Match of the Millennium

Description: Well she tries to. The Miseducation of Dizzy has begun, lead by Rosalind and the mysterious King Lion

[DIZZY]
Today was going to be a very good day!

At first, Dizzy was very sad and almost crying when Ky Kiske and Leo Whitefang were not-telling her about how another Command Gear came, and how Leo almost killed her but instead she almost killed him. But then they said that instead of making her stay far away while they almost kill themselves again trying to fight people who may be like her, they were going to have her help and explore outside of Illyria, she was as pleased as a punch of peas. But as part of it, Dizzy had to learn to how to not depopulate large urban centers when she was fighting. That was hard, because Dizzy had worked extra special hard not to have fights in Illyria, so Necro wouldn't get spooked and she would accidentally nuke the valley. JUst in case she made a little whoopsie, they weren't going to fight at the Castle.

But instead the barrow mounds out in the countryside!

Dizzy posted a note on the bulletin board that she wrote all by herself, that all the SAcred Order people were going to be invited to fight Dizzy at the Barrow Mounds in order to help Dizzy learn to control her powers. Dizzy was a little worried that nobody would turn up, or maybe Ky Kiske would be the only one to turn up again, and then DIzzy and him would be fighting, and Dizzy would pretend to be too rough and strong, so Ky Kiske could sweep in and hug her and comfort her. That was lots of fun, but Dizzy knew that should couldn't always have fun, she had to be very serious! While she waited, she was picking the nice lilies all over the barrows. They were very pretty flowers, and she thought that after she was done practicing, she could give them to the people she was fighting as a present. Dizzy liked picking flowers in the sun. She didn't even have to wear those stuffy Sacred Order clothing out here! She could have those belts black stockings and white and black sleeves, and big yellow ribbons in her hair. She could even let her wings stretch out. It was nice outside. She had been picking lilies for a while now. Maybe no one would show up.

Maybe that would be okay too.

[ROSALIND]
Time passes - quietly, at first - but eventually, there's a sound of a motorcycle's engine in the distance. Whoever is riding it seems to be one of those stereotypical jerks who maximizes the volume of their ride, as if they want to make sure that everyone in the neighbourhood knows they're there.

(To be fair, it does serve as a safety feature for other drivers who might not otherwise see them, but it's an easy assumption to make.)

The motorcycle finally comes into view; a big black, white, red and gold beast, heavily customized for all-terrain and potential combat usage. Not quite space age tech, but definitely the work of an engineer.

The figure that's mounted on the motorcycle is dressed in a tight, practical white-and-black synth-leather racing jumpsuit, head obscured by a matching helmet with a blue visor. They pull the vehicle up to the edge of a dirt path amongst the barrows, then kick the stand and dismount.

As the rider rises, it becomes evident that it's a woman, and she pulls the helmet off to reveal cool blue eyes, a short, black haircut, and a smile.

"Guten tag, Miss Dizzy," the rider greets the winged woman as she kills the engine and opens the back of the motorcycle to withdraw what appears to be a large toolbox.

Dizzy may or may not recognize the knight: Rosalind von Eisenschloss is, after all, a relatively insular fixture in the Sacred Order; as an armourer and engineer, she's more often than not working alone in her workshop on whatever projects might come her way - or testing them.

"Has anyone else come out to play with you?" the woman asks, casually looking for signs of such - piles of ash, or smouldering remains, for instance.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy didn't like that sounds.

It was like a very grumpy piggy boar passing gas. Thump Thump Thump. A big gassy piggy, groaning along with the thumps. Normally Dizzy would giggle at a fat gassy piggy, even if they were so stinky and grouchy, with their stiff bristles and sharp tusks. But it was not a piggy. It was a stinky motorcycle. She didn't like those. They sometimes meant trouble. Undine wanted her to go away and hide. And Necro had much more proactive suggestions to hiding. But Dizzy knew that part of all this was NOT to rely on Undine and Necro for everything. She had to decide things for herself. So as she collected up the lilies, she stayed where she was. She waits, a look of uncertainty on her face. It was like a black knight riding up. She curls her wings behind her, tilting her head as the stranger pulls their helmet off.

But then she sees it Rosalind!

She knew a little bit about Rosalind. That she was from a place called Germany, and she could do arts and crafts with metal very well. She had been part of the Sacred Order, and she had a very good papa and grandpapa. They did not do a lot together, but sometimes she would just lay and watch Rosalind as she worked from high up. It was nice to be so far away, and see things in intricate detail. She didn't like interrupting people who were working. As she comes up in that motorcycle, her uncertainty fades away into a smile! Gracefully, she flaps her wings as she glides down steadily off the barrow, clutching the lilies in her arms. "Guten morgen! Oh, I should say guten tag though, it's more polite..." She states. She was very good at saying new things in new languages. She liked new languages. They were all kinds of funny words. But when Rosalind talks about playing, Dizzy tries to get a very stern look on her face as she lands at the foot of the barrow. "Oh, this isn't playing!"

"This is very serious training, authorized by the kings themselves!"

Dizzy nods her head, and looks around dilligently. "But nobody else has come yet... I think because I only gave a week to signup, and I know some of them have concerns about playing- I mean fighting with other sacred order people. I had one person who was really interested, until I explained what the event was about, in terms of theme, and they didn't talk to me again after that, and it made me sad. But I have to go on a very special mission, and I need to learn to control my strength. I don't like hurting things... and if I can control it, then I can... I can... Oh dear." She gives a great big sigh, and turns back to Rosalind, her eyes wide and a little bit watery.

"Do you know where I can put these flowers, where they can stay safe?"

[ROSALIND]
"Very good," Rosalind answers Dizzy's greeting with a smile and a nod as she starts to plod up the barrow to meet the descending girl, box in hand. "I did not realize what a linguist you are."

There's no visible shift in Rosalind's expression at the correction; she's not the most emotive of knights. "I apologize for my turn of phrase. I thought perhaps that contextualizing our training in that manner might alleviate a certain degree of tension, but I respect your sense of discipline. I was going to say that I've brought some toys along, but I will instead be more forthright and refer to them as tools, since we are to be engaging in very serious training."

The German knight takes a step closer to Dizzy, holding her free hand outsretched to her.

"I will place them in my helmet, then return them to you when we have concluded our training. How does that sound to you?"

[DIZZY]
Dizzy blushes a bit at Rosalind's compliments.

"I like languages! They are like sounds, but they have to use the words to make meaning. So if I learn all the sounds, then I can speak with everyone!" Dizzy states brightly. Rosalind is not emotive, but then again, neither is the leopard spotted toad that sits in the high fen. Sometimes the most cold-blooded things had the strongest emotions. Dizzy sometimes thought that with Ky Kiske. She always liked how no matter how calmed he looked on the outside, she could always hear his heartbeat, to find out just how excited she was making him. It was very nice learning about all the different things toads and Ky Kiskes couldn't say out loud without making a gagging croak sound.

Rosalind, however, sounded like she had a steady heart beat.

As the blacksmith recommends how to settle the flowers, the gear nods her head softly. "That is a very smart idea. You have a very large helmet, and I have many flowers, so they will fit inside the helmet very good without getting too messed up. We mustn't wait take too long though!" She says with the utmost innocence, as she extends the flowers to Rosaland. She spreads her wings. "If we fight too long, then the flowers might wilt!" She smiles softly at the German artisan. "Now Leo Whitefang hasn't told me how to do this, but I have been spying on him and Ky Kiske and everyone to learn the right way of doing it."

"I think the first thing is to find the distance between we can fight!"

[ROSALIND]
Rosalind receives the bouquet of lilies dutifully, arranging them in her helmet before tossing it in what seems a distressingly casual manner toward her motorcycle. It rights itself as it falls, though, and lands, spinning, on the crest, before coming to an abrupt and sharp stop.

Turning her attention back toward Dizzy, Rosalind smiles faintly.

"We should make efficient use of our time, then, out of respect for the lilies. They are rather splendid, even if they are lazy things."

The knight kneels down next to her toolbox, and the container clicks before folding open. What appears at first to be a carefully stored pile of metallic plates start to float up into the air, arranging themselves around various strategic points of Rosalind's person outside the jumpsuit before interlocking and sealing. Within a matter of seconds, the knight is significantly more armoured than before. She then reaches into the box and removes a segmented metal sword from it - recognizable immediately to those who know her as Schlangenschwert, sometimes referred to derogatorily as the 'Toothless Viper' for the fact that its retractable razor edges are rarely released.

"I will allow you to direct our training, of course. Would you like to establish the potential reach of our abilities, then?"

Rising, Rosalind turns toward Dizzy, holding her weapon low at her side - and with a flick of her wrist, the thing suddenly falls apart, metal segments separating to transform the weapon into a much longer, serpentine scourge.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy liked toothless things.

Sometimes they will bite her, but without any teeth, they just gnaw and gnaw with their strong jaws. It is very nice and cute. Especially with baby animals. But she cannot babysit them too long, before their mothers come back. When Rosalind talks about being efficent with time, she gasps, and then bows, closing her eyes. "I should be quick! I will pick where my starting point is!" As Rosalind prepares her weapon, Dizzy turns.

She gives a thrust of her wings, and she's gone.

Well, not gone per say. But she straight to the foot of the barrow, 50 meters away. Landing, she gives a few more steps, until she finally stops. The girl turns around, and cups her hands around her mouth. "Hello! Hello! Is this far enough?" She waves at Rosalind, trying to call at her. "I don't know how far away your sword and mobility can be! I can get you, but I don't know if you can still hit me?" She points to the other barrow in the distance.

"Do I need to be further away, or closer?"

[ROSALIND]
The whip-like weapon slides and whorls around Rosalind as she starts to direct it with a performer's precision, experimentally extending it and forming a whirling fence around herself. It's little more than a warm-up, though, and eventually it reverses its motion, suddenly clicking smoothly back into its sword shape.

"I believe that your reach exceeds my own," she calls out to Dizzy. "Unless I were to make use of the environment, you would hold me at a strict disadvantage in this regard. My preferred range of engagement is between naught one to ten meters, though I don't normally inform my opponents of these measurements. If you are willing to forfeit your advantage, I would say closer, but you may act on your own conscience."

[DIZZY]
"Oh!"

Dizzy hastily adjust her stockings, before she quickly flutters her wings closer around her. She was blushing, as she stares at the sword whip fully extending. "I'm so sorry! I need to be thinking more like everyone... else..." She trails off nervously, lowering her eyes. She draws in a heavy breath, shaking her head. "It's fine. It's fine." She takes a deep breath, chest rising before she exhales. "I'm okay! I am going to come closer to you now! And you will not attack me until I am ready! It is not a trick!" Was she talking to Rosalind?

Or was it herself.

She flaps her wings, closing the gap again. "I think it's a good thing not to tell people your measurements!" She states, her face returning back to its healthy light pink color. "When I learned about them, I told them to Leo, and Ky Kiske, and they weren't not very comfortable. Then I told them their measurements, and they didn't like that either..." She shuts her eyes, landing on her feet. She was now within 5 meters; much closer than before. "This is right in the middle, right? So how do we decide who attacks first?" She gasps, and reaches around her hips. Rummaging around behind her, she pulls out two ten-sided dice. One is black, the other is bright blue. "I heard that some people roll to decide who starts." She says, holding them up.

"Is this a time where we want to do that?"

[ROSALIND]
Rosalind draws a gentle breath in through her nostrils, then exhales, smiling. It doesn't take a psychic to observe and absorb the nervous energy coming off of the winged young woman. It isn't Dizzy's discomfort that elicits the counteractive breathing exercise, anyway - rather, a conscious effort on the Knight-Armourer's part to suppress her own passively probing awareness in the presence of the command Gear, in the way that one might avert one's eyes to avoid becoming fascinated by a disturbing piece of art and being forced by the Game Master to make a Sanity roll.

"Certainly, though I do not personally enjoy games of chance," Rosalind says sincerely, holding a hand out to receive whichever die Dizzy cares to hand over - telekinetically, if the girl allows it.

"It does allow us to simulate more chaotic circumstances. Shall we roll on a count of three, then allow the high roller to make the first attempt? It's a shame that we lack a river to cross, first..."

[DIZZY]
Dizzy was thinking a lot about how Undine and Necro shouldn't get involved.

As Rosalind agrees, and talks about the river, she tilts her head. "Is that like chess! I know some types of chess have a river!" She states innocently. But she was getting more anxious. Anxious? No. Excited."Okay! I will count down to three! Oh. Let me just..." Dizzy flaps over to Rosalind, and hands the blue dice over to Rosalind. It is cold. As she holds on to the black dice, she cups it with both hands. Moving back precisely to the point where she started, she shakes. "Okay! Now I will count to three!" And she shakes and shakes, shaking her hands.

"One!"

"Two!"

And she throws her dice.

"Three! I am sorry, I am just so excited!" The dice tumbles in the air, before landing on the ground. Dizzy pats her hands together in a clap. "I got a seven! That is a very high number! Only an 8, a 9, and a 10 is higher!" She states, looking over at Rosalind, a broad smile on her face.

"What was your number?"

[ROSALIND]
"Oh, I was referring to a remark by a famous fellow," Rosalind says as she turns the blue die over in her hand, examining it thoughtfully, then flips it over and starts to shake it as Dizzy begins to count.

Rosalind closes her eyes.

The die is released, spinning, into the air, turning end over end, impossibly fast. Then, finally, it stops, drops, and lands on the ground.

Rosalind opens her eyes and looks down.

"Only ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, and two are higher," she says with a soft, clear and wry tone. "My number is one."

Rosalind offers her sword up in a light salute to Dizzy as she shifts into a casual-looking combat stance, turning her side toward the Command Gear.

"You have secured the right to attack first, Miss Dizzy. Now, shall we begin?"

[DIZZY]
Dizzy's excitement fades into a flicker of shame.

"Oh. I shouldn't have been so excited about the numbers." She says somewhat meekly. She takes another deep breath. Uncertainty. She seemed uncertain now. Like she didn't want to fight. LIke maybe, this all was a mistake. Maybe she shouldn't leave the valley. Maybe she shouldn't ever do anything, and always stay in Illyria. Like a bird in a cage.

But she didn't think birds should be in cages.

"But we will begin!" Dizzy brings up her hands, and clenches them into fists. Her wings tremble. "I am going to, um, come over there, and hit you! And you can defend against it as you think is best!" She rocks on her heels a bit, and then, commits. She approaches Rosalind cautiously, until she gives a flap of her wings. WIth that, she bursts at Rosalind, threatening to full-force body check her with the surge. She manages to flap again to reverse momentum, as she sways awkwardly. Finally, she gives a 'mmph!' As she flails the base of her hand into a small, pounding strike at Rosalind's shoulder.

"I'm sorry!" She bursts out instinctively.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Rosalind has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Dizzy            0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Rosalind

COMBATSYS: Rosalind blocks Dizzy's Improvised Punch.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Rosalind

[ROSALIND]
Rosalind gives a little sniff at the shift in Dizzy's demeanour.

"No, Dizzy - don't suppress your excitement. It is the emotions that you attempt to bind that, once they free themselves, will bind you in turn."

Strange words, perhaps, coming from a woman known for her emotional aloofness.

"And you need not announce your intent, Miss Dizzy - I can assess it by your warlike demeanour."

These words are calmly spoken as the Command Gear swoops down, and the knight shifts her stance, bringing Schlangenschwert to intercept the haphazard punch. There's only a faint sign of a wince from Rosalind as she blocks the attack.

"And do not offer apologies for discharging your duties; nor should you expect to receive mine."

Rosalind's sword whips upward as she twists away from Dizzy; unlike Dizzy's hesitant and heralded assault, the Knight-Armourer's is swift, precise, and peculiar, the serpentine blade's tip leaping upward to then strike down at Dizzy from above!

COMBATSYS: Rosalind successfully hits Dizzy with Slithering Steel.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Dizzy            0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0         Rosalind

[DIZZY]
Dizzy was surprised how hard she hit.

As she smashes her fist into Rosalind's blade, she saw her struggle backwards. Her friend and opponent wanted her to let her emotions out. It should be okay! But when the counter attack comes, the command gear's eyes go wide. ALready, she was about 20 feet away, 30, the flap of the wings coming as she moves faster than the eye could see. Blue energy flashes around as she's almost ready to take flight when suddenly-

"No!" Dizzy exclaims.

ANd in the face of the whip, she comes back, even faster than before. Black feathers scatter around as she forces herself to come right back to the path of the serpentine blade. And the moment she gets back there? It strikes her head, as she makes sure to return back. For a moment, Dizzy looked like she wanted to dodge, but choose not to. There was a sudden pulse of hostility now. Waves and waves of pure hostility, of anger, of raw genocidal hatred. The specter of death looms over the barrows the moment the blade hits Dizzy on the forehead. Blood goes down her brow, as she grits her teeth. She was tensing up, body trembling as her knees knock together. The presence was being held in check. But why?

"There! I was hit!"

She declares it out loud. To Rosalind? She strokes her wings, before wiping the blood. "That hurt very much! But it is good! It's important that I know what to do when I am hit!" She was distressed, very distressed. Taking her balled up hand again, she looks back at Rosalind. "I am going to try and hit you again!" She moves to throw another punch at Rosalind, even with the blood running down her face. The wings flap.

One transforms.

The horrific visage of the reaper manifests at the. Gripping Dizzy's arm, he gently redirects it, shifting it away from the shoulder, and directly to the windpipe. It's aiming to break the bone there, to crush it, as the eyes of the skull-like visage blaze with murderous intent.

Before it disappears back into its winged right before its expected impact.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy successfully hits Rosalind with Medium Punch.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Rosalind

[ROSALIND]
The blow lands, driving the Command Gear into an emotional frenzy. The chaotic fluctuations in Dizzy's temperament are too powerful for Rosalind to ignore, try as she might.

The whip-blade slithers back into the sword configuration as quickly as it lashed out, and Rosalind turns to try and deflect Dizzy's fist once more.

This time, though, the attempt fails disastrously.

The reaper-wing guides the fist past Rosalind's guard and into her collar, crushing the gorget protecting her throat into the softer flesh of her neck. Rosalind's blue eyes open wide as she staggers backward and collapses onto one knee, her free hand clutching at her windpipe as she tries to breathe - or even cough.

Blood starts to leak out of her lips as the colour in her cheeks starts to darken to purple.

Rosalind's eyes turn up to Dizzy's. Rather than what one might expect to find in the expression of someone suffering from a collapsed windpipe, though, Rosalind attempts to smile.

The weapon in her hand drops down to the ground, and the newly freed fingers curl to present an upturned thumb, even as the Knight-Armourer rapidly fades. She sinks further, eyes closing as if in prayer.

There's a subtle glow beneath the hand at her throat, as she starts to keel forward.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy gasps a bit, as she makes contact.

"I hit you! I hit you!" She states. "And I did not need any of the help!" She says boldly, as she wipes the blood from her eyes. "I think I hit your neck! Okay, now you are going to attack me! I am going to try and block it, and... then... I will attack you..." For a faint moment, Dizzy was smiling, until she saw the blood coming from the lips.

"Are you okay?"

She asks, moving forward. "Are you hurt? I know Leo and Ky were explaining that you were supposed to be hurt in a fight. You certainly hurt me!" The frown fades, as her eyes light up again as she recognizes Rosalind's smile. "Yes! Okay! I am going to attack you again! Oh, little humans are much stronger than I imagined!" She exclaims aloud, as she balls both of her hands together. Turning, she swings out a full-forced hammerblow, her wings flapping in a puff of black feathers. This time, they don't transform. Dizzy swings a bit too hard, and ends up throwing her whole body into Rosalind. But it was okay!

It was normal to bleed and turn purple when practicing!

COMBATSYS: Rosalind successfully aids herself with Mending Touch.
* Attack Of Opportunity! *

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Rosalind

COMBATSYS: Rosalind fails to counter Improvised Slam from Dizzy with Steel Constrictor EX.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Dizzy            0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1         Rosalind

[ROSALIND]
It had begun some months ago: an inkling of an intersection in Rosalind's mind; a mind forever searching for ways to put things back together, a mind that could reach out and touch and be touched, to feel the brokenness of things, and a mind with the delicate precision to put things back together. It was a theoretical skill, practiced on unliving things, because the risks of experimenting with extrasensory telekinetic medical assistance were great, and there was no absence of doctors working for the Order.

It's the perfect opportunity, really, to field test her ability to provide psychokinetic mending for a broken body. Rosalind would be inwardly delighted, if she weren't choking to death on her own blood.

It's only as she slumps forward and gags and the blood caught in her throat gushes out onto the barrow that Rosalind finds relief, breathing deep and savouring the feeling of her windpipe inflated again despite the sensation like burning knives in her throat.

She realizes that she's been asked a question as her senses start to return.

"Yes, Dizzy. That was quite -"

The Knight-Armourer's head turns suddenly as she senses the Command Gear's renewed dive.

"-!!"

The sword whips around, clicking loose into a short, but flexible configuration as Rosalind brings herself back up to her knee and starts to rise. Dizzy is too fast for the German knight, though, and she slams straight into Rosalind, lifting her off her feet and sending her tumbling away down the side of the hill. She skids to a halt across the dirt track she arrived by, many of the makeshift pieces of armour on her motorcycle suit broken free. Fortunately, the cycling suit itself is designed to take such tumbles, though it's done little to protect Rosalind against the original blow. She coughs again, violently, and wipes a hand across her face with a grimace.

It only makes her dirtier.

"Verdammt!"

[LEO WHITEFANG]
Suddenly, a shadow passes over the area and then a heavy impact resounds as a new sturdy figure leaps into view and lands atop a rocky outcropping above the two dueling combatants!

"BEHOLD!"

The new speaker makes his presence known loudly. He is large, sporting a giant altered outfit that resembles some sort of halloween costume version of the famous comic book character, King Lion!

It is very obviously Leo in a bad cosplay of an obscure video game character.

:It is I, the villainous King Lion, who has come to test the martial merit of the fair maidens that have invaded my domain!"

He -almost- breaks character when he really takes stock of the situation and sees the visible blood and Rosalind's condition. There is a slight imperceptible pause.. But no! Break character? This isn't someone else. It's King Leo - er, The Lion King! Er King Lion!

That headache done the Incognito King leaps and lands onto the battle field, opposite both Rosalind and Dizzy. Both of his arms come around in a powerful flex and then he leans forward into a ready hand to hand battle stance with. If nothing else, his intention has become to take some heat off of Rosalind for a moment or two. "Defend yourselves!"

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang has joined the fight here on the top side.

                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|-------
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Dizzy            0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1         Rosalind

[DIZZY]
Dizzy had never had so much fun before!

"Wow! I really ran into you!" She states, laying on top of Rosalind a moment before rolling off. Flapping her wings, she almost writhes up like a snake into a stand, her hips shaking as she straightens up. She claps her hands as Rosalind makes a funny sound. Of course, Dizzy wouldn't know what that word would mean. She would have to look it up, or as Leo about it. Leo was German, wasn't he? And just as she was thinking about Leo, somebody who looked almost just like him appears! Dizzy gasps, looking at the '''''stranger''''' with big eyes. Listening, she idly adjusts her stockings and corset, and stretches her white and black wings to shake the dirt off it. And when he declares that they defend themselves?

Dizzy can't help but laugh!

Dizzy giggles, covering her mouth as King Lion reveals himself.

"Oh! No! A dangerous King Lion, Rosalind!" She perks up brightly, as if this is all fun and games. "He is going to take us away to his Lion Kingdom! Oh this is so much fun!" She giggles, flying around and around. "No wonder everyone goes out to fight people! It's a great big game! And anyone can play!" Dizzy suddenly comes around at Leo's flank, her cheeks blooming red as she gives him such a big smile. "Here I am!" She cries out, before she gives a little happy squeak as gives a flipping kick straight into King Lion chin.

It has a lot of horsepower behind it.

[ROSALIND]
Hissing through clenched teeth for breath, Knight-Armourer Rosalind pulls herself up to her knees, then doubles over again, hips in the air, closing her eyes as she presses her forehead to the dirt to try and ease the throbbing in her head and ignorant to the ignominious prostrate position in which she's to be found.

'BEHOLD!'

Rosalind's blue eyes blink open.

"Ha?"

She lifts her head off the ground, barrow-dirt spilling off of her short black bangs, and turns her head over her shoulder to survey the leonine spectacle that has arrived.

"K-king Le-Lion?"

==*== PREVIOUSLY ==*==

"...oh, and I've met that King of yours... Ha ha! Maybe I'll bring him home to meet you!"

"If it suits you, Opa," Rosalind said to her phone as she stood in her home workshop, smock and face covered in grease and hair disheveled. "But get a taxi, ja?"

"Of course, Ros. We'll be there in an hour!"

"See you then, opa," Rosalind said calmly, before putting her phone away. Then, in a sudden hurry, she abandoned the workshop and raced to the house.

*DING, DONG*

An hour later, Rosalind opened the door, now in full makeup, hair carefully yet simply styled, and wearing a nice blouse and trousers. Her winsome smile faded as her grandfather lurched across the threshold, alone.

"Opa?"

"Ja, Roshalind?"

"You're drunk as an owl! Where is King Leo?" Rosalind demanded, catching the teetering septuagenarian and peering out to the road.

"Walked home," the old man said with a laugh, before looking queasy.

Rosalind sighed with disappointment.

==*== LATER ON ==*==

Rosalind stepped back and drew in a deep breath as she finished assembling the weapon that she'd been working on. She was wearing her best outfit; functional, yet stylish, and kept carefully clean in spite of her work. She nodded a self-satisfied nod, checked the clock, then gave a start as someone knocked on the door of the Sacred Order workshop where she was working. The otherwise composed engineer quickly checked herself over in the weapon's gleaming surface, fixed her hair, then bustled over to the door to open it.

"Guten tag, King Leo -"

She stopped, then looked down, slowly realizing that it was a member of the Illyrian rank-and-file at the door.

"Ha? Where is King Leo?"

"The King sent me to fetch that weapon for him. Is that it, there?"

"Y-yes," Rosalind replied, letting out a sigh as the knight pushed past her.

==*== NOW ==*==

Face streaked with dirt and blood, hair untidy, jumpsuit dirty and disheveled, and barely able to keep on her knees, let alone feet, Rosalind looks up at King Leo and draws in a deep breath.

He's in a lion costume.

Rosalind lets out a sigh as her own cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"D-Dizzy! That's..."

Rosalind forces herself up to her feet, fetching her sword-whip telekinetically.

"...an excellent training opportunity! Continue!"

She takes a moment to gather herself, drawing her weapon to click into its sword configuration and adjusting her stance as she pulls out a red handkerchief and endeavours to furtively clean her face.

COMBATSYS: Rosalind calculates her next move.

                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|-------
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Dizzy            0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1         Rosalind

COMBATSYS: Dizzy successfully hits Leo Whitefang with Improvised Kick.

                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|----===
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Dizzy            0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1         Rosalind

[LEO WHITEFANG]
What..what is this. Giggling? Laughing?? FUN???!!

Intense martial arts training isn't supposed to be fun! Well..it can be. But the giggling? What goes on here??

Leo..er King Lion looks on in confusion, wavering in his waiting battle stance as Dizzy prances, flies and flits around in delight. He looks between her to Rosalind and then back again to Dizzy. "Wha.." he begins, clearly unsure of how to proceed and breaking character once again. Then of course there is the extremely dangerous and very likely possibility that Dizzy comes to always regard battle as ..fun...and simply starts blitzing everything joyfully.

Her mule kick to his face doesn't help matters.

King Lion makes a quick and sudden attempt to try and block her and fails miserably with her blow striking home with full force and a loud large -CRACK- sound that reverberates through the area and actually takes him off his feet and falling backwards. His face mask gets broken though it stays on his face and he goes sprawling to the ground, cape flying wildly and mane of fake hair whipping about to partially cover his face. He rebounds quickly enough and lunges forward at Dizzy, attempting to grasp hold of her and bring her down to the ground in a strong judo throw like effort.

"Y..yes! You must be prepared for any eventuality! The battlefield can change on you in an instant and sometimes one combatant becomes two!"

Aka - Help me, Rosalind!

COMBATSYS: Dizzy blocks Leo Whitefang's Medium Throw.

                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|----===
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Dizzy            0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1         Rosalind

[DIZZY]
"I am so happy!"

Dizzy exclaims aloud as she lands the kick, clasping her hands together as she looks back at Rosalind. "This training is so much fun! I love the special training lion you have!" She doesn't seem to recognize it is Leo, and if she does? Maybe it's, well, she explains pretty clearly what she feels.. "This is like an amusement park! Except instead of hiding in a haunted house, and avoiding people who I think are going to kill me and imprison me and torture me, it's a funny man in a costume! This is like christmas too! Oh! And you are picking me up!" She doesn't escape from the grips of King Lion, despite the suddenly burst of feeling of murderous defenses at the sudden danger. No, she prepares herself as King Lion hurls her down to the ground. And what does Dizzy do?

Laugh.

"Oh my!" Dizzy giggles as she tumbles across the grass on impact, rolling and rolling around the barrows. Wings wrapped around her protectively, she rolls across the ground. When she comes to a stop, she sits spread eagle on the grass, tail wiggling with excitement. Brushing off her thighs, she stands up, hips swaying as she rises up. "This is so much fun! I always thought fighting would be scary and dangerous, and people would be ready to die any moment. But I can see now." She clap claps her hands so happily.

"It's as much fun as playing horseshoes!"

"I remember when Ky Kiske was explaining to me about how with love, it's about how two people become one! I suppose if fighting is the opposite of loving, it makes sense how one can become two!" Dizzy states, as she closes in faster and faster, moving with almost primal speed as she seems more focused on tussling and playing than, well, keeping her strength in check. "I played a lot with Rosalind already, so I am going to focus on you King Lion! Now I am going to let you tumble on the grass too!" She explains as she is coming at Kign Lion's throat. Should she seize it, she would joyfully land with both feet on the ground, and turn, beginning a sort of giant's throw where she would spin and spin, using the speed of the turning to build momentum around King Lion's neck. If she managed to make it that far? She would then release King Lion, letting him fly to the barrow mound. All without Necro or Undine helping at all! It sounded like they were having fun-

Well no.

THey weren't having fun.

In fact Dizzy was mostly ignoring how they were feeling because -she- was having fun.

[ROSALIND]
The Knight-Armourer finishes wiping her face with the red cloth and checks her own reflection in the mirror-like surface of her blade. The outcome causes her to frown. There's still that streak of dirt -

Suddenly, she becomes aware that someone is seeking her help. Or two someones, rather, perhaps? The rag is stuffed away into her jumpsuit as she turns around to face Dizzy and King Lion.

"Now, then, Dizzy! I'm going to have to ask you to - return your attention to me!" she calls out, voice still hoarse from the fact that she had her throat nearly fatally crushed only a few short seconds ago.

Part of Rosalind wonders why she's doing what she's about to do.

With a flick of her wrist, Rosalind sends the whip-sword snapping out to attempt to catch the spinning Gear and wrap around her body, before tugging her violently toward the Knight-Armourer, if successful, telekinetically shortening the weapon at the same time.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy successfully hits Leo Whitefang with Power Throw.

                 [           ||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|=======
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Dizzy            0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1         Rosalind

[LEO WHITEFANG]
Leo has made no secret to others of the fact that he's got..concerns about this endeavour. Here we see..one of them in action. Dizzy's understanding of the -why- of fighting is as important as the -how- and yet the only way she may truly understand the seriousness of battle may be if she feels threatened and that could result in far more catastrophic results.

And yet..part of this -is- so that she can manage herself when feeling threatened and exert control over herself and her..'companions'. To be able to do whatever she needs to do without risk of losing control and if she's not tested and does not try she won't learn. In fact..she seems to be exerting such control now so..small victories? Yay?

It's a victory that goes unappreciated as Leo finds himself in a sudden whirlwind of movement - er we mean King Lion - and a moment later is sent hurtling away from the command Gear to go crashing into the ground with a violent series of rolls . He blinks a few times, laying prone in a plume of dust and torn up dirt and then he struggles back to his feet and straightens his mask..using the opportunity to try and regain his senses and hopefully turn this around.

:Er..y..yes! Yes! Having fun when fighting is fine! Why..the first and second king do enjoy their sparring matches and fighters all over the world enjoy showing their strength. But..", he straightens and points at Dizzy, noting as Rosalind comes in for the assist, "You must also remember that not everyone fights only for fun..and if you are in a situation like that..you still have to be sure you practice and stay calm and in control. Let us show you how!"

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang gains composure.

                 [        |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|-======
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Dizzy            0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1         Rosalind

COMBATSYS: Dizzy endures Rosalind's Lamia Coil.

                 [        |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|-======
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1         Rosalind

[DIZZY]
It certainly helped that Dizzy didn't think she was in danger.

As she plays with King Lion and Rosalind, she felt so happy and not at all thinking about the sheer mortal danger the pair was in. As she hurls King Lion away, she claps her hands, tail wagging with joy. "This is quite an experience! I should train more often!" She is still focusing on King Lion tumbling about in a silly fashion, when Rosalind says something. Dizzy looks away, turning towards Rosalind. "Attention to you- oh!"

Dizzy gasps as the sword wraps around her body.

Binding tightly above and under her chest, her arms strap hard at her sides. "Oh no! I am trapped!" For a moment, there is real fear, and that smothering presence surges for a moment. Struggling slightly, she relaxes a bit as King Leo- King Lion gives her the advice! "Calm and in control? Oh, then that must mean... yes! Okay!" Dizzy looks happy still, as she steels her jaw. Legs kicking slightly, she wiggles her wings as she is pulled back towards Rosalind. "I checked, King Lion!" She calls out as she is jerked straight back, her wings extended as she arrives to the German. White feathers suddenly scatter around, as she turns, arms bound by the weapon. "Undine and Necro sound like they want to come out and help fight too!" Is what Dizzy says out loud, as she finally reaches Rosalind. A wing begins transform, right beside the woman. A grim, blue-ish face reveals itself up close, a maidenly figure.

It's Undine.

The blue, angelic figure stares with a frosty presence, looking at best that she was going to humor Dizzy as best as she could. Arms open, she would hold her hands out to the blacksmith. There, ice would surge up and around as Dizzy would remain tangled. Undine would promptly try to encase Rosalind into a prison of ice, before sending her hurling away on an ice slide towards the barrows.

Without necessarily breaking the link, either.

COMBATSYS: Rosalind fails to interrupt Undine Throw from Dizzy with Heaven and Earth EX.
? Strange Hit! ?
*KNOCKED AWAY*

                 [        |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|-======
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Rosalind can no longer fight.

                 [        |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|-======
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            0/-------/=======|

[ROSALIND]
Her duty of drawing aggression discharged, Rosalind takes on a look of concentration as she pulls Dizzy closer. She starts to swing her weapon back, preparing to shifts its configuration once more, when Undine appears - reaching out with an icy hand toward the von Eisenschloss scion.

Rosalind frowns.

The ice rapidly encases Rosalind, the metal plates covering her jumpsuit turning brittle with the cold almost instantaneously. Her weapon arm is frozen in mid-swing, and as her body quickly cools, she topples, sliding away down the barrow.

[LEO WHITEFANG]
Whelp ..this is all Leo's fault, isn't it. At least. That's is in the back of his mind. In the forefront is immediate concern for the Sacred Order soldier. Not quite panic, of course. Not yet. But now this has transformed into something utterly and completely different then what it was before.

"Dizzy!" he calls out, no longer disguising his voice and reaching up to remove the King Lion mask and wig as he rushes forward to try and get to Rosalind's prone form.

His words are measured but firm so as to not put Dizzy into a panic of her own but to alert her that she needs to stop. Now. "Wait! Fall back!"

He makes a leap to clear the rest of the distance, reaching Rosalind's position in a matter of seconds and he crouches over her to begin to assess her status. His actions leave him wide open to Dizzy. A true test now on her abilities to process, restrain and enact control.

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang takes no action.

                 [        |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    0|-------|-======
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            0/-------/=======|

[DIZZY]
Dizzy felt a little funny now.

Once Rosalind became frozen, her frilivious delight was beginning to fade. As King Lion rushes over, she kind of felt in a daze, the weapon having released her. "But Necro... it's his turn..." She mutters aloud. Her tail was twitching now, he eyes distant. She felt strange. Why did King Lion sound like Leo Whitefang? Why did his heartbeat match Leo Whitefang? Was this all a trick? Dizzy felt strange about this. Was this all a prank? Were they teasing her? She thought it was fun. Fall back? Undine shifts back into the shape of the white wing, as her other wing begins to fold around her.

And then she realizes Necro is coming out.

"Oh!" She gasps, as she realizes the reaper-like form of the black wing, fully erupted and exposed, was distending his jaw. Waves of violet energy was cascading on him, as he locks his gaze straight on King Lion, on Rosalind, and every single tangible threat it could see right now. Dizzy's eyes go wide. "No! NO!" She cries out, as she grabs Necro with both of her hands. It didn't feel right to grab Necro like that. But right as the blast unleashes, it explodes straight for King Lion and Rosalind....

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang blocks Dizzy's Gamma Ray+.

                 [           ||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Leo Whitefang    1|-------|=======
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            0/-------/------=|

... And it's not enough, as the blast cloud erupts around King Lion. Dizzy looks in horror, aghast as Necro glares coldly at his works. He was death. Destroyer of worlds.

And he had no place for games.

[LEO WHITEFANG]
And yet..when the blast cloud begins to disperse..they're still...alive?

Leo stands there, fake costume smoldering, the back of his long hair on fire and falling free, and whirling circles of magic around him from when he summoned reinforcing magic to add to his defensive abilities. His iron cross blades are out, crossed infront of him and warped via molten iron chi into a massive knightly shield with a lion's visage upon it. Behind him, protected, is the prone form of Rosalind.

But that's not -really- why they're still alive, is it. No of course not..

"Dizzy.." breathes out Leo, smoke curling up around him before he collapses to one knee and braces himself with his blade.

"Dizzy.." he repeats, "You controlled Necro. You held back." Sort of.

He wheezes and then says, "I think..this exercise is concluded and it's..time for your review...after we tend to Rosalind. Don't you agree?"

[DIZZY]
Dizzy was quiet, as she stares into the dissipating cloud.

Necro was staring too, and the white wing was now sheltering around her as Undine. Holding her. Comforting her. As it clears, though, Dizzy exhales in relief. Necro snaps his fingers bitterly. Dizzy stomps her foot, and Necro gives her a look of innocence. Well, tries to. Undine starts yelling at Necro silently, and the duo start getting more and more heated. Dizzy, understanding that... maybe they should stop, suddenly gasps in shock as she realizes, her eyes drifting downward. "Leo!" Dizzy gasps.

"Your clothing... !?!"

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"Wugh..?"

The last licks of flame finish devouring what remains of Leo's makeshift, cheap and oh so fragile cosplay of King Lion.

His eyes widen slowly, pupils dilating to pinpricks as the color drains from him. He then begins turning beet red. Quite impressive really.

As Dizzy's eyes begin to drift downward, his twin swords come forth, morphing into the shield like apparatus used in several of his techniques. It is quite large and so more then capable of hiding him from around the belly down but it's anyone's guess how long he can maintain this.

Unfortunately it doesn't really do much for poor Rosalind, who the large, robust, manly, beefy and other assorted appropriate and increasingly meaty descriptors, king is standing infront of.

But she's unconscious. Right?

"I have changed my mind!" declares the king, "We will do a debriefing of your training session....another time!"

With that, Leo breaks into a run, still holding the shield in front of him as he dashes off, racing around the burial mound to try and get behind it and out of sight as quickly as possible.

[LYRAELLE]
That heat seems to have a secondary effect of returning warmth to the frozen form of the Knight-Armourer. Rosalind's eyes slowly drift open, fluttering at the brightness of the sun, which casts all the glory of the Illyrian King in radiance.

She blinks again as said glory comes into focus.

Perhaps it's just the warmth returning to her cheeks that causes them to flush as red as they do.

"D-debriefing??"

The German knight's eyes widen for a moment as her mind drifts somewhere between the waking and dreaming world, before finally deciding to settle down and make its home in the latter, her head turning to one side as she swoons.

Probably to sleep off the near-death experience.

[DIZZY]
"Oh?"

Dizzy looks at Leo, not blushing at all. Necro and Undine, however, ARE looking, and they look like they are dying. But why? Why would she blush? She's seen those before! She idly wonders about Ky Kiske, but before she can get too deep in her thoughts, Leo was running away and hiding. While Dizzy knows hide and seek is fun, you are not supposed to do it with naked people. Sometimes they would do that, but then when they get caught, then they get brought before Leo or Ky Kiske and they get in big trouble. As Rosalind turns bright red, Dizzy pushes UNdine and Necro back into the shape of wings, and then glides over to the unconscious Rosalind. She would be doing a lot of work. She would help Rosalind get back home, and of course, the flowers. But there was something pressing in her mind. What was she going to do with Leo next? What did he ask her? She idly asks out loud, as she collects up Rosalind.

"But I thought I already debriefed him just now..."

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang has left the fight here.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            0/-------/------=|

COMBATSYS: Dizzy has ended the fight here.

Log created on 10:33:16 05/25/2021 by Dizzy, and last modified on 15:58:17 06/07/2021.