| Match 1 - Brian Ailshie Hidden Dragons vs Lawmen Group Y - Tombstone, AZ Wyatt Earp: Ok, guys. Like I told you. I watched these guys fight their last match. They can fly and do some pretty amazing things. Don't let it distract ya. Brian: The others nod their understanding and spread out. Before long, Jen Yu catches up with Rockwell and Boone. She leaps over a building and surprises them, despite Earp's warning. She swipes Rockwell's beard off with his head. Boone takes a shot at her, but it goes wild. Long before he could re-load his musket, he's cut down by the Green Destiny. John Madden: But here comes Wyatt Earp! He heard the shot and came running. He's in time to see Jen take to the air again. He shoots fast from the hip and catches Jen Yu below the left collarbone. She gives a short scream and drops like a rock. Wyatt hears a few more shots and takes off running again. Al Michaels: Yeah John, it seems that Crockett met up with Li Mu Bai while Earp was off helping the others. Crockett shoots both his rifle and pistol, throws a knife, and then the pistol as well. He's getting desperate as he dives through the saloon window away from Li Mu Bai. The Chinese warrior flies after him and finally pegs him to the bar. Madden: But look, his sword was momentarily stuck and Earp takes him down. Now it's a 1 on 1 battle between Earp and Yu Shu Lien. Brian: Earp hears a noise behind him and twirls firing in rapid succession, but there's nothing there. Earp is a little spooked, but heads back outside in pursuit of his foe. Another noise to his left sets off another pair of shots. Once again, his foe is not to be seen. A third noise, this time to his right, and Earp spins again. There she is! Click, click, click. Madden: Oh no! He fired all his shots at the first two enemies, and then the first two noises! Lien smiles as she cuts Earp down. Winners: Hidden Dragon (2-1) Lawmen (1-3) Match 2 - Mark Ailshie The Mob vs. Tribesmen Group B - New York City Sponge scowled, as he watched the reanimated dead walk toward him. As they closed to within ten feet, they immediately became lifeless--Coffin Shaker's reanimation abilities couldn't penetrate Sponge's dissipation field. His friends were safe from the hordes of undead as long as they stayed near him, but they were also powerless. "I've got an idea," said Skeleton Key. Move us over one of the sewer grates." Sponge nodded and walked in that direction, the zombies dropping as they got close. Key bent down to the mouth of the grate. "Once you move on, I can slide through the bars easily, but Coffin Shaker's creatures won't be able to follow." "They can't follow me either!" said Wyvern, and began climbing a tree to get out of Sponge's field. "No wait!" called Sponge. "Let's keep together!" But the dragon-teen was gone. Wyvern sailed over the heads of the zombies, breathing his magical fire if the whim took him. He spotted Coffin Shaker in the middle of the graveyard, and sailed down on the wind, screaming as he attacked. A thin whip-like tentacle snaked around Wyvern and yanked him out of the air. Tendril began squeezing him like a python Wyvern tried to breathe fire, but could barely get the breath into his body. He felt himself passing out, and cursed his headstrong nature. Suddenly, the coils loosened. Wyvern glanced at Tendril and saw Allure there, working her usual magic. He felt another surge of affection for her, and wondered for the hundredth time how much of it was due to her powers. She winked in his direction and stepped aside. Wyvern blew a column of flame at the plant-like tendril, and he was reduced to cinders. Across the park, there was a sharp whistle, and Wyvern and Allure looked up, forgetting for a split second who their opponent was. Gorgon was there staring at them, and instantly a paralytic shock rocked their brains and spinal cords, and the two heroes fell to the grass. Coffin Shaker sent his creatures to finish them off. But Sponge waded into the fray and rescued Allure. She was comatose, but alive. He was too late to save Wyvern, however. "How sweet," Gorgon mocked with her usual scowl. Sponge could look at her with impunity, as she glared hatred at him. "Let's see how well you fight without putting her down!" Gorgon relied on her power, but she was also an accomplished fighter in her own right. She punched Sponge in the gut and circled around to kick him in the back of the head. Sponge dropped his girlfriend, but couldn't just leave her--Coffin Shaker's creatures waited just outside the field to finsh her off! Gorgon laughed and drew a set of throwing knives. Her mental bolts could not hurt him, but he had no defense against steel. Sponge frantically tried to find some strategy to escape. And then suddenly, the living dead fell to the earth again. The two enemies glanced at where Coffin Shaker had been standing and spotted Skeleton Key, having just seeped out of the sewers again, wiping his hands-made-blades on the grass. He nodded at Sponge, and the dissipating warrior dropped Allure and turned his whole attention on dispatching Gorgon. In a short time, he made her eat her own knives. Winners: Tribesmen (2-0) Mob (0-2) Match 3 - RJ Harris Venture�s Quest vs. Looney Toons Group R - The Shire Mr. Obvious: Not to down play anything going on at Warner Bros. Co., but come on! Where in the realm of fantasy, reality, or anything in between would you ever have cartoons beat great warriors�(Mark smiles)�and for that matter� Mr. Statistics: Look at Group N. The Cartoon Heroes are the #2 spot. Did they get that by luck? No! They defeated warriors�Ninjas and Feydakin warriors to win their place in the Elimination Round, so� RJ: Ok guys enough of the bickering, I get enough of that from my students. True, the Cartoon Heroes DID defeat warriors, but they are much more of a fighting crew than Bugs and Friends. And it was only after all Video Ninjas and granted the Feydakin battle was impressive�. Owl: Hoo! Hoo! I think that Mr. RJ is beginning to go on and on like my great 2nd cousin Marie Antione-hoo-too. She lived during that terrible time when� Mr. Announcer: Well to spare the rest of you from this boredom, I�ll sum up what happened. RJ, Stats, and Obvious went on for about 25 minutes about their topic of cartoon fighters. Owl finished his story nearly 3 days later, having never really reached a point. As far as the fight goes, Venture�s Quest had a well laid plan and picked off the much unprepared Looney Toons one by one. A flawless victory here sets up a very important couple of matches here in The Shire. Winner: Venture�s Quest: (2-0) Looney Toons: (0-3) Match 4 - Robert Newell The Looney Toons vs the Superfriends Group R - Hobbiton In the end, this match came down the fact the toons are practically indestructible, while the Superfriends are pathetic losers. Anvils raining from the sky, pistols and shotguns with seemingly unlimited ammunition, and exploding ACME products are quite lethal to non-toons. This doesn't even factor in to account the Tasmanian Devil. Or that the Wondertwins abilities are lacking in both power and applicability to say the least. Or the fact that there is no large body of water anywhere near the Shire for Aquaman to call backup from. The Looney Toons score a flawless victory. Winner: The Loony Toons (1-2) The Superfriends (0-3) Match 5 - Mark Ailshie Venture's Quest vs. Tolkien's Heroes Group R - Hobbiton "This time, we all stay together," Venture insisted. Yonder agreed sheepishly, and the four moved off. They saw two tall humans with beards, and moved toward them. "Rygara, you and me will take Radagast," said Venture. "Yonder and Rog, take Gandalf. And keep your eyes peeled for the invisible hobbit. Rog twisted his mouth. How was he supposed to do that? If there was one thing he despised--besides running out of ale--it was an enemy he could not see. He moved with Yonder toward the tall grey wizard, while Venture and his wife--he still couldn't get used to saying that!--moved toward the brown one. Gandalf drew a long sword, and Rog hefted his axe and started thinking strategy Suddenly, something sharp bit into his side. Rog grunted, dropped the axe, and punched out, striking something unseen. The wound was deep, but Rog ignored it, instead leaping at the invisible hobbit. He got his massive arms around him an started to squeeze. Bilbo cursed and tried to squirm away, but Rog held him fast. Bilbo might be clever, but he was no match for Rog in a wrestling match, and soon the hobbit's ribs cracked, piercing his lungs. Only then did Rog check his wound, seeing that it wasn't that bad. He retrieved his axe, and then stooped to examine the invisible body. He felt for the hobbit's hand, and removed a small gold ring. Meanwhile, Yonder and Gandalf faced one another, each recognizing the other as a kindred soul. "Both you and I are servants of greater powers," remarked the wizard. "Both of us have been reborn, and we each faced and defeated the Balrog." "All true," agreed Yonder. "It seems that this battle will not be determined by the righteousness of our cause, but by our individual worth." They step back, and begin sparring, at first only testing the waters. Gandalf is the stronger, but Yonder has significant protective wards. Still, it is only a matter of time before the older, more experienced, and stronger wizard overcomes the dwarf. Yonder recognized that quickly. He only hoped to hold him off long enough to receive help. Venture and Rygara approach Radagast, but when they are still several yards away, tiny saplings suddenly grow to an enormous size, and snag their legs and arms. Rygara chops away the plants with her sword, Labyrinth, but Venture's sword is engulfed by the bark. The elf has time to cry out before the trees start to overwhelm him. Rygara gives a cry and moves to free him, but now Radagast approaches with his sword ready. Rygara parries and blocks his attacks, still trying to rescue Venture, but soon it is too late. The trees choke the elf, until he collapses from suffocation. Rygara cries out in rage and pain, and leaps to attack Radagast. The brown wizard gives ground in astonishment--before, Rygara had only been blocking him, trying to get to her husband's aid. Now, she attacks, and Radagast is no match for her skills. He tries to summon another magical attack, but the distraction is too much for him, and Rygara knocks off an arm at the shoulder, then steps in and skewers the wizard's heart. Yonder is beginning to flag, and Gandalf shows no sign of tiring. Finally, he swings Glamdring in one great swipe, and Yonder's spear splinters and breaks in half. Yonder falls to his knees, beaten. "Believe me," says Gandalf, "You have my complete respect." Then he cuts down the dwarf with mercifully swift cut to the throat. Gandalf breaths deeply once, and sits down on a wooden bench. Then, a silent warning tells him to jump aside. He obeys, and an instant later the bench shatters, as if struck by an invisible axe. Rog curses, frees his axe, and moves to attack again. Gandalf looks directly at him, as though the ring had no power over him. "It does you no good," he says. "And is more dangerous than you know." Rog doesn't answer, still hoping he is hidden. "I will help you release it," Gandalf says, and his sword flashes out faster than Rog had thought possible, striking his hand off. Rog screamed in pain as he became visible, and Gandalf finished him with a stab to the throat. But before he could free Glamdring, Rygara was there, attacking and blocking, giving the wizard no quarter. Her eyes were red with unshed tears, and Gandalf pitied her. "She is not made for these tournaments," he thought. "She feels too deeply, and leaves it unsaid, so the loss afflicts her. It is a shame that this noble quality makes her vulnerable to attack." Aloud, he said nothing. He simply parried her attacks, giving her room to grieve through her sword. Finally, when he could see her attack begin to flag, he waved a hand, and she was suddenly still, paralyzed as though she had been made of stone. "To grieve is good and honorable," Gandalf advised gently. "Join them now." He plunged Glamdring between the chinks in her mailed shirt, and into her heart. Winners: Tolkien's Heroes (3-1) Venture's Quest (2-1) Match 6 - Brian Ailshie NY Heroes vs Kill Them All Group B - Manhattan Island Brian: Well, this aught to be gruesome. There is plenty of hatred between these two teams. Carnage wants nothing more than to kill Spiderman. DareDevil and Bullseye feel the same about each other. Let's see what happens. John Madden: The heroes split up as do the villains. Spiderman makes his way across the rooftops, and DareDevil makes his way through the many alleyways. Electra sets up shop on a rooftop and Mighty Mouse takes off through the air with a yell of "Here I come to save the DAAAYY!" The noise alerts Scorpion and he attacks. His stinger swats down the caped mouse, but here comes Spidey to the rescue. Scorpion: Ok web head! Now you die! Spiderman: I don't think so Scorpion! Take that! Stan Lee: So saying, Spidey tangles the muscle-headed scorpion in his webbing. A moment later and Scorpion is hanging from a light post 25 feet above the street. Spidey checks on his little animated ally and sees that Scorpion's sting has done it's work. When he hears a snapping noise he spins back to Scorpion in shock. A small piece of webbing hangs from the light post but Scorpion is gone. When Spidey goes to investigate, he sees a hole in the ground and bubbles in the water of the sewer below. Madden: It seems the webbing holding Scorpion up broke, and he dropped into the muck. Looks like he may drown. Spiderman: Eww! What a way to go! Carnage: And you're next webslinger! Spiderman: Oh boy. This won't be pretty. Lee: The two trade blow after blow, as we leave them to see what else is happening. Brian: Right in the middle of the fight? Lee: Sure, it's call suspense! Brian: Oh, right. So what's happening elsewhere? Lee: Bullseye has found Electra. He doesn't announce his appearance this time, and launches a knife at the vigilante's back. She goes down with a groan, and Bullseye comes to her prone form to gloat. However, as he gets close, he realizes that though he didn't miss, her body suit partially blocked the blow from fatality. Of course he notices this when she kicks his knee-cap and breaks it. Bullseye curses loudly. Brian: I'd say curses is like saying it's a little dark in a black hole. He swears worse than the vilest of foul-mouthed beings ever. He follows the cursing with a punch to Electra's gut, then twists the blade in her back. She screams again and again as he jabs her repeatedly with the blade. Lee: Then DareDevil appears on the scene! He may be too late to rescue his love, but he easily dispatches the wounded gangster. His super hearing then picks up Spidey's fight with Carnage and he leaps to the rescue. A moment later and he jumps on Carnage's back as he leans over momentarily inert Spiderman. He beats the alien symbiote with his club like a jockey whipping his horse. Carnage roars in fury, but is unable to dislodge the blind hero. When Spidey joins the fight, Carnage goes down under a rain of blows, and webbing. Mr. Statistics: The Heroes are now one step away from a sweep. Winners: NY Heroes (3-0) Kill Them All (0-2) If there's a need for a tie breaker that's the one I'll use, but here's Robert's version for those that might be interested Match 6a - Robert Newell New York Heroes vs Kill Them All Group B - Manhattan Robert: Inasmuch as Spiderman has previously beaten eveyone in the Kill Them All team... repeatedly... I don't think that this is going to be much of a challenge. Alexander: You are absolutely correct, except that the New York Heroes aren't even going to need Spidey to win. It looks like MJ is talking his ear off in their apartment and the rest of his team has finished the match before he was done getting an earful. Robert: Wow, though Daredevil was killed by Carnage, Electra and Mighty Mouse manage to wipe out the Kill Them All team without breaking a sweat. All things considered, I feel the worst for Spiderman in this exchange. Winner: New York Heroes (3-0) Kill Them All (0-2) Match 7 - Robert Newell Team Hogwarts vs The Tribe Group E - Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters Robert: This time, I think Dumbledore is ready for his opponents. A few well placed Petrificatus Totalis charms from Dumbledore and Snape freeze the Tribesmen in their tracks. Alexander: Uh oh. Robert: What? Alexander: Well, totally paralyzing Majik with magic seems to have unfortunate consequences. He's fusion powered, and it seems that the charm interrupted his control to the point of an uncontrolled fusion reaction. Robert: Oh. And it seems that there is nothing left of either team... or the school... or a few miles of surrounding countryside. It is a good thing that the arena resets after each match. Winners: DRAW Team Hogwarts (1-2-1) The Tribe (0-1-1) Match 8 - Brian Ailshie Venture's Quest vs Super Friends Group R - Hobbiton Rog chops down the Blunder twins with speed and ease. Venture takes Hawkman from the air with several arrows, and Rygara takes Aquaman's legs out from under him with Labyrinth. Another flawless victory for Venture's Quest! Winner: Venture's Quest (3-1) Super Friends (0-4) GROUP BREAK DOWN Venture's Quest: 3-1 (TBS= 0) Dark Shehaps: 3-1 (TBS= -1) Tolkien's Heroes: 3-1(TBS= -2) Looney Toons: 1-3 Super Friends: 0-4 Venture's Quest takes the #1 Seed (against Ungol's Surprise) Dark Shehaps take the #2 Seed (against True Soldiers) Tolkien's Heroes takes the #2 Wild Card spot (their TBS is actually tied with Kurgan's Killers, but since #1 takes on the Fellowship, I gave Gandalf choice to move down (since Bilbo's voluntary elimination in their Super Friends match does give them the edge) Looney Toons and Super Friends of course get nothing. And the Order of the Pheonix drops out of the Wild Card Race. |