17575/A Smashin' Business Proposal

A Smashin' Business Proposal
Date of Scene:	05 April 2024
Location:	East Bushwick (Mutant Town)
Synopsis:	Many faces are seen, punches are thrown and a violent but potentially lucrative business opportunity begins.
Cast of Characters:	Cain Marko, Hercules, Eric Brooks, Spiral, Wade Wilson, Tandy Bowen

---

Cain Marko has posed:
So -apparently- the word is that in most of THe United States, mutual combat isn't legal and agreeing to the gentlemanly art of the throwing of the hands can result in fines and misdemeanors. Something about the law or something.

Throwing the existence of mutants, metas, aliens, and gods only knows what else....and you could indeed have the recipe for disaster especially if a friendly brawls becomes not so friendly and fireballs and shards of ice start getting thrown around over a spilled drink or bumped shoulder.

Hasn't stopped these folk. Indeed, the depths of Mutant TOwn is the perfect venue to hide this sort of thing and over the years several pop up fight cight clubs and gambling halls have sprung up in various places from abandoned buildings to the depths of a hollowed out subway station that's sat long unused and ignored. They come and go.. Lasting for a bit until authorities get wind and shut the whole thing down but it never lasts and thus here we are once again.

What was once a large station now sports a massive center ring and assorted entertainments for those who brave its underground depths. Mutant healers have a steady pay keeping the house fighters in good shape and restoring back to health any 'Whoops, hit them to hard' sort of happenings and the place is usually pretty rowdy. Right now the crowd is moderate in size as two mutant bruisers pound on each other in the ring. Their blows shaking the first few rows of the spectator seats. Though not as crowded as it might become it's the sort of crowd that might be easy to slip in and hide in, grab a drink, bet on a fighter and observe.

Unles you're a certain Citizen Cain Marko. Blending in is...simply not usually on the cards. A corner table is swamped over by his outrageous physique and crushing presence and he watches the proceedings with a look of complete boredom. His table is strewn with empty drinks and another is nervously brought his way as he stares, deeply displeased, at the matches taking place. Cyttorak is unsatisfied. Therefore he is unsatisfied. It doesn't help that he's been bar hopping out of sheer lack of work and being between jobs, so to speak. Thus the urge for violence stirs in his blood on occassion but is quelled by a minor grunt or irritation as if confronted with the existential futility of it all.

A tee shirt sporting Godzilla looming over a skyline, stretches across his gigantic torso, swelling visibly and stretching under the behemoths heavy breaths. His muscles rumbling with the vague connotations of a seismic disturbance waiting to happen as he contemplates his options and idlydrums his fingers on the concrete table infront of him.

Hercules has posed:
Hercules chugs a large glass of strong beer, and then finally looks around, feeling very much in the mood for a fight. For him? This is paradise! The god does not pay attention to laws very often at all and as such sees nothing wrong with an arena for fighters. Indeed he himself wants a taste of the action, having heard a rumor that only the strongest fighters participate here, and he's seen some -very- strong fighters in his time.

So he expects the competition to, at the very least, be amusing, if not challenging. He stretches his arms and then makes his way to Cain, recognizing him from an arm wrestling bout the two of them had some time ago, and he roughly drives his hands down onto the bar table, with enough control that it only slightly cracks.

"I want in! Why didn't you tell me that there was an arena in this city?! Sign me up! I'm feeling withdrawal symptoms at this point! I want to either get the shit kicked out me, or kick the shit into someone else!"

Eric Brooks has posed:
Some folk come down here to watch the fights, some to gamble or drink the night away, some to fight. For others, it's not the show, it's the clientele. A quick survey of streetwise eyes unnveils a half-dozen likely deals at any given time; parcels and credit exchanged, hushed words shared between serious men, leaned in seriously close. One being here tonight falls into that last category, but only along its very frayed edges, an outlier amongst outliers.

He sips a cheap, smooth whiskey straight up, and a deceptively casual gaze sweeps, scans, and re-sweeps his surroundings. Every entity in that periphery is given a subtle once-over, sized up considered. His interest in each bout, in each deal, in each drunk is largely limited to this examination. Like he's looking for someone; or something.

Sip. Scent. Consider. The Dhampir's intense, even assessment may meet the eyes of Cain, or Hercules, and while neither behemoth is what Blade is hunting for, there's something magnetic in the aura of each warrior, to the predator.

His attention would swiftly return to his surrounds, but either man might receive a curt, acknowledging nod; scarce the competitive intimidation that most might express... were they even the slightest bit wise. Perhaps the man in the dark longcoat, concealing untold weaponry beneath layers of midnight and silver-grey, is simply not; god knows it's been said.

Spiral has posed:
Heard from a little birdy about some down and dirty fisticuffs. And while Spiral's not forced to sit in on a Mojo brawl anymore, years of indoctrination have worn a groove into her that needs to get balm applied on the regular. In this case, it's seeing visceral and violent competitions. "This might fit the bill, yes-yes."

Savvy to how too many limbs might distract from the spectacle in the ring or octagon, Spiral has used sorcery to adopt a disguise of a Muggle. Her signature silver-white hair remains, along with her face. However, she's dressed-down to displaying only two arms from out of her spaghetti strap tank top. And jeans. And those damned boots with the fur. Some habits are too hard to break, like watching folks bashing each other for entertainment purposes.

The purse hanging from a shoulder does suffer from some visual glitches now and then, like it was ba-bonking into an invisible object upon a adequately 3d-modelled character in some video game. Her magic is good, but not every spell is committed to with all effort at one's disposal all the time.

Spiral inhales a mouthful from a cigar and lets the taste linger around her palate before expelling it like a choo-choo on her way to find a good place to sit or stand.

Cain Marko has posed:
It's a Hercules themed jump-scare!.

The booming impact of his hands upon Cain's table, the cracking of the cement and the voice of the god intruding into his hazy thoughts nearly cuases the colossal red-head to recoil backwards out of his seat as his ice blue eyes widen and jsut stare in shock at the Prince of Power.

"What the--"! he begins, his deep voice rumbling in abrupt shock as his eyes widen and then squint. His first insitnct is to be suspicious, of course. He sweeps his gaze past Hercules and begins an intense survey of the bar and by chance his eyes do land upon the Dhampir just as scrutiny comes his way. There's no recognition though and he sees no one else he would usually associate with .

"..Well it aint exactly legal." he finally manages as he looks at Hercules, still astonished but getting his bearings. "....The folk you hang around with would probably be in here, trying to shut this all down!"

Cain's surprise fades into a look of mild consideration and then a slowly growing mirthless smile like like some sort of gigantic great white shark gradually getting an idea. "You serious about trying to get down in there? Hmm...those folk aint got a chance against you though. I mean, unless I got the wrong measure of you the last time I ran into you..."

A shockwave ripples out over those closest to the ring. Not particularly powerful as such things are measured but it's enough to ruffle the clothings and make the ears ring of the spectators.. A blue skin mutant bruiser is airborn, sailing across the ring from a final thunderous strike from a red-skinned and stoney bodies thug who laid into him with one hell of a knock out punch. As the 'Blue Oni' slams into the reinforecd cage walls the crowds erupt into a series of cheers and jeers and assorted racous behaviors at the conclusion of the match.

Wade Wilson has posed:
"Kiiiiids Incorporated! K! I! D! S! Yeah!"

The horribly sung rendition of an obscure tv show from way too far back belongs to none other than the Merc With A Mouth: DEADPOOL. The red and black clad self-proclaimed superstar makes his way through the crowd doing what any self respecting person of his skill and talent would be doing...

Stealing Wallets.

Deadpool can make them disappear into any of the pouches that he's wearing on his person and just continues being an annoying prat along the path that he's chosen. He may not actually care to be sneaky with these thefts because he's Deadpool and he's more than willing to be startin' somethin' if he needs to. As long as he just grabs enough wallets to get some actual worthy credit cards or cash then all will be right with the world.

Then he checks an empty wallet. "Uh. Excuse me." Deadpool taps the man on the shoulder. "I can't steal from you if you have nothing to steal. Come on. Get a job." Headbutt!

Hercules has posed:
Hercules raises a brow, "Not exactly legal? Why is that? I've seen arenas like this before all over the world! And in recent times.. it's just battle, plain and simple, and I think you're probably wrong about it being illegal. What harm can there possibly be in warriors testing themselves? Even if it's.. 'illegal' .. it's not like it's going to cause the world to end."

Hercules glances in the direction of the shockwave, "Heh.. even if no one stands a chance against me, I still want to fight. It's hard to hold back against purse stealing wimps who can't even fumble the useless gun they try to shoot me with! I need a good fight! Come on!" The god doesn't notice Blade or anyone else entering yet, he just really wants a good fight.

Spiral has posed:
Spiral snaps her attention towards the ring. She really should have paid better attention to the talent. The shockwave sending her hair all a-flutter, her eardrums almost popping. But this is a pleasant surprise if there's some spice amongst the challengers. "Oooooo, there was some pepper on that punch wasn't there." she murmers and makes short-lived figure eights of smoke with the burn off of her cigar.

The dressed-down Sorceress seeks a closer vantage point near the cage. Close enough to get spattered with sweat or blood if she can help it. All the better to see the ripples of rage and concussion-worthy impacts. "Disgusting." This said with a grin, but without mirth. Her voice raises, "Pathetic, Blueberry!"

Eric Brooks has posed:
Blade's judgement lingers not on the law, nor the combatants, not even an Avenger's choice of pasttimes. As long as Wade doesn't try to snatch -his- sparse change, that is also fine.

No, the Daywalker deigns dwell on a ne'er-do-well who's been watching the eccentric gathering with a predatory gleam of his own. There are special properties to the blood of all sorts of metahumans and entities, even if there's no shooting star to go with that protip.

Rather than wrath or urgency as the Dhampir singles qualifying quarry of his own out, Blade smiles. It's a dark, mirthless thing, punctuated by polishing off his drink... and signalling for another.

The monster of a monster hunter doesn't precisely calm his vigilance, or fully relax, but he does settle in for the haul; just another spectator, definitely not stalking anyone, nor pre-meditating anything. That would be illegal.

Cain Marko has posed:
"Hah! That's good! Blueberry!" yells a patron near Spiral who over hears her and gets a kick out of the nickname for the unfortunante fallen fighter. Some others take up the name calling as well as the 'Red Oni' looking type struts around the ring, lifting his hands up in victory to more rising shouts and jeers. before rutnring towards his side of the ring to prepare to exit. Nearby, the bookies are busy but likewise they seem to be looking for potential challengers to take to the ring as a lull in the fighting settles in for a moment.

"I aint wrong. Trust me. I know how these things go. This aint some....boxing ring or football stadium. Not even some MMA thing.. It's a little more....risky."

But Hercules desire for a true challenge seems to resonate with the giant man and he narrows his eyes slighty and then slowly grins once again and says with the measured tone of someone knowing exactly what his words might do: "I mean...I dunno Herc.. Bout the only person in here that can..flatten ya.....is me.. And I dunno I don't wanna go embarrassing The Avengers and all. No offense..."

H"Hey how'd you---" begins the unfortunante soul being accosted by Deadpool...only for his words to be cut off and him to crumple on account of being accosted. As the crowd stirs, not having the fights to focus on, more attention is pulled towards the merc with a mouth and Cain slips his gaze past Hercules towards that direction as well.

"...Yer kidding me.."

Wade Wilson has posed:
"Wait. Wrestlemania? Already?"

Maybe the crazy match that's going on or just ended or whatever in a cage nearby. He tosses the empty wallet onto the fool he just headbutted and turns his attention to skipping in the direction of the crazy fighting that he probably should've been paying attention to since he walked through the doors earlier.

"I swear, if the Ultimate Warrior doesn't win the next match, I might have to write a letter. To PETA." Deadpool reaches for somebody's drink on somebody's table because why would he order his own drink? Especially when he can just be a bit of a nuisance. He even cops a squat right on a different table and probably in the view of somebody else trying to watch.

"Popcorn? Do we get popcorn for this or... ooh. Maybe nachos! Somebody get me some nachos!"

Wade doesn't seem to care that there may be eyes on him at this moment. As long as the next fight goes down, he'll be entertained!

Hercules has posed:
Hercules grins, "Fight you?! Hell yes! Let's do it! I have no idea which of us will win, but that's the fun of it! At this point I don't even care if this is legal! You and I should go head to head!"

Hercules looks around, "No idea if this place will still be standing in the end but.. if it's not a legal establishment? Who's going to miss it? As for the Avengers? Shit.. not like they can say anything. I never said I was a cop did I?" He grins..

The ever flawed Hercules who wants to be a hero, but can't exactly live up to it, orders a tall glass of vodka, and proceeds to chug it. He feels a little buzzed now, "You in Cain? Man this would be fun!"

Tandy Bowen has posed:
The squawk of outrage that dropped from Tandy's mouth as a red-and-black clad butt dropped right into her line of sight went unheard among the noise, but the louder scrape of her chair as she dragged it - and herself - out of any sort of potential farting range was more noticeable. She was just here to watch the crowd, maybe find a few marks that she could point Cloak at later without losing sleep.

He was better at it, but her fingers itched at the idea of introducing a few of these people to a vision of the different lives they could lead. She kept her hands tucked close for now. There was no need to start something when there were others willing to loudly demand fights.

Spiral has posed:
Spiral offers some resting-bitch-face, as if she's not a little pleased that the nickname gains some small traction. She adds in a bit of a hair-toss for flair, forgetting this isn't the 80's. She clucks her tongue and falls into the same vibe as DP, in that she wouldn't mind something to moisten the throat. She isn't going to go so far as snagging leftovers though.

She narrows her eyes at the Merc-with-a-mouth, and she offers a ~harumpf~, because he's a tad polarizing. He does tend to help tell the weather of a place with how he's received though. A litmus test of just how much this may be a land of Do-as-you-please. She saunters over to Deadpool, her mouth looking like she's sucking on something sour. Addressing him with a pair of hands on her hips and the stoogie dipping and dabbing as she yammers, "You aren't here to kill anyone are you? On purpose I mean. You want popcorn. I want some heads up ~before~ I hear a round being chambered."

Spiral's eyes drift to Tandy trying to keep to herself, flicking to the young woman, wondering briefly what would draw her to bloodsports. She drawls to Wade to add, "None of my business as long as brains don't get on me."

Eric Brooks has posed:
Plucking the fresh glass up off the bar, Blade slips surreptitiously, effortlessly through the gathering. He drifts around lines of sight, between clusters of onlookers, over closer to the predator in the corner; just outside the leather-and-denim clad, grizzled looking man's own peripheral scan. The Daywalker has done this before; once or twice.

The way the wind is shifting? It may behoove him to be more poised to act than patient, after all. Anyone else ever see ground zero of a locomotive collision? No reason; just asking. Deadpool inspires totally irrelevant prose-- he's also the one wildcard here that holds Blade's attention. Spiral hits that nail on the head; who KNOWS with Wade Wilson?

The Daywalker lifts graceful hands in fingerless gloves and lights a smoke, sable eyes burning with reflected flame as he considers the confluence of converging conflict.

Cain Marko has posed:
When The Juggernaut is the responsible, mature one...that's probably a bad sign.

"Are you -for real-?" Cain looks on, mildly flabbergasted at Hercules' willingness to go through these lengths for the thrill of the fight.

But he's then forced to consider matters a touch further, "Mm...that's right.. You don't got a clue who I am... course the fact that we caused a sinkhole just by arm wrestlin' should mean somethin'...."

But within him, Cyttorak's urges of violence and destruction and the use of raw power is indeed boiling up and Cain gives a grin and then finally shrugs. "Alright...don't blame me if this place crashes down on folks heads or say I didn't warn ya."

The crowd around Wade seems to either know better or simply be too confused to not know any better. The mans whom he headed butted is helped up by his friends but the fact that Wade is in full Deadpool regalia does give them some pause. Common sense dictates that attempting to engage him themselves might be unwise and as they begin to regroup, passing by Tandy as Spiral herself enters the pciture to address Wade.

Cain watches this, unfold with a quick glance and then another in search for signs of any of the bouncers. ..and then he stands. "Fine, fine.." he drawls out towards Hercules as he rises up. His size is 'compressed' at the moment. as he passes as a civiliana nd not the Avatar of Cyttorak..but he still looms up into the air like a towreing monolith with his vast body casting shadow over the olympian. "Watch out for that one.." he says with a gesture towards Deadpool. "Trouble's brewin...."

Hercules has posed:
Hercules laughs and grins, "Excellent! Let's get to the ring! We can send everyone out before we start the fight! Anyone who stays knows the risks right?!"

The god does glance at Deadpool when Cain points him out, "Huh.. I feel like I know that guy.. eh doesn't matter! I don't want anyone to die because of our fight, but I can't make them leave either! We'll just warn them! They have free will! If they stay then they're idiots!"

Wade Wilson has posed:
"Me? Kill? What do I look like... an assassin?"

Wade looks down at the various weapons attached to his costume. "Don't answer that." Wade holds up the drink that he stole but isn't drinking as a bit of a peace offering to Spiral. "I swear on Father McNulty's Life that I am not here to kill anyone."

Wade then looks around at the crowd. "But that doesn't mean I'm not still for hire!" And with his free hand he tosses a pile of his business cards into the air.

Wade's attention goes back to Spiral and the cage and whatever match is about to go down next. "I shoulda' brought one of those huge foam middle fingers. Dammit. Gotta' remember to pack for illegal sporting events next time."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
'Father McWho?' Tandy frowned, not recognizing the name. Not that she was familiar with every priest in town, or even most of them, but if they worked with folks in this area she was at least making the attempt to figure out which ones were actually safe. "Hey. Dude that put his butt in my face with the weapons. Who the heck is Father McNulty, and why are you swearing on his life instead of your own?"

Cain Marko has posed:
The behemoth red head gives Hercules a long appraising look at his words. For a moment, the veneer of someone out for mischief fades and he instead studies the olympian with some thought and a touch of surprise. THen he shrugs.

"Yer surprisin' me Herc..." Cain grins once again, a faint hint of darkness behind his eyes now which Hecules might very well not see given his focus on the prize at hand. "Alright... . Let's get in there and work somethin' out.. Just for you, but, I'm thinkin' maybe we don't do a -full- brawl. I kinda like this joint..."

With that, he gives Deadpool and those near him one last glance and then turns and starts forward towards the ring. For the moment, the mysterious Blade is forgotten as well. It is indeed potentially abou tot be an 'every man for himself' situation.

At the ring entrance, the bookies look on with concern as Cain's mammoth body draws near. They seem to recognize him and Hercules is absolutely recognized. There are some nervous clearings of throats that take place as he gives them a full toothed grin and then opens the entrance to the cage that contains the ring and ducks his massive form through it...and then climbs into the reinforced area by literally stepping over the top rope with his immense legs. He continues onward towards the middle of the ring, his huge back to Hercules and the others. A jitter of concern and nervousness begins to ripple through the crowd as the announcer fumbles for what to say.

Hercules has posed:
Hercules grins, "Why be surprised? There's nothing evil going on here.." Even if he isn't entirely sure of that deep down, his eagerness for battle wins whatever internal, moral struggle might be going on, and sure enough? He's heading to the ring, opposite side of Cain.

Hercules looks to the audience before the match, "This is not a normal match!" His voice bellows, "Leave now if you value your lives! If you stay, there is a chance that you will die! Cain and I have agreed to hold back, to ensure that this establishment remains intact, but that does not mean that you are safe!"

The god narrows his eyes, "I can't blame you if you stay, to watch this epic battle, however you do so at your own risk! I cannot make you leave! But just know that Cain, and I, are far beyond the fighters you have seen so far. It might be better to watch from a distance.."

Hercules gives one last nod to the crowd before turning his attention to Cain, "The honorable path has been chosen, as much as it can be Cain, neither of us can be held responsible for what comes next.."

Wade Wilson has posed:
"Father McNulty. You probably don't know him. He died when I cut his head off with a butter knife. That was a weird Thanksgiving."

Deadpool finds himself leaning on the table to look at Tandy. "Listen. I know you like what you see but I have to let you know right now that these cheeks are not to be clapped. I'm having a clap free night. So don't go getting any ideas." Wade wags a finger at Tandy.

When the announcement of the next fight comes, Wade whirls back around so that he can pay attention. "Yeah! Woo! Take it off!" Yeah, uh, what kind of club does he think this is? "Let's see those toenails, baby!"

Tandy Bowen has posed:
"Wh-" Tandy shakes her head slowly, blinks, stares at the man for several moments while she processes everything that was just said to her, then slowly claps. Once, twice, then a third time as Wade spins around. "Oh no, your cheeks have been clapped." Her voice deadpan, a hint of a smirk teasing her mouth, followed by a scrunch of her nose and "eww, toenails."

'Ty is never gonna believe this,' she thinks to herself, with a secondary thought of how the people in this room would react to being on the business end of the Lightforce. '

Cain Marko has posed:
The warning given by Hercules is heeded by some. There is, at the least, distant being given to the ring and others getting closer to the exit. But there's also a morbid fascination here as well and so the crwods dont' exactly completely thin. They don't necessarily have a sense of how to gauge just what the risk truly is. It's hard to envision, perhaps and with some mutants and meta's rpesent they're perhaps just not properly estimating the scale of power potentially on display here.

"We're not -strippin' - you idiot!"

Deadpool's shout finally pushes Cain over the edge and he turns and thunders his frustration and fury at the Merc with a Mouth, despite damn well knowing it's fruitless and won't make a difference.

"For god's sake!"

He turns his attention back towards Hercules, his mood soured now by Deadpools' antics but he slowly seems to reign it in abit as he answers the god. "..and no...nothin' evil it's just...well...we tend to do a lot of damage. I aint run into folk who actually -want- to try me usually. But I guess you dont' know any better cause you dont' know who you're -really- dealin' with..."

He raises a gigantic arm up and hten brings it down into a sleeve splitting flex. The bicep swells up like a sequoia tree trunk under his flesh, thickening out veins the size of ropes as he twists his wrist abit and then lifts his arm high up to turn towards the crowds. He then places that arm behind his back, "So let's make this simple. Instead of just tryin' to brawl and completely wipe this place out.... Impress me. II'll give you a chance to make me at least 'giggle'..."

He lifts his other arm up, balling a fist up and cracking his knuckles with a sound like boulders splintering as he grins. "And then we'll see if you can handle my Sunday Punch! Whaddya say>"

Overconfident? Yes! With a roster of fights under his belt that include Superman, The Hulk, Thor and entire teams attempting to and failing to restrain him...it's easy to understand how the landscape altering sterngth of The Juggernaut would lead to him being overconfident and under estimating Hercules, "Assumin' you do...I'll even let ya know who I really am!"

Hercules has posed:
Hercules grins and laughs, not out of arrogance, but out of true joy! He is truly glad to see that Cain appears strong enough to face him! The god begins to circle the ring, fists up, and replies, "I can tell that you're strong. I'm not psychic, I'm not an oracle, but you held your own in a mere arm wrestling match with me. That alone means that you are worthy to face me, and that I am worthy to face you!"

He gives one last warning to the audience, "It's going to start now! You're a fool if you stay! It doesn't matter if we've agreed to hold back, it doesn't mean that we won't get really... really. REALLY FUCKING ANGRY!!!" He roars and then charges, aiming a punch at Cain's face, knowing it will probably either be blocked, or dodged.

The first phase of battle: Test your opponent.

Wade Wilson has posed:
Wade is swinging his feet while sitting on the table that he's sitting on. He does a triple take at the big men in the fighting area. "You mean this isn't Showgirls: The Dinner Theater?" Wade very likely frowns beneath that mask of his and ends up crossing his arms over his chest in a bit of a giant huff.

"Can we at least get a little Burlesque action? I got a few extra tassels around here somewhere..." Deadpool starts patting down the various pouches attached to his outfit.

Cain Marko has posed:
"Dammit, Wade! Shut yer--"

*BOOOOM*

Cain Marko does not dodge. Cause really. Cain? Dodge? He doesn't block either. Though that may be as much the fact that he was distracted somewhat and so didn't have the time to even try if he would even attempt so in the first place.

Nay, the sudden aggressive manuever and lunging attack by Hercules coupled with his distraction by Wade simply doesn't enable him to be completely prepared and the blow lands firmly into his face with a thunderous echoing impact that far outstrips the blows that were being thrown around by the mutant bruisers from earlier.

The enire bar shakes and the streets above rattle slightly from the under ground shockwave that ripples up and causes the ceilings to send dust raining down and also causes some unsteady patrons to stumble from their feet.

Hercules would find his fist planted firmly in Cain's unmoving and unyielding face. Mostly unmoving. His head turned slightlyf rom the impact, massive neck bulging and eyes squinting slightly in surprise. But THe Juggernaut's legendary physical invulnerability is what it is and so is his strength. He doesn't move and holds his ground though the ring lurches violently.

The echoe of the punch continues to rumble through the room before Cain finally speaks again. "Heeeeeey....that wasn't to bad! Nice punch! You aint kiddin'!"

Eric Brooks has posed:
Hercules' warning intrigues more than it dissuades, initially. Some tentative few begin to slip away, along with a few In The Know. The hem of Blade's longcoat grazes his calves as he presses suddenly, smoothly back against the level's outer wall, kitty cornered adjacent to his quarry.

Timing is paramount-- for it's these most timid of stragglers, preceding greater egress, that the Nightwalker this Dhampir hunts quickly chooses to pursue. As Hercules throws a punch, the vampire rises, and Blade steps to the side. A graceful rotation brings them face to face, and the cursed creature, cornered, immediately hisses, immediately lashes out for Blade with superhuman strength and agility-- immediately slams into the brick wall that is his better in a steady, braced stance.

"Not tonight, motherfucker." The line doesn't even have time to land. In that initial step, in that immediate twist, Blade rotates the cylinder of an ornate hunting revolver twice, to a specific chamber, bearing a Latin numeral. The gun, action readied, trigger clenched, is interposed between them as the vampire lunges for the slayer. It discharges in time with the collision of titans, a reverberation through the arena doing much to mask the report of even this particularly high-caliber cartridge.

Sanctified silver penetrates the powerful immortal center mass, and in that instant, all preternatural strength abandons him. The hunter, hunted. The predator, prey. A crackling, sacred light courses omnidirectionally from the wound through the creature's arterial threads, and he slumps back in the chair, eyes wide, mouth agape.

Steadying into a wide stance, Blade obscures the 'victim' as he produces a vial and splashes the newly re-seated fellow head to toe with the oil within. The fires spread from veins to flesh, and in moments reduce the man to a pile of ash and abandoned clothing; nothing too out of the norm for a place like -this-.

Of course, one onlooker, a middle-aged woman with a decidedly deft punk rock aesthetic, stares at the Daywalker in terror-- or is it the events in the ring? A black, half-gloved hand rises to his mouth, and the Dhampir offers a silent 'shhhh' as he plucks up the spent round-- steadies his booted footing-- and backflips from a standing posture, through a full inversion, and to the station's upper level and into more sparsely scattered spectators.

Therein Blade intends to imminently disappear himself.

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy's head jerks towards the depths of the room and away from Wade as she feels the force of a light similar to her own crackle from the other side of the ring. Her eyes narrow, and her own aura flares tightly around her body in a muted halo. If Ty had been with her tonight, they could probably find the source of that light, ask the person wielding it some questions. Polite ones, of course. But he's not, and she can't see more than a glimpse of metal in the shadows. Damn.

The shockwave reverberating through the room and the dust raining on her head pull her attention back to the ring, and she decides it's time to bounce before actual damage can be done. It's not like she's got healthcare or vacation time if she ends up hurt. She moves quickly, dancer's grace letting her slip through the stragglers of the group and out the door into the evening air. A firm shake, and a pile of dust flies out from her hair before she pulls her hood up and starts moving to the nearest bus stop. Time to get out of this area before the two strong guys end up collapsing the building... and maybe the street around it. In a safer area, it might've been interesting to watch.

Hercules has posed:
Hercules laughs, a roar of a sound, "I never kid Cain! I don't hate you! You are not my enemy! But you are my opponent and I will not hold back! I can't help it.. I just can't stop feeling this.. fight with all of your might! Give me your best! This can only end when one of us is out cold!"

He warns the audience yet again, "I don't think that this is going to go as we said.. if this building survives at all? You won't be alive if you stay in it! LEAVE. NOW."

Hercules roars again and aims another punch, this time to Cain's torso, still testing his opponent.

Wade Wilson has posed:
"Beep Beep Beep-Beep-Beep Beep."

Wade goes full Power Rangers by pretending a watch that's not there is on his wrist. "What's up, Zordon?"

"Sexy Ranger..." Deadpool's Zordon impression is actually spot on. Weird. "... two white kaiju men are tearing up the cheapest bar in the city. We think Condoleezza Rice is up to her old tricks. Teleport to the Command Brewery for further orders."

"Right!"

Deadpool looks around, sees whomever hasn't been shockwaved to hell and back starring at him talking to himself on an empty wrist. "What?! I can't be nostalgic?!"

With that said, Deadpool activates his teleporter before he disappears in a flash of light! Gone! Off to annoy someone else!

Cain Marko has posed:
The ones attempting the retreat are the smarest of those present..and their actions seem to prompt a much faster evacuation of the place -especially- as Hercules gives that roaring shout of joy, very heavily implying that if ther'es no restraint applied this is just the beginning of some very, very, serious and potentially problematic levels of property damage.

When the next testingt blow comes in, Cain Marko once more weathers it. A thunderous *TWHOOOOM* ripples and rocks through the air as the giants massive midsection absorbs the force of the tank busting blow and muffles it. His inexorable strength and durability rooting him where he stands though the shockwave that passes through him buckles the reinforced cage that is around the ring. Cain doesn't even blink but merely grins. This should all be a sign to Hercules that he's indeed dealing with something that will require...quite a bit more.

"Not bad!" repeats the giant, grinning down at the olympian, as his free arm hauls back, flexing and causing a bicep to bulge up like the impression of a buick under his skin. "I guess you really are what you say you are but I gotta say ya herc.. Mebee you forget but I didn't just 'manage' that arm wrestlin' match with you... lemme remind you!"

With that, his monstrous arm swings forward, arcing around like an unleashed trebuchet as it thunders in for Hercules with all the gentleness of an incoming speeding semi truck.

Hercules has posed:
Hercules doesn't have the chance to respond as Cain makes his first attack, it's loud, a thunderous wave, and Hercules is sent back several feet, landing on his hands, back several inches from the floor of the ring..

The god stands to his feet, "THIS is what I want! Who cares if this place is leveled! This is what I truly live for! And I have not encountered a planet wide threat in too long! How am I supposed to occupy myself? The Avengers are content to sit idly by, no war at all, and I am left with this desire.." He charges..

His fist is aimed squarely at Cain's neck now, "...for.. WAAAAAAARRR!!!" He isn't holding back at all this time, fully confident now that Cain will survive..

Cain Marko has posed:
And The Juggernaut is ready. He expected that. He was goading Hercules into that. And just before the blow lands his own hand is there to intercept and the strength of THe Exemplar of Physical powers surges in to stop the blow.

the resulting shockwave explodes out from the impact zone. It blasts apart the cage and blows a crater into the ground. An earthquake rises up to shake the whole of Mutant Town and distant parts of the subway collapses in a plume of falling debris. Perhaps an seismometer elsewhere in the city may have even detected that. The impact is devestating and had the bar not been mostly cleared out in alarm at the two titans..there would have been injuries.

The Juggernaut holds his ground, however, though he grins with a bright red flash to his eyes that rapidly vanishes as he his monstrous arm strains and holds Hercules fist at bay. Cytorrak wells up within him, wanting to push the avatar of destruction to return the blow in kind or greater but he pushes the urge down and simply continues grinning full toothed at Hercules. IF nothing else it should indeed reveal to Hercules more abou tthis red headed brute.

"Alright, ALRIGHT! Stop. Enough! If we do this we'll literally bring Mutant Town ontop of our heads. Maybe you wanna go to town but I'm on retainer with The Queen of Genosha. I can't go around demolishin' her folks places of business and home just for some fun. Between us we'll literally bring the whole block down and the buildings ontop of it. If we were elsewhere in the city I wouldn't care really. I"ve done more damage when 'working'..."

He conintues to hold Hercules hand, giving him a second to catch his breath and calm himself. "The news flash is - I'm The Juggernaut. Even Hulk's punches are like gnat bites t'me. Some folk might even call me a 'boss fight.." He grins at Hercules again, "..I got a proposition for ya....if you'll listen?"

Hercules has posed:
Hercules is is flown back again, landing outside the ring. He feels a sting of pain for the first time in a long while, which cause him to grin, as he picks himself up, and climbs back into the ring to speak with Cain..

"I heard you.. and I agree. Damnit ALL! I shouldn't have fought here.. not like this, not when there are people watching. YES we should continue this fight, but away from anyone innocent who could be harmed."

"I'm still an Avenger.. and I let my blood run too hot sometimes. I don't know the name 'Juggernaut', never heard of you. I haven't been in the Avengers long enough to know every single face, or name that draws our ire.."

"But you are an honorable opponent, and I still have no reason to see you as a true enemy, howver I feel that by my honor, and by yours, this fight must be finished. My blood screams for it.. so I will listen to your proposition!"

Cain Marko has posed:
The Juggernaut works his fingers and shakes his palm after that stunt. He whistles softly but then looks up as hercules recovers and speaks. Cain then chuckles under his breath and rumbles, "Yeah well..I don't know how 'honorable' I am but I do got some common sense. Thats why I was surprised earlier, that you were willin' to take the risk. SUre you aint been an Avenger long but...sheesh...not heard of me? I dunno if I should be amused or insulted. Damn. Anyway, not trying to brag but ..I aint no joke. But you know what Herc? Neither are you and I'm a big enough man to admit that yer strong as hell. So I'm thinking that if you really want to do this just for kicks then we find a place that won't mind us tearing it apart. Maybe some sort of place set to be demolished anyway or something like that...and then go a few rounds..."

The red haired behemoth looks Hercules over and then glances over the now vacated fight club. "...I'll give you that and you can do me a favor in return. I"m thinking about starting my own club like this but it'll be focused for folk like us. Metahuman and such brawlers. I'm gonna need tech and folk willin' to give it a chance when I find a space for it. I'm thinking in Madripoor."

He looks back to Hercules and spreads his huge arms wide, "You help me out with that...and I'll give you a fair fight."

Hercules has posed:
Hercules grins, he has a weak spot for a fight like this, "DONE! Let it be heard! I keep my word and it will be so! I am the Prince of Power, and Zeus will hold me to mu word!

He glares at the audience, and then back at Cain, "This is not some small thing I have promised. My father will hold me to my word.. I AM A GOD!!"

"But I am NOT of the same mind as many heroes on this planet!! So lazy... yes we are lazy!! I will fight you to prove that I keep my word, and that I am willing to do what is necessary to bring an END to the evil that plagues this plane. Yeah let your news report this! I don't give shit anymore!! Whatever the consequence?! I will bear it!! And this fight WILL happen!!

Cain Marko has posed:
"Heeeeey...relax..." drawls Cain Marko with a gesture of his hands as if attemtping to placate the godling as his fervor continues to rise up. "You all like this? Thor's just as bad, damn...but alrightt I'm gonna hold you to that."

There's not many left in the club at the moment and it's not likely that those who remain will be willing to spread too many rumors given what they just witnessed. They're probably counting their blessings that the fight was stopped and that they're still alive. There was no way to stop the two titans had they insisted on battling it out right here and now.

FOr his part, Cain steps towards Hercules and offers a meaty hand for a shake to seal the deal.

"I'll let you konw when I pick a spot out. No tricks though. I don't want to show up and have a bunch of your pals jump me to try and haul me away to The Raft or something."

Hercules has posed:
Hercules clasps the offered hand, "You are an honorable man Cain, never let anyone tell you otherwise!"

"And Thor? I have great respect for him! We are cut from the same cloth! I will insist that this is true! Even if he would deny it.."

"I don't have any 'pals' to jump you with anyhow. I stand alone as I always have. The fight between us will truly be, only, between us."

Cain Marko has posed:
"Then we better get going because those punches we threw probably got some notice even if we stopped... I don't know about you but I don't feel like having to explain myself.."

Handshake and agreement made, Cain finally steps from the damaged ring but instead of using the regular exit, opts to start to head further down the damaged hall towards the darkness of the tunnels. "See ya around, Herc!" rumbles out with a casual wave as his back is turned to the mighty Avenger.

And then he's off!