Match #1: Genesis VS Felix

[boss2]

OOC: I apologize for the delay but today marks the day of the start of the Confused Memories Cup, and I hope you all enjoy it ^_^! All matches have been picked randomly from a hat as well as who will be posting first in each fight. This thread will contain the match between Genesis and Felix with Genesis first to post and Felix to follow after. A tournament bracket will be posted to reflect the current state of the tournament and be updated periodically.

IC: “Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Confused Memories Cup! We’ve got several warriors ready to fight for your entertainment today folks, seasoned veterans, ruthless murderers, keybearers both light and dark, Heartless and Nobodies, and damn near everything in between! With 16 participants, this tournament promises to be a brawl unlike any you have seen before and for those of you that are squeamish, I suggest you leave the arena now!” yells a small centaur like creature, a few audience members leaving the pews upon his warning. With a flicker of a smile and a roar from the crowd, the diminutive creature continues his spiel.

“You better not sneeze, you better not blink, and you better not leave your seats folks, for even just a moment’s lack of attention could make you miss the fight of the century! I hope you’re all prepared for this as well as our warriors have and I’ve got five words for all of ya… Let the tournament begin!”

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

The roars of the crowds gathering within the large, ancient walls of Olympus Coliseum were a welcomed sound to hear. It has been a while since the last Tournament had been held within these grounds and even longer since the one on one matches were held. The most recent had been a 'tag-teamed' style tournament with four combatants entering the area at once, two on either side. While the thought of teaming with either Angeal or Sephiroth to crush all opposition who may have come forth, the man in the scarlet coat decided against the idea. Why? Well, he was already the Champion. The Scarlet SOLDIER walked away with the Gold Medal. 1st Place. Champion. In short, he was the best there was at the moment in terms of fighting ability. Such honour it was too, yet a secret the LOVELESS fanatic had kept away from his good friend Sephiroth. Word had reached his ears that his silver-haired companion was also entering this new tournament, and Genesis simply could not give up the surprise so soon. To see the look on Sephiroth's face when he realized he was going up against the best....

A smirk tugged at Genesis' lips. It was hard not to be smug, to be proud. All his life he had wanted to be better then the One Winged Angel, and now he was. Champion... It had a nice ring to it. The World's Champion. The New Hero's Champion. The Goddesses Champion!! The Scarlet SOLDIER was so caught up in his dreams and thoughts that he barely heard the voice of the small goat-man calling his name, jumping up and down frantically to try and get into the tall SOLDIER's vision. Sooner or later, he managed to break Genesis out of his thoughts and caused the auburn-haired man to glance down with a small smile.
"Finally kid, I've been standing here for ages trying to get your attention!! Listen! The fights are about to start and as our current Champion, you better go out there and give everything you've got!! We've got some fierce competition this time and the people out there have come to get their Munnies worth, so get out there and do what you do best!!"
Phil said, half screamed, still jumping up and down like he was trying to destroy an army of ants.

A soft yet confident voice left the Scarlet SOLDIER's lips as he stuck his crimson gloved hands into the pockets of his long coat, bright blue eyes peering down at the goat-man.
"Who is my opponent?"
"There ain't no time kid. Just get out there and you'll see for yourself!!"
No verbal reply came from the Champion, but the nod of his head was all the notification Phil needed before he scrambled away towards the arena. Genesis paused and looked up towards the bright blue skies, his ears picking up the cheers and chants of the audience as he focused his senses off towards the other warriors of both Light and Dark, whom had gathered here today to try and take his title away from him. He smirked, before looking off to see where Phil ran off too before following him.
No one will defeat me... Not even you, Sephiroth.
Thought the Scarlet SOLDIER as he rounded a corner of the waiting room and proceeded through the open gate into the arena.

"WELCOME TO THE OLYMPUS COLISEUM!!!! It's the time you've been waiting for people!! The first match is about to begin and kicking everything off is our current Champion of the last Tournament!!! Cheers his name, clap your hands, back your Hero!! Genesis Rhapsodos!!!!"
The roars were deafening but the wide smile spread across the lips of the SOLDIER told a thousand stories. The main one being just how happy he was to be back here again and to have everyone recognize him. Raising a hand, Genesis waved to the grounds as he walked towards the raised fighting section of the arena. Hopping up the steps, still waving to those cheering his name, he walked to the middle of the arena where he summoned his famed Rapier to his hand with a flash of flame. His smile vanished in an instant and was replaced with a determined and focused stare, eyes locked onto the opposite gate as he waited and watched for his opponent to show themselves.
No one will defeat me today. NO ONE!!!

[Felix]

Oh how the crowd cheered and shouted, their voices booming throughout the arena and reaching the ears of the contestants behind the gates. One in particular couldn’t help but smile at the gesture, a bit happy that by satisfying his own primal urge to live his life on the edge, others would find enjoyment in watching the spectacle. Once again he’d be foolishly diving into territory that most normal humans never dared to tread, a place where beasts, demons, monsters, and much more operated on a plane of existence much higher than his own. They were born with their strength or had it handed to them in some way or another, never restricted by the same limitations of flesh this contestant was. They either had mako running through their veins, had the power of the “heart” and a clunky oversized key, or something equally ludicrous. All this man had, on the other hand, were his fists, a blade on his back, and a sturdy body that he had built over the years of martial arts training he had endured. The odds were stacked against him every time he fought against these… “Superior” beings, yet he persevered and managed to find a way to survive every battle. And with each battle he grew stronger, both physically and mentally with each experience imprinted in his mind and never to be forgotten.
 
“Heh I wonder what I’ll be learning from this fight,” the man stated, his voice full of confidence despite the fact that he was probably the only normal human in the tournament. Whatever the case was, his blood was boiling and he couldn’t help but feel excited, always overtaken by a feeling of ecstasy when a battle neared. He had already worked up a bit of a sweat, shadow-boxing during the wait to get warmed up and get the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He needed to be at the top of his game for this fight, or rather that’s what his intuition was telling him. He had no idea who his opponent was but he couldn’t shake the feeling that whoever it was, they were going to be incredibly strong. If his intuition were correct, being warmed up would certainly be a help and would prevent any unwanted cramps during battle.
 
“Jeez another red-head? Well whatever, get in the ring and give the audience a good show alright? Spot of bad luck for you though bub, you got the champion from the last tournament as your first opponent...” he trailed off for a moment, looking back before turning back to the red-head man, “just try to give a good show at least alright?” he finished before leading the man out, the shadow casted by the pathway he had been waiting in now gone. The sun shined brightly on the red-head, his attire consisting of a short-sleeve collared white shirt and a pair of blue jeans that seemed to cling and fit to him rather well. It was a simple pair of clothes that wouldn’t restrict movement but also helped the man occupying them look good and a tad professional, an image he always did his best to maintain. His eyes glanced at his opponent, a smirk curving against his lips as the centaur creature now introduced him,
 
“And the champion’s opponent is known as the #1 Freelancer from Radiant Gardens, weighing in at 180lbs and a reputation for always getting the job done with his 99.99% success rate, Felix Maximilian!” he shouted, the crowd erupting into cheer and applause as well although mainly the women. The freelancer couldn’t help but smile at this, his hands in the air as he thanked his audience. Entering the arena, Felix shook his head as he scratched the back of his head lightly, his eyes averted with a sheepish grin on his face,
 
“To think I’d be fighting my boss in the first leg of this tournament… either I’ve got the worst of luck or the best,” he started, returning his gaze back to the man opposite of him with his grin replaced by a smirk, “either way, I hope that there’s no hard feelings after this boss and we can continue doing business with each other,” he continued, biting his thumb as his smirk grew cockier, “when I inevitably wipe the floor with you that is,” he finished, his tone as confident as ever. He then began taking off his shirt, much to the delight of the females spectating as he threw it over to one nearby, “Would you mind holding that for me miss?! I’d rather it not get ruined during this fight!” he shouted over to the female that caught it to get past the crowd’s cheering, a furious nod being her response to the request. He smiled lightly; mouthing a thank you as the barrier erupted came up around the arena, keeping the two contestants in and more importantly, the spectators’ safe from harm’s way.
 
“Let the match… begin!” would be announced, the freelancer taking off the second the words registered in his mind. He sprinted toward Genesis hastily, his speed not something to be taken lightly even without use of his Mass Manipulator. As he begun to get in range for Genesis to attack with his sword, a thin veil of wind would surround Felix’s body as he activated his Wind Manipulator, a technique he recently created and one that Genesis would surely have no idea about despite their current relationship of boss and employee. Furthermore, this technique was invisible to the naked eye without the freelancer’s shirt on, the rustling it would have caused now impossible and with fine fitting jeans no visible cue would be shown by his pants. With that in mind, it was highly likely his actions would be seen as just getting things started, gauging his opponent’s power and not displaying his array of techniques just yet… or not.
 
Whatever the case was, Felix would attempt to slip past his opponent’s range before he could swing his sword, certain he could best Genesis in unarmed combat if he forced him into it. That being noted, once within range to start throwing combos and having fallen into a Southpaw Thai stance when he had slipped to Genesis’ left, a double right jab would be sent toward Genesis’ face as he followed up with a feint of a left cross before stepping in further and closing the distance with a right elbow to the sternum. If any of these attacks hit, Genesis would notice a sudden lack of control of movement on his part, being immobilized by the vacuum of wind left behind by Felix’ powerful blows. Additionally, if hit in the sternum, Genesis would quickly find himself short of breathe and immobilized, something rather unpleasant to say the least.
 
OOC:
 

Wind Maniuplator – Activated, two post duration

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[Genesis Rhapsodos]

Twisting the crimson coloured Rapier within his hands, turning the blade around so it's point was aiming towards the ground, Genesis slowly lowered the weapon till it's tip came to a rest on the arena floor, between his feet before he released his grip upon the black and silver handle. Resting his arm across the hand guard, the LOVELESS quoter closed his eyes and raised his head up slightly, allowing the cheers and chants of the crowd to fill his ears. Focusing solely upon the fans who came to watch him do battle this day, letting no other noise penetrate his ears until the screaming and cheering started to shift into a singular droning blur of noise, Genesis let a small smile creep across his lips as he put himself into a mental state of calmness, preparing himself for what was to come. There would be no holding back. It mattered not who his opponent was, there would be no way the Champion of the Goddess would admit defeat or be struck down in the first match. The cheers of the crowds fell silent within his mind and Genesis opened his eyes for a moment to gaze upon the sight of a beautiful young woman, clad head to toe in massive pieces of armour and wielding a lance.

Everything had vanished as well, the audience, Phil and even the arena itself. Genesis looked about himself quickly, taking in all of the nothingness that now surrounded him. Where was he? What was this? Who were this woman? She seemed awfully familiar... But no sooner had he taken a single step towards her, the Scarlet SOLDIER found himself back within the arena, the cheers and shouts from those attending the tournament deafening him for a moment, causing his ears to ring. Just in time as well, for when the SOLDIER focused his eyes upon the red-haired male making his way up onto the fighting area, Genesis could only raise an eyebrow in surprise as a small smirk replaced the sudden confused and bewildered expression. Felix was his first opponent? The young lad who stood by Genesis' side after the Scarlet SOLDIER paid for his services.
"It's good to see you again too, Felix. I was wondering where you had gotten too. You look well."
Replied the LOVELESS quoter, decided to be pleasant and sporting over the confidence and arrogance that left his employee's lips.

Watching as Felix removed his shirt, Genesis paused and looked down at his long crimson coat. He'd only just fixed the tears and slashes that Cloud Strife dealt back when they had their battle on the Blue Planet and to be honest, he wasn't looking forward to heading back to Midgar again to search for materials to fix it a second time. So, doing the same as his employee, Genesis shrugged the coat from his shoulders before neatly folding it up, making sure his copy of LOVELESS remained resting in it's rightful place. Pushing the Rapier into the arena floor slightly so it remained upright, the auburn-haired male walked to the edge of the raised fighting arena, where he knelt down and placed the coat out of harms way. Returning to the center, his leather boots gently caressing the ground as he strode back to his weapon with elegance, Genesis tugged the blade from the ground and swung it about himself with grace before allowing it to come to a rest by his side.

Glancing over towards Phil, whom had his hands raised up over his head, ready to start this match off, the SOLDIER smiled to himself as he locked his bright blue eyes back onto his employee. Time to see if Felix had used their time apart to get stronger, for he was going to need everything he had if he were to defeat this Champion. The instant Phil swung his arms down and screamed for the match to begin, Genesis had took off, sprinting towards Felix with such grace that he appeared to glide over run. Watching as his red-haired employee did the same thing, Genesis smiled as he allowed a bright blue ball of flame to form within his left hand. Throwing his legs forth and leaning his body back, the LOVELESS quoter dug his heels into the floor to force himself to skid to a halt. Here, he flexed his knees and launched himself up into the air with a jump, soaring harmlessly away from his opponent and up into the skies above. Grinning, Genesis twisted his body around so he held his body parallel to the ground, before spinning around a couple times to build momentum as he launched the Holy spell within his hand down towards the arena below. It wasn't aimed at Felix himself, but instead to the center of the arena, where upon impact, the spell erupted with a flash and a violent explosion of holy energy, creating a large arc of holy energy dissipating across the fighting arena.

Genesis knew of Felix's capabilities and he was confident that he'd have learned something in their time away from one another. The answer was simple. Keep up the offensive and stay moving to not give the red-haired freelancer a chance to land a blow. Raising his Rapier up before himself in guard, he waiting as he fell back down to the ground, keeping his eyes peeled and senses locked onto Felix's position until he neared the magical barrier that had been raised to protect the audience from any stray attacks. Flipping his body backwards so his feet hit the magical barrier, Genesis sprinted down to the ground below before starting to jog about the arena's perimeter, staying on the move.

-=Cooldowns=-

Holy - 5 Posts.

[Felix]

And so the battle began with Felix's blows being effortlessly evaded, the freelancer letting a sigh roll off his lips. While he had more or less expected it, getting evaded by something as simple as a jump always irritated him, especially when it was one that would make Jordan look like a scrub. Regardless, due to his combo being rather simple, it ended rather quickly and seeing as his opponent was in the air it was pretty simple to assume he'd use some sort of ranged attack. That being noted, and due to their rather close proximity to the walls, Felix had an avenue of not only escape but attack. Indeed, the freelancer wasn't about to let his Wind Manipulator go to waste, and while he would have loved to utilize it for it's defensive strength, there was no use crying over spilt milk. With that, Felix quickly took off toward the wall and closed what distance had been between him and jumped at it. He would turn his body in mid air such that his feet could plant against the wall as he reached the height of his jump and pushed off of it. With this extra jump, he would be able to reach Genesis' height and land a blow from behind, but while the plan was great, the execution had been slow enough for Genesis to get his Holy off. Yes as the second jump had begun to bring him over to Genesis, the shockwave from the Holy pushed Felix back and actually higher as well, pinning him against the wall. He gritted his teeth, a little bit of pain hitting his body as he slammed against the wall but having been able to release the air from his lungs before it happened. It wasn't much but every bit helped and he was far from finished with just a little shockwave damage.

'Damn going all out from the start huh boss? Well I suppose I shouldn't keep you waiting much longer either right?' the freelancer thought to himself as he watched Genesis from his raised position while still pinned to the wall momentarily, gravity only just now beginning to take effect. As it was, Genesis was now running down the same wall and was persumably unable to see him what with facing the ground and all. It was a moment of oppritunity, one the freelancer wouldn't let past and as gravity began to bring him back down to earth, he'd push off the wall he was pinned against to increase his velocity going downward and toward Genesis. His legs then went ahead of him, planning to use the force of gravity alone to power his blow, hoping his feet would plant themselves against Genesis or anywhere at all. Furthermore, any more effort would be useless in powering the attack since blocking or evading would be incredibly awkward from that position.

If his attack did indeed hit and Genesis became Immoblized as hoped, he would shut off his Wind Manipulator as he slipped behind his opponent. Once behind Genesis, he would unsheathe the blade on his back, quickly twisting it in his right hand and grabbing the hilt backhanded. He would then pivot his body as if throwing a right hook, using the katana as an extension of his body as he attacked his boss' waist. Once the blade came within range of impact, he'd switch it's mass over to 3000lbs to increase it's power tremendously, and quickly release the mass change as he followed through. While it was risky, the attack liable to cut his boss into two, he felt rather certain that Genesis wouldn't go down that easy and that there was a hell lot more in store for this fight... something he was looking forward too,

“I've been great how have you been? We haven't talked in a while so I suppose we could catch up in the middle of this fight right?” the freelancer would start after his attack whether it was successful or not. He would then slip into his Muyi Thai stance, now taking an Orthadox stance as he continued his earlier bit of dialogue, “And where's the LOVELESS quote I'm waiting on? I haven't heard one of those in forever,” he'd joke, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he made the remark. While he'd normally act more professional, his participation in this tournament was mainly to blow off steam and somehow he didn't think Genesis would mind a little witty banter.

OOC:

Wind Manipulator - Inactive, 3 post CD start

Mass Manipulator - Active, 1/5 switches used. Current Mass = Normal

Elemental Exhaustion – Elemental Manipulators cannot be used for one turn

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[Genesis Rhapsodos]

Such a brilliant sound ringing through his ears. It sounded better then that of the in-awe audience clapping and cheering as loudly as they could for their favoured warrior. Once the holy blue light left the palm of Genesis' left hand, the impact upon the arena floor then ensued... It was magical. The strength of the Goddess herself. The light show it produced was pretty nifty as well. Unfortunately, the blast had spread a shock wave across the fighting stage, cracking the surface and leaving it uneven and unsteady. Not totally destroyed, but by all means no longer flat and solid. It mattered not. Felix didn't look it but he was a perfect example of why not to judge a book by their cover. In a way, the Scarlet SOLDIER was happy he was able to get his red-haired employee as his first opponent. There was no greater adrenaline rush then that of the risk of being removed from the Tournament in the very first round, and as the Champion, that was simply not acceptable!! So, he had to fight closer to his best then usual. There was only one opponent that Genesis would ever use his full strength on when fighting, and if luck stayed on his side, he would soon be encountering him in this very Tournament.

A smirk spread across the LOVELESS quoter's lips, feeling the aura of his employee suddenly changing direction, possibly due to the shock wave of Holy catching and throwing him away. As he sped down the barrier separating him from the audience, the red-hair's aura began to get closer again. Being facing the ground, looking up to see what he was doing would only be possible if he twisted his body around and ran down the barrier backwards. Too risky, so instead the 1st Class threw out his arms either side of his body before digging his leather covered heels into the barrier, forcing himself to jump away from it and twist about in 180 degrees at the same time, allowing himself to get into open space as well as to see what his freelancer ally was planning. Felix was much too close now though for anything to be done, unless the SOLDIER wanted to raise his Rapier and turn the red-head into a kabab. No, instead he had no other option but to clench his abdominal muscles as he felt both of the red-head's feet connect into his gut. It were a good job they were both falling in the same direction, for the blow wasn't as bad as he thought, but Genesis still had to throw his body backwards, extending his left hand out so that came into contact with the ground first. Pivoting his body around his arm, flipping his body backwards once more, Genesis flipped away from the red-head, opening the distance between themselves.

Once his SOLDIER issue boots were finally planted firmly on the ground again, the LOVELESS fan narrowed his eyes as he sensed his employee getting dangerously close already and from... behind? Genesis whirled around, raising his right arm up gracefully as he pivoted on the spot to his right, watching with another smirk upon his lips as the sparks flew from sword meeting sword. There was incredible strength in Felix's attack, enough to force the SOLDIER to slide across the ground somewhat, but his legs held and his posture stayed strong. Bright blue eyes flashed as he looked at his employee as he took a page out of Sephiroth's book and simply spoke one line.
"Is that the best you can do?"
The crowds were roaring as usual, so his words may not have been heard, but the two contestants were close enough to one another now. It mattered not. With a sharp flex of his arm, Genesis parried the blade of his opponent away before side stepping off to his left, the crimson blade held within his hand swinging elegantly in a swift horizontal strike, aimed towards the red-hair's stomach. The result of this attack mattered little for it were merely used as a way to keep Felix back as Genesis jumped away afterwards to open the distance between themselves. Here, though keeping his eyes locked onto the freelancer, the SOLDIER patted at his stomach to remove the dusty footprints left on his black shirt.

Lifting the crimson Rapier before himself, holding the blade parallel to the ground, Genesis ran his left arm down it's length Imbuing his Sword to cause a bright red aura to surround the weapon, enhancing it's power and defensive capabilities. A flash shone from his mako-blue eyes and suddenly the SOLDIER had flexed his knees and was soaring high into the air once more, higher then the last time with Holy. Again, a fiery glow emitted from his left hand, which Genesis slowly drew before his body as the flame burned brighter, this time in an orangery-yellow over the light blue. Smirking, watching as the Coliseum grew smaller and smaller with each second, Genesis swung his arm across himself before throwing it back a second time casting 7 Flashes with each swing, launching out 14 in total. The fireballs were powerful enough to knock down and wind normal humans such as Tseng and they also had strong tracking capabilities. The first wave of 7 plummeted down towards the red-head, adjusting their trajectory to match the freelancers. The second wave of 7 weren't too far behind, and high up in the air with his vantage point, Genesis clutched the Imbued Rapier tightly as he started to begin his decent, getting ready to strike at the red-haired boy the moment he got too close.

-=Cooldowns=-

Holy - 4 Posts.
Imbue Sword - Active, no cooldown.
Flash - 1 Post.

[Felix]

The battle was heating up, Felix's double kick rather effective and knocking the wind out of Genesis seemingly anyway. Oddly enough, the Immoblize effect hadn't seemed to work on him for some reason as he rolled away and readied his stance. Furthermore, he was even able to move his lips, giving off a taunt that the freelancer couldn't help but smirk at.

“Not on your life boss,” he replied just as cockily as ever as he had slashed at Genesis with his powerful slash attack. His employeer had managed to block the attack time, their blades clashing against each other but despite Genesis' mako infused body, even he couldn't hold back a blade that had a ton and a half of force behind it.Unsurpsingly, he wasn't able to hold his position completely, his feet sliding against the immense pressure of the blow. Although this was true, Genesis was rather skilled with the blade and he had managed to parry the heavy blow seemingly effortlessly as he slashed toward Felix's stomach. Genesis wasn't the only man skilled with a blade and could pull off a parry or something equally fancy. That noted, as Genesis side stepped to the left and slashed at Felix horizontally, his left foot would slide across the ground as he made a 90 degree turn toward the direction Genesis fled in. As his right arm came back from the parry, it managed to intercept Genesis' blade just in time and stop it short of shedding blood. With that threat taken care of, Felix slipped his left foot forward now, taking an Orthadox Thai stance and lifting both hands up to his face despite the blade he clenched tightly in his right.

“Tch, you know I could ask you the same question boss,” the red-head started biting his thumb once again, “if that's the best you got I don't think this'll last much longer,” he taunted once more, almost as if emulating one's friendly neighboorhood Spider-Man. Regardless, Genesis would soon create distance between them again, jumping high into the air once more after jumping back and going even higher than last time. It was a little irritating to say the least, his employeer seemingly having a fetish for aerial attacks but the thought was quickly dismissed. No, he was more concerned with what he was doing in the air and if that now glowing blade would release some sort of projectile attack. Truth be told, Felix had never gotten to witness much of Genesis' abilities, only catching few prior to this match since he was often distracted fighting his own opponents. Needless to say, this would leave him a bit at a loss in how to deal with the Ex-SOLIDER's attacks, but he certainly hoped his multitude of battles prior to this match would help him discern Genesis' moves.

With that noted, when Genesis had jumped in the air, the small balls of energy that formed around his hand were caught by Felix, his stare becoming far more serious than before as he let out a deep breath.

I think it's safe to assume those are projectiles and I think it's safe to assume they won't pack much a punch unless all of them hit me. It's possible that those balls will be used as a distraction and the energy around his sword will be shot off when I move to deal with the balls. On the otherhand, that energy could just be an enhancement to his blade much like how my manipulators are. Whatever the case may be the only way I'm going to beat him is if I get close and at that height it might be hard... or well it would be if I didn't have Mass Manipulator, the freelancer thought as he focused intently on the balls. Suddenly they would shoot toward him, seven attacking from several angles while the other seven remained behind. He cursed inwardly at it, sure that the other seven were held back for defensive reasons but as quick as the thought of lamenting those balls for being there came, they vanished as he thought of a plan to make them rather irrelevant.

Regardless of his plan though, the seven balls attacking him had to be dealt with and he quickly started slashing at them swiftly and percisely, dispersing three as one hit him in the shoulder and the back. Two more attempted to slam into him but without a moment's hesitation, the freelancer would make a mass switch, his body feeling as light as a feather as he dashed to the wall once more and evaded that last two Flashes with little difficulty. Much like before, he would approach the wall and use it as a springboard but this time his jump would be much higher due to his decrease in mass and he'd jump about four feet above Genesis, getting there extremely quickly at that. And just as quick as he had gotten up in the air, he would come crashing down as his grip was switched to forehand during his ascent. The reason for this sudden crash would be due to his sudden increase in mass, or at least in his blade's mass when it once again switched over to 3,000lbs. By doing so and holding a firm grip against his blade's hilt, Felix would be able to use gravity once again to attempt to damage Genesis and use that same gravity to keep him glued to his blade. Indeed for if the Flashes converged on him, while they would be somewhat painful, they certainly wouldn't stop him from crashing down on top of Genesis' head with his blade. Furthermore, if not all the flashes hit him immiedately, which was possible since he was moving ever so quickly, the second he came down to the ground he would release the mass on his blade and use it to swat at any remaining Flashes that came at him as he jumped to the side to create distance. After all, if his attack were successful (or even if it wasn't) creating some distance to avoid an immediate counter would be wise and with his mass reduced to nearly nothing, closing the distance between him and Genesis would certainly not prove difficult... assuming Genesis continued to play this cat and mouse game anyway.

I'm ready for whatever you throw at me boss he would think upon landing and slipping into his Orthadox Thai stance once more.

OOC:

Mass Manipulator – 2/3 post duration, 3/5 switches used, Current Mass = 1/20th. Sword Mass = Normal.

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Wind Manipulator – 2 Post CD

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Elemental Exhaustion – Allowed to use Elemental Manipulators once more

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[Genesis Rhapsodos]

This was going rather well, he had to admit. Felix certainly was a strong opponent, those curious and unusual enhancements he could do to his body and weapon, very unique. Very effective. But he was no SOLDIER at the end of the day, just like the blonde-haired mercenary he met on the Blue Planet. While the power of SOLDIER indeed gave Genesis the power to jump great heights and wield immeasurable strength, he had to remember that many worlds had been effected by the Heartless and the Darkness they bought. It wasn't just Gaia that came to the worlds of Kingdom Hearts and odds were that there was some other world out there that too was the home for mental, unforgivable experiments, or maybe a world where 'magic' and the unexplained came naturally, to be trained, controlled. Maybe so that the red-haired employee of the Scarlet SOLDIER was from one of these worlds. Maybe he was just talented and devoted to learning what he knows? It was all very interesting, but at the end of the day, it all came down to winning and losing. Perhaps in the future, maybe after the tournament itself, would Genesis seek out his employee and probe him for information. Maybe not even as professional as that. A simple conversation over a beer or whatever it was the red-head indulged himself in.

The reply given to his quote borrowed from the One Winged Angel, caused a smile to spread across the lips of the LOVELESS quoter. Glad to hear. What was the point in fighting in a tournament if you weren't going to give everything you had right off the bat? Well, not wanting to be a hypocrite and say such things without doing so yourself, Genesis had to wonder if Felix really was giving his all. True, Genesis himself was not but perhaps he ought to if he were to bring out the best in the red-head? With a smirk replacing the smile, the 1st Class spoke up in answer to Felix's remark.
"Actually, I AM holding back... I wanted to see if you'd give me your all right from the start, but it seems you need some 'encouragement'."
Chuckled the SOLDIER as he raised his Imbued Rapier up, watching as the first wave of Flash flame projectiles soared to their target, most of them getting extinguished in much the same way Sephiroth dealt with them. A couple found their mark however but more was needed to create any real damage. No matter. It was time to switch the magicks for swordsmanship. However, within the blink of an eye, Felix's 'aura' had shifted dramatically. Not changed as such, just moved a great distance. Was he now... above him? Keeping his eyes locked onto the arena down below, Genesis had to think fast. If the red-head were to smash that sword into his back with the same power he used back on the ground, shifting the whole of Genesis' position from the impact, it could deal serious damage.

There was only one thing for it. Holding off on sending forth the next wave of Flashes for now, Genesis instead tried something he wasn't too sure would work. Regardless, there was no more time to think. A sudden burst of black feathers would erupt out of Genesis' left shoulder as he summoned his Angel's Wing, but instead of using it to dodge and escape the threat from above, the Scarlet SOLDIER instead hoped to thrust the feathery limb into Felix's face to distract him, maybe throw him off balance. Whether that worked or not, didn't change the following result. A loud 'SNAP' echoed through Genesis' ears followed by a blinding pain shooting through his back. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed all. Felix had sliced his wing off! A nice tear in his shirt allowed the sun and wind to caress the large cut across his shoulder blades. The black wing dispelled itself as quickly as it had materialized, sending Genesis on his merry way down to the ground.

Genesis had other ideas though.

It was as if someone had just turned the gravity off, for a mere instant after being sent down towards the floor below did Genesis seem to hit the brakes and pause in mid-air, suddenly launching himself back up towards the red-head in the air above him. The brightly glowing sword held within his gloved grip grew brighter as the SOLDIER threw out a Dancing Sword Counter. Six attacks in total were sent the employee's way. Two powerful horizontal slashes first right to left then back again left to right, both aimed for the boy's chest. Next came the three hard forwards thrusts, all three were aimed for Felix's stomach trying to disable him in anyway possible. Finally, and mimicking the action performed against the AVALANCHE member Cloud, Genesis swung the crimson-glowing Rapier directly into Felix's sword, the impact of steel upon steel if it indeed happened, would result in the shock wave escaping the blade to blow the red-head away. Twisting himself in the air, Genesis threw himself back down to the ground where he landed with a heavy thud, yet stood back up to his feet with the grace and elegance he always carried. Bright blue eyes looked skywards for a second before he raised up his left arm up behind his back, feeling the large slash across his shoulders before eying the blood stains that camouflaged itself within his matching coloured gloves.
"Not bad. Not good either, but not bad."
Smirked the Scarlet SOLDIER.

-=Cooldowns=-

Holy - 3 Posts
Imbue Sword - Active, no cooldown.
Flash - Ready to use.
Angel's Wing - 1 Post.
Dancing Sword Counter - 2 Posts.

[Felix]

As Felix had performed his attack, increasing the mass of his blade to 3,000lbs, Genesis suddenly sprouted a wing from his shoulder. The freelancer let out a small “hmph” knowing that attempting to fly away now would be pointless since the distance had already been closed but something else happened instead. Yes, instead of using that wing to escape, Genesis had stretched it out and positioned it to get in Felix’s face as he came down upon him. Needless to say, the freelancer hadn’t expected the wing being used for that application and it had indeed served its purpose of throwing off his attack. Instead of cleaving straight through the shoulder, his blade’s path altered slightly. While the cut was still deep, it could have been far more devastating had it not been for that wing. As the freelancer’s feet touched the ground due to the mass switch and he released said mass switch rather quickly, he noticed the wing that had just prevented an accurate attack fall down before his feet. The sight alone had caused his lips to curve into a smirk as he thought of throwing another insult out there but was cut short as Genesis suddenly came at him from mid-air. Two slashes went across the freelancer’s chest, his teeth gritting at the stinging sensation as his left arm fell limp, it also being skimmed lightly. It had been a while since he had been cut and while it wasn’t a feeling one often forgot, especially one with as many scars on their body as Felix, it always hurt all the same regardless.
 
But there was no time to be distracted by pain; Genesis’ counter wasn’t ending with just two slashes as he was now attempting to impale the freelancer. A serious expression washed over the freelancer’s face as he sucked in his stomach upon the first stab, and took a step back as the second one came. His back hit the arena wall at this point, his eyes glancing behind him as he cursed inwardly at the lack of room in this environment. Despite being closed off from stepping back any further though, instinct always guided the freelancer in situations like this and his upper body would turn to the right as his left and now limp arm parried the last stab. Yet Genesis’ retaliation didn’t stop, and now an overhead swing was coming, something very easy to block on nothing but instinct. That being noted, Felix’s right hand would bring the sword above his head as his left arm braced along the dull edge of the blade, thus avoiding a giant gash in his head as he dropped to one knee. While this would normally call for celebration, a smirk, and an arrogant statement, Felix’s eyes spread wide as a bright white light enveloped him and he cursed inwardly as the explosion followed soon after. A hot sensation basked his body as he was pushed further back into the invisible wall behind him due to the explosions force, a wave of pain spreading to all his nerves. It took all the red-heads willpower to avoid giving out any audible cue as to his current condition as smoke covered his body.
 
‘f*ck… that really hurt,’[/color] the freelancer thought as he quickly took account of the damage inflicted. The gash across his chest was bleeding steadily, and while not a large amount by any means if this battle went the distance it would drain his stamina. On the other hand, the gash he had left in Genesis back would surely make it an even playing field and if anything would expedite matters. Yes it was possible now with the heavy damage inflicted on both parties that a conclusion would be rushed since this was a tournament after all and they had opponents to face after their bout. Or rather the victor would have opponents to face after this match… and just that thought alone made the freelancer smirk as adrenaline pumped vigorously through his veins. Only to the victors did the spoils go and while he was enjoying just fighting such an amazing opponent, more than anything he wanted to win. He wanted to defeat his bos- no to defeat Genesis. He wasn’t thinking of the man as his employer right now, no at this very moment their business relationship didn’t matter whatsoever. Once they had stepped into the arena and the walls had risen up, it wasn’t only for the protection of the audience. No those walls served a second purpose, perhaps unattended but none the less achieved. They cut off whoever was inside those four walls from the rest of society and the life they had lead that got them into the arena. Once those walls closed in the combatants inside were equals and while they battled everything around them was non-existent. The freelancer had been ignorant, holding back against his employer and not realizing that the arena was a scared place that didn’t allow hesitance. With that noted, the freelancer’s lips began to move as he thought to reply to Genesis’ earlier words.
 
“Alright understood bo-… no… Genesis. I’ll give you exactly what you want, I’ll give you everything I got and more!” the red-head shouted as the smoke began to slowly clear around him. Before it had dissipated enough for his actions to be seen though, he had whipped his katana at Genesis with all his might, the blade quickly approaching. Only a second after though, as the blade would near Genesis’ chest, Felix would emerge from the smoke dashing low to the ground and catching the blade before it reached its destination. With both hands wielding the blade and still in that lowered stance, Felix would attempt to plunge the blade deep into Genesis’ stomach as he switched its mass to 3,000lbs. If successfully impaled, the blade would weigh Genesis down and slow his movements but whether it did or not, the freelancer would release the blade. Indeed, the blade was merely a distraction that served to lead into a combo as he would slide forward with his right foot, pivoting on it as he spun and slipped to Genesis’ left side and his upper body rose. He would attempt to get behind Genesis once more using that ludicrously fast movement of his while it lasted, his left elbow spinning along with him as he would attempt to slam it in the back of Genesis’ neck with a final switch of mass manipulation, increasing the mass of his entire right arm upon impact. And while this would be devastating in its own right, this combo was far from over and now that his super speed and the blade that would hopefully have been weighing down Genesis were now gone, he needed to compensate for it.
 
Indeed, a major weakness of Felix’ was the fact that he had no long range attacks short of throwing his blade. Because of this, if an opponent could keep their distance and not allow him to get his more powerful of attacks to land then they could quite easily win. It was a huge weakness in Felix’ fighting style but instead of trying to hide the weakness he only reinforced his strengths to make up for them. A strong body, a variety of techniques for any situation, and heavy blows that ended a battle quickly was all he needed. Yes, the freelancer was a simple fighter, but it was often the simplest methods that worked the best and what was the simple answer to preventing an opponent from jumping high into the air or running away? Earth Manipulator.
 
Suddenly, as the elbow attempted to do its intended damage, Felix’ body would be covered in rock as he continued spinning and pivoted on his left foot. He would then lift his right leg off the ground as his knee circled round and attempted to slam into Genesis’ lower back before swiftly stomping back to the ground and slipping into an Orthadox Thai stance. This would be the end of his three attack combo, each blow terribly devastating in its own right and if hit by any, Genesis would surely be feeling it. A rocky smirk would curve against the freelancer’s lips after the end of the combo no matter the result, biting his thumb at Genesis once again.

“How was that? Did that satisfy your expectations mate?” he would ask, an air of arrogance in his tone. He would bounce on the balls of his feet a few times before continuing, “Now how bout you stop holding back as well?”
 
OOC:
 

Earth Manpiulator – By using the same principle behind Mass Manipulator, Felix is able to manipulate the element of earth to his will. When activated, Felix’s body will be covered in an armor made of rock, reducing any incoming damage by 25%, whether it is magical or physical (the ability does not provide him any extra resistance to Earth Elemental attacks). As for his attacks, they will all be given Earth elemental damage on top of the physical damage Felix deals normally. If attacked directly, part of Felix’s rocky armor will break off and attach itself to his opponent’s feet, weighing them down and slowing their movement speed (Slow) for two turns. The status effect will not be applied if the opponent is attacked with his katana. The manipulator has a duration of two posts and cannot be used with any other manipulator simultaneously and has a three post cool down. Furthermore, after it falls off, Felix will not be able to use any other elemental manipulator for one post.

[/center]
 

Mass Manipulator – Inactive, five switches used, four post cool down start.

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

((OOC - Sorry this is so rubbish D: I have a friend over and I am rushing to get this done so I don't keep him on his own D: I know I could ask for an extension, but this is my final post and we'll just have to see how it goes ^__^))

There were cheers still roaring out from the crowd as they all continued to watch their favourite contestants go at it with their own opponents. Cheers, chants, their names being yelled, but now also being thrown into the mixture of sounds were the gasps and sharp intakes of breath as both the fighters had started to land blows upon one another. The more devastating attacks that had successfully found their targets generated the biggest response from the excited fans, namely the hard slash across the Scarlet SOLDIER's back and more recently were the combat that the 1st Class had launched back at the red-head. Both fighters were losing blood, but it wasn't on a serious nor fatal scale. Sure, that didn't stop it from stinging and hurting as the pain from Genesis' back wound continued to scream out to him within his mind, but the man was an expert warrior and knew how to keep his emotions and feelings in check when on the field of battle. True, this were a mere tournament, but when facing someone such as this boy, a error here or a mistake there could lead to an injury as fatal as any one might receive on the field of a true battle ground.

The Dancing Sword Counter had been a success, three of the six strikes finding their target and that was more then enough to see the impact it was starting to take on his red-haired employee. Though it seemed Felix had gotten it out of his mindset for the time being that they were currently no longer a 'boss' and an 'employee' and had instead begun to treat the Scarlet SOLDIER as an actual enemy, the same could not be said for the LOVELESS fan. Felix was still his employee, that's how he saw him. Sadly, that was part the reason he was holding back in this match. Partly because he didn't want to hurt the lad and also he was wanting to save his strength for the next round. He was the current reigning Champion! There was no way he could lose in the first round, right? Either way, it would seem that his employee wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet and after recovering from the attacks that landed from the Dancing Sword Counter, the boy spoke up. A smirk slowly slide across Genesis' lips as Felix's words reached his ears. It was about time the red-head let himself loose. How could he be happy knowing he wasn't giving his all? The same could be said for Genesis himself, but he was confident in what he'd given already. There were much bigger fish in this tournament that needed to be fried who would require a lot more of the Scarlet SOLDIER's strength then what he were using now.

Taking a second to slowly raise and lower his shoulders, his face not showing any sign of the pain that tore through his shoulders as he did so, the 1st Class knew that some damage had been caused. A treatment of Hi Potions would be needed before his next match. If not, a simple needed and thread to sew the wound together would have to suffice. Something caught his eye. Felix was on the move... well, to be exact, his sword was. Did he just throw it? The SOLDIER narrowed his eyes slightly, his Rapier raising up as he watched the weapon drew near, yet his attention was averted to another threat coming closer. Unfortunately, the Scarlet SOLDIER had already moved to anticipate the thrown katana. Side stepping just enough so the blade would pass him if his now swung Rapier missed it's target, Genesis instead found himself in agony once more as he felt his Rapier hit nothing but the air it was swung through. No, the red-head had managed to snatch the blade from within the air before Genesis were able to swat it away, and instead he stabbed the smaller version of Sephiroth's weapon into his right thigh.

The katana stuck fast mind as the red-head seemed happy to leave the blade in place. No wonder either, for Genesis felt the incredible weight come crushing down within his thigh but the SOLDIER was not like ordinary humans. The weight was immense, insane, but his leg held strong. Reaching forth with his free hand, eyes locked onto the blade, Genesis went to grip the weapon to free it from his leg, but just as his fingers wrapped around the handle of the freelancers sword, a sharp pain rocketed through his back and neck as the young lad's elbow found it's target. He staggered forth a few steps, even with the blade still lodged into his leg and quickly came to a halt not too far from smashing into the magical barrier that surrounded the fighting arena. Here, the SOLDIER suddenly whirled around, body spinning with ease even with the added weight. Silently, an emotionless expression upon his face, Genesis shot out his Imbued Rapier as he aimed the tip of the blade to slice across the Achilles Tendon of Felix's raised foot. Quickly, he dug into his strength and managed to find the energy needed to jump away off to the left, avoiding the final part of the red-head's combo that would have struck either his chest or stomach were he to remain standing in the same place.

Staggering now to maintain his balance, Genesis soon found his footing and returned his eyes to the blade stuck fast within his leg. Swiftly, now feeling it's weight significantly reduced, he tugged the weapon free and tossed it away behind him, listening as the sound of the metallic weapon clattered against the arena floor. Now, expression had returned to his face as the young SOLDIER brought his sword up before himself, running his free hand down it's length as if Imbuing it once more. Instead, the bright red glow vanished and the blade returned to it's normal state. A smile were donned on Genesis' lips even though he was hurting all across his torso, his body aching and stinging, but there was no sign of that showing through his face or actions. Instead, the Scarlet SOLDIER lowered his weapon and nodded his head towards his employee.
"Yeah, not bad Felix."
His voice was cool, soft, confident.

-=Cooldown=-


Holy - 2 Posts
Imbue Sword - Dispelled. 1 Post.
Angel's Wing - Ready to use.
Dancing Sword Counter - 1 Posts.

[Felix]

The freelancer had gotten into a rhythm with his last combo, his breaths starting to grow feverish both from exhaustion and excitement. Indeed, the battle with Genesis grew more and more intense with each attack that was dealt, with each step that was made, and with each breath that he took. He knew the ex-SOLIDER was strong, insanely strong, but he had never imagined that Genesis would have given him this much of a battle to enjoy. Had this man been present during the battle with Stroud only a month or so ago, just their combined effort could have taken down the beast or at least that’s what the freelancer thought anyway. It was a shame that Stroud had been defeated already, but he couldn’t help but think how much different that battle would have been with Genesis fighting alongside him. A newfound respect was forming for his employer, one that he would carry out of this arena whether he bested him or not.

Yes, that’s what the freelancer’s thoughts were and they were only amplified as Genesis had slashed at his Achilles’ tendon and dodged his knee attack. Needless to say, Felix couldn’t hope to stop the attack and took it head on, a stinging sensation shooting up his leg. The pain was immense, the nerves in his body were screaming, telling the freelancer to stop and fight another day. His body was getting rather injured and unlike his opponent, his was just a normal human body. He didn’t have any type of special regeneration like a Heartless did, he didn’t have super strength like Genesis, and he didn’t have wings like that keyblader he had met when fighting Stroud. No, his body was 100% normal and his body pleaded with him to stop putting it through such dangerous activities. His body knew what continuing this fight could lead to; it knew that permanent injury could be inflicted if he didn’t get immediate medical attention, specifically for his right foot. And yet his spirit refused to give in, his resolution was set to see this battle to the end whether it ended in victory or defeat.

With that noted, he had followed through with his attack, landing in his Thai stance as planned but didn’t bob on his feet like originally intended. He had certainly wanted to do so as he gave out his taunt, but he knew that would only send spasms of pain up his leg, something he was hoping to avoid. Regardless, he gave out his taunt all the same, his smirk present even underneath the rocky armor covering him. Much like Genesis, Felix also had a poker face and wouldn’t allow his opponent to know the condition of his foot by something as simple as a facial expression.

Damn am I glad I decided to use Earth Manipulator… if I hadn’t he probably would have made this foot permanently useless, the freelancer thought, his eyes watching as Genesis pulled the katana out of his thigh. While he had hoped to stab the man’s stomach originally, he was happy with getting a blow on the thigh, knowing that would hamper his movement and prevent that annoying jumping habit of his at least a little. As Genesis then answered Felix’s question, the crowd erupted into a split reaction, some cheering for the ex-SOLIDER while others cheered for the freelancer. It was a sight to behold, the split being as close to fifty-fifty as one could imagine and the freelancer grinning through it all. The audience wanted to see more of this epic battle unfold, they wanted to witness the warriors give it everything they had in what was surely the best fight in the first leg of the tournament. They demanded more out of the two warriors and while he couldn’t be completely sure, Felix had a feeling that the injury in Genesis’ leg was impeding his ability to heed the pleas of the crowd. The same could be said about Felix, running at Genesis and using footwork a ludicrous notion, but he still had one way to move that wouldn’t be terribly painful.

Glad he’s not too far away, the freelancer thought as he took a deep breath, his mind drowning out the audience for just a moment. He needed to focus; he needed to ignore the pain and exhaustion for a moment longer before he could be satisfied with this battle. He was going to use all his strength for one last attack, one last attempt to impress the people, and one last chance to show Genesis just how strong the man he hired was and his resolve to win.

This is going to be really stupid… really, REALLY stupid, the freelancer thought as his fists clenched tightly and his eyes flared with his determination, But you’re going down with this one Genesis! he finished his train of thought as he poured all his strength into his left leg, jumping toward Genesis. He lifted off the ground a few feet, closing in on his opponent as his upper body leaned back for a right cross, hopefully evading any stab that might come as a counter as well. Regardless, once his left foot touched the ground he’d throw all his weight downward, his upper body lowering as he sent a right cross into Genesis’ stomach. While it didn’t have as much power as it could have with the use of his right foot, and even though his Earth Manipulator was crumbling as he had thrown the punch, the freelancer was happy with it. He wasn’t sure if he could continue fighting after this attack, hell even a dog fight where they simply beat the bajesus out of each other seemed impossible on his right foot. But he wouldn’t give up, even if he tore the tendon in his right foot and couldn’t walk again, even if his punches couldn’t gather any more strength, and even if he died continuing this fight. No matter what the freelancer would see this fight through and win it… or die trying.

“I won’t give up… I’ll win this fight!” he declared to the roar of the crowd, lifting his upper body so he could face Genesis with his resolute stare… he wasn’t falling down.

OOC: No worries mate and since this is the last post I won’t do much either except trying to make it dramatic with one “final” attack although, let’s be honest here, we both know a fight between us would last like twenty posts + XD! Won’t mention cool downs either, no point since this is the last postie.