Literally Snails

@Dynamo Pad @Canteen_the_unstable @reader8363 @dragon4111 "Isn't that anticlimactic?" Rokata asked. His tone was one of mocking condescension. Despite the respect he'd shown for the dead in previous fights, he seemed to be a totally different person. Draco was laying at his feet, looking to be totally lifeless. Rokata was a professional killer, and if he wanted to pierce Draco's vital organs with an attack like that, he could. He didn't. Draco's heart was still beating, but his breath was so shallow, he appeared dead. "You were just getting to know each other, and now he's dead. He couldn't even break my skin with the last attack of his life." Rokata pulled his left foot back and kicked Draco's body, sending it tumbling away with a brutal bluntness to the way his body spun and twisted on the ground. "You monster!" Dai cried. "At least you were there this time. Isn't this how your other teammate died? And Tricis? All without you even being there to help them? You can't defend the things you love. By choosing weakness, you've chosen a life of loss and pain." A smile crept across his face. The beak of his mouth couldn't articulate, but the flesh surrounding his cheeks curled back to show his teeth. "But you wont have to live with that for much longer." Rail let out a chuckle and tilted his head down to take another drag of his last cigarette. For him, things seemed to fall right into place, exactly as he'd planned. Rokata stepped closer to Jade, watching the change in her eyes with a curious demeanor. He looked at Copper Strikes briefly, seeing that he might be the next to attack him, then he turned back to Jade. "Are you understanding me now? Or do I have to kill another one of y-" Rokata staggered back at Jade's presence when she appeared before him in the blink of an eye. He threw his arms up in an X formation to block as her blade came crashing at his chest. His footing was firm, but she was able to knock him back! He skid along the dirt from the explosive force of the blast, forcing him away from the others and back to the center of the ring. Blood poured from his arms, and the gashes were so deep that it was slow to heal. He bent his knees and jumped back, breaking the momentum of the pushback before Jade could attack him again. While in the air, he uncrossed his arms and shot out a burst of purple energy where Jade was standing. Where the strike impacted the ground, it would create an explosion strong enough to bathe the stadium in white and deepen the crater in the ground.

Jade hasn't lost yet

This is is kind of Unicorncob's fight, you know? I understand wanting to get involved but you can't do that.

Blocked the first two strikes from Jade, and as he pushed the broadside of her blade with the second strike, he was able to throw her momentum off long enough to turn his attention to Draco, who was slowly advancing. Jade swung at him again, continuing her flurry, but this time, Rokata didn't block. Her blade hit the thick hide on his shoulder, clanging against the gnarled horns that covered his flesh like spiked armor. Chips of bone flew off, singed by the flaming aura, but her strikes weren't even drawing blood. She swung again, hitting him in the back, this time drawing a thin spray of purple blood. Her strikes weren't slowing him down, however, and he started walking toward Draco while he did the same. "Maybe this one will offer what I need." He said as Jade struck him across the chest, once again failing to pierce his hide. It was like he was covered in flexible titanium. Jade was helpless still, but how could that be? She'd done everything he asked. She'd done everything Tricis asked. This wasn't how this story was supposed to go. Now was the time that her sudden power-up would save the day- prove the bad guy wrong. How could it still not be enough? That last strike was enough to get Rokata's attention, if only for a moment. He pushed himself closer to Jade so that her real blade would hit him before that of the spectral dragon, and he held out his left claw with an open palm. The blade hit his hand and he gripped it tight, blood trickling down his wrist. When he stopped her blade, the dragon was held in place as well. He squeezed the blade and looked Jade in the eyes. "You can't reach your own power. Not by yourself. Or maybe you are this weak," He said. He pulled her blade down, either disarming her or forcing her off balance. Then he pushed her away with an elbow to the chest. "In this game, when you fail to become as strong as you need to, you lose the luxury of getting what you want." It sounded like something Tricis had told her, but his tone was cruel and sinister. "DRACO STOP!" Dai cried, she stepped away from the safety of the group and ran at Draco with Dynamo, but they were both too late to stop his charge. With Jade pushed away, Rokata was free to deal with Draco just in time for him to start his charge. He widened his stance, getting a strong base like a bull ready to charge. In the moment before Draco hit him, Rokata punched the earth beneath them, shooting up a small dust storm on a shockwave of explosive energy. The sound of the impact followed. there was a roar from Rokata and the sound of a blade piercing flesh. The dust cleared as quickly as it appeared, and Rokata was still standing with a deep, blackened gash across his chest. His right arm was raised in the air with the digits of his claw pulled together into a single point, stuck deep into Draco's chest, who was impaled on Rokata's claw. The digits sunk in deep bellow his ribcage, just shy of poking out through the other side. "How tragic," Rokata said. He knelt with Draco still on his claw and let him gently slide off onto the ground. His wound began to heal. "None of you could even stop me. I wonder how that feels."

After Jade warned Draco to back away, Rokata flexed both his wrists and shot Draco back with three unseen projectiles. Whatever that attack was, he could only do it in this demon form, and it was nearly impossible to dodge. "Yes, I suggest you all stay away." Rokata said, he looked at the other members of Team Lotus, and at some of the audience members who seemed ready to storm the ring to try and take him down. "Jade and I can get temperamental in the heat of battle." Rokata lowered his claw. On second thought, he regretted pushing Draco back. If the merc chose to attack him again, Rokata would have a use for him. Though the idea was a bit distasteful, even for him. Rail was the one to react to Copper's words instead of Rokata, and he seemed almost flattered. "Take a look at these two fighters right now and ask yourself if I could manipulate them if I tried," Rail said. "I've laid my cards down, it's true, but Rokata is playing with his own hand and I assure you, he's doing exactly what he wants." He took the last cigarette out of his pack and lit it, looking back at Jade and Rokata. "Besides, in this playing field, they're both smarter than each of us." "But she would have to deal that damage all at once if she wants to counteract his healing," Quill elaborated, "And by my projections, she can't do that." "Geez, don't sound too confident in her. You'll jinx the whole thing," Shining Armor said. His words were sarcastic, but his tone betrayed a hint of nervousness. Rokata cocked his head at the sound of Dynamo's voice. He'd forgotten about that one for a moment. Remembering the idea he had with Draco, he realized that Dynamo would be an even better candidate. Dynamo summoned his blade, and Rokata realized that he was also ready to charge him to save Jade like Draco. Either of them would do. That blade could barely slice through butter, let alone my hide, but he could be of use. Rokata turned back to Jade to see the flames grab his wrist, helping her free herself. "AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE FAILING! YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY ADVICE!" Rokata shouted in turn His hand shook, trying to keep his grip on the back of her neck through the searing pain. Rokata let go of the back of her head and clenched his fist. With a flex of his muscles and a primal howl, he was able to break the magical restraint on his wrist, but not before Jade was able to free herself. When it was removed, everyone could see his broken forearm as the bone fragments pulled themselves back into place. He distanced himself from here and spread into a wide battle stance with a smile on his face. "We'll just see about that, won't we?"

Rokata Took the punch, standing firm with his stance spread. This time she didn't even make him stumble back. His head tilted up with the force of the blow, and when it was over he tilted his neck back and spat. He pushed her away with an underhoofed sweep. Was this still not enough? For a moment it felt like she had the upper hand and now he was back to overpowering her. Even with all the energy Tricis gave her and all the effort she was exerting, Rokata was able to push her away. @Canteen_the_unstable @Dynamo Pad @dragon4111 @reader8363 @DwhitetheGamer "Can't you see it's pointless..." Rokata said. When Jade stood herself back up, Rokata opened his fist hit her with another one of his invisible canonballs to keep her down. "To waste yourself like she did. Never reaching the heights you could have if you just let go." Next to the members of Team Crimos, Tatterhoof clenched his chest and lurched forward in his seat. Others around them were doing the same. Many members of the audience were already unconscious, unable to withstand the demonic presence that filled the ring, slowly draining their lives. "It's like my innersides are moving around and my head is drowning in air!" Cumulus complained. "Most of the audience is even too weak to leave their seats and the ring is falling around us..." Topaz announced. She was leaning against one of the dividing walls between the ring and the stands that was still intact, holding her mic close. "I don't know how much more of this I can take but I'll... try to officiate." "I used to be a pony, Jade, I'd say that gives me the right perspective to judge them, and there's something missing from you. Something you used to have..." Rokata gave Jade time to stand herself up. "You aren't even fighting for yourself!" Rokata disappeared, and Jade briefly couldn't tell where he was because it felt like he was all around her. He reappeared behind her, standing on one knee, still dwarfing her in height. He grabbed the back of her head and forced it into the dirt. "Are you really gonna watch all these people die?"

Rokata jumped back when she stopped in front of him, but not in time to avoid the blow. She kicked him in the stomach with an explosive force that caused the concrete barrier behind Rokata to explode in a cloud of fine dust. The beast stood his ground, however. He didn't budge from his position, and the burn on his chest began to heal in front of Jade's eyes. He curled both claws into tight fists and opened his palms. There was a sharp cracking sound that sounded like a gunshot and Jade's body was struck by two invisible projectiles with the force of cannon balls.

Rokata's eyes shifted when Jade made her dash. This time was different than when she moved quickly before. He really couldn't tell where she was, at least not physically. But Jade had a predictable fighting style. She never attacked from the front when given an option, and she never went for the back either. She would attack from the side. He raised a claw to block the claw swipe from the spectral dragon, but it was able to strike his head. He was sent off balance for a moment, but quickly planted his feet into the ground and only scoot back a few feet. "Perhaps that was enough."

I'm sorry I'm posting so little. Things are just bleh

And again she doesn't strike. Does she think she's being smart by always deferring the initiative to me? Rokata narrowed his eyes at Jade. He stepped to the side, cautiously circling his way to the middle of the arena. @Canteen_the_unstable @Dynamo Pad @dragon4111 @reader8363 @DwhitetheGamer His presence was felt by the weaker fans in the audience, making their hearts race and pores sweat like they were suddenly struck with fever. Even the stronger onlookers like the members of Teams Tatterhoof, lockdown, and Crimos could feel an effect, making them feel hot and as if the air around them was too heavy to comfortably breathe. Quill clenched her chest and fell to her knees. There's something missing from Jade. Something in her eyes that isn't there. Perhaps she needs to lose some of her control. I can do that. Rokata smiled and flexed one of his massive claw, looking at his own muscles with fascination. This form was something even he rarely got to see. This was only the second time he'd seen his full power. "When I take on this form, I become something of a different person, Jade," He said with a devious smile. Quill got back on her hooves with the help of Shining Armor. "There's something about that body," she said, looking at Rokata. "I need to get to my notes!" "I really am quite ruthless in this form. I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want!" Rokata pointed an open palm at Jade's teammates and fired a powerful blast of demonic energy that impacted the ground beside them. Quill was about to run toward the direction of the exit, right in the path of the blast, but Shining Armor pulled her back. The dividing wall behind them collapsed into a massive pile of rubble, and entire section of the stands collapsed and a huge fissure split through the stadium all the way to the ceiling. Even though it wasn't a direct hit, Shining Armor's shield disintegrated like tissue paper in water. Shrapnel from the destroyed stands flew out at them, causing minor cuts and bruises, but no serious injuries. Shining Armor and Quill were closest to the explosion, and were blown back against the wall. With her teammates weakened by their own fights, a direct hit from that could have killed them. Rokata looked at Jade and turned his claw slightly to the left, readjusting his aim. "I wonder if I'll... miss next time?"

@Dynamo Pad@reader8363@DwhitetheGamer @Canteen_the_unstable @dragon4111 Rokata's body transformed, obscured by the bright lights around him. His silhouette could be seen standing upright and jerking left and right as massive, muscular additions grew to his body. His hind hooves stretched out upright, his pelvis contorting to allow him to stand bipedal, and his hooves grew wide enough to balance his entire body. His shoulders broadened like armored pauldrons, pointed skyward at the tips. His body became muscular and monstrous like a minotaur, covered in pronounced veins and leathery skin. A pair of massive, feathered, gryphon wings grew from his back, bursting through the skin. His head went through the most dramatic change. His snout changed into something resembling a fleshy beak with sharp gnarled fangs that stretched past his lips. Horns grew from his skull, pointed backward like tusks. Rail dropped his lighter, standing in awe at what Rokata had transformed into. "So that's what he's been this whole time? It's more than I ever could have hoped for." Rokata's beady eyes scanned the ring. One of his ears twitched in the direction she was coming from. She was aiming for his head from the right side. She thinks too much. Makes her predictable. He stretched out his hoof and grabbed the flaming hoof, redirecting her momentum forward before pulling her back and causing whiplash. The flames around her hoof spread down his arm, singing and cracking the skin on his claw, but he didn't react to the pain. "Are we going to have to do this again?" he asked. He squeezed her hoof hard enough to crush the bone in her foreleg. Then he tossed her back and looked at his claw where he blocked her hoof. There was a bit of purple blood traveling down his wrist, and his fingers were clearly broken, but those wounds healed in seconds. "Do you really constantly need other ponies to show you your own potential?"

@Dynamo Pad@reader8363@DwhitetheGamer @Canteen_the_unstable @dragon4111 Rokata cocked his head and took a step forward. The few audience members who were still near him stepped back. Even they could sense the unease in the air. "Finally, Jade Lotus, you've done as I've asked," he said. His red aura swirled around him, raising high into the sky like a bonfire, sending out blazing lights. A sound accompanied his ghostly aura that sounded like distant moans of long forgotten souls, nothing like the loud, booming ringing that usually accompanied that size of aura. "I've waited too long for this, but finally my patience is rewarded." He stood up on his hind haunches, lifting his arms and spreading both his claws. Jade could hear the sound of snapping joints and straining skin as veins appeared across his body along the lines of his purple tattoos. "I want you to watch this very closely, Jade Lotus. See the power your teacher hid from you!" He shouted. His aura shot straight into the sky like a beacon of light. For a moment, the dreary, cloudy day was bathed in sunlight as his aura burst through the overhanging ceiling and shot a hole through the clouds. "RAAAAAAAAAH!" The pillar of light disappeared, leaving Rokata without a visible aura for a moment. That didn't last long as his aura exploded again, creating enough force to push back anyone near him merely by being in its presence during the explosive expansion. That included Topaz, who fell on her back near one of the dividing walls.

Rokata didn't seem to be trying anything. He was just taking the hits. His blocking became less and less effective until Jade found herself wailing on an enemy that didn't defend himself. She could feel cracking bones with some of her best landing strikes. After one strong strike, he flew into the dividing wall between the stands, causing a massive section to collapse like it was hit with a wrecking ball. The audience nearby cleared away as Rokata was covered in rubble. Only one of Rokata's hooves was sticking out. "She got him!" Shining Armor declared, but he seemed to choke up at the end as an uneasy feeling washed over the team. It felt like some sinister presence was growing. Rokata's hoof twitched. The rubble ontop of him rolled off, creating hollow clinks and crumbling sounds. His body rose from the rubble, covered in white dust. His legs were mangled and he even looked a bit smaller, but there was a tepid smile on his face.

I'll post tomorrow

@DwhitetheGamer @Canteen_the_unstable @Unicorncob @dragon4111 @reader8363 @Dynamo Pad I need to explain the slow posting to you guys. We're really close to the end right now and things should be wrapping up, but I've gotten very depressed lately. It's hard for me to do much of anything which is why I haven't posted as much as I used to.

Rokata retaliated with an under hoofed sweep to her chest during his window of opportunity, but he had to cut back on the force of his strike in order to quickly defend against Jades next flurry of blows. Jade seemed to be in total control of the fight, forcing him back and pushing him into total defensiveness. He blocked with both hooves, but most of her strikes still landed. Despite her clear advantage, however, there was a cold look in Rokata's eyes, like he wasn't actually losing.

With the cuffs gone, it felt like Jade could do more than simply match Rokata. She swung at him faster than he could make a move, landing a solid blow to his chest that made him stumble back, She could feel the solid force of the strike and even left bruising on his chest.

Rokata watched her turn around his attack, impressed with her graceful technique. She has talent. That gives her a right to be proud. But graceful technique alone is not going to save her in this fight. He reached out with his right claw and stopped the orb from moving closer. With a primal grunt and gritted teeth, he redirected the blast downward, creating an explosion of light and dust in the ground in front of him. Then he dashed to the right, sidestepping the crater to close the distance between him and Jade and swinging at her with a powerful kick.

I mean, it might be safer for you to head out, but there is no longer a ring, so anywhere you go is potentially the battleground. So no, you don't have to leave.

Hey guys. Sorry I havent posted in a while. I havent been home since yesterday morning and dont have access to my computer. Just phone.

"No more games, Jade," Rokata demanded, widening his stance while extending a claw with his digits curled into a fist. "Come at me with all you have. I want to see it." He opened his claw, and with a simple flex of his muscles, sent out a sphere of destructive red energy that shot out at Jade like a cannon ball.

Shining Armor kept his eyes on Jade while Dynamo spoke to him. "Well, maybe those cuffs have something to do with why she cant hurt him? They look familiar..." @Canteen_the_unstable The pulse passed through the crowd, drawing silence from the typically rowdy crowd calling for blood. "Now that's showmanship..." Tatterhoof said. "It's not just like you can feel her from here. It's like she's all about at once!" Said Cumulus. "Its a good thing I fought her before she got the superpowers..." @dragon4111 "She's already stronger than I ever thought a regular pony could be..." said Dai, planting her hooves in the ground to keep herself from blowing back. Rokata glared at Jade with his brow set. "I should have expected she'd give you her cuffs." He said, "But I never would have expected you to be so arrogant. Did you really think you could defeat me wearing those?"

@reader8363 @dragon4111 @Dynamo Pad @DwhitetheGamer @Canteen_the_unstable Jade really had hit him hard enough to throw him off his balance, and that opened him up for her next strike, which was hopefully her finisher. Her firey aura brightened in hue to a more yellow tint at the moment of impact, the explosive force of her strike blew apart the adjacent divider wall. Rokata rotated to his back from the force of the impact, and the ground beneath him became a crater. What was left of the ring was completely destroyed. Only chunks of segmented concrete remained scattered around. Even a large swath of the stands was obliterated. Though most of the rowdy fans had cleared out when they saw Jade's attack coming. Topaz peeked her head out from behind a pillar of rubble, looking at the two combatants. Then she looked at the destroyed earth where the ring used to be. "I... guess they're both out of the ring now, but it's not like they can get back in." Rokata lay with his eyes closed. Some dirt and debris covered his chest, and for a while he seemed to be unconscious, until he spread his wings, shaking some of the dust off his body. He raised a claw and grabbed the ground, pulling himself back on his hooves. As the dust fell from his body, Jade saw that she hadn't even scratched his body. There was no bruising or bleeding. It's like he was a machine, and all she did was force a short reboot. "Is that really all you can do?" He asked with a tone of disgust and disappointment. "There must have been nothing left of Tricis, if that's all she was able to give you." "This stallion... he really is invincible, isn't he?" Quill asked. "Don't say that!" Shining Armor ordered. "Even if you think it's true, I don't need to hear it right now." "I was expecting to be able to fight you with everything I have, but you've sorely disappointed me," Rokata said to Jade. "I wont need to use my true power to fight you. I can finish this as I am."

Jade's double-hoofed kick landed with more force than any of the other strike's she'd landed. She could feel in her hooves that there was some give to Rokata where she struck him on the cheek and neck, instead of feeling like she was striking a brick wall. The monstrous pegasus let out a loud grunt, and went tumbling in the opposite direction of Jade's kick on a bright wave of firey energy. He slammed into one of the sections of concrete as it fell back to the ground, causing it to explode into dust. He slammed into one of the steel and concrete divider walls separating the ring from the stands, nearly toppling it as he landed on his side. He propped himself up on his elbow, seeming to actually take a moment to catch his breath, leaving himself open again, if only for a few seconds.

Rokata's hoof slammed into the ring where Jade was standing moments before, blasting chunks of concrete in all directions on waves of red, demonic energy. Jade felt the shockwave from the blast, but it left him open for an attack. As the rubble flew, Rokata seemed off balance. His claw was still punching through the ground, making it impossible for him to block, an opportunity Jade wouldn't often get.