Ring of Fire (Safiya vs Lewis)

There was a bit of anger on his face as he missed, replacing itself with a shudder as heat coursed through him once more. It was getting harder to think. It was making him sloppy. And now there was some...haze of sorts, over his mind.

"You..claim to be more than even a Midara? Then please..by all means, feel free to elaborate...!" As he said that, he attempted to wrench his arm from her grasp. Right now, he needed to center himself...He couldn't risk giving her the chance to catch up...!

(Cross Counter.)

Lewis's body curved itself ever so slightly, preparing to lunge at the woman with an incredibly fast fist at her touch, but that small movement was all Safiya needed to notice he was up to something. The fist flew right past her cheek, just missing the woman as she flapped her wings to put some distance between the two of them.

"I could, but..." She shrugged dismissively. "Too much work." She cupped her hands in front of her and blew, forming a little bubble of hot air shaped like a heart, letting it float out between them, and for a moment, it remained motionless. And then...

pop

The little bubble exploded into a mess of red mist, surrounding the two of them in hot air. It removed the other from both of their visions, surrounding the two of them. The heat was enough to make him sweat instantly, and now he was blinded by the smoke around him, giving Safiya room to breathe as well.

(Cross Counter: 9)
(Burning Heart: 14)
(Charm Remove: 35)

Lewis: 23 (3rd Heated + Charmed)
Safiya: 20 (Smokescreen)

"What in the...?!" A smokescreen. That was slightly frustrating to deal with. Come on, think..think...!

As he looked around, he felt sweat start to pool on his forehead. Huh...She was making him break a sweat. Was this because of the exertion he had to put in? Or because of the smoke? Covering his mouth, he began to stagger back, trying to keep his guard up. "Alright now...Where are you....?"

He didn't have much in terms of plans, so the best thing he could think to do was to go for broke, swinging into the smoke!

(Jab)

Lewis's fist threw itself into the mist, hoping to connect with the woman's face, body or anything he could make out from this thick fog. His entire weight went into that punch...and it met nothing but empty air.

"Having trouble?" The fog seemed to make the voice echo across it, as if the sound was bouncing from place to place, impossible to tell where it had originally come from. "You seem a bit flustered. I thought you had tools to handle anything a Midara like my could throw at you~" For a moment, nothing seemed to happen.

And then, from behind Lewis, a hand reached out and pulled his face to hers in another kiss that sent a jolt of flame down his body, one that she held for a while to let him experience the flavor, before she pulled back and leapt backwards, back into the mist. "You definitely don't seem like that to me, right now~"

(Jab - 50 17)
(Flaming Kiss - 48)
(Heated Stacks - 10, 59)
(Smokescreen Heated - 25)
(Charm Remove - 91)

Lewis: 21 (4th Heated + Charmed)
Safiya: 20 (Smokescreen)

Curses...! He missed, but he'd keep trying. The moment she began to talk however, he looked around, hellbent on finding her...Before he found himself trapped in another kiss with her.

This one felt..different. He felt a lot hotter than before. It was getting harder to even breathe, let alone think. A part of him wanted to try and remove his shirt, hoping that maybe that'd help him cool off...But it wasn't a wise idea. If he did that, he'd be playing into her hands...right? As she pulled away and leapt from him, he shook his head. A fog was steadily encroaching on his mind, but he did what he could to keep it at bay.

She seemed quick to anger...maybe that'd work to his advantage? "I don't need to break out my best tricks on someone who's too scared to fight me face to face. Come on, then! You say you're better than most Midara, right? Why don't you prove it?"

(Swagger)

He made a bold claim into the fog, hoping to get a rise out of the woman, even if she was perfectly hidden amidst it. Appealing to her temper seemed like a good idea, but in this scenario, she had the advantage, and as a result, she was perfectly at home in her cover.

"I could do that, yeah. But...ugh, that sounds like so much work! What would I get out of that?!?" Her voice once again echoed around him, unable to pin it down in a way that could predict her movements.

A hand reached out behind him through the fog, grasping hold of the fold behind his neck, moving her fingers in a way that sent jolts of pleasure down his body with each little twitch, freezing him in place with a warm grip. "I only work when I get something out of it. I don't really like, fighting. So, tell me..." She leaned in close to whisper in his ear, her form stepping out of the fog in his trapped state. "What do you think you can give me to make me try~?"

Ava was in the corner, fully submersed in the heat, as her nose twitched and she started to sweat. From her seat, she reared back and let out a powerful sneeze, strong enough to dissipate the smoke around the two of them with a burst of wind, as she wiped her nose. "Ugh...the hell was that, Safi?" But she was fully immersed in her work, not giving her the time of day. "Hmph..."

(Swagger: 25)
(Heated Touch: 86)
(Extra Damage: 21)
(Charm Remove: 16 19)

Lewis: 18 (5th Heated + Charmed + Stunned)
Safiya: 20

Damnit...! It wasn't going too well. His body was frozen. The heat was unbearable, his breathing becoming ragged. "I...am not...sure right now. But I won't...give up."

As she was holding his neck, the heat flowing into him, his brain was trying to come up with plans. Something, anything! Maybe another Heartbreak Shot..or a Corkscrew....Right now, though, he needed to get his head on straight.

(Turn Pass.)

"Oh, I'm sure you won't..." Her tone was a bit condescending as she spoke, as she had him trapped in his own skin. She knew enough about touch to know the right places to hold on to that caused spikes of pleasure with very small movements. She always wanted to maximize the amount she did, because it meant less work. And now, she was ready to land the decisive blow, with how much was flowing through him.

"That's cute and all, buuuut...I'm done playing your game. Now we get to play mine~" Safiya brought her free hand in front of Lewis's face, lighting the tip of it in a pink flame that floated on the edge of her upwards facing index finger. "You're sooooo hot...and yet, the image of my little flame just...draws you in, for some reason. I wonder why that is~? Maybe you should stare more to find the answer. I'm sure it'll come to you~" She wiggled her finger slowly back and forth, and the flame, along with his gaze, followed along, starting her induction.

(Flame Induction: 20)
(Charm Remove: 79)

Lewis: 18 (5th Heated + Charmed + 1st Fascination)
Safiya: 20

A growl erupted from the boxer at her words, and her action. "Get...off of me...!"

His words, however, died as the pink flame appeared in his view. It was...strangely alluring, like the woman holding it. His struggles began to lessen, though not finish. One could see a slight pinkish hue beginning to form within his eyes....

(Struggle)

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't tear himself out of Safiya's grip...or his gaze off of the pink flame on her fingertip. Even as his struggles continued, it was obvious he was fighting his own mind all the while, unable to pull himself free as the things around him became muffled.

"Shhh, shh shh, why fight it? You can't hide how you're starting to enjoy it~" Safiya pressed herself into his back as she continued, no longer even needing to hold him in place as she let the flame dance in his vision. "Have you figured out what makes the flame so alluring, so intoxicating, that you just can't take your eyes off of it~? I'll bet you haven't yet, but the answer's right in front of you. Maybe if you look even deeper...follow it even deeper...it'll become more obvious. That seems like a good idea, doesn't it?"

(Struggle: 34 9)
(Charm Removal: 29)

Lewis: 18 (5th Heated + Charmed + 2nd Fascination)
Safiya: 20

"So...beautiful...?" That pink flame seemed to draw him in even deeper. Her pressing against him wasnt helping things. Slowly, he began to stumble back against her. "...Look...deeper? Good idea....?"

He needed to resist..needed to fight...


(Struggle)

Safiya felt his body slightly lean back into hers, slowly losing touch with the world around him as she continued her induction. He was more receptive to it than she had expected. That worked out in her favor though, as her voice droned on.

Safiya's arm reached around across his waist, holding him as she continued. "There you go, you're doing so good, right about now...and I'll bet it feels good, too~ Still looking for that answer, hmm~? Tell you what, I'm gonna let you go even deeper to find it, so, so deep that you can't see any light anymore aside from this little flame, and maybe, just maybe...it'll be obvious to you then. But if it's not, I'll just tell you by then~" She brought her lips to his ear, still falling under her spell as she whispered seductively. "Just like this, as the only words still going through that empty little head of yours~"

(Struggle: 23)

Lewis: 18 (5th Heated + Charmed + 3rd Fascination)
Safiya: 20

The pink glow practically overtook the entirety of his gaze. A dreamy smile formed on his face. It was so easy to just...dive on in. To just search. A part of him tried to get his head to move back. To look at her, to do something! It was a final, futile attempt to resist. To break free from the fire, and from her charms.
(Struggle)

Lewis's head tried to crane itself upwards, but despite his physical exertion, his gaze just didn't follow that movement, still locked onto the gentle swaying of the flame. "Aww, how cute...no no, take a closer look..." She gave him a kiss on the forehead, before grabbing the back of his head and gently easing him closer to the flame, taking up more of his vision.

"That's a cute smile you've got on your face...oh, I know exactly what I'm going to do to you. All that talk of how tough you were, and look at you now~ Human, midara, it doesn't really matter, I still get what I want in the end. And right now, what I want...is to add yet another pet to my collection. Another one of my fun little toys that gets to wander and have fun without me, but when I'm around, melts into the palm of my hand...oh, I'm sure it'll never get boring~" She always derived some sort of pleasure from the act of breaking someone down. There was a rush, a thrill to it that was hard to describe to someone.

"And when I snap my fingers, that little flame will go out, you'll find your answer, and you'll go into a deeeeeep sleep for me. So deep, that I'll be able to put all my special touches in there~ Just give it a biiiit more time..."

(Struggle: 61)

Lewis: 18 (4th Heated + Charmed + 4th Fascination)
Safiya: 20

"Ghk....." His body shuddered from the kiss to his forehead, the smile widening. He found himself being moved closer and closer to the fire, his eyes starting to close. Sleep sounded...so nice. It would be so nice..so easy to give up. To become her pet. Hells, he was already becoming putty under her touch. He'd find the answer to why the fire was so enticing if he did so...And yet, a part of him continued to try and fight....!

(Struggle)

Lewis was fading to the small little flame on her fingertip, and his body was starting to sway with the flame's dance through the air. It was only a matter of time before his mind gave in fully, dropping like a rock and fully opening up to her delicate touch on his thoughts. And then, ohhh, and then, she'd get to have as much fun as she wanted messing with him, to make up for all the exertion. She could hardly wait.

"You're so, so close...and now, I'm going to snap my fingers, and when I do, it'll all become so obvious to you...so easy an answer, and you'll drop so, so deep for me~ An-"

However, her induction was cut short, as the burning glare of Ava's gaze was a bit closer than it was before, her tail whipping the flame out. "H-Hey! This one's mine! I worked for this on-"

"I don't care." Her tone was as monotone as ever, as she matched gazes with her. The smallest puffs of purple were coming out with each breath, as she meant business. "Drop him. I want to speak with the boy."

Even Safiya knew that was bad news when she had that look on her face. She instantly let him out of her hands, raising them up before backing up slowly. "Hey. Boy." Ava's tail slapped against his cheek, getting his attention and hopefully snapping him back to reality, wiping that blissful look on his face off. She didn't like that look, anyway.

(Struggle: 18)

It was close...so close. The answers were right there, just within reach....!

"...."

Why did his face hurt? Looking at the smaller person, as well as Safiya, thoughts began coming back to him....And with that, anger began to bubble within. Raising his fist, that familiar pink glow began to form. He was gonna make her suffer....!

But one more look at Ava caused him to pause. The glow dissipated, and he looked over at her. "Yes? What is it?"

The little girl in front of him seemed entirely nonplussed by his reaction, more focused on that pink glow that was on his fist for just a moment. Ava didn't give a damn about people, and if it was anything else, she would have just let Safiya melt his brain into a puddle of goo, for all she cared. But this one piqued her interest with that technique of his, plus he was certainly a step above the various people that threw themselves at the Grimleal.

"You could throw yourself at Safiya again, get put under, and this time I won't be there to pull you out." Even Safiya was staying away from Ava right now, and Lewis might notice that. "Or, you can answer a few questions, and I decide what to do with you, most of which would most likely lead to something a bit less...mind-melting. How's about it, boy?"

"......"

The boxer stood there. Processing everything that was being said. All in all, he had more or less lost. As much as he loathed to admit it, he didn't have much of a chance of snapping out of that. Letting out a sigh, he turned to face the smaller girl.

"...My name is Lewis. But sure, I'll answer your questions."

"Very well, boy. You have made a smart decision." She emphasized the word on her tongue, clearly not focusing on his given name. Her tone had a haughty edge to it as she spoke, trained and seeing herself as above him in this given situation. Despite the size difference.

"I'll admit, you fought admirably. Much more than many that decide to foolishly throw themselves at members of the Grimleal. And because of your skill, and your humility, I have deigned to give you the opportunity to have a better fate than being reduced to one of her toys. You should be grateful to me, human." She puffed out her small chest in pride with a huff.

"Firstly, that thing you did with your hands. When they glowed, they had a rather...ethereal light to them. It feels very different to the standard magic users I see come and go, and are part of us...describe it for me. How did you develop such a trait?" Ava stood up on her tippy toes to look at his hands closer, her tail swishing back and forth behind her.

"...." An eyebrow raised slightly. What was up with this...sassy lost child? And Grimleal? He knew very little about that name. Nothing, in fact.

At the mention of his hands, he clenched them slightly, that ethereal light forming once more. "Not really sure how it happened. I kept hearing about Midara, and how anyone who fought them would become enthralled by their charms. So I figured I needed to find a way to defend myself if I fought them. Something that seemed to work, by the way!" At that, he looked over at Safiya, smiling ever so slightly.

"A lot of meditation, training, and some mixtures that really shouldn't have gone down later..and I was soon able to start doing this. Felt like something was...unlocked, so to speak?"

The small girl nodded sagely. He definitely had potential. Clearly, he had trained himself to a level where his humanly limits were starting to show. His abilities were starting to mold around his wants, and desires. He was certainly reaching a peak of his capabilities. Reminded her of quite a few that had grown even further after taking the goddess in. A smile crept up on her face as she whirled around on the ball of her foot, her long fluffy white hair twisting with her as she took a few steps.

"And yet, despite all of that capability, you still found yourself handily at her mercy...what a pity." Her tone was chiding, less like a child and more like an old woman that had seen the world's worst and walked away from it. "I'm sure a regular midara would have had quite the time putting themselves against you. Mm, yes, definitely...but as Safiya alluded to, we're a bit more than that."

She whirled back around, leaning on the back of a stone building, looking him directly in the eye. "What did you know of us prior to throwing yourself against her? Judging from your reaction, I can already surmise, but I'd like to hear it from your lips, first."

The boxer winced ever so slightly at her scathing remark. She wasnt wrong, per se. Despite his best efforts, he had almost become putty in the hands of that Midara. But as they said, they were apparently more.

At her other question, he shook his head. "Nothing, honestly. I had a feeling you would make for a good challenge, and I knew she was scaring folks off. So I felt like I needed to do something. Shame I almost had... Whatever she was doing happen to me. But still."

So his reaction hadn't come from previous knowledge, but current curiosity and a sense of personal right and wrong...fascinating, very fascinating. She could work with that. The smile on her face grew bigger as she whirled around, picking up a loose stone brick laying on the ground.

"We...are Fellbloods. Beings chosen by the goddess to inherit her will, and a miniscule fraction of her power. I was human once, just like you. She was a midara, as well. And now, we've got something inside of us that makes us...so much more than simply mortal." Effortlessly, she closed her hand around the brick, crushing it into bits with just her hand and letting the pieces fall to the ground.

"Have I gotten your attention?"

An impressed whistle escaped the boxer as he watched the stone shatter in her hands. Never underestimate someone's looks...He's been learning that more and more each day. And...Fellbloods? A goddess? He wasn't normally a religious person, and yet....

"...You could most certainly say that, yes."