3238/WMAT CF Samar vs Setsuko Kaminagi

WMAT CF Samar vs Setsuko Kaminagi
Date of Scene:	20 October 2015
Location:	WMAT Arena - Diablo Desert
Synopsis:	Samar and Setsuko square off the WMAT finals.
Cast of Characters:	192, 255, Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped), 494, Wo
Tinyplot:	WMAT 2015

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Samar (494) has posed:
    This is it. The finals. For all her boasting, Samar actually wasn't too certain she'd make it against several of those opponents. Against the odds, though, here she is.

    The queen of the sea could hardly be any further from her natural environment, though. Unlike her usual, she's standing right in front of her symbiote, arms folded over her chest and narrowed red eyes fixed on the horizon. The hulking second half of the Battleship-Symbiotic Princess looms behind her, their connecting black cable extending from its chest down to the metal brace around Samar's neck. It hisses, seethes, black ichor dripping from between its teeth and metal groaning with each mechanical breath.

    And Samar just waits, ready to face her final battle of the tournament, no matter how it ends.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
Mister Satan clears his throat. The mic he grips broadcasts a short burst of feedback an instant before his voice roars like a demon of hot air from the region's many speakers. "In only a few minutes, one of only TWO remaining WMAT championship battles will be conducted! From the heat of the Diablo Desert, I bring you a hot-blooded contest between would-be World Champion SAMAR and would-be World Champion SETSUKO KAMINAGI! What burns hotter -- the sun, or the PASSION blazing in the hearts of these two warriors?!"

The audience -- already in a frenzy -- manages to somehow get LOUDER in response to Mister Satan's introduction. Nearby vidscreens display focused images of both Samar and Setsuko as the two ladies arrive in their own unique ways. Mister Satan's voice continues, as The Champ himself -- dressed in a sharp tuxedo -- squeezes the microphone in a white-knuckled grasp. Blue eyes almost bulging out of his head, he shouts out: "This is a fight no one should miss!"

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    The entire tournament has been a test. A safe-space examination, of sorts, of how her newfound abilities stack up against other Elites. In previous years, despite having power in the domain of War, she had washed out of the A-bracket early, never more than a round or two in. And yet, with her newfound power, here she is, at the top of the C-bracket, among those she'd never have been able to face before. It's told her more than a bit about herself and the extent of her abilities.

    So for tonight, just for tonight, Setsuko Kaminagi goes into battle already satisfied. She has long since accomplished her purpose. Now she can simply partake of a duel for its own sake.

    The swordswoman can probably be sensed long before she arrives, for anyone with even the faintest supernatural affinity. She descends out of the sky in silence, coming to rest directly in Samar's line of sight. The sweltering heat of the desert isn't the most comfortable for her either, but other than the sweat already starting to form on her brow, the swordswoman doesn't show it - simply offers Samar a low, deep bow.

    "Setsuko Kaminagi. Last daughter of the Kaminagi clan, bearer of the divine blade Zanjintou. Kaminagi-ryu swordsmanship. A pleasure to formally meet you."

Wo has posed:
    In the midst of the diverse, multiversal crowd, that would brave even the unrelenting desert to satisfy their craving for action, for once other monsters of the deep would not stand out as much. That is, if they weren't making such a racket, but they at least have had the good taste to not load their guns. Instead a chorus of what might be cheers, if it weren't more like hisses, gurgles and buzzes, erupts from a rowdy section of the audience. Mostly humanoids, and slightly-less-than humanoids, with white skin and black armor, some of the Abyssal fleet have been granted shore leave to come watch the finale. Their bias is obvious, especially with a super deformed-style Samar face emblazoning a 'ABYSSAL HONOR' banner, but it seems they are geared up in general. A Ro-class destroyer chomps popcorn, as a Ta-class uses its back as a tray to rest her beer, and yells, "Yeah! Violence!" A more reserved Wo-class sits further behind them, hands seemingly not having much to do without her staff, as she fidgets. "...go - team," she mumbles, completely overwhelmed by the rest.

Vervi (192) has posed:
    "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" A tiny voice barks out through the announcement system. Floating into view on the same camera that displays Mister Satan, it's a tiny robot girl in high tech armor, resembling a skirt made out of thick tentacle-like arms and finger-like wings. Alighting on the Champ's shoulder, she dismisses her equipment, except for the microphone she holds, "Our favorite world champion Hercule Satan ain't announcin' this Final Round by himself! It's Yours Truely, Mary the Maryceles from Omestrada Entertainment, here to co-commentate!"

    Raising her free hand, she gestures, "In one corner we have a samurai war god and in the other we have the grand princess of battleships. I don't care WHO wins--" Leaning forward on her perch, the shinki's eyes flash red, matching her fang-toothed grin, "--SHOW ME SOME CARNAGE!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    Samar is never really one to get distracted by observers; her focus is entirely on Setsuko once the swordswoman descends into the arena. She watches, calculating and considering, until, at last, a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. Her head tilts up a little higher. Some gestures don't come naturally to her, it seems.

    "Samar, the Battleship-Symbiotic Princess and undisputed leader of the Abyssal Fleet. It's an honor to meet you on the battlefield at last."

    The ghostly pale woman takes a seat in the open palm of her symbiote, who effortlessly lifts her up onto its back. There she slips into her classic mermaid-like sprawl, propped up on her elbows as she observes Setsuko from her new perch. The symbiote snarls; Samar smirks. "It sounds like people would like us to get on with it. I don't think you'll have any objections, will you?"

    Whatever the response, Samar obviously isn't keen on waiting.

    The main shoulder cannons of her symbiote swivel down into place, locking on to Setsuko. Rather than firing an entire volley, however, Samar is more cautious: a single shell is sent flying over the desert with a powerful report, careening toward Setsuko and ready to burst on impact with the demigod. Just a test of reactions, to see exactly the kind of skill her opponent has first-hand.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
There is a notable open gap between the Abyssal gathering and the common Earthlings in attendance. It's almost as if the Abyssals have been quarantined for emitting some kind of contagious disease! Of course, there's not REALLY any disease -- right? No, no, it's just that -- well -- these poor humans just don't know how to comfortably mingle with horrors from the depths of the ocean hellbent on the destruction of mankind!

Mister Satan would probably be just as intimidated, himself, except that he's very far away from the Abyssals, and he's fixated on his job as a commentator. He shoots a sideways grin to his newly-arrived co-commentator, and tries to placate her bloodthirst. "Now, now, Mary! The tournament is a celebration of more than mere carnage! Remember, these two have plenty of skill to showcase as well as courage and endurance! But...hmm...no doubt things will get dangerous with the likes of Samar in the arena. I hope Setsuko's prepared for a brutal fight!" Chin-scratch.

"AH! Samar's making the first move! Greetings are barely exchanged before the fighting begins!"

Vervi (192) has posed:
    Leaning back, Mary shrugs with her eyes closed, "Yeah I know! Skill, technique, willpower, and FEROCITY-- but at the end of the day all of those result in a beatdown." Eyes opening again, she leans forward once more to sweep a glance over the audience, gesturing with one hand, "An' these great folks are here today to watch these two smash the jelly outta each other 'til one stops getting up!" Eyes wandering to the ring, she grins, "You can do it fancy, strategic, or just headbutt your obstacles 'til they fall down-- but it's all for the same prize!"

    "Ah!" Jumping in place, Mary leans forward moreso, "Samar's taken the initiative all right, with those big guns on her kit! It's not surprisin', battleships like her are known for their range, but how's that gonna play out against a samurai warrior? Even with shinki the advantage comes down to skill!"

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    There is a soft whisper of steel, the blade of Zanjintou drawn. Setsuko's face becomes calm, her eyes intensely focused; respect between warriors, respect between /soldiers/, is all she could ask for from this final match, and she has it. "None whatsoever," she replies simply, bringing her blade up into a calm ready stance.

    There is no real surprise to the moment, no sudden attack that catches Setsuko offguard. She is fully ready for the shell, and still it proves so fast and well-aimed that all the silver-haired woman can do is shift herself to the side and reflexively parry. The resulting explosion catches her along the side rather than head-on, scorching her arm, and tearing holes in the left leg of her pants, but it's a simple opening shot, and not enough to put her down.

    Just as quickly as Setsuko reacts to the attack, however, she's already launching one of her own. By now the WMAT fans have seen it plenty of times, the demigod bringing her blade down and unleashing an arc of blue light that whips across the desert - a 'slash' of energy that cuts just as sharply as Zanjintou itself. And right behind it comes Setsuko herself, charging in at freeway speeds with her weapon ready, either to strike or defend. Aggressively closing the distance against a ranged opponent has always been one of her core strategies.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
Mister Satan, like Mary, is caught up in the unfolding action. He might not be so hungry for blood as his little co-commentator, but he knows a high-class fight when he sees one, and he can't help getting all hot under the collar. His heart pounds! Sweat beads on his skin! His voice rises into another shout --

"It doesn't look as if Setsuko's challenged by the presence of firearms! Rather than evade the coming mortar, she decides to draw her sword -- the mighty ZANJINTOU -- and slap the attack aside in a parry! But I think that may have cost her some, don't you?! She comes out of the blast literally SMOKING! Ah -- but there! A cutting arc of blue energy sweeps out from her sword! And she's charging into melee range!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    Samar faces a danger that she's dealt with multiple times in this tournament: her opponents are much faster than she is. The symbiote can tank damage very well, it's true, but when it comes to people who can dish out as much as she can...it becomes much more of a risk.

    This time, though, Samar has enough of a warning to move. That blade of energy slashes across the arena, and the symbiote lurches aside, ducking and moving with little to no grace, but enough skill to suffer little more than a slash along its pale bicep. Not a drop of blood comes from the cut, but it's clearly /there/. Better not get hit by one of /those/ directly.

    Just as the beast lumbers into balance, though, Setsuko's coming in to close the distance. Samar gives a sharp cry, and as if on cue, the guns along the symbiote's torso flare to life.

    They may not be very strong, but the array of smaller cannons and anti-air batteries along the cyborg beast can certainly be troublesome. Blast after blast is fired to slow Setsuko down, anti-air shots bursting around her and smaller cannons aimed right for the demigod herself!

Vervi (192) has posed:
    Mary glances towards Mister Satan's face, "Lots of tournament fights in the Battle Rondo have taught me that trying to parry explosive rounds is really risky," Eyes close and she shrugs, "An' that looked like it might not have paid off this time." Glancing back down, she grins, "Like it's slowin' her down though! Hell yeah! Get in there an' show us what that sword can really do!" Bouncing in place, Mary thrusts out her fists like a boxer, "Though Samar's not gonna make it easy! Her kit's got all kinds of little guns on it too, look at 'em pop off! How many guns does she have on this thing, again?"

Wo has posed:
    A chorus of noise, that sounds like a small army getting amped up, erupts from the Abyssal fleet's section of the audience as blows get traded. A Chi-class torpedo cruiser, wearing a commemorative WMAT bandana over her normal armored mask, blows into an honest-to-goodness vuvuzela, to add even more disruptive party atmosphere. One of the destroyers makes a morse code beep sound for a moment, and some of the humanoid phantom ships there hesitate in theri cheering for just a moment. The Ta-class from before, obviously already hammered, stands up on that same destroyer and yells out, "WE'RE ****IN' SHIPS!" A few of the nearby male audience members gape, both at the exclamation and the - spectacle - before modestly trying to return to the action. After the moment is over, the cheering returns to normal, thankfully for everyone.

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    Superhuman reflexes keep Zanjintou's blade whipping left and right, parrying the smaller shots out of the air, but there's nothing she can do about explosions going off around her. A burn here, a gash there, blood running down her right arm in a thin streamer of red, it's to be expected for such a bold charge against an enemy with ranged advantage over her. All she can do is bank on her natural toughness and regeneration to keep her on her feet through the short time needed to close the gap.

    And she emerges from the smoke of the explosions in a single, fierce leap, throwing herself forward and dropping into a roll intended to briefly undercut the range of Samar's cannons. Those present a pretty serious threat to her, so without a doubt they're the first thing on Setsuko's list. Already her hands are both on Zanjintou's grip, and as she rises up out of the roll, she turns the forward and upward momentum into a forward and upward slash, aimed at the biggest cannon she can hit.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
Mister Satan's head gets out of the clouds once the dust in the arena starts to clear. "Aha, I think I can see something out there again! After Samar's bombardment stirs up quite a dust storm, but if I'm not mistaken, that's Zanjintou cutting through the bullet storm! The sword moves so fast, it's like a blur!"

"Perhaps it's the swinging of that sword, but the sands are being pushed back by a mighty wind! Setsuko's revealed -- and she's rolling forward to strike back at the very cannons that pinned her down!!"

Vervi (192) has posed:
    "My file just says 'lots', so..." Mary flicks through some blue displays projected from her forearm, then dismisses them with a shrug, "Like I know anything about boats! All I know is that they're awesome!" Her casual dismissal is thrown off by a shout from the audience, and she glowers crimson daggers at the noisome Ta-class for a second before recovering herself.

    One hand raising, her face lifting and eyes closed, she comments, "The MMS Type Tentacles was designed based on stories about old gods! You'll find similar design features in the MMS Custom Type Crawling Chaos." She ignores the banner that pops up on her feed, reading 'ON SALE NOW', "I'm not nautical at all, talk to Ia about that stuff."

    Snapping back to the action, she leans forward again, "Looks like she's goin' for a disarm! Samar's got a lot of hardware, but even knocking out a few of those guns might make things easier for Setsuko in her preferred fightin' range." Gesturing with a wink, she adds, "And for samurai, 'disarm' is a bit more literal than you'd expect, which works out just fine for me! I wanna see what color a ship's blood is!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    Such skill! Not once has Samar had her shots parried out of the air before, and it shows in the grimace on her face. Most of her opponents have been more focused on range thus far; even Fate, who kept trying to target Samar herself, attacked from a distance for much of their battle.

    This is a whole new challenge.

    The symbiote is too slow to avoid that motion. It twists aside, but the damage is dealt: two of the main cannons on its left shoulder are sliced clean in half, rendering them much too dangerous to use properly. Samar curses under her breath, but she's far from powerless yet.

    Samar's furious shout of battle is paired with the lift of the symbiote's arm, its massive hand coming up to where Setsuko has become briefly airborne. Like a child swatting away a fly, that giant hand swings down and across to /smack/ Setsuko down to the ground again. While the beast may be slow, there's no doubt that its raw strength packs as much force as those cannons!

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
Mister Satan, WORLD CHAMPION, cups his ear toward the stands. "The Abyssals in the crowd really approved of Samar's bombardment, but I think I just heard a collective gasp from their section in the stands -- Setsuko's retaliation lands fair and square, and Samar's cannons are -- TWO of them are cut right in half! Split in half like a wheel of cheese! A very deadly wheel of cheese!"

"Now, Samar brings her own brand of fisticuffs into the fray! Setsuko's getting an introduction to Samar's giant FIST! That's a hardcore slap if I've ever seen one!"

And Mister Satan has received his fair share of slaps. If anyone here is an expert on slaps, it's him.

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    In her own way, Setsuko is treading new territory as well; her opponents have all been of more or less human scale, and while one of them relied on heavy firepower, she was not quite so visibly, heavily beweaponed. It's more like fighting a living, moving fortress. And she's not prepared for what that fortress is capable of; nowhere is this more clear than when the symbiote reaches up and slaps her downward. She's not nearly ready, only just managing to get her arms in front of herself and eat some of the force from that blow. Her impact against the desert floor kicks up more dust, digging a small crater, and when she comes up out of it, she's visibly more battered, now bleeding from somewhere in her hairline as well.

    But immediately, she's up and over, using her flight capability briefly to take a quick arc right over Samar and land behind the battleship. In the brief moment she has, the demigod whips her blade into motion again, taking a rapid-fire series of cuts at anything she can reach while she has that brief opening.

Vervi (192) has posed:
Mary slouches, "Aw, that's just the guns!" Gesturing with her hands, she flails them in front of her, "Setsuko missed out on the 'dis-arm' wordplay totally!" She then folds her own arms, visibly pouting, "How disappointing... I'll just have to wait--"

    At the noise in the ring, though, the shinki perks up, "Though it's not every day you see a battleship punch a samurai, huh?" Sidelong glancing, she speaks up, "Say, Mister Satan, you're a martial artist. Got any tips for her technique?"

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
A brilliant GLEAM dances in the Champ's baby blues as Setsuko puts on a stunning display of swordsmanship! "What skill! What finesse! What passion! Setsuko's blade DANCES in her hand, and strikes again and again at Samar's hull! One, two, three slashes -- it's beautiful, isn't it, Mary?! The tournament is truly honored to have such a warrior competing for its grandest title!"

Then, he goes all sharp-minded and analytical. He looks down, and a shadow falls across his face, obscuring his closed eyes in a solid black swatch. His voice almost growls as he answers Mary's question! His fist, once jabbing, now coils up tighter, so tight that a vein pulses across the back of his hand! His knuckles almost glow they're so white with raging admiration! "I couldn't hope to critique such an exquisite display, but if I was going to offer any advice, it would be THIS!" His head snaps up. His afro ruffles in the desert wind. His white cape flares! "NEVER GIVE UP! Press every advantage you get! It's time to give it your very best, no matter what your combative style, for the CHAMPIONSHIP IS ON THE LINE!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    "Do you ever-" Samar's hiss through her teeth is cut off as she suddenly has to deal with Setsuko's quick retaliation. Slash, slash, slash - right for the back of the symbiote, and dangerously close to Samar herself. The blade cleaves into black metal, carving into it like the hull of a ship and sending oil and smoke leaking from the damage. The symbiote is too slow to turn around quickly; it's up to Samar to do something this time.

    "-slow /down/?!" She snaps her sentence to a finish just as she kicks off the symbiote's back, her foot leading to dig a flat heel into Setsuko's throat and try to get the swordsman down for another moment. She may not have quite the strength of her symbiote, but Samar herself is nothing to scoff at: the next /stomp/ of her other leg into Setsuko's chest to kick back off and onto the symbiote's back is remarkably powerful as well, but it's really just an effort to slow down the demigod for a few seconds.

    Enough seconds for the symbiote to lurch around and slam its hard elbow down onto Setsuko just after Samar leaps free from that second kick.

Vervi (192) has posed:
    "The only thing prettier to me," Mary states with a shrug to Mister Satan's question, "Is the gleam of fresh-spilled jelly as it flies through the air after a fresh cleave. Oil or blood work, too!" A critical eye opens, examining the fight on several feeds as well as the real deal below, "Setsuko's already shown me what color her internal juice is, but no matter how much damage Samar's taking she refuses to show me what color her innards are!"

    The other eye opens and she focuses more, from diferent angles, "It's lookin' like while Setsuko is going right for the chick controlling that huge rigging, Samar's not an easy target--" Bringing up her fists, she suddenly cheers, "--YEAH, ASSKICKING!"

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    A blow to the throat, accurate and powerful, is enough to cause even Setsuko trouble, and the choked noise she makes confirms just how solidly Samar's foot has hit the demigod. The second hit catches her in the sternum, a much harder target, but it's still going to leave the swordswoman stinging, and between that and the coughing, sputtering noise she's making, it looks as if she's a complete sitting duck for the elbow - only for both her hands to come up at the last second, every part of her body absorbing all that force, drawing a pained growl out of Setsuko as her muscles and bones strain... but she manages to hold, only just. Zanjintou drops down, landing with the flat of its blade across her right foot.

    And with her arms quivering, her voice slightly raspy, Setsuko finally responds to Samar's question with one of her own, one the Abyssal should know better than anyone. "What happens... to a soldier, who slows down on the battlefield...?"

    A few things happen at once. Setsuko shoves to one side, pushing the Symbiote's elbow to her right and letting all that force come down beside her, which has the effect of shoving her to her left, clean off her feet. She kicks her right leg upward, putting Zanjintou up in the air where she can catch it-

    There is a snap-CLACK, a rush of air, a brief glimmer of blue, a very large blur of steely grey, as Setsuko turns in the air and brings her entire body around-

    -and by the time Setsuko's boots hit the desert sand again, Zanjintou has taken its full size, and the massive blade is just finishing the horizontal slash the demigod's spin created.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
The sound of Zanjintou striking like a bolt of thunder nearly drowns out Mister Satan's "OOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" of mingled anguish, awe, horror, and amazement! It's the very same sound being torn from every throat in the audience! "SETSUKO DELIVERS AN UTTERLY STUNNING HIT AS ZANJINTOU -- HER UNSTOPPABLE BLADE -- UNFOLDS TO REVEAL ITS FULL LENGTH AND DEVASTATING POWER!! The entire arena TREMBLES as shock grips the audience! Surely that blow was felt all the way back in whatever ocean Samar emerged from!!"

Wo has posed:
    Some of the carnival atmosphere fades from the Abyssal cheering section, though not quite all yet. It's not so much that their leader, Samar, looks like she might be taking a completely devestating strike. Undead spirits of sunken ships or not, they enjoy a good show as much as anyone. Instead, it seems like it's more of a protracted 'oooOOooohh' moment from the majority of them. The Wo-class carrier in attendance continues sitting passively during this, though her eyebrows, the most expressive part of her, knit inward. Certainly, she had seen some of the Elites of the multiverse first hand, but to think there could be one this evenly matched -- or perhaps, even superior -- to their leader. The Ta-class from before knocks on the carrier's enormous hat, causing it to ring with a metallic clanking, as the hat's tentacles twitch as though surprised, before she leans down, "Don't hear you cheering much, Wo. You need to go to the little destroyer's room or something?" "...no. Just watch-ing." "Alright." Then the bikini-bottomed woman bellows out again, "GIVE AS GOOD AS YOU GET!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    Samar's expression is not a happy one. This swordswoman - this warrior - exhibits strength on par with the Princess' own symbiote, and far more speed at the same time. This is going to push Samar to her limits, she can tell.

    The symbiote strains to recover as it's shoved aside, and that sword swings around. Samar is pushing to prepare, but in a few jarring moments, she realizes the sword coming straight for /her/ has suddenly grown to proportions that even the symbiote would struggle with.

    Red eyes widen, and she ducks-

    A massive white arm comes up just in time, suffering the cleave of the Zanjintou all the way to the bone of its forearm. Not a single drop of blood comes from the wound, but all the same, the symbiote gives a mechanical /howl/ of agony like a twisted foghorn.

    A howl echoed by Samar's pained and furious yell.

    Samar casts her own arm aside, a motion that the symbiote mirrors to either wrench the sword out of Setsuko's grip or yank it out of its bicep. At the same time, the Battleship-Symbiotic Princess...begins to grow. Samar's growth is much slower than that of the symbiote, but still they rise into the air, taking up more and more of the battlefield and casting a towering shadow over Setsuko. At last, powerful hands slam into the ground, kicking up dust and shaking the earth all the way to the stands; the symbiote's mouth opens for a bellow that makes the earth shudder. With Leviathan Mode activated, the creature is now easily hundreds of feet tall, much like an actual battleship, and Samar, while smaller, has become a giantess in her own right.

    The next time the beast's hand comes up, it's to curl into a fist and slam down on Setsuko's head like a meteor from the heavens.

    That should even things out again.

Vervi (192) has posed:
    With Zanjintou flaring out to full size, Mary leans forward, eyes sparkling, "I'm a big fan of big swords! Every time Setsuko's unveiled this, it's resulted in Big Damage--" She winces at the hit and resulting howling, "and she's hacked a huge wound into Samar's rigging! She felt THAT, for sure, and now-- WHOA."

    With the rumble of Leviathan putting its pressure on the Diablo Desert, Mary re-manifests her armor from the Slipway so she can float, and avoid any shaking. She shifts her mic to one of her tentacle arms, then leans forward again, "The battleship princess just became a giant, and her gear, too! It's not against the /rules/ but this surprising! Setsuko's gotta be careful or she'll get smashed like a bug!"

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    As soon as Samar starts to grow, Setsuko backs off. Despite the natural aggression of her fighting style, she's not foolish, and there are times when caution is prudent; times like 'her opponent growing to gargantuan size'. She wrenches Zanjintou's twelve-meter length free and hurls herself out of the way, just in time to feel a roar that shakes her to her very bones... and a fist that nearly shatters them. The demigod manages to get out from under the fist directly, but just being /clipped/ by it is enough to smash her off to one side as if she's been hit by a semi, sending her tumbling across the ground so hard that her grip on her massive blade is, for once, completely broken.

    She comes to her feet, dirty and bleeding and bruised in several spots, but despite what must be cracked ribs and what is /definitely/ a great deal more injury, she lunges into a full-speed run without skipping a beat. Pushing her body hard, even with her regeneration. As she passes by Zanjintou, she reaches down and hefts it up again, and then launches herself straight up into the air, a leap that becomes true flight, soaring up until she can look Samar straight in the eyes. And with her massive sword held over her shoulder, the demigod roars, "ZANJINTOU!"

    And then begins to spin.

    "DAI!" Faster and faster, the blade transforming as she spins, far more aerodynamic. "SHAAA!" Picking up speed, a blur of steel, and then for just a moment Setsuko's clear blue eyes can be seen- "RIIIIIIN!!" And then she throws, transferring all that rotation into the weapon itself as it launches like a projectile, becoming an immense, impossibly sharp boomerang that whips through the air towards Samar herself. Immediately, Setsuko herself follows after, darting through the air straight towards the Battleship Princess on a separate course from her weapon.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
"I didn't know she could get so -- " Gulp. " -- BIG!"

The shadow Samar casts over the battlefield rivals even the region's giant mushrooms. It leaves Mister Satan feeling kind of...small! Small, and more than a little powerless. Of course, it wouldn't do for anyone to SEE him chattering in fear, so he swallows back the reaction, picks up his handsome cleft chin, and resumes his commentary through a BEAMING smile that no one could tell was forced!

"The transformed PRINCESS SAMAR delivers a terrible blow in return! Her fist sends Setsuko scrambling across the battlefield in a graceless sprawl! Bones cracking, blood pouring from more that one scrape, Setsuko's slow to gather herself after that one! Is she reeling enough to surrender, though?!" He LAUGHS. "HAHAHA! NO! Setsuko Kaminagi, surrender?! Not with the championship on the line! What did I tell you!"

"Setsuko swirls into a spinning counterattack! Zanjintou is a steely blur once again! Samar's not going to be easy to cut down, but if Setsuko hits..."

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
The Champ lowers his voice to a dramatic pitch. "...it could be enough to bring the giantess to her knees!"

Vervi (192) has posed:
    "What, that make you nervous?" Mary leans towards Mister Satan, "You humans have it easy, most foes you fight are as big as you, but for a shinki, everyone is bigger than you already!" Leaning back, she shades her eyes with a tentacle armature, "Though that /is/ pretty damn big! Every time she touches the ground it's registering on Seismographs for miles!"

    With a laugh, though, Mary comments, "'course, Setsuko's a tough old bird. She's probably enough shinki fight that I can't help but wonder if she'll use some of the tactics we've seen shinki using against human opponents in the other brackets-- Like going for the face!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    The symbiote leans a little heavily on that damaged arm, but it seems its anger and Samar's drive are more than enough to keep it going right now. Red steam pours from its mouth as if it were a metal dragon; it lurches toward Setsuko, clearly eager to take advantage of her recovery.

    But not quite quick enough.

    Setsuko leaps, far, far off the ground, all the way up to where Samar lies on the back of her symbiote. The symbiote's main cannons swivel up to track the swordswoman, but Samar knows better; whatever Setsuko is preparing, she's going to have to deal with it on her own.

    Red eyes narrow to blazing slits. Teeth are bared in a vicious snarl. Samar braces, ready to react...and the moment that sword goes flying, she twists.

    It's not enough to avoid the massive, swift blade entirely, but it's better than nothing. The sword slices into her side, cutting through her black dress and straight through white flesh all the way to the other side; like her symbiote, there's no blood, but the ghostly woman still grits her teeth in clear pain. She can't lose her focus, though.

    Setsuko's speeding toward her, and while Samar looks like she's still recoiling from that blow, she knows better than to let pain bring down her guard against an opponent like this.

    The moment the time seems right, Samar's hand suddenly lashes right out at Setsuko. The giant Abyssal's fingers close around Setsuko to briefly crush her, and with a vicious, vindictive snarl, throw the swordswoman aside to the desert floor again.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
Mister Satan LAUGHS in the face of Mary's accusations! No matter how accurate they might be, the Champ is great at disproving anyone's doubts! "I'm not NERVOUS! Don't be ridiculous -- I am merely in awe of her power! Her raw strength! As anyone would be! Samar's incredible to behold -- even recoiling from the devastating issued by the sharp edge of ZANJINTOU! Samar's body is SLASHED by Setsuko's weapon, and the Princess REELS -- but, much like her stalwart foe, Samar doesn't crumble! She doesn't FALTER! Instead, she musters herself and her willpower! Can you SEE the determination boiling off her body like STEAM?!"

His fist clenches, and Mister Satan punches forward again to emphasize his next words. "SAMAR! TRIES! TO! CRUSH! SETSUKO! IN! HER! GRASP!"

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    Setsuko tries to bank and evade the grab, but there's no way she's getting out of it. A fist bigger than her body wraps around the swordswoman, and crushing force squeezes down around her from every direction - the Symbiote can feel a shockingly immense strength pushing back, but even a human that can lift ten tons over her head is not going to be a match for such a powerful grasp, and by the time it tosses her downward, the demigod is rather the worse for it. But even with all that force, the swordswoman is able to pull herself from an uncontrolled ballistic trajectory into a long, wide swoop, coming right back up into the air and reaching up above her head-

    Just in time to grab the handle of the Zanjintou, both sword and swordswoman having taken separate flight paths to end up right back where they started.

    Rather than close in again, however, Setsuko launches sideways in the air, taking a circular path around Samar that slowly begins to close in. And the divine blade in her hand returns to its smaller katana form, such that rather than unleashing massive up-close attacks, she can begin slashing at the air, over and over, unloading a veritable torrent of 'divine cutter' projectiles.

Vervi (192) has posed:
    "I think that's just regular steam, she's pretty pissed!" Mary comments, gesturing with her eyes closed. Refocusing on the match, she calls up several different cameras on her holographic displays, wincing at the impact she sees, "Setsuko is snatched and then thrown-- and that looked pretty painful even for me! Rather than closin' in, looks like Setsuko is opting to stay at range by slicing up a storm of slash arcs. Will Samar's armor stand up to this?" Thrusting her arms to either side, Mary leans dangerously close to her own camera feed, "COME ON, I WANNA SEE SOME /WRECKAGE/!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    Setsuko simply recovers too quickly; Samar is trying to get her symbiote oriented by the time Setsuko already has a hold of Zanjintou. The beast howls again, the depths of its throat glowing with a baleful light, black ichor and red steam pouring from between its teeth-

    Setsuko darts aside yet again, and Samar, still clutching the ghostly wound in her side, turns to keep her eyes fixed on her opponent. Guns are already swiveling into aim, and the symbiote is lumbering to face the swordswoman, but Samar already knows it's not going to be enough.

    At least the Princess is quicker than her mount.

    The first slash cleaves into her shoulder, but Samar is ready for the others. She twists, ducks, weaves where she can; some still graze along her body and cut into her form, but she manages to keep from being sliced to bits against the onslaught. The Abyssal just has to endure while her symbiote positions itself, energy rising to a peak in its open maw and rattling its metal frame as it struggles to contain the building power.

    All at once, it's released. Samar slams her fist down on the symbiote's back and lets out a scream of absolute fury. At the same time, the gigantic creature launches forth a swirling beam of crimson energy straight for Setsuko: rage, sorrow, fear; the emotions that give Abyssals their life and their power, all condensed into a blazing show of bloody light that scorches oceans and melts metal. The stream blasts toward the demigod - and onward, over the heads of the audience and to the distant sky.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
"Incredibly, Setsuko seems to have survived the crushing forces found in Samar's squeezing grip!" Mister Satan gawps in surprise. He looks briefly to Mary to gauge her reaction, then continues:

"I think wreckage is in the books for sure! Listen as those blasts cut into Samar time and time again -- I think I hear pain on the wind! Even though Samar doesn't bleed, her agony is reflected on her face and in her form. I feel true sympathy for her, and true admiration for the way she sustains these attacks!"

"And now, in response --..." He's briefly overwhelmed by Samar's shriek of fury! "SAMAR LETS LOOSE A TORRENT OF CRIMSON ENERGY THAT THREATENS TO CONSUME SETSUKO WHOLE! My heart nearly breaks for the despair and rage in Samar's voice!"

Wo has posed:
    The light show extends into the audience, for a moment. Specifically, the Abyssal section, where perhaps in resonance with Samar to a degree, a few of the less-aware ghostly ships begin to develop luminous red auras around their bodies, as their howls and buzzes increase in frequency and fervor. Maybe...that is a kind of cheering, anyway? The ship-people that were already quite developed don't seem to be as affected, including the Ta-class, that covers her ears as one might when a jet is taking off, dropping a fresh can of engine oil she had been sipping in the process, and sending it spilling over one of the harmonizing I-class destroyers. "Augh, I can't even hear myself think!" After a beat, "IT'S GREAT."

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    Setsuko tries to prepare herself. Something big is coming, and she's got to dodge, got to cover herself, got to do something- but there's no time, not even to return Zanjintou to its full size. All she can do is protect her face, bring her arms up to cover herself and-

    Pain. Every sense Setsuko has screams. Her relatively tiny form is engulfed in mid-air, completely obscured by crimson power. About the time the blast ends, the demigod is dropping out the bottom of it, her whole body smoking, battered. Burnt and bleeding, she falls and falls and crashes through one of the peculiar natural plantlike structures that dot the landscape, kicking up a plume of dust. For several seconds there is nothing. There is total silence from the battlefield. And then there is a single, calm, soft voice. "...I see. So that's what you are."

    The dust separates as Setsuko strides out, a bright blue energy flowing around her. Far from the blazing, fiery auras that this world knows so well, the demigod looks more as if she is wrapped in a stormcloud, silent and billowing. Her body is near its limit, but her eyes remain clear, staring straight up at Samar. "You are that which is left in the wake of my blade, and I am that which gives rise to your grief... it's almost fitting, isn't it?"

    She brings Zanjintou up, and the entire aura disappears. Winks out of existence, as with a snap, Zanjintou practically explodes out to its full size. "For any other opponent this technique would not have been within the rules. It is a powerful, killing blow. But against an opponet like you, nothing less will be enough to win, will it?" A breath is let out. "Very well. I'll show you my final technique."

    The ground around her erupts. Setsuko suddenly launches into the air like a missile, twin streamers of blue light erupting from her back like something between thruster jets and divine wings. Incredible acceleration, enough to strain a body utterly in shambles, but she doesn't care. "HOWL, ZANJINTOU! WITH THE VERY MIGHT OF THE SKIES THEMSELVES...!" Higher, higher, up the swordswoman goes, rising into the sky, up to the sparse clouds overhead, even beyond. Reaching the height of her jump, pausing. And then falling.

    "HaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAA/AAAAAA!!/"

    Down she comes, faster and faster, not just falling, /flying/ downward. More and more speed, becoming a meteor, a missile, a projectile descending straight towards the massive form of Samar with her impossibly large blade high overhead. A descent so fast that only her perfect reflexes can swing the blade in time, only her incredible durability keeps her arms from tearing free at any point during the swing. A strike only possible with the power of a demigod.

    "CHEEEESUTOOOOOAAAAAAH!!"

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
Mister Satan gapes at the clearing dust clouds. A dim silhouette struggles to rise amid the churning, sand-strewn air. His voice is hushed, for once. "Is that...is that Setsuko standing up? Impossible!" He draws in a gasp. "How can she even -- I don't -- can she even -- !? SETSUKO IS ON HER FEET!"

The audience grows very still in the next moments. Setsuko takes flight a final time. Her sword cleaves the heavens! She is magnificent! Mister Satan exults in what turns out to be the final blow! "SETSUKO REVEALS THE LIMITS OF HER POWER! Like a hurricane, she crashes against Samar, and dashes the Leviathan Princess against rocky shores! Samar wobbles -- Samar looks lost! The mighty CHESUTO has done it! Could it be we have a new World Champion?!"

Samar (494) has posed:
    The beam finally narrows down into nothing, just as Samar's scream fades into heavy, labored breathing. She pants, red eyes staring down at the spot where Setsuko's fallen. The symbiote hunches like a building whose supports are giving way, with the same sort of mechanical groan as steam and oil pour from its maw. For a second, Samar is certain of her victory...

    ...and another second later, that certainty is dashed. "...how..."

    A brilliant blue storm in contrast to the hellish crimson a moment before, Setsuko makes her presence clear. And Samar glares down at the demigod with a burning stare of confusion and /fury/. The Princess refuses to be denied victory: not here, not so close to taking hold of it. Her opponent is incredible, yes, but she is /more/ so. She is the leader of the Abyssal Fleet, the orchestrator of mankind's destruction, an unrivaled queen of the ocean's depths! She /can't/ fail now!

    Words, however, have failed her. The symbiote bellows, and Samar /roars/. The mechanical beast reaches up as if to grab the descending Setsuko, its foghorn-like cry battling against the demigod's kiai-

    A flash passes through the symbiote, and Samar's expression shifts to wide-eyed shock. It's a silent few seconds, jarringly so compared to the earlier fury.

    And then, with a tremendous snapping and groaning of severed metal like a great ship capsizing, the symbiote's arm drops and its two halves careen down to the earth. The impact sends a storm of sand rolling over the desert - and no doubt the stands as well - which shields the view of Samar herself collapsing onto the ground with an earth-shaking crash of her own.

    By the time the dust settles, Samar is unconscious, lying next to the massive form of her symbiote leaking oil and billowing smoke. Not dead - or at least whatever passes for death for Abyssals - but certainly defeated.

Mister Satan (TP) (Dropped) has posed:
Mister Satan keeps his feet even though he feels like he'd like to rock back into his chair. "Ladies and gentlemen -- please, tolerate another interruption -- the Bracket C World Championship of the World Martial Arts Tournament has been decided! Please, extend your congratulations to SETSUKO KAMINAGI!! Her defeat of SAMAR leaves Samar holding the tournament's desirable second place title! As the Diablo Desert grows calm again, let's hear your applause for SETSUKO and SAMAR! Congratulations, World Champion Setsuko Kaminagi!"

The medical crew along the sidelines already starts to get busy as a victorious fanfare starts to play from the speakers. "I'd like to thank my co-commentator, MARY, for joining me in trying to describe the action that's unfolded here tonight! You were wonderful, Mary! And you were wonderful yourself, Setsuko Kaminagi! World Champion! HAH! That'll be great to see in the Hall of Fame! From Bracket A wash-out to Bracket C champ -- who'd have guessed?"

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    Setsuko's boots are firmly planted on the desert floor. Her blade is so far into it as to be covered entirely. Her body is hunched over, stopped in the followthrough position, shoulders heaving with the monumental effort. Her regeneration is working at its limit just to keep her conscious. She takes a long, deep breath, and there is a snap and a soft rush of air as Zanjintou returns to its katana form one last time. Back in its sheath it goes, as she stands up...

    ...and very nearly falls over.

    Stumbling, having a difficult time just holding her balance, Setsuko walks over, amidst the wreckage of the Symbiote, until she stands before Samar's unconscious form. The medical crew approaching for her receives a brief wave-off, and a simple declaration of, "I'm a regenerator. This once, I will accept no medical care." Then, she looks at Samar briefly...

    ...before stepping to one side, drawing Zanjintou, and with a flourish, bringing it up vertically in front of her face, a warrior's salute. Here she will remain, on guard, until the Abyssal 'medical crew' arrives to take Samar home.

Wo has posed:
    With things all but settled, the crowds celebrate, but then it's time to get home and beat the other warp gate rush hour traffic from other WMAT events underway. Souvenir keepsakes are bought, some last minute photographs are taken, multiversal celebrities that had been in attendance give their thoughts in interviews. The Abyssals are no exception, after some time, but they sit as a group a little bit longer than those with nothing personally invested in this battle, other than this year's rooting interest. It's not quite that they're stunned, but it takes a few moments to soak in that their joyride could be over so quickly.

    Count on that Ta-class to break the ice, though. After a few moments, she sits upright from where she had passed out from drunkeness, a few moments before, actually missing the very climax. "Huh, what happened?" It only takes a moment for her vision to stop being blurry enough to see, and then understand, "Oh. She lost, huh. Bummer. But what are you guys being so gloomy about? This should be a night of celebration!" With the pep talk, the others manage another round of cheering buzzing and hissing, both for Samar, and strangely, the one that was finally able to best her. "That's more like it! ...ugh..hrk.." She wobbles again, collapsing shamelessly into the Wo-class carrier's stoic arms, "You're gonna have to tow me back. This oil was spiked." "--shame-ful."

    Wirelessly, the Abyssal's clean up crew receives their orders, as well, once the area begins to empty. Samar and her symbiote, or what's left of either, are attended to by some suspicious 'physicians', at best. Don't worry, they're with her. A Wa-class, a bloated creature with a humanoid torso bolted to a globular, metal shell, hovers up to the princess' remnants. Once there, a hatch opens, and her body seems to grow to accomodate the both of them, as other Abyssals that had somehow been riding inside come out to assist. After a while, all that is left is some wet sand, as the 'Wahmbulance' - her cargo capsule hastily stencil painted with red crosses, makes for the contestant exits.