Description: A simple premise: Every time "Mighty" Mike Haggar can bodyslam "Rich" Ken Masters, the latter puts up a to-be-agreed-upon sum of money for Metro's public safety fund. How many times can Haggar slam Ken? Will Ken start a riot? Will Haggar cry about his dead wife? All this, and more!
When you're the mayor, you can get things done by city workers.
When you're a celebrity, you can get things done without too much hassle.
When you're the celebrity mayor, you can accomplish the possible: getting city workers to do things without much hassle.
In the early hours of the Metro Morning, a small unit of teamsters smoked their coffee, drank their donuts, and set up "Mighty" Mike Haggar's personal wrestling ring in the center of Metro Square. Starting in the afternoon, Haggar turned it into an event, gathering a crowd, hyping them up, teaching local kids how to 'bump' in the ring and letting area teens chest chop him. For a small donation, a fully grown adult would get chest chopped by Mike Haggar.
It's crazy the things people will pay for.
The appointed time of the match is coming, the autumn sun slouching toward the horizon, and Mike Haggar has a megaphone in his hand, running the ropes once, twice, before climbing up on one turnbuckle, loosening his tie. "This city is gonna change!" Cheap pop. "You've already heard about some'a my programs to start fixing things around here. Potholes're gettin' filled, trash is off the city streets, an' more cops're gettin' on the streets and outside a'gang pockets!" Louder cheers. Haggar gets down from his perch, crossing the ring to another one.
"But that's just the start. The Division 8 Special Response Force is in the works, to handle those criminals that don't have to give a crap about guns. Mad Gear safehouses are bein' rousted outta the subway tunnels one by one. But that's all just paperwork for me! It's the men and women of the police force an' city public works that're doin' the hard labor, and if any'a you know me, you know that's not my style. I'm--"
The crowd is getting hotter as Haggar jumps down from the turnbuckle, the ring shaking as he bounces off the ropes to run for the center of the ring. "I'm puttin' my own body on the line--" The megaphone barks as he pulls his tie off, reaches to his collar, and starts pulling at his shirt. Buttons pop off the white fabric and the crowd goes nuclear at the sight of Haggar's trademark leather chest strap. He throws the shirt into the crowd, projecting out without even using the megaphone, "My own body on the line for this city, startin' now! Every time I can slam Ken Masters, one'a the best martial artists in the world, that's more money goin' into fixing this city up! Come on, Ken! Let's go!"
Haggar puts one foot on the ropes and thrusts a finger in the air as an official slips into the ring to collect the megaphone. Even more people have gathered since the Mayor started speaking, the crowd working up into a froth. Men in black Security shirts are moving through, arranging people into something more orderly so concessions can start wandering around with hotdogs, popcorn, and soda (not pop this is the east coast damnit).
"Attention Metro City!"
The voice is coming from above through a loudspeaker attached to an awesomely designed helicopter. Master Enterprises and the accompanying logo are plastered on the side of the chopper as it chop-chop-chops its way over Metro Square. It hovers for a little while to allow the crowd some time to look up and spot it. Just inside the chopper's door is none other than the U.S. Martial Arts Champion: KEN MASTERS. His blonde hair is tossed to the side as he brings the radio of the loudspeaker back up to his mouth.
"This is the United States Martial Arts Champion Ken Masters speaking! I've recently taken time out of my busy schedule to meet with my good friend and weather girl, Misty Storm. And she has graciously allowed me to come out here, in my own chopper, and give you all today's forecast."
Ken pauses for some dramatically appropriate flair as he moves to the edge of the helicopter's open door. He leans out and brings the radio back to his lips. "It's gonna' raaaaiiiiiiiin!" And on cue, some random Masters Enterprises lackeys proceed to start making it rain. Money. That's right, Ken Masters has decided to start making his donations early. Before the battle even begins. Either that or he's attempting to see if he can't outdo the Mayor of this City's announcement. Not that Ken actually cares too much about keeping up appearances or something. Anything. Lies. He's all about appearances and that's why he's making it rain money.
The chopper lowers a bit so that Ken can climb down the hanging ladder and down into the ring. Once in the ring, he gives a mighty wave to the crowd that has gathered, also signaling for his chopper to make with the getting out of here. And his attention immediately turns to Mayor Haggar. Because that's what he's here for. There's a quick toss of his messy blond locks and Ken is flashing a big ol' grin at Haggar. He takes a few steps towards him and extends a hand in both an excited and respectful manner. He even leans in during possible handshakedom to add a few choice words to Haggar.
"Let's kick each other's asses, man. I brought my big checkbook." Ken is all for fighting just for the sake of fighting. But when there's something worth fighting for, like a good cause or simply to help out his fellow man, then Ken Masters is even more excited and ready to roll.
Rainbow Mika has arrived.
Rainbow Mika has arrived.
The money being hurled from the sky makes security fucking /panic/, Haggar's eyes going wide and staring at Ken like he's a madman. People start jostling and elbowing to get at the cash money. A few punches are thrown.
Haggar's eyes are locked on Ken as he comes down. His grin is much... /stiffer./ As is his handshake, the massive Mayor bearing down on Ken at full force with his massive paw, pumping and stepping close to the blonde.
"Some'a these people don't manage to see more'n five hundred dollars in a /month/, Masters." He nods as though Ken has just said something to him, still hissing through his teeth. "What you just did might've turned a hot crowd into a brewing riot." It's easy to see that Haggar is a tense man. After the hissed admonition, Haggar's grip loosens and he claps Ken on the shoulder. In a normal projection, he says, "We appreciate it, honest." His eyes flick to the crowd and he quickly shouts, "All right! Are you guys ready for a show? I SAID ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR A SHOW?!"
That's it, that's it, distract them. One the fighting starts, most people won't even think about the money everywhere - he hopes. Haggar slaps his chest with one hand as he goes to his corner, the white-shirted referee Harry Hicks indicating another corner for Ken.
The bell rings. Haggar plants his feet, beckoning Ken on with both hands.
COMBATSYS: Haggar has started a fight here.
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ken Masters has joined the fight here.
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Ken Masters 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Haggar
"My bad." That's all Ken really has to say about the fact that he might've just accidentally started a riot. He's rich. He's not thinking about being poor, like ever. He certainly doesn't ever expect that giving away free money is going to cause something bad to happen. Money usually makes good things happen. But once it is all said and done and apologized for (kinda'), Ken is giving a nod to the referee and jumping back towards his corner.
Ken is already dressed for battle. He's got his classic and signature red gi on. That black belt of his displayed prominently. The only thing he takes his time putting on are his yellow sparring gloves. They get pulled on, one after another, as he looks out at the crowd that has gathered to check out this charitable fight of awesome. While he's not exactly a wrestler, he's taken on quite a few of the types in his lifetime. He's not too worried about this being inside of a ring. He's got a few tricks that he can probably use the ring for anyway. He grins as he finalizes the straps on his gloves.
Ken locks eyes with Haggar, even if the mayor isn't ready to look at him. He takes a moment to give Haggar a bit of a nod, as if silently speaking to another great fighter. Ken Masters hears things. He knows things. He knows what people say and what people do when it comes to the fighting circuit. He knows all about Haggar. Maybe even more than Haggar would think he would know. And that's because Ken Masters was born for this and when he finds himself in the same company of others that were born for the same thing, he's just that much more ready to rock and roll.
When that bell rings, Ken is already bouncing around on the heels of his bare feet. He doesn't make too much of a move towards Haggar, other than throwing a few quick kicks into the air in front of him. He even takes a moment to do a quick backflip and then cocks his head to the side, reacting with the crowd as he extends a hand and raises a single finger, beckoning Haggar to come forth.
"Ladies first, Mrs. Mayor!" Let the taunting begin!
Haggar works on a binary switch - when he gives someone a moment, they have literally that - a moment. A heartbeat after the bell rings, when Ken does not in fact approach, Haggar charges, the ring quaking as he chews up the space between in the space of one... well. One backflip.
If he's concerned for Ken's high-level reputation, he doesn't show it. After all, he's feuded with Victor Ortega himself for years. He gives Ken exactly enough respect without it being enough to cause him to hesitate.
'Ladies fir--'
He's already there. Haggar attempts to capture Ken in his arms and /lift/ over his head, stamping his feet down, turning, and hurling him back to the springy canvas.
He's shifted, now that the fight has started. His face is intense. A deep, unfocused anger is in his eyes.
If Ken has paid any attention to the news, he might realize that Haggar is still working through some... dark times. This may seem a little less of a fun fight after that.
COMBATSYS: Haggar successfully hits Ken Masters with Medium Throw.
- Power hit! -
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Ken Masters 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Haggar
Harry Hicks yells, "1!"
The problem with showing off is that when you're showing off and not on your own turf, it could turn out to be something close to a bad thing. Which is why the illustrious Ken Masters has no clue that Haggar has crossed the ring so fast. See, doing backflips when they are not needed tends to be a bit showy. And being in the air when the ring is quaking keeps Ken from realizing that the moment his feet hit the canvas, he's going to be snatched up by the ultimate strength that belongs to Haggar.
Ken's flight is short lived because he ends up smacking into the mat and bouncing at least twice. His body rolls to the side and before Ken even realizes it, he's bounced back to his feet and he's leaning against the ropes. His head is wobbling from side to side from the dizziness that has come from being SLAMMED with such POWER. Ken doesn't even know he's holding onto the ropes. Though, he does kind of understand that his legs are a tad bit on the wobbly side. He was not prepared for such an intense opening. Damn? That word doesn't even begin to cut it.
"Everybody gets a freebie." Ken attempts to save face while seeing if he can't merge all six Haggars into one. It takes a bit of doing but that manages to happen and Ken can let go of the ropes now. He steps back into his classic fighting stance, bouncing lightly on his heels. Though, this bouncing is a bit more tame compared to how he started off this whole ordeal. "I ain't lettin' you off the hook that easy though!"
Ken makes with a rush of his own, flipping end over end as he spins towards Haggar. He lifts off the mat and sends his legs sailing in the direction of Haggar, clearly intent on flattening this massive mayor of a man with a gravitationally enhanced kick of both power and style. Not to mention, Ken wants to give Haggar a taste of his own Maticine. Get it?
COMBATSYS: Haggar endures Ken Masters' Ryusen Kyaku.
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Ken Masters 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Haggar
"Bump on yer back, kid," Haggar quips, the crowd cheering as he settles into an open-armed stance, eyes following Ken's feet as the other man recovers. He doesn't quite press the attack, only his presence, trying to crowd Ken out of anything too fancy, keeping him up near the ropes where the non-wrestler is hopefully not quite sure of himself.
Ken makes his attack and Haggar moves into it, leaning back and grunting as Ken lands solidly. Haggar's knees bend under the force, and the solid thump draws an 'oooh' from the crowd.
What Haggar doesn't do, unfortunately for Ken, is /move./ A flight flashes in one eye. "I think yer misunderstandin' which one of us is fishin'."
His hands close on Ken's legs and he lifts up, ignoring the bruises spreading across his chest to toss Ken lightly up, move under him, and try to catch him across his shoulders in a fireman's carry. If that's worked out, he's just gonna... stand there for a bit, turning for the crowd, murmuring without using his lips: "Flatten out, kid."
His shoulders surge and he ducks his head, tossing Ken once again forward and toward the mat.
COMBATSYS: Ken Masters blocks Haggar's Medium Throw.
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Ken Masters 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Haggar
Harry Hicks shakes his head.
Ken is starting to learn a few things here and there. Especially when the fight is so intense. There's so much power and strength radiating off Haggar's body that even Ken can't help but to look slightly impressed. He attempts to keep those impressed expressions off his face so that this fight can continue for the benefit of the crowd but it is pretty damn difficult. Haggar is a beast.
Scooped up into the positioning for everything that is going on with Haggar, Ken listens to the words coming from him but decides to not listen. As he's tossed, Ken Masters hits the mat with his knee first. He tries to hide it but there's an immediate wince as he lands in a kneeling position, his hands up and looking like he's ready to spring back into action. He hesitates, though, pushing against the pain that courses through his legs from such sudden movements.
"I'm just gettin' warmed up." Ken quips, throwing his body back up into a full standing position. He takes a step inward towards Haggar and brings his leg up. "Time for you to sit your five dollar ass down before I make change." And that's when that leg starts dropping to see if he can't bring Haggar down to the mat with it.
COMBATSYS: Haggar blocks Ken Masters' Inazuma Kakato Wari.
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Ken Masters 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Haggar
Mike Haggar winces when Ken goes down on his knee, clucking his tongue. "Bad bump," he mutters under his breath, running a thumb under his strap.
Haggar thinks about Ken's style. He's honestly only recently started following the wider field of fighting - his youth was completely dedicated to the CWA - but he's seen Ryu and Ken on television before. It didn't look all that impressive to watch outside of Ken's own flashy techniques but going up /against/ Ansatsuken is an entirely different beast. Haggar can't find any real openings. He doesn't see the weakness.
Ken's leg comes up and Haggar pushes forward a step, right arm up. "You talkin' to me about change?" The descending leg meets a forearm of steel, the ring bouncing and shaking with the force of the impact. The mayor's clenched fist opens in unconscious reaction and he winces. "That's kinda my whole deal right here, y'know?"
Haggar steps forward and brings his left hand up, trying to push at the inside of Ken's kicking leg - unlike the other throws, this one's fast, has /snap/. He comes mostly off the ground, throwing his weight at Ken's other leg as he twists, trying to spin him right off the mat and powerslam him over and down.
COMBATSYS: Haggar successfully hits Ken Masters with Quick Throw.
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Ken Masters 1/--=====/=======|======-\-------\0 Haggar
Harry Hicks says, "2!"
Perhaps Ken is putting a little bit too much style into his movements this time. He's fought wrestlers before but none as powerful as Haggar. And while he's been expecting the big man to be slow and powerful, he damn sure wasn't expecting to get snatches up like a ragdoll and slammed into utter defeat and confusion. When Ken's body smacks against the mat this time, there's the coughing up of some blood. Ken doesn't take wrestling hits so well because he's not trained in the art of doing so. Something on the inside is hurt but that's par for the fighting course. He's doing this for charity, nothing more.
Ken's body rolls, slowly, off to the side and he gets back up to his feet. Slowly. It is not exactly in his best interest to keep pressing the fight against Haggar, but he's got to put on a show. Shaking his head, though dizziness is slowly becoming a permanent state, he's kind of putting the many Haggars into one spot. He takes a bit of a running start and leaps, immediately twisting his body and extending a leg, "Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku!" His body spins and spins, throwing some extra flair onto the stylish move that perhaps the handful of Ken Masters fans in the crowd know very well.
It doesn't dawn on Ken, until he's in the air, that this might not have been the best course of action. Haggar has been yanking him out of the air this entire match. Oops.
COMBATSYS: Ken Masters successfully hit Haggar with Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku.
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Ken Masters 1/-======/=======|=======\=------\1 Haggar
The kid's got a fire, can't take that away from him. Haggar gives him some space, waiting to see what else he's got. He makes this immediately clear, asking, "What else ya got?"
Ken promptly informs Haggar. The crowd /pops/ for the instantly recognizable move, and Haggar's reaction is a little slow. His eye is tracking the spinning foot, his left hand flexing, flittering, Haggar visualizing his response. Unfortunately it's not quite there - Haggar is hit once, sending him staggering, and hit again. He goes careening into the ropes, bounces off of them, and goes flat on his face on the canvas, rolling away holding his chest.
Ken can be pretty sure that didn't hurt quite /that/ much, as Haggar starts dragging himself up, leaning in the corner, breathing hard. He looks for all the world like he's on his last legs, but his eyes are clear, watching Ken carefully. /Carefully./
COMBATSYS: Haggar focuses on his next action.
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Ken Masters 1/-======/=======|=======\=------\1 Haggar
Ken Masters is not the type to let up when he's starting to get the upperhand. By the time Haggar hits the corner, Ken has finished his rotations and drops down to the mat. He lands in a three-point crouch and lifts his head, tossing his hair from his face and plastering on a winning smile. "Don't you just hate it when that happens?" This is a quippy question tossed in Haggar's direction just for some witty banter kicks. His grin continues on for just a moment since the crowd is starting to get into it. He can't help it. He loves showing off.
Ken pushes off the mat, somersaulting backwards and landing a bit away from his opponent. He falls into his classic fighting stance and brings his hands back up. Sometimes the best way to win a fight is to not fight. Sometimes it is better to let an opponent defeat himself. And this is the moment that Ken decides that playing a little defense might be worth it.
His grin fades into a slightly more serious expression. His eyes narrow. He locks his vision on Haggar. And he waits, watching and preparing. This isn't actually how Ken prefers to do things, but sometimes a little change may be good. For victory, anyway.
COMBATSYS: Ken Masters starts to get serious!
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Ken Masters 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=------\1 Haggar
Ken Masters has disconnected.
Ken Masters has connected.
Well, that didn't go like he was aiming. Did he sell /too hard?/ "You takin' pity?" He faux-winces out. Haggar gets his feet under him and, despite having been leading the whole time, he's managed to neatly arrange himself as the beleaguered hero in one easy step. He motions at the crowd, breathing hard, and the noise starts to build. He motions again and a chant starts up - May-or Hag-gar! (clap, clap, clapclapclap) May-or Hag-gar! (clap, clap, clapclapclap)
It goes on like that, Haggar breathing hard, seeming to draw strength from it. He plants his feet, leans foward with his hands on the ropes, throws himself back against the turnbuckles and explodes forward at Ken, head down. He tries to get himself stuck in under Ken's legs, wrapping his hands up around his ankles and just dangling him down across his back. He keeps his momentum going, stepping on the bottom rope on the right side of the turnbuckle with his left foot, swinging his right foot to the second rope on the other side with his right to turn 180 degrees, and swing Ken over and down - "HOOOYEAHH!" - muscles surging furiously, in what can only be called a tornado Alabama Slam, which is frankly bullshit if you know anything about wrestling.
COMBATSYS: Ken Masters dodges Haggar's Strong Throw.
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Ken Masters 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1 Haggar
Maybe Ken is trying too hard to actually be a part of something. Maybe he's using this match to search for something that he's lost within himself. Haggar is fighting for something, not just the check that Ken's going to write, but for the people of this city. What is Ken fighting for? Even the Shoto warrior himself can't answer that question. Which could be why he's taking his sweet time whilst attempting to put the hurt on Haggar.
When Haggar snatches him up again, Ken's facial expression turns to one that is starting to look even more annoyed. "Oh no you don't!" is yelled out loud enough for the crowd to hear. Haggar's foot hits that turnbuckle and Ken wriggles free from that grip, dropping down to the mat in a crouch that is probably very telling of what may be about to happen. Ken downgrades the possible chi, since he doesn't want to kill Haggar and begins his rise, hopefully as Haggar realizes something is amiss. Ken's body twists and that fist is aimed something fierce in the direction of the Metro City Mayor's chin.
Say it with him crowd, "SHORYUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Ken Masters successfully hit Haggar with Shoryuken EX.
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Ken Masters 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=======\1 Haggar
Sometimes, nothing goes your way.
Ken gets out of the grapple, but Haggar's already in the air. Hell, he's put himself directly over Ken's fist.
Haggar has enough time to think about it and go, "Tch."
The flaming fist hits him fully, thump thump thump, and he's sent turning in the air, wreathed in chi flames that wink out into smoke once he crashes onto the mat.
Beat.
"Ya held back," Haggar growls, rising up from the smoke, a bright red burn across his chest. Haggar's head slowly ticks up, another flash in his eye. "You makin' light of wrestlers?"
Being underestimated upsets Haggar. With Haggar's current mental state, being upset a little bit ticks him right over the edge. He springs at Ken, the force of the jump causing the ring to buckle and shake. One hand extends outward to try and grip Ken by the top of the head, spin once, and hurl him up into the air.
Leaping up after him, assuming the initial grab is successful, the plan is to leap up after him, catch Ken's legs in midair, and keep the momentum of his leap going into an incredibly fast spin.
"Don't... get... cocky!"
He releases straight downward, hoping to hurl Ken to the mat with full force from several yards up.
COMBATSYS: Haggar knocks away Ken Masters with Final Haggar Buster.
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Ken Masters 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 Haggar
Harry Hicks eats shit, the impact bouncing him against the ropes and out of the ring.
He weakly calls from the mats around the ring, "3...!"
It is true. Some things just never go your way. And those things tend to be when you're not fighting on your own terms. Ken wasn't trying to do anything wrong here. He was simply trying to keep up with Haggar's selling of the match and keep the crowd into it. Of course, playing it safe was never really Ken's strong suit and there's nothing but obviousness as to why he's perhaps pissed Haggar off to such great lengths. Ken Masters did not play his game, he played Haggar's.
Or tried to.
Ken doesn't even realize he's been yanked back up and thrown into the air with such force that the ascent was something that should be noted as being completely epic. Haggar's manhandling of him gives Ken a both frustrated and angry expression, as he's thrown back down to smash right into the mat of the ring. However, the force from which he as thrown has put Ken -through- the ring and down to the ground below. His body impacts and while he cannot be seen, there's the sound of something breaking as he hits the ground beneath the ring.
Smoke. Smoke is what comes up through the hole that his body has made. Ken cannot actually see where his opponent is. Not while he's buried beneath the ring. But it doesn't really matter. Because where's there's smoke, there's fire. And this particular fire belongs to Ken Masters as his body rises back up through the buckled and destroyed ring, his entire arm engulfed in flames as he spins rapidly, creating a massive vacuum effect, setting the ring ablaze and attempting to pull one last ditch effort out of nowhere as he goes for broke.
Regardless if Ken can find the mark on Haggar or if this is just a final showing of powerful flaming justice, the body of Ken Masters cannot handle anything else. It slumps, falling to the ground or if there's even anything left of the ring. It doesn't matter. Ken Masters goes down. Hard. No matter, he's got a check to write when he wakes up. A few of them.
COMBATSYS: Ken Masters can no longer fight.
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Haggar 0/-------/---====|
Rainbow Mika has arrived.
COMBATSYS: Haggar endures Ken Masters' Shinryuu Ken EX+.
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Haggar 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Haggar takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Haggar can no longer fight.
Mike Haggar does not simply fall into the rising Shinryuu Ken.
Haggar sees the smoke and remembers seeing what's coming from the tapes. He makes a quick executive decision.
Haggar meets the rising, flaming assault elbow first, roaring the whole way down. The two men meet in mid-air, flame curling up and repelled by the sheer /weight/ of Haggar's strength, two warring fields of visible and invisible energy. The point at the center goes white-hot, two masters of fighting pouring everything into a single point.
There is an anti-climactic 'whumpf' of air and a shockwave that blows what little money was still on the ground, crumpled up garbage, and more than a few hats away for a couple city blocks. The two men fall to the beleaguered mat - Haggar landing flat on his face and bouncing once to land on his back.
Beat.
Harry Hicks's hand slowly rises up and gestures weakly. The bell rings.
The crowd loses their minds in a general sense.
Log created on 19:31:59 11/08/2014 by Haggar, and last modified on 15:41:49 11/09/2014.