(6) Pretty Ricky v (19) Two Horns and a Furball

[Ashiakin]

Round One starts at 12:00 AM EST on Sunday, April 30th and will last two weeks. Good luck!

[Logan]

It had been a long week leading up the Lornius Corporate Challenge filled with excitement, rumors and gossip, and even the few predictions and gambling fools. It was strange for Logan to be seen as anything but an underdog in any situation, but especially when in a tournament like the LCC. He'd fought hard to find a worthy teammate and this time the psion found someone he not only felt comfortable with, but someone who desired to be with him. Last year's team was a fluke, no doubt about it, and Logan desired to prove everyone wrong, especially himself.

Doubts had flooded his mind, and for the first time in quite a while Logan had begun to believe those doubts. We're really no better than even the last ranked teams. Hell, especially without Girion, who won't even be around to help out in round one, the psion internally questioned.

He and his partner were scheduled to be pitted against the team of Two Horns and a Furball. A team that quite frankly Logan had no prior knowledge of. He'd tried to scrounge up as much information as he could with the time frame he had, and yet, he came up short. Not only would the psion be going into this battle alone, but he'd be going in with the least bit of knowledge of his opponents past, experience, and abilities. That lone realization thrust Logan into a quandary, I could forfeit. No one would dare question my motives and it'd be seen as a respectable move, but I can't. Especially not after last night.

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The night prior in Logan's dreams

Darkness, emptiness, a void. Then, a flash of bright light, and a voice, “My spirit lingers on, my servants preparing the way. Soon, Logan, you will experience...” An image flashes quickly of a masked man, familiar yet still distant. The voice resumes, “Philantross...Philantross...Philantross...”

Logan's eyes shot open as his head throbbed violently. His hands clawed at the blankets that surrounded him and slowly he began to resume his composure as he realized he was safe in his room in the inn. Sitting up in his bed and grabbing his head the psion began to shake violently. As the shaking grew more and more violent Logan fainted and the entire ordeal was over as quickly as it began.

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The psion clutched his head in pain as it began to throb as he had thought back to the previous night's experience. The pain subsided and Logan's hands dropped to the hilts of his swords gripping them with a force even he himself had yet experienced. I will not forfeit. This is not about me, it's not about them. It's about him, and ridding the world of his evil, the psion's passionate internal dialogue continued as he stepped into the Shrine of Lornius. He was ready, and he could only hope to make it far enough to find out the truth about all that had taken place.

[Artifex Felicis]

((Any qualms bout the setting, just PM me. Also, this is nekoprince, just in the account I will be fighting the tournement in.))

"And to think the last time I ever really got excited for something was a different tournament," Leon chuckled aloud, packing the few items that he would end up needing for the last leg of the journey to his first battle ground. The past two weeks had ended up him simply trying to find a way to get to the island legally. The excitement certainly made that a challenge, especially since the many tourists that went to the isle all didn't give a damn whether the cat boy lived or died until he stepped onto the playing field. There he at least had the possibility of winning some respect from millions of people he'll never know.

Some of the things going into the bag were older, and far more favored things that he had long sense treasured. A yarn ball or two, a small picture, and a small dull knife all made their way into the bag. Along with them a small piece of meat, well wrapped so it would not go bad nor would the juices be able to escape, and a leather collar, a damascas bell jingling as it was put it. The strings on the bag were pulled tight, and then he tied them together, not allowing any of them to escape as he slipped it onto his back. He began to walk, pausing only to grab a drink from a vender outside of where he was staying before going to his possibly climatic battle

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With a grunt, the cat boy sat down, opening his bag. Walking around the Lornius countryside with only a vague idea of where he was going was not the best way to go about preparing for the tournament. It also did not help that he didn't have a companion to talk with, nor did his thoughts have much for him to think about. He barely knew who his partner was, only that he was some sort of bull or demon. What was more he also barely knew who the other team was. Maverick especially was a mystery to the boy, but Logan was different.

He took a bit of the meat he had been saving, wiping some of the juice that dribbled onto his chin with his sleeve. He didn't know Logan too well, but he knew a little. He knew enough that the man was slightly famous at one time, and that he was once supposed to fight him in the Magus tournament. He grinned, biting into the meat and tearing off a larger chunk. It was almost poetic that he was about to fight him, or at least his team, within a hopeful few minutes. The meat was swallowed, and the cat boy stood again, shouldering the pack and making his way to the shrine that was supposed to be his battle ground.

He almost skipped to the place, dropping the pack softly against the ground outside the Shrine. The larger, stone door was slightly open, and he pulled at it, surprised at how easily the door came from its resting place. He slipped in, heedless of any danger that might have jumped out at him then. He didn't belive either of the remember of "Pretty Ricky" were low enough to strike before they even saw each other's faces. The marble ground echoed slightly as he came into the holy place, exquisite art upon the wide walls and high ceiling. A large statue of a woman near the back of the room also caught his eye, especially considering the blindfold covering her eyes. He didn't know her name, only that she stood for justice, an arbiter of Law.

Fitting she would watch over a trial of physical prowess.

[Logan]

The Shrine was decorated in a most exquisite manner. Tapestries adorned the walls in an almost time table fashion. Each seemed to tell a story and then subtly began to weave into the next. If one sat long enough, they might even unravel one of the great mysteries of the island, and subsequently all of Althanas. As Logan turned to one such tapestry the beauty of two figures intertwined in an epic battle among the ruins of some ancient arena filled his vision. It was in that moment that the psion began to see the figures move, the battle actually taking place before his very eyes. Seconds later one of the silhouettes had run the other through with his sword, the second figure then collapsed onto the ground in the tapestry.

Logan shook his head and the figures returned to their original places. The psion sighed heavily. He'd always prided himself on being mentally stable and not allowing things like these to get to him, but now, he'd become vulnerable. The night before shot back into memory like a flash of lightning, the pain in his head returning with the force of a shotgun. He grabbed his head but as quickly as it started it was over. The veteran warrior began to realize that if he didn't find the remedy or cause of his headaches he wouldn't make it far in the tournament, especially at the rate they were coming now. In that very moment one of his opponents entered, it was Leon, or who he assumed was Leon.

The veteran warrior thought it over for a few moments before it dawned on him. Leon was behind the headaches and the pain. It was Leon who'd been wearing the mask, who'd released Philantross. It was in that moment that Logan vowed to himself, his friends, and most of all, all of Althanas, that he would not only defeat Leon, but in the process learn of the great evil of Philantross and how to get rid of it once and for all. The psion stepped out from his hiding place as he sniffed the air in a very loud manner.

“Smells like something the cat dragged in. Curious, my friend, what exactly do you know about the demon? I thought I'd destroyed the evil once and for all, but it appears I was wrong,” the psion was relentless in his mind games now, “Perhaps you could tell me how to end his evil and instead of playing our little game, I can destroy him and you can go on your merry way without even having to get hurt in the process.” A smiled crossed the face of the veteran, “Or I could just kill you now.” The psion leaped into the air at Leon sending a mind push towards the neko as his blades flew violently in front of him crossing one another before slicing out to the sides directly at Leon's throat.

[Artifex Felicis]

There was something about closed in spaces that often made Leon uneasy. There had been times when he could have easily saved a lot of gold, but instead chose to have the larger room instead of the smaller for that reason. It wasn't from any rational fear, just a paranoia that he wouldn't be able to do anything in such a situation. The battlefield he was on thankfully had nothing even remotely close to it. Wide open ground with a high ceiling. Amazing how many people were probably starving, and such money was put to painting the ceiling that seemed so far away he couldn't make out the picture.

Standing near the middle of it, or at least the cat boy's vision, was Logan. He seemed almost bigger than he expected him to be. When he thought of the name Logan, he didn't think of someone who obviously looks like he would be able to hold himself in a fight.This one was far different in that regard, especially from the way he carried himself. He had been around enough fights to know who had fought and who hadn't.

The boy never got a chance to reply to the psion's words before he began to attack him. Leon thanked his lucky stars that he wasn't some novice and attempted to stand his ground against the man's attack. Rather, when the force pressed against him, he hopped slightly, exposing bare and dangerous looking paws as he was flown back to safety, the blade cutting the edge of his coat that stuck out instead of slitting his neck. He twisted in mid-air, skidding along the ground, which offered little purchase to slow down, before hitting the wall. an annoyed look was on his face, partially from the strike before he was ready, proving that he may not have the upper hand, but from the words. They stung him, even if they weren't deep.

"Great then," he commented standing up, two yarn strands behind him falling to the ground. They twisted, flowing the same pattern as his tail as he began to move. "Looks like I'm the only one who doesn't know anything about the other people here. Hell, even you know him better than I do. I just work for the goddamn guy. He's not even here to lend me a hand. Good thing your partner got scared and ran too."

He ran forward, hopping to the side quickly before the claws extended from his hands without a sound. They glinted slightly in the sunlight filtering in through the windows. Leon prided himself on keeping his claws, shiny and clean, unlike quite a few other people he could mention. The names escaped him, as he couldn't recall name or face, but that didn't matter right now. what mattered was the battle, and that he was nearing his prey. He raised his arm, as if to swipe at the warrior, but instead swung early,scrapping the marble because of how close he was to the ground, but the two strings shot out, snapping up and down like a whip. The cat boy saw the blue-ish blades when they first swung, if he wasn't careful, they'd cut him much more easily than anything else, and that was what the grandmaster feared, even more so than their wielder.

[Logan]

A chuckle escaped the lips of the psion as Leon smashed into the wall. Logan never really planned to hit with his blades; the attack was more for show of his state of superiority. The veteran warrior had learned that in most battles his foes, at least those who had some level of skill worth remembering, always seemed to desire to be the superior to Logan. The funny thing about that was that only a very select few ever managed to do so. The typical warrior's abilities left him flat footed and feeling the breeze of Logan's blades just seconds before the fatal blow came. The fact that Logan's blades sliced gently and quickly through the material of Leon's coat only proved that fact once more.

To Logan this would be a hard fought victory, but a victory nonetheless. He had too much riding on the outcome. Hell, the entire of Althanas had too much riding on the outcome. If Logan succeeded in this battle, he would feasibly find a way to end Philantross' evil for good. If he didn't, well, let's just say that the end of Althanas as everyone knew it wouldn't be far off. It was that very thought that made Logan steadily aware of his surroundings and his opponent's unlikely and unfamiliar weapons.

In truth, Logan should've been more prepared for his battle with Leon and the demon, but he'd spent the week in Haidia trying to track down Philantross and his followers. It just seemed like the more important task at the time. The neko spoke up and something caught his attention. “Actually, my little furry friend,” the psion telepathically noted more in jest than in kindness, “it appears your partner isn't exactly present himself. Perhaps you spoke too soon?”

It wasn't long before the balls of yarn shot at the psion with an incredible speed. He didn't take long to roll to his right as he felt the tinge of pain on his left. One of the weapons had sliced a gash in the side of the psion. His hand quickly shot down to the wound to gauge the depth and severity. Luckily, it was nothing more than a scrape, but it still hurt like a bitch. The psion flicked his wrist sending a small spatter of blood onto the beautiful marble floor. He'd have to be more careful if we wanted to end this without more incident, but for now he'd play more games with his new pet.

Logan had studied enough supposed expert warriors that he figured he knew what would be coming next from the neko. He quickly closed his eyes and around him a barrier was created. For the first time since learning how to control it the psion had unleashed his Mental Block ability. If the neko had any clue, he'd know how to break it, otherwise the psion's games would continue for a very long time.

[Artifex Felicis]

((Just assume the yarn is magic, or something close enough. IM me if I messed up the Mental Block thing))

The claws that came from his hand dug into the much softer marble floor, a wrenching pain erupting the length of him arm as the boy stopped, almost skidding for a moments of the slippery floor. He pulled with his arm, launching himself back a few feet and away from any possible counter-attack from the two dangerous swords that the psion weilded. The yarn strand returned as well, ready to strike out against anything that came near him. He stood, hunched over, but on the ball of his feet, a wolfish smile coming to his lip, revealing too many teeth, a few more pointed than they should be.

A voice arose in his head, distracting him for a moment as he almost believed he was going insane. It bounced around in his mind, scaring him as the words made themselves known without a sound passing between Logan and Leon. He shook his head, calming himself as he did so. It wouldn't do to have himself be beaten without a single blow.

So is that why you never fought in the Magus?" the cat boy asked, coughing once. Smashing against the wall wasn't the best way to begin, and the few small droplets on blood in the hand covering his mouth proved it. It wouldn't be enough to stop this fight however. "You went somewhere, met my partner, got angry at him, and now want to kill him. You're more moody than a girl who just got dumped by her boyfriend."

The cat boy patted his pocket quickly, checking to make sure a certain item was there. He nodded to himself, flicking part of his hair out of the way of his eyes. A thought that he needed a haircut drifted through his mind as a plan began to form within his skull. The yarn strands almost began to speed up then, becoming a slight blur as he launched forward, surpressing the urge to shout at his prey. It seemed almost right, but only a low growl escaped his lips instead.

He neared Logan, crouched low before twitching both of his arms slightly, letting the claws on his hands catch the light and shine. the yarns strings shot forward again, almost whistling as they came around in an arc, ready to snatch at the psion and injure him. Except, they didn't. Almost as if hitting a wall, they bent backward and stopped from harming the seamanly protected psion. Though it didn't matter in the end, as Leon began to near him, winning the battle the only thing on his mind.

[Logan]

”During the Magus Cup I was out looking for your friend, the demon. I had heard some rumors that he'd mysteriously returned and damnit, I can't allow him to do that. He has to die, you see. It's just the way it is,” the psion began explaining the whole ordeal before stopping himself before he revealed too much information. The psion's eyes grew big as the neko's weapons neared him.

It was then the neko's yarn attacks ricocheted off the barrier Logan had created. The psion chuckled loudly at Leon's miscalculation. ”Poor soul, you really have no idea do you,” he telepathically communicated, ”All I need to know is why you are in cahoots with the demon, that's all. You tell me that, surrender to me so me and my teammate can take care of business, and you can be on your way. No harm, no foul.” Logan remembered what horrors the demon had invoked inside himself. The fury, the passion, the power, the voices, but most of all, the pain.

The more the psion thought about the demon the more his head throbbed in pain. His hands released their grip on his blades as they shot up to grab his head. He knew he was defenseless, but somehow he still felt protected. Unfortunately for Logan, that was not the case as his concentration broke, so did the barrier. Silently and invisibly it collapsed all around the psion leaving him entirely defenseless. Or was he?

The markings on his head shone a bright light, almost like the sun's rays. It wasn't really an attack more a defense mechanism. He really had no idea it was even happening, but it was. If anything, the neko's course would've collided him into Logan, but the light should've prevented any intentional attacks.

[Artifex Felicis]

The boy stopped his charge quickly, digging the claws in his feet into the marble to stop him from going too much farther along. The yarn strands, at the moment at least, were his best sense of defense. Despite his greater speed than Logan, getting too close to him was asking for an ear to be lopped off. The grandmaster knew when to fight, and this was a moment or retreat.

"I barely even met the guy to be honest," Leon said aloud, almost laughing. He had other thoughts of what he'd end up doing to the demon that was apparently his partner. It was enough that the cat boy was beginning to get pissed at him for missing this battle, but the pain each breath drew and this almost insane zeal to destroy him by Logan, a man he once respected, didn't help the demon's cause. "Though when I did meet him he was doing some bad things. He wasn't giving any soup to some of the adults because small kids needed it first."

The grandmaster smiled at the thought of it. The thought of any demon, let alone one that's described as badly as the one Logan apparently wished to kill so much would ever want to feed homeless children without some sort of major ulterior motive to do so. There was a slight clatter as the blades dropped from the psion's hands, and he seemed to be getting killed by some sort of major headache.

The moment was prime. Logan was helpless right then, too engrossed in his own pain, despite the dangerous enemy that was near him. Everything in his rational mind told him to run forward right then and slit the man's throat. The healers running the tournament should be able to find him, and if not, then his two blades would make a fine addition to Leon's arsenal. He didn't though, for no better reason than almost pity.

He was about to ask if the man was alright. The grandmaster felt wrong then. He seemed to be in such pain that he couldn't fight, when the markings on his forehead began to glow. He originally passed it off as a tattoo, but now it appeared it was something far more. Before the light appeared, Leon felt pity, but now his resolve strengthened.

He darted forward, hoping to dodge any magical attacks the psion would pull against him right then. The clacks of his claws on his feet quickly followed one another, closing the distance for Leon, his claw outstretched and ready to tear flesh.

[Logan]

Inside every man's mind is either freedom or a prison. Logan had experienced both through his years. Anyone who had met the psion in his earlier years within the confines of Althanas could tell the story of the voices. They could tell of the insanity that he experienced and of the demons that controlled him then. They could tell a story of pain and sorrow. What very few of them knew, however, was the story of victory and triumph. That was the story Logan loved to tell himself and loved to reflect on. That was Logan's story.

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The psion's hands trembled, he couldn't focus anymore. He couldn't see, couldn't hear. All of his senses were being bombarded with attacks from within. The sheer pain was almost too much to bear. Everything within the psion screamed to give up and just let go and die, but something else inside him cried out that this wasn't over, that the demon had to be destroyed.

The psion closed his eyes for the first time in the battle. The pain absolutely unbearable, he began to sway on his knees barely able to sustain his balance on his own. The more he lost focus, the more he sensed the power of the demon growing.

”Logan, do not give up! That's what he wants,” a voice unknown to the psion spoke clearly through the pain, ”You must remember your friends! Think about Sei and Anita, about Ryan Kale and Ebon Ayre. Think and remember, think and remember!” As the psion heard each name mentioned he began to see them in front of him, near him, surrounding him. A tear streaked from his eye.

He had to do this for them. It wasn't about the demon anymore, it was about his friends. The people whom Logan cared most about were his new cause, his new reason for pressing onward. A smile broke the expression of pain etched into the face of the psion. The pain was subsiding. It was then he heard the sound of Leon's claws as he neared. The psion's eyes looked down and spotted his blades.

Two hands flashed outwards and onto the hilts on the floor grabbing each. Logan rose to his feet spinning to face Leon as he did. The blades rested in his hands pointing at the ground. They were ready for combat, ready for battle. They were ready for blood, and so was Logan.

[Ashiakin]

This has been a really difficult battle to judge. Since neither of your partners posted, I'm just going to decide who advances based on what you two have written here. Artifex gave a superior performance in my mind, but Logan wasn't far behind and he was more active. However, this new posting system (2 weeks, 1 week, etc. instead of actual dates) makes it difficult to gauge when someone posted, so I must judge writing as more important than activity since I am unable to fairly judge activity. For this reason, Two Horns and a Furball defeats Pretty Ricky. Just keep in mind, nekoprince, that if your partner doesn't post next round, a 0 will be factored in with your score to get your team average.