2720/WMAT BQ1 Ysabel Thibault vs Kirikou Rung

WMAT BQ1 Ysabel Thibault vs Kirikou Rung
Date of Scene:	03 August 2015
Location:	WMAT Arena - Northern Mountains
Synopsis:	WMAT Bracket B starting qualifiers, where Ysabel and Kirikou face down to see who continues!
Cast of Characters:	127, 581, 816
Tinyplot:	WMAT 2015

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Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Ysabel is not really accustomed to fighting people at her size. Unfortunately, though, she's been involved more than once with other worlds where giant wyverns and beasts aren't the main issues, so...why not get some practice against a few people and hopefully get some money too? Not many quests in Wyveria that pay this much.

    Fortunately, she feels right at home in the wilderness of the Northern Mountains. The huntress already stands among a meadow in the battlegrounds, dressed in her wolf-like Zinogre X armor. On her back is the Daora's Casca, the huge turtle-like shield serving as a sheath for the slim blade of steel dragon's plates. Ysabel's expression is about as cold, hard, and sharp as the weapon she has today; a firm frown is settled over her features as she waits for her opponent, and her arms remain folded over her chest.

    Unfortunately, she doesn't know too much about Kirikou. Lightning and fire attacks, sure, and a tendency for punching; the closest she can compare any of that to is a Rajang, so she's come equipped for that kind of situation. At least the Zinogre armor will resist his electricity for her.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou is no stranger to the tournament, or to fighting fellow humans for that matter. He's fought a few giant-class opponents, plus a few true monsters as well... but most of his training is geared towards facing humans. Or at least, towards facing things that were once human.

    He's pretty casual about fighting though, at least when it comes to a glorified duel. That might be suggested by how he enters the fighting grounds. At first he's announced only by the sound of a distant bass beat, carrying in from somewhere unknown. As he gets closer the sound resolves more clearly into a dubstep beat accompanied by another sound, higher-pitched and quieter... the drone of a high-pitched engine.

    He cruises to the designated grounds riding an ATV amped out with a powerful sound system belting out music. Not *his* theme or anything, just something out of his playlist. He's already set for battle, his everpresent gauntlets already on and in place. Kirikou's also got shin guards and a tactical belt with holstered pistols.

    When he spots Ysabel, Kirikou grins in a friendly way. Heavy armor, and a big... shield and sword? Man, looks like he's fighting a good toe-to-toe fighter! Excellent... he'd much rather not use his guns. He only has them for emergencies.

    As he drifts to a stop, he cuts the music and the engine both, letting silence drift over the arena. Kicking off and forward, he comes out to face Ysabel. Not aggressively, just ready and apparently confident. He doesn't attack, just watches her. Then he shrugs, rolls his shoulders, and slams his fists together in a loud ringing clash that could easily work as the equivalent of an announcer's bell.

Celestine (816) has posed:
Celestine makes her way to the stands with some popcorn, two steakburgers, and a large soda. She plops herself down on the stadium seating and stares at the monitors with anticipation for the battle to start. It also gives her a chance to see how this all works before her own match later in the month.

The Raptor-Dragon does yells out, "Go get them Kirikou!!" In support for her fellow confederate, even though she is not sure if they can even hear her.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    The sound of an approaching bass beat is...strange to Ysabel, to say the least. A confused expression settles on the hunter's face once her attentive hearing catches onto it, and even more so when the 'music' (assuming someone still used to medieval instruments could call it that) becomes paired with an engine's growl. Soon enough, though, she catches sight of Kilik's approach, and her look turns more exaspirated.

    She's not exactly one for big entrances.

    Ysabel's stance changes, one hand coming to rest on her hip while the other hangs at her side. She waits patiently enough for Kilik to dismount from his noble (and now, thankfully, quiet) steed before she unsheaths her sword with her left hand. That alone is about the size of a sword most people would need two hands to control, but she seems able to hold it nimbly enough with just one. The sea-turtle-like shield is gripped in her right hand and braced at her side, and Ysabel's sea green eyes become fixed on her opponent.

    "Not much for talking, huh?" The quip comes as she settles into a combat position, shield ready to block and sword ready to strike. She waits for a moment or two, watching Kirikou...then strikes.

    It's a quick assault: she rushes forward, her sword coming in for a quick diagonal slash upwards at Kilik's center. Test his reactions, see if he prefers to avoid or block, and plan her attack from there.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou laughs at Ysabel's quip, genuinely amused. "Normally people can't get me to shut up!" he claims. "But, you know, this is a preliminary. We haven't even qualified yet. I don't care much for bragging or trashing before it's time, and it's not like we'll have an audience..."

    It's at that point that Kirikou's fan calls out from the stands. There might just be a sweatbead forming on the Meister's brow thanks to that. Not that he really knows Celestine, beyond some casual chatter on the radio. Not that she knows him or could be called a fan really. She's just cheering for a fellow Confederate. Still, the timing is golden and contasts his point at just the wrong moment.

    He shakes his head ruefully. "Right. Time to... whoa!" he cries out. He HAD signalled his readiness, and doesn't fault the Monster Hunter at all for her timing. He does get his fists into play, intercepting the sword before it cuts through his torso. He can't stop the blow's momentum though, and his gauntlets are crushed into his gut as he absorbs the hit. There's blood, though it's only a scratch. Mostly it's the power of the blow that has Kirikou staggered. Seems like this warrior is every bit as physically powerful as Kirikou himself. He's flung backwards despite his attempt to absorb the blow.

    Shaking his head, Kirikou sets his feet. "Damn. Not bad." he says admiringly. "Not much for talking yourself huh?" he grins, before flying forward. His weapons are very short-range, and for some people this would be a disadvantage. Kirikou's turned it into an advantage however. His fists are faster than most weapons would be. If he sometimes has trouble landing blows, that's only because he has to get inside his opponent's reach. Rarely is this much of a problem though. He rips off a few probing punches, not intending to do anything more than try to get Ysabel to block her own sightlines with that massive shield, before he throws his true attack: a hooking punch aimed to come around and hit in floating ribs or kidneys below her guard.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Ysabel doesn't press very hard when Kirikou's sent staggering back. She got what she came in for, and so when her strike hits, she quickly steps back to open up the distance further and avoid the chance of a counterattack. She doesn't know this guy, after all; gotta play it safe while she learns what he can do.

    The grin isn't returned as Ysabel braces her shield again. "Kind of a waste of time, isn't it? Not to mention distracting," she adds, snorting softly as if pointing out Kilik's earlier distraction. Not that she's going to complain about getting more openings like that.

    Kirikou comes in with flying punches, but as quickly as he can move his heavy gauntlets, Ysabel can move her giant shield. The turtle's shell intercepts his floating punches, frigid metal clanging and jarring her arm slightly...and she's managed to block her sight enough that his next hook /does/ manage to slip around. If it weren't for her quick reaction, he'd slam right into her waist, but she manages to slip her shield down just enough to deflect his attack. The force of the blow is jarring and pushes her to the side, though at least that's better than actually getting hit.

    She's quick to get her footing again, rushing in to retaliate (hopefully) before Kirikou can recover. Freezing ice blasts up where her strikes land: one slash cleaves down toward Kilik's chest, another swings out to seemingly leave her open, and then she brings up her shield.

    Not the back, however, but the base, which drives up into Kirikou like an icy punch. A hissing, mechanical sound comes from the shield as the turtle's fins flare out briefly, now easily seen to be sharp blades, though those aren't aimed to hit Kirikou. It's the metal track that drives out of the shield's base like an icy piston that comes for his ribs before both blades and track retract again a second later.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    The shield has Kirikou a little puzzled, and more than a little frustrated. Shields aren't really something he's faced before. Not big heavy shields like this, at least. He'd normally punch through a shield. He can punch through walls after all. But this? No, he's gotten a feel for the thing. This is designed to stand against monstrous creatures far larger and heavier than Kirikou. His advantage, if anything, is going to be speed and agility.

    His frustration is only aggravated, however, when it turns out the shield isn't just a shield. He blocks the blade easily enough, though the elemental blasts strike cleanly through his guard to stagger him. The transformation of the shield catches him completely off-guard, the piston slamming into his ribs beneath his guard. Still, the kid is tough. His gauntlets are unbreakable steel but the rest of him isn't much softer. He lets out an explosive whoosh of air as he's struck, but he doesn't back away. Instead he unleashes his own attacks. Speed and agility. While his soul energy is still charging; while he's still attuning himself to deliver power into his gauntlets, speed and agility are his best weapons. He slams a fist down hard overhead to hopefully draw the shield up, then arcs around with a series of looping punches, trying to get around the shield by using unpredictable rhythm and angles rather than trying to overwhelm it with power or raw speed.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Well, that's a problem. Ysabel expected that blow to stun Kirikou a little more, but he dives into combat almost right away! While her shield is still in recovery from that attack, she can't quite shove it into position in time, and his blows come at a time when her best option is her /own/ agility.

    Not that it's quite enough. Her teeth grit as she tries to stagger back out of the way of that downswing, but she barely avoids that before his whirlwind of punches comes swinging in against her. One, two, three - powerful strikes slam against her shield arm's shoulder, and it's only her quick tumble toward Kilik's right side that saves her from enduring any more.

    Her shoulder aches - that's going to make it difficult to block for a bit - but she can't let herself slow down. If Kilik's going to be agile, then she needs to as well, and she's quick to get her footing and try to rush forward to take advantage of Kirikou's recovery. Down her frigid blade comes again, but this time it's aimed for the back of Kirikou's thighs to make it harder for him to maneuver: a single powerful slash to disable him and buy herself more of an advantage, if she can manage it.

    The hilt of her sword has started glowing with yellow energy, too, strangely enough.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    The fight is going poorly; Kirikou can see that clearly. This weapon-and-shield thing has aspects to it he hadn't expected, and he's having trouble adapting. Unusual for the Meister, who usually fights with surprising flexibility and mental agility. He's beginning to understand however. If he were stuck using just metal-clad fists, he'd be at a major disadvantage. As it is, he's nowhere near used up his collection of skills and powers.

    One of Kirikou's peculiarities of his own personal fighting style is how wide-legged he stands. Others stay more upright, preferring maneuverability over balance. He stays low, and it's for just such attacks as the Monster Hunter's. He blocks low with a gauntleted fist, protecting his legs. The sweeping blade's momentum is all but impossible to stop, but he's only knocked over by it, absorbing the blow with metal and rolling aside to dampen the impact somewhat. The hit obviously hurts, the shock travelling up his arm and giving him something to fret over, but at least he isn't crushed or slashed.

    His diving sidelong roll ends up with him in a crouch, and he comes out of it in a raging charge, expression grim. His left hand is up defensively, his right cocked back, the fist blazing with spirit fire. There's no fanciness behind this attack, just raw aggression and power. He assumes Ysabel will assume he'll continue chipping away, going angular, sweeping around for hits past her shield. No such thing though, not this time. Kirikou puts his soul into an attack, slamming himself at the Hunter's center of mass straight-on with the kind of power that's made him half a legend even at his young age.

Celestine (816) has posed:
Celestine continues to watch the fight before her, munching away on the steakburger with her eyes glued to the screen. Her tail tip twitches gently as she observes the combat and form of both parties. Picking up on little things here and there about them both, but once Kirikou hits with his attack, Celestine stands up cheering, "That's the spirit!"

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    While Kirikou may be having trouble, Ysabel isn't faring too much better. She's gotten several good hits in, but the huntress is forced to stay on her toes and stay alert for openings that normally wouldn't be a problem. Such as now, when Kirikou's fallen, and she steps back to bring her shield down and shove her sword into the shield's sheath. The turtle's fin-like blades spread out again as energy is transferred from the sword to the shield's interior phials, letting out a sound of a mechanism briefly locking in. Normally, Ysabel /should/ have enough time for this quick transfer, but Kirikou gets up much faster than she's used to.

    Her teeth grit as she catches sight of him charging straight for her just a second too late to do much. She tries to bring her shield up, but to no avail: his punch drives straight into her gut and sends her tumbling back head over heels.

    At least her comparison of him to a Rajang wasn't too far off.

    Ysabel is only on the ground for a few seconds before she shoves herself up to her feet again, already in a run toward Kirikou. Her sword, however, is still sheathed, even with her hand right on the hilt. That yellow glow is gone, but as Ysabel charges ahead, she lets go of her grip on her shield, too. Several feet away, much too far away for her to actually hit Kirikou with her sword, she digs her clawed boots into the ground and gives a furious /shout/ of effort as she swings her sword around.

    In the middle of the arc, the weapon's mechanisms get right to work. It only takes a few seconds: the track where the sword is sheathed extends into a long handle, and the shield rotates so that the turtle's head is on the opposite end; the fins extend outward, and the turtle's eyes light up with a cold blue glow. Just before the weapon hits Kirikou, it's clear that it's not just a sword and shield anymore, but a massive double-bladed axe longer than Ysabel is tall.

    The heavy weapon swings at Kilik once before Ysabel brings it up and around again in a second weighty arc, but the power and ice element aren't all the charge blade delivers. Each time the blade hits Kirikou, it sticks a mote of yellow energy to his body about the size of his own torso. Once Ysabel's second swing finishes, both of those motes explode in concussive blasts meant to daze while delivering a powerful explosion.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    A soul-charged punch from Kirikou often destroys Kishin-candidate humans in Kirikou's world, breaking through their defenses, their attacks, and consuming their bodies leaving nothing behind but their red-tinged soul. Not that Ysabel Thibault is anywhere near as soft a target as a once-human Kishin Egg.

    Kirikou knew he'd be betting a lot on his ability to do damage even with that massive shield present. He's a bit surprised he catches her while she's preparing her own attack, but she's as tough as anyone he's ever faced. Even taking that hit on armor, he can tell she's nowhere near out of the fight. He probably shouldn't have been surprised though. That's more than just a shield, he realizes. It's a weapon, every bit as much as his own gauntlets are Weapons rather than defenses. Sure, she could turtle (hah) behind it, but he's beginning to realize she'd be giving up the largest part of her own offence to do so.

    After his own big attack, Kirikou goes defensive for a time, trying to analyze the sword-and-shield combo weapon. He could have followed up, but only by foregoing the powerful soul-fuelled attacks and returning to simple metal-on-metal... which is a battle where he'd been losing.

    He brings both his fists up quickly to block Ysabel's blow, regardless that the swing is too short to actually strike him. The elemental projections of the attack are something he's wary of. His eyes widen behind his glasses as he sees the weapon combine into its true form. He's up to the task however, blocking the blow with crossed fists. The strike pushes him, making his feet draw furrows in the dirt, but he responds with a grin as the attack does no harm.

    He actually seems to be unafraid of the giant switch-axe. It's slower than the sword-and-shield, and he seems to think with good reason that his armor can protect him. He blocks a few more blows, getting visibly cocky as his grin widens. Still, he's not TOO cocky. He can see the little motes of energy. As he defends himself, he realizes there's more to this attack than just raw mass and edge.

    Inside his head, Thunder is almost frantic to point this out. Motes are her sort of thing. Charging up and being defensive... are also part of her tendencies. The wordless alarm of Thunder resonates with Kirikou's own alarm, and his defensive stance suits her emotions. Their soul bond resonates, and when Ysabel's true attack falls he's ready.

    When the axe falls, Kirikou's simply NOT THERE any more. He leaps to the side possibly faster than the eye can follow. Whether the axe lands or not is moot. Kirikou's already attacking, interrupting the massive swing with his own charged blast. Motes explode from his left fist, sending a surge of soul energy laced with resonance of lightning into the Monster Hunter's armor. The attack isn't about power or impact, not this time. It's all about soul-resonating power, and whether or not that power can harm the warrior within the armor.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    That's...new.

    A charge blade's phials are an almost guaranteed source of damage. No matter where the motes from them hit, they'll stick, and they'll explode. To have someone just.../interrupt/ the blasts like that is completely unheard of to Ysabel.

    Needless to say, she's pretty shocked at the results, no pun intended. Kirikou flies at her just as her second swing whiffs, leaving her wide open from the momentum of the axe. The lightning she's not so concerned about: her armor should eat up the brunt of that damage, soul energy or not. It's the punch itself that she feels a desperate need to avoid, and her options for doing so are limited.

    In the heat of the moment, she can't really think, and so she just acts. As her axe swings wide and Kilik attacks, Ysabel lets herself be pulled along by the massive weapon and hurtle herself to the side. Lightning jolts along her back as Kirikou's gauntlet glides just over her skin. If he's perceptive, he might see the electricity seemingly being absorbed by the glowing blue lightning tattoos along her back in the moment before she flies past him.

    Ysabel stumbles slightly when she lands, but she keeps her footing well enough to heft her axe again. This time, however, she does something different: the axe is brought behind her like a batter about to swing, but the axe's blades come back in and the head rotates 180 degrees before sliding down to the hilt. Yellow energy courses along the weapon, and a second later, Ysabel steps toward Kirikou and spins.

    The track retracts back into the shield as the entire thing suddenly flares with a red sheen. The momentum of Ysabel's rapid spin powers her slash as she tears the sword from its sheath, the blade crackling with yellow energy, and drives her foot into the ground. The powerful slash that comes explodes with ice again, but the energy lingering on the blade also comes off on Kirikou in another yellow mote. Once more, it explodes a second later in another concussive blast.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou's a little off-balance after his attack, and once again he'd rather recover than press. That axe is an impressive weapon, and not just because of its huge size. And as much as he is a feared powerhouse, it's Kirikou's defense that puts him a cut above (pun definitely intended) many others.

    Settling in a deep balanced stance, Kirikou brings his fists up. It might become clear why he fights like this. Those massively huge gloves are as much of a shield for him as Ysabel's shield is for her. It's comparatively easy to defend his body, but by staying low he can also protect his legs. In this case though, he doesn't really need to defend his legs. His fists stay poised, and the two of them handily fend off the impact of the spinning strike while also shielding him from the icy energy of the blade.

    It doesn't protect him, however, from the concussive force. He'd been expecting a followup attack to detonate those motes, like before. The blast catches him off-guard, flinging him into a tree. He grunts, shaking off the blow. "Hell of a weapon you got there." he says gruffly, setting himself and preparing to lunge again. Looks like leaving her time to transform her weapon might end up costing him. Very well, time to shake things up a little!

    Kirikou's left fist is still charged with glowing golden-blue soul energy. Not electricity so much as the aura of electricity. If lightning is less effective than he might expect, he can still do plenty with the Weapon. "T2!" he cries out, slamming that left fist down, releasing the soul energy abruptly into the ground, sending out a concussive blast of dirt and gravel at the Monster Hunter.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    This fight is starting to wear on Ysabel. The huntress' breaths come heavily as she stands watching Kirikou, taking a moment to recover herself while she doesn't have any pressure on her. Most things this size, from what she's used to, should be down by now; Kilik's a tough one, that much she can see.

    "Yours aren't junk either," she huffs back at him, brow furrowed in tension. She's ready to dodge, or block: with her shield empowered and shimmering red, she'll be able to defend even better now, so she doesn't worry too much about the situation.

    Though she probably should, with the surprises Kirikou keeps throwing at her.

    Ysabel is expecting a lunge, not for the ground beneath her to explode. She's caught off-guard and sent flying, like a burrowing monster suddenly burst out of the earth at her feet. Up into the air she goes, before she crashes down on her back with a dull wince. That one...hurt.

    She's a little slower to get on her feet this time, but when she does, it's right back into the fray. Ysabel's charge takes her straight toward Kirikou, and rather than bring her sword arm toward him, she instead attacks him with the shield. Nothing fancy: just a powerful slam with the turtle's hard, reinforced shell, meant to throw his balance off and open him up to the assaults that follow. One, two, three - she puts her weight into the icy slashes of her sword that come next, pressuring Kirikou with strong, relentless assaults that come with harsh shouts of her own. If she can build up more energy...

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou is easily able to block the shield slam, but it does its job in setting up the follow-up hits. None strike flesh cleanly, but a spray of blood goes up nonetheless from a hit he can't fully block. "Think I'd... aah... like to see... OW... the monsters it's... HAAAH... built to fight!" he says, his words interrupted by pauses as he sets himself to defend each blow. On the last attack he spins away, the blow only grazing him, and he takes the opportunity to launch his own flurry of attacks. If he does nothing but defend against the comparatively small-and-fast sword and shield combo, he'll be overwhelmed in no time. His best chance it to try to drive his opponent back to the defensive with the help of a narrow evasion freeing his arms for attack instead of defense.

    Kirikou's attacks seem like flailing, but they're not. He spins, striking with the back of a fist. Dipping low, he swings his armored shin around aimed under the shield, going for a strength-sapping kick to the calf. He continues the spin around full-circle, planting his hands on the ground and arcing a heel up with all the momentum he can put into the spin, following this with a twist of his hips and a half-hop, lashing out with his first foot again before bounding up to his feet.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Ysabel isn't even given a chance to recover once Kilik finds his opening. Her sword's hilt glows yellow again, but there's no opening to transfer the charge when she's put on the defensive. That first strike catches her on her recovery, jarring against her more exposed chest and winding her briefly, but she's quick enough to shift her shield down to slow down his leg's sweep so that it doesn't knock her leg out when he hits. That's enough footing for her to jerk back and avoid the brunt of his next kick, but her balance is off: that second kick is unexpected and strikes her dead-on the gut, nearly sending her flat on her back again with the strength behind it.

    "Somehow," Ysabel winces, drawing back to get out of Kirikou's range, "I don't think you'd have much trouble with them."

    No time is wasted: Ysabel's sword drives into its sheath again, siphoning its power into the shield. Again the weapon transforms into its massive axe form, and mid-transformation Ysabel brings it down on Kirikou. This time, however, there aren't any explosive motes, but the red aura around the axe increases its power enough that those aren't really needed. All it is is a heavy mass coming down on top of Kirikou with a strange boost of power behind it, ready to burst with ice again on impact.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    "We're both Monster Hunters." Kilik says somehow. One shouldn't presume too much in a fight... there's always time for banter, or to show your opponent some appreciation. Even when attacking furiously, there's often feints and maneuvers for position. In this case Kirikou needs time while recovering from his capoiera kick-flurry, and he sees no reason not to engage in banter.

    Kirikou springs to his feet straight in the path of the falling axe. Or rather, he would have. Seeing the weapon transform and come around, he doesn't even try to remain upright. His feet touch down only momentarily, and he dives out of the way in a maneuver more properly called a tumble. Perhaps a topple. Something effective but not particularly graceful. He only comes to his feet a few seconds later, as the blast of ice and dirt from the axe slam clears enough to show he's not there.

    Kirikou's own fist is wreathed in red. He's focussed on offense, and this makes his soul synchronization closer to that of Fire than the protective Thunder. "Just different monsters." he says abruptly, slamming that fist out like a battering ram.

Celestine (816) has posed:
Celestine continues to observe the match as both fighters continue their brutal stride after one another. Her eyes are wide as she drinks the last of her soda, before she yells out, "Come on Kirikou! End her!!" Though as she does this she nearly drops her cup and has to quickly recover before she spills what is left.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    The axe misses, but Ysabel's ready to retaliate. She hefts it up again, bringing it back as she keeps an eye on Kirikou. The timing of this will be tough, she knows, but if she can pull it off...

    As she sees Kirikou's fist glow red, her own weapon shifts, the blades retracting into the turtle's shell as the head rotates back and slides down to the sword's hilt again, as if it were about to transform back. It never gets there, though, because just as the track retracts into the shield, Kirikou's fist flies at Ysabel, and she suddenly slams the weapon mid-transformation forward to block his attack.

    Kilik's burning fist crashes into the shield, and the impact releases a sudden explosion like the concussive blasts that come from the charge blade's motes. It doesn't do much on its own: a stunning, jarring blast at close range to surprise Kirikou and throw off his balance like a parry, hopefully enough to buy Ysabel the time to follow up. And that she does, once more drawing the weapon with its red aura back into a batting position as the track extends from the shield once more.

    It's barely a moment before she swings. All she needs is one hand to swing the charge blade in a horizontal arc in front of her, and mid-swing the axe blade swings back to the end of the track. /That/ is just the windup, though: by the time the charge blade is behind her, the axe head is spinning rapidly like some kind of rotary saw, sparks flying from its mechanisms as it seems like it's flying out of control.

    Then the weapon arcs down over Ysabel, slamming down on Kirikou as the axe finally locks into place on impact. The raw power of the weapon's red aura is expended in that smash, and all five phials of concussive energy are spent in five towering explosions that erupt from the ground in front of the weapon. It's the kind of assault that sends giant wyverns staggering; how will Kirikou handle it?

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou's knocked back by the blast as his Fire Fist almost literally bounces off the charge blade shield. Not hurt by the blast, he's stunned just for a moment as his pent-up power and fury doesn't land in the expected manner. It gives Ysabel the time she needs for that follow-up. Somewhat dazed, he hops up and backward out of reach of that horizontal swipe. He's still coming down when the axe changes direction, screaming down at him from over Ysabel's shoulder like the fist of an angry god.

    Kirikou has no chance of dodging. If that axe doesn't hit him when he's still in the air, it'll hit him before he can push off again; long before he can get his body entirely out from under that horrific swing. Fire and Thunder shriek wordlessly within his head. If it hits him, the fight's over. And there's no possible way it's NOT going to hit him.

    Kirikou has only one chance. He throws his arms up over his head, locking his elbows, bracing his body like a coil, setting up for the landing and the impact. He can't tank this hit though. It's not just the mass of the axe, it's the evil red glow of the elemental burst he by now knows to expect. He could deal with either alone, but not both at once.

    He doesn't have to, however. Opposing force with force, that's for losers. Kirikou allows himself to bend as the strike hits, twisting his body slightly out of line, redirecting the attack marginally to one side. And thanks to certain well-known laws of momentum, the attack pushes him in the opposite direction. His body compresses somewhat, his shoulders distending, his knees bending. A normal human would be pulverized, their body unable to absorb the blow. Kirikou isn't normal however. He's many times stronger than an ordinary human, many times tougher. Being one of the top three Shibusen students in terms of raw muscle means ordinary human limits simply don't apply. The force of the monstrous blow squirts him to the side, out of the direct path of both the kinetic strike and the explosive one.

    That's not to say Kirikou's unhurt. Far from it. His arms are damaged. His left shoulder's dislocated by the force absorbed while deflecting the blow. The explosions don't miss him entirely. But he's ALIVE, if not precisely sound, and now BOTH his fists are blazing with elemental power. Glowing red fire surrounds one arm, while blue-yellow plasma wreaths the other. It's as if, somehow in the middle of that terrible blow, he absorbed some of the energy and made it his own.

    This is nonsense, of course. Soul energy simply doesn't work that way. It's desperation, pure and simple. In the blazing will to survive, he's managed to draw both Fire and Thunder's souls together, to resonate cleanly with both. Grimly he clasps his blazing fists together, letting his relatively uninjured arm support his dislocated one. The attack owes little to muscle for its power anyways. Muscle power is just the way it's delivered. The true attack is almost pure elemental fury. "Triple D!" he cries out hoarsely, swinging his fists together backhand as if there were a baseball bat between them and he was aiming for the fences in the World Series.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Once the super elemental burst is discharged, the charge blade is forced to revert to its sword and shield mode, its energy currently expended. Mechanics clank and twist into place as the shield's mechanisms retract, allowing Ysabel to draw the sword free and brace the shield on her right arm...and see that Kirikou's still standing.

    How, she's not really sure. Her confusion is obvious in her expression as she stares at him, shield raised slightly in caution. "...what the /hell/ are you made of," she pants, mostly to herself.

    His fists swing, and Ysabel is just too slow to react. While her armor may be able to weather the effects of lightning, it's certainly not immune, and it has absolutely no defense against fire. Both giant explosions strike Ysabel dead-on, and as if she were simultaneously struck by a Rathalos' fireball and a Lagiacrus' electric ball, she goes flying back into a tree that rattles with the force of her impact.

    The hunter lands on her knees, still gripping her weapons with what strength remains, but obviously weakened. Wincing, leaning on her shield, and steaming with the heat of that explosion, it takes her a few moments to recover. Still, she does: shaky as it is, she rises up to her feet and gives her neck a dull crack. Holding up her sword and shield is hard right now, but the strength she has left is pushed right toward that goal. She can win this. Right?

    "Whoever wins this, we're both going to need a drink afterward," she groans, eyes narrowed.

    Another powerful shout. Ysabel charges, ignoring the pain jolting through her body as she rushes toward Kirikou. Her shield comes back, and like Kirikou's own punches, she drives it toward him again, punching with the aid of the interior track's piston thrust to add some further strength to what's left of her own.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    There are very few people Kirikou would aim that attack at while not intending to actually kill with it. Certainly very few humans. He's used it a few times before in the WMAT, but only once against a human. That human was Toph, so Ysabel's in good company. It's a credit to her obvious toughness that Kirikou was willing to aim such a vicious attack at her, expecting her to survive. Sure, some of that's her impressive armor. Big deal... Toph was encased in rock at the time. Makes no difference, and it does nothing to diminish the toughness of the person inside the armor.

    Kirikou makes a wheezing sound, and it probably takes some time to recognize it as a laugh in response to the Hunter's words. Well, a chortle at least. He hurts too much to actually laugh. But not too much to move, it seems. He raises his good arm when she comes in at him, using it as a shield. At this point, sore and weakened as he is, he can't possibly block the kinds of hits he was taking before. One wounded arm isn't up to the kind of abuse two sound arms were needed to deal with.

    The shield slam rocks him hard, and he staggers from the blow. Even if it's not got the power of some of Thibault's earlier attacks, even as he gets his arm in the way, it does plenty of damage due to his state. "A sound soul." he wheezes. "Dwells within a sound mind." he adds with effort. Never does Shibusen's mantra seem more appropriate.

    "And a sound body!" he finishes, throwing himself forward. As hurt as his legs are from the explosion surrounding that horrendous attack, they're in better shape than the rest of him. He might not be in great shape, but he's almost as quick as ever. Maybe not quick enough to go out running races, but he can still fight. He hops forward, planting one foot out in an attempt to ram the shield out of alignment. Then he follows the pushing kick with a quick flurry of blows. feet, knees, even a blow from his relatively-undamaged right arm, while his left does what little it can as a counterbalance.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    Sound mind, sound body...may not exactly describe Ysabel, but the huntress is pretty stubborn. She can hold up well against this kind of assault for a while, far beyond what most normal humans would deal with. It seems to be something exceptional for hunters in her world, especially with the powers of monsters granted to them by their equipment. Even now she keeps up that stubbornness in the face of exhaustion and pain, but how long will that last?

    Ysabel attempts to block, but while it spares her from injury, Kirikou manages to kick her shield away and open her up. She jolts back to try and avoid the flurry that follows, but there's only so much she can do: his attacks graze her, then strike much more soundly, kicking her back again and again until she finally finds an opening to disengage.

    Bruised, battered, and burned, Ysabel twists out from in front of Kirikou to slip toward his side. Another strong shout bursts up from her, almost as powerful as the slash she drives her strength toward cleaving down at his thigh again. His legs are all that he has left, right? If she can just take those out from under him...

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou's not much for defense at this point, and his flurry of kicks and that one punch was without soul-power enhancing them. Dual Dynamo uses every scrap of power the Meister can channel. There'd be no point in holding back more for a second attack, though it's not quite all-or-nothing.

    As he presses the attack, Kilik's will to fight powers his soul energy. It's not much. Certainly not nearly as much as he'd used in that elemental detonation. It's enough, however. Enough to allow his right fist to once again begin to glow in a weak blaze of red. No heat... his attacks have never been that kind of flame. Still menacing enough though, and should be enough to point out that Kilik still has more than just his feet to rely on. As Ysabel slips to his side to reverse the fight's momentum he vaults upwards, the sword cutting into his foot instead of his thigh as intended. Not a crippling blow, but one that would make it almost impossible for him to continue attacking or to flee once he lands. More importantly, hitting him in the foot instead of the thigh means the cut doesn't alter his trajectory. He arcs up, over... down. Coming down from almost straight above the Monster Hunter. "Yaaaaah!" the Meister calls out, wordlessly summoning his last true gasp of power and effect. No named attack this time, not even a two-syllable shortform that can be called out quickly. Just a single drawn-out cry of effort.

Ysabel Thibault (581) has posed:
    There's only so much that even a Monster Hunter can endure. That blow strikes Ysabel /hard/, and after everything else she's endured, it's simply too much. The hunter is knocked back, sending her sprawling to the ground and knocking her weapon free from her hands. She winces on impact, groaning as the pain all over her body really starts to settle in.

    "...yeah, I think you got me."

    It's a few moments before she manages to sit up again, but she pulls through. Stubborn to the end, Ysabel pushes herself up, then rises up to her feet. It's a strain to stand up straight, but she figures Kilik's earned that much respect, and so she manages it. Head up, expression firm, she reaches out her hand in offer of a shake. "You're tougher than a goddamn Gravios," she grumbles, "and I gotta respect that. Good fight, kid. You've earned your respect."

    Another wince comes as her free hand slips to her waist, pain jolting through once again. "...so I'm gonna guess you don't mind paying for drinks now, huh," she hisses, her tone still gruff and her face lacking a smile, but it's clear enough that's meant in good humor.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou for his part staggers as he lands, almost collapsing. That last hit, graze though it was, would have made it all but impossible for him to avoid any follow-up. In itself it's not that much damage, but on top of everything else he had little left.

    He lands hard, one good leg, one knee, one arm. He does land though, and manages to push himself back to his feet before Ysabel arises. He limps over towards her, wanting to check up on her. For his own peace of mind and for the honor of the fight, he wants to be sure she's okay. If nothing else he can offer her a hand up. But when he sees her struggling to her feet he stops a few paces away, respecting her effort. Only when she's fully up and extends her hand does he grin, tapping his gauntleted fist to the back of her hand before accepting the handshake. "You got it, Hunter." he says with a grin. "Drinks are on me any time. I got no idea what a Gravios is, but you can tell me all about huntin' one." he replies.