US Championship Chamber Match

[supremecw]

Winner of Six Person Battle Royal vs. Katie Steward vs. Lucas Knight vs. Gavin Taylor vs. Polly vs. Deanna Frost
SCW United States Championship
Chamber Match

2 RP Limit (no word limits)
Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Saturday, November 11, 2023

[Jay Gold]

***WARNING*** A part of this is NOT for younger viewers, if we do have any. There is a piece in here that has a point that needed to be made. It is very obvious, but I know I should post the warning just in case.




Season 4 / Episode 17 / Trapper (Part 1 - Haunter)

[SnowQueenSCW]

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 Witches of Alden

”Never”

Frost ‘Forever Home’
Manhattan, New York
November 4th, 2023
7:42pm

She had missed out on Halloween. She had missed out on her kids going trick or treating. She had missed out on watching them search for candy and hearing their cries of joy at any of the houses that offered the… how had her son put it… the ‘epic goodies’ – which, in this case, equated to the full-size and jumbo-size candy-bars and bags of chips.

She had missed the neighbourhood ‘Halloween activities’ that she had worked so hard for last year against Leslie Cunningham – her neighbouring rival! – and she had missed pairing up with her wife in whatever ‘partner costumes’ they could have done. Had we even planned anything this year? She honestly couldn’t remember ever talking about it with her beloved, which was saying something. Aside from wrestling, Deanna could talk about anything with her wife, which was both a blessing and sucked royally because – dammit, I want to talk about wrestling! – she felt her jaw clench a little at the thought.

Selena had been true to her word, even with the Elimination Chamber looming closer. The former world champion/SCW wrestler had refused to speak about the sport, the federation she had left behind, anything to do with ‘wrestling’ in general. And Deanna was running out of ideas to try and egg her on into talking about it!

First attempt had been while Selena was working out in their gym/pool house – the Snow Queen still wanting to have a healthy lifestyle/physique – Deanna had crept into the house and immediately starting running the ropes and performing moves badly. I mean badly… the kind that would make you wonder how the hell the redhead could possibly be the SCW United States Champion. Not to pat herself on the back, but Deanna had been rather proud of her ‘performance’, likening on par to maybe an Oscar!

Selena had simply kept working out and then kept swimming! And Deanna had tried for an hour to get her attention! Nothing!

Her second attempt had been a week or so after that, with the still-active wrestler limping home with an “Oww!” and an “It hurts!” and even a “I can’t bear it!”. Again, award-winning performance! Deanna remarked. She had even thrown a limp in her bad knee – the one that had been hurt by Bree Lancaster in their two matches (which had healed by this point, but it was easy to say someone like Sarah Wolf or Gigi Steward had reaggravated it or something!). Oh, her kids had heard her and Elsianna – wonderful child that she was – had tried to do all she could to make her ‘pretending to be unwell’ mother well again! She had offered her the biggest pillow on the couch. Offered to massage the knee – Deanna had had to assure her a dozen or so time that she would be alright.

What had Selena done? Offered her an ice-pack. Not hold it for her, not wrap her knee up with it. Nope. ”Ice pack?” that was it! Like asking if she wanted chicken or beef for dinner, which she had ACTUALLY asked that same night – and with far more gusto!!!

But this week? Oh, by the time Deanna had gotten back from Breakdown and her long week-plus of obligations, which had caused her to go the whole week from Breakdown (where she had defeated Gigi Steward) to this last episode of the show attending meet-and-greets, interviews and other hype-stuff for Under Attack… after all of that, the redhead was DONE playing “nice”! It was bad enough all the obligations had been what caused her to miss Halloween with her family, but dammit!, Apocalypse was eight days away!

EIGHT! Barely more than a week and she was going to go into the Elimination Chamber, which she wanted, but with no concrete plan or strategy on how to win it! She didn’t know have much strategy for an elite veteran like Lucas Knight, and while she had some experience with the Stewards and Polly, she had zero idea who was going to be the sixth person in the match would be – adding another element of ‘unknown’ into the mix. And all she wanted was a little advice. Something to give her hope. Something to believe in. Something that made her feel like… like… like her wife still believed in her and wanted her to do well in SCW despite the platinum-blonde no longer being apart of it. But no! Selena was still being stubborn and still giving ‘the cold shoulder’!

In short… Deanna Frost was grumpy!

Which was probably way her latest plan to get Selena’s attention and get the platinum-blonde talking about wrestling again made her feel a slight twinge of guilt… but only slight.

Her match with Gigi Steward had been a great one, and only made Deanna more excited about fighting the older, more experienced Katie Steward inside the chamber as well! But her match with Gigi had been fun, wonderful, challenging, and everything she needed it to be. Gigi had managed to get some good shots in, enough so she could brag to Katie as the two pursued their ‘tag-team title’ goals so Katie could become a Supreme Champion at long last. But unlike her matches with Bree with the latter doing all she could to ‘punish’ Deanna over her ‘choice of words’ or something like that, Deanna still wasn’t entirely sure, Gigi had made no attempt to injure or put the redhead on the shelf. Still, the good shots she had managed had been enough, and yeah… maybe Deanna had slightly – ONLY slightly… like one or two percent – overplayed her limp as she had made her way up the ramp after the match and the previous week when she had been seen backstage.

It wasn’t that she was trying to trick the SCW Universe or the roster. Far from it! She had just needed the idea of her being ‘less than 100%’ to be possible, that was it. That’s where phase 2 of her plan came into play! She had had Eric call TMZ and visit multiple forum boards across social media – mostly any that were heavy in fans of SCW. He had simply pushed forward a message, rumor, whatever.

“Deanna Frost may be hiding an injury going into the Elimination Chamber.”

Social media had eaten it up! Twitter, TikTok, ZapZoot! (that was one of them right? Deanna thought), they had all taken the news and promoted it. Of course, it was still just a ‘rumor’, and Deanna did not believe for a second that anyone involved with the chamber match, even potentially in the case of the battle royale, were going to put much stock in a simple rumor like that.

That’s where “phase 3” came into play: Leslie Cunningham!

To say that Deanna felt less guilty of using her neighbour for this ‘plan’ would have been an understatement. Leslie had always had ‘issue’ with the Frost family, from the couple’s lesbian relationship/marriage to their profession of wrestling, basically the woman was a bigoted, spiteful brat that loved gossip and did everything she could to make the Frost family’s life problematic. So, Deanna hadn’t minded playing to that ‘gossip-loving’ mindset after last Breakdown, dropping an email loaded with links to the TMZ tabloids regarding the redhead’s ‘potential injury’ into Leslie’s email inbox.

Probably run across the street to our house soon as she read it! the redhead thought, her mind just imagining the older brunette sauntering up to their front porch and knocking on their door with those manicured, long nails.

“OH MY GAWD!” Deanna’s imitated under her breath, trying her best to hit the nasal, whiny pitch that her neighbourhood-rival was known for. “You would never believe what I heard, Seleeeena! Your wife, but not really wife cause I don’t believe in that cause I’m a bigot, is wrestling injured!” she flicked her hair back like a Loreal commercial for emphasis as she continued her impression. “I just don’t understand how you can let your ‘best friend’ endanger themselves like that. If it were MY hubby, I would NEVAH let him go! But I love him more than I can say!” she added a pattering laugh at the end of imitation, her heart far too hopeful that such an event had occurred between the time she had sent the email and the few days that had passed that she had travelled back to Manhattan.

Still, as she sat in her car, small compared to the Jeep Liberty the family usually drove, her eyes fluttering towards the dufflebag that was ‘riding shotgun’ beside her and took in the sight of her United States Championship belt that sat on top, Deanna wasn’t entirely sure what ‘reaction’ she was wanting from her wife as she walked through their front door.

Would Selena be angry? Would she demand an explanation?
Would she try and be coy and get it out of Deanna subtly?

Deanna wasn’t sure, but the idea of the Snow Queen being angry at her… it was far less terrifying a notion the more she thought about it. “At least it will be something…” Deanna wisped under her breath. “Least then maybe we can talk…”

It wasn’t that she was ungrateful or that she didn’t understand her wife’s reluctance to speak about SCW. It DID make sense. Selena had given everything to that company – a near decade of her life, complete with scars that would, once proud to wear, now served as a bitter reminder – only to be discarded. Hell, they hadn’t even wished her well when she had left. Not a ‘thank you’ or anything. Deanna didn’t understand the SCW Universe, and she would be lying if there wasn’t some bitterness towards the fans regarding their behaviour towards her beloved. Still, it was their right as the lifeblood of SCW to do as they pleased and respond as they wished. But where her wife was concerned, the redhead understood the pain. It was a bad memory, one that Selena did not wish to relive.

But… there was ‘moving on’ and then there was ‘running away’ from a problem and Selena was clearly running away from it with her avoidance. She was trying to keep it ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and it wasn’t healthy. Selena was still a fighter. Still a seasoned wrestler with a legendary career that no one could touch, not even Syren in some respects. This ‘going cold turkey’ from wrestling, treating it like she had her addictions to painkillers and alcohol? It just felt wrong!

Plus, Deanna fidgeted a little in her seat, she missed Selena being her teacher. She missed having someone watch her matches and give her honest feedback. Sure, Amy Chastaine had helped a little, but it wasn’t the same thing. Selena was blunt and honest on a level that only their trust in one another could create. Deanna could just imagine her wife having a strategy for the chamber match. How to deal with the vaster experience of Knight and Katie. How to deal with the utter ‘unknown’ of the battle royale that would name the final member of the chamber match earlier in the night. And then all the ambition and ‘nothing to lose’ attitude that she had seen in Gavin Taylor and Polly!

“Probably already has one but just doesn’t want to share it…” again, she whispered her words despite being the only person inside her car – which sat, turned off, in her driveway. The sun had set long before she had re-entered Manhattan from her travels and the streetlights were the only illumination across the neighbourhood, along with whatever houselights each resident had chosen to turn on. The cold air was the sure sign that winter was on its way, with a day or two where Deanna had seen a bit of frost and ice form on her car. She was certainly not looking forward to driving in this winter weather, missing Eric and the warm comfort of the “Believe It!” bus, which probably was still sitting in the private parking garage down the ways.

Steeling her resolve, Deanna finally opened the door, pulling herself out of the vehicle before walking around the necessary distance to open the other side door and collect her bag. Shuffling it over her shoulder, the redhead was quick to make her way up the few steps of the porch, her free hand fisting out the keys from her blue jeans’ pocket and unlocking the door. She had managed to open the door and take one step inside before she heard the sound of feet running.

“Mom!” cried out the small child as she made a dash for Deanna. The larger redhead barely had time to drop her bag on the tiled floor and kneel down before the smaller redhead had her in a hug that shouldn’t have been possible for one so small.

“Ooof!” gasped Deanna, releasing a laugh as her youngest held her. “Ami! Easy.” She laughed again. “Mommy’s fragile!” Despite this statement, Deanna wrapped her arms around her daughter, lifting her up as the woman stood back to a standing position. “Isn’t it past your bedtime, young lady?”

Gazing at her mother, with eyes so much like Deanna’s, the child gave a quick shake of her head. “Mommy said I could stay up till you got home.”

“Oh did she now?” Deanna raised an eyebrow good-naturedly. “Well, now that I am home…”

Without another word, Deanna carried the child up the nearby flight of stairs. Passing David’s room, she stuck her head in to see the young boy playing his video games, not really much of a shocker these days.

“Hey, kiddo.” She called out to him, earning a wave of his hand in response. “How’s school?”
“Good.” He answered back.
“Anything new?”
“Nope.”
“Did you have dinner?”
“Yep.”
“Okay… night.”
“Night.”

These one-word responses had sort of become norm for the young boy as of late, something Deanna kept promising herself to look into once she had the time – the problem is having the time!.

Continuing her journey with her youngest in tow, the redhead walked the short distance to the next room over. The door was open, allowing her to walk right in, allowing her to see the two-bedroom room. Sitting on one, her nose in a book, Elsianna looked up to regard her mother. “Mom.” She smiled. “How is your knee?”

“Oh it’s fine.” Deanna smiled. “I’ve been taking care of it all week.” She held Ami up a little. “Time for Ami’s bedtime.

With a nod and no words, Elsianna placed her book down on the nightstand near her before shuffling off her bed. Gloved hands and forearms moved out as the eldest Frost child moved around the room to Amiliah’s bed, nimbly removing the sheets enough to allow the smaller Ami to be tucked into it, which Elsianna did.

“Do you need a lullaby tonight, Ami?” Deanna asked, tilting her head just as she saw the large yawn escape the smaller redhead.

“No thanks, mommy.” Amiliah replied before turning over on the bed to get comfortable. Elsianna, meanwhile, had moved back to her bed and dimmed her own light – now the only light source in the room – to a low level to help her sister sleep.

“Okay. Goodnight, my darlings.” She leaned down to kiss Ami’s cheek, followed by moving back over to Elsianna to do the same. “Lights out in an hour, Elsa. Okay?”

The young girl gave an understanding nod before returning to her book, allowing Deanna to quietly tiptoe out of the room and down the stairs to gather her duffle bag. She had seen three out of the four people she needed to of the household and was now on the hunt for the last. It didn’t take long, of course. For as big as their ‘Forever Home’ was, it was still a finite space. When she had checked the family room, she had then moved on to the basement. She ignored the movie-room and the office joined down the hall to it – she knew her wife wouldn’t be there – and instead moved further into the playroom before reaching the laundry room.

“If she’s not there.” Deanna whispered. “Then the gym-“ her words stopped as she spotted the braid of platinum-blonde hair first, the sight effectively stopping her steps. The woman in front of her was hanging up shirts and sweaters, herself wearing her favorite magenta nightgown, clearly settled in for the night.

“I’m here.” Selena remarked, casting a quick eye towards her wife as she hung up another shirt. “Now do you hide while I seek you?”

The remark caused a snort-laugh from Deanna. “No, thank you.” Deanna sighed, placing her bag down on the tiled floor of the laundry room near the hampers. “I am way too tired.”

“I can imagine.” Selena offered with a smile, a pale hand reaching up to caress her wife’s now-near face and draw it in for a soft kiss, eventually breaking away after a respectful length of time. “Any trouble on the roads?” the older woman asked with a tilt of her head. “We had some frost and ice here a few days ago.”

“No, thank goodness.” Deanna sighed in relief. “Though I am not looking forward to that when it gets here. Even if it’s just to the airport. Geez…”

“You know…” the platinum-blonde sighed as she turned to pull another garment of clothing from the dryer. “I don’t mind if you use the limo-bus.” She offered, causing a small spark of hope to ignite in Deanna’s chest. This was the closest thing Selena had spoken about in regards to wrestling… had her latest plan worked? “I’m sure Eric will appreciate the work.”

“Have you been talking to him?” Deanna asked, choosing to be coy and approach this slowly, hoping to draw her wife out into the topic she desperate desired to cover.

“A little.” Selena nodded, hanging up the clothing she held. “He said he’s getting by. His daughter’s doing okay.”
“Oh, good.” Deanna smiled. “She’s gotta be Elsianna’s age now, right?”
“I think so.” Selena nodded. “I’ve kept him on retainer for you… hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all…” Deanna sighed with a shrug. “I feel bad with us not having anything for him and so suddenly...” she stole a glance to her wife, trying to read Selena’s features over her inference. “But I just…” her emerald-eyes moved again, this time to meet Selena’s sapphire ones. “I rather not use the bus right now.”

“You know I can have it repainted.” Again, Selena offered. “What ever you want.”
“Oh yeah. A big ‘Checkmate, bitches!’ across a bus going down the highway.” Deanna laughed a little before settling back on her wife’s face. “Selena, everyone will know that bus will always be your bus. And I…” she shrugged. “I get enough questions every week about you from everyone backstage and whatever.”

The second she had said those words, Deanna wished with all her heart that she could take them back. For, before her eyes, as the words registered, she saw her wife become a bit more guarded, the platinum-blonde’s expression becoming more unreadable. “I rather not hear this, I think.” She stated, turning over to gather more clothes.

“Come on, Selena.” Deanna sighed. “It’s nothing bad. Yeah, there’s still booing and all that, but all I get asked is ‘when are you coming back’.”

“Why?” Selena asked, turning her head. “Didn’t you tell them that I’m not coming back? That I’m done? I thought I made that clear.”

“Yeah…but…” Deanna squirmed uncomfortably. “You know what they say in SCW. ‘Never say never’.”

“Well…then that’s on you.” Selena sighed with a shake of her head. “If you keep baiting them like that, they’re going to keep asking you. I say just tell them to stop, say I’m not ever coming back and be done with it.”

Truthfully, Deanna had already thought about that. A few times, when asked by so many people, fans and wrestler alike, she HAD wanted to say it… but she never could. And it wasn’t because she didn’t want to hear the fans cheering at such a prospect or even the few fans that were still ‘True Believers’ be hurt at the idea, it wasn’t that. It was… it was all her. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words “Selena Frost will never return to SCW” out loud.

It was too final.
Too absolute.
Too definite.
Too painful. Like slamming a door with your hand in the doorframe.

It hurt. Far more than Deanna wanted to ever admit. And she couldn’t say that now. It would betray all strongly she was wishing for her wife to end this ‘housewife’ fascade and come back to SCW where she belonged!

Instead, the redhead merely exhaled the breath that held all those words, refusing to speak them aloud. Stick to the plan… she reminded herself, her eyes settling back on her wife who continued to hang up dried clothes. “You cold?” she suddenly asked, seeing the dark-gray hoodie in her wife’s hands.

“No.” Selena shrugged. “Why?”

“Just, you don’t usually wear hoodies. That’s all. I mean… you do, but it’s usually only your blue one with the snowflakes and usually it’s indoors and whatever.”

“Oh…” Selena shrugged. “I’ve been taking morning walks lately. Sometimes, with the frost and such – and with the flu going around, I don’t want to get sick or get the kids sick.”

“Right.” Deanna nodded. “Makes total sense.”
“You better be dressing warm too.” Selena warned good-naturedly. “You’re not as…”
“Cold-blooded?” Deanna teased, earning an unamused smirk from her wife.

“I was going to say ‘thick-blooded’ or ‘hearty’ as me. But sure.” She shrugged. “Point is, you don’t like the cold.”

“Nope.” Deanna agreed. “Cold winds, cold shoulders…”
“Subtle.” Selena remarked without breaking her stride of hanging up clothes. “Halloween went well, in case you were wondering.”

“I was going to ask.”

“Leslie won this year.” Selena replied. “I think losing last year put a maggot in her brain because she just went ballistic.”

“I remember seeing the decorations.” Deanna remarked, rather annoyed that it was Leslie that had won this year’s ‘best Halloween decorated house’. “How did we do?”

“We got the ‘most creative idea’ with the ‘Monsters at the Movies’.”
“Yay!” Deanna smiled. She had loved her wife’s idea of taking their Universal Monster life-size figures and placing them in chairs, as if they were watching the streets of trick-or-treaters like they were at the movies. “Did you give Frankenstein a big bowl of popcorn?”

“And Dracula a goblet of ‘kool-aid’ wine.” Selena nodded. “But Leslie had this massive firework and lightshow that only happened that night. No one saw it coming. Can’t imagine how much it cost her.”

“Her? Nothing.” Deanna scoffed. “Her husband? A couple of credit cards I imagine.”

“Well…” Selena shrugged, her chore complete. “There’s always next year.” She offered, reaching out to run a hand along Deanna’s arm as she left the laundry room, making her way back up and around and into the family room. “Want anything? I made meatloaf for the kids. There’s still some leftover.”

“I’m okay.” Deanna shook her head. “So…. Did Leslie gloat about her win?”

Turning around to regard her wife, Selena leaned against the kitchen counter, her arms crossing over her chest. “No more than expected. I mean, it was the usual flair. The ‘Oh my GAWWWWDD!!’.” Selena’s impression was far better than Deanna’s, the redhead had to admit. Followed by the fake weeping. “I…can’t…believe…how much you love me… and how much I deserve this…” but that’s it.

“Oh…and that’s all you’ve seen of her?” Deanna asked.

“I mean… mostly?” Selena asked, seemingly confused. “I ran into her during one of my walks the other day, but we didn’t talk much.”

“Oh…” Deanna bit her lower lip, her frustration growing a little. “I would have thought she’d be all over you with bragging and news and whatever…” her voice trailed off.

“I try not to talk to her too much.” Selena laughed. “It’s actually quite easy to… walk away, Deanna.” Her head tilted knowingly at the redhead.

“Was it a walk away or more a run away?” Deanna asked, though she didn’t mean for it to be so clipped and curt.

“Oh…okay.” Selena laughed, almost in a disbelief. “I imagine you’re going somewhere with this.”

“I just wanted to know if Leslie spoke to you. She’s never been shy at talking down about me and you and our family and given recent… developments… maybe she said something.”

“Probably.” Selena shrugged. “But you’d be surprised what a firm ‘I am not interested in talking about that or your opinions about it.’ Will do to her. Shuts her right up.”

“You said that?”

“It wasn’t hard.” Selena remarked, almost proudly. “She’s not the biggest mouthpiece or bigot I’ve talked down to before.”

Maybe it was because she realized that her plan had failed again. Maybe it was the smugness in her wife’s voice. Maybe it was a combination of those and the looming chamber match that awaited her. Whatever it was, the frustration she had felt over and over again reared its ugly head, leaving the redhead not choice but to huff out a breath.

“You are really dead-set on this, aren’t you?”
“Dead-set on what?” Selena asked, hearing the tension in her wife’s voice and bracing herself against the counter with her palms.

“This. This ‘we don’t talk about wrestling’ and ‘pretending it never happened’ or whatever it is you’re doing!” she could feel the dam bursting inside her, and the week away from her family – missing everything from Halloween – and her wife’s stubbornness had made her too tired to stop it now. “I don’t… I don’t get it! You don’t want to go back, fine! But why can’t you help me? Why can’t you still train me, Selena? Why can’t you help me figure out the best path for my career!”

Selena remained silent, staying put but keeping her eyes locked on her wife as the redhead paced around the room.

“Do you have any idea how fucking scared I am?” Deanna turned to face her wife. “Last time I was in the chamber, I broke my arm! And if Scott makes it through the royale, how much you want to wager she’s going to try and do that again?! And what if I’m first to start? How do I get through five other superstars?”

She said nothing after that, merely pacing around the kitchen area, her hands running through her red mane of hair.

“If you felt that way…” Selena slowly spoke. “Why did you demand the chamber match in the first place?”

“Because I have to get through this!” Deanna whisper-yelled, not wanting to awaken her children upstairs. “Because I’ve been haunted by that match a year ago. The ‘what-if’! I beat Adam Allocco twice! I could have beaten Owen Cruze! What if my arm hadn’t been broken? What could I have done? What could I have prevented… if I did win…”

“You mean win the world championship.”

“Yes! I mean, no! I mean… I don’t know.” Deanna sighed. “Last year, I was like a blip on the poster. Blocked by Nicole Kinneck’s arm. That’s how I was seen. Disposable. Not important enough like Adam or Owen or Nicole or One or even Calvin Greene – Calvin Greene was more of a highlight than me. That’s where I was. I can’t do that again. I can’t be that again! I… I beat Adam and put him behind me. I beat the One and put her behind me. I beat Bree twice over and put her behind me… the Chamber is what’s left. But the person that can help me achieve that…” her eyes flew over to Selena. “The person I am begging to help me… won’t.”

Again, the platinum-blonde remained silent, keeping her eyes on Deanna.

“How many chamber matches have you won, Selena?”

The question caused Selena to finally look away, the woman’s eyes finding the ceiling. “I don’t know.” She huffed, clearly not wanting to talk about this. Too bad! “Four? Five maybe? Out of six or seven I think. I honestly don’t remember.”

“But you remember what it does!” Deanna pressed. “Your ribs. Your head being cut open. All of it.” Desperately, the champion ran a hand through her hair before settling on her left eye to rub it with her palm. “Why won’t you help me? Help me make up a strategy. Help me study. Just help me…”

“And to what end, Deanna?” Selena suddenly blurted out. “I help you and let’s say you win! Wooo! You retain your title and your stock goes higher! Suddenly, you’re the Star of Tomorrow or maybe even the person that gets that world title shot at the end of the year! Then what? You become world champion? Then what? You go bigger! You go for scaffolds! You go for last person standing! You go for street-fights and unsanctioned matches. You let your body get RIDDLED with scars and you keep going! You become obsessed with making things bigger and better even when every part of you tells you to stop, you can’t! And then what, Deanna? Then what?”

The woman eyed daggers at Deanna, keeping the younger woman locked in place with her gaze. “Eventually, it’s the same. It doesn’t matter. Nothing changes. Nothing gets better. Nothing improves. And suddenly, you’ve wasted a decade of your life with nothing but some belts of metal, life-time injuries and scars… and a world that hates you when you did nothing wrong.”

The two stood there, neither able to look away from the other.

“And if you are asking me to give you a roadmap to that destination, Deanna… I would rather die.” She stated.

Deanna stood there agape, unable to stop her mouth from hanging open at such a declaration. “You…” she slowly spoke. “You know how I can win… quite possibly the biggest match of my career.”

Leaning back a little, Selena head shook a little as a slight, bitter smirk formed across her features. “Of course I do.”

“But you won’t tell me.”

“No. I won’t.” Sapphire eyes narrowed at the redhead, defiance etched in their orbs.
“Even if it costs me another broken arm… or worse.”
“Even then.” Selena stated without any hesitation. “You brought this on yourself, Deanna. The consequences are yours to deal with.”

“I…” Deanna opened her mouth to speak, to try and urge her wife to reconsider the position. Her mind rifled through every possible excuse. The champion’s bonus, the clearing of the Frost name, the winning of the fans back to True Believers, the amazing news of Luz and Amelia having another crack at the tag-team titles!

They all fell flat in Deanna’s mind as she thought of them. Every other plan had failed… she knew these would be no different.

Selena was not coming back to SCW.
She was not going to help her.
She wanted nothing to do with wrestling.

“You’re…” the redhead slowly breathed, feeling the weight almost crushing her heart. “You’re not ever coming back, are you?”

Slowly, Selena exhaled a breath Deanna did not realize she had been holding. “You finally said it.”

“Yeah. Sorry it took so long.” She answered coldly, her emerald eyes finding Selena. “I was hopeful that if I gave you enough time, the Selena I knew would come back.” She breathed. “The one that doesn’t run and hide from problems!”

“Deanna-“

“No! I get it. You’re so terrified of everything now regarding that place that you rather just disappear from it and leave it to rot.”

“I tried to make it better.” Selena shot back.

“Yeah, you did. And it worked for awhile. But are you so ARROGANT to believe that you thought it would last forever?”

The question caught Selena off-guard, the platinum-blonde unable to give a response, allowing Deanna to shake her head. “Gods…there were times… times where I thought you were unbelievable – and not in a good way! I thought you were so out of line yelling at O. like that over the stupidest things! That everything was a conspiracy or that everything was lacking in integrity! Hell, I was agreeing with some of things those guys like Ace and Allocco were saying! How you could believe that you were the only person that could have integrity in SCW! What about Bree? And the girls in Light in the Darkness? What about Amy and Owen?”

Again, Deanna shook her head. “But no. You just pretend it never happened. It can’t be because you’re scared, is it?”

“Scared of what?” Selena growled.

“Scared that if you go back there, if you think about it now, you’ll realize just how fucked up your perceptions became! How everyone was ‘guilty until proven innocent’ in your eyes! How you were judge and jury and even, sometimes, executioner! And you’re so afraid to see that because if you realize it, suddenly you’re just the bad girl, aren’t you, Selena? That you’re just the hypocrite everyone’s pegged you for! Yeah, maybe I am an idiot for wanting the chamber. Maybe I am setting myself up for the biggest fail and massive fall of my career! But you know what… you’re right! I rather fail spectacularly and stay me than become what you became and what you are now! And I mean that with all my heart!”

Despite the shake in her voice and the tears running down her cheeks, Deanna stood her ground, refusing to look away. “This is all fake. All of this. The housewife stuff. Hiding behind our kids and ‘being a mother’. You’re just too much of a coward to go back there with nothing. To go back there, not as ‘The Face of SCW’, but just as you. You’re too scared to even try. But I’m not…”

Angrily, Deanna marched back downstairs to grab her duffle bag in the laundry room. Additionally, she grabbed several t-shirts and sweaters and pants and underwear Selena had laid out to finish drying, not caring how some of them were a little damp. A few minutes later, she was back upstairs, spying her wife out of the corner of her eye – the Snow Queen standing just off against the wall that held the stair-rail above her.

“Where are you going?” was all she asked.

“Atlanta.” Deanna answered sharply. “Clearly you’re not going to help me figure this out and now…” she turned her eyes to stare at Selena. “Now that I know all this…” she gestured towards her wife. “I wouldn’t trust you if you did. So, I’ve got nine or so days to come up with something just to survive and maybe win this damn match.”

Angrily, she stuffed the last items in her bag and zipped it shut, once more with resounding snap that made both wives wonder how the zipper didn’t get yanked off the bag in that moment. Refusing to dwell on it, Deanna pulled the bag up and over her shoulder as she had a hundred times before, her free hand reaching for the door and pulling it open. Immediately, she felt the cold air hit her but refused to shiver or show any signs of weakness.

“You know what…” she spoke softly, turning her head back over to Selena. “When you’re ready to be the woman I married… the woman I never stopped believing in… the woman that believed in doing good for everyone… why don’t you give me a call, okay?”

She didn’t let Selena – the more experienced ‘talker’ say a word in response – choosing instead to slam the door shut and march over to her car. In seconds, she was speeding out of the driveway and down the pathways and out of the Black Arrow Neighbourhood. It wasn’t until she was out of Manhattan and going down the I-75 North that she allowed herself to pull over into the upper lip of the road where the barricade was, immediately turning on her hazard lights as the cars continued to zoom past her in the night, no one stopping or caring about some car parked to the side (long as it stayed out of the way).

There, on the interstate, she let herself fully cry. Ugly cries, ugly sniffles, ugly tears, ugly wails, ugly snot running from the nose – it was the ugliest cry the redhead had had as far as she could remember.

They had never fought like this, never to the point where Deanna contemplated staying away. Never to the point where she threatened to not come back till action was done. Never to the point where she contemplated…

“No…” she cried out in a whisper. She couldn’t say the word.

It was too final.
Too absolute.
Too definite.
Too painful. Like slamming a door with your hand in the doorframe.

She wouldn’t say it! She refused to say it! Instead… she was going to win a damn chamber match and show her wife the reality she was too scared to face! The SCW she was too scared to face.

Because compared to that fear? – Deanna thought as she started driving again, beginning the long 13-hour drive to Atlanta… and too wired now to even consider sleeping…

Compared to that fear: How the hell could she possibly be afraid of a chamber match?!

[Team Desire]

Katie Steward | "For Lady Glory/Pink, White and Purple"

At Steward's Place restaurant and bar in West Hollywood, California. Katie Steward sits in her booth working on a laptop. She busied herself in another proposal for SCW to hear her ideas. With every note she adds to it her smile grows. SCW can't possibly turn down her creative ideas. I mean, if Katie thinks they're amazing, then they are definitely what's best for business.

Sitting with Katie in the booth is Weasel's sister, Brooke. She is also on her own laptop working on whatever activism thing she's moved on to now.

"This is nice." Katie says to Brooke. She smiles at her showing how happy she is. It's been a few months since Katie and her Brats agreed to go their separate ways. Katie hanging out with Brooke felt good again. Like this is what having a friend around was.

"I gotta go." Brooke replies. Katie's smile changes and she looks terrified.

"What? Why are you leaving so soon? We haven't even ordered any food yet." Katie looks over her shoulder for TJ so maybe she can order something and get Brooke to stay longer. "Sorry Katie. A Palestine protest just opened up somewhere downtown and I have to get there." Brooke explains grabbing her laptop and bag.

"Oh ok, I understand. It's important. I'll catch up with you later." Katie nods her head understanding the importance of Brooke needing to leave.

Katie sits in her booth by herself. She tries to go back to work on the proposal to SCW, but she can't. She is curious about this protest that Brooke ran off too. Katie clicks on her web browser and goes to social media to learn.
Seeing the Israel, Hamas and Palestine stuff people are saying. It's a lot to take in of her and she clicks away to another story.

This story she knew somewhat more about. Russia-Ukraine conflict. Only because it’s been over a year and she had heard about it. No idea it was still going. Katie shakes her head in disbelief and gets on another story. There had to be some kind of good news happening. She scrolls through trending feeds on American politics and the far right. She didn’t get too far into that. Even the LGBTQ+ has hate threads of people attacking Transpeople. Katie just feels sick and she closes her laptop.

Katie exits her booth and walks over to the bar where she sits TJ working. “TJ. I’m heading home. I’m not feeling too well. Just need some mental rest, ok?”

“Yeah sure. I’ll be around later to check on you if you need me.” TJ nods in Katie’s direction as she turns and walks out of the bar. Hoping for some fresh air to clear her head and maybe a new world to live in.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

At Katie’s home in Los Angeles later that night. TJ Johnson shows up to check in on Katie like he told her he would do. He knows Katie is tough and it’ll take a lot to affect her enough to need some time for a mental health break. Then again, a “Mental Health” break would be something she’ll make up to get herself out of doing something. Well whatever the case, he was just here to see if she was doing any better.

TJ walks up to the front door and gives it a knock. After a few seconds of no answer he taps on the door again a little harder and the door pushes open. TJ walks inside and looks for Katie. He calls her name trying to get her
attention.

“TJ!” He hears calls out to him. “Over here. I’m in the office.”

TJ hurries through the house to Katie’s office. TJ steps inside and into a crazed world of a conspiracy theorist as Katie has been busy looking through current events.

“Ugh, Katie, how are you feeling? Any better?” TJ asks her, but feels like he already knows the answer to it.

“TJ! Oh my Goddess, you’re never going to believe what I’ve learned.” Katie speaks with excitement in her voice. “Brooke said she was going to protest this Palestine thing. So I was curious because I didn’t know what it was. Did you know there was another war going on?”

“Uh yeah, I might’ve heard something about that.” TJ answers her.

“Well anyways, I was looking through the social media stuff and…”

“Woah, No! Katie, I warned you about that.” TJ interrupted her. “Nothing good is ever found on social media.”

“Oh I know, but I started to trace it back. Because it couldn’t have always been like this, right?” Katie walks over to a whiteboard where she scribbles a lot of lines on it. “Over the last ten years things have gotten scary. Wars, Radicals, Trolls, and so much more.”

“Ok, so what did you learn?” TJ asks watching Katie learn how terrible people are on the internet.

“I just went back to try and find a better time. When it wasn't such a terrifying place. Well TJ, it's always been bad. I just want it to stay in the dark corners where no one can see it." Katie rubs the side of her head with her fingertips. Trying to scrub away the images she's seen today.

"Yeah, I'm sorry you had to see that. Thanks to the new direction of 'X' it's not going to get better." TJ shakes his head. He wishes he could just lie to her. That it was possible to make it all go away, but it wasn't.

Katie smiles.

"But TJ, I can. I am a Goddess. I have power and influence. I can and will make everything beautiful again." Katie slaps her hands together and holds them there. Like a prayer. "That's why I'.m going to make my announcement. For my running…"

"Oh Katie… no…" TJ mutters.

"for United States Champion." Katie beams with a bright light, feeling a sense of purpose.

"Oh. US Champion. Alright, you had me a little worried there. I thought you were going to get into politics." TJ laughs. He looks at Katie who wears a serious look.

"TJ, this is very important. I’m going to make everything beautiful again. You don’t remember it being this bad when I was United States Champion the last time. Do you?” Katie says looking at him knowing she has a point.

“Yeah, but when you were the US Champ we had Obama. A lot of people wish we could go back to that point in time.” TJ nods.

“See!” Katie smiles. “I knew that you’ll see it my way.”

Katie spins and goes back to her work. She has a lot to prepare for in the next few days.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Giovanna Steward steps out of her bedroom at her apartment that she shares with her sisters. She walks into the living room and joins Maddy and Ash sitting around. Waiting on her to get ready for them to do something.

“Hey Gigi, are you ready now or what?” Maddy asks, watching Gigi sit down in the chair across from them.

“Sure, I’m ready. What do you guys wanna do?” Gigi replies, throwing up her hands. Not really sure what they want.

“So what were you doing when I was gone? I know you and Katie were trying to win the tag team titles." Maddy asks.

"While you were away it has been an exhausting experience dealing with her." Gigi shakes her head with all the feelings for Katie she has right now.

A loud bang hits the apartment door. Ash gets up and walks over to see what it was. She opens the door and all she finds is a newspaper on the ground. She picks it up and brings it inside.

“Who was at the door?” Gigi asks, looking at Ash unrolling the newspaper.

“Nobody. Just someone delivering a newspaper.” Ash replies.

“We get the newspaper? That’s weird.” Maddy responds. Didn’t even know they subscribed to it.

“Yeah, Maddy. It’s very weird. We don’t get the newspaper.” Ash opens the paper up and skims through the paper. She finds an ad for SCW's next show being featured in the paper. “Oh, looks like an advertisement  for SCW’s Under Attack show.”

“Really? Let me see.” Gigi jumps to her feet. She holds out her hand wanting the paper. Ash doesn’t hand it over.

“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Ash tells her. She steps away from Gigi making sure she’s out of reach.

“Ash! I want to see. Why would you bring it up if you didn’t want to see him?” Gigi questions her. Double downing her hand to want the paper to be handed over.

“I was just keeping you up to date. Now that you know you don’t have to see it.” Ash smiles as she puts the paper behind her back and turns away leaving the room.

Gigi can tell something was up. She makes a b line for the paper to see what Ash isn’t telling her. Unfortunately for Gigi, Ash knew she wasn’t going to give up and anticipated the strike. Easily pulling the paper away from Gigi and Gigi diving to the floor.

What Ash didn’t expect was Maddy who came in for the rebound and snatched the paper away.

“Let’s see what we got.” Maddy says out loud checking on the ad.”It’s a very patriotic ad featuring… Oh… yeah you don’t want to see this.”

Gigi stand s up and turns to Maddy. She grabs the paper away from Maddy’s hands. Ash and Maddy step away together waiting for Gigi to erupt as she looks at the ad.

“Katie Steward for United States Champion. Join her in ordering SCW’s Under Attack on the network or pay per view and together we can make America and the World beautiful again.” Gigi is puzzled by what she read. It doesn’t make sense to her. “What the hell?”

“Sorry, G.” Maddy says hoping that maybe with her there Gigi can remain calm and understanding.

“No. Katie wanted to win the tag team titles. She wants to do it with me. As soon as we do that then I get to go solo. I get to go for the United States title.” Gigi tries to explain why it doesn’t make any sense.

“I’m sure it’s just a consequence, G. Like they needed former champions to fill it out.” Ash answers, trying to help.

“But she is actively campaigning for it.” Gigi shakes the paper in frustration.

“Yeah. That part is a little confusing.” Ash quiets down and puts her head down.

Gigi crumbles up the paper and tosses it away. She lets out a scream of frustration leaving the room.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Back to Katie’s home in Los Angeles. Gigi, Maddy and Ash show up and walk inside the house. Gigi doesn’t look too happy. She wants to talk to Katie to figure out what is going on. They follow the noise they hear all the way to Katie’s office. That is where they find Katie’s campaign headquarters. TJ sits at a desk making phone calls while Katie is seen making plans on her cell phone. They watch Katie pace around dressed in a pink suit and a purple and white striped tie.

“Looks like Katie made a mess of her laundry. Her red suit came out pink.” Maddy shakes her head.

“I don’t think it ruined Maddy. Those are the colors of the flag.” Ash points up at the American flag hanging on the wall. The colors were altered to Pink, White and Purple.

“Oh. You know what, I like it. I think Katie’s campaign can work.” Maddy nods in approval.

“That’s great, Maddy, but I’m here for answers.” Gigi steps out from the outside of the office and walks in to confront Katie. “Katie, what in the world are you doing? I know about your United States Title shot.”

“Gigi!” Katie ends her call on her phone and runs over to hug her. “Thank the Goddess that you’re safe. It’s very dangerous out there in the world.”

“What?” Gigi stands still as Katie wraps her arms around her tight making her feel safe.

“She’s been on social media and sees the low point of humanity.” TJ spins around in his chair to answer her question.

“You let her on social media?” Gigi questions TJ.

“Hey, I didn't do anything. There isn’t a lot I can do, not since she’s been hanging around this Brooke girl and being all activism now.” TJ gets defensive.

“Brooke’s here? Where is she?” Gigi looks up and around.

“No. She had to leave and go to some protest somewhere. It’s ok though. I’m ok. My eyes are wide open now to the bigger picture. I can make a difference. I will make a difference.” Katie turns away from Gigi and paces around her office in his pink suit. “At Under Attack I will carry Lady Glory with me and waving the sparkle and stripes proudly. Because making this world Beautiful again. Back when I was the United States Champion the first. It’s the most important thing to me.”

“G, I think we should let them go.” Maddy whispers. “Seeing Katie this passionate about something important. It’s pretty cool.”

“Ok.” Gigi nods. “Good luck, Katie.”

Katie smiles.

“TJ, I got the youth vote on my side. That’ll help with the polls.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

The following is a paid advertisement for the “Make America Beautiful Again” campaign.

My fellow Americans. This might just be the most important match of your lives. Katie Steward, is asking for you to lend you her support and when you watch Under Attack think about just what that means. We are indeed under attack. With Katie’s influence and power. She will help get our message across and do what is important for us all. By just looking at her opponents there is no question who the right person is for this championship.

Lucas Knight doesn't stand on the important issues. While being a fine competitor and high level wrestler in this chamber match. He lacks any real goals on if he were champion.

Gavin Taylor, another who doesn’t stand on any issues. Another migrant in his chamber who looks to rob this chamber and steal it away from Katie who unlike her opponents looks to make real progress for the future.

Deanna Frost, a climate change denier. Who would stop at nothing for everyone to live in their Winter Wonderland.

Polly, who doesn’t have any issues or hold any power and influence. Truly the most uneventful term as champion there could be.

It doesn’t matter whoever else is there in the chamber. It’s clear who the best person is for this championship. So please, support Katie Steward and let Make America Beautiful Again.

The following is a paid advertisement from Katie Steward and only Katie Steward and her opponent have been allowed to respond to the questionnaire that was sent out about these topics. For that, their response is silence.

The commercial ends and Katie claps her hands in excitement.

“Oh my Goddess, I’m really getting good at this film making.” A pleased Katie smiles.

“We stay and watch that. Why?” Gigi turns and leaves.

“”That was so funny, Katie. We support you.” Maddy says following Gigi and Ash out of the room.

[SnowQueenSCW]

Despite the graphic opening up to the atypical “Supreme Championship Wrestling” graphic, complete with logo and recognizable effect/SFX, there is no further ‘title card’ or introduction that would usually accompany it. Rather, the shot opens up to the interior of the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. While, under normal circumstances, the eyes of the viewers of this video would be drawn to the empty ring or arena seats, that cannot be the case in the present circumstances, more so because of the massive chain-chamber handing within the center of the shot, suspended over the ring like the Sword of Damocles – and yes, the host of this segment understands the reference (she does read afterall!)

Even from the distance of the shot, the chamber is intimidating, with some of the arena lights (standard rather than ‘show-lights’ that will be used for tonight’s SCW Pay-per-view of Under Attack) bouncing of the metal chains and beams to create an almost ‘other world’ and more terrifying appearance of the structure.

This is the Elimination Chamber. The absence of a title-card is the only thing more off-putting than the silent shot before us.

And yet… the ring is empty, devoid of any superstar or host/hostess of this segment. Often, with such segments involving a match with the Elimination Chamber, it is almost typical – even respectful – to fully take in the structure’s mass and scope from standing within, gazing up at the metal chains and pods that six superstars will be housed in as they wait, some with anxiety, others with excitement, for their pod to open and release them into the structure and match that will determine who walks away from said chamber as the SCW United States Champion!

Yet… the ring remains empty.

HEY! The voice calls, causing the camera to turn left and right, almost in surprise, trying to find the source of the voice. UP HERE! At last, the camera turns its attention upwards, gazing past the chained roof of the chamber and towards the rafters, where the red hair of the SCW United States Champion stands out as she waves at the camera. Immediately, the camera shot shifts to another camera, this one up in the rafters, catching Deanna Frost, dressed in black track pants and an emerald-green t-shirt, still waving towards the chamber and ring below her. Turning her head, she stares into the camera – her audience – showing her bright smile.

Sorry, guys. I’m sure this whole thing is confusing. You guys probably thought with no ‘title-card’ and starting in the empty arena like this, this could be a ‘Frozen Central’ segment or something. She gives a slightly guilty shrug of her shoulders. Sorry, didn’t mean to give any false hope to you. her smile falters a little. I know I keep giving these half-hearted answers regarding my wife and SCW and all that… and I’m sure this whole approach didn’t help. She releases a sigh. But maybe… Maybe we all just need to move on, you know?

Like, if we assume Selena isn’t coming back, you know? If we just get used to the fact of an SCW without her – at least for now, you know? If we get used to it, then if we’re wrong, maybe it’s a happy ‘we were wrong’ rather than us continuously disappointing ourselves.

Queitly, she casts her eyes down towards the ring and chamber below. That’s sort of why I didn’t use a title card here. Because I can’t really call this segment “The Guard Tower” anymore. Because I’m not… I’m not the Queen’s Guard anymore…

I’m not! I don’t guard a queen. I don’t protect any royalty anymore and this… She looks around. This isn’t really a tower to begin with. A lookout maybe, but not a tower. And maybe… maybe I need to move on from that too. That I’m not that person anymore.

That’s sort of why I made this challenge. Well, it was really two reasons… she holds up two fingers. But I don’t want to lose my train of thought so let me answer these one at a time, okay? So, the first one… she stumbles a little before quickly recalling. Moving on! That was the first one.

Okay, so you all know how I’ve been haunted by certain losses in my career. First and foremost, the ‘Five Moves of Doom’ match against Adam Allocco over a year ago just after winning the Television title. And I have done… so much in my time since then to get better and try and never be in such a position like that again. I don’t mean in a position where I can’t possibly lose. Pssh, yeah right! Who is that arrogant that thinks nobody can beat them? Or they can never lose? Geez…

She actually gives the question some thought for a moment with a tilt of her head, unsurprising considering the roster and egos in SCW, before shaking her head to return to the present.

What I mean is that I worked harder than ever before to not be in the position of embarrassing myself like that again. Losing was one thing, but to be little more than someone’s pawn in terms of skill and ability? I never wanted to feel so outmatched and worthless like that again, especially when I held an SCW championship! Something that is an honor and supposed to represent an accomplishment and represent the level of talent and ability in that division. She slowly exhales. I maintain that, along with winning the tag-titles with my wife, and the United States title and retaining it in a two-match process at Rise to Greatness, beating Adam Allocco twice was one of my most valuable and most important victories. It allowed me to see how far I have come along. How much better I had become. And it allowed me to move on past it. To not be defined by that moment in my career, but to use it to make more moments!

A smile breaks out across her features. But in freeing myself of that, I was left to wonder what other moments in my past haunted me. That held me back. What other things weighed on my mind as a singles wrestler… she gazes down at her left arm, where a faint scar can be seen running along it longways. And there was really only one that stood out to me. Her hand tightens into a fist, the muscles in her forearm now visibly flexing, further drawing focus to her scar.

It was a year ago at this very event. I was meant to finally be challenging for the SCW world tag-team titles for the first time with my wife as my partner but it seemed fate had other plans in play. Because, in order to try and screw with Selena and I, Lexy Chapel used her ‘connections’ to push me into the last available spot for that year’s Elimination Chamber.

I mean, the reasoning was clear. She was hoping that the chamber would go first, thus I’d be worn out and weakened for the tag-team title match. But it was on me too. I could have said no and conceded. I could have run away and hid from the problem, but I didn’t… her eyes flash up to the camera, staring both into it and past it somehow. That isn’t who I am. Frosts don’t run away from their problems. They face them head on! So, I did. And, like I said, karma plays a hand – and karma, that night, decided to have me fight in the chamber second and the tag-title match first, allowing Selena and I to capture the  tag-team titles and not cost the House of Frost. And again… the option was presented to me to just leave it at that. Take the tag-titles and walk away. And again, for the same reason, I couldn’t. I went into the chamber…

She gazes down at the metal contraption below her. And I am not ashamed to say that I lost. I lost in an epic fashion! I got my arm broken, got beaten by a former world champion who I despised, and I had to be helped from the ring by my wife and some medics! I know… loud, right?

A little laugh escapes her before her expression sobers a little, her tone growing back to more focused and serious as her gaze returns to her scarred arm.

But I came so close. Only beaten by two people. And that was after everything happened. What if I hadn’t had another match? What if my arm hadn’t been broken? What if I was as good as I am now – still needing to grow but miles ahead than where I was back then?

So, when the opportunity to move on from that past chamber match and these haunting questions came up… she shrugs. I had to go with it. I needed to.

Because I feel this is… well, this is the last piece of the puzzle needed to ‘move on’. Because for months and months, I have by choice or situation, had to grow further and further from what I knew – what I knew to be safe and such – and become my own woman here in SCW. To refuse to settle for being ‘the wife of…’ and instead stand by my own identity and make that identity worth something amazing in its own right!

And, the truth is, as I said, I am not ‘The Queen’s Guard’ anymore, so the question is: who is Deanna Frost then?

The redheaded champion seems, internally, flummoxed with this question, the last part of her past year in SCW (surrounded by her wife, Selena) falling away, leaving behind someone she doesn’t seem certain on who it is.

I don’t know, but I know one thing is certain. I’m not going to find out hanging onto this past with the chamber. With this scar serving as a reminder of where I failed like the “Five Moves of Doom’ match. No, I need to move on and that is what I intend to do… but it needs to done right.

That’s why I didn’t just want anyone. I didn’t want five people thrown together just to fill a cage - which is why I trusted CHBK, whose job is to provide exciting matchups for the SCW Universe and... I feel he’s doing that. And I needed him to pick some incredible opponents.

Because I’m not going to move on past all this if he hadn’t. I’m not going to be able to move on past not being ‘The Queen’s Guard’ anymore simply by winning against anyone. I needed to see more than just entitlement, accolades, or whatever in the eyes of my opponents.

No. I wanted to see a hunger. I wanted to see a desire to come into the chamber and win it!

She casts her eyes down at the chamber below. That’s why I jumped at the chance to get Gavin Taylor into the match. Because when he came to me on that episode of Breakdown and asked to be part of that match, despite losing some big matches, I didn’t see defeat. I didn’t see anything close to ‘pleading’. I saw fire. I saw grit. I saw a man that not only believed he could come into this dangerous structure and not only win, but that he was necessary for the match to have any validity in the level of challenge. That this match would not be a true test for me unless I included him.

And Gavin… I believe you. Not ‘believed’. I mean present-tense! I believe you. I believe you’re right. In that moment, when I looked into your eyes, I saw the fire and determination that I have wanted to see in every competitor that I’ve faced and every person that’s entering this match. I believe you can win this match just like you believed you could beat Syren in an iron-person match and then did it! Whether this current belief is based on trust of your own abilities, experience, or your current losses… it doesn’t matter to me! I respect your grit and confidence!

In that same vein, I mean, we have a battle royale where the last entrant has to fight through THAT just to get a chance at this! she gestures with her hand towards the chamber below her.

Think about that for a second! Cause I know what it’s like to go into a chamber having already wrestled! We have six other people willing to fight in a royale just for a chance – handicapped as it may be – to be in, what has been called, “the deadliest structure in SCW”! You want to tell me THAT isn’t grit, faith, confidence, and drive?! Whoever that person is – even if it’s The One – will deserve to be in this match just like Gavin does!

Same with Polly! she gives little shrug. I mean, I know we never have gotten along with me and the Playgirls. But I’d be a fool not to see your streak of wins as of late. Not to mention your driven attitude to ascend up the ranks of SCW into making a name for yourself, just as I am trying to do. Again, grit, need, passion… her shrug is a bit sharper. These are the factors that make a superstar dangerous in such a structure and makes you as dangerous as Gavin and easily a wildcard on par with the royale winner! A dark horse, if you will!

Polly, Gavin, the royale winner and myself – we have that in common. We are trying to achieve greater things and be more than what we have been! I can relate to that, I can understand it, I can respect it and I know not to take anyone that has these desires and traits lately in such an intimidating structure as this. She breathes.

But it’s not just young wrestlers or people ‘wanting more’ or wanting to ‘do more in SCW’ here. It’s not just people trying to ‘make a name for themselves’ or ‘start a new path’ or ‘find themselves’.

No, that would be dismissing two entrants in this match and doing them a grave disservice -not to mention setting myself up at a disadvantage considering either one of them could win the chamber and this title! Because you look at Lucas Knight – a man that has done it all! Been it all! The kindest of mentors, the cruelest of men, the most driven of champions, the most loyal of friends, this man has done it all and been it all. There is no question that your experience, Knight, dwarfs all the other names I’ve mentioned, including mine!

How many chamber matches have you been in, sir?
How many have you won?
How many people have you pinned and eliminated within its structure?

If the answer is what I think it is… I’d have to do another chamber match – maybe two – just to be in the same zip-code of that experience. The same is true with Katie Steward!

A laugh escapes her, a sigh of understanding.

Because anyone that saw my match with Gigi a few Breakdowns ago will see how close Gigi had to beating me! How far she’s come along! That’s part of Katie’s doing. Her training of Gigi! – and while I’ve never really agreed with the majority of ‘ways’ Stewards do things in SCW, there is no denying the Hall of Fame career Katie has had. From longevity to her ability to try and take advantage of every opportunity, the fact that only one title eludes her from Supreme Champion status? Says more than enough about that. Yet, she’s willing to step into the chamber for a title she’s already won because she knows how prestigious and incredible this belt’s lineage is! Again, that desire! From someone that’s done more than any of us!

The redhead sighs again. I know. I should be pointing out flaws. Arrogance, lack of experience, ‘fresh from retirement’, ‘not enough wins under the belt’, etc. Etc. Etc... but the fact is I can’t see that in my mind. I can’t help but see exactly what I wanted when I made this demand to CHBK in front of the watching world.

I wanted challengers that wanted this title as much as I do. Maybe even more.
I wanted challengers that were smarter than me. More experienced.
I wanted challengers that had done more than me.
I wanted challengers that were stronger than me. Faster. Better...

I wanted… she smiles. I wanted superstars that could beat me! I wanted challengers that I needed to surpass by surpassing my own abilities and limitations!

In other words: I wanted challengers that forced me to become better than “the Queen’s Guard” ever was! And to do that…

Deanna exhales, leaning over the rail of the scaffold to stare down the structure.

I have to be more driven to take on anything than Gavin.
I have to be tougher than The One or Hart or any of the battle royale winners!
I have to want it more than Polly!
I have to be smarter than Knight or Katie!

And I have to want all of these things – be all these things - more than ‘The Queen’s Guard’ ever has.

Deanna turns her head, showing her emerald eyes and more directly in the light.

You see, guys? This isn’t just a test of me as ‘an SCW champion’. This is a test of everything that I am. Everything that I am proud of and I cherish. My grit, my toughness, my love for this company and being the champion of this title, my ingenuity and creativity… it is all being tested here tonight and I… I need to surpass all I have in those fields like I never have before, moreso in myself!

Because “The Queen’s Guard”? She would come so close – but never do it. She could ALMOST reach the stars but never grasp them…

And I don’t… her breath staggers a little as she speaks the next line. I don’t want to be that person anymore. I want to break free. I want to start my path without the moniker. On my own. As I have been trying to do for months.

Tonight, I take the biggest gamble of my career. I cast off the last ‘vestige’ my last name has given me for free and I will embrace being my own woman. With no queen, no protection.

Just me. Driven, gritty, and needing to prove herself once more to move on and put the past in the past… where it belongs.

Tonight… I don’t let karma ‘cost me because of my choice’. Rather, I forge my path further by embracing the risks, the gamble, and enduring it all… as I leave ‘The Queen’s Guard’ behind…

Again, her eyes find the camera, staring through it to one audience member. Never to return...

Checkmate, bitches.

The camera slowly fades on the redhead standing above the chamber and all those who may be down there… a future she hopes to achieve tonight. But as what...

Well, that is anyone’s guess!

[Jay Gold]

Good luck to all.


Season 4 / Episode 18 / Trapper (Part 2 - Collarer)