Description: A fight on the stairs can go either way. But when you're on the stairs of a cathedral, with a street fighter taking on the self-proclaimed princess of Kyokugen, which way will things go? (WINNER: Yuri)
It's a little after dusk in the Sicilian city of Modica, and the glow of the streetlamps surrounding the plaza paints the front of the San Giorgio Cathedral in orange. A light drizzle rains down from an overcast sky, but it doesn't deter the fight fans who are crowding the streets for the upcoming bout, nor the true music aficianados, who would probably rather have stayed home than come see Killasaurus Orphanage anyway. The cameras are ready to roll, but before it begins, a prematch video with Killasaurus Orphanage frontwoman Alexis Lovell airs.
==*== PRE-MATCH INTERVIEW ==*==
"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to this match," Alexis tells the camera. "I mean, the venue is really awesome. I've seen pictures of the inside of San Giorgio, and the colour scheme is amazing. It totally suits me. Gagliardi had wicked taste. I can't wait to rock the acoustics in the Cathedral itself. I heard the weather's really great, too!"
"Haha. This might even be an easy match for Yuri - I usually do my best work in a bad mood, and I'm totally stoked. Just don't tell her that, eh?"
==*== BACK TO THE ACTION ==*==
As it turns out, the fight isn't taking place inside the Cathedral itself, which is closed to visitors after dark - it's happening out on the front steps. And while white, red, and black may be Alexis' trademark colours, orange absolutely is not. Rainwater is already dripping from her Catholic schoolgirl-style outfit - a wardrobe decision maintained in spite of its irony in the current setting - as well as the girl's dark hair.
Alexis, as it turns out, is not in a good mood.
Luckily, the white glare provided by the event's lighting array as it comes online is enough to at least ameliorate the Canadian's condition, washing her out to her natural pallor in place of the fake-suntan shade produced by the local lighting. Still, her scowl persists as she performs one last soundcheck with her wireless electric guitar, playing a few chords and letting them ring out. One thought rings in the girl's head as she takes her place to the left of the cathedral doors:
The acoustics would totally sound better inside.
"Whatever," Alexis growls as she slings her guitar over her back and cracks her knuckles before dropping into a fighting stance. The hum of the guitar continues to ring dimly in the vicinity of the girl, hanging in the air.
COMBATSYS: Alexis has started a fight here.
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Alexis 0/-------/-------|
==*== PRE-MATCH INTERVIEW ==*==
"This is gonna be so awesome!" Yuri says to the person interviewing her, a huge grin on her face. "This is not only a cool place to fight, but it's also a chance for more locals to see the awesomeness of Kyokugen Karate!" She taps her fists together a little before continuing. "To all you locals out there watching this, look online for more information about Kyokugen Karate! Spread the word, and maybe we'll be opening a dojo in your location soon!"
"Right now, I'm really hoping for an awesome fight! My opponent will be giving it their all I'm sure, but I'll be doing the same too! Look out, world, here comes Yuri Sakazaki!"
==*== BACK TO THE ACTION ==*==
Yuri isn't too surprised to find that they're fighting on the stairs instead of inside the actual cathedral. In fact, she actually seems to like it since it will make the fight more challenging than in a normal setting. And Yuri loves nothing more than a challenge to her fights. Especially since it makes the Kyokugen demonstrations she gives more unique in her opinion. "All righty then! It's time to get this show on the road!"
Approaching Alexis, Yuri smiles and points to her. "Hi-i-i-i! I'm Yuri, your opponent, and I'm gonna show you the awesomeness of Kyokugen in this fight!" She rolls her arm around a little before getting into a fighting stance. "I'm ready whenever you are, so just say the word!"
COMBATSYS: Yuri has joined the fight here.
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Alexis 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Yuri
The crowd are getting pumped for the upcoming match - whether it's established fighters or relative newcomers to the scene, there's always an excitement in the air when a fight's about to break out. Of course, there's always going to be some heckling of the participants.
"Play Stairway!" some smartass yells from the crowd.
"I'll calcio your culo, amico!" Alexis threatens, pointing to the sources of the voice with one finger and causing the crowd to recoil in apprehension.
"Mio dio," one of the audience members says to another. "Isn't she supposed to be Canadian?"
With that said, Alexis whirls about to face Yuri. "I'm Alexis, from Killasaurus Orphanage," she spouts as she raises her fists in challenge. "And I'm gonna show you the awesomeness of kicking your ass! Come at me!"
The hum has died down to a dull throb, but it continues to hang in the air around the Canadian fighter as she stares her opponent down, fists at the ready.
"Killasaurus Orphanage?" Yuri laughs at that. "I like that, tell me another one, I haven't had a good laugh in days!" Apparently, Yuri finds the bad pun quite amusing. "Or we can just wait until after this fight is over, since I'm here to show you what a true fight is all about!" When she tells Yuri to come at her, Yuri is more than happy to do so. "All right, let's do this!"
The stairs prove to be no problem for Yuri as she adjusts to them. "Be careful, since if one of us messes up here, it's a long way down I'm sure!" She advances on Alexis, keeping a close eye on her. "I hope you're really ready, because anything goes when you're practicing Kyokugen Karate!"
After a moment of advancing, Yuri stops suddenly. "Here's one of my favorites!" She exclaims, bringing her hand back behind her and then shooting forth a small fireball at Alexis. "Catch THIS!" She says with a big grin.
COMBATSYS: Alexis endures Yuri's Ko'ou Ken.
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Alexis 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Yuri
Much like Chad Gray, Alexis is as a moth to a flame before the opening assault from Yuri - or at least, so it would seem. Her white boots pound against the slippery surface of the staircase as she answers the attack by lowering her shoulders and charging forward. It'll be an easy matter to slip around the fireball, she thinks.
==*== EARLIER, AT A LOCAL LIBRARY ==*==
"Why would they call it hydrophobic, anyway? What, is it afraid of water or something?" Alexis scoffed as she reviewed the e-mail from Professional Fighting Worldwide.
"Actually, Lexi, what that means is -"
"Whatever, I'm going to go downvote some Bieber videos."
==*== IN THE PRESENT ==*==
It's a little too late that Alexis realises that Newton's First Law is in full force. Finding that her feet can't seem to stop carrying her forward on the slick surface, the fighter grits her teeth and turns her shoulder forward. The fireball slams into her, scorching her shirt and shoulder, but it doesn't fully arrest her momentum - she continues forward, throwing herself into the air as the hum around her builds, swinging her body sideways as she attempts to slam into Yuri with a crossbody.
Should she connect, the sonic energy around her would be released with a sound like an electric guitar being crushed, and she'd continue the maneuver by attempting to swing around the young Sakazaki before hooking an arm around her neck and falling backward, driving Yuri's head into the steps in a DDT.
COMBATSYS: Alexis successfully hits Yuri with Stage Dive.
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Alexis 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Yuri
OK, the sound itself is a cacophony within itself. But what happens next is very painful to more than just the ears.
Poor Yuri is caught by Alexis and falls into the stairs, landing in a DDT. The uneven terrain coupled with the actual stairs makes for quite a painful landing. Yuri yelps loudly as she hits the stairs, holding her head in pain for a moment before she tries to do a kippup... and unknowingly rolls backwards onto her feet. "Well, that was unexpected, but I'll accept it," Yuri comments, dusting herself off. "That would actually make for a neat feint technique I bet!" She adds with a grin, before turning to face her opponent again.
"Looks like I was on the wrong foot there, but even the best Kyokugen master makes mistakes!" Yuri yells, still showing her fighting spirit even if she's a little in pain. "I'm not going down that easily though!" She attempts to steady herself before attempting to throw a swift kick at Alexis's stomach. "I'm Yuri, the princess of Kyokugen!"
COMBATSYS: Alexis blocks Yuri's Light Kick.
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Alexis 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Yuri
Alexis is left on the ground herself for a moment after her wrestling maneuver, having landed tush-first on the hard surface of the steps. She's stood up and is still rubbing the now-soaked seat of her skirt with a grimace when Yuri advances on her again. Her hands come up just in time to catch the kick aimed at her mid-section. The impact jolts through the girl's frame, sending a shudder rippling through her flesh.
"Princess of Kyokugen?" she queries as she shoves the foot away, an sardonic smirk on her lips even as she starts to pant for air, chest heaving with each breath. "I never really had much time for royalty, but I can take the time to knock you off your throne!"
Alexis lifts a leg dangerously high before aiming her heel at Yuri's gut, trying to strike hard enough to double the Kyokugen practitioner over, not only with the force of the kick, but with the added melodic-yet-painful outburst of sonic energy that accompanies it. "And under... mine!"
Should the kick succeed, the Canadian fighter will attempt to grab Yuri by the shoulders and pull her head down between Alexis' thighs, slip her arms into a double underhook, then drop down to the stairs, driving Yuri's face into the slippery surface with her hips and releasing another cacophonous burst of chi.
COMBATSYS: Yuri blocks Alexis' Drop D.
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Alexis 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Yuri
"You? Dethrone me? Come on, you don't know what a real martial art is! All you know is how to wrestle and things like that. We all know that stuff is fake!" Yuri sticks out her tongue in a taunting manner. "And even if you're tougher than me, you'll never top Kyokugen!" She watches, slightly wide-eyed as Alexis's leg is raised high. Thinking quickly, Yuri adopts a defensive stance. She plants her feet into the stairs as best as she can, trying not to go down farther when the foot hits her.
The foot connects, and Yuri skids a little, but remains on the same stairs she was on before. She grunts a little, her sneakers leaving slight traces of skid marks on the ground. But she's mostly unfazed otherwise. "Oooh... That really hurt... Or it would've had it actually hit!" She winks and makes another taunting face at Alexis. "But you couldn't hit the broadside of a barn!"
Rather than wait for a response from her opponent, Yuri rushes in and attempts to to grab Alexis and slam her into the stairs directly.
COMBATSYS: Alexis blocks Yuri's Medium Throw.
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Alexis 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Yuri
The Canadian fighter grapples briefly with Yuri when the latter moves to slam the former, but Alexis' foundation is unsteady on the slick staircase. Rather than risking her feet giving out, she allows herself to be lifted into the air, instead focusing on bracing herself for the fall.
The brawling brunette lands on her back with a wet smack, but manages to keep her head from knocking against the stone as she curls defensively. Rolling backwards (and giving onlookers a bit of a show in the process), Lexi gets her boots under her and makes it back to a standing position. One gloved hand flicks her sopping bangs from her eyes.
"Nothing about me is fake!" the punk rocker declares defiantly, running her hands down her front as she strikes a pose. "I don't need your 'martial arts!' I don't need your rules! And I don't need you to tell me what's real and what's not!"
As she shouts, a nearly palpable tension builds in the air around her, droplets of water pooling into rivulets on her skin and streaming off quickly as sonic vibrations begin to create a deep, pulsating noise. Alexis' fists tighten as she glares at Yuri challengingly.
"This is what I do! And this... is real!"
COMBATSYS: Alexis surges with the power of rock!
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Alexis 1/----===/=======|======-\-------\0 Yuri
"Even if it ain't fake," Yuri says, watching Alexis seem to get angrier by the moment, "It's still not as cool as the style of Kyokugen Karate!" She shakes her head, remaining calm in comparison to Alexis's show of rage. "You'll never get away with that type of technique at the school either. It's totally uncool!" Yuri wipes her forehead, albeit in an non-mocking manner.
"So why don't you just chill out and focus on the fight? Like I am!" She looks at the stairs, judging where her feet are and where her opponent is. "Even if it's not wrestling or if it ain't fake, it's not going to faze me that easily either!" Yuri rushes in, attempting to deliver a rising uppercut with a spinning movement to it. "Feel the awesomeness of Kyokugen Karate!"
COMBATSYS: Alexis endures Yuri's Yuri Chou Upper.
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Alexis 1/=======/=======|======-\-------\0 Yuri
The fire doesn't leave Alexis' eyes as she meets Yuri's attack with determination, drawing her right arm back with her hand clenched. She's beaten to the punch, though - the uppercut slams into her face, sending her skidding backward, but she manages to keep herself upright. Snapping her head back to face her opponent, she wipes the trickle of blood from her nostrils with her left hand and steps back in. It's a simple, if fierce, overhand punch - but it's fuelled by the power of rock! Or at least, it's backed by the sonic chi energy waiting to be unleashed with a sound like a power chord and a painful vibrating sensation against whatever her fist should strike.
COMBATSYS: Alexis successfully hits Yuri with Fierce Punch.
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Alexis 1/=======/=======|=======\==-----\1 Yuri
There's no stopping that hard punch. It comes right at Yuri and it hits her dead on. And it hurts like hell. A lot. Yuri tries to tough it out but she fails and she doubles over in pain. "Owww... why me?!" She cries out. "That wasn't fair! Not at all!" It seems like Yuri's attitude has changed quite a bit. "This isn't supposed to happen at all! This is uncool!" Yuri seems to be whining more and more and she then drops to one knee, trying to catch her breath. "I can't believe it... not at all!"
With those words, Yuri looks up, this time a fierce scowl on her face. "It seems I've been too nice to you. Unfortunately, nice doesn't always work when you're in a fight. So no more Miss Nice Kyokugen Princess! It's time to show you what I'm truly capable of!" She brings her hands behind her back, summoning her chi. "I've only shown you a fraction of what I can do. Now see what Kyokugen is truly capable of!" Yuri sends forth a huge fireball, aimed directly at Alexis in hopes that the fireball doesn't damage any of the stairs.
COMBATSYS: Yuri successfully hits Alexis with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.
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Alexis 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\===----\1 Yuri
"Nice?" Alexis' body shudders with a laugh as she flexes the fingers of her fist, rubbing her sore knuckles with her other hand. The girl turns her shoulder toward Yuri in preparation for what may come. Her chest rises and falls with each breath, all of the oxygen going toward replenishing her reserves rather than being returned to the air in words. Blood is still trickling from her nose, and she raises a damp glove to clear it again as Yuri begins to gather her chi.
"Nice my -"
The ball of chi flame washes over the punk rocker, sending a searing pain through her frame as it burns her skin and clothing, leaving her blouse and skirt charred and her previously pale flesh blackened by singe marks. When the conflagration clears, the rocker's entire body is shaking, her stance low and unsteady.
"...friggin'... ASS!"
The brunette's bizarre and boisterous battle cry is bolstered to a blare by the built-up sonic energy. Recklessly, she throws herself into the air, attempting to lock her legs around the other girl's upper body and drive her down to the steps in a mounted position. Should she succeed, punch after punch will be thrown at Yuri's head, each accompanied by a sonorous report akin to a different note on the melodic scale.
COMBATSYS: Yuri stops Beatdown in Three Four from Alexis with Saiha.
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Alexis 0/-------/---<<<<|=======\==-----\1 Yuri
Weakened as she is, Yuri still remains aware that Alexis is mighty angry now. And she's not about to let her have her own way. "You're pretty tough, but I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve!" Yuri steadies herself and watches as Alexis comes at her. "Just bring it on! I'm ready for ya!" She narrows her eyes, watching carefully for the right moment. And then it happens. Yuri throws up a shield of chi around herself while calling out, "SAIHA!"
The chi effectively blocks Alexis from landing her attack on Yuri. This means that Yuri is protected from the incoming attack, while giving her a little extra breathing room. But not much, since most likely Alexis is mighty pissed off now. "That's another thing I've got up my sleeve! And there's still plenty more, so don't count me out just yet!"
Alexis continues to cry out in fury as her fists smash ineffectually against the energy barrier, heedless of Yuri's words. Finally, she relents in her aggression, panting hard as she slides away on the steps. The rain has picked up by now; the girl's skin is starting to become thoroughly drenched, what's left of her clothing clinging to her skin for dear life.
"Not bad, eh?" she admits, though her voice still has a harsh edge to it. "But I'm not about to give up, princess. Not until I've taught you to respect me!"
Surging with adrenalin, Alexis rushes forward, her boots narrowly managing to keep her upright as she pounds them along the steps. Just as she's about to reach the other girl, she hops to one side, landing with one foot on the higher step as she spins around before bringing her leg up in a high arc. A sort of whistling sound splits the air along with Alexis' battle-cry as she brings her heel down toward the other girl's face in a whirling axe-kick. "HRAAUGH!"
COMBATSYS: Yuri blocks Alexis' Hammer-On.
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Alexis 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Yuri
"Respect is earned, and not given!" Yuri replies, still a little weak but still showing her fighting spirit all the same. "I won't respect you until you respect me! Because I have earned my ranks in the school of Kyokugen! And if you don't want to respect me, then that's fine. It'll just hurt a lot more than it should!" Yuri cracks her knuckles, showing that even though she's running a little low on steam and has taken a few hits, she's not backing down without a fight either! In fact, she's still got the spirit of a fighter burning within her!
"In fact, I think it's time we ended this once and for all!" Yuri clenches her fists again, then takes a deep breath, almost like she's trying to focus deeply on getting all the chi she can into her body. She begins to glow a little as her focus improves, then she opens her eyes. "HIIIYAAAAAAH!" Yuri yells as she rushes in and attempts to deliver a double helping of her previous uppercut attack, with more speed!
COMBATSYS: Yuri successfully hits Alexis with Shin! Chou Upper.
?!? Weird Hit! ?!?
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Alexis 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Yuri
The crowd anticipates that the devastating uppercut should almost certainly send Alexis flying when it connects with her jaw, but the slippery steps steal some of the style of the strike as the slick surface causes Lexi's boots to give way just at the moment of impact. Instead of being knocked airborne, the rocker is sent tumbling head over heels, slipping and sliding along the stairs, summarily soaking the singer/songwriter as she slumps to the ground. She struggles to stand, a single hand searching for the Stratocaster slung against her spine.
Grunting weakly on one knee, Alexis brings the instrument around to her front, producing a guitar pick from who-knows-where as she flips a switch and activates the device. A loud feedback fills the air, then the growl of thick, distorted guitar chords as she starts to play and sing. Her words accompany the music, carrying without the aid of a microphone.
"Follow me, follow me, as I trip the darkness, one more time..."
The invitation is more than a song, though - the sound washes over the steps toward Yuri in a wave of energy, cutting a swathe through the stream of water flowing down the steps and rippling through the air. With the chorus of the cover completed and what may be the last of her energy spent, Alexis collapses onto the stone steps...
COMBATSYS: Alexis has reached second wind!
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Alexis 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Yuri
COMBATSYS: Yuri reflects Shredding Solo from Alexis with Saiha.
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Alexis 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Yuri
The invitation is nice. But Yuri's not up for it. Especially since she's come this close to victory, and doesn't want to give it up. She brings up the shield of chi around her again and hopes for the best. And indeed she gets the best! The attack from Alexis isn't just caught by the chi, nor is it absorbed either. Instead, it's reflected back at her opponent. Yuri tries to grin, but she's too weak to do so. Instead, she simply hunches over and focuses on breathing a little while she watches her opponent.
"It seems you haven't quite won just yet..." Yuri says. "Better watch yourself, because there's still one of three ways to go end this, and I'm intending to end it with me the victor!"
COMBATSYS: Alexis blocks Yuri's Reflected Shredding Solo.
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Alexis 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yuri
By the time that the wave of sonic force has cascaded back down the steps to her, it's begun to dissipate. Alexis protects herself instinctively by covering her head with her hands, and though the ripple running through her clothing leaves it practically in scraps as it clings to her body, she seems almost reinvigorated by the energy, rising onto shaky legs. Blood, singe marks, sweat and rainwater leave the previously pale girl's skin dark and slick as she slings her guitar once more.
"That's alright," she says, her voice scratchy as she stalks toward her opponent, circling warily, tossing her head to one side to get her wet bangs out of her eyes. "I've still got an encore ready for you."
Lunging forward, she snaps out a leg, aiming a toe kick at the Kyokugen princess's middle before immediately attempting a follow-up, aiming to spin her back against Yuri's front and pull her chin against Alexis' shoulder. If successful, she'd then thrust her hips back against Yuri's midsection to throw her off-balance before throwing her legs out and dropping to the steps in a move commonly referred to in wrestling as a 'Stunner.'
COMBATSYS: Yuri interrupts Shoulder to Cry On from Alexis with Ko'ou Ken.
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Alexis 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Yuri
"Do you?" Yuri asks, weakly but still eager to see what's coming next. "Well, go right ahead. I'll see you and raise you... or something like that?" Yuri adds, still feeling a little out of it from all the damage she's taken throughout this fight. "Because Kyokugen fighters never back down! They keep going until they've truly been knocked out! They give it their all!" She grits her teeth and breathes deeply. "Because that's what makes Kyokugen so cool!"
Watching her opponent, Yuri readies another fireball. As the snap kick comes at Yuri, she releases the fireball. It hits Alexis right on just as Yuri gets kicked. The girl tumbles down a few stairs before coming to a stop somehow. Her body is twisted perpendicular somewhat, and she has a few more bruises. Using the stairs to help her, the Kyokugen fighter can barely even crawl as she forces herself back up. "See what I mean?" She asks, gasping for air.
Luckily for Alexis - or at least, luckily for her moral guardian detractors watching back home - the fireball strikes her in the already-exposed space between her cleavage and collar rather than the tatters of her blouse, leaving at least some shred of her modesty intact. She's already running on empty, and the pain as her skin is scorched yet again pushes Alexis to the brink.
With the other girl below her on the steps, Lexi musters what energy she can, a faint vibration coursing through her as she finds Yuri with her unfocused eyes. In fact, she finds two Yuris, both of which seem to be swapping places over and over.
"F**k it," she breathes, spreading her arms and leaping to a spot between the images where she estimates the actual Kyokugen fighter to be with abandon. The splash attack may be on course, and it may not - either way, it's likely going to be her last act of the fight, one accompanied by a final burst of sonic chi.
COMBATSYS: Alexis can no longer fight.
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Yuri 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Yuri dodges Alexis' Aggressive Strike.
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Yuri 0/-------/---====|
The splash attack could hurt like hell, but unfortunately for Alexis, she's hitting nothing but solid ground. Yuri steps out of the way, somehow finding a burst of strength to move out of the way, before she collapses onto her stomach again. She's relieved to find that Alexis missed. And from the looks of things, she's most likely out cold too. Meaning that Yuri has won the fight.... but just barely. The girl sighs and gives a weak thumbs up before collapsing in pain again. As she's helped to her feet by assistants nearby, she looks to Alexis and says, "That was a cool fight, actually. We'll have to fight again sometime?" Whether or not Alexis can hear it is irrelevant. Yuri loves to talk when she can.
Although in this case, it's to try to distract her from all the bruises and cuts on her body that Alexis inflicted upon her during the fight. The fight was a close one but Yuri walked away the victor... barely. "Let's see big bro shrug this one off!" She mutters to herself.
Log created on 18:38:34 10/07/2015 by Yuri, and last modified on 22:40:57 10/08/2015.