Spring Brawl: Round 1 (DogTrot vs. Drago)

[DogTrot]

The stadium was about half filled for the day's events, only being one of the many rounds to come. The audience had been milling around for a while now, some for about half an hour. Concessions were being sold, and cameras were being set up by the ZBC (Zi Broadcast Corporation). In a few minutes, though, the audience's attention focused on the massive field in front of them, and they started to quiet down. The zoids had arrived!

The doors to the stadium's sides opened up, and the various contestants started to file in one after another, their zoids properly stripped for the contest. Five circular arenas were flat against the ground around the field, level with the floor. After both contestants would arrive and climb into it, it would rise up into the air, and the match would begin!

~~~

As the doors opened, Pat slowly looked around, marveling at the arena's size. It was his first time in a large organized contest here, and he had never seen the field from below before. All other times, he had been watching on the television or from the audience. Luckily for him, he didn't have to focus on the entire audience, just one small platform. He piloted his command wolf over onto the platform, turning to face the center and wait for his opponent.

[Drago]

Drago maneuvered his Shield Liger up onto the platform looking across the field to see a white and blue Command Wolf with a long range cannon attached to its back as well as bosters placed on it's rear legs. Drago looked at the cannon and compared it to the arena that they were in Heh based on visual weapons that I can see this field suits me a lot better than it suits him. But who knows I might be wrong about that though as long as my Liger's shield holds out I am good

Drago waited for the robotic Referee to call for the battle to start. Suddenly the Referee satellite launched down its capsule which whistled through the sky like a bomb as it approached the ground. It landed in the ground leaving a crater behind as its Capsule was level with its lowest point for less than a second before it started to raise up from the ground. Here we go Old friend it is time for us to show them what you are made of.

Once the bottom of the Referee capsule was level with the crater it opened up showing the Ref inside of it. Its Robotic voice was broadcasted through the speaker systems of the stadium The field of this stadium has become a designated Zoid Battle Field and is now restricted! Only competitors and personnel have authorized entry! Danger all others must leave the area at once! Area scanned! Battle Field set up! Dragul Scorpius Yaiba versus Patrick Norstein. Battle mode 0240. Ready! Fight!.

As the Ref called for the start of the battle Drago urged his Liger forward to close the gap between himself and the Command Wolf in hopes of getting too close for the longrange rifle attached to his back.

[DogTrot]

( Drago, as mentioned in the top of this thread and on the actual tournament page, zoids are stripped of weapons and equipment in this battle. No cannon, booster, missiles, or shield. It's the whole point of the special match. )

"Battle mode 0240. Ready... FIGHT!"

As the judge's arms crossed, the platform shifted, starting to rise up off of the ground and into the air. There were about 8 zoid lengths between him and the shield liger, well close enough for him to get a good view of his opponent. It seemed like a standard shield liger, despite the differences in being stripped of weapons. The shield was gone too, so he wouldn't have to worry about that. Pat wondered if his opponent's disadvantage at not having a shield would equal his at not having his boosters.

"Hmm..." he mused to himself, as the arena finally came to a halt in midair. "We have the advantage of speed, though he looks better at close range combat. Think we can take him, DogTrot?" He heard the white and blue wolf zoid bark beneath him, while the shield liger started charging.

Pat wanted to play this match safe. He turned his zoid to the side, parallel to the edge of the stage. Setting it into throttle, he started picking up pace, running around the edge of the circular platform. He knew the charging shield liger would have to slow down as he approached him, otherwise the zoid's momentum would send it careening over the edge. Eventually, his opponent would be in a position behind him, running close to the edge as well. At that point, he turned sharply inwards, diving for the center of the ring. Landing with a skid, he turned to face his slower opponent, now having him close to the edge. Crouching down in the center, he waited for an attack.

[Drago]

ooc: lol I forgot about that fact (coulda had your char mention how uncomfortable he was without his gun or something) so just ignore the part about the gun i will fix the forgetting the shield thing)

bic: Drago just remembered that upon entering the stadium his ligers shield and other armaments were stripped. As Drago watched his opponent run along the edge of the ravine Drago forced his liger to plant its left front claws in the ground while running causing it to slow to a stop turning about 135degrees. Draco watched the command wolf run along the edge of the arena.

Drago watched as his opponent raced across the edge moving alot faster than what his shield liger would be able to travel. Drago moved himself to the center of the ring where he watched the Command Wolfs movements trying to read them to see how he could even attempt to beat its speed or even land a hit on it and hopefully cut his losses by knocking it over the edge.

[DogTrot]

Pat swore silently to himself, looking at his opponent. The liger somehow knew what he was going to do, and did it before him, despite being the slower of the two zoids. It had also pulled off quite an impressive turn, gouging a little in the arena as it used its own arm to pull itself to a stop. The wolf kept running in a circle around the liger, while he thought of a new strategy to pursue.

From the looks of it, his opponent was doing everything exactly the way he was going to do it, even waiting for an attack. He wondered whether it had been anticipated or was just a harsh coincidence. Either way, he still had the advantage of speed to use against the liger. That impressive turn earlier only worked since the large zoid had a bit of forward momentum; if he was sticking in the center like that, he wouldn't be able to turn quite as fast. Using the Command Wolf's speed advantage, he curved inwards, running just out of range until he was at the liger's backside. He hopped in to take a bite at the liger's right back leg, then speed off to the edge of the arena again after.

[Drago]

As Drago watched the Command wolf start to move inwards toward his current location he started turn around doing his best to keep command wolf in his peripheral vision. Drago was pretty successful in his atempts up until it went in for the lunge right as Drago turned his Shield Liger so instead of it taking out a chunk of his rear leg he just crashed into the Shield Liger before returning to his pacing around the ring showing off its superior speed.

Even with that cannon and the boosters on his side if this battle had us fully armed I would definitely have the advantage Drago thought to himself remembering Shield ligers ability to generate a shield in any direction including down giving him the ability to walk on water as well as how difficult it is to penetrate the shield. Drago continued to have his shield liger turn just fast enough to keep the Command wolf on his screen. Drago adjusted his turning rate so that there isn't even a millisecond that it isn't in his sight.

[DogTrot]

Pat grunted, his wolf riccocheting off of the side of the Shield Liger. The liger had already been turning, so just continuing to turn wouldn't be enough to deflect his attack. Though the turning did deflect his attack, he was able to land his teeth in at a shallow angle before being bounced off by the cat's massive hip. Sliding away, he kept his momentum up and continued to run in a circle around the liger at the edge of the ring.

"Come on, kitty, show me your claws," he muttered, grinning. The pilot eased the controls inwards, bringing his wolf closer. He was now running halfway between the edge of the arena and the center, about three zoid lengths away from the shield liger. He was close to the attack range, but the smaller radius of his circle meant that he was able to circle faster. Since the liger was barely able to keep up with him at the edge, this should let him come in for another attack on the rear, if the liger kept camping in the center and spinning like a top. If so, he pulled around and went for that right leg again, this time going for a deeper bite.

[Drago]

As Drago realized that the command wolf was closing in for another attack he knew that he wouldn't be lucky enough to deflect the attack by turning again so instead of continuing to turn upon its axis Drago decided to start running. He kept moving as the fangs barely missed hind leg this time. Drago now started to run in a circle about half way from the edge and the dead center of the ring.

Drago waited for the command ligers next attack so that he could pull off a similar turn using the inertia of his turn to increase his liger's claws force.

[DogTrot]

DogTrot's zoid landed on all fours in the spot where the shield liger used to be, the bite missing. Finally, his opponent was out of that darn center of the ring. Pat grinned, pushing the controls forwards. As soon as the wolf landed, it started running again, keeping most of the momentum he had while running up to attack. Chasing after that shield liger, he used his speed advantage to keep himself tight and in close right behind the shield liger, only taking a few moments to catch up to him.

He knew it would take some time to take this armored liger down, but if he could keep from getting hit, that would be enough. He had the disadvantage when it came to close combat, so he knew he had to avoid fighting the liger head to head at all costs. Keeping close to the running cat's rear, he just kept bobbing his head forwards and taking bites at the back legs of the blue zoid.

[Drago]

The bites were starting to get dangerously close to Drago's ligers rear legs. Well now is as good a time as any to try and mount a counter attack. Drago thought to himself as he was turning his Liger he leaped forward a little planting his left paw in the dirt causing himself to make an extremely sharp left turn with the momentum of his forward turn he raised his right paw and used the turn to increase its force. This was an almost all or nothing attack that relied on the Command Wolf not being able to stop quick enough but atleast attempt. Draco's calculations relied on a slight decrease in the command wolfs speed for an ideal hit on its head though if it doesnt bother to slow down damaging the front leg would be just as good because it should stack the match in Drago's favor.

[DogTrot]

Pat blinked a bit as the shield liger started to twist around in front of him, the left paw of the beast digging down into the dirt of the platform and causing the blue liger to twist around a few inches above the ground. It was pretty fast, but he still had time to react. If he wanted to, all he had to do was turn in the opposite side of the liger and run past it before it turned, to avoid the blow. Running away would make him lose his advantage, though. He decided to trade a blow for a blow, keeping up his speed.

The paw came around towards his wolf, heading towards his shoulder since he had refrained from slowing down. Knowing the cost of dodging it, he decided to take the blow. Lunging his wolf forwards, he used his speed to launch his attack at the same exact time the liger's hit. His teeth bit for the left leg that was holding the Liger in the air and twisting it around, the limb already under extreme pressure from the ballsy maneuver. With his zoid in midair, the blow to the side would probably send it swiveling around, the teeth lodged into the leg would do more damage in that situation as well.

[Drago]

The teeth sank into the ligers leg just missing the major servos by less than an inch. Actually all of the damage was done to the frame of the leg. Dang it that aint good. If I use that leg for much more than support until I get that fixed this might not be good because it probably lost some of its stability and definitely some of its strength. Who knows it might just collapse if I keep up with those maneuvers the strain would probably be too much. I am surprised it hasn't been too much as of yet. Drago thought to himself as he moved the controls raising himself up onto his hind legs hoping to try and force the command wolf over onto its back to reveal its neck hoping to get in a blow that will damage the control system of the zoid causing it to be use less in battle.

[DogTrot]

"Whoa!" The command wolf, quite lighter than the shield liger, felt its front feet lift off the ground as the liger reared back. He pulled his head away, dislodging it and hoping to get a good chunk at the same time. The twisting motion, though, combined with the blow of the other paw, sent his command wolf sprawling on the ground. Its stomach hit the floor and its legs spread outwards, as it skidded through the ground and away from the shield liger. It spun around a few times in front of the liger before he could regain control and pull it up onto its feet again.

[Drago]

Drago didn't hesitate to mount another attack after the Command wolf slid away. Drago was a bit more careful as to not put to much strain on his zoids left front leg. Drago went for another attack at the command wolfs head upset with himself for not being able to flip it over onto it's back. If only I was successful in that I would have been able to end this now and fix up my Shield Liger's leg. Drago moved his Zoids controls so that he leaped up to strike the Command wolf with his claws (kinda like Liger Zero's strike laser claws.)

[DogTrot]

Pat grit his teeth, jarred around the cockpit roughly as that large paw hit the side of his command wolf's head. He was in a pretty bad position as it was, with the shield liger standing over him like that while he was sprawled flatly on the ground. From that awkward position, it would be hard for him to pull his belly off the floor, even without the large liger standing over him like that. His zoid's head was pretty damaged by the claw, and he couldn't do anything to dodge it. Desperate to get away, he started squirming his zoid forwards, hoping to get the liger far enough behind him to kick with his rear legs.