Starring:
Rockpath (as Mai), Tsiro, Rise
Date: May 16, 2015
Summary:
The match that two long-term rivals had been waiting for. Shirokiri Rise faces off against Kaguya Tsiro in a match that would be deadly to most.
"Steel Soul Tourney - Old Rivals: Tsiro vs. Rise"
Dammed Arena - Kirigakure
And now… A match that many had been waiting for. After the destruction that the Tsuchikage and Akane had wrought upon the Arena, people were really fired up. And perhaps even more so when the fighters were announced. "Kaguya Tsiro, Jounin of Kirigakure. Shirokiri Rise, Genin of Kumogakure. Please, enter the Arena." Kaguya Mai once again plays proctor for a match, her voice ringing out strongly through the crowds. They begin to hush as the two come into view, whispers of excitement washing through those who have heard the names and ranks. What was Kumo doing that a genin was to face off against a Jounin? The match was to be an exciting, a number of older Nin knowing of the rivalry between the two.
"I will step in if it goes too far. Do your best." Her words are mostly directed at her clan member, but Rise also gets to hear them. "When you two are ready, you may begin." Then the Kaguya jumps back, keeping to her perch near the wall where she would not be a distraction.
Tsiro heard his name called out tot he crowd as he was waiting for his entrance. Even more curious was the announcement of Rise still being a Genin. Maybe Kumo had seen her for the psycho she truly was. A power house on the battle field but lacking in most other shinobi areas. Regardless, Tsiro makes his way out into the arena and holds up a single hand to the crowd. His eyes focus on Rise as she enters. He then builds his chakra and waits for the match to begin. This was going to be painful for both of them.
No Gimmicks. No Surprises. No Costume. No Speech. No Aggression.
The petite dark-haired woman was unburdened by such things by the time the call came for her to step into the arena. It wasn't her way, in any case, and her adversary… Tsiro would not have approved it. "Why…?" Her purposeful strides almost falter after the question slips out. Almost, but not quite. A subtle shake of the head and then her composure returns in full force. The crowd could roar, whisper, or jeer all they wanted now without shaking her or even drawing her attention for a moment. Short of a surprising declaration by Tsiro, or some other weird miracle, the woman could come close to breaking her.
'Nothing' Heterochromatic eyes finally look up from the dirt and regard the man standing before her. Seeing sparked the build of chakra within, though the why left her… befuddled.
This was not the usually death driven Rise. Perhaps over the years she had started to grow. Maybe there was shame in her rank. Tsiro would not claim to know. However as the proctor let them loose, Tsiro would spit two bone needles out of his mouth at Rise. She would have seen this move before. It was Tsiro's favorite one to test the waters. This time though he was not testing the waters of a new opponent. He was mocking her.
COMBAT: Rise defends against SPITTING-BONE-NEEDLE(53) attack from Tsiro with a SUBTLE-DODGE…53
COMBAT: Rise defends against SPITTING-BONE-NEEDLE(42) attack from Tsiro with a SUBTLE-DODGE…59
From the moment the first sliver left his mouth, Rise understood his intentions in part. Sadly, if any involved riling her up from the start for old times sake, the wish goes unrewarded. She simply stepped forth, narrowly dodging the first needle by ducking under it, then shifted to the side to avoid its shadow before truly begining to rush forward. She did not fear facing this Kaguya in close quarters, though she did sought to give herself an edge by throwing a pair of shuriken ahead of her. Their patterns were an odd sort meant to confuse the inexperienced.
Tit for tat?
COMBAT: Tsiro defends against TRICKY-SHARP-THROW(41) attack from Rise with a DANCE-OF-THE-KAGUYA…48
COMBAT: Tsiro defends against TRICKY-SHARP-THROW(47) attack from Rise with a DANCE-OF-THE-KAGUYA…33
COMBAT: Tsiro loses the roll and sustains 409 damage.
Tsiro's attacks are dodged as expected. That was nothing new. However once of the incoming shuriken manages to graze him along the arm. There is a slight bit of a smile starting on his face. She had claimed first blood. In a slightly unusual move for Tsiro, he decides to close the distance between them. He reaches out for her arm in an attempt to fling her into the arena wall.
COMBAT: Rise defends against FLING(75) attack from Tsiro with a THE-PINNACLE…69
COMBAT: Rise loses the roll and sustains 250 damage.
Her eyes narrow at the sight of the smile. It wasn't unexpected per se, and yet she felt confused all the same. That feeling — along with some of the feeling in her back after the crash — is quickly driven out in a moment. Dazed as she was, Rise could do little except try and sort herself out. But by then, it would probably be too late…
Without a missing a beat, spikes begin to protrude from all over Tsiro's body. Then with a pivot of his foot, he added a twist to the attack. He was using the larch bone spin towards Rise whom had hit the wall. He had to be quick or she'd no longer be dazed enough to be hit by the attack. The people came to see blood and he was trying to deliver on that promise.
COMBAT: Rise defends against LARCH-BONE-SPIN(63) attack from Tsiro with a TENSE…18
COMBAT: Rise loses the roll and sustains 1240 damage.
Absent-minded tugging to try and get a hand on her head got her partially free from the mini-crater. Still, the woman could do little more than be instinctively try to guard her vitals after the first bone tore through her. The rest still make quick work of her arm and whatever else remained unguarded, leaving bits of clothing and bandages shredded by the end. She had cried out before the end, and seemed to slump forward soon after, falling free or upon Tsiro should he have remained within range (more or less). At some point during the fall — or perhaps even after — Rise discretely tried to flash through seals. The first would burden Tsiro with the weight of the world hopefully long enough for the aura of submission to force him to fall completely.
COMBAT: Tsiro defends against ABUNDANT-BURDEN(37) attack from Rise with a BONE-BREAK…60
COMBAT: Tsiro defends against SUBMISSION-AURA(34) attack from Rise with a BONE-BREAK…57
Genjutsu… Tsiro's long hated form of combat. A warrior fought with their body. He may have played a mind game, but it was not an illusion forced on someone. As the genjutsu started to take effect, Tsiro grabbed one of the mini bones that had protruded from his body. He snapped it in two causing him a bit of pain but ultimately releasing him from the torment of the genjutsu.
Now back on the offensive, Tsiro decided to up the ante a little bit. Rise was not playing like her normal self. No, something was off. She'd lost her bloodlust somewhere along the way. This was apparent. Tsiro now officially entered the state of the larch dance. He dashed forward and twisted only to vanish from the battle ground. He now appeared on the side of Rise, this time with a bone drawn out much like a sword.
RP: Tsiro transforms into DANCE-OF-THE-LARCH.
COMBAT: Rise defends against NO-MOMENT(87) attack from Tsiro with a DYNAMIC-EXIT…60
COMBAT: Rise loses the roll and sustains 1708 damage.
Rise had kept her head bowed to lower the risk of her tricky being exposed too soon. The moment she heard bone snap however, her head snapped up to see in reflex. There is no time after that to analyze, or consider a different tactic. She didn't truly even had time to recognize the treat Tsiro pose when his stance shifted before having to rely on instinct to try and avoid the coming attack.
The intended leap away isn't even completed when blood starts pouring out of her side. Momentum from the initial effort continues to carry her away from the Kaguya, but not by far. Both clothing and wounds are tainted by the rough landing. She gritted her teeth behind closed lips, suppressing the delayed pain for now while forcing her legs back under her. It wasn't bloodlust that drove her, nor even pride for that matter. She stood again solely because it was expected of her. Just as it was expected of her to unlock the first four gates despite the increase in pain, and take advantage of their restorative properties.
RP: Rise transforms into GATE-OF-PAIN.
COMBAT: Rise heals rise for 662 with LESSER REGENERATION.
The lack of response by his opponent was messing a little with his mind. Was this the girl that he had fought to near death with at the train station? Was this the girl who so many times charged at him and ended up on her ass? She was finally opening those gates of hers. However, Tsiro knew her bag of tricks. "A little too late for that." Tsiro stated as he reached to his back and yanked his spine from the base of his neck. He was not going to take his opponent lightly. Their last encounter proved she belonged in this bracket. These were the unspoken words Rise would never hear from his lips. With a crack of the spinal whip, Tsiro tries to immobilize Rise for his finisher.
RP: Tsiro transforms into DANCE-OF-THE-CLEMATIS.
COMBAT: Rise counters against a CLEMATIS-VINE(87) attack from Tsiro with a LEAF-DRAGON-GOD…101
COMBAT: Rise has successfully countered the attack.
Nothing.
Her gaze showed no fear, nor concern for what he knew of her. She needed only keep pressing on until the proctor called the match, or one of them were too incapable of pressing forward. As the whip made its way towards her Rise acted upon the only course that might create an opening to exploit. One fierce kick later and suddenly the whip along with hopefully its wielder are sucked into a vortex of pain and destruction. This time there is no fierce cry that comes with it, but the trick ultimately remained the same. If nothing else, she bought herself time to access another few gates, and restore her body just a little more. The worst of her wounds at least have stopped bleeding by the time the red-skinned Oni has finished drawing upon reserves.
RP: Rise transforms into GATE-OF-VIEW.
COMBAT: Rise heals rise for 780 with LESSER REGENERATION.
RP: Tsiro transforms into DANCE-OF-THE-SEEDLING-FERN.
COMBAT: Tsiro counters against a LEAF-DRAGON-GOD(101) attack from Rise with a GARDEN-OF-THORNS…119
That move. Rise had used it before on the roof top. The moment she started the vortex, Tsiro's hands moved to the ground. The arena began to shake and from the earth shot spikes of bone. Small protrusions upwards as the forest began to rise (no pun intended). The thorns of bone would attempt to stab inwards into Rise's body before she would have a chance to attack him. Sweat was now dripping from Tsiro's forehead. This was the pace of battle he had expected out of her. He did not have time to notice the lack of desire in her eyes.
RP: Rise transforms into GATE-OF-WONDER.
COMBAT: Rise counters against a GARDEN-OF-THORNS(119) attack from Tsiro with a LEAF-DRAGON-GOD…104
COMBAT: Rise loses the roll and sustains 2407 damage.
Between the pain and the moist winds kicked up (pun intended), Rise struggled to keep an eye open to adjust the course of the dragon as necessary. Tsiro's actions are just barely noted, and though she did not know it then, counteracting them were futile. Her body is pierced over and over again, leaving little doubt that her survival of the attack was akin to non-existance. Before ultimately succumbing to a garden of thorns within a forest of bones, Rise used the wind and bones to her advantage in narrowly evading and prolonging the inevitably. She doesn't even realize until well after the fact that the Gate of Wonder had been access during all the manuevering, or the stirring of 'something' that had cast away everything out of cowardice.
She hung in the air positioned not unlike a marrionate in mid-dance movement as a result of some last minute efforts to try and avoid the protrusions to the very end. Whether or not she is in immense pain or shocked is hard to say exactly. A tiny and almost absent-minded smile of wonder lit up her feature as she looked at the mess that was her body before finally settling on Tsiro.
"There's… a lot of blood… isn't there…"
As the drops of sweat fell from his forehead, Tsiro looked up at a stationary Rise. Likely with a press of his fingers, the bones would shoot through her body and render her a lifeless corpse. A story would come to an end and he would be the one to put the final stamp on the page. Both combatants were fatigued and feeling pain. Tsiro reached up with his hand and bullets shot outwards at the tips of his fingers. The move may not end the match as Tsiro had hoped, but it would make it official that his intentions were not to kill the old rival.
COMBAT: Rise defends against DRILLING-BULLETS(38) attack from Tsiro with a TENSE…6
COMBAT: Rise loses the roll and sustains 1255 damage.
COMBAT: Rise defends against DRILLING-BULLETS(65) attack from Tsiro with a TENSE…8
COMBAT: Rise loses the roll and sustains 1463 damage.
Although it meant digging some of the bones deeper with the motion, Rise craned her neck to the side as if curious about Tsiro's hesitance to speak. Did she finally push him over the edge by staying so quiet earlier? Or was she wrong? Using eyes that continuously fought against her desire to see, Rise turned her gaze again on her body, and slowly began to sober up as a realization dons on her. Even if she had the willpower to keep fighting, the odds of her recovering without being made that much more of a cripple were slim to none.
Strangely, she didn't mind this at all. Death or that was her destiny ever since the begi—Pain jars her from introspection. Numbness doesn't return until after the fall from her prison. It is welcomed. Or at least, at first. She couldn't stand it or… it wasn't right? It didn't matter. The woman tried to draw herself up so that at least she more or less sat her bottom in a pool of blood. 'Why aren't you… oh.. that's not supposed to be sticking out…' She thought, blissfully unaware that the gates were begining to close themselves down one by one, leaving more tired and numb.
The Kaguya watches, blinking a bit as Tsiro ends up almost killing Rise. It was an intense flurry of blows, the duo clearly giving it their all. Admittedly, it was hard to /not/ step in. She wanted to join the fight as well… Regardless, she had a job to do, and she would do it! With Tsiro's bone striking the Shirokiri, she decides the Kumo-Nin had enough. The Kaguya waits to make sure Rise wasn't going to suddenly spring up, revealing that she was playing possum, and then hops into the arena between the two to prevent further fighting. "The fight goes to Kaguya Tsiro!" she announces, which results in loud roars from both sides. Disappointment and rage, and victory and joy. Even those who were not of the two villages cheered loudly. The Kaguya, while the celebrating happens, waves for a medic to come down and help Rise …
