3054/WMAT B2 Fiora Laurent vs Gaonoir

WMAT B2 Fiora Laurent vs Gaonoir
Date of Scene:	18 September 2015
Location:	WMAT Arena - Spinach Wastes
Synopsis:	Fiora Laurent takes on Gaonoir in the WMAT!
Cast of Characters:	276, Gaonoir, 824
Tinyplot:	WMAT 2015

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Gaonoir has posed:
You have the arena. You have the crowds. Let's get this rumble on with!

It's difficult to tell precisely where he came from, because abruptly Gaonoir drops directly into the rough center of the combat zone, landing with a sizable cloud of dust kicking up due to the bulk of his Adult stage. It settles around a beast somewhere between giant huskie and giant bear as the Black Gaogamon raises his head and emits a howling roar to announce his arrival, the serrated ends of his scarf flicking about behind him for dramatic effect. Doesn't matter if there's a wind to blow them or not, people that have seen him fight previously in this form would know it isn't a necessity for them to be able to move.

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    The combat zone, in this particular case, being an open field, filled with grass and not much else. There's mountains and a lake, along with a forest, but they're well outside the boundaries that have been set for the battle. No terrain to deal with, in this instance. And, Gaonoir's opponent is already waiting. Standing with blade in hand, silent as a statue. Hearing that howl, she opens her eyes, and raises her sword to her face.

A duelist's salute. "En guarde!"

Her sword is held out, ready and waiting for the first strike, her opposite arm tucked behind her back.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    "It looks like the other half of our matchup has arrive with flair! Do you hear that howl, folks? Fiora doesn't look bothered though, even though I can see some of the kids in the crowd hiding! Fiora issues the challenge! EN GUARDE! Are you ready guys?" Kari says, holding on as the hovercar moves about trying to get the best angles.

Gaonoir has posed:
The bear-dog tilts his head a little to one side as the woman makes her gesture. He's fought enough armed foes, digimon or otherwise, to reconize the salute and the dueling style of blade to some extent. "One of those kind then? Alright." With a grunting grin the shadow beast rears up on his back legs, holding up his gloved forepaws in front of himself, mimicing the starting pose of a boxer. "Have at ya!"

    Despite the bulky appearances of this form Gaonoir is disruptively quick on his feet, dropping from the stance into a forward lunge that brings one gloved paw, clenched like a fist, down at his smaller foe for the opening swing!

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    The direct approach? That works fine for Fiora. As her beastly opponent charges, fist first, she prepares for it. Able to deflect /most/ of the energy, it doesn't quite parry the strike the way she wanted. The large fist catches her shoulder, sending her spinning back. Quickly, though, she regains her footing. "Quick. Strong. I can see this will be no easy victory."

Talk of victory, already? Ever confident, Fiora follows up even as she speaks. By the time the last word is spoken, she's already spun once more and lunged forward, her sword sweeping out in a wide, horizontal arc as she takes a couple strides past her opponent.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    Kari sounds wowed! "There goes Gaonoir right in with an overhand hook, which Fiora catches with her sword, wait! It connected with her shoulder, knocking the smaller fencer back. Fiora's back on her feet. Both combatants are looking really confident today! And then Fiora lunges in with a sword sweep, moving past as she does, connecting!"

Gaonoir has posed:
    Gaonoir lands back on all fours after the blow connects, watching his opponent recover quickly from the attack. If there was one thing these matchs had taught him it was not to underestimate human-like appearances, and sure enough Fiora is back into the fight quicker than quick with her own lunge. The shadow beast shifts his footing but the sweeping arc still catchs him across the grey fluff around his shoulders and striking beneath it.

    Despite the terminology of 'digital monster' Fiora would find the feel of her hit to be very much like hitting something organic. Something like the big brawny beast he resembles, though it's probably more like a mimicy of flesh and bone than the real thing. A lifelike render, so to speak.

    Twisting his form to follow her pass from the blow, Gaonoir takes another swing at her. This time not with the glove but with the claws protruding from it, a bit of darkness flickering around them.

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    She isn't, it seems, concerned with what her opponent feels like, as she strikes with her sword. Just with what he's doing. Fiora turns, as she hears Gaonoir shift his footing, just in time to see that attack coming. In a very impressive display of her reflexes, and indeed, some flexibility, she bends and the knee and leans back, the hand behind her bracing against the ground, as those claws pass over head. She pushes herself upright once more, and finds herself in a fairly advantageous position.

One she doesn't waste, as she moves in and lashes out with a couple of very fast thrusts with the tip of her blade.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    "WHOOSH! Gaonoir twists and looks to have avoided the worst of that sweep. Dunno how deep that fluff goes but the sword hit somewhere in there! The Dog of Darkness twists and swings again, and Fencin' Fiora avoids it like an action-movie star! Leans back and lets it go rushing right over her! That was cool! She bounces back and gives Gaonoir some quick jabs with the blade!" Kari says, grinning as she watches the monitors in the hovercar.

Gaonoir has posed:
    Speed and agility Gaonoir was expecting, but not that sort of flexibity. And yet Fiora is back upright faster than he can recover from the whiff, the sudden flurry of swordplay catching his side several times as he's trying to get himself resituated. A heavy breath chuffs a snort of annoyance between his teeth, but a moment later it's disrupted by a grin that puts his fanged teeth on display.

    "Two can play at -that- game... BLITZ STRIKER!."

    There's an 'audible sharpness' ting as the fringe of his scarves flare like baring claws, and then the two lengths whip over his shoulders to lash at Fiora in a rapid flurry of his own. The swipes are so fast that it's hard to tell how many actually strike at the swordswoman.

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    "Hmm." Fiora's only reply is an amused sort of hum, the woman tilting her head, the hair covering one of her eyes shifting slightly. "Is that so.." The attack is quite fast, indeed. Fiora's sword, equally so. Whatever that scarf does to be able to lacerate, it certainly works, but the strikes aren't true. They cut at her shoulders, and her upper arms, but the woman's sword keeps it away from her body and her head. The clashing of steel, otherwise, is the only result.

    "If you're going to play my game.. then I'll have to set the pace." Taking only a single step forward, she outright vanishes, a plume of grass kicked up by the sudden movement. She lunges in, but at the Digimon, from his left. A completely different angle, and from the side. Her arm twists like a snake, lashing out with all the quickness one might expect from one, striking at prey. It's not so much her strength, as he may come to find. It's her placement.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    Kari winces as she sees where Gaonoir gets jabbed. "Ow! Gaonoir catches some cold steel in the side! And that's a scary grin! And those are combat scarves, Gaonoir swipes at Fiora with them, drawing some blood from her shoulders and arms. The fencer keeps 'em from doing more with her sweet swordplay. Fiora... er... she hopped, folks, coming in from the left with a wicked looking lunge. She was there and then somewhere else, quicker than the camera can follow!"

Gaonoir has posed:
    This time quanity doesn't outdo quality, and of the barrage of strikes very few actually make it past the defensive parry. The woman was relying mainly on her weapon and speed so far, but with a range of versatility she was showing with those strengths.

    As soon as she disappears Gaonoir's senses go on high alert, ears perking as much as flop-tip huskie ears can. There's the fluster of grass kicking up, but again her agility is such that he can only move in defense. Speed and precision hold true though with a sold strike to his side. This time when the blade is drawn back to her, there's a bit of viscous black slick upon the tip.

    Another grunt rumbles from the beast as he lurchs to the side, seeming to debate a moment a better approach to this fight. He prefers physical combat, but he needs to try and get her into a more strategic position first. Eyes narrow a bit and much like his entrance he gaps his maw open in a thunderous howl. Thunderous enough that this one actually has some arcs of electricity snapping through the concussive sonic blast!

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    Being so close, Fiora doesn't have much in the way of an avenue of escape, when it comes to that deafening howl, and the blast it produces. She's knocked back significantly, though at least she lands on her feet. "Oof!" Shaking her head, the woman rights herself, and charges in once more. Back into the fray, as it were, her weapon a flash of silver and the woman herself a blur.

She dashes past, but then seems to be coming from several directions, all at once. Several strikes, in this same manner, that sword slashing at the Digimon, a number of times, before the woman herself is 'visible' again. And, once more, it's all about placement.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    "Yikes, looks like Fiora is really working Gaonoir's side. I can see blood? on the blade this time. Gaonoir lurches back an- OW! My ears! No, that howl wasn't your imagination! Gaonoir let out a loud howl and electricity, zapping Fiora and knocking her back quite a bit! She's back in the game and. Wow, cameras' having a hard time here. Looks like she's all over the place with that sword and popping in and out around Gaonoir!" Kari seems to be rattling off the commentary to try and keep pace with the speedy WMAT contestants here.

Gaonoir has posed:
    By this point Gaonoir has accepted that the swordswoman's agility is going to make her attacks nigh impossible to actually evade. Instead like a good tank he adopts a defensive stance, crouching down low to the ground. Fortunately his four-legged stance is a bit of an advantage, since it keeps his underside out of a vulnerable strike. For as much good as it does when Fiora starts going so fast she's coming at him from all sides almost at once. Blade strikes again and again with precise hits. At the same time though, this is a tactic Gaonoir is familiar with as his advanced form uses a similar technique.

    As Fiora advances repeatedly and strikes, he scoots backwards with his crouched position, seemingly knowing better than to try and turn only to leave himself a more vulnerable opening. A retreat? Of sorts, as the flurry continues to batter away at him. Until Gaonoir steps back into the shadow cast by one of the camera-hovercars trying to get an angle of the attack, and just as Fiora reappears for her final blow the blade only finds the shadows.

Then the Digimon comes hurtling out of the shadows of the stands moments later like a black and purple comet, form rolled up into a spinning darkness infused form!

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    Well, she's going to have to expect that, just about every time she goes in. Her opponent is pretty large and beefy, after all. It would stand to reason he's got some powerful abilities to back that up. Fiora is knocked off her feet again, thoug this time, she lands a bit roughly. Still up on her feet quickly, and with sword still in hand, she flicks some hair out of her face, and rolls her shoulders as she readopts her fighting stance.

"Quite the forceful one." Another charge, and another feint. There's a notable pause, this time, but it's only for a second. Where from, this time? Behind? Fiora's decided on a slightly risky, but perhaps more unpredictable angle. Above, like a raptor swooping down on its prey. Looking almost like she had vaulted to do so, she's twisted herself in the air, so that she's coming down sword first, her feet skyward. Gravity does the rest.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    "And he seems to hunker down and weather the barrage of blows, backing up. Is he retreating?" Kari watches for a beat. "No! He isn't! Gaonoir vanishes into a shadow. Where did he go?! Oh oh, here he comes from the stands, and BOOM! Fiora is knocked off her feet again!"
    Kari watches. "She's back up again and takes up a fighting pose. Forward she goes, a fake-out, and then out of the air she comes down sword first at Gaonoir! WHOOSH! Outta the sky like a bird!"

Gaonoir has posed:
    When she charges Gaonoir swings a paw at her, but the blow only slams the ground as she blips away with the feint. Still not entirely sure if she's teleporting or moving just too face to see, but it's the same effect either way. Fiora -is- proving to be fast enough in whichever regard that Gaonoir can't pin her back down easily with his sharp senses. Meaning he's got to rely more on his own strategy and fighter's instinct.

    The divebomb maneuver scores a hit, but shows just how risky it was to take because while it strikes the target she intended she hits from an angle that puts the majority of her foe's mass beneath her, negating most of the advantage she'd get from the descending speed as she hits directly into his bulk. It also, literally, puts her right on top of him.

    "I almost felt that!" Remember those scarves? I hope she did, because that's what makes up for him not being able to grab at her normally on his back as they whip around to grab at Fiora, and if successfully fling her off. Preferably into the ground!

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    Fiora huffs, as her attack isn't that successful. Still, she's in a good position to evade, kicking off her opponent's head, and vaulting her way back to create some reasonable distance. The scarf slices against her thigh, but it only draws a cut, and damages the leather outfit she's wearing, as well as breaking skin. "Hm. Likewise." The woman smirks a little, tossing her head back a bit, which frees the hair from her vision completely. Dashing, again, she kicks in some more speed. Just how fast /can/ she go? She's on a head on course, with her opponent, but any contact would reveal that to be naught but an afterimage.

The blow comes from behind, and as she dashes past, she ends up right where she started. Perhaps, like her opening attack.. but, the sheer level of speed and precision have increased dramatically.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    "The Dark Dog negates most of the divebomb, attempting to grab Fiora with his battle scarves, but the fencer avoids it by kicking off her opponent, getting only a scratch for Gaonoir's efforts! She charges in and wow! The blow comes from /behind/!" Kari says excitedly.

Gaonoir has posed:
    Note to self, he's got to try and face off with this woman when he's not held by the rules of compatition. Would be interesting to see how her speed holds up against MachGaogamon's.

    Right now, though, his bulk seems to be holding up.... Or maybe not so much, as this time Fiora hits with enough force from her momentum that it actually knocks him over sideways, rolling from the impact. "Hfff!" Another roll manages to get him back onto his paws and staring down his opponent once more. "Let's see if you can outrun -this-... DARK VORTEX!

    This time it is nothing like the howl blast, as instead Gaonoir does something more akin to a Big Bad Wolf impersonation, but rather than huffing and buffing it blasts a horizontal spiraling of dark energy at the swordswoman.

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    What's the expression? Fool me once? She knows some sort of ranged attack is coming, now, just from the stance her opponent is taking. "Oh, believe me.. I won't have to." The woman's level of focus is almost frightening, at this point. Naught a thing exists, to her, save herself and her opponent. 'In her element' would be an apt description. She lunges into Gaonoir's attack, but not for her attacker. She draws back, her body coiling up like a spring. And all that tension is released when she thrusts with her blade, her whole body moving in concert with the very tip of her sword. A few more cuts are visible, on her arms and legs, as she meets it.

But, for the most part? She meets it /perfectly/, and the energy of the attack? Sent straight back at Gaonoir, himself. Perhaps not in the same form. Just a sheer wave of kinetic energy, a wall of solid force.

"One step ahead!"

Her sword seems to glow, for a moment afterwards, returning to normal in the next.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    "Gaonoir is rocked by that solid surprise stab! He rolls to his feet and belts out a slash of darkness at Fiora! She dodges most of it, getting away with a few little cuts and scrapes! And then Fiora comes back in like a spring with her trusty blade and goes in for a telling blow!" Kari seems to be paying rapt attention by this point.

Gaonoir has posed:
    It was crazy enough in the fight that had beam-o-wars between cyclonic forces.

    When you get to a woman REFLECTING wind and shadows BACK at you, it's getting into the sort of insanity that only WMAT matchs can provide!

    It's mostly the sudden reversal that gets Gaonoir off his guard, but that's what makes the counter-attack the most effective, it is COMPLETELY out there from what he would of expected from her. And since it's only the equivilent force of the attack rather than the actual darkness, his tolerance for such things does nothing to prevent him being thrown violently aside from the blast. "Uuugh..." Takes a moment for him to actually get on his paws and shake the ringing out of his ears. "Okay, that was pretty clever."

    At this point they're fairly far away, so Gaonoir leans in and whips his scarves towards Fiora.... Which only snap past her to dig their clawed ends into the ground behind her. It's moments afterwards that the -real- attack comes as they yank the rest of the digimon towards her in some sort of grappler charge maneuver

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    He capitalizes on one thing, there. Fiora's a little vulnerable, after winding up a riposte like that. So, he crashes right into her, and she's sent tumbling back quite a ways, what with Newton's Laws being in full effects. Any way you put it, that was a solid hit. She's definitely rattled, as she gets to her feet, though she seems to still have some fight left in her.

"Haa.. Now /that/ was surprising.." She rolls her shoulders again, as she strides in at her opponent, again. Gaining speed, till she's again a blur. And then leaving afterimages in her wake, with each movement. Once she reaches Gaonair, it's hard to keep track of her, though grass is kicked up every time a foot touches the ground. Still, there's so much of it, it's hard to tell where she is, save for when she blinks into a brief pause in the motions of her attack. Or attacks, as the case may be, since the only other sound is her sword cutting through the air, as well. She turns, over and over, dashing in irregular angles, in front, behind, to the sides..

To describe it as a dance would be.. not at all incorrect.

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    Kari oooohs. "That looked painful, folks! Gaonoir got some of this own medicine with that last exchange!"
    "The Dark Dog uses his scarves like a whip and misses Fiora... Wait! There he goes! He used the scarves to launch himself at Fiora, launching her backwards! She gets to her feet, looking worse for wear. Fiora charges, kicking up grass and then Stab! Stab! And another Stab! From all the angles! I can't really see her here, so I'm guessing!"

Gaonoir has posed:
    The maneuver produces enough force that even when his own feet hit the ground again after the impact Gaonoir skids a bit before stopping completely and pulling the battle scarves free of the ground. "Guy's gotta adapt quick dealing with someone like you."

    So we know she's way too fast to just stop the attack. With that in mind Gaonoir just hunkers down in place again, intending to tank out the barrage once more. Though Fiora moves so quickly that she actually manages to lance a strike down his side before he can set his defenses, and leave a visible gouge in its wake. Though unlike the other digimon and their digital patterns what lies beneath the wounds is a viscious inkiness. Several smaller blows can be seen leaving their mark... Which is the only way to really tell she's hitting him since she can't be seen....


Until abruptly a blow hits his upper left leg, and that is when Gaonoir suddenly counters, snapping his jaws down on the woman's arm. Damn, looks like he was purposely taking the attacks to wait for her to wind down at the end and -then- strike back! A jerk of the head and shoulders aims to snap the duelist into the air, only to be quickly followed by what in motion looks like an uppercut with miasmic darkness gathering around his clenched paw. Gaonoir rears up as he does so and generates enough force that the punch connection would actually swing the woman over his head faster than she can deflect it and slam her down into the ground, releasing the building charge in an explosion of darkness in doing so.

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    Perhaps, a good thing that he bites down on the arm that's armored, as opposed to to the one that is not. Either way, he has a grip. But his jaws don't do the damage they might've, if they had caught her bared arm and shoulder. As she's tossed up, she sees what's heading her way, plain as day. It will, probably, in all likelyhood hurt quite a bit. But, she's not entirely out of tricks, just yet. Reaching behind her back, with her off-hand, she draws a parrying dagger.

Not so much a weapon outright, than it is a tool, for last ditch efforts, such as this. Using both the dagger and her sword.. not to mention the agility and finess she has, at moving her body in midair, she's able to at least redirect the blow, forcing it ever so slightly to miss its intended mark. Make no mistake, that certainly hurt.. but not the crushing blow her opponent would've liked it to be.

"All one can do, is try to outplay." She replies, fatigue evident in her voice. The blade of her sword glows again, and she lashes out with a single, deft lunge. Her aim true, hopefully this will be it.

Gaonoir has posed:
    It's possibly likely that despite the oppritunity Gaonoir purposely went for her armored arm. He may be a jerk, but he's at least one playing by the tournament's rules about keeping things competative. Or maybe because the armor was easier to hold onto for the throw. It's hard to tell, and considering the outcome of the last exchange, no one is really going to be able to ask.

    Missing the mark just slightly is just enough, as Gaonoir's fist slams into the ground and releases the shadow blast but the duelist lands well out of the radius thanks to her redirection. And then she's right back into the fray, bringing that grace and poise to a head before he's got time to readjust from the deflected attack fully. The blow sends him wheeling backwards, a vicious strike in its wake.

    Though Gaonoir does manage a toothy smile for a moment. "Heh.. no wonder you beat.. a previous champion..."

    And then falls right over on his back. Knock out!

Kari Wolf (276) has posed:
    "And he hunkers down again in the face of the bladed barrage! It looks like the end for him! Oh! He throws her into the air with a nasty bite to her armored arm and then pummels her in the air, ending with what a punch to the ground, but Fiora redirects the blow and goes in for what could be the final blow! Gaonoir is knocked backwards, he teeters, and he's down! Fiora wins! Fiora wins!" Kari says, shouting excitedly!

Fiora Laurent (824) has posed:
    Fiora stands, as she had done at the start of the fight, and brings her sword up in a salute.