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| Selena Frost vs. Red Rayne; SCW Adrenaline Championship | |
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| Topic Started: Oct 19 2015, 12:45 AM (185 Views) | |
| Team Desire | Oct 19 2015, 12:45 AM Post #1 |
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SCW's Queen of Queens/The Goddess of Desire
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SCW Adrenaline Championship Selena Frost vs. Red Rayne With Red Rayne managing to retain the SCW Adrenaline Championship and Selena Frost seemingly in one piece, albeit with bruised ribs from Under Attack, Red Rayne has agreed to defend her title against Selena Frost on Breakdown. This may very well be Selena Frost’s final shot at Red Rayne for the near future, so she’ll want to make good on it if she wants to not only finally get one over Rayne, but also win the Adrenaline Championship. Red Rayne, meanwhile, has managed to make it to one year holding the Adrenaline Championship and will want to celebrate the beginning of the second year by standing over the Snow Queen. NOTE ABOUT THE SHOW: The show will be taped on Wednesday, but broadcast Friday night. So please consider that for any tweeting. We have been pre-empted for MLB Baseball Playoffs. 2 RP Limit per match Deadline: Noon EST Thursday, October 22, 2015 |
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| Winter_Crystal | Oct 21 2015, 10:59 AM Post #2 |
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The Snow Queen
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OOC: The following takes place after Under Attack and bleeds into the weeks building up to Breakdown. All characters appear with handler’s permission. [align=center] [/align][align=center]Cracks in the Armour[/align] It hurt to breathe. Every breath burned through her like molten fire was being poured into her lungs. Selena’s eyes closed, trying hold back the tears that threatened to fall. “Conceal…don’t feel…” her voice whined in protest, a feeble attempt to ignore the pain in her ribs. She was only able to repeat the lines once more before her arms quickly wrapped around her, her form doubling over. Without a doubt, this was the worst pain Selena had ever felt. More than the concussion she had suffered in her first month against Matt Auclair, the countless injuries in hardcore matches against the likes of Rachel Foxx, New Eden/Blood Grove. None of them came close to this. She hadn’t thought about her actions in the moment. She had already seen Ravyn Taylor taken out at the hands of Monarchy, disabled rather than pinned. It had been a sober awakening for Selena. That this team of men and women- this family- truly wanted to destroy the three of them: Selena, Ravyn and Syren. And while Syren and Selena had survived and eliminated Lucas Knight and Chris Cannon (the latter pinned by Selena at long last), Selena had seen Cannon spear Syren after his elimination – a cowardly move reminiscent of his actions at Apocalypse. Selena slowly breathed as softly and little as she could as another wave of pain hit her. There hadn’t been any thought involved when she had spied Trinity running towards Syren. If they had nearly killed Ravyn as they had- then it was all to clear in that moment what Trinity would do to the multi-time champion. Syren was the best wrestler on the team. The best wrestler in most, if not all, SCW. And if Syren was taken out or injured like Ravyn had been- In that moment, it hadn’t been about “Selena’s revenge”. She had gotten that by knocking out Chris Cannon and defeating him. SCW had granted her that chance- SCW and Oleska D.. Now, SCW wanted Monarchy to fall. And Syren was the best chance to do that. So, Selena had acted, taking the punt to the ribs meant for Zoe Sperling. “Where is he?” Selena groaned, meaning the doctor that had taken her X-rays. She had been driven straight from the arena after being sent by the medical staff of SCW- moved straight to the hospital. Now, as she sat in the emergency room, waiting, she heard the hum of her phone on vibrate one second before the chime that indicated she had received a text message, all of which coming from the phone in her leather jacket pocket. Taking a slow but shallow breath, Selena reached over, wincing at the pain, to grab the the coat and pull the phone out of the pocket. Pressing the button, her Samsung screen illumianted immediately, allowing her to see the notification. 14 missed calls from Deanna One text message from Regan She was unable to respond to the 14 missed calls. Deanna would want to know everything and Selena couldn’t tell her anything yet- especially when she didn’t know. As for Regan… Probably to check up on me – Selena thought as she unlocked the phone with her code and opened the text: JUST HEARD FROM THE STAFF. YOU GOT RED RAYNE FOR THE ADRENALINE CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT BREAKDOWN! GOOD LUCK! *HEART* The heart was an emoticon and it suited Selena well as hers seemed to skip a few beats. Was this a joke? No, Regan was her friend – one of the few she actually had in SCW as her Twitter account clearly indicated. One of the few people- wrestlers, to be more precise- that Selena genuinely trusted. And Regan wouldn’t joke about this. She knew how important the Adrenaline title was to Selena. How Selena had desired it- wanted to become a representative of it and its versatile style. How it had consumed a year of Selena’s career- been one of the key driving forces in her rivalry against Red Rayne and Blood Grove (along with her history with Dawn Lohan). No, the only reason Regan Street would send a text like this would be if- “If it was true…” came the breathless answer from Selena’s lips. Her whole form shook. Not from joy but from a near panic. After waiting since Flawless at the Adrenaline tournament – after having to watch so many other people be chosen over her (Amy Chastaine twice over), after seeing people cheat their way past her – Finally! Finally, she was going to get her shot- And here she was in the hospital. The door swung open and Selena instinctively shoved her phone back into her jacket pocket just as the doctor stepped into the room. His hair was black like his beard, a stark contrast to the typical (almost stereotypical) white coat he wore. “Alright, Ms. Frost.” He said in a mixture of cheer and weariness that annoyed Selena (though it could have also been the pain in her ribs). “How are you feeling?” Okay, definitely not just the pain in her ribs. “Well, it hurts to breathe thank you for asking.” Selena hissed through clenched teeth. “Yes, that will happen with this kind of injury.” “What kind of injury? Isn’t it just bruised ribs?” Selena groaned. “It’s…actually more serious than that.” The doctor sighed before pulling out a pair of X-ray images and placing them in their slot in front of a bright white wall-hanging. “You see these dark lines across the top here?” “Yes.” Selena whispered, not liking where this was going. She winced as pain hit as she barely moved. “Those are cracks in your bones- fractures.” “Fra-“ Selena’s voice caught in her throat at the shock. “I have cracked ribs?” “Two fractures for sure. There might be some minor damage surrounding the affected ribs as well that I can’t see.” Selena barely heard him. Her head was spinning too much. Cracked ribs? The notion killed her and made her want to take back jumping in front of Trinity- despite knowing that if the situation were to occur all over again, she would still have protected Syren. This kind of thing… It was a delay injury. Along with certain levels of concussions- the fracturing of bones was a “postponement injury”. Hell, O. Dracheywch had announced that Vixen Cain would get his rematch against Ravyn Taylor for the United States Title the Breakdown following Under Attack, but after seeing what had happened to Ravyn- Selena was certain the match would be delayed. Red Rayne had been speared by Chris Cannon and her match with Selena for the Adrenaline Title had been delayed for how many weeks? Denied because Red Rayne did not deem her “worthy” anymore to fight for the title? If D.- if anyone- found out about this- O. would never let her compete. He’d ban her from the ring, make her take time off- deny her the match she had wanted for so long- and it would be another month and then what? More delays- more- “Ms. Frost?” “You’re wrong.” Selena’s head shot over to the doctor. “You didn’t- I mean- you didn’t find…” she stammered before trying to breathe, the pain catching her off-guard again. “Can you do something for this pain?!” “Yes.” The doctor answered, handing a piece of paper to Selena. “This is a prescription to some very strong pain-killers. You’ll need to take them every day when you feel discomfort.”” “Pain-killers?” Selena asked quietly, one arm still wrapped around her. “They won’t make you completely numb, but you’ll be able to handle the pain in your ribs for every day things.” “But- I’m a wrestler.” Selena whispered. “Which you will need to take a month at least off-” “No!” Selena all but shouted before doubling back in pain. “I can’t-“ Quickly, Selena pulled herself back to sit as proper as possible. “Listen- I can’t- you can’t tell anyone about this.” She said, reaching into her jacket to pull out her small wallet. “Don’t tell a person, not even if it’s someone from my wrestling job. Doctor-patience confidentiality-“ “I don’t think you understand what is going on here!” the doctor declared incredulously. “This isn’t an injury that will get better if you keep getting attacked. It’ll get worse. The bones could shatter, internal bleeding- I cannot-“ “Yes, you can.” Selena stated through gritted teeth. “You tell them that it’s nothing more than bruised ribs. I’ll pay whatever I need to.” “You’re bribing me?” the doctor asked. “I’m asking you to do your job and keep this private. I have that right, don’t I?” “Unless you’re endangering your life.” “I have a whole team devoted to my well-being for consultation.” Selena said through a shallow breath, though it was an embellished lie. “I just have a lot of people at work- the business- that would do…” she racked her brain to complete the slightly true lie. “a lot of damage to me if this information was displayed.” Nothing was said by the doctor, which only annoyed Selena moreso. “Either that or you tell them and I sue you for breach of privacy.” She hated using that line but in that moment, with the pain and the fear that the doctor would blab- she felt that desperation, oh so recognizable to her as what she felt when she saw Deanna attacked last Apocalypse. The doctor seemed to take this in before nodding his head. “Put your money away.” He finally said. “I’ll be vague.” He promised. “But you need to promise me that you will refrain from physical trauma.” Selena nodded, hating that she did not mean a word of what she said next: “I promise.” “Good.” “I’ll send my personal doctor’s information to you so you can forward this to him.” She whispered before pulling her jacket on. She struggled but refused to ask for help. She got the safe arm through but not the one attached to the fractured ribs was too painful. “Please, let me.” The doctor offered, reaching out to help Selena snake her arm into place. “Here.” He said at last, handing her rather large, white pill. “What is it?” “It’s the painkiller. It should tide you over till you can pick up the prescription.” He explained. With a nod, Selena excused herself, stopping only at the first water fountain she saw to take the medication. Clamping down, she fought the pain and breathed best she could as she walked. She wished she could have told the truth- Lying had always been something she strived not to do. Even if she said the wrong thing, or the stupid thing, at least it was always honest in her heart. But in that emergency room, she had lied. Told a few truths, yes, but the majority was a downright lie. Because the truth was, she thought as she felt the beginning of the painkiller taking control, was this: “I can’t wait any longer. I want to be Adrenaline champion. I want to beat Red Rayne and I’m willing to risk everything for this chance. The truth is I’m too scared to wait any longer. Too scared of being forgotten.” ___________________________________________ **Four Days Later** ___________________________________________ The rain fell down hard, pattering the window with tap-tap-tap melody. It was comforting to Selena as she watched it fall. Reaching out, she took the tall glass of water, drinking it to allow herself to swallow the medication she had gotten from the drug store. They had prescribed taking it with food/water, which suited her well after she had just had her philly cheesestake sandwich and paid her bill. Downing the medication and water, Selena took a deep breath, part of what she had been told to do to ensure healing, even if it did hurt like hell sometimes. Quickly, she looked inside the plastic bottle’s contents. She had another two or three days in Colorado for Breakdown and promotions for it. The last thing she needed was to run out of medication during- during… Selena closed her eyes at the thought of the match. The thought of facing Red Rayne again. Ever since she had received that text message from Regan Street, she had replayed the last match she had had with the leader of Blood Grove. Retribution. Every kick. Every punch. That damn clothesline of hers. Selena sighed. Why was she trying? Rayne had been strong enough to twist her out of the Frost Bite, lift her up and slam her down. She had taken everything Selena had thrown at her, even after fighting Dawn Lohan, and still won. And Rayne was untouched from Under Attack. A little tired from the fatal-fourway but compared to Selena? Full strength. A year long champion. So many people beaten, including Selena herself. Angrily, Selena slammed the glass of water onto the table, making a small, sharp sound. It was unfair. There was always conditionals. Always something. Always a disadvantage. Nothing changing in that regard. Angrily, Selena wiped her finger at her eyes to remove the itch, trying to remove the doubt and bitterness from her mind. She had chosen not to say anything. Chosen not to say a word of truth to anyone about her injury- not even to Deanna. Far as everyone knew, she had merely suffered bruised ribs. An injury that was a disadvantage, but not debilitating. And it had worked, hadn’t it? The match was still on. Everyone believed that Selena was ready – and that she would get beaten. As if nothing was out of place. I wanted it this way. Selena reminded herself. I can’t wait anymore. “Selena.” The voice came from nearby, causing Selena to turn. She slightly winced at the movement, her painkiller taking a bit of time to kick in. The sight of her step-mother, however, caused more pain to run through her, though it was far more emotional than physical this time. “How did you-“ “Your company posts their schedule for each and every show and appearance.” Anastasia answered cooly. “It was not difficult to figure it out from there.” Without an invitation, the woman took a seat in front of Selena, her white dress a contrast to the Snow Queen’s blue jeans and navy shirt. Selena narrowed her eyes at the woman. “You came all the way to see me rather than threaten me.” “You’re not happy to see me?” Anastasia asked quietly, yet knowingly. “Considering the last time I saw you in person, you told me I had frozen eggs.” “Yes, I am surprised you managed to steal them.” Anastasia bit back, her tone adopting a slight point. “Surprised that I attempted it or surprised that I pulled it off?” “Surprised that you would go that far.” Anastasia answered honestly. “So far as to break the law-“ Selena said nothing at first, merely narrowing her gaze. “You have no idea what I am capable of, mother.” The white-haired mother nodded in agreement. “I’m starting to believe that.” There was a moment of silence between the two before DeCarlo spoke again. “You know, for what it is worth, I am actually quite proud of you.” “Proud of me?” Selena asked, trying to hide the surprise in her voice but failing. “Yes. You stood up not only to me but to your family. An empire of sorts-“ Reaching out, Anastasia took one of the other glasses of water on the table and sipped it. “And despite the threats, blackmail-“ “Kidnapping, assault, torture-“ Selena continued coldly. “You managed to continue- to persevere and carry on. I don’t think any mother could see that in her daughter and not feel a sense of pride.” “What you feel doesn’t mean shit to me.” Selena bit back. “If I never had to see you again, I would consider that a blessing on my life.” Instead of being hurt by that comment, Anastasia smiled. “I was the same way with my mother.” She replied. “She was ruthless and your grandfather was the only man who could control her. The things she did… I hated her so much. Course when she died, I realized that all she did was for me and how much I truly needed her.” “Why are you telling me this?” Selena asked. Between fighting the pain in her ribs, thinking of her wedding, her title match and lying to everyone involved in all three of those things- she just wanted to get away from this woman as soon as possible and have one less thing to worry about.. “Because I’m going to back off.” Anastasia answered. “You win.” “I win?” it was a shock to Selena. “Your grandfather believes that pursuing you has become pointless.” “Grandfather does?” “You must know he was never on board for using your eggs like that. It was all my plan. Do or die kind of thing.” “Die?” “Well, not so literal as that.” Anastasia continued. “But if I failed to convince you with this plan, then I was to cease all efforts.” “How kind of you.” Came the sarcastic snort from Selena. “Well, regardless, you won’t have to worry about me or the other DeCarlos.” “For how long, mother?” Selena threw back. “How long before I don’t have to look over my shoulder or dread hearing the phone ring? How long until I can actually live my life with the woman I love without being afraid of what you will do?!” “Paranoia is on you, Selena.” Anastasia answered simply. “If you don’t care to believe me than that is up to you.” Selena’s jaw clenched, as did her whole body, causing a stirring of pain to shoot through her. Clamping down on her lower lip, she fought to conceal the pain, looking out the window at the rain to distract herself, the painkiller beginning to take effect. “Your grandfather is solving the issues with the Scythes through other methods. Riskier but far less difficult to deal with than you have been.” “How nice of him to say.” Selena whispered, breathing through the pain. “Why come all this way to tell me that?” “Because I want to know where those eggs are.” Anastasia answered with a tilt of her head. “Just like you do.” “What?” Selena asked. “You want them back-“ “No.” Anastasia answered. “I have my orders, but that doesn’t mean that I want them destroyed now that they have no further use to me. I cannot imagine you could keep them alive for long, can you?” “Alive?” “Yes. Cryogenic is an expensive science and-“ “Why are you talking like they are real, mother?” Selena asked with a laugh. “Is that why you came here? You saw me get beaten up in the ring and wanted to deflate me some more? About how ‘you got me’?” “I got you?” ‘Why are you doing this?!” Selena repeated. “I looked inside the canister, okay? It was empty! The jig is up.” There was a moment of surprise on Anastasia’s face that Selena had never seen before. “Em…empty? You must have grabbed the wrong one-“ “Stop pretending!” Selena ordered. “I know which one I grabbed. Twila Michelle. You used my middle name to ID it.” “Selena…” Anastasia slowly began. “You have no reason to believe me but something is wrong with what you are telling me. That is the right canister-“ “I know it is.” “But it’s not supposed to be empty!” Anastasia finished. “What? What are you saying?” “Think about me what you will, child, but do you honestly think that I would blackmail you with a resource that I never had? A resource you could have just fact-checked to disprove?!!” Anastasia stated. “Those frozen eggs were as real as you and me.” “Oh, then I suppose they magically flew away?” Selena spat. “I’m through with this. You wanted to come here just to mess with me.” “I wanted to help right all of this and make sure you have all you need to have a family.” “Why? Because I’m no longer useful to you.” “Yes.” Anastasia answered honestly. “Because that would now make you my daughter again.” “It doesn’t work like that!” Selena hissed. “Selena! Listen to me.” Anastasia ordered. “If you don’t have the eggs, that means someone else took them. That means that someone else has them.” Selena didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to hope again. Whatever hope she had had of having an heir to share her heritage had died when she had opened that canister and discovered it to be empty. “I don’t care.” She finally said. “What?” Anastasia asked in surprise. “You don’t care that your eggs-“ “I spent years thinking I would never have a child besides Elsianna, mother. I spent years thinking that I would never know what it was like to raise a boy or girl, watch them grow and learn how to walk and talk. Never see them have their first accident, lose their first tooth, first day at school- I spent so long thinking I would never have that chance and I was at peace with that.” Selena explained. “I even had moved on in my hatred of you for doing that to me.” “It wasn’t intentional- the eggs-“ “The hell it wasn’t. I don’t care. But when you brought those eggs’ existence into my life, I started hoping again. I started wondering if it was really over- that maybe I had a chance. Maybe I had a chance to be a mother still. And with a wife that loves me more than I have ever been loved before- I thought I had a real chance at my dream of having a real, loving family. No disappearing fathers, no village hating me, no crazy mother- a real family.” Selena took a deep breath. “When I saw my friends risk their lives for that dream, only to come up empty handed, I felt so guilty. I felt ashamed, stupid, a poor friend and person. That I had risked all their lives for a stupid goose-chase. So no, mother, I don’t care if what you’re telling me is true or false. I don’t care if the eggs do exist. If you want them back so bad, you can have them. But seeing as how this will hopefully be the last conversation we have now that I am no longer essential to your survival with the DeCarlos, allow me to say, ‘Thank God’.” Quickly, Selena pushed herself out of her chair, her painkiller stopping any pain she could feel, allowing her to focus fully. “You are, without a doubt, the most vile and horrid woman I will ever know and will ever meet. The one good thing from this whole mess is that I learned who I really am and I can rest easy knowing I didn’t come from you. That my genetics came from a kind, wonderful woman.” Anastasia said nothing, but- did Selena see a tear in the older woman’s eye? No, she must have imagined it. “Very well.” Anastasia said, gathering herself up with grace. “I’m not looking for forgiveness. But I will do what I believe I have to.” “I don’t care.” Selena answered sharply. “We’re done. Stay the hell away from me and my family.” Turning on her heel, Selena felt the rage of the dragon threatening to overtake her, bringing with it a wave of emotional pain she did not want to deal with. Pain that she was walking away from her hope of being a real mother. Pain that she was letting go of her dream of a real family. Pain that she was doing so because she knew that if she believed again, she would risk everything- including the lives of her dear friends- for it without a second thought, like she had before. Getting into her car, Selena fisted her hand into her pocket, drawing out her pill bottle. The doctor said to take one when she felt sore and that was the least of what she was feeling. Quickly, the Snow Queen roughly forced a pill down her throat, breathing deeply after she had fully swallowed, choking a little in her attempt. “Conceal…” she whispered. “Don’t feel.” And for once, it felt good to feel that…or, to be more precise- not to feel anything at all… ___________________________________________ [align=center]The Royal Letter[/align] When I was a little girl in Nome, Alaska, there use to be this big hill. It was a really steep hill on one of the roads. It was just an old road with concrete going up and down it and farmland ditches on either side. My classmates and I use to call this thing “Monster Hill”. We called it that because- well- it was a monster to climb. It was so steep that, even during the summer time when there was no snow or ice, it was a challenge. And my classmates use to see this hard to climb hill- this “Monster Hill”- as a form of rite of passage of sorts. You know, if you could “conquer the Monster Hill”, then you were part of the “group”. Part of the “special bunch of tough kids”. And the rules didn’t make it easy: You had to power your way up the hill by a bike. It was easy to walk it or roller-skate it or run it or drive it. For us kids, the test was all in our bikes. You show your strength, your resilience, your determination- you were cool. The first person I saw conquer the hill was a boy named James Mackenzie. He was the first person in our school to get a new “gear bike”. How they applauded him when he made it to the top, cheered him on as he rode his bike back down the hill afterwards like some kind of gladiator. I wanted that kind of a reaction. To belong to that group of “special few” that had conquered the hill. To be seen as special, rather than “the crazy miner’s daughter”. So, I tried it one day, in front of everyone. I used my bike that I’d had for a few years. No gears or fancy stuff on it. Just a little blue-framed bike with one gear. I barely made it up the first half before I tired out and rolled off the side and into the field below. I landed in the mud and damp grass, ruining my school uniform. Instead of applause, I got laughed at. Instead of being part of the “cool group”, I was outcast by my other classmates. I remember biking home after that and crying in front of my father for so long about it. I cried because I believed what my classmates believed. That I couldn’t do it. That I couldn’t be part of the “lucky few” that could achieve something so worthwhile. And coming to Breakdown, seeing my name next to yours, Red Rayne, us facing one another for the title that means more to me than any other one last time- and suddenly, I am hearing all those voices again. Voices that say I cannot beat you. Voices that say I will be defeated by you like I was before. Voices that say that I am not good enough to rise above you. People see you, Rayne, and they see the monster. They see the Purge you have brought to the division I still am fighting to be champion of. They see over a dozen title defences and superstars that have fallen to you. They see a year long reign that has gone without a moment of doubt. Even me. Sometimes, I see you and I see the woman that lifted me up with one arm while locked in the Frost Bite and powerbombing me down. I see the woman that I’ve never pinned, never made submit- never truly gotten the “one over on”. Ever since we really started fighting over a year ago, I’ve defeated you, yes, but I’ve never beaten you. I’ve given everything I had against you and, like in my past, I’ve fallen to the side. You know what I am talking about the most, right? Retribution. Rayne, to me, that night still haunts me. That I came so close and still could not do it. After matching you the best I could in the Adrenaline tournament, I came so close in the finals only to fall just before the finish line. It still haunts me and people remember that when they think of us. That one win for you and that one loss for me. People see you, Rayne- this monster- and their voices are all the same. Like my classmates. Doubt, disbelief… And if this were your story, I imagine you’d have it end there, with me crying to my father and giving up like I did back then. Or did I? You see, Red, after my father disappeared- I eventually decided that I was going to conquer that monster hill, even if I had to fall to the side a hundred more times. I was going to join the few that could do the supposedly “impossible”. The first thing I did was view my RESOURCES. I knew the first thing I would need would be a new bike, one that could be a tool to help me achieve the task. I saved my allowance and bought a brand new gear-shift bike with 10 gears! It was cool, Rayne, with blue streamers on the handle bars and more wire than the kid with the brace and head gear in the year ahead of me. After that, it was all about PREPARATION. I wanted to be ready to face the hill and not be thrown off it again. So, I practiced with my new bike every day up and down my driveway until I knew I was ready. Until I was sure that my legs were strong enough to pedal me up the mountain and to the very top and into acceptance, adulations and so much more! The next day, I went with all the other kids and this time, three new people made it up the hill… When it was my turn, I gave it all I had. I rode my bike up and up and up and made it past the half-way point… and then I gave up. My legs gave out and I had to walk it up the rest of the way. Another failure, but at least they weren’t laughing at me. They just didn’t care to acknowledge me afterwards. To them, I wasn’t worthy of their time or consideration. I wasn’t worthy of their respect. Can you honestly say you have been any different, Rayne? I’ve not been shy to show you my respect on Breakdown, in my letters. I’ve not flattered you mindlessly like Chris Cannon has but I have shown you respect. I have, many times, admired how you’ve held that title for so long. I’ve told the world how I felt about your style and like I said before – unlike Monarchy, there is a line you will not cross for reasons of good form. Can you honestly say you’ve shown me the same respect? That you have been non-bias to me? That you’ve held zero prejudice against me? Remember on Twitter, after you had been injured and our championship match, which you agreed to, was postponed? Remember how, instead of owning up to it, you downplayed me? Said I had to “earn the shot” by beating Chris Cannon? That I didn’t “deserve the title shot” or “to face you”? Only for you to then turn around and give the chance to three other people, one of whom already had a title shot against you not too long ago? It tore me up inside, Rayne. That you would not even accept my challenge- instead stalling with delays about “worthiness” yet hand over my shot to others in the same breath, rather than do what you claim you do and defend the title against any challenge- beat anyone challenge. That I wasn’t “worthy” in your eyes and, by extension, the eyes of SCW’s staff. I felt it then as I did as when I failed to conquer Monster Hill the second time. All that hard work. All that money spent and practicing each day and I still wasn’t “worthy”. That second failure - I was devastated back then, Rayne. I ran home with my bike, threw it into the garage and I left it there. I gave up believing I could ever conquer that mountain. That, no matter how hard I tried, I would never be “good enough” to do what a few classmates had done. I would never be “the one that did it”. Now, here we are. You and me. And you, Red Rayne, are without a doubt the loudest voice of doubt there is in SCW against me. You have so much going for you and so much you have done that you feel you can look down on me from atop your hill and laugh and point and dictate the terms of which I finally get the chance I’ve been waiting for. You, Red Rayne, are my “Monster Hill” in this federation. I’m sure that doesn’t come as a surprise to you. I’ve fought so many stables, from Coalition to New Eden to Imperium to Monarchy, and yet, you have always been the end-goal. The greatest challenge I wanted to face. And all I have done has been to get to this point. I have done so much more than anyone else just to get back to the base of this “hill” for one last chance to climb it and beat it- beat you. Can you say I haven’t, Rayne? While you were handing title matches over to the likes of Amy Chastaine and Stacy Kissinger, I fought inside a damn cage. I pinned and defeated the man you demanded I beat to get “a chance”. I threw myself into a punt kick for my team and the person I believed in to give us the victory. I faced your daughters, Rayne. Kordy and Dawn Lohan. I’ve watched you play your strings with them and control their actions. I’ve seen you push these woman and demand they destroy me. You encouraged Dawn to put my hair on the line at Rise to Greatness. You demanded she shave, bald, bloody and skin me. Still think I am “unworthy”? Because I did all that and, more than that, I survived. Every thing that Blood Grove, that Monarchy, has thrown at me, I have survived. Using the resources I have – friends in SCW like Regan Street and people who respect me like Zoe Sperling – I’ve learned from them. I’ve prepared myself for every obstacle by accepting the most basic fact in this business. That failure is always a possibility. And I suffered setbacks, like Cannon attacking my fiancee to delay my chance to face you, after he had attacked you and taken you out, and tried to move past them- tried to use these setbacks to motivate myself to success in the future. Whether Monarchy or you will admit it or not, it was me that pinned and eliminated Chris Cannon, your supposed “number one contender”. Are you going to ignore that it wasn’t me that did that? Rayne, I’m done waiting. I have played your game and passed every test of yours to get back to the base of the hill for one last climb. Whether you will admit it or not, I deserve this- I deserve this last chance more than anybody else! And believe me, I know that this will be my last attempt. SCW has done little to hide that fact, being so bold has to express it on the previews for the show. I know that, this time, I will have to bring all my resources, my skills and abilities and resilience, all my preparation and lay it on the line. I will need to win if I hope to be the Adrenaline champion again. I will need to do or die, won’t I? That is what you are dealing with, Rayne. Seven months of preparation – of waiting for my chance. Seven months of that loss at Retribution burning in my head, festering there, replaying in my head like a bad movie. Seven months of being told to wait while others got the shot ahead of me- of getting the shot ripped from my hands at the last second. Seven months of dealing with you while still not being allowed to fight you for the title that means everything in my SCW career, only to be told that, now that it is here- it will be my ONLY chance. I will lay all of that on the line at Breakdown. And I know you will predict that I will fail. That I will be purged. That I will come close and bring the fight before before failing and going back down the hill, like I did back then on my bike. But that story, Rayne, isn’t over. There’s one last part that I think you’ll want to know. But since I waited seven months for this moment, you can wait a little bit longer for the ending of my story. In the meantime, I want you to think about these seven months, where you’ve been and where I’ve been. I want you to think about how much I’ve waited for this chance and how I have taken on every challenge you’ve given me. I want you to think about how this is my last chance before you relate me to one of your “roses” in the garden or one of the souls you will “purge”. Because trust me, Red, by the time we’re done, you’re going to see just how different this story is going to be. Believe it! |
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| Winter_Crystal | Oct 22 2015, 10:57 AM Post #3 |
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The Snow Queen
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[align=center] [/align][align=center]Hope Taken, Hope Given [/align] For the umpteenth time today, Selena found herself missing Deanna. Quietly, she rolled her phone inside her hand as she looked down at it. It wasn’t that she hadn’t called Deanna at all. She had. She had spoken often with her fiancee about practically anything. The wedding? They already had picked their respective maids-of-honor. Selena had chosen Zoe Evers. It had been an easy choice. Selena had known her a rather long time and trusted her nearly as much as she trusted her oldest friend, Jean Black. Zoe was also one of the four partners of Four Seasons Imperia (along with Jean, Selena and Deanna). It had definitely been an easy choice. Deanna had chosen her sister, Amy, but that was proving to be difficult. Amy was still distrustful of Selena and of Deanna’s young age. She hadn’t exactly agreed to even showing up, something Deanna tried every day to have her do. Along with that, the pair even had a bridesmaid each, keeping the number small. Deanna had chosen an old friend in Kentucky and Selena had chosen Regan Street, perhaps her only true friend in the Triad. So they had talked about the wedding, they had spoken about travels for the Triad. The had spoken about practically everything. No, it was not the literal that Selena missed, she knew as she squeezed her phone inside her hand. It was the honesty. Before Apocalypse, nothing had been concealed. Nothing held back, nothing misleading. Complete honesty between her and her fiancee. Apocalypse changed all of that. Selena sighed as she sat in her chair, flipping through the papers. Reports and analysis of her record. How often she used certain moves, how counterable those moves were. Like odds of a football team and the number of plays they had and how often they ran those plays, Selena had everything on her and everything on Red Rayne. Was it too much? Certainly, but it kept her mind distracted from the lies that were bothering her. The lies she told and things she had done since Apocalypse. The first thing she had done was push Deanna away. The attack on her by Cannon- Selena had forced her foot down and made Deanna stay away from SCW. She allowed Deanna to come in to IWC and ULW shows, but SCW had remained off limits. She had kept Deanna away and ignored all her protests, many as they were. And it hurt Selena to pretend that she didn’t see Deanna training every day since then to change Selena’s mind. Training to be stronger, faster- it killed her to ignore the facebook posts Deanna had made, the pictures posted of her developing physique. To not state how proud she was of her. To not tell her how scared she still was. Quietly, Selena placed her free hand gently over her ribs. She didn’t feel any pain, thanks to the painkillers, and she couldn’t feel any difference compared to her other ribs, but that of course meant nothing. The words of the doctor rang in her ear. Words of aggravating the injury, making it worse, further damage- She took a deep breath as she looked around her small hotel room she had rented for the few nights in Colorado she would be staying. She slammed her eyes shut, trying to keep the tears at bay. She wanted Deanna. Wanted to tell her. Tell her how scared she was of what Red Rayne would do. Rayne was many things that Monarchy- that Trinity Street- was not outside of the ring. She would not attack an audience member or someone non-wrestling. But Selena wasn’t an audience member. She wasn’t a non-wrestler. She was a fighter. And against her kind, Rayne was as ruthless and driven as Trinity. She had hung Christy Matthews by her feet, had bloodied and beaten Dawn Lohan into a mindset that only now Selena had begun to understand as somewhat benefiting to her former partner. And then there was the personal history. To Rayne, Selena was a thorn in her side, not worth the investment or care that Rayne was giving in comparison to her sister, Rachael Tatum Lee. Rayne was someone that, like Xander Valentine over in ULW, desired and declared Selena’s utmost destruction at practically every interval. And if Deanna, knowing that- if she knew of this- this handicap… Angrily, the Snow Queen flipped another paper to the side, this one about how many ways she favoured kicks. The page underneath was more about odds of interferences and title matches on Breakdown. She knew the odds already! The distraction wasn’t working anymore. With a sigh, Selena reached up to massage her temples, a headache beginning to form. Quickly, Selena reached over to a small clearing on the table where the plastic bottle sat. She said nothing, merely popping another pill into her mouth and swallowing it harshly. She had a few left. Enough to get her past tonight- through Breakdown. Probably to get her home to Manhattan where she could get more. “All I have to do is get past this.” She whispered, looking down at a photo. It was one of Red Rayne, holding up the Adrenaline Championship. Where exactly, Selena had no idea. The past year had held several moments like this- moments where her arch-rival had stood tall. Dominant. Unflinching. “All I ever wanted to do was face you.” Selena whispered, looking down at the photo. “Just to see if I could do it. Just to have closure and move on.” Now, she wasn’t even sure she was going to make it past the night, let alone win the match. The doctor’s warning frightened her. Internal bleeding- It had been how her grandmother, Irena Frost, had passed. “No…” Selena whispered, covering her ears with her hands. “Don’t think about it! Conceal! Don’t Feel!” But it was too late, the memory played before her mind without hesitation. She saw herself, young and white-haired as she was now, running through the fields. “Come on, grandma!” the young child called out. “Catch me if you can!” “Oh my darling!” called out the elderly woman who was not too old to give a good chase. “You best keep running and not mock your grandmother!” Selena saw her- Irena- on that day, dressed in black pants and some combination of a top and cover-top of sorts- matching perfectly with the spring time. She saw Irena catching up to the smaller youth. “Stop.” Selena whispered to herself, despite knowing she wouldn’t hear her. “Let her catch you.” Trying to stop the memories, Selena reached out to grab the bottle of pills. What was one more? The doctor said to take one when she felt pain, right?! As her hand shot out, though, she misjudged the distance and the bottle skidded the short distance to fall of the table and spill its contents onto the floor. “Shit!” Selena hissed, ducking down to the floor. She grabbed at the spilled pills, putting them back into the bottle. But as she placed the bottle back onto the table, she could not pull herself up to her feet. Her legs twitched and the room began spinning. She felt sick and as she fell onto her back from the dizziness, she saw spidery lines at the edge of her vision. “Ahhh.” She groaned but between the sickness and the effects of the painkiller, she felt numb and sick at the same time. “Don’t run…just let her catch you…” she ordered out of breath as the scene continued to play before her- her control slipping away with each passing second. ******* “Can’t catch me!” the young child called out. “Can’t catch me, grandma.” “Bet I can, dear!” Irena Frost called out as she chased after her granddaughter, Selena. The white-haired child ducked and weaved through the fields of tall grass across and into the clearing. Beyond that was a large fence that protected private property of certain residents of Nome, Alaska. Desperately, Selena looked around. She was running out of room. And if Granny caught her, she’d lose the game. She never lost the game. Every time they played, Selena had won. She was always the best at tag. Able to run faster than Granny and hide better. That’s because I’m young and quick! Selena told herself with complete pride. I’m invincible! The five-year old looked around quickly as she saw Irena break through the clearing. “Got you now!” the older woman called out. “In your dreams!” Selena called before sprinting off to the centre of the clearing. It was there that she spotted her salvation- in a manner of speaking. For in that clearing was a single, solitary tree. “Got it!” Selena called out in satisfaction. What made her the best at winning this game? Of being “the champion of tag” (as she called herself) was being able to do things her grandmother could not. Like leaping on stones across a stream or hiding in a small bush where her seeker couldn’t see or reach her. Or climbing a tree. With a grin, the child reached up and grabbed the nearest branch, pulling herself up and into the tree’s confines. She had made it up to her third branch by the time her grandmother had reached the tree. “Selena! Come down here this instant before you fall!” “Nah uh!” Selena called back. “Not till you tell me that I win again!” she called out, climbing up three more branches. “Young lady-“ “Ladybug! Ladybug!” Selena sang as she climbed ever higher. “To the tops of the trees you fly!” “SELENA! COME DOWN!” Her grandmother ordered, the alarm in her voice going unnoticed by the ignorant child. “Call me the best! Say I am the champion- no! I’m the Queen of Tag!” “Fine!” Irena called out. “You are the Queen of Tag. The best! Now please come down!” “YES!” Selena called out. “I’m Queen of the World!” She laughed. “I win again! WOOOO!” Yet as the adrenaline of evading her grandmother during the game and the obsession to win left her, reality began to take its place. And what did the most powerful reality had to say? That Selena was very-VERY far off the ground. Seeing her grandmother so far away- what else could be placed into Selena’s heart other than the most basic of child emotions? Fear. “Ahhh!” Selena cried out, clinging to the branch she was on. “I’m…I’m so high up!” “Yes.” Irena called out. “Now please climb back down as you climbed up.” “I can’t!” Selena cried, her eyes shut as she hugged onto the branch for dear life. “I’ll fall.” It was all Selena could do to hang on and cry, wishing she was back on the ground. Back where it was safe. “Selena!” she heard her grandmother call. “I need you to open your eyes for me.” Hesitantly, scared out of her mind, Selena opened her eyes to see her grandmother pulling herself up the first branch Selena had climbed. “Can you…” Irena huffed. “Just lower yourself down to the branch below you?” Desperately, Selena reached out for the branch but she could not reach it as locked around the current branch as she was. Returning to her “safe branch”, she shook her head desperately. “I can’t.” She heard the branches moving and making weird sounds as she watched her grandmother continue to speak to her while she climbed each and every branch Selena had, slowly bridging the gap between them. “Selena…” came the calm voice as Irena soon sat in the branches directly beneath Selena. “I’m right here.” “How…” Selena gasped. “I thought you couldn’t climb trees.” “Where do you think your father learned to? Like a monkey, he was.” she laughed, though the concern in her voice did not fade. Holding her arms out, the older Frost prompted Selena. “You can let go of your branch. I have you”. Selena felt her grandmother’s hands under her back, taking some of the weight. She believed her grandmother. Believed that she would be safe. “Alright.” Selena whispered. “On 3. 1…2-“ Just as she was about to say the final number, Selena felt the hands against her back disappear, replaced with a loud “SNAP” and a blood-curdling scream. Opening her eyes, she saw her grandmother rapidly going down the tree- falling! “Grandma!” she cried out, reaching out as if that would save her. Before her eyes, Selena saw Irena’s back land on a strong branch, causing the older woman to bend and twist around it before being intercepted in her fall by another branch. The woman tumbled and twisted as she fell- finally hitting the ground with a thud that silenced everything. “Grandma?!” Selena called out, watching through one eye. “Grandma!” Irena did not speak. Her eyes remained open and she seemed to try and move but the blood seeping from her mouth caused her to gurgle, choke and struggle. “Grandma! Please get up!” Selena begged. “I can’t climb down by myself. Please get up and try again! Please try again!” She begged and pleaded as she saw her grandmother, the woman that had taught her to embrace her heritage of white hair- who had made her feel special about having white hair at so young an age- make inhuman sounds as she struggled to move. “Please!” Selena begged, holding her hand out towards her fallen grandmother. Slowly, Irena Frost’s movements slowed until she was very still. She didn’t raise her hand to help Selena again. She didn’t call out that she would catch Selena… And in that tree, all Selena wanted was for her grandmother to get up and catch her, even if it cost Selena the game. Come back and catch her and never let her go… ************ Selena’s eyes shot open and she coughed violently. She felt something in her mouth and spat it out on the floor. Her eyes widened at what it was. Vomit. The last of it, it seemed as there was a pool of it near her face where she had lay. Her throat burned, as did her eyes as she shook on the floor. She struggled to breath but only from the vomit, not from any pain she felt, thanks to the painkiller. “The painkiller.” She choked out. She had taken more than one- how many had she taken? Did it really matter? Angrily, Selena shut her eyes and fell back onto her back. How pathetic! She had used too much and just been taken down by fucking medication! A pill took down the “great” Selena Frost- the “Queen of Adrenaline”- Selena laughed at that. What a fucking joke that had been. She had adopted the concept as a pledge to strive for the vey best of that division, promising to keep fighting as the champion. A reign that had ended in three months, only to be replaced by a woman that had truly been the “Queen of the Adrenaline”. Meanwhile, there Selena was, throwing up on pills and crying from her family dying 20 years ago. She wanted to take another pill to replace the one she had, no doubt, vomited out of her system but she fought the need. She would probably just throw it back up again and that would just waste a good dose of medication. Shaking, Selena pulled herself to her feet. Looking around, she saw the pool of vomit (seeing the slight blood there as well). Too bad she hadn’t been in the bathroom when this had happened. She would have gotten it on the tile floors- an easy clean- rather than the carpet. Stepping over the mess, the Snow Queen shuffled into the bathroom. Once at the sink, she saw the bloodshot eyes and the vomit that covered her face and some of her hair (free as it was). “Look at you.” Her voice choked out. “If they could see you now.” ‘They’: Red Rayne, Trinity Street, Kelcey Wallace, Kat Kelly, Monarchy and Blood Grove- the people that would rejoice in this kind of pain if they knew of it and if it was coming from Selena Frost. They would laugh and joke- Taking a deep breath, Selena grabbed one of the small, white towels hanging on the wall, turning the water on with her free hand. She soaked the towel in the water and washed her face aggressively. Her hair was next. She quickly stripped out of her simple clothes and showered, ensuring the smell of vomit was gone (which also smelled of shame and disgust). That done, Selena tied her white hair into its trademark braid, got dressed in clean clothes and called room service to inform them of the accident, tidying up the mess of files on the table.. She didn’t want to think about the hallucination- the memory. How she had watched her grandmother die and did nothing. How she had spent three more hours stuck in that tree, too terrified to come down. Too scared to even try. She had eventually been discovered by the people living on the other side of the fence when they had returned home and walked their dogs into the clearing. As for her grandmother… Selena sighed as she held her hand over her ribs, though there was very little pain, thanks to the painkiller that was still in her system (thank God she hadn’t thrown up both pills). Her grandmother had died, but the fall hadn’t killed her right away. The falling off stems and bouncing off branches had caused internal bleeding. That had been the cause of blood that Selena had seen seeping out of her grandmother’s mouth. Irena had choked on that blood and died. Without thinking, Selena pressed her hand against her ribs, feeling only a slight ache. Would Rayne allow that to happen to her? Would Dawn? Would they stand there and let her choke on her own blood like Selena had done to her grandmother- “No!” her mind screamed. “That was different! I couldn’t get to her! I was a child!” But would that make any difference? Her being gone from SCW- the whole Triad- there were so many that would take delight in it and so few that would really notice her absence. “How did this happen?” Selena whispered. All she had ever wanted to do was have people believe in her. To embrace her concept of hope and faith and pass it on to someone else, inspiring others as they had been inspired. Instead, no one but the fans believed in her. The roster thought she was a joke and she had to almost kill herself to get noticed by the staff. Regan, Jean, Zoe…Deanna… they were really all she had left. Four people in this world of thousands and thousands that was the Triad. Four people out of so many others. “What about me?” came the voice from nearby, Selena recognizing it immediately. “What about me, mommy?” “Not now, Elsianna.” Selena begged. “I’m not feeling well.” “Are you sick?” “Yes.” Selena answered. “Can you see a doctor?” “Anna- not now.” Selena warned, her tone a bit harsher. “But you always tell me that it’s important-“ “ELSIANNA BE QUIET!” Selena shouted, her voice ringing in the room. There was no response from the freezer nearby. No answer that came to Selena. She didn’t care in that moment. She just wanted something else to happen. Some kind of progress- Her phone going off a moment later was a perfect example. Quickly, she answered it after seeing the name “Jean” appear on the caller ID. “What is it?” “Bad day?” the aged voice inquired. “I’m not in a good mood, Jean.” Selena warned. “What it is?” There was a moment of silence before the older man spoke. “I think Anastasia was telling the truth.” “About what?” Selena asked, her annoyance refusing to subside. “About the existence of those eggs.” Jean answered. “I think they did exist and someone got to them first.” “Jean, I told you to drop this.” Selena pressed. “I told you that I was done hoping for that because it wasn’t worth risking our lives all over again. Deanna and I…we can adopt if it comes down to it. Or we can use Deanna’s eggs if she desires. We don’t need to-“ “Well, be that as it may, the fact remains that someone has stolen from you, which means we might have another enemy coming at us.” Came Jean’s cold calculating tone. “And with all due respect, Selena, I rather know what we are dealing with so that these ‘surprises’ that seem to frequent your life cease altogether.” Selena clenched her jaw. “Alright.” She said through gritted teeth. “What makes you think someone beat us to the punch in that hospital?” “Because there’s no security camera footage from the previous day.” “The hospital refuse to give it to you?” “More that they couldn’t give to me. It was gone. Removed.” “The whole day?” “The entire time on that floor.” Jean replied. “And you don’t think it’s a coincidence?” “Do you?” “I don’t care, Jean! I can’t think of this now okay? Do whatever you want with this but don’t bother me with it. I’m sorry.” Selena answered sharply. “But I just- I can’t think of this right now.” “Alright, dearie.” Jean answered quietly. “I’ll leave you to it. I’ll let you know if I find anything.” Without saying “goodbye”, Selena hung up the phone, placing it in her pocket. It wasn’t the “last words” she wanted to have (if those were indeed going to be her last words), but in the moment, Selena had little hope for anything. She didn’t want to believe that the eggs still existed somewhere. She didn’t want to believe that she was sick and hurting. She didn’t want to believe in anything in that moment. She just wanted it all to be over. ____________________________________________ The camera fades in to the SCW Breakdown ring, this time in the Pepsi Center in Colorado. The first thing seen is the SCW “Breakdown” banner along the apron, but as the camera moves up, an arctic blue spotlight is seen shining down to the centre of the ring. Inside the spotlight sits a single wrestler, cross-legged and staring at the camera with a smile. Hello, Red. The figure is none other than Selena Frost, dressed in her wrestling attire. Her hair is in her traditional braid and she seems rather calm as she smiles. No fancy effects here, Red. No freezing people or shattering them. Selena shakes her head. I think we are past such imagery and symbolism. You want to bleed me into your garden, I want to freeze and break you so you can “believe”. We’ve danced that dance for so long. And that’s not why you’re watching me now. Not why you’re here. Selena smiles knowingly. You want to know how it happened, don’t you? How my story finished. The story about “Monster Hill”. Selena tilts her head. Did I give up? Was that the end? Well…actually I did. The Snow Queen shrugs her shoulders. After my failed second attempt, I threw my bike into my garage and I didn’t see it for a long time. I mean, a really long time. I didn’t think about Monster Hill and, as time went on, I eventually moved on past it and I forgot about it. Until you first accepted my challenge for the Adrenaline title weeks ago… At those spoken words, the large jumbotron across the arena suddenly hisses and illuminates, showing a video with a smiling Deanna Springs. Meanwhile, in the ring, Selena turns her head to watch the video with a soft smile. Is this thing working? The light’s on? Great! Came the cheery voice of Deanna before she scurried behind the camera to hold it. Hi, guys! This is Deanna Springs and I’m here at Nome, Alaska and…. The camera angle shifts and moves to reveal Selena Frost pushing something along the road. Look who it is! The Snow Queen, Selena Frost! Stop being so silly. Video-Selena laughs as she pushes the metallic vehicle along the way. Oh come on! This is going to be awesome! Deanna exclaims. Why not tell everyone what you’re doing, Selena? The Snow Queen smiles at the camera before leaping over the metal contraption so that the camera can full see it. This is my old bike. She began. And I am going to use it to ride up…that. Reaching out with her free hand, Selena points to a spot off in the distance. Quickly, the camera spins around to catch a shot of the massive hill stretching upward. Oh my god… Monster Hill. Selena confirms. Immediately, the shot changes to a few minutes later, with Selena Frost on her bike at the base of the hill, one leg on the ground like a kickstand. The shot, meanwhile is at the very top of the hill. And Selena is down at the base and- You ready down there, Selena?! Looking up, the Snow Queen waves to Deanna before taking a deep breath. I’m ready! Alright, now, this is gonna be one continuous shot. Here we go! With one last deep breath, Selena pushes herself forward, her legs immediately pedalling the bike forward as she stands over her bike. Her pace is steady and the bike does not teeter or falter in its path. So far so good. YOU’RE DOING GREAT, HUNNY! I’m so nervous! The camera remains locked on Selena as she continues to bike up the hill at a steady pace. A few moments pass and Selena’s bike passes the halfway point. You’re halfway there, Selena! Keep going! Keep going! As if driven by this knowledge, Selena looks up to see how far she has before suddenly pushing her legs harder and faster, the bike speeding up with the demand. Oh god, she’s giving it all she’s got! Come on, sweetie! Almost there! Almost there! As Deanna backs up a little, keeping the camera locked on Selena, Selena and her bike reach the last few feet of the hill. A grin can be seen plastered on the face of the Snow Queen! Almost! Almost! Almost! Deanna repeats until the blue bike and its rider ride right past her and over the hill! YES! YES! YES! You did it, Selena! Deanna cries before turning the camera back to herself. Did you see that?! she asks the audience before turning the camera back onto Selena, who circles her back around the area to return to where Deanna is standing. WOOOOO! cries Selena in delight as she stands at the top of the hill. Twenty years! Finally! WOOOO! she shouts over the hill to the base below, throwing an arm up in triumph. Monster Hill conquered! Deanna joins in. The moment passed, Selena breathes and exhales loudly as she looks over the hill. Wow. How do you feel? Selena merely shakes her head and looks into the camera. A lot of things. Just…now that it’s done… You alright? Selena quickly nods her head. So what next? The idea is in Selena’s head instantly and she turns to look at the camera with a grin. Last part… See you at the bottom! She says in delight before pushing herself and her bike down the hill, shouting a “WOOOOO” as loud as she can as she speeds down the conquered hill. Deanna catches the whole moment before the shot fades to black, the camera in the arena returning us to Selena Frost sitting in the ring, a gentle smile on her face as she looks at the screen that just showed her personal triumph. You want to know why I went back there, Red Rayne? Why I went back to Monster Hill to see if I could conquer it? You may be surprised but it’s not some grand reason or some obnoxious thing. I didn’t go there to try and conquer the hill to brag about it. I didn’t go there to maybe join the gang at long last. I went there for the same reason I am here now, ready to fight you tonight. I just wanted to see if I could do it. Going back home and seeing that bike several weeks ago made me remember that I had something that was holding back. Something that I regretted never being able to do. That I ‘never did conquer that hill’, even though when I thought about it- I knew, at this point in my life, I could. So why hadn’t I sooner? Selena shrugs, reaching up to tap her temple with her fingers.. It was up here. Riding that bike up the hill, Rayne, compared to fighting in a cage with Monarchy or Matt Auclair- compared to the training I have to do in this federation- it was so easy. Yet it took me twenty years to even think about attempting it again. Because to me, Monster Hill was a part of my life that I had failed- a part of my life that had created such negative emotions in me that I just wanted to leave it alone and never deal with it again. I didn’t believe in myself, Rayne. I didn’t believe I could conquer the mountain. With a sigh, Selena looks straight at the camera. That’s really the third thing that’s needed, along with preparation and resources… belief. You can be strong enough to run a mile or bike a hill but if you don’t believe you can, then you’ve already lost. And, honestly, Rayne? I don’t think I really believed I could beat you back in March. I don’t think I believed that I could overcome you. Think about it. I hid behind my symbolism of freezing you and your garden. I hid behind my cold and winter puns because I wanted to sound “clever”. I wanted to get inside your head because I didn’t believe I was enough to beat you one one one fairly. Slowly, Selena bites her lower lip. But do you know something, Rayne? Do you know what you and Monster Hill have in common? There is a moment of silence before Selena speaks. You both don’t change. Twenty years later, I return to that hill and it’s the same hill. It’s the same distance, the same angle, the same difficulty. But when I was biking it- as I reached the halfway point, I realized that it was easier. The challenge was easier. It was nothing compared to what I went through in my near two years here and within the Triad. One of the most profound things I remember you telling me after Restribution was how perfect you were. How you “never had to change”. How you were already at the best level anyone could ever be and I was insignificant compared to you. And here you are, seven months later, telling me I am not “worthy to fight you”. You still haven’t changed. You’re still saying the same things. You’re like the hill, Rayne. The same ability, the same incredible talent, but unchanged. Quietly, Selena runs a hand along her white braid of hair. The person that has changed, however, is me. I’ve changed, Rayne. I don’t need the special effects or the models that look like you or the scare tactics. I don’t need the puns or the jokes or the insults to get into your head. Because I believe I can beat you on my own. I believe I can outwrestle you, outlast you, and yes, even beat you to end your amazing year-long career. With a smile and tilt of her head, Selena regards the audience watching her. That’s why I challenged you outright weeks ago, Rayne. That’s why I’m fighting you now after being in that chamber match. Not because I don’t think that I am in for the fight of my life, but because I know the challenge you bring and I believe I can overcome it this time. I believe I can beat it. The Snow Queen takes a deep breath before continuing. I just want to see if I am right, Rayne. It’s not to “be the one that ends your reign” and it’s not because “the adrenaline division needs new life” because it doesn’t. It’s not to “save the divison” or “rule it as Queen” – certainly not that. It’s not even to be a better champion than you. That’s been your go to line hasn’t it? You used it against Jake Starr when he tried to stop you from ending his record. “That he’d never be able to do what you did in the Adrenaline division- with the tournament and whatnot”. It’s not even that, Rayne. Why would I even try to be like you? I don’t like you. I respect you but I don’t like you. But you have done incredible things in the Adrenaline division, things I’ve been proud to be a part of. You’ve held the title for a year, won the first Shot of Adrenaline tournament undefeated. Why would I ever want to emulate that? Why would I want to try and be a Red Rayne version 2.0 when I can be an original Selena Frost? I don’t want to beat you in the hopes of emulating your legacy. I want to beat you because, like Monster Hill, I want to see if I can. I believe I can and I want to see if I am right. It’s as simple as that. As simple as I have said for so long now. I just want to see if I can. If I can’t, then I can’t. It’s a burden I’ll have to carry with me, but I won’t live in fear of you for 20 years until I have the balls to try again. I rather fail and know for sure than think I know and be too afraid to try. Throwing her hair back, Selena rolls her shoulders back as well. This may be for the Adrenaline title that we both desire, Red, but I am in this match for me. I am here before you, not to steal your legacy or one-up it. I am here, as a wrestler, desiring to beat the best. And here, in this division, there is none better than you right now. I desire to change that. I believe I can change that. And that belief is the piece that I’ve been missing all this time. It’s the piece that took me seven months to find. It’s why Oleska Dracheywch held me back from going after you again. He wanted me to find the belief in myself that I lacked against you. Belief that allowed me to trust Syren and take that bullet for her in the cage. Belief that allowed me to shock the world by defeating Trinity Street. To silence Kordy and defeat Dawn Lohan on the grandest SCW stage. Belief that I am good enough. Selena breathes deeply, a warm smile on her face. I don’t care about the risks, Rayne. I don’t care what it may cost me. I am ready to find out if I am right. I am ready to embrace the end result. I am ready to start my climb up the Monster Hill that you are. One last deep breath and Selena’s expression is very serious, staring daggers into the eyes of her arch-rival. I am ready to become the Adrenaline Champion. Believe it! The camera slowly fades to black, Selena’s eyes refusing to look away from the greatest Monster Hill she has ever faced… ____________________________________________ Selena took a deep breath as the lights returned to normal from the spotlight that had been on her. She shouted her thanks to the cameramen as they quickly gathered their supplies and packed their tools. They were on their way within minutes and it was in that time that Selena had spied the redhead sitting in the front row of the audience, staring right at her. Without a word, the woman hopped over the barricade and walked around the ring. “I told you to stay away from here.” Selena sighed, tired and beyond frustrated at this woman’s presence. “Especially with Blood Grove and Monarchy running around.” “I know.” Deanna answered. “And I would have if I thought you weren’t just hiding from me.” “Hiding?” Selena asked in frustration. “Yes. Hiding.” Deanna replied, reaching the metal steps that lead into the ring. Quietly, she stepped up the steps and slipped into the ring. Selena didn’t move from where she sat cross-legged, as she had in her recording a few moments ago. Instead, she watched her fiancee sit down next to her, but facing the opposite direction so as to face Selena fully. Slowly, Deanna held up the small object she held in her hand. “Mind telling me what this is? I found it in the trash outside before the collectors got it.” To Selena’s shock, Deanna held the small, plastic bottle that was identical to the one Selena currently had where she kept her medication. “It’s my medication bottle.” Selena answered quietly. “I know what it is.” Deanna replied, turning the bottle over in her hands. “I thought you said you just had bruised ribs.” Selena bit back on her lower lip. “I do.” She lied. Deanna shook her head, a sad smile forming on her lips. “I can’t believe it.” “Can’t believe what? I just emptied the bottle into my own container to travel with-“ “I can’t believe that you’re lying to me!” Deanna burst out. “You think I don’t know what it says on this?” she said, pointing to the label where all the information, including drug name, was printed. “This is a painkiller, Selena- a super strong one!” “The doctor wanted me to have them in case-“ “What’s really wrong with you?!” Deanna demanded. “Tell me the truth! You’re not just dealing with bruise ribs are you?! Not with these kind of pills!” “Yes, I am!” Selena threw back. “Then why hide your medication from me in the first place? When not tell me what you were taking? Or that you saw a doctor? Or any of that?! Huh? Why this!” Without another word, Deanna threw her fist directly at Selena’s ribs. Had Selena not been staring down at the ring canvas, she would have not seen the punch coming. “No, Deanna! Don’t!” she cried out on instinct, blocking the punch with her arms and elbows, terrified of the pain that would come if that fist connected. The punch never came. Instead, it harmlessly tapped the elbow and forearm of Selena’s left arm before drawing back to its owner. Deanna shook her head. “You’re hurt. Really hurt.” She stated. “You were so scared there. Scared of one little punch.” Selena growled at being tricked before throwing her head back and lowering her arms. “Fine.” She said at long last. “You want the truth? I have two fractured ribs. Maybe more.” Deanna’s eyes widened at this, her gaze casting down to Selena’s ribs. “Fractured.” She finally said. “And you didn’t tell me because-“ “I didn’t want you to worry.” Selena said quickly. “Oh that’s bullshit!” Deanna yelled, shocking Selena. Rarely had Deanna Springs swore. “You did it because you didn’t want me or anyone else telling O. D. because if he found out, he’d never let you compete against Rayne!” Selena took a deep breath, her body craving the numbness that the medication would offer, but she needed to save what she had left for tonight. Save it for her match! To substitute the medication, she pushed herself to her feet to pace around the ring. “What’s wrong with that, huh? You don’t think that I’d know better than anyone when I can compete or I can’t?” Selena asked pointedly. “No.” Deanna answered, jumping up to her feet. “I think you’re the last person that knows that. I think you’re so obsessed with that stupid title that you’re going to kill yourself to get it.” “The- The title?” Selena stammered. “You think this is about the title?” “What else? Like you said in that promo of yours. Closure. You can’t move on from Red Rayne and her beating you- just like you couldn’t move on from Dawn Lohan until you beat her or past Chris Cannon until you beat him. You want that title. You want the last word-“ “I don’t care about that!” Selena blurted out. “You think I would go through all of this just to become a champion?” “Then why?!” Deanna asked, her voice shaking with concern and fear. Reaching out, she held Selena’s forearms in her hands. “Why do this? Why can’t you wait? There’s no point to continue this-“ “I have to.” Selena whispered. “Why? You’ve already made your point!” “What point, Deanna?” Selena asked with a laugh. “What point is that? That I’m a human punching bag? That I’m the best at taking a beating? That the Snow Queen is the perfect ‘damsel in distress’?” Firmly, she pushed herself away from Deanna, turning her back on her fiancee to look out at the arena and the audience seats, which were still empty. “All this time, all I’ve done is fail on my own. Fail in the tournament, fail to hold my own. A year ago, I was attacked by Red Rayne and her crew and the roster had to save me. A year later and I’m still there. I’m still needing to be rescued by people like Syren and Ravyn and Crowe. What message have I sent, Deanna?” she asked, turning to look at Deanna. “That a year later and I am still just the punching bag? The girl crying for help? That I’m still not strong enough to do anything on my own? To stand on my own?” Selena shook her head, feeling the tears prick her eyes, despite her numbness. “I’m a joke to everyone. The damsel in distress. The victim. And I…I…” she couldn’t find the words, instead taking a deep breath to try and calm herself. “I’m tired of needing to be saved. I’m tired of needing Syren or Ravyn or Christy or Dawn or someone to save me when I can’t look after myself.” “Selena…” Deanna whispered but Selena cut her off. “I know what I am risking.” Selena admitted. “I know and I am sorry, but I have to. Not for a title and not for some adulation or some form of praise from SCW.” She took a deep breath. “But for me. Because if I let this beat me- if I let this-“ she held her hand against her ribs. “If I let this get in my way, every time I see Red Rayne, every time I see Trinity-“ Selena sighed. “They’ll know that they got the best of me. That they broke me. That they shattered me. How can I live with that after all they’ve done? To me, to the others here- to you? I’ll never find faith in myself that way. Not in me, in SCW- in you and I. I’ll always be the one that ‘came close’ but never ‘could do it’. I’ll always be their ‘punching bag’ they can wail on when they want to prove something because they know I’ll never fight back enough to make it stop. It will never end. And eventually…they’ll just hit me so hard that…that….” Her memory flew back to her grandmother under that tree. “That I can’t get up ever again.” “No!” Deanna gasped, tears forming in her eyes. “I can’t let Monarchy think they got the better of me. I can’t let Red Rayne be right that I’m still that weak rookie. I need to do this, Deanna. I…I don’t have a choice.” Reaching up, Selena wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at her fiancee, who took a shaking breath. “You…you better win.” She ordered. “Because I…I will never forgive you if something happens to you!” She rushed to Selena to wrap her arms around the Snow Queen’s neck. “Just win.” She said. “Win and leave all this behind.” As gently as possible, Selena wrapped her arms around her lover and best friend. “I promise.” She whispered. “I promise.” It was the worst promise Selena could possibly make…but in that moment, with everything spinning out of her control, it was the only promise she believed she could possibly keep… The End |
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| Daisy Lee | Oct 22 2015, 10:58 AM Post #4 |
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Red Rayne
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[align=center]Anything with the “REC” on it is Viewable to the Public. The Views Expressed By Red Rayne and The Blood Grove Do Not Reflect Those of the Publisher. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Click on the Bottom Pic to Access the Shoot Portion of the Match at the End of the CD.[/align] [align=center] [/align][align=center] THE TRIALS: TOY SOLDIERS [/align] [align=center](Click Title)[/align] |
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7:34 PM Jul 10