Description: It starts out innocent enough. Horses, jousting, cheering crowds... Hotaru and Roberto have a friendly match but Hotaru seems to be having a hard time keeping her head in the game. That is, unfortunately, until she is at her limits and her attempts at control shatter... ( Winner: Hotaru )
Welcome to Mort's Medieval Faire. On plot of land close to Pacific High School there are a variety of concession stands filled with approximations of period cuisine.
Also there are various people in Medieval styled dress. Men and women look like nobles of various ranks. As more and more people gather people are ushered towards the make-shift arena. Horses and weapons are brought to the field but the fighters have yet to enter.
The fighters are getting into the gear. Roberto opted to wear chain mail, a tunic with the crest of Taiyo High and a helmet. A shield is worn on his left arm also bearing the crest of Taiyo. There's still a bit of time before things start and so Roberto waits outside of Hotaru's tent. He has something to say to her before the cameras start rolling.
By now Hotaru's starting to take the hint. Once again, her appearance at the SNF is as the heel of the fight. Needless to say, this was pretty much almost never the case before, outside of one incident where she had to be an alien attempting to fend off the pesky human Acacia space explorer. She made for a cute alien though. But it seems her behavior as of late has hardly gone unnoticed by the fight match makers.
Sighing softly, the girl mutters, "Yeah, yeah, I get it already," stepping out of the tent she had to prepare in. Dressed the part of an evil enchantress, the girl is clothed in a long black dress with a slit down one side to give her freedom to move and, well, ride a horse as that is apparently a new skill the fighters have had to pick up for tonight's venue. A black shawl rests over her head, drapping down her shoulders and her arms are covered by the long sleeves of her dress. Feet clad in soft, black, leather shoes, she's at least not terribly impeded by the outfit, as opposed to some of the matches she's appeared in. Of course, her humor for such contrivences used to be a lot better too.
It's with a blink of surprise that she finds Roberto outside of the tent, her hands busy toying with the shawl, pushing most of it up out of the way of her face so that it just kinda flops atop her head, "Roberto," the girl speaks up before quickly recovering from the surprise, "So we meet again," she finishes, her smile faint. So he's dressed up as the knight for this match. Yeah, seems like she really is the badguy all the time now.
Faint smiles. After their Neo League fight that was something that Roberto hadn't been expecting. After all the soccer goalie did use a more demeaning version of his Mundane Save. There was also the fact that he didn't sugar coat the truth.
Roberto didn't come here to preach though. Not this time. No unless it comes up in the process of the fight he won't talk about that. After the fight would be another matter.
As for now Roberto comes for one reason. "Hotaru, I know we didn't end our fight on the best of terms." Perhaps it was as much his fault as hers but that was neither here or there. "But as someone who fought alongside you in Thailand, I feel obligated to tell you that someone in Shadaloo is coming around attacking people who fought against them in the war."
That someone's name is... Sakura? While it's true that she has attacked people involved in the Thailand incident... well, she's probably not the person Roberto's talking about. If she attacks them, it's for a friendly battle! ... She is in the stands though, squinting to get a better view of the two fighters.
He mentions how their last fight ended and Hotaru shakes her head, glancing off to the side thoughtfully for a moment, "Nn. I-" she begins, before catching herself in the midst of coming up with another excuse, another rationalization. But in the end she settles on a neutral, "Yeah, guess we didn't," and leaves it at that. Though the look on her face suggests she doesn't think she's entirely to blame for that, even if it has been pointed out to her her behavior has been out of line as of late.
He mentions someone attacking those who went to fight in Thailand and Hotaru leans her head to the side slightly, "That little boy? I've seen him before. He... well... he was really weird, but he didn't seem like he could really back up his threats." Which is to say she chased Jesen off rather handily. "If that's who you're talking about, I think caution is definitely in order, but I'm not sure what he can do on his own."
Her hand comes up to brush the shawl aside as it flops down over her face again. Okay, yeah, the girl tells herself, that thing has got to go. "Well then. Shall we?" she states, slipping around Roberto, seemingly not having taken his warning tooo seriously.
"So then she isn't the only one." 'She' being the operative word here and the only evidence that he was talking about someone else. But before Roberto could elaborate further it appears the Faire staff is ushering both fighters to the field. It's something that he'll make sure to mention to Daigo when he next sees him again. If only he could mention to her that she should beware of out of place nurses to her away from anyone eavesdropping.
On the way over to the field he does glance over to see the fighting co-ed... Fighting school girl doesn't seem quite appropriate anymore. He'd like to have a talk to her since it hasn't been since he saw Sean and Sakura hanging out together since he last saw her.
After that he heads to weapons rack and hooks a pair of crossbows to his hip, mounts his steed, a snow white horse bearing the Taiyo Crest on it. Now he waits for the fight to begin. Man... If there was anything he detested, besides Yurika Kirishima, it was being on a horse.
At the mention of 'she', Hotaru's brow furrows, the girl glancing at Roberto. "Wait, you mean that-" she begins before the two start getting shoved to their respective sides of the arena. The crowd begins cheering, everyone picking their early favorites before the match has even begun yet. Portions of the seating are even colored into white and black sections, giving the patrons in them a default side to cheer for in case they don't want to have to think about it too hard.
Hotaru's horse is brought out. A beautiful black stallion with a black cloth draped over it beneath the saddle she's to be seated on to begin with. The girl pauses for a moment, looking the steed in the eye, reaching out with her right hand to attempt to pet the animal's long nose, only to have it pull its head away from her preemptively.
A quiet sigh escapes her lips before the girl finds herself being helped up onto the horse by an official eager to get the match started. Hefted up by surprise, she squeaks as she's sat in place. "Well, I'll be, if you aren't the rudest servent a sorceress could ever be stuck with..." The offical rolls his eyes and saunters off, leaving Hotaru grinning faintly in amusement.
Another official reaches up to hand the girl a long lance with a broad tip. Ment for smacking someone around moreso than skewering, it would seem. The audience isn't here to see a total blood bath. People are trying to eat!! Hotaru has to do very little to guide her horse into the starting position. He's... done this show a few hundred times by now. He knows the drill.
COMBATSYS: Roberto has started a fight here.
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Roberto 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Roberto
When the horse pulls away from Hotaru's attempt to pet it's nose. A flag goes off for the soccer goalie. While she never made a show of bringing animals to their respective matches he had often heard about her ability to commune with animals. The horse shying away from her goes against everything he heard. An eyebrow is raised under the blue visor shaped protrusion of his helmet but he says nothing. Maybe the animals notice the change in her as well. Maybe she lost their respect as well.
That's all theory. He should be more concerned with action. And so his horse positions goes to his own starting position. When they are given the word the fight begins and the horses going into a full stride towards each other.
Poor Roberto. Even if he was given training to ride he looks more like a hapless victim of his horse's whims than the actual knight he's supposed to be in this match up. Even still, he does manage to get his lance up, but it's a wild and unwieldy charge.
As the horse turns its nose at Hotaru, Kasugano shudders from the stands. She has an idea -why- the horse would have done that... and it just shows her suspicion was right. Even if she can't =explain= why it was right.
She is kinda jealous she's never gotten to ride a horse in any of =her= SNFs though. Fooey.
In the meantime, though, there's plenty of other things here at Mort's Medieval Faire to partake of. Ale! Wenches! Pork on a stick! At least Sakura will have plenty of the latter while she watches the fight. Dinner /and/ entertainment, woo!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Roberto's Random Weapon.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Roberto
As the two historical fighters face off against each other, Hotaru stares across the distance toward Roberto. She knows that their last fight didn't go so hot. The two had fought each other plenty in the past, but it never got unfriendly before that most recent Neo League battle. But the last time... she was so angry, irate at the things he was saying. Just another person calling her out on her actions, something she had quite had her fill of...
Intellectually, she knows that what happened was largely her fault. In her conscious mind she's aware of that. What troubles her, however, is that... she doesn't feel bad for it at all. No remorse, no sorrow or sadness at the friendships damaged or maybe even destroyed over the last few months. It is as if in her soul those are still acceptable losses as long as she gets what she wants. Ruminating on it leaves her confused, though. She /should/ feel bad about that, shouldn't she?
"All right," She murmurs, "Just do your thing." The lance is hefted up, pointed across the way toward Roberto, the girl keeping somewhat steady. Comfortable riding the horse, not so comfortable with the long polearm, she's going to have to make due with what she's actually any good at!
The two charge, an epic clash of knights as in the times of old. Good verses evil, the most simple clash known to mankind. And when they draw near, Hotaru leans low before chucking her lance to the side. The timing has to be just right, no room for error, as she... leaps from her horse directly toward Roberto, slipping in around his lance in the process in an attempt to grapple him off the mount. The sooner they're done flailing at each other with giant lances the better in her book. She has a horrible track record getting out of the way of large, heavy, painful moving objects!
COMBATSYS: Roberto endures Hotaru's Quick Throw.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Roberto
It would appear that Roberto is in agreement with Hotaru but for entirely different reasons. He's not nearly as comfortable on horseback as he is on his two feet. And so he makes no attempt to stop her though he does fall on his terms. He releases the lance as he falls in an attempt to pull her down with him.
If he should get his hands on Hotaru he'll try to make her own fall as unpleasant as possible by twisting so they fall at the same time and using that shield to apply additional pressure.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Roberto's Strong Throw.
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Roberto
Taken clean off their horses, the two fighters drop toward the ground. Her arms around Roberto's waist, Hotaru is in a pretty good position to control her fall, intending to let Roberto land on his back and have her end up nothing worse for wear by the brazen tackle!
But the soccer fighter will have none of that, it seems, twisting himself and pulling Hotaru around in the process. Realizing that she's about to get crunched, the lady in black pushes against Roberto with her hands to put distance between them, alterting the fall such that when they land, his shield merely ends up impacting her shoulder as she hits the dirt at his side with a grunt.
Cheers errupt at the bold opening sequence used by the two fighters, as they've decided to take it off the mounts and down to the ground as early as possible, much to the crowd's delight. Down on the ground, but still quite cognizsant of the fight at hand, Hotaru lashes out with her foot, her leg covered with black tights as it extends from beneath the dress to aim for Roberto's stomach.
At the same time the girl tries to use the leverage to push herself back up to her feet quickly, not really one with a lot of talent for brawling on the ground, nor is she particularly dressed for it!
COMBATSYS: Roberto just-defends Hotaru's Light Kick!
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Roberto
Roberto however is more equipped for a fight on the ground by virtue of two things. His goal keeping experience and his shield. While Hotaru lashes out with her foot to kick him in the stomach, he intercepts the kick by placing the shield at just the right point to render the attack harmless as he attempts to move back to his feet. Goalkeeping honed reflexes with shield utilization in a perfect marriage giving birth to near flawless execution.
While Roberto maybe good at fighting on the ground, he's probably better off brawling on his feet and so he scrambles to his feet. When he's up snaps out a trio of rapid fire kicks at Hotaru's side. It looks like the soccer star may have learned a new trick between their NL fight and now.
COMBATSYS: Roberto successfully hits Hotaru with Triple Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Roberto
Feeling her foot strike the shield, Hotaru realizes rather quickly that she didn't land the hit as intended. No matter, she still manages to kick off it with enough force to get up to her feet quickly...
But not quickly enough to avoid the soccer fighter's incoming kicks, the first one staggering the girl as it impacts her side, the next two follow ups knocking her sideways, her shoulder striking the arena wall, the girl releasing a soft grunt of pain. Yup, still kicks like a mule. In her mind the urge to fall back on something she's certain will work begins to settle in. Why waste time? Why not pull out the big punches? Draw the chi into her, twist it into that vile form, and /use/ it.
Hotaru winces, shaking her head, blue eyes focusing back on Roberto as she pushes herself off of the wall. It takes a moment, but a faint smile works its way back into her expression little by little, "An excellent jab, knight. But not enough to put my reign of terror at an end!" the girl laughs, thoughts of unleashing that demonic attack upon him pushed to the back of her mind.
Taking a moment to brush her dress down, the girl decides to test her ability to leap with it on all the same, jumping forward and shifting into a dive that brings her dropping toward his shoulder with her knee. Should she connect with it, the girl will follow up with a swift but strong kick toward his other shoulder before pushing off and backflipping away!
COMBATSYS: Roberto interrupts Rengeki Shuu from Hotaru with Bicycle Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Roberto
Roberto's leg draws back from the kick combo he recoils attempting let his body relax. It helps him move quickly. A tense body would slow him down. His efforts at relaxing are made easier when makes the quip. Is this the old Hotaru coming back? He's not entirely sure but it gives him hope that the Hotaru that he was friends with is still there.
"Nay. For the sake of my King, I must put an end to your tyranny, dark lady."
When Hotaru takes to the air she manuevers at just the right height for the star striker. He turns his shoulder as the knee impacts with his shoulder. The second kick doesn't connect as cleanly, glancing off of his chain mail as he flips backwards in an attempt stuff the aerial attack with one of his own driving his foot down on the Kenpoist before hitting the ground as well.
She realizes the moment she lands that he's far too ready for her, but her momentum is commited and there's nothing much she can do about it but attempt to slip through his retaliation in time.... To pretty much no avail. Roberto slips out from beneath her second strike, her foot brushing over his chain mail harmlessly, before his foot comes down to crash her down into the ground hard.
Landing in a heap, the girl is still for a moment, a bit jarred by the impact. It takes a while before her hands come down to push against the dirt. The cheering and jeering are equally loud, some cheering for the champion of justice in this bout while others hoping the battered girl still has some fight in her. The match is too young to be over so soon!
Slowly she rises again, taking a moment to focus back on Roberto, exhaling a little. Taking kicks from someone with legs like his is really not going to work out well for her in the long run. She should fight him more seriously, she begins to muse. Don't be afraid to give him her worst. Use it again on him.
A image flashes through the girl's mind, of Sakura nursing her side even long after having been struck by the tainted chi Hotaru can summon. That was wrong for her to hit hit the Taiyo grad with it... it would be wrong to use it here as well... But they'll laugh at you, she tells herself, make fun of you if you can't hurt him. You don't want to just be weak all over again, do you?
The girl grits her teeth, eyes narrowing a little. There's no time for play fights when she's trying to prove herself, after all. No time for not using /everything/ to win... Hands tighten a little... and then her shroud slips back down over her face, blocking out her sight all together, and Hotaru freezes. "Silly veil," she laughs shortly, her stream of consciousness interrupted as she reaches up to take off the black cloth and toss it aside, letting her hair hang down loosely.
The craving passes, for now, and the girl simply bolts into one of her familiar attacks, charging Roberto in an attempt to get a grip on his arms and keep him from defending from the series of rapid stomps right up the front of him as the girl leads into a backflip and tries to land a few yards away!
COMBATSYS: Roberto blocks Hotaru's Shin-Jou Tai.
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Hotaru 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Roberto
The soccer star can't avoid one arm being grabbed. That shield on his other arm though, that makes grabbing him just a bit harder. Even if it's just one hand, it's enough to climb him like a flight of stairs. And once again that shield becomes a nuisance to the Kenpoist. The soccer star moves the shield in the way, saving him from the repeated stomps.
It's not as flawless an execution as the first deflection of his shield. He's sent stumbling backwards from the impact and letting out a grunt. Yes, much more painful even blocking it now than it was before the change of personality.
Taiyo's soccer star backs off for a moment trying to think of what his next move should be. And while he's in control he ponders slowing the pace of the fight down. He snaps a kick at her leg. He doesn't know if he can keep up if he doesn't slow her down a bit.
He's not exactly privy to the crisis of conscience that his opponent is experiencing but perhaps he will soon.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Roberto's Light Kick.
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Hotaru 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Roberto
Once again that infernal shield gets in the way, giving Hotaru a difficult time trying to get any clean hits in on Roberto this time around. Of course, the thin mail armor isn't helping things at all either. Her stomps avoided, the girl comes to a landing as Roberto slips in just far enough to try and kick the girl.
Hopping back a second time, Hotaru avoids the sweep, landing readily a little ways off, far enough away that she's safe from immediate retaliation. Landing in a crouch, one hand resting lightly against the floor, the girl rises slowly back to standing, her expression flickering serious for a moment before she smiles faintly, turns her shoulder toward Roberto, and reassumes her fighting stance.
The cheers are loud and difficult to distinguish, the roar echoing over the arena. Hotaru exhales slowly, letting the sound resonate with her, for a moment forgetting the intensity she felt only a short moment ago, replacing it with the quiet recollection of how she used to enjoy these insane fights.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru gains composure.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Roberto
The flicker of a serious expression before the smile. Is this the old Hotaru trying to get out? Is it an act? Roberto silently wonders if he has to push her harder to find out which is the truth. He takes a deep breath as he looks at Hotaru, a look of concentration showing on his features.
Normally he'd revel in the cheers of crowd. He can't afford to make any mistakes. While it was true before it's even moreso now. Especially when he knows that Hotaru is sitting on that brutal technique. As a result, there no people here in his mind other than Hotaru and himself.
As the soccer star moves back into range, he thrusts his shield at the other fighter. A quick shield bash to attempt to keep her off balance while still attempting to maintain control the tempo of the fight.
COMBATSYS: Roberto successfully hits Hotaru with Quick Punch.
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Hotaru 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Roberto
Her retreat buys her a little time to catch her breath, but it isn't long before Roberto is back on the offense, coming at her shield first as before. An attempt to skip out of the way and slip around him doesn't work so hot, the girl getting bashed backward, arms out at her sides as she stumbles a couple of steps.
Infernal shield! She's just going to have to try and deal with that first, she decides, hoping the bulkier object will slow Roberto down enough for her to dart forward, sliding in low before attempting to push herself up between him and the shield and get her arms around his arm that's holding it.
If she manages, she'll shove her shoulder backward, trying to push it against the shield while pulling Roberto's arm to the side all in an attempt to force him to release his hold on it before he risks hurting his wrist!
COMBATSYS: Roberto dodges Hotaru's Quick Throw.
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Hotaru 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Roberto
Well Hotaru got part of her wish. She does get Roberto to let go of the shield but it's because he ends up having to sacrifice the shield to keep out of the Kenpo Artist's grip. Unfortunately for her, there isn't pressure applied to that arm.
One might remember the crossbows that Roberto had hooked onto his hip. Since he didn't have the option of using his soccer balls he had to find some type of substitute. He unhooks one crossbow as he skips backwards and introduces Hotaru to another talent that few outside of his circle of friends in Taiyo know about. His ability as a sharp shooter.
The soccer star quickly loads a bolt and fires it at Hotaru's shoulder. Don't worry. The bolts are blunt.
COMBATSYS: Roberto successfully hits Hotaru with Thrown Object.
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Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Roberto
Roberto skips backward, out of Hotaru's grasp, leaving her stumbling foward a couple of steps before she catches herself. At least she got rid of that pesky shield! Kicking it off to the side to make sure it's safely far away to be inconvenient for Roberto to try and get it again, the girl in black turns her attention back to the valiant knight, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Only to widen them again as she realizes she's being shot at! An attempt is made to slip to the side, but his accuracy is sharp enough to account for her evasion and Hotaru gets struck on the shoulder, spun around slightly from the impact. Wincing, her arm comes up to rub her shoulder a little, ignoring the hole it tore through her sleeve, switching back to focusing on Roberto, "Clever trick, but simple weapons like those aren't going to be enough to defeat me!"
And then she's on the offense again, trying to close the distance, sliding low before rising up high, her back to him as she slams her arm out to the side and behind her, attempting to give Roberto a good chop in the chest!
COMBATSYS: Roberto interrupts Quick Punch from Hotaru with Diving Header.
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Hotaru 1/-======/=======|======-\-------\0 Roberto
As Hotaru slides forwards starting low Roberto takes a deep breath preparing for her charge once again, and while logic would dictate that he should attempt cover up. But his instinct tells him the exact opposite. And his instinct hadn't lied to at all during this fight.
Listening to his intuition proves beneficial as he dives head first at Hotaru driving a helmetted head right into the torso of the other fighter. The dive forwards also carries him forward before she can bring to bear the full brunt of the chop. He doesn't come out of the attack unscathed though. The chop did do a bit of damage to him.
After the attack lands the soccer star slowly climbs to his feet. While he's not as a bad off as Hotaru, the fight seems to be taking a toll on him.
Sent tumbling from the point of impact, Hotaru lands hard, sliding several yards before coming to a stop. At first glance, it almost seems that that would be the end of the fight for several seconds pass where she doesn't move, and the audience falls silent, hoping, perhaps, for one final exchange of violence before the match is wrapped up for the evening.
Face down on the ground, her arms sprawled out at her sides, Hotaru gasps for breath, the force of Roberto's impact having left her winded and stunned. She could get him, she finds herself thinking. What could would his thin armor be against the savage power of the Satsujinken? No, no, she reminds herself, her hands pressing against the ground. She's not supposed to use it anymore. Not for these fights. Not against friends. It's... it's supposed to be when it really matters.
And does this not really matter? Is this not reflecting on her image? Kicked, headbutted, and shield bashed around the arena by a youth who's said as much to her that fighting isn't everything to him? How can she possibly tolerate that? Should she not do every last thing within her power to win this match, no matter the means?
The girl gasps quietly, raising up to her hands and knees, head bowed as she struggles with the decision to continue or not. Maybe she should leave, this... this isn't for her. She's a serious fighter, like her brother, not out to just entertain uncuth crowds with harmless antics!
Lifting her head slowly, the girl fixes her attention on Roberto. A disheaveled mess, her hair dirty and her dress torn in places, her expression has changed. There is no amusement now. She won't let this boy play her like a fool, she decides, right hand tightening into a fist as she rises into a sprint with one more surge of strength left in her.
Drawing her hand back, that red-orange, searing, piercing chi Roberto is no stranger to manifests into existance. She barrels in toward Roberto with reckless abandon, her left hand slamming out, attempting to get a grip on his arm, twisting it painfully out of the way in order to leave his side exposed.
And that's when she brings it home, at that moment she'll slam her right hand forward toward his rib cage, attempting to blast Roberto back with a fount of malevolent force.
COMBATSYS: Roberto fails to reflect Maou Satsujinken EX from Hotaru with Desperate Clutch.
- Power fail! -
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Hotaru 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\===----\1 Roberto
The look on Hotaru's face is almost surprising after the appearance of a good natured fight. A look of surprise appears on his face but that's all the reaction he has time to give before the arm twist and the piercing chi burrows into his body forcing screams of agony from his lips.
The screams of pain so loud and so horrible that all cheering stops. The chain mail is shredded but most striking of all is the wound in the side of his body. Ugly would be an understatement. Children crying, parents shielding their children's eyes.
As for Roberto, he slowly brings himself back to his feet a grim look on his face as he continues to face the kenpo artist once more.
Special effects? A horrible accident in what was supposed to be a light hearted match set in a family fun atmosphere? It takes a while for the crowd to even begin to realize what just happened, as the exchange of attacks when from clearly painful but certainly non life threatening into something that... just looked wrong on every level. Even those watching could sense it, feel it, the unnatural potency to the strike.
Hotaru is sent stumbling back after the impact of the blast, the red-orange chi flaring brightly along her arm even though she had discharged so much of it into the young man. If she had known Sakura was in attendence perhaps she would be ashamed of herself. If she thought about the promises she made to herself to not do that anymore in fights, maybe she would have been able to resist the call.
Even as the chi seeps back beneath her skin it burns her. Not in a visual way, but rather internally, chi lines torn and scattered, her right arm aching with untold agony that provokes a gasp from the girl. Crying out, Hotaru clutches her arm for a fleeting moment... but it passes quickly, her attention back on Roberto. He's still up.
And... oh... no, he's bleeding. She did that, she realizes, eyes widening slightly. She... She shakes her head, squinting her eyes closed for a brief moment, her expression hardening. She did what she had the right to do. He wasn't going to go easy on her, right? So why should she? She simply fell back on something that was clearly her birthright to use. There's nothing wrong with that!
Looking away for a moment as she wrestles with the argument, the doubt, the anger that rages in her mind, seconds pass before she snaps her attention back to the young man. One can tell in a glance which side lost the argument as she scowls and suddenly speeds forward, a black blur. Showing no quarter, no mercy, the girl strikes out, sliding into a chi imbued flip kick, laced with an incredible amount of power, the kind of force necessary to blast Roberto up into the air should he be unlucky enough to get cleanly struck...
COMBATSYS: Roberto fails to reflect Ten-shou Ranki from Hotaru with Desperate Clutch.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Roberto can no longer fight.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|
The kick strikes home, shattering any chance Roberto will have at defending himself as Hotaru rises up into the air with him... at the apex of her ascent, she flips forward, diving into Roberto, driving him down to the arena floor. If parents were covering their children's eyes before, they do so even more as the girl in the black dress straddles the pinned knight, pressing her hands against his chest. Her teeth gritted, the girl begins to pull heavily from the world around them, energy drawn from herself, Roberto, and the stadium packed with life, building up a massive concentration around the two of them.
Her teeth gritted, as she has Roberto pinned, eyes glaring directly into his. There's none of the good natured personality she had shown early throughout the match. It's as if a different person entirely occupied the body once identified as Hotaru Futaba. She seems to have no remorse for holding him still, the massive surge of power building up around them, whipping at hair and clothing. "aaaaaAAAAAH!"
Her mouth curls into a faint smirk as she allows the energy to collapse back in her, channeled down her arms and into the soccer fighter's chest, blasting him with all the power she had drawn from the world around her into a single point of impact square center over his breastbone. An invisible blastwave rockets out from the two fighters, stirring up a cloud of dust, paper plates, and discarded chicken bones.
And in the aftermath a quiet sigh as Hotaru slumps forward slightly, propping herself up against Roberto's chest, her eyes closing as she barely stays upright, her head bowed, all the strength, vigor, and malicious intent having been drained out of her in the act of delivering that most powerful technique of hers.
The soccer star doesn't seem able to respond to the chi imbued kick as he's knocked into the air and then pounced down upon. However the kick was all that was needed to knock him out. It was probably a blessing since he wasn't awake to feel the blast of chi which served little more than overkill.
The Soccer Player is dragged off the field of battle and when he replays this fight, he'll have to wonder, was the good nature that Hotaru displayed fake or real. He'll never find those answers.
Rising to her feet slowly in the aftermath, Hotaru staggers, clutching her right arm against her stomach, craddling it with her left hand. Her head lowered, she glances behind her only briefly to watch the young man helped out of the arena. In her mind she rewinds what she did... how she attacked him with ruthless aggression... using horrible techniques against him that she just never should have touched.
And now she's feeling it, the price in her arm, her chi raging out of control, threatening to injure her on a level far outside the scope of what modern medicine can help with. Calm now, the rage having passed, all she can do is wonder why she resorted to drawing on the legacy of the Koga one more time... in the most undeserving of fights against the least deserving opponents.
Sakura had told her she had no control over it... and Hotaru had known that before. But here and now it seemed that the drive to win at any cost was too strong to hold back. Her left hand releases her wrist, coming up to rest against her face as the girl exhales a long sigh of resignation. Again, she muses, she /knows/ what she did was wrong, but... nothing more than a minor sensation of guilt can be felt within her.
It is as if her conscience operated on an entirely different set of rules than her conscious mind. Even though she knew, intellectually, she had a severe problem, in her heart she feels only emptiness, neither guilt nor pride at her victory... "Roberto..." she murmurs, lowering her hand from her face, her expression neutral as she is escorted out of the arena by staff.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has ended the fight here.
Log created on 19:51:05 03/30/2008 by Hotaru, and last modified on 16:59:05 04/01/2008.