(Log) Pong: Pureri vs. Colonel
From Megaman Mush Wiki
WHO: Colonel, Pureri, Signas
WHAT: Pureri vs. Colonel in Battle and Chase Pong, with Signas as referee.
WHERE: Pong Arena
WHEN: May 5th, 2221
The approximate IC time is: Mon May 05 20:56:36 2221 EST
Unity Atoll - Roy Disney Arena - Pong Arena
Walking down the east-side path leads to a cube-shaped building, carved out of flat, black marble. The arena itself is within.
Entering here is a bit like entering cyberspace, its resemblance to the real world somehow oddly muted by careful coloring and choice of positioned lighting. The Pong arena sits in the center of tall stands; they seem almost two-dimensional from a distance, but when approached, are not only recessed in neat standings, but are larger than they appear. Clever positioning of cameras and mirrors allow a large audience to view a Pong game in progress from any seat. The color scheme is primarily black, and electric blue and green, this entire area seeming like something out of the movie Tron. Ushers are positioned in their cyberspace costumes, monitoring the stands and helping people to the best seats so that they don't get disoriented on the way down. The Pong court is in dead center of this area.
The Colonel steps into the arena, his cape billowing behind him in a needlessly dramatic fashion. It's a design flaw, really. Though the neon yellow of the hoverboots and the paddle clash garishly against the Colonel's dark armor, it does so in more of a 'Tron' fashion rather then something hideous.
Before the match begins, the Colonel kneels down and says a brief prayer, dedicating this match to all the fallen Repliforcers as he does before every Battle and Chase event he participates in. It helps to remind him why he fights and strengthens his resolve.
Pureri watches Colonel from the rafters of the arena, looking down toward him as he says his prayer; she can't keep herself from smiling down at him. She respects Colonel a great deal, and things like that prayer only seal the deal -- he approaches the games the same way she does, and she respects that (naturally).
She swoops down from the rafters like a small bird, landing neatly on her feet, one hand on the ground to steady her when she lands. Doing a quick backflip into the hoverboots, set perfectly for her to land in them, she picks up her paddle and nods to Colonel. Before the launcher starts its sadistic game, she manages to sneak in just a little bit of stretching. It certainly seems as though /she's/ ready, though.
Signas is here. Descending from the stands and making his way along one of the electric blue lines on the floor, he reaches down to take a datapad containing a copy of the rules from a small Disney reploid, glancing once at the pad before linking his arms behind his back, grasping his right wrist in his left hand, datapad fanning lazily up and down in his right hand.
As the contestants make their way into the arena, Signas reviews the rules in his head. There are many of them, most of which do not seem to be observed. These he partitions away 'in case of emergency', and the rest are C&P'd into 'Pong.txt' in his giant robot brain, for reference during the match. He waits for Colonel to stand again, then nods. The Diplomat moves forward, switching the datapad to his left hand and extending the right to shake the Reploforce XO's hand.
"Colonel. I doubt I will be needed much in this match," he says by way of greeting, then turning towards the much smaller Pureri, extending his hand again. "Pureri. I look forward to your performance."
Signas steps back and sends a mental command to the Launcher. "The game is Pong. The rules are simple," he lies, in the name of expediency, "first contestant to five points wins. No hitting below the belt. No weaponry. No enhancing one's paddy by attaching an echidna." Yes. This is an actual rule. Wonder where that came from. Signas raises a hand.
"Begin."
Signas signals the beginning of Pong. The crowd erupts into cheers and jeers.
The Pong arena's ball launcher swivels around, finally lobbing the ball towards Pureri.
The Pong ball is at level 1, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
The ball launcher whirls around to face Pureri as she gives Signas a warm, "I'll do my best!", and she readies herself for the INTENSE PONG CHALLENGE that is to come, abruptly stopping her stretching. Rolling her wrist a little, she leaps up toward the Pong ball, likely making a newbie mistake in the process -- wait for it to come to you, and all that.
Nevertheless, the full-speed, sudden whirl of her body in midair that she uses to get enough momentum to just /nail/ the ball toward Colonel is pretty impressive. ... Or at least, it will be if it actually works out...
Pureri lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 5, heading towards Colonel (Player 1).
The Colonel nods politely to Signas. "I shall carry myself in the spirit of the games."
And then he is all business. As the jet boots ignite, the Colonel takes to the air. Pureri's powerful smash rockets across the arena, giving the Repliforce XO little time to react and set up with a powerful shot of his own. Instead, the Colonel just reaches out and swats at the ball to get a volley going.
Colonel lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 2, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
Pureri is fairly impressed with Colonel's power and speed; nonetheless, this just means she has to push herself even harder! After all, the games are about love, hard work, and guts!
And it is that spirit that causes her to go for another full-bore strike at the ball. Leaping up toward it, Pureri does a forceful midair flip to build up enough force to send the ball flying back. Remarkably gung-ho on this 'pong' business, that one.
Pureri lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 4, heading towards Colonel (Player 1).
Pureri's enthusiasim is not lost on the Colonel. Already, in the back of his mind, a plan is forming. But with Pureri going all out to start with, first he must play defence and keep up with her. If she keeps replying on heavy handed strikes...
The Colonel kicks off of the wall, diving to the side in a bid to keep up with the rapidly flying ball's bounces.
Colonel lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 3, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
Surprisingly, Pureri decides to try a less forceful blow this time; if Colonel keeps casually batting away her full-bore attacks, she shouldn't expend too much energy right away, right? A more measured approach is likely required to handle him.
As such, this time, she doesn't go for any ridiculous-looking trick shots. Instead, she just waits for the fast-moving ball to near her, and then bats at it a little like a cat batting at a string. It's enough to send it back if it hits, but...
Pureri lunges after the ball and misses!
A loud buzzer sounds, signalling a goal! The giant scoreboard flickers, now showing Colonel: 1
Signas watches the ball fly slowly towards Pureri. Only his eyes move. Pureri slams the ball harder than an internet message board slams Liefeld on a daily basis, and it speeds towards Colonel, who totally does not look like Signas at all. The volley begins, and Signas seems to settle in to his position of watching the match.
Colonel's powerful return sails past Pureri's latest lunge, and Signas holds up a flag (he has those now) that is coloured black. "First point: Colonel." The flag drops, and he sends the command again. "Match continues."
The Pong arena's ball launcher swivels around, finally lobbing the ball towards Colonel.
The Pong ball is at level 1, heading towards Colonel (Player 1).
The Colonel permits himself a small, tight smile as first blood goes to him. But there is little time to contemplate this and even less to rest on one's laurels. The match is far, far from over yet.
As the Pong Launcher gives him a nice, easy serve, the Colonel leaps up and gives the ball an overhead smash that will send the ball ricocheting off of the floor and cieling several times. If it connects, of course.
Colonel lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 5, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
Pureri leaps up at the ball as Colonel sends it on its wild bouncing journey; following it with her eyes (a dizzying endeavor for a normal person, to be sure), she waits for just the right moment. And waits... and waits...
... and when she thinks she sees it, she abruptly lunges toward the ball, foregoing the paddles in favor of a straight-up spinkick right into the ball, sending it on a beeline for the lower left corner of Colonel's defensive area.
Pureri lunges after the ball and misses!
A loud buzzer sounds, signalling a goal! The giant scoreboard flickers, now showing Colonel: 2
The black flag rises again, and Signas says in an expressionless voice which may as well be computer-generated: "Second point to Colonel. Score is 2-0." The flag drops. "Match continues. Make yourselves ready."
The Pong arena's ball launcher swivels around, finally lobbing the ball towards Pureri.
The Pong ball is at level 1, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
This time, Pureri has first smack at the ball again! That doesn't seem to bother her a bit -- maybe she thinks she can get ahead this way. Going back to the paddles, Pureri brings her arms up in a defensive stance; she thinks she's treating this too much like attacking the opponent and not enough like defending her own zone, so a change of tactics is in order.
With a zig-zagging gait, she advances toward the ball and then brings her arms up to 'defend' herself, pushing out at the ball at the last second to send it ricocheting left and right into Colonel's side of the field.
Pureri lunges after the ball and misses!
A loud buzzer sounds, signalling a goal! The giant scoreboard flickers, now showing Colonel: 3
The ball squeaks past Pureri yet again, and Signas lifts the black flag. Pureri's new tactic was apparently not the correct one to deploy at this juncture.
"Third point to Colonel. Score is now 3-0." Flag drops. "Play continues. Make yourselves ready."
The Pong arena's ball launcher swivels around, finally lobbing the ball towards Pureri.
The Pong ball is at level 1, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
And once again the ball heads toward Pureri! /Now/ she's starting to get a little worried. Not frustrated, though -- that's not her way, and that would be against the spirit of the games. Going back to a full-on offensive methodology, Pureri lunges toward the ball launcher before it even finishes launching it, trying to get a SURPRISE EDGE on Colonel by batting the ball down toward him immediately!
Of course, this is also a risky maneuver, seeing as if she misses she has no second chance at all, but...
Pureri lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 5, heading towards Colonel (Player 1).
The Colonel keeps to his shifting defensive stance, wielding his paddle much like one would wield a zweihander. As the pong ball begins to bounce underneath him, the Colonel turns off his jet boots and plunges towards the ground, aided by gravity and his own metallic weight. He cleaves his pong paddle downwards in a manner similar to a golf swing.
Colonel lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 2, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
Pureri decides to try something daring and ridiculous as she sees Colonel's golf swing; specifically, she intends to try something a lot like something she did in both Dodgeball and Battlebots last night. Deciding to cut it a little close, she predicts the most likely course of the ball, places herself right in front of it at the point /right/ before it'd be a score... and then rears her head back and just /headbutts/ it.
Pureri lunges after the ball and misses!
A loud buzzer sounds, signalling a goal! The giant scoreboard flickers, now showing Colonel: 4
Signas displays no reaction, simply raising the black flag. "Colonel's Tiger (Woods) Style defeats Pureri's Using One's Head Style. Fourth point to Colonel."
The flag drops and one corner of Signas' frown quirks. Just a little bit. "The game continues. Colonel, if you receive one more point the match will end. Pureri, if you score a point, the game will continue." A brief pause. "Make yourselves ready. And... allez Pong."
The Pong arena's ball launcher swivels around, finally lobbing the ball towards Colonel.
The Pong ball is at level 1, heading towards Colonel (Player 1).
The Colonel is close. He can feel it. He does not, however, go all out. To do so now would be folly! His current methods have produced solid results, to change that on the doorstep of victory would invite ruin. The Colonel runs forwards and backhands the Pong Ball, sending it skeeting across the arena.
Colonel lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 4, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
Pureri is forced to play a type of Pong that she is not terribly suited to playing, as previous attempts have proven; she watches the Pong Ball, and then tries something a little ridiculous. Thrusting her hand outward before the ball even gets there, she attempts to deflect it back toward Colonel with a little gust of air. It's nothing special, but it might buy her some time.
Pureri lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 1, heading towards Colonel (Player 1).
The Colonel continues to press his advantage as the Pong Ball comes back to him. His raw size give him an advantage in mass and reach; now he uses it to his advantage as he can afford a greater degree of risk. Firmly convinced that he is now in solid control of the game, the Colonel swings his paddle at the slow moving ball.
Colonel lunges after the ball and misses!
A loud buzzer sounds, signalling a goal! The giant scoreboard flickers, now showing Pureri: 1
Ah, hubris. Signas raises the other flag, which is pink. "One point to Pureri, in a dramatic turnaround. Could this be the turning point of the match. We shall see."
Signas makes a terrible commentator.
"Match continues. Make yourselves ready. Colonel, if you score a point you will win the match. Pureri, if you score a point the match continues again. Go."
The Pong arena's ball launcher swivels around, finally lobbing the ball towards Colonel.
The Pong ball is at level 1, heading towards Colonel (Player 1).
The Colonel does not admonish himself for his error in the previous round. Instead, he resolves his error in the way that a man does.
By not repeating it.
The Colonel leaps forwards, swinging his paddle in a wide arc to send the ball bouncing erratically.
Colonel lunges after the ball and hits it!
The Pong ball is at level 2, heading towards Pureri (Player 2).
Pureri does not go in for these wild-bouncing things; the ball should sail straight and fast, from impact to score. She can cope with the Colonel's style, however -- watching the ball carefully, she drops into a ready stance. As the ball bounces toward her, she lunges forward and gives it a love tap back toward the other side before it has an opportunity to get too far into hers.
Pureri lunges after the ball and misses!
A loud buzzer sounds, signalling a goal! The giant scoreboard flickers, now showing Colonel: 5
The ball impacts Pureri's paddle and... falls to the ground. Right at her feet. Apparently there was a little too much love and not quite enough tap there.
Signas pauses before making his pronouncement, apparently putting his throughts in order. In reality he is pushing down his reaction which may or may not have been a chuckle.
"Fifth point to Colonel. Match point." Signas raises the black flag, then lowers it again. "The Pong match of Colonel vs. Pureri is concluded with a score of 5-1. Colonel is the victor, and will advance to the next round."
The launcher apparently is not happy with this, and starts firing dozens of pong balls at the contestants, the referee and even the audience. Chaos ensues, as much as it can with relatively harmless Pong balls bouncing off everything.
"Hh," Signas says, as one plonks into his head.
As the match concludes, the Colonel turns off the regulation issue rocket boots and lands on the floor with a heavy thunk. He advances to the center of the arena to shake hands with his (comparatively) diminutive opponent. "You did very well for a first time entrant. I am looking forward to your next match alongside Lieutenant Shellfish in Dodgeball."
Walking up to meet Colonel, Pureri gives him a warm smile and a surprisingly firm handshake. "Thank you. I think you would've beaten me even if I had some more experience, though," she says, quite truthfully; she knows where she excels and where she doesn't, and this is just not her field. "Are you competing in Dodgeball, too? I haven't looked at the rosters very carefully."
"Ah, no, not this year, though I am on the 'sub' roster for several Repliforce teams." The Colonel replies. "But I do enjoy watching my brothers and sisters in arms compete. Good luck in Dodgeball." And with a polite nod, the Colonel vacates the arena for the next pair of contestants.
"An interesting match," Signas says. "Well done to both contestents."
The Diplomat walks off, handing off the datapad to the same Disney reploid and re-clasping his hands.
