Selena Frost vs. Alexis Quinne

[SnowQueenSCW]

The camera opens up to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, the site for tonight’s episode of SCW Breakdown as the SCW Universe moves closer and closer to the biggest pay-per-view of the year, Rise to Greatness. With every show an important step towards the destination, the SCW roster finds themselves jockeying for a spot on the prestigious card, with every match leading to the PPV vital and every victory and loss a massive statement. Perhaps that is why the sight of the silent, empty arena is somewhat odd in a unique way – a calm before the massive storm. Still, inside the empty ring, under the arctic blue and white lights, stands the woman in blue jeans, a maroon t-shirt with a black logo of the Statue of Liberty on the side, and a leather jacket. Her hair, in its iconic braid, shines a little under the white lights but not as much as the world championship resting over her shoulder, which she eyes for a moment before turning her gaze towards the camera.

This is what you wanted, right Alexis?

Standing there, the Snow Queen and SCW World Champion, Selena Frost, tilts her head. You wanted me to show my face to you? You wanted to see my expressions, look into my eyes? she pauses for a moment, as if to allow such things to occur. What do you see, Alexis? Is it everything you wanted? Do you see the woman that’s prevailed over you three times over? Or are you seeing the woman that everyone thinks is going to ‘snap’ at any moment? Or am I some ‘unstoppable obstacle’ to you? What do you see now that you can take a closer look, Alexis Quinne?

She releases a slow exhale.

Because I’ll tell you what I saw when I looked at your face during that promo, Alexis. I saw a woman trapped in the prison she’s built. A prison where you fixate on your losses. Sapphire eyes narrow a little at the camera.

Because, while I heard you utter every instance of our history like it was these horrible moments in your career, you know what I didn’t hear? How, despite such losses, you were the one that BEAT Syren – one of the greatest to ever become world champion in the first place. How I’m looking at, not only a former WORLD champion here, but also a former Television and Women’s champion! How I’m dealing with a woman so innovative and creative, that she created the World Hazard Fair – something that I was honored to participate in not once, but twice!

Shaking her head, Selena clicks her tongue against the inside of her cheek. But you want me to look at our past – the matches that we’ve had. Matches that have defined my career - and what? Feel sorry for you? You want me to be sorry that I gave you everything I had just to prevail over you? Because that’s what I did, Alexis! I didn’t come at you with ‘five moves of doom’. I didn’t toy with you or mock you or play mind games. I came into this ring and I gave you every bit of ability and passion and resilience that I could give because I believed – as I believe now – that someone of your ability and skill deserves NOTHING less! To beat someone like you, Alexis, requires me to give all my blood, sweat, tears, heart and soul to accomplish! Because not only do I believe that you could, indeed, take advantage of ‘one mistake’, I knew that you would be able to and come out the victor in any of those matches we had… with ease! She stresses the last part, her tone a little colder yet no less meaningful.

Do you know what that is called, Alexis? When someone gives you everything they have in this ring? Where they lay it all on the line because they believe it is required against someone like you? It’s called RESPECT! It’s called admiration! It’s called INTEGRITY!

A moment of silence follows as Selena takes it to walk around the inside of the ring, adjusting the world title over her shoulder. But you want to stand in front of a camera and give the True Believers and I some kind of sob story? That I took something from you? That I slowed you down? That I damaged your career and your confidence by beating you each time?

Again, she shakes her head. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve faced insurmountable odds, Alexis? Vixen Cain, Xander Valentine, ‘The Perfect Streak’ of Kelcey Wallace? The man that claimed to be my ‘superior in every way’ in Adam Allocco. Times where I was told that I “would never win” or that I would “never survive”. Losses that I was told I would “never bounce back from”. Less than a year ago, my reign of integrity came to an end and the world was certain that I would NEVER reach those heights again. Hell, after 2016 – the year that saw that night that leaves rent free in your head? – I lost the world title a short time later. All I faced was doubt – assurances that “The Year of Selena Frost” was a flash in the pan! A fluke! That it would never happen again! You want to talk about nightmares? I spent FOUR YEARS in SCW after that trying to reach those heights again. FOUR YEARS before I was even considered for the world title again.

For a brief second, Selena eyes the world title on her shoulder before returning her gaze to the camera. And yeah, Alexis, I faced those same thoughts you are facing now. I wondered what I did wrong. I questioned what more I could do. Who else I could possibly beat. I wondered how much more I could improve. Or if I was good enough. I doubted, just like you are now.

But you know what the difference is between you and me was, Alexis?

Sapphire eyes narrow. I blamed no one.

I held only myself accountable! If I didn’t like my path, I had to change it! If something wasn’t working, then I, and I alone, had to fix it! No one was going to do it for me! Do you know how many times Ace Marshall beat me? The year I just had where Allocco kept slipping through my fingers like in Trios? Did I just cry into a camera about how unfair it was or how it hurt me or “oh! Can I win? Can I overcome”?

NO!

I got back in the ring and I kept trying! I kept fighting! I kept looking for a way! You think I got this- she thrusts out the world championship towards the camera. Because I stayed up late, missed sleep, and just boo-hooed the whole way there? No! I believed that I had to win! I believed that I needed to find a way, no matter how many times I failed! How many times my plans fell apart! I kept trying! I kept coming at it with all I had, just like I did against you, until, finally, I MADE it happen!

Lowering her arm holding the title, Selena releases a sigh as she shakes her head, her tone softening. You… You’re looking for ‘one day’, aren’t you? One match where you can finally say “I BEAT SELENA FROST”. One moment to put your demons to rest or try and wipe away the past. Is that what you’re sobbing at me now, Alexis? Are you hoping that I will give you that? Because who cares, right? It’s a non-title match – win, lose or draw, I’m going to the main-event at Rise to Greatness. Win, lose or draw, my place on the card is secured and I remain the world champion of SCW. Isn’t that what you said?

Are you hoping that that will make me complacent? That it will make me ease up on you? Because a win here ‘doesn’t matter’ while it’s ‘Rise to Greatness’ for you?

The cold glare from Selena suddenly returns, a growl forming in her voice. Do I fucking look like Kandis to you?!

Her jaw clenches as she shakes her head. This is SCW, Alexis! EVERY match is Rise to Greatness for me! Every match I enter, I represent this company! I represent what this company could be and deserves to be with a name like Supreme Championship Wrestling! Every match I take part of deserves everything I have – because of those people! she points to the empty seats in the arena with her free hand. Those people that paid their money to be here tonight! Do they ‘not matter’? Those watching at home for the first time. Do they ‘not matter’? The people watching every week without fail – do they not matter?! The person watching from the hospital - this might be the last SCW match they ever see. Do they ‘not matter’?

Angrily, Selena resumes her pacing around the ring. Yeah, I’m angry now, Alexis! Because this is the opportunity of a lifetime for you! A chance to beat the woman that JUST beat the very best SCW has to offer! The woman that is making history as the first person in a decade to headline Rise to Greatness three times in a row! Like you said, this is your ‘Rise to Greatness’. And all you want to do is whine about the past? Whine about how the losses ‘stole from you’? Make people think that this match doesn’t or shouldn’t matter to me because my ‘place’ at RTG is secured?

Stopping her pacing, Selena turns back to the camera, her free hand gripping the nearby rope. Tell me, Alexis, what about the day after tonight? What about tomorrow? What about SCW and the world championship after this match, huh? What about the week after or the month after if I just shrug and say “meh! I win when it matters” like Kandis did on Twitter? What about the Breakdown after if I just throw this match away? What does that say about the world title? What does that say about me in my first match as the new world champion? What does that say about the war I went through to get this belt and the integrity I have promised every person in the SCW Universe?!

She shakes her head. I don’t want to find out, Alexis, because I REFUSE to believe that I can relax for a second just because I have a date in Toronto with Kandis in less than a month! Kandis has already made her ‘stance’ in this feud regarding her and I. She’s already made it clear where she stands and what she is willing to do. I cannot afford to lose a step. I cannot afford to do as she does. I need to define what this means to me. What being the world champion once more means to me. Because you want to complain about three losses that you weren’t ‘good enough to win’?

A scoff escapes the Snow Queen, slightly bitter. Do you have ANY idea how lucky you are to have that, Alexis? To have something like that that you should be using for motivation rather than crying about? Do you know what my losses have involved? Four on ones! Five on twos! Ambushes that saw me outnumbered and screwed out of! Not because I wasn’t ‘good enough’. Not because I wasn’t ‘working hard enough’ like you questioned but, legitimately, because I was outnumbered and screwed out of the match!

I WISH my losses were like the ones I gave you. I WISH my losses came at the hands of opponents that respect me as I respect you! Because then I would pick myself up and keep going, keep striving to get better even if I lost 98 more times before I got that one win! But I can’t say that! I can’t do that because that’s not what my life’s been like lately. That’s not what SCW’s been like lately!

Her eyes return to the world title before she holds it out. That’s why I have this. That’s why I can’t just shrug my shoulders and give you your ‘moment’ that you desperately want just so you can laugh with the world for one short night and finally get that ‘good night’s sleep’ you crave! Because I am fighting so you don’t HAVE to endure those kind of losses like I have. I am fighting so you can KEEP getting better and learning from your losses. So you can KEEP being challenged and get better so you can have your moments of “feeling like you’re on top of the world” or “in the penthouse” as you put it!

Carefully, Selena places the world title back on her shoulder. So, I’m sorry, Alexis. As much as I would love to make you smile for a night or make you feel hope or undo whatever ‘damage’ you’re going through, I cannot do that to the SCW Universe and the SCW world championship. I can’t forsake the integrity of myself or the world title just so you can smile, run around the ring and shout that you finally beat me. I am done giving ‘moments’ to people while the integrity of this place suffers for it.

Biting her lower lip, Selena releases a slow breath before speaking. Tonight, Alexis, you’re going to have to look for another way to conquer your demons and move on from the past. Because tonight, I am, once more, giving you everything that I have. Everything I used to take down Adam Allocco, Josh Hudson, everything I used to defeat the greatest superstars in SCW history – including you!

She points to the ring under her feet. Because this match matters. Because you matter. Because SCW matters. And because this title… she slams her hand against the center-plate. matters!

Tonight, as Kandis did for herself last week, I am defining MY stance in this Rise to Greatness season! I am making my stance beyond clear! By beating you the only way I know how…

With all I have. BELIEVE IT!

Taking a deep breath, the camera focused on her face, Selena gives a bitter smile at her opponent. Satisfied? Before walking out of shot, the camera slowly fading to black.