Match of the Millennium

Description: Sisyphus has angered the powers that be (Professional Fighting Worldwide?) by somehow managing to cheat death twice. As his punishment he has been sentenced to fight Rox on Geraneia Mountains in Corinth. Can he continue on his roll and manage to overcome this toxic challenger?

[ISHIDA]
Ishida's last fight was embarassing. He's not a fan of skirts. So rather than leave his wardrobing up to the whims of underpaid, underappreciated workers, he took it upon himself to do a little more research.

And so it is that Ishida can be found garbed in the off-white folds of a classical Greek himation. The garment is free-flowing and breathes well, affording him both ease of motion and modesty in the high-altitude air.

All things considered, it's a perfect spring day here upon one of many trails leading to the summit of Mount Geraneia. The peak, Makryplagi, may not be that high, but even a few hundred meters shy of that destination the view of the surrounding Greek countryside is stunning.

And, true to form, Ishida has taken upon himself to work out prior to the start of his fight. He hasn't sought to carry a weighted squat bar here -- instead, he's staying in character by lifting a boulder on his shoulders.

It's undoubtedly heavy -- even though it's a prop, hollowed out in the middle. Because if there's one thing you -can't- fake -- it's the beads of sweat that roll off Ishida's brow as he struggles to to lift the rock from his lowered squat. Never let it be said that the Nara man shies from a challenge.

[ROXANA]
For the second fight in a row, Roxana doesn't need a special costume. This is something she finds somewhat disappointing. Her turn as the moon goddess, Selene against Arisa's Helios, had proved to be fun and she'd enjoyed finding the right items to capture the look, or at least to represent it in the way she saw best. When facing Rodrigo, she had been cast as the scorpion to his Orion and therefore simply turning up in her fighting form had proved to serve the purpose. For this match, she has been assigned the part of Rox, who is surely just herself? She had contemplated dressing as a rock, given that the myth the fight is nodding to involved Sisyphus pushing a rock up a mountain. Sure, they are going to be fighting on a mountain, but it doesn't seem to be the plan that Ishida will spend the whole fight trying to push her petite form up it.

As such, she has opted just to wear her regular fighting costume. It's a look she came up with herself before the NFG and one that she was sure to bring several copies of in her sizeable suitcase. This has proved to be wise, since one of the jumpsuits has already suffered from being sliced by Rodrigo's sword and she's no seamstress. The outfit is simple yet striking and shows off Roxana's bodacious body beautifully. The black stretchy material that the jumpsuit consists of is covered in silver diamante studs with strategically placed sheer panels on her lean legs and matching sheer gloves that reach to her middle arms. Her hip-length black hair is slicked back into a scorpion-style braid without a single strand escaping the securely tied black band that holds it in place.

As she makes her way up the mountain trail, she's pretty steady on her feet for someone wearing silver stacked sneakers. She has a pair of oversized black sunglasses covering her eyes and the feeling of the sun on her face is welcomed. Upon spying her opponent, her lips form into a pleasant smile. "Quite the view from here isn't it?" Rox remarks, turning around to look down the mountain. "It's good to see you again, Ishida. I haven't forgotten how you helped me on that first day on the ship. You showed great kindness and compassion."

Her dark eyes dance with amusement behind her shades when she realises he is using a boulder for his workout routine. "Perhaps you should be fighting that instead of me." She jokes.

[ISHIDA]
Ishida couldn't find mention of 'Rox' in any of the mythic legends, though he had chalked that up to an inability to enter the correct search term into his phone. But ... as he pauses in his lifting to pivot his head towards the speaker, he remembers that the best attire is often the one closest at hand. Nodding quietly in agreement, he lowers one shoulder, allowing the rock to roll off to one side. He keeps it from rolling too far away by pressing it into the rocky floor.

"It was nothing, really." He offers a slight smile. "I was concerned that a fall might have kept you out of the first few rounds."

Though, he seems a little puzzled for a moment, as Roxana mentions that he should be fighting the boulder. Once he seems satisfied that the boulder won't roll away, he steps away from it. He then presses his knuckles into an open palm, for a more proper monk-styled greeting before he fully slips into his character as Sisyphus. Who, as a despotic ruler, is not -exactly- in Ishida's wheelhouse.

"Such is my fate for any other day of the year. It appears that, today, the Gods have chosen to give me a more suitable, and much more attractive, challenge."

The smirk doesn't really look... Entirely -right- on him.

"Presuming that you are Rox. Of course, I need no introduction -- as Sisyphus, King of Ephyra!"

It seems he's warming up to the role, at least...?

COMBATSYS: Ishida has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Ishida           0/-------/-------|

[ROXANA]
Roxana watches the rock roll away and then looks back towards Ishida's face, noting the smile. This soon switches however to a slightly sinister smirk, which she has to admit she is impressed by. "You have stepped into character now." She states. "Yes, I am Rox and I suppose it may be time for me to prepare too."

Stretching out her limbs, she stares serenely ahead as the transformation starts to take place. Black chitinous armour forms over the top of her head, upper face, shoulders, arms and legs and she develops claws, pincers and a tail, the latter poking out from a previously concealed gap in her costume.

"Greetings, King Sisyphus. I am Roxana Soraya Page but you can call me Rox. Today it is my role to test you to your limit in the hope I can teach you a lesson on behalf of the gods."

Is she slightly amused by this dialogue? There is a hint of a smile there but she quickly suppresses it as she steps towards her opponent.

"With this in mind, I believe I should begin. Let's see how well you can defend yourself from my deadly powers."

Turning her back on the King in a rather rude fashion, Rox starts to sway her hips from side to side, peeking over her shoulder at him to make eye contact. As her performance picks up speed, her scorpion tail starts to spray poison from it, which could potentially cause pain should it connect with its chosen target.

COMBATSYS: Roxana has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ishida           0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Roxana successfully hits Ishida with Scorpion Spray.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Ishida           0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1           Roxana

[ISHIDA]
Ishida is, slowly but surely, starting to get the hang of this "performance" thing, thanks to the numerous comments he had received from his past two fights. While he appreciates Rox rolling with his attempt to play the part, a part of him is sad that he can't show his appreciation in the same way he normally does -- as he's playing the role of an arrogant king. Prideful, he feigns brushing loose dirt from his shoulder.

"I've cheated death twice before, what more could a wayward mercenary teach me?"

Further playing the part, his expression changes to anger as the 'mercenary' turns her back on him. Though, now Ishida recalls Rox's past fights against Arisa and Rodrigo -- and, having neither a paper parasol nor a cape, he raises his forearms.

"The audacity! Why, I--"

He's so too carried up in his role that he forgets to keep his mouth closed when the poison starts to spray. While he manages to catch much of the fluid on his forearms, that doesn't stop it from searing into his skin -- or spattering into his eyes.

"Nnrgh!" Ishida staggers backwards, shaking his head side to side from the poison irritation. "You will pay for your impertinence!"

Stubbornly refusing to deal with the poison any further, Ishida rushes forward, aiming to guillotine a palm strike down onto Rox. If he manages that, he'd follow up by plunging both palms into her abdomen -- and in the process, slam her into one of the many trees available on this portion of the trail! If Rox were to get hit, she might find her motions hindered by the other branches of the tree...

COMBATSYS: Roxana blocks Ishida's Taken for Granite.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Ishida           0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1           Roxana

[ROXANA]
Roxana is secretly impressed with Ishida's acting skills. He seems like he's actually angry at her for her actions. Of course she can't let this show, as she too is playing a part and she suspects praising the king wouldn't work well for it!

"Perhaps it will be third time lucky then." She says in a soft voice. It can barely be heard under her breath but weirdly this makes it more menacing. "For your enemies that is."

As she sprays him with her toxic tail, she lets out a sigh of satisfaction, shaking it in a celebratory manner. She turns to face him again and this is when she's struck by Ishida's initial palm strike. She gasps for breath, trying to clutch a hand to her throat and staggers backwards. Her retreat means she escapes the follow up strikes to her stomach.

"You are fast." She states, her tone neutral and her voice a little hoarse. "Let's see if you are fast enough to escape this."

Dropping down to the ground, the scorpion-woman slithers between Ishida's legs weaving her body in a figure eight motion. Her aim is to distract and disorient him. If this is successful, she will start to rise up beneath his body, seeking to lift him into the air, before slamming him forward onto the ground below.

COMBATSYS: Roxana successfully hits Ishida with Scorpion Slam.
- Power hit! -

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Ishida           0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1           Roxana

[ISHIDA]
Roxana's acting sends a chill down Ishida's spine. He remembers how friendly she was towards him in their initial meeting; it's that dissonance with her current expression that helps him remember to stay in character.

He's surprised at Roxana's quick reactions. He draws back, staying light on his feet as she answers him.

"I think you'll find I'm fast enough..." he boasts -- though as Roxana slithers down between his feet, he realizes that may have been a premature assessment. His intent is to catch hold of Roxana when she makes her move. Between the unexpected motions and the uneven terrain, though, Ishida plants his foot in the wrong place, setting him off-balance as Rox rises up! Caught off-guard, Rox is able to lift him up and slam him down into the grassy rock!

As he rolls back to his feet, there's a fine layer of rock kibble across his face, and dirty smudges all upon his garb. He scowls, wordlessly spinning a quick kick at the scorpion's knee in an attempt to slow her down a few notches. If he connects, he'd stutter step forward and drive his heel in for a second strike!

COMBATSYS: Roxana counters Light Kick from Ishida with Deadly Scorpion EX.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Ishida           0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0           Roxana

[ROXANA]
"Fast yes, but not fast enough" is Roxana's retort as she successfully slams Ishida down with her full force.

She eyes his disheveled appearance, so different to the immaculate Ishida who she had encountered upon arriving today. "Wearing white was a brave choice." She remarks, smoothing down the stretchy fabric of her own black costume.

His scowling expression is met with a slow smile from the scorpion femme fatale but she doesn't allow herself to gloat. Instead she readies herself for the revenge that is sure to come. When the spinning kick comes in, she catches Ishida's leg between her pincers, holding it in place and squeezing it hard whilst her tail strikes the other parts of his body repeatedly.

[ISHIDA]
"Pah! It will be the latest trend before long! What knows a -peasant- of proper fashion?!"

Full of bluster, Ishida seems to be going all-in on the personification. With the poison working a number on him, it's far preferable to double down on the intensity than to try and fight it. Plus -- that just means he gets to scowl extra hard when his leg is forcibly wrenched out of his control, leaving him vulnerable to the barrage of tail strikes hitting his toughened flesh!

"Rrraagh!" he howls, veins bulging at his temples. It's... a different experience than facing a sword-and-board competitor as he has for the past two fights, to be sure! But no matter what, his fighting spirit hasn't diminished in the slightest. For, as he twists free of the grapple, he wastes no time in striking back against his scorpion opponent...

"Enough of your games, temptress!" he howls! Ishida lunges forward with his elbow, hoping to make best advantage of his close proximity! And if he connects with his elbow, he'd seek to twist a rolling sobat kick into his opponent's midsection, and then follow up with a second kick to send Roxana flying into the thick of the trees!

COMBATSYS: Ishida successfully hits Roxana with Rolling Stone.
- Power hit! -

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Ishida           0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0           Roxana

[ROXANA]
"I know plenty about fashion, thank you. Although it is an interest I have only developed in the last few months. Before then I was mostly to be found in sporting and leisure attire." Rox reveals, her tail throbbing from the barrage of beatings it's just given Ishida.

The young man's cry of pain causes her to look at him with interest, studying the expression on his serious and scowling face. When he strikes back, this time it's with accuracy as well as force and Roxana finds herself flying backwards through the air into the trees.

The branches tear at her close fitting clothing, her smooth skin is scratched in the areas that aren't armoured and she ends up with several twigs stuck into her hair. Her body is also rather battered from the elbow and kicks that the king landed.

Trying to free herself from the foliage with as much dignity that she can manage, she finds her feet again and starts strolling towards Ishida in a swaying motion. "I am not playing a game, your majesty." She sneers. "Believe me, this is all very real."

She launches her lithe form towards the other fighter, seeking to slice at him with one of her pincers. After lashing out, Rox will propel herself into a backflip to try and escape Ishida's reach.

COMBATSYS: Ishida attempts to interrupt Evasive Strike from Roxana with The Hard Place.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Ishida           0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1           Roxana

[ISHIDA]
Shredded fabric is a known hazard of professional fighting. While the solitary fighter isn't a stranger to needle and thread, he'd never really given thought to the potential plights of other fighters. She's a little scratched up, and has a few new hair accessories -- all's fair in war, right?

Ishida had just been ad-libbing, so when Rox responds sincerely, he's momentarily caught flat-footed in that regard. Perplexed, he raises his hands in defense, considering his response.

And then it comes to him.
He flashes a cocky smile.
"Death -is- real -- for you and most others."

The scorpion closes in to slice him. But unlike with the verbal jab, he's not caught flat-footed; a slight pivot allows him to meet the engagement on his own terms. He brings his hands forward, offering the fleshy part of his forearm in exchange for a chance to grab hold of Roxana's wrist. If he's able to do so, he'd hurl a barrage of five short-throw, Wing Chun style punches at her face and upper torso in an attempt to soften her up. After such a gambit, he'd follow through by jerking her arm backwards, pulling her forward in such a way that he can slam his forehead into hers. It's not a very gentlemanly way to fight, no -- but few are the gentlemen sentenced to roll a ball uphill for eternity!

COMBATSYS: Roxana fails to reverse The Hard Place from Ishida with Scorpion Sting EX.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Ishida           0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[ROXANA]
Roxana certainly isn't complaining about any damage done to her costume, skin and hair. She was an avid watcher of season one of the NFG and knows that things can get incredibly messy at times. She also doesn't mind the comebacks from her fellow competitor. Banter is an important part of the brawling game and they are both playing their parts here perfectly.

"One day perhaps but not today, king. Even if you knock me down, I will rise again and get my revenge."

As Ishida pivots away from her pincer, Rox finds herself taken by surprise. When the forearm comes forward, she tries to duck down onto all fours to escape but he manages to grab her wrist, leaving her exposed to what follows.

The punches connect with her face and chest, finding the unprotected parts of her and causing her considerable pain. This only intensifies when Ishida roughly yanks back her arm and then assaults her fiercely with his forehead.

For a moment she seems less predator and more prey and her dark eyes plead with him. Composing herself, she resists crying out and instead focuses on centering herself again. This match isn't over yet and she needs to find it within herself to fight on.

"I see you have awoken now, king. I'm looking forward to the continued challenge."

[ISHIDA]
It's one thing to call oneself 'King.' But it's something else entirely for someone to take that ball, run with it, and call -him- 'King.' Not just once, but -- as Roxana composes herself -- twice.

Ishida's nostrils flare as he draws in his breath. He draws his palms back, crossing one past the other as he takes a grounding step backwards. Beneath him, he can feel the repercussions of his steps reverberating through the mountain, resonating in invisible, expanding waves from his footfalls. Feeling the natural waves of qi emanating outward serves as a comforting counterbalance to the fast pace of fighting, mere moments earlier.

"I'm delighted to continue showing you the error of your ways." He grunts -- with the barest hint of a smile to show he's only *mostly* in character.

The waves ripple as they expand outward to his left. He angles his gaze away from Roxana, identifying the young tree found there, its branches thinly populated.

And then he begins to move. Earth ripples in the wake of his passing, as he thunders towards the tree. And just before he reaches it, he leaps a half-meter into the sky.

The soles of his Greek sandals touch down, wrapping around the curve of the swaying tree trunk. His toes curl for grip, as the trunk reaches its limit.

The tree rebounds toward Roxana.
The trunk straightens.
And Ishida is propelled forward at high velocity.
Oddly, this is where he breaks character.

"ROLLING ROCK!" he shouts. Because, as another NFG fighter recently instructed him: if he says it's a rolling rock, she has to pretend that it is.

As he hurtles towards Roxana, Ishida curls himself into a tight mass, concentrating his qi. The cords of muscle tense up, giving the broad muscles of his back, shoulders, and encircling arms the strength of iron. Perhaps it would not take much imagination to envision King Sishydaphus as a spinning rock, threatening her with enough kinetic impact to knock her to the ground!

COMBATSYS: Ishida successfully hits Roxana with Aggressive Strike.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Ishida           0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[ROXANA]
The hint of a smile isn't missed by Rox. She's tempted to return it but forces herself to stay in character, even though the part she's playing is basically just herself, which is kinda confusing! She does know she has been sent here to bring death to King Sishydaphus though, so that's definitely something that needs a serious expression. Not that she's gonna take the role -that- far.

She watches as the waves ripple, wary of them and yet also intrigued by Ishida's abilities. When he leaps into the air, she actually gasps. "You are most agile, your highness."

Perhaps she should have taken less time admiring the display and more time wondering how she was going to deal with it. It feels like it's all happening in slow motion as the tree rebounds and Ishida moves through the air towards her. "You're both the rock and the roll?" She questions in that soft voice of hers.

Whatever he is, he's an impressive sight and one she doesn't want to collide with. She angles her body so that the armoured parts of her can block the brunt of the damage but he's simply too strong and the scorpion-woman is swept off her feet.

Rox lets out a sound that almost seems like a whimper as she rests on the ground and tries to find the will and the energy to get back up.

COMBATSYS: Roxana focuses on her next action.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Ishida           0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[ISHIDA]
Ishida's time in the NFG has largely been one of experimentation. At home, he simply had no reason to put forth a dynamic performance: space was limited, and when there was a target, it didn't truly fight back. Here there is a bright blue sky overhead, a willing participant, and the only -real- limitation is the possibility of falling off the mountain. No pressure, comparatively!

"Agile... hnnn." King Sisyphus gives that some consideration while he's flying through the air.

The wrecking ball Ishida collides with Rox -- and he snaps out of the ball stance a bare moment before hitting the ground. Rising, he leads his turn to face Rox with a raised forearm, his trailing hand curled at waist level. He winces, slightly, at the whimper -- and for the moment declines to press his advantage.

The rock -and- the roll?

Ishida answers with a smirk. "I am the bass..." he states, as he begins to advance upon the fallen scorpion. "... And you are in trouble." With his Japanese-accented English, it probably comes out sounding like 'in treble.'

He does, clearly, -mean- trouble for Rox, however. It'd be rude to give any less than his best in a fight -- and he remembers from earlier in the fight that a Scorpion on the ground is no less deadly than one standing taller. He plays it safe, keeping the weight of his upper body balanced while he steps forward, stabbing downward with two quick heel kicks, hoping that the quick pressure might preempt her from surprising him again. "Hnn-hyaa!"

COMBATSYS: Roxana counters Rockslide from Ishida with Scorpion's Embrace.

[                         \\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Ishida           0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0           Roxana

[ROXANA]
Roxana is willing indeed. She is thriving on the competitive fighting environment of the NFG. It reminds her of being back home in Nebraska.

"Are you a bassist?" She wonders, as she starts to rise from the ground. "I very much enjoy rock music. My favourite bassist is Flea."

She eyes Ishida with interest. "Treble? Perhaps I could sing that way. I have yet to try though."

As the Japanese man playing the King of Corinth steps towards the scorpion fighter, she starts to resemble the creature even further. Four black chitinous limbs sprout from her sides and she stretches them out in a menacing manner. Bringing them back in, she wraps them around Ishida and her arms come to join them, pinning him in place in a dangerous embrace.

As she holds him, Rox releases her paralysing poison into his back with her stinger and lets out a soft hissing sound against his ear.

Arching her body back, she then slams his head into the ground of the mountainside before roughly releasing him to his fate.

[ISHIDA]
"I am."

Ishida doesn't hide his appreciation for Roxana sharing his love of rock music. And his eyes even light up when she mentions her favorite bassist. It's not a King Sisyphus move and he doesn't care in the slightest.

"Same."

Of course, their shared moment on the battlefield is interrupted by, well, the battle. In one sense, getting a hug from a lovely woman isn't entirely a bad thing, especially now that Ishida knows her musical tastes align with his own. It's just that, uh, the scorpion limbs -forcing- him into that hug are something of a deal breaker!

His brow tenses; his eyes narrow; his teeth grit in resistance. Qi flows through his body, giving him the strength to fight against that dangerous embrace. For a moment, it looks like he might break free out of sheer brute strength.

But then the flow of qi abruptly halts, courtesy of the paralytic poison from that stinger. Ishida's eyes widen in horror as he feels his body fall slack, like a wave of fatigue washing across him. First in shock, then in frustration...

The betrayal is made complete as his head is bashed into the ground, his limp body trailing afterwards. Finding his body unresponsive is the most singularly frustrating experience he's encountered in the NFG to date -- and as he rolls over to stare numbly back at the withdrawing Rox, he resolves to regain control as soon as possible.

Ishida can feel the poison working its way through him. Left unchecked, he understands that Roxana would be able to defeat him without lifting another scorpion limb. But if there's two things Ishida values most, it's his independence and his self-control.

He stares back at Rox.
He grits his teeth.
He lurches sideways.
He rolls a ways down the slope.

The fighter from Nara understands that the earth can work in his favor. And in this case, gravity can help him to tumble back to his feet, however slightly. It's not a graceful move: it's clear from Ishida's hunched-over state that it's taking every ounce of his will to bring himself to a standing position. But he did -- and he -will- purge the aftereffects of that paralytic poison as best he can.

"Flea is great," he answers, very belatedly.

He flexes his fingers, wringing his elbows, shoulders, and knees in an attempt to accelerate the flow of blood through his system. The faster his metabolism, the more quickly that poison can be purged.

He makes no move to strike. Facing this poison is of paramount importance -- for he feels he has a pretty good read on the extent of injuries he's already dealt to his opponent. One more moment of recuperation now may give him a better shot of sealing the deal a moment later.

"You should consider fleeing now. While you still can." Long live the King.

COMBATSYS: Ishida gains composure.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Ishida           0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0           Roxana

[ROXANA]
Roxana is delighted that Ishida also appreciates the skills of the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist. "He's so incredible!" She gushes.

Her giddiness likely seems strangely at odds with the sight of her in her scorpion form. The combination of her soft curves and sharp armoured edges are disconcerting to say the least.

As he struggles against her, she admires his strength but as his body falls limp and he's discarded, her black-eyed gaze watches him intently, fixed on his own in a staring contest.

He rolls away from Rox, seeking safety and a chance to recover from her toxicity and she admires his willpower in being able to force himself to his feet. "Monarch, you are mighty but I must continue with my mission."

As he seeks to steady himself, Rox rushes towards him, striking out with all six of her limbs at whichever parts of him she can reach.

COMBATSYS: Ishida attempts to interrupt Fierce Strike from Roxana with Cornerstone.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Ishida           0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0           Roxana

[ISHIDA]
Ishida draws in his breath slowly. He lets it out just as slowly. Normally, the Nara man would be dashing forward, continuing the fight -- but he's fought for long enough to know that he needed that one moment to catch his breath, to better his odds.

He breathes in. He breathes out. His eyes stay fixed upon Rox -- fascinated by her interests, but increasingly wary of her Gear nature. The one constant in her fighting style is that -- so far, anyway -- she still needs to be within range to strike him. And if that's the case, his decision to wait must be a call to action for the armored beauty -- the battle cannot continue without another clash of horns.

He really wants to answer as himself. But the voice the answers is clearly that of King Sisyphus.

"You can try!"

And as Rox rushes in, lashing out with her many limbs, Ishida chooses his battles, taking two quick steps away to increase his chances. His body still aches from the paralytic poison -- but the sudden motion seems to be helping in his recovery. His shoulder drops low, as Rox's pincer draws near.

And then he rams his shoulder -onto- that pincer in an attempt to drive in close and use her forward momentum against her! He thrusts forward with both palms extended, hoping to bludgeon -past- her attacking limbs and hit her squarely in center mass!

"I will *not* go quietly!"

COMBATSYS: Roxana reverses Cornerstone from Ishida with Deadly Scorpion.

[                           \\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Ishida           0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0           Roxana

[ROXANA]
The gear girl's multiple limbs batter Ishidas body, surely leaving him with a collection of bruises come tomorrow. "I can succeed." She states without any apparent emotion.

The king puts up a brave attempt to thwart her assault. As he thrusts towards her, intent on striking her at her core, Rox again grabs him with her pincers, slowly but firmly squeezing his palms between them, a slow smile appearing on her half-human and half-scorpion face. As she holds him in place, her tail smacks at his legs in a rhythmic fashion. Such a thing may be appreciated by one familiar with the pulsing pattern of the bass.

"I don't want you to go quietly." She whispers. Or is that just her normal voice? "That wouldn't be any fun at all."

[ISHIDA]
Ishida had thought he'd have a chance. Once he's caught by that pincer, though, he's brutally reminded that the crippling poison puts him at a marked disadvantage against his opponent, as one blow after another rains down upon him.

He won't be quiet, no -- but his iron will keeps him from letting out more than muffled groans as Rox pummels him relentlessly. Most punishing is when Rox unleashes the full whip action of her tail against his legs, forcing him to stagger backwards with each blow.

He can already see the writing on the wall: just as in his battle with Henry Smithson-Powers, he won't have the energy to stand. But Rox has been pushing him harder and harder. She's challenged him to do his best. And he's -not- going to go quietly.

"I won't be going back alone though...!"

He decides to give it one more push -- to dedicate his fading energy towards -attacking- rather than merely standing. And that starts by swinging his free arm into a bludgeoning forearm smash at Rox's clavicle. Whether his one arm is still trapped in the pincer or not, he'd surge forward with an attempt to slam his forehead into Rox's for a stunning blow. He'd then attempt to swing his leg high and then drop it down like a guillotine onto her shoulder for a decisive blow -- one powerful enough to crack the very earth beneath her if it should connect!

Regardless -- he would soon after succumb to his wounds, collapsing off to the side and panting heavily -- on the verge of consciousness, at the very best.

COMBATSYS: Ishida can no longer fight.

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

COMBATSYS: Roxana blocks Ishida's Fissure King.

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

[ROXANA]
Rox can feel him fading but she also knows the force with this one is strong! If he can fight on he will and she won't relent until she knows he is truly finished.

"You can try and take me with you." She murmurs melodically. "But I'm not going to go willingly."

The muscular arm comes towards her, colliding with her clavicle and causing her to gasp for breath. Her limbs wave around wildy as she struggles to compose herself. Thankfully for the female fighter, one of them moves up towards her face, protecting her from the headbutt that Ishida aims towards her.

His lethal looking leg lands on the armoured area of her shoulder, causing her to stagger yes, but not to fall down with the full force he intended. She stays on her feet, looking down at her fallen opponent as she realises he is out of the battle.

Once's she's sure victory is hers, she returns to her human form, her hands running over her full length to assess any damage done to her. She knows the wounds Ishida has inflicted will heal before long, so she focuses on straightening her stretchy jumpsuit, wiping some blood from her face and pulling out the twigs from her braid. This done, she makes her way over to the defeated king before he fully loses his fight with consciousness.

"Thank you." She says softly, giving him a sincere smile, though whether he sees this or not she isn't sure. "I enjoyed our match very much. Perhaps next time we meet we can discuss music and share fruity drinks."

Log created on 18:54:40 03/27/2024 by Roxana, and last modified on 07:52:23 04/03/2024.