Description: A battle on another hot, crowded beach marks the final semi-final match for Lee's Beach Extravaganza! [Winner: Mai]
There is no question that the next fight in Lee Chaolan's summer-inspired tournament was going to be a hot one. As if match the locale up with the contestants for this semi-finals match, the event is staged to take place in one of the most super-heated regions of the planet on a large 'frond' of sand leased out by the corporation backing the fighting event!% And today, the place is certainly living up to its reputation. The temperature is high, the air is dry, and the sand hot to one's feet if it is tempered by the relief of softly rolling waves.
The gathered crowds are thick. Locals that happened to be in the region at the right time are joined by fight-fanatics with the means and time to travel around the globe to attend such highly publicized matches like this one has been! Milling about are the opulantly wealthy, ultra-fit people allowed into such an exclusive resort as this. The air is thick with energy and a loose, party atmosphere as everyone lingering around talks about their favorite fights so far or what they're looking forward in the rest of the tournament. It shouldn't be long now!
Immediately following her bout with Howard Rust, Athena was rushed back to Japan to hit the books for a summer-course entrance exam, leaving little time to follow the event itself nor really keep track of much of anything besides her schoolwork. But when the quarter finals finished up, the brackets updated, and the new schedule released, she was more than happy to have an excuse to get away from home and travel to some other exciting location to meet another remarkable individual. Her last outing put her in front of one of Southtown's most humble of heroes. This one promises to put her in the company of another interesting individual - one Mai Shuranui - a fighting female anyone even mildly familiar with the sport is likely to know /of/ on a surface level... but do they really know the young woman for who she really is? As always, Athena hopes to find out.
A small, air-conditioned cabin just a hundred feet away from the shore has served as her preparation room with event staff keeping anyone from pressing in too close around it. The same sundress worn for her last match covers her form now when she steps out of the door and into the sunlight. Her own event staff's efforts to craft the highly durable attire have made it possible for them to keep Athena in the dark as to the exact rules behind this event. It would have taken a lot more explanation than they would have liked to get her to don an already battle-damaged wardrobe, afterall. One small change has been made for the sake of the location, however, as she's wearing a wide-brimmed sunhat to go with the dress. The same violet sandals as before cover her feet, keeping the sand from being quite as painful as she strides out to the cordoned area of sand set aside for the match.
As ever when in the public eye, she's friendly to those crowding in around her. It would take an extreme measure of perception to notice that slight edge of discomfort with this crowd compared to her usual mob followings; the emotions and attitudes of those who enjoy such an egregiously prosperous lifestyle feeling a touch off from her more normal fanbase. A shirtless, well-tanned, muscular male in the crowd attempts to swat the teen idol on the rear as she passes, but Athena seems to slip away before his hand even makes its move, skipping out ahead of the crowd and whirling around to finish backing into the cleared area, giving everyone an eager wave with her right hand while adjusting her sunhat with her left to an angle that helps reduce the sun a little. "Whew!"
Dubai. It's... well, it's Disneyland. For very very rich adults. Seriously, have you -seen- this place? Artificial beaches, 150-story high, glass-walled pleasure palaces... the cheapest cars seen around are Vectors and Audis and the like. It's... well... it'e -exactly- the kind of place where Mai Shiranui would never fit in, except well, she's a freakin' -ninja-. She's trained to fit in, even if that means not being visible.
But she's plenty visible now--if there's one thing she appreciates about this strange little tournament, it's that she can dress to impress... and not even Andy could complain. (Well, he could, but Mai would just ignore him as she almost always does -anyways-...) The beach park is an amazing place, of course, and the 'frond' that's been chosen for their fight is the most populated but not, by far, the only populated beach.
There's a room for the contestants, but Mai Shiranui is nowhere to be found in it; rather, she's strolling the beach towards the venue. Athena is more modest, but Mai's wearing, well, she's not wearing a skimpy little bikini--or at least that's not -all- she's wearing. Like Athena, she has on a straw sunhat, with a pink-and-purple band around the crown, and accompanying that is in fact a bikini in the same colors. Over that, she wears a frilly wrap skirt, and her typical ninja sandals on her feet, though the tabi socks are tailored to the ankle, rather than just above. Draped over her shoulders is a gauzy, filmy scarf, and she carries her parasol again, opened against the sun.
She's getting as many catcalls and whistles as Athena--perhaps more, that wouldn't be surprising--and just as many men are trying to get their hands on her, but, just like the psychic idol, Mai is avoiding those touches with a deft, ninja touch--simply not there whenever a hand tries to be. Once she reaches the actual arena, she stakes her parasol in her 'corner', marking it--and whips a pair of big sunglasses out of nowhere. These are dark purple framed and the lenses are shaped like big hearts, and as she slips them on, she smiles at Athena. "Well, glad you could make it, Asamiya dear... let's give these lovelies a show to remember, hmmm?"
With the heat the way it is, Athena can't help but think that she'd much rather be hitting the water than hitting someone else. But she's far too experienced an entertainer to let on that she finds the location just a tad uncomfortable. Besides, she reminds herself, she needs to be ready to fight in any place in any circumstance if she's to make good on her lofty intentions of being a force of good in the world against monsters like Vega! Her smile remains ready, her expression excited as she spins away from the crowd to face the direction her opponent ends up approaching from, her white dress twirling around her figure as she does so.
Lifting her hand to just over her eyes, she watches as the eye-catching Shiranui crosses the remaining distance to the cleared section of beachfront. The young woman moves with confidence. She knows she's able to draw attention and seems to relish it. Athena wonders if that same confidence extends to her ability to fight. That she made it past the first round of this event suggests that she very much does, but now it's her chance to see for herself.
The younger fighter watches as Mai plants her umbrella then whips showy sunglasses out from somewhere to cover her eyes. What a good idea, Athena muses ruefully, wishing she had some as well. Of course, once the fight gets going, how long are glasses and hats going to last anyway? The greeting is offered and Athena nods her head in reply. "I'm sure we can."
She's eager to fight, she realizes, knowing that focusing her attention and thoughts on the heat of the moment in battle will help her forget the heat of the hot desert sun overhead. A breath in is taken as she lowers her hand from above her eyes and focuses inward. The energy of the crowd ceases to be a distraction as she filters their enthusiasm down to a more manageable level. At the same time, a barrier is released, as she lets certain other limitations go, prepared at last for what promises to be a frantically fast fight. A silent pulse washes over the area, subtle and impossible to percieve for most then Athena adopts her ready stance.
She's heard of Mai's fighting exploits for sometime even though she'd never met the young woman until now. "It is a honor to face you, Miss Shiranui!" Her left hand is extended, her right hand held back, bent at the elbow. One foot slides forward in the sand just a little, and then she begins to wait. Athena's own reputation suggests that she has speed that rivals even the swift ninja, but at the heart of her style are the core elements of the Kung Fu taught to her by Chin, and for now, she doesn't seem inclined to move significantly as the final moments tick down for the fight.
COMBATSYS: Athena has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Mai has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Athena 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Mai
Funny, that; Mai would consider Athena at least as experienced a fighter and doer of good as Mai herself, and lord knows that Mai has had her adventures in obtaining justice... though the majority of that work has been Andy and Terry's, to be sure. That doesn't dent Mai's confidence, clear as a beacon to Athena, even without the psychic sense that the girl holds. It is -hot- already, the sun beating down mercilessly, and even the breeze flowing in from the water cools one only minimally; already Mai's skin glistens with a sheen of healthy sweat. Unlike many, Mai doesn't dismiss Athena just because she's an idol--she knows better. So when Athena expresses that sentiment, Mai smiles.
"Well, I'll try and live up to the hype, then, Asamiya-san!" With a cheery wink, Mai spins around once, showily creating a brief shower of pink sakura blossom petals that drift out of nowhere and, though few will really notice, disappear when they hit the ground; her hands, empty when the spin begins, are filled with a pair of Japanese-style fans, closed, slightly longer than one might expect fans to -be-... And she's taken up her own fighting stance, feet spread wide for balance, bobbing back and forth on the balls of her feet, adding a rhythm to her movements that can only be described, to some, as hypnotic.
She waits, as a man in his own brief speedo, with mirrorshades ana slippers, climbs into a tall lifeguard's chair, and pulls out a starter's pistol.
*ch-chk*
*BANG*
And with that, they'll be off, won't they? Mai waits -just- a second longer, catching Athena's eye, and she smiles--before twisting away to her right, turning forward again--and launching one of those fans in a hissing, whirling manner towards Athena, the weapon locking open and cutting through the air in a much more adroit and prompt manner than one might expect from such an object--there's no wobble or variance to its path at all.
COMBATSYS: Athena reflects Kachou Sen from Mai with Shield Psycho Reflector EX.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Mai
Violet eyes pay close attention to Mai, trying to focus on the gifted young woman in spite the harsh glare of the sand. She notices the flair of illusory blossoms that vanish before gracing the surface of the sand. The spins, the twirls, the flourishes of how she moves. It seems her opponent is every bit as much an entertainer as herself. Though, the girl realizes as her focus shifts to the fans in her opponent's delicate looking hands, Mai's seemingly extraneous displays of motion can also be used to deceive and draw attention away from the real danger in her techniques! "I think..." she begins, her tone somewhat contemplative.
Is that instinct or was she taught the art of distraction in whatever training she has been through to reach this echelon of ability? The question is somewhat irrelvant, she realizes, as the match is started and Mai's flicker of a smile draws her eyes back to the gorgeous young woman's face. She barely even catches what is happening when the ninja-trained fighter twists with natural grace in one direction, then turns the other way, her arm swinging out to launch a dangerous projectile in the young idol's direction. "You already..."
No! Athena reminds herself, she has to focus on the actual danger! The spinning fan is already halfway to her when she manages to see the threat for what it is. What happens next takes place at speeds that defy understanding for those who have never pushed their bodies to fight at the level these two women are. Athena's presence seems to flicker, the girl slipping backward away from the fan, buying her in an instant another half second of time with which to act.
Her arms reach forward, spreading apart even before she ceases shifting backward. An explosive flash of energy discharges between her hands, forming a barrier of will given form. She's barely stablized her stance when the impact happens but it's in time if just barely. "Have!" That was close. She can't let herself be deceived like that. Her opponent is a tricky one, combining remarkable speed, fancy flourishes, and a hidden arsenal to catch her off guard.
The fan is sent flying back even faster than before while the barrier of energy the girl formed breaks into thousands of rose-hued particles quickly blown to the side by a swift gust of breeze.
COMBATSYS: Mai instinctively blocks Athena's Reflected Kachou Sen.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mai
A good reaction. The fan is, rather impossibly-seemingly, bounced -back- at Mai, and as she was moving forward behind it, she's forced, with that quick reversal of the situation, to make a quick reversal of her own--momentum shifting from that graceful forward lope to a stop and backstep as she reaches out to snag her own returned fan. That's quite the trick, an impressive one to say the least; it puts Mai right back where she started, positionally, and that's not really where she wants to be. But she doesn't let that get to her--this barely the opening gambit!
The moment she's caught the weapon she's up again, this time leaping into the air, the height of her jump clearly higher than any normal person could reasonably expect to achieve--and then she does something else that only a fighter could do.
She alters her trajectory--completely, utterly. She seems to hang in the air for a moment, and then she dives right on Athena--extending her arms as she goes with a fan in each hand.
If she hits, she'll rebound backwards, not quite kicking off but again altering her trajectory and inertia to spring backwards in a one-rotation back handspring.
A -very- good opening manuever from Athena, thinks Mai; she was right not to underestimate the pop star. This'll be a good test of her abilities as a Shiranui ninja. Mai, like Athena, tunes out the crowd--as high-powered and rich as they may be, their shouting sounds like every other crowd's--in favor of focusing on her opponent. If she gets distracted... this'll all be over very quickly.
COMBATSYS: Athena dodges Mai's Musasabi no Mai.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mai
So focused on having to defend herself from the incoming fan, Athena hadn't even had time to realize Mai was charging in so swiftly behind it, her own foot speed rivaling even the velocity of her dangerous projectile. It is only in the aftermath, the twirling fan sent flying back at the fashionably modern ninja, that the girl notices her opponent was bearing down on her position so quickly. Her sharp eyes do catch, however, the speed at which the young woman reacts and corrects, hand snapping out to snatch from the air the spinning fan. A precision reaction to be sure - anyone else attempting the same would certainly risk a grevious cut on their hand for getting it into the path of that whirling weapon!
To her eyes, her opponent barely loses a second of time adjusting to the change in circumstances. Mai takes to the air like a natural while Athena elects to remain grounded, chin lifted, eyes following the trajectory. She braces then, trying to read the incoming attack. Opponents that fight with guile are not impossible for her to predict, but it is certainly far more difficult than those who broadcast their intended attacks with thought, expression, and feeling a few seconds before she ever needs to react to them. Mai is far from being so scrutable.
Athena takes a halfstep backward, trying to anticipate the incoming attack, when Mai executes a feat that sets her apart from common fights - an aerial alteration in trajectory that has her diving in more sharply than expected.
The grounded girl's reaction is narrowly successful. A step to the side, a twist of her body, a lean as she turns 180 degrees from where she was facing. Her dress swirls about her legs and a spray of sand is kicked into the air as she moves with a burst of force and speed, a soft exhale escaping her lips as she allows the Shiranui ninja to dive past the point she was an instant before. She continues with that momentum, worldlessly kicking off of the ground into a leap that seems to take her back away from Mai.
At the apex of her short jump, Athena stretches herself, arcing her back, arms over her head, as if trying to bend herself backward. It is for the sake of the audience that she exclaims the name of her attack, "Phoenix-" Body tense, she springs into action, her own course through the air corrected by the power of her mind as she curls forward into a ball, tumbling down at sharp angle right for Mai's landing point. "Arrow!" The teenaged missile's body becomes covered with that same rose-hued energy, the power only seeming to accelerate her even faster. Diving into the sand, she'll slide easily out of her roll, kicking out with her legs, balancing on one hand against the ground, intending to follow up her crushing dive with a solid strike!
COMBATSYS: Mai dodges Athena's Phoenix Arrow.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mai
As expected, they both favor speed; with their slight builds, it's probably pretty clear that neither should expect to just stand there and 'take' a hit if they don't have to. Mai manages a back handspring even as she hits the ground, an expert reversal of her momentum, even in the soft sand, which makes such manuevers harder than they look. No psychic she, the ninja can still sense that Athena is coming for her--a combination of instinct, experience, and plain old women's intuition--so she continues the backspring for another revolution, putting an impressive torque into the second revolution, to send her off the line she was on.
That proves to be the right move; Athena's Phoenix Arrow slashes through the air right where Mai was, that extended kick having been placed to perfectly spear right through Mai's abdomen, had she remained going in the same direction she was.
The trading of impressive aerial moves certainly garners cheers from the crowd, and as Mai rises back up, she once again performs an expert shift in her momentum and inertia, letting her move forward on Athena again.
Step, step, quick duck, jump, and then she's throwing one long leg out, slicing it out in a quick scything motion--a feint, perhaps, though it would come awfully close to Athena's head, as Mai lands on the non-kicking leg, crouched, plants her hands, then pushes up and throws another kick, snapping this one high, the ball of her kicking foot aimed for Athena's chin.
It probably wouldn't be -too- bad of an impact, really--I mean, Mai doesn't *look* like a ripped powerhouse--but such things have been known to be deceptively done, and in any case, there's a good deal of excellent form to the snap kick, and we don't just mean the nice line of Mai's legs.
COMBATSYS: Mai successfully hits Athena with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mai
She knows she didn't connect with her target on the way down, but that doesn't keep Athena from still trying to swing out with a powerful kick upon landing. Her accuracy is staggering, given the speed at which the two are moving, sandal-clad feet slamming out into the space occupied by Mai only an instant before.
Okay- she's /really/ fast, Athena has discovered. It's rare that she finds her own speed rivaled by an opponent's. It is, in most cases, what gives her a needed edge against those capable of striking far harder than she is. Her aggression in her last attack has its trade offs, however; in failing to connect cleanly, she's over extended and forced to recover faster than she can be counter attacked.
She almost makes it, feet dropping to the ground, hand pressing down into the sand to give her upward force, causing her to go into a short, crouching skid. It seems to work perfectly, in fact, as Mai's first blade-like kick slashes through the air over the J-Pop Princess's head. In that instant, the girl thinks she sees her window of opportunity, having narrowly avoided the hopping kick. She's just starting to spring up from her lower position, right hand reaching back, power just then starting to course down her arm, when the second half of the fiesty ninja's combination is executed upon, leaving the girl standing into a swift kick to the chin that sends her reeling back instead.
Athena staggers a step then, catching her balance, bringing her arms up defensively then in case there's any immediate additional follow up that she'll be pressured by. Instead, she's given a narrow moment to attack back and the Psycho Soldier isn't about to let that chance slip by. Both arms swing back, power rippling into being, a rose-hued energy that is almost hard to see against the bright glare of the sand. Its presence can be felt, however, especially in close proximity. A certain crackling of potential waiting to be unleashed.
There's no time to speak, no time to entertain fans with the exclaimed name of her next attack, she has to act immediately if she is to have any chance connecting against so crafty an opponent. One step forward in the sand, both hands whipping forward, crossing over in passing as their combined gathered energy crashes into a single sphere of that bright energy now hurtling for Mai like a bullet!
COMBATSYS: Mai dodges Athena's Psycho Ball.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Mai
Speed kills. And, in this case, speed saves. The Shiranui-ryuu kunoichi is a blur of movement, though surely the cameras will capture her movements in deliciously delicate slow-motion, as she fades back just a step, putting herself at what seems to be the best range--for Athena, that is. There's a momentary pause, Mai bouncing back and forth on her feet, keeping herself moving, timing the rhythm of her movements to Athena's. When that bullet blows past, a few audience members could swear that Mai actually got -clipped- by that pink burst of energy--that's how close that bullet comes to relieving Mai of some vitality and, perhaps more importantly for the audience, some of her clothing.
A close thing, to be sure, as Mai shifts, effortlessly, from defense to offense, her feet kicking up bursts of sand as she races in at Athena again. Close the gap, no matter how briefly, try to stick to the speedy young woman like glue--that's what she'll have to do. And that's what she does, tucking into a forward flip--those long legs flying outwards again. But the aim is slightly different, this time.
This time, both those legs are flying outwards, looking to scissor around the J-Pop Princess's neck--and latch on. From there, it'll be a simpler matter to apply leverage and momentum and faceplant Athena into the sand. At least one audience member briefly wishes they could be trapped like that, but really, no one would want this to happen to them, would they? Then again, there -are- some sickos in the world... just look at Kensou after all.
Somehow, Mai finds the breath to offer some words of encouragement to her opponent; some might consider this mocking, but to Mai it's really just being a good sport. "Puttin' on a good show, Athena!" she exclaims. No harm in doing so... even if she does ultimately believe she's gonna win.
COMBATSYS: Athena interrupts Shiranui Gourin from Mai with Psycho Sword EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Mai
From the moment the match started, there has been precious little in the way of a slow moment as the two fighters strike and weave through and around each other's attacks at almost dizzying speed. Attacking and defending have slipped into an almost rhythmic cycle with neither fighter able to land a clean hit up until Mai's successful kick only seconds before. Athena's ranged retaliation is skillfully avoided by the nimble ninja, leaving the girl having to change plans and correct for the Shiranui's expert evasion at breathless speeds.
Fortunately for the audience, the errant sphere of concentrated psionic power goes flying out over water before fading from sight all together, but Athena is given other matters to worry about as Mai wastes no time in responding with another acrobatic attack that throws caution to the wind. Recognizing now the true threat of her opponent's evasive alacrity, the Kung Fu artist decides to try another test of speed - a daring contest of attacking directly into an incoming technique and eschewing the tendency to be equally evassive in her own attacks.
Violet eyes follow the moment of her opponent with precision, cautioning herself to not be deceived by what might may or may not seem obvious about Mai's attacks. When the gorgeous gal springs forward into what Athena initially believes to be some kind of jump kick, the idol fighter is certain she sees her chance! Drawing her right arm back, fingers extended in a knife-like gesture, that energy that Mai has been so expertly avoiding thus far coursing along her limb. Now that she knows the nature of the attack, she knows that with perfect timing and a quick sidestep, she can counter it without suffering any damage in the process- "Psycho-"
Legs bending a little, the girl ready to spring into her energy-laced uppercut, she realizes a second later that her understanding of the incoming attack was not exactly right. Mai isn't trying to kick her at all! If she hadn't already been committed to her counter attack, Athena might have been thrown completely off guard by finding her neck suddenly caught in a vice-like grip by the powerful legs of her opponent. "Smrmph!" What was intended to be a swift, graceful ascent behind the protection of a rising slash of powerful Psycho Power becomes, instead, an awkward upward flail of her energy infused arm into Mai Shuranui's thigh!
That isn't to say it isn't a painful experience for her opponent as that blast of energy impacts at point blank range with no where else to go but into the ninja's body. This exchange certainly verifies that Mai's tactic of avoiding all of the Psycho Soldier's energy attacks is definitely the best course of action. Athena, herself, spared the painful faceplant into the sand, is instead left to stagger off to the side, her left hand lifting to her neck where Mai had latched on. "Thank you," she manages to reply, whirling around and raising her guard in an instant, wanting to get a fix on her tricky opponent as quickly as possible to avoid being blindsided, but there's always a risk she isn't fast enough. "Your ability is every bit as remarkable as I had come to expect!"
Mai ends up sprawled on her back, having tumbled semi-artfully through the impact she takes from that psionic burst of energy. It wasn't, clearly, a completely controlled tumble, but she comes up--parts of her skin covered in patches of sand--relatively controlled. Woof. That was quite the strike. Mai's taking this more seriously now, though the glint of mischievous merriment in her eyes hasn't dimmed. "And your reputation precedes you as well," she compliments her opponent. Already she can feel the bruising starting to happen, but even with her creamy skin, it won't be immediately evident. Testing her leg with a few more cautious steps, she decides that it'll hold her weight after all, and so with a bit of a nod, she returns her attention to the fight.
Many--nearly all who see her and think they know and understand her--don't think of Mai as much of a technical fighter, as much of an analytical fighter. And, to be sure, they're mostly right; she doesn't have the powers of analysis that her father had, that Jubei's learned, that Andy's developed. She can't just look at someone and figure their style out. But that doesn't mean she doesn't think tactically. Athena's shown an ability to deflect her fans, a great deal of agility and speed, and a willingness to stand firm when it counts. That doesn't make the fight unwinnable, but it does mean Mai might have to change her strategy some. Of course, the fight against Jenet was a wild affair, where Jenet was playing for quite a different show than Mai imagines Athena would even be close to comfortable doing. Tactically, it could be worth it to try and, well, expose her a little more. But the ninja isn't sure that it's worth it, to win like that.
The lull in the fight seems long to Mai, but it's really just a matter of seconds, her brown eyes locked onto Athena's purple eyes, and then she decides--and moves, bursting forward with sudden speed, snapping her fans out into full extension, throwing a quick pair of horizontal strikes--one high, one mid--at Athena. These fans have their edges dulled--no need to potentially injure the girl. Time to see how she reacts--if Athena will do what Mai thinks she will.
Settling into the fight, Mai doesn't even really see the crowd as individuals--they're just blurs with heads, to her, all her situational awareness focused on the Psycho Soldier.
COMBATSYS: Athena blocks Mai's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Athena 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Mai
There are many that follow the world wide fighting events that bear a skeptical eye toward the idol fighter's performance in the events she appears in. There's no small number that believe her victories are shams, stage shows designed to prop up her popularity and extend her musical career. Her battle against the garishly dressed Howard Rust earlier in the tournament didn't do anything to quell those rumors as for all his heart, the man seemed to some outside observers to be ill prepared, pulling punches, and maybe not fighting to the best of his abilities. Well aware of the doubt many have in her actual talent, Athena has resolved to always just fight to the best of her abilities and let the critics stew in their opinions regardless.
Which brings her here to this moment. Mai's performance in the previous round, let alone her career as a whole, would dispell any questions about her talents. To some, this match is a legitimate test of whether the Asamiya girl's abilities are stage tricks or actual ability. Of course, out on the hot sand beneath the relentless sun, it's a different perspective all together. Her critics aren't the one being targeted by Mai's arsenal of techniques or being tricked by the misdirection provided at every turn. Facing the nimble ninja is every bit a real challenge as any other she's tackled in her life.
Her eyes settle on Mai once she has pivoted around to face her directly, arms raised in defense, feet planted in the sand, hoping in her heart to be ready for whatever comes next.
As the Shuranui descendent contemplates Athena's perspective on the mildly lascivious nature of the tournament, she would probably be surprised to learn that her opponent really has no idea about that side of the event. To her it's simply a fun beach-themed fighting event with nothing particularly abnormal about it besides the prescribed fighting attire and the sea-side fighting venues. Were she to learn otherwise, it would be safe to say that her concentration would be more than just a bit put off!
A foot slides back in the sand as Athena finds herself under pressure once more. Were Mai simply attacking barehanded, the agile girl might have tried to slip around her strikes to avoid them all together. But the fans lend precious reach to her technique and the girl realizes that she isn't going to escape so easily. Her forward, left arm, moves to intersect one fan, trying to block it closer to Mai's hand just in case it /was/ bladed. Her right hand slams forward from its bent-back position to strike the other fan more directly, deflecting the potential blow in exchange for absorbing some of the shock into her limbs for doing so.
The two are very close together now, however, as Athena has been prevented from being flighty with this particular reaction. Gritting her teeth, she reverses direction, taking a step in, she twists into an elbow strike toward Mai's sternum with her left arm, applying a suprising amount of force with such a minimal amount of movement. She follows it up with an open palm strike with her right hand, attempting to apply enough force to knock her opponent back a little ways and buy herself some breathing room! "YA!"
COMBATSYS: Mai blocks Athena's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Athena 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Mai
People--fighters and non-fighters alike--who think Athena's fights are staged are wrong. Of course, just telling them will never convince them--it's really something you have to experience to find out. Flipping the fans through her fingers in a subconsciously-done flourish, Mai plants her feet; the fans are held in a grip something like a reverse knife grip; staying close to Athena has been her gameplan, and so far it's working out.
The palm strike impacts not chest but Mai's right elbow, interposed to defend against the strike. It stings, but better than taking the impact to the chest. Again she gives Athena a smile, this one more warm and genuine--a smile of shared cameraderie, two female fighters working to make their way in the world. After all, some people level the asme criticisms of Athena at Mai--that her fights are staged. Proving true strength is... what they want to do. Or at least, one thing they want to do.
Mai's mind races as she goes through the permutations of the next few seconds of the fight, and then she takes a quick hop back--only to hurl herself forward again, leading with a right knee--staying close, of course. That's a feint, though--even if it hits, it doesn't have any real power behind it.
She does it for spacing, and timing--the real attack coming from another fan, as Mai twists to slash at Athena's head with a closed fan, aimed carefully--as carefully as she can manage, at least--for the temple. Of course she has to plant her feet to perform the manuever, but that's about the only time she does so--otherwise, she's constantly in motion, bobbing and weaving, staying on the balls of her feet.
COMBATSYS: Mai successfully hits Athena with Power Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Mai
In the thick of the exchange, Athena never gets a chance to notice Mai's expression of friendliness, too focused as she is on where her attacks are landing or guarded against, as well as trying to read what is likely to come back at her in split second's time. But she doesn't need to see that sincere smile to feel it. This close to the young woman she is contending against, she can simply feel it - a subtle glow of warmth and esteem she doesn't find in every opponent she faces in combat. She would take a moment to return the sentiment if she wasn't so harried by the relentless modern ninja!
A soft exhale escapes her lips as her elbow is squarely blocked. Her follow up strike never gets a chance to be a threat as the quick-witted fighter unleashes a counter attack in an instance, leaving Athena precious little breathing room. Drawing herself back, she goes on the defensive, not wanting to be caught over-extended, her sundress swishing about her knees as she kicks up another spray of sand in the midst of instant repositioning. It's then that she glances up, catching that flicker of a smile in Mai's famously gorgeous face. Yes, these are the types of fighters the world needs more of, she thinks for a moment. The sorts that don't turn the sport to a contest of darkness and brutality. In this opponent, she finds a kindrid spirit.
When Mai lunges again, Athena reacts to the incoming knee, weaving to the side, evading it cleanly. Little does she realize, until it's too late, that it is her opponent that has a gift of forsight here, having anticipated she would do that exact thing, putting her in an irrecoverable path of the real threat! All she can do is suck in her breath, wincing a split second before the actual impact as the closed fan crashes into the side of her head, knocking the girl sideways with the force of impact. Her sun hat goes flying, toppling over into the sand where it lands, while Athena stumbles, hands planting against the powdery ground long enough to keep herself from falling face first into it all together.
There's no questioning that Mai's strength combined with the weight of the metal fan have left Athena reeling a little, but she recovers fast, stumbling back to standing and whirling around to face where she last saw Mai. Briefly dazed, she doesn't have the sense to just know where Mai is or whether another attack is coming her way, so she plays it safe by being guarded for a moment just to make sure. A quick shake of her head to clear her mind and then Asamiya is back on the offense, sprinting then leaping, twisting mid-air to slam her right leg down toward Mai. At this speed and from the air, she can't be too precise about the point of impact - suffice to say, she's hoping to connect with /something/ before her feet touch the sand once more!
COMBATSYS: Mai dodges Athena's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Mai
Mai's smile doesn't drop, whether Athena notices it or not. It's just the way she is, one of her many charm points. Immediately after the impact, she steps back--just a half-step, really, a compromise between getting some range and not giving Athena time to marshal that mysterious power of hers. And it's a good thing she does--it gives her just the amount of clearance she needs to avoid that slamming leg, as she completes the backstep.
The fight's fast and furious now; the Shiranui kunoichi deploys her fans again, then reverses her momentum. No longer backstepping, she's crowding the idol once more--and twirling around. It's an almost dance-like manuever, as she swings the fans around her in a complex pattern, spinning forward--either she'll bullrush right into Athena or force her backwards.
The convention of announcing one's attacks is not, really, very ninja-like--relying on stealth and secrecy is paramount, after all--but Mai can't help but show off a little more for the fans, so her clear, bright, high voice calls out as she begins her twirling sweeps, "HAKURO NO MAI!"
She's kicking up quite a cloud of sand in her wake, but that doesn't obscure the entertainment any, the crowd's whistles and cheers filling the air as much as the bright hot sun and the clear, crisp blue skies. Really, it's just about a perfect day in Dubai, especially for two fighters engaged in their craft, as these two are. In this moment, Mai doesn't even really care about winning or losing, except in the abstract.
COMBATSYS: Mai successfully hits Athena with Hakuro no Mai EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/--=====/=======|=======\===----\1 Mai
While the Psycho Soldier had faced deceptive opponents before and agile opponents before, she hadn't really faced anyone that blended misdirection and dexterity as expertly as Mai Shiranui. In speed, she was her equal, and in clever attacks that left the girl struggling to keep up, Athena definitely felt a touch outmatched. She was finding it difficult to get a read on Mai's attacks - the young woman's friendly nature was as bright as day to the young empath, but when it came down to seeing what was coming next? She's not found much success.
Avoiding attacks and striking back at the nimble ninja has proven fairly ineffective in dealing with the evasive fighter. Even as her foot misses Mai once more and the girl lands back in the sand, Athena puts a new plan into action, hoping perhaps that she can catch her opponent overcommitted long enough to land a decisive attack.
Her previous successful attack came when she stopped trying to simply avoid the incoming techniques and counter attacked with something decisive. Athena decides to do so again and place everything on the line. Sucking in her breath, she digs her feet into the sand, showing no intent of escaping whatever comes her way next. Her jaw set, her eyes revealing a steely resolution, the girl begins to focus inward, drawing from a powerful fount of energy a sudden surge of power. Mai would feel it as she closed in, executing her flawless fan dance, the way the girl doesn't move from her spot in order to defend herself. By now, she knows the power of those fan-empowered strikes, and she can't help but flinch when the blows begin to impact her, but she had already made her choice.
Seeming to errupt from the sand itself, two large, pulsing spheres of concentrated Psycho Power explode up into a cycloning pattern around the girl even as Mai is in the midst of attacking her. That the Shiranui woman isn't struck immediately is perhaps more a byproduct of luck or split second timing, but that doesn't mean she's completely safe even after the battering runs its course.
Whirling around to face Mai, in the center of a storm of sand and building energy, Athena raises her right hand over her hand, finger raised. Her hair whips about her shoulders and her dress about her knees as she focuses every drop of her present ability into one of her most renown techniques. There would be no doubt in any observer's mind that Asamiya is about to put it all on the line with this next attack, digging deep to drain a significant amount of her capacity in a single, missile-like assault. "aaaaaaAAAAH!"
A half step forward into a lean and a swing of her arm form the final gesture as the sum total of gathered energy crashes into a single projectile that rockets from the end of her arm. Without a lot of room to prepare, Mai's reflexes will truly be put to the test this instant!
COMBATSYS: Mai parries Athena's Shining Crystal Bit EX+!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Mai
Psychic she is not, but Mai does have a fighter's honed senses; tuned to her opponent, she can feel, to an extent, the ebbs and flows of energy within them, if on a somewhat instinctual level--nothing she's ever examined too closely. A natural talent, you could say. So... instinctively, she knows, even before those 'bits' of energy form, she can feel something happen, and she's backpedaling furiously as the sand -explodes- with those masses of energy. It's... quite the amazing explosion really.
The cheering crowd's voices surge at the sight of the amazing display of power. Mai is not but she is preparing herself. This... she can't count on just defending herself. She can feel the surge and she knows just how much power is there. Mai slips her fans away and then concentrates her chi. It flares visibly around her hands, then her elbows, forming 'gloves'--and it's with those that she catches the energy. The impact forces her back several steps--and it lights up her face, the crowd treated to a rare sight--Mai visibly straining--for what feels, to Mai, like a long time but is really barely a few seconds--before she redirects it. The force of it, as she swivels around, hurling the sphere of psycho power past her, and up away from the audience, throws her forward--and she's ready for that.
She turns the forward momentum into a quick cartwheel--
--and then, as she's flying towards Athena, she extends her right elbow--and those flames explode along all her body, turning her into a bright streak of flame, a self-directed burning projectile. "CHOU... HISSATSU SHINOBI BACHI!!!" she shouts, caught up in the moment.
COMBATSYS: Mai successfully hits Athena with Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi EX.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Athena 1/-----==/=======|>>>>>--\-------\0 Mai
Thunder Hawk says, "Oh damn."
Leaning forward, hand extended in the pointing gesture that sent the bullet of Psycho Power hurtling toward her opponent, Athena is the closest eye witness to the Shiranui woman's true grace under fire. The high-speed cameras will provide all of the precise, slow motion replays of what transpires, as the ninja-born fighter contends, energy verses energy, against the hyper-infused projectile. But those enjoying the replays remotely won't understand nearly as much as Athena does the instant the exchange takes place. Her perception goes beyond just the spectacular sight of Mai's flawless defense. She can see the heart, the drive, the desire to prove herself, the friendly persona, and even, in a small way she can't quite define, a longing that goes unanswered.
There is no question in her mind that she has given this fight her all, and that this very capable opponent has answered in turn with the best she has to give, executing defenses that would rival even some of the masters of the fighting world. The effort she poured into her attack, not holding back in any way, leaves her a touch slower to defend herself. It was a risk she had to take - that bargain that puts everything on the line - and she accepts the outcome without reluctance or regrets. Arms come up to defend herself against the furnace of Mai's assault, but she already knows it won't be enough. "Heh-" she exhales the instant before impact. A quiet acknowledgement that she's beaten and that this high speed dance will some come to its glorious conclusion.
The collision obscures the two for a moment, as the brilliant flames are echoed by the endless sand. Out of the explosion the younger fighter flies, her body traversing an untempered arc to crash against the sand some meters away before sliding to a stop. She isn't done, however. She hasn't finished giving it her all, and her opponent deserves that. Rolling to her side, she pushes herself to her hands and knees, then seconds later, struggles up to her feet. That resilient sun dress she had been given for these matches was able to withstand a lot of punishment, but it wasn't up to the task of surviving Mai's unfettered flames, rendering the previously clean, white garment burned clean open in the front, hanging from the girl's shoulders more like a cloak or cape than a dress, revealing her signature crimson bikini beneath.
Whirling around to face Mai, her ruined dress trailing behind, she gives the young woman a warm grin even as she feels her strength waning. One last attack, she decides, sprinting forward with diminished speed, another explosion of energy errupting around her figure. Taking to the air with a sudden leap, the energy building around her swells. Against the blue sky, it seems a bright pink in nature, trailing out from her back to the sides, taking on the likeness of wings.
At the apex of her leap she dives directly for Mai, arms out at her sides, the remnants of her dress left to drift behind in the sky like a phoenix shedding a cloak of feathers before its firey demise.
The impact would be explosive, whether Mai is at the epicenter thereof or not. It would be all the girl could do to stagger out of her landing to fall to the ground, unable to right herself for another attack.
COMBATSYS: Athena can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mai 1/-------/<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Mai blocks Athena's Super Phoenix Infinity.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mai 1/-----<</<<<<<<<|
The thing about Mai's ultimate technique is that it leaves her very perilously close to her opponent--and with a lot of fighters, if her strike doesn't put them straight out, it puts her at risk--as it does now. She's still got some forward momentum--she's moving forward a couple of steps--and most of her own clothing has been burned off by her own flames--leaving Mai in her own bikini, patterned a brighter red and white after her usual ninja togs.
Bracing herself, she half-crouches, deciding, after a microsecond's of contemplation, that trying to avoid the dive, much less the explosion, is not in her best interests. It's still a pretty powerful impact; Mai disappears in the explosion, obscured entirely for long moments before the explosion fades. For a moment, no one can see whether she survived; the explosion of psycho power kicked up a secondary explosion of sand--but when it clears, there stands Mai, just a few feet from Athena. Without hesitation, Mai crosses the sand to Athena, reaching down to offer her a hand up, even as the announcer shouts the obvious: "WINNER: MAI SHIRANUI!!!" With the crowd going wild again, the Shiranui just offers a final smile at Athena. "You did very well, Asamiya-san. Master Chin has taught you well!" With Athena back on her feet--or not--Mai looks up at the summer sky, shading her eyes with her hands.
"Phew... after this I think I'm gonna go take a long swim in the ocean! You're certainly a tough fight."
Log created on 21:24:39 06/22/2013 by Athena, and last modified on 00:33:52 07/01/2013.