Match of the Millennium

Description: In a match specially sponsored by the Midnight Channel, the NFG's King of Beasts returns to the ring to face off against one of those rare fighters who loom even larger than he - the oni known as Riki! Apparently, the Midnight Channel will be offering a contract to whoever wins this battle of sheer ferocity versus sheer might.

[RIKI]
"As I have already stated several times, mortal, tis not my intention to..."

Riki flinches slightly as a high-pitched squeal of terror cuts off her gentle attempt to converse for the third time in a row. Yet more bystanders shuffle over to join the steadily expanding crowd of onlookers and swelling the ranks of slack-jawed gawkers come to see what the commotion is about. The oni rubs the back of her head sheepishly and glances around as a slight flush of color creeps into her face, beset by wary looks and murmured whispers. She would have expected her previous forays into the city to prepare her for being ogled but perhaps the long absence has desensitized her to such things.

To her further embarrassment, the shouting has already started to draw attention from the local peacekeepers. Even at a distance, she can spot the tell-tale movement of security in their matching blue uniforms pushing their way through the crowd like hungry predators with the scent of fresh prey stalking through the brush. A soft sigh slips out that quickly turns into a frustrated groan. She had promised Ayame that she could stay out of trouble for the duration of the contest. That promise hadn't lasted long enough to even get her past the front doors.

"Listen," she tries again, keeping her voice soft and placating as she kneels down. Perhaps being closer to their level will make the human less prone to misunderstandings. "As I have already said, there is no reason to..."

Perhaps predictably, her sudden shift in posture nearly gives the flustered woman a heart-attack, causing her stumble backwards and land flat on her ass, shrieking like a banshee. Her temper finally starting to wear thin, Riki's jaw clenches and her lips pull back into an angry snarl that flashes her inhuman fangs. A quick slap of her palm against the ground sends a small tremor radiating out that nearly knocks half the crowd off their feet as well.

"Enough!"

Almost immediately the demon realizes her error. With a wince of regret, she holds her hands up in a calming gesture, like a parent that has accidentally done something that is almost guaranteed to make their young child start crying in a public place.

"H-hey, hey...! Shh shh sshhhh! My apologies, I did not mean to..."

Again, to no one's surprise, the sharply clawed fingers being waggled in the young woman's face does little to calm her after such an upsetting display. Another ear-splitting scream assaults the ears of the assembled onlookers who now seem to be split fifty-fifty on whether they should be joining the panicked woman in her shouts for aid or trying to flee the area as quickly as possible.

"What the actual fudge is going on over here?!"

A new voice, young but full of authority, slices through the piercing wail like a blade carving through bamboo shoots. Riki blinks and turns towards the crowd just as what appears to be three high school students push their way to the fore. The apparent leader of the group, and owner of the voice, proves to be a small girl. Long black hair slicked back into a neat pony tail frames a face composed of contradictions, her soft almost childish features marred with faint scars and recently bandaged scrapes. Big brown eyes that evoke comparisons to an adorable puppy narrow into suspicious slits as she sweeps her gaze around to take in the scene.

Seemingly unsatisfied with the arrival of this petite form of backup, the shrieking woman sucks in another breath in preparation to unleash yet another of her wild screams, only to find her open mouth suddenly obstructed by the thick end of a heavy baton.

"You. Quiet."

Glowering sideways at the noisy woman, the student gives her the stink-eye for several seconds and her mere presence seems to make the festival-goer wilt. Riki tilts her head back to stare up into the sky and heaves a sigh of relief, giving silent thanks to the kami for their divine intervention. Only, when she looks back down again, the girl whips out a second baton from her belt and jams it roughly into the tip of the oni's nose, fixing Riki with the same disapproving glare.

"And you. Explain yourself."

[BRAUN]
"Well isn't this a special bit of fun..."

A certain towering beastman makes his way through the aisles of the festival grounds...drawing much attention in his own right as he does so. Needless to say, Braun is a recognizable figure. His stature alone does a lot of the heavy lifting but once seen his satus as an NFG alumni does the rest, quickly and effectively elevating his personhood to that of a minor celebrity among those attending the festivals and resulting in sjnapshots, the occasional selfie, and even the beastman pausing to converse on his past experiences with those that manage to gain his attention. It's ..a far cry from the Braun of about a year ago, that's for certain.

Indeed, it's certainly been an interesting set of months... It seems like being raised in his Enclave....then exiled...then ekeing out a living in the mortal world as hired muscle was....well...a life time ago and not merely a year or so. He was a man who thought his world experience and drive for riches and vengeance would give him the edge only to discover that the competition really only showcased how little he actually knew about the world and others in it. The NFG experience has had an effect on the Beastman bruiser.

And maybe a good chunk of it was positive.

Now, however, it seemed mostly over. A combo of bad tectical choices an the skill of his opponent got him elminated from the final tournament earlier then he'd anticipated and while he had great respect for Coco and she earned her victory over him..there were some members of the NFG alumni he never even had a chance to face in battle. Disappointment was what he ended up feeling when all was said and done - which in and of itself is a change as the Braun of a year ago would have dismissed it all and just moved on.

But it's time to move on and even more then that...now he's -apparently- some sort of Professional FIghter now. That was the whole point of this escapade. He could -yet- return home....show what he's learned, how he's changed. Oooorrrrr... Maybe there's still a chance for more fame...

The sudden rumble of the earth brings him out of his mental wanderings and he slows to a stop to turn just as he sees the distance crowd roll and tumble aside like dominos or tumblign playing cards. After a pause, he reaches into his jacket and fishes out a piece of paper and then looks over in another direction towards where the empty exhibition stage is being further prepped. There's a pause for consideration and then he turns and starts to head towards where the disturbance is happening. The very epic center of that localized tremor.

"Weelllll.." he eventually rumbles, deep voice dragging out a low impressed whistle as the signifigant towering frame of the giantess begins to roll into view and Braun is forced to tilt his head upwards as he gets closer and closer. She clears him by more then a foot and his physique, while full of brawn and muscle, could be said to be 'lean' ..if...predatorially lean as opposed to the mass packed on by the likes of The 'Gief or Bear.

At least at the moment. He's his own tricks for such affairs.

"You uh....you must be Riki." he rumbles, nostrils flaring abit as he scents the air reflexively. Some memory is pinged as he does so and both of his eyebrows raise up slighlty, "..Das...?" he rumbles, slipping into his native tongue and accent popping up in surprise. "...Yer from The Makai...?" By now he's circled around and sees, for the first time, the schoolgirl accousting the titaness, the panicked woman and the rest of the confusion - all previousl obstructed by the oni-girl.

"..What th'blazes....?"

[RIKI]
Caught off-guard by the audacity of the tiny student, the oni stares down the length of the baton pressed into her nose with crossed eyes. After a few moments, she closes her eyes and takes a long slow breath, waging an internal war against the rising tidal wave of annoyance threatening to explode at any moment. With deliberate slowness, she lifts one hand and pinches the offending stick between two fingers, shifting it pointedly away from her face. The urge to snap that silly twig in half intrudes into her thoughts but she resists.

"As I attempted to explain to the..." Riki's gaze shifts sideways to the quivering human on the ground for a moment, eyes narrowing as she mulls over her choice of words. "...woman, I did not come to cause strife."

Releasing the security guard's baton, the ogre rises back to her full height and dusts off the front of her colorful skirt. Had it been up to her, she would have preferred to wear her more familiar combat attire. However, Ayame had insisted that this wasn't going to be a simple stroll to the markets as before and that she must don the more modern garments that her family had special-ordered for her to help her blend in. The outfit is relatively simple, consisting of a white t-shirt and long blue skirt, both adorned with red stripes to accent the hems and appropriately sized for her extraordinary frame.

They are comfortable enough, she supposes, but hardly suited for battle. Unused to modern fashion design, the collar hangs a little unpleasantly tight around her neck. The skirt in particular is far too long for proper battle, hanging almost all the way down to her ankles. The fear of tripping over her own garments in the midst of combat has wormed its way through her mind more than once on the journey here. When she had whined about it to the miko, she was assured that this attire was appropriate for a contest held by a school. And, more importantly, significantly less inclined towards unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions compared to her loose toga. The last thing the temple needed was having its guardian oni giving the entire world an unexpected peep show.

"Tis mine intent to participate in these war games, in fact! My patron told me that mine arrival would be expected."

The little guard gives her a skeptical look but tucks the batons back into her belt and whips out a small smart phone in their place, fingers dancing across the screen as she presumably attempts to validate this claim. As it turns out, something even better happens.

Like a flock of birds, every head in the area swivels to regard the figure that comes trundling up to the confrontation like he belongs there. Riki stares down at the wild man with open confusion on her face as he calls her by name. Strange, she's usually pretty good with faces and this man has one that leaves an impression. Yet, she doesn't seem to remember him at all. Then again, this wouldn't be the first time she was recognized by reputation. After all, how many mythical ogres are wandering around Southtown?

"That I am, little man," she says in regards to his first query, resting both hands on her hips. Small lengths of chain hanging from iron manacles fastened about her wrists clink softly with the movement. As far as fashion statements go, the 'recently escaped prisoner' look is one of the more unique.

His question about her residence in the Makai earns a far more derisive response. The oni's crimson eyes smolder, literally, her nostrils flaring.

"Tch. That realm of festering chaos and depravity tis no home of mine, mortal. Tis from Jigoku that I hail, the land of the dead where the mighty Enma-o judges the souls of men for their misdeeds!"

Posing proudly, Riki grins at the crowd. With the majority of them being Japanese natives, her reference to mythology earns more than a few sharp gasps and horrified stares. The reaction only seems to make her puff up even more, her ego swelling as well as the already impressive muscles on display.

A sudden crash of thunder rips through the cloudless sky, hammering the gathered masses with a wave of deafening sound. The 'mighty' ogre flinches like a child that has been caught with its hand in the cookie jar, deflating visibly as she glances up to the grumbling heavens. With an awkward cough, she rubs at the back of her neck and stares pointedly at nothing in particular.

"T-though I suppose, at the moment, twould be more accurate to say that mine lord hath sent me forth to... ah... broaden mine horizons. Mine current residence is within Ichijou temple here on Earthrealm."

[BRAUN]
As the clap of thunder rolls through the air, Braun arches an eyebrow and tilts his gaze slightly upwards in search of signs of an impending downpour and --- seeing no such things. As the oni continues speaking, however, he seems able to put two and two together and he smirks mildly, "Got some eyes on you I see.... I guess I better watch my step. Don't want to get deep fried by a stray bolt or somethin'..."

Sniffing, he rubs his nose with the back of his hand and drawls out, "..Anyway similar scents I guess... The noes knows - but not all the time. Lots of supernatural realms out there t'keep up with...but sure."

At this point he takes a moment to consider her..attire. Circumstances and experience have had him face fighters in all sorts of garments. When your copetitors include the likes of Coco - you get used to seeing fashion-forward thinking. This, however, seems both paradoxically out of place and also all too appropriate and so he struggles between a look of confusion and bemusement - his expression ultimately settling on a mixture of the two.

"You uh....go to school here then? Right....I guess they weren't kiddin' about this whole Rivals thing... "

.He then holds out a hand, massive by any standards save hers. Still, he's large enough for it to compare favorably to hers and bold enough to want the hand shake. "The name's Braun. We're supposed to have a match...."

He uses his other hand to thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the designated combat space. "...Over there...yeah?" His gaze flickers over towards the security guard at long last as he rumbles with a slowly growing fanged grin, "..AInt a problem if I borrow her for abit, is it?"

[RIKI]
Eyes on her. Understatement of the century. But the less said about that the better, as far as she's concerned. Not that anything needs to be said, what with the manacles about her wrists and ankles and the soft mortal flesh encasing her wild spirit. Once again the demon finds herself suddenly longing for the power of her true body. She'd give these peasants a real show then!

The conversation soon turns in another direction but this one is almost equally as embarrassing. Riki's pale cheeks flush with bright red at the interpretation of her garments but she manages to bark out a laugh at the notion that she might attend a mortal institution of learning for children.

"Hah! Could thou imagine...?" She shakes her head emphatically, her golden mane shifting as she chuckles at the thought. "Nay, mortal. I am no student." Another amusing idea makes her mouth twist into a wry grin at some private joke and she adds with a soft aside, "Though I suspect mine patron would have a sharp remark regarding mine own need for such tutelage."

Pulling herself up to her full height, Riki gestures with a hand at the very out-of-place garments adorning her gigantesque frame.

"Twas her suggestion, in truth. I believe the idea twas to aid in mine attempts to... blend in."

The ogre's gaze shifts to the noisy woman that had stirred up this unnecessary commotion and the she shrinks under that brief but annoyed look. Riki lets out a soft huff from her lower lip, setting some of her bangs briefly aflutter.

"Tis plain how that notion played out."

Upon being offered a hand and a name, the demon eagerly responds to both. Braun's hairy mitt is engulfed in the titan's strangely feminine fingers and she clamps down with the sort of strength one would expect from a walking advertisement for Bowflex. Fortunately, she seems to be aware enough of her own power that his boldness doesn't result in pulverized digits when she returns the shake. In fact, she seems to take great care to keep her response gentle, perhaps used to dealing with exchanging such pleasantries with more average inhabitants.

"Ah, Brawn! Tis a most auspicious name for a warrior!"

Her grip grows a little more intense upon learning of his moniker, a wide grin showing off unnaturally white teeth and even more unnatural fangs.

"The fates hath created a most amusing coincidence in this meeting for I am known as Riki. In this land's native tongue, tis the word for Strength!"

Releasing his hand finally, which might be slightly sore after the sudden shift in her demeanor, the ogre's eyes wander over towards the ring that is to serve as their field of combat. It's rather small, as such things go, lacking the massive presence possessed by many of the other coliseums chosen for such martial contests. But, as a long-time fan of sumo, dealing with limited space is far from foreign to her. The more difficult thing will be keeping herself in check so as not to endanger the bystanders.

"Of course! I too am eager to begin these bloodsports!" Her grin spreads even wider. "After all! The sooner we determine the victor, the sooner we can engage in the revelry!"

Precisely what sort of entertainment is on the ogre's mind is left to the imagination for now. The tiny student guard narrows her eyes unhappily at both of the massive warriors, clearly unfazed by the absurd gulf in mass between them. Her phone is tucked away neatly before she clasps both hands behind her back in a military stance.

"You are both on the list. Behave yourselves."

And with that the guard and her entourage pivot about and head back towards the main thoroughfare.

[BRAUN]
The compliment to his name is received though after a moment's thought the homophone element of things settles in, leading to an understanding of what she -thinks- his name actually is. There's no point in correcting her though. It'd likely simply lead to more confusion.

Beastman's own supernatural strength is evident but likewise controlled. Her grip is powerful, even restrained, but she would immediately tell that his hand withstands it with the ease of someone used to such pressure and then some. His skin, muscle and bone shows no signs of yielding and Braun's expression remains neutrally-affable though he inclines his head slightly at the rise in pressure as she grows more eager and explains the meaning of her name. "You dont' say.." he muses with a wry smirk and as his hand is released he looks it over absently and wiggles his fingers.

"Anyway - I hear ya but I'd say fittin' in is over rated. Be yerself, yeah? Though I'm -guessing- based on what I do know about things...that might be a little panic inducin' for the average person if you were to. Course with as trigger happy as The NOL is you might have cause to show some restraint... Especially here. I understand their main HQ is somewhere in Southtown. IF it aint it's at least an important office.."

His voice trails off abit at that and he then simply shakes his head. Chi users, mutants, supernatural entitles, gods and god-blooded, and plain humans who through sheer will and traiing have unlocked the power to be one man armies. But sure, focus on the Darkstalkers...

"Alright Riki...." He gestures for her to take the lead and then turns to follow after her though he cuts his gaze to teh tiny securit guard, "Lady, aint you heard? I'm a celebrity. I'm on all the lists..."

But she's on her way and Braun, just as quickly, refocuses his attentio tot he task at hand.

[RIKI]
Be herself, huh.

Words spoken out of amusing ignorance. It was that very attitude which landed her in the position she now finds herself in. Trapped in a body of flesh, chained and bound in visible servitude, and tasked with a tedious if noble quest. Being herself would have, at one point, meant casually slaughtering her way through the crowd and feasting upon their flesh in an orgy of unrestrained destruction. Sometimes learning to fit in isn't a bad thing.

"Indeed," she offers by way of response, her smile fading to an amused smirk. Her glory days of rampaging through the countryside are not a matter of regret for the ogre but they are also something best left in the past. The times have changed and so has she.

And speaking of changing times, the mention of the NOL causes the oni's brow to quirk curiously.

"Indeed?", she repeats, though her tone phrases it as a question this time. "Hmm. I hath had no dealings with this 'Librarium', though their name hath been often on the tongues of those who report the news."

Despite her frequent visits to the markets at the edge of the city, Riki had never run afoul of one of these new supernatural enforcers. But that had been before their meteoric rise to prominence in the wake of the Gear invasion. Now she avoided them by virtue of her own contributions to cleaning up that mess. Many of the magical machines had fled into the mountains and forests upon their leader's demise, devolving into little more than rabid beasts. Destroying the foul machina offered Riki an opportunity to unleash her full strength without restraint and she had eagerly spent the past few years taking out the trash that the Librarium couldn't or wouldn't bother with.

"Tis not my habit to comment on mortal dealings but an organization dedicated to the eradication of monsters tis not a bad thing. In days of yore, mankind was forced to rely upon the heroism of wandering warriors and the occasional great hunt organized by powerful warlords to keep their kind safe from such fiends."

Considering she -was- one of those fiends, there are few still alive who would know better than she about the state of things when last such monsters roamed openly on the surface.

"Only great walled cities or those with the prosperity to employ hired swords could ever consider themselves safe. Tis most strange to see that mankind hath abandoned such useful defenses. A solid battlement would hath made defending the city against the likes of Gears and the Black Dragon far less troublesome."

Upon being given leave to take the lead, the oni happily strides forth to guide them towards their arena. Despite her bulk the soft tarmac manages to absorb the weight of her steps well enough to keep the ground from trembling at every step and the crowd quickly parts to make way for the two bulky fighters. Riki's gait is unsurprisingly long and she crosses the massive lot at breakneck speed, threatening to plow right through anyone too slow to give her space. But as before the demon shows practiced care in her movements, using her giant hands to gently guide any wayward or unwary humans out of her way without harm.

Stepping over the outer guard rails with ease, Riki saunters into the arena and makes her way to the center. Not that she has to go very far. The battlefield is hardly any larger than a professional wrestling arena and likewise protected by an array of soft but pliable barriers meant to keep is occupants contained.

Clearly enthused now that things are about to get underway, the ogre makes a show of stretching before the match. Her massive torso twists back and forth with swift movements and a sharp series of unnerving pops fills the air as her spine unleashes some noisy tension. Thick muscles bulge with power when she flexes her arms, her skin straining to contain the sort of physique normally reserved for Olympian bodybuilders.

A cheeky grin gives away the fact that she's showing off on purpose. After a bit more 'stretching' the demon reaches into a pocket on her skirt and withdraws a thick length of red cord which she uses to bind her massive mane of golden hair into a slightly more contained ponytail. The result is akin to trying to contain an entire sheaf of wheat with a rubberband but it gets most of the loose bangs out of her face at least.

"Now then," Riki says, punching one of her giant mitts into the palm of the other with a solid thwack, her grin returning in earnest. "Whilest I certainly enjoy making the acquaintance of fellow warriors, tis my belief that fists speak louder than words! So, let us indulge in a contest, you and I, and after we shall nurse our bruised egos with drink fit for the gods!"

[BRAUN]
"Humans these days are packin' heat that make the weapons and walls of their ancestors relatively miniscule by comparison. That bein' said, sure, a good old fashioned wall mighta at least slowed down some of those problems true enough...."

The comment about monster hunting and the like gets a mild shrug from the large Beastman as he languidly follows the oni into the arena stage itself and considers matters quite carefully.

Monsters, he knows well. The supernatural he knows well. They may hail from different realms and function by slightly altered rules but there are certain binding truths that his own past and supernatural senses affirm. This 'Oni' before him is unique yet all too familiar. Similar troubles hamper them both thoguh in different ways. Ironic that he, of all the NFG Alumni, seems set to consistently encounter such beings.

"Alright, yeah, yeah. Right. Let the throwing of hands begin.." he rumbles while getting into an easy stance a few paces away from her once he enters the ring. He bounces up and own on his toes a few times, building up momentum and letting the heavy flesh of his sinew ripple and quake from his movements.

"Funny, most of the time I'm punchin' down but fortunately i've had some experience lookin' up. Dunno whose idea it was to put me with an Ogre from Outworld and some sort of Gigas that's a manifested embodiment o'power and size...but it at least gave me some tips on how to handle folk who happen to be bigger then me..." He slips into a ready combat stance now, sliding one leg back and leaning one arm forward to reveal his immense hands and the claws upon them. Red and black chi starts crackling about the, flowing up and down his arms and into his torso like tendrils of eletrical currents that follow the sinew of his body. His physique subtly swells larger though not overly so.

"Ready whenever you are, darlin'. Let's dust knuckls..."

COMBATSYS: Riki has started a fight here.

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Riki             0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Braun has joined the fight here.

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Riki             0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0            Braun

[RIKI]
Finally!

After half a decade of romping through the ancient forests and craggy mountains of the Japanese wildlands crushing rogue bio-weapons the oni is more than ready to engage in a battle with something sentient. Not that there isn't purpose in keeping the invasive monstrosities at bay but she longs for the clash of wills that come from two warriors exchanging blows! Besides, she was starting to suspect that the little miko holding her leash was using the excuse of Gear extermination to keep her busy. And while she is very grateful to Ayame for taking her in and providing her a welcome home on this strange and chaotic realm, she can't well let the girl think that she's got the oni all figured out.

Personal issues aside, the prospect of a good fight has always been one of the few things that was capable of rousing the demon from her usual lazy torpor. What's more, this is her first chance to participate in a proper tournament on the Earthrealm! For years, she's been forced to appreciate the strength of mortal might only through the Ichijo family's television. And while there are quite a few more individuals of a non-human persuasion running about these days, a beast-man is ultimately still just a man.

"Thy bravado is admirable, mortal!"

Riki's voice bellows out with powerful intensity as the man-cat digs in and draws upon the might sleeping within his stocky frame. The crackle of dark chi along his arms earns Braun a ferocious grin and his opponent is swift to prepare herself in kind. The ground shudders as the ogre lifts and then brings her sandal-clad foot down with a mighty stomp, her legs spreading into a broad stance beneath the long skirt while her exposed arms stretch wide as if she is ready to give the world's most aggressive bear hug to the first person who comes within reach.

"Let us see if thou can prove that it is more than the empty claims of a braggart!"

A flash of hellish power washes over the demon's crimson eyes for the briefest of moments, her irises alighting as if reflecting the glow of a scarlet flame. Then she bellows, hammering the air with a mighty war cry before hurling herself forward in a sudden powerful lunge.

The attack comes almost immediately and from an unorthodox angle. Swiftly snapping her powerful arms together, the ogre leans forward and puts the incredible strength of her upper body into an ear-shattering clap. The sheer impact of her hands colliding naught but a few inches in front of Braun buffets him with a wave of raw kinetic force and sound intense enough that even the onlookers in the first few rows are knocked completely off their feet and sent tumbling into the people behind them.

COMBATSYS: Braun blocks Riki's Thunderclap.

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Riki             0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0            Braun

[BRAUN]
"Heh."

Why is it all of these supernatural beings sound the same? There must be something iunifying the disparate worlds and realms that connect together.. Some archaic mindset that keeps them locked into a certain way of thinking. It's not unfamiliar to Braun. Aggravatingly familiar, really, given some recent events.. But it's almost--scripted.

These thoughts roll over his mind as his body braces and then leans forward to push into the shockwave as it rips into him and tears at the arena floor around him. His garments wildly distort, his physique shakes and quivers, but the beastman holds his ground and then rumbles. "Huh. You single? Cause I know a guy you should meet..."

He suddenly flashes out of sight, moving with a blurring rush of speed that is only visible due to the contrails of red chi that drags behind him.

An instant later and he's suddenly on the giantess, having leapt into the air into a spiraling spinning move that then drags his own enormous limb around with a tremendous claw swipe. Energy drags along the arc of his swing as well, scything through the air towards the oni as he comes in for a landing tha will cross her up and drag the energy with him to go ripping across her frame.

Albiet in a way appropriate for the arena they are in. 'Bloodsports' this may be and claws and concrete breaking strength may be at play but there's no need to bring the censors in.

Still doesn't mean it won't potentially hurt if it lands...

COMBATSYS: Riki barely endures Braun's Beast King's Decree.

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Riki             0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0            Braun

[RIKI]
The world that Riki comes from is one that played by different rules. Might makes right has always been an immutable facet of reality but a thousand years ago people were a lot more honest about it. Youkai like her were feared and respected in equal measure, monsters used in tales to frighten children and symbols of power to be tattoo'd upon the skin so that the mortals might gain but a measure of their strength. Nor was this duality exclusive to the demons of the world. Samurai slaughtered innocents for sport and profit as much as they turned their weapons upon the wicked.

But, in this bold new world of cooperation and peace, a monster like her has little place. Endowed with a sacred duty she might be but at the end of the day she's still an ogre. The lust for violence and destruction that flows through her demonic spirit can only be tempered so much. Which means it has to be channeled in healthy ways.

For Riki that outlet comes in the form of her bombastic personality. She crows and boasts, shouting her accomplishments to the heavens. She challenges the strong without hesitation, even knowing full well that her foe outmatches her completely. And she revels in the glory of combat, be it naught but a bit of sport or the life and death clash of true conflict. Such is what it means to be an oni.

So when Riki calls out for the strange cat-man to unleash his power upon her, she does not do so to insult or belittle. Other beings of ancient and otherworldly power might indulge in such pettiness but not she. Subtlety and mind games were never her strong suite. For the demon her words are an earnest demand that he bring his all to the table so that she might taste of his strength and briefly experience the euphoria that is combat!

As such, when Braun withstands her opening blow without giving so much as an inch she can't help but smile. And when he moves to strike back at her, his body a blur of deadly motion that she can hardly keep track of that smile widens into a feral grin.

"Hahaha! Only if he is strong enough to impress me! Weaklings have no place courting an oni!"

Rather than attempt to evade a strike that the ponderous demon has no chance of avoiding, Riki turns into the blow and allows those wicked claws to tear into the heavy meat of her shoulder. Long furrows rip into the thick cloth of her shirt, the plain looking fabric woven extra thick so that it might endure such abuse. Faint hints of red stain the edges of the torn white cloth but despite the ferocity of Braun's leaping slash it seems to have done little more than superficial damage to the titanic woman.

With a growl, the oni rounds on her foe, and swings the massive bulk of her arm around in a swift backhand at the feral warrior now standing behind her. The strike would be brutal enough with only her giant fist to contend with but the iron manacle encircling her wrist proves to be a rather capable weapon in its own right which she happily takes advantage of.

COMBATSYS: Riki successfully hits Braun with Iron Hammer.

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Riki             0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0            Braun

[BRAUN]
Bred, trained and raised in an enclave that produced shape shifting warriors to serve as the guards and aides to the lords of the Makai--Braun understands many elements of RIki's origins all to well. He's lived and breathed aspects of it.

It doesn't make the thought of so many ancient beings having so many similar outlooks or approaches to humanity. any less ironic to him. A simple observation based on personal encounters and eye witness account from others...

But Riki is not without her own surprises and the simple joy of combat is quite noticeable and also understood....and also appreciated. Just a simple joyful brawl. It's been too long.

At which point he also notes that his body is still somewhat recoiling and recovering from the sheer force of her initial shockwave. So much so that when her next attack comes hurtling around at him, he attempts to bring his arms up to block - only for the fist to land solidly and break through his guard - and send the immense Beastman tumbling backwards into a slide from the force applied to him.

"Wholfgh! Yeah...that's about what I figured.." he grunts out, shaking the cobwebs off before lunging in at her again.

This time he dares to try and close the gap into a grappling manuever - a move of potential wild abandon given their size differences... But then a sudden corona of red ripples around the felinesque warrior.

It ripples over his head, enlarging him, expanding him and changing his clothes mid leap until when he finally fully emerge sit is as an enormou smonstrous warrior. A brutal beast that now compares equally so to her own size. Perhaps larger in the over tuned proportions as his mane burns bright red and a tail with a burst of fire on it whips about behind him.

Let's try that again!" he rumbles out with a full toothed grin before attempting to curl a tree trunk of an arm around the oni's waist...and then take her up into a spinning whirlwind like move that's one part Izuna Drop and one part Spinning Piledriver.

COMBATSYS: Riki blocks Braun's Cyclonic Driver.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Riki             0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0            Braun

[RIKI]
Turning the rest of her body with the pendulous force of her swing, the ogre grins at Braun again. Her legs spread into a wide stance once again and she holds her arms out, inviting him to come and take revenge for the clouting blow.

"Thy resolve remains unshaken? Good! Then let us see what you can...!"

Riki's words are cut off as the fuzzy warrior pre-empts her call to action and lunges in without hesitation. She braces herself, preparing for another of his bursts of wild speed, only to find that the mortal whom she'd towered over is now standing on far more even ground. Surprise is writ large across her honest features, the demon's eyes going wide at the unexpected transformation. But then that shock quickly transforms into a look of pure delight and she lets out an eager bellow even as he comes crashing into her like a fuzzy meteor.

"Now that's more like it!"

Literal centuries of sumo contests with other oni prove invaluable in the ensuing clash. Braun's arm manages to wind its way around her waist but the ogre leans into his grapple and takes hold of the man-cat in turn, transforming his attempt to hurl them both skywards into a roughly even bout of tug-of-war.

Grunting with obvious effort against the enhanced might of the feral warrior, Riki slowly manages to wriggle free of his grip, earning herself several fresh new cuts and bruises as the two of them claw and tug for leverage. Now in a more neutral position with the feline warrior held at arm's length, the titan attempts to turn the tables. Lunging forward with a surge of raw strength, she risks releasing her grip on Braun long enough to throw her arms wide and try to snatch him up in a mighty crushing hug. While he probably still has her beaten in sheer speed, even monsters rarely manage to match an oni in sheer strength. If she can just get him in her grasp...!

COMBATSYS: Braun blocks Riki's Crushing Grasp.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Riki             0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0            Braun

[BRAUN]
Well that didn't work. "Hrngh. Shoulda konwn better..."

Still he does hold his ground thoguh he feels his chi ripping away from him by the second, taking with it his enhancd form.

There are monsters among humanity as well. The equal of the Oni. This is the truth that so many of the supernatural world seem to struggle with realizing. Powers exist out there in the hands of men. Unlocked secrets. Manifestations of might. Sheer will. Strength that -is- the match of the monsters of netherworlds. Sure not many within humanities ranks. But some. Enough.

Braun...is not one of them.

At least right now. In reality, early in the dawn of his NFG career he wuldn't have even been able to -attempt- this transformation this early in a match. While it grants him strength to wrestle with her on even footing - or semi-even footing ... he can't maintain it indefinitely, his own might shackled in ways that other titans need not be concerned with.

So when she comes in for that grasp, he twists, bringing his immense arms up even as he feels his hold on his form slipping, and pushes back out against her arms as they attempt to wrap around his enlarged frame. His cloth and armor rattles. His chain-links ring and shift and the giant beastman suddenly kicks up and then out at the Oni, using his enhanced dexterity and their clashing momentum to gain some height as his massive leg lunges out at her. The end result is something of a spectacular twisting kick into a backflip. Using her own body to push off for added distance.

WIth a warbling ripple of hte air and another flash of red light, his standard form is resume,d complete with his original combat gear, energy trailing behind him as he falls into a ready combat stance again.

COMBATSYS: Riki barely endures Braun's Aggressive Strike.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Riki             0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0            Braun

[RIKI]
Riki knows full well the heights that mortal men may achieve. Even many of the kami feared mankind in ages past, or rather, the potential they had. However, very few individuals ever reach those lofty peaks and the ones that do always end up sacrificing something in return.

She met one such man, many years ago, though little remained of his humanity. Abandoning everything good and pure about himself, even going so far as to cut away part of his own soul, that man had gained power akin to a true demon. With a single strike of his legs he had destroyed an entire mountain top and nearly rendered her asunder along with it. Only through the intervention of her true master had she survived the encounter. One day she will find that man again and strike down the evil that he has become. But that will be... many years in the future, once she has managed to reclaim her true power.

Though he may not recognize the importance of the manacles upon Riki's limbs, in truth she too is constrained by seals that limit her full potential. Even the very body that she now inhabits, this vessel of human flesh, though massive in size is both a prison and an environment suit of sorts for the demon's soul so that her supernatural existence might wander the world of man. Often does she lament the lack of her true body but such is the price one pays for failing a divine duty. Perhaps one day she will prove herself worthy enough to reclaim it.

But, diminished as she is, it matters little to the ogre! Even were she no larger than a child, her warrior's spirit would not be repressed. Challenges exist to be overcome and thus far nothing has managed to make her flinch from a fight. If someone is stronger than her, so be it! She will fight them all the same!

Fortunately, her gamble that the strange feline shape shifter does not number among the scant few capable of besting her in raw strength plays out in her favor. Riki drives him back with an eager snarl, hell-fire dancing in her eyes as she steadily overpowers the cat-like abomination, her arms closing down around him like the jaws of a bear trap.

At the last moment Braun wisely chooses to forfeit the contest of might and instead uses his agility and speed to slip the noose. Twisting free of her hold, the massive feline claws slam into the ogre's chest and force her backwards a step, offering the opening he needs to flip to safety.

The reprieve proves only momentary, however, as Riki recovers from the powerful kick almost before he has landed. She offers him no quarter or time to catch his breath, storming forward like a bull that has broken free of its pen, footfalls shaking the ground in a localized earthquake. With a wordless roar of challenge, the ogre lowers her shoulder and barrels directly into the recovering Braun, attempting to scoop him up and carry him along as she thunders onwards. The cold steel of the nearest guard rail rapidly approaches him from behind, should he fail to escape her charge, putting him into the space between the proverbial hammer and an anvil.

COMBATSYS: Riki successfully hits Braun with Mountain Crusher.
- Power hit! -

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Riki             1/-------/=======|=======\===----\1            Braun

[BRAUN]
The rail practically folds like twine, ripping apart into ruined strands around the superhumanly tough bodies of the combatants. Braun lets out an audible snarl as his body is forced through and crushed by the tremendous strength of the sealed oni. Pain wracks him, roars through him and ripples down through his body into the ground itself causing the earth to shatter as he kicks his legs down to try and brace against the onslaught of the titaness' ongoing driving attack.

He fails to do so on the first attempt. On the second attempt? Another flash of chi and a burning boiling fury of energy that erupts in her grasp as if she was grasping a super nova as again the shapeshifter transforms, tapping into his ancient heritage - fueled now by pain as much as by sheer will power.

New found strength ripples into his massive body - reaching heights able to match and potentially overpower the Oni as his feet dig into the ground, carving up massive grooves as he slows the charge.

His body tenses, energy boiling up into a wild corona around him as he rumbles, "Whoulgh.....Oh yeah. I got some folk you should meet..."

And then he springs forward in a counter push that seeks to drive the giantess backwards - both of them enveloped in raging torrents of chi. The force of which would drive her violently into the ground as he barrels back at her and forward with force to dig up a large groove of damage into the floor of the arena before finally bursting past her to twist into another landing.

COMBATSYS: Riki fails to interrupt Beast Roar's Impact from Braun with Charging Ox EX.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Riki             1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0            Braun

[RIKI]
The ferocity of the impact seems to surprise the oni just as much as her opponent. She had meant to slam Braun into the pole, perhaps bend it a little, but as much as she tries to be aware of her own strength the oni often finds herself reminded of just how flimsy mortal construction tends to be. Well, nothing to be done for it now.

Despite the crushing impact and the streamers of ruined metal slashing into him from behind, the feline warrior only seems to be riled up by what would have been a pulverizing experience to most mortal men. Even as her momentum starts to bleed off, Braun adds his own efforts to slow her down and the two of them come to a grinding halt just shy of plowing straight into the crowd.

The explosion of dark chi manages to take the oni by complete surprise. She had expected the injuries he had sustained and effort of slowing her down to exhaust her foe. Instead, his spirit literally flares with fresh power, seeming to feed off the agony of his wounds as he surges into his bestial form once again.

The transformation itself proves unpleasant enough to make the oni flinch, her head turning sharply away from the sizzling red and black corona as it burns at her skin. Hoping to flatten the cat-man before he can gain enough momentum to push her back, Riki crouches slightly and prepares to lunge again.

This time she proves too slow. Braun's empowered form launches into her like a shooting star, lifting the giant clean off her feet and dragging her all the way back to the arena proper. The violent clash leaves a furrow of ruined concrete in their wake, a ragged scar upon the dark concrete that speaks volumes as to the raw power on display.

Coughing amidst a cloud of dusty backwash, the ogre waves a hand in front of her face before ponderously rolling over onto one knee. A quick glance down at the front of her shirt reveals a massive hole burnt square into her abdomen, the shirt all but ruined while the pale skin beneath seems untouched but for some dark stains. She eyes the damage then turns a bemused look towards Braun with a soft grunt.

"Nnngh, she's going to give me an earfull for this..."

[BRAUN]
"As rough as yer fightin', darlin', I think you're gonna end up with needing a full on wardrobe change." remarks Braun as he bounces up and down on his feet again, building up energy and momentum once more. "Looks like you hit me so hard all m'pain's just boostin' me up! I might have to try and hold this form longer then usual otherwise you're gonna keep steam rollin' me over! Almost reminds me of having to fight that creep Atticus. Whew that was crazy..."

Hopping back and forth a more times, the leonid warrior gives Riki another quick grin - and then once more is charging in towards her.

"Aint no time to rest! We're not done yet!"

Again he's airborn - his enhanced size seemingly of no hinderance to his agility and rapid speed. He spins around in mid air and then descends towards her with a driving kick that will certainly slam her further into the ground despite him opting for speed over force, if she's not up on her feet in time or otherwise attends to the incoming attack!

COMBATSYS: Braun successfully hits Riki with Light Kick.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Riki             1/---====/=======|==-----\-------\0            Braun

[RIKI]
At this rate, she finds it hard to disagree with his assessment. Of course, if Ayame had just let her wear the divine garments that were sent down to Earthrealm when she was first banished then this wouldn't be a problem! Unless some other heavenly warriors show up and start swinging around claws or swords. Then she'll have an entirely new set of problems.

Grunting in wordless acknowledgement, the ogre pushes back to her feet just in time to swing one of her thick arms up ward off Braun's swift assault. She fails, mostly, only managing to turn it aside slightly and the kick imparts enough force to stagger the ogre backwards a couple of steps and drop her back to one knee.

Snarling with impulsive annoyance, Riki slams a fist into the ground, both to act as an anchor and to potentially drive her attacker away out of fear of a reprisal. While she isn't very good at manipulating people through trickery, sometimes good old fashioned intimidation is enough to get the job done. Not that she expects someone like Braun to shy away for more than a moment or two but that should be enough time for her to tap into her reserves.

The distinct smell of hot brimstone suddenly fills the air as the demon calls upon hellfire. It's a stench that the cat-man is all too familiar with for unrelated reasons, nigh on indentical to the smell that a certain kami-possessed girl wielded against him in the previous season. Fortunately, Riki seems a great deal less unhinged than that maniac, and the swirl of scarlet flame that blazes to life around the giant seems happy to remain contained to her flickering aura.

Guttering like a bonfire in a hurricane, the demon's hellish power surges up around her in a worrying display of light and power only to fade into her body after a few moments. The oni's eyes burn a little bit brighter after the display, the crimson irises glowing with an inner power as she rises back to her feet. Her eager grin returns, a small gout of flame puffing into the air as she exhales deeply, apparently refreshed by her flaming baptism.

"Good," she says, cracking her knuckles noisily. "Let us see just how far I can push you!"

COMBATSYS: Riki is starting to get fired up!

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Riki             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0            Braun

[BRAUN]
"Hmmmm..."

Yeah that is a familiar smell. For several reasons but especially that one. It's curious but not without logic considering things said before. Again, his mind wanders through various mystical and supernatural realms all managing to crash their way earth wards, warring for attention...bearing similar ideals and viewpoints. Small wonder there's some shared connection here given the shared mythology at work.

But it's nothign he's interested in dwelling on mid fight.

"Looks like you got some tricks up yer sleeves.."

The beastman prowls, circling her with heavy steps that rumble the ground with his tread and yet still manage to come across as 'light' somehow in some strange paradox of his motions. His tail flicks this way ahnd that as his armor settles about his moving frame and he slowly grins, "Alright.... Let's kick it up a notch!" He points a colossal arm at her, chi warbling around it as he declares, "You deserve only the best!"

It's abit of showmanship to be sure. That element of NFG has worn off on him and isn't likely to go away any time soon. Said showy behavior then manifests.

Again the beastman flashes into movement. lunging in towards the oni in a high speed charge with one of his arms dragging behind him. Energy builds around the extended limb and then he swings - sending a burning arc of energy scything through the air in a rushing surge of power towards her in a high speed ranged attack.

But he then suddenly flashes again. A thunderous *BOOM* resounding as he re-appears behind her - pauses to time the incoming attack of his prior assault...and then lunges in with a whirling upper cut as he drags large arms upwards at the oni and spins into the air attempting to drag her skywards with him should the hit land amidst the burning impact of the other assault.

COMBATSYS: Braun blitzes into action and acts again!

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Riki             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0            Braun

COMBATSYS: Riki endures Braun's Shockwave Claw.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Riki             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0            Braun

COMBATSYS: Riki interrupts Whirlwind Fang from Braun with Gates of Hell.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Riki             0/-------/----<<<|=======\-------\0            Braun

[RIKI]
That's right, she does deserve the best!

For centuries, oni were feared and respected as among the mightiest foes in Japan. To slay an oni, even a weak one, was a deed that elevated warriors to new heights of fame. And among her kind, there were only ever a handful who managed to surpass Riki in strength or ferocity. It was that unstoppable spirit that saw her hand-picked by the god of death to stand watch over the damned souls of the corrupt as they endured their just punishments. Every day, monsters born from the wicked hearts of men attempted to break free of their prison only to be beaten into submission by the divine guardians of Enma-o.

Ah, how far she has fallen.

But that only makes moments such as these all the more savory! When the rare opportunity to face an opponent who stands on relatively even footing comes along, someone she can push to the edge only be shoved back just as hard! Days like this are the sort that of thing that manage to get her out of bed in the morning even when she'd far rather be lazing about with a good drink in her hands.

Riki's eyes flash with unrepentant enthusiasm as the contest begins anew, a hearty laugh spilling from her mouth. She drops into a wide, heavy stance once again, arms thrown wide as the massive wave of raw power rips across the floor like the fin of a hungry shark. The crescent of power collides with the demon, hellfire surging to life around her once again as she simply allows it wash over her and break upon the bulwark of her blazing spirit.

Twice before Braun's speed had managed to catch her off guard, his agility at odds with the sheer size of his altered body. But this time she has the measure of him. When the feline warrior blurs into a second lightning fast strike, the ogre is already in motion. Even as the roaring blast smashes apart against her aura Riki whirls around, long centuries of experience telling her where to strike.

The oni's fist slams into the ground at her feet as she drops to one knee, her mighty arm punching straight into the concrete and burying her limb up to the wrist as if it were no more dense than sand upon a beach. With a roar of wordless power, she funnels all of the blazing hellfire down into her clenched fist and unleashes it into the earth below. Unable to contain the searing blast, the arena splits apart with a violent tremor directly in front of Braun as his streaking form comes to rest in preparation to strike.

Instead of the undefended flank of his opponent, the cat-man finds a wall of scarlet heat awaiting his claws. Hellfire and burning rock erupt in a geyser of angry red flame, the conflagration engulfing him entirely for a few agonizing moments. The touch of that divine flame burns unlike anything he has ever experienced. Even Junko's corrupted fire lacked the unique properties of the blaze that now eats away at him for the fires of judgement target not the flesh but the spirit. Every sin that he has ever committed becomes fuel for the pyre, his own misdeeds burned with painful clarity into the forefront of his mind.

The divine flames snuff out almost instantly, unable to sustain themselves on the mortal coil for more than a few seconds. Against demons or other unnatural monstrosities they would have a far easier time remaining coherent but for a mortal such as himself the glimpse he receives of the punishment awaiting those consigned to the halls of Jigoku is blessedly brief.

[BRAUN]
It's a strange thing to stare right into the face of perdition, even for a blessedly brief instant. Strange how the clarity of punishment and eternal loss can be so powerful and crystalline so much for you. Even for Braun, for whom a form of 'hell' was merel a few steps away when he was growing up - to actually take it -in- is a whole different matter all together.

It's so disorientating and devestating that when he crashes back to the ground again - for an instant - evein the aftermath of the fires being pulled from his soul - there is no man. There is only beast. He lets out a ragged roar, twisting from his back in order to rapidly get up into a hunched over combat stance that is nigh feral as he sweeps his gaze over the battlefield. The sound of his roar echoes with pained strangled fury throughout the mall and deep into the lanes of the festival. A strangled bewildered cry that begins to boil with savagery as his worst nature struggles to seize control. It's nearly full on fight or flight with the desire to tear apart anything in his way--

But then the man begins to emerge again, slowly but surely. There is still panic and confusion but then his eyes lock onto the source of his torment, that oni, and he turns about warring with instinct and the need to refocus back on combat.

He drags both of his enromous arms back behind him, building up a huge well of chi that starts to blaze and boil to life - scorching the ground around him and building up higher and higher like a rising volcanic plume of energy.

And then, suddenly, the man finally speaks having regained his senses. "Hufff...nice one.."

He then drags both arms forward and whips them infront of him. A massive 'X' shaped scythe of energy blisters forth from him, careening across the battle field towards the ogress on its skyward arc.

COMBATSYS: Braun successfully hits Riki with Sky-Rending Claw.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Riki             0/-------/<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1            Braun

[RIKI]
Mortals always react differently when shown the truth of their misdeeds. Some become angry and defiant, unwilling to accept that a higher power exists that is both capable and willing to pass judgement upon their souls. Others become despondent, shocked by the sheer depths of their sin. But the most common reaction by far is fear, sheer unadulterated terror at the prospect of spending countless eons atoning for the malefactions of their wicked lives.

Riki watches the strange beast man as he contends with the skeletons in his closet. Her expression remains one of primal amusement, the oni's lips peeled back in a wide toothy grin as the flames bathe him in holy judgement. But her eyes tell a different story from the mask of wild enthusiasm, a hint of knowing and perhaps a bit of empathy hidden among the hellfire.

Hell's fire strips away all of the lies and delusions and leaves only the raw truth behind. It's not a pleasant experience for most people. One might even call it cruelty, particularly when wielded in a friendly contest of skill. But even if she wished to spare the man from that experience, she remains a demon empowered by the flames of Jigoku itself and tasked with the purgation of the wicked. If his soul is blackened with the weight of his misdeeds, then it is no fault but his own that he suffers so.

That being said, she didn't expect his response to be quite so... primal. Her grin morphs into a worried scowl as the feral beast within threatens to overwhelm Braun. She takes a single step forward as he writhes and howls, ready to lunge and tackle him should the man lose control completely and attack the crowd. That build-up of power looks dangerous but the ogre's confident that her body can take it. Her movement seems to draw his attention back to her, however, and soon after the light of awareness returns to his eyes.

"Are you...?"

Her concern is quickly brushed aside as Braun suddenly sweeps his arms forward with pointed intent. The maelstrom of dark chi explodes at her with startling force and it's all she can do to throw her own arms up in a defensive gesture as the gargantuan blast smashes into her like a wrecking ball. Hellfire flares anew around her, attempting to shield the oni and ward off the monstrous assault. But after a few precarious moments of holding the deadly cross at bay it simply detonates in a violent blast, the two unstable energies striking some counter-harmonic that sets both off in an unconstrained reaction.

The ground shudders yet again as the titan vanishes in a pyroclastic cloud of scarlet and black. A heavy cloud of dark smoke billows out from the explosion, slowly settling into a slowly rolling mist of choking ash. As the seconds tick by the obscuring haze steadily begins to clear until faint glimpses of movement can be seen within.

Riki bursts from the last wisps of dark smoke in a wild leap, her massive body flying at the feral warrior as if hurled out of a catapult. The burnt ruins of her school-like uniform hang in ragged straps around her body, leaving only the tight weave of a sarashi wrapped about her ample chest and a pair of singed blue flaps hanging from her waist.

Like some kind of strangely colorful barbarian, she descends upon Braun with both fists hoisted high above her head, her exposed muscles rippling with power as she bellows a wordless cry of challenge. The oni's massive mitts come down in a smiting blow as she lands, every ounce of her unnatural strength driving them down like hammers upon his body. Once again the man finds himself in dire threat of being caught between two powerful objects only the solid concrete beneath his feet will prove far more unyielding than the flimsy pole he was plowed through earlier!

COMBATSYS: Braun blocks Riki's Gigantic Smash.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Riki             0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1            Braun

[BRAUN]
Another thundrerous impact resounds. The entire mall shakes. Windows rattle. Some crack and shatter. Debris srpays in every direction and Braun holds his ground, straining up against the devastating smash attempt with both of his own immense arms catching hold of the strike and pushed to their absolute limit.

Like fliciering after images, his enlarged bestial ogre-sized form seems to flicker in and out once again as his capacity for mataining his battlecat form (so named by the legendary Buford...) is nearing its end.

But he's yet some tricks of his own up his sleeve, even in this extreme moment of high stakes pressure as the battle inches ever closer to its finale with both of the combatants pushed to their maximum.

He attempts to find something quippy to say but as hellfire burns and blazes around them both - he thinks better of that and instead quickly adjusts his stance and the placement of his arms to grip hold of the giantess wrists and then pulls - using his own vast strength and her own momentum from the reverb of the strike to try and pull her to the side amongst the cracked stone and rubble of the shorn asunder battle field.

Releasing her, Braun spins and brings one of his massive legs around and kicks out once again with those talened feet at her, this time aiming for her back to both send her further along with a powrful thrust of his strength while also once more using the momentum to launch himself backwards to gain distance once more for a potential charge in.

"Most fun fight I've had in a while, lady." he offers, voice laced with the bestial rumble of his monstrous form. "I gotta give you credit. Where were -you- when the NFG was in swing, eh? But I think we're just about ready for th'final act!"

COMBATSYS: Riki endures Braun's Medium Kick.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Riki             0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1            Braun

[RIKI]
Riki's eyes blaze with intense focus as the two giant clash, her lips peeled back in a feral grin. It's rare to encounter anyone who can withstand the full strength of her mighty strikes, even if only for a few moments. Her muscles bulge and strain as she continues to press down against the monstrous cat's attempt to hold her off, the battle-loving ogre unwilling to let up in any contest of strength. Braun lives up to his mistaken moniker, keeping the titan at bay, but it's obvious that he can only hold out for so long while her own battle lust is tempered by nothing save the durability her mortal vessel.

Yet again the Germanic warrior uses his wit to escape what seems like inevitable defeat. Shifting his grip and his position to turn her own massive force against her, Riki is quick to pick up on his intentions. Leverage and momentum are two of the key concepts behind sumo, after all, as even two massive warriors smashing into each other are subject to the same laws of physics as everyone else.

While she could likely stop the attempt in its tracks with a simple shift of her foot, the oni instead allows herself to be hurled to the side. As expected, the shifter takes advantage of her momentary exposure to lash out with his powerful limbs, raking a fresh row of shallow red lines into her naked skin. The pain earns him a begrudging wince from the ogre but it quickly becomes apparent that his maneuver's success was entirely by design.

With another roar of challenge, Riki whirls around even as her opponent heaps praise upon her and thunders across the small gap between them in two massive bounds. One of her massive fists drives forth as she closes the distance, swinging into Braun's jaw like a pile driver. And for the first time during the fight, the demon shows that she too is capable of moving quickly when needed. Her other fist quickly replaces the first as it slams towards his torso, moving in a blinding flash of raw power. Again they strike in alternating patterns, then again, and again, each pair of strikes accelerating in speed until her arms are little more than a blur of knuckles and muscle.

"Raaaaggh!"

After several hellish seconds of this gauntlet of punches, Riki finally thrusts her right hand forward, fingers spreading wide to engulf the cat-man's entire head in her giant palm. With a violent downwards thrust, she attempts to plant his skull in the pavement then drag him bodily across the arena, digging yet another trench in the concrete with his furry face until finally underhand pitching him towards the nearest barrier!

COMBATSYS: Riki knocks away Braun with Raging Demon EX.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >                                ]
Riki             0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2            Braun

[BRAUN]
She's impressive. There's no doubt about it. Now Braun has been mentored and trained by individuals whose very presence defies loagic and reason and whose strength cannot be comprehend. He's taken heavy blows within the heart of Blazin' HQ that other NFG alumni would have scarcely understood or been able to dealt with... Maybe Team Frost - maybe - but that was -just- Abigail as the heavy. Braun had to deal with Kongou. Zog. Akuma... whatever the hell Miss September was...

so he knows hard hits. Even though those lumimnaries were essentially treating them with kids gloves ...they still rag dolled all Blaze members with varying degrees of intensity.

And yet even with that..he can still recognize a masterful and overpowering hit when it lands and Riki has landed one.

These thoughts and more rush through his head as he goes rocketing backwards, concrete and blood both spraying in violent spurts and in wild directions. A wall rapidly approaches - and then at the last second he twists again - landing wit his feet against the wall - sending a masive spider webbing crater rushing out in all directions as the pressure of the impact resonates throughout the structure of the mall's support columns.

He remains crouched there for a few slow seconds, letting the rst of the physical blow ripple through him and then he growls out, "Looks like you got me... Maybe..."

ANd then he suddenly lunges forward - thundering at her like a shell from a battleship, dragging chi behind him in a fiery contrail as he looks to plant yet another kick into her torso and then in the aftermath of that to bring his claws swiping around and at her in a blurring swarm of attacks. A series of rapid combo assaults not ulike her own attack on him mere moments before.

At the end of it all, unlike her, there is no grab -but instead a violent cross up and pass through with both fo his arm swinging out to leave a jagged 'X' shaped gouge of chi in the air as he finishes with a final double armed strike...

And then he tumbles forward, falling towards a bent knee and a single arm to try and keep himself from just utterly collapsing. It looks like the match is over.

COMBATSYS: Braun can no longer fight.

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

COMBATSYS: Riki breaks through Monarch's Relentless Fury from Braun with Hellish Judgement EX!

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

[RIKI]
As she watches the battered mortal manage to save himself from colliding head-first with the wall at the last second, the oni can't help but smile at the man's resilience.

This has been an excellent fight. Not because it looks like she's going to come out on top. Not because she has proven her superior might. Those things are all well and good, and she'll be sure to boast plenty later on in the presence of good company and fine drink - but what really makes a battle truly worthy is that both combatants stood their ground until the last ounce of their strength had been spent.

In a clash of warriors, to give less than one's all is the greatest of insults, more biting than any words that could ever be spoken. Every person, be they man or monster, who has dedicated themselves to the way of conflict wants recognition for their efforts, be it from others or from themselves. To stand tall over an opponent is the only reward that matters, doubly so if that opponent fought to the last breath. For that is the essence of war: to fight, to stand tall, and if the fates are kind, to survive!

Even as he lands, Riki can already see that Braun knows this as well. The determination to keep fighting despite his battered body is writ plain upon the feline features of his warped face, his eyes narrow and focused in preparation to unleash one final strike.

Riki throws her arms wide in welcoming invitation to this last challenge. She could easily deflect his strike, the agile warrior's movements obviously slowed and sluggish from the damage he has sustained. The idea is discarded as worthless hardly moments after it forms in her mind. What sort of pathetic end to such a titanic battle would that be? To merely shield herself against a strike that has little chance of actually landing from a wounded opponent. No true oni would ever accept such a cowardly path!

tThe demon's broad face twists into a wide smile, her eyes flaring with subtle hints of the hellfire within. Braun's massive form flies at her, claws extending, leg extending to strike at her with his powerful feet. And as the impact draws nearer and nearer, Riki refuses to budge, standing stubbornly in the path of this wild meteor like a circus performer preparing to take a cannonball to the gut.

A massive shockwave hammers the crowd as Braun's chaotic chi clashes with the oni's scarlet aura once again. His foot drives square into her gut, power and momentum forcing her backwards - not due to her own weakness, but because the ground beneath her feet simply can't withstand the incredible force. The two warriors skid nearly a dozen feet before the momentum bleeds away, shards of concrete and rebar flying like tiny daggers in all directions as her sandals dig twin furrows into the tarmac.

"Now I do...!"

The moment that she feels her feet catch on solid ground, Riki finally moves again. Unbroken by the colossal impact, her hand snaps forward once more, this time snapping closed around the feline warrior's neck. His attempts to claw at her flail wildly in the air for a moment before she hoists him up and smashes the man's broad back flat against the ruined ground. Before he has any chance to recover and slither away again, she plants herself atop him in a pinning mount, his powerful arms trapped against his side by her tree-trunk sized thighs.

With nothing to impede her now, the oni drives a mighty punch into Braun's face, the impact so powerful that it cracks the ground behind his head. Several more knuckle sandwiches follow the first, each blow driving his upper body further and further into the pavement until his head and shoulders are entirely buried in the rubble.

Raising her arm one last time, Riki lets out a victorious shout as hellish flames erupt around her fist like a blazing glove. The flaming hammer plows into the earth, digging all the way down to Braun's buried face before the divine fires of judgement erupt in a huge blast that sends a column of pyroclastic debris flying up into the air like an erupting volcano.

For several long seconds, smoldering rubble rains down amidst the battlefield. The demon keeps her arm buried up to the elbow in the small pit that her violence has dug, her fingers clasped tightly around Braun's neck, ready to punish him further should he need a little more encouragement to accept defeat. But, after a few moments without signs of struggle, she finally pushes to her feet, dragging the battered Germanic warrior out of his shallow grave as she rises.

With a casual gesture she tosses the mortal onto his back, giving him space to recover. Her arms cross over the dirty sarashi wound around her chest, a wide grin plastered on her face as she basks in the afterglow of victory. It's been a long time since anyone openly cheered for her like this. Perhaps she'll have to spend more time among the mortals in the future.

"Art thou planning to laze about all day," she asks jovially, tilting her head at Braun after giving him a few moments to catch his breath. "We hath had a fine battle. Now is the time for fine drink!"

COMBATSYS: Riki has ended the fight here.


[BRAUN]
"Damn, lady, you really know how to have a party.."

Braun's response is easy and quick. Quippy and confident despite his loss. Given his own regenerative nature there's no telling how quickly he recovered and just decided to basically lay there to let her have her moment. But now that he's being addressed..he sits back up and starts dusting off pieces of concrete and then wobbles slowly to his feet.

His battle-form drifts away into the aether, restoring him towars his 'mere' seven foot height now and he reaches a hand up to work his bruised and battered jaw and then looks her over as well.

"Well....at least I did a number on you even if you got the last laugh. Just my luck there but I'll take that as a partial victory on my part. I aint fought no oni before..."

He grins mildly and then rumbles, "Damn shmae. I wanted that contract with The Channel. now I'm going to have to figure out some other trouble to get into... Man... I need to introduce you to Abigail or Kongou or Zog or something...."

He then makes an absent gesture for the rest of the mall... Semeingly content to leave the absolute mess that the two made of the combat arena to the clean up crew.

"Lead on... Let's see if we can keep the party going...."

[RIKI]
Riki's grin widens as the cat-man shrugs off a beating that would have rendered most people into paste. After taking more than one of her punches to the face and still being able to speak in coherent sentences she had a feeling he was sturdy enough to handle a little showboating on her part.

The ogre glances down and gives herself a once over at the mention of his consolation prize. Her amusement briefly morphs into a wince as she realizes that state that she's in. So much for modesty. Yep, definately going to get a lecture now. At least her under garments survived the clash. Modern humans, as she has learned, are far more prudish than in the past.

"And a fine attempt it was," she agrees, wandering over to slap him on the back with a hearty thud. "If these friends of thine art half the warrior as thee then I shall be glad to know them!"

The gesture is taken as an invitation to remain in his company. Riki's grin returns and she happily takes the lead once again, striding over the debris without so much as a hint of shame at having demolished the vast majority of the arena. As she walks, a hand lifts up to shoulder level and she draws a wide circle in the air with one of her fingers. Reality seems to bend momentarily and with a soft pop the empty space above her palm suddenly turns into a large almost flat bowl made of lacquered red wood, a simple but pretty design in the shape of a string of sakura blossoms is adorning the side.

Lifting the edge of the bowl to her lips, Riki drinks deeply of the clear liquid resting in the bowl. After several long gulps it seems strange that she hasn't completely emptied the dish, a notion that quickly transforms into impossible as she lowers the bowl only for it to still be completely full.

The oni tilts her head back and lets out a long appreciative sigh, the scent of incredibly powerful booze assaulting the cat-man's sensitive nose. With a cheeky grin, she glances back at Braun and taps the bowl against her chest roughly. Though the mysterious liquid sloshes around with the movement, it fails to spill even a single drop, settling back into stillness after a few moments.

"Worry not, Brawn! Where goeth Riki, so doth the festivities always follow!"

Log created on 15:45:42 03/09/2025 by Riki, and last modified on 09:53:23 03/12/2025.