Alice Gaster vs Lady Vic - Ghosts of the Past

[Vc0m]

When Alice told the LAW Booker's office about the match she wanted to do...more than a few people raised an eyebrow there. They knew Alice's tendancies to challenge heavyweights for cross-division matches...but the weird part here was that the Pale Rider usually asked for some sort of hardcore stipulation on top of that.

Instead, Alice Gaster simply asked for a standard one on one match with Lady Vic...and when one of the bookers asked: "Any particular reason why her?", Alice would simply respond with a smirk and a: "Google it, shitlord", in his direction.

And google it, he did...and after discovering just what sort of connection Vic and Alice had...he immediately proposed quite a few things...the most important ones being the promotion of the match all over social media, and making it the main event of the next episode of LAW. The promotion part in particular meant that Alice had to record something to build to the match on camera. "Googling it" wasn't something everyone did in regards to matches, and the marketing team wanted to make a promo package explaining Alice's beef with Lady Vic, and Victoria Faraday's response to the lightweight.

While primarily recorded for a promo package to be shown on the weekend, hyping out the next LAW show, the full interview would also be released on LAW social media.

The recorded video on Youtube, shot in 1080p High Definition, started with the LAW Interviewer greeting Alice:

"Good day, Ms. Gaster, please have a seat..."

Alice followed the interviewers advice, sitting opposite him on a steel chair.

"Ms. Gaster, I interview you tonight about your upcoming match against Lady Vic next Monday on LAW TV. On the surface, you are of course, someone who loves the challenge, and you are definitely one of the women to do better than most in cross-division matches against heavyweights...but you requested Ms. Faraday specifically for your match next week. May I ask why her specifically?"

"Well...I gueeesss I should start from the beginning. Picture early 1997, Newcastle, England. There is a short, yet popular wrestler living there, making ladies tap out left and right...and maybe, sometimes, getting beat...but never staying down for long."

On a particular winter night, this lady was challenging for a visiting champion's title...namely, the Blackpool Women's Championship against a large, blonde lady...one Victoria Faraday."

"The match was filled with technical exchanges, both ladies getting equal amount of shots in on one another, but on her home turf, the smaller lady...Clara Grey, let's call her, lost the match. She felt slightly humiliated, and let it be known in the subsequent interviews...and for the time being, decided to move to Blackpool to regain her lost honor by beating Vic for the title, Vic accepting the challenge for her next show..."

"Where she utterly squashed Ms. Grey. Match lasted...all of 1 minute, the little lady from Newcastle getting no offense in."

"Still, she was stubborn about beating Vic, but the champ wouldn't accept her third challenge until she proved herself first...and what she was pushed through in Blackpool was...pretty hellish. Battle Royals, all with women bigger than her...like, there was no woman below 170 cm besides her...and she survived that. She fought through ladies who took Vic to the brink of losing, and still managed to pull through and make them tap out..."

"In autumn of 1997, Ms. Grey...feels fucking weird saying that, gotta be honest...Ms. Grey was allowed to fight Vic once more for the Blackpool Title...and the match was an actual war...both women threatening to break each other's limbs. The match was much more than for the belt. Clara was fighting for being defeated in her hometown, and humiliating Vic by taking her title in her native city would be the perfect revenge for her."

"Right as she was about to put her in her finisher, over the arm crossface...Vic nailed her in the face with a brass knuckle, out of site of the ref. One Coronation Street later, and Ms. Grey was defeated, unsuccessful a third time in her quest to unseat the Queen of the Ring."

"That was quite a lengthy story, Ms. Gaster...but if I may ask...you are somewhat implying, from the way you told the story, that you fit into it. And, from what I understand, Ms. Grey, the lady you talked about in your story, is your mother, if I am not mistaken"

"That's exactly correct."

"So...is that all there is to it? Wanting to take revenge for your parent's loss?"

"Not...completely...if you crunch the numbers, you will realize something, why a 4th match never happened. Mom wanted it to happen with all her heart. There was just one person who stopped her from doing that."

"Who was that person?"

Alice pointed at herself:

"This little shithead. My dad was with my mom every step of the way in Blackpool...and, well...stuff happened, without going too much into detail. Mom and Dad moved back to Newcastle, taking a break from wrestling...and the rest you can look up online. But point being, my mom never had an opponent even a 10th, a 100th of a caliber that Lady Vic was, and in one of the final interviews before her death, she cited that as her biggest disappointment, being unable to unseat Vic."

"I've been on a mini-quest, before LAW. In between deathmatches, I looked to challenge whichever lady from 80s and 90s were still competing at that time, both which beat and lost to my mom. Part of it is...just being a simple fangirl, leaving out her dream. Another? Simply...leaving up to my mom's legacy. Which is kinda what I want to be remembered as, in addition to the deathmatches. Alice Gaster is a second generation wrestler. And Alice Gaster is a deathmatch queen. And on Monday, I'll make sure to live up to the former part of that. On Monday, I will make sure to slay the Queen of the Ring"

"I see. Thank you for your time, Ms. Gaster"

"My pleasure."

At that point, the video faded to black.

======================================

Monday, LAW Arena

Out of context, no one could be scared of a standard match more than a deathmatch. And, certainly, for a lady who laughed in the face of her and her opponent's pain, a standard match would be nothing, right?

...and yet...Alice was actually getting nervous about her match against Vic tonight. It was a standard match, meaning none of her usual tricks would apply...but it wouldn't stop her, or indeed, Vic, from bending the rules to their favor...

But the feeling of losing, of getting an L after she talked such a big game, both to Vic herself and on the interview...

For the first time in a long while, she realized what Clara felt like before seemingly difficult matches.

She was still 10 minutes to go before her entrance, as the promo package was just starting to explain the story of this match to the people in the crowd...and 10 minutes were too long. Each time she awaited a knock on the door, she realized only 30 seconds had passed...

...and yet, she was too nervous to go to the Gorilla position early, and her body was straight up making her reject the idea.

Instead, Alice would grab her phone, and check the messages she had with another person earlier today. Namely, her mom...adopted mom that is. As much as she respected Clara Grey, the woman who brought her up was Allison Gaster...and she had nothing but love and respect for her. She wore her Gaster surname with pride, and even if the Grey name might've had more significance in wrestling...she was brought up as a Gaster...and would wrestle as one as well.

Alice quickly read the final part of the exchange:

"So...will you be watching LAW tonight?"

"Of course! I'll be rooting for you from Britain! Me and your dad both! Kick her ass, dear!"

The simple exchange warmed her heart, and calmed the Pale Rider's nerves a little...

...just in case, she decided to check one more name in her contact's list - Clara Gaster.

Despite her attempts to contact her sister, it didn't yield much result...

One last time, she decided to try and contact her:

"Clar...how are you?"

...DING!

"Waah!", suddenly came from a locker, as a startled Clara fell out of it, right on the floor...

...and Alice, completely befuddled, could only stifle her laugh at the hilarious scene:

"Ahahahahaha...What...what were you doing there?"

"I wanted to check on you!"

"No, why hide in the locker?"

"Well...when you check on me, you always pop up at me out of nowhere...like the time you saved me from Adriana. Wanted to try something like that too."

"I never...bwahahaha...hid in a locker room, you dummy!"

Whatever nervousness Alice had, it was completely gone from the funny scene that unfolded, as she smiled at her sister:

"So...are you ready?"

Alice nodded: "I'll make Vic kiss my feet for all of her losses!"

A knock on the door let Alice know she was expected:

"Good luck!"

Alice, grabbing her kendo stick, would wave a farewell at Clara, before leaving for the Gorilla position...

Painless by Fozzy played on the stage as Alice made her way onto the entrance ramp. The promo packaged hyped people up big time, as all of them universally cheered the short heroine walking down the stage. Alice smiled into the crowd, pointing her kendo stick into the ring:

"TONIGHT, THE QUEEN SHALT DINE IN HELL!"

The crowd cheered as she rushed into the ring, lifting her hand and her stick up into the air as the audience continued their cheers towards the short lady.

As her music wound down, the ref asked Alice to live her stick outside of the ring. Following the order, Alice dropped it right outside her corner. She did a few stretches as she awaited the Blackpool Women's Champion to enter...

[Luncha_Libre]

Victoria Faraday had been even harder to reach than usual, in the weeks leading up to her next LAW match. The federation’s camera crews had tried to catch her at home, at the airport between flights, even haunted a few of her favorite restaurants in the area. None of them had turned up the Queen of the Ring, giving some reason to wonder about her willingness to go up against Alice Gaster, the infamous Death Match wrestler. Was the Queen scared?

Victoria’s media silence was broken suddenly, and unexpectedly. In a furious storm of Tweets and InstaGram stories, a popular wrestling journalist started crowing about an ‘exclusive’ with the Victorian Queen, ready to address the fans before her match. With interest already piqued by Alice Gaster’s impassioned promos, fans were rabid to hear Victoria’s side of things as the night of their bout grew closer. When the interviewer popped open the door of the gym that she’d been invited to, she was greeted by low, frustrated groans of pain …

The gym was dusty, poorly lit, but serviceable. Two women struggled in the ring that sat in the center of it. On top, the impressive figure of Victoria Faraday. Struggling beneath her, crying out in pain and frustration, was her own daughter Gemma, locked in a wrenching single-leg Boston crab!

“C’mon, you!” Victoria shouted, “Get off that flat little belly and fight back, ye twit! I swear, you an’ that bimbo you dumped were made fer each other, ye little jobbers! C’mon!” Victoria wrenched on the hold, drawing another wail of pain from Gemma, who could only slap the mat in desperate show of submission. Victoria rolled her eyes.

“Ah, Miss Faraday? Queen Vic?” the interviewer asked, tentatively, approaching the ring.

“Aah, yeah, c’mon in!” Victoria released the leg, letting Gemma fall to the mat. Then, unceremoniously, the British heavyweight dropped hard on the smaller girl, squishing her against the mat. “Just doin’ some training. Getting ready for the big night.” Gemma’s boots kicked weakly, in protest.

“Fans,” the interviewer said to the camera, “this is Victoria Faraday. Reigning Blackpool Women’s Champion, and recent signee to LAW. Victoria, I’m here to get your thoughts on your upcoming match against Alice Gaster …”

“Hmph, thoughts. Sure,” Victoria smirked, leaning back and settling in on her seat. “Shoot.”

“Well, I’m assuming you’ve watched Gaster’s video, calling you out. And giving her reasons for doing so. What are your thoughts on this rivalry you had with Clara Grey?”

“That’s assuming I had thoughts on her,” Victoria said, shrugging. “But no, I know what yer after. This Alice girl, she’s something, right? Young, works death matches, makes a name for herself. Thinks she can use that to knock down a couple of the old-schoolers? Pfft.

“She’s concerned dear old mumsie couldn’t hack it against me? Lotta women couldn’t. Even the ones that didn’t go and get knocked up. That’s why Clara Grey is a name that gets tossed out on old ‘Legend of Sport’ videos, and Victoria Faraday is a name synonymous with the Blackpool Women’s Championship, the only British women’s title even worth talking about.

“Little Alice wants to worry about legacy? Well, that’s fine. Gems, get your arse up and fetch mum’s duffel bag, will yeh?” Victoria shifted her weight, allowing Gemma to squirm out from beneath her. With a dismissive kick to the bum, Gemma rolled out of the ring and started to make her way to the benches, grumbling.

“Legacy is a great thing, in wrestling. If we don’t have a sense of history, we got nothing. And Alice is worried about history, cuz her mum never made it big? Well, let me show her, and all of you, something about legacy.” Gemma brought Victoria a black duffel bag, which Victoria quickly snatched out of her hands and unzipped. From the bag, Victoria produced a title belt, which she held high. The strap was a richly polished black leather, smooth. The title plate itself was gold, intricately engraved with a royal standard that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Royal British Museum. Accenting the lion rampart that held aloft the crown were red jewels, polished and tightly affixed. And beneath that was a scrolling nameplate, reading ‘VICTORIA FARADAY.’

“This is what her dear old mumsie was fighting for. Just had her touched up, for this very special occasion. Because when little Alice steps into that ring with me in LAW, I want her to get a good, solid look at what her mum broke herself over. The thing she focused her whole bloody career on, near the end, and never got to put her little fingers on. Not once. I want her to see this gold, these rubies, and understand the kind of legacy that no amount of whinging about legacy are ever going to come close to! The kind of championship that a slag like her, or a soft little twit like her mum, will never hold! Forget names, forget family, this is a legacy that lasts, luv! And when we meet in that ring, that little girl is going to feel first hand how important that legacy is, when I bury her right down with her mum, and we put this thing to rest!”

A dead silence filled the gym, as Victoria threw the strap over her shoulder and smirked. Even the interviewer seemed afraid to speak, the camera backing away, slowly fading out.

The night of the match, Victoria Faraday sat alone in the locker room. The big woman sat on a bench in the gorilla position, blissfully unbothered by her fellow wrestlers. Despite this, Victoria knew the match would be watched by more than a few, especially those with ties to the old school British scene. Thus far in AFW, many of Victoria’s matches had been fun. And while the self-proclaimed ‘Queen Vic’ didn’t want to let on, tonight was more business.

Victoria got the nod from producers and stood up. She took the belt that had been resting across her lap and threw it over her shoulder. She strode threw the entrance gate and threw the curtains with a grand gesture. The Queen stood before the fans with her large frame spread wide, ample figure on full display. The arena lights reflected off her fair skin, and caught the freshly-polished gold of her personal belt. The crowd roared, mostly in disapproval, but there was no denying that Queen Vic cut an impressive figure.

Victoria ignored the jeers and catcalls of the fans, and kept her eyes locked on Alice. Victoria took a moment to flex her figure, every muscle in her wide frame tensing. Normally, this display would have been to hype up the fans. Tonight, however, with Victoria's fixed gaze, it was clear that the Blackpool Champion only intended this display for one person. Victoria's body bounced as she stepped swiftly down the ramp, gaze never faltering from her opponent. Victoria took a wide step up to the apron, hand pulling herself up from the middle rope, and wiped her boots. Ignoring the referee’s pleas to keep back, Victoria would walk straight up to Alice, head held high, sizing up her opponent for the evening.

[Vc0m]

Alice has been waiting for Victoria's "reply" to her interview the moment her LAW interview was put up on Youtube...and, when she eventually received a word that it was published, she was not disappointed. Lady Vic talked big game, how her mother lost to her in chase for the Blackpool Women's title, one that the veteran still had as seen from the interview...and how Alice would not even come close to redeeming her mother's name, with the title being the true legacy that will be upheld in wrestling history...

Alice recalled that interview one last time before Lady Vic's music played as the veteran entered the arena to a loud reaction from the fans, recieving boos towards her person...and catcalls towards her figure. It was impossible for the Pale Rider to argue, Vic's body was more than impressive for a woman her age, both from the beauty and brawn standpoint. Had any other lightweight stepped in the ring with Vic, the result would've already been clear right away...

...and yet...Alice already had a reputation of a "Giant Killer", both from the indies...and from LAW, having defeated one of the more impressive heavyweights in LAW in form of Jess Mcleary. If there was a sole lady in the lightweight division who the fans believed could take Queen of the Ring down - Alice was the one.

Alice's gaze did not slip off of Vic ever since the woman entered from behind the curtain, and once Victoria Faraday was inside the ring...the blonde heavyweight made her way straight towards Alice...

...with Alice stepping up right towards Lady Vic...with the difference in two wrestlers' being simply staggering, Alice needing to turn her head upwards to look Vic in the eye. Camera clicks came from everywhere to capture the feel of this David vs Goliath moment, as the two rivals stared at each other with intense gazes in each of their eyes.

For a moment, Alice let her gaze slip onto Vic's shoulder - and the Blackpool Women's Title specifically. Her mother's final trial that she simply couldn't complete:

"So...when I win tonight...do I walk off with the belt?", Alice asked Vic with a cocky smirk.

[Luncha_Libre]

Victoria could feel the vibe in the arena. The pre-match interviews had done their job, and the crowd had that ‘big fight’ feel to it. Though the historical context of the British wrestling scene might have been lost on most of LAW’s audience, the emotions between the two women in the ring were easy to read. This was deeply personal, and the fans couldn’t wait to see these two women pour that emotion into the fight.

In the ring, Victoria studied her opponent carefully. Alice did look reminiscent of her mother. At least, she did to Victoria. Lady Vic couldn’t help but spare a moment to wonder how things might have been different if her own daughter had turned out like this. Unflinching, fearless, even in the face of such an insurmountable mountain of an opponent …

Victoria put on a smirk at Alice’s determination. Victoria could see that the girl wouldn’t back down. Alice’s reputation as a deathmatch competitor meant that she’d been through much worse things than the crushing stretches and slams that Victoria usually threw at her opponents. The flash of cameras highlighted their bodies, and while it was clear that Victoria had the size advantage, Alice’s own personal power was also on full display. Victoria watched as Alice’s gaze slipped to the title belt slung over her shoulder.

“Oh, girl,” Victoria cooed, “it’s adorable that you think you’re going to be walking off after tonight’s over, at all! I had just brought this so you could get a look at it. Maybe snap a picture for dear old mum. But if you really think you deserve a title shot already … I mean, you know how hard your mum had to work for one. And how that went.” Victoria shifted the belt on her shoulder, letting it catch the light and flash in Alice’s face. While not an official LAW championship, the belt still served as a reminder of where these two women were coming from.

At the referee’s insistence, Lady Vic handed her the belt. The bigger woman rolled her shoulders, causing her ample breasts to heave against her ring gear. Victoria stretched her neck, glaring down at Alice, waiting for her response.

[Vc0m]

THis was, without a shadow of a doubt for Alice, the biggest match of her career, in terms of the stakes...and the feeling, as the crowd was erupting for the two ladies facing off in the middle of the ring, despite the fact that the mix of American and Japanese fans were cheering for the match rooted in British history.

Alice was not afraid of her Vic on the physical level. She fought bigger women in deathmatches, albeit much less talented...which was the part that was likely to make the match difficult. The blonde had experience, skill and size on her side...while Alice had her quickness and her small size to take advantage off. This would not be easy...but Alice smiled at the challenge ahead of her nonetheless.

Vic would shine a light of the spotlight off the belt right into her face, causing the Brit to blink as she moved her head slightly, listening to the answer to her earlier question: "So I'll have to beat you twice? No big deal, granny"

At her insult at Lady Vic's old age, Alice stepped towards her corner of the ring, nodding at the ref that she was ready to begin, already having her arms up into the air for once the bell rings...

[Luncha_Libre]

The silent tension between the two women could be cut with a knife, as they stared one another down. Victoria raised her shoulder, letting the arena lights glint off of her title belt Victoria took a deep breath through her nose, letting it turn up and away from Alice, while her eyes narrowed and watched the rookie closely.

Victoria smirked as Alice blinked, despite the fact that this was an involuntary action of having a sharp light shone in her face. Exactly Victoria’s intent. Victoria was about to say something snarky, but was cut off quickly by Alice’s ‘granny’ comment. Victoria’s jaw squared, and her eyebrows raised. Before she could even snap back a retort, the confident young woman turned around and went to her corner, showing off that she was ready for this match to start.

“Hah,” Victoria breathed, backing off and handing her title to the referee. “Woo, girl … this is going to be a good one, ennit?” Victoria backed off to her own corner, as the ref handed her belt to the ring announcer and motioned for the bell. When the bell sounded, Victoria took a couple of steps forward, and presented her body as a buxom target to the younger girl. “C’mon then, luv, show us something your mum couldn’t!”

[Vc0m]

Alice tried to hide the slightly silly smile off her face to very mixed success. She wasn't usually this happy to put down, and walk away with the last word against someone in a verbal exchange...but Lady Vic was proving to be a very special opponent. Walking away after putting down her veteran opponent filled her with optimism, fully believing that this match was her's to win.

With Alice facing Vic from the corner, the bell would ring at last, beginning one of the most important matches in Pale Rider's career!

Vic would take a few confident steps forward, bringing herself to the middle of the ring as she challenged Alice to come forward. With the smile from earlier now replaced with a look of a serious competitor, Alice would meet Vic in the middle of the ring, making sure to pay close attention to her blonde rival's movements, expecting potential foul play...

If none would happen, Alice would meet Lady Vic in the middle of the ring, looking to lock up with Victoria in a classic Collar and Elbow Tie Up!

[Luncha_Libre]

Victoria watched Alice’s every step forward with interest. The young woman carried herself with confidence, something her mother sometimes seemed to lack. At least, to Victoria’s mind. Of course, this was also the Alice that was renowned for her death match prowess, so Lady Vic didn’t believe words would be enough to really hurt her. That’s what the rest of her body was for.

Victoria could feel Alice’s eyes on her, expecting a cheap shot. Which was fair. If the girl looked like she might flinch, Victoria would have done exactly that. Instead, Alice looked to have clear eyes, and a stout heart. Making Victoria want to see what else she had.

The two would lock up with the elbow and collar, a classic way to start the match. Victoria would have the size advantage, and she wanted to press the girl. With a twits of her hips, the Queen would attempt to slide her arms around Alice’s grip, shifting that tie-up into a side headlock, wrenching on the hold if she managed to get it on, waiting to see how the challenger would respond!

[Vc0m]

Alice knew that the tie up was probably the most risky idea to start the match with. Once again, she remembered that Vic had experience and size on her side. If she didn't react in time, the veteran would quickly trap her with a hold!

As they locked up, Alice wanted to act first, possibly to get Victoria into a wristlock...only for the veteran to seize the momentum, twisting her body and snaking her arms around the Pale Rider's head for a side headlock!

...however, with her expectations of how the lock up was going to go, Alice would manage to sneak her arm between Vic's trapping arms, managing to create enough space in the headlock to sneak her head from the hold...

...as well as grab Vic's arm with both of her hands, turning things quickly around as she twisted her veteran rival's arm into a quick wristlock!

[Luncha_Libre]

Victoria sized up her opponent and could see the wheels turning in Alice’s head. The younger wrestler was surprisingly cautious, Victoria thought, for someone who had made a name for themselves on the death match circuit.

Before the fans knew it, though, the two women were exchanging holds in fast and furious fashion. Victoria wrenched on her headlock, but Alice managed to snake an arm between Vic and her face, making an opening. Victoria was surprised just long enough for Alice to escape the hold, and lock in a wristlock!

“Hah!” Victoria laughed, startled. Standing tall, the veteran tried to alleviate some of the pressure on her wrist. However, with her arm trapped in the hold, there were only so many places she could go. Wincing, Victoria let herself twist against the hold as she reached around with her free arm, trying to get Alice in yet another headlock, attempting to force her to release!