Description: One fighter, home after a long absence to get her head back in the game. Another, traveling far from home to better himself. On a beach overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, two souls engage in battle to find the answers they seek.
Egypt is the next travel spot. There had been stories in regards to the Pharoahs and the Pyramids. In that regards, it was enough to warrant suh a great travel.
Even after traveling through, the night brings forth a calm atmosphere with he Stanley Bridge. There is a festival going on along the beach way tothe south. Pools of blue and gold light illuminate nderneath the bridge.
As the Egyptian music plays, one person decidedly walks along the bridgeway to the path where the festival is going on. It is a little ways away, but it isn't impassible. The wandering fighter, Antoine, holds the duffelbag over his back while looking ahead to take n the scent of the air and enjoy the soothing music.
It looks like he is nearing the festival as is.
Saturday Night Fights... you wouldn't expect them to have such an effect on a person, but the last few that Farah has had have really put a strain on her in one way or another, be it her bizarre feelings of desire for retribution, or the strange things she felt while fighting Tenma alongside Nagase. And then there's the whole issue of Denji and Wang, and the creation of a team for King of Fighters, which brings all sorts of issues to the fore, especially considering how the last KoF tournament ended...
In other words, it was time to visit home.
Although Farah lives in Southtown now, she was born and raised here in Alexandria, and it's here that both her mother and father work. The trip back was long, but it was worth a week off, away from things she is having trouble dealing with, to come back and sleep in her own bed, to eat her father's home-cooked meals (her mother, being a journalist, having a more... ramen-based approach to cooking), and to discuss life with her parents, whom she has always respected as authorities on damn near everything. Her father had some sage advice for her about dealing with professional fighting, and both of them gushed that they'd watched their daughter fight on TV, and in spite of everything and no matter what the result, they were always proud of her.
It was the sort of thing she really needed to hear.
But now it's her last night in the city; tomorrow she boards a plane and heads back to school, classes, and probably to even more fighting world-related drama. For a while, she enjoyed the noise and lights of the festival, but for now, she's standing on Stanley Beach, away from the hubbub, her sandals off. Barefoot, she wriggles her toes in the sand and feels the warm waters of the Mediterranean wash back and forth over her feet, and the breeze from the sea drifting through her hair. For a moment, everything is at peace.
The wandering fighter continues his trek through the bridge. He seems to find himself at a good area, all considering the festival. When he arrives at the festival grounds, Antoine was more than happy to take in the atmosphere and the people about. Walking to the stand, he looks over to see the beach setting.
The wayward journeyman walks through the sand in his Nike Shox. Happily to pave the way in his road, he takes a deep breath and he says, "...This is a peaceful place..." His eyes drift over towards the stranger who is getting her bearing. The wayward traveller approaches her with a friendly smile.
"'Ey. Excuse me. ---Able to tell me where I am currenty at?"
Apparently Farah was feeling introspective. In fact she's navel-gazing so hard that when Antoine comes up behind her, she doesn't notice his presence with any of her senses... including the sixth one that gives her warnings about this sort of thing. Startled, she turns to face whoever it is that spoke, the water around her feet splashing at the sudden movement. Now that she's turned to face him, Antoine can also notice something clenched in her hand: a cobalt-blue ribbon, almost the same hue as the starry horizon, the tails fluttering behind her dramatically in the sea breeze.
"Stanley Beach," she says carefully, since in all honesty not knowing where this place is would be out of place for her, an area native. Eventually, however, she takes in Antoine's appearance, particularly his clothing, and seems to process that he very likely only knows what country he's in, and perhaps what city. She gestures at the bridge Antoine just walked over with one hand. "And that's Stanley Bridge, over there... this is your first time to Alexandria, I take it?"
She asks the question innocently enough, but at the end she seems to trail off a bit, giving Antoine another once over. There's something she just can't put her finger on for a moment, until she tilts her head to the side, and asks -- seemingly out of the blue, and unrelatedly -- "Have we..."
Then a pause, and she shakes her head. "Never mind. Did you come for the festival?"
~ What is this familiar aura...? ~
When Farah reveals her surprised look, Antoine blinks for a moment, "'Ey, did I startle you?" He casts her a worried look, then he offers a smile. While she takes the young man's presence, he returns the regard. There is a simple, yet mystical look about her. The young man muses over to her while she asks him of his first time.
"Yeah. This is my first time through Alexandria. I am traveling the world, you see." He offers a smile, "Learning about the cultures, the people, and the fighters that exist. Other styles.." He offers her a smile, then he blinks, if quizzedly.
"...Uh?" However, when she dismisses it, Antoine shakes his head towards her last question. "I didn't realize that there was a festival going on." A grin is casted, "But, it would be a shame to let it all go to waste. Why don't we check it out?" While walking past her, he turns to face her, "The name's Antoine."
Now that she's had a good look at him, and hear him speak, the difference is plain, and Farah relaxes a bit. For a moment, though, she was assaulted with how very familiar this young man's aura felt to her, in spite of the two having never met before that she can recall. Still, there is something familiar about it... as if she's met someone that had just enough resemblence, just enough similar so that on first glance, she could be confused. But some of her guesses turn out to be right. Farah herself trained in China for a time, and she'd recognize that clothing style anywhere.
"An honest to goodness training journey..." she says, at Antoine's assertion that he's travelling not just to see the culture of new places, but to see the fighters that live there, too.
It strikes Farah for a moment that it's only a long chain of happenstance that put her on this beach, right now. If she hadn't felt so unsettled lately, if she hadn't been invited to King of Fighters, if she hadn't had some time off from her classes... ~ Is this fate? ~ she's forced to ask herself, surprised at the improbability of it all.
When he asks if she'd like to go back to the festival, though, Farah gives a little smile and turns back to the ocean, shaking her head. "Thank you for offering, but I think I've had enough of the bright lights and noisy crowd for today." Though she doesn't articulate it to Antoine, being in a crowd like that too long hurts her head, anyway; it might be a joyous place, but it's not always joyous emotions rattling around in that crowd. After a while, trying to focus on just yourself and having your own fun becomes quite difficult.
A smile is rewarded to Farah, "I suppose that best describes it, yes." The young man lifts his head up to the air, "... It's a bit of an enlightenment. My sifu used to do it all of the time. Even at his age, he traveled the world in his pursuit of enlightenment and to hone the style of Chongquan." He turns to face her, "...I am seeking to do the same to preserve the tradition."
Tilting his head at Farah, he gives her an inquizzied look, "Are you alright?" The young man offers a nod, "I understand. I should try to enjoy the festival while it is still going on." He offers her a smile, "After all, cannot let the events in a different region go to waste. It is best to enjoy what the world has to offer and to learn from it."
Chongquan? Farah makes no attempt to disguise her sudden furrowed brow at the mention of that, but she just can't remember it offhand. Was it a style she heard of while she herself was living in China? Or one she's fought against on the professional circuit? Either way, she doesn't let the confusion last; Antoine's story of following in his master's footsteps brings a smile to Farah's face, and she tilts her head somewhat as she responds to him. "It's a very old tradition, it sounds like. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with old traditions." There's a pause, and then Farah herself takes a wild guess at something, reading from Antoine's tone and his body language and, even somewhat, reading his emotional and mental state, too: "I'm sure your master would be happy to know you're doing it."
And that's that. As far as Antoine's concerned, it's time to go enjoy the festival while it still lasts, but Farah's not in the mood for another headache she's not keen on explaining. Two ships meet, pass, and then are points of light sailing on into the distance.
~ Wait. ~
But that aura... and that feeling of familiarity... and the circumstances that brought her here. If she lets Antoine walk away now...
~ Don't go! ~
That would be a mistake.
The Egyptian girl turns away from the sea, and curiously, begins tying that ribbon she's holding on to around her right wrist, carefully, so that the small bow covers the back of her hand. "Have you met any fighters here in Alexandria?" she asks, knowing that he very likely didn't. "If you haven't yet... I can offer you a match."
As Antoine was preparing to part ways with Farah, his eyes drift over towards her, giving her the more curious gaze. The question is brought up in regards his journey, particular of if he had met any fighers. There is a bit of a sadden smile before he shakes his head.
"I am afraid not. I have not seen any fighters out here... But, I figured I would take the time to enjoy the atmosphere." He smiles, "After all, even if there aren't any fighters, there is still enjoying the difference in the country." He pauses for a moment.
"...Would you happen to ---" Then, she offers him the match, "...I see."
He lets the silence settle... then he releases the grip of the duffelbag, letting it hit the ground. "I'd like that."
COMBATSYS: Antoine has started a fight here.
Now, her relief that he accepted, that Farah doesn't show. Still, she does seem less tense once Antoine decides to stay. There is something about him that she is trying her best to put her finger on, and the Egyptian is reluctant to let him go until she can figure out what it is. But rather than worry herself sick over what it might be, she instead just smiles and says, "Thank you," before stepping back to give them both room. For a moment she considers putting her sandals back on and not doing this barefoot, but quickly discards that. There's something soothing to her about the feel of the sand under her feet, Farah finds.
When she gets into stance, Antoine might recognize it; it's baguazhang, to some extent. Hands up, palms out, stance loose, and as Farah gets ready, she walks slowly in a circle with Antoine at its center. It's a 'soft' martial art, not at all like harder styles... and she never did take off that ribbon, the tails of which continue to billow out behind her. "I have... a thing I used to like to say, before a fight," Farah says, almost seeming embarassed to admit that. "But I'm thinking of revising it to something new. I guess you'll be the first to hear it."
With that, she smiles. "I hope we both learn something new in this battle," appears to be the line.
With that, though, she decides to go on the attack, finishing her slow circular step before surging forward, kicking up sand as she gets close, turns both hands palm out, and thrusts them both forward, looking to knock Antoine off-balance with a dual palm strike to the stomach.
COMBATSYS: Farah has joined the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Antoine blocks Farah's Strong Punch.
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Antoine 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Farah
The Seeker of Knowledge keeps his eyes on Farah. She seems a bit relieved or at least, less tense. THe young man offers her the smile before she slips ito her stance. The eyes fall over to see the familiarity. Then, he drifts his right hand up and his legs bend while he takes a tight stance.
As the palms open, the young man offers her a smile. "...I like that." He steps his left leg foward, bringing the right fist to the left palm, then he returns to the stance. It is when Farah surges forward.
When she moves closer into the melee range, Antoine is noting the hands thrusted out. In response, he brings his arms together to guard against the shove, but he winces a bit before he recoils forward. The arms shoot upward to spread both of her hands away, and then he steps forward with both fists slamming down towards her collar bone.
COMBATSYS: Farah dodges Antoine's Strong Punch.
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Antoine 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Farah
The difference in Farah and Antoine's styles is highlighted nicely by the punches they exchange; in purpose and in form, both seem to be quite different, and the responses each fighter brings to bear are quite different too. He seems quite satisfied deflecting the force of Farah's punch; she knows that being struck by that sudden blow of Antoine's would be most unwise, and so she drops down, knowing the sand would make turning and stepping backwards difficult. She's thankfully able to get low enough that Antoine's strike passes harmlessly above her head, though the Egyptian is forced to roll backwards a bit rather than immediately counterattack.
She brings her fist up, the one with the ribbon tied on, and seems about to concentrate for a moment, the sort of look fighters get when chi attacks are going to make an appearance, which Antoine would know well. Yet suddenly, she seems to change her mind, bringing her arm down. Instead, she starts walking that circle again, hands coming back to ready positions.
~ Why am I so... reluctant? ~ She knew inside she'd planned to bring her Soul Power to bear, to strike out at Antoine with it, yet some feeling deep inside made her stop, when she looked at the young man, taking in his stance.
Instead, she silently heads back into the fray, this time attempting to step forward and hook her bare foot behind Antoine's leg, yanking him off balance and ideally dropping him to the sand, if she can accomplish it.
COMBATSYS: Antoine dodges Farah's Medium Throw.
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Antoine 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Farah
Both fists sought to clobber against the collarbone to make her unsteady. He had opted to follow up with a two-fisted strike to the gut, but that did not make it through, since she managed to avoid the initial strike. He should had worked on following up with the maneuver instead of focusing on just that single strike.
When she does gain some sort of distance from him, he furrows his eyebrow when she looked like she was ready to prepare something. He felt something... Yet, it was different. It faded just as quickly as it came. However, it is not over. Whens he moves into the distance, he notes her coming forth to sweep against his leg. In turn, Antoine leaps off of the ground to let the foot pass underneath him.
In turn, he snaps his right leg out to have the foot snap againt the side of her temple.
COMBATSYS: Farah blocks Antoine's Light Kick.
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Antoine 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Farah
A little too quickly, and too fast to avoid; now it's Farah's turn to deflect an attack. She grimaces a little as Antoine turns his evasion of her sweep into an attack on her, but an arm quickly comes up, turning the kick aside. It stings a bit, taking the blow against her forearm, but much less than a boot to the head would. She takes a step back, shaking out her hands and then getting back into stance. It's no shock that fighters would test the waters at the beginning of a battle, but this seems like it's not exactly Farah's style; she can feel herself being reserved and careful, and doesn't exactly know why...
...until she sees Antoine in JUST the right position, for a fraction of a second, holding a pose and a stance she's seen before. The memory finally gels, and when it does come together it's not a pleasant trip down memory lane, either.
~ Quon. ~
The memory of her fight with Antoine's opposite number floods back, including the Chongquan practitioner's feeling of revulsion and distress when she landed an attack with her Soul Power abilities. ~ So that's why... ~ Internally, she realizes her subconscious processed the similarity a long time ago, and forced her to hold herself back.
The realization isn't pleasant.
A hand comes up, ribbon tails fluttering, but this time the delay is shorter; Farah doesn't speak, but instead dives into a sliding kick across the sand. She doesn't travel very far on such a surface, but she doesn't stop with just the slide; if she can make contact, she then plants her hands and does a handstand, sweeping one leg out in an arc as she does so to kick Antoine away as well.
COMBATSYS: Antoine Toughs Out Farah's Combo Attack!
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Antoine 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Farah
There is that feeling... She is restricting herself... She is holding back from something. This is not something that the young man likes to see or find himself in. While she does finally start to dive into the kick along the sand, he watches her movement for her to sweep the leg out while in the handstanding position.
"You're holding back..."
Antoine moves foward to find the foot landing square along the face. The impact sends his body tilting ovr to a spin. He inwardly grimaces, before he turns to finally face the woman. He presses forward to lunge his body off of the ground.
"Do not hold back your gift!"
The body twirls in a full spin, then he extends his right leg for an outward crescent kick and then the left leg comes down for the inward kick. That particular foot come down and elicts a crackle of lightning. The surging foot slams down towards Farah's seeking to drop her impact down to the ground.
"Do not be ashamed of using it!"
COMBATSYS: Farah fails to reflect Crossing the Bridge from Antoine with Soul Reflect.
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Antoine 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Farah
Violet eyes widen on Farah's face at that accusation. And in the process, Antoine is close by, striking hard and fast without giving her room to breathe or pause. Just that statement, bold as day. And when Farah reacts, it's on pure instinct, Antoine's words having hit some part of her consciousness that isn't going to wait around for a logical assessment of the situation. Her arm makes an arc through the air, and suddenly that ribbon on her hand bursts into light, a cobalt glow like the starry sky at twilight. The arc of the swing makes it seem as if she'd intended it to intercept that kick...
Sadly, Antoine has a tactical advantage, and Farah wasn't reacting with precision, just pure emotional instinct; she doesn't really have a chance to intercept that attack, and the descending kick slams her to the sand, which she slides across before slowly getting to her feet and glancing at Antoine, bringing a hand up to wipe her mouth briefly. ~ Why did he... was it for some tactical advantage? To rattle me? ~ Her thoughts are wild, undirected, raw; echoes of that same feeling she felt with Denji and Wang, the need to fight back, to pay them back for hitting her, to show them she's...
She's barely even thinking about the words that come out of her mouth, when she speaks, but she says them anyway, memories of Quon's reaction still vivid in her thoughts. "Not all gifts are wanted by the people who receive them," is her reply.
There was no satisfaction from the strike made against Farah. There was no intent of the tactical advantage. In fact, Antoine only sought to give the woman a wake up call. When he lands to the ground. He looks over towards the woman, peering at her closely. "...Do not let that stop you from using them!" Antoine snaps out towards Farah. The young man's eyebrows are furrowed.
"Do not hold back! If there is one thing that you must learn from this battle, or anyone to learn from the battles... is to not hold back! Fighters are to adapt in adversity of the elements." The young man... shakes his head. "Focus! Do not let doubt cloud you from pressing forward. Press forward despite the cloud!"
Antoine... steps back into his fighting stance, not even seeking to pursue things. No, he wants her to be able to fight him to her fullest.
COMBATSYS: Antoine focuses on his next action.
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Antoine 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Farah
Nobody's ever actually spoken to her like this before. Perhaps, in Farah's memory, Faolan did; the Irish mercenary was actually quite kind to her, but in a big brotherly sort of way fitting of the Ikari's worldliness. But it's not an experience the others she's fought have given her. Denji's curiousness, or Wang's determination, or Quon's showmanship... they encouraged her, but in a different way. Even in his cocky standoffishness, there was something in Tenma Kiryuu's blade that made Farah want to keep moving on. But that was always about *them*.
Nobody's ever turned it back on her.
The result is... surprising. So much has been on her mind, so many different things to think about, and she had been for the most part trying to wrap her head around them when Antoine interrupted her. Is it any surprise, then, that when he -- with the best of intentions -- tries to get at them, the girl's response is unpredictable, like being struck in a raw, still-healing wound?
She all but charges Antoine, the twin tails of her ribbon making an oddly perfect double helix as they stream out behind her fist, which continues to glow with that starry night-colored Soul Power. "Don't say that like you understand!" she says, feeling tears start to well up at the corner of her eyes and, inwardly, hating herself for the weakness of crying.
She does nothing less than attempt to drive upward in a fast-rising uppercut, the glimmer of Soul Power making her look like a falling star attempting to leap back into the sky. "You could never understand!"
COMBATSYS: Antoine endures Farah's Ascending Heart EX.
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Antoine 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Farah
"Do not hold back against your opponent. No matter what... Even if you think you are helping them... you are hurting them in he long run!" Antoine snaps out That is when Farah starts to finally make her way towards Antoine. He can see she finally has the intentions of not holding back.
That strange, starry night-colored energy manifests. Antoine's eyes fall upon those ramnents of energy as she comes forth to strike him with the uppercut. His eyes widen as he feels the fist tearing through the air.
...Then, he jumps into the impact.
...That fist pierces against his chest. His eyes widen with shock as he feels the flow of the strange energy. It is a pressuring, mind-shattering feeling. Yet, Antoine is taking a deep breath before he descends to the ground.
"Perhaps not... However... what I understand... is to honor the opponent by not holding back..."
"...Like this..."
As Antoine awaits for her to land... He immediately pushes forward. His body presses onward enough to slam the right palm into her stomach in the harshest manner. Then... he twists the body towards the right. That left hand seeks to tear through the air, adding pure strength into the blow as he seeks to slam the fist to her chin. The bone crushing strike seeks to rattle the bones as the fist rises along with the rest of his body. "SHAAAAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Farah blocks Antoine's Heaven Descends to Earth.
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Antoine 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Farah
Later on, Farah will realize how fortunate she was that, at the last second, she was able to mount a defense against this strike. In the heat of the moment, all she can think of to do is practically curl into a ball, arms crossed in front of her stomach. Avoiding that strike is out of the question... and despite her defending herself, the impact of that strike spreads outwards from Farah and Antoine, rippling through the sand and sending waves of it spiralling into the air as a result. It may be that this is what saves her from the devastating uppercut that follows, but in the end, Farah is still left gasping for breath, hands pressed against her stomach, a few feet away, troughs cut in the beach from where she was pushed away.
And inside, her thoughts are a whirlwind, one she's trapped in just as much as Antoine might. The pure physical force of the blow seems to have woken her up somewhat, but as her punch made contact with Antoine, for just a moment, a link between the two was forged... both the blessing and the curse of Soul Power. While she didn't sense that feeling of revulsion, she could see Antoine's confusion, sense him trying to figure out what this thing was that she just...
'Honor the opponent by not holding back.'
Farah's head hangs forward a moment, and her voice is quiet, but it seems likely that Antoine can still hear it. "That's what it means for me to not hold back," is her response. "It's something I'm not sure even I understand. And I haven't..." She looks up, then stops herself from saying the rest. She 'hasn't met anyone else like her', with two exceptions... one so long ago it's a rosy memory only, and one recent but thoroughly unnerving. Is it Farah's fate to turn out like Juri Han, in the end?
It's enough to make Farah herself feel revulsion, let alone 'normal people.'
She doesn't attack; instead, she watches Antoine carefully, staying in stance, taking deep breaths. "That's what it means for me not to hold back. But if that's still what you want, then I won't disappoint you."
COMBATSYS: Farah focuses on her next action.
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Antoine 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Farah
Antoine had sought to return that favor of the strike with his own devastating attack. Nevertheless, Antoine had continued to press on, even if she had managed to practicaly curl into a ball and crossed her stomach. While she tries to get her thughts together, Antoine looks over at the woman.
"...Good. You can try to understand it and reflect after the battle. Use the time to think upon it. However, save that for after the fight. When the fight starts, there is no time to reflect, only act."
As such, Antoine is starting to take the more aggressive stance and charge into the battle front. While she gives her 'warning', Antoine leaps off of the ground and he twirls his body in a sault with both legs out to perform a cartwheel. Both legs slam down against Farah.
"I would not have it any other way."
COMBATSYS: Farah fails to counter Splitting the Earth EX from Antoine with Gensekiju.
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Antoine 0/-------/----===|=======\===----\1 Farah
Well, that appears to be Farah's curse, apparently: she can't STOP thinking. In the end it's not as if one way of doing things is right, but one of them certainly might be more conducive to fighting, and the other not. Farah can't keep her thoughts in check any more than Antoine could suddenly start spouting poetry while he fights. In this case, though, Farah's thoughts betray her; again she makes a sweeping motion with her arm to try and stop Antoine's attack cold, but she is again too slow, and takes the cartwheeling kick straight on. There's a slight hiss of pain -- and, in honesty, frustration -- as Farah regains her footing, looking at Antoine carefully. He really does remind her of Quon, but in the way that looking at the Moon might remind someone of the Sun. It's the same light, but it looks and feels very different indeed.
"If you've really reached a point where you can do that," she says to him at last, with a rueful smile, "then I envy you. There's always something on my mind. But I don't think it keeps me from doing my best. I just..." Here she pauses, then shakes her head. "I have other things to think about. I put the focus elsewhere. You might be the only person who's ever decided to turn it back on me out loud before."
Taking a deep breath, Antoine looks over towards Farah, already feel a bit of the exhaustion taking over. Yet, he regains his breath in that moment, ready to get himself ready. "...There is a great potential... I felt that gift... it is strong, fearsome... yet, it is your gift." The young man looks over towards her.
"...I am not able to maintain it. I still fall into it. However... I have to keep reminding myself to not lose focus. If you lose focus of the battle, you will lose. A battle is the most important thing once you are engaged."
Antoine moves forward to break the distance between the two. He lunges forward to slam his fist towards her stomach, and then the hand whips back and it comes back forward with a palm strike towards her chest to send her off-balanced.
COMBATSYS: Antoine successfully hits Farah with Combo Attack.
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Antoine 0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1 Farah
Focus... for all that she's saying it's not necessarily her way, Farah could certainly use a little of that right now. It may be distraction, or fatigue, or that she's taken some rather strong hits this fight so far. In any event, when the Egyptian goes to push herself out of the way, leaping up and backwards to avoid that palm strike, it is a moment too slow; she DOES move up and away from Antoine, but only after she's aided by the force of his fist, and rather than landing lightly on her feet, she lands on her back.
For a moment, she stares up at the sky, and for all Antoine's admonition, she can't stop her thoughts from running away with her. ~ Why did I challenge him? Why am I doing this? ~ A world she feels apart from. Rose's words that Farah would need to be a shining star, an example for people to follow. But why should they follow her? ~ It'd be better if they followed... ~
Who? Antoine? Denji? Wang? Quon? People she's fared well against and poorly against. But who Farah desperately wanted to feel were her...
~ Equals. ~
In her mind she says the word aloud for the first time, and as she forces herself to her feet, she can hear herself whispering her thoughts aloud. "Peers. Friends." Has she not proven that? Has she only proven that, by comparison, she has so very far to go in the end? That they'll always be separated?
"If that's true," she says to Antoine at last, with a rueful, bittersweet expression, "then maybe I'm not cut out to be a warrior after all." Her hand comes up in front of her, ribbon still alight with Soul Power, but as her confidence has ebbed and flowed, so too has that glow... sometimes flaring bright, sometimes a barely perceptible spark. What she'd like to do now, more than anything, is lose herself in something. Stop thinking. She can't do it the way Antoine does it, through stoicism and focus alone. So instead, she starts to dance, in place. The thing that, before fighting, was her physical outlet. To hear the music in your head and simply let the body follow.
And then the ribbon is carving paths of cobalt blue in air with every serpentine pass it makes, bursts of pure psychic energy screaming across the beach at Antoine. Maybe this is just how she has to do it.
COMBATSYS: Farah successfully hits Antoine with Heart and Soul.
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Antoine 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Farah
Antoine is focused on the fight. While he is a bit worried for the woman, he cannot let up on her. He gave her enough room to stand up on her feet. Now, he has to go as far as he can to press her to get her to push back.
When the palmstrike is made, Antoine looks over at her. "A warrior is not born... they are made through experience. A warrior has to learn from their mistakes... To say that you are not cut out to be a warrior is tossing away the very gift that you have and the potential that you possess. I believe you have that gift..."
Antoine smiles, "After all, we have something to learn from this battle." She was the one that made such a statement. His eyes, however, furrow when he notices her ribbon when it flares. As she finally starts to dance, Antoine is noticing her movements. She is now freeing herself...
That is when she manages to make the most devastating damage to him.
His eyes widen when she catches him with the ribbon's cobalt blue energy. As it carves into him, his eyes widen while the lips gape open.. Grimacing, he can feel the urge of energy tear into his core...
..And yet, he continues t stand. He sweats, feeling his body worn. "Good... You are getting it..." Antoine soon presses forward, moving his body within the motion as he moves over towards Farah. His body springs off of the round with the spin, launching both feet into the a air for a hook kick. However, the man attack comes in the form of him extending his body forward.
Both palms slam right towards her chest, seeking to create a devastating impact towards her chest. That impact will likely seek to send her sprawling back.
COMBATSYS: Farah blocks Antoine's Immovable Mountain.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Antoine 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Farah
People who come to this spot tomorrow are going to wonder exactly what went on here. For the second time, Antoine brings terrible strength to bear, and for the second time, something inside Farah emerges at the last minute to save her from what would be almost certainly a one-way trip to unconsciousness had it landed cleanly. As before, though, even as Antoine's palms slam into Farah's crossed arms rather than her chest cleanly, sand erupts upward in chaotic patterns again, the Egyptian being shoved back across the ground from the force of it, her feet making furrows in the sand. When it's all said and done, she actually looks like it wasn't even worth expending the effort to defend herself; even after managing somehow to deflect that blow, the dusky-skinned fighter looks like she's ready to topple over anyway.
For a moment she says nothing, concerned only with getting her breath back, taking big lungfuls of air for a moment or two. When she does speak, her voice is slightly throaty, as might be expected after the brutal back and forth she and Antoine have exchanged so far. "What would you say if I told you... I can feel that uncertainty, that closing off, when that connected. Would you believe me if I told you I don't want it to feel that way? That it's not my intent? If you could..."
The words die on her lips: 'If you could feel it the way I do.' But he can't, not that she knows. Yet part of her knows that if he could spend the effort to do it, he would try. She believes that much.
Maybe it's that belief that saves her in the end.
"I'm going to finish this fight being more than that," is what she says to Antoine, hands coming up. "I'm more than that." And then she's moving toward him, not bothering with speed. It's careful, and it's slow, but when she sees her opening, Farah darts in, attempting to slip Antoine's arm behind him, before following with a joint lock, and then slam him down to the ground. It's complex, and slow, but as far as Farah's concerned, she intends it to be definitive.
COMBATSYS: Antoine interrupts Strong Throw from Farah with Wind Chases the Clouds.
[ \\\\\\ < > // ]
Antoine 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Farah
"...That uncertainty....?" He quirks an eyebrow. "...I would believe you... After all, it helps to have an open mind." Then, he furrows his eyebrows. That uncertainty. Had he felt uncertain about that technique? Yes. It felt strange. It is hard to figure out what it is. However, he will learn about it.
For now, Antoine will have to press on with the fight. For when Farah is finally moving over towardshim, Antoine finally lunges forward to reach out for her as he attempts to grab his arm for a twist. Intead, he greets her with the nearly clenched fist as the knuckles strike towards her abdomen, and then the leading leg sweeps forward behind her leg.
That arm shots out in motion of the leg to sweep Farah off of the ground and on her back inspite of the twisting feeling that he receives.
Somewhere inside, she knew that using such a complex and easily countered technique would be her downfall... but in truth, part of Farah would really like to rest. Fighting Antoine has been more draining than she had thought possible, mentally and emotionally... in truth, probably the hardest such fight she's had to date. And none of her questions have been answered; only more have sprung up. When he catches her mid-attack and sends her sprawling, she doesn't even have the strength to make some sort of last, final shot. She's simply exhausted, and on the sand she stays, unconscious, one arm being lapped at gently by the waves as the tide comes in as far as it will go. It's not even 100% clear that she heard Antoine's parting shot, but at this point, the issue is moot.
All things said and done, however, she doesn't necessarily look bad. In fact, depending on your point of view, it really looks as if she needed the rest.
COMBATSYS: Farah takes no action.
[ \\\\\\ <
Antoine 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Farah can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\ <
Antoine 0/-------/----===|
Antoine looks quite beat up....
However, the young man has a lot of resolve. His eyes lift up towards the sky to see the stars shining above. He can hear the Egyptian music play. He decides to take a seat along the sand, next to the unconscious lady. He does not quite face her, but instead looks ahead at where the party is at.
"You are under your own journey. That much, I know. Where it will lead you? That, is what you must find on your own." He smiles, gazing ahead to the party.
"Just like I must find my own answers to my journey."
Log created on 22:55:48 11/17/2010 by Farah, and last modified on 13:42:56 11/18/2010.