Match of the Millennium

Description: A little known fact: Ninjas have birthdays. However, the fact is that with many ninja birthday parties, the birthday ninja not only does not know about the party, but the gift is typically 'developing character' you know what that means: Killer Clowns. Potemkin is going to be dressed up as a birthday clown, and will be deployed dynamically to a private party at the Koku An Dojo. Colliding in with dynamic birthday entries, he is required to give the birthday ninja a balloon animal. But in order to reach said birthday ninja? He must get through Master Raven, the leader of the ninja clan. Will Potemkin successfully deploy birthday cheer before Master Raven honks his nose permanently?

[MASTER RAVEN]
Koku An Dojo is often consired an almost sacred place amongst fighters. For generations, martial artists across Japan, and eventually the world, began to make pilgrimages to the remote dojo to escape from the everyday world and focus on honing their own skills so that they might obtain some new insight into their own soul to master new techniques.

At the moment, it's been filled with cameras, sound systems, and a ridiculous amount of bottom of the barrel birthday party supplies have been strewn everywhere, all over the rafters. On the second floor of the dojo, there sits a big party table with a massive cake covered in icing depicting all sorts of barebones ninja stereotypes doing stereotypical ninja events... and some child, dressed in a below Party City tier ninja costume sits at the end of the table, which suggests some parents really don't know how to take proper care of their offspring if they agreed to this job.

Back down on the first floor, the main focus (since you're supposed to completely ignore all of the camera operators and other coordination staff for this sort of thing), is the woman who has entered herself into the fight scene as Raven Master (secretly Master Raven). It would seem that some members of the coordination have gotten her to put on something very... ninja-esque: a black mask is pulled up over her nose, covering the lower half of her face and leading down into a shiny, sleeveless black top that comes to and end just above her exposed stomach. The outfit doesn't completely lack sleeves, as a pair of black sleeves are hooked onto her hands and reach up to her elbows, looking almost like they might have been salvaged from the same material as the shirt. Tight fitting, athletic spandex hugs her lower half, black with a white stripe running down the outside leg, and a pair of boots capping it off.

She'd brought her own sword, kept sheathed across her back, but the only other accessory to this outfit is the paper party hat that has bet set off to the side of her head, not sitting particularly well on her hair.

[POTEMKIN]
High overhead, some distance away but closing fast is a large airborne military transport of foreign origin. Clearly meant for martial purposes save for the..uh..bright yellow smiley face that has been hastily painted onto the sides and on the bottom cargo hold doors.

Within said cargo hold, a massive high tech looking container the size of a large semi truck cab lights up and hisses as various mechanical arms within the plane move it into place and lock it down into a ready position:

" Target is in sight. Commencing deployment." rumbles a voice so deep it vibrates through the walls of the cargo hold and seems to shake the metallic walls of the plane.

An instant later, The cargo hold of the incoming Zeppian transport opens and the cargo shoots forth, propelled by an explosive burst of boosters that send the object hurtling through low cloud cover and thundering over head towards the distant dojo. "Ten seconds to Fun."

The container bursts open, revealing the titanic, frighteningly huge form of Potemkin - a goliath of such scale he could likely contend for and win the title of World's Largest Man by some degree of a couple thousand pounds of hyper sized and mutated dense muscularity and superhuman strength. Said density and strength are put to the test as the behemoth is literally fired out of the container like a rocket just before it explodes behind him.

An instant later, the downstairs of the dojo has its wall explode inward as Potemkin impacts outside and then slides forward like a miniature earthquake, setting of seismometers across the city and billowing debris and clouds of dust in every direction.

"Code 459560538 Potemkin - Deployed." Potemkin's almost nigh unintelligible rumble of a bassy voice intones as he straightens up to his full height, letting debris fall about him violently as he does.

"Mission objective - to impose happiness and good cheer upon the birthday ninja."

A Sherman Tank of flesh with arms and legs, the goliath strides forward, a loud *KA-CHUNK* sounding as his gauntlets lock into place on his massive hands and the ground shakes with his movements.

He's...also dressed like a birthday clown save for the fact that his physique has torn the costume to shreds down to leaving both of his massive arms bare and his torso splitting apart the clowns garments like watching the Incredible Hulk swell through is clothes mid transformation. Even the clown-afro hair is forced otop of his metal helmet with the towering Zeppian Spike piercing through it. The only undamaged part of his costume is the bright red clown nose that looks suspended in the darkness shrouding his face within his helm.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Master Raven     0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Potemkin has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Potemkin         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
The massive crash sends people sprawling, floor board cracking, and the child upstairs starts to scream and cry as producers begin to wonder about how much liability they personally have in this grand event and start looking for ways to, preemptively, start shifting the blame to somebody else.

All the while, Master Raven simply manages to keep her footing effortlessly, perfectly balanced even as part of the floor under her feet juts up higher as the building itself faces deformity. With most of her face covered, all that can be seen is her eyes narrowing briefly as she takes in the new threat.

This is starting to look more like a tank than a normal combatant.

Surging straight into action, it's important to take the upperhand quickly, she ducks low and avoids using a straight line to clear the distance.

"Mission commencing..."

The words are low and offered in no specific direction as she gets in close, grabbing a purchase on the giant to help propel herself up into the air, only to use the repositioning as an opportunity to attack from above, dropping down with a rapid series of kicks all aimed at the brute's head.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin blocks Master Raven's Salamander.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
Another clanging *KA-CHUNK* sounds as the upper panels of Potemkins' battle-gauntlets open and the chi-shell casings are pulled aside and retracted. A hissing sound of venting air then follows and..a large crimson balloon begins to rapidly inflate above the behemoths wrist. "Preparing Balloon Animal." he intones, "I will be ready for delivery in approximately.."

Ah yes..the opponent. The blur of Master Raven's movements are almost missed by the goliath and he ceases his declarations of activity to twist and bring a massive arm up just before Raven descends upon his head. Instead the Master finds a wall of flesh and Zepp Chi-Tek obstructing her path and her kicks strike solidly therein, reverbating powerfully through the giants body and armored weaponry.

Unfortunantly the red balloon violently pops.

This, more then the attack, draws a mild rumbling sigh from Potemkin who reacts by twisting the arm he blocked with, lifting it upwards and then bringing a palm big enough to crush cars down towards Raven. The intention to literally swat her from the air before she can recover from her leap attack and to bear her down to the ground in an earth shaking smash.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven blocks Potemkin's Hammer Smash.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Potemkin         0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
A threat this large and armored is always going to need to be considered carefully. The fact that they've somehow managed to create a device like this that makes use of chi instead of mere physical properties is another serious concern, and not the sort of thing to be taken lightly.

The large, sweeping hand is going to be a problem, and with little time to move and react, Master Raven readjusts, twisting in mid-air so that rather than take the swipe full on, it catches on her heels, giving her a position to kick off of at a side angle to absord the majority of the blow. It sends her flying at the floor, one hand catching first to help readjust the movement as her feet come in, twisting back around as she slides back.

Upper approach currently ineffective. Next approach: destabilize the target.

The giant creation has a good deal of size. Master Raven's primary advantage here is speed and the potential to move past its guard. If she's able to throw it off balance, she'll merely need to continue pressing her advantage.

No words are offered, merely action, as she glides just above the floor in a low run, aiming to pass under the giant's guard as she seems to ignore the dangerous terrain of broken and warped floor boards even as she drops into a low slide, aiming to move between his legs as she hooks one near the ankle, aiming to pull it out from under him as she passes through.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin endures Master Raven's Power Throw.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
"There is hostile intent against the deployment of good cheer and happiness. The balloon animal has been compromised." rumbles Potemkin into his comm link. His glowing eyes narrow towards near cat like slits as he sees Raven rebound effortlessly from his assault and then go passing beneath him in a flashing blur of movement.

At first he simply begins pressing forward, intending on thundering through like the proverbial juggernaut he's much in common with. Sadly his balance and proportions are hardly ideal in such a scenario and he finds a sudden force yanking his steadiness out from beneath him and toppling him forward towards the ground. All two thousand, six hundred nad seventy two pounds of him. It's amazing she got him to move at all.

Thankfully, he spares the building an impact that might very well have compromised more of its integrity by placing his massive hands down to brace before a complete uncontrolled tumble happens and instead he goes into a roll that, in turn, does its share of earth shaking damage, particularly as he springs back up with surprising control over his movements and flexiblity to land in a crouched position away from Raven's position.

"I cannot allow you to prevent me from bringing happiness." he declares, addressing Raven for the first time and then thrusting a huge hand in her direction, balling it into a fist.

He braces this outstretched arm with his other arm and there's a sudden visible surge in his muscle mass as the behemoth flexes and then simply flicks the finger of the outstretched hand. A hint of his gargantuan strength is unveiled by that as the finger flick is strong enough to warp the air pressure and then explode a bullet of pressured force in her direction with a loud sonic boom accompanying its raging force.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven full-parries Potemkin's F.D.B.!!

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
Mobility is Master Raven's distinct advantage in this fight. Potemkin is a proper giant, armor plated, and build with incredible strength. As well-trained as Raven is, she is ultimately human. But human ingenuity and talent is far more potent than many may be prepared to expect. Especially when one is a master of the ninja arts.

As the giant begins to prepare himself, Raven does the same, already righted back up to her feet, set in a low stance drawing in slow and steady breaths as she maintains her center. At this point everything is about timing and preparation, an error will undoubtably see serious harm come to her.

And then everything is in motion. A flick of the monster's finger sends a wave of destruction flying at her, and she simply darts forward on a collision course. In an instant, both forms collide... but Raven simply fades away as the air wave passes through her, slamming into the wall and opening a nasty hole.

At the same time, the ninja reappears directly in front of the clown, twisting about with a spinning kick aimed directly for the brute's midsection with enough force stored in it to lift him up off the ground, quickly followed by Raven as she twists about in the air, somehow spinning Potemkin around her before the arc of her rotation sends him flying off her foot.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven successfully hits Potemkin with Orbiting Moon EX.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Potemkin         0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
Incredible. Or impossible. But yet still accomplished! Potemkin lets out a grunting "HUUURK!" as the force of the blow ripples through his defenses and sends a shockwave through his dense form though upon impact Raven would realize the monsters defenses are less the armor and more just..himself. What little armor there is seems to serve another purpose - but no matter here as Potemkin is ultimately sent tumbling through the air to then fall backwards, straight onto his head and then upper back with an impact that is more then a little uncontrolled.

The ground rocks titanically as the behemoth nearly tumbles backwards but manages to regain enough control to right himself. The bright red clown-fro pulld partially down over his helm now from the force of the impact but his bright clown nose still firmly in place.

"Hrnnnn!" he rumbles, completely unintelligible now as he suddenly lunges forward in a burst of speed that turns him briefly into a full throttled semi truck cab, blasting forward from the crater that was formed by his impact with massive hands lunging for Raven.

Success would see her lifted atop his shoulders in turn--

COMBATSYS: Potemkin successfully hits Master Raven with Potemkin Buster.
Grazing Hit

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Potemkin         0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0     Master Raven

Once grabbed, both combatants are sent soaring upwards into the air by the power of Potemkin's legs. Chi blazes forth in a golden hue from his huge fists as the ceiling of the first floor and then the second floor are burst through by the rocket that are the two fighters with Raven straddled across the goliaths shoulders. When he lands, it's a few dozen yards away, plummeting back downwards with the ninja in a gargantuan back breaker attack. His impact a loud *TWHOOOM* that leaves another pair of holes in the building and another foundation rocking impact likewise accompanying his landing. He releases her quickly, to turn his attention to attempting to ascend back up to the second level if able to move fast enough--

[MASTER RAVEN]
The target has been put to the ground, which is the goal. The longer she can keep the giant from moving, the more likely this task is to be accomplished successfully. The major problem with this situation is that Master Raven needs to keep the giant down for the rest of the fight, and all the giant needs to do is put her down long enough for it to reach it's own objective.

Regardless of just how ridiculous this entire concept may be, Raven agreed to the terms, and very much intends to accomplish everything set out for her in the objectives. A mission is a mission, regardless of the source and the level of real threat involved.

There are still concerns about what will happen if this giant actually manages to reach the child, and the fact that there are SNF officials on site hasn't been enough to make those concerns and lesser.

The ideal situation would be to stay out of Potemkin's reach, and as the giant comes lunging for her, Raven starts to adjust, but quickly finds no time to escape, instead holding stationary, simply looking for any opportunity to lessen the impact as she's hauled up into the air. Only as the pair are coming back down does an opportunity present itself. With the giant aiming her for a spot impact on his knee, at the last second, Raven's body twists, narrowly slipping out of his grip and merely slamming full force into the ground instead.

Any damage avoided is a success in this operation.

It at least means that it's merely general pain she has to ignore as she pushes back up to her feet. With Potemkin moving toward the stairs, Master Raven follows from another path, running after him and leaping toward the wall, kicking off of that as she comes in from the side, launching a kick at the brute's head from the side.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin just-defends Master Raven's Diving Kick!

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Potemkin         0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
A more classic combat pairing couldn't have been imagined by the organizers here. Speed vs Power. Big vs Little. They seem perfectly matched up so far as that sort of thinking goes and this is further demonstrated as Potemkin twists, turning slightly to the side to meet the incoming kick dead on. His entire body tenses, muscles piling atop muscle as he flexes and for an instant seems to be as impenetrable as the greatest of super alloys.

The kick lands, striking home with that same supernatural reverbating force from before, but Potemkin barely blinks, if that, and doesn't even move aside from a quaking of his body. The shockwave ripples into the ground aroun the two fighters, kicking up debris and cracking the floor but aside from that, nothing.

Raven then finds the giants huge hand lunging for her once again. A palm big enough to swamp over a car reaching with crushing force to try and bear her to the ground thunderously..and then follow that attack up with a downward swinging hammer strike.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven counters Grasp And Pound from Potemkin with Sixth Sense.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
Rebounding off the unmoving giant, Master Raven instantly recenters herself, feet firm on the ground, her hands ready at her side as she prepares for the counter-attack. For victory to be achieved, she'll need to be able to keep control of the fight for as long as possible and find the weaknesses in this creature, one way or another.

It's beginning to look as if her best opportunity here would be to use Potemkin to destroy enough of the building so that he'd be unable to reach the child, but given his earlier aerial acrobatics, even that is likely not to turn out entirely as desired. The best she can hope is that all the terrain that's being lost will at least slow him down or worsen his footing.

With a giant hand flying her way, Master Raven simply decides to make use of an opportunity, twisting to the side out of reach as her hands grab hold of his wrist, letting her twist up around past his elbow and land on top of his arm, giving her room to dart forward along it until she can grab hold of his shoulders and vault up into the air, coming back down behind him with a vicious elbow that deflates part of his wig.

Quite honestly, her own party accessory isn't doing so great, as the party hat has managed to get bent over near the tip. It's remarkable the cheap elastic has held thus far.

[POTEMKIN]
It wouldn't take this brute much effort to destroy this whole building. Indeed the indoor battle has been partially hampering him. You send Potemkin in like a blunt instrument for massive impact, not precision delivery efforts and yet..here he is. No, he's an intercontinental ballistic missile being used to deliver flowers.

But that doesn't mean that occasinally the restraints come off.

He grunts, stumbling forward and through the staircase like a bull dozer, tripping into the far wall with another building shake accompanying his impact. His eyes narrow and he pushes off of it, lifting himself up from the debris field that's formed around him.

"Engaging with additional percentages of strength." he rumbles, "Stand by."

A massive hand reaches down to grab for a fallen beam and as he turns he swings, spinning it around like a bat to try and crash it into Raven.

"Forgive me for this unseemly attack but I must reach my goal." he rumbles, apparently considering using an additional weapon against her less then honorable then relying on his own aramanets for some reason. Well, at least he's not throwing a tank.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven full-parries Potemkin's Random Swat!!

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
All of this destruction is certainly starting to unsteady the building, and yet Master Raven is one of the only people here who seems to be unbothered by it. You don't get to be a ninja master by being overly worried about a building shaking around you, the only real concern for her at this point is whether or not everything will come crashing down, and if the staff will be smart enough to start moving people out before it reaches that point.

The best thing that Raven can do now is to stand ready to deal with the threat and try to disable it before it reaches the point of no return.

And also try not to get crushed in the process.

With Potemkin coming back out of the destruction swinging, it's clear that Raven doesn't want to be anywhere near this beam. With movements that seem utterly too slow to actually get out of the reach of the giant and his improvised weapon, the ninja kicks back, the beam catching her full on at the side and swiping straight through her.

There should be blood, if not two separate halves of a body laying on the floor based on the effortlessness with which the beam passed through her.

Instead, it's clear that was little more than another after image, especially with Raven appearing directly overhead of the giant once more, her hand drawn back as she comes crashing down at him with a singular punch.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin fails to interrupt Death From Above EX from Master Raven with Heat Knuckle.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
Well -that- was a mistake.

"Heat--Knuckle---" begins Potemkin, launching a grasping hand upwards towards Master Raven as his gauntlets open and chi-tek casings slide into place.

There's a roaring explosion of golden energy and a shockwave that blasts out..as he totally misses.

Instead the blow rocks right into his helmet and off balances the giant, nearly tilting him over to the side as sparks of errant chi go blasting in various directions like an exploding firework and several shell casings drop to the ground. The earth shudders as he tries to regain his balance.

[MASTER RAVEN]
Instantly after delivering the blow to Potemkin's head, Master Raven rebounds, bouncing back to the ground without a word as her feet move back into ready position, her hands held at her side as she pauses only long enough to recollection the information on her attack.

It's working.

The giant is being kept off balance, and all she needs to do is maintain the offensive. Keep it on the ropes, so to speak, and maybe she'll be able to get it out of the building, or disable some of its systems enough that it will be forced to rest or shut down. Raven still isn't quite sure what to make of it all.

At this point, the main approach is simply keep fighting, and Master Raven is content to do so, lashing out with little more than a straight kick to the giant's midsection, hopefully cutting under his guard.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin just-defends Master Raven's Medium Kick!

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
Hasty and reckless. He can practically hear President Gabriels chiding words already.

The earth lurches violently as he stomps down and regains his bearing in a sudden surge of momentum. His body twists and he straightens up, chest widening and body leaning back as he imposes his monstrous torso directly into her assault and then with a sudden flex of his body, sends another shockwave rippling out to push back against her. The force of his flex and movements literally ripping up the floor which is then followed by a shaking of the ground as if a stampede was occuring from the force of a sudden surging forward.

Both of his huge arms draw back as he bears down on her, unstoppable like a run away freight train, and then both arms swing forward, attempting to slam his fists on either side of her and both slam into and crush her with the force of the impact.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven full-parries Potemkin's Hammer Fall!!

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
Even as the giant is preparing to retaliate, Master Raven is drawing back, one hand gripping the hilt of the sword on her back with the other held in front of her face, first two fingers extended upward, a slow breath being drawn in as she finds her center. She doesn't move. Doesn't falter, instead merely waiting for the ideal moment.

And both hands come clapping in from the side, it's only the now familiar fading vision of the ninja that suggests she wasn't trapped between those massive hands and smeared into paste.

Flickering back into existance a good distance away, somehow Master Raven is falling directly into a flying kick from what had been a stand still, her whole body humming with some strange effect as she moves faster than should be possible, the kick aiming to slam directly into the brute's chest with enough force to send him flying up into the air. In a flash the blade is out, drawn with a flickering gleam as it's unleashed in a relentless assault, slicing at Potemkin, trapped in mid-air almost faster than the eye can see before all the force of the assault adds up to send the giant flying back toward the center of the building.

And in another flash, Master Raven is already there to meet his body on the other side, winding up and unleashed a final strike the instant he passes by her and sliding the sword back into its sheath in the same fluid motion.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven successfully hits Potemkin with Deathbringer EX.
-*- DEVASTATING HIT! -*-

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
It's a miracle that doesn't just completely blow the building apart. Probably a testament to Master Raven's skill though at the end of the day, physics is physics and when Potemkin finally impacts in the center of the building the entire area shakes up through a several block radius and his entire body is shrouded by a huge mushroom cloud of debris and dust that plumes up and roll out through the area, engulfing the recording cameras and the bystanders still daring enough to be close enough to watch this match.

Needless to say, by now they have wisely evacuated the structure, but hey..it's an SNF fight.. some seismic disturbance is to be expected with some of these participants.

The dust hides Potemkin from sight and at first it seems he's down and out. But then he emerges from the debris cloud, his clown-hair a thing of the past, but that dang nose still holding on. His garments are basically full on ruined but from the looks of htings he seems..unharmed. No selling that vast assault like some sort of invulnerable titan.

A deep chested grunt occurs as he reaches up and shreds off the remains of the upper portion of his clown costume, leaving him bare chested and his mutant physique on full display. The implanted coolant reactors remain, though, and then hiss as they discharge, unlocking the behemoths limiter systems which in turm cause his body to start to swell, surging in size larger and larger with chi energy rolling across it.

He flexes, stretching his huge arms wide infront of him as a massive wall of chi energy forms and then bursts outwards towards Raven in a widening arc of energy. He then suddenly dashes afterwards, kicking up a train of dust and debris in his wake as he thunders in on her like a fireball, attempting to burst into her along with the chi wall in a full on ram attack.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven dodges Potemkin's Giganter Bullet Kai.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Potemkin         0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
There should have been a hell of a lot more damage visible on the giant after an assault like that. Master Raven is back on her feet, searching for a sign that Potemkin might be ready to go down, but he's an absolute monster, and with the way that he's winding up, it's clear that Raven is going to need to push things further if she hopes to get out this one safely, anything put out by this machine could be enough to put her in a bad spot if she's not careful.

No matter how well-positioned you are, the end can come from any direction.

So with all of that surging energy, Master Raven makes the decision to tap into something else, rising up, her hand in front of her face with two fingers extended upward, she concentrates... and it's as if she's barely there. The flickering shape of her body suggests something almost ethereal now as with every movement, there's a half-second where it almost appears as if she's moving in two directions at once.

And that's when the assault moves on her, and Raven merely charges straight through it, flickering out of existance just before the wall, and not even coming out of reality on the other side. She keeps moving, trying to pass through Potemkin himself and come flying out on the other side to unleash a simple elbow strike at the back of his head as she pushes away.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven successfully hits Potemkin with Phantom Warp.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Potemkin         0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
"It would seem the odds have been against me in this match.." muses Potemkin, sounding -surprisingly even tempered about it all considering how bad his luck -seems- to be. "That really should have hit you..."

Be that as it may, the goliath still seems..unstoppable. He's worn - but he really should be more hurt then he appears to be. "But it seems you have some abilities I have not accounted for..."

The elbow strike is..registered..but the goliath seems impervious to harm. Alas, that is far from the truth but in the moment, there's no need to reveal that to Master Raven just yet. If he cannot turn this tide around it will soon not matter and she'll learn for herself.

"Heat Knuckle.." he begins to rumble before spinning on his heels to try and lunge his massive arm up for her in a grasping assault, "Extended!!"

His gigantic fist again discharges a wave of chi as another series of shell casings fire off with his explosive grapple attempt.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven dodges Potemkin's Heat Knuckle Extended.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Potemkin         0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
It's beginning to seem as if the giant is really starting to slow down. No matter how durable any entity is, there comes a point when a relentless assault starts to build up, and against a master ninja, it can be a challenge to land a blow when they are hardly ever where they appear to be at any moment. And Master Raven has no intetion of being where this giant is when his hits land, given how painful it was when he actually did get his hands on her.

The sound of more chi explosions going of, surging new power into the brutal machine sends Master Raven back into motion. The strange outline of wild instability seeming to dart in all directions at once before settling on one that throws her to the side, narrowly avoiding the incoming hand as she repositions.

From here, she has to find a way to keep the assault going if she wants to put down this birthday clown and save the birthday party.

...Even though everyone else has been removed from the building, which now barely has any floor, let alone walls.

Lashing out, she darts back in, hoping to move in before the giant has time to recover, a lunging elbow aimed for his side beneath his guard. Anything to keep the pressure going.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven successfully hits Potemkin with Medium Punch.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Potemkin         0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
Indeed, he's slowing down now. pushed to the brink.

"Amazing. I do not think I have ever failed to tag an opponent so many times." he rumbles, "But I am not done just yet!"

A massive fist draws back almost seeming to lock into place as Master Raven slams an elbow into an exposed flank. Potemkin weathrs the blow and then spins, bringing around the enormous fist while at the same time leaping into the air to rebound away from her.

"MEGA FIST!" he roars, firing the attack down at her in a blur of movement not unlike the incoming of a meteor.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven dodges Potemkin's Mega Fist Shift.

[                             \  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
Again Master Raven finds herself facing down the giant fist, eyeing every route for a moment, her outline flickering in all directions before she rolls toward Potemkin, ducking under the assault and letting the fist hit the floor behind her, sending up an explosion of wooden shrapnel in all directions but thankfully leaving her unharmed.

Keep the pressure going. One way or another, Master Raven is going to need to find a way to put down the giant soon. Staying in this state as long as she has is definitely taking a toll on her body, but she must be so close at this point. There can't be much more fight left in this creation.

All it will take is a bit more effort.

Leaping up after the giant, she unleashes a rising kick toward his head, then twists about mid-air, coming back down a sweeping axe kick from above, suddenly disappearing moments after the blow lands and reappearing further away, dropping back in with a flying kick to add to the assault.

And then all of that flickering starts to fade even before she hits the ground. If she hasn't succeeded here, there's only so much she can hope to do against retaliation in this state.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin just-defends Master Raven's Pendulum Shadow!

[                           \\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
"As I said, I am not done yet!"

It's hard to put a good tank down. Potemkin may be on his last legs but putting him under must seem like chipping at a block of adamant.

He weathers the supernatural assault like a sherman tank weathering an assault of snowballs. Barely quaking and shaking from the impacts and plodding forward perpetually like some unstoppable force.

When Raven finally flickers back into view and Potemkin senses an opening, he thunders forward with a tremendous leap that literally craters the ground beneath him in a violent surge of force.

His massive body arcs high overhead, both of his fists pulled up in a move usually associated with a certain jade giant.

And then down he comes, both fists plunging for Raven, full powered. Hit or miss, the remains of this building are done for.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven blocks Potemkin's Fierce Impact.

[                            \\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0     Master Raven

[MASTER RAVEN]
This is a problem.

Master Raven had hoped to have this giant down before now so that she'd be able to recover without worry, but now Potemkin is still going, and the ninja is hardly in a state to deal with this properly. With little else at her disposal, Raven reaches back and draws her blade, holding it flat against her forearm and holding both arms together over her as she's left kneeling on the floor.

She just needs to hold it back enough...

As the brute lands, the floor begins to ripple and buckle. Every bit of force slamming into the blade is sent sprawling through Raven's body, a pained wince crossing her teeth, hidden behind the ninja mask she'd been told to wear. Everything beneath her begins to splinter as she's pushed down into the floor.

But she's more or less in one piece, and her body can still move.

With no time for hestiation, Master Raven throws herself back into the fray, launching herself into a flying knee, launched up at Potemkin's jaw as she aims to try to keep the pressure going.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven successfully hits Potemkin with Aggressive Strike.

[                                < >  /////////////////////         ]
Potemkin         0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0     Master Raven

[POTEMKIN]
With a resounding klang alongside a mouse like squeak, Potemkins' helmet is finally knocked clean off and the clown nose popped free as well. The helmet reveals the face of a brutish, broodish but not ugly or monstrous dark skinned man with glowing white eyes and the fatigue associated with such an ongoing weathering and withering conflict. He's human under that helmet after all despite the robotic appearence he takes on when it is covering his face and hiding his eyes. No real reason to do it either. Just cosmetics. Nothing to hide.

But that's neither here or now as Potemkin staggers under the blow and the helmet goes rolling a distance away.

For his part, he recoils, bringing his massive hand upwards and then slamming it down once again. The fist plummets just next to Raven's head and there's aloud *KACHUNK* as the gauntlets slide into another assault position. Chi energy builds up around the giant who grits his teeth into a fierce grin..and then the blast explodes all around them in a widening area effect of energy like a multi-hued column of spiritual fire.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin can no longer fight.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Master Raven     0/-------/-----==|

Regardless of what the attack does to Raven, it seems Potemkin has reached his threshold.

He remains croched over, planeted on his knees and emitting a slight groan with his grin gradually fading.

"Ouch. I believe this mission is ending in a disaster.."

COMBATSYS: Potemkin successfully hits Master Raven with Trishula.
Grazing Hit

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Master Raven     0/-------/----===|

[MASTER RAVEN]
Faced with a full-on explosion of energy, Master Raven is given only one real choice in the matter: attempt to flee the blast area. More floor boards are ripped free in the blast as it barrels down on the ninja master, readying herself for one final burst out of the zone. There's a flickering moment where she prepares for another teleport, but there's no time.

No need for wasted effort, instead Raven tucks and rolls, aiming to clear as much of the explosion as she possibly can, but still not managing to escape quite far enough, reaching the edge, she's sent spinning as she catches the waning effects of the wave and is sent sprawling, her elastic on her party hat snapping and leaving it left behind as it's annihilated by the powerful burst.

But Raven is quickly back to her feet, flowing back into her fighting stance as she waits momentarily to see if the giant can manage to get back to his feet, but when it's clear that's not happening, the ninja master starts walking to the exit of the nearly completely demolished dojo.

"Mission accomplished... party cancelled."

With those final words, she vanishes in another flicker of light, leaving Potemkin alone on the floor as pieces of debris continue to fall.

COMBATSYS: Master Raven has ended the fight here.

Log created on 21:05:11 06/10/2018 by Potemkin, and last modified on 11:03:20 06/13/2018.