Match of the Millennium

Description: After attending to some Shadaloo business in downtown LA, Echo runs into La Huesuda for a battle between a necromancer and death's patron!

[ECHO]
Los Angeles, city of angels. What appears to be a woman in a long black dress casually walks out of a highrise building. Her departure is captured in the gaze of a closed-circuit television camera. She pauses and stops to look up at it. The image in the camera lens suddenly WARPS, or rather the woman does--like damage to videotape played back the woman's face and body shifts to include long wings and strange, animalistic ears. She's staring right into the camera as the entire building EXPLODES behind her.

Shattered glass pelts the street and car alarms are set off for a block away, all the while all Echo is doing is reaching up with a tissue to duab at the red trickle of blood around the right corner of her mouth, the fires raging behind her. Whoever the poor saps in the building were, they likely weren't happy they got a midnight meeting with this lady.

Just what is going on here--can anyone tell, in the midst of all this chaos?

[LA HUESUDA]
The wrestler known as La Huesuda is often a visitor to Los Angeles, usually to compete in matches with other masked fighters. Getting over the border was sometimes a pain in the ass, but she usually managed. The big American city was quite something to behold, and just as likely to hold nefarious individuals...or monsters.

She is still in the city when the explosion happens. Though in another part of the city, she quickly starts to move when it happens towards the epicenter of the blast. As she gets closer to investigate, she picks up some dark presence in the area, which only hurries her pace. When a cab fails, she leaps across the night rooftops.

At last she reaches the site; the block is in complete disarray and fire rages. But the masked woman remains silent and calm, jumping to street level and starting to walk...until she sees the other woman with animalistic features. But she doesn't break into a run. She continues to walk, taking her leather cowboy jacket and yanking it off, tossing it aside as she stares directly at what he is now sure...is her target.

[ECHO]
Shadaloo activity has been high in Mexico, for anyone in the know--most people don't even know about the shadowy group. However those with powers or in the know would know that /something/ has been going on down there. At least by all the folks with chi and psycho power running around.

Of course, the explosion might be even more of a tip off.

Echo is still standing nearby, at the corner, as if this is just another daily occurence for her, apparently fixing her makeup in a small compact--looking over to La Huesuda, however, she goes wide-eyed a little.

"Did *I* do that?" she jerks a thumb back towards the towering inferno--it's not the entire building, thankfully, but several floors are engulfed, and the street in front of it looks like well... a bomb hit it. Which it kind of did!

"You like it? something I can help with, miss?" the strange bat lady slaps the compact closed and it gets tucked into her dress, casually.

[LA HUESUDA]
The skull masked wrestler turns her gaze from Echo to the burning building...then back at Echo, looking unamused.

She begins to roll one arm while clutching the shoulder of said arm. Finally, she speaks. Her voice is low and cold like the grave, with an obvious accent. "You can help me...by dying at my hands, monster," she replies. She does not ask why the building was bombed, or what Echo is doing here, or how she could do such a thing. She has all she needs to know right here, and she has decided tonight...is the night to work.

She can tell this will be her first real test. She can detect the power coming from this bat woman; nervousness tinged with excitement fills her heart and puts butterflies in her stomach; her eyes seem to sharpen at the very thought of engaging in combat. But she has made a vow, and she cannot shy away from danger if she's to fulfill it.

[ECHO]
"Well, now we're cooking with gas, at least--" Echo spreads her wings behind her, her body seeming to elongate up and out of the shadows to her full height. "Then I might break you," Echo grins, her voice dropping low for a moment in her best Ivan Drago impression. It's not very good, then again she's only seen that movie like once.

It is true, Echo is rife with chi energy, though of a kind that might seem kind of off and... sour? It's hard to really place. There is a kind of unpleasantness about it when it's running hot, which it's going now. The bat woman reaches her arm up, and the windows of cars near Huesuda begin to shatter violently outward, as if some invisible, ghostly hand is reaching out and trying to crush /her/!

COMBATSYS: Echo has started a fight here on the right meter side.

                                  >  //////////////////////////////]
                                  |-------\-------\0             Echo

COMBATSYS: La Huesuda has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
La Huesuda       0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0             Echo

[LA HUESUDA]
Huesuda grunts in reply, evidently recognizing what Echo was trying to go for, but not willing to dignify it with a response. She spreads her legs and hunches forward slightly, arms held out and hands splayed ready to grab. Her own chi aura begins to rise...like a shadow, dark and murky, shimmering around her like the very night is cloaking her. She grimaces at the unpleasant feeling of Echo's aura - kind of sleazy. Her own aura is cold.

She feels the pressure building. "My Lady Death..." she mutters to herself. "Protect me this night, and let me find the strength to overcome evil." With that, she dashes forward, right for Echo. She throws out a swift kick to the side of Echo's head, her leading leg swinging out in a snap.

COMBATSYS: Echo just-defends La Huesuda's Light Kick!

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
La Huesuda       0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0             Echo

[ECHO]
"Death works for /me!/" Echo's eyes flash and her lips become a cruel, vulpine grimace, snarling as the foot comes up to her head--for Huesuda it would feel like their foot met some kind of unseen resistance, the ghostly outline of something--with arms and legs and definitely a face--between them and the bat lady for just a split second before it is gone, hardly long enough to be believed, even in the daylight.

"You sure you're up for this, you're slipping~" Echo shuffles backwards as the ground around Hue seems to... open up? Some kind of swirling, sucking vortex is trying to pull them into the ground--another opening on the building nearby--a linked conduit designed to pull people from one location to another!

COMBATSYS: Echo successfully hits La Huesuda with Another Gate.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0             Echo

[LA HUESUDA]
"She works for NO ONE, puta!" Huesuda snarls. Echo's declaration has hit a nerve - that was fast, the fight hasn't even started. She grunts when her foot doesn't connect due to Echo's powers. This annoys her. Especially so when the ground opens up below her, and she lets out a startled cry as she's sucked down.

Then, she's spat out and falls a great distance, slamming into the ground on her side. "Augh!" Pain shoots through her ribs and her thigh - something is definitely cracked. With a grunt, she pushes herself up. She eyes her opponent, then runs towards her again. Shadowy chi collects on her right arm like a fog, and she raises it as if to deliver a chop. When she does chop at Echo's chest, the chi condenses as her arm moves, forming a crescent shape like a scythe blade to cut her.

COMBATSYS: Echo blocks La Huesuda's Reaper Scythe.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0             Echo

[ECHO]
"Oh I beg to differ," Echo grins and shakes her head a little, as if this was all good-natured back and forth--it's not.

"Oof, ouch--that looked like it felt pretty good, you give up, or still thirsty for more? I know I am," the bat lady grins, taking to the air now as she darts in lower, closer to La Huesuda--the large chi-based crescent blade of her scythe coming up right for her! Perhaps becoming airborne was not the best option, but you know hindsight was 20/20, not that her vision was /bad/, bats weren't as blind as the saying went!

"Agh--careful where you swing that thing, lady lucha--" the portals nearby disappear, no longer sucking in motes of dust through them--the bat lady is however swooping down to try and air tackle the skull-masked lady!

COMBATSYS: La Huesuda fails to interrupt Wing Smash from Echo with Blooming Lily.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0             Echo

[LA HUESUDA]
Huesuda doesn't answer, eyeing the bat as she becomes airborne. Her nostrils flare as she waits for her opponent to swoop - Suda has already predicted she will based on the shifts of her wingbeats. So when that shift occurs, she is already leaping up to grab Echo and pull her down so face meets cement, but no! She misjudges the distance, and is slammed like she was hit by a truck, the wind knocked out of her as she falls backwards and lands on a ruined car, denting the hood and rolling off onto the ground, moaning.

[ECHO]
There is the sound of what might have been a flag buffeted by wind, if one didn't know better, they'd assume it was that--as Echo glides to alight on the ground, her shoes clicking beneath her.

"Phew, I need more exercise, felt like I just carried a safe up the stairs, need to lay off the takeout food," Echo reaches up to brush her forehead, apparently the airborne antics were strenuous for her, tsk tsk.

"Hello down there, are you still with us? Boy I hope so--here, just be careful, these shoes are Italian--" Echo raised her high heeled foot up before trying to bring it down on Suda as she lay bloodied near the car.

COMBATSYS: Echo successfully hits La Huesuda with Light Kick.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0             Echo

[LA HUESUDA]
Huesuda shakily gets to her feet, breathing hard from the intense impacts. She makes a note of the physical toll flying has on Echo, and stores it for later...later? Will there even be a later? A bitter sense of doubt cuts through her analysis. This creature was far stronger than she imagined. She's bitten off more than she can chew, why did she think she could take such a fighter, as inexperienced as she is?

This doubt affects her reaction to the next attack, as Echo's shoe slams onto her chest. The bad news, some ribs have DEFINITELY broke. She lets out a drawn out gasp, coughing up some blood before she shoves the bat away and rolls to the left, leaping to her feet. She wipes her mouth, wiping away some of the paint around it, and spits while glaring at Echo. Once more she leaps for her, attempting to knock her down and then grab her by the legs, swinging her around in the classic Giant Swing before letting go, hoping Echo flies into the side of a building...or through some glass windows.

COMBATSYS: Echo blocks La Huesuda's Strong Throw.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0             Echo

[ECHO]
Echo on the other hand, still hadn't bitten much of anything. This is remarkably good behavior for her, truth be told. The pencil-snapping of ribs is enough to make even Echo wince and cringe, just a little bit.

"Eesh, didn't think I hit you /that/ hard, ah well," the bat lady however blinks and tries to step back as Suda swings herself up to her feet--she manages to knock the bat down, but she is apparently not out. As she's knocked back, she lands hard, her wings buffeting against the sidewalk and slapping at it as her arms and legs jockey for purchase, one of her legs swinging up again to try and slam into the masked fighter's shoulder!

COMBATSYS: Echo successfully hits La Huesuda with Medium Kick.
- Power hit! -

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
La Huesuda       1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0             Echo

[LA HUESUDA]
Huesuda's slice of humble pie turns out to be a whole cheesecake. She isn't sure what's worse - the casual way the monster is fighting, or the fact she is clearly outmatched. But her determination, and her devotion to her sworn duty, compels her to keep going. She tries to juke the leg swing, but miscalculates. Not only does the kick hit, but it hits her head instead, sending her spinning off and hitting the ground. She nearly blacks out, blood trickles down the side of her head, and stars explode in her vision.

She moans from the pain and effort of standing, but she stands nonetheless, thinking of her patron saint, standing with her every moment. She shakes her head to clear her vision. Though clearly weakened, she slowly walks towards Echo, her hair no longer done up in a bun, but hanging down with some strands across her face.

She gives Echo the thumbs down.

Then, she shoots forward, attempting to latch onto her head. But then something happens. Her shadowy chi aura seems to transform her into a blob of pure darkness, seeming to slither all around Echo's body rapidly. Then, she becomes solid again, legs gripping Echo's neck as she pulls her forward to slam the bat lady onto the ground. She finishes by rolling onto Echo's back and putting her in a brief chokehold, yanking her neck hard before rolling off.

COMBATSYS: La Huesuda successfully hits Echo with Senora De La Noche.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1             Echo

[ECHO]
"Ouch, crap that hurt--eek!" Echo kicks in retaliation to the attempts to grab her, the tip and latter part of the sole of her shoe clipping Suda's head, out of mostly luck--Echo wasn't /that/ great at close quarters fighting. This is why she had the GHOSTS and DEMONS she'd use to fight.

"Ugh, this is getting to be a RELA headache, for the both of us, haw!" she somehow gets to her feet, just as Suda becomes pure shadow--and suddenly she's being choke-slammed! Ow.

"Hurk! 'ey--leggo!" the bat is struggling while she's caught in the choke hold, trying to bite or claw at Suda to let her go even as she's held, trying not to lose consciousness, because well--that was becoming rapidly more difficult, one eye wincing with the other shut from the pain and tension.

COMBATSYS: La Huesuda blocks Echo's Aggressive Strike.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1             Echo

[LA HUESUDA]
Huesuda grunts when Echo claws at her, scratching her skin and causing some fresh gashes to bleed - but she positions herself to block most of the thrashing from hitting anything vital. "Let go? Yes...I can let you go," she says, finally speaking.

She then lifts Echo up and holds her horizontally across her shoulders, in a fireman's carry. She then lets Echo go, and drops down to use her elbow to press the bat lady's head into the ground. The impact may just crack the concrete itself.

COMBATSYS: Echo blocks La Huesuda's Dearly Departed.

[                         \\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/----===|=======\======-\1             Echo

[ECHO]
Echo was clawing and fighting viciously for control back--or at least to get out of the choke-hold. It was rather unpleasant, all things considered!

"Yes, please--ack--do!" Echo yelps as she's dropped, rather comically--she's about ready to get slammed headfirst into the sidewalk!

"Agh!" Echo's body is twisted and she's dropped hard, but for some reason... she stops?

"Thank you, and now--" Echo has been stopped by an ethereal, glowing ghostly arm--before the weight of her came crashing down on the ground and dislocated disks in her back--she's twisting up and away from Suda now, snarling.

"Dark mists, to me!" she seems to be half-flying, half-floating--her arms stretched out as what looks like octopus ink begins to swell into the area around the two--blocking out all sight as the dark-infused chi tries to swarm over Suda, trying to blot her out!

COMBATSYS: Echo successfully hits La Huesuda with Still Falls The Night.
Grazing Hit

[                           \\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
La Huesuda       0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0             Echo

[LA HUESUDA]
Huesuda exhales sharply as Echo flies into the air again. She is too weak to jump up after her, and when Echo summons her own dark chi, she can only try and start juking. She manages to evade the dark chi swarm and thus manage to not get completely enveloped, but enough batters her that the last of her energy runs out. Pummeled by the dark essence, she falls to her knees, sweat and blood dripping onto the ground.

She is not strong enough, that much is clear. The fact stings more than her broken ribs or the cuts and bruises on her body. The thought that monsters of this level of power lurk in the shadows fills her with dread, and futility - like Sisyphus eternally trying to push his boulder.

But angrily, she stands. Even if she loses here, she knows her patron will be with her. Santa Muerte saved her once, she would see her through this. With an angry cry she hurls herself upwards to grab Echo, spin her around so her head is pointed downwards, then drop, slamming her into the pavement. The last of Huesuda's strength leaves her and she lets go after impact, collapsing onto her face.

COMBATSYS: La Huesuda can no longer fight.

                                  >  ///////////////               ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Echo

COMBATSYS: Echo dodges La Huesuda's Tombstone Piledriver.

                                  >  ///////////////               ]
                                  |====---\-------\0             Echo

[ECHO]
The bat lady's flapping wings begin to buffet and fan some of the weird dark vapors away, the white-furred form the sorceress coming to the ground soon after. As Suda dashes toward her to try and grab her, though, Echo is ready this time--ducking down low enough so that she's able to let Suda's weight carry her over herself and sort of suplexes her away from herself as she rushes her, her arms flexing.

"Oof, damnit--" Echo turns toward the fallen masked lady, one red shoe idly nudging the girl before red and blue flashing lights distract her attention. Police and fire department! They had been fighting that long.

"Will have to see you again next time, I look /terrible/ in orange," Echo recedes into the shadows of the night around the corner, aided by the dark mists that curls up around her like smoke. And she is gone.

COMBATSYS: Echo has ended the fight here.

Log created on 19:46:17 12/16/2018 by Echo, and last modified on 22:47:11 12/16/2018.