Tournament: Haru vs Gwen

It is a fair day in the arena. The Crownless Cup! First matches are on their way. The full names pop up on the signs and the lips of the heralds. Haru Nox versus Gwen Pendragon. An intersting match up of two notable crafters that have been in the Adventuring world for a while now. What could happen next is anyone's guess.

If anyone guessed cosplay, they won their bet.

In the far corner of the arena, Haru steps out looking fifty percent more aristocratic than usual. "Gwen," he says out to his dance partner for the day, "I do believe the intent of this festivus was to alleviate the stressors inflicted by those of such a station." What is Haru going on about? Ah, his outfit. It looks like an Italian Fencer of the renaissance era down to the floofy shirt and dapper vest. He has a rapier at his side that might be best described as 'decorative'. "A parody perhaps? Or did you wish to pull the crowd against my personage with such a tactic?" At the end of the day, Haru did agree to it.

A hand is placed to his face, over his monocle, in Chuuni fashion, "Very well, I accept your challenge. Bring thee upon thy barbs, be it sword or word, and I shall afford you no quarter. Today I play the noble villain, and you, my simple prey." The hand flicks dramatically back to engage with his true weaponry: four floating orbs that orbit him. Really the center of his own universe.

Costume Ref: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/18/46/831846e8e807e5324de1782768e0dcec.jpg

Goldenblade ahems, looks around, and then calls out to such audience has shown up, "Welcome to round one of the third player tournament, The Crownless Cup!" She stands by the ringside with Lunaris and shouts, "You all know me, of course, but that's not important right now. Right now, you will see Haru Nox fighting Gwen Pendragon for the glory of advancing into the second round of the tournament. Every path top the top begins at ground level, so our fighters here will begin their climb to the top right here, right now, before your very eyes. You may be watching the beginning of a mighty legend being fulfilled!"

The crowd seems to approve of this, and she will introduce the contestants, "In this corner, Haru Nox!" A cheer from Haru's fans, rises, "And in this corner, gwen Pendragon!" And she gestures to where Gwen will come out, if she's not there already, and a cheer from her fans, much more fashionably dressed, rises. "And with me, my co-host, Lauren; Lauren, what do you think of today's matchup?"

    "Thanks! And hello. What do I think? I think Gwen will probably show up dressed fabulously, as intended. I'm excited to see what she wears. And that's true for Haru as well. Crafters take note: the fashion for the next year is begin set right now," Lauren quips.

Gwen had just come out of a strange mood, she's invented body suit/swim suit material. To think if she wasn't going to show off her new creation at the tournament, one didn't know Gwen. It was a major reason of why she signed up for the whole thing to begin with.

Today upon the stage of history a of swords and wouls eternally retold.

Gwen is in cosplay for those who might have played or known of Soul Calibur. Shes in a costume as well that being of some kind of ninja.

"Yes and I think doing a themed duel like this would be very good! I'm just thinking about putting on a show."

Also showing off what she can do.

"You look great!"
RR Gwen is glad in a bright red body suit, with japanese styled shinguard, bracers and paldrons to go with it. Her hair is done up into a pony tail as well. She's bouning in place.

"I come seeking the the fragments they must be purifed before another nightmare is born!"

OOC The costume. http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/24300000/Taki-taki-24399599-1680-1050.jpg

Gwen is now ready to start the fight as soon as the go is givne and now 'taki' will race in at her foe launching into several quick sword attacks upon Haru intending to keep him off balance. If Haru gets casting fast, she knows she is in for a devil of a time.

Haru is Artificer. Squishy caster. Support. Yet.

How is he dodging all of this? Haru-Raphael, Haruphael if you will, kicks back in a step to a dance move that has been making its way through Shibuya. He does the iconic villain 'I make this look easy' by adding in natural motion and rhythm against the rapid assault. "Your moves lack grace, dear Gwenifer," he really embelishes the name as he extends out a hand, "perhaps you need a lesson. Fret not, I shall teach you." The floating orbs begin to flash. Something starts to rev up with enough arcane to cause hair to stand on end. Its a trap!

Goldenblade grins to Lauren, and she agrees, "Haru is looking quite dapper today, very elegant in his Renaissance Italian garb, and Gwen looking ... quite unique also." Because she has no idea who or what Gwen is cosplaying as. But clearly it's serious business! She begins the play by play as one used to sports on the radio, giving visual cues as well as reporting, in case anyone's listening in by chim!

"Gwen leads off with a quick sword attack, which Haru has avoided, and he's offererd to teach her a lesson! Let's see how much she has to learn!"

    "A forward rush without ground given by Haru, which is pleasing to those fans-- see them there?" Lauren is far less concerned about to whom she's speaking so much as imparting to the listener whatever it is that excites her. "Haru-heads. That segment of the audience has a monocle painted wherever they can, whereas the Lady Gwen of Avalon is a holy force here to split hairs so fine, one must be in safe hands with these two. Skill so fine they can split hairs down your spine."

Gwen knows Haru has a lot up his sleeves and he's a dangerous fighter when it comes to magic.

"You say that I will show you my ability to fight is Divine like the wind!"

She will not drop her guard entirely but it's clear Gwen is trying to take Haru down qickly, gracefully or not. 5R
"Still you will find I am a very good student!" She strikes will make ready to block, but given Haru's skills he has things she might not be able to block.

Haru keeps on dancing with Gwen, keeping a close enough distance between the two of them that he could boop her snoot with the touch of a finger. Such is the gentlemanly demeanor of Haruphael, aristocrat and instructor of these fast moves that you, too in the audience can learn.

There is a limit to what the Wave Artes user can keep up with. Haru's tempo falters to the windborne martial artist as the tides turn. Several blows land to the chest, to the gut. A final strike is blocked by a cross of the arms that pushes him back several meters. "A fine warm up," he says, straightening up. "But let me ask you. How do you feel? Does your quickening pulse give way to the combat high. Or have you misjudged your pacing and that is the beating of a heart that shall soon falter?"

Goldenblade looks puzzled at Lauren's wordplay, she's more used to sumo wrestling, or kendo, this style of tournament is pretty alien to her, with magic flying freely and fans dressed up. But she smiles to Lauren, who almost certainly appeals more to the younger and more with-it fans. Younger and more with-it than Goldenblade basically means 'everyone', but she's doing her best.

"Looks like Gwen is a quick study, avoiding Haru's subtle attack as the two continue to taunt one another. Haru's playing a very subtle game indeed, perhaps the opposite of Gwen's flamboyant moves, but with an elegance of their own," she reports. It's not clear to whom. "Haru takes a couple hits, but it's clear that some subtle magic is going on, the whole audience can feel it." Goldenblade can feel it, too, but at least keeps her opinions on magic to herself. This is about Gwen and Haru and appealing to the audience. If only she knew how to appeal to an audience!

    "I'd say that while Haru can part the ocean, Gwen has displayed the magnificence of the Air Arte," Lauren says, her eyes actually rapt on what is happening. "And Haru maintains light damage, which leads to the question: if tactics are key to survival, what can we expect from a swift and relentless Aire-style martial maneuver that has pushed the long-term planners that are artifcers into doing what they do best?"

Gwen Says "I feel great, I feel alive here upon the stage!"

She grins as the dance of battle contiune ans they get up close for a moment. Woah he could have booped her riught then and there, couldn't he?

Still the Wave Artes Haru can use are powerful, she knows some ofd them as she's helped him during his development of a few of spells. She's beset by magic it does slow her down it hinders her and it feels like he's setting her up for something big. What? She does not know but she does know Haru will hit hard sooner or later so she has to keep up the pressure, she redies her shield and will dive in at high speed trying to keep Haru on his backfoot.

Goldenblade nods to Lauren, "They're both accounted quite skilled in their own bailiwick, and they're both better known as crafters than as fighters, but today they are proving that there is no lack of skill in both their arsenals. Haru continuing his daring and flamboyant strategy, Gwen toughing it out. Look at that show of skill, that was a viscious attack, and Gwen's tank is solid, she's barely feeling it, raising her shield and trying to press him back!"

Somewhere in the assault there was a needle that got through all that armor. When? It doesn't matter now. Haruphael is keen to point it point with a gesture of a hand to it. A gentle head nesture of 'you should take care of that'. "Then I shall ask for forgiveness, as none should deprive a fair lady of her audience. I did say however," and all the dapper drains from his voice to be replaced with chilling intent, "that you are my prey." The next strike crashes through the illusion of the man like he was naught but ash and smoke. It is the words carried on the wind that inform the cosplay partner and the audience of his next spell.

"Nix. Calidum. Cinis. Ardet. Fieri. Cadere. Nox. Eruptio."

Where is he? Crafty enchanter! Behind? No. Flank? No. When the decoy fades he is merely a handful of steps behind his last position. "Take a deep breath," he says as his hand is above a three-ring Wave Arte at completion, the orbs floating around him pulsing with the arcane. Then they release and the entire area washes with a snowstorm of ash. It howls like the blizzards atop a mountain. It burns like the heat of a summer sun. The cataclysmic is quite a display of the chaos of earth and fire. When the winds die down it is peaceful once again. Burned clean the chaos of the conflict like a calming, winter day. The ash that falls looks almost like snowfall. Then a final, deafening howl of an arrow piercing through the silence.

Well it is a hell of a fight so far and Gwen is feeling very alive right now. She's serious but there's a big old grin on her face. Well till she feels the effect Haru has put on her. Clever, given how tanky she is it's very clever to bypass her own defences. She eel form it and she's force to keep up her attacks upon haru as he stops holding back. Oh this is going to be bad...

Gwen will attemot to get right up infront of Haru and drive her blade into the ground.

"GRAND CROSS!"

A massive surge of light magic forms with Gwen at the epicenter looking like a giant Cross!

Goldenblade ohs! As Haru's magical deception becomes apparent, she continues her play-by-play, "Haru seems to have used an illusion he was not standing where Gwen attacked at all! The taunting continues, and some kind of arrow as we hear a howling sound and it seems like Gwen's last attack missed Haru completely as his magic seems to be getting a more solid grip on her." Not that she understands about magic at all. "But her big attack is off cooldown, it looks like, that's the notable smite attack that paladins use, let's see how Haru defends!"

    So they are late. Asuna has to indulge her child, and so it is that when they arrive, Yui is clutching a cloth doll. Those near enough to get a good look at it will recognize that it is none other than Soujiro Seta in adorable, stuffed form. It even has a bit of a sparkle to it, somehow!

    Quickly sitting down to minimize disruption, Asuna and her daughter get their eyes glued on the match immediately. It's a battle of great emotional turmoil for Asuna. It's her dance instructor vs. her cosplay tailor! She can't possibly cheer for anything but great performances by both of them.

Dancing in a snowfield under the pale moonlight. Only its daytime and that snow is volcanic ash. Haruphael, the Artificer that is dressed up in Italian Fencer cosplay, offers a menacing smile when Gwen weathers the storm. "Then you are resolved," he says as a foot slides back against the white soot, "let us continue." The foot kicks back, throwing up a blinding amount of 'not pocket sand' at Gwen. Worse. Heated Ash. Then a hot little step to the right, to the left. Dancing that Shibuya Shuffle on hometown turf as he commands the very ash itself in superheated bullets as the divine cross crashes around them in a chaos of divine destruction.

Gwen isn't going to hold back, that would be insulting to Haru after all as she doesn't expect him to hold back either.

"YHes I am Resolved to this now have at you!"

Wait wrong setting there sti,ll it's clear Gwne's having fun but the dirty, not dirty creative she let out a cry as the ash hammer her in the act of letting the grandcross lose. She's got all sorts of wireframe damage here and there all over her form. She got hit pretty hard, still she's far from done here. She'll back flip away, and then coat her self in ice for a moment to one put out the fire and two? Give her some breathing room...

Goldenblade winces as Haru's subtle magic costs Gwen big HP. "That had to hurt," she says, resuming the play by play, "Gwen's taken a shot or two, but she's not down yet; Haru's hanging tough, shuffling along with his little dance, doing magic in his subtle way, you'd have to see it to believe it! I'm not quite sure what happened myself, but we saw her take the hit. She's fighting on, though, jumping back and trying to get some space."

    "Mama, isn't he doing the same dance we do?" asks Yui's small voice as she watches Haru and Gwen battle.

    "Well, he is the one who taught it to me. With a few little changes to make it safe for us. That's the Shibuya Shuffle."

    Asuna's explanation is casual, though her focus is serious. "Looks like my dance teacher packs quite a punch, too." She took a glance at the bracket earlier, and she's pretty sure she won't have to worry about facing that kind of danger anytime soon.

"Your shield has been broken," Haruphael says as that short white hair billows against the downy flakes of snow that drift around the air. The snow kicks up and swirls with the titanic exchange between the Enchanter and the Tank. "I shall give you an honorable farewell, not to knick and bleed you," he says as a finger runs alongside the gash that was left in exchange of the divine cross. The red light is drawn to his finger like an LED and with it he marks off the words in the air in front of him.

Terra. Magna. Fortis.

The arena trembles as a large hand of ash and rock climbs out from the snowy abyss. A second hand.

Trabem. Conuenerunt. Tenebris. . .

A body appears along with a central core of crackling purple-red energy. A golem. A greater earth sprite. Casually Haru steps up to it, swiping across a digital screen and tapping onto it. His four ioun stones float forward, tracking in front of the core of this beat and pointing towards Gwen's defended position. "Farewell."

Annihilatio!

With the final word of the Wave Arte completed, the core comes to life. It Vrrrrrrrrsss in the self-same energy of a machina as dark energy crackles like electricity enough to cause the snow to start falling upwards. Target acquired. A beam of concentrated energy is unleashed at Gwen, cutting through the updrift snow and displacing in a searing lance.

"I'm not done yet." Gwen was very good at PVE, raid monsters she was just about unstoppable, skilled player doubly someone with debuffs and the like. She was in more trouble and oh dear this was going to be big. She will brace herself for what's comming she's not done yet but then she looks at what haru's doing this could be it. Let's see what she can do with this she will do the one thing Haru might expect as she pops what defences she can and then charge launching into a storm of air elemental sword attacks.

"I will not just wait to fall!"

Gwen is sturdy but the only fighting experiance vs other people was a life time ago with no magic involved and just swords. She'd never had to shoot anyone with her own firearms back on earth. Thank god but this is too much Haru has nuked Gwen who is now a mess of red wireframes as she goes flying out of the arena and lad out side of infront of the stands where Asuna and her young companion are. Gwen is dazed but doesn't seem put off, she had to make Haru drop a nuke on her after all. One could almost see the little white trucks floating about her head...

RING OUT!

Goldenblade play-by-play announces, "Haru seems to be really controlling this fight. Gwen's tough, but she's not tough enough to fight back against Haru's subtle magic. Here, he's summoned a golem, it looks like! Is this going to be it, or can Gwen hang on?! Haru's looking really strong, shuffling away from Gwen's attacks, that Shibuya shuffle is really something! And his attacks seem to come at Gwen from angles she's not expecting. Pow! One last shot looks like it has knocked her out of the park! Victory: Haru, and the crowd are going wild!"

    Yui looks shocked as Gwen is knocked flat. Sure, she's seen some dueling moves, but never the end result! A quick touch to the shoulder and assurance from Asuna calms her down. "Gwen will pop right back up in a moment. Now's the time when we cheer for their duel, though!"

    Relieved, Yui joins the crowd in cheering for both adventurer's valiant efforts. Asuna is not quite so loud as her daughter, but she does show her appreciation for the battle.

Haru raises a hand to the stands, giving them a moment to cheer before heading over to Gwen to make sure she isn't packing a trip to the Church after that sort of blast. Thankfully there are healers on hand for such an occasion. "Quite a long way from when we were in Carmina fighting off an assault, isnt it," he says as he offers a hand. They are noodle arms so it is more the gesture than being actually helpful.

Gwen is glad it was a duel, she'll pop back up and she grins as she accept the hand.

"Thank you and yes, yes we have come quite a long way. Shall we go get something to eat?!" She also gives a wave to Asuna and the child with her.

"See I'm okay it was just a duel!" She got to go out and fight, she got to show off what she could go with fashion and fighting!

    Yui cheers as Gwen pops up. The sturdiness of Adventurers is always a surprise to her. She turns her face to look at Asuna. "You'll pop up if you get hurt, right mama?"

    Asuna laughs softly, reaching out to ruffle Yui's hair. "You know, I may not have to, right? Your mother is a samurai in her own right, honey." She shakes her head, then leads her daughter out of the stands. "We should see about getting some more of those dolls before they all sell out! They are far too cute for words."