Tommy Valentine vs. Selena Frost

[SnowQueenSCW]

The camera opens up to reveal the interior of the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, the site for tonight’s SCW Pay-Per-View, Hollywood of the South. The camera takes in the tens of thousands of empty seats, the large screen at one side of the arena with a rampway, and the wrestling ring at the center of it all. Familiar arctic blue and white lights stream down from above from different angles to illuminate the ring as the camera slowly fades to a closer shot.

It is then that the audience can see the woman standing in the middle of the ring, her head down and her eyes closed, softly breathing. She wears a long-sleeved shirt with snowflakes cascading down the left side and arm, the shoulder of which supports the SCW World Championship, blue jeans and black running shoes. Her hair is tied in a shorter version of its iconic braid.

Without a doubt, with such a look, this is the SCW World Champion Selena Frost, who takes a slow, deep breath before opening her eyes and lifting her head, staring into the camera and her audience. If a word is to describe her in this moment, it is comfortable. The Face of SCW appears comfortable in her clothes, in her ring, with her title – a feeling of serenity that sweeps across her features.

I must admit, I’m a little disappointed, Thomas.

Slowly, the Snow Queen shakes her head a little. A week ago, I laid down a challenge to you. I looked into a camera just like this one and I dared you to come at me with everything you have. To push the envelope. To rise up to a new standard – the new standard of SCW that is becoming more and more real with each passing day. To think outside the box, not just because you hate me. Not just because you’re a bitter man when it comes to me, but for Kandis. And not just for her but because this is for the SCW World Championship. And not just because of that, but because it’s you vs. me.

She gestures to the space between herself and the camera as she speaks. Because you and me, Tommy? We can go back and worth on rhetoric and vernacular. You can hypocritically throw around statements that I ‘look down on you’ while simultaneously proclaiming how ‘a bell saved me’ when you and Kandis answered a challenge Deanna and I laid forward a few weeks ago and how you ‘showed your superiority over me’ that night. I can talk about how I’m trying to keep competition worthwhile and filled with integrity. You can go on and on about supposedly being my kryptonite, and I can go on and on about believing and rising above hate.

With her free hand, Selena gestures to the empty seats in the arena, which will soon be filled with fans. And these people – these amazing people that watch us? Well, they are free to choose their sides. They can decide if they want to team with you… she holds her hand out towards the camera before turning it towards herself. Or they can choose to side with me. You’ve said yourself for a long time now. You’ve got people that love to hate you and hate that they love you. You’ve got fans and you’ve got haters – a mixed bag. I’ve dealt with that myself for awhile. There are people, fan and superstar alike, that like me because they believe in what I stand for and then there are people that boo me because they don’t. And yet, every week, like deafening thunder, you can hear it. The two words I know you can’t stand: “We Believe! We Believe!”.

Thing is, Tommy. I wanted them to believe in you. I really did. That’s why I laid out that challenge to you. I wanted them to believe in my opponent. I wanted them to understand and see what I see. I wanted them to get excited about this match. I wanted them to believe in this world title match – believe in the world title more and more. I wanted them to pay attention to you and really listen to your words. To your decrees. Because, after all, why wouldn’t Thomas Valentine rise to the challenge? Just in his last match, he talked about ‘showing me how things were done’ – in a match he would eventually throw away in a tantrum. He talked about being more than I could handle!

So I thought a man of such power. A man of such conviction – surely he would rise to the challenge after criticizing me doing the same. That he’d ‘once again show me how it was done’.

Biting her lower lip in a sort of wince, Selena shrugs her shoulders. But oddly enough, the man that loves to talk about himself and hear himself talk about himself has been silent for the past week. The man that can, quote, ‘school me in the ring’… Selena uses her fingers to create the quotation marks. seems to be at a loss for words.

The Snow Queen shrugs. And maybe that isn’t his fault. Maybe he couldn’t find a guest on that new talk show of his - “Who’s Logic Is It Anyway?” – little hint, if he does it, he’ll be talking about me – it’s my logic he’ll be talking about. Or maybe I hit a nerve with him. Maybe he feels that he has nothing to prove with me. Maybe a man of Tommy Valentine’s accolades feels like he has nothing to prove to me, and he doesn’t. He doesn’t have to prove anything to me – you heard him during his tag-match promo. He’s got ‘superiority’ for days! He’s the ‘Dream Killer’. I’m sure Kandis gets it – everyone else? We’re still trying to figure it out.

Smiling, amused, Selena shakes her head. See, Tommy. I’ve listened to you audibly go on and on about being ‘better’ than me and about taking things from me and hurting me. And yet, every time you’ve opened your mouth, my reaction has been the same – just like it’s the same of every fan of SCW and True Believer that knows our history. I stop, I think about it, and I ask myself – what the hell are you talking about? adopting an incredulous look, Selena shakes her head.

You want to talk about being a dream-killer? You tried to kill Regan’s dream of being a tag-team champion and a supreme champion and my dream of teaming with my sister. For months, you talked down about her and about me as a tag-team, discrediting us because we hadn’t put in the years you did jumping from partner to partner, and you thought we would just fold and bend when things got tough and what happened? We rose above and we beat you and we achieved Regan’s dream! Regan can proudly say she not only is a former tag-team champion and a supreme champion – which, by the way, you have failed twice over to become – but she can also claim to have her Rise to Greatness moment on that same night standing in the ring with her husband, David, as he became World Champion. So where’s the dream-killing, Tommy?

She’s silent for a moment, as if anticipating an answer before raising her hand towards the camera. Or how about when last you faced me one-on-one? How many times did you promise to ‘kill my dreams underfoot’? To embarrass me and bring me down to depths I could never recover from. Selena’s eyes turn to the world title still on her shoulder. How did that go, Tommy?

Nodding her head, Selena turns on the spot to walk around the inside of the ring. See – that’s a night I won’t forget. The Breakdown following Rise to Greatness. Tommy Valentine, newly crowned tag-team champion proclaiming he would crush the dreams of Selena Frost, bitter over a nickname she was given and one that she has risen to prove time and time again – Tommy Valentine promising to cripple the Snow Queen and bring her down as if her success never happened, all she proved at Rise to Greatness never happened…

Well, what DID happen, Thomas? she stops to turn her head towards the camera before turning to glare at the rampway.

That same man that had promised the world so much – promised the world to show them so much – rolled out of the ring in the middle of the match, threw his hands in the air and proceeded to walk out of the ring and up the ramp! And had it not been for Asher Hayes shoving him out of the way on his way to the ring to get to me, that man would have allowed himself to be counted out in defeat!

The world champion turns back to the camera. That’s right, Thomas. When push came to shove – when it was time to show the superiority you still claim to this day, YOU were the one that ran away. YOU were the one that gave up. But you want to get angry because I’m the Face of SCW and you’re not? What kind of ‘face’ runs away from a challenge, Tommy? What kind of ‘face’ gives up?

Shaking her head, Selena looks up and away, a small chuckle escaping her. You want to know why I got that name from Shawn Winters, Tommy? It’s because while you’re in the back, attacking people from behind, I was fighting monsters in the ring and beating them. While you were making excuses on your loses, I was beating legends and icons! While you were selling out your morals and blaming every single person other than yourself for your failings, I was taking every loss and upset and using it to become better! While you were running away from being an SCW superstar, I have been here redefining what a SCW superstar truly is!

Her voice echoes a little.

Because what happened after that match, Tommy? After all the ‘dream-killing’? I went on to hold the SCW World Championship longer than anyone! There’s not been a day this year where I have not been the SCW World Champion! I’ve redefined what being champion means and I continue to try and do so every single day. You? Where’s your world tag titles, Tommy? Where’s your Trios briefcase? Where’s your Adrenaline title? Where are the Jackals? Where’s Drake? Where is Minerva? Sharply, the Snow Queen gives a shrug of her shoulders.

Where are they, Mr. Superiority? Mr. Dream Killer?

You have been here for many many years, Tommy – and strange enough this is the moment where you’ve become the most relevant and it’s because of me. she places a hand on the world title on her shoulder. It’s because of this.

She pats the title with her hand as she shakes her head. It’s not because of Kandis or her injury or the spats you’ve done while running with the Jackals. It’s because you have been pulled up to a title and a match so massive, that it’s billed above Tactical Warfare! That should tell you how much this title has risen up above what it once was… when it’s seen as more important than a rare match like Tactical Warfare.

Selena takes a slow breath, standing back in the middle of the ring. You have been brought up to a level that you are NOT ready for, Tommy. I’m not saying you’re not tough, because I’ve been in the ring with you. And I know you’re accomplished – you remind us every time you come on camera. But I can look in your eyes just like I did on Breakdown, Tommy, and I could see it – you have no idea how to deal with this. You have no idea how to take this, or me on. You, the most arrogant man in SCW is DESPERATE! You are grasping as straws!

A knowing smile graces her features. Because what happened when you couldn’t put Ace Marshall away, Tommy? You grabbed a timekeeper’s bell. What happened when you couldn’t put away the current tag-champions? You disqualified yourself.

What I’m saying, Tommy, in case you haven’t figured it out is that your latest phase of ‘development’ or whatever you want to call it has revolved around one thing: Win by any means or lose by any excuse.

A concept where if you win, it’s ‘superiority’, but if you lose then it’s a ‘fluke’, ‘a cheap ploy’ or some kind of ‘conspiracy against you’.

Reaching up, Selena adjusts her braid a little, letting it hang over her other shoulder. You can hate what people call me. You can hate the words I say and how I dress and how I present myself. But through all of that, the wins and losses, from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, I’ve always done it as me. Regardless of how my words are twisted, how I am mocked, how so many people repeat the same words you say, or how many people try and screw me out of my matches or tarnish my belief of integrity, I have stayed true to myself and my ideals.

She gestures to the camera. You? You’ve changed your ideology numerous times. You’ve sold out your friends and family. Abandoned your teammates. You stole from one of the greatest wrestlers of all time: David Helms, mocking his name of ‘The Last Shadow of Hope’. You’ve switched your nicknames over and over yet you, with all you’ve been given, all the chances you’ve had to make real change, you have the gall to hate me?

Again, that knowing smile as the world champion shakes her head. No, Tommy. The reason you hate me isn’t because I’m some fraud or fake champion. It’s not because I’m some liar or someone looking down on everyone else. It’s because it all comes back to you.

Who was it that called himself ‘the new standard’? Who was it that said he was going to redefine SCW all those years ago? Twelve years ago, you had that opportunity, Tommy. Twelve years ago, you were the SCW World champion. You had the chance to redefine SCW – to become the ‘new standard’ and you failed. Because if you look from that point on, the new standard wasn’t supreme championship wrestling. It wasn’t the best of the best. No! What we saw for the next twelve years, more often than not, was the same mentality:

Winning is all that matters. The mere idea disgusts Selena, who bites her lower lip a little before continuing.

Shawn Winters, Bree Lancaster, Sienna Swann, Katie Steward, Christy Matthews, Shilo Valiant, the countless by Syren, Ace Marshall, Vixen Cain – the list is longer than you can imagine, Tommy. And you’ve had to sit through it all, watching as the standard of SCW became ‘hook or crook’. Where the strategy became using weapons and teammates to ambush and interfere. Where the champion wasn’t always ‘the best wrestler in SCW’ but the one with the most amount of friends helping them out.

And the guy that promised to become the ‘new standard’? Sapphire eyes return to the camera.

He gave up and instead of becoming ‘the new standard’, became a follower of one. 

He quit. Just like with Ace. Just like with me. He threw his arms in the air and HE GAVE UP!

The platinum-blonde is silent for a moment as her words echo a little, the accusation beyond clear. And that’s the real reason you hate me, Thomas. The words I speak? The ideals I believe in? You hate me because, at one point, they were your ideals too. They were YOUR beliefs too. But you weren’t strong enough to hold onto them. You weren’t strong enough to believe in them and keep fighting for them and you hate me because I am strong enough.

I am strong enough to hold onto them. I am strong enough to usher in a ‘new standard’ for SCW. I am strong enough to handle the weight of being ‘The Face of SCW’! I am strong enough to do what you didn’t have the courage to do!

She shakes her head again. It’s not the catchphrases. Not the clothes. Not the look. Not the hair. It’s the truth! the last word echoes in the arena.

You hate me! You hate me so much that you’re going to do all you can to silence that truth. You are going to do all you can to destroy me because that’s the only option you’ve got left in your head. You want to ‘expose me’? You want to ‘kill my dream’? You want to show me your ‘superiority’? You think that is going to happen if you hit me with a timekeeper’s clock, Thomas? Or use a chair? Or a belt?

A laugh escapes the young woman. No, you want to prove to me I’m wrong? You want to make your claim against what I’ve earned? You want to silence the truth, Tommy Valentine? You’ve only got one option and you know it. she points at the camera, to her audience, to her opponent.

You need to rise to my standard. We all KNOW you’re going to come to Hollywood of the South. We all know you’re going to bash me and smash me and kick me and throw me around. You’re going to mock everything about me. You’re going to showboat, full of arrogance like you always do. All I have to do is beat you.

Are you realizing it now, Tommy? Is it starting to sink in? You want to end my dreams of integrity for this place? For the world title? You want to silence my voice? It’s not going to happen if you do what you’ve always done and give up. You have to shine! You have to overachieve! You have to beat me down so bad that I don’t get back up. That I CAN’T get back up. You have to beat me down so bad that the tens of thousands of SCW fans in this arena and the millions watching around the world are thrown into silence! You have to beat me so badly that it makes the beatings I’ve received in the past look like a slap on the wrist my comparison…

Taking a moment, Selena’s arm drops, as does her voice, a cold calmness taking hold. And you are good, Tommy. You’re good enough to be a legend. You’re good enough to be a Hall of Famer. You’re good enough to even challenge me for the World title. But good enough to do that? To destroy what’s been built? What I believe in? her eyes cold, she slowly shakes her head. You’re not THAT good.

There’s only two people in this world that’s been close to doing that – and your last name isn’t Street and your first name isn’t Xander.

Holding a hand up towards the camera, Selena gestures to it. What you will try to do, Tommy? You can’t do. What you want to do, Tommy, you don’t have the heart for. The passion. The resilience. Because when you think about all the times we’ve fought and all the times you’ve bragged about it later – one thing keeps slipping your mind. You’ve never pinned me. You’ve never made me submit. You have fought me, hit me with everything you’ve had… and then watched me get back up!

A knowing smile returns to Selena’s face. And that’s all I’m going to need to do tonight, Tommy. Is keep getting back up. After every kick, I get back up. After every knee and suplex, I get back up. Until you, inevitably, give up as you always do and go searching for a shortcut – go searching for a way out, an easy way out. All I have to do is get back up! 

And when you hit me with a chair like Ace Marshall – I’ll get back up.
Hit me with the belt like Cid Turner – I’ll get back up.
Hit me with the timekeeper bell? I will get back up!

I will keep getting back up until YOU can’t anymore. Until YOU, Thomas Valentine, quit just like you always have! Until this match becomes a defining moment for me, but for you? It becomes just another failure like all the others you’ve had since I became world champion!

Tilting her hand, the Snow Queen simply shrugs her shoulders. All I have to do is keep getting back up, even when you can’t anymore. Even when you’ve made every part of me hurt by doing so, I’m going to keep getting back up. Until you lay there, looking at the lights and wondering how you are going to explain to Kandis how you broke another promise – like the many you’ve broken all these years to SCW.

You may be a king. You may be stronger, smarter, or able to use your resources better than me, Thomas. But tonight in Atlanta? Nothing is going to protect you from the measuring stick that is the new standard. No one is going to be in your corner, ready to save you. Because the ‘new standard’? Is going to rise above you. And the only thing faster than your rise to the world title picture… will be your fall from it. One that you will not be able to get back up from.

Carefully, Selena holds up the SCW World championship, eyeing it before she returns her gaze to the camera. Believe it, Tommy. Because I’m just going to keep getting back up until you do!

With a lifted arm, Selena raises the title over her head as the camera locks on that image before fading to black.