Match 1-1: Darkstalkers' Alliance vs. Neo-Commando Squad
Author's Notes: I've updated the website, editing McGrath's Hell X into the Hell Press - didn't realize that he didn't have that move for the longest time. Also, at this time a tournament bracket and an art page have been posted, as popularly demanded. If I have the time or you have the desire, I'll also add a chronology of events leading up to the tournament. Again, be sure to note which team you believe will win the tournament.
Kikoken: Heh, Guile does hate Bison. (sadistic laughter) Erm, that wasn't me. (runs away)
Blue-Eyes Knight: Hook you up? Hmm, I think I have the perfect match ... ohhh Poison ...! (runs away)
Chan Yoruyamatiha: Just a brief note, Suteki da Ne isn't a rap song at all but rather a beautiful love song - or at least it would be, if someone else were singing it. As for you and Hiryu - well, read the chapter, heh heh heh. (runs away while Chan is reading)
DeNice: This story got demoted to the rank of anime movie?!?! Nooo!!!! (runs away)
Osaka, Japan
Two days have passed
Jin Saotome rapped experimentally on the microphone. He was seated high in a box overlooking all of Osaka Stadium, a clear commanding view of the crowd right in front of him. A dozen screens from all sides showed the battlefield far away in Greece, a battlefield that would soon be brought home to the contestants in Osaka via holoprojector. To his left, Kyosuke studied the screens and the crowd with an artistically neutral expression, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "We're up. Let's do it."
"Right." Jin turned around to face the cameras; as the lights brightened on each one, he pasted a smile onto his face. "Welcome back to the World Collision tournament, I'm Jin Saotome ..."
"And I'm Kyosuke Kagami. Glad to have you with us tonight. It is currently two PM local time. Whether you're watching from a jam-packed stadium or from the comfort of a home setting, the next match is about to begin. It is seven AM at the Greek island of Thira, where today the Darkstalkers' Alliance will be pitted against the Neo Commando Squad. Jin, what are the prospects for this fight?"
The camera focused on Jin. "Well, Kyosuke, today we are seeing two very well-qualified teams - perhaps the two best teams in the tournament - facing off against each other. On the Neo Commando Squad, Commando and Strider form the single most deadly pair in the tournament. They've developed some very effective team-based traps and techniques for use in the tournament and Ruby Heart is no slouch either. On the Darkstalker side, all three members are excellent warriors who enjoy the experience advantage thanks to their longevity. Overall I'd say this match is strictly 50-50 and will boil down to the level of teamwork that each side shows. The match is about to begin ... let's go to our roving correspondent. Alia, how's it like at Thira?"
The Reploid Alia, painted in bright colors that shone in the morning sun, held onto a microphone in one hand while attempting to keep a set of goggles on her head with the other. "Well, Jin, it's very windy even this early in the morning. If we can get a panoramic shot - yes, that's good ..." The camera angle shifted to take in a view of the island. "... Thira is a beautiful locale. Archaeologists have long suspected that Thira was home to the ancient civilization of Atlantis, but all that we have left from that time are a few miscellaneous ruins. As a battlefield, the island is fairly low and wide, so there will be a lot of room for manuevering. The referees have already arrived - you can Jedah and Gill over there, past my shoulder, they're marking out the boundaries of the battlefield. The earth here is fairly hard-packed, no risk of visibility loss anywhere. Since M. expects the hosted fights to be fairly dangerous, no civilians will be allowed on the island other than mobile film crews and announcers such as myself."
"Thanks, Alia. Here's the big moment, everyone, the teams have arrived!"
Stepping off from a transport boat, Captain Commando tested the air experimentally. Behind him, Ruby Heart crouched and adjusted her bootstraps. Strider brought up the rear doing nothing, only standing still and looking very intimidating. From the other side of the island, Demitri strode to the center of the island flanked by Morrigan and Donovan. The cameras zoomed in as the teams met in the middle of the island, Gill and Jedah also there. Besides a few blades of grass and the ubiquitous broken column or ruined tile, Thira was mostly just sand-colored, compact earth. The island itself stretched a mile in every direction from where the teams had met.
His long blond hair ruffled by the breeze, Gill boomed, "Neo Commando Squad, identify your tactical leader."
"That would be me," Commando returned.
The referees nodded, then Jedah turned to the other side. "Darkstalkers' Alliance, identify your tactical leader."
"I am the leader," Demitri said, bowing to the referees. Jedah bowed in return, then at his signal the other contestants cleared out a space in the middle of the ruin, Ruby Heart's boots crunching on the shattered tiles. Jedah and Gill arranged themselves on opposite sides of the contestants. That left only Demitri and Commando in the center, face to face.
"We fight at last, lord of vampires."
"You are quite strong, Commando. Care to be my servant?"
"I serve justice alone."
"Justice - a meaningless term used to exonerate the weak. Fear not, misguided mortal, I shall cure you of that misconception."
Tense silence ensued, but only for a moment. Without warning, a brilliant light shone from above covering the entire island, and then all present heard M.'s voice again. "Begin!"
Slightly shocked, at first neither contestant did anything, but Commando was wearing shades and as such responded far better to the flash of light than Demitri. Demitri only barely parried Commando's first kick before impact. Then, as Commando lashed out with a powerful right hook aimed at the head, the vampire lord's fighting abilities also swung into gear. Demitri blocked high and struck back in the same fluid motion; Commando, who had anticipated the attack, responded by rolling backwards out of range. Demitri launched a flaming bat after him; Commando blocked the attack but was knocked back down regardless, his armored suit making a hard impact on the broken tiles. Sneering, Demitri glided forward ...
Kyosuke shook his head. "One would think that he'd really know better than to fall for a trick like that."
"Be that as it may, Kyosuke, I think that Commando actually has the experience advantage in this battle." Jin studied a hologram of the fight. Demitri was nearly atop Commando. "Belial Aensland was the only opponent whom Demitri had to face who was of Commando's caliber, but that was more than a century ago. I don't find it surprising that Demitri fell for the trick - but he won't fall for it again." Even as he finished, Commando dodged to the side, causing Demitri to miss an attack; a moment later, Ruby Heart rushed into the battlefield glowing with cerulean fire and impacted solidly on Demitri. Commando followed up with the Captain Kick, sailing toward his foe and landing an additional attack.
"So far it seems that neither team has the advantage," Kyosuke observed. "The Neo Commando Squad has scored more hits, but Demitri now knows what he's facing. Let's get a second opinion on this - Master Gen?"
"I agree with you, boy," Gen commented from his own place in the bleachers. "The Neo Commando Squad will eventually lose a battle of attrition, so they have to go for a quick victory. It only remains to be seen if they realize this yet."
Apparently their leader did; Commando drove in hard at Demitri, at the same time calling Ruby Heart in for another assist attack. He jumped at Demitri, and as predicted the vampire lord responded with his uppercut attack, a flying bat spin. Jin winced as he saw the cape cut into Commando. "Apparently Commando wasn't expecting Demitri to be able to move quite that fast. But now that Demitri's in mid-air, he'll be exposed to Ruby Heart's attack." Exactly as foretold, a stream of water burst beneath Demitri and knocked him head over heels tumbling backwards. He righted himself just as he fell to the tiled ground; Commando was prevented from following up on his advantage by the appearance of Donovan's sword Dhylec, which covered Demitri with a Thunder Saber defense. After a moment, Commando took advantage of the lull to call out Ruby again, this time to provide him with a power-up orb.
"The Neo-Commando Squad is showing much better teamwork than the Darkstalkers' Alliance so far," Jin observed. "Commando has Demitri in a bad position and they both know it. Simply put, Demitri cannot manuever with his back to a wall like this. He has to escape somehow - yes, he did it! Pulled a Demon Billion on Commando and now the roles are reversed! Commando isn't fazed, though - this fight is far from over. Watch, he's manuevering Demitri into a position where Ruby Heart will have a clean shot at him."
"I doubt Demitri will fall for that trick," Kyosuke commented. "Commando himself is concentrating too much on his opponent and not enough on his surroundings. Yes, here comes Dhylec again ... well, Commando got really lucky there, he was totally unaware of Dhylec's approach and that chance Captain Collider saved him. Demitri is in a better position, though."
"Yes, and he's begun to lock down Commando's options." Jin glanced at the crowd. "If Demitri can wear down Commando enough for a full-power assault, then Commando will be finished. It looks real bad for - did you see that, ladies and gentlemen?!" While Demitri had attempted another Bat Spin, Commando had countered with an attack of his own. The bright flash of light was all the warning that the vampire lord had before Commando's enormous Captain Sword nearly impaled him; as it was, the attack brought Demitri into the tiles, hard. Nor was that all; even before the sword had faded, Commando was already withdrawing from the battlefield and Ruby Heart taking his place. Before Demitri could recover his wits, an enormous pirate ship materialized out of thin air and spiked the unlucky vampire on its cruelly sharpened metallic bow. Donovan, entering to assist, was knocked back out of the battlefield; a moment later, the ship raked Demitri with several volleys of cannonballs, the last set blasting him loose off the pirate ship's bow and into a stone column. Hard. "What an amazing performance by the Neo Commando teammates! Taking two super attacks at once - Demitri's going to be licking his own blood up after that performance. He has to switch out, and he has to do it now!"
As if on cue, Demitri bowed and faded out, gliding backwards; a moment later, Donovan jumped into the battlefield wielding his enormous blade. "How're the teams doing, Alia?"
"Well, Jin, Commando is certainly in much better shape than his counterpart from the other team. Objectively Demitri is the stronger fighter, if not by much, but as it is he really took a severe thrashing from that delayed attack chain. It's open to question whether or not he'll return to the fight. Back to you, Jin."
"Thanks, Alia. Right now Ruby Heart seems to be holding up extraordinarily well, and we've yet to see Morrigan make a battlefield appearance for striker assistance. On the other hand, Hiryu is certainly doing all he can to give Ruby a hand."
"Yes," Kyosuke added, "it's almost as if Donovan is facing off against two separate opponents. Let's take a closer look at the battle." As they turned, Donovan rushed in and scored a single hit on Ruby Heart, but was unable to follow up on his advantage when Hiryu threw a mighty slash that he barely avoided. Left off balance, Donovan then took Ruby's flaming shoulder tackle head-on in his chest and flew backwards. He picked himself up, this time looking decidedly more cautious. Ruby closed in while calling Strider again; the ninja took advantage of the wind to propel him to his target destination, right above Donovan where four separate illusions dropped down launching sliding kick. Unfortunately, Morrigan appeared in that instant and launched upwards with one bladed wing. Their assists collided; a moment later, Strider was outprioritized and knocked backwards bleeding through his uniform. The presence of both strikers, however, gave Captain Commando the opportunity to return and unbalance the equation once more. He struck the ground with his fist; a moment later, a gigantic burst of electricity exploded into the air and sent both Donovan and Morrigan flying backwards. Ruby, trying to catch up with Donovan, failed to notice Demitri's entrance and was hit by a bat-shaped projectile.
"That particular encounter cost the Darkstalkers' Alliance more than the Neo Commando Squad," Gen noted. "Demitri needs to rest and recover his strength - just using that single assist took much out of him. Strider will not return immediately but he is certainly still a force to be reckoned with."
"Agreed, the encounter may have bought the Darkstalkers a short-term advantage but they won't keep it in the long run once Hiryu recovers." Kyosuke consulted a timepiece. "Well, this battle's been going on for a good twenty minutes with no let up in the action. Donovan and Morrigan aren't using their immediate advantage, though; Donovan has to call out Morrigan for assists if he wants to gain an advantage over Ruby Heart. He's keeping up a good deal of pressure on her right now since no striker action is forthcoming, but again that advantage won't last. Oh, there goes his position - nice Supremation from Ruby there."
Donovan picked himself off the ground, snarling and wiping away a trickle of blood from his mouth. He was irritated now; calling in Morrigan for an assist, he rushed Ruby Heart and attempted to take her down. Unfortunately, Morrigan had misinterpreted his signal; as Donovan leapt high into the air, Morrigan did likewise, clipping him with a Shadow Blade that tore through his robes. The two of them fell back to the ground in a tangled heap, only that they never got there. An oversized treasure materialized at Ruby Heart's feet and she kicked it open; a swarm of ghosts appeared and mobbed both unfortunate fighters. Nor was that all. "Go, Strider!" Ruby called, at the same time boarding a phantom canoe and sailing backwards on air. A moment later, Strider entered the battlefield and with him came a swarm of angry mechanical beasts, overwhelming the Darkstalkers in one brutal stampede. For Donovan, it was lights out on impact, and Morrigan scarcely fared any better. As a battered Morrigan tried desperately to fend off Hiryu's attacks, Jedah slipped onto the battlefield and carried Donovan to a waiting medical squad.
"One down for the Darkstalkers," Jin noted. "That was a truly awful miscommunication that occurred right there, and the Neo Commando Squad took full advantage of it. I think this fight is winding down; Morrigan and Demitri are both too battered to stand much of a chance, while all three members of the Neo Commando squad are still fresh. The Darkstalkers are finally getting their act together - very nice cover fire from Demitri right there - but it's too late for them. Okay, Morrigan and Demitri are switching out, probably the best move they could make in this circumstance."
"Now this is very interesting, Jin. Hiryu's a skilled fighter and ideally wants to get in close for a devastating combo attack, while Demitri has an interest in keeping him far away. Hiryu moves more quickly, though - nice assist by Commando right there - he's definitely wearing Demitri down. Here comes Commando again with the assist - great manuever by Hiryu, teleporting right next to Demitri! Looks like Hiryu-san is about to -" Kyosuke abruptly shut his mouth and instead stared. They all did, stunned for a moment into uneasy silence. "... Hiryu-chan, excuse me ..." Kyosuke stammered at length, feeling his cheeks turn red.
For indeed, Hiryu was standing next to Demitri and had changed for both better and worse. Better, because Demitri had contacted him and transformed him into a woman, thus improving his looks immensely. From the sidelines, Ruby Heart whistled - Hiryu'd have no trouble winning a pageant with his - her - whatever! - newly acquired looks. Worse, because next moment Demitri seized Hiryu by the neck and was feeding on his opponent's blood. The attack lasted only for a moment, then Demitri threw Hiryu to the side and wiped his lips in one fluid motion. There was a puff of smoke and Hiryu stumbled to the dirty tiles - but at least he was back to his normal self.
"Oy ... where's the move analyst? Mr. Q, what in the name of reason was that?!"
The speakers shifted over to Q's monotonous voice. "That move is the Midnight Bliss. It is a well-known fact that Demitri only drinks female blood, so he changes his opponent into a woman and feasts himself on her blood. It's, uh, one of the most ... innovative ... techniques I've ever seen. Back to you, Jin."
"Oh, okay. Thanks, Q. There you have it. Looks like Hiryu's mad now, though. Look, he just summoned his Options - this is the well-known and hated Ouroboros technique. Demitri really has no choice but to turtle until the Ouroboros wear off. Still, he might be able to turn the tables with - yes, here comes Morrigan with a projectile assist - and here comes Commando with another. Oh, look look look! What a manuever! Strider teleported right above Morrigan and Demitri! Look at him pound both of them at the same time with the Ouroboros! And here comes Commando with yet another assist! Hiryu's gotten both of them! The Neo Commando Squad has won the match!"
While the medical teams entered to retrieve the motionless bodies of Morrigan and Demitri, Hiryu bowed to both as a offering of tribute to a match well fought. A moment later, Gill had seized Hiryu's wrist and held it up high, his voice booming through Osaka Stadium. "Announcing the victors of Round 1-1: the Neo Commando Squad! Congratulations on a battle well-fought!" And with that, the crowd went wild.
Osaka, Japan
Two days have passed
"What do you mean, you can't find them?" Captain Commando demanded.
It was late at night and McGrath spread his hands. "I mean exactly what I said. They're not in any of the local hospitals near Greece, nor have any of them returned to Japan. I double checked the intelligence. The only possibility left is if they returned to Makai - the intelligence reports are still coming in, but the preliminary results aren't good, either."
Commando shook his head, confused. "I wanted to stop by and debrief with Demitri, but it's like he just plumb disappeared!" He paced back and forth nervously. As usual, it was nighttime and the veterans were again at their table, having gathered for supper and then fallen to small talk. All of the regular faces were present, barring Demitri. "I refuse to believe that it would take him more than two days to simply regain consciousness. Do either of you know anything?" Jedah and Gill shook their heads vigorously. "Ah ... Miss Rose, I apologize, but would you be willing to search for them?"
"Not a problem," Rose replied. "In fact, it's about time ... well, I'll be seeing you boys." So saying, she stood up and glided out of the room. "Later!" Bison called.
I know an old temple in a park nearby where Dadallent and McGrath fought their great battle three years ago. Even now, residual energy from that fight still lingers. I can tap into that energy and it will certainly help me in my attempt to pierce the darkness. Rose frowned. Never before had anything hid her vision so completely and she had a nagging suspicion that regardless of the power she could call, her sight would still be obscured. Only one way to know. "Taxi!"
Twenty minutes later, she was standing outside of the temple. It was a low-lying, squat structure enclosed by a stone wall twice her height. The gate was open but blocked by a sign informing passersby that visiting hours had ended some time ago. Rose ignored the warning and entered the temple grounds. Old stone lanterns, now extinguished, dotted the interior. There was about a fifty meter distance from the gate to the temple structure proper; Rose walked down the cobbled path, her heels clicking on the stones. As she suspected, the energies of the fight three years ago still lingered, and in greater quantities than she remembered. The whole temple premises, in fact, seemed to be permeated with it. There! That is where McGrath nearly killed Dadallent, missing his attack by less than centimeter. And over there! A fireball war occurred there. And here, where I stand - the Psychisaber almost found its mark. Had either of them been but a trifle slower, one would not now be present in this tournament. Rose stepped up to the screen doors of the temple, shaking her head in bewilderment. So much energy that I can actually read the movements of the battle as they occurred ...
She quietly slid the screen door open. The temple looked well-maintained; in the brightness of the moonlight, she could easily discern the waxed wooden floors and clean whitewashed walls. Whatever McGrath and Dadallent had done three years ago on the outside, they'd fought the climax of their battle in the expansive space of the temple interior. Here ... yes ... Dadallent's Deadly Edge and McGrath's MAXIMUM Mayhem Rampage had collided, neither winning in the end. While that particular battle had ended in stalemate, Rose intended to reap the benefits. Plenty of energy here. She slid the screen door shut, plunging the interior into gloomy grayness. There, alone in the temple, she sat down and composed herself.
Only she wasn't alone.
Rose's eyes snapped open and she looked around wildly, channeling a bit of Soul Power. A globe of energy instantly rose from her palms and hovered in the air, illuminating the temple with an unnatural blue aura. Then she saw them. Shadows without form and only a vaguely humanoid shape, masses of blackness, converging slowly upon her from all directions. They oozed out of every crack and crevice in the temple structure, each one a slinking mass the size of a house cat. Only their eyes shone, a bright yellow that reeked of menace. When one of them laid a hand on her leg, Rose felt an involuntary shudder race through her. The creature's touch chilled to the bone. Rose channelled some energy and the creature was jolted back violently, collapsing half a meter away. Only for a moment, though; with the same inexorable stride reserved for death, the creature rose and again began to shamble towards her.
Rose bolted for the screen door, her mind racing wildly. What in all creation are these things?! Did they form out of that battle, too - a combination of McGrath's willpower and Dadallent's emnity? Rose fried another creature that brushed her leg, yet even as that one fell two more took its place. Shuddering, she knocked them away with great effort and stumbled towards the screen door. Calling a great deal of power, she blasted one of the creatures and it collapsed into a shapeless puddle, steaming. To Rose's horror, right before her very eyes the creature began to reassemble itself and rise again. No! Even with all my power, it cannot be -! More of the creatures tugged on her, eagerly swarming over her legs; she felt them go numb with coldness. She tried to fend off as many as she could while still heading for the door.
Which, for some reason, seemed to receding from her. Was the distance increasing, or was it only a trick of the mind? Rose's breaths came in short, shallow gasps now. There were too many of the persistent buggers and they swarmed all over her. First she went down to her knees, then to her arms, still reaching for the elusive door. Her entire body was covered by the creatures and she felt terribly cold, almost frozen. She was far too spent to attempt pulling any more of the energy in the room into some semblance of defense. Rose closed her eyes even as her vision began to swim. Come to think of it, she felt strangely peaceful ... almost as if sinking into a deep sleep after a very tiring day. The creatures no longer felt chilly, only cool and almost comforting. Rose sighed, contented.
"Begone!"
Bright light inundated the room, flooding the whole temple with such luminescence that Rose could only see white even though her eyes were shut fast. The light flooded her body with welcome warmth. As it did so, the creatures swarming over her scuttled off, dismayed; Rose opened her eyes and sat up, seeing to her astonishment that they were melting into nothingness, the searing light burning them away. As it was, she could barely see even that, so intense was the light that her eyes stung. She put up an arm to ward off the brilliance; the light gradually faded away to the level of a soft, comfortable glow. Rose blinked; she stood up, and upon glancing around she saw that she was not alone. Another woman was also in the temple building, one who was short of Rose's height by a good fifteen meters and yet still shone with a powerful aura.
She was dressed in pure white and cerulean colors, her clothes flowing naturally around her body. Her brilliant azure tunic trailed to the floor and then some, a silver shirt worn beneath it. Her hair was blonde and neatly tied back, yet still cascaded down to her waist and beyond like a golden waterfall. She wore a pair of shining earrings, a bracelet on each wrist, and a small necklace that clung to her neck. Most remarkable of all were the pair of angel wings that sprouted from her back, not ethereal and yet not quite material either. The mysterious woman had folded up her hands as if praying and as Rose finished her assessment the woman bowed, eyes closed. "Greetings. I apologize if I startled you; my name is Regina, and I apologize for arriving so belatedly."
"N - No, your timing could not have been better." Rose bowed also. "My name is Rose. Are you ... I mean, do you know what ... what those creatures were?"
Regina opened her eyes, both of which shone like sapphires. "Assassins, I believe. Someone wished to have you eliminated."
A sickening suspicion developed in Rose's mind. "M., no doubt. She wants me out of the way ... she doesn't want me to guess at the future. But ... why?!"
Regina laid a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder. "I wish I knew, Rose. Come, let us return to your friends - there is no need to peer at what is to be. Are you well?" Without waiting for an answer, Regina's hand glowed faintly and Rose felt vitality race through her veins. At the same time, a portal materialized in front of them and Regina stepped towards it. "The night is long, and we have plenty of time to converse." With a friendly smile, Regina indicated the portal; Rose stepped through it, Regina followed a moment later, and the portal sealed itself shut, erasing all evidence that anyone had been there.
Author's Notes: I've updated the website, editing McGrath's Hell X into the Hell Press - didn't realize that he didn't have that move for the longest time. Also, at this time a tournament bracket and an art page have been posted, as popularly demanded. If I have the time or you have the desire, I'll also add a chronology of events leading up to the tournament. Again, be sure to note which team you believe will win the tournament.
Kikoken: Heh, Guile does hate Bison. (sadistic laughter) Erm, that wasn't me. (runs away)
Blue-Eyes Knight: Hook you up? Hmm, I think I have the perfect match ... ohhh Poison ...! (runs away)
Chan Yoruyamatiha: Just a brief note, Suteki da Ne isn't a rap song at all but rather a beautiful love song - or at least it would be, if someone else were singing it. As for you and Hiryu - well, read the chapter, heh heh heh. (runs away while Chan is reading)
DeNice: This story got demoted to the rank of anime movie?!?! Nooo!!!! (runs away)
Osaka, Japan
Two days have passed
Jin Saotome rapped experimentally on the microphone. He was seated high in a box overlooking all of Osaka Stadium, a clear commanding view of the crowd right in front of him. A dozen screens from all sides showed the battlefield far away in Greece, a battlefield that would soon be brought home to the contestants in Osaka via holoprojector. To his left, Kyosuke studied the screens and the crowd with an artistically neutral expression, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "We're up. Let's do it."
"Right." Jin turned around to face the cameras; as the lights brightened on each one, he pasted a smile onto his face. "Welcome back to the World Collision tournament, I'm Jin Saotome ..."
"And I'm Kyosuke Kagami. Glad to have you with us tonight. It is currently two PM local time. Whether you're watching from a jam-packed stadium or from the comfort of a home setting, the next match is about to begin. It is seven AM at the Greek island of Thira, where today the Darkstalkers' Alliance will be pitted against the Neo Commando Squad. Jin, what are the prospects for this fight?"
The camera focused on Jin. "Well, Kyosuke, today we are seeing two very well-qualified teams - perhaps the two best teams in the tournament - facing off against each other. On the Neo Commando Squad, Commando and Strider form the single most deadly pair in the tournament. They've developed some very effective team-based traps and techniques for use in the tournament and Ruby Heart is no slouch either. On the Darkstalker side, all three members are excellent warriors who enjoy the experience advantage thanks to their longevity. Overall I'd say this match is strictly 50-50 and will boil down to the level of teamwork that each side shows. The match is about to begin ... let's go to our roving correspondent. Alia, how's it like at Thira?"
The Reploid Alia, painted in bright colors that shone in the morning sun, held onto a microphone in one hand while attempting to keep a set of goggles on her head with the other. "Well, Jin, it's very windy even this early in the morning. If we can get a panoramic shot - yes, that's good ..." The camera angle shifted to take in a view of the island. "... Thira is a beautiful locale. Archaeologists have long suspected that Thira was home to the ancient civilization of Atlantis, but all that we have left from that time are a few miscellaneous ruins. As a battlefield, the island is fairly low and wide, so there will be a lot of room for manuevering. The referees have already arrived - you can Jedah and Gill over there, past my shoulder, they're marking out the boundaries of the battlefield. The earth here is fairly hard-packed, no risk of visibility loss anywhere. Since M. expects the hosted fights to be fairly dangerous, no civilians will be allowed on the island other than mobile film crews and announcers such as myself."
"Thanks, Alia. Here's the big moment, everyone, the teams have arrived!"
Stepping off from a transport boat, Captain Commando tested the air experimentally. Behind him, Ruby Heart crouched and adjusted her bootstraps. Strider brought up the rear doing nothing, only standing still and looking very intimidating. From the other side of the island, Demitri strode to the center of the island flanked by Morrigan and Donovan. The cameras zoomed in as the teams met in the middle of the island, Gill and Jedah also there. Besides a few blades of grass and the ubiquitous broken column or ruined tile, Thira was mostly just sand-colored, compact earth. The island itself stretched a mile in every direction from where the teams had met.
His long blond hair ruffled by the breeze, Gill boomed, "Neo Commando Squad, identify your tactical leader."
"That would be me," Commando returned.
The referees nodded, then Jedah turned to the other side. "Darkstalkers' Alliance, identify your tactical leader."
"I am the leader," Demitri said, bowing to the referees. Jedah bowed in return, then at his signal the other contestants cleared out a space in the middle of the ruin, Ruby Heart's boots crunching on the shattered tiles. Jedah and Gill arranged themselves on opposite sides of the contestants. That left only Demitri and Commando in the center, face to face.
"We fight at last, lord of vampires."
"You are quite strong, Commando. Care to be my servant?"
"I serve justice alone."
"Justice - a meaningless term used to exonerate the weak. Fear not, misguided mortal, I shall cure you of that misconception."
Tense silence ensued, but only for a moment. Without warning, a brilliant light shone from above covering the entire island, and then all present heard M.'s voice again. "Begin!"
Slightly shocked, at first neither contestant did anything, but Commando was wearing shades and as such responded far better to the flash of light than Demitri. Demitri only barely parried Commando's first kick before impact. Then, as Commando lashed out with a powerful right hook aimed at the head, the vampire lord's fighting abilities also swung into gear. Demitri blocked high and struck back in the same fluid motion; Commando, who had anticipated the attack, responded by rolling backwards out of range. Demitri launched a flaming bat after him; Commando blocked the attack but was knocked back down regardless, his armored suit making a hard impact on the broken tiles. Sneering, Demitri glided forward ...
Kyosuke shook his head. "One would think that he'd really know better than to fall for a trick like that."
"Be that as it may, Kyosuke, I think that Commando actually has the experience advantage in this battle." Jin studied a hologram of the fight. Demitri was nearly atop Commando. "Belial Aensland was the only opponent whom Demitri had to face who was of Commando's caliber, but that was more than a century ago. I don't find it surprising that Demitri fell for the trick - but he won't fall for it again." Even as he finished, Commando dodged to the side, causing Demitri to miss an attack; a moment later, Ruby Heart rushed into the battlefield glowing with cerulean fire and impacted solidly on Demitri. Commando followed up with the Captain Kick, sailing toward his foe and landing an additional attack.
"So far it seems that neither team has the advantage," Kyosuke observed. "The Neo Commando Squad has scored more hits, but Demitri now knows what he's facing. Let's get a second opinion on this - Master Gen?"
"I agree with you, boy," Gen commented from his own place in the bleachers. "The Neo Commando Squad will eventually lose a battle of attrition, so they have to go for a quick victory. It only remains to be seen if they realize this yet."
Apparently their leader did; Commando drove in hard at Demitri, at the same time calling Ruby Heart in for another assist attack. He jumped at Demitri, and as predicted the vampire lord responded with his uppercut attack, a flying bat spin. Jin winced as he saw the cape cut into Commando. "Apparently Commando wasn't expecting Demitri to be able to move quite that fast. But now that Demitri's in mid-air, he'll be exposed to Ruby Heart's attack." Exactly as foretold, a stream of water burst beneath Demitri and knocked him head over heels tumbling backwards. He righted himself just as he fell to the tiled ground; Commando was prevented from following up on his advantage by the appearance of Donovan's sword Dhylec, which covered Demitri with a Thunder Saber defense. After a moment, Commando took advantage of the lull to call out Ruby again, this time to provide him with a power-up orb.
"The Neo-Commando Squad is showing much better teamwork than the Darkstalkers' Alliance so far," Jin observed. "Commando has Demitri in a bad position and they both know it. Simply put, Demitri cannot manuever with his back to a wall like this. He has to escape somehow - yes, he did it! Pulled a Demon Billion on Commando and now the roles are reversed! Commando isn't fazed, though - this fight is far from over. Watch, he's manuevering Demitri into a position where Ruby Heart will have a clean shot at him."
"I doubt Demitri will fall for that trick," Kyosuke commented. "Commando himself is concentrating too much on his opponent and not enough on his surroundings. Yes, here comes Dhylec again ... well, Commando got really lucky there, he was totally unaware of Dhylec's approach and that chance Captain Collider saved him. Demitri is in a better position, though."
"Yes, and he's begun to lock down Commando's options." Jin glanced at the crowd. "If Demitri can wear down Commando enough for a full-power assault, then Commando will be finished. It looks real bad for - did you see that, ladies and gentlemen?!" While Demitri had attempted another Bat Spin, Commando had countered with an attack of his own. The bright flash of light was all the warning that the vampire lord had before Commando's enormous Captain Sword nearly impaled him; as it was, the attack brought Demitri into the tiles, hard. Nor was that all; even before the sword had faded, Commando was already withdrawing from the battlefield and Ruby Heart taking his place. Before Demitri could recover his wits, an enormous pirate ship materialized out of thin air and spiked the unlucky vampire on its cruelly sharpened metallic bow. Donovan, entering to assist, was knocked back out of the battlefield; a moment later, the ship raked Demitri with several volleys of cannonballs, the last set blasting him loose off the pirate ship's bow and into a stone column. Hard. "What an amazing performance by the Neo Commando teammates! Taking two super attacks at once - Demitri's going to be licking his own blood up after that performance. He has to switch out, and he has to do it now!"
As if on cue, Demitri bowed and faded out, gliding backwards; a moment later, Donovan jumped into the battlefield wielding his enormous blade. "How're the teams doing, Alia?"
"Well, Jin, Commando is certainly in much better shape than his counterpart from the other team. Objectively Demitri is the stronger fighter, if not by much, but as it is he really took a severe thrashing from that delayed attack chain. It's open to question whether or not he'll return to the fight. Back to you, Jin."
"Thanks, Alia. Right now Ruby Heart seems to be holding up extraordinarily well, and we've yet to see Morrigan make a battlefield appearance for striker assistance. On the other hand, Hiryu is certainly doing all he can to give Ruby a hand."
"Yes," Kyosuke added, "it's almost as if Donovan is facing off against two separate opponents. Let's take a closer look at the battle." As they turned, Donovan rushed in and scored a single hit on Ruby Heart, but was unable to follow up on his advantage when Hiryu threw a mighty slash that he barely avoided. Left off balance, Donovan then took Ruby's flaming shoulder tackle head-on in his chest and flew backwards. He picked himself up, this time looking decidedly more cautious. Ruby closed in while calling Strider again; the ninja took advantage of the wind to propel him to his target destination, right above Donovan where four separate illusions dropped down launching sliding kick. Unfortunately, Morrigan appeared in that instant and launched upwards with one bladed wing. Their assists collided; a moment later, Strider was outprioritized and knocked backwards bleeding through his uniform. The presence of both strikers, however, gave Captain Commando the opportunity to return and unbalance the equation once more. He struck the ground with his fist; a moment later, a gigantic burst of electricity exploded into the air and sent both Donovan and Morrigan flying backwards. Ruby, trying to catch up with Donovan, failed to notice Demitri's entrance and was hit by a bat-shaped projectile.
"That particular encounter cost the Darkstalkers' Alliance more than the Neo Commando Squad," Gen noted. "Demitri needs to rest and recover his strength - just using that single assist took much out of him. Strider will not return immediately but he is certainly still a force to be reckoned with."
"Agreed, the encounter may have bought the Darkstalkers a short-term advantage but they won't keep it in the long run once Hiryu recovers." Kyosuke consulted a timepiece. "Well, this battle's been going on for a good twenty minutes with no let up in the action. Donovan and Morrigan aren't using their immediate advantage, though; Donovan has to call out Morrigan for assists if he wants to gain an advantage over Ruby Heart. He's keeping up a good deal of pressure on her right now since no striker action is forthcoming, but again that advantage won't last. Oh, there goes his position - nice Supremation from Ruby there."
Donovan picked himself off the ground, snarling and wiping away a trickle of blood from his mouth. He was irritated now; calling in Morrigan for an assist, he rushed Ruby Heart and attempted to take her down. Unfortunately, Morrigan had misinterpreted his signal; as Donovan leapt high into the air, Morrigan did likewise, clipping him with a Shadow Blade that tore through his robes. The two of them fell back to the ground in a tangled heap, only that they never got there. An oversized treasure materialized at Ruby Heart's feet and she kicked it open; a swarm of ghosts appeared and mobbed both unfortunate fighters. Nor was that all. "Go, Strider!" Ruby called, at the same time boarding a phantom canoe and sailing backwards on air. A moment later, Strider entered the battlefield and with him came a swarm of angry mechanical beasts, overwhelming the Darkstalkers in one brutal stampede. For Donovan, it was lights out on impact, and Morrigan scarcely fared any better. As a battered Morrigan tried desperately to fend off Hiryu's attacks, Jedah slipped onto the battlefield and carried Donovan to a waiting medical squad.
"One down for the Darkstalkers," Jin noted. "That was a truly awful miscommunication that occurred right there, and the Neo Commando Squad took full advantage of it. I think this fight is winding down; Morrigan and Demitri are both too battered to stand much of a chance, while all three members of the Neo Commando squad are still fresh. The Darkstalkers are finally getting their act together - very nice cover fire from Demitri right there - but it's too late for them. Okay, Morrigan and Demitri are switching out, probably the best move they could make in this circumstance."
"Now this is very interesting, Jin. Hiryu's a skilled fighter and ideally wants to get in close for a devastating combo attack, while Demitri has an interest in keeping him far away. Hiryu moves more quickly, though - nice assist by Commando right there - he's definitely wearing Demitri down. Here comes Commando again with the assist - great manuever by Hiryu, teleporting right next to Demitri! Looks like Hiryu-san is about to -" Kyosuke abruptly shut his mouth and instead stared. They all did, stunned for a moment into uneasy silence. "... Hiryu-chan, excuse me ..." Kyosuke stammered at length, feeling his cheeks turn red.
For indeed, Hiryu was standing next to Demitri and had changed for both better and worse. Better, because Demitri had contacted him and transformed him into a woman, thus improving his looks immensely. From the sidelines, Ruby Heart whistled - Hiryu'd have no trouble winning a pageant with his - her - whatever! - newly acquired looks. Worse, because next moment Demitri seized Hiryu by the neck and was feeding on his opponent's blood. The attack lasted only for a moment, then Demitri threw Hiryu to the side and wiped his lips in one fluid motion. There was a puff of smoke and Hiryu stumbled to the dirty tiles - but at least he was back to his normal self.
"Oy ... where's the move analyst? Mr. Q, what in the name of reason was that?!"
The speakers shifted over to Q's monotonous voice. "That move is the Midnight Bliss. It is a well-known fact that Demitri only drinks female blood, so he changes his opponent into a woman and feasts himself on her blood. It's, uh, one of the most ... innovative ... techniques I've ever seen. Back to you, Jin."
"Oh, okay. Thanks, Q. There you have it. Looks like Hiryu's mad now, though. Look, he just summoned his Options - this is the well-known and hated Ouroboros technique. Demitri really has no choice but to turtle until the Ouroboros wear off. Still, he might be able to turn the tables with - yes, here comes Morrigan with a projectile assist - and here comes Commando with another. Oh, look look look! What a manuever! Strider teleported right above Morrigan and Demitri! Look at him pound both of them at the same time with the Ouroboros! And here comes Commando with yet another assist! Hiryu's gotten both of them! The Neo Commando Squad has won the match!"
While the medical teams entered to retrieve the motionless bodies of Morrigan and Demitri, Hiryu bowed to both as a offering of tribute to a match well fought. A moment later, Gill had seized Hiryu's wrist and held it up high, his voice booming through Osaka Stadium. "Announcing the victors of Round 1-1: the Neo Commando Squad! Congratulations on a battle well-fought!" And with that, the crowd went wild.
Osaka, Japan
Two days have passed
"What do you mean, you can't find them?" Captain Commando demanded.
It was late at night and McGrath spread his hands. "I mean exactly what I said. They're not in any of the local hospitals near Greece, nor have any of them returned to Japan. I double checked the intelligence. The only possibility left is if they returned to Makai - the intelligence reports are still coming in, but the preliminary results aren't good, either."
Commando shook his head, confused. "I wanted to stop by and debrief with Demitri, but it's like he just plumb disappeared!" He paced back and forth nervously. As usual, it was nighttime and the veterans were again at their table, having gathered for supper and then fallen to small talk. All of the regular faces were present, barring Demitri. "I refuse to believe that it would take him more than two days to simply regain consciousness. Do either of you know anything?" Jedah and Gill shook their heads vigorously. "Ah ... Miss Rose, I apologize, but would you be willing to search for them?"
"Not a problem," Rose replied. "In fact, it's about time ... well, I'll be seeing you boys." So saying, she stood up and glided out of the room. "Later!" Bison called.
I know an old temple in a park nearby where Dadallent and McGrath fought their great battle three years ago. Even now, residual energy from that fight still lingers. I can tap into that energy and it will certainly help me in my attempt to pierce the darkness. Rose frowned. Never before had anything hid her vision so completely and she had a nagging suspicion that regardless of the power she could call, her sight would still be obscured. Only one way to know. "Taxi!"
Twenty minutes later, she was standing outside of the temple. It was a low-lying, squat structure enclosed by a stone wall twice her height. The gate was open but blocked by a sign informing passersby that visiting hours had ended some time ago. Rose ignored the warning and entered the temple grounds. Old stone lanterns, now extinguished, dotted the interior. There was about a fifty meter distance from the gate to the temple structure proper; Rose walked down the cobbled path, her heels clicking on the stones. As she suspected, the energies of the fight three years ago still lingered, and in greater quantities than she remembered. The whole temple premises, in fact, seemed to be permeated with it. There! That is where McGrath nearly killed Dadallent, missing his attack by less than centimeter. And over there! A fireball war occurred there. And here, where I stand - the Psychisaber almost found its mark. Had either of them been but a trifle slower, one would not now be present in this tournament. Rose stepped up to the screen doors of the temple, shaking her head in bewilderment. So much energy that I can actually read the movements of the battle as they occurred ...
She quietly slid the screen door open. The temple looked well-maintained; in the brightness of the moonlight, she could easily discern the waxed wooden floors and clean whitewashed walls. Whatever McGrath and Dadallent had done three years ago on the outside, they'd fought the climax of their battle in the expansive space of the temple interior. Here ... yes ... Dadallent's Deadly Edge and McGrath's MAXIMUM Mayhem Rampage had collided, neither winning in the end. While that particular battle had ended in stalemate, Rose intended to reap the benefits. Plenty of energy here. She slid the screen door shut, plunging the interior into gloomy grayness. There, alone in the temple, she sat down and composed herself.
Only she wasn't alone.
Rose's eyes snapped open and she looked around wildly, channeling a bit of Soul Power. A globe of energy instantly rose from her palms and hovered in the air, illuminating the temple with an unnatural blue aura. Then she saw them. Shadows without form and only a vaguely humanoid shape, masses of blackness, converging slowly upon her from all directions. They oozed out of every crack and crevice in the temple structure, each one a slinking mass the size of a house cat. Only their eyes shone, a bright yellow that reeked of menace. When one of them laid a hand on her leg, Rose felt an involuntary shudder race through her. The creature's touch chilled to the bone. Rose channelled some energy and the creature was jolted back violently, collapsing half a meter away. Only for a moment, though; with the same inexorable stride reserved for death, the creature rose and again began to shamble towards her.
Rose bolted for the screen door, her mind racing wildly. What in all creation are these things?! Did they form out of that battle, too - a combination of McGrath's willpower and Dadallent's emnity? Rose fried another creature that brushed her leg, yet even as that one fell two more took its place. Shuddering, she knocked them away with great effort and stumbled towards the screen door. Calling a great deal of power, she blasted one of the creatures and it collapsed into a shapeless puddle, steaming. To Rose's horror, right before her very eyes the creature began to reassemble itself and rise again. No! Even with all my power, it cannot be -! More of the creatures tugged on her, eagerly swarming over her legs; she felt them go numb with coldness. She tried to fend off as many as she could while still heading for the door.
Which, for some reason, seemed to receding from her. Was the distance increasing, or was it only a trick of the mind? Rose's breaths came in short, shallow gasps now. There were too many of the persistent buggers and they swarmed all over her. First she went down to her knees, then to her arms, still reaching for the elusive door. Her entire body was covered by the creatures and she felt terribly cold, almost frozen. She was far too spent to attempt pulling any more of the energy in the room into some semblance of defense. Rose closed her eyes even as her vision began to swim. Come to think of it, she felt strangely peaceful ... almost as if sinking into a deep sleep after a very tiring day. The creatures no longer felt chilly, only cool and almost comforting. Rose sighed, contented.
"Begone!"
Bright light inundated the room, flooding the whole temple with such luminescence that Rose could only see white even though her eyes were shut fast. The light flooded her body with welcome warmth. As it did so, the creatures swarming over her scuttled off, dismayed; Rose opened her eyes and sat up, seeing to her astonishment that they were melting into nothingness, the searing light burning them away. As it was, she could barely see even that, so intense was the light that her eyes stung. She put up an arm to ward off the brilliance; the light gradually faded away to the level of a soft, comfortable glow. Rose blinked; she stood up, and upon glancing around she saw that she was not alone. Another woman was also in the temple building, one who was short of Rose's height by a good fifteen meters and yet still shone with a powerful aura.
She was dressed in pure white and cerulean colors, her clothes flowing naturally around her body. Her brilliant azure tunic trailed to the floor and then some, a silver shirt worn beneath it. Her hair was blonde and neatly tied back, yet still cascaded down to her waist and beyond like a golden waterfall. She wore a pair of shining earrings, a bracelet on each wrist, and a small necklace that clung to her neck. Most remarkable of all were the pair of angel wings that sprouted from her back, not ethereal and yet not quite material either. The mysterious woman had folded up her hands as if praying and as Rose finished her assessment the woman bowed, eyes closed. "Greetings. I apologize if I startled you; my name is Regina, and I apologize for arriving so belatedly."
"N - No, your timing could not have been better." Rose bowed also. "My name is Rose. Are you ... I mean, do you know what ... what those creatures were?"
Regina opened her eyes, both of which shone like sapphires. "Assassins, I believe. Someone wished to have you eliminated."
A sickening suspicion developed in Rose's mind. "M., no doubt. She wants me out of the way ... she doesn't want me to guess at the future. But ... why?!"
Regina laid a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder. "I wish I knew, Rose. Come, let us return to your friends - there is no need to peer at what is to be. Are you well?" Without waiting for an answer, Regina's hand glowed faintly and Rose felt vitality race through her veins. At the same time, a portal materialized in front of them and Regina stepped towards it. "The night is long, and we have plenty of time to converse." With a friendly smile, Regina indicated the portal; Rose stepped through it, Regina followed a moment later, and the portal sealed itself shut, erasing all evidence that anyone had been there.