Match of the Millennium

Description: Angelina finally tracks down Seven in Venice, but after their encounter, perhaps she'll wish she hadn't!

[SEVEN]
The sun beats down on the sparkling blue water of Venice's Grand Canal. It's a clear summer afternoon, with all the bustle and heat that entails. Tourists fill the streets and the gondolas as the denizens of the city on the water go about their business.

On one side of the canal, at a table in front of one of a line of cafes, lounges the corpulent mass of humanity known as Samson 'Seven' Rodgers. He's dressed in a very large black silk button shirt covered in gold floral designs, the front left undone to expose his tattooed stomach, in addition to his usual jeans and, on this occasion, a pair of size twenty-seven-or-so sandals.

In his hand is a Spritz de Venezia, two glasses already empty on the glass surface beside him. An umbrella casts shade over his tanned body, while a pair of black aviators shield his eyes from the glare of the sun.

It's a perfect afternoon, thousands of miles away from his parole jurisdiction, and Sev is enjoying it in serenity.

[ANGELINA]
Further along the canal is a black haired beauty, basking in the brilliantly bright sunshine. As the rays reflect off the water, she lets out, what may sound like a satisfied sigh, but is actually one of woe and weariness. Sure, the scenery is stunning, her peach bellini is perfectly chilled and she's dressed in a crisp and clean white cotton sundress, that's keeping her feeling fresh and cool, despite the heat, but there's something messing with her mind.

"How can I lose him of all people?" she wonders aloud, causing the handsome middle aged waiter to glance her way. She takes out her phone and starts tapping away at the keys furiously, as if they will provide the whereabouts of the missing man.

She's been trailing him ever since the start of the Ristar tournament. From what she'd understood, they would all be located in one place for the duration of the event. They had both touched down in Southtown, but after he'd been escorted off to a bar and her to a dog pound, things had gone amiss. By the time she was done with tackling Tarmo, the Finnish fighter she'd faced, Samson Rodgers was nowhere to be seen.

Her next match was also in Southtown, so she'd had to stay put. She had no intention of backing out on a commitment. Folllowing her defeat by a singing Swede named Chris, she'd boarded the next plane to the place of Samson's next match, Las Vegas. By the time she set foot in Sin City however, he had already left it, to travel to Sicily. She'd trailed him there too, but again he'd somehow slipped away. After trawling the nearby towns, she'd eventually accepted she was going to have to travel back to Metro City empty handed and probably lose her precious job as a parole officer. Wanting to delay that difficult situation, she'd decided to visit Venice before returning to the USA.

The city of Venice was the birthplace of her maternal grandmother, Giulia. Although she'd never met the woman, it somehow helped her feel connected, just by being in streets she may have strolled along. She starts to think of alternative careers she could possibly pursue. Maybe she could even move to Italy and start afresh. She's pondering these plans, when she sees a serene sight sitting less than one hundred yards from her. It's him, it's Seven!

She rises to her feet, throws some money on her table and starts to work her way through the crowds towards him, trying to strike the right balance between speed and stealthiness.

[SEVEN]
"Waiter -" The word sounds a bit more like 'wait-uh' with the loose Southern accent of the giant as he addresses a well-dressed man who's just delivered a tray of drinks to the next table. "- euh, what was your name, son?"

"Giacomo," the waiter reminds Samson with a well-meaning smile.

"Jack. How much you reckon a man's gotta invest if he wants one of them gondolas? You need a permit to run one o' them things? Mind you, I wouldn't be keen to vest myself in one of them horizontally-striped shirts. My broad nature requires no visual enhancement."

"Well, you would need to join the guild of the gondolieri," the waiter explains hesitantly. "The training takes six months, and you have to take a test. You have to wear the hat, and the pants, and the shirt. It is very competitive. And..."

Seven raises an eyebrow. "And?"

"Well, signor, don't you think it would be... challenging for one of your proportions?" Giacomo posits.

"You callin' me fat, Jack?" Samson asks.

"No, signor," Giacomo says, looking shocked.

"Well I ain't a skinny bitch, am I?" Samson replies.

"Pardon, signor," Giacomo says, before retreating. "I have work to do."

"Fuck you, signor," Samson calls after the waiter. "And bring me another goddamn cocktail."

[ANGELINA]
She manages to get close enough to witness the exchange about the gondolas. As she shakes her head in disbelief, her cascade of curls flies around her face, blocking her view and causing her to fall forwards on to an unsuspecting waitress. The woman then grabs on to a table for support, which topples over, landing with a crash on the canal side and causing a cry of protest from a couple who were sipping coffee close by.

Any chance of Angelina remaining incognito is now gone and as she grapples to restore her balance, she starts to blush at the chaos she's caused.

Recognising the game is up, she announces her presence, seeking to sound as professional as she can manage.

"Mister Rodgers. It seems I have located your whereabouts. I must inform you, that you are in serious violation of the terms of your parole and that if you don't abide by my instructions, I will have to report your breaking of the rules, which could result in a custodial sentence."

This said, she grabs the chair next to him and proceeds to plonk herself down on it.

"I'll have an espresso please, Giacomo. I have a feeling I'm going to need the energy."

[SEVEN]
"Miss Benedetti."

Seven greets his parole officer with a warm, toasting the Italian-American beauty with his half-finished Spritz while remaining lounging in his seat. From the look of it, the cafe may have had to get one out especially for him.

"I believe that the current agreement regarding the terms of my parole stipulate that I am permitted to travel for the duration of the Rising Stars tournament, and I was legally admitted to the country in which we currently reside on the basis of said tournament. And, in point of factuality, the Rising Stars tournament has not yet reached its conclusion. Regardless of my part in it."

He sips from his glass before clanking it down on the table.

"And who is to say that I have not been desperately in search of your sweet behind, in order that I might return myself to your custody, and have only just now had the good fortune of locating it in the process of upturning the tables by the canal? You're quite the dangerous woman, might I add."

He tips his head.

"And, as a post-signature, I like the new uniform. White and clean, like it's just asking for trouble."

[ANGELINA]
Angelina is almost derailed by Samson's speech. Almost.

"You are partly right. I'm happy to hear you've studied the paperwork. However, you were given permission to travel, on the condition that your parole officer, me, escorted you at all times. I understand that the circumstances of the competition resulted in you being required to travel elsewhere, but you should have waited for me to accompany you."

She takes a sip from her coffee, which has been delivered with a smile, despite her less than elegant entrance to the cafe.

"Now I admit, it wasn't an easy situation, with me being located in Japan for the second round and you needing to be in the states, but that being said..."

Another sip and then she surrenders "Oh forget it. You fucked up, I fucked up and I'm probably going to lose my job for this. Maybe we should both go on the run. I hear Lake Garda is gorgeous at this time of year."

She sits back in her chair, blinking her brown eyes into the sun.

"As for my cheeks being sweet, that's probably all the hours of training I undergo, so I'm able to defend myself against the likes of you. And dangerous? You better believe it, so don't mess with me, Seven."

His nickname is delivered with an edge that is not usually present. Perhaps he just brings it out in her.

[SEVEN]
Seven allows Angelina room to speak, polishing off what's left of his drink and taking up his fresh one, which has been delivered with a much tighter expression than the smile that Angelina received. He toasts the waiter before sipping from his beverage.

"As you rightly stated, I had little recourse but to follow the itinerary provided to me by Miss Bernstein, though I admit that I expected you'd catch up with me once you'd been eliminated from the tournament by that young child. I'm sure that with your moral support, I would have trounced that tiger thoroughly."

He quirks an eyebrow at her.

"And I find myself perplexed, Miss Benedetti. First, you invite me to abscond with you to Lake Garda, then you imply that you're ready to fight with me. Is this your way of flirting, Miss Benedetti?"

He purses his lips thoughtfully for a moment.

"Because, if it is, it might be working."

[ANGELINA]
"Let me make this crystal clear, Mister Rodgers, I am most definitely not flirting with you. I'm simply weary of wandering around, trying to keep my clients on the straight and narrow. You know you got very lucky landing me as your parole officer. I'm a lot more lenient than most, but even I have my limits. In light of that, surely you can forgive me for indulging in a brief fantasy of an escape to the sun."

She leans back in her chair, crossing her legs carefully and adjusting the hem of her dress, to maintain her modesty.

"I hear that tiger made it all the way to the final. She knocked out the kid as it happens."

She allows herself a smile at her own expense, her ego having survived the smackdown by Sweden's answer to Justin Bieber.

"Did you have fun with the fighting? I think I did. It was very different to the tournaments I usually take part in."

[SEVEN]
"I believe you'll find I'll forgive most fantasies you may have that involve me," Seven declares casually, taking a long swig from his spritzer and stifling a belch that rumbles through him from the bubbles that he's been imbibing. "I hope that the feeling's mutual. After all, your use of handcuffs does invite the imagination. As does your uniform of preference."

Samson rolls his neck, popping it in a few places as he turns his shades toward the sun.

"I always enjoy a decent fight. I also found the circumstances rather unusual to my past experiences in brawling. Of course, I can't say that I wasn't somewhat disappointed, as I'm sure you also must have been. After all, we missed out on the opportunity to see how your booty-sweetening training stood up against my own prowess."

[ANGELINA]
"I don't like to lie, Mister Rodgers, so I will admit to having entertained the idea of the two of us testing our skills against each other. If we were starring in a movie, we would have both got to the final for sure. The question is though, who would have been the victor."

She drains the last of her diminutive drink and pops a mint in to her mouth, to deal with the bitter after taste.

"As for my use of handcuffs, they are a trick of my trade. If you don't decide to make your way back to Metro City with me, then you'll find them firmly locked around your own wrists."

[SEVEN]
"Well, then, Miss Benedetti, I once again find myself wondering whether you're trying to threatening me or trying to entice me," Seven remarks between sips of his cool drink. He turns his head slightly in Angelina's direction, presumably looking sidelong at her from behind his aviators.

"In fact, I find almost find myself intrigued enough by your threat of handcuffs to resist your demand. I would love to see you try."

He cocks his head to one side, stroking the stubble on his chin. "In fact, that might give us both a chance to sate our curiousity. A wager - you pin me in a fight, you get to put the cuffs on me, and I do as you please. If I pin you..."

He makes an open-handed gesture.

[ANGELINA]
There's a definite spark of interest. It's undeniable. The prospect of pitting herself against Samson is incredibly tempting. It's also alarmingly unprofessional.

"I don't think that would be advisable" Angelina answers, with what a keen observer would note is dissapointment.

"Getting you worked up is the last thing we need. No, it's probably best if we finish off here, collect our belongings and book the next flight back to Metro City, so we can face the music."

The thought of foregoing the beauty of Venice for the grim urban sprawl of her hometown seems deeply depressing. She knows it's her duty though and she's all about that.

"Perhaps they will take pity on us both and you will stay out of prison and I'll stay in my position."

[SEVEN]
Seven turns his chair toward Angelina's, leaning sideways against his table as he sees to eye the parole officer more closely.

"Now, Miss Benedetti, you sounded more sincere when you were suggestin' we run off to Verona than you did sayin' we should just up and go back," he remarks with a low, conspiratorial tone. "And you and I aren't the kind to have an opportunity, normally, to enjoy the wonders of Venice. Now, I could try to persuade you to follow your heart on the matter..."

He pushes himself up off of his chair, draining what's left of his drink before setting it back down - then pulling out his wallet and extricating enough cash to cover his beverages, along with a tip for the unfortunate waiter.

"...but the simple fact is, we're out here in Italia, and you require my cooperation if you want me to come quiet-like. So, what'll it be - friendly wager, or are you gonna try and take me down right here an' now?"

[ANGELINA]
She's weighing it up. Careful consideration is needed for such a dangerous decision. He's right, her heart does want to stay in the sunshine, although she's hardly cast him as her Romeo in the scenario and, truth be told, she wants to test herself against him in combat.

"Okay" she concedes, a thrill passing through her as she indulges her desire.

"I'll take you on, but not here. Let's go somewhere less crowded at least."

She stands up, straightening the skirt of her dress and weaves her way through the small, circular tables of the cafe.

"Lets go to Giardini della Biennale. There's plenty of open space for a scrap."

[SEVEN]
"Excellent," Seven declares, clapping his hands together before rubbing them against each other as what poker face he was holding slips for a moment.

"In that case, I will allow you to lead us, Miss Benedetti. Unless you require a change of attire before our engagement."

He seems to size her up for a few moments after making his remark, then falls into line behind the brunette, ready to follow her to the place in question.

[ANGELINA]
==*=========================================================================*==

Upon arriving at Giardini della Biennale, Angelina is relieved to notice that's it's not overly busy. Sure, there are scatterings of people around, but there's enough open space for them not to be on top of each other.

"Where shall we pick?" the patrol officer ponders, as her eyes scan the surrounding area. She's now wearing dark sunglasses with her Aikido jacket and pants and her hair has been pulled back into a ponytail.

"How about there?" she suggests, gesturing to a vast area of green grass, framed by wooden benches and painted green lamp posts. As she speaks, several cats appear from behind one of the trees and start playing a game of chase with each other.

[SEVEN]
"I continue to wonder: is this your idea of keeping incognito?" Samson asks his parole officer as he follows her through the Giardini, cats darting in and out between his feet. He, for his part, hasn't changed his attire since the cafe; he's still wearing his open-fronted black tourist shirt and jeans. "Especially considerin' that we're in the middle of what looks like some kinda park for tourists. But I digress; I suppose that if you prefer to roll around in the grass, then it ain't a problem for me."

Seven lumbers along behind Angelina, past the benches and the green posts, before rolling his shoulders and neck, flexing his fingers at his sides. "Alright, Miss Benedetti. Now, would you care to count us in, or should we get a third party to mediate?"

COMBATSYS: Seven has started a fight here.

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

COMBATSYS: Angelina has joined the fight here.

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

[ANGELINA]
"Nobody knows me here" the female fighter fires back.

"I have less concern about being professional. Let's call it a vacation from my vocation."

She starts to stretch out her limbs, loosening herself up for the battle ahead.

"Of course, some of these people here might be my distant relatives, but I wouldn't recognise them or vice versa, so..."

A shrug of the shoulders and a stretch of her arms above her head. "I'll only be rolling if it's part of my strategy and let's go with the counting, unless you want to ask one of the cats."

A glance towards the felines, to make sure none of them are under her feet, or even more concerning for their sakes, Seven's feet and then she's off..."One, two, three, come at me!" she invites, preparing to defend herself from Samson's substantial strength.

[SEVEN]
It seems that Angelina's invitation is hardly necessary, as Seven is already bearing down on her by the time that she's finished the count of two - perhaps as some sort of strategy to try and gain the initiative by, in standard terminology, cheating.

"Don't worry. I'm a-comin'!" the giant bellows, apparently trying to compensate for his decision to jump the gun by giving fair warning - or perhaps simply as an intimidation tactic. The hulking churl is faster than one may expect, when he wants to be - in much the same way that any large animal tends to be. His belly jiggles with each thumping step across the grass as he stretches his arms out in front of himself, attempting to push Angelina by the shoulders onto the earth before flinging himself toward her and throwing his legs up as he would further attempt to drop his prodigious posterior and all of the weight that it supports onto her prone person!

COMBATSYS: Angelina blocks Seven's Sloth.

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

[ANGELINA]
The vision of the lumbering giant lurching towards her, is a fearsome sight indeed. Suddenly her willingness to engage in this spectacle seems foolish at best. Still, the Finn had been pretty formiddable to look at, hadn't he and she managed to defeat him. It hadn't been easy though and she's confident her body may be in for a battering.

As he moves to push her to the ground, she manages to maintain her balance by lowering a leg behind her and sitting down as she falls. She smacks down with a thump, reeling from the impact. No doubt she will suffer a bruised bottom later, but for now she's able to raise her legs, curling them towards her, so she can roll forwards and find her feet.

From a standing posture, she produces a telescoping jo staff from her belt, swinging it upwards to try and strike at Seven's knuckles. This distraction will hopefully enable her to move behind him, extending her staff and using it to force him down on his front, pressing against the grassy ground. If he becomes a victim of this vulnerable position, he will be punished (or rewarded) with a sharp smack from the staff on his buttocks.

COMBATSYS: Seven blocks Angelina's Temperance.

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

[SEVEN]
No doubt Seven himself will also be feeling the after-effects of falling onto the grassy soil on his backside after Angelina manages to avoid his attempt to violently sit on her.

"You're pretty quick, Miss Benedetti," he compliments her as he picks himself back up, blades of grass clinging to the seat of his Wranglers. She's the first back to her feet, and he's nearly caught off-guard by the staff as it raps him across the knuckles. He's still shaking his hand out when Angelina moves past him, the stick hooking his leg - but when she tries to trip him over, he stands his ground, proving as difficult to shift as a boulder. Still, the stick does manage to strike him across the backside - it's a difficult target to miss, after all - though he doesn't seem excessively fazed, as, it may be said, he has plenty of padding back there as well to absorb the blow.

He turns around to face the parole officer, holding up a finger and wagging it.

"Now, now. You know I'm gonna get you back for that one, Officer."

He takes a moment to rub his hands together, as if to warm them up, while staring Angelina down from behind his aviator shades.

COMBATSYS: Seven focuses on his next action.

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

[ANGELINA]
"Thanks" is her simple response, followed by a brief nod of her head.

There's an attempt to suppress a smile, as she whacks him on the ass, but it's a failed one.

"You can try to pay me back if you wish. I won't make it easy for you though."

Her brown eyes bore into him, as he stares at her through sunglasses, his relative stillness mirrored by her own.

"Are you trying to catch your breath?" she questions. "Don't tell me I've worn you out already."

She makes no attempt to attack either, standing serenely on the spot and wiggling her bare toes in the dewy grass.

COMBATSYS: Angelina harmonises with her opponent's energy.

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

[SEVEN]
"Well, ain't you a cheeky little thing," Seven comments with a low, gruff near-growl as Angelina asks if he's trying to catch his breath. "I was hopin' to force your aggression. After all, aikido's a defensive game, ain'it?"

When she doesn't take the bait, though, he rocks forward, rearing back his left hand as he bears down on her, as if he intends to simply smack her full across the face. He pulls the swipe, though - it's only a feint, intended to put her on the backfoot as he plows past her, before swinging the hand backward, the reverse of his palm aiming to strike Angelina solidly on the buttocks in swift retribution for her similar attack on his own!

COMBATSYS: Angelina blocks Seven's Swift Backhand.

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

[ANGELINA]
She has to force herself not to flinch. The sight of his hefty hand hurtling her way is horrific and she has no intention of returning to her job with a blackened eye. As he pulls back at the last minute, she exhales loudly, having been unaware she was holding her breath for so long.

"It is a very useful defensive tool" she agrees, without elaborating further.

When he rushes past her, faster than she could have forecast, she turns sharply sideways, causing the strike to hit her on the hipbone instead. She bites down on her lip to deal with the pain, but not enough to draw blood.

Stepping towards Seven, her head tilted upwards, she stands on her tiptoes, extending herself to her full reach. From this precasrious position, she makes a grab for his arm, intending to lift it upwards so his palm is positioned towards her. If this works out, she will wrap her fingers around the inside of it. Taking a step backwards, she'd use this grip to turn him around, till he's standing alongside her and facing in the same direction.

From here, she'd push him forwards, following through with him, til she's at his front. This will facilitate him being forced to his knees and from here she's use her free hand to push his face into the ground, which could be bad news for those sunglasses!

COMBATSYS: Angelina successfully hits Seven with Humility.

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

[SEVEN]
"Mmm. That one didn't count," Seven's booming bass declares of the attack on Angelina's bottom after it fails to connect cleanly, shaking his hand out. "I'll just have to try again later."

It would seem almost comical for the parole officer, at her two foot disadvantage, to be trying to grab hold of the giant by his arm and bring him down - but grab hold of it she does as it's down at his side, and within a matter of seconds, she's managed to use his weight against him, bringing him down to his knees. He strains against her as his face is pushed into the grass, features curling in on themselves in displeasure, sunglasses jostled.

"Hey, now!"

Seven grits his teeth as he's put in the submissive state - then, with a surge of effort, he pushes his head up, using his own brute force to pull his arm free from her grasp. Then, on his knees, he'll be at just the right height to swiftly turn and try to wrap his meaty biceps around her midsection and pull her close. If he manages to do so, he'll grab hold of a handful of the fabric of the seat of her aikido pants in order to prevent her from easily escaping while he stands, bringing himself up to his full height and lifting her up off of the ground, trapped between his arms and his belly.

If that works, he'd then put the squeeze on her - applying pressure to her spine as he'd bearhug her against his stomach - before falling forward on top of her on the grass with his full weight!

COMBATSYS: Seven successfully hits Angelina with Lechery.

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

[ANGELINA]
"You can try" is the parole officer's playful retort.

As the heavyweight hits the ground, she lets a laugh escape her "Hey yourself." Against her better judgement she seems to be enjoying herself.

This may not last for long though, as the man mountain makes his way back towards her. As he makes a grab for her middle, she will find herself up close and personal with her punisher, causing her to gasp.

Thankfully for Angelina, she's securely tied her pants, because he gets a good grasp on them. She controls her breathing, fighting to stay calm as she realises he has captured her in his clutches.

When her spine is squeezed, she squirms against him, the pressure proving painful, but not as much as when she feels his full weight flopped down upon her frame.

From this submissive position, she somehow manages to summon a blindingly bright ball of golden white energy in her hand. Closing her eyes and saying a silent prayer, the Catholic unleashes it towards her opponent, with the hope that divine intervention will provide her with a direct hit.

COMBATSYS: Angelina successfully hits Seven with Charity EX.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Angelina         1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\-------\1            Seven

[SEVEN]
The hefty Southern ex-convict seems pleased with his position vis-a-vis his opponent as he pins her against the grass with his weight. His sunglasses are resting a bit lower than usual after they got pushed into the grass earlier, allowing his dark eyes to meet hers as his expression becomes mischievous.

"Looks like it's a roll in the grass after all - grragh!"

The mispositioning of his shades means that Seven is exposed to the elemental light unleashed by the Italian-American, moments before the ball collides with his face, causing him to fall backward as his hands move to late to try and shield himself.

"Can't... feel... m'face..." he slurs as he pushes up onto his knees beside Angelina. Still nearly blind, he flails out at her as she presumably tries to stand - attempting to smack her as hard as he can, coincidentally or not, aiming for her rear end!

He'll then lurch at her in an attempt to wrap his arms around her waist and hoist her up before suplexing her onto the grass again, rolling her onto her front before straddling her hips. If he succeeds, he'll pull her arms up over his knees to hook them in place before slipping his hands under her jaw and pulling back against her chin, stretching her back beneath his weight and putting pressure on her throat!

COMBATSYS: Angelina counters Envy from Seven with Justice EX.

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

[ANGELINA]
Pinned beneath the weight of her client, Angelina stares up at him, her expression one of mild irritation, but she's soon smiling again as her prayers are answered.

"A little faith goes a long way" she comments, considering his response to him seeing the light.

She does indeed stand up and as he lashes out at her tush, she makes a grab for his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

She steps around Seven, twisting his arm behind his back, whilst she unclasps her handcuffs from her belt holder. Locking a cuff around his extended wrist, she bundles him over, forcing him to bend at the waist, so she can pull his other arm back to cuff that too. Now at her mercy, she seizes the chance to turn him around, gathering another blindingly bright ball of that golden white energy to thrust into his face. As he's left blinded and dazed, she kicks him hard in the legs, knocking his feet from under him.

[SEVEN]
Once again, Seven's efforts to punish Angelina in kind are interrupted by the very self-defense training that she claims has made her into such a desirable target.

"What the -"

As the smaller fighter manages to redirect his aggression once more, Seven lets out an utterance of disbelief, his arm twisting around behind his back just so, preventing him from fighting back as his momentum drops him back to his knees. The first cuff locks around his wrist -

"Aw, hell naw -"

- before the second joins it. She must have brought a pair just for him, considering that standard issue handcuffs can't accommodate his meaty radiocarpal joints. This dawns on him moments before the second ball of light is thrust into his face.

"- BITCH!!"

Whatever pretense of good manners and eloquence that Samson Rodgers might normally uphold in the company of his parole officer is abandoned as he's kicked in the leg while trying to stand again, putting him back down on his ass.

"I'm gonna blister you red, girl!!" he threatens as he starts to snort and huff, shoulders heaving, his face turning a lovely shade of pink as he staggers up to his feet. Then, like his namesake, he strains, flexing, the hue of his visage deepening, before finally -

*SNAP*

- the chain binding the handcuffs together snaps, his arms pulling violently apart as he huffs and puffs and looms over Angelina - but the time it takes for him to free and gather himself offers another opportunity to the Italian-American to take the initiative.

COMBATSYS: Seven gains composure.

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

[ANGELINA]
"Is this bringing back memories?" Angelina enquires, as the cuffs click into place.

The curse doesn't seem to offend her. You don't work as a parole officer in Metro City without hearing your fair share of colourful language. She can't help but comment on it though.

"It's funny you call me a bitch, because you seem to be my bitch right now."

Her advantage doesn't last too long though, as Samson's sizeable strength snaps him out of his restraints. As he catches his breath and tries to get his anger under control, Angelina takes her chance to go on the attack again.

Taking out her staff, she taps it lightly on her hand, testing it out, before infusing it with golden white energy. She then thrusts it towards Seven, aiming to hit him with a series of super rapid strikes. If this is successful, she will follow up by using the jo to sweep his legs from under him and send him back down to the ground.

COMBATSYS: Seven interrupts Diligence from Angelina with Gluttony.

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

[SEVEN]
"Well, enjoy my predicament while it lasts, 'cause it'll soon be reversed," the red-faced Samson bids Angelina as he rubs his wrists, the joints remaining sore where he forced them to snap the steel cuffs. "And I intend to enjoy it when it does."

As Angelina's staff thrusts forward, Samson presents his belly as a willing target, arms apart. The rod jabs into the rotund giant's gut, poking into it like a blunted toothpick into marshmallow - but as it thrusts, he withdraws, preventing the weapon from striking the firmer flesh beneath, then suddenly surges forward, barrelling through the extended weapon and smashing past it until the 'GLUTTONY' tattoo on his titanic tummy smacks straight into Angelina's face, knocking her down before she can attempt to do the same to him.

"I just hope I haven't broke your only pair o' cuffs," Seven gloats, rolling his shoulders as his stomach jiggles from the impact.

[ANGELINA]
"No, there's plenty more where they come from" she gasps, grasping on to some grass with her fingers, as she hits the floor.

The battering by his belly has left her face flushed and florid and she rubs at it gently, trying to soothe the soreness there.

When the pain is more bearable, she's back up on her feet and moving forwards towards Seven. When she's close enough to make contact, she sweeps her left land low to symbolise Earth and her right hand high, to represent heaven. Her aim is to unbalance the man mountain, so she can try and topple him over.

COMBATSYS: Seven blocks Angelina's Mix-Up Throw.

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

[SEVEN]
As Angelina sweeps her hands high and low, one aiming for the back of his thigh and the other pressing against his upper belly, Seven stands firm - but rather than managing to push him over, Angelina only succeeds in sinking her hand into his plush stomach like a swamp of human flesh. It seems that appealing to heaven can't sway the iconoclast at this moment.

"Good," Seven says as he smirks, then grunts as Angelina's pressure causes him discomfort. "I'm startin' to think you just drew me into this so you could feel me up," he accuses as he reaches for her extended left hand with his right, intending to yank it around so that he can pull her down stomach-first over his knee - before rearing his own left hand back and aiming a succession of three hard slaps to the seat of her aikido pants, determined to make good on his previous threat!

COMBATSYS: Angelina blocks Seven's Grasp And Pound.

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

[ANGELINA]
The woman flexes her fingers in the flesh, finding the sensation surreal. His smug satisfaction earns him a stern look from her, one that he is probably familiar with from their meetings.

"I think it's you who wanted this fight more. Perhaps so you could assert yourself against someone who has so far been in the position of power in our relationship. Using your physical presence to regain the upper hand seems a natural reaction really. Since I have been enjoying sampling a different kind of combat of late and I consider myself to still be on a holiday of sorts, albeit a very strange one, I entertained your wish."

As he moves to bring her over his knee, she wiggles away, but not fast enough to avoid the first of the three spanks. His meaty mitt packs a real punch and her bottom is left smarting.

"You seem to have a thing for my butt" she murmurs, making her way back to a standing position and turning to face her foe.

Extending her palm towards him, she unleashes another blinding flash of golden white energy in his direction, seeking to stun him, as she simultaneously draws out her jo staff with her other hand. She'll then swing the staff with both hands, aiming for the sensitive spot right between his legs.

COMBATSYS: Seven endures Angelina's Chastity!

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Angelina         0/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2            Seven

[SEVEN]
One of Seven's eyebrows raises as Angelina delivers her speech regarding his motivations. Whether or not she's right about her conclusions, he maintains something of a poker face - albeit still flushed with a combination of exertion and battle-rage. "Considerin' a career change to criminal psychology, Miss Benedetti?" he prods, shaking his hand out and rising as he finally manages to land the intended blow - albeit not the follow-up.

"I believe you were the first to target my posterior, and I told you I would return the favour. I prefer to keep my promises," Seven claims, "though I'll defer to your discretion as to whether that one counted."

The titan hunkers forward as Angelina brings her hand up with another burst of energy - already starting to lumber forward when it flashes in his face.

"Hrrgh!"

Then, the stick comes swinging up between his legs -

*THWUMP*

"RrraaAAUUGH!"

The pain of the attack suffered is evidenced in the rising volume of Seven's bellow, but he's already rampaging forward - aiming to run right into Angelina full force, slam his boulder-like gut into her, and carry onward, lifting her along for the ride as he would plow forward toward a tall bush standing nearby. If he manages to, he'd crash right through the foliage with her, before collapsing forward to drop his weight belly-first on top of her and pin her beneath him on the grass!

COMBATSYS: Seven successfully hits Angelina with The Broad Path EX.

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

[ANGELINA]
"Not a career change, no. I just like reading a lot of crime thrillers."

"It's good to know you keep your promises though. That bodes well for our future relations, once we're back in Metro City. As for the spank, we can say it counts, if only so you'll leave it alone."

Her flashy move finds his face and the follow up finds...its target too.

She doesn't have time to enjoy her success though, as he's soon on her, forcing her frame into the foliage and using his bulky body to bruise and batter her own. By the time he's done dropping down on top of her, she's almost out cold, her curly haired head lolling to the side as she fights to not lose focus.

She's determined to keep going, but getting the giant off her, so she can be free of his weight is so mean feat. Finally, she finds what remains of her fast extinguishing energy and with a loud and desperate cry, shoves him aside, rolling away into the grass. She starts to cough and splutter, before staggering to her feet.

Once up, she looks back at her assaulter, turning her full gaze upon his form as she starts to glow with radiant golden white energy.

Moving forward in a flash of speed, she sets about delivering to him, a series of stunning, but relatively harmless atemi, using the palms of her hands and soles of her feet. She's aiming for the pressure points of his body and once she's targeted all the accessible ones, she twists his arm to not only impede and reposition him, but to expose additional points as targets.

If she's able to execute this plan, she will leave glowing golden prints on each part of him she makes contact with. Once she was done, she'd step back, pressing her hands together as she sets her mind to lighting up their meridians in harmony. This would result in her restoring her own energy, whilst causing a painless but debilitating release in Samson that would result in his limbs and organs going numb with impermanent nervous overload.

COMBATSYS: Angelina can no longer fight.

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

COMBATSYS: Angelina successfully hits Seven with Redemption.

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

[SEVEN]
Angelina manages to get out from under Samson's expansive bulk in spite of her fading energy, forcing him to roll off of her with a desperate shove. Grass ends up clinging to his clothing as he gets back up onto his feet, whirling on the parole officer once more as she's still putting up a fight.

"Now, Miss Benedetti. Why don't you concede before you end up gettin' hurt?"

He's surprised to see her start to glow, though, and he throws his arms up to shield his eyes from the white light - which leaves his person unguarded against the swift retribution about to be visited upon it.

Against most ordinary humans, a series of quick palm strikes and kicks directed to the softer parts of his person would prove a modest nuisance for the giant. In this instance, however, the blows are delivered to pressure points - and the mystical marks are far more threatening than the strikes themselves.

For Seven's part, he suffers the assault with the same nonplussed manner that he often receives such batterings with - after all, as with many nations with extensive borders, the effort of fully defending his perimeter would be greater than simply retaliating to the incursion after it's begun. Ripples are sent through his belly with each strike, setting his whole body a-quiver and a-glow. He only senses the physicality of the attacks, though.

When she's finished, he turns to her and grunts, lurching a step toward her.

"You 'bout done -"

Suddenly, his entire person goes numb, and he stutters, as if his air were suddenly cut off.

"- !"

And then, like a felled tree, he goes stiff, before tilting forward, his full weight falling toward Angelina, threatening to pin her prone beneath him one final time...!

COMBATSYS: Seven takes no action.

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

COMBATSYS: Seven has ended the fight here.


[ANGELINA]
As the effects of her attack kick in, Angelina recieves a sudden surge of energy, which allows her to try and flee the fight. Sadly for her, it's short lasting and she falls forwards to the floor, landing face first.

As the parole officer becomes pinned beneath the burly bruiser, she loses focus again, her dark eyes fluttering closed with exhaustion.

==*=========================================================================*==

It's some hours later when she finally stirs, to find she's in a dark park, with no sign of Samson Rodgers and two Italian police officers standing over her. As one of them realises she is awake, he nudges the other and they both stare at her intently, before glancing down at her handcuffed hands.

"Hi officers, I think I can explain, but it's kinda a long story..."

Log created on 17:25:44 06/13/2022 by Angelina, and last modified on 18:28:39 06/16/2022.