All roads lead to Rome

[skip-stop]

“You look tired,” Astrid said. “You know, you're not alone, and you don't have to go through a difficult period on your own...”

“It seems to me that it's my job to support you, not the other way around,” Victoria replied, taking off her glasses. “I'm your manager after all.”

Astrid Arvidsson

Victoria Palmer

The main arena of LAW. Another match ended, the fighters left the ring, giving way to the maintenance staff. At the same time, Astrid Arvidsson, the first openweight champion, and her manager, Victoria Palmer, also known as the Shark With Glasses, were standing in the waiting room, they had a few more minutes to talk.

“I'm just worried about you,” the blonde said openly. “I know that you always work hard, but don't think that I don't see anything." She turned her head to the Englishwoman, looking into her eyes. “Even now you're trying to pretend that you're okay, but even your black eyes can't hide what's going on in your soul.”

“Oh, Astrid...” Victoria sighed heavily.

As hard as it is to admit, the Norwegian woman was right. Victoria had been feeling tired lately, perhaps it would even be more accurate to say that she felt drained. Yes, she is used to working hard, and therefore it would be fair to say that she is always tired. However, her hard work usually pays off with the decent results, and that's more than enough for her to compensate for her fatigue. Unfortunately, her work has been producing only negative results lately.

“Karen, my dauther, lost all her matches,” she began bitterly. “Itone and Margarita lost their last matches...” she continued. “Lily lost two matches in a row...” she took a deep breath, but even so, her body began to shake slightly. “Nerissa lost three matches in a row...” at this point Victoria squeezed her right hand and for a moment Astrid was afraid that the brunette would break her glasses. “Lunara lost first in a non-hentai match, and then in a hentai one...” Victoria closed her eyes. “Even Charlotte...” Victoria's lower lip trembled. “And now it's time for Fight The LAW, where unimaginably important matches await you and Charlotte...” the Englishwoman lowered her head and now Astrid couldn't even see her face. “Our team... I do not know what will happen to our team if you and Charlotte too...”

Before the manager could finish, Astrid took a step forward. Victoria's forehead pressed against her ward's collarbone, but before she could do anything, she felt two strong arms hug her. For a moment, her body seemed to turn to stone, and then she went completely limp.

“I've already told you that you shouldn't take on the burden of our defeats...” said Astrid, not letting go of the brunette.

“You don't understand...” Victoria didn't try to resist, accepting Astrid's embrace. “You are not just wards for me, yes, I am your manager, but I am responsible for you because...”

“You consider us all your daughters...” the blonde finished for her.

After these words, Victoria had to make every effort not to start crying. Her story is still a mystery to most people. Even among her charges, not everyone knows what happened to her and why she's doing what she's doing. Maybe someday it will stop being a mystery, but for now, for most, she should remain a Shark With Glasses.

“Karen calls you mother because you've been taking care of her since she was a child,” Astrid continued. “But I want you to know that you are like a second mother to all of us, without exception." She relaxed her arms slightly and took a half step back to look the Englishwoman in the eye. “Including me." Astrid smiled. “And that's why I want you to listen to me carefully without interrupting...”

“But it's time for you to go, your promo...”

“The promo won't start without me, huh!" The blonde chuckled, making Victoria smile slightly. “Now listen, please." Astrid put her hands on the brunette's shoulders. “You're only responsible for giving each of us a chance, finding us matches that will help us get to the top of LAW.” She started. “But you are not responsible for the outcome of these matches." Astrid sighed heavily. “Yes, the situation is extremely depressing right now, our team is mired in a lot of defeats, even Nerissa, Charlotte and Lunara...” noticing that Victoria's lip began to tremble again, the Norwegian woman slightly tensed her fingers. “BUT!” She said confidently. “Defeat is always painful, but at the same time, defeat is another test." Astrid smiled. “So if you really want to help us cope with this difficult period, just keep supporting us!” She finally let the manager go. “When we win, you smile, and I don't think you have any idea how pleased we are to see that smile on your face!” Victoria didn't even know about it. “So each of us is ready to overcome anything to see that smile on your face again!” Astrid glanced at the watch, it really seemed like it was time for her to go. “Well, I have to go now, but please don't wish me luck, it always makes me think that I don't know how to make good promos, huh!”

With that, Astrid stepped through the curtains, leaving Victoria alone. The Englishwoman ran her hand over her face several times, wiping away tears, after which she put on her glasses again. She was overwhelmed with emotions right now, but they were good emotions. It may take her some time to get used to the idea that she can't be responsible for the results of the matches, but already now this huge burden on her soul has become a little lighter.

Entrance Music

A few seconds of increasing tempo, and then deafening chords shook the walls of the arena. To loud cheers and applause from the audience, Astrid came out from behind the curtains to the top of the ramp. Stopping, she smiled broadly at the audience, thanking them for such a warm welcome. Without breaking with tradition, she raised both hands above her head, joining her palms in the manner of a crown.

Not wanting to make the audience wait any longer, she began to walk down the ramp, waving at all those who decided to attend today's show. Considering the upcoming big event, the arena was completely filled because many of the spectators were expecting big announcements. Well, they'll definitely get one today.

She made a short stop in front of the commentators' table to pick up the microphone, and then immediately accelerated to roll under the bottom rope. She stood up and walked proudly to the center of the ring. The golden belt glittered on her waist, giving her the right to call herself the strongest in the world. Stopping, she bent her right arm at the elbow and pointed at herself with her thumb, causing the audience to make a new wave of noise. It even took her a few seconds to let them calm down, and only then did she bring the microphone to her mouth.

“KONBANWA TOKYOOOOOOOOOOO!” She spoke enthusiastically in a voice so loud that it even sounded like a scream. “How much water has flowed since the openweight title ended up on my waist?” She asked rhetorically, running her hand over her belt. “Perhaps I should recall everything that has happened since We Are LAW 6, because I have gone through six title defenses, fighting against the most outstanding women of the federation in the most unimaginable conditions!" She paused briefly, as if trying to intrigue the audience before revealing her cards. “But why talk about the past when we have such an exciting future, huh!” The audience started making noise again, but Astrid didn't stop. “You are well aware of what is coming, right?” The noise got even louder, but Astrid wanted them to shake the walls of the arena again. “Fight The LAW 4!!!”

Openweight Title

Oh, it really filled the arena with deafening noise. Astrid used to say that she wasn't cut out for things like promos. All she knew how to do was fight, preferring to avoid direct communication with the audience. But she's changed, she's gotten better. So now it was incredibly pleasant for her to look at their excited faces.

“And I know exactly what you're thinking right now!” She continued with a touch of defiance. “Who will be my next opponent?” Most of the audience started nodding. “I don't like making promises, but life sometimes pushes us to do it!” Said the Norwegian woman. “I promised you that none of my title defenses would be just to get an easy win for the record!" Astrid's eyes started to sparkle. “I promised you that I will do absolutely everything to ensure that the openweight title receives not only prestige, but also a legacy!” Amid the loud screams, Astrid raised her voice. “I am a person of my word!!!” She declared loudly. “And that's why I want to invite one woman to this ring!” The arena started buzzing at this point. “This woman was able to defeat my best friend, Charlotte, one of the best fighters I've ever known!” The buzzing got louder. “And I think this woman deserves to be called a representative of the heavyweight division!” Astrid turned to the ramp. “Yumie Hayashi!!!!!!” Astrid said, causing the audience to exclaim in delight. “I promised you a chance to fight for my title and now you have that chance, so come here and tell me if you're ready to share the ring with me at Fight The LAW 4!!!”

[Sigma Morgan]

Yumie had received a text from an unfamiliar number earlier in the week, one she did not recognize, but the message's contents made it clear it was LAW related. "Be ready for the announcement this week," Yumie read the first part of the text aloud, already knowing what this was about. Not long ago, she won a bet of sorts, defeating Charlotte Ravel and getting a chance at the woman's friend Astrid Arvidsson and her Openweight title.

Yumie had not always had the best of luck, especially against Champions, with Alaina Sanders handing her two losses, one of those being for the heavyweight title. But now Yumie had a chance to prove those matches were just unfortunate mishaps, a chance at the very top of the company! Some people would likely want to have friends and company ready to cheer them on, but Yumie had kept her distance from Kimiko since she had gotten into a physical altercation with one of Kimiko's other friends at the gym, a green haired woman named Alizeh Midori. Not that she mattered at the moment, at least for now.

Yumie

https://i.postimg.cc/tgH7YFr2/yumie.webp

The Japanese woman was waiting by the curtain, just as the rest of the text instructed. She had a rough idea who was waiting for her in the ring, and sure enough, she heard the woman's voice herself, Astrid on the mic. The Champion was certainly a talker who kept the crowd engaged, but Yumie has focused more on the prize at the end of this little game.

Hearing reference to her match against Charlotte, Yumie prepared herself, unable to help but smirk. Grabbing a mic off a nearby table, Yumie walked towards the curtain as her music began, ending up in the arena as the crowd cheered.

Entrance Music

Yumie didn't stop at the stage, she quickly walked down the ramp, giving the fans on the right side high fives before stopping at ringside. Looking inside the ring, Yumie focused on her next opponent, her chance at glory, her chance at gold, Astrid. Taking a deep breath, Yumie went to the steel steps, climbing them before stepping between the ropes and joining the blonde in the ring.

Giving her music a moment to die down, Yumie raised the mic to her lips. "Well... I was wondering when you were going to call." Yumie briefly teased before moving on to the business they were here for. "Charlotte was a good opponent, but I cleared that obstacle, and here we are. You and me, Champ, and I have to thank you for doing this in my own backyard!" Yumie continued to speak, referencing how her hometown of Kyoko being just 5 hours away. "Shame we'll be in Europe when I defeat you though, but at least they'll be here to cheer when we get back" Yumie proclaimed confidently, her cockiness starting to shine through whether it was warranted. "I've been waiting for this moment since I beat Charlotte, me vs you on pay per view! Yumie finally finished, giving Astrid a chance to respond to her boasting!

[skip-stop]

Just a few seconds after Astrid finished speaking, the white-haired woman's music started. Yumie did not take long to wait, and soon she came out from behind the curtains to the cheers of the audience. She didn't linger at the top of the ramp, instead confidently heading towards the ring. High-fiving everyone who reached out to her from the fan zone, she only stopped when she reached the squared circle. Even with the distance between them, Astrid saw the fire in the woman's eyes, which made the blonde grin.

Finally, Yumie climbed the metal steps and slipped between the ropes. By taking a few steps to the center of the ring, she demonstrated a complete lack of fear of the challenge that Astrid had thrown at her. The audience gave her another round of applause, and then her music stopped. After a few seconds of silence, which was like the calm before a storm, Yumie brought the microphone to her mouth.

Keeping a smirk on her face, Astrid shook her head slightly after the Japanese woman's first words. Although she had expected this, she still hadn't gotten used to the fact how cocky and confident Yumie was. She wasn't going to interrupt the white-haired woman, but when Yumie mentioned for the second time that she had beaten Charlotte, the Norwegian woman's free hand involuntarily clenched into a fist.

It was a rather complicated situation that Astrid couldn't share with anyone. As Victoria has said many times, Astrid, Charlotte and Nerissa are always no more than one step ahead or behind each other. Perhaps most other people share the same opinion. Astrid had a different opinion on this matter. She believed that Charlotte was stronger than Astrid and Nerissa together. She just doesn't know it yet because of the fact that she involuntarily limits herself. On the one hand, it was not surprising, considering all that the Frenchwoman had to go through. On the other hand, Astrid was sure that once her best friend understood what was holding her back, then nothing else could hold her back and she would finally be able to shine brighter than the sun. The only question is when it will happen.

“As always cheeky, Yumie, as always cheeky, huh!” Putting aside other thoughts, Astrid said when the white-haired woman finished. “And, damn, I approve of it!" She suddenly said, after which her smile widened. “There should be no room for doubt in a fighter's heart, because doubt inevitably leads to defeat!” She repeated what she had already said several times. “So I respect your determination and I hope you keep it up until our match because I'm going to get over it and keep my title!” The words of the champion raised a wave of noise among the audience. “Maybe you're really strong enough to come back here and share the joy of victory with those who support you!" Astrid admitted. “And maybe not!” The blonde's gaze has become more mysterious. “But don't worry, if you lose, you'll have someone to share the bitterness of defeat with!” At this point, the audience started buzzing excitedly, sensing that Astrid was about to say something important. “Because you won't be the only one sharing the ring with me at Fight The LAW4!!!” Amid the excited hubbub of the crowd, Astrid motioned for Yumie to move to the corner. “When the openweight title ended up on my waist, I said I wanted to defend it against the strongest women in the federation!” She reminded. “And one of these women is well known not only in her middleweight division, but also among all the fighters of LAW!” The noise in the arena has gotten louder. “Before demanding a match for my title, she decided to go through the match against another outstanding woman from my manager's team!” Astrid smiled broadly. “She not only got through this match, she was able to win!” At this point, the audience began to guess who the champion was talking about. “Victoria Palmer has a flair for talent, and although Lily Menage may not be ranked at the top, she's a damn talented fighter!" To the roar of the crowd, Astrid turned to the ramp. “Alizeh Midori, you have long proved that you are an incredible fighter, but with this match you proved to me personally that you deserve to be a representative of the middleweight division!” The blonde declared. “You wanted a match for my belt and you proved that you deserve it!” She pointed to the ramp. “So come and accept my challenge, which you earned on your own!!!”

[Bare]

No sooner than thirty seconds after Astrid made her bold declaration for a multi woman match at Fight the LAW and called for the third participant to enter the ring was her request granted. A crack of lightning resounding out over the arena before the lights shifted to green and orange strobes, panting the arena in the colors of the Emerald Storm as her entrance music then blasted over the speakers and the representative of the middleweights answered the call, coming out from the back and to the ring.

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/2lw8kuZYC14?si=0kwckfMFM8_qdGWa

Standing at the top of the ramp Alizeh had what could only be described as a look of pure joy on her face. Ever since it was announced Alizeh had been wanting to be apart of the Openweight title scene and legacy. It was what drove her for the last year and she was determined to make the most of this amazing opportunity. Hence she was dressed casually, having been about to leave for the night with her match being the one that opened this show, but low and behold when she heard Astrid was cutting a promo she decided to stick around for a bit and boy was she glad she did. Grabbing a mic that was handed to her before making her way down their ramp to the ring Alizeh's smirk would only get bigger as she entered the ring with two heavyweights and manager.

Spoiler

Now in the ring Alizeh would move to stand a bit away from both Yumie, who Alizeh show a quick glare, and Astrid who Alizeh was currently focusing on, creating a triangular face off between challengers and champion. "Well now... You certainly know how to talk someone up huh champ?" Alizeh asked jokingly before continuing. "In any case... I made it clear then but allow me to clarify for all to see... I respect you, I respect you're reign as inaugural champ, but I will stop at nothing to beat you and take that title.. It's been what I've been fighting for since before Apex was announced and as you may have learned from my match with Lily, I don't give in easily!" At this and the mention of her match against Lily the crowd immediately cheered and whooped making her smile before side eyeing Yumie. "Granted... it'll help that you've loaded this with women I already have issues with. So that'll make things much easier on my end." Alizeh said coldly, mostly directed at Yumie before turning her piercing gaze to Astrid, after all, she was the one Alizeh was looking towards, the one that had what she wanted, Yumie as far as the green haired woman was concerned was just a step she'd have to move past to get to it.

[Sigma Morgan]

Yumie smiled widely after she finished speaking, she was excited and eager to have another shot at a title, one on one against a champion once again, to correct the mistakes she had made the first time, or so she thought, as Astrid quickly pivoted, throwing the Japanese woman a curveball. Yumie's eyebrow couldn't help but raise as Astrid revealed there was going to be another competitor in the match. "What...???" Yumie thought to herself, ignoring most of Astrid's words until one name came up, and her smile quickly disappeared upon hearing it.

A scowl took hold of Yumie's face as Alizeh's music started playing and the lights changed the color. The Japanese woman didn't even both turning around as anger filled her mind. "You fucking tricked me! AND IT HAD TO BE THIS BITCH!?" Yumie thought to herself, clenching her fist, not turning around until Alizeh was just getting in the ring, glaring and staring daggers into the green haired woman's eyes as she side stepped and backed up, putting some space between herself, Astrid, and a bit more between Alizeh. There beef between had began over a misunderstanding at the gym involving her tag partner Kimiko that turned into a small brawl that Kimiko had to break up, and since then Yumie held a grudge, hoping to never see Alizeh again, but it seemed fate had other plans.

Yumie's gaze never shifted as Alizeh spoke to Astird before scoffing as the woman brought up there altercation before raising her microphone before taking a step towards Alizeh with a look of distain.

"And you're going to be fighting a lot longer because I'm going to make sure your time in the match is shorter than your entrance into it!" Yumie's declared. Title and goals aside, this match had become a lot more personal for the Japanese woman and deep in the back of her mind there was one thought.

"God damn it Kimiko"

[skip-stop]

Of course, Astrid had no idea that there was something personal between Yumie and Azizeh. But she wasn't blind, so it wasn't difficult for her to see that as soon as she said the name of the green-haired woman, Yumie's face changed. The smile disappeared from her lips as if it had never been there. But the smile on Astrid's face only widened as events, albeit involuntarily, took a very interesting turn.

Anyway, as soon as she finished speaking, Alizeh's music started. Accompanied by light and music, Alizeh appeared on the top of the ramp, warmly welcomed by the audience. Of course, when it comes to the openweight title every pro wrestling fan understands how high the stakes are. But now that Astrid has announced that three women will take part in the match at once, the atmosphere in the arena has noticeably changed. Everyone realized that something truly grand was coming.

Radiating determination, Alizeh reached the ring and stood between Astrid and Yumie in such a way that a triangle formed between the women. Showing a bit of respect, she complimented Astrid. And although the champion assumed that the American woman's next words would hardly be as sweet, she nodded in response.

After she mentioned her victory over Lily, Alizeh confirmed Astrid's hunch that this wasn't the first time the green-haired woman had run into Yumie. Oh, it seems Astrid involuntarily inflamed the passion even before the match. Well, that's for the best, because she was counting on this title defense to go down in history. Before the blonde could raise the microphone, Yumie managed to throw a threat towards Alizeh, making it clear that in this match her attention would be focused not only on the champion.

“Oh my, ladies, ladies, take it easy!" Astrid laughed. “I guess the Gods themselves brought us all together today!" The lavender eyes of the descendant of the great Vikings sparkled. “I won't even try to stop you from figuring out the relationship between you, but only after the bell rings!” She wanted to make it clear that even if they hate each other, today is not the day when they all have to beat the shit out of each other. “As for you personally, Alizeh...” Astrid turned her head and looked the green-haired woman straight in the eyes. “I have no doubt that you will do everything in your power to finish the match with this belt on your waist!” Astrid ostentatiously ran her hand over her gold belt. “But I want you to know that if you want my belt, you'll have to take it out of my stranglehold, because I don't care if it was a match where I had to fight against the two of you at the same time!”

Her last words weren't a threat, Astrid didn't have that habit, it was just the truth, it was just her fighting spirit. The champion had to give a few moments to the audience, who enthusiastically welcomed the tension between the women in the ring. It seemed to them that right now Astrid would announce the match. Oh, if only they knew…

“Tell me,” Astrid said, not to her rivals, but to the audience. “Do you remember your biggest failure in life?” Despite the uproar in the audience, Astrid continued. “Do you remember the pain that gripped your heart when you stumbled on the last step on the way to a lifelong dream?” This time, without smiling, she nodded at the audience's reaction. “Surely it was difficult for you to get back on your feet after such a stroke of fate, am I right?” Someone didn't say anything, but many had the strength to confirm it. “So tell me, would you have the strength to move on if this happened to you again?” Before they could answer, she continued. “And then again, and again, and again!”

At this point, the arena was almost completely silent. Astrid has never tried to be a drama queen, but she wanted everyone here to understand where she was talking about. And she definitely achieved this, because she saw in the eyes of the audience the acceptance that they could hardly cope with such difficulties in life.

“I see the answer in your eyes, and let me tell you that a fighter's life is not always filled with victories, sometimes a fighter has to go through the hard blows, not once or twice, but many times!” Because of the emotions, Astrid's eyes seemed to be filled with flames. “Not everyone can handle it, because sometimes it happens that after another stroke of fate, a fighter can no longer get back on their feet and continue to move forward!” Perhaps by this point, the audience was beginning to wonder what exactly Astrid wanted to say, but right now she intended to get to the most important thing. “But I know a woman who has withstood every blow that fate has prepared for her!” The silence in the hall was replaced by a wave of anticipation. “And believe me, the last blow was really hard, I know it, because I struck this blow with my own hands!” The noise in the arena became much louder. “It didn't break her, it didn't stop her, despite everything she got to her feet to continue her journey forward with pride!" Astrid quickly glanced first at Yumie, then at Alizeh, before returning to the audience. “And it's amazing women like her who deserve another chance to achieve what they strive for with all their hearts, despite all the blows of fate!” Astrid turned to the ramp. “Clara Gaster, I personally dealt you a crushing blow, but you got back on your feet, you continued to move forward, you twice defeated Nerissa, whom I love and respect with all my heart!" The blonde pointed at the ramp. “You are the one whom I recognize without any doubt as the representative of the lightweight division!” The audience shook the walls of the arena. “I can only believe that you are ready to answer the question I asked you after our match!” Astrid clenched her hand into a fist and hit her chest. “If you want my belt, then come here and tell me and everyone else why you want to be a champion?!”

[Vc0m]

"In...out..."

Nervousness washed over Clara as she entered the Gorilla position, with her being instructed by Victoria to avoid being seen by anyone, especially women involved in this segment. Over the course of the last few years, ever since their match against each other, the Brit would learn a lot about Astrid, especially the fact that the LAW Openweight Champion adored Scandinavian mythology...adored her epic battles, and tried her damnest to transfer that to wrestling proper. And the result was for all to see. In an already amazing title run, Astrid wanted to make her next defense as big as possible, both in scope...and in terms of people involved. Clara was proud to be in that number, and a part of the epic Astrid wanted to create...

...especially with the Champion herself building her up as she did, right as the producer at Gorilla Position gave Clara a countdown to her entrance, the Brit making sure to grab the mic before it hit zero.

Spoiler

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/7bL8Dk66CmY?si=nWge2D9jEy1vBVuk

Clara's newest theme played on the titantron as she entered, mask on her face with the crowd cheering for the Shadow Lord's arrival, though she wouldn't grandstand too much for now, saving that for the match. She still greeted fans, giving them high fives...even as her focus was squarely on the 3 women in the ring...3 women standing in her way to become the LAW Openweight Champion.

Spoiler

As she climbed inside the ring, the triangle formed by the 3 women would become a square, Clara keeping her distance away from both the division representatives, and the champion herself. She briefly turned to Yumie. The heavyweight would likely be unhappy with another addition to the match, as she likely expected a one on one encounter with Astrid. She could sympathize. She wanted to fight Astrid in another one on one as well...but she already lost to Astrid in an encounter like that. Fighting her one on one once more would just be repeating the test. In a twisted way, Clara understood the blonde's logic behind making this title defence more difficult not just for herself...but for all the challengers involved...

...Clara then turned her head to the greenette...and she couldn't help but do a sarcastic, almost mocking wave with her fingers towards the Middleweight. It was unfortunate how things ended up between the two of them. It was unlikely the two would share a friendly lunch again after how inconclusive and aggressive their previous match ended...but strangely, Clara was fine with that. In fact, she even loved the fact that Alizeh was here in the ring with her, and was going to be part of this match. She wanted to defeating her as part of this epic battle, to prove herself superior between the two of them...

...but obviously, there was another woman in the ring...one who Clara wanted to defeat more than anyone else in the world. She turned to Astrid, looking proudly into her eyes. The blonde has been helping her mentally quite a bit over the course of the last several months, both with the tension between her and Nerissa...and her own feelings on the matter of fighting Astrid once more. A while ago, she still didn't have the words to answer Astrid's question...but after her match with Nerissa, the answer finally clicked into place:

"I wanted to run. To run away from wrestling, right before I joined LAW...and in a way..." Clara would turn away from Astrid, looking at her signature mask: "I was already doing just that, hiding behind masks and gimmicks, not caring if I'll win or lose, and giving up when the matches got tough. And I wish I could say: "that's all in the past! That's not me any more! Tough challenges shaped me into what I am today! I can prove to everyone that I am the best!"...but no matter how many times I say that..no matter how much I know that the fire of the fighting spirit is burning strong within me now...I still hear a tiny little note of doubt still within myself. The old me...the coward. She is still there. Even now, she is telling me I don't belong here...even though deep down, I know the truth."

Clara took a careful look around the 3 other women in the ring with her...

...and smirked:

"That I am better than all 3 of you."

"And that's my answer, Astrid..." she turned to look into the Champion's eyes: "Getting your belt will finally prove to me from 8 years ago, when I first joined LAW, that she was wrong to give up on herself. When the 19 year old me looks at me now, she would realize that she could be the best. And I will gladly beat you...", Clara would nod towards Yumie.

"...you...", she would turn to Alizeh, with a light taunting note in her voice:

"...and you, at the PPV to win the LAW Openweight Title..." she would say, turning to Astrid one more time.

[Sigma Morgan]

Yumie was tempted to just beat the hell out of Alizeh here and now, make sure she didn't even make it to Rome, but Yumie refrained as Astrid stepped in, trying to diffuse the situation slightly, though it quickly became apparent the Champion had no issue with letting the Japanese and Green haired woman ripping each other apart when the match actually came.

Yumie's glare never left Alizeh's face as Astrid addressed the green haired woman. Her deep dislike of the woman made everything Astrid said fall on deaf ears. She didn't care; this match was personal now. Her plan, end Alizeh's title hopes for a second time, and then take the title from the blonde herself! Well, that was until Astrid revealed one last curveball, one last obstacle, another horse in this race! 'What now...." Yumie growled as Astrid shifted her attention to introduce the hopefully final competitor in their match!

The Japanese woman's attention was split between Clara and Alizeh, though it was still mostly on Alizeh, her hatred wouldn't let her focus on anything else as Clara made her way to the ring. The only time her attention fully shifted to the lightweight was when she spoke, starting with something Yumie would just call a sob story before her confidence kicked in. "First Alizeh, then her!" Yumie thought to herself, now having another target and more dreams to crush!

"Don't choke on your aspirations Clara" Yumie said, looking at the lightweight in her eyes before shifting her attention back to Alizeh. " As for your. I'm going to make sure you fucking choke!" Yumie said once again threatening the middleweight of the match!

[Bare]

Alizeh pointedly ignored Yumie in favor of keeping her focus on Astrid. Something was off... Now Alizeh didn't know Astrid very well but she had a feeling there was more to this match, like something was missing. With how Astrid had introduced the two of them, Yumie as a representative of the heavyweights and Alizeh as the best of the middleweights, then with Astrid as the champ then that must mean...

'A four way.' Alizeh thought to herself in realization just as Astrid spoke up again, claiming that taking the title would be like prying it out of a strangle hold from her grip, now that would normally be fine by Alizeh but she was waiting for the catch 22 and it would soon be confirmed that Astrid was planning exactly what Alizeh was thinking as Astrid invited someone else out, now Alizeh had an idea as to who, but considering the theme Astrid was going for and the way she spoke about this fourth person there was only one option... and that option would become clear as a familiar entrance theme began playing.

Narrowing her eyes practically into slits as the masked lightweight Clara Gaster came out from the back Alizeh would blow some air out of her mouth as Clara made her way down the ramp and into the ring. There first bout hadn't ended the way Alizeh wanted for multiple reasons and tension was.... there between them. Tension evidently still there if the mocking little wave from her was anything to go off of.

Clenching her fists a bit as Clara then began speaking, part of her respected where Clara was coming from, breaking past her old limits and proving to her old self that she belonged here. What Alizeh took issue with however was when Clara said that she was better than her. Alizeh didn't know why, but something about that just rubbed her the wrong way, more than normal when anyone else would say something that like. Something about Clara saying it just got to Alizeh.

Before Alizeh could say anything edge wise Yumie would beat her to it, rather aggressively stating that both Alizeh and Clara would choke which only made Alizeh roll her eyes as she finally raised the mic back to her lips. "Let me be frank." Alizeh said as she looked up to Clara. "I don't care about you." She said in probably the coldest tone anyone had ever heard her speak in LAW before turning to Yumie. "Or you." Alizeh said in an equally cold tone to Yumie before turning to Astrid. "If beating them is what it takes to beat you and take that then so be it." Alizeh said with a fire burning in her eyes as she locked gaze with Astrid, knowing full well her words would not be appreciated at all by the lightweight or heavyweight reps, but true to what she said she just didn't care.

[skip-stop]

When the music started, Astrid's lips stretched into a wide smile. It seems that Clara decided to start with a trump card, as it was not the same music that the Golden Dragon had heard during their match. When the British woman appeared at the top of the ramp, the champion briefly looked at Yumie and Alizeh. Could that be? Yes, absolutely. From their faces, the descendant of the great Vikings quickly realized that this would not be just a match for all four of them, it would be something truly personal. And when a match becomes something personal, it always means that it will be something epic.

Returning her gaze to Clara, the blonde nodded her head slightly several times. The audience greeted the brunette extremely warmly, which was not surprising, considering how many things this woman went through. Perhaps it would not be an exaggeration to say that many people in Clara's place would have given up a long time ago on their way to the top. But not her. Astrid knew well how much shit and broken glass this woman had to crawl through. And yet, here she is, right here, approaching the ring without any doubts and with only one desire.

When Clara entered the ring, the triangle between the women turned into a square. Astrid once again ran her eyes over everyone she had gathered here today. Now, with Clara's arrival, her idea has become obvious to everyone. To make her next title defense worthy of going down in history, Golden Dragon intended to fight the strongest representatives of all three weight categories, which brilliantly reflected the very essence of the Openweight title.

However, there was still one fly in the soup before this idea could be implemented. Clara must give her answer. The answer to the question Astrid had asked her on their penultimate meeting. The British woman had enough time to think about it, to understand who she was, to start being honest with herself. Therefore, the Golden Dragon once again focused all her attention on the Shadow Lord, wanting to know what her answer would be.

Clara started talking, and for a moment Astrid was back to the day they had a heart-to-heart conversation after their match. That day, they were both as honest as possible in front of each other, but even so, the Golden Dragon knew that Clara needed time to figure out why she was actually continuing to move forward despite all the difficulties in her path.

After sharing what was on her mind, Clara moved on to the most important thing. It wasn't difficult for Astrid to see how angry Yumie and Alizeh were when Clara declared that she was better than all three women next to her. Damn. It was audacious. And that's why, instead of getting angry, Astrid just bared her teeth. Losers who don't believe in their own strength have no place in this ring, no place among the contenders, no place among the champions. To be a champion, you have to have unwavering faith in yourself and your strengths. Right now, Astrid saw in front of her a woman who would never give up, who would do absolutely everything and maybe even more to get to the top, to become an openweight champion.

When Clara gave her answer, Astrid remained silent, but only because as soon as Clara finished speaking, the audience supported her so loudly that it could surely be heard even outside the arena. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the champion tried to keep a neutral expression on her face so as not to betray her real emotions. She was also helped by Yumie and Alizeh, who had something to say in response to Clara's words.

Because of the tension between the four women, even the air became heavier. And damn, Astrid was happy with the atmosphere. If Yumie, Alizeh, and Clara had been anyone else, they probably would never have been able to achieve such a high degree of tension. These women were the best of the best, each of them was certainly ready to become the next champion. This was the reason why the Golden Dragon was so excited. All her life, she has strived to overcome the most difficult challenges on her way. Fighting the strongest women on the planet, that's what she's always wanted. Having become an openweight champion, she gained the right to call herself the strongest in the world, and now she was faced with women who were not even one step behind her, but who were on par with her.

The champion smoothly brought the microphone to her mouth.

“Do you know why I love pro wrestling?” She asked a question both to the three women in the ring and to all the audience. “Because it's only here, in this very ring, that you can see real magic...” her lavender eyes seemed to sparkle. “It's the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys and detached retinas." Astrid looked at Clara as if she was trying to see through her. “It's the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you!” She smiled, it was probably the most ordinary smile for everyone, but Clara was probably able to understand that it was the same smile that Astrid gave her at the end of their conversation in the bar. “That's why I love pro wrestling.” She said. “That's why I accept your answer, Clara!” Raising her free hand, the blonde pointed at the Shadow Lord. “And that's why you'll get another chance to make your dream come true!" The Golden Dragon grinned, showing her ferocious nature. “You’re in the match!”

As expected, the audience greeted this with indescribable enthusiasm. Yumie was by far the best representative of the heavyweight division. Alizeh was by far the best representative of the middleweight division. Clara was by far the best representative of the lightweight division. Astrid had brought them all together for the most epic match of the last decade, and now it seemed to many that everything was ready for that. But that wasn't really the case.

The Golden Dragon, who had always strived to overcome the impossible, still had something to say.

“I see,” she said meaningfully, looking at Clara, Alizeh, and Yumie in turn. “I see that each of you imagines yourself in my place." At this point, she involuntarily licked her lips. “Otherwise, you wouldn't be where you are standing right now! You are the best representatives of your weight divisions! I admit it! And everyone who looks at you now recognizes it! You are the best of the best, and therefore it is you who have earned the chance for this title with your own efforts!” Astrid had no reason to hide how she felt about her rivals. “So let me say something...”

She took off the title belt from her waist and placed it on her shoulder. From the very beginning, her main goal was to give the openweight title what it deserved. As the first champion, she sought to create a legacy that would pass on to the next champion sooner or later. To do this, she doesn't need countless title defenses that would just make the numbers look beautiful. No, instead, Astrid only followed her own principles and beliefs. In each of her title defenses, she has faced truly outstanding women. And now her aspirations have certainly reached their peak. She chose the best women of the federation for this match, because it is how the champion steel is being forged.

“You are the strongest in your weight divisions!” Once again, she admitted, after which she proudly raised her head. “And I am the strongest woman in the world, the proof of this lies on my shoulder!” She ostentatiously ran her hand over the title belt. “Perhaps each of you now thinks that in order to earn the right to call yourself the strongest, it will be enough for her to pin another contender!”

Astrid paused briefly, enjoying the reaction of the audience, who certainly understood what she was talking about, because they knew very well that it was a pretty shitty way to become a champion. No, she wasn't going to let that happen again. This is not what these three women deserve. This is not what pro wrestling fans deserve. That's not what the openweight title deserves.

“NOT ON MY WATCH!!!” She declared publicly. “Not while I'm the current openweight champion!!!” The fierce emotions on her face spoke of absolute sincerity. “And I'd rather die than let anyone admit the very idea that I need paper title defenses!”

Not everyone in the federation has the right to be a contender for the openweight title, which in itself means that no title defense can be easy. However, absolutely everything is relative. Astrid could have made some effort and participated in twice as many title defenses, giving preference to weaker rivals. But that wasn't what she wanted. It didn't make any sense to her. She didn't care about numbers because numbers don't mean anything. She won't be remembered for the number of matches she won. She will be remembered as the one who overcame the impossible in each of her title defenses, fighting with women as strong as herself.

“Do you want to earn the right to call yourself the strongest in the world?!” She asked her rivals. “Then prove it by being the last woman in the ring!” The audience literally started screaming at this moment, but even despite the noise, Astrid did not stop, intending to finally officially announce what would happen next. “Fight the LAW 4!" The Golden Dragon placed her hand on her title belt. “The second week!!" Her face lit up with a wide, cheeky smile. “In the heart of the Colosseum!!!” She looked at each contender in turn. “Four-Way Elimination match for the LAW Openweight title!!!!”

To the roar of the audience, who all jumped up from their seats, Astrid raised the title belt above her head. All the cards were on the table now. Each of Astrid's title defenses was truly unique, but none of them could compare to this one. In an effort to find out where the limits of her abilities lie, the Golden Dragon gathered the best women of the federation. And now they all had to meet in Rome to find out if one of the contenders would become the new champion or if Astrid would be able to overcome this challenge too. The most difficult challenge of her life. She didn't know if her rivals shared her emotions, but right now, the Golden Dragon's soul was singing. Each of these women was ready to prove that she was better than the other. And now they've all got the opportunity. They got a match that will forever remain in the history of LAW.