Description: Johnny, frustrated at not being qualified for the Gods of Battle SNF event, lets out his steam in the ring in efforts of finding a good fight and to be taken seriously. He comes across a mysterious stranger who grew interested a fight. However, Johnny Cage gets more than he bargained for in this fight.
HOWARD ARENA
LATE EVENING
"Gods of battle my ass." Mutters the one and only Johnny 'Don't mess with the guy in shades' Cage as he states his vehement disapproval of not having qualified for the latest SNF, Gods of Battle. Whereas this is because of his recent publicity stunt against fellow star but far more popular Benimaru Nikaido where he just kind of mugged him at a bar is irrelevant, problem still greatly dislikes the idea of not getting any publicity in a hard hitting martial arts tournament. How else will people ever stop doubting his legitimate martial arts skills if he doesn't prove himself beyond the cameras??
This is why his agent has arranged yet /another/ publicity stunt for the determined actor. A taking any and all challengers event at Howard Arena! So far the stunt has gone pretty well as Johnny plows through yet another incredulous upstart that thinks his fighting moves are all special effects, but its doing nothing to get Johnny the bad taste out that there's a tournament he didn't qualify to.
As another body drops, Cage shakes his head and adjusts his ever present shades. "Harry! Where do you get these guys!!? They suck!!"
So, this is what life on the run is like. There has not been a day of rest for the older man as he found himself wandering from place to place. After letting go the girl who tried to detain him, this large ebony-skinned man had sought to continue his wandering until he found something for him.
It brought him to Southtown. This is the bastion of fighters from different cultures. It is the gathering from all walks of life. Perhaps it is a place for the man to blend in. Maybe. Just maybe. He'll even begin to find his memories and remember who he was. All what he has is just a simple name to go off of.
Keith.
It looks like everything else was scratched out of his ID card.
Here the older man is, holding onto the ID card with his face on it. He muses until he sees the ongoings of the fight. It looks like all challengers who have fought against the movie star have met face first on the ground. He gives a very bemused chuckle. However, Keith cannot help but feel that there is something tugging at his heart. It tugs him to make his way to the ring.
He idly puts the card away and procures a coin. He stares at the coin for a few moments before he finally rises from his seat.
He starts making his way down the arena, flipping the coin along the way while he looks over towards the man.
"It looks like you need a better punching bag."
Johnny Cage's agent, the aforementioned Harry, was just about to speak up to the loud mouthed actor when as if by serendipity Keith shows up.
The agent steps aside and turns to look at the older man whilst Johnny too waltz closer to the side of the ring to get a look at the potential new challenger. Cage lowers his shades, eyeballing Keith a bit to scan for possible skill he might have, and after a brief second raises his shades back up and gives a smug grin.
"You look pretty tough, dude!" Cackles Johnny, hands on his hips. "Come on up to the ring! Let's see what you're made of!"
The stranger looks over towards Johnny, determining the man's age. Probably older than him. No matter. The man in his near-mid twenties still gives a rather bemused look when he gives Johnny a once over. Partially, Keith is sizing Johnny up. On the other hand, he is trying to get a better idea of the man's characteristic.
There is a feeling in the air. That rise in tensions as the man is able to get a good feeling of the vibe around him.
Keith takes the vibe in stride.
With a flick of the coin, Keith has a grin on his face. "...Something brought me here for a fight." As the coin lands on his palm, he tightens his fists and he pockets the object. "... Why don't we entertain each other for a bit?"
There is that tense atmosphere. Something has called Keith here. Perhaps it is Johnny's fighting spirit that has brought Keith in. Perhaps it is the repressed memories that could only be sated through fighting. Keith is not certain over the circumstances. But one thing is clear:
He must fight.
As he lifts his hands up, both fists tighten and he bends his legs, taking a guarding stance. His hunched posture and his foot work screams boxer.
"...It's something both of us are looking for, after all."
COMBATSYS: Keith has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Keith 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Keith 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Johnny Cage
"Hey man." Calls Johnny as he wanders over to his corner of the ring. "I'm all about the entertainment. You've seen any of my movies? Maybe I can even give you an autograph after we're done." Although Johnny seems to be overly easy going for someone that is ready to get into a fist fight, there is a strange sensation he's feeling about this guy too, perhaps the very reason why he's not dismissing him as he did his previous challengers. The other thing is that Mr. Cage does get into a lot of fights constantly and this is also quite a natural environment for him too.
Limbering up and standing on the opposite end of Keith, Cage starts bouncing on the balls of his feet lightly and cracks his neck a bit. He doesn't even feel warmed up yet.
"Alright! I hope you're ready! Because I'm about to put on a real show!"
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage gathers his will.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Keith 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Johnny Cage
"...Heh."
It is the only response that the older man. However, for a moment, Keith runs a hand over towards his head. "...Not that I can remember." In fact, Keith's hand runs along his forehead longer than it should, as if he can feel the scrambled brain. "...Or anything for that matter." There is a faint scowl forming.
However, that scowl fades when his gaze directs at Johnny. Despite the normally intimidating appearance that someone his height should normally have, there is a more playful, friendly look to it.
"Heh, let's see what you got, then."
He starts to bring his arms up with the foot work going.
Something in the back of Keith's mind is waiting for that signal.
*DING!*
That is what he needed. As if the condition of the bell ringing true, Keith is using the lead leg to step forward towards Johnny. While sliding forward with the leading leg, that lead arm snaps out like a whip. The fist aims towards the movie star's face for a quick jab.
However, it is a mere feint.
The other leg, likely the left, is stepping forward to take turn to be the lead and left arm drives forward towards Johnny's gut for a quick snap.
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage endures Keith's Medium Punch.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Keith 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Johnny Cage
Johnny's lips purse in slight disappointment when he hears this guy is not a fan of his movies. He can't remember!? What kind of answer is that?? Cage's movies are plenty memorable. However, Johnny's ego isn't blinding enough that he doesn't perceive the smaller details and the comment of Keith 'not remembering' anything else strikes as a bit odd. "Huh? Waddaya mean by that..?" Is he fighting an amnesiac or something? Oh boy. Well, good thing there's no such thing as bad publicity!
*DING!*
There's the bell and Johnny decides there's no time to discuss the finer details and slides up to the boxer with swaggering arrogance, a light bounce to this Jeet Kune Do stance. Johnny can already tell this man is a practitioner of the sweet science so he's keeping his stance very wide to prevent him from getting inside his circle of defense easily.
The jab to his face is recognized as a fake and Johnny archs an eyebrow whilst leaning his head back, that was way too far away for it to be a real attack. He reasons if this guy is a boxer then he's probably going for the proved and tried, good ol' One Two. Alright, JC can dig it.
Cage clenches his abdominal muscles as he steps right into the punch to the gut grunting a bit. Now that he's the one inside Keith's circle, he decides to trade the blow to his stomach for one to the face. Cage places his left hand on top of the boxer's striking arm to keep it there and prevent it from being retracted to be used defensively and swings a haymaker of his own, his fist glowing with green shadowy energy, sailing straight for Keith's jaw. "Yeah! Yeah! That's the ticket!" At the very least he sounds really excited of finally finding a skilled fighter he can use to test his mettle.
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage successfully hit Keith with Director's Cut.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Keith 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Johnny Cage
Jeet Kun Do, huh?
"Interesting..." That essence of excitement fills the air around Keith. He can sense that heightened excitement in the air. Infectious as it is, Keith is starting to crack a smile. There are some emotions that Keith is glad to feel. The excitement of the battle is one of them. This is the spirit of Johnny Cage.
When the sweet science tries its tried and true method against Johny Cage, the actor manages to step right into the blow to give him a closer range. The two fighters, at close distance, have collided in the heat of battle. Where as Keith's fist strikes the gut of Johnny Cage, the older man returns that momentum with a twist of its own. However, the right arm from the earlier feint will be used to intercept the star. What comes to a surprise is how quickly that punch was anticipated and the arm is knocked away.
The haymaker, covered with the energy, strikes true towards Keith's face. The impact sends his head twisting over with a sharp sounding pain. Both eyes widen and he looks lopsided. However, it is not enough to deter Keith. Instead, Keith is shifting his legs around to adopt a quicker fighting stance.
A fist strikes towards Johnny's face for a quick jab, weaving forward for another quick jab. Then he makes another weave for a quick jab. From the way that the boxer is weaving, he is seeking to anticipate Johnny's next move and to keep him out of his bubble.
At least, just enough for Keith to time himself.
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage blocks Keith's Swift Stance.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Keith 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Johnny Cage
It's in and out for Johnny. No sooner had he struck with his haymaker, he's using that very same momentum to rebound and fly out of Keith's range. He's not arrogant enough to think that he can stand toe to toe with a boxer and just trade blows like crazy. He's going to make this guy play his game, not the other way around.
"Not bad!" Johnny calls with a flashy grin. "Most guys before you dropped after taking that to the kisser." Finally, thinks Cage, a real fighter!
Turns out that stepping out was the right decision as Keith comes at him with a flurry of jabs. Cage takes a step back, stops the first jab with his open palm. Then takes another step back, and stops the jab again with his palm. Then more backpedalling and more palm blocking. Are they just playing patty cake?
"Uh oh." Cage's eyebrows raise when he notices that he's running out of room. He looks over his shoulder and decides that if this guy is trying to put him in the defensive he's going to switch that around and go for the full attack. "Watch this!!" Johnny takes a sideways steps towards Keith as he's doing his jab and weave, sending a forceful side thrust kick covered in green chi energy. He's aiming to nail Keith right on the nose with the side of his foot.
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage successfully hit Keith with Stunt Double.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Keith 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Johnny Cage
Those jabs have not been making its mark as Keith wanted. However, it was not the true intentions of the blow. The man keeps making his waves with each jab, seeking to get himself at a favorable position against his opponent. "Let's just say that I can stay in the ring longer than most," notes Keith with a crack of a grin.
However, when Johnny is cornered and decides to go on a full attack, Keith decides to finally swing his fist out for a nice jab and weave cycle. It is when Johnny sidestep towards him to a position. The foot snaps out.
Just what Keith looked to get away from.
However, the rhythm that Keith had going was off-course with how Johnny operated. It was a dischord that threw him off and the impact was rather noticeable. Johnny's side-kick with that chi manages to strike towards the bridge of the man's nose. His head reels back from the blow, triggering blood to fly out from the force. Furthermore, Keith finds himself off of his feet and his legs suddenly kick up.
With a harsh slam, Keith lands on the ground roughly. He grunts and he holds onto his face. Rolling onto his stomach, Keith is holding both hands towards his nose. "..Heh..." He gives a chuckle, "...G--good.." He starts to stagger up to his feet.
"...Well, since we are exchanging powers.."
Keith pulls out a small device; it looks like a handgun. However, it is a small thing. What is peculiar about it that it looks like an injector. The top of the device has a vial. When he places the gun over towards his neck, Keith gives a look of a calm nature.
*BTSCH!*
"Huggghh....!"
Eyes flash with cyan color. The bright glow in his eyes form and the pressure around him manifests. Where as Johnny has displayed the energy, Keith is stepping into his fighting stance once more. He rushes towards Johnny at a great speed, weaving towards him at a blink.
He lunges forward with an upward punch driving through the air. The punch is seeking to plant closer towards Johnny's gut. But then...
The eyes burn brighter.
"Haaaaaaaa!"
Johnny may notice a flicker of cyan energy coating around his body. A spark of 'flames' manifest around him. The cyan 'flames' seeks to consume him. Wrapping around him, it grows to coat his entire body.
In essence, there is lightning manifesting around Keith's body. He spasms slightly as the voltage runs its course along the body. "Ngggh..." Keith is struggling to fight it.
COMBATSYS: Keith blitzes into action and acts again!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Keith 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Johnny Cage
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage blocks Keith's Drill Upper.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Keith 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Johnny Cage
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage interrupts Ignition from Keith with Nut Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Keith 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Johnny Cage
After that resounding kick strikes and Keith is forced to go flying backwards, Cage resets his Jeet Kune Do stance and glances out of the ring to his agent whilst Keith is getting back. "Hey Harry! Did you get that one!??" He asks excitedly with a decidedly BD look about him.
"Yeah, JC, baby, you're looking awesome in there!" Calls the equally enthusiastic agent.
"Heh, awesome." Johnny nods to himself looking very satisfied.. until Keith pulls out a gun!?
"JC LOOK OUT!!" Johnny Cage's agent calls out just in for the super star to glance over to Keith as he's shooting himself up with something. "What the--" Oh, this is all kinds of wrong.
Before he even knows what to say about the un-sportlike display, Keith is charging right at him with blinding speed! "Aah hell!!" That is seriously ridiculous speed, and he only just has times to curl his upper body defensively, lowering his torso and hiding his face behind his forearms to take the blow on his guard rather that the gut. "Ow." Johnny is heard saying behind his boxing guard.. and it ain't over yet!
As Cage peeks over his guard, he's noticing that Keith is wreathed in flames now, causing considerable damage to the actor's skin. If he just keeps blocking he's going to burn up for sure!
Which is why Johnny decides, 'hey, if he's just going to stand there screaming with his feet apart...'
Even his agent has to roll his eyes when he recognizes that look on Cage's face.
"HOOOOOOO!!" The actor does a leg split while Keith is busy channeling his energy and punches him square in the groin. "Get Caged!!!!"
Cage then slides back up from his leg split and snaps his fingers at the cameras with a disarming flashing smile.
"Winners don't do drugs."
In the midst of the manifestation of the Psycho Power, Keith is releasing the horrifying energy out towards Johnny Cage. However, as the fighter is leaving himself exposed, Johnny catches his guard being down.
That was Keith's downfall.
What he receives is a nice strike to the groin. The impact of the fist striking low is a sickening crunch sound. It forces the boxer's eyes to widen and he leans forward. Both hands squeeze over towards the socked pelvis. "Ooohhhhh!"
In the midst of it all, his body is a bit shakey. It is shakey as he is reaching for something. One has to hold on to the injured pelvis region.
A hand lowers, struggling to reach the other gun-like injector to his hip. However, as shakey as his hand is, the fingers end up knocking it out of the holder and away from its grasp. The device ends up rolling from his hand, spinning away towards the other side of the ring.
"S--sh--shit... Not g-g-good..."
His body begins spasming as the elctrical voltage. It runs all through his body, pumping him with the energy that gives an unstable atmosphere.
Just as Keith's body is feeling it...
So does the entire arena within the fifty foot vicinity around him. The arena can be seen feeling slightly lighter as the platforms holding it in place begin to twist violently.
"Hehehe.... haahahaa.... I can feel the drive... I can feel it!" The wide eyes reveal the look of ecstacy. His limbs become lighter as his body becomes numb. Blood flows along his eyes and his nose as he appears to be developing an aneurysm.
Those around the vicinity of his threat ring may end up suffering bleeding along the eyes and the face.
DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! MELTDOWN IMPENDING! The Psycho Power around him becomes intense. It manifests in a dome of power that starts to tear into the air.
"I... I A-AM-AM-AM... GO-G-GG-G-G-G-GOING LIIIIIVEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
His body lifts into the air as his numb body releases the dangerous pulse of the Psycho Power. If the source of that dangerous power doesn't fry brains, well, they will be hurting for a while.
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage blocks Keith's Livewire.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Keith 0/-------/-------|=======\===----\1 Johnny Cage
This just got a little more real than Johnny was hoping for!
The actor's attention is pried away from the cameras he knows and loves when Keith recovers from the blow in a far flashier way people normally do after get punched in the nuts. Cage lowers his shades to get a better look at this guy and is he, suddenly, making the entire place levitate or something?
"What in the world...AAGGH!!" Johnny throws his battered arms up to protect himself again and goes into one knee managing to cushion the devastating psycho powered shockwave somewhat. The other people around him aren't so lucky though, Cage's agent, the camera crew and the spectators are probably not dealing with Keith's attack so well.
"Johnny!" The agent manages to speak up from the ground. "You have to stop him! He's killing us!"
"What??" Cage shakes his head from his confused state and looks back at his agent to Keith with a truly bewildered face. "But.. I'm just.. an actor.." He can't save people for real! It's all stuff for the cameras!
And yet, he has to do something, or people are going to get seriously hurt here. Clenching his teeth, Johnny raises to his feet through the haze of psycho energy and focuses on the bleeding boxer shooting waves of dark energy to everyone.
"Alright.." He sighs. "This is where you fall down!" His battle cry given, Johnny dashes at the psycho boxer with wild abandon, springing towards him with a flying kick encased in green chi. He's striking with the side of foot again and this one is come straight for Keith's trachea.
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage successfully hit Keith with Double Feature.
[ \ < > /////////////// ]
Keith 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Johnny Cage
Nggh....
This is too dangerous. People will die here. Too many bystanders here. This is NOT what Keith wanted. However, it is too late now. His body is becoming unstable. Without that injector, he is unable to stop the impending Livewire from taking foot.
"...Need... injector... to stop..."
When Johnny gives a bewildered look, with relunctants the boxer hisses at Johnny to snap him into action.
"/DO IT/! YOU'RE THE DAMN HERO, RIGHT?! N-N-N-NOW!!"
The NESTS Experiment can feel his body being ripped to shreds by the force of the Psycho Power. It is threatening to destroy him and everyone around him. So, when Johnny finally acts, Keith is prepared for it. THe side of the foot strikes towards Keith's trachea. He twists his body to lessen the blow that would likely kill him.
The impact of the strike sends him pretty far. It sends him rolling out of the ring upon the harsh impact towards the ground. Moving along the path, Keith reaches over towards the injector gun. As soon as he lands off of the ring..
A slam towards the ground is heard.
Suddenly... the effects wear off.
The chaotic force from the Psycho Power is ebbing. The injuries are lessening to where they leave the air.
... if Johnny was to look at where he fell, or anyone recovering for that matter, Keith is no longer there.
COMBATSYS: Keith takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Johnny Cage 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Keith can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Johnny Cage 0/-------/------=|
Desperate situations call for desperate measures. Never before has Johnny Cage thrown one of his shadow kicks aimed at a person's neck, knowing full well that it could snap a person's wind pipe like a twig and kill them instantly. But after seeing what this guy was doing to the public he just couldn't just love tap him. Sorry Keith, it's you or the audience.
Fortunately for everyone, even in his apparent frenzy to kill everyone and everything, Keith coils up enough to lessen the blow and take it in a less vital area. It still sends him flying enough and interrupts his psycho energy channeling, giving the public, the camera crew and Johnny some much needed respite.
Johnny lands on his feet and glances about to see where his opponent fell only to find nothing but empty space. "Huh.." Cage exhales and rubs his nose, still not entirely what just happened.
It's Cage's agent who finally breaks the silence by saying; "Aaand cut!" Followed by a "Okay, take five people." Before collapsing face first on the ground.
Johnny seems to think this is a good idea and exists the ring "Guh.. I feel like crap. Being a hero is so overrated."
COMBATSYS: Johnny Cage has ended the fight here.
Once Johnny's agent breaks the silence, the audience are starting to make chattered noises again. There have been applauses in the mixture of worry. No one could figure out what exactly happened. It felt too real and scary. However, Johnny is hailed as a hero.
Near one of the exits is a large figure dressed in the black jump suit with a hood over his head. In his hand is that injector-gun. That ebony-skinned man, hunched over, looks back with a bemused smirk, and tiredly exits while remaining undetected.
That was too close for comfort.
Log created on 21:05:05 12/13/2014 by Keith, and last modified on 07:50:12 12/14/2014.