Good To See You Again, Alice Cooper

(The following contains spoilers for two Summer Splash 2017 matches. Read at your own risk)

Well...that went about as well as expected.

Make no mistake, Haley loved Gallium, she had known the teen since she was a young girl and loved her like a sister, and had really done as much as she could to try and teach her to wrestle, though the girls smaller size and headstrong attitude had cost her all her matches thus far. In truth, at least some part of the blame fell on her as well, on her failings as a teacher. If she had known her surrogate little sister was planning on fighting in her stead and trying to get her belt back, she would have never allowed it and kept her from doing so, but by the time she even learned about the match, it was already booked.

Sitting backstage, Haley let out a pained sigh. She had gone without her back, wrist, and leg brace while making her on screen appearance, and while it was worth it so nobody had to see her with them on and feel sorry for her, she needed them, the pain in her body and limbs flaring up quickly without them. Given time and more physical therapy, she wouldn't need them at all, but that was still a ways off.

She had watched the PPV play out, enjoying the various matches, cheering on her lover Valley Doll in her title match, and sighed as the Hardcore Co-Title match played out as expected. To her credit, Gallium tried hard, and actually DID come close, on one moment, to actually winning the match, which would have been the upset of the year...but then things went back to what everyone figured they would be, with Juno tossing Gallium around before smashing her down to become Co-Champion. Ah well. It was worth a shot, she supposed.

As the show continued, Haley stayed in the back, intent on meeting up with Gallium and Valley later on, after both had recovered from their matches.

"....*gargle*...PTOO!!!..."

Off in the distance of the luminescent hallway and huddled over a waste basket, Gwendolyn's repeated application of thoroughly rinsing out her mouth with her bottled water continued ad nauseam. Her surrounding entourage showing earnest concern for their beloved employer's well-being with a few chiming in about having her see the medical personnel. Gwendolyn waving them off before one more thorough rinsing appeared to finally get that grotesque taste out of her mouth, the heiress than chucking her water bottle into the waste basket before proceeding to use the towel over her shoulder to wipe any blue remnants from her soft lips.

"...Bleh...I haven't the foggiest conception of how Akiha can continuously perform such a slovenly maneuver with such flawless efficacy without losing all manner of sensitivity in her taste buds." Gwen snobbishly uttered before turning in place to begin striding down the hallway, flanked on all sides by her track-suited employees forming a human barrier around her. One of whom now carrying her tag-title belt for her. Her tag-title retention still leaving it's mark on the heiress in more than than just her battered physique. The revolting taste in her mouth resulting from brilliantly adopting Akiha's red mist strategy still lingered somewhat, though the sweet taste of victory over her reviled opponent's was easily dwarfing that discomfort. Avenging her Entropy title loss against those accursed reprobate's by defending her tag-team title against them was about as satisfying a way she could imagine ending that wretched chapter in her life. Her mind currently preoccupied with how delightful her ritualistic post match spa session is going to-

*...Hmm?...*

Gwen stopped in her tracks with widened eyes and her befuddled entourage fumbling forward before stopping as well. She spied someone out of the corner of her eye and needed to turn back around to confirm her nostalgic suspicions. A mischievous sneer creeping across her face as the revelation dawned upon her. There were fewer chances more opportune than this to get reacquainted with an old "companion"  of hers from her formative and rookie years in AFW...and perhaps rub in the drastic differences between their current title reigns as well. The heiress than turning in place to begin backpedaling towards Haley who was now preoccupied with adjusting her leg brace and perhaps hadn't caught on to the curly-haired aristocrat now standing before her.

"Hmm~...Leave it to you to not even participate in a match tonight, and still somehow appear more downtrodden, battered, and pathetically subdued than someone of my resplendent elegance who, might I add, just so happens to have defended her title belt in a particularly grueling ladder match. Which should sound rather familiar, shouldn't it, Haley?~..." Gwen pompously imparted with her arms folded across her swelling chest and hazel eyes directed downward towards the wounded Ace.

Haley had just been considering getting up, checking out what spread catering had delivered, thinking some nice exotic egyptian food might be a nice way to forget about the bad night...when the sound of a familiar voice caused her to look up, her eyes first widening in surprise, before she closed them and sighed.

"Ah...crapbaskets..."

She thought to herself, before looking up at none other than one of her former opponents, and current tag team champion, Gwendolyn Dupont Fucking Bettencourt.

Gwen didn't even need to make the not-so-subtle comparison and hinting. All it took was the sight of the woman standing there, belt on her shoulder, for Haley to flash back to Avalanche, 3 years earlier, being smothered out with some strange substance on a rag, god it was like she could almost still smell it, before being flung off a ladder and forced to watch Gwen take her Entropy belt away from her, setting her on a path of insecurity and "belonging" issues that would last until Avalanche two years later, where she won the Hardcore title.

At least this time Gwen wouldn't be walking out with her belt....somebody else would...or well, a copy of her belt at least.. Ugh.

"Well. Gwendolyn...it's been a long time. Saw your match, I should congratulate you on defending your title...When I called you a blue blood, I thought that was just in status, I didn't realize it was actually blue...I'm guessing you came here to gloat over my...awkward situation, or did you want to try and take this belt from me too?"

"Hmm...No, I do believe I'll let you keep this particular title belt. Slogging around such cumbersome trophies on both my shoulders would just be such an irksome strain on my delicate neck and poised posture. Besides...it appears this belt comes with certain..." Gwen would lightly tap Haley's leg brace, not enough to hurt Haley in the slightest, but just bring attention to it. "...baggage."

With a sudden and graceful pivot, Gwen would seat herself right beside Haley and wrap an arm tightly around the Hardcore champions shoulder to bring her in for a cozy side-hug as if they were the closest of compatriots. "Oh but come now Haley~...This reunion of contentious rivals calls for celebration~...there were some who say ours was the match of the year, and outclassed even the main event. But above all else, I believe our reunion requires...introspection. Simply compare where our divergent paths in this hallowed wrestling league have left us?"

Gwen placed her free hand on her chest while holding her snooty head high." Me~...being the unparalleled paragon of dignified wrestling expertise in the peak of my prime and in the middle of my second championship run..." Gwen than brought her head back down to glance back at Haley with a brief flick of her hand in Haley's direction. "And then there's you..."

Gwen not attempting to describe Haley's downtrodden situation of being horribly injured and now being forced to share her title belt with someone else. The heiress believed Haley got her point without needing to spell it out for her.

"...*giggle*...Ah, but I simply must express to you my most sincere gratitude, Haley. Were it not for your utter defeat at my divine hands...NONE of what proceeded it may have occurred. My title reigns, My extended time spent in this league and the sheer joy I've spread to these uncouth masses as a result. Why...I do believe I owe my entire wrestling career to that one...specific...match~..." Gwen smiled wholesomely in Ace's direction while she let the fact sink in that Haley was inadvertently responsible for the heiress' reign in AFW...

Annnnnd there it was!

It had already been a very stressful day as it was. She was hurt, her best friends had lost, she was sharing a belt, and now Gwen, a woman who frankly, Haley had been content to not deal with, was gloating about her issues and bringing up past failures that Haley had been already put behind her, all because...why? Because it made the heiress feel good, apparently.

All through Gwens speech, acting all buddy-buddy, Haley sat still, arms crossed, actually trembling a little. It had been a very stressful day, and Haley was more than done with it.

"You...You just have to rub it in, don't you? Can't just be happy with how good things are for yourself, you just HAVE to come over, and gloat and go out of your way to make me as miserable as you can, don't you?"

She smacked Gwens arm off of her shoulder, and would have stood up, if it hadn't been difficult to do so, instead turning to glare at the Tag Team Champion, the Canadians eyes burning with anger. "Do you have ANY idea how low I am right now? I'm fucking hurt, because of some bitch who continues the biggest thorn I've ever had in my side, the two best people in my life both lost tonight, one of whom might be hurt bad, and it's all MY fault, because I couldn't fight myself tonight, and my title reign is becoming the laughingstock of the league!"

This time she did stand up, despite how awkward it was, before glaring at Gwen again and continuing her outburst. "Then, as if all that isn't bad enough, here you come in, at what is one of the lowest points of my career, and what do you do? For literally no reason, at all, you kick me as hard as you can while I'm down! God! I can't BELIEVE I used to RESPECT you!"

Her outburst finally over, Haley slumped back down in her chair, leg hurting, letting out a deep sigh and running her hands over her face.

For Gwendolyn, the sight of a hobbled foe in clearly dire straits was akin to a malnourished shark sensing the allure of crimson blood in the water. Her immediate reaction simply being the most logical one in her vastly conceited mind. The polar opposite contradictions of their title reigns simply added to the deliciously ironic mix, as Gwendolyn was in the midst of building a sturdy foundation of title defenses to erect her illustrious championship reign upon...while Haley was incapable of simply walking straight let alone walk into a wrestling ring.

Couple that with the battered Canadian now suffering the indignity of having to share her title belt, alongside watching her companions fail just as spectacularly...and, well, one could hardly blame Gwen for ravenously feasting upon her wounded prey with sharp-witted words that cut quite deep...

...perhaps, too deep. Gwendolyn balking with a raised eyebrow when her hugging arm was slapped away, a stunned speechless expression on her face  as she unexpectedly became the outlet to which Haley vented all of her bubbling frustrations. The heiress absorbing the brunt of her backlash, with Haley's final comment sticking out in her mind above all else...several seconds of uncomfortable silence hanging in the air with Gwen still staring at the now seated Haley before she suddenly spoke up and stood up.

"D-Don't you direct whatever malignant, self-defeating thoughts you have rattling around in that thick cranium of yours to me!! Whatever decisions you have made, have brought you to this despondent station in your life, and I will NOT be shouldering whatever burdens you've chosen to place upon yourself!!" Gwen pompously imparted with an index finger assigned squarely towards pointing downward at the seated Hardcore champion before propping her hands on her curvy hips.

"Tch...Honestly...To expect any manner of sympathy from me, of all people...and furthermore..." Gwen scoffed and folded her arms across her swelling chest, having an almost valley girl-esque scoff as she darted her eyes to the side before centering them upon Haley. "What more opportune time is there to stomp on a fallen opponent?! To relish in the sullen state of a worthy adversary. Competition IS the bedrock foundation of this boorish sport, is it not? And my climb to the top of this federation will be built upon a mountain comprised of my defeated adversaries, those for which I intend to hold no sympathy for, just as I would expect them to feel towards me if roles were reversed!!!"

Haley sat there, listening to Gwens retort, not that she had any choice in the matter, finally scoffing as the woman finished before speaking again, though not as loudly as before at least.

"A fallen opponent? You're joking right? Our match was THREE years ago. We haven't even spoken in that time! We aren't opponents! We aren't adversaries or enemies or anything! What, you think I'd consider you my enemy because of what happened in our match? I got over it, like a normal person would!"

She leaned in, giving Gwen a look of incredulity before continuing. "As for your "no sympathy" thing, guess what Gwenniecakes? I actually DID have sympathy for you, years ago, when you lost the damn Entropy Title. Bet that's a shocker, isn't it? Well, it's true. I thought that triple threat match was bullshit. Everyone knew you'd end up getting double teamed into oblivion before they ever went after each other. It was bullshit, and unfair.

At least when you screwed me for the belt, or someone else, it was through crafty, outsmarting means, and at least I could shoulder some of the blame for not paying attention to your dumb maid and taking her out, but you? You got completely fucked over, beaten down and mugged, and, insufferable as you can be, someone of your talent deserved better than that."

Now, grabbing onto the seat, she DID stand up again, pointing her finger at Gwen, too tired and frustrated to bother with anything but just blunt statements. "So yeah, I felt for you there, I understood what you were going though. In fact, that's what pisses me off THE MOST about you.

Despite the shit you would pull, I actually gained a lot of RESPECT for you! You have a HELL of a lot of talent, you never actually back down or retreat and put up a hell of a fight when the chips are down, you gave me one of the hardest fights I've ever had, you're one of the most beautiful and sexiest girls on the roster, and, damnit, frankly, you seem like you'd be a lot of fun to be around, if you didn't act like such an antagonistic bitch all the time!"

Her leg twinged, and she fell back into her seat again, going quiet and letting out a long breath, trying to calm herself back down.

There was silence for a while. Awkward silence. Was there any other kind of silence? But finally, sounding much calmer, Haley spoke again.

"...M'sorry. You were right. I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. Wasn't fair, none of this is your fault. Just...Ugh, I am stressed as fuck right now and picking a fight was a way to vent..."

Considering Gwendolyn's natural born propensity to be on the defensive in a heated verbal joust with nigh every competitor who has stepped into the ring with her, the heiress was well and duly prepared to do just that upon first recognizing Haley in the hallway. However...little by little, Haley's unexpectedly candid and heartfelt admission caused the heiress' defenses to gradually dwindle away. Her stiffened and authoritarian posture softening up as her judgmental glare turned to one of dawning realization, the heiress furrowing her brow in contemplation as she struggled to process all of this until Haley had finally unload that substantial weight off her mind.

...Gwen stood there gobsmacked for several seconds before she shook her head and stood tall before propping one hand on her curvy hip as she spoke up with far more levity in her voice.

"You know...you're making all of this exceedingly...difficult, for me...*sigh*... It's just...this was decidedly not how I anticipated this encounter to transpire. As you are no doubt aware, I'm far more accustomed to engaging with vengeful rivals and boorish philistines who seek to drag me down into the depths of their own mundane mediocrity. However...it appears, I may have been mistaken in pigeonholing you as either.  It just dawned on me that if I see everyone as enemies, than enemies are all I'll ever find. If I'd but known you harbored no ill will towards me and regarded me in such high-esteem...why, I may dare to say that a budding friendship could have flowered between us~..." Gwen lightened up with a delighted smirk as she finally conceded in her attempted belittling of Haley, finally perhaps seeing the battered Hardcore champion in a new light.

"I must say, it is quite refreshing to finally be acknowledged by my colleagues for my resplendent beauty and exquisite wrestling expertise amongst my other innumerable talents, and from quite the unexpected source. If we are being truly, entirely candid...I, perhaps, in some fleeting manner...may have been rooting for you to dethrone that deplorable Adrian Kytes as Hardcore Champion. Any individual who can hand that wretched layabout a thorough trouncing is already Aces in my book...no pun intended, of course." With that, Gwen would snap her fingers sharply. Her six-person entourage than encroaching menacingly around Haley with arms raised...only to begin tenderly strapping on Haley's back, wrist, and leg brace before carefully raising her off the chair by wrapping her arms two of her employees shoulders. They would turn her in place to face the smirking heiress.

"See?...I have the capacity to humble myself and show genuine compassion when the situation calls for it. In fact, I dare say I may be the most humble wrestler in this entire, uncivilized federation." Gwen proudly and unironically stated with her pompous head held high with a glowing smile and arms folded.

"Now, care to divulge where we'll be continuing this delightful reunion~...?"

Well she'll be damned.

Did Gwen just compliment her? She'd never thought she'd see the day. Hell, maybe there WAS a chance the two could actually get along if both were willing to drop hostilities against each other...

Ace's thoughts were interrupted as Gwen suddenly signaled several of her loyal entourage, who briefly surrounded Ace, the girls eyes widening in an expression of worry...before changing to one of bemusement, as they snapped on her braces and helping her up.

"Wow...um...th-thank you...as for where...well uh...this arena actually has its own sauna for athletes...like, a steam room. Was gonna meet Valley and Gallium there after their matches, but if you brought up...you know...clothes for it...we could try it out?

Never let it be said that Gwendolyn was completely incapable of showcasing sympathy and offering assistance to a fellow colleague in distress. Her capacity for generosity, however, was entirely dependent on well she felt the individual in question had lavished her with praise and added more kindling to the fiery inferno that was her blazing ego.

"Ah, think nothing of it~...What manner of illustrious idol would I be if I allowed such an ardent fan of mine to wallow away in such a deplorable condition? After our quaint little interaction just now, I've come to realize that there, quite simply, is no sport in continuing our little competitive spat given you're downtrodden state. Perhaps once you've fully rehabilitated, we can continue that delightful conversation another time~..." Gwen smiled in a chipper tone before turning in place to begin a confident stride towards the sauna. Her entourage following closely behind and helping Ace along the way if need be.

"What a delightful coincidence, I was just on my way to bask in the sweltering temperatures of my own private sauna...though, perhaps I will deviate from the norm and partake in a public facility alongside you. Commiserating amongst my fellow colleagues is yet another first among many so far this fine day. No doubt they will be just as appreciative of my captivating company as you must be~..." Gwendolyn pompously proclaimed while pridefully waltzing besides Haley. "Tis a shame we never settled our differences sooner, I could have advised you against earning the ire of Madam Styx. Someone who just so happens to be a close personal friend of mine~..."