Fubuki vs. Randi Carter

Sporting Event / Competition

Dawn arrived, the sun rose, and the Mōri Clan's Martial Arts Tournament began once again. Each of the Hashinara Cardinal Generals had opted to attend this morning in the company of their retinues. Each, that is, except Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, whose personal business kept her* in the Dreamlands for now. In place of the Daimyō, Sheele Hashinara Kiyowara took her* spot in the box. Other guests might be forgiven, however, for assuming that Tōdaisen Nobuhara was the clan's true representative.   As was familiar by this point, Mōri Motonari and her wife Kikkawa no Myōkyū took turns welcoming the various dignitaries and announcing the day's events. First among these was the independent quarterfinals. Those who succeeded would proceed to the semifinals. Between Fubuki and Randi Carter, who would claim this honor? Odds seemed to be generally on the cold-eyed oni, but one voice cried out in support of Randi as the two took to the field. This rather loud Kyūso had apparently dropped quite a hefty bet on the Dreamer and was expecting a great payout in return when she won.

Soon after their introduction, Fubuki and Randi Carter had taken up position on opposite sides of the arena. They both readied their arms—a greatsword for Randi and a fluid rapier for Fubuki—then stood ready as Kikkawa no Myōkyū called the match to action. It was obvious that Fubuki had the initiative as the oni stormed across the canal and stung at her* opponent with the watery rapier. Randi dodged, just avoiding the attack, but opted not to counterattack. Fubuki, too, did not strike again. Instead, she* grew a pair of black, Tengu-like wings and flapped over to stand on a nearby pillar.   Although now in a prime position to respond, Randi showed little interest in chasing her opponent. Instead, she concentrated, taking on a defensive posture as she began to draw magical energy from the surrounding area. Fubuki watched carefully. That was a Creation spell of some sort, but even the oni's dark eyes could not determine exactly which one. Readying a counterspell, Fubuki waited to see what would happen next.   At first, Randi did not use the ambient magic she'd accumulated. Rather, she called on that innate ability for magical creation shared by all Dreamers. In previous matches, she'd used this ability to great effect in trapping her enemies. This time, Randi created something different. With a burst of displaced air, an enormous stone statue appeared in the arena dirt behind her. Fully thirty-five feet in height, the portrayed figure was clearly humanoid, but vague in feature. At its conjuring, Fubuki nearly released her* own counterspell, but realized in time that it would have no effect here. This was not true magic, but an ability which mimicked it. Randi still had her accumulated energy.   That didn't last for long, as the little Dreamer proceeded to cast another spell straightaway. This one was canceled as Fubuki released a Magic Destruction spell, destroying Randi's weave. Such interference earned Fubuki a slight scowl, but Randi still didn't move. It seemed as though she had some kind of plan involving that statue. To guard against some unpleasant possibilities, Fubuki cast a Physical Control spell on it. It was inanimate now, so the magic didn't do anything, but should it somehow come to life, Fubuki would have control over it so long as the spell was maintained.   The oni's prediction quickly came true, although not in the way she* might have expected. Randi put her all into gathering up as much magic as possible, then finally cast the spell she'd been working at: Fuse. When the dust cleared, Randi and the statue had become one. Its shape now much resembled the Dreamer, although now several times her original height with a sandy, stony countenance to her skin. Her weapon had grown as well. Fubuki suddenly found an immense, building-sized greatsword being swung down at her*.   Fortunately, the attack was hurried. What's more, Randi's size had increased, but her skill was still no match for the legendary Black Blade. Fubuki parried the strike, then grew in size to match her* opponent. The crowd was in uproar now, cheers and jeers swarming around the two titans in the arena. Some of its more learned members took note as well. Randi's transformation had been easy to magically track, but Fubuki's was less so. It seemed as though the mysterious swordswoman was a shapeshifter of some sort; much more than she seemed.   Now towering over the stands, the two exchanged a few blows. Fubuki's weapons had not grown, so she* instead fought with fists. A few strikes did little to damage Randi's stone skin, but the Black Blade was far from out of tricks. Reaching out, Fubuki managed to grab a weak hold onto Randi's forearm as the other extended for an attack. A light touch was all that was required. Fubuki channeled an overwhelming burst of pure ki through the rocky arm and into its body beyond. Subjected to such intense life energy, everything inorganic burst and shattered. Stone shards rained to the ground until all that remained was the construct's organic core: Randi herself. The girl was bruised and scratched, her plan had collapsed like the rubble around her, but she was still game to fight.   With few tricks left in the Dreamer's sleeves, however, it quickly became apparent how the battle would end. Fubuki shrank back down and, with a brief taunt, took advantage of Randi's imbalance to step within her guard. The oni's fist came around like a hammer and struck a glancing blow on her* opponent's head. Only the most powerful in the crowd could sense reality stutter and skip. A few seconds rewound, then the oni's fist came around like a hammer and struck a powerful blow on her* opponent's head. Randi's eyes went blank as she fell into the rocks surrounding her. She was still breathing, still largely unharmed, but clearly unconscious. A clear victory for Fubuki.   Unlike many of the tournament's matches so far, this one hadn't ended in a death. That much was to Fubuki's credit. The swordswoman had clearly gone for an incapacitating finisher rather than a killing blow. As such, Randi didn't require any urgent medical attention. Fubuki lifted the girl's sleeping form off those jagged rocks and carried her back to their place in the stands. Except... Something strange was happening there.   When she* descended into the arena, Fubuki had only brought two weapons with her*. Of course, anyone who'd been paying even a little attention knew that the oni had a veritable plethora of weapons in her* possession. Those other blades were bundled up and left with Taira no Tokuko and Aka no Kitsunebi when the match had begun. Now, a quartet of strange, green, sticky humanoids were attempting to make away with that same bundle. It wasn't clear if they knew just what was inside, but the mochi monsters' eyes were filled with a certain determination that left little doubt about their intentions.   Tokuko faced off against one as Fubuki approached. A coating of green sweet paste across the Taira heiress and the ground around her hinted at a previous encounter. This one was not to end so violently, however. Before Fubuki could even make the stands at her* own considerable speed, Aotsuki Tsukamoto was there. He scooped up the bundle before any of the creatures could lay their sticky little hands on it, then took a stance indicating that he wasn't about to let it go again. The Mochi Minions seemed to realize this, and they obviously weren't here for a fight. The quartet backed off, then eventually broke into a fleeing run. Only one remained: a pink mochi that had appeared with its companions at some point in the confusion. It looked up to Aotsuki with a sweet, almost apologetic expression, then ran off to join its bretheren.   That was strange, but perhaps not the strangest thing that had happened throughout the tournament. Mōri Motonari noted that the situation had resolved itself without her input, then called the next two competitors down from the stand even as Fubuki reclaimed her* seat.