3025/WMAT A1 Madeline Vance vs Shizune Nakamura

WMAT A1 Madeline Vance vs Shizune Nakamura
Date of Scene:	14 September 2015
Location:	Papaya Island - Stadium
Synopsis:	Shizune Nakamura and Madeline Vance finally get their match in the WMAT!
Cast of Characters:	369, 380, 756
Tinyplot:	WMAT 2015

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Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    Once again the crowds are on their feet, hailing the return of combatants from past years - and more than that, cheering for a rematch between people who've been on record more than once as saying they both enjoyed their match quite a bit, respected each other deeply, and were looking forward to an opportunity to fight again some time in the future.

    As a result, for being a first-round match, this fight sure has drawn the spectators.

    And Shizune can't help but feel the energy in the air, the anticipation. It's been a couple years since she crossed fists (so to speak) with Madeline, and since then the woman has changed greatly... not to mention Shizune herself not quite being the same person either. It's not just an opportunity for another match with a favorite opponent, it's a chance to see how much the both of them have grown. So it's probably little surprise that the martial artist practically bounces up the steps, waving happily and bowing to the crowd.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    The last time Madeline fought Shizune, she showed up with a frigid air and a blade. Today, she's dressed in lighter colors, with her hair tugged back into a ponytail, and has no weapons at all. The crowd is something she is mildly surprised at, but she gives them a curt nod and walks right up onto the platform.

    When she speaks, Madeline's voice is considerably warmer than her stiff attitude would indicate. "Shizune Nakamura. A pleasure to see you again. I'm looking forward to another excellent fight, win or lose. No hard feelings either way, so please don't hold back. Not that I expect you would."

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Boy folks, we've got a real humdinger of a match starting up here in the Stadium at the WMAT. A matchup that is a remix, or perhaps a re-shuffle, of a match two years ago. Shizune Nakamura, a former A-Bracket champion and martial arts afficionado is going to face off against Madeline Vance, an Exalt and something of a rival for her." Shin calls out, hanging out at a ringside announcer's table as he wears a radio headset and adjusts the tie on his leisure suit.

    "Feel free to file on into the stadium, or if you're too busy for that just tune your radios to 900.8, where you can hear me, the Combat Vagrant, doing callouts and play-by-plays of what will be a truly spectacular match."

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
-<RADIO: Stadium>- Shin Tokuyama says, "I really don't know who to root for in this match. Nakamura really beat the shit out of me last time we fought, but Obaa-chan is a pretty huge badass too, from what I've seen of her."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    "If I gave you any less than my best, I feel like I'd be disrespecting you and the tournament both," Shizune replies, not bothering to keep the hints of excitement off her face. As Madeline steps up to the arena proper, the martial artist brings her fist to her palm and bows deeply, a respectful martial artist's salute, before falling into a cautious ready stance, left hand forward. It's a bit peculiar to see the Solar without a blade, after their last match involved it so heavily, but that just means this is an entirely new, different fighting style to adapt to. And Shizune's fine with that.

    With her whole body relaxed, her breathing steady, and her posture brought up into a proper stance, there is a moment where the young martial artist simply gathers herself, shifts into the mindset of a match, and then she is moving. Slow and steady, forward and circling slightly sideways, she closes the distance to Madeline, her eyes full of sharp fighting spirit - not quite 'killing intent', but if there were any question whether she's going to give it her all, that look should erase it. Then again, the same could be said for her sudden lunge forward, attempting to close the gap by surprise and drive a quick palm in under her opponent's guard.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Killing intent is a good word. Madeline is quite familiar with it. Maybe that's why she's prepared... or maybe because she's seen Shizune fight before. The Solar waits calmly for the approach, with a small bow of her head before the match starts. By the time she's looking up, her stance is subtly different, hands half-raised and feet braced in an odd position.

    Odd... but effective. It's a little bit of a reversal of last time. Last time she fought, Madeline was an Abyssal using Solar abilities with her blade. This time, she's a Solar fighting unarmed... using the Abyssal fighting style. A turn, a slide of her foot to keep her balance, a narrow miss of the palm brushing over the faded leather of her combat clothing, and the battle is on.

    Her own counterattack is swift. Violent. It's only two fingers, performing a sharp jab toward the underside of Shizune's arm. The style probably isn't evident, being from another world, but the /type/ of style is quickly plain. It's a jab that is meant to flood the joint with pain, to incapacitate with nerve strikes or dislocations... or fracturing joints.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Shizune is going to open up with a fairly basic palm lunge. It comes fairly untelegraphed, showing how dangerous she is as a martial artist, really. She's basically whittled all but the most subtle of signs out of her movements, making her a dangerous read for unskilled enemies," He comments as he leans over the table and watches the match, "Madeline's got some style of her own, though. That's a pretty brutal fighting stance, looks a lot like tiger form. Heavy emphasis on crippling strikes and lashing out. That's going to be really painful for Shizune to deal with if it keeps landing."

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
-<RADIO: Stadium>- Shin Tokuyama says, "Actually, scratch that. It's probably closer to Eagle Claw. She's hitting joints pretty savagely."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    Only instinct of experience saves Shizune from taking an outright disabling strike in the first move of the match, her arm shifting just slightly, allowing the two-fingered jab to hit at an angle rather than directly. It's still not enough to save her from enough pain and damage to draw a quiet hiss, and when she retracts her arm, Shizune is much more wary, her stance more defensive. "A joint-disabling style," she murmurs, thinking out loud as much as she is speaking to Madeline. "One of the most troublesome sorts for Tenryuu Taikyokuken to fight against." It's a style that relies a lot on fluid movements and mobility, after all. She doesn't seem discouraged by that in the least, however, despite the way she shakes her arm out. Quite the contrary, she looks pleased.

    And then with no warning, her palm snaps out again, this time aimed for Madeline's face - it's a feint, and a somewhat transparent one at that. Her hand suddenly dips down, as if to change the angle of the attack towards her opponent's solar plexus... only for THAT to prove a feint as well. The real attack comes from the other arm entirely, Shizune dropping her body slightly and turning the momentum of withdrawing the feint into a swing of her opposite hand into a knife-hand strike towards Madeline's midsection.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    No warning. Madeline isn't going to be able to read her opponent very well, is she? "That is Dark Messiah style. Perhaps under different circumstances, I could teach it to you," she says mildly. Her hands don't even try to go for her face, despite instinct saying they should. They both go up to block the chest strike from the younger girl. Much younger, really. She is, in fact, shouting to Shin, "I am not a grandmother! I'm barely a century old!"

    Despite this she's paying full attention to the battle, which makes it even more impressive that the foot lashes out and strikes right on her middle, forcing a grunt of pain and surprise from the Solar. She dances back with a wheeze, her footwork suddenly lighter, and bright flare of her Zenith Caste Mark showing up on her forehead.

    Her next move is faster, though she flinches from the pain of doing so. A bound to the side, then slamming her foot down and ducking, her hand jabbing out in a harsh strike toward Shizune's hip in an attempt to slow down her footwork.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Even Shizune admits that Madeline's style is a troublesome one for her. What a good sport about it, but it makes you wonder of Madeline came to this fight intending to show Shizune the same tricks won't work twice, and wanting to show her opponent what she's learned. It's a good thing to wonder, and perhaps the sign of a great rival," Shin ponders as he taps his chin, "Either way, Shizune is coming in with a feint, leading into a double feint, and then trying to flat-thrust her hand into Madeline's midsection. That could take the wind out of her fast."

    "She takes that hit and seems to be a bit staggered by it. That does not look like a good time for her, but she won't let it slow her down," He comments, leaning forward, "Could her momentary distraction to shout to the crowd have opened her up for that attack, one wonders? Jeez, though, she's going right for a hip chop. Here's a fun medical fact for you all out there. A break of the hip, femur, or pelvis is considered by many to be one of the most painful bone breaks to have happen."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    That fact Shin gives to the crowd is one Shizune is also quite aware of. In her line of work, you pick up info like that quickly. It's one of the biggest reasons why she's gone on the defensive, being much more careful about dealing with Madeline's style now that she knows it's her 'natural enemy'. Her movements in response are natural, smooth, giving ground and shifting to one side when Madeline lunges forward, subtracting her own speed from the force of the strike and changing the angle of the hit - all of it necessary for a girl with only 'fit human' physicality, and not even a particularly /strong/ example. She will never be able to take lots of direct hits. It's in her nature. Even the glancing blow off her hip is going to bruise badly and probably hurt for a few days.

    But that's why she's so well-suited to Tenryuu Taikyokuken. A style tailored to one of her build and natural grace, a style of shifting posture and managing momentum and using the enemy's own force against them. Even as she's turning and retreating to lessen Madeline's blow, she's preparing her own, bringing her knee up in a quick snap aimed for her opponent's attacking arm - and then snapping her leg out so as to take an opportunity to launch a kick at the Solar's face while she's still moving towards Shizune, followed by a second towards her chest. "Haa!"

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    This is going to hurt. Madeline realizes this right away, and she grits her teeth as the snap of the arm contacts hers, knocking it violently away. Well, not violently, but smoothly... enough that it connects, the first time, before she twists aside for the second attack. "Ah..." Yeah she saw it coming, but at her balance she isn't fast enough to quite make a compensation for it, and the foot connects with her cheek hard enough to stagger her to the side... and send her tumbling downward.

    It's an obviously painful strike, but it also shouldn't have been enough to knock her clean over like that. "Nf!" Catching herself on her hands, her foot continues moving up... and whips out, using momentum to turn her over and get her back to her feet, while aiming a kcik across the side of Shizune's knee.

    She doesn't even seem breathless, but her hand is wiping away blood from her lip. "I'd almost forgotten how adaptable you were. I suppose you've already gotten a good read on my own style."

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "That did not look pleasant for hizune, but at least she managed to avoid a full break. Definitely some bruises and making a jostled joint there, though. She'd be in serious trouble if that had been a dislocation," He notes, leaning forward to watch the match. Despite his normal and aloof nature, he appears to be taking the job of calling out a fight between martial artists seriously as they get going full bore, "She isn't going to be full defensive, though, because someone like her knows you have to extend and go offensive at some point, or you risk losing to push. So she's going to dart in, trying to connect with a pair of those high-agility kicks that are so dangerous, speaking from personal experience."

    "Madeline takes that kick to the cheek, gets a nice scuff mark for it, and is all the prettier. She now has that battle-damaged aesthetic that drives all the boys wild in the anime," Shin comments, leaning forward a bit, "And she's up and at it again, trying to put a kick right into Shizune's knee to further limit that mobility. She's really fighting strategically here, and Shizune is going to need to stay on her toes and keep adapting, or she might fall prey to that style that Madeline is using."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    Using her leg for a triple attack like that comes with its own difficulties. It requires her to put all her weight on her other leg for a moment, which in turn slows her ability to move out of the way of any attacks. Rooting herself to the spot like that, even for just a heartbeat, can get you hit hard. So Shizune is already moving to withdraw when Madeline's counterattack comes, and that's all that saves her from having her knee pretty much disabled on the spot. It still leaves yet another mark that's going to hurt, and when Shizune falls back into another ready stance, she's favoring that leg ever so slightly. "I've got the basic idea, but you're fast and strong enough it nearly makes that meaningless."

    And cautiously, carefully, she takes a step to the side, another, starting to circle Madeline slowly. The tension in her body suggets that she's just waiting for the Solar to make the first move and preparing herself to counterattack, but that's not... /quite/ the case. The moment there is any sort of shift that betrays attack, the martial artist launches, pre-emptively popping up and forward into the air in order to bring her legs up to head height with her opponent. Her leg snaps out in a single quick kick, lacking the leverage she'd get on the ground but making up for it with her own airborne momentum and just a bit of ki.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Airborne kick. Not a good thing for Madeline to end up facing. Solar Exalts, especially at her current ability, don't actually have good 'flight' of any sort. The incoming kick is still something that she can admire, graceful as it is... and she can demonstrate one of her other skills, this way. Both arms lift up, as if to block the kick... but her body flows backward, leg sliding away. Her limbs are still mostly good, other than the injured arm, but the flare of golden light says something else is happening.

    Vance is seeking to latch onto the leg and hold tight with an incredible iron grip, clutching it in passing. With any luck she'll grab hold and twist, using the momentum to flip herself around and to simultaneously slam Shizune into the ground hard.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Shizune is starting to show some slow-down, but not much. She's favoring one leg, which is a sign of this focused attack that Madeline is pressing down on her. Win or lose, I'm pretty sure that leg will need to be looked at by a doctor after this is wrapped up," Shin comments as he leans forward a bit and watches, "But she's going to press on. And she's stepping in for a fast kick, trying to flesh out and keep on the offense, without letting her injuries slow her down too much."

    "Madeline manages to lean away from the impact and dampen the damage a bit. Her follow-up to Shizune's maneuver is to aim for a grab and attempt to throw her. It's a pretty brutal sort of twisting motion and looks incredibly painful," Shin comments as he leans over thet able to watch.

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    Pulled around from the air like that, Shizune has no way to respond in time - another one of the weaknesses of her style, 'an opponent strong enough to manhandle her in the air'. This time, Madeline has her completely off-guard, and as a result the martial artist is slammed to the arena floor hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Pure muscle memory has her rolling back out of the way of any followups, but once she's on her feet again it takes her a few seconds before she's able to breathe properly again, and she spends those few seconds ready to retreat if need be.

    But once she catches her breath, Shizune stills herself for just a moment. Slowly, she breaths in, and out, not satisfied with simply recovering - she's stilling herself, calming her breathing. Even, regular. Improving the flow of her ki, calming herself. It lasts for only one, slow inhale and exhale, the dust around her feet puffing outward faintly.

    Then, for a second time this match, Shizune darts forward, leading with her palm for what looks like a repeat of her opening move. It comes much quicker than the last, but at the last moment Shizune's muscles tense, stalling the movement, abruptly breaking the flow of the attack, and allowing her to plant herself and push off the ground again, adding /more/ momentum when she actually drives that palm in for the attack. And this time it comes with a burst of ki, invisible but potent.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    One would think that Madeline would be patient and ready herself. Such is not always the case, when her blood is pumping. "Heh. You are everything I remember. My ears are still ringing, you know," she murmurs. A normal human might have had some balance issues after that earlier kick, but Madeline appears to have conquered that. Unfortunately she is still getting a rising bruise on her cheek and jaw, and it has to be painful.

    Then her patience is at an end. While she knows that her opponent is one who can turn an attacker against them, her style is one of vicious assault, not waiting and defending. She's starting to move right when Shizune does, giving the girl the opening she needs. Though she makes a valiant attempt to turn aside, to change trajectory... it doesn't work, and with a loud grunt, Madeline feels the palm and the life energy connect, slamming into her hard and forcing her back several staggering steps. One hand clutches her sternum, the woman wheezing faintly.

    "Mn..." Faster than thought possible, she's moving again. Pain is something she'll have to deal with, and there's a stagger in her initial step, a small weakness in the form from her injury. Her hands are still quick though, and are a blur as she unleashes a sudden flurry of sharp, piercing strikes that are intended to connect to nerve points, just like her first attack... only with more of them.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Oh and Shizune is sure shaken by that throw. She looks a bit rattled and has to take a moment to re-center. But she calms down and gets ready to finish this fight for better or worse. She's going in hard, trying to bring in her palm for another crushing blow to her opponent. You might not be able to see it, but there's some ki there for sure. And it is gonna sting if it hits," Shin calls out, shifting back and forth in his seat as she goes in again.

    "She's met with a countering flurry by Madeline, who pushes through what must be an immense amount of pain to go in on the assault. Lemme tell you, folks, you take a ki-powered shot like that to the abs or chest, it starts messing with internal organs. Arythmia, major organ damage. but she's not slowing down and she's gonna power through. She wants to drop a devastating combo onto Shizune, trying to really mess with joints and pressure points."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    Once again, Shizune moves automatically, retreating as Madeline advances, turning crippling blows into less painful strikes. But 'less painful' is still 'painful', and even with her arms moving to worsen the angle of this strike or that, they still find enough purchase to hurt, one clipping an elbow, one finding just the wrong spot on her solar plexus; she manages to deflect one off her shoulder, only to have another come in and catch her right across the collarbone. She's pressed into a defensive fight, and at this rate each painful strike Madeline lands is just going to build up until Shizune is too sore to keep going.

    So she waits. She watches. Even as she's taking hits, she's watching her foe's movements. Trying to discern a pattern. A flow to the attacks. A flurry that fast almost needs one to come out so quickly. And in a split second where her instincts tell her 'there will be a gap', Shizune moves. Her own hand comes out, darting forward in a quick strike at Madeline's elbow even as Shizune herself is taking the hit from that blow, a palm strike that is only intended to glance off - but will only need that, with the ki backing it.

    Without skipping a beat, she brings her leg up, banking on creating a bigger opening with sheer surprise in order to fire off a trio of rapid-fire side kicks, one-two-three, aimed at forcing Madeline back and dealing some fair damage besides.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    There will be a gap, Shizune is correct. Madeline's fighting style is brutal, yet highly-refined. It is not, however, perfect. As she draws back for another strike, her opponent explodes into action and manages to contact her elbow, with enough force to turn Madeline's body. "Ah...!" Off-balance for an instant, the punishing rain of blows forces HER onto the defensive, her arms trying to block but the kicks mostly connecting and staggering her backward. One knee almost buckles, the first major sign of her mobility being impaired, though the actual kicks are definitely felt now from the way the faint crack of a rib can be heard.

    Even with that damage though, Madeline figures that the best way out of this punishing combo is to use her style's strength and just... break it. She's very good at breaking things. "Hn..." And her leg snaps up, a quick but surprisingly powerful kick that is aimed right toward Shizune's sternum, counting on the girl's skills to keep it from being too dangerous... but betting it will at least get her to back off.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Shizune is reeling from these strikes. It does not look pleasant for someone in her style and it's gonna be just... excruciating for her to keep going. Speaking from personal experience, I can tell you that there is a real chance that she has at least one sprain from all this tissue damage," Shin comments seriously, watching how Shizune moves, "Not that she plans to let that stop her. She wants to step in forcefully, trying to force her opponent back with some high-power kicks. She wants to put Madeline on a real defensive stance, trying to press in and give herself some time to adjust to injuries."

    "Madeline is struck cleanly by those three kicks. Her knee seems to wobble a bit and she's grounded momentarily. Judging by the way her breathing has shifted, I'm going to say she cracked... a rib on the right side, about four down. Give or take." He narrows his eyes, "But her style is refined and brutal. She wants to come in hard with a single powerful kick. That is almost certainly going to take the wind out of Shizune. Shizune is going to need to watch out about getting staggered from this, because a followup blow to the liver from Madeline's style will be almost impossible to defend against if her opening is too big and Madeline decides to play up her strategy of hitting incapacitation points on the body."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    About all that can be said for Shizune's defense this time around is that her last-second backwards shift keeps her from having her sternum cracked, or from having the wind knocked out of her again. It doesn't keep her from getting knocked back a good few feet, however, coming down flat on her back and sliding another couple of feet before she rolls around and comes back up to a standing position. Both of them came out of that exchange the worse for it, but both of them have enough breathing room now to gather themselves. And both of them are starting to show that wear and tear; Shizune's style deliberately averts the worst types of breaks and hits, but enough 'lessened blows' will still leave her aching, especially when her style relies on the joints that have been targeted. And by this point she's taken more than one direct hit, which leaves her even worse off.

    Nevertheless, she takes a breath and pushes her pain out of her mind, partly with the help of sheer adrenaline. The arena, the crowd, they've ceased to exist. All that matters is the fight. And even if her knee is aching, even if her joints want to give out, she can still press them for more - this she knows from experience. So she does just that. She advances more swiftly than she has been, not quite a charge but definitely not very cautious. It's a change in style, a switch to a more aggressive posture where she's been closer to reactive for most of the fight.

    Her initial attack is light, but all the more surprisng for the way it comes; Shizune drops straight downward, doing the splits with one leg forward and one back in such a way as to drop completely under Madeline's guard and launch a quick upward punch towards her abdomen. Then she shifts her weight to the side, bringing her legs back together without raising herself off the ground - only to kick /at/ the ground and launch her lower body upward into a sideways cartwheel, allowing her to fire off a pair of bicycle kicks from an odd angle in the process. A pure show of acrobatics, which brings her to her feet again at Madeline's side, where she springs up, firing a last jumping kick towards the Solar's shoulder.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Even if she isn't panting with the effort thus far, Madeline's movements are subtly... stiffer. She's tougher than the average human, even out of her mech, but she's taken some pretty solid hits and is no doubt feeling it. The amount of Essence she can channel is relatively small right now... but not infinitesimal.

    As the assault comes in, Madeline doesn't move at all. A brilliant glow flares up, and Shizune's feet connect with her body to find it unyielding as steel itself, slamming hard into her with no apparent effect for the first few kicks. She steps back, but weathers it with a slight shift, obviously preparing a counterattack.

    The defense isn't impenetrable though. As she moves, Shizune manages to snap in against her collarbone, making her grunt with a short exhale. Her leg almost buckles, nearly throwing off her counterattack, and she's probably seeing spots from the pain there of the attacks that managed to get through that barrier of Essence. She moves in fast as her counter, ducking under the last kick and swatting her hand up in a quick twisting chop, aiming to snap against the back of the thigh with powerful force. That's a well-defended area, but she's trying to spoil the landing and bruise it badly enough to put an end to those kicks that are, well, actually working.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Oof. Shizune only barely manages to avoid some severe damage. It still looked painful as all hell and you can tell she is really feeling that kick. Her natural instinct to lean away and lessen blows is really coming through here," Shin comments as he rests his chin on his hands to watch, "It's somewhat amazing she's still standing, but I suspect that a lot of that is adrenaline and refusing to let herself feel the worst of the pain. She wants to press in here and switch up her patterns. She's going to go low, then maneuver that into a display of agility via a low punch from the splits into a cartwheel, into a pair of bicycle kicks. The ability is pretty amazing here."

    "OH! That had to hurt," Shin says as he flinches a bit when Madeline takes the hits, "Madeline's trying hard not to betray her damage, but you can really see the subtle signs of this wearing her down. One thing to really respect here is that outside of some basic ki usage on both parts, neither has used particularly supernatural moves. I think they're trying to make this a contest purely between their styles and how much they've both grown."

    "Madeline steps inwards towards Shizune and moves her hand upwards. And THAT is a huge opening she creates for that heavy chop coming in," Shin comments, sighing a bit, "And what's really dangerous about a hit like that is that it's right on the femur, which obviously as I mentioned earlier can break and cause excruciating pain. But even worse, if you hit in the right spot, you can weaken and even rupture legs in the veins. That'll lead to swelling, loss of mobility, and even worse an open and bleeding wound."

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
-<RADIO: Stadium>- Shin Tokuyama says, "What we are really seeing here is a fight between two very experienced fighters using two drastically different styles. And it's not fully clear who has the edge. Shizune is emphasizing a soft style, classically used to emphasize agility and maneuverability, along with diffusing blows and using redirection. While Madeline is using an incredibly dangerous style that, for lack of a better term, can be described a 'bad touch style'. And not a lot of people know, but her sort of style is rarely scene in classic tournaments due to the fact it can cause career-ending injuries."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    "Ghk-!"

    Now there's a hit that will make things troublesome for Shizune. It won't seal her movement or even acrobatic ability entirely, but having to rely on her other leg means that it will be a lot more difficult, requiring her to both leap and kick with one leg, and it's more or less disabled the Juuretsukyaku, one of her strongest direct attacks besides. By the way Shizune stumbles back from Madeline, it's clear that she's absolutely feeling that one, enough so that this might very well be a proper tipping point in the match's previously-balanced momentum. "Well, I've certainly refined my style, but I suppose it's still the same style nonetheless. You've got a very good eye for targeting my weaknesses and disabling my strengths."

    But where she can't be jumping around so much, Shizune muses, that also means that she can spare more ki for her blows that would otherwise have gone to keeping her light. Cautiously, she shifts back in again, this time not lunging but smoothly stepping, forcing her leg to cooperate at least that far. She moves right in close, a dangerous distance for her to be in with Madeline's reach and speed, but at the same time one with some opportunity to offset the risk. With the way Shizune's weight shifts, it looks as if she's bringing her right arm around for a right-handed strike, but then her center of gravity drops slightly, and once her shoulders are even, /both/ arms shoot forward, a double palm aimed for Madeline's abdomen with a potent burst of ki to back it. "TOAAH!"

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Madeline is ready for the counterattack, but that doesn't mean she can tank it. She can /try/ to do the same, and indeed she does with a burst of Essence. It doesn't entirely work, though, and with a loud grunt she feels the ki strike piercing her Essence-fueled resistance, slamming into her hard enough to almost bowl her over. Only the Solar's extraordinary balance keeps her upright, and even then... well. She wasn't breathing hard before, but now she is. She's also smiling. "You would make a good Solar," she mutters. "A pity you turned down my offer." Her foot shifts, hands going up as if to ready another punch.

    Instead, she spins suddenly, foot lashing out in a rapid series of kicks moving from knee to chin! They aren't quite as strong as before, lacking her powers behind them, but she isn't aiming to kill. She's taking advantage of her previous lack of kicks, trying to use her now-greater speed and relatively undamaged limbs, even if it makes her ribs flare up in pain as the cracks are put under strain.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Mm. Yeah, I thought so. You can tell by the way that she's standing that Shizune may have some real damage to that leg. Her stance is favoring the opposite leg. I'm not sure it's a break, though. It could be a hairline fracture, deep tissue muscle damage, or a burst vein. It's definitely not good for someone with her style," Shin shakes his head a bit, adjusting the tie around his neck while he watches and speaking into that headset.

    "But she's going to be smart about that injury. Instead of exacerbating it like an inexperienced martial artist might, she's going to ground herself, refocus, and divert the ki into supplementing her core moveset instead of her agility. This means that while Madeline has created a less mobile opponent, we're going to see a shift towards power strikes from Shizune as we move into the back end of this matchup. In fact, she's aiming to demonstrate that right now with a crushing double palm strike to Madeline's midsection. That much ki behind it could be a doozy of a hit."

    Shin flinches a bit as it makes contact with Madeline, "Yep. There it is. Madeline definitely felt that big hit and send almost sprawling, but she manages to keep her balance just barely. But you can tell from her breathing that she took a fierce hit. If I had to guess, she's not showing it but her stomach is probably churning from that impact. She might be nauseous, despite the smile she's wearing."

    He leans in, "But she definitely has fight left in her. She lashes out with spinning kick, aiming to spread from knee to chin. This is where you can see the real influences of whatever style she's using. Few people know, but Eagle Claw and Tiger Fist use the same base style, but are advanced derivatives. Madeline's appears to be a hybridization to show the joint locks, pressure strikes and grapples of Ying Zhao Pai, the Eagle Claw Style, with the swift tearing strikes and predatory blows of Fu Jow Pai, most commonly known as Tiger Claw Style. It's a dangerous mix, for sure."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    When her double palm doesn't knock Madeline over outright, Shizune knows she's in trouble. It's the first real mistake she's made all match, and she pays for it with a staggering series of kicks that work her way up her body before she can even begin to mount a defense. The last nearly puts her unconscious outright, and it visibly takes her a fair amount of effort just to stay vertical. One deep breath. A second. She's steady, but she's still taking those slow, deep breaths. Right now, staying vertical is a monumental effort, and she needs her ki to be flowing, steady and pure.

    In, out. Fall into a ready stance. One arm high and behind her, curled downward, One arm low and in front, curled upward. In, out. A stance that is as much a philosophical and spiritual 'declaration' as it is a martial arts posture. And then she shifts it, adopting a perfect, classical Taijiquan ready posture.

    In, out. The dust around Shizune's feet billows outward. Thin though it is, it forms a shape Shin might find familiar, if he can get a look at it.

    Shizune's only got one shot in her, she can feel it. So she'll have to put everything into that one shot. So, with her ki flowing through her to steady herself, Shizune moves in. For a moment her movements are so smooth, her expression and state of mind so serene that it almost looks as if she's gliding in. It's a moment of purity, abandoning 'win' or 'loss' as higher concepts, for the sake of no more and no less than 'striking the next blow' - if she doesn't land it, she will lose for certain, so that moment becomes all that matters.

    And it comes almost like the flow of water, smooth and steady. Shizune's left hand comes up, a pre-emptive shift of her arm aimed at pushing aside any defense, flowing into a forward step at the exact same moment as she exhales, lending momentum to her right hand. A simple step-in, a right-handed punch straight towards the sternum, and at the exact moment of contact, all the ki flowing through Shizune's body is being directed through her right arm.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Despite that devastating series of blows, Madeline is not slacking off. She's feeling her own energy leaking away... and not her Essence, but her actual will to fight, the fatigue and aches starting to seep into her. The woman steadies herself, bracing with one leg behind, and raises both hands. "I've improved quite a lot, but you're still an amazing challenge. It's been a pleasure," she murmurs, obviously with intent to finish it.

    She's prepared for a counterattack, though. She gets it. Essence flares gold as she burns bright as the sun, pumping all her remaining power into the shield of her body's resistance. Thus, when Shizune strikes, it's like striking plating rather than flesh.

    Ki is what breaks the rules, though. Ki allows that punch to slide at least partially through with a hard THUMP that sends her staggering backward, grunting with the effort. She lets out a hiss between teeth, catching herself, steadying. She tanked it.

    "Hm. I'd hoped to get farther in the tournament, but I think I am satisfied," she mutters. Her head inclines toward Shizune... and her knees buckle as she collapses to the stone, clutching her chest with a deep breath. The aftershocks of that impact are hitting her, and she saw them coming, felt them happening. Getting up to make another attack would be... unwise, if she could even manage such a thing.

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    Shizune is completely still in the followthrough, utterly unmoving. She doesn't even prepare herself for a counterattack; not because of any self-assurance, but rather because if that blow didn't finish things, she would have been done for certain. It was all-or-nothing.

    About half a second after Madeline drops to the stone, Shizune's legs give out as well. She drops to one knee, her injured leg out behind her, using both her hands just to support herself, breathing heavily as the sheer exertion of the fight in particular and the last moments of it in specific hits her like a truck. Carefully, she turns herself to sitting, and then just lies back, arms out. "My... my goodness. I'm not sure I was this battered last time. You've imrpoved amazingly, I think this was even better than our last fight..." Truth be told, she's a little giddy. Partly from the exhiliration of a good fight, and partly from the pain. And the blow to the head.

Shin Tokuyama (756) has posed:
    "Shizune seems to know that she's in a lot of danger here. And it's a level of danger that her style isn't used to encountering. Soft styles like hers, particularly ones based off Tai Chi, are built to counter hard styles by their very nature, stressing shifted contact and non-direct hits. Lock and point styles like Madeline's, which can do the bulk of their damage with even grazing touches, are unpleasant at best, and considered a critical mismatch," Shin explains in a flat tone, watching the fight as it plays out, "It's not a style well-suited to coping with the unorthodox attack vectors of it all, meaning she needs to act decisively."

    "And she's going in for that, trying to come in on her opponent with a decisive blow to end the match. There's very little aerial acrobatics, but she's still showing an impressive level of fluidity in movement, demonstrating where her style is strongest. She's flowing from one movement to the next, not slowing or stalling as her stances shift and she positions for an attack. Most practicioners of the base forms of taijiquan do so for its health benefits, but it's actually a very dangerous style due to its principles of fluidity in motion and its forms are absolutely crushing when used at a higher speed."

    Shin visibly winces, "And a huge palm strike impacts Madeline. She's shown an incredible resilience to these strikes so far, but it's questionable about how that attack hit her. She might... yeah. It looks like she FINALLY succumbs to the internal injuries that those strikes were stacking up on her. Frankly, it's impressive she was on her feet this long with how much Shizune was working the midsection with those ki-infused blows. It's possible that the final strike may have given her an arrhythmia, so it's insurprising she is having trouble standing."

    "And it's with that decisive strike that Shizune is going to move forward to the next round of the WMAT," Shin says in conclusion, starting to take off his headset, "But this round was something that could have come right out of the finals, for sure. A close match between two very distinct styles, from start to finish it was absolutely unclear who could have won. Looking at Shizune, it is entirely possible that she would have gone down had Madeline been able to take her feet for one more attack! Both competitors deserve praise and adulation here tonight."