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[SnowQueenSCW]

The Witches of Alden

”Blame”

VanHohenheim House
Maplewood, New Jersey
December 2nd, 2023
2:02pm

She could see the house and garden in the distance, quickly approaching her, as if the property was the one speeding towards her rather than her Liberty. Still, Deanna didn’t care, emerald eyes jerking left and right to constantly check the road for any of the neighborhood children. The weather had been the same in New Jersey as it had been in New York, which might ‘street hockey’ and ‘tag’ were very much on the table for children activities. Hell, she had left her three children – well, two, mostly as Elsianna was helping watch them – playing tag when Gerda had arrived to look after them as well. Fortunately, there weren’t many people outside in the small neighborhood as the redhead pulled up to the house, parking on the side of the street next to the front lawn.

Immediately, her eyes spotted Selena’s motorcycle resting on the other side of the driveway from where Deanna had parked. She recognized the make and model immediately. After all, Deanna had been the one that bought it for her wife years ago. It had been just a few months after the pair had moved into their ‘Forever Home’, shortly before their wedding and only a month or so since Deanna had gotten pregnant with their son, David. She had seen her wife oogling a motorcycle and then looking at them on the computer – which had made the case a no-brainer. She had scrimped up her savings as Selena’s manager – meager compared to the salary Selena had been bringing in but still possible – and bought her the dark-blue bike, even getting some snowflake-decals put on it. The cost had been more than worth it just to see Selena’s face beaming at it – the Snow Queen, at the time, having been too ‘responsible’ thinking of her soon-to-be expanded family to truly think for herself for even a moment.

She deserved to be happy and nice things… Deanna thought, realizing she had already parked the car in her mental wanderings, even turned it off, and was now simply sitting in the driver’s seat, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Deep down, that’s what all this was about. Making her wife happy. That was all Deanna had truly wanted. Not to have Selena be her ‘shield’ or ‘sword’ or ‘security blanket’ or whatever. Not to protect her. No! It was just to make Selena happy… And no matter how many times Selena had said she was since leaving SCW, Deanna could see right through it. For months, she had seen her wife avoid talking too much about the federation she had spent nearly a decade in. Nothing about her accolades. No what-ifs. No going elsewhere like XWF or TIA federations. No! It was a total ‘out of sight/out of mind’ scenario and it was just… wrong.

That’s what had driven Deanna to all of this – driven her to try and force Selena to open up to her about it. Because that’s what this ‘house-wife’, ‘I’m so happy to have all this free time!’ screamed to her. More avoidance. More just running away and pushing it to the side rather than facing it!

If Selena were happy, truly happy, with leaving SCW – even retiring from wrestling altogether, than Deanna could have easily accepted it. She could handle herself and things like Fatal Fortunes and The One’s upcoming cash-in! She had managed through the Elimination Chamber just fine, hadn’t she? She had lived through, basically a year as some ‘joke’ thanks to the ‘5 moves of Doom’ match she had had with Adam Allocco and turned that around. But this life – this version of her wife? – that wasn’t her wife happy. Not like she had been winning, and losing, big matches with integrity. Not like when she had beaten Cid Turner the first time to headline Rise to Greatness. Not like when they had won the tag-team titles together. Not like… like so many other times in their lives.

The smiles seemed force.
The laughter seemed like an act.

And no one could see it but Deanna…

“Crap…” Deanna sighed, realizing she still hadn’t gotten out of the vehicle. “What the hell am I going to say?” She was sure her mother-in-law, Alejandra, wouldn’t object to her dropping by, but she and Selena had not spoken more than a few words and hadn’t seen each other since before Under Attack!

Casting her eyes downward, Deanna spotted her phone on the opposing seat and quickly snatched it. She knew what she wanted. An explanation. And if she could charge ahead with demanding a chamber match for the United States championship, she could do this. With one more steeling breath, Deanna pulled herself out of her vehicle, her eyes, once more, finding her wife’s motorcycle before marching past it. She assumed the front door would be locked, but she knew that Alejandra kept the side-door by the garden unlocked until the evening. Pulling the screen door open, the redhead pushed the door open after turning the handle, stepping right into the house and immediately smelling the vanilla candles.

“Hello?” came the familiar voice, allowing Deanna to lock onto it and move up the short stairs to the source, coming from the familiar family room. Reaching it, she spied her mother-in-law sitting on the couch, her eyes full of surprise but her smile gentle.

“Deanna-“

“Sorry, mom.” Deanna spoke quickly. “But I needed to-“ her words stopped as she turned her head to see her intended target standing at the other side of the room, a cup of tea in her pale hands.

“What’s wrong?” came the short and quick question, but the alarm in her voice was clear. “Are the children alright?”

“They’re fine.” Deanna assured the older woman. “Gerda is watching them.”
“Oh…okay.” Selena breathed, the awkwardness high between the two wives. “What is…”

“You tell me-“ Deanna started before stopping herself. “Nope… let me try that again. Don’t want to start this combative.” Holding out her head, she turned her phone screen on, using her fingerprint to unlock the phone to the video link Elsianna had sent her before handing the device to Selena. For a moment, she just stood there, watching her wife intensely as Selena’s eyes gazed down at the video Elsianna had played for Deanna only an hour ago. She saw sapphire eyes narrow, then grow wide, then narrow again. Saw the jaw muscles tighten under pale skin as Selena clenched her jaw. And finally, a long exhale escaped the platinum-blonde before the taller Frost lowered the phone, taking a few long breaths before slowly turning her head towards Deanna.

“Did you do this?” she asked.
“Did I-“
“Did you tell them I was coming back?” Selena asked directly.
“Wha-me?!” Deanna stammered, the conversation taking a turn she had never expected. “No!”

“Oh come off it, Deanna!” Selena shot back. “What was the plan? You tell them I’m coming back? Get SCW excited or whatever and then I have no choice because I would be ‘letting down SCW’ or ‘making you out to be a liar?!” Her voice was angry, but the hurt in it was far more apparent. For Deanna, it was the reverse!

“You’re blaming me for this?!” she asked in disbelief. “Why the hell would I have come here asking for an explanation if I was behind this?!” she glared at her wife. “Elsianna showed me the video! I didn’t even see it till an hour ago!”

“Then you said something.” Selena shot back. “Something in an interview that got screwed up. Something misinterpreted!”

“I’ve barely mentioned you! And it’s not like I’m hogging the ring with things to talk about these days!” Deanna argued.

“Girls, I think we need to calm-“ Alejandra tried but her daughter overpowered her.

“Then why does this video exist?” Selena’s voice raised.
“I don’t know! I thought it was you who did it!” Deanna replied. “After our fight! I thought you were behind this!”

“Oh my god….” Selena turned, rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand as she gazed out the large window to the front yard where her motorcycle was parked, a bitter laugh escaping her. For Deanna, it was more than enough proof to her.

“So this isn’t a joke.” She replied. “You seriously aren’t behind this?”
Another bitter laugh but this time, Selena turned her head back to her. “I am so tired of this. I’ve run out of ways to tell you. And I’m sick of all these little games of yours.”
“I told you! I’m not behind-“

“I DON’T BELIEVE YOU!”

The last statement rang from Selena’s throat and filled the room, casting it into complete silence. For Deanna, she could no longer find the words, her energy being bent to stop the stinging in her eyes from unshed tears that threatened to fall. “Fine…” she whispered. “If nothing has changed from the last time we spoke, I’ll be going.”

“Deanna… no.” Alejandra tried, pushing herself out of her seat. “Please stay and we can talk about this as a family.”

“No point.” Deanna replied, the bitter clear in her voice. “Not like she’d believe me no matter what I said.”

“She didn’t mean that!” Alejandra cried out as Deanna marched away, going the way she had entered to find herself back outside on the front line. She didn’t go directly to her car, instead stopping in front of Selena’s motorcycle. What happened next, she wasn’t sure what caused it.

Was it rage at SCW for that video? If neither Frost was behind it, than why?
Was it anger at Selena for all she had said?
Was it anger at herself for daring to hope again?

Maybe it was all three, but the next thing the redhead knew, she pulled the bike upright and her right foot had swung out, kicking the kickstand out before simply stepping back and letting the bike – her gift to Selena – fall to the ground with a loud clang! Quickly, she jerked her head to glare up at the window, spying Selena looking down at her with an expression that read two things: tired and sad. The anger was gone from the Snow Queen and she merely shook her head at Deanna, which only spiked Deanna’s anger as the redhead turned and got back into her car. She was speeding away within seconds, heading back to… back to…

Actually, she didn’t know where she wanted to go. But right now, she prayed that her wife had been telling the truth about that video.

Because Selena Frost was now the last person Deanna wanted to see.

_______________________________________________________________


So… yeah… Still working on a name for this segment thing, guys. Really sorry about that. I know with everyone having flashy new names and nicknames and such – SCW constantly changing, I’m sort of behind the proverbial eight-ball in that. But as you can imagine, I’ve been, understandably, distracted with some other, more pressing issues lately than the trimmings of a nickname or title for my promos. And I’ve always been a woman that favors ‘substance’ over ‘style’. I’ve never needed sparkling dresses or scandals or TMZ videos or holidays renamed after me. At the end of the day, the only thing I’ve truly cared about is being true to myself and leaving everything I have in that ring…

So, please bear with me on this as I speak my mind and my heart. I also need, if I may, to ask your indulgence on where I am going to tread because what I am going to say is something that some people may not agree with. And if that’s not your thing, change the channel, switch the video, feel free to watch someone else’s verbal rambling about ‘fortune smiling on them’.

Because I know what EVERYONE wants me to talk about. What everyone wants me to discuss. I mean, everyone saw the video right? Nobody else was highlighted last Breakdown for Fatal Fortunes were they? Not the champions, not the current talent. Nobody else got a full hype video made for them. Nope, SCW chose one former superstar to talk about and the reaction has been… well, exactly what you’d expect – so I know what everyone wants to ask me. Wants me to ‘legitimize’, right?

But, legitimately… and honestly, guys… it doesn’t matter one way or another.

I’m sorry. I know that’s a swerve coming from me, but it doesn’t matter to me. Whether or not one particular superstar shows up or not is not important to me because that is not what these two nights are about to me. Whether or not one certain wrestler shows up, bells ringing, snow falling, loudly booed by you guys or whatever – it simply doesn’t change what I need to do when my name is, inevitably, drawn. What I have to do when the pressure is on me.

And when I say that, I don’t mean about a potential ‘opportunity’ for another title or contendership. I don’t mean the other ‘unknown’ match that I could be part of. I don’t mean getting a ‘big break’ or a ‘lucky draw’ or whatever! Again, you know me, guys, and I don’t walk away from fights – I give them my all and when THAT match happens… IF a match like those happens, I will give you everything I have. You have my word on that.

But all I’ve been hearing about Fatal Fortunes from people so far has been wanting to ‘get something’ out of it. No, it’s true. James Evans wants another title, Lexy wants more titles for her little group, The One wants titles, clearly. Amy Chastaine would love a title. Everyone wants fortune to smile on them and give them ‘more’ and no one’s future is set or clear.

Except whoever holds this title. The United States Championship.

See, speaking about ‘The One’... Last week, Kristen Scott made a bold declaration that, as soon as Fatal Fortunes concludes, the United States champion will have to defend their title against her on the last episode of Breakdown of the year as part of her Trios Cash-in. Yeah. Out of the fire and into the frying pan, right, guys?

And some people would look at that and instantly feel dread. Feel that trepidation. That hesitation about whether or not they want to be thrown into that kind of mess. Like, is it ‘fortune’ to have an opportunity for this title if you’re gonna have to defend it right after against the woman that’s beaten the likes of Syren AND Kandis? Is it an opportunity to be the United States Champion if you immediately are up against the woman that broke my arm without a second thought?

HELL YES, IT IS!

Kristen Scott may be eager to ‘pass me by’ with remarks like ‘whoever is the United States Champion’, but I, personally, see that as a challenge! I see that as someone daring me to meet them and still be here – still be the United States Champion – when that cash-in occurs! Daring me to be standing there, and, dammit, it is a challenge that I readily accept!

So, I am not interested in wishing for another title or some ‘big reward’ for my ‘other match’. I am not interested in ‘adding a title’ to my collection as some sort of gimmick of ‘cleansing them’. I am not interested in proving I am ‘a hero’ or ‘the biggest star of SCW’. I am not interested in settling for whatever ‘title’ floats my way. And I sure as hell am not interested in the drama surrounding the world title or listing off every ‘good opponent’ I could face. While those opportunities will get my best if they come my way, the truth is that my focus, my heart, all I am, is focused solely on defending and RETAINING the title that I have! The title that has meant so much to me for so much of this year! The title that I went through the chamber from start to finish to retain! The SCW United States Championship!

Because when it comes to this title, there is no challenge that I am afraid of. There is not a superstar in the back, coming or going, that I am afraid of! There is not a match stipulation that I am afraid of! And that goes for every legend, veteran, rookie, mid-carder, main-eventer, even the popcorn guy if he gets drawn – I do not fear the unknown and what I fight for isn’t fortune but certainty!

And, for certain, I WANT to be the one that fights Scott’s cash-in. I WANT to be the person that survives Fatal Fortunes and ‘The One’ for the umpteenth time and be the person that brings this title into the new year of 2024!

And more importantly, with so much drama surrounding so many other titles, I want THIS title to continue to be the proving grounds for myself and everyone that comes in to challenge for it. Proving grounds to show our skills, our heart, our abilities, everything that we have and everything we bring to this ring!

Now, for those of you that think I am being foolish in focusing on ‘what I already have’ and the harder road ahead of me that comes with retaining this championship, I’ll simply show you this.

This scar on my arm? The one from where Kristen Scott broke it last year? Yeah, if you haven’t figured it out from that, then you really don’t know me, because ‘the hard way’ is how I’ve been living my entire life! I don’t want ‘easy’. I don’t want ‘simple’. That isn’t going to help me continue to forge my path here in Supreme Championship Wrestling. That isn’t going to prove to the world that I am my own woman and can stand on my own!

I wrestled under the last name of the woman that I love DESPITE knowing that I would be hated for it.
I wrestled with a broken arm DESPITE risking my career.
I took on two matches across two nights DESPITE putting myself at a disadvantage.
I demanded the Elimination Chamber DESPITE the odds being stacked against me!
And now? I seek to retain the United States Championship DESPITE the force of destruction that awaits me if I do!

I will NEVER take the shortcut. I will NEVER take ‘the easy way out’. I will NEVER hide from my problems or run from my fears! I will face them – any and all, just like at Fatal Fortunes! I will face any and all that comes my way for this title! And you can bet your butt that I will give as good as I receive!

So, I don’t care who’s “Year of”, it is. I don’t care if you’re so desperate for titles that you’ve got someone ‘campaigning’ for another shot for you. I don’t care if you’ve got some cute tagline or some crystal ball or some other ‘insight’. I don’t care if you have ‘a system’. And I don’t care if you have to scrape me off the ring from my ‘other’ match and toss me into the ring for the title defense, I am GOING to find a way to retain this title DESPITE it all!

And when I do, Kristen, you better damn well be watching! Because if I am willing to defy such odds to remain the United States Champion, if I am willing to endure things that you have NEVER endured before… then what the hell do you think I’m going to do and endure to get past you?

Fatal Fortunes… where every path is unclear and unknown, I say this with utmost honesty, my ‘path’ – my ‘way’ – has never been clearer. I have never felt more purpose. I have never felt more ready. I have never felt more excited to face the unknown and refuse to waver!

So prepare, SCW Universe. Because fate, karma, The One’s plan? The outcome of all three is beyond clear and beyond certain. It’s me… burning it all to the ground!

Checkmate, bitches!