Match of the Millennium

-== RECORDING #16, PEAK, ZACK VOLCANO, 3:30 PM ==- In the final moments of the confrontation atop the volcano, the heroes lie strewn about the caldera, most unable to fight on through their injuries. Only Suzaku, ascended to demonic form but faltering after the devastating battle against her six foes, and the diminutive dragon girl Tanwen remain standing. "This confrontation has but displayed the limitations of this cursed union of the divine and the mundane. I will seek even greater power, consume more of your pitiful souls. And at the end of all things, it will be I who casts the final judgement." Suzaku's hand stretches out towards the prostrate adept, the obsidian claws curling into a tight fist that will one day crush the very world itself beneath her rage. "If it takes me all of eternity to succeed, I -will- have my vengeance!" There is an opportunity to speak, as the proverbial mic is handed to her. And Chevy just opens her eyes with an apologetic half-smile. "Bless your heart." The redhead feels that Suzaku either believes every word that's being said -- or wants Chevy to believe it. But not only is that not happening -- but the battle-ravaged fighter doesn't have the energy to lodge a significant protest. She demonstrates that by raising her hands towards her throat, mimicking the choke-hold Suzaku had her in mere minutes ago. "If that's what you wanna do, uh. Good luck with that." Chevy's brow furrows, as she looks over to see Tanwen. Charging, full-tilt, at the opponent. Her eyes open wide with alarm. "What in the h--" Ironically, those three little words end up saving Chevy's life. "Let her have it, Tan," Hawksley expresses encouragement. "I'll buy you a pint if you do." Driven to madness by her focus on the water bender, the world around the enraged phoenix ceases to exist. She doesn't even notice the words of the Irishman that foolishly give away the quiet approach of his scaly comrade. Chevy's wide-eyed shock is mistaken as a response to her impending destruction. Only at the very last moment does she realize that something is amiss even as the tiny battering ram slams squarely into her midsection. A beam of blazing scarlet fire rips through the air as wyrmling and demon collide. The impact throws off Suzaku's aim, the last of her energies ripping past Chevy by a few feet before whipping wildly across the sky like the world's most deadly laser search light. Almost seeming to move in slow motion, the demon rockets backwards across the caldera, snarling and screaming in impotent rage before vanishing over the edge of the fissure at the volcano's center. For several long seconds a heavy silence hangs over the battlefield, even the wind dying down as if Fujin himself is holding his breath to see what transpires next. The answer comes as the volcano lets out a violent rumble that shakes the entire island. Red hot magma erupts into the sky in a billowing pyroclastic cloud that rapidly begins to darken the blood-red skies to an ugly ashen black. After several moments Suzaku shows no signs of reappearing but nor does the volcano appear to be calming down either. All around the island the barrier of flame that had, until only moments ago continued to burn, flickers and begins to fade away. Finally, they are free of the deadly trap! Of course, that hard won victory will prove meaningless if they are all consumed by the now active volcano's angry reprisal. Time to go - and fast! "You should have had a cup of tea, you should have," Tanwen says as she gazes into the volcano's maw. She turns her head to Hawksley. "I'd love a pint, I would." As if to remind everyone that this is no time for tea or pints, the volcano belches up another wave of smoke. "We've gotta get outta here!" Lou says. The nearby Jeep has already been reduced to scenery by an earlier blast of heat. Lou holds up a walkie-talkie and yells into it. "Tom! Where are you guys?!" A honking horn cuts through the din as Tom pulls up over the crest of the mountain in the other Jeep, apparently empty. "Oh, thank Chri - hey, where's everybody else?!" -== RECORDING TERMINATED ==- -----------------------------------MEANWHILE------------------------------------ The fighters in the laboratory beneath the volcano face a scene of perhaps even greater carnage in the aftermath of their battle with the rogue science director Atticus Blaine and his menagerie of mutant horrors and undead personnel, now reduced to so much biomatter splattered around the chamber. Buck is the only one left standing - if only barely - as the rest slowly gather themselves. Miraculously, the Gear Max is able to deceive the facility's artificial intelligence through vocal emulation. "Imogen. Cease all production of bioweapons within the facility immediately. And lift the lockdown, opening only the doors between this office and the nearest exit. I don't want any of our unruly guests getting in the way of evacuation." << Doctor Atticus Blaine, your status has been set to 'Deceased.' Updating to 'Available' now. >> "What? No way!" Coco expresses her wonder weakly. << Terminating all current bioweapon projects. ...No projects currently in progress. Unlocking all doors en route to nearest exit. Your nearest evacuation point is: Rear Security Deployment Zone. >> The entire facility trembles once more as the lights on the door to the laboratory turn green. << Please follow the indicator lights to Rear Security Deployment Zone. >> "Oh, sweet. Let's go, guys!" Coco says as she starts limping toward the doorway. Before she can get there, though, the door slides open - revealing the towering figure of Omega Zack standing in the exit. "Hey, it opened! Funkalicious!" the statuesque, souped-up table-turner says as he steps into the chamber, adjusting his sunglasses before frowning. "Damn. Did somebody put tomato soup in the microwave? I was wondering where J.D. went..." He crinkles his nose. "Anyway, any of you sexy babies need a hand gettin' out of here?" he asks, offering his musclebound arms, the cuts and scrapes of his previous battles having faded enough to leave him looking fresher than the fighters who've just shared the ordeal of Atticus' final hour. And by the way that he's looking at everyone, 'sexy babies' seems to be his 'select all' term of address. Soon, Omega Zack and the fighters below are making their way through the emergency-lit corridors of the PrimoGen facility, following the indicators to the nearest exit. "So, are you, like, the ultimate Zack clone, then?" asks Coco as she piggybacks atop the ultra-Zack. "What do you mean, clone?" Zack asks, raising an eyebrow. "I'm the real deal, baby! That serum Lisa cooked up is craaazy. Isn't that right, Imogen?" << Confirmed. Subject 'Zack' has thus far responded positively to the effects of the Omega Serum. Clones previously used as test subjects have proven unsuccessful. It appears that an unknown factor in the cloning process causes a negative reaction to the Serum. Doctor Hamilton has hypothesized that the Serum is only viable when administered to naturally-born patients. >> "Thanks, shitty Alexa," Coco says, before fainting as she realises that she's being rescued by the actual Zack. Soon, the ragged, fleeing group passes through the exit doors of a rear entrance to the facility to find a hidden helipad. A helicopter can be seen retreating just as the wall of fire around the island comes down, but who's on board can't be ascertained. Fortunately, there's a Jeep with the keys conveniently left in the ignition to one side of the helipad.

Lava begins to flow and ash fills the sky as the wrath of Suzaku spills over the caldera. Yet, even as it does, storm clouds gather above, shot through with soot from the atmosphere. The elements clash as water and wind drive down against the burning earth like an emergency sprinkler for the ill-fated island. The surface of the island will be forever scarred by the overflowing fissures surrounding Zack Volcano, but as two Jeeps jam-packed with NFG competitors retreat to the relative safety of the beach resort on the other side, a double rainbow forms overhead. The PrimoGen facility is soon buried under hundreds of tonnes of molten rock, effectively obliterating any local trace of the biotech firm's activities aside from the deceased specimens around the island and dozens of pieces of surveillance equipment now offline. While much of the island remains mercifully intact in the wake of the storm and eruption, the island is deemed unsafe for habitation. While the standings of the tournament that has been held will be honoured by Professional Fighting Worldwide, guest bookings for the resort are cancelled en masse. At least one holiday insurance company declares itself bankrupt as a result. An investigation will soon be launched by Professional Fighting Worldwide, with the support of Interpol, into the circumstances surrounding the stranding of its members on Isla Zaca. However, as no other legal authority has jurisdiction over the island, the ability to prosecute those responsible - by neglect or by intent - may be limited. For now, the show must go on, and the Season 2 Finals loom ahead. The question remains: have the malevolent forces on Isla Zaca been quelled and contained, or has this merely been the beginning of greater threats to mankind?