Giovanni 'GiGi' Aries vs. Selena Frost

[SnowQueenSCW]

Gavin Scythe Campaign Headquarters – Church of the Nazarene
Nome, Alaska
June 1st, 2022
10:45pm
Time before Deadline: 1 hours, 29 minutes

The platinum-blonde adjusted her purple coat over her frame before she nervously nibbled at her thumbnail, watching the poll numbers continue to climb for both candidates. It was still close, with both Ryan Scythe and Gavin Scythe gathering numbers. She had wasted zero time when she had rushed to Jean’s house after acquiring the mini-camera, extracting the video of Ryan assaulting weeks ago Talia. Editing the footage to just include that part (minus the nonimportant exits and entrances of people) was no problem for Zelda, as well as submitting the footage anonymously. Within three hours, the video was on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter - launching across all social media. And by the afternoon, as the family had made their way to Gavin’s headquarters, there was already some buzz regarding the horrific news.

But will it be enough? Selena asked herself as she continued to chew the nail. 

She didn’t feel sorry for what she had done. She had tried to bargain with Ryan, even offering him a damn fortune. All he had to do was let go of his vendetta against her and Malcolm and free Talia from their marriage. But Ryan had refused – showing just how deep his hatred and selfishness ran. Deanna had been right – they had tried it every other way with their enemies.

Even so, that still leaved Killjoy…

“Hey.” The voice came from beside her and Selena turned to see the young Gavin Scythe looking around the place nervously. Fitting to his position in this election, the candidate wore a sharp dark blue suit with a white dress shirt underneath with a matching blue tie. His medium-length hair was combed back and his clean shaven face offered a rather youthful and exuberant, if uneasy, expression. “Nice coat.” He stated, immediately recognizing the attire accessory Selena had taken.

“Thanks.” Selena smirked knowingly to him. “Got it for a steal.”

“Looks better on you anyway.” The young man added with one last look over before casting his eyes over the small crowd of people. The number had gone done a little as some visitors had retired for the evening, heading back to their homes. Still, there was still a decent-sized crowd to fill the medium-sized room. “Is it alright that I am still nervous?” he asked quietly, standing by Selena.

With a smirk, Selena held up her hand to show him the fingernail-stubs she had worked to a trimmed length with her teeth. “If it isn’t, then we’re in the same boat.”

Despite himself, Gavin gave a good-natured laugh before looking out to the crowd, everyone (or mostly everyone) watching the television screen. “I can’t… I never imagined this would happen.”

“Being mayor?” Selena asked, turning her gaze to him, though he kept his eyes on the crowd.

“Well, yes. But, all we’d have to do. I mean… I don’t even feel guilty for what was done.”

“You shouldn’t.” Selena shook his head. “I don’t. Yes, we set him up and I regret putting Talia in that danger, but she wanted and we-“ she tried to choose her words carefully. “We didn’t lie, Gavin. We just exposed what Ryan was doing and who he was. Don’t you think people deserved to know that about a man they were putting into a position of trust and power?”

Biting his lower lip, the taller man nodded his head. “I just – if I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

“Because he’s your brother?”

Gavin nodded his head. “I haven’t liked him for a long time, but I thought…” he paused, taking a deep breath. “I thought, on some level, father’s passing would, at least, allow us a chance to make things right as a family. I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. He was always obsessed with father’s position and power. Always obsessed with being the ‘chosen heir’ in father’s eyes.”

“Did you?”

“No.” he shook his head. “I knew early on I never would be. Maybe that was why I turned out the way I did as a kid –“ he cast a guilty glance at Selena. “The bullying, I mean. You were so close with your father and he clearly loved you – maybe I envied that on some level. Plus…” he gave a little laugh. “I’d be lying if I didn’t have a but if a crush on you back then.”

“Oh no.” Selena rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me that all of THAT had something to do with ‘pulling pigtails to get the girl’s attention’. Let me just keep thinking you were a douche with daddy issues!”

“Alright, alright.” Gavin laughed, holding his hands up. “Trust me, it didn’t last long. I was very immature. Highschool was just all the bitterness I felt. No crush.”

“Good.” Selena nodded her head. “Besides…” she gave a shrug. “You could easily do much better than me now.”

“I….” his voice faltered as he looked around the room once more.

“Oh….” A knowing smile graced Selena’s features, an eyebrow raised. “Have I hit the nail on the head?”

Biting his lower lip, Gavin looked like so cute to Selena then. A little like his nephew (her son), David, being caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. “You’re going to think me disgusting.”

“I doubt it.” Selena laughed. “You realize you’re talking to a very open lesbian, right, Gav? I’m not going to judge.”

“Loving someone of the same gender isn’t disgusting.” Gavin stated firmly.
“Not remotely what I meant.” Selena replied. “I’m saying you can tell me and I won’t judge you.”

With a slow exhale, Gavin shook his head. “Remember when you and Talia shared your plan with us?”
“Yeah?”
“And Talia said she was going to storm up to Ryan and tell him that she planned to divorce him and tell the papers about his abuse?”
“Sure.” Selena shrugged. “Thus either triggering his admittance to it or…well, what happened to keep her quiet.”
“Well… I both loved and hated the plan.”
“Hated AND loved it?” the Snow Queen asked in surprise. 
“Hated that Talia was endangering herself again…” he looked down at his feet, his voice dropping even lower. “But loving the fact that she wanted to divorce Ryan…”

The inference hit the platinum-blonde like an SCW world title shot to the head, leaving her stunned, to say the least. “Talia?” she asked. “Talia is the one you…”

Closing his eyes, Gavin nodded his head. “How long?” Selena asked in near-disbelief.
“A long time.”
“Does she- does she know?”
“If she does, she’s given no sign of it.” The younger Scythe sighed. “And I can’t imagine anyone here in Nome appreciating the idea. It just seemed impossible.”

“Gavin…” it was Selena turn to drop her voice to a whisper. “I’m going to tell you something that you might not like to hear… but to hell what people think.” She stared strongly into the blue eyes of her former childhood enemy. “Take it from ‘the crazy miner’s daughter’. You want to live and work for these people, that’s more than fine. I do it in SCW. But the opinions of the critics and haters and even those that support you… Nobody has ANY right to tell you how to live your life and how to be happy. It’s YOUR life. It’s up to you.”

He was silent for a moment, as if in contemplation. “You think… You think when this is all over, and if the time ever becomes right, I should ask her?”

Selena’s eyes shifted for a second before returning back to Gavin; a slow, yet kind, smile crossing her features. “I think you have nothing to lose in trying, Mr. Mayor.”

“I’m not-“

Selena’s hand suddenly moved, pressing two fingers to his lips before the same hand pointed to the television screen. Turning around, Gavin’s eyes went wide as he beheld the numbers there. His percentage had gone up to 53%. 

“Turn it up!” the demand came from Deanna, who was standing with Jean and Zelda in a nearby corner, her order being followed, the news becoming louder.

“And with only a quarter of the votes remaining to be counted for the citizens of Nome, we can officially declare a winner of the 2022 Nome Mayoral Election. The new mayor of Nome will be… Gavin Scythe!”

The noise was deafening as the crowd in the room cheered and roared! Many applauded while others hollered and cheered! Even Selena, despite herself and what was heading her way, was overjoyed, turning to embrace the new mayor of Nome. “Congratulations, Mr. Mayor!” she smiled. “I’m…” she backed her head a little to regard him. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you.” Gavin replied, still in absolute shock. It was the only words they could share as the crowd, finding their chosen ‘champion of Nome’ rushed him, everyone wanting to congratulate him. Understanding, Selena stepped back quickly to get out of their way, moving to the exit of the room. She could only smile, a more tired and relieved smile, as Gavin shook hands and gave thank yous to his supporters.

He deserves this… she thought happily, her eyes slowly moving around the room to see the clock hanging on the wall. 

Her time was almost up – she didn’t even have to do the countdown in her mind anymore. Still, she felt more relieved then before. Her children were safe. Ryan was in no position of power – hell, he could very well be arrested once that video made its way to the police – her family was safe from him. That was the most important part.

“Even if this is the last time I see them.” She didn’t mean to say that aloud, but it came out as a mere whisper, with her voice trembling only a little. She couldn’t see Deanna in the mass of the crowd anymore, but she did spy Jean Black approaching her, a bottle of water in his hand, which he handed to her as he approached.

“Well done, Selena.” The old detective offered. “Your plan worked.”
“It was a team effort.” Selena stated, taking the offered bottle from him. “And I wish it didn’t have to go the way it did. Poor Talia.”

“She believed in you…” Jean smiled understandingly, placing a hand on the Snow Queen’s shoulder. “We all do. And you always come through for us. No matter what happens, you always manage to pull through. To find a way to do the impossible.” He laughed a little. “It’s both incredible and absolutely annoying.”

“Gee thanks.” Selena sighed, a smirk forming on her lips as she took her oldest friend’s joke in stride. “You know what comes next right?”

“I do.” The smile disappeared from Jean’s face as he nodded his head. “But I know it’s going to be alright.”

“How?” Selena asked. “I’ve failed. The deadline is les than two hours away and-“
“Like I said. Because you’re Selena Frost.” Jean assured her, lifting his own drink – a flute glass of champagne that had been given out as the victory celebrations began. “And you always manage to pull through – to do the impossible.” Once more, he gave a good-natured laugh. “The only person I would ever bet against you, my dear…”

“Deanna?”

“No…the only person I would ever bet against you – is you.” 

Giving her shoulder a little squeeze, Jean saluted the Snow Queen with his glass before disappearing back into the crowd to join the festivities, unaware of the mental-lightning bolt his words had just set off in her mind as her thoughts ran a mix of voices like a snowstorm!

Why would Malcolm make an orphanage and homeless shelter less than an hour from a previously established one?
I know your fears, I know your weaknesses. I know you better than you know yourself. I know your destiny. 
Resident fits all adequate parameters. Health in optimal state and mental capacities continue to advance at excellent rate. Adequate candidate for stage 2. Operation Snowman Complete. 
Everything you have will belong to me – it will be returned BACK to me. 
Forget what I said about us being similar. You’ve got more in common with him than you do with me! It’s uncanny! 
And in time, I will make this right. I will move the earth. At las-!
I know Killjoy well enough to know that there isn’t a move that I can make that he hasn’t predicted… 
The only person I would ever bet against you – is you. 
I am merely a shadow. Your shadow…

Selena’s eyes flew back to the clock, spying the large hand reach the twelve as the little hand stayed at the eleven, the full realization hitting her. 

“I…I know who you are…” she whispered under her breath. “I figured it out…”

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

The Frost Gold-Mine Cave
Nome, Alaska
June 1st, 2022
11:56pm
Time Before Deadline: 4 minutes

The skulled-man was trying not to get upset or impatient as he stood outside the cave entrance, the moon bright and high in the cloudless sky. He didn’t have to look at his watch. He knew it wasn’t time yet – though it was dangerously close as he stood still in the cold night, the leather jacket done up and matching his black pants and gloves, the only light existing was a single street-lamp a few yards away and…

“I know who you are.”

The voice caught Killjoy’s attention, the murderer turning around to see Selena Frost standing before him, as if she had just appeared from the shadows, the light illuminating her platinum-blonde hair and what little of the white dress shirt that could be seen under the purple coat she wore. Her eyes were cold as she stared down her enemy. “I figured it out.”

“It’s about time.” Killjoy replied in his altered voice, a note of satisfaction there.

“Yeah…you’ve played me amazingly well.” Selena stated coldly, taking a step towards Killjoy. “You seem to do that better than anyone. You knew that threatening Deanna would drive me to figure things out. Just like you knew seeing Rebecca’s house almost a year ago would set things up, just like you knew giving me the name “Project Black Ice” would set all of this in motion.”

Killjoy remained silent, refusing to move.

“You said it yourself. You know my fears. You know my weaknesses. You know how to use everything in my life against me! And you know how to manipulate every person I know just as easily. Gavin, Ryan, Jean… Deanna… and Malcolm…”

She stopped a few feet away from the bastard, continuing to stare him down as her mind burned with its newfound revelation. “I couldn’t believe that. That not only was someone smart-enough and driven enough to do that, but also so powerful to make Malcolm Scythe, of all people, accept his death without even a fight. Accept defeat without a fight – and then it hit me!”

Her voice dropped to a low, yet still audible, whisper. “He’s only done that once before in the decades I’ve known him… when I beat him.”

She took a shaky breath. “All this time…  I thought that you were just well-informed. That I couldn’t stop you because you had tabs on me like the Scythes and DeCarlos and Frostmeres did – I thought I couldn’t stop you because you had all these resources and eyes on everything, but that isn’t it, is it?!”

Still, Killjoy did not move. He didn’t need to for Selena to continue.

“You don’t need to see what I’m going to do. You know. You know what I’m going to do because you know how I think. You know how I feel. Because that’s what you were meant to know – that was what you were meant to feel… when you were meant to be me.”

Selena felt the breath leave her at that last sentence, her eyes never leaving Killjoy as her words died on the air. For a second, she wondered if the killer even heard her until she saw Killjoy suddenly reach him for his skull-helmet. She heard the clicking of metal as the locks at the back were nimbly undone, allowing the back of the helmet to open and be lifted off – and the platinum-blonde locks to spill out from within.

“Like I told you from the beginning…” Killjoy’s voice – Killjoy’s true voice, lighter, accented, and feminine – ran through the night as she lifted her head, sapphire eyes meeting sapphire eyes. “I am your shadow…”

Pale lips twisted into a smile as Killjoy beheld her target. “Congratulations, Snow Queen.” She spoke to Selena darkly. “You made the deadline.”

______________________________________________________________

The Royal Letter

The camera opens up to reveal the interior of the “Believe It!” bus, with the black blinds drawn avoid ‘silhouette lighting’. In the beige, leather couch sits none other than the SCW World Champion, Selena Frost. She is dressed in black leggings, a medium-length black skirt, and a dark red, buttoned shirt with the top two buttons undone, showing her elegant neck and collarbone. Her platinum-blonde hair flows over her shoulders, part of it pinned around her head to make a smaller braid in the middle. The SCW World title sits beside her, the light just barely reflected from the golden plates.

This might be an odd way to start things, but I’m not going to begin with a direct address towards Giovanni Aries… She allows her words to settle for a moment before she speaks again.

I know that’s what a lot of people, including Giovanni, are expecting me to do, just like I’m expecting him to come at me with more excuses as to why The Brand has trailed behind SCW and its run of integrity over the last six or so months. I’m expecting to hear words of ‘witchcraft’, ‘hexes’, and probably uglifying everything I have said or done in the attempt to make me look like some kind of monster. she shrugs. It doesn’t surprise me. That’s who The Brand are. That’s who Giovanni is. Always easier for them to try and bring us down than bring themselves up, no matter how much they sell you on the fact that they can. But I’ll get to that…

Carefully, Selena uses her hands/fingers to run through her hair, pushing the locks over her ears and out of her face.

Last Breakdown, the world saw and heard what I thought about Giovanni’s ‘promises’ and ‘The Haus of Nirvanna’. And while he’ll claim that I ‘destroyed a man’s dreams’, I like to ask how I did that. How did I destroy someone’s dreams? Did I cheat in my match against Sammy? Did I use interference or a weapon? Did I bend the rules like he tried to do with those closed-fist punches? Or did I do what I promised that I would do and expose everything that was the Haus of Nirvanna and Giovanni? I said it before, if Sammy genuinely beat me – something Giovanni can’t seem to do – then I would have shaken his hand and congratulated him. Hell, I would have suggested he’d be added to the world title match if he had accomplished that! Make it a triple threat match – or a handicap match for Gio’s sake! Least ONE of them would have earned their place.

But that isn’t what happened. What happened was the match was just as one-sided and predictable as it appeared on paper – like all the True Believers knew it would be with the World Champion facing the man known as “STD”. And to be clear, it gave me no pleasure to humiliate Sammy like that. I wasn’t thrilled that I beat the man, nor was I thrilled that I had to embarrass him in the ring like that… she shakes her head, giving a slow inhale and exhale. But when you claim that you offer ‘success’? When you claim that you can turn anyone into a ‘superstar’ and help them reach ‘stardom’ with ease… then you better fucking prove it in the ring!

Sammy Thomas Davies could not prove it. The Haus of Nirvanna could not prove it! 

And it all goes back to what I said last week. Genuineness. Integrity. If you say something here in SCW? Like you’re “The Best in the World” or “The Face of SCW” or that you can make people ‘better’ and give them ‘stardom’ and ‘success’? You better be able to back it up! Here in SCW? You prove your words! That’s what the new standard is here in case you haven’t noticed! You can brag all you want – you can call yourself ‘God’ like a few have done, but till you prove it? It means nothing! 

The reason so many people still rib me on being ‘The Face of SCW’? It isn’t because I use it every time I open my mouth, but because every person that HAS ribbed me on it? I’ve beaten them. Every person that’s dared me to prove it? I proved it to them.

She shakes her head. I didn’t believe in The Haus of Nirvanna’s promises or Sammy’s declarations that he was a ‘new man’ and suddenly a ‘successful top star’ in SCW. So, I dared him to prove it, just like they dared me to prove myself over and over again…

And yet… what seemed to be more of the focus was the hatred that’s going on between Giovanni and I. Like I said last Breakdown, I know Giovanni hates me. He can meditate and laugh in my face all he wants, but it’s beyond clear how much that man despises me. How much he’s obsessed with me. After all, this match didn’t come about from him winning a number one contender match or proving something last pay-per-view beyond being on the winning team. No, this match came about by him whining week after week to Shaun Cruze, obsessed with facing me. Obsessed with taking me on and trying to take the world title off me.

Again, Selena shrugs her shoulders. And in some ways, I can understand it. I mean, three times I kept the world title from Holly Adams? Twice over I’ve beaten Cid Turner? And now, I’ve exposed his little ‘customer’ in Sammy as being just nothing more than a walking ‘new paint job’ – all flash and no substance. And while he keeps flooding Twitter with theories of ‘witchcraft’ and things that are rather disgusting to accuse me of, all I have to do is keep showing how little Gio’s words affect me. How little his ‘assessment of me’ affects me. Because I rather show how the new standard of SCW – of integrity – keeps exposing frauds like Giovanni and the Haus and the Brand for what they are, as I beat them one after another after another. So, yeah, it makes sense why he hates me. I’m a walking “F you” to his entire message of “We’re taking over SCW!”, just like I was when it was The Wonderland trying it.

But do I hate him?

The Snow Queen sighs for a second before shaking her head. See, I had to give that question a lot of thought. Because, in the past, I let Giovanni run his mouth because my actions spoke louder, defending the world title with integrity and honor while he hid under the ring and attacked opponents from behind or had Sammy do it for him. I focused on my mission rather than the bitter, twisted logic from a man that just couldn’t accept that someone was better than his ‘Nirvanna’ and ‘Haus’ – that SCW was better than the Brand and its many affiliates. But now? With this match heading towards us? Quite easily the biggest challenge to my title reign as World Champion? I had to ask myself that question and find an honest answer.

And I didn’t get an answer till I saw this:

An image pops up on the screen – a screenshot of a tweet by SCW superstar, Kimberly Williams.



The image remains as Selena takes a moment to nod her head, speaking slowly. Now, I know Kimberly. She loves to joke. To say random things without thinking or do random things because she loves chaos. I have issues with her and her sister for bailing on their tag match with Deanna and myself a month or so ago, but when that was posted? I didn’t really get mad at her.

But I did get mad at the very idea it was conveying!

“Seeing” the tweet, Selena tilts her head right and left a bit as it slowly fades. Which, when you think about it, shouldn’t get me mad, right? The idea that I would have such a ‘service’ as Giovanni does for a price or whatever? I mean, when you think about it, SCW DOES sell merchandise of Deanna and I. There are t-shirts, dog-tags, hats, backpacks, even chewable SCW vitamins with my and Deanna’s face on the bottle. I’m not going to pretend that SCW Merchandise hasn’t had a field day using my likeness and whatever to sell things to make a profit. I’d be delusional or a liar if I did.

On paper, one could argue that Giovanni has done the same thing. Selling a service, merchandise or whatever. Getting his brand and message out there – just as I have tried getting my message of integrity and believing in yourself out there to the world. I argued that Sammy did none of that in the decades he was in SCW, choosing to sit by a phone and ‘wait’ for opportunities from management to come his way. So, can I really be mad at Giovanni for doing something similar to what I did, just in a different way?

Biting her lower lip, Selena shakes her head, her eyes back on the camera. But then, if that were so, how could I explain the spike of anger, of disgust, that I felt over such a comparison. That the SCW Universe of True Believers, people that stood by me and chanted “We Believe! We Believe!” through thick and thin – that people could join it just by paying me like some kind of “OnlyFans” thing?

And that was part of it, but the other part I didn’t fully realize until I had fought Sammy Thomas Davies last week… When I stood up after beating him, turned around and saw Giovanni in the ring, holding the world title – 

And trust me, guys! After being hit in the head with that thing more times than an MLB player hits a damn baseball, I know when someone’s thinking about pelting me with it. Had it not been for Deanna, that would have been my fate for the umpteenth time, with me getting checked for yet another concussion.

But part of me would have embraced that, because really, in that moment, standing in the ring, everything became crystal clear to me. In that moment, after fighting a man that was a jobber six months ago and was a jobber in that moment with nothing but a fresh hair-cut, some botox in his face and some fancy clothes, to seeing a member of the Brand/Haus ready to bash my head in with the title again: everything became clear.

Why I was disgusted by Kimberly Williams’ tweet of comparison.
Why I the Brand and Haus of Nirvanna and Positive State.
Why I hate Giovanni Aries.

Clicking her tongue against her teeth, the world champion turns her head towards the camera. And it’s because it’s all one big pile of BS. It’s all crap. I mean, over the last six months I’ve been champion, The Brand promised ‘exciting TV’, ‘positive change’, ‘removal of negativity’, yet who was it that had its own members interfering in matches with me? Who was it that hid under the ring at End of the Year and attacked me from behind during my match? Who was it that tried again at Body, Heart and Soul? Who was it that’s relied on nailing people with titles and followers like Cookie Dreams and Sammy to interfere and save them from getting beat down from people like Jordan Majors or Asher Hayes, just to name a few! 

Better yet, who’s the REAL people that’s been benefitting from such controversy and trying to drag the integrity of SCW back to “ambushes” and “tainted wins”? Who’s really benefitting from The Brand? Cid Turner thinks he’s a god, Holly Adams was HANDED THREE world title shots and given her moment of dominance by standing on the back of Sammy at Tactical Warfare, and Giovanni? Remind me how you survived Josh Hudson back at Retribution. Selena shakes her head knowingly.

You see, Giovanni, I will give you credit where credit is due. You are a bona-fide mastermind! Easily one of the smartest, craftiest superstars that has every graced this ring. You, probably better than anyone on the roster today and in recent history, know how to take advantage of your opportunities and use your resources to get whatever it is you want. You know how to break the rules while seeming like you didn’t do anything wrong. You know how to sell ideas like ‘witchcraft’ to the masses and some even believe you! You are, without a doubt, one of the smartest people I know in SCW, easily up there with those like Vixen Cain, Aiken Frost, CHBK, and Ravyn Taylor. 

But the thing is, Gio, where your ‘intelligence’ and ‘plans’ begin is the same as where they always end. With you. Because it’s always been about you. Hell, Sharper and Lyman were calling you out a mile away in terms of your strategy with my match with Sammy. We all realized it soon as he started throwing those haymakers! You didn’t care if Sammy could beat me. You didn’t even believe he could – you even admitted to that by accusing me of ‘destroying his dreams’ during the match. You KNEW he couldn’t beat me, but if he could hurt me or injure me, ten days out from facing you for the World title? Than that would serve you, wouldn’t it? Her eyes narrow.

And that’s what you’ve been about all along. Because if you had one IOTA of genuineness in you, Giovanni. If one thing about your “Haus” was true, there was no way I could have beaten Sammy as easily as I did! No way I would have finished the match like that with you, “The Man that has numerous wins over Selena Frost”, in his corner and coaching him!

And yet… that’s exactly what happened. 

Because ‘stardom’ isn’t really what you sell. “Happiness” isn’t really what you sell. No, what you have always meant by ‘Nirvanna’, Giovanni, is ‘Make Giovanni SCW World champion”. the platinum-blonde winces at the very idea before refocusing.

Month after month, you stand in the ring and you proclaim ‘The Brand is taking over!’, that you’re changing lives and bringing SCW to a better place… and yet it was ME, not you, that took your customer and put him in the limelight of the main event of Breakdown. It was ME, by your own admission, that went to Shaun Cruze and made that happen, not you. It was ME that did more for Sammy in one night than you have in months.

I gave him the main-event of Breakdown. You gave him a haircut and some clothes off his own dime. And you think that compares? You think you’re the one doing the real change? Just like when you did nothing for Clamydia but change her name to “Calliope” and then to Peach or something like that when the first change didn’t gain ‘instant fame’?

She scoffs at that, That, Giovanni, is why I hate you. That is why I hate The Haus of Nirvanna and why I hate The Brand. Because it’s all just a bunch of superficial crap. It’s you doing the bare minimum and selling it as doing everything. It’s you giving the world crap and selling it as ‘gold’. It’s no different than those ‘fat-burning pills’ or ‘get rich quick books’ or, in the case of Ace Marshall, “add three to eight inches to your penis size with this magic pill!”

As children, we’re taught ‘if it’s too good to be true, it probably is’ and that’s exactly what you are, Giovanni. What the Haus of Nirvanna is! You’ve got people dancing around and smiling at the ‘flash’ of new clothes and look that they don’t see the hole you’re burning in the savings. You’ve got people looking at the laughs and the sage and the ‘demented’ expressions that they don’t see the associate sneaking up behind them, ready to lay them out so you can be HANDED a win. They don’t see that, when it’s all said and done, that they are WORSE off then when they started with you and The Brand. Sapphire eyes narrow at the camera.

Proof? Ask Asher Hayes. Where was the Brand when he TRULY needed help? When he TRULY needed support? Where were you? Where was Cid? Where was Holly? You all left him to rot because you GOT what you wanted, didn’t you? You GOT what you needed, didn’t you?

Just like you’ll do to Sammy and Clamydia when their checks bounce or their cards are declined. Just like you’ll do to all your promises of ‘positivity for SCW’ if you win the world title… again, she winces at that very notion, almost sickened by such an idea.

On paper, Giovanni, there’s some similarities between you and me. On paper. But I refuse to make the idea of being a “True Believer of SCW” into something so cheap and superficial. I’ve always believed that “nothing worth having in this world comes easy”… 

My father worked for most of his life in a gold-mine searching for years for the gold he knew, in his heart, was there, all while working a full time job to support his family. He never gave up.  My wife and I worked for nearly two years to clear her name and free her from her incarceration. We never gave up and sacrificed so much to make it happen, yet we did! And there are hundreds, maybe thousands of such true stories from others. People that I am proud to say are ‘True Believers’.

Because being a True Believer isn’t easy. It’s not something you can just buy like some kind of ‘clubhouse membership’. It’s not just saying a chant. It’s not just repeating a line. Being a True Believer is standing by your beliefs and fighting for them with all you have. It’s getting back up after being knocked down. It’s something anyone is capable of but not everyone can do. Some choose the ‘quick and easy seeming path’, what you offer. Some people want that shortcut. Some people are desperate enough to choose that path because the path of integrity – to fighting for what you believe in – is too hard.

Slowly, Selena shakes her head. That isn’t me, Giovanni. That will NEVER be me and I will never believe the True Believers will be that way either. Success and stardom, happiness, all of those things are things that are EARNED, not bought, and no matter how many times you say otherwise, how many clothes you put on or facelifts you do or how many ways you spin it – until you EARN it, you will NEVER have it here! You will never have it in SCW! Her words are pressed with a strong emphasis as she gestured to the world title beside her.

Me? I am earning the right to say that this world title is the greatest world title in the entire world! That SCW stands above and beyond all other federations for its talent and its standards! That the SCW World title is a symbol of Supreme Championship Wrestling and a symbol of integrity! You? You can change the candy wrapper all you want, Giovanni, but at the end of the day? You and The Haus and The Brand are no different than the old stables of Infamous, Pinnacle, and yes, The Wonderland. The same mentality of “by hook or crook” and ‘the ends justifying the means’. And just like you’re happy to sell out your ‘clients’ and con those that believe in you, just like you’re happy to fool anyone with your false claims, you don’t give a damn about integrity or pride or accomplishment or anything ‘positive’ here and for SCW!

Leaning forward, Selena holds her hand up to the camera. Tonight, make no mistake, Giovanni, I am going to need to be on my toes to keep up with whatever plans you’re already concocting in that brain of yours. I am going to need to have my head on a swivel to try and see your ‘plans’ coming. I know the very real danger my reign as world champion is in, not only from you and what you can do in the ring, but whatever else is headed that I can’t predict.

This… she picks up the title to look at it for a moment. This will be the hardest, most demanding match in my entire reign. I don’t expect to be able to leave of my own volition by the time it’s all done. But, I can assure you, Giovanni, whether I walk out or am carried out, I will be leaving with the SCW World Championship! And, I can promise you, there will be nothing superficial about the beating I give you this weekend. 

Cause I’m not looking to just bruise you or hurt you or scratch you. No. Like I did last Breakdown, I am going to continue to expose you and the Hause of Nirvana, the LAST part of the Brand that I have yet to expose. I am going to expose you, Giovanni, as the two-bit conman you are. As the liar that you are.

Because, even with all the power of your ‘Nirvana’, even with all your sage and promises on Twitter, I will be leaving Taking Hold of the Flame the same way I walked in – with integrity, with pride, with the new standard of SCW still on my back and STILL the SCW World Champion, leaving your superficial world and standards with the rest of the Brand!

On the sidelines, where you and your BS belongs! Believe it, Giovanni! All for zero payments of zero dollars!

The Snow Queen gives a sharp smile as the cameras fade to black.