Choose your destiny! Flawless victory! [Inevitable Tournament Arc]

[meat_mooks]

No sooner did the Obs Deck descend to Arena Planet LXIII, and the crew allowed to disembark, than they were met by a veritable cloud swarm of cameras. Sleek, elegant things that might have been living, might have been machines, maybe were even magical... but were definitely nuisances as the swooped around to capture video of the crew at all conceivable angles, close up and far away. Their every move from this point on would be on camera.

In front of a small crowd of retainers stood what appeared to be a great circular orb whose only distinguishing features were a nose, and what appeared to be the most overblown mustache ever, which actually appeared to be supporting that two-foot-diameter orb at shoulder height to a tall man. Then the orb took a couple of steps forward,revealing that no, those were actually just really, really hairy legs. A seam cracked open on the creature, and in a voice loud enough to echo across the broad open plains without any need for amplification, it bellowed, "AND NOW! STRAIGHT FROM THE TRANSMIGRATION NINE VESSEL! OUR NEWEST COMPETITORS! FRESH TO THE STAGE OF BATTLE, BUT NO STRANGERS TO WAR--"

It went on like this for some time.

Under cover of this introduction, a small man that to all appearances seemed to be the love child of Richard Nixon and a particularly aggressive Furby stepped forward, and in a bored businesslike tone recited, "Welcome to the tournament. There will be one battle per day. The arena in which you battle will be determined by random draw. Our medical crew will perform all healing necessary and ensure no deaths so feel free to not hold back. Please refrain from accepting any bribes or favors from on-planet spectators--"

"--ARE YOU READY?!" the orb bellowed even louder than before, completely swamping the smaller man's recitation. "THEN STEP THIS WAY!"

And so saying, the orb and its procession began a clearly well-choreographed procession towards a large, medieval-looking fortress that hung dramatically just on the edge of clear vision. (Conveniently, this procession passed several large advertisements.)

Comments

[meat_mooks]

A moment later, from up atop the bridge, a really, really ominous noise sounded out over this hiss and clatter of machinery.

[moms_temperment]

Surprised, Hana jumped back a few feet and gaped. "What the-- Why isn't she wearing clothes!?"

[meat_mooks]

"This is Kurenai... my angel of flame," Kurei said softly.

"Now show this child what you can do."

Kurenai's wings spread, then curled inwards so the tips were pointed towards Hana -- then two dozen darts of searing, explosive flame launched themselves in a shotgun spread at Hana.

[ruffntumblenut]

Ruffnut tried to spring out of the way but once again was too slow. Her leg got caught by the bull rush and she was sent spinning through the air to belly flop into the mire again.

But this time she grinned and cut loose with her powers once again. The water carrying the charge to Sloth and any other creature foolish enough to be in the area's waters. Arcs of light danced along the surface and singed the moss and plant life casting threatening shadows all around.

Ruffnut could feel her strength already waning, she'd wasted alot of electricity on this fight and if it didn't end soon she'd be down to her punching and whatever she can scoop out of the swamp.

[changelingdude]

Beastboy fumbled the catch and it bounced in his hands once, twice, catching it the third time. "Oh hey uh thanks." He grinned and waved cheerfully at his former opponent...despite the disabling illness that he had brought upon him.

He leaned back in the bed ready to rest and recharge. If the first round had been that tough he wanted to be absolutely sure he was ready for the next round.

[moms_temperment]

"Shit!" Hana yelled loudly, but instead of guarding he swung his sword in a full crescent shape, sending a large blast of pulsating energy of the same shape to meet the attack head on.

[meat_mooks]

The electricity locked up Sloth's legs as he charged, sending the giant crashing facefirst into the ground. Which was even WORSE for him, as it allowed electricity to course through him in a constant torrent of energy that forced his regeneration to work double time to keep up.

Still... as the bolts faded at last, the homunculus held still for a moment, before lifting his massive arms to plant them on the ground. He was moving slowly, now, grumbling.

"Getting up...

is...

too...

much...

work..."

[meat_mooks]

Unwilling to be so balked, as the lances of flame detonated against the energy wave, Kurenai lifted entirely away from Kurei, gathering its strength as it did so.

Then, it opened its mouth. The flame angel unleashed an awesome column of superheated flame at Hana, so hot and white and pure it resembled liquid light more than any real sort of fire.

[thisclinchesit]

"Hidari Shoutarou," he calls back, then presses the Lost Driver to his waist. The belt wraps around, and then he reaches in his vest for the Joker memory.

"Guess we've just gotta put on a decent show - long as one of us advances, it'll be good for the rest of the crew! Now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna change into something a little less drenched."

There's a click of the memory, then he swings it to one side, then shoves it into the driver. "Henshin!" The memory's shoved over to the right-hand side.

JOKER!

Black and purple armor forms up around his body, converting him into a Kamen Rider.

[moms_temperment]

Hana felt panic flutter in his chest as he saw the blast heading for him but gathered himself, he had to be in total control for this to work.

Letting out a sigh and bracing himself, he brought his sword forward and kept his focus on the blade and only the blade.

The beam rushed towards him, threatening and powerful, but he held his ground and met it head on.

The cutting blade parted the line of fire like a jutted rock on the face of a cliff did a waterfall, the flow carrying it in arches around him. His arms shook violently with the effort and he felt flames lick at his clothes, unbearably hot near his skin but unable to harm him as it was forced to flow past, his concentration harnessed into delivering enough power into just the right spot.

[ruffntumblenut]

"THEN STOP GETTING UP!"

Ruffnut came roaring through the waters fighting the muck to get closer faster. She didn't carry any sharp weapons with her usually having been trained as a grapple fighter, but she had one standby. She yanked the horned helmet off her head (Amazed that it had stuck in place all this time, she would really have to thank Hiccup for his skilled armor upkeep) and brought the horned pointed tips hard into Sloth's skull.

Not convinced this would end him she ripped the helmet out hoping to strike again before he could heal the hole.

[meat_mooks]

The helmet cracked into Sloth's head, making his entire body go stiff as iron.

"Winning is...

too...

much...

work..."

Sloth collapsed.

[meat_mooks]

Then Kurei, who had released Kurenai completely from his body and so was no longer bound to it, nor in danger from its flames, threw a powerful, focused punch at Hana from directly behind him.

[moms_temperment]

The punch was a hit, but luckily it sent him flying out of the path of the beam.

He landed with a 'thud' a little distance away and winced as he pushed himself back up. Hana regained himself surprisingly quickly and rushed at Kurei. "You bastard, that hurt!"

[ruffntumblenut]

Her eyes boggled, her fist drawn back. She had been planning on plunging it directly into the hole she had made and trying to rip out his brainmeats...but if he was already down...

For a minute Ruffnut looked confused at what to do with her fist. She lowered it and brought the helmet back to it's place on her head, blood dripping down her face as a crooked grin formed.

"Then stay down this time." She muttered darkly, a much more subdued celebration then the first time she had thought she'd won.

[meat_mooks]

"You did well to survive it."

Kurei waited motionlessly for Hana to run in, Kurenai floating not so far away. As the boy approached, he lifted his arms to an open guard, but made no other motion.

[meat_mooks]

The arena compensated for her lack of energy by launching a fusillade of fireworks into the sky to celebrate her victory! A moment later, the pair of them vanished, to reappear in the hospital beds.

A small, burned man leaned on a staff, observing her impassively. "Choose your spoils of victory," he said brusquely.

[moms_temperment]

Hana jumped into the air and gave a couple of swings to send two more blasts of energy shooting toward Kruei, following it up with a powerful downward slash aimed directly for Kruei, assisted by the fact he was falling towards his opponent.

[kaya_waterwave]

Oh, she wasn't thinking there was anything gentlemanly about this at all. She saw how fast Sonic was, and figured with a sword he would be even more deadly.

Not that she thought she didn't have a chance.

She brought her hands close, and then shifted, moving quickly, extending her sphere of influence to react where Sonic would go next. The move was not as fast as Sonic, but enough to let him know he wasn't facing a snapping turtle, and that her next move would not be a warning.

[meat_mooks]

The twin blasts shot towards Kurei -- and through, as if the figure had no more substance than air. A moment later, the shadow illusion dissolved, and as it did, Kurei launched his own attack from the air on Hana, plummeting down from above with the intent to catch him as he landed, before he could recover from his own attack.

[moms_temperment]

Again, Hana was hit hard, but again, he got up and rushed to attack Kurei, pure determination on his face.

[ruffntumblenut]

It took Ruffnut a minute to compensate for the sudden change in scenery.

"Oh right like, his powers?" She asked a little shell shocked by the whole thing. "Well...super speed seemed pretty cool. Let's go with that!" The smile was more playful now. The game was over for now and she had won!

[meat_mooks]

Kurei rose to his feet as he landed in turn, then awaited Hana's rush once again. The boy was too stubborn to quit, and -- he was forced to admit -- had quite a fair amount of strength, to have fended off Kurenai so effectively. But now that he had stopped conjuring his own guardians, Kurei intended to beat him with his own strength.

As Hana drew closer, Kurei stepped in, reaching to seize the boy's wrist or forearm. He intended to snare the arm, then slam Hana's elbow onto his own knee and shatter it brutally. Perhaps THAT grievous an injury would show the boy his weakness.

[meat_mooks]

"Very well," the man said impassively, then stepped over to the homunculus. With one hand still firmly on the staff, he reached into the giant's body with his other, hand parting and sliding into flesh as if it were bedsheets.

A moment passed before he withdrew a small, brown-red globule. Pacing over to Ruffnut, he lifted that hand, then without warning thrust it into her flesh in turn.

No pain. Just the incredibly alarming feeling of a hand searching through her internal organs, seeking out something -- it wasn't clear what. Then the hand opened inside her, releasing whatever nodule it had held, and withdrew.

Re: Lyle Buckwater vs. Mark

[moltenman]

With Mark knowing there was a very real chance that he or his opponent could easily fall off left him a bit wary. He had already removed his jacket, showing the bright red meatsuit which shined brightly in the temple.

"You ready for this?" He called out to his opponent.