Description: The New Heroes Team combine their hot licks with a deeper undying evil of progressive rock to give this SNF a rockin' good time! Pop Star/Super Heroine Athena Athena Asamiya teams up with former Jail Bait Ayame Thattajilsondwich to take on the bodacious buddy up of annoying sex dwarf Choi 'What Do You Mean It Is Full Size?' Bounge and Adam 'Seriously, I am Not Igniz, Check Out My Bishie Chest' West. With pyrotechnics purposefully being rigged to hit Ayame and Igniz, this fight is a complete riot... of the blood! <Winner: Athena & Ayame>
The downtown area of Southtown has been blocked off to allow the weekend's biggest music event to take over. It's a giant party and Howard Enterprises is hosting! Saturday traffic has been rerouted to leave room for a giant stage to be setup at one of the biggest intersections in the city. No one really seems to mind the disruption to such a large portion of the city... because anyone who's anyone is going to either be at the party or home dutifully following the night's fighting events as Howard's people once again aim to bring the world the most amazing events the sport has to offer.
The air is electrified, currents driven by powerful speakers setup throughout the area. Over the last hour, music has been working the crowd into a frenzy. The talented New Faces band has been booked for the occasion, which makes it all the more special for some. For Ayame, it's an amazing spectacle. Oh, sure, she's moved to the music from time to time, putting on a good show of enjoying the entertainment. But all the entire display really speaks to her is one thing: Money. And lots of it. To have the type of cash to throw down an event like this is practically all she's ever dreamed of!
Of course, she knows that the impressive setup isn't for her sake, but rather her world famous idol partner, Athena Asamiya. "If only," she muses, resting her hands behind her head, leaning her upper back against one of the pillers holding the bright lights. Colorful strobe lights make it difficult to identify what's going on entirely, but she can make out the gist of the stage at least. There are two levels. A small, highly elevated platform for the band to play on. And the larger area down below where the battle proper is to take place.
Someone said something about pryotechnics or whatnot. Ayame wasn't really paying attention. She's here because it's a way to make money and a way to learn even more techniques and fighting styles to unravel. Stretching her arms out to her sides, the strawberry-blonde stays at the edge of the large stage. "Whatever. This isn't my show anyway." she eyerolls, clasping both of her hands behind her neck.
Athena had been rather flattered, really, that SNF had taken her interests into account to the extent of crafting an entire premise around her fame as a singer. Though she obviously isn't the one taking center stage in the singing department here, the truth is she's all too content to be a spectator for once. The life of a musician is a strenuous and hectic one, after all, and every once in a while it's nice to let someone else do all the work.
Having arrived early, as is her wont, the young woman spent her pre-match time wandering around the party, talking to fans, having a good time, and-- when she gets a minute to herself away from the autographs-- simply enjoying the spectacle of a big event that isn't centered all around her.
As match start draws nearer, however, Athena starts to buckle down and get herself back in a fighting mindset. She's already at one corner of the stage, unobtrusively doing a few warmup exercises, ten minutes before anything even begins. She casts an eye at Ayame as the other girl shows and speaks up, however, and at the comment her mouth pulls into a smile.
"Of course it is," she rebukes lightly in her gentle voice, straightening up and heading towards the girl in order to greet her properly. Hiding at the edge of the stage won't work on Athenas! "You're here, aren't you? Same as me." Athena bows a little-- presuming Ayame as a fellow Japanese and culturally mindful-- before continuing, "You must be Ayame. I'm looking forward to fighting with you... I've heard you're very skilled."
"No, really, buddy boy, I am good friends with Shermie!"
Choi Bounge proved a problem with Howard Enterprises. On one hand, his relatively provokitive and sometimes even obscene antics brought about a great deal of viewers. That, combined with his relatively large fanbase demographic in Korean males, made him a good investment. On the other hand, those same antics sometimes made a bad legal atmosphere. Girls, for whatever reason, didn't like fighting with him. Sure, their contracts made it almost impossible for them to sue Howard Enterprises, but that only kept with fighters. Musicians, on the other hand, lacked such clauses. So when Choi Bounge was put on this ticket, security was given very simple orders to deal with Choi's question.
No.
Rejected, the little Korean steps away from the ladder where the security kept watch. His eyes directed straight upwards, he was even more moody that there wasn't any glass ceilings for him to peer through. At the moment, it looked like the New Faces were hidden away from him. Damn. Sure, this was all for Athena, but he was hoping to ride some coattails to an even bigger mount. What can he say. Shermie was viagra in human form. And a wrestler as well as a musician!
Looking down, Choi put his clawed hand over his hat, and narrowed his eyes towards Ayame and Athena. Well, maybe this wasn't going to be all bad. Hopefully, his partner wouldn't mind if Choi was going to be a little... frisky. If only in the sense that he might frisk the girls. Choi began grinning wide as he leaned forward. And then, he pursed his lips. That sharp intake of air ended with a long, hard, wolf whistle. "Wooooweee! What are a pair of fine young ladies doing in a fight like this?" The midget purred, letting out one of his battlefield pick-up lines right for either of them. If it drew in one of them, that would be fine, but both?
The possibilities gave the midget a spin.
Adam is a peculiar name, isn't it? No such fighter has held that common name to be pitted against Athena as well as Ayame. Of course, Adam also has Choi on his side, one Adam had met some time before.
This 'Adam' fellow is such a strange person. Even stranger is that Adam never shows, just a man with a cloak draped around him answer to the name of Igniz.
Loss after loss had driven him into questioning, the Tournament he was assuredly going to win snached by multiple losses to fighters as great. Even being told that he was only invited so that Krauser could brutally destroy him, and that the tournament leader could easily kill him if he wanted. While this wasn't true, the spurs of defeat were only imbedded farther when he lost once more.
Mere defeats were not warrented, but the god of NESTS found himself good advice from Billy Kane. He has strength, but no finnese. No skill which he can best others in save for cold, hard machinery.
That was easily fixed, thought Igniz in his bedrock throne deep within the mountains.
Today, Igniz appears instead of Adam, the same wry smile harping beneath the damp purple cloak, his features much less unhinged.
Steps are taken towards his side of the arena where he stands, looking towards the others about, ready for the assault. Music was the setting? That was perfectly fine. Though, Igniz's taste in music was obviously different than most here. He preffered hyms dedicated in his honor rather than the music today, simply put to a beat and then let fly anywhere. It doesn't matter however, even if the setting will be more a non-entity for the god like presence that Igniz may keep.
There, Igniz once more prepares to fight. The cloak manuevers about the man, moving and clutching before finally...
Igniz removes it completely, fighting in what would be better known as a simple garb that fits loosely about his figure, plainly white rather than the jet black armor he was so used to. There isn't any battlesuit at all.
There is only Adam, or in this case, Igniz, sans armor.
Oh brother. As if having Mizuki two weeks ago wasn't bad enough, it seems Ayame's been teamed up with another polite, mealy mouthed pushover. She's not entirely sure who the SNF organizers are trying to torment. Her? Or her terribly mismatched partners for the fight? As Athena draws near to answer her grousing with a well mannered but stern rebuttle, Ayame quirks an eyebrow. She could reply with something flippant and get this partnership off to the usual terrible start, and as she starts to open her mouth, she's just about to go right on ahead with that flawless plan of attack.
She's disarmed by the bow, however, her mouth clamping shut again as she blinks and proceeds to return the gesture with a certain amount of grace, as if a practiced habit from long ago. She stands up straight again, her expression replaced with an easy going smile, "Well, you've heard right." She looks at Athena with a strange intensity only barely hidden behind attentive brown eyes. So she's one of the wealthy many she's envied for as far back as she can remember? She seems more normal in person than she had expected.
"You must be good too. I've seen your record." Ayame taps the side of her head, the numbers filed away in there somewhere. "Let's waste these guys." Whirling toward the center, her attention falls next on Choi. A quick head to toe to head inspection is cast the Korean's way, her expression shifting again to a faint smirk, "Well, it's quite simple, really." she answers the claw user. Her right hand goes to one of her multiple belts, slipping a butterfly knife from a narrow sleeve and leaving it closed in her palm. In the blink of an eye, her left hand is similarly occupied, only the glint of a passing light reveals that the second one is open. She glances to the side. The fourth fighter has arrived. She doesn't recognize him immediately which means that as far back as her memory goes, she hasn't fought him. There's something about him that suggests he's serious business though. Maybe her hyperpolite teammate can do something about that. "You got that guy, right?" she asks Athena, before twisting quickly back toward Choi.
"Let's see if you can figure it out, little man." Her right hand makes the first move, hurling the closed butterfly knife into a lazy arc toward Choi, possibly diverting his attention to the small flying object. In the same moment, Ayame bolts forward, utilizing everything she has in the way of speed. From a yard out she leaps into a short, aerial spin, aiming to slash the Korean swiftly with her left knife.
By the time she lands and spins out of her attack, she's caught the right knife back out of the air, flicked it open, and is stabbing it directly forward, aiming for a deeper gouge. "I hope you like it rough!"
COMBATSYS: Ayame has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Choi has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
COMBATSYS: Athena has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Starscream has joined the fight here in the center.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/------=|
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Starscream [W] 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Igniz has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|-------
If Ayame is expecting Athena to be a mealymouthed pushover, she'd swiftly be disappointed if she ever decided to try snarking the singer. Gentle and kind as she might seem, the young woman has hung out with Kyo Kusanagi just a little too much to let herself be steamrolled by flippancy and sarcasm any more. Her teasing is always playful, mind-- always done in good humor-- but it often catches by surprise those who expect her to just shut her mouth and drop her eyes when challenged.
Ayame seems to take her well, however, and the girl's cocky response draws Athena's smile a little wider. One might think her amusement to be silent and passive, but in reality her own violet eyes are seeing a little further beyond the surface as they regard Ayame. She can sense, very faintly, a hint of surprise-- but the girl is harder to read than most, requiring active effort. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, Athena doesn't try to pry.
Thinking nothing of it, Athena merely nods to Ayame's battle plan. Her gaze breaks away to focus on Igniz as he's indicated-- and the girl visibly pauses, eyes widening, freezing a little like a deer in headlights. She remains momentarily stunned... before she immediately proves Ayame's thoughts she might be a pushover wrong with the sudden hardening of her eyes. "Yes... I've got him." And with that, she (gladly) leaves Choi to Ayame, and starts towards Igniz.
"You. I recognize you," she starts, eyes narrowing. "I still remember from when you attacked those schools..." She starts into an abrupt onrush then, vaulting into the air; she wreathes suddenly in psionic flames, before she twists midair and hurtles straight back down at an angle towards the self-proclaimed god.
COMBATSYS: Choi dodges Ayame's Medium Strike.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|-------
Choi Bounge knows Igniz all too well. If he was a little noisier about his approach, he might have had a less warm in his opening. As Ayame turns her attention on the little man, the corn-fed grin erupts again. "Oh ho ho. Little? -LITTLE-?!" As Ayame bolts forward, her emphasize on speed is rewarded with... even more agility. The midget snaps one claw forward, and as her knifes snaps down, Choi catches it. And with the force, he suddenly seems to just give way. Letting her force give him the energy, he shoots across the stage.
Digging his claws into the ground, he stops his horizontal shot to get a quick gauge of his partner. Those who are paying attention might see the strange look of nausea pass over his face, followed by the look of anger. Brow furrowing, he knew that face very clearly. In Choi's do-gooder phase, he made the mistake of crossing paths with Igniz. Not just annoy him, no. But legitimately stop him at Taiyo High, knocking him down. After that, he has held a small position in NESTS as 'someone really fast to deal with, whenever convenient. Kula showed that, and much later, Candy. Choi knew what NESTS wanted to do with him.
Replace him with a robot clone.
The midget shoots forward, keeping his position low as he jogged along. Claws and arms trailing loosely behind him, his little legs were just pumping . Choi sometimes had great difficulty approach his opponent by his little legs and broad range of movement. However, his same small frame gave a great deal towards bluffs. As he closed in on Ayame, the little man snickered. "Well, TOOTS, I do like it rough. So let's cut the formalities and get straight to the fun part!" Diving to Ayame's right, Choi crossed back over with a spring to her left. As he landed towards her left, he flipped straight back up into the air. Backflipping into a kick, he attempting to catch his heel right into the jaw of the poor girl, just adding to the confusion as he launched up into the air.
COMBATSYS: Igniz fails to counter Phoenix Arrow from Athena with Transcedental Conclusion.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|-------
It seems Igniz's reputation has spread since his acts, as the god of NESTS is instantly recognized by Athena. The psycho soldier does ring a bell to the god of NESTS, for the simple reason that she is without a doubt known, making a name for herself since the very first days that she has been in the circuit. It would be a mistake to not have a file on her in the NESTS machine.
Igniz attention turns towards Athena, his wry smile continously hanging about him as he looks, happily to accept Athena's advances towards him. Albiet strong, Igniz does not shy away from a challenge.
No, that's the entire reason that the god of NESTS has taken off the suit of armor, now leaving himself open to the very elements that seek to destroy his power, like the own body turning against itself when it is changed.
"Oh, you remember that?" Igniz exclaims, "I had forgotten. The events were quick, simple. I got what I wanted. It isn't worth remembering." As quick as Athena was, she was suddenly on the attack. Igniz knew the woman was rather limber. That is why he had to multigate her speed, find another way to assault.
Athena pushes deep quickl, the arrow rocking forward into the god of NESTS defenses even as he moves to push against her. It all ends terrible, Athena crashing into him, the psychic energy wracking about the god of NESTS figure as she comes down, crashing into her.
Igniz isn't able to immidiately get up, but the god of NESTS isn't rather worried. He has plenty of chances, even if he's wounded somewahat.
As the fight begins, so does the show; the New Face Team suddenly appears on stage with the dramatic FLASH of lights, spotlights swirling and focusing inward on Yashiro at center. The band leader's head is dipped dramatically, guitar slung around his shoulders. The music begins to swell--
--And it's just as Athena leaps through midair that the festivities begin with the sudden WAIL of a guitar. With that single, strong note, the ground around Athena sudddenly EXPLODES in a pyrotechnic flash, gouts of flames billowing outwards in a bedazzling display as if summoned by the righteous guitar-wailing of Yashiro himself.
Somewhere in the distance, Yashiro also yells out a mighty "YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAH!" but it's not nearly as impressive as guitar-summoned fireballs.
COMBATSYS: Ayame dodges Choi's Hien Zan.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|-------
Choi escapes Ayame's opening strikes rather effectively, catching her first slash and slipping away before she can bring her second stab to bear. The girl grins faintly, pulling her arm back just after twisting the knife meant for the older man's chest. As he dives to her side, she turns to keep him in sight, right knife raised, left knife held back, ready to take advantage of any opening whereby she might land a gash to slow him down a touch. "Yeah, I thought so," she responds readily to his confirmation.
What transpires between Athena and Adam goes unnoticed for the moment. Not that she's not paying the slightest attention, but for the time being, they seem far enough away that she can stay focused entirely on Choi. Which works out to her benefit, keeping her sharp and prepared for his next move. "You seemed the type." Her left foot slips back, giving her room to pivot as he backflips, aiming for her chin.
The nature of his attack leaves him in a better position to escape, buying range and striking all at the same time. No matter, she decides, lunging forward, right hand first, aiming to deliver a quick slash vectored roughly to where she predicts he'll land. "But you'll have to do better than that!"
COMBATSYS: Athena dodges Starscream's Bodacious Explosion.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|-------
Athena's jaw grits in clear anger, the expressive girl a total stranger to dissembling, when Igniz dismisses what he's done as not even worth much in the way of an epitaph. Perhaps it's that anger which lends her the necessary speed to get past Igniz's preparations.
But she doesn't let it blind her. She notices the sudden shred on the guitar that heralds the start of the music-- and she sure as hell notices the explosion that accompanies it. Eyes widening, the girl at first seems doomed to fall prey to the pyrotechnics. She's in midair, there's no way she'll be able to avoid that--
But then Athena flickers and vanishes. With a vertical flare of light, the girl folds herself away in a swift teleport that brings her out of range of the blast. Skidding to a halt several feet away, panting slightly with the effort, she narrows her eyes back on Igniz once she's sure the stage won't explode on her again.
"And what was it 'you wanted?'" she questions sharply, even as she rises abruptly and fixes her eyes on Igniz: studying the way he moves intently. "What could be worth hurting kids?"
COMBATSYS: Athena focuses on her next action.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Ayame successfully hits Choi with Quick Strike.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|-------
The anger that guides Athena's strike was unexpected. All she needed was a little push, and through it, she got what she wanted. Crashing through, Athena splayed Igniz upon his back. Now and here, Igniz was fully aware of his surroundings, and now, Athena has done something that the god of NESTS would equally enjoy.
She had given him time to bolster himself.
Standing up straight, the god of NESTS picks himself off the ground. Beaten brutally upon the first assault, he makes no offensive movements at once, instead, awaiting as she simply glares towards him. Igniz smiles back, pushing the dirt off his garbs. That was unexpected, but not unwarrented.
"There are many things I must do that seem appaling to those that live here. The world isn't so easily persuaded to the truth." Igniz declares as he thrusts himself forward almost immidiately, spanning the ground quickly as he attempts to lodge his fist directly into the girls chest if everything goes as expected.
"Why should children abide by their own special laws? I do not treat Kula any differently than I do any other."
Ayame's successful prediction pays her off well. While Choi's foot misses, he is positioned in a prime location to attack. Claws open, he intended to let his mix up confuse her, and then just drive her with a counter attack. However, initiative pays off, and Choi is left with a small cut upon the inside of his left arm.
The midget lands with his body tucked his, the palm of his right hand pressed against the new wound. "OUCH! You little HUSSY!" The Korean snaps, sneering towards Ayame as his little legs shuffle towards her. Athena and Igniz still seem to be tied up. Good riddance. If either took the other out, it would be great for him. On the other hand, he never did get a chance to check out Athena's goods… short of the internet, of course. And those were totally photoshops. He would need some first-hand knowledge… after he pulled the same on Ayame.
Tucking into a small roll, he tries to clear the distance between him and Ayame yet again. He had a more sinister reason for this trickery. Keeping close to Ayame wasn't just tactical, it was to get right under the skirt line. And what happened when Choi was under the skirt line?
"YEE HEE HEE HAAAAW!" Choi began to howl as he launched straight up. Spinning like a tornado, he stuck his claws right out, making him like a human blender. Great streaks of energy coursed between his claws, feeding the wind that was trying to suck Ayame into the whirling blades- and more importantly, her tiny short skirt.
Music rips across the stage to deafening degrees as Shermie, just beyond Yashiro, plays her little synthesizer keyboard like there's no tomorrow, adding some funky 80's melody to the rise of musical splendor. Fingers deftly maneuver across the keys as Ayame once more lunges at her agile and lecherous target. Behind a veil of patently unpractical hair, Shermie looks at the encounter with a coy smile. Another musical note is pressed. The ground beneath Ayame glows--
--and then putters out into a rather dismal series of searing-hot sparklers.
Shermie frowns at the malfunction, but there's no mistaking the red-hot pain those DANGEROUSLY DISAPPOINTING flashes of pyrotechnic sparks can maybe provide, a little bit.
Off in the background Chris like smiles and sings in a disturbingly girly voice or whatever it is Chris does to contribute to music that isn't 'look like the child from "The Omen."'
COMBATSYS: Starscream successfully hits Ayame with Subpar Pyrotechnics.
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Ayame 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Ayame blocks Choi's Tatsumaki Shippuu Zan.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|------=
As her shallow slash finds its mark, Ayame draws back then. Having gone to great lengths to draw a little blood, she isn't in a position to transition into a full combination against the other fighter. She just wanted to leave a mark for now; to test his speed, his ability to slip around her calculated attacks. Both knives are flicked closed at the same time as Choi shouts back at her, only to be answered with a teethy grin, "Hey now, you told me you liked it rough. Maybe we should've agreed on a safety word first, hm?"
Her left hand goes to a black leather pouch affixed to a second belt, fingers gliding in before withdrawing a six inch long glinting metal tube. In the process, she becomes vaguely aware of the floor beneath her feet suddenly glowing. Oh yeah, that's right - this stage is rigged to go off like fire works. "Tch." She attempts to spring to the side out of the way, but it's lucky for her that it was mostly a dud because she doesn't make it in time, earning scorch marks on her legs for her trouble as she slides to a stop.
Glancing up, the strawberry-blonde finds a swiftly rolling Choi headed her way, forcing her to defend herself immediately. His trajectory comes to an early stop, however, for the moment he starts to get in close, a metal staff thuds down vertically in his path as Ayame expands the collapsed weapon to its full six foot length with a twisting flair. "A bit over eager, aren't we gramps?" she replies, eyebrow arched, drawing back a little as he whips up into that whirlwind of blades and chi. Fending off the physical strikes with her staff, only the chi gets through, and for his effort, Choi draws a little blood from her right leg and a small tear at the hem of her skirt.
Gritting her teeth, the girl skips back another step, and then another, coming to a stop a few yards away from Choi. The flashing lights, the exploding stage floor, the speeches being exchanged between her teammate and that guy that showed up in a cloak, and the claw wielding Korean make for a challenging match to concentrate in. But she's going to give it a shot all the same, gripping her staff in front of her at a defensive angle. "Someday, when I have a lot of money, I'm going to make people dance on an exploding stage just like this one." she muses, feeling a tad vindictive at the moment. For now, however, she needs to rethink her tactics. Maybe she can time something appropriately with the pryotechnic explosions?
COMBATSYS: Ayame calculates her next move.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Igniz successfully hits Athena with Cosmological Thrust.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
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Athena 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Igniz
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Starscream 0|-------|------=
He's fast. Too fast to simply avoid-- and too fast to even get a guard up in time to block. Athena's attempt to defend herself gets snapped through, the self-proclaimed god landing his strike square in the center of her chest. Stumbling back a few paces, the young woman coughs as she attempts to regain her breath.
She gets it back rather quicker than Igniz might like. "K-Kula? S-so you're responsible... for the way she is?" The young woman looks up at Igniz in a new light, disapproval painted across her features as she regards the man who seems to think so little of children he's willing to hurt them... to turn them into empty, tormented dolls like Kula.
Outraged, the young singer doesn't attempt to explain how she knows Kula is 'different.' Nor does she try to clarify what about the young experiment she detected. She just gathers her psionic power, letting it flicker around her wrists, and then presses it forward in a sudden blast. A bolt of Psycho Power arrows outwards from her hands as she slings it forward, attemping to catch the god off-guard.
Safety words? Choi liked this girl's style better and better. And then, the small metal tool.
Choi was very close to heaven at the moment.
As the pyrotechnics go off before Choi dives in, the Freudian undertones are very obvious. As the midget slips in and shapes out, he shoots up. Unfortunately, six inches turn into six feet, and the midget can only get glimpses and edges of the legal female. Fortunately, as he drops back down, the little man brings up his claws, and notices that Ayame doesn't go for him… immediately.
The little man just frowns. He knew this game. As Athena and Igniz engage in a battle of epic proportions, the little man had a little girl to deal with. A little girl that was now locked square upon his positioning. Looks like it wasn't time for a quick storm of offense anymore. Instead, it was now going to be a much slower and delicate match. Focusing his own eyes on the woman, he seems to be looking carefully at the hem, and then the staff. His mind latching on to potential strike points, he suddenly overhears Ayame's wishes for money. His frown turns into a sick grin as he hides his mouth with his claws. He removes them, and leans forward with a snicker.
"Hey! If you want a lot of money, start dancing with that pole, sugar!"
COMBATSYS: Choi focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Igniz blocks Athena's Psycho Ball.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
Even as igniz crashes into the chest of Athena, Igniz rears backwards from the added strength behind the assault. The sheer speed he dedicated towards the strike leaves him out in the open for moments. That's about enough time Athena to capitalize, even as he rises back to his guard, attempting to make up for the speed by embracing what he has to work with.
"Responsible? Yes, I am responsible for her. Her thoughts, her abilities, even her smile was approved by me before we she was allowed." Igniz announces, even exclaims as the Psycho ball rushes out to meet him. It very may catch him off guard as he brings up his arms, bracing for the oncoming assault.
His movements are too well placed, being driven backwards by the ball as it reaches him, thrusting him backwards under the pressure delivered into the oncoming assault. The admirable assault fails to hit cleanly as Igniz's arms burn of energy nondescript. He resises once more, looking deep into the movements of the girl he is pitted against.
"Do you hate me?" Igniz announces, wondering such a simple question with an answer thats entirely obviously.
He just wants to see the strength of emotion, and if he can conquer it.
COMBATSYS: Igniz calculates his next move.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
Well, Ayame gets part of her 'timing something appropriately with pyrotechnic explosions' strategy right.
That being the 'pyrotechnic explosions' and 'appropriately timed.'
The music dies down into a mellow tune for a moment as Ayame and her Korean companion both settle back to observe each other; it picks up /again/, however, as soon as Athena strikes out at Igniz with that surge of motion. The tempo increases, and the cheering surges to almost damaging volumes before Chris, who is apparently a drummer, does a sudden, viciously pleasant solo on his set -- all appropriately timed with the sudden explosion of harmless, but exceedingly bright, flares.
All around Ayame.
They probably won't hurt at all, but golly, they will be mildly inconvenient.
And then Chris promptly gives a big ol' hollar and puts on his Arthur The Tick's Sidekick costume, flailing wildly across the stage.
COMBATSYS: Starscream successfully hits Ayame with Irritatingly Bright Lights.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
A staring contest with Choi leaves Ayame with nothing pleasant to look at. The long haired weapons maven takes in a breath after a moment. Maybe he's stalling to figure out a way around that pole she's just produced. Or maybe he's got other things on his mind all together. "Oh," Ayame replies to his helpful advice. "I intend to."
"Careful though - you might not like-" The infernal stage seeks to thwart her once again as the music rages on and the crowd continues to cheer. She'd just about managed to drown out the cacophony of sound when the lights explode all around her. Thinking she's about to get blown up again, the girl stumbles to the side, eyes unfocused for a moment as she shakes her head. She should have read the premise of this fight and sabatoged all this junk before hand, she grouses.
It takes a moment to find Choi again. At least, she thinks it's him. It's about time she got around to braining that guy a good one. Hands tightening on her titanium weapon, Ayame sprints forward again. Wary of Choi's speed, she attacks early, sweeping her staff out with her left hand, releasing her right so that she can swipe it swiftly directly over the level of his head and menace his ability to take to the air again. The intent is to keep him ground bound as she spins around and finishes by attempting to deliver the sole of her Doc Martins shoes directly into the middle of his face. He better not waste too much time trying to get a peek!
The momentum doens't stop, however, as she'll spin out of the kick back into a ready stance, her staff tucked under her left arm, leaving her able to respond to an attack from practically any direction.
Athena's lips thin as her suspicions are confirmed. And the way he talks about it-- so cold, so clinical, so inclined to regard her as a mere design-- just seems to incense her more. But for all her justified outrage, she still pauses visibly when Igniz asks her that very simple question. It seems like it should have an obvious answer. It seems like Athena shouldn't have any trouble replying him at all. And yet, the girl is quiet for a while.
"No," she finally replies. An odd serenity starts to sneak back into her eyes, pushing aside the anger. Standing there with full knowledge of what he has done-- with a good idea of what he may yet do, considering the acuity of her psychic sight-- Athena still gives him that surprising answer with nothing less than complete honesty. "I don't. Hate is for those who don't have anything more constructive to feel."
But even as she replies, she's still advancing. She might not hate him, but that fact doesn't abate the fact that he represents what she has promised to fight. Though it must be intimidating as hell walking straight towards a man who has demonstrated himself to be powerful, Athena doesn't seem swayed: abruptly, she shoots forwards, arrowing towards Igniz in a bid to try to touch him. Should she secure a grasp, a sudden flare of psi assists her in twisting and throwing the man despite her diminutive stature, skill and energy substituting for brute force.
COMBATSYS: Choi fails to interrupt Light Kick from Ayame with Geketsu Tsuki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
As the stare-down continues on, Choi mulls about different options. The polearm meant that she had a good balance of offense and defense. She could smack him, and block his claws from any point. She could out reach him, and have some degree of pushing him around on a miss. It seemed, then, that the best option to attack her was-
Suddenly, pyrotechnics.
Like Ayame, he is disorientated. However, he isn't actually caught up in the whirlwind of sparks, so he has somewhat better reactions than our poor girl. As she comes piling in blindly, Choi can make out the shadows. He leaps towards the strike, his little body curling up a bit to bypass the girl. As he whirls around, he breaks free of the tight ball to impale both of his claws into Ayame. But then, to his surprise-
Full Upskirt.
Then kick-face.
The midget sprawls hard on the ground, bouncing slightly. But there is something in his voice. The little man is heard giggling almost... blissfully?
Maybe Roland does have good taste in his stalking victims.
COMBATSYS: Athena successfully hits Igniz with Super Psychic Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
Athena grabs directly upon Igniz's figure, grasping ahold of him as she is able, a flare of psi ripping out towards Igniz's figure as she hurls the larger man about, throwing him towards the ground where he shatters, bouncing off of the hard and cold ground beneath. He shudders under her strength, but rises once more, wounded but not beaten.
"So you do not? Then what do you feel?" Igniz wonders as he looks for the best manueverable strike for the moment, aiming to keep Athena busy with a simple question before going in to strike. Moments pass, and even as the god of NESTS makes note of the situation, he cannot help to think that there is madness to this. To grow ones body physical against opponents rather than entirely infuse strength.
Igniz manuevers forward, aiming to grasp a hold of Athena's throat with his one hand collapsing about it. If successful, then Igniz will bring his other hand up to bare, where he would deliver a brilliant flare of chi straight into the girls face.
Chris gets done doing the worm across the set in his Arthur costume which he totally did and is now totally Match of the Millenium Canon, undeniably.
Back in reality, the music picks up in intensity, like a steadily ramping rollercoaster ride of hardcore pop music. Yashiro shreds viciously on his guitar as lyrics that somehow involve the words 'LOVE DOVE UNIVERSE' blare out over the vast audience, because Shermie has peculiar tastes. Yashiro's lips peel back as he starts delving deeper and deeper into the intensity of his guitar solo, and at its climax--
--the ground beneath Igniz suddenly EXPLODES in a swift column of spectacular, low-grade flames, rippling up for all of a second before being snuffed out.
By the time Ayame spins to a stop, her staff under one arm, her right arm forward and ready to try and catch Choi should he risk darting in after her kick. But it seems her ploy left the midget completely defenseless against boots to the face. Standing up straighter, Ayame grins, pulling her staff out from under her arm and twirling it at her side idly. This guy was too easy. Most fighters take time to read, time to pick apart and figure out how to make them lose their focus. Choi? Yeah, she's pretty sure she figured him out in a glance.
High kicks are likely to land and any words that could be remotely twisted with inuendo seem to distract him readily enough. The teen bandit takes a moment to make sure Athena is hanging in there all right against the interesting man. Seems a bit close, but so far so good. Their exchange of words hasn't gone entirely unnoticed. The speak of emotions; hatred, or the lack thereof. Ayame hehs. Her first impression of that idol girl was off. She'll have to figure her out further later.
"You're amusing, funny man. I think," she turns back toward Choi, pressing a release near the center of her staff that causes the metal weapon to collapse back down to its more portable size before being tucked away in the pouch at her side.
Her right hand goes to one of her multiple belts, undoing the clasp, drawing it off from around her waist into a four and a half long cable whip with a twirl. "We should spend some more time together!" Back on the offense, the girl aims to literally tackle the Korean with her left shoulder to knock him backward. And should she succeed, she'll crack that whipping cable out with her right, going for his neck, all to pull him right back forward toward her with a harsh yank and trip him to the ground. All the easier to plant her foot against his upper back and give that belt around his neck another harsh pull!
Of course, should he prove able to avoid the worst of her combination, Ayame will just try to keep the clawed fighter at bay with a whip lash or two while she tries to reposition herself to deal with retaliation!
COMBATSYS: Athena blocks Igniz's Mind-Body Investigation.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
Athena hesitates when that question is fired off. The pause is long enough that when he attacks, again she isn't given enough time to try to get out of the way. Her arm lifts defensively instead, the girl letting Igniz seize her wrist instead of her more vulnerable throat; her trapped hand opens, a shimmering field of psionic energy protecting her for the most part from the energy blasting towards her face.
Dropped afterwards, the girl retreats a few steps. "Curious why you would do such things," she eventually replies, her voice gentled down to a mere sad thoughtfulness. There's still steel in her words, however, as evidenced when she continues on a harder note, "Angry that you have."
She darts forwards on the tail of her words. With a leap and a twist in the air, she gathers the momentum necessary to put some force behind a quick kick snapped out at his shoulder-- a testing move. "Wondering how best to stop you--!" she finishes, the determination clear in every line of her.
COMBATSYS: Choi dodges Ayame's Random Combo.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
What was terrible, really, was that Choi had not gotten a single clear hit on the girl. Only a few minor passes and swipes. Most of the damage on Ayame, by proxy, were flukes. Errors in the pyrotechnics. Worse yet, he didn't like how the girl refused to show much flash in her style. Just normal swipes and dancing. And upskirts. Rising up, The midget noticed that the girl was taking one of her belts off.
Suddenly, such introspections faded away.
As she charges in shoulder first, the midget simply puts his claws forward. That cable was going to be trouble. How many hidden secrets did she have? Or... he had? As she comes, the midget just pushes off her, and keep on tumbling back. The cable was denied almost any neck, the midget was just going too fast to chain the attack into a straight combo. Ayame would have to keep chasing him to get hits, but Choi? He just keeps going further and further away. At last, he reaches the edge of the stage, breaking straight from his roll...
And promptly lies on his back.
Legs spread open, Choi just takes a single claw, and nudges his hat over his eyes. "If you want to spend more time, toots, then come on over. I'm sure pretty boy and the pop tart won't mind if we had a little... -fun- between fights. With that, the Korean lets loose a loud yawn, and such motions a finger towards the heart of his pantland.
COMBATSYS: Choi drops his guard to recover.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Igniz dodges Starscream's WARNING - Flammable.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Igniz blocks Athena's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Athena 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|------=
Igniz has to deal with many things.
One of those things he really didn't think he had to deal with is Chris riffing so hard that the ground that Igniz stands under explodes in a technicolored cloud of low grade flames, ripping at his heels and cloths. This immidiately send the god of NESTS moving, leaping into the air as the robes follow him, the flames licking at the very ends even as he pushes himself.
As he lands, he finds that Athena had been waiting for him. Figuratively, of course. Athena wouldn't be waiting for Igniz for any reasons but to stop him, which is the most likely candidate for many.
Her kick snaps out, attempting to encroach upon him, met with an overwhelming defense as Igniz raises his arms once more, stopping the kick cold as he's thrust backwards from the assault.
"Why are you angry? I have brought a life into this world that would not have existed otherwise. Do they, in way have a soul? Can they fell? Think for themselves?" Igniz questions, "That is a reason in itself to err on the side and let me finish. I will find out many of these things." Of course, these intentions are not really Igniz's. They do however make for a great villain of sorts.
Igniz requires Kula so that he may be finally complete. A god. And he will create as many Kula's and K's as it takes for him to rise to proclaim himself god, no matter how many have failed at that sort of thing.
Attempting to catch Athena before she's able to react, Igniz fires a heavy kick up towards Athena's chest, attempting to crash into her and give her something to really think about.
Just when you thought a guitar solo couldn't get more radical--
--it continues on for an extended period of time longer than is necessary, thus dragging out the tubular nature of the musical piece?!
Just when you thought it was safe for the song to continue, Yashiro /just keeps up the guitar solo./ Deft fingers sweep across the strings of the guitar as he shreds wildly as if there is no greater love for him. In the background, fans wave signs, some of them reading 'YASHIRO #1,' or 'NEW FACES ALL THE WAY' or 'WE LOVE YOU ALMOST AS MUCH AS IORI, YASHIRO!!'
Yashiro deigns to ignore the latter as he tears one dramatic, prolonged chord and, all around Igniz, short-distance fireworks suddenly LAUNCH forward from the ground, aiming to explode /right/ on top of him in a bedazzling display of red-hot decorative bursts of light.
Too fast. Spry for an older guy, Choi finds his way out the way of her tackle and subsequent lash for his neck, leaving Ayame cracking her whip at nothing but empty air. Whirling around to recalibrate for her next attack, she finds that he's decided to just keep on tumbling... tumbling... over to the edge of the stage? Is he just going to bail? She doesn't mind if he does. She has no compunctions double teaming the lone fighter given the chance to do so.
But he isn't leaving. He's just taking a breather! Ayame slides to a stop, standing up straight as he pulls his hat down over his face to take a nap. "Hm." Her right hand opens, dropping the whip to the stage floor uncerimoniously. "It would appear to me that you don't quite realize..." Her left hand digs her collapsed staff back out before tossing it up over her head in a lazy arc. By the time her right hand catches it, it's back to its full six foot length, tightly gripped at her side.
"...just how dangerous I can be." She rests her staff up on the back of her shoulders, draping her arms over it lazily. "That's understandable though. After all I've been going pretty easy on you so far. Didn't want to break any of your frail old man bones. Everything about you must be tiny after all." She slides her staff off her shoulders into her left hand, twirling it swiftly into a metallic blur.
"But I think a demonstration is in order, ne?" Her spinning staff takes on a crimson colored hue as she infuses it with a portion of her highly focused chi. "Hope you're paying attention!" She bolts forward then, spanning the stage, skipping around another one of those pyrotechnic displays hellbent on starting one of the four on fire, and zeros in on the restful Choi. The crimson chi churning over her staff concentrates more at the ends, shaping into two opposite facing scythe blades - vorpal edged energy eager to draw blood.
The instant she closes range, the girl sweeps her staff low, aiming to plow a side of it into Choi's ribcage and literally knock him up into the air with the force behind it. She'll bring her staff around for a second smack to knock him up higher, leaping up to meet him in the air, hefting her staff up over her head like an executioner's ax.... And then she lands her final swing - aiming straight for that previously indicated 'heartland; of Choi's pants with devastating force!
COMBATSYS: Igniz successfully hits Athena with Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Athena 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-------
Athena's attention is barely even on the concert anymore. She's finding herself too troubled by what she can see radiating from Igniz... what she can hear him saying in that cold, scientist's voice of his. His incessant questions, if only for a moment, catch her off guard... especially coupled with his dismissal of her attempted attack. Forced backward, she's left open when he smashes a sudden kick up into her. It sends her flying back.
Hitting the stage hard on her side, it's a moment before she can gather herself to response. But inevitably, she does... standing straight again and meeting his eyes. "You brought a life into the world," she agrees, even as she begins to make a slow path back towards the Cartel leader. A deceptively slow path. "But then you didn't care for it the way it needed. Those questions are not ones that should be answered at the price of human happiness!"
Athena's last step turns in an odd way, the girl seeming almost to twist to one side and become two-dimensional. With a burst of light, the girl appears to fold herself away into the very air with that slight movement, a wink and pulse of energy the only mark to indicate that she has utilized her unusual teleport yet again.
"She was so unhappy," Athena's voice murmurs from the intermediate air; and then, she abruptly rematerializes inches away from Igniz: a sudden storm of fiery psionic energy roaring to life about her body, whipping in frenetic patterns around her slender form and attempting to tear into the Cartel leader from nearly point-blank range. Should that bulleting energy strike him, it will be with sufficient force to pitch even a man like him back.
COMBATSYS: Choi blocks Ayame's Harvest's Reaper.
The midget was trying to lure Ayame out. Months of constantly fighting in the circuits has made him wary of his own techniques. Apparently, he has been reading his reviews. Choi Bounge. Dodges everything, and sexually harasses girls. That was his schtick. And frankly, Choi figured, it was fair enough to mix it up. And by laying there, he manages to lure Ayame for sure.
As her energy-scythe rips out to send Choi for a spin, The midget just tucks into a tight ball. Like a human puck, the little man is sent barreling high into the air. Technically, he deflected the blow. In practice, he just smashed not only in the body, but against the wall. And then, he breaks into a tumble right into the ground.
Looks like he wasn't down yet.
Choi dives up and over towards Ayame's flank, landing on the ground with a brisk run. Dangling his arms behind him, the midget just grinned. "Catch THIS, pretty girl!" The midget cooed as he attempted to get under Ayame's skirtline again… and shoot both of his claws straight up. Great blue streaks of wind energy trail from his claws as he launches both up, attempting to rend her from shin to shoulder. And hopefully, teach her a lesson that, if she should ever get enough money to buy one, her mother would have told her:
Don't dress like a hussy.
COMBATSYS: Starscream successfully hits Igniz with SFX Galore.
COMBATSYS: Igniz reflects Shining Crystal Bit EX from Athena with Nega Genesis.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-------
"Human hapiness?" Igniz exclaims with a smirk, "She isn't human." The god of NESTS muses as he refuses to be the one to make the first move. That was reserved for no one but Athena. Her precariously slow movements leaves Igniz with an excellent description of her movements. It is then when the god of NESTS finds out that they were used to cover something else entirely.
Athena turns and twists before disappearing in a flash of light, leaving her visage gone, but her psi hanging in the air for the god of NESTS to trace like an elaborate puzzle as she teleports, utilizing her powers to the very fullest. If this was anyone but the god of NESTS, she may have infact succeeded in that gambit.
Igniz prides himself on knowledge, and knowing his opponent's manuever leaves him in a position to control the fight as his wishes on a whim. As Athena speaks out, Igniz retorts. "She is an angel. As were many others." Ignis announces as another blast of fire rips out from underneath the god of NESTS. This time he isn't as luckly, the searing flames licking at his garments as they pass about him, searing across the Overlord's features. Refusing to move, Igniz proceeds to await what is to come, and it comes quickly. Far quicker than the god of NESTS could have expected.
Athena reappears and brings with her a fiery storm of psionic energy, trapping Igniz in the storms chaotic courses, thrumming with power few could match. His feet could not propell him away fast enough. His arms would collapse from the attempt to shield himself. Without his battlesuit, there are very few things he could depend on. His first fight without it, he is entirely unsure of the potential he is capable.
In a last ditch effort to stop Athena's shocking speed, Igniz propells out both of his hands, attempting to collapse them onto a single point as they flex. The immidiate area between Athena and Igniz is lit up, a shockwave of power exploding between them as an emaculate field of chi rips into existence, born by Igniz's will alone without the aid of machines, technology. Nothing but his own strength.
"But they chose to /ignore/ their divine heritage!" Igniz announces, breaking his calm in a very unlikely manner. Power... this is what power feels like. If he could master both worlds... perhaps he could master... the world itself?
Fiery psionic balls of energy crash against the unlikely shield, crashing against it before Igniz finally adds a final oomh to it, drawing upon his reserve to overwhem the point blank assault, and cause the tide to turn against the projectiles owner, moving to drown Athena in her own assault, including his own monsterous chi.
Finally, the solo dies, Yashiro's excessively long guitar shredding ending with him one his knees and pilars of fire exploding all around him -- one of those rare moments it /isn't/ directed at one of the fighters.
That doesn't last long, though. Almost instantly, the song begins to transition into a more hectic, busy tune; Shermie and Chris take over as Yashiro drags himself back onto his feet to recover from his /pouring his suspiciously dark soul/ into his music. Shermie ushers in pulses of artificial keyboard sounds, tethering them together into a frantic melody as Chris keeps up with the rhythm through the deft spinning and striking of drumsticks. Shermie looks to the side, and as Choi attempts to advance his perverse agenda once more with the ushering of wind--
--There is fire to accompany his efforts.
Lots and lots of it, in fact; there is a slight delay as the paneling beneath Ayame glow before fireworks and gouts of flamethrower-induced infernos rip out under the ground beneath Ayame, bright explosions seeking to disorient the fireworks blossom into a multi-colored SFX disco party inferno of pure pain.
COMBATSYS: Ayame endures Starscream's Excessive SFX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Ayame fails to counter Senpuu Hien Shitozu from Choi with Harvest's Reaper.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Ayame 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Ayame goes in to tear Choi to shreads, with a painful, chi-laced bludgeoning the likes to teach him to drop his guard like that against her. Instead she ends up playing some kind of midget croquet game with the Korean. She drops out of her final bash into a half-crouch, her weapon still imbued with its dark red chi. That's no problem. She'll just makes sure he experiences the full brunt of what he managed to escape with the classic 'curl into a ball and hope the hurting stops' approach!
Standing up straight, Ayame resumes twirling her weapon, keeping her attention on the frightfully fast claw wielder. To the side he leaps and she turns to face him, tensing up, readying herself to deliver a punishing counter strike the instant he takes his chance at getting back in range. His exclaim is heard and answered, "Gladly, little-" The tiny demon's timing proves fortuitous for him, however, for as the music shifts from one phase to a next, the girl finds the floor turning remarkably hostile once again, cutting off her reply, eyes widening slightly. "Of all the-" she growls.
She's going to stand her ground this time. It didn't hurt all that bad the last time it exploded on her. It'll be worth it if she can catch Choi off guard, hoping, perhaps, that he'll overstep, expecting that she'll be overwhelmed by the pyrotechnics. Unfortunately for /her/, the special effects display proves more powerful this time than she had anticipated. A much larger fire than before explodes up, accomanied by a number of near proximity firework explosions.
Calling it disorienting would be putting it mildly - the explosion of flame is downright painful! Trying to make the best of it, the girl squints, making out the motion of Choi zipping in again. She brings the low end of her chi-bladed staff forward, ready to plant a decisive combination against the older fighter. But her staff slash goes high, having misread just how intimately close he aimed to get to rather disasterous results.
Ayame lands in a seated position on the stage a second later with a surprised grunt escaping her lips, small fragments of scorched, black fragment drifting down around her. Her staff, having spent its chi, has returned to its cool titanium sheen as the teen fighter shakes her head and squints to get rid of the fire induzed daze.
Her skirt rent over her right leg splits to reveal the traces of blood from a fairly shallow slash while her vest falls open, leaving her grey camisole, exposing a number of small sheaths strapped between the two garmets. "Che," Ayame spits to the side, tucking her feet under herself to push herself back up quickly. "Lucky hit." Her left hand continues to grip her staff while her right hand goes to her blood red tie, only to find the bottom half of it has been clipped off. A flicker of a frown makes its way across her features briefly before she shrugs, spinning her staff back up and getting back into a ready position. "Going to take more than that!"
COMBATSYS: Igniz successfully hits Athena with Reflected Shining Crystal Bit EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/----===|=======\===----\1 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Off-balanced by her whirling teleport and invested in her attack, Athena doesn't have the means to escape when Igniz draws her into his trap and abruptly raises a shield to force all her power back in on her. Surprised, the girl has only time to emit a cry before her own energy-- mingled with Igniz's far more threatening chi-- crashes back into her.
Knocked back, Athena hits the ground on her back and skids a short distance, reeling still more from shock at the swiftness of his retaliation than in pain. Drawing a few labored breaths, she eventually pulls herself shakily back up to a seated position. Through a mess of tangled violet hair, Athena stares back at Igniz with that same steely defiance in her eyes. So Kula isn't human? She's something more?
"Not in my eyes. Not in my sight." The girl coughs against the back of her hand, before she starts to pull herself back to her feet. "What I saw in her was a little girl trapped-- forced to do things no one should ever do. A little girl that reads like old men who've already resigned themselves to die. A girl content with a minimum of happiness that would be inhumane to an animal."
Despite her clear outrage with Igniz and his words, however, Athena is not entirely blind to what her partner is going through. While she has a moment-- far distant from Igniz, and still trying to regain her breath-- she skates a glance over at Ayame and Choi in time to see the pervert scoot right under her skirt and strike with an obscene upwards attack.
"H-hey!" Struggled back to her feet, still a little wobbly, Athena decides to share some of her outrage with Choi too. "What do you think you're doing to her!"
COMBATSYS: Athena gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Igniz
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
"Oooooooh Hee hee hee! My pretties!"
The midget launches right up into the air in tandem with the fireworks, morphing into a upwards strike that can only be considered epic. More importantly, Choi unleashed a good deal of restraint against her perky little chest. Now, her girls were a little more liberated. The Korean, being the freedom fighter that he was, would not tolerate them keeping in closure after such a taste of freedom. Landing behind Ayame, he began to shuffle right back towards her when…
Suddenly, something occurred to him.
If he made things seem too overt, he might get in trouble with a certain little girl. And if that little girl was upset with him, then Interpol would be very pleased in bringing him in. He needed to be more tactically. Discreet. "I'm fighting, pop tart, maybe you could use a few lessons in it yourself, toots!" The little man snaps as the rocking continues. The midget looks a bit annoyed at the whole concert now. "Progressive Rock. UGH." Choi spits.
As Ayame was returning to her ready stance, Choi was galloping low and steadily. "Well, baby, if you want more…" Choi began as leapt to the girl's left flank. Suddenly, as he landed, he sprung hard towards the right, and he broke to his knees in a slide. What the midget was trying to was slip right through the girls legs. If successful, he would simply stick his claws out and attempt to make a little wetwork right into her thighs.
Choi was like the cutting version of chocolate.
Even with Athena dealing with her own assault crashing back upon her, the god of NESTS does not easily allow Athena the time she needs to recouperate. Even as she takes the time to compose herself, trying to allow herself to catch a breath, Igniz walks forward with a divine grace, unchanged by her words.
"Trapped? Oh no, she's given friends, food, care and an entertainment center where she can do as she pleases. In return, she only must do what we ask. Is that too much to ask? She doesn't have to deal with the stressful world around her. She must only live." Igniz exclaims, his hands curling into a fist as he moves. Even weakend, Igniz aims to show Athena no weakness against her face.
Choi doesn't even register on his radar now that Athena had got his full attention. The music, however, pings in his ears now and then. It's a wonderous sound for this all to take place. Athena's attention isn't aimed to be challenged by the god of NESTS either, allowing Athena to keep her full attention on Choi and Ayame for the present.
Igniz's arm straightens ahead of him almost suddenly as it focuses on an unknown force inside him, reaching deep within himself to manifest a solid wall of chi once more, his signature move. There is a little twist, however, as his other hand comes around, coated in a violent swatch of chi that slams into the shield, causing either force to explode on each other, globules of chi shattering from the field as it crashes towards Athena in a multitude of bullet like projectiles, aiming to wear her down by sheer number and force, breaking down upon her.
Athena may have Igniz's full attention...
... but who has full attention of Igniz?
/The music,/ that's who.
Or what. Regardless, the special effects are /far/ from over. Oh no, quite the opposite -- they've only /just begun./ As Shermie has her way with the keyboard, Chris daintily slaps his drums feebily with their sticks, somehow producing a genuinely brilliant rhythm. Banging on the cymbal with cacophonous rattles, his rhythm becomes more hurried, more powerful, overriding the cute melody of Shermie's keyboard until Chris IS the music. All eyes are focused on him--
-- and on the tubes that suddenly rise upward all around Igniz.
A second later, with the CRASH of a violent drum solo, liquid fire spews upwards from the tubs in diagonal directions, converging -- so very conveniently -- on Igniz. The amount of fire is impressive, all coming together to form one massive pillar of flame that shoots towards the heavens, much to the awe of everyone else.
Chris, in response to the applause, just gives a girly little smile and a thumbs up because that is just what Chris does.
COMBATSYS: Ayame dodges Choi's Power Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Back on her feet, Ayame turns to keep Choi in sight. A speedy little guy, his ability to be all over the stage at the same time has proven to be a challenge to deal with. As a fighter who prides herself at deceiving others, she has to admit his antics take things to a whole new level. If she was the slightest bit modest or demure, she might be flustered at the decisive carving he's done to her fighting attire. But none of that matters to her. She's already tabled all that behind a wall of constant observation, ongoing calculations, and a mind busied with trying to figure out how to take the Korean apart.
"Hey now," Ayame replies, pushing off with her left foot to spin around 180 degrees, letting Choi's sliding attack continue on with her own thighs spared the slashing intended for them. "I think you've overstayed your welcome." Her right hand goes to her left wrist, slipping a small throwing knife out from behind the extended wrist guard of her glove.
Not intending to buy Choi any time with which to get back on his feet, she sends the small blade hurtling through the strobe-lit distance between her and Choi. He might just find himself getting stabbed in the back. From range. Or maybe it'll just park in his hat. If she can buy herself a second of time, she might be able to form a new plan with which to deal with this tricky guy!
COMBATSYS: Igniz successfully hits Athena with Vortex Rapture.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
If Athena's temper were any shorter, she might have been stung enough to attack Choi just for the retort. As it is, however, she has a greater concern coming her way in the form of Igniz... whose attention on her has not let up. Trusting Ayame to be able to handle the lascivious midget for now, Athena whirls back to the self-proclaimed god in an attempt to defend against his attack. But the guard she puts up is against the massive wall of crushing chi she expects-- not the sudden storm of projectiles she actually gets.
The force of Igniz's chi shreds her, knocking her back even further even as he coolly questions her. Gritting her teeth against the assault, the girl forces herself to stay standing. She's not quite done yet. She can still do at least this...
"Sounds like slavery to me. Pleasant slavery, but still..." The girl starts into a headlong rush towards the 'god,' not enough strength left in her to teleport... but enough strength left to suddenly expend the bulk of it all over again in a rush of psychic flame that lines her body in a trailing corona of light. With a last attempt, Athena puts on a burst of speed as she draws in range. "Slavery all the same."
Her hands light with Psycho Power as she attempts to drive them into Igniz's chest and discharge a blast... and if she can manage that much, she lapses into a dizzying followup of swiftly-executed palm strikes and kicks, each precisely targeted, and each edged with that strange psionic energy of hers.
COMBATSYS: Ayame successfully hits Choi with Sudden Fling.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Choi
[ \\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Well, for Ayame's benefit, Choi doesn't get a chance to put her to the level where she would be most accustomed to. As he slides by Ayame, he snarls at the lack of 'ham cutting' that he was hoping for. This was an outrage! An outrage! As he turns around to ambush the girl again, he sees the knife coming straight him. Well. Screw that! The midget keeps barreling in, attempting to pile right by the knife.
He catches the blade in his hat.
The midget yelps as he stops cold. Gripping his head, he felt the trickle of blood. But that wasn't the problem. WHERE WAS HIS HAT!?! Already, a thin layer of photographs were scattering across the stage. The midget, yelping, scurried back to scoop up his hat, and the knife dug deep into it. "Skanky McSlutwhore! That was my favorite hat!" Choi snarls, drawing the knife clean out. In a much more awkward throw, the little man hurls the little knife right back towards Ayame, attempting to catch her with his own medicine.
COMBATSYS: Athena successfully hits Igniz with Psychic Nine.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Choi
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Igniz dodges Starscream's Pyrotechnic Inferno.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Choi
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Not only is Athena able to strike true, even after the assault, but Igniz is feeling, for once, pain. Not that it didn't hurt when he was inside of his armor, but now it hurts especially, stinging and tinging whenver he feels the assaults given by Athena's dicharge, Athena discharging the strike into the god of NESTS chest and forcing him backwards, the sting quite powerful in all regards.
Igniz is almost finished off by the assault, and the added strike given by the the man only known as Chris causing the god of NESTS undue hazards by where he stands. Weakened and unable to simply divert the assault, Igniz manuevers away from the haphazard assault. The combination of Athena's strike after strike leaves the god woozy and with very few options. Here and now, he's left with the bare minimum he must use to attempt to finish the fight.
Even if he manages, he may not have enough energy to continue.
Standing up simply to finish the fight, guided by some unknown force that Igniz will describe as 'will', he rises to once more face Athena. "Oh, no. That is not slavery." Igniz exclaims, breathing heavily as his wounds burn with an unknown force bearing down upon him, "Not at all. Kula would never leave even if she had the chance. She enjoys herself there." Igniz exclaims as he finds the strength to stand from his grevious wounds.
And from there, manage a strike towards Athena, attempting to catch her where the music cannot catch him.
This prospect is entirely fleeting, even as he fires a punch so straight forward and speedy that it blurs, attempting to finish off Athena in a simple, brutal way.
COMBATSYS: Choi successfully hits Ayame with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Choi
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Ayame actually looks surprised at the reaction she gets from Choi as her tossed knife takes his hat off his head, scattering photos across a stage that's quite likely to burn them up if they get blown into the wrong place. So he does, ultimately, have a very vulnerable weakness. It took a while figuring out what would really rile him up. The teasing, the inuendo, those were nothing compared to what knocking his hat off his head seems to have done. Ayame grins.
"So touchy. And after you ruined my favorite tie too." she replies, flipping the half-shorn red necktie around idly with her right hand, her left hand planting her staff against the stage at her side. "Only fair, I think." She squints as he makes a move, his hand gesturing as if throwing something back her way. The lighting is terrible at range, however, and with the fireworks going off over near Igniz, she can't see the knife until it's too late.
Thus she ends up with the blade in her right arm, above the elbow. Grimacing, the girl plucks it out, shakes it a little, making a face. "Great. Now I'm going to have to get tested for whatever litany of diseases you're packing." An exaggerated sigh has her slipping it back into place in her wrist guard before picking up her staff and holding it in front of her at an angle.
Trying to concentrate perfectly in this chaotic environment is a challenge to be certain, but one she's going to try and pull off. Eyes half closed, the teen fighter aims to draw the world's ambient energy into her. An aura of red swirls about her feet, an invisible force of gathered power whipping at her hair and loose clothing. The effort to pull this power together is not insignificant, but if she can gather enough potential energy, it will be well worth it!
COMBATSYS: Ayame gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Choi
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Athena dodges Igniz's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Choi
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Pushing off and away in the wake of her attack, warily watching Igniz, Athena's lips pull into a frown as the man makes his cold reply. She enjoys it? She likes the way she is? Huffing out a disbelieving breath, Athena stands straight even as Igniz's quick attack rockets towards her. At first it seems the punch will connect, Igniz's knuckles coming within moments of her... and then her figure blurs again, Athena utilizing a last-ditch burst of energy to wink away in a teleport.
She doesn't go far, though. She reappears right behind him.
"It certainly doesn't feel like she does," Athena retorts, her usually gentle voice harsh, even as she slams a hand forward and tries to press it against Igniz's chest. The movement seems straightforward at first, almost harmless... up until a shield of that same painful psionic energy suddenly opens around her hand. Should Igniz not do something about her, that disc of force is slated to unfold right in his torso.
Actually, the saddest thing is that Ayame has absolutely nothing to worry about. Choi is as clean as a whistle. As his knife drives back into her shoulder, the midget seems to sort of... hold there. A scowl forming over his face, he just places that hat hard back into his head. Snug and tight, he just glares at the girl. As the pyrotechnics continue to go off, and Yashiro doing his own version of 'We Built This City,' Choi seemed strange to be focusing. And then, he closes in.
The energy that erupts around Ayame seems to waver a bit, and then wane. As the Korean closes in, he begins to spin around in place. The pictures and fire draw near the midget, as if a wind was being blown in towards him. Between Ayame and Choi, there seemed to be two charging fighters. But then, the wind energy begins to consume the Korean.
The whirlwind reaches all the way to the upper level of the stage, whipping around pictures, sparks, blue wind chi, and some portions of Ayame's own energy. The tornado hides the midget completely, leaving him to charge right for the girl, to suck her into the storm and simply give her the ride of her life.
COMBATSYS: Igniz fails to reflect Shield Psycho Reflector from Athena with Nega Genesis.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\ < > //// ]
Athena 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Igniz
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Igniz can no longer fight. Is this the end of lovable Igniz?
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/----===|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
Athena spurs into action, sending her own force against Igniz's strength. The god of NESTS knowns the technique rather well, as he himself has used it a great deal. But as Athena moves into action, he's unable to react quick enough. He quickly finds out that he's unable to get out of the way of the assault, his effort foolish to even try.
His force meets hers, but a slight delay causes Igniz to falter backwards, unable to entirely get it there. Instead, the god of NESTS is blasted backwards across the field, finished by the assault outright.
Igniz would speak if it wouldn't hurt, but at present it does. So at present, Igniz decides it is best not to speak. Ah, but he has learned countless things today even if he didn't win.
And that, in itself, is important.
The music has hit a lull point -- a brief interlude, if you will, as it dies down to a dull hum almost drowned out by the roars of approving fans. As the pop diva fights her hardest against the pop deus, the swirling sparkle of Psycho Power creating dazzling special effects of their own. But -- it's not /Athena/ the crowds need to be focused on.
It's the fact that the music is beginning to pick up again.
Like a shot, the intensity of the new song skyrockets, just as flamethrower ports just beneath the spinning Choi open up wide. Chi-born winds begin to pick up, and as Choi charges...
... the entire path that he is taking suddenly ignites in a progressive stream of flames. Will he be able to outspin FIRE ITSELF?!
It's really entirely possible. After all, fire can't nearly match the intensity of Shermie's passionate keyboard-button pushing, or the force of Yashiro's heart-shaped collar glints in the moonlight.
COMBATSYS: Ayame blocks Choi's Shin! Tatsumaki Shinkuu Zan.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Ayame 1/----===/=======|-------\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/----===|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|-----==
She holds her ground then, attention fixed solely on Choi. She had dismissed him as being nothing to take serious when the match began. But his speed and tactics have taught her otherwise. She of all people should know better than that. "Heh." she muses, wondering what approach he'll take next now that she's braced herself. Will he brave charging head long into a possible setup? Or will he bait her to chase him down again?
He bolts forward, closing distance fast, bringing with him his own surge of power. Eyes narrowing, Ayame notices the surge in energy right in front of her that isn't entirely hers. Rather than try to force her way through it, she holds her ground, hands tightening around her staff. Pure energy washes over her - fierce wind chi driven by Choi threatening to blast her clean off her feet if not for her own formidable aura with which the girl fights back.
Gritting her teeth, Ayame manages to keep from having her guard shattered even as her hair is whipped about by Choi's point blank range attack that threatens to damage the stage with its impact. "Grrr," the teen fighter growls, feet slipping just a little across the ground. Now to strike back, to put all that abundant energy to use. Her staff flares to life with that crimson hue once again, chi surging down to the top end of it as she speeds forward back for Choi, her hands gripping the polearm tightly.
And then it is with an arsenal she attacks as the energy of her weapon shifts into one shape after another - an axe blade of chi, a spike, a lance, a hammer head; one after another she tries to bludgeon her speedy opponent into the ground until she expends her own strength and can attack no longer!
Letting out her breath suddenly in one gasp-- she hadn't realized she'd been holding it-- Athena stumbles back a few paces once she's sure Igniz won't come after her again. Her jaw trembling slightly, the girl eventually steels it as she considers what she's learned. So this man-- this self-proclaimed god who thought himself so above the law as to attack children-- was also responsible for Kula. For God knows how many like her.
It's something she'll just have to remember... because for the time being, while they're under the cameras of SNF, there's truly nothing more to be done. Instead, the girl turns her tired eyes back to where Ayame and Choi are still fighting, trying to consider what to even do.
It comes to her the moment she sees what Choi's claws have done to Ayame. Frowning at the blood-- Athena never did quite like to see literal blood drawn by sharp implements in fights-- the girl starts a slow and laborious walk towards the two, her hands lighting with a softer-edged psionic power as she goes. Her hands turn palm-up, gathering the energy; and then, with an outwards push, the singer sends the coalesced psi racing towards Ayame even as the other girl attacks. This psychic assault is not hostile, however; for every contact it makes with injured flesh seeks to knit and repair damage.
COMBATSYS: Choi endures Starscream's WARNING - Flammable!
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/----===|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Choi interrupts Final Solstice from Ayame with Geketsu Tsuki.
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/----===|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|---====
As the Choi-Nado reaches an apex, the explosion of pyrotechnics immediately get brought into the storm. Well. Shoot. Choi was hoping that wouldn't happen. As the fires of the show consumed the little man, the midget saw, through the flames, two important aspects. The first was the fall of Igniz. The second was that not only was Ayame weathering the storm… but she was breaking through it. The fires closing in on the midget, he mulls about his choices.
He makes up his mind.
The storm was still rage when the midget shot through the maelstrom and into the fray. Diving at Ayame, the midget takes the fire, take the flames at full force. Choi literally smashes into the polearm, knocking it off-balance just as it took the form of an axe. Grimacing, the little man just rolled off it, rolled under her, and as he slipped behind the teenager-
Just drove his claws right into her kidneys.
Choi holds there as the beam of energy shoots towards Ayame, Athena reaching out to assist her teammate. Choi grits his teeth. Two girls? And no cup? This was totally unfair.
Just when you thought the fire was done being fiery--
Well, you get the idea by now.
Just as Choi explodes out of the flames like a tiny bat out of hell to shank Ayame like some sort of former prison inmate or something, Yashiro once more joins the musical fray. He and Shermie begin singing in tandem, the two leaning uncomfortably close as they sing a verse of sweet sugary love lyrics truly worthy of a retrorock love duet (plus Chris). It is as they reach the final, adorable note that they wail on keyboard and guitar in tandem in perfect harmony--
--And two rockets suddenly explode outward from the ground beneath them, raising upwards, jetting forwards, spinning around to smash into each other in a righteous explosion--
--right in Choi's face.
THEY'RE ROCKETS OF LOVE, BABY.
COMBATSYS: Athena successfully hits Ayame with Healing Aura.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/---====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|---====
Once again Choi manages to find his way through Ayame's legs, this time when she's a bit too committed to dishing out every two handed weapon she can think of in trying to take him down. He rolls under her just as her chi axe blade cleaves into the stage to the side, knocked a little astray by his claw. "Che," she grunts, dismissing the chi and pulling her staff back up, "I've had enough of- hrgk."
The painful two-clawed stab cuts off any retort she had in mind, the girl stumbling forward a couple steps before whirling back around to try and avoid giving the claw user any further openings. Well aware the bleeding wounds will need prompt attention, she decides to push on all the same, chiding herself for letting him get behind her like that.
Sprinting forward, she doesn't waste any time bringing her staff to bear, whipping it out with a swift, horizontal strike aimed at beaning him in the side of the head before completing her spin and jamming the weapon out with a straighter shot toward his gut to try and knock him off his feet. "HAH!"
It might be her last attempt at a strike though. Choi's claws were precise, the injury left one she herself would be proud to inflict on someone. Prompt attention is probably going to be necessary to get her patched up. Little did she realize that attention was coming sooner than she expected. And not from trained SNF medics either. Athena's energy went completely unnoticed by her, slipping right past her typical acute awareness of attacks like that. She doesn't realize it until it connects, however, washing over her body with a charge. The injuries on her side close up, making the kidney strikes less dire now, buying Ayame a little bit more time with which to continue fighting!
Soon enough, it becomes clear that tossing Ayame that healing energy was a good call. Athena watches the trajectory of Choi's claws with some horror, and immediately redirects the attention of her psi towards those terrible paired wounds. The Psycho Soldier hasn't got much left in her, however, and it shows; she has to cut off her grant of energy all too quickly, her hands dropping and her Psycho Power fading away.
Gritting her teeth, she forces herself forwards. It's about time this finished; she can feel herself right on the brink of consciousness. Arrowing towards Choi in tandem with Ayame's own attack, the young singer attempts to meet the man with a direct palm strike even as her partner attempts to punt him away with her staff.
COMBATSYS: Choi dodges Starscream's Bodacious Explosion.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/---====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Ayame successfully hits Choi with Dream Breaker.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > // ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Choi
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/---====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Choi endures Athena's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1 Choi
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/---====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|---====
Choi manages to know a love rocket when he sees it. Years of being around Chang taught him THAT. Naturally, he easily ducks to dodge the pair of awkward fake love that the New Heroes were so good at. My oh my. It is a good thing Starscream is an endless decantor of creativity, or this would be a real endurance match for him! As the little man turns, he catches Ayame swinging the pole at him. Well, that wasn't a problem. He would just-
Oh, wait. Swung.
The staff smashes Choi hard in the skull, knocking him backwards with a loud 'MEEP!' Well, that was it. With all the smashing around, there was no way that Choi could keep in here. Just as Athena piles in with an attack of her own, the midget gives way, letting her knock him to the ground at the singer's feet. The Korean just lied there silently, for a second.
Then, the ping.
With a sudden explosion of force, Choi remember Athena... from Jhun. The songs. The dancing. The embrassing made-for-tv specials. The COSPLAY. THE COSPLAY. CHOI HATED BEING BAO! "BAAAAAAAAAAAAAO!" The little man roared, spinning like a top, attempting to suck the poor girl up into the tiny little whirlwind of air energy and blades. This moment of Athena-hate was unheard of. Would this be enough to push Choi in the match again? Would the midget cause FURTHER STRAIN on Starscream's creativity?!?!
COMBATSYS: Choi can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Ayame 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/---====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Starscream 0|-------|---====
Nooooooooope!
With his usual speed, Choi contends with not one but three attacks at once. Ayame's ranged staff giving her a chance to make up for Choi's superior speed. Normally a counter striking technique, the girl leverages it into a nice, speedy strike even when not being directly targetted for once. The satisfying clang of that extended staff bouncing off the side of his head is all she needs to hear.
Drawing her staff back into a defensive position, the girl bunkers down, preparing for any kind of resumed attack from the Korean even after Athena dishes out a punishing palm strikes that smacks him to the stage. With his defiant? ... inspirational?... completely /odd/ shout, Choi goes back on the offense again, aiming to attack Athena with an onslaught of painful wind chi and sharp clawed blades.
And, given her position, there's not a thing Ayame can do about it. A /very/ slight tinge of regret at not being able to step in and protect the girl that went out of her way to heal her a little is actually felt. But it passes quickly, Ayame standing up straight, resting her staff at her shoulder. Another job done, another check collected. Next time, though, she's going to hijack any stupid pyrotechnics and have her own fun with them. Hmph!
COMBATSYS: Athena dodges Choi's Tatsumaki Shippuu Zan.
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Ayame 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/---====|
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Starscream 0|-------|---====
Wait a minute, what does Bao have to do with--
Athena reacts on instinct when the Korean abruptly springs to life in an apparent PTSD rage. As Choi whirlwinds towards her, she recoils a full few steps, backing up until she's fully out of range of Choi's Bao-induced fury. A little bit shaken at the narrow miss with all those spinning blades, Athena blinks down at the fallen Choi as she skirts around him to head back towards Ayame. That was ... a strange battle-cry.
Though Athena looks just as hurt as Ayame-- perhaps even more-- the psi healer's violet eyes move instantly to all the clawing wounds left on Ayame. "I regret not being able to help you out more," she starts in her soft voice, her eyes pointedly lingering on the seriousness of the slashes. "That other man was..." Athena's eyes go a bit distant, hardening in a way most wouldn't expect from a girl purported to be soft-hearted. "...he was tough," she settles for saying, though it's clear there's a lot going unsaid.
She remains a bit distant another moment... and then her expression clears to something a little more cheerful as she casts Ayame a smile. "Good fight, though. You really are skilled."
Ayame observes Athena's evasion patiently. The fight pushed her pretty hard, forcing her to pull out a lot of her tricks to make it through. But what's on the back of her mind is the fight between Athena and Adam. Bits and traces of their dialogue reached her ears throughout the match, but she was in no position to focus on them at the time.
"Yeah, seemed like it," the girl replies with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But you handled him, hm?" Bleeding from some of the claw scratches, she turns around, shrugging her shoulders. "Yeah." she answers in response to Athena's compliment, twirling her staff once at her side as it collapses back down to its more portable length before pocketing it. A glance is cast at Choi before she cracks a bit of a grin. He was an interesting challenge. It's not often she faces someone willing to fight so dirty. Roland is about the only one she can think of.
"Good fight. And," she stops, her right hand reaching behind her back to rest at her kidney. The spot is tender, but there's no bleeding. Ayame glances over her shoulder, "You did enough. Thanks..." And with that, she reaches the edge of the stage and hops down, disappearing into the crowd.
COMBATSYS: Ayame has left the fight here.
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Athena 0/-------/---====|
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Starscream 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Starscream has left the fight here.
[ \\\ <
Athena 0/-------/---====|
Now just a minute! All this talk about Choi falling, and the midget hasn't even fallen yet!
Where is the little rascal anyways?
"SHEEEEERMIE! I LOVE YOU!" The little man squeals as he drops down upon the top stage, holding a posture like a rag doll. Well, it looks like everyone was going to be a winner today!
Log created on 19:49:23 01/24/2009 by Choi, and last modified on 12:07:03 01/31/2009.