On and On and On....

Valley wasn't one to turn down a free drink - or a free anything, for that matter - so she graciously accepted the water, sipping on it all the way back to the table.  The feeling in her legs was starting to soothe, and she felt comfortable enough to cross them while she pondereed Alaina's question.

"Well, I said I wanted a run at the title, but that's the sort of thing we say when we're in front of the crowd, right?" She took a few quick gulps and wiped her mouth. "But honestly, I'm not sure if I'd accept a title shot if I got one at this point - Lukretia doesn't seem the least bit interested in making the scene all that competitve or interesting. Belts don't, like, have intrinsic value, they're only as good as the person holding them, and right now the title isn't worth much at all."


She finished off the water bottle and tossed it into the nearest trash bin for an easy two points. "But if or when that changes? If there's some talent around the belts that can actually make it mean something? My goal is to go for it. Until then, I'm just going to keep doing the best I can in the ring."

Teddy gratefully took the cold water Alaina offered, opening it up and dumping half the bottle of her head, the cold water, cascading down her neck and body, cooling her off and removing some of the sweat and grime off of her.

"Ohhh man...needed that...thanks!"

Sighing in relief, she leaned back against the table, taking a swig of water.

"Well uh...I'm still new here, so I don't really know about the title scene or anything like that. I mean, maybe one day I'll get a shot...or, I dunno, get a tag partner maybe. I still have a few contacts with some former Wrestle Angels that are working in other places. I dunno if anyone remembers Sonic Cat, but she's been back on the indy scene for a while now, might make a good tag partner...though I think."

"But for now, I think I just wanna have fun in the ring, build up my experience and all that stuff, ya know?"

Alaina listened and nodded, taking in what each of the women had to say. As far as Friction champions went she couldn't agree more. Kelly Conway was a run and hide champ while Gwendolyn, who at least stepped in the ring and was in fact tough, cheated her way through defense after defense.

"I hear ya Val. Even though its not quite the Friction title.... I really want to make the entropy title credible again. Ace, Julia and I all got screwed over by Gwenniecakes. Shit... I had her beat! If I ever get a shot I know I'll make it count next time."

Alaina smiled at Hori, who was new to AFW. For once Alaina wasn't the new kid in the crowd! "I bet you have no trouble finding a partner based on how many of the old angels I've seen. If that somehow fails, based on what I just saw, you have a hell of a career ahead of you here regardless!"

"Who said I was talking about the Friction Title?" Valley gave Alaina a little wink and sighed. "The main title's important, but the Entropy is where a lot of the action is, these days. And it gives the newer girls something to work for, helps build careers - at least, that's what it's supposed to be for." She swung her leg at Alaian and gave her a playful kick in the side. "You keep at it. I'm expecting to see that gold around your waist before the year is out. Otherwise, I'll have to come and get it myself, and I don't think you want that..."

Valley had a giggle and  mischevious grin, but she wasn't completely playing.  The AFW's ranking system was a hot mess on the best of days, and that was before you even got into Entropy Champ's being able to choose their own opponents...but who knew?

"Anyway, if you're looking for fun, you can't go wrong with Alaina." She gave Teddy a pat on the back. Nice and soft, careful to avoid the tender areas. "You two should go at it, sometime. I'd pay to see it."

"Oh yeah?...hmm..."

Teddy rubbed her chin, looking Alaina up and down.

"I don't like the boots. I think ankle supporters would go much better with your outfit...but that aside, I think a match with you could be fun!"

She smirked, finishing her water bottle and tossing it at the can....and missing, causing her to groan and walk over and throw it away normally.

Alaina saw Valley's mock kick coming. She tensed up her core and let the kick hit her. Alaina knew from experience that one hard, fast kick from Valley was more than enough to send Alaina crashing down to the mat in a heap. "I think we could put on a show, thats for sure. Not sure who would win, it'd be pretty damn close."

Alaina looked Hori over. She saw what Hori could do. She was one of those lean, firm wrestlers that packed more power than one would guess simply by looking at them. "We have the cat theme down, thats for sure. But yeah, I am game for that match whenever you are Hori." Alaina said with a wink, putting her hands back on her hips in an attempt to look confident.

Valley was smiling on the outside, but inside things were a little different. As pleasant as this was, she was craving some recuperation time more and more with every passing second. It wasn't just the pain her body was dealing with, either - she and Teddy were starting to create quite the funk together. A very long, intense bath was in order, preferably with her girlfriend's assistance.

"Call me and let me know when it's on, that's all I ask. Would rather not wade through the softcore tourny just to see something worth watching." She slid off the table and started to walk down the hall, careful not to put toomuch pressure on her bad leg. "I'm going to call it a night, ladies, so I'll be seeing you. Both of you." She spun around and gave Alaina a thumb's up. "Tell Hayley you said 'hi'?"

"Yeah, I gotta get outta here, I'm starting to reek. Need a nice warm shower, a change to actual clothes, and then I cat get home to the kitties. Great meeting you guys though. Alaina, I'll see you in that ring soon enough!"

Teddy replied, rubbing her neck and waving a farewell at her newfound buddies before making her leave, eager to get a nice warm shower in before going home.

"All right Val you got it." Alaina said as the two women had to make their way to the locker room to freshen up and take a hard earned break. Alaina knew that feeling quite well and didn't want to keep a tired wrestler from a shower.

"It was nice seeing you again Val and it was also nice meeting you Hori! I think we'll be able to mix it up soon enough!" Alaina called cheerfully as she waved goodbye to the two women, opting to watch the next couple matches in the hallway before changing herself.

Valley would've been into Haley if she were the poorest woman in the AFW. She admired her girlfriend's tenacity, her upbeat spirit, her silliness, her playful attitude, her smile, her taste in music...the list could go on and on. Money didn't factor into it. At least, aside from the fact that she loved how Haley wasn't constantly flaunting her wealth, unlike others who couldn't seem to shut up about it.

But - as she laid on her girlfriend's massive bed, looking out at the city from her luscious penthouse apartment, watching a television that was probably taller than she was - she couldn't deny that there were some benefits to having a wealthy lover. Not required benefits, but ones she had little shame in enjoying.

It had been a couple of hours since her match, more than enough time to go home, wash up, dress in her favorite Scorpions shirt with the daisy dukes she knew Haley loved, and make her way over. What followed was just what Valley needed after such a grueling match: a lovely night of simple pleasures. Food. A few games of pool, all of which she shamefully lost. Idle chatter about this and that and that and this, and somehow Valley wound up laying on her lover's bed, kicking off her sandals while she watched a match on the AFW Network.

It was a tag match, one that had gone down a little after Valley's earlier that night. Julia Rogers and Taylor Parker were in action against River Styx and Jessica Wright - fast and agile versus big and tough, always a fun sort of match to watch, with some good people behind it. For all Valley's criticisms on Taylor, she couldn't deny the woman's talent in the ring, and she was particularly interested in the cute cowgirl she had as her protege.

"Watchoutwatchoutwatchout-" Valley sat up as Julia ducked under a lariat from Styx that would've knocked her head clean off, then kept going at full speed. She busted out a slick handspring manuever, and ended it with an impressive kick to Styx's bald head. The blow brought the behemoth down to a single knee, and Valley immediately knew what she'd do in the situation.

"Nice! Now, follow it up with a Shining-" Valley clapped as Julia nailed Styx with one of the best Shining Wizards she'd seen in a long while, wonderfully executed. Perfect timing, perfect form. She wanted to say that the budding young wrestler reminded her of when she was about the same age, but that wouldn't be the whole truth, would it? Julia was better than she was back then.

Valley let out a nostalgic sigh and flopped forward on the bed, letting her arms dangle off the side. "Babe," She called out to Haley. "You gotta come in here. You're missing a crazy-good match."