Description: Miki challenges Jira to a sparring match in the forest, and is slowly beaten up by Akabara's impenetrable defense. Akabara then informs Miki of a variety of useful techniques for stopping transformation, as well as more of Akabara's past. Then, everyone becomes friends, except Miki's tiger, who is quiet on the subject.
It's after classes and club, leftover night at the inn, and a friend called her out to a bit of whatever in the woods. All her duties done (for now) and the cooking not too demanding, Jira was let free of her kitchen duties tonight, and brought herself past the forest shrine (with respects paid as she passes) into the back path proper.
Here she waits for the Seijyun girl, with her sweater actually being worn this time. Bit too brisk to forego it.
Miki walks down the path, wearing a simple red kimono without the needlessly long sleeves she usually wears, although she's still wearing geta. She has a small red backpack over one shoulder, which she throws carelessly to one side as she gets closer. She bows to Jira. "Good evening, Kasagi-san." She straightens up, staring into Jira's eyes with a slight smile.
Well, Miki is certainly more well-dressed than Jira.. then again, she can ill afford a daily kimono. Jira returns an equal bow to Miki and flashes her usual warm and hostly smile. "To you as well, Murakami-san." she replies.
With a quiet shift in her stance, and a curious and bounding 'boin' the woman straightens her posture. "So, was there a reason you invited me out here?" she asks.
Miki blinks. "Oh. I thought that was implied in my message." She shrugs slightly, staring at Jira from a good distance away. "I'd like to practice fighting Akabara. That said, you and I do have different kinds of energy, so it may be slightly dangerous to both of us." The front half of a tiger made out of pink chi with darker pink strikes curls around to one side of her, and she reaches down a hand to pet it's head.
"I leave the decision of if you want to practice fighting each other up to you. But it could be informative."
Oh, so it was a spar request.. Jira is relieved in it actually having been that simple. So, with no further questions, it seems her sweater will be again removed. The garment casually lifted off of her with a single tug, flipped around, and tied securely to her waist. Leaving her just in her tanktop as usual for warmer days or actual work.
"Well, practicing with me, I'm honoured." the dual-voice comes out again, signalling Akabara's control. Jira slides into a ready stance, low and wide with her arms towards the ground. "Come when you are ready." they beckon.
COMBATSYS: Jira has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Jira 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Miki has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Jira 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Miki
Miki smiles, showing her fangs. It seems like a genuine smile, if also rather... aggressive. "Tell me if it becomes too much for you, Akabara." She turns her back on Jira, and crosses her arms.
The tiger turns, and emerges further out of her back, until only the feet and tail remain, and lunges forwards, aiming a powerful bite at Jira's neck - might as well find out of this energy is super harmful to her new fighting partner as quickly as possible.
COMBATSYS: Jira blocks Miki's Handsome Beast.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Miki
Jira's stance doesn't shift to the smile, and her own expression shifts into a neutral gaze towards Miki. A brief nod replies to the statement, and the woman braces for the attack by the chi projection, throwing up her hand to intercept the bite and leave the injury there.
Her fingers curl in feedback of direct, solid chi contact but nary a twitch crosses her expression. Instead a ball of white psionic energy forms in her opposite palm, squeezed tightly as she winds back and hurls it with a sidelong swipe of her arm. The ball mushrooms out in the air before slimming and resuming its course towards Miki with a low, baleful groan.
COMBATSYS: Miki blocks Jira's Orchid Breach.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Miki
Miki spins around, the tiger retracting back into her body, and raises her forearms in front of her. The psi ball impacts with her arms, and she's sent stumbling a few steps back. She smiles, lowers her arms, and slowly walks forwards, staring at Jira. "You're not much of a talker when you fight, are you, Akabara-san?"
She starts to run towards her opponent(s), then crouches down slightly, before leaping into the air over and to one side of Jira, kicks off a tree, and spins back through the air towards Jira, aiming the back of her heel at her head.
COMBATSYS: Jira attempts to counter Heavy Kick from Miki with Equalizer.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Miki
Remaining centered after her attack, Jira slips into a more guarded posture and keeps her eye on Miki. "If you wish to parlay during combat, I can accomodate this. Though, generally, I prefer to appreciate the combat for what it is." they reply, keeping eyes on Miki's movement and her heavy airborne strike.
With a quick and smooth movement, Jira's limbs become alight with shimmering white energy that hums and whispers into the air, grabbing for the outstretched limb with perfect poise to intercept it, and slam the owner into the ground with an added burst of pain-laced psi to violently sink into her flesh.
COMBATSYS: Miki fails to reverse Equalizer from Jira with Savage Grace.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Miki
"Ahh. I see getting inside my opponent's head as just a different aspect of combat. But perhaps that's different for you."
Miki spins and hooks her other leg around Jira's arm, her tiger beginning to emerge from her stomach... and then she's slammed into the ground, convulsing slightly as the psi flows through her. She stares up at Jira with narrowed eyes, a low growl emerging from her throat.
Jira seems a little puzzled by the aggression and straightens her posture, leaning forward in a rather.. unusual, appraising stance. "Are you alright?" they ask, their aggression receeds and Jira offers out a hand to Miki, the luminous glow fades from that limb and leaves it normal, bare.
"Let's not damage your attire more than necessary." they're offering a hand to help Miki stand.
COMBATSYS: Jira idly punches at the air, doing nothing for now.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Miki
Miki blinks at Jira's reaction, then reaches up her hand and lets herself be helped up.
"See, this is the part of honorable combat I don't understand. That's not a very good way to train. While it's an elegant gesture, you're going to have the wrong instinct when you're fighting for real."
"Normally, or if we were fighting for real, I would have just used this opening to attack you, but I think you'd take that personally." A short pause. "And don't worry about these clothes, I packed extra and they're not even worth a couple hundred dollars."
COMBATSYS: Miki takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Miki
Jira assists Miki in standing and slides back into an actionable stance, her offered arm again beginning to glow with that eerie, sorrowful psionic energy.
"A good combatant would always be prepared for a return attack, even while helping a foe to gain their footing." they reply. "But, I will refrain from offering assistance until you ask, since you seem to be expecting that already." Jira's leg is already swinging from her side and aiming for Miki's midsection for a decent impact. A pale trail groans in the wake of the attack, racing when Jira's leg would have collided to add an extra pain-infused impact.
COMBATSYS: Miki blocks Jira's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Miki
"There's no tactical advantage in helping someone up. Although I guess you play life on the strategic rather than tactical level, yes? I suppose it makes sense in your case, then, Akabara-san."
Miki swipes the foot downwards with the palm of her hand, but the psi energy still flows into her. She shakes her hand off, grimacing. "Tell me: how many years have you been around now? I haven't really thought about it until recently, but living forever seems nice." She steps in, aiming her left palm at the center of Jira's stomach, her other hand raised up to the right side of her own head.
COMBATSYS: Jira fails to interrupt Medium Punch from Miki with Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Miki
Jira pulls her limb back after it's intercepted by Miki's guard, pulling herself into her own guarded stance again, arms held about waist level.
"I admire combat for the art that it is. Winning or losing, generally, is of little consequence. I don't need my host to be conscious, or very alive to move or protect them." they reply. "It's hard to accurately give my age, when one does not have a body, measuring time is difficult. Perhaps a hundred generations I've had a host, perhaps more." readying themselves to slide their own fist under Miki's palm, but a bit slow to get the action off before they slide back from the impact, tensing up and remaining still to maintain balance.
"So... at least two thousand years." Miki nods slightly slowly pacing in a circle around Jira. "Do you remember what process was used to create you? I don't know if it's entirely transferable to someone in my condition, but it might be a good place to start." She smiles. "Still, it's much more promising than the other lead on immortality I have at the moment."
She suddenly lungers forwards, and grabs at Jira's neck with both hands and attempts to get a chokehold on her, while her tiger emerges from her stomach, biting at Jira's stomach.
COMBATSYS: Jira attempts to reflect Iron Maiden from Miki with Pity.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Miki
COMBATSYS: Miki fails to interrupt Pity from Jira with Iron Claw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Jira 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Miki
A small shrug comes from Jira. "The clan that I was borne of, did not imbue me with any knowledge other than their martial techniques, and the mission to keep their legacy alive and improve upon it." they answer. "I was created of their essence, poured out from their meditation. As each fell, their memories were transferred to the rest of the clan through this continued bonding. Eventually, the last member gave up their conscience and gave it unto me. Their body turned into energy, and ever since I have been." a bit lengthy of a reply.
Miki's next move has more of a response, with that chi present. Jira produces a rapidly whirling mass of energy above her palm and crouches low to avoid the grip at her neck, while thrusting the energy upwards to impact Miki's tiger and shove the girl back. Every contact with the energy sends an intense sensation of pain that while not physically hindering, dampens the spirit.
The tiger spirit emanates from Miki's entire body, insulating her somewhat from the psionic energy for the first couple of strikes. The tiger lashes out towards Jira, but her hits shove the tiger back inside Miki, and she stumbles backwards, falls on her back. After a moment, she rolls backwards, landing on all fours, her head tilted up and to one side as she stares at Jira.
"Mmmm. Not a particularly useful route to immortality, then. Useful to create someone who can live forever, but not a way to live forever oneself. Still, thank you for the information."
Jira nods. "All my hosts live on forever within my essence, a kind of immortality. But if you truly want an answer." they state, a smirk coming to Jira's face. "The secret to immortality, is not dying."
Whether or not that was meant as a tease, Jira seems a bit livlier, animated. She hops in place a few times, eliciting an inaudible, but nonetheless present 'boin' sound every time she moves like this. That stops when she makes a quick step towards Miki and skirts to the side, twisting around and lifting up her facing leg, then pushing out a Kick for the side of Miki's head. But she doesn't change her stance after the hit.
COMBATSYS: Jira successfully hits Miki with Iris Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Jira 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Miki
Miki is kicked in the head, and rolls over, landing on her back in a heap, twitching. After a moment, she slowly turns over, rises back up onto all fours, staring at Jira a bit blearily. "Naturally. But I have less than two decades doing that. It seems, like with so many other things, it's something you have a good deal in experience in." She rolls her shoulders, then pounces towards Jira, trying to knock her down to the ground, and land with her forearm on her opponent's throat to drive her head into the ground.
COMBATSYS: Jira counters Power Throw from Miki with Charged Combo.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Jira 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Miki
Jira is surprised her hit landed, giving a quiet murmur to Miki's state. But, the girl does rise, and she nods and listens. "It is not an entirely difficult skill." they reply, offering a smile. "I once met a man, so dominant of the energy around him. He had rage and thirst for blood to rival a demon, and such potent chi that Jira was sickened for a week. A single blow of his destroyed a wharf, and a gentle toss sent Jira flying into a small snack stand on the boardwalk behind. I am certain this man had enough power and conviction to last until he was felled in combat." this anecdote curiously lacks Jira's voice, clearly something Akabara wants to keep between them.
And then it was time to act. Miki's pounce gets an energy-saturated elbow planted on her forehead, a rising palm landing square on her chest after the impact and flipping the girl up and over Jira, to be slammed on her back behind the woman.
"Are you okay to continue?"
It's quite an impact, and Miki just lies there for a moment, coughing. She smiles widely, showing her fangs. "So you mean if I become the strongest person around, something like living until being felled in battle shouldn't be too much of an issue? I'm glad to hear that."
She slowly clambers up onto her feet, and looks into Jira's eyes a little unsteadily. "Don't worry about holding back too much. My body is very resilient."
With that, she stumbles towards Jira formlessly, then suddenly straightens up, and aims a straight punch right at Jira's forehead, before falling back onto all fours.
COMBATSYS: Jira endures Miki's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Jira 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Miki
Jira nods. "I'm certain that as you grow stronger, you will hit a point where only by the hands of another you will gain eternal rest." they state, purposely leaning into the punch. The impact seems not to phase Jira too much, but that's because she's rapidly raising her knee from underneath Miki to catch her on the chin as she rises, with another groaning impact of sorrowful psi.
COMBATSYS: Miki fails to counter Aggressive Strike from Jira with Paper Tiger.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Jira 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Miki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Jira 1/-------/=======|
Miki's tiger starts to emerge from her chest to intercept Jira's knee, growing more solid, but Jira's knee plows through it, shattering it, and the kimoned girl is thrown back and tossed to the ground. The pink energy left in the air after being shattered by Akabara's blow flows back into her body, and she slowly tries to move back into a sitting position, but her arm gives out and she falls back down to the ground.
"I think... that's about my limit...."
And once Miki is down, the glow on Jira's limbs fade and bleed into the air with calm whispers. Still surprised at the outcome thusfar, Jira stands before Miki and kneels, again offering her hand to help the girl up. Or atleast to sit.
"You fought well, admirably. I would gladly spar with you again, or just engage in conversation, whichever you would prefer, Murakami Miki."
COMBATSYS: Jira has ended the fight here.
Miki accepts Jira's help to sit, but doesn't look like she'll be standing for another minute or so. "Thank you, Kasagi Jira. I would fight you or talk with you again sometime as well, although, perhaps not again today." She's silent for a moment, furrows her brow a little. "I wonder if your energy is actually better at containment than fighting people who use chi. Although it may harm my growth somewhat if I rely on that too much."
Jira chuckles. "Well, the only difference in our energies is that what I give to Jira is manifested from a human source. The power is already hers, it needn't be borrowed or acquired elsewhere. Though, I do donate a healthy contribution, a bit less now that she can produce her own." they reply to Miki. "I am certain you and your tiger will grow into your own power and technique in due time. You are young, there is plenty of time for you to improve."
Miki stares up at Jira, then nods. "Yes, as long as we can survive until we do. Perhaps we should be slightly more cautious in our pursuit of power." She silent for a moment. "However, the tiger's chi was overpowering my own, until I began to fight people constantly, so I could absorb bits of their energy. That's why I have these fangs. Ever since I started consistently fighting others, that transformation seems to have stopped." She pauses. "Do you know of any other techniques to halt that process, Akabara-san?"
Jira takes a seat infront of Miki to more appropriately listen to her. "I run into similar problems with energy infusion, it can be.. almost toxic, if too concentrated." listening further past the pause. "There are two things I can suggest. This one may not be as ideal to prevent your.. dehumanization, but to absorb and hold as much energy as you can bear, and bleed it out.. I think it's similar to resistance training, that people perform?" they murmur. "The second one would be to learn to better summon and control the energy, store it in a place aside from your body, or perhaps just take only as you need it. This would let you build your own strength without relying on borrowed power unless you require. Both these techniques I use on my hosts."
Miki nods slightly. "The second technique seems safer, at least for now. I can always work on resistance training once I am no longer weak enough to need to blend in with humans. I'm not sure I /have/ my own power, but it's possible I do now that this tiger spirit is part of me. I'll have to look into it." She inclines her head slightly. "Thank you, again." She's silent for a moment, staring at Jira. "Are you interested in protecting Southtown, Akabara-san, or is that more of Jira's thing?"
Jira gives an agreeing gesture to Miki's first statement, and nods to her thanks. "My interests are more centered on improving my techniques, and protecting Jira as she grows stronger. She enjoys her community and is doing well to protect it in her own way." they answer. "I just hope this one doesn't fall into trouble like the last.. not everything is within my capability to prevent." Akabara murmurs, quiet, again without Jira's voice.
"As I suspected from your earlier statements, but we haven't talked much, and it's just as well not to assume too much." Miki tilts her head to one side. "...Fall into trouble? What's happening with Jira's situation, exactly? She didn't seem aware of the various dangers which have beset Southtown. If it's something that I could help with...."
Jira's eyes sparkle a little, briefly. "Troubling signs have cropped up again. But I can't be sure, I'm sorry but it would be wrong to concern you of things that happened in a world that never was." Akabara answers, again on his own. "Some secrets I should not share with anyone, so forgive me. Anything else about me is fair to answer about, except my host before this Jira or anything to do with them." the tone has become serious. "I hope you can understand."
Miki shrugs. "That's entirely your decision. It's you and or your host life's your risking, after all. Or something. I don't really get what's going on. But I also don't really get the point of going to so much trouble to ally with people if you then aren't going to tell them how they can help you." She slowly gets back up to her feet, starts to walk over towards her backpack.
Jira Kasagi smiles. "Just be wary of the bureaucracy around here, the enemies I remember were very powerful and influential, on all fronts. But for now, I don't have any directive for you to help on, and it disturbs me." they reply. "If you truly want to help me, then be friends with Jira. And stay out of trouble yourself." before Jira looks a bit more... normal, and slides back into her sweater with another curious 'boin'.
"I have a few resources of my own." It's... probably a little too late for Miki to not get into trouble, though. A slight shrug of her shoulders, then she turns back to Jira as she makes that... odd sound effect. And smiles. "Let's be friends, Kasagi-san." She slowly crouches down, picks up her backpack, slings it over one shoulder.
Jira gives a curious brow up. "I think I missed like, half of your conversation." she explains in her usual voice. "And I already considered us friends, I -did- let you into my room afterall!" she points out, offering her usual smile. "I hope he didn't hurt you or anything."
Miki blinks at that revelation that Jira already considers them friends. "...Fighting hurts, but a little bit of pain isn't something that matters to me. I don't imagine you're in all that much pain, unless you're having a reaction to a tiger bite or the like." She turns, and starts to walk away, then looks back to Jira, smiles. "I don't really understand your relationship with Akabara-san, but I consider both of you friends from this point onwards."
Jira Kasagi hums.. "No unusual pain beyond what I get from using their energy, but that goes away quick." she murmurs. "I don't understand it either most of the time, but they seem happy to make friends. So I suppose that's good enough, right?" she asks "In any case, I'll see you later I'm sure.~"
Miki smiles at Jira. "Of course we will. And friends and power are the two best things in life. And two things that go very well together, for that matter." ...which is probably why she finds it so easy to get along with Akabara. "I'll visit you at Taiyo or your house again sometime. Or come visit me at Seijyun or my school, if you can think up a good excuse. Speaking of which, I have homework to get to." She winks, waves, and starts to walk down the path away.
Log created on 20:10:55 02/05/2015 by Miki, and last modified on 01:02:43 02/06/2015.