The Hard Road

Another day, another exciting episode of Friction. The crowds were just getting settled in for the night, making their way to the seats and picking up a few concessions along the way, their mixed murmurs creating a low hum around the arena. There was a general feeling that this would be more of a throwaway show - nothing big was planned tonight, no titles were on the line, nothing heavy at stake. Some good hentai matches, some good standard matches, a hardcore thrown in. Entertaining stuff. Nothing new.

The people expecting this, however, were wrong. They’d learn this as soon as Valley’s music hit .

The crowd stood up, all of them surprised. Valley wasn’t advertised for a match tonight, and as she came out dressed in her street clothes - jean skirt, sneakers, a Van Halen shirt that left her belly button exposed - they were curious what was going on. The microphone in her hand indicated she had something to say, but there wasn’t terribly much going on with the Slamazon these days. She’d had some good matches this year, but nothing pressing on her own, personal path.

Valley wouldn’t leave them in suspense for long. She eagerly rolled under the ropes and popped to her feet in the middle of the ring. After a quick tap on the mic’s head, she started speaking. ”Hello, Tokyo! Are you ready for Friction?!” She raised her hands high in the air and basked in the cheers for a moment, smiles all around. ”Lot of good matches on tonight, and I’ll let you get to them soon enough. Before that begins though, I need to get a little business done with a certain friend of mine.”

With a quick turn on her heel, she looked over to the entrance. ”Alaina? Champ?” The crowd began cheering once more, anticipating where this might be going and loving the prospect. [color:6529=ff00ff]”Mind coming out here for a minute? I just have a little announcement to make, need you here for it.”

The crowd didn't have to wait long as Alaina's music boomed throughout the arena and she appeared, wearing her leopard print wrestling gear and carrying a mic. She high fived the crowd as she bound down the ramp, smiling as she went. Being called champ even though her belt was stolen felt great. No one beat her for it, as it was literally theft. Alaina climbed up onto the apron and through the ropes coming gace to face with Valley Doll.

The crowd noise subsided and Alaina brought the mic to her lips. "You rang? I think I speak for everyone here when I say we can't wait to hear this business is." Alaina said with a grin, lowering the mic and standing with her hands on her hips. She hoped it had somwthing to domwith a match. Valley was Alaina's second AFW match, and second AFW loss a couple years ago. The amazon champ was itching for a chance to avenge that loss, even though she counted Valley Doll as a close friend.

There she was.

Valley was all smiles and pep as Alaina Sanders - Entropy Champion, Amazon, one of best friends - came strolling down the aisle Even without the belt, she still carried herself like a champion, and the audience rightly treated her like one. She had that air to her, a defined poise that made her stand out from the rest.

It just further cemented everything Valley was about to say.

”Thanks for coming down.” Valley gave Alaina a respectful nod before turning back to the crowd and pointing her way. ”I’ll get to what I have to say in a moment, but before I do, I want to highlight something that’s been stewing in my head for a little while, now.”

She started to pace around the ring, getting a little steam behind her breath before she began, working herself up to. ”A little over a year ago, I made some comments about the Entropy Title that some might say were a little...controversial.” The audience had a slight grown, remembering well what she meant. It wasn’t a highpoint of her AFW career. ”I stepped on some toes with what I said about the Entropy Title, I know. It was the wrong time to say it…”

Valley shot her finger to the sky. ”But! I think it was the right thing to say.” She stepped back and let Alaina take the center of the ring. ”I want you to compare what’s been going on with the Entropy and the World Champions. Last Avalanche, we got two new holders for the belt. Since then, the World Championship’s barely been touched. What sort of matches have we got for it? An evening gown match? One that didn’t even end right?” Valley shook her head, as if the words themselves left a bad taste in her mouth. ”The current World Champion is a glorified runway model who barely even uses wrestling moves in her wrestling matches. She’s not just a disgrace to the belt, but the idea of a world champion in any promotion.”

There were some murmurs in the crowd - people who agreed, but didn’t want to agree - and some mixed in cheers, too. Valley didn’t pay much heed, though, as she put her hand on Alaina’s muscled shoulder.

”Now, look at Alaina. Since she became the champion, she’s taken on a variety of opponents. She’s not flat-out snubbed anyone. She fights hard, she trains hard, she earns the belt around her waist. Alaina’s done more with the Entropy Title in six months than anyone’s done with the Main Title in two years!”

That one definitely got the crowd riled up, and there was a growing ‘AMAZON!’ chant among the throngs.

”So, this is the rock I stand on. As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one real World Champion in Friction, and her name is Alaina Sanders!”

Valley took Alaina’s hand and raised it up for the crowd, letting the spotlight come down on the younger wrestler. She deserved it. All of it. Few women could say they worked harder on regular basis, and Valley was happy to let her shine.

Alaina was in shock to some degree. She knew Valley liked her but this praise was higher than anything she had ever heard. She bowed to the crowd a couple times and flexed her arms as Valley mentioned the work she put in.

After the crowd noise died down a bit Alaina brought her mic up to speak. "I appreciate the sentiment Val, and it means a lot coming from someone like you. You wrestle hard and most importantly you wrestle right. No cheap stuff, just good gritty effort along with high octanr offense." Alaina daid as she motioned to Valley then to the crowd to make some noise.

Again Alaina waited for everyone to cease their cheering. "You know that Fathia is the next challenger and I do plan on retaining my title. When I defend the belt, and have it back arounf my waist you are on tgw short list of ladies who I think are deserving of a title shot." Alaina didn't even finish her sentence before the crowd erupted. It seemed like a rematch between the high flying former slamazon and the powerful entropy champion amazon was something people wanted to see!

Valley was smiling when this started, she was smiling while she talked, and now that Alaina responded, she was smiling even more. She’d had plenty of happy moments since she came to the AFW - meeting Haley for the first time and befriending her, the Iron Woman Match, what happened with Chris in the park - but this was high on the list. Her first title shot. Maybe the last one she’d be getting for a long, long time.

The crowd was for it. Alaina was for it. Valley was for it.

But…

”As much as I appreciate the offer, I’ve got to decline.”

That brought the boos from the crowd, many of whom were likely wanting to see a championship match this very night. She hated to disappoint her fans, but there was a reasonable method to the madness.

”Hold up, hold up.” Valley raised a finger and wagged it. ”I do want to fight you. I want that match, and I appreciate the opportunity. But if you’re a world champion, then I have to be worthy of a world champion. So, here’s my suggestion.”

Valley walked over to Alaina and stood chest-to-chest, looking her up and down, highlighting the difference in their physique. The Amazon was amazingly well put together, a solid figure, and it was easy to see how she’d won that title and managed to hold on to it.

”Let me earn it. I’ll take on the best wrestlers I can find in the next few months, and if I’m still undefeated at the end, then we can meet - at Avalanche.”

Valley extended her hand, wanting to seal the deal with a shake. Old-school, all the way.

Alaina looked at Val with her hand on her chin smiling at Valley Dolls idea. "I like it. You have yourself a deal." Alaina said as she firmly shook Valley Dolls hand. She kept hold of it as she looked her prospective opponent in the eyes.

"If you think I will simply sit around waiting for you to face tough opponents you are wrong. I will be defending the title as much as I can, hopefully facing as many ladies as you." Alaina said with a grin. "No matter how tough your opponents are, I will be tougher at Avalanche. Just because you beat me before doesn't mean it will happen again." Alaina said in a dead serious tone. That and the look on her face said it all. To her the division, being a title holder and representing both well mattered more ro her than just about anything.

Come Avalanche Alaina hoped it would be Valley Doll that she faced, and she would give her more than she ever handled in all her years in the ring.