Description: Two women with their own driving purposes meet to battle in Italy, but it would appear that one is highly distracted, and the other's sense of purpose is backed up by prodigious skill. (Winner: Hokuto)
The Neo League. It isn't as though Hokuto actually cares about the points--not *really*, anyways--but the League does offer an excellent chance to pit oneself against all manner of fighters--from karateka to jujitsuka, from boxers to capoerista, bo-staff fighters and knife fighters. And then there are the people who use -exotic- styles to fight. Styles mired in traditional roots from centuries past, styles developed by computers, all sorts of things.
Hokuto is very firmly rooted in the tradition-from-centuries-past, naturally--her Mizugami-ryuu Kobujutsu variant combining aspects of karate, kenpo, aikido and jujiutsu to make a unique blend. The setting for this Neo League fight is in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, in Italy. Well away from the monument itself, a 30'x30' square has been roped off with elegant velvet rope, and the cameras and stands are full for this first meeting between young Miss Mizugami and her opponent, one equally young Luise Meyrink.
Hokuto stands in her corner, discussing a few last-minute details with the organizers... but really, she's just killing time until Ms. Meyrink arrives.
Travel has been the story of Luise Meyrink's life ever since she returned from her journey into Central America to find her father. She went into the woods, as it were, to find Detlev but also to uncover the mysteries of her own existence and to find some meaning to the recent events that have shaped her life. The journey... was not an unqualified success, but it did give the Dancing Butterfly a renewed sense of purpose. She now has a goal... a very pressing goal indeed, if her 'sister' and her sense of urgency are to be believed.
Thus she is actually quite receptive when the Neo League contacts her and asks if the woman will meet with a fighter in Italy. A stop to her ancestral home in the Black Forest of Schwarzvalt is a welcome diversion, and from there a brief hop to Pisa. Even before she became a fighter, as an academic dilettante and globetrotter, she is already familiar with much of the famous spots of Europe. However, time is not on her side this day, and it looks as if she will be a little late, approaching on foot...
...well, perhaps not. Typically shy about overt expressions of her power, since her meeting with Selma Luise has had a bit of a change of heart. Perhaps now is the time to make her unique abilities known to the world. And thus rather than going the entire distance on foot, there is a sudden flash of light in her own corner of the roped-off area... a sphere of white-blue that eventually resolves into Luise's form in midair, butterfly wings of deep blue light, like gossamer, extending from her arched back.
As she settles into her typical stance -- floating, mysteriously, a few inches above the actual ground -- the Dancing Butterfly smiles at her opponent in greeting, taking the woman in. A singular appearance, regal and noble... and yet, the woman's aura burns with some powerful, focused need... a determination that both fits and belies her countenance.
"Apologies for the delay," Luise says, watching her opponent carefully. "Shall we begin?"
COMBATSYS: Luise has started a fight here.
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Luise 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Luise focuses on her next action.
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Luise 0/-------/-------|
The teleportation effect is... neat. Certainly it's very, very flashy. Were Hokuto given to fits of self-doubt, then that would certainly start up one for her. Luise is... well, she's beautiful and exotic, from visage to clothing, and certainly she's more of a stand-out than Hokuto herself--who, while she may be classically pretty, certainly doesn't 'do herself up' like Luise does. In fact, she looks pretty plain in her fighting gear--standard kimono in white and hakama in dark blue, with a crimson red boiled-leather chest protector, and the white tabi and secured bamboo sandals for flexibility.
Turning, as that flare of light washes over her, Hokuto walks with slow, measured steps towards her opponent--stopping about ten yards away. "Meyrink-san," she says, only minimally mangling that non-Japanese name, and she offers the woman a brief, but respectful, bow, before she settles into her fighting stance, leading with her left, both hands up, opened into flat palms, right lowered slightly... her knees bent gently.
And, like Luise, she spends much of her time watching... and waiting, though the officials clearly have started the fight, the announcement echoing over the set-up portable PA system.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto has joined the fight here.
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Luise 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hokuto
COMBATSYS: Hokuto focuses on her next action.
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Luise 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hokuto
The idea of the bow is interesting to Luise, though she's never gotten the hang of the stiff-armed, waist-only bow of the Orient. However, compelled to respond in kind, she extends her left hand, palm down, and braces her right against her waist, sweeping forward and then back up, her white-blonde hair flowing around her head as she does. The gesture is broad, dramatic, even Gothic in tone, but in essence, it says everything one needs to know about Luise in a simple little package.
"A pleasure, Mizugami... -san. Now, let us dance. Best of luck." Even her voice is oddly musical, as she straightens, continuing to float there for a moment. When she does move, it is with a simple gliding gesture, sliding across the intervening space easily. Twirling like a dancer, she lashes out one quick swipe of her right foot toward Hokuto's torso and then, if uninterrupted, sweeps around and stomps down with that same foot on the recovery, driving it into the Japanese woman's stance to unbalance her.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto counters Light Kick from Luise with Goukyaku Nage.
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Luise 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Hokuto
Dance? Well, done properly, Hokuto's attacks -can- be somewhat like a dance. That gliding effect is pretty impressive--but Hokuto hasn't yet been impressed by an opponent's abilities, and she isn't likely to start now. Though she is balancing on the balls of her feet, her body bobbing lightly, up and down, her brown eyes are cool and composed, and just before Luise comes sweeping in with that right kick, young Mizugami plants her feet and sets herself.
Her arms are raised, and that kick is intercepted, the kick trapped between both hands. There's only a moment's hesitation before Hokuto twists to her left, maintaining her grip on Luise's leg, and slides her right foot outwards, sweeping Luise's other leg out from underneath her and then pushing down and out on the gripped leg to put Luise on her back.
She releases the leg just after the sweep, slipping back a step or two before resuming her stance.
Interesting.
The beginning of any fight, of course, is always a test of the opponent's abilities and inclinations when it comes to combat. It is not to write off her failure that Luise considers her first attack such a test. Even if Hokuto struck a telling blow -- the Dancing Butterfly not being known for her ability to mitigate physical damage -- she now knows that her opponent has the skill and style to counter physical attacks. Of course, that doesn't make the resulting attack hurt any less.
Getting to her feet once more, Luise glances at her opponent, considering her carefully. The woman is shockingly grim, which in its own way troubles Luise, a woman who sees fighting as a method of personal expression, something to be enjoyed and celebrated. Deciding to continue testing the waters, Luise sweeps downward, almost as she did during the bow at the start of the fight, but just as suddenly she swings back up, her hand gliding gracefully through the air as a burst of Psycho Power in the form of a butterfly of shimmering blue arcs out from the path of the swing, speeding at Hokuto.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto dodges Luise's Sharp Quartet.
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Luise 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Hokuto
Grim? Hokuto must come across as grim; she considers herself focused more than anything else. She isn't terribly familiar with the nature of that burst of energy but she figures, probably rightly, that whatever it is, is probably pretty damaging; she reacts a moment later.
Her feet start moving, smoothly, as she backs up a step, then begins a twisting path, arcing around that splash of energy--not just evading the floating butterfly, but coming in for an attack as well, spinning forward and turning herself through a full three-sixty degrees from left to right.
The twisting momentum is added to the thrusting, stabbing right kick that Hokuto launches for Luise's torso.
COMBATSYS: Luise counters Heavy Kick from Hokuto with New Moon Nocturne.
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Luise 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Hokuto
The nice thing about testing the water is that you are often prepared when a shark leaps from it. Case in point: as Hokuto dives over Luise's projectile and comes toward her foot-first, the Dancing Butterfly rightly assumes, much as Hokuto did about her Quartet, that should that attack connect, it isn't going to feel good at all. What the Mizugami fighter might not be counting on, however, is that Luise herself is more than capable of making reversal moves of her own. As the Japanese woman's kick sails toward her torso, Luise spins, again almost like a ballerina, and with great precision snaps her hand around the other woman's ankle as she descends. With a snap of the wrist, Hokuto's entire momentum is inverted and used to her disadvantage, Luise sending her sailing through the air. "My apologies," she says simply, as she does so.
Keeping her eye on her opponent, Luise studies her somewhat more. There is a fascinating aura of presence about her, and that feeling of a raging flame smoldering under the cold surface intrigues the German. "We didn't have much time to make a proper introduction," she says, in the space between assaults. "Though I can deduce you are Japanese, and fight with such a focused style. It's impressive to watch." Amazingly, these words, which could be taunting from so many, have a tone of sincerity coming from Luise... though that is no assurance that Hokuto will read them as such.
Hnn. So, Luise has a similar mode of operation. Hokuto smiles, faintly... and Luise can probably tell that she's actually starting to enjoy herself. She pauses a moment, then her gaze meets Luise's, for a moment. "Mizugami Hokuto," she says, by way of introduction. "Though I suspect any further introductions will just have to wait..." Perhaps afterwards. They do have a bit in common, after all.
But right now... Hokuto suddenly moves, darting forward with speed that she hasn't yet displayed--lunging forward with a long step that ends up having her thrust her hands out in a dual palm thrust, a rainbow-colored aura flaring around the limbs from elbow to palm.
The simple attack is accompanied with a short, powerful kiai, and the stomping of her lead foot, to help transfer her momentum from legs and body into arms.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto successfully hits Luise with Shourin Geki.
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Luise 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Hokuto
It does not appear to be Luise's night for evasion, sadly. Seeing the considerable force of Hokuto's attack, as well as the sudden addition of spiritual energy to the mix, the Dancing Butterfly pours on the speed, as it were. Her body hums with a faint blue glow as she attempts to twirl away, but the Mizugami fighter's sudden ferocity is more than Luise's speed can compensate for. The blow sends the German woman crashing back toward the ropes, though she makes an impressive midair recovery with that strange floating ability that prevents her from going over the side.
"You seem to take fighting very seriously," Luise observes, gathering herself. Hokuto's comment certainly seems to suggest so. And while Luise herself has a certain degree of professional pride, as it were, she is not nearly so serious. However... it's the Japanese woman who is the clear leader in the fight so far, so perhaps seriousness has its place. Her aborted evasive effort makes the distance to cover a little heavy for the Dancing Butterfly, but she takes a gamble on a complex hand strike, similar to some Chinese arts focusing flowing movements, her entire body a dancing windmill as she twists downward, then sweeps up with both arms.
COMBATSYS: Luise successfully hits Hokuto with Strong Punch.
- Power hit! -
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Luise 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Hokuto
Sometimes, listening to your instincts is great--sometimes, it isn't. Hokuto second-guesses herself--not seeing a good way to stop that windmill of arms without taking a hit, she tries to move--but her heel catches and she is battered by the combination of strikes--knocked backwards and forced off her feet. She lands hard, on her back, then rolls backwards and rises to her feet.
Now she has a moment to reply, vaguely remembering that Luise said something about her seriousness. She nods. "I was raised to take my martial arts very seriously. Someday," she adds, "I will have to teach my arts to my descendants... so I'd better master them."
Throughout all the talking, Hokuto has closed somewhat with Luise--but instead of attacking, she's just watching her carefully again. Yes, someday... but before then...
COMBATSYS: Hokuto focuses on her next action.
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Luise 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Hokuto
"I see," Luise murmurs, dropping back after connecting with the hit and giving Hokuto that space. This is, after all, a place for expression rather than an attempt to kill or injure her opponent, from Luise's eyes. And recent events do make Hokuto's words resonate with Luise somewhat. 'Family' is a concept much on the German's mind of late. And while her father didn't exactly teach Luise martial arts, he did leave her certain legacies that she cannot avoid. "I don't have a hereditary style myself, but I understand a bit of what you mean," the blonde finally admits, her expression briefly distant.
Deciding to do something a little flashy of her own, Luise ducks forward, coming at her opponent very low. Suddenly, however, she rises sharply, a torrent of spinning blows intended to take both women up into the air. If she can keep the smoothly-flowing attack going, Luise finishes the assault with a simple push from one hand, intended to send Hokuto back to earth while the Dancing Butterfly descends safely in her floating manner. Of course, Hokuto has shown herself adept at both evasion and reversal... but some inner intuition tells the Dancing Butterfly to take this chance.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto dodges Luise's Requiem for a Moth.
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Luise 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Hokuto
Even with that moment, suddenly, Hokuto finds herself having to deal with a potentially withering storm of blows coming from the agile Luise. Of course, her response to that is... to back off. Literally. Once again she moves with more speed than her heavy clothing might suggest she should, turning her hips away as she takes several long loping steps that bring her out of range of Luise's twirling, spinning attack.
Just as smoothly, she reverses her path, coming back in for Luise's position, the Mizugami scion driving herself in for the girl, once again turning a three-sixty from her right to her left.
This time, however, she's dropping low, her right leg scything out along the ground, a flare of rainbow aura adding to any potential impact with Luise's legs.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto successfully hits Luise with Shinkyaku Geki EX.
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Luise 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Hokuto
For all her vaunted agility, Luise is not proving to be terribly effective at landing blows in this fight, while Hokuto continues to basically pummel her opponent with impunity. Knowing that she has little chance of making a pure evasion happen, Luise attempts to pull back on the defensive and weather the storm. Sadly, her reflexes are not up to the task, Hokuto's energy-laden kick sending her crashing to the ground in an ungainly heap, certainly not befitting of her typical gracious bearing. Of course, in this sort of fight, only the victor has the luxury of keeping his or her demeanor intact...
Taking a deep breath as she stands, Luise tries to center herself, to remember that this is as much about simply moving with the flow of the moment as it is about actual combat. Stepping 'down' from her floating position, she places both feet on the ground and, eyes still closed, extends her right hand, a glow of light blue, then pure white blazing into being as the Dancing Butterfly summons her power. "Fall, now..." she murmurs, before opening her eyes. Instantly, the white glow becomes a massive blade extending from Luise's hand, which she swings forward at Hokuto, intending to 'cleave' right through her... though the psychic energy of the strike does no real *physical* harm. "Tears of the stars!"
COMBATSYS: Hokuto dodges Luise's Fanfare of Hope.
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Luise 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Hokuto
Hokuto's eyes widen. That is certainly an impressive technique--Hokuto certainly cannot produce a burst of power like that, much less focus it for an extended period of time. It is a very ungainly tumble and roll that takes Hokuto out of the path of the attack... and then she rolls forward, for Luise.
As she rises out of her roll, she suddenly produces the only weapons she carries--a pair of iron fans that open up to produce dull-edged arcs. She advances on her opponent, swinging the fans in an intricate, spinning dance that may be the only attack she has that is as graceful as any of Luise's...
COMBATSYS: Luise fails to interrupt Kyaku Hougi from Hokuto with Treacherous Ballad.
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Luise 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Hokuto
Outclassed in every possible way is the only way to describe Luise in this particular battle. Perhaps there is something weighing on her mind... or it may simply be that without a codified fighting style, she is merely a novice wandering a world of experts. Regardless, she makes a brief attempt to drag her fingers through the air in a circle, summoning a shimmering disc of blue Psycho Power to perhaps repel Hokuto's assault. However, Luise's skill and speed are entirely insufficient and the dancing fan technique sends her on her face at the edge of the fighting arena, bruised and beaten.
Eventually she rises to her feet, hand held to her head. She's taken a serious beating in this fight... and decides that maybe saving her strength for conflicts to come is better than leaping back into the fray. "Congratulations," she offers to Hokuto with a glance, giving another elaborate bow. "May we meet again." There is one more the hint of blue butterfly wings at her back, and then in a flash, she's gone.
COMBATSYS: Luise has left the fight here.
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Hokuto 0/-------/------=|
It was a truly close fight, despite what Luise may think; the battle could have easily gone the other way, despite Hokuto's apparent dominance. With Luise disappearing so quickly, Hokuto is somewhat confused--even as the League officials are crowning her the 'winner', she's looking around...
And then she raises her voice. "Next time, Meyrink-san... we should talk." Even with her volume raised her voice is calm and collected... but she shakes her head just once before nodding to the officials and making her way out of the arena.
Log created on 21:27:21 10/10/2007 by Luise, and last modified on 09:51:24 10/13/2007.