Description: A belfry high in the sky hosts another bout between the devilish Moonchild and her smaller do-gooder foe, Hotaru Futaba. OF course, the cathedral staff are not exactly thrilled with the Satan masked Mano-666 striding in like he belongs there...
With Hotaru's recent victory in the Neo League circuits, the young fighter has started to garner slightly more attention. She is still a nobody compared to the likes of Sakura and other fighting teens who have made their mark on the world. But there are plenty who love cheering for the underdog, and thus her renown as a young hopeful is starting to get out there. It took some time to recover from the injuries inflicted by Wong Mei Lin's powerful strikes, but she was eager to get back into practice right afterward.
Fortuantely, Neo League, home to rookies around the world, was happy to oblige. In the North Eastern corner of Southtown a tall hill features a large cathedral. Built decades ago, the white stone structure was a marvel to behold - a symbol of changing times, of Western influences, of religious tolerance amid a city full of shrines.
It almost seems inappropriate to use the bell tower to host a Neo League fight, but cathedral officials are fine with it provided the League's insurance is paid up. The time is mid-afternoon, the sky a crisp, deep blue with a few clouds in the horizon. Up this high, the wind blows swiftly even if one stands far away from the open arches on the Western wall from which bells can be heard during the noontime melody.
For Hotaru Futaba, seeing Southtown from this height is a marvel, the girl standing a couple meters away from the railing, hands clasped behind her back as she gazes out over the spread of houses and the distant skyscrapers of the downtown district in the distance. She had oft times visited the cathedral grounds as a child, enjoying the immense architecture and beautiful gardens below. But to see it from up here is a whole new experience.
Sucking in her breath, she turns, extending her arm only to have a white dove alight on the back of her hand, eliciting an amused smile from the girl. Win or lose, this is at least a stunningly magnificant place to fight, she ponders.
Well.
The Moonchild is not exactly going to tempt fate by rolling in in her full Satanic majesty. Much like her recent SNF appearance, Aracely Maria de la Azules climbs up into the looming gorgeous recesses of the bell tower wearing an outfit that is only moderately transgressive: occult circles painted on the back of the hand, dramatic eye makeup, and a tank top with Mano 666's face on the front and a go-go devil woman on the back.
Emerging from the narrow stairway, Aracely walks out with a pursed expression, glancing at the League camera crews as they get set up and reaching up to run a hand through her bangs. When she sees the dove land on Hotaru's arm, though -
Well, that's a little too much. Amazing, but --
Aracely laughs. "Oi! Futaba, you ready for this? This is definitely a different kind of place to do the fight in. I hope you aren't gonna worry that we're defiling it or anything!"
DOWNSTAIRS
"I am not letting you in here," the priest tells Mano 666.
"It's a mask, it's a ring thing," Mano 666 attempts to explain.
"You are literally wearing a Satan mask and you wish to enter the house of God."
"You let HER through."
"She doesn't have a Satan mask on."
Mano 666 frowns.
UPSTAIRS AGAIN
Aracely stretches as she walks back, getting out of camera-shot for, presumably, a suitably arcane entrance that won't be out of tune with her image. "Ready when you are!"
The irony of the location is not picked up on by the young Kung Fu artist until Aracely points it out. Turning away from the balcony and jostling her arm just enough to send the bird winging off into the air, Hotaru grins at seeing the familiar girl once again. "Moonchild," she calls back as she strides away from the edge, a happy expression on her face.
"So we meet again." she continues, with a hint of the dramatic overtones she had used in the ring when last they met. Her hands are clasped behind her back as she strides slowly back toward the center of the belfry, circling around one of the huge bells to the more open area. Longer than it is wide, this side of the tower is surrounded in stone, leaving only the Western wall open with its vast arches. It was built this way to better funnel the melody of the bells toward the city rather than out toward the open forests to the East. Not that any of that matters right now... Being up here when the bells were sounding would be deafening. Fortunately, their daily toll happened hours ago, so the fighters' eardrums are safe... ish.
"It is great to see you again. I saw your recent success at the Diamond Dragon. Congratulations!" She shakes her head, coming in closer now, standing along the open stretch of stone. There are a few odds and ends, of course - cleaning supplies, a broom or two, a few ladders, and crates that are storing who knows what. Every large building needs a place to stash stuff the public isn't supposed to trip over and the belfry works as well as anything. "Aaah... I think it'll take more than this to besmirch a decades old structure, eh heh."
The cameras are still being set up, allowing for the more friendly banter. The last thing Hotaru wants to do is infringe on the girl's image. Building up notoriety and developing a following is a lot of work for any aspiring fighter. "But where is your father?" she wonders, glancing back toward the stairs after noticing he hadn't shown up for a long while after Aracely got there.
With cameras in place and event staff moving around to make sure they also won't be caught on film either, Hotaru finishes tightening one of her hair ribbons and takes her place, the solid stone wall at her back.
Sucking in her breath, she exhales, closing her eyes and bowing her head for a moment as she centers her focus. When she looks up again, she extends her hands, arms raised, palms open. She makes an effort to force her smile from her face. Afterall, she is up against the dark and scary Moonchild. This is no time for giddy grins!!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has started a fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Aracely has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aracely
"De nada," Aracely says on reflex. She looks around the open space and the stuff that has been left laying around... opportunities that have yet to be realized. Aracely takes a couple of deep breaths.
"Oh," she says with a laugh. "He isn't actually my dad. That's just like, for the image, right? Because that's way more dramatic, if I just got /trained/ by the devil, I'm like what's his name - the little kid with the tail, uh, got trained by the green guy, damn, I can't remember. It was on TV, I guess maybe they changed the names."
But things are winding down. "Anyway, he probably just got lost. We're good, though." Aracely smiles as she steps back and into the shadows. "He's a good trainer, but I don't need 'im to hold my hand."
DOWNSTAIRS
"Stop throwing holy water on me."
*splash*
"... No."
UPSTAIRS
But matters are drawing near. Aracely puts a hand to her face, takes a couple breaths again -- and her eyes have that gleam in them again when she looks back up. Her eyes turn around, and when the bell is rung, she speaks aloud.
"In this house of God will your blood be spilt, Futaba. DARKNESS can be found anywhere... in the halls of God they are not immune. No! No!!" And then she runs outwards, screaming at the top of her lungs as she aims to armbar Hotaru in the abdomen, hoist her up with the hip and drop her right on the wooden floor!
Hopefully it's not, like, rotten.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru instinctively blocks Aracely's Moonset Toss.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aracely
"Oh," comes the surpised response at the explanation regarding the very noteworthy Mano 666, her smile not fading at the correction. "He must really dedicated to you as a trainer... I hope it's working out well." The thought of having a trainer who would stick by her side, would go to her events and support her... Hotaru shakes her head, forcing her smile away as the match is about to begin in earnest, but the lingering thoughts are still readily apparent in her eyes.
Now it's show time though, and she is happy to play along with the theatrics. The very idea of having some kind of theme seems to amuse her to no end as she lifts her hands to be combat ready, bouncing lightly on her feet. "You have some gal to tread here, Moonchild." the girl answers with a judging shake of her head. "Within these walls, you will make your final stand!"
As Aracely charges, Hotaru pivots, shifting her stance, one foot sliding out, her other behind her as she braces for impact. The transition is smooth as she sweeps her arms down, intersecting the initial impact at her middle. As before, actually predicting where the clever girl is going to attack, and what techniques she will use when in range proves to be extremely difficult to do. She has to think on her feet and respond on the fly in order to not be completely caught up in the attacks, as she demonstrates now.
Acting more on insting than cautious reaction, she flips while mid-toss, slamming her feet down instead of hitting her back against the ground, a soft grunt released as her feet connect with the sturdy floor for only an instant. "Your aggressive nature will be your downfall, your corruption your weakness!"
Her retaliation comes instantly, the girl rebounding out of her landing into a short hop, body twisting in order to allow her to swing her arms out in a windmilling fashion, attempting to deliver swift, aggressive strikes against the other girl's guard. Individually, they are not significant hits, but they could add up!
COMBATSYS: Aracely blocks Hotaru's Enryuu Banda.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Aracely
Mano 666 has a financial interest in Aracely's success as well -- but there's no reason to introduce this into a sweet and innocent sort of moment.
DOWNSTAIRS
"Seriously, I go to mass most Sundays."
"ONLY MOST?"
*splash*
UP HERE, though, Aracely tchs loudly, even as Hotaru pivots and makes her way out of the deeper pains of that twisty, lethal sort of toss. Hotaru hops back up and begins that windmilling motion, which the Moonchild advances into. "You say that but you're the one making the attack, aren't you!" she counters in a throatier voice than her usual - doubtless getting 'into' it.
%Of course, well, the strikes do tell on the taller woman, but after one lastr twist, Aracely sees her chance-- an opportunity to stick her shoulder in underneath Hotaru's armpit. This lewd exposure notorious to mikos worldwide is not as nasty as it could be, but it's enough for Aracely to try and hoist Hotaru up...
And then shrug with an exaggerated sweep, tossing her to the side and hopefully dropping her down, hard. "And now your own mass is your enemy. Get it? MASS? Fwa ha ha ha ha!!"
Dark humor, to be sure.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Aracely's Bone Dropper.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Aracely
Already airborn, there is nothing the young Kung Fu artist can do in time to avoid Moonchild's clever counterattack. She never even gets to land this time, caught with her arm over Aracely's shoulder. With the height advantage the young woman has over the small Futaba girl, she's completely at a loss as to how to escape even as she begins swinging her feet to try and kick herself free.
Release comes in the form of being thrown as it becomes abundantly clear that anytime she is in the air, the acrobatic little fighter is nearly in full control over anything happening to her. Tucking her arms in and kicking her legs out straight, she pivots into a twist, managing to fall out of the throw into a roll that leaves her unscathed as she tumbles up to a low position a couple meters away, her arms out at her sides for balance, her feet far apart as she maintains an extremely low profile.
It's hard not to crack a smile at the overly done laugh at the painful pun, but she is trying to be professional enough to not break character. Maybe someone will recognize her potential career in fighting theatrics someday if she keeps this up (not likely). "Impossible. In here, I feel as light as a feather, there is no reason for my conscience to weigh me down..."
Pushing into a sprint, she charges for the capable lucha, extending her hands as she seeks a hold on the young woman's upper arms. "What about you?!" If she secures a tight enough hold, she'll transition into a series of rapid, stomping kicks right up the front of the other girl before backflipping away to land roughly where she had launched from. "YA, YA, YA!"
COMBATSYS: Aracely dodges Hotaru's Shinjou Tai.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Aracely
"Hnh! I see you've improved," Aracely says with a grimace as she sinks into a crouch, seeing where Hotaru is lunging free and out of easy grabbin' distance. "And feh, your conscience... Your conscience is something your mind creates. It's something put into you by your parents!! Did they really understand you!?"
Hopefully Hotaru is not an orphan. That would be awkward.
Aracely crouches down further as Hotaru comes in, aiming for a grasp - and she wriggles to the side easily, tumbling forwards into a moonsault even as Hotaru backflips at the end of her elegantly executed form. This puts her in a location where she can bend over backwards--
That looks kind of painful! But what would be even more painful is giving Hotaru a really big hug, just as she straightens up. What to do from there? The obvious thing would be to piledrive Hotaru's noggin into the cold, cold floor. But this is an instant disqualification in Mexico. As such Aracely aims to lunge forwards and flop Hotaru on the ground while slamming her with her own torso!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru fails to interrupt Power Throw from Aracely with Medium Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Aracely
As Aracely takes to the air, she challenges the Futaba girl on her own turf in what will definitely be a moment captured on the Neo League highlight reel. Matching her in speed and aerial grace, the Moonchild's grip around the Kung Fu artist is secured before she even realizes that she was being pursued. Normally her opponents try to catch her right as she lands, not snatch her clean out of the air!
A surprised squeak is the best she can answer the initial grip around her body with, caught far too off guard for her to perform another one of her incredible, last moment escapes. Not that she isn't thinking of options, however. Even as the rookie luchadora drops her against the stone cold stone floor, the Futaba girl tries to curl her knees up over her torso in an effort to have the Moonchild splash down against her knees rather than impacting cleanly!
The pained gasp as she impacts the brickwork flat on her back is proof enough of how that turned out, having not managed to wedge her limbs into the path in time. This, of course, leaves the smaller fighter completely pinned for a moment, stunned by the impact and the incredible reversal on Moonchild's part. It can't last forever though - already she's shaking her head and starting to try and figure out how to wriggle her way free!
Aracely is faintly surprised that she's gotten a pin together on Hotaru. This is a little rare for her, given how she's fought people who are way bigger than her, whether in mass (Sven) or squishy bits (Mika).
Of course, she could lay on top of Hotaru all day and not get anywhere! Neo League, especially in this environment, doesn't have specific pinfall rules -- or at least, not in a mixed environment like this! (She thinks.) Aracely wriggles around thereby, rolling over Hotaru's knees as she growls, "Even here. In the house of your so called GOD. You cannot defend yourself --"
And then she gets off Hotaru. For a fleeting split second Hotaru has room to explode out. If she doesn't get loose in that single heart-stopping moment, though, she's getting shoved forwards as Aracely moves to get over her, thread her armpits over Aracely's thighs, and wrap her hands beneath Hotaru's jaw.
To pull.
"From the clutches of Satan!!" It is, of course, a camel clutch - a classical and emphatic submission hold!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Aracely's The Clutches of Satan.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---<<<<|===----\-------\0 Aracely
Heihachi's rules, as delivered to the officials of Neo League on engraved slabs of stone, have always been simple and to the point - aside from lasting until either one or both fighters can no longer battle in any way, there are effectively no rules to the low-budget alternative to the hugely expensive PFW regional events. No holds barred, no blows disallowed. The crazed despot at the top of this fighting organization simply desired pure, unfiltered violence by whatever means the participants could manage to deliver it - something Hotaru has learned well during her time in said matches.
Which of course means there is no three count to pin the nimble Kung Fu fighter and Aracely will have to find another means of securing the victory. The window of opportunity afforded her is not wasted as Hotaru twists onto her knees and hands and immediately tries to spring away from any potential follow up. She knows full well that if the match stays on the ground, she is outclassed by the other girl and right now she needs to make every attempt to get back to her feet -
But she isn't quite fast enough as the diabolical Moonchild lands on her back, forcing the local favorite back to the stone with another squeak of breath. Gritting her teeth, the younger girl puts up quite a fight, however, and while the wrestler gets one small arm up over her thigh, the Futaba scion manages to keep her other arm flailing around too much to get caught completely. As such, the hold beneath her jaw doesn't deliver quite the intended punishment and The Clutches of Satan are defied for the immediate moment as Hotaru turns on her side in her continued struggle to get back to standing where her kicks and punches are far more effective.
With one arm free, she is able to turn toward the leg her other arm is already wrapped around and grip it tightly. "We'll see about that!" she grunts, finally prying herself out from under Aracely, "Satan has no claim in a place like this!" Of course, as she escapes she gives Mano 666's 'daughter' a parting kick with her right foot toward her stomach in the process. Maybe she can finally scramble up to her feet if she buys herself enough room!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Aracely with Light Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---<<<<|====---\-------\0 Aracely
And apparently Hotaru is right! That snap kick hits Aracely right in the giblets, making her stagger back and grasp at her chest with unfeigned if not overwhelmed shock.
As for the Neo League's dictates-- of course these dark stone tablets from Heihachi Mishina must be respected. But they aren't the limit of what you can do. No law prevents you from living on white rice and cold water, but this fare - while perhaps sustaining - is not enough. The prohibition on piledrivers, effective as they might be, is part of what makes Mexico strong, proud, and the greatest nation in the world!
Aracely keeps staggering back, squinting and finally managing to reinflate her lungs. "Hhhahh... good shot," she croaks out. "But it's not enough... Not enough...!!"
Aracely kicks a nearby box from beneath. It's a peculiar thing to kick, but this seems to be a trick she'd learned. The stack of hymnals within pop upwards, and the Moonchild grabs the topmost one, twisting it around and pitching it at Hotaru. "Here - if you're so proud of your GOD - why don't you SING? See if your voice can make - these bells - RING!!"
DOWNSTAIRS
"Look, fine, you want me to do confession? OK, we can do confession. Will that make you happy?"
"Are you really baptized?"
"Ai! When you say that, you make my mother roll over in her grave. If you think she'd raise her son to be a liar --"
"Alright, alright, you proved your point."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Aracely's Thrown Object.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---<<<<|====---\-------\0 Aracely
Finally escaping the harrowing Clutches of Satan and the luchadora's other grappling techniques, Hotaru finally has a chance to stand, whirling around, hands raised defensively just in case she was being rushed right back down immediately. To stand a chance, she needed to stay on her feet, where she could kick and punch freely, or take to the air for her more acrobatic techniques!
But the Latina has other thoughts, going for the boxes of storage lying about. Using other objects in fights is practically a foreign concept to the Kung Fu artista who would never think of grabbing something else to attack another fighter with. Not only was it questionable as to whether she even had the brute force necessary to make an improvised weapon worthwhile, it was also completely contrary to the heart of her Kenpo that she was so proud of!
Azure eyes widen a little as the box is kicked, dusty books flying only for the agile grappler to seize one of them and send it flying! Perhaps having already read into her intention, Hotaru is bolting forward in the same instant, "I already carry a song in my heart-" She takes to the air again, leaping over the book flung her way so rudely. "Making the bells ring is not my part!"
At the apex of her jump she dives, left knee first, targeting Moonchild's shoulder. If she connects, she would sweep her right foot out into a follow up strike before backflipping away with one final slam of her legs. And of course, if she misses, she'll just end up having to powerslide to a stop!
COMBATSYS: Aracely blocks Hotaru's Rengeki Shuu.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Aracely
"Well, if you aren't going to oblige," The Moonchild begins, before she's struck in the shoulder with a single brutal knee-strike from Hotaru "Blood-Drinker" Futaba. She spins aside, which spares her much of the second strike's force and the final slam, but she's still staggering. Staggering hard enough to hit the corner and -
A rope. Aracely glances at it.
DOWNSTAIRS
"Bless me Father, for I have sinned."
"Well, alright, let's get on with it."
"Father, I have had impure thoughts."
"Is this about, ah -"
"What? - Oh, Jesus Mary and Joseph, no!"
"Well - well, ah, well then, carry on, yes, you were saying."
"I have sinned in my heart in an impure manner. I have felt burning lust for... For... I can't even bring myself to say it."
"Lord, grant this ironic gentleman strength, despite who he has chosen to back."
"It's... it's Rainbow Mika..."
"Say no more, my child; I feel the same way."
UPSTAIRS
It is unclear how this has happened, perhaps, but Aracely has wiggled loose the rope for the central bell. "Hah! If you don't have the guts, then I will do it. After all, what good is being a devil - if you can't - fly!" And she kicks off, swinging forwards.
Her first motion is past Hotaru. It's clear from how she's lifting up both her legs that she's going to use this to build momentum as if she were in the ring. What she didn't count on is
THONG
The bell tolls. The single massive peal from the swung rope is a palpable wave of force that sends visible ripples in small drifts of dust still laying around. "Madre de D-"
TONG
Aracely is half stunned by the second wave of pure sonic force, the sound rolling through her like a wave on the beach. Nonetheless she is coming back on the rebound, drawing up her legs and spreading her knees aside to try and pinion Hotaru on her pass. A firm grip to add to things when she
DONG
swings backwards, towards the brickwork!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru interrupts Crushing Throw from Aracely with Tanshou Shin EX.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-<<<<<<|=======\=------\1 Aracely
Landing on her feet following yet another routine trip to the air, the swift martial artist is prepared to trade blows once again. Her patterns of attack have a certain hit and run nature to them, engaging swiftly then disengaging to give herself a chance to adjust, then going back in for another swift attack. Of course, by now, Aracely is starting to get the gist of this approach, allowing her to defend against the smaller girl's aerial trajectories. Afterall, who better to understand airborn combat than a luchadora?
Contendedly oblivious to Mano 666's confession downstairs, she sucks in her breath in a bid to keep pacing herself well enough to avoid exhaustion. She steps to the side on Aracely's first pass on the rope, clearly certain what angle of attack she is going to take next. If anything, she realizes, as the acrobatic young woman swings through the air, this is a reminder that she might benefit from figuring out other ways of attacking from different angles as well-
The loud, resounding bell shatters any train of thought going through her mind. Birds scatter through the arches as Hotaru lifts her hands to her ears on the first painfully loud resounding. It takes conscious effort to force herself to stop cringing and prepare herself by the time the second ring comes, not turning her body to follow Aracely yet keeping her eyes on her by looking over her shoulder all the same. "I know something of flying -"
Gritting her teeth, not sure exactly what is coming her way but deciding to fight back all the same, Hotaru bends her knees, winds her body up, then springs directly up into the rope-swinging Moonchild, driving her shoulder into the other girl's stomach, every muscle in her body devoted to delivering a singular, powerful, decisive strike. "In fact I'll join you there!" Of course, this also delivers her into the throw itself, the girl no longer grounded, making it easier to slam the featherweight back directly into the adjacent wall immediately following the collision...
That blow throws off Aracely's trajectory, and in turn ruins the building chorus in the bell's mighty form. That's good! For Aracely. What's less good is that Hotaru is working her stomach, and her face blanches as Hotaru hits her right in the Mano-666-mask mouth. Hooboy! She tightens up --
DOWNSTAIRS
"God is my witness, I would hit that like the fist of an angry God. In fact, maybe I should -"
"Uh, Father - we're uh, we're kind of -"
"Hm? Oh, right, right. Well, ten Hail Maries, a Rosary, and two laps around the building and we'll call it even."
"Are you even a priest?"
"Hahahahaha well yeah anyway -"
"No wait, hold on a minute here, are you a priest or not?"
"I am employed by the Church!"
"ARE YOU A PRIEST!?"
"Well, not... not technically."
"Then who the hell are you!?"
"I'm... the sexton."
Mano 666's mighty arm slams through the divider window to grasp the guy in his neck. "Pinche part-timers!" he shouts.
"H-how did you know I was--"
"You're all part-timers in this jabroni-ass country! None of you have jobs if you're under thirty-five! You probably wanted to ask me for Aracely's number!"
"H-how did you know--!?"
UPSTAIRS
-- and snaps her legs out, to aim and grasp Hotaru's shoulders and neck in between her knees and thighs! This is certainly a saucy move, but the Moonchild's death grip on the bell rope makes it perhaps less kinky and more an astonishing display of athleticism. "Hnnhhhghhh--"
Aracely twists herself around, even as the increasingly-large pendulum swings back the other way. Rotating to the left to wind herself up, she starts rotating towards the right afterwards - and lets go, jack-fishing her back and twisting in an effort to send Hotaru flying towards a wall!
Hopefully a wall.
H-hopefully.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Aracely's Huracanarana.
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Hotaru 1/-------/<<<<<<<|=------\-------\0 Aracely
The Futaba girl doesn't even get the chance to fall to the ground following her impact with the wall the first time before the Moonchild has her caught up again in one of the iconic moves of gifted lucha fighters. "Nrgh-!" Pincered between the strong girl's legs, the smaller fighter is forced to struggle in a vain attempt to extract herself from what is bound to be a painful technique. Getting swung around by her neck is already painful enough, the girl's face going red as she tries to squeeze her arms in and get a grip on Aracely's thigh so that she isn't dangling quite so much.
The first swing one way jars her attempts loose, however, feet and hands flailing as they reach the extent of the rope's reach and begin to whip right back the other way. But in her thrashing, she manages to hook her left arm around the wrestler's leg, securing enough leverage to reduce the pain she's feeling while being flung about.
"Your-" the girl grunts, swinging her right arm free, struggling for breath even in the effort of trying to still be able to speak. "- bell mischief -"
Her right hand glows, a wreath of azure chi surging along her limb. She's intending to attack to free herself! But before she quite can, she's sent flying, managing only to barely correct her own trajectory by that weak hold her left arm had on Aracely's leg. The end result has her spinning through the air instead of careening directly for the wall. "Ends here!"
It is on her second spin that she slams her right hand out, unleashing speeding blast of sapphire blue energy on direct course for the dangerous rope-swinging young woman. The Futaba girl herself collides with the wall feet first instead of smashing into it in an uncontrolled spiral, and even still the impact sends jarring pain along her ankles and knees as she compresses into the landing then drops to the floor of the belfry.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Aracely with Hakki Shou EX.
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Hotaru 1/-------/<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Aracely
Aracely lets go of the bellrope, landing in a crouch, her back turned to Hotaru. She breathes heavily, and when Hotaru is gathering her strength, she's sweeping her hair back. "Does it?" she says, turning around and --
Urp.
DOWNSTAIRS
The confessional booth cracks as Mano 666 throws the sexton through it. He tries to run towards the altar. But Mano 666 is catching up.
"MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME" the sexton wails.
"I'll teach you to impersonate a man of God!" Mano 666 growls, before he stomps him in the back, shoves him down, and puts him in the Clutches of Satan!!
UPSTAIRS AGAIN
That sparkling azure burst of Hotaru's burning spirit smashes into Aracely's chest, which is already starting to hurt. A huge burst washes through her; she hits the wall, and not quite controled, staggering afterwards with a slightly tearful grimace on her face. No sobs, no begging - the pain just made her eyes well up.
And then she lunges forwards to try and grab at Hotaru's waist. How forward! It seems like a straightforward lead in to a hip toss, but if she should make contact, she flips forwards again - pushing through the pain in an effort to moonsault over and around Hotaru, flipping her down to hit the floor after several twists!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Aracely's Gear Grinder.
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Hotaru 1/-------/<<<<<<<|>>-----\-------\0 Aracely
This is it, Hotaru knows. Both of the fighters have plied their craft throughout the belfry, both have delivered tricky holds, swift strikes, and some incredible airborn acrobatic action that transcends what the viewing audience likely expects from the rookie tier hopefules. No matter how things go, the two have definitely secured their right to compete at this level, at the very least, if not already earning a reputation that can carry them into the next echelon of fighter tiers.
Drawing her hand back, Hotaru lands at the base of the wall that she had just braced against, breathing softly but noticeably as she continues to try and pace herself under the pressure she is being put by the talented luchadora. But she isn't going to break character and forcing a smile comes easily given the sheer amount of fun she is having with the challenging exchanges. "It is time," she pants for breath, trying to seem in better condition than she is, "This place gives me the strength-"
She bends her legs slightly, mindful of some of the more clever attack vectors she'd seen out of Aracely throughout the match. Time to innovate a new approach to reacting, time to be less predictable herself. When the Moonchild closes in with her aggressive speed, the smaller fighter leaps - backward this time, right up the wall behind her, feet slamming against the aged white stone brick to launch herself right over the grappler, "To fight Satan's servents-"
She lands, possibly within a half meter behind the young woman, already wound up, her back toward hers. "And keep these grounds sacred!"
She launches back into an assault, trying to catch the Moonchild before she can turn around to defend herself, advancing with a hop into whirwinding strikes, leading with her right hand, then hopping again into a second set, leading with her left hand. "Tenrenge!"
If she's managed to trap her opponent against the wall, she'd seek to end the fight with a stunningly strong rising shoulder slam that takes the girl airborn, before spinning into a finishing, aerial roundhouse to complete the fierce combination of rapid strikes.
Unless prevented, she'd drop back to the floor, landing in the splits, arms out at her sides for balance as she continues to pant for breath.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Aracely with Tenrenge.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\-------\0 Aracely
Uh oh, Aracely thinks through the soreness. She's learning to work high too!
Not that Hotaru was ever... unskilled at that. But there are details. She turns her head, just in time to get caught up in the windmill of blows and passion that is... Hotarumania. Swept and struck, she's ground against the wall for a moment, and then
Smack! Crack!
If the Moonchild was still upright at the end of it, Hotaru's situation with a split on the ground would be a huge opening. A great place to lunge in for the pin.
Instead, she kind of slumps towards the ground.
There's some thumping downstairs too. How peculiar!
COMBATSYS: Aracely takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > / ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|>>>>>--\-------\0 Aracely
COMBATSYS: Aracely has reached second wind!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > / ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|>>>>>--\-------\0 Aracely
Her swift strikes delivered, the girl lands low, attempting to make herself a difficult profile to attack back at - ducking lower than most kicks or punches, and presenting a potentially awkward target to get a hold of. it's the best she can do at first until she gets enough time to escape to further ground and reassess the situation.
Given the success of her attack, she isn't sure if Aracely will have any fight left in her - the combination of swift but hard hitting strikes is one of the Futaba girl's best finishing attacks and taking it clean especially from the back seems like a fight decider to her...!
It wouldn't be in her nature to attack back against someone who looks shakey as to whether they can continue. On the other hand, she is well aware of the kinds of feints and tricks fighters can pull in matches... it was a hard adjustment to make at first, but she has gotten more used to the idea that not everything is as it seems when facing fighters of all types of personalities or tactics. Is this a ploy on the part of the devious Moonchild? Or is Aracely really out of the fight?
Without immediate aggression, Hotaru finally springs back to put a few meters between them, finding time to rise back up to standing, arms raised to the defensive once more. Panting for breath, it's clear that she's being pushed to the limits of her ability to keep going at this speed without reprieve, but there is something about the resolve of the other girl that has her refusing to let down her guard just yet...
COMBATSYS: Hotaru focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > / ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|>>>>>--\-------\0 Aracely
Aracely slumps against the wall...
Long enough for the cameras to zoom in.
She takes a shuddering breath and thinks to herself: Time to get in it to win it. Her head's ringing, her body stings from the punishment Hotaru dropped on her. The girl is wily and quick and smaller.
BUT...
Aracely's head pivots suddenly, her eyes rolling back to reveal bare whites. She speaks clearly, if with effort. "Sacred? Nothing is sacred in this world. Only by your own hand can you build your 'sacredness'. This building is no more holy than an outhouse!"
Rising up along the wall, her eyes flutter and flicker. She reaches her feet, and almost stumbles -- but no, she thinks; no. Stand tall. Walk proud. And...
The Moonchild strides forwards with every sign of confidence, stomping on the floorboards as she closes the distance with Hotaru. She sweeps down her right arm to try and hoist Hotaru up - if she should manage it, she gets dropped down without ceremony on an outstretched knee. But her skin's broken out in a cold sweat -- this is a last gasp!
DOWNSTAIRS
The sexton taps violently enough to knock over a pew. "I'm sorry Mano 666! Mea culpa maxima!"
"How do you know Latin in Japan anyway!?"
COMBATSYS: Aracely can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru fails to interrupt Backbreaker from Aracely with Power Throw.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Hotaru 0/-------/----===|
Teeth grit at the blatent disrespect paid to the old cathedral. You go too far, Moonchild!! As she suspected, the other fighter is able to pull herself to her feet afterall - testament to her own tenacious spirit. It comes as no surprise to the Kung Fu artist who has seen her in action twice now, and both times very narrowly managed to scrape by.
"For that kind of sacrilege, you will surely be punished!" As the Satan-inspired luchadora stomps menacingly toward the Futaba girl, Hotaru takes a step forward in return, arms raised, intending to clash with the other girl - perhaps to strike out before she can do anything too tricky. But even weary and worn out, Aracely proves the better when it comes to direct, uncontested melee to melee combat, managing to heft the featherweight clean off her feet, eliciting a surprised squeak in the process.
But the girl is not only quick on her feet, but a quick thinker as well. If Aracely had paused for even a moment, Hotaru might have managed to mitigate the severity of her situation with the way she hooks her arm out, attempting to slip it around the taller girl's neck in order to catch herself before she falls too far. But the Moonchild is not in a merciful mood, dropping her victim down before there is any hope of hooking that arm.
The impact folds the locale favorite nearly in half as she rolls off the knee to the floor, left hand reaching behind her back to press near her lower spine, eyes squinted closed in clearly unfeigned pain at the impact. "Ngh!" Rolling over a couple of times takes her further away from the luchadora to come to a stop face down. "O-ow..." It takes pure force of will to tuck her knees under her and push herself up with her hands, being careful not to lift herself up with her lower back. Finally she's on her feet, both hands at her back now, her expression a mixture of a grin and wince at her mixed feelings. It's good pain. Really! She tries telling herself that.
"You got close, Moonchild, but you chose the wrong place to attack me. This bastion of righteousness will continue to stand afterall-" The sounds of crashing down below begin to throw her assertions into question, of course, a detail certainly noticed by the girl as she cringes at the sound of something else getting toppled below.
Fortunately for Hotaru, the Moonchild takes three steps after that before sinking to her knees and flopping on the ground.
"Ghhhh," she rumbles, but that seems to be coming from the heart, not the acting section. She is not getting up beyond rolling onto her side. This makes it the victory for Hotaru Futaba! Another triumph over darkness. But how long can this streak continue?
Either way, though, the doorway creaks and slams open. Mano 666, adjusting his tie with one hand, steps in, helpfully out of camera range - but the bloopers reel for Neo League is enriched by one "Ai! I knew I was late, but -"
Log created on 23:23:44 03/01/2015 by Hotaru, and last modified on 02:40:22 03/05/2015.