Egypt

 

        A blazing wind dances around this area as sand is blown in all directions... Once upon a time less than 14,000 square miles of the Egyptian land area was cultivated or settled on, but much has changed since then; Egypt, while not nearly as busy as some other areas, is still a bustling trade route and well established community. The ancient Egyptian structures such as the great pyramids and the Sphinx are still standing tall, unmarred by millennia of age. A few of the old culture's other constructions still stand tall as well, reminding many of the achievements of the ancient people that once lived here and standing out from most of the technological advanced buildings in the area. Aside from the few cities such as Cairo, vast deserts make up most of what is Egypt today, much like it was centuries ago. The large Nile River and all that surrounds the massive body of water is within view.

 

Battle and Chase Stands - Single CombatRepliforce Outpost

Ancient Pyramid                        Cairo

 

Northeast <NE> leads to Israel.

West <W> leads to Eastern Sahara.

South <S> leads to Lake Hope / Aswan Dam (Aswan Lake Region).

North <N> leads to Nile Delta.

Up <U> leads to Sky Above Nile Region.

 

Dynamo arrives from the Eastern Sahara.

Dynamo has arrived.

 

Skull Man arrives from the Southern Outskirts.

Skull Man has arrived.

 

The audience is positively electric today, gathered in form and function, as the conclusion of the Heavyweight Combat draws to a close. The audience is squarely divided, between the Dynamo supporters, with banners that depict the Blade Marionette, to Dynamo's faces on flags being waved, the whole shebang. As for Storm Owl? There's the good-natured flags of Storm's Beret-sported head on them, and then there's the more ... comedic angle. The simple fact that some flags that are held between two people?

 

A Stick Of Butter. With a sign sign, and a ball on the other side.

 

These are the people that /cheer/, yes. The judge, a fairly respectable-looking gentleman with a skin far too pale to even consider walking into a place like Egypt, steps forward.

 

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. May I have your attention for the Gold Medal Match of Battle and Chase's Heavyweight Combat Bracket -- 2217." The audience draws to a baited calm. "Our first competitor to step into the arena!" The man draws his hand up, gesturing to position 1, his microphone firmly in one hand. "I give you.. DYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYNAMO!" Once Dynamo's had his little entry, stint, the ref/announcer gestures to the next spotlight for the other side of the arena. "And our second competitor, the Owl that needs no butter.. STOOOOORM OWL! OF THE REPLIFORCE!" Wild cheering ensues while both competitors are taking their positions.

 

Dynamo steps in, walking out from the sidelines, a grin on the mercenary's face as he flexes, quite a human gesture, but likely an unecessary one as he prepares for the fight. Instead of his saber, he holds a red rose in his hand, sniffing it daintily and tossing it into the audience, flashing a smile. "Finally... the end in sight. A culmination... let us see how Dame Fate plays her hand..."

 

And from up high, a speck can be seen, approaching in a swift, methodical manner. Soon one can make out the features and golden-orange wings of Repliforce's Fortress V Commander. Storm Owl descends from the sky - an avenging angel from the heavens come to Earth for revenge on behalf of his fellow officer, cruelly struck down by the face of greed and smugness that is a professional mercenary.

        Storm Owl peers at the masses, here to watch the blood flow from these two vastly different warriors. Those who took the... comedic angle are ignored. As the dramatic flair that is required of these games gives Storm Owl his entrance, he touches down in the ring, squaring off against Dynamo. He shakes his head at the foolishness with the rose, but continues to stare at the mercenary as if analyzing him for any sign of a weakness.

 

The gravely gentleman nods his head once. "You both know the rules. First to submit, be knocked out or otherwise, wins the match. The winner shall take the Gold. The loser, will be a winner in his own right, taking the Silver. So in reality, both of you are winners for making it this far." He raises a flag, that seems to just come into his fingertips from a brief sleight of his hand.

 

Looking between both fighters, he suddenly throws his hand, and the flag downwards.

 

"BEGIN!"

 

The man, thanks to a bit of backstepping, is waaaay out of arms way at this point, as the simulated damage shielding encapsulates both fighters.

 

Dynamo flips backward, drawing the D-Saber and igniting both ends with a snap-hiss, grinning deviously as Storm prepares his attack. Dynamo seems to be preparing as well, a shimmer of electricity playing over his body. "Let's do this."

 

Storm keeps one beady optic locked upon Dynamo, and the other on the precious flag as it drops, signaling the beginning of the final duel of this event. The moment the flag leaves the gentleman's hand, Storm Owl raises his arms, unveiling his long pair of wings behind him. What should be no surprise to anyone is that he immediately takes to the air, hovering a few scant feet off the ground. But the second move, carefully calculated to serve as an element of surprise against a mercenary who likely cannot be surprised, rather than continue to gain the altitude advantage, Storm Owl swoops towards the smug sell sword. With an impressive display of speed, the owl closes the distance within a split second and attempts to smack Dynamo with his sharp, lethal beak. Hit or miss, this maneuver is quickly followed by Storm Owl abruptly rising upwards into the sky to prepare for what comes next.

 

You strike Dynamo with a glancing hit from your Peck attack.

 

Dynamo flips backwards, but isn't able to get a good dodge out of the action as Storm Owl's beak scrapes against his back armor. Grinning still, Dynamo vanishes, following Storm into the air with his blink engine. "If you think your flight will give you an advantage," he says, "then you do not know me very well at all." Blinking again, he reappears above Storm Owl, slashing downward with his blade in a violent quick strike.

 

Dynamo strikes you with a solid hit from his Quick Slash attack for 15 units of damage.

 

        Alpha walks into the stands, carrying a life sized plushie Dynamo with removable shades! Just in case, you know, Dynamo doesn't survive the battle she'll need a replacement.

 

Storm Owl realizes full well that his efforts in the air are somewhat negated by the powers of the professional warrior, but he also realizes that he'd be at an even worse advantage on the ground, where his defensive training is iffy at best. No, Storm Owl wishes this battle to take place in the air. But, alas, despite a last minute maneuver, Storm Owl pulls up sharply as the mercenary suddenly appears directly above him, swooping down with his potent blade. Only a last-second course alteration saves the Fortress V Captain from having his neck cut, and instead his right wing is mercilessly slashed, tearing through armour and circuitry, causing mech fluid to bleed on the arena far below. Storm barrel rolls, attempting to grapple with Dynamo briefly with his sharp talons before once again moving off. Storm cannot win a close-combat battle, and desperately needs to be able to get some range from Dynamo.

 

You strike Dynamo with a glancing hit from your Talon attack.

 

Dynamo nnngs, getting raked as Storm Owl gets another good hit in. Smirking still, he blinks, not allowing gravity time to drag him back to the ground as he maneuvers for another blow, reappearing behind Storm Owl and slashing with both blades of the D-Saber, focusing on his right wing. "We will fight this battle on my terms... I will stay up here as long as my fuel lasts." It comes out a little stilted, as he only has a few seconds between blinks to speak.

 

Dynamo misses you with his Dual Saber attack.

 

"So be it, mercenary," Storm Owl says back in his monotone voice, "But I believe you will find my skills are hard pressed to be bested in the skies." Inwardly, the owl wonders whether Dynamo will be capable of keeping up this blinking for the entire match. Somehow, it does not seem too unlikely. In the milisecond that the criminal is gone, Storm Owl performs several hundred probability calculations, successfully determining the most likely spot for Dynamo to reappear. An abrupt swerve to the right denies Dynamo a chance to repeat his earlier slash. Still, his right wing continues to spark, and it's possible considerable damage was done. Now given the chance to turn things to his advantage, the twin wing mounted wind generators hum with power, and Storm Owl unleashes a powerful blast of air at the blinking robot. Despite the very high altitude, even those on the ground will be able to feel the breeze and watch as the sands dance around.

 

You strike Dynamo with a solid hit from your Cyclone Storm attack.

 

Dynamo is blasted back, the air catching Dynamo off-guard and sending him crashing to the ground, though the grin of excitement doesn't leave the mercenary's face. "Oh, so the game truly is afoot, is it?" He smiles, scrambling to his feet as his blink enging engages once more. "So let us see what we can do with this situation." Dynamo's armor is out of place now, but he ignores it as he blinks once more, flashing back into the air and coming down from above Storm Owl once more. "What goes up, must come down!"

 

Dynamo strikes you with a major hit from his Jump Slash attack for 32 units of damage.

 

This time, the law of probabilities does not side with the Repliforce aerial expert, and Storm can only valiantly protect his vital systems with his heavily armoured wings as the mercenary's sword makes a sickeningly deep cut. Storm Owl's right wing is now hanging by wires and luck. There's a brief moment as time seems to hold still, and Storm Owl performs yet another round of complicated calculations. This time it's to determine whether he'll be able to remain aloft with only one wing and one wind generator. The moment of realization comes not long after, and time releases its brief hold on the situation. Storm Owl's conclusions about his fate are quickly confirmed as he flutters from the sky, a duck shot down by an aggressive hunter.

        The landing is harsh, to say the least, and Storm Owl is barely able to rise to continue the fight. His face is bloodied, his wing is gone, and it's clear he will not be able to continue this for long. But with determination, Storm Owl reaches and grabs one of his two feather daggers - the other being lost along with the wing, brandishing the weapon gracefully. Peering at Dyanmo briefly, whether he be in the air or back on the ground again, he lets it fly, guiding it with the wings themselves.

 

You strike Dynamo with a minor hit from your Feather Missile attack.

 

Dynamo recoils, flipping back as the feather missile tears into one of his should pauldrons, electrical sparks flaring all over his arm. "Nnng... dirty pool, Storm Owl. I like that." He chuckles. "Dirty pool is my kind of game." Letting the electricity flare a little more, he grins. "But let's see how you like /this/."

 

Raising his damaged arm into the air, Dynamo concentrates the electrical energy into his fist, striking the ground heavily. An electrical energy storm erupts around the mercenary, the damage mitigating its power somewhat, but making it nonetheless powerful.

 

Dynamo strikes you with a minor hit from his Chaos Storm attack for 9 units of damage.

 

You are below your courage-endurance point.

 

Storm Owl arches a bloodied optical ridge, "Dirty pool?" he echoes. "All is fair in love and war, mercenary. And I can assure you that this is not the the former." And so, it seems both are on the side of doing whatever it takes, whether it skirt the borders of ethics or not. One more than the other, however. The war bird, now grounded for the remaining part of the battle, is starting to quickly run out of options. His meager ground defenses are nothing compared to the storm that bursts forth around Dynamo, catching Storm Owl within it. Had he his other wind generator he might be able to counter the effects of the storm. But alas, he does not. Badly wounded by the crackling assault, Storm Owl charges forward, seeing no other choice until he's ready for a more concentrated attack. With as much effort as he can muster, Storm attempts to lay on a bodycheck onto Dynamo. He might not be a very strong mech, but he's got his healthy belly, and when a fat guy charges...

 

You strike Dynamo with a minor hit from your Wing Slash attack.

 

You are below your courage-endurance point.

 

Dynamo is hit, falling back with the charge but never hitting the ground, blinking away and reappearing some distance from Storm Owl, trying to regain his footing. "I don't know, Storm... I know a few people who like it nice and rough." He smirks, baring his teeth in a toothy grin moments later. Disappearing once more, he comes back to almost his former position, shaking his head with the grin still on his face. "But enough talk... there's violence to be done!" Blinking yet again, he tries to quite simple stab Storm Owl in the back with his D-Saber.

 

Dynamo misses you with his Blink Attack attack.

 

Storm Owl knows he's outclassed here, but like a true Repliforce officer dedicated to the cause, he'll go down fighting with his last breath. Of course, the fact that this is merely a simulation does help. One might wonder how he'd react were this a real duel. But as the man said, enough talk... there's violence to be done! Storm Owl whirls about with a surprising amount of speed as Dynamo blinks behind him, facing the attacker. The words of Simian Monk flash into his mind briefly, recalling his brief lesson concerning ground-based melee defence. And thus, Storm Owl successfully manages to parry the sword by giving a vicious smack to Dynamo's arm at just the right time. The war bird's single wind generator ready for another assault, Storm Owl attempts to blow the mercenary's head off at point blank range... literally!

 

Dynamo deflects your Wing Gale attack.

 

You are below your courage-endurance point.

 

Dynamo brings his blade up as Storm whirls around, disengaging his hand from its mooring to spin it around like a shield, tossing the air from Storm's attack sideways like so much dust in the wind. "I don't /think/ so," Dynamo says with a grimace, the shot a little too close for comfort, and his free hand morphs into a cannon, the Duelist pulling his blade aside. "Besides, you're doing it wrong, you're supposed to say, 'Dodge this.'"

 

Dynamo fires.

 

Dynamo strikes you with a solid hit from his Split Buster attack for 19 units of damage.

You fall to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.

 

Storm Owl gave it his all in this fight against the sort of scum that Repliforce often stands against. The war bird, battered, bruised, and missing one of his powerful wings, is already preparing for another attack on Dynamo when the shiels whips about, protecting him from harm. The cannon, at this range, and with Storm Owl missing his air superiority... it does not take a brilliant mind like Storm Owl to add up all the facts and come to the conclusion that this match is over.

        As it is, the cannon blast blows through the Aerial Major's thinner chest plate. Storm staggers back a foot and drops to the ground; Smoke rises from a gaping hole through which one can see the desert sands, slowly becoming discoloured with Storm Owl's blood. There can be no doubt that this match is over, and Storm Owl does not rise.

 

As the match concludes, the holodamage is lifted away, restoring sensation to both competitors, erasing the pain and damage sustained. The gentleman takes a few steps forward, microphone in hand.

 

"And defying the age-old creedo of saying 'Dodge This' and the person spontaneously doing /just that/, Dynamo takes the gold medal!" The audience erupts in applause, not for a single competitor, no, but for both competitors yes! "Competitors! Rise, both of you! Take a bow! You've earned it!"

 

Dynamo spins the sword around once more before reengaging the locks on his hand, deactivating the blades with a sucking hiss-snap. "And so it goes, and so it goes, and you're only one who knows..." He sheathes the blade, smirking. "The piece de resistance."

 

Alpha cheers and hugs the plushie Dynamo!

 

Wait a minute...

 

Alpha cheers and blinks onto the battlefield to hug the real Dynamo!

 

Storm Owl rolls over, now free of the false damage dealt to him. He failed to avenge General, but his calculations before the match had already determined that to be the most likely outcome. Storm Owl climbs to his feet, dusty from his surroundings. He peers up at the ref and complies, taking a formal bow for his benefit. Storm Owl peers at Dynamo and nods to him, recognizing him as the superior combatant in all of this. "A well fought gold medal, Dynamo." he says simply.

 

Dynamo gives Alpha a big hug, swinging her around as he lifts his former Maverick girlfriend and gives her a kiss on the nose. "I did it, Alpha..." He casts his eyes over at Storm Owl, giving him a barely perceptible nod of acknowledgement. "The gold medal..."

 

        Clearly the 'former' is emphasied on Maverick, not girlfriend because Alpha beams and snuggles Dynamo. She looks over to Storm Owl, composes herself a bit more, and bows her head to him. "You did really well, sir." she says politely.

 

Storm Owl inclines his head towards Alpha, "Thank you." He drones. Though given his usual tone of voice, it's impossible if he really appreciates the comment or if he's just saying whatever is expected. He tries not to dwell on the emotions being displayed by the victor and his girlfriend.

 

Dynamo beams. "A well-fought match, a valiant opponent, and a victory to go with it." He looks at Storm as he says this, then turns back to Alpha. "Your being here only makes it better, Alpha. I am the most skilled fighter in these games... though I still have far to go before I can claim to be the most skilled there is."

 

Storm Owl can feel the love here, and manages to push aside his apathy towards it. Inclining his head towards Dynamo and Alpha, Storm Owl says, "If you'll excuse me, I shall be returning to the Fortress V." And, assuming nobody else has any questions or comments to direct his way, the owl spreads his wings and lifts off for the trek home.

 

Alpha says, "Well, it's best to have rivals to look forward to, though hopefully none of them want to seriously harm you or anything.", she stretches her wings backwards, glancing over to Stormy, "Oh, um, okay. G'night."

 

Dynamo nods. "Sadly, some do." He sighs, watching Storm depart, and shakes his head. "He nearly had me... it was close, but not close enough. A powerful match, and a well-fought one. I'm glad I saw through to the end, though." He grins again, giving Alpha another hug. "Though I wish I could have shared more of my fortune with you."

 

        Alpha returns the hug, quietly for a moment. "Mm, well, I think I can take Mister Fungus on pretty well, I think Liese and James want to try and team up against you though, for a SUPER DESTRUCTOR battle or something...But I'm happy as things are, I'm amazed I got as far as I did, I didn't even advance past the first round last time."