DREAM TOURNAMENT IV: ROUND TWO MATCHUPS
Welcome back to the DreamArena, where round two of Dream Tournament IV is
kicking off with a bang! This is the list of matchups for round two. For details on voting, see the "How to Vote" post or file. The following
resources are available for DT4 installments:
1) posted as they come out in rec.games.video.arcade, rec.games.video.sony,
rec.games.video.nintendo, and rec.games.video.sega.
2) available via ftp at brawl.ecom.net, in the pub/dream-tournament/IV
directory.
All votes must be sent to: deuce@scsn.net
THE DEADLINE TO SEND IN A VOTE FOR ROUND 2 IS:
12:00AM EST DECEMBER 14TH! Any votes sent after that
will not be counted.
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Deuce awoke in his own bed, and looked about blearily. What on earth happened last night? He had the nagging feeling he was forgetting something, something important. He sat up, wracking his brain, trying to recall...
WHOA! As it suddenly came back to him, he virtually leaped out of bed, hastily showered and got dressed, and made immediately for the control booth.
He burst into the room, and found Mike sitting calmly at his terminal. "What are you looking so harried for?"
"Mike," said Deuce, "There's something I think I should tell you."
"What's that?"
"Well, it seems the safeties don't work on mental attacks, or psychic, or hypnosis, whatever," said Jeff, wiping his brow.
Mike turned around, looking up at his compatriot. "And how did you come across this little bit of information?"
"Well, I had a little run-in with Morrigan last night..."
Mike's jaw dropped. "Say again?"
"Morrigan was up here... and as best as I can recall, she hypnotized me," said Deuce nervously.
"Lucky that's all she did," muttered Mike. "Well, now I need to see if she's gotten into the computer system... hmm."
Deuce grumbled to himself, and wished he could remember what had happened... and if he had enjoyed it. As it was, he couldn't remember a THING.
"Give me a few," said Mike. "I'm going to scan through the database to make sure she hasn't switched anything around."
Deuce nodded, adjusted his jacket, and prepared to head downstairs. "Well, I'm heading down... let me know if anything turns up."
Mike nodded absently, eyes fixed on his terminal. "Will do."
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Jolly Green walked the floor of the arena professionally, flanked by Brutes. Other members of the security staff nodded to him deferentially as he passed, leaving a sense of authority in his wake. His narrowed eyes, clenching fists, and wide gate betrayed that "Jolly Green" Jason Wright was
anything BUT jolly right now.
"Riots..." the not-so-jovial one muttered to himself. "With all these disciplined fighters here..." Jolly Green blinked, as he walked past Haohmaru's platform. "Okay... and a few not-so-disciplined ones, you'd think there's enough violence here already, that the folks in the stands
wouldn't need to join in."
Just then, a familiar sound reached Jolly Green's ears. It was kind of a roaring... but also kind of a buzzing. Combined with a lot of bad-sounding, wet, squishy noises.
The procession stepped up their speed to a jog as they approached the section of the arena seating area that had been dubbed so long ago, as the Peanut Gallery. As they finally got within sight of that home of infamy, they stopped in their tracks. The sight before them defied description.
Charlotte and another warrior in battered armor were facing off, exchanging blows. Sieger had grabbed a large axe out of the hands of what could only be described as a viking, and was currently throwing said viking up into the nosebleed seats. Gen-an was gouging a cave-man with his glove,
and his kids were helping Dad out, clinging to the neanderthal's back, biting and clawing. Other small fights were going on all over the Peanut Gallery, but finally Jolly Green's eyes found what they sought... the chainsaw!
Earthquake held the figure by the head, and laughed as he held the poor fool's face to his backside, and emitted a noxious cloud, with an earthshattering noise. Jolly Green whipped his hand to his timestopper, and froze Quake, just as the red-mohawked figure hit the ground.
Instantly, the Brute Squads were up in the stands, breaking up the varied duels, scuffles, brawls, and outright slaughters. After all the people (and associated body parts, many of which had been hacked off) were assembled, Jolly Green looked over the instigators... "Great... Time Killers..."
A moment later, a brute presented him with a handful of ticket stubs. "Hmm... if I didn't KNOW better..." the Jovial one said, as he eyed the Time Killers, "I'd swear THESE tickets were stolen from a group of paying ticketholders early this morning."
"Ummm...," Rancid spoke up, "the guys who sold 'em to us SAID it was legal... but now that I think about it, they looked like real shady types." All the other Time-Killers nodded in a hurried agreement.
"Uh-huh, sure." said the Jovial one tartly. "Look, I don't have time to deal with you... people... right now. Just stay put, and try not to cause any trouble?"
"What?" Rancid declared. "Would WE make TROUBLE?"
Jolly Green shook his head sadly, as he walked to the nearest security station. His job had just gotten a LOT bigger.
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MATCH 1: CHOI BOUNGE (KOF95) vs. HAOHMARU (SS3)
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Choi was sharpening his claws, as the bushi-haired (ha ha) ronin topped the fighting platform. Haohmaru surveyed the area, before his eyes finally alighted upon his opponent. He took a massive swig from his sake gourd, before bellowing, "RAU! A WONDERFUL BEGINNING TO THE SECOND DAY OF
THE DREAM TOURNAMENT, OF WHICH I, THE LEGENDARY(TM) HAOHMARU SHALL BE VICTORIOUS! GREETINGS, WORTHY OPPONENT, PREPARE TO FALL TO THE PEERLESS SKILL OF THE MIGHTY HAOHMARU!"
Choi winced from the volume, and blinked a bit, before nodding, and opening his mouth. He didn't get a word out, however, as Haoh continued.
"FEAR NOT, HOWEVER, FOR I HATE FOR MY OPPONENTS TO LOOK BAD. EVEN IF THEY LOOK AS ODD AS SHIRANUI GEN-AN. I SHALL ENDEAVOR TO PREVENT MYSELF FROM USING MY FULL POWER, TO KEEP YOU FROM EMBARASSING YOURSELF." Having said that, his eyes narrowed into a deep, measuring gaze, sizing the small Korean up.
Livid with rage, Choi shook his fist at his opponent. "You son of a...," he started to yell, but that was all he got out, as Haohmaru continued to filibuster.
"OF COURSE, HOW I SHALL DO THAT, WHEN YOU USE SUCH SMALL, ODD LOOKING BLADES, IS SOMETHING THAT EVEN I, THE LEGENDARY(TM) HAOHMARU, HAVE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY THINKING UP..." Haohmaru shouted, yelled, and lectured right up until the starting bell.
******
Down on the arena floor, watching the action, safely within a sonic-dampening field, Deuce nudged Jolly Green in the ribs. "Ironic, huh?"
The Jovial one looked at Deuce quizically. "What do you mean?"
"Well," Deuce explained, "Last round, Choi's opponent barely said a word..."
Jolly Green smirked and nodded.
MATCH 2: ANDY BOGARD (KOF95) vs. HON FU (RBFF)
----------------------------------------------
Andy walked up to Hon-fu, with a friendly smile on his face. "Hey there Hon. Long time no see."
Twirling his nunchaku absently, Hon-Fu nodded his head in return. "Hello again Andy. How've you been?"
With a rueful shrug, Andy answered, "Not too bad. Mai got kinda upset with me after the last match, but we've got it all smoothed out now...," hastily adding, "umm...Right Mai, dear?" as he caught sight of her walking by the platform.
Hon-fu chuckled. "Quite a good looking lady you have there."
"Yes, she is..." Andy responded, frowning slightly in thought. "Oh...by the way... Hon... what was it that had you so... distracted before your last match, hmmm?"
The Hong Kong flatfoot coughed uncomfortably, "Well...uh...."
"Yes...?" His opponent answered, with a slightly dangerous look in his eye.
"Umm...I got a.... good look at Mai as she was walking by, and...um...." He trailed off.
Something in Andy seemed to snap. This was it. The last straw. If he was going to be the 'lucky guy' as far as Mai was concerned, he wasn't going to tolerate any of this 'let's all peep at Andy's girlfriend' stuff any longer! He drew chi into his body, and began to glow with a pale light. "Why....you..."
"Whoa! Easy there! I couldn't help but catch a glimpse of her! It was innocent, really!" Hon presented an argument that he was sure would placed a few 'reasonable doubts' in Andy's mind. It was really too bad for him that the Bogard was FAR from reasonable at the moment.
MATCH 3: MORRIGAN (NW) vs. SODOM (SFA)
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Morrigan sat on a cloud of bats, floating lazily in her corner, and she eyed her opponent as he stepped up onto the platform.
"So...," she said in sibilant tones, "Your name is Sodom, is it?" She was smiling in a way that Sodom wasn't at all sure he liked. He'd heard stories about this woman.
"Umm, yes," he said simply.
Her smile widened, and nearly took in her ears. "Oh, good...," she said, her tone of voice dropping from the sultry to the sepulchral. "This should indeed be an interesting day...."
Sodom couldn't quite place his finger on it, but he had the distinct feeling he was in a LOT of trouble.
Morrigan glanced down at ringside, and saw Deuce. She gave him a very evil smile. Deuce felt he was in much, much more trouble than he could have imagined.
MATCH 4: SAGAT (SFA) vs. BLUE MARY (RBFF)
-----------------------------------------
Sagat grumbled. "Another woman? I am dishonored once more by being forced to fight another WOMAN?"
Blue Mary smirked, looking up at the tall man who appeared at least one and a half times her height. "Don't knock it, big boy. I'll bet I can take you down," she said in her abnormally high-pitched voice.
Sagat laughed. It was a cold, empty sound. "You are joking. You don't have the strength to knock me down."
"Don't be so sure, you egotistical jerk," she harrumphed. "You didn't manage to beat the woman you fought last round, and you're not going to beat this one either."
Sagat glared at her.
"And...," she added with a coy smile, "I'll do better than she did. Hope you won't miss having undamaged bones."
The Muay Thai fighter growled, took up his stance, and prepared to crush this little girl who dared to speak to him so into the ground.
MATCH 5: EIJI SHINJO (TSD2) vs. KUNG LAO (MK3)
----------------------------------------------
Eiji bowed to his opponent, as the monk topped the rise. The monk removed his hat, and returned the swordsman's bow with a flourish.
Eiji blinked as the powerful spotlights of the DreamArena reflected off the razor-brim of Kung Lao's hat. His interest piqued, Eiji cleared his throat, before asking "Excuse me?"
The Shaolin monk regarded Eiji quizically, before replying "Yes?"
"Is that hat..." Eiji nervously asked "bladed?"
Kung Lao nodded. "Yes, that it is. Right around the brim. It actually makes a good projectile. It always returns to my hand." He displayed the hat, and all of its features to Eiji.
"Ummm...," Eiji said tentatively. "Were you in that James Bond movie?"
MATCH 6: CHANG KOEHAN (KOF95) vs. ADON (SFA)
--------------------------------------------
Chang and Adon eyed each other from across the platform, their expressions clearly showing their mutual disdain. To Adon, Chang was a large, overweight guy with a wrecking ball - kind of like an out of shape, balding Birdie.
To Chang, Adon was a kickboxer, rather like that loudmouthed, incompetant jerk, Joe Higashi, and he would take pleasure in pounding his face into the platform - and he told him so in no uncertain terms.
"HEY!" A visibly irate Joe commented from the peanut gallery. "Who are you calling incompetent?!"
"Oh come on. You SUCK," came the comment from the cybernetic bounty hunter sitting next to him, just WAITING for someone to heckle.
"Yeah...but not as bad as the guys in the RING!"
"No kidding...YOU might even be able to beat THEM, Rancid."
"HEY!"
MATCH 7: ELLIS (TSD2) vs. SASQUATCH (NW)
----------------------------------------
Ellis bounded up the platform, smiling. In fact, she skipped. Skipped merrily. The majority of the audience began "AAAAAWWWWW"ing loudly. A few got this dreamy expression with their hearts
in their eyes, and several became physically ill.
Then Sasquatch came bounding up the platform, with a big grin on his face. (Considering the size of his mouth, that's a big grin) He looked like someone had stuffed him into the dryer on fluff-cycle. The audience's reactions only intensified.
Jolly Green gritted his teeth with the effort, and tapped into the Com system. "Mike?" he gasped, "Need help! Aura of Cuteness... too strong! Can't... hold out!" The Jovial One slumped against a wall, near to passing out.
"What?" came the reply. "Egads! The Cute-Meter is off the scale!" Immediately a shimmering barrier appeared around the platform. "I'm setting up the Cuteness-resistant field right now!"
"Mr. Sun?" the Jovial One mumbled incoherently. "Make the Cute Bunny Chorus go away!"
Ellis and Sasquatch, for their parts, glowered at each other cutely, and prepared to beat each other to respective pulps.
MATCH 8: SARAH (VF2) vs. KIBAGAMI GENJURO (SS3)
-----------------------------------------------
Genjuro polished off his blade, making sure its edge was keen and
ready for battle. It was then he noticed the blonde woman stepping up onto
the platform across from him, and he smiled to himself.
She was silent. She looked at him with vacant eyes, and bowed
simply. Genjuro raised an eyebrow.
"A woman, eh? And an unarmed woman at that," said the Samurai.
Sarah failed to reply. Genjuro shrugged and took up his stance.
"May you be better competition for me than those pathetic little
girls I am forced to contend with in my own world," said Genjuro.
Upon seeing her opponent ready himself for combat, she dropped into
her own stance and stared, harshly but vacantly, at the large Samurai.
MATCH 9: ANAKARIS (NW) vs. JON TALBAIN (NW)
-------------------------------------------
"What? Whaddya mean I gotta fight the dried up old Mummy again?" Jon Talbain protested as he looked at the match roster.
Wraith, who was passing by, made the mistake of answering, "Because that's the way the tournament tree worked out. Besides, you got to fight Sofia in the first round, I'd think you'd be satisfied."
"Satisfied?! I couldn't even CATCH her, let alone do anything fun..."
"Well, whose fault is THAT, anyway? Maybe if you do well against Anakaris you'll get paired off with someone like Mai."
Talbain began to drool, and in fact continued to do so until the match.
*Janitorial teams to hallway 29 please, Janitorial teams to hallway 29.*
Anakaris sighed as the still slobbering werewolf leaped up on to the platform and howled, "I'll win it for YOU, Mai-baby!"
As fate happened to have it, walking by the platform at that particular moment was Andy Bogard, who turned towards the wolfman with rage blazing in his eyes. "If lay so much as one hairy finger on her, I'll...," he growled, and started toward the platform before being restrained by a
trio of Brutes.
Meanwhile, Deuce looked over at Mike. "What did you TELL him, anyway?"
Shrugging sheepishly, Wraith responded, "Just that if he made it past this match, that he MIGHT get to fight someone like Mai."
Deuce laughed. "Terrific."
MATCH 10: KIM KAPHWAN (KOF95) vs. BILLY KANE (KOF95)
----------------------------------------------------
Muttering irritably to himself about goody-goody martial artists, Billy Kane stepped up onto the platform, and leaned on his staff as he watched his opponent, Kim Kaphwan, go through his warmup stretches. He was actually thankful for one thing though - At least THIS guy wasn't made out of those 'polygum' things...
Kim, meanwhile, was thinking along vaguely similar lines. "Billy Kane. I see we meet again." He frowned slightly, villian or no, he was certainly more comfortable battling Billy that he was some ninja who seemed to be assembled out of polygons - even if the guy DIDN'T have any ninja tricks. "Are you prepared to face justice?"
"Yeah...yeah...whatever. Bring it on, Tae-kwon-joe."
"Very well. We shall see who is the king of fighters."
MATCH 11: GALFORD (SS3) vs. LORD RAPTOR (NW)
--------------------------------------------
Raptor was up on the platform, or as he preferred to think about it, on stage, strumming out a few riffs to get himself into the proper frame of mind to thoroughly thrash this next competitor. This goody-two-shoes American didn't have a chance.
Galford, meanwhile, hopped up onto the platform, accompanied by his faithful canine sidekick, and the cheers almost (but not quite) managed to drown out the screeching of Raptor's guitar. The american ninja paused briefly, staring at the ghoul, and frowning slightly. "So...I see you play a little..."
This statement gave the ghoul pause, "A LITTLE? Men Wi'out 'eads is known WORLDWIDE!" He laughed madly.
Galford removed a pair of dark sunglasses from somewhere inside the folds of his scarf, and smiled as he put them on, a small crackle of electricity sparkling across the lenses. Most of the crowd looked confused.
"Very well," said the ninja, producing his own electric guitar from somewhere. "Let's Rock. Give me a key, Poppy."
*AWOOOOOOO*
MATCH 12: LION (VF2) vs. HSIEN-KO (NW)
--------------------------------------
Lion eyed the deformed, ghostly figure standing across from him, and muttered under his breath, "And I thought Dural was wierd." He shrugged and stepped forward, "Hi there. The name's Lion. Lion Rafale." He felt a sudden urge to order a martini, shaken, not stirred.
Hsien-Ko gazed at the young fighter in silence, then hissed quietly under her breath, "Cleanse!" It was her duty, of course, to cleanse the world of the Darkstalkers, the creatures that had caused her own death.
Lion blinked, "Er...what was that?"
"Cleanse!" The ghost repeated, louder.
Lion sniffed under his arm, he'd taken several showers since his combat yesterday, and he didn't THINK any of the stink from that Sokaku fellow was still clinging to him. He looked at the ghost in puzzlement. "I showered just this morning, thanks!" He seemed a bit offended.
This man definitely had some unnatural air (or was that odor) about him, Hsien-ko thought. She flexed her claws and fixed him with a baleful gaze. "CLEANSE!" she repeated menacingly.
Lion backpedaled a bit, and dropped into his mantis stance. By the look of those claws, this was going to be one ugly combat.
MATCH 13: YURI SAKAZAKI (KOF95) vs. HISAME SHIZUMARU (SS3)
----------------------------------------------------------
"Aw, man, not again!" Yuri said, looking at the matchup roster from
in her quarters. "I gotta fight another little kid?" Suddenly, there was
a knock on her door.
She opened it, and found her opponent standing there, bowing deeply.
"I apologize for the intrusion, but I just came to wish you luck in the
match this round," he said politely.
"Oh," said Yuri, somewhat shocked. "Well, thank you... best of luck
to you too."
Shizumaru smiled gently, "I watched you fight last round. You are
very skilled, and I am certain you will prove to be a very worthy opponent."
Yuri smiled back at the young boy. She liked him. He was courteous
and polite, and full of respect. It's too bad Robert wasn't like that...
"Pardon?" asked Shizumaru.
"Huh? Oh, nothing...," said Yuri, blushing slightly at the fact that
she had half-muttered that last thought aloud. "Just saying I wish you
luck too," she said, covering for herself as best she could.
"Thank you very much," said Shizumaru again, bowing. "But we should
go get ourselves ready for the match."
Yuri nodded, "Yup... see you on the platform." He smiled, nodding,
and turned away. She turned her attentions back to getting ready, and
muttering to herself about Robert.
When the time came for her match, she strode out to the platform,
Robert at her side. She waved cheerfully to the crowd as they applauded
her, and hopped up onto the platform. For once, she did not taunt her
opponent before the fight.
MATCH 14: TERRY BOGARD (KOF95) vs. SHUN DI (VF2)
------------------------------------------------
Terry and Shun had, unsurprisingly, hit it off from the moment they
first spoke. As soon as Shun walked, unsteadily, up to the platform, Terry
took note of how drunk he seemed, and took a less than healthy interest in
the bottle Shun carried with him.
Shun followed, again unsteadily, Terry's gaze to his bottle. "What,
kiddo, you want some of this?" he asked congenially, hiccuping about five
times in the course of the sentence.
Terry looked skeptical. "Uh, what is it?"
"Sake, my *HIC* boy!" said the drunken master.
Terry hmmmmed, until he saw Shun down a swig of it himself. "Sure, why not? I haven't had a good drink in months."
"This will suit the *hic* purpose well...."
And so, Terry took a swig, felt something cold on his shoulder, and discovered it was the floor. "Whoa!" he said. "Nice stuff!"
"No *HIC* kidding!" said Shun, wobbling. "Ready for that fight?"
"Sure, sure... I don't suppose you have any more of this for later, do you?" asked Terry.
Shun hiccuped violently. "Plenty, my boy! One swig's enough for a beginner, before a fight, though."
Terry nodded, stood up unsteadily, and wobbled into his stance. Shun followed suit, and they both waited patiently (and unsteadily) for Kuroko to signal the start of the match.
MATCH 15: HATTORI HANZO (SS3) vs. BISHAMON (NW)
-----------------------------------------------
The ghostly samurai squared off with the silent ninja, facing each other across the platform. A solemn air hung over them, and the air seemed chill as the two most tragic heroes in the videogame multiverse prepared to square off. There was no banter, no childish 'my fate is worse than your fate', just a silent acknowledgement of each other's respective doom, and the destiny that had drawn them into this battle.
Or at least, that's how it would've been, had Bishamon taken steps to silence his equipment before the match.
"Oooooh! LOOK! A ninja!"
"Get 'im Bish!"
"Oooh...the Angst!"
"Can you do nothing to silence those infernal creations?" Hanzo inquired, almost visibly annoyed.
Bishamon shook his head disconsolately, "They are part of my curse, my doom, to forever wander the earth, battling evil...and enduring their inane commentary."
Eying the samurai's equipment dangerously, Hanzo cracked his knuckles. "Well then, I will lighten your burden by silencing them FOR you."
MATCH 16: KING (KOF95) vs. PAI (VF2)
------------------------------------
King and Pai shook hands, and began talking casually, and attempting to conduct themselves in a civil manner before their fight. However, the bellowing and jeering from the infamous Peanut Gallery would NOT allow it.
Rancid wolf-whistled repeatedly. "Hey, PAI! I've seen every one of your movies! I don't care if you're just a computer-animated collection of polygons! How about a date!"
Pai just rolled her eyes.
Down below, Lord Wulf was plunking away on an old, and badly abused lute, serenading King. He was also getting pelted with tomatoes from everyone ELSE in the Peanut Gallery. His singing voice left a LOT to be desired.
King groaned audibly, and gestured to Pai to come closer.
"Regardless of WHO wins," King whispered to her opponent, "after the match, let's do our best to discourage those two idiots."
Pai nodded enthusiastically.
MATCH 17: LAU (VF2) vs. HEIDERN (KOF95)
---------------------------------------
"Trust me, trust me," Lau was telling a somewhat skeptical looking Heidern as they conversed before the match. "Childcare is a living hell."
Heidern frowned somewhat, eying the tea drinking chinese man - the fact that he was not drinking coffee was already a stroke against his good sense. "But I love my daughter." He asserted.
Lau shrugged, "Of course you do. How old was she when you lost her? Ten?"
Heidern shrugged noncomittally, sipping his prefight cappucino.
"Well there you go," Lau continued, "You never had to deal with the terrible teens." He gestured over to where Pai was preparing for her own match. "That's when it gets really dreadful. They don't respect you, they don't listen to a word you say, they make trouble just for the sake of seeing the look on your face when you find out. Trust me. You're better off without her."
Heidern, suddenly even MORE icy calm, handing his now empty cup down to Clark, who was standing by the edge of the platform. "How dare you say such things. Simply because YOU are a BAD PARENT, do not slander my daughter!"
Lau spilled his tea. "What did you say? You called me a B-b-b-THAT!" He growled, clenching his fists. "I'll show you..."
MATCH 18: CHARLIE (SFA) vs. DEMITRI (NW)
----------------------------------------
A little while before the match, Charlie was working out by himself in one of the many gyms around the DreamArena. As he set down the set of weights he'd been pressing, he suddenly had an odd feeling of being watched. His combat trained reflexes immediately kicked in, and he spun around, ending up in a low, defensive crouch, only to see a nondescript, sort of scruffy looking guy in a beat up trenchcoat and aging fedora. Figuring it must be a rogue fan, Charlie relaxed a bit, "Ah...you're really not supposed to be down here. This is a 'fighters and tournament personel only' area."
The man responded, in a quiet tone, "I've found you."
"Huh? Yeah, you found me. What do you want, my autograph or something?" the special forces trooper responded as he put on his shirt.
"You are Charlie, are you not? Yes, yes, I can tell now that I'm this close. You have a match today against one of THEM."
"Umm...who do you mean by 'them'?"
"The Undead. The Vampires," came the somewhat ominous reply.
"Um...yeah...so?" Charlie was wondering if he should call security and get this wacko removed.
"You are the one. You have been chosen. In every generation, there is a slayer - one who battles their kind. You have been chosen."
Charlie groaned, "Can't you go talk to the runner up or something?"
The man shook his head, drawing a wooden stake from the confines of his coat. "There is no time. We have lost too much already. You do not have the training..."
Charlie grumbled, "Lookit, old dude, I've had YEARS of special forces training, and I can pound on this vampire just fine without any of your 'chosen one' gibberish. Is that clear? Now get out of here before I call security."
"I see you still don't understand..."
"Darn right I don't." The special forces agent walked to the wall and pressed the com-button. "Security please."
As a set of brutes dragged the protesting old gentleman away, Charlie just shook his head, then went up onto the platform to contend with Demitri and his cheering section.
****
Demitri fluttered up onto the platform, and morphed into his 'human' self, to a smattering of applause from the audience, and a good deal from his dedicated section of the peanut gallery. After a few moments, his opponent, Charlie, made his appearance, heralded by cheers from a squad of special forces troops a couple of rows back. As he took off his glasses and entered his fighting stance, he asked, "So, Drac, ready to get your fangs broken?"
Demitri smiled, showing the aforementioned fangs, "Be careful vhat you say, little man." His eyes glowed slightly.
"You don't have to take that Charlie!" cried one of the men in the stands.
Charlie smirked, "Boy, you've got the cheesy accent and everything. You're probably some old-school communist."
The black clad members of the peanut gallery sneered, "Hey! Vampires aren't like that! The whole 'bulgarian nobleman with a cloak and bad accent' is just a cliche!"
Matrix, seated with her feet up in the section of the peanut gallery that the Time Killers had staked out for themselves, cut in, "I hate to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but that's EXACTLY what he is."
"Except for the fire stuff, anyway." Orion noted.
The special forces fellows just jeered, and the match began with some uneasy tensions between the factions involved.
MATCH 19: EIJI KISARAGI (KOF95) vs. AKIRA (VF2)
-----------------------------------------------
Eiji studied Akira intently as he went through his warm-up routine. His eyes blazed intently behind the scarf concealing his face. Finally he nodded, and addressed his opponent. "Kung Fu. An admirable style... but it will not avail you. The Heavens sing 'Kisaragi'!"
Akira stopped his routine, and stared right through the ninja. "What's THAT supposed to mean, pal?!"
Eiji stared at the Virtua Fighter calmly. "I mean that Kung Fu will not avail you against me. I've seen every episode of Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. None of your tricks will work on me."
Akira groaned audibly, and rolled his eyes. "I thought you ninja were supposed to be CLEVER! Do you do anything besides watch TV?"
Eiji thought for a second, before quickly replying, "Yeah, well, your shoe's untied."
"REALLY?" Akira said. He blinked a few times, as he knelt to check, though something seemed REALLY suspicious about the whole thing.
MATCH 20: DONOVAN (NW) vs. MAI SHIRANUI (KOF95)
-----------------------------------------------
Donovan took one look at Mai and boggled at her attire, looking absolutely fearful.
Mai wasn't quite sure what to make of this. She wasn't entirely unused to men looking afraid around her, but it was more a matter of being afraid Andy would see them staring at her. Donovan simply looked afraid of Mai herself.
"Got problems, big guy?" asked Mai.
Donovan frowned, "None at all... demoness!"
"WHAT?" asked Mai, thoroughly confused and more than a little upset at the remark.
"You can only be a demoness! Such beauty is unnatural!" continued the demon hunter. Mai suddenly blushed slightly.
"Well, good sir, I can promise you that I'm no--" Mai began, but Donovan cut her off.
"Silence! I will not fall victim to your wiles, woman!" he stated firmly. Mai harrumphed and folded her arms.
"What makes you think I'm a demoness, aside from my astoundingly good looks?" Mai asked, quite annoyed.
Donovan shook his head, careful to avoid her "hypnotizing" gaze. "Because you are too beautiful to be human," he said evenly, his mouth a thin, hard line. "And your... attributes," he added with a slight cough, "can only be supernatural in nature."
"Nope, I was born with these, buddy," she smirked. "Now, do you think you can stop staring at me long enough to fight?"
The demon hunter growled, "Indeed I can."
MATCH 21: FELICIA (NW) vs. NAKORURU (SS3)
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Nakoruru had pondered long and hard which of her companions to bring with her to this battle. While Shikuruu had a strong intimidation value, if her felinoid opponent was as agile and quick as she was said to be, Mamahaha's speed and range would be a distinct advantage.
"Besides," Galford had taken the opportunity to remind her, "The poor bird is looking pretty disappointed at not having been able to fight, so far."
And so it was that, with Mamahaha perched reassuringly on her shoulder, the young Ainu entered the ring, and studied her strange opponent. It was clear that, whatever it was, it was not one of Nature's creatures, as the catwoman resembled some bizarre hybrid of human and feline, and the look it was directing at her was one of curiously mixed intelligence and instinct.
Felicia, meanwhile, was pleased. The big hairy wolf thing that was waiting by the edge of the platform made her distinctly nervous, but once again, her opponent had been obiliging enough to bring a meal along. As she lowered herself into a crouch, she only hoped that this girl would let her FINISH eating.
MATCH 22: RYU (SFA) vs. RYO SAKAZAKI (KOF95)
--------------------------------------------
Ryu hopped up and down on the platform, stretching his muscles, and getting himself ready for the fight. His opponent, across from him, was following suit, but Ryu was quite thoroughly confused.
Ryo looked across the platform at the legendary Ryu. His attempt to greet him congenially had not gone over all that well, as Ryu made the mistake of saying the one word which aggravated him to no end.
"Ken?"
"No, I'm NOT Ken!" he had bellowed. "My name is RYO SAKAZAKI, and I am a student of Kyokugenryu!"
"Ah, Kyokugenryu," said Ryu. "I have heard of this style... I understand it is reasonably similar to Shotokan."
"NO!!!!" cried Ryo. After a few more back-and-forth volleys like this, he gave up, and took to limbering himself up for the fight. Damn it, now he was going to show these people who the REAL original was. He hated being called "Ken." He didn't feel he looked anything like him, and he certainly didn't FIGHT like him.
Ryu bowed deeply to Ryo, and said, "May you fight well."
"Oh, I will," said Ryo. "You too... not that it'll help you."
"Sure *sounds* like something Ken would say," muttered Ryu.
"Shut UP!!!" said Ryo, and sighed. The bell rang. The match was on.
MATCH 23: KABAL (MK3) vs. CHAOS (TSD2)
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Chaos toddled merrily up to the platform. Let's face it... when you're insane, you can be as merry as you want. He skipped about, absent-mindedly twirling his scythe, and regarding his opponent.
Kabal stood, unmoving as the lunatic circled him. His blades twitched nervously as he tapped his foot. He sighed beneath his mask, and wondered briefly why he couldn't fight a NORMAL opponent. First a big lizard, and now... THIS!
After a moment, Chaos cartwheeled in, and came to stand right before the Tusken-Raider-esque Kabal. With a stupid grin on his face, he asked "Why dO yOU WeAr A mASk? wErE YoU BUrNed bY aCid Or sOMEthInG?"
Kabal blinked for a moment at the lunatic's directness before replying tartly, "Actually, yes I was! Thank you for asking! Sheesh, some people!"
Throughout the arena, everyone groaned as Kabal TOTALLY missed the reference.
MATCH 24: KYO KUSANAGI (KOF95) vs. JOE HIGASHI (KOF95)
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As Joe walked up to the platform, shaking his fists in the air and yelling, "YEAH! Here we GO!" his opponent Kyo Kusanagi, lounged restlessly in his corner, rippling flames across his fingertips.
"Well if it isn't Joe Higashi, underwear warrior." Kyo grinned, closing his fist and extinguishing the flames. "Nice threads. It's not really fair to put your opponents at a disadvantage by blinding them with your loud shorts though."
"Hey!" protested Joe, "I get this from YOU? School uniforms ain't exactly GQ material, pal." He stretched, and threw a few jabs at the air.
Kyo harrumped. "Hey yourself!" he said. "School uniforms are 'in.' They're all the rage as fighting outfits."
"Yeah, whatever, pal," smirked Joe, "A teen idol you ain't."
Kyo flashed a smile, and a number of schoolgirls, scattered throughout the audience, swooned. "You should tell me more about myself. I might be misinformed."
Joe decided to switch tracks. "Umm... yeah. And that fire nonsense of yours - flames are so passe. They've been overused ever since Dhalsim. Wind is where it's at, baby!"
Kyo laughed, "Alright. Bring it on, Joe. Show me your style."
Joe laughed as well. "That's right! I'm gonna screw you up!"
MATCH 25: KEN (SFA) vs. TACHIBANA UKYO (SS3)
--------------------------------------------
There was no ticker-tape parade for the Champ's second fight. No flashy tricks with the spotlights, or music filling the DreamArena. Rather, Ukyo limped his way to the platform, leaning on the Drying Pole for support, and being assisted by a young, star-eyed Rimururu.
Ken was already atop the platform, warming up. He nodded and waved in a friendly manner. Ukyo removed an apple from his shirt, and tossed it into the air. With two lightning-quick slashes, the apple was reduced to quarters. (One of which Rimu snatched up and ate)
Ken observed this, before walking over and flashing a winning smile. "So, I'll be number one after I beat you?" After a moment he added, "Don't worry... at least you'll be able to get plenty of bed rest!" His voice began to trail off, as he noticed something he couldn't believe.
He leapt down from the platform, and dashed to a seat in the front row. He grabbed it's occcupant by the shoulders, and shook her vigorously. "Eliza! What are you looking at?!"
Eliza continued to gaze dreamily at Ukyou. "Isn't he FABULOUS!?" she sighed. She couldn't take her EYES from him. He was even better looking than... what's his name, her fiancee.
"That's IT, pretty boy!" Ken bellowed as he charged up the platform. "Now it's SERIOUS!"
MATCH 26: ROBERT GARCIA (KOF95) vs. ROSE (SFA)
----------------------------------------------
Robert smiled to himself, walking alongside his opponent toward the platform. "So, how about you and I go get a drink after this round, eh?" he said, turning his smile outward and aiming it in Rose's general direction.
Rose smiled courteously, after thinking to herself what the easiest way out of this would be. They reached the platform, and she said, "Thank you, but no... I'm a bit old for you, I think."
Robert's grin widened, "So? I like older women."
"You have no idea how much older I am," Rose replied.
"Should I try to guess?" Robert tried to ask, but he was interrupted by Yuri hopping up onto the platform and grabbing his ear rather hard.
"Robert, you JERK!!!!" she cried. "First it's Mai, now it's this Rose lady, who's about fifty times your age!!!"
"What??" asked Robert incredulously. "Fifty? Damn, she looks good for her a--" *SMACK*
"Damn it, LISTEN to me!" continued Yuri, while Rose stood off to the side, grateful for now that the heat was off of her. Yuri began a most spectacular tirade about how she was sick of Robert's wandering eyes and his constant flirting with every attractive woman he saw.
Robert demurred, "Okay, okay... I promise, no more flirting. And besides, Yuri, it's not like I'm serious or anything..."
Yuri didn't want to hear it. She huffed and walked down the platform stairs, taking her place in the Peanut Gallery, to make damn sure Robert didn't break his promise.
Robert grinned halfheartedly, apologetically, to Rose, who just shook her head and sighed. "Boys...," she thought to herself. She took up her stance, hoping that would remind Robert of the matter at hand.
Indeed it did, for he dropped into his own stance a moment later, and said, "Okay, lady, whenever you're ready." This one could well be interesting indeed...
MATCH 27: ASAMIYA ATHENA (KOF95) vs. KUBIKIRI BASARA (SS3)
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Athena was NOT happy. She looked nervously at her quivering opponent, who was quivering not from cold or fear, but simply because it seemed to be a good thing to do. It unnerved her to no end.
Basara stared forward at her, his hand gripping his tri-star tightly. Athena refused to be cowed into submission by her opponent's insane manner. "You hurt my master!" she said, "and now you're going to pay!"
The undead man laughed in his typical way. "Your master, was he?" he asked, punctuating his questions with insane giggling. "If he was the master, I sincerely hope, for your sake, that you are more skilled than HE was...."
Athena scowled. "How dare you!?" she yelled, then reminded herself that she had to keep her emotions under control if she was going to fight to the best of her ability. "I'm going to make sure you don't go any--" she began.
Basara interrupted her with a primal scream of horror, which gave everyone (well, almost everyone) in the DreamArena a chill, and his body glowed a slight red, faded out a moment, then became solid again. He started laughing once more, this time almost hysterically.
Athena gave up on trying to intimidate this crazy man. He was infinitely more skilled at that game than she was. She frowned, got into battle stance, and watched her quaking opponent carefully, waiting for the match to begin.
MATCH 28: M. BISON (SFA) vs. OMEGA RUGAL (KOF95)
------------------------------------------------
Bison and Rugal both folded their arms and stared. They'd each heard of the other. They'd both seen the other in action, and heard of their organizations. They'd even worked together last year in an effort to take over the node (although Bison didn't remember that particular incident). Neither one was worth the other's time, or attention. The air positively reeked of disdain.
Bison glowered at the towering Rugal from under his military cap, a contemptous sneer on his face. This grey skinned shadow of a man would surely be no match for his Psycho Power.
Rugal's single eye seemed to glow with suppressed fury, and his silvery hair seemed to shine with an unearthly light. This petty crimelord was beneath his contempt - he would crush him and move on - the Orochi power that flowed through his veins would see to that.
All hell broke lose as the round bell rang.
MATCH 29: SAISYU KUSANAGI (KOF95) vs. AKUMA (SFA)
-------------------------------------------------
Saisyu strode calmly up to the platform. His steps were even, and controlled, as those of a master martial-artist should be. He forcibly IGNORED the jeers from the traditional (if slightly late) residents of the peanut gallery.
"Hey!" jeered Rancid, "He looks like DEATH warmed over!" Death smacked Rancid a good one upside the head for that little remark.
"That joke stank like week-old prey!" Mantazz groaned, her chitinous plates clicking slightly.
"But look at him!" Rancid continued, "He doesn't even look grateful!"
The rest of the Time Killers screamed (in something close to unison) "PILE ON RANCID!!!" and they all dived on him, kicking punching and slashing.
For his part, Saisyu Kusanagi maintained his control as he topped the platform, and nodded to the black-gi-clad figure opposite him, and nodded as Akuma said six words.
"No respect. No respect at all."
MATCH 30: VERMILLION (TSD2) vs. AMAKUSA SHIRO TOKISADA (SS3)
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Amakusa had been very careful to lay down wards against the black-clad man's strange weapons. After seeing the mighty Zankuro felled so easily, he had no intention of going out in the same fashion.
Vermillion stood opposite the sorcerer, checking to make sure his guns were loaded, and that he had a good stock of ammunition on him. Some considered his method of fighting unfair, but that was the way things were. He wasn't here to please anyone but himself. And if a few people died along the way, oh well, too bad for them.
Amakusa chuckled softly, and summoned his orb of power to his hand. "You may have defeated Zankuro, but I have many more tricks up my sleeves than he did."
"Magician, eh?" spat Vermillion. "Parlor tricks aren't going to save you, you know. One shot is all it's going to take."
"Don't be so certain, brash one," said Amakusa, barely containing the anger and annoyance bubbling up inside him. His orb circled around him in a display of power.
"Don't bother trying to impress me," said the gunman. "I don't get impressed. And I don't get beaten, as that Zankuro fellow knows by now."
"Zankuro was not prepared," said Amakusa. "However, I am. I will claim your soul for my dark lord."
"Umm... wasn't it the Dark GUY, last go-round?" Jolly Green remarked to Deuce. "At the very least, that's what the computers say..."
"Amakusa's got it right... bad translation before," said Deuce simply, with a shrug.
"Oooookaaaaay," replied the Jovial One. "No wonder he's so pissed. If someone kept mistranslating MY name to sound so... goofy...." Jolly Green left the thought unfinished.
On the platform, the two combatants were almost shuddering, both of them wanting desperately to destroy the other.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff "Deuce" Nussbaum Mike "Wraith" Pureka "Jolly Green" Jason Wright
deuce@scsn.net mpureka@wesleyan.edu jasondw@hargray.com
(
geocities.com/soho/lofts) (
geocities.com/soho)