Selena Frost, Polly & Raynes Vs. Williams, David Striker & Sean Michael Prime

[SnowQueenSCW]

Villain of the Year

”Shadow Play”

The Eyrie Tower
New York City, New York
July 30th, 2024
2:54am

She had tried to talk for twenty minutes, sitting in the dimly lit room of candlelight and shadows. She had thrown her cellphone against the wall another three times in those twenty minutes. Mentally cursed herself about a dozen times. Even screamed out loud in aggravation twice – which really hurt her voice due to its lack of use the last few days.

And yet, she hadn’t been able to make one call or utter a single word.

They all would be laughing their asses off if they saw how weak you look… her devil-mind mocked but Selena didn’t care. She had a solid month until SCW returned. A month to get her head on right and to formulate a plan to get back her world title.

Obviously, that was the end goal. Yes, she had a rematch contract ready to go, but simply winning the title again? What would that accomplish? Some no name person getting lucky with her again and the whole cycle repeats? No… she wasn’t going to run on emotion like last year. She would bide her time, take everything into account – this ‘Wild, Wild West’ Josh Hudson wanted… she’d watch it all unfold and when it served her best, only then would she make good on her rematch. Like a Sword of Damocles.

If Trios worked to her favor, that would only solidify the position. While everyone would be running around like chickens with their heads cut off, talking about what Trios was and whatnot, she would be looking for opportunities – killshots (this was the Wild Wild West now, right?). Because one thing she had learned from Regan, Kelsey, Sienna, and even Josh Hudson.

It wasn’t always the toughest or the strongest that won the war, but the smartest and most resilient. That was why she knew Hudson and his ‘vision’ wouldn’t last. And if she was the one that delivered the killshot? So much the better. If it was Xander or some nobody that got lucky like Kandis had? None the worse. In the end, the result would, inevitably be the same.

With her as the world champion once more.

You’re just looking for a distraction…

Biting her lower lip hard, Selena finally run her thumb along the screen, letting it dance in the dark as it pressed the spaces where numbers would be before putting the phone to her ear. She knew her own answering machine – Deanna hadn’t changed it yet – it was almost eerie for the Snow Queen hearing her own voice talk to her, instructing her to ‘leave a message’ followed by a beep.

“It’s…” she breathed. “It’s me…” she didn’t let her brain call her ‘lame’ for a third time, forcing it to focus it on talking. “I’m sorry, Deanna…”

Her breath escaped her for a moment, causing her to almost gulp in another breath to compensate, but she managed to speak shortly after. “I’m…” she didn’t even know where to start. Leaving her redhead, pushing her into that potted plant at the Alden-ball, leaving her to her own devices in SCW, everything with Jessica Winters – the list was too long to call forth one particular thing… which only made the tears she had been holding back through these confessions finally fall. “I’m sorry for everything.”

“I… I never wanted… I never meant to…” her voice shook a little, but she finally settled on the one thing she wanted to say – the thought that had persisted in her mind since St. Louis. “It wasn’t worth it.”

“When… when this all began, I thought that this was what I had to do. Fix things – that’s what I do in SCW. I fix it. I keep fixing everything. But… even after I succeeded – won the title – all of this…” she dug her free hand palm-first into her eye to rub out the tears. “It wasn’t worth losing you. I miss you. I miss us. I miss… I miss who we were. Gods…” She looked into the shadows, watching the light continue its dance, almost prompting her to continue.

“Why did I say anything about that stupid Trios cash-in?” she shook her head. “Why didn’t I just keep my mouth shut and take it as a ‘stupid idea’ and that was it?” she bit her lip angrily. That’s where it had all started. Her assessing Kimberly Williams’ cash-in, viewing it as a slap in the face of the titles by putting them as ‘consolation prizes’. It had NOTHING to do with losing the titles or wining the titles. She had just hated the idea of something like the ‘world tag-team titles’ being the fourth and fifth place prize when they were supposed to represent the ‘best tag-team in the world’! That slip – that opinion – had been the beginning of the end. The cash-out match had begun the turning of the crowd, their hatred going against her – them viewing her fight for integrity and for them as something to despise.

“I wish I had said nothing then, Deanna. More than anything, I wish I had said nothing. Then this… all of this… wouldn’t have happened.” She breathed. “Do you… do you ever think about that? What would have happened if they hadn’t turned on me? I…I think you’d still be United States Champion and all that. I probably would still be coming and going out of the world title picture. But maybe we’d be tag-team champions again…” she laughed a little, with a mix of a cry in there as well. “Maybe we could be paired to win Trios and cash-in together. You’ve never really won it before, have you?” she sighed. “It’s an incredible feeling. To know you can do something so amazing at any time. You want to just sit on it and think about it. But it’s also nerve-wracking, especially as time runs out.” She sighed in recollection. “If I won…” she laughed. “Who am I kidding? I’d opt to face you in a match where you remarry me if you lose.” She let herself laugh a little. “Yeah, I’m that petty and pathetic, Deanna. You know that.”

The sigh escaped her. “I… I wish I could go back and change it all. I wish I could use Trios and ‘unmake’ that match from ever happening. I wish…” moving her hand away from her ear, the platinum-blonde gazed down at the black screen of her phone. “I wish I could tell you all this…”

Slowly, she let the device fall out of her hand, the phone falling to the ground with a clatter. In the dim light, she could see another piece from the frame fall off and skid a few inches towards the table, almost hiding underneath it.

“But I can’t…”

Standing to her feet, the Snow Queen walked around the room, her memory serving her better than her vision, until she reached the nearby wall, flicking a switch to turn the lights on the chandelier on, casting the room into bright illumination. Looking at the adjacent wall, the former world champion saw the marks where she had thrown the phone… and the pieces of the phone that had broken off from each throw. Some of the screen, some of the cover, some of the frame, even part of a microchip or something that looked like it.

Have to get a new one… she told herself. The phone had died after four or five hard throws against the wall. But it could be replaced and the wall buffed and whatever. Gazing at the ‘carnage’ of ‘phone-guts’, Selena could only shake her head.

What good would such confessions be to anyone? CHBK? Aaron? Deanna?

It was too late for her. What she had done? The people she had cheated? The people she had hurt? She was now the most hated person in all of SCW. The ‘Villain of the Year’ if ever there was one! And there was no one to blame but herself.

She had chosen to speak her mind against William’s Cash-in.
She had chosen to defy everyone despite their issues with her.
She had chosen to come back after leaving.
She had chosen to be the Blue-Eyed Devil.
She had chosen to leave Deanna…

She couldn’t go back, no matter how much she wished to. She could only go forward. Down the ‘Devil’s Road’ until she reached its conclusion. Until someone could do what Josh Hudson pretended to want. Either save her… or take her out of SCW for good.

Fool… she thought. She hated either outcome… and there wasn’t anyone or anyway she could be saved. So that just left only one option. And there were clearly many takers that would leap at the chance starting when SCW returned.

In the meantime… Quietly, Selena walked over the pile of phone parts before reaching her landline phone. This time, she actually dialed numbers, she actually heard a ringtone and… someone actually picked up.

“What is it?” came the voice.

“It’s me…” Selena replied, her voice cold and without hesitation. “What do you know about the upcoming Trios tournament?”

_______________________________________________________________

The Royal Letter

The camera opens up to a rather pleased Selena Frost sitting in a dark-green throne chair, wearing a dark-purple dress, flicking a piece of paper between two of her fingers as she gazes at the camera. Oh I’m sorry… were you expecting something different, SCW? she tilts her head.

Were you hoping for a repeat of last year? Where I lose the world title, throw my hands in the air and leave SCW again? Was that what you were hoping for in-between your little sing-song of “The Witch is Dead”? A repeat of history? Hmmm?

She shrugs her shoulders. Well, I am sorry to disappoint. No…that’s not true – I’m delighted to disappoint and upset all of you – because for those of you wishing for a ‘repeat of history’, the saying actually goes “Those that do not LEARN from history are doomed to repeat it”.

And I certainly have learned from my history. Do I look like Kandis? Gets suspended for assaulting officials earlier this year and decides… HEY! I’m going to do it again! What could happen? she laughs a little. Fitting, let me tell you. Never can count on that woman to learn anything that doesn’t involve some kind of sex-play.

But I digress. As I said, I LEARN from my history. That’s why I had this ready. she holds up the piece of paper, the one she has carried for the last few episodes of Breakdown – her ‘rematch contract’.

Because you know who is really repeating history? And who are so stupid that they don’t even know it? she tilts her head. Every single one of you.

Come on, people. You’ve got your ‘champion’ and you think he cares about you? What you want? That because he’s using words like “Wild, Wild West” that he’s any different? Let’s see what’s happened under his watch, shall we?

First show back, he’s beaten into the ground. Just like Kandis. Just like Adam Allocco.
Inevitably, Kandis gets kicked out of SCW… yeah that already happened.
We’ve got people running around like lunatics – just like last year with Kandis and with Allocco.

You’re all singing the same tune that you sang last year. It’s just the name has changed. It was Adam, then it was Kandis and now it’s Hudson.

That’s all Hudson is. He’s the stand-in. He’s the current ‘flavour’. He’s the guy that’s got a brief moment in the sun. And sooner or later, as you and him clearly refuse to learn from history – history will repeat itself. Again, she dangles the contract in front of the camera shot.

And when it does… the world title will find its way back to where it belongs. Where it’s always belonged. With me. Happened with Allocco… Happened with Kandis… she grins. It WILL happen to Hudson.

And when it does, your latest ‘hero’ will, as they did, show his true colors and fall off the face of the map. Back down the ranks or, maybe, quit for the umpteenth time. Again, look at the past because you can’t seem to learn from it.

Allocco…gone.
Kandis… she laughs again. Suspended and gone back to her OnlyFans.

So what do I have to worry about? I just need to wait. Wait for the pressure to crack and break Hudson and choose my moment to use this… she gazes at the piece of paper in her hand. The boys and girls want to play ‘cops and robbers’ or ‘outlaws and sheriffs’ in this Wild West? I’ll be the sniper. The one with the rifle, lining up her perfect shot… right to the head of whoever holds the world championship…

But in the meantime!! she places the contract on a nearby table before facing the camera, her smiling growing. I have a team to lead and a trios tournament to fight for. And again, you’ll notice I said ‘fight for’. Because while everyone else is refusing to learn, I am a woman that DOES learn.

You see, everyone is running around right now. Oh! We’ve gotta talk about Trios and what it means! We’ve got to talk about our partners and what that means! We’ve got to talk about our opponents and what that means! We’ve got to talk about our potential future opponents in the semi-finals and the finals and what THAT means!

She laughs a little. As if we don’t know all this shit already! I mean, I know we didn’t have one last season but blame CHBK and D. on that. But all of you – who are you kidding? We’ve had over a dozen Trios tournaments. We KNOW what it means! We know what the reward is! And anyone that’s paying any attention to anything knows most of these strange pairings and what they mean.

Blake and Josh.
Braddock and YUYO
Polly and I.

You’re all running around like fools when none of you have the first clue what to do to win this whole tournament. You’re looking towards the quarterfinals and then the finals. You’re all trying to be captains of your teams – hell, some of you aren’t even getting your opponents' names right. That’s how off you guys are being.

She shakes her head. When really… what you lack is focus. You shouldn’t even be thinking about the finals. What you should be thinking about is surviving tonight. Praying to whatever god you believe in that you face the ‘right’ team that you can get past. Praying you’re not the team that has to deal with me.

She grins. Because let me make this clear. I don’t need this Trios contract. I’ve got this one… again, she holds up the piece of paper. So any talks about Polly ‘screwing me’ simply shows your lack of thought. Because Polly – regardless of my opinion of her in some areas – is a very smart woman. Just like Raynes is an opportunistic man – a wildcard, if you will. Screwing me out of this tournament doesn’t hurt me.

It hurts them. And they know it. It denies Polly the chance to finally break that glass ceiling. Think about it. A match that she designs the rules and stipulations? After losing to Hudson AND to me? Not to mention her failed attempts to be the United States champion? She NEEDS this! Needs this power to finally break through!

Raynes? A man that has always needed someone to hang off of? Bree Lancaster comes to mind. Now he’s back and he has… well, the element of surprise I suppose, but what now? What can he do? He NEEDS this to establish himself. To remind SCW what he is capable of.

Selena smiles knowingly. That is the reality. I have teammates that need those contracts. Need to win. Me? I don’t need to win those contracts.

I just want to. her grin becomes more wicked.

And that is something that everyone should be terrified of. Including the world champion - actually every champion in this tournament, including the Queen of Chaos, and including every new face and old face here.

Because it is when I want something that I am at my most dangerous.

Don’t believe me? Ask Asher Hayes. Oh that’s right, you can’t! Because I ran him out of SCW! I didn’t need the world title back then. I just wanted it. So I took it. And there wasn’t a soul that could stop me.

And again, Polly and Raynes know that…

So maybe, instead of worrying about what to call us, Kimberly, or what nickname to stick us with, you understand the basic fact that, well… she shrugs knowingly. Well, that you’re not getting out of the first round. And maybe that’s fine for you, with your jokes and overused gags about my name and calling me – what was it? – the Frankenstein monster? But, let’s face it… you don’t have an Executioner this time around. Or an All-Star for that matter. It’s just you… and two nobodies. A guy that barely knows where he is and… well, when was the last time SMP won a match?

Selena rests her head on her knuckles. Your antics are cute, Kimmy, but even you can know when you’re fighting a losing battle. Still, you will be useful despite your little childish jokes. Because I am not worried about the finals. That’s not what Breakdown is about. Breakdown is about the quarter-finals and the semi-finals.

And for me… it’s about establishing my power.

Because I am more concerned that Raynes and Polly get what I am offering them. I don’t care if they don’t like me. The lineup of people that hate me is out the door and circles around the block about ten or so times. They can hate me all they want. But like I said, they are smart. And they know it is far better to have me with them than against them.

Breakdown? I am going to prove that. I am going to make them believe that. First with you, Kimberly, and with Striker and Prime – I will... well, to put it simply and in terms even you can understand, beat you to the ground. It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s going to set the pace for this team – a REAL ‘Team-building exercise’ if you will. That’s what I will be running. And, as part of that, after – what did you call us again? ‘Team Hate’? Heh… Selena shakes her head good-naturedly. Kimmy, you’re not important enough for me to hate, but I’ll indulge you. After ‘Team Hate’ beats you, I am going to get my team through the semi-finals.

A dark grin crossed the Snow Queen features. And that, Kimberly, will be what truly unites this team to the point where winning the finals won’t be a wish – it’ll be a foregone conclusion.

And then you… Striker… SMP… Hudson… all of SCW, really… you can all be a part of ‘Team Hate’.

The team that hates seeing Selena with another contract in her hand.

She holds up the contract with one hand while flexing the fingers of her free hand. Hates seeing it… but can do NOTHING about it.

Whether you believe it…or not!

The camera focuses on that image before fading completely to black.