AV 16 Entropy Title Ladder match: Alaina Sanders (c) vs. Valley Doll

Preceded by: AV 16: Kelly Conway vs. Julia Rogers
Followed by: AV 16 Cyclone Tournament finale: Chizuru & Rei vs. Amy & Kyoko vs. The Little Devils vs. Del & Lizzy

Alaina Sanders

Vs.

Valley Doll

Match Type: Ladder match
Winning Condition: Retrieving the Entropy belt that is suspended above the ring
Special Conditions: no DQ, a couple of ladders are left out at ringside in order to get the belt

How many times had Valley Doll been in the gorilla position before a match? 1,000 times? 2,000 times? She couldn’t be bothered to count them all over the decade plus she’d been wrestling. Many, many times. She’d gotten used to the pressure. Gotten used to knowing the feeling of an impending, dealing with the knowledge that, in a few minutes, you’d be kicking and punching and slamming and flying all across the ring.

But not tonight. Not here. Not in Canada. Not at Avalanche.

There she sat again, decked out in her outfit. Different arena, different country, same game, different mindset. Tonight, she was a bundle of living nerves, tingling all at once. Dozens of strategies ran through her brain, trying to hammer out the best way to approach Alaina. Hard and fast? Work a limb? Play it safe? The Entropy Champion wasn't wrong when she said that she was far different from the woman that Valley had defeated two years ago. Stronger. Faster. Smarter. Better.

This wouldn't be easy. Heck, it rarely was, but especially now.

”Valley Doll?” One of the stagehands peeked her head in the room. ”You’re up, it’s time.”

Valley nodded and stood up, taking a few last minute breaths. In and out, in and out. Slow and solid. Think about Haley, looking up to you, not knowing how much you look up to her. Think about how people said you'd never even make it here, how this is your one chance to prove them wrong. Think about how you've worked towards this moment for over a decade.

And go.

Rock and Roll Fantasy, Valley’s new theme, blared out over the Canadian audience, getting a wild reaction right from start. Canada was always a good audience for wrestling, and tonight they showed why, giving the challenger a strong ovation as she came out, reared back, and yelled along with music.

”Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaah!”
”Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Valley danced about the stage, skipping to the edge as the cameras flashed and the crowd threw love her way. As much as she loved the Japanese audience, there was something to be said about being able to actively understand the people rooting for you. Alaina had more than her fair share of fans, but quite a few were on her side, too, and many more were just there to see a good match. Valley was going to make sure they got it.

Here come the jesters, 1, 2, 3
It's all part of my fantasy!I love the music and I love to see the crowd
Dancing in the aisles and singin' out loud!”

She made her way to the ring to the ring, hopped on the apron, grabbed the top rope and leaned back, letting out another piercing cry, coming in perfect synch with the music.

”Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaah!”
”Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Times like this, Valley’s cheerleader background came in handy - even though she’d never formerly practiced her new entrance, she was familiar enough with both the song and the ring layout to pick it up on the fly. The audience certainly approved, singing along as best they could, swaying to the sounds. A lot of Bad Company fans in attendance, it seemed, and Valley could see them all as she jumped on top of the middle turnbuckle with her arms wide open, leaning perilously forward.

”It’s all part of my rock and roll fantasy!
It’s all part of my rock and roll dream…”

Valley closed her eyes and leaned back, back, back, until it looked like she very well might just flop off on her back like a total idiot - only for her to jump off at the last second, sail through the air in a backflip, and come down right in the center of the ring, sticking the landing.

Perfect. Completely perfect.

Valley rose as the music faded, giving the audience a little bow. She appreciated their appreciation, but she didn’t linger on it for very long - her gaze soon went upwards. Straight upwards. Looking right at the shiny prize above her head, so close but so far..

The champ was backstage now, waiting on her turn to enter.  She watched as Valley went roaring out, playing to the audience.  Alaina was not surprised that her opponent had so many fans.  However, what felt strange was being a champion and not entering with the title belt.  It was already hanging over the ring.  Alaina was anxious about even handing it over to officials to place it for the ladder match, and given her history of having it actually stolen once along with her having to get it back by defending it, who could blame her?

Alaina's music began to play and she bound out of the back and onto the ramp!  She held her arms out as she was at the top, taking in the cheers of the crowd.  She high fived fans on each side of the barricade as she made her way down, grinning ear to ear the entire time.  As she reached the bottom she playfully shook her hips for the crowd before she jumped up onto the apron, and climbed between the ropes to enter the ring.  Alaina struck a quick pose to flex her body, and show everyone a big reason why the champion was still the champion after being the sole Entropy title holder for a year.  

Her heart was pounding underneath her confident exterior.  Alaina knew Valley had more experience in this type of match than her, and ladder matches were all about flash, speed, and high flying dives.  Things Valley excelled at.  If Alaina was going to win she was going to force Valley into her own pace.... and maybe surprise her by trying a few moves of her own that weren't a part of her usual repertoire.

Alaina stood in the center of the ring and stared Valley in the face.  It wasn't an ice cold stare, but it was a very "all business" look.  Alaina liked Valley and knew this would be the toughest title defense of her career, which was saying a lot.  The amazon was not going to allow Valley to have two wins to none against Alaina in her career.  Alaina knew she was among the best, and this was another chance to prove it to everyone around her.  "Good luck Val, I know this match type is all about your style but if you think I am going to roll over and hand you the belt you are mistaken.  Champion buys lunch on the town tomorrow?"  Alaina said, sounding much friendlier when she spoke the lunch proposition.  Alaina was genuine about that too.  This match was going to see them destroying each other, and Alaina wanted that sort of professional intensity to stay in the ring, not spilling over into how they got along outside those ropes.

Valley stood with arms folded, watching from the ring as Alaina made her way down to great fanfare - as a champion should. She wore the belt well, there was no denying that. Like it belonged on her body and her body alone. Complete confidence, total strength. There was a small part of her that even felt guilt about wanting to take it from the Amazon, she couldn’t lie...but that was the business. If Valley wasn’t about taking belts whenever they came her way, she had no right to be wrestling.

At no point did Valley move from her position. At no point did her eyes leave Alaina. She nodded, she smiled along with her, she kept things as cordial as it could be between two women who’d be beating each other senseless in less than a minute...but she held her place, staying as close to the belt as possible at all times.

”You’re on.” Valley let her gaze go up to the belt for a half second, before looking back down again. ”Fair warning? I like to eat big after a big win.”

The announcer made her way into the ring with a microphone in hand, standing to the side of the both as the warrioress. After a quick cough, she looked around the audience and got to the business at hand.

”The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and is for the AFW Entropy Title!” The crowd roared along, a brief burst, before she continued. ”Introducing first, from Palm Springs, California, weighing in at 132 pounds - the Angel Slayer, the Last Slamazon, Valley Doll!”

Valley raised her arms as her fans rallied behind her, but as always, her focus never lingered. She acknowledge them whenever she could, but for 99% of the night, only two women existed in the entire world as far as she was concerned.

Alaina had her eyes locked on Valleys as well. She stared a hole through her foe, determined to let nothing stand in the way of her retaining her title as well as avenging an old loss. Tonight was going to be one of the greatest of her career.... or one of the worst.

Alaina just shook her head and smiled a whole lot less when Valley insinuated that she was going to topple the amazon. Alaina kept staring forward as she crossed her arms.

"And introducing the champion from San Diego California, weighing 160 pounds.... The Amazon Alaina Sanders!"

As the crowd roared Alaina's smile returned to her face. A great deal of them just wanted a great match. That was all but assured. However, Alaina knew a contingent were solidly in her corner. Anything less than another successful title defense was a total letdown for them.

The last thing Alaina was going to do tonight was let her fans or herself down.

As they were talking and whipping the audience into a fine fervor, Valley was still deliberating the best way to take Alaina on. On paper, relying on her speed was the smartest bet, but Julia was just as fast, if not faster, than she was...and Alaina still beat her. She was experienced, of course, but then again, so was Kei...and Alaina still beat her. She was going to have be everything everyone who’d ever fought Alaina was, a little more on top.

So, with that in mind, what was the best way to kick things off? Valley made up her mind the instant she heard the bell. Smashing offense.

The bell hadn’t even finished resounding when she on the attack. Quick as a whip, Valley took a step, then took a short hop while she kicked her leg straight up, going for a jumping snap kick, aiming right at the Amazon’s chin. Valley’s kicks were powerful and fast, and this one was no different, designed to wreck Alaina’s brain from the outset.

No quarter asked, none given.

Alaina heard the bell begin to ring, and even more quickly felt the brute force of one of Valley's devastating kicks! Alaina fell back, hitting the ground like dead weight before the bell fully rang! Alaina groaned, shaking her head in a partial daze as she slowly began to stir. Valley didn't even wait for the bell to finish ringing. Part of Alaina already felt a small simmering anger build oh so slightly.

She tried to begin to sit up. Valley's speed led to thunderous impact whenever she landed a kick. Add an element of surprise and the effect was doubled. If Alaina was out to start of with a roar this was already a resounding failure as the amazon had been taken down with a whimper to start things off!

The opening strike was a success, landing with a sharp crack that made Valley’s ears tingle. She honestly handy expected the blow to knock her down like that, but she supposed, that was just the advantage of getting in the first strike. The element of surprise was hers to enjoy.

”That’s one…” She muttered to herself, calm and cool, as made her way to Alaina’s flanks.

She would let the Amazon sit up, but only that, and not without good reason. When Alaina was up enough, Valley came at her from behind with a harsh soccer kick to the spines

”Double!”

She brought the leg back, never let it touch the floor, and lashed out again. Same kick, same target, same pain.

”Tap!”

Alaina sat up and before she could move further felt a new sharp pain shooting up her spine! "ARGH!" Alaina howled as the first soccer kick landed. Again, she wanted to get up and destroy Valley Doll, slamming her until she broke apart until...

"AHHHHHH!"

Alaina didn't fall back to the mat, instead she howled in agony as a second soccer kick accentuated the pain of the first, making even more of a painful sensation in her back! Alaina's back was arched and she was looking up at the lights, almost like a wolf howling at the moon!

Ugh. The screams.

Valley always had a hard time with the screams. When she'd been younger, hesitating because of them cost her a handful of matches, and even though she'd mostly gotten over it, there was still a chill that went up her spine whenever she got a particularly shrill shriek.

It was never easy. Especially with someone you really liked and respected.

But Valley could push past it enough to fight her own girlfriend, and she certainly could do it for Alaina. That was why she didn’t hesitate after landing the successive kicks. She kept moving, fast and sure.

First, she backed up to the ropes behind Alaina and bounced off them, using them to gain a little steam while she ran towards her fallen foe. When Valley was close enough, she dove forward into a somersault over Alaina, grabbing her by the back of her neck and pulling it down with her as she rolled. When Valley landed, reflexes would take over - Alaina’s back would straighten up face and send her flopping into the mat, completing the Neck Snap move in fine form.