Match of the Millennium

Description: So Pentacost is in May! This is a Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter. And what better way to celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit than a succubus acting as the Virgin Mary? In a definitely non-spiritually questionable fight match, the alluring Morrigan is required to dress as a nun for her fight. Fighting against her is the bonny Clarity and energized Vuong, taking on more devilish appearances to tempt the Virgin Mary-gan!

[VUONG]
The nave of the Abbey has been arranged to accomodate a fight. The audience is smaller than the Abbey could normally accomodate, distributed among the pews that aren't occupied by the cameras and large studio lights.

A heavy door turns open on the left side of the nave. Spotlights snap on, pivoting to bathe the new arrival in light.
Vuong feels like a fish out of water. He's been in Buddhist temples before. He's been in churches before. He's just never been in a place of worship anywhere near as big as Westminster Abbey before.

But as the spotlights bathe him in light, his unease wouldn't be immediately apparent. The church employees do their job of keeping the place clean and presentable -- such as they can before a big publicized fight, mind -- and all Vuong has to do is to slide into his role as a flamboyant entertainer. Broad smile? Check. Flashy silk clothing? Check. A chill, easygoing swagger? Check! He strides calmly and confidently into the light, raising his hands in a welcoming gesture to the fighting fans gathered around him.

Vuong is used to the Vegas lights. These are -not- the Vegas lights. But all he has to do is remember the role he's playing. And he does it with a smarmy grin, waving to the crowd as if this -weren't- in celebration of a Christian holiday on one of the most hallowed churches in the world.

"How is everyone toniiiiight?! Are you all ready to have a good time!?"

[CLARITY]
Click! Click! Click!

The camera-esque sound effects coming from the cell phone in Clarity Reece's hands are loud even for the buzz of activity going on before a fight. She's already been all around the abbey to take as many feed pictures as possible. Each post she makes draws more eyes to the fight. Each message of positivity should enkindle the souls of her fans and her followers. And hopefully, this showing against another Darkstalker will prove to the people of the world that they too can fight back against the monsters that have been showing up on her planet.

'Protect Our Planet' the message says. And always coupled with her smiling face.

But the din coming from her partner in the fight draws the young woman's attention. She knows it's go-time. And so she laces her sneakers, tugs up her tall socks and skips her way to the spotlight.

She doesn't take the smarmy route, it's not on brand for her. She plants her feet and with one hand on her hips, the other waves broadly to everyone around her. "I know I am!" she answers off of her partner's rhetorical question. "But what about All! Of! You!" Her cry comes with two fingers pointed out to the camera's so that everyone at home and on phone knows that she's looking out for them.

[MORRIGAN]
As a self-professed (?) noble and so-called "Queen of Makai," Morrigan places value on being fashionably late. A good arrival is crucial to anything, be it a ball or even an organized fighting event. Certainly Morrigan is no stranger to SNF match-ups, but certainly there are few match-ups stranger than hers.

Morrigan's entry to the Abbey certainly reinforces that. Drifting through the ceiling, Morrigan descends from the roof of the cathedral. Her weightless descend sends her habit billowing dramatically all the way down until her shoes hit floor with a steady tap-tap. In line with her prompt, the supposed succubus seems to went all out. She is wearing what looks, for the most part, to be a dark blue nun's habit, her green hair poking out from her headpiece. She is, notably, not bearing any crosses are rosaries.

"My blessings upon ye, my beloved children, it is I, the blessed virgin." Morrigan says this as melodramatically as she can manage as she raises her hand in a celebrity wave. One might think that the fact that she can keep a straight face on the last part is rather impressive. "May ye be blessed in this lovely season--"

"Oh!" Morrigan raises a hand to her mouth in a melodramatic gasp. "Woe! What sort of foul tempters have beset me?"

[VUONG]
For Vuong, saving the environment takes a backseat to earning a good living for him and his family back home. He's proud to have moved on from a work day that began at 4am with crowing roosters. Going "back to basics" isn't something he can fathom at the moment. But he's mindful enough of his public image to keep from airing his personal opinions... Especially when his fight partner has latched onto his call for audience participation! Flashing an encouraging grin at the blue-eyed blonde, he raises both his palms, pumping up the crowd as best he can in the calm before the storm. He finds time for a stage-whisper too: "Hey, nice to meet you! I'm Vuong..."

Enter the flying nun -- or falling nun, as the case may be. Vuong doesn't notice at first. He definitely notices once the crowd turns their eyes upward.

He's not Christian, himself. But owing to his perspective, he makes a show of crossing himself all the same. "Yikes. You think -we're- the one tempting -you?- Whew...!"

He shuffle-steps backwards, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. "So, Miss..." He addresses Clarity with a cooled grin: "I heard it's bad luck to strike a nun and all that, but you're cool with it for this fight, right?"

COMBATSYS: Vuong has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Vuong            0/-------/-------|

[CLARITY]
A bright Sunshine City girl born and bred, Clarity lives for the kind of spotlights around her. She flashes victory signs to the camera, she points at the audience, she makes certain to skip with each step. She flits about Voung to bring a bursting energy to her entrance. "Clarity. Let's make this look good, okay?" she replies to her dance partner.

And even though she's whipping her long hair out of her eyes while the 'nun' descends from on high, she has to admit that the show is a good one. And that this Darkstalker wasn't a frothy little puppy dog. But, strong or not, Clarity had a purpose to be here more than her fans. And she wasn't going to be dissuaded too easily by good looks alone.

"I'm a sucker for an Irish accent," she says, knowing full well the 'mistake' she makes. And with a clap, she skips ahead of Voung. "It's okay. I'll just say a couple Hail Marys, or something," she adds with a shrug. Her posture becomes more forward, a solid, bent knee and checked arm posture that showcases a good deal more training and self control than the gormless smile and the shining eyes Clarity's face suggests. "And two kickass fighters for humanity are here to tempt you. Tempt you with an ass kicking!" she can barely hold back the laughter in her voice as she opens the challenge wide.

COMBATSYS: Clarity has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Clarity

[MORRIGAN]
The Blessed "Virgin" Marygan (?) narrows her eyes at the conversation back and forth, but doubly so when told Clarity's feelings on an Irish accent. One hand sweeps up and winds her hair around one of her fingers, curling it slowly.

Another shocked gasp follows, Morrigan melodramatically covering her mouth. "How uncouth!" The succubus's tongue lightly traces her lips. "Trying to allure me with such roughhousing. Well..."

Morrigan kicks off and clears the length of the church in barely a blink, her feet actually leaving the ground as she pushes in toward Clarity and Vuong. "As they say, 'do unto others'~"

Morrigan plants one foot and then pivots, scything her leg around like a whip to try and kick Clarity in the seat.

"Oh, no," she says, "Such foul temptation! I have succumb to my base desires!"

That didn't take long.

COMBATSYS: Morrigan has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0         Morrigan
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Morrigan successfully hits Clarity with Light Kick.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Morrigan
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-----==|

[VUONG]
"Heh." It wasn't so long ago that Vuong was too nervous to speak much during his fights. It wasn't a -bad- thing, but he found it tough to self-promote when his onstage personality was... not that outgoing. As such, he clenches his fists -- and triggers a small charge of electricity to run up and down his sleeves. He winks back at Clarity, face underlit by the crackling blue lightning. "Yeah, we'll give 'em a show."

And then Clarity is off, joining the fight with a healthy show of bravado. Vuong pauses, momentarily impressed -- but realizing that it's incumbent upon him to make use of the distraction. He takes two loping strides to Morrigan's right, grinning eagerly as she leans into her first attack. His expression falters as Morrigan's first blow connects. He hopes his aim is true when he suddenly stutter-steps forward, snapping his foot in an arc for Morrigan's. If it connects, there may be momentary discomfort from the electrical charge that ensues -- but the true danger would be if he gets to follow up as he intends: snaring Morrigan's ankle between both of his, and then twisting the scissored joint ninety degrees sideways for a sharp joint wrenching! "Hyaaa!"

[CLARITY]
The allure of a bit of roughhousing. The accent jab wasn't taken, shame on that, but it did seem to catch this Darkstalker's attention in another way. That's just as good. It gives Clarity a feel for the approach, a feel for the fight.

A feel for a foot up the ass.

"The fu. . .?" is all that comes out. Clarity is used to opponents being quick, being tough, but this lady was on another level. It wasn't even enough of a tell to get ready for, and for that, Clarity is sent rolling forward tumbling along the floor of a cultural landmark.

"Oww," she mutters, rubbing the sore spot as she raises to her knee and then up to her feet. And once she's back to her feet, she's on top of gauging the situation. And with Voung moving in to fill the empty space Clarity once held, the girl knows her coming approach. She pumps herself up and both of her hands shine with a glimmering light. She brings them together and with a laugh she shouts out, "Bang!"

Beams of light streak out like lances from Clarity's hands shimmer and shine as the shots blast a second round as a corona of light gleams and Clarity gives off a brighter glow than the lights set up for the fight.

COMBATSYS: Morrigan dodges Vuong's Strong Throw.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Morrigan
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-----==|

COMBATSYS: Clarity successfully hits Morrigan with Spectral Shot EX.
Glancing Blow

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0         Morrigan
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/----===|

[MORRIGAN]
Habit billowing, whipping in the wind of sudden movement, Morrigan stands on one leg with a ballerina's grace after kicking Clarity a swift kick in the pants. "Oh woe," she says, "my tempters still stand!"

But then Vuong's kick sweeps in, and Morrigan seems to step on the air to avoid the incoming leg sweep. Instead, she bends unnnaturally, rotating her leg over his as electricity is practically leaping through the air between them.

"Oh my," Morrigan coos, "a thunderous retort, as they say?" The succubus lands on one foot, reading to bound away again as Clarity draws her attention.

The bolt of light streaks by, piercing through the edge of her habit and catching her in the ribs. It's enough to draw her into a hunch, her hand rubbing her side. The succubus grits her teeth, her eyes narrowing at Clarity. "They have even leveraged the power of light against me! But even Lucifer was a child of light~" Morrigan's tone seems to shift between actual concern and a bit of singsong chiding.

But then she's off again, adjusting her footing. She seems to glow unnaturally, a increasingly bright aura of gold forming around her before she thrusts forward with her palm, striking at Vuong's chest.

COMBATSYS: Vuong blocks Morrigan's Medium Punch.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Vuong            0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0         Morrigan
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/----===|

[VUONG]
Vuong's eyes widen when he realizes just -how- Morrigan has evaded his swift attack, stepping on the air in ways that he didn't know air could be stepped on. He's puzzled for a brief instant before reminding himself that this so-called 'nun' can fly.

He regains his footing, stepping backwards and shuffling between one foot and the other, Clarity's light attack searing past. "Was that a 'bang?' It sounded more like a 'whummm!'" There isn't time to ruminate further on the basis of Clarity'ss attacks, though, until Morrigan decides to up her own intensity with a palm strike for his chest. He pivots backwards, thrusting his left shoulder and forearm into the path of the attack -- and finds out just how much that particular course of action could hurt him. "Yeowch!" he cries, hopping another step back as he brushes his arm with his opposite hand.

Still, he had a retort ready -before- that point. "Most people start off light, yeah!" He takes a few steps forward, shifting his weight sideways. "But you know what they say about overeating..." He then rapidly whirls about into a diagonal kick, aimed high! "Kick the habit!" And if that kick has the staggering force he'd want it to have, he'd follow up by slamming his hands forward with a powerful jolt of lightning!

[CLARITY]
Angels in demons in a fight. Whichever side they may be on. As her beams scatter into shimmering spectacle off the far walls of the old Abbey, Clarity is already surging forward toward the pseudo-nun. "You ain't seen nothing yet, lady!" she cries out with a laugh.

Everyone's watching, they're seeing her shine, and Clarity knows that they all need to be inspired. But, more importantly, she needs to win. A low thrum comes from her hands as she cuts in close, the light bends around her fingertips, brightening to impossibly bright points. She throws her hands behind her and leaves streaks of streamer like lights in her wake.

Thunder crashes as lightning starts to split the air, and Clarity brings another glow as she comes in for a flanking strike. A heady thrum, the world around Clarity's hands dims as the brightness increases with the balling of her fist. A torchlight of chi hammering down for Morrigan's dome.

COMBATSYS: Morrigan dodges Vuong's Da Canh EX.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Vuong            0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0         Morrigan
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-----==|

COMBATSYS: Morrigan blocks Clarity's Blinded by the Light EX.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Vuong            0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0         Morrigan
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/---====|

[MORRIGAN]
Morrigan dances like a leaf on the wind, unhindered by her ridiculous outfit. The habit billows wildly, threatening to expose a bit too much skin with the succubus's deft movements.

Palm meets chest, and Morrigan smiles a predatory smile. "Oh?" Morrigan says, "I never do things halfway, you know. I commit my full devotion to all things spiritual and secular~" Her eyes dart as the kick whips around, and Morrigan swiftly bends backward, her green hair splaying as the boot soars over her nose. "Oh ho, funny," she turns more conspiratorily. "But you should know I have many habits. Perhaps you already guessed one, hrm."

Her legs pend as Morrigan goes low, sticking out her rump as she bends forward in a slide away from Vuong. It positions her ideally to raise her arms and intercept Clarity's shining strike with a forearm block, muscle meeting muscle as she pushes back. "I bask in the light of your radiance, my dear," Morrigan murmurs, "against which I, holy virgin that I am, pale in comparison!"

But suddenly the succubus is closing in, reaching to grab hold of Clarity. Her shoulder presses in toward the woman's torso, positioning Morrigan to transition, pivot her hip, and shoulder throw the shining star against the floor of the cathedral.

"But aren't stars supposed to someday fall to the sea? Forgive me if I not as well-read for the part as I should be~"

COMBATSYS: Clarity blocks Morrigan's Moon Tracer.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Vuong            0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0         Morrigan
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-======|

[CLARITY]
Strikes trade and light clashes. But it isn't nearly the decisive blow that Clarity hopes for. Her star, for the time being, is not as bright as it must be. And the taunting draws narrow eyed laughter from Clarity. She's as slow to ire in wordplay as the Scotswoman seemed to be in turn. "Maybe if you got a little more sun you could get a better tan," she teases, pressing her energy into the succubus' forearm.

Landing. Fingers at her lapel. A shoulder throw that Clarity rolls into and lands with a knee shaking, bone rattling, floor cracking thump on the ground. The super-hero landing does indeed shake up the insides.

She takes a breath, and she feels the earth beneath her. Her eyes shine when they open. Whispers. Whispers in the wall that she can hear, and everything in that moment seems to focus on the light coming through the many, many windows around the abbey. "He speaks," Clarity says, smiling blissfully as her fingertips slip along the floor, brushing the ground when she rises to her feet.

"I hope you're ready, lady!" Clarity calls out with a pointed finger and a cocked hip. "Because I'm about to light up your life. I've got the world behind me, and I'm never gonna lose!"

A burst of iridescence. The cracking, cleaving squeal of breaking, scratching glass echoes off the chamber walls. A twinkling of razor sharp dust in the light. Clarity surges forward, leaving shards of multicolored glass growing like knives in her wake. She rushes in toward Morrigan with a laugh on her voice. But she bears down on the succubus not with the bright shining light, but with bursting, slashing shards of colored glass that whirl and erupt from the ground around her to cover her jabbing, rib cracking combination.

[VUONG]
It can be unsettling to feel like they're not making their mark on a fighter of Morrigan's caliber, but Vuong is mindful of appearances. Truth be told, Clarity's overwhelming amount of charm and bravado is buoying the Vovinam fighter upward against what might be an altogether losing proposition were he to face Morrigan flat-footed.

That said. He can guess -one- of the Scot's habits. His answer to that is just a simple smile, as his leg sweeps back to the ground -- and as Morrigan turns her back to him.

He clasps his hands, readying himself for a strike at his opponent. He senses... -something-. Familiar, comforting -- and the lightning begins to crackle around him, searing his skin. Taking note of Clarity's position, he aims to close the loop around Morrigan. With a brief chuckle to himself, he lurches in sharply, wedging both his open palms forward in a rapid slam towards the succubus. "RRUUUAAAAOH!" Roaring, he rapidly swings outward from his initial attack, lurching forward to deliver a second, swinging blow to the temple, the circular wake of the attack etched into the air with tendrils of riotous electricity!

COMBATSYS: Clarity successfully hits Morrigan with Let the Sunshine In.
Grazing Hit

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1         Morrigan
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/----===|

COMBATSYS: Morrigan dodges Vuong's Dam Lao.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1         Morrigan
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/----===|

[MORRIGAN]
Morrigan's muscles got taut, the succubus's legs tense as she springs back and away once more. Clarity stays in hot pursuit, but what catches Morrigan's eye is the commentary. For a moment, her eyes seem to flicker in unnatural light.

But in the next moment, Clarity surrounds herself with a storm of rainbow glass, disappearing upon the cover of her own fireworks display. The first punch hits Morrigan's ribs solidly through her habit, and the others follow, the last catching her across the chin hard enough to stagger the Darkstalker backward.

"Well now," Morrigan says, "it seems the temptress has fangs like a serpent," the green-haired monster dabs her lip with her knuckle. Vuong's approach behind her seems unseen, unnoticed.

The blow strikes Morrigan clearly--then splits through her on the second, the "Virgin" disappearing into like a mirage as she loses consistency disappearing entirely like a spectre.

Her habit billows upward as she descends suddenly, above Clarity now. Shadows flow from underneath, twisting and weaving like threads, wrapping around her legs and reshaping like some ambiguous substance, some mixture between shadow, ink, and cloth. They shape into a drill with which Morrigan tires to drive downward into Clarity, spin, then kick off again to land.

"Mmm," Morrigan says, "you two are lively. Good!" Has she given up on the character now, lost in the excitement? "I want to see what else you can do! Surprise me!"

COMBATSYS: Clarity fails to counter Shell Pierce from Morrigan with Spectral Slasher EX.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|=======\===----\1         Morrigan
[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-======|

[CLARITY]
A hitch in step. It was showcase more than challenge. Just a matter of demonstration and talent and being the very best in front of the joyful Clare-Bears watching at home, on their phones, or any way they can see her in her real life adventures. But now, now Morrigan says something that catches Clarity's attention and gives her a moment of pause.

She stands and looks over her shoulder at the vanished woman's reappearance. The glass around her hands cracks and bends around, shifting to a series of multicolored claws. "That's not a nice thing to say," she says, smiling. "I'm not tempting with anything but living your best life."

But the fight is going on and she can't talk for too long because Morrigan is dropping in for a quick strike. The earth still has called, and the glass creaks and cracks, a sharp shearing sound as Clarity steps into the coming blow. Her hand leaving streaking mosaics of glass falling in the wake of her makeshift claw.

Alas, she isn't quick enough, the drilling strike hammers home against Clarity's chest. She's cast down and aside, bouncing against the ground and sliding along the floor as the glass rains down around her, shattering and sending scintillating shards that glitter in the light.

[VUONG]
Arcs of electricity sear past the place where Morrigan had stood a mere moment earlier, to no avail. For a split-second, Vuong wears an expression of disbelief, jaw hanging open in incredulity. But the moment passes just as quickly, as he spins back around with fists clenched, ready for Morrigan to strike again--

Only this time, she doesn't change her focus, going after his partner once again. He and Clarity are both mindful of their fans -- but seeing Morrigan lose the character in the moment gives him a moment of pause, as well.

Gritting his teeth, he breaks into a run. He leaps forward, diving into a tumble. And when he breaks out of his roll, he snaps into a defiant stance, feet shoulder-width apart, and balled fists curled by his waist. He's positioned himself between Morrigan and Clarity, hoping to buy his partner a few moments to recover.

Sparks begin to fly outward from his fists, as his eyes begin to glow an electric blue. "Now, I can't speak for anyone else, but I think, living -my- best life?" With each passing moment, more tendrils of electricity radiate outward from him. Sparks hiss and fizz as they tumble onto the abbey floor.

"I'm thinking it will involve a lot of Hail Mary's." He grins back, confidently.

For while he may not hear the call of the Earth in the same way Clarity can, he can make his own wellspring of inspiration. "HAAAAAAAAAA...!"

COMBATSYS: Vuong gathers his will.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Vuong            0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1         Morrigan
[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-======|

[MORRIGAN]
Morrigan vaults back, springing off Clarity's chest with deceptive weightlessly. It seems the Darkstalker dances through the air, treating such feats as gracefully as a figure skater might move along the ice. Her toes tap the floor of the church as she eases into a neutral posture, her feels clacking on the ground as she does.

"Oh," Morrigan says, "my mistake then." She tilts her head slightly, her hair creeping out of her head piece when she does. "Though such a motive sounds a bit like me, if I do say so myself~"

But now Vuong is gathering power, electricity building. This draws Morrigan's attention, the succubus turning to approach. Instead, however, she bends her legs, raising one arm in front of her and bracing her forearm with the other. Power begins to gather around her, that humming, pulsating aura reappearing.

"Oh my," she singsongs, "that seems dangerous! Maybe it's best if I keep my distance~"

Energy shoots out from her hand, a fluttering -- bird? No, it looks like a miniature angel of concentrated energy making its way toward Vuong.

But as it gets near it twists and distorts, becoming something more like a skull right before impact.

COMBATSYS: Morrigan successfully hits Vuong with Soul Fist.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Vuong            1/---====/=======|=======\======-\1         Morrigan
[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-======|

[VUONG]
It does seem dangerous. But Vuong is bound and determined to give Clarity the opportunity to recover. He offers a crisp nod in reply, resolute in his defensive posture.

He sees the bird. Is this a butterfly? Or a -skull?- It's hard to see through the shimmering curtain of lightning surrounding him, even less so from the intensity of the energy attack. But as it hurtles towards him, Vuong can only think of one thing -- letting Clarity live -her- best life. Whatever that may entail. He's often put others before himself, and this is really no exception.

Purpose. Is -that's- what is filling him with a sudden sense of... warmth?

So when the projectile is hurled towards him, he raises his hands, crossing arms against his chest. And when the soul energy slams into him, he finds his soft-soled shoes hissing with steam as he's knocked backwards. His mere defiance won't stop his own body from hurtling into Clarity, even still...

So he jumps. And the force takes over, whipping him ass over teakettle, lightning spewing out in all directions. He whips around rapidly, taking a nasty fall over a couple of pews. It is -not- pretty, and the lightning sears sparks into the cloth pew coverings.

There is a moment of silence.
And a grunt of acknowledgment.
But that moment gives way to a riotous -explosion-, as Vuong thunders out of the But almost as soon as he lands, Vuong soars into the air again, trailing lightning behind him as he hurtles back towards Morrigan!

"I answer... the call!" he shouts, vaulting to meet the succubus in a mid-air clash! He'd seek to lash out first with an aerial roundhouse, but then he'd transition into a series of rapid-fire punches and knife-hand strikes. With each strike, the crackling electricity would build -- but more than that, the intense heat of a raging fire! Once his feet hit the ground he'd leap off once more, slamming his shoulder up into Morrigan with the intent to launch her upwards -- at which point he'd do a forward flip, aimed at wrapping his legs about her middle and rotating ninety degrees for a demonstration of Vovinam's Flying Scissors technique!

[CLARITY]
A moment to recover. Mistakes made. Clarity lay amid the glittering remains of her attempt to slash through Morrigan's defenses. She lay for long enough to collect her bearings. She can hear the fight going on around her, and she can feel the pulse of the earth beneath her, flowing up and through her from the floor of the abbey. The life of the earth breathing through her. Keeping her going. Keeping her moving.

Her feet kick into the air and soon follows the rest of her. Her sneakers squeak on the floor. "It's time to. . ." She pauses when sees Voung vault forward. The heat of the chi, the flipping strike. And she calculates her approach.

She tugs down the brim of her cap and with a low run, arms backswept behind her, she twists under Voung's airborne approach. Coming in low and rising, Clarity just has a curled hand held at an angle. Because as she snaps her fingers, a flaring, firing burst of light and sparks pops like firecrackers to shower Morrigan's eyes.

COMBATSYS: Morrigan blocks Vuong's Inertial Succession EX.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Vuong            0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1         Morrigan
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Morrigan dodges Clarity's Flash in the Pan.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Vuong            0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1         Morrigan
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/=======|

[MORRIGAN]
Morrigan's expression curls into a wicked smile as the projectile overcomes Vuong's defense. The flash of glee at overcoming an opponent quickly passes, however, her grim amusement traded for two-faced concern.

"Oh no," Morrigan says, "did I overdo it?"

The explosion quickly clarifies that things are not done. "Oh, the call, is it? It is good to answer the call of your vocation!"

But Morrigan's return to character is short-lived as Vuong shoulders into her, launches her into the air, and transitions into a dangerously electrified flying scissors. Morrigan plants her hands against his legs, and in that instant something shifts slightly. Her habit is pulled taut by dense muscle, Morrigan's physique adjusting subtly with newfound strength as she resists the blow, crashing into the ground while she breaks away with monstrous power.

But as she rises from the impact, Clarity descends upon her again. There's a snap and burst of fireworks as Clarity moves in for the opening, Morrigan's eyes widening as the blinding attack comes.

There's the tearing of fabric as Morrigan draws away. A slender, black, batlike wing covers her face as she slides away from Clarity, the wing whipping the remaining sparks away as Morrigan regains her composure.

"You two are delightful," Morrigan says, "I haven't had this much fun in some time! Let's raise the stakes a little, shall we? After all..." Morrigan smiles a predatory smile. "I have a call of my own to answer~"

Morrigan lunges in, sweeping her arm in a straight chop. As she does her wing from before moves parallel, a flash of black as its contorts to a scythe-like blade intending to bite into Vuong!

COMBATSYS: Morrigan successfully hits Vuong with Fierce Punch.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Vuong            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Morrigan
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/=======|

[VUONG]
Vuong ought to be sizzling in place on the pews. His muscles ache. It's quite likely he's suffered a few broken bones. And the thought of even -voicing- his pain makes him hurt even more. Which is, in fact, -why- he'd launched himself out of the pews -- the adrenaline borne of a fresh wave of assault is, in many ways, the best anesthetic of all.

As far as this fight goes, making contact with Morrigan runs a close second on that count. He may not have achieved the full success he'd had in mind, but it pleases him to learn that Morrigan -- far and away the most powerful opponent he's ever faced -- is not untouchable. And it warms his heart even more to know that his partner was able to make use of the opening to recover her grounding. As he twists away from the succubus, one arm raises to shield his eyes from the fireworks, a small laugh escaping his throat.

It's when he rises that he realizes the effect of such an attack -- that right before his eyes, Morrigan sprouts a single wing to deal with the attack. Arching an eyebrow, he rises to his feet. "Clarity, I'm startin' to think this isn't really a nun." As his dry, sardonic assessment is borne out by Morrigan's, he brings his hands up in defensive anticipation.

But while his -mind- may be prepared, his body is not ready to react to the darkstalker's assault. The scythe-like blade cuts straight through his aura, piercing through flesh with gushing arcs of crimson in its wake. A howl of pain trails from him as he's blasted backwards from the strike, tumbling backwards over a row of pews on the opposite side from before. His cranium thumps loudly against the wood; a moment later, the rest of his body slumps down onto the floor.

Pained gasps rasp from his throat as he tries to catch his breath. Pant, pant, pant... it seems like an eternity before his body even shows signs of obeying his commands.

The next moment, the panting stops altogether, a hitch in the breath. And the very next moment, Vuong surges, his entire body uncurling in one fluid motion. He tumbles into the aisle, his entire body crackling with lightning. But the roll doesn't continue -- he stops dead in the center of the aisle, planting his feet.

He looks up from his crouch, eyes blazing blue. He curls his arms back, the tendrils of lightning migrating towards a spot between his curled hands.

"I'm... not done... yet!"

And in the next instant, he snaps both palms forward. The lightning surges into a cohesive, self-sustaining orb, thundering forward from his open palms. And as every action has an equal and opposite reaction, the recoil of the blast is such that it slams Vuong backwards, shocking his hair outward as his shoes shred two tracks free of carpet fibers. Gritting his teeth, he can only watch as the ball of lightning soars towards Morrigan!

[CLARITY]
Tiring. The fight goes on and the woman continues to dance and evade the worst that the two young fighters bring to bear. The pulse of the earth, the flow of chi, it's told Clarity all that she needs to know to understand the differing nature of her opponent. The show of the wing, at least, puts everything onto the table.

"Of course she isn't," Clarity says, sliding along the floor underneath the aerial combat swinging around her. She's twisting back up, knees to feet and assuming her proper right stance. "Everyone can see what she is. And why she needs to be beaten!"

"Let's show her whose purpose is stronger!" she calls out to Voung before she launches herself at the Morrigan. Flares of chi light explode in her wake, bright enough to dim the world around their corona. Her fists aglow, she brings a crashing knee and rib-cracking pressure to bear on Morrigan. Each strike sharp with light that throws the balance of cameras and sets the fighters into stark relief.

COMBATSYS: Morrigan full-parries Vuong's Divine Inspiration!!

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Vuong            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Morrigan
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Clarity successfully hits Morrigan with Dawnbreaker.
- Power hit! -

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Vuong            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Morrigan
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          1/-------/=======|

[MORRIGAN]
The wing unravels, twisting paper thin before slipping back through Morrigan's habit once more after drawing blood from Vuong. When he doesn't go down, the succubus puts one hand to her mouth in shock.

"Such an accusation! I am appalled that you doubt my chastity!" A pause. "Sanctity? In any case!" the Scottish tinge of Morrigan's voice is layered thick, amplifying the dryness of her wit further.

But then the shocking orb of lightning comes crackling through the church, peeling carpet, splinting a pew as it were struck by a stray thunderbolt. The orb draws every closer to Morrigan, the succubus shifting her footing as it crackles toward her. In one moment, Morrigan still has distance. In the next, she does not, two great wings springing forth from her back once more, twisting, curling before her in defense. The orb crashing against them, forcing them to roil briefly like a pool of ink as the orb crackles against them, barely held back by the succubus.

But then they shimmer, becoming steel-hard as Morrigan launches the orb skyward and away from herself before her wings drift down to their full span briefly, taking up the whole aisle and then some, casting a dark, blasphemous shadow in the halls of the cathedral. In that moment, Morrigan's nature is in full display.

"Fearsome!" Morrigan says with a wide smile. "I knew that you two had potential but--"

Crack. The knee impacts the small of Morrigan's back cleanly and her eyes go wide. She manages to turn only to be awash in brilliant light as Clarity delivers blow after blow, pounding her ribs and doubling her over.

"I need to beaten, is it?" Morrigan says, dropping onto her knees. She coughs, bringing up blood--or something like it. "And so," she wheezes, "they can see what I am? Maybe you're right."

Morrigan falls forward, onto her face and lays still for only a moment before she seems into the floor, spilling out as an inky black pool on the floor of the sanctuary.

"But let's see if you can manage it..."

COMBATSYS: Morrigan issues a challenge!!

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Vuong            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Morrigan
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Clarity          1/-------/=======|

[VUONG]
Vuong has, by and large, coasted through life with only self-driven aims in mind. Certainly, he wants to provide for his family back home, but... those are secondary, at best. And vanquishing the forces of "evil" just... hasn't been terribly high on his agenda.

He can get behind the idea of 'purpose' though. In the sense of this fight, "purpose" means to throw oneself headlong into the fight and emerge victorious. "Yeah!" he belts out, clenching his fists in agreement as his electric orb hurtles over towards Morrigan, while flares of Clarity's chi blister their own respective paths. He squints, covering his eyes with an arm as he shakily pushes himself back to his feet. And it's only when the light dissipates that he realizes Morrigan has effectively leapt over his lightning orb, as it goes on to crash into a standing candelabra, sending off a shower of sparks.

Grimacing at the wide disparity between his abilities and Morrigan's, he draws in his breath. "We can do this! Together!" His body aches. And yet -- -purpose- demands he fight onward. That he pull his own weight -- doing what he can to help take Morrigan down a peg. He breaks into a run, tendrils of lightning spilling out from his wrists and ankles as he does so. He dives feet-first at Morrigan, aiming to lock his feet around her ankles. Should the electrifying assault take root, he'd then twist sharply to the side, locking her into place and quite possibly throwing her to the ground!

COMBATSYS: Morrigan successfully hits Clarity with #Eternal Slumber EX#.
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-
~~ Alluring Hit! ~~

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Morrigan
[                                <
Clarity          1/---<<<</<<<<<<<|

[MORRIGAN]
For a moment, there is no Morrigan, only a shadow on the floor where she was. It seems, in that fleeting window, that she has been soundly defeated. With no sign of her, at best she could manage a forfeit, having fled the scene on her own power and through whatever trickery the monster is capable of using.

But then the shadow moves, suddenly and unnaturally. It creeps, inches, slithers under Clarity's feet.

Morrigan is there behind her, her arms sliding around Clarity's waist. Her bust pressed against the woman's back. Her chin resting playfully on Clarity's shoulder in an embrace.

"I like you, though. You have spirit. Let's play a bit more~"

The two of them descend, sinking through the floor together as Morrigan's embrace becomes the vice-like grip of a beast seizing her prey in her jaws.

At first, there is darkness. Vuong sees them disappear. Clarity sees nothing. Hears nothing but her own heartbeat and breathing, heavy breathing. Why is it so heavy? What is this weight on her chest?

And then there is a serene forest, empty, pristine. Natural splendor, untarnished by human habitation. The sky is crisper and clearer than it has been in decades, maybe longer. The birds sing. Animals move without fear of humanity. Morrigan stands with Clarity in the field, dressed as she often is, with wings and headwings, bat-print leggings and a one-piece. Her eyes follow the landscape, but don't seem to find what they are looking for. What is the air so heavy? What is that weight on her chest?

"Deeper," Morrigan says, almost in a hiss.

There is a city, or what remains of it. Everything burns. It smells of blood and death. "How dreadful," Morrigan says, her voice heavier now, anger rising under a thin veneer. The pressure intensifies. "Deeper."

The world goes dark. There is once again nothing. A great, red opens, illuminating Morrigan and Clarity in a ghastly light. The succubus turns sharply, he expression changing again. Anger and predatory desire gives way to anger and something akin to dread. "Tch," Morrigan says, "enough of that!" Morrigan howls, lunging at Clarity, her fangs barred.

Clarity is unceremoniously dumped through one of the walls of the church with Morrigan in hot pursuit. She flutters weightlessly across the corridor, landing in a hunch as she wipes her mouth with the sleeve of her habit. She seems ... less than pleased.

[CLARITY]
A crashing blow. A burst of light. Clarity lands on the ground with a hitch, but remaining standing. Her chest heaves with each breath. "Potential," she says, thrusting a pointer finger out toward the doubled over Morrigan, "Of beating your butt!"

And the darkness comes, spreading out, shadowy and creeping. Clarity braces herself, calling the light from within to glow outward in shimmering radiance. But the light makes shadows long and in the surprise, Clarity feels the grip of Morrigan's arms wrapping around her belly and shoulder. The shock drops the light, fading as she looks on in surprise and the pair disappear into the darkness.

Pulled into the depths, descending. And then the pristine vistas expand out before her. She chokes on the air, she breathes heavy, deep breaths, but her eyes are brightened by the view before her. It's everything. It's contentment.

Pulled deeper. A world paying for it's failures. The world that doesn't care for its own chi. The world that poisons itself and despoils itself. And Clarity watches. Her breath struggles, but she smiles with bright blue eyes at the ever increasing fury of the succubus.

The world returns and Clarity falls to the ground. Drained and sapped of energy, she yet feels pleased and content. She laughs, hitching herself up onto her hands. Quick, laughing breaths come from her as she gulps air and struggles to her feet.

Clarity wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. She looks to the blood spatter left behind. Slow, weakened steps start to take her toward the hunched succubus. "A world without poison like you," she says, "Was it too beautiful to stand?" She lifts her head as her hands shine with a brilliant golden white glow. "Let me illuminate you."

COMBATSYS: Clarity can no longer fight.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Vuong            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Morrigan

COMBATSYS: Vuong successfully hits Morrigan with Don Chan.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Vuong            0/-------/----===|>>>>>--\-------\0         Morrigan

COMBATSYS: Morrigan dodges Clarity's Let There Be Light.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Vuong            0/-------/----===|>>>>>--\-------\0         Morrigan

[MORRIGAN]
Morrigan glances up from her crouch as Vuong approaches once more, undeterred by her brief interlude with Clarity into parts unknown. She rises up, standing at her full height as Vuong closes in, goes for the legs, and takes her off her feet. Lightning crackles through her body as he discharges chi like lightning, twists, and throws Morrigan to the ground. Smooth billows off her body in its wake as she rises back to a sit, gradually, planting a hand, digging her fingers into the floor, and then pushing up.

"...mmm," Morrigan says, sprawled across the floor and entangled by Vuong. Her habit is shredded and charred, but Morrigan seems to not mind. "So that's what you're capable of," her tone shifts. The lightheartedness from before has been displaced by more gravity. "You see."

The light is sudden and defiant as Clarity blasts at Morrigan, her resolve unshaken despite the succubus's vampiric assault. The darkstalker dips backward, the beam passing through strands of green hair as she narrowly avoids the volley. "Of course," Morrigan scowls back at Clarity, her hair hanging behind her as she looks at her upside down. "Defiant as always, even with no -- what's the expression, gas in the tank?" Her head tilts back up toward Vuong.

"But you have a bit of fight left. Can you finish things? Let's see--"

Morrigan pushes in, aiming to plant her hands on the Vietnamese fighter's shoulders, to press her chest against his. As she does her whips rip free again, reshape, and generate exhaust like rockets as she tries to take him to the sky with her, pulling her against her with hideous strength.

And from there, Morrigan aims to invert, shift into a spiraling divebomb, then slam Vuong hard into the floor of the cathedral.

COMBATSYS: Morrigan successfully hits Vuong with Vector Drain.

[                                < >  ///////////////               ]
Vuong            1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1         Morrigan

[VUONG]
Vuong may not have been able to maintain his hold on the succubus, but he's quick to twist back to his feet. Despite the pain wracking his body, the rush of battle invigorates him. He wipes the blood from his lips across the back of his sleeve, not unlike his battle partner from her weakened condition. And when she attacks -- he notes, partly in response to Morrigan, partly in self-reflection: "I feel like I have tapped only a fraction of my full strength..."

He starts to rush forward, to take advantage of Clarity's attack. He leaps forward -- and Morrigan crushes him to herself.

He does not take the captivity well. He struggles back, seeking to slam whatever he can against Morrigan in mid-flight, even as the lights of the abbey whirl into dizzying blurs around him. He feels himself getting lightheaded...

And then the world goes black, in bone-crunching pain, as he is violently introduced to the cathedral floor.

His body bounces once -- the light wrenching his eyelids open for a moment, only to falter.

His limp body bounces a second time. Once again, light dares to infiltrate.

But the third bounce never happens. His body twists sharply, aglow with electricity. A hand is planted on the floor, then a foot. And, as if animated by Dr Frankenstein's life-giving thunderstorm itself, the Vovinam fighter whirls back to his feet!

And his face is nearly as creepy as Mary Shelly's famed monstrosity. Muscles spasm. Flesh and sinew grow translucent from the crackling light within. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" he howls, lightning crackling with such ferocity it's a wonder his body can even remain whole. Whereas Clarity brings snappy words -- Vuong can only bring his pain-wracked intensity to the table. Thundering forward, he would swing a series of nerve chops at Morrigan, followed by an attempt to grab her by the arm -- but most importantly, he'd seek to ensnare her waist with his legs, wrenching her off her feet in an attempt at payback!

COMBATSYS: Vuong can no longer fight.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Morrigan         1/------=/=======|

COMBATSYS: Morrigan blocks Vuong's Momentous Occasion.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Morrigan         1/----===/=======|

[MORRIGAN]
Following the slam, Morrigan seemed to expect little. She drove Vuong to the ground with enough force to finish the fight, and as such she lands with a light step, ready to stroll out whimsically.

But then Vuong regains his footing and returns with a fury, rocketing toward Morrigan like a bat out of hell.

The succubus brings up her arms to guard, her muscles tightening, becoming more dense as she strains against the impact. Her restraint is strong even now, but what becomes the real problem is the scissor-lock that catches her by the waist. LIghtning flashes, chi discharged into her as she's thrown, bodily, across the cathedral.

Smashing through the first pew, she crashes into a second, then stops on a third before tumbling to the ground. In this time, it seems the fight may be over, both sides defeated soundly through the exchange.

But then Morrigan rises, dusting herself off. She turns and pops her back in an unnatural way as if to put something back in place.

"Oh, you two are interesting. I imagine we'll meet again sooner instead of later..." The succubus steps forward, redonning her habit and straightening her hair. "But until then--I do hope everyone enjoyed this rendition of 'The Last Temptation of --'" Morrigan furrows her brow. "Oh, no, that's not it. Oh well~ Ta ta."

And with the passing of light through the windows, she is gone.

[VUONG]
Vuong, for all his sound and fury, simply flickers out like an exhausted match. He collapses to the floor just a moment before the victorious succubus rises to her ffet once more. After-fight commentary from the Vovinam fighter is... not forthcoming.

Log created on 11:30:56 05/16/2020 by Clarity, and last modified on 09:13:31 05/28/2020.