Helping Hands | Gaucho v Sialia

the Rift

Helping Hands | Gaucho v Sialia

Ascended Helovian

Gaucho The Wildfire Posts: 1,004

Deceased atk: 8.5 | def: 11.5 | dam: 8

Stallion :: Pegasus :: 17.2 :: 12 HP: 85 | Buff: PINNACLE

Mara :: Black Mamba Snake :: Paralyze & Vorsa :: Plain Zephyr :: Phoenix Odd

05-23-2015, 08:26 PM

As the unicorn stopped and stared him down, Gaucho considered sending a fresh wave of fire at her for her stupidity. What sort of soldier just stops on the battlefield? Snorting, Gaucho shook his head ever so slightly. Instincts it seemed, couldn't be taught. It was one thing to understand the importance of knowing your opponent, but the way in which one went about it could vary. For instance, Gaucho's well trained and primal mind instinctively recorded and noted small details about Sialia; about how she moved, where weaknesses might be, how she used the ground. Sialia on the other hand, apparently needed a notebook and a timeout to figure Gaucho out. And so, the temptation to throw fire at her for her careless waste of his time (and hers) was fairly present in his mind. Still, he resisted. Something told him that she wouldn't learn the lesson he meant to teach her.

As her body began to move, Gaucho's muscles twitched with anticipation. He remained still and stoic as she charged his way - if she wanted to risk slipping on the snow (and what had just recently melted thanks to his flames), that was fine by him. Even better if she tired herself out on the way. With a grimace, he noted how poorly she had received his previous statement. Gaucho wasn't a big talker - and so when he did, there was a reason for it. Just like there was a reason they called him the Wildfire - an identity he had only moments ago called her attention to. And here she was, running at him again. Did she think his flames had such a short shelf life?

If fire wouldn't teach her a lesson, maybe a good body check would.

His eyes trained on her shoulders as his antlered skull lowered defensively. He was prepared to adjust his own position should she try and suddenly skirt around him. Gaucho had sparred unicorns before - multiple times now - and almost every time he was awarded a small incision, regardless of his level of care. They wielded their horns in a way that he just could not understand - the phenomenology of having a real horn, was so different than the 'fake' feeling of his own bulky accessory. No matter how many times he tried, he always seem to fall short when faced with their daggers.

Perhaps today would be different.

As Sialia leaned to try and twist around him, Gaucho allowed his shoulders to rotate with her. There was no way he was leaving his flank exposed to her horn. One benefit of his tandem movements was that she didn't need to try and evade his wing while going for his flank. Instead, as he moved it was his right shoulder and wing joint that her teeth found, as her neck snaked towards him.

Gaucho felt her teeth grip both feather and skin - finding a purchase precisely where the skin and feathering from his wing began to meld into his shoulder. An annoying burst of pain radiated outwards, causing Gaucho to grit his teeth and pin his ears. Still, he would take her teeth over her horn any day, especially when it provided him such easy access to ...

Surging forward, Gaucho threw his weight into his right shoulder. His aim was to slam the spikes that decorated his shoulders into her own - or her flank - depending on how long she dallied at his side. Continuing, he allowed his hips to rotate to the right as well, and, having already placed weight in his forehand from his shove, bucked out to the right to try and snag any part of her, should she have continued. Likely her flank or thigh would have been in range - but he was larger and the reach of his limbs was long.

As his dark hooves returned back to his body, Gaucho carefully continued his inward roll on the snowy terrain to try and bring himself around and face wherever she had gone. While he thought it was a stupid mistake that she had decided to use her teeth rather than her horn, it could have been a clever ploy. Time would tell.

WC: 694
Attack:2/3

Teaching Notes

Short can be fine! I know sometimes we get drawn into writing close to the 800 words, but if you don't need it, you don't have to push it.

Be careful with your spelling and grammar!

Its horrid! -- It's horrid!
...as I slow and turn to face him once more, His words ringing through the air. -- ...his words...
..and thats kid of a big thing.. -- that's kind of a big thing
Thats a snake -- That's a snake

Attacking a pegasus can be difficult when you can't fly yourself. It's hard to find a balance between something realistic, and something that they won't just evade entirely. I would have liked to hear Sialia thinking of that herself - she mentions that she might go for his legs, but then doesn't really explain why she decides to attach his haunches instead. I would have liked to see more internal struggle - like not only is he a hard target to hit (he's obviously fast since he dodged her last attack, has extra sets of eyes helping, and his whole body is basically booby-trapped with spikes, snakes, and fire), but he can also fly.

Also, in your notes at the end you mention that it's his right side you are attacking, but you don't mention that in your post. That will probably cost you - the judges don't actually read your summary. You don't need to post one - it's sort of a courtesy if your opponent needs it, but the judges certainly won't be looking at it. Also, in your summary you say that she continues on after the bite, but you don't in your post.

Also, why did you decide to try and bite him, and not use Sialia's horn? Horn would do way more damage than her teeth will.

I thought your comment about horn envy was hilarious! And how she called him a bird-butt.