Match of the Millennium

Description: The nighttime vigilante known as Honey has made a bit of a name for herself around Southtown, and tonight a little comedy of errors has been arranged (by yours truly) for her to wind up following a lead to track down some rough customers hiding out in the local theater district, Kabuiki-cho--unbeknownst to her as the lair of another nighttime vigilante of a different stripe~ Perhaps she's being mistaken for one of the felinoid night creatures, which to be fair there are a few--but it looks like Honey will need to prove her act isn't all just a costume when she finds the rabbithole down into the Gold Lounge.

[VELVET BLUE]
All dressed up and nowhere to go--well, perhaps not entirely true for a particular night time vigilante known as Honey. On her adventures tonight, Velvet has arranged for a little surprise for her. At first, it might seem like every road or alley she took repeated until she kept going down a particular one--as if all roads were just illusions. This was only partly correct, as it would turn out--but it would start to make sense rather quickly that something supernatural was going on here. Some kind of magical fuckery was afoot! Well, at least one that was trying to get her to a particular place. ...And when she stepped on a particular spot on the cement of a particular alley--it would glow, brightly, in a sort of warm yellow light--and then the ground would almost seem to not be there. Her descent would be slowed by what felt like a plastic or metal slide, like the kind at a playground--until she came to a stop against what felt like hard, wooden floor--gradually, not violently or abruptly.

"Why hello there," a soft, amused sort of masculine voice questioned from the dark, as more lights lit up the area around them--overhead lights, like used in gymnasium of a school. They gave partial lighting of the club's dance floor and the stage before it, as the black-clad host of the club itself strutted out, a bat-eared and blue forked tailed figure, in fact--wearing what looked like a full body black suit of some kind, with white fur ruff around the shoulders and neck.

"At first I thought you were a hunter, but I think we found something a bit more fun...~" Velvet grinned, snapping fingers so the rest of the neon lights around the stage began to illuminate it.

[HONEY]
Honey is only a vigilante sometimes.

Mostly she does her fashion design, and enters tournaments (or semi-official street fights) to get eyes on her. But sometimes you just need to step out and get things done in Sunshine City... or in Southtown. If nothing else, it's a good way to get some practice in!

But never has she run into illusory streets. That's not the way she intended to go... none of it was the way she intended to go! She changed to trying to find her way out of the maze, but that didn't work any better, and eventually she found herself dropping down with a squeak of surprise - onto a slide, at least!

Eventually, she touched down, sliding to a stop at the bottom of the ramp. She stands up, dusting herself off, only to find that apparently she's been given a new outfit somewhere along the way: a red leotard, high on the hips and low across the chest, opaque black tights, red heels. Over the leotard she has a jacket that is short in front and small enough that she couldn't close it, like a bolero, but long in back in a swallowtail cut. There's even a headband with a pair of rabbit ears over her regular headband.

"Hmm," she says. "I don't know how you managed that, but at least it's a decent style..." She twists about as if trying to see herself before she looks up at Velvet. She remembers the voice - she gave Velvet her card. "Fancy seeing you here! Is this the kind of place you work?"

Honey looks around, blinking into the lights. It's hard to see off the stage, but she'd know a stage anywhere. "Were you looking for a performer? Because you could have called~!"

[VELVET BLUE]
The interior of the club is revealed as looking like a kind of gentleman's club crossed with a subdued mardi gras--there was an open bar, dance floor, seating area, as well as a large stage, at the back--which is where Velvet is confronting Honey. Of course, almost all of the patrons and staff are not human--some just have strange ears or eyes, like the mocha-skinned bunny eared waitress, Cinnamon--or the odd figure or two, like Rancid, the large broad shouldered gray-skinned jarheaded ex-cop fellow who acts as the club bouncer. Velvet has them stationed near the door right now in case their 'delicate' touch is needed. It doesn't appear right now that it is, since Velvet is more and more amused with this as time goes on.

The sound of boot heels clacking is heard as Velvet leapt down from the stage and onto the dance floor, the long magenta platform heeled boots they were wearing making such a noise. "Hmm... hmm..." Velvet is actually scrutinizing Honey's outfit, as they stalk around them, those platform heeled boots clacking, putting a finger to their chin. "Boob-window... leotard is on point, bow-tie and cufflinks, tights--love the heels, by the way--hmm.. only area to improve is you could use some better bunny ears, maybe like Cinnamon over there," he gestured over to the qipao-clad mocha-skinned bunny girl, who had nearly 1-foot long black and white furred ears rising out of where a human's ears would be, out of her waist-length white hair. Think 'Viera' from FF14.

"Would you perhaps like that? We could arrange for it?" Vel grinned, his yellow eyes much easier to see as he sidled conspiratorily close, tail swaying.

[HONEY]
This is definitely not the kind of club Honey usually goes.

Not because of the design; she's been in places like this before. Because of the people there. There's an awful lot of not-quite-humans here, and she finds herself staring at a couple, half because she wants to know what the *hell* and half because she's trying to figure out how you even design outfits for people like that.

She's got a thing, okay? And while Darkstalkers are freaky, they're also fascinating.

When Velvet walks around her, Honey actually poses to show herself (and her costume) off to best advantage. "I'm glad you approve, given it was your magic door that did it. Or whoever's," she corrects, since she doesn't KNOW that Velvet did it.

Honey grins at the offer. "I don't think they're really ~me~," she says, though she does fluff up the headband she's got. "And that qipao isn't either; I'll stick to my own designs. This isn't quite as good, but it's not baaaad... I'd make a few changes, though!"

[VELVET BLUE]
"Hmm? Oh! that--well, wasn't sure if you were exactly... presentable, but," he shrugged with a grin, clearly enchanted with what the night had in store. "I apologize about having you come down the 'chute' but we also like to keep the entrance somewhat hidden, you know--this is where a fair number of the district's supernaturals come to relax, party--that sort of thing, they're not as used to being stared at as you, however, I think," he's reminded by a stern 'ahem' and a fist-bump motion by his black-tie dressed antler bartender, Louis--oh right, they were supposed to be doing a /fight/, they had a camera set up for the Midnight Channel, and everything.

"Ah yes--looks like you can move on those stilettos just fine--heh, I've got my work cut out for me tonight--would you perhaps help us put on a little show? You seem to know your way around a catwalk, and I do like those that can show off..." Velvet grinned, showing off fanged eyeteeth--before stepping back and assuming a spot parallel to the fashion designer/vigilante.

"We can look at it like a competition, do you think you can give me a challenge for glory tonight?" Velvet snaps black-nailed fingers and the lights focus on them, on the dance floor.

Cinnamon meanwhile frowns a little and peers at her dress, then back up at Honey, giving a little 'hrmph' at that remark.

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

                                  >  //////////////////////////////]
                                  |-------\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[HONEY]
"Supernaturals, huh...?" Honey hears that, but what actually gets through is 'market of people who probably don't have many people catering to them'.

She will remember that, for later.

"Oh, I wouldn't be very good if I couldn't stand on heels. And as for a catwalk..." Honey dips into her own fighting stance, with her hands held, catspaw-like, in front of her at about chest level. "I'm ~very~ good about cats."

"If you want to see everything Honey can do, I'll be glad to show off a little!" Clearly she doesn't mind fighting, either. Well, that is the whole point of the business...

COMBATSYS: Honey has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Honey            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
"All of our gear comes with titanium reinforcements for the boots and heels, so you shouldn't have any accidents fighting on those pumps..." Velvet nodded, also probably doesn't mention the leather inserts that were provided for that leotard, since it probably doesn't need to be muttered aloud. God knows it was probably one of the few ways the whole thing would /work/. "Ahh, feline is it? I can relate, I was given a cat's eyes," he winks at her, the bright lights causing the black pupils to narrow between the yellow irises. For right now, the dance floor seems the best place to do this, though that could change, depending.

"Excellent--I hope to as well~" Velvet cracks their knuckles and rolls their neck, popping some joints, before turning themselves sideways to Honey and abruptly cartwheeling toward them, coming out of it in a kick, aimed right at them!

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue successfully hits Honey with Wonder Wheel.
- Power hit! -

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Honey            0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[HONEY]
Honey did indeed notice the inserts. There's nothing wrong with that... sometimes you just need some scaffolding to build an outfit around.

Velvet comes in with a cartwheel, and perhaps Honey wasn't expecting the acrobatic skill... or maybe she just was trying to get the spots out of her eyes, because while she likes to catch the eye, being on this kind of stage is a little newer.

Either way, he manages to deliver the kick high on Honey's torso. To her credit, she doesn't *completely* overbalance and fall backwards, but it does get her to slide, even on the heels, which make an unpleasant squealing sound against the flooring.

"Oof," she doesn't say so much as gasp out, the air knocked out of her. Something Velvet hit knocked part of the outfit out of place, and it digs in uncomfortably as she straightens back up from where she hunched. "You like to come in hard, don't you?"

Honey suddenly darts forward - she wasn't faking her injury so much as giving herself a moment to recover from it. She comes in low, planting one hand and bringing her entire body around in a sweeping kick to pull Velvet off their feet, then rising smoothly from the low stance!

She takes a moment to adjust something in the leotard, under the jacket, too. It really wasn't meant for fighting in. Not that it being a little precarious is likely to stop her.

COMBATSYS: Honey successfully hits Velvet Blue with Cat Tail.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Honey            0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
A lot of the more masculine patrons of the club (and likely a few of the females) do seem to be rooting for Honey and giving her cheers, especially when she does such a good job of posing about for them initially--and with how she's able to handle herself.

Velvet is able to land from that cartwheeling stunt without flopping down and breaking their ribs, using a palm to stop themselves and flipping themselves back up--raising a brow. "Eesh, maybe I should have directed that thing to use some metallic cuffs or plates--erhk!" his eyes go wide as his boots are swept out from under him, dropping him onto his back against the dancefloor--springing back up.

"Come to think of it you took that pretty well, I wish I was that balanced," Vel winked, stepping toward her quickly and trying to land a palm strike against her shoulder!

The cheering continues, Vel is not exactly the darling of the crowd, it would appear--since he's also kind of 'the boss' around there. Some of them (even his own employees) find amusement in the home team getting knocked around a bit.

COMBATSYS: Honey blocks Velvet Blue's Quick Strike.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Honey            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[HONEY]
Honey does like being the crowd favourite. She winks at someone in the crowd. (She can't actually see exactly who she aimed at. Lights!)

"I'm perfectly balanced," she says, with a bit of a grin. "It's important to stay light on your feet when you're going to move around like this!" She demonstrates by shifting her weight, seeming completely unhampered by the heels - well, her usual combat boots have heels too, so it's mostly just the difference in shoe versus boot that's the issue. "As for metal plates, they'd change the lines a bit. You'd have to design around them! And then you'd really have to size them just for each person... and *I* didn't give you my measurements."

Nor does she now. Sorry, fans! You'll just have to imagine.

When Velvet comes in for a palm strike, Honey is ready this time. She catches the blow in both hands, letting it thump into her cupped palms - and then she turns it into an attack; she grabs Velvet's wrist and starts to pull, rolling backwards with Velvet on top. Which is all well and good, except somewhere along the lines Honey gets her legs up, pressing against Velvet's stomach and kicking as she attempts to fling them right over her now-prone body to land some distance along the stage!

COMBATSYS: Honey successfully hits Velvet Blue with Cat Wheel.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Honey            0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
"Seems so, by your... generousness~" Vel winks a little at Honey, who probably knows to what the fae one suggests there. "Eh, they can be fashioned into small enough links if that's the problem, chainmail bikini?" Vel brings his palm against the fashionista, finding her ready for him this time, and his wrist grabbed!

"Wuh oh--" he yelps, rolled and then pushed up by her legs--flying over and landing half on the stage, half off. Ow~

Pulling themselves up onto the stage though, as the fight is progressing there, Honey is welcome to join up there--and when she's finally up, Velvet turns quickly and brings one of those platform heeled thigh-high boots up and back against her, in a gnarly strong kick!

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue successfully hits Honey with Mule Kick.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Honey            1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1      Velvet Blue

[HONEY]
The concept of building a chainmail bikini *is* intriguing. But... "I think scale mail would work better for it," Honey decides, apparently taking it seriously. "Why, are you offering to build it? Or wear it?"

Velvet ends up on stage, and Honey follows swiftly, grabbing the edge and pulling herself up easily. Or that was the plan, until a boot catches her in the stomach again, driving her back off the stage -

Almost! She's still right on the edge of it, and slowly Honey rises up into a handstand, then springs upwards, into the air! She tucks and rolls as she's airborne, coming down heel-first at Velvet's own stomach in a terrific diving kick, attempting to rebound off, flip backwards and land on her feet. Even her skill in heels is tested by that, as her landing is apt to be a little wobbly.

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue blocks Honey's Diving Kick.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Honey            1/----===/=======|=======\====---\1      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
"Well, *I* don't need it, I don't think..." Velvet grins a little, closing his eyes and patting his front. "Didn't quite win the genetic lotto like that, Honey-dear," he straightens up after the punishing mule kick delivered to the poor fashionista, stepping backwards quickly as she comes back down and lands a kick to his stomach that he's able to partially block--grabbing the heel of one of her shoes, before it impacts his stomach--Honey's shoe remains on thanks to the ankle strap.

"Oof," he winces and doubles over, however head swimming with the energy building up thanks to all the punishment. "Hope you can keep your balance in those pumps even after all this--" Vel brings an arm up in a haymaker, directly for the side of her head.

COMBATSYS: Honey dodges Velvet Blue's Medium Strike.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Honey            1/----===/=======|=======\====---\1      Velvet Blue

[HONEY]
Honey makes a sound best written as 'pfft'. "Don't let THAT stop you if you want one. But if you don't, no point in worrying about it! I'll worry about myself, don't worry about me - and my own balance."

She's turning more of her attention to combat than fashion right now, honestly - there will be plenty of time to talk about fashion afterwards, and Velvet is a serious challenge for her. Honey gets her foot down after her own strike, then leans well backwards, bending almost double as the haymaker swings over her body.

Bent double, Honey flips onto her hands and brings both her feet up at Velvet in a flip kick! She finishes the flip, facing Velvet again and following up the reverse kick with a series of fast 'batting' strikes, catspaw strikes - none are particularly powerful but she's content to just rain blows on Velvet until he gets away or gives up!

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue fails to counter Honey Chain Reaction from Honey with Spellbound Masquerade.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Honey            0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
Velvet is impressed--surprised even when his blow sails over her. Damn, she's faster than he thought--they must be thinking. The cat pawing slaps Velvet around, causing them to bustle with the chi energy built up. Deciding to give Honey a taste of it--they concentrate most of it into one of their 'favorite' spells, but as they reach toward Honey to plant the spell on them--it is 'touch' attack, effectively--the back flip kick knocks their hand--and the spell--back into them. Uh oh. Velvet has just a moment to go wide-eyed with an 'oh shit' sort of expression as smoke fills the area around them.

When it clears, the spells glamour is in full effect, with something a bit decidedly different than Velvet Blue standing there... or is it? Sparkling indigo cocktail dress, matching long velvet gloves, open-toed heels--and with how the long black hair is curled over one eye, it resembles something a bit more akin to Jessica Rabbit, especially with the dark eyeshadow and red lipstick. The spell works by 'forcing' an opponent to put on a show, after all--and right now it is--as Velvet belts out 'Bette Davis Eyes' into a mic stand nearby, tail swaying behind them, the lights flashing over them as it comes to a close--and a huge energy wave is released almost in an explosion--as their energy is expelled--leaving the spell breaking and leaving them sprawled out on the floor, looking like they'd seen a ghost--or just ran 10 miles.

[HONEY]
Of the many things that could have happened, Honey was definitely not expecting that one.

She has no idea what it would have done to her, but instead it's Velvet who has to deal with their own ... spell? Glamor? She doesn't even know what it is, really, but Velvet's the one who has an illusory dress on. Honey's is (as far as she knows) an entirely real outfit.

"You're a better singer than me!" she cheers, and she actually gives Velvet a moment to finish. Not enough to recover, though, because as the lights flash over him, she takes a couple steps back, a little bit out of the spotlight. Velvet gets it for the finale.

And then Honey gets it again for the *real* finale as she comes in a charging attack. She's running, she's running - and then she leaps, spinning in midair...

...and simply tries to sit on the downed Velvet. Very hard. She even crosses one leg over the other if she manages it.

COMBATSYS: Honey successfully hits Velvet Blue with Booty Bop.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Honey            1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1      Velvet Blue

[VELVET BLUE]
Velvet struggles to sit up as the glamour of the spell fades, and he's returned to normal... well, almost--they tug at the dark blue lace choker still around their neck apparently left over from the spell, frowning and showing teeth with a 'grrr' as the magic holding it together finally snaps like an ephemeral bubble and it disappears. While doing this, however--they don't realize Honey has left the surface of the stage until they notice there is a shadow eclipsing them, looking up only too late to see... Well, Honey's generous and fast-moving posterior coming right toward them! Oh god!

They give a 'hnngh' as they struggle and lurch to sit up--only to get slammed back down by the spinning Honey butt, all the wind forced out of them, Velvet's booted feet kicking around as they stick out from beneath her as he struggles momentarily, they then stop, twitching a bit. Oof~

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue takes no action.

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

COMBATSYS: Velvet Blue can no longer fight.

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

[HONEY]
Honey remains seated on top of Velvet for a few moments, letting the foot on her crossing leg dangle for a few moments.

"You okay under there?" she asks, when she realizes that Velvet has not tried to get up for a while. She even rises (once the camera is off) to see if Velvet needs a hand up.

[VELVET BLUE]
Louis, the antlered deer-like bartender, sighs as he comes over onto the stage a few moments later, directing Rancid, the bouncer to help carry Velvet if they need to.

"Ah, I'm alright--I think your rear was just a bit too much for me, aheh..." Velvet manages, in a scratchy voice, giving Honey a little dismissive wave, goodnaturedly. To be sure, they were in a lot of pain right now, but they didn't want to spoil things for their contender.

"I'm sure that was a marvelous performance, dear..." he manage more normally now, with a cough, the bouncer helping Honey to haul him up.

Log created on 18:04:27 02/15/2023 by Honey, and last modified on 06:30:04 02/26/2023.