Author Topic: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone  (Read 5151 times)

Skylia

  • Been Around

  • Offline
  • **

  • 97
  • Karma:
    +8/-0
  • Personal Text
    O kawaii koto
    • View Profile

As the rising of the sun signals a new day, so did the familiar crackling of the sound system signal a new round of fights. Clearly excited by the return of the beloved announcers and not more action packed fights, the crowd would roar with cheers from every single section. As the cheering slightly faded, a familiar female voice would begin by excitedly saying ”Good morning, and welcome back to the Vytal Festival tournament! As you know, my name is Primrose Palatine and my partner here is Hunter d’Azur. We’re here again to deliver all the important match informati-” Cutting off Prim so that they can get right into the action, Hunter quickly gets the hype train going.

”Alright nerds, we’re gonna show you the two losers competing today. Both from Beacon Academy, we have Prism Skylark, the little birdy that’s competing their heart out! Their opponent is Smokey Emberstone, and despite their only shtick being a big gun - which is boring if you ask me - he’s certainly very effective at taking down his opponents. I think Aca left a dent on that poor rock!” Hunter’s voice droned on until it was filled with excitement once more as he remembered what he had to add to their introduction! ”Oh yeah, we have a very special guest supporting Prism from our very own announcer booth, we have team CASA’s very own Nut! Welcome aboard kid! Wished you could’ve went on to the next round!” Sounds of loud applause rises from the arena as Hunter waits for it quiet down.

Coconut peered into the booth momentarily before stepping in proper, looking over the pair already there. The boy only briefly looked towards the guy that reminded him of a panda before his gaze fell on the woman - a cutie to be sure.  A lopsided grin appeared on his face and remained there for a moment too long before he finally spoke up. "H-hey. I'm... I'm, uh, Nut. C-coconut." He'd also extend a sweaty hand for a handshake, and upon shaking Prim's hand would comment that she smells nice.

Having her cold heart warmed by Coco’s greeting, Prim would gladly take his hand in hers, also placing her other hand over the already interlocked ones. Moving away from the mic, she would whisper ”A pleasure to finally meet you, Coco. You have a pleasant scent to you as well.”. Despite feeling good about finally meeting The Nut, both of her hands were drenched in sweat from the seemingly nervous boy. As a way to get back at Hunter for cutting her off previously, she would swiftly wipe both hands off on his pant leg trying not to be too obvious about it. Motioning to start the environmental spinner, Prim would give Hunter a passive aggressive grin that just screamed ”Cut me off again and I’ll cut you in a duel”.

Hunter frowned as his pants were used to dry the sweat Prim had gathered from Coconut’s hands. Initially pouting from her actions, his pout quickly turned mischievous as Hunter quickly shook Coconut’s hand regardless of it being warranted. At first feeling uncomfortable from the rather excessive amount of sweat, Hunter quickly took Prim’s hand into his own. Now they both have sweaty hands that didn’t originate from either of the two. For Hunter, it was a win-win situation because he got to hold Prim’s hand AND bully her!

Sighing in disbelief at Hunter’s childish prank, Prim would simply let it be for the sake of the ‘show’ and allow the spinner to do its job.

A large holographic image of a lottery machine appears on all sides of the arena, with two spinners. The spinners spun so quickly, making it nearly impossible to make out the passing words. It ticked through the options slower and slower until it finally stopped on Urban and Lightning Dust Arena.

The floor of the arena lowered and, in its place, arose two new floors. On Prism’s side, what resembled a Mistrali marketplace would take form. Filled to the brim with various empty wooden stalls, the walkways would be tight with plentiful cover and places for ambushes. Strung between the stalls, many strings of lights would also present flying combatants with the issue of becoming tangled. On Smokey’s side, an open courtyard would reveal itself. Set up around the perimeter of the courtyard would be ten crossbows each loaded with one lightning dust bolt, all being pointed towards the center. In the center, there would noticeably be a small wooden pillar with a button on it. Pushing the button would rapidly unleash a hail of arrows reminiscent of lightning bolts on the center of the courtyard (10 bolts total, 4% per bolt, total of 40% aura damage if hit by all).

”What an interesting field.” Hunter’s disinterest can be heard in his voice until he redirected his attention back to Coconut. ”Anyhow Nut, since you’re the guest announcer, we can grant you quite a bit of power that you can exert over the competitors! In fact, they’ll probably listen because it’s the Vytal Festival and we’re usually harmless, so have at it kiddo.” Hunter is starting to feel more uncomfortable as he held Prim’s hand since the sweat started to gather.

"O-oh? Really? Uh. In that case..." There is a short pause as Coconut weighs his options. The entire world is watching. His parents are probably watching this, having been against him becoming a huntsman in the first place. What he would say next would influence the way the world saw him henceforth.

"C-could Prism... chirp?"

As Coconut put in his request, the doors on each side of the arena opened to signify the start of the match.

(A coin flip has decided that Prism will get the first post. The arena size is identical to that of the 1v1 arena in the show, however, it features scaled down biomes to fit the size. Good luck, and may the best combatant win.)
« Last Edit: August 20, 2018, 11:17:42 PM by Skylia »
Lucina Archaletta - The Haughty Hipster - 1st Year Beacon Student on Team ALIA

Vanilla Stella-Maris - The Indomitable Idol - Special Operations Combat Idol  - WiP

Primrose Palatine - The Dexterous Duelist - Atlesian Professor of Combat Flow - WiP

Moth

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 651
  • Karma:
    +37/-1
  • Personal Text
    *moth noises*
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2018, 10:05:44 PM »
Coconut Cream would be able to feel the hot glare of his team's leader from the announcer's booth. There was a hot flush to the hummingbird faunus' cheeks as she emerged from the gate, pulling Hawk's Eye from her waist as, quietly contemplating the best way to get back at her teammate. She could always force him to run laps until he passed out or sit on his back while he did pushups, one of the few benefits from being Casanova's leader - but he'd probably enjoy both of those, so it really wouldn't be hard to make a good chunk of his collection of illicit material go missing. And get scattered throughout the school for everyone else to see, setting him up for the world's most embarrassing scavenger hunt. Yeah, that's not too bad of an idea.

Prism shakes her head then, focusing back on the task at hand. Hiding her teammate's porn collection could wait until later - she needed to win her match against Smokey. Thankfully, the round's environments were tilted heavily in her favor - Smokey's stuck smackdab in the middle of a gigantic field of lighting dust crystals, while the urban environment before her was perfect for someone small and agile to hide in.

Prism presses a fresh clip into the butt of her rifle, slinging it over her shoulder. Instead of taking up and off like she normally did, the faunus quickly moved to the nearest food stand. It's not hard to hope up onto the edge of the low counter, before leaping for the edge of the roof - with a beat of her wings, she manages to nab onto it, pulling herself up flat to lie on the slopped roof. Shimmying her way across the rooftop and moving carefully to avoid being seen from the ground on the other side, Prism scooted her way to the high end of the roof that faced the other side of the arena, before pulling Hawk's Eye off her shoulder and setting it up on it's bipod to scope out the other half of the arena. From her position, she'd nearly be invisible - all except a hint of the scope of her barrel would be visible, and even then it'd be difficult to spot amongst the rooftops - if Smokey could even do that, from his position on the ground.

Now all she had to was wait for her opportunity to strike.

Prism's Combat Stats:
Aura: 100%
Hawk's Eye: 5/5
Action: Scoping out Smokey's half of the arena.
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 478
  • Karma:
    +33/-11
  • Personal Text
    All criticism is valid
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2018, 11:49:49 PM »
Smokey barely listened to the announcement before the match, only slightly raising an eyebrow at his "only shtick" being "boring."  He's far more concerned with the matter at hand, namely his opponent.  Prism is a sniper, which in and of itself isn't so bad.  He can run down snipers.  The problem was that she could fly.  Meaning she could just permanently dance just out of Smokey's range, which would turn him into little more than a sitting duck throwing a temper tantrum.  He's really hoping the terrain selector cuts him a little slack to work with.

And boy does he see some slack when the gate finally opens.  As he steps out, the first thing Smokey sees is the market place, filled to the brim with cover and places to hide, as well as strings running across the top which would limit flying. He'd be able to setup ambushes, dash in and out of alleyways and basically never give Prism a chance to respond.  It was literally paradise for Smokey.

So the fact it was on Prism's side of the arena made it all the more infuriating.  So what did Smokey get?  An open fucking courtyard.  An open courtyard with fucking crossbows pointed, not at the other side where they would be useful, but towards each other, where they would be literally only useful against him.  No prize for guessing what the big red button in the middle does.   

So, yeah, the deck's stacked against him, and Smokey's left wanting to burn his hand.  Or burn something.  Burning the other side of the arena would be nice, it'd at least even the odds a bit.  But he seriously doubts Prism would just let Smokey walk in to her turf without serious resistance, let alone give him time to start a fire.  Even if she did, her semblance could probably put it out before it got big enough to cause any real problems.  So, unless Smokey can find a way to start a fire from range fast enough where Prism couldn't just snuff it out, he's SOL.

...

...

...*thunk!*

An ominous sound echoes on his side of the arena, which is quickly followed by the soft whirs and clicks of machinery.  Smokey, in the mean time, places a fire dust cartridge in Matchstick, but then flips the safety and holsters his revolver.  He'll need that gun soon enough, but it's high time a different gun made it's debut. 

*chk, chk, whirrrrr*, *hrunk!*

Smokey reached behind and pulled the boxy contraption out from behind him, which was already starting to reveal its true form.

*thu-thunk!* *tik-tik* *cli-cli-cli-cli-cli-cli-click-click-click-click- click - click -....click

The contraption gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger, growing to almost cartoonish proportions.  In the meantime, Smokey doesn't advance.  He actually stays next to the entrance of the arena, right out in the open.  Almost as if he's *daring* Prism to fire at him and reveal her position. 

As the machine finishes its transformation, the result might appear almost comical.  Smokey may be short, but he's not that small.  But the gun in his hands makes him look like a child, as it easily dwarfs him in size by at least over a foot, if not a foot and a half.  It's a wonder how he's even carrying it, let alone how he plans to fire it. 

Smile, Prism!  You just might be in the first edition of the Good News!

Aura: 100%
Semblance:  Inactive
Matchstick: 7/7 ~Fire Dust Loaded Holstered, on standby
Dust: 14/14 Ice, 14/14 Fire

The Good News:  ACTIVE!
Articles:  8/8

Action:  Warming up the presses.

Spoiler: ShowHide
Slight retcon of The Good News's length, if it matters I can edit it.

Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

Hexcodes:
515151
FFD700
E55812
CCE9AE
Cyan
FFA400

Moth

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 651
  • Karma:
    +37/-1
  • Personal Text
    *moth noises*
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2018, 12:27:34 PM »
Oh, so that's the other gun.

Prism stares down the scope of her rifle at the oversized canon Smokey's wielding, her jaw slightly slack. She knew he had another gun other than Matchstick, and she knew it was powerful, but she wasn't expecting- well, that! What did he say that one time? It's a modified version of the gun on an Atesian paladin?

The part that's even scarier is the fact that it's pointing to her half of the arena. There was no way he knew where she was yet, so it's a safe bet that he isn't going to point that thing directly at her. A gun that size is bound to fire some powerful artillery, too. Her Mistralian marketplace was built mostly of rickety wooden stalls, so whatever that thing fired was going to punch right through everything - and more than likely, set everything on on her half of the arena ablaze.

Welp, at least that made her next course of action clear. She couldn't risk staying there.

Prism pulls herself into a crouching position, clutching Hawk's Eye as she leaps straight up off the rooftop. Her wings become an irridescent blur as a familiar updraft kicks into gear around her, propelling her nearly 10, then 20, then 30 meters above the arena - rising high into the air where she could keep an eye on everything her opponent was doing. That cannon might pack a powerful punch, but it'd definitely be slow to fire and could probably be seen from a mile away, so she had a pretty good chance of dodging it.

What Smokey might have a harder time dodging is the quick bodyshot she fires off as she rises into the air, coming into a steady hover.

Attack Log:
Bodyshot (7%)

Prism's Combat Stats:
Aura: 100%
Hawk's Eye: 4/5
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 478
  • Karma:
    +33/-11
  • Personal Text
    All criticism is valid
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2018, 12:45:35 AM »
Not gonna lie, Smokey's a little disappointed when he sees Prism flutter into the sky.  Sure, it's what he expected her to do.  Hell, it's what he wanted her to do!  But he sorta wanted to catch her in the blast, too.  Still, he knew Prism wasn't going to stick around for the big reveal, it's literally the only logical action she could have taken.  Even if she did stay on the ground, he still would almost certainly missed her.

No, the Good News was never meant to be aimed at a teeny target like Prism, or any human or faunus target for that matter.  Sure, the raw power of the weapon could bring even fully-trained huntsmen to their knees, but if it were truly an anti-personnel rifle, there are better dust options than fire.  The Good News is a weapon meant to target Grimm, creatures that can't benefit from the defensive power of aura.  The volatile fire dust, while definitely explosive, is used for a far more mundane purpose:  to burn.  Well, more specifically, it's purpose is to spread fire as quickly as possible.  The bullet is designed to penetrate Grimm hide before detonating, meaning the explosion would happen both inside the creature and outside.  This explosion would spread fire along the Grimm's body, catching it ablaze again both inside and out.  This means that if the initial explosion doesn't get the kill, the aftereffects still would, save for the hardiest of targets. 

Aura-protected targets, however, would not suffer the consistent burn effect, simply due to the nature of aura's protection.  In short, a direct hit against a human target protected by aura would only be two-thirds as effective as it would be against a Creature of Grimm. 

To summarize that lore segue, Smokey was never going to try and shoot Prism.  Even if he hit, it'd be a waste, because the damn arena's not big enough to get a good enough explosion in, and her aura would protect her from any lingering effects. 

Instead, as Prism's shot collides into Smokey, he simply responds with a quick one-liner, "Wow, I didn't know chickens could fly!"  Then, he reaches into his coat for a pouch labelled "Articles," and pulls out what appears to be a massive red bullet.  Loading the casing into Good News, he works the action to move the bullet into the firing chamber. 

Then, to the surprise of some in the crowd to be sure, he points the gun towards the marketplace Prism had just abandoned, rather than the flying faunus herself.  That's right, Smokey is apparently using the biggest, baddest gun in the Vytal Festival Tournament on a group of defenseless wooden stalls.  What a monster. 

Aura: 93%
Semblance:  Inactive
Matchstick: 7/7 ~Fire Dust Loaded Holstered, on standby
Dust: 14/14 Ice, 14/14 Fire

The Good News:  ACTIVE!
Articles:  8/8

Action:  Preparing for delivery
Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

Hexcodes:
515151
FFD700
E55812
CCE9AE
Cyan
FFA400

Moth

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 651
  • Karma:
    +37/-1
  • Personal Text
    *moth noises*
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2018, 09:43:58 PM »
Prism's facial expression goes flat, her eyes narrowing while her mouth became a thin line. C'mon, a chicken of all things? Now that was just cruel.

The direction he's aiming his cannon-rifle hybrid confirms her suspiciouns of his attempt to blow up the marketplace, making her slowly drift more towards Smokey's side of the arena in order to avoid the inevitable explosion. She's not sure what he has to gain out of destroying her cover, but it's not of much use now that she's revealed herself. Plus, with all those hanging lights it's not like she could've flown in there anyways.

Still, that massive amount of smoke and fire would be annoying to deal with, so it worth a shot attempting to slow him down. Reaching for her belt, the hummingbird faunus pulled one of her precious dust-tipped bullets from it, loading the shot individually into the bolt-action mechanism on her rifle. Scoping in on her opponent, the shot fires moments after he initially insults her - aiming at his shoulder and upper arm, meaning to lock him up.

Attack Log:
Ice Dust Bodyshot (6% + Chance to freeze the limb)

Prism's Combat Stats:
Aura: 100%
Hawk's Eye: 4/5
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 478
  • Karma:
    +33/-11
  • Personal Text
    All criticism is valid
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2018, 02:39:29 AM »
The benefits of flying are tremendous, especially for a long-range fighter.  Prism can stay out of Smokey's reach for as long as she wishes, she gains incredible mobility, and, let's face it, it looks cool.  However, there is one very major downside that is incredibly relevant right now.  Prism is floating in midair.  With no cover.  Or any form of concealment.  Meaning anyone who isn't blind can see what Prism's doing.

Now let's consider Smokey, who is in the process of aiming at inanimate objects with a weapon that has a margin of error the size of a football field.  Yeah, he's not really too distracted with that.  So, when Prism doesn't immediately shower him with a hailstorm of bullets, he kinda figures something's up.  And when he sees her pull something from her belt, it's not hard to imagine what she's up to. 

In fact, let's play a game called "How Obvious is Prism's Attack?"  So, she's reaching into her belt, which means she's probably pulling out a bullet.  Considering she's only fired once, it's probably not to reload, so it must be specialty ammo, which is confirmed when she loads it into her gun.  Most likely dust ammo, as that's pretty much the only kind of specialty ammo.  The question is "what type of dust?"  Well, it's probably not fire, so let's rule that out.  It could be lightning, but that's really doubtful, considering it probably wouldn't affect his aiming enough to stop what he's already planning.  Wind, kinetic, and gravity dust would be absolutely useless when one considers Smokey's own semblance.  That basically leaves earth and ice dust, and since ice is more common, let's go with that.  Now, considering that she pulled out and loaded that bullet in full view of Smokey, who is most certainly not blind, all Smokey has to do is wait for the muzzle flash and hammer dance out of the way.  Yes, even with the massive gun in his hands.  It's not like it's any lighter when it's on his back.

So yeah, Prism misses. Now let's get to the good part.

Strangely, Smokey's feeling somewhat confident right now, despite the layout and the match-up of the day being heavily against him.  Maybe it's the fact he has the Good News in his hands.  It's hard not to feel confident when you're holding this much power in your hands.  Well, for whatever reason, his confidence is there.  Isn't that nice?

Resuming his view down the scope of the Good News, he re-positions his gun just a bit to accommodate his recent dodge.  His inanimate targets didn't move, and quite frankly the dodge might have actually put him in a better position.  Satisfied, Smokey takes a deep breath, activates his semblance, and pulls the trigger.   


At first, nothing seems to happen.  In the first half-second, no bullet comes out.  Instead, a gear turns, and the gun makes a peculiar sound, almost like it's...inhaling.  As the gear spins, the inhaling grows louder and louder until the gear completes its revolution, when--

The Good News speaks, and its voice begins as the clap of a thunder god.  A trail of smoke flies out of the barrel as it shrinks back into the stock, the muzzle brake hissing out smoke of its own to reduce the kickback.  Even with all the dispersion, the force of the recoil digs into Smokey's shoulder and noticeably forces it back.  Yes, the Good News has moved the Immovable Object.

The bullet flies towards the market place, and as it reaches the first stall in it's path, the fire dust in the first chamber begins to ignite.  The stand explodes apart in the next instant, and the trail of smoke becomes a red streak as the Article begins to sing its piece.  But its voice is no angel.  The shrill shriek of a banshee fills the arena, as if to swear vengeance, death, and destruction on any that crosses its path.  More stands are obliterated by the sheer force of the missile traveling through them, but the ear-piercing screech is unimpeded as the  red demon races onward towards its final destination.     

Finally, as the bullet reaches the back of the marketplace, slowed down by the wood of the marketplace stalls, the demon-possessed streak slams into the last stall at the back of the marketplace, finally crashing into the ground underneath.  There, the hand of the devil reaches forth.

The stand shatters into chunks of burning wood that scatter across the marketplace, spreading fire all around.  The wooden stalls in the immediate area become blazing infernos, as the strings of lights become highways for the fire to spread faster.  The chunks of wood that are the remains of the stalls that were visited by the red demon act as kindling for budding fires across the marketplace, some even smoldering on their own after being touched by the trail of fire left in the Article's wake. 

Smoke, naturally, begins to rise, though at this point it has far to go before it obstructs Prism's view.  With that said, the smoke around the fire obscures the strings of light, meaning that if she were interested in returning to the marketplace, Prism would have a hard time not getting tangled in burning threads. 

As for Smokey, he quickly moves on to his next task.  The first thing he does after recovering from the recoil is work the action to eject the now empty casing, which would be almost invisible now thanks to the lack of dust. Immediately after the casing is ejected, the gun hisses out hot air, as the cool down process begins. This will take time, and Smokey will not be able to begin reverting the weapon back to storage form until it is finished. 

At the moment, that's fine with him.  He runs to the perimeter of the courtyard, towards the first crossbow in his path.  Wielding the behemoth rifle as a glorified club, Smokey swings at the base with aura-enhanced strength and shatters it, freeing the crossbow as it falls to the ground.  As for why...well, that'll probably have to wait till next post.

 
Aura: 93% (attack dodged)
Semblance:  ACTIVATED!  1ST OF 6 ROUNDS
Matchstick: 7/7 ~Fire Dust Loaded Holstered, on standby
Dust: 14/14 Ice, 14/14 Fire

The Good News:  Venting...
Articles:  7/8

Action:  The Good News, 1st Vytal Festival Ed., delivered to Mistrali Marketplace.

Spoiler: ShowHide
So, just clarifying, the fire is currently centralized at the back of the marketplace around 5 or so stands.  It is quickly spreading.  The path used by the bullet is filled with burgeoning fires that may quickly grow and spread more smoke.  The smoke hasn't had a chance to climb yet, and it's also behind her, so her view isn't obstructed.  If I need to add anything else, let me know.

Also, that "shriek" from the Article was supposed to be like the sound of a whistling firework, but like, much louder.

« Last Edit: August 24, 2018, 02:59:04 AM by ReaperJoe »
Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

Hexcodes:
515151
FFD700
E55812
CCE9AE
Cyan
FFA400

Moth

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 651
  • Karma:
    +37/-1
  • Personal Text
    *moth noises*
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2018, 04:41:35 PM »
The updraft slows down to a light breeze as Prism loses focus, only maintaining the the wind through some purely-instinctual reaction as she tracks the path of Good New's bullet. The bright-red fireball that serves an excuse for Good New's ammunition whistles it's way across the entire stadium, drawing the eyes of every individual - before the Mistralian market where Prism was moments beforehand is abruptly brought into the depths of some firey hell, encompassing the entire back half of Prism's side of the arena.

There's a few moments where the hummingbird stares slackjawed at the flames, completely frozen in midair. Her grip unconsciously tightens on her rifle, and she draws herself in a bit more, tucking her legs towards her chest as her eyes go glassy. It's just, it's a lot of fire. A lot of fire. Fire enveloping everything around it, burning wooden structures and scaring the ground, illuminating things in the night. It's just like- well- just like-

The light breeze swells in a harsh gust of wind, and Prism snaps back to reality with a shake of her head.

Right, she's got a match to win.

Glancing down at Smokey confirms he's making a beeline for the crossbows lining his side of the arena, dislodging one with a horrific use of such a pretty gun. Those crossbows are the only long-distance weapons he has access to, other than Good News, so it's more than likely he's going to attempt to shock her out of the air

She only spends moments quickscoping onto Smokey and firing off a shot that'll hopefully deter him from the fairly-obvious plan.  The hummingbird then focuses on in on the wooden pillar in the center of the arena, firing off her rifle to hit the button with a crack. Considering it's a non-moving target, there's a high-and-likely chance she'll hit - and then Smokey will get to deal with the barrage of arrows that came his way, while rendering him unable to use the long-distance weapons dotting the perimeter of his half of the arena.

...after this is all over, Prism would probably need to have a discussion about racial bias with the announcers and the judges.

Attack Log:
Bodyshot (7%)
Shooting the Button (Causes arrows to fire, 4% x 10 with however many you deem fair hitting Smokey)

Prism's Combat Log
Aura: 100%
Hawk's Eye: 3/5
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 478
  • Karma:
    +33/-11
  • Personal Text
    All criticism is valid
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2018, 12:23:47 AM »
As the crossbow comes crashing down, Smokey heaves the Good News under one arm in order to free up the other to scoop up the wooden weapon.  Prism's bullet hits him square in the back, but it earns barely more than an "Oof!" from the gunslinger.  Picking up the crossbow in his other hand, he whirls around just in time to see Prism shoot the button at the center of his side of the arena and setting off the other nine crossbows. 

Now, as the crossbows are all aimed towards the button, and Smokey is currently next to the position of one of them, only one other crossbow could be considered to be pointing at him, and even that's a bit of a stretch.  So...yeah, that's a waste of 36% damage.

It's also a little bit awkward, as Smokey's entire purpose for knocking the crossbow down in the first place was to use it as a shield against the other crossbows as he made his mad dash to the burning marketplace.  But since they've now been fired, he doesn't need to do that anymore.  Well, maybe he can use it to block one of Prism's dust shots, because he still needs to haul ass.  At the very least, he only has one source of damage to be concerned with now, meaning he can divert all of his attention to dodging Prism's attacks. 

And Smokey indeed hauls ass across the courtyard to the marketplace, cutting straight down the middle as he no longer needs to defend against the crossbows.  Instead, he aims the crossbow at Prism, or rather her weapon.  It's definitely a long shot, but Smokey is going to be watching for any specialty ammo Prism loads into her gun.  When Prism gives any indication that she's about to fire it, he'll preemptively fire the bolt in an attempt to knock the bullet out of the sky, or at least waste the dust.  Otherwise, he'll be practicing his footwork.  It's gonna be a bit before Smokey gets an opportunity to return fire, but all things considered, this fight is actually going pretty well so far.

In the meantime, the Good News finishes its venting process, and Smokey begins reverting it back to storage form. 


Aura: 86% (hit by direct shot from Prism)
Semblance:  ACTIVATED!  2ND OF 6 ROUNDS
Matchstick: 7/7 ~Fire Dust Loaded Holstered, on standby
Dust: 14/14 Ice, 14/14 Fire

The Good News:  Reverting to storage form, transformation complete at end of next turn
Articles:  7/8

Action:  Hauling Ass, 1 electric dust bolt at Prism (4%) if certain conditions are met.
Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

Hexcodes:
515151
FFD700
E55812
CCE9AE
Cyan
FFA400

Moth

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 651
  • Karma:
    +37/-1
  • Personal Text
    *moth noises*
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2018, 08:13:21 PM »
Prism frowns to herself at the wasted damage, watching as he simply picked up the crossbow and started to book it across the arena to the burning wreck of stalls on the other side. She needs to start focusing on pumping out as much damage as possible. Every little bit against Smokey is going to be important, especially if he manages to get her into range and she wants any chance of wining.

She tracks him across the field through the scope of her rifle as he runs. She fires off another two quick shots then, trying to sneak in as much cheeky damage as she can get.

There's something else peculiar happening in the arena, but it's unlikely Smokey would've noticed it yet. He might be able to catch the glimpse of what appears to be steam rising off the hummingbird faunus if he looked closely enough, but against the bright backdrop of the sky and the colorful canvas of the rest of the stadium, the chances were slim. Instead of safely rising and dispersing in the sky, the smoke from Good New's latest article was slowly cycling back down into the arena, under the guise of a very light breeze that permeated the entirety of it - the rising cloud of ash never actually reached the target in the sky. It was still thin for now thankfully, but it wouldn't be much longer until the haze in the air grew particularly noticable.

Attack Log:
Bodyshot (7% x 2)

Prism's Combat Stats:
Aura: 100%
Hawk's Eye: 1/5
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 478
  • Karma:
    +33/-11
  • Personal Text
    All criticism is valid
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2018, 02:20:59 AM »
Smokey, who is currently spending the majority of his focus on dodging Prism's attacks, attempts to dodge Prism's strikes.  And, for the most part, he's relatively successful: one of her shots grazes him and does a small amount of damage.  However, his progress is pretty much unimpeded, and the arena's smaller size is currently working in his favor. 

As he reaches the urban side of the arena, the budding fruits of Prism's labor are unfortunately quite obvious, though the cause isn't.  The "breeze" permeating the arena is working in his favor, or, at least, it's moving his plan forward much more quickly than he anticipated.  But before that, it would do well to note how the fire's doing.

Currently, the fire at the back of the arena is raging and spreading, Prism's semblance aiding it in this regard.  While a few seconds ago it was centered around only a small group of stands, the fire has grown 50% larger since, if not more.  The strings of lights act as tracks for the fire to traverse, giving it easy access to more fuel and causing the fire to grow even further.  The smoke rising from the fire is thick, now even more so thanks to Prism's interference. 

The budding fires along the way, though, had not grown nearly as much.  Some of the early ones have already died out, though the ones closer to the inferno at the back seem to be having a much easier time catching and maintaining themselves.  Although, even those fires will be overtaken by the wildfire soon enough.  They're only worth noting right now because they are currently producing a non-insignificant amount of smoke.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Smokey crosses into the other side of the arena, and the soft haze of smoke begins to obscure him.  Now, while the smoke is still relatively thin at this point, Smokey might be a bit harder to make out than Prism might initially anticipate.  He's still visible to anyone that's been consciously focusing on him up to this point, but a bystander that missed a moment of action might have trouble picking him out immediately.   

Now, while Prism might have moved the timetable for Smokey's plan up a bit, this discrepancy between expectation and reality might also tip off Prism to what he's planning.  After all, why would a man whose aura is similar in color to smoke, wearing a dark gray coat with red and orange gradients, and wearing brown boots run headlong towards a dangerous situation such like a blazing marketplace fueled by wood?  What could possibly be going through his head?

At this point, the Good News has finally finished shrinking back to its storage form, and Smokey clicks it back onto his back.

Aura: 83% (1 grazed shot from Prism (3%))
Semblance:  ACTIVATED!  3RD OF 6 ROUNDS
Matchstick: 7/7 ~Fire Dust Loaded [Now Active]
Dust: 14/14 Ice, 14/14 Fire

The Good News:  Reverted, on standby
Articles:  7/8

Action:  Still Hauling Ass, mildly obscured by smoke
« Last Edit: August 28, 2018, 02:41:08 AM by ReaperJoe »
Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

Hexcodes:
515151
FFD700
E55812
CCE9AE
Cyan
FFA400

Moth

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 651
  • Karma:
    +37/-1
  • Personal Text
    *moth noises*
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2018, 09:34:15 PM »
Prism tilts her head slightly to the side as she watches Smokey spring headlong into the personal hell of flames he created. She honestly can't quite parse together what he's trying to accomplish - either he's got one hell of a plan in store she can't predict yet, or he's trying to force her in after him. Which is... a debatably good plan, if she were anything other than a sniper.

It won't be hard to wait him out.

Prism hovers a bit lower, taking one final shot at Smokey's back as he attempts to disappear into the burning inferno. With her clip now empty, she pops the cartridge before reaching for her belt, before momentarily hesitating. The haze in the air from Prism's little bubble of wind has gotten all that much thicker, acting as cover for her opponent - but he couldn't put up with it forever, probably.

So why doesn't she make that so much more of a problem for him?

With a wiry grin on her face as she decides on a plan, the next cartridge of bullets she pulls from her belt has a red metallic casing - not that Smokey could notice that from his position.

Attack Log:
Bodyshot (7%)

Prism's Combat Stats:
Aura: 100%
Hawk's Eye: 5/5
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 478
  • Karma:
    +33/-11
  • Personal Text
    All criticism is valid
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2018, 01:01:13 AM »
Well, it seems it's about time for an explanation.  For starters, let's start with Smokey's confidence.  Oh yes, it's still there.  It didn't disappear as soon as the Good News shrank back into storage.  Nor did the confidence stem from the weapon's might in the first place.  Smokey, though definitely aware of its continued presence, is not particularly concerned with its origins.  Nor should he be, he has a plethora of other things to worry about. 

However, it is very much worth noting, as the endeavor he's currently pursuing entails a great deal of risk.  If there was any doubt in his mind that his plan will fail, this would be the point where he falters.  But there is none, and a certain phrase in that sentence can explain why.  Consider, for a moment, Smokey's position shortly after the start of the match just before the Good News was fired.  His opponent was flying in the air and far out the reach of Matchstick, while the Good News was slow and cumbersome.  Prism wouldn't have to even dodge the bullet, Smokey would be hard-pressed to keep her in his sights.  So Smokey had to think of a different option, think of what step to take.  And then he had to think of the next step, and the step after that.  Those steps acted as tiny goals for him, and after each goal was achieved, Smokey's confidence grew.  Forcing Prism into the sky, dodging her ice dust attack, successfully blowing up the marketplace, avoiding the dust-enhanced crossbows, all of these little things are in and of themselves tiny victories.  Everything up to this point is going exactly as planned.

And now, as Smokey confidently dodges Prism's latest attack, it's nearly time for the culmination of Smokey's plan.  He turns around and starts running backwards, still racing towards the inferno.  There's still a haze of smoke obscuring her, but Prism's the only thing in the sky.  Her silhouette alone is more than enough given those circumstances.  With both hands free, Smokey steadies and aims the crossbow loaded with a single dust bolt.  Just before breaching the wall of flames acting as the entrance to Hell itself, he fires.  The bolt shoots out like lightning towards Prism's face, a wicked bolt aimed to shock the bird out of the sky.  Naturally, it'll be relatively easy to dodge, but that might just be the point.  Smokey aimed the crossbow high for a reason:  the easiest way to dodge it would be to "limbo" under it.  In other words, force Prism to look up at the sky, rather than down below.  This is important because--actually it's not.  Even if Prism keeps her eyes locked on Smokey the entire time as he makes his way into the fire, her efforts to keep track of him will be in vain.  As soon as a flame dances in between them, Smokey will vanish in front of her eyes.

Remember Smokey's color scheme?  A smokey-gray towards the top that shifts to a red then orange as it goes down?  Almost like a fire?  Does Smokey's plan make sense now?  The entire purpose of bringing out the Good News in the first place was simply to create a glorified hiding spot.  A hiding spot uniquely qualified to camouflage Smokey.  And that's just the visual camouflage.  The roaring flames all around him, the crackling wood, even the sounds of breaking lights all serve to quieten the sounds of his footsteps, the clankiness of his armor, and even...

*thunk!*

The ominous sound would be the only indication of the final part of Smokey's plan, as the roar of the flames drowns out the sound of the rest of the machinery, but it should be more than enough.  It's only been a couple of seconds, almost not enough time to warrant putting it back in the first place.  Almost.  If nothing else, it's worth it simply to remind Prism that Hawk's Eye isn't the only sniper rifle in this match.  Though, why bring it out now?  What changed in the situation that Smokey might think the Good News would make a difference here?

Well, for starters, Prism's situation hasn't.  She's still in the air, with no cover, and her only concealment is smoke, but considering she's literally the only thing in the sky, her silhouette would still stand out.  Smokey, on the other hand, is in a far better position than he was before.  He's hidden.  He can fire from anywhere in this smoke-filled hellscape, and Prism wouldn't know until the bullet is already en-route, as even the initial "inhaling" would be drowned out by the flames.  To put it simply, Smokey's chances of scoring a direct hit has sky-rocketed.  Now, Prism could try and escape by landing in the courtyard.  The empty courtyard that has only static objects surrounding its perimeter.  The courtyard that may or may not have an even more clear line-of-sight than the sky.  See where I'm going with this?

The only place safe from the weapon's destructive might would be within the marketplace.  At least there, Prism could attempt to use the smoke and cover to her favor as well, though Smokey would still be at an advantage due to his unique color scheme and the environment.  What, did anyone really think Smokey was just going to sit in a burning marketplace and wait for Prism to catch the idiot ball? 

Now, with all that said, there are a few downsides to this ingenious power-move.  For starters, Smokey's in a burning marketplace.  It's hot.  Like, really hot, not to mention filled with smoke.  The boy's resilient as all hell, and can keep his mouth shut despite the pain, but his aura would have taken a hit on the initial entrance, and would be slowly depleting as time goes by as long as he remains. 

And that thunk?  It's more bark than bite.  The Good News has a variety of weaknesses that make it less effective than Smokey would like.  For starters, even though Smokey would only really need a silhouette, the thick smoke might not even let him get that much.  And even then, Smokey has no doubt to Prism's agility, despite never truly seeing it in action.  Sure, his chances of hitting have improved, but he'd give himself 50/50 odds at best. Finally, there's the problem of distance.  Namely, there might not be enough.  Sure, the bullet on its own will pack a mighty punch on its own, but it might not explode if it hasn't traveled far enough. 

That being said, Smokey's confident it'll be a strong bluff.  Prism has already bore witness to the rifle's power, and the likelihood she's aware of its weaknesses after one shot are slim.  Perhaps if she sat down and took the time to think on it, she could deduce it, but in the heat of the moment (heh) she'd have many other things to worry about.  For instance, she's in mid-air, without cover, against a hidden enemy with a powerful rifle.  Sure, she might be able to dodge it, but what if she doesn't?  Could she afford to take the hit?  Where will it come from?  When will it come?  Is there a way around it?  So many questions, so many possibilities.  The ultimate question is this:  in the face of an unseen, overwhelming threat, how will Prism respond?

Aura: 74% (5% from initial entrance, 2% per second within proximity (2 seconds))
Semblance:  ACTIVATED!  4TH OF 6 ROUNDS
Matchstick: 7/7 ~Fire Dust Loaded [Just kidding]
Dust: 14/14 Ice, 14/14 Fire

The Good News:  Just kidding
Articles:  7/8

PASSIVE EFFECT:  PAINTED WITH FIRE
Smokey's color scheme and wardrobe blends in uniquely with his current environment.  It's nearly impossible to see him

Action:  Hauled Ass into fire, making the bluff of a lifetime. Also shooting a lightning bolt distraction (4%)
Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

Hexcodes:
515151
FFD700
E55812
CCE9AE
Cyan
FFA400

Moth

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 651
  • Karma:
    +37/-1
  • Personal Text
    *moth noises*
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2018, 08:31:26 PM »
Prism only manages to dodge the lightning-dust arrow on pure reflex, tucking in her wings to drop a few meters. She quickly catches herself as they become a familiar iridescent blur, but unfortunately for her it's just long enough for her to lose sight of Smokey within the fire.

She's got no time to waste now.

The hummingbird faunus quickly empties her entire cartridge into the arena across from her, firing five red-hot shots that shoot through the sky. She's definitely not aiming for Smokey, as there's no slow, deliberate search for her her opponent - instead, where each bullet impacts along the front of the marketplace, individual stalls burst into flame. It's not much to start off, but given just how flammable the rest of the arena was, it wouldn't take long for the fire to quickly spread - and more importantly, semi-trap Smokey within his own personal flammable hell.

She just manages to catch the heavy familiar thunk of Good News deploying within the depth of the fire thanks to her sensitive hearing, making her stomach drop. It's going to be a bitch to hear coming, but that characteristic high-pitched whistle is hard to miss - she's really going to need to focus her hearing.

The second thing the hummingbird does is tug her goggles down over her eyes, before the updraft around her cut out, and she dove - towards all places - towards the ground. The smoke on the far edge of the arena where Smokey emerged cleared of haze as Prism forced the bubble of wind back. Not only did this give her a patch clear of haze to land on, but it also forced the thick smog enveloping Smokey's half of the arena backwards, making it all that much thicker with less room to fill.

Prism pops another cartridge into her rifle, before transforming it into it's secondary mode and popping in another cartridge of bullets in case she needs to make a quick takeoff. What she wanted to do next required a lot of concentration - enough so that she couldn't remain hovering at the same time. With her wings outstretched, ready to take off at a moment's notice, the hummingbird holds her glaive vertically in front of her, moving the blade in slow circles.  The white haze formed by her aura thickens and rises like steam, showing just how heavily she's concentrating.

The hummingbird faunus can feel everything in the air around her. The hot air rising from the smoke, the breezy bubbling enveloping half of the arena, slowly choking out the marketplace - every little shift in the aircurrents, every pocket of hot and cold, the difference between clean air and the smoke. She can feel the strength of the fire, feeding off precious oxygen to keep alight. In the very center of the all the chaos, in the heart of the explosion left behind by Good New's untimely delivery, the wind begins to stir, moving in a slow circular pattern.

Attack Log:
Fire bullet Hellstorm (not actually aiming at Smokey, just making more fire)

Prism's Combat Stats:
Aura: 100%
Hawk's Eye: 5/5
Prism Skylark - Beacon First Year, Winged Sharpshooter and Leader of Team CASA (Casanova) #ffffff

Chantou Rou - Beacon First Year, Insect-Eyed Rebel of Team LGGR (Lager) #ff82a4

Albrecht Clodwal - Beacon First Year, White Knight Nice-Guy of Team CNRS (Cinerous) #00a4a4

Azre and Erza Sundown- Shade First Years, Fallen Stars of Team RASB (Raspberry) #fe2d00, #feab00

Jima Purpora - Beacon Third Year, Grimm-Obsessed Scholar of Team PLSM (Plasma) #6e3aa8

ReaperJoe

  • Full Member

  • Offline
  • ***

  • 478
  • Karma:
    +33/-11
  • Personal Text
    All criticism is valid
    • View Profile
Re: First Year 1v1 bracket- Round 2: Prism Skylark vs. Smokey Emberstone
« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2018, 10:43:29 PM »
Seeing Prism remain in the air to fire off her shots is a little bit of cause for concern, as Smokey isn't particularly keen on using another round of the Good News.  So when Prism finally dips down to the ground, Smokey relaxes a bit before dropping Immovable Object and reversing the Good News's transformation.  There'd be no real audible tell-tale sign that the transformation has been halted, thanks to the sound of flames obscuring the sound of machinery.  Not to mention, the transformation never finished, so there'd be no gap in sound.  Visually--well, Smokey's still immersed in flames, so that's part covered, too. 

Smokey had accomplished two goals of three, so far.  The first was forcing Prism out of cover.  The second was to get her on the ground.  The third, getting her in range, will be much harder, thanks to Prism's chosen landing spot.  He had hoped that she'd seek refuge in the burning half of the arena, thus keeping her on the ground with the lights, while also giving Smokey an opportunity to sneak up on her.  Unfortunately, she took the option of the other side of the arena.  Away from the smoke and hiding spots.  And, for some reason, the smoke is getting incredibly thick, making even picking out a silhouette hard.   This all means that if Smokey tries to get close to Prism, she'd have ample time to escape back to the sky, and he'd be back where he started.  He needs some sort of vehicle to get to her.

Tossing the crossbow aside, Smokey pulls out Matchstick and exchanges dust cartridges to ice.  His original plan used the strings of lights as a countermeasure against flying, which allowed Smokey to boost his damage with fire, but now he has to resort to other means of keeping his opponent grounded.  Ice should do the trick, but the problem is, once again, getting close enough to apply it.  Smokey pulls his coat over his mouth and crouches down as he tries to come up with a plan.  Yeah, he's on a time limit, but he can't afford to just charge in recklessly like usual.

As Smokey ruminates on a plan, Prism's plan starts to take form, as wind starts to pick up within the inferno.  Smokey turns to look at it, and his frustration grows.  "Oh, no, it's not enough that she can fly, she can make friggin' mini-tornadoes, too!  Fan-friggin'-tastic!" he mutters under his breath, but gears are moving in his mind.  He just might have another stupid idea.  For now though, he backs away from the gathering wind storm and observes.

Aura: 64% (2% per second within proximity (5 seconds))
Semblance:  MANUAL DEACTIVATION!  1ST OF 2 ROUNDS OF COOLDOWN
Matchstick: 7/7 ~Ice Dust Loaded
Dust: 14/14 Ice, 14/14 Fire

The Good News: Transformation Cancelled
Articles:  7/8


PASSIVE EFFECT:  PAINTED WITH FIRE
Smokey's color scheme and wardrobe blends in uniquely with his current environment.  It's nearly impossible to see him

Action:  Thinking of next step, wondering if he should see a psychiatrist. 
Smokey Emberstone Beacon 1st Year and the Immovable Gunslinger of Team DASE "I've got more than enough firepower to beat you" "You've only got one bullet!" "Like I said, more than enough"

Aurelia Lumen Beacon 3rd year and the Warhorse of Team (TBD)  "Lay down your weapons, lest you wish to taste my steel!"

Wabul "Toast" Paka Shade 1st year and the Acrobatic Swashbuckler of Team (TBD)  "Hey, I'm gonna go jump off a bridge, who's with me?"

Lucas Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Hermit of Team CLVS  "What's so great about 'bittersweet'?"

Clara Meridiem Beacon 1st year and the Blast Magician of Team (TBD) "No one likes just plain ol' bitter"

August Flare Beacon 1st year and the would-be ruler of the world "Join me, and witness the Brightest Future!"

Hexcodes:
515151
FFD700
E55812
CCE9AE
Cyan
FFA400