Description: Ingrid and Adelheid meet for a rooftop rematch, and find that both have grown considerably in power since their first match! The Bernstein youth starts out testing and considering Ingrid's style, but in the end it takes everything he has not to fall to the potent psion. (Winner: Adelheid)
The rooftop of Gedo high is slick and wet, a recent shower having descended upon Southtown before raining itself out. The sun is nowhere to be found on this spring day, hidden behind a thick layer of gray clouds that give a shadowed darkness to world. Despite this added slickness there are cameras set up all along the edges of the sloped rooftop to record a fight for the Neo League. Down below remote operators test the equipment to make sure it's all working properly, and as always it is. Now it's just a matter of assembling the two fighters and waiting for them to prepare themselves.
Present and indeed having arrived early as usual is the blonde Norwegian known as Ingrid. Rather than waiting about bored on the rooftop she'd instead simply stayed by the cameramen, watching them work and chatting with them as much as she could without distracting them from their work. It crosses her mind that whoever is attending classes on the top floor are going to be very distracted indeed, with heavy footsteps likely falling on sheet metal right above their heads. But then if it were too much of a problem they wouldn't have allowed it. Maybe that's where the faculty offices are kept?
Soon enough it's obvious that everything is ready, and she makes her way over to a ladder that leads up to the roofs perimeter catwalk, actually waving in to students though a window as she climbs up, likely to the chagrin of the teacher trying to keep the class orderly. Once near the top she hops over the railing and smiles. Soon it will be time to see how much she has improved, along with the young man she's challenged.
While some would be put off by the overcast skies or the drearyness of the rain, Adelheid Bernstein finds it refreshing. Not only to himself, but to the city as a whole. Southtown is a city with many wounds and sorrows, some beneath the surface, others... not so much. The cool spring rain washes the rooftop clean(er), and leaves a crisp freshness in the breezy air. The dark clouds drift by overhead, threatening further rain - but it is not the only storm that may be coming. The prodigal Bernstein was relatively surprised to receive a challenge from Ingrid, but he certainly remembers the other young fighter - and it's a rare occurrance indeed that Adel denies a challenge. That's simply not sporting, after all. He arrives shortly after Ingrid ascends the rooftop, right on time for the bout itself. In contrast to the cheery girl, the Prince of War spares little attention for the crew or onlookers... it's not the fanfare or publicity that draws him here, but the battle itself.
Booted feet sound clearly on the metal ladder as he smoothly climbs to the rooftop, pulling himself up over the edge with a graceful flourish, and quickly rising to his full standing height... which is quite a bit taller than the diminutive Norwegian. Did Ingrid get -shorter- or...
There's a slow, calm smile, and the crimson-eyed Bernstein nods a greeting to the other blonde, "It's been a while, Ingrid." He observes, the maturing smoothness of his voice deepened somewhat since their last meeting, a calm, focused baritone, "It will be interesting to see what you and that power of yours are capable of, now." For a youth who doesn't shy from the world's most potent and legendary - or infamous - warriors, Ingrid is far from intimidating, but the sporting spirit remains sincere and frank, "I expect you'll give it all you've got, let's see what that is." he invites, extending one black-gloved hand to beckon Ingrid forward, wasting little time as the cameras rise around them, perfecting the angle. A step forward is taken, then another, and Adelheid steadies his stance, facing Ingrid sidelong, his body loose, fists balling tightly. It's not a stance that's easy to attribute to any particular martial art, but....
.... no one familiar with Rugal or his progeny are going to be surprised by that in the least.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid has started a fight here.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Adelheid takes no action.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|
It's no surprise that Adelheid is right on time, the young woman moving out of the way when the sound of his boots on the ladder are heard up above. She holds her hands in front of herself as the Bernstein heir flips up onto the roof, showing the grace of movement he's known for. The nod is given a quick curtsy by Ingrid in return, and she smiles, "Yes, it certainly has. Far too long, I would imagine." Her own voice is a pure high pitch as it always had been, no change in her stature or appearance visible despite the added age.
"I certainly hope I won't disappoint, I may not have learned a terrible number of new tricks since we last met, but I am certain you'll find that I've improved." And no doubt it will be the other way around as well- Adelheid has been rather busy since the last time they'd met.
The young woman smiles as he beckons her, "Oh, so you'll be gracious enough to allow me to start? I suppose it would be rather rude of me to disappoint." A moment for him to acknowledge her words and she's headed towards him. Four paces out she abandons the catwalk, hopping over the railing and onto the roof itself. She lands sideways, her shoes landing on the wet sheeted metal and completely losing traction. She slides the rest of the way up to him, arms raised in the air and then sweeping down and forward, a stream of sparkling golden energy releasing from her hands to engulf him as she slides past.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid has joined the fight here.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ingrid
COMBATSYS: Adelheid blocks Ingrid's Sunbeam.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ingrid
Adelheid's initial response is another nod... he has indeed learned a few new tricks, but mostly, it's a matter of perfecting his repotoire, and expanding his knowledge of various styles - and battle conditions. It's been a road that's led up, and down, but such is the nature of life - particularly a life such as the Bernstein heir's. As sure-footed and quick as ever, Ingrid's acceptance of his invitation and resulting charge is met with narrowed eyes of dark crimson, and a sudden, singular shift of his footing. He utilizes the lack of traction, sliding into a half-turn, such that he's facing her fully at the precise moment the Norwegian blasts past him, and releases that impressive outpouring of fluctuating energy.
Lithe, but thickly corded arms cross, shoving forward against the tumultuous blast, the starlit energy crashing with searing intensity into his guard, his footing sliding back, but holding true, steady. A sweep of his arm brushes the power aside in a shimmering arc of fiery gold, and he shoves forward right into the space it once occupied, "Stronger." He confirms, though the Prince of War sounds unsurprised. The tone is, however, respectful and even mildly impressed. Congratulatory, in a sense.
It may offset any compliment as he tests her defenses himself, however, slightly bent legs suddenly launching him forward, right after the other blonde. The intent is to catch the girl before she can even finish her slide and recover for the follow-up... his right bootheel leads the assault, snapping up to carry his weight in full bore for Ingrid's skull. Should she turn in time, but not move in time? She'd catch this one square in the mouth. The slick roof would actually serve the landing, in this case: Adelheid would land steadily on one anchoring leg, the forward momentum redoubling as he twists about, seeking to follow up with a vicious roundhouse, which would similarly chain right into a forward snap for the small girl's ribs.
No, he's not going to give Ingrid an easy pass - especially not just yet!
COMBATSYS: Ingrid blocks Adelheid's B's Destruction.
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Adelheid 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Ingrid
Ingrid's slide continues as Adelheid holds his ground against her energized assault, his defense executed to near perfection. And by using his arms to stave the energy off the use of his legs remains free, something Ingrid seems to respect. "Why, thank you." The first kick comes up, but the Norwegian is just fast enough to escape it, her arms raising to catch the heel with her hands, a sharp pain shooting through her arms as the powerful kick strikes them.
But that pain isn't enough for her to let it slow her down, releasing the limb as the other leg whips around hard. Her arms come up fully and cross in front of her and the leg smashes home, driving her backwards across the slick rooftop, ending with a third kick that snaps into her arms and flings her guard open with the force of the impact. But luckily for her no additional attack comes to punish this. "Faster," She says, and then smiles to herself, "And trickier, too."
Ignoring the ache in her arms like any professional should be able to she hops in, getting back over the rail so she can get into very close proximity with Adelheid. Once close she reaches out for him, using what strength she has to try and twist him around backwards towards her before attempting to hold onto one of his shoulders with a death grip, her other hand pressing to his back while focusing large amounts of psi into it, the result being not a sparkly release by chaotic surge, little lances of energy jumping this way and that. If all goes well she'll shove him forward, letting the shock induced by the attack take hold just long enough for him to fall to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid successfully hits Adelheid with Sunspot.
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Adelheid 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Ingrid
Faster, indeed. Trickier - that's likely true as well. All the focused training the world is no substitute for real battle experience, and while the Prince of War is a veteran well beyond his years would suggest, there is always room to learn more, to improve. To adapt. Something that Ingrid proves admirably capable of, in this moment. The kicks deflected, Adelheid's forward momentum has little place to go besides directly in at Ingrid, something that the girl makes rather dangerous with her fast recovery. His feet plant as she vaults back in, and he moves into a swift backpedal... but not swiftly enough. His reversal actually helps the other blonde gain her necessary leverage, and instead of leaping clear, he's spun about, back arching as the lancing bolt of psi is driven home to his spine.
Lurching forward, the prodigal Bernstein's teeth clench, and he drops to a knee as he's shoved off harshly. It stings, but pushing past the pain is, as Ingrid herself demonstrates, part of the job description. His bent leg aids a sudden shove, and he remains crouched as he twists into a sudden spin. It's a singular rotation meant to turn him back to face his opponent, his head snapping around just an instant before the rest of him does, seeking to make Ingrid pay for her proximity as he wheels into a ferocious, arm-outstretched backhand, looking to slam that clenched fist solidly into the girl's midsection, and buy himself a bit of breathing room.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid fails to counter Fierce Punch from Adelheid with Sun Upper.
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Adelheid 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Ingrid
The grip is held and Ingrid manages to force Adelheid to the ground. It's a small victory, but perhaps an important one. The girl backs off after she pins him down, but stays only a few feet away, just far enough in case he tries to catch her off guard with a quick mule kick to the legs she'll have a moment to react. But it's not with his feet that he attacks with this time, but his arms.
But Ingrid was ready for a quick counterattack, the differing nature what comes not enough to spook her. So she remains calm and thinks over her options in a flash. A short hop back could put her out of range and have his arms swiping nothing but air. Or... or she could do what she's very well known for and attempt a reversal that would send him flying into the air.
Without risk there's no reward, and so she chooses to hold her ground. It's a close thing, the speed of his arm vs how quickly she can form the disk of energy that will intercept it. She leans forward and taps the air in front of herself and the disk begins to form. A highspeed camera would be able to catch it as it happens, slowly swirling into existence. And those watching it the next Monday would know even before it happened that the fist would win out, blowing through the psychic energy before it forms fully and slamming into Ingrid with ferocious force.
She's thrown sideways from the power of the twisting backhand, immediately crashing into the rail and bent over it limply, the hollow tubing doing it's job and keeping her from falling down to the ground below. A few moments of rest are taken from her to let the pain subside- the short time it takes Adelheid to recover from the attack. She pushes herself off of the railing and backs off, letting out a short breath. "My, I certainly underestimated you on that one. But it was very close, wasn't it? Perhaps I'll get you, the next time."
Ingrid's readyness to follow up was a reality that Adelheid expected with relative certainty - the girl has always been quick, and adept at turning the offenses of others to their own detriment. It's a gamble on his end, as well; time to ante up, so to speak! Sometimes, the best solution to a trap is to spring it, without hesitation, via methodology that's as fierce and uncompromising as possible. It is a dangerous play, indeed, but this time the cards fall into Adel's hand. His fist blasts through the defenses prepared by Ingrid, and the girl is launched away by the low, sliding spin of a backhand. Were this a battle of life and death, success or failure, Adelheid might indeed press the fallen blonde before she has so much as a chance to right herself from where she falls against the bent rail, but the stakes in this match are neither. This is competition, sportsmanship - education. Honour amongst thieves? Where the Prince of War is concerned, it's a certainty, "Wouldn't have it any other way." Adelheid admits, voice retaining its calm, but bearing within it a cool fire as well, a passion for the fight concealed only partially by the icy, practiced focus of his external demeanor.
"But you're right, this isn't over yet." Adel doesn't press the assault as Ingrid rights herself, instead centering his own roiling internal power, a conduit of such magnitude that even those not attuned to chi suddenly find the hairs on their neck standing on end, a tangible tingle in the air as the natural ebb and flow of energy centers around Adelheid, his dark eyes focusing in on his opponent, "I can feel the fight left in you, and I hope you don't mind if I meet it all-out!!" A wry, halfway-to-wolfish smile creeps across his lips, imbuing his austere features with a lighthearted entertainment. It may not be the most pressed or vicious fight he's been in - but he knows better than to underestimate what Ingrid can do, or to pass up a chance to analyze and learn from her relatively unique approach to combat.
"Let's see how much you have left." He invites, once more holding his ground and turning over the initiative to the young Norwegian.
.... or is he? There's a degree of anticipation, readyness just in how he holds himself, fingertips flexing instinctively.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid focuses on his next action.
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Adelheid 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Ingrid
The young blonde woman smiles, an amused look passing over her features as the wolfish one appears on Adelheids. He has his look of entertainment, and so does she. The power that flows through him seems to magnify, but the ability to sense as much is something Ingrid is actually fairly poor at. The battering that the immense power from within is enough to break into even her dull senses, but compared to Adelheid's own emotions, the warrior spirit, so to speak, boiling up inside of him it's nothing to her. The feeling is also rather infectious.
But rather than work herself up, Ingrid actually drops her combat stance and twirls a few strands of hair around a gloved finger. "Now what are you up to, mister Adelheid Burnstein? Trying to lure me into a trap, or just drawing me in close... I wonder." The chances of him attacking right then were exactly zero, unless he's capable of altering his own emotions and intent on a level she's never before encountered. And beside- this was a lighthearted fight, and also for entertainment purposes.
She slides back into her fighting stance, not terribly less open than the casual one she held just moments before. She gives him a quick wink, and then her body is suddenly surrounded in a flash of golden light. Her hands reach up to her chin and form a small, dull sphere of energy that she blows at Adelheid, the little thing floating innocuously towards him.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid successfully hits Adelheid with Sun Burst.
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Adelheid 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Ingrid
A trap?!? Why Adelheid would -never-. Alright. So maybe he -is- lying in wait. Nonetheless, Ingrid is given the time she needs to collect herself, and prepare... something she makes rather impressive use of, indeed. The casual observation is enough to pause Adelheid's intensity, but only momentarily. He chuckles lightly, and then... well, then, there's that massive swell of power from the girl. The innocuous burst of power draws a narrow-eyed gaze. He's not fooled, not entirely, he's experienced enough to know that not everything brimming with power explodes due to the intensity. Even so, it's an unexpected assault, and despite the readyness of his footing.... it's quick. The burst clips him in the shoulder as he throws himself to the side, what would have been a graceful slide turning into a haphazard spin.
The searing starburst explodes with intense fire, twisting him a full rotation and dropping him to the ground, a low groan sounding from his lips, "Impressive..." he murmurs, legitimately surprised by the impact of that potent energy. A gloved hand rises momentarily to his shoulder as he pushes up into a three-point crouch, raising his fiery eyes back to the Norwegian, "But I hope that's not the end!!!"
The Prince of War's strength seems to return in a flash, a flexing of lithe musculature the only warning as he launches himself upwards, a nearly straight ascent carrying him far off the ground, arcing slightly backwards as he flips about, to align his booted feet for landing. It's as much a feint as anything, however, amidst the first moments of the impressive display, he kicks up a tumult of his own impressive power atop the roof. Droplets of lingering rain blast outwards as the lancing edge of greyish-silver blasts forth, a waist-high wave rushing forward with ample intensity of its own.
Where Ingrid focuses her spirit into the essence of the sun, Adelheid's is that of the storm, the hurricane. A windy mass of cleaving chi that bears down on the blonde girl rather rapidly indeed.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid successfully hits Ingrid with Reppukyaku.
- Power hit! -
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Adelheid 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ingrid
Ingrid merely smiles at Adelheid as he pauses, and then sends the energy on it's way. The result as much as she could have hoped, the little ball of psi hitting him and detonating, it's energy releasing and blasting through him. Enough to even make a dent in him, figuratively speaking of course, but not enough to put him down and out by any stretch of the imagination.
"Oh, certainly not. I wouldn't just up and quit on you, would I?" And then there's that resurgence of spirit from within Adelheid, the young man flipping away from her and sending a powerful wind sheer of chi towards her. She wants nothing to do with it and prepares to dive away, only to find it bearing down on her with a speed she wasn't even close to expecting. Had she wanted to escape she would have needed to leap the moment he left the ground. And so she's caught, hit by the hurricane force winds and driven backwards, smashed into the railing once more. It's incredibly potent, likely more so than Adelheid himself had expected. It tears through her, winds slashing at her painfully while moving on, continuing on after it passes and ending up god knows where.
The young woman is staggered by the force of it, pulling herself up off of the railing she was driven into with a pained expression on her face. She then steps forward towards Adelheid. "That was... more than simply impressive. I fear you've put me against the ropes." So perhaps it's not surprising as another upwelling of energy surges from her, the young woman digging down inside for more of her potent psionic power not simply because she can, but because she's been beaten down so quickly it's her only hope if she wishes to pull off a victory here today. A repeat performance is in order, her hands once more coming up to her chin to form a small sphere of energy that is immediately sent towards Adelheid. It was only once before that she was forced to rely on such drastic measures. She managed to force a draw- but her opponent then was no Adelheid Bernstein.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid overcomes Sun Burst from Ingrid with Crown Prince.
- Power hit! -
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Adelheid 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Ingrid
Naturally, the platinum blonde prodigy can see that Ingrid does indeed have at least some measure of fight left. It's one reason for the fierce blast of chi - but even that can't be expected to fully trump a fighter of Ingrid's calibre. She is something of a blossoming talent in her own right, nearly as young as the Prince of War himself, and with no small measure of power to wield. Beyond simply serving as a feint to encourage a momentary distraction and allow his Reppukyaku to slam home, his high-leaping backflip also serves to right his posture.... a little bit further -away- from the dangerous psion. The repeat performance is indeed impressive, an accomplishment few could duplicate. Unfortunately for Ingrid... the Bernstein heir is one of those few. The boiling ice within him rushes to the fore, and redoubles, as if simply focusing it served as a massive capacitor. His arms spread to his sides, his fingers flex into grasping claws, and brilliant, silvery spheres rush to life in the grip of each. Power thrums through his very being, chi amplifies and coalesces into a charge many times more potent than what most fighters could wield.... and then his arms swing forward.
His hands come together, the luminescent brilliance crashing and erupting outwards, a wave as tall as Adelheid himself released in a mass that's more of a cleaving edge than an actual sphere, its trail ragged, violent. The brilliant mass burns whitish-blue at the center, its silvery edges cutting air as it lurches forward, the comparitively diminutive burst of starfire erupting into its midst. The shockwave is impressive, dull gold blasting beautifully off ragged, brilliant silver in a shearing firework of dissipating energy... but that is as far as it goes.
The Sun Burst is consumed, the culmination of Adelheid's chi talent blasting through it, despite its wound, and in on Ingrid with full, unbelievably sudden fury. Adelheid's arms remain flexed before him, tendrils of silvery wind energy trailing from his fingertips, smoking off his palms.... nothing compared to the mass focused before him, as Ingrid forces his hand. This fight will indeed take his all!
COMBATSYS: Adelheid successfully hits Ingrid with Crown Prince.
- Power hit! -
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Adelheid 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Ingrid
Ingrid had expected as much of a reaction from Adelheid- to send a powerful blast of straight at her little sphere. But that, in fact, was her intent. She'd hoped it would weaken it enough that a simple defense would be adequate- she just didn't expect Adelheid's response to be so very dramatic. The wave of silvery energy shatters her own burst of energy and annihilates it utterly, not slowing down or weakening even the tiniest fraction.
Her eyes widen as the energy comes for her, and she makes a desperate, hopeless attempt to leap over it and let it pass harmlessly beneath her. But instead it catches her as she's raising up into the air, catching her legs and twisting her forward with the force, her entire body pressing against it- and then it explodes, a massive eruption of chi whose shockwave rattles the catwalk hard enough to make one fear it's stability, the school itself rocking and vibrating from the force.
And in the middle of it is Ingrid, who's thrown straight up into the air twenty feet before gravity takes hold, plummeting down and slamming into the rooftop with an incredibly loud clang outdone only by the echo of the explosion that had thrown her. Needless to say, it takes her a rather long time to get back up, her body sliding down the roof and resting against the catwalk. Very weakly she picks herself back up- it'd been quite a long time since she'd taken as much abuse as today.
There are simply no words for her, because if she were to expend the breath she would collapse. She has only one thing left for Adelheid, one last wild pitch of an attack to try and take him down with her, even if not quite so hard. With wobbly knees energy surrounds her once more, but rather than sending a ball of energy at him she leans forward, tapping the air to form a triangle of planer energy, focusing her power through it as an amplifier. Where Adelheid stands a huge disk of swirling energy forms, as large as Ingrid in size and seeking to grab a hold of him. If it connects it's going to drag him up high into the air while Ingrid gives a little salute, before dropping him back down to the ground, the young woman simply too spent to finish off with the brilliant special affects that go with it, falling to the ground unconscious no matter the outcome.
COMBATSYS: Ingrid can no longer fight.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Adelheid blocks Ingrid's Sun Delta.
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Adelheid 0/-------/----===|
Sometimes, springing the trap works. But as mentioned... the gamble remains strong. In this case, it seems Adelheid was hiding a wildcard of his own, and the resultant exchange results in traps within traps within traps - and more than a little bit of chaotic, explosive energy. Stopping the Prince of War's ultimate technique is indeed a daunting task, and while Ingrid's blast fails on that account, just landing with some measure of cognitive faculty left after her sudden, impromptu trip into the air is a feat in and of itself. Summoning up the level of power she proceeds to exercise? That's one more huge accomplishment, in Adelheid's book at least. The carefully focused psionic power that lurches up from below catches him by surprise, but a Bernstein is trained to always be ready for surprises; usually painful ones.
As the eruption of energy launches him upwards, the platinum blonde prodigy is already braced, centering his own energy, curling in around himself. He rockets upwards, the pain wracking his frame. NOT a good situation... and not how the Prince of War intends to end this fight. Kicking outward with all his might, he all but /throws/ himself out of the explosion of grabby psi-power, rolling in a careful somersault back to earth. His landing on the rooftop is harsh, sliding as he tumbles once, and comes back up in a crouch, breathing hard.
".... almost." He murmurs, the concession speaking of the closeness of both that vicious assault... and the battle itself. Apparently, it took no small toll on Ingrid herself, the young Bernstein just now finding an opportunity to note the girl where she fell, unconscious, after her assault. Well. Congratulations would fall on deaf ears, so he simply stands, and tightens first one glove, and then the other, with a smooth tug at the wrist. Another deep breath, and he nods towards his fallen opponent, adding in a similar, quiet murmur, "Well fought."
Log created on 05:51:53 04/04/2008 by Adelheid, and last modified on 14:00:26 04/04/2008.