The crowd has been relatively quiet between the matches, murmuring, munching on snacks such as hand cupped rice balls, and most of all stretching their legs by going to the bathroom. Suddenly the lights dim and two large spot lights begin to swirl around the arena. The crane that the announcer's throne is on lowers into the arena and the man with spikey yellow hair yells into the microphone, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Angels of all ages....can you please take your seats so that the next Second Round match may start?" The crowd hushes and returns to their seats. Those two twirling spotlights find themselves focused on the Deus entrance hallways as the announcer yells, "In the East Corner, Misaka Saneko with her angel Akui!" There's a loud roar of the crowd for the young rookie. As it dies off, the announcer picks back up, "In the West Corner, Chiharu Takehashi with his angel Darius!" Again, the crowd goes into a roar of applause for the other Deus. Lowering himself on the platform slightly more, the announcer ushers both Deuses to the layer.
Saneko bounces through the entrance and looks around, giggling and waving to the crowd, then holding up Akui and bouncing a little more. Then, she skips over to the egg-like chair in the east corner and hops in. Saneko grins and looks around as the chair lifts up, as though trying to see into the darkened stands, and waves again before attempting to adjust the headpiece. It takes a few moments, but eventually she gets it and faces forward, looking towards the layer, excitedly.
Chiharu glances towards the techs manning the sound/video equipment and nods to them to get ready as they move some fireworks into position. It's cost him a huge chunk of his savings to set this up, but he's going to make a name for himself and his angel here. Suddenly the speakers start blaring Megadeth's "Crush 'em" as Takehashi steps out of the West entrance, raising his head slowly look up at the crowd for a moment as he holds Darius up for everyone to see as he struts to his chair. He's going all out, the Deus who's fighting style is that of a pro-wrestler is getting an entrance like one. He sits down and plugs in his headset to the layer and looks over at Saneko and says, "Good luck Saneko... I won't be holding anything back.", as he turns then to wait for the announcer to announce the competitors to put their angels into the layer.
Chiharu tosses Darius high into the air and somewhere, imaginary speakers blare out the American band Megadeth's "Crush 'Em" and somewhere imaginary strobe lights flare turning the layer hall into an arena and Darius is given a pro-wrestler-like entrance complete with fireworks, themesong and lights. Chiharu says in loud voice,
"Protector of dreams, vision of my imagination, give me the strength to carry me to VICTORY!"
As Darius enters the layer, imaginary fireworks go off as he spins acrobatically in the air and lands on one knee. He slowly stands up, a cocky look on the angel's face before turning around and doing a Randy Orton ballet-turn showing off his body before turning to face his opponent..
Saneko giggles at Chiharu's fancy show, then tosses Akui towards the layer, and calls out "Death can't keep you, Akui! Dance for us!" The angel makes only the slightest movement as she passes into the layer, falling to the layer ground like a ragdoll. Saneko pouts a little, and mumbles. "Up, Aki-chan. Stand up." At that, the little zombie geisha lurches upward, rising slowly to her feet. Once her back is erect, she lifts her head and opens her eyes, revealing a dull red glow. Then, she holds out an arm, and offers a low, gracious bow to the other angel..
There's a shimmering after both angels have fallen into the layer. The angels suddenly find themeselves in the middle of a valley, tall mountains rising up on all sides of them. "For the audience's note, the layer scenery that these brave angels will be dueling on is 'The Mountain'." The wind picks up into a low whistle across the layer as the announcer speaks. Then, bringing both hands to grab the microphone, the man yells out, "Angels ready....ANGELIC FIGHT!"
Well, Chiharu isn't wasting any time, he may enjoy the whole pro-wrestling shtick with entrance music, fireworks, posing and making outlandish speeches to incite the crowd to love him or hate him but he's determined to prove that he can back up his talk. Darius immediately rushes Akui and his eyes focus on one spot on Akui's body and makes a motion like he's going to kick her in the throat. He's hoping that the angel will fall for it as he switches in mid-motion and attempts to blast her with a side kick to chin and give her some "Sweet Chin Music".
On the layer, Akui rises from her bow as the other angel begins to move, her eyes glowing slightly brighter as he charges towards her. As she lets her arm fall to her side, that dark energy around her right hand seethes over her arm and down her sleeve. Expressionless, she keeps her gaze steady on Darius's face, rather than his attacks. As he feints, she takes a small step back and, when the real strike comes, she steps back again, just as his foot passes in front of her face. Her eyes dim slightly, but she makes no other movement.
On the layer, Akui does not move out of the way of the puch, but merely shifts her weight, tilting slightly to the side. With the same motion, she flicks her left hand back, then sharply down before bringing it sharply and suddenly upwards. In response, the weight of the sleeve slides back and, as a shimmer of backness infuses with the silk, the weighted edge snaps up, flying directly at Darius's shoulder.
That managed to damage Darius a little, but it doesn't deter him at all as he braces himself for it, and once it's hit he immediately moves forwards aggressively and turns to once again attempt to give the upstart zombie geisha some "Sweet Chin Music".
As the weight of the sleeve strikes the wrestler-angel, Akui keeps her crimson gaze steady on his face and throws her arm back, keeping the sleeve moving. As he moves in to strike, she steps lightly back to the side, leaving Darius to strike empty air. However, that sleeve never came to a stop. With a smooth circular motion of her hand, the geisha send the sleeve right back at him. This time, it flows quickly towards his side, just beneath the ribs.
Well that was a bit unexpected, but Darius simply bobs and ducks underneath the kick as it misses by a hair. He then leaps right into Akui's personal space, so much so that it's harder to dodge and attempts to give her the biggest headache possible with a powerful headbutt.
On the layer, Akui never shifts her gave from Darius's face, and never shows the slightest sign of emotion. As he rushed in so close, she tugs her sleeve sharply back again, grasping the silk a foot or two below the opening for her hand, continuing to keep the weight in motion. Her eyes darken slightly as he attempts to deliver a headbutt, then raises that black-shrouded skeletal hand to stop the advance of his head, bony fingers sinking into that dark hair as tendrils of electric blackness dance over his scalp. At the very same moment, she brings her left hand sharply up and forward, then snaps it back, sending the weight of the sleeve flying towards his back.
He knew he was going to get hit... at point blank range it's not even a question of if, it's a question of what, and how much damage. All he can do is fall backwards and try to roll out of the way of the kick. He had just enough agility to end up getting barely grazed by it and then moves back out of range. Time to rest up and attempt to weather the onslaught to come while he readies himself for the endgame.
As the wrestler's head pulls away from her bony grasp, Akui's eyes glowed slightly brighter. That left sleeve was thrown back behind her, the silk released at the last moment, giving the fabric a clean swish-snap sound. At the same instant, that black energy rushed down her sleeve and over her arm, seething and creeping over silk, flesh and bone. Then, that arm flew back, sending the sleeve behind her. Before the sleeve settled, Akui snapped her right arm up, forward, and back again in a sharp, sudden elipse. The weight of the sleeve followed the motion, sending the weight straight towards his face.
This is the part that Chiharu hates, when he's having to be defensive and on the run while he waits for an opening to launch a really strong attack. Darius starts to move his body rhythmically to try and minimize the damage, but the kick still sends his head snapping back and he rubs his chin, glaring at the zombie geisha.
Continuing the same fluid movement, Akui pulls her arms suddenly back. Then, she brings her left hand up, cupping the silk, then twisting it around her arm. Her eyes dim slightly as she slings both arms forward again, then sharply to the side and back. The right sleeve arcs in its return, then turns back to Darius and cuts through the air towards his chest.
Again, he's forced to brace himself for that attack, as it bounces off of him, grazing him slightly. This time, he doesn't wait, he moves in aggressively and launches a Stan Hansen special (A lariat for all you non-wrestling fans) at Akui wanting to do damage back to her.
On the layer, Akui pulls her sleeve back quickly, then spins lightly on narrow feet, slipping just out of his strike zone. Another rush of black energy seeths over her right sleeve as she whips the weight around, catching it in bony fingers. As Darius rushes past the point Akui had stood only a second ago, a sudden pulse of darkness erupts around her skeletal hand, propelling the weight of the sleeve once more towards his head.
Ow, that hurt again... Darius staggers back as he's still on the defensive. He still waits for an opening however and attempts to put some distance between him and Akui for now.
On the layer, Akui slings her sleeves back behind her once more, then draws her right hand close to her face. The shroud of energy seeths around those narrow bones, then flows outward, solidifying into a the shape of a large folding fan. Holding the fan before her face, the glow in Akui's eyes brighten a bit, but she makes no other move.
Well, now it's time to take advantage of the lull to start his comeback. Darius rushes in again fearlessly, but and jumps at her, attempting to hit her with a Harley Race high knee.
On the layer, Akui snaps the fan shut as Darius rushes in, slinging her right arm back as the fan dissipates into energy once more, rushing down her sleeve. She spins lightly to the side, turning to face him as he attacks the air. Another fan (or is it the same?) suddenly appears in her left hand. Keeping both arms moving, she lifts the left arm upwards, and swings the right arm back, to the side, then up and sharply down. The fan is thrown in front of him, fearfully close to his face - but never truly meant to strike. At the same instant, the weight of the right sleeve flies towards his back.
Darius managed to bob and weave enough that the attack passes harmlessly over him and as it does, he rushes once again in a maneuver that would remind one of a football player using his helmet on an opposing player's torso... or in simpler terms, a head spear.
On the layer, Akui never shifts her gaze from Darius, as he dodges her attack and rushes in. Slinging her sleeve back, she prepares for the coming headbutt by placing her right foot back a bit, waiting until he is nearly on her to close the step, turning to the side as his head scrapes against her obi. It may have knocked a little breath from her lungs, had they any breath to begin with.
Darius doesn't let up, time's running out and he's lower on health then the zombie Geisha and so he follow up by grabbing a hold of Akui, attempting to squeeze her to prevent her from regaining any momentum.
On the layer, Akui lifts her right hand to her face one more, that same seething black fan forming as Darius suddenly decides to give the little zombie a hug. At contact, a light surge of energy covers her form, puffing form softly to provide surprising resistance. As for Akui, she doesn't move, those glowing red eyes looking down to him over the edge of the fan.
It's almost over, Darius needs to pull it out of the jaws of defeat now, while he has an opening. While grappled, he picks up Akui, leaps into the air and then using all his leverage, momentum and your weight, he flips you over and attempts to drive you down into the ground in a powerslam.
Or so, he may intended. However, as Darius tried to lift Akui, he found her to be exceptionally heavy - the weight of the dead, indeed. As soon as this was apparent, it was too late to accomodate - the dark energy that cushioned the zombie geisha from the wrestler's embrace struck a wedge into his grip, reducing his options to either giving up the attack or slamming into the grass alone. As for Akui, she simply stepped back, snapping the fan closed and tipping it slightly in a beckoning motion, as the glow in her eyes darkened.
On the layer, Akui flicks the fan open, then lifts her hand, giving a sudden arc with her arm as she spins on her slender feet. The response of the sleeve helps to obscure her form, disrupting his punch as it hits off-target.
On the layer, Darius throws another european uppercut, he's fast running out of time and he can't allow Akui to beat him.
On the layer, Akui continues in the spin, but is suddenly spinning in the opposite direction. From the spin, she sends out a sleeve. The spin and momentum of the sleeve sends it directly at the other angel.
Just as Akui comes to a stop, Darius's kick strikes against an open, skeletal palm. At the same instant, a sleeve flies towards the wrestling angel's head.
The buzzer sounds and the crowd stays at a dull roar for the announcer, who most assuredly pipes up at this point. "OH! It looks like we're out of time here folks, and it's right down to the wire! Unfortunately for Darius though, Akui edges out just ahead. Akui wins!" And thus it was that the crowd began their cheering, though they were mostly cheering for the dues and not the zombie. Saneko was quite adorable, but most people didn't really think that way about zombies.
Much like her last match, Saneko had remained almost perfectly still during the fight. However, as soon as the time ran out, she giggles and bounces. "Yaay! Aki-chan!" The little zombie twitches a bit, then walks a little unsteadily towards the edge of the layer. As soon as the chair lowers enough, Saneko slips the headset off and bounces off, cupping Akui tenderly in her hands and looking her over.
Saneko giggles and bounces, then looks around to the darkened crowds. She holds Akui up for all to see, then hugs her angel tight before delivering a bouncing wave to the crowds and skipping off towards the waiting rooms.