Description: A brutal and long match between Acacia and Eiji. The end result is a draw when both fighters both run out of steam and punch one another out. (Draw Match)
Southtown Village. Near the outskirts of the district, a quieter part of the area. There's not much activity here, in the early evening. Just Acacia, leaning against a rough brick wall. A narrow alley separating two old low-rise buildings.
She's dressed much as she normally does, an oversized Army-surplus jacket in dull greens and browns, T-shirt, jeans, boots. Except she's huddled a little more than she usually is, against the winter chill.
Acacia squints at the sky, the bit that can be seen at the top of the alley. She doesn't know this Eiji guy she challenged. Just picked his name out of the Neo League roster, and asked Ken Masters' people to forward a message.
"Whoever he is," Acacia grumbles to herself, "he'd better turn up soon."
A quiet local without fans around. Just the sort of place the ninja prefers to fight. Much like last night the only people that are really gathered beside his opponent is a few officials to make sure the match goes off without a hitch. Aside from that there are no fans or no cameras to view this match between Eiji and the woman that chose to challenge him. Though fresh off a fight the previous evening the ninja has recovered enough to accept the invitation.
His presence is marked by the picking up of wind and the air becoming even more chilly than before. Smoke starts to swirl about out of a grating as it reaches skywards and soon Eiji Kisaragi emerges from it to stand fully with arms crossed. "I do believe you are the one that challenged me. I hope you provide ample entertainment for me." he says in a quiet tone as his emotionless gaze fixates on the girl across from him. "Shall we begin?"
COMBATSYS: Eiji has started a fight here.
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Eiji 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Acacia has joined the fight here.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Eiji
Acacia arches an eyebrow, frowning at Eiji. His appearance...was unexpected. And that shows, on her features. It's a kind of look Eiji's no doubt seen before. The sort of expression that declares, without words, 'oh crap, it's ANOTHER damn ninja'. Because Acacia's had ample encounters with ninja in the past, most unpleasant.
That said, she's also fought alongside a few. Enough to give her a healthy respect of the art. So it's mostly -wariness- that edges onto her face as she pushes away from the wall. Her eyes sharpening into a piercing look, one subjecting Eiji to microscopic scrutiny.
Moving to the middle of the alley, the girl adopts a fighting stance, boot soles scraping across the grime-encrusted floor. Her foot knocks aside a stray empty soda can as she pivots, presenting her left side towards her opponent, arms raised in a simple guard.
"Begin," she states, in a flat voice.
COMBATSYS: Acacia focuses on her next action.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Eiji
Ahh excellent, one that seems like she can actually fight. Not some boisterous reject such as the one he had to fight last night. A slight smile appears behind that mask and he nods his head. "Very well." is the only reply he gives as the smoke starts to engulf him once again. Unfortunantly he isn't too sure of his opponents skill so for the time being he will have to do his best to remain conservative till he finds out more. His movements are quick to the point the officials might even consider he has disappeared. It is not the case though. Dashing out of the smoke the ninja quickly leaps upwards to jump to a wall and then push off of it, his form flickering back into plain sight with hand raised as he comes down at Acacia. That hand erupts in reddish energy that takes the shape of a blade as it is swung downwards intent on start this fight off with a harsh scrap across the girl's frontside.
COMBATSYS: Eiji successfully hits Acacia with Mist Slash.
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Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Eiji
A harsh -hiss- of breath escapes Acacia's lungs...as chi energy tears through fabric and skin, producing a ragged spray of blood. She tries to twist out of the way...but isn't -quite- quick enough. She takes the hit on her ribs, fresh blood beginning to ooze through the fabric of her shredded t-shirt.
"Fast," she mutters, grudgingly...before whipping an arm up, taking advantage of their close proximity to ram her own elbow towards Eiji, the point racing towards his sternum. The question is...-how- fast?
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Eiji with Mass Driver.
- Power hit! -
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Acacia 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Eiji
Ahh, a quick opening of a wound. That is something Eiji loves to see. A low chuckle emits from the ninja as he feels his strike hit home. Despite his speed his close proximity allows the woman to slam into him. Even if it has alot of strength behind it there is no real signs of the ninja feeling pain aside from the light grunt he lets out as he is knocked back. The wound may make movements hurt for her, but the woman still has plenty of strength in her it seems. Regaining his balance quickly the ninja grasps for Acacia's jacket to tug on it and swing the girl around towards one of the walls as he releases and leaps backwards to land near the opposite side to hopefully put some distance between the two.
COMBATSYS: Acacia fails to counter Quick Throw from Eiji with Icon of Stone.
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Acacia 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Eiji
And Acacia hits the side of the alley - shoulders-first. Hard. Painfully. Despite her best efforts to diffuse the impact, despite her attempt to strike back. She makes a muffled sound that might be an expression of pain, just barely suppressed. She begins to slide down the wall, momentarily stunned. But as she does, her head lolls, and her eyes flit skyward.
Through strands of drifting silver hair, she catches sight of faces peering over the rooftops. Neo League officials, observers. A reminder that this fight was registered, and will be ranked.
Acacia's fought in public before, of course, in tournaments, on television. She's long grown accustomed to simply blocking out the presence of an audience, ignoring their shouts and cries, their cheers and jeers. But this is different. These people are silent. Because they're here to simply -bear witness- to the fight...
"-No-," Acacia growls, as she pulls herself to her feet. She's not going to lose -that- easily.
Landing gracefully on his feet the ninja remains there for a few moments as he silently watches the girl. She certainly can take the hits. This is not someone he can fool around with. To toy with someone like Acacia would only result in a loss he does not wish to have. Still he has already drawn blood once and he is confident he can do it again. His hands come together to go through a series of complex motions and then his arms are thrown out to the side as suddenly he splits into four seperate clones of himself. "Come on girl. Show me what you have." the all echo while running straight at her. Each one attempting to crash into her though three only serve as a distraction. The true Eiji comes in from the side in an attempt to slash again with his hand glowing bright from the reddish energy he can summon.
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Eiji's Shadow Attack.
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Acacia 0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Eiji
"Fine," Acacia replies, her voice unnaturally calm. She doesn't flinch, doesn't bat an eyelid, as the clones come racing in. She spends a half-second studying them, trying to figure out which is the real one - or whether the duplicates are in fact -solid-, making the distinction...immaterial.
The pun isn't lost on Acacia, though she isn't particularly amused by it.
She also realises she -can't- tell them apart.
So she commits herself entirely to instinct. She moves, swiftly, -leaping-, hands snapping out overhead. Grabbing the overhanging metal struts of a fire escape, bolted to the side of the building. Using that, she swings over the clones, before letting go. Twisting as she lands, just in time to react to the -one- remaining ninja, the real Eiji, coming in from the side.
Once again, his strike draws blood - but only a red line across a blocking arm.
And as Acacia drops her freshly wounded limb, she whips it round, powering the forearm toward Eiji's face.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Eiji with Quick Punch.
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Acacia 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Eiji
It may not have gone to plan, but Eiji is fine with the result. He still manages to injure the girl somewhat and even if the blocking does leave him open for retaliation he doesn't both moving out of the way. That fist slams hard into is face and even though it seems forceful, it only causes Eiji to stutter back a step before regaining his balance. Yes, now this girl can dish out pain as well as she recieves. Eiji likes that in his prey, even if they are women. Now to see if he can make her scream. HIs hand seeks out the first of the wounds he made and tries to grasp it firmly. If he manages to grab hold he gives that wound a nice twist before trying to pick up the girl and sling her across the ally again.
COMBATSYS: Acacia counters Quick Throw from Eiji with Icon of Stone.
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Acacia 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Eiji
Grabbed. The ninja's grasping fingers dig into Acacia's ribcage, into the jagged wound criss-crossing her side. Further aggravating it, twisting flesh, blood staining Eiji's hand.
Acacia is a small girl. Barely five feet in height, slight of build. She's easy for the man to pick up...easy to throw.
At least, that's what -should- happen.
The reality is somewhat different.
While Eiji's hand grabs the wound, he's...somehow -unable- to make the cut deeper, unable to draw any more blood. And when he tries to send her flying...there isn't enough momentum. Not as much as they -should- be.
And as she leaves his hand, Acacia -spins- in mid-air, leg extending, the rubber heel of one heavy combat boot smashing toward the side of Eiji's head.
Never underestimate the power of chi, especially in the hands of small pissy teenagers.
That boot slams into the side of the ninja and his grip loosens as he staggers a few steps away. The first real blow that seems to actually take some wind out of the other fight. He slowly straights back up and cricks his neck as he lets the cobwebs shake loose and refocuses on his target. Such insolence she shows him. Doesn't she know what her role is in this world? If Eiji can help it he certainly will show her. His body begins to glow all around as his brow furrows. He then blasts forward again, hand reaching out as he moves to blaze behind the girl then twist about on his foot. He then whips his hand outwards and tries to bring it across the back of her legs to hamstring the girl right then and there. A vicious move at that, but it seems that strike has slowed him some as well.
COMBATSYS: Acacia interrupts Bone Cutter from Eiji with Immovable Object.
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Acacia 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Eiji
Blood. More blood. Oozing beneath Eiji's knife-hand. The denim of Acacia's jeans affording scant protection, scant armour to the blow. Chi energy tears through fragile human flesh...as Acacia stands, the ninja crouched behind her, bleeding from fresh injuries to her legs.
It hurts. It must.
But Acacia makes no sound. The only reaction she gives is a faint twitch of the cheek, something that might be agony - or amusement. Impossible to tell which.
Then she moves. Dropping to the ground, but in a controlled fall. Putting her weight on both hands and one leg.
With her other leg, she kicks. Back. At the ninja behind her.
So much blood and yet she still manages to remains standing. Part of the ninja really appreciates the fighting spirit this woman has, but then the other part is just enfuriated that this girl still stands. Even as that kick slams into him and knocks him back he lets out a soft 'tch' in annoyance and he then rushes forward again. The fighter then leaps upwards to jump over the other fighter and land against the wall to push off of it again. Twirling about at high speeds he begins spinning and unleashing a large amoung of reddish waves of chi that hurtle and seek to put the girl down and out. "Stay down, welp!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Eiji's Steel Wave Slasher.
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Acacia 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Eiji
That look of might-be-amusement...shifts, as Acacia's lips move into a full-fledged smile. Not a mocking smile, though, there's no malice in the expression. No, she genuinely finds Eiji's demand...funny.
"That's what my last opponent said," she murmurs, distantly.
The shock from the blast tears chunks of brick and mortar from the walls, litter and debris swirling in the narrow alley. But when the fury of the assault fades, Acacia remains upright. Her jacket and hair, blown astray by the onslaught, settle back down as she lowers her blocking arms. She didn't escape unscathed - new shreds and rents decorate her body, some of them bloody. Including a red streak across her forehead. But she seems to have escaped serious injury.
Tilting her head briefly skyward, toward the Neo League officials watching from the rooftops, Acacia adds, "Never stay down."
COMBATSYS: Acacia focuses on her next action.
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Acacia 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Eiji
[OOC] Acacia says, "I intended to focus, forgot the command. e_e Sorry."
[OOC] Acacia says, "Me bad."
[OOC] Eiji says, "No problem. :O"
The ninja lands on his feet and he then straights up fully as he stares down the girl. Certainly his usual tactics aren't working, but maybe, just maybe he is chipping away enough to finally be able to take the girl down. So many wounds scatter over her body and yet she stands. The sight just causes Eiji to simply smile behind the mask. "A shame this is just a foolish match instead of a true fight." he murmurs and starts forward again. "How I would love to really test how long you could go in a battle. I haven't had fun like this in ages." he says and he plows forward into the girl. Nothing fancy or tricky about it. The only thing he is trying to do right now is run the girl through and impale her on the large blade of energy extending from both hands.
COMBATSYS: Eiji successfully hits Acacia with Bone Cutter.
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Acacia 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Eiji
The blade strikes. And keeps on going, tearing through Acacia's body and emerging from -the other side-. Running her completely through. Only a last minute shift of balance keeps the wound from becoming fatal. As it is, the energy blade slips through her side. It's perhaps silent testiment to Acacia's skill that she managed to absorb the blow in a way that missed doing serious damage to her internal organs. Though that's small comfort...
...because she's STILL impaled by a goddamn energy sword.
Acacia hisses in pain, eyes screwing shut. She trembles, body shaking. The blade in Eiji's hands casting an angry red illumination, throwing her face into harsh relief.
Then her eyes open.
And Acacia -explodes-.
Waves of chi blast free from her body, concussive force roaring in all directions. The ground beneath her -shatters-, chips of concrete arcing into the air, the alley floor and walls cratering as Acacia channels her power into a purely destructive aura. There's no light, no heat, simply raw -force-, only visible as a shimmer in the air...and the obvious damage left by its passing. The blast eminates from Acacia's body...with Eiji right next to her, at ground zero.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Eiji with Irresistible Force.
- Power hit! -
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Eiji
And finally it hits. Normally a move that could be very fatal was intentionally adjusted to not strike any vitals that might cause the girl to die. The last thing the assassin wants is officals seeing him actually kill someone in an official fight. Even as much grief as the girl has caused him he still wishes to keep her alive for another time when they can fight without any witnesses. And then she truely does catch the ninja by surprise. There is a subtle twitch of his brow and as he tries to back away quickly he finds himself engulfed by girl's blast that envelopes Eiji and causes the body to shrivel under the power. All that is left when the energy dies down is a crumbling husk of a body that soon turns to a pile of ash that blows away.
And then, there it is. A shadow overtop of the girl as decending from the rooftops a battered and bloodied Eiji comes downwards at her. HIs eyes narrowed with complete concentration. Hands blaze with energy again as he comes downwards quickly and he attempts to finish the girl while she is hopefully out of breath.
Naerose has arrived.
COMBATSYS: Acacia endures Eiji's Mist Slash EX.
[ < > ///// ]
Acacia 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Eiji
The shadow falling from above...doesn't go unnoticed by Acacia.
But by now she's tired, badly wounded, hardly able to even -stand-. She brings one hand up, clutching her side, pulling shredded fabric together, clutching her wound to staunch the bleeding. But the effort's futile, and she knows that. She's rapidly losing consciousness. She can -feel- the strength drain from her, her ability to fight ebbing...
And that damn ninja's still coming.
Shit.
Can't dodge. Can't block.
Acacia's mind races as Eiji descends, before coming to a conclusion. She bites back a cry as the ninja's slashing energy-laced hands slam into her upper back, cutting her down. Her knees begin to buckle, she begins to fall...
But before she does, she snaps an arm round, powering an elbow...with the last of her strength...driving it at her opponent.
Because it's clear what Acacia decided to do. To take the hit...in the hope of it bringing her close enough to bring the arrogant bastard down with her.
COMBATSYS: Acacia can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ <
Eiji 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Eiji with Icon of Stone.
[ \\ <
Eiji 0/-------/---====|
A satisfied smirk forms under the mask as he decends on the girl and slashes across her. Even as she swings about he makes no attempts to escape. He has done what he wants and to him he has won. There is a rather sickening crack against the ninja's chest from feeling the elbow strike and it is enough to knock Eiji away. Even as the body slumps it looks like it is melting as one of the officials is left looking rather shocked from finding himself now on the ground and he faints from sudden teleportation. The true Eiji remains up on the rooftop with smoke surrounding him as he spares one last look at the other fighter. "Another time....my dear. We shall have more fun." he murmurs to himself and the smoke soon envelopes him and disperses to reveal nothing.
COMBATSYS: Eiji takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Eiji can no longer fight.
Acacia coughs, phlegm splattering on the ground. Along with a few flecks of...yes, more blood. She's leaking like a sieve here, a fact which fails to amuse her. Hauling herself off the ground, Acacia cricks her neck from side to side, then coughs again.
Pulling herself together, but still moving stiffly, Acacia turns to the bewildered official now standing in the ruined alley. In a dry, somewhat sardonic voice, she quips, "Guess it's a draw. Unless you have a special -ninja- category."
Log created by Eiji, and last modified on 18:26:27 12/04/2005.