Taco Mage

HoH season 11. Source: valucre.net static Gaia dump.

Posts 23Pages 2Forum HoH '11Topic 21267427Source originalWinner —

Table of contents

ragingtofu
Death By Kaiju
Paidi tou Selini
Dezris
Paidi tou Selini
Dezris
Cristopher Reinhart
Makkron
Paidi tou Selini
Dezris
Paidi tou Selini
High Hawk Season
Dezris
Paidi tou Selini
Dezris
Paidi tou Selini
Dezris
Paidi tou Selini
Dezris
Paidi tou Selini
o ReaverQueen o
Dezris
Paidi tou Selini

1ragingtofu

Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:57 pm · id 300966573 · page 1

Round 1: Taco Mage

Despite being rated as one of the consistently lowest-performing food chains in all of Gaia, a lawsuit about vampiric meat being used in some of their foods, and that mild outbreak of gout at the Durem location, Taco Mage has done a complete 360 of it's image and is now on the fast-track for fast-food. Be sure to try the 30-4-5 deal - thirty tacos for only five bucks!

General: Taco Mage is your average fast food restaurant - the dining room area is large enough to accommodate about 30 people comfortably, densely packed with booths, bolted-down chairs, and partitions. There's also a small "McMage Playplace" in the corner, though it's not recommended for anyone over 7 years old. Behind the counter is a typical kitchen, complete with soda machine and deep fryer. And grill.

Natural Element Resource: Taco taco, taco burrito.

Weapons: Tacos, burritos, churros, the deep fryer, sauce packets, chairs (if you can pull them off the bolts), gout. And grill. Don't forget, there is a 300 page rule book involving all of the safety precautions and rules for running the store, including(but not limited to): Don't stick your face in the fry vats, and everyone's favorite, the grill is not a bed, so remember, don't lay down on it!

Bonus Effects: Mages feel a little bit more empowered here. Everyone else just feels a little more offended.

2Death By Kaiju

Sun Mar 20, 2011 12:01 pm · id 301133107 · page 1

"I didn't ask you whether or not you felt fine morally with killing. You've joined our Society, and thus must be prepared to follow the chain of command. If an Officer is commanding that you partake in an unjust murder, you will oblige to fulfill duties. I, however, am no Officer. I am the highest law in this land, regardless of whether I am there or not."

His voice was a low, vindictive hiss. With venom in his voice, he sighed.

"I can make life very difficult for you. Difficult in that you may find yourself sans working limbs. Take your assigned pistol and shoot this good man of the law who has felt it necessary to interfere with my business."

One shot. A woman's scream. Another shot.

He smiled spitefully to himself. "Spare the children, Elijah. After all, we're not monsters, are we?" Closing his phone, Nathaniel took up pace again. Ahead; his second arena. Unfortunately it had been necessary to forfeit the preliminary fight; his local guards had found information regarding the whereabouts of one Ms. Fey- a former flame. It had been all he could think about for the past couple of days. The tournament was unimportant now. Of course, it served as a form of anger release- one necessary considering the men he was dealing with. Two murders of his own men. An investigation into gang affiliation. All ties had been loosened from him, of course, but the death of this policeman could become an issue in the future.

Taco Mage. He wrinkled his nose- the aroma belching out of the establishment was disgusting, something more akin to a pig factory than a restaurant. Fast food, it was called? How vulgar. Felix had had to explain to him the premise- yet he still could not fathom how the proles could eat what equated to pig slop.

He tutted, leaning on his cane as he pushed open the door, his fine gloves no doubt infected with grease. He would have to purchase a new pair at some point.

Ahead of him, a huge mess of gaudy tables and a disgusting preparation area.

"How repugnantly Kitsch", he noted to himself, eyeing a menu with pure abhorrence. He hoped his opponent would arrive soon- he feared the smell would never linger from his body, should he stay too long.

3Paidi tou Selini

Sun Mar 20, 2011 1:09 pm · id 301141205 · page 1

A pair of what looked like metal spider legs were all the peaked out from under the cashier's counter. It wasn't until after a plethora of rustling and bumping (a short fit of which even knocked a taco from the 'ready' shelf onto the floor) that the true figure emerged. On her face there sat a metallic and ornately painted mask, twisted around her shoulders and falling a short ways down her arms there was a simple scarlet cloth that could likely pass as a scarf, and in her hands there was a rather imposing looking 300-page book. The rest of her, however, was quite a bit less imposing... respectively average in stature (5'6"), with nothing but a black halter top (that looked more like a sports bra) and a pair of loose-fitting crimson cloth pants to hide her exotic bronze skin. Perhaps the only thing out of place (except for the more obvious mask) was the pair of heavy iron shackles that clung greedily to her wrists.

Selini flipped the book open to a random page and began casually scanning, noting such important safety precautions as "Don't mix the bleach and ammonia." and "Don't test the heat of the grill with your hand." In fact, there were a healthy number or rules around the grill alone. What could she assume, besides that it was an extremely dangerous product of modern industry? She couldn't help but wonder if the thing was liable to leap up and attack her on its own, and quickly proceeded to scan the book for any rules that suggested methods of appeasement. The last thing she wanted was an angry grill for an opponent.

So intent was she at this new task that she didn't even notice the man entering the building, even through the great measures he went to vocalize his disgust at the place. Not that it mattered to her; she certainly did not share that opinion. It was odd, but this building... these tacos... it all seemed to resonate with a sense of harmony within her. Perhaps she was just psyched at the thought of starting the tournament, but she certainly felt more energetic inside than she had before arriving. She hadn't so much as pricked a finger and already her dark auburn eyes were starting to show flecks of their empowered crimson glow.

4Dezris

Sun Mar 20, 2011 1:34 pm · id 301144201 · page 1

About two minutes after Nathaniel’s entrance, the door opened again. Stepping inside, Alfred Churchill strode forward, stopping in front of Nathaniel before bowing deeply.

“Good morning, lord Penridge” he said, his voice full of respect. Then, with significantly less respect, “Nice to see you’ve decided to attend this time. I was worried, after the preliminaries.” Alfred knew better than to ask why Nathaniel had neglected to attend the previous fight. Whatever was important enough to divert his employer’s attention, it would doubtless be a bad idea to ask the man personally. He could find out later, it wasn’t important right now.

He looked around, taking in the scenery of the... Restaurant? He supposed that was correct, although it felt like an insult to the word itself to use it to describe such a place. He could ignore the filth - unlike Nathaniel, Alfred took an active part in the Rampsmen’s activities, and this was certainly no worse than the back alleys of London - but the very thought that someone would willingly eat here was almost enough to make him sick.

Alfred regretted not taking the location into account when deciding his outfit. He wore a suit similar to the one he had worn to the preliminaries, black jacket and trousers over a dark grey waistcoat and white shirt, with a black tie and polished leather shoes. Although of lesser quality to the one that had been destroyed in the preliminaries, it was still expensive by most standards, the tie being the only item that had cost less than a hundred pounds, with the jacket, the most expensive item, costing over three times this. This was a trivial amount to Alfred, yes, but still far more than this place deserved.

He sighed, as he took his weighted gloves out of his pockets and pulled them on in preparation for the upcoming fight. “This is hardly what I expected. Noah can afford to create an island, but he wants us to fight here? A poor show from any host, really.”

It was then that Alfred noticed Selini standing behind the counter. Even with the mask... No, wait, that’s wrong... Because of the mask she was wearing, Alfred recognised her from the events in the Ark’s entrance hall the day before. He hadn’t had the chance to speak to her (or anyone else present, for that matter), beyond introductions, but he could at least remember her name. “Hello again, Ms... Selini, was it? I assume you’re one of my opponents?”

5Paidi tou Selini

Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:03 pm · id 301147905 · page 1

The young woman glanced up from her appliance-appeasement quest at the sound of her name. Even more surprising was the (somewhat) familiar face that was there to greet her. It had only been in passing, but her master required her to be good with names and faces, and it was hard to forget the polite (or at least formal) gentlemen who had been 'at service' that day.

"Oh, Mr. Churchill, what a pleasant surprise." she responded in an almost lyrical tone. It was interesting to note how well dressed the pair seemed considering the whole tournament setting... or even just the immediate setting. Not that she wasn't out-of-place either, but perhaps only less so by comparison.

"I assume so as well, if you fine gentlemen are the formal half of team..." she looked down at her FIGHTER just to make sure, "Rampsmen?"

In the back of her mind she hoped they wouldn't ask about her own team. She found it an ever so strange notion to represent a team she had yet to actually meet.

6Dezris

Tue Mar 22, 2011 5:29 am · id 301338573 · page 1

“That would be correct, yes.”

Alfred walked forward through a gap in the restaurant’s cluttered mess of tables, stopping a few meters before the counter. Taking a moment to examine Selini, he smiled. The shackles, the mask... She was certainly unusual, her appearance made that painfully clear. Good. Fights were better that way, he found. Most of his opponents back home were simple creatures, near-mindless brutes capable of little more than blindly swinging their fists in his general direction or common street thugs with barely enough experience to hold the right end of their knives. That had been enough to satisfy him, years ago, but he swiftly tired of such simple brawls. Constantly, he hungered for more. Something different, something interesting. This was why he had entered the tournament to begin with.

Judging by appearances alone, the woman before him would be more than good enough.

“Well, I suppose there’s little point in delaying this further, might as well get on with it” he said, his voice completely calm. His entire body tensed as he placed his left foot forward, bending his knees. He cocked his right arm back, leaving his left hanging at his side.

“Now then...” His smile spread into a wide grin, showing more anticipation than joy. “...Shall we dance?”

[1]

7Cristopher Reinhart

Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:04 am · id 301344975 · page 1

"Free tacos for a year to the winner!" Shouted one of the cashiers! Cheers from the spectators showered the teenage pimply faced boy, followed by jeers by the regulars, and a couple of tacos... Salsa DID get in his eyes.

The teenager only had one thing to express: smilies/icon_sad.gif

8Makkron

Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:55 pm · id 301377109 · page 1

"Bloody smoking regulations." rumbles the graveled voice of Felix Crowley, muffled as it was by the walls of the establishment as he waited outside, finishing his ciggerette with nothing resembling haste. "Don't know what the fuss is, personally. Oh look i'm talking to myself again." He mutters absent mindedly, flicking the remains of his stick o' nic' onto the floor, as he opens the door to the resturaunt.

"Ah blast. Knew I should have eaten before we left. How's a man supposed to fight with his stomach demanding he grab the nearest edible treat to sate it's hunger?" He asks no one in particular, eyes scanning the room. He was clad, as per his usual, in glaring gold and white, save the deep crimson cloak nestled over his gauntlet clad shoulder.

Walking forwards, he examines his associates opponent, but only briefly. Not his problem as far as he was concerned. Instead he steps over to his superior, plonking himself down onto one of the chairs and raising his legs up, feet positioned on top of the nearest table. "Good to see you, boss. Had fun with whatever it was you were doing, I suspect?" He asks, craning his neck as he turns his head to look at him. "This place is more like it. Don't feel bad about potentially smashing this place up. And room to swing-a-plenty!" He grins.

9Paidi tou Selini

Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:07 pm · id 301395541 · page 1

Dezris Wrote:
"...Shall we dance?"

Now that was the best thing she had heard all day. The childish smile that lit her face was lost, as usual, beneath the mask, but the excited bounce in her step more than made up for it. A bounce that quickly became literal as her excitement brought her hand-spring flipping over the counter.

"Try to keep up." was her only giggled warning before her feet left the ground once more. This time things were much different. She could actually make use of her style without fear of falling several stories to her death (or breaking her foot against a giant tin man, for that matter). This time, it was going to be fun.

She tucked her arms in tight and dipped her head down low as she let the rest of her momentum carry into her legs for a partial flip. She kept her left leg back for balance and landing, while the heel of her right foot was aimed to slam down diagonally into him, be it face or shoulder. Practitioners of her style would call it a Parafuso. She just called it dance.

[Post Count 1 / 17]

Feast of Agony - 0 | -

10Dezris

Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:56 am · id 301441249 · page 1

Alfred jumped back as Selini flipped over the counter, narrowly avoiding her kick as he stopped about a meter away from his original position, still holding his stance. As he realised what he was up against, his grin widened.

“Capoeira, eh?”

While he knew enough to recognise it easily, Alfred was mostly unfamiliar with the style when it came to fighting against it. A lesser man might have been worried by this, but not him. To Alfred, this was an opportunity. A chance to learn, to adapt. Even if he fell in the process, this fight would be more than worth the time.

That said, he had no intention of falling. Taking up the offence, he stepped forward into the space left by his dodge, aiming a right jab at Selini’s solar plexus. A simple attack, especially in comparison to his opponent, but it would hopefully prove effective, as a test of her reactions if nothing else. If the punch connected, he would then reach for the edge of Selini’s mask with his left hand, attempting to pull it off. Even with his gloves protecting his hands, punching her in the face with the mask on would hardly be ideal.

[2]

11Paidi tou Selini

Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:07 pm · id 301489253 · page 1

My, but the ceiling was dirty today.

A quick trip later and the masked woman was once again face-to-face with her opponent, looking as if he hadn't even moved except for the wide grin on his face. He even managed to put a name to her art after only one demonstration. An eye for the exotic? The thought got a giggle out of her as her eyes shimmered with playful mischief. She liked him already.

Unfortunately there wasn't much time for playful banter as the well-dressed man stepped forward for his own offensive; a quick jab, fairly standard for the start of a bout. She would have chided him for the swipe at her mask too (after all, she wasn't wearing it to protect herself from punches), except that she would never see it.

Whether she saw the attack or not, she made no move to dodge it. Like an old friend, that familiar shock reverberated through her core as his fist connected, knocking the air from her lungs and sending her doubling over. Perhaps a bit dramatic for such a gentle blow, but hopefully not so much that he would see through her feint in time to react.

Feint? Yes, as soon as her hands touched the ground her left leg came shooting up to greet his face in what was rather appropriately dubbed a Scorpion Kick. The young woman was so flexible that she didn't even need the standard distance the move usually required, which also allowed her enough momentum for a quick follow-up to set a pleasant pace for the match.

Hit or miss, she would snap her leg back down. Just as it was nearing the ground she pushed off with her hands, throwing the rest of her body back into Negativa so that her foot never touched the floor as it rocked forward. The end result would be a swift kick to his left shin. Of course, she aimed specifically for the back of his stance in order to set him off balance. Whether she kicked his leg from under him or force him to step away, it would allow her to kick off with the final strike of her 3-hit combo.

Assuming he didn't do anything funny, her last attack came in the same quick, fluid motion as all the rest. With her left arm tucked next to her waist, she twisted her leg in for support and kicked off with her right. Chibata was a hand-stand turned cartwheel that began and ended on the ground. Mr. Churchill would also soon discover that, while her boots were low-cut, her ankles sported the same pair of heavy iron shackles as her wrists and were thus no more pleasant to be hit by. This, in addition to the fact that if he dodged her right leg, he quickly had the left to contend with as well.

The whole of her combo was perhaps a little bit of tough love, but if he wanted a taste of Capoeira there was really no better way.

[Post Count 2 / 17]

Feast of Agony - 3 | -

12High Hawk Season

Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:43 pm · id 301521437 · page 1

Henry was there, eating some tacos. He was seated in a booth, close to the window. You couldn't see it through his clothes, but his midsection was taped tightly, holding ribs together after their structural stability had been compromised by being pounded on by some dude who looked like Satan or something. His face was taped up, too, in an attempt at keeping his nose in place for long enough so that it could eventually heal. Fat chance of that. Might has well have painted a bullseye on his goddamn face.

Doctors are stupid.

munchmunch

13Dezris

Thu Mar 24, 2011 1:12 pm · id 301566127 · page 1

So his punch had actually managed to hit. Alfred hadn’t been expecting that. Any satisfaction he might have felt at getting the first hit of the fight in was drowned out by a sense of disappointment. To allow such an obvious counter to connect, and to react so dramatically... Alfred lowered his left arm. Might as well let her keep the mask, with the advantage he so clearly held. He had stopped grinning now, his expression completely cold. So very, very disappointing.

Suffice to say, he could hardly have been further from recognising his opponent’s feint.

His eyes widened as the kick entered the equation, all his disappointment fading to nothing. Caught off guard, he didn’t have time for a proper dodge. All he could do was tilt slightly to the left, allowing the kick to miss his head and instead hit his right shoulder. Even with the jolt of pain from the impact and the unexpectedness of the kick, Alfred didn’t flinch, his face returning to his hungry grin when the surprise faded from his eyes.

And then, the second kick. This one came fast enough that he didn’t even attempt to dodge. His left leg knocked back a few inches, Alfred struggled to remain upright. It only took him a fraction of a second to regain his footing and stay standing, but the opening it left was more than enough for the final part of Selini’s combo to connect. Her feet both hitting him right in the face, Alfred stumbled back about half a meter, clutching his face with his left hand. His nose was likely broken, judging by the pain, and blood had begun to stream out, soaking his glove.

As he regained his balance, he wiped the blood away with his sleeve before lowering his arm. Despite the pain in his face, his expression was unchanged. Alfred had no intention of letting anger get in the way of his enjoyment of the fight again, not after what had happened in the preliminaries. A little pain was nothing compared to the joy of fighting such an opponent.

“My turn again, yes?”

Right foot forward, covering the gap left by his stumbling back. Wasting no time, he kicked out with his left leg, aimed for his opponent's face. While he was aware that her mask would likely offer at least some protection, the force of the kick would probably be enough to snap her head back, hopefully giving him an opening to continue the assault.

[3]

14Paidi tou Selini

Thu Mar 24, 2011 11:59 pm · id 301638499 · page 1

One. Two. Three-Four. Selini could feel the exquisite pain as it rang through her opponent and echoed within her aura. As far as a first exchange of blows went, she was quite jealous. Her aura, however, was not. With each hit it feasted upon the man's pain, and from his suffering it solidified around her like a winter blanket, invisible to the naked eye.

Yet through it all there he was, grinning away. He was even polite enough to confirm his turn, as if he needed her permission to retaliate.

"Goodness, you are quite the gentleman." she giggled. It was an odd statement considering the circumstances, but he somehow managed to fit the role perfectly.

Once again she didn't have much time for speculation before he was on the attack. (Apparently he didn't need her permission after all.) One moment she was looking at her fancy first blood, the next second she was looking at a fancy boot flying straight at her face. Still, she didn't quite want to reveal her aura so early, which meant it was time for more tricks.

Tricks or not, her head was still snapping back at the force of the blow. She would have lost her balance too, were it not for the counter that so graciously met the back of her head first. Perhaps the only thing that would tip him off to something amiss was that her mask had felt less like a solid material and more like a hard cushion; as if the momentum from his kick had been sapped away an inch before it connected. Still, the pained yelp that escaped her lips made it seem like it was effective, and that's all that really mattered, right?

Fortunately for him, there weren't many fancy tricks she could do from a Queda de Quatro position, so instead she simply lashed out with her right foot, aiming either at his gut or, if he was still advancing, the side of his forward knee in an attempt to force him back long enough for her to spin on her left heel, grab hold of the counter, and pull herself upright.

[Post Count 3 / 17]

Feast of Agony - 3 | +2 +2 +5 +4 -8 = 5

15Dezris

Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:42 pm · id 301664955 · page 1

As Alfred swung his leg back down from the kick, he couldn’t help but notice the unusual feeling of the impact. Some kind of defensive magic? After a moment’s consideration, he shook the thought from his mind. No use thinking about it, the kick had fulfilled its purpose. He began to step forward, to continue the offensive...

He had barely started moving, his left foot having just left the ground, when his opponent attempted another kick. He reacted immediately, sliding back on his right foot while leaving his left raised. This was enough to avoid the kick, but at the cost of Alfred’s balance. Almost falling backwards, he placed his foot back on the ground, barely managing to regain his footing. The end result was that, while he had managed to avoid any damage from the kick itself, it still served its purpose in keeping him busy long enough for his opponent to pull herself up.

Facing his now standing opponent, Alfred placed his right foot forward. Holding this position, he took a moment to quickly wipe away more of the blood that was still slowly trickling from his nose, his eyes remaining fixed on his opponent through the roughly half a second this took so as to not leave himself open, before stepping forward. His stance now leading with his left foot, he raised his right knee, thrusting it towards Selini’s gut.

So far, he seemed to be losing the fight. It was time to rectify this error.

[4]

16Paidi tou Selini

Fri Mar 25, 2011 6:13 pm · id 301700663 · page 2

Selini took a moment to blink before returning to the matter at hand. She was still on the defensive, but things were still going fairly well as far as defenses went. Yet even as she tilted her head to get a better look at his approaching attack, her hands fell upon the book she had left sitting on the counter, and an idea popped into her head.

Without a moment to spare she slammed the book shut and just as his knee came up, her arms went down, bringing the heavy instruction book with them. The legally thorough volume may not have included corporate policies on blocking (though she had a sneaking suspicion it actually did), the hard-bound cover still fit the role well enough. From there she just needed to find their policies on the appropriate transfer of momentum, because as it was now his knee still had enough force to knock her back.

Unfortunately for him, her acrobatic style meant that balance was always in the forefront of her instincts, so instead of stumbling backwards, she kept her feet in place and let the rest of her body fall back into Negativa, making sure to push his knee further left (his right) with the book as she released it. On her way down she once again aimed to strike her right foot against his right ankle to set him off balance in preparation for her retreat.

A retreat that was no less fancy than the rest of her moves. Kicking off with her left leg, she brought herself up into a dangerous handstand turned back-flip. Dangerous for him, anyways, for both her feet were aimed to catch his jaw on their way up. Chapeu de Couro was a particularly effective escape because it brought her skipping back to her feet at the end. So far she was setting a nice up-down pace to her strikes. Dancing to a beat that only she could hear. Stylistic and deceptive were the notes that rang loudest in capoeira, so that the moment the opponent started trying to predict her moves she would make them pay most dearly.

[Post Count 4 / 17]

Feast of Agony - 3 | 5

17Dezris

Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:04 am · id 301752823 · page 2

Knee, meet book.

Completely unprotected knee meet large, hardback, and bloody heavy book.

It was far from the most painful thing Alfred had ever felt, to the point where he barely even noticed the impact, but it was still hardly the ideal outcome from what was intended to allow him to turn the tide of the fight in his favour. Apparently, his opponent was superior to him in both offence and defence. Or maybe it was just his inexperience dealing with her style that gave her the advantage. Either way, his performance so far hadn’t exactly been his best, to say the least.

Still, at least it was interesting. Besides, he wasn’t down yet. Lowering his knee, he pulled his right arm back, ready to attempt once more to take control of the fight... Before lowering it, without even attempting a punch, as his opponent dropped back into her low stance from earlier. Seeing no way to continue the assault without leaving himself open, he quickly stepped back to dodge whatever was coming next. It seemed he was unable to take the offensive, but hopefully he’d have better luck working more towards defence.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t fast enough. As he stepped away, his opponent’s kick knocked his leg out from under him. Already moving away, he was unable to regain his balance at all this time. He fell backwards, causing his opponent’s feet to miss him completely as she flipped. Remaining alert, Alfred reached his arms out to the sides as he fell, managing to grab the edges of a pair of tables on either side of him just in time to stop himself hitting the ground. Pushing himself up, he slid his feet back so they were once again beneath him.

Now standing, Alfred didn’t make any attempt to close the gap his fall and recovery had left between him and his opponent. Although stepping away hadn’t worked quite as well as he’d hoped, his intention had been to get distance between him and his opponent, and he wasn’t going to change his mind just because he had reached this goal through rather unpleasant means. Placing his left foot back, so as to lead with his right, and raising his arms in front of his chest, Alfred held his position, still grinning despite the flow of the fight going against him. So he was losing. Oh well. This was what he lived for, and he was hardly going to stop enjoying it just because he appeared to be outmatched.

[5]

18Paidi tou Selini

Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:35 am · id 301757477 · page 2

A knee and an ankle. Not the best of damages to be sure, but it was enough to satiate her aura for the time. Or perhaps 'satiate' wasn't exactly appropriate for an ever-hungry, all-consuming curse, but that was another matter altogether. What mattered most to her now was that her opponent was having all the fun, and if she wanted in on any of it she would have to figure a way past her own magic.

From the corner of her eye, she quickly found that the answer was not nearly as far as it seemed. With a new idea stuck in her clever little head, she seemed suddenly and completely oblivious to her poor dance partner as she leaped up and rolled back over the cashier's counter once more. From the other side she quickly found herself a ridiculously decorated paper cup and made her way to the drink machine. Not a moment later and she had herself a medium size tacomarific beverage filled to the brim... with ice. The first handful of which went right beneath the scarf-like cloth at the back of her neck.

The instant, shocking wave of cold sent exquisite shivers down her body, and the burning chill that lingered thereafter was enough to light a fire in her eyes... literally. The subtle shimmer of crimson that reflected among those dull auburn hues was now growing to form a less subtle, bloody luminescence. A reflection of mana through her eyes, and therefore not very bright... yet. After all, her aura protected her from many things, and there was only so much pain she could collect from a few blocks of ice; regardless of how controversial the chemical treatment may have been.

"Now, are you ready to dance with a more... vigorous beat?"

The mischievous smile was blatantly apparent in her tone as she casually tossed an ice cube his way. If he didn't take up the offensive by now, she had every intention of walking around the counter for once. The over-all nonchalance was perhaps a somewhat sudden change in demeanor, and it could only mean that she had something fun planned.

[Post Count 5 / 17]

Feast of Agony - +1 = 4 | +2 = 7

19Dezris

Sat Mar 26, 2011 9:39 am · id 301761541 · page 2

Alfred raised one eyebrow as his opponent crossed back over the counter, thoroughly confused. She seemed to be... Getting a drink? In the middle of the fight? As she walked over to the machine to fill her cup, Alfred decided that, whatever Selini was doing, the opening it left was too big to ignore. Besides, knowing this tournament, some sort of magic was probably involved, and he really didn’t want to see what would happen if he let her pull that off. There was little point in defence if it gave his opponent time to increase her advantage, after all.

Leaving his stance completely, Alfred ran towards the counter, crossing the few meters between him and it in a fraction of a second. Placing his hands flat on the surface, he pushed himself up, barely slowing down as he hopped onto the counter’s surface. Then, without stopping, he leapt towards Selini, his left knee raised and aimed at her head. By this point, enough time would have passed for his opponent to pour the ice down her back, and, if it connected, his attack would interrupt her midsentence.

It was a ridiculous manoeuvre, all things considered, and one which, regardless of its success in harming his opponent, couldn’t really end well for Alfred either. Normally, he wouldn’t even have considered it. But here, he saw little point in caution. His normal approach wasn’t working, that much was blatantly clear. Better to take risks than to persist with a flawed approach. Besides, it was more entertaining this way. He didn’t play to the crowds often, but, with such a huge audience as this tournament attracted, if he had to deviate from his normal style he might as well make it interesting.

...Even if it did mean he would likely end up in a heap on the floor. Hey, nobody ever said that the plan was perfect.

[6]

20Paidi tou Selini

Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:00 pm · id 301851261 · page 2

Paidi tou Selini Wrote:
"Now, are you ready to dance w~wha!?"

That's right, Selini. Surprise!

KABOOM~

Alfred's flying knee connected in a literal explosion as her arms flailed to the side in a feeble attempt at restoring balance, sending the cubes of ice flying in all directions. There was a saying about the best laid plans, but at the moment all she could really think about was how dirty this ceiling looked, and perhaps how far she could roll once her back hit the ground.

His knee had connected with the same supernatural force that had covered her face last time, but this time the force seemed to shatter just before she went down. This time when she hit the ground she was met with that oh-so-lovely sting of impact. Beneath the mask her face revealed emotional secrets probably best kept so, even if they most likely wouldn't be very secret when the fight continued for much longer. Still, for how bad her landing had been, his probably wasn't much better. An ice-covered floor didn't make for a terrific landing-zone, after all, and that thought alone was enough to snap the young woman out of her... indulgences... and quickly roll to the side to avoid getting smushed. Hopefully she would have enough time to pull herself up into a crouch before he recovered, making sure to grab a handful of ice in the process.

From there it was a simple matter of shifting the ice to her left hand, and launching the most simple attack yet to be seen in this match. A cold slap to the face (with her unoccupied, right hand). After the delicious tumble her eyes were shimmering an even deeper crimson, which, combined with the rather sinister looking mask, made it seem like she may actually be upset. It wasn't entirely true, of course... but it wasn't entirely false either. She had plans for that cup. smilies/icon_sad.gif

[Post Count 6 / 17]

Feast of Agony - +4 = 8 | -7 = 0

21o ReaverQueen o

Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:58 pm · id 301856141 · page 2

"Well there's really no doubting her initiative." The taco in hand said, gesturing to the burrito opposite. The two had a magical air about them, the sort of flavor one could only achieve at TACO MAGE. "I agree, although, Jex seems to be tardy." Said the burrito, in a stereotypical mexican accent.

After nodding in agreement ( which was more just wobbling ) the two moved on with their critique. "And that KB! He's the worst of them all. I mean I'm surprised he even managed to sign up. I've seen faster slugs."

KB frowned, then smashed the foodstuffs into the table. The various taco innards exploded everywhere, staining his coat. With a shrug the thing fell off his back and hung on the chair. The vampire stood, throwing a glance to the main doors of the restaurant - then to the meatsacks who were milling around. Conflict seemed beneath the creature's notice, violence as natural and nurturing as air.

"I love fast food." He said with a fanged smile, noting the competition. The 'Team Captain' started to stalk down the aisle at the far wall of the restaurant. "You, and you. Let's do this." He commanded, gesturing to the somber looking dude with the broken ribs, and to his compatriot. The sad teenage was ignored because he was an emo punkass. Well, KB would have fought all of them, any of them, and seemed to make it clear he wanted to do so all at once.

Right about now you might be asking yourself how KB even got there. Well, vampires pop up in unnerving places at the strangest times. It's a thematic element, so, you have to choke it down. Let's get back to the story.

KB was walking towards the guy in the booth, apparently unwilling to take 'No' for an answer.

22Dezris

Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:22 am · id 301869331 · page 2

Finally, a good hit. Alfred noticed the unusual feeling of the impact, yes, but it felt... Different from last time. Like he had managed to break through some sort of barrier. To be honest, he had no idea what was happening with that at this point, and didn’t much care. What he was really pleased about was his opponent hitting the ground hard. That, at least, had seemed to work out as he had planned.

Leaving him flying, in a pose that was hardly ideal for landing, towards a floor that was damp and slippery from the rapidly melting ice. That part was... Somewhat less good.

Alfred tried to position his legs in a way that would allow him to land safely. He just about managed this before he hit the ground, not that it did him any good. Regardless of the position of his feet, he was still landing on a wet floor whilst moving quite rapidly forward, and staying balanced in these conditions was far from his forte. So he fell onto his back, his feet sliding out from under him and hitting the side of one of the restaurant’s cookers as he landed.

Suffice to say, it was hardly pleasant.

Slowly, he sat up, somewhat dazed by the impact. He tried to stand, turning towards his opponent as he did so. This was interrupted by the slap, which caught him right in the front of his face as he rose, sending a sharp pain through his still throbbing nose. Gasping, Alfred fell back to lean on the cooker. He took a moment to regain his focus, before standing, pushing himself up with the top of the appliance.

Right. No time to waste. Alfred stepped towards his opponent, getting close enough that he was almost touching her. As he moved, he turned his body to the left and held his right arm horizontally in front of his chest, so that the elbow was pointing towards her. Then the elbow shot forward, aimed at her face. It was risky, getting this close but... Well, he didn’t really have the right to worry about that anymore, not after his last attack.

[7]

23Paidi tou Selini

Sun Mar 27, 2011 3:23 pm · id 301916383 · page 2

The sting that echoed through her aura wasn't quite as satisfying as she had expected it to be. In fact, he even seemed to ignore her and just continue with pulling himself up. Hmph, the nerve. Perhaps the slap hadn't been enough to wake him. She would need to do something a bit more... dramatic.

From her crouched position, she watched as he stepped in and extended his elbow. It seemed he too was following a theme. She would have to ask what style favored so many knees and elbows after they settled this little disagreement. For now, since he was kind enough to broadcast his attack before launching it, she would have to react appropriately.

The first step was simple. As he shot forward, she shot upward, sliding her right leg back so as not to be knocked over for once. Of course, she had no intention of dodging the attack. She just didn't want to get hit in the face. It was a pretty mask, after all.

Once again his attack hit that familiar invisible force, seeming to sap the momentum from his arm before shattering under the pressure and striking the soft, tender flesh of her chest. A solid enough blow that sent waves of exquisite pain through her body. She shifted, but did not budge. Even the grin on her face shimmered through those crimson eyes as she made to grab his arm with both hands, oblivious to the ice that still sat in her left. Holding him wasn't really all that important considering the confined space they found themselves in, but it was the thought that counted.

"Better hold on tight." she giggled.

Thornveil Wrote:
Selini imbues "mana" into her Aura of Agony, causing a torrent of energy to surround her. While this energy can cause no harm on its own, it will begin to pick up debris and other small/sharp objects, creating a dangerous shroud. The more "mana" she imbues into the aura, the faster the objects revolve around her.

It started as a ripple. The ice cubes sliding suspiciously across the floor in what could only be described as a growing tornado of energy. Then it hit. In a matter of seconds the torrent had risen from slow to over 20mph, and while it didn't impose itself upon Alfred, the rest of the room was a different story altogether. Ice cubes, taco bits, condiments (including those fancy hot sauce packets), utensils, fryer grease... every small object within ten feet of the young mage was suddenly picked up and sent hurtling around the kitchen at a dangerously rapid pace. If there could be a more literal definition of 's**t storm'... well... she didn't want to see it... 'cause that would be gross.

The cleaning lady was gonna be sooo pissed...

[Post Count 7 / 17]

Thornveil - 5 mana / 20 knots

Fest of Agony - +4 -5 = 7 | +4 -4 = 0