Description: Seeing is Believing: Ingrid and Alma duke it out in the Gold Nugget casino in Las Vegas. Truly, in the City of Sin, even for a champion of virtue there is to be found Midnight Bliss. [Rated X] (Winner: Alma)
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: The Entertainment Capital of the World, once known by the dubious denomination Sin City. A city of lights and gaudy grandeur, of massive and lavish casino resorts and nigh unrestricted alcohol availability, a garish den of iniquity lauded and denounced the world round. For those seeking simple fun, it is a place of delights to tease and tantalize every sense; for those of a more rigorous moral constitution, it is a place to be despised, an unhallowed symbol of all that is weak and unfitting in the human psyche. Even many of those who love it are in some level ashamed of it, and all acknowledge that vice fuels it. For those who seek to pass judgment, an analysis of Las Vegas can raise bile to their throats.
For those whose righteousness tends them toward compassion, however, this city occasions only pity, and a quiet recognition of the tragedies seemingly inherent in the human condition.
Clad in his finery, Alma Towazu's sad eyes go unnoticed.
'Tuxedo Alma', as Giorgio teasingly refers to Alma's formal persona, stands out even in the midst of the lobby of the legendary Golden Nugget casino, his particular brand of elegance attracting the eyes of onlookers even as the Neo League cameras quietly and busily are set up in remote locations. Such formal wear is par for the course for men in such a place, of course, and Alma's outfit is if anything less expensive or ornate than most that the men here are wearing; yet most come here with the sense that they are trying to show off, the knowledge that they are on an expensive holiday, and their concern for that motivates them. Alma, merely by his stance and the way he wears his outfit, suggests he either in his mild way simply does not care, or that what he does care about in this situation has little to do with the opinions others will have of them. Indeed, this is so: he is concerned with the richness of this place, but not because his ego is stroked to be immersed in it.
~ Would we be better of if such places did not exist? ~
It's a tough question for a guy like Alma, who tempers his adamant ideals with a generous-hearted and sincere interest in the desires of others, in his natural tendency to reflect on the myriad of things people find meaningful. He suspects there must be people of a sort who find their authenticity in environments like this, and he would savor meeting them, just as he enjoys meeting those who express themselves best through combat. But the most of them who do it, perhaps they only hurt themselves, and others...
~ And yet, is this not also true of fighting? ~
Lost in his thoughts, Alma's beauty is touched by melancholy.
How very bishounen.
Time passes, and Alma is left to his quiet thoughts as Neo League officials, who seem fairly insignificant amidst the large number of patrons flowing through the Casino's main entrance, walk back and forth. So far there's no sign of Alma's opponent, and with the time going by it could make one wonder if they're even going to bother showing up.
After about fifteen minutes of nothing at all, there's suddenly a chime just loud enough to be heard over the vocal attendees of the Gold Nugget. The sound of a woman's voice comes through an intercom, "Alma Towazu, please come to the main showroom. Once again, Alma Towazu please come to the main showroom. Thank you." Certainly unorthodox- aren't there hostesses right behind the lobbies main counter who could have simply told him?
The time has passed as nothing for Alma, but the voice rouses him from his reverie. He listens calmly, the slight distress fading from his expression, and even as the League official mutter to one another about this unprecedented change he appears to remain composed.
"Mr. Towazu," one of them finally says, "we apologize. We're not sure--"
"It's fine."
The soft-spoken youth smiles, features warming significantly.
"I'm becoming quite interested," he adds, before turning and sedately following the crowd.
It's been too long since he fought a Neo League fight, yet already he allowed himself to be caught up in his own thoughts. Clearly, he's kept himself away from tournaments to his own detriment. He should be focused, passionate, on some level enthusiastic. Quietly, even as his spirits lift, he approaches himself for forgetting his own Hiten-Ryu spirit, that which allows him to overcome his own nature; he'll use this environment, and become engaged, trusting that he can retain his integrity in the process.
His smile widens.
"Let's have some fun," he says to himself, as he enters through the main doors and walks down the red carpet, followed by the eyes of a quickly gathering audience...
The hall room is almost completely dark, and the stage itself is seemingly cast in an even greater shadow- likely to help hide changes made to it during performances from the audience. The doors close, the room finally at it's capacity, and the light from the hallway is cut off altogether, leaving the room in shadowed seclusion. Hardly noticeable, there's a light ruffling in the curtains onstage- probably not something even noticeable to most.
A few moments later, timed perfectly so that when Alma is about halfway down the carpet and his eyes are aimed towards the stage, a bright spotlight turns on, striking the center of the stage and revealing a single figure.
Up on stage is Ingrid; a radiant, if amused, smile set upon her face. She isn't wearing her normal clothing today. Instead she's wearing something much more exhilarating, both in order to better fit in with the location and simply to have a bit of fun. Today she's wearing an outfit very reminiscent of one a dancer from The Rockettes might wear. It's perfectly color coordinated, a medium blue that is almost, but not quite, a violet being the main color, with white trimmings and just a dash of black. The top is a tiny little thing, almost a bra by the standards of size alone. The purple fabric is just large enough to cover her chest, thinning out at the center to follow the curve of her body and wrapping al the way around her, white lace ringing the top. It's held up by two sets of lace-lined straps, one rising up over her collar bone and connecting to the back, and a second set that connects to the bottom of a purple choker wrapped delicately around her neck. Ingrid's shoulders are left bare, but lined up to sit flush with her top on each of her arms are a set of sleeves. A lace-bordered band holds them up, and they fall all the way down to her wrists, belling out in the last few inches before ending in long, fringy white lace.
A widely flared skirt appears just below her bellybutton, falling an almost scandalously short distance before ending only a quarter of the way to her knees. The front of the skirt has a slight maid theme to it, a small little apron sewn into the front of it, it's ties acting as the beginning of the skirt and actually going around back, tied into a small twin-tailed bow. A thin line of lace runs two inches before the hem of the skirt, and if one decides to actually peek under the scant little thing, they find an incredibly lacy white petticoat, perfect for keeping a young woman's modesty in such attire.
No attire is complete without accessories, and this one is no exception. Sharing the same blue-violet coloring as the rest of the ensemble are a pair of 3-inch heel shoes that sport a small buckle on the outside of the ankle straps. The shoes help to show off her thin, shapely legs, which are made all the better by a pair of white stockings that rise up out of them. Rather than extending all the way up they cut off halfway between her knees and the bottom of her skirt, an inch wide ribbon circling just beneath the top of them to hold cute ribbons to the outside of the stockings. Atop her head sits a large hat with a modest, downward tilted brim. Most impressive of all, it also appears to have a large black-rimmed blue-violet belt with a huge silver buckle that sits on the right side of Ingrid's head. To top all this off the young woman is holding a large yellow spiral lollypop daintily in her left hand, helping to bring out the outfit's youthful innocence.
The overall effect of the outfit can be stunning, bringing out every one of Ingrid's best features. Her figure is truly something to behold when so much of it is left out in the open as it is. Completely trim with no hints of excess body fat, and yet still managing to have the feminine curves that so many girls her size lack. Her hair is also free from it's usual hair ornaments, allowing it all to fall freely downward, framing her face much more than normal.
The audience seems to have fallen into a hush, allowing a pure high-pitched voice to hail at a
The audience seems to have fallen into a hush, allowing a pure high-pitched voice to hail at a modest volume. "Good evening, Alma." How is it that she can keep her voice so even, even in situations like this one?
"...."
It's just not fair.
The audience watches for a short breathless silence until Ingrid speaks, and then whispering abounds, especially amongst the Neo League officials themselves, who are fully aware that the DVD sales of this fight are going to skyrocket-- and the only silent one among them, Alma Towazu himself, stands alone on the red carpet, looking up at the figure on the stage.
The color has drained from his face.
It's... just not fair.
It's one thing for the lovely young Norweigian to be clad in such an unprecedently tittilating ensemble, and quite another for Alma to be struck by that and her ever-fascinating aura in conjunction. Alma spends enough time around attractive ladies in varying states of undress to not be concerned about such outfits in and of themselves, but any girl with a fighting spirit, as it were, who appears as such could make him break a sweat. The Eternal Goddess, however?
If she asked him to worship her right now, he might not be able to refuse.
The color returns to his face, significantly so; the light bronze of his skin is lit up by a rosy glow that even the cameras might pick up.
Wordlessly, dignified save for the utterly poleaxed look in his eyes, the tall model approaches the stage, his gaze never leaving his fellow psychic.
Mounting the stares he moves toward the girl, still silent as the whispers die down again, the whirring of the cameras now audible. Alma stops several yards away, and noticably takes a deep breath, as though trying to reorient himself.
"Good evening, Ingrid," he finally manages, voice steady and composed, as he bows slightly but respectfully. "It's been too long since we've faced each other. I'm honored to be able to challenge you again."
~ That's right, Alma, you've grown. You represent even more than you used to. You're an adult now-- let your dignity be a testament to the YFCC! ~
His gaze sweeps up her form, perhaps a little too casually.
"That, uh..."
Looking just ever so /slightly/ desperate, his gaze settles on the candy.
"...that looks delicious."
There is a long pause.
"The... the lollipop, I mean. Not the... er..."
~ Aww, man. ~
Flushing slightly, Alma sighs and reaches up to rub the back of his head as laughter ripples through the audience, but soon enough a sheepish smile emerges.
It's okay, Alma, it's good for your wholesome image.
"Shall we begin?"
COMBATSYS: Alma has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alma 0/-------/-------|
Though Alma's reaction is both exactly what she had hoped and humors her to an incredible degree, Ingrid keeps the expression on her face exactly the same. Though the crowd murmurs and speaks amongst themselves, she is focused completely upon this one silent member. She's a person who greatly enjoys being amongst other people, and the more the better. But right now? Right now the room may as well be empty, but for the two of them.
"I, too, have long awaited this moment." In response to his bow she reaches down and grips the hem of her skirt, lifting it lightly while crossing her legs and lowering herself in a curtsy, allowing a brief view of petticoat before returning to her normal height.
The slight blunder brings a warmness to her smile- and yet it never seems to lose that enigmatic amusement. "Would you like a taste?"
The question hangs in the air for several moments before Ingrid's arm extends slightly, the lollipop held towards Alma not unlike a regal scepter, and just in range of his mouth.
Ingrid... she just can't help herself, around Alma. Teasing him is just too much fun, and though it embarrasses him it never seems something that will offend him. Maybe he knows that it isn't intended as insult, but simply for the fun of it, or how much fun she has doing it. Maybe he likes it.
"Very well," she speaks lightly, retracting the candy treat after the offer has been either accepted or rejected. "Let's reveal everything to one another. The more I know of you the more I want to know, and the more of myself I want to s hare." Finally she allows her true emotions to spread into her voice; depths of warmth, honesty and affection found within.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Alma 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ingrid
COMBATSYS: Ingrid focuses on her next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Alma 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ingrid
He can at least be thankful for the petticoat.
Still, it is precisely her enigmatic qualities that he admires the most. So many of the women that seem to interest him bewilder or frustrate others; many of them deservedly so, as quite a few of them are actually rather dangerous by normal standards. Alma, as one whose entire existence is in many ways predicated on his views about the human condition -- and the glimpses that he believes his psychic power gives him into it, both in himself and others -- cannot but be fascinated by those who deviate in extraordinary ways. A young lady who, otherwise completely rational and self-preserved, seems to think she is a goddess? How can he resist? Her persona mesmerizes him; her closeness, physically and spiritually, thrills him.
Her offer is an opportunity that cannot be refused.
"Thank you," he says quite solemnly, his own expression giving away neither any humor nor any realization that she has been humored, as he leans forward and gently and deliberately places his lips and tongue to the lollipop.
*snap* *snap* *flash* go the cameras.
This will be on the front cover of /something/.
Alma leans back and straightens, meeting her gaze clearly.
"It's quite good."
Only then do his eyes begin to sparkle with mirth, his deadpan expression finally fading as a grin grows to brighten his features. He sure likes something, even if it's not the teasing. Who would, though? It's quite flattering, even for a guy like him. Not to mention the idea of 'revealing everything'; even at this point that manages to throw him off a little. "Goodness gracious," he murmurs under his breath, perhaps even a little wryly, averting his eyes for just a moment before meeting her gaze again.
What's truly flattering, though, is the comment that turns his grin to a real sincere smile, his eyes softening as he hears her final words. Of course-- she has always shared his spirit in this regard. It truly has been too long. Too long since he has seen her.
"I've missed you, Ingrid."
Too long since a fight!
"Let's both share everything we have."
Now, with her last comments, he is at the point where he can say such a thing and the possible innuendo doesn't even occur to him (the same cannot be said of the viewers at home). Eyes open and bright, he shifts his stance and straightens his back, limbs relaxing and body beginning to sway ever so slightly, finding a rhythm in this new place.
"Please, do your best!"
'FIGHT!'
Ah, the word he has awaited!
He lunges and brings with him an ardent flood of passion, manifested as a comet of soulful white flame that wreathes his open palm, bringing forward his own spirit like a charging champion's lance.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid endures Alma's Self Expression.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Ingrid
"You're most welcome," comes the reply as the young man accepts her offer and has a taste of the copiously large lollipop. Then comes his response to it, and she smiles. "I'm glad you think so."
Ingrid laughs softly as Alma reacts to her heartfelt words, their possible innuendo seeming to fluster him even though the true meaning is nothing of the sort. But then... perhaps it was t he intended meaning that provoked that response? That's a thought that brings a moment of pause to Ingrid, as she contemplates it.
Then comes his simple honesty, a statement as simple as 'I've missed you', that has such a large emotional response from her. For the first time she wishes her empathic ability could go the other way, so she could perfectly express her gratitude for such a statement. To be missed as such by someone who, despite the emotional depth of their previous encounters, is merely an acquaintance... it's affirming to her. "I've missed you as well, Alma."
She is quiet for now, not simply overwhelmed by her emotions, but intentionally allowing herself to be so. Her tight control over herself is tossed haphazardly into the wind, because this is a time and place where it not only isn't needed, but would be harmful.
Alma moves forward and strikes, and Ingrid simply stands there and accepts his power to wash over her, not denying him this chance to force his own being, a small little piece of himself into her, and embracing it totally. It's at that moment that she realizes- there is a way she can truly show her gratitude to him on a purely instinctual level. All she need do is reciprocate, and surely he will know.
Their proximity is extremely close, his hand but a scant distance from her as he unleashes the flames of his soul. Ingrid's return gesture is simple because of this. He has brought himself to her, so she need do nothing to approach him. Her right arm simply raises up, a brilliant cascade of golden sparkles streaming out from it as it raises, the sum total of her emotions ingrained into this single release of her power, the young woman doing everything within her power to make sure he receives it, even a hint of desperation for making this happen emerging from within.
It's an odd thing, when Ingrid truly lets herself free.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid successfully hits Alma with Sunburn EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Ingrid
How can he resist?
Such enthusiasm on her part is delightful-- yet also overwhelming, moreso than he can recall. Opening his heart to her response, still Alma is staggered by the strike, failing to endure what Ingrid could from him, his eyes sparkling for a moment with the color of her energy rather than the pinks and purples of his own as his head is tossed back and lips part. Shaking his head for a moment as he regains his footing, Alma regards her with an air of respect, his head tilting slightly so as to gaze at her sidelong.
"You've gotten stronger..."
His eyes widen slightly as an enthusiastic grin is inspired, far more expressive than anything he would normally show outside of combat, away from the hallowed clash of souls, the beautiful intercourse to be found in a moment like this.
"I can't hold back!"
Whether this is a statement of purpose or a desperate admission will remain forever unclear, for Alma has already launched himself forward, lunging like a pouncing jungle cat upon his tantalizingly-clad prey. The same flames ignite around his legs as he whips himself into a fierce series of three spinning kicks, each one travelling higher up her slender frame.
Can she defend herself? Will she be forced to embrace this too?
And what's she going to do with that lollipop?
COMBATSYS: Ingrid counters Rising Fury from Alma with Sun Upper.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Ingrid
A slight sigh escapes Ingrid's lips as her expression finds purchase. It was, perhaps, not as refined as Alma's own, but it was something she felt simply must be done. Now that she has, it doesn't mean that she has finished. Far from it, in fact. Though she feels that he can now know the torrent of emotions she's allowing to take control of her, there's still so much left to 'say' to him.
Her head nods, "I have. I've worked hard to overcome the obstacles I've faced... but I must work even harder still so that I can overcomes the ones I will face." A look of worry crosses her face, and then the briefest flash of fear that nearly overwhelms her before subsiding. Her eyes refocus on Alma. "I... must show you how strong I've become!"
The battle is rejoined, and Alma is speeding towards her again. Jumping at her and wreathing his legs with his spiritual power, seeking to strike her down with his enthusiasm.
It's not to be, this time. Her reaction is pure instinct, allowing the ebb and flow of her own emotions to choose it's own path for her. With Alma attacking her she once again holds her ground rather than seeking escape, only with a much different purpose. She leans forward at the hips, a tantalizing thing in this outfit, and then reaches in front of herself with her lollipop hand and taps at the air. A disk of brilliant swirling energy emerges in front of her, and the two powers clash.
But it's not a fair fight, for while the psychic power can hold it's own, the trappings of the flesh doom Alma's kicks from the moment of contact. It happens in a flash, but it's an odd sensation. The energy contained within the disk disperses, wrapping itself around Alma's body completely in an invisible and perfect binding. Ingrid raises up on one leg and flips her arm wildly into the air with a single smooth motion and that binding power jerks upwards violently, flinging Alma towards the ceiling and dissolving a moment after, leaving him to deal with the call of gravity himself.
In this moment Ingrid steps backwards and smiles to herself, lifting the lollipop to have a taste of her own. Was it the same part that Alma tasted earlier? We'll have to wait until the stop-frame footage is finished being analyzed tomorrow to find out.
A number of reasons for why events have transpired this way thus far filter through Alma's conscious mind as he is tossed away and send rolling along the ground, rising instinctively to one knee as he slides to a stop. His opponent has certainly improved; he may very well be out of practice as well; that leaning forward before her counter-strike was rather more distracting than he'll ever admit to anyone. Struggling to his feet, Alma breathes deep, clearing his mind of all distractions, opening himself again to the heated rhythm of the fight--
--ohh, man, it's like an indirect kiss--
When he breathes out, it's more as a helpless sigh than anything.
Ingrid, empath that she is, might be able to tell the source that has inspired this sigh -- that it is himself rather than her -- and detecting that would no doubt be more than enough to amuse her all over again. But his follow-up is reassuring: a gentle grin, and a raising again of his fists. Rather than fight his haplessness in the face of her many distractions, Alma embraces it as he does the battle itself. He wants it all, everything in its entirely-- all of Ingrid and all of himself, unified in battle, their very identities pressed together in the vice-like crush of combat.
Even if 'all of himself' includes dopey behavior like this.
"Hmn!"
His resolve returns, and with it his momentum.
Hesitating no longer, Alma steps forward, weaving with a natural but unpredictable flow, like a river whose course is determined by rocks submerged from view. His knee lifts, then lowers, then lifts again, as his hands shift into a preparation for some strike-- and then snaps out, aiming to catch the girl with a fierce front kick to her bare midriff.
Her delightfully bare midriff.
Argh, no, on with the kickings!
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ingrid with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Ingrid
Poor Alma. He can't help but be who he is, and yet parts of him are exasperated that. That that is also a part of him is far too complicated and convoluted for Ingrid to dwell on, so she'll simply give him a knowing smile after he sighs.
She toys with the candy as he pulls himself together and gets ready to attack once more. The young woman again seems to be prepared to stay fast as he does so, refusing to give an inch. But the feints do their job. Ingrid holds her arms up in front of herself and attempts to stave off the blow to come, not able to recognize the true intent of the strike until Alma's foot is firmly embedded in her stomach.
This is where it's time for Alma to look unduly vicious- a dress shoe to the bared midriff of a small, thin teenage girl. In any other context the flashbulbs of the cameras would be capturing something truly horrible, but in this one they simply show a perfectly executed front kick.
The result a staggered Ingrid, shoved back forcibly by the impact and doubled over in the same moment, effectively bending inward and flying backwards like a thrown suitcase. But at least she doesn't go too far. She hits the ground and lands on her behind, a pained little gasp escaping her.
Being a professional fighter means she's able to pick herself up as the pain subsides and not let it affect her too much. Being Ingrid means giving a tremendous pout, and holding up a stick with half a broken lollipop on it. "Why, Alma, how could you?"
Emotional blackmail? No, just another form of teasing, though she is quick to capitalize on any hesitation on his part, her other arm swinging quickly in an underhand motion and leaving a glittering trail of sparkling Psi, a large shining ball of energy forming from her hand and flying up into the air before descending on the tuxedoed fighter.
COMBATSYS: Alma dodges Ingrid's Sun Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Ingrid
It is if anything a testament to her inspiring of him that Alma is not distracted by Ingrid's teasing this time, able to instead gracefully slide right under the glittering blast to the appreciative sounds of the transfixed audience. He doesn't reply in words, but his actions should hopefully be reply enough-- he's going to do his best to let it all flow through him, to truly give his all. He knows now that this means being himself, holding fast to his integrity, even if that means being flustered; yet oddly, in recognizing that, he feels himself less likely to be flustered in the first place. Somehow, the imperative to 'take things seriously' only makes such an attitude more difficult.
With such an emotional stance comes a sense of grace as well-- for it is quite possible that in being himself, and in allowing this quirk of his to reveal itself, Alma will lose this fight, will stumble at the least opportune moment. Yet for one, he is confident that such would not happen were this a fight for his ideals or to defeat that which he loved, that he would not falter for such a thing under different circumstances-- and for another, he would not begrudge a loss to such a respected opponent, especially one that he has defeated before but now has improved so much.
He loves this kind of life too much to deny even that possibility.
He can only keep moving.
"Hyaah!"
And move he does, for his slide only builds his momentum, as seamlessly and with improbable agility he seems to glide up from his lowered position, perhaps thanks in part to the sort of mild application of Psycho Power that allows him to sometimes float gracefully down from the skies after aerial attacks. Whatever the case, it is certainly quite an eye-catching maneuver, and furthermore allows him to move easily into a smooth and steady series of kicks, faint white afterimages trailing behind him and confusingly intermingling with his physical strikes, a serene expression of calm concentration contrasting with the bright light that yet burns within his hazel eyes.
Can Ingrid handle the might of Alma's unrelenting passion?
COMBATSYS: Ingrid counters Autumn Rain from Alma with Sun Delta.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Alma 1/----===/=======|=------\-------\0 Ingrid
Ingrid's words are not ignored, but instead accepted. His response is all that she could have asked for, diving underneath the ball of energy and coming once more towards her. And that is the theme for this fight, Alma rushing towards Ingrid to deliver his feelings to her. But what of the feelings of that poor broken lolly? Those will have to go unheeded, it's shattered form too crippled to bear acknowledgement.
Ingrid stands fast, and Alma rushes towards her, this time using his inner power not to strike her directly, but to aid himself so that he can do so with his body. Such power has many uses, and Alma appears unafraid to make use of them. The young blonde seems to stand still until it is too late, the tuxedo clad fighter bearing down on her and very nearly in kicking range.
A brilliant flash of energy surrounds her, and her own movements accelerate beyond anything she normally produces. In this moment of hyperdexterity she can be seen leaning forward, and once again tapping at the space in front of her. But it's not only a small, simple disk that appears this time, but a triangle of planar energy. That triangle acts as a power magnifier, and through it she forms a massive disk of swirling psychic energy, imposed directly between herself and Alma. His momentum is unchangeable, he is trapped.
But this disk does not act like the last one. Instead, when he hits it he goes partially through it... and then sticks, his foot only an inch from Ingrid's pretty little face. The disk then begins to rise into the air, holding Alma firmly inside if it despite any efforts to escape, assaulting him with Ingrid's own energy throughout. As he ascends painfully the Norwegian stands up straight once more and then leans back slightly, giving him a little salute with the shattered lollipop. It has had it's revenge.
Near the ceiling, the disk vanishes, and Alma is left to fall back towards the ground. In this moment Ingrid gathers up more of her energy, suddenly leaning forward to extend her arms towards Alma when he reaches her height, palms extended towards him. Into the air burns a massive symbol anyone familiar with Ingrid would recognize; shining brightly enough with her golden power to blacken everything except itself, Alma who is within it and, oddly, Ingrid herself.
When it's all over a look of extreme amusement is set upon Ingrid's face. "I think you had forgotten, Alma, that you face not simply Ingrid Holmann, but the Eternal Goddess herself."
"Urgghh--!"
Alma's back arches as he is lifted into the air, his arms hanging limply as his lips part and eyes clench shut with the force of the foreign power churning through his soul. Paralyzed by the symbol of the Goddess, he can only endure as the swirling energy blazes bright, and when her palms thrust out and the attack is finished the tall young model can only fall to his knees before her, slumping forward and just barely managing to catch himself on his palms, by all appearances now prostrating himself before her.
It's purely accidental, but infinitely appropriate.
"Heh heh..."
Wearily, Alma gathers himself, finding the strength to push himself up and lean back, still kneeling but now looking up into Ingrid's eyes with a soft smile, his arms relaxed at his sides.
"...how could I forget?... it's just that..."
Methodically, resolutely, he gets to his feet again.
"...I think some divinities are best paid respect to..."
Alma Towazu, champion of virtue and man of faith, lifts his hands again to fight.
"...through defiance!"
Whatever this 'Eternal Goddess' truly is, Alma recognizes its power, and knows that if he has a chance at victory it will be through meeting that power with every ounce of his own. His acknowledgement of the existence of this Goddess will be in his determination to overcome her.
If this is defiance, it is of the most loving kind.
"Prepare!"
Choosing rather to seize the initiative rather than gather his power, Alma lunges forward immediately, eyes clear now and intent on his opponent, arms twisting before, exhaling sharply, the beautiful fighter unleashing a fierce uppercut blow under the girl's chin, enough to fell a lesser foe.
Patiently, even as he presses her, he awaits his moment...
But will it come?
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ingrid with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 1/---====/=======|===----\-------\0 Ingrid
Alma takes the punishment of the powerful reversal, and then is able to pull himself together despite the punishment he's taken so far. His defiance is shown simply by getting back to his feet- but that was expected. For him to give up now would be unthinkable.
Ingrid nods her head, understanding, and continues to smile at him. When he tells her to be ready? She simply stays where she is, as she has for the entire fight, so far. Again, Alma moves to her, but this time the young woman is far from stationary. This time she attempts to evade, to get out of the way of that nasty looking punch before it can come in and knock her off of her feet.
But that burst of speed is no longer with her, and with Alma already speeding in she's at a disadvantage. The punch comes, and catches her solidly under the chin. Her head whips back, hard enough to dislodge her hat from her head and send it tumbling to the ground. Ingrid tumbles down herself, but not before an extended vacation in the air, though she's too dazed from the impact to enjoy it. She hits the ground hard, half bounces, and collapses in a heap. For a moment she lays there on the ground felled, her unrestrained hair laying messily around and on her, her expression devoid of everything and simply plain, looking calm and serene.
A twinge of pain ruins the look, and she pulls herself into a sitting position. "My, my. I certainly feel very well respected now. I think you've proven yourself worthy." She gets back to her feet.
The fight has reached an impasse. For the first time since the fight began she is left being alone, without any options for participating actively while still allowing Alma to set the pace. Now, for the first time, she must take the fight into her own hands and strike first, possibly walking into a well set trap.
Tactically, she would be wise to take a moment to rest, or perhaps lob another ball of energy at him to force a stalemate. But she won't do that- not now. Instead she is going to rush forward and strike, seemingly daring Alma to intercept her at the waypoint and turn the tables on her once and for all. She's going to rush straight at him before hopping into the air, entering a spin with her elbows extended, glittering energy emanating across her entire body as she seeks to batter him with her limbs. And when she lands she wont stop, but enter into a high arcing flashkick, seeking to plant her feet under -his- chin while a long stream of energy releases from her heels, accompanied with a loud happy exclamation.
But first, she's going to pick up her hat.
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Ingrid's Sunrise.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Alma 1/--=====/=======|====---\-------\0 Ingrid
Alma's patience does not seem immediately seem to pay off. Although the heavy strike does knock Ingrid back, proving that he is still more than ready to fight, he can only bring up his arms to defend against the crushing flash kick, waves of that glittering energy surging around him causing almost as much of a distraction as her fluttering petticoats. Still, the young man stands resolutely, his guard up and unbroken as the girl rises high--
"Hmn!"
--and, eyes flashing, he makes his move.
Attacking a wielder of Psycho Power while they are in the air is not such a sure thing as with someone else; psychics often have superior control of their own momentum. Yet still, Alma seizes on this moment as she soars higher, still in the midst of her attack, and he lunges forward to trace her moments, acting as her shadow upon the ground. Only once she reaches the peak of her upward arc does Alma thrust his fist down to the ground--
"URRRAAAHHH!"
--and finally unleash the fullness of his passion for this fight.
Knuckles slamming against the stage, a scintalling geyser of sworling pinks and purples explodes up from nowhere, tearing its way insatiably through the air to devour the decidedly scrumptous young goddess still suspended in the sky. If she cannot recover in time, the column will pierce through and draw her in, battering her with wave upon wave of unfocused, raw soul power, burning at both body and mind.
She may lose more than her hat.
Hit or miss, though, when Alma rises from the ground he has a satisfied expression on his face, the release of all that built-up energy seeming to be quite the relief.
It's everything he has to offer.
He promised, after all, that he'd share it all.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ingrid with Full Confession.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Ingrid
The empath does have the ability to alter her momentum midair, and the moment she recognizes what is about to happen she attempts to do so, her direction immediately reversing and sending her back towards Alma. But it's no good. If she had been quicker to realize the nature of the attack, she might have escaped. But she didn't, and rather than landing on the ground near him she's caught in his power.
Though she's very resilient against power that stems from the soul, there is no denying the sheer power of that which she's struck with. The uppercut was painful. This is devastating. Rather than simply a single blast there's a continuous barrage of them, and by the time the release of energy is completed she's falling to the ground limply.
She hits the ground again. This time she's quicker to recover... but the toll the battle has taken on her is apparent. She's wobbly, and her limbs seem just a little weak, shaking slightly as she moves to support herself. Words aren't needed here. The smile she wears, strained though it is now through pain, is compliment enough to Alma.
Though she still wears her lovely outfit, she will communicate with Alma through battle alone, reducing the strain on her system as the fight nears it's crescendo.
She breaks into a run, rushing at him with all the speed she can produce in her weakened condition. Once she's close her methodology is simple, and direct. One of her most often used and most well practiced attacks, an integral part of her fighting strategy, she simply raises her hands into the air, and then pulls them down while pushing them forward towards Alma. A large stream of energy is released from her hands, enough to completely bathe him in her psychic power if he's not careful. But even if it succeeds, will it be enough? One thing that would be communicated through this strike, is doubt.
COMBATSYS: Alma interrupts Sunbeam from Ingrid with Divine Intervention EX.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Ingrid
It's just as he anticipated.
As soon as Alma felt his geyser attack engulf his opponent, he was preparing for what was, in a sense, his /true/ attack. Given the power of his assault, one might find that denomination a little odd, but insofar as what is to come is far more technical than his previous attack, it is so. The Full Confession tends to disorient even the most strong-willed of opponents, and though Ingrid has an infinitely more formidable sense of self that almost any other Alma has encountered -- if there is anything that suggests to him the possibility of an Eternal Goddess, it is that, which he feels with every psychic attack he lands upon her -- successfully hitting her with the distance strike gave him the preparation time he needed.
And how, after all, could he let the fight end before using this?
Alma thrusts his left palm forward, the energy that Ingrid releases cascading around it, splitting and spreading so that it fails to fully harm him-- but more importantly, obscuring in the blaze of light what his right arm is doing until too late. At the apex of her strike, just as he has blocked most of it, he shifts suddenly and thrusts his right hand forward instead--
"Haa!"--and unleashes a piercing beam of honed white flame that shears directly through her attack and cleaves to her breast, the line of energy seeming to shoot straight through her, a final blast of soulfire cutting directly to her heart.
The power behind the strike casts her back, and as it does Alma straightens, reaching up to wipe a single bead of sweat from his forehead and run a hand through his tousled blond hair.
"We all..."
He smiles slightly, eyes twinkling.
"...have a spark of the divine."
A worthy offering to the Eternal Goddess.
How indeed? It was just a matter of time before he attempted it, just as Ingrid hardly ever enters a fight in which she decides not to use her potent reversal techniques. In that they're similar. The young woman's attack is resisted, and then blown apart completely. Alma's soulflame shoots through the golden sparkles and blows straight through her body as well, resulting not in a destructive knock back that sends her sprawling, but a perhaps more dramatic sharp gasp, and then a simple collapse into a seated position.
She's left sitting upon the stage with ragged breathing, having completely exhausted herself over the course of the fight. She threw almost everything she had at him, and yet here she sits upon the ground. Were she not so enthralled at the huge emotional significance of her meeting with this young man, she would probably be reflecting on just how fearful an opponent he is.
"Yes," she replies. "I suppose that is true. Everyone has something inside of them, something that can allow them to do great things if they so choose." It isn't psychic energies she's talking about, but then Alma would know that.
Alma should also know that a downed, bested fighter can also be a dangerous one. Especially a psion with a knack for throwing around the energy like it's going out of style.
Case in point, as she sits there she channels the last remaining bits of her energy, and raises her hands below her chin. A flash of energy appears around her once more- enough of a telegraph that he can probably escape by simply taking a step to the side right about then, and a dull, small sphere of energy forms in her hands. Here, at this close range, she holds her 'last stand', and blows the little ball towards Alma. She'd make it look like a blown kiss, if it weren't for the fact that would doom it to failure.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Alma 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Alma dodges Ingrid's Sun Burst.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Alma 0/-------/-======|
It's all he's got, but it's just enough.
Alma does indeed have the presence of mind to weave away from the young lady's final attack, but even as the audience begins to applaud he is already moving forward again, pushing with the last of his energy to get to her side before she collapses completely. Stumbling slightly, he is not quite fast enough, and allows himself to fall to his knees so that he can catch her before she falls-- the result is an odd embrace that would be awkward if Alma were conscious enough of his own actions to see any awkwardness anywhere, but one that lasts for only a moment before he sets Ingrid down next to him, staying by her side.
Despite the publicness of this event, he does not acknowledge the audience, something of a rarity for him. Indeed, it is mainly because he is still not quite thinking straight; he can feel that the fight has ended, yet the vestiges of its rhythm still pull at his soul, and lost in his experience of his opponent's aura he sits in silence next to her for a moment, just gazing at her, by all appearances deep in thought.
"That was close," he says finally. "I gave everything I had."
It's the truth. He only barely pulled through.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to hold back with you, Ingrid," he continues softly, beginning to smile gently through his fatigue. "But you're also..."
The cameras are still rolling and the stage spotlight remains on them, some ingenious technican choosing to dim the light now so that only they remain visible to the cheering audience, the spotlight itself sure to blink out soon enough in a dramatic finish-- and still in the light with her, Alma seems unaware of it all, still lost in the glory of their battle.
"...a person I'd never regret losing to."
Were Alma a more obviously competitive person, this might be a more clear compliment; but perhaps she will understand. A man for whom his ideals are so prominent seeks strength to defend them, would die for them-- and yet he knows now, looking at her and seeing her aura in all its vibrancy, that even if they met as enemies in some barely conceivable way, even if he failed at something meaningful by her hands, still he would not be ashamed-- so much does he respect her, such awe does he feel for all that she is.
The tendrils of combat retract, his soul is freed, and awareness returns.
And with it, the realization that this whole time his arms have remained wrapped around her, his palms brushing the skin of her back bared by her stunning outfit.
"Er..."
Gingerly, without pulling away, Alma tries to do a subtle job of maneuvering his hands away from any skin-to-skin contact without her noticing how embarrassed he's becoming. Unfortunately, for one, the places that are covered are places he shouldn't be touching, and for another-- well, as if he could ever hide that from her.
He probably can't even hide it from the audience, thanks to the spotlight highlighting how his expression has gone from blissful tranquility to mild half-repressed strain.
COMBATSYS: Alma has ended the fight here.
One moment she's expending the very last of her available energy, and the next alma is there next to her, making sure she isn't going to flop unceremoniously on the floor after the display of power. A little smile forms on her lips, partly because she's thankful, and partly because she can already tell it's going to embarrass him at some point in the future. At least she isn't going to make him carry her around in a bikini this time, right?
"Thank you, Alma. It seems that no matter how hard and how far I push myself, you're always there one step ahead of me." The words are not self-deprecating in any way; it's a compliment to his skill, talent, and awareness of himself. Her breathing is still heavy from the exertion of the battle, and she simply allows Alma to take what little weight is required to keep her from falling over, a single hand held gently to her chest. It's probably not much to him, but remains a great help to her.
The young woman looks up to him and smiles at his words, "I'm glad to hear you say that, Alma. Though it is always a disappointment to be bested, there's always so much I learn about you and myself when we meet that it seems completely overshadowed." The adrenaline leaves her system, and tiredness is replaced with fatigue and exhaustion. And Alma seems to have remembered herself.
She still manages a small laugh, "Silly boy, it's alright to be so close to someone when you're helping them. Even when they're as cute as me." How else would Ingrid offer advice, than to tease him?
Log created on 23:27:55 03/21/2008 by Ingrid, and last modified on 06:38:11 03/23/2008.