A New Begining

As part of a renewed effort to shore up fan support, the AFW had begun running pre-show fan fests in their arenas on a more consistent basis. Obviously, there would be the usual deluge of official merchandise to be purchased, everything from Valley Doll tee-shirts to Jessica Wright baseball bat's. The real draw, however, were the wrestlers in attendance, at least a few each time, available to give autographs and chat with the fans.

It was for that reason Videle Diavola was walking to the arena on an afternoon when she wasn't even on the card. There was someone with whom she desperately needed to speak.

Things hadn't been going Videle's way as of late. She'd trained hard, put everything she had into achieving the goal of becoming a great pro-wrestler in her sisters memory, she'd made it to the proverbial Big Leagues. It was exciting. It was incredible... and it was far more daunting then she ever imagined.

She thought she'd known what to expect. She'd dealt with bullies and jealous backstabbers during her time on the Indy circuit, but that was nothing compared to the collection of dangerous, sociopaths infesting this promotion. Even if you managed to avoid them, you still had to deal with some of the best athletes in the world. So far, Videle hadn't had much success gaining a foothold. What she needed was a mentor, someone to really show her the ropes. Someone who had already stood against the worst the business had to throw at her and come out on top. That person was... Silver Ace.

Silver Ace. She was perfect, a wrestler of similar size to Videle who had seized the hardcore championship and held it through grit and determination, like a superhero standing tall against the forces of darkness, and if the W.A.R. crew didn't qualify as supervillains, who did?  Ace had enemies. Big, scary River Styx-shaped enemies. She could use someone to watch her back. It was a win-win.

Videle smiled to herself as she walked. She could imagine it now...


Videle sighed contentedly as she strode into the AFW arena, following the conveniently posted signs towards the advertised fan-fest. Soon the signs were unnecessary, she just followed the autograph seekers. It was crowded on the open convention floor, but it didn't take long to find her target.

There she was, signing autographs behind a table as fan after fan came up to meet her, forming a long line. Haley Cote, Silver Ace, Hardcore Champion! The Duchess of Disaster! The Countess of Monte Cristo! Well, not the last two... Videle scolded herself. Her mind went in all sorts of random directions when she was nervous.

This is it. The moment that makes or breaks my career. I spent an hour practicing my whole pitch in the mirror last night. I got this.

Taking a deep breath, summoning every ounce of courage and self-discipline she could manage, Videle Diavola walked to where Ace sat. She walked right passed the line, drawing a few protests from the people there, but she ignored them. Her eyes were blue fire, focused on Haley, burning with raw intensity, though the effect was somewhat lessened by the way her long pigtails framed her face. She was ready. Videle opened her mouth to speak-

"Hey, lady! The line starts back there!" Someone yelled at her from behind, causing Videle to whip around.

"I'm in the middle of something here! Give me a second, ok!?" That done, she turned back to the hardcore champ...

"I..." Videle froze, horrified. She'd forgotten *everything* she'd planned to say, the whole pitch she'd planned to laid out how and why taking her as a protegee made so much sense. "....hey! Silver Ace, right? We know each other from work! Well, we haven't actually spoken yet, but were like colleagues! Um....."

She still couldn't remember any of what she'd planned to say. Left with no other option, Videle switched to her backup plan. Operation:Shameless Begging.

"I'm new my career has stalled I need a mentor and you're awesome please train me!" Videle bowed respectfully, the way one did in japan when addressing ones teacher, her words coming out in a desperate, breathless rush.

Ace was glad to be signing autographs believe it or not. After all the shitty moments and drama of her injury, the grueling therapy and recovery, the sting of having to end up as a Co-Hardcore champion with Juno as a result, despite Galliums noble efforts...it was all just a bit much, and the Canadian had been wanting something to take her mind off of from…well all of it.

So signing autographs for a ravenous horde of fans was actually a relief. Ace was just finishing up with her fiftieth or so autograph when she was suddenly approached by a dark haired girl who had just cut the entire line.

Haley was about to speak when someone shouted their displeasure about this woman cutting the line, which prompted the newcomer to quickly turn towards the line and asked the line for a minute with the hardcore champion. Ace still hadn’t spoken yet as she stared at the woman as she began to speak but froze.


“Hmm…should I say something? She seems kinda lost-“ Haley would think to herself before the newcomer finally began to speak. Albeit, not very well.


Then when she finally seemed to find the courage to speak clearly, Ace was a bit surprised as the woman bowed before the hardcore champ and began to desperately shoot out her troubles before restoring to praising, and then finally...asked to be trained.

Ok then


“Um...Teach you? I mean...I guess...I uh...maybe...” Haley would reply, confused and stammering at the unexpected request, a voice screaming loudly in her head


“What the hell!!! What do we do!?…YOU CAN’T JUST SAY YES! You don’t even know this woman! AT LEAST TALK THINGS THROUGH FIRST! She just cut in line! That already makes her look bad!!! OMG! AND GALLIUM! She’s going to feel so threatened! First she has a ton of trouble winning matches…which come to think of it, makes you a bad trainer... but if you took a new student, she’ll think I’m replacing her!!! DO YOU WANT TO KILL HER DREAMS ACE!? WELL DO YOU!?” Ace would shriek at herself while keeping up a friendly demeanor. Needless to say, it was very, VERY hard to do.


“Look uh...I'm really very flattered, but I don't think I can do that. I mean, no offense, but I've never even seen you wrestle before, and I don't know who you are or what you can do... uh…sorry but, can you just move to the right real quick? I just have to sign some autographs before these fans riot…they look kinda mad at you…” she would say while pointing towards the line of very angry fans who were starring at the newcomer with burning hatred.

Operation:Shameless Begging in danger of critical failure. Abort mission! Abort mission!

It was all falling apart, and in truth, Videle knew she should have expected this outcome from the very beginning. The whole outing seemed so childish now, in retrospect. No, childish was too tame a word. Trying to harass one of the promotions top stars into taking her on as a protégé? That was borderline insanity! Not to mention the complete and utter failure to factor in the righteous fury of the crowd...

She had only two options... retreat, humbled but perhaps a little wiser for her efforts... or double down.

"That's OK. I know all these people hate me... and I can take it. I've fought through adversity before!" Videle raised her clenched fist, her eyes filled with the unmistakable gleam of fighting spirit. "And I've always come through! I won't let any obstacle-

"Somebody call security and get this nut job off the line?"

"Yeah!"

"We wanna see Ace!"

"-or painful humiliation... stand in my way! One shot is all I need. I know I'll impress you." Videle trailed off momentarily, alarm in her eyes as she noticed security guards headed in their general direction. She spun back to her idol, pigtails whipping with the motion.

"A-at least give me a chance to prove myself! Give me a test to prove my worth, a challenge! I'll fight anyone, anytime, anywhere! Please? Please!?"

At first, Ace wasn't sure what to really think. Nobody but Gallium had ever wanted her as a mentor, and that was more Ace goading her into it than anything else.

Still, the girl seemed...earnest. Driven. Motivated. Spunky. Needed a haircut, but maybe...Then the crowd started yelling again, she could see security guards heading her way. She turned Videles way, about to brush her off...when she didn't see Videle, instead, for a brief second, an image of herself, in Taylor Parkers kitchen, years ago, demanding a match herself.

She stood up, raising a hand to stop the AFW security staff heading towards them, and pointed at Videle. "Alright...Alright. You want a shot kid? I'll give you a shot. Next episode of Friction, I want you to go one on one...with me."

The crowd of Ace fans, having gone silent when she stood up, let out small gasps, some clapping, others yelling how the new girl wasn't worth her time. She ignored them, looking at the pigtailed girl and extending a handshake out to her.

"You vs me. One shot. You bring your A game, show me what you're made of...and maybe we'll talk after. Alright?"

"I know, I know I'm inexperienced but if you just give me a chance you'll see I can-" Videle just kept on talking, a sort of delay between her hearing Ace's words and her stunned brain comprehending them. "-what now?"

She blinked and those expressive eyes stared back at her idol in a cross between disbelief and rising excitement. Her gaze fell to the offered hand as if it held the holy grail and she were a knight pilgrim who'd reached the promised land. "You. Me. A match? On Friction?"

And then, the moment passed and she grabbed for that offered hand, shaking it enthusiastically. "You won't regret this! I'll bring my A game! No, scratch that. I'll bring my A+ game! You better bring *your* A game or you'll get your butt kicked!"
Her face fell and she let go of Aces hand, giving her a deep bow. "Sorry! I get a little carried away." She grinned and raised a fist. "I won't go easy on you! This'll be a battle for the ages! "

"Finally!"

"Hey Security, the crazy chicks over here!"

"Get her off the line!"

Videle opened her mouth to speak, but it was about then that a couple of security guards clapped their hands on her shoulders and began to gently, but firmly, escort the young woman away from the line. Videle twisted away from them and bowed to Ace again. "Thank you, thank you so much! I'll never forg- hey! Take it easy! I've got rights you know!"

This time, security was considerably less gently as they more forcefully escorted Videle away, who looked more cute then fierce-some with an indignant expression, as she weren't the cause of this disruption in the first place. Most of the fans on line applauded and Videle stuck her tongue at them as she was removed. Any other time, getting booted from a fan-fest would have been humiliating, but not this time. This time, she'd won, she'd accomplished her goal and gotten her shot.

Now, she just had to make the most of it.