Match of the Millennium

-== RECORDING #1: OFF THE COAST OF ISLA ZACA, 11:11 AM ==- The Sprat is a glass-bottomed tour boat of rustic design. A canopy of dried tropical foliage (or perhaps faux-liage?) shields passengers from the sun's rays. A light, refreshing breeze blows across the deck of the open-air vessel. The Sprat has two pontoons in bright white with the name emblazoned across either side. Rows of orange seats arranged in groups of six would allow up to thirty-six customers to enjoy the tour in modest comfort, though today, these are occupied by a small camera crew led by a guy with the name 'Steve' sewn on the pocket of his polo shirt and twenty members of the New Fighting Generation arranged in pairs. The glass bottom of the boat allows riders to view the colourful sea life of the Caribbean reef through the clear turquoise water. At the back of the boat, positioned ahead of the large outboard motor that propels the vessel, is the captain and pilot of the small ship: 'Loverboy' Lou Harris, dressed in a pink Hawaiian shirt, white Bermuda shorts, black sunglasses and a white captain's hat. Toward the front of the ship stands the tour guide, Tom Bradley, who has a small microphone connected to an overhead PA system. "Now, we'll be arriving at Zack Island - I mean, New Zack Island - in about ten minutes, ladies, gentlemen, and all of our other friends. So, before we get there, we've got a short video we'd like you all to see. But first, our tech guy Steve would like to know if anybody wants some complimentary rum punch." Once everyone who wanted one has a drink, Tom turns the volume up on the television he's positioned toward the front of the boat. "Alright, everybody! As promised, here's the message for you all from the late Zack... uh... just Zack, as far as we know." Tom hits a button on a remote, and a video starts to play on the display, the slightly low resolution dating the footage somewhat. It shows the face of a once-notorious figure in the fighting world, an African-American man sporting questionably-coloured hair and fashionable shades: the one and only Zack. "~~~Hel-LO, all you love-lee ladies~~~!" The infamous gambler flashes a brilliant smile. After what seems to be some prompting from off-screen, he continues: "... and gentlemen! I am -=Zack=-, King of ~=Zack Island!=~ And it seems that, well, for one reason or another, I am no longer with you." Although the fifty-megawatt smile persists, a single tear seems to trickle from behind the sunglasses. Zack quickly flicks it away with a single sniff before continuing. "Now, as I already mentioned in my will, in the event of my demise, Zack Island shall be inherited by my lovely Queen, Niki." Both Tom and Lou make the sign of the cross at the mention of Zack Island. "But that still leaves the -other- ~=Zack Island=~! And since I -never- got the opportunity to host the most wonderful tournament ever dreamed of on this -new- ~=Zack Island=~, I am now turning it over to the charitable venture Professional Fighting Worldwide to host the tournament in my absence! A tournament dedicated to the greatest force in the world... "!!!~~~~~=====LOVE=====~~~~!!!" Zack spins his chair around before facing the camera again, now having adopted a more alluring and relaxed posture. "So, each of you ~lucky~ couples have been selected by Professional Fighting Worldwide, based on the very serious and sexy cool criteria I have given, to compete in this tournament to crown the new King and Queen of ~=New Zack Island=~! The winners will become the new joint owners of New Zack Island, which they may freely rename to whatever they like! Perhaps a celebrity couple name, like Chun-Ryu Island or the Isle of M. Bis-umi!" Lou quickly interjects, "We've, uh, taken a very loose interpretation of what constitutes a 'couple' for the purposes of the tournament. Don't worry, the lawyers have given us the go-ahead!" On-screen, Zack props his feet up on the desk. "And to make things a little more sexy cool, I've had special Zack Coins hidden all over the island for you crazy lovebirds to find! You'll be able to redeem them for special prizes! And, of course, what you get up to while you're exploring is your own business!" One gets the sense that Zack is winking, even in spite of the opaque shades he's wearing. "And until the end of the tournament, you'll all be invited to stay and enjoy all the luxurious activities we have for you, such as volleyball, swimming pools, sunbathing, volleyball, our casino, professionally competitive keijo, and of course, volleyball! As for me, my only regret is that I won't be able to join you while you are whipping those hips." Zack leans forward, rolling his chair up to fill the frame with his face. "So, good luck, lovebirds! And I'll be seeing you... on New Zack Island!" The camera freezes on the image of Zack blowing a kiss to the viewers. -== RECORDING TERMINATED, 11:14 AM ==-

-== RECORDING #2 ISLA ZACA, 11:22 AM ==- "Oh, look! They've got a volcano on this island, too," Coco says as the NFG members start to disembark onto the beach at Niki Marina. "This trip is gonna be -great!-" Chevy says as the camera sweeps over the lush scenery. "Hey, one and all, it's Sarah Ashley Kuzumi, a.k.a. DJ Supernova! With my partner, Rodrigo, we are going to be known as the Rhythm Renegades, and we're gonna put on a show for you!" With that, Sarah does a brief Capoeira-style routine with a few acrobatic tricks thrown in for good measure before returning to her standing position. She then looks around at the general atmosphere and grins. "A beach resort, this is gonna be perfect." "Hey, Max! Save some bananas for me!" Tanwen yells as she chases after the Gear, who has leapt straight into a banana tree. -- "Well, we're going to be heading straight inland, so you may all want to keep your footwear handy," Tom mentions. "Alright. Teams Toxique, Hollywood Heat, Rhythm Renegades, and, uhh, Skye and Braun, you're with me. Team Atlantis, Max and Buck, and Iris and Al are with Tom. Kenzo and Ishida, Zarine and Homura, and Genie and Arisa are with Steve. Informally, the Party Jeep, the Magic Jeep, and the Chill Jeep," Lou calls out, before the groups start piling into the three vehicles for the jungle tour. -- "So, we're now pulling onto Niki Beach - technically Niki Beach Two, but for the purposes of our tour, we'll stick to the original names of these locales," Tour Guide Tom announces, his voice projected to all three vehicles by short-range radio. "On your left, you'll see the pool area, which is perfect for a swim on a hot day." "And keijo," Lou chimes in on his radio transceiver. "And keijo," Tom concedes. "As you can see, there are volleyball courts throughout the island. On the right, we've got the Seabreeze Cottages, which will serve as accommodations for those who prefer to live closer to the seaside. If you look to the right and behind us, you'll be able to see the secluded aquarium slash discoteque of Bass Island. Ahead and on the left is the Casino and buffet area, which will host poker, blackjack, roulette, and slot machines once it's opened. Ahead and on the right, you have the radio station, which would double as Zack's home away from home, from which he would host his all-day local radio show and occasional dance parties in the evenings. It's currently set to permanent auto-DJ mode." As if on cue, the radio crackles to life with Zack's voice. << Hello, all you sexy people! It's now NOON o'clock! Why not head over to the casino and grab some jerk? Jerk chicken, that is - don't be starting any fights, now! >> "Yeah, it's gonna be doing that every hour," Lou chips in. "Frankly, I think it's kinda creepy." "It won't seem so creepy once the facilities here have opened up," Tom contends. -- "Keijo is a competitive sport sanctioned around the time of the original Zack Island," Tour Guide Tom-pedia tells the passengers of his Jeep as they drive through the jungle. "According to the original Zack Island rules, competitors stood on a platform in the middle of a pool and attempted to push each other off by taking turns colliding their posteriors into their opponents while trying to maintain their own balance. The first to fall off into the water would lose. Other regional variations are also recognized, with the common theme of buttock-based offensive action, though some also allow any surface other than the limbs and head to be used. It began traditionally as a female-dominated sport, but as with other forms of combat, all genders may participate competitively, with one famous example pioneered during the Golden Angel tournament." He continues without skipping a beat, "And up here on the left, we have the volcano! There is some dispute over whether the volcano was intended to be named 'Niki Volcano' or 'Zack Mountain' or simply 'the volcano on Zack Island.' What we do know is that this is the source of the island's formation. It's also used as a geothermal power source, providing electricity to the rest of the island. You can see the caldera above, indicating that the volcano is live - but we're assured by seismologists that there is essentially no risk of eruption during the tournament. And since we currently lack access to the hotel, this will pretty much conclude our tour. We'll be turning around up here to head back." -== RECORDING TERMINATED, 12:40 PM ==-

-== RECORDING #3 ISLA ZACA, 12:45 PM ==- "And here we are, coming back full circle to Zack Resort. Niki Marina is just ahead. Now, once we get parked, we're going to let you all have some free time to have a little picnic. We've got sandwiches, gluten-free and vegan options for those who need them, and you're obviously all welcome to have what you've brought with you. Just remember to stay on the beach until it's time to leave-" Tom is saying as the vehicles start to break out of the jungle once more when Lou cuts in on the radio. "Uhh, Tom. Did we leave one of the techies behind to get a bonfire going for the picnic?" "No, Lou, Professional Fighting Worldwide decided that that would pose a health and safety risk. Why do you ask?" "...I'm just wondering where all that smoke is coming from." "Smoke clouds?" Chevy mumbles, mostly to herself. "What's he goin' on about...?" Braun's ears twitch slightly and his eyes narrow a touch. "Eh? What's all this now?" he rumbles while leaning forward abit and dragging his large arm back into the jeep to rest it upon his knee. His other arm lifts and he pushes his sunglasses up, revealing his golden-brown eyes which narrow and then squint abit - calling upon his bestial side to enhance his vision and senses to try and see if he can pierce the haze up ahead to see what's happening. "There a problem, fellas?" -- An intense wave of heat slams into the vehicles and their passengers as they clear the jungle and emerge once more into the open, a wall of raw seething energy so thick it is nearly a physical barrier. At the end of the pier - well, the smoldering remains of what used to be the pier - a massive conflagration rages atop the very ocean itself in defiance of all natural law. Said bonfire is conspicuously located right where the glass-bottomed boat that brought them all ashore used to be moored. Of that unfortunate vessel there are no signs to be found. Not even a bit of burning flotsam or splintered wood scattered across the sands. It's simply gone. And before that raging hellstorm stands an angel of scarlet fury. In many ways, Junko looks much as she did when she was but a mortal child. Her eclectic sense of fashion, a bizarre mix of modern chic and traditional shinto, seems to yet suit the girl's tastes. Her hygiene seems to have improved, however, the clothing far more clean and well-kept than ever they were when she was a participant in the tournament, her snowy white hair neatly tied up with a massive ofuda that yet bears the kanji of her spiritual cohabitator. It is, however, impossible to mistake the being that they now see as that poor tormented soul. Twin wings of blazing sanguine fire stretch wide from the kami's back, each bird-like in appearance, each a master-piece of artistic beauty. Every feather is rendered in loving detail, the very flames molded by a divine hand into images of something that hasn't been seen by mortal eyes for nigh on a millennia - the Phoenix's legendary plumage. "Harken to me, mortals," she says with deliberate emphasis, the last word twisting her mouth into a grimace as if merely uttering it filled her throat with bile. Though her voice carries well enough to be heard without any need for theatrics, her words resonate within the minds of those present as if being engraved upon their consciousness with a burning nail. "I am Suzaku, the Eternal Flame, and I have come to stand in judgement of your sins." -== RECORDING TERMINATED, 12:51 PM ==-

-== RECORDING #4 ISLA ZACA, 12:55 PM ==- Lifting her eyes to the horizon, Suzaku holds the twin orbs of flame aloft over her head. The blazing fireballs rise upwards, merging together into a larger and steadily expanding scarlet sphere. When it has grown to roughly the size of a small house the goddess lowers her hands and points all of her fingers into the vast jungle of the island. Dozens, if not hundreds, of thin red beams explode from the surface of the massive construct. Twisting about like buzzing fireflies they dart off on curving paths towards the interior of the land mass, crashing down in a ripple of fiery explosions that rocks the entire island. Suzaku watches the meteors rain destruction for several seconds, only turning her attention back to the water-bender when she is satisfied with her work. One hand lifts for all to see, three fingers extending together. "Three trials have I set before you, mortals. It was originally my intention to simply strand you here and let you fumble about in the dark. But to ensure that there are no more debts between us I shall tell you of them now." She retracts two of the fingers, holding up only her pointer. "The first trial will be one of sacrifice. I have just destroyed the majority of edible plants and animals that inhabited this island. By this wall of flame shall all assistance be denied. And should any of your kind attempt to bypass it through the air, they will find my flames waiting for them. Only enough food remains to keep perhaps half of your bellies full. How then, I wonder, shall you act when resources grow scarce?" Her middle finger rises to the join the first. "The second will be a trial of blood. Long has mankind sought to master the art of killing, seeking ever to create more deadly weapons. Without the fear of divine retribution, you have even sought to master that which should never be tampered with. This seed of sin was planted on the island long ago and now the fruits of that dark research roam free upon this forgotten land. Find a way to face these heretics and triumph or perish as karma dictates." The last finger extends once again before Suzaku turns her hand to point at the distant peak of the simmering volcano. "The third and final trial shall be of fire. At the top of that burning mount I shall await those of you who yet remain fit enough to fight, should any of you survive at all." Crossing her arms, the kami sweeps her gaze across the assembled warriors below one final time. Contempt rolls off her in waves, her expression one of scorn and judgement. There is little she expects of these inexperienced whelps and it shows. By her actions she has condemned them to choose between a slow death of starvation or the promise of a quick one within the jungle's unknown depths. "Show me the strength of your resolve. Prove you are more than simply monkeys who learned how to sharpen sticks. Only then will have earned the right to live." Uninterested in further debate or rebuke, her ultimatum delivered, Suzaku takes to the air on blazing wings. The phoenix quickly turns into a red smear on the pale blue sky, zipping across the clouds like a shooting star on a trail of fire to alight upon the edge of the distant volcano. There she comes to rest, a small but consistent point of brilliant red light on the horizon that in the coming days will remain unmoving and undimmed as she awaits their arrival. By the time that Suzaku has finished her speech, even the composed figure of Tom Bradley is visibly drenched in sweat. He and Lou look at each other through their sunglasses as a silence hangs heavy in the air for a few seconds. Then, Tom is the first to speak. After all, if there is one thing that he and his partner are able to provide for the suddenly disaster-stricken charges of the NFG, it's commentary. "Well, Lou, I have to say, I am not in favour of this development." The pallor in Lou's face slowly flushes as the immediate fear subsides, slowly lulled toward the unflappable commmentator's mindset that Tom exhibits. He hesitates for just a moment, then replies: "Yup." Tom continues, gathering his cool confidence: "Ladies, gentlemen, and all of our other friends: apologies, but it appears that our three-hour tour has been extended indefinitely. Fortunately, it appears that none of us have been hurt -" "I've been hurt," Tanwen whines from Ishida's arms. "- and we can go ahead with our picnic as planned, sans rum punch. Unfortunately, it looks like Junko - I mean, Suzaku - isn't going to let anyone on or off of the island until you defeat her at the peak of Zack Mountain." Lou chimes in, a camera swiveling to a close-up on his face as he raises an eyebrow. "What I wanna know is... dark research? Heretics? What the heck's she talkin' about?" -== RECORDING TERMINATED, 12:58 PM ==-

-== RECORDING #5, ISLA ZACA, 4:30 PM ==- The camera opens on Tom and Lou in sweat-stained Hawaiian shirts and shorts, sitting in the shade of a beach umbrella. A small table between them holds a pair of open bottles of Lucky's Fiery Ale. TOM: "Ladies, gentlemen, and all of our other friends, welcome to the Zack Island tournament. I'm Tom, and this is Lou." LOU: "Yup." TOM: "I hope that you'll all enjoy our new broadcast format, which is probably coming to you slightly after the announced date. Professional Fighting Worldwide has decided that, in the spirit of Zack Island, we'll be taking a more laid-back and rustic approach. Cheers, Lou." LOU: "Cheers, Tom." The two clink their bottles awkwardly. LOU: "That's right, folks. Now, behind us you'll see the brackets for the Zack Island tag team tournament." A green chalkboard is rolled on squeaky wheels into the frame behind Lou and Tom, showing the brackets. (https://challonge.com/returntozackisland) Looking closely, one can see that there are visible faded smudges where the words 'COCKTAIL OF THE DAY' have been erased to make room for the words 'ZACK ISLAND TOURNAMENT.' TOM: "So, as you can see, this round, we've got six teams advancing automatically to the quarterfinal, while the bottom four in NFG points will compete for their own spots." LOU: "Let's go ahead and take a look at those four, Tom." The green chalkboard is rolled away, replaced by another one. This time the words 'ALL-DAY SHRIMP BUFFET!!' have been erased to make room for the words: RHYTHM RENEGADES versus MIGHT & MAGIC SARAH ALBERT RODRIGO IRIS STAGE: BASS ISLAND PHANTASMAGORIA versus MARTIAL ARTS & CRAFTS HOMURA GENIE ZARINE ARISA STAGE: MOONLIGHT REEF TOM: "As you can see, these guys'll be fighting it out on Bass Island, with the Rhythm Renegades facing Swords and Sorcery out on the beach, and Phantasmagoria facing Martial Arts and Crafts inside the Moonlight Reef in the hotel's subtidal level." LOU: "They don't need subtitles, Tom. I mean, sure, we got a Japanese guy, a Swiss chick, a European vampire and a Texan, but they're all perfectly understandable." TOM: "I meant that the floor is beneath the tide when it comes in, Lou. 'Subtidal.'" LOU: "Oh. Geez. We can't cut that, can we? Well, uh, I guess I coulda done with subtitles after all, Tom." -== RECORDING TERMINATED ==-

-== RECORDING #6, ISLA ZACA, 4:45 PM ==- The camera cuts to the same shot, the chalkboard replaced with a crudely drawn map of the Zack Island Resort. The faded text of the matchups can be seen, having been hastily erased. Beneath the map is a list of locations, team names, and... activities? POOL - KEIJO 4 COINS TOXIQUE SHOCK AND ROLL COCO KENZO ROXANA ISHIDA NIKI BEACH - VOLLEYBALL 4 VICTUALS THUNDERCATS WILD THINGS BRAUN BUCK SKYE MAX SEABREEZE COTTAGES - LOOTING 4 LUCRE ATLANTIS HOLLYWOOD HEAT CHEVY HAWKSLEY TANWEN HENRY TOM: "So, as you can see, while our teams begin the first round of the tournament, the rest of the crew will be enjoying themselves by taking advantage of the island's activities, including keijo, volleyball, and... uhh... treasure hunts." LOU: "That's right, Tom. Zack - rest his soul - has left behind opportunities for our competitors to earn Zack Coins. And thanks to vending machines positioned throughout the island, Zack Coins are directly translatable to supplies, such as bikinis, volleyballs, and, most importantly, food." TOM: "Additionally, Zack Coins are also directly translatable to NFG points. In the spirit of cooperation, we've agreed that coins found by these teams will be divided amongst the participants in those activities." LOU: "Everyone's a winner here on Zack Island." Tom and Lou both give thumbs-ups to the camera. -== RECORDING TERMINATED ==-

-== UNDOCUMENTED CONVERSATION, LOCATION UNKNOWN ==- The cool tones of a large monitor screen illuminate the darkened room, showing the scene play out from the perspective of an aerial drone, the advanced directional microphone capturing the conversation and transmitting it by radio signal. << Dark research? Heretics? What the heck's she talkin' about? >> "So, it appears that the firebird is aware of our project," a cool and calculated baritone resonates in the silence, the speaker's laboratory coat a ghostly white against the ethereal lighting, eyes hidden behind the screen's reflection in a pair of glasses. "Is your signal clear?" << Crystal, >> a woman's voice replies over the connection. << Should we go public with this? Bring in the big guns, mount an extraction? >> "Of course not," the man in the white coat replies, his voice hardening to a sharp edge before softening again. "This is a golden opportunity, and it seems that the will of the goddess aligns with our own aims perfectly - for now." With that said, the corner of the man's lips turns upward for a flickering moment before flattening again. He speaks once more. "We'll need to get ahead of this. You have twenty-four hours. Prepare a small team. Tell them that you're going to investigate the delay in the prospects' return. Let's see if this firebird is as vigilant as she claims." << ...Are you sure that's a good idea, Doctor? >> "Consider it an order, Sullivan," the doctor says, turning his back to the screen. "Needless to say... you should bring a parachute." -== CONVERSATION TERMINATED, 1:00 PM ==-