Black Crow vs Masuyo Ai - Zugzwang

Masuyo was starting to see the challenge really unfold in front of her. She knew Lily was strong from the outset. Her body, her technique; they all told her that much. Wherever she came from, she must have been hanging around the top bracket. But what really sold it to her were those eyes. She’d seen them before, the last being from Alicia Wells, easily the strongest mixed martial artist she’d gone up against.

But what Lily lacked in power in comparison to her, she made up for in speed and tact. The British redhead was as tactical as she was strong, but Lily seemed beyond human, like a supercomputer was tucked away inside that head of hers. They both embodied that deathly mixture of ice-cold intensity and merciless offense. Inevitable defeat could linger behind those eyes, and the Demon had fallen to them once before.

But this wasn’t a year ago. She wasn’t the same Masuyo Ai that stepped into the ring undefeated. She’d won and lost, climbed and fallen. She wouldn’t be done in again. She bit down, taking in the pain and giving a wicked smile to the Crow diving straight for her.

Her eyes glanced to the woman’s feet, noticing the subtle change in her stance. Front foot forward, a side stance. The twist in her shoulders was all Masuyo needed to confirm what Lily was going for. She read the guard quick and saw an opening to exploit almost instantly. Good instincts. Great movement. The kick shot her way, and if it connected, it probably would’ve dropped the average joe on the street in an instant.

But Masuyo wasn’t without instincts of her own. Her muscle memory took over, and for a moment, she wasn’t even in the ring. She was on the dojo floor, the cloth of her hakama brushing the top of her feet as she danced and graced the wooden panels with her bare soles. Lily’s kick sailed past her in that instant, finding empty air as the Demon spun on the spot and raised her back leg, shooting a spinning back kick to the Crow’s face before she even had the chance to bring her leg back down.

/

Like she thought, Masuyo had the edge in terms of power.

It had been hard to really test that theory what with Lily’s clearly distinct aversion to being punched in the face, but it was a process. She understood. Her opponent was good, but she wasn’t a wall. That defense could only hold up for so long before a hole or two exposed themselves. And when it finally did, Masuyo hit it as best she good, feeling a solid clap from the bottom of her foot as it met the Crow’s face with little remorse.

At least, it should have. As if Masuyo needed any more evidence of it, Lily had some impressive reflexes, managing to save most of her face with her hand. She would still be feeling that strike, Masuyo’s kicks were nothing to laugh at, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse. Masuyo clicked her tongue. Right, just had to be faster next time.

But it seemed like the Englishwoman was determined to keep the speedster title for herself.

In a flashback to Masuyo’s own debut, Lily had managed to keep the ring space in mind. She didn’t fight the kick after she received it, letting the momentum take her backward and snap back from the ring ropes, coming to meet the Demon with a kick. A fast kick. Too fast. Masuyo hadn’t even really a chance to bring her foot down before the strike cut its way toward her. She crossed her forearms together as kick the landed home, clapping against her guard loud enough to get a few hisses from the audience. Masuyo’s stumbled back a couple of steps as she found her footing, sliding one foot behind her to balance herself as she trained her eyes on Lily.

Her guard came up again, making sure not to take her eyes off Lily. She clicked her tongue as she tucked her chin low. Alright, clearly she was going to need a new approach.

The Demon lowered her hands, bringing her palms flat out in front of her and sliding one foot forward, slipping seamlessly into her aikido stance. She’d had a taste of Lily’s defense. Only right to give her a taste of her own.

/

Strategy aside, Masuyo was seriously interested in seeing how this woman would approach. Most people would be eager to press an advantage, hit her openings hard and mess up her guard. That was the thing about the octagon. Nerves often dictated the fight, and for the most part, that was enough for the Demon of Shibuya to coast through. She had the best nerves of anyone, and it didn’t matter who came knocking at her door. She’d take them all face first.

Lily was too smart for that, obviously. Masuyo leaned back from the first strikes that snapped toward her face, but as the Crow began to round her, her exposed side was ripe for the picking. A pained grunt slipped past her lips as a few blows found her ribs, forcing her to step once to the side. She watched as Lily kept to the outside and peppered away with quick strikes, trying to retain control of the moment. She didn’t dedicate her weight to any one attack. Aikido kryptonite.

That’s what she was likely thinking. For anyone who wasn’t a prodigy, the Crow’s pecks might have been pretty difficult to keep up with. Masuyo, on the other hand, kept her eyes forward. Her footwork didn’t falter, her arms didn’t drop. She let Lily hound her as the two circled, getting a feel for her speed and how fast she could follow-up.

Whiff. Whiff. Whap! Whiff. Whiff. Whap! To the outside, it must have seemed like the Demon was being pushed towards the ropes, circled like carrion.

There. Lily’s fist came sailing her way, but Masuyo’s hand reached out to grasp it tightly by the wrist as the strike breezed past her stomach. The Demon pulled her forward and turned on the spot. Masuyo would knock her arm back with a twist of her hips, sending an elbow strike to the back of the woman’s head.