Crownless Cup: June vs Cyrus

    When you are a sponsor, it is good to attend duels. Even if Wake has largely turned-away from violence, she is not a child. Skills in battle are imperative for Adventurers to exert their will upon this world and shape it for the benefit of all. The endless stream of monsters and the Palace Landers have made it very clear that threats sometimes must be deal with in ugly ways.

    Beyond that obvious need, there is the pleasure of fair competition and the respect earned between competitors who battle to the last throw. This has value, as well. So it is that Wake serves as one of the sponsors of this tournament and attends to bless those dueling in the name of the Burning One.

    It is not some elaborate ritual. It is just a prayer, silent, but, in her belief, clearly heard by the divine.

Goldenblade is here in Shibuya in her role as tournament announcer ready for the bout of June vs Cyrus. She approaches the role with a certain amount of enthusiasm as is appropriate for playing to the fans, well aware that she is, herself, a minor celebrity. But tonight it's not about her, and she will take up her position in the middle of the ring, lettng the audience psych itself up into a frenzy. The cheering is intense, but when it runs out of energy, eventually, she will shout out,

"Good evening, fight fans! Tonight we have what promises to be a spectacular event indeed! In this corner, we have the Pedant Pugilist, the Lethal Librarian, fresh from her victory over Syx, Olympus Alliance's June!" The roar churns again, and she will give it some time to receed, though not compoletely, or even that much, or we'll be here all night. "Opposing her, having gotten a bye in the previous round, New World's Potionmaster, the Alchemist Genius Cyrus!" The crowd roars for Cyrus as much as they roared for June, and Goldenblade waits for that roar to start to taper down as well befire continuing, "And now, let's see these two opponents fight!" She will back out of the fighting area, then, as the crowd gives a fresh cheer.

As Cyrus steps behind the gates leading into the Colosseum, he takes a moment to look at his cane. He's let some of his equipment get rather old, and they're no longer quite to his level scale. For months now, he's taken a heavier support role - especially since Mac Anu's takeover. After all, it's his Kingdom.

When Fourland was freed from the Palace Lands menace, he's been traveling with Mikage to push back. Working on logistics and gathering resources as well as providing potions. In many ways, it's been far too long since he's been at the forefront. As such, to him, this is a way for him to learn quickly and safely just how far he's fallen behind.

There's a bit of hesitation for a moment, only for him to notice Mikage approaching from the corner of his gaze. "Hey Miki. Here to wish me good lu~" Only for her to grab him and pull him into a sudden smooch. Perhaps the most forward thing Miki has done in a long time.

The youth ends up blushing and staring at her for a bit, having lost his words. It seems that yes, Miki intended to wish him luck.

"I love you too." He dumbly answers her, rubbing the back of his head. Looking flustered as the gates open to let him in. Stepping forward slowly, cane in hand as a walking aid. Potions hanging from his belt and all over the inside of his jacket.

There's a bemusement in his voice at being called a genius, still, he's a rather well established alchemist. Even if he's missing from the warfront.

Once at the center of the 'stage' for the battle to come, he touches his cane to his head, and bids welcome to June, before getting into a battle-stance.

    Of course, there are, as always, the first people to a duel. Before the cleaning crew, way before the crowd. Yui forces her mother to get there at least two hours before the match. It gives Asuna an excuse to practice her maid skills, cleaning the stands, making sure the area is free of flaws that might interfere with the duel. And making sure to buy cloth dolls of all competitors.

    By the time Goldenblade is announcing things, though, Asuna is in the stands, not far from the Baroness, actually. And no longer in maid cosplay, but back in her normal clothes. And with Yui settled into her lap. The Lander child is utterly thrilled to get to see yet another duel! They've been to almost every one so far!

    "Who do you think is going to win?" Yui asks softly.

    "I'm not sure, honey. But I bet it's going to be an interesting duel! I have a feeling they both use a much different approach to fighting than I do." Asuna's approach is best summed up as 'Stab it very, very quickly. Until it gives up or explodes into pixels.'

    June walks out, her hands over her head. The small middle aged woman in her Red Sonja cosplay blows kisses to the crowd. Then iron scales climb up her body as her muzzle and horns grow. The small soft woman suddenly becoming a fireplug of an Iron Cowgirl.

    She lifts a hand to wave at Wake and blow her kisses as well. The gorgon werefang grinning and showing off all of those big chompy teeth, just made for cracking stone and grinding gravel. A pair of clamshell cestus appear over her fists, engraved with a fancy script that lights with blue fire. "Good Luck cutie." she says with a husky laugh, green fog drifting up from her muzzle as she takes a few stretches waiting for the starting gun...spell... dropped coin... fliped scarf... she never remembers and just waits till it's time to hit something.

Cyrus nods his head to June as she steps out. The demonic looking minotaur is quite the striking figure compared to the tall-ish Cait Sith. Shorter as she may be, she's certainly more imposing. The pale haired youth flicks his cane in his hand, flipping it in a tricksy way, and then stabs it into the ground.

"Well met. It does appear I will need some luck on this matter." Cyrus admits to June. "But I shall attempt to at least give you a challenge." Before releasing the cane from the ground, and pointing to her at the same time that the bell goes off.

"Let's do this!"

From his other hand, a white flask is suddenly thrown into the air. The cane strikes forward, creating an almost blinding light, followed by a fierce pale beam that ripples out almost like a pulsating laser, trying to swallow up June's position!

    June smiles, iron scales glinting in the light. Her fangs on display. "Good times!" She shouts before her hooves dig into the ground as she springs forward in a spray of earth. The script along her cestus lighting again, but this time in white fire. It looks like June is going to go for the high power strike right out of the box. "Utlima Scripta!" she says and then starts throwing rapid fire punches before she even gets close. "Ultima Ratio!" waves of holy power slashing out at Cyrus.

"Fast!" Cyrus remarks in surprise as June rushes forwards. The script and cestus light up, and Cyrus is immediately pushed to defend himself. He digs his feet in and brings up his guard as the first strikes come in. Each one sending a red mark over his body and mantle.

But with each strike, June will notice that her fists are starting to frost up. Strike after strike, more frost building, just enough until she's slowed enough that Cyrus can draw himself back and starts trying to run around the arena, trying to create some distance.

    "The lady is kind of scary," observes Yui softly. She is focused on June. Werefangs always seem so big. Everyone is big to Yui, but Salamanders and Werefangs are super big! And some Cait Sith. Why are so many people so much taller? It's not fair.

    "Oh, she's actually very sweet, actually," notes Wake, who has strategically gotten the seat next to Asuna now. Wake cannot be in range of a child and not speak to them. "But in a duel people have to do their best, and sometimes that can be pretty scary."

    Yui nods, "Mama is scary when she duels."

    Asuna laughs softly. Her grin is a sheepish one. "Yeah, I.. I suppose I could be a bit more relaxed in a fight." She watches the exchange in the duel and notes, "These two are opening up fast, aren't they? I have a feeling they are pretty aggressive!"

    June grins at Cyrus "Yah fast, Boo!" she says even as a cloud of green fog is blow from her muzzle, the petrifying gas enveloping him. She zips off to one side smashing her cestus together to crush the ice away, before she zips in with a flurry of punches, then dips out only to dive back in again with another flurry of punches. "Float like a Sylph, Sting like an Imp!"

June is not letting up. The Alchemist unfortunately is defensively not the best. And many of his attack techniques require him getting at least some distance from his opponent. A matter he considers for a moment, and how to pull that into his strategies going forward. But for now, he quickly throws a flask at June's chest the moment she gets close - which erupts into flames, before she reaches him. His hands moving out, trying to catch some of the blows, attempting to soften them up while frost once again begins to grow over her hands, constantly trying to slow her assault.

    June rolls backwards as the flask of fire bursts on her chest. Relying on her iron scales to keep the damage to a minimum. Once she rolls back to her feet she pushes that agression once again, charging in, dropping her head to throw one horn then the other towards the man's chest. And once she gets in close her thick iron claws and gnashing teeth are brought into play.

Water starts to form in Cyrus' steps as he keeps on the move. In trying to draw away, taking this punishment, he's also trying to control June's movements. Water bubbles starting to get stuck to her as she gets close and continues her assault!

He grabs at her horns, and tries to push her down, attempting to not get fully gored. But even just pushing him back is causing severe damage to him. "Damn, you are one tough customer." He mutters.

    June growls as she's pushed down. "Of Course." she says "I'm a Sleeping Knight!" she shouts even as she shoves herself up, energy sparkling along her iron scales her fist comes up, a spike of ice driving from the pooling water just ahead of the massive haymaker she's throwing.

"I can tell. You've got that same kind of irregular strength that hangs around in that group!" Cyrus remarks, as she ends up catching him with her fist, punching in into the air at the same time that a trap triggers beneath her and drives frost spikes not just at him, but at herself as well!

    June grins and pulls back, smashing through ice to make just a little room. "That's us Irregular!" she blows Wake a kiss and laughs like the slightly unhinged combat junkie that she is. But it wasn't all about taunting or talking, or even building kayfabe. The slight glint of scintilating light along her scales bursts into corona of healing light. "Ahh, now THAT is refreshing." she says before she rushes back in her fists flying before she even gets into range again, arcs of vicious wind slashing out from each hook she throws.

Viscious winds buffet Cyrus' position as he finally manages to get some distance. Noticing that June is looking to heal herself, he's quick to call out; "I won't let you!" Followed by him flinging multiple potions into the air.

She'll notice that these seem to have little almost fire-cracker like things glued to them, which sparkle as they all rush towards her position. Each of them coming from a different angle, as they begin to detonate in close range, creating sizable orb-detonations.

    June pulls in tight, like a boxer protecting her core. Then as the explosions start she sends out a burst of energy from her scales to try and push back the explosions even as she rushes forward in a streak of scintilation that ends in a flurry of blows that each pull darkness from the shadows to slam towards Cyrus.

The shadows drive their darkness towards Cyrus at the beck and call of June, but the youth doesn't let up. More potions keep raining from all around her while he covers himself as well as he can. Not many know this, but Cyrus used to play a very different character and class before this one - so he's quite familiar with how to defend himself. Crossing his arms and peeking between them until he finds an opening, then passing through the shadow-orbs and sending streaking potions at her with electrical charges, aiming to disrupt her assault!

    As the battle ebbs and flows, there are more chances to point out nuances in the techniques used by both duelists. Elly really likes spending time with children. Obviously.

    "So you can see that sometimes, it's important to be sneaky, so that your opponent doesn't know what you are doing. They might make a mistake. Or maybe, you can gain time as they try to defend against an attack that you don't have the energy to make."

    Yui listens closely, nodding in thought. She wants to be a samurai, but she kinda likes monsters. And she knows she can't duel. No Lander duels in these tournaments that she's ever heard of!

    June lets the electricity course over her iron scales, perhaps hoping to just ground it all out as she rushes forward again. Hoves tearing up the earth, head down she throws her horns at the alchemist half expecting him to try and catch and direct her head again. Once she feels contact she cranks her head up and another blast of green mist billows from her muzzle with a bellowing "MOOOOO!" That petrification is a nasty little effect when she can get the enemy to breath it in.

The petrification reaches Cyrus properly now, his hands turning partially to stone, making it hard to hold his potions. Some of them falling to the ground, creating a slippery series of spots in the sand. Indeed, he'd gripped for her horns, just as she had planned. The youth gritting his teeth, as he pulls his petrified hands off of those horns and tries to use the rocky fists to push her back to get some time to come up with a new approach!

    The gorgon leans in, following up, trusting her scales to keep her safe. Her hoves slaming into the ground as she moves forward causing the earth to quake around her. Then she's dipping low and another haymaker is swung at Cyrus' jaw. "Turtle all you want, I'll crack that shell or smash myself to bits against it. Doesn't matter to me!" she laughs, that unhinged sound that her friends know well from tough fights.

"I admit, you are making it really hard to turn this around." He answers her, as the poison flowing in the area around him is slowly continueing to sap at the gorgon's health. The constant birth of icicles upon her body causing the swing of that haymaker to slow just enough for him to duck his head to the side and go for a retaliatory strike for the gut on her.

    June grins, and in other situations that grin might becomforting, but only if you are in her party and the boss is on a third phase. In this case Cyrus stands in the boss' boots. "Let's see how you handle me going all out." she pants and then she's rushing forward, and all the ice building up on her goes from pure detriment to a heavy smashing spike followed by wave after wave of crushing holy light. Her cestus have come off cooldown and she's raining down more blows that come from her engraved scripture. Ultima Scripta, the Last Word... Ultima Ratio, the Final Judgement.

Going all out continues to be something that Cyrus can't quite stand up against. Rushing forwards, ice slams forwards! The spike catches him right in the chest, while he throws a potion her way, slamming flames to her chest once more! The youth being thrown back and ending up flopping to the ground.

For a moment it looks like that's it for Cyrus, only for the sudden health-drop to... well... halt. The youth getting up slowly, legs trembling, biting into a potion and pulling the cork off, drinking it up to stop his health from going all the way to zero.

"Not yet." He huffs.

    June laughs "You... you're still standing... good job..." then she flares brightly with holy light, making it hard to look at her and see where she's coming from. The pounding of hooves on earth the only indication before she's throwing herself at Cyrus bodily, iron scales, iron claws, and teeth that chew stone going to town in a flurry of frenzied attack.

    It's getting intense. June's last push was brutally effective. The HP bars are so tight now. Elly can't help but lean forward, almost synchronized with the small Lander next to her.

    "This is almost it, isn't it?" Yui whispers quietly.

    Asuna nods, keeping one arm around Yui, and the other ready to throw up a protective shield. Not that the various tanks around the area don't know their jobs, but it's her little girl. She won't be leaving her safety up to another so easily.

"I'm..." Huff. "Pretty tough. Who do you think Mikage tries all of her new techniques on first?" Cyrus remarks, "Alright, where..." Light! He puts a hand in front of his face, and hears the pounding of hooves on the earth. He grimaces, knowing that she is coming at him.

He steels his body, getting into an almost monk-like stance... which seems rather unbecoming of an alchemist. But the moment her first strike slams into his face, almost twisting his body, his legs remain on the ground. Gritting his teeth, as he punches her back. His glove suddenly burning bright as a flaming potion erupts on it and he aims for her head with a flurry of punches of his own!

    June... is a cowgirl on fire. But she really only has one gear once she's reached this point in a battle, that gear is 11... like an amp. No none of that analogy makes sense, yes it's perfect for June. She trusts in her Gorgon hide and then her cestus light up, the words scribed into the metal flaring with holy light as she starts to smash down with them. Not sure if she'll crush the enemy or burn to death first, and from the way she's laughing she doesn't really care this has been one of 'Those' fights.

Cyrus continues his retaliation. His flaming fists trying to strike into her own hands, halting the fierce initial damage of her assault. Trying to break through. Punch after punch being met. Both of their health bars slowly descending at almost the same rate.

It could be anyone's battle at that moment. And when their punches halt... both of them are still up...

Until...

Suddenly, Cyrus' health drops that last little tiny shred of a bar, as that last bit of June's own damage over time ticks on him, and the Duel is halted!

June has won!

The youth is quick to drink a health potion, and then throws June one as well.

"Damn, that was a close fight! Well done! Looks like I should get back into training my body again."

June drains the potion and grins, and then it looks like she might attack again, the little fireplug of a woman rushing in. But between one step and another she's gone from iron cowgirl to small auntie and hugs the taller man. "Hah, that was almost as good as a boss fight! You should raid with us sometime!" she says laughing brightly, and then she also produces something from inventory, a flagon of beer that she pushes into Cyrus' hands and then another is in her hand and she's toasting the crowd before she starts draining the large beverage.

    The battle is ended. And it was well fought! Asuna, Yui, and Wake are cheering, and they are not alone.

    "Such a dramatic finish!" says Wake. "That's battle was down to the moment!"

    Asuna can only sympathize with Cyrus. "DoTs. They are the -worst-!" She is going to bulk up her attack for next time. She has to hit far harder, far faster. Seeing Cyrus fall to that same tactic has her convinced. Definitely not a thing that she can leave unaddressed!

    "What a fun fight, though! I wasn't sure who was going to win!" To the child, the duel was hard to follow closely enough to really understand how it worked out like this. She'll be asking her mother a lot of questions later.

Cyrus stiffens a bit when June suddenly hugs him, making a confused sound. "American?" He asks, followed by relaxing as she releases him.

"Maybe. I tend to run support at the back rather than raiding from the front. It's been a long time since I've properly raided." Though he used to actually run raids in his older days.

Accepting the beer, he looks at it...

Then taps the beer against the one she holds and raises his cup to toast alongside her to the crowds, and drinks!

    June barks a laugh, switching to English. Not that it changes the translation going through, but the ear can pick it up if one pays attention. "Grew up in Vegas, but I'm Japanese." she grins and laughs her language shifting again, this time to Quenya (elvish) "I'm just screwed up in the head, why do you think I'm a Sleeping Knight?" she winks and blows him a kiss before quaffing the other half of the large flagon in a second hefty chug. Then she's back to Japanese. "I'm not the Renowned Sage of Scripture for nothing bub." she winks