Description: A battle of firsts and lasts! Once again, the Circle brings you the finest in epic entertainment. A grudge match resolved as Aranha and Ayame finish their long boiling personal war. Newcomer Kyle leaps to Aranha's side while Ayame recieves the most unexpected of teammates. The wicked mistress of ceremonies herself, Marise! The unfolding battle is extremely one-sided at first as Blackjack's finest take an early lead, but will the Spider and Metro City Avenger take this lying down?
"Ladies and Gentlemen!"
The growing audience's volume rises as one, the roars threatening to drown out the sinuous, femine voice echoing throughout the Arena. The central monitor slowly flickers to life, bringing the Devil's lovely face into view. Yes, this crowd knows what time it is.
"Welcome to tonight's maaaaaaaain event!"
Lights slowly begin to fade into existence, dissolving away the darkness of the pit little by little. "We have something extra special for you tonight, my pretties! Surely you recognise THESE two yesss? Kyaha!"
Two spotlights immediately flash into existence. Both of which illuminating two figures standing at opposite ends of the circular pit. Both becoming regulars and the crowd most certainly knows their name.
YES folks, That's right! Its a grudge match -you- demanded! The Venomous Spider, Aranha! Returning to the pit to once again dazzle and amaze with his speed and feats of agility! The Lethal Lovely, Ayame! The rising star of the Circle growing bolder and bolder with every victory! Surely you remember the LAST time they met? Yesss? Kyaahaaa!"
And the Devil sees fit to remind the crowd as her face is replaced with a replay of the last few moments of their match. Of Aranha very calmly carving a knife along the poor, bleeding girl's stomach. Of a clump of her hair shorn from her head like a scalped trophy.
"I guarantee you that Ayame certainly has not forgotten.. Kyahaaa! Hmmm? Yesss.. Not forgotten at all. We have only one question for her tonight folks.. What's she going to do about it?"
Marise's visage returns to the screen, lifting an index finger to hold back the rising screams for blood, "Oooh, but wait! As an added extra, lets throw a little somebody new in to sweeten the mix, yesss? Yeess.."
The spotlight then flashes to life a few feet to Aranha's right. Revealing someone new to the Circle, a handsome blue-eyed American tough, "Yes ladies, we aim to please.. Keh heh! This toothsome boy is as tough as he looks, a fighter we'll be getting to know very shortly.. Kyle!"
The spotlight then begins to roam about the pit, slowly circling closer and closer into a tightening spiral near Ayame, "And now.. Our final contestant for tonight isss.."
The spotlight then flashes to Ayame's left... And illuminating absolutely nothing.
"Oh. Oh my.." Marise feigns shock, placing her fingertips to her lips, "..It seems we forgot something.. Oh deary dear.. What ever will we do?" The confused crowd begins roaring louder and louder as the Devil tilts her head and sighs, "Well.. I suppose it can't be helped.."
A loud, mechanical sound fills the Arena as chains begin to grind and wind into motion. A platform beginning to lower as the monitor pans back to reveal..
Marise herself descending from the ceiling above. Holding a microphone as she reveals herself in her dark majesty. Wearing something unfamiliar to those who know her, a far more modern outfit if just as daring as ever. Her black top cut similarly to a kimono, cut scandalously low and hanging from her bare shoulders with the middle held in place with a familiar purple obi. Her sleeves terminating at her wrists in the manner of a business-cut blouse. Her ebon skirt precariously short in the front, but lengthening in the manner of a cloak-like tail towards the back.
The Devil's platform finishes lowering beside Ayame as the wicked woman steps forth calmly. Looming over the much shorter girl at her side as she holds the microphone up once again, "I, Marise Satsuko -- The Devil Ninja, will just have to step in, myself. FIGHTERS."
The pale creature simply releases the microphone which quickly reels up back to the ceiling along with the platform, leaving all fighters stranded down in the ruthless pit. Wicked golden eyes slide to her comrade in brief with a wry smirk, only return to the two boys opposite them.
"Begin."
COMBATSYS: Marise has started a fight here on the right meter side.
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|-------\-------\0 Marise
COMBATSYS: Ayame has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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|-------\-------\0 Marise
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|-------\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Aranha has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Marise
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|-------\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Kyle has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kyle
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|-------\-------\0 Marise
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|-------\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Kyle has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ayame
Aranha glances over to his team mate as Marise goes on about his last match with Ayame. While his face remains neutral, deep inside the Capoeirista is cringing. He got his sister into this mess because of his anger and needs to keep his calm. He just shakes his head as he tries to get himself together.
He stares at the girl across from them and whispers to Kyle, "That girl has more weapons on her than most people have underwear in their underwear drawer. Look alive."
And then Marise makes her entrance into the ring and his eyebrow rises slightly in surprise. He takes slow breaths pumping himself up and then he turns to Kyle once again. "As for the other chick, I've never seen her fight." He sways as he approaches the other two his body as loose as a wet noodle and then instead of starting his movement for Ayame he suddenly darts for Marise and tilts his body bring himself into a handstand before allowing his legs split open as he begins rapidly spinning kicking the ninja in her face. After all he needs to start gathering information on her as well.
This is one hell of a pit, Kyle thinks to himself as he listens to Marise detail the... 'accomplishments,' if one were to want to call them that, of Ayame and Aranha. When he sees the replay of Aranha's 'trophy-taking,' he does give the other fighter a bit of an askance look -- is this really the kind of guy who'd be fighting because of a missing sister? He can't be sure now -- but then, he also can't back out.
Marise, meanwhile, just sets Kyle on edge. He makes a lot of fast assumptions about how she fights based on his knowledge of the other similarly-dressed fighters in the circuit, and makes a very early decision that will probably save him some trouble in the long run: stay the hell away from her. It's better for everyone involved.
As such, when the bell rings, Travers locks onto Ayame, and decides to give the 'Lethal Lovely' what for. "I'll be careful," he says just before rushing in at the young woman, deciding to start off with a straightforward enough set of blows -- three quick kicks, each aimed a little higher on Ayame's body than the last, finishing with a toe for the jaw.
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Marise with Inverted Tornado.
Glancing Blow
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ayame
The Devil leisurely steps forth as the two men quickly square off and begin their approach. The tall woman merely tilts her head back, drawing her tongue across plush lips as she holds her arms out widely at her sides, as if offering the incoming Aranha an embrace, "...Come to me.. Boya.."
At the whirling assault, the Devil suddenly moves with speed completely belying her calm grace. The outlandish, whirling assault doesn't come up completely empty as a far-reaching, swinging kick manages to clip the woman's cheek. Little more than a slap to the creature as her head lolls about limply.
"..Kyahaaaaa.." A simple, breathy response.
While the Spider seems most unpredictable, he isn't the only one with a wild assortment of tricks as the ghost's floor-length hair suddenly rushes forth as if caught in a wind. Flailing with surprising speed in a bid to whip about his arms while in mid-handstand and -yank- him strongly. Pulling him off balance and toppling him to the floor painfully unless he manages to avoid the completely unorthodox attack!
COMBATSYS: Ayame dodges Kyle's Light Kick.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ayame
Ayame is ready. She's been ready for this for some time. The introductions by Marise, the strange devil woman enjoying her showboating... All of that is ignored as the young criminal stares across the pit toward Aranha. Even as Marise replays footage of the outcome of their last fight, when she was pinned to the platform with her own weapons, Ayame is impassive.
Dressed as she usually is when it comes time to fight in a black top with a red and black plaid skirt, her hair is left undone but for the black ribbon tied into a bow behind the crown of her head. It reveals the quite noticeable jagged clump of it missing on one side. Lately she had been trying to hide the hair mangling in a pony tail. But not tonight. Tonight she lets her hair hang loose, content to serve as a reminder to herself of what Aranha did to her.
She has her staff in her left hand. Impossible to miss, the glimmering, six foot long light weight but sturdy pole has seen her through a lot of problems in the past. It remains to be seen if it will serve her better against the self proclaimed Spider this time. Draped over one shoulder is a wire thin cable with a sharp weight on one end and a much heavier, blunt weight on the other. Her right hand, empty at the moment, takes time to tighten the fingerless, black leather gloves on both her hands, clenching her fingers tightly. The nerve damage in her right hand has finally healed. She'll be in top performance tonight. No breaks for Aranha or his hapless partner in this spectacle of revenge.
Her blades all well sharpened, the girl pats herself down, making sure all of her tools are in the right place. She can't afford any mistakes, in her mind. The chance to get revenge will not be denied her. "Too bad about your sister," the strawberry-blonde remarks, lifting her hand to flip her hair back over her shoulder with a toss of her head before resting her hand at her hip. "Shoulda thought of that before you went too far."
But it seems revenge will have to wait, for the girl has Kyle to contend with first. The young man charges at her but the girl hops the first kick, weaves around the second one, then backflips away before the third one can be any threat. By the time she lands on her feet again, she's already slipped the coil of cable off her shoulder, spinning the pointed weight out at her side. "I should feel sorry for you, getting drawn into that fool's errand." the long haired girl states, eying Kyle. "But if you were enough of a sucker to fall for it, then I guess you're just getting what you merit."
Spinning around once, the girl kicks the weight out hard, sending the metal pointed object drilling through the air with a straight-shot for the young hero of Metro.
COMBATSYS: Marise successfully hits Aranha with Quick Throw.
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Aranha 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ayame
Aranha had made preparations for what would happen if she went for his arms however what he didn't expect was that the attack would come from her hair and so he gets lifted off the ground and toppled like a domino and sent rolling away and leaving him slightly unnerved. Instead of getting up right away, Aranha intends to return the favor his legs scissoring out to catch Marise by her legs and sending her to the ground face first.
He hasn't forgotten what Ayame had said about his sister and the anger begins welling up but he contains it reminding himself that his anger is what got him in this situation in the first place. Regardless of whether the attack lands though, he'll make eye contact with Ayame fixing her with a cold gaze.
COMBATSYS: Ayame successfully hits Kyle with Medium Fling.
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Aranha 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Ayame
The pointed weight catches Kyle across the shoulder, leaving a nice, matching gash in his skin that, if nothing else, will probably make for a good story someday if this goes okay. Maybe it was Ayame's words that caught Kyle off guard, but whatever it was, he doesn't seem to be too happy with the Lethal Lovely right now.
"You know what?" come the young man's words almost instantly, as he narrows his eyes and starts to 'dance' around Ayame, stance sharp, quick, and aggressive as ever. "I don't care how dumb you think I am -- if we just lay back and let this kinda stuff go on, we might as well just give assholes like you the whole city!" Coming in fast didn't work, Kyle notices, so perhaps there's another strategy he can draw on -- one that's a little less Guy and a little more Mike Haggar.
Quite literally, in fact; while the move itself doesn't look quite like Haggar's snap application of it, with Kyle's more telegraphed moves being much more useful as a show of force or a staggering strike, there's a definite resemblance between Mike Haggar's tried-and-true missile dropkick and Kyle Travers's. Kyle's probably manages to /hurt/ about as much, too, and if Ayame doesn't move fast, she might find a pair of bootprints on her face.
COMBATSYS: Marise dodges Aranha's Quick Throw.
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Aranha 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Ayame
Unfortunately for the Spider, the Snake turns out to be a much more elusive target than he had previously estimated.
The Devil this time hops in place. Vaulting only a few feet above the ground and evading the scissoring legs, landing a short distance back in a measured fashion. Her living locks flailing about as they slither from the boy's limbs, shuddering and twitching spasmodically as if laughing silently. "Really now boya.."
Marise slowly strides closer, her arms folding behind the small of her back as she follows his gaze to the young girl engaging the newcomer, "..Are you sure you've picked the right target?" Unsettling, golden eyes turning back to him as she leans forward mischievously, grinning up to him with teeth that are entirely far too sharp, "You won't win with such distraction in your thoughts.. Is it your precious little sister weighing down your heart?" Wicked gaze switching back to Ayame, "..Or another girl entirely?"
A malevolent snicker as she adds, "..Or are you simply afraid of what she'll do to you.. for what you did to her?"
COMBATSYS: Marise focuses on her next action.
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Aranha 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Ayame dodges Kyle's Drop Kick.
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Aranha 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Ayame
Ah, yes, the elusive girl is on the ball tonight. The crowd is used to watching the strawberry-blond hop and spin around the arena, staying out of the way of the attacks of her opponents like nobody's business. And right now she's really on top of her game it seems. The rope dart retracted, the girl slings it over her shoulder, putting the dangerous, ranged weapon to rest for the moment.
"Hn," she ponders his words for all of half a second. "Maybe you should just hand it over," her thoughtful expression shifting into a smirk. He isn't the young man she's here for. But his desire to defend Metro from the likes of her means that he's troubel in Ayame's book.
Kyle goes for something telegraphed but punishingly strong and Ayame is forced to drop into a roll to the side, tucking her staff in horizontally across her stomach to keep the weapon from becoming a liability in the evasive move. Coming up in a crouch a little ways to the side of Kyle's landing point, the girl's leg sweeps out behind her as she turns around once, trying to knock Kyle off his feet. Following the spin, however, she does a second swing with her staff also at ankle level. If the kick doesn't trip him up, maybe the longer weapon will! Given the chance, she'll be back up on her feet immediately after.
Aranha would be more than happy to go to Ayame but he still has no information on Marise yet and as long as she continues to dodge him he won't get anything other than she's fast and that hair is creepy as all hell. And so he keeps going attempting to prove that the person across from him can be hurt.
His body begins swaying and then he drops to the ground and twists his body over before swinging the outside of his foot across her face an attempt to actually catch her cleanly with an actual attack. After the attack is completed, he spins around to his feet and continues to sway to and fro.
COMBATSYS: Kyle fails to counter Light Kick from Ayame with Bushin Senpuu Kyaku.
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Aranha 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Ayame
That's it, Kyle thinks -- try Bushin-ryu next. Maybe /that/ is going to work where everything else keeps failing. Drawing up into a more karate-like stance as Ayame comes in at him, Kyle says, "The only way this town changes hands is over my dead body," probably sounding a lot more confident than he actually is right now; frustration is almost definitely getting the better of him, even at this early juncture.
Kyle tries to step over Ayame's sweep, but misjudges its height just enough that she catches him with her foot. His balance thrown from what was going to be a vicious spin-kick to the strawberry-blonde's head, KT takes a hard spill onto the pit floor. Gritting his teeth, he starts to get back up again, but he can't quite make it before that staff hits him a second time, one of his bones cracking as he takes a surprisingly forceful blow.
"Dammit," he mutters, as he starts to pull himself back up. "Just... nngh..." His stance shifts, even as he tries to recover; it becomes more open, perhaps even a little apathetic-looking. It's probably best described as 'almost no stance at all.'
COMBATSYS: Marise fails to interrupt Light Kick from Aranha with Quick Throw.
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Aranha 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Ayame
The Devil continues to grin as she straightens, watching the youth dance and frolic to an unheard beat. Her arms remain calmly folded behind the small of her back, wicked nails splayed outwards as she appears quietly amused by this acrobatic display of a stance. As that incredibly quick and light kick whips forth, the Devil simply holds her ground. Her dreadful locks slithering a bit higher as the kick finally strikes her soundly to the side of her face, forcing her head to tilt a fraction away. The youth's quick movement keeps his ankle from being trapped by her nest of tendrilous follicles as they snatch at the empty air a fraction of a second after his quick movement.
The Devil simply tilts her head back up eerily, not even a single drop of blood or mar on her otherwise perfect face. Plush lips working a single word in the aftermath, "...And?"
She's... a lot tougher than she looks..
Sweeping Kyle and hitting him with the staff in a lose follow up strike, Ayame has time to come back up on her feet safely now, the young man forced to contend with the two painful strikes. She can sense the frustration in him by now and it only makes her smirk more. Preying upon a frustrated, frazled opponent is so much easier. And the wicked girl is happy to pry at it.
"What's the matter? Thought you'd come in here and be some kind of hero? If you want your dead body to be a speed bump in the way, I'll be happy to oblidge," the merciless weapons user smirks. Her right hand comes up, brushing her long hair back over her shoulder as she watches Aranha contend with Marise. She's let him call the shots long enough. Time for that to come to an end. "But I have something more important to do right now..."
And with that, the girl dashes to the side, making a circle around Kyle, confident that a little burst of speed can get her past any attempt to intercept her on the way. That metal staff of hers is gripped in both hands now as she barrels in at Aranha and tries to blindside the young man completely.
Swinging hard for his back with one end, then rebounding back around to strike out with the opposite end before backing off just a little to admire her handy work, keeping her staff in a defensive position in front of her.
COMBATSYS: Aranha fails to interrupt Medium Strike from Ayame with Malicia EX.
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Aranha 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Ayame
Aranha was supposed to be paying attention to all factors going on in the fight but the creepy factor of Marise seems to have unnerved him too much to do anything about Ayame coming up from behind. There's a slight glow from his feet but whatever the Spider had plan is lost to the ages.
Aranha's body jerks forward then backward as the staff collides into his body twice before he spins to face Ayame. Of course there's no way in hell he's taking his eyes off of Marise either. He lets his body loosen up as he sways rocking left and right. Staring Ayame in her eyes.
Getting a break, from the looks of things, Kyle allows himself a tiny sigh of relief. In some fights, that kind of screw-up would probably get his skull cracked open -- he's lucky to still be going, in his mind, but that doesn't mean he should just stay back himself. No one's getting anywhere without actually getting into the play of attack and counterattack again.
So Kyle, naturally, decides to make himself a pest. He's /still/ too scared to go after Marise until he knows more about her; it feels a little wrong to be feeding Aranha to the dogs against someone who definitely looks like she knows how to handle herself, but that's the breaks sometimes. Besides -- Ayame at least looks like someone he can do something to if he can land a blow.
Kyle keeps a few things hidden up his sleeves (or, well, in his pockets, or in his shoes) for just such an occasion, in these pits where there seem to be no rules. It is perhaps in that faintly dirty fighting that Kyle is at his best in terms of survival; kneeling down and reaching into his pant leg, he pulls out a combat knife, no doubt 'inherited' from some fallen thug or another. He comes toward Ayame, still in that same almost nonexistent stance, and goes for a direct, straightforward stab to the upper arm, not going for much in the way of subtlety.
Well now. Someone's being ignored!
The Devil's grin splays a bit widely as she watches that wonderful girl leap into the fray in a bid to take the dancing spider from behind in a gloriously dishonorable strike before he could in act that curious technique of his. However, as the American pursues his original target and continues the assault upon the girl, the Devil's eyebrow lifts.
Well now. Really.
"Tch.." The haunting woman makes a single, clicking sound with her tongue. In between the moments of violence as Ayame deals with the incoming attack.. Marise quietly steps from behind Kyle, moved in close enough for the young man to feel her inhumanly cold breath along his neck, "..Why don't we let those two play, boya?"
A harsh, metallic sound sharply echos forth as the Devil's nails extend a good foot-span longer. Attempting to stab the man in the back much the same as he attempts upon her cohort.. Except in a much more painful location, "..We should get to know each other a little better, yesss?"
COMBATSYS: Ayame interrupts Medium Strike from Kyle with Harvest's Reaper.
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Aranha 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Ayame
Her two strikes delivered, Ayame braces behind her staff for a moment, studying Aranha intently. The pacing of the battle has been pretty much controled by her and Marise, forcing the two young men to fight at the speed the two females desire them to. And that driving pace is working out just the way Ayame would want it to. Whatever it is that Aranha had hoped to intercept her incoming attacks with goes unknown, but the girl isn't getting careless either.
His eyes lock on hers and the smaller fighter stares at him back, mouth curling into a thin smile. "You're back on my turf now... It wasn't supposed to be like this, you know? I was going to find you. Catch you in your sleep. I don't care about an honest fight. You're lucky my boss talked me out of it. Arranged this little rematch. Not my style but..."
The staff gets twirled around her back then up over her head before being held in front of her again. "...I'm wasn't about to pass up on this delightful little opportunity." The metal polearm is held horizontally in front of the girl for a moment as she begins to focus, channeling a violent, red aura into the weapon as if powering up for an attack intended to squash the Spider.
But the girl isn't caught off guard by Kyle's attempt to stick to attacking her. As he swings in for Ayame, the staff weilder retaliates in kind, spinning around, getting a gash against her shoulder for her trouble, a crimson slash through her flesh matching the glimmering shade of red on her titanium bo. The first swing comes up from low to high, bashing into Kyle's chest, the red chi streaking out behind the motions of the weapon like bladed scythes.
Ayame takes to the air on the second upward smashing hit before hefting the staff over her head in mid-air... and dropping back down to crush the weapon against Kyle's shoulder near the base of his neck with an accompanying explosion of the blood red chi. Landing in a crouch, the staff held out at her side, her head bowed, Ayame offers only these words of advice. "Careful with that knife. Someone might get hurt..."
Aranha cringes when he sees Ayame perform that move once again. He has his memories of feeling that particular move and he empathizes with the fighter alongside him. But there's something different about his fight before. He wasn't channeling his rage he was bothered with how it put his sister in danger.
But he begins channeling it once more, focusing it upon Ayame as he lashes his foot at her head with a roundhouse and following it up with a spinning jump kick and finishing with a back flip kick driving his foot down upon her head, each kick glowing with blue chi before spinning around to face the other thief once again.
COMBATSYS: Kyle fails to counter Shinigami from Marise with Improvised Weapon.
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Aranha 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Ayame
If there's ever been a fight that Kyle just did not have a good day with, it'd probably be this one. Everything feels like it should be going right, yet he just doesn't seem to be able to make it stick. Such is why he takes those vicious chi-strikes from Ayame's staff, the energy searing through him and knocking him off balance; as each strike rains down, he looks a little worse-off, and when it finally stops, he breathes a sigh of relief.
Then he hears Marise. /That/ is something that he doesn't want to hear -- or feel, for that matter. "Nnngh..." he groans, turning toward the woman just as she lashes out with those claws.
There's a flash of light off of his weapon, as he tries to meet those claws with his knife, deflecting them upward.
It doesn't work out. He's too slow -- he barely grazes them before they pierce into his chest, turning to face them having been more inconvenient than anything else. His eyes widen and he brings a hand up to that sucking wound, looking up at his opponent and glaring. Stumbling back, he looks to the crowd; unfortunately for him, it is quite likely that no one likes a loser.
Definitely not the best of situations to be in. Poor, poor Kyle. This will teach him the price of being such a good samaritan.
The Devil's nails plunge painfully into the man's flesh. The wounds themselves too small to cause truly horrific damage, but that isn't their most heinous aspect. A painful sensation spreads from the injury, discoloring the flesh around it in some form of insidious, chi-disrupting technique.
As the poor man stumbles about in pain and confusion, the Devil simply takes a few steps closer and lifts her leg. Attempting to thrust her foot into the man's back in a bid to -shove- him to the ground in the most absent of manners, already turning her attention to the unfolding fight beside her, "..I wonder what he told you, boya? That the little spider was doing this for his Sister's freedom? Hrmmm?" Leaning down a little closer as she grins with pearly fangs. Inhuman eyes following the Capoeristra's movements, "He didn't mention to you he's just as bad as us.. did he? Of course.." Marise snickers, "..You don't seem so virtuous yourself.."
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Ayame with Aggressive Dance.
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Aranha 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Ayame
Having spent a fair amount of her strength on the painful three strikes Kyle had to suffer, Ayame raises to her feet slowly, her left hand to press against her right shoulder where Kyle's knife did manage to gash her some. Nothing too grevious. She can keep going pretty strong.
But right now the little 'angel' is between Kyle and Aranha and while Marise suddenly makes sure Kyle's attention is forced to shift, the girl still has Aranha to deal with from behind her. Whirling around to face him, the girl realizes he's already on the offense before she can mount a defense.
The roundhouse strikes the side of the smaller fighter's head, staggering her right into his jump kick against the other side of her head. About to crumple already, the final flip to dig his foot into the crown of her head more than finishes driving Ayame to the floor of the arena pit where she lands hard, arms sprawled out at her sides, her left hand still gripping her staff.
She's lucky Kyle just took a severe stabbing, or else Ayame would be an easy target as she starts to push herself back up, right hand wiping against her mouth as she raises into a crouch, glaring at Aranha. His mood has shifted and she can tell. He's fighting more like he did last time he bested her. "Che," the girl spits to the side, her saliva speckled with blood.
"Last time when you won you acted like you had nothing to live for but I think we both know better than that now, don't we... That's how you and I are different. I don't have anything but myself to live for. I can hurt you in ways you can never hurt me..." Her smile widens, showing teeth now as she raises to her feet, bracing behind her staff. "I'm so looking forward to /my/ victory celebration tonight."
COMBATSYS: Ayame focuses on her next action.
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Aranha 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Marise
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Kyle 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Ayame has saved the state of this fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Marise
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kyle 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Aranha has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Kyle 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Marise
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Kyle has left the fight here.
> /////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Marise
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Ayame has left the fight here.
> /////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Marise
COMBATSYS: Marise has ended the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Helios restarts a saved fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Marise
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kyle 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Ayame
Aranha cringes as Marise's dig into his team mate's body. The fight situation looks bad for the two men. As a result he's already planning for if things get worse and right now his focus has been put into trying to salvage the fight.
As for Marise
Aranha cringes as Marise's nails dig into his team mate's body. That's just /not/ natural. The fight situation looks bad for the two men. As a result he's already planning for if things get worse and right now his focus has been put into trying to salvage the fight.
As for Marise's words he doesn't feel bad about that. He admitted to his sins, if not the extent. But when Ayame mentions his sister, his eyes narrow but other than that his face doesn't change. His anger increases just a bit more and mind becomes more focused but he doesn't verbally respond. His response comes in the form of an instep whipping across her face at high speed before putting the foot back on the ground. Then the capoeirista weaves away watching the other fighters carefully. "Just hold off creepy for me!"
COMBATSYS: Kyle counters Heavy Kick from Marise with Bushin Senpuu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Marise
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kyle 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Ayame
"No, he didn't..." Kyle growls, as Marise comes in toward Kyle's back. Whirling around to meet that kick, Kyle plows into it and actually shoulders /past/ it, yelling, "... because even if we ain't the best people, we're sure as hell not as bad as you!" Hopping up now that he's plowed past Marise's defenses, Travers launches himself into one of the most impressive techniques that he viewed as a young man -- the Bushin Senpuu Kyaku, the straightforward spinning kick that felled many a Mad Gear.
Plowing his foot into Marise's face twice with two identical hopping spin kicks, Kyle backpedals away from her a second later -- it's hard to keep up with someone like Marise, someone who's clearly got far more experience than anyone else in this godforsaken arena, but Kyle certainly seems to be digging into his last reserves to /try/ to.
Once again, The deathly woman's arrogance gets the better of her judgement. Her dismissive, lazy kick towards Travers is met with surprising resistance as the young man vaults at her. Pushing asside her attack and nearly bowling the woman over!
The Devil staggers back as his spinning kicks slam repeatedly directly at her face, forcing her head to recoil with every brutal strike. A series of attacks that would have felled any other woman..
..But somehow, the Devil still stands. Slowly turning her vaguely annoyed expression towards the young man as the tip of her tongue slithers over the corner of her lip. Tasting blood for the first time this battle.
Golden eyes glimmer as she muses, "...Interesting."
Cody's younger sibling has earned her full attention once more, the question then becomes.. was that a particularly good idea?
The Devil thrusts her arm forth, rotating her shoulders with the motion. That limb -stretches- across the distance between them, spearing through the air to quickly cross a distance the youth thought was 'safe'. Reaching to clutch his head within her clawed fingers and attempt to dash him down to the ground behind him in a brutal, straight-armed drive.
COMBATSYS: Ayame blocks Aranha's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Marise
[ \\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kyle 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Ayame
Ayame is all smiles. Of course she is. She has some kind of inhuman devil in the ring. And the Devil is on her side. Add to that that she's been faring pretty good outside of the three kicks Aranha struck her with and it's no wonder Ayame is nothing but amused at the progress of events. Her taunting gets nothing out of the young man besides a kick for the side of her head.
But that sturdy staff is in the way in an insant, intersecting Aranha's swift kick with a meaty sound of bone striking metal. "What's the matter? Not one for talking? That's funny, you had sooooo much to say when you won last time," the girl smiles, pushing back on her staff only to find that he's already stepped back out of range of instant retaliation.
Very well. If he's going to back off she's going to push the offense herself! An agressive step forward introduces a swift sweep of one end of the weapon aimed for Aranha's ankles, trying to knock the man off his feet. A follow up strike comes as Ayame spins around mid-step, aiming more toward the side of his waist just in case he hops over the sweep...
Spinning the weapon around once between her hands, she finishes with a single thrust with the staff, trying to butt one end of it into his stomach. She finishes in that pose, the staff extended out a little, perhaps using it as a gauge of Aranha's ability to retaliate. Of Marise and Kyle she pays little attention. She's aware of the situation enough to know that those two are focused on each other for a moment.
COMBATSYS: Ayame successfully hits Aranha with Random Weapon.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Marise
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kyle 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Ayame
"I don't trash talk during a fight. I save it for..." CLANG! The sound of Ayame's staff collides with his legs take his feet under him and puts him under the follow up shot sending him rolling along on the ground before he can finish his thought.
"As I was saying..." he mutters as drops to one knee. "I save it for after... Pride comes before fall." He doesn't move from his position he's content to let her think that she literally have him on her knees. When he thinks the moment is just right he darts right for her, slamming his forehead engulfed with chi right in her stomach.
COMBATSYS: Marise successfully hits Kyle with Maou Tsuke.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
[ \\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kyle 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Ayame
Travers just can't buy a break this night, it seems like -- when that quick grab-and-toss comes in, Kyle tries his best to roll with it, but the force is just too much. He skids across the arena floor, his shoulder blades making good, solid thuds each step of the way. For a few seconds, he doesn't get back up -- it looks like the demoness just might have put him down for the count.
... at least, that's what it looks like until Kyle springs up with a kip-up and, using the traditional Travers combination of a complete lack of sense and a sudden surge of retard strength, comes at Marise with a spinning backfist. Then another. Then a pair of spinning kicks like the ones he tried before. Then another backfist. Eventually, it all starts to blur together, wave after wave of offense probably either tearing through the Devil of Koga until even /she/ feels it... or resulting in a bunch of wild, ineffectual flailing that eventually ends in Travers slumping over, out of the fight.
COMBATSYS: Kyle can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Marise blocks Kyle's Bushin Gourai Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\===----\1 Marise
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Ayame
This time, the Devil certainly pays the handsome young thing much closer attention. To his credit, the Devil ceased underestimating his wild spirit and used a technique more befitting felling an opponent of his power. As the man is dashed to the floor, the Devil's arm slithers back into her sleeve. Eyes lingering upon him for juuuust a moment before beginning to look away.. Only to catch him kipping to his feet in the corner of her vision.
"Keh.. Children these days.."
The Devil turns to face the young man as she holds up her arms slowly. Cushioning the initial backfist with a palm, then the next, and the next, and the kicks are met with prompt forearm interceptions. If the boy wasn't at the edge of exaustion, perhaps Marise wouldn't have nearly as much success deflecting the devastating rain of blows. As is.. The murderous creature stands firm. Arms slowly lowering at her sides as the young man slumps at her feet.
"Not bad.." She whispers, lifting a foot to touch his shoulder and gently flop him onto his back. Calmly massaging her wrist from intercepting the bulk of that assault that, yes, even one such as she felt.. "Boya.."
Only then does she turn her attention to the unfolding fight nearby. Plush lips spreading in a slow smile as she eagerly watches the outcome of this little grudge.. Not seeing fit to enter the fray. Yet.
COMBATSYS: Marise gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Ayame fails to counter Malicia from Aranha with Deep Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> ///////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Ayame
"Hn," Ayame replies, maintaining her stance of holding the long weapon out in front of her more like a lance than anything. "How quaint. A pithy regurgitated axiom. I prefer to discover my own truths." And then she takes the bait, lunging forward three steps to close the distance between them, pulling the titanium weapon up and over her head in order to bring the opposite end of it crashing down toward the side of Aranha's head in a strike aimed to finish this match for good...
His rising headbutt catches the girl right in the stomach, stopping her short, countering her momentum with a decisive amount of power and bending her forward just before the accompanying chi blasts into the girl and sends her flying backward into a nasty tumble a few times over, losing her staff somewhere in the process, the metal weapon clanging to the ground with a rattle before rolling along after her.
As much as one no doubt would hope, she isn't down though, the vicious girl coming back up on her feet quickly, her right hand resting against her stomach for a moment. She looks a little less certain in her step, but is otherwise still perfectly mobile. Silent now, she makes a swift charge back toward where her staff came to rest, not wanting to be parted from the weapon it would seem.
The concept behind Malicia which can't be contained one specific move but rather the use of trickery. Aranha played to her confidence with his actions even though his words were warning her against the exact opposite. The situation was quite ironic. The dropped body on one knee showing weakness and vulnerability when in reality he was strong.
Aranha watches as Ayame runs to her staff, Aranha doesn't instantly pursue her. He knows that because of his current situation he needs to fight a much more careful fight especially since he knows that Marise is still up and he has no idea what role she play in this.
He performs a leap as he splits his leg apart and then brings them back together on her legs as his body turns over and ideally drop her on her face.
The Devil demurely folds her arms behind the small of her back. Shifting her hip as she casually keeps one foot on Kyle's fallen body. Inhuman eyes shifting back and forth without even the slightest regard for Ayame's potential safety as Aranha seems to get the upper hand on her.
Oh no.. the Audience wants to see these two resolve their little grudge. Moreover, Marise desires to see this play out to its conclusion without interference. Even her own.
What happens should Aranha again establish his supremacy over Ayame? Well.. First we'll see if the young Spider can get around Ayame's bag of tricks..
COMBATSYS: Marise takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/--=====/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> ///////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Ayame interrupts Quick Throw from Aranha with Final Sunset.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=------\1 Marise
> /////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ayame
Ayame retrieves her staff, coming up in a crouch at first before rising up to full standing. The young man determined to take down the little viper has his work cut out for him as the strawberry-blonde turns to face him. Marise is staying out of it, it would seem. Just as well in Ayame's mind. She has this one. The outcome is a foregone conclusion in her mind.
Aranha goes on the offense, but it's like jumping right back into the fire as the girl retaliates with destructive force as well, swinging the staff up over her head, igniting the entire weapon with a burst of red, violently churning chi. She stands her ground as he lands and tries to take her legs out from under her.
"Not good enough," she hisses, swinging the weapon out at the same time his leg strikes hers, unleashing the entire swath of energy into Aranha at point blank range. The exchange forces her to back up a little herself, but it's not hard to tell who fared the worst out of the two of them.
Aranha's body is completely rocked by the point blank blast. The burst of red energy leaving a painful singe mark on his body as he growls in pain.
The capoeirista uses the moment that Ayame backtracks as his opportunity to get back up. In spite of the fact that he's bloody and his body is wracked with pain he still keeps moving and he instead of darting to Ayame, he takes a different approach. He begins running for the nearest wall, kicking himself off the wall and launching himself at her before his body begins to glow with blue energy. A trail of shadows follow him as he bounces between Ayame and the wall over and over working her head and body over with powerful kicks before finishing with a back flip kick and an Armada Dupla.
COMBATSYS: Ayame counters Joker's Wild from Aranha with Bright Renewal.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> ///////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ayame
The chi laced attack unleashed, Ayame tightens up her guard quicky rather than staying aggressive. She got cocky with him a few moments ago and he tagged her hard for it. This time she's staying in tight, bracing behind the titanium pole that has served her remarkably well this match. Combining both defense and offense into each attack, it makes for a formidable obstacle to get around and strike the girl.
Aranha tries to dish out a vicious assault on the girl. One that would easily finish the fight against /her/ in his favor. What that means afterward would be another matter, of course Aranha takes to the wall, kicking off to come at Ayame from a different angle, but her defense is solid, the staff coming up to intersect his foot at just the right angle to slide the attack to the side without having to absorb the shock of impact with her own muscles.
He comes at her again and Ayame puts an end to the combination of attacks he had in mind, the weapon lancing out in a stabbing motion to intersect Aranha spot on. His momentum is transferred into the staff, sliding it back through the girl's hands as she lets it slip... only to finally swing around and swing for a solid slam into his stomach, driving him back again.
Lowering the weapon, the girl props one end of it against the ground, gasping for breath. The defense may seem simple from the outside, but the timing and precision needed to defend herself isn't without its costs too.
Aranha's assault was nullified from the very start as he glances off of Ayame's staff and ending up on the receiving end of the staff right to the gut. The damage wasn't exactly worrisome but the impact also winded the Spider.
He begins gasping for air as he tries to figure out how to deal with the opponent standing across from him and he pulls a small manila envelope and sets it ablaze before he tosses it in her face and if he should miss it would be hard to make a steady shot on him due to the the explosion creating what would ideally be a distraction.
COMBATSYS: Ayame overcomes Thrown Object from Aranha with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> ///////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ayame
COMBATSYS: Aranha dodges Ayame's Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> ///////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Ayame
Buying time or just trying to force a gap in Ayame's defenses, the tactic is sound. But the long haired menace isn't flustered as her left hand continues gripping her staff and her right hand slips beneath her left wrist guard, slipping out a small throwing knife. The little blade is flung through the air, intersecting the envelope and driving onward toward Aranha. He might need to worry about that explosion on his end!
"Hm," Ayame evaluates thoughtfully. "Clever. That's a new trick since last time. Too bad I still have an innumerable number of defenses of my own." she states with a faint smile. "Hasty tactics aren't going to get past me so easily." She stands up a little straighter then, regaining a little strength. For all the energy she exhibited earlier in the fight, the girl has turned to simply holding her ground on the floor space she has claimed as her own.
Aranha's eyes widen as he sees the knife shoots right at the envelope and cuts right through edge of the envelope and cutting it causing the thermite spill out and exploded earlier than the Spider had originally planned.
Oddly enough, the premature explosion works in Aranha's favor blowing the knife slightly off of its path and while it was still dangerous it wasn't as accurate as before. He breaks into a dive roll which serves as a way to both close with Ayame and avoid the knife. He crab walks towards the other fighter and then twists as he thrusts a heel right in the other fighter's face as he tries to end the fight decisively.
COMBATSYS: Ayame blocks Aranha's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> //////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Ayame
She's so busy talking she doesn't seem to notice Aranha slipping in under the knife and the exploding envelope. But one thing the girl seems reasonably adept at doing is smack talking WHILE paying attention, and though Aranha's unorthodox method of closing the distance on them does throw Ayame off just a little, she's not caught completely off guard, managing to intersect his strike with her staff again.
Grunting as she pushes back against his ankle, having avoided the heel meant for her face. He got good mileage out of smacking her head around before, so it's not much of a surprise to find him aiming for her face again. Maybe that makes her reactions all the easier though. She does have a knack for detecting patterns...
"Heh," the girl grunts, shaking her head, her right arm wiping across her brow. "Heh," she repeats. Seemingly out of words for a change. No prattle, no taunts. She's worked up a sweat holding the spider off for a while now, but it's time to go back on the offense at last.
Using the weapon to attack Aranha without having to get too close, the Spider will have an end of the polearm to watch out for as Ayame swings out for him, aiming for his stomach with a downward jab, only to spin around and follow up with a second sweeping attack aimed to jam into his side. Marise continues to stay out of the violence, simply watching off to the side. Ayame hadn't expected that, and on some level there is that fear that the woman has no intent on helping her at all no matter how this exchange goes. Marise does... have a certain reputation after all.
COMBATSYS: Aranha blocks Ayame's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
> //////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Ayame
Aranha's foot meets nothing but metal staff. If he wasn't so focused on the opponent across from him and the fact that Marise is still waiting in the wings to visit her terror upon him, he'd actually smile at the fact that he was able to quiet Ayame.
Even as he recoils from the thrusting kick he still managed to spin with his guard up to intercept the first jab with his forearm and tilting away from the attack. He's about to throw up an attack of his own when the sweeping attack goes for his side. He catches the sweeping attack on his shoulder and forearm as he moves with the strike using it to lean into a handstand and snapping out a foot before finishing the cartwheel-like motion and coming back up on his feet.
COMBATSYS: Ayame fails to counter Change-Up Kick from Aranha with Requiem For Fallen Blossoms.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
COMBATSYS: Ayame can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Marise
Of course Ayame had factored in the possibility that he might be able to defend against her two sweeping strikes. The girl is normally thinking at least a few steps ahead in any battle. Have him defend against her strike, then she'll be in close enough to deliver a finishing blow and put the young man down for the count without him having room to maneuver. It's time for this drag out exchange of attacks to come to an end once and for all. Her plan is already evidenced in the way her staff ignites with a covering aura again, this time almost a pinker hue than the typical crimson chi she's manifested frequently.
But Aranha must be getting used to her own tricks by now, using Ayame's sweep to create an opening for his attacks to get in past her otherwise very tight defensive techniques and Ayame in her condition isn't fast enough to account for it. Trying to pull her weapon back to get it inbetween Aranha and herself again, his feet find their mark, his first kick striking her in the face and the second snap kick catching her a bit lower, on the chin.
The result is a conclusion of the long series of attacks exchanged by the two with Ayame collapsing to the arena floor on her side with a gasp, hand releasing the staff at last. One attempt is made to struggle back to her feet, hands pressing down against the floor, but it's clear she lacks the strength to continue as her arms give out and she flops back down.
Aranha was grateful that Marise didn't interfere in their personal grudge match because it left the two fighters alone to settle their personal disputes by themselves. He begins to sway as he recovers from the attack that had accumulated on him. He knows he only has one shot and he begins to move towards Marise.
He lets the remnants of his rage lose on Marise. Aranha performs an outside crescent kick from his front leg which then drops to his rear leg. He shifts back and swings his leg around in a rear leg outside crescent kick which is quickly followed up by a trio of kicks where he touches the ground as he swings the heel of his rear leg towards his opponent's head. On the third of those particular kicks he cuts short and turns his foot as he drops it down on the ground before swinging his other foot at the head in a roundhouse kick-like motion though it's also done with both hands on the ground. The Spider then shifts his weight over to the side swinging the unplanted foot up and over which though it doesn't hit, it generates momentum for the other foot to come back across. He performs a handstand and performs a series of rapid spinning handstand kicks. All kicks in this sequence covered in blue chi as he attempts to flood and overwhelm Marise with his attacks.
COMBATSYS: Marise fails to interrupt Royal Flush from Aranha with Maou Dokuja.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Marise
"Keh ha.. Impressive, boya." The Devil claps lightly as Ayame struggles in vain to stand and then simply collapse. Clicking her tongue she regards the remaining opponent smoothly as she steps from Kyle's fallen form. Not particularly worried as she smoothly begins to approach and say something else..
That is.. until Marise discovers something to worry about.
As the spider's limbs suddenly awash with glowing chi, the Devil is given pause. Eyes widening as she can only begin to step back before she's swept away in an unpredictable, wild torrent of kicks. Each impact virtually exploding against her chill, deathly corpus as blasts of flame actually light in contact against her. Sending hissing plumes of smoke as she -screeches-, letting loose a wail that has suspiciously little to do with humanity.
Burned from over a dozen blows, she finally twirls helplessly in the air like a ragdoll before send rolling upon the pit floor, not terribly far from where Ayame collapsed. A smoldering ruin as she doesn't move.. Immediately.
After a short fashion the Devil sloowly begins to push upwards. A slow, malicious hiss can be heard from the shadows obscuring her face.. revealing only twin luminous eyes, glowing balefully with wordless promise.
If that boy thought he knew what pain felt like before...
Aranha's body is brutalized, fatigued, and within a hairs breath of falling down from exhaustion. He has plumbed the depths of his anger and at moment he's completely tapped out. The only thing he has going for him is that he has finally discovered the Devil Ninja's weakness and not even that offers him much comfort.
Where rage had powered the fighter before he has to find something else to drive him. His determination to see his sister safe and sound. While Aranha's legs want to falter in the face of Marise, he finds the will to fight on.
He moves towards Marise and leaps out at her performing the same attack that he launched at Ayame earlier in the fight. A glowing roundhouse, using the momentum of the first kick to throw a spinning jump kick also glowing and finishing with a glowing backflip kick to end the combo.
Of course one might wonder if it's a mistake to throw an attack two times in a match. Aranha's about to find out very soon.
COMBATSYS: Marise interrupts Aggressive Dance from Aranha with Onigumo no Dokubari EX.
- Power hit! -
[ < > ////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Marise
Certainly Marise was watching the fight as it had unfolded. She has also been present for many of Aranha's previous fights in the circle and she knows of the Spider's style better than a good number. She's seen the young man's heart and felt his rage at the ends of his fists and feet.
As the Devil slowly rises to her feet, wiping away a small layer of ashen skin on her cheek she definitely realizes now this boy has come a long way from that guileless street rat she shoved down the stairs months ago. Even managed to best Ayame after the girl had looked forward to this match, seething with revenge for weeks on end. A hate that had made her strong indeed.
While certainly, the boy's fallen comrade proved to be much more potent a nuisance than the Devil had initially estimated and weakened her far more than she cared to admit. Enough for the surprisingly venomous spider to strike down even a monster like her.
With that said. Enough is enough.
"..A masterful attack boya.." The Devil witnesses the incoming youth, her vicious hair again rises to the occasion. Tendrils of her locks slip out from the mass and whip forth, loosing black needles from their masses. The wicked spines speed silently through the air with ruthless precision, driving into the youth with his every practiced movement. Two lancing his supporting leg at the initial roundhouse, another four into his opposite leg with the spin-kick, and most painful of all six embed themselves into his back with his flipping kick. Each dark vessel enriched with a painful chi-disruptive poison.. Melting away the composition of his life-force and weakening his technique until the last kick just brushes off of Marise's shoulder almost harmlessly. Even that relatively gentle impact is enough to stagger her back half a step, allowing the youth to land at her feet, "..But futile.."
It's obvious that Aranha has nothing left. His body hits ground with dull thud, right next to Ayame. With his chi drained and the fact that he's already exhausted taken into account he doesn't have enough in the tank to get up off the let alone duplicate that attack again. But does he really want to attempt that attack again after Marise so masterfully handled it?
Fortunately Aranha's fighting style is such that he doesn't have to get too far off the ground. He pulled his body into a crouched position low to the ground a leg extended just slightly before he swings the non extended leg out at Marise's head, the kick not even going full circle before his face hits the ground... "I'm sorry Kelly..."
COMBATSYS: Aranha can no longer fight.
> ////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Marise
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Marise with Light Kick.
Glancing Blow
> ///////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Marise
Ah. Foo. Marise missed a spot.
The Devil looms imperiously over the fallen capoestra. Her nails slowly unsheathing from her fingers as those vicious implements of pain promise to carve a litany of displeasure upon this boy's wounded body. "Well now.." As the youth seems finished, now the Devil's smug satisfaction begins to reassert itself over her growing outrage, just beginning to lean down..
..Which nearly proves to be her undoing as the spider manages one last strike crafted of pure and complete defiance. Quickly leaning back with widened eyes, the tip of his foot just slapping her across the cheek lightly.. barely clipping her at all. A tiny gesture, but he did succeed in wiping the smile off of her face as he collapses in a final heap.
For a long moment, Marise simply stands there carefully. Almost expecting the boy to leap up at her again in another outburst of heroic reserve that these children seem so capable of managing these days. As a few more moments pass, only then does Marise relax her stance. "Keh.."
The woman then circles around the boy, nudging his shoulder with the tip of her foot to flop him onto his back and facing upwards. Holding her hand outwards expectantly, seconds later a microphone descends from the darkened ceiling above into her outstretched fingers.
Taking a second to work her jaw and clear her voice, the Devil then proclaims, "Aaaand we have a winner!" Calmly pointing to herself as she slowly turns to face the roaring audience behind the sound-proof armored glass high above, "Me. Kyahahaaa!" Holding the microphone out a moment as she holds her arms outstretched in triumph. Basking for several heartbeats before returning the reciever to her lips and continue, "The house hostess and her lovely lethal cohort began strong! Crushing the poor challengers quickly and decisively.. But JUST when all hope was lost!"
The Devil regards the youth at her feet, giving him a swift kick in the ribs out of general principle, "THIS returning warrior managed to nearly turn it around! Thwarting Ayame's revenge and quite nearly managing to best yours truly in a comeback performance that will leave the house talking for months to come!"
Not the least of which all of the ludicrous, outrageous bets made on the fight. The sheer odds beaten by the respective fighters has made the betting a hot ticket. The feud between Aranha and Ayame was hot enough to ignite more than a few bidding wars on the outcome of this matchup. The surprise inclusion of Marise and Kyle intrigued quite a few more to throw their money into the pot.
"ALAS.. Unfortunately for this little boy.." Leaning down to playfully twist at a needle in his arm for a few moments before plucking it forth with little regard for comfort, "..I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well. KYAHA!"
Holding the needle aloft, Marise declares, "Tune in next time! Will this be the end of Aranha and Ayame's little war? Will Kyle return here to this hallowed ground to reclaim his honor? ..Keh heh! And who will I decide to personally victimize next? .. You know where to find out, my pretties!"
And with that, the glass-windows slowly fade to black as do the monitors, cutting off the audience from the spectacle and leaving them to their refreshments and energized debate over the battle as it unfolded.
It also leaves the remaining fighters in the pit some privacy, as Marise simply releases the microphone to retract up into the ceiling once more as various platforms begin to lower down. The well-trained medical teams moving to Kyle and Ayame to look them over with a third team on stand-by for Aranha.
A team that is waved off, as Marise reaches down and effectively clutches at the boy's throat. Dragging him up just enough to look him straight in the eyes as she murmurs, "..You.. naughty little thing. That hurt. A lot." Her thumbs gliding up along his cheeks, the claw-nails extending frighteningly close to his eyes as they do so. Her lips pulling back to reveal a forest of ivory fangs as she whispers, "..As much as I'll enjoy licking the suffering from your flesh... I think it will please me far, faaar more to make you watch me do it to a precious someone you know.. Ooh yess.. Yess indeed chi-"
That wonderful thought is disrupted by the glaring, banal sound of a mobile phone's ring tone. The opening riff to 'Metal Militia', at that. Marise's eye flinches spasmodically at the tone, exhaling a slow.. slow, calming breath as she unceremoniously releases Aranha to flop back upon the concrete ground. Stalking over to snatch the offered handset from the outstretched hand of the aid who came down with the medic crew. Ever so politely stabbing the same man in the arm with the needle she held moments ago. Attentively listening to the message play even as said aide begins rolling around on the ground in agony.. Much to the terror of the other workers whom give the Devil a particularly wide berth.
...Hrnnnn.
The Devil murmurs, "..Understood." As she clicks the handset closed and crushes the offensive thing in her grasp, sprinkling its remains upon the fallen aide after doing so.
Folding her arms over her stomach a moment, Marise turns her gaze upwards silently.. Only then exhaling once more before adding, "She has been released. As per the agreement. You've fought well. Go home." Words in a tone as close to emotionless as the hateful creature can manage, never looking towards the fallen spider again before simply stepping upon a nearby platform.. and vanishing.
Log created on 23:19:59 12/13/2007 by Marise, and last modified on 15:38:23 12/18/2007.