Description: A three-way battle between GH-ers Mizuki, Tran, and Frei that ends up being both more and less than, perhaps, all expected!
Although he's not 100% behind the cavern-like atmosphere of the downstairs training room in the YFCC, Frei continues to teach a weekly class in tai chi to an increasingly diverse group of people. At first it had been only a handful of regulars, mostly Taiyo students, but now the crowd has expanded to include one of the center's administrative assistants, the mother of one of the high school students, and three salarymen who show up in business suits on their way home from work. In his inimicable way, the monk takes it all in stride, continuing to teach them all as best he can, running through forms, breathing, and most of all centering yourself.
On this particular sunny afternoon, the class is dispersing while Mrs. Tamayo stays behind to try and foist a plate of Rice Krispies Treats she made Frei as a thank you for 'a wonderful class', a gesture the monk is careful to discourage until everyone else is out of earshot and then gratefully accepts, beaming like a fool. You can't let the students think there's favoritism.
And thus it remains that should anyone come looking for him at the appointed hour for the end of his class, Frei is currently sitting against the wall, alternating between big gulps of bottled water and eating the rice krispies treats at a rate that can only be called 'voracious'.
In fact, Mizuki -is- looking for Frei, and hoping to find someone else around as well. School's been busy; aside from her brief team-up with Himeko against Hotaru, she's barely had time to teach her classes at the YFCC. She, like Frei, does a bit of instructor work there--nothing too advanced, basic self-defense where one's style doesn't really matter, and also some demonstrations on the use of chi and what her own style is all about.
Just free from Justice High, she's still wearing her school uniform, which, while not terribly attractive, is pretty distinctive at the YFCC. "Mizuki-san!"
"Mizuki-chan!"
"Konnichiwa, Mizuki!" come the various greetings, which she returns, of course. "Is Tsukitomi-Renard-san in?" she asks, at the front desk, and she gets a nod, so she smiles, "Where at?"
"He's downstairs. Probably eating those treats that Ms. Tamayo brought in..." Mizuki chuckles, then nods. "Thank you," she replies, as she turns towards the stairs leading down.
Pro tip: teaching is for losers! The pay is crappy, the students are stupid, and the rice krispie treats are probably burnt or something. Being a student is lame, too, because it's like up and shouting with a big ol' megaphone, 'HEY! I AM A TREMENDOUS MORON!' Maybe with more stuttering and various animal-like grunts. It's hard to say, really.
Still, it's opinions like these that have led to Dr. Richard Tran's prolonged avoidance of the Young Fightin' ChimiChangatorium. Even if they are mostly just a cover for avoiding Alma but good. Unfortunately for everbody involved, such a situation can't last forever, as is demonstrated by the doctor's sudden entrance through the front door, slamming it open and stalking forward.
"Excuse me, sir, can I help you?" The friendly girl at the information tries, at least, but Tran completely blows her off, not even stopping to look at her. He seems to be mumbling under his breath, as he moves purposefully without really knowing where he's going. He's never been here before, but damn if he's going to let being lost stop him!
Down the stairs and through the doors to Grandmother's house we go... o/~ hey wait. Mizuki pushes the doors to the cavernous basement area open and looks around for a moment. ... Searching. ... Searching. ... Searching.
*ping* Ah-ha! There he is. Mizuki calls out across the basement room, her voice pitched high enough and loud enough that Tran will probably catch Frei's name if nothing else. "Frei-saaaaaaaaaan! It's been a long time!!" That said, she makes her way into the room, pausing by the door to drop off her bookbag. She'll wait to say much more 'til she actually is within normal speaking distance, of course...
Cocking his head, Tran immediately starts heading for where he heard Frei's named called out. He's not here for the young monk, exactly, but maybe a quick chat will give Tran a better idea than 'stomp around angrily, trying to find his greatest nemesis.' Like maybe 'stomp around angrily in a specific direction, trying to find his greatest nemesis.' One can hope, at least.
Coming up to the edge of the railing above the fightin' area, Tran pushes up against it, looking down. And sure enough, there's Frei and some chit he's never seen and doesn't give two figs about. Well, you know what? Stairs are for losers. Vaulting over the railing, Tran crashes down onto the floor, cushioning his fall by punching the floor the moment he lands. He pauses for a moment, then rises, pointing straight at Frei. "Hey! Hey, you! Where is he!?"
You can almost hear the 'mew?' as Frei swivels his head toward the doorway to see Mizuki, a rice krispies treat hanging from his mouth as he waves, pleasantly surprised at the very least. He blinks, then bites forward, finishing the thing off with a single aum finishing the thing off and wiping his hand across his lips before waving and reaching down for his water bottle. "Hello, Mizu--"
Then the world explodes.
Alright, it doesn't EXPLODE but Tran does drop out of the rafters like Rockman, the shaking of the floor from his punch and the requisite air displacement blowing the monk's headband out behind him in a long trail for a moment, his eyes closed. Eventually, he opens them, raising one eyebrow at the good Doctor. "Nice to see you too, Tran."
"It's good to see you ag--" ... like Frei, Mizuki is interrupted by Tran's rather glorious entrance, her eyes going wide. While she's never seen him in person, Alma did supply a picture, and well, Frei says his name.
"You must be Tran... Alma's told me a lot about you!" Primarily that Tran seems to have something against schoolgirls, particularly ones who are taller than he is. So Mizuki takes a bit of a step back, even as she's saying to Tran, "I guess we're actually on the same team, like with Frei.. I've been wanting to meet you."
It's totally a risk but she offers Tran a hand. Perhaps he will shake it instead of ... well, there's a lot of things he -could- do...
Sparing Mizuki a cursory glance, Tran more or less ignores her for a moment in order to talk to Frei. "Yeah, yeah, spare me, just answ-" He cuts off in midsentance, turning his head to look at Mizuki again. Staring. The age, the gender, the uniform...yeah.
"You're joking. No, no, of course you're not, this is just the sort of thing he'd do, Christ." Turning around and ignoring the proffered gesture of good will, Tran runs his hand through his hair and exhales slowly. "Alright, just...tell you what. You leave me alone, I leave you alone. Deal?"
For his part, Frei hadn't heard about Mizuki's addition to the roster either, so his eyebrows go up in a note of surprise (though probably not half as much surprise as he'll have once someone mentions Gabriel's name). And she's being friendly to Tran, which clearly means she knows nothing about him. And somewhere in the dim recesses of his subconscious alarm bells are sounding right now, because this situation could get very bad, very fast. "Oh, welcome to the te--"
He doesn't even get that out before the good Doctor decides to... well, be himself. Frowning, he glares at Tran. "Hey, you! Be nice to strangers for once in your life." Oh yes, Frei the non-moralist neutral philosopher-monk is going to play I Am In Command Here. It's working out really well already, for sure.
Frown. Big frown! Mizuki's left with her hand out and... her eyes narrow. Yeah, Alma had warned her about this but man, she had to try... that's what having a basic good nature does.
"We're going to have to get along if we're going to be on this team," she says, firmly, but not unpleasantly, looking at Tran...'s back. "So don't think I'm going to 'leave you alone'. Because we can't be teammates if I do that... and we -are- teammates." Her hand withdraws, but she's definitely not going anywhere.
She does turn to Frei and smile, though. "Thank you. I'm glad Alma decided I was worth risking... of course, I -did- save his life... more than once... so..."
"This IS nice, dumbass. I haven't run away screaming, insulted her scrawny little limbs, or...or..." Tran pauses again, turning around to look at her as she finishes speaking. "Or strangled her until her head pops off because she saved Alma's life! God DAMN."
Taking a step or two to the wall, Tran leans against it and folds his arms. "Oooh, look at me, I'm a schoolgirl and I'm probably completely insane and I want to be friends~" He slumps down into a sitting position. "I was looking to beat the shit out of Alma but now...god, I don't even feel like it now. Either of you have any more horrible news to ruin my day, just while we're going at it?"
That whole litany of comments from Tran just washes over Frei for a moment. Considering his conversation with Sakura, he's not exactly in 100% disagreement with the good Doctor. Schoolgirls in Southtown have this odd tendency to be a little bit wacky and far too strong for their own good. That being said, Mizuki is new in town and, in Frei's estimation, in need of some bolstering of her self-esteem. Thus he needs to intervene, here.
"For the record, Mizuki," the monk says carefully, "you should pretty much ignore everything Tran says because this is about the only thing he responds to when he gets like this."
Then he turns and, focusing earth chi into his fist to give it the weight of extra gravity, swings his fist right into Tran's jaw.
COMBATSYS: Frei has started a fight here.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Tran has joined the fight here.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Tran
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has joined the fight here.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Tran reflects Fierce Punch from Frei with Dr. Tran Doles Out the Harshness.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/-------|
Luckily for Dr. Tran, Frei's not exactly being subtle, here. Staring balefully upward at his teammate, Tran casually lets one hand rest on the floor in front of him. "For the record, Mizuki..." Wisps of steam start to rise from his hand, which suddenly increases to an outpouring of steam, blasting up and snapping into the form of a large, flat wall. Frei's fist hits it, and it holds, taking that earthen chi, absorbing it, and shooting it back in in an instant.
"Frei's a dick." Pushing himself up against the wall, Tran steps to the side, putting a bit of distance in between himself and Frei, just in case that didn't get all the violence out of his system.
Th--this isn't what was supposed to happen! Oi! With a little sigh, Mizuki draws her baton, shaking her head as she takes a half-step back. "I wanted to have a little sparring but this isn't what I had in mind!" she protests, though it's worth noting that she's not really trying to get between the two. She looks down at her baton then shakes her head.
"I guess this really is the only way to 'prove myself'..." she murmurs, to herself, then, setting herself in the proper fighting mindset... well, it's kind of obvious who she needs to hit first, isn't it?
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" she shouts, bringing herself in at Tran and lashing out with the shortstaff, seeking to tag him with a swift two-hit combination strike, the baton-swing aimed for Tran's midsection. And as she swings, she shakes her head. "Now I know why Alma was so hesitant... but Frei isn't a 'dick'!" He just has one, it's totally different.
That kinda stung. Of course, Frei doesn't seem shocked by it; he's fought Tran enough times to know what his sort-of-kinda-mininemesis is capable of, and thus when he goes sailing through the air he tucks and lands in crouch, dusting himself off as he stands up... and then shaking out his hand with a wince. That freakin' hurt.
Of course, when he looks back to actually pay attention to the fight, he finds Mizuki already in the spirit of the thing and looking to show Tran what for in his defense... and he resists murmuring 'just as Tranned' under his breath. Instead, he simply smiles a too-cheerful smile at Mizuki and Tran, letting a little singsong work into his tone as he speaks. "See? He's already friendlier."
COMBATSYS: Frei focuses on his next action.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Tran blocks Mizuki's Medium Strike.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/-------|
Whoops! That one wasn't exactly expected - Tran figured it would be just a quick burst of violence from Frei, and then he could get the hell out of here, maybe go get wasted in some seedy dive. But now Mizuki's joining in, and Frei's implying he's getting friendly! That won't do at all. Ducking down, arms raised, Tran angles so that the baton combo smacks his shoulder and forearm in quick succession. It doesn't seem to do much to him, especially since he's moving quick to deliver dread retribution.
"Says you. He's acting pretty dickish, to me! Proof's right there!" Jumping forward, Tran twists and raises his elbow, looking to bring it crashing down right where Mizuki's neck meets her collarbone.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Tran's Strong Punch.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/------=|
Whoa there, shorty. Mizuki nods firmly. "Says me!" Then again, she's not really calling Tran dickish either. Not really in her vocabulary, see... boy, for a such a small guy Tran really can jump, huh? Mizuki's eyes tick back and forth, and then she ducks a little, and raises her baton, laying it across her forearm. The combination of forearm and weapon are used to fend off Tran's elbow and Mizuki backsteps a couple of times.
"You say he's always like this?" she asks of Frei, before closing her eyes and clasping her hands together, murmuring softly... the end result of this action being chi energy swirling up around her, flowing upwards and through her, gathered and stored up for later use.. her chi signature is a blue-silver, at least right now...
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gathers her will.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/--=====|
That comment gets an eyebrow from Frei as he dusts himself off and decides to get back in the fight. After all, he started it. "Sorry, what? How does smiling and pointing out the obvious make me a dick?" It's a reasonable question, though the monk is resigned to not getting a reasonable answer. It is a bit like asking a dog about the meaning of life. He MAY be expressing something profound, but the most he can do it with is by saying 'woof'.
Having finally reached the melee, as it were, the monk looks at Tran and sighs. "Of course, even if I do this," he says, calmly turning and aiming a punch at Mizuki's jaw just like he had at Tran's, "it's not gonna change your mind either, is it?"
Rebounding backward after being rebuffed by Mizuki's defense, Tran holds back, watching the other two carefully. May as well answer Frei's question, while he's got the time. "Being happy is a dick move. And how does pointing out the obvious NOT make you a dick?" Woof, man. Woof.
Still, it's nice to see Mizuki and Frei tangling. It gives the doctor an opportunity to study Mizuki a bit, and maybe figure out just what Frei's going to throw next. Pro tip: it probably involves chi somehow.
COMBATSYS: Tran focuses on his next action.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki endures Frei's Fierce Punch.
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Frei 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 1/-----==/=======|
Surprisingly, perhaps, Mizuki lowers her guard; the punch doesn't just come in, it comes in -hard-, and that kind of impact practically dislocates Mizuki's jaw. Just a touch of her healing abilities lets her survive that. And while it should knock her down, she's actually prepared, slamming her left foot back... and rising back up to her feet. Yeah, ow.
"No, it won't change my mind, Frei-san. I said I wanted to have a spar anyways..." Yeah, she'll be healing herself soon enough. "... so this really is fine!" And she sounds like she means it, too; she lunges forward, at Frei, her baton glowing with a blue-green chi energy as she lashes out several times, seeking to strike Frei in the chest with that enhanced weapon.
Six, seven, maybe eight times she swings, and then finishes with a forward-thrusting baton strike.
COMBATSYS: Frei just-defends Mizuki's Kouryuu no Renda!
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Frei 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 1/-------/=======|
Tran's comment makes Frei blink and turn away from Mizuki just as his punch lands, an expression of concentration and confusion on his face. "Are you trying to tell me that..." His Spidey Sense then tingles, telling him there's a chi-laden attack coming from off to the side, which is encouraging, because this has now become an official team effort. However, it also kicks in Frei's Idiot Savant circuit, and he actually doesn't turn his head from Tran as his hand glows blue-white with frosty chi, the monk letting the energy of Mizuki's strike guide him to a series of precise blocks with his palm that draw in the watery energy from Mizuki's attack, intensifying the icy glow on Frei's hand...
...which he then turns and sweeps at Tran, Alma-style, imitating the absent team member's Sacred Wave, but with a burst of ice crystals instead of Alma's extremely gay pink soulfire. "...you're miserable being you think being happy is STUPID?!"
COMBATSYS: Tran reflects Hyoushou Rengeki from Frei with Operation - Dr. Tran.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 1/-------/=======|
"What? No, don't be retarded." Tran takes a step back, watching Frei oh so masterfully yoink Mizuki's chi, and then redirect it at him. Steam rises from one hand as he prepares, and then thrusts his hand forward, a dull grey disc forming directly in the path of the icy attack. They collide, and predictably enough, the ice bounces off and shoots right back toward Frei.
Snapping his wrist, the doctor releases his chi and point at Frei. "I'm miserable for other shit entirely! Being happy is just rude!" It makes sense! Kind of. Shut up!
It really is amazing; somehow she is teamed up with fighters who are just--amazingly skilled. Mizuki's attack is completely denied and that makes her a little sad--for a technique she's spent so much time on, it's really been rather unsuccessful on the whole. Still... time to re-assess. And to do something about this -pain-. Yeah, her jaw still hurts. With Tran... once again bouncing Frei's attack back at him, Mizuki backs up just a step, and concentrates.
Energy forms above her, condensing into a blue-green cloud that breaks, raining energy over her... yes, she is using that 'special ability' that seems to be fairly rare, the one that Drake dismisses as 'cheating'...
COMBATSYS: Frei fails to slow Reflected Hyoushou Rengeki from Tran with Hadou Souran.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
Frei is totally prepared for Tran to throw his attack back at him, both hands already cupped at his side and gathering a swirling sphere of multicolored chi, Ansatsuken-style. "You know what your problem is? You just like being miserable, I thi--" The monk was ABOUT to throw both hands forward and plow a mass of energy right on through the oncoming ice shards, but he's a bit slow about it. One of them smacks him in the face, which... stings a little bit, but confuses more than injures him. Thankfully for Tran, the burst of chi headed his way dissipates when Frei loses concentration. Shoulda taken Combat Casting as a bonus feat, Frei.
Wiping melted ice off his face, the monk rubs his hands on his jeans. "I think you just like being miserable 'cause it's easier than being friendly and nice. Ass."
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Mizu.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
... and left unmolested, Mizuki's energies transform themselves into healing power, the girl releasing a sigh of relief as pain ebbs and torn muscle and blood vessels re-knit themselves. "Much better," she murmurs, then... looks between the two. They got somethin' goin' on, that's for sure...
"Why is it bad to be friendly or happy?" she asks of Tran--that's right, she's headed your way again, Tran! And she's lunging forward, her baton held in both hands, low down... because when she reaches Tran she's going to rip that baton around vertically in a powerful (for Mizuki) baton uppercut!
"I would think," she says, raising her voice, as she attacks, "that it would be far better to be happy!!"
COMBATSYS: Tran dodges Mizuki's Fierce Strike.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
Still staring irately at Frei, Tran starts to respond. "It's not bad to be happy, it's inconsiderate!" And then Mizuki's all up in his grill, and he has to take some quick, evasive action. In this case, it's a side-step that moves into a full body twist, letting the baton swish right in front of the doctor's nose. The wind from its passing ruffles his hair.
Raising his arm, he pauses ever so briefly to chat. "Because when it's around someone who isn't, and I'm sure as hell not happy right now, although I'm a far cry from miserable, it's rubbing what you've got right in their face!" Then the doctor twists his entire torso around the way it came, fist extended, to slam into Mizuki's ribcage. "Rude, is what it is."
The blank look on Frei's face says he does not understand a word of what Tran has just said, and he turns to Mizuki with a shrug and a smile. He doesn't get into whatever attacks are about to pass between Doctor and Miko, instead hanging back and gathering his energy in a low key sort of way, letting it flow in naturally instead of busting out the amazing lightshow that one uses for TV. "See... I think Alma just has a thing for headcases, which probably explains me, and Tran, and Jiro... maybe he thought you'd be a stabilizing influence, Mizuki."
COMBATSYS: Frei gathers his will.
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Frei 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Tran's Quick Punch.
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Frei 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
Fortunately for Mizuki, her ribcage is no longer where it was when Tran began twisting back; she didn't stumble as she missed, but used her momentum to move past Tran's body. Twisting around, she hnns softly and smiles at Frei's suggestion. "Maybe. I think he just wanted someone who would be able to patch him up after enduring countless battles... within his own team!" But it's said in good humor and Mizuki is falling into her rhythm, as she ducks low... and tries to grab Tran's leg, to just upend him onto his butt.
"You're pretty good, Tran-san. I'm honored to have a teammate like you on my side." Ha ha. Maybe she's trying to goad him? But really she means it, or at least it sure sounds like she does...
COMBATSYS: Tran dodges Mizuki's Quick Throw.
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Frei 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
"He is a headcase, is the problem." Even though his fist goes flying past Mizuki, the doctor's already moving, shooting his mouth off at the same time. Lifting his leg, Tran whirls again, hopping backward awkwardly on one foot to get some more distance. "A horny one, too."
Twisting around, he turns his back to the schoolgirl, and then breaks into a full-on run toward Frei. "Alright, come on. One of you hurry up and just knock me out, if this gets any more sugary I swear I'm just going to vomit all over." Leaping into the air, Tran goes horizantal and stretches his legs out, turning himself into a human missile. Destination - Frei's chest!
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Tran's Heavy Kick.
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Frei 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
Horny. Yeah, well... I've kissed Alma. Can you say the same, Tran? Didn't think so. "Maybe!" Frei admits. Tran might not be wrong. But as for sugary sweet... yeah, this is getting a little feel-good, even by the cheery monk's personal standards. As Tran's kick comes in for a painful landing, Frei snaps up an arm to block it, the impact shoving him back across the mat a bit but leaving him otherwise unbowed. "Oho... I have not yet BEGUN to sugary!"
Thinking quickly, Frei reaches his hand back and then... shoves a rice krispies treat at Tran. That's right: he's attacking by hopefully shoving the thing right in Tran's perpetually-open maw, grabbing the doctor by the face if he can and, smiling too widely, singsong-ing: "Best served warm!" before letting a wave of flame burst out of his palm. It's okay, Tran's tough: he can take it. Remember to chew 31 times before swallowing.
This certainly an -interesting- 'sparring match'... she's learning as much about the unpredicatibility of a free-for-all as much as she's learning about Tran, Frei, -and- Alma. "Alma's just--worried about a lot!" Okay, he's probably a headcase. And he has an odd thing for Mizuki in 'ninja gear'... god, the suggestions he made for costumes. *-.-*
But anyway. It's kind of odd--despite Tran's relative jerkishness, Mizuki doesn't feel too off-put by the short doctor, and where she was about to charge in on Frei, the burst of flame makes her think twice... maybe she should just watch these two! For a moment, anyways.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki focuses on her next action.
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Frei 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Tran blocks Frei's Medium Throw.
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Frei 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
Blech. Tran doesn't want to kiss Alma! I don't know what you're trying to prove, Frei, but it's totally grossing me out! The rice krispie is gross, too, although Tran's mostly concerned about getting manhandled like this. The only real solution here: flailing wildly. "Aughpmh!" It's all he manages around the half treat that makes it in before he bites down.
So it comes to pass that a few moments later, Tran staggers a few feet away, choking, with comical black scorch marks in the shape of a hand plastered across his face. "Mmph ah mmmmph." Whoa, language, Tran!
COMBATSYS: Tran gains composure.
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Frei 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|
Dusting off his hands, Frei turns around and finds Mizuki... well, she's off doing her own thing. And the monk has been focusing on Tran for quite some time. Improvising, Frei looks at his feet and finds the tupperware container that held, until just a while ago, the pile of treats he was eating (COOKIES ARE FOR ENDURING). With a shrug, he picks it up, tests the light weight, and then cheerily swings it at Mizuki with both hands. It's as much a test of reflexes as anything else. "Just spreading the love around, you understand!"
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Mizuki with Random Weapon.
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Frei 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 1/------=/=======|
Well, she wasn't expecting that; she gets smacked in the back of the head with a double-fisted ... tupperware container. Man, that kind of... well, the crumbs got all in her hair and-- she kinda growls under her breath. Really she's a very -neat- girl, most of the time, but this--this... alright so she isn't going to -say- anything, but the crumbs fly off and probably spray Tran in the face as Mizuki turns towards Frei and just tries to wallop him in the stomach with a big baton swing of her own. Also two-handed, and likely to miss, but such is what happens when emotion takes over, neh?
COMBATSYS: Frei endures Mizuki's Deep Strike.
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Frei 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Tran
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Mizuki 1/-----==/=======|
Wiping his face off with his shirt, Tran looks on to see Frei and Mizuki going wild at each other just in time to catch the wrong end of a spray of cookie remains. He blinks, stern-faced, and then resolutely wipes his face off again. Staring at the both of them, Tran decides his vengeance is going to be swift and brutal.
"Shut up, SHUT UP, jeez. Stop getting your love all over everything, it's /gross/." On account of how he doesn't even want to touch Frei after he says that, the doctor turns to Mizuki instead, just hauling back and trying to kick a field goal.
Hmmm. Frei grimaces a little as his swing -- which he didn't actually intend to connect with -- does not appear to sit well with Mizuki at all. He resolves to apologize for that later, at least... but the matter at hand remains that he needs to keep switching his focus, if this is to really work as a bonding experience. So when Mizuki looks to hit a proverbial homerun, he doesn't bother to stop her... and Tran suddenly rushing toward them doesn't hurt either. The baton smacks into Frei's gut, painfully, lifting him off his feet... and sending him *right at Tran*, the monk righting himself in midair and suddenly turning his ungainly flight into a midair shoulder tackle, a blazing nimbus of silver light that's cold to the touch suddenly surrounding his entire body. "BUT TRAN! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!" he roars, cheerily, over the sound of his own attack slicing through the air.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki interrupts Light Kick from Tran with Strong Kick.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
Right. Trying to hit him in turn just isn't working so Mizuki opts to go proactive. Not usually her best choice but sometimes--like now--it Just Works Out(tm). Just as Tran is launching his soccer-ball kick, Mizuki is deciding that she needs to do SOMETHING... and in this case, it takes the form of a mirroring kick. Not in style, but at the same moment... and Mizuki's height--and her longer legs--come in hand. Tran's kick glances off her thigh, sure, but in turn, Mizuki gets to bury her right leg into Tran's gut, a powerful, solid strike that feels about as good for Mizuki as it might look painful for Tran. But she can tell he hasn't taken -that- much damage... or... so she thinks.
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Tran with Gekkou Nocturne.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
It's the little things that make the difference. The little things like Tran being rapidly distracted by his teammates so that in the end, he can't defend himself against any of what they're hitting him with. First, Tran sees Frei diving at him, even as his kick swings forward. "Get away from me, fruitcaagh!" That would be where Mizuki drives her foot into his solar plexus. It freezes him in place.
Gasping for air, Tran turns his attention back to Frei just in time for a huge faceful of chiful destruction. The monk crashes into him, sending him flying backward, skidding on his shoulders a yard or two from the impact. At last, Tran comes to a rest. He coughs once, and he's breathing again.
Gradually rising to his feet, the doctor's hands twitch, steam rising off them. He clenches them, dispelling it as he changes his mind, and then runs right back at Frei, head down like a bull, trying to push him back and crush him against one of the sparring area's walls.
COMBATSYS: Tran successfully hits Frei with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Frei 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
The problem with that little maneuver is that Frei is absurdly overbalanced when he finally lands from it, having essentially turned himself into a living projectile. Thus when he lands in a crouch and tumbles forward, kneeling, he gets up just in time to see Tran bearing down on him like some sort of Liliputian battering ram, intent on the hurting, oh the hurting. Blinking, Frei tries to stand up and move out of the way, but trying to do both at the same time is just not a good plan, and as such he's bowled over, his body making a sickening *CRACK* as he gets smacked into one of the walls.
As Frei slides down the wall somewhat bonelessly, he has time to reflect that Tran's taking this more seriously than he expected.
Deciding he needs a second to clear his head, the monk stays where he is, getting into a defensive stance and centering himself. This time there IS a little lightshow of wind and some gold/silver sparks, but it's pretty subdued. "Who says 'fruitcake' anymore, I ask you..." he murmurs.
COMBATSYS: Frei gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
Despite all the power hits going around and all that, it seems like the fight's settled down from the relative high-tension scene it was before! Which makes Mizuki happier. Even if Tran does seem to be out to take off a few heads... well, that's alright with her to an extent, because every fight, her teachers taught her, is serious--even a spar.
"F-Frei-san!" she gasps, as the monk goes flying... he doesn't look too badly injured, even if he is hurting, so in order to buy him the time he needs to get back into the swing of things, Mizuki turns, and leaps at Tran... feet first! Well, foot first. It's really a very picturesque, model-like flying kick aimed for the bridge of Tran's nose.
COMBATSYS: Tran dodges Mizuki's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
Backing a few steps away after his ramming maneuver, Tran shakes his head and answers Frei. "I call 'em like I see 'em, love freak. Whoop, hang on." The doctor ducks down and weaves toward Mizuki, letting her go flying above and past him.
"Don't get too worried about him, girl, he's lack a sack of bricks. Physically and mentally. I mean, he's on this team, isn't he?" Barb delivered, Tran takes another couple of steps back, putting more distance in between himself and his opponents. That last exchange took a lot out of him - he needs to figure a quick way to take a similar amount out of the monk and the schoolgirl.
COMBATSYS: Tran focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Frei 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
That actually gets a solemn nod from Frei, who gets up and dusts off his clothing. "That's right... brain like a sack of rocks," he says cheerily, pointing a finger at his own noggin and rolling his eyes a little bit. "Too stupid to do steam, I might add, although I got fire, ice, lightning, light and darkness, wind, you name it." Is he rubbing it in? A little, but Tran deserves it. "Observe!" He cocks one arm back, his fist suddenly glowing with a myriad of colors as he cycles through random elemental chi...
...then drops the aura of energy and just moves to pop Tran one in the nose with good old-fashioned knuckle power. "Psyche."
Well if you ask her she's had more than enough taken out of her! She wants to get stronger and she knows pain is an indicator of it -- those shirts, you know, 'Pain is weakness leaving the body'... but that doesn't mean she likes it. But her sense of fair play is nagging at her, and she realizes that she can't just beat up Tran, no matter how much she would like to (plus he is a slippery asian bastard)... so Mizuki makes her move just after Frei starts, lunging forward and attempting to just 'slash' him as she goes by, a classic samurai-movie technique! Only, she has no blade to sheath dramatically afterwards. And it would look better if she had her miko robes on... but she doesn't and now is NOT the time to change into them.
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Tran with Random Weapon.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Frei 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
"Yeah, well." Tran's face is impassive as Frei goes on, thinking he's all kinds of special with his chi. Well, the doctor's gonna show him, you better believe it! Right after he finishes getting nailed in the mouth, what the hell? He was going to just stand firm and take the elemental barrage he was sure was coming, but he's surprised enough to stumble backward, losing his footing.
Wiping some of the blood off the corner of his mouth, the Dr. Tran states plainly, "It's not what you can do with it, jerkwad." He raises his hand, letting steam rise up, swirling around his entire arm. Tran steps forward again, snapping his arm down, and swings his fist forward, now covered in a roiling white ball of chi. While normally he might start out with an uppercut, today Tran delivers a straight, albeit horrifyingly explosive punch toward Frei's chest, with more than enough force to blast him back against one of the wall. "It's the size that counts!" He lunges afterward, and then drives his other fist forward, similarly sheathed in simmering power, to pin Frei directly against the wall, to take the full force of the explosion.
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Mizuki's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Frei 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
COMBATSYS: Tran successfully hits Frei with Here Comes Dr. Tran!.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Frei 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Tran
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 1/---====/=======|
Oh, dear. Everyone's out for Frei's blood now.
But, perhaps teamwork brings people together. Or Tran's been introduced to Mizuki. Or Frei is feeling sort of nauseous because he just ate a lot of rice krispies treats and has been punched in the stomach an awful lot. Either way, as both attacks come his way the monk just... grins. "Izzat so?" he says, eyes tracking Tran and Mizuki's movements. "I didn't know that." He stops short of calling Tran a size queen, since he has doubts about how well that would go over.
Mizuki's samurai slash impacts solidly on the monk's exposed forearm, mainly because it's a ragged block, designed to keep her in place if possible while he faces down Tran's attack. Tran's highly angry, very fast incoming attack. And it occurs to Frei that sometimes you just have to take one for the team, even if the taking is more philosophical than physical.
The punch catches him right in the jaw and explodes in a cloud of steamy chi.
When the smoke clears, Frei's looking... a little leaner than normal, not so great. But there is a ragged smile on his face as he suddenly grins up at the two fighters pinning him to the wall. "Well, I think that's enough training for today," Frei says mildly. "How about giving me back my personal space?"
And with absolutely no preamble whatsoever, a massive invisible forceblast of chi erupts from his body, pushing Tran and Mizuki outward if it connects like some sort of invisible jackhammer. The mat right underneath Frei's feet curls and rips, but the walls are thankfully made of sturdier stuff and are unharmed. Regardless of the outcome, however, Frei slumps back against the wall and lands on his backside, exhausted.
COMBATSYS: Frei can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Tran 0/-------/-------|=======\===----\1 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Mizuki with Fukami Reikai.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Tran 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Mizuki
Ungh. In a word, Mizuki gets -plastered-... blown to the wall by the impact, she strikes hard, and gasps. She is, really, just about done... there's only one thing left to do... and that is to convince Tran of her skill and power. Maybe he'll agree to not treat her like a pariah... if she beats his head in! ... well okay, she's not really aiming for his head. Fighting the pain, she lunges forward, her baton raised, glowing blue-green as she assaults him with a rapid series of slashing strikes--okay, the baton's blunt, but the attacks are basically slashes... maybe twenty in total, which lead to a two-handed baton uppercut...
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Tran with Fukami Reikai.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Tran 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Tran with Kouryuu no Ranbu.
[ < > //////// ]
Tran 1/----===/=======|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
... and when the uppercut hits it lifts Tran into the air, Mizuki leaping after! For a picturesque moment she and Tran hang in mid-air in the way only martial artists can, her baton still glowing... and then she strikes him several more times before sending him to the mat with an overhead strike.
Tran's mouth is open, presumably to sass off to Frei. As it turns out, that shock of chi, blasting outward, is more than enough to get him to shut up for a while. The impact sends him skidding backward against a wall, where he grunts with pain. That's it, he knows - he doesn't have anything left. Staggering forward, he's almost content to leave it at that, but then Mizuki comes in and pretty much blindsides him, baton smashing into him again and again, sending him and bringing him down. Just like The Man.
Landing on all fours, Tran sways unsteadily for a moment, and then rolls over onto his back, spread-eagled. It takes all the strength he can spare to whisper "Boom." Then steam explodes underneath and all around him, a twisting maelstrom of chi that will, heaven willing, catch Mizuki in its whirling embrace.
COMBATSYS: Tran can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki fails to reflect -Q- is for Dr. Tran from Tran with Koori no Kagami.
- Power fail! -
COMBATSYS: Mizuki can no longer fight.
Oh, it catches. It catches even as Mizuki's attempting to actually use her -other- special (though not as rare) ability... clearly Tran is the master of reflecting, because the maelstrom of chi catches Mizuki before she can even begin to start her reflect... she'd've been better off trying to jump out of the way. The end result is a fairly wrecked YFCC basement and at least two unconscious bodies. Frei may or may not be one of them, but Mizuki certainly is, and Tran probably too... perhaps they should get beds in separate wings of the YFCC.
Log created on 21:10:13 07/24/2007 by Mizuki, and last modified on 20:36:37 07/27/2007.