Spring Festival/Solo Tournament/506-04-28 Tourney Rnd 1 - Solphin v. Linette
| Round 1 - Solphin v. Linette | |
|---|---|
| RL Date | 9 Nov 2008 |
| Players | Solphin Acaran, Linette Barca |
| Location | Coliseum |
| Crossroads Time and Weather | |
| IC Date | 28 Apr 506 |
| Season | Spring |
Announcement: Squall shouts, "Pages and squires run around announcing that the first round match between Lady Moria and Baroness Caerdach will be beginning in 15 minutes in the Coliseum! Wear white for Solphin, red for Linette!"
A shrill whistle pierces the air as Solphin appears, nearly beaming, her smile distorting the song somewhat but she couldn't care less at this point. Andre at her side, arms looped together, less that of one leading the other and more of a pair of companions lollygagging about. Along with the duo of guards who follow and linger at the exit, a dog seems to be nipping at Andre's heels.
As the stands start to fill, the Arbiter works his way along, making some checkmarks on a card as he waits for the two combatants to check in. The first round has gone surprisingly quick, and for that, he's grateful.
Linette heads straight for the Arbiter, head high and strides long with rolling confidence. There is the slightest hint of apprehension in her eyes as they flick restlessly around the ring. But it only lasts for a second, for she tosses her head back to clear the moment's hesitation and lifts her chin high. And then Linette catches sight of a cluster of red near the front of the stands, where the Maritus and Soranus contingent sits, bearing her colors. Linette flashes them a bright grin, and moves forward with renewed energy to check in for the tournament.
Solphin takes her sweet time making it through the area, eventually shoving Andre in the shoulder with her own and letting him go off with a jovial word as she strolls along, hands in her pockets as she's donned her cross dressing attire for this event. Skirts are just trouble. Sauntering over in that lackadaisical kind of way, there's a look passed up to the stands, casual as ever as she slides that grin over the predominantly red crowd. Cupping her hands over her mouth, she does shout up. "Gotta prove my little brother isn't the only one who can own up, eh, Isteph?" a vicious grin afterward and jaunty wink as she slides up to the arbiter and Linette. "Got quite a cheering section, Baroness. Great to see it." as she moves up to check in.
The sky gets darker as the evening continues.
From Observation Stands, A voice, Solphin will recognize it as Tobias's calls out, "Just remember to move faster than you do with me, Solphin!"
"Baroness, good evening." the Arbiter greets the first contestant to arrive, gesturing to the barrel nearby. "Go dip your weapons, they will dry quickly. Lady Moria should be arriving to check in shortly.. ah, there she is now. Your Excellency, m'lady. You both know the rules. No death blows, matches will be paused if blood is drawn. First to have the majority of five rounds win. In case of ties, points will be awarded to both sides, and if it ends in a draw, sudden death will be determined with grappling pins. Any questions?"
Linette tosses her opponent a grin in return, and tilts her head up towards the direction from which the shout came. "Thank you, my lady. Looks like you've got some of your own." She falls silent when the Arbiter speaks, giving a quick half-bow, half-nod in return - dutiful and at attention, with only the tapping of her fingers on the hilt of her saber, and another uncertain flicker of her eyes at the mention of grappling, to betray the restless energy within. "No questions," Linette replies. She pulls her sword from its sheath and dips it carefully in the barrel of liquid, holding the weapon with an almost tender care.
Solphin chokes after that shout from Tobias, eyes going wide as she turns slooooowly to the stands. Clearly a 'what the hell was /that/' kind of look. "Yeah, they're small, but loud." Responding to Linette as she continues to stare for a time. As the Arbiter speaks up, she jumps and turns that way again, still looking startled. "Hm, oh, n-no. No questions, thank you." A hand reaches up to muse through those shortly shorn locks of hair, betraying some outward anxiousness, or just still taken aback by that shout earlier. A shrill whistle tossed toward her shadows who linger /still/ at the entrance, "Hey, Petunia!" A no longer flower speckled guard steps forward, grumbling, tossing a staff Solphin's way. Short. It falls to the dirt and rolls along. "HEY!" Running to the staff, she picks it up and dusts it off, hugging it protectively. "Jerk!" Walking to the liquid and dipping both ends in until it's all covered.
Shaking his head, the Arbiter looks to the two women. "Take your marks. And when you are ready. Begin!"
[ROLL] Linette rolls 1d20: 8
[ROLL] Solphin rolls 1d20: 16
Solphin drops a toothy, almost childlike gleeful smile to the Arbiter as she takes her mark, shifting her weight from one foot to the other in fluid, ready motion. Energy typical of the androgyne but not quite the focus as she locks her gaze on the really...oddly similarly look Baroness across from her. After the Baroness had taken mark as well, Solphin hardly seems able to wait half a moment before springing forward at a dead run. Body bent low, all grins as she dashes toward Linette, staff grasped in one, then flipped to hold in two. Once in range, the too eager woman juts one end forward as if toward the swordwoman's side, but pulls back prematurely in that fake, bringing the other side down hard, trying to plant it down on her swordarm's shoulder.
Linette's head dips in another sharp gesture, this time towards her opponent - too deep for a nod and too shallow for a true bow, quick and precise and respectful. She stands waiting, sword balanced easily in her hand and sharp eyes scanning her opponent, taking in every detail of the other woman's stance and build and weapon.
Linette starts with a quick step forward, sword sweeping around to the left in a backhand arc to come up at her opponent's right side, under that nervously-darting staff. But the staff swings the other way, and instead of landing, Linette's strike goes past Solphin entirely - and her own right shoulder takes a sharp blow from the staff. Her eyes widen in sharp surprise, and she murmurs, "Good one," as her hand tightens on her sword again, readying for the next strike.
[ROLL] Linette rolls 1d20: 18
[ROLL] Solphin rolls 1d20: 5
Watching the two, the Arbiter notes, "Point, Acaran." he announces.
From Observation Stands, There is a rather impressive procession that enters the stands. They are decked completely in white. In fact, they have powdered their faces and their hair to be that pallid shading. There are a few that carry the crashing metallic disks of cheer. Others are carrying white signs with white words outlined in a crisp blue-green. Each sign holds one letter and it spells out: W-I-N S-O-L-P-H-I-N-! There is even one that carries the white space between the words. They move as close to the front as possible and make as much racket as possible.
Eyes narrow as Linette makes her sweep, passing her by and feeling the brunt of her weapon connect, the point noted to her from the Arbiter and note of praise from opponant, she nods curtly, "Thank you, kindly." the mirth in her voice apparent, if strained as she slips back after that called point. Unfamiliar with the way these matches are carried out, she steps back to pause a moment and 'reset' as it were. One a few steps away for breathing room, a quick dart and Solphin turns to the side, both arms pushing sideways in precise unison to thrust one end of that staff straight at Linette's midsection.
From Observation Stands, Andre reaches down, patting to top of his pup's head. Flicking his wrists a moment he shouts out in a rhythmic tongue that flows cooly across the open space. He lets out a soft chuckle after, folding his arms once again.
Pause? Reset? Linette has never stopped moving. She is already spinning away from Solphin's staff, taking a tiny skipping step with her right foot to dodge away from that thrust and propel her forward into another lunge, landing on her left foot. Her saber flashes forward just as quickly, coming around to strike at Solphin's right arm. Even it weren't for the blunting liquid, Linette's sword might not have done serious damage, because there isn't much force behind it, but it lands a decisive blow.
"Point, Barca." announces the arbiter. "One even."
[ROLL] Linette rolls 1d20: 1
[ROLL] Solphin rolls 1d20: 15
That familiar tongue shouted from the stands draws a momentary distraction, or maybe it was the uproar of noise and rowdiness new from the stands. Or. Let's admit it. She makes mistakes. Boy, does she. So as the Barca woman takes that opportunity to make her move, darting away spryly and droping that blow to her arm, Solphin seems to faulter, feeling herself overextend with no body there to take the blow. A grunt is heard, either over the blow or the extention, moving with that displacement of energy, she spins around the next moment, "Nice shot!" loud enough to carry over the field. Another shout in that rambling, dancing language as she spun around, one end of the staff tight against her hip, using the force of motion to plant that staff down onto the swordwoman's hand.
Brindled clouds conceal patches of starlit sky.
From Observation Stands, Within the crowds there are two sets of people with really large powder puffs. They are attempting to powder all those that are in red to make them covered in white. The element of use? Flour. They are even singing witty cheers:
1-2 Solphin is coming for you.
3-4 Better learn to adore.
5-6 She's fighting with sticks.
7-8 Going to win cuz its fate.
9-10 Never going to beat her again.
However, as the group starts getting rowdy with the whites and reds, the guards start to break up the rowdy cheerings for Solphin.
Linette's grin flashes on in swift triumph as she feels the blow land, and spins out to the left again for the next one. She sweeps her sword up - right into the smashing force of Solphin's staff. Her hand is forced open by the impact, and the saber goes flying to skitter across the ground. "Curse it all to the Abyss!" Linette bursts out, frustration crumpling her face. She dives for her sword, shaking the pain out of her hand as she hurries towards the lost weapon in an awkward sideways dodge - despite her fury, she's still not taking her eyes off of her opponent, especially not now that she's unarmed.
Ignoring the crowd and keeping his eyes on the fight, the Arbiter notes, "Point, Acaran." he announces. "Two to one, Lady Moria."
[ROLL] Linette rolls 1d20: 6
[ROLL] Solphin rolls 1d20: 19
PERK! Oh. What was that? Glancing down to the ground and watching the sword kick up that bit of dust, Solphin's eyes flair wide as Linette scrambles for her sword. "Fates hold me...this is madness but I'll take it!" With that she rushes shoulder first into Linette's scrambling form as she tries to recover, using all her massive 5 and a half feet of raging scampish energy to knock the woman away from her weapon in a tackle. Scrambling herself to land just right atop her and press the staff to the Baroness' throat.
The worst part is that Linette sees it coming. Her eyes never stop moving, that sharp archer's gaze catching her opponent's motions before they start, and she tries to dodge - but it's too late. Solphin slams into Linette's side - she may not be very large, but she still has a size advantage over Linette. With a shout, Linette is thrown off-balance, and her right knee buckles as she tries to catch herself. The Baroness follows her sword to the ground, sending up a scattering of dust and a flurry of furious curses that even the staff at her throat doesn't stop.
"Point, Acaran." the Arbiter announces. "Three to one."
[ROLL] Linette rolls 1d20: 9
[ROLL] Solphin rolls 1d20: 7
She might be down, but Solphin didn't land with the utmost grace as the two woman kick up a good amount of dust with that collapse. Struggling to stay on top here as she presses her staff down and hears the point called in her favor and those harsh curses from the woman. Three to one, that's game, right? Right? RIGHT!? So with a dusty grin, Solphin loosens the grip on her staff and tosses it away, ready to rock up to her feet and offer hand. Only to find that it might be /BEST/ out of five, but the two were apparently still aiming for five, not four. Still atop a pissed off and likely flailing Barca woman, the staff away from her, the Lady Scamp scrambles hand to hand as the sparring match degenerates into the dirt of the coliseum.
Linette has been trampled in the dust, disarmed, and smashed with a staff; her eyes are tight with pain and her cheeks are starting to flush red with humiliation. But she is _not_ done with this fight. And she's left with no weapons other than her hands and her words, so that's what she uses. As soon as Solphin's staff has left her hand, Linette throws the first punch, still cursing away with furious frustration. Her hand-to-hand combat has nothing like the formal discipline and training that marked her swordplay, but she still manages to land a few blows in the disordered scrum into which the tournament has disintegrated.
"Point, Match, Lady Moria, three to two.." The Arbiter starts to say, as he moves to break up the two women. "Enough! Break it up!"
ACK! Under attack and all, Solphin's more notably on the defensive at this point, but for getting clocked a couple times quite notably. One that sends her swaying and collapsing to the side, crawling/swiming away in the dirt like some babe who hasn't quite learned how to right itself...but what's that sound? Laughter. Laughter is coming in throaty barely restrained /waves/ over Solphin as she scrambles away, a notable bruise swelling across her face and tears in her eyes--either from the blow, the dust or the laughter. No blood. Thankfully no blood in the scramble as she flops into the dust with a cloud forming upward. Choking on an inhalation of dust, in time, and a good coughing fit, she rolls and flops onto her back, laughing at the sky. "Bar--Baroness...I should've known! HAH! La-last time I saw ya...was right here...as a squire...an ya were pummeling the Fernwick kid." choking still on dust, she laughs more, grinning from ear to ear as her cheek swells up. "You are officially," wettling her lips, tasting dust. "One of my favorite damn people on this bloody damn isle." huffing and puffing, waving away the Arbiter as she enjoys the win. But more importantly, the fight.
Linette finally drops back too, fists falling away the instant the Arbiter breaks in, and she too slumps back onto the ground, glaring up at the sky. Her hand comes up to clutch at her hair, pulling the disordered curls away from her face. She can't quite laugh yet, not with the same abandon as Solphin - not with hundreds of eyes watching and her defeat fresh upon her. "Providence, it was. Forgot all about that." Linette shakes her head against the ground, cracking a wry, crooked smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Long time ago." But Solphin is still laughing - and with exuberant praise like that, Linette can't help but have her own smile soften a little. "Well-fought, my lady."
Looking down at the two, the Arbiter shakes his head. "If you two are done?" he asks. "I believe you have people waiting for you in the stands." With that, he looks up into the stands. "Cain Sothen! Ranis Isteph! You are ready for round two?"
Solphin still gasping a touch, chest heaving as it evens out, she doesn't carry the glow of victory on her rather than the glow of elation after a good tough rumble. Turning her head to the side to regard Linette with that too easy, hundred thousand candlelight smile. "Well-fought, Excellency." her hand extending sideways in peace since they're both flat on their back for the moment.
The Arbiter shoos them, and so with that easy smile and a groan that marks more than a couple bruises, she eases up to her feet, grabbing her staff and, extending that hand again if Linette wishes to take it. Her attention flicks to at the names. "Isteph?" grin. "They'll have to wait, I'm sticking around to see this!"
