Match of the Millennium

Description: In round 2 of SLAMFEST, the conductor of Slam Station mayor Mike Haggar is put through a grueling endurance match against the tag team of Alex and Gunloc. However, when the Florida Wild Horse fails to show, a last minute replacement could be just the magic bullet needed to bring this pain train to a screeching halt.

[HAGGAR]
Back to back days of SLAM are the hallmark of any Slammasters tournament, and Muscle Bomber is no exception. The CWA expects only the best from its athletes, and so it is that the very next day the stadium pulses with the roar of the fans, tiers of cheering faces overlooking the newly repaired Ring Of Destruction. There is no announcer for this fight, no commentators at all. Only the swirl of the spotlights whipping around the stadium interior as a grinding classic guitar rift begins to slam its way from the speakers, announcing the one, the only, the Living Legend Himself!!!
The roof of the stadium threatens to explode (not really) from the pressure of screaming fans as Mayor Mike Haggar bursts through the curtain accompanied by the poignant lyrics of Neil Young, bounding forward to the top of the ramp where he pauses. Muscles like steel cables force his tan skin out into distinct ridges as he brings his fists together before him and flexes his biceps, shoulders sloped forward and glorious mustache bristling with stern intensity. Stepping forward down the ramp, he flings his arms out wide, turns to the right and flexes for the children in the nearby stands, continuing on his way toward the ring and turning to do the same for the fans on the other side. Long strides carry him to the ring in no time at all, where he springs spryly up onto the edge of the apron, then steps over the ropes in the way only a 6'10 behemoth of a human being can, striding his way manfully into the center of the ring where he poses one final time. Huge left hand on his hip, he snags his suspender between the thumb and forefinger of his other hand and snaps it sharply against his skin, glowering around unimpressed at the empty ring before him.

COMBATSYS: [ Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World ] Lights flash and pyrotechnics boom as classic rock begins to grind its way through the arena. 'There's colors on the street, Red, white and blue. People shufflin' their feet, People sleepin' in their shoes.' A classic song for a classic wrestler. Making his triumphant return to sweep the competition like the streets of Metro City, Big Mayor Mike Haggar is Ready, To, SLAM!!!

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Haggar           0/-------/-------|

[ALEX]
Alex's entrance is less grandiose -- at least, in so far as anything in Slammasters lacks theatrics and showmanship. Pyrotechnics detonate and some upbeat jazz blasts through the speakers as the blond tugs up his headband, rolls his arm around the shoulder, and makes his way to the ring. He flips over the rope, landing on the springs of the ring with a metal rumble.

Once in the ring, Alex turns toward the fans, takes his grey a-shirt, and pulls it apart down the middle in classic Hogan fashion.

"You're the Mike Haggar, huh? This is an honor, y'know. Hope we can have a good match."

COMBATSYS: Alex enters the arena, to the roar of the crowd!

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Haggar           0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
The flash of pyrotechnics draws the Mayor's stern glower away from the empty ring and around into a glance over one unreasonably broad shoulder, brown eyes watching while Alex makes his way quickly down the ramp. Wheeling around to face the much younger man, Haggar backs up into his corner of the ring, giving him plenty of space for his entering flip and clearing the stage for the subsequent shirt rip.
And then, the boy has the good manners to compliment him.
Massive left paw coming up to rest against his chin, he smoothes his mustache into place with a swipe of his thumb, stony glower softening just a bit. To think that some manners still exist in this younger generation. They aren't all tank armor and cannon gauntlets after all. Tromping forward to meet the boy half way, he offers his massive paw out for a sportsmanly handshake, mighty lungs working to cut through the roar of the crowd.
"Young man, we will give them a match they won't soon forget!"
Promise given, the Mayor of Meatville retreats back to his corner of the ring and waits the few long moments it takes for the bell to be rung, psyching himself up with a couple loud slapping smacks to his flexing chest, knees bent into the deep crouching stance of a wrestler. And once the bell is rung, he makes good on his promise, tramping forward into the center of the ring and thrusting his right hand forward with fingers spread in clear challenge.
If Alex chooses to accept, the mayor will lock fingers with the smaller man in a test of strength, both wrestlers feet braced, muscles flexing as he attempts to drive the smaller fellow's arm back. To force it in against his chest and carry him off balance into a stumble, walking him backward faster and faster until his back crashes hard into the corner of the ring he came from. He'd have to be a sturdy lad indeed to stand before the might of Mike Haggar and not get tossed about.

COMBATSYS: Alex just-defends Haggar's Tie-up Lock!

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Haggar           0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Alex

[ALEX]
Alex takes Haggar's hand and pulls in close for a mighty handshake, bicep to bicep. A big grin passes over his face as they do, Alex giving him a firm nod. For a usually grumpy guy, the blond seems excited about the prospect of squaring off against a legend of the circuit like Haggar.

But then they move toward the fight itself. Alex is whipped around, spun, and send toward the corner of the ring. He seems out of control, soaring straight toward it--until he smashes against it in a guarded posture, bringing himself to a stop.

"Yeah, that's a strong start," he says. "My turn!" Alex crouches down from standing, his legs tight like springs. He launches into a leap, soaring high across the ring before dropping down like a rock in a stomp.

COMBATSYS: Haggar blocks Alex's Air Stampede.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Haggar           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
An impressed huff of breath bristles passed Haggar's glorious mustache at Alex's deft recovery, the aging wrestler backing off into the center of the ring. As a result, the scrappy blond has all the room he needs to launch himself airborne, descending upon his larger opponent with both feet stomping.
Huge hands close around Alex's ankles and bring his downward momentum to a halt, the Mayor having reached up and grabbed him out of the air as if he weighed nothing at all. Head tilted back, he glowers sternly up at the blond, brown eyes narrowed in patriarchal disapproval.
"This is not the Marios, young man, and I am no goombie."
Dragging Alex out of the air, the Mayor hurls his bulk forward in a full body smash, attempting to plough chest-first into Alex and knock him sprawling to the mat. Wrestling boots stomping, he would then step over the younger fellow and stoop down to grab him under the ribs with both meaty ham hands, swinging him up and over his head in a backward toss toward the corner without even looking to aim.

COMBATSYS: Alex barely endures Haggar's Hoodlum Launcher but gets knocked away!

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Haggar           0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0             Alex

[ALEX]
Alex's big boots impact with Haggar's resolute block, the man standing vertically atop Haggar's guard for a moment before postures shift and manuevers start. Meaty hands wrap around Alex's feet and pull him into range, then mass collides with mass as Haggar chest-slams Alex and launches him across the ring with enough force to stagger him. The world is spinning by the time the follow-up throw happens, and Alex is backwards thrown to the other of the ring where he slams heavily against the springy floor of the arena.

But he doesn't go down, not entirely. The blond digs in, his fingers groping the canvas as he tries to slow himself to a stop.

"Sheesh," Alex rises up and wiping his mouth. "I see where you got that reputation," Alex says, staggering to his feet. He reaches up and rubs his shoulder, working it where he impacted a moment ago. "But don't count me out yet!" The blond pushes back, throwing himself against the ropes, then breaks into a sprint toward Haggar. He launches himself into an airborne body slam this time, his feet leaving the mat once he gets up to speed.

COMBATSYS: Haggar endures Alex's Body Slam.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Haggar           0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1             Alex

[HAGGAR]
Though Alex is hefted and tossed with everything going exactly according to Haggar's plan, the expected crash of body against turnbuckle never comes. Brow furrowing slightly at this unexpected turn of events, Haggar glances back over his shoulder to see the young blond man clawing himself to a halt against the canvas.
"Oh ho ho!" the giant man booms, turning to face off against his opponent while he regains his feet, "You're pretty tough yourself. I've taken a fair few punks off the streets with that one. You seem to be made of sterner stuff. Good!"
Mustache quivering with expectation, the enormous bull of a Mayor narrows his dark brown eyes, lasering in upon Alex with the single-minded focus that served him so well while on campaign. The blond begins his charge, and Haggar answers by thundering forward to meet him half way, closing the distance in a stampede of muscle. Bare chest crashes into bare chest in the center of the ring, Alex's flying body slam smashing full-on into the Mighty Mayor, but it doesn't seem to slow him down. In fact, with the younger man in so close, the hulking government official plants his left boot and whirls on the spot, right swinging out straight in an attempt to smash it full on into the smaller man's still airborne body and hammer him roughly to the ground in a wind-ripping doozy of a clothesline.

COMBATSYS: Alex blocks Haggar's Heavy Clothesline.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Haggar           0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1             Alex

[ALEX]
Muscle clashes with muscle again as Haggar barrels into Alex like a raging bull. Alex's eyes widen when Haggar doesn't budge, and the New York brawler stumbles back to regain his footing and rebalance himself. He has barely a second before Haggar is chasing after him with a clothesline to follow up the body block, a bicep that's practically a tree-trunk swinging toward him.

Alex raises his arms and takes the blow against his forearms, his boots scraping the canvas as he slides backward across the ring. "Thanks," Alex grunts. "Been in my fair of scraps too."

But then Alex is on the offensive again, cutting in low. He spreads his arms wide, aiming to slip under Haggar's defense and take him by the waist. If he does, Alex drops backward into a German suplex, then rolls over for a second, then flips back over Haggar onto his feet. Still holding on, he'll then try to launch them both in the air, leaping high for a devastating leaping Power Bomb.

COMBATSYS: Haggar blocks Alex's Hyper Bomb.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Haggar           0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
Taking a single step back after the clash of arm to arms, Haggar glances up and flexes the clothes lining limb for the crowd, head bobbing in a nod of respect to Alex. Though fighting him is not unlike being locked in a small room with a rampaging elephant, there is also a classic feel to working the ring with him. A sense that this is a match, a contest of strength vs strength rather than a brutal street fight.
Swooping in low, the Blond is able to duck beneath the Mayor's grasping hands and circle his arms around the solid mass of his torso, heaving the big man up and over his head in a thunderous suplex that violently shakes the ring. Before he can roll them into the next, however, Haggar twists his body hard to the side and breaks free of the grip, rolling out of the chain and coming up onto his knees.
Big shoulders heaving with a breath, he visibly gives himself a rough shake to knock the lingering effects of the slam off, powering to his feet and thundering toward Alex like an avalanche of tanned muscle with a glorious mustache. Huge hands sweep down toward the lad to try and grip him by ribs and thigh, powerful legs flexing to launch both men high high into the air. Then and only then will he whirl the unfortunate blond through the air so that he dangles upside down. Mayoral arms wrap around his own to pin them to his sides, while tree trunk legs clamp around his head. Together they begin to fall, rotating faster and faster on their meteoric descent toward the CWA logo at the center of the ring.

COMBATSYS: Alex blocks Haggar's Screw Piledriver.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Haggar           0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0             Alex

[ALEX]
Alex stumbles back when Haggar breaks the hold, his momentum brought to an abrupt halt by the show of force. His breaths are heavy, fatigue roiling to the surface as the fight heats up. When Haggar moves in for the throw, Alex is caught up in the hold. The two men go airborne, spiraling into the air and then twisting around for a descent.

And as they fall, Alex narrowly bucks. Muscles tense and strain, and finally he breaks out, impacting the ring with a rattling, reverbing thump that shakes the nearby arena and sends the ropes humming like a tuning fork. The New Yorker lays sprawled on his back, breathing heavily. With considerable effort, he pushes himself up to his knees, then stands up, each breath heavy. He looks to one side of the ring, then the other. Didn't he have a partner for this? He didn't have a chance to meet him before hand--

COMBATSYS: Alex takes no action.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Haggar           0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0             Alex

[BLUE MARY]
The energy in the arena is palpable, the audience treated to remarkable displays of wrestling prowess by the two powerful men featured within the Ring of Destruction. Testing his own might against the legend in both the world of Wrestling as well as Politics, Alex has held on for as long as he can without some form of reprieve.

Most of the viewers will forgive him the need to tag out, the look in his eyes as he searches for the partner he was promised prior to the bout. After all, there aren't many in the world who could go toe to toe with Haggar all by themselves and expect to be his match. And even fewer still who would be confident that their own strength would surpass the Mayor of Metro City to the degree that no outside help would be necessary.

And with the landing out of the famous Spinning Piledriver, it seems the brawler has deemed it prudent to take a breather, to get a chance to rest his muscles, to catch his breath, and perhaps plan for how he will next approach the formidable opponent.

It is in that moment, his eyes sweeping for aid, that a smooth jazz begins to broadcast across the speakers. Many in the audience begin to cheer, recognizing the introductory chords immediately, while others in attendance look around wildly, eager to get a first glimpse of who will come to the Street Fighter's aid.

From the entrance, a young woman rushes toward the central ring. Not quite a dead sprint, but clearly eager to get into position. Her light blonde hair catches the lights easily, cut neck length and parted down the center of her head in a bouncy bob that frames her face without concealing her features. A leather riding jacket is worn over a crimson halter top, both garments leaving her muscular midriff bare. Baggy jeans with a white star emblazoned over her right leg and a pair of leather combat boots complete the ensemble as Blue Mary hits ringside, plants her hand on the outer skirt of the Ring of Destruction, and vaults her way up and then under the lower rope with a low slide, feet leading the way. Her hand snaps out, tagging Alex's mighty palm, before she lands into a relaxed crouch and rises up to standing, facing toward Haggar as her tag partner is given a chance to slip out of the Ring.

"Hey!" Blue Mary exclaims, "Now that the warm up act is out of the way, let's get this match started!" She shrugs off her jacket with a flourish of her arm, whipping it up and behind her, letting it land easily over the ropes behind her back. Turning to take in the arena as a whole, her bold red top covers the front of her from the midriff up to her the collar around her neck, but leaves her shoulders and most of her back bare, exposing a strong, fit musculature of someone clearly trained for feats of strength her averagely tall stature would not normally lend itself to.

She finishes her turn facing Haggar directly, hands occupied briefly with tightening on a pair of blue, fingerless gloves as she gives the legendary wrestler a ready grin. "All right. Let me know if your joints are getting too old for this stuff, Mayor." She finishes, stretching out her shoulders by forcing her right arm across in front of her with her left, then repeating the process to limber up her left shoulder as well.

Whenever you're ready!"

COMBATSYS: [Blue Mary's Blues] A soothing jazz song broadcasts across the arena as a blonde woman enters the walkway. "It's no longer peaceful with this dangerous darkness / I aim and target it / In order to live in this blinding town / I vanish in the crowd / Listening to Blues..." BLUE MARY is ready to SLAM!

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Alex             0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0        Blue Mary
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Haggar           0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Alex has joined the fight here on the right meter side.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Haggar           0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
The world whirls dizzyingly before Haggar's eyes as he plummets faster and faster toward earth, the faces of screaming fans blurring together with jumbo electronic screens and blaring stadium lights until it all becomes a smear of indistinguishable colors. He can feel the younger man in his grip bucking and struggling for freedom, sweaty skin sliding against skin as he strains to keep him contained. Muscles flex, a grunt of effort growls its way from the hulking Mayor's chest, and Alex slips free with one final, mighty heave, shooting out of the older man's compressing arms and tumbling away through the air.
Both wrestlers hit the mat with an almighty crash, Alex on his back and Haggar on his rump. Legs sprawled out before him and palms slapped down to the canvas on either side, the Mayor allows the faintest of winces to twitch across his stern glower, before leaning forward and shoving to his feet with considerably more ease than the gasping blond. Tall he stands, looming up and up to cast a stony look down upon the shorter man who only now seems to realize the full extent of the challenge before him. One on one with the legendary Mike Haggar. No team mate in sight.
Hunching forward, Haggar braces himself for the attack that is surely soon to come. But rather than a fist, or another leaping charge, the veteran of the ring is faced with...
Smooth Jazz?
Attention stolen away from Alex by the arrival of yet another blond, the hulking Mayor of Slamtopia takes a step away from his opponent and sizes the oncoming woman up, scanning her once from head to toe. Strictly as one fighter to another, of course, on account of his dead wife and the undying mountain of Mayoral Love that still lies heavily upon his heart to this day. No woman could ever compare to her, even if said woman is a young, well-toned blond with a six pack wearing what might charitably be called a shirt.
The sternness of Haggar's glower does not waver, mustache bristling as Blue Mary slides in beneath the ropes and tags herself into the fight, confirming his growing suspicion. Still, he doesn't attempt to stop her, nor does he take a parting shot at either of the blonds before they are good and ready. Such underhanded tactics are for the heels. Haggar is a man of the law!
"We're well passed getting started. If you wanted to arrive at the beginning of this match, young lady, you're late!"
The Mayor's booming voice rolls out over the crowd, not even the hint of a smile touching his stony mask of a face. Chin tilted down, patriarchal stare leveled on the young woman, the aging wrestler projects all of the colossal dignity that both his station, and his stature provide him. Even shirtless, wearing a single suspender and wrestling boots with his green slacks, there is an aura of command about the man that is difficult to ignore. Or, well, maybe it isn't command so much as gravity. He's got a lot of mass. Either way, it makes the already big man seem larger than life, looming nearly a foot and a half taller than his smiling young challenger and made of pure, 100 percent grade SS+ American Beef.
"But, if you think you're ready to wrestle, well. Let's put that to the test!"
Having given Mary all the time a girl could want to stretch and prepare, the Mayor of Slamsville USA steps forward out of the center of the ring and closes the distance with three long, ground-devouring strides. Even as the last step is taken he is rearing back, right hand swinging up over his head before being brought down and around in a massive bear paw, aiming to catch the comparative lightweight on the outside of her left shoulder and smash her stumbling toward the corner of the ring, only to follow her in with a series of 5 heavy jabs, stepping and punching with either hand in a display of effortless strength.

COMBATSYS: Blue Mary blocks Haggar's Improvised Slam.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Haggar           0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[BLUE MARY]
Stretching finished, Mary leans forward into a half crouch, her feet far apart, her center of mass positioned to afford her the maximum stability without sacrificing her ability to lunge one way or another as needed. It is easy for the Legend of the Ring to recognize the young woman's stance as some form of grappler's ready posture, easy to lunge into a hold from, her arms out at her sides, hands open, prepared to grab hold of the first target of opportunity.

She sways slightly to the left and right as the tremendously huge Mayor of the Ring lurches into motion to attack, hand swinging down with hammering force as Mary braces into it, pulling her arm back and bending it against her, slamming her shoulder and upper arm into the blow.

The force behind his swing is still enough to drive her into the corner, but rather than stunning her against the turnbuckle, the smaller fighter weaves left and right out of the path of Haggar's dangerous jabs. Her evasive movements are minimal, focused primarily on leaning her upper body out of the way in time like a boxer might, rather than a full bodied scramble.

It allows her to stay close rather than try to disengage, and given her style of combat, that's precisely where Mary wants to be.

"Careful where you swing that!"

Mary exclaims as she leaps out of her half-crouch into a forward flip, her leap taking her only up to shoulder height on the towering Mayor. Her right leg snaps out of the flip as she attempts to drive her heel against his collar bone. It threatens to connect with enough force that most opponents might be driven to the ground by a clean hit, but Haggar is hardly 'most opponents.'

"It might just get broken!"

But the true point of the attack is the attempt she makes to fold herself around his arm next, arms hugging over his wrist, her legs wrapping around his biceps, heels planting against his chest as she uses her whole body to wrench the limb. Whipcord strong muscles power the grappling technique and the young woman moves as lightning in an attempt to grapple the legend!

COMBATSYS: Haggar endures Blue Mary's Mary Spider.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Haggar           1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
Jab after jab narrowly misses the agile young woman as Haggar stalks her into the corner, skin brushing skin on a couple of occasions but no real contact able to be made. Huffing out a breath that ruffles his glorious facial hair, Haggar rears back for the sixth punch, muscles tensing for a fierce, hooking smash, and is beaten to the punch when the lithe young woman comes flipping in to drive her heel down toward the solid lump of his collar bone.
Leaning forward into the strike, the Mountainous Mayor of Muscle takes it on the meat of his shoulder, flexing taught to bleed off the force. Choosing to attack rather than retreat opens him up to her snapping grab, however, and soon enough his forearm is being hugged against a feminine chest, legs wrapping around his enormous bicep. Her entire body snaps taught, wrenching his arm out straight as he reels from the surprise of what just happened. Never had he considered that he might find himself in this sort of situation...
Flexing his arm, Haggar brings the grapple to a crashing halt, head slowly turning to gaze down at the woman wrapped around him. Brow furrowed with great dignity, hand bent as far away from the softness of her front as he can physically get it, he lets out a polite cough.
"It's, ah, been some time since I had a lady on my arm." voice low and plodding, he glances from her legs and arms wrapped about him, to her face, the slightest tent of color touching his olive cheeks. Otherwise completely stoic, he lifts her higher, gives her a rough shake to wiggle his arm a little higher up her body, and snaps his hand forward to grip at her upper upper chest with his thick fingers, just shy of being able to reach her throat. "Pardon..."
Unless she is quick enough or wise enough to escape, Haggar will dig his fingers in for the best grip he can, trying not to tear her top as he latches on and brings her entire body swinging up to smash heavily into the rock-hard expanse of his bare chest. Alternating pounds of her body with thumps from his empty fist, he bludgeons her twice against the unyielding surface of his own body like some sort of great ape. Then, having hopefully stunned her enough to proceed, he flings both arms wide and begins to spin. Faster and faster, round and round the Mayor takes them, whirling them into a tornado of smeared colors that drifts gradually back toward the center of the ring. Wind whipping passed them, forces tugging at his body as her weight threatens to tear her away, he will put one, final surge of power into the rotation and release his grip, attempting to sling her off of him and away toward parts unknown.

COMBATSYS: Haggar knocks away Blue Mary with Power Swing.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Haggar           0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[BLUE MARY]
"Just need to get out more," Mary remarks through grit teeth as she struggles to maintain her hold on the Mayor's powerful arm. The advice lacks conviction, listly echoing only the advice she had been given by so many in her own life. No doubt, she's not the first offer such console to the widower. It's not something people can fully understand if they haven't been through it themselves...

She's still dedicated to wrenching every ounce of damage out of her grapple as she can before he reaches for her, knowing she may not get a hold like this on him a second time. But once his huge hand clamps down, there's no chance for her to maintain the hold. Ripped free of his other arm, the young woman twists in his grip right up until the moment she's slammed against his muscular chest with bone jarring force. Beneath his fingers, he'd feel the fabric of her top - tough, yielding just enough to certainly not limit her movements, but with a strong enough elastic resistance to avoid being easily ripped out of place either.

Rattled, she is struck once without putting up a fight. At the second blow, however, she seems to have recovered her senses well enough to try and retaliate, arms moving, fingers opening, an attempt to catch the incoming strike a split second too late to prevent it, forcing another gasp from her. Again, she's SLAMmed against his chest, dazing her slightly but not enough to prevent her from reaching for his neck this time. It's becoming increasingly clear she's going to take every opportunity to get a grip anywhere she can if he keeps her in close proximity like this.

"Mayor, please, we only just met!"

But her fingers don't quite reach before the Mayor holds her out at arm's length, turning his massive body and generating the kind of momentum only locomotives can hope to rival. Gritting her teeth, Mary reaches for his wrist, fingers starting to clamp down with her own surprising strength before, with one final whip, he sends her flying out across the Ring of Destruction.

A quick check on her flight plan would chart out a course right over the rope and out of the ring, ending the match decisively quick. But the blonde grappler continues to fight even mid-air, both hands snapping against the taught, rubber wrapped cabling and stopping her velocity short. The safety line goes taught, the young woman holding onto the stretched cabling with everything she has, her mouth drawn back in an excited grin in spite the pummeling she just took, her legs out over the open space for one precarious moment that seems to drag into seconds...

And then the rope snaps back with a crack and Mary gets slingshot right back in the opposite direction straight for Haggar.

"Are you ready?!"

Hurtling toward him, Mary flips, flying feet forward now, heels slammed out, as she aims to fly right into a smashing kick against Haggar's right knee. The blow is intended to not just injure but to topple, and if she is successful, she'll transition smoothly from strike to latching on once more, wrapping her arms around his ankles, her legs around his thigh, using her full body strength to try and wrench the huge wrestler's ankle painfully to the side. If this position means she simply ends up upside down due to failing to actually bowl over the miraculously strong Haggar, then so be it. Given her own combat style and the stature of her opponent, attempting to remove full use of his limbs from the equation is clearly the plan she is executing on without second thoughts!

COMBATSYS: Haggar blocks Blue Mary's Straight Slicer.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Haggar           0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
Unsolicited advice has become Haggar's constant companion over these last few years. 'Just give yourself some time.' 'Jessica needs a woman's guidance in her life.' 'You can't just suplex every criminal you meet.' The one place he didn't expect to be harassed about his personal life was here, in the ring. The squared circle is supposed to be sacrosanct. A place where he can go to lose himself in the glorious struggle of muscle on muscle. And thus, if you really think about it, Blue Mary deserves to get lobbed half way to Texas for butting her pretty blonde nose in where it doesn't belong. And that's before her comment about having just met him!
Having sent the fit young woman flying, Haggar ends his rotation with only the slightest of wobbles, one hand lifting to touch his temple while he regains his bearings. First the piledriver, now this. A bull-like huff blasts through his nostrils as he refocuses his dark eyes on Mary's flight path, widening with mild alarm at the sight of her clinging to the taught top rope with her teeth bared in a triumphant smile.
"I'm too old for you!" Haggar blurts back, the surprise of her recovery compounding his already flummoxed ability to banter with someone who isn't trying to just out macho him.
With little time to react to the 100+ pound blonde missile rocketing toward him, the hulking Mayor of Meattopia leans forward and drops into a low crouch, swinging his arms forward to catch the full weight of her kick on an intercepting forearm. A little grunt of surprise is forced out of him at the power behind the blow, but he is hardly slowed. Surging forward and up, he ends her attempted follow up grapple by the most expedient method available. Rather than her coming to him, he comes to her, his back foot swinging forward in a heavy, punting kick aimed squarely for whatever bit of the agile woman might be closest, trying to boot her right back across the ring and give himself some space to maneuver.

COMBATSYS: Blue Mary blocks Haggar's Improvised Kick.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Haggar           0/-------/------=|=======\=====--\1        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[BLUE MARY]
Her foot impacts Haggar's forearm and something has to yield. It's no surprise that it's her knee that bends, absorbing some of the counter force behind the towering man's block. Her other leg snaps forward, also planting against his forearm, allowing her to kick off into a backslide and land in a low crouch of her own just as his tree trunk of a leg comes swinging in like a pendulum of beef.

Arms raised, shoulder pivoted into the blow, the young woman is rattled once more by the power behind her opponent's strikes. She's sent sliding back a few meters, wincing at the pain in her arms and shoulder, but as she lowers her limbs out of her block and pushes back up to standing, she's grinning back at Haggar.

The challenge is entirely why she's here. It isn't about fun and games, as much as she's thoroughly enjoying herself. Outside of the ring, the Democratically Elected King of Slamtown would be an ally, aligned with her in pursuit of justice, of protecting those who can't protect themselves, of hunting down the predatory vermin who pollute the streets of Metro City. But while the Mayor of Might would be her ally away from the Ring of Destruction, there are those she needs to fight, those who she needs to take down, who are similarly large, similarly built, similarly capable of flinging her around like a bean bag. Combat in the field is no place to learn how to deal with the uphill battles she knows she will face. Here, at SLAMMASTERS Arena, she can truly test herself, at odds with Haggar in a contest of skill, strength, endurance, speed, and grit.

And for that, Mary is grateful.

The large man's earlier reaction elicites a laugh from the young blonde after a moment. "Let me be the judge of that." she replies teasingly, leaning forward, arms out at her sides as she assumes the wrestling ready stance she demonstrated at the start, albeit with a lot more hip sway than many wrestlers tend to exhibit.

And once more, she's off, closing to engage the mountain. She leaps in again like her first attack, only this time hands first instead of leading with a jump kick, aiming to plant them on Haggar's high altitude shoulders. From there, Mary would whip herself down and around, feet leading the way as she aimed to circle under his arm and back up to hook her legs around his other bicep. From there, she'd try to hug her arms around his arm and pull herself into another circling loop around the man, legs going for his neck.

Every step of the acrobatic, AUDACIOUS move existed solely to generate momentum, solely to confuse and maybe keep him trying to catch her, until the final lunge for his neck, legs seeking a hold. If successful, Mary will continue to whip herself around to behind Haggar, arcing her back and attempting to use all of her built momentum to finally topple him backward to the mat. The elaborate Hurricanrana is hardly a part of the Combat Sambo Mary practices, but that doesn't mean she hasn't practiced ways of showing off her athletic grappling skills either!

COMBATSYS: Haggar fails to counter Audacious Slam from Blue Mary with Hammer Thru.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Haggar           0/-------/----===|=======\======-\1        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
Boot meets skin with the sort of THUD that can be felt clear down to the bone, sending Mary sliding back across the mat and giving Haggar the moment he wanted to breathe and re-assess the match. While the Mayor is no slouch in a clinch, having decades of experience putting the SLAM to people both in and out of the ring, the way the girl keeps trying to tangle herself around him has him wondering just what she might be planning. Perhaps it might be best to play this one classic. To use his greater strength and reach to deny her what she wants.
Gazing down at the mysterious blonde, he returns her teasing laughter with his best patriarchal glower, observing closely as she returns to a low wrestling stance not altogether unlike his own. Arms spread, posture forward, hips... Well maybe their stances aren't all that similar after all. But it is clear she is comfortable as a grappler, and twice now she has attempted to wrap him in some sort of hold.
Jujitsu?
Realizing that his eyes have gotten caught up in the exaggerated sway of her posture, Haggar blinks them once, hard, and it is at that exact moment that the comparatively tiny fighter strikes. She is mid way through her leap when his eyes open, widening further and further as he takes the first action that pops into his head. Left hand snapping forward he lunges in for a grab, meaty mitt passing just beneath hers, and hesitates like a deer in the headlights. Face? No. Chest? NO! Flustered and off balance, he jerks his hand down as if to sink hard fingers into her airborne abdomen, but that tiny fraction of indecision is all it takes to seal his fate.
Small but strong hands land upon his beefy shoulders and send her entire body whipping around his, passing under his flailing arm miles ahead of him being able to grab her. swooping behind his broad back, she twirls herself around the towering Mayor as if she were a dancer and he the pole, slinging herself off of his other arm and dodging the hand that swipes up to try and grip her mostly bare back.
In moments, a pair of feminine thighs have swept up to clamp closed around his thick neck with crushing force, the entirety of Mary's gymnastic momentum flung out behind his back as she turns herself into a human counter weight. Baffled and caught completely flat footed, Haggar is jerked roughly backward onto his heels, shoulders arched, weight tipping until he hangs on that razor's edge of balance. And then, like a great tree, he topples passed that point of no return and tumbles to the mat with an enormous crash, setting the whole structure to shaking.

[BLUE MARY]
Her scissor lock around Haggar's neck lasted only as long as it needed to in order to topple the giant. The moment his fall seems assured, she's already let go, allowing the last of her momentum to carry her forward, Mary landing in a tumble along the mat and coming up on her feet, whirling around into a backward walk. For all her efforts she put into getting close to the huge wrestler, she seems more interested in getting some space for a moment to assess.

Her hands go to her hips as she shakes her head, looking toward the fallen titan. "Come on!" she exclaims, "I came here to wrestle, not pussy foot around!" Did she perceive his moment of conflicted hesitation, that split second reconsideration that let her land her attack? The criminals outside the arena wouldn't afford her that handicap. What is the point of coming out on top here if it isn't against someone putting their all into it?

But maybe she should have factored that into her manner of dress prior to showing up to throw herself at the gentlemanly Mayor who stands the most to lose here if the wrong still images of their match get circulated about.

"Now quit laying around," she warns, pausing to stretch her arm, working out some of the numbing pain lingering from her last defense against Haggar's mighty boot but doing nothing to mitigate the visible bruise left behind. "We're in the end game now!"

She gives the wrestling legend no further time to prepare himself, launching forward back on the offense, displaying the same aggression she had previously demonstrated for trying to get in close enough to apply her grappling prowess. Her timing seems such that she is trying to get to him right as the huge man attempts to rise. There is no reason for a grappling focused fighter to let him get all the way to his feet, after all. From a forward leaning sprint, Mary launches herself with a leaping knee strike toward. If timed perfectly, she might be able to stagger his balance once again, or maybe even knock the SLAMMASTERS veteran off his feet all together.

Either way, Mary will attempt to seize the opportunity by attempting what many would consider to be impossible, ducking down, trying to grab Haggar's legs, wrapping one arm around each tree trunk of muscle, before leaning back so far it's as if she's trying to fall over on her shoulders. And then, one foot at a time, the small fighter continues her Herculean feat of trying to haul all three hundred pounds of Mike Haggar into an actual Giant Swing!

If Mary actually pulls the feat off, she'll spin the man around once, twice, and finally a third time, building speed with each turn, straining every muscle in her body to move such a tremendous opponent, before finally reaching her limits and releasing him to fly just as her arms give out!

COMBATSYS: Blue Mary successfully hits Haggar with Dynamite Swing EX.

[                          \\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Haggar           0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[HAGGAR]
Flat on his back in the center of the Ring of Destruction, Mayor Mike Haggar is granted a moment to reflect upon the series of events that lead him here. His refusal to grip Mary in the most readily available place. Her great advantage in speed and flexibility. And most importantly, the psychological war games she's been playing with him this entire match. At long last, the befuddled confusion that had been plaguing the big man begins to morph into anger.
But is it too late?
The shouted frustrations of Blue Mary cut through the noise of the crowd, words striking Haggar like a physical blow. Temper rising, he rolls ponderously across the mat and plants one ham-sized fist knuckles down, levering himself up to a knee and turning his ever more thunderous expression upon the demanding young woman.
"Hrmph." he grunts, beginning to shove himself fully to his feet as she charges him, forearms coming up to try and block the oncoming knee, to pluck this mouthy punk out of the air and teach her some manners. Unfortunately, his feet are not quite fully under him when her weight comes crashing down onto his guard, and the hulking mayor is bowled over backward for the second time in as many minutes, striking the mat with a second thunderous crash.
And then, she's between his legs, and the indignation building within him has had quite enough.
Dragging thick fingers across the canvas, the Mayor of SLAM City attempts to grind the slow rotation of his body to a halt. Flexing his powerful legs, he attempts to twist and fling the surprisingly strong young woman off. But despite his best efforts, his bulky form is swept into one slow, dragging rotation. Then a second faster one, back rising up off of the mat. And finally a third, muscular form well off of the ground by the time he is released.
Hurtling across the ring, Haggar impacts the corner post head-first with a resounding BONG, towering form folding up as he crumples to the mat. Dizzy, shaken, and boiling over with righteous fury, he gives his head a series of slow shakes that gain speed and intensity with each passing moment. Still far too unsteady to stand on his own, he reaches up to grip the top rope, bending the protected cable down as he hauls himself shakily to his feet with one hand. The other reaches up to check the quickly forming lump on his forehead, then slaps down sharply across his face, the stinging pain bringing focus to his fuzzy mind.
Swaying a bit on his feet, one hand hanging on to the ropes for support, the huge man turns slowly about to glare toward the source of all his troubles. Mustache bristling with each bull-like exhale, a slight red blush radiating from his face and chest, he grumbles out a low grunt of fury.
"Next time you want to wrestle, young lady." He practically growls, shoving away from the corner to take one, ponderous step toward her, "Wear a shirt."
That said, the Conductor of SLAM Station throws himself forward into an unsteady charge, huge feet thundering across the mat like a one man herd of buffalo. Baring down upon Mary like a freight Train, he lunges into a full-body tackle, attempting to hammer the girl clean off of her feet with a huge shoulder to the chest...

COMBATSYS: Haggar can no longer fight.

                                  >  /////////////                 ]
                                  |=====--\-------\0        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

COMBATSYS: Blue Mary counters Violent Axe from Haggar with Mary Head Buster.

                                  >  ////////////                  ]
                                  |======-\-------\0        Blue Mary
                                  >  ////////////////              ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Alex

[BLUE MARY]
Spin, spin, spin, release!

Blue Mary stumbles backward as she lets the big man fly, finally falling into a seated position on the mat. She doesn't move for a moment as the tension bleeds out of her arms and shoulders, replaced with a dull ache of muscles strained nearly to their breaking point by her last attack. She doesn't move immediately, remaining seated on the mat, giving Haggar time to decide if he's getting up to give this another and herself time to catch her breath.

"Whew," she murmurs to herself, "Gotta hope the other side doesn't have people like him."

For all her talk, Mary knows full well that Haggar had already been in a grueling exchange of attacks with her teammate before she even showed up. In a straight head to head bout, things would have turned out quite differently for her based on the few brushes with his tremendous power she did encounter.

Finally, she pushes up to standing. While her arms are still trembling from the effort required of them throughout the match, her legs are still feeling strong. She didn't come all this way to just sit down when it got rough.

Across the way, Haggar rises up as well, his presence looming over the Ring of Destruction. He has words of advice for her, his comment earning him a cheeky grin in return. She knows exactly what she's been doing and doesn't seem to harbor any remorse. "I'll think about it," she considers. Okay, maybe a little remorse.

But with that exchange out of way, the next Train to SLAM Town comes barreling her way. Mary is already back in her ready stance, feet braced, arms out. This, at least, is one scenario she's trained for time and time again. It's one thing to attack Haggar directly, having only her own body strength to work with. It's another matter to be able to use a much larger opponent's momentum to augment her combat style. And the direct, straight forward shoulder rush across the ring is exactly what her style excels at dealing with.

Instead of slamming against her chest, it's her hands his upper arm comes in contact with. And rather than smashing her over, she's already falling backward, both hands gripping his forward arm tightly as she pulls the huge wrestler along with her.

Her back hits the mat and for a moment it seems as if all she's succeeded in accomplishing is getting herself smashed by the falling power fighter. But her legs push up, feet planting in Haggar's stomach. A yell of exertion echoes out from the ring as Mary devotes every iota of her muscle strength into a perfectly timed, two legged launch of the gentlemanly brawler. It's just enough to give the man's fierce forward momentum a bit of upward thrust.

Not too high - she could only work so many miracles in such short order - but just high enough... to clear the ropes!

[HAGGAR]
Trampling forward with all the grace of a run away mac truck, Haggar ploughs into, and over Mary with about as much trouble as one would expect. Or, perhaps significantly less. There is no meaty impact. No squish of chest against muscle. Only the soft thwap of hands striking his arm and the young girl's body collapsing beneath him like a house of cards.
Still a bit punch drunk and slow on the up take, the Mayor doesn't realize anything is amiss until twin feet are planted against his rock-hard abs and the girl beneath him is yelling with the effort of turning his charge into a dive. Boots leaving the mat, the woozy mayor rolls forward into a slow, ponderous flip, chest barely clearing the top rope. Flashing back to Mary's own stupendous recovery, he reaches down to try and grab it, but it's too little too late. Reflexes shot, world rolling by, he turns one, slow forward flip on his way toward the ground, back striking the cement outside the ring with a loud SLAM!
There is a beat of silence.
The Crowd Explodes, voices shaking the arena as smooth jazz pipes in through the speakers. AT the same moment, a swarm of medical staff come spilling down the ramp toward the prone form of the Mayer, only to find the big lug already having sat himself up, one hand lifting to rub a touch sheepishly at the lump on his forehead. Hauling himself to his feet, the Mighty Mayor of SLAM throws a look toward Mary over his shoulder that tries to be a fierce glower, but softens into a mustache-quivering snort instead, left hand lifting to offer the triumphant girl a well-deserved thumbs up. That done, and medical personnel in tow, he begins the long trudge up the ramp and toward another series of pokings and proddings.

[ALEX]
When the crowd erupts, Alex does too. The big blond pumps a fist in a hearty cheer for the match--and especially for Mary's surprising showing. For a relative unknown (comparatively at least), she really pulled off some great moves.

"Hey! Good work out there! Not gonna lie, I'm not sure if I coulda kept up if it'd been me."

[BLUE MARY]
It takes Mary a moment to get back up after using her body as a living fulcrum to lever the SLAMMASTERS legend up and over the ropes. For seconds, she lies on her back, gasping for breath, eyes squinting against the vision-blurring lights above. Finally, knees bend up and she sits, then pushes herself to standing, turning around to look after the direction Haggar flew moments prior.

She meets the Mayor's glower with a grin, shaping her right hand into the finger forward, thumbs up gesture of a gun, "Until next time, Mike Haggar." She draws her hand back as if having fired, bringing her pointing finger to her lips where she blows on it as if to breathe away gunpowder smoke, giving the big man a wink.

"Until then," she lowers her hand, reaching for where her leather jacket has rested flung over the ropes, dragging it off and flipping it over her shoulder. "Keep up the good fight," she finishes with a nod.

A smile is cast toward Alex then. There was no doubt she hadn't done this alone. Without his job up front surviving Haggar's onslaught when the wrestling legend was completely fresh, there was almost no way she could have pulled this off. "Back at you. I'll see you around, ya?"

And with that, she slips through the middle of the ropes and hops down to the walkway, quietly whistling along with her song playing from the speakers above.

Log created on 11:49:20 02/07/2020 by Haggar, and last modified on 20:05:29 02/17/2020.