Representative of the Shinigami Foundation vs. Deanna Frost

[Kemal Yilmaz]

Shot of Adrenaline Tournament

SCW Adrenaline Championship

2 RP Limit for singles

3500 Word Per RP

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Thursday, January 22, 2026 (NOTE THE DATE – EXTRA DAY)

[SnowQueenSCW]

Frost No More

“Two Steps Forward...One Step Back”

Eyrie Tower
New York City, New York
January 19th, 2026
4:33pm

Deanna Frost stood at the window, her reflection faintly superimposed over the city by the glass in front of her. From this height, thousands of feet above the ground, New York City seemed so... quiet.

Behind her, the Adrenaline Championship belt rested on a counter. It caught the shifting light of the hanging, electric chandeliers every time she moved, causing a gleam of pride and worry to lance her every time she spotted it. The redhead tried not to look at it too much – though she loved the feeling of pride that came with it, the sting of worry and sadness and, even, frustration that was accompanying it now was currently overpowering everything else.

Fatal Fortunes had come and gone and, while it hadn’t gone perfectly, she was still proud that her first title defence. She had to admit, the tag-match (which, thanks to the title match stipulation had really made it into a fatal-fourway, every person for themselves match) had been one of the craziest situations she had ever dealt with, almost as insane as her matches with Veil.

But she had survived. Fought tooth and nail and remained the champion. And while Strader had prevailed over her in that triple-threat, cage match the next show-

That’s right... you managed to both win AND lose... impressive. mocked the dark ‘voice’ of the Heart of Veil but she shut it down as best she could. If anything, that loss had merely driven the point home that she couldn’t relax now, even though she was a ) the Adrenaline Champion and b ) already set for the semi-final round of the Shot of Adrenaline tournament. Even so, and even though she was undefeated in the tournament and the champion, she had still lost that cage match to Strader.

Another loss like that in the near future? She could lose the Adrenaline title. She could get knocked out of the tournament regardless of the points she had accrued. She couldn’t afford to rest on her laurels like the previous champion continued to do, nor could she afford to remain distracted.

Maybe no one should mentioned the name Frank then? laughed the voice, causing Deanna’s jaw to clench and her eyes to scan the transparent reflection the glass was creating of the room behind her.

She spotted Selena Frost immediately. The platinum-blonde leaned against the kitchen island behind her, arms folded tightly across her chest, posture rigid. Despite it being the afternoon, cloudy and dark due to the weather, the Snow Queen was dressed in a maroon nightgown, having changed into it only a few moments ago after showering from her latest gym workout. Her platinum-blonde hair fell loose down her back—unstyled, slightly uneven, like she’d given up halfway through brushing it. Compared to Deanna, who had trained earlier in the morning yet chose jeans and a green hoodie, the word ‘unapproachable’ certainly came to mind when it came to the older Frost, where Deanna looked far softer and kinder.

Probably why so many people go after you rather than her... chimed in the voice, which Deanna continued to ignore.

Meanwhile, Selena’s sapphire eyes were fixed on the tablet propped up on the counter beside her. Deanna noticed the way the woman’s thumb hovered near the screen, scrolling without really reading. Never really stopping on any article long enough to absorb it. Just… catching the main-points, feeding something restless...

She didn’t fully know, but she certainly could make an educated guess. While Fatal Fortunes had been okay for the redhead, Deanna wasn’t stupid. The night had not gone without some issues.

First of all, she had pinned one of the Glimmer sisters in her title defence, handing the tag-team that Selena despised and had tried for months to get a match with, their first loss in SCW.

Bad enough you’ve taken her fanbase and the love of the SCW Universe from her... Now you’ve taken the match she’s demanded for months!

On top of that, Xander Valentine had gotten involved, which Deanna knew did not sit well with Selena either. The Executioner inserting himself in Deanna’s match, while it made sense to Deanna and had only served to even the odds of so many others interfering in the match like Reno and Gina, it was still one more thing...

“Selena.” Deanna finally tried, turning around to regard the former world champion.

She saw Selena flinch, a small one - almost imperceptible - But Deanna saw it. Her partner’s shoulders tensed...

“You’ve been standing there for ten minutes.”

She heard Selena exhale sharply, then, with a flick of her thumb, she locked the tablet screen without looking at it. “You’ve been watching me?”

The redhead shrugged. “I live here.” she remarked gently, trying to keep her tone calm and steady. “It comes with the territory.”

Selena gave a humorless huff and leaned back against the counter again, crossing her arms tighter this time, her one hand reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. Her jaw clenched, and her sapphire eyes flickered with a mixture of frustration, exhaustion, and something darker—something Deanna couldn’t quite read, and yet, somehow, understood.

“You’re spiraling,” Deanna said.
Selena’s jaw clenched tighter. “No, I’m thinking. There’s a difference.”
“Overthinking.” Deanna corrected.
“Just regular thinking.” Selena pressed, agitated.
“That’s what you call it now?” Deanna’s voice was soft but firm, unwilling to let this moment slip into silence.

Selena shot her a look, a flicker of defiance the redhead knew... a warning. “Careful.”

But she couldn’t back down. Not this time. She recognized the signs and refused to leave the Snow Queen alone to her own devices.

“You haven’t stopped doom-scrolling since noon except to go the gym.” Though Deanna wondered if that had been just Selena trying to get away from Deanna’s observing-gaze. “You skipped lunch. You snapped at Oberon for existing.”

Selena grimaced. “He wouldn’t stop following me.”
“He’s a dog.”
“He’s a very large dog.”

Deanna took a slow, deliberate step forward, her socked-feet soft against the floor, closing the distance between them. She could feel the tension radiating off Selena like static. It only took a second for the Adrenaline champion’s eyes to shift towards the tablet and see the article headline, written in bold font on the website, thus giving the redhead a clearer understanding.

“What are they saying now?” Deanna asked, voice gentle but insistent.

Selena hesitated, her eyes darting to the tablet, then away, as if reluctant.

“That hesitation,” Deanna observed, “tells me everything.” she sighed, granting some silence between them for a few seconds.

“They’re speculating.” Selena finally said, her voice flat and numb. “About the match. About the titles. About us.”

Deanna’s stomach twisted, a familiar ache blossoming in her chest. “Already?”

Selena let out a bitter laugh, a sharp edge cutting through the air. “It’s SCW. The minute Fatal Fortunes ended, every dirt sheet, podcast, and YouTube analyst with a microphone decided this was Shakespeare.”

The platinum-blonde gracefully unlocked the tablet again, held it up for half a second, then set it face-down on the counter with a soft thump. Her fingers hovered above it.

“‘Is Selena Frost Going to Destroy Deanna’s Fairytale Run?’” she read, quoting the headlines in a monotone, distant voice. “‘Redemption Arc or Final Betrayal?’ ‘Is This the End of the Frost Legacy?’”

Deanna’s stomach twisted again, her mind racing to process the relentless negativity.

“’Has the Snow Queen’s Brain Melted?’,” she continued to read, flickering through each tab. “’Happy Wife, Happy Life? Not According to Selena Frost’, ‘S-C-W: Selena Can’t Win’. Oh! And my personal favorite...” she added, her voice going cold, voice devoid of warmth as she moved to the last tab. “‘Does Selena Even Care Anymore?’”

Deanna took another step closer, her voice soft but earnest. “Do you?”
Selena’s laugh cracked, making it sound brittle and hollow. “That’s the problem.”

She pushed off the counter abruptly and began pacing, long strides eating up the space. Her bare feet seemed to glide across the wooden floors as Deanna tracked her automatically.

“Fatal Fortunes was rigged.” Selena stated, faster now, almost as if she thought that if she didn’t keep talking, she’d unravel entirely. “CHBK knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted me to win that number one contender spot. He wanted this.” She gestured between them, an invisible line of tension humming. “He wanted to screw with me. With us.”

Deanna could only sigh at the assessment. She had heard this every year that she had seen Fatal Fortunes. There was always someone that was angry. Someone that was disappointed. Someone that felt ‘cheated’ or ‘screwed’ or something. Fatal Fortunes wouldn’t be what it was if someone didn’t accuse it of ‘bias’ and ‘a rigged system’. But with the very public display made by Polly Pignotti, Deanna had thought that matter had came and went. She folded her arms, not defensively, but to keep from reaching out. “You think everything is about you.”

Selena’s laugh was sharp. “It usually is.” There was a moment of silence as she gazed at her partner before suddenly shaking her head. “Come on, Deanna! Doesn’t it all seem a little TOO perfect? I threaten to make Alex’s life a living hell from Fatal Fortunes and, after years of NOTHING from the event, my first real opportunity comes towards you? And while we’re on that – Cid’s match, supposedly randomly drawn? Just so happens to be the main-event? Just so happens to be against someone that ALREADY competed that night in a damn ladder match? You think THAT wasn’t rigged?”

“That’s not fair.” Deanna tried. She didn’t want to think about the timing. It was entirely possible that it was random! Just a string of lucky breaks! Stranger things had happened in SCW, even outside Fatal Fortunes!

“Neither is putting me in a position where I have to choose between doing my job and hurting the person I love.”

The words landed heavy, Deanna feeling them settle in her chest. “You wouldn’t be hurting me.” she tried.

“You’re the Adrenaline Champion. I’m the villain who’s been terrorizing this company for two years. What do you think happens if I beat you?”

“Then lose.” Deanna said quietly.
Selena blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Lose.” Deanna repeated. “On purpose, if you have to. Throw a curve-ball into the works.”
Selena’s jaw tightened. “I don’t throw matches.”
“I know. I’m not asking you to. I’m saying… I can beat you. Fairly.”

“That’s not the point!” Selena breathed, once more bridging her nose with her fingers. “They want me to be the villain,” Selena continued, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and despair. “They need me to be. Because if I stop being her—” She gestured vaguely at herself. “Then they have to admit to themselves that they cheered when I broke.”

Deanna felt a familiar ache behind her ribs, a mixture of guilt and helplessness. She reached out instinctively, placing a gentle hand on Selena’s arm.

“You’re not broken,” she said softly.

Selena didn’t look at her. “I am just... so tired.” she whispered, voice falling into a quiet, dangerous vulnerability that made Deanna’s stomach tighten, especially as Selena’s eyes drifted towards the large window...

Towards the balcony...

But the platinum-blonde simply shook her head, pulling away gently but decisively. “I don’t want your title.” The words burst out, surprising Deanna.

“I don’t want it.” Selena repeated, almost as if trying to convince the redhead. “I don’t want to stand across from you while the crowd decides which one of us deserves to bleed.”

Deanna’s gaze flicked instinctively to the Adrenaline Championship sitting on the counter.

“I didn’t ask for this either,” she whispered.
“I know,” Selena said, her voice thick with emotion. “That’s what makes it worse.”

She dragged a hand down her face, breathing unevenly.

“Selena...” Deanna said carefully, stepping even closer. “What happens if you lose?”

Selena froze, her body tense. “That’s not the question they’re asking.” she said.
“That’s not what I asked.” Deanna shot back.

Her eyes flicked again to the tablet, then away, as if it was tempting her, teasing her.

“They’ll say I’m washed.” Selena whispered. “That I can’t back it up anymore. That the monster finally ran out of teeth.”

Deanna reached out, her voice steady. “And if you win?”

Selena swallowed hard, her throat working as she struggled to keep her composure. “Then I’m heartless. A terrible wife and partner. That I should be ashamed. That I care more about my own glory than you...” she said quietly, almost to herself.

Bitting her lower lip, Deanna let the next question leave her. “And what about you? What do you want?”

The question hung there, unanswered, Selena’s eyes widening at it. Before she could respond—or, possibly, deflect—the distant chime of the elevator echoed through the suite, breaking the moment. The sound was a mercy to both of them as they both exhaled a breath neither knew they had been holding. Oberon, the big, white floofball, exploded into motion, nails skittering across the floor, tail wagging violently.

“The kids,” Deanna said quickly. “They’re home.”

Selena nodded too fast, almost as if she was trying to shake off the moment’s weight. “Right. Yeah. Okay.” She straightened, smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from her magenta nightgown and wiped her face like she was resetting a mask. Deanna watched her do it, even as it unnerved her how seamlessly Selena could slip back into that ‘mask’.

Meanwhile, the elevator doors opened. Elsianna came in first, backpack slung over one shoulder, white hair pulled back into a messy braid that looked like it had been redone twice on the bus. Her blue eyes were downcast, fixed on the floor as she stepped out. David followed, already talking a mile a minute about some game update  that Deanna didn’t recognize, and Amiliah trailed behind them, pink mittens dangling from her sleeves, humming to herself.

Oberon nearly bowled them all over with enthusiasm – like a bowling ball knocking down all the pins!

“Hey, hey, hey!” Deanna laughed, crouching to hug Amiliah as the youngest immediately launched herself forward, also trying to calm down Oberon. “Easy, big guy.”

Selena hung back, watching Elsianna. The eldest Frost child didn’t look up. That alone set off alarm bells.

“How was school?” Deanna tried lightly, smoothing Amiliah’s hair.
“Fine,” David said automatically.
“Good,” Amiliah echoed.

Elsianna said nothing, causing Deanna’s smile to dim. “Elsa?”
Snapping her head up, the young girl shrugged. “It was… school.”

The redhead wanted to ask more – worry racing through her system. Still, given the tension from the conversation moments ago with Selena, she chose to say nothing. Instead, she adopted Selena’s idea and focused on the children, listening to them talk about their day while the family made dinner together.

Speaking of dinner, it was a quiet affair. Easy-to-make spaghetti and meatballs, which David and Amiliah were so happy for. Deanna barely tasted her food, instead observing her family. Selena, sitting across from her, barely touched her plate, her gaze flickering down at her lap or her phone. Elsianna was the same. Oberon sat at her feet, quietly watching everyone, his tail twitching occasionally. Midna, the black kitten, curled up in a ball on a corner-leg of the table, her tiny paws tucked under her chin.

The conversation was disjointed, Deanna couldn’t really remember much of it as the afternoon became evening, then became night. It wasn’t until later, after everyone’s homework was, at least, marginally started and David had been redirected from the TV for the third time, that Elsianna lingered near the long dining table, fingers tracing the carved wood absentmindedly.

“Mom?” she said, her voice small.
Deanna looked up from where she was helping Amiliah with spelling. “Yeah, hun?”
“Can I talk to you? Both of you?”

While Deanna’s eyes widened in surprise at the last part, Selena’s head flat-out jerked towards her daughter so fast, Deanna was scared it snap of her neck!

The Snow Queen straightened herself instantly, momentarily at a loss for words. “Of course.” she managed to get out.

The trio moved to the sitting area, leaving David and Amiliah to their homework. Elsianna perched on the edge of the couch, knees pulled up, arms wrapped around them. No one said anything at first, neither Frost-parent wanting to rush their daughter’s words.

After what felt like hours, Elsianna finally spoke. “There’s... there’s a dance,” she said.

Deanna’s initial reaction was surprise. “Another one?” she asked. “Didn’t they just have one?”
“This one’s… different,” Elsianna murmured. “It’s not, like, a big formal thing. Just… a winter social.”

Selena nodded. “Okay. Winter social, with you so far. Are you asking us to go?”

Biting her lower lip while still not meeting her mothers’ eyes, Elsianna half-nodded. “Sort-of. I wanted to go with Asuna...” she continued, cheeks flushing. “She asked me... Like, officially.”

Deanna felt warmth bloom in her chest, which came out as a little squeal. “That’s so cute!” she quickly caught herself. “I mean, it’s wonderful.” she changed, not wanting to embarrass Elsa. “And of course you can go. Right, Selena?”

“Provided she’s safe?” Selena raised an eyebrow before she, too, smiled. “Of couse she can.” The delight was obviously shared between the two women...

“That’s...” Elsianna said. “That’s not all that happened…” She trailed off, and just like that, the mood turned from loving and excited to cold and concerning.

“What happened?” Selena prompted, careful.
“You didn’t say ‘no’, did you?” Deanna asked, causing Elsa to shake her head.
“I said ‘yes’. But...” Elsianna swallowed. “The principal got wind of it and asked me to stay after class today.”

The next part was like jumping into a freezing lake for Deanna as Elsa finished. “She said… she said it might be better if I didn’t go. Just this year. Because of… stuff.”

The silence was heavy and Deanna could feel an anger growing within Selena. “What stuff?” the platinum-blonde asked, though her voice had gone very still.

“The bullying. And… you.” Elsianna’s eyes finally lifted, shining. “She didn’t say your name, but she didn’t have to. She said she was worried about ‘incidents’.” Elsianna went on. “That some parents had complained. That it would be… safer if I stayed home.”

Deanna’s jaw clenched. Memories rose unbidden—lockers slammed shut, whispers in hallways, the word ‘dyke’ hissed like a curse behind her back in Kentucky, years ago.

“That’s not okay.” Deanna said firmly, her jaw clenching.

Selena hadn’t spoken. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides.

“She said Asuna could go.” Elsianna whispered quietly. “And I could go. Just… not together. Not as a couple.” The hurt in her voice was a knife to the redhead.

Slowly, Deanna moved closer, sitting beside her daughter and pulling her into a hug. “Elsianna...” she spoke slowly but never lacking in strength. “Listen to me. None of this is your fault. Not who you love. Not who your mom is on TV.”

Selena finally spoke, her voice hoarse. “They shouldn’t punish you for my choices.”

Elsianna stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away. “I know you say it’s just a character.” she said. “But everyone else thinks it’s real. They think you’re… that person now.”

Selena flinched.

“When I was your age...” Deanna tried softly, trying to change to subject, “I was told to hide who I was because it made people uncomfortable. I was told to be quieter, smaller. I didn’t listen. No matter what they did. It was hard, I won’t lie, and it hurt, but… I survived. And I found people who loved me anyway.”

Elsianna sniffed. “Did it ever stop hurting?”
Deanna hesitated for a second. Then she smiled sadly. “Not completely. But it got easier. And I got stronger.”

Selena knelt in front of them, eyes level with Elsianna’s. “It was the same for me.” she said simply. “The bullying and isolation, I mean. I came out much later than your mother did. But she’s right. You’ll get stronger and who you love will be YOUR choice, not defined by other people.”

Elsianna looked at her for a long moment. Then, tentatively, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Selena’s neck, causing Selena to gasp without meaning to. The rush of joy Deanna felt could not be stated in mere words!

Later, after the kids had retreated to their rooms and the suite had settled back into its quiet hum, Deanna and Selena sat side by side on the couch, not touching, but closer than before.

“We have to talk to the school,” Deanna said.
Selena nodded. “I’ll handle it.”
“No,” Deanna said gently. “I will.” she pressed firmly. “If ‘The Snow Queen’ is part of the issue, then we don’t need her there making things worse.”

Reaching out, she squeezed Selena’s hand affectionately. “I won’t mess up. I promise.”
Selena glanced at her, something like gratitude flickering there.

The silence stretched long, until the phone rang. Selena answered automatically, her voice subdued, almost resigned. As she listened, her expression shifted from confusion to disbelief, then to a strange, guarded calm. “Okay, thanks.” she said before hanging up, her eyes staying on the phone for several seconds.

“Well?” Deanna asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “More bad news?”

Selena swallowed, her throat dry. “No...That was… the renovation team…” She hesitated, her breath catching just slightly. “The house is fixed,” she finally said, voice trembling. “You guys can go home.”

[Thunderhorse]

(Wil Pierce) "Dire Straits" part one

[SnowQueenSCW]

The camera opens up to a balcony on top of some kind of penthouse suite. Sitting there on the balcony chair, overlooking New York City, is the SCW Adrenaline Champion, Deanna Frost. She wears blue jeans, a light-green sweater and gray longcoat. Her red hair, curly and free, moves a little in the light winter-wind, but not enough to be distracting. In her hands, and resting over her shoulder, is the Adrenaline Championship.

Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, the champion then turns her head towards the camera.

So… where do we start?

She tilts her head a little side-to-side, seemingly thinking about her usual question.

To be honest, I’m not too sure where to start. I know what I SHOULD talk about. I know what I OUGHT to talk about first.

I should talk about how Fatal Fortunes was both invigorating and humbling. Rewarding and inspiring. How I was able to prove a point, but at the same time, be reminded that I can’t lose my desire to do better each and every night. Because whether it was winning and retaining this championship at night one or losing a chamber match at night two, there was always something to learn. Something I can take with me and better myself from so I can do better now! As we reach the conclusion of this amazing tournament...

Those words seem to set something off a little in Deanna’s mind.

But, instead of doing what I SHOULD do and talk about what I SHOULD talk about, my mind keeps racing back to that leaked footage of the CEO, Frank Delatosso, and CHBK. Footage that, maybe, we weren’t supposed to hear and, I’ll be honest, part of me wishes I hadn’t.

Because to hear your boss, effectively, say that this tournament is a joke – that what you have worked through for months, endured every match, and believed with all your heart is little more than a ‘failure’? Everything you have fought for is a waste and doesn’t matter?

Biting her lower lip, Deanna shakes her head.

I’m so tired of hearing that. Because, I’ll say it! I don’t care if Mr. Frank Delatosso is the CEO – Mr. C-E-O is W-R-O-N-G! Wrong! Because while he has sat pretty in his office, counting his money and lifting his nose down on this tournament, so many of us have been in the trenches, waging war and, yes!, risking injury because we believe in this division, this championship, and this tournament! We are about to have FOUR people fight tooth and nail in three matches just to try and solidify the final standings going into the semi-finals and the finals!

We are willing to fight and risk it all... and it’s supposedly for nothing?!

I refuse to believe that! I did not come all this way for ‘nothing’! I did not risk coming back early for something that ‘doesn’t matter’! I did not fight with all I have for a ‘joke’, but to be better and for the honor of being a champion in SCW and part of an incredible division! So if Mr. CEO wants to think this is a joke, I – WE, me, my fellow wrestlers, and the gritters – WE will show him he is sorely mistaken!

Determined, Deanna exhales a breath before regaining her calm.

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. I know I may come back to it in the days to come but for now? I’m focused again on proving my words and this tournament. And Breakdown...

This is it guys! Final matches in play! Everyone fighting for position! Finalizing the spots.

Which is both interesting and odd for me, because if Shattered Reality and Fatal Fortunes was anything to go by in terms of the perception of ‘my place’ here, it seems some of my peers see the word ‘undefeated’ next to my name, and they think it means comfort.

They think it means I get to breathe easier. That I get to coast. That I get to start looking ahead to “A Taste of Things to Come” and pretend that Breakdown is already behind me...

Deanna shakes her head. That’s not how this works.

Being undefeated doesn’t take the pressure away, people. It multiplies it! Because every single opponent that steps in front of you isn’t just trying to ‘beat’ you anymore.

They’re trying to be the one.

The one who hands you your first loss.
The one who knocks the champion down and takes the title away.
The one who gets remembered.

And at Breakdown? I’m not just undefeated. I’m the Adrenaline Champion!

For a moment, Deanna eyes the title on her shoulder. When I took this title from Dexter Grant, I didn’t just change my career - I changed the entire Shot of Adrenaline tournament, not just how it could be seen by for myself as well. From that moment on, every match I wrestle is a title defense. No exceptions. No clauses. No asterisks.

And for me... Every bell ring I hear isn’t just a ‘start the match’. To me, it says: prove it again.

Prove why you were the one to beat Dexter Grant.
Prove why you are undefeated.
Prove why you are leading this tournament and holding this championship.

Prove it.
Prove it.
Prove it!

Looking back up to the camera, a smile breaks across Deanna’s lovely face. And I welcome that.

Because championships aren’t meant to be protected by circumstances like the previous champion tried. They are not meant to be protected by ‘deals’ or ‘clauses’ or ‘specialty matches’ or ‘shortcuts’.

No! They are meant to be protected by heart. By preparation. By the willingness to walk into a ring knowing everything can be taken from you in one night – in one second - and doing it anyway! That is what this championship and this whole tournament should mean for representing this division! It’s what I’ve seen on the faces and in the eyes of everyone competing tonight!

And I will show it tonight in my final round robin match.

Now, this is where I’d talk about my opponent and discuss things. But... as if the remants of Fatal Fortunes are inking their way across my weeks – that or we’re starting a tradition here - I don’t know who I’m facing! she laughs a little, clearly a little amused.

Originally, it was supposed to be Chris Dumont. But, as you all know, injuries don’t care about plans, and the Shinigami Foundation has made one thing very clear throughout this tournament: they don’t believe in standing still. One falls, the others step in! And instead of just handing out wins and points, CHBK, I think, had done the right thing – you hear me, CEO?! I said it! The right thing! – and let the Shinigami Foundation show their strengths and adapting skills with this swap-in and out!

So SCW will NOT be deprived of more SoA matches, and I am all for that! THANK YOU, CHBK! That is what the boss should have said to you! Thank you, MR. CHBK!

Clapping her hands together, Deanna rubs them. So! With all of that said, I’ve got my work cut out for me. Because instead of one opponent, I’ve been preparing for four.

And that means something important:

It means I can’t train for habits.
I can’t study tendencies.
I can’t game-plan for one specific weakness.

In other words, gritters, I have to be ready for everything!

On one hand, the curtain could part and Wil Pierce might walk out—an all-rounder who can shift styles mid-match without warning or indication. Someone who can outwrestle you, outpace you, and outthink you if you let him settle in. Facing Wil Pierce means surviving adaptability itself.

Or it could be Alex Belmont—a striker who doesn’t believe in feeling-out periods. A grappler who doesn’t care how much punishment he takes as long as you take more. Facing Alex Belmont means understanding pain as a language - and being fluent in it. she shrugs her shoulders knowingly, her past speaking volumes of that last declaration.

Maybe it will be Dante Slayton. Power. Pressure. Control. A man who turns momentum into gravity and makes every mistake feel heavier than the last. Facing Dante Slayton means you don’t get to blink. I heard that from my wife, whom some of the Foundation has recently faced!

Or maybe—just maybe—it’s David Striker that will come calling for this championship. Cold. Calculated. Relentless. A technician who doesn’t rush because he knows time is on his side. Two of these men have already proven themselves by pushing Selena to the brink in recent weeks, nearly beating her – a former world champion and possibly, and in my opinion bias as it is, the best SCW superstar in history – and David Striker is one of those two. Facing him means knowing exactly who you are when there’s no chaos to hide behind.

Deanna clicks her tongue inside her cheek. Four possible opponents. Four completely different matches. And all of them are walking into Breakdown with the same truth hanging over their heads...

They HAVE to win.

There’s a three-way tie clawing at the last two semifinal spots. No margin. No safety net. No “good showing.” You win, you’re in! You lose? You’re watching the biggest night of this tournament from catering.

I can’t say I am in that boat, but I have been in that position before. That kind of pressure does something to people...

It sharpens them.
It strips away hesitation.
It turns respect into desperation. Just ask Polly.

But that’s why this match matters more than people think. Because the man who faces me at Breakdownm whoever he may be, won’t be cautious. He won’t be conservative. He’ll be fighting like someone whose future depends on it—because it does!

And some people think that puts me at a disadvantage...

The champion shakes her head. They think uncertainty is a weakness. They think not knowing your opponent means not being prepared.

Like the CEO, they are wrong.

Because, unless you’re Dexter Grant and living in a bubble of delusion and half-baked ‘theories’, you all know that uncertainty is where I live!

I didn’t build this reign by controlling every variable. I lived off doubt and the odds against me. I made my way through this tournament not controlling... but by adapting. By adjusting. By staying calm when plans fall apart. By trusting the work I’ve put in, not the circumstances around me.

And for all of you, Shinigami Foundation, I don’t need to know who my opponent is to know what you all want.

You want this championship.
You want the momentum.
You want the story that says you were the one who stopped Deanna Frost.

She grins. And you’re welcome to try.

Because I didn’t come this far to protect my record.
I didn’t win this title to hide behind it.
I didn’t survive this tournament by playing safe.
I came here to compete.

I came here to represent what the Adrenaline Championship is supposed to mean—pace, heart, resilience, and the refusal to back down when the match gets uncomfortable.

Adjusting the title over her shoulder, Deanna’s expression becomes more determined. So if you’re Wil Pierce, bring every style you’ve mastered.
If you’re Alex Belmont, bring every strike you’ve ever thrown.
If you’re Dante Slayton, bring all that power and see if it’s enough.
If you’re David Striker, slow it down and test me move by move.

Because Breakdown isn’t about surprises or controversy or about ‘jokes’. It’s about truth!

It’s about who you are when the pressure is real, when the crowd knows what’s at stake, when one mistake can cost you everything!

And whoever steps through that curtain at Breakdown—

You’re not just fighting for your place in the semifinals. You’re fighting a champion who understands exactly how much this means to you.

A champion, knowing all this, and will refuse to give you an inch. Because you’re most dangerous will meet my grit and my resolve head on!

This is my final round robin match.
This is my championship on the line.
This is the last warning before ‘A Taste of Things to Come’ changes everything.

Deanna pushes herself to her feet. So step up! Because I’m not backing down. I’m not slowing down. And I’m not giving this championship up without a fight you’ll never forget.

Tonight? The mystery will be solved! The unknown will be known! I will know my opponent. WE will know who is going to the semifinals. And we, the SCW Universe and you, Shinigami boys, will know that I will STILL be the SCW Adrenaline Champion!

She gives an excited grin, Checkmate, bitches! before the camera fades entirely to black.