WMAT B2 Ryuko Matoi vs. ZN-MALPRG

WMAT B2 Ryuko Matoi vs. ZN-MALPRG
Date of Scene:	09 July 2014
Location:	WMAT Arena - Spinach Wastes
Synopsis:	Round 2, Bracket B Ryuko Matoi VS. ZN-MALPRG
Thanks to:	To Beercat Goldentail, for spoofing some commentary, and to ZN-MALPRG, for being a great sport.
Cast of Characters:	140, 294, 351
Tinyplot:	WMAT 2014

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ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
Zien wasn't entirely sure if she'd make it to the second round, given some of her Multiversal experiences so far. Thankfully, however, she managed, and now here she is in the Spinach Wastes, preparing to face someone she barely knows of. All she really knows so far is that she has a /really/ big sword. Surely the war android can handle that, right?

Mechanisms clunk and whirr to match Zien's rhythmic stride as she walks into the arena, each step taken with mechanical precision and grace. She almost moves /too/ perfectly, though what else is to be expected? Otherwise silent, she stops at her starting point, two hands resting on her hips while the third arm dangles by her side as she scans the landscape for her opponent.

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
Well, here she is. Round two. One step closer to the person she joined this tournament to fight, but she's not there, yet. Ryuko just gives Zien a steady stare, as she approaches, and hefts her sword against her shoulder. She's already transformed, ready to fight, and when she speaks, it's not to her opponent. "Ready?"

<<Always.>> The voice of her Kamui is the reply, the garment's eye shifting from Ryuko, to their opponent. <<Are you?>>

With a small grin spreading over her face, Ryuko holds out her sword, "Let's get to it."

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
The Mysterious Khajiit is camped inside a canvas tent on the battlefield's perimeter. Incense puts a sweet, smoky scent in the air. The khajiit herself is draped in so many concealing robes there is not much of her to be seen at all, save for the pink end of her snout and the golden tip of her twitching tail. She speaks into a microphone perched among her incense sticks.

"Greetings, listeners! The battle is not yet begun, but the stage has been set. We behold a lovely field of endless green touched by the gentle warmth of a summer's breeze. Among the rolling hills stands the general from beyond the stars in a shining raiment of metal. Her three arms sway in restless anticipation for the arrival of her opponent. There, already raising her scarlet blade, Ryuko Matoi offers a cocky grin as she steps onto the stage. The same breeze drifts across her skin, for there is quite a lot of it displayed for all to behold. Some say her lack of modesty is but a facet of her terrible courage -- if that is so, she is fearsome indeed!"

ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
Zien's mismatched eyes settle on Ryuko once she spots her, the right eye twisting and whirring as she brings the girl into focus. She smiles, then, but it's more the smile of someone who knows that the gesture is important rather than knowing exactly what it /means/. "My opponents continue to be interesting in this tournament. I hope it will be enjoyable for you."

Her arms raise to her sides, then. From her forearms, purple energy extends, forming a tall shield over her left arm and a curving, pointed blade over each of her right arms. Her hands curl into braced fists, and she brings the shield up in front of her as a barrier, crouching down slightly and curling her other two arms over it like a scorpion's tails. With both combatants prepared, Zien opts to make use of the distance with her opening move: rather than use any of the weapons she just formed, she instead shoots a single yellow laser blast from her right eye aimed right for Ryuko's chest. When the laser impacts, whatever it may hit, it suddenly explodes with a good amount of force. It's not much more than a test to see how her opponent reacts, however. Is Ryuko the type to evade, or tank?

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
Less of either, it would seem. Ryuko sees the attack coming, and is surprised by it, perhaps. But she charges at it, sword drawn. She brings the edge of her scissor blade down against it, only to have it explode in her face. That tosses her back, but she springs forward again as she lands, and doesn't waste time closing the distance. Time to return the favor.

She lashes out with a series of lightning-fast thrusts with her sword, aiming to see if she can find an opening, in or around that energy shield. It's no ordinary steel she's wielding, either. It might look like metal, but who can say what the scissor is made of, for sure? Ryuko doesn't seem concerned, since the tip of it is well-suited for piercing, and the cutting edge has proven, in the past, to be capable of cutting into other metal.

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
The khajiit gets into her role as storyteller.

"The two combatants have ceased sizing one another up. Zien, ready to face Ryuko's scarlet blade, lifts a round shield to her defense. Ryuko, far away, feels the nagging pull of impatience, her heart beating like a dancing drum. Zien greets the sword-bearer. Does the metal girl have a heart capable of sharing Ryuko's passion? In a flash of yellow light, the battle begins! The yellow shoots like a spear from Zien's eye, and would pierce as deep, if the charging Ryuko did not turn her blade into it. There is a burst of fire! And the blade SINGS! Thrusting like the wind, rapid, quick, putting Zien's shield to the utomost trial!"

ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
Tension immediately strikes Zien's joints when she sees Ryuko rushing in. It's not /fear/ that makes her freeze up, of course, but the preparation for Ryuko's counterattack. To say that Ryuko looks like the kind of girl to make even the seven-foot-tall chunk of metal stagger is an understatement.

Unfortunately, she slightly misjudged where that first thrust would be landing. Zien brings her shield aside to deflect the blow, but even as the surface crackles and pulses with the impact of Ryuko's sword, it doesn't stop it entirely. That first thrust digs into Zien's side, scraping into her metal armor with a burst of sparks. The second is much more effective, as a slight adjustment ensures that Ryuko's sword jabs dead center in the shield. The energy crackles and sparks with the effort of holding back Ryuko's attack, but it holds.

It's then that Zien moves her shield aside and begins to twist her upper body along with it, just as Ryuko comes in for a /third/ strike. That one digs right into the android's abdomen, kicking up further sparks as the metal screeches open. That scissor-blade is clearly nothing to scoff at, if it can cut through her armor so easily. She'll have to be careful about tanking any hits.

The reason for Zien's movement becomes clear, however, when one balled fist comes in to slam Ryuko in the shoulder and knock her aside. A moment later, Zien's legs come into action to shove her back with remarkable strength, launching her away to open up the distance again.

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
Ooof. Well, those big, metal fists aren't anything to scoff at, either.

Ryuko can tell, this is going to be a real slugfest. She twists her body, to try and lessen a little bit of the impact against her shoulder, but she can't really do much about being shoved back, out of the way, the girl tumbling over once before she finds her feet, the high heels of her outfit digging into the ground, leaving a pair of deep ruts in the grass. Might have to make an adjustment, here..

She charges in again, swiping with her blade, to try and get around that shield. Just lashing out with her arm, a few times, to try and swat it aside, so she can direct a swipe or two at the robotic woman's chest and the shoulder of her sword arm. Her Kamui seems to surge with strength as she attacks, as well, the red trim of the outfit glowing slightly.

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
The khajiit's fist curls and the end of her tail fluffs in response to the rising excitement. Her voice rises and falls in time to the action.

"Sparks shine across the summer sky like the glittering of a thousand fireflies! This khajiit feels her breath drawn sharp, for the sword-bearer's blade has carved through the silvery raiment protecting Zien, gashing deeper than daggers in the night! The round shield is dented, ringing like a bell as it fends away Ryuko's strikes, but it is a distraction, too. Behind the shield, Zien gathers herself, curling her fist into a brutal blunted weapon."

"Sheathed in steel, the knuckles meet human flesh and bone, and leave behind a garish bruise. Reeling under such unexpected returns, the sword-bearer glowers her determination, and sweeps her weapon sideways. Zien's shield is thrown wide, and the scissor sword stabs again, no more than a blur of red -- the color no doubt seen by Ryuko's fierce glare!"

ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
It's a testament to Ryuko's strength that the girl can match Zien's brute force, let alone /overwhelm/ it. Zien finds her shield smashed aside with a spark of purple, leaving her wide open for Ryuko's follow-through. Of course, she doesn't have time to recover with how fast Ryuko is, and that blade cleaves up into her sword arm. Or one of them, at least, gouging deep into where her collarbone would be and along to one shoulder with a screech of torn metal.

At least Zien is quick to react, or Ryuko might have an ever bigger opening to make use of. No sooner has that slash been scored into her armor than Zien brings her shield around again to bash Ryuko away, following up with two quick jabs of her arm blades aimed right for Ryuko's previously-struck shoulder, one after the other.

Maybe, she considers, defensive tanking tactics /might/ not work out so well here.

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
Ryuko's slammed into that shield hard, knocking her off-balance. She raises her own weapon, with the intent to parry those strikes aimed at her shoulder away from it, even if it means injury elsewhere. Indeed, she takes a scrape to her side and her arm, the girl clenching her teeth. Getting cut up by actual steel is one thing, but those energy blades hurt like hell! It's a good thing her scissor can stand up against them, at all. "Senketsu, do it!"

<<Right!>> The Kamui's eye glares at Zien, as Ryuko draws her sword back again, "Decapitation Mode!"

It sure looks a lot less like a scissor now, and more like a proper sword. It's also now nearly twice as long as Ryuko is tall, giving her some range, as well as some more offensive ability, no doubt. This is pretty evident, as she shoulders the sword, hefting it and aiming to bring it down on her opponent, in a heavy, overhead slash!

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
The khajiit relaxes her fist and takes up a nearby pipe. After a calm inhalation and slow hissing exhale, she falls back into the high intensity of a duel in full swing, letting her purring voice rise louder and louder!

"Metal fragments peel away from Zien's body in shrieking pieces! Neither shield nor armor can stop the dreaded red scissor from dicing apart its foe! Zien, having no desire to surrender so soon, steps gracefully among the grasses, a wolf circling the lamb. Suddenly, the sharpness of a thousand swords manifests behind Zien's shield, a purple flame more cutting than the scissor-blade itself! Ryuko tosses her head in determination, rising to meet the wolf's pounce without fear -- no lamb at all, but the mighty hunter! A clever hunter who reveals the secret of her weapon! The scissor unfolds along its length, doubling in size and power, a red cleaver which the wolf should rightly fear! Zien shall be crushed beneath the blade -- this khajiit tells it true!"

ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
...that's a /really big sword/.

It even dwarfs Zien, and now it's coming down on top of her. Zien has to think quickly: her shield is switched out for another blade as she lifts all three of her arms to block Ryuko's sword, and while it's not /perfect/, it does the job, forcing Ryuko's weapon to an abrupt halt. Sparks fly in the air as Zien's projected energy struggles to remain stable against Ryuko's weapon, and the force of the blow is enough to make the android's knees buckle slightly. Ryuko's sword gets low enough to dig into the top of Zien's head with depth that would probably be lethal for a normal person, but with the way Zien's cybernetics are organized, it's not quite such critical damage.

Already Zien's wounds are being tended to by tiny nanomachines trying to seal them up, even if they won't do much good for her endurance in this fight. "Analysis suggests that it would be prudent to change tactics," Zien intones, wincing slightly as she struggles against the sword pushing down on her.

And change she does. With her braced posture, she's in just the right position to rise up and swing all three of her arms upward to try and knock Ryuko's blade aside. She's quick to make use of whatever opening she gets, too, rushing in with a spin to gain momentum before she strikes Ryuko with a backhanded slash from both her right-armed blades!

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
Ryuko lets out a sharp cry, as, even though she tries to block the attack with her own weapon, it's still three against two. She's off-balance again, and is sent spinning to the ground, as Zien takes full advantage, slamming into her with both of those sword-arms. She manages to divert the blades, but only slightly, the force of the blow sending her to the ground, and with a couple more gashes along her side.

"Nngh.. Can't toss out our trump, just yet.. Let's keep going..!" <<Mm! Alright..>>

Ryuko doesn't sound worried, not yet, anyway. She hefts her sword once more, as she gets to her feet, crimson flashes of energy racing up her form, from her toes to the tip of her blade. She's not quite in range.. or is she? When she swings the sword in a wide, horizontal arc, a gash is torn into the ground around her, cutting into it and well off into the distance, too. Trees nearby get cut cleanly through, a good distance away. And Zien, she's right in the way of the wave of whatever power Ryuko's unleashing from her sword and her Kamui.

"ORAAAAAHHH!!"

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
Recognizing the battle's shifting momentum as yet another peak reached, the khajiit addresses a broader crowd.

"The wind carries a grim tune. Two warrior maids vie for a trophy, their ferocity driving one another to new heights of determination and skill. One, a warrior from the heavens, Zien; the other, a swordswoman blessed by a powerful blade, Ryuko Matoi. Now the Spinach Wastes groan to bear sight to such a battle, but you, fair travelers, may find the tale enchanting."

"Join this khajiit in witnessing the tale's violent end! Watch as Zien casts aside her shield in favor of a sharp-edged dervish, her violet blades slashing Ryuko's resolve and flesh to ribbons. Watch as Ryuko rises against the surging tides of Zien's masterful strategy to counter with overwhelming force as her weapon cleaves all in sight and smashes Zien beneath powers unseen! The story shall conclude soon on frequency 900.6...this khajiit shall be honored to take you to its finish."

ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
Not good not good NOT GOOD-

Zien doesn't even consider trying to block the wave of energy ripping through the landscape. Her immediate idea is to /dodge/, and that's exactly what she does. She leaps up and forward, but not quite fast enough; that wave of cleaving energy slices into her foot, actually cleaving it off up to the heel. Of course Zien doesn't cry out, considering she isn't programmed to feel /pain/, but that wound is clearly sparking and jolting from the impact. It's just a good thing she didn't get her /whole/ foot taken off, or she might not have that leg to stand on at all.

While in midair, the android takes the opportunity to retaliate. She fires off her eye laser in a more steady stream, but it's not directly aimed for Ryuko. Instead it starts off to the side and suddenly sweeps across the girl, mostly blasting a trench into the landscape and kicking up debris, but that explosive beam might hit the swordswoman herself too.

It's more of a cover for her next attack than anything, however, for right when Zien lands she opens up with a rapid trio of strikes at Ryuko, making use of the obscuring cloud she just created. Purple energy lances out from the cloud of debris as she strikes from three different angles like the stings of a scorpion, one after the other, keeping the pressure on her opponent.

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
Ryuko's not out of it, yet. That diversion attack doesn't hit her, the sword-wielding girl flipping back, springing on her hands and gliding on her heels a bit, bringing her scissor up again. Was that it? Well.. no. It clearly wasn't as one of those blasts of energy streaks out from the cloud of dust, just barely missing her. It singes against her shoulder, and the next one she manages to deflect with the flat of her blade. One more hits her in the leg, against her lower thigh, but Ryuko manages to stagger to her feet quick enough to deflect another, which grazes her other arm.

"Looks like our turn."

That dust hasn't settled yet, and Ryuko comes charging through it, holding her sword in one hand, violet energy surging from her back like a rocket, as she leaps through the cloud and just starts swinging her blade with that hand, any angle she can manage to get a good, solid bit of momentum going, is where an attack comes from. It might seem totally reckless, but that's just how she fights. She's no samurai, not a knight or a master-at-arms. She's a brawler. And this is a brawl, if nothing else.

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
The khajiit rises to her feet, pipe in one many-ringed hand, microphone in the other. Her robes catch the wind and blow wildly as if to echo the passionate pitch her voice takes on.

"Three limbs strike in rapid succession, forcing Ryuko into a twisting dance! Fair Zien shines beneath the sun, her limbs like water, flowing and beautiful, but the sword-bearer is no less a sight to behold. As her body bends, rising and falling like the desert dunes, the wind begins to howl in torment. The Wastes themselves sing a dirge for the two maids! The hills carry their cries of pain and of triumph! The scissor of scarlet rises before the sun, a banner declaring the sword-bearer's intent -- Zien! You shall fall! By her sword, Ryuko makes her desire for victory clear, and the desire drives her weapon forward again and again, thrusting and piercing, cleaving the silvery raiment like it is silk!"

ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
It's times like this when Zien's AI really comes into play. She is programmed to think on the fly, and with her quick reflexes and ability to process inputs rapidly backing her up, she's perfectly suited for this kind of fight.

Without the large shield to encumber her, Zien can move much more quickly to respond to Ryuko's strikes. Her arms come up one after another in quick succession to parry those erratic slashes, kicking up sparks with each impact of metal against energy. It's not perfect, however, for even her AI has to falter against Ryuko's untrained tactics. Two slashes cleave into her, one along her stomach and one through her chest, digging two painful-looking trenches through her armor. Mechanisms visibly work under her outer covering, jolting as wires are severed, but Zien doesn't fall yet!

Indeed, when Ryuko brings the sword around again, Zien chooses to make use of that strike. Before it can hit her, she actually grabs the blade with all three of her hands to stop it before it slices into her again. Her wounds spark further with the strain of working against Ryuko's strength, but still she continues, trying to heave Ryuko off the ground by her sword, whirl once to build momentum, and then /slam/ the girl back down into the earth, letting go of the sword after that impact.

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
Ryuko's pretty good at thinking on her feet, as well. Still, she doesn't let go of her sword, even when Zien manages to block a strike, and grabs her sword between a pair of her hands. She braces for it, but getting slammed hard into the ground.. well, it hurts! She's a bit dizzy after, but she's also quick to her feet, shaking it off (along with some dirt). Even if Zien had held on, Ryuko would have, too.

Nobody takes this from her. /Nobody./

She takes aim with a single handed, horizontal swipe at Zien's head. But, that's not what she's hoping will hit. It's a feint, in fact. If the taller woman ducks, she drives her knee upward. Into her middle, into her face, she's fine with it, as long as it hits something that hurts. She doesn't stop there, either, and tilts her upper body back.

Is she seriously going to.. yep. She's going to headbutt a robot. Well. We'll see how that one turns out.

She follows this up with a punch with her off hand, and a kick with her opposite leg, both aimed at Zien's midsection.

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
The khajiit's voice echoes from the sounds system.

"The frenzy is upon us! A feverish turn in the action delivers Zien from the brink of defeat! The general from beyond strains against her injury to counter the sword-bearer's dangerous strikes! Deadly graceful, and brutal to the last, Zien LIFTS Ryuko from the ground, and with the righteous fury of a judge's hammer, SLAMS Ryuko to the earth again! The Spinach Wastes shudder, and the grasses sway, and all for a moment is quiet..."

"The sword-bearer has lost her feet; has she also lost her chance at victory? Her heart beats a despairing slow song. The wind stills. Zien contemplates her triumph...but then, RISING FROM THE ASHES, A PHOENIX REBORN, THE SWORD-BEARER RYUKO MATOI RETURNS! This khajiit swoons in amazement as Ryuko puts her own skull to the general's face, and initiates a furious and primal assault! Zien quakes!"

ZN-MALPRG (351) has posed:
If Ryuko was worried about being able to take the warrior robot by surprise, well...she's definitely proven that that was a silly concern. The last thing Zien was expecting was for Ryuko to make use of her /body/ instead of the, you know, giant weapon she's been holding this whole time. Humans are /weird/.

Unfortunately, Zien doesn't have much time to consider that. She ducks, of course, as any sane person would when a giant sword is trying to decapitate them, and finds her face immediately met with Ryuko's knee. The resulting CLANG rings out through the arena as Zien is jolted right back up, her eyes wide as her vision briefly statics. The CLANG that follows demonstrates that Ryuko's hard-headedness may not be entirely figurative, too, as she manages to dent the android's forehead ever so slightly after her knee already weakened it. Zien stumbles slightly where she stands, and this is the perfect opportunity for Ryuko's follow-through.

A punch CLANGs against Zien's weakened midsection, followed up with a matching kick. With the wounds already scored along her torso, those blunt strikes (even if they would probably break any normal person's hands and feet) manage to break through the armor and cause more severe internal damage to Zien's systems, marked by sparking explosions that come up as she stumbles back even further. She looks like she's about to fall over, but at the last minute she rights herself and thrusts her hands toward Ryuko.

The attack, however, doesn't come directly from her. Instead, a shimmering purple outline of a sphere appears around Ryuko, and the girl would suddenly feel the forces of gravity completely reversed to send her flying up into the air. Several feet up, those forces abruptly return to normal as Zien shoves her hands down again...except significantly /stronger/, sending Ryuko hurtling down to the earth with the forces of gravity as her assault. At least the sphere vanishes whenever Ryuko lands.

Ryuko Matoi (140) has posed:
This.. is new.

Ryuko flails a bit, thrashing her arms and legs around as the sphere envelops her, and lifts her up in the air. "H-Hey! What the fu--!?" She doesn't get the rest of that particular statement out, as she feels another tug against her body. A very sharp, heavy tug. There's a look in her eyes, the dawning realization as to what's about to happen. "Ah.." That's about all she manages before she's pulled back down, hard and quite firmly, into the ground. She's motionless for a little bit, but there's a gasp and a groan, and she does manage to pull herself to her feet, again. <<Ryuko.. You've got almost nothing left. Enough for one last shot.>>

"Yeah, got it.. Everything we got left, then."

She brandishes her sword, holding it behind her back, at waist level. Like before, shimmers of that crimson energy dances around her body and her weapon, the red trim on her outfit glowing brightly. "Finishing move..!" She takes two steps, and her blade glows brightly, the wave of energy and strength from it more powerful than it was, before.

"SEN-I-SOUSHITSU..!!"

'Stripped' of the will to fight!

Mysterious Khajiit (294) has posed:
There is little for the khajiit to do but speak in a continued crescendo, each syllable a poem written in honor of the battle she has witnessed.

"The dregs of courage transform Zien from a phoenix's scorched prey into a snarling contender! The desire for glory returns strength to Zien's shattered form! As the silver scraps of her raiment crumple beneath Ryuko's onslaught, Zien takes a deep breath and cries, NO MORE! The maiden's voice commands the Spinach Wastes to silence again. It is all this khajiit can do to keep speaking in the face of such divine wrath! The universe bends to crush Ryuko back to the earth, to elevate Zien into the stars as a true champion -- but Ryuko, the maiden of the sword, the red scissor in her hand, she DENIES Zien the sweetness of victory! Crimson radiance erupts from her body and weapon in a glorious reflection of her very SOUL! THE POWER FLOODS FORTH TO DIMINISH ALL WHO DARE CHALLENGE THE SWORD-BEARER! Zien falters! She struggles to drive back the sword-bearer's curse...ah! And with a final cry, Zien does collapse! The general is defeated, the sword-maiden given a hero's mantle! RYUKO MATOI WINS!"