Description: If the Frei/Yuri match was 'For The Children', then this match would have to be 'For the Fanservice'. (Winner: Kula)
Logic would indicate that of all the fights occuring, the one at the boardwalk would be the best one to go watch. Not because of the participants or the amount of media hype around it - in fact, next to the primary fights in Howard Arena, this one went comparatively unpromoted - but because with the ocean nearby, the temperature shouldn't be as unbearable as it would be in the city proper.
Lightly slurping on a Polar Punch-flavored snow cone, Kula Diamond is silently wishing she could've been allowed to fight in an arena instead. At least then, they'd have some shade. The sun beating down on the boardwalk has made it impossible to go anywhere barefoot without the risk of blisters. The heat rising from the planks and the sand, along with the heat radiating off the numerous items crafted out of metal has made the entire boardwalk into a miniature oven.
Adorned with something besides her usual combat leathers (hey, even a walking popsicle wants to conserve her chi when she doesn't have to spend it fighting), Kula's graced the bystanders hoping to see one teenage girl beat up another wearing a light, white, lace-trimed, button-up blouse that ties off just over her stomach. It's slightly sheer due to the sweat clinging to her, but Kula just reaches over now and again and plucks part of it off her skin so she can feel some air there. For those in the audience whose intentions might not be the most pure when watching the fight (as if there would ever be anything like that), the straps of Kula's white swimsuit top are clearly marked against the fabric where it presses. When it isn't adjusting her shirt, Kula's usually adjusting the small, slit-sided skirt that covers her swimsuit bottom. She was hoping to have enough time to play in the ocean before the fight, but...she just doesn't have the energy. And so that's why she's sitting on a beach blanket on the boardwalk, toes wiggling free from her sandals, and wearing a pair of yellow-lensed sunglasses as she waits for the sign to get ready to fight.
Megumi is keeping her recent habit of swapping outfits for SNF matches, and with this one set near the beach, she's gone with a typical look for it; half-red, half-white shoulderless bikini set. She's somewhat impatient about the delay, but coping with it by having purchased a simple grape cone of her own. "You'd think they'd have a backup van for stuff like this, but...who knows." Irritation passes quickly, as she points out the obvious to Kula: "Been a while since I saw you, y'know. You're doin' alright, right?" Apparently getting along fine with Kula while they wait...
So...hot. Maybe...maybe she could use just a little chi... to transform the boardwalk into northern Greenland in winter. ...mmmm, ice and snow and snow cones and all she'd have to do is call the ice to her and someone's talking to her and the oh god the sun is so hot and wait was someone talking to her? Kula snaps out of her heat-induced daze and jerks at Megumi's question. "Huh? Wha? I-" However, anything that was going to be said next is interrupted by the shriek that comes from Kula as the snowcone, already melting faster than would be liked, decides to take a trip and unceremoniously dumps itself onto Kula. Well, at least she's fully awake now!
Jumping to her feet and batting the melting blue blob off of her, Kula half-distractedly answers, "Oh, yeah, been fine." She's more focused on the large blue stain on her shirt. And she -liked- that shirt. It's cute, and she likes the fact it's designed to be tied off. With a sigh, Kula unties the knot and works on the buttons as she finally looks up at Megumi. "Yeah, I'm doing fine. Just doing the usual SNFs, and trying to keep busy." Slipping the blouse off, Kula reaches for a nearby water bottle and pours a bit on the stain and then sets the shirt on the edge of the blanket to be safe. "You know, it figures. Any time I wear something white, it either rains on me, or I spill on it."
Kula stretches, and then slips her feet into her flip-flops as she smiles at Megumi. "So...ready for this? Not too hot for you, I hope," she says before Kula takes a long drink from the water bottle.
Megumi winces as she sees the spill, and Kula's audible reaction to it. "...That sucks," she gives in sympathy. "Guess that'll happen...but," She stops for a moment to finish off the rest of her cold refreshment. "It's hot, but I get the feeling they keep sending me to hot places on purpose. Probably trying to get that whole 'less is more' reaction, but...hey, fine by me." She makes an arm-motion to the area around. "Good crowd for it, y'know? But it's mostly been SNF and keeping busy for you, huh...after this match, mind if we get back in touch some?" She's mostly lounging about for now, but her attention is mostly focused on Kula despite pointing out the crowd, even though there's not much idle movement from her.
COMBATSYS: Megumi has started a fight here.
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Megumi 0/-------/-------|
Kula walks across to the other side of the boardwalk, and shakes the water bottle slightly to hear it slosh. "Sure, I guess. We can swap cell numbers? I just got a new one. It has this tiiiiiiny little camera in it." Kula is so easily amused by things everybody else takes for granted. But, she's not dumb. She glances at the TV crew that's set up, and says, "Well, I guess we're supposed to begin, huh?" But at least she has the courtesy to wait for Megumi to nod before she suddenly makes the first attack.
And what attack would that be? Well, that almost imperceptable use of chi on the water bottle to freeze the contents inside has something to do with it. Just...not enough to really raise eyebrows (unless you count the fact her hair -still- isn't blue yet). In fact, Kula starts to run forward, raising the bottle over her head, and then flings it ahead of her at Megumi. Incoming ice brick!
COMBATSYS: Kula has joined the fight here.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Megumi
COMBATSYS: Megumi overcomes Thrown Object from Kula with Crimson Comet.
- Power hit! -
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Megumi
Megumi agrees to that easily. "Definitely. Give ya my number after the match, 'kay?" Then she, too, notices the crew and backflips away from Kula, further down the boardwalk. "Ready." Kula's frozen water-bottle flies at her...and Megumi cups her hands together, spawning a nearly head-sized sparkling red sphere. A light shove sends it flying at Kula, blasting through the water-bottle and melting it in the process...and continuing on its path largely undeterred.
COMBATSYS: Kula fails to reflect Crimson Comet from Megumi with Counter Shell.
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Kula 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Megumi
...well, -huh-. Kula wasn't expecting that to happen. The pink ball, perhaps, but the fact that her water bottle just exploded? That's a new one. Kula quickly tries to gather up her chi and throw a quick barrier in front of herself to 'catch' the orb, but since she seems to have her chi floodgate set to 'trickle' seems to be preventing her from using her usual tactics to their usual level of skill. The pink ball rips through it like the barrier wasn't even there and impacts with the side of Kula's head, staggering her and making her fall onto the boardwalk. Whether it's the hot planks or the pain of the blow is uncertain, but Kula is quick to push herself up while whimpering a bit and try to regain her balance. ...as well as get her vision to unblur.
Megumi watches Kula go down, and is tempted to hold back right then and there...but it is a match. She rushes after Kula, commenting as she does, "I always find it amazing how you can do that stuff...that's got to be handy to have, huh?" And as she draws near, Megumi tries to tackle Kula back down to the ground and reach for an arm. If successful, she'll lie down and bend the limb back between Megumi's legs in a typical arm-bar maneuver.
COMBATSYS: Kula blocks Megumi's Medium Throw.
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Kula 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Megumi
Shaking her head again to clear it, Kula is just barely able to see Megumi barreling at her. Kula does let herself fall back, flinching slightly from the heat on her back, but manages to keep Megumi from getting her in a hold. Instead, the girl just smiles slightly. "It does on occasion." Kula's hair? It's now blue. And the ground underneath her has frost spreading over it. Kula's hand draws back a bit, and then jerks forward, seeming like she's going to jab Megumi in the side. Should it connect, the burst of chi that accompanies it will suddenly make Megumi feel...well, very, very cold. It could be the thin layer of ice that would be starting to form over her before Kula pushes her off.
COMBATSYS: Megumi dodges Kula's Ice Coffin.
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Kula 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Megumi
Megumi realizes she shouldn't stick with trying to establish that hold as Kula stabilizes, and spins away from the jab. She sticks close to Kula however, reaching for that assaulting limb and trying to establish a quick sideways wrist-twist, possibly flipping Kula over with the motion. "Kinda wish I could do stuff like that, where'd you learn it?"
COMBATSYS: Megumi successfully hits Kula with Medium Throw.
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Kula 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Megumi
It must be the heat affecting Kula to leave her this off-balance. The girl tries to pull her arm out of the way at the last second, but instead finds herself moving in a direction she wasn't intending on and flopping over again onto the boardwalk. "...okay, this is getting old," Kula mutters through clenched teeth. Pushing herself up with her hands, Kula looks at Megumi and says, "...do you mind if I not talk? It kinda distracts me." And with that, Kula charges towards Megumi again, drawing a fist back, and then pushing it forward, a large blunt block of ice extending out past her arm towards Megumi.
COMBATSYS: Megumi blocks Kula's Critical Ice.
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Kula 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Megumi
"S'fine by me," Megumi agrees to Kula's request rather casually, bringing her arms up to weather the worst of being struck by an icy battering ram, knocked back a few inches from the impact. "I'll keep talkin', though. Won't mind if you don't," Then she leaps over Kula, trying to grab Kula's head and continue past, then downward to plant her on the ground.
COMBATSYS: Kula blocks Megumi's Flood Reversal.
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Kula 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Megumi
Kula braces her legs, spreading them out slightly as Megumi leaps forward. She doesn't mind if the other girl talks, just as long as Kula doesn't have to focus her attention on making witty banter or shouting out attack names that so many fighters seem determined to do. Kula brings her arm up so that Megumi catches it instead of Kula's neck, and seems to want to try one of those tosses herself. Unlike Megumi, Kula doesn't want to just toss the girl on the scorching hot ground. Instead, she aims for a nearby planter, giving Megumi a somewhat softer landing.
COMBATSYS: Megumi dodges Kula's Quick Throw.
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Kula 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Megumi
Megumi is nearly thrown, but swings her legs down to kick off of Kula's shoulders, landing a few feet away. She too has little to say right now, aside from lunging back in to grab at Kula's arm. If she gets it, Megumi plans to carry the limb behind Kula's back and wrench it upward, a fairly typical hold.
COMBATSYS: Megumi successfully hits Kula with Medium Throw.
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Kula 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Megumi
Owowowowowow. Kula's breath hisses between her teeth as Megumi manages to counter the sidestep Kula had planned, and twist her arm around. Okay, she's made her point. Don't face Megumi in close quarters. Kula's arm slicks over with ice that she uses to aid a quick twist and slip out of the grasp, pushing with a foot to slide over the frost she's grown on the ground to get to a safe distance away. And then, Kula raises her hand and blows at Megumi off the top of her palm. It might not look like much at first, but those who know Kula can expect the swirl of chi on her palm that catches the wind, and sends a spray of ice and snow back at Megumi.
COMBATSYS: Megumi endures Kula's Diamond Breath.
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Kula 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Megumi
Megumi opts to, incredibly enough, rush through the chill spray, raising her arms to ward off some of it from her face. It hurts, it definitely slows her down, but she keeps going. As she goes, Megumi opts for a slide along the hot (not so bad after being sprayed with icy mists) surface and grab at Kula's legs while going past. If she makes it, she'll drag Kula down, then rise to a kneeling posture and apply an ankle-lock to one of Kula's feet.
COMBATSYS: Megumi successfully hits Kula with Storm Hold.
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Kula 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Megumi
[OOC] Kula t('_'t) at the CSYS.
Kula prepares to jump over Megumi, but unfortunately, her strength is also her flaw. The sunlight reflecting off all the ice shards blinds her for a second, yellow sunglasses really not doing much to help. Caught off-guard, Kula lands with a thud on the ground, and flinches a bit before she suddenly sits up and jabs her fist at Megumi's ankle, trying to make her flinch and break the hold.
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Megumi with Jab Punch.
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Kula 1/----===/=======|=======\====---\1 Megumi
Megumi finds herself releasing the hold for two reasons. First, the ground is hot; she didn't want to be down on this too long with very little to insulate her from it. Second, Kula's punching at her. Megumi tries to lean up and make her own attack, but finds the foot-hit rather painful and instead abandons the hold completely, crawling away and then pushing herself back up, shaking a hand a few times after having pressed it on the ground. "Gah. Not going down there any more, for either of our sakes," she offers while backing away, watching Kula...
COMBATSYS: Megumi focuses on her next action.
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Kula 1/----===/=======|=======\====---\1 Megumi
Kula smiles a bit as Megumi backs off, and nods. She wasn't having much fun being tossed on the floor either, as it was taxing her chi quite a bit to override the latent heat of the boardwalk. Rubbing her ankle for a second, Kula then suddenly kicks her leg out at Megumi, trying to knock her off-balance, but not onto the ground. It doesn't pay to be too wary! As Kula's shown, that can backfire rather quickly.
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Megumi with Light Kick.
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Kula 1/---====/=======|=======\======-\1 Megumi
Megumi stands her ground, planning to brace herself into Kula's strike...but that doesn't quite work out, as Kula bowls her back. Megumi persists all the same, flicking her wrist off to the side as a thin red line of energy races up her arm while she tries to grab Kula's shoulders. Regardless of if she manages to hold Kula, the line eventually ends up Megumi's foot, and she snaps a kick at Kula. The kick isn't what might hurt, so much as the energy released expanding into a wide, spiralling cone. Megumi leaps into it feet-first, driving it forward, and hopefully through Kula. Hit or miss, she's likely to wind up in a tired, deep crouch afterward...
Kula, for all her inability to focus, knows when she's getting beaten. And it's about then that the NESTS programming kicks in. Kula crouches suddenly, one hand landing on the boardwalk and causing the planks there to completely ice over. Legs straight and spread apart, her other hand behind her back, Kula's entire facial expression changes as she waits for the attack. It comes out, that cone of energy she's seen several times before...and Kula seems prepared for it.
With a sudden burst of speed, Kula's hand on the ground closes into a fist and pulls up quickly, bringing with it a solid wall of ice to absorb the impact. About a foot thick, it's able to take the damage and spread it, though it does have some nice grooves making a round indentation in the barrier. On the other side, Kula takes a deep breath, and then puts both hands together, and presses them against the other side of the barrier. That round area suddenly explodes out at Megumi, spinning towards her like a giant ice coin that got flipped.
Megumi finds herself stunned as something unusual happens; Kula has turned the cone against its creator. Megumi goes /flying/ back from that, slamming against a small shop building...the very one she bought a snow-cone from earlier, in fact. "...You just...?" She's baffled. "That's the first time...not stopped, but...how?" Eventually she picks herself up, and cups her hands together. Another sparkling red ball forms, much like the one she used earlier. It hovers, and a light push sends it flying at Kula; she wants to end this now.
COMBATSYS: Kula reflects Crimson Comet from Megumi with Counter Shell.
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Kula 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Megumi
Originally, that attack startled Kula. However, when she's focused like this, with her mind blank except for her training, it seems she's a more competant fighter. Kula simply raises a hand when the sphere comes at her, a small barrier of ice appearing to soak it up, generating the frozen liquid even as fast as the sphere goes through it. Then, Kula releases the ice block she winds up holding, turns, and suddenly snap-kicks the object right back at Megumi. Incoming!
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Megumi with Reflected Crimson Comet.
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Kula 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Megumi
Megumi rushes after her energy-blast, not entirely surprised when Kula returns it to her. What she is surprised by is the speed of it; efforts to spin past it are met with being caught in the ribs, stumbling...and continuing. Megumi tries to bear down on Kula despite her fatigue, hoping to get in one more offensive. Trying to grab Kula, Megumi attempts to spin after that. If she has Kula, she'll continue to spin, spin, spin...and eventually toss Kula off toward the building Megumi got sent into previously.
COMBATSYS: Megumi can no longer fight.
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Kula 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Kula blocks Megumi's Tornado Slam.
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Kula 1/-------/=======|
Kula's looking less like a schoolgirl and more like...well, what Cammy somewhat looked like when she was acting strange. The attempt to grab is met by Kula's hand snapping up to grab Megumi's wrist, and she'll simply brace herself in place, extending out her other arm to catch the other female fighter around the waist. It's very 'Gone With The Wind'. Kula just looks at Megumi for a moment...and then seems to snap out of whatever it was she was in that had her reacting that way. With a smile, Kula says, "Can we stop now? I need a tylenol." Yup, it's back to good ol' Kula Diamond.
Megumi manages a slight, futile hold against Kula in a final effort to squeak out something when her throw isn't going off as planned...then staggers backward, bringing up her typical red energy...
...And then it vanishes as Megumi winces. "I'm going to knock myself out if I try that again...fine, you win." She's exhausted as it is, backing off to slump against a railing. It was pretty obvious who had the match won regardless, but she makes it obvious and looks a little disappointed...
Kula also seems tired, and she slowly walks back over to where her blanket is to flop down on it on her back. The ice in her hair is melting, giving Kula a nice sheen between the water and the sweat from the fight. And it's with a weak smile that she'll let any fans approach to ask for an autograph or take a picture of her. Heck, she'll even see if she can't someone else to take a picture of the fan and her together.
Log created by Kula, and last modified on 06:18:54 08/13/2006.