It didn't take long for Chang to lead the group to where a large number of people were gathered around an open air arena, refreshment tables surrounding it on all sides with refreshments of all sorts piled high. The sky over one of the tables had an odd tint, and everyone visible around that table seemed at least partially cloaked in shadow, quite a few sporting blatantly non-humanoid figures. Others seemed the usual grab bag of fighters of all sorts and styles, along with a few individuals who looked quite out of place. However, one thing was universally obvious: everyone present exuded an aura of power even in the relaxed air.
"Quite the large group you've gathered for this tournament," Valmont observed thoughtfully, his eyes unmoving and yet he plainly missed nothing.
"All the greater the entertainment will be for it being longer," Chang allowed deprecatingly. "Besides, it will give each individual fighter longer between matches to rest up, should they desire...or provide the chance for an elimination chain if one should throw down such a gauntlet."
"This is going to be so...cool!" Jade gasped out excitedly.
"Rein it in there, Jade!" Apple Bloom chided gently. "We're tryin' ta keep collateral down fer once, remember?"
"And just what did you think I was going to do?" Jade demanded crossly. "I'm excited for this!"
"Try and speed things up by finding celebratory fireworks and setting them all off, only for the resulting conflagration to destroy the entire arena before anyone could actually fight?" Sweetie suggested dryly.
"Or try and work a spell to project your voice to be an announcer, hit the wrong frequency, and set off every were here on a pain-fueled rampage?" Scootaloo added, gesturing to where a few of those in shadows were plainly on the fuzzy side.
Jade glowered at the group for a time before sullenly pouting, unable to really counter. After all, finding fireworks or trying to be a fight announcer was exactly what she'd planned on doing to amp up the excitement or her participation.
"Perhaps an exhibition match might tide you over?" Hsi suggested dryly. "I'm sure our host would let you announce for that with whatever system he has set up for that to happen?" He turned to Chang with a winsome smile.
"Why, that would be delightful!" Chang proclaimed, clapping his hands together excitedly. "Mr. Chan, would you? You are quite famous - and infamous - among the circles these fighters move in, and I am certain an exhibition match you participated in would be perfect to bring about the start of the...festivities."
Jackie shrugged easily. "I don't see why not," he allowed as he walked forward into the obvious ring.
Chang escorted a happily bouncing Jade up to where a throne-like chair overlooked the tournament grounds, showing her where to stand for her voice to be projected with a gesture. Once there, she spoke up. "We have an exhibition match to open the tournament!" she called out, her voice echoing excitedly over the grounds. "The first fighter is none other than Jackie Chan, archaeologist of the Chan Clan! Who would accept his challenge to demonstrate their skills?"
There was quite a stir from everyone present as Jackie smiled sheepishly and waved at the crowd. It wasn't long, however, before a figure began to approach from the shadowed area. As it approached, however, it seemed to shrink in on itself, and by the time it was visible it appeared to be a human male in dark grey shorts, an exceptionally well defined torso and limbs plainly visible. "I'll take that challenge," he all but growled out.
"Oh, and what might your name be?" Jackie asked politely.
"Jon," the figure responded immediately, a growl still in his voice as he took a fighting stance.
"Ready...FIGHT!" Jade declared excitedly.
Jon immediately pounced, and Jackie was forced to back away a bit at the aggressive assault. He dodged and weaved as Jon struck with punches, kicks, and occasionally open handed strikes with his fingers curled, glowing energy around his fingertips shaping claws. Noticing just how aggressive and vicious the fighting style was, Jackie immediately shifted to a more defensive stance, focusing on evading and countering the strikes while looking for the moments when his opponent either over-extended or began to wear out. He made sure to keep his motions fluid and seemingly random, doing his best to avoid giving his foe a chance to predict his movements.
"Is that the best you got?" Jon snarled out as he struck with claw-like fingers. Blades of energy leapt from his hand towards Jackie, forcing him to leap out of the way. Jon charged in behind, seeking to catch Jackie off guard as he landed...only for Jackie to land feet first in his face, turning the landing into a spin jump off before closing for his own assault while Jon was ever so briefly dazed.
"Don't be so serious," Jackie joked as they began trading blows instead of it being so one sided in whichever direction. "This is an exhibition. It's supposed to be fun!"
"Fun, huh?" Jon growled. "In that case..." Leaping back for distance, he let loose a blood-curdling howl.
In an instant, he nearly doubled in height and at least doubled in muscle mass as fur sprouted all over his body. His hands and feet extended into clawed paw-like protrusions, and his face erupted into a lupine muzzle. Where before stood a man now stood a werewolf...one that immediately charged forward in a blue corona of energy.
Jackie felt his blood pumping in excitement as he caught the charge, fur already sprouting from his own body in response to the increase in aggression. He grinned widely, showing all of his feline teeth as his own transformation completed. "Getting beastly, are we?" he asked as he rolled onto his back, kicking his foe over him before lunging after him before the energy attack could end, closing in behind him.
As the crowd roared with excitement and Chang clapped happily for the show, Augustus couldn't help but frown. Something felt off about all this. Jackie responded a little too eagerly to fighting...Chang seemed way too happy to have Jade actually get involved...
But most of all, his clapping sounded...off. One of his hands was made of jade, after all...so why didn't it sound like flesh meeting stone?
...Oh SNAP! Another chapter, awesome.
Now if I could just remember what was happening...
Oh well, time to reread the entire thing, I didn't need a weekend! Or sleep.
Glad to see thus return, even if I need to refresh myself of the last few chapters.
Another good chapter. Makes me wish I have watched the source material. But I don't have the time.
John Talbain has entered the fight!!!!
10421636
Sleep is for weak. Have fun.
Reminds me of the arena in the first Fable game.
I wonder if Augustus will be the MVP of this arc? He smells something rotten and I hope he reveals the truth.
If Jon Talbain is there... will Felicia and other Darkstalkers show up??? I can see Felicia wanting to do a show with the Dazzlings since they're all catgirls. Great to see more of these fics being updated again!
This is one of those times and places I'm glad I know the main source material, because I just about know where we are— just had to re-read last chapter to get a quick feel of how the Alt-U differences come into play (though I'll admit I had to look up who Jon Talbain is).
Man, you're on an update spree! Sweet! But I guess that means I need to get back to work.
Chapter Two Hundred Four
"Bad Day"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 49
"I'm not his/your Mistress!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 12
(Still waiting for the 'Niece or Stone' count to start )
10421734
Why not? Tatsurou clearly likes crossovers so much he puts crossovers in his crossovers.
Being unfamiliar with Darkstalkers, my first thought on seeing the name "Jon" was this:
Well atleast Jackie Chan is having fun here. Hopefully he weather's the reprecussions of real life.
There is no way this can be good... NO WAY... And yet it has 30x more likes than dislikes... sigh... heh... hehehahahahahahahaaaa! THATS AWSOME! I'm not a big fan of crossovers as a genre, but you have a bit of my attention, and at the very least my respect.
Jackie chan adventures was one of my favorite shows growing up, along with code lyoko, N.C.I.S. (not a cartoon), Stargate SG1 (not a cartoon but it has one), code name K.N.D., Avatar T.L.A., Ben 10, Gargoyles, Danny phantom (untill they ruined it...), and obviously the Marvel and DC stuff...
Chapter Two Hundred Four
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 50
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 86
my favorite darkstalker oh this is awsome
10421876
Welcome to the PWNYVERSE, where impossible crossovers are an everyday occurrence, and power levels are through the roof! I recommend reading Order and Chaos to get the overarching context, but they all work as standalone stories as well.
It's Alive! ... Again
Nice to see these stories live again. I've missed them.
Did Augustus' other hand just get stoned?
Oh, something sinister is going on...and knowing you it'll be great!
And the CMC'S predicting jade's stunts were funny...
God be with you and be safe!
I approve of the Darkstalkers reference
I remember Mr. Jade hand now...
Oh, Gallon’s Here Ladies and Gents...
Good to see the Dark... Stalkers Out there...
At least it was Jon... Had been Morrigan... Jackie might have been in trouble.
... did you post this cause we were impatient?
10421996
He was referring to Chang's hands.
10422800
No.
10422856
Oh, I see. I first thought our captain finally join our ranks of paranormal.
10421734
Well Diamond Tiara is suppose to be raised by morigan so crossover?
10423121
No, WAY back when, the author said that all this occurs in less than an eyeblink in Equestria, so no crossovers. Got quite cross when I forgot this in ICR which comment which is why I remember after all this time.
10422480
She might be busy with other stuff right now.
10424081
Yeah
10423121
Wait, Tats did my suggestion? or are you referring to other Crossover? If so, Link Please.,.
10424250
Yep. If he screams from getting jumped, it counts.
10424472
Diamond Tiara raised by Morrigan is a planned story, though not written yet.
10424545
Yes, I remember I suggested it, in fact, it was the trigger for me to write Diamond of Darkness.
I was just curious because he said of it, and I hadn’t heard you starting your project.
10422856
Let me guess, is the clapping individual have a name that is also an item used in an ice sport?
10426128
Good guess, but no. In this timeline, the one you're asking about is still playing babysitter for David Xanatos.
10426147
I know, but considering in the original format, one of his hands did turn to stone, so I assumed. Hmm, who else has a hand of stone?
10426156
You're missing what Augustus observed.
Chang - the one clapping - has one hand made of flesh, the other made of jade (the stone). However, for some reason, his clapping doesn't sound like flesh meeting stone.
10427129
Thanks.
10424472
He’s not doing yet but on the tv tropes page said that it was one of the upcoming fics
10430006
Again, I suggested it, I was surprised you referenced it...
I'm assuming he replaced his Jade hand with an artefact of some sort, or managed to craft on a high powered monster hand. Maybe even like one of the first androids in DBZ.
To me this just screams the whole thing of "Yes! Fight! Meanwhile I'll collect energy in the ambient air to empower myself, some powerful object/weapon, or high powered being ala Majin Buu style.
I do really like how this story seems to just go on indefinitely. It's nice to have stories reach a satisfying conclusion, but it's also nice to have something with a really long and intricate storyline that never seems to end. This is definitely one of my (many) favorites.
Jon Talbain? I approve.