A large cage laid in wait for Bacchus as he walked down a dark hallway leading into the big auditorium. Full of the rich and the scum of New York City, if you were in trouble with the law you knew about this place, an old underground warehouse by the pier that was nicely refurbished on the inside but on the outside it looked like it was about to cave in. mainly to through of cops if they got a tip of some kind, either way a good portion of cops in this district of the city always are either betting their checks here or pretend it doesn’t exist. At one time there was talk about a cop who wanted to change things but he got a transfer somewhere or died. Once again another reason Bacchus didn’t trust cops in America.

An inch away from Bacchus was his furry mutant monkey looking friend Ulysses with a towel and a bottle of vodka in his hand. After he saved Ulysses from the mutant experimentation facility Bacchus gained a new shadow. Anything he needed Ulysses was there to help and in turn Bacchus found one of his best friends in the little guy. Reaching down Bacchus snagged the bottle of vodka from Ulysses and took a sip and then let out a large yawn.

For two weeks Bacchus had been getting paid to come and fight here, it wasn’t to bad; they had three healers on staff, and a bunch of security if things got out of hand. The only rule was unless you were in the closing number for the night there was no killing. Bacchus only had to get into that fight once and seeing as he was still on the payroll it meant the other guy didn’t last to long.

There was a fixed set of rules other than the killing only when necessary rule. The rules were something Bacchus memorized within the first week of the fights. The first rule was simple, only mutants, no humans were allowed to enter the ring, the second rule unless it’s part of your mutation no weapons other than your fists. The last rule was his favorite; the fights go as long as needed. Even though most of the fights were recommended to be long and drawn out so more people would bet the fights usually remained a tad on the short side.

Taking another swig from his bottle of vodka and handed it to his little monkey pal Bacchus ripped his shirt as he walked out into the spot light. The microphone sounded as the crowd started to cheer, the lowlifes in particular cheered Bacchus on he was after all just like them. “ In this corner weighing in at what ever he pleases, the thunder from down under, the one who puts the Rapple in the Grapple… Giant’s BANE!!!!” the crowed cheered as Bacchus lifted up his hands and egged the crowd on. This was his domain this was what he lived for.

Grinning as he walked into the ring Bacchus ignored the speaker as Krazy Karl entered the cage match. Karl was a little like him, not as strong but was almost as indestructible. Letting out a laugh as the crowd died down Bacchus tore off the rest of his shirt and threw it on the ground as the Karl grinned at him and returned the laugh. They both knew who was going to win, the crowd however didn’t. Seeing as Karl was marked as the favorite on the big screen that covered the curved walls that were the stadium.

Wishing she could wipe her hands with disinfectant, Jaxon pulled away from the man holding her elbow, making it look like the crowd was the reason. Her friend Grace had set her up with someone she knew, her boyfriend’s buddy it seemed… Gary, Cary, Barry or something like that. The guy was a total pervert and it had been made apparent in the car when he suggested they stop for a quickie after only knowing her about fifteen minutes.

Rich, and he liked showing it off in overt displays, didn’t make up for gross. His backseat might as well as have STD written all over it, his hair looked like it had been slicked with cooking grease, and his personality made being crammed in with a sweaty crowd of strangers preferable to spending time alone with him. Though Jax would rather be at home eating some Ben and Jerry… Jerry, that was his name.

Jaxon shuddered, knowing that she wouldn’t be eating that particular brand any time soon after this date. Moving away from the man, acting like she didn’t know they were separated, she ignored him shouting at her in the loud atmosphere. Looking around once she was far enough away, she started wondering what sort of place he had brought her to.

Most of the people seemed dressed in jeans and casual clothing, and Jaxon stood out. Expecting a date, she wore a black skirt, a white button up shirt with a black corset over the shirt wrapping around her middle and cinching in the fabric, heels, and a mock black and white striped tie. Noticing the way some people were looking at her, she slipped the tie off her neck and around her waist, keeping her clutch close to her.

She was just about to bolt for the door after a man missing a few teeth tried to grab her ass, when the loudspeaker announced someone, the crowd closing around her and pushing her closer to the source of the excitement. Jostled, she ended up close to the cage. Staring through the wire and fencing, she realized what this was. Cage fighting. Of course, what classy guy didn’t bring a blind date here.

She sighed, rolling her eyes and decided to enjoy it; she had a few friends who watched UFC and she had sort of liked it. She just wished she was dressed a bit differently, jeans and a tee ideally. Watching a shirtless man egg the crowd on for a moment before another joined the ring, she tried to figure out what was going on. The screen nearby provided some info, and she watched the info long enough to know who was fighting. Now to figure out who was who…

Sizing the men up trying to guess who would win, Jaxon couldn’t help noticing and getting excited. Two hot guys wrestling would raise the heart rate of any female, and Jax had a wild side, which made this all the more entertaining. Deciding who she was rooting for, Jax started to join in the shouting and cheering, though a bit awkwardly at first, having never done it.

"Wooo" David yelled, not quite sure what he was cheering about. No he just sort of wandered in, but everyone else was having fun, so he was going to do the same. He could hear the speakers blaring and saw someone's face on the big screen. He gave the man next to him a slight elbow "Hey this is pretty cool huh?" The man next to him was about half a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier. He had a shaved head, and tattoos all up his arms and to his neck, not a friendly looking fellow. "So what's going on here?" David asked.

The man just grunted and walked off, apparently not in a talkative mood. David struggled to push himself through the crowd, but it was like a sea of people, all elbowing and trying to get closer. "excuse me, sorry." He said politely while moving closer. Though he stopped when it seemed he hit a wall. He could now make out the top of what looked like a giant cage.

"What is going on?" He asked getting more and more curious. He had to know. David decided to use a new trick, giving a jump he set his boots off and managed to get a few extra feet out of his jump, letting him see the full scene. It was like a giant fight club, neat. Though David didn't plan his fall. On his way down he hit a large muscular man in a black t-shirt. "Oh man I am so sorry." He told the man, hoping not to piss him off.

The man Grabbed David by the shirt and lifted him up "Small scrawny man, watch where you are to be going." He said in a thick Russian accent.

"Yeah I will, thanks for the advice." The man just gave a shrug and put David back down. David quickly pushed forward, not only to see the fight, but to get away from the Russian, not someone he would normally hang out with. "What is with all these people."

From the sidelines, caged fights become a whole new world. Up close to the bars, you can feel the raging intensity of the combatants. Their sweat hangs in the air like mist, coating their fists and leaving a bitter taste on their gnashing teeth. The Thunder Dome was famous in the undercurrent of New York fighting scenes for its brutality. Mutants train for huge swathes of their lives just to hold their own for five minutes betwixt metal bars. Competitors on the sidelines get a whole different view from the crowd. The bright lights zoning in on the fighters, the loud music, the crowd’s roar… it’s all there, but for the next in line to fight, it seems to blur itself out. As Shin stood on the sidelines dressed in his white tank top and black boxing shorts with a towel draped over his shoulders and a water bottle in hand, his eyes were drawn only to the fighters. Which one would be victorious, and what could he glean from this fight as a resource in fights to follow- that was his imperative. It was what he was looking for now.

The announcer let loose the call for the first fighter, and Shin’s head turned to assess the man with tilted head. “Big guy.” Shin muttered. “Thunder down under, huh? Well, lightning strikes from the ground up, so I guess we’ll hear the rumble… but what the heck’s a rapple…?” He blinked.

Krazy Karl looked pretty tame.

Isabel had never been to an underground fight club before. It was hard not to hear about them every now and again, especially among certain circles in the mutant community. Even if that was the case, she'd never been particularly interested in the fights, be it competing or watching. She got into enough fights on a weekly basis that she didn't have to go out of her way to find more. While money was also a motivating factor to most, she was already leading a comfortable lifestyle and had no real need for money. She wasn't above taking what she wanted when the impulse struck her, and there were few that were able to stop her from doing so. The reason she'd decided to attend this particular fight was because Bacchus had invited her. Apparently he fought here every once in a while and she'd agreed to tag long this time.

She didn't particularly care for the crowd of people that were also attending. It didn't take a genius to see that they weren't the best kind of people to surround yourself with, but she wouldn't allow them to bother her for very long. A few well placed jabs made most of them back off, more than one of them bleeding from minor punctures in their skin. They had no need to worry. She had heard there were healers around, after all. For the most part she hoped it would get the message across that she wasn't just another kid they could pick on while they waited for the fights to begin.

When the announcer finally took up the microphone and worked to gather the crowd's attention, Isabel made sure she was right up as close to the cage as she could get for the fight, placing herself near to where Ulysses was positioned. She'd met him once or twice already, usually following after Bacchus wherever he was going. She had earlier complimented him on how nice he looked in his outfit and how helpful he'd be to Bane during the fight. She'd already grown to like the little monkey mutant. As the announcer moved on to introduce the two fighters, Isabel made sure to shout her approval of her friend, cheering him on for the fight. It was easy to get swept up in the enthusiasm of the crowd, and she really did want Bacchus to win.

How many times had he been in this ring? How many times had he tasted blood in his mouth and was blinded by sweat in this ring? Not enough to count but to think he was the underdog in this fight. The bell rang signaling the fight to start. As long as it took those were the rules, no shoes were needed on this platform. This was his stage this was where he excelled this was where he was remembered. Letting his arms fly up in the air Bacchus let out a large roar that echoed throughout the underground stadium, his mutation helping his voice become louder than the crowds.

Karl was already on the move and started into a full sprint. Letting out a small laugh as Bacchus retuned Karl’s sprint with his own. Karl’s mutation forced him to go on all fours as his skin started to be darker as he sprouted long dark hair. Karl was a wolf shifter by definition but he could walk on all fours and became significantly bigger than he was in his human form so Bacchus just labeled him as a Werewolf.

As Bacchus got close enough he clenched his fist and threw it down into the ground aiming for Karl. If Karl was there it would have been over before the fight actually started but as soon as Bacchus pulled his fist from the ground Karl was already on top of Bacchus going for his neck. Feeling the hot breath from the wolf shifter Bacchus grabbed his hand and ripped him off and in the process ribbing some skin of his own.

A large gash in the form of three claw marks formed as blood started to fall from it. It was a cool stinging sensation that made Bacchus feel alive. Adrenaline now pumping Bacchus lifted the wolf by the hand and swung him into the ground crating a loud thud from both Karl’s body and the stage they were on. Letting go of the wolf shifter Bacchus raised his foot up and aimed a stomp into the wolf shifters chest. Missing by a few inches again Bacchus was ready for the next attack. Throwing an enlarged fist at the wolf Bacchus smiled as his fist made contact creating a sound similar to thunder.

Fortunately Bacchus and Karl were giving everyone a show. As Karl regained his footing the wolf charged for his next attack bearing his fangs and his long talons. Letting the attack land Bacchus let out a laugh as he held the wolf in a bear hug. Karl let out a large howl as Bacchus started to squeeze. Focusing on his legs Bacchus jumped high into the air as high as the cage would allow only coming down hard on top of the wolf shifter.

Getting up from the impact Bacchus stood up and walked away from the crater that was now where the wolf shifter was. He knew it wasn’t over Karl was tougher than that; after all they were putting on a show. Mockingly Bacchus raised his hands and covered his mouth and made a wolf call of his own hoping to get Karl worked up.

The taunt worked for Karl jumped from the small crater in the platform and charged again welcoming the attack Bacchus felt a sharp pain over his left eye, “Cheap move wolf” yelled Bacchus as left eye closed for blood was streaking down his face. Bacchus could have easily thickened his skin but after all he was getting paid for the show.

Reaching his hand back Bacchus slapped Karl the way a pimp would slap his hoe. That was exactly what Bacchus was going to do to Karl for blinding him make him his hoe. Karl who didn’t see the hit coming took the slap to the face and did a few cartwheels as he collapsed into the cage and fell to the ground.

Laughing again Bacchus clapped his hands as if he was creating thunder trying to egg on the crowd. With one eye closed Bacchus raised his hands in the air and continued the egging. Hoping that this would not only get them motivated for more betting but to get Karl to start playing serious.

With the crowd getting rougher as the fight started, Jaxon felt a hand on her rump and glanced over her shoulder, aiming her heel at the foot that belonged to the hand. She slammed the stiletto into the region just above the toes, surly breaking a few of the delicate bones, before she moved away.

Catching sight of some security guards near the area of the ring where the fighters entered and exited, she shoved her way through the crowd, deciding it would be safer by the pit. Once she was within a few feet of them, where they would notice her, she caught the attention of one. With a wave and a wink that would ensure he would interfere if she had a problem, she turned her attention back to the fight.

Just in time to see one of the men sprout fur. Jaxon’s mouth dropped open for a moment before it snapped shut. Not only was Jax going to chew Grace out for setting her up, if she ever saw Jerry again, he was going to suffer… and never have children as a result. A mutant fight? He must have lost his mind to bring Jaxon here. She was a fairly well known mutant supporter, as well as a high society daughter, and if caught here she could catch serious problems. And this is where he brought her on a date?… Of all stupid things.

With a mental sigh, Jaxon knew there was no way out of it. She would have to stay, at least until she found a place quiet enough to call a cab, though if a cab would come here at this time of night she would be lucky. Looking around, trying not to draw attention, Jax slipped her small wallet out of her purse and tucked it into the black fabric wrapped around her waist where she would feel if someone tried to steal it, and her cell phone slid into one of the folded pockets of the skirt. With nothing of real value, lipstick, a compact, a few other small items, she put the small purse back on her shoulder and focused on the fight.

The larger man, Giant’s Bane if she listened to the people chanting and cheering, had blood on his face and had just slapped the wolf man. With a laugh, she shouted when the wolf went spinning across the ring. “Fight like a man! Punch him! Whooo! Go Wolfie!” Only a few people away from the ring, Jax had a good view and her appreciation for this grew. She might not kill Jerry after all. Her original allegiance to the wolf man was wavering, and she might start rooting for the other man.

This place was really starting to get rockin as the fight started. David had the look on his face of a kid at his first football game. "Yeah!" He yelled excited. He didn't know which one to root for, but it seemed the Giant's Bane fellow was the underdog, so he would root for him.

He didn't even know a place like this existed, sure he knew there were fight clubs, but mutant fight clubs? That was just a bonus. "Get him!" David yelled, getting into the swing of things. Bane was trying to get the crowd into it, something David was happy about, as he gave a taunting roar the crowd responded big time.

The wolfman got up and went for a cheap shot, David called out as if to warn the man, even though he would never be heard over the crowd. The blow to GB's eye made David wince a little "Ouch" He said looking at the bloodied eye. David cheered as the man continued to get the crowd into it, and spotted Shin over at the other side, apparently getting ready to fight.

David started pushing to get around the ring, making slow progress. He waded through the sea of profanity, trying to still see the fight while moving around the ring. Finally He made it close to where the fighters were. "Shin!... SHIN!" He started screaming over the crowd. The pit where Shin was was pretty active, different fighters collected, ready to fight. David could over hear a heated conversation about how they had a missing fighter, which made David wonder about how the crowd would react to news like that.

David went to get closer to shin, and started to enter the pit, but was stopped by a security guard. "Fighters only, get back into the crowd." He told David, trying to stare him down.

"My friend is one of the fighters, I just want to say hi." David tried to explain.

"I don't care who your friend is, it's fighters only." He said again, this time in a more forceful tone.

"Uhmm I am a fighter, the last one on the bracket, they just haven't added me." David said in a convincing manner, he wasn't really much of a fighter, but it was a believable story, and David could just go blend into the crowd if need be. The man gave him a look of disbelief, surprised that someone as skinny as David could possibly be a fighter.

The man was about to let him in when one of the other men grabbed his shoulder "so you're the other fighter, thank god, what's your name?" The man asked in a hurry.

"Aww crap I'm caught." David thought. "I'm sorry sir, I was just trying to sneak in, I can't really fight." He told the man, hoping the man would not throw him out.

A look of despair fell over his face as David told him that. "You fuckin kid, either your fighting here, or outside with my friend." HE said referring to the big man in front of David. "If you win you get a pretty good cash prize." He said trying to convince David to go in.

"Well who is my opponent" David asked, lookign over the large brawlers waiting to fight.

"Him" The man said pointing to a smaller scrawny guy in the corner. David's confidence sky rocketed, the guy looked like a pushover, maybe David could make some easy money.

"Yeah Sure, toss my name up there, It's David" He said as he slid by the big man and walked over to Shin. "Hey buddy. what's up?" He asked

Tame. Right. And the cowardly lion eventually controlled standing armies in Oz. Boy was Shin wrong! The werewolf shifter launched himself through the air at the Australian’s throat like a feral cannonball, and Shin let out a gasp. This was looking more and more fun every minute. Ideas of how to combat either fighter flushed through his mind. Big hands, big lost hands. Sharp claws, dulled by shield. The possibilities were—

"Shin!... SHIN!" Shin looked up from his thoughts at David.

“Hmm?” Two big men were harassing the boy, but it looked like he had it under control. The crowd around made everything hard to hear. Fighters on the sidelines shouted cheers and jeers at both combatants, and one insinuated something about Bacchus’s mother. Shin mouth crinkled into a frown. That was far from polite…

David slipped past the two men and walked up to Shin. "Hey buddy. What's up?" He asked

“I should ask you the same.” Shin shot the question right back at him, like a tennis ball smacked from the back of the court, sent sailing over the net. It clattered against the fence, out of bounds. “What are you doing here, on this side of the fence? It’s not like they allow non-fighters in here…” Shin tilted his head suspiciously, glancing back at the brutal fight in the ring. That guy’s face sure was bleeding well. “It’s a good thing they have healers.”

The crowd certainly wasn't kept waiting too long before the fight got underway. Gradually Isabel was making her way as close to the cage as she could get, having to stop at the point where the pit and the crowd were separated. Already she was shouting as she watched Bacchus' opponent turn out to be a werewolf. She knew that her friend was by no means a pushover in any sense of the word, but fighting someone that was more animal than person was still a risk. She figured Bane just needed to be a little less cocky than usual and he'd be able to focus a bit better on the task at hand. The first swing was a miss and she was easily able to see the ripped flesh that resulted from it. "Come on, Bacchus! You can move faster than that! Don't leave yourself open!" It wasn't likely he could hear her, but that wouldn't stop her from needling at him anyhow. She honestly was rooting for him, it just so happened that heckling was one of her methods of trying to help.

She didn't really care for the sight of the blood, though it wasn't so much the blood itself that sent a small wave of discomfort through her system, but the one the blood was dripping from. She couldn't remember if she'd ever seen Bacchus bleed before. She'd certainly never been able to accomplish such a task in the past, even if she wasn't trying her hardest to do so. She knew her companion was tough enough to stand up to a serious beating, but the appearance of such an easy injury seemed out of place. The large thunderclap of noise caused by the impressive punch thrown at the wolf effectively interrupted her train of though and at the same time sent the crowd into a louder eruption of shouts and cheers, those closest to the cage pushing against those around them to get a better view and to see if they could push the limits of their designated boundaries. Isabel just so happened to be one of the ones that was being pushed more than she was pushing, her ribs being painfully forced against the metal bar holding back the crowd a few times. Even that was by far enough to work on her nerves and help her to become thoroughly sick of the crowd.

It was about the same time that a young man hopping into the pit caught her attention, her gaze reluctantly leaving the fight to watch as the kid was apprehended but eventually allowed to pass. One more rough push from one of the bigger guys to her right quickly helped her to make up her mind. Shoving back just enough to create some room for her to move in, she quickly scrambled over the railing and into the pit, looking for all the world as if she owned the place as she headed toward the area around the cage where Ulysses was seated. It didn't take too long before she was headed off by a particularly well muscled security guard, effectively stopping her in her tracks. "Where do you think you're going little girl? This area is off limits to spectators. You have to leave." She gave a small pout at the news, looking over to those that were in the pit already. It wasn't hard to tell they were all fighters, with the exception, perhaps, of the other kid who had made it out of the crowd. "Only fighters, huh?" she questioned, looking back to the guard as if sizing him up. "I'm a bit of a fighter myself. Not here of course, but I am." The guy obviously wasn't buying it, and she didn't think he'd be any more swayed if she mentioned that she was friends with the guy that was getting his eyes clawed out by the wolf man.

With only a shrug given as a warning for the large man, she promptly hauled back and threw a punch at his face, landing a hit to his nose and grinning widely at the resulting crunch beneath her knuckles. She didn't know the extent of the damage, but the blood splatter was still nice. Almost immediately she began moving again, bolting over to where Ulysses was positioned, the injured guard and one of his pals hurrying to catch up to her. It was still strange to hear a human voice coming out of a monkey's body as he cheered, but the mutant's ability to retain speech was usually a good thing. Like now. She'd probably need Bane's new shadow to vouch for her.

"Hey, Ulysses!" she greeted, shouting to be heard over both the crowd and the fighters as she slid to a stop beside him. "Gonna need a little help here," she continued as she swung him up into her arms, careful not to knock anything out of his hands, and turned slightly to look innocently up at the two security men that also slowed as they approached. "Alright kid, real funny. Now get your ass out of the pit before we remove it for you." The added nasally tone to the injured guard's voice nearly made her laugh, though she schooled her expression into remaining unamused. "And who said she wasn't allowed down in the pit?" the chimp piped up, effectively catching the guards' attention. He was an assistant to one of the guys in the fight, after all. Most of the staff seemed to be obliged to listen to him, just like they listened to Bane. "She's a personal friend of the Giant. She can go wherever she wants down here." This time Isabel did allow herself to grin as she guards paused to cast a disdainful look in her direction before they backed off, venting some of their frustration on those against the fence as they went. "You are the best, Ulysses," she said in thanks, laying a small kiss on the ape's cheek before turning back to watch the fight. She' let him out of her grip whenever he wanted to get down. "C'mon, Bane! You've still got one good eye left! Use it to actually pay attention to your swings!" she shouted, picking up where she left off in her mode of cheering.

The massive crowd around him started to oblige to his request and started getting louder and louder, crowd play was one of the reasons so many people bet him into the fight above all the other combatants. Bacchus in between the beatings would egg the crowd on giving them a good laugh and getting them worked up to the point where they become furious when the fight ends and ecstatic when Bacchus stepped into the ring next. Karl on the other hand just looked badass.

“Come on mate, don’t tell me I got to put the dog out to pasture!” Bacchus taunted as the wolf howled and charged again this time going for the face with his massive jaws. Not fighting the force from the tackle Bacchus just stuck one hand up into the wolf’s mouth so his face wouldn’t get chewed up, and let the wolf take him to the ground.

He was pinned now and felt Karl chewing his massive for arm like rawhide, ‘Think this counts as a show’ Bacchus thought as he held back from gagging from Karl’s vulgar breath. Slightly surprised Karl had his hands in the air almost ready to dig into his skin Bacchus heard a taunt from the fighters, calling out he replied, “Your right she is a …” Bacchus didn’t finish his sentence because he heard a voice he was familiar with and was fond of the owner of it. Everything at ringside was way easier to hear with his hearing. Turning his right good eye Bacchus saw Isabel cheering him on. At least he thought it was cheering. Given the ton in her voice she didn’t sound to happy with him. “Guess I should end this,” Bacchus said as he looked up to Karl, “Sorry mate, Sheila came to see me so I gotta make my self look manly.” As Karl shot both his hands into Bacchus chest and broke the skin Bacchus tightened his muscles and made his skin thicker making it harder for Karl to pull free, “Yeah you know it’s coming” Bacchus said as he made his arm grow inside Karl’s mouth making his jaw stretch to the point he couldn’t pull free.

Struggling to pull himself up with Karl on top of him Bacchus called out, “Thunder Time!” moving his arm away from his body Bacchus winced slightly as the nails from Karl pulled free from his chest as those same nails shot up into his arm scratching trying to get himself free. Letting out a small laugh as he shook his arm and shrunk it to normal in the process Bacchus took his free hand and brought it right into Karl’s midsection which gave way as it sounded like was released from Karl’s stomach.

Before Karl was out of range Bacchus took his other hand made a fist and punched Karl in the side forcing Karl to change directions in midair. As Karl came crashing down into ground he did a few summersaults scrapping his body on the surface of the ring. Quickly making his way over to Karl who was not getting up Bacchus threw his hands in the air egging the crowd on giving them what he called his Thunder barrage.

Standing over Karl who tried to start moving in an attempt to get away Bacchus jumped on his midsection and pinned him to the point where he couldn’t breath. Getting up and kneeling over Karl Bacchus’s fist started to grow and the second they stopped growing the super fists brought themselves into Karl’s chest one after another each punch let out a loud thunderous boom.

When he stopped Bacchus was looking at the human form of Karl who was all blooded and bruised. Bacchus stood up and threw his hands in the air letting out a roar of victory as the crowd erupted in screams of boo’s or cheer. The monitor gave Bacchus a close up of Bacchus and then faded to say a “five minute intermission before the next fight” as Bacchus walked to the rings exit five or six mutants rushed into the ring one stopped at Bacchus and started to heal him as two others rushed to Karl’s side. The other three started their work at fixing the ring getting rid of bloodstains and craters that Bacchus and Karl left.

Once he was healed he ran to the exit of the caged in ring and picked up Ulysses and Isabel in a big hug, “Glad you came, so what did you think, it was a show right?”

((OOC: Hey David, I’m going to act like the mansion thread ended previous to this, so Jaxon knows who you are. Hope that is okay?))


Jaxon was getting into the fight. Cheering and yelling was fun! She hadn’t acted like this since she was a child, and it felt good. She was flushed, her skin hot to even her own touch, her cheeks pink with excitation and her eyes twinkled in the dim lighting. After the odd maneuver that the Giant did, swelling his arm up so the wolf couldn’t escape, Jax switched sides and started cheering for him instead. The wolf was apparently getting his butt kicked.

Feeling the crowd press closer to her as someone pushed past, she looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening when she saw who it was. David, the guy she met at the park, was here? Blinking after him in confusion, she shouted out to him in surprise, but was drowned out by the crowd as he moved further away from her. “David?!…” Looking back at the ring, it was clear why the crowd was cheering louder; Giant’s Bane was finishing the fight.

Shoving through a few people until she got to the edge of the pit, the guards watching her warily; one of them had a bloody nose that Jax had seen the other girl deliver with beautiful form, so it was understandable that they weren’t approaching her. She didn’t cross the barrier, which they seemed to appreciate, but leaned over it, cupping her hands around her mouth, as the noise settled slightly with the end of the fight. Still loud, but she would be able to shout over it. “David?”

Her tone was slightly questioning, she had only gotten a quick glimpse of him, but watching him talk to another young man she was more and more convinced that it was him. Shouting again, this time more confidently, she waved at the same time. “DAVID!” Luckily around that same time, the fight was over and the crew started cleaning and repairing both the ring and the fighters, so it got significantly quieter.

Unfortunately her shouting drew the attention of a few other people. Jerry spotted her from across the room and started wading through the crowd towards her. Jaxon didn’t notice, she had caught sight of Giant’s Bane greeting the other girl; and judging by the warm welcome, she was either a girlfriend or a family member. And there was a monkey in the middle of it, which made Jax tilt her head with a smile. They were a cute little family.

"Oh yeah." He said to Shin, giving a smile "I'm sort of a fighter now, they needed somebody to fill in." His gave fell to the fight as it was closing up. "Though I'm not sure if that was such a good idea, maybe we'll face each other." He told shin in a challenging tone.

The conversation was cut short though when David heard tussling from behind him, he turned to see the guard who had stopped him earlier get punched right in the nose. The girl who did the punching walked right by the two, and David couldn't help but stare. "wow" He said as she and a monkey explained what happened, then the guards just walked off.

"I wonder what that was all about." He thought, his answer came when one of the fighter gave her a hug. David was about to turn back to Shin when he thought he heard someone call his name. He was going to just forget when he heard his name again, this time He knew someone was trying to get his attention. "The heck is calling my name?" He muttered looking around.

He spotted Jaxon hanging over the pit, waving her arms to get his attention. "Jaxon?" He said in disbelief. "Hey Jaxon!" He said excitedly and started jogging over. He was surprised to see her here, first shin now Jaxon, who else. "What are you doing here?" he asked as he got close.

“Eh!?” Shin stared at the boy. Him, fighting? That was a little odd. Then again, meeker fighters have fought. Shin shook his head skeptically. “I’d lose.”

He never got to hear David’s response, though. Their attention was redirected to a girl wearing a bow beating up some guards. For all the brutality of it all, she never lost that ‘good girl’ charm the bow gave off. On another day, someone might have marveled at it. Right now, Shin shrugged alongside David.

“Haven’t got a clue.”

>>“David! DAVID!!” And another girl. Shin tilted his head.

“We certainly are attracting different crowds these days. Last time I fought here, it was all guys as far as the eye could see. Things are looking up for caged matches… who’s your friend?” Shin followed David over to Jaxon, and nodded in greeting. What was she doing in the midst of all these lowbrows. “It’s a little dangerous for a pretty girl to hang out in the pit like this.” His eyes darted around, making sure the other fighters weren’t planning something. He waved the approaching guards off, telling them it was fine.

Across the pit, the next fighter was getting ready. He slipped through the crowd like a ball of fire, scattering people as he went. His eyes burned with the fury of ice cubes, and his skin shone like the sun. Red robe trailing, he stopped in front of Giant's Bane, training those cold blue eyes on him.

"Nice fight. Good show. I'd have ended it quicker. Good work, though." With a clang and a wave, he thunked on off, climbing into the cage. The music rose as he got into his corner. Shin's attention snapped back to the ring like someone'd hit a bell.

"Ah well. I guess I'm up next. I'll talk to you two later. Watch my fight, okay~?" He waved to David and the girl, climbing his way up onto the stage. The lights shone down on him as the announcer introduced the first fighter.

"He isn't broken yet, but when he shatters, you'd better watch yourself! Ladies and gentlemen, The Shard!!"

Shin raised his arms to various oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

“And in the other corner, we have INVINCIBLE FIGHTER GOLDEN!! Look at him people, in all his sparkly glitz and glory. Ladies in the audience, would you… ahem… please turn off your cell phones. Particularly the cameras. Golden's request.”

The red robe fluttered to the ground, revealing everything... and, I do mean everything... of the invincible fighter of gold. He glimmered under the light like an academy award, just as naked, arms crossed.

Shin stared at the naked golden man standing in the other corner of the ring. He literally glowed in his metallic paint job. The floor under his feet was tinged a cheddar yellow. His trainer rubbed his shoulders with gold-flecked oven mitts, psyching the fighter up for the match. It seemed whatever the man touched became coated with liquid gold… not molten or anything, just quick-drying and annoying. He stood there shining like a bronze god as men in the front row and on the sidelines averted their eyes. Women couldn’t help but notice his more prominent features.

“Gold dude’s in pretty good shape. Wish he was wearin’ pants, though.” Shin mourned.

Swinging his arms in a circle to stretch them out, Golden struck a boxing stance and bounced in place a few times, practicing his jabs. He was ready for this. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, shine on you crazy diamond, another gold brick in the wall of his victory winnings.

Shin just yawned.

With a ring of the bell, the fight began! Shin's towel exploded from his shoulders as he rushed towards Golden. He dropped into a sliding tackle as the towel fluttered down, legs colliding with a metallic ring before it touched the ground. Shin let out an unintelligible curse, clutching his foot in pain. "C-coulda told me you were hard like a statue too. Thought it was just a cheap tan."

"Really. REALLY? A fake tan. Okay. Idiot." Gold hands reached in to pick up Shin, holding him by the throat. The struggling amused Golden, really it did. As his grip tightened, a faint gold glow started spreading itself down Shin's shoulders, taking on the appearance of bronze armor. Shin swung his foot out in a final attempt.

...CLANG...

Golden's eyes narrowed. "Really, you are an obvious fighter." He tossed Shin into the side of the cage. Shin dropped to the floor. His neck felt heavier all of a sudden.

So he coats whatever he touches in a metallic paint... Shin grimly noted, brushing off his mouth as he rose to face his opponent again. And whatever he touches gets heavy...

"Not Midas touch, but Midas drop..." Shin finally stated. Golden shook his head.

"The name's actually a misnomer. It's bronze." He tapped his chest. It rang like a gong.

"Well then, I'll just have to be extra careful." Shin smiled against the odds, extending an arm at his opponent. The fingers on his hand waggled tauntingly. "Come at me."

Golden smirked.

When Bacchus finally started really fighting back, Isabel's cheers gained a more positive tone to them. She much preferred for him to do the damage rather than allowing the wolf shifter to tear him up like he'd been doing. Poor Ulysses was left to bounce in her arms as she occasionally jumped once or twice in excitement, though she would have let him slip from her grip at any time he wanted to. She was enjoying being a spectator to the fight more than she'd expected to. Usually her role in a fight was one of the fighters, rather than someone on the sidelines. She never had been one to sit back quietly and watch. She was much too hands on for that sort of thing. Plus, she was just too spoiled to allow herself to be left out of the fun.

The beating that was being issued was almost enough for her to start feeling bad for the wolf man, though the recollection of the healers on staff eased that impulse a little. He'd also tried to tear apart Bane's face at least twice. That was enough for her to consider his thrashing well deserved. Her cheers doubled as the tide of the fight turned in favor of her companion, a wide grin spread across her face as she watched, the chimp once again victim to her bouncing frame. She couldn't help herself. It was as if the roar of the crowd was contagious, her shouts falling in line with the portion of the strangers that supported Bane, completely ignoring those that were expressing their disapproval.

"Yeah! Kick his furry ass, Bane!" she shouted in reply to his announcement of 'Thunder Time', even if she didn't exactly know what was to follow. She could honestly say she was impressed by the moves that were pulled off. The Wolf Man didn't even get a chance to retaliate. Isabel of course approved of such a situation. Ruthlessness was something she knew how to accomplish and was sometimes known for. It was amusing to watch someone else execute such a style without being distracted with ripping someone's throat out. She couldn't help but grin as the now furless mutant didn't get up when the match was declared over. She knew very well that he would be perfectly fine once the healers were done with him.

She was still laughing a little in her excitement when Bane made his way out of the ring after getting himself fixed up and scooped her and Ulysses into a hug. She returned the gesture by wrapping her free arm around his neck from a moment, still supporting the chimp with her other and trying to make sure he didn't get squished. "It was a great fight!" she replied, her mood having dropped the sourness it had previously held when she'd been surrounded by all those strangers. "I thought that poor guy's jaw was gonna break. I'm almost sorry I've never been here before. I might have to come see these fights a little more often. By the way, you reek of sweat and blood," she continued, wrinkling her nose and attempting to make a face around her grin.

"Oh, intermission's over!" she exclaimed as two new fighters stepped forward and made their way to the cage after it had been repaired. She simply made a rather displeased face at the gold man's comment as he approached and walked by, sticking her tongue out at him as he passed. "Idiot. Can't even see a good fight when it's put right in front of him. I bet the guy's all talk," she grumbled, moving on to see who his opponent would be. Compared to the golden brute, he didn't seem like he'd be at too much of an advantage physically. However, where mutants were involved, size hardly every really mattered all that much.

The lack of clothing was a surprise. Even Bane had enough sense to wear something while fighting. Isabel couldn't quite keep her face from going red when the robe dropped. "Okay, maybe I won't come back so often. At least, not when this guy's fighting," she muttered, turning once again to focus on the other kid as the fight gt underway. She already knew who she'd be rooting for this time.