Match of the Millennium

Description: Justice Book Club Queen Natsuki is not competing in Rivals this round, due to a prior commitment working at a family book fair event in the Hotel Southtown. With Nako also not needed for Rivals duty, she goes along to check out the fair and accidentally damages a priceless book, sending Natsuki into a rage!

[NATSUKI]
Nakaza Books has been a Southtown institution for the last four generations of the family. When Nakaza Ichiro had arrived in the city in 1924, it was in the wake of the Great Kanto earthquake that had killed around 100,000 residents and left many of its buildings in ruins. As the young and ambitious man sought to make his way in the world, he realised that whilst the disaster had been truly horrific, it had also presented some opportunities. Some of the previous business owners chose not to rebuild, fleeing the city for other futures. As such, he was able to acquire some land in the centre of Southtown relatively cheaply. It was here that he built his bookshop, which opened in the summer of 1925.

Now, a hundred years later, business is booming. As well as selling books in the store, the Nakazas can often be found in local venues, setting up stalls in search of new readers. Which is how they come to be currently in the Hotel Southtown, one of the city's most prestigious places to stay. The private party room on the top floor has been rented out for a book fair this weekend, with ten tables set up for trading and a respectable amount of customers browsing the books on offer.

Natsuki is only semi sulking that she's here. Since she became the Justice representative for the New Fighting Generation Rivals competition, due to Inei being out of action, she has won both of her matches, which was quite the buzz. She'd been all set for the third against Gedo student Ayaki, when she realised that the fight would clash with her commitment to work today. After raising the idea of her parents perhaps finding a replacement to cover for her, her mother had announced that it should be Justice that found the replacement, which is why Natsuki's boyfriend Kazuo will be the one representing their school. She can't help but feel jealous but it's for sure going to make for an interesting face-off, given the history that those two have.

Speaking of history, Natsuki is currently carefully placing a priceless leather book inside a glass cabinet at the centre of the Nakaza Books display. This is not a title that is for sale. It's merely here to add prestige and attractiveness to their table.

The blonde hums and hahs about where exactly the perfect spot for it is and finally feels satisfied, stepping back to admire how it looks. With this sorted, she can settle in for a day of selling. Perhaps if she can be the one who persuades people to purchase the most books, there'll be a bonus in it for her!

[NAKO]
Nako, New Fighting Generation Rivals competitor for Taiyo, has also done pretty well in her matches - maybe not a perfect run like Natsuki but she can be pretty proud of her placements!

But, like Natsuki, she was also not officially needed for this round. Technically, she's available for a backup match if someone needs to pull out and they want to at least give the other person an exhibition, but it doesn't look like that is very likely, which means she can poke around as she likes!

Nako has never in her life been in the Hotel Southtown. Hotel Southtown - especially the top floors - are for rich people, and Nako is not one of those. There's a reason her adoptive parents asked Taiyo first if they were willing to take her...

Anyway there's a Darkstalker in here now.

Nako is, as she frequently does among people who don't know her, causing a little bit of a stir. On one hand, she's clearly a Darkstalker, given the serpentine tail and the cat ears (and eyes); on the other hand, she's a lot less dangerous-looking than a lot of Darkstalkers, especially given the fluffy cat ears, generally inoffensive attitude, and ability to be teased by calling her a neko-naga, something that has caught on more than she'd like it to.

Today she's wearing a pair of knee-length shorts, belted around her waist, and a grey-white top. She has a long green jacket on overtop, swallowtail-cut in a V around her tail; she originally wore it against the rain but has decided to keep it on to draw attention away from her chest and break up her silhouette. (It isn't working very well.)

Also, she has the bokken she uses slung over her back. It's fine! It's made of wood, and blunt! She's not going to cut someone up with it. She clearly can't.

"Um, excuse me - pardon me - " Nako is kind of working her way through the people here while trying not to bonk any of them with her bokken or her tail. So far her record at not hitting people with her bokken is perfect - not a single person has been hit - but she's accidentally smacked a few people in the legs with that snakelike tail of hers. She turns red every time she does it.

[NATSUKI]
Natsuki has spied Nako. As someone who is used to working at book fairs, she has a sense for any situation that could potentially cause trouble. Not that she has anything against darkstalkers. Some of her slight aquaintances are darkstalkers. Also, this one looks pretty cute! It's just that tail.

Instinctively, Natsuki moves from behind the table of books to stand in front of them, almost like she's on guard. "Natsuki, what are you doing?" Whispers her silver-haired mother, who's currently dressed in a long floaty dress with a shimmering star print on it. Natsuki herself is wearing a short shirt dress which depicts wooden shelves, all of them full to the brim with books.

"She's protecting the books, Miharu." Natsuki's soft-spoken and bespectacled father responds, offering a smile to the girl. "Just as we taught her she should."

A couple of British teenagers who are staying in the hotel wander over and ask if the stall stocks any romantasy titles. Whilst Miharu busies herself with finding some, Natsuki takes in the rest of Nako's appearance. "Cool weapon." She says, when she spots the bokken. "Hey, don't you fight for Taiyo in Rivals? I saw you against that Ayaki guy on the roof. I was supposed to have a match with him this round, but..." She waves towards the stall as way of explanation.

[NAKO]
Nako's tail is thin - it's definitely more 'snake' than, say, 'dragon' - but it moves a lot when she isn't paying attention to hold it still, and it's stronger than it looks. It's definitely a trip hazard behind her.

Nako probably would like the romantasy titles too and so she keeps part of her attention on the topic, her ears perking up a little bit, but she focuses on Natsuki. She has to admit she took a moment to recognize the other student, out of context from previous matches, but recognition sets in when she's addressed.

"Yes, I did! I mean, I do fight for Taiyo," Nako agrees. "I heard that there was another competitor here but I didn't know if I'd actually run into you. I just kind of wanted to look around and see what was here... I read a lot," she admits. "But I've never been in this hotel before, and I don't think I've been to your bookstore either, I usually go to a different one..."

But, introductions. "I'm Irie Nako," Nako says, dipping into a slightly dangerous bow - dangerous because it lifts her tail behind her while she's doing it, if there's going to be an accident it's when she does that. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

[NATSUKI]
It's hard not to look at Nako's tail. It's kinda mesmerising! As someone who endeavours to be polite though, Natsuki really does attempt to avoid staring.

The two British girls choose two titles each and move on to the next stall, squealing as they realise it sells manga. Soon their phones are out and they're posing for photos with the ones that have the coolest covers.

"I'm kinda loving the contest." Natsuki admits. "There's a fair few good bookshops in Southtown, most of them are run by people we know, but ours is definitely the best." She gives Nako a grin. "Not that I'm biased or anything."

She looks around the room when Nako mentions she's not been here before. "The fighters in the first season of the New Fighting Generation stayed here. I hear they got up to all kinds of mischief. I've only ever been in this room and the restuarant though. The food is pretty nice."

When an introduction is offered, Natsuki holds out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you too. I'm Natsu..."

The rest of her name never makes it out of the Justice student's mouth as she's too busy gasping in horror. What happens next seems to be in slow motion. As Nako bows, her tail smacks into the glass cabinet, the one that's holding that priceless book.

"Nooooo!" Protests the blonde girl as the cabinet shatters and the book is sent flying on on to the floor. Perhaps this wouldn't have been too big a disaster if a toy poodle hadn't been trotting along at the exact same time. Picking the precious pages up in its tiny little mouth, it starts to tear them with its teeth!

[NAKO]
Nako is used to having her tail and ears looked at. She is still a little embarrassed by it, apparently, but it's better than some things Natsuki could be staring at *and* she's not making a fuss, just curious, so she'll take it!

"The contest is pretty fun! I wasn't sure they'd let me participate..." Nako trails off. "Wait, no, not because - I mean, it's because I'm new! This is my first semester at Taiyo actually, so I thought they might want someone who's more established to go. But I got in!" She's proud of that.

"Well, the hotel is kind of expensive, isn't it," Nako says with a slight smile. "I mean... on a student's budget..." Maybe it's different for Natsuki. She hesitates a moment, then admits, "I wouldn't mind trying the food though." Nako is one of those teenagers who is almost always hungry. If she thinks about the restaurant she *will* want to visit!

Nako feels her tail bump something behind her, though. She reflexively pulls it inward, but a little late, and -

oh no

"No! Bad dog!" Nako immediately whirls and tries to get the book away from the poodle without hurting it, which she's not very effective at - oh, she tries, but she's not exactly a dog person and she has limited experience! Which means it may take her a bit of chewing...

"I am so, so sorry!" Nako sounds absolutely mortified. She's bumped things before but she's never damaged anything expensive. "I didn't - I should have been watching where I was going - I'm sorry!"

COMBATSYS: Nako has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Nako             0/-------/-------|

[NATSUKI]
Natsuki is not normally the kind of person to fly into a rage. She's practically a perfect student, polite, polished and professional, and takes pride in her position as the president of the Justice High Book Club. Which is where the problem begins. Natsuki's number one passion in life is books. More than her fighting, more than her boyfriend, more than her best friend. It's not only her parent's profession, it's in their blood and it also happens to be Natsuki's main hobby. As such, Nako and her tail just happen to be in the unfortunate position of hitting the golden-haired girl's trigger point.

The dog has now grown tired of destroying the treasured tome, meaning Natsuki can retrieve it and survey the damage. Surely it can't be that bad? Toy poodles are only little creatures. As she very carefully searches through the torn and soggy pages, tears start to fill Natsuki's eyes. It had been her idea to bring this book here as a display item. She had promised her parents that no harm would come to it and she would be personally responsible for making sure nothing bad happened. She has therefore failed.

Justice students don't like to fail. In fact it is very much frowned upon in their elite institute. Shame, shock and sorrow fill Natsuki's young body and the only way she can think to handle this is to blame somebody else.

"This is all your fault!" She screams at poor Nako, totally ignoring the fact that she's already said sorry. "Do you realise what you've done? You've ruined everything!"

She leaps into the air and launches herself at Nako, slapping her hard across the face.

COMBATSYS: Natsuki has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Nako             0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Natsuki

COMBATSYS: Nako blocks Natsuki's Aggressive Strike.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Nako             0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Natsuki

[NAKO]
"I really am sorry!" Nako hastily bows again, though fortunately she does not take out anything else with her tail - probably because it's now curled around her left leg. Her ears are flat against her hair. "I don't know if I can afford it but - but maybe I can work it off, or something - "

Bowing like that, Nako is apparently a pretty easy target for a slap. But her reflexes are good, and she reflexively catches the incoming blow on one hand. It stings, but she avoids getting smacked across the face.

But she's also a fighter, and her reflexes are all set up for that... so without really thinking about it, she twists and lifts, moving Natsuki's slapping arm into something like a hammerlock if she can't get free in time! It's less a throw, more grappling.

"You don't need to hit me for it though...!" But if she wants to fight over it, Nako - who's socially normally a bit of a pushover - will take her up on it... It's not like they're not both fighters anyway!

COMBATSYS: Nako successfully hits Natsuki with Quick Throw.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Nako             0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0          Natsuki

[NATSUKI]
"It's too late for sorry!" Natsuki yells. Oh dear, the composed book lover really seems to have lost her cool.

"Is this a stunt or something?" Wonders one of the British teens. "Are they acting out a scene from a novel?" She starts to film the fight, moving around to get the best angle she can.

"It must be." Her friend replies. "Nobody gets that bothered by books."

Natuski's parents have now noticed the commotion. "Stop this at once!" Demands her father. "The book is insured and it was just an accident."

Whether she hears him or not is unclear, as Natsuki shows no sign of backing down. It probably doesn't help that Nako has retaliated by grabbing hold of her, which sends her stumbling backwards on to the table. More books fall to the ground around the girls. Thankfully there's no toy poodles around this time.

It's a subtle gesture when Natsuki reaches for a book. It's another leatherbound one, but smaller than the one that had been on display. As she opens it up, she starts to chant. "Bless me so I win this fight. Fill me with your might and light!"

As she speaks, a glowing energy ball starts to appear in front of her, becoming gradually larger until it bursts outwards in the form of a bolt, heading straight towards Nako!

COMBATSYS: Nako dodges Natsuki's Mystic Missile.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Nako             0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0          Natsuki

[NAKO]
If Natsuki had just stuck to yelling, Nako probably would have stood there and taken it and felt really bad about the whole situation, even with an audience watching her.

But as soon as magic (!) comes out, Nako's instincts kick in: she needs to defend herself! She can't let herself be beaten! And her family trying to dissuade Natsuki and failing only makes her more sure that she has to defend *herself*, not wait for someone else to defend her. She can't just let herself be pushed around like that...

The bolt streaks past where Nako had been standing a moment ago as she jinks to one side, a sudden step clearing her out of the way. It also means that she's angling the line of battle away from more books, alongside and parallel to the display instead of into it; it means there's less likely to be any more collateral damage when she strikes back.

Which she does!

Nako draws her bokken and strikes with it in a single smooth movement. She turns the draw into an arcing strike aimed slightly upward, iaijutsu-like, as her blunt wood sword cuts through the air. She uses the impact to finish her pivot and dance backwards, clearing more room and expecting Natsuki to come after her. "Calm down!" she calls back, with a bit more intensity in her voice.

When she does that, her pink-purple chi lines the blade, leaving an arcing 'cut' of chi in the air behind the slash. And that's as she expects; that's how Nako frequently uses her chi. What she *doesn't* expect is that the slash crackles with electricity, and instead of fading it pulls in to form a short-lived ball of electricity that pops! Her sword, despite being wood and not conductive metal, still has little arcs of electricity crawling across it, Nako's eyes wide behind it as she now holds it up to parry.

COMBATSYS: Nako successfully hits Natsuki with Fox Dance.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Nako             0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0          Natsuki

[NATSUKI]
The problem with telling people to calm down is that it very rarely works. In fact, it often has the opposite effect.

Natsuki watches in frustration as her energy bolt fails to find Nako's form. Or more accurately, Nako nimbly gets the hell out of its way!

Natsuki briefly has a moment to notice that Nako has tried to avoid any more books being harmed, but the fight is too far along to stop now, and the Justice student doesn't want to lose face by being the one to back down. Besides, by the time the bokken has struck her, any thoughts of peacing out are well and truly banished.

The electricity crackles towards Natsuki, causing her to flinch, not just from pain but the after effects of the energy. It seems she's not the only one who has strange skills.

Recognising that right now she's still recovering from being hit and will need a brief respite, Natsuki begins to chant again, this time under her breath and in a language that's not totally recognisable. As her mouth moves, she feels the heat rising up inside her and in the room, and is that perhaps a flicker of a flame visible in her aquamarine eyes?

COMBATSYS: Natsuki charges her next attack!

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Nako             0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0          Natsuki

[NAKO]
Not just strange but unexpected! Nako doesn't normally make stormy chi... she actually shakes her bokken once, wiggling it from side to side, to try to shake the sparks off. And while this doesn't work, they do fade after a while, crackling out with some more pops.

Nako is definitely trying not to cause another book-related accident, but she's not going to *not* defend herself either. The most she can do is try to aim so that strikes go elsewhere...

...but as she feels a bit of rising heat, her eyes widen. "No fire!" she yelps out - that would be about the worst thing possible for the books! She almost rushes in to try to stop Natsuki but decides that would probably be a bad idea. Instead she lunges, taking one step forward but not closing all the distance between them - just trying to strike Natsuki with the blunt tip of her bokken.

It is blunt, but it also is pretty good at knocking the wind out of someone if she drives it in the right place, which Nako is trying to... and it's accompanied by another pulse of chi, extending her reach by a foot or so as it extends in front of the tip! There's no lightning this time, though - just pink with a hint of purple.

COMBATSYS: Natsuki blocks Nako's Serpent Fang ES.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Nako             0/-------/----===|=======\===----\1          Natsuki

[NATSUKI]
Natsuki definitely doesn't approve of burning books, but she's kinda caught up in the moment here! Ironically her impulsive desire to defend the loved literature means that she may be more at risk of doing the books some damage herself.

Still, she's not so far gone that she doesn't register Nako's words. "I'm not gonna set -them- on fire." She insists, causing gasps of horror from the crowd, even those who are fans of that particular genre! After all, there's a big difference in losing yourself in the pages of a supernatural bestseller and seeing one unfold before your very eyes.

As Nako lunges towards her, Natsuki brings up both her arms to block the blunted bokken. It hurts, a fair bit as it happens, but at least she's stopped it from striking her softer parts, where it could have done caused some more serious bruising.

Relaxing her stance some, Natsuki reaches again for her book and begins to read directly from it. "She felt the passion building up inside her. It was so intense it almost burned."

Whilst she speaks the words, they start to form in the air, flickering with flames and then fully catching fire.

She continues to read. "Soon the heat began to consume her and she had to release it into the world."

The fiery words start to weave into the shape of a whip and Natsuki takes hold of them with her free hand, wielding it and working it as a weapon with which to strike Natsuki!

As it moves through the air, a look of confusion appears on the book fan's face. Then she begins to cough. For some reason, the flames seem to be morphing into a green coloured gas!

COMBATSYS: Nako parries Natsuki's Empowered Scorching Script EX!

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Nako             0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1          Natsuki

[NAKO]
"Well... good!" Nako doesn't really have a good answer for that. At least that means she's probably not going to burn up? Though the words she's actually using are kind of worrying...

Nako's bokken is actually heavier than a real katana would be. It's not the loud, clattering bamboo shinai that Hayato (her gym teacher) uses, or that's used in kendo training; hers is meant to train strength and endurance.

So on the plus side, Natsuki isn't cut, but on the downside, Nako actually manages to use its weight and momentum to push at her in an attempt to shove her off-balance. It's not enough to actually push her over, but it might interfere with her aim... or that's Nako's hope, anyway. She isn't really sure how you aim a magic spell.

No, what she does isn't magic. Probably. She doesn't chant it, though!

Apparently you aim magic by turning it into a whip. Though a bit worried that her sword is going to be tangled up in it, Nako snaps her wrist and slashes up toward it, pushing it up and away, and - is that smoke? No, it's gas... Nako sometimes uses smoke, but this is something else. On the plus side, it's not going to tangle her bokken, or light the hard wood on fire, at least.

Nako takes a deep breath, as deep as she can, and holds her breath at the sight of the green gas. Pushing once more, she gives the whip one last shove, using her weapon to fan the smoke away and disengaging from what's left of the whip, before she charges the rest of the way in. A moment ago, she'd stopped herself before rushing - this time she doesn't, charging into Natsuki and sweeping upward to launch her into the air like a bull - or a boar - tossing its horns!

COMBATSYS: Natsuki dodges Nako's Charging Boar EX.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Nako             0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1          Natsuki

[NATSUKI]
Thankfully for Nako, she has very nifty footwork, not to mention her considerable strength. Natsuki is aware that she's in her toughest battle so far and a part of her finds this thrilling. Other parts of her are slightly scared.

Nako isn't the only one holding her breath. This gas thing is as new to Natsuki as it is to her opponent. Come to think of it, some strange stuff was happening in her last fight too. Things that she definitely didn't train. She makes a mental note to do some research on it later. For now though...

The bokken comes back at her again, powerfully pushing forwards. Natsuki knows she's got to get out of the way, so she swiftly steps to the side, far enough that's she's out of the Taiyo student's reach.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Natsuki closes her eyes and begins to chant again. "It's becoming crystal clear that Nako is one to fear. Save me from her pain and soak her in your rain."

A barrage of energy bolts shaped like crystals begin to form in a swarm before aiming to attack Nako. When Natsuki opens her eyes to watch what happens, she sees that these too have turned a rather toxic looking shade of green!

Natsuki mail 3

COMBATSYS: Nako just-defends Natsuki's Ruinous Rain!

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Nako             0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1          Natsuki

[NAKO]
For all that Nako doesn't always look it, she knows she belongs in a competition like NFG Rivals. She's as good as anyone... and it's a way for her to fit in that she doesn't always get normally. She might not be human, she might be a strange student at Taiyo, but she is *definitely* a fighter!

Normal teenagers can be fighters, right...?

So that she's pressing Natsuki - well, even with her frequently low self-esteem Nako doesn't think that's surprising. Of course she can fight back!

Natsuki, though, is not the only one who's had strange chi effects lately. After that first thunderclap she created Nako's hasn't come *back*, at least; her chi has been its accustomed pink-purple. Nako seems to realize that this is something Natsuki isn't expecting - her fighting style isn't taking into account things like vapor and she's pretty sure that crystals aren't supposed to be that shade of green.

She puts her weight on her back foot, bringing her bokken up and bracing it with her other hand, far up the blade - another thing you can't do with a real katana! She'd cut her hand. But here she's just holding both ends of the wooden weapon and spinning it almost like a short staff to keep herself safe.

Nako almost goes to apologize again, but changes her mind at the last moment. Natsuki's still not going to back off, and Nako isn't just going to let herself get beaten up to make the other girl happy! Plus, if she's doing things with weird chi, maybe she can just... see if she can do something about that?

Releasing the bokken with her left hand, Nako presses her palm against her own ribs, just beneath her rather substantial bust... which the action emphasizes, drawing her top tauter as she holds the position for a couple seconds to channel her own chi, which will embarrass her later when she actually realizes she's done it.

This seems harmless enough until she 'pulls out' a second sword, this one made of swirling smoke around a dully glowing chi core. Nako holds it for a moment as if unsure if it's going to electrify itself, but on seeing it doesn't, goes in for a slash!

And if it strikes, it doesn't leave any sort of physical injury behind; instead it strikes at Natsuki's internal energy, causing her to 'bleed' misty, foggy chi of her own and release some of that bound-up energy! Though it also saps away other energy too...

COMBATSYS: Natsuki blocks Nako's Nightbird ES.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Nako             0/-------/--=====|=======\=====--\1          Natsuki

[NATSUKI]
Natsuki can't help but feel frustrated when Nako comfortably deals her magic again. Perhaps it's for the best though, as those green bolts really didn't look like something that it was safe to be hit by. She may be mad at the Taiyo student for the damage she did to the book but she doesn't actually want to poison her!

The president of the Justice book group watches and waits as Nako unintentionally flaunts her assets. The darkstalker herself may not be aware of what she's doing but some of the spectators filming have certainly noticed and one of them zooms in to capture a closeup.

When the second sword shows up, Natsuki prepares herself. She positions her body so that her backside takes the brunt of the attack. This creates the surreal image of smoke seeming to blow out of it.

"Oh!" Exclaims the booklover, before trying to twist herself to see the trail. Although the attack didn't hit to its full devastating effect, it's still left Natsuki feeling drained and she has to fight the urge to go and sit down behind the table of books.

Instead she reaches for her trusty tome and opens it to one of the middle pages, reading a passage from it. ""I call upon you Gargos, to aid me with your hand. I do so with respect, I hope you understand."

A green portal opens in front of Natsuki, from which the projected image of a scaly looking hand with long curved claws appears. The hand moves towards Nako, seeking to grapple her and wrap its fingers around her throat!

COMBATSYS: Nako dodges Natsuki's Vengeful Visitation from the Void.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Nako             0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0          Natsuki

[NAKO]
It's not the first time Nako has emphasized her assets without really thinking about it and it probably won't be the last, either. While normally she tries not to flaunt her figure much, sometimes in the heat of the moment... emotion and instinct get the better of her, and she forgets! It's part of why she's popular with the boys (and a minority of girls) in the audience even if she would be embarrassed by it. (It's not the only thing she forgets about her build, either. She did start all of this violence by bumping something with her tail...)

But what's much more urgently important is her swords. Nako's second blade remains present after her swing, still trailing smoke that slowly dissipates in the air. There is no fire, though, so nothing is at risk (unless she sets off a smoke alarm, but it's chi smoke so that is a bit less likely to happen).

She winces at the impact against Natsuki but it does give her an opening as she twists. As Natsuki goes for another chant, Nako goes in a direction she hasn't really gone before - up! She leaps, and the hand brushes past her tail but she's already jumped high. Fortunately this kind of room almost never has a low ceiling.

As Nako reaches the top of her jump, her chi sword is breaking up into nothing but smoke and wrapping around her - no, it's not smoke. It's turning into a stormcloud, swirling around her body! Nako comes down in a bodysplash, simply trying to land on Natsuki.

That's bad enough. But on impact, there is a sudden *boom* of thunder, as if Nako smashing into Natsuki (or the floor...) was enough to cause a deafening crash that causes a low sustained rumble afterwards! It is accompanied by a flash of light inside the cloud wreathing both of them, the flickering light shining through the cloud momentarily making them silhouettes for the audience.

I'm not THAT heavy! Nako thinks to herself as she rolls away. It doesn't make THAT sound when I hit the ground! And where's the flash from? Normally she only gets chi like a comet's tail when she tries that maneuver... she's never done *storms* before!

COMBATSYS: Natsuki blocks Nako's Tanuki Drop.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Nako             0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0          Natsuki

[NATSUKI]
It seems the Hotel Southtown smoke alarms aren't sensitive enough to be set off by Nako's smoke. On the one hand this is a relief for those involved and interested in the fight. On the other hand, it's a bit concerning!

There is indeed a high ceiling for Nako to leap up into. The crowd gasp as the darkstalker girl once again evades Natsuki's spell. Whatever strange forces are at work, they definitely seem to be on the Taiyo student's side!

Seeing Nako in the storm crowd causes Natsuki to stop and stare. Thankfully, she just manages to react enough to recover by the time that body slash connects. Bracing her body, she's able to make become stiff enough to protect herself from most of the damage.

Then comes the thunder though, which causes Natsuki to tremble against Nako. "What is that?" She wonders aloud.

As he contemplates this question, she starts to murmur something under her breath. Perhaps she's praying.

COMBATSYS: Natsuki charges her next attack!

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Nako             0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0          Natsuki

[NAKO]
What is the thunder?

"I thought that was something about your magic!" Nako pauses a moment. "That is magic, right?" Nobody would need to chant it if it was just chi like most of the fighters use... Nako finds it easier if she shouts, but that's not the same, is it?

And Natsuki *is* chanting again. Maybe it's praying, but maybe it's something else. Nako decides to not give her the opportunity to finish it! She pulls, literally trying to heft Natsuki into the air. She's strong but not practiced at throws. She's no grappler! But she can lift.

It's mostly an excuse for Nako to get Natsuki back on her feet and high enough to be off-balance so that Nako can swing her bokken, two-handed, in a slash that kind of looks more like a baseball swing than anything you'd do in kendo. (Well, she's never claimed to do kendo! Her sword style is on the NFG info sheet as 'self-taught'... even though Nako doesn't really remember where she learned it.)

"Ha~!" she shouts as she follows through with the swing. "If you want to apologize for hitting me, you should! I'm sorry about the book! I'll do what I can! But..."

...

"...we're both in Rivals! I can't just let you beat me...! It's not just for me, it's for Taiyo!"

COMBATSYS: Natsuki blocks Nako's Armed Combo.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Nako             0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1          Natsuki

[NATSUKI]
"Yes, it is magic." Natsuki says somewhat cautiously. As she speaks the words she looks towards her mother who is watching the fight unfold with a serene smile. Meanwhile, Natsuki's father is serving a customer. Business must go on!

Whatever the chanting means exactly, Natsuki manages to finish just as she's thrust into the air! She tries to make herself as heavy as possible so she's harder to lift. Nako still manages to raise her up but Natsuki resists the blow from the bokken.

"I'm not going to apologise." The bookworm states defensively and I wouldn't dream of asking you to go easy on me. We both need to do our schools proud."

Not that Natsuki is doing that right now with this lacklustre display. Despite her lack of success though, she keeps on going. Much like the last book club pick she had to endure. Which reminds her.

"What are you reading right now?" She enquires.

Before Nako can answer, Natsuki is chanting again. "Darkness come to my aid. I feel that I'm starting to fade."

Black shadowy tentacles start to form around Natsuki's frame, one after the other, until six of them lash out at Nako!

COMBATSYS: Natsuki successfully hits Nako with Empowered Ebon Evocation EX.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Nako             1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1          Natsuki

[NAKO]
Business must go on! Even around violence... honestly, that's one heck of a work ethic.

Nako is doing her part! Well, not by advertising, though the fight is certainly attention-getting, but by trying not to plow anyone else into the books (including herself). She's certainly in it to win it now... though really, did it even have to start?

But - "Wait, right now?" In the middle of a fight? In the middle of a fight with an audience?? "...It's Fo - hey!"

That last exclamation was because Natsuki is still chanting. She was just trying to distract Nako! Nako ends up not answering the question, mostly because she's under attack by tentacles. This is not Nako's favorite! That is *not* the sort of romantasy she reads!! (Except one time, by mistake! Stupid fishman book...)

The tentacles lash out at her. Nako manages to catch one with her bokken - but a solid hit only makes it break apart into the nasty green fumes from earlier, and coughing, Nako retreats from it. This lets several of the others attack her!

Well, at least she wasn't grabbed, because Nako really isn't sure she has the brainspace for that. They strike, which is bad enough though! For a moment she can't see how to get out of the cluster she's in. But sometimes the only way out is through...

Nako lets out a kiai as she sweeps her bokken through a diagonal slash! That would be powerful enough, except it's crackling with the pink-purple chi she uses half the time; rather than a steady glow it arcs along her bokken like electricity, occasionally sparking off.

And there's a second slash too as she pivots and slashes on the other diagonal, forming a cutting X to carve through the tentacles and into Natsuki!

COMBATSYS: Natsuki fails to reflect Great Lion's Blade ES from Nako with Runic Reversal.

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

COMBATSYS: Natsuki can no longer fight.

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

[NATSUKI]
Despite managing to connect with her curious collection of tentacles (and possibly poisoning Nako in the process), Natsuki is in a bit of a mess. She's clearly fatigued and her gait seems unsteady.

As such, when the bokken comes slashing and sparking towards her, she knows there's no way she will still be standing if it strikes. She decides to try something that is somewhat bizarre.

She lifts up her magical book and it begins to glow brightly. Again the chanting begins but whatever she is saying sounds incredibly strange. If someone should have the time and energy to attempt to decipher her words, they will find that she is simply describing the actions of Nako's attack in reverse. Natsuki's intention is for them to be reflected right back at her opponent, giving her a taste of her own treatment, but it doesn't quite go to plan!

The second slash does indeed cut through the remaining tentacles but it also sends the book flying, which immediately breaks the contact Natsuki had created through the chanting. In a bid to try and grab it, she leaves herself fully open to the bokken and is hit solidly in the stomach, causing her to collapse and fall backwards in to the table of books.

"So she tried to avenge one book and then knocked a hundred others over?" Someone in the crowd sniggers.

Meanwhile Natsuki's parents spring into action, with her mother trying to pick her daughter up and her father trying to save his stock. It seems that for the president of the Justice Book Club, this particular story doesn't have a happy ending.

[NAKO]
Nako isn't one hundred percent sure she's poisoned. How would she know? She's never been poisoned before! She sure isn't feeling great, though...

And confused, too. The electricity on her bokken - and it is electricity, now - has intensified. Some of it is still her usual pink-purple chi but other arcs are yellow-white, exactly like you'd expect from lightning, and every time she swings the blade there's a steady rumbling like distant thunder, the mixed purple and gold colors dancing along the weapon.

This doesn't feel like when she instinctively does something, or 'remembers' how to do it even if she doesn't remember ever learning it. This is just weird!

Nako hadn't been consciously aiming at Natsuki's book, but disarming is a good strategy and sometimes Nako's muscles know how to do something before she does, so she's not going to pull away from the impact. She finishes the sweep, sending Natsuki backwards as the chi flashes with another thunderclap.

"Ah, sorry!"

Natsuki brought this fight on herself, at least a little bit (Nako does still feel bad for breaking the display, though) but that's no excuse for her to knock over so many more books in the process of fighting!

She lowers the bokken, which is no longer chi-charged, lightning or otherwise. Uncertain of what she should do, Nako simply tries to catch her breath; she can't purge the poison immediately but she can at least get herself under control. She moves as if going to pick up some of the books, then thinks better of it. She's already done enough damage for one day.

And then she bows. "I apologize for the disturbance!" she says, with more formality than she's pulled so far... addressing Natsuki's parents, not her. "If there's anything I can do about the book's damage..."

But as for Natsuki, well. Does Nako have a rival now? She's not sure. But she's pretty sure Natsuki will be extra unhappy when she's feeling more up on her feet. "...but I think I'd better go. For now, anyway!" Maybe she'll feel better if she sits down for a bit. Or eats something. That usually works for her...

Log created on 11:09:24 07/08/2025 by Nako, and last modified on 08:14:50 08/06/2025.