Match of the Millennium

Description: Recovering from a bloody and bitter battle against the brutish wrestler MURDERHOUSE, the Griffon Mask - and the man underneath - feel deflated in having been overcome by a man defined through underhanded, dangerous tricks. He would not be left to lick his wounds on his own, not when the King sees a need for this man against a far greater threat. A greater threat to all of wrestling...

[TIZOC]
It goes without saying that the match between the Griffon Mask and MURDERHOUSE not long ago was among the most brutal seen in syndication in recent times. The sheer torment MURDERHOUSE was willing to put his opponent through. The determination that would see the Griffon Mask rise up against almost anything he could have been taken out by. There were attempts to stop the match mid-battle, stymied by the outside crew's inability to open the cage. In the end, the Irish garbage wrestler was the one who stood victorious... in the ring.
In the hospital, there are rarely true winners among the wounded.
Tizoc lay resting in a hospital bed. His bravado didn't allow him to acknowledge it then, but he was mere minutes away from bleeding out in the ring entirely - that battle could have been his very last bout. The muscular body of the Mexican strongman was still yet a shade or two paler even with the medical intervention. (How did they treat the stab wound to his forehead while he still wore a mask? That's... that's a trade secret...! Not a logic error. Honest!!)
Day and night have ceased to have meaning, for now. The ambient light of the sun peeking through the window outside is ignored in favor of watching the television provided. The only thing to have broken the man's attention from it are the occasional well-wishing fan that he must remain strong for (and probably why he hasn't taken off the mask).
That the Griffon Mask was laid low by a series of dirty tricks...! It is a grievous wound to one's pride.

[JAGUAR KING]
But the Griffon Mask is not the only one who has suffered a brutal loss recently. Only a few weeks ago, Jaguar King was challenged by Craig Marduk in a poor attempt at "joke" by the brutal Vale Tudo champion. After a tremendous struggle, Marduk narrowly emerged victorious--and took the crowd reaction as the basis for his campaign against pro-wrestling at large. Since that time, Jaguar King has been watching matches like Griffon Mask vs MURDERHOUSE quite closely. Nothing has come of it, yet, but that is soon to change.
Jaguar King arrives at the hospital front desk in a snappy, bright blue button up shirt and white pants held up by suspenders. He is dressed well enough to be on his way to something quite formal--save for the ever present jaguar mask, in place as always. He checks in a visitor, a stuffed griffon tucked under his arm.
Jaguar King then makes his way through the hospital, heading straight to Griffon Mask's room. He knocks firmly before stepping in.

[TIZOC]
The beak of the mask tips upwards at the sound of the door knocking. More young fans, here to look disheartened and let down, even through their cheers and well-wishes? He must bear the responsibility of disappointing the children...! With resignation, Tizoc sits up in his bed to at least look healthier than he looks, feels, and actually is.
"Please, come in!" He works up a weak little, cheerful laugh as the Jaguar King steps through. Hm, that is tall for a young child. That is very well-dressed for a young child. That might not be a young child.
...Under the mask, the eyes widen as eyes meet with the mask before him! That's, that's none other than...!
"...King!" One could hear the reverence coming out of the recovering wrestler. King Jaguar is what he is known by in longhand, but in Mexico, to any wrestler whom truly lives and respects the lifestyle, this man is not King Jaguar.
He is simply King, because that mask is nothing short of wrestling royalty.
Further words escape him - simultaneously feeling a high honor, and a profound shame.

[JAGUAR KING]
Jaguar King nods, moving into the room with a confident stride. He makes his way across the room and sets the stuff griffon down on the bedside table. Signatures are scrawled across it, many of which look to be those of children. Further inspection shows them to be well wishes.
With the griffon put aside, King Jaguar extends a hand, bent at the elbow, for a firm shake. There is a jaguar noise of acknowledgement.

[TIZOC]
The Griffon Mask is without words to see the gifts that the one who bears a legendary mask has brought him. The stuffed toy - the signatures of children... so many have been fit on there! It's enough to move anyone to tears. Tears even forming around the eyes of the mask! (That might be a medical problem of its own...)
"I... I am truly honored...!" The Griffon Mask - no, Tizoc, the man underneath - chokes as the hand is outstretched. He has to cross his right hand over his body - chancing the reach of the IV cord - to reach over and make handshake contact.
To even shake the man's hand!! His strength drained as it is, Tizoc's grip manages to live up to the meaning of the word 'strength.' It's firm, even at a low point. A part of him doesn't want to let go. He does, politely, which avoids an awkward situation.

[JAGUAR KING]
With a firm nod, Jaguar King breaks the handshake nearly in sync with Tizoc. He looks up at the TV, pantomining the thumb-press of the power button. Appparently he wants Tizoc's full attention. With that done, King dips a hand into his shirt pocket and retrieves a smartphone, tapping it to life and thumb through its contents. In a moment, he has pulled up something. He tilts the phone to widescreen, then turns it around for the Griffon Mask to see.
...and it's Tizoc's match with MURDERHOUSE! What sort of man stoops so low as to come show a wrestler his failures in the hospital?! But no, looking more closely, it seems to be a highlight reel of Tizoc's successes: his daring interrupt, his repeated refusal to go down even in the face of the MURDERHOUSE's brutal style. Most of all it emphasizes his bravado and sheer refusal to go down.
Firmly, Jaguar King points to the video. He then points to Tizoc. He thumps his chest with a fist, then lifts his arm, fist up and back toward him, to emphasize his bicep and strength.

[TIZOC]
Tizoc follows the pantomimes and cues with faultless clarity - such is among the talent of the King Jaguar to be able to communicate even the most complex of ideas. All the way to seeing what the match is being played on the smartphone.
There is no initial feeling of dread or shame. Tizoc knows the King Jaguar is a man of true character who would never kick him while he's down. Such is the trust bequeathed into the wrestler before him. He watches these highlights with an intensity that shows even through the obscuring nature of the Griffon Mask's trademark headpiece, a shine and a fire reflecting from the eyes...
When the King thumps his chest and flexes... so, too, does the Griffon Mask. There's a bigger pause between the chest thumping and the flexing, for his chest is much, much more tender than the rock-hard physique would let on. Tizoc keeps his 'ow' nestled deep inside.
What could Tizo-- no, what could the Griffon Mask say to King Jaguar in thanks? He could not. There are no words. There are only muscles, and an enduring spirit. He would use this to hasten his recovery from this defeat... in spirit!
In physical terms he had some time to go, as his doctors would remind him, but let's not let reality sober the moment!!
Spiritually, he would be spurned to once again sally forth ever harder, ever quicker, ever stronger...!

[JAGUAR KING]
Jaguar King holds up a hand, however. A sign of 'hold on' accompanied by a jaguar noise. He turns the phone away, pulling up a second video. He turns it around.
In it is Craig Marduk, announcing his Anti-Wrestling Team on the Terry Roger show. Marduk speaks of all the problems of wrestling--or the ones that he perceives, and his intent of "ending wrestling forever" using the prize money.
When the video stops, Jaguar King sweeps a hand in disgust, shaking his head. His fist is clenched tightly. His blood still boils from the Marduk's involvement in the death of the first Armor King and his refusal to acknowledge his wrongdoing or show remorse for his actions past his short prison sentence for manslaughter.
And then, King points Tizoc. After he does, he thumbs back to his own chest. He then points to Marduk...
And turns his thumb downward forcefully.

[TIZOC]
The words ring heavy, coming from the giant Vale Tudo maestro. The vile 'tude monster. The very idea that they would not only oppose wrestling, but to use the supposed prize money from the upcoming King of Fighters in order to put an end to it once and for all...
A hand presses at the side of the hospital bed's frame. A fist clenches. Metal doesn't squeal under it, but for the sound of knuckles cracking, it doesn't seem like it would take much more grip strength to achieve such a feat in anger and disgust.
"That is... unforgivable!!" The Griffon Mask's voice raises. How could such an affront pass by without his notice?! However, the last set of gestures bears something that must be repeated for the sake of the audience in question.
"You would propose that I will stand alongside you in order to put a stand against such a menace... very well!" He blurts the words out of sheer mounting testosterone. It wouldn't dawn to him later that he might be over his head. Craig Marduk went undefeated for five years in MMA circuits, and technically even defeated the (dubiously crowned) World Champion - he is as real as just about anyone gets. Their brutality and durability have few matches out in the greater world of fighting. The Griffon Mask has only fairly recently joined the ranks of the 'real' fighting leagues out there.
Logically speaking, he would stand no chance. This was not a time for logic.
This was a call from King Jaguar himself. If King Jaguar would ask a wrestler to come join his graces to fight against an opponent for the sake of all wrestling, then...
"I, the Griffon Mask, will defend the honor of our way of life! My identity's guts and justice, not just a mask!" His identity is also 'dude that almost bled to death,' and the weakening downturn of his voice reflects this as he finds his body mass settling into his hospital bed.

[JAGUAR KING]
King Jaguar nods firmly in response to The Griffon Mask. As he does, King turns the phone off and returns it to his pocket. When Tizoc gives his confirmation that he will help, King Jaguar response with a mighty jaguar noise and a clenched fist held in front of him.
He extends an arm once more, this time to lock arms in a sturdier handshake. A bond, of sorts, between lucha uniting against a common menace.

[TIZOC]
"Dah!" A mighty call fights past a weakened throat, his sapped reserves having to put forth all they can to give this important moment the fair shake it deserves. His left arm is raised, fist clenched as tight as possible...
...and with that, there is a locking of arms.
The most sacred of handshakes.
That the Jaguar King is entrusting such a task to the Griffon Mask is both an honor, and a responsibility. Of all the great wrestlers there are out in the circuits, it appears to be /him/ that the man Tizoc would simply call 'King' that is being entrusted with this.
"There must yet be others who will yet answer the call!" If this is King of Fighters, they're going to need more than just the two of them - the thought of being in the company of some of the true greats, that he would get to stand /with/ Jaguar King as an ally at one of the most dire crises that yet face the way of the wrestling ring...!
What fate awaits? Who else will answer the call, to take down the Anti-Wrestling Team?!

Log created on 18:18:47 07/26/2017 by Tizoc, and last modified on 20:49:13 07/26/2017.