New Places/Old Rivals

New Places/Old Rivals by Michael Kavka

Paul came off the top rope with the haymaker. As it hit his opponent, he knew something was wrong. The sound of breaking twigs is what gave it away.

******************************************************

"Paul Jones, you are going to be our starting defensive tackle," Coach Mills announced. Paul had always been gifted in strength and was one amazing football player. Now in his senior year his aggressiveness had gotten him to the starting 4 on defense. If it wasn't for a couple of suspensions for fighting the prior year he would have been a second year starter. Now though was his time, and hopefully he would still recruited (although his grades were rather low).

***************************************************

The medical team came down and started working on The Crusher as Paul looked on. The lack of concern on his face was only noticed by the small group of fans at this "farm league" Pro Wrestling event.

The medics got The Crusher's neck stabilized and got the back board out to get him onto it and then a stretcher. Paul just stood there.

***************************************************

"Mr. Jones, You are here by EXPELLED for fighting. Good luck with the rest of your life."

It was not fair. Football was his life, his love, his everything. He had nowhere to go, no skills. Then it hit him.

Professional Wrestling. He could be good with his strength and speed. It shouldn't be too hard. Get paid to fight. Yeah that was it.

Paul picked up the phone and made a call.

***************************************************

The Crusher's body was carefully rolled out of the high school gymnasium on the stretcher. As Paul watched an eerie grin came across his face.

By the end of the night The Crusher died of a broken neck. The local promoter had called Paul into his office.

"YOU SORRY *BLEEP*. He was our most popular wrestler, and you don't even show the least bit of remorse. Don't you DARE get on the bus, you are stuck here to your own means and AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH......" The promoter's voice trailed off as Paul crushed his wind pipe, killing him instantly. That was the last straw, as Paul Jones ran off into the Hollywood night.

"First thing is first, I need to have a different name. I know Nocturnus." Paul had found an old mask and some other old wrestling clothes of his. He would make the world totally fear him.

**************************************************

Nocturnus had left Hollywood after being taken down too many times by the hero group called the Hollywood Knights. He came to Chicago where there were not too many heroes around.

The 3 month crime spree he went on was delicious. No one could stop him now, or so he though. He had snapped the necks and backs of at least 100 people so far, the news was all about the hunt for Nocturnus. A "MONSTER" was what they called him.

Everything was great until he tried to go up against someone called Defcon 0. Not only did he capture him, but humiliated him by doing it without leaving a single mark.

When he got sentenced the sent him to the Zig in the Rogue Isles since there was no other place that could hold him. The Zig had become the new Alcatraz for overpowered people, and While Nocturnus was all natural, he was overpowering (as was evident by the inmates in his holding cell that were either dead or incapacitated).

While in the Zig, besides getting to know members of Arachnos that were in there, he also heard that Defcon 0 had come around to Paragon City. Now he had a reason to get the hell out of here, the question was how?

KABLAM, the Zig split apart like a walnut with a firecracker set off inside it. Hius Arachnos friends had told him this day would come, and now it was.

Now that he was free he wanted his revenge on Defcon 0. First thing first though, time to make a name for himself and get to the peak of his powers before he went after the Squishie.

As he killed the last guard in his way, Nocturnus yelled out his battle cry, "DARKNESS FALLS"
Part 2

The vibrations on the mystical plane were very weak. Defcon with all of his magic knowledge barely felt them, but they were there. With the Zig going up in smoke in a massive breakout recently, Defcon had been working overtime. This though was something even worse.

Defcon put down the data pad of villains that were known to escape. He had helped put many in there recently and knew some would be gunning for him. It was not a question of if but of when. Clockwork King, Freakshow, Family, many others had be brought to justice in the few months Defcon had been in Paragon City. The thing was that the Zig had held villains from some other towns, more particularly Chicago, due to prison overcrowding. This was definitely not good.

The worst of the Chicago villains was Nocturnus, a super strong brute who had killed many people, heroes included, over the last few years. Nocturnus had been the toughest villain Defcon had ever faced, especially since he had originally housed Paul Jones when he came to Chicago, before he was revealed to be Nocturnus.

The damage that Defcon had taken before bringing down Nocturnus had been so great, it took months to heal up. Of course things now were a little different. Defcon had been accelerated toward his full potential by moving to Paragon City, and had a lot more tricks up his sleeve. The question was did the same happen to him?

Picking up the data pad again he checked over the latest update of escapees. Sure enough he had gotten out in the latest wave. Well time go start trying to track him down.
Part 3

“Snakes? That all he’s got for me to beat right now is Snakes?” Nocturnus yelled. “I WANT DEFCON’s HEAD!”

“All in good time,” a disembodied voice said in his head. “First you must prove your worth to us.”

“I’ll prove more than that,” thought Nocturnus. He stormed back out to Mercy Island, smashing anything that got in his path except the Arachnos agents. Those he would leave alone, at least for now. Having been on a villain team back out in Hollywood, he knew the importance of allies. They were a necessary annoyance. He might be a brute, but he was not totally stupid.

“Just wait till I’m ready, then you will all know why darkness falls.”

The best thing about the stupid snakes was making them eat their own poison. Bend their head into their own body and force the fangs to bite themselves. It took strength and speed to do it, and it was so worth watching them basically commit assisted suicide.

Then there were the infected ones. Those were stupid idiots who gotten some rare disease that Nocturnus was immune to. Against them, he would snap their necks, just like he did to The Crusher so many years ago, but not until he had snapped their ribs like they were just pencils. Beat them up, give them pain, then put them down. This was definitely what he was meant to do.

Since getting out of the Zig, he had been running around Mercy Island, just helping others out that wanted to SMASH as bad as he did. Maybe it was time to pick up the pace a bit though, to go exploring in his new environment for new challenges. After all the tougher things got, and the more people/creatures he killed, the more power he seemed to get.

Still have to make sure though that he did stuff for his contacts so Lord Recluse knew he was doing his job. At least till he could take him down. Of course that would have to wait. Defcon was first on the list. He should send a little gift to Defcon though.
Part 4

“I need some air,” thought Defcon as he headed on out of the penthouse in Steel Canyon. This place had been his since Defcon 5 was killed months ago, and while it beat sleeping in the streets, and gave a base of operations for him, it still did not feel like home. There was however, one place that did…

As Defcon entered Gemini Park, he noticed Puroresu-Tiger standing by a couple of heroes he did not know. This was a nice surprise, and would give him someone to possible talk to about this. More so the real reason Defcon came into the park was to see if anyone had heard any news of Nocturnus.

“Defcon, Kon-ban-wa!”

“Tiger, Kon-ban-wa! How are you this evening?”

“I am doing well, I have got my first match here, although I do not know which hero is my opponent. I wish I did. How about yourself?”

“I am not doing so well, got some bad news today. The toughest villain I ever faced, Nocturnus, escaped from the Zig. This guy nearly broke my back and put me out of action for a month after our last encounter. Although I did defeat him, it was a high price.”

“I am sorry to hear that Defcon. I could teach you some hand to hand combat maneuvers if you like.”

“I would appreciate it Tiger-san.”

Puroresu-Tiger proceeded to put Defcon into different holds and let him try to escape. At first he had to explain the ways to get out of them, but as the evening went on, Defcon got better and better at figuring his way out of them on his own.

“Thank you Tiger-San, I know this will help me out should I need to get in close to Nocturnus. It is interesting how one move grows into two or three moves when done right.”

“You are welcome Defcon. Knowledge must be shared or else it is lost forever. I will let you know when my match is.”

“I look forward to seeing your match. Take care Tiger and Be Seeing You!”

“Take care Defcon, and good luck.”
Part 5

Nocturnus continued on his rampage in Port Oakes. Each person and creature he killed he would imagine it being Defcon. He knew that he would need to be at his best to beat him, and to make sure that he brought it into a hand to hand combat situation.

Through all of this he wondered if Defcon got the package yet. It would be sweet if he could see Defcon’s reaction, although he assumed that Defcon already knew he was loose. The question was, where to have the battle. He would want to scout out the place before hand, set some things up to possibly use to ensure victory, and know the lay of the land before hand. Then it came to him…. BLOODY BAY.

Now that he was up to a level 8 clearance, things would start getting more interesting. He was finding the fury he had was becoming a great asset, and was able to take out people higher than him easier and easier. This was going better than planned.

Defcon returned home to a strange looking package sitting in the entrance way. Curious as to what he got, Defcon started opening the package when he felt a sharp pain in his hand. He then proceeded to fall unconscious.

Waking in the Steel Canyon hospital was nothing new. Luckily the meditransport had activated. He still had the package in his hands. Seeing the tape recorder in the package, and assuming there were no more booby traps, Defcon listened as he headed back home.

“What you got hit with was a small dose of Cobra venom collected from some of the creatures I’m busing using as punching bags now. Defcon we will meet soon, I’m going to make sure of it.”

Hearing all of that sent chills down Defcon’s spine. It was time to get his powers up to snuff, and be ready for him this time. Paul will not be a pushover, but if things went well, he will be kept at a distance, thereby giving the advantage back to Defcon. This was the plan.

“Now if I was Nocturnus, where would I want to have this showdown??? I got it!” Thought Defcon as he immediately went to scout out Bloody Bay.
Part 6

Bloody Bay was an interesting place. It looked like any other sea side community in the world except it was mostly abandoned. Except for the Heroes and Villians that seem to venture through there. It was a part of the huge war going on with the Rogue Islands and the villains that controlled them.

The war which was taking tolls on both sides, as everything seemed to stalemate, was not on Nocturnus’s mind at all. Just what tract of land to use in his conquest of Defcon. Where would he kill him, where should they start their battle?

Defcon figured that the best way to learn the layout of Bloody Bay was to join up with some other heroes and push back some of the villains that were in the Bay area this evening. The Blood red sunset should have been the indicator of what was to come, but Defcon was too busy to notice it. He was trying to snipe a villain that he saw off in the distance.

It felt like being turned inside out, such excruciating pain. Of course this felt good to Nocturnus. He though he had steered far enough away from the battle that he would not be noticed, but it seems to have moved closer to him. As he scanned the battle his jaw dropped, and then his mouth smiled. Now he knows what hit him. Time to bring him in. Nocturnus started running the other way.

He had guessed right. Defcon could not believe his luck of finding Nocturnus here right now. Must have been casing out the place. Well it was time to end it, as he fired up his moonbeam.

The first thing Defcon noticed as the moonbeam hit was the effect it had. While it had surely drained Nocturnus, it also seem to feed him somehow. This was unexpected. “Come on you wimp. You can’t get me!” Defcon heard Nocturnus yell.

“You won’t get away this time Paul!”

“Don’t call me that. I gave up that name a long time ago. Call me Nocturnus or Death, but NEVER CALL ME PAUL!” As he finished Nocturnus leapt into a back flip that allowed him to SMASH Defcon with a haymaker.

Defcon went flying as he took the full force of the haymaker Nocturnus had laid on him. That’s ok, it let Defcon know that the battle was already his.

“Same old Paul, no new tricks, no new power, that even felt like you have less power than when we met.”

“I SAID DON’T CALL ME PAUL!”

“Well, come here and make me stop Paul. You are nothing. Weak, unstable, and can’t even admit to your real name.” Defcon laid down a tar patch right round himself so Nocturnus would hit it when he came close, then it would be time to hold him down and finish this battle.

Nocturnus started running at Defcon with reckless abandon. He must make Defcon pay. “THAT’S IT! DARKNESS FALLS!!!” as he hit the tar patch and slowed down. What was this? Confused, Nocturnus felt something creeping up his legs, the a sudden sense of fear. “NO!!! KEEP AWAY!!!!!”

Defcon’s plan had worked perfectly. Nocturnus had been basically immobilized. “Nocturnus. Pathetic. I thought you would be even better than before, but really you are just a 3rd rate thug. Say good night gracie.”

Defcon returned home, and went about his normal type routines. Going over the foundation he set up for the homeless, and trying to make Paragon City’s Streets safe for the average guy. All was right again, except for the disappearance of the battered and bruised Nocturnus. The next time might not be as easy, but at least Defcon knew he could take him down.

“You stupid idiot. You were nowhere near ready. You are lucky we brought you to the medical facility when we did, otherwise you could have been shipped the slab. What do you have to say for yourself????”

“F… Fe…. Fea… Fear. Can’t see anything but the sk.. sk…. Skull. DAMN YOU DEFCON!”