- The RhyDin Post's black and gold logo flashes with an epic, orchestrated introduction theme. The logo spirals off the screen, and displays a high-tech news studio with flat screen television sets, and a massive, glossy black desk. Two men 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 navy suit. To the right (Chris Reed) is of Caucasian ethnicity with dark brown hair, is in his late thirties, is wearing a khaki suit, and has a vertical scar running down one side of his face. Both men, equipped with headsets, smile at the camera. -
Peter: How's it going, RhyDin" I'm Peter Pham, sports columnist!
Chris: And I'm Chris Reed, and if I were put into a ring with Harris D'Artainian for a face-punching contest, I would still look prettier than this guy here. - Pointing to Peter. -
Peter: Thanks for tuning in with us tonight. We're really excited to be able to bring you this -
Chris: - Interrupting. - No, I'm excited. He's just insulting you and being dishonest.
Peter: - Sighs. - Chris, you have really got to let that go.
Chris: Well I would, Pete, except I'm out two thousand gold thanks to you. So you can just go jump in The Pit with a hungry Sleen.
Peter: Would you mind terribly if we just covered this fight' I'm tired, and on top of that, I am still sore from where that flying debris bruised my kidney.
Chris: Yes, Peter, I would mind. But for our fans' sake, I'll let the show go on. I'm not doing this for you.
Peter: I'm so glad we agree.
Chris: You want me to take care of the other kidney for you?
Peter: I'd rather like to have a look at an interesting comeback. It's been a while since we've seen Farek out and about, hasn't it"
Chris: About as long as it took you to grow a brain, Pete.
Peter: - Dull stare. -
Chris: " which is a long time. Because your brain is tiny.
Peter: Wouldn't that mean it took a short amount of time to grow"
Chris: That's what she said. Snap!
Peter: Right' well what we mean to say is that it's been a while since Farek has put himself out there competitively. Honestly, the last time I remember Farek being in the news was when he held the Duel of Magic's Tower of Water.
Chris: I remember that! I also remember that he was complaining about not being challenged enough while holding that title. Not that I'm a magicky person, but I actually think it'd be really interesting to see how our buddy Moisture McStabberson fares against old-school rapscallion Farek. You think he'd grind Eternity into dust"
Peter: I think Eternity has had more practice recently. But if I were to compare Farek before he went on break to Eternity now" I honestly couldn't call it. I'm with you, though. It would be interesting.
Chris: - To the camera. - For the record, he's not with me, with me. He's just with me. Kind of. Not really.
Peter: But all that aside, I'm very excited to see Farek back in the rings regardless. From what I've heard he's been doing pretty well, as far as Swords goes.
Chris: It's not that hard to be ruthless and manly like he is, Pete. Except maybe for you.
Peter: Careful, Chris. It's beginning to sound like you're developing another mancrush.
Chris: I'd insult you for that, but I honestly don't think you're bright enough to notice.
Peter: Says the man who thought C-4 was playdough.
Chris: Hey. It very well could have been!
Peter: You bought it on the black market, Chris. Who buys playdough on the black market' Why were you buying things on the black market, anyway"
Chris: They have good sheets on sale. And how was I to know that stuff would explode"
Peter: What the heck were you doing setting it on fire in the first place"
Chris: You don't set your playdough on fire"
Peter: Not usually, no.
Chris: It's really fun. Here, let me show you?
Peter: I honestly don't think you're safe handling fire. Not after you wrecked half our studio with that escapade.
Chris: You didn't have to rat on me, you know.
Peter: Someone had to pay for the damage. Now can we get around to the fight now, please" This one came across our desks after the nineteenth. Farek and Vincent Smith.
Chris: Smith. Now that's a guy who I'd like to see hold the Triple Crown just once. He's just cocky enough to do it.
- Roll footage Round 1. FDK/TH 1-0 Smith. -
Imp: "Farek forgot how to duel!"
Smith: Gives him a proper Arena hello.
Farek: He reeled, taking the shot to the face. "Damn."
Peter: Ouch. That one looked painful.
Chris: Might actually improve his looks, though. Snap! - Long pause. - Don't leave me hanging, now.
Peter: Chris, you realize you have the attention span of a goldfish, right"
Chris: Eh' What was the question"
- End footage Round 1. Roll footage, Round 2 and 3. HC/HC 1-0 Smith; LC/TH 2-0 Smith. -
Farek: Farek moved his blade high, steel meeting steel at its arc. He took another direct strike, staggering back.
Smith: After connecting with his blade up high, he went back to skewering him up the middle.
Chris: Boom! And Smith flawlessly curtails another bookend!
Peter: Another" We're only in the third round, Chris.
Chris: This is one of my favorite moves of his, Pete. Smith is notoriously perceptive in the first couple of rounds of a match. He is probably classically trained, too. He knows the statistics. It is much, much easier to follow up a high blow with a low one, and he uses that knowledge to his advantage.
Peter: Be that as it may, didn't he only recently make Warlord"
Chris: Well sure he did, but that doesn't stop him from being devious.
Peter: Who isn't these days"
- End footage Round 3. Roll footage Round 4 and 5. HC/HC 2-0 Smith; LC/SL 2-1 Smith. -
Farek: Again, he swung high, but was unable to press past the similar attack from his opponent. He came low, scoring.
Chris: Oh, beautiful! Beautiful. Andrew, can we have another look at that, please?
- Slow-motion, action replay of Farek's low blow, with special focus on his windup. -
Chris: Look at that gorgeous preparation! Straight from the chest, that one. Flawlessly efficient - it's like he never left the ring!
Peter: It's not like years of training will just completely evaporate, Chris. Except maybe in your case.
Chris: You'd be very surprised, my friend. I could skewer you without hardly batting an eyelash!
Peter: Still, it looked like Smith's reduction was a little sloppy there. He needs to sharpen it up if he expects to work his way up to a Barony.
- End footage Round 5. Roll footage Round 6 and 7. HC/SH 2 All; FSS/FCP 3-2 Farek. -
Farek: Farek returned high, arcing his blade towards Vinny. This time, no similar attack impeded its progress as he scored. He slid away to an advantageous position.
Smith: Finding himself now out of synch. "Wow, this went downhill in a hurry."
Peter: Freeze it, Andrew! I can show you exactly where Smith went wrong here. Wind it back.
- Slow-motion action replay of Round 6. A white arrow is drawn into the screen, following Farek's smooth penetration of Smith's defense. A white scribble is drawn onto Smith's blade. -
Peter: This is complete and total miscalculation on Smith's part. Now while I don't exactly blame him, seeing as Farek doesn't broadcast his moves like some, his defense was entirely too shallow to be able to handle a frontal attack like that. This will sound odd, but he needs a firmer grip on that blade.
Chris: It's not odd at all, Pete. I completely agree with you. What have I said in the past' A sword on a good swordsman is merely an extension of his arm, right' If your grip is poor, your technique is poor. Simple as that.
Peter: And here in this next round, we see Smith compensating for that blow by becoming excessively defensive, which is just the wrong thing you want to do in that situation.
Chris: Right you are, Pete. Smith may be classically trained, but the law of swordplay seems to have been ingrained into Farek's very being. He's quick to exploit Smith's over-compensation with some fancy footwork of his own. This does two things: One, it obviously gives him a better vantage point to analyze the flaws in Smith's technique; and two, the move is just simple enough to make an opponent self-conscious. I know it sounds silly, but this is hugely important when it comes to Swords. A fighter gets self-conscious, he starts doubting his performance and delivery, and that leads to a whole slew of other mistakes.
Peter: What you're saying is that fighters get discouraged.
Chris: That's exactly what I'm saying. Now we'll just have to see how Smith's ego will hold up for the rest of the duel.
Peter: And we will, right after a brief word from our sponsors. Don't go away!
- Blackout. -
