Description: In the third part of her First Meetings, Mizuki is at the shrine again, when Frei comes to pay his respects. A lengthy discussion turns into a sparring match that has its twists and turns.
For Mizuki, the Shrine has become a place of peaceful introspection... alright, it already fulfills that role for many, if not as many as it used to, but Mizuki has only recently discovered it. She met Jiro here, and that was an interesting encounter in and of itself. Perhaps she'll meet more new people here, too.
Normally, Mizuki might be found sweeping up the shrine, dressed in a traditional, white yukata with red hakama and the typical socks and sandals of a 'miko'... but instead, she's wearing the getup and... practicing.
Her movements are slow, graceful, almost like a dance, very similar to the morning-exercise form of tai chi chu'an--except she's armed with a length of baton, two feet, that slices through the air slowly. Twist, slash, turn; the baton tip slowly describes a circle in the air, and then she's twisting forward, sweeping her left leg through a slow kick.
Clearly, it's a kata of some sort.
A big city like Southtown is guaranteed to have more than one shrine. Of course, now it has one LESS because A Certain Monk ran off to China for three months and didn't pay his rent, leave a forwarding address, or indeed bother to tell anyone he was going. Now his former home is going to be the site of a new Starbucks and Frei himself has spent weeks combing the newspaper for some new place to live.
Lucky him, he found one... a nice studio near Seijyun, in fact, that is currently having his stuff moved in by professionals (trust funds are nice, aren't they?) Of course. it means he's got plenty of time to wander around and, being in a slightly more somber mood than he is used to, he decides to go to the local shrine to offer a prayer for his recently-deceased master.
Of course, he's a non-traditional monk with a non-traditional master, so as Frei approaches the shrine he is carrying something other than typical funerary articles... in fact, he's carrying an old-style gourd of sake and a stick of votive incense to be lit while it's drunk. Of course, he was also expecting the place to be *empty* (well, it IS an 'abandoned' shrine) and thus seeing someone here, katas or no, comes as kind of a surprise. The red-haired monk stands and watches for a second, transfixed. Huh. Girls.
Mizuki is not going to let -this- shrine go to waste. Even if she's not renting it. So one can reasonably expect to find her here every week at the least. Frei might want to make note of that. However, she is -actually- living at Justice... as per the rules of the school.
The kata continues for a few moments more; the baton slashes through the air and a variety of kicks are pinwheeled through and finally Mizuki comes to rest, her eyes closed. But only for a moment. Her head lifts as she registers the sense of another presence; then her eyes open and she turns towards the newcomer, smiling.
"Oh, I hope I wasn't interrupting something," she says, sliding the baton into place on her back.
Hey, red hair, kind of like hers! "I'm sorry if I was, I just found this shrine a few days ago and it's a very nice place to relax and to think..."
Wow, a fighting girl with good manners. That so totally knocks Frei off-balance that for a second he sits there, mouthing like a fish, before he seems to gather himself and glance off to the side with... maybe embarrassment? It's hard to tell. The long tails of his headband are brushed out of the way as he rubs the back of his head with the hand carrying the gourd by the black cord around the neck of it, the sake container sloshing back and forth behind him. "Well, it's not like it's MINE or anything," he says, suddenly smiling. "So use it however you want."
Realizing he's been standing there like a mook with no explanation, Frei holds up the jug and the incense. "I just came here to make a libation, myself," he says, walking past Mizuki toward the still-standing-at-least-for-now shrine and then turning back toward her when he reaches it. "I haven't seen someone dressed like a Shinto shrine maiden for a long time, I have to admit," he adds, scholar of religion that he is.
Good manners are an important part of breeding, and Mizuki is certainly well-bred. She doesn't even make mention of the fish-facing or anything like that; it's as if it didn't happen.
"But the shrine is for everyone's use. I didn't want to step on any toes..." Mizuki's voice is pleasant enough, and her tone is mild.
"So I guess the same applies to you." Ah, a libation... of course. Mizuki nods and turns towards Frei, with a little smile.
"If you would, please wait a moment," she says, as she walks forward--not quite right at Frei, but towards a traditional straw broom.
"I'd like to sweep out the shrine; you're honoring someone, and that should be done in a clean shrine." As she walks into the shrine, she says, "The outfit is... traditional, and my family is very big on... traditions. I'm Kamigawa Mizuki," she says, to introduce herself, "but please call me Mizuki."
That request actually gets... a dismissively-waved hand from Frei, who stands up again, sake gourd waving behind him as he does so, the incense left on the steps. "Haha, you're pretty formal, Mizuki...san," he adds at the end, trying to FORCE some formality into his normal tone of voice. "But believe me, the man I'm coming here for wouldn't want you sweeping the steps on his account." He points to the sake gourd with one finger. "Usually you pour this on graves. I was planning to just drink it."
Of course, if Mizuki is hell-bent on sweeping, Frei's not going to get in her way, and he has the inclination that she might. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound judgmental. And since you introduced yourself, my name is Frei... nice to meet you." He glances at the baton, if it's still visible, and then back at the miko with a curious expression. "You were doing some familiar forms. Pretty impressive."
Mizuki will sweep, yes. It's not like there's much of the shrine to sweep anyways. "You should pour a little out as well. I'm sure your--well, whoever you are pouring for--would appreciate it." A small smile crosses her lips and she turns, in the middle of the doorway.
"And please, it's just Mizuki... when you say it like that you remind me of Towazu-san." Yes, she has met the model extraordinaire. Of course, that's not a -bad- comparison...
"I was brought up to be formal... I'm not as formal as my teachers would like, though," she says, dutifully sweeping.
The baton? Slung across her back. "Familiar? I guess so. My style isn't based on anything in particular..." But weapons lend themselves to certain movements...
Towazu-san... yeah, there's only one person that could be. "Alma... haha, he does seem to meet all the pretty girls right off the bat, doesn't he?" Frei quips, getting out of Mizuki's way and watching her sweep for a moment. After all, that used to be his job, even if it wasn't at this particular shrine. Still, for some reason the comparison to the fighting model seems to please Frei a bit, even if he is over half a foot shorter. Or maybe BECAUSE he's half a foot shorter. "Alright, Mizuki... first-name basis it is."
As for pouring out sake, to Frei that seems terribly wasteful, and so he doesn't rush to do it just yet. "This isn't his grave, not really... he was buried in China." For a moment a... film seems to settle over the monk's typically bright, youthful features, but it fades quickly enough. He's worked it through with Sakura, in his own way, after all. "But he did teach me some tai chi... it's not exactly the same but I could see the basics of the forms in what you were doing. I didn't know mikos learned dancing, though." Suave, you mook.
Yes, indeed, the inimitable Alma. Mizuki continues to sweep the shrine floor, but as noted, it's pretty small; she's done just a few minutes later.
"He's a very nice person. Even signed a picture for my friend Chie... she was really happy to have it." Mizuki leans the broom against one wall then kneels in seiza position--again, something not seen terribly often anymore.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she says, noting Frei's expression change. "He must have been very important to you and not just as a teacher... I hope you have good memories of him."
At the comment, Mizuki just smiles a little. "I was taught many things by my teachers... but that wasn't dancing, just a kata."
Setting the sake gourd down as well, Frei gives Mizuki an embarrassed laugh, then drops into stance and does a few hand pushes... the basics of which are similar, on a very basic level, to the baton sweeps the shrine maiden was doing before. They just happen to be, well... unarmed. The monk simply keeps on talking throughout. "He's a little too nice, sometimes..." Frei says distractedly, before turning his head to Mizuki mid-movement. "Not that it's a bad thing, but... well, never mind, what I think of Alma's not really that important."
Finding that the forms are actually helping him focus a little, he keeps on babbling. After all, the miko has only herself to blame for opening the proverbial floodgates. "He was... a parent, sort of. I'm not really grieving anymore, but it's hard to get used to the knowledge that someone being inaccessible moves from the level of abstraction to the level of reality..." He pauses, then turns and coughs, stopping the pushes. "Sorry. I have a bad habit of philosophizing out loud."
Indeed, there are some similarities; Mizuki cannot deny this in any way. The Kamigawa arts draw from many aspects of other martial arts and have some unique things of their own. Mizuki watches the little demonstration with her own two eyes and muses over what Frei has just said about Alma.
"Too nice?" she queries, sounding slightly disbelieving. That doesn't sound like a bad thing... even for a fighter. She is listening and watching, and formulating her reply.
"But you still miss him," she says, condensing the long words into a short phrase. "As you should. The important people in our life never leave us, even after they die. It's a wonderful thing--but also painful, in its own right."
"Your forms look very good. Perhaps we should spar sometime..."
Shaking his head, Frei walks over and plunks down next to Mizuki at a respectable distance, though he is in no way sitting as formally as she is. "You're being pretty generous, though I've improved a lot over the last year and change, I guess..." He pauses, then grins at Mizuki with a big, honest smile... guileless, in its own way. "You're pretty mature for someone who can't be older than 18. You gotta get out of this town, it makes people crazy." He pauses, then glances up at the sky. "Of course, I think you just said you're a 'fighter' in a roundabout way, so some degree of crazy is just part of the deal..."
Looking away for a second, the monk uncorks the sake and drinks out of the gourd. He doesn't slosh it down with reckless abandon, but he's not exactly doing tiny little sommelier sips either. Looking back at the miko, he tilts his head. "What brings you out here, anyway? You mentioned teachers, so you must be going to school."
"I'm not being generous at all," protests Mizuki, though she is generous by nature, of course. "Really, your forms are very good..." She pauses.
"I'm not sure what age has to do with it, but I am sixteen years old. And I think I can handle myself." It isn't said with any sort of prickliness; it's just stated, rather matter-of-fact.
"I am..." Mizuki pauses, considering her words. "I am a martial artist--I have been trained in the arts since I was about three years old... I would not say I am a -fighter-, yet... I have only had one fight that wasn't a sparring match."
"Which is... why I'm here, partially... I've been home-schooled but now I'm attending Justice High School and--I want to gain experience -as- a fighter."
Frei's face makes a little 'O' of recognition. Family fighting traditions... he knows about those. "Hmmm... I see." He pauses, then takes another swig of the sake. "You came to the right place if you're trying to learn about fighting... you're not from Southtown, right?" he suddenly asks, glancing at Mizuki. "I'm from Kyoto, myself... I've only lived here a year. I moved here for the same thing you did, actually. And I got it, too, so." He racks his brain trying to think of what he knows about Justice, and rattles off the first thing that comes to mind. "You're going to that super elite school, with the snazzy uniforms..."
There's a moment of silence while Frei puzzles something out, and then he turns to Mizuki with an honest expression. "Hey, tell me something... I don't meet a lot of people that come from 'inherited' schools, you know? Just..." He pauses, memories of his early childhood trying to learn Tsukitomi battoujutsu, old-school sword drawing, and not really liking it all that much... and how severely that changed the trajectory of HIS life at around Mizuki's age. "Do you like it?"
"No, my family has a... a compound, I guess you could say... outside of Tokyo." Far outside, really, but she doesn't mention that. The Justice High perks number far more than the uniforms, but Mizuki doesn't take advantage of most of them, except for elite schooling and teaching. And then Frei asks his question.
"Do I like it? My teachers, as you can guess, were my family... and while they were always strict and stern they were never harsh. I loved it. I can't imagine any other sort of training--any other sort of existence."
A low, thoughtful 'mmm' hums in Frei's throat for a moment as he digests that. It sounds very familiar indeed, except for that one big what-if where Mizuki took one path in the wood and Frei took the other. Still, it's perfectly reasonable that she DOES like it. After all, Frei barely ever knew his father and still resents his mother... something entirely different from the sort of situation Mizuki described. "Ah, well, that's good, I think... not everybody is that lucky, to actually enjoy the sort of thing they're born into."
Not saying any more on the topic, the monk gets up, snapping up the incense and the sake. He places the incense in a burner and, without even thinking about it, waves his hand across the top, expending a tiny bit of chi to light it, hopefully in a surreptitious way, before turning and smiling at Mizuki. "Well, if you want to spar sometime, I'm easy to find... well, easy to find in Southtown, anyway."
Mizuki can guess at some of the generalities of Frei's situation, but she doesn't offer comment; guesses aren't good enough and she'd rather not say something inadvertently rude or offensive.
"I am lucky to have the family I do..." She'll leave it at that. The use of chi to light the incense is interesting--particularly since Mizuki's chi is of an opposing nature--and she does notice it.
"Are you leaving then, Frei-san?" Despite her first-name insistence Mizuki still uses the suffixes and honorifics. Mizuki puts her left hand on the ground and neatly twists out of seiza, rising to her feet.
"I would love to spar with you, as I said."
Huh. Well... Mizuki may not have intended it as such, but her sudden aggressiveness -- or at least something Frei is interpreting as aggressiveness -- is not lost on the monk, who turns away from the shrine and glances at her quizically. There IS something about the girl raising his hackles, though he's hard pressed to identify exactly what it is. "Hmm. Well..."
Frei does pause for a moment here. The girl is only 16, though logically he's been beaten up by enough schoolgirls to know that age hardly matters. Still... better to make the invitation himself, even if she has already done so, in her own way. "Well... if you're of the mind to do it *now*, I guess I can oblige," he says distractedly, glancing off in the distance. "They probably haven't finished moving my things in yet."
The immediate response is a smile. "Of course," she replies, as she walks past Frei--out of the shrine and into the courtyard proper; she draws her weapon as she passes, but it just dangles lightly from her right hand, apparently having a loop-strap to hang from.
"As I said, I would be honored..." She isn't quite in a ready stance but she is close to it; just waiting for Frei. She projects a picture of calm and confidence; she isn't cocky like Sakura but neither is she worried about her skills to the point where she doesn't look comfortable doing this. She has had thirteen years of training--it's just time to get the amount of experience up there.
Well, his guess was right. But in a sense, Frei has some sympathy for Mizuki's position; after all, when he got to Southtown he was eager to test himself too, and being a little more seasoned now, maybe it's his role to put it to the test. Flexing his fingers, the monk reaches behind his head and tightens the headband he's wearing, the long tails rustling with the motion. "Fine by me. I'm not going to hold back, though... younger girls than you have beaten me up, so I don't give quarter."
Dropping into a very relaxed stance, the monk sizes his opponent up. A family fighting style, a tai chi influence, the baton on her wrist... it's hard to know what to expect, so he decides to let her make the first move. Ladies first, after all. "Good luck, then. Show me what you've got."
COMBATSYS: Frei has started a fight here.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has joined the fight here.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
Mizuki raises her baton to her forehead in a salute, to acknowledge Frei's words. "I wouldn't expect you to, Frei-san. I can't get better if people are coddling me, after all. I will take my bumps and bruises with pride." And then she relaxes into her own stance--rather karate-ish, with the baton held in her right, twirling back and forth between a forward grip and a reverse grip; her left arm is up, hand opened, near her face...
And then she's shuffling forward, trying a simple jab for Frei's stomach with the baton. Might as well start off simple...
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Mizuki's Weapon Jab.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
Looks like the girl means business. Deciding to see how much force she's capable of putting out, the monk doesn't try to evade, instead setting his foot back and meeting the incoming baton with his palm. For such a small frame, he can put out some impressive counterforce, blunting most of the damage. However, he does shake his hand out afterwards, whistling through his teeth. "Ow ow ow! God, that smarts."
Since he's still in testing-the-waters mode, the monk doesn't do anything fancy. Nodding at Mizuki, he takes his other hand and pushes it toward *her* stomach, a pale aura of silvery light forming around the hand as he does so. "Sei!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Frei's Quick Punch.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
Mizuki is retreating a step even as Frei thrusts his hand towards her stomach--and she doesn't miss that glow of energy, either. However, her defensive choice is rather mundane; she flips the baton back into reverse grip and interposes baton and forearm between Frei's hand and her stomach. The energy flares around it, doing a little damage, but not much... and then Mizuki draws back again further.
The reason is simple; she raises her right hand, holding the baton vertical... and then she begins charging. 'Cold' chi builds around her, swirling up in a column of blue-white energy with an icy sheen to it...
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gathers her will.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
Now that interests Frei. So far he hasn't really met anyone else who uses ice as a chi form... except for Sakura's impromptu 'Koori Hadouken', which the monk suspects is more of a fluke than anything else. "I'm not really surprised anymore when I find teenagers who can use their chi like this, but I admit... frost is a new one on me." He doesn't mention that he has a frost specialty of his own... at least, not just yet. Instead, he cups his hands to his side and gathers a ball of swirling, multicolored energy. Thinking of Sakura made him want to do this. "Comin' at you. Haaaaaa..." Throwing his hands forward, the monk fires off his own version of Sakura's Large Hadouken, this one a swirling prismatic burst of energy with Frei's own signature style. "Hadooooukeeeeeen!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki reflects Hadou Souran from Frei with Suishou no Kagami.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
Prismatic energy is not something Mizuki is used to seeing but... she adapts, and quickly. The charge of energy is cut off well before it can do anything terribly useful for the girl; she sensed Frei's buildup and opened her eyes in time to see that large projectile coming for her. Her response?
She backsteps once, raising her baton--drawing a large circular area with it, a circular area delinated by a thin blue glowing line... and she completes the circle just before the Hadou Souran hits.
"Suishou no.. KAGAMI!" cries Mizuki, and an almost solid-looking 'mirror' of ice bursts forward, adding some momentum to the Hadou Souran even as it reflects it back at Frei!
COMBATSYS: Frei endures Mizuki's Reflected Hadou Souran.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
Well, that's not a trick he was expecting, for sure. Surprise flickers across Frei's face as he sees his own attack thrown back in his face. Still, while he's surprised at the miko's ability to send the energy back, it isn't necessarily a *unique* trick, so the monk isn't caught off guard for long. "Not bad!" he compliments, not stopping to defend and instead rushing straight forward at his opponent, a flicker of light around him bursting into being as he pushes THROUGH the attack thrown back at him and charges right on through toward Mizuki... slowed but unbowed. "I'm impressed!" Stopping just short of the shrine maiden, Frei suddenly swings his foot down toward the ground in an arc; the goal is to smack Mizuki in the back of the shins with the scything kick, but there's also a burst of green light if his foot hits the ground, evidence of the earth chi that's powering the blow.
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Mizuki with Light Kick.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
And here is where Mizuki's lack of experience shows; she's knocked to her knees, almost losing her grip on the baton. The impact of Frei's foot combines with the burst of chi and the painful smack of knees on ground to force Mizuki to roll forward.. she rises, but slower, and shaking her head.
"That was pretty painful," she comments, said pain coloring her voice only slightly--but it is there nonetheless. Then Mizuki fixes her eyes on Frei, studying him.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki focuses on her next action.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
Hopping back into position, Frei doesn't go on the offensive for the moment. Instead, he stands back and focuses carefully, centering himself. There's no flashy show of chi like Mizuki had, but only because Frei is choosing to suppress it for now. "Mm... well, eating my own attack in the face wasn't exactly deep tissue massage either. I've never gotten the hang of that reflecting trick... I'd really like to learn it someday." That's the truth. Imagine the look on Hotaru's face. Ho ho ho.
COMBATSYS: Frei gathers his will.
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Frei 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
... She knew he could manipulate chi; it only stands to reason that Frei can actually build it himself. Being able to manipulate chi and being able to pull power are two different things; it seems that Frei is both. Quite a capable fighter. Mizuki smiles... then lunges forward, moving with a rapid grace that belies the weight of her hakama.
As she lunges, she brings the baton to bear, both hands at the end--putting her weight behind a forward thrust of the short staff aimed at tagging Frei in the shoulder.
COMBATSYS: Frei just-defends Mizuki's Fierce Strike!
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Frei 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
One of the neat little tricks Frei has learned, over time, is the way chi flows not just through people and places, but objects and motions. Case in point: the line of a strike has a certain arc, a certain kinetic force and paths of resistance and points of contention. Some of the miracle defenses the monk is known for have nothing to do with being buff and tough and everything to do with being able to sense the place where an attack is weakest and exploit it. This is exactly what he does with Mizuki's attack, coming out of his defensive stance to snap the index and middle fingers of his right hand to the tip of the baton, stopping it dead and 'grounding' the kinetic force with a chi countermeasure.
This is a fancy way of saying he ninja defenses the strike, but it certainly sounds pretty for the theorists.
"Careful! It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye!" Twisting out of the defense, the monk reverses course and charges Mizuki, looking to plant his foot down squarely on her calf. If he can pull that off, the monk all but runs up the girl's body, kicking off in a spiralling leap that crackles with a bolt of purple-blue lightning.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Frei's Tenrai Enbu.
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Frei 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
Impressive defenses as well. Mizuki is almost over-extended by her attack; however, she manages to pull away in time. What follows is a quick series of backsteps, and a twirling spin that keeps her calf away from Frei's foot; she hops backwards, looking more and more intense--more focused, less playful--as the sparring continues.
"That was a close one," she murmurs, softly... and the miko decides not to press the attack, instead once more turning towards her own ability to gather energy, that icy power flowing up around her once more. She didn't get to finish, last time, after all.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gathers her will.
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Frei 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Mizuki
Hmm. Well, that move is a risky one, so Frei isn't really shocked when Mizuki dodges it, but she doesn't press the attack, and that does concern him. "I can see you're a pretty careful fighter," he offers, holding his hands in front of him, palms inward, and gathering two spheres of chi of a type Mizuki might find familiar. "But sometimes being too careful can cost you!" Swinging his arms forward, Athena Asamiya-style, the monk hurls two blue-white spheres at Mizuki; once they get close to the girl's body they combine and then explode. It might just be a frosty overdose for the girl if she's not careful!
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Frei's Hyoushou Rengeki.
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Frei 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Mizuki
-And- he can use ice chi... truly amazing. Mizuki summons her aura and turns away as the energy fades; she is pelted with chi not unlike hers and the damage is... more significant than she would have liked. Even as the chill dissipates though, Mizuki seems to be taking a rather unconcerned and somewhat lackadaisacal viewpoint; she still doesn't -attack-...
But after staggering back a step or two, she brings her hands up, baton clasped lightly between them... and she begins murmuring, as if she were praying. The energy build up is palpable, and then, as if a raincloud were breaking over her, silvery, bluish chi that looks like water falls from just above her head down over her body--though she's not actually getting -wet-, it just looks like it.
Now that's interesting. Probably to Mizuki's great relief, the monk just kind of... watches her for a moment, the bright green eyes watching something 'other' than his opponent, tracing filiments of chi energy as they wash out from and around and back into the girl. It's a trick Frei himself knows, though certainly not on such a scale, and with a different type of chi besides. "You're just full of surprises!" Frei teases, but he's not going to just sit there and watch forever. Cracking the knuckles on one hand, he ducks close and attempts to snag Mizuki's arm and twist her around and into the air, adding a pulse of wind chi from his hand to speed her flight... if he can manage to get hold, of course.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Mizu.
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Frei 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Mizuki fails to reflect Medium Throw from Frei with Koori no Kagami.
-* CRITICAL FAIL! *-
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Frei 0/-------/--=====|=======\=======\1 Mizuki
Well... the healing worked, at least. Sadly... Frei's attack is just totally successful! Mizuki tried to defend with an ice shield, but she didn't even get as far as creating the circle before she was grabbed and boosted and ... yeah, it doesn't look good. She lands hard, and just stays there for a moment, whimpering. "Itte-te-te...." That's almost enough to make her give up the ghost... but she can't do it just yet! So she gets back to her feet.
A flicker of Mizuki's response to Frei's attack (or intended response anyway) flashes through Frei's awareness for just a moment, but in what can only be called a really unfortunate turn of flat-out bad luck, he manages to send Mizuki flying, wincing a little as she hits the ground harder than he had intended her too. "That's a neat technique... hmmm. Kinda like Kensou, now that I think about it..." he muses, distracted for a moment as he remembers fighting the Psycho Soldier in a diner... and his mistake of buying Sie Kensou lunch. Slapping his cheeks with both hands, the monk turns to Mizuki and clears his throat. "You don't appear to carry tactical meat buns, so kudos to you."
COMBATSYS: Frei focuses on his next action.
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Frei 0/-------/--=====|=======\=======\1 Mizuki
Nhh. All of Mizuki's training--for naught?!? No, she can't think like that. Once again, she picks herself up--advancing on Frei in a quick rush, charging forward with her baton held low, in her right hand, across her hip. She pulls up short, not wanting to shoulder-tackle Frei--it isn't part of her style--and slashes outwards, from hip to shoulder, then back again.
"Hyaa!" cries yon miko, on the second attack, her cheeks flushed with blood, bright pink from exertion.
"I'm not done yet...!"
COMBATSYS: Frei fails to interrupt Fierce Strike from Mizuki with Charged Throw.
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Frei 0/-------/=======|=======\=======\1 Mizuki
...oops.
Maybe Frei got a little cocky with his run of good luck, though smugness is a little out of character for the normally self-effacing and good-natured monk. But overconfidence can happen to anyone, after all. As the miko comes dashing at him Frei sets his leg back and, his arm surrounded by a halo of red-orange flame, he sweeps an arm around to try and grab Mizuki... who is now on the other side of him, slashing with the baton. It bites into his sound with a *THUMP* and sends Frei skidding back, clutching his side. That kinda stung. "No, ma'am, you certainly are not."
And here is where her training--and lack of experience--come to play again. For the -smart- thing to do--the thing that a fighter with fangs would do, to put it another way--would be to pursue the matter. But attacking a downed fighter... it isn't Mizuki's way. Maybe it will be, someday--maybe there -is- a fight she'll have to fight where that's the case.
But right now... Mizuki withdraws her charge and smiles.
"Whenever you're ready to continue," she says, calmly--and unlike how some might say it, there is no challenge implicit in her tone. However...
..she does have some fighting instinct, as she's watching Frei's movements.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/=======|=======\=======\1 Mizuki
"Haha... I may look like a pretty boy, but I'm not as delicate as all that," Frei says with a smile, dropping back into stance and raising one fist... it's more kung fu than tai chi, but the monk's style really uses a bit of EVERYTHING at this point. Even some proresu, in a couple instances. He watches the miko for a minute, circling her... she's proven to be a fairly resourceful fighter, so Frei's not in any hurry to rush in. "I think you should meet someone named Megumi... it seems like you have similar temperments, maybe," he adds, thinking it over. "Plus she'll be more of a challlenge than me."
But there's no more time for small talk, as the monk rears back his fist, as if he were about to just shove it right Mizuki without moving. A burst of golden light, like molten sunshine, starts to form around it. "Ready?" Taking a step forward, the monk twists and then LAUNCHES himself across the distance toward Mizuki, chi-covered fist extended in front of him and looking to just bean her one in the jaw with the worst Burn Knuckle approximation in history. "Super... Mimiru PUNCH!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki reflects Fierce Punch from Frei with Kongou no Kagami.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Frei 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
Frei's seen this response once before--Mizuki steps back to give herself a little time, her baton tracing a circle before her... with some important differences. One, the baton is tracing faster--it actually makes three go-arounds before the circle reaches full visibility.
Secondly, when the ice-mirror forms, it is almost literally solid, her energy given tangible form for a moment--it chills the air around Frei and the surface is glassy and opaque--icicles form around the circular edges.
The 'mirror' forms around Frei's flying fist, and the reaction with his own chi results in a spectacular blowback for Frei, while Mizuki lets the mirror fade.
As Mizuki begins her technique she calls out, rather dramatically, "Kongou no Kagami!!"
Chilling.
There's been a disturbing trend of Frei -- one of the few ice users in evidence in Southtown, at least lately -- getting frosted by other people's attacks lately. He doesn't like it (insert voice of Mr. Horse from "Ren and Stimpy" here). He sees the mirror form but has no way to stop it and simply tries to brace himself for the inevitable; the returning blast sends him skidding across the ground, where he lands in a crouch and slowly stands up, dusting himself off.
"Hmm... man, I really do need to learn how to do that. I've just never been able to learn the trick." Closing his eyes for a moment, he places his hand, palm down and fingers splayed, over his heart. A helix of scarlet fire bursts upward from the ground and dissipates harmlessly into the air as the monk calls on his own chi once more. "But, I'm not out yet."
COMBATSYS: Frei gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Frei 1/--=====/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
"It took me four years to master it... it is very tricky to do." Particularly without some physical component to it--fighters like Hotaru, Yamazaki, Shoma, can do that thing with motion.. but Mizuki has to repel with pure force of will. Mizuki smiles, hearing her words echoed by Frei...
"You're right, you're not out yet," she agrees... she can't fade now! Lunging forward again, she closes the distance and sweeps out with her baton--this time, aiming low. Her goal? To hook one of Frei's legs behind the knee and use that as a leverage point to dump him on his back.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Frei with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Frei 1/=======/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
In his mind Frei had this great plan: let the girl trip him and then attack her on the way down! How awesome would THAT be? Thus he tries to go limp when Mizuki trips him... but it doesn't work out quite as well as he'd hoped. In fact he went *too limp* and instead he just crumples to the ground with a loud *THUD*, laying there for a moment. "Oofdah... I can't feel my spleen..." he murmurs, glancing up at the sky for a moment.
Kippuping into a standing position, the monk grins at Mizuki. "Hehe... I hope you're learning a lot about what not to do from this fight," he adds with a grin, cupping his hands to his side and gathering another burst of rapidly-shifting rainbow light. "After all, I only learned this move after I got smacked in the face with it more than a few times!" he says, before thrusting both hands at Mizuki and barreling a massive burst of prismatic chi at her, with the standard bellow of: "Haaadoooukeeeeeeen!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Frei's Hadou Souran.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Frei 1/=======/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
There are times when a person who is fighting for their life can move with unbelievable speed; when they can pull off feats that would be impossible for anyone to do. This...
...this is not one of those times. Mizuki crouches and hops backwards, once, twice.. then leaps up, tucking into a ball to clear the burst of chi. As she comes down, she lashes out with a sandaled foot, aiming to take Frei across the forehead. Once again she kiais, though in an entirely too cute and clear voice.
COMBATSYS: Frei fails to interrupt Light Kick from Mizuki with Fukami Reikai.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
The monk knows that technique is not exactly the fastest in the world, so he's not shocked when Mizuki manages to avoid it. He is, however, a little surprised when his followup, an attempt to really set her off her guard, is stuffed by an entirely unexpected kick to the *face* than lays him flat on his back on the ground a few feet away. The miko might get the sense, however, that had she not managed to pull that off... the lingering swirls of gathered chi suggest that Big Mojo was headed her way.
Frei, for his part, stares up at the sky with glassy eyes. "You must be Joe," he says in a dreamy tone. "My name is Norma Desmond... perhaps you've heard of me?"
She most certainly did feel that. And it struck a moment of fear into her heart. Given how much Frei's damaged her with just a few strikes... she would not have liked that attack.
Mizuki backflips off the kick, landing and--well... she was going to follow up, but perhaps she's just too kind-hearted. This is not good tactics and this will have to be beaten into her.
"Are---are you alright, Frei-san?" she asks, worriedly, standing not close but not far...
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Mizuki
"And you know what you can do with your vicuna..." Frei mumbles dazedly. You have to hand it to him, he can actually carry a tune remarkably well for someone who's basically having his brains rattle around in his skull like a pinball at the moment. After a while he gets up, eyes swirling in a @_@like manner as he tries to make some sense of what's going on. "Yeah. I think so." He wobbles a bit. "Maybe. Pretty sure."
COMBATSYS: Frei gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Mizuki
... He has his wits about him, at least. Good. Mizuki readies her baton once more--she shuffles forward, leading with her left... then switches to her right side to lead, cocking her right hand back.
The baton is switched to a reverse grip and then Mizuki is spinning forward, slashing out with it as if it were a sword or a dagger, two low, spinning 'cuts' aimed for Frei's thigh. With an adjusted aim, in the right place these strikes would hit a nerve juncture and render the limb useless for a while; instead, Mizuki is just looking to strike Frei in the meat of the thigh.
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Mizuki's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Mizuki
Twisting just so, the monk drives a forearm down, taking the brunt of the smacks there rather than on the thigh... still stings somewhat, but things could turn out worse. "Haha, sorry. Hit me too hard, I get a little wacky." Of course, Mizuki decided to get in close, so it's her own fault if she can't get out of the way. Turning back toward the miko, Frei reaches down and tries to essentially reverse-handstand onto her shoulders and then drive both knees into her back in a weird game of leapfrog, the green flickers of light once again giving lie to the concussive force of earth chi swirling around him as he attacks.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Frei's Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Mizuki
Fortunately for Mizuki, she can; her second spinning strike is turned into a forward lunge--right when she is facing away from Frei. The lunge is, despite her awkward clothing, turned into a tumble, Mizuki rolling on her shoulder and coming back up facing Frei again.
"I feel I should tell you, I've done far better in this than I expected... but it is the experience itself that is the reward and it is for that I thank you, Frei-san."
Mizuki raises her baton again and forces her way forward once more, lashing out with a series of baton slashes aimed for Frei's chest--a 'renda'-style attack, a barrage of attacks.
COMBATSYS: Frei fails to interrupt Fierce Strike from Mizuki with Charged Throw.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
How do you spell 'barrage' in Japanese? Like this:
Frei: "OW OW OW OW OW!"
Frei's been playing an offensive game this match, particularly for someone who -- if you've watched his many public fights -- has a very defensively-oriented style. The little breeze that Mizuki feels as her attacks tears into Frei is the remnants of the wind chi he was gathering to snap her out of the slightly telegraphed attack, but things just weren't in the cards for him that time, it would appear. Staggering back, he winces in genuine pain this time, but waves a hand away from any offer of help. "Don't mention it," he grumbles. That hurt.
This time, Mizuki looks worried... well... okay, she looks worried again. But... he just refused help. Mizuki frowns, but shakes her head. She must be a strong girl! She can't try to help when she's in a fight. At least, not her opponents.
"I--if you're sure," she says doubtfully. "If you're sure then I'll continue but--please, I don't want to injure you." Maybe that is what leads to her attack--a relatively weak jabbing of the baton as she approaches Frei, the baton aimed for Frei's shoulder.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Frei with Weapon Jab.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
Well, Frei had planned to roll with the blow, but... to be honest, the blow is over before there's anything to roll WITH. So instead he just kinda... stares at the baton for a second, says "Ow," in a distracted tone, and then steps back, summoning his chi. Yeah, he's on the defensive now, but Frei's managed to pull out victories from beyond the pale before... this wouldn't be the first time. "You're way too nice. You and Alma are going to get along fine, I can tell."
COMBATSYS: Frei gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
There it is again. 'Too nice'. "I still don't understand what that means, Frei-san. Isn't it better to be nice?" And she's probably even nicer than Alma because she doesn't have Divine Intervention EX to interrupt with. Her face sets; she doesn't look particularly happy about the conclusion she's reached.
"You don't have to be not-nice to be a good martial artist!" she cries, as she charges Frei again--this time, forgoing the baton entirely, letting it dangle as she tries to grab Frei by the shirt and pull him towards her and over her left leg.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Frei with Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
"No, but you'll find that most people aren't particularly nice in this world," Frei says to Mizuki, not unkindly. "If anything, maybe it's reason for nice people like yourself to be EXTRA nice... but it doesn't hurt to be realistic about it either," he says carefully, watching her advance. "That's all I'm trying to say." And then comes the throw, and the going limp, and the colossal failure which basically describes Frei's entire defensive effort this fight. He doesn't bother to get up once Mizuki leaves him sprawling on the ground, his teeth clenched. A hair's breadth is all that separated him from being out of the fight, for sure.
COMBATSYS: Frei gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
Mizuki takes a moment to consider these words of wisdom.
"I--suppose you're right," she admits, softly. "I don't like hurting people, but I know there are people out there who do. I enjoy the martial arts; I have, even in just two 'fights', found that I even enjoy matching my skills against others. I accept that pain and injury might result--both for me and for my opponent. But I don't -want- to hurt people..."
Mizuki trails off, then rubs her chin, while she waits for Frei to arise once more--if that is his wish.
"Again, thank you, Frei-san. I--I have so much to learn..."
COMBATSYS: Mizuki takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
Curiously enough, philosophy is the region where Frei feels comfortable, fighting or not. He looks a little wobbly as he gets up, but not too much the worse for wear; despite his lithe build, the monk is pretty sturdy. "There's a difference between punching someone and hurting them, though... you know what I mean?" He pauses, mulling over what he just said in his head, and then shakes his head, looking at the miko carefully. "I mean... that throw just now. You did it because we're having a match, and that involves... well, hitting people. But you didn't go into it telling yourself 'I want to cause this guy pain', right? You were focused on being part of the fight. That's the difference."
COMBATSYS: Frei takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
Mizuki accepts all this with a nod, her ponytail bobbing with the motion. "Of course. My sensei always told me that I would have to harden my heaert. That I was too soft... even though I was the most skilled pupil he'd eer had." Mizuki's eyes unfocus for a moment, reminiscing... and then she returns to the present.
A smile and a nod. "I suppose, then, for the sake of my learning, we'd best 'finish' this..." To that end, Mizuki grips her baton again, with renewed resolve.
"Frei-san, here I come!" She gets close again, then jabs out twice, feinting baton strikes to the left before whipping the baton around to the right, arcing around in a tight curve where, if she impacts, she'll impact twice.
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Mizuki's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
"Harden your heart?" the monk says, carefully turning the baton away twice, once with the back of each hand. "Well, maybe. I guess that's a personal thing. I just try to enjoy the moment. For example..." Swinging around, he dives back and turns toward Mizuki again in one motion, crossing his arms in front of him over his chest. If the miko doesn't notice the wind picking up around her, she's going to be in for quite a shock... for if she doesn't get out of the way or otherwise avoid it, there's a sudden massive burst of air that propels her skyward. If he can at least get that far, the monk dives up into the sky after her and, with a shout of "BANZAI!", catches Mizuki at a high point and all but hurls her back down toward earth, one-handed.
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Mizuki with Ame no Murakumo.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Frei 1/---====/=======|=======\=====--\1 Mizuki
Oh, she noticed; she tried to get out of the way. But she--well, someties you zig when you should zag. Mizuki is lifted up into the air and propelled... before she knows what's happening she's hurled back down towards the ground. There isn't even time to try and break her fall; she just crunches down into the ground, gasping for breath.
By the time Frei lands, Mizuki's rolled to her side... then up onto one knee, her baton held for support. While she's kneeling... she once again seems to be praying, and as before... that silvery-blue, watery chi suddenly pulses around her--not like a rain, but flowing, almost like a waterfall. Hopefully it can at least stem the worst of the damage.
Frei does not even wait to follow up, in fact. Even as he's descending toward Mizuki, he's already gathering a glowing sphere of golden chi between his hands... something considerably nastier than the ponderous fake Hadoukens he's been throwing around, too. "Sorry, but this one time I need to take the advantage!" he shouts, heading down toward the 'praying' miko and, thrusting his hands forward, simply blasting at her from midair with a focused burst of orange-red yang chi, pure positive energy.
And because Frei is a dork, he adds, as a matter of course, "Seki Ha... TENKYOKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Nagare.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Mizuki fails to reflect Hizashi Ronde from Frei with Koori no Kagami.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Mizuki
Mizuki--looks considerably better once the chi washes over her. It is in some ways definable--bruises are gone, scrapes and contusions heal--and in other ways it is less so. Something metaphysical. But she springs up, ready to--to eat hot yang chi for breakfast. The blast reaches her just as she's about to move and it throws her backwards, tumbling once or twice before she gets to her knees.
She survived, at least... and judging by the light in her eyes she's still ready to go.
Apparently Frei has hit his second wind (no capital letters, because once you knock him down, he's down), because rather than stop and collect himself as normal, he just continues to rush Mizuki the second he lands from his bitchin' midair anime-style attack, more of that golden chi glowing between his hands as he suddenly swings it forward toward Mizuki, the ball of light clinging to Frei's outstretched palms. "Sorry, I feel like pulling a Yuri Sakazaki right now!" he shouts unintelligbly, before bursting the previous technique's little brother right in Mizuki's face. Hopefully.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki fails to reflect Hizashi from Frei with Kongou no Kagami.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
Suddenly, a dramatic turnaround! Mizuki must've been confused by the unintelligable shout.
"Yuri Sakazaki? Wha--OOF!" She -- well, she was trying something, instinctively, but that failed and she goes sprawling yet -again-. What's she learning? She doesn't like pain, that's what she's learning. Once again, she pulls herself to her feet, gasping with the effort...
Frei's certainly had his share of miracle turnarounds before, that much is certain. Part of it is just sheer stupid luck; part of it is knowing when to grasp the tenor of the moment. "Nice girl, maybe you'll meet her," the monk says, continuing his relentless assault on Mizuki, his hands glowing white-blue as he suddenly swings them forward and detonates his signature ice grenade right at the girl at point-blank range. Who knows? Maybe the sudden Berserker Frei (collect them all!) will give him the match! "But the important thing she taught me is to go non-stop until you can't anymore!"
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Mizuki with Hyoushou Rengeki.
[ \\\\\\ < > ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
*BLAM* Mizuki goes skidding again... and this time... even though she gets up, she doesn't rise to her feet. Rather... she seats herself cross-legged, laying her baton across her lap. She looks... tired, nothing less than exhausted really. But what she -does- is... she gathers her energies and then points at Frei.
"My thanks, Frei-san," she murmurs, and her thanks come in the form of a brief shower of healing water chi.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\ <
Frei 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Frei with Iki no Mizu.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Frei 0/-------/-----==|
An altruistic gesture at the last second? Although the method is a little different, Frei actually is not entirely shocked by the invigorating effect of a chi-based heal... though he does find Mizuki's last act in the fight a little strange. Reaching out at the last second, he snags her by the coat if possible, and if she doesn't resist gently lowers her to the ground, before sitting down Indian-style beside her and... staring into space. "That... was a damned impressive workout," he finally breathes. Hooo.
COMBATSYS: Frei has ended the fight here.
Mizuki breathes out long and slow, regaining her air. "It was... magnificent. Thank you again, Frei-san. I signed myself up for the Neo Leagues and I'm currently signed up for the... ah... Saturday Night Fights... but I think those will be a little more stressful than this was... at least to my mind, if nothing else. I would greatly value it if we could spar like this again."
She leans back on her hands and muses, "I kind of wanted to spar with Alma-san or Jiro-san but they -felt-... strong. Stronger than I wanted to try my skills against..."
... she looks at Frei and amends, "That--that doesn't mean I didn't think you were strong. It's just that you seem more open than either of them..."
That last sentence makes Frei laugh. "I somehow knew those names would come up. I've got a good record against Jiro, but it's mostly luck, whereas Alma very soundly beats the bejeezus out of me every time I've fought him." The monk pauses, thinking that over for a minute, images of the two quite... different young men flickering through his consciousness. "But they're good guys. I wouldn't be afraid to ask them for a spar."
But the first thing she said is something entirely different, and Frei's green eyes rake over the young miko's form for a moment as he thinks about how to answer. "Well, they can be," he says honestly, because it's the truth. "But..." He pauses. "I have some advice to give, but you might not like it. You still want to hear it?"
Mizuki is looking better already; when she works her chi to heal she can choose to do so in a less flashy way, and that's what's happening here.
"That sounds... somewhat bittersweet. But -- yes, I would like to hear it, if you are willing to give the advice."
Inching around, she turns to face Frei, her expression one of intent attention and concentration.
A weird expression flickers over Frei's face when Mizuki says the word 'bittersweet'. She may be right. After all, what are Frei's memories of Jiro and Alma? Waving goodbye as the Stray Dog wandered off to train... the scene Alma and Frei shared in Russia thanks to the Neo League. Ships edging past each other in the night.
This reverie goes on a little too long, in fact; Frei practically has to slap his own face before he turns to Mizuki. "Well. You said your... grandfather?... said you needed to 'harden your heart'. I guess... I say you might not want to hear this, because I'm going to disagree." He gets up slowly, brushing off his clothes, and looks at Mizuki with an even, smiling face. "You don't need to listen to me either, but consider this. There's something to 'you' that's unique, and only 'you'. If you want to change to be a certain way, that's fine. But another option is to just let the you that's 'you'," and here he makes finger quotes, "shine out. There's nothing wrong with either option, but you get different results sometimes, I think. Just think it over."
And then the monk is stretching, and looking as if he's going to make his exit. "This was fun, Mizuki," he says with a smile. "Look me up anytime."
Log created by Mizuki, and last modified on 05:33:56 04/21/2007.