If both duelists involved would kindly let me know that they are ready, this duel can begin. If one of the dueling parties does not report in (ready or otherwise) before Wednesday [1/9/2013], they will forfeit the match. If neither report in, both will forfeit.

Whether you are ready or not, please make it known in an ((OOC)) post here in this thread.

This duel was concluded [1/14/2013] with Kapuchu as the victor by majority vote.

((Ready))

((I'm ready, now, too. Still waiting for the list of judges though, and the times in which I can post))

601679, 601949
((I am opening this duel. You may now fight one another. Please follow this link to see the list of judges.

You must conclude your duel, either by killing blow (judge's rule), forfeit, or voting decision. A vote will be held by default in the event that the duel is not completed by 12:00 a.m. [-5:00 GMT] on Saturday [1/12/2013].

Fight with honor!))

Aurus rose from his seat suddenly, drawing a hush over the crowd and ready combatants alike. His smile was one of excitement, and it was clear from the tone that ventured forth from his throat that he was just as eager as those in the stands who were barely repressing their words to hear him speak.

"It is clear that you are all excited to see this match, and I an right there with you! Lets not delay, and commence the battle, one which I am sure will be monumental. This duel between Winterjet and Strelok should not be taken lightly. Not now, or ever in the future, as this will be a moment of history to be remembered gloriously for ages to come!"

The crowd roared in excitement, stilling once more for Aurus' final words before the unleashing of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

"Begin the match!"

The deafening roars that followed drowned out the trailing of even his mighty voice, and any hope that the clash of steel or a blast of magic had to be heard.

603362>>601679((I take it that since this is only an 'introduction' post, then it won't require judging. It won't contain any action, so I hope it's okay :3))

The gates opened, and in flew a snowy white pegasus, with a two-toned grey mane. She flew only as fast as an avarage pegasus, but that was okay. She had more endurance than those.

While flying fairly close to the ground, Winterjet pulled up, making a loop. But, as she had righted herself out enough that she could land on her hooves, she tugged her wings in and let herself fall.
As she hit the ground, miniature cracks appeared around every one of her four apendages.
She smiled slightly, at her own entrance. It had looked better when she imagined it, but it would have to suffice.

She had donned her white leather armour covering her from neck to haunches, leaving the majority of her legs free. Her ever-present pendant dangled at her chest, proudly displaying its azure gems.

604436
From the other side of the arena, a black-furred gryphon strolled through the open gates in a manner that could be described as causal, or even just bored. The sun reflected off the sheen of his coat and his gray feathers were neat and orderly. Strelok paused his walk just a few meters in, taking some time to look over the battleground. It was certainly different than the mountains he was used to, but he was sure that would not be an issue. After taking a good look around, he rested his eyes on the lone pegasus standing with confidence in the middle of the arena. At this, he grinned. His walk took on a new feel, as he picked up the pace towards his opponent. His eyes gained a glow that shone with excitement, while his wings started twitching in anticipation.

He settled himself about two meters away from his adversary, practically shaking with impatience.

604928
"Why hello there!" Winterjet said as the gryphon came within hearing range. "So you're the one I'm supposed to knock out of the sky." She couldn't help but grin. The gryphon had a total lack of armour of weapons. Sure, he had his talons, but apart from that he was unarmed and unprotected.

"Aaanyway," she said, ruffling her feathers. "Name's Winterjet, and you are?"

Strelok looked the pegasus up and down. She seemed rather big for a flyer. Guess that means she could have a bit of omph behind her attacks. Hmmm.

Strelok noticed the grin that adorned the face of the pegasus. He could almost feel the confidence shine through the teeth. She was underestimating him. Well, that might just be what he needs.

"Strelok." He said, "Is it common for the Equestrian Royal Guard to be ignorant? Last I checked, they would at least know a bit more about their opponent before opening their mouths."

605032
"Oh, don't be such a bore." Winterjet replied. "Come now, let's play!" With a powerful flap of her wings, Winterjet took to the air. Searching for a few seconds, she found a rockspire with a relatively flat top.
Landing there, she made ready for whatever action was needed. Dodge, attack, counter attack, anything, by condensing the water in the air around her, forming tiny droplets that floated around her. They were basically invisible from the distance, but visible once you got close.
"May the best pony win!" She shouted from atop her perch, glaring down at Strelok with a playful glare.

"I'm a gryphon." Strelok said, letting out a sigh of disbelief. "You Equestrians and your mouths. I swear, it's like you have nothing else useful."

Pushing back with his claws, Strelok stood upright. His wings held his body up, allowing his talons to take their positions. He held them in front of himself, ready to strike. His paws widened their stance on the ground, securing good footing. Despite what he said it was obvious Strelok was excited. He was shifting slightly back and forth, the anticipation making him jumpy and impatient.

"Your move, pegasus."

605290
((I'd appreciate if you tagged me so that I get a notification when you write. Response coming momentarily))

605306
((Ah yes. I had forgotten the reply button. My mistake.))

605335
The snowy white pegasus watched as the gryphon reared on his hindlegs and spread out his wings to keep his balance.
"Hmm..." Winter thought "Not flying after me? It seems that our birdie doesn't fly!" She mentally patted herself for the observation. She wasn't stupid, "Though, I can't know if he does sometimes fly, but he didn't this time." She finished.

Standing stock still and thinking for a moment, Winterjet thought about how to approach it. She went through several possibilities, before settling on the most secure one.
She jumped off of the cliff, gaining altitude and started towards the gryphon, all the while she gathered as much water from the air as she could and focused it around her tail.
Seconds before she got within range, she froze the water at her tail solid and forming a large lumb of ice, a quarter the size of her own head, and turned upwards, using the momentum to aim for the lower part of the Streloks beak.

((Approved by Crafter (He is SLOW!!)))

605407
((Hang on. I've got work. I'll respond as soon as possible.))

605407
((Reaction))Strelock watched the pegasus charge at him, preparing himself to move away from any possible attack. Before the ice could make contact he beat a single wing, rotating him around on his foot and leaving him at the pegasus's side.

((Action))Hoping that her momentum would slow down her reaction time, Strelok tried to take advantage of his position. He shot a claw straight towards the base of his opponent's wing, hoping to cripple it early on.

((Approved by Crafter))

608342
((A small thing I'd like to add: Winterjet's tail is LONG. Not as long as Fluttershy, but still quite long. That coupled with you jumping backwards puts you out of range, I'd say.))

Edit: ((Nevermind, I missread))

608349
((Hm. While we are specifying, Strelok went left. Which means he is on your right side. Just to make sure we don't lose each other here.))

608342
"The ice missed. Buck it!" Winterjet thought, only to be pulled out of her thoughts by a claw coming directly for her right wing. There was little time to think. Not a lot, but a little. As such, she went through the possibilities she had; She could either feint to take the hit, only to block it using her ice-powers, she could continue her ascent with a little extra power and avoid, or she could make a horizontal flap and pull out of range.
"Which one... Which one" she mentally argued with herself, before finally comming to a decision.
Winterjet beat hard with her wings and continued her loop, only letting the tip of the claw scrape her wing. It hurt a little, but far from enough to cripple her or even be considered actual damage. A single drop of blood was all it left in its wake.

Continuing her loop, Winterjet completed it and leveled herself with the Gryphons solar plexus, making a bee-line for his exposed side, right at the lowest rib, with her front hooves outstretched to take the impact. She put as much power behind it as she could. She wanted to knock this bird out!

((You didn't specify which wing you targeted, so I'll just say right.))
((Approved by SwiftEthan))

608467
((Was this ever approved?))

608485
((Oh yeah, sorry. Forgot to add that ^^))

608467
((Reaction))'Another head-on attack, eh?' Thought Strelok. He beat a single wing again, rotating himself to the left, away from the direct path of the attack. Simultaneously, he placed his claw along the right forelimb of his opponent, using his opponent's momentum to redirect the hit away.

((Action))Being at his opponent's side gave Strelok an opportunity. He used his free claw in an attempt to slam down on his adversary's neck, hoping the impact could knock her out.

((Approved by Razorbeam))

608715
"Nice try" Winter commented silently, as Strelok turned to the side and batted her hooves away. "But I'm not finished yet"
As Winterjet's hooves were redirected out of their path, she too turned with them, allowing herself to turn sideways. While doing so, she gathered as much water at the edge of her left wing as she could, and froze it immediatly, creating a sort of small razor-sharp edge capable of cutting very deeply.

She let herself tilt slightly, just out of the way of the grypons left claw, and let her wing turn upwards, directly in the path of the Gryphons left hand.
"Prepared to lose your hand?" Winterjet thought, smirking.

((Approved by ChainLinc3))

((Note: While she does think 'prepared to lose your hand?', she didn't have enough time to gather ice enough to cut through your hand. Though she WILL leave a nasty gash that will probably render your hand unusable))

608775
"Damn it!" Strelok shouted. His hand was in danger, and there wasn't much time. Letting his instincts drive him he gave a powerful flap of his wings, pulling himself back into the air and his hand out of the path of the incoming attack. With his momentum traveling away from his opponent, Strelok decided it would be best if he didn't attempt an attack. He had underestimated his opponent, and it almost cost him the ability to use his hand. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.
((Approved by Crafter))

611623
((No action?))

611642
((Haha. Hell no. Anything would put me in a situation you could exploit. I'm not charging into another attack like that.))

611647 ((Approved by SwiftEthan and Crafter))
Her neck was free, not a scratch.
But so was Strelok. He had just managed to jump out of the way before her iced-over wingtip cut his hand half-ways through.
Winterjet landed quickly, skidding to a halt and faced the gryphon.

"Now, what do I do? My counter attack failed, and he seems reluctant to be the one charging... I think I have an idea" Winterjet smirked and locked eyes with the Gryphon. "What's wrong birdie? Afraid to get a scratch?" as she uttered the last word, a bit more harshly than the others, so flapped her wing once and the ice at the end of her feathers broke and fell to the ground. "Can't the carnivore handle a simple herbivore, huh?" Her tone was scorning and mocking, the words were intent to annoy and enrage. "Come on! Bring it!" Winterjet exclaimed and flared her wings, tiny droplets of water swirled slowly around her.

With those words, she charged. Running with her wings outstretched in a bee-line towards the gryphon, though prepared to avoid any and all attacks. Her lower height was an advantage at this point, the gryphon would have to bend down to hit her, and as such bring himself out of balance.

611696
((We both understand that I'm on the ground, right?))

611785
((Eeyup, her wings are only outstretched. She's running, not flying.))

611696
Strelok did not like the situation. Two speedy fighters were now playing a game of hit and dodge. With both unable to land a direct hit, it might not end. He knew he had to try something different. He had to put his opponent in a bad spot. Noticing a pond next to him gave him an idea. His opponent could create ice from the moisture around them. So why not give her a good chunk of moisture? Strelok dipped down, submerging his claws in the frigid water. In one swift movement, he splashed a large amount at the charging Pegasus, hoping it would give him an opening. If anything, he hoped that this could give him a perfect chance.

615411
Winterjet didn't deter, even as she was splashed with water. The only thing that happened, was him making a MAJOR mistake. The second biggest mistake he could possibly make.
But, of course, he couldn't know that. But neither did Winterjet know why he threw more water at her, it only fuelled her attack with even more power.

Keeping her expression stoic, Winterjet gathered ice at three of the feathers first, on her right wing and flipped it towards him, sending three knife-like feathers speeding towards him, though aimed a little to his left, compelling him to either move to his right to avoid it, or take three daggers to his left chest and stomach.
Winterjet continued her charge, refusing to relent. All the while continuing to ice over her right wing.

((Approved by ShadowBro & Crafter))

Voting:
Kapuchu

Voting:
TinKanSinar