Match of the Millennium

Description: "Finally, we come to Seven versus Meifeng. Will the Tiger of the Library be able to hold out against the bearer of the Deadly Sins? We will all find out as they meet before the gorgeous San Giorgio Cathedral in Sicily."

[SEVEN]
Surrounded by Mediterranean architecture, the Cathedral of San Giorgio casts a long shadow across its front steps, towering imposingly under the afternoon sun. A crowd has gathered along the stone stairways to bear witness to the promised battle before the holy sanctuary, and further down the path, the fronds of palm trees sway in an unusually heavy wind that blows about the island of Sicily on this day.

Beneath the great shadow on the steps stands a figure who also casts a great shadow, and one who would appear starkly at odds with the nature of the Cathedral: Samson Rodgers, all seven-and-a-half feet and change of him, leans against the building, arms crossed behind his head, daydreaming behind his aviator sunglasses, letting his tattooed gut hang out from his leather vest. As ever, the Seven Deadly Sins from which he derives his nickname are inked on his body, all but two visibly accounted for. If he weren't here for a match, one could be forgiven for assuming that he was here just to offend, intimidate or upset pilgrims, clergy or worshippers who might attend the Cathedral, challenging them simply by his presence - but he's not here for that, it's just a perk of the gig.

"Fuckin' Catholics," he thinks aloud as his eyes turn toward the crown of the structure more than three stories above his head.

[MEIFENG]
It is just as Mr Rodgers looks away from the Modican neighborhood that a distinctive woman in white strides forth from a side street. Her height may not be as impressive as his, but it's probably safe to say that the tigress's bright orange-and-black fur would leave a lasting impression all the same. The Librarium lieutenant's sunglasses gleam in the light, casting a bright disc of light that flits across the shadow as she turns towards her opponent -- easy enough to spot from his prominent positioning.

Whereas Rodgers may walk the paths of seven, his opponent may just as well walk those paths in the opposite direction. Humble and patient, she walks a controlled line to the base of the steps, stopping just at their center. With a chaste, kind smile she looks up to him, her long, Chinese-styled dress flapping wildly in the breeze. A firmly-entrenched hairstick keeps her well-coiffed hair pinned in place.

She does not make a sound. Just keeps flashing a tempered, charitable smile in the general direction of her opponent. And if he should look her way?

"Greetings to you!" The diligent Librarian makes her voice heard above the whipping winds, and yet, manages to be polite and welcoming all the same. "I watched your last fight with Velvet Blue..." She coughs meekly into a balled fist. "Might I ask: How was the sundae bar?" A trace of amusement crosses the feline's lips.

The martial artist takes a step back, raising her left palm, and planting her right fist into it. "More to the point -- I believe myself to be your next opponent. My name is Yao Meifeng. It is an honor to meet you." She punctuates that thought by bowing her head in salute.

COMBATSYS: Meifeng has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Meifeng          0/-------/-------|

[SEVEN]
Seven's sunglasses continue to linger upward as he blows a puff of air up toward the sky. His thick neck rolls, popping, as he silently waits for his opponent - even as she's already standing at the foot of the steps that he stands at the top of. Finally, he looks down -

'Greetings to you!'

- and does a little double-take as he's unexpectedly greeted by a woman of unexpected appearance.

"Mmm?"

He adjusts his shades, brows furrowing, before he starts to trundle forward, descending the steps one at a time, his eyes seeming to remain on the Librarian as she introduces herself.

He snorts.

"To be entirely candid, Miss Meifeng, I do not recollect with vividity as to the quality of the sundae bar, but the wine selection was par excellence," the giant drawls, pronouncing the French expression in typical American fashion. "And if I'd've known that this here contest were a costumed affair, I might've dressed the part. I have been told that I bear a resemblance to a hippopotamus, after all."

He pushes the knuckles of his hands into the opposing palms one massive hand at a time, eliciting a popping sound, as he takes his place opposite the martial artist.

"I reckon you will already know me as Samson Rodgers, or 'Seven' - though informally I go by 'Sev.' Before I dispense with my gentlemanly disposition, I will allow you the first shot, ma'am."

He stretches his arms out to either side.

"Ladies first, after all."

COMBATSYS: Seven has joined the fight here.

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Meifeng          0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
The Librarian from Changzhi may be virtuous most of the time, but she has been known to enjoy a good wine from time to time. She offers a pleased smile and a dip of her chin, nodding in appreciation.

It's when Seven suggests that Meifeng's look is a costume that the smile dims in intensity. One fluffed up ear flicks to the side.

"It is not," she answers with a flattened smile, "a 'costumed affair.'"

Her sobered expression is short-lived, however, replaced by a more curious glance at the knuckle-popping. As Seven makes his way into position, the martial artist tiger slides one foot backwards across the stone floor. As her knuckles part ways with her palm, a soothing blue glow is stretched between them, coalescing into a trio of azure orbs.

The tigress then pivots backwards 180 degrees, arms windmilling overhead. The three orbs are distributed along the arc described by her sweeping arms, each little planetoid spinning in place. "I appreciate it, my good sir," she answers with a hint of amusement.

Fight officials -- they make their presence known.

And in the next moment, she takes a half-step forward, punching the air with her palm. As if blown forward by the sudden impact, the three orbs hurtle outward in the air in front of her. And with a nod to Seven -- to further acknowledge that she's taking him up on his offer -- the tiger takes one stride forward!

"Hnn..."

Her next stride sends her vaulting into the air! One foot steps down upon the lowest of her hovering orbs. Her next leap carries her up and further, and her final further still! At the apex of her leap she brings her arms around into a high overhead motion!

And it's with that momentum that the Librarium lieutenant's leading palm drops like a leaden weight onto Seven from overhead. As she twists about in midair, her second palm will follow in a descending blow!

"Haaa!"

COMBATSYS: Meifeng successfully hits Seven with Aggressive Strike.

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Meifeng          0/-------/-------|>------\-------\0            Seven

[SEVEN]
Seven's lip curls, exposing teeth as his head follows the tigress' ascent on her orbs.

"Helluva trick," he rumbles as he tilts his upper body back to shift his head out of the arc of the first descending palm, interposing his hirsute, padded sternum instead. The hand smacks into the giant's flesh with enough force to cause his chest and belly to jiggle tightly with the impact. The second has the same effect, with the addition of causing him to take a step backward, slightly off-balance - but he maintains his footing.

"Not a costume," he mutters mostly to himself as he shifts his weight back toward the Librarian, making a lunge to try and catch hold of the feline fighter's tail with his left hand. Should he manage to do so, he'd then deign to heft her up off of her feet by the appendage, before curling his right fist to deliver a hammerblow to Meifeng's midsection, releasing her in the process.

COMBATSYS: Meifeng blocks Seven's Grasp And Pound.

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Meifeng          0/-------/------=|>------\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
Meifeng is nonetheless impressed by her opponent's fortitude! She was not playing pattycake with those attacks, and yet the big man remains standing. It's enough to bring the smile back to her face as she lands on the stone walk. "Thank you!"

The next moment, though, sees the man grabbing for her tail. If it were a costume prop, it'd be easy to tell -- but that tail responds every bit as any other feline tail might. Right down to the feral screech that escapes her throat.

But Meifeng leaps before she can be tugged off her feet, adding a bit of slack. She also doubles her arms in front of her! When Seven's right fist slams into her, her guard remains firm, proving that she, too, has a fair bit of combat resilience!

Released, she lands a few feet back, sparing one hand to brush along the length of her tail. "It is not a carry handle," she protests with a light huff, sweeping her left hand wide and tugging her orbs back to her.

The tigress lets go of her tail, swishing into a quick rotation. Her orbs come along for the ride, swirling in a circular eddy formed between the spinning Meifeng and her opponent. And when she hops out of her twist, she presses an open palm into her whirling orbs. Erupting with a gout of blue flame, she sends her orbs flying towards Seven -- hoping to see how he responds to her demonstration of qi prowess! "Haaa!"

COMBATSYS: Seven auto-guards Meifeng's Form Six - Blistering Torrent.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Meifeng          0/-------/------=|>------\-------\0            Seven

[SEVEN]
As Meifeng soothes her tail in the aftermath of Seven's attempted mistreatment, the giant's thick lips quirk slightly upward at the corner, revealing no remorse for his behaviour as he rubs his freed hands against each other.

"What can I say? Catchin' a tiger by the tail appeals to my sense of adventure," the mountainous man replies to the upset darkstalker as he starts to move ponderously forward toward the feline fighter once more.

The orbs swirl and then fly toward the titan as the blue flame reflects in the mirrored lenses of his aviators, and for a moment, it looks like his nerve might be tested - his brow furrows behind his glasses, his nostrils flaring as he sucks in a breath. Each of his meaty fists clench low at his sides, tension surging in his biceps, his titanic gut tightening in as the word 'GLUTTONY' across his bare flesh shrinks ever-so-slightly. Then, as the orbs come crashing into his midsection, the tension is suddenly released, his belly swelling out and swinging forward to meet the three orbs as they collide in turn with it, sending them scattering. The timing of the dispersal is just right to keep the flames from touching his skin for more than the briefest of moments - though a few of the hairs above his belly button smoke in the aftermath.

"You got some real balls, kitteh. This'll be fun."

With that, he starts to lumber forward toward the tiger - steadily picking up speed as he lowers his head and starts to charge!

COMBATSYS: Seven focuses on his next action.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Meifeng          0/-------/------=|>------\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
Meifeng flashes an amused smile at the way in which Seven deals with her focused attack. She's met a number of scoundrels in combat, and while they share many similarities, each one's just a little different. Perhaps that's part of the appeal of her job as a Librarium officer.

However, it doesn't take long for her to realize that Seven, like many scoundrels she's fought in the past, may just be trying to rub her the wrong way. To get her angry on -purpose-, so that she's more likely to make tactical errors. And as such, she lets her temper cool off in the span of a breath.

"Mmm, is that so..."

Her tenseness lessens as she slides her hips back, both palms raised in a less confrontational stance. A gentle sweep of her leading hand to one side is enough to summon the three azure orbs back to her side; a switch of her trailing palm to supine position tugs them into a wide circular orbit around her center.

Her tail swishes back and forth as she presents a casual, almost indifferent air to her opponent.

"Show me what you have in store, Mr Seven..."

And with each passing moment, the spinning of the orbs grows a bit more hurried. Their aura and glow, a bit brighter... All in anticipation for Seven's arrival!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng gathers her will.

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Meifeng          0/-------/-----==|>------\-------\0            Seven

[SEVEN]
Seven may take more time and effort to accelerate than the average fighter - a comparison that could be likened to a trailer truck compared to a car - but once he gets rolling, his speed gathered, he's still dangerously fast and seemingly unstoppable. Bearing down on Meifeng with no heed for the orbit of the orbs around her, the giant hits the climax of his charge with a knee swung upward with his full velocity, aimed at Meifeng's gut with the intent of doubling her over, if not by reflex, then by sheer force.

Should he manage to do so, he would reach down with his right arm - marked by the tattoo 'ENVY' - in a bid to catch the tigress around the waist, before clasping his left hand to his right arm to seal in the hold. If successful, he'll then lift her up high in the air and drop down to slam her down front-first to the steps with a gutwrench suplex - and, not content to end the violence there, he would then roll over and attempt to establish dominance by sitting on the Librarian's back, hooking her arms over his knees and locking his hands under her jaw before wrenching back to apply potentially-excruciating pressure to her neck and back!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng blocks Seven's Envy EX.

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Meifeng          0/-------/--=====|>>-----\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
Despite her seemingly relaxed stance, the fact of the matter is that Meifeng is momentarily rooted to the ground, silently siphoning qi from the earth below her. But she also has the bravado that Seven professes to enjoy, and defiantly stands her guard all the same. When the knee swings in, her orbs modify their orbit, swinging themselves into its path. The orbs cushion the blow like bags of gelatin, turning a bright, almost neon yellow for the moment of impact...

Meifeng expected a strike. But she wasn't -quite- as ready for the followup, suddenly finding arms wrapped around her waist! Seven may find that keeping hold of his feline opponent is harder than it looks, though -- for she's much more flexible than her rigid demeanor may have suggested! It -sounds- like she hits hard, but she's able to catch herself with both hands -- and by the time he moves to sit upon her, the tigress has already arched her back, raised her hips and ribs, and moved to kick herself out of his reach!

Rolling sideways, she scrabbles for purchase on the stone walkway, poised on all fours. The tigress' cool disposition seems to be a casualty of the exchange though: her tail sticks straight out, her expression one of ravenous bloodlust. If there are sassy comments in there, they're masked by a feral, -pained- anguish.

Without warning, she leaps forward with a howl of pain. She launches into the air, bringing both feet high -- and then slamming her heels into him, one, two! She'd then twist hard to her right, delivering a full extension kick to finish the combination...

Or, as it turns out, to send him flying into her three charged orbs, which release their stored energy in a trio of explosions!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng successfully hits Seven with Form Seven - Whistling Gust.
>>> Punitive Hit!!! <<<

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Meifeng          0/-------/--=====|>>>>>--\-------\0            Seven

[SEVEN]
The cat-woman dives from between Seven's legs, leaving him to tip back and land backside-first on the hard step with a grimace.

"Slippery pussy, ain'tcha," the giant grumbles as he pushes both palms down against the stonework to propel himself back up to his feet with a precarious sway. His head cocks slightly to the side as he takes in the tigress' anguished demeanour, hands quickly tugging at the leather bands on his wrists to straighten them.

"Now, don't go feral on me -"

The words are no sooner spoken than Meifeng is already launching herself at him, both feet raised. He straightens his noggin and stands his ground, arms at his sides as he readies himself to attempt to absorb the assault into himself in the manner he's beginning to become known for. The first heel slams into his belly, practically disappearing into the corpulent flesh as it gives way like marshmallow, and the second is received with equal acquiescence. It seems he may keep his grounding, till the third, fully extended kick blows through the layers of protective fat and into muscle, sending the man teetering backward and into the charged orbs - which engulf the bulwark's back in their successive explosions, blasting a hole into the back of his vest!

Scowling, Seven reaches around to his back and feels his freshly-burnt skin where leather should be, gritting his teeth before taking hold of either side of his garment.

*RIIIP*

Pulling the ruined vest apart and letting the halves drop to the ground, he glares at Meifeng from behind his glasses.

"You know how hard it is for me to find a damn vest that fits, you goddamn fuzzball?"

Judging by the shift in the goliath's demeanour, it must be something of a challenge.

And in expression of his umbrage, Samson lumbers forward again, hands outstretched to shove Meifeng to the ground like a schoolyard bully in a sandbox - before, if successful, leaping to drop backside-first onto the tiger-lady, with the intent of crushing her beneath his weight!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng fails to interrupt Sloth from Seven with Form Five - Howling Whirlwind EX.

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Meifeng          0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\1            Seven

[MEIFENG]
There it is again -- the dull roar thundering through her eardrums, the pounding sensation in her heart. Wild emotions from a long-buried past forcing their way back to the surface.

Meifeng leaps back from her kicks, left shoulder in front, her back remaining arched, her body now at a right-angle to her opponent. She scowls -- not out of anger, but a -warning-, and one that seems particularly odd from the tiger dolled up in modern-day fashion.

But as Seven rises to his feet, reaching around to tear his vest off... the Librarium lieutenant blinks in momentary confusion. Her tail droops, as she cants her head to the side slightly.

"... Mmm... " she starts, her voice heavy and rough. "I understand -- I find it difficult to find shoes that fit well." She taps her chin, as the last of her momentary cloud of rage passes. "Perhaps you should learn sewing?" she offers helpfully.

Though it's about at that moment that Samson lumbers forward. Meifeng finds herself on her back foot, though, caught unawares from her lapsing rage. While she'd -had- designs to thrust her hip into the burly titan, her reaction time is tardy -- and she's bodily shoved aside, landing -hard- against the ground, set up perfectly for Seven to get the drop on her! She chokes out a yelp, hands and feet momentarily flailing for purchase!

[SEVEN]
Seven allows his enormity a moment to rest on top of Meifeng, snorting with aggravation before standing up to his feet heavily. He turns around toward the prone tigress, extending an open right hand down toward her.

"These fingers ain't made for needlework, ma'am."

With that said, he tries to latch those plump digits around the Librarian's arm, planning to pull her up onto her feet with all the gentlemanly hospitality of an angry gorilla - before driving his lowered right shoulder into her gut to force the wind out of her, setting her up to be lifted by her thigh and shoulder across his back, before being pressed up a good ten feet into the air above the steps, both arms pumping - before intending to drop the darkstalker at the giant's feet, leaving her in his path to be trod upon before he'd step off of her in a display of power - and perhaps arrogance.

COMBATSYS: Meifeng blocks Seven's Pride EX.

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Meifeng          1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1            Seven

[MEIFENG]
A low growl of frustration rumbles from Meifeng's throat. There are many times that the NOL officer has felt helpless, but even in those cases, there is -something- to be done. But here, there is nothing left but to accept his gracious offer of being stretched across his shoulders.

No, wait. She accepts the first part, where he hoists her up by the arm. But by the time his shoulder slams in, she's interposed her other forearm in the way, distributing the impact. The tigress... does not skip arm day, it should be said.

And when Seven starts to lift her up, the nimble tigress leaps with the turn, twisting about in mid-air and using her body as leverage to wrench her arm free of the grasp. It pulls the sleeve apart at the seams, and pinched and pulled at her fur besides, but the maneuver served to bring her free all the same.

She lands, in a low crouch, bringing one hand up to address her threadbare sleeve. "Perhaps so." She rises -- hopping nimbly from one foot to the other, as if about to start a jog rather than re-engage in battle. "... But perhaps you could hire a tailor?"

Grinning, she makes a grasping motion with one hand, then flicks her wrist. Her orbs -- now returned to their former blue hue -- were left near Seven's position -- and it's now that they'll become a bit of a hazard to him, whirling around into a miniature cyclone. As Meifeng leaps into an overhead windmill strike, the orbs will position themselves behind him -- trapping Samson between them and the advancing tigress!

She'd seek to follow up her windmill strike with a rising shoulder strike, and then a hip strike, volleying her target between her limbs and the whirling orbs! Should those land -- the combination would culminate in a powerful hip strike, and then on his return trip she'd greet him with a twin palm strike, culminating in all three of her orbs detonating once more!

COMBATSYS: Seven fails to interrupt Unbound Form - Relentless Typhoon from Meifeng with Gluttony.

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Meifeng          0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>---\1            Seven

[SEVEN]
As Meifeng masterfully eludes his clutches, slipping free from the freefall he intended to inflict on her, Seven's face twists into a sneer. A red flush comes into his cheeks, creeping along his skin - almost as if his frustration was beginning to manifest upon his very flesh.

"Shoulda known. Cats always land on their feet. Ain't that right, li'l Mei-Mei?"

That little comment and grin that Meifeng gives seems to draw forth the simmering anger under the giant's surface further, his body seeming to swell with malcontentment at her cheek. When she starts to whirl down on him, he pays no heed to the orbs positioning themselves behind his back - instead pumping his fists up in her general direction before swinging his arms back, thrusting his humongous belly as he musters the might to throw the hundreds of pounds of his person upward into a leap that, to most, would be simply routine, but for him, manages to be something of an impressive feat.

His plan, it seems, was to gracelessly slam his belly through Meifeng's attack and simply overpower her with his sheer girth - but something goes wrong, as the windmill strike plows into his gut to find the behemoth's diaphragm, driving the wind out of him.

"Eurgh.."

The impact sets Samson's belly to jiggling back and forth like a panna cotta as he lands unsteadily, tripping back into the whirling orbs, knocking him forward again into the rising shoulder which adds a vertical bounce to the motion of his gut and tips him back again. The first hip strike seems to turn the chaos of his corpulence to frenzy, while the second indents his middle and seems to resolve the turmoil to a simple rubbery bounce as his flesh regroups - before the twin palm strike sends a virtual tsunami rippling out to both sides of his belly as he staggers back into the ensuing explosion.

Blown forward, Seven drops to one knee, redness filling his whole form as he pants for breath.

"Well, ain't you an ornery bitch," he growls in frustration as he forces himself back up to his feet - looking about this close to truly losing his cool after the near-fall.

[MEIFENG]
As her attacks land their mark, Meifeng can't help but feel a little pleased. It's true that 'trash talk' is an accepted part of fighting in front of an audience -- not only does it mark the checkbox of demoralizing an opponent, but it also serves to build rapport with any audience members that might be close enough to hear. But Meifeng sees... a trend to it, somehow.

She draws her hands back, breathing in through her teeth. "I am somewhat unfamiliar with your accent. But... is this what you would call 'negging?'"

The beast was beginning to take control of her actions again -- it had done so once in this fight, and once in the fight prior. And as much as she'd like to experiment with the accumulation of her rage, the Librarium officer is fearful of whether she'd be able to -stop- herself. Cheekiness helps keep that in check, in some small part -- a pointed effort to keep her brain engaged, instead of letting instinct do all the work.

Pi gua zhang would be another part of that strategy, at least in the short term. The "heavy hands" style is much less aggressive -- and seems to have been doing well, besides. So that even when Samson slings another barb at her, she just smiles, and lets it flow off her back like water.

"Pardon, but... is that not a word for a dog, instead of a cat?"

She steps in close, whirling around with a lateral sweep of her palm, before thrusting in with a short kick to the hip, and then a stabbing kick down at Samson's toes. He may be well-padded -- but his extremities must still have some sensitivity to them!

COMBATSYS: Seven interrupts Medium Kick from Meifeng with Random Swat.

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Meifeng          0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>--\1            Seven

[SEVEN]
Sweat has begun to glisten on Samson's body by this point, gleaming in contrast to the red as the sun shifts to light their battle from above.

"Neggin'? I ain't tryin' to get under ya dress, sweetheart," the surly Southerner drawls as he steadies himself, snorting. "An' if you prefer I call you a pussy, more pow'r to ya, fluffeh."

The tattooed titan rears back his left arm as Meifeng whirls around and sweeps her palm sideways into the side of his rotund middle, another ripple swaying through his protective blubber. As she kicks at his hip, though, his open hand comes hurtling sideways before smacking into the tigress' midsection with his great reach - upsetting her balance and interrupting her momentum before she can find a likely weak spot in the giant's prodigious defenses.

[MEIFENG]
Meifeng's eyes widen behind their tinted lenses. At least there is less danger of miscommunication around someone as, er, -outspoken- as Samson. "... 'Fluffy' is the most acceptable option," she insists, momentarily at the limit of her discourse.

There isn't much time for her to react as Seven cuts her off in mid-attack, though. Teetering off-balance, her arms and tail go out for balance -- which would have worked swimmingly, if she hadn't also backed right into the first step. Yowling in pain, she opts to collapse rather than try to remain standing through that, hitting the ground in a roll and landing on all fours.

... So much for sticking with that kung-fu.

From her low position, she suddenly takes off, as if starting a 100m sprint! She leaps into the air, throwing her full weight into a shoulder tackle at center mass -- before pivoting in mid-air, snapping her shins and feet forward for a series of quick aerial kicks! But in the midst of that, her orbs have moved into position around Seven, their forms stretching out into long, gelatinous arcs. If her attack is successful, he'll find that the gummy qi constructs might make it a -bit- tougher to move his upper body around...

COMBATSYS: Meifeng successfully hits Seven with Form Three - Rising Gale.

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Meifeng          0/-------/---====|=======\=======\1            Seven

[SEVEN]
The animalistic posture that his opponent lands in elicits a smirk from Samson, as if some private amusement struck him - though it doesn't linger long when Meifeng launches herself at him. He brings his arms around as if to catch her as she collides with him, sinking into the pillowy middle of his mass before delivering kick after kick into the muscle beneath. He staggers and flails as the gelatinous orbs encircle his bare flesh, trying to flex his biceps through the binding blobs, but to little avail.

"I ain't one for shenanigans, Kit-Kat. You're cruisin' for a bruisin'," Samson declares, seeming soured as he grasps for the orbs ineffectually, before opting to attempt to simply overpower them - stretching his right arm to its full length as he brings it down overhead in an attempt to smash his palm into the tiger-lady's crown and drive her down to the ground!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng blocks Seven's Palm Smash.

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Meifeng          0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2            Seven

[MEIFENG]
The orbs give way, but due to their nature, they start congealing back together in a moment or two. But that's long enough for Meifeng to make use of her temporary advantage...

"... okay?" she comments, dropping low as Seven's partially-entangled arm reaches for her crown. One forearm snaps over her head, giving him a good grasp at what's left of her damaged sleeve. It's not a full evasion -- in fact, it's enough to force the catwoman down a good foot or so before she's able to swivel out from under him.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asks with all the innocence she can muster, while hopping over to take two steps up the stairs. On the third, she leaps into the air -- and then raises her left knee, hoping to spear her right heel down at Seven for a diving kick before he can fully break away from her orbs! She hopes this is not classified as another shenanigan.

COMBATSYS: Seven blocks Meifeng's Diving Kick.

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Meifeng          0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2            Seven

[SEVEN]
Samson continues to thrash against the orbs as Meifeng eludes the brunt of his overhand blow. His predicament - and state of attire - give the impression of an oversized man-child in pool floaties under attack by a hornet. His tongue clucks as he hears the tigress' teasing tone - at least, to his ears.

"You try'na get cute with me, Fluffy?" he grunts as she leaps at him from the upper stairs. For a moment, he seems exposed - between the mystic binding and his bared flesh - his less-padded back turned to the tigress, the topmost thirds of the word 'SLOTH' visible in gothic lettering below the base of his spine. A moment later, though, with a mighty heave, he manages to pivot around in spite of the resistance of the orbs, catching the heel with the upper part of his barrel-like belly. It's not as steady a defense as could be mustered, mind, and he does have to catch himself from a fall down the steps, but he remains standing - mottled marks steadily appearing from the accumulated capillary-bursting strikes across his tummy as the redness slowly fades from his skin.

"Gettin' cute just encourages my proclivity for diablerie."

With that, he tramples forward with sudden speed, aiming to slam right into Meifeng with his gigantic gut, intend on carrying her bodily straight up the stairs to crash into - if not through - the doors of the cathedral with stone-rocking force, before dropping forward with his full weight on top of the feline fighter!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng dodges Seven's The Broad Path.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Meifeng          0/-------/------=|>>>>---\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
Meifeng is not -trying- to do much beyond just hold a simple conversation. English isn't her first -or- second language, after all. So when she responds, it's in a noncommittal hum that sounds something like 'I dunno?'

She'd hate to be too critical. He used the nickname she preferred, after all.

Meifeng steadies herself for the moment in which she's basically -standing- on Seven's gut, snapping her arms out to either side while her tail does the fine-tuning. But in the very next moment she springs into a backflip, using her arms as her axis of rotation. It's only about mid-way through her escape that she realizes... Seven is going to most certainly barrel into her on that route. Air hisses through her teeth as she realizes her folly...

And then she realizes her advantage: the azure orbs at her disposal. Recalled them with a clasped hand, the orbs scatter into three directions and then hurtle to a position behind the flipping tiger.

One lands right behind her foot, making for a well-timed, if shaky, foothold.

A second swerves in to hover about two feet behind that, providing a second foothold, while the third is a bit higher. And not an instant too soon -- as that's when she would've gotten -clobbered- by the trampling Samson! As it is, the moment she uses the handhold from the third orb to make a hop forward, her opponent barrels right through the lower two orbs, sending them scattering!

It was so close she could feel the wind kicked up from the attack. Her uprighted hop ends with her landing nimbly -- and relatively safely -- in the spot formerly occupied by Seven. She whirls around with flattened hands, drawing in breath through her nose as she calms her nerves. That was close -- but she feels this fight is nearing the final stretch. And she will need to steel her nerves and mind in order to survive.

"Apologies, but I have no idea what you just said."

The tiger lies in wait. There may not be any jungle trees to hide in -- but tigers prefer to -pounce-, rather than jump right back into the fray after a thrilling exchange like that.

COMBATSYS: Meifeng focuses on her next action.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Meifeng          0/-------/-------|>>>>---\-------\0            Seven

[SEVEN]
Those two orbs aren't enough to slow the animal charge of Samson Rodgers - and with the momentum built up by the mountainous man, stopping is harder than carrying on. It's not until he slams belly-first into the doors of the cathedral and sends them flinging open that he finally stops, bouncing off of the wood and taking a few steps to reorient himself back toward his opponent.

"Sheer shenanigans," Samson declares of the tactic used to escape his assault - though he seems more resigned now to accept the supernatural tools at his opponent's disposal, drawing in a deep breath. He cracks his knuckles against each other.

"In that eventuality, I intend to enlighten through action rather than pedagogy."

With that said, he lumbers back down the stairs - using the downhill momentum to throw himself into the air, with the intent of crashing down with a belly-flop onto the darkstalker!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng dodges Seven's Fierce Impact.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Meifeng          0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
It's a shame about those doors -- the cathedral had just finished rebuilding them from the last fight. Luckily, fighter insurance usually means that even when a venue suffers damage they can usually squeak out a little extra cash for their trouble in hosting the world's most dangerous sport...

Such things are far from Meifeng's mind, though, as her opponent keeps prodding her with progressively polysyllabic parlance. Shenanigans, indeed.

"... Ah. I see!" Meifeng answers with a bob of her head, her tinted lenses glinting in the process. She cants her head to the side, flashing a lopsided grin. "Is it working?"

Meifeng is a bit more prepared this time though -- with her opponent at the top of the stairs, there's really only one good way for him to get down in a hurry. Rather than resort to fancy tricks with her orbs, she simply clamps her hand closed, pulling them to her shoulder. She sidesteps sharply off to her left, so that the charging titan can thunder towards the spot where she stood. A moment later, her sporty footwear squeaks on the stonework as she reverses direction abruptly. With a quick twist, she flicks about so that the three orbs can slingshot down the length of her right arm, hurtling towards Seven at high speed!

With the opener deployed, it's the tigress' turn to pounce! She throws her left forearm forward, following up by snapping into a deep, right-hand elbow strike. "Hn! Hnn!" Her succession of bajiquan strikes continues with a second forearm strike, a high blow from her left knee -- and then a clearing horse stomp that causes all three of her harassing orbs to detonate in a powerful explosion! "HAAAAAA!"

COMBATSYS: Seven endures Meifeng's Form Four - Roaring Tempest.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Meifeng          0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0            Seven

[SEVEN]
The feline agility of Meifeng proves once more problematic for Samson Rodgers and his reliance on his sheer being to try and effect his victory in this contest of combat. One can practically hear the stone cracking beneath him as he lands belly-first against it after his dive; fortune, at least, saves his face from colliding with the steps by an inch in his failed attempt. His trunk-like arms push against the ground as he regains his footing, knees protesting at their instruction. His head turns to find Meifeng just as she's lining her orbs up and taking aim at him - giving him too little time to remark, but just enough time to frown deeply.

Like a rhinoceros (or perhaps a hippopotamus) staring down the barrel of an elephant gun, Seven decides to charge. The orbs slam into his belly in succession, lodging deep in his blubber as he rampages onward, winding back his right arm and gathering a mighty fist as his flesh quakes with the violence of the bajiquan fighter's blows, each indenting into his fat. The letters 'W R A T H' align to 'WRATH' along his knuckles and thumb as they bear down on Meifeng with disregard for the assault on his person.

Then, the orbs explode, sending Samson well and truly flying - if only for a yard - before collapsing down onto his back, a titan finally toppled, though perhaps only for the moment...

COMBATSYS: Seven successfully hits Meifeng with Wrath EX.
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-

[                         \\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Meifeng          0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
Meifeng's individual strikes are may not hurt the colossus for much. Her intent is for the value of -several- strikes to exceed the sum of its parts. It appears as if the reverse is true for Seven, who delivers the same raw energy in one concentrated, wrathful blow. The fist slams into Meifeng's abdomen right at the point of detonation, knocking her right out of her stance as if she were nothing more than a sawhorse upended by a stiff breeze. Legs and arms alike whirl around before the tigress finds her flattened on her own back, staring up breathlessly at the Italian sky through her tinted lenses.

"... Yes," she manages, her brow furrowing as she gathers her strength. Her nervous system's a rush-hour-choked interstate of pain signals right now, it takes a moment for her to turn on one side.

Ahh, yes. There's the adrenaline. The Chinese tiger pivots back to her feet, emerging into a fluid pi gua zhang stance, open knifehands raised. The orbs whirl around her left wrist, acting as something of a bracelet.

"I am running low on 'shenanigans,' Mr. Rodgers. Perhaps we should finish this, mm?" Her breath restored, she stamps lightly on the ground as a partial reset of her stance. And then she surges forward, hurling the point of her elbow at Seven! She'd follow up with a snap knee, then drive into a shallow but forceful palm strike. Her off hand would then send her orbs in for a side attack, as she hops to deliver an aerial spin kick to -- she would hope -- knock Seven off his feet! "Haaaa!"

COMBATSYS: Seven blocks Meifeng's Form Two - Thundering Downpour EX.

[                         \\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Meifeng          0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0            Seven

[SEVEN]
Samson's transition back to his feet is much less fluid than the fighting feline's. It takes an effort for him to raise his upper body upright to a seated position, terrible welts and singe marks mottling his tattooed front. The 'thousand cuts' strategy is, it seems, wearing the fallen giant steadily down. His legs bend at the knees before forcing his shuddering form upright, the titan finally triumphant in his struggle to stand.

"Do let's," he mutters with his gravelly bass, rolling his jaw and hunkering forward slightly as he readies himself for the surging Librarian.

And, in a perhaps-surprising turn, he moves - taking action to defend his person from Meifeng's assault rather than allowing his person to defend itself, as he has seemed wont to do throughout his battles thus far. A meaty right palm redirects the elbow to graze along the side of his belly rather than slamming directly into his girth. The other palm thrusts down to catch the knee and push it so that it lifts into the other side of his stomach, his rotundness rising with the impact. The kung fu fighter's palm strike does land flush against his belly button, causing his flesh to ondulate from the point of contact, and his left hand deflects the orbs. It seems he's open to the finisher - but the right palm comes up to catch the spinning kick just in time to prevent it from dealing the dangerous damage that it threatens. The effort on Seven's part to keep himself in the fight is sincere.

"My turn," Samson declares ominously as he pushes the leg away and suddenly swings both arms forward - aiming to wrap them around Meifeng's waist whilst she hopefully remains off-balance from his defense. If he succeeds, he'd then hoist her up against his upper belly, wrapping his arms tighter around her middle and squeezing, intent on applying pressure to her spine with an intense and crushing bearhug - before giving a small hop to topple himself forward on top of her before rolling down the steps with her trapped in his grasp!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng interrupts Lechery from Seven with Form Five - Howling Whirlwind.
- Power hit! -

[                          \\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Meifeng          0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1            Seven

[MEIFENG]
Meifeng expects resistance -- she's received nothing -but- resistance from her bulked-up opponent. She has persevered through many trials, though, and this battle is no different. Her teeth bite together as her practiced attack sequence is redirected at each turn -- her elbow grazing, her knee caught, her orbs deflected, and her coup de grace itself falling victim to a coup. As she staggers back to her feet, Samson's declaration sends a shiver down her spine; a wild-eyed stare greets him through the yellow-tinted lenses.

And yet -- even -here- she refuses to back down. Instead, she goes for double or nothing. As he advances for a painful hug, she slams her hip -into- his awaiting grip -- forcing the bulk of her weight directly into his abdomen to blunt the strike! Mindful of the limited maneuvering room, Meifeng whirls about like a top, helicoptering one palm strike after another into the colossus -- and making it even more difficult for Seven to do much with her furry abdomen!

The lieutenant's orbs are still part of this dance, though; whatever impacts Meifeng is dealing to Seven's front, the orbs will visit in kind upon his back, trapping him between opposing cyclones of force!

The upswell of qi will carry both Meifeng and Seven upwards for a bit. But after a time, Meifeng will push herself free, alighting a few feet away upon the steps. And looking utterly -winded- in the process...

[SEVEN]
The retaliation against his attempted embrace drives into Seven's stomach, whirlwind strikes sending the battered belly into roil as his grasp is broken. It's the orbs, though, pummeling against Seven's exposed back, that truly make their mark - battering his bare skin and driving him down to fall to his knees, putting him at eye level with the tall tigress. As their lenses meet, Samson's expression is blank - as though the lights have gone out.

Suddenly, though, he thrusts both his palms up at either side of her head, trying to catch her cranium between them - before squeezing hard. The pressure would almost certainly be incredibly painful if he manages to lock her in the vise-like grip - making the vicious headbutt to be attempted thereafter almost merciful by comparison.

If that works, he would drop his head down between her knees, intent on lifting and turning the tigress' legs while she's dazed so that she's sat on his shoulders as he staggers back to his full height, then falling backwards like a felled tree, aiming to drop Meifeng on her spine and the back of her head.

And then, he'd take a moment to lie there, a twitch running through him...

COMBATSYS: Meifeng blocks Seven's Capital Vice.

[                             \  < >  //                            ]
Meifeng          1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0            Seven

[MEIFENG]
Many people think of catgirls as lightweights. It's easy to think of them that way -- cats are generally thinner and lighter than dogs. But cats also come in much larger varieties than their canine cousins.

Meifeng is stronger than she looks. And when Seven makes a grab for the exhausted tigress' head, he'd find that out first hand -- as she interposes both of her wrists in his path! As he rams his forehead towards hers, she's able to catch hold of the blow with her fingertips, stepping backwards to deaden the blow. But that's just about all the gas she has left in the tank, for when he closes in to grab hold of her legs, she's too slow to make her escape!

"Uh... whaa..>?" She's out of wit for the moment as well, as she finds herself hauled up onto Seven's shoulder, and then dropped painfully onto the stonework!

She thuds, convulsing as the pace of the fight finally catches up with her. She grits her teeth, trying to stop the ringing sound -- and clutches her head, trying to keep the blackness from crowding in on her vision.

Somehow, against all the odds, she's able to throw herself to one side, rocking herself back to her feet. Dazed, she wobbles listlessly to one side, then the other, still clutching her head. The tigress' ears flicker with life. "I just want to say... it has been educational, fighting you." She offers a calm, sincere smile for a brief moment.

And then she shakes the last of the grogginess away. Adrenaline kicks in... one more time. And she opens up with a flying axe kick, shifting into a shoulder slam to batter that last bit of consciousness out of Seven, so he can join in the fun!

She'd slam into him again with a rising forearm. With a deep palm strike. With a hip smash. And she'd finish the succession with a high guillotine kick -- presuming she isn't dissuaded from her course, naturally!

COMBATSYS: Meifeng can no longer fight.

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

COMBATSYS: Seven fails to interrupt Unbound Form - Raging Cyclone EX from Meifeng with Greed.


COMBATSYS: Seven can no longer fight.


[SEVEN]
"Rmmm offen... been shaid..."

Seven mutters incoherently as he teeters on the edge of consciousness, lifting his head a couple of inches off of the stone to groggily seek Meifeng's swaying form through murky mirrored shades. He rolls like a boulder up to his knees and lurches, a hand extending toward the tigress, intent on clasping around her throat -

But the position he perceived her to be in isn't where she was. The axe kick slams into his head, dizzying him and opening him to the follow-up shoulder as it drives well into the swell of his belly. At that point, the lights are out; the titan's stomach takes the barrage of forearm, palm and smash like a heavy bag filled with Jell-O. When the guillotine kick comes down, Samson is driven down sidelong into the steps, aviators dislodged to clatter away down the stairs as blood trickles out of his split skin - and it seems that the giant won't be rising again.

A hush falls over the crowd as the question of who has won is murmured about, officials consulted...

[MEIFENG]
As Meifeng lands her kick, blackness begins to crowd in on her vision, and she abandons her form to toss hands out to either side for balance. Meifeng's well runs dry with that, though -- and she wobbles unsteadily, before collapsing into a heap on the stairs, not very far away at all. The tigress appears to have had just enough consciousness left to keep her head from hitting a corner. For all intents and purposes, the steps make an acceptably comfortable place for a brief nap.

That nap... is interrupted, a few moments later, as the Ristar judges make an announcement. Applause wakes the cat from her slumber -- and she even claps five or six times before realizing the fanfare is directed at her!

She favors Seven with a small grin. That one's someone the Librarium officer might want to keep an eye on...

Log created on 19:53:49 05/23/2022 by Meifeng, and last modified on 11:09:52 05/31/2022.