Match of the Millennium

Description: The second round of the tournament pits lazy drunken master against energetic rich kid. In this battle of natural magic and natural psychic potential, who will come out on top?

[GENIE]
Guinevere, or Genie, is not really a pessimist. No, she tries to approach life with a certain joie de vivre regardless of how things come. This outlook is helped a bit by the fact she is both relatively young and absolutely wealthy, but the New Fighter's Generation was, even then, a pleasant surprise. She didn't expect to take her first round solidly, but at the same time, she's not exactly arrogant about her chances for the next one.

Even so, she is currently psyching herself up for round 2 by making her way around the marquee's backstage and moving toward the center. Her pinkish red hair is in a messy ponytail, and she's dressed up in her generic blue martial arts gi again. She is currently doing stretches, because she does know those are important! That part she understands.

[TAMAKI]
If she was being quite honest, Tamaki hadn't even expected to get out of her first round. Having entered on a whim, she was surprised when her vaguely remembered, mostly unpracticed techniques had actually done pretty well, honestly!

Surprised and pleased, because fighting was fun in a way that she hadn't remembered it being before. To say nothing of the people... the atmosphere... the fact that she was actually not having to pay for most of it...

Which means she'd actually started paying attention to the second round. A little. Oh, she hadn't really practiced all that much, but she'd gotten herself in the mindset that she *might* do a little better.

She's in the same outfit she wore on her first excursion: green sleeveless top, brown skirt... and very fluffy ringed tail with ears that go with it. Her tokkuri is over one shoulder.

"Well look who's here," she says, cheerful and apparently paying no attention to the audience. One of her ears flicks for a moment. "Let me know when you're all stretched out. Oh, or perhaps I'll join you."

Tamaki places her tokkuri on the floor for a moment and stretches her back out, arching it until she can feel a pop at the center of the back just lower than her shoulders, then twisting left and right. Then she picks up the tokkuri again. That seems to be enough for her!

[GENIE]
"Oh!" Genie almost jumps when Tamaki greets her. "Ah, hello!" she gives an enthusiastic wave in turn. "You must be Tamaki, yes? It is my pleasure -- ah, I hope you will bear with me if I am a bit unpolished in the fight. It is just a bit, how do you say, nerve-wracking?"

Genie smooths out her gi just a bit. "Oh!" The pop does produce a bit of a startled response. "Is that --" she gestures toward the tokkuri. "Something you bring with you into the ring?" She asks. "Stage?" She seems to be looking for the right word.

"Oh, but I am probably asking too many questions. Are you ready to get started?"

COMBATSYS: Tamaki has started a fight here.

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

COMBATSYS: Genie has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Genie            0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0           Tamaki

[TAMAKI]
Tamaki seems unconcerned about the pop. "You know how it is when you have a stiff back," she says, voice lowered slightly - but not so low that the microphones can't pick it up.

"Well I wouldn't want to be in the ring without a drink," is Tamaki's response to whether she brings that into the ring. She hefts the tokkuri again, tilting it just so. It doesn't slosh, but only because it's still full and she'd have to really shake it to do that.

Her face splits into a broader smile. "But you're right! We should give the audience what they want. That IS what you want, isn't it?" Tamaki lets the audience cheer for a few moments - and, critically, the bell signaling the beginning of the match to ring - before she lurches forward, a weaving process that involves her stepping over her other foot and swaying dangerously before straightening, bringing the side of her arm 'coincidentally' upward in a blow against Genie's side before she sways the other way, tilting back dangerously.

It's not that dangerous. Her tail has straightened out and is propping her up like a third arm. But if you're not used to fighting someone with a tail, it *looks* dangerous.

COMBATSYS: Tamaki successfully hits Genie with Stumbling Swing.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Genie            0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1           Tamaki

[GENIE]
Genie moves along toward the stage following Tamaki's lead and appropriately takes a position across the fighting space. She puts her hands together and imitates a formal bow, but not one that shows a particular amount of practice or dedicated training in any school most would be familiar with. "Let's have a good match!"

But soon, Tamaki is on the move and -- swaying? Stumbling? Genie's brow furrows and her eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh, ah! Please don't fall over! Are you ok--" Tamaki's fist smacks into the side of Genie's head hard enough to knock her flat on her back as it elicits a yelp of surprise (and pain) from the Swiss girl.

"Ah..." Genie is rubbing her face. Her eyes are watering just slightly. "You tricked me! That was sneaky!" She seems moderately offended, but then...

Genie is up on her feet, still rubbing her face. She takes an unfamiliar stance, her palms extended and arms raised around chest and waist height. "O-oh. This is...this is like that movie I saw, from Hong Kong. I think -- I think I get it."

Genie squints, her brow furrowed in concentration. Something about her seems to stir, as if a strange energy is at play. He gi billows a little bit even though there's not an especially high amount of wind.

"I do not think I am so good at reading these moves..."

COMBATSYS: Genie focuses on her next action.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Genie            0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1           Tamaki

[TAMAKI]
Tamaki uses her tail to push herself more or less upright, though she's still taking a slightly swaying stance. This appears to be intentional rather than out of actual drunkenness (she's only had ONE drink today, thank you).

Well... That's not quite true. But the others were before she fell asleep, so surely it counts as yesterday by now?

"I can't help it! You're cute when you're confused," Tamaki says, stepping forward again - and literally trying to pinch Genie by the cheek. It is not exactly a very painful experience and isn't really meant as part of the combat.

"Ah, but excuse my manners! Battle should be enjoyed, and I'm afraid I'm enjoying it a little too much." She takes a half-step back, gives a surprisingly deep bow -

- and then steps forward, driving her head directly at Genie's torso, right through the building wind. Surprise! "But you should really pay more attention! If you won't be the wind, you'll be the leaf, floating here and there without control! At least the wind goes where it likes."

COMBATSYS: Genie deflects Aggressive Strike from Tamaki with Bouclier De Galahad EX.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Genie            0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1           Tamaki

[GENIE]
Genie blinks a few times as Tamaki rights herself with the tail. As the tanuki makes her way over toward Genie, the Swiss woman is still getting used to it when she gets pinched on the cheek.

A cheek that is now quickly turning a shade similar to her hair. She stumbles through something that might French? German? The primary tongue seems to be "tied."

And suddenly there's a headbutt coming toward her, and Genie reacts in a panic. She seems to glow, briefly, her reaction fast--almost superhumanly so considering her previous lack of agility. Her hands go up, and with them comes a flash of bright energy, suddenly disc-shaped and almost solid. Solid enough, at least, then Tamaki's head probably collides with it aggressively.

"Ah! It was a reflex!"

[TAMAKI]
For Tamaki, who enjoys teasing people, Genie's result may as well be catnip...

...does catnip work on raccoon-dogs?

Sadly, there is none here. There is only a barrier which Tamaki drives her head directly into... and while she's been called thick-headed before, she's not THAT thick-headed! She staggers back, this time dazed rather than swaying in an evasive manner.

She rubs the top of her head, her ears flattening. "Well, at least you were paying attention," she says, a little ruefully. She's a little further away now, and she decides to keep the distance, twirling in place; a little shimmering ball of chi forms on her tail before being launched at Genie, deceptively slow at first but accelerating quickly.

COMBATSYS: Genie blocks Tamaki's Swaying Tail.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Genie            0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1           Tamaki

[GENIE]
Genie's hands are clasped over her mouth for a moment as Tamaki recovers, genuinely concerned about the collision of head and shield. Whether or not this too is catnip for the playful tanuki remains to be seen.

"Sorry! I do try to pay attention when--oh no."

Genie brings her arms up in front of her face as the ball accelerates and smacks into her, sliding her backward across the marquee several feet. When the chi disappears, she shakes her arms and makes a pained face.

"Ow ow ow." As she shakes her arms, she looks back toward Tamaki.

"Do you ... do you have to launch it with your tail. Or can you use your hands?" Genie puts her palms toward, mimicking a familiar fireball motion for reference. "S-sorry. Is that rude of me to ask?"

The Swiss woman bounces on her feet, then raises a hand up over her head and pack, like she's holding an imaginary javelin. She tightens her face in concentration.

"Mine is like...this!" She suddenly throws a rough, spear shape of psychic power back toward the raccoon-dog.

COMBATSYS: Tamaki reflects Lance Du Lac from Genie with Ponpoko Beat.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Genie            0/-------/-======|=======\=====--\1           Tamaki

COMBATSYS: Tamaki successfully hits Genie with Reflected Lance Du Lac.
-* WILD HIT! *-

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Genie            1/----===/=======|=======\=======\1           Tamaki

[TAMAKI]
"Ah, what if my hands are full? My tail rarely is." Tamaki pauses in her response, considering. "Well, usually not, anyway." It could be pushing her up again!

She smiles. "Why, are you interested? I'll have you know a tail is a versatile tool... but I can't see you getting one. No, it wouldn't really work for you, I'm afraid. I'll have to keep that little secret to myself!"

Genie throws something, and Tamaki - who has her hands free, after all - responds quickly. But probably not quite the way Genie is expecting her to, as she doesn't do anything with the lance. Nor does she try to ward it off, precisely.

Instead Tamaki thumps her own stomach with the flat of her hand, hard enough to make a sound. It makes a noise out of proportion to the size of the blow, sets up a rather eye-catching bounce across her front (well, her chest mostly)...

...and makes her erupt into rainbow chi, which bursts off of her in all directions! It doesn't travel far at all, but the lance of energy hits it and rebounds backwards, now shimmering in all those rainbow colours as it travels right back at Genie!

Tamaki uses the cover to open her tokkuri and take a long drink from it.

[GENIE]
Genie smiles proudly, smugly, perhaps, as she lets loose the lance. It's a look of triumph! Her move is so cool, and and and.

And suddenly it is returning to her courtesy of Tamaki's belly (?) drum deflecting it back toward her. Genie is wide-eyed and in shock when the lance crashes into her and explodes in a flash of Psi and Chi and knocks her flat on her toush.

"Ow ow ow," Genie grumbles. "I didn't know you could do that too..." She sounds like she is not used to getting hit by such things, judging from the tremor in her voice. "B-but I cannot give up this early!" The young woman straights up, runs a hand through her hair (and wipes her eyes), and resumes a fighting stance. She leaps forward with a kick, then seems to -- move further than her jump should have let her, her eyes closed and her brow furrowed when she gets the unseen boost.

COMBATSYS: Tamaki blocks Genie's Medium Kick.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Genie            1/----===/=======|=======\=======\1           Tamaki

[TAMAKI]
Good old belly drum. It never fails. Except for all the times it's failed.

Tamaki finishes her impromptu drinking time as Genie gets back up, closing the tokkuri again and swinging it back over her shoulder, resting against her back. "If you wanted to take a nap, nobody would blame you. I like a good nap now and again," she says - but no, Genie is still coming at her!

Good, honestly. She's interested in seeing where this goes.

Genie's foot connects with Tamaki's arm, which she has managed to interpose. She moves with the blow rather than against it, not deflecting Genie so much as allowing herself to be moved by it, drawing her in as Tamaki turns.

And then she follows it up, a moment later, when her other hand comes out in a punch that has a lot more obvious technique behind it than her previous swaying, swinging, almost wild blows. She drives it toward Genie's stomach, again, but swings her shoulder in low afterwards, lifting Genie at first with her lower arm and then with both hands -

To try to toss her over her own head to land on the stage behind her! "Up you go! A ha ha, I've missed this!"

COMBATSYS: Tamaki successfully hits Genie with Hair of the Raccoon-Dog.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Genie            2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=------\1           Tamaki

[GENIE]
Genie is pushing against Tamaki's block when suddenly there's a shift in positioning and Genie's wind is knocked out of her by a shoulder to the stomach. Before she can properly react, she's then lifted up and flipped up, up into the air and onto the other end of the stage with a heavy thump.

Genie groans and does not get up immediately. When she does, she seems conflicted. Should she rub her stomach? Her face? Every part of her hurts! She staggers, taking a moment to get back on her feet. "Just--ah, this is a lot harder than it looked." Guinvere whines, but then, stops herself. "But I must get it my best!" She bites her lip and rubs her face.

"So how about this one! Hiyaaah!" Genie's untrained battle-shout stands in contrast to the surge of power that erupts from her. She cups her hands together like she's holding something ...a bat? A sword? It's hard to tell, but the roughly shaped energy construct that manifests is certainly some sort of weapon. She moves forward and swings down, smashing it downward. Then comes a side swing. Then another. A flurry of untrained but power-laden strikes with her weapon follow!

COMBATSYS: Genie successfully hits Tamaki with Arondight EX.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Genie            0/-------/---<<<<|=======\=------\1           Tamaki

[TAMAKI]
"Most things are harder than they look," Tamaki says. "Do you want my advice?"

She leans forward slightly - though she's not close enough to make her words *actually* private. Other people can still hear her fine. "Take it ea~sy. Just have some fun. It won't hurt you! Though, if you want to keep at it, *I* won't complain. I'm having plenty of my own."

She wiggles her eyebrows. It must be a knack.

Genie's surge of power, though partially unformed, is powerful enough. And she comes in so quickly that Tamaki isn't quite sure how to evade it; she makes a quick swerve to one side, but the second blow of the flurry catches her, striking repeatedly!

Tamaki does her best to weather the blows, but it isn't easy. She has to try to find an opening, and when she does she spins. At first it looks like a turn kick (and it is; if Genie doesn't dodge it she's going to get kicked in the shin) but then Tamaki keeps going, striking with a swinging tail...

...which has suddenly grown to several times its usual size, a massive five-foot length of fluff and muscle. It's soft, but also strong. Like getting hit with a padded tree.

Tamaki finishes her circle and lets the weight now attached to her lower back pull her down... onto it. She curls the tail and sits on it, looking like nothing so much as if she was sitting on a fuzzy beanbag chair.

COMBATSYS: Genie fails to deflect Art of Transformation - Giant from Tamaki with Chevalier De La Charrette.

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

COMBATSYS: Genie can no longer fight.

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

[GENIE]
"A-ah--" The advice comes a bit too late, as Genie is in the process of swinging her psychic sword around violently. It is not quite enough to bring Tamaki down, however, and soon the spin kick is coming for her.

The young Esper tries to focus her energy, to create another shield, but it's too slow. The kick finds empty air anyway, and Genie looks very confused. Relieved, of course, but confused none the less.

It is a brief relief before the shield, still not fully formed, fails to stop Genie from getting walloped by a tree-large tail. It flattens Genie onto the floor of the marquee, and she does not immediately get up.

[TAMAKI]
Tamaki is apparently better at advice than she thought, given she's dropped Genie without lifting a finger!

A tail isn't a finger. It counts.

Tamaki sits on her tail for a few moments, swinging one foot in a posture that looks almost idle, before hopping off it; somewhere between her lifting off and her feet touching the ground, her tail returns to its normal size with no fanfare.

She walks over toward Genie, crouching down next to her. "That was perhaps a bit harder than I meant," she admits, pulling out the tokkuri again and waving it under Genie's nose to see if the smell makes her rouse.

(It's sake. Of course it's sake.)

"A good match, a fine match! And perhaps next time, you'll beat me, hmm?"

[GENIE]
Genie coughs at the sudden aroma and sputters awake, mumbling in what sounds like it might be German. "Ah? Ow..." She winces almost as soon as she tries to sit up. "Ah, thank you, but I just want a nap right now...I will do my best...next time." She starts to sit up, then gives up on it.

"Hopefully it will not hurt *quite* so much."

COMBATSYS: Tamaki has ended the fight here.

Log created on 17:55:43 04/23/2023 by Tamaki, and last modified on 15:16:41 04/29/2023.