Parallel Convergence

[C.T.]

"...I think I would have rather taken my chances with whatever was coming out of the portal." Rolling her eyes was fast becoming a habit in this place and time. No matter. She couldn't rewind time, there was only here and now. "Wrestling...right." Her usual katas and moves were much more refined than those barbaric stances but...part of her knew instinctually she was more familiar with some of those moves. What do you know, the other life and memories actually had merit beyond being a pest. She simply had to scour her mind and...THERE!

She was mentally dragged back to a time not that long ago, a typical night at their home/teashop. The customer influx had ceased in large part for the day, Uncle was getting ready to close up and it was almost perfect for studying to begin. Almost. The loud ruckus coming from Zuko's room was almost deafening and absolutely annoying. Eventually, it was with an angry scowl that she gripped her pencil so hard it snapped in two, slowly rising up out of her chair to make her way across the hall. With a kick, she pushed the door open, slamming into the wall. Two faces snapped to stare at her from the sudden spike of sound aside the blaring of the TV. Her brother's and his friend, who she couldn't figure out for her life why she was friends with Zuko. Or why she was so interested in such crap TV.

"What the heck is wrong with you two?!"

"...Us? You're the one who just kicked in the door, drama queen." Their guest Toph just turned her head back to the TV at that point, plainly uninterested. Zuko shrugged and turned back as well, turning down the volume a few notches. He figured that was what it was anyway.

"...You two, I swear." She growled, stomping to in front of the TV. "Why do you two have to have it so loud anyways?! Some of us are trying to study!"

"Pfft. Maybe you should not study and watch this with us." Toph deadpanned.

"It is pretty good." Zuko added.

"Are you two nuts?"

"Come off it! You really going to tell me you'd rather study than watch TV?"

"................Touché."

And to her surprise, she actually hadn't found the show that distasteful. Though she would never admit to her brother after the next day and she got a B minus on that quiz. A B MINUS!!!

Snapping back to reality and clutching onto the memory tight, she suddenly surged forward. Fine. She'd play along with this game, this fantasy. She locked on to one of the moves she had witnessed that night and went for it. Couldn't be too hard, right?

@Schnee Corp Lawyer @york @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Saint Guillotine @El Tigre! @BarrenThin​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

"For Agni's sake." She rolled her eyes, stepping forward. "Do try to not be so pathetic in the future, if you're done screaming your head off and demeaning yourself akin to a child. Even if it is a spirit, is it any more shocking than the thing that we fried to bits a while ago? Or whatever it was that we just ran from? Short answer: no. Now..." She turned to face the ghost/being or what have you. "When you're done answering the questions of these two fools, perhaps you would deign to answer a real question? If you can even talk."

@Schnee Corp Lawyer @york @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Saint Guillotine @El Tigre! @BarrenThin​

"Well, when you say it like that, this guy doesn't seem scary at all! But it also makes me sound kind of like a sissy. Which is just what I wanted you to think!" Vash exclaimed before leaning in to explain more in-depth to Ruby. "Because if I were stroll up to the totally-not a ghost-guy without any warning, who's to say he wouldn't have attacked me? This way, it gets the other guys thinking of how to react and think of counter-solutions to the problem! So it's like doing work without actually doing any work! Kind of a nifty trick but it's only to be used in small doses, Ruby. For this is quite the powerful technique." He'd explain like a wise sage would to their eager disciple as he was about to resume his bewildered expression at this creepy guy only to turn his head in Bucky's direction as he was spoken to.
​

"No."

Harsh maybe but for now, he couldn't handle Vash the Stampede. Specifically the pain he carried within himself, hardly sequestered away beneath the surface. The fool's act distanced him from the agony, a moment's reprieve as he immersed himself in others. This in of itself was what made the quirky man a dangerous element in his eyes.

Barnes was somewhat receptive to pain. It reminded himself of what he'd gone through, exemplified in shattered fragments that consisted his memories. A lifetime gone by, endless murders in that shaped the course of history with his own life taken from him. He remembered the good, if hard, times before this. He remembered Syria. No...

At the same time, he knew well he was a kind soul. People that suffered so were usually among the kindest and this was made evident in Vash's efforts to console Ruby. It was more the matter of the Soldier doubting this in himself.​

"I guess I'm not in the wrong then." He retorted simply. Call it a slap in the face, he truly meant it and if being abruptly direct would make the message clear, so be it. Though of course, it might have been perceived as inflammatory and ignited a backlash in reply.

(Yang would've appreciated these flame-related puns)​

"I doubt it. Just in case though?" Bucky lifted the assault rifle in hand, approaching forward briefly. Of course, the obsidian titan took the initiative, striding forward in gargantuan steps that effectively put Bucky in the rear. Not a problem, a gigantic wall of steel was preferable to having nothing in front if something went down.

Though of course he paused, glancing back with an irked expression. "Cut it out with the dramatic theatrics." The hollering was bound to attract undesired attention. Looking at you, Vash.

Maintain radio silence, Buchanan. Exfiltration is on the way in.

He froze briefly, eyes staring wide open as that memory flooded past... then shook his head, steeling his senses as he continued on forward.

Their questions would be answered, in part, and only in a fashion that made things even so more confusing. After that declaration of its own identity, he attacked! Specifically the Fume Knight. That was enough to prompt a rapid series of depressions upon the trigger, popping off one round, two rounds, three rounds, as he adhered himself to the wall off to the side. Dying by being squashed underneath a gigantic suit of armor would've just been embarassing.

​

"Understood, loud and clear!"

Vash knew there was a time to play and a time to be serious. Had Bucky been able to see through Vash's mask and knew that the gunslinger was merely playing a role instead of showing off his true nature? The only one who'd been able to do that back home had been Wolfwood and then him and the priest-turned-assassin didn't exactly see eye to eye on a lot of things either. He thought Vash was an idiot for trying to live by the philosophy that no one had the right to take the life of another in a scum-filled world like Gunsmoke. The same planet that had left Vash's body riddled with scars and patchwork and metal grafts. But Vash kept true to his philosophy in spit of such logic. Because it had been passed down onto him by Rem and no matter what, Vash wouldn't kill unless there was absolutely no other choice.

But there was always a choice. If one wasn't plain for the others to see than he'd make a choice which resulted in everyone living at the end. Even if it ended up causing him some pain that could have otherwise been avoided. It was the price he paid for his dream. To live in a world without violence and where no one had to die. Which is why he paid close attention as Bucky unloaded onto the man in question who had just loudly proclaimed his name in a manner that Vash could respect. Hopefully if the shots landed at all, they'd be non-fatal even with this guy's rubbery disposition.

If this guy was even human. Though being creepy didn't mean you had any less of a right to be a human than anyone else! Besides, who was Vash to judge? He was a Plant, a sentient one at that. Which is why him and Knives were free to roam and not stuck being the power-plant to someone's city.

That said, he didn't want to get on Bucky's bad side nor did he want to get either of them hurt because of Vash's mentality. But he'd thrust his fist up into the air as he saw Azula rush towards the guy to try and suplex him. This left the gigantic fist still coming Raime's way. Something had to be done to get the gigantic knight out of the way and Vash the Stampede was just the man to do it! The fist seemed like a pretty big target and a couple of well placed shots there might have helped to knock the clothsline off course before Raime could do something drastic like try and lop the arm off. Yeah, that wouldn't have been pretty.

"So that's your name, eh? Well, I'm Valentinez Alkalinella Xifax Sicidabohertz Gombigobilla Blue Stradivari Talentrent Pierre Andri Charton-Haymoss Ivanovici Baldeus George Doitzel Kaiser III. Pleasure to meet ya." Vash said before pulling out his pistol as he fired five shots aimed towards the over-sized hand to try and knock the guy's aim off/get him away from Raime before he hurt the knight or the knight hurt him.

@El Tigre! @C.T. @BarrenThin @york @Schnee Corp Lawyer


​

 

[BarrenThin]

Raime was surprised, to say the least. But the Fume Knight was not slow. Dropping his greatsword with a massive crashing sound, Raime's hands came up to catch the oncoming threat as he braced himself for the impact. "Fool!" Was all he had to say to the 'wrestler.' It'd take some convincing for Raime to not harm the individual now.

@york @Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

The fist slammed into Raime's outstretched hand, and the tile floor beneath the knights feet cracked and splintered as the sheer force pushed him back a few feet. Bullets went flying as the shots echoed through the large halls, but where they struck Reed Cena his flesh just seemed to briefly suck them up as it absorbed the force before they popped out and dropped harmlessly to the floor a few seconds later. "Fool? I'm not the fool, YOU-"

whatever he thought Raime was was cut off as Azula suddenly dashed him, wrapped up his waist, and up, over, and SLAM.

His head smushed into the ground slightly from the force, but the bounce afterwards actually had both R.C. and Azula in the air for a split second before they both crashed to the ground. And despite seemingly being made of rubber and taking bullets like they were drops of rain, R.C. gave an almost exaggerated groan as he struggled to get to his feet.

Ruby, for her part, was still standing behind the group, Crescent Rose hanging limply in her hand still in gun form as she tried to decide whether to still be scared, be really confused, or yell for someone to give him the chair.

@C.T. @york. @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

 

[BarrenThin]

Raime let out an excited growl as all of this unfolded. The thrill of combat was like a drug. When Azula took Cena to suplex city, he couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. It was not one of amusement, though. It was a far more manic sound. The Fume Knight rushed forward as Cena stood and threw a gigantic uppercut at him. He wanted a fight? Raime would give him one!

@york @Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!​

 

[Ringmaster]

Lucifer sidled up next to Ruby, for a moment silent before he spoke.

".... Does this seem a little strange to you?"

He considered his choice of words before saying dryly.

"I mean besides the obvious. That's obviously not John Cena... So what might have happened, to make him like that?"

@Schnee Corp Lawyer @Everyone

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

The fist slammed into Raime's outstretched hand, and the tile floor beneath the knights feet cracked and splintered as the sheer force pushed him back a few feet. Bullets went flying as the shots echoed through the large halls, but where they struck Reed Cena his flesh just seemed to briefly suck them up as it absorbed the force before they popped out and dropped harmlessly to the floor a few seconds later. "Fool? I'm not the fool, YOU-"

whatever he thought Raime was was cut off as Azula suddenly dashed him, wrapped up his waist, and up, over, and SLAM.

His head smushed into the ground slightly from the force, but the bounce afterwards actually had both R.C. and Azula in the air for a split second before they both crashed to the ground. And despite seemingly being made of rubber and taking bullets like they were drops of rain, R.C. gave an almost exaggerated groan as he struggled to get to his feet.

Ruby, for her part, was still standing behind the group, Crescent Rose hanging limply in her hand still in gun form as she tried to decide whether to still be scared, be really confused, or yell for someone to give him the chair.

@C.T. @york. @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

Vash watched as the bullets impacted and then bounced out onto the ground as if they were as easy as flicking aside bee-stings. Well, one thing was clear at least. That they weren't gonna take this guy down with bullets but brute force seemed well enough. Not that Vash was necessarily a master fighter in that category. He usually tried to settle things without his gun or any violence at all if he could help it. Which didn't lend well to situations like this where they had to get down and dirty.

He supposed the fact that bullets weren't gonna do much to this guy was enough of a comfort to him. Because then they couldn't fill him full of lead and kill him! Or something along those lines. Beat him up, subdue him, sure that was fine. But killing was the big n-o and it didn't seem like Vash's gunplay was gonna help him here. Which was fine with him. No one would have to die and that's what the easily emotionally rattled gunslinger wanted, right Rem?

​

Raime let out am excited growl as all of this unfolded. The thrill of combat was like a drug. When Azula took Cena to suplex city, he couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. It was not one of amusement, though. It was a far more manic sound. The Fume Knight rushed forward as Cena stood and threw a gigantic uppercut at him. He wanted a fight? Raime would give him one!

@york @Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!​

Had Vash been struck and not known it? Or was Raime actually laughing? That was probably the second best news Vash had gotten since they arrived at this place! The guy had always seemed so serious and menacing that Vash thought he would have needed the world's biggest ice-pick to break through the knight's hard outer shell.

But it seems that getting the chance to exchange fisticuffs was enough for him. Different strokes for different folks he guessed. He just hoped Raime didn't get too into it and seriously hurt this guy. Because Vash had met and fought plenty of interesting people. But this guy seemed to be missing a few double dollars in the bank if you caught his drift. Still, he figured it best to just leave it up to Raime and Azula while interfering if he saw fit to stop them from hurting the guy any more than necessary.

So twirling his gun in a rather flashy but probably unnecessary manner, he'd slip it back into his holster before he made his way back over to where Ruby seemed to still be unsure of what to do. Probably didn't help that he mistook this guy for a ghost to begin with when he just seemed like some kinda loopy guy.

"If you want my totally non-medically certified opinion? I think he's missing a couple of screws here and there. With how decrepit this place looks, I wouldn't be surprised if he was stuck in here for however long this place has been left like this for. That's sure to drag on anybody's mind. But I still have a question of my own." Vash then turned towards Lucifer and Ruby with the most serious expression he could muster up.

"..Who's John Cena?"

Vash was no stranger to wrestling that's for sure. Plants had incredibly long-life spans so Vash had been able to see a wrestling community flourish on Gunsmoke as he traveled along. He never had any real interest in it himself but this name certainly wasn't familiar even if he recognized some of the moves that RC and Azula had both used.

@BarrenThin @C.T. @Schnee Corp Lawyer @El Tigre! @Saint Guillotine
​

 

[C.T.]

A long prolonged fight with this man would gain no benefit. Cena would just keep bouncing back. No, what mattered was that they end this quickly as possible. She absolutely could not trust that idiot Raime to do so. Lightning would be useless on a man of rubber. That meant quick and precise usage of fire in the most vital area...or the threat of using it. Hmm. Her eyes narrowed and she surged forward in a jet of fire to intercept the Fume Knight. Control of the situation was required. Sliding deftly in front of him, she swiped her hand up and raised a wall of solid blue fire to try and dissuade him from continuing with his idiotic moves.

"No." She uttered to Raime, a voice that sounded like silk yet carrying across the hardened tones of steel. Whether he chose to listen or not, she moved on promptly. No sooner than she had spoken was she taking determined strides over to her other target, stepping right around him as he quite exaggerated his injuries like the fool he was, stumbling to get to his feet. At least his little show made it easier for her to capitalize. She aimed to help him...by tightly clutching onto his collar and pulling him up with one hand. The other produced a small but focused burst of flame.

"Enough." She demanded. "You are the first living other human we've encountered since waking up together. You will end this farce now. There are two options. You tell us what little you know about this place and we might deign to let you live. Or you refuse and I jab this searing flame into your ear and we will see what happens to a man when his brain decides to go swim a few laps on the surface of the sun. And if I feel even a single muscle of yours move, I'll do it anyway. Right on the spot." She smiled.

"Choose."

@Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @york @BarrenThin​

 

[BarrenThin]

A long prolonged fight with this man would gain no benefit. Cena would just keep bouncing back. No, what mattered was that they end this quickly as possible. She absolutely could not trust that idiot Raime to do so. Lightning would be useless on a man of rubber. That meant quick and precise usage of fire in the most vital area...or the threat of using it. Hmm. Her eyes narrowed and she surged forward in a jet of fire to intercept the Fume Knight. Control of the situation was required. Sliding deftly in front of him, she swiped her hand up and raised a wall of solid blue fire to try and dissuade him from continuing with his idiotic moves.

"No." She uttered to Raime, a voice that sounded like silk yet carrying across the hardened tones of steel. Whether he chose to listen or not, she moved on promptly. No sooner than she had spoken was she taking determined strides over to her other target, stepping right around him as he quite exaggerated his injuries like the fool he was, stumbling to get to his feet. At least his little show made it easier for her to capitalize. She aimed to help him...by tightly clutching onto his collar and pulling him up with one hand. The other produced a small but focused burst of flame.

"Enough." She demanded. "You are the first living other human we've encountered since waking up together. You will end this farce now. There are two options. You tell us what little you know about this place and we might deign to let you live. Or you refuse and I jab this searing flame into your ear and we will see what happens to a man when his brain decides to go swim a few laps on the surface of the sun. And if I feel even a single muscle of yours move, I'll do it anyway. Right on the spot." She smiled.

"Choose."

@Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @york @BarrenThin​

The fire didn't faze him. It hurt a bit, yes, but Raime didn't even slow down. Fire was, along with darkness, the thing the Fume Knight was most resistant to; a skilled pyromancer could spend a good thirty minutes hurling their best at him before doing any significant damage. He paused when Azula held the man, though. "Be done with him, then. If you insist on this coward's tactic- befitting you, I suppose- then finish it. No more pleasantries. He's clearly insane; why would he listen to you?" Raime didn't seem invigorated anymore. "But know, welp, that those of Dark and Flame never forget... we do not forgive. Where you stand is clear from your decision of this course alone, but if you think for a moment I won't simply kill you if you even so much as harm him from this stance..." Raime laughed, this time the sound mirthless and sinister.

"The Darkness calls, little one."

What an interesting subject to get Raime to actually talk.

@york @Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!​

 

[York]

The fist slammed into Raime's outstretched hand, and the tile floor beneath the knights feet cracked and splintered as the sheer force pushed him back a few feet. Bullets went flying as the shots echoed through the large halls, but where they struck Reed Cena his flesh just seemed to briefly suck them up as it absorbed the force before they popped out and dropped harmlessly to the floor a few seconds later. "Fool? I'm not the fool, YOU-"

whatever he thought Raime was was cut off as Azula suddenly dashed him, wrapped up his waist, and up, over, and SLAM.

His head smushed into the ground slightly from the force, but the bounce afterwards actually had both R.C. and Azula in the air for a split second before they both crashed to the ground. And despite seemingly being made of rubber and taking bullets like they were drops of rain, R.C. gave an almost exaggerated groan as he struggled to get to his feet.

Ruby, for her part, was still standing behind the group, Crescent Rose hanging limply in her hand still in gun form as she tried to decide whether to still be scared, be really confused, or yell for someone to give him the chair.

@C.T. @york. @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

Chell (Canon)
@C.T. @Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!
Chell thought quickly, she had to, she prepared to portal her way out of there, but, then she noticed Ruby amidst the crazy antics of "Reed Cena" as he fought with the rest of the group, eventually, she tapped Ruby on the shoulder, indicating with a few quick motions towards her portal, then towards two distinct points; one on the wall, one outside. Then, there was a pause, before Chell then pointed to her Crescent Rose, it looked like she was trying to tell her about some sort of plan involving portals from her portal gun, and perhaps the use of her Crescent Rose? It was difficult to tell with hand motions alone...​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Am I supposed to know who John Cena is? because I seriously have no clue." Ruby said in response to Lucifer and , still staring in a bizarre mix of confusion, worry, and amusement at whatever the heck was happen- "what- Guys relax we're on the same side!" she started to jog over to put herself between Raime and Azula, but before she could make it over, the man grinned.

"...Heh"

On second Azula had her hostage. And the next second she didn't, Reed Cena's head shrinking to the size of a golf ball for a brief second as before he jumped at an angle into the air to deliver a classic drop kick straight into Raime's chest. Or at least it would have been classic if his feet didn't shoot out like rubber rockets to try and slam Raime hard enough into one of the walls to send him through it to the office on the other side if it connected. At the same time his hands looped around around Azula's head like constricting snakes to slam her down with him as he fell to the ground, facefirst into tile and the concrete underneath it.

If that all worked out, R.C. literally bounced off the floor with a "WOOOO! YOU THINK THIS IS MY FIRST HANDICAP MATCH!?" as he flexed to the non-existent crowd before he looked down at Azula with a smirk before he dusted off one shoulder and swung the same hand back in preparation to bring it falling down on the hopefully dazed princess. Said hand also grew five times as big. A Five Knuckle Shuffle where every knuckle was the size of a bowling ball.

Ruby winced as she watched that unfold, glancing over to Chell as she tapped her. "...Sure! I have no idea what you want but sure lets try it!"

@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

A long prolonged fight with this man would gain no benefit. Cena would just keep bouncing back. No, what mattered was that they end this quickly as possible. She absolutely could not trust that idiot Raime to do so. Lightning would be useless on a man of rubber. That meant quick and precise usage of fire in the most vital area...or the threat of using it. Hmm. Her eyes narrowed and she surged forward in a jet of fire to intercept the Fume Knight. Control of the situation was required. Sliding deftly in front of him, she swiped her hand up and raised a wall of solid blue fire to try and dissuade him from continuing with his idiotic moves.

"No." She uttered to Raime, a voice that sounded like silk yet carrying across the hardened tones of steel. Whether he chose to listen or not, she moved on promptly. No sooner than she had spoken was she taking determined strides over to her other target, stepping right around him as he quite exaggerated his injuries like the fool he was, stumbling to get to his feet. At least his little show made it easier for her to capitalize. She aimed to help him...by tightly clutching onto his collar and pulling him up with one hand. The other produced a small but focused burst of flame.

"Enough." She demanded. "You are the first living other human we've encountered since waking up together. You will end this farce now. There are two options. You tell us what little you know about this place and we might deign to let you live. Or you refuse and I jab this searing flame into your ear and we will see what happens to a man when his brain decides to go swim a few laps on the surface of the sun. And if I feel even a single muscle of yours move, I'll do it anyway. Right on the spot." She smiled.

"Choose."

@Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @york @BarrenThin​

"Well if you don't know John Cena is, how am I supposed to know???" Vash asked genuinely confused before his eyes got a glance of what Azula planned to do to the man. This was all of Vash's worst fears coming to hit him right in the face. The thought of hanging around with someone who could socasually put someone's life on the line worried Vash. He still had some bullets lefct over. Maybe if he flicked them before she blasted this guy, he'd be able to knock her shot off course and save this guy's life.

Because so what if he had answers that they could have used? So what if he seemed nuttier than a fruitcake? He still had the right to live, just as everyone else did. But seeing the man escape from Azula's hold and then go on the attack again, Vash's eyes narrowed. For as cruel as Azula came off to be, neither her or Raime deserved a beatdown like that.

"I gotta do something..C'mon, Vash think!"

Wait, that was it! Yep, he was totally a genius. As RC prepared to bring the massive fist down on Azula, Vash sprinted forward and faster than RC would have been able to catch, Vash would have laid Azula off to the side, leaving him standing where she had just been. Vash however hadn't thought of how he was going to avoid the fist and could only look up and scream like a girl as the fist continued with it's momentum unchanged as it smashed into the back of Vash's head and knocked the gunslinger face first into the ground. But at least Azula was alright. That's what mattered more to Vash than saving his own hide.

@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @Schnee Corp Lawyer @El Tigre!​

 

[BarrenThin]

"Am I supposed to know who John Cena is? because I seriously have no clue." Ruby said in response to Lucifer and , still staring in a bizarre mix of confusion, worry, and amusement at whatever the heck was happen- "what- Guys relax we're on the same side!" she started to jog over to put herself between Raime and Azula, but before she could make it over, the man grinned.

"...Heh"

On second Azula had her hostage. And the next second she didn't, Reed Cena's head shrinking to the size of a golf ball for a brief second as before he jumped at an angle into the air to deliver a classic drop kick straight into Raime's chest. Or at least it would have been classic if his feet didn't shoot out like rubber rockets to try and slam Raime hard enough into one of the walls to send him through it to the office on the other side if it connected. At the same time his hands looped around around Azula's head like constricting snakes to slam her down with him as he fell to the ground, facefirst into tile and the concrete underneath it.

If that all worked out, R.C. literally bounced off the floor with a "WOOOO! YOU THINK THIS IS MY FIRST HANDICAP MATCH!?" as he flexed to the non-existent crowd before he looked down at Azula with a smirk before he dusted off one shoulder and swung the same hand back in preparation to bring it falling down on the hopefully dazed princess. Said hand also grew five times as big. A Five Knuckle Shuffle where every knuckle was the size of a bowling ball.

Ruby winced as she watched that unfold, glancing over to Chell as she tapped her. "...Sure! I have no idea what you want but sure lets try it!"

@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

Raime quickly found out what an office looked like. The blow had hit with surprising power; it rivaled Velstadt's! The very thought of the King's Aegis distracted the Fume Knight, then threw him into a rage. He charged back into the room with a deafening roar that shook the walls, throwing a fist at the Cena's chest. The catch? His first was coated in a mixture of fire and the very essence of darkness as he launched it at him. It was followed up by a second punch, then a third, as, in his Berserker rage, Raime lost any sense of self control. The sight of Vash (perhaps the person he'd come closest to liking) on the ground didn't help. Short of his attacks being interrupted, he didn't stop for anything, not if he missed, not if Cena went down. Raime wasn't having a fun bout of fisticuffs anymore. He was trying to beat Cena to death, fire and Dark streaming off of his hands.



@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Schnee Corp Lawyer @El Tigre!​

 

[C.T.]

"...What?!" She blinked in the time afforded to her, his head having for all intents and purposes vanished into nothingness. It went too quickly for even her to catch up with, her normally composed analytical mind still reeling from the concussion and the headache that came with it. Her question was barely out of her lips before her head was wrapped...and then pulled down sharply. It was with a sick, crunching thud that she impacted the ground. The corners of her vision literally went black, stars popping into sight. A low groan etched out from her lips, just lying there facedown on the cold ground. Blissfully unaware of the oncoming storm that was the five knuckle shuffle.

Except she didn't get hit after all, pushed off to the side. She let out another groan, one hand pushing her up as the other clutched her forehead. If the previous one had been a headache, then this was an absolute dazing migraine. She coughed, a trickle of blood splattering the tile and pushed to her feet, trying to shake her head clear. Focus your mind, get back in the fight, represent your royalty status. The thoughts came through a cloud of haziness, like a lightning bolt piercing the blinding fog.

She took a step. Two. Three. And fell flat on her face again, eliciting another groan. Come on! She was stronger than two possible concussions, surely! She only had to get to her feet and stay there. Seemed she was out of it for a few.

@Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @york @BarrenThin​

 

[Ringmaster]

He made a terrible mistake.

This figure was too dangerous to allow to continue this fantasy.

So without a word, Lucifer entered the fray now as he dove right in. Physical aside, this figure seemed remarkably resilient to such. Fine. So he wouldn't fight on his level.

He would bring R. Cena to fight on his.

Eyes flashed and as he made eye contact, he layered power into his words as he spoke.

"Human, your will is mine. Sleep."

Try fighting a battle on both planes, physical and mentally.

This was going to drain his power something immense, considering how much he was using. But needs must.

He'll deal with the consequences later.

@C.T. @york @Schnee Corp Lawyer @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

 

[York]

"Am I supposed to know who John Cena is? because I seriously have no clue." Ruby said in response to Lucifer and , still staring in a bizarre mix of confusion, worry, and amusement at whatever the heck was happen- "what- Guys relax we're on the same side!" she started to jog over to put herself between Raime and Azula, but before she could make it over, the man grinned.

"...Heh"

On second Azula had her hostage. And the next second she didn't, Reed Cena's head shrinking to the size of a golf ball for a brief second as before he jumped at an angle into the air to deliver a classic drop kick straight into Raime's chest. Or at least it would have been classic if his feet didn't shoot out like rubber rockets to try and slam Raime hard enough into one of the walls to send him through it to the office on the other side if it connected. At the same time his hands looped around around Azula's head like constricting snakes to slam her down with him as he fell to the ground, facefirst into tile and the concrete underneath it.

If that all worked out, R.C. literally bounced off the floor with a "WOOOO! YOU THINK THIS IS MY FIRST HANDICAP MATCH!?" as he flexed to the non-existent crowd before he looked down at Azula with a smirk before he dusted off one shoulder and swung the same hand back in preparation to bring it falling down on the hopefully dazed princess. Said hand also grew five times as big. A Five Knuckle Shuffle where every knuckle was the size of a bowling ball.

Ruby winced as she watched that unfold, glancing over to Chell as she tapped her. "...Sure! I have no idea what you want but sure lets try it!"

@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

Chell (Canon)
@C.T. @Schnee Corp Lawyer @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!
Chell cocked her head, then, nodded, deciding to assess if the ceiling and walls had any surfaces she could place portals upon; this might be a really tight squeeze, but, she was confident they could pull off a sneaky maneuver that would hopefully take "R. Cena" by surprise.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

Vash hit the ground hard enough to crack more of the tile and even concrete this time from the blow, and R.C. let out another victorious whoop before-

-Before Raime crashed into him with all the fire and darkness of a titan of old. incredibly resilient as the rubber body was, it didn't extend to heat and flame, and R.C. let out a strangled cry of pain as the fists pummeled into him. The first few blows struck clean and the smell of burnt flesh was clear in the air, but after a few seconds of surprise he snarled, shot out both hands to grip Raime's head, and in an astounding feat of strength attempted to suplex the massive man over his back so they'd both crash into the ground.

Incidentally right on top of Vash if he didn't move his butt.

Lucifer would find it incredibly difficult to get any sort of eye contact in the midst of that mess, R.C. unsurprisingly more focused on the fourteen foot tall man with flaming fists.

Ruby looked on in mild horror as things took even more of a violent turn, nodding fervently to Chell "ok ok go go go!" (not that she was really sure what Chell had planned but anything was better than just standing here watching this)

Azula continued to have a mild concussion

@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

 

[BarrenThin]

Raime was ready for the stretch this time. Fire spread over his head, then the rest of his body, burning at Cena's hands as Raime began to more or less immolate himself. It hurt him, as well, but it hopefully provided the protection he needed. Still, unless Cena recoiled, he got taken to the same place the stretchy man had been taken by Azula; suplex city.

Hopefully not with Vash underneath him.

@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!​

 

[Chewy Rabbits]

Vash hit the ground hard enough to crack more of the tile and even concrete this time from the blow, and R.C. let out another victorious whoop before-

-Before Raime crashed into him with all the fire and darkness of a titan of old. incredibly resilient as the rubber body was, it didn't extend to heat and flame, and R.C. let out a strangled cry of pain as the fists pummeled into him. The first few blows struck clean and the smell of burnt flesh was clear in the air, but after a few seconds of surprise he snarled, shot out both hands to grip Raime's head, and in an astounding feat of strength attempted to suplex the massive man over his back so they'd both crash into the ground.

Incidentally right on top of Vash if he didn't move his butt.

Lucifer would find it incredibly difficult to get any sort of eye contact in the midst of that mess, R.C. unsurprisingly more focused on the fourteen foot tall man with flaming fists.

Ruby looked on in mild horror as things took even more of a violent turn, nodding fervently to Chell "ok ok go go go!" (not that she was really sure what Chell had planned but anything was better than just standing here watching this)

Azula continued to have a mild concussion

@C.T. @york @Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre!

The impact had been more than enough to knock the Plant off his feet and just as had been described for his face to meet the concrete. The shattered rims of his glasses laid aside him, having been crushed under the raw power of RC. Vash for his part was no stranger to pain, unfortunately. His body was proof enough of that. This of course didn't mean that he had any great immunity to pain or anything of the sort. His fingers scraped against what remained of the tiled floors as blood seeped out from his nose and forehead and the plant's thoughts were being overshadowed by the rush of pain straight to his head.

This guy really wasn't a joke for as nutty as he may have appeared to be. Anyone with strength like that was worth being a note-worthy threat. But he couldn't afford to stay with his head in the ground like this. The others needed his help and Azula seemed to be in far worse shape than he was. So rearing back, Vash smashed his forehead into the ground to get another jolt of pain to rile him up and give him enough gusto to fall back onto his rear.

"Did anyone catch the number of that bus...I have some choice words for the driver." Even at a time like this, Vash couldn't help but try to hide his true nature to the others. Though if he had deduced it correctly, Bucky had already figured him out. He wasn't too keen on the sight he saw once he had picked himself up from the floor. Azula still seemed to be in a pretty bad funk. Understandable from what Vash had seen RC do to her. If only he'd been quicker to intervene..

But Raime's reaction to what Vash presumed being attacked, the plant couldn't help but look on horror at how furious the knight appeared to be. Every time Vash tried to think of some kind of way to cool Raime down and prevent him from possibly murdering this guy, the headache to conquer all headaches rang out and Vash clutched a hand to the side of his head as he finally staggered up to his feet. But he couldn't just stand by idly while Raime attempted to beat this man to death with his fiery fists o' doom.

"Raime! You gotta stop it! Killing this guy isn't the answer! It won't solve anything! Stop!" But it seemed like the peace-loving gunslinger's words were lost on the knight burrowed deep into his rage as he was. Vash would have tried to stop him by force for however much that might have worked but he had bigger problems on his hands. Like avoiding Raimes as he was suplexed over RC's head. Rolling over to the side to avoid being smashed under the knight.

Upon doing so, Vash clutched to the side of his head again as he looked over. His gun had a negligible effect if any on this guy and attempting to use his hidden gun might have only put Raime in harm's way. Which didn't leave much in Vash's arsenal to use against this guy. Vash could throw a decent punch but against a guy who seemed to have some expertise under his belt, it would have only ended up with the gunsman getting his rear handed to him. But wait a second, fire seemed to work while punches not so much. Seemed like one might expect when facing a guy made of rubber or so he imagined.

But there had to have been something that acted as the Achilles's Heel for everyone. For Vash it was his need to protect everyone and everything. At least in the eyes of his enemies. Which meant that this guy had to have one too right? Maybe he wouldn't be able to dodge everyone's attacks as easily if someone was to slow him down a notch. Which was why while RC was occupied with Raime, Vash slammed the heel of his left shoe on the ground and a knife would have folded out from the front. Glancing over, he sought to try and slam the knife into the back of his calf. Hopefully that'd help slow him down. Vash felt bad about doing it all the same.

@C.T. @BarrenThin @El Tigre! @Schnee Corp Lawyer @york @Saint Guillotine​

 

[Orangewasp]

This encounter, with the so called self-proclaimed champ, was over the top. That statement alone didn't even do the situation justice. It was zany, bizarre, strange, weird, and so on. Perhaps even beyond. A thought that lingered at the back of his mind comprised of something along the lines of: "What have I gotten myself into???"

He recognized the style behind the "Champ"'s technique: wrestling. Which in of itself wasn't the perturbing component. It was the fact he was... stretching??? Like rubber even. Which was an occurrence he'd never heard of. (Yet. Yeah, looking at you F4. Wait...) Their opponent was a super.

Which boggled his mind momentarily when he realized he'd just used the terminology. Where did that come from? Super? Not only that--

"John Cena? Name's familiar, not sure."

He calmly muttered aloud as he reloaded the magazine into the M1A40, casually observing the scene unfold. "Memory's still fuzzy. He's a wrestler right?" Barnable's memories were coming into play here, superseding the Winter Soldier's for now. Barnes was supremely skeptical now though; fuzzy memory aside, he couldn't exact recollect whether or not that was what John Cena looked like.

An inkling told him it wasn't, especially with the faded edges on the character's exterior. Something was up. "Might be related to how we're here." He added as an aside to Lucifer.

"Guns're useless, only got a knife." The Soldier glanced back over, seeing Azula take RC to suplex city then a bounce followed. He might have winced if he hadn't been so focused. A shake of his head followed as he slung the assault rifle over his back, hanging it in place with its strap. "Getting in close? Bad idea." Especially if the big one was getting hit hard from the sound of that punch he'd parried.

"We're going to need to disable him. Either pin him or tie him up." Or Chell's idea. Good timing too, considering the end result of Azula's hostage attempt, which ended in the vandalizing of an innocent office. Though this led to the big guy getting angry it seemed-- he was almost reminded of a big guy that happened to be green and perpetually angry. Unfortunately: Azula got pancaked into the ground.

Enough standing around.

"Do whatever it is you're going to do."

Hands free, he rushed into the thick of it. Perhaps he was having an episode of lunacy, running into the fray between a titan and a stretchy wrestler, but there were people who needed help. So naturally he moved to help. His first target was the still Azula, who seemed to have difficulty standing. A concussion, or two after that hit, would certainly make that a challenge.

He felt even worse for knocking her out earlier. : |

First he had to get to her and that meant--

Side-stepping around the Fume Knight who was about to be taken to suplex city. Atop of Vash it seemed. Hmm, he'd probably been too slow. He couldn't let that slow him down though and rushing to Azula, he moved in a fashion that consisted of him reaching her and slinging her into his arms bridal style ( :| ). He made an effort to hightail it back whence he came, glancing back only once to ensure Vash was well and alive despite having taken the worse of it than Azula.

Vash was fine, Bucky thought, as he saw him trying to console the raging behemoth's fury before he slew the Champ. Soon as he deposited the hampered princess's form with Ruby and the others, denoting the customary "help her", he turned back to rejoin the melee.

It seemed like Vash had the same idea the Soldier did, as he unsheathed his knife.

@BarrenThin @C.T. @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Saint Guillotine



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