, whatever you want to be – to Under Attack. And like the traditions that follow this time of year: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Day of the Dead – SCW will bring the return of the Elimination Chamber match! THREE matches in fact! she muses in delight.

One: For the honor and glory of the Underground championship!
Another: For the honor and glory of the SCW Tag-Team championship!
And lastly: As coined on X by SCW’s on account – Mason’s Consequences…

She pauses for a moment, letting that last name sink in before her voice has a sing-song quality to it. One of these is not like the other… she allows herself to laugh a little.

And the funny thing is… you’ve got the man himself, who’s so unbelievably stupid… that he doesn’t even get it!

Seriously, Blake, I utterly loved your little spin last Breakdown on things. That you could stand there, in the middle of the ring and whine and complain and try – not rather well, mind you – but try and play yourself off as the ‘victim’ in all of this! That YOU were the one that will be getting revenge tonight.

The next chuckle that escapes her is far more bitter in tone and the smile on Selena’s face fades a little. Let me get this straight, Blake, cause I’ve been travelling internationally the last few days and jumping through some time zones so I might be a little jetlagged. But let me try. You’re mad because I cost you the World championship, in your hometown, and I should be punished simply because, when you screwed ME out of the Trios Tournament finals… that was okay because I didn’t need the contract? That about it?

She tilts her head. Now, calling a spade a spade? You’re damn right I screwed you out of the title, Blake. You think we didn’t see it? You think we didn’t know you had Hudson dead to rites? Hell, you’ve got Xander Valentine salivating like NEVER before! He was scared shitless because Hudson beat the woman he hasn’t beaten on his own in YEARS, and in you come and just make it look easy! Like what happened at Rise to Greatness against me was a damn fluke! She grins wickedly. And you know who else knows that? Josh Hudson! He knows it! Moreover, he knows that he’s FAILED in this ‘Wild, Wild West’ shit he promised. Because while he’s shaking hands with Amy Chastaine and Xander Valentine – I’m fighting in a damn chamber match with the man that SHOULD BE world champion but isn’t… and that’s… her grin widens a little. Just so delightful.

Because now? Josh Hudson knows that I SAVED him. That he is only SCW World champion because of ME. That he is safe from switching places in the chamber with you because of ME! That all he has in SCW now – all that he is right now? - is because of ME! Josh Hudson. Owes. Me. Everything!

But let’s get back to you, Mr. Crybaby.

Slowly, Selena paces around the ring. Because you were right about something else, Blake. I didn’t need a Trios contract. In fact, I believe I said that in my promo building up to the finals at Apocalypse. That win or lose, my path would remain the same – an eventual world title match where I regain the world championship, right? I lose nothing one way or the other.

She gives a shrug. It was right when I said it. It was right when you said it. And it’ll be right when you say it again or James Evans says it in-between what seems to have become the tradition of my opponents inevitable monologue about ‘Saving SCW from Selena’. So why? Why do all that I’ve done to you when I didn’t lose anything I needed?

Turning her head towards the camera, Selena’s eyes narrow a little, growing colder. Cause this isn’t about what I needed, you piece of shit. she growls. This is about what I wanted!

And I wanted that Trios contract, Blake. Just like you wanted to finally, after so many years, be the SCW world champion. You didn’t need it! You had your legacy! Probably Hall of Famer eventually! You didn’t need the world title. You just wanted it.

And you… you took what I wanted from me… So, I returned the favor!

And… like everything else between you and me, I did it in a grander fashion. See, not only did I take something from you, I did it in your hometown! I got to humiliate you in front of your fellow Bostonians! Yes… “Thank you for coming!” to watch your hometown hero FAIL as he always has! Throughout his entire career – ever crawling back on his belly like a worm, begging for one more chance! One more opportunity.

And then, to get to beat that worm down with a chair. She gives a smacking of her lips against her fingers. Chef’s kiss right there. At least until we settle this tonight, Mason. See, this is how I do things in SCW.

You came in here with all the plans and money and contacts in the world, didn’t you? You had CHBK letting you in – like all his other veteran buddies that he’s conned to come in and get in my way of the world title and my dominance. You, Number 8 or 9, on his list, I suppose? I’ve lost track after Xander, Josh, Ace, Evans, Amy, and the rest. The old being corralled in to try and get rid of the new, and that includes you in the former, Mason. And you came here expecting the world to be handed to you on a silver platter – with all your plans and schemes you could launch and no one would dare defy you. No one would stop you…

And had you chosen ANYONE else to mess with? You may have succeeded. You MAY have gotten the proper result, beat Hudson, and may just be SCW World champion!

But… you didn’t.

She glares back at the camera. You chose to fuck with me… and to quote a woman that I hope is enjoying her SECOND suspension… You fuck around… You find out. She grins again.

See me, Blake… she shrugs. I’m not afraid of messing with people who mess with me, regardless of how much money or paid-hands they have. You think you can intimidate me by having Brittany Lohan in your pocket? By showing that Andrew Raynes can be paid off by you? Blake, I single-handedly took down The Brand! I drove Vixen Cain out of SCW! And lest we forget, not only am I ‘the savior’ of the current world champion, I choked out the current challenger for that same world title! The man that needed YOU helping him to give him a victory over my team!

So, let’s take a REAL look at tonight’s match shall we? Because when it comes your little ‘victim’ act, no one believes it. Because it’s not just me you screwed over!

You screwed over Polly, a woman I have come to respect, albeit mildly. A woman that’s worked her ass off this year more than you, Brittany Lohan AND James Evans COMBINED! A woman that has worked harder than everyone except me, only wanting the chance to break the glass ceiling and ascend to the next level! Trios was HER chance to do that! A person that NEEDED that contract, Mason! And you took it from her.

You screwed over Raynes, whether you want to apologize or not about it now. And then you LIED to him! Fed him some BS that you – surprise surprise – couldn’t deliver on! Side note, Andrew? The man’s got ONE win to his credit since his return! A DQ win against Chris Lawler, okay? And that was because I leveled him with a kick. By the way, same man that denied you the chance to just use Trios to get a world title shot in the first place. What did you THINK was going to happen when dealing with him?!

Selena shakes her head knowingly. But back to you again, Blake. You also screwed over Amelia Blythe. The woman that wanted to EARN her Trios contract with integrity – someone that doesn’t care for this ‘Wild West’ BS. Someone that is a dear friend of mine.

So… considering the people I respect and like that you screwed over – is it any wonder I’ve taken it upon myself to make you my personal whipping boy these past few weeks?

She suddenly smirks. And I know James Evans is going to throw a tantrum. “Oh she’s not talking about me! She’s only talking about Blake”. James, just put a cork in it for a second, I’ll deal with you in a second. It’s a thing called priorities. Maybe if you actually knew anything about that, you’d not have to jump from division to division and group to group trying to remain relevant here.

But Blake… you want to make this all about your quest for the world title? That if you can string together this narrative, you can finally grasp that title in your hands and hear the words only James and I have heard from everyone in this match.

“The winner… and NEW SCW WORLD CHAMPION…”

But let me make this clear, Blake. This isn’t your match to become the next contender. This isn’t your match to become ‘the next world champion’. No. This is your consequences. This is your comeuppance. This is everyone taking you and your little lackey, Lohan, down in the process. And believe me when I say this… your little story? Your little tale? Ain’t going to happen. Know why? Same reason you’ve been little more than paste in the ring every Breakdown.

Because I am here. Because I am in your way. I wasn’t before! I didn’t care who was world champion while I waited, but congratulations, you pissed me off! And now? I care. Now? I’m in YOUR way. And now? I’m the one that’s going to STAY in your way, ahead of you and above you in ranking and credit so that that little embarrassment back in Massachusetts? That’s the ONLY chance you’re going to have to get the world title!

Reaching one of the ropes, Selena looks out upon the empty arena. Speaking of people that pissed me off and comeuppance… We’re finally on you, James. Yeah, crazy-mind, whiney, ‘don’t forget about me!’ James Evans. You know what, man? When you were at least pretending to be like Two-Face with Abel, it was somewhat credible. You had a dark side, you had this thing that was amusing and you got some stuff done.

But now? I mean… look at you! You need a stable holding you up! You can’t do anything in the division you supposedly ‘elevated’ if Rise to Greatness was any indication. Hell, James, you don’t even realize that I did you a favor! Cause if, at your best in 2020, you couldn’t beat Josh Hudson’s future bitch…

Then what did you expect from the man that could beat the hell out of Josh Hudson now? Imagine what Blake Mason could have done to your attention-seeking ass if I hadn’t stepped in!

Selena shakes her head. You should be THANKING me, James! You know that? Because I made your little match and took it from him beating you to the ground… and gave you the chance to stand tall as a viable threat in the chamber! I gave you that platform – elevating you and I mean actually elevating you, not like how you did in hoarding a title just to be one more person Kimberly Williams beat to further her own legacy.

Shaking her head, Selena turns back into the ring. There was a time, James, I’ll acknowledge it, that you WERE the standard in SCW. But that was a LONG time ago. And unlike the other oldies like Allocco and Marshall and Hudson, every time you’ve slithered back here like the snake that you are, it has ultimately gotten you nowhere. It has, ultimately, amounted to nothing!

To where you point to 70 days as Underground champion and you call it ‘elevating a title’. Where you take me down ONCE with a sneak attack like Blake Mason did and you say you will ‘kill me’. You know what elevating a title REALLY is, James? It’s bringing that title to FOUR different Rise to Greatness main-events! It’s 234 days as the longest reigning world champion in SCW history! It’s holding that title SIX MONTHS of this past year and letting newcomers, fresh faces and oldies like you get their shot and – unlike you – ensuring it is a FAIR shot! THAT is how you elevate a title! THAT is how you make a legacy here in SCW!

But you rather just spin a pretty tale like Blake Mason, all while throwing the same diatribe every single person has said for months. ‘Selena is evil! Selena is the devil! Selena buries people! I hope Selena gets cancer during her match! Selena needs to die!’ and promising to ‘save SCW from me’.

Looking away for a moment, Selena is more annoyed with the same old insults rather than angry, releasing a sigh before returning her gaze towards the camera. Yeah, James, let me be the pin that bursts your bubble here. You THINK you can kill me – you couldn’t kill Kimberly Williams, you sure as HELL don’t have what it takes to kill me! Whatever you THINK it’s going to take, I’ll tell you to your face, it is going to take SO MUCH more to just keep me down for three seconds, let alone take me out for good!

A knowing smirk comes to her face. That’s what I despise about you and Mason so much, you know that, James? That you think you can waltz back here as if nothing’s changed since your haydays. That you can come here, call the shots, screw people around, and that’s that. That you can waltz into a chamber match like this like it’s yours. Like nothing’s going to stop you. That you can declare this and that and everyone needs to just ‘believe’ and ‘fall in line’…

Slowly, Selena’s head turns back to the camera. That isn’t going to happen, James. Because this isn’t ‘YOUR’ SCW to save. This isn’t Mason’s chamber to win and get another world title match. This is MY SCW! This is MY chamber! A place where I have thrived more than ANY other person! You’ve won one Thunderdome, James? I’ve won Tactical Warfare! Roofed Cage! Elimination chamber! And countless more! she points to the top where the cage hangs.

And the names of those I beat? Numerous. Bree Lancaster, Matt Alistaire, Chris Cannon, Trinity Street, Syren and Ravyn, hell, I’ll even say Polly Pignotti so she knows I remember, but that’s just to name a few!

The numbers don’t lie, James. Those I beat, the victories I’ve done in this structure? You can’t even compare to it! So maybe you shouldn’t be promising my death, old man. she gives a shrug. Maybe you should be praying to me to not humiliate you like I have Blake Mason. Cause when it comes down to it… you can be focused on me and want to be ‘the one’ to take me down all you want…

But like I dragged Hudson’s body over Mason’s… I’ll have no problem letting Polly cover you if the opportunity presents itself! Least then you’d actually be elevating someone’s career for a change… she grins knowingly before eyeing the chamber above her.

At the end of the day, boys, Mason’s words ring true. This… changes nothing for me! Neither of you can end me, so I WILL become the world champion when I see fit to become so. Like Trios… I lose nothing…

I don’t need to win… she eyes the camera darkly. I just want to.

And tonight, that’s exactly what I am going to do. I am going to make you, your cohorts, your associates, every person you got tied to you look you in the eyes when this is done. Whether it’s your ‘crew and cohorts’, Blake, or The Fall of Man, James… They are all going to say the same thing about the two of you. They are all going to say the same thing about what you’ve done:

Mason at Apocalypse.
James last Breakdown.

Standing in the middle of the ring, Selena’s cold glare rips through all that see it. You should have left Selena well enough alone… a dark smirk graces her lips. Whether you want to believe them… or not.

Lifting her eyes, she gives one more glance to the chamber above before returning to look at the camera. See you in hell, boys… before the camera fades entirely to black.