Gemma Faraday vs. Valley Doll - Age Before Beauty

The hit wasn't all that pleasant for Valley either, having all that weight crashing down on her knees and smashing her into the canvas. That hurt, but not nearly as much as the cringeworthy scream that came flying from Gemma's lips and echoed throughout the stands. Valley couldn't see the look on the young flier's face from her position, but she could imagine it well. Contorted in pain and confusion, knowing that her chances were flying out the window. Missing the high spots sucked. Always.

"For the record," Valley reached around Gemma's head from behind and gently gripped her chin, whispering soft words in her ear with a sad sigh. "I really am sorry about this."

The crowd started to roar, knowing the end was near, and Valley confirmed it when she pulled Gemma back and locked her into the figure-four headlock again, trying for another Trapped In the Valley. She clamped her legs down hard and poured on the pressure all the way, getting the bulk of the power she had left into it.

"Just give me some taps and it'll be over quick, okay?" She leaned back on her elbows and waited for the inevitable submission

After Gemma rolled off of Valley's knees, her face was a mask of shock, pain and absolute agony.  Her back was arched, arms extended to each side, body rigid in pain.  Gemma's lips were curled into an miserable frown, tears streaming down her face from wide-open eyes.

The pain was one thing.  The pain, she could almost handle.  The sudden shock and heartbreak of the reversal however, was too much for Gemma to bear.  Made all the worse as she heard Valley whispering into her ear.  Gemma couldn't believe how in-control the veteran sounded, how assured.  It made Valley's quickly applied signature hold feel all the more dominant.

"Nngn," Gemma moaned, feeling the veteran's strong legs closing in around her neck.  "Noooo-ooo," she cried out, until Valley's expertly-applied figure-four finally closed in and choked the last of the air from her throat.  Valley seemed to be going all-in right off the bat, the blonde's legs locking in like a vice around Gemma's neck and spine, already worked to her breaking point over the course of an intense, grueling match.

On instinct, Gemma kicked herself up into a to bridge- not even a proper counter to the move.  Just the final, dying embers of fight in the young Brit. Still, she didn't falter. She wrapped her fingers tight around Valley's thighs, trying desperately to pry them apart. Her face, already sweat and tear streaked, was beginning to blush red with the effort. Still, the young Brit wasn't about to let herself go. Not when that elusive victory had been so close. Just a little more, she told herself. A little more pulling, a little more prying. She hadn't lost this one, just yet. She couldn't let herself lose this one.

Valley closed her eyes tight as she powered down on the hold and squeezed hard, bearing down on Gemma’s neck with all the energy she had left to spare. Part of it was because she putting her complete focus into the move, making sure every bit of her was set on the task, mentally and physically. But it was also because she didn’t want to see the look of anguish in Gemma’s eyes.

That she could avoid. The sounds of pain were harder to get around. Gemma’s cries were like nails on a chalkboard, and the only thing that drowned them out was the crowd’s roaring, calling for Gemma to tap. Most of them, anyway - there were a few booing. Not many, but a few. As Valley sat there, choking the life out of a brave, valiant fighting rookie, she could see where they were coming from. She didn’t like losing, but she didn’t like finishing Gemma like this, either. For something that wasn’t wrong, it sure felt wrong.

But this was it, Gemma had to tap out. It wasn't often she got a submission with this move, but there was no way the Siren had much fight left in her.  She was done.

Valley knew that, in her mind. But somehow, Gemma didn't. she fought. And she fought. And as she fought, her struggles became harder and harder to ride down. There was a real chance she might even escape, thanks to sheer effort and a sweaty head. "Will you stop?" Valley grunted, as annoyance began to taint her compassion, thanks in part to the fingernails scraping against her thigh. "Just..."

She suddenly rolled over to her chest and did a somersault forward, keeping the hold on Gemma tight the entire time and slamming her back down hard in the middle of the ring. The second she made impact, Valley went right back to squeezing, harder than ever. "...tap!"

The tips of Gemma's boots were poised precariously on the mat, legs threatening to give at any moment. She could feel Valley's muscular thighs closing down on her neck, the arena fading around her. Everything was fading; the lights above, the voices of the ref as she asked for Gemma's submit. Everything grew more faint, save for the sound of the crowd.

Voices rose through the arena, fully expecting the Brit to finally tap out and give the match to Valley. Gemma had come closer to an upset than anyone had expected, and now the end was hovering overhead like a cloud. Most demanded she give up the fight, obviously having nothing left to give. A few tried to spur her to keep fighting, as if she could still rally and pull off a miracle upset. Some even seemed to be calling for her to submit before the deftly-applied hold did even more damage to her already battered neck. Mostly, though, she could hear the edge in Valley's voice, and that sparked a stubbornness in the Brit. Valley's counter had cost Gemma what would have been an amazing win. The frustration in the veteran's voice alone was enough to motivate Gemma to grit her teeth and hang in there.

Unfortunately, barely being aware of the world around her meant that Gemma was completely unprepared for Valley to turn the hold. Offering no resistance, Gemma was flipped like a rag doll, legs played akimbo as she flopped hard onto her back.

"Hhnnt!" Gemma whimpered, as her aching back slammed into the mat, once again. Her legs bucked and twitched, but she failed to come up into another bridge. Gemma's hands patted weakly at Valley's legs, but she couldn't secure her grip again. She could only barely make out Valley's demands, or the referee asking if she could continue. Gemma's eyelids fluttered, her legs offered limp kicks, but there was no other answer from the air raid siren. The ref picked up Gemma's hand, and released it. The hand flopped lifelessly to the mat, as Gemma whimpered once more. Gemma's hand was raised a second time; her legs kicked once, then fell still. The third time, Gemma's hand fell to the ground with no answer at all. The rookie simply lay in the veteran's hold, her lifeless body flat against the mat, the last of the fight fading out of her body.

Valley could feel another rush of déjà vu coming on from her earlier days, once again remembering the time she'd been in the same position with the Slamazons champ. Eventually, after five of the worst minutes of her teenage life, her skillful and far more experienced opponent put her in a crossface, which Valley instantaneously tapped out to. She gave up. She was beat, why fight it?

But Gemma was different. It didn't matter that Valley was firmly in control, or that she couldn't breathe, or that, even if she did escape, Valley would just go on to wallop her some more without missing a beat - she kept on keeping on. So, when the referee checked lifted her hand three times and called for the bell, Valley knew that not all of the applause were for her. Most wrestlers would've quit long before it even reached that point, but Gemma was just too stubborn and determined. There were far worse traits to have.

She released the hold immediately and knelt by Gemma's side, checking her along with the referee. "Hey, hey." Valley gave her fellow high-flyer a quick shake on the shoulder. "Gemma, you okay?"

There was no response from Gemma, even as Valley and the ref prompted her. A low moan came from her throat, as Valley tried to talk to her, but nothing else came out. The ref gently pushed Gemma's shoulder, trying to rouse the rookie. Gemma simply shook limply, eyes still shut. There was a pop, then, as the referee turned and signaled emphatically for the closing bell.

Despite being completely out, Gemma looked far from restful. Face still red, brow still furrowed in frustration and sadness, Gemma was nonetheless completely out. The young steampunker's hair was matted to her face with sweat. Tears were drying on her cheeks. And Gemma herself was only offering the odd twitch as any remaining sign of life. AFW medical personnel were at ringside already, prepping a stretcher to cart Gemma's unconscious body out of the arena when the got the chance.

The crowd reaction was overwhelmingly positive, as the announcer proclaimed Valley the winner. Still, there were a few disappointed voices, fans who had hoped that Gemma might overcome the odds. And a few that were quite vocally angry that the Brit had either failed, or simply been too stubborn to tap out properly. Regardless, the crowd reaction was electric with the match results. The veteran had shown amazing skill and resilience against the fiery returning girl, and had earned her victory on no uncertain terms.