14766/Over The Top

Over The Top
Date of Scene:	08 March 2023
Location:	McAnally's Pub
Synopsis:	Hellboy arm wrestles Cain Marko. Kind of.
Cast of Characters:	Hellboy, Juggernaut

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Hellboy has posed:
Heavy footsteps bring the Big Red Grump Machine into the Pub. He's got some entrails and blood from something or other all over his jacket but he doesn't look to be bothered by this in the least. In fact, he actually seems to be in as good of spirits as someone that looks like a dehorned devil could be after what was probably a nasty tussle or so.

It's almost too much of a regular occurrence with the way he's walking in that Hellboy doesn't even look when he passes the bar. "Mac." comes a simple greeting and drink order all in one fell swoop. His lumbering demonic self makes his way over to the farthest and emptiest table so that he can slump down into the seat and take a few moments to relax. Y'know, before he has to go back to BPRD and make a report and do all of the things he really doesn't want to do.

Actually, all the things he's ignoring as he's turned off his communicator so that he can enjoy his drink in peace. Er, drinks.

Juggernaut has posed:
Strange places can sometimes invite strange visitors and it seems today is no different as a figure that some might consider highly unusual begins to make his way into the tavern with slightly more grace then a gorilla attempting to slip casually through the narrow aisles of a jewelry shop.

Which is to say that Cain Marko is an absolutely monstrous muscular presence that fills up the entryway with the sort of looming immensity one usually associates with entire defensive lines and super heavyweight bodybuilder competitions..and some sumo ones to. His lumbering physique seems to unfold its from the entrance before he fully straightens up and adjusts his shirt while looking over the place. Dark shades hide his eyes but flickers of movement occur as he looks the place over deliberately slowly and with a hint of mild curiousity and perhaps a little confusion.

He's no blood stained and spattered demon dude though. That's a form of bizarre attention grabbing that one might think goes beyond just being absolutely enormous and it does catch Cain's attention.

"Hmm..." he rumbles, gravelly voice vibrating through the air as his attention lingers on Hellboy. He begins taking heavy lumbering steps forward, creaking the floor under his ovements as he approaches an empty table just across from where Hellboy lurks.

Hellboy has posed:
Hellboy's steps are just annoying with a hint of dragging to them. They don't have the luxury of creaking the floor of the building like the newest patron's do. Even without being such a tired grump, Hellboy looks up to watch the ginormous man enter and take a seat not too far from him. With this place being Mac's and all, Hellboy figures he'll keep a close eye just in case there's something amiss brewing with someone so big.

When his drinks arrive, a six pack, Hellboy just nods and turns his attention to first of those six bottles. He grabs it with his demonically normal hand and raises up that Right Hand of Doom to give the top the slightest of flicks. It pops off and goes sailing across the pub and very likely will find its way into the collection jar that Mac keeps of all his bottle caps.

Hellboy raises the bottle in gratitude at Mac and then takes a nice swig of the cheap libations.

"Ahhhh." Hellboy mutters somewhat to himself as he brings the bottle back down from his lips. "That's better." Hellboy definitely had a long one and this beer is his reward.

Juggernaut has posed:
Cain's gaze flickers over the offerings in the bar and he rubs at his jaw lightly, producing a sound not to distant from that of steel wool brush scratching across concrete as he scratches at the mass of rough unshaven hair on his jaw. For the most part he seems content to simply ignore Hellboy, at least at first. He rumbles something non committal when a waitress arrives to take his order but she seems to understand his distracted sounding intent as she returns with a large mug of ..something. He pays little attention to it, instead seeming to become more restless as the moments pass. A slight shift of his body here and there which creaks and groans the seat under him and sends vibrations through the floor board. Something is clearly bothering him.

Finally, he speaks up..addressing Hellboy with that low brawler like rumble of his as he cuts his gaze over at the demon as if prompted to by some internal pressure.

"You always walk around wearin' somebody on you when you go hit up a bar?"

Hellboy has posed:
"When the bar's on the way home, I do."

Hellboy's quick response comes before he downs the rest of the first bottle of beer. He finishes it off and tucks the empty bottle back into the flimsy carrying case, immediately grabbing a second and flicking the top off with the Right Hand of Doom as he did not too long ago now.

Hellboy finally turns his gaze over to the person he's never really seen in here before and offers him a calm glare. Or maybe he just has a demonic face. It's a weird look but it's there nonetheless. "You always that big?"

It's a fair question, right? Hellboy doesn't even need to wait for the answer before he starts taking swigs from his next bottle of beer. There's just a bit of a sarcastic tone to the gruff voice of Hellboy. Maybe he doesn't care to be questioned about entrails and such without probable cause. He's going to get enough questions just from reports he's going to have to file alone.

Juggernaut has posed:
The huge mans fingers twitch a little but his expression remains neutral. A strange poker face considering what's going on within. Cyttorak craves confrontation, destruction...the exemplification of strength and power and this demonic aspect of the magical principality that empowers Cain wars with the presence of Hellboy..

But Cain, though easily riled, is the one in control here and so aside from an occasional drumming of his finger on the table and a deliberate pause to Hellboy's question..he keeps his cool.

"Well it aint the sorta thing I can just go home and wash off or change clothes." he answers in a mildly sarcastic quip. "Truth is..I'm feeling rather svelte now." He said svelte. He does know big words.

"..I wanted to fit in the doors and not have the police called on me just cause I wanted a drink."

Hellboy has posed:
"Who the hell says 'svelte' with a straight face?"

Hellboy's done with his second bottle of beer by this moment and ends up just staring at Cain for the longest of moments. Maybe he's trying to process what was said or maybe he's actually trying to figure out why in all of the hells somebody would voluntarily used the word 'svelte' in public. Any of these reasons are valid for Hellboy taking quite a bit of time putting the empty beer bottle next to the first one.

"Well." Hellboy says with a shrug and just taking this stuff at face value. "Thanks for not knockin' down the place. I like it here. And ol' Mac there is good people. So."

Hellboy figures that he doesn't have to say much else. The warning has been given in so many words as Hellboy doesn't seem like he'd be a happy camper if anything happened to Mac's bar.

Juggernaut has posed:
"That's the joke." deadpans Cain to Hellboy at the comment on the word svelte and his poker face.

"You know..cause normally someone like me wouldn't sa...forget it."

He takes a heavy pull of his drink and then lowers it to examine it more closely as he listens and also reads between the lines on the warning. This draws a slight smile to his face..and inside Cyttorak stirs a bit and is satisfied. Perhaps some entertainment is due here shortly after all.

"Yeah? That so?" he rumbles, "I usually go knocking things down as I damn well please but with a glowin' endorsement like that...I guess I better be on my best behavior.."

He lifts his gaze up, peering through his shades at Hellboy and then at that Right Hand of Doom.. A hint of a frown creases his features, disturbing that shark like grin of his before he lifts his drink up again.

"You get yer hand stuuck in a cement mixer or something?"

Hellboy has posed:
Hellboy makes sure to raise his normal demonic hand and just shows that he meant no ill will with his warning. He's not trying to start any trouble or make anything happen that doesn't need to happen. And with that, he's going to add another little bit to this whole thing and make sure that he's not about to really start any trouble. Or end it.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it. Ain't tryin' to start nothin'. Just sayin', Mac's is one of them places where everybody knows yer name, y'know?" There, that's wall that Hellboy's trying to get across. Warning explained.

Hellboy almost grins as he approaches the topic of the joke again. "You gotta' work on ya' routine, buddy." And then his giant hand is brought up and Hellboy rolls his eyes. "And yer tact."

The third beer bottle gets opened the same way as the others, only this time, Hellboy looks at the Right Hand of Doom for a little bit afterward. "Eh. Let's just say it's a family heirloom... that I ain't too fond of." Hellboy flexes the fingers on the Doom Hand and shakes his head before turning back to his beer bottle and guzzling it. Whole thing this time.

"What 'bout you? What's up with the size kink?"

Juggernaut has posed:
He understood that reference. He's 'old'.

Cain gives a non committal grunt but he does give Mac a sideways glance. He can appreciate a place that is 'neutral ground' more or less. Bar With No Name..but for wierd supernatural freaks. Got it. That explains the clientale and also why he's felt drawn here when passing through.

"Size kink?" he repeats after finishing his drink off. He gives a lopsided grin as he lifts the empty metal mug. HIs massive hand spasms slightly and the entire thing crumples like tin foil balling up into a tiny compressed mass of metal which the giant then delicately sets onto the tabletop. Mac'll just add it to his tab.

"-Now- who needs to work on their tact?" he adds afterwards before continuing after a brief bullish snort, "..C'mon Red. Line of work yer obviously in..folk you run into..you probably seen folk approaching my size before. Maybe bigger..so far as you can tell at least. Maybe I just drank lots of milk, growin' up, eats lots of meat and don't skip chest, arm or leg day?"

Hellboy has posed:
Hellboy offers a raised eyebrow visual as he actually smirks at the turn around of his own phrasing. He's the kind of guy that can take it as well as he dishes it so there's definitely no hard feelings. He just shrugs as he sets his beer bottle down.

"I ain't never been one for tact. Gets in the way." Hellboy leans back in his seat a little bit. He's starting to get comfortable and finally starting to relax after quite a long job. "But yer right. I've knocked a few giant things down a few pegs. I don't wanna' brag." Hellboy very much would like to but he's not going to at the moment. "Well, I ain't /gonna'/ brag anyway." There, that's more like it.

Hellboy raises both of his hands up, even the Doom one. "Hey, no judgments pal. I mean, look at this handsome mug." Hellboy points at his face. "I know exactly what you mean. I get stared at all the time." Hellboy trying to relate to the big man. "And don't get me started on the ladies. They can't get enough." This is either self-deprecation of the highest order or he actually feels this way. Who knows.

"Anyway, whatever yer origins? Welcome to Mac's!" Another bottle of beer is popped open and raised in Cain's direction. "Name's Hellboy."

Juggernaut has posed:
"Yeah I bet you can't keep 'em off you." responds Cain, tone dry once again but with a slight hint of amusement dragging through the air. Must have something to do with that nice tan you got.."

His grin returns, spreading from ear to ear, almost like that of a smiling great white shark as he looks Hellboy over and narrows his eyes, "Dunno how a guy like me can even compete. Brag away, yeah? I figure, if you got it..no problem in letting other folk know you got it. Like I said, I'm used to being able to knock over pretty much whatever I want to...but maybe I don't stand a chance against someone in yer line of work.. Probably out there taking on who knows what, right?"

He lifts a huge arm up and absently looks it over, as if examining it idly, "Kinda wonder if I'd even stand a chance in an old fashioned arm wrestling match. Wishful thinkin' maybe..."

Hellboy has posed:
"I kill a lot of things. Not really with my hands though. Maybe those're stories for another time."

Hellboy grins, though, as the gauntlet seems to be thrown down in some sort of fashion. He finishes off his latest bottle of beer and just sets it down on the table. "Listen. Jus' by lookin' at yer? I can tell you're probably strong as hell. But I ain't got nothin' better to do so why not."

Hellboy shrugs and pulls himself up into a standing position. He scoops up his beers with his normal hand as he makes his way over to Cain's table. He doesn't actually ask for permission but sets his beers on the floor next to him as he takes a seat across from the big man. There's just a bit of hesitation before the right arm goes up and that elbow smacks down onto the table, the fingers of the Right Hand of Doom flexing idly for a moment as he assumes the position. "This one's just for braggin' rights."

Juggernaut has posed:
Well now..that was easier then he thought it'd be. He figured it'd take more needlin' and goading to get Big Red to respond but it would seem that Hellboy has some true interest in this as well.. So much so that Cain is actually caught a little off guard at the demons eagerness.

But he's ultimately not surprised and his grin returns, "Alright, alright. I guess you're all in. Sure, fine, braggin' rights.." he repeats while looking that hand over. He loosens both of his arms up and then flexes his own right arm a few times as if warming the muscle up. The sinew bulks up bigger and bigger with each idle movement, like boulders inflating under his flesh. It's clear he's putting on a little of a deliberate show - and it works - attracting more attention from the other bar goers who had, up until now, been mostly trying to mind their own business.

"Alright red." Cain sets his arm onto the table and moves to clasp the Right Hand of Doom. "On your say so..."

Hellboy has posed:
"If it burns, remember, you asked."

Hellboy doesn't particularly seem worried about the Right Hand of Doom heating up unless it feels the need to for some strange reason. Right now it should be sticking to all stone muscle. But as it happens, the demonic looking Hellboy just kind of reaches out to lock hands with Cain so that he can make sure that this whole arm wrestling things goes off without too much of a hitch.

Hellboy doesn't say anything but the does take a moment to lock eyes with Cain and offers a nod of his head to start the match. And the Red one starts off with just a bit of his strength, sort of testing the waters to see just how strong this person he's arm wrestling against is.

Juggernaut has posed:
Cain's arm doesn't budge. It's like trying to pull a sequoia up by its roots. A mountain range that will not be dragged from its resting place. Such is the sense of effortlessness there as well. There's not even a muscle flex or show of strain. The behemoth's arm is simply immovable as Hellboy presses against it and he inclines his head to the slde slightly as if waiting for something to happen and then rests his other arm onto the table..leaning in towards Hellboy slghtly and rumbling, "..You said go..right?"

There -is- something bothering him though..but his poker face is strong. That smug arrogant sneer hiding some slight discomfort that he began feeling when he grabbed The Right Hand of Doom. Pure magic power boils and roils within the brute. A caldera of tectonic plate shifting strength..and yet magic can get to him. He doesn't like this Right Hand..not one bit..and his grip tightens slightly as if to test its durability.

"..Hmm..You got something tricky going on with this hand of yers.." he rumbles casually, still grinning and not pushing yet..or yielding. "What's the catch? You can tell me. We're pals right? Friendly arm wrestling and all that.."

Hellboy has posed:
If there's one thing that Hellboy can withstand it is being taunted and goaded. His entire life barely even belongs to him so having to deal with people treating him all kinds of ways, well, that just comes with the territory of looking like a handsome damn devil, doesn't it?

This is why there's no actual change in the facial expression from the Hellboy as he tries to get Cain's arm to move or budge or anything. The only thing that really happens is that Hellboy attempts to put more power and strength behind it.

"Beats me." admits Hellboy as he's in the middle of trying to do the impossible at the moment. "Like I said, family heirloom." And that's about as much as he's going to spill about that. He doesn't even like to think about it so he'll be damned if he's going to speak about it to a random stranger.

"Now, if you'll be quiet, I'm trying to defeat a Kobayashi Maru situation." Hellboy already knows he's lost but that's not any reason not to make it entertaining to say the least. He even brings his other normal sized finger up to his lips. "Shhhhhh." And then it's back to moving nothing.

Juggernaut has posed:
"You know..I like you, red. I almost feel bad right now. We got a lot in common. Drinkin' buddies, that sorta thing. Problem is..something deep inside of me don't much care for something deep inside you and..it aint clickin' so..I"m sitting here trying to figure out what to do about that. I guess I can just tell Cyttorak to shut up... I mean..I am him and..he's me..or..whatever that avatar, exemplar business is.."

He shrugs, rolling his mountainous shoulders as he attempts to decipher just what to do with the demon he's grappling with.

The struggle continues until Cain begins to finally press, pushing Hellboys arm down slowly and in an controlled fashion. "Well..You're a good sport and I"m in a good mood." he finally concludes, casually talking as he pushes down and down and down and then finally brings that right arm down in a final thunderous *THWAM* that cracks the surface of the table.

"I'm all about rewarding sportsman like behavior..."

Should Hellboy attempt to remove his hand, Cain's grip remains a few seconds longer then it should, immovable, as if making a final point and then he releases it. "Nice job, Red.."

Hellboy has posed:
Hellboy wants to wince. Oh boy does he want to wince. But there's a little bit of pride there so he's not going to worry about it too much. It's more that his pride is hurt than anything else considering that the Right Hand of Doom is pretty damn indestructible. He doesn't actually feel the slamming of his hand against the cracked table. There are a few scorch marks left in the wake, of course.

"It be that way sometimes, don't it?" Hellboy offers a shrug about whatever the madness is that's going on between whatever's inside of him and whatever's inside of this weird new drinking buddy he may have found.

The lingering immovableness is noted, there's even an extra nod given of understanding- looks like the warning has been received. As well as a few mental notes about 'Cyttorak' and such things. Something for the brains at BPRD to look into. But nothing Hellboy needs to bother himself with at the exact moment. Not yet, anyway.

When his Hand of Doom is finally released, Hellboy picks it up and gives it a finger flexes just to make sure everything's still in working order. "Any time, champ." And with that, Hellboy scoops up his remaining beers to place them on the table. "To the victor goes the spoils."

And would you look at that, the labels on the beer bottles say: Bragging Rights.

Juggernaut has posed:
It was a deliberate name drop. Cain's not so stupid to go spitting out information about himself when he thinks it may prove problematic but Hellboy is clearly..connected. The name will mean something and could very well prove t be in his favor in the long run so he takes the risk.

EIther that or he's so arrogant he thinks he can handle whatever could backfire from him doing so.

"Huh. Cute." he grunts upon seeing the name of the beer and he does indeed accept them. But he also reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash and hands it to a watching waitress. "For Mac. For the mug and for the table.." He notes the cracks in it and the scorch marks.

He then slowly rises, stretching back up to his full height and he reaches forward and down to give Hellboy a heart palm to shoulder smack. "Was fun. I think I learned something! What'd you say your name was?"

Hellboy has posed:
Okay, NOW Hellboy winces. This time it's because, well, we'll let him explain it. "Okay, ow." Hellboy rolls his eyes and his shoulder as he's trying to work out some lingering pain there. "That wasn't because of you, by the way. That was because of work." Hellboy needs to clarify lest his new drinking buddy get even more egotistical along the way. Still though, Hellboy offers another one of his smirks.

"Hellboy." Said demonic visage gives his name once again. "Ask around." is the rest of his statement as he's pretty sure there will be many stories that people can tell this man all about him and what he does. There really is no reason for him to be the one to run off at the mouth about all of his adventures.

Juggernaut has posed:
He was able to get some measure of his strength mind you. Cain's got a good poker face but he's wrestled too many gods, demigods, demons, mutants and gamma irradiated man-childs to not be able to tell what he's working with. Hellboy is strong. Very strong. No doubt about that. So the wince does surprise him as he greatly pulled that slap ..but the explanation mollifies him and, indeed, takes away any opportuity for him to rub that in Hellboys face.

"Fair enough. Cain, by the way." he offers, granting neither last name and especially not his 'working' name. Hellboy will probably find out on his own.

"See ya around Hellboy." he rumbles while turning..pausing long enough to claim the beer, and then beginning a slow rumbling departure for the streets outside.