The Valley Doll Entropy Championship Open Invitational #2 - Friction World Cup Edition

Valley found herself in the back, in the guerilla position, once more suited up for a match. The pads were on tight, the gloves were pulled down, her hair was freshly cut and her belt had been freshly shined, its golden glint showing even in the shadows.

She looked ready. But looking and being could be two vastly different things, couldn’t they?

It had been two weeks since her title defense against Lea. Her first title defense with the Entropy Belt. With any belt, ever. It hadn’t been exactly as she’d planned it, sure, but that was the point to the championship’s unique stipulations, wasn’t it? She could choose her opponents, but her opponents always chose the match, and there was no telling what they'd come up with. She supposed she should've been glad Lea didn’t go for something that favored her even more heavily.

But her body paid the price for it. It had taken a solid week of rest to recover, and more than that to convince the doctors that she was good enough for competition. In the end, she wasn’t 100% sure herself. She had full functionality, could pull off all her best moves, but there still aches and pain and things that could’ve been made far worse if she took a shot in the wrong place or landed to hard or-

”No. No.” Valley gave her cheeks a few quick slaps as she faced the curtain. She couldn’t think about that sort of thing now. She was good enough to compete, and she had to compete. She had to. Her first defense had ended in a No Contest - a good match, but unacceptable. She needed clean wins, and she needed them as soon as possible With the Friction World Cup looming and competition heating up, more women were making their mark in the AFW than ever. Valley had to stay relevant.

So, despite the pain, when her music played and the cue was given, she came bursting out from the back with a wide smile on her face and her belt held high. Look strong, look confident. Be strong, be confident.

A few moments later and she was in the ring with a microphone in her hand and the crowd roaring around her as her theme faded. She looked about, waited for them to die down a bit, then brought it up to her lips. Deep breaths. 1, 2, 3 and…

”Toooooooooooookyo!” She screamed out, loud and especially proud. ”Welcome to the second Valley Doll Entropy Championship Open Invitational!” The crowd, despite the way the first one had went, gave her a decent round of applause. Just more fuel to the fire, more reason for her to make the second something special.

”Now, I apologize about the first episode. Things didn’t quite go as planned, didn’t give you the clean ending I was hoping for in the first outing. Lea was…” Insane, relentless, a hardcore monster. ”...not exactly what I was expecting. But it’s a new day, and with the Friction World Cup in full swing, I’m feeling a bit patriotic. See, I noticed something about the current title scene - as it turns out, I’m the only American holding a belt in Friction right now. So let’s go with that, huh?”

Valley turned to the ramp and pointed to the back, nodding. ”For my belt and for my country, I’m throwing down the gauntlet. I’ll take anyone from anywhere. You want to bring the belt home, get some gold? It’s waiting for you!” Valley took a step back and opened her arms, putting herself on display. ”I’m dressed to fight, and it’s first come, first serve!”

Valley handed the belt off to the referee and started bouncing on her toes, eagerly waiting to see who’d answer the call this time…

For a moment, the arena was silent, save for the low murmuring of the crowd. A murmuring that steadily grew louder as Valley's question was left hanging in the air. For almost a minute, it seemed as though Valley's challenge would fall on deaf ears.

That was, until the bagpipes started playing.

Many in the audience jumped at this. Quite a few wondered if Rowdy Roddy Piper had suddenly come back from the dead. The bagpipes, however, morphed into a familiar epic metal track, and the crowd started cheering once more when they realized who this music heralded.

Down the arena strode Emily Nelson, walking with a slow and almost haughty stride that gave off a regal vibe about her. She had entered the arena dressed for battle, clad in her usual fuschia and fishnet one piece, and the stern look on her face told the audience that she had come to make war. Stopping halfway down the ramp, Emily gestured to the ref; hurriedly, a ring official ran up and delivered a microphone into the Scots woman's waiting hand.

"Valley Doll," Emily began, "I have tae admit, I've been following yer career with some interest as of late. Ye're a tough lass, to be sure, and I think yer proved that in that last bout ye had against Lea. So normally, I would just leave ye be...except there's a wee problem. I want that belt of yours."

She paused a little, letting the crowd get a little more excited before she continued. "I never turn down a challenge," she went on. "That reason, and that alone, would be enough for me to take ye on. But...as I said, I've also been following your career, and I've noticed something. You've defeated a lot of former Wrestle Angels in the past. Natasha, Chris Morgan...girls who are the best of the best. This won't stand."

She pointed across the arena at the American. "Valley Doll, I'm not just here for that fancy belt you like so much. I'm here to teach ye a lesson. For the honour of the Wrestle Angels, I'm here to defeat ye!"

She lowered the mic, her face impassive as she waited for Valley to respond, Everly as the crowd went wild all around them.

The uncomfortable silence. Valley was coming to know it well.

That was always the problem with these open challenges - there was no way to know who, if anyone would answer them. You always ran the small risk of getting yourself in a position where no one would come out, and you’d just wind up standing there like an idiot. Valley knew the Entropy Title wasn’t the World Title, but Alaina had done a good job building prestige on it in the last year. She was hoping to continue the trend.
Her fears were allayed when she finally heard some music playing over the loudspeakers, though the crowd was understandably confused by the bagpipes. She was, too - at first. But she quickly put the pieces together and made a reasonable guess. There was really only one woman she knew of on the Friction roster who fit the bill, and sure enough, she came sauntering out a moment later.

Emily Nelson.

The audience had no way of knowing it, but the two had crossed paths before, in the stands at Avalanche. Though she was amicable enough, Valley could see the hunger in her eyes, the edge in her voice...she had a strong feeling the woman would come calling for her belt at some point, and she was glad she didn’t have to wait too long. This was exactly the sort of match she needed. A test of skill against a fellow veteran. If she was good enough for Natasha Han, she was good enough for the Entropy Title.

”Emily. Hi.” Valley gave her a frilly wave. ”Yeah, it’s true, I’ve taken on more than my fair share of Wrestling Angels in my time here. You guys had a solid roster, and it’s been my privilege to meet your best wrestlers. I can honestly say your league’s given me some of the best matches of my career, and you’re all solid opponents. The impact that the Wrestling Angels had on the Japanese wrestling scene is something that’ll stick to our sport for decades.”

Valley’s words were genuine and heartfelt, true and honest. She meant every bit of it, and the crowd agreed, giving a small clap of appreciation.

”But…” She held up a finger. ”As good as they are, as good as you are - I’m better.” She gave the title on her shoulder a pat. ”So name your match, come on in the ring, and I’ll show you exactly why that is.”

Valley was trying her best to stay compose, keep that championship air, but she could resist swaying from side to side as the sheer anticipation took hold. She hadn’t been this eager, since...well, Alaina. Even so, that just showed how big this could be for both of them.

A slow, confident smile had been visibly building on Emily's face, and it grew even more visible as Valley laid down the gauntlet and asked what kind of match she wanted. After seeing Valley fight to a brutal no contest against Lea last week, Emily knew that the American was more than game for any kind of match she proposed. Only, Emily wasn't one for the more hardcore fights that some other wrestlers seemed to go for. That didn't mean, however, that she wasn't one to get rough.

She raised the microphone again. "If ye know me at all, Valley," she said, "ye know I'm a stickler for the rules. No weapons, no dirty tricks...just me and you, battering each other to a pin, K.O. or submission. However...I'm not about tae let something as daft as a wee countout spoile this match for us, so I say a no count-out match." She gestured to the wider audience. "I don't think these lads and lasses will mind if the fight goes out of the ring, after all, do you?"

The crowd burst into cheering at this. Folding her arms, Emily watched Valley warily, waiting for the American's response.