[Round 2] PepsiYuuka & PepsiWhirda vs Cell & Ricter

[Karl Jak]

Cell took a moment to admire the destruction, even if it was only a recreation of some place he’d never heard of.

“There they are,” Ricter muttered as he pointed a finger toward the pair of women.

Clad in blue jumpsuits and sporting various Pepsi-themed imagery, Pepsi-Whirda and Pepsi-Yuuka strode through the ankle-deep slosh as they walked up from the shallows.

“Do I have to?” Pepsi-Whirda asked, eliciting a scowl from her partner.

“Yes.”

Pepsi-Whirda scowled as she unscrewed the cap on the plastic bottle and took a long swig from the contents.  After a refreshing ahh, she turned and glanced at nothing in particular up in the sky.

“Nothing helps more before a fight than a refreshing Pepsi!”  She even flashed a smile before turning her face to Pepsi-Yuuka and scowling harshly.

“Excellent job,” the other spokeswoman-slash-mascot remarked as they turned their focus to their adversaries.  

Word Limit: 850
Posts: 2
Time Limit: 48 hours
Random Elements: On
Damage Meter: Off

Time limit starts at 5 pm CDT on June 25, 2018

“Bilgewater: A Memoriam” – A recreation of Bilgwater’s town square.  Roughly 6 square city blocks filled with the classical, Pirate-esque architecture as it was before the whole place was overrun by monsters.  Enjoy the cobblestone streets: The lovely, wooden facades, and the stench of rum and unwashed pirates!

Stipulation: Free, uh, pirate equipment.

[PepsiYuuka]

She didn’t have to ask if she looked fat in this outfit.

She had eyes.

The stench of sea spray, rum, and syrupy cola intermingled to send Yuuka intense imagery of a washed-up, middle-aged, unemployed alcoholic, recently divorced, who’d lost the kids so he was spending his alimony on a “vacay” to the beach. Truly the lowest common denominator—and the kind to whom she was now apparently selling products. Ah, what a turn of fate this was.

These were the far more eloquent thoughts in her mind as she stepped onto dry land, pinched and snapped her jumpsuit at the waist, and muttered a quiet, "Well, at least they're waterproof."

"I feel a rash incoming," Whirda grumbled in reply.

"Got any more of that magical healing Pepsi? Maybe you should try it as body lotion, too." Yuuka could already hear PepsiCo penning down 'Dante's Abyss limited edition Pepsi scented lotion!' in their tiny notebooks. She could hear Whirda glowering, too.

"Well well. It seems our opponents have come equipped with targets." Taking a step past his pensive partner, Cell met the disapproving gaze of both ladies at once. “How kind of you, though it wasn't necessary to make this battle even easier.”

The Youkai snorted. “Someone’s jealous he’s not hot enough to get any sponsorship deals.”

Her banter was distraction enough. Whirda’s eyes darted around the so-called “arena." Yuuka alone wouldn’t be quick enough to take proper advantage of the varied terrain and resources—not before her opponents got there. The only option, then, was to bring them to her.

Without warning, she sprinted inland, leaping and clawing up onto a dock.

The overgrown stoat spotted her first, barking out a harsh, "Cell, we got a runner!" as he scrambled to turn and give chase.

With a sneer Cell swiveled as well, taking off toward his fleeing foe like a rocket. In the long run she may have been faster, but in the short he would easily grab her before she could get far.

He was almost within grasping distance when the burning array of bullets struck him square in the back.

"Hey, I didn't put this goddamn thing on just to be ignored."

This time, Yuuka had at least tried her best to avoid hitting Whirda, the larger form of the android acting as a makeshift, chitinous shield. Rudely yanked from his concentration by the bullets, Cell let Whirda slip by, his spiked tail whiffing by inches as it struck the dock. That huge, unsettling grin had found its way back onto Yuuka's face as the rogue slid into the more densely structured shanties of the lower city—into an almost-familiar alleyway slick with dirt and grime.

Ricter hesitated a moment, turning back toward his partner to judge the situation.

But a moment was all Whirda needed to disappear into the shadows of the looming stonework.

As if by strings on her shoulders, Yuuka lifted off the ground and into a gentle flight. The dull, distant thunder of a brewing storm implored her to get off the beach, and what better way to do so than to find a vantage point over her foes? Not to mention, all the more airtime in the broadcast sense as well—maximizing the advertisements per minute, both for Pepsi and for her own superiority.

Down at ground level, both opponents scrambled to find their first quarry. Cell whipped around the same corner Whirda had, firing a ki blast that only splintered a bare wooden doorframe. A doorframe that, to his chagrin, was quite lacking in the Whirda department.

Ricter stepped forward more carefully, sword drawn and expression serious, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Or, in the case of the next wave of flower-shaped bullets, leap out of the way, his partner following suit as the bullets exploded into harmless light against the cobblestone ground, just out of reach.

"Let's make this quick, folks. I've got about a dozen more people I need to kill before the finals, not to mention all this Pepsi I have to sell, so, as you can imagine… schedule's packed." Yuuka's playful words rang out as sickly sweet as her soda.

"Keep an eye out for the other one—don't let her get the jump on us." The android's command was low, but audible enough to the weasel, who nodded. It was clear to anyone with half a brain she wouldn't cease firing until someone made her. Cell took his opportunity with a leap of his own into the air, meeting Yuuka face to face.

Or, more properly, fist to face—making Yuuka spit blood and teeth for the second time in as many rounds of fighting. She had only begun to wind up her own punch as her left canine clattered to the ground below, the anxious weasel turning to look.

The knife in Ricter's back may not have been very painful, but the chill it sent down his spine, and the shadow flickering past him in the corner of his eye, were quite real.

834/850 words.

[Cell]

Cell smirked. The freed tooth bounced wetly in a coating of blood on the cobblestones. His knuckles throbbed with the exhilarating pressure of combat. Pride swelled in his chest. This is what he lived for – domination was what he excelled at. Battering about these weakling humans would be a piece of cake.
 
“Sorry, I think I just gave you a hefty dentist bill,” Cell said. “Try not to smile too much until you can get that fixed.”
 
A pale pink blur swiped over his vision and a solid impact thudded against the underside of Cell’s chin. His head jerked backwards and he stumbled, but he quickly righted himself to catch the next swing of the parasol against his raised forearm.
 
“Don’t worry. I’m sure a nice cold glass of Pepsi-Cola will fix my teeth back to normal,” she said with a grin.
 
Cell winced at the blunt pain but held firm. How could such a frail woman strike with so much force? The bio-android lashed out with his tail, its barbed end reaching for his enemy’s thigh. She aimed the parasol down and opened it. His tail bounced harmlessly off as if it were made of steel.
 
“What?” Cell spat. “Since when do middle aged human women have impenetrable umbrellas?”
 
Was this another Omniverse-ism? Was she leagues above what her strength should be, much like he was leagues under his true power? Why couldn’t anything just be easy?
 
Cell’s blue eyes caught a glimmer of light shine off the curved bottle hanging at the woman’s waist. The blue and red logo matched the one sprawled on her chest. This Pepsi-Cola... the shadow walking human took a swig of the fizzy brown liquid just before the match started and remarked something about how it helped her before a battle. Cell thought at first these two idiots were just inserted into the tournament to advertise some stupid human product, but could it actually be some sort of augmenting elixir that bolstered their strength?
 
It was a concept too intriguing to ignore. He had to procure a bottle just to be certain. If it held the properties he thought it did, it could turn this fight on his head in an instant.
 
Cell narrowed his eyes. “Aha! Your secret trump card has been revealed! No longer will this farce continue!”
 
The bio-android vanished in a blur of green and black, moving so fast that the woman’s eyes couldn’t follow him. Reappearing behind her, Cell snatched the bottle of Pepsi-Cola and leapt backwards over the top of the retaliatory parasol swing.
 
“Yes!” Cell mocked, holding the bottle of cola aloft, a thick layer of bubbles fizzing at the liquid’s surface. “I have your magical potion and now you will suffer my wrath!”
 
“Cell!” Ricter yelled to him. “Look behind you!”
 
The bio-android jerked his head to the side, staring out of the side of his eye while sweeping his tail behind him. The other human had snuck up on him and hopped his swinging tail in a trivial movement that indicated she had expected it.
 
“No!” his furry ally cried out, swinging his blade at something that ducked out of the way. “It’s a decoy!”
 
Cell frowned and spun to face the woman. She gave a little wave and exploded.
 
The bio-android careened backwards, flung clean off his feet, the bottle spinning free of his grip. He smashed through the abandoned storefront of a disused bar, wooden posts and planks obliterated into splinters on his arrival. Cell crashed atop the bar, shattering the dusty and chipped glasses left on the countertop, and lay in a heap of broken debris.
 
Hurling a thick chunk of wood away that pinned his legs down, Cell climbed to his feet and dusted his mottled skin.
 
“You won’t stop me from gaining your secret power!” Cell shouted, sprinting out the jagged hole he left in the bar’s wall.
 
His eyes scanned the cobblestone streets, spotting the bottle of Pepsi-Cola a short distance away. He dashed for his prize, hand extended. Three knives of wispy shadow thunked into the ground around the bottle, blocking Cell’s fingers as he reached for it. The shadowy woman prepared another barrage of knives but Ricter jumped forward, his sword slashing the black blades from her fingers.
 
Cell took the opportunity to seize the bottle and spun, seeing the woman with the parasol approaching him. He twisted the plastic top off and fizzy liquid expanded and bubbled out of the opening, pouring all over his hands. Grunting at the cold and sticky soda running over his skin, Cell nevertheless pressed the opening to his lips and chugged as much as he could. He stopped abruptly, coughing and heaving and spitting Pepsi-Cola onto the cobblestone.
 
“Ugh, what is this?” Cell said. “It burns! Why does it burn? Isn’t it supposed to be ingested?” Crushing the plastic bottle at its centre, the bio-android nevertheless laughed. “It matters little. I have imbibed your elixir and now I will reap the benefits!”
 
Cell dropped the bottle at his feet, smirking. A golden aura burst around his body.
 
“Let’s go.”

850 words.

Cell activates 100% Power for one round. 2/4 SP remaining.

New stats:
ATK: 4
DEF: 4
SPD: 4
TEC: 3

[PepsiWhirda]

With an ominous rumble, the storm swept over Bilgewater.  A mass of black clouds scudded over the combatants, skeins of lightning rippling across its swollen underbelly.  As Whirda stalked her furry foe, her measured steps keeping her just outside the reach of his broadsword, the first fat raindrops fell.

Rip him, the eager voice implored.  Tear him to shreds.

Whirda sublimated the urge, drawing a steadying breath.  Ever lurking in the annals of her mind, her shadeborn alter ego came more readily now, its bloodthirst—its lust for power—heightened by the bloody battles of Dante’s Abyss.  

Unleash me.  Let them know the truth of Whirda Windstrom.

“No.”  The word emerged as a guttural grunt, primal in its defiance.  Yet even as she denied its pleading she felt the leylines of shadow tighten around her, the thrumming rhythm coaxing the contagion forth.  When she turned her gaze on the diminutive beast, her eyes crackled electric blue.  

Ricter took a cautious step back, sensing the change in Whirda’s demeanor.  He tightened his grip on the hilt of his broadsword. Unaccustomed to face-to-face combat, he looked anxiously toward his green-skinned ally.

Seizing on the moment of weakness, Whirda pounced.  Twirling her daggers into a reverse grip, she opened with a flurry of overhand slashes, crisscrossing the beast’s fur with angry red lines.  Recovering quickly, Ricter twisted nimbly to the left, accepting another deep gash before diving free of the initial onslaught.  

Undeterred, Whirda bullied forward, bringing her closed fists together in a devious feint, the blades of her daggers inches apart as she chopped down.  Predictably, Ricter brought the broadsword up in a horizontal arc and parried both blades.  The screech of metal on metal pierced the very marrow of their bones.  What Whirda’s furry foe didn’t see was the jerk of Whirda’s leg, concealed by the interlocked blades, as a swift kick doubled him over, the broadsword dipping low.

A moment later the pommels of both daggers crunched into the beast’s temples, dropping him to the rain-slick cobblestones in a heap. 

*****

When the golden glow suffused her adversary Yuuka took a cautious step back, regarding her opponent with new respect.  Had it been the Pepsi, she wondered—had Cell, a mere novice in the school of cool, refreshing beverages, unlocked some hidden property Whirda and Yuuka had not?  Or had it all been a cunning ruse?

The latter option seemed most likely as Cell clenched both hands into fists, lavender blades flaring to life in his grasp.

Yuuka blocked the first brutal chop, the sheer power of the attack reverberating through the parasol’s shaft and numbing her fingers.  Sensing she was outmatched, the Youkai spun and fled, seeking a more defensible position.  She dove through the doorway of the bar, tucking into a somersault and coming up in a run, disappearing from sight.

Snarling, Cell gave chase.

*****

Entering the room, Cell glanced around quickly—too quickly—and sprinted toward the rear of the chamber, where a second door stood ajar.

As soon as he passed, the shadows around the doorway exploded into motion.  Cell marked the telltale glimmer of Whirda’s blades and turned to meet his ambusher, but even his enhanced skill was no match for Whirda’s agility.  She set upon him with a blinding attack routine, both daggers dipping and feinting in perfect harmony.  In the first few seconds of the exchange the alien fighter accumulated a dozen nicks and cuts.  

Cell staggered back, ignoring the pain.  He managed to angle Ki Edge and block the next attack.  When the umbral serpents wound around his wrists, he realized his error.  

“Now,” Whirda called. 

From the back of the chamber emerged Yuuka, leveling her parasol at the struggling fighter.  The blast ripped into his defenseless form, shredding green flesh and spattering Whirda’s face and arms with purple blood.  

With a cough, Cell slumped to the floor. 

“The other one?” Yuuka asked, looking to Whirda.

“Handled.”

The Youkai smirked.  “This is easier than I thought.” 

“All thanks to the refreshing taste of Pepsi,” Whirda droned, her voice flat and sardonic.

A feral roar from Cell disrupted their mirth.  The alien fighter stumbled to his feet, one hand held over his head, his gnarled fingers crackling with electricity.  Faster than either woman could react, the sizzling energy coalesced into a whirring, yellow disc.  Cell unleashed the attack, his mouth twisted in a wordless, agonized snarl. 

Whirda fell back, throwing her hands in front of her face.  With a rush of air the disc passed harmlessly wide, slicing through a wooden pillar in the center of the room before smashing through the far wall and into the adjoining alley. 

“You missed?” Yuuka gawked.

Cell bared his teeth—a humorless grin.  “I never miss.” 

An audible groan filled the chamber, followed by the cracking and splintering of wood.  Both women shot each other a horrified glance, the truth of the situation settling in too late.  The room seemed to shiver and lurch around them, the grind of things breaking filling their ears.  Then the ceiling collapsed, burying all three combatants in an avalanche of debris.

*****

Outside on the street, Ricter stirred.

849/850 words
Whirda used her T1 Power Up for one round (3/5 SP remaining).

Stats this round: 

ATK: 4
DEF: 4
SPD: 5
TEC: 5

[Ricter]

Incandescent illumination cascaded from the radiance his own sword gave off, flickering like fireflies on a hot summers evening, telling him to stand. No voice could be discern from the weapon once the soft pelting droplets of liquid began to encompass the port town, falling in an adagio at first but ramping up once he stood.

It was raining, any man could see, but it felt, unnatural, like some force beyond human comprehension had awoken and came into this realm to announce its own standing in the world. With eyes gazing down, visions of blurred motion began to escape his own mental prognosis, he had been briefly knocked out.

Reaching down he picked up his broad sword, a sensation of mild rejuvenation made his body spring forward, making hurried steps to find out what became of his partner, Cell. Thunderous crashing began falling in tandem with the destruction that drew his attention not too far off.

Wood and splinters were torn into, the overbearing bio-android began to dig himself free, injured yet still very much kicking. Seems he had little regard for the owners own property. Not that it should matter, this entire thing was a prop. Walking up, he offered him a paw.

“What happened?” Wishing to be filled in, the only context given was a collapsed building.

“Our victory, our opponents are burred well beneath the rubble.”

“Okay, but if you managed to get out of it doesn't that mean they could too?”

Innocence oozed from his question, yet Cell responded with a hand directed near his face, past Ricters shoulder. He’d aim, then fire a trio of blasts in that direction. Hitting nothing, by what the weasel could see, however with the rain fading into mystifying shapes in the night he noticed an invisible figure as Whirda’s form became known only briefly.

“We should stay close, what ever they throw our way let me take it.” Ricter advised.

“Volunteering to be my vanguard? I hope you are ready to back up those words.”

From behind Yuuka’s umbrella pointed down at the duo, standing on the mound of debris and rubble once she was free, firing down flower shaped projectiles of energy.

The stout raised his sword, already having charged the weapon as the floral bullets headed for Cells back. Posturing, multiple vertical and horizontal swings were made, cutting strait through Cell’s mostly organic body, each defensive slash mended cuts and flesh wounds, phasing through him like he wasn’t there.

The blades tip came out past him on the other side of his body, redirecting or dicing strait through the projectiles and energy that dared to enter his marked zone of protection.

Charging, Cell pointed his palm at Yuuka in this time frame, channeling an attack while being defended.

“Big Bang Attack!”

An orb of energy was shot strait for the woman, similar in size to her own attacks, but on opening her umbrella to block she felt its power tremble against the parasol. Eventually pushing her along with a violent explosion that forcefully sent the woman flying off the mound as a scream followed the detonation.

*****

This time finish him, for good.

The Voice clamored in Whirda’s mind, aiming to influence her. The woman traced wet yet patient hands over her daggers. Moving in once the attack was made to target the weasel first.

Once she came into melee range her body revealed itself in a small glimmer that Cell didn’t notice, purposely staying out of his purview. Her hands shook, the shadow contagion was getting antsy, wanting blood, and even forcing her angle up towards his face, going strait for the jugular.

Yes, do it.

The shadow wanted control, death, suffering, and wished to not be disappointed. He was wide open, not even bothering to respond as his arms needed some time to rest. The blade made contact, unabated, but seemed to screech across his neck like trying to cut a metal beam with a wood saw. It left no wounds, scars, nor made the stout flinch as her position was finally revealed.

“Cell!”

He called once Ricter could see he woman's lips part in mild surprise. Swiftly the green giants tail slipped around the side of Ricters hip, plunging strait into Whirda’s thigh, causing an audible gasp to emanate the Pepsi-Mercenary once she was penetrated.

Ricter followed up, making a short spinning hop to drive his foot into her midsection with enough force to leave her stumbling back, the pointed tail being pulled free. Yet his weapon gently nicked her body when he spun, mistakenly closing a cut she might have gained but not healing her when she was knocked away.

But it was here that he realized something, if even for a brief moment.

Curing sicknesses was his job, but in the brief moment of contact with his sword, he felt something inside her through his weapon. What was it? Did he imagine it? Was it real? Questions formed before he focused again, unknown for wither this info would help them or not for the coming storm.

“Are you infected with something?”

849/850 words

Ricter used Divination on the surprise attack. 3/4 SP remaining.

[PepsiYuuka]

A guttural growl rose from the shade. What Ricter had hoped to accomplish with such a distraction was questionable. Whirda was in no mood to sit down, have a cup of tea and divulge her entire tragic backstory in the middle of battle; nor did she care to share at all with an overgrown mustelid this side of ever.

"Silence." The hissing venom of her voice struck like the lightning above- fading into the dull rumble of distant thunder. Its directness caught the healer off guard as he backstepped just an inch.

But an inch enough to be too far as Whirda’s form split into four- two rushing forwards, and two slipping backwards into shadow, forms obscured by the thick sheets of rain.

In an instant everything burst into motion, Cell leaping off the ground in hot pursuit, not about to let his opponent disappear again. He ducked around corners, down alleys, lunged through shattered windows, up flights of stairs seemingly inches behind as the rogues crossed from roof to roof- eyes locked onto the pair all the while, assuring she did not slip through his fingers once again. Assuring himself that, as she turned on her heels with a grimace, at least she wouldn't be taking him by surprise.

The two remaining swarmed Ricter as he rooted his feet into the stonework, knives sparking harmlessly off his iron fur. His partner separated from him and his second opponent nowhere to be found, he had little hope but to withstand and parry her attacks- only swatting her away as her blade glinted centimeters away from his face. As he did, the arm of the figure shredded into ribbons of shadow-

Ribbons that suddenly exploded into dozens of serpents, punctuated by a deafening crack of lightning and thunder roaring to life mere hundreds of feet from the skirmish. Ricter's ears felt impaled with the tinny squeal.

It was a breathless, rhetorical snap that cut through the empty ringing.

"Who's human?"

A riot of colors pushed their way up from the rubble of the wall- deep blue of Yuuka's jumpsuit bursting at the collar with verbena, asters climbing down her sleeves. Though drenched, the hair around the crown on her head stood on end, molding together into buds before unfurling into brilliant pink lilies. Once more, her enormous grin had returned to her face, red eyes focused in on the restrained and struggling weasel- even if he hadn't been the one to make the comment, he would pay for his partner's sins either way.

"It's okay. We all make mistakes. Like some people prefer other beverages to Pepsi."

For just a moment her smile turned towards an invisible camera in the sky, a smile entirely too pleasant in a way that seemed uncanny to everyone involved. A smile that she wore as she leveled her parasol at Ricter, drawing a simple line.

The concussive blast as the bullets struck the grappled magical beast and the ground around him tore through the shadowy snakes like butter. Though finding his fur singed and skin stinging with burns, the weasel finally managed to tear himself free from the serpents. He leapt out of the way of the Youkai as she launched herself forward, her parasol tip screeching the familiar tune of metal against pavement as she whiffed.

With a flourish, Yuuka yanked her weapon from the stone, flipping it before she aimed a brutal swing at the opponent's skull. Ricter grit his teeth as he lifted his sword yet again, skidding back from the impact. Seeing his sword occupied, the woman blindly swung a closed fist at the mammal's face.

The satisfying pop indicative of a dislocated jawbone punctuated by a barely audible whimper, however, was enough to tell Yuuka she'd hit right on target.

Unfortunately, her elation was cut short by the orb of lavender energy bursting across the ground between the two fighters, and a snarky cut in of-

"I think you'd look better if you stayed planted."

Disengaging from Ricter's sword and backpedaling just an inch as she shifted her gaze to the speckled insectoid, Yuuka's eyes narrowed. He was more injured than he had left, a slash in the chitinous armor of his shoulder blades and neck dripping yet more violet blood- but his reappearance was significantly lacking in the Whirda department. Both in the head on a pike way and the being stalked and stabbed way.

A shiver rolled up Yuuka's spine as a hand on her shoulder answered that unasked question.

"Move towards the docks, subtly- there are weapons aboard the boats."

Spoken low and concealed by the drenching rain and rumble of thunder, the rogue's words felt strangely ethereal in their command. The moment the pressure of her palm left Yuuka's shoulder she almost wondered if she had just imagined it.

But still, she straightened her back and smiled, eyes focused in on the bio-android again, keeping her words quiet.

"Then you go on ahead- it looks like it'll be fastest to just go straight through them."

845/850 words.

Yuuka has used her transformation for the whole round, so 2/4 SP used.

ATK: 8
DEF: 5
SPD: 0
TEC: 5

[Cell]

Cell balled his fists as the rain pummelled his body. His aura coursed over his taut form as a jagged fissure of lightning flashed overhead. The clouds crowded the sky, darkening their battleground. The bio-android grimaced. The one with the knives seemed to make a habit of dashing in and out of the shadows like some ethereal phantom, and this abrupt lack of light would only grant more chances for her to do so. She knew how and when to strike too, finding the opportune moment to congeal from the wall and slash with her blades. She had to be stopped. She was too much of an unknown.
 
Yet that unknown status extended to her current whereabouts. Cell’s eyes darted about the streets as another crack of lightning raced through the clouds and splashed brilliant light on the scene for a split moment. As the rolling thunder rumbled directly after the flash, the bio-android caught movement in shadow – vague and ephemeral – where there shouldn’t have been movement. It slinked along through a gap in the wall, dashing down the street and melding with the darkness.
 
Cell’s eyes refocused and lifted. A mighty galleon swayed in the choppy seas near the docks, its white sails tied to the spindly masts. Was the shadow stalker heading to that ship? Was there something of value there? Cell watched the rain dilute the violet streak of blood that ran from the knife wound on his neck. Regardless of the woman’s intention, she was owed some retribution.
 
The parasol wielding foe, however, stood firmly in Cell’s way. Ricter drew beside the bio-android, and Cell quickly realised that now would be a perfect moment to strike them from behind, allowing a pincer attack to happen. The shadowy streets were making him too jumpy. His first instinct was usually the correct one.
 
“Watch my back,” Cell said to Ricter, bending at the knees and cupping his hands by his waist.
 
“Ka... me...” Cell chanted as bright blue light pierced through the gaps of his fingers, scaring away the darkness. If the stealthy assassin sought to burst from the shadows, his shimmering ki would at least delay that plan for a moment.
 
“Ha... me... ha!”
 
The bio-android thrust his hands forward. The kamehameha crackled through the air and towards his obstacle. She opened her umbrella in a prepared movement as the head of the beam crashed into it. The explosion pushed Cell back as thick grey smoke floated from the impact, obscuring the woman he had targeted.
 
“What was the point of that?” Ricter asked. “You gave her all the time in the world to block it.”
 
“Keep her busy,” Cell said. “I’ll get the other one.”
 
Ricter looked at Cell blankly, but he lifted his sword regardless. Through the smoke, the humanoid weasel charged and swung his blade. The parasol moved enough to catch the metal. Cell crouched as the two weapons collided and he exploded from the ground and into the sky. The woman’s neck craned as the bio-android soared overhead, unable to stop Cell while locked against Ricter.
 
Cell’s feet touched down on the deck of the galleon. Thick, iron-cast cannons bumped against the edge of the deck as the boat obeyed the whims of the ocean. The wooden boards creaked as Cell skulked towards the stairs that led below the deck. The shadow walker was near – he was sure of it.
 
A bolt of lightning streaked down to the waters in the far distance, illuminating the galleon and banishing the darkness for a moment. The fortuitous flash outlined a springing silhouette in mid air, daggers poised to plunge downwards into Cell’s flesh.
 
The bio-android rolled to the side as the shadow woman dug her umbral blades into the wooden floorboards. She nimbly tore them free and cartwheeled to face Cell, spraying splinters into the air. He eyed her dark daggers, remembering the sting of their edge against his skin. Clenching his hands, two crimson blades of ki covered and protruded outwards from them, buzzing as the endless rain sizzled into steam upon impact with them.
 
Wordlessly they circled each other. Cell’s golden aura cast enough light to see the woman creeping noiselessly along, potentially waiting for the moment to strike.
 
Cell chose to make the moment.
 
The bio-android lunged forward and slashed. The woman hopped backwards as he cut a line of red light in her wake. Again he pursued and swung his ki blade, but this time the woman parried, their blows glancing off each other. She took the opportunity to skirt past Cell, looking for a chance to perhaps dive back into the shadows.
 
Growling, Cell swung wildly with a backhanded sweep of his Ki Edge. The serrated energy blade met resistance and kept carving, bursting free on the other side. Cell grinned and spun, expecting to drink in the vision of the woman’s filleted neck. Instead, his elation dropped as a splintered crack ran through the middle of one of the tall masts. It teetered and fell hard on the deck, rocking the boat and throwing both combatants onto their backs.

850/850 words.

Using 100% Power for the rest of the round. 0/4 SP remaining.

[PepsiWhirda]

Smoke streaming from her still-smoldering parasol, Yuuka gave ground willingly in the wake of each swipe of the beast’s broadsword.  Down shadowclad alleyways, deftly maintaining her footing on rain-slick cobblestones, she led her adversary inexorably toward the looming silhouette of the galleon’s mizzenmast.  As they drew closer, a jagged bolt of lightning lanced through the air, exploding with thunderous force into a nearby rooftop, showering the combatants with splintered wood and shingles.

Timid Ricter, thick fur standing straight up and eyes wide with surprise, threw his paws in front of his face, relinquishing the offensive.  Never one to question good fortune, Yuuka seized on her furry foe’s distraction and leveled her parasol.  The salvo tore through fur and flesh alike, its sheer force driving the beast onto his rump with a groan.  But Yuuka knew her sturdy opponent would soon recover—would soon set upon her once more.  Without pause, the Youkai’s feet lifted off the ground and she alighted on a nearby rooftop, scrambling across slippery shingles toward the nearby ship.

The whispered words of Whirda Windstrom echoed in her head, a litany against exhaustion.  Weapons aboard the boats. 

*****

Aboard the galleon, Whirda’s daggers whirled in an indecipherable blur, defeating each swipe of the bio-android’s blade.  Each time an opening presented itself in Cell’s defenses, a dagger darted through to dig greedily into green flesh, drawing a chorus of growls building quickly toward a crescendo of frustration.  Still, both seasoned fighters recognized the undercurrent beneath their battle, the unspoken truth motivating their respective strategies. 

Whirda Windstrom was slowing.  The price of maintaining her guerrilla tactics, weaving in and out of the fight to strike only at the most opportune moments, had taxed her greatly, stealing the strength from her blows.

The more conservative fighter, Cell had sustained innumerable wounds in their protracted battle. But while his breathing had grown ragged, he seemed more than capable of maintaining his pace.  The calculus had changed.  No longer concerned with defeating the cunning movement, he now sought only to outlast her—to allow fatigue to finish his work for him.

Whirda sensed the subtle shift in Cell’s demeanor—the renewed confidence guiding his measured blows.  The contagion’s grasp began to recede, a profound exhaustion taking its place.  Rain-drenched and gasping, she skipped back and broke free of the melee.

The bio-android shook with mirth.  Purple blood leaked from a dozen cuts on his face and chest, but his gleeful sneer oozed superiority.  “Give into your rage, girl,” he taunted.  “Forsake your discipline.  The advantage is mine.”

Chest heaving with exertion, Whirda didn’t respond.  She could not argue the bio-android’s logic as her measured steps faltered.  She dropped to one knee.  A deafening thunderclap heralded a renewed surge of rain, rivulets streaming down her face and obscuring her vision.  She thought to shadowstep away, to place more distance between herself and her interminably advancing foe, but could she endure the strain?

Cell raised his Ki Edge, the rippling blade promising death.  Feebly, Whirda interposed her daggers in some semblance of a defense, her defiant glare drawing another arrogant chuckle from the bio-android.  The blade swept in a wide arc…

… and was promptly batted aside by a dipping parasol.

*****

Yuuka landed in a crouch, darting forward with a wicked jab into Cell’s abdomen.  The surprised bio-android staggered back with a howl of rage, but kept the presence of mind to leap aside as a barrage of bullets bit into the planks of the ship’s deck.

Grateful for the brief reprieve, Whirda offered the green-haired Youkai a weary smile.

“This fight isn’t over yet,” Yuuka said, flashing a wide grin of her own.  “Get up.  Put a little Pepsi in your step.” 

Whirda frowned, not understanding the joke. 

“Weapons aboard the boats?” Yuuka asked.

“Powder kegs,” Whirda replied, gesturing across the deck to a row of squat casks.  

Yuuka understood Whirda’s plan immediately, her eyes glimmering with excitement.  “Let’s give ‘em a show.”

A second sizzling bolt of lightning interrupted their planning, illuminating the charging form of the bio-android as he barreled into Yuuka, sending both women to the ground in a heap.  The Youkai barely managed to snap open her parasol as the ki blade arced in, the impact showering all three combatants with sparks.

Whirda tucked into a backward roll and came to her feet, ignoring the clashing warriors and focusing her efforts on the thrumming leylines of shadow.  Like wisps of cotton, darkness coalesced in the air around her, forming a thick barrier—an impenetrable cocoon of utter darkness.  She glanced to Yuuka, mouthing a single word when she caught the Youkai’s eye, an unmistakable message.

“Now.” 

Yuuka leaped toward Whirda, toward the safety of the umbral cocoon, as the roaring retort of her parasol echoed above the howling wind.  With no time to see if her aim had been true, Yuuka rolled into the cocoon a second before it closed.

If the scene had been loud before, surely it paled in comparison to the thunderous explosion that came next, engulfing the ship, and, hopefully, the hapless bio android, in a raging, concussive inferno. 

849/850 words
Whirda used Umbral Cocoon, 1/5 SP remaining

[Ricter]

“Hey! Get back here lady!”

Being left behind seemed like a common pattern in this fight, flailing his arms helplessly as she flew away from him to the rooftops, but the stout followed. Using the alleys and streets. Ahead, the large galleon bobbed somberly against the waves, seemingly exactly where she was heading, so Cell must have been here too.

Abruptly however, a light dazzled the sky, blowing outward brilliantly in the rain and murky gray clouds, coming from the ship. Forcing his advance to a halt, the flash and concussion of heated air battered his body and assaulted his vision, he covered his face instinctively.

“Please don’t die, Cell.”

He couldn’t very well see what happened past the falling shrapnel from wood and splinters, did they blown each other to smithereens? It was disheartening, and even left him worried and distracted, looking around frantically, guessing maybe everyone was dead or caught in the explosion.

Fire hit the tops of the water, laying over the waves before finally fizzling out. Looking down, guilt began to surface, was he really too late? No answer would be given, instead something else did as the ship seemed to be nearly ripped in half, sinking where it could but getting caught into some of the reef bellow.

Soft footprints began to imprint themselves in the sand as he walked, they were in front of him. Silent yet noticeable, unfortunately his mind was distracted with worry, but then focused on the sharp pain in his shoulder now. Whirda had struck him again with her knife, causing mild stiffness in his joints to flare his nerves before he grabbed at her arm, aiming to place it into a hold.

Tucking her elbow back and kicking her own feet up she dropped to the ground as her back hit the sand. Driving a foot up towards the stumbling weasel and slamming it into his stomach as he hunched over.

Flinching, he kept going, however on reaching down he’d notice the soft breeze of air moving towards his face before something blunt cracked him across his left cheek. Knocking them in the opposite direction with a small spin before turning and rolling across the sand, strait into the water.

Whirda would rise, dusting off sand from the logo plastered on her chest.

“Only one left, shouldn't be too hard to finish this.” Her voice seemed raspy still, as if having used up far too much energy already.

“Yes, then we can cool off and relax with a refreshing bottle of pepsi.”

Whirda sighed, but they moved towards the weasel whom resembled a man who washed up on an island. Glancing over to the two figures who casually made their way towards him he would roll and then jump to his feet and dive into the water, swimming out into the ocean.

The women stopped, Whirda was obviously not interested in chasing after as Yuuka took a step out and simply began flying over the waters edge. Seeing him dive down and vanish into the past the murky waves, calling back to Whidra.

“Think he has gills?”

“Just keep your eyes peeled.” Whirda stated with crossed arms, the mercenary waited.

*****

Underwater, Ricter had swam a great distance away from them, surfacing near the blown up wreckage of the ship, scaling the galleon. Through the fire, flames, and smoke he choked, coughing from the sensations that assaulted his lungs and nose once he made it to the destroyed deck of the ship.

His eyes scanned around, looking for anything before finding the familiar sight of a green tail limp against the burning floor board, he was buried under rubble, again. This time a large pillar had stabbed through his shoulder. He was unloving and Ricter feared the worst.

Forcing the object up he moved it with some effort, panting as he saw that Cell was passed out and gravely injured, yet still alive. Taking his sword he began to pull it up over his head, aiming down at Cell before swiftly it plunged into the bio androids chest.

*****

“Think they died?” The youkai of flowers asked who simply got a shrug from Whidra, obviously the pace had slowed down and even gave them some amount of a break before they came over to one another.

The familiar twinkle and charging of energy from a kamehameha was off in the distance, both Cell and Ricter were perched on top of the raised bow. The weasel standing side by side with his partner.

“It's nearly charged, are you done yet?” Cell remarked briefly.

“Yeah, just give me a couple more seconds.”

With a nod, Ricter had been charging his own power, focusing everything he could into his sword before gently tapping Cell with the blade, his aura of lightning and ball of energy expanded, becoming stronger and more like a glowing maelstrom before finally he unleashed his fully charged and highly empowered beam.

“HAAAA!”

The rondo of sound echoed even over the burning remains of the ship, heading strait for Whirda and her companion who by now could see it coming.

849/850 words
Ricter used 3 Sp to heal Cell, 0/4 SP remaining

[Karl Jak]

Face to Face
#17 Pepsi Whirda & #31 Pepsi Yuuka vs #11 Cell & #18 Ricter

The beam tore destroyed everything in its wake as it roared from the wreckage.

By the time it reached its destination, there was a treacherous maelstrom more than willing to take the blast head-on.

Lowering his hands, Cell tilted his head and scowled.  Something didn’t feel right.  There weren’t any blackened bodies wreathed in awful blue jumpsuits.  Was this yet another trick?

“I think I see something,” Ricter muttered as he gestured through the haze.

Sure enough, Cell spotted the twinkling light among all the fog and smoke that their various scuffle had kicked up across the ravaged city.  “This accursed Omniverse will never cease to frustrate me,” the bio-android growled just before the Master Spark slammed into his chest.

Ricter watched with horror as his companion vanished beneath the foamy ocean.  Averting his eyes, the weasel saw the shadows that crept and danced amid the haze.  Every few feet, he’d spot some piece of flotsam jiggle or bob a little too much in the current.

Another flash, and this time, the rapport of a weapon accompanied it a beat later.  The wiry little warrior took for cover, but as he slipped down the side of the upturned piece of wreckage, he bumped right into the legs of Whirda Windstrom.

“Something, something Pepsi Cola,” Whirda muttered before smashing a glass bottle of soda against the side of her adversary’s skull.

A few moments later, the rogue and the youkai found themselves in a board room filled with a bunch of men and women in suits.

“Excellent, Mr. Jak was able to recalibrate your devices!”  A man with a Pepsi tie and a Pepsi lapel pin declared as he gestured to two open seats at the end of the table.  “Please take a seat ladies, we have a lot to go over before your next public appearance.”

[spoiler]

Whirda (3.5) & Yuuka (2.85) defeat Cell (3.7) and Ricter (2.05)

Whirda & Yuuka advance to the quarter finals, where they will take on Mickey Mouse and Yu Kanda.

Cell and Ricteter move to Match J of the Consolation Bracket, where they will face the winner of Gilgamesh/Desman vs Erik/DP.[/spoiler]