What Tahi-shei hadn't told her was that his skill was not exclusively in fungal magic. He watched her hold still, watching him warily and waiting for him to move. So, with a good-natured shrug, he did. Lightning arced off of his body, blue and controlled -- it raced along the track he'd set for it, and crackled out to strike at Sora. Hopefully he'd strike her -- he didn't imagine it was particularly easy to dodge lightning, but maybe she had something up her sleeve, too.


Round: 2/5
Attempt: BOLT
Defense: Inky Cap
Injuries: None

Sora had not been expecting that, and the lightning struck her. The water evaporated in a flash, and the lightning burned her skin -- the scent of burning hair filled the air. Her ears popped, and she was dizzy on her feet -- this was nasty. Sora roared, sick of this stupid deer standing there all smug, and rushed him in as straight of a line as she could manage to try and slam him into the ground.


Round: 2/5
Attempt: PUT HIM ON THE GROUND
Defense: None
Injuries: Lightning ouchies :(

Tahi-shei saw her coming and took a step to the side, hoping to send her flying. He still stumbled, though, and Sora clipped the edge of his fungal blooms, starting to unravel them -- the exact thing he'd been trying to avoid. He was prevented in his movement and stumbling from doing anything else, but at least he wasn't on the ground now. He could live with that, at least for the time-being.



Round: 3/5
Attempt: Dodge!
Defense: Inky Cap, slight damage
Injuries: None

Sora roared when she whiffed like an idiot, and turned around to charge towards him once more. She was going to kill this stupid deer! She wanted to make him HURT! Why was he so damn slippery?! AND WHY WAS HER FUR SO STICKY? She was out for blood (or mostly just hopped up on adrenaline and the rage of losing, considering she didn't actually want to hurt him).


Round: 3/5
Attempt: HIT HIM
Defense: None
Injuries: Lightning ouchies and a little bit sticky

Tahi-shei watched her stumble in her blind rage, and sighed. Maybe he'd underestimated her. Still, manpower was manpower... even if Sora was seeming less and less like a valuable asset by the second. He tried to give her another shot of lightning, but unfortunately, the unpredictable nature of magic caused it to fail him. Probably something to do with exhaustion -- he was starting to grow weary, expending so much energy like this, but at least Sora seemed to suck at hitting him.



Round: 4/5
Attempt: Bolt!
Defense: Inky Cap, slight damage
Injuries: None

Second to last shot, she thought dimly. She could feel weariness starting to settle in, even with the surge of adrenaline. Sora lunged towards Tahi-shei again, trying this time to take out one of his legs despite the fungal mess. He couldn't dance around her if his leg was numb -- and maybe even broken, if she managed to hit it just right, though she doubted that by virtue of the black stuff.


Round: 4/5
Attempt: Take out his leg
Defense: None
Injuries: Lightning ouchies, slightly sticky, bruised ego

Sora struck him in the leg despite the mess of Inky Cap, and Tahi-shei gasped as it fell from under him, sending him to the ground. "Low blow," he gasped, shoving out a surge of electricity and praying that it didn't tear through him because he wasn't properly grounded. Thankfully, luck seemed to be on his side, and blue lightning arced off of his body at the nearest target. Unfortunately, his defenses were now nixed, melted into the floor and the fur between them.



Round: 5/5
Attempt: Bolt!
Defense: None
Injuries: Crippled! Also a little bit sticky.

There was inky fluid on her face, in her eyes, in her nose, everywhere. Lightning struck her in the chest, knocking the breath from out of her. She could barely see, and she was furious. Sora surged upward with her mouth open, rage still surging through her -- his throat was exposed, she was here to hurt him, and her tusks rarely saw the use that they deserved. Hopefully, she'd be able to gore him, but there was a reason she didn't often use them -- there was far more force behind her body.


Round: 5/5
Attempt: Scratch the deer's neck
Defense: None
Injuries: Lightning ouchies, very sticky!

Character: Tahi-shei Age: +6 (6 Cycles) Magic Level: +5 (Master) ROUND 1 Attempt: +18 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +14 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +3 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +13 Penalties: -0 Total: 78

Character: Sora Age: +8 (8 Cycles) Magic Level: +3 (Brawler) ROUND 1 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +10 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +4 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +15 Penalties: -0 Total: 78

WINNER: Tied

@Sora @Tahi-Shei

Tahi-shei was breathing hard as Sora collided with his chest, and then they were both stumbling away -- him on three legs, and her on four. He was still breathing hard, and took quick stock of the situation -- she looked exhausted, and he felt hurt. Despite her being vastly more injured, he'd sort of run out of things to do, and gave a breathy laugh -- "It seems we're evenly matched!" And honestly, wasn't that just ideal? It proved that she was strong enough to hold her own against him (and got his own blood pumping) while also proving that he wasn't a pushover or someone who wanted to kill her. She would be useful, he decided -- though his threat to involve Vargas was admittedly an empty one. He didn't want to bother the Leviathan with a hog.

"What do you say, Sora? Our efforts could use you. And if you truly wish to avoid the Masters, perhaps I could speak to Vargas on your behalf." Key word: perhaps. He wasn't actually sure if he had any intention of actually doing it.