07-22-2023, 10:38 AM
OOC: Part 1
DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction and not to be confused as complete or accurate representation of any beliefs, religions, etc. Please refer to research/articles by experts for that.
The VanHohenheim House
Maplewood, New Jersey
July 15th, 2023
1:12pm
“It’s gotta be a trap or something.” Selena Frost half-snorted as she gazed out of the window, her sapphire eyes sweeping over the small, quiet neighbourhood that housed her parents. She could see the colors of various cars parked in their respective driveways or perhaps on the side of the road, nestled against the curb. The trees planted in the yards, some small and thin while others were thick and massive, all carried the green-colored leaves of their species, but all indicating the beautiful season (though not as gorgeous as the winter to the Snow Queen – nothing in her mind could replace an undisturbed blanket of snow across the land and treetops). And if she strained her ears enough, she could just make out the sound of birds in those trees, chirping along without a care in the world. Were they flying? Were they in their nests – their own home? Did they have any cares or fears or responsibilities like she did?
Of course not. She thought with a twinge of jealousy. If they were so weighed down with the weight of the world on their shoulders, no chance would they be able to fly so high, if at all. As she thought this analogy, she spied the streak of blue blaze past her, a blue jay flying its way from one tree into another. Selena watched it go, the creature performing its natural skill/instinct – what it was meant to do – until it disappeared behind the ‘curtain’ of leaves and branches of one of the bigger trees down the street.
So lucky…
Ignoring the slight pang in her heart at the bird’s ‘departure’, she turned around, putting her back to the window and her ‘respite’ to focus on the room she stood in. Behind her, amidst the older, brown couches and dark-blue carpeted floors, sat/stood much of her family. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the dark, natural auburn of Deanna’s hair as her wife sat in the large Lazy-Boy chair, contemplating the black envelope/letter she held in her hands – the same letter they had received weeks ago. Beyond the Snow Queen, sitting on one of the couches, were her biological aunt and uncle, Caius and Sage Alden (Caius on the main part while Sage sat on the arm), while her mother, Alejandra VanHohenheim, sat closer to the Snow Queen in her own chair. However, it was the woman that sat in the middle of the room, having a seat pulled up to that location, that spoke up first.
“More of a formality.” Corrected the older, almost condescending tone of Freya Alden, Alejandra’s mother and Selena’s grandmother. “All Aldens are invited to the festival of Lughnasad.” The woman added. “To snub a family that is still part of the chapter – regardless of their past deeds – would be seen as incredibly poor taste.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s not a trap.” Selena shot back with a the barest of snorts and a roll of her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest while giving a sharp shrug of her shoulders. Gods, there was so much of this woman that annoyed the platinum-blonde. Her ‘holier than thou’ attitude. Her condescending tone. For Odin’s sake, it felt like every word out of her mouth was just an inflection away from a backhanded insult. Like to see how long you last in MY world… the platinum-blonde thought darkly. See how long that tone lasts with something like Xander Valentine breathing down your neck.
“Mom-“ Selena, in an effort to quiet her thoughts, turned her head to regard the darker-skinned woman, though Freya’s skin was far darker, Selena’s mother ‘mixed-heritage’ showing more so than Selena’s. To answer her daughter, Alejandra merely shook her head before shrugging her shoulders, her dark-blue flannel shirt shifting ever so slightly with her movements.
“I’m not sure.” She answered honestly. “But this does seem a little… odd?” she eyed her daughter, finally. “That’s the only way I can describe it.” Her eyes found Deanna. “Am I wrong?” before flying towards Caius and Sage. “Formality is one thing, but this just feels…”
“Eager.” Deanna finished, lifting her eyes to eye everyone in the room. “Like a long walk for a short drink of water.”
“Exactly!” Alejandra snapped her fingers enthusiastically. “Like when they put those big inflatables on stores simple because there’s a ‘special going on’ or ‘a new sandwich’ or something!”
“Considering who is part of this chapter… and enjoying our misery.” Caius spoke up, the man’s face a look of contemplation across his dark features, though his eyes didn’t meet anyone else’s. He did not need to mention any names, for Raphael Alden was the first name that came to all their minds – the wealthy member showing his ‘hand’, as it were, months ago, clearly enjoying the misfortune of this Alden ‘family’ – though Selena refused to be seen as little more than an unwilling participant. “I’d say that this fits the bill.” Caius finished. “Raphael might just be rubbing it in our faces.”
“I agree with Deanna, Selena and Allie.” Sage remarked, surprising the standing Frost. “The full-fledged, decorated letter? A simple email or whatever would have worked. Why all this ‘pomp’?”
“Do you guys get these?” Deanna held up the black envelope towards Sage specifically, earning a shake of the head from the raven-haired woman.
“We do… but those-“ she pointed to Deanna’s hands. “Those are meant for big events. I mean massive anniversaries, huge parties – we’re talking like-“
“The return of a ‘fledging’ soul and the trial of that Alden? ‘Come one, come all’ and see the public flogging of Alejandra Alden?’”
All eyes turned to the deadpan remark made my Selena, the Snow Queen remaining unfazed by her words, merely scanning the room to see everyone’s reactions. Deanna’s was a ‘knowing tired’, Sage and Caius were guilt-ridden, Alejandra was shocked at her daughter’s lack of tact, and Freya was… seemingly unfazed.
“The point is… there’s usually just a flyer in an email for these kind of things. Something just sent to the families. This… it’s a lot for something very common.” Sage finished.
“Which is why it’s odd, mother.” Alejandra explained to Freya. “Like it’s making a big deal or a big show for us.”
“It is odd, child…” Freya replied, a bit too curt for Selena’s liking. “Because you have not attended any of these festivals in decades.” The remark caused a slight tick to appear in Alejandra’s jaw, the woman clenching her teeth together and sitting back in her chair, opting for silence.
Her daughter was not so silent.
“No.“ Selena almost spat, seeing the older woman’s withered expression shift over to regard her. “It’s odd because neither my mother and I are idiots. And after spending those ‘decades’ being chased and hunted by people with guns and murderous intent, you’ll see that we’ve developed a, somewhat, cautious nature about rushing into obvious traps!”
Freya said nothing a first, the ‘matriarch’ of this particular ‘Alden’ family choosing to simply adjust her long, black, short-sleeve floral dress, Selena, momentarily, taking in the black rose-and-thorn decorations along the hem of the long skirt. It was a stark contrast to the black jeans and dark-red shirt she wore, her hair fastened into the braid she loved to wear.
Once more, Selena spotted Deanna sitting in the corner out of the corner of her eye, the redhead’s hands subconsciously turning the black envelope this way and that.
The cause of all this… Selena thought. The letter was a formal invitation to one of the Alden family’s ‘witchcraft’ festivals – she knew that wasn’t the technically correct name for it, but she didn’t care. It was the last thing she needed at this point.
She knew she was irritated more than she usually was. It seemed to be an easy state for her to be in these days, especially at work. Every week over in SCW, something was happening to just add more crap on top of the shitstorm that was her career lately. If it wasn’t Kandis proclaiming she had ‘slept her way to the top’ or O. choosing CHBK, rather than Aaron Demitria (again, a man that had done the right thing last Breakdown in protecting the talent and fans by ruling out the main-event as a no contest, much to Selena’s irritation), to Ace Marshall – Ace FUCKING Marshall of all people – being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and after her sister-in-arms, Regan Street!
How the fuck did they get that order?! Selena thought angrily. Did he sleep with someone too?!
It was the ‘order’ that annoyed Selena more than anything. Her sister’s accolades and years of service in SCW trumped anything the ‘seasonal’ Ace did, yet who had gone last?! Maybe she would have liked to have been the one to induct her sister into the Hall of Fame, but David Helms was the obvious choice there too! It would have been no different if she had chosen Deanna to induct her. Speaking of which and if nothing else… came the bitter thought, almost in a mental-voice not quite her own – almost nightmarish. If Ace is headed there, it’s only a matter of time before you go in too.
She clamped down on the thought, not feeling the elation/security that such ‘knowledge’ would probably provide anyone else thinking it. That wasn’t the point! That shouldn’t have ever been the point! The Hall of Fame, like the SCW world title, was supposed to be prestigious! It was supposed to be something that people earned and achieved after a career of incredible accolades and moments in SCW’s studded history! The ‘logic’ she had just employed shouldn’t have even been necessary! She was going to get in some day because she was one of the best wrestlers in SCW history! After winning the world title tournament and securing her place at the Rise to Greatness main-event for the third time in a row, a lot of Discord had echoed similar statements (some begrudgingly).
No denying she’s The Face of SCW now.
Greatest superstar in SCW history? Or HERstory?
Social media had alight with similar remarks, whether they liked Selena now or were sick of her. Not only her accolades and tournaments, but the longest world title reign and now this? It was undeniable, and it created a sense of pride in Selena – which is why seeing someone like Ace Marshall enter the Hall of Fame or hearing someone like Kandis keep bragging about how she screwed her way into the most important Rise to Greatness main event of all time infuriated her beyond measure! Even now, she could feel the familiar sensation of her blood beginning to boil just at the thought. The whole thing made it all seem so… fucking cheap! Her mind barked darkly, trying to push the thought-train into the back of her mind now, forcing herself to calm back down. She would deal with all of that later.
“Regardless of the situation.” Freya’s voice spoke out, regaining the attention of all within the room. “We all will be attending this festival.”
“The hell we will.” Selena immediately barked out, not quite out of the woods with her ‘blood-boiling’. “If most of us are in agreement that it’s ‘odd’, or in my case, a damn TRAP, why the hell would we spring it?!”
“Selena…” Deanna tried, but was ignored by the standing woman, the platinum-blonde choosing to pace a few steps in her own ‘space’.
“How dumb is that, Freya?” Selena asked, eyeing the woman. “I don’t care about your ‘formalities’ and ‘outlooks’. I’m not walking my mother or my wife into something like this!”
“If you don’t.” Freya eyed the woman with a noticeable look of disdain – clearly not pleased with the defiance in her granddaughter. “It will reflect badly on us.”
“Oh, whoopie dee doo!” Selena shot back. “People are going to dislike you a little more than they already do! I deal with that at work every time I walk into a building! Get over it!” she added with authority. “I’m already studying to be a damn witch for you guys. You guys can look like fools for a change!”
“Selena…” Alejandra tried now, but, like Deanna, was mostly ignored by Selena beyond a quick glance and a short-
“No!” the Snow Queen pressed. “Last time we did one of these, the three of us got roped into this mess! Why the hell would we give them that opportunity to hurt or embarrass us or, hello!, make things worse?!” She was met with silence. “Someone tell me, please. Because if even one of you can give me a legitimate reason why we should do this other than ‘we’ll look bad otherwise’-“ she eyed Freya. “Or ‘it’s the right thing to do’-“ her eyes flew to Deanna, seeing the redhead bite her lower lip to avoid a snarky remark. “Then I’d LOVE… LOVE to hear it!”
Still, the silence persisted. “Nothing?” she asked. “No plan on how to turn this in our favor? No idea of how this will help Deanna, mother or I? The people saving your skins in this chapter that we don’t even want to be in?! Come on guys!” She mocked towards Caius, Sage, and Freya. “We’re here and doing this for you!”
Despite this display – which even Selena could admit (albeit privately and only to herself) that she was laying it on a little thick – there was still only silence that she was met with, which was oddly satisfying to the Snow Queen.
“That’s what I thought.” She half-growled before leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest as she sat on the windowsill, taking a brief break for herself to, once more, cast her eyes through the glass to the outside. The awkwardness from her outburst was strongly felt, even by her, but she didn’t want to do anything to stop it. Far as she was concerned, this was warranted. She had never asked to be roped into this family-drama – having had her fill with Killjoy for over a year! Even now, she was SUPPOSED to be working on saving SCW’s legitimacy/integrity by retaining the world title at Rise to Greatness, and her wife was supposed to be working towards becoming United States Champion – not discussing plans on some ‘witches’ ball’ or whatever this was!
For a brief moment, Selena stole an unseen glance at her beloved wife. To say that things were still… ‘prickly’ was the only word she could think of… between the Frost wives since their spat would have been a slight understatement. Had Selena gone too far? Yes. For the umpteenth time, the platinum-blonde had suffered another outburst of frustration, similar to the ones she had shown in SCW, everything getting to her more and more as the days passed. And, in that frustration, she had thrown Deanna’s ‘lack of an RTG match’ right back into the redhead’s face.
And why? Selena reminded herself bitterly. Because of this stupid witchcraft thing! Maybe that was why she was being so disagreeable with the Aldens. Because it was affecting her marriage even worse than SCW was. In SCW, they were united. The House of Frost! Yes, Deanna wasn’t a fan of Selena’s outbursts – even the Snow Queen could attest to a few that she ‘shouldn’t have had’… but at the very least, they were united in doing good for SCW and its integrity, which any idiot could see was in rapid decline in the past year thanks to the likes of Allocco, Kandis, Lexy Chapel, Ace Marshall, Rayvn Taylor, even, to a lesser extent, Kimberly Williams!
Still, Selena HAD crossed a line and been too proud – or perhaps too scared – to take it back. Perhaps that was why Deanna had done what she had done. Not only had the younger woman brought a new fire to her wrestling – beating Adam Allocco a second time, but also beating Luz AND Kimberly Williams in a fatal-fourway – but she had been given her chance (at long last) at the United States title… on the RTG preshow.
Gods, it had all happened so fast… Selena had been steaming - ranting and raving in her changeroom about CHBK being the guest-referee in her world title match against Kandis - only to have the door fly open and Deanna proclaim that only did she have a U.S title match on the preshow, but she was going to be on the main show too, pulling double-duty in a match against Alexis Quinne!
Double duty on the biggest pay-per-view of the year… against TWO former world champions…
Is she trying to prove something?! Selena thought for a brief second, her ‘hidden glance’ still on her wife, who was, in the span of the few seconds since Selena’s outburst against the Aldens, seemingly trying to choose her next words. The redhead’s decision had surprised Selena. Yes, she was proud and excited for her wife – Deanna deserved a shot at such a title after the weeks of beating some of the biggest names in SCW. That was a given. But why the second match? Why risk injury or… even if she did beat Bree Lancaster and took the United States title… why risk the humiliation of a ‘one-night reign’? Her sister, Regan, had suffered that years ago at Riding the Lightning back in 2013 with the world title, a night the Hellcat had disclosed to the Snow Queen, had haunted her for years afterwards. Glory Braddock, to this day, still was haunted by her short reign as the world champion, lasting only minutes in that gauntlet match two years ago. Why would Deanna risk this on herself so early in her career?
Because of you, idiot! her mind mocked, further adding to the turmoil in Selena’s core. There was no denying it – the metaphorical writing on the wall. Deanna had wanted to be on the main card of Rise to Greatness more than anything, practically. But she had quickly become, in the past few months, the ‘voice of reason’ in their family. Even now, the platinum-blonde could see her wife still working her ‘mental-gears’, thinking of a way to jump in and get everyone in the room back on the same page after the platinum-blonde’s outburst. Normally, Selena was sure, Deanna would have, begrudgingly, taken the preshow match but focused on all it could be if she won it and became the United States champion. It would be her sole focus over anything else!
But Selena had pushed her with their argument…
No, getting on the main card was one thing, but this kind of stupidity? The kind that even someone like Bree Lancaster wasn’t ‘rushing into’ despite also being double-booked? This was because of her. The was Deanna sticking it to Selena to make her eat crow. She could see it in her wife’s eyes – that mental image of the two of them standing with their titles – just as they had last year before Selena had fucked it up by losing the world title – just part of her constant regret of doing so. Taking photos with their children over their ‘shinies’… Deanna standing a little straighter, her smile a little wider – having competed and won two matches where Selena had (smartly! Selena thought quickly) chosen to remain focused on the world title and the future of SCW coming out of its historic 20th RTG event.
All because of me… She almost exhaled too loudly, the guilt edging on her senses. Still, she remained silent – the tirade of her thoughts taking only a minute or two before Deanna’s voice was heard.
“So…” the redhead tried. “This festival of Lughnasad.” She eyed all the members of the Alden family before settling on Freya. “That’s the festival for the harvest, right? Celebrating Lugh?”
Selena’s eyes drifted over to Freya just in time to see the older woman raise an eyebrow at her wife’s remark – but it wasn’t of annoyance but of genuine surprise, slight as it was, without any presence of a ‘backhand slap’.
“Very good.” Freya spoke slowly, her dark eyes finding Selena once more. “I see someone has been keeping up their studies.” THERE IT IS! Selena smirked, shaking her head at her grandmother but choosing not to take any bait from the old woman.
“Yes, child.” Freya continued, her eyes back on Deanna after a moment. “Lughnasad celebrates a bountiful harvest as well as the god, Lugh.”
“That would be the god of blacksmithing, wheelmaking and… fighting!” Deanna recited, her face scrunching up as if to recall from her studies. “Hey! You’d like him, Selena!” She tried to joke, earning a knowing head tilt and smile from Selena. “You and fighting go hand in hand-combat!”. She stuck her tongue out at her own terrible joke.
Gods you both infuriate me and give me reason to get up in the morning. Selena thought, eyeing her wife. I fucking love you so much… She said none of these words, but the teasing smile on Deanna’s face made it clear to the platinum-blonde that she had ‘heard’ them.
“There is feasting, arts and crafts-“ Freya explained a bit louder to regain all attention.
“The kids will love that!” Deanna remarked, though Freya did not lose her stride.
“Pies are baked, a lovely ritual is performed.”
Selena opened her mouth, ready to launch some barb about ‘sacrificial rituals’ and ‘the blood of a goat’ but she spied Alejandra giving her a sharp look, her mother glaring the Snow Queen into silence. That accomplished, the exiled VanHohenheim returned her attention to the group.
“From what little I remember, Lughnasad was one of my favorite festivals. There was…” she snapped her fingers. “I remember there being some kind of grain or corn maze… Something like that.”
“The Alden-Brickers family.” Caius reminded, a ghost of a smile tracing over his lips.
“Right!” Alejandra nodded in remembrance. “Are they-“
“Morrison Bricker passed away eight years ago.” Caius sighed a little sadly. “But the family still hosts the celebrations every year.”
Despite herself, Alejandra’s face flashed an almost pleasant expression – perhaps a fond memory she had not thought of in years flitting across her mind. It did not go unnoticed by Selena, but the Snow Queen said nothing, instead hearing Caius’ continued words.
“Last year, there was even a handfasting!” he remarked. “Quite the event.”
Again, Selena saw Deanna eyeing her, probably because the topic of her upcoming paper for class had just been spoken. She was saved from having to speak by her grandmother, similarly, eyeing her daughter.
“I assume you didn’t perform the ceremony with your husband?” the withered woman remarked, more in sarcasm than actual curiosity. To it, Alejandra sighed.
“I didn’t see the point. Jonathan and I were married quietly at a city hall. All legal.”
“And cold and impersonal.” Freya shook her head. “Your father and I, when we were handfasted, was a glorious and happy occasion!” for a moment, her eyes seemed to dim. “We were so young and yet, meant for each other.” Snapping out of the ‘trance’ almost immediately, dark-colored eyes then refocused back on Selena. “I assume you also quietly married?”
“Well…” she eyed Deanna, who merely smiled knowingly, the ‘prickliness’ they were enduring temporarily at a truce. “You ever see the film ‘My Big, Fat Greek Wedding?”
“No.” Freya answered.
“Yes.” Everyone else answered.
“Well, just replace the word ‘Greek’ with ‘lesbian’ and you get an idea.” Selena half-laughed.
“But I’ve never seen the movie.” Freya stated flatly.
“Mother.” Caius remarked. “She means it was a big wedding with lots of people.”
“Well…” Freya shrugged her shoulders. “Least there’s that. But no handfasting?”
“Considering we didn’t even know any of you or that witchcraft was in my history, Freya?” Selena eyed her grandmother in annoyance. “No. There was no one tying string around our hands with an ‘Ooom pa pa!’”
“That’s not how it…”
“I know it’s not.” Selena interrupted Freya with a roll of her eyes. “But I hate dumb questions.”
There was brief stare down between the two heads of their family – Alden and Frost – only to be broken again by the ‘voice of reason’, Deanna.
“Freya, there is one thing I couldn’t quite find in my studies.”
Slowly, the dark-colored woman turned her head towards the young woman. “What’s that, child?”
“Well, harvest and baking and crafting – yeah I found all of that. And that made sense, but how did the Aldens celebrate Lugh as the god of fighting?” she quickly backpedalled. “Not that I want to, but like I said-“ she gestured to Selena. “My wife is the fighter more than I am and I was curious.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Selena smirked. “You’re as much a fighter as I am now, Ms. Double-Duty.”
A stern eye from Deanna this time caused Selena to backoff with a roll of her eyes. Ignoring her granddaughter, Freya waited for the small exchange between wives to end before speaking.
“The answer, my dear, is Holmgang.”
“Holmgang?” Deanna tried the word for herself, letting it roll on her tongue. It sounded like ‘home’ and ‘going’.
“Sounds like some kind of GPS system.” Selena remarked with a shrug of her shoulders.
“It is…” Freya tried to explain. “A sort of duel declaration.”
“Like slapping someone in the face with a glove?” Deanna asked.
“Something like that.” Freya nodded. “A challenge is made, the combatants meet on an agreed upon ground, with agreed upon rules and weapons.” She shrugged. “We sometimes have ‘playful duels’ like that during the festival – some Aldens brought it forward generations ago but it’s not necessary.”
“Why not?” Deanna asked.
“Maybe because it’s a fight to the death.” Selena teased. “Wish I had a few of those in SCW.” She muttered under her breath, easily thinking of a few people she wouldn’t mind seeing beaten to within an inch of their lives.
“A true Holmgang WAS a fight to the death.” Remarked Freya. “Back then. Now? If invoked, the charter insists on a duel only till one yields or loses outright.”
“How does one lose outright?” Deanna asked, eyeing everyone in the room, earning a laugh from Selena.
“Told you she was as much a fighter as me.” The Snow Queen remarked.
“I’m just curious.” Deanna shot back, earning an almost sympathetic smile from Freya, though the oldest woman turned her head to Alejandra.
“Daughter?” She urged, testing. “Have you forgotten the old ways so much?”
Taking a deep breath, VanHohenheim rolled her shoulders back. “From what I remember, modern-day Holmgang – legit duelling and not just in celebration – involved dull swords or knives so as not to cut or hurt. Combatants were sworn to yield in one of two ways…” she took a moment, her eyes fluttering up to the ceiling as if searching her memory in the white expanse. “Either you caught your opponent in what was a ‘killing position’, as in if the weapons were real, you’d be dead, or the opponent struck ten clear blows on their opponent. Once either was done, the pinned or struck opponent must yield and accept defeat.”
Slightly begrudgingly, Freya offered her daughter a slight nod of her head before turning her attention back to the Frosts. “The matter would then be resolved and the winner receive their agreed upon prize.”
“So grown men playing with dull swords and wooden knives?” Selena half-chuckled, but deep down, she almost envied the simplicity. How easy would it be if she could just do that? While Kandis was a coward and an egomaniac, her power was not to be underestimated. The Starmaker and the Gratuitous – both were moves that could, potentially, knock Selena out, just as Selena had The Glass Shard, Defying Gravity and Moonsault. But where Kandis was more of a power wrestler than Selena, there was no denying who was the smarter, more strategic fighter in the ring. Kandis was like a bull in a china-shop, using her size and power to get ahead. But against smarter opponents like Adam Allocco or Glory Braddock? She clearly struggled.
How easy would it be to win if all I had to do was hit her ten times or put her in a ‘fatal position’ while she rampaged around the ring? Selena thought.
“It’s not done very often these days.” Caius remarked. “Maybe as some fun game or display-“ he turned his head to his sister, amused. “Remember that guy that wanted to ‘fight anyone’ to prove his love for you? What was his name?”
Sage rolled her eyes at her sibling. “Warren. And don’t remind me.” She groaned a little to prove her point.
“Someone fought for your heart?” Deanna asked. “Sounds romantic.”
“Creepy is more like it.” Sage shook her head. “Dude was way too much. Sending cards, rude emails, just… uhhh.” She shivered a little at that.
“So, how did you get rid of him?” Selena asked, clearly amused by this story.
“I was the one that fought him.” Sage smiled. “He didn’t want to be near me after I beat him into the ground.”
“Wait- so women can challenge too?” Deanna asked in surprise.
“Well, not originally.” Freya stated. “And it’s not the most… looked-well upon notion… but present-day? Yes.”
“Ha!” Deanna laughed. “I knew it fit you!” she added, throwing the line to Selena.
“Doesn’t matter.” Selena rolled her eyes. “We’re not going.”
“But, Selena…” Caius tried. “This could go a long way to solving-“
“And it could be a short way to another entrapment by Raphael.” Selena countered. “Look, we had a deal, alright? I do this witchcraft thing, you leave my family alone from then on out. Nowhere did we agree to us showing up for festivals, partaking in parties, watching duels, handfasting – none of it, okay?!”
Her frustration had been bubbling since she had called this meeting with them to discuss the invitation. She had wanted a way out of this! A way to ignore this! But the Aldens had been useless! They were trying to get her to actually go! To put her family in danger yet again! To distract her from what she was needed most to do! SCW…
“I have…” she breathed harshly. “Quite possibly the most important match in my career. Everything I believe in – everything I have worked for – stands on the brink of collapsing! The very company I’ve helped build for the past decade is probably changing hands to a corrupt owner as we speak. The people I have worked with – people I care for and respect so much – they are in danger too! I don’t…” she eyed everyone in the room. “I don’t have the time to save all of them and you!”
Without another word, Selena marched out of the room and out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Immediately, the sounds she had barely heard from behind the glass-window filled her ears. The birds, the wind, the few cars driving by, they all filled her hearing as she moved further away from the house to sit in her mother’s garden, surrounded by the beautiful, colorful flora her mother planted every year.
Why? Why did it always have to be her? Why did it always have to be her sacrificing something for someone else? Why did it always have to be her putting something she loved on the line?
Her hair.
Her name.
Her nickname.
Her wife and family.
Her own safety.
Her beliefs.
Time and time again, she had been dragged in to fight and risk so much… and for what? SCW was going to be sold anyway! Nothing she could do could change that! Half of SCW hated her because she refused to relent on representing integrity! And now, on the 20th anniversary of Rise to Greatness, the very main-event was drowning in controversy!
There was no Owen.
There was no other Cruze.
There was no Street.
No Alistaire Allocco.
Nobody… except her.
“Why does it always have to be me?” she whispered, feeling her whole body shake with the emotions. “Can’t someone else save SCW for once?”
Or save my stupid family for once?!
Angrily, her head lifted up to gaze at the house, the side she was facing having no windows for others to peer through. Another party. Another trap to walk into. Another event of being ‘the target’.
No. She refused. Not this time. There was too much at stake for her to lose focus on SCW now. There was too much on the line for her to be distracted over some stupid ‘formality’ or ‘looking good’ in the eyes of strangers that she didn’t even know!
Bree was still in SCW. So was Datura. And Glory. And Light in the Darkness. And Nicole Kinneck. And Simon Lyman. And Amy Chastaine, and those that still believed in the SCW Universe… That was just off the top of Selena’s head.
As long as they were there, she couldn’t let the ship that was SCW sink. She couldn’t let so much history and…and hope… disappear in one night. She just couldn’t. She’s go down with it if she had to!
Because if it came down to the Aldens ‘reputation’ - even her own - and the survival of SCW… it wasn’t even hard for the Snow Queen to know which she would choose to save.
I’ve gone too far to turn back now… she thought, her mental-voice taking on a darker, familiar tone from her nightmares. And I refuse to see it all fall apart…
Not again.
_______________________________________________________________
The camera opens up to the interior of a study, one that is familiar to the ‘Royal Letter’ segment. This is the office of Selena Frost, the SCW world champion. If the shelves of books lining the background is not enough of an indication, then the Snow Queen sitting in her throne chair is. She wears a striking, black business suit that seems to fit her curves just perfectly. A matching dress-shirt leaves the first few top buttons down to show her pale, yet lovely neck and collarbone. Her makeup is flawless and her hair is tied up tight in an upkept bun. Beside her, sitting prestigiously on a small table. Is the SCW world championship, propped up near her chair.
With one leg crossed over the other at the knee, the Snow Queen’s expression does not shift from its calm demeanor, a far cry to what the SCW Universe has seen throughout the year. Taking a deep breath, however, Selena seems to further calm herself.
I’m sure everyone is expecting me to start this off raging against any slight I’ve had to endure these past few months. She breathes. Complain about some injustice or just start off yelling at the camera. I know Kandis would love to see that. Another thing for her to take credit for like Ace Marshall and Ravyn Taylor have. “Oh, we’re breaking down Selena! We’re turning her!”
She almost laughs at that thought.
Do any of you have any idea how many people have tried that crap in the past near decade? How many people have declared up and down “oh! It’s gonna be me! I’m gonna be the one to break Selena! I’m living in her head! I’m gonna be the one to expose her! I’m the one that’s gonna be there to turn her heel!”
On and on it goes – even on nights as epic as Rise to Greatness! These promises and ‘guarantees’ from guys like Xander Valentine, Vixen Cain, all of Infamous. And yet… here I am. And where are they? I’m in the main-event of Rise to Greatness for a third time. I’m the world champion. I’m still showing integrity and fighting for SCW and all of the SCW Universe. Where the hell are they? Syren’s hiding in bear costumes to try and get a title shot. Xander’s risking his career just to stay relevant. Cain, Tommy, most of Infamous? All those that promised to ‘break Selena’?
Gone.
She sits back in her chair. It’s ridiculous… but… she breathes. To say I haven’t been more ‘volatile’ as the months have gone by and I’ve had to watch the integrity of the SCW world championship, hell, all of SCW as a whole, go down the proverbial crapper… would be dishonest.
Again, a slow inhale and exhale comes from the Snow Queen. And I don’t want to start off like that. Because this is Rise to Greatness! This is the biggest pay-per-view of the year during ANY year, but this? This is special! This is the 20th anniversary! We’ve got a Hall of Fame ceremony! We’ve got a preshow with massive implications to the main-card – SCW is pulling out all the stops for this weekend! You couldn’t ask for anything bigger or more deserving for SCW, Rise to Greatness, or all of you! she takes a moment to let her words settle in her quiet room.
But that’s why I wanted to make a statement, in front of the SCW Universe, and not be the woman of righteous-fury that I have been at the drop of a hat. No, that’s not how I want to start this off. I want to start this off like it’s meant to be.
With integrity. With strength. With courage and spirit.
Holding out a hand towards the camera, Selena takes a short moment to process her thoughts. Because that’s how I got here, right True Believers? Two years ago, when the world said ‘nobody can beat Cid Turner’? I said ‘watch me!’! A year later, when the world said the Holly Adams Brand had me pegged and at least one of them would beat me and ‘no way was Selena going to hold the world title longer than anyone else in history in order to headline Rise to Greatness again’, I said ‘watch me!’… her expression grows a little more serious… a little colder.
And a month and some ago, when the world said ‘no way Selena Frost could beat the man that took the title away from her. No way she can headline a third time’… I said ‘watch me’. she breathes. Make no mistake, SCW and True Believers, I am here because of my integrity, my strength, my courage, my spirit, my will, and because I refuse to see this main-event be anything BUT ‘Unbelievable’!
For a moment, the Snow Queen’s eyes flit over to the SCW world championship, her fingers reaching out to, almost lovingly, trace the golden plates and engravings on the title. I have given more than any other superstar here today for this title. I have faced more and overcome more than any person before me. Simply because I believe in this belt and this company and what both should represent. And there is no denying that I have clawed my way and earned my way to this historic main-event. A main-event that wouldn’t be ‘unbelievable’ or defining SCW without me or all of you. That isn’t ego. That’s just a fact.
Selena sighs, returning her gaze towards the camera. But that leaves my opponent. The controversial Kandis. A small tick is seen in Selena’s jaw as she speaks that name, but she fights it back. Now, Kandis, I’m not going to deal with all the drama and crap you’ve brought into this match just yet. I don’t want to start this off smearing this main-event with your declarations and whatever about how you got here.
She shakes her head. No, no, no, Kandis. You don’t get THAT Selena Frost just yet. Right now, you’re getting someone that, unlike you, cares about this match. Cares about people wanting to see this match. Cares about this being the biggest match of all time! I’m not gonna come here and run my mouth about ‘owning you’ or ‘having you’ or ‘living in your head’ or ‘the match is mine’ like you have.
No, Kandis. This is Rise to Greatness! We need to build to such big statements, don’t we? We need to reflect on all of this and that, don’t we? And I’m not going to Toronto to beat some nobody in the main-event. No! I know how good you are Kandis! Come on! You’ve done enough primping about how this match is ‘yours’ – you don’t get to that level of arrogance without SOMETHING to back it up.
Selena shrugs. I mean, multiple time tag-team champion. You’ve practically etched your name into the Hall of Fame with “The Connection”. Headlined pay-per-views, fought for this title, the superstars you’ve beaten, it’s quite a good list! Hell, you come back and you win not only the End of the Year Invitational but the Taking Hold of the Flame Royale! And outside the ring? One of the most unpredictable superstars in SCW – I’d say up there in your own right with Kimberly Williams! There’s no telling what you’re going to do next, is there? I mean… it’s not all that’s surprising what’s happened recently, but the fact that it’s happened? Selena blows out a whistle of an exhale.
My point is, Kandis, I’m not going to discuss the ‘how’ you got here yet. You’re here and that’s what’s important. You’re here, set to face me, on, easily, the most important main-event of my career – of my life. You’re here and that is set. Kandis vs. Selena Frost for the world championship at Rise to Greatness. A match… what?... A year and some in the making?
Taking a moment, Selena runs a pale finger against her eyebrow. But see, what gets me is that you’ve been going on and on since you got back about this match being ‘owed’ to you. That this tile shot was ‘owed’ to you. That this match is your ‘right’ and how you’d have ‘changed history’ if you had had it fifteen months ago, blah blah blah. She motions with her hand a little puppet for a moment.
Yeah, for months now we’ve heard this – all of this year we heard this, Kandis. That you had earned a shot and were coming to collect, right?
The thing is… that’s not how I remember it. she turns her head towards the camera.
Because, let’s rewind the clock a little here, Kandis. Let’s actually go back to your supposed ‘logic’ and your ‘right’ and the history that you claim has ‘shaped your destiny’. Lot of talk about that, Kandis, so let’s really go back. Late last year, 2022, the match that never happened. Your first one-on-one chance at the world championship.
Remind me… what match did you win to earn that match? What person did you beat? What contendership match did you prevail from to become the contender to my world title? Care to remind me? Selena takes a moment to pause.
Cause, if my memory serves me correctly – you HAD a chance to become world champion at last year’s Retribution in Double Jeopardy… and you failed in the first round. Then the following Breakdown, you came out to an open invitational by the House of Frost and promised to beat me. And you couldn’t do it – in fact, I dropped you with the Glass Shard to end it. Then, the week after that, you demanded a world title match off of that ‘draw’ and what was your logic?
“That you were the only person that wasn’t pinned at Double Jeopardy”… you know, other than the woman that won the damn match, right? An amused smile crosses Selena’s features. So, how did a woman that lost her last world title match, couldn’t get the job done in a tag match – her supposed ‘domain’ by the way – become number one contender to the greatest title in the world?
In a word…me. Selena tilts her head.
It was me that accepted the challenge. It was me that said I would face you, Kandis, despite having every reason to laugh in your face and tell you to get to the back of the line. I agreed to give you your chance. Not because you earned it. Not because you deserved it. But because, unlike you, I’m not gonna shrink from a challenge and then disqualify myself because “I win when I want to”. Or have you since deleted THAT Tweet too? Another smirk comes from the Snow Queen.
Like I said, Kandis, I know you’re good. I know you’re dangerous. You’ve managed in the span of the last few weeks to knock me to the ground, I’ll give you that. And I’ll even say you’re good enough to challenge for the world title. That’s a proven…
My reason for this letter is because, I really want to know if you think – as good as you are – if you really think you’re good enough to headline Rise to Greatness. Scratch that. I want to know, as good as you are, if you REALLY think you’re good enough to BE the SCW world champion.
Sapphire eyes jump from the world title, back to the camera. No, Kandis, I genuinely want to know. I want you to sit down and explain to me your logic of this calendar year. I want you to explain to me all about this ‘destiny’ and this being ‘your right’! More than that, I want to hear how you’re the one ‘holding all the cards’!
Because I find THAT particularly interesting, Kandis, that you can be so sure and so confident of such declarations considering who you’re going up against and where you’re headed…
Reaching over, Selena takes the title off the table, holding it in her lap. Let me ask you, Kandis? Have you ever won this title? she pauses, letting the question sit for a second before a smile breaks across her features. Okay, let me be a little ‘fairer’ with the woman that’s “holding all the cards”. Let me ask an easier question, Kandis.
Have you ever headlined a Rise to Greatness main-event? Again, another beat, but Selena’s tone grows colder. Oh, you want an easier question? Sure! I can do that, Kandis! Have you ever WON a singles match on the main card at Rise to Greatness?! Another fraction of silence.
Oh, you want easier still, Kandis! Fine! Let me dig at the bottom of the fucking well, here! Here you go: have you ever even HAD a singles match at Rise to Greatness?!
The last question sits in silence longer than the rest, the only sound is the Snow Queen’s single inhale and exhale.
Because I find it less and less ‘destiny’ and more and more stupidity and ego when you come out, say the same old proclamation over and over again when you’ve not done ANY of that. When, for the what? Three times you’ve fought at Rise to Greatness, it’s always been with Tommy Valentine holding your hand, right? Tommy Valentine protecting you right? Tommy Valentine handling half the work? Oh, and what was the record on THAT – your RTG record, Kandis – 1 win and 2 losses, one of those losses being against Regan and I? Yet, “you hold all the cards here”, right?
A bitter laugh escapes the Snow Queen. Let me make something clear for you, Kandis. Tommy Valentine isn’t going to be there to save you. You’re not going to have two, three, four or five people to hold your hand or distract me. You’re not going to have someone else in the match that you can pin and steal the win from. You’re going to be on your own! Against the very best in SCW today – bar none. You’re going to be in MY world, in a match you know nothing about – a match I have made mine three times now. A match you have had no experience in. Against a woman you’ve never pinned… she leans forward. The pressure couldn’t be any higher on you, Kandis.
Nonplussed, Selena gives a slight shrug of her shoulders as she sits back. Which, really, makes my question kind of stick, doesn’t it? Is Kandis REALLY ready to fight at the main-event of Rise to Greatness? Is Kandis really ready to be the SCW World champion? she tilts her head. Are you Kandis?
Because let’s take a minute and look at your track record, shall we? You got tired of the failed ‘guardians of the tag-team division’ schtick after your last reign was forgotten with ease – what was it? On your first defense? The very next pay-per-view, you lost those titles? You then tried rampaging through the singles division, but couldn’t quite make a splash there with anything other than a TV title reign that lasted – what? – 12 days, right? Then, you finally get a go at entering the world title picture, only to lose, and when you finally get your one-on-one world title chance to prove everything you’ve been bragging about – about your greatness? Your knee gives out. Your body quits.
And coming from someone that’s wrestled with fractured ribs, wrestled an iron-woman match with a smashed foot, and has scars all along my back, Kandis? Someone’s that gone nearly ten years in this business without an ‘off’ day?… Instead of finishing her statement, the Snow Queen gives a knowing shrug.
It seems that whenever things get tough for you, Kandis? You don’t ‘rise’ to the occasion like me or ‘win when you want to’. The more common situation is you either quit or your body quits under the pressure. Glory Braddock, last Breakdown, I could go on but the proof is there.
Yet, you say you say you’re gonna take what’s yours?
No, you’re not. You’re gonna crack under the pressure, you’re gonna make some dumb excuse, try and spin it and then when all that fails, you’re just gonna quit and run away because you CAN’T take it!
Me? I KNOW what I can take. I KNOW what I can do. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that I can be here, at this level for the third time. There is nothing I have to show or prove to anyone to convince even the most diehard “No! We Can’t” critics that I belong here. That what I fight for, integrity, deserves to be at the main display across every RTG banner, video and promo!
Can you say the same, Kandis? A knowing smile, a little darker than her others, graces Selena’s features. Cause if that was the case – you’d have been smart enough NOT to go through that door in the Chaos match and you’d be world champion already, wouldn’t you?
You’d be good enough to have beaten Adam Allocco in the world tournament and you’d be the world champion, wouldn’t you?
You… for a moment, the humor in Selena’s voice is suddenly replaced with a growing irritation, almost flinching as does her expression. If you were good enough, you wouldn’t have needed to sleep your way to the 40th spot…. her head lifts up, sapphire eyes glaring into the camera. Would you of, Kandis?
A bout silence falls for a few seconds, the world champion leaning forward. I want you to get back to me on this, Kandis. Before I pack my bags, get on my limo-bus, and ride all the way up to Toronto, I want to hear you tell me how ‘ready’ you are. I want you to remind me why you ‘hold all the cards’, Kandis. Why I should be so scared of losing the title I have worked all year to get back! I want you to make me BELIEVE, Kandis, that you really do ‘hold all the cards’!
Sapphire eyes narrow. Cause from where I am sitting? You’re only holding one hand of cards… and you’re bluffing!
Believe that, bitch. Selena tilts her head. See you in Toronto. Before lifting herself out of her throne chair, walking out of shot with the world title in her hand before the scene fades entirely to black.
DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction and not to be confused as complete or accurate representation of any beliefs, religions, etc. Please refer to research/articles by experts for that.
The Witches of Alden
”Investigation”
The VanHohenheim House
Maplewood, New Jersey
July 15th, 2023
1:12pm
“It’s gotta be a trap or something.” Selena Frost half-snorted as she gazed out of the window, her sapphire eyes sweeping over the small, quiet neighbourhood that housed her parents. She could see the colors of various cars parked in their respective driveways or perhaps on the side of the road, nestled against the curb. The trees planted in the yards, some small and thin while others were thick and massive, all carried the green-colored leaves of their species, but all indicating the beautiful season (though not as gorgeous as the winter to the Snow Queen – nothing in her mind could replace an undisturbed blanket of snow across the land and treetops). And if she strained her ears enough, she could just make out the sound of birds in those trees, chirping along without a care in the world. Were they flying? Were they in their nests – their own home? Did they have any cares or fears or responsibilities like she did?
Of course not. She thought with a twinge of jealousy. If they were so weighed down with the weight of the world on their shoulders, no chance would they be able to fly so high, if at all. As she thought this analogy, she spied the streak of blue blaze past her, a blue jay flying its way from one tree into another. Selena watched it go, the creature performing its natural skill/instinct – what it was meant to do – until it disappeared behind the ‘curtain’ of leaves and branches of one of the bigger trees down the street.
So lucky…
Ignoring the slight pang in her heart at the bird’s ‘departure’, she turned around, putting her back to the window and her ‘respite’ to focus on the room she stood in. Behind her, amidst the older, brown couches and dark-blue carpeted floors, sat/stood much of her family. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the dark, natural auburn of Deanna’s hair as her wife sat in the large Lazy-Boy chair, contemplating the black envelope/letter she held in her hands – the same letter they had received weeks ago. Beyond the Snow Queen, sitting on one of the couches, were her biological aunt and uncle, Caius and Sage Alden (Caius on the main part while Sage sat on the arm), while her mother, Alejandra VanHohenheim, sat closer to the Snow Queen in her own chair. However, it was the woman that sat in the middle of the room, having a seat pulled up to that location, that spoke up first.
“More of a formality.” Corrected the older, almost condescending tone of Freya Alden, Alejandra’s mother and Selena’s grandmother. “All Aldens are invited to the festival of Lughnasad.” The woman added. “To snub a family that is still part of the chapter – regardless of their past deeds – would be seen as incredibly poor taste.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s not a trap.” Selena shot back with a the barest of snorts and a roll of her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest while giving a sharp shrug of her shoulders. Gods, there was so much of this woman that annoyed the platinum-blonde. Her ‘holier than thou’ attitude. Her condescending tone. For Odin’s sake, it felt like every word out of her mouth was just an inflection away from a backhanded insult. Like to see how long you last in MY world… the platinum-blonde thought darkly. See how long that tone lasts with something like Xander Valentine breathing down your neck.
“Mom-“ Selena, in an effort to quiet her thoughts, turned her head to regard the darker-skinned woman, though Freya’s skin was far darker, Selena’s mother ‘mixed-heritage’ showing more so than Selena’s. To answer her daughter, Alejandra merely shook her head before shrugging her shoulders, her dark-blue flannel shirt shifting ever so slightly with her movements.
“I’m not sure.” She answered honestly. “But this does seem a little… odd?” she eyed her daughter, finally. “That’s the only way I can describe it.” Her eyes found Deanna. “Am I wrong?” before flying towards Caius and Sage. “Formality is one thing, but this just feels…”
“Eager.” Deanna finished, lifting her eyes to eye everyone in the room. “Like a long walk for a short drink of water.”
“Exactly!” Alejandra snapped her fingers enthusiastically. “Like when they put those big inflatables on stores simple because there’s a ‘special going on’ or ‘a new sandwich’ or something!”
“Considering who is part of this chapter… and enjoying our misery.” Caius spoke up, the man’s face a look of contemplation across his dark features, though his eyes didn’t meet anyone else’s. He did not need to mention any names, for Raphael Alden was the first name that came to all their minds – the wealthy member showing his ‘hand’, as it were, months ago, clearly enjoying the misfortune of this Alden ‘family’ – though Selena refused to be seen as little more than an unwilling participant. “I’d say that this fits the bill.” Caius finished. “Raphael might just be rubbing it in our faces.”
“I agree with Deanna, Selena and Allie.” Sage remarked, surprising the standing Frost. “The full-fledged, decorated letter? A simple email or whatever would have worked. Why all this ‘pomp’?”
“Do you guys get these?” Deanna held up the black envelope towards Sage specifically, earning a shake of the head from the raven-haired woman.
“We do… but those-“ she pointed to Deanna’s hands. “Those are meant for big events. I mean massive anniversaries, huge parties – we’re talking like-“
“The return of a ‘fledging’ soul and the trial of that Alden? ‘Come one, come all’ and see the public flogging of Alejandra Alden?’”
All eyes turned to the deadpan remark made my Selena, the Snow Queen remaining unfazed by her words, merely scanning the room to see everyone’s reactions. Deanna’s was a ‘knowing tired’, Sage and Caius were guilt-ridden, Alejandra was shocked at her daughter’s lack of tact, and Freya was… seemingly unfazed.
“The point is… there’s usually just a flyer in an email for these kind of things. Something just sent to the families. This… it’s a lot for something very common.” Sage finished.
“Which is why it’s odd, mother.” Alejandra explained to Freya. “Like it’s making a big deal or a big show for us.”
“It is odd, child…” Freya replied, a bit too curt for Selena’s liking. “Because you have not attended any of these festivals in decades.” The remark caused a slight tick to appear in Alejandra’s jaw, the woman clenching her teeth together and sitting back in her chair, opting for silence.
Her daughter was not so silent.
“No.“ Selena almost spat, seeing the older woman’s withered expression shift over to regard her. “It’s odd because neither my mother and I are idiots. And after spending those ‘decades’ being chased and hunted by people with guns and murderous intent, you’ll see that we’ve developed a, somewhat, cautious nature about rushing into obvious traps!”
Freya said nothing a first, the ‘matriarch’ of this particular ‘Alden’ family choosing to simply adjust her long, black, short-sleeve floral dress, Selena, momentarily, taking in the black rose-and-thorn decorations along the hem of the long skirt. It was a stark contrast to the black jeans and dark-red shirt she wore, her hair fastened into the braid she loved to wear.
Once more, Selena spotted Deanna sitting in the corner out of the corner of her eye, the redhead’s hands subconsciously turning the black envelope this way and that.
The cause of all this… Selena thought. The letter was a formal invitation to one of the Alden family’s ‘witchcraft’ festivals – she knew that wasn’t the technically correct name for it, but she didn’t care. It was the last thing she needed at this point.
She knew she was irritated more than she usually was. It seemed to be an easy state for her to be in these days, especially at work. Every week over in SCW, something was happening to just add more crap on top of the shitstorm that was her career lately. If it wasn’t Kandis proclaiming she had ‘slept her way to the top’ or O. choosing CHBK, rather than Aaron Demitria (again, a man that had done the right thing last Breakdown in protecting the talent and fans by ruling out the main-event as a no contest, much to Selena’s irritation), to Ace Marshall – Ace FUCKING Marshall of all people – being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and after her sister-in-arms, Regan Street!
How the fuck did they get that order?! Selena thought angrily. Did he sleep with someone too?!
It was the ‘order’ that annoyed Selena more than anything. Her sister’s accolades and years of service in SCW trumped anything the ‘seasonal’ Ace did, yet who had gone last?! Maybe she would have liked to have been the one to induct her sister into the Hall of Fame, but David Helms was the obvious choice there too! It would have been no different if she had chosen Deanna to induct her. Speaking of which and if nothing else… came the bitter thought, almost in a mental-voice not quite her own – almost nightmarish. If Ace is headed there, it’s only a matter of time before you go in too.
She clamped down on the thought, not feeling the elation/security that such ‘knowledge’ would probably provide anyone else thinking it. That wasn’t the point! That shouldn’t have ever been the point! The Hall of Fame, like the SCW world title, was supposed to be prestigious! It was supposed to be something that people earned and achieved after a career of incredible accolades and moments in SCW’s studded history! The ‘logic’ she had just employed shouldn’t have even been necessary! She was going to get in some day because she was one of the best wrestlers in SCW history! After winning the world title tournament and securing her place at the Rise to Greatness main-event for the third time in a row, a lot of Discord had echoed similar statements (some begrudgingly).
No denying she’s The Face of SCW now.
Greatest superstar in SCW history? Or HERstory?
Social media had alight with similar remarks, whether they liked Selena now or were sick of her. Not only her accolades and tournaments, but the longest world title reign and now this? It was undeniable, and it created a sense of pride in Selena – which is why seeing someone like Ace Marshall enter the Hall of Fame or hearing someone like Kandis keep bragging about how she screwed her way into the most important Rise to Greatness main event of all time infuriated her beyond measure! Even now, she could feel the familiar sensation of her blood beginning to boil just at the thought. The whole thing made it all seem so… fucking cheap! Her mind barked darkly, trying to push the thought-train into the back of her mind now, forcing herself to calm back down. She would deal with all of that later.
“Regardless of the situation.” Freya’s voice spoke out, regaining the attention of all within the room. “We all will be attending this festival.”
“The hell we will.” Selena immediately barked out, not quite out of the woods with her ‘blood-boiling’. “If most of us are in agreement that it’s ‘odd’, or in my case, a damn TRAP, why the hell would we spring it?!”
“Selena…” Deanna tried, but was ignored by the standing woman, the platinum-blonde choosing to pace a few steps in her own ‘space’.
“How dumb is that, Freya?” Selena asked, eyeing the woman. “I don’t care about your ‘formalities’ and ‘outlooks’. I’m not walking my mother or my wife into something like this!”
“If you don’t.” Freya eyed the woman with a noticeable look of disdain – clearly not pleased with the defiance in her granddaughter. “It will reflect badly on us.”
“Oh, whoopie dee doo!” Selena shot back. “People are going to dislike you a little more than they already do! I deal with that at work every time I walk into a building! Get over it!” she added with authority. “I’m already studying to be a damn witch for you guys. You guys can look like fools for a change!”
“Selena…” Alejandra tried now, but, like Deanna, was mostly ignored by Selena beyond a quick glance and a short-
“No!” the Snow Queen pressed. “Last time we did one of these, the three of us got roped into this mess! Why the hell would we give them that opportunity to hurt or embarrass us or, hello!, make things worse?!” She was met with silence. “Someone tell me, please. Because if even one of you can give me a legitimate reason why we should do this other than ‘we’ll look bad otherwise’-“ she eyed Freya. “Or ‘it’s the right thing to do’-“ her eyes flew to Deanna, seeing the redhead bite her lower lip to avoid a snarky remark. “Then I’d LOVE… LOVE to hear it!”
Still, the silence persisted. “Nothing?” she asked. “No plan on how to turn this in our favor? No idea of how this will help Deanna, mother or I? The people saving your skins in this chapter that we don’t even want to be in?! Come on guys!” She mocked towards Caius, Sage, and Freya. “We’re here and doing this for you!”
Despite this display – which even Selena could admit (albeit privately and only to herself) that she was laying it on a little thick – there was still only silence that she was met with, which was oddly satisfying to the Snow Queen.
“That’s what I thought.” She half-growled before leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest as she sat on the windowsill, taking a brief break for herself to, once more, cast her eyes through the glass to the outside. The awkwardness from her outburst was strongly felt, even by her, but she didn’t want to do anything to stop it. Far as she was concerned, this was warranted. She had never asked to be roped into this family-drama – having had her fill with Killjoy for over a year! Even now, she was SUPPOSED to be working on saving SCW’s legitimacy/integrity by retaining the world title at Rise to Greatness, and her wife was supposed to be working towards becoming United States Champion – not discussing plans on some ‘witches’ ball’ or whatever this was!
For a brief moment, Selena stole an unseen glance at her beloved wife. To say that things were still… ‘prickly’ was the only word she could think of… between the Frost wives since their spat would have been a slight understatement. Had Selena gone too far? Yes. For the umpteenth time, the platinum-blonde had suffered another outburst of frustration, similar to the ones she had shown in SCW, everything getting to her more and more as the days passed. And, in that frustration, she had thrown Deanna’s ‘lack of an RTG match’ right back into the redhead’s face.
And why? Selena reminded herself bitterly. Because of this stupid witchcraft thing! Maybe that was why she was being so disagreeable with the Aldens. Because it was affecting her marriage even worse than SCW was. In SCW, they were united. The House of Frost! Yes, Deanna wasn’t a fan of Selena’s outbursts – even the Snow Queen could attest to a few that she ‘shouldn’t have had’… but at the very least, they were united in doing good for SCW and its integrity, which any idiot could see was in rapid decline in the past year thanks to the likes of Allocco, Kandis, Lexy Chapel, Ace Marshall, Rayvn Taylor, even, to a lesser extent, Kimberly Williams!
Still, Selena HAD crossed a line and been too proud – or perhaps too scared – to take it back. Perhaps that was why Deanna had done what she had done. Not only had the younger woman brought a new fire to her wrestling – beating Adam Allocco a second time, but also beating Luz AND Kimberly Williams in a fatal-fourway – but she had been given her chance (at long last) at the United States title… on the RTG preshow.
Gods, it had all happened so fast… Selena had been steaming - ranting and raving in her changeroom about CHBK being the guest-referee in her world title match against Kandis - only to have the door fly open and Deanna proclaim that only did she have a U.S title match on the preshow, but she was going to be on the main show too, pulling double-duty in a match against Alexis Quinne!
Double duty on the biggest pay-per-view of the year… against TWO former world champions…
Is she trying to prove something?! Selena thought for a brief second, her ‘hidden glance’ still on her wife, who was, in the span of the few seconds since Selena’s outburst against the Aldens, seemingly trying to choose her next words. The redhead’s decision had surprised Selena. Yes, she was proud and excited for her wife – Deanna deserved a shot at such a title after the weeks of beating some of the biggest names in SCW. That was a given. But why the second match? Why risk injury or… even if she did beat Bree Lancaster and took the United States title… why risk the humiliation of a ‘one-night reign’? Her sister, Regan, had suffered that years ago at Riding the Lightning back in 2013 with the world title, a night the Hellcat had disclosed to the Snow Queen, had haunted her for years afterwards. Glory Braddock, to this day, still was haunted by her short reign as the world champion, lasting only minutes in that gauntlet match two years ago. Why would Deanna risk this on herself so early in her career?
Because of you, idiot! her mind mocked, further adding to the turmoil in Selena’s core. There was no denying it – the metaphorical writing on the wall. Deanna had wanted to be on the main card of Rise to Greatness more than anything, practically. But she had quickly become, in the past few months, the ‘voice of reason’ in their family. Even now, the platinum-blonde could see her wife still working her ‘mental-gears’, thinking of a way to jump in and get everyone in the room back on the same page after the platinum-blonde’s outburst. Normally, Selena was sure, Deanna would have, begrudgingly, taken the preshow match but focused on all it could be if she won it and became the United States champion. It would be her sole focus over anything else!
But Selena had pushed her with their argument…
No, getting on the main card was one thing, but this kind of stupidity? The kind that even someone like Bree Lancaster wasn’t ‘rushing into’ despite also being double-booked? This was because of her. The was Deanna sticking it to Selena to make her eat crow. She could see it in her wife’s eyes – that mental image of the two of them standing with their titles – just as they had last year before Selena had fucked it up by losing the world title – just part of her constant regret of doing so. Taking photos with their children over their ‘shinies’… Deanna standing a little straighter, her smile a little wider – having competed and won two matches where Selena had (smartly! Selena thought quickly) chosen to remain focused on the world title and the future of SCW coming out of its historic 20th RTG event.
All because of me… She almost exhaled too loudly, the guilt edging on her senses. Still, she remained silent – the tirade of her thoughts taking only a minute or two before Deanna’s voice was heard.
“So…” the redhead tried. “This festival of Lughnasad.” She eyed all the members of the Alden family before settling on Freya. “That’s the festival for the harvest, right? Celebrating Lugh?”
Selena’s eyes drifted over to Freya just in time to see the older woman raise an eyebrow at her wife’s remark – but it wasn’t of annoyance but of genuine surprise, slight as it was, without any presence of a ‘backhand slap’.
“Very good.” Freya spoke slowly, her dark eyes finding Selena once more. “I see someone has been keeping up their studies.” THERE IT IS! Selena smirked, shaking her head at her grandmother but choosing not to take any bait from the old woman.
“Yes, child.” Freya continued, her eyes back on Deanna after a moment. “Lughnasad celebrates a bountiful harvest as well as the god, Lugh.”
“That would be the god of blacksmithing, wheelmaking and… fighting!” Deanna recited, her face scrunching up as if to recall from her studies. “Hey! You’d like him, Selena!” She tried to joke, earning a knowing head tilt and smile from Selena. “You and fighting go hand in hand-combat!”. She stuck her tongue out at her own terrible joke.
Gods you both infuriate me and give me reason to get up in the morning. Selena thought, eyeing her wife. I fucking love you so much… She said none of these words, but the teasing smile on Deanna’s face made it clear to the platinum-blonde that she had ‘heard’ them.
“There is feasting, arts and crafts-“ Freya explained a bit louder to regain all attention.
“The kids will love that!” Deanna remarked, though Freya did not lose her stride.
“Pies are baked, a lovely ritual is performed.”
Selena opened her mouth, ready to launch some barb about ‘sacrificial rituals’ and ‘the blood of a goat’ but she spied Alejandra giving her a sharp look, her mother glaring the Snow Queen into silence. That accomplished, the exiled VanHohenheim returned her attention to the group.
“From what little I remember, Lughnasad was one of my favorite festivals. There was…” she snapped her fingers. “I remember there being some kind of grain or corn maze… Something like that.”
“The Alden-Brickers family.” Caius reminded, a ghost of a smile tracing over his lips.
“Right!” Alejandra nodded in remembrance. “Are they-“
“Morrison Bricker passed away eight years ago.” Caius sighed a little sadly. “But the family still hosts the celebrations every year.”
Despite herself, Alejandra’s face flashed an almost pleasant expression – perhaps a fond memory she had not thought of in years flitting across her mind. It did not go unnoticed by Selena, but the Snow Queen said nothing, instead hearing Caius’ continued words.
“Last year, there was even a handfasting!” he remarked. “Quite the event.”
Again, Selena saw Deanna eyeing her, probably because the topic of her upcoming paper for class had just been spoken. She was saved from having to speak by her grandmother, similarly, eyeing her daughter.
“I assume you didn’t perform the ceremony with your husband?” the withered woman remarked, more in sarcasm than actual curiosity. To it, Alejandra sighed.
“I didn’t see the point. Jonathan and I were married quietly at a city hall. All legal.”
“And cold and impersonal.” Freya shook her head. “Your father and I, when we were handfasted, was a glorious and happy occasion!” for a moment, her eyes seemed to dim. “We were so young and yet, meant for each other.” Snapping out of the ‘trance’ almost immediately, dark-colored eyes then refocused back on Selena. “I assume you also quietly married?”
“Well…” she eyed Deanna, who merely smiled knowingly, the ‘prickliness’ they were enduring temporarily at a truce. “You ever see the film ‘My Big, Fat Greek Wedding?”
“No.” Freya answered.
“Yes.” Everyone else answered.
“Well, just replace the word ‘Greek’ with ‘lesbian’ and you get an idea.” Selena half-laughed.
“But I’ve never seen the movie.” Freya stated flatly.
“Mother.” Caius remarked. “She means it was a big wedding with lots of people.”
“Well…” Freya shrugged her shoulders. “Least there’s that. But no handfasting?”
“Considering we didn’t even know any of you or that witchcraft was in my history, Freya?” Selena eyed her grandmother in annoyance. “No. There was no one tying string around our hands with an ‘Ooom pa pa!’”
“That’s not how it…”
“I know it’s not.” Selena interrupted Freya with a roll of her eyes. “But I hate dumb questions.”
There was brief stare down between the two heads of their family – Alden and Frost – only to be broken again by the ‘voice of reason’, Deanna.
“Freya, there is one thing I couldn’t quite find in my studies.”
Slowly, the dark-colored woman turned her head towards the young woman. “What’s that, child?”
“Well, harvest and baking and crafting – yeah I found all of that. And that made sense, but how did the Aldens celebrate Lugh as the god of fighting?” she quickly backpedalled. “Not that I want to, but like I said-“ she gestured to Selena. “My wife is the fighter more than I am and I was curious.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Selena smirked. “You’re as much a fighter as I am now, Ms. Double-Duty.”
A stern eye from Deanna this time caused Selena to backoff with a roll of her eyes. Ignoring her granddaughter, Freya waited for the small exchange between wives to end before speaking.
“The answer, my dear, is Holmgang.”
“Holmgang?” Deanna tried the word for herself, letting it roll on her tongue. It sounded like ‘home’ and ‘going’.
“Sounds like some kind of GPS system.” Selena remarked with a shrug of her shoulders.
“It is…” Freya tried to explain. “A sort of duel declaration.”
“Like slapping someone in the face with a glove?” Deanna asked.
“Something like that.” Freya nodded. “A challenge is made, the combatants meet on an agreed upon ground, with agreed upon rules and weapons.” She shrugged. “We sometimes have ‘playful duels’ like that during the festival – some Aldens brought it forward generations ago but it’s not necessary.”
“Why not?” Deanna asked.
“Maybe because it’s a fight to the death.” Selena teased. “Wish I had a few of those in SCW.” She muttered under her breath, easily thinking of a few people she wouldn’t mind seeing beaten to within an inch of their lives.
“A true Holmgang WAS a fight to the death.” Remarked Freya. “Back then. Now? If invoked, the charter insists on a duel only till one yields or loses outright.”
“How does one lose outright?” Deanna asked, eyeing everyone in the room, earning a laugh from Selena.
“Told you she was as much a fighter as me.” The Snow Queen remarked.
“I’m just curious.” Deanna shot back, earning an almost sympathetic smile from Freya, though the oldest woman turned her head to Alejandra.
“Daughter?” She urged, testing. “Have you forgotten the old ways so much?”
Taking a deep breath, VanHohenheim rolled her shoulders back. “From what I remember, modern-day Holmgang – legit duelling and not just in celebration – involved dull swords or knives so as not to cut or hurt. Combatants were sworn to yield in one of two ways…” she took a moment, her eyes fluttering up to the ceiling as if searching her memory in the white expanse. “Either you caught your opponent in what was a ‘killing position’, as in if the weapons were real, you’d be dead, or the opponent struck ten clear blows on their opponent. Once either was done, the pinned or struck opponent must yield and accept defeat.”
Slightly begrudgingly, Freya offered her daughter a slight nod of her head before turning her attention back to the Frosts. “The matter would then be resolved and the winner receive their agreed upon prize.”
“So grown men playing with dull swords and wooden knives?” Selena half-chuckled, but deep down, she almost envied the simplicity. How easy would it be if she could just do that? While Kandis was a coward and an egomaniac, her power was not to be underestimated. The Starmaker and the Gratuitous – both were moves that could, potentially, knock Selena out, just as Selena had The Glass Shard, Defying Gravity and Moonsault. But where Kandis was more of a power wrestler than Selena, there was no denying who was the smarter, more strategic fighter in the ring. Kandis was like a bull in a china-shop, using her size and power to get ahead. But against smarter opponents like Adam Allocco or Glory Braddock? She clearly struggled.
How easy would it be to win if all I had to do was hit her ten times or put her in a ‘fatal position’ while she rampaged around the ring? Selena thought.
“It’s not done very often these days.” Caius remarked. “Maybe as some fun game or display-“ he turned his head to his sister, amused. “Remember that guy that wanted to ‘fight anyone’ to prove his love for you? What was his name?”
Sage rolled her eyes at her sibling. “Warren. And don’t remind me.” She groaned a little to prove her point.
“Someone fought for your heart?” Deanna asked. “Sounds romantic.”
“Creepy is more like it.” Sage shook her head. “Dude was way too much. Sending cards, rude emails, just… uhhh.” She shivered a little at that.
“So, how did you get rid of him?” Selena asked, clearly amused by this story.
“I was the one that fought him.” Sage smiled. “He didn’t want to be near me after I beat him into the ground.”
“Wait- so women can challenge too?” Deanna asked in surprise.
“Well, not originally.” Freya stated. “And it’s not the most… looked-well upon notion… but present-day? Yes.”
“Ha!” Deanna laughed. “I knew it fit you!” she added, throwing the line to Selena.
“Doesn’t matter.” Selena rolled her eyes. “We’re not going.”
“But, Selena…” Caius tried. “This could go a long way to solving-“
“And it could be a short way to another entrapment by Raphael.” Selena countered. “Look, we had a deal, alright? I do this witchcraft thing, you leave my family alone from then on out. Nowhere did we agree to us showing up for festivals, partaking in parties, watching duels, handfasting – none of it, okay?!”
Her frustration had been bubbling since she had called this meeting with them to discuss the invitation. She had wanted a way out of this! A way to ignore this! But the Aldens had been useless! They were trying to get her to actually go! To put her family in danger yet again! To distract her from what she was needed most to do! SCW…
“I have…” she breathed harshly. “Quite possibly the most important match in my career. Everything I believe in – everything I have worked for – stands on the brink of collapsing! The very company I’ve helped build for the past decade is probably changing hands to a corrupt owner as we speak. The people I have worked with – people I care for and respect so much – they are in danger too! I don’t…” she eyed everyone in the room. “I don’t have the time to save all of them and you!”
Without another word, Selena marched out of the room and out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Immediately, the sounds she had barely heard from behind the glass-window filled her ears. The birds, the wind, the few cars driving by, they all filled her hearing as she moved further away from the house to sit in her mother’s garden, surrounded by the beautiful, colorful flora her mother planted every year.
Why? Why did it always have to be her? Why did it always have to be her sacrificing something for someone else? Why did it always have to be her putting something she loved on the line?
Her hair.
Her name.
Her nickname.
Her wife and family.
Her own safety.
Her beliefs.
Time and time again, she had been dragged in to fight and risk so much… and for what? SCW was going to be sold anyway! Nothing she could do could change that! Half of SCW hated her because she refused to relent on representing integrity! And now, on the 20th anniversary of Rise to Greatness, the very main-event was drowning in controversy!
There was no Owen.
There was no other Cruze.
There was no Street.
No Alistaire Allocco.
Nobody… except her.
“Why does it always have to be me?” she whispered, feeling her whole body shake with the emotions. “Can’t someone else save SCW for once?”
Or save my stupid family for once?!
Angrily, her head lifted up to gaze at the house, the side she was facing having no windows for others to peer through. Another party. Another trap to walk into. Another event of being ‘the target’.
No. She refused. Not this time. There was too much at stake for her to lose focus on SCW now. There was too much on the line for her to be distracted over some stupid ‘formality’ or ‘looking good’ in the eyes of strangers that she didn’t even know!
Bree was still in SCW. So was Datura. And Glory. And Light in the Darkness. And Nicole Kinneck. And Simon Lyman. And Amy Chastaine, and those that still believed in the SCW Universe… That was just off the top of Selena’s head.
As long as they were there, she couldn’t let the ship that was SCW sink. She couldn’t let so much history and…and hope… disappear in one night. She just couldn’t. She’s go down with it if she had to!
Because if it came down to the Aldens ‘reputation’ - even her own - and the survival of SCW… it wasn’t even hard for the Snow Queen to know which she would choose to save.
I’ve gone too far to turn back now… she thought, her mental-voice taking on a darker, familiar tone from her nightmares. And I refuse to see it all fall apart…
Not again.
_______________________________________________________________
The Royal Letter
The camera opens up to the interior of a study, one that is familiar to the ‘Royal Letter’ segment. This is the office of Selena Frost, the SCW world champion. If the shelves of books lining the background is not enough of an indication, then the Snow Queen sitting in her throne chair is. She wears a striking, black business suit that seems to fit her curves just perfectly. A matching dress-shirt leaves the first few top buttons down to show her pale, yet lovely neck and collarbone. Her makeup is flawless and her hair is tied up tight in an upkept bun. Beside her, sitting prestigiously on a small table. Is the SCW world championship, propped up near her chair.
With one leg crossed over the other at the knee, the Snow Queen’s expression does not shift from its calm demeanor, a far cry to what the SCW Universe has seen throughout the year. Taking a deep breath, however, Selena seems to further calm herself.
I’m sure everyone is expecting me to start this off raging against any slight I’ve had to endure these past few months. She breathes. Complain about some injustice or just start off yelling at the camera. I know Kandis would love to see that. Another thing for her to take credit for like Ace Marshall and Ravyn Taylor have. “Oh, we’re breaking down Selena! We’re turning her!”
She almost laughs at that thought.
Do any of you have any idea how many people have tried that crap in the past near decade? How many people have declared up and down “oh! It’s gonna be me! I’m gonna be the one to break Selena! I’m living in her head! I’m gonna be the one to expose her! I’m the one that’s gonna be there to turn her heel!”
On and on it goes – even on nights as epic as Rise to Greatness! These promises and ‘guarantees’ from guys like Xander Valentine, Vixen Cain, all of Infamous. And yet… here I am. And where are they? I’m in the main-event of Rise to Greatness for a third time. I’m the world champion. I’m still showing integrity and fighting for SCW and all of the SCW Universe. Where the hell are they? Syren’s hiding in bear costumes to try and get a title shot. Xander’s risking his career just to stay relevant. Cain, Tommy, most of Infamous? All those that promised to ‘break Selena’?
Gone.
She sits back in her chair. It’s ridiculous… but… she breathes. To say I haven’t been more ‘volatile’ as the months have gone by and I’ve had to watch the integrity of the SCW world championship, hell, all of SCW as a whole, go down the proverbial crapper… would be dishonest.
Again, a slow inhale and exhale comes from the Snow Queen. And I don’t want to start off like that. Because this is Rise to Greatness! This is the biggest pay-per-view of the year during ANY year, but this? This is special! This is the 20th anniversary! We’ve got a Hall of Fame ceremony! We’ve got a preshow with massive implications to the main-card – SCW is pulling out all the stops for this weekend! You couldn’t ask for anything bigger or more deserving for SCW, Rise to Greatness, or all of you! she takes a moment to let her words settle in her quiet room.
But that’s why I wanted to make a statement, in front of the SCW Universe, and not be the woman of righteous-fury that I have been at the drop of a hat. No, that’s not how I want to start this off. I want to start this off like it’s meant to be.
With integrity. With strength. With courage and spirit.
Holding out a hand towards the camera, Selena takes a short moment to process her thoughts. Because that’s how I got here, right True Believers? Two years ago, when the world said ‘nobody can beat Cid Turner’? I said ‘watch me!’! A year later, when the world said the Holly Adams Brand had me pegged and at least one of them would beat me and ‘no way was Selena going to hold the world title longer than anyone else in history in order to headline Rise to Greatness again’, I said ‘watch me!’… her expression grows a little more serious… a little colder.
And a month and some ago, when the world said ‘no way Selena Frost could beat the man that took the title away from her. No way she can headline a third time’… I said ‘watch me’. she breathes. Make no mistake, SCW and True Believers, I am here because of my integrity, my strength, my courage, my spirit, my will, and because I refuse to see this main-event be anything BUT ‘Unbelievable’!
For a moment, the Snow Queen’s eyes flit over to the SCW world championship, her fingers reaching out to, almost lovingly, trace the golden plates and engravings on the title. I have given more than any other superstar here today for this title. I have faced more and overcome more than any person before me. Simply because I believe in this belt and this company and what both should represent. And there is no denying that I have clawed my way and earned my way to this historic main-event. A main-event that wouldn’t be ‘unbelievable’ or defining SCW without me or all of you. That isn’t ego. That’s just a fact.
Selena sighs, returning her gaze towards the camera. But that leaves my opponent. The controversial Kandis. A small tick is seen in Selena’s jaw as she speaks that name, but she fights it back. Now, Kandis, I’m not going to deal with all the drama and crap you’ve brought into this match just yet. I don’t want to start this off smearing this main-event with your declarations and whatever about how you got here.
She shakes her head. No, no, no, Kandis. You don’t get THAT Selena Frost just yet. Right now, you’re getting someone that, unlike you, cares about this match. Cares about people wanting to see this match. Cares about this being the biggest match of all time! I’m not gonna come here and run my mouth about ‘owning you’ or ‘having you’ or ‘living in your head’ or ‘the match is mine’ like you have.
No, Kandis. This is Rise to Greatness! We need to build to such big statements, don’t we? We need to reflect on all of this and that, don’t we? And I’m not going to Toronto to beat some nobody in the main-event. No! I know how good you are Kandis! Come on! You’ve done enough primping about how this match is ‘yours’ – you don’t get to that level of arrogance without SOMETHING to back it up.
Selena shrugs. I mean, multiple time tag-team champion. You’ve practically etched your name into the Hall of Fame with “The Connection”. Headlined pay-per-views, fought for this title, the superstars you’ve beaten, it’s quite a good list! Hell, you come back and you win not only the End of the Year Invitational but the Taking Hold of the Flame Royale! And outside the ring? One of the most unpredictable superstars in SCW – I’d say up there in your own right with Kimberly Williams! There’s no telling what you’re going to do next, is there? I mean… it’s not all that’s surprising what’s happened recently, but the fact that it’s happened? Selena blows out a whistle of an exhale.
My point is, Kandis, I’m not going to discuss the ‘how’ you got here yet. You’re here and that’s what’s important. You’re here, set to face me, on, easily, the most important main-event of my career – of my life. You’re here and that is set. Kandis vs. Selena Frost for the world championship at Rise to Greatness. A match… what?... A year and some in the making?
Taking a moment, Selena runs a pale finger against her eyebrow. But see, what gets me is that you’ve been going on and on since you got back about this match being ‘owed’ to you. That this tile shot was ‘owed’ to you. That this match is your ‘right’ and how you’d have ‘changed history’ if you had had it fifteen months ago, blah blah blah. She motions with her hand a little puppet for a moment.
Yeah, for months now we’ve heard this – all of this year we heard this, Kandis. That you had earned a shot and were coming to collect, right?
The thing is… that’s not how I remember it. she turns her head towards the camera.
Because, let’s rewind the clock a little here, Kandis. Let’s actually go back to your supposed ‘logic’ and your ‘right’ and the history that you claim has ‘shaped your destiny’. Lot of talk about that, Kandis, so let’s really go back. Late last year, 2022, the match that never happened. Your first one-on-one chance at the world championship.
Remind me… what match did you win to earn that match? What person did you beat? What contendership match did you prevail from to become the contender to my world title? Care to remind me? Selena takes a moment to pause.
Cause, if my memory serves me correctly – you HAD a chance to become world champion at last year’s Retribution in Double Jeopardy… and you failed in the first round. Then the following Breakdown, you came out to an open invitational by the House of Frost and promised to beat me. And you couldn’t do it – in fact, I dropped you with the Glass Shard to end it. Then, the week after that, you demanded a world title match off of that ‘draw’ and what was your logic?
“That you were the only person that wasn’t pinned at Double Jeopardy”… you know, other than the woman that won the damn match, right? An amused smile crosses Selena’s features. So, how did a woman that lost her last world title match, couldn’t get the job done in a tag match – her supposed ‘domain’ by the way – become number one contender to the greatest title in the world?
In a word…me. Selena tilts her head.
It was me that accepted the challenge. It was me that said I would face you, Kandis, despite having every reason to laugh in your face and tell you to get to the back of the line. I agreed to give you your chance. Not because you earned it. Not because you deserved it. But because, unlike you, I’m not gonna shrink from a challenge and then disqualify myself because “I win when I want to”. Or have you since deleted THAT Tweet too? Another smirk comes from the Snow Queen.
Like I said, Kandis, I know you’re good. I know you’re dangerous. You’ve managed in the span of the last few weeks to knock me to the ground, I’ll give you that. And I’ll even say you’re good enough to challenge for the world title. That’s a proven…
My reason for this letter is because, I really want to know if you think – as good as you are – if you really think you’re good enough to headline Rise to Greatness. Scratch that. I want to know, as good as you are, if you REALLY think you’re good enough to BE the SCW world champion.
Sapphire eyes jump from the world title, back to the camera. No, Kandis, I genuinely want to know. I want you to sit down and explain to me your logic of this calendar year. I want you to explain to me all about this ‘destiny’ and this being ‘your right’! More than that, I want to hear how you’re the one ‘holding all the cards’!
Because I find THAT particularly interesting, Kandis, that you can be so sure and so confident of such declarations considering who you’re going up against and where you’re headed…
Reaching over, Selena takes the title off the table, holding it in her lap. Let me ask you, Kandis? Have you ever won this title? she pauses, letting the question sit for a second before a smile breaks across her features. Okay, let me be a little ‘fairer’ with the woman that’s “holding all the cards”. Let me ask an easier question, Kandis.
Have you ever headlined a Rise to Greatness main-event? Again, another beat, but Selena’s tone grows colder. Oh, you want an easier question? Sure! I can do that, Kandis! Have you ever WON a singles match on the main card at Rise to Greatness?! Another fraction of silence.
Oh, you want easier still, Kandis! Fine! Let me dig at the bottom of the fucking well, here! Here you go: have you ever even HAD a singles match at Rise to Greatness?!
The last question sits in silence longer than the rest, the only sound is the Snow Queen’s single inhale and exhale.
Because I find it less and less ‘destiny’ and more and more stupidity and ego when you come out, say the same old proclamation over and over again when you’ve not done ANY of that. When, for the what? Three times you’ve fought at Rise to Greatness, it’s always been with Tommy Valentine holding your hand, right? Tommy Valentine protecting you right? Tommy Valentine handling half the work? Oh, and what was the record on THAT – your RTG record, Kandis – 1 win and 2 losses, one of those losses being against Regan and I? Yet, “you hold all the cards here”, right?
A bitter laugh escapes the Snow Queen. Let me make something clear for you, Kandis. Tommy Valentine isn’t going to be there to save you. You’re not going to have two, three, four or five people to hold your hand or distract me. You’re not going to have someone else in the match that you can pin and steal the win from. You’re going to be on your own! Against the very best in SCW today – bar none. You’re going to be in MY world, in a match you know nothing about – a match I have made mine three times now. A match you have had no experience in. Against a woman you’ve never pinned… she leans forward. The pressure couldn’t be any higher on you, Kandis.
Nonplussed, Selena gives a slight shrug of her shoulders as she sits back. Which, really, makes my question kind of stick, doesn’t it? Is Kandis REALLY ready to fight at the main-event of Rise to Greatness? Is Kandis really ready to be the SCW World champion? she tilts her head. Are you Kandis?
Because let’s take a minute and look at your track record, shall we? You got tired of the failed ‘guardians of the tag-team division’ schtick after your last reign was forgotten with ease – what was it? On your first defense? The very next pay-per-view, you lost those titles? You then tried rampaging through the singles division, but couldn’t quite make a splash there with anything other than a TV title reign that lasted – what? – 12 days, right? Then, you finally get a go at entering the world title picture, only to lose, and when you finally get your one-on-one world title chance to prove everything you’ve been bragging about – about your greatness? Your knee gives out. Your body quits.
And coming from someone that’s wrestled with fractured ribs, wrestled an iron-woman match with a smashed foot, and has scars all along my back, Kandis? Someone’s that gone nearly ten years in this business without an ‘off’ day?… Instead of finishing her statement, the Snow Queen gives a knowing shrug.
It seems that whenever things get tough for you, Kandis? You don’t ‘rise’ to the occasion like me or ‘win when you want to’. The more common situation is you either quit or your body quits under the pressure. Glory Braddock, last Breakdown, I could go on but the proof is there.
Yet, you say you say you’re gonna take what’s yours?
No, you’re not. You’re gonna crack under the pressure, you’re gonna make some dumb excuse, try and spin it and then when all that fails, you’re just gonna quit and run away because you CAN’T take it!
Me? I KNOW what I can take. I KNOW what I can do. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that I can be here, at this level for the third time. There is nothing I have to show or prove to anyone to convince even the most diehard “No! We Can’t” critics that I belong here. That what I fight for, integrity, deserves to be at the main display across every RTG banner, video and promo!
Can you say the same, Kandis? A knowing smile, a little darker than her others, graces Selena’s features. Cause if that was the case – you’d have been smart enough NOT to go through that door in the Chaos match and you’d be world champion already, wouldn’t you?
You’d be good enough to have beaten Adam Allocco in the world tournament and you’d be the world champion, wouldn’t you?
You… for a moment, the humor in Selena’s voice is suddenly replaced with a growing irritation, almost flinching as does her expression. If you were good enough, you wouldn’t have needed to sleep your way to the 40th spot…. her head lifts up, sapphire eyes glaring into the camera. Would you of, Kandis?
A bout silence falls for a few seconds, the world champion leaning forward. I want you to get back to me on this, Kandis. Before I pack my bags, get on my limo-bus, and ride all the way up to Toronto, I want to hear you tell me how ‘ready’ you are. I want you to remind me why you ‘hold all the cards’, Kandis. Why I should be so scared of losing the title I have worked all year to get back! I want you to make me BELIEVE, Kandis, that you really do ‘hold all the cards’!
Sapphire eyes narrow. Cause from where I am sitting? You’re only holding one hand of cards… and you’re bluffing!
Believe that, bitch. Selena tilts her head. See you in Toronto. Before lifting herself out of her throne chair, walking out of shot with the world title in her hand before the scene fades entirely to black.
![[Image: hffOaUZ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/hffOaUZ.png)
SCW Supreme Champion
6x SCW World Champion
4x SCW World Tag-Team Champion
2x SCW United States Champion
3x SCW Adrenaline Champion
SCW Television Champion
Longest Reigning SCW World Champion (234 days)
Winner of Shot of Adrenaline Tournament (2016)
Winner of Best of the Best Tournament (2016)
Winner of Trios Tournament (2018)
Winner of U.S. Championship Tournament (2020)
Winner of World Championship Tournament (2023)
Winner of Tactical Warfare (2014, 2019)
Winner of Elimination Chamber (2015, 2024)
Winner of Roofed Cage Match (2019)
Winner of Last Person Standing Match (2019)
The Unbelievable Main Event (2021-2025)
Winner of Double Jeopardy Match (2022)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Winner of Ironman Match (2024)
Wrestler of the Year (2016, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Tag-Team of the Year (2020 - w/ Regan Street)
Match of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024)
Feud of the Year (2014, 2019)
Shocking Moment of the Year (2024)
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