Brave New Valley

”Hello, Kyoto!”

Valley Doll stood in the ring, as she’d done a million times, but that was about the only thing that was standard about the current situation. She wasn’t dressed in her usual attire, instead coming out in her demin blue jeans a pink workout bra, and a white jacket over it all. It was a casual outfit, and one that the audience took little note of. They’d were more interested in learning why she was here in the first place.

It had been a while since anyone had seen the Slamazon. After her match with Manami Kuroda and her loss of the Entropy Title, she’d been less of a public figure in the company. She had the occasional match, mostly dark, and she posted on Twitter and Instagram every now and then to ensure her fans that no, despite the rampant rumors, she wasn’t retired...but as for her plans, where she was going, nobody really knew.  Whenever she was asked, she was noticeably quiet on the subject.

People had expected her to hit the ring and make a promo to let the crowd know what was up, but they’d expected her to do that in Friction. Aside from a brief foray onto the brand with a match against Daisuke and Charlie, she’d had little contact with the brand so what was she here for?

”So, you’re probably all wondering what I’m out here for. Understandable.” She held up a hand and waved them down. ”The last time many of you saw me, I was getting dragged to the back, recovering from numerous snake bites. Not the best look, I admit, and I’ve heard all the rumblings. ‘She’s out’, ‘she’s done’, ‘she’s washed up’?”

Valley Doll rolled her eyes at each and everyone of those notions. She wasn’t big on social media, but she’d had her ears out enough to catch the rumor mill, and it was an endless source of entertainment. Factually incorrect entertainment, but entertainment.

”Well, I’m not. Yes, I lost. Yes, Manami beat me. And yes, I’m not through with her.” She eyed a nearby camera for a moment, making sure the wild glint in her eye was seen. ”But I’m turning a new chapter in my life, now. I need to rebuild, reevaluate, restore myself. And I’ve decided to do that right here! In Tension!”

Valley held her hand up high as a mix of cheers and confused noises went through the audience. While she had her fans, even here, there was a lot of doubt in the audience. Tension was always viewed as the harder show, with women taking on men, going toe to toe with them. It wasn’t rare for a Friction woman to moonlight on the roster, but to officially switch sides? That was new. Weird. Intriguing.

She’d have to prove herself. There was an easy enough way to do that.

”I’m sure there’s plenty of people in the back who are scratching their heads right now, and wondering if a former Friction champion is coming to take their spots, that I don’t deserve to be here. Well,” She turned towards the ramp with a hand on her hips. ”This is your chance. If anyone doesn’t think I belong here, come on out and show the world. I’ll take anyone, man or woman, in a match. Here and now!”

A bold statement, but one that the crowd seemed to approve off. Anxious, they looked towards the curtain, waiting to see who’d come out...

Tonight, there was going to a big announcement. Valley Doll was going to make an appearance on an AFW show to break her silence after her grueling IronWoman match against Manami. Many believed she was done, she was finished that this appearance tonight was going to be for an announcement to hang up her boots and finish her wrestling career. However, those rumors simply couldn't be true, why would she announce such a big thing on Tension when her career was built on Friction. No. This had to be something else.

Someone who recently wrestled her on Tension and lost- Daisuke Takeuchi was very much interested in what she had to say and was keeping a close eye on her appearance on Tension. Backstage, he was in his wrestling briefs clad with his wrestling boots with a black shirt on top with some of his custom logos for his own branding. With a fold of his arms under his chest, he observantly watched he and listened to her speech.

A smirk formed across the corner of his lips as she spoke about her loss to Manami, however that smirk soon faded away and he gritted his teeth as she mentioned about starting a new chapter of her wrestler career in Tension. Immediately on hearing that, Daisuke was both excited and a bit upset- excited that one of the best wrestlers in AFW would be an active member of the Tension roster but equally upset about someone in Friction, thought she would waltz over to Tension and take the spot of those more deserving, who started off in Tension.

It seemed as if Valley too recognized this point, mentioning it in her speech as she gave an opportunity of whoever thought the same to come out and face her, face to face.

After Valley was finished, she did not have to wait long. Daisuke's theme cued after a couple of moments and he slowly walked down the ramp towards the ring, with a mic already in hand. Daisuke tried to keep it cool, he grinned as he made his way down and suppressed his disapproval of her joining Tension as best he could. Finally, upon entering the ring, the wrestling prince approached the Slamazon, who had her hands on her hips, and walked right up towards her for a stare-down. He simply glared into her eyes, said nothing.....for a brief moment.

Daisuke knew she wouldn't flinch, she had no reason too. The wrestling prince took a step back and sighed, "Valley Doll. I must admit after our last meeting here, in the Tension ring- when you beat me, this was the last thing I expected. he said before pausing. "Valley, I don't think you belong in Tension nor do I think you can make it here. Valley, people make tough decisions in their career when they have so much left in the tank, when they have so much more to offer.....but you are a defeated woman, on the edge of the road- to take such a drastic decision now? I think is a big mistake, Val" he added.

Daisuke would look around the crowd before turning back to face her, "You should have just quit when you had your moment of glory in Tension, putting Charlie on the shelf and beating me." he said before approaching her face to face again. "Yeah, I'll be the first to admit you beat me fair and square Valley, but just like your appearance in Tension, it just just a one-off victory. If you think you're going to come here in Tension and be the best like in Friction, I'm going to be the first one to tell you that you can't and I'm going to wrestle you again and again until I make you quit Tension or wrestling altogether" he said with a determined look.

Valley Doll wasn’t sure who’d come out to answer her challenge. She had her preferences, sure, but that was always the double-edged sword with these open challenges. When you casted your line into the sea, there was no telling which fish would come nibbling. There were many promising prospects, of course - Blue Thunder Mask came to mind, she’d heard some things about the Red Nation, she wanted to have a long talk with Dasher Inoba, and an even longer - and private - talk with Hawkeye.

None of them came out, though. Instead, she got familiar music and a familiar face.

She cocked her head to the side, amused and smirking as Daisuke laid out his rant. It was nice to see that time and losing to her hadn’t done anything to dull the man’s edge, but if he seriously thought this sort of talk was enough to scare her or intimidate her or get in her head, then he clearly hadn’t learned his lesson the last time she’d had him slapping the mat.

Lucky for him, it was a lesson she had no problem teaching again. And again. And again. As many times as it took to get into that skull of his.

”Hiiiiiiiii, Daisuke.” She sighed, giving him the same look she’d have for a bothersome little brother. One that didn’t know quite when to shut up, but was amusing nonetheless. ”You know, I can’t help but feel you’re taking an obsession to me. It’s cute, really, but I’m spoken for.”

She took a step back and stretched, giving a good check of her body. Feeling fine. Feeling confident. ”All right, I’m up for starting this off with you. What sort of match do you want to go for? Another submission match? Last Man Standing? Just go vanilla?”

Daisuke was not going to let Valley reach the top of the Tension mountain, just as she did in Friction, before he could. If she was going to switch over to Tension, then she was going to be the biggest threat to the climb to the top. Making his way into the ring, Daisuke did his best to try and intimidate her. It didn't work the first time and it didn't work this time either as Valley didn't seem all too concerned about his words, cocking her head to the side and smirking during the duration of his rant. Daisuke was visibly annoyed after looking at Valley's expression. Her words only further infuriated him as he felt she was not taking him seriously.

"Tsk...yeah right" he said, rolling his eyes at her when she mentioned that perhaps he was obsessed with her. There may be some truth to that but not in a more conventional manner. He was obsessed to beat the best, to become the best. Taking a step back himself, offering quite a bit of distance between himself and her, he would begin to answer her question.

"Very interesting proposals. Although, before we decide on our own match type I must warn you- Valley." he said pausing a bit. "Tension is a different ball game altogether. I mean, you may even be lucky that your first opponent is going to be me BECAUSE who knows? Most of the other competitors are far less dignified than I am. Your match could have been accepted by...lets say? Ryo? or maybe a returning Killer King....would you dare step in the ring with those disgusting wrestlers, who look for hentai wrestling matches?" he said with a grin.

"Tensions past was indeed a grim one but it still lurks here, oil wrestling, sauna wrestling, WAM, POW.....one of these days, the graceful Valley might be subjugated to such conditions" he chuckled a bit.

Valley lowered one eyebrow, only to raise the other a moment later, as Daisuke continued on. The man’s confidence was impressive, if nothing else - she’d beaten him fair in their last match up, but you might not have known that if you were just watched the scene with the audio turned off. He stood there like he had a champion’s belt on, talking down to her despite the age gap.

She didn’t interrupt him. Let him get it all out of his system.

When he was finished, Valley arched her back, cracking a few bones and getting the kinks out. She’d obviously be wrestling soon, no harm in getting the stretches out of the way. ”Okay, Daisuke,” She crossed her arm in front of her chest and gave it a good pull. ”There are several things wrong with what you just said. I mean, comparing Ryo to Killer King is wrong. One’s a good wrestler, the other is a rapist ape in a leopard mask. On top of that, the bit about wrestlers here looking for hentai matches…” She leaned forward, narrowed eyes, whispered into the microphone. ”Have you ever watched Friction? Because there are hentai wrestlers there, too. I even wreslted one.” And lost, but seeing as he hadn’t brought up that tidbit, he was either not aware of the Kaylee match or was saving it for some sort of zinger. “It’s not a new concept to me.”

She stepped back with her arms wide open. ”I’m here for new competition, but on the broad strokes, the main difference between Friction and Tension are the y-chromosomes. If you think I’m wrong, though, feel free to stop talking and show me.” She wagged a finger. ”Name the match, Daisuke.”

The wrestling prince did not want any more competition to climb up the ranks of Tension, it was tough as it was already and with Valley shifting over to Tension he thought there was a genuine threat of a real pro wrestler and not just a hentai wrestler, who would stand in his way to be the best wrestler and top wrestler in Tension. He began to rant away, trying his best to scare her off from trying something new but she didn't seem interested in hearing what he had to say at all.

She let him speak, let it all out and when he had nothing else to say, the Slamazon would stretch her body before giving her answer to him. Daisuke would wait eagerly, listening carefully on what she had to say. She began to pick out flaws in what he had to say, bit by bit- making him none too pleased. He would nod his head, rub his chin as he heard about her desires to find new competition and how Tension and Friction were not so different, apart from the X and Y Chromosomes.

"Okay, clearly you wont listen to words, Valley" he said with his hands held high. "Then perhaps you would listen to some action. If I can't reason with you, then I'll have to beat you and send you back to Friction" he would say before stepping up to the veteran, face to face.

"Last. Person. Standing"

Valley had been in Tension for only a few minutes, and she’d managed to strike up a match with one of the long-timers, was getting the crowd behind her more and more, and she could feel she was on the verge of a good rematch against a solid opponent.

Valley was going to like it in Tension. She could already tell.

”I’m not sure why you think beating me is going to make me go back to Friction, Daisuke.” Valley shrugged, looking up at the ceiling, considering. ”But fine. Last. Person. Standing.” She leaned closer with each word, her smile widening all the way, her hair falling over her face.

”And I say we start right now.” The crowd voiced their approval loud and clear for an impromptu match of this magnitude, as Valley stepped back and handed the microphone off. A referee would be by soon enough, and then her Tension career could begin in earnest.

Even though it was just mere moments of her arrival in Tension, she had already managed to strike the nerve of the notorious wrestling prince. However, more importantly, in that short amount of time she had managed to get the support of the Tension faithful who were already cheering for her and were teased a mouth watering wrestling match between Daisuke and Valley. The wrestling prince would look to his left, then to his right- he had his teeth clenched in anger as he was upset at the crowd for cheering a Friction wrestler but he was wrong, she was no longer just a Friction wrestler. She was now part of Tension.

Daisuke gave his best efforts to verbally drive her out but somehow deep down in his own heart, he knew his efforts were futile. Valley would even refute his idea of a loss sending her back to Tension. Her mind was made up and there was nothing Daisuke could do about it. She would close in the gap, her smile widening as her hair covered her face. She was determined to do this and Daisuke was too. The two were once again face to face, with Valley now having agreed to the match. Not just agreeing to it, she wanted it to happen right here and right now. The crowd was on her side, they were roaring for the impromptu match and a referee made his way down to ringside as well.

Daisuke would grin, taking a step away from her and shake his head. "No." he said, pausing for a second. "Look at you Valley. You've been in Tension for a day and you're already deciding how to run this show? You're not dressed to wrestle...neither am I." he made a poor excuse. "We wrestle on my terms...as I am the prince of Tension. I will see you soon....Valley" he grinned, dropping the mic as he backpeddled his way out of the ring, he would still backpeddle slowly up the ring ramp, keeping his vision at the ring as he got all the way up to the top of the ramp.

"You're not going to have your way in Tension Val" he would shout with his arms wide open to his side, before making his way backstage.