Match of the Millennium

Description: Velvet Blue travels to the Dream Amusement Park on the outskirts of Southtown to do battle with Cherri, the Killer Doll!

[CHERRI]
A Haunted House at an amusement park! How seasonable! And it's been set aside for fighting? How dangerous! It's a spooky building, full of decorations, fog machines, an eerie sound track playing in the background, alcoves people in costume to jump out, corridors of mirrors, and all the works! It's also quite dark, though with lighting necessary to navigate by for safety purposes. Yes, it is quite the impeccable example of a haunted house.

It's odd, though, that as an inhuman fighter is set to face off against an opponent in these spooky environments (or not, who knows why they're here, but there's some sort of planned combat. For charity or something maybe??), there's no immediate sign of the other fighter. Not only is this a fight in a haunted house, but perhaps they have to hunt each other down as well. They'll just have to see.

[VELVET BLUE]
This time, the SNF program had Velvet Blue travelling a lot closer to his usual hangouts around Southtown. Hell, Kabukicho wasn't even that far from here--though he had to admit he'd never been in this corner of the city before. It was right on the verge of what seemed to be highways and wilderness, and it had an appropriately isolated and creepy environment at night. Which was likely why it was chosen for this event. Right about now, Velvet was wishing he'd done more stretching before being turned loose in the amusement park. The van had tossed him out at the entrance and taken off, naturally. Who the heck wanted to be alone here, at night--with Darkstalkers?

Lets see... black undersuit? Check, lacquered enchanted wakizashi--check, boots, double check. He hadn't dressed overly fancy for this, cut-off jean shorts and a hooded sweatshirt went over the undersuit, just to combat the chill. The darkstalker's tail flicked as he walked through the dark concourse, finally coming to the haunted house--seeing it was likely the place, due to the lights on--stepped inside, brushing hair back from his long, bat-like ears.

"Wow... talk about gothic decor, where is this person--" of course, Velvet was expecting something... humanoid. Which, well, Cherri was, right? Sort of??

[CHERRI]
A small, toussle-haired brunette girl in a worn blue windbreaker, knee-length skirt, and a pair of sneakers is lurking in the Haunted House. Darting from place to place, peeking around corners. Occasionally, she hunkers down and takes many deep breaths to try to calm herself. This place is really scary. There'd been an offer to come see this Amusement Park, so she'd signed up, not really understanding the free trip had to do with being put into a fight. She wrote her name in every spot she was told to, a friend whispering in her ear all the answers she needed to give to not arouse suspicion.

Only... It seems now they think she's some kind of fighter! Her trip to the amusement park is not the fun thing she was imagining, even if she has seen many amazing sights so far. Thankfully, she has been reasured by her friend -- her secret companion -- that it won't be her doing the fighting. No, Amira has just been asked to keep an eye out, to try to spot the other person first and then tell Cherri.

Once Cherri knows, she'll protect Amira. She'll take care of everything, just like she always does. So it's Amira's job to navigate these dark hallways, the passage with the big windows that tattered curtains waft from like ghostly arms. The cramped corridors with the tickling-itching of spider webs on her skin if she doesn't duck them properly. The mock graveyard where fog hangs low over the ground, hiding where rubber rats might be placed, and the evidence that the moldering arms rising from the graves aren't actually real.

Somewhere in here, there's someone who wants to fight. If they win, they get to explore the amusement park for real. That's worth it, right? Cherri told her it would all be okay. Once the fighting starts, Amira just needs to find somwhere safe, close her eyes, and plug her ears until it's done.

The entrance of the haunted house is the same mock cemetery that Amira just passed through, with a big pair of black double doors lying open on the other side, like a pair of coffin lids, leading into a faux mansion interior. A large entry way, rounded, with doors all along its perimeter, and a flight of stairs ahead and upwards, with another two flights winding around to a second level on the left and right. Above the landing at the center of these three sets of steps, there's a big window in the wall, through which the 'lightning' flashes of a special effects machine flicker dramatically at regular intervals, accompanied by the sound of 'thunder'.

If Velvet Blue makes his way to the 'mansion' area, during one of those lightning flashes, it may seem as though a small silhouette was standing at the top of the stairs, something sharp and gleaming in one hand. In the darkness that follows, there's no sign of them.

[VELVET BLUE]
An unusual problem here, distinct from the fact they were alone in an amusement park, at night, near halloween--was that not only could other Darkstalkers and chi-users see Velvet Blue's inhuman attributes--but specifically children and those afflicted with moon-based hysteria, or delirium. It's not that Velvet Blue's blue spaded tail, bat-like ears and strange, yellow cat-like eyes were that specifically /scary/--but the yellow eyes proved to be luminescent in the dark, like an actual feline's--which might be unnerving for some, as if one was to look at him in anotherwise dark room they would reflect the light and that would be all one saw.

"Oh--hey, are you alright there...? Little girl?" the performer definitely didn't think that a little girl of all things would be his oppoent, couldn't be--unless they were some very powerful chi or psi-power user--and he wasn't exactly getting those kinds of feelings from Amira. Though /something/ was definitely here. Velvet immediately would try to kneel or bend down to be more on the girl's level.

"Are you okay? it might get a little dangerous, here, honey--did you get left behind in this place when they locked it down?" he spoke in a soft voice, though it appeared the kid /was/ spooked by his presence, and ran off.

"Hey--wooah--gah!" Velvet stepped through the smoky cemetery that lead to the front door of the house, tripping and falling over... a rubber rat. Damnit. When you need the damn things, they're never around--but soon as you don't...

Velvet pulled himself up and entered the foyer of the haunted mansion, looking up at the shadow at the top of the stairs. Very... What was that movie with Chris Sarandon?--who had a gorgeous singing voice, after all--he couldn't place the name, though.

"Evenin'," Velvet Blue nods, apparently now able to place the source of the presence they felt. "I assume you're to by my opponent?" he gets to the point, at least, tail flicking.

COMBATSYS: Cherri has started a fight here.

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

[CHERRI]
Suddenly, someone is behind Amira! She squeaks, whirls around, and backs up, trying to keep her awareness of her environment in mind so she doesn't trip over a styrofoam gravestone or animatronic zombie arm. For all she knows, this person is just in costume. But whether they're a normal human or not, this is the person that is here to fight! ...Right? So Amira turns again and runs inside the mansion area, ducking around the corner and heading for one of the many doors leading to other parts of the haunted house.

She'll find somewhere to hide. Meanwhile, it seems she has successfully lead the intruder to Cherri. The two are aware of each other.

The small pale figure reaches one hand up behind her back, and pulls on a cord with a ring on the end of the string. Instead of replying to Velvet Blue directly, a scratchy recording of a girl's voice is emitted, saying, "Let's play!"

In the flash of 'lightning' that follows, a black-haired, pale-faced, white-dress-wearing, button-eyed doll comes launching from the landing at the top of the stairs towards the other Darkstalker, the attempt to latch onto Velvet and start stabbing with a large (for a doll) butcher knife accompanied by the rumble of pre-recorded thunder.

That answers that.

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue has joined the fight here on the right meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Cherri           0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0      Velvet Blue

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue blocks Cherri's Let's Play!.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Cherri           1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
At first, Velvet Blue assumed this creature to be something of Darkstalker-relation. Maybe ghost, or perhaps automaton--there were such things, on the otherside, after all--he knew of Makai toymakers of high repute, who could craft clockwork beings and simulcra that was only possible with robotics, over here.

But when his question was only met with what sounded like a scratchy old recording and a sudden attack, he knew just what he was in for--not that it helped.

"Oh shi--" Velvet managed before the doll leaped right onto his chest and tried to bring the knive down. He managed to both grab Cherri with one hand and grab the hilt and handle of the knife--the blade cutting into his hand slightly, drawing red--before turning and tossing Cherri to a nearby red overstuffed chair.

"Gah... phew--hope batteries were included!" Velvet ran across the room after it and proceeded to kick the chair--which included the doll--across the room!

COMBATSYS: Cherri blocks Velvet Blue's Battle Dance.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Cherri           1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
Cherri is thrown. Being so light weight, it doesn't have the greatest impact on her when she hits the chair back and plops down into the seat, though when the chair is kicked over, it seems she goes with it. Everything is still and quiet, aside from the sound of music and Halloween sound-effects in the background, and the regular thunder and lightning. Is the doll trapped underneath the chair?

The soft sound of small, scampering feet, tiny shoes on wooden flooring near one of the walls, indicates she slipped away. The quickest glimpse of the edge of dress's hem going through one of the doors. Drifting down the hallway behind the doll is a spooky, haunting sing-song that could easily belong to a small child, but somehow is laden with... Despair... Hatred... Self-loathing... A dampening cloud of negative emotions tries to seep into Velvet and drain his strength.

COMBATSYS: Cherri successfully hits Velvet Blue with Haunting Melody.
- Power hit! -

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Cherri           1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
Man, not two seconds and this place is already getting freaking wrecked. Velvet had put the foot of his boot to the edge of that chair's seat and sent it flying across the room crashing into shit with strength one might not expect from someone with Velvet's build--to be fair, he was on the toned and slender side. The chair crashed against the far wall, sending decorations and fake insects and bats flying.

"Steerike!" Velvet barked, reaching up to brush hair back away from his forehead. He already felt adrenaline going and was sweating, despite the chill outside. When his hand came away from his forehead wet--but also met with something cold--he realized the back of his hand was still bleeding, the blood running down his forearm and into the sleeve of his sweatshirt. Gah. He quickly unzipped and stripped the sweatshirt, tossing it down over the collapsed chair. The doll had already taken off. The last thing he'd assumed he'd be doing is fighting a crazy supernatural killer doll, at least not tonight.

Reaching behind him to the white lacquered sheath slung behind his waist, the effeminate Darkstalker performer pulled the foot-long wakizashi free, holding it pointed down in his fist as he searched about for the doll. Then he heard the music.

"Creepy doll music, oh boy, here we go--" he whipped around, trying to find the source of it. Of course, the supernatural effect of the music was quick to take hold.

"Gah..." Velvet stumbled, soon regaining his balance, both hands now gripped around the hilt of his short-sword--which was now pointed directly toward him.

SHNK.

The tip of the performer's weapon was now imbedded halfway into his stomach, trying to drive it in even further. His mouth was open in a silent scream, white ivory fangs and teeth visible as the mouth was agape. The music was overpowering--with a great force of will, he pulled hard in the opposite direction--pulling the blade out of himself. Had to get the doll... before it continued the music--before he did something worse--taking the short sword, he began stabbing random parts of the walls and furniture--trying to catch the doll with the blade!

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue successfully hits Cherri with Armed Combo.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Cherri           1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
Beyond the door is a hallway where the walls are designed at a weird angle to create the optical illusion that they are closing in the further down the hall one goes. Velvet stabs the walls, and though something inside tries to scurry away, his blade finds its mark, it seems. Something struggles on the tip of the wakizashi for a couple seconds before tearing itself away. Then the wall nearby explodes outwards, pieces of wood panneling bursting out into the hall. How did she get in there in the first place? Unclear.

But her pull cord is yanked on as she emerges, a hole in her stomach spilling out string and stuffing as she tries to grasp Velvet Blue's hands in her much smaller ones and spin around with him as that scratchy child's voice asks with ominous emphasis, "Will you be my friend FOREVER?" Then, despite her much lighter weight, she exhibits supernatural strength as she tries to hurl him into the wall she just emerged from.

She was apparently inside there planting knives, because rows of blades protrude from the wall if there is any pressure exerted on it, turning it into a bed of blades. Whoever arranged this fight probably was not planning on it being so potentially lethal. But haunted dolls have other ideas.

COMBATSYS: Cherri successfully hits Velvet Blue with Friends Forever.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Cherri           0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
To tell the truth, Velvet hadn't even intended to be this violent or rough with the doll--though his initial meet and greet with it had been disconcerting, to say the least--he hadn't been prepared for the thing's horrible musical ability. The strength of it's supernatural power had nearly sent his blade through his chest and out his back, he was not going to let it get a second chance. He had likely at some point gotten so used to the human world that he'd forgotten how vicious Darkstalkers and things from Makai could be--if this thing was. Or powered by some force or entity from it. Shoving his sword through the wall, he can feel whatever it is get pinned by the blade--then cringes and throws his head back and away from the outrush of plaster and bits of dust and debris as the thing bursts out of the wall.

Suddenly thrown, Velvet finds himself pinned against the wall--partly by the force of it, and partly by the knives sticking out of it--and into him. He shuts his eyes and writhes--pulling his non-sword arm free, just enough to release a flurry of neon chi-based projectiles at Cherri. They come in the form of different multi-colored shapes and sparks--like getting rain on by something burning and prismatic!

COMBATSYS: Cherri overcomes Neon Carnival from Velvet Blue with HAVE SOME TEA!!.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Cherri           0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0      Velvet Blue

COMBATSYS: Cherri successfully hits Velvet Blue with HAVE SOME TEA!!.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Cherri           0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
Cherri drops down after her throwing attempt, fully intending to make the most use of having her opponent pinned, but then sparkles of dazzling light come shooting at her. In close quarters like this, she has no time to dodge! But she does have time to serve some tea apparently, because a skull shaped teapot comes out from behind her back, her pull cord gets yanked on, and another seemingly pre-recorded message emits from the scowling little ragdoll's unmoving face as she screeches, "HAVE SOME TEA!!" A jet of scalding tea erupts from the skull's spout formed by its distended tea, splashing and smothering the Chi projectiles and heading towards Velvet!

*Delete above this!*

Cherri drops down after her throwing attempt, fully intending to make the most use of having her opponent pinned, but then sparkles of dazzling light come shooting at her. In close quarters like this, she has no time to dodge! But she does have time to serve some tea apparently, because a skull shaped teapot comes out from behind her back, her pull cord gets yanked on, and another seemingly pre-recorded message emits from the scowling little ragdoll's unmoving face as she screeches, "HAVE SOME TEA!!"

A jet of scalding tea erupts from the skull's spout formed by its distended teeth, splashing and smothering the Chi projectiles and heading towards Velvet!

[VELVET BLUE]
Velvet is still impaled to the wall, basically, crying out in agony as the rush of searing hot liquid pelts his chest and front--the look on his face is of course priceless--managing to free an arm and a leg in the resulting thrashing and screeching of his own.

"Agh--gawd--" the liquid is not just super hot, it's also seemingly enchanted as well, seeming to cause him to grow more fatigued and tired as he hung there, soaking in what felt like water that had been brought to a boil.

"Guh--" the performer finally seemed to managed to free themselves from the wall, still bleeding heavily--needing to pick up the pace here and deal the doll some pain back.

"I don't know why you wanna hurt people so bad, but I don't want to hurt you, damnit--" Velvet calls out in frustration, noticing they're still pointing the teapot at him, however--he reaches out and tips over a nearby bookcase down and onto Cherri!

COMBATSYS: Cherri dodges Velvet Blue's Huge Thrown Object.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Cherri           0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
No more lines from the doll this time around as she scampers out of the way of the falling bookshelf. It falls across the narrow hallway, landing on the opposite wall with just enough space to 'tent', dumping its collection of old prop books down upon the haunted toy as she fights her way free. The teapot was seemingly left behind to reduce her burden. Small favors.

Cherri draws her knife again from somewhere, but before she can do anything else, she turns her head jerkily to look up the hallway, spotting the girl from before peeking into the entry way, possibly to check that Cherri is okay, since the fighting in that first room (or second room if the 'graveyard' counts) may have died down, even if the commotion from this other location just off of it is continuing.

Whatever the reason for her distraction, when she returns her attention to Velvet, she seems to resort to... Kicking him in the shin sharply with the tip of her shoe! Whether it's just sadism or deliberately toning it down while she has a witness, at least it's not more stabbing.

If she's capable of speaking outside of her pull string, or if she's mute without it, she doesn't seem to be reciprocating the attempts at communication. One way or another, she is trying to win this with everything she has.

COMBATSYS: Cherri successfully hits Velvet Blue with Light Kick.
- Power hit! -

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Cherri           0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
That's the one thing about fighting evil, possessed or inhabited dolls and creatures--they're so damn small they're hard to crush with things. Velvet had practice in martial arts--not crushing small animals with bookcases and TVs and shit!

"Damnit--get back here!" Velvet cried, annoyance and pain present in the voice. Their vision pointed further down the hall, they did not notice the small figure come out and proceed to kick them in the leg.

CRIK.

Velvet Blue's lips drew back in a nearly vulpine snarl, eyes wincing in pain--they were literally frozen by the shock of it--did the doll not know their own strength? Or were just way stronger than they looked? The thought randomly occured to him through the pain, 'shit, how much did these boots cost??' but he couldn't possibly bring himself to really care over all the pain, their body then convulsing in the pain--it felt like their leg had been broken. Putting their palms out to either side, Velvet proceeded to then try and deliver a soccer ball-esque kick to the doll--trying to launch her down the hallway!

COMBATSYS: Cherri blocks Velvet Blue's Power Strike.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Cherri           0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
Cherri gets kicked and hurled down the hallway, back towards the haunted house's Mansion Entrance, but as she climbs back to her feet it doesn't appear to have had the kind of impact it would have on something fleshy, with bones and organs and blood. She's still mobile at least. But who knows if the doll even feels pain? She goes running off again, the girl peeking through the door ducking back out of sight to hide again since the fight isn't over yet.

Cherri heads through one of the other doors, most likely to prepare some other series of traps and death mazes. At least it gives the Darkstalker a chance to free himself, and possibly to attend to his wounds. Cherri, wherever she is, might be doing the same, by stitching up that hole the wakizashi made. Or maybe she doesn't have time for self-preserving acts, and is more interested in finding new and terrible ways to hurt her challenger.

COMBATSYS: Cherri focuses on her next action.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Cherri           1/-----==/=======|=======\====---\1      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
The world was spinning, the blood-loss was an actual deterrent here--and was making him feel disoriented and actually kinda afraid. The kick to his shin had been painful as all hell, though it wasn't strictly lethal, true--he just had to deal with the doll a bit more, then he could get out of there. At least that way the studio had a good show and he got paid. Getting paid was good. Damned if he couldn't help but think of the little girl trapped here with a killer doll, though--that was enough to drive him up and back to his feet.

The sound of Velvet Blue's heeled boots thumped through the haunted house--finally near enough to Cherri to indicate they were close now.

"Hey, garbage pail kid--catch!" Velvet appeared in a doorway to the side of Cherri and threw what looked like a giant ceramic vase directly at them--before wisely ducking back through it!

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue successfully hits Cherri with Evasive Strike.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Cherri           1/----===/=======|=======\======-\1      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
The doll turns around in response to the yell, and the vase hits her and knocks her down. Is she pinned now? Vulnerable to follow up attacks? She seems to be struggling to roll the vase off of her, but then it lifts up into the air, engulfed in some kind of brick-red psychic energy, and go flying down the hall, out the door, and then exploding when it passes through, sending pottery fragments flying in every direction.

It's not the most accurate attack in the world, but its intent seems to be to dissuade pursuit. Maybe she's actually in trouble and needs more time to set up before she can retaliate.

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue dodges Cherri's Light Random Weapon.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Cherri           1/--=====/=======|=======\======-\1      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
"Psychic power, too? Would explain how you were able to throw me earlier," Velvet panted, a little bit, reaching up to brush hair away from his forehead--which by this point was quite sticky with sweat and blood.

"Getting a little tired there? We can always stop this, you know," Velvet Blue appeared in the doorway, now, having seemingly ducked close to the floor to avoid the explosion of deadly ceramic bits. "You aren't here to hurt the kid, do you--you could have done that a half-dozen times while I was stuck to the wall, what's your plan then, really?" Velvet placed a hand against the wall, the long-nailed hand of the darkstalker briefly glowing--the power Velvet seemed to be able to issue with touch alone was immense--the wall seemed to curl and ripple as he touched it, changing color and texture.

"I guess we'll have to put on a little play to find out, then!" Velvet crouched down, and quick as a cat--reached out to try and grab Cherri, trying to trap her in his spell's glamour!

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue successfully hits Cherri with Spellbound Masquerade.
~~ Alluring Hit! ~~

[                         \\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Cherri           1/--=====/=======|=======\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
Cherri is trapped in the magical effect, teeters on her feet, and then collapses. Under the influence of this unfamiliar power, she can't seem to do anything but literally ragdoll. If Velvet Blue has questions or an illusory scenario set up, he has a captive audience. The girl isn't coming out again, at least not right now. Her close shave with getting caught in the battle has her hiding once more. No mortal wants to become a victim in a battle between monsters.

COMBATSYS: Cherri gains composure.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Cherri           1/---====/=======|=======\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
As Velvet Blue grabs ahold of Cherri, the entire room warps--turning to satiny darkness. A moment later, curtains are raised. For a brilliant second, all in the world is laid bare on their souls.

A spotlight comes down on Velvet, for a moment the injuries of the fight disappear--the bat-eared darkstalker is draped in amazing fingers.

"A killer doll, alone in the world save for a small child," Velvet gestures, somewhere a distance and off to the back another light winks into existence, illuminating Cherri as she might truly desire or imagine herself--her idealized, or real self.

"Is her only desire to maim and murder, what does she desire in the end?!" Velvet is suddenly gone from the spotlight, his eyes and the ivory of his teeth the only thing visible as he appears along side of her. The doll can likely feel her energy being literally drained out of her by the performance, as much as she tries to rest while trapped in Velvet's glamour.

"Can she transcend and beat the odds?" Velvet grins, fangs visible over their painted lips and otherwise exquisite face, reaching over to flick the doll's shoulder with their forefinger and thumb with a 'plink'. Though the gesture might seemingly be harmless--it carries a weight here which is uncanny--the entire illusion evaporating!

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue successfully hits Cherri with Quick Strike.

[                          \\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Cherri           1/--=====/=======|=======\-------\1      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
Cherri hangs limply in Velvet's grasp, the fine dress, the spotlight, all of it cast on something that seems to be just a doll. Is that all there was to it? Was she being controlled from afar, and now that whatever was controlling her is blinded, the metaphorical strings have been cut? But there's a smell that might catch Velvet's nose. The scent of smoke, of cooking meat, of a wood fire...

And there's a flicking light all around, as memories are dug up out of the depths of the doll's twisted soul. A crowd of people all around, laughing, jeering, shouting epithets and condemnations.

Variations on a theme. 'Burn the witch.' And they certainly are. A doll held in the grasp of a girl tied to a stake. Or what used to be a girl, and is now a raw, burning body, having already screamed herself hoarse. The doll is burning too. Burning. Burning. Burning away to nothing.

Until suddenly she's something again. A hollow frame. Woven ash of doll and child together in the forging of a life-sized mannequin meant to look like the dead girl. A mannequin that is empowered with hatred and a thirst for vengeance, and a goal: To kill.

And she kills. She kills, and she kills, and she kills until there's no one left to kill. Then she 'shuts down'. Goes dormant. When others come to town, finding it empty except for corpses, and eventually stumble upon the doll, they destroy it. Burn it. A 'tool of witchcraft' they call it.

And in doing this, they unleash a spirit of vengeance upon the world. Over and over, in every age since then, the doll has come back. Always in a form suited to the era, always beginning as a toy and then murdering her way through the community until she necessitates her own destruction.

A recurring supernatural disaster that claims the lives of dozens to hundreds each time.

Is killing all she does? Is there nothing more to her?

There is something else. To protect the girl, like she couldn't back then, when she was no more than a doll.

And she intends to do that by killing everyone she couldn't kill back then, when she was no more than a toy.

The screaming hasn't stopped all this time. The finery is blackening, crumbling, catching aflame. As Velvet flicks the motionless doll with unnatural force, hurling her back to the ground, the screaming ramps up, louder and louder, until it fills everything, seems to be coming out of he walls, the floor, the ceiling, ahead, behind, from inside one's own head.

And then Cherri sits up, the strings that form her mouth stretchign and tearing like black strands of rotten flesh, to reveal an inner mouth, a pit of absolute hatred and pain.

The screams blasts forth, shattering every window in the building, trying to tear flesh from bone with sound and black magic. Regardless of the result, the doll then flops back to the ground motionlessly.

Defeated.

At least for now.

COMBATSYS: Cherri has reached second wind!

[                             \  < >  ///////////                   ]
Cherri           0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1      Velvet Blue

COMBATSYS: Cherri successfully hits Velvet Blue with Soul Shredding Shriek.

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Cherri           0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
After all the punishment the doll had delivered--one might think this was even merciful--though nowhere in Velvet could feel triumphant as the doll's story played out. The fine evening wear Velvet Blue wore was consumed by the fire--the brilliant and insane fire--like tissue paper doused in rubbing alcohol--the darkstalker found their clothing utterly engulfed and reduced to nothing as they stood up. The Killer Doll's power had taken over his spell's glamour and twisted it--the illusion never stopping.

And worse yet, this was not an illusion, as such, not anymore. Velvet's glamour would /make/ things real--as real as the long splinter of wood that was projected toward him by the force of the doll's earth-shattering wail. It buried in his shoulder--his eyes rolling back. The physical pain was dwarfed by the pain of the Doll--her struggle, her will to live and fight and protect too strong. He couldn't keep standing even if he wanted to--the bloodloss was too great.

It was just too damn beautiful to try and spoil. His performance had brought out the best in such a grisly creature. This was part of why he kept going--/who he was/.

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue takes no action.

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Cherri           0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1      Velvet Blue

[CHERRI]
Bringing it out? Or was that already her motivation? She hasn't been killing this girl, even though she has certainly killed children before. She chose someone to protect, even if the means are awful. Maybe Cherri just recognizes why she's doing it now, instead of struggling to understand why she would shield one human when so many others have fallen to her. Either way, in the wake of the horrific soul-attacking scream, the girl appears again, a little while later, at the other end of the hall. She dashes forwards, scoops Cherri up, and holds her close.

Amira looks fearfully at Velvet for a moment, hesitates, then turns and runs away with the haunted doll. She doesn't know who won or lost. But she is going to protect her friend, just like Cherri protects her. Only with less murder.

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue has left the fight here.

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Cherri           0/-------/------=|

COMBATSYS: Cherri has ended the fight here.


[VELVET BLUE]
Pale with bloodloss, it might be ambiguous if the performer is able to withstand the grave injuries the doll has inflicted--the darkstalker blood is enough to hold him together, until the EMTs arrive, anyway...

Log created on 17:04:08 10/17/2018 by Velvet Blue, and last modified on 23:26:34 10/20/2018.