Jezebel - Prequels to Sequels

Description: With the NDP Semi-Finals coming up, Jezebel, or as she is known on stage, Lightning Spangles, seeks out former NDP champ Johnny Jones to arrange an interview. Unfortunately, Mr. Jones remembers Jezebel all too well from his acting days, and the encounter goes very, very poorly....



It's funky times at Duck Pond, just like every night.

But unlike every night, some one is not feeling the funk tonight!

"Man, what's tha' matter Jonesy? Didn't have fun with that sweet princess of yours Elena?" Duck King sits at the bar next to a very depressed looking Mister Jones, resting on his elbows; The Groove Master sips on some soda pensively, not even in any mood to get drunk as he intends to keep his mind focused despite what ails him.

"I was having the freakin' time of my life till those crazy cats came down and cramped my style dawg. Them Himezaki goons are almost as bad as the Mad Gear gang, always getting all up on your business when you don't want them around, ya know what I'm sayin'?" He chugs on his drink setting the glass hard on the bar, for once ignoring the crazy ravers getting groovy in the dance floor behind him. "Imma have a few words with Zaki about all these nonsense with the gang banging school girls, someone could get really hurt."

"And they hurt Elena." Adds Duck

"And they hurt Elena!!" Mister Jones wiggles his eyebrows slightly when Duck King manages to get Jones to talk about his /real/ concern before he scoffs and returns to his drink.

"Anyway, I wouldn't get too involved with it if I were you Jonesy. Zaki's always had a baaaaad rep 'round these parts."

Mister Jones scoffs slightly "S'alright dawg, I think I can handle a couple of school girls with chains."

"'Sides." He chuckles and turns to look at the crowd behind him "I've only met one girl that has ever given me pause and she ain't her."

"Looks like someone is sure in the dumps, cowboy."

The hearty drawl cuts right into the conversation. Jezebel, off-duty, was still Lightning Spangles, though dressed down. Bearing blue bellbottom jeans and a white blouse with a red vest, she was far less flashy than her normal Spangles getup. But the cowgirl motif was there. Putting a hand up where a cowboy hat should be, she just flashes that winning grin as she slides up at the bar beside Mister Jones.

"It's been a real long time, hasn't it Johnny."

The woman remembers the old days. The Hong-Kong days. A dark time for her, but a time where she emerged in the light. She wasn't here for pleasure, no. Bars were no place for pleasure for her. She had her vices, and she was the masters of them. Otherwise, they would be the masters of her. Looking over at Duck King, she keeps up that smile. "Can a girl get a soda pop right up on up here, sugar?" She drawls, winking at the bartender. Edging closer to Mr. Jones, she just keeps up that smile.

"So I heard you had some girl trouble, pardner?"

"Aw crap, I stand corrected. Make that /two/ girls."

Johnny Jones looks like he just saw a ghost from his past, which in a certain way he just did. The Groove Master reels back holding on to the table behind him to not fall off his stool, his ever present shades lowering down to reveal wide surprised brown eyes that stare out at the out of place cowgirl.

Surprise quickly turns into contempt though as Jonesy composes himself by raising his shades so that they once again cover his eyes, his serious look returning to him, or at least as much a 'serious' look that Mister Jones can pull off.

"It certainly has been, FAILbleeze."

Duck King arches an eyebrow, he's never seen Jones ever been mean to anyone right off the bat. Not even that crazy kid Daniel Jack managed to get him angry when he started flinging him around like a rag doll, it's a little disconcerting to see the Funky Figther being a jerk, in particular to a fine looking lady like Jez.

Johnny ain't even looking at her when she slides up next beside him, his gaze pointedly somewhere else as he does in fact remember those Hong-Kong days, they were dark for him to, but for a very different reason. "I've had some problems yeah, but I dunno if that's any concern of yours." The bartender slides a can of soda down Jezbel's way and Johnny still isn't looking at her, only Duck's grinning face make him come out of his annoyed demeanor.

"Oh yea, Duck King this is Jezbeel Faiblesse an old co-worker of mine, Jez, this is Duck, he owns the place."

"What's up!?"

Johnny shakes his head. "I've been seeing your face in public a lot lately, I suppose it was just a matter of time 'till ya came knocking at my door Jez. Oh and what's the deal with the Southern accent? I thought you were from Michigan or something."

Since Mister Jones and Jezebel seem to go way back, he seems to make a distinction from Jezebel and the character Lighting Spangles.

Fail-bleeze.

That was an old name from an old time. A painful name, with painful memories. There isn't a crack in that smile as she forces it through. She grins away that pain. Fail-bleeze. The failure from Disney. The wash up. The drunk.

The childkiller.

"Hahahaha. You are funnier than a four-sided circle." She laughs the pain away bright as ever, letting it roll off. "It's sure is nice to meet you too, Duck King. You must be the owner of this here saloon. Sure is a nice place." Jezebel actively ignores the Michigan comment. "Why, Johnny is being darn modest about our old work back in China. He was cutting it better than any man out there. That's why I've take the time to go out of my way, you know." Jezebel pats Mister Jones on the back.

"I'm doing good work now, and I want you part of it."

Johnny Jones looks a little unnerved when Jezebel laughs up his joke. He is not really what one could call sensitive of the currents of chi in the world, he doesn't have the keen spiritual sense required to know of a person's inner turmoil. But what he /is/ a people person and that grants him enough empathy to feel a sliiiight tinge of 'something' wrong with that forced laugh. Johnny Jones remembers Jezebel for what she was, the drunk, the wash up...he lost track of her once they parted ways and rumors of her descent to darkness where just that, rumors. Yet, Mister Jones sees that the woman looks different somehow, more...sunny.

Maybe she reformed? If a bit strangely.

He ought to give her a second chance. It's what the Funk demands anyway.

"Heheh..yeah..." Four-sided circle what? "Like I said, I figured you'd come a-knocking. It's good to see you're doing better, although I'll admit I never thought you'd go for the fighting circuit. Saw your SNF, you got a nice form girl."

At her request and her back pat, Johnny makes a bit of a face. "I ain't advertising for Viagra." Yeah, he /definitely/ saw her previous SNF.

Lightning Spangles laughs.

Jezebel was feeling naked, hurt by Johnny. That was a fester wound she was left. Johnny didn't make it. Jezebel did. But every time it was exposed, it just brought upon the rot. The disease. People like Jones made her sick, but due to stress. But like the past, there were no bad bits. It was happy, smooth, and clean. She had one goal, since the move to China.

To keep pretending like it never happened.

"Hahahhaa. Oh, no Johnny." She begins, her smiling never cracking, never revealing what was underneath. "It's funny you mention that though. So funny. But I'm actually hosting a series of Neo Development Project interviews! I get paid a whole lot, and I end up more popular than a bottle of whiskey at a funeral."

"YEEEEEEE HAW"

Mister Jones and Duck King both look at each other at Jezebel's unique sense of black humor, as if saying 'Is this gal fo' real?'

Unfortunately, she really is for real, because if there's something that Mister Jones has learned when he worked in the wild world of Hollywood with big name stars like Fei Long and not so big name stars like FAILbleeze is that appearances can be deceiving and that everyone may be acting fine and cheery in the set when they really just wanna stab each other in the back. That's what fame does to you, Jones' knows that first hand just as Jezebel surely knows as they contributed to their own demise. Yet, while Jezebel came out a clear wreck, Johnny Jones came out stronger, filled with the funk, a new and spiritually enlightened man.

Johnny didn't need to take no pretend roles like Lighting Spangles. He didn't need to be the Black Power Ranger, or Black Belt Jones. He was truly was Jonny Jones Damon better known as The Groove Master.

He wasn't in it for the money or fame anymore.

Jones was in another level of enlightenment and it bothered him that Jez was still stuck there in limbo, hiding her secrets behind a masquerade of cheery All American happiness.

"Yeah yeah... yeeehaw, ride 'em cowgirl." Says Mista' Jones sounding less than enthusiastic. "I'm real happy that things are working for ya now Jez. While you're here you should probably go ahead and interview Duck."

"What?? But I ain't in the NDP!"

"Hahah..silly Duck of course you are in the NDP." Jones starts wiggling his eyebrows so that Duck gets the hint.

"....But I ain't!"

Cue facepalm.

He hated her.

Jezebel just keeps up her smile, watching Mister Jones. Studying him. "You're in the Neo Development Project, Johnny. You won the last tournament. You are a leader in the current one." She drawls, her eye twitching a bit. "I mean, Johnny. I don't know if I remember our work in Hong Kong different or not, but I was really looking forward to interviewing you on behalf of Masters Corporation. I wanted to see my old co-worker, my old co-star. My old friend.

"I mean, we are friends right?"

Jezebel remembered that Mr Jones and her were friends. Why wouldn't they be friends? She wasn't a washed up drunk as she remembered. She was always bright and chipper and Lightning Spangles around Mister Jones. She couldn't remember anything about vomiting on the man. Threatening him, trying to kiss him. Other things, other offers from a woman desperate for a role. Anything. Anywhere.

None of that rang a bell with the smiling cowgirl.

Never mind that Jones always heard just what kind of things Jezebel was desperate enough to do get her roles. With an attitude like hers, he wasn't all that surprised when rumors started circulating in set that she got most of her roles laying on her back when dealing with the producers. Even when he was still in the greedy clutches of Hollywood, Mister Jones wanted to distance himself from such rumors, but he could hear them still even if he tuned them out. They weren't 'tight' as Jezebel seems to imply, Jones' remembers their relationship to be purely professional despite her apparent drunken advances and he was glad to keep it that way.

The old Jones would have scoffed and sent Jezebel on her merry own way, the old Jones would have /at least/ asked for double the profit...the old Jones wouldn't have realized that he was talking to Lighting Spangles and not Jezebel.

But the new Jones, overflowing with the funk, is a little more virtuous than that. His groove demands second chances, because even dancers sometimes fall and need to get back up.

"Alright, alright, I'll let you interview me, just quit giving me the puppy eye treatment." Mister Jones is a real sucker for that apparently "The Funk always welcomes those that have strayed away with open arms after all." Getting all Jedi with Jezebel, Joes would prefer if he could keep her as a friend, it'd be nice if they could wipe out all those bitter memories away and start over. Or at least Mister Jones needs to start over since it looks like Jezebel can't remember a thing of the past."

"But, on one condition."

Johnny Jones smirks with a mischevious glint to his shade covered eyes.

A crack forms in her smile.

Laying on her back. She never remembered doing that. You would think if the rumors were true, she would remember them. Funny enough, she couldn't remember a whole lot, through the haze of tequila and vicodin of the times. Old Jezebel was in a dark place then.

But Lightning Spangles was in the light.

As Mister Jones agrees, the crack fades. "Oh, I knew you could come around on my terms, pardner!" She pipes up in that fake drawl. "But before I get a good hear of that condition, I darn need to point out. Please don't call think of me as Jezebel. That's in the past." Her eyes sparkle, her form enveloped by the role.

"Call me Lightning Spangles.

Okay, things were bordering on the creepy right about now. Alarms go off inside Johnny Jones' head when Jezebel starts referring to herself as Lighting Spangles, the character she used to play in their movies. That's almost as insane as if Jones suddenly started wearing his Power Ranger suit everywhere and claim he's the Black Ranger.

Was that an marketing ploy? Jezebel strikes him as the type who would try to pull off something like that. But there ain't no cameras around here (That he knows, Duck prolly installed a few ever since Jonesy started hanging out at his club) and they aren't in the interview proper either. Mister Jones had seen a lot of Jez in TV lately, acting as Lighting Spangles, but he assumed that she was just acting.

Was she trying to purposely freak him out?

Because if so, it was working.

"Okaaaay...Lighting Spangles...ma'am." Johnny raises an imaginary hat with his hand making his own attempt at a southern drawl.

"If you wanna interview me that bad, you gotta beat me in a fight."

Creepy?

Lightning Spangles wasn't creepy. She was a friend to all children, and would never hurt them. Jezebel kills children. Lightning Spangles fights for what's right, and protects the innocent. Jezebel runs from danger, and cries while the police fight to save her life. Lightning Spangles looks at herself every morning in the mirror, and sees someone who is bright, who loves herself, and works hard to make every day the best she has ever lived.

Jezebel just sees another waste of broken dreams.

Lightning Spangles keeps smiling, leaning against the bar. "Better believe it, Johnny." She states, after he calls her ma'am. But when he makes the other, she pushes off the bar. "Alright, cowboy. you want to fight? Set your terms of when and where. Cause I need that interview darn soon, and I gotta get lined up for another interview soon." Lightning Spangles looks playfully, almost inviting towards Mister Jones.

As if to take her on right now.

Enough talk of broken dreams, of past failures, of mistakes, of regrets, of accidents. What's done is done, not even the Funk can reverse time and fix that which remains in the past, it can only smoothen the present and take you to the next chapter of the road to enlightenment, just like Lighting Spangles..except much better.

Johnny Jones sets his glass down and grins, this is a much more familiar feeling. There's no creepiness or bad vibes, there's only the Groove and pounding music of the disco calling for fighters to get down in the dance floor. He'll have a much better feel of this 'Lighting Spangles' once he gets to dance with her, it is how he best understands people. Not by talking, not by analyzing, but by fighting them.

Nothing draws two people together than trading blows after all.

"Right here, right now." Jones declares "I hope you're quick on your draw, pilgrim."

"Alright people!! Clear out the dance floor! We're having us a match TONITEEEEEEEEEE!!"

Duck King yells from his DJ spot as the crowd cheers getting ready to see some Wild West action.

Being on the sidelines? She was just a wannabe, washed up star.

But being in the center stage?

That was the life for Lightning Spangles.

Moving out to the center of the of the dance floor, it was all a show in her head. She was Lightning Spangles. This was part of her job. Johnny Jones was just a friend of Lightning Spangles. And that's how friends said hello. Fighting was a hello. As Duck King announces her presence, she just smiles warmly.

And then, she gets ready.

Dropping down to the stance of Tae Kwon Do, she looks like a regular JUSTICE fighter, in line with the Kim family. Short of jerking off the invisible giant, of course. Loose and limber, she was eager. Excited. Bright. Looking across towards Mister Jones, she just smiles wildly. Eyes sparkling, she gets a mischievious glimmer across her face. Throwing it back to Jones, she counters with an almost teasing tone.

"Don't get too quick on the draw yourself, Johnny, you tire too easily."

It may be all a show for Lighting Spangles. But for Jones...?

It's a way of life!

The Groove Master is already moving to the beat in a practiced run. Rather that simply enter the dance floor, Johnny Jones moonwalks into the canter, spinning on his heel several times with all the grace of the funky dancer that he is, stopping abruptly to point at Lighting Spangles, his movements so fast that it sounds like whips cracking. Jezebel might remember that Johnny Jones didn't need no special effects back in the day of filming.

He /is/ the special effects.

"Oh don't worry babe." Mister Jones grins as he relaxes into his signature Jeet Kune Do stance, drastically different from Lighting Spangels' bouncy TKD stance. It's still just as flashy, but his seems to be just a taaaad more serious, amongst the fighting circuit Jones' style may have been ridiculed when compared to 'true' fighting styles like Leona and Cammy, who are designed to kill. Johnny's style isn't meant to kill... but after he gets done with you, you are going to wish it was.

Because it hurts... a lot

"I don't recall you ever been able to out ride me!"

COMBATSYS: MrJones has started a fight here.

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


COMBATSYS: Jezebel has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
MrJones          0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0          Jezebel


Mister Jones' dance fighting WAS fancy. But Lightning Spangles' style was equal measures of flash and substance. When those whip cracks come, Jezebel just fans herself. "Wooo-weeeee!" She belts, as a multi-color rush of chi comes over her, the red, white, and blue energy. Focusing towards Jones, she waits until he trades his barbs, before getting ready for the charge. "I was rummed up back then, Johnny. I fell off the horse."

"I just needed to get back in the saddle, that's all!"

Lightning Spangles launches forward, moving with surprising speed. The speed isn't the real danger, though; Her long legs bring a real reach as she suddenly pivots, her rush stopping short. Leaning back, she unleashes a swift snap kick right for Mister Jones' chest.

"HIYA!"

Hopping on the off foot, she brings the foot around again, bringing another kick towards the torso.

HIYA!"

The third kick comes from the off foot, Lighting Spangles dropping her leading foot down as she swings around for a high roundhouse kick.

"HIYA!"

The kicking frenzy comes to an end as she keeps the spinning coming, bringing the first foot back around again, hitting for a low, sweeping kick.

"HIYA!!!"

COMBATSYS: MrJones parries Jezebel's Quick and the Dead!

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
MrJones          0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0          Jezebel


Rolls his head slightly to limber up his neck, fingers stretching and curling before he settles into his relaxed open handed gesture. Despite the seriousness in which he takes fighting, Johnny Jones still is able to maintain a flashy grin as well as keep up with the barb trading with Lighting Spangles, a sign of a man trained to fight for the big screen, flashy and showy. This is something he has in common with Jezebel, they are both entertainers at heart.

Although Jones first started to fight out of necessity. Growing up in Metro City was tough.

"Hmm..." Something he does not remember from Jezebel however was the power chi that radiates from her. She had power back then, but it didn't quite manifest like this, what's more it looks like even her chi is flashy! Now that's something that is sure to catch on, he can just imagine what sort of fame and fortune a US flag colored hadoken will bring to Lighting Spangles, if she can manage that of course. Perhaps there's hope for her yet after all.

Still grinning, Johnny keeps his ground when Jezebel charges and arches an eyebrow when he seems to recognize the attack.

No..she wouldn't. Jezebel couldn't be that bold!

Is she attacking him like they did in one of their movies.

"Sorry babe!" Johnny proceeds to get out of the way like a well rehearsed script. When the thrust kick comes to his chest, he twists his body to one side to avoid it.

"Shoo!"

The kick to torso comes and he ducks underneath!

"Woo!!"

A roundhouse kick follows that one and he stops it with a kick of his own, shoving that leg out of the way with the sole of his foot.

"Haii!!"

And when the final sweeping kick comes, Jones jumps over it, heading right for Jezebel.

"No free rides!!"

In the scene when Jezebel attack Mister Jones like this, he was supposed to do a spinning somersault jump over her and dip her like if they were dancing. The hero playing with the femme fatale. But that was the old Jones.

The new Jones?

He cold clocks her in the face.

"WATAAA!"

COMBATSYS: Jezebel blocks MrJones' Funky Impact EX.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
MrJones          0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0          Jezebel


Just like the movies.

Every kick is reacted with the flawless form of a well-rehersed fight. But Lightning Spangles was not disheartened. It only fueled her harder. This was right in character for both of them. As the final kick is unleashed, Mister Jones gets the perfect opening. The sucker punch. A complete change from the pre-script. It looks like Mister Jones gets his free hit.
Until that arm launches up.

Catching the blow cold with her free hand, Lighting Spangles is sent flying back. For the crowd of the Duck Pond, it looked like a clean hit. Johnny smashed through her guard, clearly, and Lightning Spangles was sent to the ground. But Jones would see the truth. Lightning Spangles blocked that attack.

Just like a stunt actor.

By the time she reaches the base of the bar, she plants her feet hard on the third rail. Glaring across the dance floor, she lowers to a pouncing stance. "I'm part of the professional circuit now, Johnny! It's all improv now!" She states, as she builds up energy. "Now! For the Lightning Spangles signature technique, all you folks on the floor! Get ready!" Kicking off the ground, she blasts through the air spinning, body wrapped in red, white and blue chi energy.

"WHERE EAGLES DARE!"

Attempting to bowl over Mister Jones, Lightning Spangles attempts to suck up the funk fighter into the whirling chi around him. Whether she drew him up or not, she will explode out with a flying kick.... literally. The crack and burst of the red fireworks would come with the first kick. As she spins around for the second aerial kick, a firework crack of blue chi would erupt around her. Upon the final kick, trying to knock Jones away, is Lightning Spangles's blast of white chi, flaring around her in a full American spectacle.

Looks like she was bringing her own special effects as well.

COMBATSYS: MrJones blocks Jezebel's Where Eagles Dare EX.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
MrJones          0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0          Jezebel


Hmr! Johnny is impressed! He was sure that a rehearsed actress like Jezebel would be totally confused by that deliberate change of script and get caught off guard. Just goes to show how much Jezebel has reformed from her old days, didn't she use to hate improv? She would always go on hour long rants to Johnny whenever he tried to get groovy on his fight scenes and bust out moves that weren't rehearsed, it usually ended with her getting drunk somewhere, so best to not recall them.

Instead, Johnny Jones focused on the present! The sucker punch was clearly blocked despite Jezebel's attempt to make it look flashier than it actually was. Mister Jones can hit hard, but not /that/ hard, not enough to send Lighting Spangles rolling about on the ground like that, she must be trying to gain distance for her counter attack.

Or maybe she's just having fun with this match. Jones won't judge her for that.

"Oh fo' real?" The Groove Master of Funk chuckles when Jezebel does the declare that she's attacking him seriously, apparently recognizing the fact that he deviated from the script. Her next move though ain't an act, the multicolored chi that Mister Jones had been so concerned about comes into play as she tries to suck Johnny in with a whirlwind, the Action Star only managing to hold his ground by digging his heels on the ground.

And then comes the three flying kicks that collide solidly with his protective arms.

"Ouch.." That stung!

Dang it! Jezebel /is/ the special effects too!

"Alright then.." She wants fancy kicks? Let's try this! Rushing towards her as she falls back to the ground, Johnny leaps at his fellow movie star and begins to rain kicks on her face and chest, quite clearly trying to upstage her while putting on the hurt too!

"ATATATATATATA!!"

COMBATSYS: Jezebel endures MrJones' Bicycle Kick.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
MrJones          0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0          Jezebel


It is never best to recall Jezebel's drunken rants.

Lightning Spangles never did.

As the final kick is unleashed, Lightning Spangles drops right in front of Mister Jones. She was well off-balanced. When Johnny threatens his own fancy kicks, Jezebel doesn't have a lot of options. She had SOME experience when following a script. But ideally, she would wait for a cue, THEN have him come in with the kicks. She scans the surroundings. The table. sweeping a hand over, she reaches for the tabletop.

And then, grabs a nearby bottle of Coke.

Popping open the top, she doesn't seem to do a single darn thing to prepare for the kicking frenzy. As the kicks come, however, Johnny can see what was happening. As the kicks come, she was turning with them, preempting every hit. It was obvious she was getting SOME pain from the assault. But through it all, she was just sipping that Coke, seemingly enduring the whole offense with her subtle turns. It is only with the final kick shatters the bottle, spraying the Coke all over her top, running through to the bra underneath. Hand on her hips, she just stares at Jones, before asking him quite curtly.

"Is that all?"

Dashing towards Johnny Jones. the stunning display is turned around. Attempting to grab Jones by the shoulders, she will roll back, digging her feet into his torso. She wouldn't kick him, no. Drawing her legs back so far, she would bring Johnny so close to her.... infusing him with her chi. Launching him up wreathed in red chi energy, she would then promptly turn around, facing the crowd. "I think it is time to show you the Good, the Bad..." And with that, Jones would end up cratering right down to the ground behind her, erupting in a blast of red fireworks, highlighting Lightning Spangles as she strikes a sexy salute.

".... And Ugly."

COMBATSYS: MrJones blocks Jezebel's Good Bad and Ugly.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
MrJones          0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0          Jezebel


Old habits die hard it would seem.

A lot of people may be confused, right down horrified if they saw Jezebel just stand there sipping soda with Johnny Jones flying at her with a flurry of mid air kicks. But Jones, and perhaps any other actor around, would see the technique for what it really is.

Product placement.

"Tch!" It's exactly because Johnny Jones doesn't freak out at Jezebel standing there taking all his kicks that he's ready when she decides to attack. She might be able to distract lesser men with her sexy tactics of see through wet vest, but not Jones is a mite too focused on what he's doing and he's technically taken anyway soo...

"Whatever." He will admit that when Jezebel launches at him to draw him to a tight hug it's a lot less uncomfortable than the last time she did that. At least she doesn't reek of booze this time around and just coke. As she launches him like a funky fire work, all coated with red chi, it's the energy that surrounds him that damages him more than the throw itself. Johnny Jones goes flying well enough and though there is a fairly large explosion when he lands, it's clear to the crowd of dancers that the Groove Master landed hands first and cartwheeled through the land to break his fall.

While Lighting Spangles is busy posing however, Jones just /appears/ right behind her and goes for a fairly old but well respected gag.

He taps on her shoulder. "Excuse me.

And then SLAMS a jab on her face followed by a piston punch to her liver. "I know you didn't just call me ugly!"

That would hurt his feelings!

COMBATSYS: MrJones successfully hits Jezebel with Slide Double.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
MrJones          0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0          Jezebel


What are the effects of a Liver Punch,

When it comes to a bodyblow KO, the Liver Punch is a trademark. When the punch comes, Jezebel reacts subtly. Turn with the blow. Stumble away from the impact. Make a SHOW of the hit, while at the same time, taking the force of the punch to the rest of the body. A bad hit made better. But the stunning effect put her cold flat. It wasn't time to surge back with an attack.

It was time to recover

"Enough!"

Lightning Spangles strikes another pose, sweeping her hands around. "Johnny Jones, You ought to be ASHAMED! You don't fight like a star! A star wouldn't go for the cheap shots, the sucker punches, the fake outs! Where is the drama? Where is the art? Where is the gentleman I remember?" She focuses within, her body boiling and igniting with purple chi (what was with all these different chi colors? "It looks like I gotta done teach you a lesson, Johnny. Teach you a lesson..."

"With Great Justice!"

It was pretty clear she was stalling.

COMBATSYS: Jezebel gathers her will.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
MrJones          0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1          Jezebel


When it came to fighting fellow actors, Johnny wasn't completely sure when the acting ended and when the actual reaction started. It was clear that the blow was solid, Johnny has punched a lot of people in the liver before, he has punched a lot, I mean, a looooooooot of people in the liver, he has almost become addicted to the squishy feeling he gets when his knuckles collide with the thin layer of skin that protects that internal organ. Half of the things Jezebel did couldn't have been faked out.

Yet her entire life was a fake, he couldn't be /too/ certain.

Johnny Jones moonwalks away after striking the cowgirl, also making it a big show, but mostly giving himself some space where he can maneuver in case of hasty counter attack. As it so happens, Jezebel isn't particularly relentless since she seems more preoccupied about giving Jones a big ol' sermon about fighting fair and what not.

"Are you kidding me woman? The crowd loves that stuff!" Johnny Jones can play on the crowd too. Lighting Spangles may be a symbol of truth and justice everywhere, but she was dealing with Jones in /his/ turf, everyone knows Tha' Jones in the Duck Pond, and the crowd loves eating up his brutal street Jeet Kune Do fighting style. Many haters that say dance fighting is for wussies are promptly shut up when they get a dose of Johnny Damond's foot stomping.

"Ain't no drama like hardcore fighting, Spangles. If you wanna cater to the crowd then you gotta be ready to show some brutality!" The streets toughened Jones considerably, but his true merciless nature, his true blood lust, he learned from the best in the industry.

Movie critics.

"OOoOoOOoO!!" Johnny ain't messing around. Jezebel tries to make it a big show by striking poses and such making a big show, but the only thing that Mister Jones can see is a very glaring opening in the woman's defenses which he aims to exploit. The Groove Master rushes again towards Jez with his signature ninja run and throws a piston like fist directly for the center of her chest, aiming to cause slight cardiac arrest.

That's defenitly not something Jones ever used in any of his movies, it's something he picked up much later after his career died.

And was thus reborn.

"ATAAAA!"

COMBATSYS: Jezebel blocks MrJones' Funky Impact.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
MrJones          0/-------/-======|=======\=====--\1          Jezebel


Hardcore?

"Well, heck Johnny!" She exclaims, centering her stance as her old co-star dances around her. "It's gonna be all fun a games until someone gets hurt! Can't you think of safety? Don't you darn remember how much it costs to get out of commission while on the set?" Jezebel was a lot of things. But as she kept proving to Johnny, she was about playing it safe. As the lighting fast punch aims right for her chest, the snaps both of her hands together, catching the blow. He hits her chest squarely, hitting the ribs.

But Jezebel's heart doesn't stop.

Keeping the grip tight, she shakes her head. "What you done need is a good lesson in how to treat a lady, Johnny!" Lightning Spangles cries. Aiming to put one hand on his waistband, she pivots. Attempting to grab Mister Jones by his arm and waist, she will spin him around once, building momentum, in order to toss him in the air. Should he get airborne, however, she will explode forward with piston like speed, much like Johnny himself, aiming to kick him right out of the air. TO break him....
%RJust like how one would break a board in midair.

COMBATSYS: Jezebel successfully hits MrJones with Hang 'Em High EX.
>>> Punitive Hit!!! <<<

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
MrJones          1/-------/=======|=======\======-\1          Jezebel


"Hehehe! What's tha' matter babe? Afraid you're gonna break a nail!?"

Johnny Jones has indeed changed, just like Jezebel has. Like the cowpoke girl, he used to be all show and flashiness, more concentrated about pleasing the crowds that being an effective fighter. However after fighting real tough dudes like Sagat, Ryu, Balrog (the jury's out on that last one when it comes to toughness) he learned that if he really wanted to make life like in the movies, he needed to be serious about it and not just show off.

"You ain't gonna have a crowd watching you're every move all the time, babe. If you really wanna live the dream, if you /really/ want to be Lighting Spangles, you're gonna have to let go of your inhibitions and give it all you got no matter what injuries you receive!" His fist collides with Jez's guard and to the girl's credit she withstands the blow pretty good. Though in this proximity the Groove Master takes the time to stare at the woman's eyes dramatically. "We ain't in Kansas anymore, babe. Justice has to be tough too! And if you stick around long enough you'll learn that just because we're good.."

"Doesn't mean we have to be nice."

It would appear that Jezebel takes his advice to heart as she spins him around rapidly to toss him in the air and hit him in mid air with a devastatingly powerful kick! Johnny Jones grunts as he is struck clear in the solar plexus and lands gracelessly on the ground with a flop. The crowd gasps! Jones looks really hurt!!

But they know that hurting Johnny only pisses him off.

"Hrgg!!" Jones punches the ground slightly to chastise himself, he should know better than to give dramatic speeches right before his opponent goes for the grapple. But for all it's worth, Jones stands up and dusts himself, shrugging. "See!? Just gotta roll with the punches, suga'! And anyway..."

Mister Jones rushes at Jezebel with no intention of slowing down his attacks.

"I got insurance now! It's cool!"

Declares the Groove Master as he slides in with a side thrust kick directly for his co-star's stomach, aiming to repay the favor!

"HAAAI!!"

COMBATSYS: Jezebel dodges MrJones' Fierce Kick.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
MrJones          0/-------/-======|=======\======-\1          Jezebel


Punishing.

Hurling Mister Jones away, Lighting Spangles was trying to ignore him, while at the same time, keeping her banter high. "Break an arm! Or a leg. Or a rib! You want to be a cripple, Mister Jones? To grow old and gray? Forgotten? Worthless? Safety First, Victory Second!" She seems to be waiting for Jones to come in. When the man finally drop in, she steps to the side, the thrust kick shooting past her.

And then, she turns with it.

Dashing backwards, she keeps up her tight defense. For all her flash, she had a core of substance. Against someone like Johnny, she wasn't overextending herself. She was keeping cautious, keeping steady. Despite falling behind, one thing was getting clear.

She wasn't just pretending how to fight.

Lightning Spangles falls back, moving with surprising agility for the woman. "But..." She mulls. If she was Lightning Spangles, would she risk her career? No. She never would risk her career. Her second chance was everything. She wouldn't lose it to Mister Jones. She wouldn't lose it to anybody. As she takes another step back, increasing the distance, she suddenly kicks out. A thread of chi runs up the inside of her leg, a line of red energy. Lashing out, a bead of force hurls out towards Mister Jones. Aiming right for the man, it wouldn't explode if it hit him. Lightning Spangles continues to fall back. Continuing to build her distance. Whether the ball hit Jones, or a nearby table, wouldn't change what comes to pass a second after impact.

An explosion of red energy, like a firework crack.

COMBATSYS: Jezebel successfully hits MrJones with Young Guns.
> Determined Hit! <

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
MrJones          1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1          Jezebel


When Mister Jones felt his kick hit nothing but air, he was expecting the woman to turn around and attack him with the signature Tae Kwan Do move of a tornado kick. Johnny has fought many a TKD user in his time and when they somehow manage to evade one of his kicks, they /always/ go for the tornado counter, heck May Lee did that to him once so they teach that to the younger generations too! Therefore as he swung and missed, he dropped into a squat to try and bring his arm hard on that incoming leg he knew that was coming. He swings down, hard, aiming to cream that leg before it hits him and...

It never comes.

"What the fudge balls? UGH!!" Instead he gets a more unorthodox attack. Jezebel runs away from him this time and blasts him with one of her firecracker chi blasts scorching Johnny's yellow jump suit as well as his chest. The ex-movie star reels back whacking his chest a couple of times to keep the fire out and fans himself slightly, shades glinting with determination as he stares out to the cowgirl and her...well..

% Petty excuses.

"Sounds to me like someone told you that before, Spangles." Johnny Jones is still fairly self centered, it's clear he cares about how he looks by the way he adjusts the collar of his jump suit and quickly arranges his afro. However, he doesn't take half an hour to do this anymore, it's just a quick preen up before resuming the attack. He learned his lesson how arrogance can be a man's downfall.

And he would make sure that Jezebel did too.

"OooOoOo!!" Once again he's on the attack, doing his ninja run towards the cowgirl that's trying to keep her distance, ducking low with hands at the ready close to his center. "All these fancy talk about fighting for justice and what not, yet you worry about the plights of your body! If you're so afraid of getting hurt then don't fight! Can't swim, don't go into the pool! It's that simple!"

He takes another leap at her, his left leg stretch out aiming to hit Spangles right on her throat with the side of his foot with a guillotine kick. "Come on!!"

"Confront your fears!!!"

COMBATSYS: Jezebel blocks MrJones' Arc Fliegan.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
MrJones          0/-------/=======|=======\=======\1          Jezebel


Keep it together Jezebel.

While Jezebel has primarily fought with her feet, she has proven that her style requires just as much from her upper body as her legs. A proper Tae Kwon Do Student, trained under Kim Kaphwan, would have countered the kick. But Lighting Spangles was trained in the same circuit as Mister Jones. And unlike the Funky Fighter, Jezebel was not experienced in street fights. But something is hitting her. Something is getting into her mind.

"Sh-Sh-Shut up!" She mutters.

A crack in the composure. Mister Jones was railing into her. But for what purpose. Why didn't he respect her new career. He hated her. As the killing kick comes, she throws up her arms. Catching the kick, the relentless offense was wearing her down. But not breaking her. While she was still outclassed, Mister Jones had not truly broken through her defense. A second wind run through her. The crack seals. For the moment, Jones wasn't under her skin. "I don't have to face my fears!"

"Because Lightning Spangles fears nothing!"

She suddenly unleashes another kick like before, a swift sweeping kick in the air, this time unleashing a blue ball of energy. And then, a second kick, bringing a brown orb. Finally, a third kick is unleashed, bringing white energy. As the trio of blasts are unleashed, whether into Jones or near him, she just shakes her head. "I just wanted an interview. What do you need to prove? I just wanted to make it big, like you. You are just..." She turns around, slowly walking away from Jones. And then, all three blasts erupt, bringing into a slowly exploding firework display.... in the shape of a Bald Eagle shedding a single tear.

"... You are just keeping me down."

COMBATSYS: MrJones blocks Jezebel's Unforgiven.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
MrJones          1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0          Jezebel


"If you live then you fear, that's part of life babe!

Mister Jones is all about the fun and flair but the Lighting Spangles act was getting a bit too much. It may work to those who didn't know Jezebel Failbleeze, those who have met her have only seen Lighting Spangles and surely just think she's a quirky western fan that likes to cosplay a lot. Jones though, he's getting weirded out, sure, Lighting Spangles is a HELLUVA lot more agreeable than Jezebel was. She ain't trying to hit him with a broken bottle behind stage after all....yet, anyway, you never know with these types. But that doesn't change the fact that Lighting Spangles /isn't/ Jezebel, she's a completely different person and meeting someone you know acting completely the opposite that they usually do is very disconcerting.

Mister Jones bounces back after his kick collides with Jezebel's defense once again, this chick is pretty formidable! Not many are able to withstand a flurry of attacks from Johnny Jones and just keep coming back for more, which only tells Johnny that there's something definitely wrong here, Jezebel would have started complaining that her arms were sore by now.

But she was complaining, just in a different way.

Mister Jones drops into his Jeet Kune Do stance, awaiting the incoming attack, giving an annoyed scoff when it's once again a triple chi blast. "Tough break, babe. I'm a real hero, and heroes help out to expose the truth!" The chi blasts collide with his guard and he shouts over the sound of the explosions! "Sometimes the truth ain't pretty!!"

And when the Bald Eagle sign dissipates, Jones still stands there on one leg uncurling his arms and leg down to reset his stance. "You can run to ends of the earth Jez, but you will never escape yourself...

And...then...he stops attacking? "Phew, hold up.." Guess Jezebel really does know Mister Jones pretty well, he gets tired way fast. "Dang, I shouldn't have drank all that soda." He wheezes putting his hands on his knees, fortunately this keeps him from having to see the pitiful heart breaking sight that is Lighting Spangles shedding a tear.

COMBATSYS: MrJones gains composure.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
MrJones          0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0          Jezebel


The truth.

Looking away from Mister Jones, Lightning Spangles trembles. Everyone loved Lightning Spangles more than Jezebel. The real her was bad. Lightning Spangles was good.

Then why did he want Jezebel.

Turns begins to run down her eyes. Maybe it was the fighting. Maybe she really didn't have the gall for fighting, in her heart. Real heroes expose the truth. The strung out whore. The worthless parasite. The child-killer. The truth cuts her like a knife. The drawl is gone, when she speaks again. Just a faint, foreign sigh, as Mister Jones takes a breather.

"... Yes I can. I can escape myself."

Lightning Spangles begins to run. She runs towards the entrance of the Duck Pond, clutching her head. Trembling. This was a mistake. There were no friends in her past. Everything in her past was poison, demons that only drag her down. Her mind was racing. The interview was fleeting. She thought it would be like old times. But the trouble was, it was like old times. Jezebel ignores the tears running down her face. She couldn't ever see him again. She could never speak with Mr. Jones again.

He knew too much about the woman behind the mask.

COMBATSYS: Jezebel takes no action.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
MrJones          0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0          Jezebel


"Spread everyone, we have a runner!!"

Looking up, Mister Jones thinks that he needs to polish his super hero skills a bit more, he hadn't intended to sermon Jezebel to tears! Super heroes sometimes needed to be tough, but making a pretty lady cry?

That was a big no-no!

"Aw crap!!" Johnny Jones hears Duck King call out for the crowd of people to move out of the way, just in time to see the woman known as Lighting Spangles to the public try to make a run for it. People get hurt in the fighting world, both physically and emotionally. Mister Jones has grown tough and ruthless, he shouldn't care about Jezebel, he /should/ let her to wallow about her problems so that she comes out stronger in the end. But while everyone else may see a failure of an actress running away in tears, Johnny Jones only sees a failure of himself, flashes of his doomed fight against Eiserne coming back to him.

He had failed to save Jez once.

He will not fail her again!!

"WAIT!!" Jones dashes towards the woman, pushing through the crowd, if Jezebel manages to run out the door then it's quite likely he will in fact never see her again. All his work would be for naught then and Jezebel succumb deeper into the darkness.

He's a super hero, blast it!! He's gonna save her whether she likes it or not!!!

"GRAAAAAH!!" Jones launches himself at Jezebel as she pushes past the exit of the Duck Pond leading into the street, aiming to tackle her from behind and pin her down on the street.

Good thing there ain't no paparazzis around, otherwise they'd get really incriminating photos of Jones trying to get on top of Lighting Spangles.

....Jezebel didn't bring any paparazzis, right?

COMBATSYS: MrJones successfully hits Jezebel with Toss to Ground.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
MrJones          0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1          Jezebel


Nobody could save Jezebel. Nobody would save Jezebel. Jezebel, as far she is concerned, is best to be locked away. Buried away under the smiles and howdies of a true American Heroine. "Go away!" She shouts, hurrying to the entrance. She was so close. She was almost free. Turning away, twisting away, she doesn't escape the leaping tackle of Mister Jones. She was held now.

And she was trapped.

"NOOOOOO!" Lightning Spangles screams. "I'm done fighting you. I give up! GET OFF ME!" From outside, a camera crew appears, assigned for the interview. Looking stunned, they seem unsure to raise the camera... or to help Jezebel. Lightning Spangles, struggling and kicking wildly at Mr Jones, makes that decision significantly easier.

"HEEEEEEELP ME!"

"HEEEEEEELP!"

COMBATSYS: MrJones interrupts Kick Combo from Jezebel with Slide Double.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
MrJones          0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1          Jezebel


No.

No more running away.

No more failing people.

No more always being too late!

Jezebel will be saved by the powers of the Funk, and she is going to like it!

"See? This is why flashiness doesn't work in a street scrap!" Pinned down and on the ground means that Jezebel can't do any of her fancy Tae Kwan Do kicks and since Mister Jones has plenty of experience with drunken Mad Gear hooligans trying to bum rush him into the ground he knows exactly what to do when some starts flailing wildly in a ground fight. He avoids the back kick meant to drive him off and wraps his arms around Jezebel's neck and goes for the rear naked choke, pulling the cowgirl back while putting pressure on her windpipe to cut the circulation to her brain. Lighting Spangles could try and hold her breath all she wants, her body still needed her blood to flow through her body.

"Stop screaming, sheesh!! You're worse than that one I switched your booze for lotion!" See? The old times weren't that bad!

"Okay! Okay! I'll do your stupid interview! Just calm down!!"

A glare is shot to the camera crew "You better not try and film this! It ain't what it looks like!"

And yet, the crew tries to film this.

The image of Jones choking a woman like is captured on camera, photographed with a flash. Face bright red, her fat tongue is rolled out, eyes wide with fear, filled with tears. Down her face they were running tinged with mascara and makeup, streaking her cheeks. She looked helpless. She was helpless.

A moment that was captured forever.

"Pl-pl-please..." She begs, looking into Johnny's eyes. Terror. Pity. Desperation. She wasn't fighting to fight. She was fighting because she wanted to live. As the flash covers her. She was looking up, She saw it all. She saw Johnny's career getting ruined. Ruined because all of her. Because she was a failure. Failblesse. Choking, gagging, she throws out something. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Pl-please stop taking the pictures...."

COMBATSYS: Jezebel takes no action.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
MrJones          0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1          Jezebel


Son... when Mister Jones tells you to not take pictures. You freaking don't take pictures!

Now, Mista' Jay ain't one that has the very bad rep of slugging paparazzis when they get on his way. His career ended because his last few films bombed after all, not because he was a total douche in and out of the stage. However the dude isn't one that was raised with a silver platter, he's not really a creature of Hollywood who could just call a few people and get those pictures taken down before it turned into a scandal.

He's the 'hands on' kinda guy. He's used to fighting for what he wants, and if the camera crew want to pick a fight? Well...

"Hold up a moment, babe." Jones releases Jez, just like that, he slides his arms off her neck leaving the rear naked choke to stand up. A faint smile directed to the cameraman taking pictures.

"Yo!"

Oh crap, that's not the Johnny Jones action hero, savior of the world voice.

That's the swaggering gang busting bruiser from Metro City home boy.

"What did I just say sucka!!?"

*WHACK!* A raising kick is sent to the paparazzi, smacking the camera right off his hands sending it high into the air and when it descends, it falls right into Jones' open hand. "Here, go run a lap or somethin' dude." Reaching into his breast pocket, Johnny takes off a wad of cash and tosses it to the camera-less cameraman. Being the NDP champion did have a few perks and Johnny hadn't donated /ALL/ of his gainings, besides Duck paid him a bit to work bouncer for the Duck Pond every once in a while.

Who woulda thunk it. Mister Jones...a productive member of society.

Turning, with ill gotten camera in hand, he looks down upon the fallen, scared, crying visage of Jezebel giving her an unreadable look due to his shades. His features are hard and devoid of pity, but he doesn't seem to be angry. Just...

Disappointed.

"Now that's more like the Jezebel I remember." Crying and on the ground it seems. Johnny Jones can be a harsh dude when he wants to, or when he needs to, such as right now. It may be true, he might have taking it out on Jezebel for all his past failures. He hasn't been able to saved anyone ever since he took this self appointed quest to becoming a super hero.

He couldn't save Eiserne.

He couldn't save Adon.

He couldn't save....Quon.

Can he really not save nobody??

"But that was the old Jez." Says the Funky supposed Hero as he stretches a hand down to help the cowgirl up. "This new Jez, Lighting Spangles, is better than that. Tears really don't suit the American spirit, babe." He will save her, dang it, he shall drag Jezebel out of the darkness even if she's kicking and screaming.

"Besides, your make up is running."

And that's sacrilege of the highest order to any move star.

COMBATSYS: MrJones takes no action.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
MrJones          0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1          Jezebel


"BURK!"

The cameraman gasps as Mr Jones gets Buzz Aldrin on his ass. The camera sent flying, the other crew staggers back, looking stunned. But with Jezebel released, she just curls up in a ball. Sobbing. Whimpering. Trembling. Johnny's words drive into her. She finally murmurs. "It's not the paparazzi..."
"... That's the interview crew..."

Disgust runs in every poor of the Tae Kwon Do Cowgirl. Disgust against herself. She was so confident coming in. But Johnny cut through her. There was nothing left of her now. She was burned out. Tossed aside. If Johnny had faith that he could save her... then he was wasting his time. Jezebel couldn't be saved. She was a waste of everyone's time. But through it all, a smile was forcing its way through. Lightning Spangles got what she wanted.

She got the interview.

"Hahahahhaahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahah." Lightning Spangles begins, rubbing her neck as she rises. "Y-y-y-yee-haw! Yeah! Lightning Spangles is the best. She's an All-American Heroine!" Shuddering, she continues that smiles "I done knew you could come around, J-j-johnny!" What was happening? Lightning Spangles, tear stains still on her cheeks, went from a bawling, panicking woman to a smiling, beaming cowgirl. Was it all an act? The woman was still trembling, her eyes still puffy.

Or maybe, as it was more likely, the mask had been forced back on.

And Jezebel would make sure it would never slip off again.

Laughter.

And not the good type either, we're talking about the maniacal 'I ain't got nothing left to lose' laughter. Mister Jones is starting to think that he's not really cut out for this super hero jig. All the people he tries to talk to either really go off the deep end and start acting even crazier or just plain commit suicide. What is he doing wrong!? Maybe he should try to ease them into the light and not just yank them off their depressed stupor to then expose their eyes directly into the blinding sun that is the truth. Maybe he hasn't heard about the Daedalus story, or maybe he's just so used to being tough as nails that he just thinks other people should be as well.

At the very least, his assumption that Jezebel, or Lighting Spangles, or however she's calling herself nowadays, was going to a maniacal rampage proves to be thankfully wrong and she returns to her usual cheerful cowgirl self.

Johnny frowns, that's not exactly what he wanted, he didn't want Jezebel to put her mask on like that and pretend like nothing ever happened. Running away from your problems...that shiz never works, as Johnny Jones knows perfectly well. If Jez wanted to be Lighting Spangles that was fine to him, just as long as she remembered her past. It looks like Jezebel had forgotten everything...and when one forgets.

The same mistakes happen.

"Yeah..heh..guess you showed me." For now, it's best to keep light and see what has become of the woman he once called Failbleese. At least she didn't run off crying into the night like he thought she would, at least he gets another go to fix her. Because by all that is still Holy and Funky.

He will fix her.

"Here..you got somethin' on your face." Tha' Jones reaches for a napkin he kept on his pocket and begin wiping the cowgirl's tears away.

No one could fix her.

She was a wreck. She was single for a reason; nobody wanted her. She didn't want the purity of Lighting Spangles to be tarnished in her mind. Lightning Spangles was an ideal, an ideal she had so long ago, when she was a young kid making it big. Lightning Spangles was a dream for Jezebel. A dream that she could live.

It made Jezebel seem all the more pathetic.

She doesn't resist when Mister Jones wipes away the tear. But Lightning Spangle's smile was painted on. All the pain under the mask was now numbed. The pain was gone. But there was NOTHING under that mask now. There is only one whimper for Johnny from the woman trapped inside. "... I'm sorry Johnny." She repeats herself, turning away from the disco-dancing fool. "You can't do it. No one can. Jezebel needs to be forgotten." She begins to leave with her crew. The camera would be replaced. The interview might continue. It might not. Everything was so complex now. But one thing was clear. "I'm not her anymore. I'm Lightning Spangles. I'm the All-American Heroine."

"And you never have to think of her ever again."

COMBATSYS: Jezebel has left the fight here.

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


If someone had told Mister Jones that he would one day not want to forget about Jezebel Faiblesse, he would...

Well, first he would say 'Who?' because he honestly didn't remember her until he saw her face in random SNFs again.

But /then/ he would laugh, if there was one thing he wanted to forget about his acting career was working with that annoying woman.

Now, he regrets ever thinking of such things. It was why he felt he deserved to have his acting career terminated. Such arrogance was certainly not groovy, he needed to go back to the streets and be the hero of the people he once idolized. He can see clearly now, he can see through Lighting Spagnels' disguise and it hurt him.

But it would seem he could do nothing about it.

Eiserne, Adon, Quon, Jezebel... he can't help nobody.

Oh well. At least he tried. He's got a long way to go before being the Grandmaster of Groove anyhow.

"Well, I guess we can...hey!" Jezebel can be all dramatic but she failed to consider one very important thing as she starts to walk off. "You gonna call me for the interview or somethin'?"

COMBATSYS: MrJones has ended the fight here.


Maybe Jones's first instincts were right.

Lightning Spangles was smiling. Perky. But in a daze, in a dream. "I'll call you. I'll find you! We can have my people, and my people, and my...." She begins to laugh. "Ahahahahhaha. And your people talk. And it can all come together! Yeeeeee-haaaaw!" She stumbles outside, the crew holding her on each side. And her escape is before her.

A van.

Lightning Spangles goes inside the back. The crew curses, and fight amongst themselves. Raging. Fuming. But Lightning Spangles? She just stares. And she keeps staring. Smiling. Flawless. Unbroken. She would cry on the inside now. She would cry on the inside from now on. Tears only stained her mask. She would weep now, yes.

But she would only let the tears come out inside.

Log created on 22:04:16 05/28/2012 by Jezebel, and last modified on 18:46:50 06/03/2012.