Description: Main Event! Kula and her new NESTS cohort Mary versus the God of Battle and the swordswoman Setsuka. How does each side fare, and who wins? Read inside! Or outside. (Winners: Kula and Mary)
Howard's people must've taken notice of Mary's backstabbing betrayal in her last SNF, turning against her teammembers to align herself with the cute but frightfully deadly Kula Diamond. By the time the dust settled, the young NESTs project gleefully walked off with a life time pass to Disney World, and her two remaining opponents were carried off, nursing severe stabbing wounds. That's just how life is for the long haired, leather clad girl that now stands atop the raised platform that is the Howard Arena for fighters.
Well, they must have decided, if Mary wants to fight alongside Kula so bad... why not let her! Thus it is the typically docile ice wielder finds herself partnered with the enigmatic parasol using woman she's encountered a couple times now. Maybe Igniz has something to do with it. The instructions for the match were curious - she was told that over the course fo the battle she is expected to stand still at some point, concentrate, and help her partner. It makes perfectly good sense to her. She's not precisely sure why such a big emphasis was put on it!
Hands clasped behind her back, she waits patiently as a glacier for the match to begin. She's seen everyone in this fight except for Shenwoo's up and coming new face in the world of fighting. It doesn't matter too much to her. It's another exercise, another flurry of tests for her NESTs handlers to collect on the project they're constantly tuning to no end. The roar of the eager crowd seems to phase her not at all, violet eyes blinking as she studies the other participants.
Her last SNF was... an unqualified disaster, at least for Setsuka. It was a stark and harsh lesson in skill, power, and how far she has to go. But it was inspiring, to say the least; so when the time came, she decided to pony up her body, once more, to the gamble of SNF. And, lo and behold, she was placed in the main event... alongside the man known as Shenwoo. The God of Battle.
Setsuka considered her partner very closely--watching clips on Youtube, reading up. It isn't, perhaps, something she normally does for a simple prizefight, but 'the god of battle'... that's an intriguing title, especially for someone who took the title himself and has then defended it.
Hopefully, someone in the SNF offices thinks, she won't scrub out this time. But then, she has no intention of doing so. The big slab of stone that serves as a stage for Howard Arena is soon graced with the raven-haired swordswoman's presence; Shenwoo brings power, speed, and Gekiken; Setsuka brings her sword, her skill, and grace. Perhaps this combination will be a winning equation; Setsuka certainly is looking forward to finding out.
The crowd's roar is... well, Setsuka isn't daunted by it; rather, she hears it as a cry for blood. And there -will- be blood...
As Setsuka waits, she glances over at Kula--the girl's icy calm rivaling Setsuka's own aplomb. She can sense something about the girl--sense may be too strong a word, perhaps intuit, or divine... she's dangerous.
Well it served the others right! At least, that is how Mary believed it. They wanted a fight, they got it, but they had expected her to work alongside some .. stuck up little children? Oh, no she'd rather have done what she did at the end far sooner! And she enjoyed every moment of it, she did! Oh, she enjoyed EVERYTHING.
But there's always a time to work, and a time for play, isn't there? She had a bit of work to do with Igniz involving a bit of the younger, angry sort.. as well as a rather quick girl and her variety of rather rambunctious abilities. Hotaru never was one to sit around, but Mary never dealt with her before. With a jet black parasol over her shoulder, Mary walks slowly in... enjoying it, a leisurely stroll across the ground and into the ring, white skin, and a white dress.. white white white. She might even be wight!
But moving nearby Kula, Mary also stays a bit away. No need getting too close and getting in her way.
Leaning back, Mary closes the parasol, and uses it like a walking stick to keep her upright. "What a crowd.. ya'll think they'll get what they want?" She asks to no one. "But I wonder 'bout them gettin' what they deserve.. sure looks that way though!" Otherwise, this belle is going to be hanging about.. waiting.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, I got it," a voice says near one of the entrances, reassuring a rather harried-looking SNF official. "Look, just get out of here before I take your stupid rules and shove them right up your..." Well, just where this mysterious and somewhat crass person was planning on shoving the rules may never be known, as the official scurries back off, allowing the speaker to make his proper entrance.
It is, as one would probably figure by now, the God of Battle himself. Shenwoo walks in casually, thumbs hooked into the pockets of his leather pants, silk shirt undone like always, and a pair of designer sunglasses over his eyes. The tall, lean half-Chinese berserker is even chewing gum as he makes his way up to the fighting stage, surveying those already present from behind his shades: Little girl, slightly less little girl, weirdo with an umbrella. Oy.
As he steps up onto the granite and slate fighting stage, Shen takes off his sunglasses and tucks them away, heaving out a faintly peppermint-scented sigh. "This had better not be boring," he says, tugging his gloves tight with an audible creak of leather. "Which one of you losers is my teammate, anyway?" Hopefully, whoever it is will fare better than some of his past temporary allies. Like Elisabeth. Or Lykaio. Or Ryuujin.
Setsuka is given a glance by the trained killer, her sword notced in an instant. A blade user. Pesky. She'll have to watch out for any attempted backstabs of the literal sort. But as Mary steps into view, Kula seems to brighten, glancing toward the strange woman, raising one yellow glove covered hand to wave in her direction, "Maaaary!" This isn't the first time the two have started on the same side. But last time she barely knew the pale thing as anyone special. By now, however, the girl has come to like the parasol toting fighter's company. Mary is all about having fun and what can be wrong about that?
"They all want to see a fight," she states, glancing at the masses briefly. "They'll see that." It reminds her of back at the bases, when she's pit against test subjects for the entertainment of others. They say it's to gather data, but she's come to understand the natural man's taste for violence. It doesn't appeal to her on any level, but she'll deliver as she always has.
Shenwoo steps out and Kula looks him over, remember him from a match staged in a kitchen some time ago. He and K' - they seemed to have some kind of understanding between each other from what she could see during that fight. She doesn't see what's so special about him. He seems pretty much rude, loud, and inconsiderate of others... okay, maybe she can see how they would get along. At his question, Kula lifts her arm and points lazily toward Setsuka, indicating the swordsgirl to be his partner, just so he doesn't get confused and come in swinging at the wrong person.
"I will help you better this time, Mary." Kula asserts, remembering that they didn't manage to coordinate too well at the candy shop battle. A deep breath is taken, the girl exhaling slowly. A white shimmer of energy courses over her frame, leaving in its wake frosty blue hair and a small flurry of snow flakes that swirl about her. Calmly, the girl leans down, planting her hands against the smooth stone. "First, let's slow them down a bit."
The temperature around the girl plummets, the air becoming bitter cold, driven about her with gale like forces, whipping at clothing and hair as Kula concentrates her energies on distracting those against whom they're fighting, hopefully helping Mary with her opening shot.
COMBATSYS: Kula has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Setsuka has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
COMBATSYS: Mary has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
COMBATSYS: Kula assists Mary.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
"That would be... me," replies Setsuka, smoothly. If the crack about 'losers' bothers her, she doesn't let it show--and truthfully, it probably doesn't bother her a bit. Calm blue eyes trace over Shenwoo for a moment, then she nods--as if to say, 'you'll do'. Her glance traces over him one more time, then she turns back towards Kula and Mary--they are, after all, 'the opponents' and so... it's best to face them, isn't it? A briefly amused smile crosses Setsuka's lips; she recognizes the air of another trained killer. Kula gets a brief nod, before the swordswoman turns her eyes to Mary. Mary, Mary, quite contrary... something or other like that.
What with Kula displaying some icy power, Setsuka merely tilts her head towards the other two fighters, glancing at Shenwoo. "Now, Mr. Shen Woo," she says, breaking the name into two words, "Maybe you could show me how a God of Battle gets things done? I'm sure it'll be very educational." Her tone is -almost- mocking. Almost, but not quite--she has no desire to test Shenwoo's skills on herself, after all.
"Maybe you should start with the icy one over there. Parasol girl looks like fun to me." That last is said as Setsuka turns her head back towards the other pair, smiling a sweet-and-sharp smile at Mary. Buncha born killers here, really... so it shouldn't be any surprise if there really is blood for this match.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka focuses on her next action.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
"Oh! Kula darlin'! It's lovely to have ya'll here." She adds in, smiling as Kula gives a brief point out about the situation. "Course they do darlin'.. they ain't able to experience it the poor things, so they'll have to get by with jus' watchin'! Sad thing really.." She goes on to explain.. but there's something Mary just can't tell from what she sees. Something she dislikes about Setsuka.
Ah well!
But Kula's words surprise Mary a teensy bit. "Ya'll do that for me? Ah ya'll just so precious.." She adds in, but sincerely happy to take the opening. Especially as the temperature plummets, and then whipping towards the two..
Mary had an idea for this.. "Ya'll really know how to help someone!" She exclaims, brightening up as she the winds whip forwards.. if she moved with it, she'd be moving faster...
OH would you look at that! Setsuka seems to be just waiting for her. Especially with that comment.. oh she'll remember that. "Ya'll talkin' 'bout lil' ol' me?" Mary takes a step forwards, mocking surprise. "Why .. I'm not sure what to say ...."
"... Except you better make it interestin'!" The parasol's whirled around, Mary whirling with it, before the end of it is sent spiralling towards Setsuka, heading with the icy wind, far faster than it should be, in an attempt to hook about Setsuka's leg...
And then Mary pulls, intending to spiral her up and around, before bringing her back to the ground finally, to slam her into the rocky grounds.
Maybe the three women are all trained killers, but Shen? Well, he might get overzealous and shout death threats at people once in a while, but killing really isn't his style... After all, if he kills somebody he can't fight them again, and where's the fun in that? "I'm not the one who needs to prove they know what they're doing," is the berserker's simple response to Setsuka's almost-taunting, but don't worry, his attention goes back to the other team when Kula turns the thermostat down.
"Fine, you fight the weak one then," Shenwoo tells Setsuka, perfectly accomodating to this arrangement, his mouth pulling into a wide, feral grin as he looks at Kula. "Don't waste your time with parlour tricks," he says, before taking off like a shot, directly at the NESTS agent. The speed behind the tall fighter is possibly rather alarming, his left fist cocking back as he gets closer, and then thrown forward in a lunging punch aimed directly at the ice girl's face, the brawler's voice raising to a loud bellow that carries throughout the arena. "Show me how you FIGHT!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Kula with Gekiken.
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Kula 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
Mary speaks about the poor audience, those who don't know what it means to be a fighter. How she wishes she could be watching this from their point of view. No ravenhaired swords girl ready to slash her. No self-proclaimed God of Battle ready to punch her face in. Ah, to just be a spectator of these things rather than being tossed onto the grind stone time and time again.
But her thoughts are drawn back to the important matters of the fight as Mary continues to wind up for an attack on Setsuka, speaking about how precious the little ice princess is. It's a nice thought, it makes her smile a bit. A smile that gets smacked off her face as Shenwoo comes in to start wrecking things. Her left hand raises, waving in front of her, leaving in its wake a shield of ice that only barely manages to slow his strike at all.
Shattering before his force, Kula is slow to defend against the remaining momentum and finds herself punched hard, taking a blow to the mouth, skidding back a little ways as a result. "Che," she grunts, left hand coming up, wiping at her slightly bloodied lip. The blood that surfaces seems to freeze on contact with her cool skin. "The way I fight is really simple," she replies, drawing herself back up, standing as tall as she can manage but still falling short of the taller boxer. "I keep hurting you, and then you stop."
A demonstration is in order, she seems to believe. The strong winds die down, leaving the fighters to their own abilities as Kula concentrates more directly on the eager fighter in front of her. Extending her right arm to her side, a shimmer of white chi courses over her limb, concentrating into a sphere at her gloved hand. Two steps forward and then Kula leans, swinging her arm out toward Shenwoo from a yard or two away. The energy solidifies in an instant into a translucent sphere of ice. But the danger is in the three piercing lances that shoot out from it, threatening to stab right into Shenwoo should his defenses fail him.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka overcomes Snare Whip from Mary with Kokuu Zan.
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Kula 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
That Southern accent sure is interesting. It's almost un-understandably foreign to Setsuka--she knows English, has to for her work, but that accent... wow. Well, whatever; Setsuka doesn't have to understand Mary's speech to see what she's doing, and what Kula is doing with those winds. Her blue eyes narrow, and a little smile crosses her lips; it's certainly an interesting technique to employ, a parasol used as a weapon.
However--Setsuka's not interested enough to see how this one's going to play out. As the hooked end whips in, the swordswoman steps away from it--and posts her blade's scabbard down, where her leg was. The parasol should hook around it, not her leg--and it's a little awkward, with Setsuka leaning back, but she manages anyways, ripping her blade out of the scabbard, releasing a hissing arc of blue-purple psionic energy at Mary.
She did catch -some- of what Mary said. "'Interesting'? Oh, I'm sure it will be... as long as you pay attention..."
COMBATSYS: Mary blocks Setsuka's Kokuu Zan.
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Kula 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
Ah, the hook of the parasol unfortunately fails to go past, and the arc of energy is released.. but that's not very unexpected, honestly. This has been quite familiar, she must say, as she's seen it happy quite .. too many times. But what's a woman to do? Simply hope that it's been mitigated, this time, and just bring the parasol upwards to help lower the assault.
Maybe she'll even be fast enough to catch it.
And the white energy certainly does strike her .. but it doesn't really do quite much, as she shakes her arms out. "Ya'll be surprised." She declares, finally, and gets a sting of what she quite dislikes.. that isn't very enjoyable in the slightest. That tingling sensation. "And pay attention? Ya'll be jokin'." She laughs to herself, before .. RETURNING FIRE!
Perhaps later. "Ya'll alright darlin'?" She asks of Kula, and .. well she doesn't have quite a way to help her as Kula could help her.. well.. Above the battlefield, clouds begin to appear.. and mainly over the others. Not only should it ruin their ability to see.. or at least those dealing with Kula .. this takes a bit of effort.. but the rain might cause them to slip up .. or be used to Kula's advantage!
COMBATSYS: Mary assists Kula.
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Kula 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Shenwoo with Critical Ice.
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Kula 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
Okay, more ice... That's good. The berserker doesn't seem particularly put off by the fact that Kula stays on her feet after that punch, bleeding off the remaining momentum with a turning step as the girl wipes blood off of her face. The weird motions made by Kula get a furrowed brow out of the God of Battle, but Shenwoo is pretty confident he can handle whatever's coming next... But maybe not.
As the spears of ice launch towards him, those hard-muscled, tattooed forarms come up in an attempt to deflect the dangerous spikes, but he's a split-second too slow, the ice cutting shallow gashes along his arms and jabbing him right under his fluttering silk shirt, driving him back lest he end up skewered. "Heh... Ha ha ha," Shen laughs, shaking his head ruefully. "That's pretty good."
But, he remembers something... He's supposed to be focusing on more than just violence here, tonight. So what's he to do? Well, the God of Battle turns to look over at the other two fighters, and notices that Mary seems to be still standing, and making it... Rain? "HEY!!" Shen bellows at Setsuka. "WOULD YOU TAKE CARE OF THAT UMBRELLA WEIRDO ALREADY, BEFORE I HAVE TO COME OVER THERE AND PUNCH YOUR UGLY FACE IN?!"
He's being encouraging, see.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo assists Setsuka.
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Kula 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
Her attack hits home, the piercing ice doing its job as intended. Drawing blood. That's what everyone wants to see, right? He demanded to see how she fights. And that's it. Lashing, piercing, stabbing, drawing icy chi to her finger tips with easy. It seems she has a partner in temperature and weather manipulation, as Mary begins to bring rain down around their opponents.
Drawing her hand back, Kula slips it out of the sphere of ice she had used to create the lances, allowing the spears and sphere fall to the stone and shatter. Opting to not step into the obscurring downpour herself, Kula simply raises her hand to her mouth, palm up, fingers toward Shenwoo. A deep breath is taken, a warning of the attack to come, and then she exhales, sending a burst of swift, freezing air toward him.
As the breath meets with the falling moisture, it hardens the droplets into tiny shards and whips them along with it. Rings of razor sharp ice, needle-sized shards all threaten to rake over Shenwoo like a sandpaper windstorm. For her own part, Kula lowers her hand, ice crusted over her protective yellow glove. "She's not a weirdo. Mary is nice." she states calmly, attempting to correct him of the derogatory name given her partner.
Setsuka regards Mary with a curious little smile. "No, I don't think I will be." Then again, no one -expects- a surprise or it wouldn't be a surprise. Right? Shenwoo's... outburst... gets a mildly disapproving look from his partner. He is... certainly loud and crude, but she kind of expected that from watching his other fights. Her brow knits briefly. "All in good time, Mr. Woo," she replies.
Speaking of good time, Setsuka turns towards to Mary again, as it begins raining. Raining, inside? Mmn. Whatever. She'll figure it out later. Her footsteps are nimble, perhaps slightly more careful, as she suddenly rushes towards Mary. Her rush is relatively swift--but not as fast as the slash she fires off for Mary's midsection. The slash is quick, but intended only to cut the skin, if it hits; the real attack is a forward stab, aimed to go through Mary's midsection.
It's carefully aimed, so as to cause a minimum of actual serious injury... it's a little early for that... but if it strikes, it should hamper Mary quite a bit.
COMBATSYS: Mary endures Setsuka's Power Strike.
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Kula 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Setsuka
So that's interesting.. Mary had no idea that Kula could do it THAT quickly. "Darlin', you're just a peach, never change Kula!" She beams, before turning back to Setsuka, "Oh, well, your partner's askin' for ya!" She quips, "Better hurry up for his sake!" She adds in again .. before Setsuka turns about and suddenly rushes her! Oh, this is going to go somewhat poor..
At least, Mary thinks she has things under control though. With the slash striking out for Mary.. Mary actually runs towards Setsuka as well.. and slides on the water as the blade slices into her.. but she actually follows through on the swing, cutting herself on the slash that is supposed to go on the skin, and uses it as momentum.
Which allows her to launch upwards, kicking off the ground of the rock arena, and turn about in the midst of the air.
And then spiralling backwards, the parasol she uses coated in the frozen rain that Kula decides to use.. not all of it is frozen though, which gives a bit of a misty response.. as Mary falls through the air towards Setsuka, spinning the parasol.. diving down with it first, the front coated with all kinds of delicious chi-energies.. and not all hers!
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Shenwoo with Diamond Breath.
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Kula 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Setsuka
"Yeah, well, weirdos just like other weirdos!" Shenwoo retorts in an entirely mature and not at all childish fashion to Kula, before actually lunging /into/ the cloud of ice shards, clearly intending on continuing through it... Though things don't work out quite how he was planning them to, obviously. Covered in myriad small cuts, the berserker is staggered, stumbling a bit; but that doesn't mean he's going to give up, oh no. Never that.
No, instead, staggering or not, Shen keeps on keepin' on, rushing right at Kula and attempting to grab her by her cute little head, so he can smash his forehead right into her face, possibly reducing its cuteness factor significantly. "YOU WEIRDO!!"
COMBATSYS: Kula interrupts Strong Punch from Shenwoo with Crow Bite.
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Kula 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Setsuka
"You shouldn't do that," Kula states calmly as Shenwoo tries to barrel through her assault. "If it was that easy to ignore, I wouldn't have done it." Her attention to the details of the fight are sharp, the girl's fighting instincts doing most of the work for her. As he insists on continuing to charge her, however, going so far as to call her a weirdo, Kula frowns slightly, looking a bit put out. "You're rather rude."
The declaration comes at the same time as she creates another one of those pesky ice barriers of hers, leaving it hanging in the air just long enough for Shenwoo to crash his head through it. By the time he does, however, Kula has shifted her stance, her right arm drawn back then tucked low as a literal gauntlet of jagged, icy spikes forms over it. And it is with that which she uppercuts into the boxer, using everything she has to drive him backward with the raking, slashing punch just as his forehead impacts her shoulder.
Even as her feet leave the ground, she spins around into a follow up strike, driving her foot into his chest to kick him backward, a shower of sparkling ice raining down around them, shattered by the power behind each impact. Landing, she skids over the stone a few yards before her feet find traction and the girl comes to a stop once again, spinning around to face Shenwoo directly and keep her focus on him. Of those present, her combat algorithms have easily identified him as the real threat.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka blocks Mary's No Explanations.
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Kula 0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
Wh--whoa. Okay, that qualifies as interesting. Setsuka reacts instinctively; throwing her arms up, she deflects Mary's parasol first with her sheathed blade, then her left arm. That impact still hurts plenty, though; Setsuka gasps, hissing as she moves with the momentum of the strke, spinning away from the parasol-wielder. Mmn, things don't look good for Shenwoo, do they?
"What's the matter, Mr. God of Battle? You don't seem so divine right now! Why don't you show me what you're -really- capable of?" Yeah. She's being... encouraging, isn't she? Sort of. Really, she means it with the -best- possible intentions.
"Or are you going to let that little girl get the best of you?!?" Don't mind Setsuka, she's feeling a little sassy today. Of course she isn't just yelling at Shenwoo; as she goes, she gets some distance from Mary, eyeing her with a fair amount of distaste.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka assists Shenwoo.
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Kula 0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
DISTASTE! It's all the sweeter.
Such as when Mary crashes into Setsuka, being send backwards though, responding to Setsuka's retreat with her own.. but instead of going anywhere, she stays put afterwards.. and watches as Setsuka 'rips into' Shenwoo, God of BATTLE. Oooh. That may end poorly.
But Mary has little to add to this. "Ya'll doin' just fine darlin'!" She speaks to Kula.. and of course she is.. from what she can tell, Kula may as well just be laying the living beating on the God of Battle.. but who knows? Perhaps the beating is TRULY on Kula! It will not be known .. YET.
But for once, Mary hangs back, spinning her parasol about, hucking over her shoulder, and simply walking back and forth as the rain above continues to pitter patter to the ground .. but nothing acidic or the like.. simply rain.
It'll get worse in a little bit.
COMBATSYS: Mary focuses on her next action.
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Kula 0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
You know, Shenwoo has felt an attack like this before; of course, he's fought K' more than once, so... Naturally, right? Except this one involves ice instead of fire. The self-styled God of Battle ends up in a heap, and for a long moment, he doesn't stir... Until his shoulders start shaking. Did he get hurt badly? Is he crying because of Setsuka's hurtful words?
Actually, those with good ears will pick up soft, quiet laughter, that slowly gets louder. "...Ha ha ha ha..." the fighter from Shanghai laughs, pushing himself slowly up to his feet. "Ha ha ha ha!" Suddenly, he slugs himself in the face, first with one fist, and then the other, but his laughter only gets louder, reverberating as a violent, jagged red aura of fierce spirit explodes around him, cracking the stone underfoot... And then Shen throws himself at Kula again, laughing all the while, ignoring his injuries and just losing himself in his fury, in the pure enjoyment of combat. His intent, of course, is to start punching, kicking and generally hurting Kula a lot, a seemingly endless flurry of blows terminating only with a final, thunderous uppercut from the berserker, his only battlecry more laughter. "HA HA HA HA HA!!"
He might be a little bit crazy.
COMBATSYS: Kula blocks Shenwoo's Bakuma Assault.
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Kula 1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
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Mary 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
Kula has seen many types of fighters in her short life as a rapidly aged instrument of death for NESTs. But she's never seen anyone rise up out of one of her deadly strikes and immediately begin assaulting themselves before. It catches her so off guard that she has to glance to the side, expecting some judge or fight official step in and call the fight, for clearly one of the participants has just gone completely insane!
At least he seems to be enjoying the moment, laughing like a madman the entire time. Kula, on the other hand, looks mildly distressed. It takes a lot to even phase her calm composure, and right now, Shenwoo has reached that point. But when he moves, throwing himself into a frenzy of attacks, her guard is no less effective. He swings out and the girl brings her arm up, coating it with a thick layer of protective ice that shatters after three or four hits from the berserker. Her right hand comes up, facing him, creating another barrier - a thick mirror against which he punches before breaking through and striking into her leather armor covered arms.
She's forced to step backward quickly, fending off some of the strikes, weaving around others, creating a barrier or two to diminish the danger of even more. In the end, she at last slips away, skirting the edge of the stone platform, feet slipping over the surface as if she was moving on ice skates. Crimson eyes stare back at Shenwoo as she moves perpendicularly to him, looking a little bewildered at what she just went through. He's every bit the monster NESTs told her K' was. The nature of their interaction makes more sense to her now, even if she doesn't like it one bit.
Skidding to a stop, she spins around, extending her hands toward the center of the arena, drawing all the shattered ice fragments left behind by her prior attacks. Shards, needles, chunks, and flakes hurry back to their creator, forming a small storm of snow around the girl for a moment. A quiet sigh, then a deep breath is taken, and all that churning energy is drawn back into her, restoring that which was spent, pending and easing some of her aches and pains.
"Are you doing okay, Mary?" she asks after her partner, sparing only a brief glance her way, but otherwise not dropping her attention from Shenwoo for long.
COMBATSYS: Kula gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
Hmph. Well, she tried, anyways. That Shenwoo went charging in like that is pretty scary, of course, but Setsuka can appreciate such... abandon. It's too bad that he didn't strike cleanly, but surely that had to hurt anyways. Back to the subject at hand, a Southern-sounding girl with one hell of a parasol. Setsuka's gaze lands on Mary again, even as Kula asks if she's okay. She'll answer for her.
"Oh, she's doing fine for now." Setsuka smiles. "But perhaps her fortunes are about to change..." The swordswoman positions herself, taking up a battoujutsu stance--her right leg forward, right shoulder forward, her body turned almost away from Mary.
And then she blurs, moving forward--accelerating quickly. Her aim is to rush into Mary. Into and past--as she goes, she attempts to place a glowing right hand on Mary's stomach.
If she manages, she'll leave a purple-edged glowing ball of energy, one that will explode in a searing ball of pain for Mary.
COMBATSYS: Mary interrupts Yamikaze - Doku from Setsuka with Singing in the Rain.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Setsuka
"Doin' just fine, darlin'!" The woman shoots back to Kula, as she steps back and forth, spinning the parasol. "You should worry about yourself before me! I live for this kind of stuff. It's quite nice y'-oh one moment!"
Because Setsuka is coming a biiiit too close to her, and Mary has been watching Setsuka as she moves about .. but what exactly IS that odd woman planning? That tingly sensation really is quite painful, it's like what those others have.. and she definitely dislikes that. But she steels herself, "Ya'll are right .. it IS about to change!" Because as the swordswoman charges straight into her.. and places a nice purple edged-glowing ball upon Mary.
But Mary stops Setsuka before she can just go 'through' and charge her to the side. "Darlin'.. I ain't done with you yet." She speaks to Setsuka as she slides past.. but with something on her leg. The parasol's J like hook. Which Mary begins to spin Setsuka around with, as the rain begins to once again .. change. Acidic drops begin to pool about on the ground, and Mary drives Setsuka into them, dragging her against the rock ground.. and then releasing her into a pool.. right as she's blasted backwards as well.. and perhaps having waned some of the psycho-energy as well.
"Darn thing..." Mary exclaims as she staggers back to her feet. "Always givin' me such a darn headache..."
"Ha ha ha... Ahhh," Shen exhales, slowly, coming down off the high of violence and rage... Though it didn't work out terribly well in the context of taking out Kula, now did it? "Hah... You /are/ pretty good," the berserker says to Kula, his dark eyes watching the ice girl, keeping his attention on her as surely as she keeps hers on him... But with Shenwoo, it's kind of a tunnel vision, his attention fixed solely on the most interesting target.
Even if he doesn't seem to be doing very well, Shen keeps right on grinning, from ear to ear, watching Kula for the least moment of weakness, the slightest opportunity. Yes, he's far more interested in his own entertainment than anything else in a fight... But beating somebody up is pretty good too.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Setsuka
Mary indicates that she's doing just fine. And she sure does SOUND chipper. Perhaps everyone at this match is crazy in their own way. One would have to be a bit left of center to be out here in the first place! Lowering her arms as she finishes absorbing the previously used ice back into her system. The pain from the hits that did get through her evasive defense hasn't diminished much. He says she's actually doing pretty good and Kula smiles a little back at the fighter from China. "And you're rather crazy." she replies back, her tone making it hard to determine if that was meant as a reciprocal comment or what.
As he studies the slight framed fighter, Kula stares back at him, the small flakes of snow continuing to dance in the air about her, occasionally melting and dropping to the arena floor. She seems to be trying to think as to how to best deal with him but she doesn't stay put forever. Leaning forward, Kula clasps her hands behind her back, skating over the stone as if it were a surface of smooth ice rather than rough hewn stone.
With her hands behind her back, it makes it clear where the attack is coming from as she skids to a stop, swinging her right foot up sharply, aiming to slash him open with a thin blade of ice along the sole of her shoe, revealing the means by which she's been able to slip around the arena so quickly thus far. The kick is intended to strike on the way back down too as she finally brings her hands out from behind her back, ready for defending herself once more.
... painful. Setsuka might've expected that... in fact, perhaps she did. That might be why she intentionally picked one of her stronger techniques. For now, though, she backs off of Mary. "Not a bad strike," she murmurs, softly, as she recovers, flipping in midair to land on her feet. "Not bad at all. You might be worth something..."
But maybe Setsuka doesn't think so. Glancing over at Kula and Shenwoo as they too do their little dance, Setsuka sing-songs over at the God of Battle, "Don't die yet! There's still plenty of fun to be had..." Fun, yes! Fun. Fun stuff.
Back to Mary, though; Setsuka stills, almost to complete stillness, just her eyes watching Mary. That parasol girl... so odd. And yet, undeniably effective. She'll have to watch the girl most carefully, lest she be caught offguard.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Setsuka
And Setsuka is currently backing off.. which is perhaps a good choice! ... Or perhaps .. not. "Ya'll are nice for sayin' that.. because I'm sure they'd have to agree.. they tried their best, and I really do like this .. it's so much more fitting now then just toilin' away all day.. this is a much more enjoyable form of work!"
"But you're right darlin'.. We ain't done in the least!" But Mary still has a ringing in her head.. and it's at least calmed down so she can steady her hands.. why? Because then her little shots won't be quite as effective. "But ya'll have to remember .. there's just something you have to keep in mind, darlin'! And some things you just have to go for!"
The rain above Mary begins to grow in intensity, before Mary turns over the parasol.. catching it. The parasol begins to heave as the water hisses, burning acidic rain pooling with itself. "And just imagine the many ways you can have your fun.. with just normal things around ya'll... and then SNAP! It's so simple!"
The parasol's spun around.. slowly at first, before faster and faster, Mary keeping the parasol upside down and low.. before she lets the acidic water fly towards Setsuka, as she simply stays there!
Rain Rain, go away, come again some other day~.. well.. that's generally why she keeps coming back at least!
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Shenwoo with Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Setsuka
It's just not Shenwoo's day, is it? Oh, he's having a good enough time of course, but even he gets frustrated sometimes. "Yeah well, I play to my strengths," Shen replies on the subject of his relative sanity, and then when Kula skates towards him, he summons up a surge of effort to move out of the way and...
Gets kicked, the skate slashing him open with a hiss of pain.
Obviously, he's doing something wrong here, taking a few steps back to put more space between himself and Kula. He just needs a minute here, to figure out exactly what it is that he's doing wrong. And then? Well, maybe he'll be able to enjoy himself a little more before he gets taken out of this match.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Setsuka
Her foot snapping down after delivering the kick, Kula skips backward just in case there's any swift retaliation from her target. She has picked up that he's fast, especially when it comes to launching into aggressive attacks, pushing her to defend with very precise timing in order to keep up with him at all. Which is why the girl never stops moving, as she slips away, going back to skating, this time in circles around Shenwoo.
"Are you and K' friends?" the young thing asks seemingly out of the blue. "It sure seemed that way when I saw you both last time." She slides to a stop at last, about ten yards away from any of the other three, situated nicely in the middle of all three. Bending down, she plants her hands against the ground, a swirl of white energy passing over her body, then coursing down her arms into the ground.
And then out from around the girl a large slick of ice begins to expand, coating the surface of the arena with a frictionless mirror. It won't hold up for long. Sustain a large patch of ice like that is demanding. But for the time being, it might make a little difference in whatever she has in mind to do next. Or maybe someone will just slip and fall. Not everyone can stand so easily on ice after all.
COMBATSYS: Kula focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Setsuka
COMBATSYS: Mary successfully hits Setsuka with Stay Awake.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Mary 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Setsuka
Acid chi. _Not_ something Setsuka has encountered before. The spray hits her, and it draws a scream from her; she staggers backwards, twisting violently (but gracefully) to shake off the energy as quickly as possible. That was... unpleasant, to say the least. Now, she could just stay back and try and maintain her focus.. but against Mary she's not feeling so charitable. Despite the pain, and the new distance, Setsuka simply rushes forward again.
Inwardly, she is -seething-, equal parts pain and rage mixing to form a potent brew. Outwardly, it's only visible in her eyes, which gleam bright, bright with that internal energy.
It remains internalized, however; Setsuka stamps her right foot, and then she's shooting forward, feet moving in a quick rhythm as she rushes at Mary, to close the distance, left hand on the scabbard of her blade and the right on the hilt. As she closes, she looses that blade again--a high, arcing cut, or so it appears. Really, that cut is made just as she's stepping forward with her left foot--and the cut is short. The real attack comes in the form of a forward-thrusting side kick from the right leg, using her left leg as a pivot point.
Her priorities are shifting; her trained eyes can see, plain as day, that Shenwoo is probably, barring a streak of luck or a sudden increase in skill, not long for this fight. Two on one, she doesn't stand a chance. So she just wants to visit Mary and bring her a basket.
A basket of pain.
COMBATSYS: Mary interrupts Light Kick from Setsuka with Beg Your Pardon.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Mary 1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 Setsuka
Well.. as Setsuka gets sprayed with such chi, Mary would expect her to stand down.. you know! To take a load off.. to fall back .. to do something beyond rush at her!
But nein.. Setsuka is confident in her ability to crash into her and to keep pushing forwards.. but Mary doesn't mind that at all, staying quite still, and draining out the rest of the acid.. it hurts Mary a slight bit with THAT much .. but she can live with it.. and yet Setsuka is shooting forwards, closing the distance rather quickly.. and in the end, the real attack, a thrusting side kick is made.
But Setsuka probably didn't expect Mary to be so HAPPY to run straight into Setsuka's assault all of a sudden. "Darlin' .. you're really thinkin' I'm just going to wait for ya? .. Nah .. ya'll takin' too long!" And she charges forwards, using the somewhat wet ground to slide over, thrusting her parasol forwards like she was spearfighting or lancing.. and whilst the kick crashes into Mary.. Mary crashes into and continues GOING with Setsuka, the bladed front probably not the most enjoyable!
And then she tosses her off the spinning weapon, looking over. "Now deary.. ya'll goin' ta continue this?" She takes a step backwards.. ah yes.. perfect!
"'Friends'?" Shenwoo repeats, arching a brow and looking a bit disbelieving. "Well, he's fun to fight..." But really, the God of Battle doesn't have many friends, for various reasons. The really weird part is that the only true friend that he has, at least from his perspective, is a creepy weirdo Frenchman who spends all his money and sleeps on his couch. "Why? He not supposed to have friends or something? What are you, his babysitter?"
The brawler considers this for a moment, rubbing his chin with one hand. "Or are you his girlfriend? I've heard some chicks don't like their guys having any friends..." Yeah, that seems like a reasonable conclusion to Shenwoo, who is only passingly acquainted with things like 'reality'. All that ice is interesting, though. What could Shen possibly do about that? Grinning, he rushes forward, and deliberately slides on the ice, dropping to his knees. He slides along the ice like that, dropping back on his leather-clad duff... Long enough to swing up one foot, bringing it out in a stomp-like kick at Kuka's breadbasket region.
It's not nice to kick girls there!
COMBATSYS: Kula interrupts Fusen Kyaku from Shenwoo with Behind Slash.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Kula 1/----===/=======|=====--\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Mary 1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 Setsuka
Everything else happening in the fight slowly gets tuned out by Kula. She's created her ice slick, her circle in which she reigns and others simply visit and hope they make it out in one piece. And it looks like Shenwoo is just crazy enough to try his luck on the ice against its maker.
As he answers her question, she's pretty quiet at first. So not friends. Just fun to beat up. He asks if she's K''s babysitter and Kula blinks, "N-no, I was just-" He asks if she's his GIRLFRIEND, and she looks taken back for a moment, mouth back to that slightly pouty frown once again. "No!"
As if to re-enforce the declaration, she meets Shenwoo as he comes sliding in, turning her side into the kick so that he strikes her hip hard instead of making her sick to her stomach. Her right hand slams forward at the same time, crashing into his chest, surprisingly devoid of that ice she's been attacking with so far... Mostly because the ice is behind him, a hovering spike made manifest that she controls with a flick of her left wrist, drawing it right back to stab into his upper back before pushing him away.
Around her, the ice slick begins to melt, Kula having sustained it for as long as she could. A soft, frosty breathed exhale reveals the energy she's spent trying to contend with him, but managing to stay standing all the same. "I was just curious," she finally finishes her statement with a bit of a shrug, slipping back a yard or two from the crazy young man.
"I... will... -KILL- you..." hisses Setsuka. Her composure is hard-won, in many cases; in this fight, she just took a bladed weapon to the chest. Her dress is ruined, her body bloodied... and she is -angry-. Suddenly, she's charging forward, again--heedless of pain, literally ignoring it right now, shutting down what her brain uses to respond. Mary is -not- getting off that easily, not in a million years.
She's rushing after Mary, of course, and reaching out for her. One may guess that she does -not-, in fact, have something pleasant in mind for the parasol-wielding girl, of course. What she -does- have in mind? Well, she's going to grab for Mary's throat.
And if she gets that grip, Mary will find her trajectory suddenly changed, as Setsuka flings her backwards--and alters her own trajectory just as suddenly. Yanked, Mary would have little choice of response as Setsuka brings her blade to bear--slashing it across Mary's chest--and then grabbing her throat, and yanking her back in the other direction, suddenly and violently, only to follow up and turn and slash her in the back... and then to grab, yank, and slash one more time...
... and then a final yank to hurl Mary into the flooring. All this, of course, is predicated on Mary being unable to defend herself.
COMBATSYS: Mary endures Setsuka's Yamikaze - Kama.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Kula 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Shenwoo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Mary 1/---====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Setsuka
"Kill me?" Mary listens to Setsuka. Walking calmly away from the scene of the charge. "Ya'll .. not gonna get the chance.. I ain't weak no more like any of those I knew.. ain't weak at all. And I ain't .. gonna ever be weak... anymore." She makes this clear, smiling at the end, despite the hissing.
And suddenly Setsuka is upon her, and Mary is grabbed by the neck.. and then flung backwards.. and suddenly.. Mary is being slashed away at as Setsuka yanks across her chest.. and then yanks her the other way .. and slashes.. and then grabs.. and yanks.. and slashes. Mary doesn't protest to any of this at all.. but the last attack.. isn't.
The slashing and yank ends up causing Mary to spin.. and with all the water about .. most of the yanking was actually controlled. She didn't see any of the energy.. and just threw herself straight into it.
But now .. she's spiralling about, and the parasol.. is actually closed and close to her. Or was. As she spins, she releases the chain, the rain going from mild to a pure downpour. And when it hits the ground, it's sizzling pretty badly.. although now it's centered around Mary. "Darlin'.. just take yer' medicine.. you'll feel alot better!"
No melting ice Kula's.
The handle of the chain, the J shape, spirals out as Mary spins.. aiming to catch Setsuka's leg. And if it catches on, it'll be like before. Except far far worse.
She'll be pulled off her feet, and spun outwards, Mary just spinning still from the slick water about her.. before pulling in closer, the chain being pulled in, allowing Setsuka to be raked across the acid rain laden ground, before she's pulled completely in.. and whipped away, send careening, perhaps, straight off the arena.
Ha ha, clearly Shenwoo has struck a nerve! Gained a moral victory when the more conventional one is distressingly out of his grasp! A barking laugh escapes the berserker at Kula's reactions, though of course the question is whether or not he's still laughing when he gets shanked with more of Kula's ice spears, spattering red blood everywhere.
The answer is, yes Shenwoo is still laughing. Crazy ass.
"Ha ha ha ha... Yeah, of course," Shen says, wobbling as he pushes himself into a low crouch, and pushing off in a runner's start to close with Kula one last time. He's got to make this count, if nothing else really has; so his hands clasp together in a double axehandle position, swinging them upwards as he gets close enough to the ice girl, aimed at her chin. And if that makes contact, then Shen brings his fists back /down/, this time right onto Kula's face. "HORA!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Kula 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Setsuka
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mary 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Kula with Kouryuu-Geki.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Kula 1/--=====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Setsuka
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mary 0/-------/-------|
It's not often that someone manages to get Kula bothered, but Shenwoo seems to do the trick. He doesn't fit the profile of any other fighter she's dealt with before, and this is beginning to bother her more and more as her attacks seem to provoke just more laughter. Is he not bleeding? Is she not cutting him? Is he not exhausted, worn down by blood loss and injury, and constant, frantic strikes?
"Why are you still laughing?" she asks back, focused entirely on him now, losing track of Mary and Setsuka. Her mouth is neutral, tight lipped, and her defenses a little lazy. He has to be weak by now, there's little chance he can possibly be going strong still. Lifting her left hand, she creates another one of those barriers to put a stop to what she ascertains to be his last HORA. A barrier that he simply PLOWS through, his double axehandle smashing through the ice and into the ice princess's chin with enough force to send her reeling backward. It also puts her face in perfect striking range for the second half, his hands coming down and crashing into her face with enough force to plant her face first down to the ground with a startled yelp.
She's down for only a moment before bracing herself back up into a low crouch, both hands resting over her now bleeding nose, the corners of her eyes tearing up a little from the jarring pain. "Hmph," she grunts back, sounding a little petulant as she rises back up to standing, keeping her hands over nose for a moment longer. When she at last draws them back, the blood has been frozen in place just like her cut lip from earlier in the fight. It isn't pretty, but it's better than splashing all over the place in her mind.
Turning away from him, her attention fixes on Setsuka as Mary leads the charge. "Mary, don't..." Kula begins to warn, crouching down, planting her hands against the arena floor. "Get caught in this!" What's coming next is heralded only by a tremble in the ground, the stone floor of Howard arena rumbling, white energy coursing down Kula's arms into the surface of the platform beneath her.
Perhaps Setsuka will figure it out in time, the cause for the rubling, as a spire of ice launches up from her side. Jagged, sharp, threatening to pierce and slash. It's only the first one. A second spire surges forth from her other side. And finally a third from in front of her, each of them attempting to fence the girl in, to force her into being hit by the next one, or by all three should she prove unfortuante.
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Setsuka with Diamond Edge.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ]
Kula 0/-------/---====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Setsuka
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mary 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Setsuka fails to counter Dociousaliexpiisticfagilcalirupes from Mary with Yamikaze - Kuu.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Kula 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mary 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Setsuka can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Kula 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mary 0/-------/-------|
Really, once Shenwoo went down? The match was determined. Setsuka knows it. More than likely Kula knows it. And Mary should know it. Perhaps the bright lights aren't meant to be kind to Setsuka--her last two showings in the Saturday Night Fights have been somewhat less than stellar, and it rankles for her. She is well-trained, deadly, accurate. It just doesn't show, on camera, and that puts a big bite in her pride. A huge one, actually.
A blow that is turned into a crushing one--not in the least because Kula chooses this time to strike--and to strike with -power-. Sandwiched between the two, essentially, there is little choice--Setsuka is caught by all three of those spears of ice. She doesn't even have the breath to scream; her subconscious makes some token effort to deliver something to Mary--some pain, something...
But she's already out. Her body, broken and bleeding, tumbles across the stone flooring, mute testament to the power of NESTS--officials are probably worrying very -very- hard right about now, until Setsuka draws a single, faint breath.
Even before the announcement of the winners, the medical team is out there, rolling her body onto a stretcher. Oddly enough, none of the cameras seem to have an angle on her position right now.
Watching, Mary smiles. Oh! Okay! Now that's the ticket! But Kula warns her .. uh oh.
And sliding out of the way, releasing the hook, and moving to the edge of the stage, Mary watches on at Kula.. and she looks .. beat up. "Thanks for the warnin' darlin .. but what happened to you?" She asks rather simply, tilting her head a bit as well, curious about what caused the girl who was doing just so good to really turn .. bad.
"Nice work out there.. but ya'll didn't need to help me.. I had it covered.. Still, thanks."
She staggers as she goes, but is able to make it mostly over to her.
"Poor thing.. but she ain't gonna kill me. Nope.. can't let it happen." She seems stubborn that way.. even if her clothing is a bit more than slightly bloody.
Poor Setsuka. If Kula were a normal girl, she'd probably feel awful about what just transpired. As it stands, she's just glad that the fight is over. It means she can go back to doing what she'd rather be doing. Which is anything BUT fighting by about now. The energy that she poured into the tri-spire assault seems to have taken with her frosty blue hair and ever present snow flurries, leaving auburn locks resting against her shoulders as she runs over to wrap her arms around Mary's neck, "We did it, Mary!"
Time to go back home. She'll probably be given a pat on the head while being sternly admonished that she really needs to be careful in these public venues lest she end up killing someone and becoming banned or something. She'll weather the lecture like she always does, agreeing to beat people a little less savagely when it isn't necessary, but it's hard to say how long that committment will stick!
"He punched me hard in the nose," Kula explains to Mary when she asks as to her condition, realizing that as her power faded, the blood will start thawing fast. Bringing her hands up to cover her nose, she takes a step back, releasing Mary from the dangling hug, "I think I need to get some tissues... excuse me!"
COMBATSYS: Mary has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Kula 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Kula has ended the fight here.
Log created on 15:37:21 08/02/2008 by Setsuka, and last modified on 17:15:55 08/14/2008.