Match of the Millennium

Description: While wandering lost along the boardwalk, Abigail happens upon an oni-masked figure who challenges him to demonstrate his strength. Unfortunately, neither man walks away impressed.

[ABIGAIL]
"Man..how'd I get here!?"

Abigail is lost. It's not often that one finds a lost kaiju. They're usually quite direct as to where they are going as opposed to meandering around without clear direction or an understanding of their place in a given area. Not so with Abigail. A wrong turn here and a wrong turn there and he's missed his pick up spot for heading back to the harbor to see about a shipment of tires. All about the tires. The last time he was here in SOuthtown a pack of werewolves tore his tires apart. He's not pleased about having to be here again, let alone being lost.

His stomping about is not without its effect on the world around him though. He doesn't have to be the size of a building to shake the ground as he moves. A low rumbling vibration from his sheer pressure. One supposes he might as well be the size of a building as a result. Between that and his outrageous size and proportions and that he is a known fighter ..he draws his share of camera phone snapping and video taking as he lumbers down the boardwalk and flickers his gaze for any landmarks to help put him on the right path.

At least the bystanders are smart enough to not approach him to ask for any selfies.

[GRANT]
To one side of the giant is a continuous line of ice cream parlors, gift shops, and food stands selling a wide variety of foods fried and grilled. To the other is a sharp drop away from the wide wooden walkway that groans beneath his boots, a steep hill of loose sand sloping away toward a broad expanse of beach, which itself vanishes into the rolling waves of the ocean. He couldn't be too far from the harbor, could he? I mean the ocean is right there...
It is a subtle thing when the gawking people and their cameras begin to drift away. Where once there had been dozens, there are only a hand full, then a couple, and finally none at all. If they were to be asked why they don't feel comfortable following the giant they probably wouldn't have an answer. A gut feeling, maybe. A sense that wherever the big man is going, it is toward mortal danger. And in fact, if Abigail had less presence himself, he would probably be taken by the feeling. that bone-deep instinct that danger is nearby.
That feeling more than doubles when Abigail makes it around a long bend in the path, coming to a long stretch of walkway that is completely abandoned aside from one very conspicuous figure. Tall by normal human standards, he is short in comparison to the monster trundling toward him. Muscular by most standards, he appears lean when contrasted against Abigail's hulking physique. And yet, standing there with his long white hair rippling in the breeze, heavy black cloak draped around him and arms folded across his chest, it is clear that the aura of power is radiating from him.
"Very good," the figure states, voice deep and quietly polite. "You have finally arrived."
Lifting his chin, the Martyr Of Might fixes the softly glowing lenses of his mask upon the big man, considering him with the demonic visage that he is known for world wide throughout the underworld.
"You have caught my attention. I am interested to see if you truly understand how to use those oversized muscles."

[ABIGAIL]
"...Are you my ride?"

Abigail is, if nothing, single minded and a little slow to catch on at first. Either that or he's being deliberately flippant. It might be a bit of both.

"No wait, I know you.. I thought your hair was red though!"

Now he's just being rude.

Eventually he just shrugs and rolls his massive shoulders and then that slasher grin of his slowly creeps across his face, "Alright, fine, fine, fine. Yes! I got plenty of horsepower in this body!" He slows to a stop and then leans forward slightly and begins slapping the bicep of his right arm with his left hand, producing loud meaty *THWAMS* on each impact, the very air shaking and ground rumbling from the force. His tee shirt begins to shred as his physique balloons, packing on more and more sinew and he ends the display by slamming both of his fists together. Knuckles crashing into each other with a final violent impact that would knock over any near him from the shockwave.

"And I'll crush anyone like a can who says otherwise!" The display ended he straightens up and peers at Grant, "So..uh..who're you?"

[MERRICK]
So far, it's been a fairly normal day out on the boardwalk. Young lovers getting their portraits taken, people buying giant sticks of cotton candy that they'll regret in the morning, old geezers fishing out on the peer and not paying much attention to anything until the creaking of floorboards force their attention toward the big gigantic man-sized man...and the dangerous looking individual in the mask. Much like everyone reasonable, the old men go a little white in the face, and leave without a word. Most of them, anyway.

Save for one, one curious fisher still sat in his lawnchair, sitting next to a cooler filled with cold ones and ice, his fishing rod perched on the pier and seemingly forgotten about, even though there is a fish currently on the line.

That's because the owner is now paying full attention toward the potential fight. Even from where he is, the black-clad ninja watching everything from a pair of binoculars, the strap still around his neck. Over that black and white tactical suit of his, is a Hawaiian shirt and a pair of khaki shorts, and worn on top of his mask is a fisherman's hat. Wasn't this a flimsy 'disguise', didn't everyone notice him before?

That line of thinking is exactly what a non-ninja would think.

[GRANT]
"I am Grant, and if I allow you to leave this place alive, you will remember that."
There is no shout or roar in the cloaked man's voice, only the softly rumbling confidence of a man wholly confident in his position. The man before him may be a mountain, but stronger things have crumbled before the Martyr Of Might.
Arms remaining folded in the face of Abigail's overwhelming show of force, Grant cocks his head slowly to one side. Taking a moment to simply stare at the huge fellow who has swollen out of his clothing, he seems somehow, perplexed.
"Come then. Prove to me you are more than inflatable."

COMBATSYS: Grant has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Grant            0/-------/-------|

[ABIGAIL]
"Hey, is your engine busted? This is pure muscle, man! Not some sort of inflatable balloon."

Well, he can't help it if the man is half blind. Maybe he should introduce him to Zangief. Still, Abigail..doesn't like being threatened. "Anyway, so you're one of those crazies.. I dealt with to much of that nonsense in World Warrior. You think you're gonna intimidate me when that joke Rugal and Akuma couldn't? Stay in your lane!"

That seems to be enough ot rile him up and if that was indeed what Grant wanted..he got it.

The ground rocks and shakes as Abigail begins a sudden trundling charge, rumbling "Vroom, Vroom, Vroom, Vroom!!!" louder and louder as he takes several pounding steps in.

At the last second before impact he swivels, putting on the proverbial breaks and leaning into a huge punch that sees his entire torso lunging around and bringing a tree dwarfing arm and boulder of a fist hurtling in at Grant.

COMBATSYS: Abigail has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Grant            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Abigail

COMBATSYS: Grant blocks Abigail's Dynamite Punch.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Grant            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0          Abigail

[GRANT]
"Hmph."
The quiet snort that escapes Grant's mask is drowned out by a cacophony of creaks and groans as the boardwalk struggles to cope with the stomping power of Abigail's charge. Swaying slightly as the path begins to rock, the demon-masked lunatic does very little to prepare himself for the oncoming pain train. In fact, though his face is completely hidden from sight, nothing about his body language seems concerned.
"You do not seem to understand." he replies into the vroom vroom vrooooming face of the giant as he looms over him. Calmly he unfolds his arms, left hand swinging up to intercept the enormous fist, a palm harder than iron crashing into the side of the knuckles and guiding it wide with an easy flex of his muscular arm. Voice as low and quiet as ever, he can just be heard through the chaos, chin tilted back to gaze up at Abigail's looming face.
"I am no petty tyrant or mad hermit. I am the Martyr Of Might, and I hope you are worthy of the trip."
That said, the white-haired crazy bends his knees, gathering power before launching himself straight up into the air. The planks beneath him bow, then crack as he pushes off, rocketing an easy 10 feet straight up over Abigail's head. With his shadow now cast over the larger man, Grant plummets back down out of the sky, cloak flowing out behind him to reveal the unreasonably cut lines of his bare torso. Arms snapping wide in a rush of dispelled wind, he scythes his right foot down in a diving kick, that ever-present sense of violence flaring sharply as a roar of purple flame rages up his foot to consume more than two thirds of his body, the demon arrowing down to try and deliver a raging dive kick square to Abigail's mustached face.

COMBATSYS: Abigail just-defends Grant's Messhou Hisetsu!

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Grant            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Abigail

[ABIGAIL]
The kick lands squarely against Abigail's face with all the thunderous force of an automobile collision followed by a burst of chi induced flame that roars around him and barrels behind him to kick up dust and cause the Boardwalk itslf to shatter as the ground sunders from the blow.

Abigail..doesn't move. He either forgot to move or block or react or otherwise showed a brief flash of insight and a hint at his potential should he ever go all out and be pushed to actualize his potential. But that moment of invulnerability is there and gone as the behemoth then staggers and recoils albiet in a delayed reaction to the initial impact. He seems disorientated..yet alright.

"Huff..aw no! Not more of that chi-whazzit-mumbo-jumbo! Stop lighting yourselves on fire!"

He surges forward, attempting to catch Grant before he can resettle into another attack. His body spins, sending a colossal back fist towards The Martyr of Might and if that lands, the force of the blow would be enough to lift the smaller man higher for Abigail to come around again with a gigantic upper cut after a full rotation.

COMBATSYS: Grant blocks Abigail's Abi Twist.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Grant            0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0          Abigail

[GRANT]
The force of their impact sends bits of trash scattering in all directions, the Martyr of Might rebounding from the kick to drop back toward the ground. However, before he can touch down the bigger man has shaken off the impact and a fist is coming his way.
Lashing out, Grant smashes his palm into the bottom of Abigail's hand, forcing the punch up and propelling his feet down to the ground so that the blow passes neatly over one shoulder. Calm and controlled, he pauses for half a moment, then snaps his other hand up to catch the oncoming uppercut by the wrist. Boards shatter beneath his bare feet as he leans into the attack, grinding the uppercut to a halt with sheer muscular strength. For Abigail to be this strong is almost understandable, he's huge. But Grant? Though the question is usually leveled at the Canadian, is it possible this masked man is even human?
"Your strength is impressive," the crazy praises, continuing to hold the giant by the wrist, "But you complain of your weakness rather than working to address it. Pathetic."
Having balled his free hand into a fist, he steps forward and releases Abigail's wrist just in time to drive a single, focused blow directly toward the center of his chest.

COMBATSYS: Grant successfully hits Abigail with Medium Punch.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Grant            0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0          Abigail

[ABIGAIL]
"Patheti--"

Well that knocked the wind out of his sails. The blow lands solidly, violently. Abigail grimaces, a slight curling of his lips taking place as he wobbles backwards and the force of the blow passes through him to blast more of the boardwalk away violently.

"I got no time or interest for the nonsense you crazies peddle. Hadokothis and Abracadbra that. If you can't win a fight without that, it aint my fault!"

And yet, for his speech, he pauses as if to consider Grant carefully wile rubbing the massive expanse of his chest and then pounding on it with a solid *TWHOOOM*

"Alright, so come on with it then. I got books to balance!"

COMBATSYS: Abigail focuses on his next action.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Grant            0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0          Abigail

[GRANT]
"Because you were born with great size and strength you want all of your problems to face you where you are powerful. These are the words of a fool, and a coward. If you can not summon fire it is because you are too weak or stupid to figure it out."
Delivering each verbal slap with casual disgust, Grant tightens the raised fist he just punched the big man with until his knuckles crack with a rippling series of pops. Feet planted wide to balance atop 2 remaining support braces amidst a sea of broken and collapsing boards, he sizes the huge man up.
"It doesn't matter which techniques I use. Your body will crumble all the same. But perhaps this is a chance for you to learn."
The hand that had been held back and ready suddenly rockets forward and up, trailing a swath of purple flame that grows larger and larger as his fingers spear toward the sky. At the apex of the gesture the roiling wave of energy tears itself free and rages forward toward the giant, growing larger and larger as it consumes boards, struts, and anything else that gets in its way. By the time it reaches Abigail it is over 9 feet of blazing power, a wave of raw violence made manifest.

COMBATSYS: Abigail interrupts Kokuenryuu EX from Grant with Abi Lift.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Grant            0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0          Abigail

[ABIGAIL]
The ground rocks violently - and it's not due to Grant. It's Abigail as he lunges forward, stomping a single foot down to crater the ground with the immense strength Grant so casually mocked.

With the power of a freight train (well he would say monster truck) he lunges forward through roaring energy shoving through the wave and trailing its remnants behind him as it rips away at the remains of his tee shirt leaving scorch marks already at home with similar marks from working bare handed in his modding shop to twist metal and handle overheated engines.

His arm comes rocketing up in a gargantuan rapid backfisted strike to slam home and disperse the rest of the flames even as it slams into Grant.

"What was that? I'm a fool??"

Abigail settles back into a combat stance from the strike, his body stablizing again, "You better not underestimate me! I didn't make top 8 in world warrior for nothing!" He slams his massive hands into his chest repeatedly, creating thunderpeal like eruptions from the impacts, "I get by on pure power! I don't -need- your fire to compete at that level! Whose the fool now!"

[GRANT]
Of the various ways that Abigail could have dealt with his attack, charging right through was number three on the list of possibilities. And yet, though it isn't unexpected, Grant can still respect when the mountain of muscle comes thundering across the disintegrating bridge and plows right through the wall of energy. So abrupt is the charge that by the time he realizes what is happening, a spinning backfist is already hammering him squarely in the chest, sending his feet skidding through wooden debris as he slides a good 6 feet back from the impact.
A hefty hit, but not one that seems to have done more than bruised Grant's left pectoral, the tan skin darkening to a vivid shade of purple before their eyes.
With the remains of the boardwalk crumbling out from beneath them, the Martyr of Might focuses his burning gaze upon the celebrating giant and lets out a quiet scoff.
"Child."
Stepping calmly toward the enormous man, the demon pads from shaky strut to upright beam with offhanded ease, maintaining his balance as purple energy begins to manifest around his body. Swirling and puffing like a living mist, the dark energy radiates violent menace, more and more gathering until the warrior is little more than a shadow walking within the gathered shroud of his aura.
"I am unsure how you managed such a feet. There must have been those like myself that recognized it for the trash spectacle it was."
The weight of Grant's aura presses against Abagail as the last few feet fade away, the demon pushing off into a shallow leap that sees him twisting once through the air, every scrap of chi rushing down his body to be released in an explosion of violence from the tip of his striking heel, the brutal warrior attempting to hammer the giant backward through the crumbling boardwalk, through the sloping dunes of sand, and right up to the edge of the ocean.

COMBATSYS: Abigail endures Grant's Majin Hatendan but gets knocked away!

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Grant            0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1          Abigail


COMBATSYS: Abigail gains composure.

[ABIGAIL]
Even the superhuman hot rodder has limits when it comes to attacks of certain force and devestation.

Perhaps, surprisingly, he's not unfamiliar with such pain. But that doesn't make it hurt any less.

"Grarrgh!!"

A plume of debris, sand and rock goes flying up through the air as he canyons a path backwards across the beach before finally managing to arrest his movements. He shakes his head a few times, clearly disorientated but recovering rapidly. Still, he may need a moment to pull it back together.

"Yeah, yeah. You don't get it. I've heard that all before. But the difference is that I made the top eight, won King of Fighters and the Neo League..because didn't back down or give up! SO I earned their respect! You think I don't know there's stronger fighters then me? Get real! I've been hit like that before! You ain't teaching me nothing I don't already know!"

He's battered but it doesn't make him any less monstrous as he brings his massive arms around infront of him in a gargantuan pose and flex. "C'mon!"

[GRANT]
"I don't care about the King Of Fighters, or the Neo League." Grant replies from further up the beach, crimson eyes glaring down at the recovering giant from his perch balanced atop a thick upright beam. Despite his size and hulking physique, he holds the posture with effortless poise.
"It is my mission to seek out the strong. Those who hold within themselves the true spirit of a fighter. You think that your stubborn stupidity is what I will respect? I think YOU don't get it. Prove to ME what makes you a warrior, or I will leave your body cooling upon the beach. Death stares you in the face, small man. How will you answer it?"
Cape billowing out behind him, Grant launches himself down the beach to land not 10 feet away from the giant man. Bare feet sending bits of rock and sand tumbling away in all directions, he straightens up and turns his left shoulder toward the hulk, left arm folding across his chest while his right aims a casual palm in the brute's direction.
"Show me what truly defines you. For your sake, I hope it is more than simple brawn."

COMBATSYS: Grant charges his next attack!

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Grant            0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1          Abigail

[ABIGAIL]
Abigail remains..unimpressed. Stupid? Perhaps. Single minded? Most certainly. He feels the pressure, that much is certain. Grant has well made his point regarding the power he possesses. Abigail has seen it before but that doesn't make it any less dangerous. Even the rhetoric, as annoying to him as it may be.

"Oh great. Another one of those types. Man, why do I keep coming to this city! You're all nuts."

He reaches up and yank off the remains of his Mad Gear tee-sihrt, leaving his torso fully exposed for what it is. "Fine. You want to push it to the redline? Let's go!"

His body suddenly begins to turn a shade of deep red as fury courses through it, inflating his bulk even larger and splintering his tire-arm bands apart as his biceps swell like a four door car sewn under his skin.

"It's time for Max-Power!"

COMBATSYS: Abigail VROOOOOMS!!!

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Grant            0/-------/--=====|=======\=======\1          Abigail

[GRANT]
"So there is nothing else."
The low rumble of Grant's voice holds no note of surprise, though there is something. Disappointment, perhaps? Whatever it may be, the monster's focused intent has locked on to the bulging spirit that is Abigail, eyes burning like twin infernos.
Giving the bigger man all the time he needs to pump himself up, the Martyr waits until he has reached maximum bloat before launching himself at the undressing colossus with sudden, horrific speed. Ground cratering where he stood, he hurtles across the distance, violet chi pouring out of his body, and attempts to shoulder tackle Abigail clean off his feet.
If he can stagger the brute, Grant will twist, elbow lashing out with blinding speed to spike the big man's ribs with apocalyptic force. Only then will he turn, sweeping his foot forward in a ground-quivering stomp, and hammer his palm into the huge gangster's face in a maneuver that, with any luck, will send him rocketing backward to skip across the surface of the ocean like an oversized stone.

COMBATSYS: Grant knocks away Abigail with Empowered Majin Ganen.
- Power hit! -

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Grant            1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2          Abigail

[ABIGAIL]
For a minute, Abigail hasn't even realized what's happened. THe next thing he knows he's tumbling backwards, bouncing backwards towards and into the water as a roaring furious pain sets in from the force of a blow he hasn't felt since..well..the aforementioned World Warrior!

The earth ruptures and explodes around the colossus and then the water plumes violently on either side of him before crashing back down as he tumbles back uncontrollably. A blink and he regains enough sense and power to dig down deep within himself and keep from being knocked so far back he risks going completely under but it's clear that took out what reserves of strength he had built back up..if only barely. But barely over the edge is still over the edge.

"You sunnova.." he begins to sputter, blood mixed with water as he drops forward and staggers back out of the waters to the beach and then drops down to a knee. He makes an effort of climbing back up but Grant is to far away and he's to spent to make the journey with any sort of effort to make it worthwhile. "You happy now?" he grunts before finally collapsing over, frontwards into the sand.

COMBATSYS: Abigail takes no action.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Grant            1/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Abigail can no longer fight.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Grant            1/-------/=======|

[MERRICK]
As the big brute collapses into the sand, the impact is such that a geyser of grain and surf erupt upward, and nearby seagulls cry out and fly away from the seismic activity. By this point, everyone has ran away, which means there are no witnesses to Grant's brutality, or his triumph over this beast.

Or is there? From behind the duo, Merrick steps up, his disguise fully abandoned and now one hundred percent his tactical ninja self. Not much shorter than Grant, the lean thugsassin -

(that's thug and assassin all combined into one word. Think that might be worth trademarking?)

the lean thugsassin rests his left arm against the masked caped fighter's shoulder, even as he gestures over to the fallen Abigail.

"Poor guy, looks like the day at the beach tuckered him out. Tell the truth, boss, there was at least a bit of bourbon in that bottle you just gave him, right? Something with a bit more kick than the same old formula he was used to."

He stood there a moment, listening to the gull cries, looking out at the beautiful waves out in the distance. After a moment, he gave a bit of a sigh and unholstered a very big, very serious looking shiny black handgun, laser sight pointed at the back of the giant's skull even as the silencer nearly poked into his skin.

"Well, guess this Mad Gear dumbass needs to learn why you don't step to the Syndicate. Just say the word, and it's 'rock-a-bye baby' for this sorry son of a bitch."

As if to emphasize his point, his goggles went from blank white to glowing red, and he clicked back the hammer of that fearsome firearm. He was almost itching to pull the trigger.

[GRANT]
Cape flapping in the back draft thrown up by the thundering impact of his palm against Abigail's chin, Grant watches with glaring focus as the big man tears a path backward into the ocean. Surprisingly, he does not vanish beneath the waves, but manages to drag himself back to shore before collapsing in a bleeding heap.
Is he happy?
Not in the slightest.
Further musings are cut off when an arm lands upon his muscular shoulder with far too much familiarity. Beneath the press of the limb, the masked demon falls very still, a statue of granite muscle that radiates steadily growing menace while the syndicate thug rattles on. The gun comes out, aims, and there is a pause in which Grant is expected to answer.
"HRGH!"
The grunted exhalation is accompanied by a vicious spike of his elbow square to Merrick's ribs, attempting to stagger him away with all the casual force of a mad man swinging a sledgehammer. Then, without even looking he brings his near foot up, knee touching chest as he chambers it, then lashes out with a side kick that could cave in a steel door aimed precisely for the spot he just elbowed. It's a blow that could easily kill a normal man. Perhaps Grant knows that this particular gangster can survive it, or maybe he simply doesn't care.
Foot slamming back to earth with a gust of displaced wind, the Martyr Of Might gives Abigail's battered form one last glance before turning his back with a swirl of heavy black fabric, making his way back up the hill of sand toward the shattered remains of the boardwalk. Apparently he has decided the giant can live.
For now.

COMBATSYS: Grant has ended the fight here.


[MERRICK]
The elbow smashes into his ribcage, shattering almost all of them on that side, and causing the blackclad blackhander to double over and groan out. Seeing the leg chamber and the kick coming his way, his response is to try to force himself to stand upright, and quip out,

"Was it something I sa-"

And then he was gone, hurtling head over feet, smashing through a sand castle and hitting a bank of sand so hard that he bounces up a good 20 feet before landing hard. His limbs were twisted the wrong way, his shoulder dislocated even as his left arm was wrapped around his own neck, his torso completely caved in around the impact of that kick. He lays still a few moments, before horrifically, the mess proves that he is alive, and slowly works to a sitting position.

"...Got it."

Log created on 20:55:10 04/17/2021 by Grant, and last modified on 00:49:08 04/21/2021.