No Reflection

[NightSister]

Coruscant
Underground Levels​

​

Crack.

A fist met her jaw and her head snapped to the side. He surely wanted her to stumble backwards, and Aria was sure that he had expected she would. She had no reputation around here - around anywhere, really - and she didn't look like much. Pretty to the right eyes, but shorter than most, slim, light like you could throw her across a room. The sort who got hazed the first time they showed up in places like these. Certainly not intimidating. Certainly not who you bet money on in a fight.

But she didn't move backwards. She barely acknowledged the blow, slipped closer instead to land one of her own.

He kicked. She dodged. He turned. She punched, a blow to his gut. He grunted but refused to double over. Forwards. Backwards. Forwards. Backwards. Neither of them was uninjured. Neither of them seemed to care.

Aria had a good deal of faith in herself when it came to sparring, but she would admit her opponent was good. He didn't tire, and he didn't surprise. That was good. She would've been terribly disappointed if this fight had turned out to be easy. Of course, she knew that he wasn't undefeatable. Nobody was. Not impossible to beat. . . but not easy. Good.

Finally, she feinted to his left - he took the bait. She was at his right in an instant, launching a kick to his chest. He stumbled. A smirk crossed her features; she knew he was trying not to fall. He just had to keep his balance, and he'd be fine. It wasn't over yet. He just had to not fall.

Thud.

He fell.

[member="Enyo Typhos"]​

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Aria Vale"]


If you wanted to make your mark in a fight - or just enjoyed a good tussle without caring about something as prosaic as rep - the Warriors' Haunt was the place to be in the Coruscant underground. At least who frequented the fight club would claim that, though it was one among many.


It was renowned for its grisly, brutal matches and occasional deaths. Deathmatches always produced the most attention. Some fights were even broadcast. Suffice to say Ms. Vale got quite a few cheers when she demolished her opponent.


The outcome of the match also produced grumpiness among some of the spectators. Those who had betted on her opponent, having been deceived by her appearance, short stature and lithe build. In the far corner, a cyborg with the face of Siobhan Kerrigan sat with two goons. She neither cheered nor grumbled. Instead, she observed, analysed and assessed. This table was free of booze or cigarettes, for Enyo disliked both.


"I guess it wasn't Cassius' day, huh?" one of her underlings commented. She was a tall, wriy Zabrak, with a cybernetic arm and eye. A disruptor pistol rested on her hip. "Elagabalus the Hutt is gonna be mightily pissed. I almost feel sorry for Cassius when he's gotta face the overgrown slug."


The clone made no immediate comment. Reaching out, she felt the Force radiate from the woman in the ring. She felt strong. "I'm going to fight her," she declared. Her electronic eyes flashed. The gleam inside them could only be described as predatory.

 

[NightSister]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

Another figure stepped into the ring - but this time, Aria was curious about her.

Enemies demanded a level of interest, if only to avoid being in the dark when she threw her first punch (strengths, weaknesses, confidence - arrogance? - intellect. He favors his left side. She always moves backwards when she's dodging. Interesting.) But Aria had very limited concern for those she was pitted against, no real need to think about her foes as anything beyond targets.

All the same, she was interested now. Because she could sense strength, and she could sense darkness (they did so often go hand in hand). The rarer kind, the kind that wasn't so commonplace in areas like these.

Strength was rarely shown clearer than when it was put to use, when it was wielded against you, held to your throat like a knife. Arguably, that was the only time it mattered. There was seldom much power behind words, after all. No promises of death and destruction and your deepest, darkest fears would ever hurt as much as it would to stop talking and do the deed.

Aria certainly hadn't come to Coruscant for the conversation.

She had come to fight and this promised to be a fun one. So she smiled when the noise sounded to mean begin fighting, shifted her stance smoothly as the crowd circled, ready to place their bets.

Hands balled into fists, aimed for the head. One to the left, another quickly to the right - to test the waters.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Aria Vale"]


Talking was overrated. Enyo paid the crowd no mind. The clamour emanating from them did not concern her. The same applied to the bets they were already placing. Rather, her focus was upon her opponent.


She could perceive strength that went beyond the physical, as well as darkness in the Force. Sith? Dark Jedi? Unaffiliated, misc darkside Force-user. Truth be told, the exact category was trivial from the perspective of Enyo. She was curious about her presence regardless.


She sized her up like a predator would. The feral look in her cold eyes showed she recognised a fellow predator. Battle was the best way to get the measure of someone. The less inhibitions, the better. Growth was brought about by struggle and adversity. Or at least so the clone thought.


Her opponent made the first move and went on the offence. Enyo was fine with that. Two punches swept towards her head. One came from the left and connected, though Enyo did not flinch. As her opponent would discover, hitting her head was like punching a brick wall, for synthetic skin covered a phrik skull. Her entire body was composed of the metal.


For the punch that came from the right, Enyo's own arm moved forth to deflect, throwing her own against her opponent's to push her strike upward, while stepping aside at the same moment. In the blink of an eye, she counterattacked. With lightning speed, her mechanical fist moved to deliver a powerful punch aimed at her opponent's solar plexus.

 

[NightSister]

Her opponent was quick. Fought with her mind. A smile dragged across her lips, satisfaction and gritted teeth. So far, so good.

For as long as she had learned to fight, Aria had learned it as a way to understand someone. Aside from the fact that she preferred fists to words when it came to understanding people, she had taken the ideal to heart. When someone launched themselves into a fight blindly, ready to unleash a wave of destruction - she took note. When they sidestepped conflict then took down their foe suddenly and before there was chance to cry out - she took note.

It was oh so interesting to observe. Oh so useful, too.

She could only spare a heartbeat's span to think about the fact that the digits curled to aim for her center were mechanical digits, but she registered the fact curiously in the moment she had before Aria was forced to act.

The punch was too fast to dodge. Instead she shifted, grappled with the force instead of letting it throw her. Aria let out a half-stifled grunt of discomfort ("not bad", she said, under her breath), caught off guard at how strong it was - but she recovered.

Her feet moved in time with Enyo's, turning Aria side-on. Amber eyes watched her opponent almost over her shoulder.
Then back foot came closer and sent a kick into her side.

​

[member="Enyo Typhos"]​

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Aria Vale"]


Her opponent could adapt. That was good. It made the tussle interesting. Her gaze was an analytical, assessing one. Battle could teach you a good deal about another person. Certainly in a less time-consuming manner.


Aria adjusted and quickly shifted her posture. The shuffle of feet was brief and meant that she was now looking at Enyo side-on. The Cyborg shifted as well. Aria's back-foot rose and shot towards Enyo's side in a strong kick.


As the side-kick shot towards her, Enyo's right foot stepped back. Moving swiftly yet with discipline, her left hand moved forth and sought to capture her opponent's striking foot and catch it in the air with an iron grip.


Moving in sync, her right backhand crashed down, aiming to be dropped right on top of Aria's aforementioned foot. Ideally, this manoeuvre would result in bones breaking. It had a good chance at any rate. Enyo did not draw upon the Force, relying purely on her Terminatrix strength and speed.