- The RhyDin Post's black and gold logo flashes with an epic, orchestrated introduction theme. The logo spirals off the screen, and displays a brand new, renovated high-tech news studio with several flat screen television sets, projected RhyDin Post Sports hologram images, and in-action moving images of famous dueling legends projected on a few walls. At the bottom of a modern, massive, glass-covered black granite and mahogany desk are scrolling digital scores from the latest matches in the Outback, Arena, Twilight Isle and Annex. Two men and a young woman sit behind the desk. To the left (Peter Pham) is in his early thirties, of Asian ethnicity, has gelled black hair, and is in a black suit. To the right (Chris Reed) is of Caucasian ethnicity with dark brown hair, is in his late thirties, is wearing a gray suit, and has a vertical scar running down one side of his face. To the center (Candy Hart) is the younger looking of the three, in her early twenties. Leaning back in her chair, she wears a white t-shirt with the image of a fist punching through the torso. Short, choppy, brown hair looks like she just rolled out of bed. Both men, equipped with headsets, look at the camera. -

Peter: How's it going, RhyDin" I'm Peter Pham, sports columnist!

Candy: - Pauses, then giving an awkward and unpracticed smile toward the camera. - I'm Candy Hart....duelist.

Chris: And I'm Chris Reed. - Glaring at Candy. - And you're in my seat.

Candy: - Gives a squint of a glance over at Chris. -

Peter: Thanks for tuning in with us tonight! As I'm sure you can see, we're more than a little bit pleased to have with us a delightful guest on the show: Miss Candy Hart. It's all the more excellent that we're able to have her here, as the challenge match we'll be covering is, in fact-

Chris: - Interrupting - Let me stop you right there, Pete. She can't have my job.

Peter: We've been over this, Chris. She's here to offer commentary on her Fists match against Karos. She's not here to steal your job.

Chris: Says you, Pete. - Glaring at Candy. - Seriously. You can't have my job.

Candy: - Expression goes from amused at being referred to as 'delightful" to another squint at Chris, following the back and forth between the two men. - I don't want your job.

Chris: Who wouldn't want my job' Pete, this woman is clearly mentally challenged. I will not have a mentally challenged person taking my job.

Peter: - To Candy. - It helps if you tune him out. - Back at the camera. - As I was saying, we're lucky tonight to be able to have Candy on our show, as she recently challenged for the Firestar Opal, held by Fists champion, Anubis Karos. Candy, would you mind telling us what prompted to you challenge for it, even though you pretty recently challenged Dizzy Flores for her Opal"

Candy: - Nods to Peter's instruction to tune Chris, Candy turns to Peter as he follows with the question. One shoulder rolls in a shrug. - Yeah, sure. Guess folks that have heard me go on "bout the Black Rock bein" the only one I wanted might find my switch curious. - A short scratch to the line of her jaw, then she continues. - I was the caller on Anu's challenge to Por... - Cough. - Gork. Man....Anu....was vicious, yeah' Gork's wearin" an eye patch til his one eye heals up from the number that guy did. After the challenge, Anu waived his grace....and I was in the moment. I just wanted t"try myself against him, figured why not go for a rock too. Would suit my needs just as well as the other.

Peter: That's a pretty bold decision.

Chris: She challenged Karos, Pete. Karos. And she's calling him "Anu." One more reason she's mentally challenged.

Peter: Stop calling our guest mentally challenged, Chris.

Chris: It comes from taking one too many blows to the head. Trust me, I know.

Peter: That explains a lot about you.

Chris: - To Candy. " You can't have my job. I know you want my job, but I worked for my job and you can't have it. Even if you are mentally challenged and call Karos "Anu."

Candy: - Short glance over at Chris with a dark look, but returning to "ignoring" him. -

Peter: We're hoping you can provide us with a little insight into your thought process during the Firestar match just yesterday. Would you mind doing that for us"

Candy: - Another shrug. - Not at all.

Peter: Excellent. Andrew, roll the footage from the Opal challenge, please. November twenty-first.

- Roll footage Round 1. FaDO/FeJB 0-1 Hart. -

Hart: She lifted the fist looking to get the man to move like last time, though this go round she was ready to catch the incoming hit he attempted. Blocking the fist and bringing her knee toward his gut.

Karos: And his awesome dueling continues, the incipient fluctuations of the willowy femme's limb sending him darting to the left. Said evasion was aborted by the incoming esker of her kneecap, an exodus of breath deflating his lungs.

Peter: The way I understand it, you swept Karos a bit under the rug in the match before this one. At this round's outset, were you considering changing your strategy at all"

Candy: - Amused. - As my strategy was t"win, naw....I didn't change it. - A pause, her tone going serious. - In the first round he managed t"catch me with a serious hit to my temple when I came in with a fist. Here I was lookin" to get him to slip into such a move again, make him think it was in his favor t"come at me....then made him regret tryin" it a second time.

Chris: What were your impressions of dueling Karos after the first match was over" Were you the least bit intimidated"

Candy: If I say "No' you gonna call me mental some more"

Chris: Not outwardly. But seriously. Your honest impression. A lot of people consider Karos to be one hell of a duelist to go up against.

Candy: - Slow exhale. - I got a lot of....grief....followin" my choice to challenge that guy. Heh, I went into it sure he was gonna turn me into a human torch. I took 'im seriously. I think maybe his fault is he didn't take me as seriously as I was takin" him.

Peter: Interestingly, I have never considered hubris to be a flattering color on Karos.

Chris: At least he can back it up. Some others can't, present company not included.

- End footage Round 1. Roll footage, Round 2 and 3. JK/SW 0-1 Hart; JB/SnK 1 All. -

Hart: She saw that kick coming and having no time to turn it about she opted to avoid it, getting low. Pushing up from the low roll, she looked to connect the heel of her foot with his middle again....but found herself solidly deterred from that action.

Karos: Diaphonous linen undulated across the breadth of his abdomen with a singular billow as he evaded the incoming limb with a half-step, bronzed fist lacerating the stale air with a weird fusion of a haymaker and a hook as it aimed for her temple.

Peter: Here we see a perfect example of Karos's uncanny habit of doubling up on his counterattacks. If I may, Candy, how do you generally prepare for that kind of retaliation when you're in the ring"

Candy: You get like a second in your head when you see it comin"....least I saw it comin" right' Heh. Inside, I just sorta....nut-up and take it. Let the lights go black and then get back to the fight.

Chris: That's one approach you can take. But the important thing to remember, Pete, is that you can't go in constantly expecting one thing or another from a certain duelist, because chances are they are expecting already that their opponents have done some research on them or their mannerisms. You keep expecting something that isn't going to come, like Matt-Awesome-Simon's backhand or The Tank's scissor-kick, and your technique is going to be limited and you are going to suffer for it.

- End footage Round 3. Roll footage, round 4 and 5. FeFL/FAB 1 All; JB/FL 1-2 Hart. -

Hart: She had been ready and waiting, when he came in she got a grip and through twisting his arm toward his back she used her foot and elbow to send him face down.

Karos: He just did not seem to be able to get his head into the game tonight....as made evident by the involuntary pivot which the Egyptian found himself making due to the momentum of his own right cross.

Chris: Holy heck. That's one impressive grab there. Even more so given the way you are able to use his balance against him for that kind of face plant.

Peter: We can see here the evidence of Karos's growing impatience, hence the blazen charge he attempts. I'd have to say in any slower opponent, it might have worked. Were you sensing any of that frustration here"

Candy: - Her tone carrying some pride at the compliment. - Thanks, Chris. I'm teachin" that move to Rach. - A snort to Peter's question. - Sensing" The guy blatantly came at me when I was already on guard. Yeah, I think he was gettin" a lil" frustrated.

Chris: No disrespect, but Karos has definitely powered through a defense before. In fact, it's one of his signature techniques.

Peter: Still, not the best idea when you're dragging with fatigue, Chris.

Chris: If Karos is tired here, I sure as heck can't see it.

Peter: And I'm sure he prefers it that way.

Candy: - A short low chuckle sounds from Candy. -

- End footage Round 5. Roll footage, Round 6. SW/JB 1-3 Hart. -

Hart: Moved back, letting him get up just enough before she came in with a quick right to the eye.

Karos: Viridescent sandals wove minute ripples into the manila canvas beneath as they rapidly advanced, the precursor to a low attack which was aborted by her fist. Neon luminescence erupted beneath abyssal panes of sable, lucidity being temporarily cast to the periphery.

Peter: I have to ask: that's a pretty awkward position you're in here to be attempting a heavy-handed jab like that. You managed to earn the point here, but with your balance already compromised from the previous round, don't you think that was a bit of a gamble"

Candy: Eh. Sometimes you just gotta hit a guy, you know"

Chris: Pete....I think I love this woman.

Candy: - Flatly. - I don't date.

Chris: Hey, Candy, what?s that"

Candy: What"

Chris: That over there. What is that"

Candy: I don't see anything. - Pause. " I saw that.

Chris: Saw what"

Candy: You put something in my Badsider.

Chris: I didn't put anything in your Badsider.

Candy: Yes. You did. I can see the pill dissolving.

Chris: " It came like that. You should taste it to double-check.

Candy: That so' Maybe you should taste it. - Loud shuffling. Splashing. Mic static. She is attempting to pour it into his mouth. -

Chris: NO THANK YOU I PREFER SILVER MARK.

- End footage Round 6. Roll footage, Round 7. FeJK/FL 1-4 Hart. -

Hart: Taking a breather and pulling back. Her breath came hard, but it didn't mean she wasn't ready for him. He gave her something to grab and she grabbed it, forcing him down again with a turning throw.

Karos: He managed to roll with the blow....but the flesh around the almond socket that she just struck was beginning to discolor.

Peter: See, now, here I fully expected Karos to follow through with his kick. Can I ask what made you realize he was only feinting"

Candy: - Shuffling as she returns to her seat. - Heh. Didn't realize it til jus" now. He put somethin" out and I grabbed it, didn't really think where he was goin" with it on his end. Was....in the moment.

Peter: It seems like most of your attacks are instinct. Do you find that's the majority of your strategy, or is at least some of what you do premeditated"

Candy: Yeah, sure, some of it's premeditated. Some of it's instincts. My folks were on me to be able to fight from the moment they found out I was comin" into the world. - A bit of warmth in her amused tone. -

Peter: So you've had pretty extensive training"

Candy: If you call a six-year-old throwin" down with a man the size of a bear extensive, yeah.

Chris: And hence she shall be dubbed: The Man Mangler.

- End footage Round 7. Roll footage, Round 8. FLP/SW 2-4 Hart. -

Karos: A tumescent calf served as a monolithic barrier to the incoming sweep, a defense borne more of primordial instinct than a preconceived stratagem at this point. In the same vein, the rapid cant of a skull which was meant to terminate in a collision with her own cranium was a child of ad hoc reactions.

Hart: Her sweeping foot brought up short, her balance also knocked off for a moment.

Chris: Karos has more than instinct going on in his head here. You can tell already in the last round that he's preparing for the next one " if not simply by the weight with which he plants his feet. He's getting ready to spring, and it's obvious.

Peter: I'm going to have to unfortunately question your methods again, here. If Karos saw you broadcast your sweep light years ahead, what motivated you to go low in the first place"

Candy: Once again, Pete, I was just in the moment. Sometimes I find it....useful....to get an opponent down and jus" never let them up. Like I did with Diz in the second match of my unsuccessful challenge. This time....that idea didn't work. Happens.

Chris: You know what else happens" Love. Love happens.

Peter: And just a second ago, you were worrying about her taking your job.

Chris: She's not going to take my job. She loves me too much.

Candy: Don't touch me.

- End footage Round 8. Roll footage, Round 9. FLP/JB 5-2 Hart. -

Hart: Instinct more than anything had her swinging with a growl as the lights came back. Here's to making his eye that much blacker.

Karos: And....the Opal was handed off. "Enjoy it for three months. I'll be back."

- The camera returns to the studio, where all three are engaged in frank discussion. -

Peter: Those are some big words coming from Karos, there, Candy. How'd that make you feel"

Candy: Not surprised. Was a lil" out of breath followin" the match, but as I told him then....I'm lookin" forward to it.

Peter: You welcome the challenge, is that it"

Candy: The challenge, the fight, another chance t"make his eye that pretty color of purple again. S"what I live for. - A shark-like smile of enjoyment. -

Peter: And what about ShadoWeaver"

Candy: "Less the Overlady is successful in her challenge against Diz, she can keep it for now.

Peter: Overall, were you happy with your performance" Aside from the fact that you won, I mean.

Candy: Yeah, Pete. I'd never gone up against Anu before, even in a regular ring. Like Chris here said, - A quick look at movement from Chris in her direction. - Not. An. Invite. Just agreeing....you can't assume to expect what you've seen or think is trademark. Guy's a big deal and there's a reason for that. I'd say I'm happy I held my own against a guy like that.

Chris: I know something else you can hold your own against...

Candy: - Knuckles were white before he even finished the sentence. Turning full force to land her fist right on Chris" nose. - Like that"

Peter: - As his colleague groans and leans back in his chair, his head snapped back from the recoil of the punch. - Well, let me be one of many to wish you congratulations on a well-fought challenge, Candy. And we appreciate you coming on the show with us and offering us some insight. - Offering his hand for a polite shake. -

Candy: - Checking her hand, then looking at the polite shake being offered. There's a pause, but she accepts it. Not her usual custom. A glance back at Chris, then to Peter. - Yeah....thanks for havin" me. - Manages another smirk and nods toward Chris. - Think I'll head out before that one forces me to do somethin? that'd make his job available.

Peter: - Thanks her again as she vacates her seat. - Best of luck in the future! - Back to the camera, once the guest has left. - That does it for us here at the Sports Center. Always remember to write us if you see a duel worth covering, or even if you'd like to be considered for interview. From all of us at the Post, I'm Peter Pham!

Chris: - Cradling his nose. - And I think she likes me.

Peter: You stay sporty, RhyDin!

- End tape. -