Description: Hotaru seeks out a challange at Taiyo High...
"OW! WHAT THE-" shouts a young man as he staggers backward, his hands coming up to press over his nose just before a trickle of blood begins to leak through his fingers.
Freeze Frame: Opposite of him is a girl of lithe stature dressed in an outfit that is traditionally Chinese in style though she looks to be a native of Japan proper. Her hair is easily distinguished by the two pig-tails held in place by large red ribbons that stick out to the sides at the lower back of her head. Off to the side of the two students is a small gaggle of other Taiyo High kids. A tall, lanky fellow is nursing a black eye. Perhaps a prior fight victim. Unfreeze Frame.
The boy with the black eye shakes his head, "I told you she was tough!"
The girl that seems to be the cause of this commotion looks slightly aghast, hands coming up to wave with protest, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Didn't mean to hit me in the nose? What did you think was going to happen??" the stunned young man yells back angrily.
The shorter girl, not a familiar face at Taiyo, clenches her fists a little, looking defensive. "You ran right at me, I thought you knew what you were doing! It's not my fault! I said I was looking for someone that knew how to fight, but I don't think that you qualify." The pig-tailed girl shakes her head, resting her hands at her hips before glancing over toward the students at the side as if to see if any of them wanted to prove their Taiyo Pride by stepping up next but all she gets is a lot of uncertain glances in return. Hmn.
"Nobu, Mikio..." speaks a cool tenor voice from the midst of the small crowd. "...didn't I warn you to stay away from pretty girls looking for fights?" finishes the owner of the confident voice as the group parts to make room for him to step foreword. Dressed in a standard black school uniform, the handsome young Japanese man has a friendly yet incredibly self-assured smile on his face as he walks over to his Taiyo High schoolmates and places a comforting hand on Nobu's shoulder. "Take him to the nurse, Mikio. It will probably stop bleeding soon, it doesn't look too bad."
Turning to look at the ersatz Chinese girl for the first time since making his presence known as the two boys depart, Ichiro Oe's smile fades as he casually runs a hand through his short spiked hair and shrugs the knapsack on his back to the ground. "Don't worry miss," he assures Hotaru politely, "They'll be alright. My Taiyo brothers can be a little zealous at times, especially when it comes to strangers." His warm smile quickly returns as kneels down and slides the lacrosse stick from it's loop on the knapsack and rests it on his shoulder. "My name is Ichiro Oe, and I understand that you are looking for a fight."
Some of the fervor in the eager young fighter diminishes at the sound of a particularly calm, well composed young man's voice. In this day and age where testosterone and bravado are the two most noteable attributes of most high school males, the contrast in this new arrival's tone is striking.
As the other Taiyo students step aside to make way for Ichiro the shorter fighter looks him over. Could someone that calm be a potential challenger? It doesn't seem likely off hand! As he addresses her directly, however, the pig-tailed girl shakes her head a little. "I admit, it is mostly my fault, I think. I issued a challenge but forgot to introduce myself. My name is Hotaru Futaba and I am a student at Seijyun presently. However!" she emphasizes, "I'm considering transfering schools for my final year in High School. And to help me figure out if another campus would be better for me, I've been getting to know students at each place. I'm especially interested in seeing everyone's fighting spirit first hand!"
She clasps her hands behind her back then, her smile almost disarmingly friendly, as if she would hardly be the sort to present a real challenge in a serious fight. "If you would like to show me, Ichiro, I would be most grateful." She takes a couple of steps back before bringing her arms forward, turning her body to the side as if to present a thinner target to strike out at. "I've already warmed up. But if you need a moment... I'm ready when you are."
Smiling softly, Ichiro nods thoughtfully in response to Hotaru's explanation. "You have come to the right place then. There is none brighter than the burning spirit of Taiyo High." Removing a pair of lacrosse shoulder pads, smaller and lighter than the pads worn by American football players, though still quite protective, and a visorless hockey-style helmet from his knapsack, Ichiro smoothly dons the equipment over his school uniform. "I can only hope that my fighting abilities do it justice," he admits as he slides a pair of thickly padded gloves onto his hands, pounding one fist into the other to test their fit. Retrieving one final object from the knapsack before standing and nudging it out of the way with one foot, Ichiro bounces the solid rubber lacrosse ball on the pavement a few times before catching it smoothly in the net of his crosse, the formal name for a lacrosse stick, and repositioning the stick casually on his right shoulder. "I am ready Miss Futaba!" Ichiro announces as he snaps the chinstrap of his helmet with a loud click, the timbre of his voice rising slightly as his fighting spirit begins to fan itself at the prospect of competition. "Let us begin your introduction to Taiyo High!"
COMBATSYS: Ichiro has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ichiro 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ichiro
Having someone take her explanation seriously is a nice change. A lot of the kids she's related her method of searching for a school to seem to think she's kind of weird. "Master Takuma, a teacher of mine, explained that this is one of the best ways to get to know what an institution stands for. Fight its people in honorable combat and find out!" Hotaru says with a grin as the young man carefully prepares himself with the gear that goes with his style of fighting.
She used to have a hard time taking fighters that brought their sports implements into a fight seriously. But Roberto has done plenty to teach her otherwise with how tough he is. "Do you know Roberto? A soccer player here at Taiyo. He's a good fighter," the girl mentions with a grin. "And really, it's okay to call me Hotaru," she adds, eyes betraying the amusement she has at this Japanese boy's polite demeanor.
As Ichiro finishes getting his equipment ready, the girl adds one final detail, as if making sure he knows she's an opponent to be taken seriously. "I fight using traditional Chinese Kenpo with a mixture of some variations taught to me by my Kyokugen instructor, Ryo-sensei. Since I came here to issue the challenge, how about you make the first move," she offers, bouncing on her toes a little as if getting ready to react quickly when the need arises.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru takes no action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ichiro
"Your teacher sounds like a wise man," Ichiro says with a grin as he flips the stick off of his shoulder and grips the shaft of the crosse with both gloved hands. "Yes, I know Roberto, but I haven't had a chance to spar with him yet. I haven't been fighting for long, and in fact it was the performances of my Taiyo brothers like Roberto and Shoma that inspired me to begin applying my skills in this manner." Using the crosse to toss the lacrosse ball into the air lightly and letting it bounce off the pavement before catching it again, Ichiro gives Hotaru a slightly bashful smile in response to her amusement as she gives him permission to use her first name, but his coyness is soon enveloped by his constant air of confidence before responding.
"Chinese Kenpo... Kyokugen... I do not know much about martial arts," he admits, "I am eager to see your style in action, Hotaru," he adds, the girl's given name bringing another smile to his lips as bows curtly. "So yes, let's begin!" Taking a quick step towards Hotaru's right, Ichiro quickly swings his crosse forward and lets the rubber ball in its net sail towards the girl's midsection, before continuing to circle around her, his eyes on the ball's trajectory.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Ichiro's Thrown Object.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ichiro
She nods at the mention of Roberto but as Ichiro brings up Shoma, Hotaru's countenance shadows just a little. "How is Shoma lately," comes the question, "Have you seen him around?" With the way she reacts it would seem that there is history there and perhaps not a pleasant one at that. But she doesn't elaborate, instead latching onto something else he mentioned.
"I guess it's all right if you don't know much about my style. I have no idea what you're going to do with that stick of yours either," young Futaba mentions, perhaps wishing that she had paid more attention to sports over all these years. Athletes make pretty good fighters after all, and it would be nice if she wasn't mostly oblivious as to what they might be trying to do to her!
But she can figure one thing out. When someone brings a ball to a fight, they're probably going to try and hit her with it. And so when the attack comes, the quick girl seems ready for it, pulling her stomach in as she lets it go flying harmlessly by.
"All right!" comes the only warning before Hotaru charges Ichiro now, attempting to grab hold of that stick holding arm of his. If she can get a hold, she'll end up stomping her way right up the young man with a sequence of rapid kicks before backflipping off his shoulders. An attack like that is probably going to hurt and were it coming from someone other than the ninety-pound featherweight, it might even especially devastating. It's still probably going to hurt though!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Ichiro with Shin-Jou Tai.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Ichiro
Frowning slightly as the lacrosse ball misses, Ichiro squints in concentration as he watches the ball sail past Hotaru and bounce off of a nearby wall. "No, I haven't seen him lately, now that you mentioned it. He hasn't been at school much..." he replies absently, his attention elsewhere. Not fully aware of Hotaru's intent to grab ahold of his arm, Ichiro moves as if to try and ward off her oncoming assault with the very arm she's trying to latch on to. Needless to say that in practice this isn't a very sound tactic... in this case at least. Grunting as he's trampled on, Ichiro can't help but be glad that his shoulder pads deflected some of the blow. Appearances certainly can be deceiving, because that little girl packs a big punch.
His eyes still following the trajectory of the lacrosse ball as it rebounds back towards the pair, Ichiro quickly leaps aside as his right arm is released and Hotaru flips off of him. Stretching out and catching the ball in his crosse in mid-dive, the captain of Taiyo High's lacrosse team quickly ducks a shoulder and hits the pavement in a roll. Using the momentum of his dive and roll, Ichiro grabs his crosse with both hands and swings the stick downward towards Hotaru as he comes up to one knee, sending the ball flying at the ground halfway between the two fighters before it bounces up at an, hopefully, awkward angle to strike Futaba in the midsection.... maybe.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru reflects Bounce Shot from Ichiro with Kobi Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Ichiro
Having delivered her risky attack, Hotaru had backflipped through the air, coming down on her feet a little ways off. Good because it gives her time to think. But bad because it gives Ichiro room to line up his next shot. Even with the mask and shoulder pads on, he puts on a pretty impressive showing of dexterity with his next attack and following the trajectory if the incoming ball takes a bit of last second timing on Hotaru's part.
Instead of moving out of the way this time, however, Hotaru kicks at it, as if intending to play a bit of football perhaps? But she's far too early to pull that off... fortunately for her she wasn't trying to stop that incoming ball with her leg at all but rather the swath of blue energy that trails behind it.
"Kya!" she yells as she brings her foot back down, channeling a last bit of control into that energy and for an instant it turns completely solid, as if a wall of blue steel in mid-air. The ball bounces off and heads right back for the young man while the energy wall shimmers then falls apart into a blue vapor then vanishes all together.
COMBATSYS: Ichiro interrupts Reflected Bounce Shot from Hotaru with Cross Check.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Ichiro
Quickly racing towards Hotaru in the wake of his shot, Ichiro's eyebrow quirks as the girl moves to kick at the ball. This doesn't look good. "Yaaaaaa!" the captain yells as he ducks his head, and rushes at the girl headlong, his arms pumping in front of him as both hands grasp the haft of his crosse. Expecting the flaming lacrosse ball to come rocketing back at him as he charges, Ichiro is not let down as the missile strikes his helmet and ricochets off into the air, jarring his head a little bit. Raising his head after he feels the impact, Ichiro lunges for the girl with his crosse still tightly gripped in both hands, using the middle of the shaft to hit her square in the face. Sure, he doesn't feel very good about delivering such a blow to a girl, and a pretty one at that, but to hold back would be to dishonor himself, Taiyo High, and Hotaru herself.
Just having gotten her footing back after the swift, reflecting kick, Hotaru has no time to prepare as Ichiro launches into the completely /unexpected/ and barrels right through his own returned ball. If she had time to think about it, she'd probably conisder that he's really not likely to be too frightened by a lacrosse ball afterall...
But for right now she ends up taking a shaft right to the face. She had seen the attack coming with at least enough notice to try and move out of the way, such that he ends up plowing into her cheek instead of, say, her nose, but the smaller fighter goes stumbling hard all the same. "Ow!" comes the cry of pain and shock as she barely manages to regain her balance to avoid falling over sideways.
Whipping back around toward Ichiro her expression bears a grin in spite the painful cross checking. "That... that was pretty crazy," Hotaru admits, finally having a second to catch her breath after the rapid sequence of opening attacks. There's a thin gash on her cheek but it's nothing severe. The real pain probably came from just being knocked around so hard. Yeah... the young man may have just entered the world of fighting, but he brings with him a whole slew of experience with tactics, timing, and pain suppression to boot!
"Okay, let's see if you can keep that up!" she challenges, perhaps thinking to push for another speedy exchange as she rushes forward before spinning into a sideways kick, her foot aimed high, toward the center of his chest - avoiding his mask covered face as that wouldn't probably really get his attention anyway.
COMBATSYS: Ichiro blocks Hotaru's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Ichiro
Faltering a step as Hotaru cries out, Ichiro reaches a concerned hand towards the girl as she stumbles and almost falls over. Gasping slightly at the sight of the cut on her cheek, Ichiro glowers at the thought of his actions as shame begins to color his cheeks. "I-I'm sor-" he begins to apologize hesitantly as he takes another step foreword, but is quickly silenced by the grin on the fighter's face. "Huh?" Ichiro asks in confusion. Raised to the polite and honorable gentleman that befits his status, Ichiro just isn't very used to fighting females at this point. After all, Men's and Women's lacrosse are two very different sports. He wouldn't dream about playing his rough style of lacrosse with a female lacrosse player who would be used to the pad-less limited contact variety.
That being said, it still doesn't take him more than a second to catch his bearings and get his head straight as Hotaru happily challenges him further. "Oh... ...can I keep it up?" he asks, his usual friendly smile quickly reappearing on his face as Hotaru rushes at him, seeming no worse for wear, "...I was just about to ask you the same thing!" he replies with a good-natured laugh as he raises his right hand to catch the brunt of her kick on his padded glove. Gritting his teeth slightly as the kick connects, Ichiro tries to continue to sweep her leg aside with the crosse in his hand before quickly taking a step towards her and attempting to sweep the leg she's standing on out from under her with his own kick to her shin that will hopefully dump her onto the ground. It's not really a lacrosse inspired move, but then again, they aren't really playing lacrosse.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru interrupts Light Kick from Ichiro with Hakki Shou EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ichiro
Even as her leg snaps out for the young man's chest, it seems Hotaru has her next attack already incoming as well. Her forearm lights up with a blazing blue aura behind her back as her foot plants against his stick instead of his chest as intended. And as he brushes her extended leg to the side, the girl brings her arm forward, dispelling a powerful amount of chi at point blank range right into his chest. "YA- AH!"
His kick to her shin knocks her foot right out from under her just as he had intended, however, and Hotaru falls flailing right to the ground, landing flat on her back with a squeaky 'Umph!' That she lies there for a second indicates that he totally caught her off guard with his own strong kick.
Hissing, she rolls over to the side and pushes herself back up, testing her struck leg tenderly at first to make sure that it isn't hurt worse than she thought. But her leg seems all right as she quickly slips back into a ready stance, looking at Ichiro a lot more warily now. She's hoping to outspeed him, but he's proving to be a pretty strong opponent in his own right.
Extreme. The pair of fighters are putting on quite a show, and by the looks of the growing crowd gathering around the two it seems like it's drawing quite a bit of attention. Who would have guessed that a fight between the cool captain of the lacrosse team and the perky young Chin-err-Japanese girl would end up being such a high octane bout?
Spiralling away from Hotaru as his school uniform smolders from the chi blast, Ichiro's skids across the pavement on his shoulder pads before lifting himself up by his left arm and looking over at Hotaru who is also busy with picking herself up. "Whoah," Ichiro says with a grin as he takes a second to look at the crowd that has massed around them.
"Hey, my ball!" he exclaims happily to himself as his grin broadens. Scooping the lacrosse ball up into the pocket of his stick, Ichiro leaps to his feet and starts to dribble the rubber ball on the pavement using his crosse. "Now THAT was crazy," he remarks to Hotaru happily as he watches her, waiting to see what the girl has in store for him next.
COMBATSYS: Ichiro focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ichiro
Hotaru bounces on her feet a couple of times as Ichiro recovers from their last rapid exchange of attacks. It seems that whenever the two fighters go at it everything happens with such a rapid flurry that it's almost impossible for the observing students to even tell what is going on until the two kids seperate for a bit to catch their breaths.
Lifting her hand to wipe across her forehead, perhaps feeling just a little winded from the intense exchange of attacks, Hotaru watches the Lacrosse player intently. She's waiting for her to make the move now, which means she's taking a chance at going after him again.
But it's a chance she's willing to make for now. Leaning forward, the girl charges him again, attempting to weave around any defense on his part, so that she can flip forward through the air and plant her hands on his shoulders. If she manages to land, she'll end up in a handstand on top of the boy, looking down at the top of his head for a long moment. Then she'll swap her hands quickly to turn herself around and drop down into a two-footed diving kick toward his back. She's aiming low, more for his posterior moreso than the small of his back, in order to kick him completely off his feet instead of inflict jarring pain.
COMBATSYS: Ichiro fails to interrupt Ten Ranku-Tou from Hotaru with Cross Check.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ichiro
Securing the ball in his crosse's pocket as Hotaru charges him, Ichiro swings the stick threateningly at the ducking and weaving girl as she advances, only to have her disappear from his field of vision as she flips up in a handstand on his shoulders. "What the..." He marvels as she balances there for a few beats before rotating 180 degrees by switching hands.
"Are you sure you're not a Gymnastics fighter?" Ichiro asks as an interested smirk crosses his face, even though he's pretty certain he's in danger of getting pummeled at any second; he can't help but imagine the possibilities. Under that cool and collected exterior he is still a 17 year old boy, after all.
Quickly shaking off such thoughts, Ichiro grabs his crosse in both hands once more, and swings the stick horizontally above his head, attempting to knock Hotaru off of his shoulders and onto the hard ground with one swipe. Unfortunately for Ichiro, that small bit of day dreaming slowed him up a bit, and for the first time this fight it seems like he just can't keep up with the pace. Hotaru's hands are long gone by the time his crosse makes it above his head and he is sent sprawling as her feet connect solidly with his rump. Ouch.
Flipping backward while using the young man for leverage, Hotaru lands solidly on her feet with a quick exhale of relief. That was cutting it close there! She didn't miss his question though and the girl laughs lightly, shaking her head. "No. At least, well... I guess my style is a little acrobatic," she finally admits after giving it some thought. "But I've never taken any classes in gymnastics, no. Sometimes I think I should have gotten more involved in school activities like that."
She grins a little and shrugs, giving the young man some time to get back on his feet. In a friendly fight like this one she can't see the point in attacking him while he's down. "Still got some fight left in you, I hope," she says, winking at him as if to goad him into getting back up for more. "You're pretty tough. Reminds me of another kid I fought here before. He's a nice guy. Kinda like you, really." she ponders, seemingly quite open with describing what she thinks about Ichiro. "Anyway, hope you're ready!"
Another charge forward, just as quick as before. In spite the few hits she's taken, Hotaru appears to be hanging in there strong. This time she comes in with another swift kick, aimed high like before, thinking to strike where he seems less armored. She certainly isn't going to aim for a shoulder!
COMBATSYS: Ichiro dodges Hotaru's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ichiro
Hopping up to his feet, Ichiro takes turns rotating his shoulders a few times as Hotaru speaks to him. "It's not too late, you know," Ichiro says, his voice taking a somewhat contemplative tone for the moment. "There will be plenty of time to train and fight when after graduation Mis- err... Hotaru. You and I, our time in high school is quickly coming to an end. I think it's best to enjoy it while we can." Shrugging his shoulders as he lets his opinion be known, the captain of the lacrosse team flips the ball out of the pocket of his crosse and catches it again. Yup, still there.
Does he still have some fight in him? "You know I do!" he says with a wide self-assured grin as she winks at him. And she thinks he's nice! Well, he does make a point of being pleasant, but still, it's good to know it's noticed.
Bouncing lightly on his feet as she rushes towards him, Ichiro is able to recognize another high kick coming, and this time he can do more than just take the blow on his padding. Dashing forward as Hotaru begins her kick, Ichiro drops and slides under the strike, scuffing up his nice school pants in the process. Reaching out with his left hand as he slides like a baseball player (Shoma would be proud), Ichiro attempts to grab Hotaru's ankle and yank her foot out from under her once more. Luckily she isn't wearing a skirt like most school girls, or he wouldn't feel proper putting himself in such a position.
COMBATSYS: Ichiro successfully hits Hotaru with Quick Throw.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Hotaru 1/----===/=======|=====--\-------\0 Ichiro
The Kenpo artist never fights in skirts unless caught off guard. Her high kicking, aerial acrobatic style just doesn't lend itself to that kind of attire... Though now and then she's been pulled into fights while at class at Seijyun proper, which changes things!
It seems the young man is more than just strong as he proves to be quick on his feet too. Seems that those Lacrosse players sure need to bring a variety of skills to the playing field or the boy is just a natural at this! Paying the price for being too predictable, Hotaru finds her foot sailing over the young man as he slides. "Nani-!" she blinks, caught off guard at his dexterity even now.
And the next thing she knows her foot is pulled right out from under her and she goes falling to the ground right alongside him, landing on her side with a pretty hard landing. Normally able to handle falls like that due to her almost catlike reflexes, unfortunately for her, his grip on her ankle kept her from being able to roll into a better drop before landing.
She blinks at the sudden predictament, blue eyes coming to focus on the young man, glimmering with a bit of amusement. Having someone keep pace with her like this is always an interesting challenge. "All right," she laughs a little. And then as if to prove that two can play that game, she reaches out to try and grab a hold of his arm with her two hands while also attempting to spin around so that she can slide her legs over his chest. If she can get a grip, she'll yank him into a quick armbar, applying just enough pressure to get a squirm out of him if possible. She's not going to break bones or rip tendons or anything vicious like that.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Ichiro with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Hotaru 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\0 Ichiro
Squinting in confusion as Hotaru elects to stay on the ground with him, Ichiro doesn't really realize what the girl is up to even as she grabs his arm and her legs are slid over his chest. "...huh?" he murmurs in confusion right before she starts to put pressure on his joint. Ichiro is obviously very, very unfamiliar with ground fighting. "Gah!" the young man grunts as the force is applied, and Hotaru gets that squirm out of him that she was looking for. As much fun as wrestling around is, Ichiro would rather get back to his feet where he's comfortable. Hefting the crosse in his other hand, the one NOT being wrenched on, the lacrosse player attempts to drop the hammer on Hotaru by swinging the stick down on her body with all of his might. The idea being that with the girl so close to him the only way that he can see her getting out of the way of the brutal but slow blow is by releasing his arm.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru interrupts Random Weapon from Ichiro with Ten-shou Ranki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|=======\=====--\1 Ichiro
Hotaru has a pretty good hold and by using her leg and torso strength, she can bend that arm just enough to make him feel it, in spite having to go against his own armstrength to do so. But for a long moment she looks kind of confused as to what to do next. If she lets go, he'll have an easy time attacking back before she can roll away, and she can't really just sit there indefinitely...
But Ichiro sort've brings her inner uncertainty to a quick end when that stick comes bearing down on the pig-tailed girl. It's then that she decides to move inward, getting even closer to him, so that she takes the blow to her shoulder from the middle of the crosse shaft instead of the the end of the impromptu weapon which would have heart worse.
She continues to adjust her position, however, now that she's released him from the armbar, so that she can straddle the Taiyo student at the waist, her hands pressing against his chest to keep him down as she leans forward into him. Pinning the Lacrosse player there, there is an unmistakeable sudden surge of energy around the girl, as if the air itself bristles with a spike of intensity.
Drawing energy from herself and the young man beneath her, Hotaru builds up a visible blue sphere of power around her and Ichiro. "aaaaaaAAAAH!" she cries out, hands tightening on the uniform shirt that she grips now. She doesn't push herself to her limits this time, however, attacking with less ire than she often exhibits when digging this deeply and quickly she allows the build up to collapse back in on her, the sphere vanishing as Hotaru channels all of that force down her arms into Ichiro's chest. "KYAA!"
There is a small explosion around the two, a final discharge of the power she funneled through her, followed by a long exhale as Hotaru slumps forward a little, the grip her hands have on his shirt loosening as she props herself up now. The student audience is completely silent at this point. One kid drops his pencil to the sidewalk with a wooden rattle while a freshman girl adjusts her glasses, a shocked look on her face.
"Huh?" Ichiro asks yet as Hotaru nudges closer to him, his crosse hitting her on the shoulder with less force than he'd intended. That kind of had the opposite effect from what he was looking for. His eyes widening in surprise as Hotaru moves to straddle his waist, young Oe looks like he couldn't be any more shocked as the girl leads forward and presses her hands against his chest and pins him down. Now THIS is a position that he isn't very used to being in...
...well, other than, you know...
...huh? Of course he's done that before! He's a star athlete, has rich parents, confidence, good looks... you know, the whole package.
Alright FINE! Sports take up a lot of time, GEEZ! Plus, you know... homework and stuff... anyway...
"Hnnnn!" Ichiro groans as the air crackles with energy and he feels his vitality begin to be drawn out of his body and onto the girl pressed against him. "Wha..." he mutters as the sphere of chi begins to build around them, his eyes faint with the weariness of his body being drawn to it's limits. "...aaaaaAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Ichiro suddenly cries out as the energy is channeled back through Hotaru and straight into Ichiro's chest, causing him to shudder and convulse before everything goes silent.
Cracking open an eyelid and coughing, Ichiro gazes up at Hotaru dreamily, his body beaten and battered to a point that he can't remember being subjected to before. But still... Ichiro can sense that he has just enough energy left for one final assault. The knuckles of his right hand turn white as his grip on the crosse tightens...
"Ehh... you win," Ichiro admits defeat plainly as gives Hotaru a weak smile, glancing down at his uniform shirt with two small handprints burnt into it and smoldering. Turning his head to the side and taking a look at the shocked crowd, Ichiro sighs softly as the students all start whispering to each other at once. Well. Looks like there's going to be plenty of gossip going around school for the next few days. Chuckling softly, the ever unflappable Ichiro Oe simply knits his fingers behind his head and reclines on the hard concrete ground, far too much of a gentleman to rush Hotaru into getting off of him before she is good and ready.
COMBATSYS: Ichiro takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Ichiro can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|
Hotaru recovers fairly quickly. While the young man forced her to keep a pretty swift pace throughout all this, he's managed to wear her out by being able to not just keep up but at times out-maneuver her. But she managed to avoid taking too many hits to be truly hurt.
Blinking, she shakes her head, sitting up straight before pushing off into a short hop backward to land on her feet again. "Whew! That was some fight. If you're really just getting started at this like you claim, you've got some real potential with this," young Futaba grins, stepping forward to offer her hand to help the Lacrosse player to his feet.
"It was an honor to fight you today," she continue after he's standing before bowing in his direction, adopting a very traditional genuflection before standing up straight. "You do your school proud. It really makes me wonder if maybe Taiyo High is where I should attend," she ponders, one hand coming up to rest against her cheek. But, there's time yet to decide. Summer isn't over after all!
"Thanks again, Ichiro, I'll see you around. Maybe come watch a Lacrosse game sometime. I've never seen one before!" the pig-tailed fighter offers with a wave before turning on her feet and clasping her hands behind her back.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:19:55 07/18/2007 by Ichiro, and last modified on 14:40:05 07/19/2007.