Match of the Millennium

The video begins with a dark screen that slowly fills with electric blue lines as a subtle dramatic musical swell rises. Finally, the lines connect and swivel to reveal a stylized new version of the NFG logo, before the number 2.0 draws itself on the screen to the right of it, and the NFG theme starts to play. More words flicker into view beneath the logo, resulting in: //NFG 2.0:\\ -==WORLD TOUR==- ODYSSEY: ROUND 1 As the New Fighting Generation theme song kicks in, the view zooms out to show the logo on a screen between perennial NFG commentators Tom and Lou. TOM: "Welcome back, ladies, gentlemen, and all of our other friends, to NFG two point oh World Tour Odyssey Round One!" LOU: "Now, that's a mouthful. Do you think they'll just keep tacking on more random words for every iteration of the NFG?" TOM: "It's kind of the standard in the fighting entertainment industry, isn't it? Anyway, we're here to showcase the upcoming stops for the Mermaid on our Odyssey!" LOU: "Yep! But first, let's take a look at the latest gossip!" TOM: "Let's!" The screen changes to show a zoomed-out shot of the atrium of the Mermaid with a congregation of multiple NFG newcomers and a few of the returning fighters. There appear to be multiple conversations going on, and one gold-clad girl appears to have just fallen over and is being helped up by others. TOM: "The NFG nearly suffered its first casualty of the second season before the fighting had officially even started." LOU: "Oooh! Did somebody get hit with a stray hadouken?" TOM: "Nope. It was..." The screen changes to show a video clip of someone being carried down one of the corridors on a stretcher by a heavyset middle-aged man and a young porter. When the bronze-haired young lady on the stretcher turns over, it's revealed that she's just sound asleep. TOM: "Chocolate." LOU: "Oof. We've all been there, Tom." TOM: "Apparently dragons can't handle their chocolate, Lou. Luckily, after flying three laps around the ship, Tanwen ended up sleeping it off peacefully." LOU: "And if anyone wants to see what led to that, or how Roxana ended up ass-over-kettle, we've got highlight footage available on our website!" (A link to the footage appears below: http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012360.shtml) TOM: "And without further ado, here's our card for the first round of Odyssey, brought to you by Professional Fighting Worldwide!" (Continued in next post!)

Albert and Tanwen IN: "Ritual Sacrifice? Already?!" (Greece - Thebes - Ruins of The Cadmea) Albert plays Agamemnon, who accidentally killed the wrong deer and has been asked to kill his own daughter by Artemis as punishment. Tanwen, in a pair of fake antlers, gets to do what Iphigenia couldn't and fight back! NOTE: Nobody is to be sacrificed. TOM: "Just to reiterate, no one is going to be ritually sacrificed on live broadcast to appease the gods." LOU: "It probably works better if we don't make those kinds of promises, Tom. What I'm trying to figure out is if the Welsh gal is supposed to be the deer or Albert's daughter." TOM: "She's a deer-agon, obviously." LOU: "That's terrible, Tom. Regardless, we get to see a so-called knight fight a so-called dragon atop the overgrown ruins of an ancient Greek fortress." TOM: "We'll see just how much of a knight Albert really is -" LOU: "- and just how much of a dragon this Tanwen really is." Coco and Hawksley IN: "[Don't?] Call Me Beautiful" (Turkey - Hisarlik) It's the invincible Achilles versus the amazonian Penthesilea in a little bit of NFG matchmaking. Sure, Achilles fell in love with the queen of the Amazons, but only after he'd killed her. TOM: "It'll be interesting to see Constance Coalbridge return to action after the disastrous events that led to her disfiguration at the end of last season." LOU: "At least they had the taste to cast her as a pharmaceutical product instead of one of the Gorgons or something." TOM: "It's Penthesilea, Lou, not - actually, it does kinda sound like a pharmaceutical product." LOU: "I wanna see how Hawchilles will handle getting told to fight the girlfriend he's probably been trying to console since Christmas." TOM: "Well, he's been on a European tour, and rumours have been flying around the net, so maybe Miss Coalbridge will be the one with a score to settle." LOU: "I'm expecting some real sparks to fly here. A great way to spend a Valentine's Day." Buford and Braun IN: "Caught You Lion There" (Greece - Attica Zoological Park) The Nemean Lion was one of Hercules' labors, and its golden fur was said to be impervious to weapons. Is it impervious to... chicken tenders or vape juice, though? We shall see, won't we? TOM: "In this competition, one of our most powerful fighters takes on the role of one of myth's most powerful figures." LOU: "And by most powerful fighters, he's talking about the smell." TOM: "I was actually referring to Braun, not Buford." LOU: "So was I. You ever smelled a sweaty lion?" TOM: "I can't say I have, Lou. I prefer to keep them at a safe distance, but in the African Savannah exhibit at the Attica Zoo, Buford won't have that choice." LOU: "And neither will Braun. I'd say no animals will be harmed in the making of this match, but it's Buford and Braun. One of 'em's gonna have to take a hit sooner or later." (Continued in next post!)

Kahuna and Max IN: "Full Lotus-Eater" (Tunisia - Djerba) The lotus-eaters lived on an isolated island where they indulged in the fruit of a lotus that induced amnesia. Kahuna seems a little spacey and he loves the island waves, but this seems a little self-indulgent, right?! What are the writers thinking? Oh and Max is here. Takes place on an island, obviously. TOM: "So, we've got our brand new cat-girl facing off against our brand-new... surfing... turtle... person?" LOU: "Cowabunga, dude. Weren't you a kid in the eighties? Didn't you watch TV? I thought you'd be more excited than me, here." TOM: "I would be, Lou, but I'm not sure what My Little Pony has to do with it. Wouldn't that be more appropriate for the next match?" LOU: "Okay, okay. So, we've got the classic story of Odysseus and the Lotus Eaters. Kahuna just wants her to chill out, but Odysseus Maximus has the zoomies. My money's on the Type A Tigra." TOM: "I'll go with the Turtle. I feel like mythology tends to go their way. Slow and steady wins the race." LOU: "That has literally never happened in real life, Tom. You know how you win a race? By being the fastest. Or maybe throwing an apple." Kenzo and Buck IN: "If It Weren't For My Horse" (Turkey - Hisarlik) Kenzo has used his techno ninja skills to sneak into Troy inside a robot horse full of useful gadgets. He didn't count on notorious shapeshifter Buck-Zeus showing up in his many different forms to show his support to the Trojans and thwart his plans. TOM: "I feel like the King of the Gods showing up to defend Troy against the equine infiltration strategy is taking some liberties with legend." LOU: "They wouldn't be legends if liberties weren't taken in the first place, Tom. Personally, I think adding ninjas battling gods adds some spice to any mythology." TOM: "This one's a rematch from last year's Sunshine City, but instead of a car dealership, they'll be facing off in, on, or around a giant robot horse." LOU: "It was a close one last time, and from what I can tell, Kenzo's been improving ever since." TOM: "On the other hand, he did suffer that debilitating injury." LOU: "Oh yeah, that ~training injury.~ Look, Tom, Kenzo definitely got the short end of the stick - I mean - well, let's just say, if he's back in the competition, he's probably got somethin' to prove." Ishida and Henry IN: "I Want a Rock To Tie My Opponent's Face Around" Supposedly, Ajax took on Hector using a lot of rocks. One supposes punches with the solidity of rocks are almost as good, though they aren't great throwing weapons unless you're a robot. Ishida Rocket Paaaaaaaaaanchi! TOM: "Ishida named Henry as his choice of rival in the interview he gave ahead of the season. Let's see if this fight between them can develop that friction further." LOU: "I have a feeling this potential rivalry is about to get off to a rocky start, Tom." TOM: "The two lads will be fighting on a campsite. That will be convenient if one of them needs a post match lie-down." LOU: "I hear Henry is used to the celebrity lifestyle. As pleasant as this campsite is, it will still feel like slumming it by his standards." TOM: "He's from a family of stunt-people. I'm sure he's tough enough to be able to rough it in a tent." LOU: "Did I ever tell you about that night I had in a tent back in the nineties?" (Continued in next post!)

Roxana and Arisa IN: "Like Night and Day" (Greece - Ioannina) A demon hunter and a Gear, the light and the dark. Just like Helios and Selene, the gods of the sun and moon, who run the heavens on chariots. So why not have these two fight on a chariot-driven platform speeding through the streets of Troy? TOM: "This one sees a battle of light and dark and we aren't just talking about hair colour, Lou." LOU: "Although it might settle the eternal debate about who is hotter between brunettes and blondes." TOM: "That's a stupid thing to be discussing, Lou. Obviously the answer is redheads." LOU: "This match is sure to be full of thrills and spills with the action taking place on board a chariot. The New Fighting Generation has a reputation for terrific fights when it comes to transport. If it's half the match that Buford versus Brian Storm was last season, we'll be in for a treat." TOM: "My money is on Arisa here. Those Texan girls are tough and she's got herself a gun." LOU: "I vote for Roxana. She's definitely got a sting in her tail." Xander and Skye IN: "The Original Wrestlemania" (Greece - The Parthenon) Antaeus was a wrestler of myth who had a totally unbroken victory streak... right up until Heracles took him out as another of the Labors. Will Xandercles manage to replicate this heroic feat, or will Skyetaeus put him on the mat for good? FEATURING: Greek cosplay in the ring and color commentary by the Furies! TOM: "I can't help admire the young Dutchman. Did you hear about the speech he gave on The Mermaid, considering the welfare of all his fellow competitors? Talk about a team player." LOU: "He sounds like someone who worries too much to me, Tom. I'm putting my support behind the lovely Skye, who's representing the world of wrestling this season." TOM: "Surely she can't be as amazing as Brian Storm." LOU: "I've got a good feeling about her. Their names are even similar. Storm, Skye. It's all nature, Tom." TOM: "We're also promised cosplay and commentary." LOU: "It's my pick of the card for this round, Tom. Let's hope it lives up to my hype." Rodrigo and Homura IN: "Maze You Live In Interesting Times" (Crete - Ruins of Knossos) The hero Theseus (played by real-life almost-bull-fighter Rodrigo) was supposed to slay the Minotaur and be guided out of the labyrinth of Minos with the help of a golden thread. Instead, it turns out that it's a ninja trick leading to an ambush by Homura in the heart of the maze. TOM: "What an interesting young man Rodrigo is. Did you know he almost became a matador?" LOU: "I figure that's why they have Homura playing the bull in this round, Tom." TOM: "That does make sense. Homura for me seems like the most mysterious of our new batch of fighters. What do you make of him, Lou?" LOU: "His interview responses were somewhat cryptic. I have a feeling he's somewhat of an enigma and they are always intriguing to watch. Once fighters get in the ring, there's a lot less places to hide." TOM: "Unless you're a ninja like Kenzo, who Homura picked as his favourite fighter of last season." LOU: "Well my favourite here is Homura. I'm predicting him to get the win. Unless Rodrigo brings a cape and then all bets are off." (Continued in next post!)

Hated R and Chevy IN: "Lethe We Forget" (Greece - River Acheron) Orpheus, one of the most famous musicians in Greek myth, once went to Hades itself looking to get his love Eurydice back. Supposedly his music soothed Hades into letting them leave, but what if instead of James Woods, Hades was a Carolinean pig farmer who was far harder to convince?! FEATURING Chevelle Beaumont as Charon, Ferryman of the Damned, ready to drag Hated Orpheus back into the river of Hell. TOM: "Now this is a match I'm looking forward to." LOU: "Yes, you are quite the Chevy fan aren't you, Tom?" TOM: "She is a fantastic fighter and a lovely young woman but I'm just as excited to see Hated R. Skye may be the wrestler in the bunch but Hated R is where Storm's spirit of silliness truly lives on." LOU: "I couldn't agree more and my heart is definitely with Hated here. My head has to call it as a win for Chevy though." TOM: "I agree, Lou. Chevy is the clear favourite here but the real winner will be entertainment." LOU: "I can't argue with that, Tom. After all, that's what we're all here for. Well, that and the money." Sarah and Genie and Zarine IN: "An Apple A Day" (Turkey - Mount Ida) Who knew that one apple could cause so much aggro? Zaphrodite, Sa-Hera and Athe-nie meet at a sacred spring to fight for the right to be named the fairest in the pantheon by claiming the golden fruit. Sponsored by Apple and Discord. TOM: "What a way to finish the card off - with a three-way." LOU: "Speaking of three-ways. Did I ever tell you about that time in the nineties when..." TOM: "Yes, many times, Lou and I don't think we want to repeat it here." LOU: "I always enjoy seeing three girls go at each other with all their energy." TOM: "It should be a formidable fight and all in the name of fairness and fruit. Such wholesome things to focus on." LOU: "I don't think it's fairness as in fair play, Tom. They're fighting to see who's the hottest." TOM: "Well, it might be a bit colder than they're expecting. Even the Mediterranean can be a bit chilly this time of year." (Additional information in next post!)

Greetings, doodz! You can now begin your first round matches of Season 2! Stages named in the match descriptions can be found by typing stage/list NFG, other than Crete - Ruins of Knossos and Greece - The Parthenon which can both be found by typing stage/list Greece. Matches are due for END OF DAY, SUNDAY MARCH 3RD. I'm giving a little longer than last season, due to some players having two matches to complete. As before, there will be NO extensions given past the deadline. Please contact me by @mail or on Discord if you've yet to have contact with your oppponent/s by Sunday February 18th. If a match is in progress but isn't finished in time, the result will be counted as a DRAW. If a match hasn't started, it will be considered not to have happened for one reason or another (to be discussed with me) and will not be worth any points. Three points will be given for a win, two for a draw and one for a loss. In the case of the three person match, the winner will receive three points, the runner-up two and the fighter to finish last will get one. Thanks to Parasoul's player for creating the Odyssey theme and for the match-ups and match descriptions! Thanks to Rafferty's player for stage creation and support with match rundowns!