Description: Vanessa takes it into her head that she should see Bison's club--and furthermore, agrees to a fight in the ring. This turns out to be bad for her.
Las Vegas, the city of lights! Okay, so that's Paris, but whatever. Las Vegas uses as much electricity, and it's just as electric in other ways. All manner of entertainments can be found here--from the legal to the illegal, the family-oriented to the absolute bloodbaths. Of course street fighting, as it is known, isn't -legal-... but it isn't really prosecuted. Even if it were, the man known as Bison would be impregnable in his own fortress.
This fortress, to use modern parlance, is a little known club on the outskirts of Vegas, a low, long building that looks a lot like a bunker. Inside, however, the place is opulently appointed, and high-rollers of all sorts come here to gamble. There are the usual table games, and sports betting, of course... but the main ticket, the attraction everyone comes to see, is usually set in the large ring that serves as the dead center of the club. It's a boxing ring, writ large; all the dimensions one and a half times a standard boxing ring.
Anyone who wants a fight in Vegas can find one here, in Bison's club. To coin a phrase, it's the worst-kept secret in Vegas.
There are a wealth of reasons why a certain redhead wouldn't go anywhere near this joint. She's a legit fighter, for one; she can get a fight just by calling her agent. And it's Mike Bison's hangout. There's never been much in the way of love to be lost between the two boxing dynamos; why Vanessa would take on the notoriously dirty fighter in his own territory...well, there's no /good/ reason, to be sure.
Yet here the woman is - strolling into the "club", with a sporty coat thrown on over her usual fighting apparel. She's easy and laid back, shoulders slumped and hands in her pockets.
Vanessa has her reasons. Getting some contacts in circles like this...she'd be willing to deal with a little shame, for an asset like that.
Ain't no shame in fighting Bison in his own club. Hell, Vanessa's a woman; he can't be his most humiliating against a woman. Well, maybe he can. It's safe to say that Vanessa is recognized as soon as she walks in; redheaded boxing women don't grow on trees around here... or anywhere. Bison himself is standing on a small balcony overlooking the club, watching over the place.
Moments after Vanessa walks into the club, she's approached by a man in a black suit. "Miss Vanessa," he says, plainly. "We'd like to know if you intend on..." He pauses. "Causing a ruckus." Bison himself is brutish and to the point, but his security team can be more subtle.
"If you're looking for a fight, it so happens that Mr. Bison's card is free..." Why, that almost sounds inviting, doesn't it?
Vanessa expects the security staff to show up - certainly, Vanessa isn't unknown to sweep into an area and start taking things apart for reasons known only to her. But tonight doesn't seem to be such a night, as the redhead gives the blacksuit a winning grin instead of a punch to the jaw. "I'm not here for any fighting your clients can't bet on, if that's what you mean," she offers, eyes traveling around the area with an almost unusual sparkle of wit and--
Wait, is she /sober/?
...well, moreso than she has been in the past, anyway; she hasn't turned up drop-dead drunk to a match in quite a while. Tonight seems to be continuing the trend. She looks up, spotting Bison above. "Heeee just had to have the highest spot, didn't he," she muses, with a little grin at her quiet dig. She turns her attention back onto the man nearby, adding, "Bison himself? And here I thought I'd have to climb the ladder, first. Sounds like a good fight, to me. I'll take it."
The positive answer races through the network--and suddenly Bison himself is on the floor. Unmistakably, he knows where Vanessa is; his dark gaze burns in her direction as he strides to the ring. Suddenly, the club goes quiet. Even the keno man and the roulette spinner shut up. Bison already has his gloves on, and his shirt off; he's ready for a fight, standing in his corner with his arms crossed, looking impressive and imposing.
Suddenly, there's an announcer too, with one of those dangling microphones. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight we have a special treat! It isn't often another boxer is brave enough, bold enough, or -stupid- enough to get into the ring with Mike Bison--but we have a brave, bold contender for you, today!" He gestures--and a beam of light strikes yon redhead.
"You've seen her before, folks! Bison is ready and waiting--" and the announcer turns to Vanessa, smirking. "--whenever you are. All you have to do is get into the ring." He steps out of the ring and suddenly the bets are flying....
And so it is. Vanessa doesn't even flinch as the lights cast down, she just holds up her black-gloved hands, tugging them tighter on her hands demonstratively. "Hi, honey," the redhead teases, offering a wink at Bison (though perhaps moreso at the spectators /behind/ Bison...).
The announcer (referee? ...no, Bison wouldn't have much need for one of those) invites her into the ring, and Vanessa strides up...and then stops, literally one step shy of entering the ring proper.
She sighs, theatrically, and rests her hands on the lapels of her jacket. "And here I thought tonight might be boring," she muses, and then with one motion, sweeps the jacket off her shoulders and tosses it in the direction of the nearest security staffer. "Hold onto that, will ya darlin'?" she asks, throwing a grin over her shoulder.
And then she wades into the ring, hands already up in her boxing stance.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison has started a fight here.
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M.Bison 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has joined the fight here.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
Finally, Bison speaks, his voice a rough growl. "Ain't yo' honey, Red," he snorts. The security boy takes the jacket gladly. Hey, he might work for Bison, but he appreciates a fine-looking older woman. No shame in it. He's still waiting, of course, but the moment she steps into the ring... Bison is of two minds. One is the berserker--that mind just wants to rush Vanessa down and bash her to pieces. The other is slightly more strategic, in an odd, instinctive way. It too wants to bash her to pieces--but perhaps, it muses, caution is noted. Vanessa's a skill boxer, and Bison is not.
For the moment, the more strategic mind wins out; Bison grins at Vanessa, wickedly, and impudently; everything about his stance suggests he isn't taking her seriously. But his muscles are bulking up, it seems, as he starts pounding his fists together, in their heavy gloves.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! IT'S SHOWTIME!!" The shout gets a cheer from the crowd--some appreciate a good fight, some love their man Bison, some just love the sight of blood. They'll all get their chance to be happy.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison gathers his will.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 M.Bison
"Showtime, huh," Vanessa quips, as the cheers start to cascade in, and Bison begins to warm up with punching himself. He's always been a wild man...will she be OK?
...of course, if she were too worried about that, she wouldn't be where she is now, would she?
The Boxing Queen (self-proclaimed) hops back and forth a few times, getting the feel of the floor and a sense for the area. "Well, then, babe, if you're so sure you aren't my honey..."
Then she's moving - darting across the distance in the blink of an eye. Vanessa has always been an oddity among the boxers of the fighting world, a boxer dedicated to speed and skill rather than pure, shattering force. And it's on display already, as she all but glides up toward Bison...and then suddenly nearly blurs, covering the last few feet in a streak, almost a slide, and coming in with fist aimed right at Bison's...
...chest, but only because he's gigantic.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison endures Vanessa's Dash Puncher.
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 M.Bison
It's been a while. Bison likes to know how hard his opponents hit. That's why Bison doesn't even move as the redhead blurs in with impressive speed. He just smirks, and sort of settles his center of gravity, bracing himself against the rocking, smashing attack of Vanessa's fist. She's expecting him to give way; she's expecting her punch to knock him back.
It doesn't and he doesn't. Her dashing momentum is placed into the ball of her fist, and transferred to Bison's chest; but it stops there, abruptly. He rocks back on his heels, but it isn't really due to her punch (though it isn't a bad punch at all); really, he's beginning a weight transfer... because it's his turn now, and his left hand rockets out in a swift punch for Vanessa's head. This man doesn't play around, and he wants Vanessa to know that.
To that end, a punch to the face is probably one of the best ways to communicate such a thing...
COMBATSYS: Vanessa just-defends M.Bison's Medium Punch!
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 M.Bison
She is indeed expecting Bison to give a little more than he does, and when he doesn't, she has to react quickly. She's fought walls like this before. The redhead has to move quickly, so she shifts her own weight even as Bison shifts his, bringing forearms up as a shield against the coming fist. It impacts, but the strike is light, as Vanessa dances back away from the blow, giving herself precious seconds to recuperate from the exchange before she blows back into Bison's guard, chi energy burning around her fists. The one and only chi attack she can even do, and it's the punches that are the more dangerous for most people - Vanessa swings one fist down at Bison's head, a line of golden force hanging in the air in its wake. Then she swings another UP in a vicious uppercut, and another line of chi sweeps out of the arc her fist describes, burning bright and hot.
It's boxing! Just ask Rick Strowd.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison blocks Vanessa's Forbidden Eagle.
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 M.Bison
Hnn. Bison's eyes darken when Vanessa defends his strike so neatly. She's definitely not a power boxer, though; Bison could feel it in the way she punched him at first. And then she's back in his face, firing off a two-punch combo, hook and uppercut, empowered with that glowy energy crap. Well, fuck that. Bison isn't interested. People seem to think it's his one weakness--and that's only partially true. Bison did not become a heavyweight boxer without knowing how to take a hit.
Or how to block it. Both chi-enhanced punches slam into his upraised forearms; he smirks, shaking his head as the sting fades. "C'mon babe. You gon' have to hit harder than THAT!" Seems he's feeling more playful tonight; he hasn't brought out the insults and the heavy cursing yet. Just his fists, as he feints a high left jab--only to drop low and fire a scything right hook punch--for Vanessa's legs, trying to sweep her.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa counters Hook Punch from M.Bison with Parrying Puncher.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 M.Bison
Hit harder...
...well, she can do that, but at the moment, she's more ofcused on net getting smashed. Vanessa's eyes catch the feint - and then she sees it, what he's really doing.
"I see that!" she snaps, Her body moves with incredible speed, shifting out of the way of the feint, and then driving her fist down with maximum force right into Bison's skull, a blow that ought to rattle his brain a little, to say nothing of what it'll do to his balance. "C'mon, baby..." Vanessa grins down at Bison as the blow lands. "Don't you think a little speed goes a long way, too?"
Henh. Bison has a braincase thick enough to withstand a shotgun blast. A single punch like that isn't gonna burst anything in his head. Really, the only disappointment he gets is that Vanessa avoids damage yet again... but the fight's still early as hell. If she thinks he's going down from that punch... Bison's legs bend a bit, but after just a split-second he pushes himself back to his feet. And you know? He doesn't seem too much in pain for all that he's been taking -all- the damage in this fight...
He takes long enough to shake out his hands, and then he brings them up again. "Got that crap out of your system, bitch?" he asks, his voice almost... pleasant, but in the same way that an attack dog might be wagging its tail. It looks friendly, but most decidedly -isn't-. He squares his shoulders, then starts advancing, slowly, deliberately. Menacingly. Like it's a promise.
And then he just starts firing jabs into her body, rapid-fire; perhaps these hits are 'light' for Bison, but they're still enough to put dents in iron doors.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison successfully hits Vanessa with Medium Punch.
- Power hit! -
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Vanessa 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 M.Bison
And at last, Vanessa's defense fails. Vanessa doesn't retort to Bison's jab, but it's mainly because he's just punched right the hell through her block - she brings her arms up, and oh boy they sure do catch him, but this time the full force of the blow rips right through her defense, pushing into her forearms and bruising her in the chest in several places. Her lips curl up so she doesn't cry out from the pain.
OK, that hurt a LOT.
The woman doesn't retreat, though. She knows that's not nearly the worst he can do...but if she just keeps the heat on, she knows she can at least make a good showing for herself. Even if he's made entirely of iron and Hellfire-tempered baby skulls.
And...mean. Lots of mean.
Which is why, even as Vison rains more fists upon her person, Vanessa lunges in again, throwing a hard punch of her own right at Bison's midsection, trying to slow him down with all the force she can muster.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison interrupts Fierce Punch from Vanessa with Turn Punch.
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Vanessa 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 M.Bison
If Vanessa wants to see the most Bison can do, she'll have to wait just a bit longer. But in the meantime, he'll give her a preview. The boxer is turning away even as Vanessa lunges in--it seems to be a -bad idea-, as he's literally turning his back on his opponent. Only... he turns away, to his right... and then he turns -back-. Just as Vanessa's punch contacts his torso, he's turning, the rotation making the impact torque off-target.
Unfortunately for Vanessa, Bison's rotation is also powering a powerful thrusting right straight into her chest. The smashing impact is terrible; it's a punch that's felled lesser boxers than Vanessa in a single blow, a shot that's meant to send a quick, painful message for the former housewife.
And now Bison's broad, square face is smirking, as he pulls his arm back, and raises his guard again. Yeah, that felt good, for sure...
See the most he can do? Good heavens no, she'd pop like a balloon. She doesn't want to pop! Certainly not like a balloon.
But Vanessa wasn't expecting that. It's a weird-as-hell maneuver, but she should've seen it coming, something strange like that. It's always strange tricks, with Mike Bison...
In the end, the result is the same - Vanessa is sent staggering back, coughing and trying to take a silent count to make sure all her things are where they are supposed to be. Satisfied that they are, Vanessa focuses inward, taking a moment to--
--let Bison THINK she's slowing down.
But then she gets right back up, rushing forward quickly toward Bison, grinning just a little, that half-crazy look most boxers manage to get on their mugs when they're really into the fight...
...and then she lashes out at Bison with a simple, straight punch that doesn't at all deserve the level of danger she gets herself in by being that close. Except that it's not the key ingredient to what's coming.
Vanessa emits a classic boxer's sniff, a short "HAH!", and then her other arm slashes up across Bison's body in an uppercut that's not quite an uppercut, because it brings with it a veritable hurricane, wind kicking up from nowhere and if he's not damn fast, smashing into and probably right /through/ Mike Bison.
Even a boxer has to have a few 'odd' tricks...
COMBATSYS: M.Bison Toughs Out Vanessa's Gaia Gear EX!
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|=======\=====--\1 M.Bison
An impressive attack--to other people. Bison? He don't seem so impressed. Once again, as is befitting of his style--that is to say, brutish and macho, he doesn't even move. The straight punch hits, the setup for that hurricane that rips through and past Bison. Yes, yes. It hurts. But if that's the best Vanessa has, well, then, Bison's got news for her.
Ain't good enough. Because at some point, Bison gets his feet down. He's pumped, he's jacked, he's -ready-, and despite those hurricane force winds... he's rushing forward. Hell, that tornado might just shatter as he throws himself for Vanessa, headlong, his right hand cocked back--and then thrust forward.
It -looks- like the same punch he hit Vanessa with moments ago, only--more so. One might swear they could see the air ripping around his fist from the pure physical force involved in this hellacious punch, although if it lands it's just pure meat and muscle. Bison is roaring, a wordless primal scream of pure rage focused into one strike.
And they say boxing isn't spiritual.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison successfully hits Vanessa with Gigaton Blow.
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Vanessa 1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
Vanessa brings her arms up - knowing that this isn't going to be pretty, but moving with all of her acquired skill, power, and --
--talent at getting punched clear across the building, apparently.
"Yeah," Vanessa mutters, firmly embedded in the far wall. "That's about what I figured."
She slumps over.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa takes no action.
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M.Bison 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Vanessa can no longer fight.
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M.Bison 0/-------/------=|
So he just hit a girl. Clear across the county. Bison doesn't give a damn. He comes into every fight to win and he comes into every fight with his all. It's a strikingly similar philosophy to people like Terry Bogard, Ryu, Andy Bogard, and the like. But it's just that the motivation is different. Bison -flexes-, and his patrons cheer; those who bet on the redhead slump, knowing their money's lost. But those who won don't win all that much; Bison's the favorite, really, never the long shot here...
Grabbing the dangling mic, Bison shows his pearly whites in a savage grin. "Oi, someone pry Red outta there," he laughs, uproariously, "an' what the hell. Give 'er a drink on the house. She gon' need it before she starts feelin' her body." Honestly, though, Vanessa took him on a pretty good run; it's just that she decided to stand toe-to-toe with the big man a little longer than might've been considered prudent. But Bison's feeling magnanimous tonight; thus, the free drink. And she'll be welcome in the club again, as long as she don't cause nothin'. With Bison around, though, who ever does?
COMBATSYS: M.Bison has ended the fight here.
Log created on 21:52:11 01/16/2008 by M.Bison, and last modified on 02:11:20 01/17/2008.