Match of the Millennium

As the broadcast goes live, Lou, Tom, and a red-haired woman in a white suit are sitting on three sofas positioned facing each other around a coffee table with glasses and a bowl of fruit on it. TOM: "Hello ladies, gentlemen, and all of our other friends. I'm Tom Bradley." LOU: "And I'm Lou." TOM: "And as you can see, joining us tonight is CEO Carly Meadows of Professional Fighting Worldwide. Welcome to the Rundown, Carly." CARLY: "Thanks, Tom." LOU: "Carly's joinin' us tonight to address some of the issues that people keep wantin' us to talk about, even though it'd be a conflict of interest, seein' as Carly's basically our boss." CARLY: "Well, I reckon this is the best way to reach all our fine viewers. That's why we're gonna have you two ask me the questions that we've been gettin', then I can answer, and we can discuss from there." TOM: "Do you mind if I go ahead and start us off then, ma'am?" CARLY: "Of course, Tom. Go ahead." TOM: "Okay. Well, why don't we start off with this one? There's been a public outcry on social media that, after the RUMBLE, the New Fighting Generation allowed in a number of competitors who were more experienced, more vicious, and more dangerous than the original sixteen, with fighters like Junko, Braun, Zarine and Laurel in particular cited. They assert that the inclusion of these fighters has led to more property destruction and more injuries during the Metro City split. Can you speak about that?" CARLY: "Well, Tom, by the time that our fighters had been through Sunshine City, they were much more experienced than they had been months earlier when we began. We felt that it was reasonable to allow those more 'borderline' cases in on the grounds that we thought it would be an appropriate challenge for the fighters already in the NFG." LOU: "And Hated R got in by taking Brian's place in that dance-off. So, really, could it be surmised that you intentionally held off on those four until the mid-season, but it was planned all along?" CARLY: "Actually, yes, Lou. We felt we'd misjudged in the case of Nurse Sayuri, who was excessive in her treatment of DJ Supernova, so we were actually being very careful." LOU: "So it was about ratings?" CARLY: "Ratings are just a measure of entertainment, Lou. Obviously, our goal all along has been to entertain." LOU: "I respect it." TOM: "Thanks, Carly. Now, what about the fact that many of our fighters have been competing with deadly weaponry all along? In particular, one of our fighters has been using actual explosives. Some people are speculating that it's not surprising someone who brings hand grenades to their matches would have gone on such a hot streak in the first split." CARLY: "True, Tom, but none of the weapons or techniques that have been brought into the NFG are things that fighters can't expect to encounter in competitive tournaments. There's even precedent for Nixie's arsenal. For example, are you familiar with the Zack Island tag tournament and Caoimhe Delaney?" LOU: "Oh, boy. That's a pretty controversial example, Carly. The meerkats..." *shudder* CARLY: "But still a pertinent one. Nobody died on Zack Island." LOU: "At least, they haven't found the bodies." TOM: "So, you're saying that this is all preparation for professional tournament situations?" CARLY: "Of course. That's what the New Fighting Generation has always been. And some of our most successful fighters haven't used weapons at all. Constance Coalbridge, for instance." TOM: "Since you bring up Constance Coalbridge, Carly, would you care to discuss why Junko hasn't been officially penalised for the life-altering injuries inflicted on Coco in their match, and has been allowed to continue to compete?" CARLY: "Well, let me start by saying that both fighters were acting within the confines of the rules and the waivers that were signed, and Professional Fighting Worldwide has been paying for Miss Coalbridge's medical treatment as contractually obligated. Even if we had grounds for removing Miss Daidouji from the competition, it wouldn't have been a particularly satisfying result for anyone." LOU: "And how about the audiences? There's been a lot of talk around the fact that audiences have been in danger whenever they go to watch Junko live." TOM: "Or Kunoichi Inazuma, given that pinball incident." CARLY: "Fighting competitions always have a little bit of danger to them. That's expected. We've always been compliant with our insurers when it comes to public safety. Obviously, when potential safety issues are spotted, we increase our efforts. And, of course, we warn our audiences of any potential hazards and clearly explain the venue's fire evacuation protocols for those matches." LOU: "Well, as a lotta our viewers probably already know from social media, the controversies continued this week, so why don't we go ahead with our rundown so you can talk about what's gone on?" CARLY: "Of course, Lou. I'm ready whenever you boys are." (Continued in next post!)

-=*=- RUNDOWN: CHEVY VERSUS IRIS -=*=- TOM: "So, our first match of the bracket saw season leader Chevy of Team Thunder facing off against Iris of Team Metal. How do you feel about these two fighters, ma'am?" CARLY: "Well, I've gotta say, these two young ladies are both spectacular, and Iris is one of those fighters that we like to highlight as a real representative of the ethos we aim for our sponsors to encourage. In fact, I've requested a clip to demonstrate my point." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- Hopefully everybody remembers Bacardi the Bear, because although the wizard's BODY lands on the mat with a painful-sounding *WHUMP*, her *head* lands on a very soft teddy bear. Groaning a little, Iris slowly hauls herself to her feet, holding Bacardi by one arm and looking at his adorable little face. "Thanks again, buddy," she says, patting the bear's head. Hopefully if a convalescing Coco sees this on the stream, she'll get a little chuckle out of it. "One sec," Iris says to Chevy, walking over to the edge of the ring and handing the bear off to a staffer. Apparently he's been made one of those rare summons that gets teleported around rather than created outright. Turning back to Chevy, Iris gives a little grin. "A fight is a fight, but no civilian casualties, ursine or otherwise." -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- CARLY: "See? Team Metal's really been an example-setter in this regard. She's so safety-conscious, she's even makin' sure that Bacardi the Bear gets a proper escort to safety." LOU: "That actually works well, 'cause I wanted to show a clip from about three seconds later that shows off Iris' talents." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- Still... this isn't looking good. Chevy's defenses have been airtight, and Iris's have been swiss cheese comparatively; the Brit is clearly struggling to stay up, and Team Thunder's water maiden looks fresh as a daisy (or water lily, one supposes). "But we've been here before, right?" Iris mutters to herself, probably not thinking about how the ring is mic'ed. "And we're not going out this way." Limbering up her hands, the Brit locks eyes with her opponent for a moment or two. When she fought Buford, this attack had taken one very specific and dramatic form, perhaps born from a subconscious desire to guillotine him. But, that method -- much like the rain of spears just now -- was certainly easier, less demaning. It COULD be done another way, though. A much harder way. A way where, if Iris messes it up, is going to turn out really, really poorly. Shaking her hands out at her side, Iris lets out a deep breath. "Alright. Here we go." And then her hands are a blur. An arm comes out like she's throwing a softball pitch, but what she's actually throwing is... well, a sword. But her other hand swiftly traces a glowing blue-white rune in the air, the sword flying at Chevy suddenly rimed with biting frost. Which would be fine if this Iris had one weapon in mind. She does not. Two, three, five, ten times. Her hands and arms moving like blurs, interchanging -- summoning a weapon, throwing, tracing a rune for the next weapon being summoned by her other hand. Knives, swords, spears, maces. Anything and everything she can think of, thrown repeatedly, one after another, some coated in frost, others in galeforce wind, others in crackling lightning. A rapid-fire barrage of everything she can think of, an effort that leaves her panting and exhausted afterwards... but which hopefully closes the gap in the way she needs. Chevy's eyes go wide as a big fluffy teddy bear enters the ring. She'd seen the bear, in reviewing previous footage of Iris' fights. But seeing it up close and personal... it looks so much more squishy and cuddly than she'd imagined. "Wow, that's--" she starts, feeling a warmth flooding into her cheeks. "That's -really- cute..." She raises a fist to cough into, as if easing herself back into focus. The puddles of water from her ice shield merge into one, guided with a helpful motion of the Carolinian's pole. The auburn-haired fighter continues to circle about, meeting the determined gaze of her opponent with a half-smile of her own -- and a nod she hopes come across as 'encouraging' and not 'condescending.' It might seem to Iris that she nods along with that quiet affirmation -- but the truth is, Chevy's a bit too far away to hear it. But then the incantation begins. Chevy starts to jog, then run. The puddle moves at her feet, outpacing her about a step and a half. As the first sword is thrown, she steps on the puddle -- and the puddle -explodes- upwards into a column of water, propelling her higher. Her next step would, similarly, find a column of water ready beneath it, with a third and fourth to follow after -- a decisive, high-stakes game of hopscotch where each step brings her a few inches closer to landing a decisive counterattack against the blade summoner! It might have looked really cool. COMBATSYS: Iris successfully hits Chevy with Laguz - Rain of Blades ES. It still does, just not in the way Chevy hoped. As the first sword impales her thigh. "Gnnngh!" She jacknifes forward, howling with pain. The rimefrost coating stanched the bleeding, at least. And the puddle's pattern is not continued. Chevy starts to fall. Vulnerable, she's hit dead on with the second knife, that strikes just south of her ribcage. A spear follows up, slamming right into her calf muscle -- its electricity forcing the muscles there to spasm. A fourth, a fifth, a sixth. The mace is seventh, its spiky mass clobbering her so hard it sends her body into a dizzying lengthwise spiral as she hurtles towards the mat. After that point, the other weapons are a sea of blurred madness as Chevy collides with the floor, splashing down right into the puddle that had been keeping pace with her all this time. Everything hurts now. The wounds aren't big and not as noticeable -- denim has a way of holding together when the blades are sharp and not dragged sideways -- but they're definitely there, as Chevy curls up, clamping her jaw shut to keep from screaming. It... yeah, it -hurts-. But, she reminds herself: this is just the beginning. Fights are going to be tougher from here on out -- the NFG dream ride can't and won't last forever. There are times to live in the moment -- and when the moment hurts too much, it's time to grasp for the future. Chevy rises in a spray of water, completely drenched. This is, of course, the moment a sizable contigent of her fanbase has been waiting for: her denim clings to her like a second skin, and her white, over-the-shoulder shirt is soaked through so thoroughly that the black lycra she wears underneath is now visible, as she clutches her pole in front of her. And the fierce look of determination she bears is now, in a word: serious. Not only that -- it seems to have begun to rain around her. This is not a fire suppression system going awry -- just a localized storm front, thoroughly deluging her in raindrops from above. The pool of water beneath her is not only growing-- but -churning- into an unsteady, wobbling donut shape, whirling around her like a raging maelstrom. "... I hope you ain't in a hurry for that boba tea. I think the tide's fixin' to roll in." Chevy winks back at Iris. The wounds may be bleeding -- but she's letting all that pain wash right off her. The fight's not over yet -- and she's getting ready to raise the stakes. COMBATSYS: Chevy gets ready to turn the tide! -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "So, you were saying about how Iris represents the ethos of the NFG and Team Metal." LOU: "Chaos and sharp objects. I mean, it seems on-brand." CARLY: "Oh, you two! Now, are you not entertained? See, Chevy gets up here and she's all the more fired up for surviving that little onslaught. These youngsters are capable of handling themselves." TOM: "Huh. I've just received word from our production team that a member of Team Metal has been hospitalized." CARLY: "Oh, that's unfortunate. What's happened, Tom?" TOM: "It might be more appropriate to talk about it later on, as it isn't Iris." LOU: "You're such a tease, Tom. Anyway, back to Iris and Chevy! This was one of our longer matches, mostly on account of Iris's tenacity." CARLY: "Oh God, seriously?" TOM: "You disagree, Carly?" CARLY: "No, sorry, I've just heard that news myself. Yes, this one was great to watch. A real back-and-forth between two fan favourites." LOU: "And Iris nearly pulled it out in the end. Chevy continues riding her wave though, one that'll put her up against one of her teammates from Team Thunder in the semis." TOM: "And we might as well go ahead and get into who that will be next!" (A link to the match VOD appears at the bottom of the screen: http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012320.shtml) (Continued in next post!)

-=*=- RUNDOWN: BUCK VERSUS ICHIKA -=*=- TOM: "So, this was the first time that the original gang from Team Thunder have had to truly go toe-to-toe in the competition." LOU: "Or toe-to-hoof, as it were." TOM: "I'm curious, Carly, if you expected when the teams were disbanded after Sunshine City, that Team Thunder would reemerge almost unchanged." CARLY: "We were surprised that none of the other teams tried to pick up any of the Thunder talent, but honestly, we were more surprised that Tamaki wasn't picked up again by Thunder when they had the opportunity. Of course, seeing how far Junko has progressed in the tournament..." LOU: "How do you feel that blowing up the teams worked out for the NFG as a whole?" CARLY: "Well, given that team morale reports seemed to be much higher, I stand by the decision. Thunder were obviously committed to remaining a unit, but the introduction of Junko certainly made things more interesting." TOM: "We've put together this little montage of the battle banter between Buck and Ichika to highlight how big of a role that team spirit played for Thunder." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- "You've always been a few steps ahead of me, Ichi." Most guys his age might be loathe to admit that to a young woman a handful of years their junior, but not Buck, instead he sounds admiring. "I don't care about the tournament right now. You're the mountain in my path." --- "The mountain." She repeats, quietly. "Haa... you've developed in so many ways, Buck. I, have worked to perfect what I already had. The Sword, honed as best I can make it. Against the Dragon, ever-shifting..." And then, suddenly, her voice raises - the katana, still out of its saya, is raised level with his chest. "COME, THEN!" She declares, to the roar of the crowd who know a good Ichika Speech when they hear one, "Together! We will surpass the top of the mountain! We will reach towards the Heavens themselves!" --- And he laughs, truly enjoying this. "We've come a long way from that hotel in Sunshine. Haven't we?" He reached up to grab the brim of his hat, adjusting how it sits on his head, then flicks the brim with his finger. "Together, then." Once more pounding his fist into the palm of his hand. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "So, has there been any investigation into the allegations that Chevy arranged to have Junko permanently scar Coco in their fight?" TOM: "Lou! I feel like that's a bit inappropriate. You could have at least waited for the Junko match." CARLY: "I agree, and I think we should keep the focus on these two for now." LOU: "Well, I thought it was relevant if we're discussing Thunder's 'team spirit.'" TOM: "They're best friends, not some kind of Mafia." LOU: "Best friends who break each other's stuff?" CARLY: "Boys, I know Lou's a Coco fan and Tom's a Chevy fan, but let's keep it to the match at hand. Let's see the next highlight package." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- He starts forward himself as Ichika comes at him, once more, he proves to be just not quick enough to get out of the way from the blow, and a line of crimson opens across his chest. But Ichika is right, he is the dragon, and they are relentless. So even as his blood spills he continues his forward momentum into Ichika's guard. It's not the first time he's taken a blow to try to sieze victory, and he knows it won't be the last. Even if the NFG ends for him here. A wince is all the blow draws from him, his mood is flying to high to give it more regard than he would a scratch. Lower, a furry rope snakes around by his feet, trying to wrap around Ichika's ankle. No, not a rope, a tail. Prehensile. And should it latch on, he tugs attempting to get Ichika off balance just enough to pull her defenses open so he can try to slip the sweeping right hook he throws past her guard for a solid blow. Ichika's smile returns with the laughter. That's Buck. Maybe she is a little melodramatic (or a lot melodramatic) but she is, absolutely, earnest. And so is he. Together, she has every confidence that they will advance - push forward into a better, brighter future. They can change the world. And they will. She has never been more sure of it than she is in this moment, with an arena full of people cheering. Inspired, by the display before them. This is what fighting should be all about! As Buck's tail comes into play, with Ichika already starting to rise into her strike, her sword is woefully out of position to stop it. But she doesn't have to. There is, suddenly, a brilliant blue shield of energy between the pair - a perfect dome which frustrates the tail, and which cracks under the impact of Buck's more forceful right hook. It takes the impact for her - and then she is rising through it in a glittering shower of sapphire sparkles. The punch lands, but it strikes the girl's shoulder as she soars upwards... COMBATSYS: Ichika interrupts Combo Grapple from Buck with Intercepting Strike. ..and it doesn't stop her from catching him in a single, perfect stroke to complete the X that her initial slash had painted across him. Not the usual corkscrew-slash that pushes herself beyond her boundaries and causes such terrible pain to use, but a far more considered blow. One that has the student completing a backwards flip, those heavy boots of hers landing with surprising grace. This exchange also completed, Ichika flicks the blood from her blade carefully, sheathes the gleaming metal once again... And waits. It was a telling blow, she knew that much, but he is, after all, the dragon... Buck let's out his loudest battle cry as he drives his fist into the bright blue shield, as if he can overcome it with sheer determination alone. The crack is satisfying, but his blow still doesn't land. He looks back up at Ichika just in time to take the second of the sword blows, driving him down to his knees. There's a moment of stillness, time slowing to a crawl as it looks like he's finally been taken to the ground. But Ichika is right, he's the dragon. Scales start to pop from his skin, mostly around the many cuts he now bears, staunching the blood and helping to hold the wounds together. Scales as crimson as the blood they are holding back. His chest expnds as he takes a deep and steadying breath, the first actual movement from him since his knee touched the mat, and then he raises his head, glowing yellow eyes fixing on Ichika. "We were interrupted last time.." He recalls, Peng You coming to end their sparring match when it reached this point. A pair of horns pierce his brow, making his hat tilt upwards, as his jaw extands into a draconian maw, which he opens wide. A reptilian cannon finding its trajectory to deliver one massive assault. If this is to be his end, so be it. He's going out with a literal blaze. The glow forms at the back of his throat, then with a rush the dragon flames explode from his maw, a brilliant blazing cone of chi and fire that roars across the arena in a scintillating wave of light. He rocks, looking like he's about to fall over, done. But then he plants his foot solidly on the arena floor, and pushes himself back to his feet. Even as his face regains his human countenance, the scales over his wounds remain, a hand coming up to brush some of the flaking dried blood away from the scarlet scales. Then the dragon, seemingly fallen sets himself against the sword of his would be slayer once again, his face breaking into a wide grin as he lets out a pained laugh. "I told you, I'm not gonna make this easy." -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- Tom and Lou each knock back their glasses of wine. CARLY: "What's this, boys? A little toast?" TOM: "Oh, ah..." LOU: "It's a little drinking game we like to play with the fans, ma'am. Buck said 'I'm not gonna make this easy.'" CARLY: "Oh, right. Salud." TOM: "Anyway, this one really cemented Team Thunder in the fans' psyche. It seems like Team Thunder will live on in spirit, regardless of whether the teams continue as they are." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #3 -=*=- Those bright eyes of hers might be a little dulled, but they are still very sharp indeed. And as she cheers and claps, Ichika's eyes find Chevy's among the crowd. And she smiles. The next step on this journey... funny, that it seems like one they've revisited so many countless times. And she raises her fist to the sky in a classic devil-horn salute! "THUNDER!" The crowd, of course, take it up. The word encompassing not just the victor, but the spectacle as a whole. Something that would not truly have been possible if all three members present hadn't spent so much time pushing each other further. "THUNDER! THUNDER! THUNDER!" -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "Weird how they didn't chant like that at the end of Junko's match last round." TOM: "I think they were mostly busy looking for the fire exits." CARLY: "Irregardless, we love to see that kind of passion from the fans. Obviously, a match between Team Thunder members was a big draw for the Thunder crowd. The fact that fans have aligned themselves with teams is a testament to the NFG's success." (A link to the match VOD appears at the bottom of the screen: http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012327.shtml) (Continued in next post!)

-=*=- RUNDOWN: KENZO VERSUS JUNKO -=*=- TOM: "Now, here we come to the crux of the issue that some viewers have had with the New Fighting Generation." LOU: "Not to mention some of the fighters." CARLY: "Ah, yes. The Kenzo vee Junko match." TOM: "Before we get to the ending, which was, of course, highly controversial, why don't we take a look at some of the in-match highlights?" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- Junko waits quietly while Kenzo takes his place. She hadn't been planning on saying much if anything before the fight. There isn't any point in pleasantries or pre-emptive apologies any more. Taking the time to warn Coco ahead of time hadn't done anything to spare the diva the fate that awaited her. And, after the irritating visit from her 'mentor', she is distinctly not in the mood for any more talking. There's only one reason for her to be here and it's to get this confrontation over with. Fortunately, her opponent seems to be of like mind. Whether he's just a naturally taciturn man or aware of the fruitlessness of trying to make conversation with the monster in front of him, the match starts off with nary a word spoken. Fine by her. As seems to be a running theme in this competition, her foe fights not with fists but some sort of weapon. As always, her blindness leaves her unaware of what to expect until the first blow is struck. Seeing Kenzo's arm move, she lifts one of her own up in a vague defensive gesture, not sure where the danger will come from or what shape it will take. The chain easily ensnares her around the wrist and with a sharp tug the slender girl finds herself stumbling haplessly forward. COMBATSYS: Junko endures Kenzo's Lightning Snare. Her jaw clenches as white hot pain lances through her nerves, electricity dancing across the surface of her skin in crackling bolts. The sickle carves into the girl as she attempts to regain her footing but she turns to the side at the last moment and the blade traces a thin line across her bicep instead of striking her in the vitals. Blood sprays across the cold metal and spills down her arm, crimson and black mixing on her pale skin. However, despite being caught off guard, the miko recovers remarkably quickly. Her feet spread into a wide stance as she whirls around, digging her bare heel into the surface of the padded mat. With a snarl of pain and fury, Junko lunges straight at the engineer, using the chain connecting her to his weapon to yank herself back at him with even greater ferocity. Scarlet flame blossoms around her hands as she slams them forward in tandem, attempting to smash the flat of her palms against his torso like a battering ram. The impact would bring with it a thunderous explosion, fire and force erupting directly into his body - or failing that, into the air he used to occupy with equally explosive results. When Junko lunges at him, Kenzo attempts to play it safe by trying to redirect the palms above him as he ducks low to send the force of both the explosion and the tandem palm strikes up and over him as he lets the chain go slack to allow to him to release her from the chain so he can give himself more options. COMBATSYS: Junko successfully hits Kenzo with Rengoku Sougekishou. - Power hit! - Upon impact, Kenzo gets knocked backwards flying backwards into one of the remaining ropes before rebounding and ending up in a roll that puts him in a less than ideal location of right where he was before she sent him flying in the first place. Kenzo gets back to his feet quickly though it causes him to hiss in pain. He'd rather not remain in a vulnerable position against someone who has a history of leaving locations and people wrecked. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "As we can see, this one kicked off to a violent start. And notably contrasting to her matches so far, a quiet one - neither of these two spoke for some time." LOU: "Well, you know what they say, Tom. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." TOM: "The silence did finally break down here, when it appeared that it might be the end of the match for Junko." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- Rage quickly floods her veins, pushing the pain aside. Molten fury swirls in her eyes as she whirls around with a scream, pushing off the ground at the same time into a wild lunge. Blackened fingers curl into grotesque claws as the girl closes the gap, the flesh melted and waxy with bits of bone protruding from the tips. She swipes her hands at Kenzo in a wide slash, attempting to hook her burnt fingers into his shoulder or neck and violently slam him onto the ground at her feet - presumably to put him in a better position for her to follow up with unpleasant things. The electro-ninja was starting to see the beginnings of exhaustion starting to affect the fiery miko and he decided that this was probably the best moment for him to drag her into deep waters. He can see the attack coming and knows that he has a decent chance of getting out of the way but he chooses to step into it because he doesn't want her to get away from him. The burning hands catch him but when she goes to slam him down, he's gone in a flash of lightning. COMBATSYS: Kenzo interrupts Enryuzan from Junko with Shocking Ambush. The nin-gineer reappears right behind Junko slipping the chain across her neck and running electricity through it as he strangles her with it like a garrote. To make it even harder to escape, he jams his knee into her back. After he's finished electro-strangling her, he releases it and then shoves her down to the ground. Once again the ninja proves himself worthy of the name. The miko's lunge finds brief purchase in her target's joint and she curls her claw-like fingers down as the power builds in her arms to hurl him to the floor. Instead, she's blinded by a sudden flare of heat as flesh is replaced with crackling lightning and the momentum she'd meant to impart into her vicious toss instead sees her stumbling like a fool. She doesn't get the chance to embarrass herself by tumbling face-first onto the floor, at least, though her rescue comes at an arguably worse cost. The chain bites into the soft flesh of her neck and tightens painfully cutting off the miko's breath with a strangled gasp. Salt is poured into the wound as fresh electricity surges into the metal links which in turns seeks the path of least resistance through her. Junko goes stiff as raw voltage tears through her, muscles seizing up with sudden painful spasms. She sputters incoherently as the surge of power courses through her brain, shattering her thoughts into a haze of chaotic white noise. The knee pressed into her back seems almost pointless as the slight girl offers effectively no resistance to the devastating sneak attack. When the buzzing running through her head comes to a merciful end, the miko drops to the mat like a sack of rice. For several seconds tiny spasms run through her battered body as she struggles to suck in ragged breaths. Pain grips her chest like icy claws as her heart struggles to find its rhythm again and even without sight she can feel her vision swimming in the disorientation. "Nnnrrgh..." Yet, despite being clearly at the end of her rope, the girl refuses to give up. Her fingers clench tightly, squeezing into tiny fists in an effort to control the spasms. She grits her teeth, sucking in a sharp breath as she tries to push herself off the floor with obvious difficulty. "Not yet..." A soft whisper, barely audible over the noise of the crowd and the buzzing in her brain. "Not... yet...!" It's obvious that to her that she, with her body, weak and frail and mortal, is unable to grasp victory on her own. But she's not alone, is she? Not any more. Never alone, never free from that damned burning spark in her chest. She can sense the demon in there, a writhing ball of fury and malice. Its hatred is a palpable force; for her, for mankind, for all of creation. But one thing it hates above all is being made a fool. "Suzaku!" Junko screams the name out loud, a desperate cry for aid. She gathers up all of the hate and pain that she feels, all of the suffering that she's endured to get to this point, and she gives it to the demon. She can't afford to fall here, not when she's so close to the goal. Otherwise what was the point? Everything she suffered, all of the pain she has inflicted on others, it will have been meaningless. Her soul is already damned. What's a little bit more sin on the pile? The call to her ethereal soul mate brings forth a deluge of flame. The miko's entire body is consumed in a sudden pyre of blinding scarlet fire. She screams in fear and agony as the corrupted power consumes her flesh, burning away the weakness and injuries, flooding it with unnatural power. Such power! Too much. She can't control it! Throwing her head back to the sky, Junko lets loose an ear-piercing shriek as the god-like energy surges forth and explodes. The detonation is catastrophic. Heat and force ripple outwards from the blazing avatar, shredding the entire platform as if it were made of matchsticks. Fire fills the stadium, roiling outwards in a tidal wave of neon red until it hits the force fields and turns in on itself like a blast furnace. For several long seconds the platform is obscured in the haze of fire and smoke, a curtain of destruction that leaves the fate of the two trapped within hidden from view. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Some of you may be wondering what 'Suzaku' means." LOU: "I thought it was just somethin' you shout, like 'Toolaroo' or 'Boogaloo.'" TOM: "Apparently it's a Japanese fire bird." LOU: "Oh, thanks for clearing that up, Tom. So, luckily we had the technology in place to protect the crowd from this doozy." CARLY: "Of course." TOM: "Now, what happened next is where it gets controversial." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #3 -=*=- Junko turns to face the ninja directly, staring at him like a hungry lion eyeing a freshly slain kill to feast on. Overhead the speakers blare excited words as the announcers declare victory, the massive hellish blast and Kenzo's final attempt to even the score having clearly taken his last reserves. But those words fall on deaf ears as the miko stalks forward with ominous intent, apparently keen on re-enacting the end of her last match. Djamila is going through all types of emotions. Next Junko has the upperhand. In the end, despite Kenzo's best efforts, she stays up, and he doesn't get back up. She has to admit, the fight is fair. It's now that she is worried she keeps her senses high. She's ready to come down in the ring. Not that what's left can really be called a ring at that point. And when she understands it's not going to end there, when somewhat her senses tell her, she grabs her staff and runs down there. Doesn't matter who or how many try to stop her. She doesn't care about her safety or much of anything else. She just wants to get that psychopath away from Kenzo. "Leave him alone right now! Or I swear I will take you out of the tournament here and now. You won, that's enough. Take the win, and fuck off!" She also doesn't care about her match with Hawksley. All that matters is to make sure what happened to Coco doesn't happen to Kenzo. "I've kicked your ass once. I can do it again. SO LEAVE HIM THE FUCK ALONE!" She runs toward her, despite how bad the terrain might be, despite how bad she might be. The wind is swirls around her. The ninja lays there as he watches Junko approaches. His gut is telling him that in spite of the fight being over that she is still heading his way with bad intentions. "The fight's over. Walk away. Or if you still planning to attack me, you might want to keep two things in mind." He shifts a bit as he pauses. Is he trying to get comfortable or is there another reason? "First, there's a precedent for removing people from the NFG for attacking a fallen opponent or do I have to remind you of Sayuri? You attack me, you either give me a free ticket to the next round or Djamila a bye. Especially after Djamila telling you and me giving you a warning. Oh, and by the way, my eyewear is streaming this to a drone nearby so there will be evidence elsewhere of knowingly attacking me when I'm down even if you literally try to melt my face off. " He shifts once more and back to the original position that he was in when he first fell. "That brings me to my second point. I suppose that if that first isn't enough to discourage you, continuing to attack me will put me on a long list of people who will make it their life's work to remove you so you better kill me the first time." Mint's been in the front row. It wouldn't be hard to recognize the dark-skinned Marine with the bomber jacket, hiding in plain sight, flanked by -two- gauntlets which make use of every square inch of their seat fabric. It's just that, well. Djamila and Kenzo had both beaten her to the punch when it comes to reactions. That, and Mint's short stature means that it isn't really even a -thing- when she leaps up out of her seat. But they're not even the -only- ones rising from their seats. It was easy to ignore the two Fulgore units positioned on either side of the stadium seating. They seemed like props, really -- motionless suits of armor, with only minimal, low-key lighting installed. But as soon as the battle droids detected that the contest had been officially resolved, it has become clear that a low profile is counterproductive to their primary objective. The Ultratech units rise slightly. Hydraulics whine, pistons hiss. But those crimson eyes are perhaps the most noticeable -- laser lights that cast a crimson light on every speck of dust or haze in their path as they scan through the crowd. The time from "offline" to "online" is roughly 1.2 seconds. Plasma blades unfurl from their forearms. And then the six-foot-six battleframes *SURGE* forward. The entire arena shudders from their synchronized charge. In mere moments, the Fulgore units' charging brings them to a halt just outside two of the ring's four corners. Concrete cracks, straining under the weight of the heavy Ultratech battleframes. Mechanical groaning and hissing can be heard as the heavily-armored warriors bring themr plasma blades to bear in an uncomfortably aggressive stance. If it comes to it -- the remaining ropes will be less useful against their blades than melted butter. But -- perhaps of most notice to Junko may be the heat signature. A very -large- heat signature, as each warrior project and focus a great deal of plasma from their chest receptacles: a temperature can best be expressed in a four-figure number. Their cybernetic voices will boom out in perfect unison, adding the weight of Ultratech threat to the two Team Metal fighters -- in stereo where available. "UNIT 'DAIDOJI JUNKO' WILL STAND DOWN IMMEDIATELY." -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Now, Junko did stand down when the Fulgore units came online, but I think a lot of fans are asking: why is Junko allowed to compete if security robots are needed to keep her in check?" CARLY: "Well, Tom, the Fulgore units were provided by Ultratech to keep everyone safe, both competitors and spectators. Even Junko herself. However, I will point out that they were a precaution. We don't know that Junko wouldn't have stood down anyway in their absence." LOU: "I mean, I love controversy as much as anyone, but even I wonder if Junko may have already cut one fighter's career short, and if it might happen again." CARLY: "I believe that Constance will be making a recovery, Lou, and as you can see, Kenzo is just fine." TOM: "Was just fine, you mean." CARLY: "Dammit..." (A link to the match VOD appears at the bottom of the screen: http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012321.shtml) (Continued in next post!)

-=*=- RUNDOWN: DJAMILA VERSUS HAWKSLEY -=*=- TOM: "So, I can provide an update on the hospitalization mentioned earlier. The fighter in care is none other than Kenzo Kuroiwa." LOU: "Wow! And how'd that happen? Appendicitis?" TOM: "Actually, it appears that he was beaten unconscious by Djamila in Metal HQ." LOU: "Oof. Lover's quarrel?" TOM: "Metal have put out a statement saying that it was a routine training accident." LOU: "Are hospitalizations routine in Metal training?" CARLY: "My understanding is that it was simply a case of two young fighters testing their limits and pushing too far." TOM: "It seems to just be a matter of unfortunate timing in that we're currently trying to set the record straight on the NFG's commitment to safety." LOU: "Well, why don't we go ahead and look at what happened in the match between Djamila and Hawksley?" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- "I intend to give you a run for your money and then some Hawksley. It will be fun because I know you will also give it your all." Djamila grins a bit. If Hawksley knew Djamila's thoughts and feelings, he wouldn't blame her for not wanting to get burned. The fact he fights with fire has been on his own mind after the events of late. He isn't actually angry with Junko for using her abilities though, that's a matter for the New Fighting Generation authorities to decide, it's more how she gloated about it afterwards. Pushing these ponderings aside to focus on his performance, the Irish Inferno braces himself for the stripper's staff skills. The show is impressive but he's not looking to buy a ticket. He tenses his lower limbs, meaning that even though he's grabbed, Djamila is not able to send him off balance. "Of course I'll give it my all" he responds to her. "You know me well enough by now." A grin appears on his face. "Oh, are you trying to play the en eff gee drinking game? If you are, I reckon we just made Tom and Lou have to drink a couple of shots." -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- Tom and Lou are seen pouring themselves fresh shots after downing one each. LOU: "He's not wrong." CARLY: "I think I'll join the two of you." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- Despite taking a bit of a beating, the Blaze brawler is still very much in the zone. As he clenches his fists, they set alight. Holding them aloft, he then crouches down. Is he perhaps taking another breather? Apparently not, as he's soon leaping into the air, launching himself high and looking to land an uppercut on Djamila's jaw. Djamila's senses are still on high alert. Even as Hawksley has to pick himself off the floor. She knows he has more under his sleeves or lack thereof. He is indeed back up, and she can feel the fire. Hawksley is upping his game. His fists are on fire. Does she really want to counter this? No, she would rather just not be there, all things considered. When Hawksley jumps toward her, she slides herself under, with the help of her staff, which she disconnects at the last moment to take with her, sliding just below Hawksley's athletic form. No uppercut that might burn her and send her to the roof of the arena. She had the experience of getting hit so hard that she would hit the ceiling of Blaze's gym, and she didn't want to repeat that anywhere else. COMBATSYS: Djamila dodges Hawksley's Shining Light ES. She then gets back up, and as Hawksley presumably lands, her staff is already down, and she's up on it. She tends inverses herself on it holding herself by her legs, and lets herself slide down until her extended left hand touches the ground. She releases her staff, and with her hand holding her up, she kicks toward the back of Hawksley's head if she can before flipping herself back on her feet. At least, that's the plan. Right now, though, she's not teasing Hawksley or anything, just doing her best. His uppercut doesn't hit its target. There could be excuses given for this. Hawksley's heart isn't in it because of circumstances outside the ring or he's woozy from the head injury that Djamila inflicted earlier. The truth is though, that the dancer is just too fast on her feet for him to hit her and he's never been a sore loser. Not that he's quite out for the count yet. When he sees her climbing on her staff again, the Eire lad is eager not to be attacked by any more of her agile antics. He rushes towards her, intending to try and headbutt her again. COMBATSYS: Hawksley fails to interrupt Cross Knee Release EX from Djamila with Numbskull. Alas, the kick connects with the man before he can gain momentum and he falls backwards, landing on his denim clad butt. "You really want this don't you?" he asks, in a case of stating the bleeding obvious. "Well come on then, Djamila. How about you try and finish me off?" He forces himself to his feet and if she was able to look at him, he'd be staring her down right now, his dark eyes full of intensity. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- CARLY: "Do we drink when one of them tells the other to finish them off?" TOM: "Not usually. That one hasn't come up a lot, surprisingly." CARLY: "Well, I'm adding another one to the game." LOU: "Fair enough." TOM: "Salud." LOU: "So, was there anything else you wanted to discuss before we roll the trailer for the semis?" CARLY: "Oh great, just what we need. Now they've rolled a semi trailer? I'm goin' back to mah office..." (A link to the match VOD appears at the bottom of the screen: http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012313.shtml) (Continued in next post!)