The Jade Arenas of Heaven: Poison Desires [IC]

[trollthumper]

Bastion stumbled for one second, like someone had just taken the ground out from under him. "Ah," he said. "Mental suppression. Saw that in Pyongyang." He raised his pistol and fired off a round in the general direction of Changeling; the red bolt of energy missed her by several yards, harmlessly bouncing off the nearby wall. "Gotta say, you're making this interesting."

---

Totem stood before Fulcrum, watching as the last of the energy ran through her. She closed her eyes once more, and the costume shifted around her again. Red and black appeared in the form of a body suit as the mask thinned to a band around the eyes, and the symbol of a hammer appeared on her chest. She opened her eyes.

"Black Maria," she said. "Fifth of her name. Boston, Massachusetts. Superhuman strength." She struck with a force of a cannonball, hitting right in Fulcrum's midsection.

---

Red Rook stumbled under another blow from Mad Dog, his hard-baked skin cracked once more. A laugh escaped from the golem's lips. "You know how to strike a stone and make it bleed," he said. "And it seems humility is not your game. With a fist like that, however, I can understand why restraint is seen as something for other people."

[Dariusprime]

Totem's punch impacted an impervium wall. Fulcrum didn't move a millimeter. The boom echoed through the arena and mixed with the thunder! Fulcrum's eyes focused and locked her gaze on Totem. Not only did Totem's attack prove ineffective, the giantess didn't look impressed by such feeble blows!

Even before her eyes opened, her fist came up from her side in a lightning-quick uppercut! The blow whooshed so close to Totem's jaw the shock wave rattled her teeth. A powerful follow up zoomed in behind it. Given Totem's speed, she probably saw it coming and knew to get out of the way!

The mask made her demeanor ever difficult to read, but Fulcrum certainly enjoyed the fight. Glare aside, her face looked excited and determined. She hadn't fought a 'worthy' opponent in ages!

[Lone Star]

Mad Dog withdrew his fist, shaking bits of clay off of it. "No." he said, looking at the golem, his eyes unblinking and stoic. "Why would I be? I am greatly gifted physically. Few without powers can match me in hand-to-hand combat, much less with my stealth I picked up when I did Marine training. You were a worthy opponent, Red Rook. There are many more competitors to beat, though."

He cracked his neck, and slammed a massive fist against his palm. "Nice fighting with you, bro." His fist slammed into the golem's face, hopefully the last hit he'd give him.

[trollthumper]

Mad Dog's blow glanced off Red Rook's jaw, sending a stinging sensation up the brawler's arm. The golem smiled. "There are many more waiting," he said. "Perhaps they will provide the same challenge you did. There are advantages to being stone, you know." His fist went zooming for Mad Dog's chest like a freight train... but the hero managed to dodge quickly enough that it went flying past like an errant cannonball. "It allows you to weather things nicely."

---

Totem dodged Fulcrum's attack wholly, swinging under the giant fist. "Impressive onslaught," said the woman with the shifting mask. "Such tricks come in handy in our line of work. But they're so... limiting, aren't they. I prefer the old Swiss Army Knife approach -- the Morphogen system lets me sample the world's various powers." She returned Fulcrum's volley with one of her own, but it went wild. "Not knocking your trick, however. It's certainly potent."

---

Bastion blinked as Changeling emerged out of thin air, then rounded his pistol and fired off one shot dead center. "Ah, there you are," he said. "Didn't think juggling two balls would hold out for long."

[Aoiroo]

She took the shot, but continued forward anyway slashing against his arm than meeting his face with a smile,

"No, I guess not, but than again, I think this is far more interesting than you just shooting in the dark is it not? Now it is just two warriors and their weapons."

With a step, she held her sword in both hands at the ready,

"Now, shall we continue?"

[Dariusprime]

By now Fulcrum went full-on into the flow of the fight. Whether she registered Totem or not didn't really matter. Replying didn't seem to be her thing. Instead she leaped up, floating perpendicular to her and sweeping her leg up for a front kick to Totem's head. If the ruse worked, she'd be off guard for a few moments, allowing Fulcrum to rotate her upper body and elbow her in the chest!

Alas, the power blow neatly missed the masked heroine, and the Great Game continued. Fulcrum righted herself and hovered 15 feet in the air parallel to the ground. Like a shark, she slowly circled her opponent while maintaining a tight aerial defense. What would Totem do? Fly? Jump? Use a power? Fulcrum watched in interest. She hoped no lightning...

Pops and booms echoed across the arena as thunder across the battlefield. The crowd loved it!

[Lone Star]

Mad Dog looked at the golem, his eyes blazing. "I certainly hope so. My first fight, and I took down a golem. You are a worthy fighter, but you're nothing next to a Marine. I think you've been too reliant on raw power. No finesse to you at all."

He grabbed the golem's shoulder, his fingers grinding into the hard clay, and slammed his muscular fist against the golem's jaw. "Clay breaks easily."

[trollthumper]

The golem cringed under Mad Dog's blow, stumbling on his feet. He put his hands to his jaw, which was beginning to crack, and spat out a tooth that was the color of pearl. "Yes, clay breaks," he said. "But clay bolstered by the Word has the integrity of the soul and the strength of steel. I have weathered worse."

---

Totem easily dodged Fulcrum's strike, but she was still caught off her feet. "Nice tactics," she said. "I know them well. Zenith, Dart, The Raven... all use techniques that misdirect with motion and feigned attacks." She drove her fist into Fulcrum's chest with the force of a locomotive. "No match for a good, solid blow, of course."

---

Bastion smiled. "I like you," he said. He fired off another round, but Changeling managed to dodge it easily. "Y'know, I couldn't place the accent before, but between the linguistics and the style, I think I've got it. You're out of Avalon, aren't you? Had to deal with a few troublesome fairies in my time."

[Aoiroo]

"I can neither deny nor confirm that claim."

She moved out of the line of fire easily. Repositioning herself by slipping towards his front and lunging forward. She stabbed her blade into the shoulder, withdrawing just as quickly in a graceful motion before returning to a defensive stance.

"But, I can assure you, I am no fae, otherwise, I would not of stabbed you in the front."

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum shrugged off the massive blow and counterattacked with a lightning fast burst of knees and punches. Most of them where feints and feelers, but any one could be a knock out! Darting above Totem, she continued the assault, including a spinning kick and culminating with a thunderous jab to Totem's jaw. The shock wave exploded around them, resonating with Totem's own hit, visible even to those without enhanced vision. The question was of course which, if either, combatant would be standing once the air cleared.

For being the first round, these matches were quite exciting!

[Lone Star]

Mad Dog had to pause for a moment, putting his hands against his knees. He had never faced an opponent in which he had to work so hard to even hit him, and it showed. He stood up, and cracked both of his knuckles. He took off a leather glove, and saw his knuckles were raw and bleeding. "Damn, dude. No kidding. This is tough as hell on me. Not that I'm complaining, of course. I bet I'll be fighting guys with skin just as thick as yours. Plus, like, they'll have laser vision or something like that. I think I'm really ready for this fight to be over. There are bigger fish to fry."

He reached back with his leg, holding it for a moment. "Now stay down." He adjusted his stance and his leg shot out at the golem's chest, hitting it with the force of a Mac truck.

[trollthumper]

Red Rook caught the blow well, barely budging as Mad Dog's boot collided with his chest... though he did grimace with something like pain. "I may break, eventually," said the golem as he rounded on Mad Dog, delivering a solid blow to the fighter's head. "The question is... can you stay up until that time comes?"

---

The blow sent Totem flying back across the arena. She eventually came to rest with a solid thud against the rear wall, the marble cracking around her. She lifted herself slowly off the floor, the colors on her uniform flickering back to the off-white of her standard uniform. She stared down Fulcrum... then fell to the ground, defeated.

"The match is called!" cried Guan Yu, his voice booming across the arena. "The victor is... Fulcrum!"

Applause rang out from the stands, raining down on the veteran heroine.

---

Bastion tried to dodge the sword's blow, but caught the flat of the blade right upside his head. He tried to keep his footing, spitting blood onto the white floor of the arena. "Well, you know how to evade truth like a fae," he said. "or a bureaucrat, at least. But you really aren't one to stab a man in the back, are you? You know how to bear down on them."

[Aoiroo]

She didn't led up, not on her nullification, or her next attack. However Bastion quickly evaded her stroke, still she kept her stance and smiled.

"I had a great bit of experience in such evasions, as you may already have seen. As for stabbing in the back, it would be a disservice to you and to my sword to do something so very shameful. Especially when you have done nothing but treat me as a serious opponent, you must understand how very rare that has been."

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum readied herself to charge after Totem and deliver a follow up kick. Fortunately that was not necessary! As Totem slumped, Fulcrum eyed the heroine, wondering if the motion could be a feint. When Guan Yu called the match, surprise registered momentarily. Her eyes swept across the roaring crowds, and she turned, bowing politely to Guan Yu and the assembled officers of Heaven.

Then she jogged over to Totem and the medics treating her. Kneeling down, she asked with concern, "How is she?"

A friendly tournament or not, shattering a solid marble wall couldn't be good for you!

[Lone Star]

The blow of the clay fist hits him on the side of the head, landing on his jaw. He reeled back in pain, clutching his face. His hockey mask concealed the vigilante's expression, but beneath the mask he gritted his teeth to keep from screaming out in pain. Dude hits like a freight train! He fell backwards a few steps, his head still spinning from the blow. Crap, I'd better be ready for whatever he throws at me next. I don't know if I can take another hit like that. A thin stream of blood flowed from his mouth out onto his neck, and he could feel his cheek swelling. The fight wasn't quite over yet.

[trollthumper]

"She'll be fine," said the medics who had come to deal with Totem. They were checking her wounds and administering salves as they spoke. "The gardens of Heaven yield herbs and fruits that do amazing things to base flesh. I assure you, she'll be back on her feet by dinner."

---

"It's about patience, you see," said Red Rook, turning towards Mad Dog. "It is easy to accept the onslaught when you know the opponent will get sloppy. Once their is an opening, well -- " He landed another solid blow on the scrapper, one that caught him upside the jaw. " -- it's amazing how suddenly things shift."

---

"Glad to see we're on the same level, then," said Bastion as he launched off another bolt that struck Changeling in the chest. "You know how many blokes I've had to fight who'll throw up walls and ninjas and illusions and all that dross? Good to meet someone willing to do it face to face."

[Aoiroo]

"You act as if I would not do the same."

Taking the shot head on she let the wind leave her for a second but continued forward using the opportunity to whip around and get a solid hit into his side.

"No, I am sure those who you've fought, fought thinking they may not be able to walk away when it was finished. If I thought the same I cannot promise I would be so honorable, or even give you the choice to see my face before I were to strike. We are lucky that we can fight on a battle field where the stakes are only those of vanity."

[Lone Star]

Mad Dog saw the mighty clay fist coming, and he swung his head low. He felt the air displaced by the fist rustle his hair beneath his mask. "Whew, you've got quite an arm on you, Red Rook. Maybe you're getting a little sloppy yourself, though. You've probably been around a lot longer than I have. How's it feel to be hit by a young dude like me?"

He closed his hand into a fist, and his leather gloves crinkled in that satisfying way he was used to. He screamed a battle cry, and slammed his muscular fist into the clay man once more.

[trollthumper]

The blow caught Red Rook right in his gut. The golem seized up like a statue, and attempted to regain balance in the best way its clumsy body could. It wasn't enough, however, as Red Rook plummeted to the ground, falling like a broken pillar. He collided with the marble floor with the thunderous sound of stone colliding with stone. As the medics rushed out, however, the golem looked up at Mad Dog.

"It feels... like I met someone... worthy."

Red Rook slumped to the ground as applause erupted like thunder from the stands.

"The match is called! The victor is... Mad Dog!"

---

Bastion took the blow right in the side, sending him off his footing and nearly jostling the pistol from his grip. He managed to hold onto it, however, and tried to steady it on Changeling. "Got that right," said the agent as he held on to the gun for dear life. "Bit like a vacation, really."

[Aoiroo]

Taking a quick slide, she looked at him with a smile as she held her sword and swiped forward missing him as he dodged under,

"I do believe I am going to have another go at that spread they have over at the dining halls, maybe get a drink if they would let me. It is a bit outside the human realms so I am not sure if the same rules apply. It would be nice if you could join me?"

[Dariusprime]

"Thank you very much," Mona replied to sigh of relief.

The arena staff already prepared for the next match. Mona looked around and followed a waiting attendant to the stands. There she enjoyed refreshments and watched the other bouts. Unlike many of the spectators, the giantess didn't yell or wave much, but she did root for the heroes from Freedom City. Nothing like that home town spirit!

Well, okay, she did show her enthusiasm a bit. When Mad Dog was declared the winner, she jumped to her feet and clapped excitedly. Changelings, however, was quite the nail biter, and every moved was watched intently. She had confidence in the armored heroine. Nonetheless to her mind the match could still go either way.

Keep up the pressure!

[Lone Star]

Mad Dog cracked his knuckles, and looked down at the golem. "I faced an opponent who fought like a champion. Well done, Red Rook." He chuckled from beneath his black tactical mask. "It was pretty damn close for a while there, wasn't it? But I was highly impressed with your skill and sheer...stony attitude."

He walked from the arena, his smile evident, although his mask covered it. Looking around, he decided to sit in the stands and wait for the final match to end. While he climbed the stairs, he saw a familiar face- the Amazonian woman from earlier that morning. He smiled at her and waved a hand. "Is this seat taken?"

[trollthumper]

Bastion smiled at Changeling - maybe because of the offer, maybe because the crushing weight of her mental nullification had finally lifted. "Well, I certainly appreciate the offer," he said as the air around him seemed to turn thick, as if raw force was being gathered into one location. "Be happy to share a drink with you. Been a good while since I could talk tactics with someone."

The gathered force tore forward like a cannonball, zooming towards Changeling... and right past her as the fae-touched girl managed to weave around the blast, which gouged a dent several feet long into the far wall. "That could've gone better," he said.

[Aoiroo]

"Yes, it certainly could of, but these things do happen. I suppose it would be time to end things."

Even as she said that, she tried to her next move using her real sword before making a new one appear in her other hand. However, her opponent was two quick and dodged the fake as well as the real one.

"Though I really would of prefered to keep it as just standard weapons to the end, it's so rare that I get some actual practice with my sword."

[trollthumper]

"Yeah, well, they train you in all sorts of forms at Blackbriar," said Bastion. "I only really use my gun when I haven't got any other option. Good to keep everything else exercised." His eyes sparked as the air grew thick around him once more. "Mind you, I may be getting a bit rusty in my old age. Even with all my training, I can't seem to hit a solitary target -- "

The force cut across the arena, ripping the floor up where it passed. It struck Changeling dead center with the force of a rocket.

" -- well, except when it matters. Funny, that."