Match of the Millennium

Description: With Heihachi still missing in the wake of the King Of Fighters, the Worldwide Legendary Fighter belt remains unclaimed. And in defiance to his rival belt holder, Rose, Duke Burkoff has stepped forward to claim it. Yet the disgraced fighter has lost in the face of the World Warrior, and has lost in the face of the King Of Fighters. We believe he has no right to the belt without a fight, and the thundering legitimate businessman must face another face of the World Warrior tournament, Demitri. The winner will be able to hold on to the Legendary Worldwide belt. The loser? Damned to the Red Legendary Belt.

[DEMITRI]
It had to be stated that it was not Demitri's habit to get up /this/ early. It was basically still noon, after all--what a travesty that was. Like a human having to wake at the crack of dawn. He groggily rose from his coffin--which was at the moment in a temporary resting place, blearily glaring at his smartphone--which had been set to vibrate. Part of the reason he'd woken to begin with. A Text.

"Performance was a little LIMP last evening, Demi Demi~ :smugbat:"

He made a disapproving growl at the back of his throat as he put the phone away. Damnit, Morrigan. Why did she give her his number again??

Well, he knew the answer to that, not that he'd admit it readily. He pulled himself up, stowing the phone away--time to get ready.

Midday had turned to dusk and then the shadows descended on the rocky forests of the countryside. A swarm of bats swept across the moon and descended toward the broken battlement of the old castle, seeming to form a cloud like gnats before coalescing into the shape of a man. A large cloaked figure emerged, royal blue suit, cape--short brown hair back but just long enough to form a point towards the back of the head. Pausing to look around the austere and decaying castle, Demitri had to feel a little bad for it. It wasn't quite what he would have gone for in terms of a castle--it was a bit too low in profile, it had none of Zeltzereich's needle-sharp spires or towers, the keep wasn't very prominent--the curtain wall was fine, he supposed, however. It lacked style. His castle was meant for displaying prominence and regality, not to ward off invaders. You definitely couldn't host any sort of party at a site like this, to be sure. If you needed it to protect yourself, you were weak and shouldn't be in the castle's possession.

His face remained neutral as he gazed out along the darkening countryside, eyes glowing white in the gloom. Ah yes, now where was this opponent he was supposed to meet?

[DUKE]
The headlights glow in the darkness.

Duke had always considered himself having a lot of his plate. Gang wars to run. Skeletons to put back together. Wardrobes to restock. A crime boss's life was always busy, always present. The black automobile, a far cry (and noisier) to the carriages that would come up to the castle before. Yet the taxi houses the opponent for the vampire. The stakes were merely mortal, and yet, ever more important. For Morrigan, for all her worth, didn't quite earn her belt from the alluring Rose. And for the count?

He had a belt match to fight for.

Duke's titles and championship wins were only second rate, second tier. Humiliating for the arrogant Syndicate boss. And yet, as he still waits to see how Geese will return from the World Warrior, he had so little time before he could show any prize, any pride. The automobile pulls into the courtyard, and comes to a park. There is no chauffeur to open the door, none dared to emerge in this castle. Duke is forced to open the door himself, emerging from within. He was dressed for the ultimate prize.

The Worldwide Legendary Belt.

Duke was garbed in an ermine cloak, dressed in a stark suit of black and red. In his hand was a mahogany cane, bearing a steel handle at the head. The cloak draped over his shoulders, the dark-skinned crime boss glowered with yellow eyes, staring through the courtyard. Shutting the door behind him, the car immediately drives off. Duke stares, and then, growls.

"Well?" He asks, pointingly.

[DEMITRI]
"I was about to ask you the same question," Demitri pushed his own cloak back, the blood-red lining of it likely brilliant in the glare of the sun that still hung in the sky. Demitri would position himself down in the coutyard or some spot that Duke could easily get to, waiting for him. He was not this much of an... early riser, so the timing was a little off for him--but he was not going to chicken out of something just because of something like a scheduling conflict.

"...Oh right, almost forgot," Demitri reaches into his suit-jacket pocket and withdraws... a quarter? It was shiny and looked newly minted, lord knows where it came from. But at the very least it probably wasn't a bat familiar in disguise.

"I call tails," and it was flipped into the air.

COMBATSYS: Demitri has started a fight here on the right meter side.

                                  >  //////////////////////////////]
                                  |=------\-------\0          Demitri

COMBATSYS: Duke has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Duke             0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0          Demitri

[DUKE]
Duke stares at Demitri.

He was inspecting his opponent, studying him. A fellow rival from the World Warrior... and a fellow washout. The crime boss didn't know what to expect. But while the others squabble in the aftermath of the World Warrior, he wanted to cease control. But the strange pale figure seemed tired. And as he reaches into his pocket, Duke shakes his head.

A coin?

"You wish to decide this over a cointoss?" Duke rumbles. He hurls the cane aside, as he adjusts his cloak, his face twisting into a snarl. "You think this is a game?" Duke challenges. And that was the warning Demitri would get, as the chi energy boils over his form. He was... still getting used to this body, this timeline. His encounter with Terumi was beyond traumatic. But if Demitri was in the way... a shitty vampire. Could it be? Duke doesn't hesitate, as demitri flips the coin in the air.

He doesn't even let the coin come down.

Almost immediately, Duke slams down a foot. Chi energy floods over him, as the fires boil out around the epicenter. A blast wave roars out, as the very castle rumbles with the earthquake on impact. If the tremors didn't stun Demitri, he would have to deal with the waves of flames boiling around the crime boss, whose cloak flutters on the impact. He would soon find out if this is the shitty vampire.

"WHO ARE YOU!?"

COMBATSYS: Duke successfully hits Demitri with Seismic Impact ES.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Duke             0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0          Demitri

[DEMITRI]
"Well, it might make things faster and easier--for you!" Demitri slipped in that last hint of shit-talking before the fight began--the coin coming up heads. Just his luck. The coin is still held in Demitri's hand as the dark-skinned man slams his foot down, the shockwave blowing the coin away as Demitri reacts--too slow as apparently as the wave of flames washed over him. Demitri seemed engulfed in fire--before they began to recede, as if put out by some kind of force that produced no vapors of the chi-based fire cooling.

"Demitri Maximoff, at your service--of course, I had assumed you had already figured that out," Demitri's face was moving to speak even as the flames licked back over him and began to disappear, winking out with the last wisps of it disappearing off the tips of his slicked back hair and cloak as he pushed it back.

As the cloak is pushed back and flaring, Demitri attempts to quickly cross the gap between them and pulls back his right fist for a haymaker aimed right at Duke's head and shoulders, ivory teeth set hard with determination.

COMBATSYS: Duke fails to interrupt Medium Punch from Demitri with Swivel Gun EX.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Duke             0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0          Demitri

[DUKE]
Duke was not here for smarm.

Already unleashing his attack, he begins his march after the vampire, his flames spreading around. And then, he pauses, as they are quenched. The figure, his opponent, imbued with incredible power, was overwhelming the fires. Snarling, he spreads his stance. "You think this is a joke?" He growls, as he draws back a leg, reading the motions instinctively. As the vampire descends, he was already swinging his leg, the audible sheen of metal slicing through the air being heard.
But he is too slow.

Duke roars in agony as he tracks the blow to the head. Chi energy flares up, and out, as the kick is never completed. Duke is sent hurtling into the wall of the courtyard, smashing hard against the stones. Face swelling up, the shattered jawbone of the crime boss endures. Duke chokes, gripping his cloak, as he transfixes his yellow eyes.

"Wh-what are you!?" He bites through the pain.

[DEMITRI]
Even as Duke rears back to land the kick--Demitri is just slightly ahead of him and is able to land the forcible blow to the dark-skinned man's jaw.

"I'm a vampire, allow me to demonstrate," Demitri seems as if he might not be pressing the advantage he just gained from Duke's miscalculated blow--but it would soon become apparent to Duke what he was doing. Leaping back and into the air, Demitri came down--feet first with his cloak wrapped around him--and he's spinning, as if delivering a spinning somersault kick. But... did Duke even see him really jump to leave the ground? It seemed to happen too fast for Duke's eyes to register!

"You are a chi user too, I see--I had hoped this would be an impressive showing!"

COMBATSYS: Duke endures Demitri's Bat Dive.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Duke             1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0          Demitri

[DUKE]
Vampire.

Duke focuses hard on Demitri. Shitty vampire, the very shitty vampire... was this what was Terumi talking about? The crime boss snarls as he pushes against the wall, his cloak behind him. He died for this, and now, was the vampire in his grasps? Duke could not be too hasty; this was all about the belt, first and foremost. The vampire's speed greatly outpaced his own, and he had to carve apart his opportunities as they came. He had fought the supernatural before.

And what more did this vampire have over a god?

Demitri was diving down at him in a blink of an eye, his agility beyond human perception. But Duke's instincts are keen, and his spirit burning. He -forces- throw the kick, the block snapping his bones yet again. But already, his jaw was recovering. Two blows from the vampire was bone crushing. Forcing forward, forcing through, he jumps into the kick after Demitri. Bringing his legs forward, he attempts an aerial drop kick to -smash- the bat down, to bring him down. All with a threatening question.

"What does Terumi mean to you?"

COMBATSYS: Demitri blocks Duke's Medium Kick.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Duke             1/----===/=======|======-\-------\0          Demitri

[DEMITRI]
"Now that I have your attention--who is Terumi?" Demitri lands after his boots shread into Duke and he pushes his cape back again, not needing it as he continued to advance on the dark-skinned man. The man's kick went up and Demitri was able to meet it in time with his forearm--taking it a bit harder than he expected--mainly letting the blow push him back just a bit, leaning into it, so to speak--while enabling himself to snap back appropriately.

There was an audible crack, probably coming from Demitri's spine as he arched it--popping his joints and cracking his knuckles after the drop kick had made him contort back like that--but he'd manage to block most of the force of it, reaching out to try and grasp Duke with large, powerful hands--snapping his arms around him.

"I suppose we can sort it out--over dinner!" Demitri then attempted to launch himself into the air--taking Duke along with him. At least that was the plan--into a flying suplex!

COMBATSYS: Duke interrupts Hell Ride from Demitri with Minefield EX.
# Disabling hit! #

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Duke             0/-------/-<<<<<<|=======\-------\1          Demitri

[DUKE]
It was the wrong response.

Demitri's arrogant tone comes out, the smug air of a noble... but if he didn't know Terumi, then he wasn't the one. Fine. Duke keeps quiet as the crack comes under the kick. Landing on both feet, he breaths hard, retaining his footing. It keeps him open for the snapback from the vampire, however, as the fire boils over him. Duke's limbs snap under the grip of the vampire, the crime boss groaning in pain. Still building in chi, he begins to flex as he is taken up in the air. The energy bulges out at his arms, in Demitri's grip.

And it explodes.

Duke's arms erupt in chi, as he -explodes- out of the grip of the vampire. It was like a grenade, or a landmine, the explosion of chi knocking Duke away as the blast goes right at the vampire's chest. Falling down from the midair, he slams hard on the earth. Rolling around a moment, stunned, he snarls back at the vampire. "Dammit!" He moans, as he gradaully rises back up into a stand.

"Who is the shitty vampire, then?!"

[DEMITRI]
"I don't know--why don't you ask Jedah--he's pretty good at being full of shit--" Demitri responds, not quite catching the exact meaning or nuance of what Duke meant by 'shitty'. He was still catching up on all of these modern terms and slang, damnit! This is in the process of reeling back from grabbing Duke, having him erupt into burning chi and then exploding out of his grasp--hurting the both of them, it appeared.

Demitri himself winds up sliding back against the floor--still burning from the chi explosion, however he bounces back quickly--rearing back up not only through physical leverage but also unseen, supernatural pull to get back on his feet.

Realizing he has the initiative, Demitri charges towards Duke, glowing with chi energy--feet hardly touching the floor as he wraps his cloak around himself and initiates what is more or less a very hard shoulder-check against Duke--the vampire's body spinning in the process, trying to tear into him!

COMBATSYS: Duke dodges Demitri's Entropic Chaos Cradle EX.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Duke             0/-------/-<<<<<<|=======\-------\1          Demitri

[DUKE]
Another name.

Barely recovered, Duke turns back at the vampire. "Then I will find this Jedah, after I am done getting the belt that is mine!" The crime boss bellows. While Duke had a presence of pure offense, a lumbering unstoppable force, the truth is that Duke was more agile than he seemed. Rather, while his instincts were only so human, it was a well experienced human. Already, as Demitri dashes in, the crime boss smirks, and moves for his cloak. The fur cloak is tossed into the air, as he steps out of it. Demitri passes by him, the vampire colliding with the cloak... and exposing his back for only a moment to the crime boss.

And he brings his leg around.

Slamming it at Demitri's back, he attempts to unleash a massive drop kick at the vampire. Whether it connected or not, the crime boss would chain it with a second kick, swinging it high into an arc before -smashing- it down hard. So hard, in fact, a second shockwave bellows out, another wave of flame, another round of tremors, and another frightening crater in the courtyard grounds. And with it?

Hopefully the vampire himself, struggling under his heel.

COMBATSYS: Demitri blocks Duke's Hellfire Hammer.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Duke             0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1          Demitri

[DEMITRI]
Demitri had to admit--but wouldn't openly--that Duke's ermine cloak had a certain ja ne sais quoi about it--the kind of faux royalty look really worked for him. This passes through Demitri's mind as he's almost fooled into attacking the cloak rather the man himself--like a bull fighter distracting and misdirecting the horns of the beast bearing down on him. And this is almost entirely what happens, but instead of his next blow impacting with his back, completely vulnerable--Demitri is able to turn in time and clench his bicep to take it in his shoulder--turning what might have been a punishing, nearly fight ending blow into a nasty bruise. Reeling back for a moment to recover, the vampire had to check his options.

Turning and bringing his punching arm back, Demitri lets go with a cruel and rough spinning lariat, both fists tightly gripped into fists.

COMBATSYS: Duke endures Demitri's Aggressive Strike.
# Disabling hit! #

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Duke             0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1          Demitri

[DUKE]
Really, if anything survives this fight, it would be nice for the cloak to survive.

As Demitri barely holds his own against the brutal kicking combination, Duke was already in position for the next attack. And yet, there is no interrupting this time. Forcing into the attack, the vampire smashes hard into his chest. So hard, in fact, that Duke is forced to a knee, his lungs and ribs crushed. "Is that all you can bring?!" Duke roars, blood coming from his mouth. "I'd expect that kind of fighting from a woman!" Duke snarls, struggling with the weakness overtaking him. The vampire was nearly as strong as he was... and much faster. He was relying on endurance in a match against someone with immortal endurance.

But he was still no god.

Duke bellow as he surges at Demitri. Swinging both of his arms high in the air, he unleashes a bone-shatter hammerblow, attempting to smash his fists down hard across Demitri's skull. A brutal, almost clumsy attack. But bringing a full font of power with it. Already, chi was boiling over Duke.

It would not be long before he unleashes his full power into Demitri.

COMBATSYS: Demitri dodges Duke's Strong Punch.

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Duke             0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1          Demitri

[DEMITRI]
"Quite quite all--" Demitri recovers from the momentary disorientation of the spinning lariat, one eye glinting as Duke proceeds to taunt him.

"I'd like to see one that was!" with just some slight ambiant shade against Morrigan there, one might suppose--though Duke has also gotten Demitri in a mischievously playful mood by this point.

The hammerblow from Duke comes down--the black man's clenched fists ripping through air just a milimeter from Demi's skull--the vampire able to pull back from it in just the nick of time, seemingly. As Duke recovers from the strike, he'd find one of Demitri's large hands trying to grasp his forearm, using his off-balance state to pull him--trying to pull him, turn and ram him into the wall off to the side of them.

COMBATSYS: Duke barely endures Demitri's Fast Throw.
# Disabling hit! #

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Duke             0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1          Demitri

[DUKE]
Too slow.

As the crime boss slams his fists down, he could FEEL the impact. And yet, too far. Was the vampire toying with him? If so, Duke would bring his games to an end. As he recovers, he feels the grips of Demitri latch on him. He goes with the throw, which almost would have been fine... until he -smashes- into the wall with bone crushing force. That elects a gasp from Duke, as the stones dig deep in him, a crater from even a lesser toss.

ANd he begins to slow down once more.

"NO!" Roars the crime boss, as his rage boils over. Hatred, pure hatred was flowing in him, as he staggers from the wall. His lungs, his lungs were being more and more crushed. He was gasping for air, his very pallor turning vaguely blue. But even as he chokes, he refuses to fall. Nearly blindly, he throws out a punch with the left, a staggering blow from the right. By then, he comes to his senses just long enough to focus hard on the vampire, and in a burst of energy, he attempts to slam both limbs together, to crush Demitri's own chest.

All as he struggles to even breath.

COMBATSYS: Duke successfully hits Demitri with Hell And Brimstone ES.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Duke             1/-======/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2          Demitri

[DEMITRI]
"You are pretty strong, I can feel the chi welling within you--that just makes me even more curious as to what a man like you has going on under the... surface," and with that Demitri's fangs seem to elongate and extend, becoming tusk-like for just a few scant moments, before disappearing back into his face.

The staggering blocks cuff Demitri on the shoulder and face, joints popping and cracking as his neck is jerked back in ways human necks are not meant to go at all--but the vampire pulls his head back, lips drawn back with blood running through his ivory teeth--his own, alas, in this case. It would appear the rather nasty blows he'd dealt Duke just now had taken the stuffing out of Duke, albiet temporarily--the next blow to his chest barely seems to phase him.

"So, lets see if we can expect that kind of fighting from a woman," Demitri's eyes flash red and he is briefly not there at all--disappearing as he moves faster than the eye can see--reappearing in front of Duke, now wreathed in prismatic, glowing chi--more brillaint that ghostlights. As he comes close enough, he reaches out with one arm--which Duke will notice has now become inhuman, leathern somehow--and dark, tipped with razor sharp claws--grasping for his shoulder.

COMBATSYS: Demitri successfully hits Duke with #Midnight Bliss EX#.

[                             \  < >  ////////////                  ]
Duke             1/---<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0          Demitri

[DUKE]
What did he mean, under the surface.

As the final blow comes from the combination, the fangs emerging, Duke sensed that it would be all too soon before the vampire would try to drink his blood. It was obvious, wasn't it? And yet, as he snaps the creature's neck, he stares in dawning realization just how much more he would need to strike this guy. As the eyes flash, the vamprie is on him. He brings up his guard, bracing against his neck, ready to catch the bite that... that would not come. Instead, the vampire's spell is made, and he feels his indomitable chi energy suddenly suppressed. The magic wraps around him, as the lights blind him.

And he transforms.

The form of the crime boss was just as scarred, but the dark skin softens, the hair retracting, the muscles withdrawing. The curve of Duke's hips come over her suit, as her chest billows out from the undershirt, only contained by the black suit jacket of the crime boss. The woman's salt and pepper hair flows on her shoulders. Duke, or rather, the Duchess, is frowning furiously as she looks over herself. Pursing her lips for a moment, she blurts out.

"...What the hell?!" She states, before Demitri draws in.

"H... HHHRGH!" She groans, as Demitri seizes her, and lifts her into the air. Now, the true form of the vampire was revealed, a shadowy bestial thing. Duchess feels her life energy fade away, as her form begins to have the life sucked from it. The skin withers, as she takes a nearly mummified appearance. The crime boss groans, as she forces her yellow eyes open. Glaring at him, she manages to lift one arm up.

And the chi flows around.

There is only the briefest of moments. Duchess, surging with power, -slams- her arm down, attempting to break away from the vampire. Her chi surges around her, dominating Demitri's magic at the very least. But the blast wave explodes around her, daring to consume the vampire, daring to blow him away with the flames. But the expanding fireball licks the flames of the courtyard, as Duchess, or rather, Duke again, lays in a heap on the ground. Unconscious. Drained. Defeated. And above all?

Humilated.

COMBATSYS: Duke can no longer fight.

                                  >  ////////////                  ]
                                  |-------\-------\0          Demitri

COMBATSYS: Demitri dodges Duke's Ground Zero.

                                  >  ////////////                  ]
                                  |-------\-------\0          Demitri

[DEMITRI]
"I don't know about Black Dynamite," Demitri's now demonic and bestial mouth seemed to not move as his voice resounded from it, as if the human shape and even the voice was simply a performance or maybe an avatar, of some kind.

"But you do have dynamite legs~" the large bestial hand clutched Duchess's shoulder even tighter, the large oral ring of teeth opened wider as the draining occured. Was it just energy, or chi--or also blood? Probably a mixture of both--vacuumed out of Duke--or Duchess with a speed that was purely supernatural. The man turned woman's suit would fall in, trousers and jacket becoming inert, like cast off laundry beneath broomsticks.

The blow from Duchess comes down--but even as Demitri--or what he'd turned into begins to haul him up and throw him through the air--casting them off--they disappear in a pulse of ether and smoke--leaving the temporarily transformed and defeated Duchess on the floor. Likely the figure snd shape of her would return--the vibrance and vitality of life--soon after the vampire departed.

But it didn't need to be stated that they'd be stuck like that at least for a bit.

Log created on 16:48:12 05/21/2018 by Demitri, and last modified on 18:37:01 05/22/2018.