Preliminaries! Match #1: Majin Liari vs Narwa

[Liari]

Liari asked her question. She proposed friendship, closeness... as much as she could expect an agreeable answer to, anyway. She looked upon Veylora expectantly, excited, NERVOUS, even, for an answer! The woman gazed back, her look... different than before! She noted how Liari really didn't hold anything back and, at that, Liari cocked her head.

"Eh... Wha-" Suddenly, her lips were seized by those of Veylora, the demoness leaning in and guiding the Majin's face to hers with a hand! INSTANTLY, a sharp *FEWWWWWWWWWWWM* of steam BLASTED from the holes lining the blue Majin, her eyes FLARING the most intense shade of pink yet as her face FLASHED perhaps the deepest shade of red a deep blue creature like she possibly could! It was a gentle, controlled touch of the lips from Veylora but to Liari, it was EVERYTHING AND MORE! Her heart THUNDERED audibly in her chest like the beating of base drums, vertigo washing over her so hard, the world seemed to tilt on it's axis! It was just a moment, but it felt like forever, Liari frozen in this one instant, confused, allured, frightened, and so, SO much more. She was both breathless and ALIVE at the same time, hungry and satisfied, eager and reluctant...

In other words, GOBSMACKED. ...Literally.

The moment Veylora would step back, Liari's legs would buckle. In fact, EVERYTHING would buckle, the Majin dropping to the ground in a light *SPLASH* as her body melted into a puddle of steaming, blushing goo!

"Eheheeeeeeheheheheh........." The puddle giggled dreamily, whatever passed for it's lips still tingling with the electricity that SPARKED in the majin after that kiss. Her eyes, a part of the puddle, were practically spotlights of pink, staring up at the demon, immeasurable, indescribable feelings translated in the light. Liari's body, such as it now was, buzzed like a colony of bees as the woman of her dreams gazed down at her with that familiar, measured smile. She remarked how that kiss... SHOULD keep her focused.

Eheh... YEAH! ON HER!

"U-Uh-huh...." Liari muttered dreamily. She watched Veylora go up to the ball-box with untold allure. As the demoness got her ball, Liari would pick herself up off the floor, reconstituting her form back into something solid as she still, dreamily and dizzily beheld that beautiful purple fiend as she made her way back towards her.

Oh, yes... She was VERY good indeed.

The look she gave Liari on the way back was a subtle change, but, much like that kiss had been, it was EVERYTHING. It was tender... softer... Liari's eyes couldn't glow any brighter... but they woulda if they coulda. And then her voice... How she urged the Majin on to WIN her fight... for HER. Oh, how Liari felt like she'd melt there again... But NO! She'd pull herself up to her full height and reach out, taking Veylora's hand in hers! She'd slowly raise it up to her face and gently rest her cheek in her palm, eyes fluttering shut at her touch.

"Uh huh..." She murmured again, face hot with blush... unmasked love in her voice. With that, Liari would let Veylora's hand slip from hers, already regretting it's absence as they both turned to the brackets. Every second everyone else took to get their ball as another second the Majin dwelled on that kiss. She touched her fingers to her lips, glancing at Veylora, blushing... looking away... feeling her lips... and looking back again. So much was running through her mind but not a single coherent thought could be retrieved! A malestrom of emotions took the Majin and, before she knew it, Liari had come back to reality with a full, complete BRACKET... with her in the first match... and Veylora in the second. Liari stared at the demoness, surprised. It was as if fate itself wanted the two of them to meet in this ring as much as the two of them did! Liari would smile... It was a genuine, warm, and sunny smile, not a hint of impurity within it. She was so happy... She was so in LOVE...

...So whoever was her opponent, this Nar-WAH... was gonna get the beating of their LIFE.

It was then that Eschal would approach, apologizing for his interruption. Liari was such abuzz with a new LEVEL of feeling, even HIS face didn't dampen her day!

"Oh, what do you want, Eschal?" Liari sighed, smiling dreamily at the Saiyan. "Can't you see I'm busy on cloud nine right now...?" Eschal would make his request real quick, some new clothes... you know... Saiyan stuff, something unique for him. That surprised the Majin and, regrettibly, sobered her up. She narrowed her eyes, thinking of shunning his request simply to watch him squirm... But a glance over at Veylora caused her heart to skip a beat... and she no longer found it tempting to be mean.

"Yeah, sure... Whatever..." She sighed. Almost dismissively, she waved a hand in the air, fingers sparking as she gathered her magic. Imagination became reality, concentrated into the tips of her fingers. She pointed her hand at Eschal.

"CLOTHES BEAM!" She bellowed! In a flash of light, Eschal would be consumed, his old clothes traded in for a saiyan chest-plate, a green fur-like sash, black pants, boots and matching bracers!

"I made the furry thing to look a little ragged on purpose to sell the saiyan-ee look." Liari explained passively, eyes drifting back over to Veylora. "The armor is tough, but not like the real stuff. If they don't like weapons, they won't like actual armor. I can adjust that later after the tournament." She then waved a hand, shooing Eschal away. "Now go away... I wanna bask in real greatness..." She then turned to Veylora, simply staring with dumb, puppy-like eyes... Lovelovelovelovelov-

"THE FIRST MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT! CONTESTENT ONE: MAJIN LIARI! COME FORWARD!"

Foey... that didn't take very long.

"Off I go then..." Liari murmured perhaps a little unhappily to Veylora. "Have fun watching the fireworks..." And like that, Liari walked off. Thanks to Eschal blindsiding her with his request, Liari was able to find her feet on the path out the arena. The cheers of crowds as hungry for battle as the Majin was filled Liari with energy, her love-struck stride taking on a more purposeful one! Hopping up to the steps to the arena, she would make her way to the middle, cracking her knuckles as she stared out at the other side for her opponent.

Nar-wah... It sounded like a fish...

Well, this fish was gonna get cooked GOOD!

Post Order: Liari -> Narwah

 

[Yozu]

​

The arena didn’t do anything special when Narwa walked out. No shaking, no noise. Still, something about it felt… heavier once she was on it. Like the space itself had settled.

She came to a stop across from Liari, posture straight but easy, arms hanging loose. Her eyes ran over her opponent for a moment, taking in the flushed face, the way her attention kept drifting. A small tilt of her head followed.

“You’re distracted.”

She let out a quiet breath and shifted her stance. One foot slid back with a soft scrape, the other planted forward. Her shoulders turned slightly, body angled, lowering just enough to look grounded without tensing up. Her horn lined forward naturally, not forced, just part of how she settled in. It looked simple, but it was clean. Balanced. Ready.

As she set herself, the air between them started to feel off. Not by much. Just a little thicker, a little heavier, like moving took a touch more effort than it should. Easy to ignore at first. Harder to ignore if you paid attention.

Narwa didn’t break eye contact.

“Try not to melt before we start.”

A brief pause. She adjusted her footing by a fraction, testing it.

“I’d rather this be a real fight.”

After that, she stayed where she was. No rush to close the distance, no big show. Just standing there in her stance, steady and patient, letting that quiet pressure sit while she waited on the signal. Watching for the moment things actually kicked off.
_________
Post Order: Liari -> Narwah​

 

[Liari]

CONTESTANT TWO: NARWA! COME FORWARD!

Liari didn't really take much notice when the stranger came onto the arena proper. She wasn't particularly special-looking, nor did the Majin QUAKE in anticipation of her power. Sure, she could be hiding it... but all of her thoughts kept drifting off in the direction of Veylora and that kiss... She sighed softly, dreamland floating just above reality in her mind, so close she could reach out and touch it. She almost did, almost allowed herself to fully disappear into a fantasy of reliving that smooch over and over...

Then... the horned woman spoke, noting how distracted Liari was. The Majin froze, snapping back to reality. Liari's eyes would flick to the woman, she already crouching low in a combat stance, taunting that Liari should be careful not to melt, that it wouldn't be much of a match if she didn't lock in. Liari stared, the flush on her face fading, her gaze growing harsher... icier... edged. Fury... OUTRAGE, even, seemed to build quietly from within the Majin, her expression falling to an unnerving flatness. For a long silent second, Liari would do nothing but stare at Narwa...

Then a wide, goofy smile would stretch across her face.

"HAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Liari recoiled back a step, one hand slapping her forehead in sheer jubilation, the other wrapped around her belly! "LOOK... LOOK AT THAT HEAD! AAAAAHAHAHAHAH! Those... those HORNS! WHAT EVEN DO YOU DO WITH THOSE? AND THAT HAAAAAAAAIIIIIR! YOU'RE SO TOP-HEAVY! WHAT, DO YOU WALK AROUND IN A NECK-BRACE WHEN YOU'RE NOT FIGHTING OR SOMETHING!? CAN YOU EVEN WEAR SHIRTS!? IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'D POKE HOLES IN THEM JUST TRYING TO PULL THEM OVER... IF YOU CAN EVEN REACH PAST THOSE THINGS!" She pointed a trembling finger at Narwa and laughed harder. "WH... WHAT ARE YOU EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE? A LIZARD? SOME KIND OF FREAK!? OH! YOU GOT A TAIL TOO!? YOU'RE SUCH A MISHMASH! HAHAHAHAH! PLEASE! YOU'RE EVEN FUNNIER TRYING TO ACT TOUGH! I MEAN... JUST... PPPPPFFFFFFT! AAAAAAHAHAHAHA!"

...Subtly, the Majin WAS taking note of the... difference that had manifested when Narwa entered the stage. Every exaggerated movement, every pulsation of the Majin's belly-laugh, every snort, giggle and contortion felt... different. Off, like... heavy... maybe...? A drag would probably be more accurate. It wouldn't restrain her... annoy her a little, maybe... but she definately felt it. She filed that little observation in the back of her head for later, her laughter slowly dying to a giggle. She was wiping tears from her eyes as the announcer cleared his throat. Obviously, Liari's outburst ruffled some feathers.

UM... YES! IT SEEMS AS IF THE TENSION BETWEEN THESE TWO IS ALREADY GROWING! CONTESTANTS! ARE YOU READY!?

Liari, still snickering, waved a hand dismissively.

Narwa stood ready in her combat-stance, ready to fight.

THEN... BEGIN!

LIari would just begin casually walking in Narwa's direction, still snickering, still trying to hold her laughter. She acted as if she wasn't taking the woman seriously, that she was little more than a clown in a circus. ...But Liari has been keeping her senses open since Narwa decided to poke her... and she was just DYING for a moment to jab back.

Post Order: Liari -> Narwah

 

[Yozu]

Narwa stood there and listened at first. No reaction, no interruption, just that steady stare as Liari laughed and pointed. But the longer it went on, the more something underneath started to shift. Her jaw tightened, fingers curling slightly at her sides. The air didn’t just feel heavy anymore. It pressed sharper now, less subtle, like the weight had teeth.

“…You done yet?” she cut in, her voice lower than before, edged with irritation. When Liari kept going, that was it.

“God, you’re annoying.” The words came out sharp, her composure cracking just enough to show it. Her eyes narrowed, posture leaning forward slightly as her stance dropped lower. “All that noise and not a single useful thought in your head. Just standing there laughing like an idiot.”

Her foot ground into the arena floor as the pressure around her spiked, no longer creeping but hitting all at once. “You want to run your mouth, fine. Just don’t act surprised when it gets knocked shut.” Her horn angled forward more directly now, posture turning aggressive. “Blob. Try not to fall apart before I hit you.”

The signal had barely finished before she moved. Her foot slammed forward, driving her into motion as she burst in, closing the distance fast. The air twisted with her movement, dragging slightly at Liari as she cut in at an angle, shoulder low, horn leading. No patience left. She was done listening.

Narwa didn’t slow once she committed. The moment she entered range, her lead hand snapped out first, not to strike, but to check. A quick, controlled motion aimed at Liari’s upper body, testing how solid she really was. At the same time, she dipped her shoulder, horn angled just off-center instead of driving straight in. It wasn’t a reckless charge. She was adjusting as she moved.

Just as her lead hand snapped out, she planted her foot and pivoted through her hips. The space around her seemed to pull with the motion, the pressure tightening as she spun and cut to the side instead of continuing straight. She repositioned just off Liari’s line, closing off space rather than chasing it, that’s when she committed.

Her horn drove forward, ki tightening around it into a focused spiral. The air warped slightly as the energy condensed, turning the strike into something meant to pierce, not explode.

Abyssal Spiral Lance

“Stay still.”

The words came low and tense as she pushed in, aiming to punch through Liari’s guard or body before she could slip away or disperse. Her off-hand followed immediately, ready to grab, shove, or redirect if Liari tried anything tricky. She wasn’t betting on one hit. She was trying to keep her locked in and overwhelm her up close.

_____

Post Order: Liari -> Narwa​

 

[Liari]

"HAHA! Awwwwwwh! What's the matter, hornhead? Can't handle a little ribbing and now your feelings are hurt?" The Majin taunted! She would suddenly swing out a hand and, in a pink flash of magical energy, a LARGE RED CAPE would flutter down from where the hand grasped it! It connected to Liari's choker near the base of her neck, giving her a sanguine curtain-like shroud held in front of her body, hiding her figure from just below her neck, down past her toes!

"Toro, toro, my new plaything! Lets put on a SHOW!"

In that moment Liari had summoned her cape, she had disconnected her neck from her torso as well as her hands from her arms! Her lower body then MELTED into sludge behind the cape, leaving naught but a free floating hand, boots poking out from under the cape, and empty space behind! Liari crafted the illusion she was still standing strong behind it, a simple body behind a cape!

...And with that, the match would begin... and so Narwa would CHARGE.

It was in that moment of frustration her opponent demostrated that Liari felt a change in the air... or, rather, the air-pressure. It grew sharper, heavier, no longer an annoyance but a very present weight! Liari blinked, noticing the very slight, but also obvious LAG when she tried to shift her feet, how she needed to move with a bit more effort to achieve the results she wanted. The tiles cracked slightly under her weight, Liari actually having to make a conscious effort to hold her posture, the air seeming to grow as heavy as everything else as she breathed!

"Well... isn't that an interesting little trick...?" Liari remarked.

As Narwa drew within arm's reach, she would SNAP out with a hand, it striking at the fabric, aiming to test the body she assumed was behind it! That free hand Liari had prepared...? rose up behind the hand, acting as a surrogate body for the woman to strike! Whether she wanted to confirm suspicions or, perhaps, get a better idea of what the Majin was lobbing at her,

...She was actually kinda smart going into the charge too, ducking one way to cut off any potential dodges from that direction... then another, always keeping at least one horn focused on her body, the other denying any attempt at evasion since... you know...she'd get speared moving that way, regardless. Space seemed to pull with each motion, Liari's cape only held in place by will of her Telekinesis, keeping it from rippling or pulling to intensely against the gravitational wrenching Narwa fought back with! Liari just had to keep the illusion alive for just another moment.

Narwa would LUNGE forward, DRILLING with all of her might! Her Abyssal Spiral Lance made SHORT WORK of the cape, pulling in and SHREDDING the thing like it was some kind of backwards garbage disposal! It WOULD punch through as Narwa beckoned for Liari's immobility... Only to find there was NOTHING behind it all!

"Yeah... about that..." The Majin would say... AS THE MASS OF FLESH BELOW SPRUNG FORTH LIKE A SNAKE, wrapping around one of Narwa's legs, then up her thigh and torso, dragging her down as a second, third, and FOURTH Majin flesh snake sprung up and engulfed and enwrapped her other limbs! A NEW body would sprout from the void below the Majin's neck, complete with unfinished arms for her hands to reconnect to! Should her trick have worked, the flesh-thing having entrapped, pinned, and constricted Narwa, Liari would land beside her arm's crossed, grinning as the flesh tightened ever more. Whatever Narwa's gravity ability was would play against her, pulling her deeper into the mass of Majin now threatening to crush her in it's grasp!

"...You seem really distracted, huh...?" With that, Liari would cock back a leg and SOCCER-KICK her body across the arena, aiming to send her spiralling off the edge for a ring out! The flesh would twist and open around Narwa so that, should she ACTUALLY touch the outside, it would be her body to hit first... just to avoid any nasty technicalities.

Post Order: Liari -> Narwah

 

[Yozu]

Narwa knew the moment her lance hit nothing.

There was no resistance, no impact, no feedback through the horn or the spiral she had committed to. Just empty space where a body should have been. Her eyes narrowed instantly.

“…Tch.”

The shredded cape scattered around her, but she didn’t waste time on it. The realization clicked fast, and she shifted her weight to pull back and disengage. Too late. The first wrap hit her leg, then another, then more. Flesh coiled up her body, dragging her down as her footing broke and her center slipped. The pressure field around her warped with the shift, unstable now that she was being forced off balance.

But she didn’t panic.

Her teeth clenched, a sharp breath forcing out as the coils tightened. “…Cheap.” The word came low and strained, but steady. Instead of pushing outward, she drew her control inward. The pressure didn’t spread this time. It collapsed in on her own body. The air around her grew dense, heavy in a concentrated way, forcing the mass binding her to endure her weight instead of just holding it.

Her muscles flexed against the bind, not to break free outright, but to make space. Even a little. Her horn dipped slightly.

"Distracted? then stop hiding!”

When Liari moved in for the kick, Narwa didn’t fight it. She went with it. The impact hit, but she twisted with the motion, turning the force into rotation instead of a clean launch. At the same time, her ki tightened along her horn again, smaller than before but sharper, focused this time, point blank.

She drove her head forward into the mass binding her, aiming to drill through the coils and tear open space before she could be launched out. If it worked, she’d rip free mid-motion and land rough, sliding but still inside the ring. If not, she’d at least make sure Liari paid for getting that close.
____
Post Order: Liari -> Narwa​

 

[Liari]

Liari stared, somewhat impressed that this woman would continue to fight her, even now, as she HURTLED towards the ring edge! There was no escape. It would have been simpler to just allow gravity to take her... but this horn-headed amalgamate struggled on! Driving her head into the mass below her, the woman would spin and spin, twisting like a top into the writhing mass! The goal, most likely, was to try and shred it all like the cape the Majin had conjured, rend it all to pieces and allow herself an easy recovery!

...How wrong she was.

"...Naaaaah. I'm good." Liari responded with a grin. "I wouldn't wanna DISTRACT you."

As the woman's horns drilled, she would feel more and more resistance as the flesh, having initially given way, would grow thick and sticky... The tentacles that grabbed her would soften and squelch down into a texture almost resembling glue, sticking her arms to her body, her horns slowly wrenching to a stop as she tumbled! If nothing would stop her fall here, she would SPLAT outside of the ring, helpless and pinned there... at least until the Majin would go to retrieve that part of herself.

Still... she would wince, having felt the pain of what those horns could do as they had drilled into her flesh. Had that hit her DEAD ON, they would have EASILY gone through her, punching holes the Majin would likely be complaining about for minutes after the wounds had closed! She shivered at the thought... Lasting agony wasn't something known to most of her kind, pain usually being momentary at worst as her body just knitted itself back together.

Should the woman fall, Liari would summon back her flesh the instant before Narwa would hit the ground, it all sloughing off of her as easily as if it were water! The mass would recombine with the original body seamlessly, as if it had never left or had been replaced!

"Well, that was something~!" Liari would say, walking over to the edge! "Sorry that didn't last longer... but you were REALLY hard to look at. Hey, actually, I know how to make it up to you~! Lets go meet on your way out while the other matches are going! I think we'll have a lot in common~!"

Post Order: Liari -> Narwa

 

[Yozu]

Narwa felt it the moment her attack stalled, what she had been tearing through suddenly thickened, dragged, and then stopped completely. The mass turned dense and adhesive, locking her in place. Her arms stuck to her sides, her body pinned, even her horn grinding to a halt as the spiral lost all momentum. Her eyes narrowed, frustration clear now.

“…what?!”

There was no recovering it. The momentum carried her anyway, bound and unable to shift properly this time. The edge came fast, and a moment later she hit outside the ring hard, the breath knocked from her lungs as the mass slipped off her like it had never been there.

She stayed down for a second, staring up, breathing steady, then pushed herself up without rushing. One hand brushed the ground as she stood, rolling her shoulder, resetting herself out of habit. Her eyes lifted back to the arena, locking onto Liari as she kept talking.

Narwa didn’t answer right away. She just looked at her for a long moment.

“…You’re annoying.”

Flat. More tired than angry now.

“…But you’re not weak.”

She exhaled lightly, gaze flicking to the ring and back.

“Next time, don’t hide behind tricks. I want to see what you do when someone keeps up.”

She exhaled.

“…And fix your attitude.”

She turned after that, starting to walk away toward the changing rooms without waiting for a response. The loss was there in how she moved, but she didn’t argue it. She lost, and that was that.
For a second, the arena just buzzed. People talking over each other, some laughing, some reacting to how fast it all ended.

Then the announcer finally cut in, voice booming over everything.


“OUT OF THE RING! THAT’S A RING OUT!”

He let it hang for a second while the crowd picked up.

“WHICH MEANS YOUR WINNER… MAJIN LIARI!”

That got a louder reaction. Cheers, a few whistles, some scattered shouting from the stands.

“Not a bad way to open things up, folks! Quick thinking, tricky play, and she takes it clean!”

There was a shuffle of movement already starting around the arena as things reset.

“Alright, let’s keep it moving! Next match, get ready! Clear the ring!”

__

Post Order: Liari -> Narwa​

 

[Liari]

"Oh yeah, yeah! Sure!" Liari assured her, nodding eagerly. "I'm sorry about all that. It's just... I wasn't quite myself just then." Her voice sounded almost apologetic, how her expression fell, how her eyes softened... how her stomach rumbled. "I'll show you what I can really do next time! In fact, why don't we head outta here...? Seems like the announcer-guy is getting a little restless..."

It was just then that the very man had lost his temper, telling them all to GET OUT so that the next match could start. She would flash the man an irritated glance but didn't waste much time in shuffling out just a few steps behind her horn-headed counterpart! Liari would wave playfully to the others as they passed by them towards the changing room, the Majin, oh-so-casually tapping the door shut with her foot behind Narwa and on the way in herself. She opened her senses to the world, keeping a GOOD EYE on the power levels around her. Her... "friends" in the waiting area, those insect humans milling about outside.

"You know, those were some pretty fun little abilities you had~!" Liari remarked, clapping her hands together innocently. "I don't think I've EVER seen someone drill like that... or make me all heavy and stuff like that too! You're REALLY cool!" Liari would step closer, within arm's reach. "So cool, in fact, i dunno how you even did it! Isn't that funny?"

Liari's silver eyes flashed red and, in an instant, her hand would shoot up, GRABBING the woman's jaw and smothering her mouth! Liari's face would break into a malicious, toothy grin as her arm began to liquefy and engulf the woman, covering her in her flesh! If Narwa struggled, Liari's eyes would flash again, telekinetically forcing the woman still while her body continued to surge.

"Shshshshshhhh... Don't struggle..." Liari whispered softly. "...Just let it all wash away into me. You'll sleep better that way..."

If Narwa failed to break free, the mass would engulf her entirely, her power disappearing! In another moment, the flesh would surge back into Liari, body in tow, it flowing up her arm and into her stomach... and in an instant... Liari knew... EVERYTHING! Her name, her history, her family... such as it was... ALL OF HER MEMORIES... her funny little techniques, all of it was now inside Liari's head as if it were her own!

"Heheheheh... Thanks, Mishmash." Liari snickered evilly. "I'll put your powers to MUCH better use than YOU ever did."

______________________________________
If Successful: Liari absorbs Narwa, gaining her "Abyssal Spiral Lance" and "Pressure Field Domain" abilities
______________________________________

Liari would step out of the changing room unchanged on the surface. Her signature wasn't different, her power level hadn't grown... her appearance was the SAME... but she seemed... sharper than before, perhaps a little less ditzy. There was some... calculation behind those eyes, a seriousness that wasn't quite there before, albeit buried under the dominant personality. With a big smile, Liari walk RIGHT up to Veylora and wrap her arms around her in a BIG hug!

"I won~!" She cheered! "You were right! Your..." She blushed, her smile turning a tad nervous... but she didn't back away or tremble. "...kiss really helped me focus on what's important!" Liari would then glance at the brackets, remembering that the demon was up next... and she blushed harder...

Quickly, Liari would lean in and press her lips to Veylora's kissing her... perhaps a bit more sloppily, but also a bit longer than the one she had received! Liari would stay there for a second... two... before leaning back, steam flowing from the holes lining her, eyes glowing a bright shade of pink.

"Mmmmmwaaaaah~!" Liari would gasp.... before stepping back, sheepisly bowing her head. "There... for good luck..."

Post Order: Liari -> Narwa