ICHIROU VS AURORA
This arena sucked. It really did.
Ichirou swallowed the lump in his throat, not just from who his opponent was but his circumstances. A snowy environment which could put his fire out if he wasn't careful. It didn't help that Misoka's sidekicks' prank still left a bit of a sticky sensation due to the Gatorade, so now he would have to think of his plans around his blatant disadvantages.
If Aurora could keep him at a distance, she would win.
If he could close the gap, then he stood a fair chance.
Considering her intelligence, she most likely realized this too. This would definitely be a hard battle, but his dad was in the stands watching him. He needed to give this everything he had! He wouldn't give up no matter what!
"Ichirou Mizushima, ready!" He introduced himself after the announcer's go-ahead to do so. "Can't say I'm surprised to see you here Aurora."
"I could say the same for you Ichi," Aurora emotionlessly responded with a sour smile as she walked onto the field her hair at full recovery, and back to its normal length. While it seemed she had gotten over the emotional shock of the day her anger was still there, but thanks to this match she had a use for it. Ichi was one of the few she could go all out with… and she planned to do as such.
"Try and ring me out Ichi, and I'll never let you live it down," she called out as she popped her knuckles her long flowing hair surging a little as if to be a warning to her threat, her eyes zeroed on him, and only him. She had taken in the environment, and knew how she could use it against him. Ichi was a speedster type who could hit heavy. Yet he was more squishy then her, he couldn't take as many hits. While his fire ability was troubling Ichi had to concentrate his shots if he wanted to hit something. Though he could recklessly throw it about to. The biggest pain was his teleport tactic... Yet with this environment, she had a plan to upset that card.
"Show me what you got big boy," she said with serious eyes that could easily unnerve most.
Hearing the way she spoke made his eyes widen a bit. The lack of her usually chipperness caught him a bit off guard, and the look in her eyes was one that occurred only when she was pissed off. The only times he had been on the receiving end of that look had been when they were kids, and he had apologized profusely.
But… He couldn't help but wonder what had happened. Ichirou didn't get to see any of the tournament fights yet, so he was a bit out of the loop as to what the hell happened to Aurora.
Regardless, he would fight with everything he had.
"Let's do this."
When the start was called, Ichirou's fire activated quickly and the searing pain rushed through him once more. He aimed his hands at Aurora, moving quickly as he fired large streams of blue flames at her. However, while this was the primary attack, he was also aiming to melt the snow around them to give himself more landing space. Getting dunked in the snow was his primary concern, and he would need to do everything he could to not let that happen. He would also have to be wary of Aurora's lightning.
All in all, the more he kept his feet off the ground the better. Aurora, however had known well this would be Ichi's first tactic. He was trying to ride the field of the snow… the problem was the whole field, and the buildings in the field were covered in it. For now though Aurora would aid his tactic running from the flame she luckily at a good distance to have her speed not be an issue avoiding the fire.
"Right then enough of the pyro ego act Ichi your dad gets it," Aurora taunted as her hair shoveled up one of the rock piles, and with precise aim shot towo at Ichi, and two more at the snow covered roofs behind him aiming to chill him out, or at least make him panic for his weakness on the field. In turn she rolled out of sight into one of the buildings disappearing from one to another while Ichi would be forced to relocate himself.
Ichirou quickly moved, dodging the pile of snow and the rocks Aurora sent after him. He quickly started thinking of a plan, watching (or at least listening) to his friend's heavy footsteps as she ran into one of the buildings.
He quickly threw two fireballs, one towards behind the building and one at the front. He warped to the front, completely coating the door and windows with fire before warping to the backside to do the same for any exits Aurora could take.
Ichirou knew, however, that Aurora would figure some way out of this, so he threw another fireball to warp himself to the roof of a nearby building to ready himself for her next course of action, and right he was.
With each fireball crashing and burning in sizzling fashion Aurora moved using his attacks as brief moments to move silently. She had let Ichi know what house she was in on purpose knowing the boy would simply move immediately if she went for any straight attacks thus the insane move she was about to pull as she reached the roof inside taking a deep breath as she planned her next attack. Outside Ichi would probably be in suspense ready to attack Aurora with his fire fetish until a massive series of wood cracks signaled the tip of the roof coming off flying into the air followed by a second bigger piece of roof being flung at him.
Ichirou, once more, had to move quickly. Aurora threw pieces of the house's roof at him and he had no choice but to either dodge or take the risk. Of course, Ichirou knew if he didn't attack more there would be issues.
He braced himself, dodging the first pieces of wood before putting his hands out and catching the piece of roof that came at him. Using the momentum of the throw, he spun around, throwing the piece of roof back at her at twice the speed. Ichirou quickly moved again, tearing a piece of the roof off of the house he was standing on and threw that at her as well.
The only problem was as Ichi went in for his attacks he would quickly learn… Aurora was not in the house anymore… nor was she during his counterattack at any point. In fact, she had removed herself with the first throw hiding inside the piece of roof with the second made possible with her hair hooking into the second piece letting go with the first heavy jump. Ichi would find this out rather fast as one heavy jump step would be his only warning as Aurora made her way to Ichi smashing the first roof piece intop him sending him flying away from the burning house as She jumpo again destroying the roof she was now on as she caught him mid air her hair grasping his legs as she voltinghim hard spinning mid air as the electrical current built up as she threw him not wanting him to have a chance to counter or teleport. Of course with the throw Ichi was free, but that was fine for now. Landing with aggressive force Aurora skid across the pavement as she pushed off oddly heading back to where the fight first started… enough time should have passed.
"COME ON ICHI," Aurora screamed as she caught up to the landing Ichi throwing a heavy fist at him.
Ichirou didn't have much of a chance for a counter or to warp, so he was forced to relax his body and take what Aurora swung at him. Midair, he quickly checked where he was, how far the boundary was, and created a plan on the fly.
'Closer… closer… There!'
With Aurora swinging a heavy punch at him, Ichirou reached and grabbed her wrist, throwing her hand off direction as he used the momentum to twist himself midair. He pushed his palm forward, shooting another stream of blue fire in Aurora's face to momentarily blind her as he executed his plan.
He landed on his feet, swinging Aurora over his head and slamming her against the ground. Ichirou braced himself for the small tremor her body made upon contact. He then caught her by the neck, throwing her as hard as his enhanced strength allowed him, making her crash through another house. Ichirou was quick to catch up with her, aiming for his own heavy fist attack despite knowing that her metal skin would hurt his knuckles as well.
"GAHH I AM NOT YOUR WELDING PROJECT ICHI," Aurora yelled as she was met with a face full of flames as Ichi threw her by the neck thankfully her hairs clamped in avoiding any neck injuries Using her hair to reorient herself to the ground with aggressive force she was quickly caught up to by her opponent who was now aiming to use his own heavy hand hit. Her hair and face hissed with steam as she met with Ichi a x cross shield with her hair as she delivered a upper gut punch to Ichi interrupting his comba as she used that same x cross hair to latch onto his hand before pulling it down as she knee'd him in the face before grasping said face with her other hand.
"BET MASARU WILL APPRECIATE THIS," Aurora yelled with delight as she slamed him into through the wall outside into the snow, and proceeded to drag him along the cold tundra as she used her hair to rattle off snow piles into them with each passing of a house. With her opponent covered in chill she lift him up pushing him back as her hair let go into a concentrated bundle upon her hand like a arm guard pulse Ichi forward with an electric shock right back to where the fight had started. Colliding her fist to create sparks she called out.
"No more BS Ichi let's settle this like we used to," Aurora taunted goading for Ichi to come in for a fist fight as both could easily be seen breathing heavily from the heavy end combos they had been throwing at each other. However there was a specific reason Aurora wanted Ichi here… it was time for his flame on move to be his hubris in a snowy cold terrain.
Ichirou, after all that, quickly got up and recollected himself. Though a chill coated his skin, his flames were present though not as powerful as before. Aurora called for them to finish this like they used to; hand-to-hand combat. His specialty.
"Fine. Let's go!"
He rushed forward, dodging her punch and swinging his knee straight into her gut. Using this opportunity, he quickly uppercutted her, then delivered another downward punch. His fists moved quickly, punching Aurora in this pattern a few more times before finishing the combo with a hard right hook to her jaw. He readied himself for more, and despite the metal skin making his knuckles ache a bit, he would still press on. Ichirou already had a plan; he just needed an opening.
"Better," Aurora smiled as she spat out a little blood from that last punch before grabbing Ichi's head and skull bashing him straight on as she then brought his head down as she step backwards greeting his head with her knee as she kneeled down before sliding him behind her to land him flat with a pile driver with enough force to crack the ground as her hair flung snow onto his body like a spider weaving a web.
Ichirou growled, refusing to let Aurora humiliate him further. He swung his leg, tripping Aurora as he got up on his feet. His only saving grace was that some fire still burned on him, only because he was pushing himself further to keep it alive.
He grabbed Aurora's ankle, shooting fire up her body and swinging her over his head to slam her against the ground. The impact was enough to shake the ground, but Ichirou didn't stop there. He was going to even the score.
Ichirou swung her over his head again, and again, and again. Each impact of Aurora's body to the ground caused a small crater and a clearing of the snow. He would finish it off with one more slam, putting all of his strength into this one to the point that the crater that was made was a couple inches deeper, with pieces of rock being flung to a ways away.
With her body thrown around like a ragdoll Aurora's hair started to swivel into its braids form creating four braids before Ichi slammed her hard into ground with all his might. While her body held even she had to admit that it had hurt. Yet much like Ichi she was unwilling to back down as the boy had placed himself right where she had been aiming for him to be. In his first attack of the match Ichi had unthawed a massive amount of snow, but in an environment where the snow was being kept up with an artificial cold weather system the snow would clearly just turn to ice if left alone. With her eyes open to the affirmed effect behind him she grabbed onto his attacking arm with an intense grip as her four braid slammed into key locations of his body with on at his diaphragm, one into his gut, on at his forearm of his attack hand, and the last spiking his forward leg she unleashed a for prong volt shock to his system to upset his body. With his grip broken, and his footing disoriented Ichi would be forced backwards right into the slipper ice that would further disorient his balance as Aurora swung her feet upwards before hoisting herself back upright. Two of her braids caught Ichi from falling tightening on his torso as they pulled him back. Her other two braids burst apart into single strands wrapping around her arms as she fed them constant electricity. Once Ichirou was in range Aurora started to deliver an alarming pummeling of haymaker punchers all over the boy with each sending small volt's throughout the parameters of impact. When she could no longer keep up with her flurry of punches before with a rather dangerous yet of eyes went in for the ending of her combo As she pulled him in tight flipping him backwards as her arms wrapped around his stomach, and flung backwards german surplexing the boy shattering the ground in equal force as he had done with her.
His whole body was hurting, and with his flames barely alive Ichirou knew that the end of this battle was coming. The attack had barely registered until he found his body screaming in pain, a metallic taste of blood in his mouth, and sheer disappointment in himself surfacing. However, another feeling was overshadowing it all.
Determination.
'I'm disappointed in you, Ichirou.'
The words he never wanted to hear from his parents, especially his father. If he let this end like this he would never forgive himself. It didn't matter that the person who beat him was strong; if he didn't get up and push to his limits then he was no better than a pathetic, weak coward.
From his position, he made a fireball and flicked it upwards, using the last bits of his energy to warp himself next Aurora. He released his own flurry of haymakers on her, aiming for her jaw but Aurora still proved tough. He grit his teeth and kept swinging until he was left panting heavily.
Exhaustion was catching up and so were his wounds. Everything was screaming, he spat out blood, the dim flames on his skin slowly dying but his determination drove him forward. Just one more punch… He can do it...
"No matter what... do your best. Regardless we will be proud of you."
"Ya, but I want to prove myself to you both. Besides need to be my own person," Aurora sighed remembering her own parents word's clearing her head a bit as she smacking her cheeks getting back up. Her thoughts on Amaris had dissipated during the fight. This was her time to prove herself a stand alone person. Ichi was already charging towards her his fist engulfed in flames. In agreement to how this n needed to end. Aurora's hair collected to one arm bursting with electricity. Once Ichi was upon her Aurora screamed throwing everything she had like her opponent into one punch.
The impact furiously came to life as both fire, and electricity surged party both teens canceling out as both started to fall backwards. Yet in perfect sync their non attacking hands reached out grabbing the others as the two extremely warned out heroes in the making pulled hard. The result was a raging series of headaches for both as they headbutted each other. Both slowly started to slide down barely holding up their knees to keep their bodies up. It was now anyone's game one hit to end it.
The final clash was the moment that the two were forced to stop, both of them attempting any way they could to get that final punch in. Their energy was almost completely depleted, and yet still they pushed on…
Or at least, Ichirou tried to.
His vision was swaying, the fire on his skin, though present, had dimmed out significantly. His entire body ached in agony, with no energy left within him to even scream. He panted, the blood dripped in his mouth, images of his father, his mother, and reminders of all the expectations everyone has every thrown at him crossed through his mind.
He wanted to keep going, but in the end, his own body betrayed him.
Ichirou slumped forward onto Aurora's shoulder, his flames dying out the moment he fell against her. He was still, almost deathly so. With so little energy, Ichirou's body couldn't even muster the strength to close his eyes before succumbing to the shock and passing out.
The only sign of life to him had been his faint breathing.
Aurora caught the boy resisting falling herself as she patted the boy on the back...both had fought hard, but the fight was over thus the intensity subsided.
"I gotcha Ichi," Aurora grunted as she slung his hand over her shoulder proceeding to limp drag him out of the ring with her hair barely able to act like a crutch.
Watching the match Kaz couldn't help but feeling his blood boil. It was amazing. His son was amazing. But of course, Allo's daughter… Aurora was amazing as well. Both of them fought fiercely and with reckless abandon. He missed that. Not having a care in the world. Him and his friends. Before everything got all… Wait…
Things were getting brutal. He wasn't sure this was the best.
"NO!" Kaz stood up, failing to stifle his voice. Everything was quiet for a second as Ichirou fell still. Almost too still. Then…
"MY BABY BOOOOOY!" Kaz shouted, his voice booming through the stadium as he leapt from his place in the audience all the way down to the arena. It took every bit of self control he had not to accidentally mow Aurora down as he took Ichirou from her arms inspecting him for signs of life.
When he found the faint breath. A sigh of relief.
"Aurora… You shouldn't overexert yourself. You need to rest." He said, slightly regaining his composure as he watched over his boy like a hawk. Once the medical team got to them Kaz stared them down, daring them to take his child from his arms. He would be escorting Ichirou to the infirmary himself. Aurora simply followed her unconscious friend to the infirmary.
Misoka calls the match, victory to Aurora.
Eisuke whistled,
"Hey, touch my chest; I think my heart is still pounding right now. Clash per clash, these two really stuck to their guns and fought until they couldn't! In the end, Ichirou's own body just couldn't keep up anymore, and in the end, it betrayed him. A round of applause for those two and a fight well done! Aurora will be moving on to the finals against Chevalier! Congratulations to them!" The mic quickly cut out as Eisuke couldn't keep his composure anymore. He burst out laughing at his friend's Dad moment, knowing full well he would have done the same thing if Chiaki had been in Ichirou's shoes.
"Indeed it was a fantastic battle!" Gregori says from the ground level.
"Being up close to these fights is something else, a truly close match. Mi...Err.. Dullahan's Flame! Bring up our Final Stage for Class 1A! Let's see who fortune favors this night! And I see that Number one is concerned about his son, rather touching!"
