Great Dojo

[yinsukin]

Fluffy

Even as the Golden Bull's enormous body rushed forward, the crowd remained silent, caught up in the sheer tension of the moment.  It lowered its head, pointed its horns and roared louder than any lion could.  As the ground scattered in the face of its determination, it finally felt the man move.  It raised its head, switching the trajectory of the weapons known as its horns upwards rather than forwards.  The strike hit the tip of his torso, causing blood to splatter along its back. 

It wouldn't hit him, but it would let him know, if he messed up, even for a moment, he would be skewered.

This caught the eye of Seras.  "My my," she said.  "Sethrol the calm, have you taken note in the sudden shift."

"Anyone could notice, even those born without a warriors heart," Sethrol the Calm responded.

"Hahahaha," Ferrison laughed, his body ignited by the energy of the ring.  It was as if the tension of the ring itself gave him life.  "Look at them.  This was a wonderful change of pace.  THe next time anyone questions whether a duel between beast and man is preferable over a duel between men, ill simply remind them of the battle where horns met capes, and every beat was a fist striking the very core of their hearts!" 

[Panda]

Nanako

Nanako visibly winced as more blood splattered across the bull, the beast barely managing to parry another strike from the man. There was something about the strike that confused her, though. It was clear to the squirrel girl that that strike wouldn't have been immediately fatal even if it had landed. The match was already over, all that was left was the final stroke. Was it really not enough for it to be a clean kill? Would it have to be long and drawn out? Just like...just like...

Nanako shook her head, trying to beat back the thoughts scratch scratch scratching at the back of her mind. She remained riveted to her seat, unsure of whether she should do something or just watch. Was every matador fight like this? In hindsight, she probably should've looked up what these things were, but that was meager comfort now.

[Aiden]

From the Crowd

"That's one hell of a bull!" One of the men in the crowd shouted, while smacking a shorter one on the back. "Look at it go!"

The shorter one, Matthew, grunted in annoyance as he got knocked forward. "I see it, I see it. Don't get so excited when that handsome bastard hasn't got a scratch on him."

It was stuff like this that made him regret not spending more time training. Oh sure, he had a respectable amount of skill, enough to get him through day to day life in this district, but it wasn't enough for him to have any real status. This sort of event was a distraction - and a reminder of his own lack of talent.

"How old is he even...?"

Hard work only went so far when you lacked talent.

-------------------

Zoe grimaced at the sight even as her girlfriends cheered, hooting and hollering for the (admittedly super hot) guy playing with the bull. Not that he wasn't impressive or anything, but the blood wasn't really doing it for her. She glanced around again at the rest of the crowd.

"Is this just normal here...?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

He had to avoid the strike, and abruptly changed his stance to dodge the horns. But in the process, so did his strike change, and bounced off the armor with a dozen flying sparks while he moved back, jumping a handful of times back to gain distance.

That beast...

"How delightful!" He raised his cape and prepared for the next exchange. "Come, animal! Show me that your heart's beating has a meaning!"

[yinsukin]

Fluffy

The beast almost seem to grin, if that were possible for the facial structure of an animal.  Somewhere deep down, despite all the pain, despite all the suffering, despite the anxiety the bull was having fun.  No, it was because of it.

"Are?  ARE THEY ENJOYING THIS!  THIS SORT OF THING IS ONLY SEEN IN MATCHES BETWEEN WARRIORS!  A MATADOR CANNOT BE A WARRIOR!  NEITHER CAN A BULL!  WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

"Ferrason, you mentioned this was a battle for their hearts right?" Seras asked.

The bull rushed forward again, rushing at the man, his horns poised at the matador.

"Why yes I did Seras," he said, his voice brimming with pride.

Seras placed her hand, almost as if she wanted to touch them and said, "What do you do if they both won?"

"No!" Bahadur Klearjaac "Only one man can shine.  Two stars cannot exist in the same space or their impact is lost."

Ferrason just couldn't stop smiling, a massive grin stretching his lips to their limits.  He looked like a giddy child.  "I'll tell you what happens...."

It was at this moment, the bull rushing forward, the crowd's excitement at its peak, the sheer number of eyes glued to this match, that there was a sensation of true excitement.  If one were to take a snap shot of the entire colosium, you would see a massive crowd of people radiating pure happiness from the smiles on their faces and fists raised to the sky, all but two.  But then again, such a snapshot would be impossible, because such a camraman would be unable to resist taking a snapshot of that moment, the bull's horns inches from that man, its teeth clentched, blood dripping from its body, but eyes full of fire.

Yes, to enjoy battle was the nature of this place, the brightly burning blaze of battle was the fuel that pushed these people along.  Despite all the ideological differences, despite intent or personality, all but two people were united by the struggle of life and death.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

The young man's smile was shining, brimming like a star. It was only when it felt the horns approach him and the gusts of wind push against him that the shiver of death crawled down his spine. It was a good shiver, it made him feel quite good. And for a split moment, that calm and beautiful smile morphed into one of true evil, with eyes burning like the Devil's.

He threw his blade in the air, the cold steel shone and glimmered under the morning sun until it pierced the skies. Then and only then, the bull came to him, and seemingly pierced him. But alas it was not so. With nothing but his bare hands and the cape, did he swipe against the deadly horns, greater than a war-axe, and pushed its charge to the side with a gentle sweep, while being pushed back by the beast's power.

BOOM

But it was not so. For the beast's strength was unearthly against all men. And just as the two clashed, the bull caused the earth beneath to cave and he lost his footing. Now, only standing on one leg, he was falling back and wide open for a fatal blow. For a moment even he seemed surprised.

[yinsukin]

Fluffy

The blue haired announcer was so shocked that she almost seemed to forget about her job.  In the moment they clashed, she seemed at a loss for words.  The bull let loose one mighty roar, one that would make a lion collapse in sheer terror.  The bull's charge had succeeded, with sheer heart alone it had managed to break the barrier between man and beast.  In the moment of the clash, the beast could feel the man's determination and realized his folly.

This was no battle of beast and men.  No, this was a battle of two living creatures fighting for what was important!  The fact of the matter was that this man had not gained his strength from the talent of being human alone.

Still, for now, he had proven his will was stronger.  Yes, he may have been deflected, but the opening was present.  Taking the opportunity, the bull pivoted its feet, lunging forward and thrusting its head downward to pierce the man's chest, intent on finishing him.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

The end, final in its essence, and steeled in the form of these horns. They drew closer, closer, closer, until they were just about to kiss his heart. And all of a sudden, a splash of crimson flew in the sky, along the violent snapping of pierced bones-

Of the beast's jaw being struck squarely by his foot. While he was falling, no, because he was falling, he grabbed the ground with his hands and delivered a concussive blow with his leg. And now, the bull was flying.

[Panda]

Nanako

Nanako felt like she was watching a train-wreck in slow motion as the bull and the man charged each other once again. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't, riveted to her seat as she was. Then they came crashing together, the man seeming to deflect the assault for a moment before he was suddenly foiled. Left unbalanced and on one foot as he was, surprise shook the squirrel girl as she realized that the fight might not be over yet after all.

But just then, that notion was scattered to the wind as the man managed to grab hold of the broken ground beneath, his flawless abs flexing as he delivered a bone-crunching kick to knock the beast upwards. Nanako couldn't help a wince as she heard the crack and saw more blood spray, even all the way up in the stands and surrounded by cheering fans. Still, she was less certain that the man would have it so easy now.

[yinsukin]

Fluffy

And that was his folly....

"OH GREAT FIGHTING SPIRITS!  WHAT A BLOW!  IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE BULL HAD ITS MOMENT, ONLY TO BE RUTHLESSLY PUNISHED FOR ITS BOLDNESS!  WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?!  NOT EVEN I KNOW!"

The bull was filled with immediate shame as it was punted upwards, not for its effort but for its arrogance.  Perhaps it was appropriate to be forced to stare at the sky, its jaw shattering beneath the impact of the boot.  The intense pain burned through its body like the sun's energy flowed through the earth.  Yet, even as the bull gazed at the sun, it could only see that moment, the moment the bull had reached the sun, that glorious man only to be burned alive.

[Aiden]

In the Crowd

The crowd was silent for a moment, stunned by the sudden turnabout. The only interruption was the click of a few old fashioned cell phone cameras, still fairly prevalent across the Nexus due to certain companies lacking a presence. Once the bull reached the apex of its flight, they began to roar.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

He stood on one foot, triumphant while the other was raised to the top. No, not yet. This was only the appetizer. That very same foot that kicked it to the skies came smashing the earth down with a thunderous stomp, so Vega soared in turn, taking to the skies like a swan. Or the rising sun.

In that moment, the sword began to fall back to the earth. It all happened so quickly, yet to the two fighters it seemed like it could last forever. The moment where he grabbed it, just above the animal. The moment where he reached the apex. His eyes and smile too, reached their peak.

Like a star.

Thus he came down on that bull, slashing at his side while it flew so high, and he, so low. When he landed on the arid stadium, he flicked his sword about and took a dance-like stance. The bull too,  was now falling down. Slower, and leaving a trail of red in the sky like rose petals.

For he landed as well, like a star.

[yinsukin]

Fluffy

Just as the sun rises to its peak, only to fall back into the earth, so too was the destiny of the bull in that moment.  Yet in that moment, that second, the bull was shining brightly.  Yes the heat of battle was overpowering, but so too was the heat of the sun.  It just turned out that his light did not burn as brightly as another.  Two suns cannot exist in the same galaxy, lest they threaten to destroy all life.

That is why when the foot struck him to the ground, he accepted his fate.

The great golden bull had slain many soldiers, destroyed many warriors.  Considering the strength of the people in this district, that was no small feat.  The bull could retire as a great creature, one to rival man itself.  That is why when the blade slashed though his body, his roar did not sound like a cry of pain, but the roar of a warrior.

And that is why he told himself that he would not fall.

[Panda]

Nanako

Nanako went still with the rest of the crowd, eyes fixed on the sight before her now, the squirrel girl no longer wanting to look away in this moment. Watching the man streak upwards, blonde hair flying behind him, Nanako was captured in the moment along with everyone else, though her concerns still lingered. There was a flash as he passed the bull, Nanako recognizing it as the blade that had been tossed upwards earlier and her eyes widening as she realized what was next.

She wanted to look away as the man cut a long gash down the bull, but couldn't. She didn't want to watch the scarlet spray scattering like leaves on the wind, but she had to. The beast wasn't quiet as it was struck down, but Nanako couldn't hear it. Desperate cries clawed at her ears instead, Nanako practically feeling the spray splattering hot and sticky all over her, smelling the coppery stench flooding her senses. And all that time, she remained transfixed by the sight before her, staring silently as the crowd roared.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

He put his hand to the side and smiled brightly as he landed on the ground. He was trailing against the earth, addressing his foe, no, the entire audience, with a voice that needed no microphone to boom once he stopped.

"O wretched creature, who made so many men taste their hearth under your horn! I will admit, of all the beasts i fought in the corrida, you are the one who had the most guts! Today, I shall offer you a parting gift!"

For it will part you. Part of you here, part of you there, part of you.... way over there, splattered on that wall. Ufufufufu~

And with that, while the bull blotted the sun, he smashed the earth under his heel once more and rose to the heavens. The beast thought it would never fall, and it was right. For today, it would fly, cut down a thousand times! He would never let the creature or his own body touch the ground.

Another slash came, and pierced its eye as a sword lodged into it. Then its hip. THen its lung. Then its leg. Cheek. Tail. Snout.

Petals sprayed onto the earth like red snowflakes, yet not a single one touched his body. He just kept hopping off the walls of the coliseum, never reaching the bottom. Instead, rising higher, higher, higher! For five entire minutes, the creature struggled in the air while he drove it to dance higher and higher.

How strange. No matter how ugly, one's blood was always beautiful. In the end, the red rain formed the shape of a heart on the scorching earth of the coliseum. And still, there were no signs of it stopping. It was too fast, too overwhelming, and yet the beast would not die. INstead, it would keep cutting open, and rise, rise, rise-

Until it shone under the sun, under Vega, who loomed over it to lodge yet another sword in its body. 47 had entered its body so far, yet it would not die. Not yet.