First Month's Free (IC)

[Thunder King]

Crimson Tiger glanced around at the three remaining thugs and grinned.

"Consider this the notification." She said, darting forward with a vicious right cross, sending one of the three to the floor. Jerking backwards, she brought her right arm back into a brutal elbow to the side of the second man, sending him flying backwards. Flowing from that into a ducked stance, she brought her left knee up directly to the jaw of the last man, sending him to the floor.

With that done, she brought her hands to the ready position and balanced herself on the ball of her foot...it was time.

[Quinn]

Overclock nodded with approval, then turned the mask to face Breaker. The gang leader was almost lazily climbing to his feet, picking up the mats he'd been lounging on with one meaty hand and chucking the heavy objects over the side of the ring. His groaning (or unconscious) thugs didn't even seem to register with him...

A thoroughly mean smile was on the villain's face, and he cracked his knuckles, followed by his neck.

Silence.

With a relaxed motion, he shucked the oversized leather biker's jacket, along with his green and brown T-shirt (amazingly doing no damage to his large neon-green mohawk), revealing a torso that was almost literally muscles on muscles on muscles. And tattoos, lots of them too. And given Overclock and Crimson Tiger's knowledge of training and bodybuilding, it wasn't difficult to realize - Breaker's build was not natural. Not one bit. The mean smile went wider, and he leaned back on the hexagon ring's ropes. And waved his hand forward.

"A'ight. You two want some? Come get some."

[Thunder King]

Mali, not wanting to wait any longer, rushed him with aggression and fury in her eyes. She jumped up and swung as hard as she could. However, in her haste and desire to hit with power, she overshot her strike and missed him wildly. She dropped next to him and immediately backed up away from him, watching him carefully, sizing him up.

[Quinn]

The big man stepped aside with deceptive speed when he saw the girl's blow descending towards him; and with a grin Breaker planted a foot down and took advantage. With his hands up and elbows in in a classic boxing stance, he lunged forward, feet actually shaking the ring, and launched a positively punishing haymaker that barely clipped Mali's nose!

But even though it was just a clip, the rush of air and the pain in that particular spot was a definite indicator of what was behind the punch.

"Aw, hell yeah, this is what it's all about! Don't bore me, girl!"

[Quinn]

Overclock, for his part, actually looked somewhat slack-jawed under the mask. Wow. That guy is built. Seriously. What the hell is he eating? The guy could bench friggin' Atlas! Then the more pressing matter of the fist descending towards Tiger jump-started his brain back into action. Along with his legs. This trick better work, sensei!

To Crimson's vision, it was a blur, a literal blur, that wooshed over the ropes and towards the villain; her training let her see an insanely rapid progression of impacts all over Breaker's body, causing his muscles to ripple and quiver for a brief moment - focus, focus, remember the feet, remember the spots, nerves hereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherehereherealloverhereallupinherebitmoreoverhereANDHERE!

Sixty-four strikes in total, each to a specific nerve of the body. It was a testament to their opponent's fortitude that Breaker didn't freeze up on the spot, instead gritting his teeth and slamming his fists together. When the blur finally stopped moving, the Fastest Fighter Alive was standing beside his comrade, feet and hands in the same open palm, circling stance she'd seen earlier!

"Eight Trigrams palm, man. Don't worry, pain won't even show up until the nerves start working again! Theeeeen you might want some aspirin."

[Thunder King]

Immediately after Overclock moved away from him, Crimson Tiger jumped forward for a hit.

She balled up her fist and moved to strike him. His slowed reflexes from Overclock's sudden nerve strikes must have dulled his reaction, because he barely reacted to the attack in time.

Unfortunately, that was not the attack she was going for.

Suddenly, her body twisted as she brought her foot up to his head, bringing the side of her foot directly in contact with his temple.

WHAM!

"Ow...what...what was....ugghhhhh" He mumbled as he stepped forward once, and then collapsed. He mumbled on about his head, and the odd sensations that were running through it.

Crimson Tiger, meanwhile, just stared. She was pretty sure he was some sort of super strong, super tough guy. He had to have been. Maybe she just hit him that hard, or in just the right spot.

[Quinn]

Breaker collapsed to his knees, the murmuring stopping for a moment as he shook his head. Right in the temple; it was obvious that however strong he was, she'd really rattled his brain. Somewhat dazed eyes looked up at the heroes, and a lopsided grin creased his features.

"Sonofa...oosh, you hit 'ard, girl...good fight, good fight...wish it'd lasted, urp...a bit longer...heh...fair cop."

He actually managed to muster up the energy for a thumbs-up. Then teetered slightly. "We'll...have t'do this again...sometime...think I'll just...take a nap now...g'night."

THUD.

[Quinn]

Overclock bent his legs slightly as the mammoth torso and shoulders of Breaker hit the mat, causing the entire ring to shake. A chorus of groans and moans from the various supine thugs echoed in the warehouse, and the speedster hero leaned back on the ropes. He looked at Breaker. Then at the thugs. Then back at Crimson. Then his own shoulders shook, and Mali could hear muffled laughter under the mask.

"Errr..."

The goggles looked up. And then Overclock basically just collapsed with laughter, flopping onto his butt in the ring and putting his arms around his torso.

"Ohhhh...Miss Tiger, I think you were holding back on me!"

[Thunder King]

Crimson Tiger chuckled, and then laughed. She couldn't believe her luck! This was the most insane thing she'd ever done.

"I'm pretty sure that was a lucky hit...I mean, wow...right...I almost feel sorry for him. Almost."

She realized, at that moment, the implication. This guy knew more about her than she wanted to reveal, and vice versa. There was no way he didn't make that connection in his mind!

She sighed. Ah, well, he was a superhero, and she had the same thing on him, she supposed. It was going to happen one of these days, no matter what.

[Quinn]

Overclock scoffed, and poked the supine ganger with his toe. The fact that she probably knew who he was now was pushed to the back of his mind - he really didn't want to look at that right now.

"Ah, okay; I'll feel a bit sorry for him. A tiny bit. Damn good feint, though, and that was a right nice boot too; you weight your shoes or gloves?"

The speedster slapped the gauntlets on his forearms and the plates on his boots, tilting his head to the side.

[Thunder King]

"No, I don't weight them, I just.....that's just how they are." She said with a slight nervous tint to her speech.

She definitely could tell she'd made some improvements, she was so much better than before now. She was faster, stronger, and had better instincts.

"Oh, thanks, I thought a guy that big would rely on his strength, might not be used to feints and such. I didn't think I'd knock him out."

[Quinn]

'clock stopped with the toe-pokes, instead leaning over with a hand and poking the oversized ganger's forehead. Followed by a pair of harder pokes. Followed by a nosetweak. No response.

"Welp, he's out cold. Too bad I don't have a marker, I'd draw a funny moustache on his face."

He straightened, and looked around at the other thugs. Then back at Mali. And then the guy shrugged, lifting up the headmask a bit to show a grinning mouth. "I'm guessin' we got a lot of questions for each other now...heh. Ask 'em all after we tie these guys up and lock 'em up in the ladies' bathroom?"

[Thunder King]

"Sounds like an idea. Though I think we should stay and make sure this guy gets arrested, and then talk." She was definitely not looking forward to him suddenly waking up and picking another fight. That wouldn't do at all. She got lucky, she wasn't going to let him try again.

"It was enough trouble putting him down the first time. I don't want him getting back up and trying again. Besides, I think the police might want to talk to us."

She avoided the obvious questions, the obvious thoughts. That would wait. Business now, take care of the situation.

[Quinn]

Overclock nodded, rummaging around in a nearby pile of gym gear. "Mental note, start carrying handcuffs...problem is where the heck do I put them on a bodysuit?" Zeke shook his head, they never covered that kinda detail in newspaper stories or comic books.

Fortunately, there wasn't a shortage of heavy or ropy objects around with which to restrain the thugs, and the police were quite grateful when they arrived - the owners of the building had called for them shortly after the Iron Hands had thrown a cement block through the front window. Overclock, for his part, credited Tiger with taking down the boss himself; something that made the officers' eyes pop as they half-carried half-dragged the supine form of Breaker (with nullifier cuffs) into a paddywagon. Mostly at her size versus the size of the gang leader.

By the time the hoopla was over with, both of the heroes were given effusive thanks by the gym staff, as well as an open invitation to return anytime for free service. And an offer to have their pictures hanging beside the trophy case. In the end, despite Breaker and his boys, the Southside Gourd's Gym was going to stay open for buisness.