[Last Time, on El WHAT?!: Our Heroes investigated the bars, which was quite
alright with Daphne.  Daphne got into a drinking contest with herself, which she
lost, and the group dragged her back to the room, where Cara finally cracked and
screamed because she found a black rose on her pillow.  She threw it on the
floor, but it pricked her finger and turned blood red, bonded to her like Ichi's
katana is to him.]
[Now, they've slept the night, and awoken refreshed and ready (...well,
maybe...) for the next round of fights, which are about to happen.]
[Sadly, thanks to some untimely plushifications and a murder, the only one of
Our Heroes who is in the second round is Shiho, who is scheduled to fight
someone known as Kale Panther.]
[Session... START!]
<Shiho> Well, let's go.
* Daphne looks miserable, bleary-eyes, headachy, and otherwise generally
hungover. "So, did I at least win the contest?"
* Shiho grabs her bow and heads out.
* Ichi shakes his head, "She passesed out a little bit after you did, sorry."
<Daphne> Damn. Ah well.
* Rocky runs after and hops up onto Shiho's shoulder.
* Daphne gets to her feet and follows Shiho out.
* Cara walks out after Daphne, looking like she could use another day or two of
sleep. She's carrying the rose with her.,
* Ichi checks to make sure he's got his sword and then walks out the door.
* Cara glances quizzically at the rose for a moment.
* All around the arena, fighters are rising, shining, and making their way to
the arena floor.
* Daphne trudges along with the others, although she's only a spectator for
these fights.
* Emerging onto the field with the other fighters, both eliminated and current
fighters, you're hit by a wall of semi-solid sound.  The crowd is very eager to
see these fights, and it shows.
* Daphne adopts an agonized expression and covers her ears as she continues.
* The light from overhead nearly blinds you for a moment before your eyes
adjust, revealing the arena floor.  The temporary walls have been removed and
there are four great fighting rings where before there were many small ones.
* Cara sticks close to Daphne, her eyes flitting around nervously.
* Each platform is labeled for a single division of the tournament, and you've
followed your division's fighters and emerged nearest to your own division's
ring.
* Ichi looks around for a place to sit and tries not to get seperated from the
others.
* Daphne does likewise.
* Cara follows Daphne, holding the rose close to her chest.
* There are benches for the fighters placed around each immense ring, with MORE
than enough room for you to not have to sit next to someone you dislike.
* Daphne has a seat!
* Cara sits down.
* Ichi takes a seat next to Cara.
* Ichi looks around the arena, "Everthing is so much bigger when you're actualy
here."
* Shiho sits down with the rest of them.
<Cara> Mm.
* Each ring has its own announcer, apparently.  Your own announcer, a tall, thin
man with slicked-back blond hair wearing a tuxedo and bearing a microphone,
climbs into the ring and strides to the middle.
* Rocky tilts his head and watches.
<Announcer> Welcome, fighters and fans, to the second round!  This part of the
arena will be treated to the high-powered battles of Division 1, starting in
just a few minutes with Shiho Yamaguchi of the Blazing Arrow school *the crowd
cheers* versus Kale Panther of the Dark Master school! *the crowd divides itself
with boos and cheers*
* Ichi chears for Shiho, "YEAA!
* Shiho is popular!
* Rocky squeezes Shiho's shoulder, then hops over to Daphne's.
* Cara smiles slightly at Shiho. "Good luck."
* Shiho smiles a bit. "Thanks."
* Someone in the front row of seats dangles a large sign showing a raccoon and
the words [Raccoon-sensei, we love you!]
* Rocky powerposes.
* Shiho is still popular! ... in a sense.
* A loud buzzer sounds.
<Announcer> And there's the opening buzzer! Let's get our fighters up here! 
Shiho Yamaguchi and Kale Panther, c'mon down!
<Announcer> Er... up.
* Cara notices the sign and giggles, despite her disquiet.
* Shiho stands, and goes on up.
* Ichi wishes Shiho luck as she walks past.
* Daphne reaches up and absently scatches Rocky's head.
* Rocky beams. Happy 'coon.
* Cara peers at the opponent. "Hey. That guy was with Tulpa."
* A large man dressed in stylized samurai armor and bearing a naginata steps up
onto the platform, evilly glowing eyes all that is visible beneath his snarling
mempo.
<Ichi> He was?
* Indeed, now that you think about it, this person has been seen with Tulpa on
several occasions, and his armor looks vaguely similar.
* Kale faces Shiho from all the way across the ring, not attempting to get any
closer before the match starts, which would normally be done against a bow-user.
* The announcer retreats to one side of the ring, though not actually hopping
down out of it.  "Ready... FIGHT!"
* Kale rushes forward across the arena at phenomenal speed, but even that is not
enough to reach Shiho before she is ready to fire.
* Shiho runs sideways to keep some distance between her opponent and herself.
She draws two arrows from her quiver and fires them one after the other.
* Kale changes direction to intercept Shiho, the shoulder pads on his armor
absorbing most of the damage, but still staggering him a bit. He brings his
naginata up in an attempt to block the second arrow, an attempt that proves
futile as the arrow snaps his naginata in two and proceeds through the gap
between his mempo and helm, ending the glow from one eye even as he jerks
backward from either the momentum or an attempt to spare himself.
* Kale collapses to the ring floor, and a trickle of blood emerges from his
helmet.
* The crowd goes silent.
* Ichi boggles.
<Announcer> Oh my GOD!
<Daphne> ...oh, bloody fuck.
* Rocky stares. "That... wasn't supposed to happen."
<Ichi> Ah...
* Shiho lowers her bow and stares, wide-eyed.
<Announcer> I have to count it, but I dont' think he's gonna be getting up!
<Announcer> One!
<Announcer> Two.
<Announcer> Three.
<Announcer> Four.
* Shiho eyes the man. "Hey, call a doctor!"
* Kale's hand visibly twitches.  The crowd goes wild.
<Announcer> Five!
* Shiho brings her attention back to Kale.
* Cara boggles.
* Ichi stares
<Announcer> I have to keep counting, I'm sorry.  Six!
* Kale rolls onto his side.
<Announcer> This is amazing, folks!  SEVEN!
* Daphne blinks.
* Kale shifts into a sitting position and grasps the arrow by the shaft.
<Announcer> EIGHT!
<Rocky> ... That's also not supposed to happen.
* Kale yanks hard on the arrow, pulling it out in a spray of blood.
* Ichi stares harder.
<Announcer> OH MY GOD!  NINE!
* Shiho winces.
* Cara turns pale.
* Rocky winces, too.
<Cara> ...oh god.
* Daphne stares, and her jaw goes slack.
* Kale stands up.
<Announcer> HE'S UP!
* Daphne sums it up quickly. "HOLY SHIT!"
* Rocky covers his ears. "Ow!"
* Shiho curses to herself. She's still got her bow ready, though. Hopefully he's
not dumb enough to keep going.
* Cara looks like she may be ill.
* Daphne covers her ears in turn. "Ow."
* Ichi shakes his head, "Why is he doing this? If she does that again he'll..."
* Kale's one remaining eye glows balefully out of the helmet at Shiho.
* Kale looks down at his broken naginata, then bends down and picks up one half
in each hand.
<Daphne> Oh, he's prolly got honor or some other excuse. That's fine and all,
but I dunno how he really expects to fight anymore, anyway.
<Daphne> ...although he could do that.
* Ichi nods slowly.
* On the sidelines, a voice says from just behind Cara.  "That Was Unkind.  And
Unlucky."
* Cara whirls around to face the voice, clutching her rose tightly.
* Kale sways uneasily from side to side, and turns away from Shiho towards the
announcer.
* Tulpa looks down at the rose in Cara's hand, glowing eyes twinkling a little.
* Rocky looks over at Tulpa, then back to the fight.
* Ichi turns around to face Tulpa.
* Daphne doesn't even have to look. "Yeah, Tulpa, it was unlucky. Don't suppose
there's anything y'want?"
* Cara glares up at Tulpa. "You did this, didn't you."
* Thanks to the microphone, everybody in your section of the stadium can hear
Kale say "I can fight... no more."
<Tulpa> Would I Do That?
<Cara> Of course. You're an evil sadistic monster. Why did you send me this
rose?
* Rocky blinks.
* Daphne gives a sigh of relief. "At least he knew when to quit."
<Announcer> The first fight, folks!  Kale Panther surrenders to Shiho Yamaguchi!
* Tulpa's eyes change to a dangerous red glow as he snaps his attention to the
ring.  "He Should Have Fought On."
* Shiho sighs in relief.
* Ichi lets out his own sigh of relief, but doesn't look away from Tulpa.
<Daphne> Hm? Oh. He one of your henchpeople?
* Rocky looks relieved, as well, then tenses slightly on Daphne's shoulder.
* Tulpa refocuses his attention on Cara. "Do You Dislike The Rose?"
* Kale jumps down out of the ring, leaving a trail of blood.
<Cara> It's dangerous. Of course I dislike it.
* Shiho gets down off the ring and heads over to the others. She looks more than
a little pale.
<Tulpa> You Must Hate Yourself, Then?
* Rocky bounds off of Daphne's shoulder, scampering directly at Shiho as fast as
his little raccoon legs can carry him. He jumps straight into her arms.
* Cara speaks through clenched teeth. "I didn't ask for this to become part of
me, you bastard."
* Tulpa reaches out his right hand, one finger extended, and strokes the petals
of the rose.
* Shiho catches Rocky.
* Cara shudders, and jerks away from Tulpa. "Somehow, I'll kill you."
* Ichi glares at Tulpa.
* Daphne gives Cara a very pointed look.
<Announcer> Our next fight, folks, before the blood even dries!  Kenan of the
Gentle Bear versus Sekmet Cobra of the Dark Master school!
<Tulpa> I Welcome Your Tender Attentions.
<Cara> Monsters like you should go to hell where they belong.
<Daphne> Cara. Ignore him.
* Behind you, another man in stylized samurai armor climbs into the ring,
accompanied by a positively immense man dressed in a pair of blue overalls.
* Shiho sits back down near the others. She regards Tulpa only briefly.
* Cara turns back around and sits down, rage still smoldering in her eyes.
* Rocky seems perfectly content to be held by Shiho, as he stays right where he
is.
* Tulpa bends down behind Cara and whispers something softly into her ear.
* Cara doesn't respond.
* Tulpa straightens up and walks slowly down the benches until he gets to an
open spot and sits.
* Ichi looks at Shiho and Cara before shruging and turning back to match.
* Daphne leans over to Cara. "What's he say?"
* Cara turns to face Daphne. "That he'll see me later."
* Daphne frowns. "That's no good." She looks over at Rocky. "Don't suppose I
could borrow a moment of your time?"
* In the ring, the big man appears to be using a wrestling style of some sort,
with a lot of powerful grab moves.  His opponent is using an exceptionally odd
style... he seems to be juggling six short swords while using two of them to
strike at any given time.
* Rocky looks up at Daphne. "Sure." He reluctantly twists, climbing out of
Shiho's grip to get onto Daphne's shoulder.
* Daphne rubs Rocky on the head, and whispers to him.
* The fight proceeds for several minutes, and then the first special attack of
the day's fights is unleashed with a cry of "DEADLY VENOM!".  The six short
swords link together end to end and lash out like a whip at the big man, lashing
him several times before retracting and being juggled again.  The big man takes
a few steps forward, and then collapses.
* Contrary to the name of the attack, the big man is visibly NOT dead, and is
quickly counted out.
* Rocky nods, unusually thoughtful. "Sure thing." He hops down and back onto
Shiho's lap.
* Ichi tries to think...it doesn't go well so he just watches.
<Announcer> Well, folks, the first match of the third round is now set, it'll be
Shiho Yamaguchi of the Blazing Arrow versus Sekmet Cobra of the Dark Master
school!
* Daphne glances around a bit.
* Shiho frowns.
* Daphne chuckles. "It's almost like that school has something against ya',
Shiho."
* A large sign has gone up near the top of the arena in your section, bearing
the hastily written words, "Evil is so sexy!"
<Shiho> Yeah. Imagine that.
* Shiho pointedly does not chuckle.
<Ichi> Uhm...no?
<Rocky> I liked the Raccoon-sensei one more.
<Announcer> Next up, folks, Anubis Ogre, ANOTHER competitor from the Dark Master
school, versus Benita Haselden of Striking Thunder Academy!
* Daphne also doesn't chuckle anymore. "Right. Wouldn't it be funny, tho?"
* Cara scowls. "Maybe you'll get to beat up Tulpa before the end."
<Shiho> At the rate this is going, it looks like I might have to fight his
entire school.
* Still another man in stylized samurai armor emerges from the ranks of
fighters, followed by a beautiful woman bearing a katana at her side.  She
doesn't leave the katana undrawn, though, dropping into one of the standard
katana stances as her opponent produces a kusari-gama.
* Sadly, poor Benita is completely dominated throughout the fight as Anubis
loops the chain of his kusari-gama around her sword and never lets her bring it
properly into play.  He doesn't even bother disarming her, and lets out a loud
laugh each time he recaptures her sword.
* Ichi shakes his head.
* Clouds gather overhead.
* Cara glances up at the sky.
* Ichi looks up at the clouds for a bit and wonders out loud if Benita can
summon lightning.
* The clouds are gathering, strangely, only over your own area of the arena. 
The reason is shown a moment later, as Benita screams bloody murder and jerks
her sword up, hauling the chain of the kusari-gama with it.  She screams
"THUNDERBOLT!" and one responds, stabbing down from the sky, leaving a bright
afterimage in your eyes.
* Rocky rubs at his eyes and answers Ichi. "Yup."
* Daphne tries to blink away the after-image. "Clever."
* Ichi rubs his eyes, "Ow."
* When you can see again, Benita and Anubis are both laying on the ground, the
tangled weapons between them.
* Cara also rubs her eyes. "Wow."
* The announcer counts slowly to ten, and a double DQ is barely avoided as
Anubis pulls himself to his feet.
* Daphne frowns.
* Cara scowls, once she can see properly again. "Too bad."
<Ichi> Tulpas people keep winning...
* Shiho shrugs. "So if they all win, it means some of them will have to fight
each other. Fine with me."
<Announcer> A close call, folks!  Now we're about to set the second match of the
third round, and we might just see a match between two fighters of the same
school!  Our next match is Tanisha Opie of the Raging Lion versus Tulpa of the
Dark Master school!
<Shiho> I just have to win a certain number of rounds.  He can't change that.
* Ichi nods at Shiho, "Good luck to you."
* Tulpa rises and makes his way slowly into the ring, to be opposed by an
unarmed girl who can't be more than thirteen.  She looks fairly formidable, in
spite of this, with tendrils of darkness already beginning to rise from her body
as her aura strengthens.
* Ichi watches this one intently.
* Cara watches, quietly rooting for the young girl.
<Daphne> Poor girl.
* In spite of the girl's obvious power, which grows the angrier she gets,
possibly the reason for the name of her school, Tulpa completely dominates her,
pushing her around the ring at will without ever drawing a single one of his two
katana.  The fight concludes as the girl's black aura spikes to its height and
she unleashes what may well be her only special with a nearly incoherent scream
of "DARK RAGE!".
* The girl rushes at Tulpa, aura so dark she cannot actually be seen, there is
only the image of a black lion swiping repeatedly at Tulpa.  He casually ducks
each swipe and then reaches into the aura through the lion's chest and yanks the
girl out using her hair as a handle.  He slams her repeatedly against the ground
until the black aura finally dies completely.
* The crowd does not handle this well, and Tulpa is showered with garbage.
* Daphne sighs.
* Cara scowls.
* Ichi has nothing to throw except angry looks.
<Announcer> That's it, folks, next round will have a fight between two top
students of the Dark Master school!
<Announcer> That's it for the first half of division one, folks!  Our second
round, because of recent tragedies, consists of a single fight!
<Announcer> Let's bring 'em on, folks!  Daphne MacAlpin of the ever-elusive
Drunken Masters versus Ryo Wildfire of the Wildfire school!
* Ichi blinks and looks at Daphne before remembering that the other Daphne is
still in.
* Daphne raises an eyebrow, and tries to decide who to root for.
* The man everyone knows as Ryo hops easily into the ring, dual katana sheathed
over his shoulder.  Strangely, Daphne does not enter the ring.  In fact, she
doesn't appear to be at ringside.
<Daphne> ...
<Daphne> ...shit.
* Shiho scowls.
* Ichi looks around for the other Daphne. "Where is she?"
<Cara> Do you think...
<Daphne> Either she's hungover or she's dead.
<Announcer> Folks, we're trying to locate Daphne right now!  I'm sure the fight
will be on in just a few minutes!
* Ichi blinks, "That is...not good."
* Daphne bites her lip and looks tense.
* Tulpa meets Ryo as he is coming out of the ring, and the two stop and have an
impromptu staredown.
* Tulpa finally brushes past Ryo and hops out of the ring near Cara.
<Announcer> Folks, I hate to say this... but Division 1's fights for today are
OVER!
<Ichi> ...
<Announcer> Fans, please feel free to grab any available seats in other sections
to see other divisions going at it!
<Daphne> Shit. Double shit.
* Many of the fighters are looking around uneasily and slowly filing off the
field.
<Ichi> Uhm...what do we do now?
* Ryo is standing in the ring and looking around unhappily.
<Daphne> I want to go see what's left of the other me.
* Rocky winces.
<Daphne> God, doesn't that sound morbid. Any of you coming with?
* Cara cringes at Daphne's words.
<Cara> ...I'll come.
<Ichi> But...nobody knows where she is.
<Daphne> She's either in her room, or somewhere between there and the bar.
* Ichi scratches the back of his  head, "I guess so."
* Shiho frowns to herself.
* Daphne heads off to OtherDaph's room, looking grim.
* Cara gets up and follows Daphne.
* Ichi has nothing else to do but follow them.
* Shiho stands and follows.
* It takes little time to reach Daphne's room, which is near your own.
* The door is closed.
* Daphne scowls. And officials around?
* No.
* Daphne heads for the bar where they had the drinking contest last night.
* Cara continues to follow.
* Ichi blinks and follows.
<Shiho> Not going to knock?
* Daphne stops... "Eh. Might as well."
* The bar you fought at last night is closed, and apparently empty.
* Rocky twitches an ear and turns his head to the side.
* Shiho scowls and heads around that way.
* Daphne blinks and follows. "Got somethin'?"
<Ichi> I hear something dripping over there... ::points down the hall::
* Cara stops, then follows Daphne.
* As you follow Shiho down the hall, the dripping sound slowly becomes more
audible, and as you round a corner, you're confronted with a rather... grisly
sight.  Daphne is stapled to the wall, effectively crucified, by an arrow at
each wrist, each shoulder, one through the ankles, and another through the
throat.
* Cara screams.
* Rocky stares.
* Running footsteps echo through the hallway, coming swiftly towards you.
* It sounds like at least a dozen people are coming.
* Cara collapses to the ground.
* Ichi stares..."How..."
* Rocky jerks his head towards the sound.
* Daphne stops dead in her tracks and starts trembling. Her joints seeming to
pop of their own accord.
* Shiho stares too. She shakes her head in disbelief.
* A mixed group of referees and fighters round the corner, trapping Our Heroes
between them and the corpse.
* Cara is on her knees, nearly doubled over and hugging her shoulders.
[Session End]