Match of the Millennium

Description: Dennis has called out the bear-wrestling Finn, Tarmo, to duke it out for the League rankings in the forest on the edge of Southtown!

[DENNIS]
After his fight with Juliet, Dennis decided he needed to do at least a little basic research on his opponents. At the very least, find out what they look like so he wouldn't make a fool out of himself. He had learned the next one was a woodsman, so Dennis had managed to get a message to him requesting a fight outside -- still in Southtown, but secluded enough so that maybe the fight would be at a place his opponent would feel more comfortable in. Still, the fight had to be recorded, and some cameras, a crew to handle it and a Neo-League official in a suit was also present.

He himself was just dressed in his typical outfit -- his jeans, t-shirt, a pair of sneakers and the brightest yellow bomber jacket anyone could look at. He's removing that jacket, thankfully, and has been doing some shadowboxing as he waits for the other fighter to show up. Dennis showed up to the agreed arena early, He had brought a box of sugarfree donuts of course for the camera crew, but they weren't really fond of it, and the box laid open on one of the nearby chairs that were here.

The usually cheerful cop wasn't so cheerful today. His mind was still on the fight he had a couple days ago, against Juliet. It wasn't his proudest showing as an individual, and these are the kind of things that kept Metro City's cleanest cop from sleeping at night. He tried to distract himself with conversation with the League official.

"You know how this guy Tarmo fights? I heard he wrestles bears... man, I wonder how strong you've gotta be to do that."

The official really isn't interested in the conversation. "There was a bear in the league a few times," he mentions, causing the officer to gape at him.

[TARMO]
A cheerful tune of a whistle echoes among the trees. It starts faint, at first, but grows louder steadily as a sign of someone approaching the clearing from within the forest itself. Couple that with the addition of heavy footsteps, and soon--

A massive figure steps into view to the clearing, with a thunderous roar of "HELLOOOOO!"

Enter Tarmo.

A massive, nearly seven-foot-tall beast of a bearded Finn, with shoulders as broad as some people's torsos, wrapped in a heavy, olive-toned jacket with a fur-lined hood... and no shirt whatsoever underneath it, as is made readily apparent by the fact that the garment has been left unzipped to expose the mass of muscle underneath.

And if that wasn't ridicilous enough, he has the carcass of a spotted deer held over his shoulders.

"You know, it's not usual people here want to fight in a place like this, I've found!" THe Finn declares with an uproarious bark of laughter. "So I kind of got lost! But hey, I took the opportunity--" The slain animal is hoisted up further. "TO bring some dinner!" ...And tossed towards the center of the clearing with a mighty *THUMP*.

"Ya'll brought something to drink, right?"

[DENNIS]
The arrival of Tarmo does catch Dennis off-guard. He did get a good look at the man's picture, but he didn't realize that he -- a significantly taller man than most -- was going to be fighting someone even larger than him. Still, the cop's friends -- or whatever you can call their relationship -- with Abigail, and so the height doesn't keep him distracted too long.

"Uh, wow! Sorry you got lost! I myself did get lost a little trying to find the place myself, though uh..." He points towards the town at large somewhat awkwardly. "You know. I came from that way." When the man wonders about a drink, he moves over towards his chair, and tosses a bottle of spring water Tarmo's way, the American officer giving him a thumbs up after.

"I always bring refreshments to a fight!"

He looks over at the spotted dear as its tossed towards the center of the carcass, cringing as its carcass collapses onto the ground, a hand lifting up to rub at his nape. "I guess we'll uh... you knowm fight around it," he suggests with an awkward grin at the man.

"I'm Dennis Browning, by the way. I'm your opponent," he tells the larger man, approaching and shooting his hand out amicably enough.

[TARMO]
"It'll be fine!" Declares Tarmo with his massive fist thumping against his bare chest, grinning over Dennis' apparent worries over the deer. "AFter we are done, we'll skin it, cut up the meat and roast it over a fire! ...Oh, if anyone has salt, that would be great. Fresh deer is fine on it's own if you let it stew in it's juices for a while after, but a sprinkle of salt makes it that much better."

One of the officials can be heard muttering "Is he allowed to do that?" to one of the cameramen, receiving a shrug in response.

"Very well!" The Finn roars out then, with his own hand shooting out to grasp that of Dennis' reached out one, damn near enveloping it entirely. "I am Tarmo Karmala! And I will be your opponent! But first!"

THe earlier-provided bottle of water is lifted up to-- wait.

He just... kind of stares at it, in bemusement. "Uhh... You didn't bring anything stronger, did you?"

[DENNIS]
"Oh, I uh... I don't drink," Dennis explains to Tarmo awkwardly at the man's question, lifting a hand up to rub at his nape. "I'm straight edge! I don't do drugs or alcohol! My body's a temple! A temple for pain!" He speaks the last sentence with an uncertain grin at the taller man, eyeing the officials and cameramen with a helpless look.

"Nice to meet you, Tarmo. Karmala? I think remember a different fighter named Karmala. You kind of look like him!"

That same official stares at the deer carcass with a long suffering look, and then his eyes are lifting up to the pair, and he interrupts their conversation. "You know you two are supposed to be fighting, right? This isn't just a meet and greet."

Dennis ruffles the back of his own hair, looking at the guy and giving him a boyish grin. "Hey, take it easy! We're just being friendly!" The official sighs in resignation.

"Very well," the suited man says, straightening his tie. "When you're done being friendly, please let us know."

Dennis' chuckle is a little nervous, and he looks up at Tarmo. "What do you say, big guy? Ready to fight?"

[TARMO]
"Eh?! Really?" Tarmo's massive paw of a hand slaps against his forehead with this. "...I guess it can't be helped! I'll just have to gather up some water and plants and stuff and brew some moonshine myself! The Karmala special with japanese ingredients! Yes!"

"He's definitely not allowed to do that, right?!" Someone in the background asks.
"What're you asking me for, do I look like I know japanese laws?"

Something very particular Dennis says has the boisterous finn's expression turning somewhat more serious, however, complete with a narrowing of his eyes.

Whatever was on his mind in that instant is pushed away by the further urging for the two fighters to get on with it, and a wide, toothy grin replaces that expression in turn.

"I suppose it can't be helped!" He declares, stomping one foot with a thunderous sound echoing out from his boot hitting the soil. His feet spread some, his body hunches over slightly and his hands spread out with a slight curve in the posture of his arms -- almost mimicing a bear standing upright on it's hindlegs.

"Let's do it, Denny-boy."

COMBATSYS: Tarmo has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Tarmo            0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Dennis has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Tarmo            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Dennis

[DENNIS]
"Right." Tarmo's stance does make him look exactly like the kind of guy who could wrestle a bear, no doubt about it. Dennis can feel an equal amount of anxiety and excitement run through him, and he removes his coat and throws it -- it lands right across the chair by the camera with the sugarfree donuts -- his own offering to the refreshments offered here.

"Alright, big guy -- I'm no bear," he's more than willing to admit, even as he begins sprinting towards the other man at a speed that could've done him well in a career in running. "But I'm about to show you the best fighting style in Metro City!" It's a bold claim, considering someone like Abigail exists, but Dennis doesn't care.

Once he's up close he tries to just outright ram his shoulder right into the large man's chest!

COMBATSYS: Dennis successfully hits Tarmo with A-Train Crash.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Tarmo            0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Dennis

[TARMO]
"THe best, huh?" Tarmo may or may not pick up ont he dubiousness of that claim, but nonethless, it does make him grin all the more widely at the police officer while he's charging in for the Finn. "Show me something good then!"

And show him he does, with the smaller man's shoulder smashing agains the Finn's broad, bare chest -- apparently hard enough that it does surprise Tarmo himself as he's sent stumbling back a step's forth.

"Okay, not bad--!" He grunts out, still with that all-too-eager smile. The stumble doesn't last long, though, not with him forcefully swinging his weight back forward and-- into a charge right back at Dennis?! "Hope that's just the start, though!" And down at Dennis he comes charging, enormous, meaty shoulder-first, in a mirroring of his opponent's charge from just a second ago.

COMBATSYS: Dennis blocks Tarmo's Rynnakko.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Tarmo            0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0           Dennis

[DENNIS]
"Whoa!" When Tarmo does the same move -- admittedly a classic move in professional fighting, especially in the League -- it still catches Dennis off-guard, and he has throw throw his arms up in a cross-block to prevent the charge from knocking him off his feet. It still nearly bowls him over -- he has to stagger back to prevent it, and he shakes out his arms painfully after.

He chuckles out loud. "Not bad," he says right back, before he brings his arm up underneath the giant's and attempts to lock his shoulder into a hold, grabbing onto that same arm with his other hand if he manages and then attempting to just run with him towards the nearest tree, trying to crash his head into it.

COMBATSYS: Tarmo interrupts Toss the Trash from Dennis with Moukari-Isku EX.
- Power hit! -

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Tarmo            0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0           Dennis

[TARMO]
"Ooooooh?" Tarmo does look genuinely impressed, seeing Dennis manage to keep himself upright after getting the giant slamming into him. "You're pretty steady though, ain'tcha?"

The compliment doesn't stop him from quickly responding to the attempted counterattack, however. Tarmo is alreayd straightening up after his charge -- and the instant Dennis so much as reaches out, his enormous hand is suddenly snapping oout to grab hold of his arm, just below the wrist.

"Gotcha."

With a wild grin, he turns himself quickly over, using the leverage of the motion to swing Dennis right up overhead by his arm, and down onto the ground with a loud *THUD* as the police officer's body impacts with the soil.

"Shouldn't let a bear grab hold of you, right?" Points out Tarmo, with a roar of boisterous laughter, leaned over some so that he can still maintain his grip on Dennis' arm even with him down on the grassy ground.

[DENNIS]
Yeah. This was going to be so cool. He was going to drive that head into the tree, and once he had control of the fight, he was going to -- What? Dennis finds himself lifted almost effortlessly into the air by the Finnish man, and then he's being tossed clean over the man's head and onto the soil.

"Ow."

Dennis groans from his spot on the ground. "Good one," he admits weakly.

His confidence returns with a vengeance. "But I'm not done yet!"

Tarmo's still holding him, and that can only be a good thing in the officer's mind. Because now he's trying to pull the other man down with him to the ground, and if successful, he curls his knees and tries to launch the man over him.

COMBATSYS: Tarmo Toughs Out Dennis' Quick Throw!

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Tarmo            0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0           Dennis

[TARMO]
"Eh?"

Apparently Tarmo did not expect Dennis to actually try and leverage him down to the ground from below. Usually people try to wriggle out of that hold instead of using it to their advantage like that! This unexpected maneuver results in the Finn seeing himself losing his balance and falling down onto one knee with a wince.

...Unfortunately for Dennis, when he coils himself against the now-lowered finn, he finds much too much resistance to shift the mountain of finnish meat more than a few inches.

"Points for the guts, Denny!" He roars out, tugging on the man's arm again as he pushes himself upwards, dragging the police officer with him while his free hand curls into a tight fist and winds back... oh no.

"Lemme reward you with a first-class flight!"

And cue the enormous fist swinging into a vicious uppercut aimed for Dennis' midsection. So dreadfully powerful it is that it threatens to send him flying up into the air even if he has the time to brace himself against it. ANd if he does, indeed? The Finn leaps right up after him, just to grab hold onto his opponent and drive him down onto the ground with the assistance of gravity!

COMBATSYS: Tarmo dazes Dennis with Ilmahyokkays!
- Power hit! -

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Tarmo            0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1           Dennis

[DENNIS]
When Tarmo doesn't really budge as much as Dennis wants him to, the officer flinches. And then he's being tugged into the air by the man's arm, and the officer immediately regrets having held on to it this long, because that uppercut causes him first to wrap around it some more in a split-second before he spits out and his body goes airborne.

And then the duo crash into the ground, soil being lifted up in a small shockwave around them as the officer's body collides with the dirt, and he groans, both at the joke the Finnish man made and at the pain that's lancing through his body, mostly on his stomach and back.

Still, that's practically his whole body, isn't it?

"You're a good fighter," he allows the larger man with a weak grin, breaking free of their grapple with a roll off to the side, struggling onto one knee and letting out heavy breaths, before running right at him again.

"But I'm not done yet!" His hands go for the man's head to try and latch onto it, then he brings his knee up while attempting to drag the man's face down towards it. If he succeeds he doesn't stop, throwing out more and more knees before he tries to bodily haul the man off his feet and slam him into the ground.

That's a whole lot to try, but try it he does.

COMBATSYS: Tarmo endures Dennis' Gangland Clash.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Tarmo            1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0           Dennis

[TARMO]
"You're taking all this pretty well too, really," Tarmo offers down to the other man while he's lifting himself up--

Just to find his hand suddenly grasped at from both sides and pulled down.

"HRK!"

His face collides with Dennis' knee with a distinct *crack* of a sound. Again, the knee impacts with him, again and again until blood spills out from both of his nostrils and the enormous Finn is sent bowling down onto the ground, his weight alone bringing enough force to that motion to send dirt flying up into the air again.

"Ffff... You're... surprisingly strong too, ain't you..." The Finn growls, lifting his head up off the ground to glare at the officer past his brows.

"But--!"

In a sudden burst of speed, he all but launches himself right up from the ground, with both his large, powerful hands going to grab at Dennis' sides and hoist him right up along with him. "GOnna need more than that!!"

If he does, indeed, get to grab onto him, he'll hoist the cop right up over his head and spins him around so that his head is facing forward from his perspective. WIth this, he leaps up high into the air--!

"PERKELE!!!"

ANd swings the man held over his head downwards as he comes down, head-first towards the ground!

COMBATSYS: Tarmo successfully hits Dennis with Ihmiskeihas.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Tarmo            0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0           Dennis

[DENNIS]
Yeah. He certainly does get to grab onto him. Up Dennis goes.

"Not again!"

And then he's spun about, and his eyes go wide as he looks up and sees the ground heading his way -- the shift in position causing the pair to crash violently down into the ground near Dennis' chair, the camera crew scattering and having to dislodge their cameras from their tripods to keep the footage going. They're nothing if not dedicated to their work.

**CRASH!**

Down into the dirt Dennis goes, and his body limply falls out of Tarmo's grasp, the brief tremor of the earth near the chair making his box of donuts fall over. They become casualties of this contest between the two tall men -- one significantly taller than the other -- left scattered about the ground, the glaze on them causing the dirt to cling to them in a manner that makes them even more unappetizing.

All except one. One triumphant donut had landed on Dennis' chest, and he peers down at the sole survivor, who glimmers in a way that Dennis could only describe as delicious and sugar free HOPE.

The donut is taken from his chest and willingly sacrifices its structural integrity as he shoves it into his mouth.

But surely Tarmo isn't the kind of man who just lets his opponent get a snack mid-battle, right?

COMBATSYS: Dennis successfully aids himself with Donut Stash.
* Attack Of Opportunity! *

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Tarmo            0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0           Dennis

Whether Tarmo is that kind of man or not, suddenly Dennis is on his feet -- how he got upright so fast is anyone's guess, but then he's grabbing onto his chair and spinning -- whipping it violently at the Finnish man, with so much force that some kind of strange fiery glow comes off it.

COMBATSYS: Dennis blitzes into action and acts again!

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Tarmo            0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0           Dennis

COMBATSYS: Dennis successfully hits Tarmo with Curveball Smash.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Tarmo            0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1           Dennis

[TARMO]
After tthat burst of effort and pure, brutal force, Tarmo is actually left panting after Dennis has been spiked into the ground like flag pole. Though thankfully not *so* powerfully that his head actually sank into the ground. Which, you know, is good for him because that means he gets to flop freely onto the ground isntead of being captured in an embarrassing pose.

"Sheesh..." He grunts out, as he leans over slightly to settle his hands to his knees while he recovers his breathing...

And only just then realizes Dennis has the *audacity* to have a snack in the middle of their bout. "...Oh, seriously?"

INherently insulted by this, Tarmo promptly turns to stomp after Dennis as he gets up-- only to suddenly find a glowing chair of all damned things sent at him?!

"Mitä vi-?!"

The chair slams at the side of the Bear-Finn's head in a shot that seems straight out of the highlights of a WWE match (except very, VERY real!), and his entire weight is sent swaying off to the opposing side. For just a second, it looks as though the giant may actually fall--

But then his hiking boot slams on the ground.

"RRRAAAAAHHH!"

And his hand reaches to grab for the back of Dennis' head while the other goes for his arm, pushing him towards the table filled with various broadcasting equipment for the filming crew -- and hopefully get to swing the cop's face down to the edge of the table!

COMBATSYS: Dennis just-defends Tarmo's Improvised Throw!

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Tarmo            0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1           Dennis

[DENNIS]
Honestly, the chair looks like it took more damage than the wall of meat in front of him. Dennis looks at the chair, then up at Tarmo's face, then down at the chair again.

"You're uh... you're really tough, aren't you?" Dennis says with an anxious laugh, looking up to see the man still standing after he's smacked him with the chair.

"Oh, no," is his next words, because he's in the air again, all but Irish Whipped at that table. Well. What's he to do?

/Anything can be a weapon, Dennis. Remember that,/ Alex's voice says in his head, and when he crashes into the table, he does so shoulder first, just like the first attack he launched at the Finnish man. The table goes off its legs but his arm wraps around it and heaves it into the air, catching it by a leg and then letting it crash to the ground.

He turns, table in one hand, and chair in the other. "Alright, big guy!" He sprints at him then, launching himself at the larger man to try to just straight clobber him with both objects.

COMBATSYS: Tarmo endures Dennis' Armed Combo.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Tarmo            0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1           Dennis

[TARMO]
"Oh damn--"

Okay, Tarmo has to give credit where credit is due. That was a proper impressive move that got Dennis out of that particular pinch.

Unfortunately, it being impressive also means Tarmo is in rather immediate danger. His arms come up, first, to defend himself -- but at the very last second, he suddenly decides to drop his guard and just charge straight in!

"TAKE--!"

The table collides full force with the finn as he moves in, with enough force to shatter against the mountainous man. It hurts, for sure, but the Finn doesn't let it stop his adance. Or his hand thrusting out to grab Dennis right by his face with thick fingers curling right along his skull!

"THIS!"
And he JUMPS! STill holding on to the cop's face, aiming to use gravity and this unusual point of grip to leverage Dennis down onto the ground by driving the back of his head into it, first!

COMBATSYS: Dennis blocks Tarmo's Pommitus EX.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Tarmo            0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1           Dennis

[DENNIS]
When the table is smashed right through, Dennis tosses it away, right as that hand wraps around his face. His own hand comes up and wraps around the larger man's wrist, and when the man leaps he's in the air, but he manages to break away just before he crashes down into the ground. He still hits the ground hard, but he rolls away from the other man and climbs back to his feet with a groan.

Still, at this point the officer's exhausted. He chuckles a little, lifting his arm up and dragging it across his heavily bruised forehead, sweat and dirt smeared across it now, too. His bleeding from a nostril and from his lip, and his shirt is damp from sweat, too.

"I'm worn out," he tells the other man. "Breaking your hold on me took a lot out of me," he admits.

"I think you've might've won this one, but the truth is, where I'm from a fight isn't over 'til the other guy stops moving." He throws the chair aside, too, before he goes forward towards the other man.

"Back to the fundamentals, huh?" It's weak, but there it is.

COMBATSYS: Tarmo interrupts Light Kick from Dennis with Karhun Isku.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Tarmo            0/-------/-======|=======\=====--\1           Dennis

COMBATSYS: Dennis can no longer fight.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  <
Tarmo            0/-------/-======|

[TARMO]
"Ghh--!" Tarmo might well have been banking on his assault going through exactly as intended -- for after Dennis has slipped himself out of that grip and rolled away, the massive Finn all but collapses down onto one knee. His short-cropped hair is matted with sweat, and even more perspiration runs along his skin where it's exposed, chest and abs glistening with it all.

"Hhhh... I'm gonna level with you, Denny..." He rumbles, with a weak laugh rumbling up when he lifts his head up to peer at the cop. "I'm runnin' on fuckin' fumes here, too..."

Slowly, he lifts himself up to his feet, already wobbling in his balance as he does, and just that alone brings him breathing heavily.

"So I guess... this next one will settle it... Let's find out for sure, huh...?"

For a few seconds, the two worn out fighters are left facing each other, staring each other down.

And when Dennis moves, so does Tarmo. Foot stomping forward at the exact moment as Dennis' does, with his huge fist curling up and finding far back behind himself.

Dennis' leg swings forward and Tarmo's fist sweeps up high overhead before coming down again--

**BAM**

Just a split second of a difference. That's all that was needed. All that decided it.

One split second difference in the time of travel between Tarmo's fist and Dennis' leg that saw the former landing into it's intended target, first, crashing into the officer's face from above with tremondous force that knocks him back hard enough that once his kick goes fully through, the trajectory is disrupted enough that it rebounds off of the finns meaty form with barely a noticable impact.

But as Dennis falls, Tarmo damn near falls over with him. All the way down to both knees, with him only managing to catch himself from fully bowling over by his palms slamming down onto the ground, to keep him at least partially up.

"Ffffuuuuuuhhh...."

[DENNIS]
"Hey," Dennis says from the ground once it's all said and done, not unconscious, not really, but too beat to move. "You know, you're really something, Tarmo. We gotta do this again sometime. Next season, huh?"

His hand moves to his jaw to touch, and he winces, hand dropping into the soil again. He stares up at the stars, before looking over to the giant man to stare at him, and because these two men are fighters in this strange existence they live in, they're likely already recovering, at least just a little.

He wipes his mouth, and struggles onto one knee, his eyes directed to the center of the ring, where the deer carcass lies.

"Say," he asks the winner of their match, with a bloody grin aimed his way.

"You want to teach me how to cook that thing?"

[TARMO]
"Hhaaahh... Yeah..." Tarmo agrees after a moment with a bark of laughter, turning himself so that he can sit down on his rear rather than staying on his knees. one arm draped over his thigh while his head tips far back, staring off at the sky above the clearing.

"Next season. But we're gonna need to get a fire goin' now then... After you can move, anyhow."

COMBATSYS: Tarmo has ended the fight here.

Log created on 12:23:50 05/04/2021 by Tarmo, and last modified on 15:51:35 05/05/2021.