Jinchuu - [Final] Heart of the People

Description: [Arika vs. Tiffany] The door to the heart of the Suiryuu has been unsealed. In this inner chamber the battle for The People's Champion will be waged, and the massive M0M0 army will form a circle, ensuring that the fighters aren't about to leave. In a battle of absolutely EPIC proportions, only one can come out the winner. Only one can be crowned. Will the match end before the Suiryuu sinks to the bottom of the ocean? [Winner: Tiffany]



Tiffany stretches slowly, lifting tense arms up above and behind her head, listening to the gentle pops her body makes as she limbers up, "So... like... this is it, huh?" she asks, glancing from side to side as if in search of hidden gimmicks or traps, "Nothing elaborate. Just a good ol' slugfest."

Despite being battered and bashed left and right throughout the mess Jinchuu became, Tiffany's notable features are intact. She's blonde, beautiful, brash, and... boxing-gloved.

Her wardrobe's seen better days, though... it seems all she has left to work with after the explosion is the tattered, and ripped, black, and red bikini, a headband being used as an arm-bandage, and a pair of sandles with cleats on the soles! Despite the relative lack of attire, she stretches and gets warmed up (even dropping into a brief split, just to see if her legs still bend right,) without any bashfulness. You should see her cheerleading costume, after all!

So, this is it.

This is the end.

Win or lose, everyone will be safely on shore soon enough.
She hopes.

As the strange door was opened, the energy bleeding across it, the punk rock princess shivers involuntarily. She can't help thinking that this was part of the energy that nearly took out the ship, and quite likely sent Bernstein to the bottom of the ocean. It's eerie, disturbing and yet, so much more than that. This could very well be a collection of energy from everyone that fought aboard the Suiryuu.

Then she heard a noise behind her.

Blanching, Arika moved to step out of the way of the oncoming M0M0 invasion, only they seemed to push her further into the room beyond the door. Blocking in the final battle arena. Making sure that no one reneges on the fight, so that someone can be crowned a winner.

While Tiffany seems to be perfectly fine, Arika is wearing her bruises and bumps with pride. Crude bandages are wrapped around her mid-section and shoulder. Cuts lacerate her arms. Yet, she too is still blonde and beautiful -- just a little battle weary. Unlike Tiffany, though, she's not bothering to change into a bikini, despite the fact that the walls are seemingly weeping water. Sooner, rather than later, the chamber is going to be filled. Can they both make it out alive? Is the People's Champion fated to sink with the vessel?

Depressing thoughts, and ones the diva is quickly having to push to the side, in order to focus on what's about to come.

"Looks to be. You ready to fight, or are you waitin' for fanfare?"

Tiffany, make no mistake, is not unscathed. Her face is quite a bit redder than it should be under normal circumstances, and there's a x bandage conspicuously centered on her forehead. Her current outfit looks... war-worn, like perhaps she's been wearing it since her quarters got exploded on top of... She's just... well... robust, is all. Or dense, maybe. Probably.

She plants her mitted fists together and gives a brisk nod, "Yeah, let's do it and get off this rusty ninja-tub!" She drops into a swaying shuffle, arms raised to defend, and... stops. Tilts her head slightly.

"Say... would you mind... mebbe... when this is all over... Could I get yer autograph?" she smiles hopefully, "I have a friend who's a real big fan of your band!"

Warily eying the M0M0 creations, the diva shivers again. Doesn't help that the water is quite frigid, and her bandages are becoming soaked. Hopefully the cool water will keep the wounds from becoming infected, but the sooner she can get out of this chamber and the sooner she gets to shore, the happier she's going to be.

Noting the boxing gloves, Arika actually hunkers down lower in the water. Lids fall closed over her deep blue eyes and she takes a deep breath. Suddenly, she's launching herself forward arms extended. Said arms are attempting to loop about Tiffany's shoulders as she tries to toss the girl toward the wall of M0M0, all while trying to decide what the spork this chamber is -actually- for. Surely she's not going to have to worry about squid attacks or anything in here, but one never knows when one is on an evil-ninja-cult ship!

"Huh? Yeah, sure. Provided I make it outta 'ere in one piece. Don't see why not." A fan is a fan after all!

COMBATSYS: Arika has started a fight here.

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Arika            0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Tiffany has joined the fight here.

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Arika            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Tiffany


COMBATSYS: Tiffany parries Arika's Quick Throw!

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Arika            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Tiffany


Tiffany's eyes widen as the other woman closes for a grapple. Her fists move quickly, one swishing up to deflect an outreaching arm, the other, to bat the other grabby limb down. As she deflects the clutches of her opponent, the blonde from Pacific High pivots on a foot to move around Arika, hoping the diva's forward momentum will carry forward and expose her back to the cheerleader. A quick... and perhaps unexpected leap into the air carries Tiffany Lords up, to dive down and try to plant her stomping cleats into whatever portion of Arika's anatomy presents itself.

"Kick, Kick! Exciting Kick!"

COMBATSYS: Arika blocks Tiffany's Exciting Kick EX.

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Arika            0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0          Tiffany


Grapple and toss so easily deflected, cause the diva to frown. It also causes her to stop her movements entirely, so when her opponent attempts to just flat out -stomp- on her, she's prepared.

Also, it helps that the girl is one of those fighters that likes to call out and give warning that she's attacking.

Twisting to the side, Arika swings her arms up in order to take the damage the cleats are promising toward her face. Tiny rivulets of blood appear on her bare arms, quickly being washed away by the rising waters. Very little time is wasted on commentary, as she attempts to dance herself through the water. Difficult, but she manages the fancy footwork she's used to and spins her body up and out of the water in order to lash her right leg toward Tiffany's torso with a quickly snapped roundhouse kick.

COMBATSYS: Tiffany blocks Arika's Rhythmic Roundhouse.

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Arika            0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0          Tiffany


Tiffany grimaces and smiles appreciatively as Arika takes cleat-grindings to the arm so stoically. She rebounds back and away from the woman just in time to catch the roundhouse with her forearms and gloves instead of her belly and her small intestine. She is thrust back, and uses the momentum to do a backflip. In turn, the backflip is used to give her room to spring her next assault. Grinning brightly, if there's anything obvious about her, is... despite the Mecha-backdrop, despite the sinking ship, despite the indignities, she's having fun!

She suddenly launches forward in a rolling cartwheel, legs and fists spinning end over end like spiked wagon spokes bearing down on Arika!

COMBATSYS: Tiffany successfully hits Arika with Groovy Wheel.

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Arika            0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0          Tiffany


Not expecting someone to be able to -cartwheel- through the water so easily, Arika is ill prepared. Attempting to block the legs, she gets pummeled by the fists. As she moves to stop the fists, she gets hit by the legs. Oof.

Frowning deep enough to crease her brow, the diva gives her head a shake. She's -got- to get her mind in the game. She's got to actually, you know, -try- to hit this girl. Otherwise, she's letting people down.

No.

Correction.

She's letting herself down.

Dropping down into the water, she lets the coolness of it soothe the injuries she's just sustained, and then she springs up and out of the water right fist at the ready. Launching it forward, she attempts to slam it into the side of Tiffany's face. Before drawing it back, she sends her left hand out in a palmheel strike, imbued with an extremely bright violet energy that flares up around it.

COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Tiffany with Diva Allegro.

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Arika            0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0          Tiffany


Tiffany comes to a brisk stop, sending up twin trails of cool, refreshing sea-water (or, if you prefer, frigid, chilling) in place of skid-marks or dust-cloud. She rises from her half-crouch, only to turn, and take a glowing slap-smash to the face... followed by a left one that sends her tumbling through the water.

Rising to her feet and trying to shake the violet flash out of her eyes, Tiffany smiles around the new red welt on her features, "Nice one." she murmurs. This is followed by a quick lunge forward... where she shows that yes, the gloves are there for boxing-type purposes. A quick feint-feint jab is leveled at the Diva's own face.

COMBATSYS: Arika just-defends Tiffany's Quick Punch!

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Arika            0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0          Tiffany


Boxing is something Arika knows well. Other than the fact that Dambe doesn't bother with gloves, she's been trained in a similar style. Spotting the feints, when the jab swings in at her face, the diva moves with it quickly enough that it skims right over her nose. Good thing too, since she's somewhat particular about being punched in the face. Instead of stopping there though, she continues to drop her body backward into the water.

When her hands manage to touch the ground, she kicks her feet upward, causing a blast of cold water to follow with them. Attempting to catch Tiffany in a choke-hold, the punk princess twists her body quickly and tries to flip the other girl over and into the water.

COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Tiffany with Quick Throw.

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Arika            0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0          Tiffany


Tiffany chides herself, as soon as she has a moment to do so, but right now she's busy being flung into the shallow drink. She tries to roll with it, but wet and slippery metal confounds the girl's cheerleader-like reflexes. She moves to her hands and knees, sputtering and looking dazed... but nonetheless, finds enough breath to ask a question, "Say, like... out of curiousity... do you have any idea what this is all about?"

She segues the question into a grunt, as she plants her mitts against the floor and thrusts herself into a handstand, shoving herself feet first at Arika's... general chest region. Corkscrewing like a femenine drill bit, she attempts to cleat the heck out of Arika again... but in a more upward bound direction!

COMBATSYS: Arika just-defends Tiffany's Beautiful Spin!

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Arika            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0          Tiffany


"Tourney, last I checked," the diva states simply, trying to brush her damp hair off her face. Other than that? If Arika had figured out what everything was all about, there's a very good chance that she'd not even be in this chamber right now. Except for the fact that she'd kind of be forced to be, considering that her teammate and friends are being held hostage. Which is the -right- way of saying that they've been asked nicely not to try and jump ship until someone is crowned a winner.

As feet are thrust out toward her chest, the punk princess tightens her muscles and steps back as the feet come forward. The cleats brush against the bandage around her torso, tearing it off and sending it into the water allowing the nice gash in her stomach to be displayed. Taking a deep breath, her hand slides down to the wound to ensure it hasn't come open and then she rolls her shoulders back to loosen the tense muscles.

Lolling her head from side to side, she takes a step toward the cheerleader, then another. The progression of advancement sees her begin to swing her head around in a large circle. Followed by another. Finally there's a third, before she attempts to just -SLAM- her head forward against Tiffany's, going for a daze or to force her back.

COMBATSYS: Tiffany blocks Arika's Harmonic Headbang.

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Arika            0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0          Tiffany


Tiffany lands and brings up an arm suddenly, to catch Arika's incoming noggin before it knocks hers outgoing, sending a shudder of uncomfortable impact through her robust frame. She smiles sweetly as she avoids the face-mash and teases, "Hey, hey, I just met you!" then, her other arm describes an arc aimed at Arika's stomach.

Without missing more than a beat, she continues, "No, like, seriously... I've been too busy being thrown in diving suits, bungied from ceilings, tennis-racketted and... ugh... used as a baseball bat by a terrorist with negative hygeine! Now I'm surrounded by mecha-gnomes!

COMBATSYS: Arika dodges Tiffany's Strong Punch.

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Arika            0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0          Tiffany


"You ain't my type," Arika quips nearly as soon as the words are out of Tiffany's mouth. The teasing from her opponent gives her just enough of a chance to leap to the side and avoid the arcing fist that's launching toward her stomach. "Y-you've been busy?" Teeth chattering from the cold water now, the diva just shakes her head. Should she even bother responding to that? Nah. Surely those crazy ninjas have got it all on film -somehow- and Tiffany can just wait for the special-edition DVD or something. "Wotev'." Shaking her head again, she inhales deeply and exhales a burst of air. "Gotta admit that those things are kind'a creepin' me out..." At least the mass of M0M0's don't seem to be wanting to join in.

Yet.

Dashing forward through the water, Arika makes a grab for Tiffany's arm. Stopping abruptly, she spins herself around and attempts to drag Tiffany up and over her shoulder in order to toss her down to the floor beneath the water.

COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Tiffany with Medium Throw.

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Arika            0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1          Tiffany


Tiffany squeals in surprise as she is hauled off her feet, over a shoulder, and in due course, slammed on her back against the watery floor. At some point, it seems, she lost control of this fight... but rather than bothering to try and figure out where, she rolls unsteadily to her feet and gets up into a fighting position again. Sure could use a bit of luck right now.

Still, the whole back and forth doesn't stop her mouth from running, as if it's entirely disconnected from her fighting thoughts. She manages to sound a bit hurt, "Pardon me if being grabbed by the feet and used as a blunt object puts me a bit out of sorts."

She lunges forward, a brilliant pinkish glow suffucing her arms and fists, trailing in motes of light that might or might not be little hearts, "And if you think these robo-geeks are creepy, they haven't got anythin' on the real thing! A lil' pink ambush-freak!" That's about the point Tiffany attempts to unload a boatload of energy-pulsing-punches on whatever part of Arika she can reach!

COMBATSYS: Arika auto-guards Tiffany's Groovy Special!

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Arika            0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0          Tiffany


Eyes setting upon the brilliantly pink glow that's building up on the other's arms, Arika squeezes her eyes shut. No telling just -how- the other is going to utilize that energy, and since the diva has never seen Tiffany fight, she's got no idea what's coming next. All she does know is that she's not going to let words distract her. As such, the punk princess never takes her eyes off of those fists, just waiting to see what her opponent is going to do. When the first energy-pulsing-punch is sent in her direction, she brings a hand up to guard against it and then twists her body with each successive punch, trying to flow like the water that is rising ever higher.

"I'd apologize," Arika says with a small shrug, "but that's wot fightin' is 'bout."

Trying to weave her way in behind Tiffany, the diva loops her arms out to catch the girl around the throat. Should she manage to get the hold, she'll continue twisting her way behind the other girl, crushing at her throat tightly while pressing her knee up into Tiffany's back and trying to add additional pressure by stretching her body backward.

COMBATSYS: Tiffany dodges Arika's Diva Attaca.

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Arika            0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0          Tiffany


Tiffany looks fairly at a loss to see her barrage having little to no effect. When her target weaves from sight, and hands try to close around her throat, Tiffany smirks, dropping suddenly into a crouch that plants Arika's knee on top of her shoulder, "Funny," Tiffany says to the woman standing behind her, "I thought fighting was about havin' fun!"

Her left leg describes a sudden sine-wave from wet floor to a snap-up kick perpendicular to the ground... demonstrating her flexibility, and hopefully earning Arika a sudden smack to the nose to show for it.

COMBATSYS: Arika fails to counter Heavy Kick from Tiffany with Diva Allegro.

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Arika            1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0          Tiffany


A sudden smack to the nose? Uh-uh. That's not exactly what happens. See, there is a FOOT being launched at her face. Arika brings her fist up, trying to weave -under- that foot to avoid having it crash into her face and break her nose, and in the process surprise Tiffany with a little jab punch to the gut. Unfortunately, she loses balance and winds up landing right on said foot.

The blood spurts just about everywhere.

Not only is Arika covered in it, she's fairly certain that her opponent is going to be covered as well. Yet even though there's just been a loud crack, and her nose is definitely broken, all Arika does is grit her teeth together and tear off the bandage on her arm in order to try and sop up some of the blood. To staunch the flow so that the water they are about to drown in doesn't run red.

Tiffany is painted red in the blood and agony of her foes, much like the Valkyries of her Nordic ancestry... or something like that. At any rate, Tiffany spares half a moment to go "Eww." at the splatterings. (Don't begrudge her, she's been attacked by dragons /made/ of blood in her last moment.) Still, she doesn't fail to capitalize on the other half of the moment, whirling on her reeling opponent and launching herself at the other for a... shoulder check to the gut? No... other foes would try and tackle Arika to the ground with a knee or an elbow, even a headbutt to the gut... Tiffany has a more personal (pair of) bludgeon(s) she tries to slam into Arika's belly.

COMBATSYS: Arika blocks Tiffany's Chest Thrusting.

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Arika            1/----===/=======|=------\-------\0          Tiffany


Bloody or not, with the bandage now held at her nose, the punk princess blinks a few times. Right. Well she's heard of people attacking with their rear-ends before, but their breasts? Either way, when Tiffany attempts that, she's greeted with an arm blocking against the hit and a very baffled Arika. "Guess it's my turn to be sayin' that we ain't 'ad dinner yet."

Man. That was even -more- creepy than the abundance of M0M0's that keep looking down at her.

Shudder.

From the position the pair is currently in, the diva slams the palm of her heel upward toward Tiffany's face, trying to push her (and the mighty chest torpedoes) away from her. "Bloody 'ell! I don't even -know- you!"

COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Tiffany with Jab Punch.

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Arika            1/----===/=======|==-----\-------\0          Tiffany


Tiffany is thrust back out of Arika's face with a jaw-chattering blow to the chin, biting her lower lip in the process, as well as getting everything from her cranium down her neck solidly jarred. Strangely enough... the look of a lack of focus in her eyes is likely not from the solidity of her blow... but rather, from, "Oh! Jeez!" her cheeks flush red with embarrassment as she realizes how that all must have come across.

Flustered, she waves a hand rapidly, "That's not what I meant, rilly! And that's not why I want yer autograph! Honest!" Funny, how an attack that's so effective against the boys can come across so... not what she intended against another female. Once again, the blonde from Pacific High demonstrates that her mouth, and even her gestures can work completely independant of her fighting instincts. At that moment, her arm, charging up with powerful chi energy, whips around and around in the air in a text-book Popeye wind-up, before launching itself back at Arika.

Grant you, the fact that her chi tends to manifest as pink hearts probably doesn't help her case...

COMBATSYS: Arika blocks Tiffany's Groovy Punch.

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Arika            1/--=====/=======|=======\-------\0          Tiffany


No -way- is Arika about to let that gloved mitt slam into her face again. During the wind-up, she braces herself and ducks her head behind both arms in a traditional boxing stance. The force of the energy manifesting with that blow sends her back with a loud sploosh into the water. Kind of a good thing, in a sense. Reminds her that it's there and that despite the fact they're still fighting, the ship -is- sinking.

There are innocent people aboard.

They need to get off this ship.

"Right, and I'm the bloody Queen of England...," she snarks in response to Tiffany's flustered defense of her actions. The punk princess takes a moment and tries to decide what to do next. She's not certain how much damage she's actually managed to her opponent at this point, and that's a bit disconcerting. Herself, well, she's trying to take deep, labored breaths and wipe the watered-down blood from her face. Then she's suddenly launching herself toward Tiffany, attempting to slam her body against her opponents, before trying to flip her down into the chilly depth once more.

COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Tiffany with Medium Throw.

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Arika            1/-======/=======|=======\==-----\1          Tiffany


The problem with fighting Tiffany is... that it's hard to tell that she's kind of a cheerleader and kind of a tank at the same time. She takes hits and keeps on coming. Still... when Arika slams the cheerleader to the ground this time around... it's definitely a solid blow. Tiffany goes up, still protesting, "No, rilly! I don't like gir-aghhk!" Her back arches and she lets out another choking sound as she is slammed even more fiercely against the metal floor. She's not exactly coughing up blood, but Tiff's just good at not doing that, somehow. It would crimp her style.

Mustering whatever reserves of stamina she has left, the cheerleader does a sudden backwards flip, trying to catch Arika between the flashing scissor kick of her legs, and mayhap juggle her in the air for a nasty strike or two.

COMBATSYS: Tiffany successfully hits Arika with Wonderful Kick.

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Arika            2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0          Tiffany


Though she tries to get out of the way of that backflip, the punk princess gets kicked up out of the water. Droplets fall down around her, and even as she tries to launch herself back down into it, she's juggled around a bit.

This actually gets a reaction from her, as one of those cleated shoes slams -right- into the gash on her stomach. "Auuuugh!" It's not a graceful cry, but it -is- a pained one. When she finally manages to flop herself away from the feet and down onto her knees, she holds up a hand.

This is it. Do or die, she's got to force herself up one last time. Forcing herself to gasp for air, she holds her stomach and then turns to face Tiffany. Using her free hand, she pushes against the floor and wearily staggers up to her feet. Closing her eyes, she slips behind her opponent and takes another deep breath.

No going back now...

Reaching under Tiffany's arm with her left hand, she attempts to lock the other girl up in a half-Nelson hold. If successful, she pulls the cheerleader's arm over and locks her hands around Tiffany's neck. From there, she'll attempt to lift her up into the air, spinning around slowly.

But wait! There's more! On the off chance it even gets that far, the spinning will become increasingly rapid as Arika continues to raise her opponent up toward the ceiling. Then, as abruptly as the spinning would have begun, she'd slam Tiffany down into the water trying to drop the girl on her head.

COMBATSYS: Arika can no longer fight.

[                          \\\\  <
Tiffany          0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Tiffany parries Arika's Punk Rock Breakdown!

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Tiffany          0/-------/------=|


Tiffany lands from her Wonderful Kick flip in a most ungraceful manner, herself. Her super-kick did the damage it needed to do... but the toll on has been taken on her as well. She barely manages to curl her knees to cushion her fall and avoid slamming to the floor again. It's thusly that Arika finds the cheerleader struggling to get up.

Tiffany's eyes are set at a slight cross to each other, and she is grateful not to see a tooth in the drool dangling from her chin. She's only dimly aware of Arika in the moment that a hand grasps and arms curl. She's lifted up off the ground, and the spinning begins and...

"No!" the cheerleader cries out at the last moment. She's been ditched, been ambushed, been tennis-racketted, been used as a human weapon... and though she hasn't been, for the life of her, able to follow a bit of this whole Jinchuu meta-plan-thingy these ninjas have going... Tiffany's fairly certain she's been used and lied to as well. After all that, she's not going to give up now! She gives a sudden, curvy squirm against her foe (which probably also doesn't help her case,) and kicks her legs, and manages to topple out of Arika's grasp, landing in a heap at the Punker's feet. She pushes herself up to hands and knees, barely ready, but determined to make a last stand rather than go meekly!

At the moment Tiffany manages to topple out of her grasp, Arika falls to the floor on her knees. As much as she'd like to continue, there's two things going through her mind.

1) This tournament is not worth killing herself over. Maybe if she'd learned that back in the beginning, she wouldn't have bothered fighting so hard for the ship when Bernstein attacked it.

2) There are people that need to get to safety.

Taking the second thing to heart, she lifts her head enough to concede defeat. "G... good job... now get out there and get those people to safety." As for the diva? She's not going anywhere any time soon. She'll stay here in the chamber with the creepy M0M0 army until she can either move, or she sinks with the ship.

Tiffany is totally about to make use of her sudden freedom from Arika's punishing grasp to take a last ditch punch at the diva... but then, the punker falls to her knees and manages those few last words before collapsing to the watery floor... and her watery grave. Watery grave? Not bloody likely.

Tiffany spaces out for a moment as two things battle to settle into her punch drunk mind at the same time.

One: She's won! She's a tournament winner! Go her! Two: She can't just sit there gaping. Sinking ship! People in trouble!

Pushing her jaw out in a pugnatious set, she nods, "Right." and then, heaves forward. Her bones and tendons creak uncomfortably as she moves to scoop the fallen punker up over her shoulders and rise slowly to her feet. Her blue glare cuts all around the room as if /daring/ the M0MO army to object, "Alright, you twerps, we're outta here!" With that, she starts shambling toward the exit with her burden.

"I'll take care of that."

The ninja arrives without a speck of moisture on his attire. Ragged though it may be--his Jinchuu uniform has certainly seen better days--the Director of Operations, though he may have been one in the same as Ryouhara, certainly kept it in better condition.

Despite the fact the water is now sloshing deep, Seishirou seems to have little problem navigating it without even so much as getting his /shoes/ wet. More importantly, he has no trouble with the automata crowding the ring as well. They move when he's there. Odd.

And as he goes.. the M0M0 leave a /path open/.

For Arika and Tiffany, apparently.

The shinobi glances at Tiffany. And .. stands aside. "Congratulations. You're the champion." Arika earns a glance from him. "I /was/ rooting for her.. but I guess you pack a hell of a punch." He thumbs. "Take her up top and I'll handle the evacuation. We'll be disembarking soon. The ship won't last much longer... Our business is done here." Seishirou is simple. Quiet. THere is no facade. No fanfare to Tiffany's awe-inspiring victory.

For something like his tournament, nothing more needs to be said.

The victory is enough.

Tiffany frowns slightly as she trudges past Seishirou, looking maybe a little put out by the lackluster-backhand-congratulations. She does stop for a moment, though, when Sei says, ".. but I guess you pack a hell of a punch." She gives a light snort, almost a chuckle, and over her shoulder at him, without looking his way, replies...

"Damn right, I do."

And with that, she moves on.

Log created on 19:55:17 10/30/2007 by Arika, and last modified on 15:26:19 10/31/2007.