Lady Hannya vs Finlay Zeffer - The Gate Of Yomi Opens

[Deus001]

Match Rules: Win via submission or KO. Fight takes place in an MMA octagon, no time limit.

Haruka Ito, heiress to the Ito clan. A clan that made its reputation as feared fighters, offering themselves to all sorts in the underworld as warriors that fought to the last even to this day. Haruka was raised to be the legal face of the clan, forbidden from fighting. Taught to defend herself yes but never allowed to fight as one of them. Haruka was a sweet gal at the best of times, but still.......there was that underlying side of envy. The fact that Haruka was barred from fighting......She had crafted herself a persona, an otherwordly seductress known as Lady Tengu who would fight and use deception against her opponents and her clan. However this too presented a problem, As Tengu she had a style that wasn't her own, it was competent sure however Haruka felt........restrained again.

Then one day she had a spar with her first ever opponent Finlay, where she donned a gi on the theatre where she worked. It was on that rooftop where she showed her clan side, it was like a switch was flipped in her. Since that day Haruka had worked on another persona in secret. To be unleashed upon an opponent when certain conditions were met. Like tonight, Finlay had wanted to see Haruka at her very best and it would be done. She sat in a locker room, concealed in shadow save for a dim light where she finished etching details into her mask for tonight. She wore a karate gi with the top open to reveal a sarashi around her waist and chest, a glazed over expression in her eyes as she concluded her detailing. It was tough, durable and could handle repeated punches. It........was a hannya mask. They were beings known for their jealousy and anger, all too fitting for her. She placed it over her face and breathed deeply, feeling the wave of rage wash over her. She then simply muttered "The time...........has come.........." and with that she turned and stepped out the locker room........

The Lady In The Mask

The crowd was abuzz with talk over what might be occurring for this match, the wrestling ring having been swapped out for an MMA octagon. They knew that Finlay Zeffer was to be fighting but this so called Hannya lady. Suddenly the lights in the arena would black out. Then on the titantron was a feathered Tengu fan, on the ground. With a hannya mask tossed right next to it..........Then the song known as Wailing Warrior would play.......

"Haaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaa,,,,,,,,eeyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaa............"

Once the haunting vocal played and the track began proper Lady Hannya would be revealed, not on the entrance ramp but rather amongst the crowd several rows away from the octagon! There she stood with her mask on, her karate gi loosely flowing as she then let out a primal, deep roar that could only be seated in envy and rage. Then she lept off the guard rail! Whereupon she would land and subsequently leap off the shoulders of an audience member, then another, then another as she rushed towards the octagon. Going over the people as if they were mere steps to her goal.......Her last step was to the guard rails, which Hannya also lept off and clung to the octagon wall top. With an effortless heave Hannya would crouch there and clamber up, her right leg close to her chest and her left to the side as her mask was concealed by her long, loose hair as she waited...........

[Bare]

Tonight was going to be... interesting to say the least. Ever since his meeting and befriending of Haruka she had been a constant, if chaotic part of his life and while he appreciated it he was more so excited for tonight. Especially because when she messaged him about the match being made she said she had something very special to debut for it.

Knowing how she could be he knew it would either be completely ridiculous or extremely intense, there was no in between with her. Watching her entrance from the back Finlay would get his answer as she leaned to the intense with everything. From her mannerisms, her appearance, even the way she moved all screamed something new and beastial, and Finlay found himself all the more excited to test her and this new persona.

Spoiler

As his music started up Finlay would come out from the back, throwing his arms up as the crowd cheered, more so than usual given the lack of favor Har- the Hanya had. Coming down the ramp Finlay was dressed a bit differently for this match, given it was taking place with mma style conditions he had dressed the part, wearing tight fitting red and black mma style trunks and was barefoot with black tape wrapped around his hands. This match was going to be nothing short of a fight at full force between them. he was going to enjoy it.

Entering the cage proper he would stare across the ring at an opponent who was only familiar to him. A part of him wanted to greet her warmly and give his appreciation for this match, but he knew it would not be reciprocated, not as she was right now. Instead he would play the part he knew she wanted, a steely warrior, ready to face the demon ahead of him as he put his fists up silently, his only acknowledgement being a nod to the girl as he prepared himself for the fight ahead.

[Deus001]

Haruka loomed there on the top of the octagon wall there, she would shuffle her legs on it there to look more like a perched owl that was looming over the forest. Her head jerked upwards at seeing that her opponent was making his way to the octagon there, the Hannya tilted her head to the side as if intrigued by the sight. Finlay was looking the business, worthy of challenging Haruka's clan style there!

The girl would wait till he stepped into the octagon, before rising upwards into a standing stance with her feet perfectly balanced on the top of the wall before leaping upwards into a forward flip roll there. She landed gracefully, with Haruka then giving a low hissing noise of anticipation. This was it. This is what her clan craved and what 'they' could do on a regular basis with facing foes in full combat/, something that she was denied. Now it would be hers.......

The ref would carefully move over to Hannya to pat her down for objects, finding none. Save for the piercing gaze of Haruka's mask peering into her very being like the peanut gallery that she was, the ref would then quickly shuffle over to Finlay and pat him down also. Once the ref was satisfied she then quickly went to the farthest octagon wall to be away from the ensuing chaos.

*DING!*

Lady Hannya would settle into her clan stance, right fist close to the chin and left fist forward and at navel level. Then suddenly she gave a low hiss and sought to bolt right at Finlay and lunged in with her right hand fired forward into a palm strike! The bout was underway and she rushed in wasting no time with her lance like arm poised straight for the heart!

[Bare]

Entering the octagon fully and taking his stance on the opposing side to his opponent Finlay would look up at the woman perched high above, like a bird of prey beading down on its prey. Only h was no prey and he wasn't about to let her intimidate him, not when he knew who she was and how excited he was for this bout as a result. Rolling his shoulders one more time as Hanya descended it would appear as though the time for waiting was over, it was time for a fight now.

Eyes narrowing upon his opponent Finlay barely acknowledged the ref as they came over and patted him down, before setting himself back and preparing for the match ahead, raising his fists up almost at the same time as Hannya entered a stance that was only familiar to him since he had seen it once before. On a theater's rooftop where he got a taste of just what his opponent could do.

Finally though the bell would ring officially starting the match and no sooner than it had was when Hannya suddenly came rocketing towards him, arm extended to deliver what would surely be a devastating attack to his chest! Not willing to be taken down from the start though Finlay would wait till the last moment before darting to the side, raising his leg up as she began to pass to try and deliver a kick directly into her stomach that would use her own momentum to amplify the damage even more if it connected!

[Deus001]

The battle was underway now and Hannya's heart and soul hungered for blood and battle, too long she had been denied the ways of her clan and now it could finally be unleashed against someone that wouldn't fold like a two dollar bill. Still perhaps Hannya's cravings got the better of her common sense there, as her rushing palm spear while devastating was linear. A thing that could be discerned by one of sufficient martial calibre such as her current opponent, the counter came in swift and hard hitting. A kick right into her stomach which would no doubt floor an opponent and leave them a crumpled heap on the mat.

Hannya might have been a crazed monster of a fighter, but she too had her honed skillset and refinement. Her free arm had gotten up in time to get a block of sorts off, still the impact of the blow staggered Hannya and sent her skidding backwards on the mat and stopping a few inches from the octagon wall behind her. Many a fighter would have expressed pain there from the blow. The hannya however drew on her clan's dark teachings. Each member was trained to fight in complete silence as much as possible. Haruka was no different, memories of dim lighting and strikes to her flesh and her teeth gritted through each blow.

"Hnnnnnnn.........." Hannya hissed out with a shake of her arm and a tilt of her head. Then she re-entered her stance, before making to sprint at Finlay once again only to then try to leap on a nearby octagon wall and try to fire a leaping right kick aimed at his shoulders. An eye for an eye and an arm for an arm.....

[Bare]

Hannay was definitely going to be a formidable opponent, Finlay could already tell by the stance and way she moved, her speed and the sheer confidence with which she made her strike. Should that initial blow have landed how she wanted it may have well taken him out of the fight then and there. Thankfully however it was if nothing else easy to see coming and he lashed out with a kick in response. One that was blocked but at least made a majority of impact, taking his foe off balance and sending her reeling back as a result.

Naturally however he knew that wouldn't be enough. Hannya was strong and she was blood lusted. Even after taking a blow as strong as that, albeit blocked didn't hinder her much beyond knocking her off course and she was already dashing back at him at full speed! Bracing himself he prepared for whatever she ay do, but what he wasn't expected was for her to leap to the side onto the cage itself! Eyes widening in shock Finlay turned to follow her, only for her to leap back towards him, too fast for him to follow this time!

"NGH!" He groaned out in pain as her heel made impact unimpeded to his shoulder, feeling as if a pickaxe dug into it instead he was immediately sent tumbling from the blow! Rolling a bit away until he could get back on his feet he held his arm with a wince before getting back up, knowing Hannya would surely be looking to press this. As such he would try and move before she could react, attempting to close the distance to her while lowering himself to crash his good shoulder into her stomach with a spear to try and take her down to the mat!

[Deus001]

The Ito clan were usually tasked with fighting more than one person at a time in their duties as legbreakers and bodyguards in the underworld, hence in addition to their usual katas they were also tasked with fighting in locations where they were encouraged to use their surroundings. Hence Hannya's wall jump was instilled into her on a near instinctual level and Finlay bore the brunt of it, the mask of the lady bore its usual expression but would surely be even more malicious if it could change it. Hannya also rolled after her strike, moving like it was a fluid choreographed display.

Still Finlay was quick to recover, no doubt feeling the sting of the hannya's fangs as the mysterious fighter found herself being swiftly tackled to the ground with a spear! She felt the wind get knocked out of her sails there and a low, near primal hiss emerged from her throat as Hannya knew she was in the deep end of the pool now. The ground game was something she was fairly used to, mostly in her.....other persona.

As it stood the move took her off guard and she scrambled to try and get her limbs in place to try and give a good full mount defence there, still it was an effective first step in denying the Ito fighter of her clan's usual methods of combat.....

[Bare]

Out of the gate Hannya was showing that she wasn't taking this bout lightly in the slightest and she was willing to pull out some truly unorthodox offense. However in turn it showed the type of offense she was most likely to use in the form of kicks which meant Finlay now had a target to shoot towards.

Luckily for him while Hannya held the edge in speed and striking ability he certainly had the edge in terms of raw power and endurance, which in turn allowed him to take her down to the mat! Now that he had her there however she was already trying to mount a defense, so he would have to cut straight to the chase.

Getting up slightly and grabbing at one of Hannya's raised legs from her mount defense Finlay would drop down to his back on the mat, pulling out Hannya's leg as he did so. If successful in doing so then he would fire his legs up, wrapping them around his opponent's leg and squeezing while pulling on her limb for a leg bar!

[Deus001]

The Ito style revolved around mostly trying to keep on the move there against more than one opponent, where falling to the ground would mean certain doom. However they like any martial artist worth their salt would also develop the ground game in conjunction too for when one opponent was requiring their attention, the Hannya could recall many, many times where her head was smacked into a blue mat or wooden floor there and was told to get past it or else she'd never escape there.

Finlay moved like a shark in water over the hannya there, the next thing she knew she was getting cinched in for a legbar hold! This earned a very loud, very audible hiss from her. The pain shooting up her nervous system that bypassed even the instilled nature of her clan to hide their damage as best they could, Hannya's jealousy and wrath bubbled up inside her to a hot boiling point at this transgression and knew she must escape!

Getting onto her side as best she could in the hold Hannya would put her free leg to use, operating under the basis that Finlay would likely double down on his hold with both his arms focused on wrapping the ankle of hers there. She'd get her free leg pushing against Finlay's closest leg at the back of the knee and push forward hard, to deny his extension and work at slipping her held leg out inch by inch!

[Bare]

Thanks to the rooftop spar that the two had Finlay knew all too well th standing striking skill of his opponent passed on by her clan and it seemed that she had only doubled down on it in her current persona. Something that while something to watch out for, Finlay could in turn take advantage of it. Namely by bringing her down to the mat.

After all in terms of mat wrestling and technical skill he was more than confident in his ability to tame her there.Locking his legs around her own in the leg bar Finlay would grunt as he fell back to extend the limb, reaching up and grabbing her barefoot in turn to twist it to the side for a ankle lock in addition to his submission hold.

Naturally however Hannya was a bit more clever than to be done in so easily by this submission, turning on her side and using her free leg to push against him, shimmying and worming her way out of his grip, his hold on her foot slipping moment by moment along with the rest of her leg until finally she was all but free!

'Damn it!' Finlay thought to himself, trying to turn over and get to his knees, attempting to once again push himself towards Hannya, but she had a window where there was distance between them, meaning that if she was to do something, she had the chance!