Welcome to Gaia! ::

Before reeled the errant spike back into the wheel then gave his weapon a brief once-over just to make sure he hadn't pressed anything else. Once certain, he tried to charge forward, only ending up stepping into an exceptionally deep hole that had him sinking to his knee.

HP: 32/60
Damage: 0 because the dice wants them both to have a nice, long mud-bath :/

Before was fully bracing himself for a series of swift kicks as appropriate to the match. Because he was pretty sure it's been weird as hell. The kick was more of a tap, especially coming from Candace and Before was more confused than anything. ( > _>)a

Was that a pity strike? It felt like a pity strike. But Before didn't think Candace did pity strikes. He was pretty sure she treated all her fights seriously. Maybe it was the rain? Oh s**t, were they coming down with something and thus sapping their strength in the process?! Just to make sure, Before made another swing at her.

HP: 29/60
Damage: 5

At the second kick, Before got the distinct feeling this was less a pity strike and more of a playing-with-prey strike. It was oddly familiar to Before. Which Vanna found alarming that he also found it comforting >[[[[[

HP: 26/60
Damage: 0

There's this thing about Vanna that allowed for both offensive and defensive maneuvers. And Before had learned long ago to utilize it to the fullest. At the kick, Before managed to angle his weapon in time to take the brunt of the blow. There was also the thing about the way Vanna was shaped, she wasn't a solid mass. She had grooves and spaces that served as handles and it was these very features that the tip of those bladed shoes hooked onto. With the momentum and having Before hold her, thus technically negating Vanna's full weight, Candace's back flip helped yank Before out of the knee-deep mud-hole.

Act quickly! Vanna urged.

After yelling a triumphant, "Freedom!", Before quickly followed it up with a dead-run. He used Vanna as a shield to body-check Candace throwing his entire weight behind it.

HP: 23/60
Damage: 17

The body check sent Candace flying with a sound of surprise. When she did finally hit the ground she rolled a few feet, unsummoning Atropos once she had stopped rolling. s**t. When Before was announced the winner she tensed. No..no! ********! No! Not him. Goddamnit.

On the inside she was screaming, throwing a fit that would put a two-year-old to shame, but on the outside she got up her feet again. Candace kept her head bowed for now, brushing excess dirt and mud off her body, before finally lifting her head with a very pleasant smile. Everything about it was fake.

She was livid.

"Good fight! You've really improved, I wasn't expecting that!" She approached Before and offered out a hand to shake. She could pretend until the cows came home.

"Yes, we definitely should," Candace replied with a strained smile. After parting from the handshake she turned on her heel from Before and closed her eyes, clearing her throat before she took a deep breath, releasing it slowly between slightly parted lips before she trudged through the mud away from Before. She wiped what mud off herself that she could before she reached to take Dakota's hand, squeezing it tightly and giving him the same strained smile she gave Before.

"I'm a mess. Want to help me clean up?"

The tug surprised her, the hug did as well, and she tensed briefly before relaxing in Dakota's arms. She buried her face against his neck with a soft laugh, nodding her head a bit. "Mud doesn't bother me," Candace said quietly before finally returning the hug. "Love you~" she told him before she pat his shoulder. "Carry me~?"