Match of the Millennium

Description: The quarterfinals for the seventh season of the Neo League begin! The first of the top 8 contenders to fight are the Bear Finn Tarmo and Bionic Boxer Mint! Which one will survive this clash of overwhelming brute force and rocket punches and move on to the semifinals?!

[MINT]
Howard Arena is roaring with activity, the stands packed to the gills. The last time Minal Panesh was here, she was one of the audience, cheering right along with the rest of them for the final match of Neo League's Sixth Season. But now, she's here as a competitor -- facing off in a rematch against one of her more challenging opponents.

A spotlight snaps on, drawing the audience's focus to one of the diametrically opposed doors to the side of the ring. The double doors swing open... and a series of pyrotechnic charges is released! Moments later, the cloud of smoke and confetti parts to reveal the pint-sized pugilist, waving both oversized gauntlets high in cheerful waves to the audience!

As in her previous fight with Tarmo, she is wearing a jersey with her last name emblazoned upon it, and the numbers '0 0' in an appropriate fashion. For this event though, the layout is a bit fancier -- dark forest green stripe running down the center, flanked by a brighter green stripes, trimmed with silver and bronze. The sides of the jersey are a bright white -- altogether, it's got a subtle slimming effect meant to make the tiny boxer look a little bit less tiny!

Though, the way she's hefting those gauntlets about, there's no mistaking the power this little South Asian dynamo can bring to bear. Striding confidently out to center ring, she hops from side to side, firing off a series of rapid-fire jabs to demonstrate. The arena erupts in cheers as the top 8's points underdog flashes her smile!

But then -- it's time for Mint to turn her attention to the closed door opposite her. The one from which her opponent for this evening will arrive. She's been looking forward to this rematch!

COMBATSYS: Mint has started a fight here.

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Mint             0/-------/------=|

[TARMO]
On comes the second spotlight, drawing attention to the opposing door. And right on cue, it opens-- with a boisterous, entirely unnecessary force that carries with it an equally boisterous sound from both that and a boot-clad foot stomping in through.

One might not imagine pyrotechnics to be much of Tarmo's thing, but if they're there, one might as well make use of them to light up the path the finnish giant takes after stepping through, holding both of his fists up for the first few steps -- after which he suddenly sets into a charging sprint, the end of which sees him leaping into the air, and landing a few paces in front of Mint upon the stone stage, the sheer heft of him bringing another weighty *THUMP* echoing out even agains that sturdy material!

"Yo, Firecracker," the Finn rumbles with a wide grin that flashes his teeth out while he straightens out from his pounce -- and almost immediately, he elects to yank the (still rather oddly chosen) heavy field jacket off of himself, sending it sweeping through the air and leaving his torso and the considerable mass of muscle lining it exposed to the audience. And *significantly* better ventilated for that matter.

"Can't say I didn't hope to see you here, you know? You were one of those losses that just left me wanting for *more*."

One meaty fist thumps agains the open palm of his other hand, while his head tilts quickly towards one boulder-sized shoulder, and then the other, to stretch out his neck.

"Hope you've been gettin' better since then. 'Cause I've been workin' my ass off to match up better to all that."

COMBATSYS: Tarmo has joined the fight here.

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Mint             0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0            Tarmo

[MINT]
With the arena spotlights glaring in her eyes and the cheering resolving into a steady drone of white noise, it's easy for Mint to put the crowds out of her mind and focus on her opponent's arrival.

And his eccentric greeting. She has a nickname now? Mint flashes Tarmo a quirky smile in response to that. "'Firecracker,' huh? ... I like it!"

Pleased, the South Asian throws up another hand -- partly to give another wave to the crowd, but mostly to signal her readiness to the fight officials. But Tarmo should have no trouble hearing the comment she addresses to him: "Yeah, I think I might have a few new tricks to show off! Hope you're ready for that!"

A fight official closes in. Mint snaps him a quick salute -- and then hops back a couple steps, bobbing gently on the balls of her feet as she settles into a proper boxing stance. She holds her mechanical gauntlets high to protect her face, showing her proper readiness. And small plumes of flame erupt from the tail nozzles of her jet-powered gauntlets -- fires lit, and ready to provide boosts of thrust as needed.

"So let's do this!"

[TARMO]
"Yeah," Tarmo confirms for the nickname with an even wider grin and a brief glint in his eyes. "'Cuz you're tiny but *explosive*."

A single retreating step is taken back with the approach of the official. No more smart banter -- just a sharp-eyed (but eager) focus on his opponent, while waiting for the signal.

And when it comes--

"SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT THEN!!"

For being such a large man, he sure moves fast. Like a truck with it's driver slamming their foot into the gas pedal to bring it right to the floor. Much like Tarmo's own foot slams onto the ground between him and the South Asian pugilist with nearly enough force to crack the stone under it. Both to bring him closer to her with threatening speed and to use the foot as a pivot point for sweeping his other leg through.

And with that, thus, comes a steel-tipped boot swinging towards her, aimed right for her chin. High up the foot goes, enough for the heel to finally be pointed directly up towards the sky-- only to come down again, regardless of wether or not it made initial contact with Mint or not, to stomp down onto her smaller frame!

COMBATSYS: Tarmo successfully hits Mint with Kirvespotku.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Mint             0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0            Tarmo

[MINT]
It's one thing to be deafened by the roar of a cheering crowd. Here, for instance, the crowd gets very rowdy about two of the League's most powerful hitters meeting once again. But it's something else entirely when an opponent is not only loud enough to be heard over such a tumultuous din, but sounds loud -even in comparison to that-. Enough of that, and one's likely to come down with tinnitus.

But, one thing about Mint is, she's not big on safety precautions like proper hearing protection. Despite a wrinkle of her nose at the sound, she seems otherwise unperturbed, clenching her fists close to her face. She winces when she sees Tarmo barreling towards her. And when he pivots for that kick, Minal drops low, hoping that the big Finn's kick would swing right over her head.

If wishes were fishes, then something something... it's a moot point, because the pugilist misjudges Tarmo's speed, and that steel-tipped boot clonks her in the temple instead of her chin, sending the lighter brawler into a wild topspin. When Tarmo brings his foot down again, her left trunk is left undefended -- and Mint gets to feel what it's like to get her abdomen caught in a vise, trapped between a boot and the stone floor!

Some people don't know how to respond to new and upsetting revelations. Mint is never shy about speaking the first thing on her mind. "AAAAAAGH!" No worries about phrasing when it's just signals of gut-squishing -pain- tearing up her nerves.

Pain has a way of giving a fighter a certain -focus- though. And as soon as the fighter gets a moment of leeway, twin blossoms of blue flame bounce off the stone floor, and Mint's sudden burst of jet thrust manages to get her out of a certain Finn's stomp radius. A quick adjustment later, and the "firecracker' is back on her feet, her face still contorted in agony as her gauntlet engines throttle back.

"Nngh, what do you put -in- those boots, depleted uranium?!" She scrubs the broadside of her hand across her face -- though it's unsure whether she's scratching an itch or trying to wipe the tears from her face.

It's something to consider later, though. Because in the next instant, those gauntlet engines roar to life again, thrusting Mint forward. She may still be in considerable pain, but she can still throw her punches!

The first volley of attacks takes the form of a three-hit combo -- starting with a left jab, then a powerful right hook. She then rams her left fist forward again, leaping up to deliver a bone-shaking blow to the Finn's sternum!

But she does something a little different, in that she's got one boot raised high. With a sudden burst of turbine thrust, she spins into the air, twirling to Tarmo's right! When her spin has her facing him again, both her gauntlets are raised high -- and then she slams -both- her hands down into his shoulder, with a grindy *k-CHAK!* enunciating the sound of her pneumatic pistons firing in perfect unison, aiming to soften up his right shoulder! Or maybe "crush" is a more pertinent term...

COMBATSYS: Mint blitzes into action and acts again!

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Mint             0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0            Tarmo

COMBATSYS: Mint successfully hits Tarmo with Knuckle Dragger.

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Mint             0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0            Tarmo

COMBATSYS: Mint successfully hits Tarmo with BFH.

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Mint             1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1            Tarmo

[TARMO]
Tarmo might very well have been prepared to follow through on that, too. His considerable weight might normally be able to keep someone pinned down pretty easily just like that, but... most people also don't have jet engines in their fists.

Something he might actually be taking into account now too, after their last match, seeing as he isn't thrown off too badly by her forcing herself out of the way. He's back to standing upright with both feet on stone again!

"Just finnish meat and bones, Firecracker!" Tarmo claims in answer to her pained accusation. Perhaps foolishly taking a moment to stretch his arms up and flex out the muscles in them in a bit of a cockish display--

One that unfortunately leaves Mint with ample time to move in before he even has his guard up again. "Hey, wai-"

But she'd be foolish to oblige his complaint/request, surely.

With his front completely exposed, the steel knuckles of the Corporal find quick purchase against the Finn's meaty form with loud, dull *THUDS* over and over. It's a testament to Tarmo's own sturdiness that he merely jostles back lightly rather than getting sent wobbling on his feet fully! He's taking it all like a champ, and in the wake of her third punch, he's already reaching forward with his hands to try to catch the small pugilist--

BUt then there is, indeed, something he didn't expect. She's-- flying?!

"Eh?"

His hands didn't even have the time to fully reach out to even begin the *attempt* at the grab. And the answer to his internal question of "where the hell did she go" is quickly gien in the form of bone-crushing force against his right shoulder.

"Grrraaahhh?!"

Now Tarmo is forced to step back and away from the woman, with a pointed hiss of pain in the very back of his throat. "Guhhh... You really did learn some new tricks...!" He growls past grit-together teeth, his right arm stretching out to test functionality. Okay, good, it still moves. It hurts like *hell*, but it still moves! "But it's gonna take more than some pretty acrobatics now!! COME ON--!"

By the time Minal has properly recovered from her own technique, Tarmo is moving too. Suddenly, she might feel a strange sense of deja vú when a shade washes over her -- cast from above by the leaping Finn, with his weighty mass, arms spread out and all, descending upon her. His own weight and gravity brought to bear as weapons against her!

"ORAAAAAA!!!"

COMBATSYS: Mint interrupts Pommitus from Tarmo with Attack of Opportunity EX.

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Mint             1/---====/=======|=======\=====--\1            Tarmo

[MINT]
Getting clubbed down to the floor right off the bat has set a lot of the corporal's priorities straight. Tarmo had found a way to inspire the best in the doggedly persistent soldier in their last fight, but she was definitely running on vapors by the end of it. She doubts she'd be so lucky this time. If she's going to throw caution to the wind, the city with the best trauma ward on the planet is probably the best place for it.

Her fists clang as several of her bone-crushing blows land in rapid succession. The opportunity to flex her new focus on airborne attacks is exhilarating, but it also comes with the added pressure to maintain her own situational awareness. With the stone floor, loss of balance can be a killer just as any attack Tarmo can throw. And it's with that in mind that she makes a point of letting her body fall slack as she lands. Her shoulders and hips compress like a coiling spring; she breathes out, nodding in agreement with Tarmo.

After all, it will take more than pretty acrobatics. A Tarmo in motion is very, very difficult to stop. And while she might have been forgiven for trying to get out of his way, a thought occurs to Mint as she looks up at the silhouetted form crashing down onto her in a Finnish body splash...

Why not use his weight against him?

"Roger that!" she shouts up at him, keeping herself low to the ground, her fists brought close to shoulder level. And when she deems the time -just- right?

Twin bursts of blue flame erupt from the back of her jet turbines. Mint rockets upward. And the pint-sized pugilist flies -upwards, her right fist rising straight up into Tarmo's jaw! "OOORAAH!"

There is, however, a consequence -- in that by going for Tarmo's jaw, she hit him way off his center of gravity. And as Tarmo's shoulders rock /upward/, his hips and legs pivot /forward/, slamming into the boxer! Mint yelps as the impact knocks her back and away from the Finn, landing in a three-point crouch a few meters back. The exchange happened so fast her jet turbines hadn't even fully idled yet; orange flames leave twin trails in her wake.

Panting heavily, she stares back at the airborne Finn for a moment while she catches her breath.

"... heh!"

... Though, it's weird. Is it cold in here? For while she doesn't seem to notice yet, her exhaled breath is starting to crystallize...

[TARMO]
"BRAGH--?!"

There was clearly a mistake Tarmo is actively making here. The tactics he had used against Mint in their last bout were effective enough in keeping her on her toes, even if ultimately, he was the one who lost. After all the other fights in between, he thought the same tactics would reign supreme this time after the basic improvements he had made.

The mistake was that this was perhaps an incorrect assumption to make. She is understanding his tactics too well for his good.

The end result is shown in the jet-powered fist knocking into his jaw -- hard enough that in such a point, even the Finn's vision briefly whites out. And the next thing he knows, the mountain of finnish meat is sent further across the indian boxer than he had intended, and slamming chest-first into the stone floor.

"Au, au, auuuu...."

Much too busy to force himself up to one knee, much too busy to realign his brains back into place, Tarmo doesn't exactly have the time or the sense to take note of the mysterious change in temperature. But not too much so for him to not manage to land his eyes on Minal once he's up on one knee-- and flash a blood-stained grin at her.

"YOu weren't kiddin', firecracker... You ain't disappointin'! RAH!"

Like a spring, the bear-like finn is bouncing up from that one knee again-- and Minal will find one wide, open palm thrusting out at her. Not so much to strike at her, but to *shove* her, in just the angle at her shoulder to send her down onto her backside if she doesn't manage to avoid it. And right after-- Tarmo himself is spreading his feet apart subtly, arms going even further out with a slight outward bend to them. Truly mimicing the form of a bear-- like he's ready to wrestle with one now!

Even if his current opponent is not as large as one.

COMBATSYS: Mint blocks Tarmo's Improvised Throw.

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Mint             1/-======/=======|=======\======-\1            Tarmo

[MINT]
Up until this season of Neo League, Mint had been wearing a normal cotton blend t-shirt for her fights. But thanks to Juliet's dad, well... it seems she's been bitten by the merchandising bug. She's still getting used to wearing a loose, airy jersey. It definitely -is- more comfortable for the hot-blooded boxer.

But the thought of just -how- cool it had become in this fight hasn't struck her just yet. The jet turbines are hot. The heat feels good, but sometimes the cool refreshing breeze that follows a burst of jet power feels even better. It's not something she's given a lot of conscious thought to.

She's got other things on her mind, after all -- like the bear wrestler hoisting himself back to his feet, and aiming to give her a hard shove to the shoulder. Panesh raises her guard, interposing the broadside of her gauntlet in the path of that shoving arm. She's still pressed backwards, but it's more on her terms -- force applied to her arms and shoulders, but more distributed over her tiny frame as she stutter-steps backwards.

She tenses as he spreads his feet again, expecting another attack... Only to watch as the massive Finn opts for a more imposing stance instead!

"Hey, I gotta! It ain't often I can go all out on someone!" Whether that's true or not is left as an exercise for the viewer. The point is, though, Mint extends her left hand, spreading her fingers apart. And in the next moment, she grasps the air in her palm as if pulling herself forward on a rope.

But that's when the jet turbines roar to life. First there is a burst of flame from the right gauntlet -- and an instant later, the left catches up. The pint-size pugilist's right fist slingshots forward at Tarmo's chest, her left engine doing little more than keeping her from getting yanked off-balance by the wild, unfettered attack! "OOORAAAAAA---" It's a singularly powerful strike, powerful enough to launch even the massive Finn backwards a dozen meters!

But her knuckles will also be -ice cold- when and if they land -- for the digits have nearly frozen together into a single block of ice!

"-- aAaA-OH!?" yelps Mint in surprise, an instant before the point of expected impact. Condensation bubbles on the surface of her gauntlets, and on her jersey -- and her most ardent fans would definitely be able to recognize the abnormality!

COMBATSYS: Tarmo blocks Mint's MOAB.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Mint             0/-------/-======|=======\=======\1            Tarmo

[TARMO]
In the end, there was a purpose to Tarmo's shift in stance. It could easily be viewed as a preperation to go for a big grab-- but no, it's actually a posture he's established to prepare himself for his opponent's approach.

In spite of how dreadfully fast the rocket-powered fist comes for him, he turns quickly from that bear-like stance to intercepting the punch! One arm brought to bear to brace against the knuckles of steel and ice, and the other crossed over it for further support.

Who knows, maybe a Finn actually handles the sudden channeling of ice from the woman much better because he *is* from the frozen north? Either way--

"RrrrrraaaAAAAHHHH!!!"

The blow is still powerful. Enough that both him and Minal are carried by the weight of it for several meters worth. But not because Tarmo is knocked back -- but rather because his boots are skidding along the stone he has otherwise braced himself against with phenomenal strength.

"Rrrhhh--- I gotta--!"

The growling comes with a sudden, explosive push from both his arms -- finally shoving the continued push of the jet engine down and aside, to free his arms from the guard.

"Give everythin' too--!! HAKKAAAAAA PÄÄÄÄÄLLLEEEEEEE!!!!"

The finnish battlecry comes as he turns with the redirection of Minal's flight -- and his massive, bear trap of a paw reaching out for her own outreached fist. If she can't avoid the grab, she'll quickly see herself swung through the air by that limb and savagely down onto the cruel stone ground!

COMBATSYS: Tarmo successfully hits Mint with Hakkaa Paalle.
Glancing Blow

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Mint             0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0            Tarmo

[MINT]
It's kind of a tossup as to which troubles Mint more -- the fact that her powerful bomb-drop of an attack seems to have done very little to her ursine opponent, or the fact that her right arm is now -freezing- when it's supposed to be a-tingle with a pleasantly warm sensation. Even when Tarmo had stomped her into the ground, her expression was more of frustration than the unabiding fear contorting her features now.

It all happens in a heartbeat, though -- as Tarmo's already pushing back and away, freeing herself from the pressure of her strike. She starts to pull her frozen fist back, grimacing as Tarmo proves successful in grabbing hold. Tarmo starts to hurl her around by that limb, but a combination of the thrust from her left gauntlet, and the ice shell around her right fist shattering in a loud *ch-CHI-ch-CHINK* sound, allows her to break free in mid-air!

"Whew...!" she comments, vectoring her thrust so that she lands in a low crouch a few meters away from Tarmo. Her hands hang low at first -- maybe the weight of the gauntlets is finally starting to take a toll on her?

"I didn't think you knew any of those chi techniques!" she chirps out, her right fist shuddering in an attempt to free herself of the largest of remaining ice fragments. "... That was pretty, uh, -cool!-"

But while he might be focusing on her right fist, Tarmo might not notice that the pugilist is pushing forward with her left shoulder. Suddenly, she clamps her hands together, swinging a double-fisted axehandle upwards into Tarmo's abdomen! If that connects, it'd be powerful enough to knock him airborne...! "OOO-RAAH!"

And if -that- can be managed, she'd take advantage of his lack of grounding, jet-boosting herself into the air and hammering six rapid-fire jabs into him... before whipping around with a broadside backhand to slam him back to the arena floor! "OORAAAAAAAAH!"

COMBATSYS: Tarmo interrupts Charlie Foxtrot from Mint with Moukari-Isku EX.
-@- Dazing Hit! -@-

[                           \\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Mint             0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0            Tarmo

[TARMO]
"Wh--?!"

Tarmo looks genuinely surprised now, by Mint's sudden slip away from his grip after the initial swing. Even in spite of all the evidence provided beforehand that pointed to her being perfectly capable of such a thing.

And what is even more surprising - to the extent that the Finn actually halts his previously-intended followup-charge completely in the wake of it - is the comment she throws his way. He blinks at her over it. Once, twice--

"The hell ya talkin' about?" He asks outright in counter. "Wasn't that yooohshit!"

Apparently that's something that will have to be settled later. His momentary distraction costs him the price of Mint's two steel fists knocking into his abdomen. It tosses him up into the air indeed, but-- while he could not bring his arms to bear in early enoguh to deflect the strike...

He did bring them in early enough for his hands to grab onto hers in the instant contact was made.

This sees the pugilist brought up to the air with him *much* earlier than she likely intended, and with still some measure of control on his own part, Tarmo manages to turn himself over in mid-air with one hand drawing further out at his opponent, clutching onto her shoulder to pull her down underneath himself just before the two of them land on the ground.

And squish her between stone and a hard place. The hard place being the Finn.

[MINT]
Mint grimaces as Tarmo grabs hold of her fists. She likes her fists where she can use them as she pleases. It's true that she -could- engage the thrusters and shuttle the Finn around wherever she pleases -- but before she can put that plan into action, Tarmo proves that, well ... his sideways torque is a bit more than her thrust output.

That, and Tarmo's already grabbed her shoulder, securing the hold so that she's forced along on the ride. And the fall.

There are noises, of metal crunching and scraping into stone. And thankfully those collisions are much louder than those of -her- colliding with the stone.

Suffice to say -- Mint is pretty dazed as she starts to pull herself free from Tarmo. Only to find that, well, he -isn't- letting her go, and keeping his massive arms locked around -her- massive arms, prohibiting her escape.

Groggily, she protests... "Ugh... okay but..." She seems to be finding the swing between extreme cold and overly warm and crushing hugs to be a bit much. Her left arm is pinned in an upright position. Her right arm is wedged between herself and Tarmo's left arm! But this also means that -- after a series of explosive bolts fire and a few hinges swing open -- she's able to worm downwards, out of his grasp! "I don't -wanna- go to school...!"

And that's when she sharply reverses her fall, using Tarmo's grip against him as she lifts her bionic left knee into his abdomen!

And if he manages to let go of her right gauntlet in the impact? That's when she'll pop the remote-fire switch on the thrusters, blasting it into his face for a rocket punch!

"Just five... more minutes!"

COMBATSYS: Mint has reached second wind!

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Mint             0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0            Tarmo

COMBATSYS: Tarmo blocks Mint's Lock and Load.

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Mint             0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0            Tarmo

[TARMO]
She's persistent, he will give her that. But Tarmo is-- weighty. Meaty. He might not manage to stop her from turning to where she can knee his side, but-- he simply doesn't *give*. He doesn't even fully let go of her right gauntlet after that release-- and so the remote blasting of it's jets sees his fingers only clamping on tighter momenteraily while he strains to try and keep it under control, only to finally decide to outright toss it off aside before he loses too much of his focus to it. Kind of a risky choice, admittedly, seeing as she might very well still be able to remotely direct it at him again, but-- maybe he figures he can get her out of this race before she gets the chance to do so.

"You don't have that long, Firecracker--!" He growls in answer to her dazed babbling while his hand tightens onto her left shoulder, to hoist her up forcefully onto her feet while he, himself, draws up from his knees to feet. And his freed right hand, in turn, comes swinging in in a fierce uppercut-- a powerful blow that would send the small pugilist easily into the air, only for him to grab into her legs while she's still suspended above, using that grip to swing her right back into the ground all over again!

COMBATSYS: Mint dodges Tarmo's Ilmahyokkays.

[                         \\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Mint             0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0            Tarmo

[MINT]
Mint's right gauntlet is hurled away, its thrust causing it to bob a bit in midair before clanging and scraping itself into a circle some distance away. The weird part is -- from the audience perspective, and those who weren't careful to know what -actually- happened, it might look like he just ripped the arm right off her! And for those who didn't know Mint was already -missing- an arm... Well, the lack of blood might be a hint that it's situation normal. Thankfully!

"... four... minutes?" she drawls out, even as she's being hauled back to her feet. Or, rather, -his- feet?! But while he's rising, she's decided that maybe she doesn't need to play the burly Finn's game. She takes advantage of the momentary shift of weight to plant her palm on his chest and pry herself free -- with that uppercut whistling perilously close to her nose in the process! "Aaah!" she cries out, her eyes crossing at the sudden fright!

It's enough to snap her out of her momentary fugue, as she scrambles backwards, horribly unbalanced. She glances past Tarmo, noticing her gauntlet there -- and while he's seeking to press his advantage, she dives to tumble across the floor, gritting her teeth. She turns around and rises in the same motion, snapping back to familiarity with the battlefield. And as she gets her bearings back, she clenches her right fist...

... some ten feet away...

... and grimaces.

"Maybe just -one- minute?" she queries, sucking in her breath -- and plunging in with what's left of her momentary adrenaline burst! She brings a barrage of rapid one-handed piston blows to bear onto Tarmo's guard, hoping that a flurry of repetition can do what her -two- fists could not!

COMBATSYS: Tarmo blocks Mint's Foxtrot Oscar EX.

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Mint             0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1            Tarmo

[TARMO]
"Slippery--!" Tarmo grunts out in complaint at the tail end of his knuckles just whiffing past Mint's chin instead of actually finding purchase there.

His high-raised fist leaves him momentarily open again. Not for long, admittedly-- but the motion was so heavy that even after recovering, he has to wobble in place before he regains his balance. Especially so after all the hits he has soaked up. He might have a veritable wall of meat to soak in the rocketpowered punches, but... they are still rocket-powered fists of steel, and their marks have been steadily left behind upon his arms in forms of bruises-to-be.

It's all leaving him weary. Making it much harder for him to keep track of her.

And it's all starting to come to a head even when he manages to bring his shielding arms in the way one more time, take the pistoning punches from her remaining gauntlet. Straining at muscle and bone both. He might be able to stop her fist from hitting him straight on like that, but...

He's starting to lose his footing.

"Gah... huh... you're... just... never letting up... huh...!!" He manages to pant out, eyes lidding over the less-focused green orbs. He doesn't so much manage to push her away this time at the end of her chain of blows, no. He just... simply persists stubbornly towards the end of it, until she has to recover. And only then, does he reach out, weakly--

IN just a desperate effort to grab onto her and pull her into a spinning swing and toss before he has expended the last of his strength. The last of the strength that was used to actually keep him up on his feet -- set to fail after that one last burst, no matter what, and leave the mountain finally crumbling.

COMBATSYS: Tarmo can no longer fight.

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

COMBATSYS: Tarmo successfully hits Mint with Moukariheitto.

[                                <
Mint             1/------=/=======|

[MINT]
Controlled bursts of vectoring jet thrust -- that's the mechanized pugilist's secret, and it's pretty much the only way that an off-hand, one-armed technique could even make inroads against the Finnish meat mountain. And even with her relying on her gauntlet's bespoke propulsion system -- the battle is leaving its mark on the battered boxer.

She sees the grab. But her reactions are tardy -- and in her haste to dodge, she forgets to use the vectored thrust necessary for such a movement. The numerous projections on her gauntlet make for good handholds. And before she knows it, she finds herself snared right back into the Finn's grasp. "--ulp...!"

Mint is grappled. And Mint is flung around in a merry go round with such speed that she blacks out in mid air. Around and around she goes -- and when he lets go, her body falls limp, with her heavy gauntlet being the only voting member on the board to determine her airborne trajectory.

She hits the ground, bouncing once before settling to the ground.

COMBATSYS: Mint takes no action.


COMBATSYS: Mint can no longer fight.


And there she stays. As the crowd erupts in an uneasy cheer -- not knowing exactly -what- the fight officials will have to say now.

[TARMO]
THe spinning maneuver ends just as quickly for Tarmo as it does for Mint. There might only be a fraction of a second difference in which one ends up hitting the ground first, between her forceful flight and his simple slumping over from succumbing to fatigue. Face-first no less, in the case of the latter.

Neither fighter stirs in the wake of it. It's... not exactly an easy decision to make, on the part of the officials, no. And whatever the actual reasoning behind it all is, is not entirely clear.

And it all leads to a name brought to flash on the wide screens suspended high above on each side of the arena, above the spectators.

MINAL PANESH

Right on cue with the medical teams making their way to the two battered warriors. At least the winner's body is going to be much more easy to handle than the mountainous mass of the Finn...

Log created on 08:17:59 08/06/2021 by Tarmo, and last modified on 22:05:23 08/08/2021.