Match of the Millennium

Description: The clearest mismatch between these teams: Brian Storm versus Buford. A wannabe samurai fighting a lightning-powered wrestler in his hometown. There has been high hopes for Brian that haven't panned out so far, but this could be his chance to turn things around with a homefield advantage who is likely familiar with the city buses of Sunshine. A stage like this could really prove tricky for novice fighters. You have to account for the possibility of sudden turns, the constant feeling of motion under your feet... and the smell of whatever Big Buford is vaping. Hopefully the driver will have cracked the windows in advance. Will you see somebody hurl?

[BRIAN STORM]
The city bus that the upcoming match between Buford of Team Frost and Brian Storm of Team Blaze is scheduled to take place in idles up against the curb at an old bus stop in Outer Sunshine that has been reopened for the purpose of the event. A small crowd has gathered around it, and as they wait, the song 'Man with a Plan' starts to blare out of a pickup truck that pulls up behind it. From the passenger side of the truck steps out an imposing six foot five inch figure with majestic blond hair and a well-groomed beard. On his legs are a pair of flame-patterned wrestling tights with the words 'TEAM BLAZE' down the side, while on his body is a black t-shirt with an artist's impression of his own face on the front, the word 'BRIAN STORM' beneath. Over that is an orange and red flame-patterned necktie.

"FINALLY... THE STORM HAS COME BACK... TO SUN-SHINE CITY!!!"

The crowd actually cheer loudly, even though most of them, when interviewed by NFG staff just minutes earlier and asked which fighter they were hoping would win, had things to say like 'Fighter? Is there gonna be a fight?' and 'I'm just glad they finally started running this line again!' and 'Does this bus stop on Camp Boulevard?' Brian is, after all, actually pretty popular here in his hometown of Sun-Shine City.

"Now, everybody, if you please, STAND BACK!" Brian says, strutting toward the door to the bus and smacking a fist against it. The driver lets the door open.

"...and form an orderly line, starting with the elderly, those with restricted mobility, and any expectant mothers!"

He stands helpfully next to the door, ready to help anyone who needs it into the bus and allowing everyone else to board before him.

[BUFORD]
Buford, for his purposes, patiently waits in the back of the line.

It might be easy to mistake Buford as just another local, except for his choice of clothing. The tall and round individual was sweating something fierce in the heat, but the fedora-garbed samurai insisted on wearing his trenchcoat in the Sunshine City Sunshine. HE did, at least, wear blazing shorts almost as flaming as Brian Storm's own, with a tastefully cute shirt bearing the cross-eyed anime girl. On his sweat-soaked brow, he had a head band of 'Team Frost' around his forehead, the ronin did not spend his downtime actually training -directly- with his fellow competitors. Not directly, but indirectly: he researched them online, and was following up on the publics opinion of them, as well several useful Fightubers who were more than willing to share their strong opinions on the fighters. Some of them were even able to identify which ones were too 'woke' and which ones were 'based' and represented their values.

A fighter just like Brian Storm, apparently.

"Oh! Is that- are you Brian Storm?" Buford calls from the back of the line, giving a deep inhale off his hilt before expunging a thick mist around the old lady he was right behind. "It is I, Buford! I will be your opponent I believe! How bemusing it is that two classy and, dare I say, cool fighters like ourselves will be facing each other. Certainly, you and I well understand how important it is to not be afraid to dress for success, as it were, m'yes." Slowly but steadily, he approaches the bus from the back of the line, patiently taking his turn. "I hope it isn't too crowded, or else we might have to take the next bus for our duel for our teams honor." Fortunately, it doesn't take long, and it doesn't get too crowded as he reaches the door of the bus. And drenched in strong smelling sweat, he holds his elbow out, expecting Brian Storm to assist -him- as well up.

It was an awfully big step after all.

[BRIAN STORM]
Brian Storm raises a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun. Unfortunately, while he had the fashion sense to wear both a t-shirt and tie at the same time (for both casual and formal appeal), he didn't have the foresight to wear a fedora, or the stylistic chutzpah to wear shorts with a trenchcoat. Spying Buford's headwear, he gives a nod of appreciation. "Well chosen, Buford-san," Brian says in his charismatic, casual conversational Californian cant as he helps the other fighter onto the transport. As a professional wrestler, he has no qualms about helping support the weight of another sweaty man for the sake of entertainment. After all, he would expect no different from his partner. "By the way, I brought this for you." With that, he reaches into a bag and pulls out a rolled up t-shirt, unfurling it for Buford's benefit. It has Buford's face depicted in a stylized image, wearing his trademark fedora. Beneath the face are the words 'BRIAN STORM' in bright blue text that's shot through with lightning. He hands it over with a friendly smile.

"Anyway, we could wait for the next bus, but do any of these people want to miss out on the epic clash of The Last Alberta Samurai and the Golden Hurricane?!"

"NO!" shouts the old lady who got on the bus before Buford, before breaking out in a delayed coughing fit from previously-inhaled vape fumes.

"I said, does ANYBODY want to MISS OUT on the EPIC CLASH of THE LAST ALBERTA SAMURAI and THE GOLDEN HURRICANE?!" Brian shouts loud enough for everyone on the bus to hear.

"NO!" the rest of the passengers shout back, as much in fear and confusion as excitement, while a young punk girl with a nose ring is inspired by the heartful display to help the old lady recover her air and make sure she's okay.

"THAT'S GREAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA!" Brian shouts, before turning to the driver. "Now, CUE THE MUSIC!"

The driver presses a button on the bus's sound system, and 'Man With a Plan' starts to blare out over the speakers as Brian pulls out a pair of sunglasses, puts them on, and starts strutting down the bus's aisle, giving high fives to each of the passengers in turn and occasionally stopping to pose for selfies and fan phone photos.

So listen up good now, degenerate masses
You ain't gonna note it in your high school classes
Cause it ain't written down
And you know that's its true
There's a lot of famous people with less talent than you
Well fame they say can be a serious earner
So put your great unknown on the afterburner
The story so far is one hell of a mess
So come on let me lead you through the wilderness o/~

He makes it past the rear door before, in his distraction, he misses a 'WATCH YOUR STEP' sign, trips over the step up, and falls face-first onto the floor of the back of the bus.

He gets back up, dusts himself off, and continues strutting to the back of the bus as if nothing had happened as the words blare out over the speakers:

'I'm a man plan with a plan!'

[BUFORD]
"Ah! Thank you!"

Buford immediately takes the t-shirt as he reaches the bus, and taking a seat at the open spot for the pregnant and eldery, uses it to wipe away the sweat building up on his neck. Toweling down aggressively, he lets Brian Storm do the show as he works the Brian Storm t-shirt up under his current shirt, working under the crook of his arm as it tingles and burns. He gives a kind of dazed stare as Brian Storm works the audience, his overwhelm charisma being just as he predicted. Nodding along, he sort of sways back and forth in the heat, the air conditioning of the bus not quite being of the strength and power he needed. When Brian Storm trips, Buford gasps.

"Ah! The fight has begun!"

He squeezes the t-shirt over the exposed water intake of the hilt, and then, shutting it tight, he locks it into the sheath of his blade. Pulling it out, the people on the bus scream as he raises the katana blade high. Giving a rich and deep draw as he puffs on it, he exhales a thick, musty, and slightly salty caramel-flavored fog as the bus takes off and moves, preventing anyone to escape. Placing the t shirt on the bus driver's shoulder for safe keeping, he gives a grunt as he stands up. "You may be the man plan with the plan, but I am, oh, well I will strike!" Buford thunders after the downed Brian Storm, twirling his blade in the air. Shortly after he begins his charge it hits an over-hanging handle and immediately knocks out of his hand, flying past Brian Storm as it drives straight into the bus wall next to the old lady. "Whoa Whoa! Time out! TIME OUT!" Buford struggles to turn and adjust, but when an object is in motion, it tends to stay in motion. Adjusting for the change and unarmed nature, Buford leaps in the air to the screams of the bus riders, as he attempts to do a double-legged drop kick straight into Brian Storm.

Hopefully he wasn't going to miss.

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Brian Storm      0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Buford

COMBATSYS: Buford has wandered into a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Brian Storm      0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Buford

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm blocks Buford's Strong Kick.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Brian Storm      0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0           Buford

[BRIAN STORM]
When Buford's blade comes flying past Brian just as he's standing up, he looks back at his opponent, his eyebrows raising.

"Whoa, dude! Your sword! You'll need that for the fight!"

Helpfully, he hurries to the back of the bus and grabs hold of the hilt, pulling on it to try and dislodge it from the seat that it's stuck in.

"Here, man, I'll get it for you!"

Thus, what would otherwise be a fairly telegraphed attempt to take advantage of Brian's fall becomes... a rather telegraphed attempt to take advantage of Brian trying to pull out the sword in the seat like a mythical figure of yore. Unfortunately for him, Brian is a zoomer and has no idea what a telegraph would even look like. He's caught in the back by the drop kick, but manages to catch himself against the back of the bus before his head can crash into the rear window.

"Cunning plan, dude!"

As a traditional tweener with babyface leanings, Brian can appreciate good heel work when he sees it, even in a match that isn't a standard wrestling affair. He spins around to face Buford, limbering up both his arms before pulling his shirt off over his head and tossing it to the nearby granny fan, causing her to squeal with delight.

"Alright! Let's rev this ride up, buttercup!"

Storming toward Buford as he continues to roll his shoulders, he opens up with a series of knife-edge chops toward Buford's chest, before aiming to grab him by an arm and hurl him toward the back of the bus - attempting to set up a rope routine in spite of the lack of ropes.

COMBATSYS: Buford dodges Brian Storm's Brian Whip.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Brian Storm      0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0           Buford

[BUFORD]
"Yes, well, I cannot help but be anything smarter than I am!"

Such wisdom comes as Buford comes crashing to the ground. Getting up remarkably slowly, Buford demonstrates more timeless attributes, as he gives a great groan upon grabbing the nearby seats. Nearly pulling them from their bases, he brings up just in time for a gushing granny to give her growls. The topless Brian Storm roars in, as Buford seems to instinctively imitate the imitable Brian Storm. The Canadian titan tries and to get his -own- trench coat off, weaving and leveraging cover of bus seats with skills honed from a lifetime of school bus riding against boys similar to Brian Storm in technique if not in character. When the grabbing hand comes, Buford tosses the sweat-drenched trenchcoat at Brian Storm, giving him that to hold on and buy him a moment.

And get his sword back, of course.

"An impressive attempt in using Suchimusodo, gentlesir!" Buford compliments as he pulls over to his embedded blade. "But the Vapor Blade can only be held by those who are worthy and trained!" Gripping it with both hands, he rips the blade from the interior of the bus. Giving a broad, horizontal swipe, he gives a second, more controlled swipe, the duo of cleaves hitting the bars of the bus... and coming just short of hitting the bus riders. "It seems a bit cramped in here, Brian Storm!"

"Do you think we can bring this fight to the roof of the bus?"

[ABIGAIL]
"C'MOOOOON BUFOOORD! VROOOOOOOM!!!!"

It might be a home town advantage for Brian Storm but one Abigail equals a whole bus of Brian Storm fans at least where sheer volume is concerned. The blaring roar of Death Metal music blasts into the area as well, a vibrating thunderous collection of chaos accented by the earth shaking tread of a monster truck that's swerved alongside the bus, a safe distance away mind you, but no less earth trembling as the vibrations of its presence rumble towards the selecte fighting stage of the two men. Abigail literally stands ontop of his truck, balancing on it -somehow- despite his great size and the movements of his ride, literally surfing with it so to speak as a worn out, exhausted and utterly annoyed Axl and Two-P drive said truck and manage sound system while trying to not send the colossal Mad Gear chief hurtling from the roof as a result of their driving and his antics.

Abigails' attention is on the bus itself though and he crouches down, flattening somewhat ontop of the roof of his truck as he tries to peer through the bus windows to see how the fights going.

"Dammit! I can't tell what's happening!" he fumes. His vantage point making it difficult of seeing if locking Buford in the basement of Abigail's Scrap Metal and sending harassing him occasionally with Mad Gear hooligans before getting him to Sunshine City. "Put some horsepower into it!" he roars encouragingly at his fellow canadian, despite having no idea of the current pace of the fight. "Take it to the redline!"

COMBATSYS: Buford successfully hits Brian Storm with Fierce Strike.
- Power hit! -

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Brian Storm      0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0           Buford

[BRIAN STORM]
It's a moment that will live in infamy amongst the NFG's most devoted. The trenchcoat is tossed at Brian Storm, and instinctively, he catches it. He is not a man who can allow another man's coat to fall to the filthy floor of a city bus, friend or foe.

"Right on?!

Then, his view obscured from his enemy by the interceding garment, his eyes are inevitably drawn to the noise going on outside the vehicle - the sound of unsubtle VROOMing coming from the truck plowing along alongside the bus.

"Hey! If you wanted to watch the match, you SHOULDA MADE IT TO THE BUS STOP ON TIME!" he barks at the monster truck and its motley crew. Then, with the run-in distraction executed to perfection, Buford takes his opportunity - opening two clean cuts across Brian Storm's chest and causing the wrestler to cry out in pain.

"REF! Disqualify this young man!" the old-lady-Brian-Stan screams at the nearest official.

"I'm not a referee, I'm just the driver!" the official screams back.

"Dastard!" Brian chokes out as blood starts to run down his sculpted abs. "You wanna take it to the roof?! Well, BUCKLE UP, CUPCAKE! You're about to take a ride on the PAIN ROCKET!"

Lunging for Buford, the wrestler tries to grab hold of his sword arm to hold the weapon at bay, intent on twisting it around painfully as Brian himself spins - his extended arm crackling with lightning - before slamming his forearm in an upward arc toward Buford's chin, trying to smash him up through to the roof of the train, planning to leap up after him if he succeeds in doing so!

COMBATSYS: Buford blocks Brian Storm's Whirlwind Lariat.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0           Buford

[ABIGAIL]
"Some old broad wants to disqualify Buford!" reports Two-P, observing the fight via the streaming broadcast and catching that outburst due to the cameras love of Granny-Stan. He waves his arms wildly in ire, whipping his Ipad back and forth and briefly blocking Axl's view of the road which causes the latter to slam on hte brakes to avoid just careening off the road completely.

"lemme see!" says Axl who leans over. "She can't treat a jr. Mad Gear like thke that!"

Uh oh. Looks like Buford's been drafted.

THeir antics cause the truck to wildly swerve and nearly sends Abigail tumbling right from it just as he is pumping both of his massive arms upwards to prepare for another booming engine roar of encouragement. Instead he nearly cartwheels off of the truck and is forced to drop back down to his knees, sprawling atop it and gripping hold with frame distorting strength.

"What're you idiots DOING!?" Abigail's voice roars out, "You made me late for the match and now this?!"

[BUFORD]
VROOOM?!

As he unleashes the slashes, Buford's gaze drifts out to the window, where to his surprise, he sees a familiar face. "Oh! Mister Abigail! What a Surprise!" He tips his fedora out the window, as he gives Brian plenty of space and time to recover. "I cannot help but admit that I was almost hoping for the fair and barefooted korean lady was the one pursuing me instead, chasing after me with a obsessive passion befitting a delicate-" There is a sudden break in the stream, seemingly because of the connection issues provided by the logistics of a high speed chase. "- as a senpai/student relationship, naturally." Buford seems to have more to add, as Brian Storm readies the Pain Rocket for Buford to ride on.

And Buford would ride that rocket to heaven if he had to.

In response, there is a deep, wet sucking sound, as Buford pulls on his T-Shirt with the cross-eyed anime girl with white hair on it to prepare himself. For a moment, it looks like he was going to peel the sopping wet shirt off, but no, it was only to air out. He gives a slice at the roof, preparing his entry, as Brian Storm grips him and rips him up. He was prepared for the impact, but breaking through with his hefty frame is still a rough ride. Landing hardly on the roof, he nearly falls off because of physics. He can catch himself just barely by driving his blade into the bus, hanging on for dear life. As the bus slows down a bit (very likely because of Abigail's hard work to keep up being a living reckless endangerment of traffic-based terror), he pulls himself up to a stand, balancing out awkwardly. "It's seems this this bussy is getting quite mussy." He chortles as he waits for Brian to arrive, bruised and battered and well showing cuts on his sweaty and exposed arms. He takes a long and heavy breath of his own hilt. Holding his breath, he sheaths his blade, exhaling the mist in a thick cloud out from his flared nostrils, as the bus surges along the street.

And he holds the blade, turning his shoulder towards Brian Storm, as he awaits his opponents next move.

COMBATSYS: Buford sheathes his blade before him, and begins to puff upon the hilt!

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0           Buford

[BRIAN STORM]
Brian throws himself through the gap in the roof of the bus, and, for his troubles, nearly gets blown free into traffic as the laws of inertia suddenly turn on him. A desperate reach for the speeding roof allows him to latch on just in time to pull himself up and over the back of the vehicle, his golden hair blowing majestically in the wind behind him. Due to his positioning toward the rear, the vapor from Buford's vapeblade hits him full in the face, causing him to gasp and shield his eyes, which have only recently recovered from the fight with Nixie Greene.

"I've always wanted to have a fight atop a speeding land vehicle!" Brian shouts into the wind as the clouds overhead start to gather and darken dramatically. "Thank you for your part in making my dream come true, Buford-san!"

He clenches his fists at his sides, his ripped biceps swelling as he draws in a breath through the pounding air. "In retrospect, it wasn't a very good dream, though! We'd better take it back inside, before somebody tries this at home!"

To further encourage Buford toward his aim, Brian struggles his way forward and attempts to wrap his arms around the samurai's middle, then throws himself backward - aiming to slam Buford back into the carriage of the motorbus with a flying suplex!

COMBATSYS: Buford interrupts Power Throw from Brian Storm with Revengeance EX.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Brian Storm      1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0           Buford

[BUFORD]
Buford shuts his eyes.

He can only give a smirk, as Brian Storm throws himself directly at him. As Brian surges in, Buford smoothly and slowly draws his sword out, rushing forward with the mist clinging to his form. He gives a single, samurai swipe, cleaving straight across Brian. This doesn't actually -stop- Brian from grabbing him though, as the Canadian is heaved up and -slammed- backwards after the cut, right back into the bus. But for his purpose, BUford doesn't even seem aware, as his eyes gradually open as he speaks aloud the haiku as he falls with Brian Storm.

"Who Can Calm The Storm,
The Brian Storm? Hope Broken,
And A Dream Deferred"

Buford looks around back inside the interior of the bus. Everything looked upside down. Especially Brian Storm. Did the bus flip? He certainly felt the bus jump when he landed. DId Abigail run them over? And why did BUford's head hurt. BUford tries to adjust his fedora, but realizes his fedora was now on the ground of the bus. Under his head. He had fallen on his head. Fortunately his neck absorbed most of the impact, and rolling over, he manages to stand up. Taking a dank pull off his hilt, he reaches for the bottom of his neckbeard at his chin, gently gripping on the skin tags that grew near the base. And getting a grip, he gives a sharp crack on his own neck. Looking over, he immediately thinks of just one person.

"Brian Storm are you okay?"

Buford calls over. He then puffs on the hilt of his sword again, before exhaling another thick cloud. There is another deep and thick sucking sound, like a gargantuan rain boot being pulled up from the muck and mire. "That was incredible! Why I feel like a regular Vash the Calgary Stampede! That was just like a real japanimation cartoon! We make quite a 'Dirty Pair,' m'yes. Except, of course, with less beautiful women, with apologies to some of the long-skirted maidens on this bus-ride. I'm going to take off my shirt now it's so dreadfully hot, gentle-sir." He announces, as he finally struggles to peel off his drenched t-shirt with the cross-eyed white haired anime girl with her tongue hanging out.

It manages to roll halfway up, before getting stuck on his fedora at the top of his head.

[BRIAN STORM]
Brian scarcely seems to notice that he's been cut by the samurai, such is the numbing effect of the wind and the fumes coming off of Buford. The haze comes over him as the pair fall into the bus, Buford's words ringing in his ears.

Hope Broken,
And A Dream Deferred

Tears begin to well in Brian's eyes, hanging glistening in the air as they trail after him, until the two of them finally crash into the cold, hard, bacteria-ridden reality of the Sunshine City Transit bus aisle floor. He lies there, slowly exhaling, as he feels a sensation panging in his chest. His kokoro is truly touched by the haiku, a feeling so cold and pure that he almost mistakes it for the sensation of a cut across his chest.

"That's a good idea, Buford-man! It's important to stay aerated and hydrated for match day! Oh, wow, I really went to town with this blood pack, didn't I?" Brian wonders as he looks down at the red oozing slashes criss-crossing his pectorals, before suddenly letting out a muted groan as pain and blood loss hit him.

"You look like you could use a hand with that, dude!" Brian says as he approaches Buford and reaches out to try and helpfully pull the shirt the rest of the way off of the samurai's head. Then, in a face-tweener turn, he shifts his tactic from helpfully tugging on the t-shirt to using it as a weapon against Buford, to hold him in place while Brian aims a shocking (literally) body blow to Buford's exposed midsection! He'll throw a couple more, if he can, before doubling the duelist over, forcing his head between Brian's legs, and leaping in the air, intent on delivering Buford into the floor with an electrified spinning piledriver!

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm successfully hits Buford with Hurricane Brian.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1           Buford

[BUFORD]
With the shirt over his head, he turns towards the offer of help with a small bow.

"Oh, airy gato." Buford, having experienced certainly a number of fights, well knew that this might very well be an opportunity to attack him. Of course, he was ready for it. He would just simply endure whatever Brian Storm threw at him. Unfortunately, what Brian Storm was throwing, was Buford. Tucked in between Brian's thighs, he is hoisted up, and Buford can only look down as the bottom of the bus comes up. As he is brought down low by the full force of a electrified spinning driver, that was a LOT of Buford coming down.

When the bottom of the bus falls out, that's when you know he made impact.

Sparks and scraping is heard as the bus floor starts jumping and dragging on the street. Buford, for his purpose, seemed to be recovering outrageously slowly. Moaning and groaning, he snaps, crackles and pops as he rolls around. It takes a pothole to jolt him out of his daze, as he gives a sharp sit up. His shirt was, fortunately, completely off, his clammy white skin glistening with a strong smelling sheen. Eyes bulging out, and a rather pronounced double nosebleed trickling across his lips and chin, he wipes his mouth a moment, blinking. He brings it to his tongue. "Tastes like... tendies..." He murmurs, as he hoists himself up. Holding his Vapor Blade at his side, he tips his fedora at Brian Storm. "Impressive form. I need to speak with my teachers, especially that beautiful Korean maiden, on how to better deal with such strange and exotic techniques..." He takes a deep draw from his hilt, and then, with a billowy burst of caramel scented cotton, fills the bus with his dank fog.

And begins to move.

He almost seems to teleport over Brian Storm. Almost, of course, as there is a scream from an old lady and cursing from a rather punkish girl as he moves in the mist, repositioning from the flanks. Slicing from behind Brian Storm, two more slices come from the other flank, and one from above. After the dropping slice, the mist begins to get churned away as he begins to swipe, swipe, swipe his blade in a flurry of slices, a blur of cuts, finishing by tugging down his fedora over his eyes in a bow.

The mist spreading across the opening at the bottom of the bus that was now exposed to the street.

COMBATSYS: Buford blitzes into action and acts again!

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0           Buford

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm blocks Buford's Cloudchaser.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0           Buford

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm dodges Buford's Soul of the Edge EX.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0           Buford

[BRIAN STORM]
The speed of the samurai is astounding.

One moment, Brian Storm is standing across from Buford, panting for air as the blood trickling from his injuries denies life-giving oxygen to his organs. (Luckily, they can handle a little deprivation, given how hard his blood normally pumps through them.)

The next, he is staring at the billowing cottony mist where Buford used to be.

"Such ninja-like speed...!" Brian comments under his breath, unaware of how offensive his comment would be to an honourable samurai such as Buford.

Then, suddenly, he senses a disturbance in the caramel cloud, and pure electric instinct kicks in, pivoting and diverting the samurai's sword arm so that his slash can only graze a red trail across his own beefy limb.

From there, it's a dance with death.

Moving like the lightning that is his namesake, Brian strikes pose after improbable pose, each slash passing within millimeters of his muscular frame, bending and twisting to avoid cut after cut until the metal storm subsides with Brian still standing, gasping for air, but intact.

Until, abruptly, a breeze blows through an open window, and Brian's hair starts falling from his head like golden grains before the reaper's scythe.

Seeing this, Brian's eyes slowly go wide.

"NoooOOOOOOoOOO!!!"

The musclebound wrestler turns to chase the flying strands as they float up toward the gap near the back of the bus, clambering onto seats and pulling himself back atop the roof in his desperation to save his precious locks. He cries out in anguish at the retreating silhouettes of hair falling in the sunset.

"I WAS GONNA SAVE THAT FOR A WINNER SHAVES THEIR HEAD MATCH!!!"

Turning around with wild eyes, Brian stares down at Buford. "You've taken months from me, BUTT-FORD!! NOW, I'M GONNA FINISH YOU!"

As he swings his arms and bends his knees, commentary breaks out between two passengers.

"Oh, my God! Is he going to -" the punk girl starts to say as she grimaces up at Brian.

"YYYESS! It's the THUNDERHEAD!! THUNDERHEAD!!!" the old lady screams, pumping her fists in the air.

As electricity arcs toward Brian from nearby street lamps, he lets out a scream, before leaping down into the bus with his body shaped like a diving dolphin, electrified head aimed to crash straight into the samurai below with little to no regard for the daredevil grappler's own safety!

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm successfully hits Buford with Thunderhead.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1           Buford

[ABIGAIL]
"It's like someone slammed together Bill Bull and Katana. Cripes." grumbles Axl while secretly hoping he remembered to hide his Brian Storm paraphernalia back at the hotel. He'd been hoping to sneak out and get a few posters signed. "Oh yeaaaah...the THUNDERHEAD!" he yells as he looks at the feed and stops paying attention to driving.

"THE WHO-WHAT-WAS--"

Axl cringes, "Sorry chief!" as he rights the truck before they go careening off the roads wildly

Abigail flattens his body, splayed across the top of his truck and gripping tightly before looking up and staring into the match with widening and then narrowing eyes.

[BUFORD]
Somewhere else, a certain Robert would be admiring some speed and weight.

As he finishes his assault, he takes in a deep breath as he steadies himself out. Brian Storm yells at him about something and instinctively Buford ignores what he says, as he does typically when someone yells at him. That is, except, when he makes a mistake on his name. "It's Buford not Butt-Ford," Buford begins, correcting Brian Storm as he does not interrupt the wrestler building up the maximum power. "And, um, actually Brian Storm, that's not a ninja like speed. I'm not sure if you understand this Brian Storm but you are being -very- offensive conflating the oriental styles of a ninja with a very specifically Japanese style of the Samur-"

Buford is interrupted as Brian finishes drawing the electricity and head smashing straight at Buford.

The Alberta Warrior tries to deflect the head smash with his sword, or at least, lead with his shoulder. The moment the poorly grounded fighter takes a full shoulder impact from Brian, however, he is seized up by the power, sent hurtling across the bus to the front, just short of the steps. Spasming, he eventually gains control, exhaling a cloud of- of fog? Oh no that was smoke. Groaning, it takes him even -longer- to stand up. He doesn't even make it all the way up, as the half naked Buford has electric scars. Was this it? Was he done? He almost was ready to forfeit, until he hears the shouting from outside. ABigail. The other big guy, plus the really weird fat who was part of the US government, and well, Buford rolls his eyes as he suddenly finds the second wind that every Canadian has. Having rolled his eyes, he surges with strength as he remembers the other weird really fat one, who was just another typical American after all who wasn't very concerened about his figure and just overate all the time. INfused with a patriotic fervor that has long endured the rich legacy of his beautiful nation, he looks at Brian Storm, a smirk on his lips as he states the word of power as he rolls his eyes for a third time.

"-Americans-" Buford states with absolute confidence.

Steadying himself out, he brings his blade upwards in a scorpion strike stance, wound back as he stares across at Brian Storm. And then, with a blaze of power, body burnt blackened bleeding and bruised, he gives a heavy draw off the hilt, sipping the last of the rich sweet infusion. Exhaling from the bottom of his jaws, he surges at the Wrestler, unleashes a flurry of swipes as he does so. Swipe, swipe, swiping, he finally finishes the assault by pivoting around in back slash crosswards, bring the entirety of his mist into a swirling tornado of sweet-smelling vapor. It was totally harmless, of course, but it at least let the smell fill every corner of the bus.

It was going to take an ozone machine to get the smell out now.

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm blocks Buford's Tenderless Reaper.

[                         \\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Brian Storm      0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0           Buford

[BRIAN STORM]
Brian bounces off of Buford after crashing headfirst into the Canadian fighter, rolling back up to his feet to stagger against the rear emergency exit of the bus in a daze. He gives himself a couple of slaps on either cheek to focus and refresh his senses.

"-Canadians-" he replies intensely to Buford's disparaging single word, although his own seems more like a statement of respect.

Then, the slashes start coming again - fast and furious.

"Graaaah!"

He struggles to keep pace with the attacks coming from his foe, pushing them away one after another, though he can't stop the final crossward cut from drawing a red line across his back as the tornado of sweet-smelling vapor blows away what's left of the hair on his head save for a short curtains cut that would better belong in the late 90s.

About-facing on Buford, Brian starts trying to lay into Buford with an onslaught of his own - his fists electrifying as he throws punch after punch with desperate fury.

"CANADIANS!!!"

He'd follow up with a belly-to-belly release suplex, throwing Buford back across the bus toward the gaping hole if he can, before clambering like a daredevil back onto the roof of the moving vehicle as it pulls away from a bemused trio of would-have-been riders at the last bus stop who decided not to take public transport this time. Then, leaping forward, he would backflip into a Shooting Star Press, aiming to crash down on top of Buford with a kamikaze determination that perhaps the Alberta ronin would appreciate, should both of the fighters survive the reckless, thunder-fuelled assault!

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm can no longer fight.

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

COMBATSYS: Brian Storm successfully hits Buford with Brian Lightning.
- Power hit! -

[                                <
Buford           1/------=/=======|

[BUFORD]
"AMERICANS.. m'yes!" Buford bellows instinctively.

The Sigma Charge of Pure Alberta Power Radiates Furiously ARound the Mist-Clung Form of THe Ronin Warrior. As the trickle of dew clings to his form, he sheaths the blade. "It is done. You have found honorably, oh Brian of Storm- dooh hoicky!" He blurts out as Brian grabs him belly to big belly, and is hurled across to the gaping hole. He manages to plug himself safely into the jagged metal, fixing himself from falling through. Sighing in relief, he looks as Brian builds up for the shooting star press. He wiggles, like a turtle caught in the sun, trying to slip out, trying to escape.

To no avail.

Brian Storm -smashes- the big swordsman right down through the hole, unplugging him much like how Rabbit and his Friends and Relations had ousted Pooh from the Rabbit Hole. BUt there would be no honey in this Hundred Acre Wood Nots, as Buford pops right down through the floor of the bus. Tumbling out from below the undercarriage, Buford rolls stunned and barely conscious down the road with a hefty case of road rash...

Right in the path of Abigail's hot rod.

COMBATSYS: Buford can no longer fight.


[ABIGAIL]
"YEAAAAAH!" roars Abigail as Brian Storm seems to take the fall.

"NOOOOOO!" roars Abigail as Buford is blasted to the ground through the bus and to the ground, body highlighted by the glare of the incoming Mosnter Truck. Both of Abigail's arms come up to grasp the sides of his head in a horrible panic as Axl and Two-P stare from their vantage point, frozen, Axl's foot slowly raising as hovering in that space between accelerator and brakes as if in slow motion.

Wreck Abigal's Monster Truck - or run over Buford.

Well it was nice knowing you Buford. You could have been a champion. A Mad Gear super villain under the swordsmanship tutelage and Otaku genius of Katana with Abigail's financial support and training facilities. Now you are a sacrifice.

Or not. Axl slams his foot down onto the brakes and Abigail crouches and presses his weight down onto the truck roof like some monstrous surfer. The Superhuman Hot Rodders gigantic inhuman strength roaring to life as the truck skids, still heading towards Buford, until the giant mechanics force kicks in and somehow manages to push it -just- to the side of the rollig swordsman in a plume of dust and stone..before it tips all the way over onto its side.

Abigail goes flying. A loud roaring< "BUUFOOOOORRRD!" roaring through the air as he tumbles and then vanishes violently into the sides of one of the crew trailers some distance away, folding it about his gigantic body and disapearing within.

His truck continues on, carryign Axl and Two_p along with it, screaming hystrically until it finally comes to a stop and then all is silent.

Until Two_P asks, "..So did we win?"

Log created on 12:05:07 06/15/2023 by Buford, and last modified on 13:55:21 06/23/2023.