Jakem’s Den of Wonder: Gladiatorial Gala!
Date: 2025-07-04 20:02
(Jakem’s Den of Wonder: Gladiatorial Gala!)
[Fri Jul 4 2025]
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39At the center of this room is an enormous stone platform, the surface of which is smoothed 40granite with paint of two 27con28cen29tri65c ci64rcl63es in a blended purple41. The most notable characteristic of the stage, however are the facade of bones41 around it, forming bars as if the keep those on stage inside during their ‘performances’.
Beneath the stage are long wooden benches for those attending the perfromers. Two sets of benches form 8 rows, with an aisle down the center, creating seating for over a hundred people if they squeeze in. Those lucky enough to sit on the ends have access to a stone half-pillars that can be used as a table to hold snacks or drinks.
It is about 60/b/span>/span15C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At Maple and Woodcrest/span>/spanVerity says “You know. If we said it was a special dedication to x family, I bet we’d have a bunch come over. They love that stuff.“
Cristal waves at Mercedes. “Hey honeybee!!”
Jakem nods to Verity “Good thinking; for next time maybe.”
“Oh hey, Mercy. Sera, nice to see you ladies,” Verity hashes out pleasantly, offering the two newcomers a lazy, but sincere wave.
Jakem turns to the incoming folks, bellowing jovially “Welcome one and all to the Den of Wonders.”
Monday leads Michael in.
Cristal waves excitedly, her ass already sat on an ideal seat in the benches.
Verity says “Here they come. “
Michael hurries in, offering an apologetic smile as he surges in, clearly late.
Monday slips into a bench, scooting along with flushed cheeks.
Cristal blurts out at Jakem. “I wanna put a 50 dollar bet on the kobold!!”
Mercedes has professional poise, even in her cheer uniform as she walks in. Her lips part to greet the room but as her eyes lock onto Cristal her demeanor shifts, “Howdy gal!” she giggles and hops up on her tip-toes, “Do you like my outfit?” she asks in a bubbly tone.
Dressed for gladiator games, Seraphina walks toward the benches, wondering to Verity, “Do we know who all is fighting?”
Monday sucks in a breath, “Fifty on.. something.. what, what do I bet on.”
“Yep,” Verity affirms to Seraphina, jerking her thumb over at the betting board. “We got three exciting matches tonight, it looks like.”
Cristal gasps, “Oh mi gawd, ya lipstick is soooo nice!” She giggles. “I love your tassels and leg warmers!!” she gushes.
Jakem looks to Cristal and laughs “You can’t wait until we even announce the fighters? What if his opponent’s thirty feet tall?”
And by betting board, Verity meant the payouts event board.
Jakem turns to look over the gathering crowd “If anyone wants a heads up on tonight’s matches, they’re posted on the wall.”
Jenny grins giving a wave to Cristal and Jakem taking a seat in the benches
Cristal waves excitedly at Jenny, pointing at Mercedes. “Don’tcha love her outfit??”
Jakem whistles over to Mercedes “Put that together quickly! You ready for tonight?”
Jenny nods over to Cristal after looking at Mercedes “Y-yeah! It looks great.”
“Oh, I thought people were fighting! I wanted to fight!” Lola announces as she comes into the arena dressed more like a fairytale princess than a gladiator- perhaps she was going for superhero? Her entire ensemble screams showboat, not warrior, and yet it is with a sad expression that she places a dagger in one of the many pockets on her dress. “Dang it! Oh well…. Hi Jakem! I bet tonight is going to be really fun anyways!”
Jakem calls over to Verity “We’ll start at fifteen after to give people time to arrive.”
Esme takes a glance around as she enters in, offering a bit of a grin at the set up and moving toward the benches “This is gonna be fuckin’ fun. I can tell already.” She lifts her voice to asks Jakem “You takin’ bets yet?”
Cristal waves excitedly to Shiloh. “Hey honeybee! Wanna sit here?”
“Sounds good, boss man.” Spotting Shiloh milling about, Verity waves him over. “Came just in time, actually.”
Mercedes beams and salutes Jakem, “Yessir! Yessir!”
Shiloh steps in, glancing around before spotting Verity, offering a smile before waving to Cristal “Sorry, my seat’s already been claimed.”
Jakem calls to Lola’s “We’ll open up the arena after the monster matches are done. Mike here will be taking all comers if he doesn’t get too tipsy beforehand. Well probably even if he does.”
Shiloh grins aside at Verity “Perfect. Last minute preparation took longer than I expected.”
Jakem calls to Esme “We’ll take bets after you see the fighters. I figure most people will want to know what they’re betting on.”
Cristal bobbles her head at Shiloh. “All good honeybee!’
Michael finds a spot near the front of the stage, his deep voice booming over the crowd as he finds a nearby mic, “Alright everyone, welcome to our first Arena event for the Den! We’ve put a lot of effort into these proceedings, some of it has even been mine! We’ll get started here relatively soon, so for now, feel free to get any degree of drunk you prefer to enjoy the upcoming CARNAGE!”
“Fair ‘nough.” Esme agrees as she settles in, offering a little wave to Shiloh and some others she recognizes before looking back to the stage area.”
Cristal hoots and hollers and cheers at the bone caged stage.
Shiloh shoots Esme a nod before his attention moves to Michael, chuckling with a grin.
Verity motions for Shiloh to come take a seat next to her and Cristal. “You can sit here and keep this spot warm. I’m probably gonna be standing around more than sitting here,” she admits.
Closing the door behind him, Jasper turns to walk towards an empty bench, taking a deep breath while he sits down.
Cristal nods at Verity. “Sure! I’m cheerin ya on! The warm ups looked great!”
Mercedes beams a bright golden-lipped smile and shakes her pom-poms, she whoops and then punches the air, “Carnage! Carnage! Give the people what they want!” Her legs kick off the ground beneath her.
From her selected seat, Seraphina waves to Shiloh, Cristal, and a few others, a slightly distracted air about her, though it isnt anything that lasts long. The enthusiasm in the air, has her straining her neck to get a gander at the stage, those upon it, and then the payout board. She begins to stomp her feet a bit to make the floor rattle beneath her.
Shiloh tilts his head at Verity before nodding, moving to sit beside Cristal “I guess my seat was here afterall.” He says with a chuckle, smiling and waving to Seraphina.
“For those just arriving,” Verity jerks a thumb at the payouts board. “You can see our matches listed here. We might have a special surprise match if time permits.”
Cristal admires Mercedes’s cheerleading, chanting along!
“Aw shucks!” Mercedes giggles at Cristal, her euro affectation has completely vanished now. She hops up into position and brings her pom-poms together, “You really made an impression on me honnybun!” she sings back, “Cristal! Cristal! Full of luck. When she comes swingin’ better duck!”
Cristal sways to the chant, laughing. “Quack quack quack!” she says back to Mercedes.
Esme lets out a laugh at the chant
Jenny lets out a small giggle at the exchange
Michael waves a hand in the direction of Mercedes, “Thats right ladies and gentlemen, absolute violence and Catholic cheerleaders are but a small fraction of the festivities here at the Den of Wonder. As a man, the ratio of men to women at the moment is quite pleasant, but I’m sure any number of fine gentleman could walk in at any time, so ladies, don’t bail just yet.”
Tamar slips in quietly, looking around the room then going to find a space at one of the benches to take a seat.
Mercedes brings her pom-poms together, “Quack Quack Quack?” she asks with a dramatic tilt of her head, a bemused dramatic gasp before grinning suddently, “Attack! Attack! Attack!”
Cristal cheers, echoing, “Attack! Attack! Attack!” She’s clearly ready to watch some blood sports.
Esme tches as she texts and gets up, pocketing her phone as she heads back out.
Esme waves to Jakem, “Gotta handle something! Will try t’ be back!”
Jakem steps up on the stage, lifting a microphone not too close to his mouth. Thankfully that as the bellowing boom from the sound system echoes through the cave-like room “Welcome one and all to the very first Wondrous Gladiatorial Games. While we’ll be hosting a number of different event types, tonight we wanted to start off with someone special, something rarely before seen. A monster on monster match; or more specifically three. These beasts have been collected by fine hunters from around the city, their lives preserved so that they can entertain you fine folks with their bloodshed.”
“Each round will go until one of the exotic beasts has taken two hits, at which point they’ll be pulled apart and returned to the Under Den.”
“Before the match starts you will have no more than five minutes to place your bets. Give money to me amount to $5, $10, $20, or $50 and tell me who you’re betting on. The payouts are listed on the wall, and we’ll be doing payouts at the end of each match for those that need to leave early.”
“Now without further adieau, let’s bring out our first contestants so you can all get a gander!”
Jakem pulls a lever that raises two platforms from beneath the stage upwards. Two chained beasts, one atop each platform, are revealed through the bone barred cage.
The fungoid creature hefts the spear. It’s mushroom top pulses for a moment, loosening a small cloud of spores into the air. Is it safe to breathe? Probably not! But regardless, it seems intent on violence.
Michael held towards her face, Verity stands from the benches and gestures with frantic enthusiasm towards the fighters skulking along. “Ladies and gents, creatures of questionable taxonomy… in this corner, with the chilling stare that can turn you fraught with fear, it’s the pint-sized powerhouse: Stone Cold Steve Kobold!” She takes the initiative in a round of polite applause for the gremlin. Then she clears her throat for the fungal fellow striding in with a purpose. “Coming up to the ring with spores that’ll make you cry for mama: The master of Mycological MAYHEM, The Filaying Fungoid!” Once more, she claps with gusto. Far less animatedly, she adds, “This’ll be the fight of the cen- next twenty minutes, at least,” she promises the crowd.
Meanwhile, a kobold with leathery rust red skin and a bony frame lets out a growl at the crowd, hefting a staff in its hand. Its tail swings back and forth, meanacingly.
Jenny cheers for the fungoid “Yeah! Go team mycoid!”
Jakem bellows in a rolling baritone “There you have it folks, for those who are just coming in we’ll have five minutes for betting. The odds are on the wall. To bet, just hand me the amount and tell me who you’re betting for!”
Shiloh watches Verity with a grin, letting out a small laugh at the introductions, “Stone Cold Steve Kobold, whooo!”
There’s a ripple of excitement and murmuring through the crowd as people start frantically putting in their bets.
Into the space comes Marina, hopping towards the benches as she fixes one of her sandals. She looks on to the match up with intrigue, finding a seat for herself. “This just seems unfair. That mushroom thing is huge,” she comments, poking her tongue out absently as she considers.
Cristal yells out at Jakem, throwing bills at him. “Fiddy on the kobold!!”
Cadalie shimmies through the benches, weaponry held close as she tries to duck through some face without breaking line of sight with the stage.
Michael turns his gaze to the crowd, “Will this fungal menace stand a chance against the pint-sized-” The man coughs violently as a load of spores flood his lungs. After nearly ten seconds of coughing directly into the mic, he notes plainly, “Fuck Mushrooms. Kill em, Steve!”
“You can do it, Stone Cold!” Jasper cheers towards the kobold from his seat. “Give ’em the Kobold three sixteen!”
Jakem moves over to the benches, collecting bets and writing them down.
Someone from the crowd yells: “Eat that mushroom for dinner, Steve!!”
Another voice of reason asks, “Do we know it actually responds to the name Steve?”
“Twenty on the mushroom folk!” Lola squeals happily, giggling as she stuffs a twenty dollar bill into Jakem’s hands, bouncing up and down eagerly on her toes even as hecklers boo-hiss her fungaloid friend. “I believe in you, cousin! Destroy the kobold menace!!” she insists, calling out over the crowd eagerly.
The mushroom folk stomps on the arena ground, its spores falling to the ground like a rain of dandruff.
“Who has the better track record?” Marina wonders, still considering the arrangement before her. Then she sucks in a breath, giving a little ‘eh’ as she passes money towards Jakem. “Fifty on the mushroom man.”
Mercedes stands at the end off the row of benches, running her own one-woman cheer-squad with pom-poms in hand and even a Den of Wonders uniform. Her demeanor is entirely at odds with her normal personality, but her smile is still just as bright. She claps her pom-poms together and leans forward, gazing at the monsters with a sudden shiver, “Let’s go! Let’s go! Put these monsters in a hole!”
Tamar bends a knee to plant one foot on the bench where she sits, draping an arm loosely around it. Her eyes dart from person to person, seeming more interested in the crowd than the two monsters up in the cage. She observes quietly, making no bets of her own for the moment.
Jakem moves around the benches, soliciting bets and furiously writing down the numbers “We’ve got some bets on the fungoid, some bets on the kobold. Hah! No one has a track record, this is the first event!”
The wiry kobold waves its staff, a magical swirl of energy shimmering in the air.
Michael addresses the question in the crowd, “Honestly, I don’t even know if kobolds are smart enough to have names…” At Mercedes’s call, he throws a fist up, chanting enthusiastically, “In the Hole! In the Hole! In the Hole!”
Intermingling texting and people watching, the energy of the room fills her and she’s slowly not texting near what she was, eyes darting between the Kobold and the Fungoid. “Never underestimate the little guys!” Seraphina calls out.
Jakem steps to the edge of the benches “Last call, last call…”
And with the last call announced and past, Jakem hops down from the benches with nimble leap and heads back to the stage.
Verity uses a mic (kobold): 55Kobold [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span Moving defensively, the kobold withdraws a pouch with mystical runes embroidered. Turning the pouch upsidedown, marbles spill out in its opponents path.
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (fungoid): Fungoid: [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span>/span55Kobold [Lunging Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span Muttering an incantation, the kobold summons and condenses all the dirt around the stage into a solid mass to hurl at its opponent, leaving the area spotless.
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (fungoid): Fungoid [Aggressive Strike, Beats: Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span>/spanMichael beams brightly as the fight starts, “A ruthless charge by the fungal freak! Whose gonna
Michael beams brightly as the fight starts, “A ruthless charge by the fungal freak! Whose gonna’ take it!”
Quietly as Seraphina came, she slips out, despite the roar of a crowd roaring for blood.
The kobold now dubbed Stone Cold Steve starts the match, reaching into his rune covered pouch, spilling marbles onto the floor. The marbles do…. nothing. But luckily for the kobold, the fungoid hurtles its spear, but misses!
Realizing its loss, the fungoid shrieks and snatches up another nearby spear. The sound from the mushroom folk is made all the more creepy by the fact that it has no facial features to accompany, and charges at the kobold with the spear tip out, intent on blood.
In the intervening moments, the kobold begins to chant, the dirt in the stage collecting in the air into a solid block that batters the fungoid! The mushroom thing is knocked onto its mushroom butt on the arena floor, shaking itself off as it hops back to its feet, leaking spores everywhere!
Jakem looks out over the crowd “Look at that, they were pretty evenly matched there for a moment, but it looks like the kobold managed to land a blow. The audience isn’t going to be happy about what that kobold is doing to their poor mushroom…” he pauses to let any innuendo sink in, before continuing “Can our furious fungoid turn things around?” He looks out over the crowd “We’ve got an expert in the crowd, a self-professed mushroom witch I believe? What’s she say? Got any insights on fungal fighting folies?”
Vesper keenly examines each of the beasts in turn, sitting at the edge of her bench with rapt attention.
Cristal cheers for the kobold!!
“Hey! Show that ugly little rat a thing about mycology!” Marina hollers, pumping her fist in the air as she snaps photos of the show. “I didn’t bet on a loser!”
“That fungal fella means business, doesn’t he? Such grace, such power, such bulbousness…” Verity comments idly, watching the less than graceful charge meant for the kobold plod on. At the last second, a javelin throw is attempted, only to go wide. Verity tsks softly. “Looks like the Filaying Fungoid is on the backfoot. He might need some cheers to harness the power of friendship and overcome.” To that, she holds her mic out to the crowd.
Michael feigns obvious disgust as he stares into the pit, covering his mouth as he pretends to retch at the sight of whatever that kobold is doing to that fungus. “Oh, god… I don’t think that was meant for that. Uh, winner kobold?” He sounds almost uncertain.
Mercedes hops up high and extends her arms, “C’mon! Little guy! Do it for us, fry that fungi!” she cheers over the crowd, “Underdog woof woof! Underdog!”
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (fungoid): Fungoid: [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span>/span55Kobold [Lunging Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span Muttering an incantation, the kobold summons a sandbag from the rafters of the stage, causing it to fall towards its opponent.
Jasper continues to cheer for Steve Kobold.
Shiloh cheers for the Kobold “Fuck the mushroom guy up!”
“Lets go mushroom guy!” Jenny yells out from the crowd
“FUNGUS, FUNGUS, FUNGUS,” Marina chants from her seat, stomping her feet in rhythm.
“Mushrooms forever!!” Lola calls out, damn near screaming as she notes the mushroom taking that horrible beating- then the tables turn, and Lola truly does scream this time. “GO MUSHROOMS!!” she shouts out, throwing her hands in the air. “GET HIM AGAIN!! Tear that dragon-rat apart!!” she chants, jumping up and down eagerly in the stands. This isn’t about money for her- it’s clearly about mushroom unity.
Michael dives out of the way as a cloud of dust from the falling sandbag threatens to engulf him. He manages to be entirely consumed by the rising spore cloud in the process. The last sight on his face is brief fear before a torrent of coughing sounds from inside the fungal smog.
“Now the spores are starting to fly – and not for Stone Cold Steven’s favour,” Verity exclaims, her voice tightened with anticipation, and perhaps showing some of her bias for old Steven, concern lacing her delivery. “Just listen to that crowd,” Verity adds, seemingly moved enough by the cheers to hold he r mic out towards the benches, nodding approvingly. “Looks like it’s evenly matched now. All or nothing, fighters. You got kids, a wife or something to head back to, right?” she adds some last minute motivation to win.
Enraged, the fungoid regains its balance, eyeing the kobold who summons a sandbag. The sandbag falls from the rafters, but the fungoid avoids it, taking advantage of this moment to get close to the kobold, letting loose a puff of spores in the air. But unlike its usual dandruff look, these spores are a mix of black, brown, and gold. The kobold, too slow on the uptake with its mouth still open from the incantation, breathes in heavily…
line Looking dizzy, the kobold manages to hobble away, retreating.
Jakem lets out a low whistle “This is a closer match than I anticipated.” he says, mopping a bit of sweat from his brow. It was not lost on him that most of the crowd bet on the fungoid. Turning to the crowd he calls out “And the crowd’s going wild! Tricia I’m thinking this cage is more protecting the contestants than the crowd.” He looks over to Michael and tsks “Might have lost our gladiator. I hope that’s not an OASHA violation.”
“No! No! Not the spores! Get up! Show us gore! Come back! Make a score!” Mercedes belts out, her forehead already sweating as she continues to jump and prance, pom-poms shaking at her waist, still beaming her brightest smile.
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (fungoid): Fungoid: [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span>/span55Kobold [Careful Strike, Beats: Counter, Powerful Blow]/span The kobold screams in blind terror and draws a hidden knife to hurl at its opponent.
Michael crawls slowly out of the spore cloud, clearly playing it up, offering a weak, high-pitched, “I’m okay…” into the mic. As the kobold and mushroom clash, he cries out weakly, “GO, LITTLE FUCKER!”
The fungoid reaches for another spear, hurtling it at the kobold with a strange, unnatural howl of anger. Puffs of spores fall from its mushroom top.
The kobold, however, lets out that horrible scream, hurling a knife at its opponent. No more magic, not this time.
The spear flies just above the someone’ head, missing by a fraction of an inch as the dagger finds purchase in the mushroom’s head. Crying out in pain, the mushroom shakes, its sliced top starting to bleed some kind of green ooze.
Verity struggles to see past the cloud of spores, a dramatic conclusion hiding behind the veil. There’s a struggle in there, going on surely. “Is this the end for Steve? Or did our Fungal Fellow find his funeral?” She claps a hand to her cheek and waits with bated breath, standing on the tips of her toes.
The fungoid reaches for another spear, hurtling it at the kobold with a strange, unnatural howl of anger. Puffs of spores fall from its mushroom top.
The kobold, however, lets out that horrible scream, hurling a knife at its opponent. No more magic, not this time.
The spear flies just above the kobold’s head, missing by a fraction of an inch as the dagger finds purchase in the mushroom’s head. Crying out in pain, the mushroom shakes, its sliced top starting to bleed some kind of green ooze.
Michael drops all pretense of neutrality and roars with excitement as the kobold’s dagger goes deep. Its interrupted half-way through with a cloud of spores erupting from his chest, but the effort is real.
Jakem bellows “And there we have it folks, the fungoid is down. Maybe it got cocky, maybe Mike breath half of its children and it gave up its will to live, but it’s brief showing of force wasn’t enough for old Stone Cold Steve Kobold! His magics have prevailed!”
“Allright staff, lets get these contestants out of here and get ready for the next match! Payouts will be performed during the betting for the next match.”
Cristal holds up her arms, fist pumping. “FUCK YEAH KOBOLD STEVE!”
Verity takes a few steps backwards, holding a hand over her mouth and nose. “Don’t breathe this, kids,” she advises to the crowd at her back. The scream clues her in. A heavy thud, and she’s clapping as she sees a wiry fellow the last one standing. “Let’s hear it for Steve,” she encourages, waving her mic at the stage.
“NOooOOOoooo!!” Lola cries out, her back arching backwards in agony as though she had been struck instead of the fungoid. She clutches her chest and sinks to her knees dramatically, draping herself over her seat with an eccentric whimper and whine as she struggles to process the loss.
“Hey, wait, he’s not even dead yet!” Marina seems to find this end unsatisfactory, peering at the injured mushroom. Her arms fold and she gets a sulky look as she plops herself down on her seat again, crossing her legs.
Shiloh claps loudly, roaring for his Kobold champion, “Steeeeeeeeve!”
Jakem lets staff chain up the tired monsters, though the kobold does give staff a run for there money. Eventually, they’re back on the platforms. He looks out at the crowd “These matches aren’t to the death folks.” he speaks a little quieter “They were way too expensive for that.”
“And that’s the bottom line!” Jasper hollers out, throwing one fist up in the air until moves his arm to cough a bit into his elbow. “Damn spores.”
Mercedes coughs a little like she may have swallowed a spore and backs up with her nose in the crook of her elbow.
Michael offers a breathless little ‘woo’ as he allows himself to be dragged to the edge of the stage, “Tip your waiters…”
Mercedes hacks a cough like a spore has entered her mouth and turns away with her nose buried in her elbow. She clears her throat and then repositions for another cheer session, “Spirits up! Spirits up! C’mon babes spirits up!” she then cheers at Jenny and Lola with a bubbly giggle.
Verity hops off the stage and moves to the crowd with her mic held out to anyone brave enough to have their piece said. “How exciting. Anyone wanna chime in? I know emotions ran deep back there…”
Michael pinches one of his nostrils closed, and breath out, hard. A rush of spores exhale with finality, and he rises to his feet, non-plussed, “Alright, lets hope this doesn’t go all Last of Us for me. Hows the crowd feeling tonight!?”
Shiloh hoots and hollers in response to Michael, ready for the next event!
“Don’t worry, humans are immune to the parasitic mind-control powers of cordyceps!” Lola calls out to Michael over the crowd- and, well, she probably makes that announcement for the rest of the crowd, too. She’s chock-full of mushroom facts, it seems.
Jakem pulls the level for the platform once the previous contestants have been cleared off, raising it to reveal…
Michael points enthusiastically at Lola, “Thanks, mushroom chick! Appreciate you!” As the minotaur and the medusa exit their platforms, he fans his face with a large hand, “Shit, who do I root for, its like my fetishes decided to have a free for all.”
Cristal gives Michael an ‘ewww’ look.
Jakem calls out as the two new contestants rise from the bowels “Is everyone ready for the second match? We’ll be upping the stakes. Let’s introduce our new contestants, fighting for slightly higher food rations tonight…” he turns to Verity.
Jakem hops down from the stage, heading towards the row of benches in preparation for the betting.
“Now hold onto your socks, fellas. From the depths of serpentine seduction comes the sinuous, scintillating scourge: Lady Vivacious Venemous Vipera! Let’s hope she isn’t one of those snake ladies that shoots laser beams, huh? Owwie…” Verity fakes a grimace and shakes her head, momentarily looking shellshocked. Then she’s back at it in no time. “Aaaaaaaand facing her, horns high, snorty fury in every hoofstep, it’s the undefeated udder of doom: The Mooing Mauler!” The minotuar doesn’t actually any udders, and sharply turns its attention on Verity. “Beast versus beauty! Only one leaves without needing a stretcher.” She wags a finger at the crowd, a steady reminder: “And remember. This isn’t to the death. Usually.”
Shiloh says “Put it on the snake lady.“
Jakem whistles softly “Quite an impressive wager, done and done.”
Mercedes turns to face the new contestants with a hop, “Minotaur! Minotaur!” she starts to chant, but her eyes look back over the audience again, as if to see which way the bloodlust leans, “Don’t make us pout, don’t make us groan! Turn that beastie into stone!”
The medusa hisses at the crowd, the coiled snakes from its head following suit.
Meanwhile, the minotaur stomps onto the arena grounds, causing the floor to shake. It hefts its large axe in the air, swinging it around.
“Mushrooms love cow patties! Let’s go Minotaur!!” Lola cheers eagerly, seeming to immediately recognize the bull-headed beast that stomps its way into the arena. She doesn’t bet on this one- the life of a broke college girl- but damn does she cheer, screaming out with the rest of the crowd as she says: “Let’s go, Mooing Mauler!! Woohoo!!”
“On the snake,” Marina relays to Jakem as she passes over a handful of crushed bills.
Mercedes clears her throat and makes an aside to herself “Shucks!… Really should’ve brought a cowbell.”
One of the smaller snakes from the medusa’s head hisses at Mercedes.
“You’re beautiful!” Marina shouts at the medusa, “Like a land mermaid! Love it! Babes! Kick that cow’s ass!”
Michael throws a fist up, beaming brightly, “No matter how this goes, the real winner tonight is me! Lets! Get! TO CARNAAAAAAAAGE!”
Jakem bellows out from the stands “Looks like everyone’s betting on the same contestant. Our maliceful medusa here is quite the fan favorite! Do I have all bets? Going once, going twice…”
Mercedes yipes dramatically at the snake that hisses at her before jumping back into cheer position, her holds her pom-poms to her eyes, “Moooooooo!” she boos, “Minotaur! Make a mooove! Minotaur! Make a moooove!”
The minotaur stomps around, a hot breath exhaled from its large nostrils.
Jakem jumps from the benches “All right, let’s get this started then. Staff, undo the bindings! And untie the ladie’s hair for her, will you? She likes to let it flow free.” The staff members in question seem very leery about undoing the medusa’s hairties, but do comply.
“Watch your steps and slithering, folks. One slip and you’re either getting trampled or envenomed,” Verity speaks into the mic languidly, eyes on the two contestants. “Will it be venom or veal tonight?” Comes a quip, taking a small step back from the cage.
Michael peers about dramatically, “Shit, total girls club tonight! I’m with you, Mister Minotaur! Male solidarity!” He throws a fist up, pumping it lightly, “Patriarchy! Patriarchy. Patriarchy?” He sounds very unsure of himself by the third call.
Lola waves eagerly to Kurt as he walks in, a hand high over her head as she beckons him over with a laugh and a bright, genuine smile. “I lost my only bet- on the fungoid versus the kobold… Sad!”
Jakem bellows over his mic “While our Cowbell toting mauler may be the favored contestant in this match, it looks like people are betting on a cleanup of the scaled kind!
The minotaur lets out a bellow that shakes the air in the room. The medusa weaves its serpentine body about, seeming unbothered as she continues to hiss, but now at the minotaur, her eyes narrowed, the attention of those snakes upon her head looking every which way.
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (minotaur): Minotaur [Powerful Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Counter, Lunging Blow]/span>/spanSnakewoman [Maneuvering Strike, Beats: Careful Strike, Counter, Powerful Blow]/span>/spanShit. That was a lot of money.“
Kurt glances over towards Lola, a grin dancing across his lips. “If it’s any consolation, I’d have put my money on the fungoid! They give me more of a run for my money in the Mists than the Kobolds!” Shuffling over to a seat next to Lola, he fixes his gaze back on the fight.
Verity says “Oh yeah? Nice.“
Jakem says “Well… He can still come back.“
Mercedes raises an eyebrow and snorts a laugh at Michael. She shakes her head before leaning down to take a sip of water from a bottle. She holds her pom-poms up high again, “Serpentine! Bob and weave! Serpentine! Don’t make it clean!”
Verity says “Oh. Hah…“
As the fight begins in earnest, the minotaur paws at the ground, immediately letting out at bellow as he charges towards the snakewoman. But the medusa, with her smaller snake strands looking in all directions, slides out of the path of destruction at the last minute, her blade steady as she slashes into the minotaur.
A bellow of pain shakes the air as a red gash on the minotaur’s arm litters the air and arena ground with dots of blood.
Cristal gazes at the snake woman with admiring eyes. “Whoaaa!”
Michael whistles as the minotaur’s powerful swing is swiftly dealt with by serpentine grace, “Oooh, not a good showing for brawn and little brains. Which is particularly bad for me. Power through, big guy!” He thrusts fist up high.
Jakem looks just a little pale as the medusa gets in the first blow “Well, uh folks, that was quite an upset! But our boy isn’t down yet. He’s still roaring for a fight!” he says, picking up steam. “Can he turn this around? Or will our vivacious vixen of venom have the last laugh?”
“I know! I can believe we lost!” Lola declares to Kurt over the noise of the arena, watching as now her second vote is swiftly pierced in a dance of dexterity versus strength- for now, in the initial blow, he loses. First blood goes to the gorgon. “Noo!! Get up, knock her down!!!
“A real dervish with that slitherwork. Curved blades are the real deal,” Verity provides idle commentary, eyes darting between the two fighting monstrosities. “Like straight out of the movies. Someone needs to give that lady a katana! Textbook maneuver.”
Marina lets out a shrill whistle from her seat, hopping to her feet again. “That’s right, tell that hunk of beef what for!” she hollers, getting really into cheering for the medusa.
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (minotaur): Minotaur [Powerful Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Counter, Lunging Blow]/span>/spanSnakewoman [Lunging Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span>/spanFilled with confidence from the last bout, the medusa grins, her teeth razer sharp. Her tail coils and she springs towards the minotaur. But, filled with a blood-fueled rage, the minotaur swings its axe with both hands towards the snake woman, catching her off guard despite her swiftness!
Two small snakes are cut from the medusa’s head, the poor scaled creatures dying as they writhe on the arena floor.
Shiloh gasps as the minotaurs swing connects, “Nooo! Snake lady!” He cries out, mostly for his money.
“Would you look at that,” Verity marvels, blinking after the violent clash. “Mauler still has it in him. Is this a comeback in the making?” She glances over her shoulder. “I’d be on the edge of my seat, if I had one,” she laments, consigned to stand near the stage, speaking into her mic to air out a tiny woe of hers. “Talk about a haircut…”
Cristal cries out, almost sobbing at seeing the snake lady hurt. “WE CAN FIX THAT HONEYBEE! STAY IN THE FIGHT! I GOT FIDDY ON YA!”
Mercedes holds about her arms shaking her palms as she holds out her arms, swaying like a cobra, “Show us venom! Show us venom! C’mon babe bare your fangs!”
Jakem shakes his head in feigned dismay “Staying out of range of that axe isn’t easy, even for one so agile. She can weave like the cobra, but alas, I wonder if her hairdo isn’t throwing her off balance?”
He looks out to the crowd, calling out “Well we had a mycanologist in the crowd for commentary on our last match. And reptile specialists amongst us, or perhaps bovine connosieures want to give us some insight on this match? It’s all tied up for now! But one must surely emerge victorious?”
“Would you look at that,” Verity marvels, blinking after the violent clash. “Mauler still has it in him. Is this a comeback in the making?” She glances over her shoulder. “I’d be on the edge of my seat, if I had one,” she laments, consigned to stand near the stage, speaking into her mic to air out a tiny woe of hers. “Talk about a haircut…”
Kurt flashes a grin as the medusa loses a few snakes. “Keep up the pressure, Cow!”
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (minotaur): Minotaur [Lunging Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span>/spanSnakewoman [Lunging Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span>/spanMinotaur [Lunging Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span>/spanSnakewoman [Lunging Blow, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span>/spanMinotaur [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span>/spanSnakewoman [Aggressive Strike, Beats: Careful Strike, Maneuvering Blow]/span>/spanShit. “
Jakem says “Oh wait, no he won!“
Verity says “I was gonna say. Woo.“
Michael watches in awe as a flurry of blows clash, meeting in the middle in a beautiful symphony of sparks. Feigning wiping a tear from his eye, as the minotaur tries caution for the first time and scores a blow, both the man’s hands surge into the air, pure excitement in his booming voice, “A clean blow! Desperate times for Team No Gag Reflex!”
The two creatures are locked in deadly combat. Both bleeding. Both fueled by anger and lust for harm. Despite their differences in form, one brute strength, and the other pure agility, the minotaur and the medusa make an unusual, but lively pair of combatants as they weave against one another, trading blows that don’t quite find their purchase quite yet…
That is, until the medusa charges forward, her maw of razor sharp teeth open to attempt to pull a chunk of flesh from the minotaur, who manages to deflect her with the axe, an additional kick from his hooves sending the snake woman flying in the air until she lands with a thud on the ground.
Jakem bellows out to the crowd “The closest match we’ve ever had on this stage, the closest match perhaps ever seen! But did his dim mind give him the upper hand as he was a bit to slow to suffer from impatience? Our venomous vixen finally made her mistake after so many exchange of blows! Alas, she’ll live to fight another day.”
Matthew slips in an, looks over the gathering and then makes his way over towards Marina. “So, how’d the bet go?” he wonders.
Shiloh exhales a sigh as he watches the snake woman drop, waving his hand with disappointment at his poor bet results, “Knew I should have bet for the minotaur.”
Jakem speaks a bit quieter and not in the mic “She did survive didn’t she? That looked rough.”
Cristal is crying in the stands.
“FUCK!” The shout escapes Marina in the spectator stands, her hands going into her hair. “You stupid reptile! I had a Benjamin on you! You can’t even kick a cow’s ass!” She gives a couple stamps of her own foot, before Matthew’s question has her expelling air. “I’ve lost both rounds. I’m fucked.”
An underpaid intern checks the passed out snake woman’s pulse and give a thumbs up towards Jakem.
Verity breathes out a soft sigh as she watches her favoured contestant take the fall. She presses a hand to her heart, a solemn gesture for team lady. “Well. There you have it, ladies and gentleman. The Mooing Mauler prevails!” She tilts her head, squinting. “Still moving at least,” she says as an aside to Jakem.
Michael leans over the pit, picking up a mic stand to poke at the snake body. He shrugs at Jakem, looking sympathetic.
Jakem turns to the crowds “All right, well the final match has come. The winner of this match, versus the feared, awesome power of… THE MANTICORE!”
“With a name like Mooing Mauler, not surprised,” Matthew says, but Marina’s granted a few pat-pat-pats to the back. “THe Manticore though…” he glances further, noting Cristal and all her tears.
Jakem looks over to staff members with a broad enthusiastic smile that displays either obliviousness or complete lack of concern for their reticence in retrieval of the next contestant.
Mercedes looks over at the carnage with a wince before turning back to the audience with her best reassuring smile, “Moo! Moo! Minotaur! Moo! Moo! Minotaur!” still cheering and beamingg even as people in the audience let out cries of anguish.
Jakem calls out to Michael “Hey, we’ve got those stimulants to get our boy back in fighting spirits right? You wanna give him the jab?”
Mercedes clears her throat and chants, “MAN-TI-CORE! MAN-TI-CORE!” she slowly raises her arms with a shake of her pom-poms.
Marina is full-on sulking now, her arms going over her head as she plants her rear end on the bench once more. “I’m not betting this time,” she insists, though the talk of the manticore has her eyeballing the ring.
Jasper’s eyes light up as he turns to watch the incoming manticore. He fishes his pocket for his wallet and pulls out a few bills of his own.
Shiloh tells Marina “But 99/ of gamblers give up before they win big!”
Shiloh tells Marina “But 99 percent of gamblers give up before they win big!”
Kurt hums thoughtfully, before reaching for his wallet. Turning to Lola, he raises a brow, “I’m feeling lucky on the Bull. What say you?”
Michael raises a hand in military salute to the minotaur as the manticore is gathered, the man clearly offering his final respects. As Jakem offers him a needle, the man shrugs with an easy smile, offering no pretense, “Sure thing, boss.” Casually, he jumps down into the pit, approaching the minotaur with a brandished needle. What follows is a very aggressive wrestling match, the large man smaller than the minotaur by a noticeable margin. Seizing the creature with one hand by the horns, he yanks their head down like a mother pulling a disobedient son by the ear, jabbing them in the neck.
Matthew nods and then says, “I’m gonna bet, uh, hundred on the Manticore,” he goes against the reigning champ. “Who’s the bookie?”
Marina points towards Jakem when Matthew asks about the bookie, though her eyes are on Shiloh. She narrows them.
Shiloh flashes Marina an innocent grin, shooting her a thumbs up!
Jenny hands over some cash to Jakem “Minotaur.”
Matthew tips his phone in Jakem’s direction, “Transfers work or there a…” he’s looking around for something, “ATM nearby?”
The minotaur bellows, as its jabbed. But whatever it was inside seems to give it a second wind as it stands, stomping around and thumping on its chest at the crowd!
Meanwhile, the manticore is led out, its muscular leonine body roaring from that human-like face. It’s barbed tail swishes with deadly intent.
Shiloh says “Minotaur. “
Kurt nods to Jakem as he hands the bills over, “Fifty on the Bull.”
“I’m betting on the manticore,” Jasper tells Jakem as he gives him the bills.
Jasper says “Five dollars.“
Marina stuffs some money into Matthew’s pocket. “You can pay me back later,” she relays to him.
Matthew is already dialing away on his phone and then nods at Marina, “Thanks,” he winks and heads over, sliding the cash over to Jakem.
Mercedes beams a gold-lipped smile at the audience, “Risk it baby! Better gamble, don’t wanna be left in shambles!” she cheers with a twirl.
Michael hurries to scale the side of the pit, hurrying out with a wary look at the manticore’s stinger. “You got this, big guy!” He calls encouragingly to the minotaur. As soon as he settles near the side of the stage, he shakes his head solemnly, “Never had a chance.”
Matthew hasn’t had a chance for his heart to be broken, so he doesn’t quite share Marina’s sorrow, and he can only beam gratitude towards her when she’s fronting the cash. “You’re the best,” he says, “and If I win, we’ll split the winnings. Now then…” and now he’s shouting at the cage fighters.
Jakem nods to those betting “All right, pay up your bets now, anyone that intended to give me money not given it yet?”
“The arena shakes tonight, darlings! Towering above the crowd with claws like cleavers and a roar to wake the dead, it’s the legend with at ail for tales: The Ferocious Manticore!” Verity gestures grandly to the newly brought in beastie. “And its opponent needs no introduction, and yet…” She gestures to the hyped up minotaur. “Let’s hear it for The Mooing Mauler! Reigning champ.”
The manticore continues to roar as the minotaur continues to bellow.
Jakem nods to Matthew “Gotcha, was about to ask>”
Marina drops her head against Matthew’s leg, letting him do all the betting now as she refocuses on the manticore in the arena.
Mercedes kicks her legs outward and holds her pom-poms high, belting at the top of her lungs, “Carnage! Carnage!”
Matthew leans over the railing, hands cupped to his mouth as he shouts. “TURN HIM INTO GROUND BEATH, YOU BEAUTIFUL SPIKY BASTARD!” He starts clapping wildly, fingers to his mouth whistling out loud and sharp for the Manticore.
Matthew probably said Beef. but it’s all loud anyway.
Jakem furiously scribbles down the bets as he accepts the money.
“Go get ’em, Manticore!” Jasper cheers as he watches the fight. “Beat up that minotaur!,”
Matthew looks down, resting a hand briefly atop Marina’s head, wondering, “You think they’re riggin’ the fights?”
With tallies on his paper done, cash in hand, Jakem jumps down from the benches and approaches the stage.
Jakem calls out to the staff “Release the beasts! Let’s get this show on the road!” he bellows. “The finale monster match of tonight is underway!”
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (minotaur): Minotaur [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span>/spanSnakewoman [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span>/spanMarina assures Matthew, “People are winning. Just not me.” She scrunches her nose as she pouts, as she often does when she’s feeling Big Emotions.
Verity uses a mic (manticore): 35Man34tic33ore/b>[Awesome Power, Beats: Alll]/span>/spanMichael throws both hands over his mouth, attempting to offer a roar to excite for the battle to come, only to be drowned out by the roar of the manticore, pure silence following from both him and the crowd for a moment in the aftermath. “Holy shit…”
Matthew shouts loud, cheering on the Manticore on. “THAT’S MOOOOO-SIC TO MY EARS,” when the roar rattles the stage. “SEND HIM TO THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE!”
Verity’s mic screeches some loud interference after that debilitating display. She tries tapping on it fruitlessly, and once its silent again, she only has one thing to say on the minotaur’s behalf. “Ow.”
The manticore flies into the air, its powerful wings beating. It roars so hard and loud that the stage shakes, and debris falls atop. Miraculously, the rafters do still hold, but that doesn’t stop a beam of wood along with a load of dust to fall upon the minotaur, who tries to batten it away with its axe, only to get hit upon the head with another falling beam. Dazed, the minotaur stumbles backwards.
An unpaid intern looks up at the rafters, mouthing the words, “Fuck me,” as they realize they’ll likely have to double check the security of those beams still remaining later.
Jakem coughs away from the mic, clearing his throat before he turns to the crowd “And with a display of force heretofore unseen within this hallowed Den, the manticore takes the first round! But not to worry cowboy boosters. Our drugs are the finest in the city, and the Mauler is not out of the running yet!”
Cristal puts her hands over her ears.
Mercedes yipes and prances backwards from the stage, “Raise the roof! Woof woof! Raise the roof!” she continues to cheer and beam back at the crowd.
Jakem uses an announcer’s mic (minotaur): Minotaur [Counter, Beats: Aggressive Strike, Lunging Blow]/span>/span35Man34tic33ore/b>[Maneuvering Blow, Beats: Careful Strike, Counter, Powerful Blow]/span>/spanKurt lets out a quiet ‘tsk’ as the fight progresses, shaking his head. “Get your head back in the game, Burger Meat!”
“DON’T GET MILKED!” Matthew shouts it, stamping a foot as he cups hands to mouth, when a hoof goes flying in the Manticore’s direction. But the pounce is enough to assure the Montrose, “YEAH, THAT’S IT! TAKE HIM OUT TO PASTURE!”
Michael notes quickly into his mic, hurried with the words, “TheDenOfWonderIsNotResponsibleForAnyHarmInjuryMaimingOrDeathThatMayOccurAsAResultOfAttendingOurEvents.” He then switches back into his announcer voice, belated, “No chance! This Minotaur did not know what he was dealing with!”
Still clearly disoriented, the minotaur does its best to rally as the manticore spots its opportunity and dives onto the cow-beast-man. The minotaur kicks helplessly as the manticore drops it from up in the air onto the arena ground, knocking out the minotaur out cold!
A little whistle escapes Marina. “Holy shit,” she mumbles.
Shiloh lets out a sigh, just shaking his head “I’ll need to get the pub up and running sooner than I thought.”
Verity observes the minotaur in particular, as it puts up its very best just to stay in the game with the fearsome manticore. “Now that’s udder devastation.” Her breath catches in her throat as the bull-headed warrior is manhandled like a toy. “That thing’s gonna kill him,” she squeaks into the mic, the air of showmanship squashed with worry.
Michael stops announcing, turns his head, crosses his arms, and simply glares at Verity for the pun.
Matthew#Me throws his head back and howls with joy as the Mintaur is dropped like a sack of beef from the sky, fists pumping like he just won the fight himself. “That’s what I’m talkin’ bout!” He shouts, voice full hype for the manticore.
Jakem calls out to staff at Verity’s words “Get the tranqs!” Then turns back to the crowd “And putting up a desperate attempt to emerges the champion, alas, our cowboy was no match for the mastery of magnatism…. No sorry, the malevolent manticore! He is down for the count, and I believe I owe a few of your some money.”
Mercedes watches in awe, her pom-poms coming up to cover her mouth. She quickly collects herself and flutters her eyes before hopping up on her tip-toes, “Manticore!” she claps thrice, “Give us gore!”
“Oh yeah!” Jasper jumps out of his seat as the minotaur is knocked out. “I knew you could do it, Manti-” He then notices the the brutality is still going before he wonders, “Uhh, yeah, we should calm down that manticore before it kills the moo man.”
“MOOOOOVE OVER , MINOTAUR, THERE’S A NEW PREDATOR IN THE PIT!” Matthew shouts it out and then looks down, flashing Marina a grin. “Hey, that’s a win, right, we won!”
Cristal sniffles. “I hope snake lady still okay…”
Marina snorts softly. “Clearly you’re the lucky one,” she decides, getting to her feet to whistle enthusiastically at the win of the manticore. “Fucking hamburger! Get wrecked!”
Verity gives the cleanup crew a thumbs up as they struggle to contain the victorious manticore, turning her back on the ensuing chaos to the crowd. Wearing a smile, she waves at everyone gathered. “I’m sure the Mauler will want his rematch. That’s our third and final match, folks. If you got bets to sort, that’s your guy,” she reminds helpfully, shooting Jakem with the old fingergun.
Jakem hands out some cash to Shiloh, then goes down the line of benches.
Cristal sniffles again and claps for the staff.
Matthew simply smiles at Marina, nodding agreement, “Yeah, guess I brought the luck since last night I had none of it.” He laughs at that, taking the money when Jakem pays out. “So that Minotaur was winnin’ all night?” he wonders, counting out the winnings before he passes half to Marina.
Mercedes pouts over at Cristal before skipping over to shake her pom-poms over the woman, “Raw-raw! No more fear! Count your dough and wipe your tears!” she beams with a giggle.
Kurt applauds politely, shaking his head, “Well, hell. Guess McDonald’s is making a limited-time offer meal, tonight.” With a sigh, he settles back down on the bench.”
Michael points aggressively at Kurt from the stage, commanding loudly, “Everyone boo this man.”
“He beat the snake,” Marina explains to Matthew, giving a squint at the cash she’s passed. “I hope you got more than sixty four bucks for betting a hundred…”
Jakem heads back up to the stage “Now for those that wanted a bit of personal time, I’ll remind you, our stage is open for friendly matches 24 hours a day, 8 days a week.”
With a grin, Jasper receives some money and claps his hands. “This has been an excellent fight!” He comments while he puts his money inside his wallet, which is put away.
Matthew smirks and shakes his head, “No, unfortunately not. It was like, sixty-three,” he explains to Marina.
Jakem clears his throat with a cough and a glance to Michael “And for any folks in the crowd that wanted a partner to get a little of that adrenaline out of their system, I believe our Den Champion Michael the Mighty is making himself available.”
Marina quirks both brows and narrows her eyes a bit, giving a little tut of her tongue against her teeth. “For betting a hundred? They said you’d get like eighty-two for betting fifty on the manticore when I checked the payouts…” Still, she pockets the cash, tossing her braids back over her shoulder to pretend like she wasn’t having a meltdown when Matthew came in. “Oh well. At least you won.”
Cristal stuffs her winnings away into her bag.
Cristal asks Shiloh. “How’d ya do on th ebets?”
Shiloh sighs at Cristal “I lost every one of them.”
Michael raises a hand confidently to the crowd, palm flat, upward. Four fingers beckon in a ‘come get it’ motion.
Matthew shrugs and then pockets the rest of the cash. “Yeah I dunno, but hey, win’s a win.” With that he starts to step down off the bleachers, “What else you gettin’ into tonight someone
Shiloh says “Eh, it is what it is. Didn’t bet anything I wasn’t comfortable losing.“
Verity moves to stand near Jakem, cutting her mic off and breathing a sigh of relief, a weight having rolled off her shoulders. Holding the mic out for Jakem to take, she wonders quietly, “How’d you manage with the bets?”
Marina follows Matthew down the bleachers, her hands lacing behind her neck. “Gonna take a trip out of New Haven, see some fireworks, get drunk, that sort of thing,” she answers, “Midnight fireworks.”
Matthew catches sight of Shiloh, upnodding him. “Hey man, good to see you.”
Shiloh grins aside at Matthew, waving “Hey, match with my on MyHaven by the way, you got an invite to my pub’s soft opening if you wanna go.”
Cristal walks over to Mercedes. “Great job cheerin!!”
“Nice,” Matthew thumbs up Marina’s plans, “I’mma do something similar.” He checks his phone, noting the time. “Still not quite fireworks hour for me.” He look sback to Shiloh, swiping his phone to pull up the app. “Sure thing, what’s your handle?”
Shiloh tells Matthew “Dreaming312.”
Mercedes beams and claps her pom-poms. She jumps up and down excitedly before throwing her arms around Cristal, “Thank you for the opportunity hun! It was like so fun!”
Matthew beams a smile, “I forget to get on Myhaven,” he admits but then looks towards Marina, “But I did send her a match, she just never swiped!”
Marina leans down to fix one of her shoes, eventually straightening back up. “Don’t get into legal trouble,” she suggests to Matthew, before giving him a befuddled look. “…I didn’t?”
“Nice. Very nice,” Verity says approvingly, rubbing her hands together. “Might wanna throw out there we’re looking new, more fantastical fighters too, while you’re at it,” she suggests, giving Jakem the floor as she eases away from him. She shoots Michael the thumbs up. “Good stuff.”
Marina says “Huh. I didn’t.“
Matthew waggles the phone in his hand, “There we go!”
Shiloh nods at Matthew “I was a lot more active when I had just arrived.” He admits before grinning aside at Marina “Gotta add him so you can make him your good luck charm for future gambling endeavors.”
Jakem calls out to the benches “Thank you everyone for coming! You were a fantastic crowd. We’ll be doing this somewhat regularly, with different match ups each time so drop by for a shot to win your money back… Or win more money off me.” he says with a glance to Matthew.
“My profile isn’t even, like, finished,” Marina confesses, pocketing her phone again. “He’s my good luck charm even if we aren’t myHaven friends — I have his phone number.”
Michael flashes Verity a big grin and a thumbs up.
Jakem bellows “And while we’re at it, there will be human versus humanish fight events, so if you’re interested in that feel free to ask for details!
Mercedes nods to Cristal, “Oh! Thank you! I’m so happy it all came together so quickly!”
Matthew looks over towards Jakem, winking in the man’s way. He nods at Marina’s claim and then says to Shiloh, “What’d you say again about the bar, there’s an opening or party or something?”
Michael calls out loudly, “Its supe WWE! Its the best thing you’ll ever get to do! Show up if you’ve got a pair! Balls OR ovaries!”
“That’s it for me. It was so lovely to see you all,” Verity says with a meaningful smile, waving her hand as she turns, starting to make her way out, fishing out a cigarette from her handbag.
Cristal bobs her head at Mercedes. “Yeah, I am too!”
Shiloh nods at Matthew “Yeah, next week I’m doing a private soft opening for friends and the like, but if that all goes well the official opening won’t be long after.”
Matthew hums, “Like during the week or weekend?” he wonders of Shiloh, “I ask just cus, we got the big party on Sunday, but otherwise I’m there.”
“Oh, fun. I’ll crash,” Marina decides, already putting herself on Shiloh’s list of people who will attend the private soft opening. She was not openly invited; she does not seem to care. “I gotta get in my car,” she admits to Matthew, “But this was fun. Don’t get thrown in jail, alright?”
Matthew waves at Marina, “Okay, have fun, set off some big ones!” Then he’s right back to talking to Shiloh.
Jakem calls out to Matthew “In the mood for another party, Monsieur Montrose? Hah! You’ve the stamina of the ox you bet against. We’ve got drinks in the other room, and if those aren’t strong enough, I’ve got something special for you to try.”
Shiloh chuckles at Marina “It’ll be during the week, Thursday or Friday depending on when interior decorations are done. I should have the menu set by the end of this weekend.”
Marina lifts a hand to wiggle fingers in a farewell, venturing off
Jakem waves to Michael “Enjoy the night.”
“Ola Shi, Jasper.” Eloa waggles her fingers as she comes in late again, giving Jakem an apologetic wave as well.
Shiloh waves to Eloa “Hey El. You missed the show.”
Mercedes giggles brightly and bobs her head back at Cristal, “Totes! You should absolutely call me whenever you need help with anything hun, this was a blast.”
Cristal nods at Mercedes. “This was all J! Not me! I was just here to have a good time!”
“I know. Is apologise to Jakem before. How was show?” Eloa asks Shiloh with a warm smile as she walks up to him.
Shiloh chuckles a bit, telling Eloa “Costly. But really well fucking done. Big props to the showrunner.”
Matthew looks back towards Jakem, laughing at the punk’s words. “Oh yeah? You heard about it?” He can only shake his head, no denial but amusement all the same. “What’s the special thing you got?” A glance back to Shiloh, “We drinkin’ tonight or you got things to do?”
Shiloh clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, telling Matthew “I got one in me before I gotta run. Have a date in a few I can’t be late for.”
Jakem calls to Matthew “Hang on, I’ll grab some for yah.”
“Hey, Eloa,” Jasper greets Eloa with a smile.
Blinking a bit at Shiloh’s words, Eloa turns back to Jasper, stopping Infront of him instead. “How Jasper going?” She asks with a soft smile for the man.
Cristal waves to Eloa.
Mercedes then shakes her pom-poms at Jakem and bats her eyes with a smile at someone’ statment, “Right you are mon chere!” her bubbly demeanor keeping her floating on her tip-toes, “Jakem! Jakem! Jakem!”
Mercedes then shakes her pom-poms at Jakem and bats her eyes with a smile at Cristal’s statment, “Right you are mon chere!” her bubbly demeanor keeping her floating on her tip-toes, “Jakem! Jakem! Jakem!”
Eloa lifts her hand at Cristal, “Sorry miss you and jakem’s show.”
“Hey, I’ll takek it,” Matthew says, nodding off towrds the bar, “Drink in there?”
Jakem smirks at Mercedes “Lovely outfit Merci. Can’t believe you put that together in just a couple hours. Color me impressed.”
Matthew asks this of Shiloh, of course.
Shiloh nods as he pushes up from his seat “I can probably race down a couple before I gotta run.” He smirks as he heads off towards the bar.
Matthew flashes Cristal a smile, “Hey Cristal, good to see you again. You cool with me bringing one of my dates to your club?”
Mercedes nods and giggles, “I had to take a trip to Ola thrift, that saved me so much time!”
Shiloh tilts his head at Jakem How much for the strong stuff?”
Jakem smirks to Matthew at the request “Oh geeze, I can’t imagine there’ll be any drama. Cristal is totally over you.” he says insincerely.
Matthew upnods Jakem, “Only if you’ll be joining me,” he calls back, “but yes, I’m down.” A nod for Shiloh and then off he goes, into the adjoining bar.
Shiloh tilts his head at Jakem “How much for the strong stuff?”
Matthew laughs suddenly, shaking his head, “I wanted to see if she wanted to coordinate, really get club out in the limelight, y’know?”
Shiloh nods to Jakem “I got his. We’ll take two.” He nods to Matthew as he walks to the bar after the brief pause, grinning.
“It’s been well,” Jasper tells Eloa with a nod of his head. “Class earlier was… something, but at least the monster fights cheered me up.”
Jakem nods to Matthew “Oh I was just kidding around with that stuff. I figure you wanted the drama for the camera, and she’d be good at it.”
Jakem moves around behind the bar and places some ‘treats’ down on it. “Each of these has a corresponding drink to it.”
Cristal snoops, asking Jasper. “What kinda class?”
“What happened during class?” Eloa asks curiously as she sits down next to Jasper.
Matthew tips his head, agreeing with someone’ synopsis, “That too. She’s a fan favorite! Her confessional reels are going viral!” The Montrose laughs, leaving the choice of what he will consume in the hands of Shiloh and someone combined. “So figured we just had to have her back on for the drama, to promo her shop, all the above!”
Matthew tips his head, agreeing with Jakem’s synopsis, “That too. She’s a fan favorite! Her confessional reels are going viral!” The Montrose laughs, leaving the choice of what he will consume in the hands of Shiloh and Jakem combined. “So figured we just had to have her back on for the drama, to promo her shop, all the above!”
Mercedes gives a big nod, “Miss Kane had everyone like… write down who they wanted revenge on. Then she had them slowly reveal em'” she says in her bubbly drawl, “It got a little heated,” she snickers and twirls a strand of hair.
Shiloh watches Jakem with idle curiosity, looking over the treats as they’re set down “Interesting. Kinda love the vibe of this place. Gotta start coming here more.” He turns to Matthew “Oh, you wanna try one of my menu items? Brought a little with me because I was running late out the kitchen.” He snickers before looking at the bar, choosing the root beer candy.
“Well Eloa join at same time as join this place. That is when finish. So is asking Jasper.” Eloa gestures to the man next to her with a small smile, beckoning Cristal to come closer. She looks curiously at Mercedes, “Oh really? who hate who?”
Matthew nods towards Shiloh, “Yeah man, that sounds good. What you got? Im down.”
Cristal scoots over.
Mercedes raises a brow and looks Eloa up and down, “I don’t know if I should say hun,” she says swaying on her feet, “Though it seemed someone had beef with Mister Harrington,” she tugs on her invisible collar, “Including Miss Kane.”
“It was about magical revenge, yeah,” Jasper replies, shrugging his shoulders. “And I know someone draw a werewolf too when they reveal theirs. At least that was not me.”
Shiloh widens his eyes a bit as he drops the candy in his mouth, “Woah…” He comments as he looks beneath him before he looks around, hurling himself beneath the bar!
“Is anyone say Eloa?” Eloa asks Mercedes and Jasper curiously. “Isn’t Lola…and Elliot hex each other?” The Latina glances at Lola.
Mercedes darts a glance over at Lola and then slowly nods her head, “Mmm-hmm!”
“What is the beef over?” Cristal asks Jasper, curiously.
Shiloh seems a bit surprised when he feels solid ground and indeed does not sink through the floor. For whatever reason he might be thinking that. He clears his throat and hops back up on his bar stool, sliding forward a tray of Korean fried chicken wings. “Okay, I really wasn’t expecting that from the candy. Feel like I could just sleep on the ground for the rest of my life.” He exhales a soft, wistful breath as he is no longer on the ground.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Jasper tells Eloa before he turns his head to look at Cristal. “I don’t know, Cristal.”
Mercedes is clearly not in her usual head space, wrapped in a cheerleading, her demeanor playful as she seems a far cry from her more subtle usual self. She shouldn’t be so free flowing with gossip, should she? Mercedes leans forward to place her hands on her knees, “I’m curious about this beef myself!”
Eloa asks Jasper, looking over at Mercedes too.
Mercedes nods quickly in a not so subtle whisper-shout, “Lola!” she glances over and back.
Eloa frowns a little as she tilts her head, looking at Jasper as if it were unexpected.
Eloa’s eyebrows lift higher as she glances at Jasper then at Lola.
Shiloh taps the bar before pushing to his feet, he offers Jakem a nod “Good meeting you finally, and good fucking show. We still gotta get a bike rally going at some point.” He says before waving to Matthew “I gotta run, you can have the rest of those wings, or give them away or something if you can’t do spicy. Gotta date to catch.”
Jakem lifts a hand to wave to Shiloh “Good meeting you! Sorry if we’ve already met, I’m terrible with faces.”
Shiloh shoots a final finger gun at Matthew “We’ll grab drinks tomorrow if you’re down.” Before waving to the crew.
Malin looks around, gives a little wave, but something on her phone is drawing her away.
Sitting next to Jasper, Eloa frowns a little as she leans into him then glances over at Cristal and Mercedes. “So what happened in match? Eloa need cliff notes.”
Eloa says “who fighting them though?“
Eloa says “Is fight each other?“
Cristal explains to Eloa. “Oh the monsters fight each other! J had em captured and so they are pitted gainst one another!”
“Steve Kobold defeated the fungus fella,” Jasper tells Eloa. “The minotaur defeated Medusa to almost everyone’s loss. And the Manticore straight up beat up the minotaur and had to be tranquilized.”
“Huh who won here?” Eloa asks Jasper curiously as she leans back a bit.
Eloa says “Bet rather“
Jasper says “I only betted on the manticore and won.“
“Oh good. How much you win?” Eloa asks curiously, glancing over at Mercedes, “Merci bet too?”
Mercedes giggles at Jasper and claps her pom-poms, “In my opinion the audience was the winner… Well most of them. I can’t speak for ill-placed bets.”
Jasper says “I betted five dollars and won eight.“
Mercedes shakes her head, “I didn’t bet! But I should’ve! I was just so… cheer-minded,” she giggles and shrugs, Kinda like tunnel vision. Had to keep my pom-poms shaking!”
Matthew considers Jakem’s suggestion on hobbit holes, giving him a small nod, “COuld be good, yeah. But I dunno how well I’d–” and he motions towards his six foot something frame, “fit in!” To Cristal he beams and says, “Yeah, I totally just had one,” hey studies her lips when she licks them.
Cristal looks Matthew up and down. “Ya prolly would have trouble fittin inna hole, I bet,” she offers with a little giggle.
Matthew looks about, sizing the room up and his place within it as the drink goes down. “You know a hobbit hole really wouldn’t be so–” he says, turning eyes back to Jakem, “bad.”
Cristal giggles, blushing a little as Matthew and Jakem chat. The blonde makes eyes at them both as she drinks her elixir. A little bit splashes onto her bikini top. “Ooops!” she says, reaching for a cocktail napkin.
Jakem smirks a bit and nods to Matthew “Yeah, you’re right about the size though. I dunno, maybe when I put in the water I’ll carve a wall up to keep it out and make some nice deep enclosed spaces for folks to enjoy.” He glances over at Cristal “Did that go all the way down? You gotta be careful with those.” he says, looking at Cristal’s chest pointedly.
Matthew reaches for a napkin as well, all too willing to assist Cristal with her spill. “Oh you…got it” He notices she’s got it, so he look son, observing the technique, be it dab or circles, employed for such a spill.
Cristal drops the cocktail napkin. “Oops!” she says again before she brightens up. “Did J tell ya we gotta pool??”
Matthew looks towards Jakem, “A pool, this the aquarium?” He offers Cristal another napikin, “Oh, here you go,” ready to provide and serve in the name of working out spills.
Cristal takes the napkin, but butterfingers it. She sighs.
Cristal snatches up a new one and wipes down, huffily!
Cristal gestures at herself.
Matthew glances down at his phone, lost in a conversation there but he glances up betwen Jakem and Cristal, “Oh, Cristal, I’m thinking of having my date with August at your club, figure it could be some promo, or something?”
Cristal gasps at Matthew. “I love that idea!! Ya wanna be out in the open or did ya wanna use one of the private rooms for the cams?”
Matthew tips his head side to side, considering, “It’s still unfolding, but you’re a fan favorite so we would love to have you back on the show, too.”
Cristal blinks at Matthew. “Me?”
“Ain’t ya like axe me right quick? I was like first one up to go tho,” Cristal says, a little suspiciously. She tells Jakem. “I dunno, woke up one day and didn’t have it.”
Matthew shoots off more texts but looks back up at Cristal, “I know, I did. The t-rex scared me!” he jokes but is shaking his head, “Your confessional won the hearts of fans. There’s a whole hastacg CristalKnows going on, so I’m wondering if like…”
Matthew tips his head side to side, “There’s a seed of an idea I Just can’t–” so he looks to Jakem, “You’re a plant guy, where’s this plant growing, what’s the best–” then back to Cristal, “idea for this, hmm?”