2017-07-03: Alisha versus Claude

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=========================<* Lacour - Arms Coliseum *>=========================

Situated immediately adjacent to Lacour Castle, the Arms Coliseum is a temple to the pursuit of perfection in physical prowess. Built more than three centuries ago by King Etienne I, the Coliseum is laid over with ancient Symbols that blunt weapons and protect combatants on the brink of death, allowing competitors to fight to the best of their ability without fear of killing their opponents.

The Coliseum is the site of the annual Lacour Tournament of Arms, a competition that fuels the spirit of martial artists and weapons merchants both. The Tournament is a spectacle that draws visitors and competitors from across Filgaia, and is the major event on the continent while it is running. A series of smaller tournaments are organized throughout the year; entering as a combatant is free of charge, but spectators pay a nominal fee that nonetheless provides a significant boost to Lacour's coffers.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s8YkgEYlvY

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

The last time Claude C. Kenny stepped into the Coliseum, he was surrounded by thousands of cheering people, all of whom watched him get his ass kicked around the place, to the point that there are literally people selling T-shirts of the ass-kicking on the streets of Lacour, with his face over the words 'KING OF THE JOBBERS'. The only thing that could have made things worse was for him to advance based on pity rather than his own skill (just like every other accomplishment in his life), and so of course that is what happened.

Thanks, Dias. You insufferable jackass.

The King of the Jobbers (it's catchy, and Master Torque is using it liberally in the introduction) strides out into the Coliseum. He is moving fine (thanks to Rena, again), but his left forearm is wrapped tightly, and covered with a steel vambrace to provide some additional protection. His longsword is already in his right hand, and the empty holster on his left leg has been filled with what appears to be a Gunsmoke revolver.

Claude stops where he's supposed to, and waits to face off against a nice young woman who he's meant to talk to for near-on a month, but hasn't been able to find the time for. He feels bad about that. But mostly he feels angry - angry at the crowd, at Dias, at his parents and friends, and at the universe in general. Even on a world where no one has heard the name Kenny, he's the kid who got lucky. If he's going to prove them wrong, then Alisha is standing in his way. 

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

For Alisha Diphda, this is a matter of honor. Part of it is representing the Shepherd, to help keep an eye on Lacour and Malevolence that could result. A larger part, though, is representing the Azure Lance Style and the teachings of Lady Maltran in a tournament of skill. A good showing would do more than make her master proud. It would show something about the way she chose to spend her life -- instead of live as a princess with no worries.

But, she has a new concern, too.

When Alisha steps out of the tunnel onto the sands, the princess is wearing a uniform similar to her usual one. Instead of pink, though, much of it is colored a rich blue that suits the white well. The back of the uniform has the emblem of Hyland replaced with a pair of red feathers in a circle. The emblem of the Sparrowfeathers, as it happens.

She waves, with a gauntleted hand, to the crowd.

Then, she turns her head and looks at Claude. The princess nods, once, respectfully to him. She met him before. He seemed nice enough. She swings her spear off her shoulder, and clutches the weapon in hand. 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Edna is seated in the audience, which to most people just looks like a conspicuously empty space in the middle of a roaring crowd. It's there that the girl sits with her umbrella closed and in her lap, and a big damn burger in both hands.

Munch munch munch

munch munch

munch

Swallow

Nevermind the sight of an invisible burger being eaten. Shhh. Edna does take the time between her feasting to call out to Alisha though. "Alisha, this guy's famous. I snagged a tshirt with his face on it. Apparently he's a really masterful jobber." She raises a hand and offers a stoic thumbs up.

"Which means that you just need to let him do what he's good at. You got this."

...Is that really how it works?

Wait, why did she even grab one of those tshirts anyway!?

Oh, would you look at the time, it's burger-o-clock. Om nom. 

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei hs returned to watch the tournament. Hurrah!

Actually he is hoping to run into some drifters who were at Old Petra and he thinks the tournament is the most likely locale to find them.

But in the meanwhile he can watch the fight. He wonders how they do it. Get into these fights without letting their emotions overwhelm....

He blinks, seeing its the king of jobbers (fei knows him as the strangely garbed burger thief). He thinks: well obviously not everyone can do it.

He looks to what should be a floating burger but to Fei is just another lady.

"Be careful. He might try to steal your burger."

He looks back to the fight. 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

'Just let him do what he's good at, you got this.'

Ragnell, who's perched in her usual inadvisably close spot on the top of the arena wall, rather than in any of the seats, even though there's plenty of spaces now that the opening ceremonies have finished, cracks up laughing at this particular piece of sass. She half-turns, grinning, to give Edna a two-fingered salute of greeting and appreciation; then she turns back to watch Claude and Alisha face off against each other. 

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny returns the salute the way he was trained - he lifts his sword to the vertical, bobs it ("Don't tap your face with it, that's a good way to lose a face," Roddick's voice echoes in his mind) and then lowers it back down to a guard position. He flexes his legs, gathering strength, and waiting.

"And now, facing off against the KING OF THE JOBBERS!" Master Torque roars from above the Coliseum. "Sponsored by the Sparrowfeathers (whoever those guys are) - it's ALISHA DIP...uh, DEEP...." He blinks. "Uh..."

"Diphda, sir," Pete says helpfully.

"That's not a name, it's a prefix to a disease or a skin condition!" Torque complains. "Ah well, whatever. ALISHA DIDGERIDOO!"

"That's not even clo---"

"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!~"

On the first word, Claude C. Kenny opens the battle the same way he has opened literally every battle in the several months he has spent on Filgaia - he pulls his sword back, concentrates, and whips his blade forward. "AIR SLASH!" he shouts as the blade hisses across the Coliseum. He follows up with a second one, waiting for Alisha to close. If he charges in against a spear, he's going to end up impaled.

(Again.)

"Shut up, brain," Claude growls. 

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

June is sitting on the shady side of the arena and drinking a beer. She has some bandaging and looks somewhat grumpy, perhaps because she got her butt whupped by Lemina Ausa and is trying to resolve the feeling of 'if I'd had a full day of rest would I, in fact, have won' in a way that does not convert her to a pillar of salt.

The struggle is real, even if she's winning it. She also has her stuff unstrapped since she's sitting for more than a half-hour or so, and has already disturbed at least one passing vendor. 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Air Slash!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Air Slash for 66 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia Lynn Adlehyde, Holy Maiden On Sacred Quest and Shaman of Schturdark (Provisional), is doing the most important task she has to do today!

Hang out in the stands roughly nearer Claude's starting position with two hamburgers and a little hand flag she got of Claude's face. Somehow a mysterious force has burned away the King of the Jobbers part because it was making him upset for some reason. (The mysterious force was fire)

"Go Claude!" she cheers, merrily. Hopefully that horrible thing he did to his arm won't cause problems... 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Edna pauses in her eating and gives Fei a dour, sidelong glance. "....." Oh, convenient. He can see her. Good. Which means; She picks up her umbrella and levels it at the man and...

Bop. Not too hard. Just a light bop that pretty much says, 'No. Bad.'.

Her puts it back into her lap and resumes munching, while meeting Ragnell's eyes. Ah. There she is. Sitting in a dangerous spot. Naturally. That look is acknowledgement enough for her to impart. Now for the fight.

AIR SLASH

"...Kind of looks like a poor man's Demon Fang. Why do they pillar straight up instead of bending back...?" She mumbles to herself. Then she shrugs and finishes her burger while giving Fei a suspicious look. No one touches her burger. Especially not the second one that she somehow produced from somewhere.

Chomp chomp. 

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Oh--oh, um," Alisha stammers out, then answers: "Thank you, Edna!"

The princess isn't sure what jobbing is. She hasn't heard that term before. She also catches the distant laughter, and looks at Ragnell, but doesn't wave to her. Then, she looks back to Claude.

The announcer mangles her name. Her eyebrow shakes, once, but she only just manages to keep her calm composure and not complain. She steps back, on foot sliding back in the sand, when Claude swings his blade twice -- and two slashes of compressed air come flying straight towards her. She swings her spear up, directly in front of her, and the two blades of air break on her spear's wooden pole.

She lets out a long breath.

Then, she goes running across the battlefield. It might seem like she plans to charge right across the sands at Claude, but a fourth of the way through the charge, Alisha jumps. She slams into the wall of the arena to Claude's left, then kicks off it. The princess knight comes flying at Claude's side, spear clutched in both hands, and swings its long bladed edge out in a slash for his side.

"Rending Strike!" 

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Rending Strike!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong is bopped in the head. He has no idea why. He was trying to be helpful by warning her that Claude C Kenny REEEEAALLY loves burgers.

"Wha?" He says. "What??" He is more confused than angry or surprised. He glances at June, spotting her, and wonders if she should like forfeit the next match with her so she doesn't get grouchy. Hmm. 

GS: Claude C. Kenny guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Rending Strike for 61 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

June looks at Fei, sees him, but he's too far to shout at. So she makes a face best rendered as :D and waves at h-

Guhhh it's the one without a hand!!

After this she lowers it. She then sips her beer. Her attention goes back towards - ooo, her lips purse at this so called 'rending strike.' That sounds meaty. 

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny fires a third Air Slash at Alisha as she's charging forward, but she evades it with a leap over onto the wall; so there's a reason why she wears so little armour, he reasons. She's quick, though not as quick as Di---

The young man scrubs the thought from his mind, but the distraction gives the princess of Hyland enough time to close the distance. Evading isn't likely, so Claude shifts his sword to his left hand, drives it into the ground, and ducks his head down behind his shoulder, bracing for impact. And impact it does, the spear crashing hard into the young man's shoulder, eliciting a hiss of pain from between his teeth. But surprisingly, impossibly, despite the speed of the princess's leap and the force of her strike, her spear has not cut through the young man's jacket, which felt like it was something harder than castle-forged steel.

She may suspect shenanigans.

In the next instant, hopefully before the shock wears off, Claude surges forward, his right hand blazing with scarlet energy as he steps inward, driving his fist toward the princess's comparatively (totally) unarmored belly. "KNUCKLE BURST!" he screams, because that's how you make explosions. 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Knuckle Burst!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Knuckle Burst for 49 hit points!
GS: Break! Statuses applied to Alisha Diphda!

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

Alisha's eyes narrow in that instant that her spear connects with Claude's jacket and it holds the blade back far too well. The middle of a fight is no time to wonder about the craftsmanship of a jacket, though, and she tries to sidestep the punch. She doesn't. It slams into her stomach, driving the breath from her. She gasps, stepping backward.

Then, she adjusts her grip on the spear, sliding it forward to lessen her reach. This may seem strange -- but the reason becomes clear, soon. She swings it upward, and light glints off the sword-like blade of her spear.

Edna remarked, earlier, on what Air Slash looked like. Claude may find this technique familiar. A curve of white light explodes off the blade of the spear, then shoots across the ground -- but straight into Claude's space, rather than having to clear much distance at all. It may, however, knock him back.

"Demon Fang!"

...Which would be the plan, as she drops and grasps her spear again to extend its reach in preparation. 

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Demon Fang!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei waves back to June. At first he's smiling pretty :D too.

Then he sees what June's waving with.

His expression quickly becomes a D:!!. He knew her leg was a shotgun. Is her arm ALSO a shotgun? Is her entire body composed of shotguns???? That's terrible! He feels so bad! 

GS: Claude C. Kenny critically Guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Demon Fang for 18 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny's eyes spark as Alisha shifts her grip on her spear - because he does indeed find this technique familiar. Not only because it is a rip-off of his favourite technique (original attack do not steal), but because he's seen this version of it once before - employed by the so-called White Knight Leo, during their practice spar in Adlehyde a week or two ago. Claude had wondered whether Alisha (as another person from the moon) might also be familiar with the technique, but hadn't planned on it because he didn't want to make assumptions like that based simply on her home planet. That would be spacist.

But now he knows for certain what's coming, and has had a good two weeks to come up with an effective counter; which he manages in this case by firing an Air Slash directly into the Demon Fang, causing the two to collide and explode, sending a shockwave rippling out across the field.

Unlike during his fight with SOME STUPID BROODY GUY, however, Claude doesn't hang back to trade Air Demon Slash Fangs - he presses in hard, using the reverse-gripped blade in his left hand to try and deflect Alisha's spear out of line with his body (eliciting more lines of white-hot pain from his shoulder - God damn it, she hits hard) so he can close inside her reach. Claude's right hand flickers with chi once again - but this time it's blue and yellow rather than red, and instead of a single powerful strike, he unleashes two dozen flickering straights, fast as you can please. 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Meteor Palm!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Meteor Palm for 74 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Nnh--clever!" Alisha grunts, when she sees the Air Slash rip through her Demon Fang, and the two are perfectly neutralized. She steps back when Claude rushes in, but he moves quickly. He manages to snap the spear away from her with a motion -- and it rattles in her gauntlet, hard enough that she almost loses her grip on her spear. However, she only almost loses her grip.

But her guard is opened, and she sees the flicker of blue along his hand, before he punches in repeatedly, slamming into the white-and-blue coat. She gets slammed backward by each, punctuated by a blast of light from each strike -- and yet she stands her ground, despite the sharp twinge of pain from such a beating. She hasn't faced many martial artists.

Her spear, however, wasn't dropped. She sweeps it straight up, slashing along Claude's front. The blade isn't so strong, though, as to interrupt his punch, as the last one comes in--

"Earth Rave!"

--and her entire front half glows, a deep brown that infuses her, and Claude's final punch slams into her torso to find it harder than granite. 

GS: Alisha Diphda used Mystic on Alisha Diphda! 100 Temporary HP gained! All statuses cleared!
GS: Alisha Diphda has activated a Force Action!
GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Earth Rave!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Claude C. Kenny critically Guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Earth Rave for 18 hit points!
GS: Alisha Diphda takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> June Lim Ze has posed.

June isn't just shotguns. She's also got mortar in her! HAW HAW it's a joke about her leg.

Either way she straps her hand back on so she can wave down a guy selling peanuts. Her eyes don't leave the battlefield for long, her head tilting as Claude unleashes a sharp flurry of glowing jabs in multiple colors.

"Man, magic," she grumps quietly. 

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Emboldened by the success of his strikes, Claude continues to pour them on, striking from in close repeatedly until---

  • CRACK*

The blonde swordsman hisses through clenched teeth, shaking his hand as he disengages, staring at Alisha's body (not like that) with astonished and appraising eyes (okay, maybe at least half like that). He looks up at the princess and gives her a bright, goofy grin that is utterly unlike the scowling expression he's been wearing for most of the fight. "Okay, that is cool," he says admiringly. "I mean, I've got rock-hard abs, but they're not literally rock hard." Claude flips his sword over to his right hand to offer Alisha another salute. "Nicely done," he compliments her. "But let's get back to business." Claude pulls his right hand back, blade gleaming. "AIR!"

With his left hand, he draws an Everstead-Rey single-action repeater and fires directly at Alisha's centre mass, convinced that with the armour, she can probably take it. Claude backs up slowly, working the hammer once, and then fires again, intent on repeating as many times as Alisha will let him get away with.

(Probably not many.) 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Everstead-Rey Single-Action Repeater!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda critically Guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Everstead-Rey Single-Action Repeater for 19 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"An ARM...!" Alisha gasps, in surprise, unable to respond to the compliment. She didn't think he could draw the weapon so quickly. Ever since coming to Filgaia, though, Alisha has learned to deal with ARMs. Ida explained the basics of them to her. She has been shot at, repeatedly, and left laid up more than once. By now, she is starting to have a very good idea of how to handle one.

So she runs forward, raises her free arm, and the gunshot slams into the crystal steel gauntlet. Sparks explode and spray, as the weapon ricochets off, and grazes along her shoulder. The new tunic is left with a gash in it -- and it stains red, lightly.

But she lunges for Claude. Her spear comes back, and there is a glow of light from her, before she surges forward with a speed that only comes from long-practiced technique, and stabs -- and slashes -- the spear in her hand for Claude's side at such great velocity.

"Skewering Spear!" 

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Skewering Spear!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Claude C. Kenny takes a solid hit from Alisha Diphda's Skewering Spear for 132 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Crystal gauntlets aren't supposed to block bullets, crystal gauntlets aren't supposed to block bullets---

"MAGIC IS BULLSHIT!" Claude shouts angrily as Alisha drives in, holstering the repeater when he probably should have let it drop; his parry is a third of a second too late, and the spear catches him high in the left shoulder, under the jacket's protection, and suddenly he is being carried across the Coliseum floor, screaming in pain. The blonde-haired swordsman grits his teeth and grips the shaft of the spear with his wounded hand, gathering energy, his mother's words echoing from the depths of his memory.

'FIVE YEARS AGO'

"A fighting tournament is like prison, Claude---"

"Wait, when were you in prison?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"....no."

"Right. So. FIghting tournaments are like prison - you've got to send a message right away. You're either a top or a bottom, Claude."

"This conversation disturbs me on an existential lev---"

"TOP OR BOTTOM, CLAUDE"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"

'NOW'

Claude C. Kenny plants his feet, digs in hard, spins and tries to hurl Alisha away from him, preferably into that damned wall. He takes a second to zip up his jacket, which he should really have done before. "I. Am Not. A BOTTOM!" he shouts angrily (to the loud and raucous rejection of much of the audience). 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Shockwave Swirl!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Shockwave Swirl for 38 hit points!
GS: Claude C. Kenny takes Cover! He gains 50 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Please! We are in public, sir!" Alisha answers Claude, though she sounds positively scandalized. "Watch your language!"

Her cry is disrupted, though, when she gets hurled back into the wall. She hits it hard enough to cause some of the wood paneling on the side of the arena to crack, splinters and dust exploding into the air. She does not, however, slump down to the ground. No, instead, she goes flying up into the air.

Over Claude.

And, in fact, coming down straight towards him. The wind of her descent makes her hair whip up around her, ruffles her coat, and causes the ribbon attached to her spear to go straight backward. She holds the weapon up, close to her body, so she can drop down more smoothly, and arches herself around to fall down at the ground face first.

It might look uncontrolled. It isn't. Alisha throws the spear down -- and it slams into the ground in a near miss, which might make it seem like it missed. It didn't.

She hits the ground with a hand stand. Her left leg kicks up, as she pushes off the ground. She tries to smack him away from her spear, but mostly, she flies at her spear, then spins around it using the pole impaled into the ground. Her right foot, clad in armor, comes swinging around for Claude's cheek.

"DEMON FANG!" she screams.

It doesn't come from the spear, but from her plate mail-clad right foot -- just before the sabaton comes crashing for Claude's face. 

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Demon Fang Dropkick!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Claude C. Kenny takes a glancing hit from Alisha Diphda's Demon Fang Dropkick for 45 hit points!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has activated a Force Action!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Man, Claude C. Kenny muses as Alisha Diphda berates him. You'd think a princess who wore bikini bottoms and showed a full ten inches of upper thigh would be a little more progressive when it came to that sort of thing. He also muses, as she takes to the skies once again, that he wasn't aware spearpeople jumped into the air so damn much. His master Roddick always advised against it, stating that a fighter who removed his feet from the ground gave up agency over their positioning, and would soon have their head removed from their shoulders.

(His master Ilia, on the other hand, advised that it looked 'totally sweet.' So, you know, differences of opinion.)

Claude sidesteps the downward-hurled spear and nearly eats a plated boot in the face for his trouble; moving on instinct and respect for Alisha's skill (she's too good to throw an attack that easy to dodge), he sways back, raising his sword, and the ringing call of steel on steel echoes out as her kick strikes Claude's blade, spinning him around.

I can work with this, he thinks, turning hard into the spin Alisha has forced him into, knowing she's going to have to pull that spear out of the ground before she can do anything - which means she's going to plant her feet. Claude emits a wordless shout of effort, powering through the overhand stroke, aiming to cleave into - or through - whatever guard she manages to raise. Then he plants hard, steps forward, and rips off a second diagonal slash, this one rising from pelvis to collarbone. 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Twin Slash!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei looks progressively more deadpan.

SOCIAL LINK RANK UP: DIAS: RANK 1: He is probably really not all that bad. 

GS: Alisha Diphda critically Guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Twin Slash for 27 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Ah--Goddess, he's faster than I thought!" Alisha says, her voice halfway to a hiss because of how she is already moving. Her feet slam into the ground. As Claude predicted, she would have to rip the spear free. His instincts are correct, and he comes down at her when her hand is on the spear. She can see that this will be a problem -- that he has her guard at its lowest.

It's clever, and it speaks to training and instinct that go far beyond what Alisha expected. Her respect for him increases, then.

She counters it by letting her hands go from her spear and dropping down to a knee. That buys her the precious half-second to raise her arms, crossing her crystal steel gauntlets, and his sword strokes slam into that armor instead with another spray of sparks when steel hits steel, but never skin.

And then Alisha snaps her foot out to kick her spear out of the ground. She grabs the spear out of the air. Light gathers and grows into the spear's sword-like blade, before Alisha sweeps it backward. She tries to trip Claude through a sweep of the pole, and then she stands and slams the blade up to try to knock him off balance. 

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Spinning Top!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Claude C. Kenny critically Guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Spinning Top for 18 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

For a second, Claude C. Kenny was certain that he had her - he had her - dead to rights. He'd anticipated the move correctly, timed the attack perfectly, put every ounce of his considerable power into both strikes. But he didn't account for Alisha's reaction - no surprise, no panic, no hesitation, just moving to the defensive immediately to counter. And whatever the hell those gauntlets are made of - Claude suspects considerable amounts of moon sorcery - the woman wielding them still took a pair of hard hits with exactly the timing she needed to block them.

Whatever else she is, Alisha has been trained by a master. And she is applying that training with precision and dedication that rivals Claude's own.

The Princess of Hyland's counterattack is no less swift or precise than her defence, and Claude C. Kenny must be equally so to keep himself safe. He hops over the sweep with a short jump barely a hair higher than what he needs, feeling the shimmering shaft whistle just beneath the soles of his feet. And when she brings the blade up, Claude emits a loud roar, driving his right foot down (the shoes are apparently equally blade-resistant) and stomping the spearpoint down into the floor of the Coliseum. For a second or so, Claude just stands there, his chest and shoulders rising and falling as he sucks in oxygen, his face flushed with excitement and exertion. "You," he pants, "Are really good."

And then Claude steps off the blade and to one side, allowing Alisha time to disengage if she wants it... but then his right foot drives downward once again, chi surging into the floor of the Coliseum. "TEEEEEEEEEEAR INTO PIECES!" he roars, and jagged stone spikes erupt out from Claude's foot, thrusting up at Alisha's legs, spreading out in a concentric wave before falling back into the earth. 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Rocks Jump Everyone Dies!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.

GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Rocks Jump Everyone Dies for 60 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"I was trained by one of the best," Alisha answers, calmly and smoothly, as she quickly plucks the spearpoint away from his foot as he leaps off the point of it. Then, stone spikes erupt from around Claude. They strike and slash up at her, and she only just ducks away from some. One still catches her hip and slashes, drawing blood there. She hisses.

She stumbles, but she doesn't fall. Alisha swings her spear around before she lunges towards him. Her spear swings back again, as she goes for another stab. But, something is different.

Motes of light gather onto the tip of her spear, drawing in--

"LIGHT BLAST!"

--and when she stabs the spear at Claude, it becomes a blur of light image clones -- each quite forceful -- that stab towards Claude, too. Then, they end in a blast of light that explodes off the spearpoint, flying towards Claude with explosive force. 

GS: Alisha Diphda has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On!
GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Light Blast!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Claude C. Kenny has activated a Force Action!
GS: Claude C. Kenny takes a solid hit from Alisha Diphda's Light Blast for 155 hit points!
GS: Alisha Diphda takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny is about as magically-inclined as your typical ham sandwich. (Less than many - honey-glazed ham is pretty darn magical.) But he can tell Alisha is up to something when her spear begins glowing light, and he raises his blade in a two-handed guard, prepared to counter her strike when it comes.

He is not prepared for the assault of miniature light Alishas, which batter into the blonde swordsman, sending him staggering backward. He tries to parry the second, but it and the third barrel right through his guard, over and over, until the spearwoman's final strike catches him square in the sternum and flings him into one of the stone columns at the edge of the arena, which sudders at the force of the impact. Claude sags limply off it, his vision wavering as he begins falling to the ground.

---a flash of one of those stupid T-shirts, floating in the air next to discarded hamburger wrappers---

Claude's left foot slams down hard, his legs quivering as he holds his ground. Blood seeps down from the back of his head where he hit the stone, marring his fine blonde hair; he doesn't give a damn about that. His ribs are screaming in agony where Alisha's light clones cracked them; he doesn't give a damn about that either. He gives a damn about that shirt - that fucking shirt - and the thousands of people now cheering for Alisha to finish him off. The phase gun in its underarm holster digs into his side under his jacket, and the fingers of his right hand twitch reflexively. But he fights down the urge; even if the Symbols in the Coliseum would protect Alisha, she's not done anything to deserve a blast from a Federation weapon. She's not done anything except fight hard and be a little bit better than Claude.

The young man lets out a long, slow breath, blocking out the sound of the crowd, focusing on the woman in front of him. Her form is wavering a bit through the haze of another low-grade concussion, but he can see her. She's flesh and blood, not a demon. She's a fierce competitor, not a broody, emotionless jerk. He can live with losing to Alisha Diphda.

But not unless he gives it his all.

Claude breaks into a run, slow and stuttering, motes of blue light trailing from his fingers as he charges Alisha, focused on nothing but his qigong, pouring what's left of his energy into the palm of his right hand. Fingers form into the hooked fangs of a ravenous maw, and blue energy hardens into draconic features. Alisha has undoubtedly heard of a technique much like this one - the signature move of Georg Heldalf and his students: the brothers Strelka, and the WHite Knight Leo. This technique is nearly identical. Nearly.

"DRAGON'S!" Claude screams, swinging his right hand forward. "HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWL!" 

GS: Claude C. Kenny has attacked Alisha Diphda with Dragon's Howl!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Guard!
GS: Alisha Diphda critically Guards a hit from Claude C. Kenny's Dragon's Howl for 32 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

Alisha starts to realize that she is winning, and that makes her start to get eager. She checks that thought. For one thing, Claude C. Kenny has proven to be a dangerous opponent who can take her by surprise. The way his hand twitches, reaching for the phaser, makes her hesitate. She also remembers what Lady Maltran told her.

"Alisha. Never celebrate a victory until it is won."

It's good advice. It saves her, here. Her eyes widen at the draconic mouth on his fist -- it reminds her of the fabled Rolance technique, along with the imagery of her faith -- but she doesn't let that shock her out of moving. She swings her spear around, the haft of the weapon catching the claws -- and then yanks up. The brunt of the strike flies over her shoulder.

But Claude's force is mighty, and it tears her spear from her hand. It flies into the air, and Alisha gasps, before she quickly barrels forward. She throws a shoulder check at his chest, then reaches out. The spear comes down...

"Hyah!"

...and she grabs it from the air, snatching it away. Light flows and gathers around the blade, in a great arc, as Alisha cuts down to deliver a smiting blow to Claude from above. "Rondo of Liiiiiiiiight!" 

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Claude C. Kenny with Rondo of Light!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Claude C. Kenny takes a solid hit from Alisha Diphda's Rondo of Light for 109 hit points!
GS: Claude C. Kenny has Fallen! He is no longer able to fight!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny spits out an angry curse as his last-ditch attack sails wide, and as Alisha shoulder-checks him with much more force than he would judge her capable of. He stumbles backward, and the young woman leaps up into the air again. Claude's sword is somewhere behind him; he has one chance to survive this, by performing a bare-handed block. His hands streak inward, and he remembers what Roddick Farrence told him.

"Claude. Never try to block a blade with your hands. It never works, and is really dumb."

It's good advice. Pity he remembered it a few seconds too late.

"Aw, crapb---" Claude manages to get out before he's smashed down into the ground, his head bouncing off the Coliseum floor. He twitches, trying to rise, and then collapses as the grey haze claims him.

(Rena is never going to let him live this crap down.) 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

"..... ...... ......."

Edna, nomming on her third burger now(she got up and paid for another. Ignore the fact that inviible money got handed to a stall owner who, mystified, handed a burger over to an unseen force and then watched that burger float back to the seats. He doesn't get paid enough to worry about that. ...Besides, they paid. That's all that matters. Yep.

But now, Edna stares down into the arena, frozen, and eyes mildly widened. Just a tad.

This lasts for a couple of seconds, until finally-

"-Oh. She won." That obvious remark made, she resumes eating. "I'm so accustomed to her getting wiped out that I forgot she could do that 'winning' thing." Wow Edna, harsh.

"Good." She smirks faintly. "Now I'm one step closer to getting that lifetime's supply of royal crablettes."

So that's why she's even here offering 'moral support'.

Let's also stop and think about how long a lifetime's supply is for a Seraphim.

Yeah. 

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

Alisha's spear slams him to the ground, and she stares for a moment. She waits, spear aimed down at the fallen man -- and he doesn't rise. It almost surprises her. She blinks in surprise, blade aimed down at him still. Then, she flips it up and pokes the haft into the sand.

She looks up at the crowd, which had fallen silent.

But only for a moment. Then, they erupt into cheers. Alisha smiles at them and hoists her spear in salute -- before her eyes settle on Edna.

She waves at her, once. The people sitting next to Edna's chair look at it and blink. 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

Ragnell claps as Alisha strikes Claude down, and Claude totally fails to catch her spear blade between his hands. It was a good fight, one well fought, and entertaining to watch--even if Edna has some harsh realities to dole out. She barks out a laugh at that, hopping up to her feet and jumping backwards off the edge of the arena. "An' Alisha thinks *I'm* mean," she calls dryly over her way, yet with open humor. "Compared to you, I'm still just the apprentice." A beat. "So which stand is it takin' Seraphim money for burgers? I'm starvin'." 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Edna ignores all the looks of the people around her who have the approximate resonance of a turkey sandwich, and remains smirking as she gives Alisha a little wave in return. And then she looks at Ragnell and stands up. "Well, the show's over. Come on." She says, stepping out to the stairs. "May as well show you myself." 

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.

"Sounds good to me," Ragnell replies, who has no more reason to watch the arena now that there is a clear and decisive winner, and also now that the loser's out cold. After giving Alisha a two-fingered salute, she saunters over to join Edna, smiling. "Lead the way."

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