After the second round of preliminary matches finally wrapped up in full, the Namekian announcer returned to the stage, waving proudly at the crowd with a smile on his face. "I hope you all enjoyed that last match! This next one should be just as thrilling!" The crowd eagerly cheered as they waited the announcement of the next two fighters with bated breath.
The Namekian pulled up his cue cards and read off the names, nodding firmly at them as he slipped the cards back into his pocket. "Okay! First up this round is a man whose restaurant I'm sure some of you may have been patrons of! Please give a hand to Dion Haddock, proprietor of Diono's!" The crowd cheered, and while most Namekians among the crowd did not seem familiar with the restaurant, living mostly off a diet of water, the other races among the audience did seem to recognize the name.
"And this restaurant owner will be facing none other than..." The Namekian paused for a brief dramatic effect, "The former Queen of the Saiyans herself! Everybody please welcome Amara Bloodthorne!" The crowd seemed stunned to hear that former Saiyan royalty would be in attendance, but they cheered her on all the same, excited to see what she could do.
The Namekian announcer made his exit from the stage once more, and as he left, he instructed the two of them, "Okay, you two. This match can be won by either ring-out or knockout. Also, utilizing the power of flight is forbidden for this bout. If we are all clear on those rules... Then you may begin your fight!"
The Preliminary Round of the Trial of Peace begins! This fight will end and be judged on Monday, March 13th if a winner has not yet been decided by either ring-out or knockout by then!
Amara had been [] this close to using an alias and disguise for the tournament, wanting absolutely nothing to do with the baggage that'd come with being 'THE FORMER QUEEN!?' in a Namek tournament. Ultimately Dion convinced her otherwise, insisting that she embrace herself as is. Amara didn't really like it, but running away from her blunders every time they occurred had become stale. Equally as annoying was the tournament pairing. She had hoped they'd have some split time to claim some wins before matching fatefully, but of course, luck decided to kick her in the face.
The woman was dressed in a black bodysuit, blue boots, and a blue sweatshirt currently tied around her waist. Long locks of brown hair flowed freely in the gentle Namekian breeze as she entered the trial grounds, a soft smile gracing her lips. "Alright Haddock. You were pretty keen on going all-out during this battle, so I hope you haven't shied away from that!" Bluish-white light shimmered in Amara's palm as the match started, a stream of weaponized hardlight sent Dion's way as a warm-up attack. "Give me your best shot!" She was pretty good at treating him like a regular friend in public.
While Amara was begrudgingly going as herself, 'personal relations' were NOT for public broadcasting quite yet.
THREAD PL: 100,000
Amara pulls a Jinx by immediately attacking with Candela Wave for 14,000 PL!
From the darkened fighter's tunnel that faced Amara and the Namekian announcer still on stage could be felt the sizable energy signature of the incoming man of the hour- the introspective Saiyan's steps being audibly heard long before the outline of the bartender's familiar figure as they echoed throughout the insides of the underpass, signifying his somewhat overdue arrival. Things had been quite the mental struggle for him back in the fighter's locker room that the Namekian officials had helpfully set up inside of the stadium proper, and considering the young man's opposition, who could blame him?
How was Dion supposed to know he'd be facing Amara of all people? In the preliminary round, no less. It was like a double whammy of iniquity, though he supposed after all the luck he's had thus far it was only right fate balanced the goodness out a bit with something suitably sour.
It hadn't been a month since the twos' rendezvous on Earth, and Dion hadn't even gotten the chance to enjoy the fruits of his labor before already being thrown straight into the fray. The two had finally made their relationship official, and now he was expected to punch her face in.
Who was he kidding, Dion knew that if anyone was going to be doing the punching, it was gonna be Amara. While his strength had seen marginal increases in stature since the last time the two had faced off against one another, the still-inexperienced young man had no answer for the raw strength and intellect that the half-and-half Tuffle-Saiyan had to offer him. On top of that, Amara had faced off against the likes of literal Super Saiyans and whatever the hell else she'd been exposed to on the battlefield amidst her earlier military career- there was no way facing someone as standard-looking as himself would faze her.
On the other hand, Dion's greatest combatant had been the likes of Kabe, and even then, he held a marginal advantage in pure power over the more technically gifted captain. And that was still one of the most hotly contested bouts he had in his entire life- what did that say about him as a fighter? Would he even still have a chance if the twos' strengths were even somewhere close to equal? All of these thoughts, and a million more just like them, ran through the mousy man's mind as he finally came out from within the fighter's tunnel, raising a hand toward the high-above Namekian sun as the rays nearly blinded Dion straight out of the gate. Great, even nature was attempting to save him from his fate.
Finally getting the nerve to step onto the stage proper, Dion nodded toward the Namekian announcer, holding back the snarky response he wanted to give to the so-called potentially exciting nature of this bout as he focused his gaze on the objective before him. Gulping, Dion sighed, rolling up the sleeves of his blue overcoat as he nodded, saying in a somewhat unsure, yet still steadied voice, "One hundred percent is all I'm asking for, Mara'. It's what I asked Jackie to give, it's what I asked Kabe to give- so you'll be no different, no matter the circumstances."
Another half-truth. He wondered if she would even give him the satisfaction of eventually fighting her at full strength. Dion knew all too well Amara had a habit of coddling him at times, and while under normal circumstances he found it flattering, he'd have none of it in the heat of battle. Sure, she could pay off his bills, and yes, he'll step down from battle whenever she told him to do so- but to disrespect not only his pride but his need to understand truly how far the gap remained between the two?
It'd be unacceptable.
So, promising to keep his end of the bargain, Dion exhaled one final unnerved breath from deep within his chest, his entire body finally beginning to relax as his eyes closed in light of the oncoming hardlight powered Ki-wave headed straight for him.
A gasp echoed from throughout the crowd as the Saiyan allowed the attack to hit him right on the money- the impact shaking the stage in a vigorous manner as a plume of smoke and dust enveloped the bartender and the immediate area around him in a great haze. From within the smoke, however, hints of movement bobbed here and there...
... Before Dion leaped from the rightmost partition of the already parting smog, flashing in and out of permeability, with what appeared to be dozens upon dozens of afterimages being left in his wake as a means of additional distraction. A whirlwind of blue and silver Ki encompassed the entirety of the stage as Dion ran across the outline of the stage in a blur of pure energy. Eyes narrowing, the real Dion burst forth from the depths of the afterimage crowd, attempting to rip Amara straight across the face with a vicious, Ki-clad left hook on the chin.
Hopefully hitting home, the busy-bodied battler then would follow up with a cascade of Ki blasts in Amara's direction, hoping to continue the disorienting nature of his combat style as Dion tried to at least make things somewhat interesting.
Though, he wondered just how long he could take this dance. PL: 69,900 - KP: 3/6 - MP: 2/6 - Dion takes the entirety of Candela Wave for a total of 20% damage taken - 20/250 - Dion uses Poinsettia Flashpoint (30%, Piercing, 3 KP) for a damage potential total of 20,970 - WC: 932 - TWC: 932
If Dion was under the impression she'd be suppressing herself solely to patronize him, he was sorely mistaken. "You know, there's something I think a lot of people forget." Her warm-up struck the mark, shimmering hardlight bursting into a cloud of particulates as Dion weathered it without complaint. "So much of today's combat culture revolves around just having raw power. Makes sense to some degree - bigger the stick, the better." She made no move to avoid or counter the encroaching rush of afterimages, standing perfectly still. She smirked slightly as Dion went for hos punch, her head snapping back from the force.
"...That being said." Dion had leapt away, following up the attack with a barrage of blasts. Amara held her hand out, light-infused Claimh Solais forming. Despite the blade's size, Amara handled it deftly, turning the flat of the sword against the Ki blasts. "There's something tragic about the lack of appreciation for SKILL and CREATIVITY!" Her power flared, swinging the sword in an arc to send a shredding crescent arc Dion's way. Like all of her hardlight weaponry, Amara had opted to leave 'non-lethal' mode on. The Claimh and any of it's normally bifurcating attacks would simply pass through enemies - not cutting them physically, but attacking their Ki and stamina directly.
"So don't you dare demand I release my limiter-!" She'd rush toward the bartender, hefting her weapon up and attempting to retaliate with a series of slashes. "Because I WANT to fight you on even ground! I WANT to see what you can do! Screw this power crap!" Dion was too focused on his own self-imposed shortcomings, refusing to see or acknowledge his strengths. She feared his wanton lust for power, to be the 'steongest', would never fade. Everyone had flaws, but this one was tearing Dion apart from the inside.
Amara takes the full brunt of Poinsettia Flashpoint for 30 damage!
Dion battered away one of the oncoming smaller slashes with a vicious flick of a backhand, eyebrows furrowed in an expression that mirrored somewhere between frustration and embarrassment as he struggled to find his footing and rhythm in a battle that seemed to derive from him everything but.
"...Please, stop..."
Eyes widening, the battling bartender tanked yet another one of Amara's attacks to its fullest potential, enabling a pained, and somewhat angered grunt to echo from deep within the young man's throat as the nonlethal crescent arc burned its way through his body with merciless abandon.
"... Trying, to make me feel better!?"
Dion saw where Amara was coming from, he really did. The two were, official, now, and even before Earth, it was only natural that she'd do everything she could to try and help Dion out of the still unhealthy mindset he held toward his own meager might (or lack thereof). She cared about Dion, and he cared about her in turn. But, reality still remained the same no matter how she sugarcoated it- pure, unfiltered power was what helped the both of them to keep the other safe, and was exactly what tipped the scales of fate more often than not.
Scales that he so often fell short of tipping when the situation truly called for it.
Scales that he couldn't afford to not be able to shift when he found himself in those aforementioned situations yet again.
So, he needed Amara to take things seriously. Not out of some prideful need to prove he could one day surpass her, he could never be that shallow- but to at least know what was required of him to even get close to their league of fighter in the first place.
Technique and skill were all wonderful and good, but, what actual worth were they without the might to make them work?
Still fighting with the inner demons of doubt and insecurity, the conflict made its way to the surface, clearly showing in Dion's continually shaken state of affairs as he stood across from Amara on the Namekian battle stage- lost in foggy, frustrated thought. In both Jackie and Chomei he found the light he needed to carry on, but the fire was burning too bright now- to the point where Dion threatened to burn himself trying to use it to fill the rest of the shadowy void around him.
He wanted this strength so, so badly. Not for himself.
But for them.
But for her.
Why couldn't Amara understand that?
Clutching his forehead, Dion pressed two fingers into the middle of his temple, gritting his teeth as he awaited Amara's assault to close in before responding in rapid succession to every slash- throwing up both of his forearms and parrying and deflecting the bulk of the remaining attack and taking cue from his fight with Salvo as to how to properly divert the direction of Amara's oncoming attacks.
Taking the opportunity while they were still in close quarters, Dion made an effort to try and grab Amara by the wrists, yanking her downwards into a forced standing posture as he looked down at her with a pained expression as he spoke, stating in a still suffering voice even after all this time spent trying to be better, "I can't afford to miss a step, Mara'. Not when I've got all these mountains to scale. I, need, this. I need to be better for them- and for you!"
With that, the strained Saiyan made an effort to get back into the action, not wanting to provoke another war of words with Amara and also to avoid any raunchy rumors with the two at the centerpiece of them. Keeping ahold of her wrists, Dion would move to drag her diagonally across his body, following quickly up with a sharp, yet quick elbow placed directly toward the middle of her back. As soon as her person rebounded up from the stage floor, Dion snapped his fingers right in the space created between her and the ground, hoping to shoot her skyward with the impact itself.
Keeping an eye on Amara as she presumably flew precariously through the air, Dion aimed to take advantage of the no-flying rule, hoping that the lack of maneuverability in her present position would allow him a brief moment of respite to sort his own inner turmoil for the moment. PL: 69,900 - KP: 2/6 - MP: 4/6 - Dion takes the entirety of Lucent Blade for a total of 40% damage taken - 60/250 - Dion uses Sazerac Singe (20%, 1 KP) for a damage potential total of 13,980 - WC: 777 - TWC: 1709
"No." It was a simple rejection. She knew that lifting his spirits wouldn't be so easy. Impossible, even. Amara had to try. She owed it to him as a friend and as a person - where once she was the thorned rose and Dion shone bright, it almost seemed their roles had reversed. "So what?" She huffed indignantly. "I'M certainly not the strongest there ever was, nor am I trying to get there. What does that make me? Lazy? Incompetent? Unwilling to protect things close to me?" Amara stood her ground defiantly as Dion counter-attacked, knowing full well she could dodge everything that'd been thrown at her so far. THAT was a Dion line of thinking - and not the point.
The woman grunted as his combo collided with her, fingers digging into the area platform as a multitude of hardlight strings shot up to coil around her, preventing the aerial tumble as Dion had hoped. Amara's sword dissipated into a cloud of particles as she slowly stood up. "Knock it off already. When has this constant lust for power done ANYONE around you ANY good? Not me, not Zhalla, not Nero, and CERTAINLY not yourself!" She'd rush forward in an incredible burst of speed, sparks flying as Amara aimed to plant an empowered kick right in Dion's chest. "So stop! Stop making power your sole purpose in life and using us as an excuse-!"
Amara takes the full brunt of Sazerac Singe for 20 damage!
Okay. Dion supposed he appreciated the honesty, but, part of him did wonder why Amara appeared so adamant on not going full force in their friendly bout. All doubt behind as to why the former queen of the Saiyans seemed so hesitant, however, went out the window, as Amara began to go on an emotionally fueled tirade about his perceived incapability of those he had come to care about in regards to their own safety, and the (apparently) inherent disrespect that came with using said incapability as an excuse to further his "evidently" overwhelming lust for greater power.
Dion knew there had to be some people who thought he was a complete nutcase following his whole actual "strength is everything" kick, but to hear Amara apparently still thought his mentality to be much of the same, snapped something inside of the normally more emotionally suppressed Saiyan. Eye twitching, Dion took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm and composed as he spoke aloud in a contrarian tone, "Okay, time out- something tells me we're at completely different wavelengths here, and I think we ought' to patch that up before-"
Being unceremoniously cut off by Amara's sustained assault, the shocked Saiyan coughed up a glob of red as he was flung over to the wayside, body dropping to the tournament stage floor like a sack of potatoes as he groaned in audible pain. A loud hiss of concern could be heard throughout the crowd as Dion remained motionless for several moments, before getting to his feet in a dangerously quiet manner.
Head hanging low, it looked as though Dion was about to fall into another saddened state of affairs- at least until the angered glare he held underneath was revealed to both spectator and Amara alike. Shooting daggers into the waiting woman's face, the normally much calmer bartender shouted an indiscriminate line of swears and curses, waving his hands in a frantic, infuriated manner as he paced around his side of the stage, attempting to regain some semblance of composure.
Once grasping it, Dion started to march his way back toward Amara, finger pointed straight at her in an accusatory manner as he spat in one of the most venomously frustrated tones he could muster when talking to his significant other as he said, "Let's get ONE THING STRAIGHT HERE AMARA- I am NOT a CORRUPTED PSYCHOPATH anymore, OKAY!? I can HEALTHILY go after the type of strength that's needed to help keep those I care about SAFE and SOUND WITHOUT having to compromise ANYTHING IMPORTANT in EXCHANGE!"
"And to think I'm trying to actively undermine and underrate all of the strides that you and the rest of our family- yes, FAMILY,- have made in your own power progression is not only OFFENSIVE, but also FOOLISH! What IS IT with you and the REST of them thinking I'm UNDERESTIMATING your capability WHEN ALL I WANNA DO IS BECOME STRONGER TO HELP KEEP YOU SAFE?! I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE INCAPABLE! I'm SAYING that I'd feel BETTER if I could ADD to that sense of security instead of LEAVING IT ALL ON YOUR GUYS' SHOULDERS!"
Pausing for a moment, having to near gasp for air from the sheer emotion put into every word that's been finally unleashed after being shoved down by the shame of his corrupted self's actions for months on end, Dion really started to fire on all cylinders, standing directly in front of Amara and glaring down at her with his sizable height advantage as he jabbed his finger nearly directly into her face, stating with a matter-of-fact sternness uncharacteristic of that of the normally more reserved S.O., "For crying out loud- I just got done confessing the feelings I've had for you for ALL OF OUR DAMN LIVES, and you'd think I'd insult you and the strong personality I've loved for YEARS by believing in any sense that YOU of all people- YOU, AMARA, is INCAPABLE of defending herself?! ARE YOU INSANE?! I'm absolutely DUMBFOUNDED that you even would GANDER a guess at me EVER THINKING THAT!"
"Kami's sake Amara, just because I ask for you to go all out doesn't mean I think you're TOYING WITH ME! I'd never think that of you! Nor would I EVER think YOU of all people to be too weak, or lazy, or incapable of defending all that she loves- which somehow includes ME!"
The figther's fury finally simmering just long enough for Dion to lower his tone a level or two, the bartender heaved a heavy sigh before continuing, stating simply, "A relationship is not one hundred and zero, nor is it even fifty fifty- it's one hundred and one hundred from both sides. Even if you don't want me using the others as an "excuse"- which is COMPLETELY INACCURATE by the way!- at least let me try to reach where you've carved your name into the peak of power myself, for us."
"... I love you, you idiot. And I wanna make sure that love keeps going for a long while. And I'm sure as all hell if, er, when I get stronger, this thing of ours will only get that much more unbreakable."
"... So, what the hell are you worried about?"
PL: 69,900 - KP: 4/6 (+2) - MP: 6/6 (+2) - Dion takes the entirety of Candela Wave for a total of 20% damage taken - 80/250 - Dion uses Verbal Reprimand (O KP, 0 Mechanical Damage, 100% Shaming Damage) - WC: 909 - TWC: 2618
"Losing you again." Unlike Dion, she lacked the acidic bite and bottled frustration he wielded. Her retort was quiet, somber, sheltered. The hybrid's chocolate locks fell over her eyes as she stood across from Dion. "Being unable to help you again. Watching you burn yourself bright like a star but fizzle and fall into despair. Because I'm not good enough to fix that when it happens. I've tried." Not good enough for politics, for leadership, and now she couldn't even keep a personal relationship going. Amara panicked when Dion started laser focusing on a path to power again. It wasn't fair to him to assume he'd relapsed. She was such an idiot.
A stray pulse of energy tore into the ground, creating a massive boom and plume of smoke that obscured the two fighters from spectator and camera alike. Amara moved closed to wrap Dion up in a hug, burying her face into his chest if he didn't pull away. "Don't go," She sounded miserable, telltale spots of wet soaking through the bartender's shirt. "Please. I just want my Dion." Whispers quiet enough to avoid detection by the temporarily blinded outside world. They didn't need to see this. To see her. Amara would pull away shortly after, reforming her blade and leveling it at Dion as the cloud began to clear.
"You wanted my all? Well... I literally can't because of the suppression field, but you'll get damn close." Amara's energy spiked as she let loose, temporarily racing past the limiter before allowing itself to be recontained.
Amara transforms, spending 5 MP for a second wind to heal 50% damage!
A heavy, contrite silence engulfed the originally chaotic cacophony of battle and conflict as Dion's eyes widened in disbelief- Amara's reaction not at all being what he had been prepared to face. The bartender's angered posture dissipated just as quickly as it had swelled, his eyes meeting the uncharacteristically saddened gaze of his significant other's and immediately softening in light of the heavy sorrow that hung around Amara's shoulders like a weighted coat, threatening to drag her underneath the grief and despair that birthed it. A coat that only recently Dion himself had managed to shed.
Shame began to flood the young man's face, and Dion slowly stepped toward the woeful woman to try and console her before being cut off by Amara's sudden blast- raising his hands upwards in an x-shaped formation quickly in response to defend from an attack that never did come.
Instead, as the smoke engulfed the two in its secretive embrace, Dion found a very different approach waiting for him, and as he struggled to see through the thickened haze that now encompassed the entirety of the battlefield, the Saiyan felt his better half's embrace long before he managed to spot it. With a sharp inhalation accompanying his growing surprise, Dion looked down at the shuddering mass of chocolate-colored locks that clung onto him with such heightened desperation, his gaze beginning to glean with wetness as he could feel Amara's tears soak into his shoulder.
As the taller Saiyan wrapped his arms tightly around his beloved, Dion's composure began to crack with Amara's pleading reaching a fever pitch. Her words reminded him of the very first time the two had been separated from each other- when Dion first escaped from Plant's oppressive atmosphere with Carro in tow thanks to the efforts of Amara's late father, Garrick. They had been nigh inseparable for the time they knew each other before that fateful day, and when the news finally broke to Amara despite Garrick's best efforts, the duo were nearly inconsolable in their last few moments together.
With young Amara clutching immaturely onto young Dion's person just as desperately as she did now.
While always aware of the weight of the universe that Amara carried on her shoulders, how blatantly apparent the pain that came with such a burden only now seemed to reveal itself in its horrible entirety to Dion- his mind being opened to the sheer strife that the last heir to the Bloodthorne name had gone through not just amid his absence, but for her entire life. He was no fool, he probably knew the story better than anyone else did, and yet it was only now that he finally began to realize that her suffering nearly eclipsed his own by miles on end.
To be thrown onto the battlefield in search of an out from imposed nobility through death or glory, only to find neither in the wake of all those years of searching and instead be subjected to being torn away from the only two pieces of family she had left in the entire cosmos all over again- it was a wonder that Amara found the will to go on despite such persistent loss.
Yet, she did- even through the strain of lifting an entire people on her back, fighting for the safety of two of them against the likes of a legend gone awry, and the aching emptiness that Dion's departure left within her, Amara endured.
And now, just as they had been years ago, the two were at a crossroads- a splitting of streams that could go a million different ways, all too impossible to tell the true outcome of.
It was like they were kids all over again.
They had been through so much, yet at the same time, practically changed so little. As though all that shifted was the roles the two came to occupy. In the end, it was still them. It'd always be them. No amount of power, pain, strife, or lack thereof, would change that.
But one thing proved glaringly different between then and now. And that was Dion. He wasn't prepared to leave Amara again, not now, not ever- and from this moment on, the Saiyan was determined to make sure she knew that.
So, holding his partner close, Dion gently patted the back of Amara's head in a reassuring rhythm, wiping the tears that remained as she began to pull away as he spoke in a low, comforting whisper before she returned to her spot on the stage, "Amara, for better or for worse, I'm not leaving your side ever again. I don't think I'd be able to take it if I did. Because, even if you think otherwise..."
"... I need my Amara. Always." Managing a warm smile through the tears that threatened to overwhelm him as the smoke finally began to clear, Dion mouthed one more 'I love you' before the audience's eyes were plastered on them once more. However, unlike the moments before, the pressure all but seemed to run right off of him like rain in a storm.
Exhaling, the bartender closed his eyes, head drifting downward slightly as his aura brewed in a quiet, yet still barely visible outline around his body.
"Alright then, let's kick this up a notch!"
Suddenly, an impossibly tall pillar of blue and silver Ki exploded forth from Dion's person, his shout echoing throughout the entire stadium and drowning out all other sounds as his power raised itself to heights he never would've dreamed possible for a fighter such as himself. His musculature bulged from the rapid intake of energy as sparks and arcs of electric blue Ki crackled all around the pair of dueling paramours- the ground trembling from the exaltation of such unforeseen strength.
Unlike the last few times he brought forth such unimaginable power, however, this time it was from a more positive source of motivation- Dion edged on by Amara's heartfelt display to push himself further beyond. If he had been more aware, he might have started crying all over again at the revelation of his ability to control his pseudo-transformation, but there were more important matters to attend to at the moment.
As the bright lights disappeared, and the clouds began to part high above the tournament stage, a reenergized Dion stood there amid all the calm- the eye of the storm finally having reset himself as his power grew to near match Amara's own. Of course, the hybrid still held the marginal advantage, but the bartender could still find other ways to hold his own.
After all, he was the more creative one of the two.
Pointing a lone finger at Amara once more, the rejuvenized fighter spoke in a much more lighthearted voice than a few seconds prior, riling up more excited clamor from the entire crowd as he said, "You and me Amara- That's how it's always gonna be! And I'm gonna prove it, here and now!"
Digging his heels into the floor, Dion blasted forward at an incredible speed, even for a man of his enhanced speed and precision- his entire body a smear of blue and silver Ki as he looked to collide directly with the unsuspecting Saiyan-Tuffle. Only to stop just short of Amara, slamming both feet into the ground in a widened stance as he used the momentum gained from his flying forward to help begin flinging what looked like dozens of straights, hooks, and uppercuts from varying awkward, hard-to-predict angles right into the woman's midsection. Every blow highlighted by a streak of silver-colored Ki left in its trailing wake.
Once done with the brunt of the assault, Dion would instantaneously reappear in a standing posture, and for added dramatic effect, he'd watch from over his shoulder as the remaining half of his assault appeared in a set of furious, delayed blows. Grinning, he quickly started running around the outer edges of the ring again, sliding his left hand deliberately across its surface as he did as he goaded Amara playfully aloud, stating, "You said it yourself, creativity is key, ain't it-? Try and keep it interesting, would ya?!"
For once in his life, Dion felt at home in the field of battle. Hell, he'd go as far as to say he felt, alive.
In a sense, the bartender had become born again. And he was ready to spend this new chapter writing it with the woman he loved.
... Though, he still refused to lose to her. He was still a Saiyan, after all. PL: 349,500 (x5 Activated!) - KP: 2/6 (-2) - MP: 4/6 (-2 MP for Second Wind boost) - 60/250 - Dion uses an edited version of Connoisseur's Cuts (20%, Bleed) - Damage potential of 69,900 headed Amara's way - WC: 1464 - TWC: 4082
Amara's eyes widened fractionally, surprised that Dion managed to harness the totality of his power. As the Saiyan himself had claimed, it only came forth under extreme duress or anger. The woman smirked. Just in time for her light show. Her mind still swirled with countless thoughts and emotions, weak and vulnerable from her open display. Amara was eager to project strength in public - leveling her blade confidently at Dion even if she just wanted to hug him. There'd be plenty of time before the next match, win or lose on either side. Was he truly the more creative, or would Dion find himself unable to find an opening against her superior speed and agility.
Amara wielded her Claimh like a shield, levying it's shielded flat side to protect herself against Dion's initial melee rush. The weapon moved as if it were weightless - and as if Amara could see perfectly through it to react to any deviations in angle or direction. Pockets of volatile Ki coalesced, Amara realizing what he intended to do. She'd twirl toward the bartender's general direction, throwing the sword like a frisbee as the delayed strokes of Ki assaulted it.
A replacement materialized in her hand immediately after, blue energy swirling around Amara. With a sudden pop her form seemingly split in two like a bout ofm mitosis, a second her forming from hardlight and appearing to be a dead ringer. "How's this?" The Amaras would rush him from opposite angles, each aiming to attack with blasting wave of blue energy and send him sprawling right off the platform!
AMARA blocc with BRIGHT BARRIER (80,000)
She splits using SIMULACRUM ZWEI into two
Both Amaras attack with a CANDELA WAVE [40,000] x2
Refocusing on the objective of the bout, Dion's eyes narrowed as Amara deflected and diverted the bulk of his furiously fast assault- taking close note of every movement as his mind continued to run at a hundred thoughts a minute. She was much more agile than his more bruiser-based movement, but the damage she was inflicting wasn't anything he wouldn't be able to endure. He supposed that had to do in part to Amara's bias toward his well-being, but, it was surely something he could take great advantage of.
However, even so, the Saiyan was still quite amateurish regarding combat stratagem. Dion might be able to identify places of potential weakness, but without the experience to help guide him through connecting the dots, he knew he wouldn't be able to take advantage to the best of his efficiency.
Thankfully, however, Amara gave him a bit of an out when it came to that.
Maintaining a grinning expression as Amara's person split into two right before his eyes, Dion tapped the sides of his newly reinforced techno-glasses, hard light interface lighting up in front of his awaiting gaze as the specially made specs booted up their AI-led procedures. Looking from clone to original whilst the system booted up, Dion spoke in a low, quickened tone to the AI helper, "Hey, specs- long time no see. You mind helping me stick it to your creator real quick?"
"Oh, I'd love to!" Snorting a bit at the AI-mara's eagerness, Dion allowed for the glasses to take in the entirety of the situation, eyeing down both real and fake Amara with a calculative glare as the two began to descend upon their quarry. Not taking too long to analyze the best course of action, AI-mara's voice relayed the goods, stating, "Both Amaras have currently exhausted most of their Ki-based reserves after their joint-assault- the chances of a successful counter-attack are greatly in your favor so long as you're able to take care of the two Candela Waves headed your way."
"... But something tells me you aren't planning on winning this by way of damage, are you?"
Wry smile only growing wider, Dion nodded, deciding to deal with the real-Amara's attack first and foremost as he reeled his left hand backward in a large, swooping arc. Slashing downwards in a diagonal slice through the air, accompanied by a loud, snapping noise. Igniting the air in front of him and supercharging it with a fraction of the power at his fingertips as it blitzed straight through Amara number one's Candela wave, likely drilling itself straight through the original as Dion turned to face the copy Amara's attack head on. Rather than allowing the clone to back him up further near the edge of the stage the three stood on, Dion took a daring manuever, running directly into the blast's path and slamming his entire person into the beam- tanking the majority of the focused energy with sheer strength of will alone. His heels barely able to keep from completely sliding all the way back toward the out-of-bounds line.
"You and I both know I'm not beating Amara blow for blow," Dion replied as he wiped the blood that flowed from the corner of his mouth from the last Candela Wave he tanked. "The only way we're winning this is by using what I've got to work with- and that's a sturdy Saiyan constitution and a stubborn mindset to boot."
"Understood! If it's any consolation, what you've been planning to do thus far seems like a pretty decent plan to me."
"Hold on- you knew?"
"Just because I'm not actively turned on doesn't mean I don't passively take note of your battle strategy, Dion. How am I supposed to do a post-action analysis if I didn't?"
"Fair. Let's see if we can make it work then, shall we?"
Exhaling once more, Dion started his circling around the two once again, gently running his left palm over the outer edges of the ring as he stared both of his opponents down with a steady glare. Staring at the ring immediately below them, the bartender began to fire off a large array of Ki blasts with his free hand, slowly circling closer and closer to the duo and increasing the volume of the volley as he began to cross the distance between them.
This strategy of his was one hell of a dice roll to make.
Though, something told him it was about time lady luck threw him a bone.
"Two on one-? There's only so much of me that can go around, Amara!"
PL: 349,500 (x5 Activated!) - KP: 1/6 (-1) - MP: 6/6 (+1 for tech usage, +1 for passive gain) - Takes the entirety of Clone Amara's Candela Wave for 11% damage taken- 71/250 - Dion uses Sazerac Singe (20%) to clash with Original Amara's Candela Wave - 69,900 V 40,000 = 29,900, 15% damage bleedthrough - WC: 848 - TWC: 4930
"Think I don't know the kind of tricks you'll pull with that?" Amara approached the cornered Saiyan casually, his biting counter dodged with a swift step that took her out of harm's way last second. Sparks danced at her heels, speed on full display. The original's eyes narrowed, watching as Dion barreled his way toward her duplicate. Other Amara kept up her agile dance, smirking as the swordsman took the brunt of her attack, nearly knocking him out of the arena. The clones moved together in sync, shoulder to shoulder, as their blades moved unburdened to block and slash the barrage of low-powered blasts.
"He's planning something drastic," One of them noted. "That he is." The other replied with a nod. Original Amara's sword vanished, a barrier of hardlight shielding her and her twin. "Gonna make me work for it, huh?" The clone's palms burst with raw hard light, ready to be molded immediately. "Well then," She held it up, tossing globs of the volatile material around the arena floor close to Dion's approach. "Tough guy..." The two raised their hands together, the blobs morphing into an array of turrets. "Lucky for you, we're professionals!" A baker's dozen worth of the miniature guns immediately opened fire on Dion, pelting him with a storm of weak but stinging blasts that would hopefully take the wind from his offensive sail.
In the chaos Amara merged, Claimh reforming as she prepared herself for whatever Dion had planned.
A1 dodges the bleed-through with FLASH STEP (EVASIVE) [100,000]
A2 attacks with another CANDELA WAVE [40,000]
Simulacrum Zwei ends, merging the two back together!
Eyes widening, Dion threw his arms up to defend his face from the oncoming pelting of Ki pellets that now fired off from all cylinders, barely able to catch a glimpse of the miniature-formed turret constructs that currently collided with his person. She was likely getting suspicious of his movement, however, it didn't appear as though Amara caught on fully to what he was planning. Then again, who would in this case? He wasn't even sure what he was doing anyways, so how could she know?
Forcing his way through the array of bullet rain that befell him, Dion continued to drag his hands along the floors of the stadium, sliding around to-and-fro in a display of slippery, yet silky smooth movement- the tournament flooring glimmering from the motion in the high afternoon sun as the young man finally came into close enough range to Amara and her turret line. Raising his left hand into the air, the Saiyan slammed a punch straight into the tournament stage, rippling the tiles up in literal waves and throwing the majority of the cannonade into the sky above.
Jumping up, Dion began to punch every one of the mini-turrets back to their maker- throwing elbows, kicks, and backhands as a means to toss Amara's creations right back at her in a frenzied, volley-ball free for all.
"Looks like she took the bait, it was gonna be hard to do what I need to with more than one Mara' on the field," Dion muttered as he allowed himself to free fall back down to the tournament stage. Hitting the ground running, he leaped from spot to spot on the stage, planting with his hands each time and hopping like a frog almost from place to place, a streak of blue Ki following in his wake and much of it left on the floor of the stadium as he jumped around Amara in an awkward-to-read rhythm.
"While that may be true, need I remind you the more time you spend regaining Ki, the better off she'll be to defend what you've got in store for her?"
"Yeah, that's true- if I don't go after her now, I risk not being able to touch her the rest of this fight. Still, if I can just catch her off her kilter even for just a few seconds, it'll be all I need."
"Let's see if I can grant you that opportunity then. Might I suggest a hint of misdirection?"
"Yeah, why not?"
Continuing to quicken his jumping pace, Dion stopped just above Amara, two large orbs of Ki swirling within each of his palms. Eyeing her with a mischievous grin, the bartender threw them to either side of her- attempting to blast away the tournament stage right below her feet and move her close to the outer edges of the stage proper.
His blood was pumping on overtime- his very being outlined by an electric, fiery blue bout of adrenaline-boosted Ki as he began to coalesce everything he held in reserve up toward the surface.
The stage was set.
It all ended here.
Whether or not he successfully ran right through Amara didn't affect what he did next all that much- as Dion would simply readjust his flight path accordingly to allow himself to land back onto the stage without so much as a peep. Exhaling, Dion stared down his dance partner one final time, fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"The next attack'll finish this."
Bracing himself, Dion's entire body appeared to be overwhelmed by a renewed sense of calm. Inhaling deeply, the Saiyan allowed his strength to simmer down slightly, his power going down by a few ticks as he worked to wrestle it under his control.
"Zig-zag formation, get some cover, and keep Amara guessing!"
Nodding, Dion brought both fists above his head, bringing the hammer down as he churned the tiles of the tournament floor once more, moving across the waves of ceramic that now jumped up and down from the force of the impact- utilizing the highs and the lows of the valleys created as a means of cover.
But he knew Amara was smarter than that. She'd be able to pick out his energy from behind the porcelain protection with relative ease unless he was able to somehow hide his power from her completely-
And that's exactly what he was banking on.
Just as Amara had done mere minutes ago to cloak the twos' show of intimacy, Dion trained both of his palms onto the floor, firing off a torrent of Ki blasts at the ground and kicking up as much smoke and dust as he could to encompass the entirety of his approach. Still,he knew this wouldn't be enough- his surging energy still making him stick out like a sore thumb.
So, as Dion dove into the murky depths of the thick fumes before him, he closed his eyes for a few precious seconds, reaching down deep and forcing his energy to swell one more time like a furiously burning star-
Before dissipating almost entirely. Eyes flying open, Dion utilized a technique not used for nearly years at this point, one that he had been reminded of with Amara's likening of him to said celestial body- and that was his ability to fluctuate his level of strength at will. Gritting his teeth, it was like attempting to put a cap on an exploding soda bottle, but somehow, Dion managed to contain his power to a point where it was almost indiscernible with the crowd's energy. The mass of bodies and signatures polluted his normally recognizable power level with their mere presence.
However, he knew he had potentially mere seconds before Amara's quick thinking illuminated her to his plan, and once he was sure his strength was safely hidden, Dion tapped his specs in an expectant, hurried gesture.
"Opening... Identified!"
Suddenly, the outline of Amara through the dust and muck appeared right in the interface of Dion's glasses, and after a few seconds spent closing the distance, Dion allowed his strength to explode once more.
From within the depths of the smoke, the Saiyan's aura erupted alongside a cry that threatened to shatter the skies accompanying his conclusive assault. His strength skyrocketing well beyond what it had been even before- his body becoming engulfed in a furious flame of blue and white as his strength rose to match Amara's in full!
Digging his feet into the stage one last time, Dion reeled his left hand back, his arm practically steaming from the heat of the focused Ki that was held within its grasp. Letting loose, the brazen bartender looked to drive his Ki-clad fist straight into Amara's stomach, driving it as deep as it would go in an attempt to throw the woman right off the platform.
As Amara was presumably flung backward, Dion knew he couldn't allow anything else to come up to chance, and as the woman's form continued to fly precariously toward the edges of the stage, Dion thought it best to help her cut the trip short.
Waiting, waiting, and waiting, Dion held his right hand behind him, watching until finally-
"Minefield, now!"
With what little strength he had leftover from that all-or-nothing attack, Dion snapped his fingers one more time- detonating the leftover Ki he had slathered onto the tournament stage from his earlier display of slippery movement and causing the complete outer ring of the ring to shrink by a large margin. Large enough to hopefully keep from Amara rebounding off of the air and back onto any feasible footing. Completely spent, Dion fell to his knees, panting heavily- exhausted to the point of being unable to lift his head to see if his plan had even worked.
All he could do now was hope it had been enough.
PL: 400,000 (x5 becomes a x6, Momentum Boost) - KP: 0/6 (-3) - MP: 2/6 (-4, +x1 to Transformation used) - 71/250 - Dion uses Poinsettia Flashpoint (30%, Piercing) for a damage potential total of 120,000 headed for Amara - Dion uses Energy Setting [UT] momentarily to hide his approach, and then returns to his full strength immediately after - WC: 1313 - TWC: 6243
Amara didn't bother blocking the cascade of ruined turrets. For each and every projectile sent her way she'd simply move - not a single mote of energy or speed wasted. The woman's control was incredible, her raw agility even more so. She seemed to blink between spots as if almost teleporting, casually glancing up at Dion. This wasn't the main attack he had planned, no doubt about it, and while Amara was on high alert for any trickery, predicting a man who was winging his entire strategy? Impossible. Well, the fact that he was purposefully and obliquely leaving trails of glowing detectable Ki across the entire stage was pretty obvious. Just the when and how he planned on using the trap.
Her energy surged in response, a brilliant blue shine radiating from her body as Dion approached. Even then he wasn't finished. A quick overhead blast aimed at destroying the stage - that was legal? odd - easily backstepped. Of course, she was aware Dion was likely trying to back her into the edge of the platform for a victory by ring out, but if he thought she'd remain idle or hapless the entire time, that was a huge mistake. "We're running the clock," Amara murmured quietly. "This will be our final bout." If neither side seized victory with the next major motion, it'd go to the judges to decide... and it was pretty clear that neither of them wanted that.
Amara began rapidly firing stray blasts in Dion's general direction. Every single one missed. While he might've chalked it up to his evasive maneuvers, even if the Saiyan stood still he'd find himself untouched by the barrage. More and more blasts choked the air, Amara unconcerned with locking onto Dion. If he wanted to billow smoke and cut his battle power to nearly untraceable levels, she'd play along. As he flew from the smoke he'd be met with a serene smirk, Amara's body flowing like water as his punch was met with lax muscles. Still enough to force her up and into the air, but the sandbagged Tuffle was falling far short of Dion's intended plot.
The cutting edge of Dion's Ki detonated, ripping the floor to shreds and obscuring Amara in an even thicker batch of black billowing smoke that made the fruits of his plan impossible to immediately see. Exhausted and concentrated on his foe, the Saiyan might've finally noticed where all her Ki blasts had gone. The air crackled, the wind hummed in chorus, and the crowd sat in suspended silence as the entire area above and around the arena was filled with pockets of blue blasts held on stasis. Without warning they'd converge on Dion all at once, hitting with over quadruple the force of her paltry turret setup and seeking to send the bartender face first into the tiles.
"Oh. Shoot." For a moment Amara had caught herself on the edge of the remaining platform, standing tall and confident as her counter rocked Dion thoroughly... only for her own exhaustion and the shaking explosions of the grenade attack sending her stumbling off the edge and onto her butt. Amara giggled from the grass, running a hand through her hair. "Well! Guess your plan worked out after all. Good thinking, that was some real clever stuff!"
Amara activates RADIANCE!
2 MP is spent to boost her next tech!
She takes the full brunt of Dion's attack for 30 damage
POWER POLE'S free attack is boosted and sent at Dion! [240,000]
A disappointed, yet simultaneously amused smile grew on the haggard bartender's face, his head tilting upwards and being immediately illuminated by the large array of Ki blasts now awaiting his presence on stage. Chuckling, the low murmur of a chortle slowly grew to full-on laughing, small tears forming at the corners of his eyes as he tried to accept his fate with discipline and grace.
"You put up a good fight, Dion."
"A creative one at that, haha. Just not a good enough one."
With that, Dion found the sudden embrace of what felt like a thousand Ki orbs blistering themselves straight into his already beaten body. His cries echoed throughout the stadium with a painful timbre as his person was flung straight from the middle of the stadium and directly into the side of the spectator rows' wall behind him. The entire building shook and seemingly threatening to crumble from the very impact.
From within the cratered side of the wall, Dion sat, completely deaf to both crowd and former queen as he brewed in light of his most recent shortcoming. Sighing, he remained laying there, saying aloud to anyone able to hear,
"... I wanna go home." PL: 69,990 (x5 deactivated) - Dion takes the brunt of the assault and is flung out of bounds, leaving it up to the judges - WC: 234 - TWC: 6477