Match of the Millennium

Description: "Much more enchanting than some of the more immature Tonka truck and fairytale orc parodies being bandied about nowadays, the Tale of Despereaux is a little known film by Universal about a young mouse fighting against all odds to defy the cultural expectations of his brethren and save the day. These little hero tales are always so poignant. So inspiring. It's a shame that viewer expectations require us to bill it as mouse vs. mouse. Hoffman was always so much more committed than the lightweights these days. Oh, well. Book a nice castle out in the English countryside, staff it with some very, very large men and women in period gear, and dress one of the fighters up as a cat. Oh, really? Then we'll save on costuming. The only problem is, which one will play the exquisite rat. Flip a coin, will you Finn. I don't care if she cries, the sooner she learns about show business, the better. If I have to sully my good taste with tripe, she very well can wear a rat outfit!" <Winner: Felicia>

[MOMO]
The Tale of Despereaux?

Seriously?

Whatever. Here in the English Countryside, in some English Castle (well it might be French, you english pig dog!), it is dressed up with ye medival fixin's. It has ye tapestries. It has ye pikemen. It has ye poopsmith. There is even a King on a throne- on -ye- throne. And right in ye royal throne room, it was ye place for ye fight. Ye trumpeters trumpet out upon ye horns to play ye notes for ye brave warriors. In ye center, there ye stands where the three fighters ye would ye meet ye.

And there, ye judge stands, ye arms crossed.

Ye judge was mustached like ye Stalin of the Slavic Lands of Rus, and had ye rat hat upon ye head. In ye hand, a mere coin of the realm was on it. He growls around, staring across ye royal throne room, as ye renne faire cosplayers are dressed up in ye authentic period garments.

And the first was Momo.

The little girl skips from the crowd, dressed as the prettiest pretty princess. She was garbbed in pink, with a long trail of her dress behind her. Upon her head was a pretty silver crown, with fake jewelry in the center of the circlet. Her dress tossing upwards with each skip, dress flying around with every sweep. In one hand was her tennis racket. The little girl smiles so sweetly, as she reaches the judge. Coyly, she teases her feet, which was still tennis shoes, as she looks up at the judge. "Gee, mister, I don't see why I have to be part of the coin flip. I'm already a pretty princess. I wouldn't make sense to be a rat!" She says sweetly.

"I'm sure both of the other people would be better as rats!"

[FELICIA]
Felicia showed up at the entrance to the castle dressed in a trenchcoat and sandals, as she usually went around when she didn't want attention. And yes, Felicia did wear footwear if she was just out and about, for a number of reasons--glass and splinters to name a few. She shook her hair out of the back of the coat where she had stuffed a majority of her wild blue 80s hair, and undid the front of her jacket. Her tail had hung out the back of the coat, of course, so she wasn't /totally/ inconspicuous, but she tried.

"Well, this is new," she announced to no one in particular, before taking stock of Momo skipping around. "I'd offer to take your role but I'd be pretty poorly suited for it," Felicia sighed a little and found a place to hang her coat.



[HOTARU]
For a third of her young life, Hotaru Futaba had trained to prepare herself, to be ready to enter the highly competitive, intensely revered, and immensely respected world of fighting sport. Her brother had strode out the front door of the Futaba home years ago to walk the Champion's Road. And finally, Hotaru reached the threshold of the path herself, hurrying across it in a rush to catch up with her long absent brother. He need not travel the road alone. She would show him she was every bit the Futaba fighter he was.

All those years of preparation and the rookie Kung Fu artist has found herself featured in a battle against a bear, made sick to her stomach in a hotdog eating combat contest, utterly pulverized in an ambush by a massive man in Metro City Park... and now she is being featured in a battle themed around a children's show? There days when she really has to question her life choices. Maybe the Champion's Road is not really for her?

But she is resolved to finish anything she starts. The flight to England is enjoyable enough - these trips for matches the only time she gets out of class long enough to see the world. Now at the castle reserved for the venue, she was shuffled off to costuming, given a basic run down of the match parameters, and then ushered right on into the throne room where she staggers a few steps before catching her balance, still somewhat bewildered by all the todo about the match. "Whew." she murmurs, striding forward. Dressed in rags that are either supposed to be interpreted as 'Modern Day Hobo' or 'Renaissance Faire Hobo', she has on a baggy, red tattered shirt that completely dwarfs her, covering her arms entirely except when she makes an effort to pull the sleeves back to get her hands out. Patched, torn, and rather dirty, it doesn't make for a great impression with the matching blue trousers with a torn out knee and patched knee. Her feet are bare as she strides over the stone floor, looking around at all the hired extras with a bit of wide eyed wonder. This is quite the production for a Rookie level match!

Still, even in rags, there is a certain diminutive adorableness about the girl that the costume has failed to shake. She was briefed vaguely on the theme even though very little of it took. The girl was blessed with many gifts, but improvised stage acting was definitely not one of them. She was a serious fighter, dangit!

Moving up to stand opposite Momo as she had been instructed by the staff, she glances between the judge and the other girl. This has to be her youngest opponent yet! "Pleased to meet you," she offers the other black haired native of Southtown. Not part of the cool kids circles of gossip, she has no prior knowledge of the Gorin High menace. "That is a really nice costume," she offers with a friendly smile.

Finally, her attention shifts toward Felicia, the wild mane of hair impossible to miss. Dark blue eyes widen slightly before she averts them immediately to focus on Momo instead, her cheeks blushing red quickly, "Nice to meet you too!" she calls toward Felicia, pointedly avoid commenting on the extremely convincing if all too revealing cat girl costume. She's lucky she didn't draw /that/ straw in the casting choices!

[MOMO]
Momo's jaw goes a little slack as Felicia enters.

Oh, she's seen good outfits before. Good costumes too. But as -this woman- comes in with the most outright -slap in the face- of everything that Momo wanted, she just shakes her head, mouthing some words that were somewhat obscene for a little girl (but Momo wasn't a girl, she was ye woman.) This wasn't fair. If SHE knew showing up as a cat lady would work, then she would have. Felicia's coat is taken away easily, as Momo pouts a bit. She turns her head towards the other opponent, and her grumpiness fades.

As she just -snorts- a laugh at Hotaru.

"Oh, wow~" She says as Hotaru comes up, and introduce herself. "Wow, that's" Momo looks up and down Hotaru, looking at the outfit. "That's... that's a really nice costume too. MMPH." Momo chokes back a laugh. She looked HORRIBLE. She looked like a potato sack. Momo continues to stifle her laughter as the judge, looking around, nods at Momo. "Okay, time to flip for the hat. Head or tails?" Momo looks at him, tilting his head. "Is this really necessary still? I'm a princess here, and this girl looks like the tail end of a-" "Okay tails."He flips the coin in the air, and catches it. He slaps it on his arm, and pulls his hand away. "Tails."

And promptly, he removes his hat, and slaps it on Momo's head.

The young girl- woman turns a bright shade of crimson. She scrunches up her face, as she trembles. And then, she shuts her eyes. The girl takes in a deep breath, and smiles sweetly. "Okay! I'm the rat- mouse girl!" She quips, tugging at the full rat on her head. No, it wasn't rat ears. It was a rat hat. An actual rat made into a hat. She turns towards Hotaru, and curtsies. "Well, I guess I'm the lucky one! So sorry you missed out on this cool new hat." The young lady giggles a bit, as the judge shrugs. "Okay, looks like you can start fighting then-"

The judge is cut short as Momo aims a kick -squarely- for Hotaru's shin.

Still smiling the entire time.

COMBATSYS: Momo has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Momo             0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here in the center.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Momo             0/-------/-======|
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

COMBATSYS: Felicia has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Momo             0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

[FELICIA]
Felicia hadn't wanted to take the wind out of Momo's sails--she was born like this, and as she shucks off her sandals and hands those off too--likely to the same folks who took her coat, she has gotten down to her natural (or unnatural) catwoman nature. "This ain't makeup, hon," Felicia shakes her head, her wild poof of long blue hair wagging lightly, tilting her head as Momo is granted the Rat Hat.

"Looks like your the rat and I'm the cat," Felicia advances on the rat-capped girl and hunches herself down, making herself a bit less of a target while trying to get in a jab here and there.

COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Momo's Light Kick.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Momo             0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------



[HOTARU]
Hotaru wasn't feeling self conscious about her attire. If looking like a peasant is what the wise and powerful SNF officials felt was needed for this match to be all it can be, then gosh darn it, she's going to do her part! At least, she wasn't feeling self-conscious about it until she catches notice of Momo's reaction to the utterly unflattering getup she's been set out to fight in. Still a bit flustered by the seemingly scandalous costume staff picked out for Felicia, Momo's barely throttled laughter doesn't help any in the slightest.

"T-thank you," she stammers through an obviously forced smile, her appreciation every bit as sincere as the compliment the younger girl offered. "I guess we each have our part to play in this tale." she continues, recovering enough of her composure to at least be civil about it as the judge cuts in. Eyes glance up toward the officiating man in charge of the coin flip for hat wearing privileges. There is a certain apathy about about the man - as if he is in this role because his hopes of a successful life in community theater have withered and die and this is the last semblance of character acting left to him now.

"Well, we don't need to argue about it-" Hotaru starts to interject before the man makes the call, flips the coin, and the scene moves on without her.

The young Kung Fu artist watches Momo adapt to the situation with remarkable aplomb and offers her a waning smile in return, "Yeah, that's... that's a pretty cool hat." She does not mean that in the slightest. A furtive glance is cast toward Felicia as she remarks that her getup isn't make up and the pig-tailed blinks, then an understanding dawns her as she nods her head readily. That's right, that's really getting into character. Felicia is a good example of how to sell this whole production. She should follow her example!

Sweeping her hands up into a ready stance, her right leg forward, left foot braced, Hotaru grins at Momo. "Well, we have the cat, the mouse, I suppose I must be the between jobs chef of this story." She at least understood SOME idea of the plot. "And everyone knows no chef can allow a mouse in the ki-"

Momo isn't having any of this dialogue stuff, going immediately for a swift, insidious shin kick, cutting off Cheftaru's clarification mid-sentence as the Futaba girl finds herself slipping back out of range, pivoting to the side. Quick on her feet, she both evades the kick and lunges into attack at the same time. It's happenchance that she ends up aggressing at the same moment Felicia does, arms swinging forward as she tries to secure a grip on Momo's closest arm. It's a bit tricky to do, seeing as how both of her hands are lost again in the entirely sack-like sweater draped over her, but she makes the best of it all the same. A tight enough grip would have her pulling the smaller student forward, then twisting her arm up and behind her while sweeping her feet out from under her. Properly executed, it would upend the Gorin student onto her back against the ground with almost no brute force required!

COMBATSYS: Momo blocks Felicia's Quick Punch.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Momo             0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

COMBATSYS: Momo dodges Hotaru's Medium Throw.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Momo             0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

[MOMO]
Momo wasn't wasting any time.

She was going for the kill, aiming to give Hotaru a swift kick. It misses, of course, but she looks shocked that Hotaru was jumping away from her. Looking around, she looks -offended- that Hotaru would think she would kick her. And then... she looks at Felicia coming in, with the jabs. She attempts to evade... falling straight towards Hotaru, who was attempting to grab her. "Leggo!" She demands, Slipping out of the grips of Hotaru... and right into the jabs of Felicia. Bringing up her arms, she manages to protect her soft squishy face... but bruises up her arms in the process. And here, between chef and cat, what does Momo do?

"UUUUUWAAAAAAAAAAAA"

Momo was crying real tears, sobbing loudly as the waterworks start. "UWAAAAA! IT'S NOT FAIR! I WANTED TO BE A PRINCESS, I WANTED TO MAKE FRIENDS, BUT INSTEAD... BUT INSTEAD... I AM BEING BULLIED FOR BEING A BIG DUMB RAT! UWAAAAAA!" Through the tears, she glances up at Felicia... and arms herself with her racket. She spins around with her racket clutched tight, whirling around as she cries. Tennis racket spinning with her, she attempts to bowl right into Felicia, to strike her in the legs again and again. She would aim for something else.

Except, uh, she -couldn't-

COMBATSYS: Momo successfully hits Felicia with Spin Smash.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Momo             1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

[FELICIA]
It wasn't in Felicia's nature to gang up on people, however this whole thing was essentially part-theater, which she understood--and this Momo girl seemed to have a chip on her shoulder about something. It's not like she was going to be /killing/ anyone, either, right? Felicia could live with herself after giving someone a few scrapes. She tries to balance her rhythm with Hotaru's, so she doesn't find herself getting in the way--and also able to play off her movements better. Her tail had lashed out at Momo--she'd actually tried to catch the girl by surprise by giving her a jab with that--but she was able to block in time. Okay, that made her feel better--they probably had their work cut out for them, here.

She's not ready for the spinning racket getting smashed off her head--Felicia finds herself dizzy with a large bruize running diagonally across her forehead, already formin'--she blinks rapidly as she tries to get her vision to focus. "Okay, no more misses nice pussy--" Felicia lunges toward Momo with her hand spread open--trying to claw at the princess with a swipe!



[HOTARU]
Momo slips free, leaving the girl to silently grouse at her sleeves interfering with her grip. Who would ever fight with such oversized sleeves anyway!! Any thoughts of following up with a second attack are scattered the instant the younger girl starts... bawling? Hotaru freezes, eyes widening a little as she casts a glance around the room as if one of the large, medievally costumed extras is going to give her any kind of insight as to what she's supposed to do with a sobbing teeny bopper on her hands. She can't attack a kid having a tantrum, right?

Eyes glance back toward Momo, conflicted concern readily apparent in her expression. Maybe the kid isn't ready for this fighting stuff? Maybe someone put her up to it before she was ready? Maybe she shouldn't be here at all? "H-hey now-" She said she just wanted to make friends. That's reasonable, right? They're all fighters here, there's no reason they can't be friends! Lifting her hands, palms forward in a placating gesture, Hotaru stammers, "No one is trying to pick on you because of your hat - learning to deal with two attackers at once is part of learning how to fight. And you handled it really well!" she speaks while the racket comes out and Momo goes a swing'n for Felicia's legs.

The girl blinks at the impacts delivered... those were actually impressive strikes for how unconventional the technique might be. Maybe Momo isn't so new to this as she seems to behave? Hand lifting to rest against her cheek as she abandons her fighting stance all together, the girl hesitates for another moment before shaking her head. The audience expects a good fight, she can't just stand around!

Within three steps, she is on Felicia's left. "Excuse me-" she's at least announcing her presence. "But the kitchen isn't for cat... girls either!" Right foot slipping forward, Hotaru drops low, supported by her left foot beneath her body before lunging forward, left palm leading as she pours her strength into a solid palm strike against Felicia's side. She would pivot quickly, bringing her right hand forward as a secondary strong follow up strike. For her small stature, the young Kung Fu artist definitely has some striking power. "Hya!"

COMBATSYS: Felicia successfully hits Momo with Cat Spike.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Momo             1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

[MOMO]
Oh, if Felicia wasn't regretting this, she was gonna soon.

Momo unleashes the assault, as Hotaru gives her sympathy. As her spinning stops, sending her falling on her bottom, she sniffles, wiping away the tears from her face. "Gee whiz, you really think so?" She asks Hotaru, blinking. "I gwuess you are right..."

AND SUDDENLY FELICIA IS ON HER SCRATCHING.

"AAAGH!" She cries out, as her face is scratched. Momo tries to stand back up, but she was being catgirled, fully catgirled all over her face. More scratches come, as cuts come deep on her cheeks. Finally, she tumbles away, hiding behind Hotaru as she surges in towards the woman. Gingerly, she brings a hand up to her face.

And screams.

"MY FACE! MY FACE! You HORRIBLE MONSTER! YOU TERRIBLE CREATURE! Don't you know I'm a MODEL!? My career is RUINED!" She shrieks, tears tumbling from her eyes! "I- I can't believe- I can't stand-" She lurches forward, panicking as she follows up after Hotaru.

And out of nowhere, she sends out a sucker punch straight for Hotaru's gut.

Was she really upset, or was this all a trick?

[FELICIA]
Felicia has to reach up and brush tears and stinging sweat out of her eyes, from the blow she'd been dealt before, and from the sudden exercise of the fight. She hadn't expected this girl to be this tough, even 2v1--and she was more than capable of defending herself. As her claw swipe connected, she was momentarily distracted by the girl's rather banshee-like cry, suddenly feeling pretty bad about it. It's not like other girls had the regenerative powers she had, after all... eep. Then the girl swung out for Hotaru, prompting Felicia to act again.

"I won't use my nails then--okay?" Fel balled her fist, feeling somewhat awkward, but with her big white-furred hands and red-clawed nails it seemed impressive even so, trying to deliver a haymaker to Momo across the jaw.

COMBATSYS: Felicia blocks Hotaru's Strong Punch.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Momo             1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

COMBATSYS: Hotaru auto-guards Momo's Strong Punch.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Momo             1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------



[HOTARU]
Her palm strikes fended off by the remarkably swift catperson, Hotaru draws back, dropping back into her lowered stance, arms out at her sides, torso bent forward, feet far apart from each other as she maintains her balance in the well grounded stance, only to freeze again at the caterwauling coming from the youngest looking of the three fighters. Blinking, she glances again toward the extras all in attendance, then toward the judge, the questioning look on her face clearly communicating a skeptical 'Is this right? Is she supposed to be here?' Maybe the behavior is appropriate... but the Futaba girl doesn't remember being such a crybaby when she was just a few years younger. Maybe the princess in pink with a rat hat isn't cut out for fighting at all!?

"A-ah, it doesn't look that bad," she offers with a very conflicted expression. "You'll heal right u-" And there comes another attack again. She's starting to suspect something might be up about this girl's constant tantrums! Reeling back, Hotaru sweeps her hands from her sides toward her center and downward, catching Momo's forearm in a cross-arm block of her own, stopping the shot for her gut cold.

From there, it is a simple matter of twisting her hands at the wrist to try and secure a solid grip on Momo's arm again - at least, secure as the ridiculously baggy sleeves allow for, before pulling the youngster forward and off her feet to spin her to the ground in a quick, effective, but not terribly painful manner. "I-if you've changed your mind about all this, I'm sure they will let you bow out!" the pig-tailed fighter offers, only then realizing that at the same time all this is going on, Felicia's own fist is swinging in to deliver a painful blow to the pouting Tennis fighter's face. That cat really has it in for the rat!

COMBATSYS: Momo dodges Felicia's Medium Punch.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Momo             1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

COMBATSYS: Momo dodges Hotaru's Quick Throw.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Momo             1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

[MOMO]
Whoops.

As the sneak attack on Hotaru fizzles out, Momo frowns, eyes going wide. Glancing from her to a VERY aggressive catgirl, she squeaks nervously. "Eh he, Eh he..."

"EEEEEEEEK!"

That was the sound as Momo flees desperately from the ensuing assault from both Hotaru and Felicia. Shrieking, she basically just goes for the hail mary, leaping completely out of the way of both people, hurling herself into a tumble to the ground, Rolling almost into the crowd. Was she giving up? Was she running away? No, with a deft leap up, she turns around in time to... throw a tennis ball into the air. With a splashing sound, she unleashes a full-forced serve straight for the catgirl, sending the ball shooting straight for her chest.

"Bullies!"

COMBATSYS: Felicia dodges Momo's Whale Serve.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Momo             1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------

[FELICIA]
Felicia hadn't seen the punch thrown her way by Hotaru, though she was able to bring the back of her hand up to try and block it--which she was able to, but it still hurt like hell. She wrung her hand out afterward, a bruise likely appearing under the fur of her hand as the blood vessels there were damaged. At least for a bit. Then, as Momo tumbled to the ground and turned, she batted that tennis ball right toward her--which Felicia was able to duck down low enough to cause it to whiz by her left hear, likely grazing it just a bit.

Felicia was surprised that Hotaru had turned on her so soon, so she attempted to leap at the other girl and give her a furious bout of scratching!

COMBATSYS: Hotaru avoids Felicia's Scratch Attack.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Momo             1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0          Felicia
                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-------



[HOTARU]
Once again Momo escapes her attempts at throwing her around. Hotaru is starting to realize that getting a grip on anything with these sleeves is going to end up questionable at best. Even her punches might get muffled by the tattered red sack they've got her dressed in. Of course, there's always kicks, right?

Watching as a tennis ball comes into the question, the fighter watches Momo's agility in action, her airborne coordination... the power of her serve from the air... And finally starts to consider that she might be just putting on a big act of not knowing what she was getting into. But if she was actually a capable fighter, why does she keep behaving like such a baby?

There will be time to think about that when she isn't getting attacked directly by a leaping Felicia, claws bared. Yikes! How come they gave her weapons to fight with, those claws look sharp! Standing up swiftly out of her low stance, Hotaru steps to the right, swinging with both of her arms in a circular motion to the left, smacking down the extended arms of the blue-haired fighter as she leaps at her. Not only does it allow her to escape the attack, she also potentially throws her opponent off balance in the process.

Hoping to capitalize on it, Hotaru twists her arms, her sleeve-covered hands trying to secure a hold on Felicia's arms, and if she manages to get a hold, she'll pull herself up into a series of rapid, stomping kicks that will end with her backflipping away to try and gain some distance by landing toward the center of the throne room. "Ya, ya, ya!"

COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Felicia with Shinjou Tai.
Glancing Blow

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Momo             1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1          Felicia
                 [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|-----==

[MOMO]
Well, now Momo wasn't in the center of attention.

As the ball goes wide, she crosses her arms. Hotaru and the cat were going at it, instead of attacking Momo at the same time. That was nice. She didn't like being ganged up on. But. But. She wasn't in the center of attention. Momo stamps her foot. She was the star here.

It was probably Hotaru's fault.

Momo picks up speed, as she charges back into the fray, right back towards Hotaru. Faster and faster, she charges at Hotaru. And as she closes in, the dress fluffs backwards, as she winds up a punt kick. And aiming right in the middle of Hotaru's butt, she unleashes a fierce, firm kick right for Hotaru's tushy.

"Pay ATTENTION TO ME!"

[FELICIA]
If this had been a life or death sort of struggle, Felicia might have gone for the side of the neck or maybe the eyes when she leapt on Hotaru, but as it stood she just intended to tear at her with her claws around the shoulders and arms--however she yelped as her arms were smacked down, instead grabbed by Hotaru as she intended to axe kick her and backflip back. Felicia felt the girl's foot graze past her cheek and bruise and abrade it, causing Felicia to spit blood as she momentarily turned her head away. Noticing that Momo was distracted with the other girl, she brought her knee up hard and tried to bash the Rat Capped one with it, leaping into the air and coming down with both legs in a flying drop kick!

COMBATSYS: Hotaru fails to interrupt Heavy Kick from Momo with Tanshou Shin.
- Power fail! -

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Momo             1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1          Felicia
                 [         ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|---====



[HOTARU]
If Hotaru's hands weren't buried in cloth, maybe she could have secured her attack a bit more confidently. As is, she's lucky to land a kick at all before the furiously fast feline fighter slips away before too many of the Kung Fu girl's strikes can connect. Finishing her flip to land on the stone throne room floor, Hotaru raises her hands back up, blinking as the only opponent in her line of sight happens to be Felicia. Where did Momo go? Did she finally call it quits? Was this world of violent fighting just too much for her?

Maybe one of the extras that has stood around in stoic silence has had just about enough of the Gorin menace's antics as the armor-clad 'guard' whispers through clenched teeth behind Hotaru. "Hey. Kid. Behind you."

The verbal warning is all Hotaru needs to realize that the pad of footsteps rapidly approaching from her blind spot happen to belong to the shortest combatant in tonight's event. Well. She's tried to go easy on the little princess, but she isn't about to let herself get sneak attacked either. Everyone knows that attacks to the back are without honor!

Winding up, Hotaru prepares one heck of a counter attack, starting with a swift, back kick intended to stagger the pint sized threat and open her up to a very decisive shoulder slam to knock her away. Unfortunately, she never gets past step one of the plan. Small as she is, Hotaru has almost no experience fighting someone shorter than she is. The idea that she could be aiming too high with her counter kick had not even registered in her mind until the instant her foot sweeps right over Momo's incoming kick.

What started as a swift punt to Hotaru's tailbone ends up catching the young fighter between the legs instead. A startled yelp is the peasant girl's reaction as she staggers forward away from Momo, cheeks flushed red as her hands drop to her groin. Slumping forward to the ground, forehead to stone.

She'll only be down a moment. This is just a minor setback. She can recover, she tells herself. She'll be all right. She just... just needs a moment, that's all!

Gritting her teeth, breathing deeply, the girl starts to pull herself back up to her feet. The fight must go on!

COMBATSYS: Felicia successfully hits Momo with Delta Kick.
Grazing Hit

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Momo             1/-----==/=======|=======\===----\1          Felicia
                 [         ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|---====

[MOMO]
Momo actually laughs out loud when she makes contact.

It was an impish giggle, teasing and light. She was delighted that she just brought Hotaru down with the cheapest of cheap shots. If Marduk wasn't in a Neo-League right now, he might be watching and clapping. And Daniel?

Nobody wants to know what Daniel would be doing.

Of course, Momo's celebration couldn't go on long as Felicia went diving in. The cat lady was diving down, and Momo, squeaking in terror, tries to scamper out of the way. She does... sort of. Clipped hard in the shoulder, she is sent twisting to the ground, moaning aloud as her racket in knocked out of her hands. "Meanie! Can't you see I was having a moment!" She guffs, as she rises back up. Balling her hands into two fists, she begins to flail both hands at Felicia's head, attempting ot beat her before SHE can lift her head out of her reach.

Momo was pretty upset that she couldn't kick HOTARU while she was down!

COMBATSYS: Felicia blocks Momo's Medium Punch.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Momo             1/---====/=======|=======\====---\1          Felicia
                 [         ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|---====

[FELICIA]
Felicia had taken an opportunistic sort of attack on Momo when the rat-capped girl had demanded their attention, letting Momo dig into Hotaru in the meantime. She watched Hotaru go down but didn't feel much sympathy--not because she hated her, but because well, this was a fight, and she'd already gotten barely beat up herself. She almost wished Hotaru would stay down so her and Momo could finish this and at least it'd be over.

Momo is still on her though, and Felicia realizes she has to do something--bringing her hands up tp block the flailing fists that Momo sent her way. Springing forward, Felicia rolls herself into a ball and speeds right toward Momo--coming out of it and trying to give her a strong uppercut!



[HOTARU]
Down for several seconds, Hotaru is mercifully left to recover as Momo continues to draw Felicia's focus fire. Teeth grit, jaw clenched, the resolute fighter gets back up to her feet, decidedly avoiding making eye contact with any of the 'in-studio' audience. Shaking her head, she wipes one hand over her face, forcing herself to fight on through the pain of her failed interception. She has to be professional, after all!

Sweeping her hands back into her ready stance, she glances between Momo and Felicia... it seems unfair to pick on Momo, but can anyone blame her for wanting to get back at the girl? Wasn't she going on about demanding her attention? "Well... it's what she asked for," the girl mutters beneath her breath, finally ready to get moving again.

Exhaling, she bolts forward, charging in for the racket-armed backstab-kicker. She's sprinting in to get close, both hands slamming forward, aiming to plow a powerful, direct double palm strike to Momo's sternum with enough force to crush the breath of her. "HAA!"

COMBATSYS: Momo endures Felicia's Rolling Buckler.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Momo             1/---====/=======|=======\======-\1          Felicia
                 [         ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|---====

COMBATSYS: Momo deflects Medium Punch from Hotaru with Rocket Return.
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Momo             0/-------/-======|=======\======-\1          Felicia
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|-------|=======

[MOMO]
Ratcapped PRINCESS.

Momo would correct Felicia's perception, except she wasn't... going down. And now, it looked like another Momo sandwich coming her way. With the catlady coming in one way, and the still sore Hotaru coming in one way, she found herself between a rock and a hard place.

So she made herself harder.

Dipping down, she goes for the racket as Felicia balls into her. Whimpering in pain as she is blown into, she snaps up the racket as Hotaru comes slamming in. Both hands on the handle, Momo bites through the pain as she unleashes the mother of all backhands... dipping in low. Wrenching her whole force, the palms go over as she unleashes the mother of all returns.

Slamming the racket right in the exact same place she hit last time.

"Tee hee!" Momo giggles lightly.

[FELICIA]
Felicia landed on her feet (as cats always do) and wound up jumping back from Momo as the Rat-capped Princess delivered a counterattack to Hotaru. She was tired, and she wasn't seeing an end to this in sight. She was here to take down the rat-capped girl, and she was gonna do it, damnit. Felicia rolled into a ball super fast--leaving speed trails as she went and when she came out of it she'd unleash a series of punches and kicks in a rythmic, dancing like fashion--her chi causing her afterimages to glow almost, like a strange rainbow aurora. Now if she could only not botch this attack--hopefully all the dancing practice she'd done would not let her screw this up!



[HOTARU]
Hotaru knows she's in trouble as her double palm strike slams out just in time for her to see the rat hat slip right beneath the trajectory of her strike. Arms out, right leg forward, bent at the knee as she tried to slam all her forward momentum into that punch, the girl is completely defenseless to the insidious counter attack!

The racket's collision is hard enough to provoke winces around the world as the Futaba girl staggers backward, eyes wide as she breathlessly staggers, hands between her legs a second time. Seconds later, she's right back on the ground, forehead pressed to the stonework floor. This time she can't help but thoroughly flustered. The first time - well, that was an accident, right? It was her fault, she kicked into it, and in the frantic pace of battle, anything is possible... but this time? That was deliberate!

Her right hand reaches out, pressing against the floor, pig-tails draped over her shoulders as she shakes her head again. She feels like just staying down but some spirits just won't quit until forced to. She's still in this for now! "Okay..." the girl growls. She had tried to cut the younger fighter a bit of a break, but that's crossing the line! Grimacing, she presses herself up to one knee, glaring back at Momo, cheeks still crimson. "Just what kind of fighter are you?!" she exclaims, left hand on the floor, right hand clenched in front of her.

Pressing up, she finally gets to her feet. Looking a bit wobbly at first, she has time to right herself with Felicia closing in on Momo. "You aren't very good at being a princess, you know!"

Stomping her left foot, she kicks off into a leap forward, flipping into a sharp dive for Momo know as she aims to drive her knee into the shoulder of the other girl before finally sweeping her other leg into a strong kick to the side of her rat-capped head. If she was versed in cheap attacks, she might have feel justified in resorting to them now, but there are some blind spots in the Futaba girl's arts... like fighting people even smaller than her!

COMBATSYS: Momo dodges Felicia's Dancing Flash.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Momo             0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0          Felicia
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|=======

COMBATSYS: Momo blocks Hotaru's Rengeki Shuu EX.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Momo             0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0          Felicia
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|-------|=======

COMBATSYS: Felicia has left the fight here.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Momo             0/-------/=======|
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|-------|=======

[MOMO]
Uh oh.

Momo was being an awful, awful person. Smacking Hotaru right in the crotch twice in the row, Momo was hitting below the belt. The Gorin High student was fighting dirty. And in exchange? She was getting double teamed more than anything else. Fortunately, for someone that was constantly feinting and faking, Momo was craven. The dancing assualt from Felicia is outright avoided this time; Momo remembered how hard she hit last time. But when you dodged one, you had to deal with the other. Fleeing from the wake of the dance, Momo finds herself in the path of Hotaru. Bringing up the racket, she deflects the knee. But the strong kick is blocked by her racket... which then slams right into her own head. Going dizzy, Momo is knocked stumbling away, going wild stepped away. She was tripping, falling...

And trying to knock over felicia.

With a shove, she tries to knock over the catgirl, to send her on her back. IT was almost an accident, except nothing was an accident with her. Should she knock Felicia on her back? She would hop into the air, and bring her racket under her feet...

And stomp the racket RIGHT on her neck.

COMBATSYS: Momo successfully hits Felicia with Throat Racket.
- Power hit! -

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Momo             0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0          Felicia
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|-------|=======

[FELICIA]
The heavy hit had indeed knocked Felicia on her back, little tennis rackets no doubt floating about her head as she lay there. Once Momo came back down, she made a strangled cry as the racket came down on her neck, causing her to convulse and try to roll out from under the racket-wielding girl, her head spinning as she coughed to try and regain air. Her regeneration clearly wasn't able to keep up with this kind of punishment. Pulling herself, she'd lunge forward and try to get her furred hands around the rat-capped girl to try and pull her back and into a throw--likely rolling as she tries to slam Momo into the ground, piledriver-style!



[HOTARU]
Her kicks absorbed by the timely use of the racket, Hotaru backflips to land on the stone work, her bare clapping down against the floor. The acrobatic assault was guarded against well enough, but at the same time, she can't help but be surprised to see how well the tennis menace is actually doing even after combined assault from herself and the blue-mane bearing convincingly cat-like catgirl. A step forward is taken before she hesitates, dropping to her left knee, "Ugh."

Wincing, she closes her eyes for a moment, fighting off a wave of renewed soreness before preparing herself to re-enter the fray. Should she really keep double teaming Momo? Is that unsporting? Would it reflect badly on her character as a fighter to do something that will come across so vengeful?

A few of the renaissance faire fill-ins think that is exactly what she should do. "Come on," urges one nearby. "Don't let her get away with that!" "Yeah, kick her ass- I mean, butt!" exclaims another a bit too exuberantly. Either everyone has regrettably forgotten that the mouse is supposed to be the hero of this story, or they're doing their part to represent the oppressive, mouse-hating prejudiced humans, or... maybe everyone just doesn't like Momo.

Swallowing, Hotaru takes the encouragement for what it is, breathing in deeply again as she forces herself to her feet, hands clenched tightly. With Felicia going in to thoroughly grapple the pint-sized threat to dignity, the Kung Fu artist has to try and work her own shot in, taking a few tentative steps to make sure she can, before finally sprinting forward. Sweeping in low with another soft grunt the instant she finds Momo not entangled in a cat and mouse brawl with Felicia, the young fighter slams her left palm out with a staggering strike, before pivoting to the left to bring her right hand forward, leaning hard, right foot slamming down in perfect time with the delivery of a much more solid blow right for Momo's face! "Ha! HAH!"

COMBATSYS: Felicia successfully hits Momo with Strong Throw.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Momo             1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0          Felicia
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           0|-------|=======

COMBATSYS: Momo fails to deflect Fierce Punch from Hotaru with Racket Return.
-* CRITICAL FAIL! *-

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Felicia          0/-------/=======|
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|-------|=======

COMBATSYS: Momo can no longer fight.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Felicia          0/-------/=======|
                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|-------|=======

[MOMO]
Momo was getting cornered.

Rebounding off Felicia's neck, she giggles. the princess adjusting her rat cap as she shoulders her racket. "Whoopsie~" She giggles... as both cat and chef come rioting in. Hotaru was coming in second, with the catgirl attempting to scoop the little lady right up. Momo tries to flee, fleeeeee out of the grips. But instead? She was grabbed, and outright piledriven down. "WHOA!" She squeaks, as she bounces back up. Quickly adjusting her feet, she was bouncing right back at Hotaru. And as she spins... Momo was swinging the racket again... sw-sw-swinging it low. Aiming right for, you guessed it, right below the belt. Except, with Felicia's slam, she was overshooting. The racket comes in, and... only gets halfway there as Hotaru just slams in her fist -hard-. The racket drops. The girl freezes up.

Hotaru breaks Momo's nose.

There is no deception on it. No, it's pretty obvious. There is even blood right on HOtaru's fist, as Momo's face gets flat. Momo's nose was splat, oozing blood. Momo's eyes were wide, as the blink. She snorts, trying to sniffles. She gets nowhere, as she gingerly touches her face. She winces. And her eyes roll back up into her head. She falls over flat on her back.

Eyes almost looking like swirlies.

The rat hat pops right off her head.

[FELICIA]
Felicia could hardly speak due to the damage and hit she'd taken to her throat and likely also her diaphragm, but she quickly recovers.

"Alright, not enough castle for the both of us here, lets finish this," Felicia was still intent on finishing this three man, somersaulting and rolling into a ball as she hit the floor, curled up--she was like a blue and white rocket ball whirring towards Hotaru, trying to both impact her and roll out of it into a rising uppercut! One that she'd add her claws to instead of just her fist, but...

Felicia wasn't going down that easily!

COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Felicia's Rolling Uppercut.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Felicia          0/-------/=======|
                 [                   ||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|-----==|=======



[HOTARU]
Drawing her hand back slowly, Hotaru maintains her stance, right leg forward, left foot bracing from behind, panting for breath as she stares at the now empty space that had been occupied by Momo just moments before. She'd almost feel bad about what just happened - she's never broken anyone's nose to date... even palm striking for the face in general was extremely rare for it - but she had seen what the rat girl was going for prior to getting the savage smack down and that does wonders at mollifying any potential for remorse.

Glancing at her extended hand, she draws it back to wipe the blood on her sack of a shirt. It must leave a mark of some kind, but that sure would be hard to tell with how filthy it already is. "Whew." she murmurs, her voice still a little shaky after what all she went through.

And now it's her and the castle cat still standing. Whirling to face Felicia, Hotaru lifts her hands back up, pivoting to a ready Kung Fu stance in an instant. "You got that right!" she exclaims back at Felicia, weary grin working its way into her expression. Other than the scary claws, which is no doubt the fault of some mistake made in costuming, the highly acrobatic, tumbling opponent is more her speed. She seems like a spirited fighter she could get to know, for sure!

Of course, right now, she's rolling into a decisive uppercut right for the kenpoista. Exhaling, Hotaru brings her arms up, bracing for impact, protecting her face from getting hit. The force alone nearly sends her falling backward, and the sound of claws tearing through cloth is hard to miss as her oversized sleeves get shredded over her forearms, leaving thin red lines of scratched skin beneath. "H-hey, easy!" she exclaims.

But she isn't about to chicken out over a little blood. She's going through too much already to see this fight through. There's no room for quitting now! Tensing, Hotaru winds up, tightening her body and arms up like a spring before hopping back at Felicia, trying to catch her as she comes down for a landing from that uppercut. Her arms would windmill strike, trying to batter an opening, before she would pivot into a follow up, crushingly strong right handed palm strike just like the one she broke Momo's nose with. "HAAAH!"

COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Felicia with Soushou Shin EX.

[                       \\\\\\\  <
Felicia          1/-----==/=======|
                 [                   ||||||||||| ]
                 Hotaru           1|---====|=======

[FELICIA]
Felicia and Hotaru clashed violently, the whirlwind punches from Hotaru knocking the catwoman's arms out of the way before she was pushed back--off balance and received the crushing palm strike to her face. It was unclear of whether her nose was broken as well, but Felicia had blood coming out of her nose and mouth, spitting and trying to such in a breath as her clawed feet danced back along the floor. That hurt, really bad.

Spitting another few drops of blood, Felicia launched herself at Hotaru again, flipping in mid-air and coming down, trying to grab onto the girl's side and flip herself around and round the girl--tearing into her with her claws in the process--she'd then try to throw her, very hard, across the room! The catwoman's chi energy was causing her to glow faintly, a light blue.

COMBATSYS: Hotaru fails to interrupt ES Hell Cat from Felicia with Tenrenge.
- Power fail! -

[                        \\\\\\  <
Felicia          0/-------/--=====|

COMBATSYS: Hotaru can no longer fight.

[                        \\\\\\  <
Felicia          0/-------/--=====|



[HOTARU]
Landing after delivering her hard hitting strike, Hotaru draws back into a more defensive posture. She wasn't sure if that was a fight ending blow, but she suspected she was close. Both she and Felicia had already been through a lot this match, most of which she'd rather forget as fast as possible. "You're really tough." she notes with a friendly grin. Now that the playing field has been cleared of the rat sneak, she finds herself easing back into the ebb and flow of fighting, reminding herself that not every fighter is like Momo... or Marduk... or Roland... it's any wonder she's kept this up for as long as she has, all things considered!!

But there's no further time for pleasantries, there is an intense battle to finish, and Hotaru intends to do just that. Winding herself up again just like with the last attack she executed, she tenses, waiting for just the right moment as Felicia bolts right back at her without a moment's hesitation. With just the right timing, she'll smash her shoulder into the cat girl and find an opening to deliver a decisive combo!

Except Felicia isn't coming to punch her, or tackle her directly. She's airborn, and aiming to sink claws into a manically fast spin. Hotaru's shoulder slam has her stumbling, completely off balance for the lack of target, having put way too much into the strike to deal with not actually hitting something. "Wha-whoa!"

She's lost to a cyclone of blue white, red scraps of torn up tunic flying into the air around her. By the time she has any idea what's even happening, and tries to flail herself free, she's suddenly hurled across the room. By the time it comes time to land, she's lost all hope of a graceful recovery, only barely managing to get her hands out in front of herself to avoid a more concussive blow to the head. Tumbling over a few times, the girl stays still for a moment, the sleeves of her peasant shirt shredded clean off, her arms bleeding from a number of tiny scratches.

Gritting her teeth, Hotaru starts to force herself up, hands pressing against the concrete. She isn't out of this yet, she tells herself, she can keep going! The pain from the attacks she'd weathered finally catches up to her though, and rather than defiantly climb to her feet, she ends up slumping forward back to the ground, arms sprawled out at her sides.

Yes, lying still, not moving, that sounds like the best thing for now.

[FELICIA]
After throwing Hotaru, Felicia bounced back up onto her feet, looking like she's been through hell. Well, she just put Hotaru through it, technically. Cat hell. The catwoman stumbles about, as her body struggles to regenerate and heal itself, but that was going to take a while, for sure.

"I... won?" Felicia blinks, reaching up to put a hand on her forehead, temple really--staring about and noticing all the blood, destruction and the two other fighters having been taken down. And it was just her left.

"Uhm... sorry? Are you guys okay?" she'd make sure the humans were okay before she got out of there--they couldn't regenerate like her! The dubious perks of being a werecreature...

Log created on 16:26:28 08/14/2016 by Felicia, and last modified on 01:19:40 08/16/2016.