Match of the Millennium

Description: It's a meeting of the minds as the Swiss heiress Guinevere Bouvier meets actor John Doe in the children's section of Dragon Books, but this is no Tea Time for toddlers. Fists will fly, powers will be unleashed, and the fate of at least one elephant statue will be decided. With special guest star 'That one disapproving redhead who follows JD around correcting people.'

[GENIE]
Guinevere "Genie" Bouvier doesn't know what to think. Her last round was a sharp turnaround from the one before, but the one before that was also a big win for her. In truth, it's all very confusing for the young Swiss heiress, and it's not made much better by the fact she has thus far been reluctant to engage in extensive training with any of her coaches.

Make that scared. Juri is intimidating due to her attitude, and Abigail due to his size. She might be a bit warmer toward Goldlewis, but then she read an article on MKULTRA and something about men staring at goats and she decided to herself that maybe she'd let him take the lead.

But that has not stopped her from trying, and here she is ready for her next match! Since last time, Genie has patched up her blue karate-style martial arts uniform. Her red-pink hair is still tied up in a high ponytail, and she looks a bit more determined as she makes her way into the bookstore with a tingle of the bell.

"Ah, hello? Monsieur Doe? Are you here already?"

[JOHN DOE]
"Ms. Bouvier?"
The figure that steps from the small Self Help section doesn't look like a John, what with her being a lass with long curly red hair and pale sharp features. One hand clutching a purple silk shawl about her narrow shoulders, she offers a slight, nervous smile and offers the other out in greeting, violet eyes wide.
"Miranda Pratchet," she introduces herself, cool fingers seeking to entwine with the heiress's own, white skirt swirling about her legs as she turns to lead the way deeper into the store. "Johnathon is just this way. They've set aside an area for your, umm...Contest."
Pointed nose wrinkling just the tiniest bit at the last, she casts a searching look aside to the young woman, plainly curious if unwilling to voice it. Instead, she leads her on past the Fantasy and Thriller sections, through a decorative arch into the back area set aside for children. Chest high shelves make a book-filled maze of the edges of the room, while the little Tea Table has been shifted off to the side to leave a square some 15 feet across, its center marked by a fluffy green rug depicting a pudgy cartoon dragon with his great head lifted, a stream of flame roasting a peach that is in the process of falling baked and steaming into his open maw. Little chairs have been set around the outside edge of the makeshift arena, each holding a stuffed animal in various pieces of costume: A brown bear in an astronaut suit with a helmet in his lap, a fluffy white bunny in a black formal dress with a broad beribboned hat, an orange and black tiger in sunglasses and leather jacket, and many more.
Standing across the fighting area with his back to the arch is John Doe himself. Arms folded across his chest and glossy black hair hanging loose across his shoulders, the actor looks every bit as shy and brooding as his many movie posters would suggest. Dressed in his usual layers of comfortable shirt, sweater, and open hoodie, it's surprising he isn't burning up despite the excellent air conditioning. But, the look does suit him.
"Johnathon, your...Opponent? Is here."
Giving the Heiress's hand a last gentle squeeze, Miranda scurries off to one side, moving off to lurk behind the camera crew that has set itself up in the corner. At the same moment, JD turns about to face Genie, handsome features lighting up in a brilliantly white smile of recognition. Arms falling from their protective fold, he offers a little wave of his hand, staggering only slightly as he shuffles forward to take a spot near to the center of the rug.
It seems like he's ready to rock and roll.

COMBATSYS: John Doe has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
John Doe         0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Genie has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Genie            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         John Doe

[GENIE]
"Oh!" Genie almost jumps when she's greeted by another woman instead of John Doe. She slumps slightly as the tension relaxes and she sees the woman is both friendly and here to help. "My pleasure, Ms. Prachet." Genie follows her through the door, taking in the sights for herself. She quickly glances away from book with a particularly vulgar title, her face flushing a bit.

"Ah, hello Mr. Doe. Let's have a good fight!" Genie assumes a fighting stance of her own once Miranda squeezes her hand and departs, though her eyes follow her for a moment. The Suisse shakes her head, briefly, as it to clear it. The lingering negative feelings seem to resonating with her in some unseen way, the product of her own supernatural talents.

As JD shuffles, Genie bobs back and forth, unsure of how to advance and not wanting to be rude.

[JOHN DOE]
For one with Genie's talents, the lingering feelings left by Miranda are not hard to discern. Curiosity at why a woman of such standing would lower herself to these activities, distaste bordering contempt for the fight itself, and jealousy. An all consuming, always burning envy toward those around her, mixed with the self righteous surety that were She given such gifts, she certainly wouldn't be wasting them.
In contrast, gazing into JD's soul is like peering into polished glass. A smooth reflection of those around him, softened at the edges by...something. Some instinctive need to return comfort and assurance. Standing this close to him is a lot like warming herself before a fire of good intentions and well being.
Continuing to smile with shy delight, JD raises his fists into a sloppy boxer's guard. Shaking hair back from his eyes, he lets a moment pass, waiting for the official signal to start. Then, and only then does he throw himself at her, lurching into sudden motion with a wild haymaker swing of his right fist. There isn't much in the way of technique there, and he isn't exactly the fastest fighter around, but the strength behind the punch is substantial, much greater than his leanly muscular form would imply. That blow is soon followed by another, taking a stumbling step forward as his left arm windmills into a flailing hammer blow. If all goes to plan he will batter her down to the rug and take charge of the match like Mint taught him!

COMBATSYS: Genie blocks John Doe's Bone Yard.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Genie            0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0         John Doe

[GENIE]
Genie crinkles her nose as the feelings become more clear instead of blurry vestiges on the fringe. She doesn't linger on it, however, as he focus turns on the polished black glass of her approaching opponent.

When JD shifts his stance, Genie tightens her guard, which is as unpolished and sloppy as her opponent's. A more skilled fighter might deftly parry the incoming blow, or redirect it away with grace and poise. By contrast, Genie awkward smacks her forearm against the inside of the star's punch as she tries to keep it from connecting with her jaw. Even though she does, she still winces with the effort. The windmilling hammer flows are equally met with a tight, if unpracticed guard, the Suisse bringing her arms up over her head to intercept the flailing strikes as they fall.

"A-ah! You are very strong, Mister Doe!" Genie musters, taking a careful backstep before adjusting her footing. She steps up and hops into a taekwondo style spin kick--but as she does, she seems to float just a little unnaturally to keep herself in the air long enough to deliver it.

COMBATSYS: John Doe endures Genie's Medium Kick.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Genie            0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0         John Doe

[JOHN DOE]
"Yrmfhtf..." the actor murmurs shyly in response, still grinning as he sways back onto his heels and takes a moment to shake out his aching fists. Though he won't meet her eye, she can sense the brief spark of pleasure at her complement, the excitement that thrills through him as she moves to engage him.
"We really should be devoting this time to meditation." Miranda calls from the corner, both hands now clutching at her silk shawl while she looks on with pointed disapproval.
That happy excitement flickers with the spiritual adviser's rebuke, sputtering like a candle in the wind. Still, it does not die, his shoulders remaining square as the pink-haired Swiss Miss comes leaping in, foot ploughing into his side with a solid THUMP. The force of it threatens to topple him over, but the sturdy young man leans into it, arms reaching to try and catch her around the waist before she can fall. If he can secure that grip he will draw her in close, cheek pressed into her upper belly and hips crushed against his chest as he flops forward into a crude slam, attempting to plough down atop her into a messy clinch.
Fortunately for them both he isn't a sweaty mess, his grip cool, clearly still fresh this early in the bout.

COMBATSYS: Genie deflects Burial Ground from John Doe with Bouclier De Galahad EX.
* Attack Of Opportunity! *

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Genie            0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0         John Doe

[GENIE]
As Genie kicks off of her opponent, she quickly finds her situation getting more complicated. JD is reaching for her, taking her around the waist and lifting up for a powerful, if awkward slam. With a brief yelp, Genie finds herself on the defensive and looking for a quick way out of the grab.

She finds it by bringing her palms around and forward. With a flash of unearthly light, the Swiss miss erects a vaguely shield-shaped barrier of purple-pink between herself and her opponent, wedging it in there to break his grip as it slams forward like a wall of force. Genie herself pushes off of it as she does, using it like a springboard to land heavily on her rump across the rug--before trying to roll herself back onto her feet and regain her composure.

[JOHN DOE]
"Oh my!"
Miranda's shrill cry is the soundtrack to JD meeting the purple-pink barrier face-first. Impacting him like a brick wall, the actor bounces off, grip broken and arms flailing for balance as he threatens to go right over backward like his opponent. It takes three stumbling steps before he regains his balance, swaying on the spot while he reaches up to investigate his features for damage. One cheek is darkening with a pretty hefty bruise, but his nose is straight and he still has both eyes, so, all in all, not bad.
"Grrmhr..." he mumbles, flashing Genie a quick, rueful grin before stepping toward her. It would be hard to call what he does Running, exactly, but he steps his pace up to a determined shuffle, scuffing his way across the carpet to deliver a single, leaning straight punch toward her center mass as she scrambles to her feet.

COMBATSYS: Genie dodges John Doe's Dash Punch.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Genie            0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0         John Doe

[GENIE]
"Ah!" Genie seems startled by John's handler, whom she may have simply tuned out for the time being. Even so, by the time the man is coming in for a powerful dashing straight, Genie is on her feet and dusting herself off. Her eyes widen and her pulse quickens as the fist comes for her center of mass, but Genie reacts in a panic, leaning out of the way as she seems to almost be thrown clear of the punch by some unseen force. She skids along the uncarpeted portion of the floor, briefly, before bumping into a bookshelf as a brake. It wobbles on its feet.

"Oh, my apologies!" she says to no one in particular, while meanwhile a decoration--what looks to be a football-sized stone elephant, rumbles on the top of the shelf dangerously.

When it falls, Genie squeaks, raising her hands over her head--as the brief glow of an aura not unlike her shield encapsulates it and throws it like a fast pitch right toward the other fighter!

COMBATSYS: John Doe blocks Genie's Thrown Object.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Genie            0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         John Doe

[JOHN DOE]
Lurching to an unsteady halt in the wake of his whiffed punch, John Doe glances to the side to track Genie's sliding escape with wide eyes. Seeing the wobbling elephant that threatens to fall on her, he begins to lift a hand, to grunt out some sort of warning, when the shell of power catches it out of the air and flings it toward him like a little stone missile.
"GRRFK!"
Acting on instinct, the actor pivots toward the projectile, hands coming together to catch it with the loud SMACK of stone striking skin. The force of the launch still drives his arms back against his chest, sneakers scuffing a step backward, but he is soon holding the decoration up with a triumphant smile, clutched carefully in both hands.
Caught up in the moment, all shyness forgotten, JD offers Genie a wink, turning to place the elephant statue gently in the lap of a stuffed moose with a bow tie. That done, he dusts his hands off, combs his hair back with his fingers, and spreads his arms wide, dropping into a low crouch.
...?
From several feet away the handsome fool launches himself into a forward dive, sailing majestically through the air a good 5 feet, arms like rigid wings.
Until he face plants.
Landing with a floor-shaking THUD, he skids across the carpet on his face, threatening to plough into Genie's shins and bring the girl down into yet another tumble of cloth and limbs.

COMBATSYS: Genie blocks John Doe's Return of the Living Dead.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Genie            0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0         John Doe

[GENIE]
"A-ah, sorry," Genie apologizes. "It was a reflex. I am very glad that it was not broken!" Despite money being no object for the Swiss miss, she does seem to have respect for other people's things at the very least.

But her grace and poise is swiftly disrupted when John Doe winks at her, causing the young woman to turn bright red. Her poise is further destroyed when he flops forward into a face-first dive and slides toward the woman's shins. Genie backsteps, pulling her legs toward her in a tight guard, but it only does so much against the impact. When JD hits her she almost tumbles over again, barely maintaining her footing.

"Oh, how--unorthodox!" Genie seems to have struggled for the right word. Even so, she doesn't skip a beat. Instead, the woman draws back her hands and starts gathering her mysterious power, which slowly shapes itself into what looks like the rough approximate shape of a warhammer.

She brings it around overhead, the object weighing much less for her than the real thing would as she drives it downward in an overhead strike.

COMBATSYS: Genie successfully hits John Doe with Par-Lui-Fet.

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

[JOHN DOE]
Strong hands grip at the hem of Genie's gi as JD rises to his knees. Head tilted back, he flashes a bright, happy grin up at her, seeming little worse for ware after his headlong skid into her braced legs. Hair falling across one cheek, grey eyes wide and warm, it looks for one moment like he might be about to propose.
"Johnathon! This is not appropriate!"
Miranda's shrill protests cut across their match like a whip, startling his handsome features into a wince of apology that seems aimed more toward the Swiss girl than his adviser. However, if he has any words of his own they are last as the heiress brings her hands swinging down, the shimmering hammer dropping toward his skull with all her considerable power behind it.
Flailing a hand up, the actor attempts to catch hold of the shaft, to stop the weapon before it can drive home. Unfortunately, he straight up misses the grab, hand flapping through empty air as the weapon crashes into his skull with a reverberating THUD.
"HRRGHF."
Grey eyes drifting out of focus, head hunched between his shoulders, John Doe sways on his knees as if he might be about to topple right over. It is his grip on her gi that keeps him upright, fingers tightening into a fist as he hauls sharply down, using her to drag himself unsteadily to his feet. Free hand lashing out, he attempts to gather a second fist of fabric at her chest, heaving upward to lift her high overhead.
Unless she can break his grip as before, Genie will find herself whipped down in a mighty power slam, JD bending double to smash her into the floor before straightening, lifting her overhead, and staggering sideways to smash her down again, this time through the child-sized round table set for tea, sending plastic cups and sugar bowls flying in all directions.

COMBATSYS: John Doe successfully hits Genie with Dawn Of The Dead.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-

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

[GENIE]
"H-huh?" Genie seems confused at Miranda's interjection, but her ability to resolve her confusion is hampered by the fast pace at which the tables of the fight turn. Or perhaps, more appropriately, how suddenly she is turned toward a table.

"Eep!" Genie protests as JD grabs another handful of gi and then lifts her up over his head and slams her down first into the table---then through the table as it gives out under her weight and the force of the throw. A plastic cup flies violently across the room before skipping off a bookshelf and disappearing into the collections.

"Whoogh," Genie's noises are not quite a word as she tries to get her head to stop spinning and her side to stop hurting, running a hand along the latter. As she gathers her bearings, Genie half rolls, half crawls away to gain a bit of distance. "Ah, ah--ow. You are very strong, Monsieur Doe!" Genie winces and grabs her side again. "But I am not done yet!"

Power crackles through her hand as she gathers power with her mind, steadily shaping it first into a ball and then stretching it into the long shaft of what looks to be a spear of pure power. Assuming a javelin-thrower's stance, Genie hurls the projectile toward the man across the bookstore.

"O-ow."

COMBATSYS: John Doe endures Genie's Lance Du Lac.

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

[JOHN DOE]
"You are better than this, Johnathon." Miranda cuts in airily from the corner of the room, sharp features composed into a mask of lofty serenity. Hands clutched to her shawl and pointed nose lifted, she pointedly ignores the plastic sugar bowl that bounces off of her shin, utterly above such crass behavior. "Yet you insist on continuing with this pointless farce. The least you could do is end it quickly. Nothing will come of you acting like a barbarian."
The words wash over the young man as he straightens his rumpled hoodie, watching Genie crawl away from the wreckage of the table with energy gathering around her. A small crease appears between his dark brows as he listens, the faintest downward twitch of a frown flitting across his handsome face. A frown that, to each person watching, seems to reflect a different emotion. Genie, lance in hand, is the only person in the room equipped to see how it simultaneously confirms every opinion in the room, each with their own unique perspective. To Miranda, the frown reads as contrition and mild self reproach as he agrees with her lofty opinions on combat sports. To at least one of the camera men the expression reads as manfully contained annoyance in the face of unjust nagging, while to another the same expression signals regret for the damage he has just done to Genie.
Genie herself sees an expression of apology, but not for having slammed her into the table. Regret for the disrespect Miranda is showing them both, belittling the spirit they are showing and the experience they share.
It is into this mirror of overlapping impressions that the lance plunges, striking JD square in the chest. However, rather than staggering back he forces himself forward, ploughing through the explosion of pinkish energy with a surprising turn of speed. Expression clearing into a look of determined focus, black hair wafting back from his bruised face, he lunges toward her with his right fist dropping low toward the carpet. Shoulders turning, he launches himself up from his lead foot, body spiraling in a sloppy but recognizable rising uppercut aimed square for her chin. In that moment all doubts are shoved aside, the only vibe she feels being a desire to press, to fight, and for the smallest of moments, to be free.

COMBATSYS: John Doe successfully hits Genie with Dead Rising.

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

[GENIE]
Genie furrows his brow as the commentary continues, as thoughts roil and toss like a troubled sea. In her mind, Genie reads the threads passing through air like a soothsayer might read the flow of tea leaves---and with the same ambiguity. She cannot tell for certain what she sees or feels, only a rough idea.

Genie is brought back to the moment from trying to decipher Johnathan's thoughts by him barreling right through her throw spear. The pink energy pops and crackles for a moment before fragmenting into pieces and then dust, no longer maintained by Genie's mind. As he keeps barreling toward her, Genie shrieks in surprise.

"Oh no oh no oh no--" The uppercut catches the Swiss on the chin hard enough to make her head rattle as she goes sailing up, up, and then back down on the opposite side of a bookshelf. For several moments, she doesn't rise from there.

But then, suddenly, there's a flash of power as if the air in the room changed and shifted. The bookshelf in front of her is pushed over by a shockwave as Genie rises up, her feet not touching the ground and hair standing on end. An unseen force seems to steel her muscles and right her back into a proper fighting stance--before she calmly extends a hand and forms in it a rough, poorly defined broadsword-shape of that same pink power from before.

Genie surges forward with it at a deceptive speed, slashing forward once, twice, several times in rapid fire. The "blade" feels less sword and more club as she uses it, but the power itself seems to cut into one's being without breaking the skin.

COMBATSYS: John Doe blocks Genie's Arondight EX.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Genie            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0         John Doe

[JOHN DOE]
"Johnathon!"
Miranda's sharp rebuke slices through the air as Genie crashes out of sight, drawing John's gaze away from the separating shelf. Emotions roiling deep within him, he lifts his right hand, palm out, and holds it there, staring into his spiritual adviser's eyes with somber assurance. However, whatever he might be about to say is interrupted by the shelf toppling with a loud crash, small books spilling across his sneakers in a colorful wave. Attention snapping back in Genie's direction, he has just enough time to look equal parts excited and startled before she is on him, broadsword slashing out in a blur.
It is luck more than skill that gets his forearm in the way of the first slash, the open-palmed gesture having put it in the perfect position for him to intercept the opening strike. However, as the weapon thuds into his arm, impact vibrating through his body and soul, he is forced into a backward stagger that nearly puts him on the ground. Head tucking, fists raised to shelter his face and elbows pulled in tight to his ribs, he turtles against the rain of blows, spirit quivering, shivering, and cracking beneath the onslaught.
But he does not fall.
Retreating until his lower back bumps the shelf opposite to where they started, he accepts a final hack of the sword across tensed arms, then surges forward, arms spreading wide in a lurching collision of leanly muscled chest to much girlier chest. Throwing himself at her with reckless abandon, dark hair having fallen in a glossy curtain that obscures his features, he attempts to crash bodily into her and close his arms around her smaller form, hugging her crushingly tight before twisting, attempting to drag her out of the air and hurl her through the shelf and into the painted wall beyond.

COMBATSYS: John Doe successfully hits Genie with Grave Mistake.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-

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

[GENIE]
Genie's eyes widen a bit as she seems to regain some clarity in the midst of striking out at JD with the weapon, but almost as soon as she has she finds herself caught up in a powerful squeeze and toss, hurling head over heels through a shelf and then through a nearby wall to crash unceremoniously in a ruffling of stray pages. She coughs several times in the dust, but then rises up again, still running on whatever mysterious power gave her that surge of energy.

With a sudden rush, Genie throws herself weightlessly toward John Doe, a flash of pink enveloping her as she forms a rough shield-shape in front of her as she barrels toward the star, aiming to crash into him as full force.

...but almost as soon as her momentum is spent, Genie's eyes roll back and the pink energy disappears in a flash, the Swiss miss flopping face first unconscious with her rear unceremoniously in the air before her knees giving out and falls flat on her belly.

COMBATSYS: Genie can no longer fight.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  <
John Doe         0/-------/----===|

COMBATSYS: John Doe blocks Genie's Joyeuse Garde.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  <
John Doe         0/-------/----===|

[JOHN DOE]
A thick cloud of dust filling the air, John Doe stands amidst the rubble like a ragged statue, shoulders hunched and handsome face concealed. He doesn't even appear to be breathing as the Swiss Heiress coughs her way back into the air, ploughing forward on a collision course with the oddly sturdy actor.
Arms bruised and battered from catching the previous attacks, he doesn't even try to catch the shimmering shield that rushes toward him. Wobbling slightly on his feet, he swings himself away, turning to present his back just moments before impact.
THUD!
With pink energy erupting all around them, the empowered fightress slams home, causing him to sway forward in his braced stance. But as she falls, he remains standing, shoulders shrugging out of his hoodie with an easy lack of haste.
"Rest." Is all the young man says, turning to gently drape his grey hoodie over her fallen form. Still clad in oversized knitted sweater and T-shirt, the battered celebrity beckons Miranda forth from the corner of the room and starts his slow shuffle away, wandering out of the wrecked children's area and into the book shop proper.
Apparently she can keep the hoodie. A true collector's item.

COMBATSYS: John Doe takes no action.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  <
John Doe         0/-------/---====|

COMBATSYS: John Doe has ended the fight here.

Log created on 18:36:49 07/17/2023 by John Doe, and last modified on 19:54:59 07/24/2023.