Selena Frost vs. Xander Valentine

[SnowQueenSCW]

OOC: Posted in two parts due to length.

Villain of the Year

”Giving the Devil Her Due”

Manhattan School District #3
Manhattan, New York
May 30th, 2024
1:23pm

“Shit shit shit shit shit shit!” the woman rapidly cursed as she drove the Aston Martin DB12 – more like sped it – into the medium sized parking lot. It was relatively easy for her to do so, with the entrances/exits and surrounding space devoid of cars and buses. It would be that way for at least another hour and a half, she was sure of that, but not much longer. There was only two hours left of school for the middle-school classes, which meant the place would soon be packed with buses, their drivers, and with parents like her (with their own vehicles) that would be picking up their child(ren).

And you were supposed to be here 23 minutes ago!

She wasn’t sure if the mental chastisement was in her voice, her ‘devil’s-voice’ mixture of her/Malcolm/Anastasia or her imaging Deanna’s voice… or perhaps it was all of them at once. Either way, Selena quickly swung the wheel of her new car into the upper empty spaces by the entrance/exit she had just used. She still needed a quick exit for afterwards - Don’t lose focus. Okay, THAT was her devil’s voice saying that, the dark gruff ‘tone’ echoing in her brain with its word of warning.

It actually felt more calming to Selena and she chose to focus on that emotion, which was the only thing keeping her from jumping out of the car and sprinting towards the school at whatever top speeds she could manage in her black dress shoes. Her tardiness, she sternly confessed to herself, had been her own fault. No one else’s.

She had started the day waking up before the sun came out, as per usual, and immediately spending the first hour on one of the many balconies of the Eyrie Tower (her favorite one) in quiet meditation, trying to clear her mind and give calm and focus to herself – things she desperately needed at the start of each day – before surrendering herself, inevitably, to the devil-voice. Once that part of her was up, things became only more intense. Two hours of training had flown by in the gym, her mind focused on the same thing her meditation had settled on, which occurred as she had had her breakfast and sugar-free iced-coffee and begun her singular ‘morning task’.

Study.

A sigh escaped the Snow Queen as she reached up to adjust the wide and long rearview mirror of the car on herself, allowing her to gaze at her own reflection. She had rushed through her makeup, using only the basics such as eyeliner and rouge to accentuate some of her features like her eyes, cheeks and lips. She had never been a heavy-makeup user like… Kandis… she bit back the spike of irritation at the comparison. She chose to look ‘dignified’ and ‘a woman of class’, not ‘trampy’ or ‘Shameless’ as that brat had kept saying - clearly as an excuse for Kandis’ failure and incompetence.

Another sigh, Selena forcing herself to further calm down, her eyes shifting over to the glove compartment, even flexing her hand in quick contemplation before refocusing. Not yet… whispered her mind.

As previously stated, she had spent the rest of her morning studying. She had to. The days were just trickling away so quickly, one after the other. There were only about 3 days left until Taking Hold of the Flame. Three days left until the single, most important title-defense of her current reign as the SCW world champion – maybe of her whole career! Four times in a row now, including this weekend, she had been in the world title match at Taking Hold of the Flame, twice as a challenger and twice as the champion, with the last three all swinging in her favor for victory. It was, probably, one of her best pay-per-views performed in her career and, yet… she still believed this one was far more vital compared to any of the others, despite the talent of Giovanni Aries, Cid Turner, and, even, Adam Allocco.

One win away…

Since she had shouted those words in her private ‘Royal Letter’ to Aaron Demtria – hoping to get the SCW official back in line one way or another (vital as it was) – the concept had not left her and what drove all her focus and study. She had allowed herself the one day to focus on her children, assisting them in their projects, but as soon as it had been concluded, she had returned to the Eyrie Tower and immediately set to work. The days were filled with nothing but study and training. Even her diet had gotten stricter. She had cut out any food that slowed her down or hindered her speed, strength, and progress. Which meant more… she winced at the next thought… Kelp shakes… and tuna straight from the can and less panini-pressed sandwiches and high-sugar drinks like her favorite vanilla-thai with double expresso shot. “Gods, I could use one of those…” she thought bitterly. Her sugar-free iced coffee just hadn’t hit the spot today… or any day this week in comparison to the cold-brew she usually loved in the morning.

But it was necessary! Beyond necessary! She needed to be ready. She needed to have everything working in her favor. One mistake. One miscalculation. That was all Xander would need to take everything she had worked for – everything she had sacrificed for the chance to ‘correct’ the wrongdoings SCW had done to her and her name and to her family – away. Since he had won the number one contender spot, perhaps a bit before that actually, the man had stated up and down to anyone that would listen that he was a different man than he had been years ago. A note that SCW had run with, from Knots and Sharper, to promotional highlights, to commercials and other marketing packages.

And Selena had played into it, using it to her advantage to mess with Xander’s head – gods, how she had enjoyed that. After so many years and battles with him – with him being the mastermind with his ‘mind games’… for her to be the one that was making HIM dance to her little games this time around?

Again, Selena admired herself in the mirror. How could anyone think this was wrong? After everything she had been through the last ten years, the scars she carried on her body and would carry for the rest of her life, all the times she had been the one played and manipulated and hurt… why was it so ‘evil’ or ‘wrong’ that she was the one calling the shots now? That she was the one in control?!

Kandis? Scott? How could anyone agree with the methods of those two? They were running in – Kandis, especially – and getting involved in matters that didn’t concern them! They had HAD their chance! Selena had given them their fair matches against her – given them the chance to prove themselves and be the world champion she was! And they had both failed. What they were doing now? What they were being ALLOWED to do now: running down into the ring, attacking her, promising to get involved with her business this weekend and every other show? Why was this being allowed?! Why was CHBK and management doing nothing?!

She felt her hands tighten into her fists. She had enough on her plate dealing with Xander fucking Valentine! There had never been a match that she had had with the Executioner in which she hadn’t needed to use every bit of strength, power, and resilience she possessed! One fight with the man was always exhausting and painful and, she suspected, career-shortening… and she had had at least FIVE with him throughout her career! Knowingly, she had already booked off the next five days following this Sunday for the sole purpose of recovery! Which meant no appointments, no ‘special meetings’ for SCW-publicity – nothing! She would disappear for a week strictly to recover from the beating she knew she would have to endure this weekend in order to beat Xander.

And isn’t that enough of a worry?!

Oh no! Now she had to worry about the One AND Kandis! Because they weren’t coming for Xander. Oh no! Xander wasn’t any more the target than Bree Lancaster had been! No, they were coming for her! When the pair of them inevitability failed at taking ‘The Flame’ in the royale, they would come for her just to be ‘the ones’ to ‘stop the evil Selena’ and raise their own egos and stock in the eyes of the deluded SCW Universe.

And Xander… She felt the scoff escape her before she heard it within the space of her car. Xander would do the same thing he had done week after week since he had won that damn match with Ravyn that had given him his ‘shot’.

Same thing he had done when she had turned her back on him and dared him to attack.
Same thing he had done when she had held Scott and Kandis accountable for their actions and promos.
Same thing he had done when she had dared him to attack her in the ring.
Same thing he had done when she had been attacked by Scott and Kandis’ cowardly actions.

Nothing.

The man had done nothing to keep their match devoid of controversy and chaos. Nothing to keep them both at their A-game. Nothing to ensure the battlefield was ‘fair’ and ‘without question’. He seemed content in being a ‘third-wheel’ until this weekend, or a ‘bit-part’ until the bell rang. Whatever he needed to do to have his stupid ‘warrior’s-death’ or whatever SCW was whispering about the man’s career possibly ending with ‘one last title run’. All at Selena’s expense…

Again, her eyes fluttered to the glove-compartment a split-second before her mind caught her. Not yet… it demanded. Focus.

Again, she obeyed. She had worried enough about all of these factors, using them to further her study and training. Xander’s ‘changes’ were superficial at best, like the kind of change one got from a haircut or dropping some weight, but his style? Selena had run that through the ringer. THAT was what mattered to her. What he did in the ring. There had to be weaknesses. He wasn’t as fast. He wasn’t as strong. He wasn’t as this. He wasn’t as that. He favored this and favored that. His moves were a little different – THESE were the things she had taken note of in her research. All to be ready – and praying Deanna had kept her promise and spoken with CHBK on the matter of interference.

Because if she so much as saw a hooded figure in the audience again…

She felt the last of her anger ebb away, her calm finally taking hold, allowing her to pull herself out of the car. Adjusting her black pantsuit, specifically the blazer over the matching corset she wore underneath, she began marching towards the school, clearing her mind of SCW, Xander, Kandis, Scott and all others with each step.

Taking a step while adjusting the family crest necklace she wore… she moved Xander to the back of her mind.
Taking a step and fixing her tight, iconic braid… She moved Kandis there too.
Taking a step and adopting her ‘family-woman’ smile and loving gaze… She moved Scott there.
Taking a step and releasing the tension in her hands and back… she moved the SCW Universe there.

Until, at last, the Blue-Eyed Devil was hidden once more, in place of simply ‘Selena Frost’, mother and wife to her children and Deanna respectively, stepping into the middle-school building. She had been here more times than she cared to count and continued her quick-yet-controlled march down the hall that greeted her. She took stock of the large windows that showed the inside of the cafeteria, obviously, empty. She spotted the large flight of stairs of tiles of stone and blue marble that led up to the second-floor classrooms. She heard the different speaking tones, some of teachers and some of students, as she passed by several classroom doors. All of it was a route in Selena’s mind, with the platinum-blonde taking the shortest route she knew to get to the proper classroom she needed to be at. Her eyes spotted the clocks on some of the walls as she passed, taking in the time: 1:31… 1:32… 1:33…

She forced the irritation down with a hard swallow, refusing to break her mask as she turned another corner, finally spotting the long hallway and the classrooms lined up there, numerous colorful lockers build into the walls in-between them. She slowed her march slightly, stopping right before the door she had targeted. Quietly, the young woman stood against the metal of the nearby locker, straining her ears to hear. She could just make out a light voice – male, a boy, one of the students. She heard the words of ‘astronaut’, ‘space’, and ‘rocket ship’ – coming from within but she did not make a move to enter.

She was too nervous at the prospect of, one, being too late and having missed the presentation, primarily, and two, that her entrance would draw too much attention and she’d make things worse for herself and, more importantly, her daughter. Instead, she waited for her chance – keeping her ears locked on the speaking student inside as the boy continued to ramble about… whatever it was he was talking about for his final project. After two or three glances at the nearby clock hanging on the wall, however, Selena opted merely to listen and ignore the time-keeping device, her frustration with the passing of time not helping her in her current state, with her, again, mentally cursing herself for losing track of time.

Still, she reminded herself, there was one saving grace that she found herself clinging to. The final projects for her eldest child’s class were all presentations, the class divided into two groups for today and tomorrow, with the children presenting in alphabetical order. And with her daughter’s last name beginning with an ‘F’, it placed her near the middle to tail-end of that day’s group, granting Selena more time. Thank the gods – FOCUS! her devil-voice interrupted her mid-thought, forcing the young world champion to tune back in, as it were, to the current ‘presenter’-

“Excuse me…” the little voice caught her off-guard, Selena almost jumping out of her skin at the very nearby voice. Her body went rigid and her right fist flew up, on the defensive, ready to strike at the source – you get jumped THREE times by the same woman in the span of two or so months and you learn to react fast! – but just as quickly stopped herself as the ‘source’ in question was a small girl, shorter than Selena’s eldest daughter, and wearing blue jeans and a purple t-shirt with a picture of ‘Wednesday Addams’ from The Addams Family on it.

“Oh…sorry…” Selena managed to squeak out, moving out of the way of the child and door (having suddenly realized she had moved in front of it in that span of time). She watched the child reach up and place her hand on the doorknob but did not turn it or open the door.

“You…” Selena whispered, eyeing the small window that showed a bit of the classroom on the other side. “You going in?”

The young child, with soft (Selena guessed) Korean-features, shook her head. “Mrs. Parker says if we go to the bathroom, we have to wait till whoever is speaking is finished before coming in.”

“Oh…okay.” Selena nodded her head in understanding. “Have you already gone? Presented, I mean.”
Again, another headshake from the young girl. “I’m going tomorrow.”

“Fair enough.” Selena whispered back, finally noticing the laminated, lime-green piece of paper in the girl’s empty hand, a paper that read ‘Hall pass’. “Ummm… if you don’t mind me asking.” She tried to sound gentle, non-threatening. “Can you tell me what letter they are on for presentations? When you left, I mean.”

The student took a moment to look towards Selena, process the question, and then nod her head. “I think that’s still Bernie talking in there. I wasn’t gone too long. He’s a ‘D’.”

“Oh good!” Selena breathed in relief, perhaps a bit louder than she intended, but she couldn’t help herself. D came before F, she DEFINITELY knew that! Which meant that her daughter hadn’t gone yet! Which meant that, while she would definitely get an earful from Deanna for her tardiness, she wouldn’t be in nearly as much trouble as she would have been if she had missed-

The sound of the doorknob turning caught Selena’s attention, breaking her chain of thought, as the young, purple t-shirt-wearing girl pulled the door open. Immediately, the sound of light applause filled the Snow Queen’s ears, nowhere near as incredible as a stadium-filled with thousands of SCW fans, but still, it was unmistakable. Following right behind the girl, the taller woman slipped into the classroom, staying at the back wall and, almost, wishing she could just blend into it like a chameleon to avoid detection.

Fortunately, few of the students looked behind them as they applauded the presenter – Bernie, Selena recalled – the boy quickly walking back to take his seat at his desk. As for the teacher, Mrs. Parker, the woman’s eyes fluttered over her class to the back of the room as Selena had entered, the woman simply giving a nod of her brunette-haired head to signal her welcoming of the wrestler into the classroom space.

Keeping to the back wall and scanning the classroom, Selena was quick to spot her daughter first. Three rows down and farthest to the right, she immediately recognized her daughter’s hair, much like hers and… for a moment, she was surprised to see her child’s hair tied up in the same braid pattern as Selena’s! Deanna must have done it and… her thoughts stopped as she then observed what her daughter was wearing, feeling her breath hitch a little in her throat in surprise. For instead of the girl’s usual preference of conservative and unassuming attire, her eldest choosing mild colors where the other kids were wearing graphic t-shirts and/or bright ensembles, Elsianna was wearing black jeans and, more importantly… Selena’s red leather jacket. The one the platinum-blonde had often wore on SCW shows – or at least she had before ‘The Blue-Eyed Devil’. She couldn’t really recall the last time she had favored the red over the black leather ones she now wore in-between the dresses and, her eyes fluttered down at her own attire, pantsuits.

Still, to see her daughter wearing it… there was no denying the fluttering in her heart that she felt. The pride she felt and-

Focus-
JUST LET ME HAVE THIS FOR A MOMENT, OKAY?!/i]

Her mind went silent after the mental outburst she threw towards her devil-voice, being met only with silence in response. Content with that, she admired her daughter for a few more seconds, the smile refusing to fade from her face even as she felt her arm being tugged and herself being pulled further to the back of the room.

A few steps later, Selena managed to tear her eyes away from Elsianna enough to see who was guiding her along the back, though she had already guessed it. She first saw the full, red hair, followed by the dark-green, ruffled sleeve dress the shorter woman was wearing. The woman pulled Selena further along the back wall and past other men and women – adults – standing against it. [i]Other parents… Selena reasoned with ease. The presentations had been ‘open to all parents’ that could attend, a method used by Mrs. Parker to ‘showcase the children’s year-long project’. At the far corner, Selena also spotted the camcorder recording the front of the class where the ‘presenter’ stood – probably for the parents that worked day shifts and could not attend today.

She felt herself be stopped just before the two of them reached the corner of the large classroom and it was at that time that the shorter woman turned her redhead to glare at Selena.

“Where have you been?” Deanna asked in a whisper only Selena could hear – though that did not make the frustration any less obvious on the younger woman’s face.
“I’m sorry.” Selena tried, matching her wife’s volume of near inaudibility. “I was held up with some issues. I got here as fast as I could.”
“What issues?” Deanna asked, her face a mixture of disbelief and growing concern.
“The kind that ensured we get to LA in one piece…and possibly out of it.” she added. “Don’t ask.” She quickly ordered, her sapphire eyes staring down into her beloved’s.
“Oh, I am going to ask.” Deanna shot back, keeping her voice low. “You disappear-“

“I told you I was going on radio silent.” Selena explained as patiently as she could, those same eyes constantly flashing across the entire classroom to ensure the two of them weren’t getting unwanted attention from the teachers, students or few parents that were there with them. “You know what I’m in for this weekend.” She slowly spoke. “I can’t afford to be-“

“I know.” Sighed Deanna. “And I get it, okay? But what if there had been an emergency?”
“Was there?” Selena asked pointedly.

To her surprise, however, Deanna looked away for a moment – concern and uncertainty flashing before her eyes and face. “There was…” she turned back to Selena. “There’s been an issue we definitely need to talk about. Soon.”

“Alright…” Selena nodded, eyeing the speaking Mrs. Parker as she got the next student up to the front of the class – another young boy that was wearing some kind of gray Transformer shirt (the word was written across the attire). “How soon? Like can we deal with it after this weekend?”

“I…” Deanna stammered, her uncertainty unwavering. “I don’t know. There’s been…” She shook her head. “Never mind. I’ll handle it best I can, okay? Did you talk to the Eyrie Tower people about moving back in with us?”

“Yes.” The lie came easily enough. “They said I still had a several months to work out in the contract, so I have to own the place till then, technically. Year-long contract. Not too big of a hassle.”

“Oh… that’s…understandable.” Deanna nodded.
“That a problem?”
“No.” the redhead shook her head. “But you’re still moving back?”
“Soon as I have things set for RtG.” Selena nodded. “Get past Xander and whatever Kandis and Scott-“ she whisper-stressed the last two names. “Have planned to screw me out of the title… get past all of them and then I can relax and focus on getting us back to normal.”

“Normal…” Deanna’s voice trailed off at the word, the redhead focusing her attention back to the front of the class. “What I wouldn’t give for that…” she added under her breath, Selena barely able to hear it.

The two women remained silent as three more presentations were then given – one right after the other. For her part, Selena heard stories of vacations, fictional tales, a myriad of topics with no real connection between them. Even so, she began to understand what this ‘final project’ was about for Elsianna and her class. David’s, having been completed on the Monday, had been creative writing and presentation – this was probably a higher-level of that, using more of an ‘English class’ concept as opposed to the general education as was the case of her son.

Still, when her daughter’s name – “Elsianna Frost” Mrs. Parker said brightly – was called, Selena could not stop the spike of nervousness that hit her. Immediately, her hands went down, almost colliding with Deanna’s as the redhead lifted hers up at the same time – both without looking, the two mothers holding one another’s hands as they watched the eleven-year old take her place at the front of the class. Turning to gaze at her peers, Elsa’s blue eyes quickly looked to the back to find her mothers staring back at her, both with smiles as Deanna freed one of her hands to give a wave.

Taking a deep breath, the eldest Frost child adjusted the coat (which was quite a bit larger for her given her mother’s taller frame) before taking the printed pages in her gloved hands and holding them up.

“My hero…” She started before biting her lower lip. “By Elsianna Irena Frost.”

And then… she was off to the races!

“When asked ‘what makes a hero’ or ‘who their hero is’, most people would answer a superhero of some kind. Someone with superpowers or special weapons, but someone that does good in the world. I look around-“ she chose then to gaze at her students. “And I see Batman t-shirts. Superman lunchboxes. Avengers coats and pins on knapsacks.” She gave a shrug. “Heroes are everywhere in our culture.”

“But…” she gave a pause – one that looked so practiced that Selena could just barely see her child count the right number of seconds she had rehearsed silently before continuing – “in a world filled with fictional heroes, my hero doesn’t have a cape. My hero doesn’t have superpowers. She doesn’t have a batcave or a magic ring or an almighty hammer. My hero can’t fly. She can’t stop bullets. She can’t leap tall buildings within a single bound. But…” Blue eyes found sapphire ones as Elsianna looked back to gaze at Selena, the Snow Queen returning the gaze with a proud smile – encouraging her to continue.

“But what she lacks in fictional ‘superpowers’, my mother makes up for with the greatest heart that I have ever known. Growing up, I watched my mother train tirelessly, pushing herself to the limit – to the point where she would come home so tired and in so much pain that she could barely hug my mom or me – yet she always did. I watched her, in a world of monsters and villains – of people who sell their morals and cheat and lie – continue to fight for what was right! Presently, my hero is the world champion at one of the greatest wrestling promotions in the world: Supreme Championship Wrestling. A role she dedicates every part of herself to in order to ensure that integrity and fairness be upheld for all. But what impresses me most about my mom is not her victories in the ring, but her victories in life.”

Selena was too stunned to even speak. This was her snowflake’s project? The thing she had worked all school-year for, kept secret from her mothers… a tribute presentation… for her?

“My mom embodies the true spirit of a champion by always doing what is right, both on and off the mat. She doesn't just fight for herself; she fights for those that can’t. For those that are hurt by injustice and those that are suffering from oppression.” Elsianna explained. “But my mom's heroism extends far beyond the wrestling ring. She is a champion of doing the right thing in everyday life. Whether it's standing up to bullies, speaking out against injustice, or helping those in need, my mom always leads by example.”

Taking a moment to breath, Elsianna gazed down at one of her gloved hands, her fingers rubbing the material of the fingers against one another. “There was a bully… that is the reason I wear these gloves.” She held her hand up, earning a shocked expression from everyone, including Selena and Deanna. Was Elsianna truly sharing such a confession?

“I wanted to be like my mother and do the right thing. One day, I tried to save a dog that they were bullying and hurting. And when I did, they turned their attention on me. And my mom… my mother…” Reaching, Elsianna used the same gloved hand to wipe at her eyes with her thumb and index finger. “She stood by my side until I was completely safe in the hospital, and then stepped in and not only took down the bully, but ensured he never did what he did to me or anyone ever again…” Again, the child’s eyes found Selena’s, no mistaking the adulation within the child’s eyes. “Her bravery and empathy taught me the importance of standing up for what is right… even when it's not easy.”

Despite herself, Selena tried to hold back the tears stinging at the back of her eyes – tears that threatened to fall any second. She tried… she was not very successful.

Clearing her throat, Elsianna continued reading off her paper. “My mom's influence extends beyond our family and community; it reaches people around the whole world. As ‘The Snow Queen’ and the world champion, she uses her platform to promote positive change and inspire others to do the same. Whether it's advocating for gender equality in sports or raising awareness about important social issues, my mom is always at the forefront. Currently, she is fighting for equality and integrity within the world title picture – where, for so many years, there has been abuse, interference, and despicable methods performed within. In a world that is, usually, dominated by men, my mother proves every day that we, as women, can achieve anything that we set our minds too!”

“In conclusion…” the poor girl had to stop for a moment so sniffle back a few choking emotions. “My mom is not just a world champion of SCW; she is also a champion of doing the right thing. Her integrity, courage, and compassion make her a true hero in every sense of the word – even without any superpowers. So, while you may have your Batmans and Supermans and X-men, I have a hero of my own. A hero that I am incredibly proud to call my mother, and…” once more, for the last time, Elsa’s eyes found Selena’s. “One day, I am going to follow in her footsteps… and not only become a world champion, but, more importantly, a champion of justice, fairness, and kindness. So that I can inspire someone as much as she… has inspired me.” Biting her lower lip, Elsianna lowered her paper to her side, her shy side once more remerging as she tucked a hair behind her ear. “Thank you very much.”

A decent applause met her, no different than the other presenters – the children merely wanting to get their projects and the class done with – but the Frost wives refused to let that diminish their beaming smiles as Elsianna took her seat, Deanna even flashing the child a thumbs up as she did so.

“Very nice, Ms. Frost.” Mrs. Parker remarked cordially. “Sometimes, the greatest heroes don’t need capes or superpowers, do they?” she spoke out to the whole class, adding a bit of a lesson in reflection to the presentation, as she had for all the others so far. She even cast a kind smile towards the barely-holding-it-together Frost wives. “Now then, let’s give our attention to Georgie Guteria, who will be discussing-“

The voice seemed to dull from Selena’s senses as the class, the session, moved on, as it was bound to. And yet, for the Snow Queen, all she could do was rerun her daughter’s presentation through her head. She had known for some time that her daughter wanted to become a wrestler, following in Selena’s footsteps, as she had said. But to this level… to this belief?

I had no idea… she sniffled a little, feeling the pride and even righteousness fill her. And people question if I’m doing the right thing! The vindication was the most powerful, amazing feeling, even if it was in silence, filling Selena’s chest and displaying itself in the form of a strong, confident smile from the world champion.

Selena… the devil’s voice whispered in the back of her mind, taking her attention. It’s time…

The smile disappeared from her face almost instantly, the positive emotions being doused with a cold sensation of renewed purpose. If anything, Elsianna’s words had only proven to the platinum-blonde that what was next… needed to be done.

“Deanna…” she whispered, earning her wife’s attention. “I have to go handle one last piece of business, okay?”
The redhead seemed more confused, forcing Selena to give her a kind smile. “It’s about the move-in. I’ll handle that and come right back, alright? To celebrate.”

For a moment, emerald eyes studied the taller Frost before Deanna nodded her head, slowly letting go of her wife’s hands. “Hurry back.” She whispered, almost as a command.

“I will.” Selena promised – another lie easy enough to tell – before quietly, and before the next presenter could begin, slipping out of the classroom and back into the hallway. This time, however, she allowed herself to jog down the halls, the same way she had gone, and out of the building until she was, once again, sitting in the Aston Martin, her heart racing a little from jogging in her flat dress shoes. Quickly, her eyes found the glove-compartment one last time.

Yes… came the dark voice in her mind. It’s time to do the right thing.

Carefully, Selena flipped the compartment open, allowing the black vial to tumble out. Catching it quickly, she opened the plastic container and fished out one clear pill, popping it into her mouth and swallowing it without hesitation before also pulling out the wooden, locked box and placing in on the passenger seat beside her. She gave herself two minutes of meditative breathing – to allow the pill to kick in - before she pulled on the driving-stick, pulling her car out of the parking lot and turning back onto the roads of Manhattan.

“All for you, baby.” she whispered to no one, without an ounce of regret for what she was about to do…

****************************************************************

Lennox Hill Hospital
New York City, New York
May 30, 2024
2:54pm

Selena heard her steps echoing through the short distance that she needed to travel out of the large, underground parking lot that wrapped around the Lennox Hill Hospital. She pressed the wooden box under her arm firmly against her side, using its presence to further push her, letting the numbness radiate throughout her entire being.

Reaching the center of the area, it was not difficult to open the door in front of her, press the appropriate button necessary to activate the lift, and step into the elevator. In fact, there was nothing difficult about any of this.

It had all worked out perfectly.

Unlike last time, when she had forced herself to merely be a spectator, Selena had allowed SCW and Deanna to make the decisions regarding Jessica Winters. But as of last week and last Breakdown?

Those black eyes… Selena felt a chill creep up her spine, the Snow Queen quickly shutting it down as she continued to ride the elevator up the floors. After last Breakdown, she had taken matters into her own hands. It had been a cinch to recommend the Lennox Hall Hospital – opting for more ‘private care’ and isolation for everyone’s ‘safety’. It was a place close by to the Frost wives to prevent Enigma from getting Jessica again. Then, she had further hedged her bet by keeping Deanna distracted with the notion of moving back in together. With the redhead properly distracted with that – believing Jessica was safe, her wife was moving back in, and her children’s projects – Selena knew this was her best… and possibly only… chance to make things right.

DING!

The elevator doors opened, allowing the Snow Queen to calmly step out. To be honest, the space wasn’t that different in appearance than the John Hopkins Hospital they had first sent Jessica too. Still, with Deanna and Selena visiting the place twice already this week to check on Jessica, Selena managed to find her way through without much difficulty. Getting past the front desk for ‘resident patients’, if that was the right term for them, was simple – she just used her ‘Selena Frost’ smile and kind voice that she used with Deanna and she was let in. Within minutes, she was standing in a far wing of the building, where long-term patients resided. With a quick glance around the space, she turned the handle to open the door and stepped inside, letting the door close behind her.

The patient’s room was like the last one she had visited in Baltimore. The walls were a solid blue, the floors were tiled and there was very little else beyond a bed, where the patient lay. The difference this time, however, was that the patient was not even remotely conscious. Indeed, Selena saw as she drew closer, Jessica Winters, complete with hospital gown, laying on the bed, not moving an inch. Taking another step, the Snow Queen saw the heavy set of restraints on Jessica’s wrists, not to mention the long belt wrapped around the interviewer’s torso to hold her in place. The only sound in the room was the beeping of the heart monitor, but even that would be soon be silenced…

“Jessica…” Selena sighed moving the last few steps necessary to stand at the foot of the bed, where a counter extended from the bedframe. Carefully, the young woman placed the wooden box that was under her arm on the counter before slowly shrugging out of her blazer, revealing the black corset with shoulder straps underneath. “Why did it have to come to this?” she asked, her eyes looking up to see the room devoid of cameras – precisely the reason she had chosen it.

“Why did you have to be so weak has to fall to some nobody’s – some newbie’s – manipulation? Katya? Daisy Lee? Giovanni Aries? Nothing. Nobody got to you. But this guy with a smoke machine?” she let out an aggravated grown as she tossed her blazer onto the nearby salmon-colored couch chair.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way, you know?” she started again, her voice back to a deadly calm as her fingers began to work the tumblers on the wooden box’s lock. “You were supposed to be my chosen interviewer.” She cast a quick glance up at her unconscious friend. “It’s true.” She continued, unfazed by the one-sided conversation. “Like how I picked Aaron to be my official, which was a more pressing issue at the time, I was going to work it so only you could interview me for SCW. Only the best interviewer – complete with integrity, honor, and courage not to be manipulated like Jaina did with Katya and whatever – only you would have the right to interview the world champion.” A sigh escaped her. “I was going to announce it the Breakdown following the pay-per-view. After I beat Xander Valentine and my road to Rise was set… I’d hold my first interview in the ring… with you, and only you, interviewing me. The best speaking with the best…”

CLICK! The sound of the lock turning and unlocking was heard, allowing Selena to slowly lift up the lid of the small chest.

“Then the three of us: Me, you, and Aaron. We’d begin our road to Rise to Greatness together. Aaron as my official for my main-events and you, the only woman that had access to the SCW world champion! The only person that could conduct the interviews between me and my opponent. The only person that would promote the fourth, and most, Unbelievable Main Event in the history of SCW!”

A sad sigh escaped Selena then - the road not taken… her mind darkly murmured as she pulled out the glass syringe, holding it gently in her hands.

“But then you had to let this happen to you.” She shook her head. “You had to let yourself be weak enough to be brainwashed. And the problem is…” her tone was cold, just like how she felt. “The problem is that I am a woman of my word, Jessica. And I warned you.” Slowly, the world champion began making her way around the bed, each step slow and methodic.

“I warned you what would happen if you couldn’t get this ‘darkness’ under control. If you came after my Deanna again. Did you really think I wouldn’t see that through just because Deanna stopped me that night?”

Reaching the side of the bed closest to Jessica, her back to the door, Selena gazed at the unconscious, restrained woman. With her eyes closed, the staff-member actually looked like Selena’s dear friend. Like she was just sleeping the day away before some big show. Like the time SCW had had a show in NYC and Jessica had spent the night at the Frost’s ‘Forever Home’, sleeping on the couch.

With a sigh, Selena reached over with her free hand to gently caress the patient’s soft face. With those eyes closed, she looked like her the friend she had known for years… but once those eyes opened…

She had seen it on Breakdown and her heart had almost had an attack at the sight. Of those black, soulless orbs. The vicious grin Jessica had adopted, even past the mask of Fall St. Patrick she had stolen.

Selena had only seen eyes like that once before in her life… and it was enough for her to have to do this.

“I know what comes next.” She sighed, turning the syringe in her hand. “And I know it’s not something you want to happen. I know it’s not something you want to do. But if you’re this powerless now…” she heard and held the growl of her devil-voice in her mind, prompting her to act. “I can’t allow this to continue, Jessica. I can’t allow you to hurt my Deanna like they hurt me. Because then I’ll be distracted. And I can’t afford to be distracted now. Now when everything is so close…”

With a sigh, Selena moved her hands up to the IV bags suspended by the metal pole near the bed, her pale fingers tracing the tube from Jessica’s hand and up to the bags that supplied the drugs needed to keep her sedated, her other hand following the trail with the syringe needle pointed at it.

“I promise you, though, you won’t feel a thing.” She offered kindly. “And this way, Deanna is safe and I can focus on my destiny.”

The needle tip was so close to the bag, almost pressing up against the top of it, above the mixture. It would take several hours for the concoction to hit Jessica at that rate. Enough time for Selena to leave before anything started.

Do it./i] Ordered the devil-voice. [i]You have to do the right thing!

She is a champion of doing the right thing in everyday life… came Elsianna’s voice, prompting the Snow Queen’s jaw to clench in set purpose.

“I protect what’s mine, Jessica.” She whispered to her unconscious friend. “Because it’s all I have left-“

“SELENA!”

While her name had been spoken, the world champion had been too focused on her task to be stopped by it. Rather, it was the body slamming into her, arms wrapping around her and expertly slamming her into the ground that created the distance between the platinum-blonde and the IV bag. With a grunt, Selena fought to regain her senses from the shock, her legs kicking at her assailant and her free hand struggling too-

Her eyes went wide as she realized both of her hands were free! Amidst the sea of green and red across her vision, her hands fighting to push her assailant away, she was able to spot the syringe (thankfully unbroken) having slid across the floor… just as her attacker hopped off her and was making a beeline to it. Within a second, they had gathered the syringe, turning to glare at Selena as the woman had pulled herself to her feet.

“Give that back-“ she started to roar but her voice dried up as she beheld the green-dress wearing redhead holding the syringe (needle forward) at her. “Deanna…”

Even in her numb state, Selena could feel the essence of shock rippling through her. “What…what are you doing-“

“Tell me I’m wrong.” Emerald eyes, burning with rage, glared at Selena, the needle tip towards the Snow Queen like it was a dagger. “Tell me I am not seeing this.”

“Deanna…” Selena tried, hold her hands up in front of her. “Put the syringe down… and let me explain.”

“Explain what?” Deanna asked, her voice beginning to crack. “Explain why you’re standing here, next to one of your dearest friends – OUR dearest friends – with a syringe of-“

“It’s not what it looks-“ Selena desperately spoke, both her mind and devil-voice rifling through ANY explanation they could think of. Any rationale they could use to try and explain all this away. None came… This had never been part of Selena’s plan… “It’s just a simple bit of medicine-“

“No! It’s MY turn to talk.” Deanna spoke gravely. “And I swear if you move one step towards her-“ her eyes flew to Jessica’s form before returning back to Selena. “Then I will inject you with this!”

“C..come on, Deanna.” Selena slowly spoke, offering her a gentle smile. “We both know you wouldn’t do that… and really, you can’t. I’d never let you get that close now. I’d have it out of your hands before it even reached me.”

“Do you really want to risk that?” she asked, her jaw clenching. “What about if I get injected?” Quickly, she turned the syringe to herself, pressing the needle close to the skin of her arm.

“NO!” Selena screamed on instinct, immediately taking a step forward, a hand outreached to try and stop Deanna, only for the redhead to, knowingly, turn the needle back towards the Snow Queen, keeping her at bay.

“I knew it.” Deanna’s voice cracked, her eyes filling with unshed tears. “I knew it… It’s NX.” her voice shook. “You’ve… had it… in our house… all this time…” part of her spoke in disbelief, the other part in such rage yet her tone sounded so… tired. Defeated. “You hid it from me. After all that thing did to us…” she shook her head. “And you’re taking it now.”

“I don’t…” Selena shook her head, her thoughts racing. Her plan was perfect! She had worked out every detail to this point! “How…how could you possibly know?”

“Because I’ve always known!” Deanna all but screamed, the tears now falling. “I found the video on your computer! The one you sent to Aaron. How could you threaten him like that? How could you do that to someone that’s stood by you and defended you and has asked for nothing from you in return?”

“I… he just needed strong reassurance-“ Selena spoke quickly. “He needed to understand-“

“And Jessica?!” Again, teary eyes flew to the unconscious woman before finding Selena again. “I was sent the security video from John Hopkins. How you threatened her…and now this…”
“How did you get…”

“Doesn’t matter!” Deanna barked back, the needle-holding hand trembling between the two women. “I thought… all along… despite everything, I believed-“ a sniffle escaped her. “With all my heart, that the Blue-Eyed Devil was just a mask you were wearing for SCW. That you were just being what you had to be in order to do good in SCW like we’ve always done… But now…” she shook her head. “I realized that all the signs that I’ve been seeing…were correct. And the Devil… is who you truly are.”

Despite her mind raging, Selena could not find it possible to move her feet – her limbs seemed frozen in place. If she tried, Deanna might inject herself with the NX, or Selena in the scuffle! And either situation would hinder everything, if not destroy her chance to beat Xander! Even Selena, new to NX once more, couldn’t take such a high dose without some serious side-effects.

“This is not about integrity anymore, Selena. This is not about doing the right thing. This not about our legacy or our family. This is about you! It always has been! And you will never give up the power you have. You’re too afraid to.”

“You don’t understand!” Selena tried desperately, reaching a little closer, only to recoil back as Deanna held the syringe a little higher, intercepting the movement. “Yes, okay. I’m taking the NX but I’m in control! And it’s only for the weekend! It’s only to hedge my bet against Xander and Kandis and the One. That’s all it is! I’m just trying to make the battle fair by giving myself a fair chance! That’s all it is, I promise!” her voice sounded so desperate, so weak, it almost infuriated the Snow Queen.

“That’s not all it is.” Deanna shook her head knowingly. “Because I have seen what you’ve done, Selena. Even if you can’t.”

“I don’t understand.” The platinum-blonde shook her head in confusion.

“The ends justify the means…” Deanna stated, causing Selena’s eyes to go wide. “That incident I told you about? That we needed to talk about?” she sniffled a little, more tears falling. “It’s David. He’s facing suspension and failure of his grade.”

“What?!” Selena’s eyes were wide. “Why?!”

“That story he told you? The one of David and the Intergalactic Game?” the redhead laughed bitterly. “Turns out it was written by an AI program – ChatGPT or something - something online. David just copied it, changed a few words and presented it.”

“How do you-“

“Your ‘radio silence’.” Deanna barked back. “What do you think I was doing while you were being obsessed with the world title?! I was talking to his teacher and his principal! Begging, pleading with them not to suspend or fail our son. That he’d make it up. I pulled every trick I could! I used my celebrity status, your status – all I could just to get them to agree! I…” her voice cracked. “I compromised so much of my morals for our son…”

“And our son…” another sniffle escaped the younger Frost. “Sat in that room – I watched him – in tears, tell me why he did it. He said… it was because you told him to.”
“I never!”

“He said he was doing what you told him.” Deanna explained. “That soccer game… the one he got the winning goal? He told me what you said. How you instructed him to take a dive and fake being shoved by the large kid so he could get the easy, free penalty kick.”

Selena’s eyes widened. “I…” she stammered. “That was just a stupid game! That was using an opponent’s strengths against them! That was-“

“Cheating!” Deanna countered firmly. “You told our son to cheat! To fake and to lie! All to win. That ‘the ends will justify the means’… I thought that was some line from the Devil… but you… you truly believe it… and so did our son.”

“Then I’ll talk to him!” the older woman’s words rushed out desperately. “I’ll explain the difference. I’ll correct the behavior and I’ll make sure he doesn’t do it again-“

“No! You are not going near our children, Selena!” the redhead cried, turning away for a split second to compose herself before turning back to her wife. “And you’re not going anywhere near me…”

“What are you saying?” Selena asked, her voice trembling despite the effects of the NX.

“That I should have seen what truly motivates you now. Since the moment you left me. I should have seen what guided your every action. You’re obsessed with power and you’re terrified of losing it. You’re so scared of losing it that you’ll do anything to keep it. Even this…” she gestured to the needle in her hand.

“I…” Selena’s breath hitched. She felt trapped, her best laid plans now in pieces. There was no way out. Even her devil-voice knew this. “I like the power.” She finally confessed aloud. “But there’s nothing wrong with power! Not when it means that I – that we – can have everything we want! That we can do whatever we want! When I can correct the mistakes of SCW? When I can save people from unfair matches and beatdowns? When I can make it better and to a higher standard!”

Her mind continued to race. “David!” she blurted out. “Our son! He wants to be a professional soccer player! Think what I could do for him with the power I hold? The money? The status? I could get him into any school! Hire any trainer to teach him! Get him to any team! It would be so easy! And Elsa!” she continued to rant. “She wants to be like me! She wants to be a wrestler! Think about what I could do for her! Give her the chances I never got! The debut and opportunities I had to work for years to get! She… with her heart… she could be the next generational talent! With your grit and my abilities and resources?! ‘The daughter of the greatest world champion in SCW’… And coming into a federation that lives by my…” she corrected herself. “By OUR…” she gestured between Deanna and herself. “Our standard of integrity and fairness?! How is that not the right thing?!”

“Because…” Deanna shook her head knowingly. “It isn’t real, Selena.” She took a shaky breath. “That ‘perfect’ world doesn’t exist. There will always be problems. Always be evils. And you… you can’t see how you’re one of them. I… I tried to be everything for you. To be the light in our family – the Frost name – while you were the Devil. And I was so… so in love with being in love with you… needing you, that I ignored what you were doing to our children. To us…” She looked away for a split second before turning her head back towards Selena. “Do you really believe life will be perfect if our son thinks like you? Where, as long as he can justify it with a ‘noble deed’, he can do whatever, however he wants? Do you really want Elsianna to be like you?! Capable of… this!” Again, she held up the syringe towards the taller Selena.

“Deanna… please…” Selena weakly tried. “You don’t understand what I am doing here.” She gestured towards Jessica. “I’ve seen what eyes like that can do! What darkness like that HAS done! That… that evil… Red Rayne…” she felt the weight in her heart at the memory. “That darkness took the most important person in the world from me and corrupted her. Turned Dawn into a monster! And nothing I did could help her. I couldn’t do anything until… until it was too late and I had to take her down…”

“And what? If I am not strong enough and get corrupted – you’ll have to choose between saving me and being the world champion, is that it?”

The question shook Selena to the core, stunning her to silence, which was all the answer Deanna needed. “See? It all comes back to you. To you keeping your power.”

“I…” Perhaps it was the anger that her plan had been ruined. Perhaps it was the elements of her children that she had not been privy too, perhaps it was just everything that had gone wrong. David cheating, Deanna learning about this and more, Xander promising her destruction, Kandis and Scott promising to screw her out of the title, Demtria growing cold feet, CHBK doing nothing and the fans continuing to hate her… when she STILL had done nothing wrong! Whatever it was, Selena clamped down on the numbness still in her chest, flooding her soul with it until all she felt was the familiar cold.

“I will do the right thing.” She glared at Deanna. “And you can’t be here every hour of every day.” She stated. “I protect what’s mine.”

“I know…” Deanna nodded knowingly. “That’s something that will not change. You will always ‘protect what is yours’.” Using her free hand, teary-eyed, Deanna pulled out a piece of paper from her jacket pocket. With a flick of the wrist, she tossed it to Selena, the paper hitting the Snow Queen in the chest, which allowed the platinum-blonde to catch it and unfold it.

“But I’m not yours anymore.”

Before Selena’s eyes, she recognized the legal paper in front of her… and the signature that Deanna had written there. Again, the shock almost knocked her over as she gazed back up at Deanna. “You can’t be-“

“I am…” Deanna half-cried, half-declared. “All this time, I thought I was done being the Queen’s Guard… but it turns out, my path isn’t to guard you from others…” she sighed, defeated. “It’s to guard others from you.”

“You can’t do this.” Selena tried. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.”

“And yet… that’s how it is, Selena.” Deanna answered sadly. “I’m divorcing you. Meaning I’m no longer yours, meaning you don’t get to protect me anymore.”

With a flash of the hand, Deanna threw the needle to the ground, the syringe shattering in seconds. The two women were silent as they gazed from the mess on the floor, back to one another. “Now get out of here, Ms. Frost.” Deanna ordered as strongly and coldly as she could. “And never come back here again.”

For a moment, Selena was too stunned to move, the paper in her hand glaring the truth into her mind. We’ve lost today, my dear. The devil-voice – Malcolm predominantly - urged her. If you stay, you risk losing everything else. Retreat. We will deal with this later.

Slowly, too shaken to fight back, Selena stepped away, gathering her blazer and stepping past Deanna, exiting the room, then the hall, then the elevator, and then the parking lot. She didn’t even realize where she was until she was standing on her balcony at the Eyrie Tower, once more overlooking the city – ‘her city’ she had often privately called it.

Except now… it felt emptier. Incomplete. Now, she felt alone. Casting her eyes down, she saw the signed paper still in her hand. The paper that ended nearly nine years of marriage…

The Devil… she heard her wife – soon to be ex-wife’s - voice on the wind. Is who you truly are…

“Perhaps she’s right.” Selena whispered, feeling her hand tighten into a fist around the paper, the flimsy material crumpling in her steel grip. “And if I am, perhaps I need to stop fighting it. Perhaps…” she felt the paper bend and twist more in her hand. “And after losing so much…” she gazed out over her city.

It’s time for the Devil to be given her due![/i][/i]