Description: Just north of a small village in the English countryside there is a bridge. This bridge just happens to be a historical monument, which makes it the perfect location for a fight. The punk princess and the Dancing Spider trade blows, things get broken and one of them winds up soaking wet. Tune in to find out who! (Draw Match)
Welcome to the West Midlands, English countryside at it's best. In the small county of Shropshire is a little known (to most) historical location known as the Cantlop bridge. Though it stands as a historic monument due to its instrumentation in helping shape this little countryside area during the Industrial era, the bridge itself is a simple single-span, cast-iron road bridge that allows passage over the Cound Brook.
Today, the Cantlop bridge has been roped off to keep enthusiastic tourists from trampling across the area. Off to either end of the bridge are small camera crews, with another camera situated overhead thanks to a rather large nearby tree.
Sitting down on the grassy area beside the bridge is the punk rock princess. For reasons known only to her (and quite possibly the very odd visitor she received last evening), she's finally made her way back home. Normally, she'd be out greeting fans. Chatting up the crowd. Flirting and having fun. Something about her demeanor seems extremely subdued, and there is a very hard, cold look in her eyes. A shrewd eye might notice that some of her usual accessories are missing, but a new one seems to be in place. Cinched tightly across her right thigh is a strap that bears a small black sheath inside of which is a weapon she just happened to receive by accident last evening.
Deciding to stay in the game despite how she's feeling, she's contacted a few of the people she has offered fights to in the past, to set things up for the future.
The future is starting today, and that's why she's invited Aranha here for this Neo League match.
The Dancing Spider arrives as per schedule. The man covered nearly head to toe in denim looks at the woman standing before him. He has seen footage of her fights. He has fought her in the Jinchuu tournament and as a result he has noticed the change in the Punk Diva's demeanor. After a discussion they've had in private he thinks he has an idea of why but knows it's possible that he's wrong.
The most striking thing though is not the hard look but the handle of a weapon on her thigh. Nothing that he's seen has indicated that she would take a weapon but if she has brought it to the fight, he might as well be ready for it.
After studying the other fighter he studies the location and the few moments it takes to look at it he already come up with a plan. Even though she might not be the most receptive to it he still gives her a relaxed smile as a greeting. "Hey there. Lets see we can make this fun, ok?" With that he pulls out his pair of Oakley Thumps and pops the earbuds of the sunglasses and continues to watch Arika's movements as he steps onto the bridge.
Slowly, she rises, silent in her movements as she is in her speech. Granted, the punk princess doesn't usually say much during a match, but she can oftentimes be vocal both before and after.
Not today.
Stretching her arms back and arching her body, she begins to stretch. Again, this is something she would normally do in front of the cameras, but the playful and flirty manner she normally carries with her is locked behind the icy cold mask. Only once the denim clad Aranha steps onto the bridge does she move to do the same. Her hand settles to one of the ropes, lifting it enough so that she can duck under it.
"Fine."
Slipping around him, she makes her way to the opposite end of the chosen fighting platform. The sheath at her thigh is tightened, as is the cord she wears about her hand.
"Wotever you want."
"Hmmm."
The Dancing Spider shrugs. If he can't that much out of her he might as well just focus on getting the job done. Even at his most efficient he's on some level aesthetically pleasing to spectators. If anything he can get the audience into it even if that's no longer his objective.
He goes into his ginga, dancing, swaying as he waits for the Punk Diva to come into his parlour.
COMBATSYS: Aranha has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Arika has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Arika 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aranha
Hmmm indeed.
Arika watches his shrug, narrowing her eyes upon him as he begins to dance. Each movement he makes is carefully recorded in her mind, and the first sign of any sort of emotion whatsoever appears. The movements can be used in music videos, his abilities can be used (with payment, of course) to help promote the nightclub once she's ready to open the doors.
"Tell me," she says, her tone somber and serious, "do you need to fight with the music?" She knows very little of capoeira, other than the fact that it utilizes a lot of acrobatics.
Though she cannot hear the music, her body begins to move in a similar manner to his. Swaying, dancing, limbering up. Each slow movement slides her one step closer. Each subtle twist brings her within striking distance. When she's within reach, eyelids close and though she can no longer see him, she's very much focusing herself on this match and not what's causing her the inner pain or turmoil.
Listening now for his movements, she lunges forward as she hears his foot move against the bridge. Her right hand tightens into a fist and she swings it upward, aiming it at the base of his chin in a quickly executed uppercut.
COMBATSYS: Aranha blocks Arika's Jab Punch.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aranha
Aranha doesn't close his eyes. He has been punished so many times in rodas and drills for taking his eyes off the person in front of him. Even in performing floreios he has had it constantly beaten in his head to keep his eyes open and watching. It's why he's so able to respond to the fast uppercut.
The capoeirista knows he can't completely get out of the way but as long as he keeps his hand up he'll be ok. He drops backwards as the fist impacts on his forearm and drops a hand to the ground to support his body along with his feet before performing a twist to bring his torso to face downwards as he looks as the other fighter between his own legs and then thrusting a foot right at her ribs right under the fist that delivered the uppercut towards his chin.
Then and only then does the Punk Princess get her answer. "Need. In this fight? Probably not. But the music is part of Capoeira and is taught together with it. The music that is played dictates the game of Capoeira."
Arika probably thinks she caught a major clue in how to fight him, but there's two problems. She doesn't know what is playing on his Thumps and she doesn't know which part of the beat he'll be attacking on or if he'll be attacking anyway.
COMBATSYS: Arika blocks Aranha's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aranha
Tch. Attacking under a fist is a very easy way to see things being blocked. This is exactly what the diva does, spying the foot coming toward her. Arms cross together at the wrists and she slams them downward in order to catch the thrusting foot and slow it down so that the impact is only a fraction of what it was intended to be.
Pushing herself back from him after this, she allows the smirk to develop again while she drops her body into a crouched position. "Sounds fun, but you should really try to listen to the music in your 'ead and not rely on an accessory."
A point she tries to prove by suddenly springing up at him, her shoulder jutting up toward his midsection. She's trying to direct his body over her shoulder and to the bridge, while at the same time knocking the Oakley Thumps askew and potentially disrupting the beat.
Arika could have tried to take them. She knows she could have. However, while she's angry and hurting, the one thing she's -not- is a thief.
COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Aranha with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Aranha
Aranha's sure he should be able to move out of the way of the initial shoulder but there's a slight miscalculation. He goes up and over and then his body hits the bridge and not only is the pair of sunglasses knocked askew they are thrown off of him and broken. Sure it was only the lenses this time and the audio parts are in tact but they are pretty much unsafe to wear.
He rises back to his feet and then stares at Arika then the sunglasses then the other fighter and then the sunglasses. Does he look happy? Not in the least.
COMBATSYS: Aranha focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Aranha
Wincing as she notices the shattered lenses, Arika shrugs. Guess her point was proven. She's pretty sure that if they're sent back to Oakley, they'll replaces the lenses for free - they do have that kind of guarantee on them, after all.
One of the cameramen scoots in under the rope, picks up the Thumps and boots the broken lens pieces off the edge of the bridge. Holding the sunglasses up so that Aranha can see them, he carefully places them atop a rock, then tosses his iPod toward the capoeirista. He must be a fan.
Meanwhile the punk princess has begun to circle her opponent. A simple twirl brings her behind him, and her arm stretches out to attempt locking around his throat. Managing the stranglehold, she'll begin to crush in as tightly as possible. The ultimate goal, however, is to wedge her knee against his back and continue to increase pressure while stretching his body toward her.
COMBATSYS: Aranha interrupts Diva Attaca from Arika with Malicia.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Aranha
Aranha catches the iPod but he makes no motion to turn it on. He has his own point to prove at this point and so he tosses the cameraman the iPod back into his hands. After he's caught it he gives a nod of appreciation.
It hadn't escaped his notice that Arika has circled behind him and he lets it happen but when she applies the hold, Aranha drops his weight and then propels himself up and back delivering a headbutt to her chin to encourage her to release the hold.
That's not where it ends and as a matter of fact he turns around and thrusts a blue glowing side kick right into her abdomen punctuating each attack with his song slightly tinged with anger as he sings, "Zum!" Then he rocks back and launches a blue glowing side kick directed to her face, "Zum!" He then he hops forward spinning as he swinging a glowing heel to her face, "Zum!"
He twists around as he pulls away. Swaying left to right as he adds, "Capoeira mata um..."
The cameraman barely catches the iPod, fumbling with it for a moment before pocketing it.
Arika gets the lock on the hold, about to press her knee into his back when something happens. His weight shifts. Not having been expecting this, she gets skull against her chin which snaps her head back. Good thing her mouth wasn't opened, or she'd be needing stitches in her tongue at this point.
Physical pain is nothing compared to what she's been feeling, so she can easily shake it off. The energy-laced kick is much more difficult for her to handle. It knocks her back a few paces, causing her to double over. This puts her head directly in line for the other two attacks, and as he twists away from her, she wipes the back of her hand across her face to brush away any blood.
"Bloody Mazda commercial," she mutters, her voice soft enough that only she can hear it.
Eyes narrow to thin slits, and she takes a deep breath. Time to return the favor of the bruised face. Flinging her body toward him, she strikes out with her fist. Before it actually makes contact, she whirls her body around and snaps a kick for the center of his face.
COMBATSYS: Aranha interrupts Medium Kick from Arika with Bad Beat.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Aranha
When he hears the comment about the Mazda commercial his lips curl into a smile. "The thing about that song... Comments about Capoeira killing people doesn't sell cars." He charges shoulder first into the grunting as her foot makes impact with his body. He then reaches up and grabs the punk rocker by the head and pulls her head down onto his on head delivering another headbutt to the chin. He drops his body lower as he drives his head back into her abdomen and then while his center of gravity is low he grabs the back of her legs and then pulls her legs from under her.
Something tells the punk rock princess she's going to have to look up the meaning to that annoying song in the Mazda commercials once this is all over. She'd do it -now- but... one usually requires a computer with internet access for such things, and she's a bit busy with his head crashing into her chin again.
It's a good thing he's not taller, or she'd likely have a severely broken nose by now.
As her body hits the bridge, she rolls. Force of habit so that she's not getting an elbow dropped into her stomach or a body landing atop hers. This is what happens when one trains with a--
No.
Arika is -not- thinking of that now. She's focusing on the fight. He's continually coming at her and breaking her rhythm, but she's focusing, damnit!
Pushing herself up to her feet, she hops up onto the thin cast-iron railing. Steadying her feet, she balances there almost precariously for a moment. Suddenly, her body lifts up and she's airborne. Legs shoot out and she tries to catch the capoeirista about the neck and flip him over to the ground, her own body curling so that she can twist away.
COMBATSYS: Aranha dodges Arika's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Aranha
Aranha's body bends backwards as Arika tries to grab him about his neck and as a result, she finds nothing but air to grab. From the back bridge he pushes his hip upward bringing himself into a handstand as he marches his way over to the Punk Princess.
Because of his agility the Dancing Spider gets closer in spite of the diva's roll and then he snaps his foot down on her targetting whatever part of her curled up body he can get his foot on.
COMBATSYS: Arika fails to counter Change-Up Kick from Aranha with Diva Allegro.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Arika 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Aranha
There is a reason the diva is curled up as she is. Staying like this, she waits until he makes his move. Only then does her body begin to unfurl and her right hand smashes upward quickly. This whiffs against the air, hitting nothing but possible wind resistance. She's in the midst of readying the second portion of her attack, her left hand beginning to take on a mid-violet hue. As he sends the palmstrike toward his knee, the foot crashes down against her arm hard enough to smash it against the bridge and eliciting a surprised cry.
Drawing her arm back toward her body, the punk princess curls back up, only this time she's on the move. Rolling over to the side of the bridge, she hits the cast-iron rail. Taking hold of it, she pulls herself up and over the edge until she splashes down into the Cound Brook below.
Aranha's leg recoils after the kick to Arika's arm. He watches her give a surprised cry and then he backs away still on his hands as she curls herself and rolls up and over the rail of the bridge and splashes down in the brook.
A look of confusion appears on his face as he watches her wondering what she could hope to achieve from down there. But at this point she's currently in Aranha's world. Aranha hops up on the railing and then suddenly drops down to catch the lower railing and swings down low enough to snap a kick at the other fighter.
COMBATSYS: Arika blocks Aranha's Short Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Arika 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Aranha
After making contact, The Dancing Spider pulls himself back up and then back onto the bridge. He gets back up on the rail and runs along it before leaping for the tree close to the edge of the bridge. He rapidly climbs the tree and stands on the branch waiting for the Punk Princess to respond.
As Arika is getting back up to her feet after dousing herself in the brook, she can hear him moving up above. When he swings down to snap a kick at her, her arms are in the way and stop the foot from connecting with her face once more. Then he's off again, and sitting in a tree?
The punk rock princess stands there and blinks at him.
The chances of her being able to reach him from here are next to none. Not in any way that she could actually damage him with her usual techniques. She keeps her eyes on him for a moment longer, and then slips beneath the bridge. Trudging through the water, she dips down and grabs hold of a football sized rock. She's got to rock it back and forth, but she finally hauls it out of the water and takes aim.
Maybe, if she's lucky, she can knock him off of his perch.
COMBATSYS: Aranha slows Thrown Object from Arika with Web Shot.
Glancing Hit
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Arika 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Aranha
Aranha watches as the rock travel towards him but for some reason he's caught a bit flat-footed. He whips his hand out at the stone, sending a spider web of blue chi at it but his aim is a touch off and so while the energy impacts it bursting most of the rock apart, a small chunk of rock still goes past smacking him into the shoulder.
Aranha goes into a spin slightly off balanced by the projectile and drops though he grabs the tree trunk and slides down a much more controlled fall than the diva probably had in mind.
The controlled fall actually works much more to her advantage. Since he's taking the time to slow down and slide instead of just dropping, she's got just enough time to sprint through the brook to the base of the tree, and is there just as his feet touch down.
Watery footprints are left in the soil along the bank of the brook. The last step imprinted in the grass as she pushes her weight down upon her foot in order to ground her self. This done, Arika twists her body and pops her foot up in an attempt at pressing him back against the trunk of the tree.
COMBATSYS: Aranha blocks Arika's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Arika 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Aranha
Aranha recognizes when he's being pushed towards the tree and so he begins to plan around moving away from the tree. There's no strategic advantage to be had by staying there. He still needs to deal with the foot making a b-line for him and so he raises an arm to block it.
Once blocked Aranha spins around the rock star before he leans forward to push away his opponent with a head butt to set up a turning kick off of his rear leg before placing his hand onto the ground and then throwing himself into a handstand where he launches a series of brutal snap kicks down upon his opponent's head. He drops down from the handstand and then performs a back flip kick.
COMBATSYS: Arika counters Full House from Aranha with Dominant Diva.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Aranha
Foot hitting arm is not what she intended so when that capoeirista spins around her, she's already preparing for whatever retaliation he's planning. Arika's body moves as his does, and when his head comes crashing toward her, she stretches her arm out in order to catch him by the forehead and twist him around so that she can lock on a stranglehold.
With this done, her arm loops about his neck, reaching her right leg around his body and slamming it down on the ground between his legs to further lock the hold. A claw-shape is formed with her free hand, and she grabs at his side, applying a great deal of pressure as she twists her fingers just below his ribs as she forces him down to the grassy bank.
After the hold is applied Aranha writhes in agony. The claw shape is pressed into his back he growls even louder. Being put on the ground, Aranha is taken out of his element and so he attempts to push himself off the ground struggling against the pressure.
When he's on all fours he reaches around with one arm to grab her around her back and then uses his legs to flip them up and over smashing her back into the ground and hopefully allow for him to free himself from her.
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Arika with Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Arika 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Aranha
Adaptability.
Arika should -really- start watching for that in her opponents. Figuring she's got him down, she leans forward to further press the clawed hand into his side, hoping to keep him out of the fight. That's when she's flipped up and over, her back crashing against the bank before she even realizes what's happening. Groaning, she lays there staring up at the sky until her eyes regain their focus.
Placing her hands on either side of her head, she uses them to bridge upward and then to her feet. Two steps are taken, and then she launches her foot outward, aiming a kick wherever she can manage to hit him - all dependent on how quickly he gets back to his feet or doesn't.
COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Aranha with Medium Kick.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Arika 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Aranha
Aranha tries to roll away from the kick the diva launches at him. Unfortunately he finds himself set up perfectly for the wild kick slamming him right under the ribs making the already tired capoeirista's task of breathing much harder.
Aranha still finds it in him to pull himself back up to his feet. There's no ginga, He's not making himself a hard target to hit. All he cares about is landing the blue glowing roundhouse, the likewise glowing spinning jumpkick and then finishing with a blue glowing back flip kick as a coup de grace to drive the rock star down to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Arika with Aggressive Dance EX.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Arika 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Aranha
He must care about it an awful lot, because when it hits... it hits. Arika is hit by the roundhouse, staggering back only a fraction. It lines her up perfectly for the jumpkick and flipkick. Tumbling to the ground, the punk princess lays there for a second or two. She takes slow, steady and deep breaths. Eyes drift closed.
It looks like she's out.
Only, she's still pushing herself. Shakily, she rises up to her feet and shoots him a glare. Her feet carry her forward, though the movements look a little sluggish. Still, she manages to move them to a slow rhythmic beat before she pirouettes around in a perfect circle, and aims a roundhouse kick to his head. This should carry her down over the bank and to the water once more where she just drops to her knees.
COMBATSYS: Arika can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ <
Aranha 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Aranha with Rhythmic Roundhouse.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\ <
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|
Aranha lands from the flip kick and begins breathing heavy as he looks under his shoulders and then he turns around as she begins to show signs of getting up. As the kick swings around at him he's sure that he should be able to avoid the kick easily. Once again, the smallest of miscalculations serves to bite him in the kiester and his chin gets clipped. While it didn't do much damage he was still running on empty and finds himself falling flat on his face.
COMBATSYS: Aranha takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Aranha can no longer fight.
Log created on 20:53:39 01/20/2008 by Arika, and last modified on 15:29:10 01/21/2008.