15118/A business empire in the making--maybe.

A business empire in the making--maybe.
Date of Scene:	22 May 2023
Location:	Bushwick (Mutant Town), Brooklyn
Synopsis:	Sometimes a guy just has to prove he is who they say he is.
Cast of Characters:	Juggernaut, Firestar, Askante, Arana

---

Juggernaut has posed:
These sort of places aren't exactly legal or uncommon but the legality of it doesn't stop it from happening. Generally - 'fighting for fun' is, kinda sorta, an a crime in most places although there are exceptions to the rule where things like mutual consent is concerned. Throw in the meta, mutant, super, alien, or whatever looking to blow off steam and make some money in circuits that will cater to their talents since normal combat sports are off limits to them..and you've got a little circle of business going on that can sustain the willing and even attract the attention of certain organizations with less then clean reputations.

Such is the case here in an abandoned subway somewhere in New York but not to disconnected from the seedier areas and even Mutant Town. A massive abandoned subway station is the perfect place for the type of shenanigans and it is open and welcome to all comers be they human, mutant, meta, alien or otherwise. The place stays hopping and one never knows who they might run into given the ability for any all types to it in around here. A combo gambling hall, ring and bar, the place is large enough to hide just about anybody if they want. At least at first. There's no accounting for persistent tracking of infamous figures. The nature of its setup makes it easy to put up and take down as well, allowing for speedy dismantling should authoritative eyes look this way not unlike the legendary Bar With No Name.

Bets are being placed and two metahuman bruisers are going at it in the ring. Very low tier as such powers are considered but even so the force of their punches can be felt all the way through the fifth row seats.

In the back lurks an immense presence. Cain Marko is used to this place, having visited it once or twice. A corner table reinforced for his massive weight is dominated by his hulking physique and he watches the proceedings with a look of utter, irredeemable boredom. Cyttorak is unsatisfied. Therefore he is unsatisfied. A tee shirt sporting Godzilla looming over a skyline, stretches across his gigantic torso, swelling visibly and stretching under the behemoths heavy breaths. A sign of his slowly bubbling and boiling ire and dissatisfaction at the entertainment this evening.

Firestar has posed:
While she is still getting the hang for this area, Angelica can't help but slow down at the sound of the crowds. Good sense says get out of here. Right now she seems to be moving a little slower like maybe she's sort from something.

Despite the fact she should really not go in there, she does. Her suit under her clothes will protect people from the nuclear fall out that is Angelica Jones, Firestar. A once over, serves to make sure she is safe-ish. This place is the kind that her dad would have a stroke over her entering.

Apparently that doesn't concern her too much. Her eyes finally find the man mountain in the back. Checking her pocket she comes out with disc in a protective sleeve. She smirks and starts in his direction,"Hey stranger, you got room for one more. I might have something that would interest you."

Juggernaut has posed:
Her again.

"Huh." t's the first rumble from the giant red head seated in the back as his gaze falls upon Angelica. Those near him seem to sense the earthquake within his physical form and they nervously clear away..granting Angelica clear and easy access to the monstrous man. FOr his part hiss ice blue eyes sparkle with curiousity and also the vaguest hint of mischief making. He's less 'safe' seeming, perhaps, like he was in the streets above. The presence of other metas and mutants leaning more into his natural inclinations then him needing to be more incognito..but nevertheless he seems cordial as he invites Angelica to join him.. even if his grin is mildly great white shark like.

"Well, well Red. I didn't think this place suited you. Call me surprised.." muses Cain's deep voice. "Whatcha got there?"

Firestar has posed:
She smirks back at him, well aware what flirting with disaster looks like. When the others clear, she does take a seat, just out of arms reach of the big man, but not shying too far away.

She takes a disc and lays it on the table infront of him,"You mentioned wanting to go to Canada to face one of the Sasquatch from Alpha Flight." she explains,"While that would definately be an interesting square off, I am pretty sure you will over power either of them eventually." She indicates the disc,"What's on there would make it a fight worth remembering."

"Up in the wilds, far to the north, there is a creature of similar qualities of Sasquatch, but something more mystical. Something that interrupted a fight between Wolverine and the Hulk and survived. Interest you?"

Juggernaut has posed:
"Mmm.."

Cain emits a table and chair vibrating rumble from the depths of that monstrous chest. Cyttorak is indeed interested. That's for sure. The influence and burning destructive power within the giant seems to want to well up at the notion of the challenge. It's all he ever really wants. This aspect of him at least. To utilize his power in dominanting expression of his nature as the Exemplar of Physical Power. It is Cain that keeps it in check but now their two interests align.

"I was joking." he rumbles, feigning mild disinterest that he immediately contradicts by pulling the disc closer to him.

"I was just trying to get a rise out of you by threatening Sasquatch. Turns out you're made of sterner stuff then I Figured since you didn't rise to the bait.. I didn't expect you to actually go ..looking for something to keep me busy."

As he speaks a light smirk tugs on the side of his mouth despite efforts to play it cool. But he then sobers up and looks to her, "What's the catch?"

Askante has posed:
Askante has never been to this place before, but that says very little. The thing gets into all kinds of places after all, drawn in like a magnet to certain emotional states -- this though, is a weird, weird place. Fear, but also excitement and a lot of other heady emotional states that have left it curious. It arrives from the track side, probably from deeper into the tunnels of the subway system, where it might just have been riding the top of trains, flat as a pancake. Also something that it does, but probably shouldn't do.

Nobody much pays it any mind, although there's a handful of the combatants waiting in the wings, that look twice, most just ignore it as it wends its tall, thin self amongst the participants and spectators, to come up someplace reasonably close to the behemoth that is Juggernaut and Firestar. There, it hops up and perches on a milk crate that got shoved into a hole in the wall, likely created by a megaton punch at some point or another.

Aaaaaand merrily drops eaves all over the shop. It IS eyeballing their interaction quite unabashedly. Blink. Blinkblink.

Firestar has posed:
"What can I tell you? I like to help people." she teases mildly as he starts talking about just trying to get a rise out of her,"I'm not a blonde, but I guess I can be ditzy." she feigns spacey when he mentions joking.

She looks at disc and replies,"The catch is, they say it can't be killed. It isn't exactly the easiest critter on the planet to find. As I said, it survived Wolverine and the Hulk at the same time. That sounds like the sort of thing you could do so that is a fight best suited for you. Granted I don't know a lot about hand to hand type fighting, but I thought it would interest you anyway."

Juggernaut has posed:
That draws abit of a bullish snort from the beheomth. His nostrils flare abit and he purses his lips as he turns the disc over in his fingers a few times.

"So is this a 'job' Red? You asking me to go take this thing out or is this a some sorta science experiment and you just want to throw me at it and see what would happen?"

It's telling that he doesn't seem particularly perturbed or impressed at the thought it survived an encounter with Hulk and Wolverine. Either he -is- that powerful..or he's just stupid. Or maybe both..which is probably even worse. But she's got access to files on Juggernaut: Omega level threat that he is, so maybe his behavior isn't so strange to her given what is known of his capabilities.

Then that little..well..it's hard for him to verbalize just what he's looking at..but Askante does catch his attention and he turns to look towards the darkness perched on the crate embdded in the wall behind the duo.

"Uh...what's that?"

Askante has posed:
"What's what?" Askante's reply is made as it looks down, then peers left and right and over its shoulder, along, the row, over the crowd. "I missed something? Maybe I missed something...." it hunkers, adjusts the flaps of its duster, to cover its feet and haunches more thoroughly, then peers down once again. "I've felt you around the place, you know. I just thought I'd say hello." It waves two hands in greeting, looking at Firestar, the disk that got shared and the top of Juggernaut's head again. Or rather, shadow waves, then coalesces into a shape.

All thin, spines, scales, tail and attenuation, it looks from them to the ring. "Just when you think men have moved past gladiatorial entertainment, I find this. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Oh! Yes."

It clears its throat and somehow manages to bow over itself a bit, on the perch above them, an expression of compressed courtly greeting. "I am Askante. You are the Earth Shaker..." it looks at Firestar "...and you are pretty."

Firestar has posed:
She smirks a little at the snort and shrugs. She's well aware of the file on him now since their first encounter. Her hands fold on the table,"Not really a job. I just figured you liked a good fight. Would I be curious to see it? Probably. Curious if the legends about it are true and the stories I've heard about the Juggernaut." She smiles alittle and adds,"I was warned to avoid you. Probably the smart thing, but sometimes my curiosity is stronger than the good sense."

She quirks a brow at him. Pausing, she gets a side long glance in he same direction,"I'm not that ditzy..." she comments, then pauses. Her eyebrow rises slowly,"What the hell?"

Arana has posed:
There's a person up on top of a wall, watching the bruisers with a powerful intensity. Smallish and feminine, the tomboy type, she seems to be analyzing the goings-on with the kind of focus that you normally find in chess masters or fans of Game of Thrones. She's busy, deeply busy, until one of them gets smashed into a wall.

The snort that she makes is audible, from above the talking trio. Then she shakes her head, and starts banging her head on the wall. That she's on top of. Look up, you'll see her there.

Juggernaut has posed:
"You were warned to avoid me?"

Juggernaut's gaze drifts back to Firestar, taking some clear delight in that fact.

"Looks like I still got it." he jokes, rumbling with amusement at his own expense. "Here was worried I was getting a rep for being too nice. WHo warned you?"

His attention then returns to Askante and he frowns and leans back slightly, his chair groaning and the wall trembling as his ire raises mildly.

"And you. You got jokes? Come out of there. I don't take much kindly to folk eavesdropping. You wanna be bold and all nosey, get over here then."

Then the entire underground hall shakes as the bruiser gets smashed into the wall and Cain turns his attention towards it. The noise levels raise as the audience cheers, jeers, boos and hollars as the bruiser hits the ground of the ring and fails to get back up again.

"Red Oni..wins!" is called out over the audience. Cain looks..unimpressed though he does catch the other snort and glances up towards Ana. "Looks like we're popular.." he grunts back to Angelica.

Askante has posed:
"Really? Oh, ok!" That was bizarrely chipper, for basically being called out of hiding. The lurker that is Askante vanishes in a poof of skittering darkness and reappears on the ground in the same position it was perch-crouched in, then straightens itself up, up and up. Well, it has height... not as much height as Cain does, but it doesn't have any bulk to speak of; tall and lean. "Hello," it offers again, tail drooping low and curling up under the skirt of the duster.

It glances over to where Ana is observing and tracks the impact of the poor sod with the wall, with a wince.

"No jokes though. I never got the hang of comedic timing. Eluded me, completely."

Firestar has posed:
Not a lot bothers her, but the general weirdness still causes her to pause at study the creature. When she is called pretty she smiles a little and nods towards him in a friendly manner.

She considers Cain's question and replies,"Your second favorite red head after me." she quips finally. She sighs a little and adds,"I never was all that find of being popular." She glances towards the one above them and shakes her head,"Strangest places to take me." she comments dryly. Of course he didn't bring her, but might as well make light of the situation.

Arana has posed:
Something that sounds like 'amateurs' comes from above, as the young lady stops banging her head on harder things. Though to be fair, she does have a hard head. Her teachers always say so. Then she leans to one side, her eyes peeking down to below. She has dark eyes.

"He could have still fought!" she yells, not afraid to draw attention apparently. "Nobody likes a quitter, tonto del culo!" She then lapses into a stream of swearing in Spanish, most of which she keeps to a lower level of volume.

Tonto del culo means dumbass in Spanish. Translation of the rest can be up to your imaginations. But she's creative with them!

Then, she starts to climb down the wall. Ending up kind of in the way, she looks left, then right, and then says "Sorry. Excuse me."

With manners.

Getting mixed signals here.

"Not their fault the guy's a rookie, bloody amateur night..."

Juggernaut has posed:
"Aw."

He seems..disappointed as he takes in Firestar's answer to his query. "And here I thought Jean thought I was playin' nice. I guess she figured she'd do you a solid by warning you to keep away from me. I did just put Rogue in the infirmary but hey.. she got in my way. Don't get in my way, don't assume I'm 'safe' because I'm being 'nice' ..and you probably will do alright, yeah? I aint got a grudge ..."

Which is a flat out lie. He's got plenty of them. He's just got self control. "Pfft..they act like I'm the Hulk or something sometimes..."

With that, his full attention turns towards Askante and he just purses his lips now and frowns mildly.. It's clear he's having some difficulty making heads or tails of just what he's looking at and with that he looks away from Askante back to Angelica. "Welcome to the mutant fight club.. This is maybe about half as weird as it gets."

Ana likewise is giving a glance and finally Cain snorts and he reaches dotn to retrieve the disc Angelica had brought and he casually sets it next to him. Apparently she's got his interest in this 'target'.

"You think you can do better?" he asides to Ana.

Firestar has posed:
A hint of a smirk and she admits,"Jean has too much on her plate I'm afraid. It stresses her terribly." Her phone buzzes and she checks it. A soft sigh and she admits,"It really never ends." She stands up, nodding to Askante and glancing up Ana's direction again.

Her attention back to Cain and she replies,"I have the good sense to not deliberately try to incite you and no deisre to try my luck with you in any fight." She glances over the fighters again and admits,"At least it isn't boring in here."

She seems to weigh out her options and adds lastly before she goes,"There are a lot of myths and legends about Wendigo. If half of them are true you got yourself a legit fight. I know you are capable of handling yourself, but do me a favor and look the info over. Regardless, if you try it out, happy hunting."

With that, she takes one more look around and then turns and heads towards the waiting doors. IF anyone is watching closely, once she is outside there is a flash of light and she is airborne, off to who knows what.

Askante has posed:
"OOoooh! You're going to fight the Wendigo? That's a challenging challenge... I wonder if it's the same Wendigo..." Askante muses that, then shrugs lightly and looks over at Ana as she's essentially called out by the big guy sitting over here. It studies her, then gives a soft rattle of its spines. "I think looks are deceiving, but perhaps not entirely so. I know I would go squish..." it looks over at the fighters, but then seems to consider. "Maybe not? I don't fight much usually though. I don't usually have to." Musing on that, it aims itself at a different perch, on the edge of the old turnstyle. Balance seems to be something it's quite good at.

"Oh, uh, are you seeing me alright, Earthshaker? I don't know if this time you can or cannot. I don't remember if you did before." Wait, what? It could be that it isn't strictly having a conversation with Juggers alone, but that would be damn strange if that's the case. Or it's nuts.

The latter is not unlikely, given that it doesn't seem to be afraid of the behemoth that is Cain Marko in the slightest.

Arana has posed:
"Hard to do any worse," the lady-climber says toward Juggernaut as she hits ground. Then she looks up at Askante, as Firestar is leaving. Then up a bit more. "You're abnormally tall," she suggests. Then she glances toward Juggy, and frowns. "I stand corrected. Damn."

She pauses, then pauses a moment longer. "Nah, couldn't be," she mumbles, then takes a few steps so she's not RIGHT IN THE WAY. "No way he'd show up to this shitshow."

Then she stops, planting her feet. She turns, and says, "Yes. I could do better. Do you know why? It's because I actually train, unlike these guys who have no idea how to fight! It's all super powers, and more strength, and more ....stuff!" She swears again, then stomps her feet like a tiny little tornado. With annoyed pigtails.

Pointing to Askante, she says, "You could fight if you wanted to. If you were dedicated to it."

Juggernaut has posed:
The giant silently watches as Firestar makes her exit ..and this leaves the fullness of his attention to fall upon Ana and Askante with all the pressure of an earthquake or tsunami deciding to personally notice you. Without Angelica there to mollify him, his demeanor slowly descends down, down, down back towards that oh-so-Cain like rumbling ire of a caldera ready to erupt should the idle boredom and laziness that -had- been keeping him in check decide to leave. The idea of a fight against a worthy foe isn't helping either, having riled up that boiling pressure of Cyttorak that races through his veins.

"Right." is all he rumbles as he hears Askante and Ana both. His deep voice practically vibrating the tables and bodies of those nearest to him. But he doesn't try and shoo them off or just, fall on them, or something..and instead leans back lazily, idly tapping his finger on the rim of the large metal tankard he'd been drinking out of.

"Yeah, yeah, Wendigo." he finally says, "What's the big deal? You know about this guy as well? Give me something to worry about. Impress me." he rumbles at Askante and then he looks back to Ana again, peering at her like a mildly irate sequioa. "...And you. You got a lotta mouth on you, kid. Yeah they might not know how to fight but they might be able to punch a hole through a cement wall... and then there's some that -do- know how to fight.. Bad combo then, yeah?"

Askante has posed:
"Well, that actually depends on whether it's /the/ Wendigo, or -a- Wendigo. They're not the same thing -- back a long, long time ago, the land of the Turtle had many great spirits that rolled over it, they settled in various places, became bound in them also. Wendigo infects those that break the laws of the people, but that's just like getting bitten by a vampire. The wendigo itself, is the great Cannibal. Winter that devours all things. It cannot be killed. But it is a worthy fight, because it can be defeated." Waxing lyrical on that topic it seems, Askante shrugs. "I doubt that it will impress you either way, but it would be the great Unstoppable force against the power of the immovable object. Time would be the decider. Or the coming of summer, by some people's standards. I'm talkingtoomuchIshutupnow..." it realizes this rather belatedly and stares a moment at the plucky be'pigtailed young woman.

"You can see me?" it blinks a nictating membrane. "You must be god-touched. Or magical. Which is it? And yes. I am tall. I did not chose that, people did." Another shrug, this time of the uppermost shoulders.

"I did not say that I cannot fight, rather that I do not fight, most of the time. Your voice though... I recognize your voice."

Arana has posed:
She pauses, then shakes her head. Mostly at herself, but there's really no way for you to know that. "Sorry. I'm intruding on your night with my shit. You're right. I am sorry." She holds up her palms, then glances at Askante. Then to J, and she backs away.

"Though, honestly, strength and able to fight? No, that's...pretty much the dream. That kind of fighter would be...it'd be better."

Then she sighs. "Of course I can see you, you're right there."

Juggernaut has posed:
The red haired behemoth reaches to lift his tankard to his mouth - but then pauses as Askante begins speaking. As it continues he frowns mildly. Certain things said there..reveal alot and he sighs a little bit as he begins to put a few things together.

"Huh. You konw who I am?" he says, more a statement of facts then a question. "Figures. Huh..given how you're talking you must be some sorta....I dunno..magical, supernatural..whatsit. Earthshaker, eh. Hn."

He rolls his shoulders and sets the drink down. Not like he can really get drunk anyway.

"Don't sound like much a challenge." he finally says, dismissively, "Dunno why Red thinks it is aside from it surviving a fight with Wolverine and Hulk but..that dont' mean much to me..."

He then rolls his eyes abit as he hears Ana and purses his lips into a frown followed by the faintest hint of amusement. "What're you apologizin' for? I don't see no intrudin'.." He seems more accepting now and just shrugs, making a mild gesture with his other hand at her, "It's some sorta magic creature, I think. I dunno specifics. I got some experience with these sorta things I guess...but yeah.. Knowing how t'use your strength is always better. Truth is...you're right kid. Someone swinging wild is gonna lose to someone who knows what they're doing..assuming they don't get caught by a lucky shot."

Askante has posed:
"Uh-huh. But you can -see- me." Apparently there's a distinction there and Askante frowns a bit in thought, surfing recent memories. "Oh. You're the voice through the speakers. You were there in the big building in Metropolis, where the robots got loose and I.... didn't get squished. I was quite glad about that, but then I was directing megatraffic..." not every day it could honestly say it appreciated an idiot superman, but Bizarro did pull through nicely. It extends a single hand toward Ana. "Nice to see a face to a voice. I am Askante, the Daemon of Fear."

Yep, magical critter or somesuch thing, but demon? No, there's a distinction in pronounciation that makes all the difference in the scheme of things.

It looks askance at Juggernaut, weaving its head side to side a moment as if to fix position. "Earthbound spirit, I think is what they used to call me. There's not many of us left at the moment, I don't really know what happened to the rest of us, though I have a feeling... Wrath is alive and kicking someplace. I have seen some truly bizarre expressions of rage, in the news. Why is it that all the news is bad? It always seems to be bad." It looks back to Ana, perhaps to see if she'll shake its offered hand.

Perhaps a bit creepily, each finger has an extra bone in it.

Arana has posed:
Ana Corazon blinks. She looks at Askante for real, for the first time tonight. "You were there??!" She seems like she's actually awake, suddenly. "I was in so much shit, you were on the rescue team? Damn, thank you so much for showing up! Ever since I lost my powers ..."

SHe pauses, then swallows, and shakes her head. "I mean, since ..." She seems to be having problems backpedaling, but it might give some insight to her previous rant. Woo.

Her eyes twist to see Juggernaut again, and as she shakes Askante's hand, she says, "Next you'll be saying that you're the real Juggernaut. He'd never show up here. Guy's way too next-level for a place that can't hire skill. Sue me, but I say that if you can punch through a cement wall, you should be able to control it. So nobody gets bumped off by accids."

Juggernaut has posed:
He's starting to take a drink when Ana speaks. ANd this leads to him nearly spit-taking at her words.

"Hrng!" he rumbles out, all unintelligble like before finally recoiling and getting his wits back about him. He blinks a few times and then finally just shakes his head and sets the mug down.

"Man. Now that's funny." Cain concludes before finally glancing back to Askante and then focusing his full attention on Ana,

"Most of these blokes that get in there are looking to make a quick buck and earn some rep. Some fame. Sometimes you might get a big leaguer in here..just trying to keep from getting bored or looking to amuse themselves. You'd be surprised who shows up but ..yeah to keep things from getting -messy- they try and vet folk. Course..if it's just a no holds barred open night..or the audience is being allowed to take their best shot...things can get interesting.."

He leans back abit, drumming his fingers against the table and then looking towards the cage as 'Red Oni' continues his winning streak.

"Well..I guess I got something to prove now..."

Askante has posed:
"Oh! That's the name. I did wonder. It's a different name every time, but you seem to be much better than the others at handling the Destroyer. I congratulate you, most went mad until they were ended." Askante grins, revealing more than one row of even, white teeth. If a lamprey had a grin, that would be it. "You should. It would be truth, if you stepped into the ring..." it bows its head respectfully, then focuses itself. "Come on, you can do this. You have been practicing..."

And back to Ana. It takes a deep breath. "You are welcome. It's kind of what I do. What I did? Do. I suppose it's in the design. It's annoying when you lose things. I lost things. How did you lose your gift? Mine got stolen. I got it back though."

Wise, then idiotic. Go figure.

Arana has posed:
Ana Corazon releases the guy's hand, but she's looking at Juggernaut at the time. She looks as if she's not sure what he's thinking, and is clearly not putting one and one together to get two. So, she looks back to Askante and shrugs. "Long story? I don't really want to talk about it. I shouldn't have said it in the first place."

Heroes are like vegans. They can't wait to tell you about it. So, it must actually be painful if she won't.

"Prove what? What did I say now?" I said something funny?

Do I have something on my face or something?

Juggernaut has posed:
"Fine. Fine.." Cain finishes the drink off and then sets it onto the table. He presses onto its top with a single finger and then pushes down, crumpling it and flattening the metal tankard up like so much tinfoil and grinning now at Ana. It's not unlike that scene from that one fish movie. That huge great white shark grinning at the two smaller fish before it.

With that he slowly rises. As he does he seems to expand larger and larger. sinew, muscle, piling ontop of itself in an ever expanding display that sounds like industrial leaher creaking and straining. His garments mostly seem to come along with him as if they are enhanced by whatever is making him grow in size but ultimately his jeans do split along the sides and his shirt pulls apart though it leaves the central image of Godzilla visible on his swelling chest. It's appropriate as the ground begins to shake as the giant begins to walk towards the ring with a deliberate rumbling sway and arns pushed up from his sides gigantically like some horrifying monster-bodybuilder. Needless to say ..the crowd parts for him as he nears the ring and the staring Red Oni.

"Put this all on me.." he rumbles as he passes the bookie and produces a stack of cash from his pockets and then passes by him to enter ther ring. A moving earthquake of flesh.

Askante has posed:
"And that is why he is the Earth shaker," the Daemon informs the world as if the world needed some kind of supernatural guidance in this matter. It looks on with a kind of wonderment, like a child at christmas time, before they are disavowed of the myth of Santa. Then with a sigh, it looks back at Ana with a blink of two eyelids. "Some get to look impressive. I always envied that, because I never can tell." Which is an odd thing to say, but then it is an odd critter. "I do not think it is you that has something that must be proved. But behold -- your truth is made manifest." It gestures at the Juggernaut, as if she now would have doubts as to the primordial force in their midst. Hero worship a bit? Naaah.

Incidentally, despite the thing having scales, its hand was quite warm and smooth. And ironically gentle.

"...you know, it might help to talk about it, even if you don't want to. Burdens are hard to bear if they are never shared." And back from idiot to wise. One day it will stop being a yo-yo. Today is not that day.

Arana has posed:
No, today is the day that Askante stands next to a Mexican girl and watches Juggernaut step into the ring.

"Maybe. But not right now, I think this is about to get epic," she says, breathlessly. As she registers exactly what's going on. And she pulls out her phone, to record the fight. For reasons.

"What? Skill is amazing, but sometimes you just gotta enjoy the show. Eh?"

But, in her heart, she cries out. Someday I'll be impressive again. Someday I'll be epic. I will.

I swear it.

Juggernaut has posed:
Oni is forced to look up at his opponent as Cain looms overhead upon stepping into the ring and drawing closer with several thunderous steps, the lights casting his monstrous physique in deep shadows.

The giant examines the mutant and then leans forward and rumbles, "Just take the first hit and lie down..I'll split the take with you.. I'll even put one arm behind my back.." He rumbles. He raises his right arm, turning slightly so the crowd can see what he's doing and then he curls it into a massive flex causing the bicep to bulge up, splitting the remainder of his shirt, bulking up to seemingly the size of a Buick. Veins the size of shipping ropes standing out stark against his hairy flesh. His tee shirt continues to split as his muscles pile on more mass without restraint or end in sight. He uncurls the arm and points back towards the back of the tavern, directly at Ana and Askante as if to say 'Well you asked for it.'

The bar doesn't notice this, instead roaring at the display in the ring as Oni sneers and bolsters his confidence up.

"Yeah, go to hell man. Your big ass is going down!"

The red haired goliath puts his other hand behind his back as promised while he curls his upraised hand into a fist with the cracking of his knuckles booming throughout the station like the splintering of boulders and tree trunks. He cocks his arm back and shredding his shirt to rags now, "Suit yourself" he rumbles, "You just have to take my SUNDAY PUNCH."

"Begin!" yells the announcers disembodied voice.

Oni lunges forward at Cain. He slams his fist right into the revealed blocky midsection of the goliath wit a thundeorus *BOOM*. Cain doesn't blink. Doesn't move. His own massive fist then bursts forward like a cannonball from a cannon.

*TWHOOOM!!!

The impact causes a seismic event localized in the ring, sending a shockwave blasting out that overturns tables and sends people ducking for cover. Red Oni is sent hurtling out of the ring, flying clear across the bar to slam into the wall just behind Ana and Askante forming a rapidly expanding crater. The earthquake subsides though car alarms go off above ground..

"Whoops.." Cain's voice rumbless the noise dies down. "Guess I miscalculated.."

Askante has posed:
And with Ana recording the event for the sake of posterity and Epic <tm> the Daemon fades back into the shadow, as if it were never there.

Such is the nature of the Beast. The beauty of the moment belongs to the Juggernaut in his savagery and a small mexican girl fan and her smart phone.

Fear has left the building.

Arana has posed:
"Madre de dios, I forgot to hit record. Can you do that again?" Ana looks up, then looks behind her. Hm. Guess not.

Good job, everybody. Though really, mostly Juggernaut. He did all the heavy lifting, which is kind of appropriate given the ...actually I'm just going to stop right there before I make a joke.

It wouldn't be very funny anyway. :)

Juggernaut has posed:
He's alive at least. Cain's not that sadistic for something as minor as this. But he'll be out for awhile. Still, there are mutant healers here to attend to him and they're already getting Oni up and getting him away by the time Juggernaut has returned to the table where Ana is and Askante was. He frowns, noting the 'spirit' ..or whatever it was..is gone..and then shakes his head and reaches up to pull the rest of the tattered remains of his tee shirt free. He then reaches down and plucks up the disc Angelica gave him from the seat he was in. It looks like he's pinching a flattened jellybean between two fingers.

"There. Hope that entertained ya kid." he rumbles towards Ana, "I ruined a tee-shirt to do it. So for the record..yeah..Juggernaut does hit up dives like this when bored and to remind folk he's Juggernaut."

He gives that shark like grin again, "..Just in case they forgot.."