Hero Worship

[BlackAkuma]

Huh. So this was what they meant by ‘butterflies in the stomach’. Valerie had heard the expression before, and never quite knew what it meant, but now? Oh, it made perfect sense. It totally felt like there were little butterflies in her stomach, flitting around, bouncing off the sides. She felt elated, but at the same time, she was on the verge of puking. And she hadn't done a single thing, yet.

Valerie breathed deep and slid into the ring, popping up near Alaina as she stretched. She began to bounce on her toes as the older wrestler laid out the instructions, giving them a reasonable way to proceed. She just had to follow through.

”Right.”

Valerie moved in with arms raised and engaged with Alaina, locking horns. While the older wrestler wasn’t even using a fraction of her full power yet, she could already feel it bubbling under the surface, threatening to explode. Cautious and careful, she tried to maneuver around the ring, attempting to work Alaina into the corner with her foot movements.

[Highfly]

"Good, good! Your footwork and your upper body pushing are in good sync!" Alaina said with a smile. She was pressed back to the corner and nodded. "All right, now you can land some strikes quickly or press back to really get into a womans head before the official comes and pulls you back." Alaina said. "Do a couple quick hits and then back off out of range quick then we will reset." Alaina said tensing up her abs in preparation for what she felt would likely be painful strikes even if Valerie held back.

Afterward they would reset and go again but Alaina would be resisting much more fiercely even though she wasn't going to fight back. Valerie was going to really earn this one with Alaina cranking things up a bit. She decided to use the extra time to try to chat with Valerie. "So how are your mom and grandma doing? I do need to have all three of ya over for wine n' wrestling I think.... we'd have fun and you could see the home gym after as long as my kids don't bug ya." Alaina said. "Also what made ya want to step into a wrestling ring to slam women around? Keeping up the family tradition or just wanting to feel the fun empowerment of lifting someone up and slamming them down to the canvas?" Alaina asked.

[BlackAkuma]

Valerie didn’t think her footwork was all that good - she could’ve had better hustle, established a better base, worked with a solid stance. It must’ve been good enough because the Amazon seemed impressed, and she was keen on taking the woman at her word. She muscled her into the corner and kept her there, following her instructions as best as possible.

She wasn’t much of a striker, but nailed Alaina with a few quick - but soft - punches before the imaginary referee pulled her away, and they quickly retreated to the center of the ring, taking up positions and locking horns once more. This time Alaina came with more of her full power, and the difference was felt immediately, as Valerie was forced back a couple of steps.

She couldn't help but yelping out in surprise, but she reigned it quickly, not wanting to slip up in front of a legend. ”I’m too young to drink, but…thanks.” Valerie grunted as she struggled to keep control. ”And, uh…tradition, I guess? I promised my parents I’d at least give it a shot.”

Valerie was struggling to get her words out, while Alaina was able to talk like they were just sitting at the coffee table. They had only begun, and the differences in experience were stark.

[Highfly]

Alaina listend and stopped trying to push back against Valerie but she would resist and really make the young woman exert herself to move Alaina. "I gotcha, I understand that one." Alaina said. "I struggle with it since I think it would be great if my son or daughter wrestled but I want them to feel zero pressure and to do it only if they really want to." Alaina said.

She would stop to stonewall Valerie for a second pushing back as she asked a couple more questions. "So what matches of mine have you seen that stand out? Just curious if ya had any favorites or any favorite rivals ya liked seeing me match up with." Alaina said with a small smile. She couldn't help but recall her as a brand new wrestler meeting up with both Valerie's predecessors when she was just starting out. If Valerie was around here perhaps the others would stop in to see her matches and Alaina could catch up with them? Her mind snapped back to practice as she waited for the youngest Valley Doll to answer.

[BlackAkuma]

Valerie had to nod along with that, definitely understanding Alaina’s predicament when it came to her children. Growing up in the shadow of her mother was a constant concern for her, and there had been times when she wanted to run from that legacy. In ways, she still did - it hadn't been her idea to take up the Valley Doll name and sport the colors, and it had taken no small amount of cajoling from her family to get her into it. Even now, she had days where she considered dropping it altogether. It was a lot of pressure that she didn't need.

Speaking of pressure, wow, was this woman strong. Valerie thought she was making process, until Alaina put her foot down and ground her to a halt. It was like pushing against a brick wall, an unflinching object that stopped all progress. ”I mean, I could come up with a list…your series with Ryu, Kat Hart, any of your title defenses…”

As much as she wanted to gush, Valerie wanted to focus on the current task. She couldn't overpower Alaina, but that didn’t mean she was out of options. She tried to break out of their tie-up, dip down, make her way behind Alaina and slap on a waist lock, holding her tight from behind to keep her in control.

[Highfly]

Alaina nodded and smiled, grinning as Valerie got behind her. She reached down and clamped on Valerie's hands as tight as she could but she didn't pull them apart... yet. "Okay, ya got two seconds before I try to burst out hit me with something good!" Alaina said with her vice grip set, and if Valerie delayed the amazon would then try to power her way free and pry those hands off her waist! She wanted to see what Valerie could do and how quickly she could capitalize on the changing of the situation Alaina had her in. This was going to be fun... painful and it would hurt but still fun as Alaina was eager to see what Valerie was capable of.

[BlackAkuma]

Valerie thought she was cooking with the waist lock, but, of course, it was never going to be that easy with someone as seasoned as Alaina. She perked up as the woman told her, in no uncertain terms, that she would be escaping this hold in due time, giving her a small window to figure out her next move.

Sure enough, she forced her way out of the hold with relative ease, forcing Valerie to act on the fly straightaway. Going into a slight panic, she decided to go for something simple, but effective - she leaped up, wrapped her arms around her opponent’s head in a front facelock, and tried to bring her crashing to the floor with a DDT, hoping to catch her off guard with the sudden move.

[Highfly]

Alaina was impressed that Valerie was always moving, always acting. She really was versatile like her mother was in this regard but Alaina would keep that to herself since Valerie seemed reluctant to discuss the family much. "Not bad..." Alaina said as she wrapped her arms around Valerie while in the front face lock. Alaina squeezed Valerie and lift her up, sending her down to the mat with a northern lights suplex instead! Alaina would let go and roll to the side standing up and crouching at the ready to grapple once more.

[BlackAkuma]

Valerie hoped Alaina didn’t think she was snubbing her with the lack of talking. She wasn’t that talkative of a person in the best of times, a trait that both her mothers and even her ‘father’ had in spades, but something she never entirely picked up on. Holding an extended conversation was a real task for her, much less when she was slamming people around the ring or being slammed herself.

On that note, she had thought she was in a good place to do that to Alaina, trying to drop her with one of wrestling’s most reliable attacks. But she underestimated the woman’s bestial strength. True to her nickname, the Amazon had no problems reversing her DDT, lifting her up with ease and dropping her with a Northern Lights Suplex. Valerie hissed as the impact, reaching back to rub her back as she rose again. Not her best moment, but that was okay. Learning experience, remember?

A little more determined than before, Valerie moved in for another grapple, only to duck down at the last second and target Alaina’s legs with open arms, trying to grab hold and bring her to the mat with a double-leg takedown.

[Highfly]

Alaina stepped up thinking Valerie would grapple again but she was wrong! This time the speedier younger wrestler got behind her and move quickly enough to stop Alaina from doing much about it! Alaina fell forward and got her hands in front of her in time to keep her face from smashing flat to the mat but her head still bounced off the canvas a bit. Alaina groaned and Valerie had bought herself time to act if she was fast! Alaina was impressed for sure with this young woman although that skull bounce off the mat was hardly what she would call a comfortable experience.