Selena Frost vs. Ravyn Taylor

[SnowQueenSCW]

Project: Black Ice

”Like mother, Like daughter…”

PS 290 The Manhattan New School
Manhattan, New York
July 11th, 2022
3:26pm

Selena released another long exhale of breath through her nose as she sat in her Jeep Liberty van, her hands tightening and relaxing their grip on the steering wheel as it remained parked in the parking lot of the public school. She was surrounded by several other vehicles, some of the owners also staying within their cooled cars (it was rather warm outside today) and others already standing outside them, eyes on the medium-sized doors that lead in and out of the school.

For the Snow Queen, she felt a little guilty having her jeep in idle with the AC cranked as high as possible, a cold breeze blasting into the space (thankfully the vehicle was large enough to keep her claustrophobia from flaring up), but she needed the pick-me up that the cold always managed to bring her. She already knew that she was going to take one of her lovely ‘Snow Queen baths’, as Deanna referred to them, where Selena would, literally, fill her tub with the coldest water AND at least two full bags of ice-cubes she kept in the freezer in the basement – after she picked up the children.

It felt strange to be here at the kids’ school in July, when classes had ended about two weeks ago for the summer. Still, all the students had been invited to attend the ‘celebratory graduation’ of the grade 5s as those students moved onto elementary school. It was a fun way for returning students to say goodbye to friends and for new/prospective students to be introduced to the school by teachers, staff, and volunteers. Plus, it had given Selena some free time to do her grocery shopping for the family – the platinum-blonde turned her head to gaze at the various bags of food (cereal, soup, tuna, etc.) placed in the back trunk of the van.

She needed the distraction – as she was sure her wife, Deanna, did. While the redhead was still bothered from losing the Television title to ‘Where’s the Beef?’ of the Brand – in a way that still made both Frost women irritated (more interference and more disgraceful methods that marred the integrity of the titles), neither woman had had much time to ‘settle’ on the matter beyond a kind pow-wow that had kept Deanna focused on the present and the future – one that saw the younger Frost wife challenge for the Underground Championship in the main-event of the RTG pre-show. There would be other chances for Deanna to ‘make things right’ for the TV title, but the bigger issue for the emerald-eyed woman was Kimberly Williams.

For herself, Selena was glad that SCW had been kind enough to give Deanna a match for RTG right away. Many other superstars, big names like Glory Braddock, Ravyn Taylor, and even Cid Turner didn’t even have matches on either RTG show, so for Deanna to have one meant she could focus and not let her mind wander too far.

Neither of them had wanted to think about Killjoy at this point…

The woman had invaded their lives too many times and now seemed hellbent on discrediting every element of Selena’s history – not just her validity as a Frost but whether Jonathan VanHohenheim was really Donovan Frost. Selena shook her head at that thought. It was beyond ridiculous! Killjoy was clutching at straws at this point. It made more sense for the Snow Queen to believe that the murderer had forged that parentage test that stated she was the daughter of Donovan Frost and Alejandra Alden (Selena’s biological parents, she was sure). Photoshop could easily do that.

It was the ‘conclusion’ that Deanna and Selena, as well as Jonathan and Alejandra, had inevitably drawn. They didn’t want to see Killjoy as related to them. They couldn’t. Killjoy was a monster – a murderer and a destroyer of lives. She was an enemy to so many, than more than them and, as it had been pointed out, needed to be stopped.

Seeing the digital clock read “3:30pm” on her dashboard, Selena took a deep breath and turned off her car engine entirely, quickly opening and closing the door as she let herself out of the jeep to keep as much of the cool air in as possible.

Stepping out, she felt the slight humidity in the air and the warm temperature, making her grateful for the dark-blue, flower and leaves decorated summer dress that flowed down her form. Reaching up, she pushed her hair behind her ears as she spied the doors to the school opening, several children rushing out to the parking lot. Several of them held balloons that floated above them and others held, what Selena could only describe as, ‘goodie-bags’ – some children had both. The party must have gone well…

She smiled at the thought, grateful that her children could have such moments of happiness and joy – moments to just be children. Amiliah was still too young for such things, staying at home with Deanna presently, but David and Elsianna were already in school and only had a few months to really enjoy the summer.

It was, selfishly, one of the reasons Selena loved the RTG season. Yes, it ended in July, a month into their ‘summer time’, but with its ‘month-long break’ in August before launching into a new season, it left a month for Selena not to be ‘the world champion’ or ‘The Face of SCW’ or even a wrestler – but to be a mom and a wife. And with the pressures on her for this upcoming Rise to Greatness, on her delivering another “Unbelievable Main Event”, she would be lying if she said she wasn’t looking forward to that vacation.

The noise of the children leaving grew louder as more left the school, eagerly rushing towards their parents to tell them of “all the fun” they had had. Patiently, Selena stood in front of her vehicle, eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of her children – using Elsianna’s hair color (much like her own) as a sory of ‘tell’.

It made spying her leaving the school with her little brother, David, all the easier. The nearly nine-year-old was all smiles as she held David’s hand with one hand, chattering away to the woman that held her other… and Selena felt her heart stop as she spied the adult guiding the children out of the school.

Because all she saw was herself! The woman with her hands on SELENA’S children looked exactly like her, from the hair to the leather jacket and blue jeans she wore. She even had her hair in Selena’s iconic braid, which bothered the young wrestler more than she cared to admit, but that temporary feeling was quashed by the motherly-nature that surged through her at the sight of her children with that woman.

Immediately, she was marching across the parking lot, almost running. She barely had time to register her daughter’s words in speaking to the other woman – something about bobbing for apples or something – before taking Elsianna’s gloved hand and ripping it from the other woman’s grasp. While the adult and Elsianna and David jerked their heads to turn at Selena, only Elsianna and David gave any sign of shock.

“Wha…Mo-mother?” Elsianna asked, her head twisting between the woman she had just spoken to and Selena. “How…How are you doing that?”

“Whoa…” David gasped, his head also jerking left to right, unable to fully comprehend what he was seeing in front of him.

"Elsianna…” Selena whispered coldly, pulling Elsianna’s hand and, thus, her and David, behind her. “Go to the van and get inside. You know the code to the doors?”
“Yes, but…”
“Do as I say.” The Snow Queen used her coldest, most serious tone, her sapphire eyes shooting to her children, causing Elsa to nod her head quickly.

Without another word, the oldest Frost child pulled her little brother away and towards the jeep, the young boy mocking as they walked. “You’re in trouble! You’re in trouble!”. It wasn’t until his voice faded and Selena could see them get into the passenger seats of the vehicle that she turned back to face the imposter before her.

“You’ve gone too far.” She spat angrily, her tone flat.

“No such thing.” Grinned Killjoy, crossing her arms over her chest. “I was trying out motherhood for a bit. You did it for a few years right? With your Snow Child?” she mocked.

“No.” Selena glared. “This is not some fucking game. You deal with me, you deal with me. You leave my children out of this!” she ordered, her anger allowing her to dare poke Killjoy in the shoulder. “You can claim my name all you want, but they are Deanna’s and mine.”

“You sure?” Killjoy teased. “Maybe it wasn’t your eggs that were frozen in that hospital back in Nome. Maybe it was mine. Maybe I had Deanna impregnated with a fertilized egg from Castle and myself while she was unconscious in the bar. Maybe Elsianna-“

The woman was clearly mocking Selena, based on how she had fucked with Jonathan’s head a week ago, displaying her ‘ease’ at conspiracies and her intelligence at twisting even the most obvious facts to cast doubt and uncertainty.

“Fuck you.” Selena whispered under her breath. “I am done with you.”

“Oh…” Killjoy’s eyes grew a little wide. “Are you?”

“Yes.” Selena huffed. “I am done with you. This is over. You’ve lost and you know it. I don’t care what games you’re playing. I don’t care what ‘plans’ you still have. If I see you again, I will call the police and I’ll ensure you spend the next decade in prison! I don’t care where.”

“Oh please…” laughed Killjoy as she leaned against one of the nearby stone pillars that held up the school. “We both know that if you were capable of that, you’d have done it over a year ago.”

“Don’t test me.” Selena’s sapphire eyes narrowed.
“Why not?” Killjoy fired back. “I’ve got time. I could keep this ‘haunting’ up for a good two, maybe three or four more years! Every PTA, every field-trip, every time you leave them at home… maybe their mother catches an ‘earlier flight’ or ‘decides to take a sick day or personal day’. Maybe you ‘miss your flight’ or maybe there’s an ‘emergency’ at home that causes Mrs. Frost to collect her children.”

The wicked grin showed up across Killjoy’s face. “You know how many people picked me out as ‘not you’? Zero!” she laughed. “Everyone thought that I was you…even your own children. So, any time, I could just…” she gestured with her fingers, indicating her implication of ‘dropping into’ the children’s lives.

It was terrifying and shook Selena down to her core, the ease at which Killjoy could just ‘step into’ her life and no, except maybe Deanna, could possibly know.

“Let’s face it, faker.” Killjoy whispered. “We both know there’s only one way to end this now. And you’re too much of a coward to take it. So I will continue until you-“

“Where?”

The question actually managed to catch Killjoy off-guard, the woman’s mouth hanging open as she regarded Selena. “What?”

“You’re right.” Selena whispered darkly. “You’ve always been right. There’s only one way this can end.” She lifted her head to eye Killjoy. “There can be only one Selena Frost…” she breathed. “So where and when?”

“Seriously?” Killjoy smirked. “You’re ready to jump to the ending like this? I WAS ready to let the next few years run their course-“

“Either tell me where and when we can settle this…or I’ll take care of you when you’re NOT seeing it coming.”
“Ha! I’d like to see you-“
“Try me.”

The threat from Selena’s voice, cold and precise, was enough to give Killjoy pause. “Fine.” Killjoy smiled. “Let’s get to that finish line.” She smirked. “You understand that this won’t stop-“

“Until one of us is dead.” Selena finished. “I get it. Where and when?”

“I think you know.” Killjoy replied. “As for when?” she smiled. “Let’s say a week from your BIG ‘UNBEEEREVABLE’ main-event.” She added mockingly. “So, you can know that you let everyone, from your family to SCW, down.”

Selena took a slow breath before giving a nod of her head. “Midnight.” She stated.

“I must admit…I’m going to miss you when you’re gone.” Killjoy laughed. “If it’s any consolation, I promise that I’ll enjoy killing you.”

“And if it’s any consolation…” Selena breathed slowly. “I won’t miss you when you’re gone…” she eyed Killjoy coldly. “Faker.”

Despite Killjoy’s efforts, Selena saw the flash of anger at the monster’s own insult thrown right back in her face. Spinning on her foot, Selena marched away and back to her jeep. She said very little to the children, except to maybe explain that the woman was not some ‘mad clone’ as David believed – that boy and his comics – and that everything would be alright.

If nothing else, it was the one thing she was sure of from all of this. Whether she’d be around to see that be proven true… was a far less certainty.

_______________________________________________________________

The Royal Letter

Dear Ravyn,

Normally, I would address a Royal Letter to the SCW Universe first, but they already know what they are in for, don’t they? And I’m not so sure you do, Ravyn…

See, with the SCW Universe, they know the kind of main-event that awaits them. I mean, what else is to be expected by “Selena Frost vs. Ravyn Taylor” but the main-event of Breakdown? Two former world champions – one currently said champion – and with all the history between us, I don’t need to state how incredible such a match is going to be. That’s what your name and my name state at this point – what our names linked together creates. Just saying those names – what it guarantees in SCW.

At least, I’d like to believe that is the case. But, given said history, we both know that you don’t give much of a damn about ‘standards’ and ‘expectations’, do you? If I were to say my words about ‘integrity’ and ‘the standard of SCW’, you’d just laugh in my face, wouldn’t you? Because let’s not kid ourselves, Ravyn, I know I’m not facing the woman I beat six years ago at the finals of the Best of the Best Tournament: the woman that believed such words and wanted to prove she was the best and prove she was the top star in SCW. Part of me wishes I could face that woman – to have this be a competition of skill and ability that exemplified the standard of competition and integrity in SCW.

But that is wishful thinking. That Ravyn wouldn’t have conjured up some ‘Uncle Roy’ to try and destroy a friendship. That woman wouldn’t have ripped a tag-team apart over some twisted game of hers. No, if your vile actions last week towards Dillusion were any further indication, I know that I am facing the woman that cowardly chose a DQ loss to me years ago at Apocalypse rather than the ‘risk’ of losing clean to me again. I know I’m facing the woman that takes delight in messing with people’s lives. With playing mind-games to torment and belittle her opponents. A woman who’d cowardly choose whichever path allowed her to ‘save face’ and ‘look strong’ over being honest and, dare I say, flawed. Quite simply, I’m facing the smartest woman in SCW – and there isn’t a soul in SCW who would be able to refute that.

But that’s exactly who I want to face!

Because my path hasn’t been the “Integrity” or “honorable wrestling’ path that I have wanted heading into Rise to Greatness, has it? Yes, I’ve retained this title and wrestled using both of those things, but you know, as well as I do, that Adam Allocco has made that path relatively difficult to follow in terms of the build to Rise to Greatness. That he’s made this be far from a ‘match about competition and being the best in SCW’. From the crap he pulled on Deanna with that ‘sliver of his playbook’ and ‘four moves of doom’ to coming in to help me when Josh Hudson attacked me, even his promo work across the board has served one purpose.

He's playing with me. He’s trying to mess with me on a cerebral level.

And here’s the thing, Ravyn. I’ve dealt with such people before in my past. Vixen Cain, Xander Valentine, hell the entire Brand just in this year alone! People that used mind games to try and make me lose a step – make me lose focus or doubt myself. People that threw campaigns, parodies, TEDtalks, and warped commercials to make me seem like some kind of fraud, faker and villain – shades of what you and the rest of Infamous started years ago. But the thing is, I’ve always just blocked it out. I’ve always just tried to ignore it and power on through. To allow my actions to speak louder than THEIR words.

But this? This is Rise to Greatness we are headed to! This is Adam Allocco at his most dangerous. Using games inside the ring and outside it. And I don’t want to be like him, Ravyn. I don’t want to just ‘say’ I’m going to be ready. I don’t want to hide it behind select moves or with games. I don’t want to hide who I am or what I can do. I want to prove it! I want to feel it in every part of me. I want to make every person in the SCW Universe believe it – believe that Selena Frost is firing on all cylinders and is ready for the second Unbelievable Main Event!

I proved I could get it done as a wrestler against Owen Lee a few weeks ago. While Adam fought a still learning Deanna, I took on a former World Champion – one that beat his son and took the world title from him. And while he may be fighting a very game Holly Adams – I am fighting you. A former world champion, a Hall of Famer, and an icon!

More than that, Ravyn, unlike Adam, I am fighting someone that is like him in so many ways. A mastermind. A tactician. A person that would have done so much of what he’s done if they were in his position. So, while you may have a dozen or so reasons to want this match – distraction from Nicole/Luna or a plan to get to her, a chance to be brought back into the world title picture, or just to stick it to me because you don’t like me and it’s fun, I have one reason of my own, but it is the reason why I NEED this match.

I need to beat you and your mind games. I need to beat you and your ‘strategies’. I need to be able to overcome whatever plans or ‘escapes’ you have and fight for the one thing you don’t want me to get over you again: a true, clean victory.

In short, Ravyn, I need to show Adam Allocco where ‘mind-games’ will get him at Rise to Greatness by beating the one person that may be smarter than him. One person that may still be as manipulative as him, if not more so. And that is you.

Because with you? I know I’ll get cheap shots. I know I’ll get bending of rules like Adam pulled against Josh Hudson. I know I’ll get mocking and warped narratives. I know I’ll get mind-games – and above all that, I know I’ll get the rest of Infamous breathing down my neck the second things start falling apart for you.

And I need to overcome it all. I need to beat it – not just beat it – I need to emphatically defeat it! Because I am done letting Allocco think he is calling the shots and making the rules as he goes. I am done with listening to his arrogance about being ‘a step ahead’ or ‘setting the pace’ on the road to Rise to Greatness. Tonight? Selena Frost and the SCW world championship are going to charge ahead and make the CHALLENGER understand his ‘path’, his ‘plan’, is about as shaky as Nicole Kinneck’s personality control!

So, Ravyn, bring me everything you have – every trick and mind-game you can conjure up. Challenge me. Let me show the SCW Universe how ready I am to take on all aspects of Adam Allocco. And let me show you the difference a few years can make.

Because tonight won’t end on your terms like last time, Ravyn. Just like it won’t end on the terms of Adam Allocco. No, tonight is going to end on SCW’s terms. On the terms of the new standard. On the terms of integrity.

Tonight, Ravyn, finally, you facing me will end on MY terms this time – whether you want them to or not.

Believe it!