Match of the Millennium

As the broadcast goes live, a silhouetted form in a single chair can be seen. The lights come up to reveal it to be a cat girl with flowing dark locks and a form fitting bodysuit. Some fighting fans may recognise her as Kitty Fantastica, one of Lyraelle Lightheart's entourage. KITTY: "Hello min...I mean kittens! Welcome to the latest edition of your New Fighting Generation round up show. My name is Kitty Fantastica and today I will be your host." The familiar figures of Tom and Lou can be seen moving up behind her. Their disgruntled expressions suggest they aren't happy with the new host! TOM: "It's lovely to have you here, Kitty but I think there's been some confusion. We booked you as a guest on our show not to host the whole thing." LOU: "Lyraelle arranged it all with the show's producers, so I'm not sure what the confusion could be. Now Kitty is settled in though, perhaps we can let her take the reins." TOM: "You know Lou, at this point I'm past caring. Knock yourself out, Kitty." LOU: "Though not literally." Two extra chairs are wheeled in to the studio for Tom and Lou to sit either side of the cat girl. Tom is seen pulling out a bottle of bourbon from beneath the desk and pouring a glass for himself and Lou. The two clink their glasses together and set about making themselves comfortable. KITTY: Well now that's sorted, it's time to take a look at our fighter and team standings ahead of the final round in Metro City! ================================ NFG - Points ================================ Chevy - 34 Points Coco - 32 Points Djamila - 32 Points Buck - 31 points John Doe - 31 Points Tamaki - 30 Points Hawksley - 29 Points Ichika - 28 Points Ayala - 28 Points Buford - 28 Points Iris - 26 Points Kenzo - 25 Points Nixie - 24 Points Sarah - 22 Points Genie - 16 Points Zarine - 16 Points Laurel - 16 Points Braun - 14 Points Junko - 14 Points Hated R - 12 Points ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- METAL: 136 FROST: 130 THUNDER: 119 BLAZE: 103 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- KITTY: "Metal keep their steely hold on the prize for top team but Frost are steadily closing the gap. Thunder are making solid progress but Blaze will need to show a lot more if they have a hope in hell of finishing anywhere but last place. As for the contestants, Chevy is sitting pretty at the top of the table while Coco and Djamila are both breathing down her neck! It looks like the women are well and truly in control of the contest right now. Neither of our top two boys could pull off a victory this round. Buck took a beating from Coco and John Doe could only manage the draw with Ayala. Although Hawksley, Buford and Kenzo are climbing their way up the charts with impressive wins from them all. Hated R props up the bottom of the standings but he's top of the standings for me for fun. Oh my gosh, did you see that match he had with Buford at Drippin' Style?" LOU: "Of course we did, Kitty. It's our job to watch the matches." TOM: "Was our job, Lou. Was our job." (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Okay! Now it's time to take a look back at the matches. I'm gonna start with Metal versus Blaze! That way I can save my favourite team for later." Kitty winks at the camera. KITTY: "Oh I know, I shouldn't really have favourites, but one of Team Thunder pays my wages and I'm a bodyguard for another. More of that later though! The first match I'm gonna chat about is Djamila and Genie, and if Genie is watching, she can just mute this part and then focus on enjoying the rest of the show. This was such a mean match in more ways than one! Not only did Genie kinda get destroyed by Djamila but she also had to do it in front of horrible prisoners! Not that all prisoners are horrible of course. Some of Lyraelle's biggest fans are behind bars. These ones totally were though. They were shouting rude things at both of the women. It kinda made me uncomfortable watching on the stream, so imagine what it was like for them? Djamila seemed to cope perfectly though. Perhaps she's used to creepy guys shouting things at her at the poledancing club. Genie seems kinda sweet and gentle though. Too gentle for this match, so she got her butt kicked." Footage from the match starts to play on the screen behind Kitty. -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- "I hope you don't give up yet. I am sure you have a lot more in your tank." Djamila smiles. Djamila is right. Genie has a lot more in her tank. She can feel the pull. This is interesting. No one has done such a trick on her before. It surprises her, but she wraps herself around her staff. She's unsure if her staff hold to the ground will beat Genie's pull, but she has to believe in herself. Thankfully for her, her staff, does hold on, which means Djamila can too. "Oof. That was unexpected. You almost got me there. That's impressive." She means that. Only when she feels the pull letting go, she gets back to the floor. She unlocks her staff from the ground and moves closer to aim a light frontal booted kick toward Genie's stomach if she can, her staff held in her hands for now. COMBATSYS: Djamila successfully hits Genie with Light Kick. * Attack Of Opportunity! * Genie frowns as her TK pull does not find purchase. An inmate calls from out of sight: "Hey, stop standing there and punch her or something!" "Yeah!" calls another, "Put up a fight little miss!" Genie frowns. She starts to say something, but Djamila is bearing down on her again. The boot slips right past Genie's guard, clocks her in the stomach, and knocks her into the edge of the ring with a rattle and clink of metal. The crowd starts booing. "We wanted a fight!" "If I wanted to see someone just get their butt kicked, I'd have found Micky at mess!" "Hey! That was one time!" Genie holds her stomach and struggles to get a breather. Sweat builds on her brow. She closes her eyes again, trying to regain her focus, trying to get her mind right. She runs her fingers through the links for stability. "You hit very hard," she says, in between deep breaths. COMBATSYS: Genie focuses on her next action. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "You can see the whole stream of that match on our website at the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012228.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Next up, it's Kenzo against Braun. All the jokes about brains versus Braun have already been made, so I won't trouble you with another one, but these two fighters really are very different. Kenzo is all slick and Braun is kinda wild and you know, both of those can be good things. I like to see myself as a combination of the two." Kitty giggles. KITTY: "So, I didn't really mind who won here really! Not that my opinion made a difference either way, because Kenzo did. So congrats to him! Here's some footage from the fight which took place at the... Hood Fight Club? Ugh! I mean, really? En eff gee is going kinda low rent with some of these venues, aren't they? I mean, I suppose Braun didn't mind because he's on Team Blaze and we all know how rough they are other than Genie but Kenzo is a sophisticated sort. Anyway, here's the footage! -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- He might as well have been struck by a sustained lightning bolt. For all the visual effects and blaring lightshow that ripples across Braun's body...Kenzo might have been a better fit for Team Thunder then Team Metal. It's not a pleasent experience to say the least...particularly as the onslaught continues to surge wildly into him setting his insides and outsides alight with electrical fury. A roar rips from him. A furious painful thunderous cry that rattles windows and shakes floors and walls. Yeah that got him. But the roar continues, shifting from pain to that of menace and then wrath. Braun's entire body seems to begin to enlarge, morphing right infront of Kenzo's eyes, gaining at least a foot in height if not slightly more. Widening outwards as his mane like hair take on a blazing crimson hue and expands in size and his visage becomes more bestial like by the second. His clothes stretch and strain, morphing with him as crackling tendrils of crimson chi blast about, mixing in with the electrical energy as Braun looms larger and larger over head as if drinking in strength from the chaos around him. "Not bad!" he bellows, voice laced with that great cat like fury, the rumbling roar of a sabretooth tiger, lion and more roiling forth as he brings both of his now support pillar sized arms up. "This is just how I like it!" With that the now truly monstrous wild maned and furred bruiser begins a flurry of rapid fire strikes that trail roaring behind them in a blazing blitzkrieg of assaults. At the last, he springs forward attempting to literally cross Kenzo up and dash past him with a final trailing x shaped double armed strike to end the devestating combo. COMBATSYS: Braun successfully hits Kenzo with Monarch's Relentless Fury. Braun's roar shakes the arena and the occupants of the fight club itself. Kenzo himself gets jarred out of his focused state not used to dealing with sounds at that level of volume. With a quick breath he's able to reassert control over his mental state. It is fortunate that Kenzo had faced Buck in an earlier NFG and was in the ring with Tamaki during the Rumble. He probably wouldn't have dealt with the Braun's changing of size as well as he is had he faced him earlier in the NFG. Where before the transformation would have been intimidating, now it is yet another variable to deal with. Kenzo doesn't deal with that particular variable well as the additional reach plus terrifying speed equals Kenzo getting shredded by vicious attack after vicious attack. The tech ninja manages to brace himself for the attack and that is likely the only reason he manages to pick himself off of the floor. Kenzo nods to Braun both to acknowledge that his opponent got him and as a sign of respect. He doesn't open his mouth, not trusting himself to not scream once the flood gates are opened. Kenzo moves into slashing range once more and this time he's going to respond in kind to Braun. One furious series of slashes in exchange for another. Kenzo once again electrifies the chained weapon slashing over and over with an electrified sickle. Chest, arms, legs are all fair game for the ninja. COMBATSYS: Kenzo successfully hits Braun with Shredding Spark Frenzy. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "Electric action there! If you wanna see more check out the stream at the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012236.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Time for Sarah and Laurel at the lake! Now that might sound like some cute film you might get on the Hallmark channel but we know from Laurel's last fight that horror movies are more her style. Sarah always seems so upbeat and cheerful when she fights, so I was hoping Laurel wasn't gonna bring her down. Well at least not in mood! I think the weirdest bit for me was when Laurel was staring at Sarah all blank-eyed." Kitty shudders. KITTY "Take a look for yourselves in this footage!" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- Sarah goes high and Laurel does too: Without much of a warning - no bent knees, no dropped shoulders, no telegraphing at all - the masked woman simply /explodes/ upwards as Sarah arcs towards her. She seizes the capoeirista's throat in one hand and wrenches back so that when they come down, she's ready to slam Sarah back first into the arena floor. Afterwards, she remains hunched over the other woman. Staring, blank-eyed. There are times where you find you shouldn't be doing certain things. Namely attacking when your opponent is watching you like a hawk. It's almost like Laurel was reading her mind or something. Maybe she's psychic or maybe Sarah just zigged when she should have zagged. Regardless, the fact still remains that Sarah goes down onto the ground and lets out a groan as she hits the ground. As she rubs her body, she winces a little before slowly forcing herself back onto her feet and into the ginga. "Well played," She says with a slight smirk. "Very well played. But I'm not done yet!" And then, she cartwheels at Laurel, attempting to deliver a stunning kick with her cartwheel. If she succeeds, she'll perform a swifter version of her double spinning kick from earlier, then repeat the rising uppercut again, only this time infused with her chi! COMBATSYS: Sarah successfully hits Laurel with My Favorite Remix. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "A nice hit by Sarah to finish off the clip there but it wasn't enough and Laurel went on to win the match. You can see all the action at the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012247.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "John Doe time! Now I know some of you Doe devotees only tune in to see his sections, but I say stick with us for the rest of the show. We're all total sweetie pies and you're sure to have fun. Isn't that right, guys?" Cut to Tom and Lou getting slowly sozzled to the sides of Kitty. KITTY: "Well, at least I am! Forgive them though, fight fans. It's been a long season for the lads. So, I've got to say, I had John as favourite going into this match, and I don't just mean because he's so handsome. I just felt like after his ass whooping by Buck he'd be looking to take it out on someone. Ayala wasn't gonna let herself be the victim in his movie though. No way! She was well up for the fight and the two of them brawled their way around that bar. I think overall a draw was a fair result. See what you think in this fabulous footage!" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- While the pair of possy devolve into another pointless argument in the background, John Doe has eyes only for the blonde across from him. Even in silence the actor projects a certain easy charisma, dark brows furrowing slightly at the teasing note of her response. He almost looks, bashful? If only he weren't too cool to blush. Shoulders lifting into a shrug, he smiles through the shyness, then scuffs his sneakers apart into a wider stance, fists raised and expression going focused. "Fighters ready?" Asks the ref, another young woman in jeans and a black and white striped shirt. In the background, a smart phone is sent flying through the air, bouncing off of the wall and smacking to the floor with the crack of breaking glass. "You asshole!" "FIGHT!" Stumbling forward in an attempt at a run, JD takes two quick steps, distance shrinking, before launching himself into a high, spectacular leap...! Only to smash heavily to earth on his chest, sliding across the wooden floor on a flailing collision course with Ayala's legs, where he might just be able to grab her and bring her crashing down to earth before struggling to roll away. COMBATSYS: John Doe successfully hits Ayala with Return of the Living Dead. "Good, they stay over there, we can get to business," Ayala cracks her knuckles, eyes widening as JD begins to just leap for her. The dead man's able to grab her legs and flip her over--but she rolls with it well, tumbling, but soon finding herself back on her feet. "JD got faster?" she brings her arms up and fists together as she tries to bring a heavy blow down on the cold man's head, rearing back and putting a foot forward to help put her weight into it. However--at the last moment she unclasps her hands and instead attempts to grasp JD's shoulders, apparently this was a feint--and tries to slam him down to the floor with her landing on him! COMBATSYS: Ayala successfully hits John Doe with Hell Drop. - Power hit! - -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "For the full movie and not just the trailer, check out the link on our screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012239.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Which brings me to the last Metal against Blaze matchup, Hawksley and Iris. Did everyone see that club they got to fight at? It looked really cool! I might check it out sometime myself. Speaking of cool, there was this one bit in the match with Iris and oh wow! I tell you what, take a look for yourselves." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- COMBATSYS: Iris interrupts Improvised Punch from Hawksley with Isa - Fimbulwinter. - CRAZY Hit! - [ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ] Hawksley 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 Iris And it does hit! Sort of. This was a gamble and a half. Why? Hawksley is easily bigger and stronger than Iris is, and it's clear that he has plenty of experience using his fists in a straight-up brawl. The wizard, meanwhile, had a rich British girl education featuring heavily on fencing, poetry, and being mean to poor people (she doesn't use that last bit anymore, thankfully). There's a very real chance that if she gets this wrong, she's walking out of here with a broken arm. But she tries it anyway, and with speed that she definitely hasn't shown before -- speed that seems to surprise Iris as much as anyone else -- the girl literally *grabs Hawksley's punch out of midair*. It makes for a dramatic scene as she attempts to hold his fist, and by extension Hawk himself, in place long enough to make this thing work in general... and for a bit, it really doesn't seem like it will. Iris grunts in pain as Hawksley's punch forces her arm back, muscles and tendons straining to resist. However, did he notice that the rune she just drew is still in the air? Because that's what Iris does with her other finger: she turns it into the mystical equivalent of the Photoshop eraser tool, taking the > off the rune of thunder she just drew. The result is a very simple vertical line: 'Isa', the rune of ice. In the second where Iris lets go of Hawksley's fist, a circle forms on the ground around them both, before a vertical column of ice and snow erupts out of it, thoroughly dousing Hawksley with bone-chilling cold. If Iris's education focused on fencing, poetry and being mean to poor people, Hawksley's centered around schoolyard scraps, getting sent to the headmaster's office and being a poor person. They may be worlds apart in the places they started but right now they are both exactly where they are meant to be. Fighting their backsides off in the New Fighting Generation. When the eccentric English girl grabs at his fist, his dark eyes go wide in surprise. "Jesus" he manages to murmur, finding himself unable to force himself free. "What are you doing to me, cailin?" he wonders, wiggling away as he tries to regain control of the confrontation. With all these shenanigans going on, he hadn't noticed the threat hanging over him from above. It's only once it's too late that the Cork cruiserweight comprehends what is happening. He's simply stunned by the magical malarkey he's witnessing when Iris activates 'Isa' the rune of ice. The Blaze boxer is not one who feels the cold easily, which may be one of the reasons he's happy to fight topless. When the ice and snow coat Hawksley in their cruel, coldness however, he finds himself shivering and shaking. "Oh feck" he manages to say, his voice absent of its usual cheer, as his bare flesh starts to turn blue despite the heat of the crowded club. What better way to deal with some ice than by adding some fire? Oh and booze. Pulling his slim silver hip flask from the pocket of his pants, Hawksley holds it with his numb fingers, downing the whiskey inside. He welcomes the warming liquid in his mouth, keeping it there for a moment and then spits it out towards Iris, setting it aflame on the way. COMBATSYS: Hawksley successfully hits Iris with Hedonism ES. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "A true battle of ice and fire there, which saw the flames melting the snow with a win for Blaze. I have to say though, that I was very dissapointed that the rumours about hot Hawksley wearing a mesh vest and leather pants weren't true. He is topless for this fight as usual though. You can check out the full thing at the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012226.shtml# (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Woo! Team Thunder time. Oh and Frost too of course. The first match I'm gonna talk about is with my boy Buck in it!" Kitty beams brightly. KITTY: "So, I now have a new job as Buck's personal bodyguard. Lyraelle thought it would be cool if all the Thunder fighters had someone to take care of them and I got assigned to him. Now no need to be jealous, Buck lovers. It's a strictly professional relationship, like with Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard. Oh...um, maybe that's not the best example! But anyway, everyone knows that Buck and Coco are probably having a thing. Check them out here! -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- It is commonly instilled by British mothers in British daughters that one should always wear clean underwear in case they happen to be hit by a bus. Constance Louise Coalbridge was one such daughter, and Margaret Coalbridge was one such mother. She also insisted that they should be matching and that they should be pretty. This will soon become pertinent. For now, though, Coco marvels slightly both at the worrying transformation that Buck's visage is undergoing and the continued parallels with a certain scruffy Irishman that Buck continues to exhibit. What could Hawksley do that involves his mouth, though? The question riddles Coco's mind with distraction as she prepares for what's to come by pre-emptively raising her fists to defend her face. Realising that the rising heat is coming from external forces as well as the internal ones at work, Coco clues in to the comment's connotations just as the click comes from within Buck's maw. "Oh, fuck." Constance Coalbridge is not fireproof. Why she should deem that her knee, her elbows, her gloves, or her wrists are suitable sources of protection against the heat of literal bloody dragon's breath is beyond even her own conscious decision-making process. However, it is on a subconscious level - or perhaps a level of greater consciousness - that where what Constance Coalbridge deems as truth actually carries the clout to renegotiate the terms of reality. Or, to steal an excellent quote from a relatively mediocre movie that Constance Coalbridge has never seen, it allows her to reject everyone else's reality and substitute her own. In Coco's reality, her skin /is/ fireproof, if only for a moment, and the psychic sheen encasing her defending limbs (visible only to those with psionic capability) makes Coco's reality a reality for everyone else. As a result, the heat washes over Coco's guard in a shower of molten gas (or whatever dragon's breath is made of), leaving her body visibly unharmed. Her Team Frost costume, however, is not fireproof in either reality. Fortunately, while it would have been utterly useless if she'd been knocked over by a Metro City bus, Maggie Coalbridge's advice at least means that Coco's ice-blue bikini-cut designer panties and matching bra are freshly laundered, leaving her with at least a modicum of dignity upon having her outfit utterly obliterated by dragonfire on live broadcast. "Thanks, Mum," Coco mutters under her breath as her realities reconcile into an inexplicably painless yet undignified present. Unfortunately for Coco, the match isn't over. "Guess it's a party, then." Invigorated both by the sensation of cool air against her skin contrasting with the brutal heat of moments before and a desire to move this exhibition along to the next opportunity for a wardrobe change, Coco darts in on Buck with a quick jabbing left toward the face, following up with a right cross and a lunging left knee to close the gap. Posing with her hands on the side of her head as if to brush her hair back while actually keeping it protected, she pivots forward, swinging light elbows left and right after each other toward Buck's head. Intending to maintain the offensive pressure, the rosy-cheeked Coco would, if successful, then grab the beleaguered Buck and pull him into a clinch made all the more confusing by her state of dress, planning to double him over and drive her bare knees into his body and face over and over, aiming to leave him on the verge of collapse. Before he'd be able to, though, she'd grab a handful of his hair to at least keep him on his knees before turning to an audience of leering ex-Mad Gear workers, flip the bird while blushing furiously, then swing her double-jointed hips violently sidelong into Buck's head as a finishing move. Whether this reality of Coco's will also come to pass depends, of course, on Buck's ability to defend himself. COMBATSYS: Buck blocks Coco's Full Moon Party. There's a very specific noise a confused Buck-dragon makes. It's a noise every viewer is soon going to be familiar with. There's a moment of triumphant glee on Buck's draconian visage as the flames wash over Coco. Even if she protects herself, he knows that is going to do some damage. Then the flames clear, smoke dribbling from his mouth and nose. Then he sees Coco, unharmed and dressed in.. no.. that's not beach attire. His expression stays frozen,, still grinning but it's clear in his eyes that something in his brain has at least temporarily broken. Then the sound comes. "Gruuuu?" It's sound remarkably similar to that of the perishing moose that was made by the truck upon his arrival. Though less pained and more dumbfounded. It's a subtle difference. Thankfully the scales on his face aren't completely decoration and do absorb some of the blows from the elbows, enough to knock him out of his stupor. Enough that he brings up his arms to soak up more of the blows as his face returns to something more normal, though bruised. Still his defense isn't total, and Coco gets her clinch, but as her knee makes contact with him it's not with the giving thud of flesh, but instead a sold thunk that feels too much like striking bone. Each knee strike produces the same solid thunk. Even as she gets a grip on his hair, his twisted tank shows off the boney plates covering his chest, like the underside of a.. "Turtle." He says, sounding a bit dazed but still wearing his trademark grin as he does so. Maybe not his normal grin after all, the poor guy looks a little punch drunk. Perhaps that works in his favor, numbing himself up a little. As for the final blow comes he reaches up, a gleaming claw at the end of one finger, and slices his hair, freeing his head from Coco's grip. Leaving her with a clump of hair in her hand, he rolls along the ground towards her, trying to knock her of her feet. Should he achieve this, he springs to his feet, shoots a double devil horns into the air, and jumps with every intention of body-slamming her with his shell reinforced torso. A move that definitely would not help rumors. At all. COMBATSYS: Coco blocks Buck's Combo Grapple. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "Steamy stuff there from Buckco. Coco went on to snatch the win but it's Buck who has won her heart. For the full flirty fight, you know what to do!" http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012229.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Zarine against Chevy now. I was sooo nervous about this. Not because sweet Chevy was fighting a scary vampire, which incidentally are the internet's favourite fantasy behind cat girls and succubi, it was because Chevy had that stunningly stylish new outfit on designed by Shermie. I was really worried it would get covered in blood or something. Anyway, you can see how good she looked her and how awesome the fight was of course! -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- Perhaps Zarine is not a fantastic fit for this event. Or, maybe, she is the perfect fit. The New Fighting Generation is all about training up new fighters, teaching and molding them into something that is both marketable and experienced. Experience against many types of opponents is valuable. Be they street brawlers, highly trained martial artists and, yes, even inhuman monsters. Even urbane, polite inhuman monsters. As The mystical razor ribbons do their thing, the vampire steps back, lifting her sword to the ready, her expression an unreadable, marble mask. She should be fine with the reaction. Unmoved. Possibly even sickly amused at the pain and anger from the -prey animal-. She's not. Chevy's sudden blind fury shakes her. That cold mask slips, and she actually looks a little -hurt-. True, she's drawing blood. Her fighting style is obviously designed to be lethal, and yet she's been reigning it in. Making a show of it, but holding her (un)natural murderous impulses in check. Even so, the slipping of her poise (which will either become a rallying image for her stand, or a meme or both), makes her move slower. React more stiffly. She doesn't even try to shapechange to get out of the way of the infuriated Chevy, she tries to move and picks the wrong direction. Her frame is light, and Chevy -easily- slams her into the ground with brutal force not once, but twice. She remains still for a moment before she wrenches free, rolling away from Chevy to come to her feet. For another moment, she looks disappointed, approaching sad, before the mask slips back into place and she's all frozen poise and haughty superiority. "So be it. If you wish to treat me like a monster, then you shall have one, mortal! Behold the creature that made your ancestors cower in caves and fear the night! If you wish a villain, then -I- will haunt your nightmares!" Her face shifts subtly. Her cheekbones become somewhat more angular and sharper, her eyes seem to glow. Her lips peel back in a snarl, the wicked fangs on display. A visible threat. She swings her sword, and power ripples around it, the air seeming to darken around it. She brings the weapon up once more, and she stutter steps towards Chevy, leveraging a bit more of her vampiric speed. What she can still muster of it, anyway. The blade feints a thrust for center mass before the vampire pivots, sending a mystically augmented slash at the hydromancer. COMBATSYS: Chevy parries Zarine's Sunless! It's a number of 'firsts' for Chevy, really. The first time she's really felt true, mortal, *fear*. The first time that she felt her own *body* being used against her. The first time her natural affinity felt anything other than *unique*. Seeing her own blood climb up that sword was one thing. But Chevy had, in some small part, been there for the whole trip, a captive observer to something that had been in her own body... being led to the enemy. And feeling all... *that*, in one single exchange, was a bit much. The tomboy was no stranger to blurting out her own thoughts when challenged. But words are one thing. This is the first time she's felt the need to *act*. Not just on a challenge, but on an audacious *intrusion* into her own autonomy. Seeing her blood extracted away for eventual repurposing was nothing short of an *outrage*. It didn't matter what Zarine looked like, or how she spoke, or what pretty clothes she put on. She may not be a monster, but she is *definitely* walking and talking like one. Icy water clings to her hands like giant oversized gloves as she pulls away from Zarine. The bloody rents in her hands and forearms seal, ever so slightly, with the aid of the chill. The cold helps Chevy reassert the panicked fears from the harsh reality -- that this -is- still a fight. That there -is- salvaging the situation. She pants for breath, her breath crystallizing in the chill air wafting from her nearly ice-cold hands as Zarine rolls free. The hayseed tilts her head, eyes focusing from their wild-eyed trance. ... Is it really just Chevy -treating- her like a monster? She takes a breath, keeping her distance as she witnesses Zarine's transformation into something... else. "... Ma'am," she starts, before correcting herself. "*Zarine*," she continues, ensuring that she has a name to place to the face that's twisting into madness right in front of her. "I don't know if you noticed, but I'm havin' a whole moment o'er here." The sword is brought to bear. And Chevy sucks her breath back in. In her fit of pique she'd left her buckets and pole aside. But she still has two weapons on her person. Her irises narrow back at Zarine as the stutter step begins. The water on her arms shifts sharply, the highlights growing harsh and severe. In an instant, the water freezes solid. Two loud *CH'NK!* sounds are heard as shards of frost are chiseled away from the icy growths clinging to Chevy's arms -- first from the feinted strike that she reaches out to deflect, a second as she backs away to rapidly knock the blade upwards. If she weren't... having a whole moment, as she said, maybe she'd have had the time to realize what just happened there. But Chevy has never been one to wax poetic about occurrences in the here and now. Zarine is pushing her past the redline -- and the only thought in her mind is to push -back- against the challenge. She breathes out again, the ice's surface growing less solid. She lunges to Zarine's side, abruptly reaching out for Zarine's sword hand. The water would be the -true- threat though, as one bucketfull of water flows out to grab hold. Chevy breathes in, her forehead tensing as she suddenly gives Zarine's arm a hard shove with an aim to spin her around to the side. Relying on her water to, once again, freeze back up and act as a solid weight on Zarine's arm, the hydromancer surges in to try and lock her elbow around Zarine. And if she manages that? She'd continue with that forward momentum, slingshotting herself forward as she slams Zarine face-first into the ground! The icy weight -- that'd be Zarine's to take care of for the moment. COMBATSYS: Zarine blocks Chevy's Battleship Chains EX. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "Intense stuff huh? A great win for Team Thunder from Chevy there. You can see more at the link!" http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012230.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Buford and Hated R next, and you all know how much I loved this one. There was fashion flair, slashing swords, rap battles and celebrity guest appearances! See for yourselves!" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- Buford couldn't handle it. Even as his swipes come, any momentum comes to a stop as Hated R begins to sing. Hated R's thick and heavy lyrics surge into Buford's head like the creamiest honey mustard sauce, making his heart palpitate like his sixth Darkstompers Energy Drink. He hadn't felt this surging with shock, rage, and emotions ever since the Demon Queen outed herself not as a cute girl in a costume, but as an actual freak and monster on stream. Buford's eyes roll to the back of his head, as he squeals, shaking his hips in the beat. It's only when Hated R mercifully stops with a slam, that he is freed. And the shockwave blasts hims out the front window of the shoppe. Buford lays there, cut up by the broken glass, weeping openly. How could a loser like him ever look to catch up with poetry like -that-. His Haikus seemed to be nothing more but Dr. Suess but for Dumb People. More like. Holistic Medicine Suess. A complete zero. Buford blubbers there, ready to give up his dreams. How could Abigail look at Buford right now, when he clearly would be preferring Hated R? He continues to cry as two pairs of shoes walk up to him. He suddenly feels himself hoisted up. Makeup running, he opens his eyes. And they bug out, as he suddenly realizes who rescued him. "Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J!? Of The Insane Clown Posse?!" Shaggy brushes the glass off Buford, and slaps him in the shoulder. "Shit yeah son! I was just coming down to the Drippin' Style to get some hot new shit, when my friend couldn't happen to notice a Clown who was Down!" Buford wipes his eyes, as he sputters sadly. "I'm no clown, I'm just trying to make a statement about society." Violent J snorts. "Dude, clownface is making a statement about society. What got you down man?" Buford wipes his tears. "Hated R is so much cooler than me. I can't keep up. How can a fat white kid like me ever rap like that." Shaggy punches Buford in the gut. "Shit son, anybody can be a rapper. You just got to have heart!" Buford doubles over, groaning. Looking up, a ray of hope comes over him. "So I should rap back? And use his own strength against him?" Shaggy shrugs. "I don't know shit! You just get in there, you fucking clown!" Buford nods, as he turns back, feeling inspired from the two. "Wait, before you go." Violent J interjects. He slips in Buford's palm a small canister for Suchimusodo, hidden in a handshake. He gives him a wink. "Just a little clown magic, you get it?" Buford nods firmly, as he turns back. Stepping through the window, he leaves the Insane Clown Posse behind... as the duo goes through the front door. They had to do their shopping after all. Buford stands fast, sword before him as he stares down across at Hated R. "Enough! My friends have come, and taught me a secret! Buford puts in the canister into his hilt, and after activating it, begins to bring it to his lips. A thick cloud of strange, grape-scented and colored mist pours out, thick and sweet, as he releases it. "I am now the Rapping Ronin Of Rationality! The Samurai Of The Streets! And I bring you! HAIKU-HOP!" And he begins to rap back. "Don't Call It A Come Back,, I Have Been Here For Years, FoRocking The Place For-" "Fooooooor." "Buuuuuuuuuuuuh." Buford states, as he seems to fall into a daze. He tucks his sword back into the sheath, as he sways side to side. Pupils getting wide. A smile on his lips. He seems to be staring -right- at Hated R, focused dead on him. And possibly brain dead himself. Buford wasn't sure what was happening. Could this be the Ultra Instinct Rumored To Be Amongst Canadians For Years? COMBATSYS: Buford sheaths his blade and begins to focus inward... Hated R is back on his feet by this point. He's given the mighty microphone a stylish twirl and it has gone back into whatever location it hides during these fights. He has enough gear on that might be switched off and in a pocket or maybe he's got some kind of pocket dimension he can keep his stuff in. It's a hard read but as long as Hated R keeps the microphone close, he'll be able to use it again. "Hol' up, B! I'll be right there!" Hated R is taking this moment to do a little shopping. Being at Drippin' Style is both a good and a bad thing. He grabs about half a dozen sleeveless hoodies and sneakers to match, piling them up on the counter and handing off one of his black cards to the worker. "Get somethin' for yourself too, bruv. Receipt in the bag, please!" And with that, Hated R is swagger skipping around the fallen clothes and broken glass so that he can get back to this fight that seems to be taking up the bulk of his attention. Or at least a nice chunk of it. "Yo! Your amigos showed?! That's dope, bruv!" Hated R seems to be quite happy for his opponent in this moment. He even looks around for them. His timing is, as always, quite unpeccable as his walking through the broken window allows him to miss that Posse of Insane Clowns walking through the front door. Dramatic Pause of Awkward Smiling Goes Here. "Where they at?" The accidental and potential insult is left to hang in the air while Hated R narrows his eyes in Buford's direction. "Yo, B. If you want me to ghostwrite for you, I can totally do that. Just call Shelly Belly and we can get you mad hooked up! You'll be rockin' the mic in no time! And way better than whatever you just did." Hated R looks towards his tour bus. "Shells?! Make sure my man B gets your number before I knock him out! He wants to be a rapper!" "Kay!" Shelly Belly waves a hand out of one of the many bus windows. Hated R brushes off his outfit a bit and tries to get all nice and squared up. He's not sure what Buford is smoking on but he's pretty sure it might be some kind of power up of some kind. The look in his opponent's eye is something different than it was a few moments ago. Hated R's definitely going to take this moment to catch his breath enough to be ready for whatever's headed in his direction next. "Shall we continue to kick it?" COMBATSYS: Hated R yoinks a refizzle of Dopeness. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "Please do yourselves a favour and watch the whole stream of those guys going at it." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012225.shtml "Sadly Buford slashed his way to victory so Hated couldn't pull off his first victory in the New Fighting Generation but he's still a winner in my eyes." Kitty blows a kiss to the camera. (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Next we'll be flying high with Tamaki and Ichika, who saw themselves fighting on the rooftops of Metro City. There's been a lot of nasty rumours going on about these two, so I wanna take the opportunity to say that Ichika would never do something like that. She's such a lovely young woman and a credit to Team Thunder." Whispering can be heard from the direction of Lou's seat. KITTY: "What's that, Lou? Do you have something to share with our viewers?" LOU: "I was just telling Tom that my source for those rumours was rock solid. Maybe you don't know everything that goes on inside the Thunderdome." KITTY: "Well I for one would rather enjoy fight footage than listen to grown men stirring up vicious rumours, Lou. Let's take a look!" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- "Suit yourself!" Tamaki simply takes an extra sip, the one she'd assumed Ichika might want, before putting the tokkuri away - which means slinging it back over her shoulder on its cord, she might need that later. "Honestly, if you are old enough to fight, you should be old enough to drink, whatever they say. Sake is the best of medicines!" Little things like 'legality' don't really concern Tamaki. Tamaki's face splits into a broad smile. "Well, of course. I know they say I am, hmm... unmotivated and lazy. They just don't understand that I'm here to have *fun*. It's what life is all about! And a good match deserves all you can give it." Ichika seizes the initiative, either by chance or by Tamaki not pressing the matter; she takes what is obviously the first strike, swinging at Tamaki's legs. Tamaki takes one step back and one step sideways, pivoting and weaving in the same smooth motion. She takes another step back forward, planting her arm across Ichika's shoulders and continuing her rotation, trying to half-shove, half-throw her to the rooftop in front of her! COMBATSYS: Ichika dodges Tamaki's Everybody's Friend. Ichika slides her sword back into its sheathe as she fails to connect. She moves with the tanuki, and for a moment it is like the pair are caught in a swaying dance, Ichika twisting around and under the snaring arm as she smiles. Yes, this was more or less what she expected. Landing the blows here is going to be the main challenge. Well, that, and dealing with ... herself, if it came to it. That had been a fun trick to watch on the previous recordings! She slips backwards across the rooftop, and as she goes she lets the blade slash out a second time. Not at any kind of distance to actually cut Tamaki, though. Instead, the fading sunlight of the dying day flashes across the katana's very edge... And a tiny spark of bright blue energy, no larger than her fingertip, comes streaking out across the rooftop, aiming to smack right into Tamaki's tail. It'll hardly pack a punch, but it is the best thing she can think to do to try and test her opponent's reflexes... COMBATSYS: Tamaki reflects Brilliant Spark from Ichika with Ponpoko Beat. -* WILD HIT! *- -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "The question is though, who was it that said Tamaki was unmotivated and lazy? Was it perhaps the highly driven Justice student? Don't you think that could be the case, Tom?" TOM *SNORES LOUDLY* KITTY: "Oh just shut up, Lou! Anyway, Tamaki won and there was no bitching or drama other than from the fighting. If you want to see these two lovely and friendly fighters facing off against each other in full, click the link on our screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012232.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "Last but definitely not least is Nixie versus Junko. This match took place at the amazing Vito's Restaurant, which I have to say is my favourite place to eat in town. Take a tip from me and order yourself some of the linguine with clams. Now Nixie was the dominant force early on in the New Fighting Generation. I know Lyraelle was sulking hard when she never picked her up for Thunder back in the draft in Southtown. Since she made the move to Frost and Metro City though, she's only managed to get two draws. Junko is impressive but I'm kinda glad I didn't get the job of looking after her. Zander will be much better at holding her back if she starts setting people on fire! Speaking of..." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT -=*=- The feel of making solid impact with the little demon fills the miko with an undeniable sense of satisfaction. As a hunter of monsters, Junko has been taught her entire life to hate and revile creatures like Nixie. Youkai are inhuman killers, creatures that live only to inflict pain and misery, steal souls, and corrupt mankind. Even the more benign demons tend to be more trouble than they are worth to keep around. Their existence is a blight upon the world, a sickness which can only be cured through proper treatment by those properly trained to do so. The flames she now wields are not the tools that she grew up learning how to use. Her true powers lie in the art of seals and rituals, more like an exorcist than a warrior. The fire is but a symptom of her own illness, a constant reminder of the disease she carries in her soul. But, if that fire is something that she must live with, she can at least put it to good use - such as putting the fear of the name Daidoji into this little demon. Nixie's screams serve only to fuel the hatred inside of her violent opponent. How many times had she heard innocent villagers cry out with agony as they were shredded by a nekomata's claws? How many heart-crushing wails of parents had she been forced to endure when a kappa stole the soul of a young child who had strayed too close to the river? How many funeral processions had she attended after a hunting party returned from an oni's den missing half their number? Junko doesn't even realize it when her own thoughts begin to merge with the insidious voice in her head. Her hatred is stoked liked a raging bonfire, every painful memory dredged up adding more fuel to the flames. She doesn't even see Nixie any more, doesn't remember where she is or what she was doing. All there that's left is an enemy to destroy, a monster to kill! A wicked snarl bursts from the young girl's lips as she sends the goblin flying with a pair of brutal kicks. Red flame bursts from the glowing circles of her irises, engulfing the entirety of her eyes in scarlet power. Her fists clench into tight balls as more fire erupts around her hands, wicked red and black fire fluttering like torches in a breeze. The smell of burnt flesh fills the air as her hands start to cook and smolder, the pale skin bubbling and turning black from the strain of maintaining that unholy energy. Nixie's decision to take a moment to try and regain some vigor gives the unhinged miko the few moments she needs to gather up that power and shape it into something more coherent. She lifts both of her blazing hands up into the air, palms turned to the sky as if holding aloft an invisible ball. A tiny pinpoint of neon red light suddenly flares into existence between her h ands, little more than a brilliant glimmer the size of a marble. And then it starts to grow. In the flash of a moment, the small bead of fire expands rapidly as Junko feeds power into hands, swelling to the size of a baseball. A moment later it grows again, ballooning outwards to bowling ball proportions. And again, and again, and again, until a searing miniature sun nearly as big as the miko herself hovers ominously over her head. The sudden impact of a small bottle against her chest almost knocks the young woman off her feet. A scream of surprise and then agony fills the air as whatever vile chemicals were inside of that potion begin to sizzle and burn, melting away yet more of her shirt and the flesh beneath. Junko staggers sideways, feet shuffling drunkenly, but manages to maintain her footing in the end. Filled with fresh fury, the miko whips back around and lets loose a bellow of primal animalistic rage. Her hands swing down towards the goblin and that massive sphere of deadly fire is sent crashing into the floor at her feet like a blazing comet. In the enclosed space, the explosion that follows is nigh apocalyptic. The fancy mat covering the floor and the flimsy wooden railing all but evaporate as a tidal wave of red heat washes over everything. The wide space that the audience had given the two combatants proves to be a wise decision as the entire center of the arena turns into a blast furnace for few hellish seconds, burning hot enough to force even the towering minotaur to retreat and shield himself from the inferno. COMBATSYS: Nixie easily escapes Junko's Jigoku Dama! Of course Nixie isn't exactly one of the demons that Junko is thinking of. She's pretty sure the teenager doesn't care at this point though. Of course the fact that Junko has to swing down gives her a moment to step out of the way of the raging inferno. She can still feel the heat it gives off from the edge of the ring, and it's pretty likelye an ordinary human would have been melted by it. "You have a lot of anger issues that you need to work out. I'm pretty sure you're not going to listen to me though." The goblin's pretty sure that she's wasting her breath at this point. She should be saving it for the fight after all. Of course she's also partly trying to distract Junko from the magic sigil that's appeared underneath her feet. Wooden spikes start to slow rise out of the floor. Junko might want to step out of the way or she's going to get stabbed in the feet. COMBATSYS: Junko endures Nixie's Punji Pain. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- KITTY: "First water damage and now fire. I sure hope that Vito has good insurance at that restaurant! You can see the rest of the Nixie and Junko action at the link on the screen behind me." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012243.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

KITTY: "So wow! I did my first rundown. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Before I move on to tell you all our exciting and exclusive matches for the next round, we're going to take some fan feedback." An email appears to fill the screen behind the cat girl. From: Chevy Beaumont Subject: Offsides Message: Look I'll be the first to say i love yalls show Talkin' about Ichikas dad just feels offsides to me. Ichikas working just as hard as she can to make her family proud. They stick with her even when people like you wanna bust on them. Were in the new fighting gen. We signed up for this. Rumors are fair game. Yall know we love Tamaki, your source is stirring up drama for internet points. I love you guys but i dont think I want to hear you talking about ichikas mom or dad, or my momma or my paw. Our family is offsides. Dont gotta be like that you two. Aint cool. ps i aint dumb i know princess lyrell is your source LOU: "Wait, that wasn't meant to go on screen. I thought I deleted it." TOM: *Stirring from his slumber.* "You delete emails to our inbox without me seeing them?" LOU: "Email, not emails, Tom. It was just this one time." TOM: "One time too many, Loverboy!" Tom takes a lunge towards Lou and the two can be seem grappling as the sounds of crashing chairs and smashing glass are heard. The feed is then abruptly cut. When the broadcast returns, Kitty is sitting solo on the set and looking serene. KITTY: "Sorry about that, fight fans. Tom and Lou had a little too much of that bourbon. Don't worry though, I'll be here to guide you through the rest of the show, where there will be no mention of people's parents." LOU: (offscreen) "AND YOUR MOTHER -!!" A door slams audibly, cutting off the noise. KITTY: "...from now on." (Continued in the next post!)