04-14-2024, 11:51 PM
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 Dead Rabbit
New York City, New York
March 24th, 2024
10:04pm
She looked around the place, actually able to distract her mind enough with a simple question. How many places like this had she frequented in the last year? With Stallis, her father, even on her own late at night, walking the streets of New York City to collect her thoughts about the directions the various aspects of her life had taken at the start of the year, Selena had found herself wandering into establishments like this over and over again. Places like this to sit, browse through her photos of ‘happier, simpler times’, or just to think. To the point where she could not really answer that question with an accurate response. She had just lost track.
At first, part of her was worried that it was some kind of dormant part of her brain – particularly her past addictions rearing its ugly head(s). Part of her had worried that, in becoming closed off to the world of the SCW Universe, she would become the Snow Queen that she had been back in her time in Nome, Alaska. Yes, an outcast, but, more worriedly, one on their own path of personal destruction.
She could still remember those days, despite it being over a decade ago. How she would leave her home or her father’s mine only to grab essentials from the necessary stores or to take a shift at her Uncle Liam’s Bar and Grill – little else, really – spending her days mining and/or working and her nights drinking herself to sleep. How her only ‘friends’ were her uncle, her one-off affair/detective Jean Black, and her child of snow, which wasn’t even real. But that was her life, her faith in her father’s mine (something real) compounded with something fake (her snow child) and the alcohol and fleeting emotions and needs needed to balance it all with delusion.
Still, she had seemed cold and untouchable to everyone back then – exactly as she had wanted to be. To mess with her would be to bring on forth your own misfortune and all of Nome knew that. Yet, even those who dared, like Gavin and his goons (back then), she had remained unfettered and unfazed. No one saw the cracks in her icy-armor. No one saw the nights where she drank the pain away. No one saw her with her daughter beyond mere rumor and hearsay. All they saw was the Snow Queen, the pariah, the ‘crazy-miner’s daughter’ and she had been fine with that.
And while she knew, now, that such an unstable mental state was not going to happen, her frequenting of such bars and taverns, at first, had worried Selena about her addiction coming back as part of her ‘colder demeanour’ in SCW – reemerging in some way. Fortunately, that hadn’t been the case, and the platinum-blonde still felt no desire for alcohol or painkillers. For that, she was beyond grateful.
She was currently on top of the world in SCW, and such things would only distract her. And then what?
It wasn’t that hard of a question to answer in her mind as she sat against inside the booth she had selected for herself when she had entered into ‘The Dead Rabbit’ about an hour ago. There was a reason she had come back to SCW, firing on all cylinders, and able to not only finally crush that task of winning the End of the Year Invitational (the match she had made her debut at a decade prior), but also nab the world title in her rematch, defeat Kandis in the ‘Shameless’ one’s rematch for said title, and had all but taken over as the fixture-point/main-event star in SCW. That reason was having everything work for her. Her mind was sharper than it had been, playing the game to rules she could control rather than ‘let others decide for her’. Her training? She had upped it since she had made the call to return, pushing herself farther and harder than she ever had in the last ten years. And, petty as it was, to accomplish that goal, all she had to do was see what other superstars were doing on social media. The Lexys, the Pollys, people that just HAD to show off what they or whoever they advocated for were doing in the gym. Getting ideas from them and others’ promos and such had given Selena a starting base on what everyone else was doing… allowing her to push herself to do more!
And it had worked. She was the world champion. She had SCW in the palm of her hand! She could work anyone and everyone to the point where she didn’t even have to raise a hand or kick someone in the head to get a reaction. But… that only worked as long as she kept herself at ‘that’ level. That level of training and mental sharpness. Any relapse into her addictions would be fatal to her, the notion causing Selena to shake her head sharply. She would NEVER go back to being that person again! NEVER! Being cold and distant? Fine. Being hated by everyone, and yet, seemingly, untouchable? That was more than fine, too.
But weak? Addicted to a substance? Letting such needs rule her life? No. She refused. She refused to give up all she had worked for to re-establish herself with SCW. All she had worked for to regain her position as the top talent in the wrestling world. All she had given up to become The Blue-Eyed Devil.
So why are you doing this?
The question was as easy to answer as it was expected. Being here served no purpose to her training, her goals for Taking the Leap or for Kristen Scott – nothing to do with SCW. Directly – nothing to do with those things directly. True, she knew she should be back at the Eyrie Tower – her new home – training or studying material for her upcoming title defense against Kristen Scott. Part of her even wanted to do that. There was no denying that the young woman known as ‘The One’ was going to be coming at Selena guns blazing, probably with some diatribe about this being her ‘only chance’ and ‘needing to win more than anything’ tripe, something atypical of such mid-card dwellers getting their first ‘shot’ at the greatest prize in the game. Still, that did not erase the fact that Kristen was hungry and would be looking for any and all ways to put Selena away and become the new SCW world champion. And the girl had fought in a chamber match, not to mention various Underground-style matches. Hell, she had beaten Kandis, Syren and Amy Chastaine, just to name a few. The girl had some skills and was tough to boot, which unnerved Selena a little.
Yes, part of her wanted to be home – or, rather, in her new home – preparing to nip the problem of ‘The One’ in the bud before things escalated and everything slipped out of her hands. One loss… that was all it would take to undo the contract clause on her reign as world champion. One loss and everything would be back to how it was.
Interference.
Tainted world title matches.
Controversial finishes.
Her contract existed – putting the world title division in an vice grip that bound it to her whims and her rules – as long as she remained SCW world champion. As long as she didn’t lose the title. And she wasn’t ready for that to change. She needed more time with the world championship. Needed more time to ‘clear the deck’ and make SCW regret what they had done to her last year and onward.
So, why was she so certain to be here? Because of that need for mental sharpness. And clearly, that was proving harder and harder as the weeks went by.
She could still be distracted… had been distracted. And it was all because of that one, little redhead.
At the thought the young woman, Selena’s head rose up to stare at the other end of the pub. Even in the dimly lit establishment, amidst the other patrons, she could spot the young girl sitting at the bar on one of the many stools. Even if she wasn’t wearing that shimmering, emerald gown, Selena would have spotted her due to her red hair - Like spotting someone immediately in a crowd… she mentally remarked, not surprised that she still possessed that ability with her wife.
The redhead wasn’t looking around the establishment, nor was she eyeing Selena like the platinum-blonde was watching her. Rather, Deanna Frost kept her eyes on the glass of water sitting on the counter in front of her, only straying every few minutes to gaze at something on the counter, Selena assumed that being the girl’s phone. Her wife was clearly waiting for someone… not someone… Selena thought knowingly. Me.
She wasn’t sure what particular event had pushed her into embracing the notion that the two of them – herself and Deanna – needed help. Perhaps it was the scuffle they had endured during Deanna’s graduation ball with the Aldens, one where Selena had humiliated and embarrassed the younger girl - necessary to make her see the wrongs the Aldens were doing and how warped her own perception of them had begun. The older Frost reminded herself. Or maybe it was Retribution and seeing her wife so troubled in their marriage that she could not even walk to the parking lot with Selena. She wouldn’t admit it to Deanna, but that acknowledgment had hurt the platinum-blonde. So what if they were at opposite sides if things in SCW? So what if she wanted to stay true to the notion that ‘everyone was good’ while Selena was wiser than that now. So what if the fans booed Selena but cheered for Deanna? Living separately was necessary, yes, but they could still be cordial and caring to one another, couldn’t they? Was that so hard?
She sighed. Apparently, it was for Deanna. The redhead seemed incapable of understanding why things were the way they were and incapable of separating the woman Selena was in SCW with the woman she was still trying to be here with their family. And whatever the reason, the ball or post-Retribution, Selena had agreed to marriage counseling, employing the services of Dr. Glengow shortly after the pay-per-view. It was the counselor that was responsible for their current predicament.
Not that that was a slight against the professional. Even Selena had, to herself, remarked on some of the effective tools the dark-skinned woman had employed to get the Frost wives to open up to one another, even a little.
But I hate that I can’t trust her…
That was a particular openness that Selena had wished to every god, Norse and Greek that she believed in, to just disappear and never exist. Because it still hurt. Not because it was a lie. Not because Deanna had said it just to hurt Selena. But because she had spoken it with such hurt… and truthfulness. Deanna didn’t trust her, and couldn’t see any reason to.
It still, weeks later, didn’t make any sense to Selena. All of this, her return to SCW and all it entailed, had been because Deanna had wanted her back. And she had stayed out of Deanna’s way in SCW as best she could, letting the younger woman forge her own path in SCW with chamber matches and demands for ‘last woman standing matches’, with great success, Selena was proud to admit, as the United States Champion. She had done her best not to overly mention her wife in her promos and was sure not to involve her in any decisions/actions she made on the shows. Yet, Deanna couldn’t believe that Selena had her best interests at heart? After how many years of marriage? How many children?
It still stung deep in the Snow Queen’s core, but Selena clamped down on it, pushing it further down to keep it from taking over her tonight. What was done was done – she had to move forward. And that was what Glengow had advised. In a way, it was sort of clever to Selena.
”You say the two of you can’t seem to coexist due to the issues of SCW – your workplace?” she had clarified. ”Then perhaps you two need someplace devoid of that. A place where you both can meet and talk without SCW’s presence.”
It was absurdly simple: Nia Glengow had called it ‘roleplaying’. The two of them, Deanna and Selena, would go on a date, but under different names and circumstances. They could pretend to be anyone they wanted. With any background or history. There was only one condition.
There was to be no talk about SCW or wrestling. Neither of them could be ‘wrestlers’ in these personas or anything to do with ‘Selena Frost’ or ‘Deanna Frost’. As stated before, it was simple… except Selena wasn’t really an actress. She had never ‘pretended’ to be anyone except for a small tv-show ‘Polaris’ years ago that she had helped produce. Wasn’t like she ‘pretended’ over in SCW. Everything had always been ‘just her’ – it was why she had laughed so much where, for the last decade, people were ‘so sure’ her personality was a sham and that ‘soon – oh so soon’ she was going to turn and fool everyone!
Turns out they fooled me… the bitter thought came to Selena’s mind. SCW and the SCW Universe are the ones that were playing me… and I got fooled…
She saw her phone buzz, her eyes flying to the device to see the text message notification. Recognizing the name immediately, she picked up the phone to read it.
You coming?
She was about to type a reply but her fingers hesitated, her sapphire eyes looking up to see her wife just putting her phone back on the counter. A wicked thought crossing her mind, with a smirk to boot, Selena then bit her lower lip to type her reply.
New phone. Who dis? She hit sent and immediately shot her gaze back up towards Deanna. It took a few seconds, but Selena watched her wife gaze down at her phone, see the notification, and pick it up. She seemed to give it a read before rolling her eyes and shaking her head, almost causing Selena to laugh aloud and give her position away. She continued to watch as Deanna’s fingers flew across her own screen. Another second and Selena’s phone vibrated in her hands, causing the platinum-blonde to cast her eyes downward.
Seriously? Another text quickly followed. We’re supposed to meet at The Dead Rabbit half an hour ago.
A short jab of guilt shot through Selena. Truthfully, being here for over an hour, she had seen her wife come in and make herself comfortable at the bar. At any time, Selena could have gotten up and ‘started things’, but she hadn’t. She had just chosen to watch her wife.
Because what could she do? She still couldn’t figure it out entirely. Pretend to be someone else? With a backstory or something? She hadn’t been able to think of one, and she knew her wife well enough to know Deanna would have one – complete with a ten-page essay of backstory to boot!
Was that tonight? She typed, then hit ‘send’, still feeling the humor in her little ‘game’ with the ‘teacher’s pet’ that was Deanna. She watched her wife gaze at her phone again, but this time, a look of shock came across the redhead’s features, one that morphed to disappointment – which seemed to suck out the joy and humor from Selena. She watched Deanna slowly take the phone into her hands more firmly before typing something. A second passed before another notification came across Selena’s screen.
Good to know how important this is to you.
The mental curses that rampaged through Selena’s mind were a riot of sound as the Snow Queen cursed herself every which way she could. Cursed her stupid idea of a joke, cursed her stupid brain for not being able to follow their counselor’s simplest instructions, cursed… everything.
Pushing herself out of her seat, she quickly adjusted her leather jacket and black pants, a far cry from the dress Deanna wore – which Selena thought was the point. Checking her hair – curled and free – the woman was moving before she realized she had taken a step, her brain seemingly slowing down everything as she desperately tried to think of something… ANYTHING!... Anything to say to go with this exercise.
Anything but wrestling! she reminded herself. No SCW. No World title. No Kristen Scott. No Kandis… no-
“Hey, cutie…” the voice came out like a purr… and it was hers! It almost caught her off guard, which was a small reaction compared to Deanna spinning around, emerald eyes going wide as she saw Selena standing before her. “Mind if I sit here?” Selena added, trying to keep up whatever tone her voice had, naturally, adopted. When she saw Deanna’s eyes narrow at her for a moment, but also giving a nod of her head, Selena carefully sat at the barstool beside the woman.
“Now…” she began, making each word up as it came to her. “I’m sitting over there in my booth.” She gestured towards the area she had come from. “And, sorry if this is forward – but I see this gorgeous young thing come in here. Don’t see many of those here.”
Deanna remained silent, her expression unreadable to Selena, though there was a coldness to the air between them, which almost made Selena lose her nerve… and the accent her voice had suddenly picked up.
“But I think to myself, ain’t no way she came here alone. She’s either with someone or waiting for someone. But, my surprise, half an hour goes by and…” she looked around. “No one comes up.” She eyed the emerald-eyed beauty. “Get stood up or something?”
Deanna opened her mouth to speak, as if she wanted to say something as some sort of knee-jerk reaction. Instead, she closed her mouth, took a deep breath through her nose, then opened her mouth again to release a sigh before turning to pick up her glass of water. “Yeah, basically.” She replied. “Had a date with this girl and she just told me she forgot about it. Probably still at home.”
“Or with someone else.” Selena shrugged, earning a sputter-scoff from Deanna. “Sorry. Not helping.” She shrugged apologetically.
“Last time I go date-shopping on Tinder.” Deanna sighed, trying to play along.
“I never trust those things.” Selena shook her head. “Easy to lie, easy to pretend, and you’ve got keyboard-warriors acting so tough when they’re hiding behind a screen.” She shook her head as the bartender spotted her. Holding up a hand, Selena waved at him. “Can I get you a drink? Besides water?”
Deanna’s eyes went wide. “I…that is….” Selena could see the woman’s mind racing. “I don’t drink.”
“Relax.” Selena smiled as the bartender reached them. “Ice-tea for her.” She gestured to Deanna. “And I’ll have a virgin screwdriver.”
The bartender lifted an eyebrow. “You know that’s…”
“Orange juice.” Selena grinned. “You know your drinks! Good for you!”
With a nod, the bartender excused himself to make the drinks as Selena heard an audible sigh of relief come from Deanna. “I thought you were…” Deanna gestured, momentarily breaking whatever character she had. “Going to order something…”
“I don’t drink either.” Selena shrugged. “Never liked the stuff. Plus my uncle was an alkie.”
“An alkie?”
“Alcoholic.” Selena shrugged. “But that’s a second or third-date story.”
“What makes you think this is a first date?” Deanna asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Isn’t it?” Selena countered. “You were stood up. I was stood up. We meet here… sounds like happenstance and serendipity to me. And if we ever have kids…” she teased. “It makes a lovely story.”
“Uh-huh.” Deanna nodded her head. “I’m sure they would love to hear about the woman who couldn’t give me her name but gave me kids…”
“Didn’t realize there was an order to it.” Selena teased back.
“It’s right there in the song.” Deanna stuck her tongue out. “First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes a baby in a baby-carriage.”
“Didn’t hear anything about ‘names’ in that tune.” Selena shot back. “But fine.” Her mind, unlike her speech, was frantic, trying desperately to come up with a name, her eyes scanning the room frantically for any sign or inspiration. Yet, for the Irish pub, all she saw was drinks, food, platters of cheese, potpies and-
“Chicken!” she declared without thinking and cursing mentally as Deanna almost chocked on her water as she heard the platinum-blonde speak. “I mean… Chicka… Chica. That’s it. Name’s Chica.”
“Chica?” Deanna repeated. “Sounds Spanish.”
“Just a nickname.” Selena shrugged.
“Never met someone’s nickname first. What’s your real name?” she dared with a smirk.
“Sixth or seventh date, darling.” Selena winked – actually proud of herself for the improv-line that had bought her more time. “What about you?”
She heard Deanna sigh a little as the reply processed in her mind. “I don’t have a nickname.” She finally said. “I used to, but not anymore.”
“I could give you one...” Selena meant it as a tease, but when Deanna shook her head, her sadness not diminishing, the older woman regretted her choice of words immediately. “First names are more normal anyway.” She offered lamely, earning a nod from Deanna.
“Well, I’m Evelyn.” She replied smoothly. “I’m 26 years old and I work as an airline stewardess.”
Selena bit back a laugh at the, nearly, monologue-delivery her wife had employed. “Sounds like you practiced that introduction.”
“Well, it was meant for my date.” Deanna answered smoothly. “What do you do?”
“Me?” DAMN! Selena’s mind was, once more, in a flurry of thought, but this time looking anywhere BUT the food for inspiration. “I’m a writer!” she settled on saying. “Or… I’m trying to be.”
“Have I read any of your work?” Deanna asked, an amused twinkle in her eye.
“Doubtful.” Selena shrugged, playing the part. “Haven’t been published officially yet. Hope to. But I mostly do odd jobs in-between to pay the bills.”
“And what about tonight?” Deanna asked. “Were you stood up as well?”
“Hmmm…” Selena shook her head as their drinks arrived, using the glass of orange juice as a temporary break. “Not here.” She stated slowly. “I come here all the time. But I was supposed to meet someone tonight. See, I’ve been in this long-distance relationship for about six months now and she was finally going to come down to New York so we’d finally meet up. I was going to take her to the Empire State Building or maybe that cool one with the castle? The Eyrie one?”
“Trust me. It’s not so cool.” Deanna rolled her eyes. “Rather tacky.”
Oh, someone is playing a little close to the chest… Selena thought, somewhat amused. “Well, anyway. Roses, food, had it all worked out. Gods… I’ve got to text the hotel and tell them to cancel… anyway, she texted me a few hours ago and said she decided she couldn’t leave after all. That all this was meant to be fun for her.”
“So, you weren’t stood up.” Deanna winced. “You were dumped.”
“Guess so…” Selena shrugged. “Should of seen it coming. There were definitely signs… Anyway, I came here just to get my head on right and in walks this beautiful woman.”
“Feel like you traded up?”
“Definitely.” Selena nodded. “Let’s hope you can do the same.” She threw in another wink towards the woman for good measure, causing the redhead to look away and a faint blush to cross her fine features. “So, what kind work is it like for a stewardess? You in-between flights or something? Was this just a… LAID-over…”
You DID NOT just make a sex pun! Who are you? Ace Marshall? Kandis? Her mind mocked – probably rolling its eyes, if it had any.
Deanna gave no reaction to the line, merely shrugging her shoulders. “I’m stationed here. I fly every few days, then get a few days off.”
“Sounds like a full schedule, though sort of… ‘up in the air’?”
What is with you with all these puns?!
Hey! My character makes puns, okay?!
You’re dressed like a bad girl in leather! What part of that makes puns?!
Would you rather I shoot a promo on her?!
Would be better than the mess you’re doing now! You’re supposed to be hitting on her or something!
Easy for you to say!
It IS easy for me to say! I married her!
So did I!!!
How long Selena went through this mental debate, she wasn’t sure. It FELT like ten or so minutes, but it probably was just seconds. To her credit, she was too busy having it to see Deanna roll her eyes at the poor pun she had just unleashed, but she did hear the small laugh that escaped the young redhead.
“So…” she heard Deanna ask, the latter taking a small drink of her iced tea. “What kind of novels do you write?”
“Romance.” Selena said the first word that came to her mind, nodding her head as she sipped her orange juice. “Got this real kicker going.”
“Kicker?”
“Yep.” The platinum-blonde nodded. “It’s about this girl that gets stood up by this other girl.”
“Oh… the LGTQB2S++ would love it already.” Deanna teased, leaning her hand on her free hand. “What happens next?”
“Well…” why was Selena feeling nervous? It was just her wife! It wasn’t like there was anything they hadn’t done together. They had had sex on a plane for gods’ sake – multiple times in fact! Why was she suddenly feeling like a high-schooler trying to ask out her crush? “S-She meets this really cute girl in a pub.”
“Mmhmmm.” Deanna hummed good-naturedly, her emerald-eyes locked on Selena’s sapphire ones. “What happens next?”
“Still…still working on that.” Selena settled on saying. “Got a couple ways it can go.”
“Hmm. Sounds interesting.” She finished her drink easily enough, it was only iced tea afterall. “What’s the femme fatale like?”
“Femme fatale?” Selena asked.
“Yeah. Is she dangerous? Is she after something? Or…” she tilted her head the other way. “Is she just looking for love? Like a hopeless romantic?”
“That you?” Selena asked, actually finding herself more and more lost in this conversation. To answer, Deanna looked away, focusing for a second on her empty glass.
“I’m not sure.” She gave a shrug. “I want to. But lately… I’ve been wondering if it’s worth it, you know?”
“No…” Selena shook her head honestly. “No, I don’t.”
“Well…” the redhead breathed. “You think you’ve met ‘The One’. And you think ‘this is it’, right? But then you just get left behind, hurt, abandoned.”
“You…” Selena breathed, trying to find the right words. “You can’t believe someone is ‘The One’ from a Tinder date or just because they say they are. It…” another breath exhaled out of her. “It takes more than that. It takes work, and… and getting to know the person longer than a few minutes. It takes patience and…” her brain worked overtime trying to find the right words. “And seeing the good as well as the bad. You have to see them at their worst, as well as at their best. Otherwise… how can you really know if they’re the one, you know? Words can be said easily enough. But actions speak louder.”
“Coming from a writer?” Deanna remarked, her emerald eyes staring deep into Selena’s. Despite the noise that came from the pub from the night life and staff, neither woman really heard it. Neither of them were really interested beyond one another. It both surprised Selena, and yet, it felt familiar – vaguely. This kind of interest, this kind of look…
It had been nearly a year since she had seen it. Since before Rise to Greatness. When?
The answer came to her fast. It had been when she had been tag-team champions with Deanna. The House of Frost’s first, and only reign, as world tag-team champions, defending the, then, unbeatable Farmstead Friends and rising up to take down The One and Pro (Nicole Kinneck).
They had been the perfect team, at the time, starting the year as tag-team champions where no team could best them. Deanna had been so happy, teaming with her wife, being a champion with her life-partner…
The spike of sadness hit Selena in her reflections. It had been the start of the end, though, with that cash-in from Kimberly, Selena’s views against the titles being ‘tiered’, the fans starting to turn against her just because she disagreed with the method of the cash-in. It had all gone downhill from that point. If she could pinpoint a time where everything had started, it was that cash-in and subsequent backlash from it.
Not that she was blaming Kimberly Williams, to hell with that! She blamed the SCW Universe for failing to understand. For failing to give her the benefit of the doubt or the chance to explain herself. Nope, she had disagreed and, thus, was hated. That was how it worked with the SCW Universe – with every roster member acting they had ‘called it’ or some shit like that. Why couldn’t Deanna see that that was all everyone in SCW was? Leeches, people that would turn on you in a second the moment it suited their interests. It had happened to her, and it was going to happen to Deanna, sooner or later, whether the redhead wanted to believe it or not.
Still, to have her wife look at her like she was now… until she was looking at that gaze, the platinum-blonde hadn’t realized how much she had missed it. Missed sharing in one another’s victories. In moments of accomplishment. In being a team…
“What about you?”
The question shook her out of her musings, forcing the older woman to focus on the young lady sitting beside her. “What about me?” she asked.
“What kind of those women are you?” Deanna asked. “You don’t strike me as the kind of person that ‘sticks around in one place for too long’.”
“Coming from an airline stewardess?” Selena raised an eyebrow before shaking her head. “I don’t…” she chose her words, not sure exactly which things were Chica and which were Selena. “I don’t like being tied down where I’m not wanted or where I don’t want to be.” She answered honestly. “I like to live by my own rules. Not by other people telling me how to be.”
“Even if you’re hated for it?” neither was sure which ‘woman’ Deanna’s question was pointed at. Still, Selena answered.
“Rather be hated for what I am then loved for what I’m not.”
“And what are you?”
“I’m…” Selena sighed with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m someone that just wants to be proud of what she does. Who nobody can say didn’t live her life on ‘her terms’. Who didn’t let anyone push her around or make her ‘be’ something she wasn’t.” she stole a glance at Deanna. “Guess that doesn’t really answer your question.”
“No…” Deanna shook her head. “But you were willing to try tonight. You went out to see your possible girlfriend. So you must want something permanent – something substantial.”
Selena nodded. “Doesn’t everyone?”
“Like…like a home…”
Selena gave a shrug, looking away. “The robin may fly away…” she took one last sip of her orange juice. “But it always returns to the nest…” her eyes flew to stare into Deanna’s. “Eventually.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her wife’s eyes suddenly light up. It was for a moment, but you’d have to be an utter fool not to see it – they were so bright. “Really…” she heard the whisper faintly in her ear. That was all it was – a moment – until Deanna reigned it in, looking down at her hands and sitting back. “That…that will be good.” She settled on saying. “I’m sure you’ll find it.”
“Thanks.” Selena answered with a small smile. She just doesn’t get it…
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to return back to her ‘Forever Home’. She did. She had tried to live the life that she had wanted. Living in her Manhattan home, being a mother and wife, and no one believed it was real. They all thought she had been hiding her ‘true self’ and ‘true desires’ and, in a small way she had been. She had not left SCW on her own terms, feeling more like she had been driven out because SCW had changed so much and she wasn’t welcome there anymore. But that’s what this was. This was getting things back on ‘her’ terms. Getting things back the way they should be. Getting SCW back on track, by force if necessary.
When all of that was taken care of. When things were where they should be… she could walk away and, when that day came again, no one would think ill of her or think it was ‘fake’, but a meaningful ‘off into the sunset’ that she deserved. So many others had gotten that like Owen Cruze, didn’t she – scratch that – she deserved that.
But not until everything is done… and only on OUR terms! Her ‘devil’s voice’ – a mixture of hers and Macolm Scythe’s voice – whispered into her mind, reminding her of the tasks at hand.
“Can I tell you about the villain of my story?”
The question surprised Deanna, causing the redhead to turn her gaze back onto the platinum-blonde. “There’s a villain?”
“Yeah…well, kinda. Turns out there’s this girl that was obsessed with the love-interest that’s come back into the picture. Now the heroine is…well, I won’t say scared, but she knows this woman has manipulated the love-interest.”
“Oookay…. Sounds like an understandable conflict.”
“Right…” Selena nodded. “So the heroine has to help the love-interest by fighting the…ummm…”
“Ex?”
“Sure – but it’s more stalker and creepy than that.” Selena remarked. “She’s definitely not a trustworthy girl. In fact, turns out the villain’s ACTUALLY been obsessed with the heroine all along. Crazy, right?”
“More confusing than anything else.”
“Oh…okay.” Selena looked away, rather embarrassed. “So I definitely need to rethink that. It’s just…” She shook her head, rather ashamed of herself. She had tried to slip in a personal issue she had with SCW, that being with Kristen Scott. It was too close – scratch that – she had been cheating. Here she was supposed to not talk about wrestling yet doing it anyway through vagueness and whatever. “Never mind. Just a bad case of writer’s block.”
“Can you…can you tell me the ending, at least? Do you have that?”
“I…” Selena sighed. “I don’t.” she shrugged. “I told you it was a bad case of writer’s block. Right now, I’ve got the couple fighting over who’s side who is on and I… I can’t resolve it.”
‘Okay…” Deanna/Evelyn seemed to think about this. “Have they told each other that they love one another?”
“A couple of times. But it’s almost been in a heat of the moment with one unable to say it back.”
“Okay, but they know?”
“Yeah.” Selena shrugged. “It’s been made more than clear at this point.”
“So, that should be enough, right? People fight all the time. What’s important is that they understand why the other is fighting for their opinion or side of things.”
“But…it’s more complicated than that.” It was the only thing Selena could say.
“Maybe it is.” Deanna shrugged as she pushed herself off the stool, immediately stumbling. “Whoa…” she managed to stay on wobbly legs. Instinctively, Selena was off her stool in a second, grabbing hold of the redhead to steady her.
“Easy.” Selena whispered, holding the woman close to her without thinking.
“Sorry…” Deanna whispered in the same volume, more surprised than anything else. “My legs are asleep from sitting too long. Thanks…Chica…”
Selena rolled her eyes at Deanna’s playfulness. “No problem, Evelyn.” She replied. “Glad…” she sighed. “Glad things worked out the way they did.”
“Me…Me too.” Deanna smiled, throwing her coat on.
“Can…” Selena thought as fast as she could, following Deanna out of the pub (but not before leaving a fresh twenty-dollar bill on the table for the barman). “Can I walk you home?”
She hadn’t realized she was outside until she saw the bright lights from the streetlamps shining down on her, the amber hue casting an odd glow along the sidewalk. Refocusing back on Deanna, she saw the redhead stop, turning around to give a kind smile to Selena.
“Second or third date… Chica.” She teased before holding a hand up. Like magic, a cab stopped in front of her, allowing the young woman to step into it. She was out of sight within seconds.
Alone on the NYC street, Selena released a sigh. “Some story…” she whispered to no one. The truth was, she knew exactly how the ‘story’ would end.
Because she wasn’t Chica. Anymore than Deanna was Evelyn. She wasn’t just some ‘girl’ that stumbled in and ‘found true love in a pub’. She was a woman that was alone. A woman that no one believed in. Not the fans of SCW, not her peers… not even her wife.
There wouldn’t be a ‘happily ever after’ for her until she finished what she had to do. There wouldn’t be a ‘return to the nest’ until she had cleared SCW of unworthy challengers.
No one… not even Deanna… believed that she should… or even could…
They don’t believe yet… whispered her ‘devil’s voice’ darkly. But they will…
It was the only ending she would accept for her own story!
_______________________________________________________________
The camera opens up to a sitting room by a large window. The furniture is opulent, along with the tapestries. The room screams of royalty and authority. It is the Eyrie Tower in New York City, the clouds outside, below the window (their tops exposed) displaying the height at which this castle stands. Overlooking the city, dressed in black pants, matching high boots, a blue button-up blouse with embroidery around the front, and a black long coat line with fur draped over her shoulders. Gazing out upon her city for a moment longer, her voice is suddenly heard.
Typically, with a week or so before the pay-per-view, this where I'd come here, I’d gaze into that camera and ask you all if you ‘believe’ or not. Her back still to the camera, she tilts her head. Then I give you a second to voice your disdain and shout at your screen, thinking it affects me or that I can hear you… or that it even matters to me what you believe.
Turning around, the Snow Queen has a smirk on her face. But I've been doing alot of thinking these last few days since last Breakdown and I think that’s irrelevant right now. Because let’s face it – you’ve proven, SCW Universe, that you believe. Whether you like it or not. Whether you want to or not.
I mean… how else can we explain it? You just have to look at last Breakdown, don’t you? Tune in to any part – any segment – and someone was talking about me! The tag-division? They’re talking about me! LexyCorp? They’re talking about me! The Adrenaline division, they’re tweeting about me! The United States title division? Talking about me! Hell, I’ve even got road agents and management coming out of the woodwork to talk about me! And why not? Talking about me instantly gets you attention. Gets you ratings. Gets eyes on you! It makes you relevant. It makes you worth something, doesn’t it? Just mentioning my name. Throwing some false bravado.
And I’ll admit, at first, I was part proud, part laughing. Part proud cause I thought everyone was finally getting the picture about me – that I’m the star power this company needs. That I’m the one – the only one – that can keep this company going at the level it should be going, while everyone else just wants the ‘easy way’ on so many things. The part where I was laughing was the ‘bravado’ part. People talking all tough when I’m not in the ring, cause I know, soon as I was there, that bravado would be gone in a snap! She snaps her fingers.
Like your keyboard warriors on social media, it’s easy for you all to act tough when you think no one’s coming for you. It’s easy to act tough when you think there’s no consequences. But the second I step in that ring? The second you’re face to face with me? Everyone crumbles. Everyone falters because they see the power that I bring – the talent and ability that is unmatched. But I’ll get to that shortly… She gazes out the window for a moment. I WAS feeling pretty good about all of that. But then I thought about it. Thought about what was being talked about. Thought about what was REALLY happening aside from the name-mentioning. And the more I thought about it, the more I started getting pissed.
Because I realized that all of you really weren’t getting it. Those divisions weren’t really getting it. You guys were name dropping me just to get that ‘ratings boost’. Just to get eyes on you. “Look at me! I’m talking about Selena! Pay attention to me!”
And I realized what that makes all of you. She glares at the camera coldly. Pathetic! Utterly pathetic that you need me to make you significant! You need me to make yourselves important. Because you don’t have the skills or the guts to do it yourselves! You need me as a boost. As a ‘reason’ to rise up to another level! Yet you wonder why I’m clearing this place of unworthy challengers? Why I am knocking people out of MY ring? Because you all need me, but I sure as hell don’t need any of you! Nor does the world championship!
And, to top it all off, you need me so bad, you act all tough when I’m not around, but then you call ME the coward? You say I am being ‘protected’? she scoffs at that last part. Let’s just dissect that for a second, shall we?
What part of me is being protected? You see me travelling with an entourage? You see me getting matches against friends and family where they lay down for me? You see me hiding behind a faction? You see me make ‘specialty matches’ where moves are banned or I’ve got two or three people fighting with me against one or I’m putting my opponent through another match before facing me in the same night?
No, you don’t. I’m not Syren. I’m not The One. I’m not that suspended loudmouth dressed in rainbows and acting nonchalant. So how, exactly, am I being protected?
She gives a shrug. Because no one can touch me before their match with me? Because people can’t use tactics like ambushing and taking me down before their world title match without some form of repercussions?
That’s a bit confusing because… if they were BETTER than me, like every one of them brags about… why would they need any of that? Why would they need to jump me from behind? Why would they need to ambush me? Why would they need an entourage to deal with one person? If they were as good as they SAY they are, why couldn’t they just show up and beat me in the middle of the ring? I mean, isn’t that what the world title should be about? The best WRESTLER in SCW? Isn’t that what all of you should be WANTING when you watch a world championship match? For the best wrestler to win?
She laughs a little. See… I’ve made that possible. I’ve made it possible for the BEST in SCW to come forward and rise to the top. I’ve made it possible for the best wrestler to be the world champion and for everyone to get their chance to take that from me. So THEY can try and be the best. So that THEY can try and be the best in SCW.
But you think I’m ‘protecting myself’? Another laugh escapes her.
You guys… you just keep proving to me how stupid you all are. Every one of you, fan and wrestler alike in the SCW Universe. Utterly stupid. Because you rather use your own demented logic than reality. The reality that I’m at a level none of you can match. And you can’t stand it. One on one, no tricks, or cheap ploys, no interferences, no ambushes… just pure skill vs skill? I can’t be beat. I can’t be silenced. I can’t be pushed to the side. I continue to thrive. I continue to excel. I continue to be the one that DESERVES to be the world champion! And I prove it every single time I wrestle!
And you all can’t stand it. You need me here, you know I’m the best, you know I can’t be beat, and you can’t stand it. So you lie to yourselves. You say I’m protected or buying off officials, anything to keep your stupidity alive another day!
Moving around the space, Selena sits in one of the throne chairs comfortably. And it’s not all your fault. SCW’s been surrounded with cheaters, liars, false prophets, false saviors, false gods, shortcut-takers for years now! For years, THAT’S been the standard. And, for a time, I tried to just change things through example. I spent a decade trying to change things by being an example. And that worked! For a short time.
But, inevitably, it all stayed the same. So now, I don’t do by example. I change things by force. That’s the big difference between me and ‘The One’ Kristen Scott. She preached change, I MADE change. She promised to change the landscape – I changed it! I moved the needle, Kristen. I moved the eyes back onto SCW. Because, let’s face it, CHBK made it clear, management has made it clear – they, all of SCW, they need me. I brought eyes back on this place when Asher, Simon, and that other girl couldn’t. I brought people back to watch when they failed to. I made the SCW world title mean something worthwhile again because they were too busy bashing each other’s brains in with it to do anything for it.
What have you done, Kristen? You won ONE match at Fatal Fortunes to get a title shot at the world title. Good for you! Way to go! You call it ‘destiny’, I know. I call it ‘dumb luck’. But still, what else have you done, huh? Me? I cleared the deck for you. I removed every contender that was in line before you so you could have this shot at Taking the Leap. I removed the Simons, the Ashers and the others for you. What have you done?
Selena tilts her head. No, I’m genuinely asking, Kristen. Because, I’m going to level with you. Because I was stupid too. I have been. See, unlike the lying, stupid people booing me and who booed you when you stepped back from taking your shot right away, I respected your choice. I actually respected you letting me have my time to clear the path at Retribution. I respected you admitting that you weren’t ready to take me on back then.
I did! I respected it! Because I thought to myself, here is a woman that actually gets it! She knows things are different. She knows I’m on a whole different level than everyone else. She knows that this is her ONE chance. She’s not going to blow it. She’s not going to just do the ‘same old thing’, right? She’s going to think about it. She’s going to work at it! And when she comes at me, she’s going to be giving me something new. Something original. Something that I’ve never seen before!
Selena looks away for a moment. That’s what I thought, Scott. Because till now, you’ve been good. I’ll give you that. You’ve been REALLY good. Mid-card level? You may be at the top! Amy Chastaine? You beat her. Syren? Beat her. That woman I beat last PPV? You beat her. You have done so much with where you’ve been and what you’ve had! You’ve been good… but not ‘great’. And I thought you recognized that. That’s what I was trying to say to you the first Breakdown post-Retribution. And you said you were sure! That you were ready! That you had done the work! I believed that this was a new, better version of Kristen Scott…
Her face becomes a colder expression.
That’s where I was stupid. Because I got fooled. I got lied to. I didn’t see some new, trained, Kristen Scott. No. What did I get last Breakdown? The same one that’s been running around here for years! The one that’s gonna ‘shake SCW down to the core’, ‘swap out the old guard’, ‘change the face of SCW FOREVER’! An actual growl escapes Selena.
That’s how you do it, Kristen? I give you your time? I let you stand in my ring. I give you a shot at MY title and you’re coming at me with the same BS you came at with Deanna and everybody else? That’s how this is going to work? You’re going to ‘change SCW’, huh? Just because you've 'wanted it for oh so long'? Like you did before? Oh, wait… you didn’t! You tried in the Underground division. You failed. You tried in the tag-team division, you failed. You tried in the television division. You failed. You tried to in the United States division. You failed! You've 'wanted' every title that you've been handed a shot at and you've failed! Yet you think, in MY division, you’re going to succeed with the same tactics? The same lines? The same motivation?
That just leaves two possibilities. You’re either as stupid as everyone else in SCW running their mouths… her sapphire eyes narrow. Or you think I’m easier than those other divisions where you failed…
And see, Kristen… that is something I take VERY personally. When someone thinks I can be knocked off the mountain – MY mountain – so easily. When someone thinks that they can take this title from me so easily. When someone thinks they can do what I do so easily that they don’t have to change a damn thing about themselves. When someone laughs at me because someone interfered in my match… Selena visibly flinches at the memory, her nostrils flaring a little for a second.
You want to laugh at that, Kristen? You wanted to laugh at me because I got tackled from behind by a coward and won my match through disqualification… you should be enraged. Because what happens if that happens to you… Oh! Let me spell it out for you, because you’re clearly too stupid to recall. Our match ends in disqualification? You don’t get the title. You don’t get to be champion. You get NOTHING! But you want to laugh because it happened to me? You should have been offended and terrified because it just shows what I have given YOU and this championship with my so-called ‘protection’! What you NEED from me in order to have your fair shot!
Selena shakes her head knowingly.
I take all of that VERY personally, Kristen, because you’re showing me the truth. Because if you couldn’t hack it in those divisions, and you’re too stupid to change your approach and appreciate what I am giving you, then I’m going to tell you straight to your face – you don’t belong in MY division! You don’t belong with the world title!
Because this is going to be a title match unlike any you’ve had before. This is going to be unlike any MATCH you’ve had before, Kristen. Cause if you’re content to just be ‘good’ when I gave you the time to at least attempt to get to ‘great’, then I am going to show you what ‘greatness’ truly is. The canyon of difference between your levels and mine. If you’re content being ‘the same old One’, then I am going to utterly destroy and humiliate you in this ring and make you just ‘another one’, just like those I’ve beaten this year. If you’re content wasting my time, then I am going to waste your chance and send you packing back to the mid-cards.
And here’s the thing, Kirsten… when I’m done with you, it’s not gonna be with an ‘understanding’ like you had last Breakdown towards me “should you win”. I’m not expecting another match with you. No. I’m knocking you back down to where you belong, Kristen, and I’m not going to want to see you or hear you again until you actually do the damn work and reach that new level.
Cause ‘really good’? That isn’t going to cut it here in my division – in MY kingdom. SCW doesn’t need a ‘really good’ world champion. They need a ‘great’ world champion. They need a ‘great’ Face of SCW. They need a ‘great’ superstar and that’s why they need me!
This weekend, Kristen… you’re going to be really good. You’re going to be really close. You’re going to be really tough to beat.
But, when it’s all said and done… you just won’t be close enough. You won’t be tough enough… and you sure as hell won’t be good enough to beat me.
Whether you want to believe it… or not.
Selena gives a wicked smile as the camera slowly fades on the grinning world champion before going to black.
Villain of the Year
”Can We Pretend?”
The Dead Rabbit
New York City, New York
March 24th, 2024
10:04pm
She looked around the place, actually able to distract her mind enough with a simple question. How many places like this had she frequented in the last year? With Stallis, her father, even on her own late at night, walking the streets of New York City to collect her thoughts about the directions the various aspects of her life had taken at the start of the year, Selena had found herself wandering into establishments like this over and over again. Places like this to sit, browse through her photos of ‘happier, simpler times’, or just to think. To the point where she could not really answer that question with an accurate response. She had just lost track.
At first, part of her was worried that it was some kind of dormant part of her brain – particularly her past addictions rearing its ugly head(s). Part of her had worried that, in becoming closed off to the world of the SCW Universe, she would become the Snow Queen that she had been back in her time in Nome, Alaska. Yes, an outcast, but, more worriedly, one on their own path of personal destruction.
She could still remember those days, despite it being over a decade ago. How she would leave her home or her father’s mine only to grab essentials from the necessary stores or to take a shift at her Uncle Liam’s Bar and Grill – little else, really – spending her days mining and/or working and her nights drinking herself to sleep. How her only ‘friends’ were her uncle, her one-off affair/detective Jean Black, and her child of snow, which wasn’t even real. But that was her life, her faith in her father’s mine (something real) compounded with something fake (her snow child) and the alcohol and fleeting emotions and needs needed to balance it all with delusion.
Still, she had seemed cold and untouchable to everyone back then – exactly as she had wanted to be. To mess with her would be to bring on forth your own misfortune and all of Nome knew that. Yet, even those who dared, like Gavin and his goons (back then), she had remained unfettered and unfazed. No one saw the cracks in her icy-armor. No one saw the nights where she drank the pain away. No one saw her with her daughter beyond mere rumor and hearsay. All they saw was the Snow Queen, the pariah, the ‘crazy-miner’s daughter’ and she had been fine with that.
And while she knew, now, that such an unstable mental state was not going to happen, her frequenting of such bars and taverns, at first, had worried Selena about her addiction coming back as part of her ‘colder demeanour’ in SCW – reemerging in some way. Fortunately, that hadn’t been the case, and the platinum-blonde still felt no desire for alcohol or painkillers. For that, she was beyond grateful.
She was currently on top of the world in SCW, and such things would only distract her. And then what?
It wasn’t that hard of a question to answer in her mind as she sat against inside the booth she had selected for herself when she had entered into ‘The Dead Rabbit’ about an hour ago. There was a reason she had come back to SCW, firing on all cylinders, and able to not only finally crush that task of winning the End of the Year Invitational (the match she had made her debut at a decade prior), but also nab the world title in her rematch, defeat Kandis in the ‘Shameless’ one’s rematch for said title, and had all but taken over as the fixture-point/main-event star in SCW. That reason was having everything work for her. Her mind was sharper than it had been, playing the game to rules she could control rather than ‘let others decide for her’. Her training? She had upped it since she had made the call to return, pushing herself farther and harder than she ever had in the last ten years. And, petty as it was, to accomplish that goal, all she had to do was see what other superstars were doing on social media. The Lexys, the Pollys, people that just HAD to show off what they or whoever they advocated for were doing in the gym. Getting ideas from them and others’ promos and such had given Selena a starting base on what everyone else was doing… allowing her to push herself to do more!
And it had worked. She was the world champion. She had SCW in the palm of her hand! She could work anyone and everyone to the point where she didn’t even have to raise a hand or kick someone in the head to get a reaction. But… that only worked as long as she kept herself at ‘that’ level. That level of training and mental sharpness. Any relapse into her addictions would be fatal to her, the notion causing Selena to shake her head sharply. She would NEVER go back to being that person again! NEVER! Being cold and distant? Fine. Being hated by everyone, and yet, seemingly, untouchable? That was more than fine, too.
But weak? Addicted to a substance? Letting such needs rule her life? No. She refused. She refused to give up all she had worked for to re-establish herself with SCW. All she had worked for to regain her position as the top talent in the wrestling world. All she had given up to become The Blue-Eyed Devil.
So why are you doing this?
The question was as easy to answer as it was expected. Being here served no purpose to her training, her goals for Taking the Leap or for Kristen Scott – nothing to do with SCW. Directly – nothing to do with those things directly. True, she knew she should be back at the Eyrie Tower – her new home – training or studying material for her upcoming title defense against Kristen Scott. Part of her even wanted to do that. There was no denying that the young woman known as ‘The One’ was going to be coming at Selena guns blazing, probably with some diatribe about this being her ‘only chance’ and ‘needing to win more than anything’ tripe, something atypical of such mid-card dwellers getting their first ‘shot’ at the greatest prize in the game. Still, that did not erase the fact that Kristen was hungry and would be looking for any and all ways to put Selena away and become the new SCW world champion. And the girl had fought in a chamber match, not to mention various Underground-style matches. Hell, she had beaten Kandis, Syren and Amy Chastaine, just to name a few. The girl had some skills and was tough to boot, which unnerved Selena a little.
Yes, part of her wanted to be home – or, rather, in her new home – preparing to nip the problem of ‘The One’ in the bud before things escalated and everything slipped out of her hands. One loss… that was all it would take to undo the contract clause on her reign as world champion. One loss and everything would be back to how it was.
Interference.
Tainted world title matches.
Controversial finishes.
Her contract existed – putting the world title division in an vice grip that bound it to her whims and her rules – as long as she remained SCW world champion. As long as she didn’t lose the title. And she wasn’t ready for that to change. She needed more time with the world championship. Needed more time to ‘clear the deck’ and make SCW regret what they had done to her last year and onward.
So, why was she so certain to be here? Because of that need for mental sharpness. And clearly, that was proving harder and harder as the weeks went by.
She could still be distracted… had been distracted. And it was all because of that one, little redhead.
At the thought the young woman, Selena’s head rose up to stare at the other end of the pub. Even in the dimly lit establishment, amidst the other patrons, she could spot the young girl sitting at the bar on one of the many stools. Even if she wasn’t wearing that shimmering, emerald gown, Selena would have spotted her due to her red hair - Like spotting someone immediately in a crowd… she mentally remarked, not surprised that she still possessed that ability with her wife.
The redhead wasn’t looking around the establishment, nor was she eyeing Selena like the platinum-blonde was watching her. Rather, Deanna Frost kept her eyes on the glass of water sitting on the counter in front of her, only straying every few minutes to gaze at something on the counter, Selena assumed that being the girl’s phone. Her wife was clearly waiting for someone… not someone… Selena thought knowingly. Me.
She wasn’t sure what particular event had pushed her into embracing the notion that the two of them – herself and Deanna – needed help. Perhaps it was the scuffle they had endured during Deanna’s graduation ball with the Aldens, one where Selena had humiliated and embarrassed the younger girl - necessary to make her see the wrongs the Aldens were doing and how warped her own perception of them had begun. The older Frost reminded herself. Or maybe it was Retribution and seeing her wife so troubled in their marriage that she could not even walk to the parking lot with Selena. She wouldn’t admit it to Deanna, but that acknowledgment had hurt the platinum-blonde. So what if they were at opposite sides if things in SCW? So what if she wanted to stay true to the notion that ‘everyone was good’ while Selena was wiser than that now. So what if the fans booed Selena but cheered for Deanna? Living separately was necessary, yes, but they could still be cordial and caring to one another, couldn’t they? Was that so hard?
She sighed. Apparently, it was for Deanna. The redhead seemed incapable of understanding why things were the way they were and incapable of separating the woman Selena was in SCW with the woman she was still trying to be here with their family. And whatever the reason, the ball or post-Retribution, Selena had agreed to marriage counseling, employing the services of Dr. Glengow shortly after the pay-per-view. It was the counselor that was responsible for their current predicament.
Not that that was a slight against the professional. Even Selena had, to herself, remarked on some of the effective tools the dark-skinned woman had employed to get the Frost wives to open up to one another, even a little.
But I hate that I can’t trust her…
That was a particular openness that Selena had wished to every god, Norse and Greek that she believed in, to just disappear and never exist. Because it still hurt. Not because it was a lie. Not because Deanna had said it just to hurt Selena. But because she had spoken it with such hurt… and truthfulness. Deanna didn’t trust her, and couldn’t see any reason to.
It still, weeks later, didn’t make any sense to Selena. All of this, her return to SCW and all it entailed, had been because Deanna had wanted her back. And she had stayed out of Deanna’s way in SCW as best she could, letting the younger woman forge her own path in SCW with chamber matches and demands for ‘last woman standing matches’, with great success, Selena was proud to admit, as the United States Champion. She had done her best not to overly mention her wife in her promos and was sure not to involve her in any decisions/actions she made on the shows. Yet, Deanna couldn’t believe that Selena had her best interests at heart? After how many years of marriage? How many children?
It still stung deep in the Snow Queen’s core, but Selena clamped down on it, pushing it further down to keep it from taking over her tonight. What was done was done – she had to move forward. And that was what Glengow had advised. In a way, it was sort of clever to Selena.
”You say the two of you can’t seem to coexist due to the issues of SCW – your workplace?” she had clarified. ”Then perhaps you two need someplace devoid of that. A place where you both can meet and talk without SCW’s presence.”
It was absurdly simple: Nia Glengow had called it ‘roleplaying’. The two of them, Deanna and Selena, would go on a date, but under different names and circumstances. They could pretend to be anyone they wanted. With any background or history. There was only one condition.
There was to be no talk about SCW or wrestling. Neither of them could be ‘wrestlers’ in these personas or anything to do with ‘Selena Frost’ or ‘Deanna Frost’. As stated before, it was simple… except Selena wasn’t really an actress. She had never ‘pretended’ to be anyone except for a small tv-show ‘Polaris’ years ago that she had helped produce. Wasn’t like she ‘pretended’ over in SCW. Everything had always been ‘just her’ – it was why she had laughed so much where, for the last decade, people were ‘so sure’ her personality was a sham and that ‘soon – oh so soon’ she was going to turn and fool everyone!
Turns out they fooled me… the bitter thought came to Selena’s mind. SCW and the SCW Universe are the ones that were playing me… and I got fooled…
She saw her phone buzz, her eyes flying to the device to see the text message notification. Recognizing the name immediately, she picked up the phone to read it.
You coming?
She was about to type a reply but her fingers hesitated, her sapphire eyes looking up to see her wife just putting her phone back on the counter. A wicked thought crossing her mind, with a smirk to boot, Selena then bit her lower lip to type her reply.
New phone. Who dis? She hit sent and immediately shot her gaze back up towards Deanna. It took a few seconds, but Selena watched her wife gaze down at her phone, see the notification, and pick it up. She seemed to give it a read before rolling her eyes and shaking her head, almost causing Selena to laugh aloud and give her position away. She continued to watch as Deanna’s fingers flew across her own screen. Another second and Selena’s phone vibrated in her hands, causing the platinum-blonde to cast her eyes downward.
Seriously? Another text quickly followed. We’re supposed to meet at The Dead Rabbit half an hour ago.
A short jab of guilt shot through Selena. Truthfully, being here for over an hour, she had seen her wife come in and make herself comfortable at the bar. At any time, Selena could have gotten up and ‘started things’, but she hadn’t. She had just chosen to watch her wife.
Because what could she do? She still couldn’t figure it out entirely. Pretend to be someone else? With a backstory or something? She hadn’t been able to think of one, and she knew her wife well enough to know Deanna would have one – complete with a ten-page essay of backstory to boot!
Was that tonight? She typed, then hit ‘send’, still feeling the humor in her little ‘game’ with the ‘teacher’s pet’ that was Deanna. She watched her wife gaze at her phone again, but this time, a look of shock came across the redhead’s features, one that morphed to disappointment – which seemed to suck out the joy and humor from Selena. She watched Deanna slowly take the phone into her hands more firmly before typing something. A second passed before another notification came across Selena’s screen.
Good to know how important this is to you.
The mental curses that rampaged through Selena’s mind were a riot of sound as the Snow Queen cursed herself every which way she could. Cursed her stupid idea of a joke, cursed her stupid brain for not being able to follow their counselor’s simplest instructions, cursed… everything.
Pushing herself out of her seat, she quickly adjusted her leather jacket and black pants, a far cry from the dress Deanna wore – which Selena thought was the point. Checking her hair – curled and free – the woman was moving before she realized she had taken a step, her brain seemingly slowing down everything as she desperately tried to think of something… ANYTHING!... Anything to say to go with this exercise.
Anything but wrestling! she reminded herself. No SCW. No World title. No Kristen Scott. No Kandis… no-
“Hey, cutie…” the voice came out like a purr… and it was hers! It almost caught her off guard, which was a small reaction compared to Deanna spinning around, emerald eyes going wide as she saw Selena standing before her. “Mind if I sit here?” Selena added, trying to keep up whatever tone her voice had, naturally, adopted. When she saw Deanna’s eyes narrow at her for a moment, but also giving a nod of her head, Selena carefully sat at the barstool beside the woman.
“Now…” she began, making each word up as it came to her. “I’m sitting over there in my booth.” She gestured towards the area she had come from. “And, sorry if this is forward – but I see this gorgeous young thing come in here. Don’t see many of those here.”
Deanna remained silent, her expression unreadable to Selena, though there was a coldness to the air between them, which almost made Selena lose her nerve… and the accent her voice had suddenly picked up.
“But I think to myself, ain’t no way she came here alone. She’s either with someone or waiting for someone. But, my surprise, half an hour goes by and…” she looked around. “No one comes up.” She eyed the emerald-eyed beauty. “Get stood up or something?”
Deanna opened her mouth to speak, as if she wanted to say something as some sort of knee-jerk reaction. Instead, she closed her mouth, took a deep breath through her nose, then opened her mouth again to release a sigh before turning to pick up her glass of water. “Yeah, basically.” She replied. “Had a date with this girl and she just told me she forgot about it. Probably still at home.”
“Or with someone else.” Selena shrugged, earning a sputter-scoff from Deanna. “Sorry. Not helping.” She shrugged apologetically.
“Last time I go date-shopping on Tinder.” Deanna sighed, trying to play along.
“I never trust those things.” Selena shook her head. “Easy to lie, easy to pretend, and you’ve got keyboard-warriors acting so tough when they’re hiding behind a screen.” She shook her head as the bartender spotted her. Holding up a hand, Selena waved at him. “Can I get you a drink? Besides water?”
Deanna’s eyes went wide. “I…that is….” Selena could see the woman’s mind racing. “I don’t drink.”
“Relax.” Selena smiled as the bartender reached them. “Ice-tea for her.” She gestured to Deanna. “And I’ll have a virgin screwdriver.”
The bartender lifted an eyebrow. “You know that’s…”
“Orange juice.” Selena grinned. “You know your drinks! Good for you!”
With a nod, the bartender excused himself to make the drinks as Selena heard an audible sigh of relief come from Deanna. “I thought you were…” Deanna gestured, momentarily breaking whatever character she had. “Going to order something…”
“I don’t drink either.” Selena shrugged. “Never liked the stuff. Plus my uncle was an alkie.”
“An alkie?”
“Alcoholic.” Selena shrugged. “But that’s a second or third-date story.”
“What makes you think this is a first date?” Deanna asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Isn’t it?” Selena countered. “You were stood up. I was stood up. We meet here… sounds like happenstance and serendipity to me. And if we ever have kids…” she teased. “It makes a lovely story.”
“Uh-huh.” Deanna nodded her head. “I’m sure they would love to hear about the woman who couldn’t give me her name but gave me kids…”
“Didn’t realize there was an order to it.” Selena teased back.
“It’s right there in the song.” Deanna stuck her tongue out. “First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes a baby in a baby-carriage.”
“Didn’t hear anything about ‘names’ in that tune.” Selena shot back. “But fine.” Her mind, unlike her speech, was frantic, trying desperately to come up with a name, her eyes scanning the room frantically for any sign or inspiration. Yet, for the Irish pub, all she saw was drinks, food, platters of cheese, potpies and-
“Chicken!” she declared without thinking and cursing mentally as Deanna almost chocked on her water as she heard the platinum-blonde speak. “I mean… Chicka… Chica. That’s it. Name’s Chica.”
“Chica?” Deanna repeated. “Sounds Spanish.”
“Just a nickname.” Selena shrugged.
“Never met someone’s nickname first. What’s your real name?” she dared with a smirk.
“Sixth or seventh date, darling.” Selena winked – actually proud of herself for the improv-line that had bought her more time. “What about you?”
She heard Deanna sigh a little as the reply processed in her mind. “I don’t have a nickname.” She finally said. “I used to, but not anymore.”
“I could give you one...” Selena meant it as a tease, but when Deanna shook her head, her sadness not diminishing, the older woman regretted her choice of words immediately. “First names are more normal anyway.” She offered lamely, earning a nod from Deanna.
“Well, I’m Evelyn.” She replied smoothly. “I’m 26 years old and I work as an airline stewardess.”
Selena bit back a laugh at the, nearly, monologue-delivery her wife had employed. “Sounds like you practiced that introduction.”
“Well, it was meant for my date.” Deanna answered smoothly. “What do you do?”
“Me?” DAMN! Selena’s mind was, once more, in a flurry of thought, but this time looking anywhere BUT the food for inspiration. “I’m a writer!” she settled on saying. “Or… I’m trying to be.”
“Have I read any of your work?” Deanna asked, an amused twinkle in her eye.
“Doubtful.” Selena shrugged, playing the part. “Haven’t been published officially yet. Hope to. But I mostly do odd jobs in-between to pay the bills.”
“And what about tonight?” Deanna asked. “Were you stood up as well?”
“Hmmm…” Selena shook her head as their drinks arrived, using the glass of orange juice as a temporary break. “Not here.” She stated slowly. “I come here all the time. But I was supposed to meet someone tonight. See, I’ve been in this long-distance relationship for about six months now and she was finally going to come down to New York so we’d finally meet up. I was going to take her to the Empire State Building or maybe that cool one with the castle? The Eyrie one?”
“Trust me. It’s not so cool.” Deanna rolled her eyes. “Rather tacky.”
Oh, someone is playing a little close to the chest… Selena thought, somewhat amused. “Well, anyway. Roses, food, had it all worked out. Gods… I’ve got to text the hotel and tell them to cancel… anyway, she texted me a few hours ago and said she decided she couldn’t leave after all. That all this was meant to be fun for her.”
“So, you weren’t stood up.” Deanna winced. “You were dumped.”
“Guess so…” Selena shrugged. “Should of seen it coming. There were definitely signs… Anyway, I came here just to get my head on right and in walks this beautiful woman.”
“Feel like you traded up?”
“Definitely.” Selena nodded. “Let’s hope you can do the same.” She threw in another wink towards the woman for good measure, causing the redhead to look away and a faint blush to cross her fine features. “So, what kind work is it like for a stewardess? You in-between flights or something? Was this just a… LAID-over…”
You DID NOT just make a sex pun! Who are you? Ace Marshall? Kandis? Her mind mocked – probably rolling its eyes, if it had any.
Deanna gave no reaction to the line, merely shrugging her shoulders. “I’m stationed here. I fly every few days, then get a few days off.”
“Sounds like a full schedule, though sort of… ‘up in the air’?”
What is with you with all these puns?!
Hey! My character makes puns, okay?!
You’re dressed like a bad girl in leather! What part of that makes puns?!
Would you rather I shoot a promo on her?!
Would be better than the mess you’re doing now! You’re supposed to be hitting on her or something!
Easy for you to say!
It IS easy for me to say! I married her!
So did I!!!
How long Selena went through this mental debate, she wasn’t sure. It FELT like ten or so minutes, but it probably was just seconds. To her credit, she was too busy having it to see Deanna roll her eyes at the poor pun she had just unleashed, but she did hear the small laugh that escaped the young redhead.
“So…” she heard Deanna ask, the latter taking a small drink of her iced tea. “What kind of novels do you write?”
“Romance.” Selena said the first word that came to her mind, nodding her head as she sipped her orange juice. “Got this real kicker going.”
“Kicker?”
“Yep.” The platinum-blonde nodded. “It’s about this girl that gets stood up by this other girl.”
“Oh… the LGTQB2S++ would love it already.” Deanna teased, leaning her hand on her free hand. “What happens next?”
“Well…” why was Selena feeling nervous? It was just her wife! It wasn’t like there was anything they hadn’t done together. They had had sex on a plane for gods’ sake – multiple times in fact! Why was she suddenly feeling like a high-schooler trying to ask out her crush? “S-She meets this really cute girl in a pub.”
“Mmhmmm.” Deanna hummed good-naturedly, her emerald-eyes locked on Selena’s sapphire ones. “What happens next?”
“Still…still working on that.” Selena settled on saying. “Got a couple ways it can go.”
“Hmm. Sounds interesting.” She finished her drink easily enough, it was only iced tea afterall. “What’s the femme fatale like?”
“Femme fatale?” Selena asked.
“Yeah. Is she dangerous? Is she after something? Or…” she tilted her head the other way. “Is she just looking for love? Like a hopeless romantic?”
“That you?” Selena asked, actually finding herself more and more lost in this conversation. To answer, Deanna looked away, focusing for a second on her empty glass.
“I’m not sure.” She gave a shrug. “I want to. But lately… I’ve been wondering if it’s worth it, you know?”
“No…” Selena shook her head honestly. “No, I don’t.”
“Well…” the redhead breathed. “You think you’ve met ‘The One’. And you think ‘this is it’, right? But then you just get left behind, hurt, abandoned.”
“You…” Selena breathed, trying to find the right words. “You can’t believe someone is ‘The One’ from a Tinder date or just because they say they are. It…” another breath exhaled out of her. “It takes more than that. It takes work, and… and getting to know the person longer than a few minutes. It takes patience and…” her brain worked overtime trying to find the right words. “And seeing the good as well as the bad. You have to see them at their worst, as well as at their best. Otherwise… how can you really know if they’re the one, you know? Words can be said easily enough. But actions speak louder.”
“Coming from a writer?” Deanna remarked, her emerald eyes staring deep into Selena’s. Despite the noise that came from the pub from the night life and staff, neither woman really heard it. Neither of them were really interested beyond one another. It both surprised Selena, and yet, it felt familiar – vaguely. This kind of interest, this kind of look…
It had been nearly a year since she had seen it. Since before Rise to Greatness. When?
The answer came to her fast. It had been when she had been tag-team champions with Deanna. The House of Frost’s first, and only reign, as world tag-team champions, defending the, then, unbeatable Farmstead Friends and rising up to take down The One and Pro (Nicole Kinneck).
They had been the perfect team, at the time, starting the year as tag-team champions where no team could best them. Deanna had been so happy, teaming with her wife, being a champion with her life-partner…
The spike of sadness hit Selena in her reflections. It had been the start of the end, though, with that cash-in from Kimberly, Selena’s views against the titles being ‘tiered’, the fans starting to turn against her just because she disagreed with the method of the cash-in. It had all gone downhill from that point. If she could pinpoint a time where everything had started, it was that cash-in and subsequent backlash from it.
Not that she was blaming Kimberly Williams, to hell with that! She blamed the SCW Universe for failing to understand. For failing to give her the benefit of the doubt or the chance to explain herself. Nope, she had disagreed and, thus, was hated. That was how it worked with the SCW Universe – with every roster member acting they had ‘called it’ or some shit like that. Why couldn’t Deanna see that that was all everyone in SCW was? Leeches, people that would turn on you in a second the moment it suited their interests. It had happened to her, and it was going to happen to Deanna, sooner or later, whether the redhead wanted to believe it or not.
Still, to have her wife look at her like she was now… until she was looking at that gaze, the platinum-blonde hadn’t realized how much she had missed it. Missed sharing in one another’s victories. In moments of accomplishment. In being a team…
“What about you?”
The question shook her out of her musings, forcing the older woman to focus on the young lady sitting beside her. “What about me?” she asked.
“What kind of those women are you?” Deanna asked. “You don’t strike me as the kind of person that ‘sticks around in one place for too long’.”
“Coming from an airline stewardess?” Selena raised an eyebrow before shaking her head. “I don’t…” she chose her words, not sure exactly which things were Chica and which were Selena. “I don’t like being tied down where I’m not wanted or where I don’t want to be.” She answered honestly. “I like to live by my own rules. Not by other people telling me how to be.”
“Even if you’re hated for it?” neither was sure which ‘woman’ Deanna’s question was pointed at. Still, Selena answered.
“Rather be hated for what I am then loved for what I’m not.”
“And what are you?”
“I’m…” Selena sighed with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m someone that just wants to be proud of what she does. Who nobody can say didn’t live her life on ‘her terms’. Who didn’t let anyone push her around or make her ‘be’ something she wasn’t.” she stole a glance at Deanna. “Guess that doesn’t really answer your question.”
“No…” Deanna shook her head. “But you were willing to try tonight. You went out to see your possible girlfriend. So you must want something permanent – something substantial.”
Selena nodded. “Doesn’t everyone?”
“Like…like a home…”
Selena gave a shrug, looking away. “The robin may fly away…” she took one last sip of her orange juice. “But it always returns to the nest…” her eyes flew to stare into Deanna’s. “Eventually.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her wife’s eyes suddenly light up. It was for a moment, but you’d have to be an utter fool not to see it – they were so bright. “Really…” she heard the whisper faintly in her ear. That was all it was – a moment – until Deanna reigned it in, looking down at her hands and sitting back. “That…that will be good.” She settled on saying. “I’m sure you’ll find it.”
“Thanks.” Selena answered with a small smile. She just doesn’t get it…
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to return back to her ‘Forever Home’. She did. She had tried to live the life that she had wanted. Living in her Manhattan home, being a mother and wife, and no one believed it was real. They all thought she had been hiding her ‘true self’ and ‘true desires’ and, in a small way she had been. She had not left SCW on her own terms, feeling more like she had been driven out because SCW had changed so much and she wasn’t welcome there anymore. But that’s what this was. This was getting things back on ‘her’ terms. Getting things back the way they should be. Getting SCW back on track, by force if necessary.
When all of that was taken care of. When things were where they should be… she could walk away and, when that day came again, no one would think ill of her or think it was ‘fake’, but a meaningful ‘off into the sunset’ that she deserved. So many others had gotten that like Owen Cruze, didn’t she – scratch that – she deserved that.
But not until everything is done… and only on OUR terms! Her ‘devil’s voice’ – a mixture of hers and Macolm Scythe’s voice – whispered into her mind, reminding her of the tasks at hand.
“Can I tell you about the villain of my story?”
The question surprised Deanna, causing the redhead to turn her gaze back onto the platinum-blonde. “There’s a villain?”
“Yeah…well, kinda. Turns out there’s this girl that was obsessed with the love-interest that’s come back into the picture. Now the heroine is…well, I won’t say scared, but she knows this woman has manipulated the love-interest.”
“Oookay…. Sounds like an understandable conflict.”
“Right…” Selena nodded. “So the heroine has to help the love-interest by fighting the…ummm…”
“Ex?”
“Sure – but it’s more stalker and creepy than that.” Selena remarked. “She’s definitely not a trustworthy girl. In fact, turns out the villain’s ACTUALLY been obsessed with the heroine all along. Crazy, right?”
“More confusing than anything else.”
“Oh…okay.” Selena looked away, rather embarrassed. “So I definitely need to rethink that. It’s just…” She shook her head, rather ashamed of herself. She had tried to slip in a personal issue she had with SCW, that being with Kristen Scott. It was too close – scratch that – she had been cheating. Here she was supposed to not talk about wrestling yet doing it anyway through vagueness and whatever. “Never mind. Just a bad case of writer’s block.”
“Can you…can you tell me the ending, at least? Do you have that?”
“I…” Selena sighed. “I don’t.” she shrugged. “I told you it was a bad case of writer’s block. Right now, I’ve got the couple fighting over who’s side who is on and I… I can’t resolve it.”
‘Okay…” Deanna/Evelyn seemed to think about this. “Have they told each other that they love one another?”
“A couple of times. But it’s almost been in a heat of the moment with one unable to say it back.”
“Okay, but they know?”
“Yeah.” Selena shrugged. “It’s been made more than clear at this point.”
“So, that should be enough, right? People fight all the time. What’s important is that they understand why the other is fighting for their opinion or side of things.”
“But…it’s more complicated than that.” It was the only thing Selena could say.
“Maybe it is.” Deanna shrugged as she pushed herself off the stool, immediately stumbling. “Whoa…” she managed to stay on wobbly legs. Instinctively, Selena was off her stool in a second, grabbing hold of the redhead to steady her.
“Easy.” Selena whispered, holding the woman close to her without thinking.
“Sorry…” Deanna whispered in the same volume, more surprised than anything else. “My legs are asleep from sitting too long. Thanks…Chica…”
Selena rolled her eyes at Deanna’s playfulness. “No problem, Evelyn.” She replied. “Glad…” she sighed. “Glad things worked out the way they did.”
“Me…Me too.” Deanna smiled, throwing her coat on.
“Can…” Selena thought as fast as she could, following Deanna out of the pub (but not before leaving a fresh twenty-dollar bill on the table for the barman). “Can I walk you home?”
She hadn’t realized she was outside until she saw the bright lights from the streetlamps shining down on her, the amber hue casting an odd glow along the sidewalk. Refocusing back on Deanna, she saw the redhead stop, turning around to give a kind smile to Selena.
“Second or third date… Chica.” She teased before holding a hand up. Like magic, a cab stopped in front of her, allowing the young woman to step into it. She was out of sight within seconds.
Alone on the NYC street, Selena released a sigh. “Some story…” she whispered to no one. The truth was, she knew exactly how the ‘story’ would end.
Because she wasn’t Chica. Anymore than Deanna was Evelyn. She wasn’t just some ‘girl’ that stumbled in and ‘found true love in a pub’. She was a woman that was alone. A woman that no one believed in. Not the fans of SCW, not her peers… not even her wife.
There wouldn’t be a ‘happily ever after’ for her until she finished what she had to do. There wouldn’t be a ‘return to the nest’ until she had cleared SCW of unworthy challengers.
No one… not even Deanna… believed that she should… or even could…
They don’t believe yet… whispered her ‘devil’s voice’ darkly. But they will…
It was the only ending she would accept for her own story!
_______________________________________________________________
The Royal Letter
The camera opens up to a sitting room by a large window. The furniture is opulent, along with the tapestries. The room screams of royalty and authority. It is the Eyrie Tower in New York City, the clouds outside, below the window (their tops exposed) displaying the height at which this castle stands. Overlooking the city, dressed in black pants, matching high boots, a blue button-up blouse with embroidery around the front, and a black long coat line with fur draped over her shoulders. Gazing out upon her city for a moment longer, her voice is suddenly heard.
Typically, with a week or so before the pay-per-view, this where I'd come here, I’d gaze into that camera and ask you all if you ‘believe’ or not. Her back still to the camera, she tilts her head. Then I give you a second to voice your disdain and shout at your screen, thinking it affects me or that I can hear you… or that it even matters to me what you believe.
Turning around, the Snow Queen has a smirk on her face. But I've been doing alot of thinking these last few days since last Breakdown and I think that’s irrelevant right now. Because let’s face it – you’ve proven, SCW Universe, that you believe. Whether you like it or not. Whether you want to or not.
I mean… how else can we explain it? You just have to look at last Breakdown, don’t you? Tune in to any part – any segment – and someone was talking about me! The tag-division? They’re talking about me! LexyCorp? They’re talking about me! The Adrenaline division, they’re tweeting about me! The United States title division? Talking about me! Hell, I’ve even got road agents and management coming out of the woodwork to talk about me! And why not? Talking about me instantly gets you attention. Gets you ratings. Gets eyes on you! It makes you relevant. It makes you worth something, doesn’t it? Just mentioning my name. Throwing some false bravado.
And I’ll admit, at first, I was part proud, part laughing. Part proud cause I thought everyone was finally getting the picture about me – that I’m the star power this company needs. That I’m the one – the only one – that can keep this company going at the level it should be going, while everyone else just wants the ‘easy way’ on so many things. The part where I was laughing was the ‘bravado’ part. People talking all tough when I’m not in the ring, cause I know, soon as I was there, that bravado would be gone in a snap! She snaps her fingers.
Like your keyboard warriors on social media, it’s easy for you all to act tough when you think no one’s coming for you. It’s easy to act tough when you think there’s no consequences. But the second I step in that ring? The second you’re face to face with me? Everyone crumbles. Everyone falters because they see the power that I bring – the talent and ability that is unmatched. But I’ll get to that shortly… She gazes out the window for a moment. I WAS feeling pretty good about all of that. But then I thought about it. Thought about what was being talked about. Thought about what was REALLY happening aside from the name-mentioning. And the more I thought about it, the more I started getting pissed.
Because I realized that all of you really weren’t getting it. Those divisions weren’t really getting it. You guys were name dropping me just to get that ‘ratings boost’. Just to get eyes on you. “Look at me! I’m talking about Selena! Pay attention to me!”
And I realized what that makes all of you. She glares at the camera coldly. Pathetic! Utterly pathetic that you need me to make you significant! You need me to make yourselves important. Because you don’t have the skills or the guts to do it yourselves! You need me as a boost. As a ‘reason’ to rise up to another level! Yet you wonder why I’m clearing this place of unworthy challengers? Why I am knocking people out of MY ring? Because you all need me, but I sure as hell don’t need any of you! Nor does the world championship!
And, to top it all off, you need me so bad, you act all tough when I’m not around, but then you call ME the coward? You say I am being ‘protected’? she scoffs at that last part. Let’s just dissect that for a second, shall we?
What part of me is being protected? You see me travelling with an entourage? You see me getting matches against friends and family where they lay down for me? You see me hiding behind a faction? You see me make ‘specialty matches’ where moves are banned or I’ve got two or three people fighting with me against one or I’m putting my opponent through another match before facing me in the same night?
No, you don’t. I’m not Syren. I’m not The One. I’m not that suspended loudmouth dressed in rainbows and acting nonchalant. So how, exactly, am I being protected?
She gives a shrug. Because no one can touch me before their match with me? Because people can’t use tactics like ambushing and taking me down before their world title match without some form of repercussions?
That’s a bit confusing because… if they were BETTER than me, like every one of them brags about… why would they need any of that? Why would they need to jump me from behind? Why would they need to ambush me? Why would they need an entourage to deal with one person? If they were as good as they SAY they are, why couldn’t they just show up and beat me in the middle of the ring? I mean, isn’t that what the world title should be about? The best WRESTLER in SCW? Isn’t that what all of you should be WANTING when you watch a world championship match? For the best wrestler to win?
She laughs a little. See… I’ve made that possible. I’ve made it possible for the BEST in SCW to come forward and rise to the top. I’ve made it possible for the best wrestler to be the world champion and for everyone to get their chance to take that from me. So THEY can try and be the best. So that THEY can try and be the best in SCW.
But you think I’m ‘protecting myself’? Another laugh escapes her.
You guys… you just keep proving to me how stupid you all are. Every one of you, fan and wrestler alike in the SCW Universe. Utterly stupid. Because you rather use your own demented logic than reality. The reality that I’m at a level none of you can match. And you can’t stand it. One on one, no tricks, or cheap ploys, no interferences, no ambushes… just pure skill vs skill? I can’t be beat. I can’t be silenced. I can’t be pushed to the side. I continue to thrive. I continue to excel. I continue to be the one that DESERVES to be the world champion! And I prove it every single time I wrestle!
And you all can’t stand it. You need me here, you know I’m the best, you know I can’t be beat, and you can’t stand it. So you lie to yourselves. You say I’m protected or buying off officials, anything to keep your stupidity alive another day!
Moving around the space, Selena sits in one of the throne chairs comfortably. And it’s not all your fault. SCW’s been surrounded with cheaters, liars, false prophets, false saviors, false gods, shortcut-takers for years now! For years, THAT’S been the standard. And, for a time, I tried to just change things through example. I spent a decade trying to change things by being an example. And that worked! For a short time.
But, inevitably, it all stayed the same. So now, I don’t do by example. I change things by force. That’s the big difference between me and ‘The One’ Kristen Scott. She preached change, I MADE change. She promised to change the landscape – I changed it! I moved the needle, Kristen. I moved the eyes back onto SCW. Because, let’s face it, CHBK made it clear, management has made it clear – they, all of SCW, they need me. I brought eyes back on this place when Asher, Simon, and that other girl couldn’t. I brought people back to watch when they failed to. I made the SCW world title mean something worthwhile again because they were too busy bashing each other’s brains in with it to do anything for it.
What have you done, Kristen? You won ONE match at Fatal Fortunes to get a title shot at the world title. Good for you! Way to go! You call it ‘destiny’, I know. I call it ‘dumb luck’. But still, what else have you done, huh? Me? I cleared the deck for you. I removed every contender that was in line before you so you could have this shot at Taking the Leap. I removed the Simons, the Ashers and the others for you. What have you done?
Selena tilts her head. No, I’m genuinely asking, Kristen. Because, I’m going to level with you. Because I was stupid too. I have been. See, unlike the lying, stupid people booing me and who booed you when you stepped back from taking your shot right away, I respected your choice. I actually respected you letting me have my time to clear the path at Retribution. I respected you admitting that you weren’t ready to take me on back then.
I did! I respected it! Because I thought to myself, here is a woman that actually gets it! She knows things are different. She knows I’m on a whole different level than everyone else. She knows that this is her ONE chance. She’s not going to blow it. She’s not going to just do the ‘same old thing’, right? She’s going to think about it. She’s going to work at it! And when she comes at me, she’s going to be giving me something new. Something original. Something that I’ve never seen before!
Selena looks away for a moment. That’s what I thought, Scott. Because till now, you’ve been good. I’ll give you that. You’ve been REALLY good. Mid-card level? You may be at the top! Amy Chastaine? You beat her. Syren? Beat her. That woman I beat last PPV? You beat her. You have done so much with where you’ve been and what you’ve had! You’ve been good… but not ‘great’. And I thought you recognized that. That’s what I was trying to say to you the first Breakdown post-Retribution. And you said you were sure! That you were ready! That you had done the work! I believed that this was a new, better version of Kristen Scott…
Her face becomes a colder expression.
That’s where I was stupid. Because I got fooled. I got lied to. I didn’t see some new, trained, Kristen Scott. No. What did I get last Breakdown? The same one that’s been running around here for years! The one that’s gonna ‘shake SCW down to the core’, ‘swap out the old guard’, ‘change the face of SCW FOREVER’! An actual growl escapes Selena.
That’s how you do it, Kristen? I give you your time? I let you stand in my ring. I give you a shot at MY title and you’re coming at me with the same BS you came at with Deanna and everybody else? That’s how this is going to work? You’re going to ‘change SCW’, huh? Just because you've 'wanted it for oh so long'? Like you did before? Oh, wait… you didn’t! You tried in the Underground division. You failed. You tried in the tag-team division, you failed. You tried in the television division. You failed. You tried to in the United States division. You failed! You've 'wanted' every title that you've been handed a shot at and you've failed! Yet you think, in MY division, you’re going to succeed with the same tactics? The same lines? The same motivation?
That just leaves two possibilities. You’re either as stupid as everyone else in SCW running their mouths… her sapphire eyes narrow. Or you think I’m easier than those other divisions where you failed…
And see, Kristen… that is something I take VERY personally. When someone thinks I can be knocked off the mountain – MY mountain – so easily. When someone thinks that they can take this title from me so easily. When someone thinks they can do what I do so easily that they don’t have to change a damn thing about themselves. When someone laughs at me because someone interfered in my match… Selena visibly flinches at the memory, her nostrils flaring a little for a second.
You want to laugh at that, Kristen? You wanted to laugh at me because I got tackled from behind by a coward and won my match through disqualification… you should be enraged. Because what happens if that happens to you… Oh! Let me spell it out for you, because you’re clearly too stupid to recall. Our match ends in disqualification? You don’t get the title. You don’t get to be champion. You get NOTHING! But you want to laugh because it happened to me? You should have been offended and terrified because it just shows what I have given YOU and this championship with my so-called ‘protection’! What you NEED from me in order to have your fair shot!
Selena shakes her head knowingly.
I take all of that VERY personally, Kristen, because you’re showing me the truth. Because if you couldn’t hack it in those divisions, and you’re too stupid to change your approach and appreciate what I am giving you, then I’m going to tell you straight to your face – you don’t belong in MY division! You don’t belong with the world title!
Because this is going to be a title match unlike any you’ve had before. This is going to be unlike any MATCH you’ve had before, Kristen. Cause if you’re content to just be ‘good’ when I gave you the time to at least attempt to get to ‘great’, then I am going to show you what ‘greatness’ truly is. The canyon of difference between your levels and mine. If you’re content being ‘the same old One’, then I am going to utterly destroy and humiliate you in this ring and make you just ‘another one’, just like those I’ve beaten this year. If you’re content wasting my time, then I am going to waste your chance and send you packing back to the mid-cards.
And here’s the thing, Kirsten… when I’m done with you, it’s not gonna be with an ‘understanding’ like you had last Breakdown towards me “should you win”. I’m not expecting another match with you. No. I’m knocking you back down to where you belong, Kristen, and I’m not going to want to see you or hear you again until you actually do the damn work and reach that new level.
Cause ‘really good’? That isn’t going to cut it here in my division – in MY kingdom. SCW doesn’t need a ‘really good’ world champion. They need a ‘great’ world champion. They need a ‘great’ Face of SCW. They need a ‘great’ superstar and that’s why they need me!
This weekend, Kristen… you’re going to be really good. You’re going to be really close. You’re going to be really tough to beat.
But, when it’s all said and done… you just won’t be close enough. You won’t be tough enough… and you sure as hell won’t be good enough to beat me.
Whether you want to believe it… or not.
Selena gives a wicked smile as the camera slowly fades on the grinning world champion before going to black.
![[Image: hffOaUZ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/hffOaUZ.png)
SCW Supreme Champion
6x SCW World Champion
4x SCW World Tag-Team Champion
2x SCW United States Champion
3x SCW Adrenaline Champion
SCW Television Champion
Longest Reigning SCW World Champion (234 days)
Winner of Shot of Adrenaline Tournament (2016)
Winner of Best of the Best Tournament (2016)
Winner of Trios Tournament (2018)
Winner of U.S. Championship Tournament (2020)
Winner of World Championship Tournament (2023)
Winner of Tactical Warfare (2014, 2019)
Winner of Elimination Chamber (2015, 2024)
Winner of Roofed Cage Match (2019)
Winner of Last Person Standing Match (2019)
The Unbelievable Main Event (2021-2025)
Winner of Double Jeopardy Match (2022)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Winner of Ironman Match (2024)
Wrestler of the Year (2016, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Tag-Team of the Year (2020 - w/ Regan Street)
Match of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024)
Feud of the Year (2014, 2019)
Shocking Moment of the Year (2024)
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