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: RESULTS As the New Fighting Generation theme song kicks in, the view zooms out to show the logo on a screen between returning 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 Three Rundowns!" LOU: "It's great to be back with you all and as usual we've got some thrilling fights and hot gossip to share." TOM: "That's right, Lou, and our most talked-about fighter this week has been Rodrigo. For the second round in a row he's got tongues wagging and fingers typing after fighting a female competitor." LOU: "It seems the sexy Spaniard's fans have been turning as green as Nixie after Roxana and Tanwen both got up close and personal with their pin-up." TOM: "In fairness, it would be hard to fight him without doing so, Lou." LOU: "I'd say he's turning into this season's Hawksley Moore." TOM: "Hawksley is still in the the competition this season, Lou." LOU: "Yeah, but he's pretty much off the market, Tom. Rodrigo is still single, which will be great news to all the girls out there." TOM: "Not just the girls, Lou." LOU: "In other news, we can now exclusively reveal the NFG's latest recruit, whose hype video is dropping... now." (Continued in the next post!)

TOM: "I can't wait to see him in action." LOU: "Me neither, Tom, but for now we will have to. Let's take a look at the standings." The screen displays the returning fighters' scores: ================================ Returner NFGP =============================== Kenzo - 9 Points Coco - 8 Points Hawksley - 8 Points Braun - 8 Points Chevy - 7 Points Zarine - 6 Points Buck - 5 Points Buford - 4 Points Genie - 4 Points Sarah - 3 Points Iris - 2 Points Hated R - 2 Points TOM: "Kenzo continues to top the leader board for the returning fighters with a flawless record, but Coco, Hawksley and Braun are all breathing down his neck." LOU: "Meanwhile Iris and Hated R share the unenviable position of bottom of the pile. Although both those fighters have missed matches." The table then flips around to show the new fighters' scores: ================================= Newbie NFGP ================================ Roxana - 9 Points Max - 7 Points Henry - 7 Points Albert - 7 Points Rodrigo - 7 Points Xander - 7 Points Tanwen - 5 Points Ishida - 5 Points Skye - 4 points Homura - 4 Points Kahuna - 3 Points Arisa - 2 Points TOM: "Roxana manages to make it three out of three for a maxiumum of nine points. Meanwhile, we have a five-way tie for second place at seven points." LOU: "And Kahuna and Arisa bring up the rear. Let's hope for a return from both those fighters in future rounds." TOM: "So, that makes Kenzo and Roxana our clear winners of the Odyssey." LOU: "What do they win, Tom?" TOM: "A Mediterranean cruise on a luxury ship, Lou." LOU: "Natch." (Continued in the next post!)

-==RODRIGO=- versus -==TANWEN==- TOM: "What a strange fight this was, Lou." LOU: "No kidding, Tom. We had a tiny dragon, a naked woman and frenzied fans." TOM: "Not to mention Rodrigo's stylish and skilled showmanship." LOU: "Indeed so, Tom. Which we can see in the following footage." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- Rodrigo feels his blade get turned aside and lets his wrist relax enough to let blade go with it and then pull back in order to prepare for his next assault. As Tanwen leaps away in an attempt to disengage, Rodrigo allows himself a moment to smirk before he takes to the air in pursuit, slashing upwards with his blade. Tanwen's tail ends up striking his reinforced cape, not through any intentional guard, but rather by luck of having his arm in the right place at the right time. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "He seems to have a real air of confidence, Lou. Of course, it was the chemistry between the two competitors that has had Hitter users Beating like crazy." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- With that information shared, she suddenly drives her head forward into Rodrigo's sternum, her hardened skull supported by the curled horns to assist in knocking the pseudo-matador backward onto the ground. What would normally have been a forward scramble to dominantly mount her foe instead turns into a flailing topple as the entrapping cape tugs Tanwen forward with Rodrigo. She ends up falling face-to-face on top of him in a compromising sprawl, her legs splayed to either side. Her cheeks turn even redder, nearly matching Rodrigo's cape by now. "Sorry! I didn't mean for this attack to be so romantic! Oh, dear. I'm bleeding all over you, I am," she squeaks out, her eyes turning down to where red is seeping from the wound to her midsection and through the cut in her dress. She finally manages to wiggle herself free from the cape by releasing her shield and pulling her arm through without it, then snatches the buckler as she hastily climbs back up to her feet. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "As we discussed earlier, Tanwen has faced trolling from jealous Rodrigo fans. The following clip - which we've of course censored - could be the main reason why." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #3 -=*=- At least until, a few dozen feet above Rodrigo's head and with course locked in, the miniature dragon suddenly swells and shifts back into the shape of the bronze-haired girl, adding over a hundred pounds of weight of gravitational propulsion behind the blunted blade now clasped in her hands and feet as she aims to fall right on top of Rodrigo. And, yes - to the chagrin of Rodrigo's fan club and Winn alike, Tanwen's clothes are still lying in a pile off to one side. They'll have to hold a competition to decide who is the most angry about it. Rodrigo stomps the ground and begins to dance and spin around fiery barrage in a display agility and beauty as each blast of fire hits the ground. It is then when a sudden naked, bleeding, draconic woman descends upon him sword first. Rodrigo just nopes out of there managing to leap out of the range of the short sword with the grace he previously had shown temporarily abandoned. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Security had their work cut out at the end of the match, Lou. Despite their dreamboat winning his match, Rodrigo's fans stormed the stage." LOU: "To see that and the full fight in all it's weird and wonderful glory, check out the link." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012400.shtml# (Continued in the next post!)

-==CHEVY=- versus -==COCO==- TOM: "This is the one we've all been waiting for, Lou. Despite all the new and exciting fighters we have in the NFG, most of the fans have been talking about this fight." LOU: "That's right, Tom. This is a rivalry even more fierce than that between Buford and Kenzo. One that over the months has involved a love triangle, a kick to the ribs and accusations of sabotage involving strawberry shortcake." TOM: "As discussed on the last broadcast, things have thawed between the two women in recent times and some people were concerned this would lessen the intensity." LOU: "Which very much wasn't the case, Tom. Take a look at this clip." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- NFG staff array themselves at a distance as Coco throws down the proverbial gauntlet. Chevy grins confidently, twirling her staff about a finger. She's been dreaming about this fight ever since the start of last season's finals -- a seemingly never-ending drama gifted with a miraculously happy ending. She's -ready-. Or so she -thought-. For the one fear she hadn't conquered rears its ugly head. Make that: four ugly heads. She never did get the hang of snakes. It was easy to dismiss them as rubbery props. But when Coco's eye contact pierces through -- they spring to life in the periphery. And once that mental image takes hold, Chevy's resolve shatters apart like a brittle sheet of ice struck by a hammer. The pole is raised in defense, but the confidence to wield it withers. Fear is a toxic poison that rushes through her veins. She misses the critical juncture to slam the pole into Coco's outstretched arms, and finds herself trapped within Coalbridge's grasp. Pulled ever closer to the snapping teeth of a snake den. Chevy's imagination takes over. She lets out a bloodcurdling scream. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Chevy is of course scared of snakes, Lou. She couldn't even watch her boyfriend Buck in his last match when he tried to pull off a snake attack." LOU: "We all have our sensitivities, Tom. Coco wasn't happy at all here." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- Then, Chevy makes her comment about hogs getting kick-y when dressed up in costumes. At first, Coco just pictures a little piggy dressed up in a Napoleon tricorne like the one she bought for Morgie the other day. "That sounds adora-" Then, she imagines the little piggy doing a Muay Thai kick. "-YOU WHAT!!" Suddenly scowling, Coco bends her upper body over Chevy's pole as she sweeps it toward Coco's lower body, letting herself forward drop onto her hands before rounding off with a twist of her hips, landing on her feet on the other side of the surfing Beaumont. She follows up the stunt by immediately moving to try and grab hold of Chevy again - pulling her around by the shoulders if she has to - attempting to catch her off-guard with both a grappling maneuver and direct eye contact once more. "Well, we know which one of us likes to kick when we're rolling in the mud, don't we?" a sopping Coco seethes up at Chevy as the snakes might seem to hiss behind her. She moves as if to throw a knee once more, but it's a ruse to try and drop Chevy's guard low so that Coco can overtake Chevy's left arm, slither to one side and lash out with a high elbow above the trapped limb. If that succeeds, she'll follow up with a side-swipe of her hips to Chevy's thigh intended to take her down - the sensation of the force doubled by the power of empathic feedback should the collision occur! COMBATSYS: Chevy counters Tiki Bongo from Coco with Low Tide. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Coco had to be even angrier that Chevy turned the tide on her there." LOU: "Perhaps so, Tom. It was the purple haired pugilist that went on to get the win though, which makes it two to zero for Coco in her head to heads with Chevy." TOM: "I'm sure Chevy didn't mean anything by her comment. She doesn't strike me as the sort to snipe at people." LOU: "I beg to differ, Tom. I think she knew exactly what she was doing by trying to get Coco to see red and I don't just mean her opponent's hair." TOM" "No doubt this will continue to be debated on our fan forums." LOU: "If you want to watch the full fight - and I strongly recommend you do - you can follow the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012396.shtml# (Continued in the next post!)

-==HENRY=- versus -==SKYE==- TOM: "It's time for the dating section of the show." LOU: "Well to be fair, a few of my dates have ended in fights, though thankfully not physical ones." TOM: "These two star fighters put on a dazzling performance in this match, where Skye played the legendary Medusa and Henry played Perseus." LOU: "Another fine costume display from Skye. Shall we take a look?" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- In a large antechamber, Skyedusa has perched herself atop a large rock. She is dressed in a form-fitting Greek toga, carefully pinned together with large buttons that seem to have been freshly painted gold. Shorts and a sports bra under the toga are a little noticeable, but they do keep things decent. Most shocking of all, however, is Skye's hair. Skye already has a lot of hair. The length and density of her twintails makes that clear. Right now, however, her hair is twist-braided meticulously into many snaking strands--each of which seems to be capped with what looks like a rubber snake head? It's...creative, at least. She also seems to have picked up a bit of scale-style body paint here and there to finish the aesthetic. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Stunning stuff, Lou. I'm starting to feel like Skye could have her own fashion segment on the show." LOU: "She's also a talented fighter of course, as we can see in this clip." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- Skye, in turn, pushes off the wall and curls. Both feet snap out suddenly like a cannon shot, the wrestler delivering a powerful dropkick even if Henry's blade slices through the side of her toga and cuts into her thigh in the exchange. Gritting through it, the blonde pulls herself into the kick, spreads her feet, and wraps her thighs around her fellow up-and-comer. Putting the squeeze on him, Skye then flips into a slamming Frankensteiner. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "A classic wrestling move there, Lou. Henry has some moves of his own." LOU: "I thought things didn't get romantic? Oh! You mean in the match." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- There's no way to get away when you're airborne. Not unless you have wings or something, which Henry decidedly does not. So he unfortunately takes the kick to the midsection even as he manage to at least score something of a hit. He starts twisting midair, trying to get himself into a landing position until he finds those legs wrapping around him. And then he has an intimate moment with the cave floor. "Ooomph." He doesn't lay there in a daze though, instead rolling to his feet, planting his shield on the ground and pushing himself back up. "Well, that stung." He shakes his head to clear the spinning medusa-birds dancing about his head. "Been training since I was a kid." He says, a hint of pride in his voice as he does so. Flipping the sword in his hand he brings it up beside his head. Though most would probably still call him a kid. He steps forward and swings his sword downwards. Instead of aiming for Skye he slashes the glowing tip of his blade along the rocky ground, sending up a shimmering spray of red chi-sparks between them. COMBATSYS: Henry successfully hits Skye with Hound Couchant. -* CRITICAL HIT! *- -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "The match ended in a victory for the swordsman but Skye did herself proud." LOU: "She's definitely one of my favourites of the fresh crop of fighters, Tom. To see the full footage, follow the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012402.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

-==ISHIDA=- versus -==ROXANA==- TOM: "As we mentioned on our last broadcast, Ishida had previously expressed an interest in fighting Roxana Page. Do you think he still felt that way following this match, Lou?" LOU: "I don't see why not, Tom. He may have been defeated by the scorpion-woman but he pushed her right to the end." TOM: "The two of them seemed to stay in-character for the most part, though that probably wasn't difficult for Roxana, since she was playing Rox." LOU: "I think they did break character at one point, Tom. It was when they were bonding over bassists." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- Roxana is willing indeed. She is thriving on the competitive fighting environment of the NFG. It reminds her of being back home in Nebraska. "Are you a bassist?" She wonders, as she starts to rise from the ground. "I very much enjoy rock music. My favourite bassist is Flea." She eyes Ishida with interest. "Treble? Perhaps I could sing that way. I have yet to try though." As the Japanese man playing the King of Corinth steps towards the scorpion fighter, she starts to resemble the creature even further. Four black chitinous limbs sprout from her sides and she stretches them out in a menacing manner. Bringing them back in, she wraps them around Ishida and her arms come to join them, pinning him in place in a dangerous embrace. As she holds him, Rox releases her paralysing poison into his back with her stinger and lets out a soft hissing sound against his ear. Arching her body back, she then slams his head into the ground of the mountainside before roughly releasing him to his fate. "I am." Ishida doesn't hide his appreciation for Roxana sharing his love of rock music. And his eyes even light up when she mentions her favorite bassist. It's not a King Sisyphus move and he doesn't care in the slightest. "Same." Of course, their shared moment on the battlefield is interrupted by, well, the battle. In one sense, getting a hug from a lovely woman isn't entirely a bad thing, especially now that Ishida knows her musical tastes align with his own. It's just that, uh, the scorpion limbs -forcing- him into that hug are something of a deal breaker! His brow tenses; his eyes narrow; his teeth grit in resistance. Qi flows through his body, giving him the strength to fight against that dangerous embrace. For a moment, it looks like he might break free out of sheer brute strength. But then the flow of qi abruptly halts, courtesy of the paralytic poison from that stinger. Ishida's eyes widen in horror as he feels his body fall slack, like a wave of fatigue washing across him. First in shock, then in frustration... The betrayal is made complete as his head is bashed into the ground, his limp body trailing afterwards. Finding his body unresponsive is the most singularly frustrating experience he's encountered in the NFG to date -- and as he rolls over to stare numbly back at the withdrawing Rox, he resolves to regain control as soon as possible. Ishida can feel the poison working its way through him. Left unchecked, he understands that Roxana would be able to defeat him without lifting another scorpion limb. But if there's two things Ishida values most, it's his independence and his self-control. He stares back at Rox. He grits his teeth. He lurches sideways. He rolls a ways down the slope. The fighter from Nara understands that the earth can work in his favor. And in this case, gravity can help him to tumble back to his feet, however slightly. It's not a graceful move: it's clear from Ishida's hunched-over state that it's taking every ounce of his will to bring himself to a standing position. But he did -- and he -will- purge the aftereffects of that paralytic poison as best he can. "Flea is great," he answers, very belatedly. He flexes his fingers, wringing his elbows, shoulders, and knees in an attempt to accelerate the flow of blood through his system. The faster his metabolism, the more quickly that poison can be purged. He makes no move to strike. Facing this poison is of paramount importance -- for he feels he has a pretty good read on the extent of injuries he's already dealt to his opponent. One more moment of recuperation now may give him a better shot of sealing the deal a moment later. "You should consider fleeing now. While you still can." Long live the King. COMBATSYS: Ishida gains composure. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Clever tactics by Ishida there, being patient enough to try and deal with the poison rather than pushing himself to go on the assault." LOU: "Indeed, Tom. There's only so much toxicity a man can take though, which I learned from my last relationship." TOM: "Ishida fought on bravely but Rox had been sent to do a job and she carried it out with careful calculation. Once she stepped into game mode, the only time I saw any emotion from her was in the exchange about rock music." LOU: "The Chili Peppers are enough to get anyone going, Tom." He starts singing 'By The Way' badly. TOM: "Now you know why I avoid the cruise ship karaoke bar." LOU: (Singing) "Standing in line to see the show tonight and there's a light on, heavy glow." TOM: (Covering his ears and shouting over the sound of singing) "You can watch the full fight by following the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012394.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

-==BRAUN=- versus -==GENIE==- TOM: "Here's that match where poor Genie had to suffer being hated on." LOU: "I thought the prison fight was last season?" TOM: "Both Braun and Genie decided to break character here and focus on moving forwards rather than dwelling on the past. A lesson we could all perhaps learn from." LOU: "It's important to remember your history, Tom. Otherwise we wouldn't be giving it our ass." TOM: "Speaking of people giving it their ass, both competitors here certainly did." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- Landing with a heavy thud and a spray of sand and pebbles as he slides backwards, Braun whirls around just in time to see the energy forming and the spear crackling into existence and then launching at him with a trail of that pink energy accompanying its rushing approach. He whirls his massive arms up and around, sweeping claws that begin glowing with a crackle of red and black energy that surges through the rest of his arms just in time for the javelin to hit and then burst into a spiderweb of energy that rushes about his body as he pushes back against and dissipates it before it can do severe damage. "Wholfgh! Now that stung! I aint fought you before this but I' guess the footage doesn't do you justice. You got some punch to your hits..." Shaking his arms again to deal with the numbing pain he then launches in again, coming forward faster then before in a blur of gold and brown and that crackling energy once more dragging behind his massive hands. "Let's kick it up a notch.." he growls out as he takes a swipe at her with his club like arm. As his hand drags through the air intending on clawing into her and bring with it a scythe of energy in the wake of his swing. COMBATSYS: Genie reflects Beast King's Decree from Braun with Bouclier De Galahad EX. "--thank you!" Genie says, bobbing on her feet as the spear explodes into a spray of pink energy. "...you as well! I--" Genie has no time to speak further as Braun closes the gap in a blur before gathering power. The scything energy shoots toward her, leaving Genie little chance to react. But with another flash of pink she tosses up a shield of that same power, erecting it with a sweep of her palms that seem more to help her focus than to make it happen. Her sheer concentration seems to have handled that. The shield, rough as it is, pushes against the scythe for several seconds before launching it back where it came from. So tis is about to be one of -those- kinda fights. Fast. Brutal. Very, very painful. Indeed, Genie seems welle equipped to deal with Braun's particular methods of battle and for all his boiling cauldron of chi and energy..it seems utterly harmless against her own which takes his energies and seemingly amplifies it considerably as it reflects back at him even as he's falling in towards it having expected to push her back - not end up hurtling right into the force behind his own attack. He emits a stratled gurgled cry as the energy rakes into his body, a lion like rugged rumble as he tumbles through the air and then barely manages to land onto the table itself sending food scattering in every direction as he bounces backwards a few paces to arrest his movements. "...Damn girl!" A hand reaches out to touch his visible wound and then he simply gives her a big toothy grin. "Well so much for taking it up a notch. Let's maybe run that..again!" Undeterred he launches into the air...lands upon the beach...and then suddenly comes hurtling in towards her in a blazing corona of energy as his body seems to enlarge in size and take on a more lion-man like form with a burning mane of red energy and an immense shoulder like the incoming front end of a car trailing behind him. Hit or miss, he skids past her and then lunges into a leaping roar as he drags those huge hans down towards the ground and then spins them up again in a spiraling upper cut that attempts to rip and roar into her and carry them both skywards in a whirling attack of huge limbs and energy infused claws. COMBATSYS: Braun blitzes into action and acts again! COMBATSYS: Genie blocks Braun's Chimeric Crash. COMBATSYS: Braun successfully hits Genie with Whirlwind Fang. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "As both fighters commented on themselves in that clip, the blows were pretty brutal." LOU: "Braun went on to seal the victory but Genie has no reason to look back on this performance as a painful memory. Although perhaps she will be feeling some physical pain. If you wanna see the whole of this magnificent matchup, you know what to do." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012404.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

-==KENZO=- versus -==SARAH==- TOM: "This match took place by a beautiful waterfall in the Turkish countryside, Lou. Some of the locations for the Odyssey event have been truly stunning." LOU: "Not to mention the parties, Lou. DJ Supernova became DJ Dionysus and things got off to a fairly friendly start with Kenzo showing his appreciation for Sarah's talents." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- "I don't know what's more annoying... The fact that your music is so good that my daughter stays out past her curfew to enjoy it, or that it's so good that I can't say anything negative about it when I really want to." -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "The two former Metal teammates bantered back and forth throughout the fight." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- Dionysus winces a little as she gets back into the ginga. "Quite a shocking experience, no?" "Truly electrifying." -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "The blows were pretty evenly exchanged too but by the end of the fight, Kenzo proved why he's undefeated in season two so far." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #3 -=*=- Shocking, isn't it? At least that's how it feels for poor Sarah, who gets shocked and falls to the ground flat on her face. She winces a little before pushing herself back onto her feet to go again, albeit while gritting her teeth. "Nngh... why?" Once she's back in the ginga, Sarah looks at Kenzo. "Seems I'm on the losing end. I'm gonna have to get extreme!" With that, Sarah takes a few deep breaths, preparing herself for the pain that she'll be feeling in a minute. After that, she launches into a cartwheel, all while gritting her teeth through the pain. She intends to stun Kenzo with the cartwheel. If she succeeds, she'll perform a spinning kick like the one before to bring him down, and then finish off with a rising uppercut infused with chi. How will she do this without screaming? That's a secret only Sarah knows. COMBATSYS: Kenzo blocks Sarah's My Favorite Remix. Kenzo watches Sarah come in with the cartwheel. He has to admit that her movement was interesting. They were unusual and if it wasn't for him having been a fan of film, he probably would be having more trouble dealing with this attack. Her first cartwheel kick connects with the fan, then the spinning kick with the fan driving it into his body. The chi enhanced uppercut gets turned aside with the fan. Kenzo starts breathes a sigh of relief before focusing in on Sarah one more time. He closed his fan while still maintaining that defensive looking stance. He takes a swipe with fan across her face before skipping backwards. That stance still being maintained and the electricity still crackling all over body. COMBATSYS: Kenzo successfully hits Sarah with Reaction Strike. - Power hit! - -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "The Japanese ninja in fine form there, Lou." LOU: "I fully agree, Tom. I can't help but feels sorry for Sarah taking another loss though, as she really does put a lot of energy into her performances, be it spinning kicks or spinning discs. If you wanna see the whole match, you can do so by following the link on your screens." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012401.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

-==BUCK=- versus -==ZARINE==- TOM: "Settle in viewers, because this is the spooky section of the broadcast. Supreme vampire cosplayer Zarine was seeking out the blood of a young Buck." LOU: "Do you think the rumour is true that there is actually stag's blood in Jagermeister?" TOM: "I have no idea, Lou. It certainly put me off trying it, though." LOU: "I suspect Zarine would have no such qualms." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- "Noble stag," she intones. "My thirst is endless, and your sacrifice shall slake it for a time." She draws her blade, lifting it in a salute before shifting it to the ready. "The hunt begins." Her feet spray sand as she launches herself at the shapeshifter, her short toga/tunic/dress fluttering in a way that will surely make the internet happy. The tip of her blade glints as it flicks out, a testing swipe towards Buck. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "A striking sight there, Lou. Zarine really is a supreme cosplayer." LOU: "The finest since Lyraelle Lightheart I'd say, Tom." TOM: "Didn't she turn out to be the real deal?" LOU: "Moving on... as usual, Buck brought a whole cast of creatures to the contest. Here is just one of them." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- Buck grins, even as his webbing attempt fails. He's not sure if Zarine has watched any of his matches, but he knows his particular brand of combat isn't the easiest to follow. Still even as prey that smile of his is a little too warm and friendly for the act they should be trying to put on. "Always fun to fight a sword user." He states, shifting his feet in the sand as he waits for Zarine's next move. Not that he has to wait long, that black fire doesn't look like something he wants to tangle too closely with, even as she doesn't approach him. Luckily, he catches on before it's too late. He launches himself forward, trying to get out of the way of the ribbons at the same time he twists about, seeming to pull a cloak of feathers out of nowhere and wrap it around himself. The plumage giving him some extra protection as he burst his way through the ribbons. Free of the attack, he spreads out his arms, the source of the feathers as they've come to resemble something more akin to wings, he uses the appendages to help carry him forward, still spinning slightly in the air. He aims to head right by Zarine, his foot coming around in a spinning kick aimed to try to slam into her side as he attempts to slip past her with his forward momentum. COMBATSYS: Buck successfully hits Zarine with Wingman ES. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Of course, rumours about Zarine's humanity, or lack thereo,f are rife online but the question of Buck's came up too." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #3 -=*=- The Vampire flicks her blade, tongues of black fire dancing along the gleaming weapon. She readies herself, her expression haughty, but she can feel the fatigue setting in. The deep, cold ache of hunger starting to gnaw in her belly. She can't focus on it now, though. She has to fight. Buck comes in swinging, and the vampire sets her feet, slipping her blade into an inverted grip and crosses her arms. She manages to not take any heavy blows to her body, but she still felt it. She backdashes through the sand, spraying some in her wake. Red eyes regard Buck warily as she decides her next move. "What -are- you? Such powers...You aren't fully human, are you?" Is she using words to try and throw him off? Maybe. For a moment, she's as still as death. In the next, she jams her blade into the sand and launches herself at Buck. She goes for a tackle, hands reaching to push against the dangerous antlers. At the same time, her fangs extend, and she lunges in silently to bite. To feed. To replenish herself like a predator. "I'm human, I just have some special tricks." Buck says with a mild grin, which flickers a little as he thinks. "Not that I have anything against people who aren't human. All I care about is having a fun fight." He even sounds cheery saying it. As Zarine lunges for him he puts the forest of horns between himself and her bite, even bringing up his hands to ward her off. She gets a taste, likely of one of his arms, but he tears himself away before she can get the meal she was likely hoping for. "Ah, venison isn't on the menu yet." He quips, as his antlers seem to twist on his head, still multi-pronged but the curve and sharpen into something almost primal as smoke begins to drift out from his mouth. Scales cover his face as his mouth and nose push out into a reptilian snout that makes his easy grin into a predatory smirk. "You need to cook it first." He says in a gravelly tone as his mouth opens to display rows of razor sharp teeth and something glowing softly at the back of his throat. There's a click, like someone turning on a gas stove. In a roaring WHOOSH, flames pour out of his mouth, lighting up the night time beach to near noon in a brilliant display of oral pyrotechnics. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "Dramatic scenes there, Tom. Zarine followed up with this." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #4 -=*=- This did not work. She is coming up short. She bites, but gets no more than a trickle. The antlers fend her off, and her frustration mounts. As Buck fends her back, she stumbles, watching his face go reptilian. She sneers, her frustration rising, making her bitter. Making her mean. "No. You're as much of a monster as I---" She doesn't get the chance to finish. The flames erupt, and she catches fire like dry leaves. Like flash paper. It hits her harder than even Buck probably expected. What would singe and injure a human has turned her into a walking inferno. She howls in a mixture of fury and agony, mindless from the pain. Her fetching toga is reduced to ash as she burns, and the flaming vampire manages to realize the source of her pain. It's Buck. So he will pay in pain. She lunges, her hands flaming claws, her face a burning rictus, skin burned to muscle, all of that luxurious, silken hair evaporated. She is only what she is now. A burning, raging corpse. She lunges, raking her enflamed claws at the 'mere human', digging for blood. Striking to hurt. Possibly, in this mindless moment, to kill. She will feel no shame later. This is his fault. COMBATSYS: Zarine successfully hits Buck with The Spider's Strategem. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Buck went on to take the win here, but it was a closely fought contest." LOU: "This is definitely one for you horror fans out there. Check out the full fearsome fight at the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012403.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

-==ALBERT=- versus -==MAX==- TOM: "At last, Lou! We finally got to see Max in action." LOU: "That's right, Tom, and I, for one, was thrilled." TOM: "This match also featured young Albert, who was in lively spirits, stepping into his role with showmanship." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- "I HEAR A GREAT BEAST HAS INVADED!" a boisterous male voice echoes from within. "BUT HAVE NO FEAR!!" As the dust dissipates, to reveal the recognizable face of one of the NFG contestants. But, Albert's not wearing his usual cheap replica of a knight armor this time. No, he is clad in a dark-red, robe-like tunic wrapped about him in the style of ancient greek heroes which... frankly, the way it has been coiled about one shoulder, leaves a rather significant part of his positively chiseled upper body exposed. His legs too, for that matter, from mid-thigh down, with only sandals upon his bare feet. Yes, this is what he concluded a classical greek hero to appear as, according to a very quick and frankly absent-minded internet search. But without any care for how ridicilous he might appear (and exhibitionistic depending on who you ask), the young german man still bears a million-kilowatt grin upon his face, and hoists his (edgeless and fake) sword up over his sword triumphantly. "FOR I AM HERE!!!" -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "Max made quite the arrival too." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- The sound of the 'beast' approaching might very well go unnoticed by her would-be slayer. The Gear's cat-like limbs grant her not only incredible strength and agility but also uncanny stealth as well. The soft pads upon her palms and the soles of her feet absorb almost all of the sound that her rapid transit creates as she darts from rooftop to rooftop taking the most direct route possible to the source of that challenge. When she finally arrives at her destination, Max shifts from an outright sprint to a stealthy slink, tiptoe-ing her way up to the edge of the roof nearest the massive statue. She lifts her head slowly over the lip, peering clandestinely down at the 'knight' who has come to face her in mortal combat. It would probably be more fair for her to announce herself properly, maybe leap down dramatically from on high to roar and snarl like a proper monster! But she has a far more amusing idea... Moving slow and quiet, making every attempt to avoid being detected, the Gear slithers her way down the side of the building and into a nearby alley. From there she presses herself low to the ground and starts to slink her way towards Albert's back, moving from cover to cover, hiding behind benches and shrubbery or whatever else might offer her enough concealment to avoid being spotted. When at last she finds herself close enough, Max crouches down low on her haunches, wiggling her bottom as energy starts to build up in her legs. Her lips peel back in a wide grin as she pictures to look of utter surprise that her prey is certain to have on his face. Then, when the moment is right, she explodes from cover in a wild pounce that sends her on a direct collision course with Albert's center mass. "Gwaaaaar!!" -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "It's great to see the fighters getting into the spirit of things." LOU: "Once the action got underway, things only got more thrilling." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #3 -=*=- Twice now Max has been stood up, robbing her of the chance to show the world what a Gear can do. Now that she's finally got the opportunity, she doesn't plan on holding back on the flashy stuff! Leaning forward on her meaty knuckles, the small girl kicks off the pavement and sends herself tail over teakettle into what looks to be a forward roll. Said roll rapidly evolves from a simple tumble into something far more dangerous as Max's body starts to spin in place with the ferocity of a revving buzzsaw. Crackling 'blades' of bright fuchsia power engulf the bio-weapon and she explodes forward in a sudden burst of speed, ripping through the pavement like Sonic the Hedgehog on steroids. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Albert had some eyecatching attacks of his own." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #4 -=*=- "Mmrblglh?!" Such is the best approximation of the noise that slips from Albert's throat and muffles against Max's massive mitt when his vision is filled by said mitt's fuzz. And more importantly, when said mitt smacks into his face, as if it was a wall that he had just ran face-first into. The 'hero' of this little play staggers backwards with that unexpected blow, squinting his eyes shut for a couple seconds while his hand insistently rubs itself over his poor, abused face. Nothing feels broken, though. Deciding as much, the knight's eyes snap open again to hone in on his opponent. "You're--" With a sudden, utterly relentless determination, he stomps himself forward all over again. Not content to let Max try to retreat back away too much even after that blow, he gives on chase with one stomp first, then another -- and with the second, his sword is drawn far back, still held in his hand in such a way that the tip is pointed directly forward. "--about to get me worked up! Raah!!" As his foot stamps down onto the ground, his sword hand thrusts out from that drawn-back position, his weight leaning forward with it to carry the extension of his arm further forward. And with it, a lunging thrust of the blunt sword towards the chimera's center mass, not terribly unlike how a spearman might make an all-out, one-handed thrust with his polearm. COMBATSYS: Albert successfully hits Max with Gutsy Lunge!. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "Both fighters have real flair. It was Albert who captured the three points but Max certainly didn't make it easy for him. Check out the full footage and give yourself a treat." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012398.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

-==BUFORD=- versus -==HAWKSLEY==- TOM: "What a bloody battle this was, Lou." LOU: "As befitting a bout titled The Ultimate Warrior." TOM: "By the end of the match, Hawksley was in a horrific state." LOU: "It reminded me of something from last season." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- The fact that Coco is accustomed to club culture means that she's not altogether shocked by the sudden sensation of a hand on her arm - in fact, instinct kicks in with martial precision as she turns around to face Hawksley, her rebuttal already on her glossy lips: "I already showed my card at the bar, love -" The sight of Hawksley's swollen nose and bruised jaw cause her to recoil abruptly, her blue-grey eyes widening. "Zombie!" She reflexively pushes a hand into Hawksley's face to keep his surely-hungering mouth away from her own eminently-edible visage and breaks away as her panic is upstaged by Ichika's outburst at the sight of Captain Morgan, the binturong who has now claimed her glass of orange juice with all four paws and is slurping the sweet liquid up happily. Of course, Ichika's scream just confirms Coco's suspicion that she is, in fact, being subjected to a zombie attack, so she makes a swift lunge for the bearcat, scooping it up in her arms and backing away from Hawksley. "Is somebody going to call the police? The zombie's got my phone," she claims, eyes flitting to the smartphone that is sitting safely on the bar next to where Hawksley has been left standing. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Let's hope Hawksley cleaned himself off before going back to see Coco on the cruise ship." LOU: "With the state he was in, let's hope he made it back at all." TOM: "Buford really had the upper hand for most of this fight, Lou. Most people would have bet against him when facing Hawksley, but the Irishman really took a battering." LOU: "And that's before the sword got involved." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- "Tch. Karate barely counts as a martial art." Buford burbles, amused that the Irishman would even come to a conclusion like that. "And Aikido is more of a woman's art, to make sure she is fit and suitable for housework." As his robust opening assault is neatly cheated by the armor that was provided, however, the Canadian scowls furiously. "Of course, the -real- martial art wouldn't have protective armor like that." He fumes, as his final shoulder check doesn't even seem to work very well on the well-trained boxer. As he is taunted back, Buford begins to turn red. As people cheer for him, it's the last straw. The man takes a swig, and Buford does the same to his hilt. Sucking on the hilt, he bubbles up a deep breath. And when Hawksley lets out his spit? Buford spits back. A blast of mist, deeply scented with what seems to soap, catches the flames. The flames quickly overtake the mist, of course. But as they jet forward, the towering man seems to have disappeared in the cloud. Buford is moving much, much faster than someone his size ought to be moving. Swiftly surging at Hawksley's flanks, the crimson-faced Samurai hurls himself at the Irishman in a full forced tackle. Should he catch him, the swordsman would heave up Hawksley, and then slam the man hard on his back right in front of the wall. The intent? To corner him, and trap him. Just in time for his slashing follow through. COMBATSYS: Buford successfully hits Hawksley with Medium Throw. -* CRITICAL HIT! *- -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Buford doesn't seem best pleased with Hawksley in that clip but the mood definitely changed by the end of the match." LOU: "Indeed. They even agreed to go to karaoke together or should I say karoke?" -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #3 -=*=- Buford only opens his eyes when he realizes, when Hawksley tells him to try again. All the other words come, and he listens. And yet, with his eyes shut, he couldn't even see Hawksley try to steal a 'kiss' from him, Glasgow or otherwise. He was too busy being praised for being a warrior. Someone who was worthy of respect. This is exactly why he preferred men over females now. Only men could -truly- appreciate Buford. Eyes opened wide, the man blinks as he watches Hawksley looks at him. He could critique, brag about his superior form and lifestyle. But he felt embarassed. "I would... like karaoke... though it's actually pronouced karoke you know." Buford corrects, almost half-heartedly. As Hawksley struggles back up, he averts his eyes. Almost ashamed that he was still standing, and he opponent wasn't. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "By that point in the match, the Irish fighter had looked to be pretty much out of it but amazingly he dragged himself up and carried on." LOU: "It was that determination that won him the fight and the three points, Tom." TOM: "Of course the big talking point was whether or not the boxer was reduced to tears for the fallen Canadian." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #4 -=*=- He rushes (as fast as a man his state possibly can) towards the collapsed Canadian, bending down by his side and shaking his still hand. "It was grand to brawl with you, fella." He praises. "You and I will go for that karoke session and a few drinks." He promises. "You've witnessed a warrior in action today." He calls out to the cameraman, who has moved in closer to get the shot. "This man gave me the fight of my life." He remains in place as he awaits the arrival of the medical team to treat his opponent and as he sits there, something liquid drips from his face and on to the body of Buford. Perhaps it's blood or some sweat from his brow. Or maybe, just maybe it's a tear, like the ones Achilles shed for Hector after he had bested him in battle. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- LOU: "You can decide for yourselves by studying the full footage, as well as the rest of this ferocious fight. Just follow the link on your screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012397.shtml (Continued in the next post!)

-==HOMURA=- versus -==XANDER==- TOM: "Now this was an interesting setup, since it seemed to be a two vee one, Lou." LOU: "Well, the toy sheep wasn't meant to be part of a team with Homura, but its presence was definitely getting into Xander's head." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #1 -=*=- The sheep was disturbing Xander more and more. While he wasn't completely unaccustomed to farm animals, he was pretty unaccustomed to them. And the fact his opponent was using them freely was a characteristic that was making him deeply uncomfortable. More than his own burning body. Homura reacts exactly to Xander's expectation, allowing the Dutch boy to move dilligently and deliberately after his last strike. As the lash of the blade comes, Xander commits exactly to as expected, making careful feetwork to evade the lash of the blade. But there isn't a proper cut. No, outside of Xander's expectations, the smoldering teen finds himself in what is best recognized as a tomoe nage. It's close enough that he can roll with it, but Xander lands hard just short of the fountain, hitting the ground in front of it. His arm was bloodied, and held the mark of the grab. Xander lays there briefly, until there is a jolt. A flash of crimson cinders, refilling his spirit as he springs back up to his feet. Revived once more by the spirit of the phoenix. "You are playing dress up for them." Xander states directly, as he steadies back on his feet into his stance. He locks his gaze hard on Homura, speaking from his heart on his cynical words. "I am doing this to prove Kojima Kyokushin-Ryu Karate, to expand my karate past what my school has taught me, and to find my missing master. If you have to say something, say it directly and do not hide behind obscurity." Xander's limits of his language were being reached. Tightening his stance, he sweep one hand down, one hand up. "Otoshi Mawashi Geri! Downward Roundhouse Kick. You must evade this." Having announced his attack clearly, he "And please put that sheep in a safe place!" Xander blurts out suddenly as he brings his heel down hard. "It is going to be hurt if you keep holding on to it!" -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "Just to explain, the sheep was there to represent the part that Homura was playing. That of a goatherd who disrespects the master he doesn't recognise, due to him being disguised in rags." LOU: "Shouldn't it have been a toy goat then, Tom?" TOM: "Let's not get too picky, Lou. The fact that these kids are putting in the effort to dress up and study Greek mythology is dedication enough, as far as I'm concerned." LOU: "Back in my wrestling days I'd have made sure the costume was truly authentic. Despite that, it didn't put me off the action, which was very impressive from the two teens." -=*=- FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT #2 -=*=- The sound of the sword's fittings make a tiny squeal as the karateka catches it by the blade. The shugenja raises an eyebrow, exerting force on the end of the blade with curious ease, challenging the karateka in every angle. He reacts to the sudden surge with snap speed, and the deadlock does not break. A snap motion to one side, and it doesn't even seem like something as sure as a point-blank blast hits the boy without effort, the boy tilting in annoyance as the ash of the phoenix falls over him. His hand tightens on his sword's hilt, still trying to cut Xander. "Ano.... what a lighthearted guy you are." It starts as a vague awareness of the cinder energy crawling in low burning lines across his aura, the slow ribbon-like burn, spreading over his jacket. The flame reacts with his seals, incinerating one or two. The effect is immediate, causing white-hot flashes of chi rippling over the boy, silver energy flickering at the edges of the boy's aura, and slowly coalescing into a tight ball somewhere in his middle. He releases his sword, leaving it in the karateka's hand. The shugenja leaps back - longer, much farther than one would expect, outside of the range of the cameras and the people holding them. The ash flames are causing a silver chainreaction across him, causing small bursts, and little pops of power, the monk slipping both hands into the mated sleeves of his jacket. Selene force begins to rip through him, but the monk doesn't seem to mind -- once he's out of range of the bystanders. "Looks like I overdid it a little... but I guess Myo'o will forgive me," the boy guesses wryly, before nodding to the sword held in Xander's hand, blade still biting sharply. "Hey, guy... if someone else comes for that, you'd better not give them any trouble." The burst starts with the tiny, lonely ring of a bell. And then, in a series of silver blasts, the shugenja explodes, like a moonrise caught on fire. Luckily, Xander mostly only has to contend with the very edge of the shockwave thrown off by the boy's failed seals. By the time the cluster of blasts stop, there's not much more left to that monk other than a pair of sunglasses with the lenses broken on the ground. Not a drop of blood is spilt. Homura successfully hits Xander with Tsukiyomi Buster. COMBATSYS: Homura can no longer fight. -=*=- END FOOTAGE -=*=- TOM: "That clip there from the dying moments of the match, showing Homura being knocked out in quite the dramatic fashion." LOU: "Indeed, Tom. Xander took the win but both boys give a bold performance. If you want to see the full fight, you can follow the link on the screen." http://motm.kicks-ass.net/log/idx/0012399.shtml (Continued in the next post!)