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==- ?@C?#!?@!?#!?A!? The characters at the bottom rapidly change, leaving viewers guessing as to what the final title of the impending announcement will be. As the New Fighting Generation theme song kicks in, the view zooms out to show the logo on a screen between ever-returning NFG commentators Tom and Lou. Both are dressed in Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses, and swimming shorts, with Lou wearing a bucket hat. TOM: "Welcome back, ladies, gentlemen, and all of our other friends, to the NFG World Tour! I'm Tom Bradley, and as always, I'm accompanied by my colourful casting cohort, 'Loverboy' Lou Harris!" LOU: "That's right! And I gotta say, Tom, I am genuinely excited about our announcement!" TOM: "Is that the announcement of our tag teams, Lou, or is it the announcement that our next event is going to be taking place on the legendary -" LOU: "Wait, wait! I'm not ready. Let's go through the teams first." TOM: "Are you sure, Lou?" LOU: "Yeah, I'm feeling too genuinely excited. Let's roll the roster while I roll it back." TOM: "Fair enough, Lou. With that said, let's start with our first tag team..." (Continued in the next post!)

The characters on the screen stop slot machining and fade out to reveal the names and pictures of the first partnership: -===COCO===- and -==ROXANA==- TOM: "Well, this one comes as little surprise, Lou, since we've been hearing rumours about these two ever since they were seen drinking in the casino together." LOU: "The Queen Cobra and the Sexy Scorpion. A pairing as poisonous as it is hot." TOM: "In the immortal words of Bel Biv Devoe, Lou, never trust a big butt and a smile - and these two are known for distracting their opponents to their downfall." LOU: "Hey, I'll be the first to say: if anyone thinks these two are just eye candy, they'd better be careful they don't end up choking on it. Who've we got next?" -==KENZO===- and -==ISHIDA==- TOM: "Looks like we've got Kenzo and Ishida as our next duo." LOU: "Oh, yeah. I heard these two made a deal at that pool party Rodrigo was hosting after the Odyssey." TOM: "They both seem to favour a methodical approach when it comes to preparing for combat, which might lead to strong synergy." LOU: "And they're both men of action when it comes to the actual fight. It'll be interesting to see them represent Japan together." -==BRAUN===- and -===SKYE===- TOM: "Now, here's a bit of a curveball. I wonder whether these two were put together by the organisation or if one of them proposed it to the other." LOU: "I heard a rumour that they met about a team-up behind closed doors, but I never got a confirmation or a denial, if you catch my drift." TOM: "Do you mean to say that Braun was giving Skye tips about wrestling techniques, Lou?" LOU: "I just heard that one of them may have had the other in a Full Nelson." TOM: "Well, it sounds like Braun must have been impressed by Skye's technical prowess." (Continued in the next post!)

-===IRIS===- and -==ALBERT==- TOM: "And next we have OG NFG magical girl Iris returning to partner with aspiring squire Albert." LOU: "So we've got a wizard and a warrior teaming up to fight dragons, vampires and beastmen." TOM: "I'd imagine that Lady Osterlund's experience in diverse weaponry will be an asset to her apprentice." LOU: "I'll be really scared if she manages to teach the kid how to cast magic. Do spells get more powerful the louder you say the words?" -==CHEVY===- and -==TANWEN==- LOU: "Speaking of dragons, our next tag team ain't one that I saw in the cards." TOM: "According to my sources, Tanwen was impressed with Miss Beaumont's roleplaying skills. She was playing a thief in their impromptu Dungeons and Dragons game." LOU: "But thieves are sneaky, slippery and manipulative, Tom. Isn't good roleplaying supposed to be about pretending to be something you're not?" TOM: "Libel aside, I think that a wholesome pairing like this one should be a pleasure to watch." LOU: "I mean, it's two cute redheads, so I don't have much to complain about. Let's just hope Tanwen can keep that Chevy on the straight and narrow." -===BUCK===- and -===MAX====- TOM: "And on this team we have Chevy's significant other partnered with Maximum, who I'm told really brought the sparkle to the party by the pool." LOU: "In the form of about a hundred pounds of glitter. That was great. You do realise what's gonna happen here, though, right?" TOM: "What's that, Lou?" LOU: "Chevy and Buck are each paired with powerful but socially and mentally underdeveloped monsters. They're basically gonna be babysitting." TOM: "Well, at least Tanwen and Max each have their own minders if Chevy and Buck decide to get away for a date night." LOU: "Which makes Dr. Maeda and Winn the grandparents. Well, let's just hope everything doesn't end up covered in flaming glitter if that ever happens." -=HAWKSLEY=- and -==HENRY===- TOM: "Well, this isn't necessarily one I would have expected. Two fighters with very different styles." LOU: "True, Tom, but Henry did say he thinks he could learn a thing or two from a brawler, and Hawksley definitely fits the bill." TOM: "Indeed. And, if nothing else, they are certainly alphabetically congruous. I'll be interested to see what these two learn from each other." (Continued in the next post!)

-==ZARINE==- and -==HOMURA==- TOM: "And next we have our OG vampire cosplayer paired up with the NFG's most socially maladroit shugenja." LOU: "Look - okay. I get that we're not supposed to talk about it, but is it really responsible to be pairing a clumsy, unworldly priest with a vampire?" TOM: "It's just another one of those wacky pairings that I'm sure will provide plenty of entertainment for the viewers at home, Lou." LOU: "Seriously. This has 'PR disaster waiting to happen' written all over it." TOM: "Look, we don't even know if Homura is a real shugenja. They could both just be cosplayers. In which case, I'm sure they'll get along just swell." -==SARAH===- and -=RODRIGO==- TOM: "And moving quickly on, we've got the NFG's new premier party pairing, DJ Supernova and Rodrigo." LOU: "The premier party pairing, and the foremost in fancy footwork." TOM: "A delightful duelling duo." LOU: "It's not a duel if it's two on two, Tom." TOM: "I know, I just... I was trying to keep up the alliteration, Lou." LOU: "A lackadaisical linguistic leap, Tom." TOM: "Now an aborted alliterative attempt." -===GENIE==- and -==ARISA===- TOM: "And now for our last team: the Swiss psychokineticist and Texan monster hunter." LOU: "I mean, you wouldn't think that they'd have much in common, but Arisa said she was really rooting for Genie last season." TOM: "And they both produce exotic weaponry through unusual means." LOU: "I dunno how well that'll translate to teaching, but together they'll be hard to predict for their opponents." (Continued in the next post!)

The last tag team pairing fades away on the screen, replaced by the words: //NFG 2.0:\\ -==WORLD TOUR==- Z@C?#!?@!?#S?A!D The digital letters below the logo continue rotating chaotically, though some seem to be starting to lock into place. TOM: "I think it's time, Lou. Are you ready?" LOU: "Why, what do I need to be ready for, Tom?" TOM: "It's about time to announce the previously top-secret location where we'll be hosting the tag tournament." LOU: "And where would that be, Tom?" The digital letters lock in and shift until finally, the name is revealed with a dramatic sting: //NFG 2.0:\\ -==WORLD TOUR==- ?ZACK?!ISLAND! LOU: *gasp* "But Tom, I thought Zack Island was destroyed by a volcanic eruption! And also that it was in the Pacific. We're in the Caribbean!" TOM: "It was, Lou, but this New Zack Island, an almost perfect replica of the original Zack Island, which hosted the much-beloved if somewhat chaotic tag team tournament affectionately known as 'Trouble In Paradise.'" LOU: "You mean the tournament that featured Johnny Cage, Tia Langray, Sagat, the original Lightning Spangles, and best of all, Dr. Tran?" TOM: "Indeed, as well as many others. Here, we'll be hosting a single-elimination tag team tournament, where our prospects will be competing to be crowned the Kings and or Queens of Zack Island - as per the last wishes of celebrity fighter Zack, who was recently declared deceased after years of remaining unlocated following the destruction of the original Zack Island." LOU: "Requiescat in pace." TOM: "Before we open the island to audience members and vendors, though, you and I will be taking all of our teams on a day trip to the island, where they'll be hearing a word from Zack, enjoying a three hour tour of the island, and enjoying a picnic on the beach before we return to the Mermaid." LOU: "Who knows? Maybe we'll have a game of volleyball, too." TOM: "Let's not get too crazy, Lou. We'll want to be back in time for dinner!" (Additional information in next post!)

Greetings, doodz! For those interested in participating live, a scene detailing the backstory of New Zack Island, wherein Lou and Tom and a small camera crew pilot a tour boat from the Mermaid to New Zack Island, will be starting today. To get there, type 'ic/preset 7' in-game. All players who've signed up for the tag team event will be considered to be on the boat, whether or not they participate directly. Players are encouraged to set a plot note stating what their characters are bringing along for the boat trip, three hour island tour and beach picnic. Tag teams are encouraged to agree on a team name for their duo before the first round of the tournament starts (Wednesday May 22nd). One of the team needs to include the team name in their plotnote or @mail or message me on Discord to let me know what they've chosen. If teams do not provide a team name, one will be provided for them. You have been warned. It's recommended that you set your mentor/apprentice as an ally in order to benefit from the mechanics in 'help ally'. This will give a bonus when using the 'assist' command in matches. 8 Bonus AP have been distributed to each of the Season 2 tag team participants to reflect working with their new mentor. Feel free to consult your mentor for advice on how to spend it! Once the arrival scene has been concluded, an announcement will be posted including salient plot details from the scene. - Pringer X