Selena Frost vs. Bree Lancaster

[SnowQueenSCW]

The camera opens up to the STAPLES center in Los Angeles, California, the home for tonight's SCW Pay-Per-View: Making Things Right. With the very power and stability of SCW on the line – it's ownership for the next four weeks a reward for a certain family member, and the championship matches themselves – to say that here... tonight...in this city – the very destiny of SCW may be forever changed! 

But as the camera settles in on the scene, one thing stands out. The ominous structure placed around the ring made of metal and chains. The top, a roofed dome. A structure in the same class as the Thunderdome, the Elimination Chamber, and the Tactical Warfare matches. Where rules are thrown out, and survival is the only thing that matters.

And as the camera focuses in on the structure, through it, it captures sight of a single woman sitting in the middle of the ring inside the cage. The arctic blue and white lights highlight her white hair, braided in its iconic style, as well as her attire. A light-blue long coat, tied around with a sash with matching heel boots and a white, undershirt of lace-design. Covering shoulders, sash, hem and boots are beautiful snowflake designs, leaving no doubt who this woman is.
 
I've always loved telling a good story. The woman says as she looks around the dreaded structure. The idea of a plot – a beginning, a middle, and an end. A strong structure, much like this cage, to guide the viewer along. Give them something to witness, to understand...

To believe in...

Leaning back to rest her palms on the mat behind her, the Snow Queen, Selena Frost, looks up to very top of the structure. It feels right that this would be the end, one way or another. she speaks calmly. Retribution 2017 – I feel that is where this all began for us, Bree. You and Mason, running roughshod in SCW, piledriving superstars without a care. Trying to ruin careers because why? You weren't getting what you wanted, am I right? Seems that little has changed since then – since you claim that everything you are and everything you do is some sort of 'payback' for SCW screwing with you. 

Though I have to wonder – is it because you screwed with SCW first? I mean... you did put Sienna Swann in the hospital, right? Remember? That's what caused me to step up and join forces with Kelcey Wallace - to hold you accountable. And while you managed to sneak in and steal a victory thanks to my mistake, what followed was a story that...well, never seemed to reach a conclusion. Not a definitive one, anyway.

The Snow Queen shrugs.

Still, here we are now. Back where it all began two years ago, soon to be locked in this structure of hell. And while I chose to take some time away from SCW to make myself ready – to harden my resolve and my spirit - to be prepared for this barbaric structure - you decided to sit in your comfy library in the lap of luxury, eating, I imagine, bonbons? Selena turns her head to the camera. I'm not making this up for color, True-Believers. This was her last promo. Sitting in her comfy, pampered home and showing off her materialistic treasures. Whole 'lap of luxury' deal. 

And I have to admit, Bree, it painted a great picture of you. Sure did. You have a lot of nice stuff. No denying that.I certainly wouldn't want to go up against you in an edition of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Fabulous” or “Better Homes and Gardens” - though I might get extra points in the pool department. A sly smile breaks across the Snow Queen's face. But here's the thing, dear. I'm not going against you for some spot on a magazine or some photoshoot. I am fighting you in this structure – this 'cave' of cold metal! But you want me to be ashamed of having to go to the cold depths of my home - of my past - to be ready for that?

Bree, the fact that you felt you didn't have to do anything to prepare for this just shows more about you than it does about me. For you? It shows your ignorance and your arrogance. It shows just how little you understand this structure. How little you comprehend this kind of match. This isn't something that you can just stroll in and be fine. You can't 'settle' for anything in these matches. These cage matches – they take years off your career! Whether you win or lose!

I went away, Bree, because I know that. I know what that's like. I've been in about half a dozen cage matches like this in my career. I've won, I've lost, I've had bones fractured and buckled. I've walked out of some and I've been carried out in others. So, if I'M going somewhere to prepare for this encounter – then maybe you should have stopped scoffing and dismissing it and actually considered why!

With swift movement, Selena is on her feet, walking around the ring as she dusts her hands off. Or is the 'great fire' merely a mindless machine?

Yes, I thought that was a fun little analogy for you, Bree. A tad overused and cliche – I mean, 'fire melts cold and snow', clever. - but I guess if it serves you well. And, I'll be honest, you really do have a pretty fireplace, with the dark gray slate and - was that mahogany? Selena shakes her head.

Still, I can't help but wonder, Bree. If you're this fire in your fireplace, who is it that's keeping your mahogany and your gray slate so clean? Are you dusting it? And what about firewood? A non-electrical fire, a REAL fire, which you claim you are, requires actual fuel. Do you fuel that fire, Bree? Do you go out, chop down some trees and use them for fuel? Or do you just flash some cash and buy the cheap stuff and say “good enough”? Or, do you just hire someone to do all that work for you? You know, like you hired the Network to protect you from hungry and deserving superstars?

I'm sorry, I'm just trying to better understand your logic. Are you the one maintaining the shine, the fuel, and the look? Or is it Scott Burnside that does it while you take credit for 'looking good'? You know – like you did with me and just earlier this week with Aaron Blackbourne. I mean, perhaps I'm overstepping, Bree, but having to cheat in order to beat me, that's one thing, but having to cheat to beat Aaron? That just makes me smile and gives me hope for that young man! Because if you can't beat him on your own – the 'fire that burns all' that can't burn Aaron Blackbourne cleanly – then that man must, indeed be part of the future along with Owen Cruze!

A shrug comes from Selena as she steps around the ring.

That is a future I can get behind – superstars like that, like Kennedy, not being seduced by the easy path. People that don't take the shortcuts, but rather stand their ground because they value what they fight for. These are the people that take the risks and take the chances – not hide behind their managers or their buddies. See, you call me a hypocrite by claiming you 'settled' for the United States title, while I hold it in high regard. I'll put it to you this way, Bree, so maybe it can make more sense.

You say you will do 'anything to stay the United States Champion'. But I can tell you one thing you won't do: respect the first three letters on that title.

Selena gestures towards the camera. You've got the belt, Bree, and I know you're watching. Right at the top there – what do those letters say? 'S-C-W'. Do you even remember what those letters stand for? It's 'Supreme Championship Wrestling'. That's this company's name. That's this company's standard. And no matter how much Katya D. wants to drag it through the mud with her politics and favouritism, this company has survived for fifteen years at the top of the game by upholding that standard. 

You? You don't. You settle on the path of least resistance. You settle on handed victories and cheap tricks. You settle on whatever gets you the biggest paycheck for the least amount of work. That, my dear, is how you settle for the United States Championship, while I value it. You say you 'saved it' from Jason Helms? Yeah, before you, Regan Street was holding it for damn near a year, beating people like me over and over again. And I don't just mean 'beating them', I mean she was putting a hurting on them that made her 'the champion' to beat. I may not like her or the way she does things, but you want to talk about someone that raised the bar for that United States title, just look back two champions before you. You're not even halfway there and you can't seem to get past me without someone helping you out.

Gracefully, Selena takes a middle rope in her hands and swing-slides between them, landing outside the ring to run her hand along the cold metal of the cage.

But you think that you can wear that title, slap on some new ring gear, get yourself a fancy new theme song to come out to and that's the same thing? That that's good enough? Sorry, Bree, but you are very much wrong. 

Just like you're wrong about this match. Yes, you beat me. I acknowledged that. I acknowledged that you got your win and the history books will say that Bree Lancaster pinned Selena Frost. You think I can't accept that? You think I can't accept the actual loss?

Bree, if I wanted to get back at you for the loss, then this match would be a hell of a lot different. I could have banned your Classifer. I could have put Scott Burnside in a sharkcage suspended above the ring. I could have handcuffed you... a sly smirk graces Selena's lips. Or, if I really wanted to, I could have simply said that, if you lose to me, you don't get another title match in SCW ever again – pull a CHBK vs. Jason Zero since people are talking about them a lot lately.

Imagine that Bree. No tag-title rematch. No third or fourth chance to get the World title. Nothing. If I wanted revenge against you, Bree, that's all I would have to do.

Selena shakes her head. But this is NOT about revenge. This is NOT about me unable to accept a loss. This whole match is me unable to accept a standard – your standard. You say that I am proud and that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall”, right? Well how about this one? “Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”?

Selena eyes narrow. Sounds familiar, Bree? It should, because that's Proverbs chapter 16, verses 19 and 20, the ones that came right after the one you picked. You're right, Bree, I'm not religious in the way you define religion. But even I know how to work a phone. So, I find it interesting that you'd use such a quote about pride, when the very next two after it say that those that see themselves as students prosper and those that remain humble are better off...

So... with that in mind and going back to you, how does that work for us with me in my cave and you in your lavish library and expensive fireplace telling the world you're perfect and we should 'envy you', Bree? Selena shakes her head. 

I am grateful for all that I have been blessed with. It is because I am grateful for what SCW has done for me and given me that I stand by it. That I fight for its vision – the vision of its creator, Mr. O. D., and the desire of the True-Believers and the SCW Universe. 

Am I proud? You better believe I am proud. I want everything I do to mean something. I want everything I say to mean something. I want to inspire people to go for their dreams. To work hard to achieve them. To not settle for shortcuts and 'what works' like you do. I want SCW to be proud of me. I want these people- Selena gestures to the empty seats in the arena. Those people that will fill the seats and those watching from around the world – I want them to be proud of me, Bree. I want- 

Selena pauses for a moment to rest her forehead against the cold metal of the steel against her skin.

I...I want my family to be proud of me. My wife, my children – I don't want asterisks attached to every accolade and every defence. I don't want every match I have tainted just so I can win and 'get ahead'. I want to be standing in this ring, United States title in my hand and for the whole world to either point at me and agree, unanimously “That's OUR United States Champion” or for them to put their hands over their hearts and scream those magic words...

'We Believe...We Believe...'

Slowly, her head still against the steel, the Snow Queen shakes her head back and forth.

This match was not conceived by pettiness or revenge and not even entirely by my pride, Bree. It was love. Love for this business. Love for SCW's standard and love for what that title should and needs to stand for. 

And that's the thing, Bree. That's the reality that you either don't acknowledge, or have fooled yourself into believing that it's not there. Nobody in SCW believes that you are the rightful champion. Nobody in the crew, nobody on the board, nobody in the audience and none of the great people at home believe in you as the United States Champion. 

And for you to take the title that I've wanted for two years – a title that I promised myself that I would one day acquire – a title that was the true benchmark in my mind of single-competition success back in 2016. The single promise in my career that I've yet to keep – for you to take that title and make all these people not believe in it or its champion?

That is all going to change tonight!

With fury, Selena slams her hand against the steel of the cage before turning and pacing around the outside of the ring, the camera following her.

You see, Bree, you may think that I'm not going to get a single thing out of this. That you're not 'going to lift a finger to help me'. A coy smile comes across Selena's face. But you are wrong, Bree. You are going to give me exactly what I want. You know why? Because I'm not giving you a choice.

You said in your cozy little nook that you were prepared to 'beat me into the ground', right? Selena stops, leaning towards the camera. Good.

That's actually better than good, Bree. That is exactly what I want. Because, I didn't pick a single thing in this match to appease you. Every detail I picked was meant to take away your excuses. Meant to take away your tricks and your cheats until all that is left is you and me. No Scott. No Sienna. No Network. Just us.

And you're facing someone far more dangerous than you realize, Bree. Because, as I made it clear, this has become my last chance. This has become the last opportunity I will have for the title – for my dream – to come true. Remember that moment, Bree? That moment I had you in the armbar? The one you, for sure, were going to get out of but 'didn't have to'? Well, whether that is true or not is on your conscious, but now, imagine that where... I don't have to let go when you reach the ropes. Imagine that now, I either have to win or die trying.

Carefully, Selena hops up to sit on the ring apron, clasping her hands together. Do you get it, Bree? Is it sinking in yet? You are going to be facing me at my most dangerous. Backed into a literal corner with options just like my world in Nome. Adapt or perish. You, Bree Lancaster, will get me, Selena Frost, at the highest level that I can go, hell, I'd say beyond that. And if all you're going to do is quote scripture from your phone and do your mental gymnastics, then, believe me, Bree, I am going to bulldoze right over you and I'm not even going to look back when I do it.

The Snow Queen shakes her head. I want you to try and stop me, Bree. I want you to try and beat me into the ground. Give me all you have, Bree! Because you're going to have to to keep me down! To make me give up! You're going to have to dig deeper than you ever have before – to that place you've hidden with your shortcuts and freebies – to that desperation you've buried under Scott's praises and attitude. To that 'kill or be killed' mentality that you've softened by paying for extra security to guard you!

Owen Cruze – the future of SCW, I swear – he told me during our match a few months ago that, when I'm not facing someone I hate, I lose a bit of my edge. When I'm not defending SCW, I lose a bit of that killer instinct. I can assure you, Bree, I went to Nome to get that killer instinct back. Selena looks down at her hands, pale and yet beautiful. I can still feel the cold in my veins, in my bones – even in a place as hot as L.A! And I have no shame in admitting I hate the kind of champion you are.

Selena clenches her fists together tightly. Tonight, I will show you what a true champion – not an inferior one as you claimed I was – looks like. I will show you what supreme wrestling, what supreme heart looks like – and you can bring your 'polished' fire and try and burn down the blizzard and cold in my veins and the fire in my heart, Bree – but no matter what you do – you will give SCW what they deserve!

An undisputed United States Champion!

Because if I can't be that champion, Bree – then you had better believe that I am going to make them believe that you are!

A wondrous smile breaks across Selena's lips.

Tonight... this cage is my father's cave. That gold you carry is my father's gold. And I am the blizzard within. You won't have your fireplace, or your comfy chair or your books, Bree. All you'll have are two choices for this story's ending...

Selena slides off the apron to stand in front of the camera. Either burn through me and prove us all wrong and be our United States Champion...

Lifting her foot, Selena instantly stamps it down – a sign of her greatest strength.

Or be stamped out by a greater one... Believe it!

The camera fades on the Snow Queen as she smiles into the camera.