Pitch Black Hangar

Maximos was dressed for the occasion.

Since the moment the clothes arrived he could feel it, no, more than that he could smell it, taste it. It was all around him, it burned at the back of his mind. Expectation and anticipation kept him awake, eagerness stole his appetite. When he stepped left his suite he was practically itching with anticipation.

Max hadnt touched another soul for the entirety of the time between rounds. His face was pale, but had a blush of health, his lips were not twisted and stained, and both of his hands were gloved even though one was bandaged beneath said glove.

He wore his signature top hat, a long black knee length jacket, and matching black pants, and vest, with a white dress shirt beneath. Max did not wear the clothes Elia sent, as he had a wardrobe all to himself just for special, formal occasions, exactly like this. Everything fit perfect, everything was expertly tailored. Not a single expense was spared.

Max was dressed for the occasion, but the occasion was not a fancy dinner. No. He knew that. White sleeves look best when stained with red, they held and brought the color out so grandly. A stained suit was eternally preferable to a clean one. No, Maximos was dressed in the classiest of clothes which he wore like a true noble, but in his mind he was dressed in canvas. The true art had yet to be created.

The hanger was dark, pitch black infact, and despite the fact that the Shadow could see in darkness, being...The Shadow...He did not. He did not want to. He may, just may have been able to sneak a peak through the judge guise with his right eye. But he would not. He wanted the surprise. He wanted the anticipation. He wanted the thrill of not having to hold back a thing. He could just cut loose.

No more playing in a cardboard world with glass people.

It wasnt a matter of power, or magic. It was a matter of ferocity, of brutality, of efficiency and skill with blood, bone, and everything a man had to bring to bare. Who so ever took up the garb of a judge had proven to Elia that he could take the beating and give back in kind. And now that was the question, as figure stood in the dim light ahead of him, and with arms folded behind his back Max waited for the answer. Said judge looked ready to speak, and it burned...

Who took up the garb of a judge?

Another figure stepped up, closer to the light then the Shadow.

He wore a full set of clothing, dress jacket, suit pants, the works. The emblazoned sun design stood out, even in the dimness of the single bit of light. Sun had found the clothes laid out for him, but was reluctant to go to any parties. He was glad at the change of plans.

At first.

Now he was squinting angrily in the darkness, glad that he'd not done himself damage on the way in.

Music played at one point in darkness, silence in the rest of the area.

An irritated "I'm here." Spoke of Stephen. But besides the judge, Sun could see little else, and hear less. Crossing his arms he stood at the edge of the circle, looking all the world like an angry dawn.

"Gentlemen." The voice was deep exactly what one would expect from the man in the armour, "We have a schedule to keep. If you would please take your places we may begin as soon as possible."

The armoured figure pointed off to the distance, and right on cue four spotlights fell down from the ceiling, each illuminating a spot one next to the other. If one was to feel around they would discover that there was a solid object directly in front of each spotlight. Square, strange bumps and curves, a little over waist height, one could almost imagine a executioners block in the darkness.

"First the formalities." There was something off about the judges voice sounded unnatural. It was too dark too perfect. His movements too rigid. Something was off.

"Here's how it works." He clasped both armoured hands together as he waited for them to take their spots, "Normal Heaven or Hell, if you can call this normal, rules apply. Flags still exist, including the ones that make you lose. All of you are at risk of elimination, however only one will be eliminated. Rules of the match will be set by the eliminator, but in the case of a time over an ambiguous case can be requested to be reviewed by decision. However, waste our time and you will be eliminated. Unreviewed time overs will go to the eliminator."

During that long speech it wasn't hard to figure out the voice problem. It was synthesized, whoever was in that armour was disguising their voice. It was genius too. A voice assembled from the best part of each past eliminator, everything was recorded so it wasn't that hard. Listen hard enough and Maximos may hear himself.

"This is where it gets interesting." The figure stretched slightly, "I'm a sporting fellow. I beleive that anyone can claw their way up from the bottom to success if given the chance. As long as they're smart that is. So I'm prepared to give you some agency over who risks elimination, as well as free consultation on who your weakest link is. It's simple, agree to the basic rules and then I'll tell you mine."

An armoured glove went to rest on the sheathed... Well, you couldn't quite tell what the snub weapon was in the darkness.

"Captian? Vice captain?"

Stephen walked over to another spotlight, music still playing. He thought for a moment about if he should remove the headphones and shut off the music, but honestly? He couldn't be buggered to.

He crossed his arms and looked towards the Judge. He respected the Judge enough out of... well, out of risk of getting the bejebus beat out of him for any transgression in the tourney. But the tall dark and scary trick wasn't really doing it for him. It made sense since they had to deal with some pretty rough customers, but he might as well be a giant floating skull at this point.

He released a simple "Hmph" and acknowledged the Judge's words.

"I accept your terms."

He was last, as he felt any leader should be.

The teammate that stepped forward not only spoke for themselves in words, like Stephen, but in actions. Brutal, horrible, bloody things happened during eliminations, and Maximos would know. But something was different here...

...The Shadow considered himself a discerning man. He could piece together clues of a puzzle and make complete picture before even the outline was finished. But this...there was more darkness here than just the lights. He hadnt a clue. Peaking now would just ruin the fun. Whats more, the elegantly smooth voice that address them, it was his! Well, not completely, but there was a portion of himself in there.

Grinning Max took his place under one of the bright lights, his fingers gently passed over the odd set of bumps before him. He looked to the side at the all of Team Eclipse, and he said, with a sly grin.

We accept.

"You BET your a**!"

The hangar lit up to reveal a soundstage, live studio audience and all. The roof was lined with lighting as well as other devices, and everything looked like it came off some supermodern gameshow. They were standing in front of podiums, each with their name displayed on a screen and a giant 0 right under it. The strange bumps were buttons and buzzers. However the centre of the hangar looked to be what appeared to be gaudy ring, with clear trapdoors and components hidden away. There was still a dark section at the other side of the hangar, but right now the lights were going nuts as a jaunty jingle hummed through the air. Finally they came to settle on the relatively unassuming looking man wearing armour no more but a tailored suit.

He was standing right in the middle of that arena on some sort of raised platform.

"Gaia's only HoH Trivia and Asskicking based gameshow." The sound of canned applause, "I'm your host, Joseph Brown reminding you that all you have to do to get a good job, is allow a bunch of ingrates to trash your house."

"Todays contenstants you should know well, Team Eclipse! Yes, a bunch of old faces from all sorts of teams here, most have gotten pretty far in the contest before and most have been eliminated." He made a grand gesture toward them, "I mean look at them! They expected an elimination coming from a mile away. That's why you have to get them in creative ways, am I right?"

Canned laughter as Joseph paraded around his little platform.

"Now, as I said, there are new rules to this here game so it's time to spill the beans I suppose." He spun the mic through the air before pulling it back up, "Here on You Bet Your a**, the contest is tough and the only prize is not going home in a stretcher. One member of your team will fight in a one on one battle against a member of my team in the Ring of Fortune. The other members will be sidelined and tested on their trivial knowledge and not their muscles. Oh how the tables have turned."

All the lights began to glow on the arena.

"Here in the Ring of Fortune anything can happen, and most of it isn't that great." Joseph gave a very devious grin, "The one member in here will be subject to an opponent and all the hazards millions of dollars can buy. Fair warning, wrong answers from the sidelined members probably aren't going to help the guy on the spot. However if the heat gets too much there is a way."

Joseph gave a dramatic wave toward a scoreboard. Three circles immediately lit up, and then the words "TAG IN" began to flash and sparkle.

"Strikers have been replaced by tag ins, at any time a member on the blocks can switch with the member in the ring." Joseph held up a single finger, "But wait, there's more. Five correct answers in a row and you get one of your three tag ins back. Course, I couldn't give you more than three. That'd just be too nice."

"There is some procedure to being on the sidelines though. I ask a question, you guys answer it. You're even freed from post order." Joseph shook his head and then stared at the teleprompter, "That's an awful typo, I don't even think that means anything. Anyway, buzz in at any time you want. However of the question goes three hours unanswered it'll count as points for me... Wait..." He squinted again, "Three hours, that can't be right. Also, don't double buzz. If two people buzz in, or try to give hints, then that's gonna be penalized."

He was grinning like an idiot. Here was a man with no special abilities, no super powers, no nothing, standing on the stage in front of some of the most fearsome fighters. He didn't look the part at all.

"Now I'm sure you're wondering what's the point. Well that's it, points! Answering questions will get you points, beating your opponents will get you points, points, points! And trust me, you want to be the team member with the highest points, as the fellow with the lowest gets eliminated. Likely painfully. Or you could skip that entirely by beating me!" He made a gesture that directed the camera over to a giant screen. Right on time the wall lit up with an image of Joseph with a 0 under him. Then the zero turned to a one, and that number just kept expanding and rolling until it had transformed into 1, 000, 000. "Course I've been playing the home version to brush up, so you're likely going to have to beat most your opponents and have a hot streak to even contemplate that."

There was a heavy hydraulic hiss and the sound of machinery in motion. Joseph and his little platform were raising into the ceiling. He waved at them as he went up, "Also, don't think you can end this easy by going after me. I'm flagged as civilian. Wouldn't want to take a loss right. Besides, I'm gonna be pretty well protected."

A locking sound as Joseph dissapeared, and no sooner was he up there before monitors all over the studio came to life. There was Joseph, surrounded by buttons, monitors, keys and levers. Still looking sharp.

"Now, I know what you're all wondering. How do you have a returning team on your first show? Well, I couldn't, so I had to make a team. Hell, I'd say that they're the best team money can buy. Based on some good designs too. Anyway. I'd like to introduce, team ARTIFICIAL EVENT."

The last set of lights on the other side of the studio came on. What was revealed was slightly unnerving. They weren't perfect replicas by any stretch of the imagination, but everyone would know what they were. The clothing, the body shape, the size, the features... Each member of Eclipse had a counterapart sitting on the other side. However with their doll joints, and exaggerated features it was clear these things were mechanical. That and their faces. Their eyes were just two perfect circle holes, black and empty. Their mouths a puppet like rectangle, unmoving. Flat unreal faces.

"The problem with being on TV." Joseph sounded much darker than before as the camera panned over the other team, "Is that everyone gets a good look at you and what you can do. Isn't that right? Anyway. Give a warm round of applause for MaxiMarkII, Robot Kazamaru, Sunstrike b, ExSuttiven. I'm sure you'll find them interesting."

More canned applause. The reason clear now. Looking into the audience... Each one of them had that same nerving face. Empty black eyes, sunken mouth, flat and featureless. The only people alive in the building were the four fighters and Joseph.

"While you're picking your first fighter... And do it soon... I'll start you off on the first question." As Joseph spoke the monitor displayed the words, "Between your team you know who was number one in the first HoH, and who was number two... But who was our third place finisher?"

A clock appeared on the screen.

"I'm nice, so you guys pick first, then I'll go."

One of the Studio Audience members was doing her best not to laugh too loudly, being almost doubled over at the introductions of the opposing team!

Laughing so hard that tears were rolling down her cheeks, Raven had one gloved hand clapped over her mouth to stifle the sound... didn't want to be asked to leave after all, or discovered to be alive.

"Robot Kazamaru...." Oh damn, she was going to have to work really hard to remember that, just to see how often she could tease Ryu~sama about it!

"Oh I'm sorry the ans..." Joseph paused and then looked at his monitor, "Well, you did say B-lar-gh and not Lu-Bu. I thought that was super clever. Ah, what can I do, 1000 points for Stephen."

The counter shot up under Stephen's name. But Joseph was already more preoccupied by by Maximos entering. As on cue a file came up on the monitor and Joseph read the recommendation post haste. He began to press buttons and flip switches at a rapid pace.

"Well, let's see if I can pick the rock to your scissors."

All the lights on the other team went down save for the one on Robot Kazamaru, and on cue the replica stood up and walked very calmly into the ring. Joseph threw another switch and from slightly off side a fan rose from the ground and with a mechanical sound cued the starting of a gentle wind on the robot. During the whole way of it's dramatic walk into the arena the imitation trademark scarf blew and fluttered in the wind. Upon reaching the edge of the arena it stood there and drew the ever so slightly different faux-Ragnarok.

"THIS IS NO PLACE FOR YOU" The puppet pointed the sword at Maximos as it spoke in monotone, "I DO NOT WANT TO HURT YOU. STEP DOWN FOR YOUR OWN SAFTEY"

It took a step forward, but then there was a mechanical clicking, a sudden sound of power surging and then a few visual clues. The undersides of the robot's greaves began to glow a faint blue light, and two strange augments flipped up on the replicas back, they too emitting a strange blue. When the robot's foot fell on the ground it began to slide frictionless, the motion became less walking and more skating across the ground. Another mechanical burst of sound as the two lumps that flipped out began emitting a streaking blue behind the replica only increasing it's speed. Treating the ground as if it gave no resistance, the robot was charging at Maximos at a speed that would take someone twice as long to build up at a run.

At the last moment the jets in back cut, flipped back in, feet returned the to the word of friction and went into a regular controlled charge. The charge turned into a horizontal slash across Maximos' chest as the robot gained control and came to a stop. If possible the robot would pull the slash back early, demonstrating a persistent control of the blade, before thrusting the large weapon right back at Maximos. From there if uninterrupted it would pull into a defencive stance, sword hit at hip, blade crossing across chest.

"I'm sure you're waiting with baited breath, but it's time for another question." Joseph once again appeared on every TV screen cutting off footage from the fight, "In spite of a lack of permanence of their condition, a few people have been declared dead by tournament purposes. Can you name them, and lets say three is the minimum answer."

Ryugi was quite entertained by all the bright flashy lights of the gameshow. But sending his robotic double up against Maximos? Sending a poorly made robotoic double up against Maximos? His hair was all wrong, and he didn't talk like that! ...Did he? And what was with the skating?

Ryugi didn't look pleased at the Robot Kazamaru. And he quickly shouted out towards his captain.

Go get em Max! Tear that thing apart!

Show em that a cheap imitation is no subsitute for the real thing!

"ALL RIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!"

Stephen pumped an arm and struck a pose after getting his question right. The points rolled onto the scoreboard, with a neat little "DING!" He got himself in position for the next question as Max hopped into the ring versus Robo-Ryu. Max and Ryu had gone at it multiple times, but there was no way that a faker like that could mimic the real deal properly.

And then he jumped as Sun whammed the button for the next question! Woah, Stephen needed to pay more attention! The answer came off and Stephen smiled as Sun got the answer corr-

Wait, review?

Stephen sighed as the Wheel of Completely Impartial Conflict Resolution spoke and found the opposing nincombots the winner of 500 points. Not a good way to go, but losing in a good old fashioned gamble is one of the more favorable ways to get put out of some score.

Okay okay... less internal rambling, more focus.

Joseph Brown Wrote:

Ok, everyone loves the arenas in HoH, the best have always come back year after year. Including this year, what arenas have appeared every year?"

WHUMP!

BZZZZZZZZZZT!

Stephen slammed his hand onto the button excitedly, then epicly motioned towards Joseph!

"OBJECTION!"

"A Tavern and a Train Car!

Also, Barton, Durem, and Leviathan Major are all recurring as well, however, as of the moment, none of those three have happened yet this year!"

Ryugi blinked, then spoke up...

Excuse me, Mr. Brown. But I do believe you forgot about our Train Cart answer.

Ryugi had noticed that his team had not gotten any points for that stage, despite getting one wrong, the other was certainly correct...

Heaven or Hell's 06-08 included a Train Cart stage. I should know, I fought in it and lost as a part of Team Phoenix in 08. It was our first loss.

Ryugi crossed his arms and looked to Joseph as he spoke.

And this year, my team fought in the Subway Car, which is distinctly similar to a train car, except that it tarvels underground. A small variation perhaps, but the environments are virtually identical.

DENIED!!!

My, Stephen got shot down rather hard by Mr. Brown. And then to give the points to the opposing team? How oh so very unfair! But then again, since when was HoH about fairness? A little cheap shots and brutality were the spice of life!

BZZZZZT!!!

ZOMGAHD!!!

...Oh wait, that was just Ryu answering a question. phew Stephen was gonna need to get the hang of this paying attention to the questions and not getting caught off guard by those DAMNED buzzers.

Hooray! Ryugi had gotten him back 500 points and earned 1000 of his own! Oddly enough, he received said points back for Ryugi's ... erm... "Balls" ... but don't look a gift dragon in the mouth, yes? At least no one could say that his balls were inert...

...Don't worry, that joke made a bit of me die inside too.

Regaining composure after his previous failure, he excitedly gripped the podium in front of him. After a quick rundown of the points by their host, Stephen prepped for the next question - there was NO way in HELL that thing was gonna catch him off guard this time!

Joseph Brown Wrote:

[b]Friendship forms in the weirdest of places. Name one pair of fighters on the same team this year, in which one fighter's team was responsible for knocking out the other's in a previous year. 1000 points for the one team, 100 points for each additional answer.[/u]"[/size]

THWACK!

BZZZZZZZZT!!!

"Ryugi was on Team Ryugin whom defeated Team Dragonforce and myself, and quite obviously, we're on the same team now.

Others include Maximos and Team a** Tear defeating Ryugi's Team Ryugin, again also on the same team now.

And let's not forget ol' Sunny here who was on Team Glacier as they defeated Ryugi and Ryugin as well, see my previous two statements to get an idea of Ryu and Sun's current team affiliation. Or look at the Eclipse Team Roster. Whatever's easier for ya."

"Not bad!" Joseph spoke with genuine excitement in his voice, "1200 points in one go, and you managed to realize that sometimes the answer is right in front of you."

The company head clapped his hands, however his attention was going to the monitor and the developing fight. Another monitor was blasting information at him from his own personal records and the database at HoH. He already had a plan though.

"Time for a short public service announcement." He pressed a button and then folded his hands to rest his chin on them, "This tournament has become increasingly more about who can break whom. Hell that's the whole point of these elimination matches."

The swords clashed and Maximos was completely correct. Joseph made robots mostly, however the combat variety were mostly secret projects. Mainly he made construction robots, robots that by nature were very strong. Maximos would feel the robot grinding his sword against his, even more so when he left one hand. The sucker punch however would land successfully, the shadow could feel his fist sink into the steel, he could feel the damage, he could watch as the head bobbed to one side just as a real person would taking a punch. He could even see the robots falter slightly with his sword, instead of using the two hand grip to break Maximos' one hander, it used superior strength to push away and bring it's sword to its side.

Then despite all of that success there was a reminder. Its head snapped back into position, and save a new dent it looked exactly the same. Two black pits stared down Maxi, no pain no fear.

Clicks, buzzes, remarkably quick machinery. A panel opened up on the machine's chest.

"You see." His grin grew as he spoke, "I'm here to prove the old adage real, that knowledge is power. Every other opponent sees you and sees a thing to break, but y'all are pieces of work you know. Sure you'll break if you provide enough pressure, but it's always SO much easier when you know where to push."

"What was that, two wrong answers?" He unfolded his hands and casually pressed a few buttons. From the rooftop catwalks and railings, through that darkness there was the sound of something moving.

The robot never stooped staring down Maximos as it made it's commands. It didn't need to chant spells, make motions, or anything like that. It just had to process, and then its chest would open up to reveal two more thrusters just like on his back.

Blue lights would flash up again, on the greaves as before but this time the thrusters were lined up against the man right in front of him. Maximos was treated to a double barrelled gout of highly pressurized burning blue energy. It would feel like getting punched by a fellow with a burning fist... Which probably isn't that creative of a metaphor considering how many people can do that. But this! This was two burning fists.

The robot on the other hand just used it to slide back away from the gentleman for a moment. It had only gone two or three metres before it cut the jets and the boots.

However there was something else glowing. His gloves, a network of circuits began to form and glow blue. Gloves imbued with tiny wires that channelled energy, helped control, and did god knows what else.

Joseph certainly had an eye for detail.

"So maybe I'm tying to impart some wisdom in on you, show you the meaning of knowledge." He was showing teeth now and still lazily pushing a slider or two. His voice was scarcely happy go lucky now, there was that note of an oppressive CEO, the boss that knows he could fire you if he felt the wrong way, "Or maybe I'm just as bad as them, and rather than pushing you around and showing you how strong they are..."

Joseph reached up and grabbed a rather large and old fashioned looking switch on the wall.

"I'm just reminding you I know where to push."

"So here's your next question, gimme points considering the clue you're about to get." He stared out from behind the screen, "[u]This eliminator contestant is well known for his anachronistic fashion sense, gentlemanly demeanour, and weakness that's rarely ever exploited. What's his name and weakness?"[/b]

Joseph threw the switch.

"One."

He quickly moved over to throw a second.

"Two."

As Maximos watched the robot settle into a defencive position Joseph would throw the switch. The click and hum of something turning on would echo above his head, and then he was assaulted from his left side. Mounted on the ceiling was something you'd find on boats, bases or movie premiers: A search light, considering the wattage of the bulb and the enclosed space the thing intended for illuminating the dark light was likely really damn bright. Then he was assaulted from his right side. The light's twin came beaming down from the other side, positioned not just to beat down on Maximos but to eliminate the long shadow the first light would likely cast.

Maximos was bathed in light, and they would haunt him. Follow his every move. Distracting him so the robot could make its move.

The robot was standing as if he was about to slash the ground, waist bent and tip facing towards the ground. With a processed command the fake-Ragnarok split right down the middle, separating into two halves and revealing spinning, glowing machinery that was sending arcs of energy up the chasm between the two halves. The circuts in the gloves pulsed even more intensely. A sound came from the sword.

oooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Slash the ground the robot did, a mighty slash arcing across the ground and into the air. But Maximos was nowhere near him right? It didn't matter, the sword emitted a beam created in that internal machinery and guided by the two halves of the blade. A laser beam, from its that would tear across the ground as it followed the arc of the slash right toward Maximos. It wouldn't kill, this was a non lethal tournament. But god knows it would rend and hurt.

Maximos: 0

Ryugi: 1000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 2700

Eclipse: 3700

Joseph: 1, 001, 000

The steel plate gave, the machinated devil's head jerked appropriately, the sword even let up just enough as Maximos hoped, so that his arm didnt give and all sorts of messiness occur.

There was a grin of satisfaction on his face for seconds, and as quickly as it came it was gone. Completely.

The look on his face was replaced with something more resembling dumb shock. Yes. The steel magic abomination had perfectly mimicked all that it was meant to, but there was much more to taking a blow.

Any killer, any fighter knows these things even if he does not acknowledge them openly or consciously. There's the look the look on an opponents face as the pain sinks in, there is the reddening of flesh, theres alteration in their stance. Little bits, little details. This machine had none.

Maximos had dented its face and absolutely nothing more. Its head had whipped back without hesitation, its face and reactions were as cold as ever.

This was the look on a man's face when he realized he had totally and completely underestimated his opponent. This was the blunt look of total surprise when the machines chest opened, and Maximos saw a bunch of things he knew absolutely nothing about.

Joesph was speaking, and Maximos' eyes were locked on Robo Ryu as he tried to RE-size his opponent. Sure in his mind he was readying defenses...but against what?

If his chest was empty, he had no vitals!

But then there was that glow odd blue glow. Maybe...

FWOOOM!

For a moment, Maximos' entire field of vision was blue steel magic glow. And it hurt, it hurt and burned and stung, and the burn poured inside of him because even as he tried to draw breath all he could feel was intense burning and absolutely no air. He didnt even realize he was soaring backwards until he hit the ground with a dry thud. He didnt realize the wind was knocked out of him until he started choking. His shoulder and upper back struck first, his legs rolled overhead and Maximos came to a skidding halt in a knelt position, with smoke rising from his chest even as black threads tried to heal his ruined vest.

There were some words, but they were lost.

"I'm just reminding you I know where to push."

Heh...heh...hah...hah...hahah...hahaa...

Was it gasping? Or was it laughing? Or was it both? It was almost impossible to tell, but whatever it was, it simply was not going to stop him. Pain? Oh anyone could see that he was hurting. Anyone could make out that the every little nuance he was looking for in the dragon, was in him. His right hand pressed into the ground, and Maximos forced his foot underneath him. Then he pressed off of both, his lips pursed in a flat line with effort. He refused to make a single pained sound save for growing chuckles. As if laughter had tagged out screams.

If he had taken a few more seconds to recover, it would have been easier. But Max was never known for doing anything in combat slow.

"So here's your next question, gimme points considering the clue you're about to get. This eliminator contestant is well known for his anachronistic fashion sense, gentlemanly demeanor, and weakness that's rarely ever exploited. What's his name and weakness?"

Oh, the honor. Max's entire form lurched forward, but was caught by one foot before it toppled and then straightened. He was standing now, and standing tall. Something red was staining his lips, but his glove quickly moved to wipe it away. Max was not feeling fine. But he was also not going to show it. His elbows were at his sides and his arms were out in either direction as if presenting all that he was.l He stood tall and proud as the answer to the question poised. His eyes still locked on the robo-drake, his top hat lost somewhere between both fighters.

"One."

"Two."

The lights hit as if they were solid objects. One cause his entire form to jerk one way, the other immediately shoved him back the opposite way before his hands moved up over his eyes in the center.

Years ago, this sort of attack would have started eating away his shadow flesh, but thankfully Maximos was flesh and blood. Unfortunately that meant he had human eyes, and these sorts of lights would blind anyone, much more someone light sensitive. His laughter stopped, he was silent save for the high pitch whirring of something around his feet, although that sound was drowned out by all buzzing and clanging of machinery. Ankokuko fell to the floor like a noisy cymbal.

Quote: Duality | Dualemo - Ankokuko is highly weakened when in the presence of strong, direct light. However, it is still 65% dragonsteel, allowing the weapon to function in even the lightest of places, albeit at a cost. This cost is a drop in power and the strength of the weapon itself, and its shadow abilities. But this weakness has a bright side (no pun intended). When in darkness or low light, Ankokuko's power rises strengthening the blade and its attacks by a great amount.

It was a jagged, unrefined hunk of metal. Its blade looked like a saw, if a saw was used against a hammer. And with every bit of the class the blade how held, it hit the ground.

Magic. Magic. Magic. It was everywhere. It wasnt enough to drop kick him with it, he had to be bathed in the stuff too. There had to be a weakness here, a hole in this set up by which he could finish off that damned thing and turn the tables on Joesph Brown the Tech Wizard. And then the answer came to him...

oooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

His right eye right eye ignited a brilliant white, his fingers splayed apart from over his face, and he saw it. He saw energy and crackling and finally something that made him feel at home in this conflict. Magic. The cold calculating computer that was Maximos' mind saw every step from here to checkmate. Although no one cold, anyone who could see the grin on his face knew that that, was Maximos' "Game Over" face.

Oh, the wizard had information on him no doubt! But how could he miss something so important? He missed the very detail...the very ability which had brought Maximos all the recent trouble in his life, and which would now bring that trouble back ten fold on Robot Kazamaru!

The beam came blasting straight at Maximos. Hard, unforgiving. Maximos cemented his footing. His boots were now glowing nearly pink, they squeaked as he gritted them against the floor. His hand still covered his face, and he played every bit the part of the blinded and weakened Shadow until the...very. Last. Second.

Speed. Maximos had it in spades, here was the attack. And here was Maximos' right fist careening for the steel magic blast with everything it had. His gloved palm snapped open, black began to hungrily drip from the burned runes under his sleeves like spittle from a drooling dogs mouth. There was no grin on his face, but a full on explosion of booming laughter!

Quote: Curo Ingurgito | Mana Gorge - Being of a beastly nature the Manus hungers for constant sustenance. While its preferred prey is life force it is able to feast on other forms of energy. Any enchanted item placed in the Manus' unholy grip will find itself temporarily inert. Any magical being in its grasp will find its energies slowly drained, in the same manner and time table as the Soul Taker. Likewise, if the arm is directly exposed into a magical or energy based attack the arm may devour the oncoming attack entirely, adding the attacks energy to the Manus' own. If its owner can survive said attack. The arm is unable to absorb a second attack until the energy of the first has been given function. If the energy is placed into an attack, that attack exhibits the same force and destructive potential of the devoured attack plus the arm's base strength.

Oh yes. Maximos was going to eat this dragons attack just as he had eaten dozens of the real dragons attacks. Magic! Magic! Magic! He could only imagine how strong the arm would be, he relished the rush, the power, he could see Robo Ryu being torn limb from limb by vicious jerks and throws and cuts.

The laser beam would strike Maximos' fist dead on.

Oh, but wait...it wasnt magic at all...was it?

All anyone would see was black, black thick milky ropes and lashes and gobs flying in all directions. Chunks of meat hit the floor like bloody confetti, wet smacks echoed out like rain giant rain drops on tile. Half as wet, twice as messy. The area where Maximos was one standing, was now the end of shift floor at a meat packing company. But there was no red, only black, but it was everywhere. And somewhere in that black was Maximos himself, sprawled out, laying on his right side. Not moving, but laying in a slow yet dangerously expanding puddle. There looked as if there might be something underneath him, scraps and shreds of a devastated limb no doubt.

And it was silent. Too silent. Save for the whirring of his boots who's spell-stitching, now turned white.

BZZZZZZT!!!

Ryugi answered again, still just as coldly.

The teacher is Reiko Crawley. In Heaven or Hell 2006 his Team, Black in Action, forfeited their match for Third Place because as you said, "It wasn't good enough." This was mirrored last year in Heaven or Hell 2008 when Team Mata Leon followed in those footsteps and his team once again forfeited their fight for Third.

Glaring. Daggers.

HOSHIT that looked like it hurt!

What the hell was Max thinking?! I mean, that move kicked a but what the hell compelled him to try it on Robo-Ryu? (Keyword: RO-fecking-BO.) Maybe he was plotting some crazy counter attack? Delving in Blood Magic? Received stat buffs equivalent to the damage he took? Who knew! Point was, the presumed Robot Janitor was gonna have a b*h of a time cleaning that mess up.

This was no time to let his team mate down! Inspirational music was required!

And what would be more appropriate than The Most Inspiring Song Ever?

Removing the Phones from around his neck, he held them up in his right hand and cranked the volume on his MP3 to maximum.

The Most Inspiring Song Ever Wrote:

~You can do it!~

~You can do it!~

~You can do it!~

"Hey Max!"

deep breath

"FEEL INSPIRED DAMMIT!!!"

Sunstrike leaned over the podium and pushed the buzzer, gently. There was more at risk here then he'd expected....it was usually him getting the stuffing beaten out of him, not the rest of the team.

"First one was an odd one. Obviously there was the "Heaven and Hell" themed Angel and Devil, but there was also Porcupine thrown into the mix. Don't ask me why."

He rubbed his nose and looked at those boards warily.

"Second one was Apocalyptic Themed: War, Pestilence, Death, and Famine. The third was Mythology: Chimera, Minotaur, Medusa, and Cerebus."

Sunstrike shuddered for the last two, he'd been right in the middle of both Eliminations, and they both were experiences best not repeated. In some ways, he guessed he should feel justified that Max knew how it felt to be on the other side, but really he just felt hollow. Sun wasn't really the kind of person to wish ill on anyone, not when his mind was working properly anyway.

Joseph Brown Wrote:

"Hey I'm sure you guys can." Joseph opened his arms wide as his tone was pleased, "I have absolute faith in you all, you're the best we have after all. So thus we're moving up to the next round, which I'm sure nobody knows is called the..."

"Break it With Your Face Round!

Stephen blinked as he heard the title described. The Break it With Your Face Round? Only a complete moron would break a board with their face...

The forehead was MUCH more suitable. Also, there was a much lower of breaking things like noses.

Sun and Ryu got their points, now placing him in the back of the pack (excluding Max, but he was fighting.) So board breaking was the order of the day. Splintering wood as it came at you at around a proverbial ninety miles an hour was always an challenge, but Stephen had one trick up his sleeve that no one expected.

Headbanging music.

The walking incidental music machine quickly flipped to a new song (presuming Max would gain just as much destructive inspiration from Rammstein as he would any other band), and placed the MP3 and headphones on the podium before him.

Now was the time to unleash the power of Rock within them!

Now was the time to crank the music and trash the party!

Now was the time to get

And with a loud "KIIIIIYAHHHH!!!" he swung his forehead straight at the imaginary center line of incoming board to headbutt the sucker into two neat halves, which would be followed by his head banging back and forth in time with the music.

God bless Rock and Roll.

Joseph just stared right back at Ryugi as he spoke. Flat faced and calm, of course he gave a little tick at the corner of his mouth. With no ceremony he broke off the stare, loosened his tie, and undid the top button of his shirt. He gave a quick shake of his head.

"Correct. 7000 points, good job." Flat and emotionless, "Boards."

The boards would swing down at Stephen and Sunstrike at a push of a button.

"Plus 1000 points each for the boards." His eyes scanned over one of the many monitors in front of him. His blank expression turned a very small smile, "2007 was a year of a lot of firsts, as well as interesting year for hiring. The eliminators had some interesting times, but I'd say it was someone who didn't even fight that unsettled most people. Who was this... Erh... Specialist?"

Maximos: 0

Ryugi: 11000

Sunstrike: 5000

Stephen: 3700

Eclipse: 19, 700

Joseph: 1, 001, 000

Boards lined up:

Ryugi: 0

Sunstrike: 1

Stephen: 1

BZZZZZZZT!!!

Victor Fah

Wait, huh? Ryugi blinked. How did he know that name? It sounded familiar somehow, but if he knew exactly where it was from, it seemed to leave him as quickly as it had come... Either way, he hoped it was right.

Max had a tough enough time in the pit as it was...

"Sorry kid. Victor Fah was the sponsor for a team back in 2006, not an employee of ours." Joseph seemed mildly revealed that he was about to wipe the dagger glaring look of his face, "The answer I was looking for was that creepy Doctor we hired for HoH Square, one of the many firsts that year. Seriously, that guy was awful."

The button in turn would send an extra thick board at Ryugi's face. Joseph however wouldn't be able to watch and savour it. He had just caught something out of the corner of his eye and practically swivled off his chair to see the monitor.

"Holy crap. This is what we're talking about." He flipped a few switches and felt like he undid his shirt button one post too early, "This was made to be on camera."

The speech was completely cut off as Maximos whacked the robot sending it stumbling to the side kicking through a pool of blackness. Then came the next shock as it was pulled into the air by a thousand tiny gripping hands. The jets on its back flipped out, its chest opened and its feet flared blue. The robot pushed, kicked and trusted and it was perhaps only thanks to the help of the spotlights tracking and burning the blanket of blood that the robot was only tossed backwards. It landed on its shoulder with a thump before jets and thrusting feet kicked it back into the air.

As it flipped and rolled another change was happening. The processor had called for a change in tactics as it had predicted with 76% accuracy what had come over Maximos. A slight extension of one of the hilt's guard and a strange modification to the hilt's butt. A weird extra grip appeared from one side of the blade itself. It seemed to be rendering the sword completely impractical for swinging.

The robot's part barrel roll part flip had ended and it had changed. For one there were now major cracks in the case where Maximos had hit it, and minor ones where it had tumbled. However the major difference was how it gripped the sword. It had grabbed that new grip, switched hold to a different part of the hilt, and braced the butt against his shoulder.

Robo Kazamaru was holding his sword as if it were a rifle. And while Maximos gasped at air, the ley-circuts began to glow and the robot took aim.

Maximos charged, the robot didn't move. There was a much faster sound of charging than the first time, and then a lance of blue energy shot out from the split-sword-rifle. Then another sound of charging, and another shot. The robot didn't falter at all as Maximos charged him with inhuman speed, however that speed and the damage the robot took the shots were far less accurate. Charge and fire, charge and fire. The replica got off maybe five shots, two of which missed completly, two of which might hit around Maximos' shoulders, the last might peg his chest or stomach.

Joseph from the booth didn't count on those short charged laser lances stopping the creature though. Some pain maybe, but the robot was just pissing him off right now.

"Should have put less emphasis on following personality." Joseph mused to himself as he sat transfixed on what was happening, "Would have knocked him out instead of asking him to surrender otherwise."

Once again there was that sound of metal against metal, as well as the arcing of blue energy under that ever following spotlight. Then the sound of metal hitting the ground and settling. The robot wasn't holding the fake-Ragnarok anymore, no he had been disarmed, litteraly. Maximos had ripped free an arm and a little bit of chest. The robot stood sparking there as Maximos tore through, half of it's torso in shambles thanks to the running attack.

With a cold efficiency it turned around to face Maximos. As expected its expression didn't change. In fact once again it began a slow march toward Maximos. Pained and jittery this time rather than the sleek skater of before. It held out it's one good arm and it's hand separated into four pieces, expanded and slid back over its forearm. There was the sound of a pilot light clicking and a faint blue glow inside the mesh nozzle structure the opening gauntlet had revealed.

"I AM JUST A COUNTRY KID" It spoke in a half scrambled robotic voice, as its new weapon activated. Gouts of white flames shot out of the hidden nozzle like a flamethrower, and Robo Kazamaru diligently waved it's remaining arm back and forth horizontally to ensure the flames had as wide spread as possible. "I AM JUST A COUNTRY KID"

Flames out front it continued forward, atempting to engulf the feral Maximos.

"I AM JUST A COUNTRY KID_"

"Well, seems the robot is having an identity crisis." Joseph turned away from the monitor and the image of him on the screen returned to a forward facing position, "So let's get back to seeing what you know. This rather popular returning arena in 2006 and 2007, made a very interesting return in 2008. Not in its original shape at all, but at least in spirit. What was this stage?

Maximos: 0

Ryugi: 11000

Sunstrike: 5000

Stephen: 3700

Eclipse: 19, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Boards lined up:

Ryugi: 0, 1 big one

Sunstrike: 1

Stephen: 1

Ryugi was about to answer when he noticed the rather hefty board speeding towards his face. Well, screw that. If Mr. Brown thought he was gonna wipe that face off of Ryugi's...face, he was quite wrong. As the Big Board hurtled towards him, Ryugi made an even worse face. Not a MEANFACE, but an...

ANGRY FAIC

Ryugi's hard head would slam into the thicker board, powered by the might of the ANGRY FAIC, chunks of wood splintering out and away from the dragon man's forehead. Later, there would be a bit of a bruise, but for now...

Eye twitch. Daggers of Greater Glaring +2.

"And that is correct, 5000 points for Stephen and..." He slammed the button twice, "A board for Ryugi and Sunstrike!"

There was an akward pause.

"This board thing isn't nearly as effective as I thought it would be." He shrugged, "Ah well."

Maximos burst through the flames. The robot desperatly went to work trying to process this as it was only a 17% likely outcome. Two different members of this team were near fireproof, it had to transmit this data to the database. However for now. However there were more pressing matter, namely the barrelling figure that was about to fall down on him. The robot readjusted it's aim and the nozzle tightened slightly, Maximos would likely be treated to a chestful of more concentrated before latching onto the robot's face. After that the arm twiched out of the way and seemed to falter.

"SUC- SUCCESS- PROB- REACHIN- G- ZERO" The speaker was muffled below Maximos' grip breaking up with every word, "DIV- SYS- FUL"

The sword tore through his chest, mutilating both the robot as well as the delicate machinery between the split-sword beyond repair. In fact Maximos did manage to drive the sword so hard that it pinned the robot to the ground, the connective material between shoulders and head snapping, and stretching a bundle of wires between the two. However, that speaker didn't quite stop. Its commands had already been sent.

"JUS- CON-Y- K-D_"

The pinned body began to shudder and shake, blue light seeped out from the cracks in the shell and the open chest wound began to spark up and down the sword.

"L-M-TR- REA_

Fist the shoulder went as energy spilled out, then a leg twitched so much as sparks ran up and down it, the remaining arm spasmed as it spouted failing flames. Then the chest burst open in an explosion of metal and energy that quickly engulfed the body that Maximos was standing over. It was powerful for certain, perhaps it wouldn't last as long as Ryugi's own version, but the explosion had some oomph. There was of course the burning aspect of the energy itself, the danger of flying metal parts, and of course the fact that considering Maximos was standing right on top of it: being launched across the arena. Boy did it look pretty though, a chain of small blue explosions leading to an eventual combination into a larger one. The only thing left were parts flying in the air and a small crater in the arena.

"Well." Joseph spoke as the blue from the monitor glowed in his face, "That's one robot down, and 250, 000 points for Team Eclipse. Now 100, 000 points will go to Maximos, while the other three will get 50, 000 each. Just to make sure they don't fall behind and all that. Plus the 3000 points from the face breaking, I'd say this is a pretty good gain."

He sunk back in his chair as he pressed a few more buttons and tried to locate Maximos.

"This question signals the end of the Board round, or bored round as it's quickly becoming. One last chance for everyone on the team to get points from one question." He clasped his hands together, "Everyone remembers the record in abstract, it was a pretty damn good record, but do you remember the specifics. Exactly how many flags did a** Tear receive in the Peppa incident?"

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 63, 000

Sunstrike: 55,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 277, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Boards lined up:

Ryugi: 1

Sunstrike: 2

Stephen: 0

Fireproof?

Max was far from fire proof, or fire resistant. Or for that matter, far from any ones standard of sane. This fire was charring him, scarring his flesh, boiling his blood, he just could not let that stop him.

The robot readjusted it's aim and the nozzle tightened slightly, Maximos would likely be treated to a chestful of more concentrated before latching onto the robot's face.

Now, even more than before Maximos was stuck. He had a grip, and he was in mid air, there was no defense suitable. He took a pressurized blast, straight to the chest. It was flame not solid matter, but with the force it was being thrown it felt solid at first touch, then gave way under his wieght. Within seconds his vest and dress shirt were ash, and flames were rushing over his chest and around his shoulders and underarms spreading the blaze without mercy.

"SUC- SUCCESS- PROB- REACHIN- G- ZERO DIV- SYS- FUL"

There were words, but Maximos didnt hear them. He could barely hear anything over his body screaming at him desperately. Willpower held the man together, as the fire stopped and red cried from black, bubbling and peeling flesh. All he knew was that his arms, were still working. He was still alive, and if was still alive, then he would not, could not stop.

The sword pierced Robot Kazamaru. Despite all else, a sickening smile spread across his lips as he heard machinery crunch and give and break. He saw technological carnage spread out beneath him, and knew victory was at hand. It was dead.

However, that speaker didn't quite stop. Its commands had already been sent.

"JUS- CON-Y- K-D_"

This was frustrating. And without any real form of control, frustration soon became infuriating. It needed to be dead. It needed to die. Only one sentiment flashed in his mind, over and over, blaring blood red like that blinking Applause sign from moments ago and being obeyed just the same.

Kill. Kill. Kill.

He brought the sword up again, broken and battered as it was, and then slammed it down. And again, and again, metal and plastic and whatever metals and reagents foreign to the ancient man shattered out.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

He could feel charred skin tearing, and see blood spraying with his violent thrusting motions as he impaled the machine over and over and over. The pinned body began to shudder and shake, blue light seeped out from the cracks in the shell and the open chest wound began to spark up and down the sword.

KILL! KILL! KILL!

Death throws. Obviously, many things release pent up energy and matter when they die. This was no different. Or maybe it was? Or maybe he did not notice or care? His right hand even pulled back to join his left in slamming whatever was left of the knock-off sword into the knock off robot.

"L-M-TR- REA_

DIE!

He roared back in response! His body hunched over the creature, his left pulled back whatever broken chunk of machinery was the left, while he jerked left to right, swinging his violent claw of an arm back and forth across the robot, aiming to take vicious chunks out of its form and sending them flying in either direction.

It was still twitching! It was still making noise! It was still alive! I had to die!

And then it exploded.

Maximos was not even almost ready for that. But even if he was, short of the running away...which was impossible, there was no way for him to stop it, or truly gear himself for it.

All at once the world was a blinding flash of blue. It took him in and embraced him, wrapping around him like a lover. It was warm. Then it was hot. And then it was scalding, and the Shadow was screaming, but his sound was lost against the explosion itself. He could feel layers of skin peeling back and burning away. Then he noticed the stabbing, countless pricks and slashes and cuts and stabs all over, all screaming at once. He could feel gravity completely lose its hold on him as he was sent soaring in some direction. His body twist and rolled and flipped in the air, burning with every motion and turn.

A normal human would be unconscious and dead right now.

A normal Gaian would have hit the opposite side of the arena as a smoking carcass. Eliminated in every way shape and form.

Max's body rode the explosion and then as it reached its full blast radius he was thrown out of it like so much trash. His body trailed a line of smoke, red, and black ash across the ring and to the far opposite side. Being heaviest, his right arm dragged him down, streaking against the ground kicking up sparks and high pitched screams. Finally he was slowed enough for the rest of his form to roll over his right arm, and tumble for a bit before coming to a stop pressed against the wall of the ring.

Maximos should have been dead. But he was not human, he was Arian. He was not normal, he was a Reaper. Death does not give up so easily. There are none so notoriously hard to kill as Reapers. It was really only at the brink that they began to shine.

The time has come, and so have I.

Max's left arm moved. It drug against the hard, cold, unforgiving floor, like a marionette limb. Vestiges of a black sleeve still clung to his back, and a hunk of some warped and ruined metal that once was a sword still lay in his quivering and bloody fist.

I'll laugh last 'cause you came to die.

Shaking, the limb crawled across the floor and made its way under Maximos' shoulder and chest. His knuckles pushed down, as he tried to hoist himself up. His face, peeled off the ground, navy blue but black and blood red stained vines of hair painted over his face. His face was red as a beat, and covered in enough blood from enough sources, that when he coughed and cried out.

Graaaaaah!!

No one would bother asking where all the red that spewed out came from. About six inches off the ground left arm gave out and he crashed back down with a resounding thud as his skull hit the floor. His chest was heaving, struggling for breath, struggling against more wounds than he knew how to count. His mouth opened wide, wider than a normal jaw should allow and he swallowed a lung full of breath and then.

The damage done, the pain subsides.

And I can see the fear clear when I look in your eye.

GRAAAAAAAH!!

Roared, with everything he had, his knuckles poured red, his arm quivered like jello, but his body began to lift. He hadnt the muscle mass in his right arm necessary to allow it to slide around and under him and so he needed to get himself high enough for it to fall under him, bent. A small distance which felt like forever. And just before his left arm was about to give out, it did. He was propped up on his left fist, and right elbow.

I'll never kneel and I'll never rest.

His breaths seethed through a sharp fang filled mouth. Each one pushing a fresh stream of red over his lips. Now his left leg moved, it twitched and wobbled, and slid forward bent on one knee and wedged itself beneath him. His mouth opened, wider. His breaths were deeper heavier, with the two and a half limbs he pushed himself up even higher.

You can tear the heart from my chest.

Finally came his right leg, knee first, and then foot. He moved from kneel, to crouch. Then Maximos lurched his wieght forward and with almost lion-esque growl tossed his wieght on to both legs and forced himself up.

The man was a mess. His clothes were shreds, there was so very much blood it looked as if his skin had been swapped out for it. Save of course for the broken and cut, and yet high visible black runic tattoos that ran chest, back, and left arm. Right arm as well but...well...

I'll make you see what I do best.

I'll succeed as you breathe your very last breath.

The wieght was too much, his entire front half fell forward. Face first, blood smearing from his cheek across the ground. His bottom half, still partially raised in an almost comical bent over stance.

Now I know how the angel fell.

I know the tale and I know it too well.

He could see them. Through black soulless eyes he could see the surviving members of team Artificial Event. Their emotionless faces and obvious flaws were mocking him. Maybe it was canned laughter. Maybe it was a voice in his head, but he heard them mocking him...Even as he took step forwards trying to regain momentum, and scraping his face along the ground, he heard them.

I'll make you wish you had a soul to sell.

When I strike you down and send you straight to hell.

It was enough to drive a man mad. His teeth clamped shut, gritting against each other. Without any care of its safety his left fist, still clenching ruined metal smashed into the ground.

RrrrrrgaaaaGRRRAAAAAAAAHH!!!

He shoved, he shoved with everything he had. His shoulder came up first, then his chest and back, and his legs scuttled beneath him.

Max was standing. His arms, shoulders and head, hung limp in front of him, but he was standing.

My army comes from deep within.

His arms twitched, spastically, violet and black and royal purple sparks began to drizzle down his arms.

Beneath my soul and beneath my skin.

His shoulders rose, his back popping several times as he straightened and then straightened his head looking straight up. Not at Sunstrike or Stephen, not at Ryugi or even the robot duplicates.

As you are ending, I'm about to begin.

Maximos' black, soulless eyes looked directly at Joseph Brown. It didnt matter the camera angle, or what obstructions were in the way. If Maximos was staring directly at a steel floor it was easy for anyone looking to see that he as staring through it, at the wizard in the swivel chair. He was looking him straight in the eyes. There was no emotion in those eyes. There was no humanity in that face, even as its lips poorly covered large fangs. He did not glare threatening daggers, his eyes were pure. Looking into them was like looking into a the eyes of a charging lion, a mauling bear, a ravenous shark. No feeling, just carnage, just hunger. It did not threaten. It promised, "I will eat you."

My strength is pain and I'll never give in.

And then the emotionless face split in two as it smiled bright and wide, and as if someone had just cut the marionette string his head fell slightly skewed to the side. Eye contact never broken.

I'll tell you now, I'm the one to survive.

His left hand gently moved across passing the chunk of metal to his right hand.

You'll never break my fate or my stride.

I'll have you choke on your own demise.

Without a warning, Maximos' body whipped to the right, his arm flung with all of its supernatural strength like a violent sling. His eyes never broke contact. Maybe they werent scary, but his eyes were infinitely deep. Mesmerizing. The chunk of metal was sent flying, so hard and so fast that it whipped through the air, spinning like a disk as it soared toward its ultimate goal.

One floodlight. Max may not have known what they were, or how they work. But even monkeys know that throwing rocks can help scare away an offending thing. If it shattered, then the other light would be serving him, not hindering him as it would cast a giant and deep shadow opposite him.

The Shadow of Death a shadow monster, bathed in shadow. Joseph was a smart man, he needed no explanation tell him what that might be like. And Maximos was far from done.

I'll make the angels scream, and the devil cry.

Sunstrike turned to the side slightly, distracted as Ryugi answered the next question. As well as what was going down in the pit. He would have been scared, maybe even terrified at seeing Max's hollow black eyes, until something slammed into the side of his face and he saw vivid stars...oh, wait, no, those were splinters, and sparks.

Sonova...

One could argue he was the softest headed of the lot, but lets look at that for a second. Over the years, Sunstrike had...

Hung out with Vahn, a man known and prone to acts of agression using his forehead.

On the very first fight of the very first round of the first HoH he'd been in, manservant Sueng had dropped a very large hammer on his head. Thereby disqualifying Blazestar and handing the win to Glacier, at the expence of Sun's consciousness.

Been through two Elimination rounds where the opening had been Reiko, who was mostly GOD now, apparently, punching him when he opened a door. And the next, Maximos, who was down there in the pit, in the same mode, practically ripping his face off to get his eye.

Last year he'd had multiple bitchslaps, including one where his captain, Teira, had used her own ripped off arm to make her point, as well as a flying, beautifully executed, kick to the face from one Mr R. Tofu.

And this year, AGAIN his captain had made it a point of knocking some sense into him by way of a backhand. Okay, yeah, Max was losing his mind, but it was getting to be a little much now.

Sun was none too pleased to be slammed in the face again. You could almost say he was growing "hot headed" about it.

The second board EXPLODED when it slammed into his forehead, scattering ash and firey wooden debris everywhere. Blood trickled in rivers where both had hit him and split skin.

There must be something written across his face that said BREAK IT, to people. Maybe too many watchers of Fight Club out there, destroying beautiful things and all that.

Bastards.

Joseph would start to feel the combined heat of Ryu's Angry face and Sun's Hot Glare. The only one that was kinda calm was Stephen. Stephen had pretty much summed up with his expression, what both Sun and Ryu REALLY should be feeling at a time like this.

At this very moment, Rage decided to wander into the hangar and sit down with a bag of popcorn next to the only other living person in the audience. Why?

Nobody could be sure. Perhaps he had simply gotten lost on the way to another fight. Perhaps he thought this was a movie studio. Maybe he was intent on watching the latest filming of Rage V The Fighting: Attack of the Movie 7 (at least, the parts he wasn't in).

Whatever the reason, he seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that virtually everyone within the studio was mechanical.

"Mm. Good popcorn. Don't think I've had this stuff in years."

O hay. Fite tiem.

"Don't know why... that stuff is better than chocolate, almost better than sex even!" The lady happily stole a few pieces of Rage's popcorn with a sweet smile... The kind of smile that let her tell Kas he was a jerk and kept her from getting punched in the face!

Lazenca, watching this amazingly deadly show from the comfort of his hotel room, wondered a few things.

He knew Sunstrike and Maximos had history, since they were seen around each other a fair bit. But what was that history, what kept the two men meeting over and over? What circumstances had them all fighting together in the tournament?

Maximos, save his recent dismemberment, seemed well. Laz and that guy had a pretty spotty history, but that didn't mean he wanted the guy destroyed. A bit in him was hoping that he'd pull it out strong in this. Of course, a part of him, that spectator rooting for THE MAN, wanted to see how far Max would go until he would drop.

Sunstrike too seemed well. Despite being on teams with him last year, Laz didn't know much about the salamander. Maybe he'd show up to Eclipse's suite when they got back with...

...what do salamanders like to drink? The blood of virgins?

Ryugi... he'd heard a lot about that one. A chance meeting was cut short, but he kinda wished the famed hero-type was down there, exploding things. Though with everything happening already...

Heh, Stephen. He remembered that fight at the stadium. Good to see he was still around.

... ... ...

"Wait..."

Lazenca leaned in on the screen, squinting.

"How in the hell did those people get in the audience?"

Ryugi poured over the Finals of Heaven or Hell 07 in his mind. It occurred to him that Sunstrike, who had seemed pretty sane, didn't fight in the finals against Lu Bu, while Silver Alexander, who seemed a little off, had managed a single strike against a member of Lu Bu just before the buzzer sounded. This stumped him for a moment, but time was running out, and so, he picked the answer that most closely matched the question...

BZZZZZZZT!!!

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Sunstrike won by freeloading, as he did not fight at all during the Heaven or Hell 2007 finals.

Joseph looked puzzled for a second, "Just give me a minute, this has got to go to review.

The screen went blank and displayed, ONE MOMENT PLEASE while playing a nice little hold music diddy. Then the screen came back on and displayed Joseph looking at a really long printout of paper.

"Ok. So yeah, Silver did do a silver bullet right at the end that ended the match, and in theory won the game for Glacier. Though maybe that kind of stepping in at the last moment for the glory is kind of coattailing. Though he did do work in the championships. However Sunstrike didn't even fight that last match and just chatted the whole way through."

Somehow the audience cam panned right over the two human figures in the audience. Good thing Joseph wasn't paying attention.

"You know what." He crumpled up the paper, "Screw it, they're both lazy, either one would be good, so points for Ryugi. And hell, with any luck the finals this year will be exciting enough to actually remember properly."

He cleared his throat.

"Continuing onward. Question two of the rising peril round. "In a frighteningly common occurrence, people seem to keep losing their arms during HoH. Name at least three for a right answer."

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 74, 000

Sunstrike: 57,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 293, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Boards lined up:

Ryugi: 0

Sunstrike: 1

Stephen: 1

Points Collected:

x2

Ryugi: 5000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 0

"Well goddamn."

Yes. Exactly that. God Damn. And they had. Several had in fact. Maximos had been on the short end of the Divine stick for longer than he could remember, and far before he even knew the name "Reaper". They were gods of light, of dark, and even of nature. And as a result, the man became something neither light or dark. He was Twilight. A looming dusk. And as the skew of his head hinted, he was wholly unnatural.

Maximos was a monster.

"I could end this all here couldn't I?"

The words were jumbled. They slipped in, were lost in the storm and processed as unusable debris. But just because Max was primal did not mean he was stupid. His brains werent lost. He understood what was being said, even without words. He could hear the disconnected tone, in Joseph's voice. He could see it in his face, he could feel it in his even glare.

"Just drop down to ground level and he'd tear me to shreds. White card and then it's all over. Right? We don't need to waste anymore time here."

Yes, Max was a monster. But everyone is has a little monster inside of them. Some are bigger than others, loud and obnoxious. Others are small, shoved away and neglected. Max couldnt know the size and shape of Mr. Brown's personal monster. But with a twisted face splitting grin, and empty cavernous eyes, Maximos was calling it out. No, not with magic or power. And Joseph's returning stare showed he accepted the challenge in like kind.

The man broke away, returning his attention to the other competitors. The light shattered. The world went half dark. Maximos' body was burning, not only from burns and cuts and pain but from hauntingly bright lights. But now, the shadows could enrapture him like an icy cool bath. His hands opened and closed excitedly. But before he could move, they were back! A different angle! Stronger!

A disgruntled growl escaped him as his left arm slung over his eyes again. Not covering them, but pressed against his forehead and shielding them from the stinging glow.

"Guess we've decided to get serious. So you like to throw things."

His breath hissed through sharp fangs, his boots faded from indigo to purple.

"I was never good at throwing. Always dropped the ball."

The words meant nothing. If he even ventured a look at the monitors, the actions meant nothing. What meant something as the tone. He knew something was being prepared. Like a large prey animal softening its steps, and tensing its muscles for a surprise attack. His arms crackled louder still. His eyes locked straight upwards.

And then the lights moved. Then the lights fell. Then Maximos moved.

The Shadow was a bolt of black firing straight upwards leaving a trail of black vapor in his wake. The lights were coming down around him, and he was coming up straight at them. His battled away, one steel beam, then another. But he would not stop. He knew where his prey was...

Soon he would be above the lights, climbing faster than the beams were falling. And above the lights it was black again. So comforting, so soothing. Amongst the screams of pain were familiar, warm voices. Like lost family.

His arms extended out in either direction as the wave of black whipped, and lashed and danced around him. The Shadows missed their master, and paraded around him as he stepped forward, to show it.

Of course, when the shadows returned there was already work waiting for them. Maximos' body was covered in a large, now mostly visible, runic array. This array served several functions. Maximos was a prudent man, and a strategist. He knew the chance of Frenzy was always possible, and in frenzy he'd have no care for his own well being. As such, he planned for such. He wore protection against such. Simply put.

Always have a contingency plan.

A patch of runes ignited violet at the small of his back and spread up and out across his shoulder blades. Lunaic runes, or Lunoc Seal Magic, was infact pre-written shadow commands, and they obeyed without question.

The shadows reacted. Immediately the single ribbon of black shredded and frayed, it moved from a single ribbon to thousand headed snake and each was hand leading a ribbon like bandage. Quickly, Maximos' speeding rocket of a form, was now a tangled web of inky black lines with a Maxi shaped core. Jet ropes lashed ebon ichor out in all directions as the vines moved to do their dirty work.

Within moments Maximos was covered. His arms, chest, and legs now sported skin tight black bandaging, they vanished inside his boots, covered his left arm and palm, and stopped at his neck like a black banded turtle neck. All bandages visible through and beneath the shreds in his pants, and what was left of his tattered clothes. The runes covering his chest, back, and beamed forward burning dark royal purple imprints into the bandages as if it were a shirt design of sorts. The bandaged squeezed tight, and sent droplets of blood to the ground.

No no, the monster in man-skin had no fashion sense. But the runes covering his body had many functions and contingencies, none of which would effect battle in any major way that his own shadow manipulation powers could not do. Only with a primal mind, such shadow manipulations tend to turn vicious and nasty.

BANG!

THUD-THUD-THUD!

Did Mr. Brown have camera's that went up to the ceiling? Would he hear the sound of Maximos' supercharged, and now rocket powered fist slamming into the floor of his fortress floor? Would he perhaps hear the sound of the Shadow's other arm, and two feet joining to create a perfectly inverted landing? Maximos would quite honestly have slammed his fist into the ceiling and then collapsed around it, he was now kneeling upside down on the top of metal roofing.

Quote:

• Shadow Walk - Umbra Ingredior

Not to be confused with the ability to walk through shadows. Maximos' shadow walk ability allows him use darkness to find footholds, or even hand grips in areas that defy gravity. Maximos' feet or hand are placed onto the surface in question. The hands or feet sink into their own shadow, and into the surface about a half inch providing Maximos a sturdy hold on the surface and allowing him to climb, stand, or even run on walls or ceilings. In rare conditions when the sun is right, this ability is even extended to shaky surfaces such as water. The balance required to perform these feats comes entirely from Maximos' own natural agility.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

And he was knocking. A cursed metal arm, and a bloody fleshy fist. Joseph was in there. The other monster was waiting for him inside this hard carapace. This was a test, clearly. A challenge. Like a squirrel cracking a hard nut, Max would not give up!

The sparks and jolts of purple and violet jolting down his arm peaked at his fists, and he doubled his efforts. The strikes were relentless and fast, as brutal as they would be should they be striking flesh and bone.

BANG-BANG!

BANG-BANG!

BANG-BANG!

BANG-BANG!

His fist struck, and immediately following them were bolts of glimmering indigo which struck again, just as hard. The small explosions would race out from the impact point, and then gently rain down, past Maximos obeying gravity.

Quote:

• Black Crescendo -

A more trademark maneuver. Maximos is able to charge a length of black energy along his fist and arm. When a punch is delivered the energy is able to either race ahead echoing the punch striking first, or trigger once the fist has already connected exploding forward at the contact point. In either case on contact the effect is variant on the situation. The energy will rush forward adding a second force to the attack as if the opponent was struck twice in immediate succession. Or to even explode outwards from the impact point in a small concussive blast of pure force, enough to send weaker opponents soaring backwards, and cause stronger opponents off their footing. The strength of the attack varies depending on the amount of preparation time given.

This game was spinning out of control.

Ryu and Sun feigned the ability to not focus on the devastation before them. Were Stephen not so enraptured with it he might have been offended. But be it sheer naivety or innocence, the man couldn't pull himself away from the monster within Max having been unleashed.

Why? Where the hell did this come from? Was this all really worth the man losing control over everything? He could probably take the entire studio down on top of them all, and no one really seemed to care. Stephen was not a man afraid of death, but for one of such high standards to unleash oblivion on a building filled with those not involved... yeah, it was kind of a terrifying thought.

It just made him so... ********... ANGRY.

"GrrraaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

CRACK!

Stephen punched the board hard, causing it to snap off of it's holder and go flying off in the opposite direction. He didn't give a damn if he wasn't going to bust it with his face, its not like the points mattered now anyway. After wards he slammed his hand down onto the edge of the podium and gripped it tightly, trying to push out the pain of such a stupid stupid move.

Dammit... why was this happening? Max shouldn't be pushed to this point in a stupid tournament. This was life or death instinct he was acting on. He was giving up everything that made him HIM. The charm, the relaxed attitude, the intellect - all being tossed aside because of some damned robots.

And so he watched. Entranced in the horror before him. The darkness that should have never had to come out. The sacrifice that was made for no good reason. Meanwhile people everywhere would be cheering on in bloodlust, not caring that everything Stephen had known about the man was being blown to kingdom come in one fell swoop.

The power was intoxicating... it truly was. But the madness... dear god the madness... Why? WHY?! WHY?! WHY DAMMIT WHY?!

"Infighting. Looks like we're going to appeal to reality TV viewership too. This pilot is going to be a smash." Joseph only looked half impressed at the board throwing, "Keep this up and we'll be primetime in no time."

Sunstrike would break the board and get the points, Stephen would not get the points.

"Anyway, Ryugi is correct, so 10 000 points go his way. Anyway on to the next..." And then the whole booth started shaking, "Crap, crap, go to comercial."

Comercial break across the screens!

While the distraction was playing Joseph looked to the monitors and rapidly began to press buttons. He could see Maximos pounding on the bottom of the booth, he could feel it too. He had confidence that Maximos would break before the booth, but no need to take any risks. While the competitors were busy with each other Joseph took to the controls. He pushed buttons, brought up arrays, pulled a few levers and crunched a few numbers. He stepped inside the robot Maximos to make certain of his own safety. Strangely enough both eliminator and eliminatee had stepped into the same boat. They were outside the combatants, screaming controls and hoping for the best. Knowing that if they couldn't harness their respective pupetes they'd be waking up in quite a bit of pain. Well, Joseph wouldn't, but he had his own reasons for giving his all.

Still there would always be input delay even in the most effective magical or technological method of control. Joseph could run as much as he could from the booth, and Maximos could pull as much as he could from the mind, but they were not right there in the moment. Thankfuly, Joseph had designed the robots to be able to act on their own. In fact it was why he had picked MaxiMarkII. Not because he wanted to poke the lion, not for psychological purposes, but because the real Maximos was moving quickly, erratically, and was in general all over the place. The fake Maximos just had the best targeting system.

On one of Joseph's button pushes the side of the robots head opened up and an array slid out. Quickly it folded over twice and snapped down and fastened over the robot's right eye with a mechanical drilling sound. There was one glowing white lens, moving in and out in zoom as it adjusted to being active, there was also one smaller glowing red lens slightly out of the way. From these the robot got the normal visual data from its left eye, but also a series of information, imaging, predictions, energy readings, and movement tracking streaming from the array.

The robot watched Maximos fall, it knew the velocity, the trajectory, and the effect on his vitals via thermal imagery. The eye also highlighted where every visible drop of that black goop fell.

The robot however did not move. It watched, it could see the monster about to throw something.

"LOCKING ON_

The eye focused in on Maximos and in Joseph's monior a target would appear around him.

"PRIMARY TARGET_"

The eye then focused it's targeting reticule on the makeshift javelin.

"SECONDARY TARGET_

And then the scrap left Maximos' hand and at the same moment two large panels popped out of his back where a normal human would have their shoulder blades. The whole thing was so sudden that it caused the tails of his coat to flare out. Then they slid up so they would peek over the robots shoulders. The monster, perhaps even the gentleman, wouldn't recognize these strange new appendages. Perhaps someone in the audience would recognize them as missile racks.

The robot didn't move a mechanical muscle as smoke billowed out from behind the racks, and small jet black objects fired out of the pods at max speed. There were a good six of them, and they each had a tiny sharklike smile painted on their cones. They spiralled through the air, tiny chips directing their paths to where the eye instructed the cluster.

The first veered off toward the javelin, exploding near but not normally where one would target. Not to mention it seemed the missile just popped, and left a disturbance rippling through the air. However it caused the metal scrap to divert off course, the somewhat controlled path it had spinning changing to a wild spin. It clattered far off course missing the robot.

The other four spun and spiralled around each other as they made their way at rapid speeds toward Maximos. And then when they looked like they were about to enter a decent range, the five of them changed course drastically. It looked like every one of them would miss the monster very obviously. And strangely enough they did, each one would come near only to explode early, or go off-side and explode. All Maximos would feel was being bathed in a very strange energy as the air around him made only slight adjustments.

This was of course exactly what the robot wanted.

You see, those missiles were not your regular explodey hurty killy type of projectile. Instead they were one shot electromagnetic generators, a byproduct of EMP research that seemed to have no practical purpose. The first had just highly concentrated itself so it could draw the metal projectile off course. The other five had spread their fields so wide that they wouldn't directly attrack anything alone. However five combined could imbue some of their power to an unwitting donor.

Maximos now carried a very strong positive charge concentrated in his upper body.

The black goop carried a very strong negative charge.

The sticky black substance that had been spread all around begun to creep across the floor toward Maximos, a shadow moving across the ground that was not a shadow at all. It would get in his way across the floor, and given the chance try to climb up his body to reach the stronger charge. Even worse, his metal arm probably carried stronger charge, get that thing anywhere near the goop would likely cause it to practically jump on the limb, sticky substance reducing poor mobility even worse.

There was the darkness enclosing Maximos, the synthetic shadows crawling forward to meet him. It would attempt to bind him, cement him in one place, pacify him, let him struggle to the rage ran out. A gentlemanly answer to a violent problem.

Still it didn't kill the irony of the situation.

The missile racks folded back into the replica, and the thing stared him down with one black pool and one glowing white lens. It raised a single fist and briefly held it in the air.

"AND" It spoke in that monotone and imitative voice, "HOW DO YOU LIKE IT NOW"

The screen flashed back to Joseph whom had somehow acquired a prop broom he was banging on the floor.

"And stay quiet down the..." He turned to mug the camera and gave a cheesy smile, "I didn't see you come back. Just having a little trouble with the downstairs neighbour. You're looking for the next question right?"

"Interestingly enough, after the Glacier dynasty reigning champions rarely stay together. Can you name the four teams where a member or two are previous HoH number ones?"

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 84, 000

Sunstrike: 58,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 304, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Points Collected:

x4

Ryugi: 15000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 0

"Completely correct." Joseph paused dryly, "Again. 20000 points. Hey, other two? Do you want people to look back on team Eclipse and say "Well, Ryugi just wanted it more", do you? Because he just snatched the lead away."

Joseph straightened up a bit.

"Vehicles vehicles vehicles. Some stages just have to MOVE. So give me at least five different arenas that were actually vehicles."

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 104, 000

Sunstrike: 58,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 324, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Points Collected:

x6

Ryugi: 35000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 0

Raven was really starting to dislike that Mr. Brown fellow and especially his robots... Although his sense of humor was as twisted as her own she had to say that as an eliminator he was annoyingly out of reach of the contestants... an that was just not fair, but then no one ever said that anything about life was fair.

"Ha, I actually knew the answer to that last one! He must be running out of good questions!" That comment was likely for the fellow beside her, but who could really tell since she had not taken her eyes off Maximos in quite some time now....She needed to figure out how the hell to get him to calm down when this was all over

He couldn't watch any more.

He couldn't take the horror any longer.

He looked away and tried to pull himself back together.

Sun could have his bruised ego.

Brown could have his stupid game show.

Ryu could rack up all the damn points he wanted.

Max could turn himself into a dirty stain on the wall for all he ******** cared.

He just wanted the round to be over.

He wanted no part of this atrocity any longer.

"Is anyone else watching this?" Joseph burst forward with mock enthuisam, "This Kazamaru kid is on fire! Listen up kid, after this we'll meet for coffee and pie and discuss endorsements. We'll have a robot in every house by fourth quarter ought nine."

Joseph took a long drink.

"So 30000 points for the dragon, and let's check back up on our fighters."

There was Maximos flying through the air, a bullet, no a cannonball. The Goop adhered to him, sticking in place like the very apt comparison of a magnet. It turned him into a very literal cannonball the jelly like substance sticking to his flesh and bandages , covering every inch of him, and ironically protecting him from harm. It is always beautiful when you use your enemy's weapon against them. But there's always a danger in this.

The robot took a low combat hand and cocked back its fist all the way.

The eye, MaxiMarkII's eye couldn't see everything Maximos' could. They shared thermal, but vitals could only be estimated from medical cross references, and magic was completely foreign. However it could see things Maximos' could not. Accurate measures of velocity and acceleration, estimates of time until impact, up to the minute information that allowed it to react as fast as possible, and most importantly: Polarity.

The replicas top hat was twisting. Making a continuing circle as it unlocked from the brim, then with a mechanical his it began to rise up. Revealed under the hat was a spinning, glowing, and sparking generator now being kicked into overdrive. That thing began to spread energy through the robot itself as well as in a field around it. The monster would feel the goop rebel, wanting to go the opposite direction away from its like, but it would be too clung to Maximos and unable to overcome the raw inertial force of the cannonball.

That generator sparked and spun and began to concentrate a hell of a lot of negative force into the Robot's fist it had cocked back. Charging up something rather big.

"MAXI_"

The real Maximos only zoomed closer and the robot had ceased to move out of the way. The moment of impact was imminent and the replica began to throw its punch. What could a straight possibly do against the human cannonball? Well, depends on how assisted that punch was. All that negative collected polarity focused around the fist moved forward. In between the Monster's outstretched arms, the negativly charged goop covering them pushing them violently away. The fist came forward, the projectile came forward and the two were destined to meet. Layers and layers of goop was now covering his face, giving him somewhat of a protective shield. However it had nowhere to go once that same charged fist came darngerous close, so it did what it had to to get out of the way.

The goop parted like the goddamn red sea.

And for one moment, one quiet, silent moment, everything in time hung still. That moment metal fist touched face turned projectile. Nothing moved, as these two forces were about to go to battle.

"PUNCH_"

The fist upon impact released a huge forward blasting wave of intense negative charge. Maximos would feel every bit off the goop pulling him in the wrong direction, this time with so much gusto it couldn't help but make the world spin. The outsiders would see all the goop on Maximos briefly pull on him before every last drop ballooned out behind him like some sort of whiplash parachute stopping his insane acceleration. Likely Maximos would tumble back a few feet, however even that was up to debate with the monster in charge.

Things didn't look good for the robot either. Once that moment hung in the air ended there was a loud bending and breaking sound as all Maximos' energy transfered down the robot's arm. It practically exploded into bolts, scraps, and bands as it buckled in on itself from the sheer force. The power of it all took the robot off its feet and sent it careening back a good few feet in the opposite direction.

And that children, is how the gods punch each other in the face.

Somehow though there was something more alike between the robot and monster than likeness. The robot tumbled for a good bit before comming to a stop. From there it began to slowly rise to its feet, and from rising to its feet it began to take a stance. The top hat locked back into normal positioning, and it raised it's metal dukes. Well it raised one, the other was buckled, sparking mess of detached tubes leaking black liquid. But it raised that one too.

"Ah!" Joseph sound highly entertained, "This is getting great! Imagine what we can do with all this."

He seemed to be speaking to no one in particular as he looked into the monitor at the fight, but he soon turned his head to look at the three at the booths. Angry. Comforting. Frightened. Hungry. The moods of team Eclipse.

"Question, yes?" Joseph began as usual, "The third question on third place. In the only actual third place match where both teams showed up, that's in 2007 for those who didn't pay attention to the last question, there were a couple of good fights. Tell me each of the fighter matchups in this third place, but not rate, brawl."

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 134, 000

Sunstrike: 58,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 354, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Points Collected:

x8

Ryugi: 65000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 0

"Correct again." Joseph gave a little grunt, "I hope you're not this fast on the draw in everything you do. You know lik... What the hell are those?"

Joseph was pointing on a fluttering large assembly of fabric falling down from the rafters. Sure they were blasted sky high, but in spite of how long they took to get to the ground it was a miracle they survived the explosion. And only a little singed to boot! Still there was no surprise if you consider the design they were based on. Finishing their journey they fell right on Ryugi's head, a leg covering each of his eyes.

ACQUIRED:

Robot Kazamaru's Pants

"So, the next question." Joseph shuffled his papers dramatically, even though he had never once had papers before and they were obviously props, "Team Lu-Bu, or as we've established B-lar-gh, are HoH staples. Can you list the ever changing roster in order of frequency of appearance?"

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 174, 000

Sunstrike: 58,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 394, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Points Collected:

x10

Ryugi: 105, 000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 0

It seems Ryugi was on fire.

"Another correct answer from the dragon, so let's give him a big hand and 40000 points." Joseph golf-clapped while the fake applause came up, "But still, we may as well just get right to the next question."

"While I have no plans to join them, some Eliminators have fallen in battle. Can you name at least three?"

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 214, 000

Sunstrike: 58,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 434, 700

Joseph: 1, 006, 000

Points Collected:

x12

Ryugi: 145, 000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 0

Sometimes you just had to lean back in your chair and fold your hands. Every good businessman tied up in far too supernatural events had to do this once in a while. It let everyone know that despite all the chaos around you were still the one in charge.

"What was that? Was that the sound of tiny hearts breaking?" Joseph put his hand up to his ear as if he was listening for something, "Yes, all the orphans who were depending on Ryugi answering that correctly are heartbroken because that was not the right answer."

"The question was what eliminators fell in battle, not simply lost. Thus Leia's loss by decision does not count in this case."

The screens flashed up with scenes. First of the overpowing attack that seemed to crumple Tzen like paper.

"You were right on the first part, Tzenidaar clearly fell in battle."

And then an image of Gamma getting MINDFISTED.

"And then Gamma not only got knocked out, but also somehow got further deranged."

Then it cut to the dank hallways of the labyrinth, and Rage's final attack against Shouyin being supported by Athan and encouraged by Vahn.

"However, the last answer I was looking for was Shouyin Velvel, taken down by team Fracture in 2008."

"Sorry about that." He said this with a self satisfied smirk and head nod, "But looks like I get half of those points and you have to get back to work on building that modifier up. Good thing I have another question!"

"Let's stick to those eliminator matches. 2008's arenas were all vaugley connected, so let's say you start at the labyrinth that Shouyin lost in, what are the arenas you'd have to walk through to get to a ruined chapel?"

Maximos: 100, 000

Ryugi: 214, 000

Sunstrike: 58,000

Stephen: 59, 700

Eclipse: 434, 700

Joseph: 1, 036, 000

Points Collected:

x0

Ryugi: 145, 000

Sunstrike: 0

Stephen: 0

Sunstrike's hand hit the buzzer. Black rained down on all the visual screens like some great ink monster had sneezed.

"That's vague as hell, Joseph. One of the places had little or nothing to do with the three. Best connection the brochure gave us was that they were all connected by some Gods awful ruin...."

Sun looked up at him ironically.

"You sure you're not feeling a little vague yourself? I heard a few slurs in there....right, well, if we're going by the little snippets, you'd start at the Labyrinth, being underneath the ruins which the Graveyard was, and then reach the chapel at the Gates of Hell."

It was a guess, sure enough, but by now Sunstrike was debating how his odds would stand up against Ryugi, and whether Stephen would be an acceptable loss in the course of such a mercy killing.

Sunstrike Wrote:

Something warm landed on Stephen's head, and then ruffled lightly.

"Don't let your head run away with your shock, boyo. We cope as best we can."

"Max is giving his all against creatures that are no doubt disturbing as hell at face level. Isn't it fair for us to do the same despite how we feel? Lets try and get some answers down and get him the hell out of his nightmare."

Ah, Sun. Always seemed to have the right things to say in situations like this. The hair ruffle pulled Stephen out of it for a moment so that the words would actually stick. The man in red gave a weak smile: Sun was right, as hard as it was to pull himself together at this point. The man had the feeling he was gonna need quite a few stiff drinks between this round and the next.

Sunstrike Wrote:

"Besides....if you start to look any more depressed....they're gonna hire you out as a blond mop." Pause. "A short one."

"Y'hear that, half assed dragon? If we can't get you a gargoyle job at the Stadium, you could use blond mop here and take over my job as janitor."

...Short? SHORT?! SHORT?! WHO WAS HE CALLING SMALLER THAN AN INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE GRAIN OF RICE?! What th- That didn't even make SENSE! Stephen was at LEAST 5'10", maybe taller! (Admittedly he hadn't gotten measured in a fair while.) And the notion of being used like a mop by Ryu was just... SILLY! I mean, how would you even pull that OFF?

Distracting nonsensical inner dialogue for the win.

Sun did have all the right things to say!

Eternal Dirge Wrote:

" Hey shorty get your head in the game!" Damion yelled down at Stephen. If he had popcorn he'd have thrown it if he wasn't so sure he'd be shot or something to that effect.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY LITTLE DUST SPECK?!"

What in the... more unrealistic short comments?! It made no sense!

Stephen was gonna get a complex at this rate!

"Sun, I swear to god if I start getting the nickname 'Shorty' I'm gonna bitchslap you to the dark side of Europa..." he said, trying his best to stifle the twin powers of sheer confusion and hysterical laughter.

Even predators were allowed plans.

The funnel web spider weaves a perfect web inside a burrowed out hole and waits for the moment a hapless creature wanders too close to the rock or mushroom placed atop it. The Panther sits jet black and still in the bushes, camoflauged and silent waiting. Stalking. Plotting.

Maximos may have been an animal, he may have been lost to the human standards he held so dear. But he was not stupid. He could not, and would never be stupid.

Maximos fist crashed into the jaw of MaxiMarkII, he felt his wieght upon him and it drove him harder and stronger into what was to follow. There was a fervent desperation on his face. He wanted this. He needed this. It was time. The robot had ventured too near to the wrong mushroom top. He had passed by the wrong bush. Now a trap would be sprung.

The machine man went up, and back. Maximos followed. His arms out to either side, palms opening and closing rapidly as if operating hand pumps. Surges of purples, blacks and even darker blues gushed down his arms. For someone who was simply running forward, Maximos' face showed an intense amount of exertion.

MaxiMarkII swung. Completely opposite, its attack Maximos swung his left fist at the oncoming fist, sparks pouring and pooling across his knuckles. He wanted to feel metal give, he wanted to rush toward his opponents destruction. Something surged into Maximos. Something very real and non-magical. But it was met with an opposite force. It was almost like trying to shove water into a faucet that has been turned on. Something, at the very same point of impact was rushing out.And if it, it struck then...

-Pokt-

...the music had begun. A small glowing rune, glowing pink like cherry blossoms would be left where the punch struck. Before Maximos' left fist was even half way back his right fist would be already half way forward. He wanted the chest. The core. But he would settle for punching its attacks back until he could reach it.

-Pokt-pokt-

One rune, would he left by his right hand. But not but a blink after it, his left fist would strike and his right could be seen already cocked back and beginning to swing. These punches were fast. Very fast. Each one a streak of black with cherry blossom pink line trailing it.

And they with each punch they were getting exponentially faster.

-Pok-pok-pok-pok-pok-pok-pok-pok-pokt!

Maximos' arms were screaming, and so was he. His mouth was shut but his eyes were dark and intense. His muscles were on fire. Both magical an physical systems were being pushed to their extremes. Maximos' arms were barely visible now. His arms were violet and indigo neon lights while you speed down main street at midnight.

Faster.

-Po-po-po-po-po-po-po-po-po-po-po-po-pok-pokt-pokt!!

He had to be faster. Faster than the machine. Faster than its creator. Faster than it took to realize exactly what was going on and make something happen. He had to surpass it. He had to see the gentlemen fall as he rose. To be the master of this form. The punches were not quick dashes, they were full swings at blinding speeds. Zig zags of essence darted between his piston-like limbs.

He knew this move. He had practiced it a thousand thousand times, but never used it on another being. He knew, deep inside, past the chaos and jungle of savage thoughts, that their were words that need be said. Before those words could be lost the found the shadows, and the shadows spoke them, echoing them through the ambient darkness of the ring. A haunting mimcry of the Shadow's voice.

Listen, to the rhythm of your demise...

More than ever before the name of this technique fit. Here was a monster, imitating a man. Moving his moves. Singing his song. Dancing his dance. Performing his piece. In many was simply the ghostly memory of the man. He could not hear the ethereal voice everyone else would be privy to, over the sounds of his own screams. A roar, a bellow. The feel of his arms, already burning, but now tearing. Ruining.

P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-po-po-po-pok-pokt!

He didnt know how many, but he knew it was dozens. And he knew that even though the pain made the moment drag on for an eternity that it was only seconds. After this he wouldnt be able to use these arms anymore, but after this, he we wouldnt need them. Nerve endings screamed and then singed into nothing, tendons traced white hot patches through his arms which then became unbearable full length flashes of torture. Maximos was pushing his limits. He was running this on will and adrenaline alone. He was painting the machines torso, neck, shoulders, hips,, and whatever else stood in his path in cherry blossom runes stacked on each other so heavily it would begin to look like one large mass of luminescence.

They would break, they would stop, but these arms would earn their rest.

P~~~~~~okt!

Eventually the individual beats of an insane drum were lost as the punches moved so fast the sound became a single buzz. Violet, purple, and indigo hung in the air, as even Maximos' magic circulatory system was torn open and bled essence which hung in the air like mutli-colored embers.

And then it stopped.

He was running on instinct, on memory. The very moment his fists stopped both arms snapped out to either side. He could feel them going cold. He could feel them numbing, dying, fading away to sleep. But he had just enough left for this.

Max spun on his right heel. His broken ankle attempted to give, but nothing would ruin the moment. As he pivoted, blue, black, violet, and indigo embers traced the path of his arms in the air, so that as his back was made to MaxiMarkII, Max would be surrounded by a halo of his own spilled essence. He brought his right arm.

There was a pause.

The real Maximos was always so dramatic. It only made sense he would match that dramatic flair with shadowing the shadow.

-Snap-

He snapped his fingers.

"Hear...the Phantom's Sonata..."

Quote:

• Phantom Sonata - This attack pushes Maximos' physical limits to the breaking point. During the Phantom Sonata Maximos forces a constant supply of essence into his arms, and swings as fast as his arms can physically move. Which is to say, quite fast. Each connect, be it a smack, a tap, or a punch on his opponent or opponents gear leaves a small glowing rune at the contact point. When the Phantom Sonata ends (3 Posts Maximum), Maximos may snap his fingers triggering each delivered rune to explode. The explosions are purely concussive and akin to taking a second hit to the target area. After said barrage Maximos' arms, both magically and physically are usually rendered useless until he can receive medical attention...or tea.

Simply put.

There was a boom.

Several dozen of them. Purely concussive force. Each hit Maximos managed to successfully land on MaxiMarkII was now exploding, just as hard, and just as fast. It was the entire beating revisited over again. No more need be said about that.

Maybe it was still alive. Maybe it was in pieces. It didnt matter. Max turned to face his foe. Not the mechanical monstrosity, but the man in the booth. He turned to face JB yet again, his jaw slacked, his eyes worn and dark and did as felt right. He did as he had learned, as Joseph had just taught him. As came so naturally. He did as it was done him. Essence hung in the air, like the looming feeling after a vicious night long thunderstorm. And in the aftermath of the attack meant to finish the machine, he spoke in the same tone albeit with a feral touch and seethed through clenched teeth. A wet gurgle in his voice as bones moved painfully.

It was echoed through the ring, carried on the shadows, spoken so all could hear, booming like a megaphone. Maximos fought, with all he had, even his will could not keep his arm extended much longer. When it fell it fell for a very long time. Its fingers twitched inwards like the dying circuits of a cybernetic limb, and he said.

How do you like it Now?!

The robot would try to punch, try to block, try anything, but at this point Maximos was just too focused. There's very little point in reiterating what had been said, save to tally up the damage. With each hit the robot recoiled a bit, trying to make up for the lost ground but only falling further behind due to the sheer frequency of the hits. Maximos simply did not use this ability much, and due to that how could engineers prepare for it, let alone copy it. Rune after rune landed on the robot, and spark after spark emerged with each successive hit.

Snap.

It wouldn't be the glory of Maximos' explosions alone that ended the robot, no, it would be a combination of those runes going off and a generator collapsing. In slow motion MaxiMarkII would dance to the music. One explosion sending an arm in one direction, an arc of magnetic energy pulling a leg another way. Then repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Until there was nothing left of the robot but a blasted apart skeleton, hanging wires, gears ceasing to spin, and a glowing top hat. It stood there a for a second, stripped of all that made it unique, and then fell backwards. Like a boxer hitting the mat the metal clunked, and the generator gave one last heave.

Once that hat hit the ground a wave of energy would spread across the floor and then rise up. With it came every droplet of the faux shadow. Momentary it stood there suspended in the air, thousands of globes of darkness of various sizes just hovering in the air. Harmlessly of course, there was no force to these things. The spectical would only last a beautiful moment before the generator fizzled out and the black gunk crashed into the ground.

Joseph was sitting in his booth. He didn't even turn his chair. One elbow was on the armrest, leading up to a fist, on that fist rested a cheek, and that cheek was attached to a face looking backwards behind the chair. Maximos was looking at Joseph again. Or was Joseph looking at Maximos again? Its easy to lose track of monsters.

"Congratulations to both Maximos and Stephen. Both are getting full credit." He spoke flatly as his attention was focused on Maximos, "Maximos to the tune of 250, 000 divided points, and Stephen to 10000 points and the multiplier being bumped up to eight."

Joseph didn't waste any time for Maximos to climb up to the booth again. He slammed a button with his whole palm. It was time for the next activation.

From the sidelines came a lazy prerecorded yawn. Then a slow saunter by a robot with synthetic red hair. Sunstrike b walked onto the stage, standing tall with its staff resting on the back of its neck, a hand grabbing onto the weapon on either side. Those dark souless eyes seemed highly inapropriate for a robot so relaxed.

"DID I MISS ANYTHING_" The voice was the same as the others, but the robot began to stretch as if it just came out of a nap.

First the arms on the staff, then side to side as it worked out its legs, and then the robot puffed out its chest. Which in turn opened up like two door cupboard. From the chest a slew of tiny balls rolled out in all directions with great force. They were perhaps a little bigger than a golf ball, and there were enough to be a pain to count, but one couldn't possibly say countless. They rolled out all over the arena with a force that couldn't quite be explained by just falling out of someones chest. In fact those looking carefuly could see they had all sprouted four tiny spiderlike legs and were seaching for a good spot. When they found a place a good distance from any other orb, those legs clamped down and became rigid. Their tops would open up revealing a red lens.

But this wasn't a seeing lens, this was a projecting lens.

Hovering above each and every one of those now motionless orbs was the holographic projecting of a red runic symbol. Just free floating in the air as close to the ground as it could be.

Incidently one had rolled close to Maximos's foot, and when it projected the image the shadow had broken the lights projection. Sensors knew this, sensors knew that something had crossed into it's personal space. And then a tiny series of red lights on the orb started flashing very quickly before the whole thing exploded. Not enough to send someone flying, but enough to sting and enough to cause someone to stumble.

These floating runes covered the arena. Sunstrike b had turned everything into a minefield.

And there it was casually walking through. Slowly making its way toward Maximos, staff now in one hand and chest already closed. It broke the runic circles many times. But perhaps the lens did have some viewing potential after all, as it was clear they weren't blowing up with the fake Sunstrike walked into a circle.

Slow and steady, especially when you only have to corner your prey.

Joseph turned back to the crew.

"So one last question in this whole round before we enter our final round. So since I'm nice, from here on in the question time limit is gone." Joseph spoke with an overly dramatic sense of importance, "This fighter has seen high highs, and fell just short. He's been the media darling, and chosen to be a masked man. Fought by his friends, and then fought against each one of them. Who is this missing icon?"

Maximos: 200, 000

Ryugi: 264, 000

Sunstrike:113,000

Stephen: 119, 700

Eclipse: 699, 700

Joseph: 1, 036, 000

Points Collected:

x8

Ryugi: 145, 000

Sunstrike: 5000

Stephen: 10, 000

"And that's it for the Rising Peril Round with Ryugi answering an impressive eight out of ten question and getting all but one of them correct. Hopefuly he enjoys the 40, 000 points he just earned. Oh right! The peril. Sorry Sunstrike."

Joseph pulled a lever and gallons of watter crashed down on Sunstrike from the ceiling like a bad comedy routine.

Joseph began to queue up some effects now that the last round was upon them.

"Ok everyone. It's time for the..."

"Million point Lighting Round!

Pyrotechnics shot up from off side, the lights went nuts sending spolights eveverywhere, and a line of robot can-can dancers crossed a seperate stage out of the way. Confetti fell from inside the booth onto Joseph.

"The rules as usual are simple. In this round questions are worth 75, 000 points in answered in under... Ugh... Ten minutes. And 25, 000 points otherwise. Wrong answers however..."

From each corner of the arena a hole slid open, and from each of those holes a large tesla coil slowly emerged like a missile.

"Call down the lighting."

Joseph momentarily paused as if he was forgetting something.

"Oh! Right the million point part." He shouted a few seconds after all the fanfare had died down, "Every incorrect answer gives me a million points. Happy hunting!"

"We talked about losing arms earlier, however this feat requires deranged individuals. Some times those individuals are twice as deranged and rip off TWO appendages or the like. Who did this?"

Maximos: 200, 000

Ryugi: 304, 000

Sunstrike:113,000

Stephen: 119, 700

Eclipse: 739, 700

Joseph: 1, 036, 000

The lady in the audience winced and even drew her feet up off the floor as the water cascaded down on Sunstrike, as if way back in the audience she was just as unhappy with the water as Sunny

Max was in bad shape, it was going to take a lot to put him back together again... Raven was not sure she was up to the task, hopefully she would have help.

A wet hand slapped the top of the podium a few times before finally hitting the buzzer. Sunstrike pulled himself back up, looking like a drowned rat and feeling like a flushed one.

"That was cold JB, cold and wet....I need a hug now."

Shaking the water out of his hair, Sun proceeded to strip off his jacket, then his shirt, answering all the while, oblivious to how it might affect the viewing audience as a whole. Admittedly he wasn't a BIG GUY like some of the contenders, but he was lean, well proportioned for a meta, and nice looking. Carefully he used the shirt to wipe the water mixed with blood off his face.

Eat your hearts out girls and guys.

"That first year, he got a lot of grief for it, but Vahn ripped off Meryl Tomorrow's hands....both of them." Slosh went his shirt on the floor, then he folded his arms over his bare chest.

"....and some tentacles besides, I think."

And then it happened, and the world stood still for the salamander. Sunstrike froze like a rabbit that was eye to eye with something large and hungry. Everything narrowed to a single focus, and his heart sped up to levels that his Fighter had a hard time keeping up with.

Sunny...bunny...

Now it hurt with every single beat. Those simple words were almost happy, but with sinister intent, Maximos moved, painfully to his feet.

Slowly Sun mimicked the lick of an upper lip, but in nervousness, not in hunger. All the signs were returning, his hands ached, his knees were weak. Hadn't he just pulled Stephen out of a spiral like this? He didn't want to curl up here and die, however, he wanted to run. Run and not look back, run so hard his heart would explode...

But he was rooted to the spot, like any kind of movement would suddenly give him away. If Max could see JB through all that metal....what chance did he have being so close? Without the box to protect him?

Come now Sunny Bunny, dont be rude. We dont have all day.

His hands clentched around his podium, not in anger, but almost as one would hold onto a rope over a canyon.

Stop....this has to....

Guilt ate away at him, and the shadow was surrounded by explosions. Sunstrike's jaw clenched. He had to stay, NEEDED to be here, but his heart still ached. It wasn't fair on his friend, like dangling a prize pinata full of explosives...

"And correct! 25, 000 points for the wet one." Joseph shouted out almost immediately after Sun finished, "Perhaps I should have put a beach towel or something as a prize.

"Let's just move on as quickly as possible." Joseph looked to his notes, "One Mr. Crawley is a man of many disguises, consider his willingness to dress up in a schoolgirl outfit and all. However there was one year he put on a different wig and gave the tournament a hand. Who was he dressed as?"

Just questions for now as I have very little time, and the authour should be doing reading.

Maximos: 200, 000

Ryugi: 304, 000

Sunstrike:138,000

Stephen: 119, 700

Eclipse: 764, 700

Joseph: 1, 036, 000

"Hey!" Joseph shouted down at the two, "Should I drop some nice sun oil next? You could rub each other down if you want. People would lap that up."

Joseph gave a thumbs up and a cheesy smile.

"Anyway, Stephen is correct, 25, 000 points. And of course the next question." He paused to wipe the silly smile from his face, "This fighter is known for his swordplay... At least outside of HoH. In the tournament he rarely swings the thing, in fact one year it was reported stolen and unavailable during the finals. Who is this swordsperson?"

Just questions for now as I have very little time, and the authour is still doing reading.

Maximos: 200, 000

Ryugi: 304, 000

Sunstrike:138,000

Stephen: 144, 700

Eclipse: 789, 700

Joseph: 1, 036, 000

Ryugi's hand slammed onto the buzzer. There was no time to lose after all! Typing took forever! Wait a second, how'd that get into the narration? The fourth wall - it crumbles!!

BZZZZZZZZT!!

The answer is Vahn Fah! The sword was reportedly stolen by Suntrike prior to the finals!

Ryugi hoped and prayed that was right. Not only for his sake, but for Max's. He didn't want to have any negative affects on the man down in the ring.

Wait...cleaning...wasn't that Sun's job?

Anyway.

He carefully tried to put his arms through the sleeves...then realized something.

"Sutii...." A strange expression crossed over his face. He wasn't all there, most of him was out to lunch hoping he wouldn't become lunch, but it might have been a flash of humour.

"It's...um...thank you, but the sleeves are too....short."

Cue anime facefaults all around. Then something else registered.

"What do you mean "Soggy?!" It's better then being Half-Assed! Give me your shirts, Dragon, you're my size."

He needed to find some pliers to get that armor off the guy first....

Sunstrike Wrote:

He carefully tried to put his arms through the sleeves...then realized something.

"Sutii...." A strange expression crossed over his face. He wasn't all there, most of him was out to lunch hoping he wouldn't become lunch, but it might have been a flash of humour.

"It's...um...thank you, but the sleeves are too....short."

WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SHRIMPY LITTLE SQUIRT OF A HUMAN BEIN-

Wait, the sleeves? Well of course they were small, Sun was a little bigger than he was. In fact, Sun, Max, and Ryu were ALL larger than he was. I mean, it would just be logical that he was gonna wear clothes that were a fair bit smal-

...********, the short comments suddenly made sense now.

And thus Stephen and his Author did massively slam their heads to their desks simultaneously. And oh what a glorious echo did reverberate from their heads and their desks, and there was indeed much mockery and rejoicing to be had across the lands.

-The Book of Stephen, Chapter 12, Verse 16

"Dragon is right and quick, 75 000 points!" Joseph pulled a lever that rained confetti down on Ryugi, "However will this be enough to help team Eclipse pull through?"

"This hotblooded swordsperson is one of the few people to appear every year in the HoH finals, in spite of team. Who are they?"

Returning from class, the eliminator sets out to make a post.

Maximos: 200, 000

Ryugi: 379, 000

Sunstrike:138,000

Stephen: 144, 700

Eclipse: 864, 700

Joseph: 1, 036, 000

"What? No. Argh!" Joseph put his hands across his eyes and rocked back and forth, "I can't get the goddamn mental image out of my head. Thanks. Thanks a lot."

He shook his head hard and then looked back.

"And I have no idea what you're talking about. Pattern? There is no pattern, all these questions have been chosen at absolute random." He looked very stern, "Oh, and 25, 000 points for Stephen."

The wave of shadow pulled and rolled the little orbs on the ground. Some crossed into each others runes and exploded out of harms way, others were simply relocate, others still got stuck in the remaining black goop. There was a path cleared, and Sunstrike b was still walking it right towards Maxi.

"MAXIMOS_"

The robot replied to the now top-hatted man calling out.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT MAXIMOS_"

Staff came down from shoulders and was now in one hand.

"DO YOU WANT TO HURT ME MAXIMOS_"

There was that click of a pilot light starting. Then another identical click.

"HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO HURT ME MAXIMOS_"

The replica was in range now. It lunged forward with the staff in both hands, aiming to drive one of its butts right into Maximos' gut. However there was more distractions than just the staff coming in. A small gout of flame shot out from both ends of the staff, and the lights created quickly spread bright fire along the entire length of the staff. Sunstrike b had not problem holding the immolated staff, its cold metal hands could not be burnt, and their dexterity was just as good. To demonstrate the replica would pull back the staff with a slight flourish before adjusting his grip and swinging the firey thing like a baseball bat at Maximos' left side.

Once again it would pull back, unless Maximos grabbed the flaming staff, but it didn't attack again. Instead the robot just kept the staff moving, twirling passed from hand to hand. Sparks were sent through the air as it occasionally scraped the ground, and swooped through the air. The whole thing created a dancing flame around Sunstrike b, and it would be very difficult to get passed the immolated weapon hopefully keeping Maximos at a half staffs length.

That is if the baseball swing didn't send him stumbling into any mines.

"So if you sill don't beleive me here's another question before time runs out."This fractured swordfighter with a fiery temper nearly choked in their match against a new rival in the ironworks. Who are they?

Maximos: 200, 000

Ryugi: 379, 000

Sunstrike:138,000

Stephen: 169, 700

Eclipse: 889, 700

Joseph: 1, 036, 000

"It's...um...thank you, but the sleeves are too....short. What do you mean "Soggy?!" It's better then being Half-Assed! Give me your shirts--I have a nice complete a**, thank you very much! WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SHRIMPY LITTLE SQUIRT OF A HUMAN BEIN-"

If Maximos could face palm...He would have. But thankfully he could not, and did not. The memories of the last few moments were flashes. It was not a fugue state, only that as something so beastial he though in very different ways than the gentleman. It was like playing Mac on an IBM, it did not mix. But something had happened to his teammates.

"Dude. I'm starting to see a pattern here. Do you have a man crush on Vahn or something?"

And then.

What? No. Argh! I can't get the goddamn mental image out of my head. Thanks. Thanks a lot."

And just that fast the color was draining out of Maximos' face. For a man already pale as death, this was quite a feat. But he managed it. He managed it, and a face that all together looked like something was causing him more pain than any of the injuries he had taken to date.

Me too.

He said with melancholy, his head sinking and shaking side to side. It was horrible. It was just too horrible. If he could have left the hat on the ground...he could have been unconscious and not--

...Thankfully something immediately snapped his attention away. Just one word.

"MAXIMOS_"

But it wasnt what was said it was how the robot said it. Maximos' eyes widened.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT MAXIMOS_"

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out and it closed again.

"DO YOU WANT TO HURT ME MAXIMOS_"

He had called the thing Sunstrike, but he was awake now. It was jest, he wasnt...it couldnt actually be. With honest to god...pun intended...bewilderment, Maximos said.

Sun?

It just...No. I mean, sure he had reason to be woozy but...this was a bit much. Max leaned forward, his mismatched eyes squinted as he checked to be sure the steel magic thing in front of him actually had those tell-tale steel magic marionette joints. He didnt even register the clicks.

"HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO HURT ME MAXIMOS_"

His eyes moved even wider. And for an instant, Max felt that if he was short on reasons to rage, to beast, to be a monster? There they were. This thing just neatly lined up in what could have been any given conversation with Sunstrike. But it had one fatal. One thing gave it away. And it wasnt the lack of the word "Boyo" either.

The machine made more sense.

Sun, there is...something I've always wanted to tell you. Something unspoken, from the deepest reaches of my icy, black, and forsaken heart...

Max was playing the part. Yes, that staff had just been arched back for a swing. But Maximos looked the part of a heartbroken man. His eyes peered from dark shadowy pits, his face was hung low. His smile faded into something closer to a frown.

Sun...

He wished, honestly, that he could moved his arm out of the way because he knew this was going to hurt later. Thankfully, he also knew his arm was so dead he wouldnt feel it now.

Sun please...

And he was hit. There was a loud cracking sound, the sort usually accompanied with a bar hitting flesh. Maximos' arm didnt visibly break. Maybe it broke inside? He couldnt feel it, even though he could see skin bright red beneath the burned away length of bandage. But the moment he was struck, the downtrodden heart break on his face ripped off like a cheap theatre mask. He shoved his weight forward and a blast of black shot from under his left foot sending it immediately forward and to the right in a quick, yet strong hooking motion. His hips and shoulders jerked right so that the sweep would be complete.

He meant to take Sunstrike b's legs out from under him. A trip move, which would end in his left leg extended straight upwards in front of him, across his chest. A trail of black detailed the motion in the air.

SHUT!

He seethed through his teeth. Yes, his jaw would hate him for it, but the words were worth it. If RoboSun fell, even if not, prefaced by another short blast from his boots Maximos' left foot would be crashing down. It would aim to stomp on the face of a fallen robot. Or simply smash into the ground otherwise, likely cracking the floor.

UP!

The answer was clear, even to robots in the crowd.

SIX.

SIX SIX.

THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST.