Budokai Preliminary Round - Fend VS Pracross

    While a rematch was something both fighters were already thinking about it seemed, what was more important right now was wrapping up their current match. All Fend had to do now was land one more good strike...

    ...Though, that would be easier said than done if Pracross still had the speed and stamina remaining to keep up his swift dodges. He also had the energy to go right for her face again too, it seemed. Fend had started to anticipate blows to her face with how common they had been throughout the fight- she deftly ducked under the blow, before moving to slam her elbow into Pracross's stomach if he wasn't quick enough to dodge. If all went well and the blow hit, Fend hoped it would push him closer to the edge...

    As for the possibility that Pracross had yet another secret spooky trick up his sleeve... "I'd respond by showing my own super secret technique that I haven't shown yet too, obviously." Fend teased back. Both of them had used their entire kits by now likely. "...Well, I mean, I do have one thing I haven't used, I guess? But it's just a little shield sorta thing, nothin' too exciting." Fend waved her hand, giving a small example as a few ripples of pale light formed a thin, shield-like shape.

No KP action taken. +2 KP regained!

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KP: 4/6 (+2)
MP: 6/6 (+1 Passive)
PL: 80,000
Damage: 43% / 250%

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Total Word Count: 6,154 (+222)

    Pracross did have one last trick as well, though it was nothing on the scale of his last attack. Whatever it was, he had still yet to perfect it, though, and using it while he was so low on stamina likely wasn't a good idea. Regardless, they couldn't have fun with show and tell for long- not while the fight was going to soon finish with or without them. Fend glanced off to the side, where the referees had managed to patch together a smaller backup clock, menacingly counting down...

    Fend flinched as Pracross rushed forwards and managed to jab at some of her pressure points, though she would quickly retaliate by kicking a piece of rubble right at the arm he was using to strike her. Well, while they were doing cheesy lines, Fend figured she may as well join in that fun as well. She vanished from sight with the familiar blip of her Kai Kai technique.

    ...And promptly appeared right behind Pracross. Though she usually wasn't a fan of teleporting behind people, this was one exception for one good reason; "Nothin 'personel, kid." ...For the funny quips, of course.

    Quickly, Fend pointed Palibur forwards. A familiar barrage of arrow-like bursts of ki cascaded out of the blade, intent on jabbing at Pracross one after the other to each shove him closer and closer to the ledge- perhaps even off of it. A few stray blasts of Fend's struck the arena floor, crumbling more of what little remained of it...

Fend spends 6 MP to reduce the cost of Thousand Fold Cranes by -2 KP, reducing it to a 4 KP cost! It is fired for 56,000 PL, and has the PIERCING variant, meaning any non-evasive Defense Techniques will have their power halved!

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KP: 0/6 (-4)
MP: 0/6 (-6)
PL: 80,000
Damage: 43% / 250%

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Total Word Count: 6,154 (+222)

    Fend grumbled as Pracross managed to cling to one tiny piece of remaining stage. As much as she had enjoyed this fight, the part of her that was concerned for her foe's condition and growing ever more exhausted of firing attack after attack was now a lot louder in her head. While impressive that he still was putting up a fight, the last thing Fend wanted was to hospitalize Pracross. The tourney had a strict no maiming rule- Fend sent a nervous glance towards the referees as the saiyan insisted on keeping up the fight.

    Despite his insistance that her attack was totally nothing and he was still rearing and ready to go, Fend furrowed her brows, merely staring in silence for a few moments, as if to let Pracross hear himself speak. "...Dude, are you sure? You're kinda, like..." Fend vaguely gestured to the saiyan's battered body and the small pool of blood forming beside him. "...Very bleedy."

    "I've enjoyed this fight as much as you, but fuck, I don't want you to be out of it for too long after this fight. Don't lie to me, you're obviously in a hell of a lot of hurt." Fend wasn't entirely used to being the 'voice of reason.' Usually she was the one acting impulsive and chaotic, not the one trying to dissuade the nonsense of others. Still, the Shinjin's strong empathy was enough to raise the red flags in her mind.

    Regardless, after a few moments to let Pracross weigh his options, Fend swung her sword again- though she wasn't aiming at Pracross this time. Spinning around him and cutting a clean circle around the saiyan, Fend aimed to take out a part of the arena itself to drop her foe onto the dirt beneath...

No KP action taken. +2 KP!

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KP: 2/6 (+2)
MP: 1/6 (+1 Passive)
PL: 80,000
Damage: 43% / 250%

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Total Word Count: 6,450 (+296)

    Fend's both concerned and very unamused stare didn't falter despite the saiyan's insistances. "I've met some before. Zenkai or no Zenkai, relying on being beaten half to death to get stronger sure as hell isn't healthy." Plain old training and practice was a much more rewarding, fun, and most importantly not self-destructive way to get stronger in Fend's eyes. The fact that Pracross was used to this level of hurt only made her grow more concerned. Just what had this kid been through?

    However, the saiyan did want to go out with a bang. Fend would have obliged without a second thought, but his words after made her narrow her eyes suspiciously. What was this about expenses to pay for whatever Pracross was planning...? "Oh." She clicked her tongue. "Lemme make a bet. You're planning on slappin' the stage, are you?" Why else would the referees need to worry about any monetary expenses? "Foreshadowing's great and all to build suspense in a fight, especially when we have an audience, but you really gotta get better at keepin' some of your cards hidden in a fight." Fend flipped Palibur in the air. Who said she had shown everything she had yet, either?

    "Eh, go for it though." Now that she was suspecting something, Fend was already formulating a plan to counter this potentially devastating attack. Her sword fixed itself to the rim of a lone cracked tile, dislodging it partially... If Fend had guessed Pracross's plan correctly then he'd have to mix it up to catch her off-guard now.

No KP action taken. +2 KP!

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KP: 4/6 (+2)
MP: 2/6 (+1 Passive)
PL: 80,000
Damage: 43% / 250%

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Total Word Count: 6,708 (+258)

    While Pracross was making a show and preparing his stage-shattering attack, Fend was busy making preparations. Threads of tightly-woven ki formed in her hands, wrapping around her palm and Palibur's hilt. Digging the blade deep into the tile beneath her as she pried it from the ring, Fend let go of Palibur, leaving it behind from where it was fastened into the tile. One test tug affirmed her technique- she could reel in and toss that tile like it was on the end of a fishing rod when the time came.

    Taking a deep breath in, Fend looked back up as the saiyan leapt into the air, releasing his pent-up energy in one, final attack. On cue, she kicked the tile Palibur was rooted into far into the air to the side, out of the way of the oncoming blast. "Alright, now or never..." Energy rippled in Fend's hands again as she leaped up to meet the blast in the sky, using her hand that wasn't tied to the soaring tile to raise in defense against the Cosmic Cannon. The air in front of her rippled with pulses of white ki, as if the air had liquefied and splashed as the attack hit her head-on. Fend hissed in exhaustion as the barrier began to falter, finally breaking after a suspenseful struggle as the Cosmic Cannon hit her head-on, knocking her back down from the skies...

    ...Though soon, a shadow would fall upon Pracross. Which was incredibly strange, considering he'd leaped above the clouds.

    As if falling from heaven itself, Palibur and the tile it was stuck onto would fall, en route to nick Pracross right on the back to send him flying back down to the earth as well. Fend was dazed, though she repressed the urge to just fly right to safety, lest she break the tourney rules. With one more firm tug to the thread of energy, the lone surviving tile she'd hurled out of the way flew back to the ground, landing on the earth first with a thundrous crack. Though it'd splintered into a few smaller pieces, there was now some ground left to land on.

    The crowd gasped in suspense as the two approached the earth. Using the last of her energy to fire a few blasts downward in a feeble attempt to somewhat slow and reposition herself, Fend landed with a thud...

    "fffFFUCK." Fend cursed in pain. She felt nothing but agony in her legs. Forced into a split, Fend opened her eyes to see that her feet had landed on both parts of the split tile. The front of her cloak and shirt had been burnt, but she was on the stage and still conscious... "...HELL YeAH!!" Fend threw her hands in the air as her voice cracked, exhausted but victorious.

    All she had to do now was stay conscious for just a little while longer...

Fend uses Tessellation, boosting it by +10% for 2 MP, to defend against Cosmic Cannon with 24,000 PL!
Cosmic Cannon wins! However, Tessellation's SHIELD VARIANT reduces the end damage to 36,820, dealing +46% damage to Fend.

Afterwards, she uses Papercutter one last time for 32,000 PL in an attempt to send Pracross flying to the ground.

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KP: 0/6 (-2, -2)
MP: 4/6 (+1 Passive, +1 Tech)
PL: 80,000
Damage: 89% / 250% (+46)

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Total Word Count: 7,191 (+483)

    Fend heard the murmuring of the referees. She glanced over to see one examining her position, affirming that she was indeed, technically, still on the stage, as evidenced by the pale pieces of rubble her feet were split between. Another two were going over some footage to the side... After a few suspenseful moments, The Announcer that had started their match cleared his throat as the referees whispered something to him.

    "This has been one of our most exciting and most destructive matches yet, folks, but Fend is the victor of this fight! But please give both of these incredible warriors a round of applause for their intense battle!" He called out to the crowds, eliciting a roar of applause, shouts, and cheers. Fend gave a weak laugh, finally slumping onto the floor as she flashed the crowd a thumbs-up from where she lay.

    Pushing herself upright, Fend managed to stagger to where Pracross laid. Though beaten, bloodied and wobbling on her feet, she still extended a hand to her downed opponent. "Good fight," She complimented, out of breath to say much more. "Wanna go collapse backstage now?" Right now, the thing Fend wanted most was to collapse on a couch and let herself pass out- though she wasn't one to leave a new friend behind. Perhaps once they were away from prying eyes she could heal the saiyan up proper once she'd gathered some more of her energy back... But for now, they both needed rest.

Fend advances to the Top 16! Good fight!

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Total Word Count: 7,438 (+247)