------------------------------- UVR2- THE DESTRUCTION CONTINUES ------------------------------- SECTION ELEVEN ------------------------------- _The Ring_ "HSIEN-KO!" (DS2) Happy bouncy Shampoo music played loudly throughout the arena as Hsien-Ko skipped down to ringside. She was, of course, abominably cute. "GEN-AN SHIRANUI!" (SS2) Gen-An clutched convulsively at his pocket. In it was the two thick bags of gold Rugal had given him to fight for him. Of course, Gen-An had taken the money and calmly then agreed to work for Demitri, for *four* bags of gold. Invested wisely, the money would provide many victims/lunches for his children, and perhaps even his grandchildren. Gen-An was scum, but he was cautious scum. "M. BISON!" (SFA) Intense music pounded through the RumbleDome. Guitars pounded. o/~ So spell it out in blood: BASTARD IS AS BASTARD DOES! And nothing gets done, BASTARD IS AS BASTARD DOES! The everlasting harm, destructive of the norm; so spell it out in blood: BASTARD IS AS BASTARD DOES! o/~ Birdman turned to Brant. "*He* chose Monster Voodoo Machine?" Brant looked at him. "Uh, Ken came up and said Bison requested a music change. Who was I to argue?" Both men smiled. _Room 245, RumbleDome Hotel_ Demitri turned from the TV set. "Excellent. Bison conveys my offer to Magneto, and can more certainly then not defend himself should the need arise. If Magneto accepts, my victory is inevitable. If not, it's just a little less inevitable, but still not a problem." Jon spoke up. "Since when does the word "inevitable" have qualifers attached?" Demitri ignored him. He turned to Charlotte, whom he had bitten freshly to re-enslave her to his will instead of Morrigan's. "Charlotte?" "Yes, master?" "Do you love Haohmaru?" "Yes, master." The voice was reluctant. "Why?" She looked wistful. "He's everything I've ever wanted. He's strong, and brave, and honorable, and loving...but he doesn't love me." "That's right. He doesn't love you. Why love someone who doesn't love you back?" "You can't control love, master." He snorted. "Of course you can. It's easy." She shrugged. "If you say so." He looked deep into her eyes. "Haohmaru will never love you as I love you. You understand this?" She smiled faintly. "Yes, master." "Do you love me?" She nodded emphatically. "Yes, master!" "Do you love Haohmaru? Or is it a crush?" "I..." "Wait. Let me put it this way. Do you love Haohmaru for what he has done for you, or for what you think he does?" "I..." "He's never done ANYTHING for you, except maybe help you up off your feet when he beat you down. He dishonored you! He all but spat on your trust! He *knew* you were in love with him, but didn't even tell you he didn't love you until now...when it's far too late. Is that the work of an honorable man? A brave man? A strong man?" "I...I...I don't know." "Yes, you do. Search within yourself." Demitri smiled. He had telepathically implanted the seed when he fed upon her. Prolonged thought was all that was needed. "AHHHHHHH!" Charlotte rose up, screaming angrily. Wolf and Heihachi ran to restrain her. Demitri rose so that his eyes would once again meet hers. "So, how do you feel about Haohmaru now?" "I hate him! He ruined my life! He made me look like a fool in front of all that I know! I am nothing! I am alone! I..." Demitri caught her mouth with his hand and stopped her from talking. "You are not alone, Charlotte. I will always be here for you, for I love you." Charlotte's eyes tightened. Then she began to cry. Demitri pulled her in tight and held her, gently patting her back. "There, there. Everything will be all right, I promise you. I will make it all right." He smiled. Another cog fell into place. _The Ring_ "FELICIA!" (DS2) The catwoman rolled down to ringside. Upon entering, she noted that Demitri had left rather early. Too bad. She'd been planning to ask him where he got the powerup. "JAX!" (MK3) The last of the Earth Warriors, save Kung Lao, strode down to ringside. Birdman turned to Professor Tym. "So, Professor, why exactly do you think MK3 has been having such a rough go of it?" "Cheesy spandex." "Huh?" "Cheesy spandex. The Tym Cheesy Spandex Equation clearly states that victories will equal damage potential divided by the square yardage of cheesy spandex worn by the fighter." Birdman was speechless. "SIE KENSOU!" (KOF95) Sie looked around. Nobody was there! Rose was gone, and Jago was gone, and...no, wait, Guy was still there. Sie sighed in relief. Good thing. He wasn't a leader. "SPINAL!" (KI) "No BONES about it! I'm the DECALCIFYING fighter! Yep! Hey!" He saw Annie Hamilton in the front row. "Hey, baby, MARROW me! Hahahahahaha!" Suddenly, two large men came trooping towards him. "Excuse me, sir. Do you have a license to use those puns?" spoke the first one. Spinal blanched. "Um, it's in my room in the hotel." He gestured at himself. "No pockets, you know?" The right one looked at him. "Well, until you get it on your person, we're going to have to ask you to refrain from using them." Everyone cheered. "DEATH!" (TK) Death once again bucked tradition and teleported directly into the ring, planting his scythe in Ukyo's back as he did so. "WOLVERINE!" (XM:COTA) "CHEAP! CHEAP! CHEAP! CHEAP! CHEAP!" Wolverine looked offended. "Hey! It's not my fault I'm the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!" Bret Hart, sitting two rows away, yelled. "HEY! *I'm* the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!" Logan muttered to himself. "Like I need this crapola, what with all the troubles I'm having with Landau, Luckman and Lake. 'Least Jubilation is behaving herself." _Eliminated Seating_ Rose and Jago walked into the Eliminated Seating, along with Robert Garcia. Yuri Sakazaki instantly ran over to hug Robert. Ryo Sakazaki, however, was less placid. "Where the hell have you been? We need you!" He looked at Rose. "Come on! We need you downstairs!" "The Yoshimitsu 2000 is ever-ready to guard caravans of all types, thanks to the handy rechargable fusion battery!" Ryo looked confused again. "You volunteering?" "Well, golllllllleeeeee, Sarge, I guess I am! Sha-ZAM!" Ryo winced. "Don't talk like that." Yoshimitsu looked insulted. Ryo looked around. "Okay. Yoshimitsu, you and I will stay here in case anyone else checks in for about another ten minutes. Rose, you go down to the circle. Robert and Jago and Yuri can play bodyguard..." Jago/Doom interrupted. "Don't be an idiot, boy! I am trained in Gypsy magics! Without a doubt, I can aid in the casting!" Ryo looked at Jago/Doom silently for a few moments. He then saw Rose nodding quietly and muttered something to himself. "All right. Robert, Yuri, you scout ahead. Rose, Jago, go directly there. Yuri will give you the directions." As the four took off, Ryo massaged his temples. "Agggggh. I think I'm getting a migraine." Shao Kahn strode over. "*Is there something you wish me to know, pathetic mortal?*" Ryo looked directly into the nearly-non-existent eyes of the Emperor of Outworld. "Nope. Don't worry, we'll tell you when the time is right." Shao Kahn stalked off. Ryo inhaled deeply. "I *hate* that." _The Ring_ "PAI CHAN!" (VF2) Pai carefully avoided looking at Lau on the way down. "SHANG TSUNG!" (MK3) *THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF PLANS.* Shao Kahn's voice rumbled through Shang Tsung's brain. *DO NOT ATTACK THE DEFENDERS OF HAOHMARU UNTIL I TELL YOU TO DO SO.* *But master...* *SHUT UP.* "HANZOU!" (WHP) _Room 245, RumbleDome Hotel_ Even through his vampirically-induced haze, Fuuma still focused on Hanzou. "I hate him. I hate him? I hate him. I think I hate him. Yes, I really think I hate him." He turned to Demitri. "Master?" Demitri, relaxing after his triumph over Charlotte, turned. "Yes, my servant?" "Do I hate him?" Fuuma pointed at the screen. Demitri didn't even pause. "Of course you do." _The Ring_ "TERRY BOGARD!" (KOF95) Terry couldn't *believe* his luck. Another late draw! Two years running! Of course, this time he was going to win it all. That gigantic freaking trophy would make a great conversation piece, and it would *definitely* impress Blue Mary. However, two someones who had not been present at last year's Rumble made a fatal mistake. Billy and Jimmy Lee, from Double Dragon. "HEY! WHERE'S OUR PIZZA?!" they yelled in unison. Then they broke up into racuous laughter. Terry considered whipping out another explosive pizza, then remembered he didn't have one handy. He settled for powering up and then slamming the pair of them with a Power Geyser. The Lee brothers were launched into the field. They landed in Burger Time, and were smothered to death by malevolent gigantic hot dogs. _Sub-Basement BR-25C_ Robert and Yuri were scouting ahead. They'd given Jago/Doom and Rose the directions, then had ran ahead, being more familiar with the route. "Are you sure this is the right way, Yuri? I mean, I thought we took a left here." "Look, Robert, Ryo drilled me for fifteen minutes on the instructions Rasputin sent him mentally. Trust me. We take a right." "Okay! Okay! No need to get touchy!" "Touchy? Who's touchy?" "Well, I'm not saying it's a bad thing..." "No, you're just implying it!" "Okay! You're touchy, and sometimes it irritates me! HAPPY?" The argument was broken off by a third party. "Yuri! Robert! What are you doing down here?" Mai Shiranui and Andy Bogard were walking towards them. "Hey, guys. You just missed Robert trying to get us lost." Mai nodded, as did Andy. They continued to walk up to the Kyokogenryu artists. "Sounds bad. Where you headed?" "Down to the mage circle. We've got Rose, so we're taking her down to finish off our enchantment." Mai nodded. "Really." She scratched at her neck idly. "Well, great stuff. Where are they again? TK2-27?" Yuri smiled. "No, THX-0001." "Oh, *yeah*. Silly me. Well, we're busy tracking down some Rugal goons. Wanna come?" Robert answered with a Haohshohkohken. The wave of force collided into the Garou and his lady. Mai went flying, as did Andy. Yuri stared in shock. "What did you do that for?" "They've been taken over by Morrigan or Demitri! I saw the bite marks on Mai's neck!" Mai got up. "That's silly! I *wasn't* bitten. Neither was Andy. Quite frankly, I think you owe us an apology!" Yuri nodded. "Right!" She kept her eyes on Mai's neck, waiting for the Fighting King to step beneath the overhead lamp. "Robert, apologize to Mai." Mai stepped forward again, fingering her fan. Andy came in close behind her. Yuri suddenly saw the bite marks. "Robert, apologize to her right now. I want an apology, just like the time you apologized to Ryo for hitting on me." Robert looked at her suddenly. A smile flickered across his face. He didn't betray his tone, however. "Oh, Yuri! Come on. Don't make me do *that*!" "Do it, Robert!" Mai echoed her. "Yeah, Robert! Do it!" "But..." Yuri's voice was like steel. "NO. BUTS." Robert's shoulder's slumped. "Okay." And he launched a Ryuken flat in Mai's face. WHO WILL LIVE? WHO WILL DIE? IS DEMITRI REVEALING THE MASTER PLAN TOO EARLY?