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*As the fight continues, a flash of lightning briefly illuminates the night sky. Thunder can be heard three seconds later.*



*La Ballena looks over as the smokey road brings Callie Vera straight to her. The diva grins at this sudden olive branch.*

"Figureti..." *She shakes her head at this show-off...but the show must go on. The diva towards over Callie Vera. With a grin, she grabs her pint-sized rival to start the dance.* "Follow my lead, chato."

*She spins her smoky partner and dances alongside the Greenhorn's troupe, which had a decent sound.*


*Medusa taps her feet to the beat and plays back-up bass to the song, and shines her Nagual's multi-colored lights through the smoke...making their dancing all the more spectacular.*




*Verde hears everyone's encouragement, and is able to focus a bit more. He dashes towards El Tiburon Oscuro and prepares to grapple, and nearly trips over himself...not expecting himself to close the distance so quickly. He thinks to himself, '¡It's like there's two Callie Veras, increíble!"



"Oh...so scary! You're too fast for me. If I can't run...I'll make sure you can't either..." *As Verde's punch is about to hit his purple bearded chin, he vanishes from Verde's sight*




"¡EL TIBURON OSCURO SWAYS BACK AND...DOES A BACKWARD FLIPPING KICK!? ¡EL TEMBLOR VERDE'S JAW FLYS UPWARD!"



"Oscuro has guile. Hitting the nerve in the jaw interrupts circulation to the brain, which hinders motor control. So of course...¿why wouldn't he do that?"


*Verde panics internally for a moment as he tries to run. '¡...I can't move my legs...!'





"'¡Yes...that's right...feel the fear!"


"The Dealership moves in on El Temblor Verde. They grab hold of him...."






"Upper Jaw Formation is useful for a corned Technico. The Lower Fangs will hold the prey in place, and the Upper Fangs will cover our Punch Boy's dorsal side." *She crosses her legs in her chair, looking rather smug.*

"Technicos are Monsters that can take an insane amount of damage. So the best thing to do...is to wear them down...and break them." *She licks her lips as El Tiburon Oscuro hits Verde in the face repeatedly and a new song plays to accompany this savagery. With Verde's panic, Jien's song is briefly drowned out for a few seconds.* ((stop at time-stamp 2:51 for the video clip. I recommend playing the music to the other video.))





*La Ballena notices the song overtake hers, and stamps her foot down on the next step. At that moment, her Nagual opens its mouth and it amplifies Jien's song. After a moment, their song is heard again. She speaks to her dance partner:*

"For your sake, I hope Your Boy isn't too frail. This is only the beginning. My Girl on the other hand..."




"Now's your chance!"




"¡La Olomina Fiera closes in! ¡She throws The Rudos out of the way and strikes El Tiburon Oscuro...BUT HE BLOCKS WITH HIS WHITE GAUNTLET....wait...what's that sound...?


"The Outlaw's glove now glows with an ominous light. He blocks Girlie's punch without needing to brace. Like loading a shell into a chamber. He aims, and...."




"¡LA OLOMINA FIERA IS SENT FLYING INTO THE RED CORNER AFTER BEING HIT BY THE GLOWING WHITE PUNCH! SUCH POWER!" *He adjusts his gogglehat.* "It looks like that punch did a significant amount of damage. How could a Rudo pull that off...?"




"Impact Reapers are much more effective when fully charged, but they can still do a decent amount of damage in cases like this. Unexpected attacks always hurt far...far more."



"Girlie manages to land on her feet and stay standing....though it seems like that hit spooked her a bit." *He looks towards the Blue Corner.* "The Kid used the opportunity to get some distance and catch his breath. He's guardin' that mug of his somethin' fierce."




*Présta Mo bears her teeth with a sinister grin.*

"They may have made it back to their own corners intact, they're nearly out of time. When our Cizin arrives, there will be no hope for your heroes. We have them now..."

*Another lightning flash appears, and the thunder following two seconds later. The moon above is slowly being consumed by a dark thundercloud. When the lightning flash clears, the timer reads:*

Callie Vera taps her foot as Outh feels out the beat of this new song. It's pretty clear what Jien is going for. Instead of an overly elaborate performance, Callie Vera twirls and glides with precision, claps twice, then repeats her movements with slight changes each time. Her movements always end with her clapping twice though. She gestures to La Ballena to mirror her.

It is not the time to distract from the fighters, it's time to give them as much help as they can possibly get. And to an audience...there's something irresistible about watching performers clap in rhythm. You just have to start clapping in rhythm yourself. Jien and Outh's plan is to use this audience participation to assist the boxadors.

"Que brutal..." *Mac shivers and gets goosebumps, despite the warm evening temperature.* "¿...What's this odd feeling...?" *He looks a bit unnerved and slightly anxious for a moment, then adjusts the volume on his headset.*



*Bardo winces as Verde's face gets punched repeatedly, and seems a bit dispondent. But he picks up on Jien's rhythm and pulls out a flute. He begins to dance around, and quickly the music flows through him.

Watching Callie Vera, someone who is probably more worried, doing just fine...Bardo summons his courage and plays his heart out.*





*Medusa looks over at the musical pair and uses her Nagual to amplify their music, and give it a more dynamic feel. It's like the two of them are plugged into a stadium-wide 3D Audio Effect.*



*La Ballena watches Callie Vera's movements, and then nods. Instead of directly mirroring her, she moves her hands above her hands and clasps her fingers down...as if she were holding castanets.*

"¡Olé! ¡Castañuelas Burbuja!"

*Instead of an instrument, bubbles form in her hands. She clasps down and pops them, and new ones appear in their place. This happens so quickly, they may as well be the real instrument. Medusa's audio enhancement amplifies the sound, gives it a bit of Pluman flair.*

*As the pair twirls and glides, more and more of the audience join in. They're rooting for their heroes to win. Everyone against the Rudos now.*


*The timer ticks down into single digits now. Though the 0 looks a bit odd.*




*Verde hops back and forth on his toes, feeling the rhythm and the audience's support. He adjusts his hat and strokes his moustache as he prepares to reengage. Weaving and bobbing through the bullets, he does a flurry and dive-by punches. She moves from bounce pad to the the ground at an irregular pattern, whittling down the Sharks' defenses.



"Falange." *crosses his arms and sticks his fingers out, making a guarded yet offensive stance.*



"¿....what's a 'Phalanx'..?."



"¡There it is! ¡The Shark Skin Formation!"



"More of The Outlaw's cronies flood the arena with metal folding chairs and stun rods. They surround him and create a defensive dome around him with their gear. Looks like The Kid and Girlie gotta break through to get to him."



"The Dealership's touching those electric rods against the chairs, running a current through it. Getting through that won't be easy." *Mac pauses for a second to listen.* "Is that...the sound of a ball bouncing inside there? What's that light? I can't quite see inside there..."



"In order to win, all we have to do is not lose. Not what people usually think of when they hear 'electric chairs', but the voltage is just high enough to stop those goodie-goodies."

*The crowd boos. People call them out for 'turtling', others shrug it off and say that running down the clock that it's a legitimate strategy. There's definitely strong opinions on both sides.*





*Verde feels the music and power flow through him, it's a rather pleasant melody. He feels more focused, and more in control of his movements than before. He dashes towards the pack of sharks. With that defense, it's going to be risky. He thinks to himself, '¡I can do this...!"*



"El Temblor Verde flows like water towards The Dealership's Shark Skin Formation, and weaves towards one of the sharks. He reaches into a gap and..HE DID IT! HE THROWS ONE OF THE SHARKS OFF! THERE'S AN OPENING!"



*Présta Mo laughs* "¡¿Tonto?! ¡¿Why would a pack of sharks be afraid of that?! ¡Griding Prey Formation!"



"The Outlaw's cronies turn inward and close the gap that he just opened. They gang up on The Kid and attack him all at once. With the music from his crew, he's able to dodge...for now anyways." *He lifts his cap* "The Outlaw himself seems to be dribblin' a ball after all. Reckon that can't be good. It's getting louder and redder each time it hits the ground."








*Presta presses a button on her phone, and turns up the volume of a song that's been playing in the background. Before, it was barely noticeable...especially with all of the other songs playing louder. Hearing it clearly now adds to the feeling of unease.*



*Mac shivers again, and looks over to Presta Mo.*



"Beasts, humans, everyone...feels fear. It's a natural instinct. But those who cannot exert their will beyond it won't last long...not in The Minor Circuit, let alone the Major Circuit.

They only have a few seconds left before their true terror begins."

*a flash of lightning streaks across the sky, and the thunder follows. A chilling wind blows across the colosseum, and thunderclouds can be seen overhead.*








"Girlie reckons that to win against The Outlaw, she's gonna have to dive deep. She jumps onto the nearest bounce pad, and heads off towards the wall and jumps.... *He shrugs.*

"...but that ball's ready to fly. It flashes faster, then all that power stored in that ball sends it flying high and fast into the sky. The Outlaw grabs onto it, like a tick on a bull. He nearly slams that ball on her noggin, but knocks it away, adding to the force with her punch."

*he literally tips his hat to La Corazoa.* "And here I thought only cats could land on their feet. That's some grit there."

*Mina endures the pain as her feet crash onto the canvas. She's waving her arms back and forth as she clenches her teeth.*





"The Outlaw cathces the ball and passes it towards the Cronie Dome."



*The thundercloud has completely eclipsed the moon, blackening the scene further. A lightning flash streaks across the cloud's surface, and a booming burst of thunder follows.*



*Mac flinches and says something to Russ, looking a bit spooked* "Relámpago sin truenos...." sweatdrop

*He clears his throat and speaks into the microphone, looking to the crowd of sharks.* "The Dealership are attacking El Temblor Verde relentlessly. He's doing alright in there...but it looks like he's starting to get tired. GO EL T..." *He catches himself as Russ shakes his head. Commentators must remain impartial.*

*Inside the Griding Prey Formation: gunshots, chains, and probably a bunch of other totally legal devices are being used.

*Verde desperately thinks to himself, '¡...I have to get out! I can't afford to lose here....!" *In a panic, he rushes towards one of the sharks. He notices it too late.*







"¿What? The dome opens up and....¡¡THE BALL SLAMS INTO EL TEMBLOR VERDE'S CHEST!! ¡¡THE IMPACT CREATES BRIGHT FLASH!! ¡¿WILL EL TEMBLOR VERDE BE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THIS!?"

*Verde looks like he got hit by an exploding truck full of shotguns. His knees are shaking, and he's trying his best to remain conscious. He breathes heavy and covers his chest with one arm, and guards his chin with the other. He looks quite shaken from the experience.*




"¿Who said Impact Reapers were only in gloves? He got hit by a fully charged one. It's impressive that he could withstand it." *She looks at the clock* "Either way, they didn't make it in time. She's here."

*Instead of X:03 in blood red, the clock spells out the letters X O C in electric gold. The timer pauses.





"X...O...C... ¿'Shock'...?" *Mac's eyes widen behind his goggles as he turns to Presta Mo.* "¿¡WAIT....YOU MEAN...!?"

*Yellow lightning suddenly strikes top of the Black Turnbuckle. As the light fades, a woman with hair like dusk dressed like midnight and and lightning emerges from the bolt with a large black metal shark Nagual. She looks down at La Ballena with glowing red eyes of confidence, saying nothing.*



*The referee, who had previously been distracted, chimes in with an introduction.*



"Former Barda Primera and Co-Founder of La Corazoa....whose legendary melodies still echo in the Major Circuit today....returns to Boxa Libre after a one year absence....as the Minor Circuit's very first Xibalban Cizin.

Damas y caballeros...introducing The Dealership's Lady of Despair and Barda Primera...Lady 'Electric' Xoc!"

*At first there's silence, then the crowd explodes into cheers. If her arrival was the lightning, then this reaction is the thunder. Tons of people are getting hyped.*

*Xoc places her hand on her, rather unique, instrument and plays a chilling melody. As she plays, things begin to change in the Colosseum. Unlike previous The Dealership music played through the Colosseum's sound system, Xoc's music displays actual power and influence. It seems to be playing from everywhere, yet not in the same way as the sound system. Like a beast is standing right behind you, breathing down your neck. In fact, you think you see something akin to monsters or demons lurking in that darkness. The air feels thicker and denser than before, yet somehow cold.

Despite it being a warm evening, you can even see your breath and feel a chill as you experience from her song. ((stop at 0:54))

Her eye turns black with a glowing red and yellow iris. The area become unnaturally darker, with the feeling of demons lurking within it. The entire colosseum now has a suffocating feeling to it. Electric sparks shoot from her instrument and Nagual as she plays.

P.A.R. has somehow allowed this to happen in the Minor Circuit, and the real battle is about to begin.*

*La Ballena looks up at Xoc. For the first time in the evening, she looks a bit shaken. Like waves on a beach, emotions washes over her face. Surprise. Confusion. Nostalgia. Sadness. Worry. Annoyance.*


"So you're a Cizin now? Is that what you've been doing all this time...!?" *She says this almost meekly. Quite the different dynamic than before.*

*She's silent for a moment, then stomps her foot a few times.*

"Y-you always do this. You've ALWAYS been the center of attention, haven't you?! Can't...can't you just let me have this...!?" *she clenches her fist, looking at Xoc with determination.* "...this is MY show. Stay out of my way!"

*With a glare, La Ballena's Nagual rushes from her and upwards towards Xoc atop the Black Turnbuckle.

As the aquatic apparition approaches, it increases in size....to the point where it envelops half of the Colosseum.

Spectators in their seats are now part of this feud. As the whale passes through them on its way to Xoc, they experience this "whale-shark wind" flow through them. It glows with a bright aquamarine luminescence, much like that of a pool with the light on at night.



Inside this mass of light are thousands of tiny bubbles forming and popping..as if you were inside a carbonated beverage.


Then the next sensation comes: Everything feels heavier, like you're suddenly underwater. The air is dense and for a moment you're unsure if you can breathe. But you realize that you can. It's beautiful, strong, and a bit overwhelming. The very essence of La Ballena herself.*



In response Xoc returns the glare, and sends her own shark Nagual to intercept. It grows to about the same size as La Ballena's...so the other half of the Colloseum also have a Nagual experience. Though for them, it's quite different. From the outside, it looks like a black thundercloud shaped like a great white shark with rain skimming the top of it, moving towards the jaws. The teeth glisten with yellow electric sparks.*

Within this shark storm, the audience expects a torrent of rain and wind. But instead...they are gently washed with a calming sensation.The same relaxed feeling of falling asleep while listening to the rain during a thunderstorm. Those sounds are actually audible to them...even though it's a clear evening.



Despite being introduced as some kind of Harbinger of Terror, this woman's Nagual...her essence...is a calming presence to the audience. But this calm also has a sense of purpose and diligence. This storm came for a reason.*

*The two Naguals clash and there's an intense clash of wills, of ideals...that overwhelm El Hexagono Menor in a flurry of violent winds. (stop at 1:07)*

*For a few seconds, everything stops. What was supposed to be a fun sporting fight between two rookies became two forces of nature colliding in the night.*

Some people look back in Boxa Libre history and say this is the moment when the Next Era of Boxa Libre started. Others say it was when El Temblor Verde claimed he would "Shake the foundation of Boxa Libre" and won his first gamble. In either case, people look back on this fight and remembered that these rookies at the epicenter of this Pluman history.*

*As the Boxador Elite's wills clash, people begin to start passing out from the intensity. Inexperienced warriors, unsuspecting audience members, etc. Xoc quickly begins her next song so it doesn't escalate further.*


To La Ballena's surprise, the voices of half of the audience chant in unison to Xoc's song.. These people had donned a Dealership-esque headdress when no one was looking, and they're littered throughout the audience throughout the stadium. The support for Xoc is oppressive and overwhelming (stop at 0:50).

Support for Xoc grows, and her Nagual increases in size. It pushes La Ballena's Nagual back, then devours it...shortly after, the Nagual grows to the size of the entire Colloseum. Pitch-black darkness covers everything.

After the song ends, it's quiet for a few moments.*



*Xoc begins to play a song, Little by little, electrical lights flicker and illuminate the Hexagon's canvas occasionally. You can see El Temblor Verde and La Olomina Fiera...though something seems a bit different.*





*Verde appears to be fine, but his colors look slightly desaturated. His Nagual looks a bit tired and anxious. The Boxador looks a bit confused, expecting to take damage.*



*Mina seems to be in the same boat, but she has her fists up and is on guard. The light on the end of her mask's hat lights up, just enough to illuminate her in the darkness. Her Nagual is flipping out, but Mina's expression is that of vigilance and caution. Slowly, her Nagual begins to mirror her mannerisms.*

*Mina's light shines a bit brighter, and she can see Verde near her. And...silhouettes of...something more sinister.*





*Verde swings and misses, he wanders the Hexagon and finds El Tiburon Oscuro.*

"All I have to do is beat you...."



"Oh? Give it your best shot."


*Verde dashes forward and slams his fist into Oscuro's stomach. The dark shark doesn't even try to dodge. The punch connects, but Oscuro doesn't move.*

"I was dodging those punches? Were they that weak to begin with?" *Now that Verde's closer, he notices that Oscuro's voice is a bit different. He looks up and sees...a demon.*



*El Tiburon Oscuro's body has changed. He truly looks like a demon now. Light emits from his mouth, and his mouth contorts into a sadistic grin.*

"This is what a punch is."

*He grabs Verde's arm to hold him still. Verde tries to break free but notices he's being overpowered.*

*With a lound and painful sound, Oscuro's fist slams into Verde's stomach...sending him flying backwards. He is knocked into a nearby bounce pad.*

'Impossible...he wasn't like this before....I can't...!'

*Before Verde can fall, Oscuro grabs him and continues his assault. He mercilessly beats Verde like before. Though this time, it seems to be doing a LOT more damage.*

"Fall into despair. You never had a chance, little boy."


Some of them are in view briefly, while others can only be heard.These creatures look vaguely like The Dealership's Rudos...but now they look like actual demons with teeth and fangs.


*The ones near Mina don't seem as bad, nor as numerous. The ones near Verde seem more vicious and larger. More bloodthirsty.*

Outh also hesitates for a moment. The worst thing would be for he and Jien to be revealed as the total outsiders that they are. Up till this point, the crowd has been reacting positively to these newcomers, and the last thing either wants to do is loose the audience.

Nervously, Callie Vera taps a foot...which sparks the memory of a song. She gives Jien a decisive nod before stamping the ground twice, and following up with a clap. Just clapping by itself won't be enough to get feedback from the crowd.

Callie Vera repeats these motions. Two stomps, followed by a clap, hoping that Jien will take the cue.

One of the Dealership masks is tossed in Dendrobis' general direction. She catches it and chants along with the crowd, getting swept up in the excitement. When she sees the color drained from the Boxador she's supposed to be rooting for, Dendrobis stops chanting abruptly, and stuffs the mask into her big frog mouth to hide it.

*Mac was knocked over by the clash of wills and passes out. One of the medical staff promptly gives him some smelling salts, and slaps him on the face for good measure. Mac wakes up brushes himself off, and promptly returns to his seat and resumes his commentary.*



"¡Who would have thought to see such a display of pure hype before the Main Event!"

*Mac C. Mo is more hyped than rattled so he's leaning on that for his commentary.*

"¡EL Narrador! ¿¡Can you comment on what just happened?! ¿¡What's with this weird dark fog!? ¿¡Why is half of the audience cheering on the Rudos!? ¿¡What did Xoc and La Ballena just do!? ¿¡How...."



*Russ McGraw seems to have not been affected by the clash. He merely adjusts his hat with an excited smirk on his face.*

"Looks like Divine Wind moved The Kid an' Missie into some dangerous waters. That clash reminds me of when when I fought against El Ápice Rojo." (The Red Apex)



"¡Wait...you fought..! ¿¡Wasn't he that legendary former Champion of the Major Circuit from over twenty years ago!? ¿¡The one whose strength, skills, and abilities made him akin to a Natural Disaster!?" *He pauses.* "...still...that doesn't answer my other questions..."



*Presta Mo looks a bit rattled as well, despite knowing full well this could happen.*

"E...Even I have to admit...I didn't think La Ballena could be that powerful. To think that there'd be someone in this country who could match Lady Xoc's Wind besides Her Royal Majesty..." *She trails off...staring at the aquamarine idol with newfound respect.*



"To recap a bit of their history: Xoc and La Ballena, better known as 'The Shark Sisters', started out as a rookie pair without an Estable. Xoc was the first to be both a Lady of Faith and Battle Bard. Given La Ballena's...umm..particular presence...Xoc is one of the few people to work well with her. They rose through the ranks, and eventually formed their own Estable: La Corazoa.

Back in their early days, people never expected them to succeed, but time and time again they won the audience's hearts with their charisma and strength. They became Boxa Libre's favorite Battle Idols."

*Mac starts to geek out.*

"¡I mean...La Ballena is always so boisterous and confident, always making time for her fans. ¡Plus her power...she could probably juggle trucks! ¡And then Xoc...had a quiet intensity about her, but she was always composed and really listened carefully to what people had to say! ¡Then when they teamed up in a bout, it was like watching a concert! ¡¡It was maximo!!"

*Russ nudges him and Mac clears his throat, getting back on track.*

Erm...that all being said...that ended about a year ago when Xoc mysteriously vanished without warning. I think if they had stayed together, they could have gone all the way to the top of the Major Circuit..."



*Presta Mo chimes in*

"It's great that you think that, but that expectation has nothing to do with Lady Xoc's desires. She has a greater ambition. One that goes beyond any bout or title. One that she can only do as a Cizin. For that ambition to be realized, The Dealership is starting with Minor Circuit, and then..." *Presta Mo trails off, trying not to not say too much too soon.*



"Interest'n. Then The Kid an' Missie have their work cut out for them." *He tips his hat* "The clash between Xoc, La Ballena, and Ricardo Guante's disciples. ¿Who's gong to come out on top? Keep your eyes on them now, y'all are part of history in the making."

*The panic in the audience seems to have died down, and the commentators have done a sufficient job re-engaging the audience. Even though this is unusual, people are ready to continue enjoying the show.*



*Bardo is frozen for a moment, completely unprepared for the clash of Winds. He almost passes out, but catches Jien's song and thinks to himself, "¡I can't let them down! ¡That's right...they're fighting too...I have to do my part!"

*His Nagual serves to amplify the sound coming from Jien, and he joins in with additional instruments. Their collective sound seems quieter than normal though, with Xoc's song still playing over them a bit. Some people in the audience chime in, but the audience as a whole is not being swayed yet.

*The dark fog dissipates a bit in the Hexagon. Just enough to reveal a bit of what lurks within. The Dealership's Rudos are still there, but look far more menacing. They actually look about a foot taller too, with larger muscles. More than just a costume change, their physique looks more monstrous.*






"¡The Dealership seems to have transformed! ¿¡But how could that be!? ¡I thought the whole point of Rudos is that they don't have Mascaras!"



"The Kid ain't look'n so good. Missie seems to be holdin' up OK, but The Kid catches his breath. He goes on the offensive, swingin' an' flailin. The Outlaws block barehanded and slash with their claws."



*Mac's getting increasingly frustrated from this lack of explanations.*

"Like I said...¿What's going on!?"



"So touchy, I'll break it down for you. Up until now, Boxadors in the Minor Circuit only had to worry about fighting each other. Fun to watch, but ultimately training wheels. Major Circuit Boxadors are tasked with hunting Devil Beasts, with interference from us Rudos of course."

*Mac nods and waves his hand dismissively. This is common knowledge to him.*




"...but you know, the gap between the Minor and Major Circuit is large." *Presta Mo points.* "El Temblor Verde sure talks big, and happened to back it up the first time...¿but does he actually have what it takes to make it to the top of Boxa Libre? ¿Can he handle the Madness of the Hunt? Let's find out."