FoF STRUGGLE Alexius vs Black Waltz 3

AS a SeeD, Alexius had seen quite a few things. He'd seen actual living dinosaurs, haunted suits of armor, deer like beasts with sickle like horns, and even a giant Thunderbird that had become his Guardian Force. But this? This was new. What he was seeing now looked like a stereotypical Black Mage card from Triple Triad..but scaled up to be ten feet tall. He had given his competitor the room to walk up onto the stage first. Given how large he was, it was probably better for Alexius to see just how much of the stage he took up before he started making plans.

Of course while his opponent walked up to the stage, Alexius made sure to check his equipment. His struggle club was very much a regular one. He didn't have the skill to use the odd placement of a struggle wand to his advantage..and well..there were a couple of the hand guards from the more defensive ones mounted on his usually gauntleted hand. He'd been given permission ahead of time to make a makeshift parrying gauntlet. It didn't really displace any orbs, so none of them had minded.

Of course, when Clopin announced the beginning of their round, time seemed to slow down for Alexius as he started to weigh all of his choices. This thing was a black mage looking guy, but it also would have an amount of strength high enough for it to be able to bear its own weight, which was not inconsiderable. He probably was fast as well. So without many options left to him, he took up a guarding stance..at the same time as his opponent had. Alexius felt a stiff breeze blow through the area as they stared each other down.

[Guard]

Eventually, Alexius understood that he would have to make the first move. So, he went in for a swing, his movements being quick and obviously very well practiced, as his strike did land very solidly, even with the considerable strength of his opponent's guard. Unfortunately, the pushback that Alexius was given from that guard was enough to make him stumble!



Still, he had to quickly look around. Were there any orbs? No. There were not. That was unfortunate. He was very much hoping to take an early lead here. Sadly, it seemed that doing that was just a mere pipe dream.

[Collect-Failed]

However, as he was looking for orbs, he noticed his opponent start to move. As he swung for Alexius, the sandy haired swordsman brought up his mock gauntleted hand, catching the attempted swing with the back of his 'gauntlet'. The movement itself was enough to essentially deflect his opponent's club. But unfortunately, it did very well knock a few of his own orbs off, as well as a couple of his opponent's orbs from the very fast motion that they both just went through. "Now now, don't you know that attacking someone while they aren't looking is rude?" He asked with a grin as he dropped his hand. It was obvious that this was no serious matter for Alexius. This was just a mock battle. He could handle losing here.

[Parry]


Of course, right after he made that joking statement, he went for another powerful strike with his club, only to have it once again meet his opponent's club, knocking it away and having a similar affect to his own parrying. Well, this was interesting. For Alexius, this game was no longer about actually winning or losing. It was more of an interesting Dynamic. So while his opponent started gathering the small handful of orbs that they had both lost, Alexius put up his guard once again. This was going to be an interesting battle.

[Guard]

"Get out of my way!

Do you dare fight a Black Waltz?"

The "Struggle" started off slowly with both fighters taking a defensive stance, choosing to not make the first move in being the aggressor. Alexius came to the conclusion that the machine wouldn't be the first one to give and came at him, bringing his club down on the Waltz in a downward stroke towards his head, a stroke that was aptly deflected with a quick raise of his own club! The Attack bounced wide of it's target, sending the swordsman stumbling back, allowing the Waltz to go on the offensive and throw a swing of his own!

The Swordsman was quick to recover, however and quickly raised his gauntlet between his vulnerable chin and the head of the oncoming club, deflecting the strike in such a way that the energy generated between the impact of his gauntlet and the club knocked loose a few orbs from each of them! He didn't seem bothered by the loss of his orbs, Alexius didn't throwing a playful barb the Waltz's way as he turtled back on his defense.

"If you cannot pay attention, you will fail in this battle." The Waltz growled in response, deflecting a counter-strike from his opponent and landing quick poke at his gut which shook some more of their orbs loose!

Alexius didn't seem overly concerned yet either, even as the Waltz began scooping up orb after orb, giving him a grand total of 19 compared to the 15 he'd started with! The Man simply fell back on his guard and waited...

Well... Black Waltz 3 couldn't have that anymore, could he? Now that he had such a safety net to work with, he could afford to be a little aggressive... And aggressive he would be!

With a flap of his wings, the Waltz shot towards his opponent, bringing his club upward in a vicious arc, letting him feel the full power of the perfect Black Mage!

[Waltz Strikes]

He wouldn't just leave it at that, either! Whether or not his club came in contact the way it was supposed to, the machine would lash out again, this time thrusting his club down at the man's knee-cap, hoping to take down his leg... and coincidentally knock off more orbs!

[Waltz Strikes]

Once his attacks have been made, Black Waltz 3 hopped back, raising his club as he glanced around the arena to see what he damage he had done, what prizes he had to collect. He did this all behind his club which he held before him, awaiting the arrival of his opponent and all his answers to the Waltz's aggression!

[Guard]

Should he manage to find a way out of a potential assault, the machine would RUSH the stage again, collecting as many of his rival's (and potentially his own) orbs as possible, filling up his hoard to an even greater capacity!

[Collect]

Once his treasures had been neatly stored away, the Waltz would ready himself for an oncoming strike, no doubt punishing him for his attempts at winning! As a strike would come in, the Waltz would duck in LOW, ramming the pommel of his club into Alexius' chest! Of course, this manuver would cost him a few orbs but it'd be well worth it!

[Parry]

With that blow delivered (or not potentially), The Black Waltz would retreat again, hiding behind his club as he determined his next move...

[Guard]