Description: Hurtling through a mineshaft, Hotaru and Mizuki face off against Frei and Mignon in EPIC BATTOL! See: rock formations! See: Meteors summoned out of nowhere! WATCH: as the fight come to an odd end. (Winners:???)
Last week was a human sized oven, this week it's a death trip through the Langley Mines, Oregon, United States of America. Arrived well ahead of time as she typically does, the girl still can't make heads or tails of the fight premise. A series of rickety mine cars are going to be sent rolling down a pair of tracks that run mostly parallel to each other, outside of portions where they cross over one another, or are seperated by stone walls or other obsticles.
The officials assure her that the concept is entirely safe... or at least, safe enough for the tough and rugged fighters they've brought together for the match anyway. Looking mildly distressed at the entire setup, the white and blue clad Kenpo artist is currently standing over by the mine carts. Wheels are being oiled to ensure maximum ridiculous velocities will be reached, and a rough layout of the path they will follow is provided by one of the SNF administrators.
"Well," Hotaru muses, hand coming up to tighten her right red hair ribbon, keeping her pig-tail firmly in place, "I did want to be able to have another chance to fight with Frei and Mizuki... I guess this will have to do." There's another name on the roster. One Mignon Beart. Sadly, she knows nothing about the 4th member quite yet. Half wishing she had decided to done colors other than white, Hotaru clasps her hands behind her back, maintaining a pleasant enough smile on her face in spite the concerns she harbors about the risks of this particular venue.
"There isn't a lava pit in there, is there?" she asks of the official. "I saw that in a movie once. I don't see how that can possibly be sanctioned." The man gives the girl a sort of vague shrug, assures her that it's all perfectly within regulations, then wanders off before she can ask any other pesky questions.
"Hey," asks one of the men servicing the carts for the fight. "Are there supposed to be this many pieces left over?" Hotaru twitches silently, turning away from the preparations with a forced smile. This is... going to be an interesting fight indeed.
His last Saturday Night Fight appearance was in an African minefield against someone who could probably have killed him had he been of the mind, so in contrast to Hotaru's unease her YFCC coworker is actually in a reasonably good mood. Much like the fight's intent in terms of movie promotion, his vision of mine carts are the Temple of Doom cart escape, or the trip down into Gringott's from the Harry Potter movies... high-speed rollercoaster rides. Those can be terribly fun! The addition of actual fighting makes him unsure, but he's relatively confident that he can handle it.
Also as with Hotaru, Frei has a history of showing to venues early, though not quite as early as she does in this case, perhaps due to his slightly more relaxed state. Trundling along in a meandering path with his arms folded behind his bath, he makes himself a total nuisance to the prep crew, peeking over their shoulders and asking about details. Eventually he wears out his welcome and heads along to the fight official to make his presence known, just after Hotaru has stepped away from him. The two exchange a few words and then Frei waves his goodbye, walking over to say hello to his fellow Glory Hound.
"Been a long time since we've done this," he says guardedly, before adding, "SNF, I mean. Actually, this will be my first fight with all three of you in quite some time." He glances off to the side, looking for signs of Mizuki or Mignon, not sure he'll recognize the American witch outside of her turkey costume at first.
Not seeing them immediately, he also turns back to Hotaru and says, in a cospiratory tone, "Also if there's a Balrog down there, you guys are on your own. Just sayin'."
A ride a ride they're going for a RIDE! Mignon is like just SOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY and PUMPED because they're going to go for a ride! It might be like a carnival and everything like that and Mignon just like CAN'T WAIT!
And of course, eventually, the day came around that Mignon would participate in such an event.. and eventually BAM. TODAY'S THE DAY. SUDDENLY. Something black, white, and pink all over.. and red a bit too, comes barreling down the path-way into the mines, down the mineshaft, out of the light .. or just over to the minecarts if they're outside!
"DON'T START THE RIDE! DON'T START THE RIDE!" Mignon exclaims, as she runs over to both Frei and Hotaru. "Is this is? Mignon isn't sure she'd make it in time because she had to do chores before coming here! .. Of course Mignon didn't really have chores .. she just put off things like going shopping too late and everything was going to close and MIGNON REALLY was hungry so she stopped for a bite to eat and now Mignon is A-OK for this so Mignon's all ready and LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mignon explains as she just barrels past the two and flips into one of the mine carts.. which is still braked, thank god.
"VROOOOOOOOOOOOO-Huh? .. Mignon's not sure why she's not moving but Mignon really though that'd start the ride.. AH! IS THE RIDE BROKEN!? Mignon's .. Mignon's not going to be able to ride in a broken ride!"
One of the guys just manages to stare at Mignon. Perhaps this is the face of the future.
Because then they're dead.
"OH! HI YOU TWO! Mignon's happy to see everyone and is going to enjoy this so Mignon hopes you do too!"
... interesting? That's one word for it. Mizuki is... well, like Hotaru, she's a little less than thrilled to be doing this. Particularly in this sort of condition, with the carts apparently a little unsturdy and... lava? What? Mizuki has decided NOT to wear her usual fight getup, considering the unwieldiness of it in an enclosed environment, opting for a rather plain t-shirt and jeans getup. With boots.
"Uh... this -is- going to be safe, isn't it?" she asks, of an SNF official, as she walks up. Surely they wouldn't let anything other than a fellow fighter threaten life and limb, right?
Right? "Frei-san, Hotaru-san... it's been a while," she says. And it has--but the Glory Hounds don't generally get together all that much, what with everyone being busy.
And murderous intent and murderously-intent brothers and the like. That kind of thing. Plus, Tran is antisocial and Jiro is Jiro. That's just how things are.
"Guess, no matter what, we should just try to have fun, right?" ... Whoop. There's Mignon. Mizuki smiles. "Guess she's going to be having fun, too..."
Frei draws near, engaging in conversation with Hotaru, drawing her attention toward him. "Yeah," she responds, her smile relaxing some, becoming less forced now that she has the chance to see the face of a friend at the site. She thinks back briefly to the last time she can think of herself, Mizuki, and Frei at the same place in a fighting venue, and then immediately shuts the thought out, as bumper car madness comes to mind with a whole lot of unpleasant baggage associated with it.
His last comment provokes a laugh from the girl, picking up on the movie reference easily enough. "Oh, come now, the four of us should be able to handle some little Balrog. Just don't stand near any deep pits." Turning around, her attention is drawn toward the human bullet speeding toward the front cart and leaping into it. That... that must be Mignon. She knows this because she calls herself Mignon time and time again as she speaks, her voice rapid, her tone high pitched, the girl the very picture of exciteability.
Eyes widen a little bit as she glances back toward Frei with a nod cast toward the pink-haired girl. "Well, now we just need..." Her voice trails off as Mizuki draws near, completing the quartet of fighters, "Mizuki-san!" Hotaru brightens at the sight of the redheaded miko. "Good thinking on the clothes," she laughs, realizing why her friend would have chosen for something a bit less likely to get caught up in all the whirling mechanics of the fight.
"Yeah. Be careful too," Hotaru responds to Mizuki's encouragement that everyone just have fun. It'll be nice having the other girl fight at her side this time. They've been pit against each other so often that a chance to have her talents on her side is a welcome relief. Walking over to the carts, Hotaru places one hand on the edge of a cart on the track next to Mignon's. Deftly skipping up into it with a hop over the edge, she stands up straight, hands out at her sides for balance. "They make it look easy in the movies. It can't be that bad. Besides, once the carts are moving at a steady speed, it won't feel any different to us... Unless you fall off. Don't do that."
Hotaru's confidence in the ability of these four fighters to take down on little Balrog does indeed make Frei laugh, grinning when he realizes that she did indeed get the reference he was aiming for. "I dunno, I think if you go down with it into the pit you show up one movie later twice as powerful. Faster than training..." He pauses, looking down at his hunter green shirt and jeans, before admitting with a sheepish smile, "I don't think white is my color."
Of course, as the conversation develops the others make their entrance... one slightly more subdued than the other. In surprise Frei actually recoils a step or two from the mine cart that Mignon has hurled herself into, but his fears about not being able to recognize her without the costume are more or less groundless; Mignon is Mignon no matter what she's wearing, this much is incredibly evident. Rubbing the back of his head with one hand in mild embarassment, the monk waves to his teammate. "Hello again, Miss Beart... this time we're on the same side, looks like." By the time he's said his hellos to Mignon, Hotaru's greeted Mizuki and said almost anything that was also on his mind; thus the water-using fighter gets a wave and a smile but not much in the way of scintillating dinner conversation.
As with Hotaru, Frei glances at the mine cart Mignon's in, then another on the same track right behind her, which he carefully climbs into. Standing up in it, there's a few wooden *thunk!* noises as he tests the floor with taps of his sneakered feet, then nods. "Not falling off sounds like a good idea..." he murmurs, trying to think of how his primarily grappling-based style is going to work without accidentally hurling someone to their death.
Well, be fair. Balrog is scary but he's just one ma--oh, wait. Wrong Balrog. "I... don't think those actually exist, Frei-san." She could be wrong, though. After all, demons do exist, look at Gouki. Rugal. Kain. Ayame. "Ah, thanks, Hotaru-san! I figured... my usual outfti might cause me some problems. I don't really want to go falling to my death for the sake of family pride, you know? I'd rather live for it." Mignon sure is.. uh... -perky-. Which is fine with Mizuki; brings a smile to her face. Rather nice to meet someone who isn't all grim and gritty. Then again, Hotaru isn't either. Usually.
Or Frei. But people change, that's life. Mizuki herself has changed, in ways subtle and not. "Guess we're up against each other, Frei-san," she says, then heads over to the cart next to the one Hotaru is in; placing her left hand on the edge, she hops up into it--and wobbles a touch when she lands.
"Whoa. Yeah, better be careful. Hey! Official! Uh, you guys have a net in case we fall off?!?" It would be prudent to know!
"... I guess tossing someone over the side is probably verboten in this kind of match, huh?" she asks, in general. Hopefully this will work out somehow. It'll be acrobatic, anyways!
Jumping up and down in the cart, Mignon's little baubles on her arms and legs are going PIKU PIKU PIKU and flashing bright pink over and over. Perhaps someone didn't dress exactly well either, because Mignon is currently dressed as .. dun dun dun .. A LADY BUG. No, really. Her clothing is red with green spots all over, and she ACTUALLY HAS those two antennae sticking out of her head, bobbing about. Meanwhile, she has the coat of a lady-bug too.
What a lady bug has to do with a cave is anyone's business.
"Huh? OH YEAH! Mignon is going to have lots of fun because Mignon is going to REAAAAAAAAALLY enjoy this! Mignon just loves these wierdo things.. last time Mignon got to fight with her sissy against an eeeeeevil ninja on a flying gun thing and then Mignon doesn't remember when Mignon got hit with a huge stick and then she blacked out! Mignon thinks she won at least OH OH and Mignon faught a VAMPIRE just a few days ago but she was naaaasty and was all shadowy OOOOH do you think there will be vampires here!?" Mignon bounces up and down, hands on the edge, clamped with excitement.
"Oh! HI! Mignon remembers the hunter alright, Hi Mr Hunter! Are we going for wild cave game!?" She asks, all PEPPED UP and ready to go!
But they ain't goin'. "Mignon's happy to meet you again! And you!" She points to Hotaru. "And YOU!" She points to Mizuki.
And then she ducks under the side of the cart, head popping up in a bun and antennae sticking over. "Mignon the speed witch is ready to BLAST OFF!" And she extends her arms outside of the cart, trying to swim the cart forwards. "Broom brooom! Go cart go!"
"Yeah, leave that to me," Hotaru replies to Frei with regards to showing up decked out in white attire. She grins, turning to listen to Mizuki speak up, opening her mouth to respond only to fall quiet as Mignon pipes up. She is, Hotaru has already decided, the MOST exciteable young fighter she's ever seen. It seems Hurricane Hime may have met her /match/. The girl just falls quiet in the end. It's nice having Frei and Mizuki present. It feels like a little bit of a reunion. Except for the menacing death awaiting them in the dark tunnels beneath them.
Taking a deep breath, the girl takes hold of the edge of the mine cart. The officials are ready to get the match underway, and it shows as they eagerly remove the brakes and blocks from the wheels of each of the train of carts. A hefty shove to the back one on each track gets everything in motion, sending the four fighters on down into the tunnels below!
"Well, too late for any second thoughts. Stay quick everyone," the pig-tailed fighter grins, hands clamped against the side, her hair trailing out behind her as they pick up speed. Getting a sense for how fast they're going to be moving, at least for now, the girl looks ahead, watching for any sign of obstacles that would be problematic to leap into. With the coast clear for a little ways, she takes her opportunity to leap into action, springing for Frei's cart.
Though she's not just trying to become his cart partner, as she's coming in foot first, attempting to strike him once on the way in as well!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Frei has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Frei
COMBATSYS: Frei endures Hotaru's Light Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Frei
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Mizuki 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Frei
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Mignon has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Mizuki 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Frei
"I'd like to think they wouldn't put us in any situation TOO lethal," Frei says to Mizuki as an aside, leaning forward on the edge of his cart. Then his brain flickers back to being hit with a mine a few weeks ago, which... stung, but ultimately didn't really do any LASTING damage. Mike Bison was the more pressing threat. But... the SNF people didn't seem too concerned about his well-being after, either. Smiling with a sudden sheepish expression, he reaches up and scratches the side of his head, not *quite* looking Mizuki in the face as he continues. "Of course they might be relying on us fighters being, you know, naturally resilient..." Or they might not care, Frei, let's be honest.
Mignon's vivacity is certainly catching, and the monk turns to grin at her. "Well, I dunno about hunting. I'd like to think there's nothing crazy living in the mines we have to worry about..." He pauses, glancing in the somewhat darkened recesses of the mine cave from here, and then blinks a few times, furrowing his brow. Bats... rats! Other random things like trolls and Vile Priestess Hexx that probably have spawn rates through the roof. Grimacing, he mentions vaguely as the brakes cut loose and the carts start to roll, "I felt okay about this fight before I talked to you people!"
And then we're off, and Frei is forced to stand up and prepare himself, turning to watch Hotaru and Mizuki carefully. He's not sure which of the two will come at him, long red bangs flying along in the breeze from the moving mine cart... and then Hotaru makes her move and he nods, planting his foot. "Prepare to repel boarde--" He ALMOST gets the whole thing out, right to the point where Hotaru's foot slams into his face. However, he's quick-thinking enough that suddenly his hands SHOOT up, without the typical delay being kicked in the face might engender, and crackle with purple electricity as he tries to make Hotaru's wish to join him in the cart a reality in a slightly more aggressive fashion: he tries to grab her kicking leg with both hands and slam her into the bottom of the cart.
"Huh? Oh so we're alone in a really dark place in which there could be very bad things but we don't know?" Mignon asks, peeking her head up. "HOORAY! What are you talking about we're about to have FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!" She cries, as they go down hill, starting to speed up. "WHEEEEEEEE~! WWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Mignon really likes this it's just so fun!" And she clings onto the edge. "Speed racer Mignon .. is in front! But what's this!?" Mignon continues.
"There's a Miko closing in .. and she's getting .. oh no! She's stuck right there.. Racer M really needs to make a split decision .. she'll need to separate the carts!" And so that's when, unlike the others, Mignon COMPLETELY IGNORES SAFETY. Suddenly the lady-bug dressed girl is standing on the edges of her cart as it begins to speed up. "Oh .. she's climbed out of her car! Mignon's on the roof.. AND SHE'S JUMPING TO THE OTHER CAR!"
And Mignon .. does. Leaping off the edge, Mignon kicks off the ground, leaping towards Mizuki's mine-cart, coming down spinning towards Mizuki, and she comes down FAST!
"Diddly-dee! Hee hee!"
Perhaps she's enjoying this too much, even as the stale air tugs at her hair at such speeds
Mignon is also spinning with her legs and arms.. but mostly legs. Clarification may have been needed!
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Mignon's Defoliation.
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Mizuki 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Frei
... whoa. Okay, she thought this was going to be acrobatic. She didn't realize it was meant -literally-. Her first instinct is to get out of the way--but there ain't much room in this minecart! Thus, instead, Mizuki throws her arms upwards. The impact is a bit sparkly, with pain, but not too bad. That done, she immediately grabs for Mignon. But it isn't an attack! It's just to make sure Mignon gets into the cart safely. After all, this is SNF, not a fight to the death, and the miko doesn't want anyone falling to their doom.
"Careful there!" she cries, with a smile--even as she shifts her grip, attempting -now- to attack--in close quarters, the attack has to be modified, but essentially, Mizuki is going to try and force Mignon to the floor of the cart, hard. And once there, she'd deliver a sharp chop to the girl's stomach, before rising--carefully, perhaps a bit lower than usual.
'Safe' or not, Mizuki isn't about to take any chances. She's seen the Indy movies, she's seen The Rock. Falling out of a moving minecart sounds about as fun as taking on Kataki, again.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Frei's Medium Throw.
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Mizuki 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Frei
Fortunately for Frei, Hotaru doesn't fight in boots, and her shoes are fairly soft clad as well, mitigating some of the misery of a kick to the face. But not all of it, of course! In the instant her foot connects, she's already transitioning into a landing, one hand planting against the edge of the cart, using that as leverage to twist herself into the death bucket deftly.
Only then processing his comment about being okay about the fight before the fretting, the girl laughs, "You're right, this /can/ be fun. Definitely not dull at least." Her twisting into the cart puts her just outside of Frei's grasp, the purple energy falling just shy of reaching her as she leans back a little further. "I was stuck to a ceiling two weeks ago. I'm not sure which one is going to prove the trickier to adjust for." With such a traditionalist approach to martial arts as hers, changing direction for these nutty venues is quite the task for the girl.
She does have some ideas, however, and the next attack reflects that as she crouches for an instant and leaps forward, seemingly on a daredevil suicidal leap out of the car all together...
The intent becomes clear as she springs off a low hanging boulder and redirects her self directly back at Frei from a sharp angle nearly straight above him. Dropping knee first, the kicking Kenpo artist attempts to catch him in the shoulder, follow up with a swing from her left foot, then spring off Frei to leap right back across to the train of carts she started this maniacal battle in.
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Hotaru's Medium Kick.
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Mizuki 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Frei
Apparently when he's not walking face-first (literally) into being hit, Frei is capable of some impressive defensive maneuvers. He grimaces when Hotaru eludes his grasp -- a far too familiar feeling from their previous fights -- he watches as Hotaru springs out of the cart, not turning *entirely* away but tracking her with his eyes and turning his head. "Maybe for acrobats like you," he says with a faint smile. When it becomes clear that Hotaru is coming right back at him, he takes a second to process her angle of attack, and when the shoulder-height strike comes in he pivots, ducking under it. The followup strike does hit him, but in the shoulder and with much better preparation; he can't avoid giving Hotaru a springin-off point, but at least he's not hit quite as hard as he might have been.
Of course, he can't just let her get away without doing *something*, and even as Hotaru is jumping away from him, he pushes off the cart and leaps *after* her. "I won't ask about the ceiling," he says, flying through the air.
Now the tables are turned; as Hotaru lands, she has to contend with Frei dropping down at her in a an angled, diving kick... but there's the slightly tricker fact that, erupting from *inside the cart*, is a 'clone' of Frei made entirely of scarlet flame that's doing the exact opposite. It might not be easy to defend against both attacks at the same time... something Frei is counting on.
COMBATSYS: Mignon endures Mizuki's Hyouryuu no Koki.
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Mizuki 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Frei
What happens? Oh yes.. As Mizuki ends up allowing Mignon into the cart, Mignon is grabbed for.. and .. what? She's pulled into it! "Huh?" Mignon asks, but understands. "OH! Oh that's okay! Mignon TOTALLY knows what she's doing .. so don't you worry about Mignon miss.. uh .. Mizuki! Because Mignon's a witch and she's really good with this danger stuff!" She at least .. oookay doesn't seem to pay attention to what she's doing at all.
As Mizuki aims to push Mignon to the ground and then chop her..
It might be hard to understand exactly why Mignon does what she does.
Mignon .. takes it. Yes. Mignon allows herself to be thrown to the ground, body curling up in an odd way... the chop comes next, as well.
But the response.. is different.
"Ow ow owie... that hurt.... but Mignon's gotcha!" She chimes in, before her bent legs and body rockets upwards, attempting to simply crash her baubles straight into Mizuki as she erupts out of the cart..
And towards Frei's and Hotaru's.
"GAANGWAAAAY!
COMBATSYS: Mignon successfully hits Mizuki with Strong Punch.
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Mizuki 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Frei
"NNFH!" Mizuki gets upperbaubled as Mignon goes flying upwards and tries to leap out of the cart. That was unpleasant! But at least she didn't bite her cheek or her tongue; she'll bruise, but a bruise is nothin' in the larger sense of things. But what -is- important is Mignon, leaping over towards Hotaru and Frei. Not if -she- can help it!
"Hold it right there missy!" she shouts, through a jaw just starting to color, and she snatches outwards with a hand, trying to grab Mignon by the ankle before she can leap away. If she gets that, she'll pull Mignon back down and onto the floor of the cart. If not? Well, she'll be grabbing air, and leaping after Mignon shortly thereafter.
But she'd rather Hotaru -not- be doubleteamed up on. It isn't pleasant! And besides, it would make the miko lonely. You don't want her to be lonely do you?
Given the nature of the fight, Mizuki becomes ever more happy that she chose a more casual outfit for the fight; she's sure her sleeves or her pantlegs on her other outfit would've been a liability to say the least.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Frei's Kagerou.
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Mizuki 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Frei
"You know me," Hotaru remarks as she springs away, finding Frei's defenses solid against her acrobatic kick. "I don't like to stand still much." Taking to the air to try and make it to the other cart, she finds herself pursued by the monk who opts to come after her. Touching down in the other cart, the window of opportunity in which to make her defense is preciously limited, but she does what she can!
Her right arm raises, crossing over in front of her, catching the brunt of his incoming kick along the forearm, sparing her the worst of it. Her left hand slams out, a small spark of chi along her finger tips as she guards against the second copy attempting to kick her the other direction, testing her aura against the flames of Frei's tricky clone. Given some of the fire weilder's she's fought as of late, she's able to fend it off the worst of it.
"That's a new one, isn't it," she states, her blue eyes seeking to focus on Frei a moment, a glimmer of amusement in her expression.
Her defense leaves them sharing the cart now, but the Kenpo artist is inclined to make it harder to close distance with her if she can, opting to step forward, hands reaching out for Frei, as she begins to step into one of her more well known attacks. Should she get through his guard, she'll simply step right up the front of him and flip from off his shoulders, taking herself to the back of that particular cart train, bringing her right near Mizuki and... /potentially/ Mignon as well!
COMBATSYS: Frei fails to interrupt Shin-Jou Tai from Hotaru with Light Kick.
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Mizuki 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Frei
He probably should have capitalized on his defensive momentum and tried to deflect the worst of Hotaru's attack. Sadly, Frei decides to get cute instead and, as she covers the brief distance between them he doesn't respond to the statement immediately, looking to try to stay as still as he can to keep Hotaru's attention off his right leg as he tries to sweep it up into her shoulder as she charges him. Sadly it doesn't work, perhaps because he was trying to be too stealthy about it, and Frei stumbles backwards into the edge of the mine cart as his opponent bounces off of him.
Slumping forward a bit, he stands up in the cart, now alone, and collects himself. "It is," he admits, "not that it looks like it did me much good, heh." There's a pause, and he takes a few deep breaths, getting into 'stance' (a very loose one in Frei's case) and watching the movements not only of Hotaru, but Mizuki and Mignon as well. "Recent events gave me an impetus to... rethink some things," he adds cryptically, presuming that Hotaru will know what he means.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mignon with Quick Throw.
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Mizuki 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Frei
As Mignon tries to leap over, Miuzki's hand snatches out intent on grasping Mignon's ankle and shoving her to the terrible horrible very bad floor. Mignon is supposed to be free! Supposed to be .. FREEEE! SO Mignon totally just LEAPS and keeps going, hands extending outwards to grab the cart. "Mignon's.. almost got it...." YOINK.
Mignon's tossed back to the ground, and thunk.
Mignon totally did NOT want to go after Hotaru.. there's just so much FUN to be had!
And now she's stuck in this cart. "Gaah.. Mignon wants to ride the OTHER cart with the other people but it looks like Mignon'll have to make you understand the hard way!" She cries, as she begins to spin around. 'Woop-de-doop!" She cries. "MIGNON'S SPINNNIIIIING!"
And spin she does, baubles attempting to slam into Mizuki as she spins in the cart.
Looks like if she can't get OUT of the cart.. she tries to force Mizuki out instead!
COMBATSYS: Mizuki endures Mignon's One Revolution.
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Mignon
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Frei
Perhaps Mignon -will- in fact kick Mizuki out of the cart--but how horrible of her to try! Mizuki isn't ready to go just yet, though; when Mignon starts that spin, the miko lunges forward. She still takes the spinning kick, right in the side... but she's ready for it, and she doesn't let it make her stumble. She braces herself with her left leg, pushing against Mignon's rotation--the girl's babbling doesn't really bother Mizuki, but she's not really inclined to reply in turn. Fighting takes up too much of her concentration for conversation.
Being so close, Mizuki tries something simple--a shoulder slam to throw Mignon against the wall of the cart, followed by a twin-palm strike, vertical, one right at Mignon's sternum, the other right at her bellybutton.
And she finds the time to say at least a -little- something to Mignon. "What, don't you want to play with me?" she asks, a little tersely--only because she's concentrating! This is quite a different kind of fight for her.
"Sometimes making rethinking old habits requires some time to adjust," the girl calls over her shoulder as she comes down into a landing a little ways off, slipping into a cart and ducking down low as it careens under a low hanging landing that looked just a bit too close to call in her mind. Standing up straight, she whirls back around to face the monk, giving him a steady look for a moment.
There's a lot she'd like to say to him, but barreling down a mine shaft in twin train mine carts is really a rough time to carry on a conversation of any weighty magnitude. Thus he's stuck just getting a strange look, her mouth opening as if to say something before clamping shut again, the girl shaking her head in the end. A glance is cast the miko's way, "You hanging in there all right, Mizuki-san?"
She vaults over the carts, advancing back on Frei quickly, exhaling as she grouses at the extra effort required /just to get around/ in a match like this. Tensing up one car away, Hotaru takes to the air again, leaping over a low beam that sweeps over the track and diving right back down, swinging out with her hand in an attempted palm strike toward his shoulder. If she manages to land cleanly, she continues into a second strike from her other hand at chest level, pushing him against the back of the cart, but not really aiming high enough to result in something that would flip him over the back of it. It's all an attempt to buy herself some minimal moving space within the rickety cart to deal with however he attacks back!
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Hotaru's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Mizuki 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Frei
Hotaru's statement gets a quizzical expression from the monk, who tilts his head to the side; it's obvious he's not entirely sure what she was referring to, but he doesn't seem bothered by that fact. Apparently, like the mine carts they're riding in, Frei and Hotaru's words are sailing past each other at a reasonably good clip. However, there are some comments that work in any situation, and his even-headed response covers what he feels is the tenor of the conversation: "Life is a long series of adjustments, really."
But there is a certain degree of chagrin on his face as Hotaru leaps at him again with a pair of quick strikes and the monk is forced onto the defensive; at least it's a position where he's comfortable and familiar. The shoulder palm strike is met with Frei's own outstretched hand, and the chest strike is deflected in a similar manner. Breathing out, he fixes his green-eyed gaze on Hotaru carefully. It's actually a surprisingly serious expression for him, and perhaps an unpleasant flashback to their fight on the bumper cars that Futaba tried to put out of her mind. He doesn't say anything, not just yet, but appears to be taking things very seriously... atypically seriously.
And then he flips backwards out of the cart.
Frei's not an acrobat like Hotaru, or even on the same level as Mizuki and Mignon, but he didn't get to be an experienced fighter by not knowing some tricks. What he *is* doing is holding on to the back of the cart, digging both feet into the axle and grimacing a bit at the feeling of the rapid rotation unpleasantly and painfully boring into the soles of his feet. But it hopefully gives him a chance to exercise some talents he *does* have... and Hotaru might notice a slight chill in the air as the only precursor to the inside of the cart she just leapt into suddenly exploding in a burst of frost. It's weird positioning for Frei, but it might have some advantages if he can make it stick long enough...
COMBATSYS: Mignon dodges Mizuki's Strong Punch.
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Mizuki 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Frei
As Mizuki lungs into the spin.. and takes it head on.. Mignon's not sure WHY anyone would do that! It's downright ponderous.. if Mignon could THINK about such. Mignon just accepts it. "WEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~!" Mignon exclaims, before she's rushes towards.. but Mignon's spinning, and all dizzy.. and this makes her an easier target.
Generally.
This time, she kicks off the ground, onto the edge of the cart, and looks at Mizuki as she hits the side. "Mignon doesn't play! Mignon just enjoys herself! SO maybe Mignon does play but HEY Mignon isn't a little girl bu-AHH!" And Mignon kicks off the cart, leaping backwards, flipping, as she lands on the other edge.. because a chunk of rock passes through where Mignon JUST was.
And now Mignon's elsewhere! "Phew!" And suddenly ice. "AAAAAAAAAAH COLD COLD COLD! FIRE!"
A GUNSHOT.. and Mignon fires a burning sphere of energy towards Mizuki .. to not only stop the ice.. but also melt some of Frei's .. because look it's cold okay!
COMBATSYS: Mignon successfully hits Mizuki with Fire Ball.
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Mizuki 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Frei
The burning sphere of Mignon's fire is, really, quite powerful; it's enough to slam Mizuki against the back of her cart. "AAAAH!" she cries, twisting around to get the burning to stop. That was... well, it was painful. Of course it was. Mizuki... sighs, under her breath; clearly, she just hasn't been fighting enough. Her skills are out of whack. "Sorry, Hotaru-san," gasps the redheaded miko, as she pushes herself to her feet, "I just... need a moment..." A moment, and some energy; rather than her usual 'rain' of healing energy, a blue-green glow just suffuses Mizuki's body for a moment. It isn't much, really; she isn't pulling the trigger on the really strong heal yet. It's just a little something to help her stay in the fight a little longer.
Of course, if Mignon tags her like that again, it will be for naught... but Mizuki is going to trust in herself to have the proper instincts and know when to do what's right. She can do it, occasionally.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Frei's Hatsuyuki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Mizuki 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Frei
He almost catches her with it. As he deflects her two quicker strikes, the girl doesn't quite secure the floor space she was hoping for... only to find Frei surrendering it willingly! She wouldn't have thought to do what he just did. No way. The rapidly spinning wheels and other mechanical parts beneath the carts fill her with enough trepidation as is, without her slamming her feet down on them. "F-Frei?" she stammers at first, not really sure how she lost track of him until she puts it together.
But why would he be on the outside of the cart? What's to be gleaned from that? It would only make sense, Hotaru thinks quickly, if the interior of the cart was about to be a bad place to stand. She crouches, legs tensing, and then springs just as the entirety of it fills with a surge of frozen energy. Close call, she tells herself, dropping back down into a cart closer to Mizuki and Mignon have been battling.
Sensing her partner's distress, Hotaru shifts her focus to the persisistant and quite energetic pink haired girl. She has Mizuki falling back on the defensive, which means Hotaru should probably back the red-head up. Shifting from cart to cart, vaulting over each of their edges into the next one, the girl drops in close to Mignon, landing low before springing forward, unloading a powerful palm strike with her right hand, only to have her left come trailing in a second later to deliver a second stunning blow.
Part of her doesn't quite like shifting to the happy hyper younger teen, but it's all part of the madness that is a team battle. She has to back her partner up when the need arises!
That's... a little surprising. But it is a matter of Frei playing to his strengths; he might not be as acrobatic as the women in this fight, but he does know himself to be fairly physically resilient... perhaps not a great deal more than they, for all three are fighters, but enough to be able to do what he's doing without too much fear. But holding on forever isn't going to happen and his opponent just wandered off to give his teammate whatfor. Frowning, the monk tries to determine the best plan of action and glances down the tracks, the two parallel paths with the smooth earthen path of the cave in between them.
His eyes widen.
Grimacing, he suddenly and without warning braces himself, then slams his palm into the ground, leaning over and hoping he can hold on with one hand long enough to do what he's trying to do. Against all logic, it actually works: a pulse of earth chi fires forward from his hand through the ground, much like he tried against Bison to detonate the mine... but instead this causes bursts of uneven earth to spring up in an erratic line, following the tracks in the direction the carts are moving.
"Can't fly like they can, but..." Heaving himself upward, Frei shoves himself off the cart with a grunt of pain and leaps directly *at* one of the pieces of rock he just 'created'. True, he can't fly as far, and if he were moving slowly these wouldn't make goot footholds, but they're someplace he can put his weight just long enough to jump from a second time, which is exactly what he does. Rather than sail from cart to cart, he traverses the shorter distance of hopping from stalagmite to stalagmite until he catches up with Mizuki's cart. If Hotaru wants to tangle with Mignon for a bit, that's fine with him.
"Looks like we're switching dance partners!" he calls out to the miko, before leaping from the last foothold to her cart, looking to catch her in the shoulder with his hand as he drops toward her, then slam her into the cart floor much as he did earlier with Hotaru, an aura of crimson flame around his arm adding extra punch.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Mignon with Fierce Punch.
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Mizuki 1/------=/=======|=======\======-\1 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Frei
Wow look at that! Wait. BOOMPH! That's some strike, oh yes, and Mignon's looking on as Mizuki staggers backwards and .. wait. Peering over, Mignon couldn't help but think .. is that REALLLLLY what she thinks it is? OH IT IS! IT IS! Mignon gasps a bit, "You can heal too? Mignon thinks that's pretty cool! But Mignon's not sure if that's good or not. Because now Mignon has to keep hitting you so Mignon guesses..." >.> <.<...
"That you're too tired to keep fighting!" So Mignon decides this is a brilliant plan to pay her goodbyes to Mizuki and to go for .. HOTARU.
Wait Hotaru's already striking her with a palm strike. And then another.
Mignon crashes to the bottom of the cart and twitches. She really doesn't get up at all! Just .. just staying there, all hurt and pained.. "Oww.....Owie owe .. that hurrrrrt..." She cries, rubbing her head.
But of course, she's looking up. At Hotaru.
"CATCH!"
And suddenly a chunk of rock erupts towards Hotaru, on fire. Yet.. this will only cause the ceiling to erupt and bury Mignon.. this is an unfortunate thing, but it is Mignon's future.. what cannot be changed!
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Mizu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Frei
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Frei's Charged Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Frei
Wha? You'll have to speak up, Frei; Mizuki can't hear you right now. Well, that's not true, but she's concentrating. The rush of the wind, the speed of the carts... makes it hard for her to concentrate fully; the minecart jolts and takes her out of her healing trance sooner than she expected. That, however, may not be a bad thing; it brings her back to awareness just in time for her to see Frei pull off that rather amazing stunt with the earth chi; her eyes widen as he pulls that off.
"Whoa..." she says, to herself, and then, "WHOA!" as Frei comes plummeting in; with little room to move, Mizuki basically just -leans back-, bending herself backwards over the rear edge of the cart, gripping the sides so she doesn't tip off. Frei's landing jolts the cart again and she smiles.
"Not my favored partner for this!" she remarks--only because she knows that Frei's strengths play into her weaknesses. But the reverse is NOT true.
But it's Frei. He won't try to kill her... too badly. She thinks. With all the jouncing and jolting, though, she can only attempt a simple manuever--a spinning, upwards chop that sees her twisting to her right and sending her left hand out for Frei's chin.
"I've been meaning to talk to you again, Frei-san," remarks Mizuki, over the roaring sound of the trains--that is, with raised voice--"but I don't think this is the proper venue!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Mignon's Meteo-Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Frei
Her two swift, but punishing palm strikes delivered, Hotaru draws back, not intending to kick Mignon while she's down. If she needs a second to get back up, the girl'll give her that. And if she's not getting up again, no sense in attacking again. Her hesitation actually works to her benefit, giving her time to sense the incoming punishment before it gets to her.
A boulder of fire, conjured purely from chi, hurtles toward the girl. Strangely fitting for a mine tunnel, the girl muses. Now all it needs to do is chase her down the tunnel, tumbling and crushing everything in its way as she scrambles to stay one second ahead of it all the way to the last ditch leap to safety in the end. Or, she can just brace for the worst and weather it out. She opts for that, drawing her arms up, drawing upon her own aura to contend against the energy strike.
It pays off, the boulder crashing against her arms and driving her back, smashing her guard open but not before it has done its worst as well. Shaking her battered limbs, the girl whews, looking at Mignon with a newfound regard. She can really pelt out some powerful attacks. "You're pretty good with that stuff," she observes, glancing back to check on Mizuki. It seems that she did succeed in drawing Mignon off the girl, but Frei has taken the opportunity to get reaquainted with the red head.
She springs out of the mine cart, avoiding any further catastrophe meant for its occupants, slipping from cart to cart back toward Mizuki and Frei. "Good work, Mizuki-san!" she calls out, encouraging her partner to hang in there. Of course, she doesn't know that the other girl didn't get to complete her self mending techniques... they all look the same to her!
As she completes the final hop necessary to catch up with Frei, the girl strikes out, foot first, attempting to knock aside retaliation before she goes on to land, swinging her arms in windmilling palm presses meant to batter his defenses.... It's all leading up to the final hit, a powerful, one armed palm press, into which she pours everything she has. Or, as best as she can manage in the confines of the cart. "YAA!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Frei with Soushou Shin.
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Mizuki 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\=====--\1 Frei
COMBATSYS: Frei interrupts Strong Punch from Mizuki with Ashura Ressenjin.
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Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Frei
"There usually isn't one," Frei says carefully to Mizuki's statement. He doesn't 100% turn to face Hotaru when he hears her voice, and the sound of her movement, coming at him. That might not be the smartest choice, but as she has proven effectively untouchable by the monk he decides that dealing with Mizuki is probably a better priority than giving Hotaru his full attention. The best he can do is brace himself and hope that whatever it is she's about to do he can turn to his advantage, especially in this small and precarious space. Sadly, it doesn't; instead he is pummeled in the back by the series of strikes, only just barely managing not to be thrown out of the cart at all.
But, that also makes his choice of action against Mizuki clear; he doesn't try to avoid her fist, but rather suddenly lashes out at it, directly, with his own; the two punches collide, sending a jolt of pain up Frei's arm, but his fist is surrounded by a halo of purple-black chi, cold to the touch, that not only mostly deflects Mizuki's punch but for the most part gives him the opening he needs. It's hard to do in a confined space, but wordlessly he lashes out with a series of kicks and punches, each laced with that pure yin chi, before surprisingly duplicating Hotaru and throwing both hands forward, palm first, into Mizuki's stomach.
And then he slumps against the edge of the mine cart for the scant fraction of a second he can, breathing heavily.
As Hotaru draws the assault off, Mignon gets a bit of a bonus from Hotaru, as she claims she can really deal out such things.. and well, Mignon's able to emit a weak. "T-Thanks...Mignon's a w-witch you know." Before pushing upwards and .. eh.
Mignon picks herself up, watches the fighting, and then just kneels over the side of the cart, and cries out. "WEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" She looks over at the fireworks, and smiles, but has decided that perhaps instead of fighting, Mignon's going to enjoy the ride.
"Oh-KAY!" SHe cries out. "Mignon's going to totally enjoy this! Sooo.. since no one's evil, Mignon is done!" She nods, happily, before latching onto the cart. "WEEEEEEEEEEE~!"
Hey, if she keeps fighting to the end, then she'll get hurt. Or someone else will.
So Mignon will let the rest fight, and just cling to the cart happily! "Go speed Mignon go!" She cries out, all cheerful, her antennae bent and everything.
So ah well!
Poor Frei though. BUT. Mignon's never learned about 'responsibility' (what is that word) and prefers to do things that she feels at times .. aaaaand this is one of them.
COMBATSYS: Mignon takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Frei
It is... one devastating series of strikes. Mizuki is... well, she's... after all is said and done she rebounds off of the cart's back panel and collapses at Frei's feet. Shuddering, gasping in pain. Oh, it's the risk you take, when you fight someone stronger--that risk that they'll just tear into you like that, and utterly break you down. She didn't have a single chance to defend herself. But she's still... well, she's still able to fight. Shakily, she pushes herself up to her knees, then she stands.
"... ha...ha...ha... ow..." Some of her muscles are still twitching with echoes of pain; the redheaded miko forces those tremors to stop, and she gathers her own power. Perhaps her raw power and her manipulation skills aren't as good as Frei's, but hey--he's been at it logner than she has. That doesn't mean she -doesn't- command mastery of her own chi, and in the narrow confines, maybe it'll be harder for Frei to avoid this--she sweeps her hands forward, yelling wordlessly, a sharp kiai, and briefly fills the minecart with her own icy brand of chi.
She is definitely feeling it, though; extra care will be taken, after the fight, to make sure she heals properly.
Hotaru barely pauses for an instant. She delivers the strong combination - one she's practiced time and time again, refining it down to one of her faster, more punishing techniques. But with refinement comes learning how to draw back into her stance once they've been performed. She bought Mizuki some time, but in the end, she couldn't keep her from having to get pummeled by the combination Frei dishes out. Balking, the girl glances toward her friend, hoping that she's going to be able to pull through from a combo like that, before whirling around to check on Mignon, skipping over one cart to put distance between her and the monk.
Mignon is... enjoying the mine ride. Her exclamations and gleeful cheers as the carts whip around corners, cross under each others rails, and at times, seem close to tipping over, is, well, both surprising and amusing. "Are you sure, Mignon? The fight isn't over," the Kenpo artist points out, hand coming up to rest at the back of her head. This is a new one for her. She hasn't had to deal with someone deliberately stopping in the middle of a sanctioned fight. Then again, she's never fought a fourteen year old either.
Spinning back around, she sees that Mizuki is going to have Frei forced to defend himself, but for the moment, the pig-tailed fighter just holds her ground, still rubbing the back of her neck. "Strange place to fight, strange outcome, I guess is how it goes." she observes with a bit of a confused look on her face.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 1/=======/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Frei
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Mizuki's Hyouryuu no Fuki.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Frei
Mizuki's instinct is spot on in terms of her attack being hard to avoid, but Frei doesn't actually think to avoid it; as the ice suddenly fills the cart, in a reprise of his own attack against Hotaru before, he stands perfectly still and, with a deep breath, focuses. He can't do enough to completely negate the effect, of course, but he can mitigate somewhat, and indeed as the frost swirls around his body, Mizuki can likely tell that part of the attack meets resistance coming the other way, tiny bursts of red and white-blue where flame melts through some of the attack. Still, the monk doesn't escape the affair unscathed, but he has the advantage of not having to give up his close quarters position.
Eyes open, and he fixes them on Hotaru, then Mizuki, and then Hotaru again. Of course his gaze follows Hotaru's to Mignon, who is at least enjoying the ride, and for some reason an unaccustomed sharpness comes into his features. In an instant it's gone, however, replaced (somewhat appropriately enough) by a look of surprise, as if he'd heard a noise somewhere and is looking for the source, green eyes darting about a bit. Letting out a breath, he turns to the miko, his teammate, and says in a low tone, "Sorry, Mizuki."
He doesn't attack, not yet; instead he hopes the two other Glory Hounds are distracted long enough for him to jump tracks, trying to get into a mine cart on the other side. He can try to take them both on... it's going to be on his terms, though, and not theirs. Assuming a defensive stance, he takes a deep breath. Not much left in him, at this point, but he's not so weak he's going to roll over for anybody, not even Hotaru and Mizuki. "If she's having fun," Frei says patiently, "then better to leave her to it."
COMBATSYS: Frei gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Frei
As Hotaru moves over, and asks, Mignon tilts her head. "HEY! Mignon is TOTALLY DONE with the fight because Mignon said so! If Mignon was told she had to fight to the death Mignon would have not done this! Anyways Mignon felt too bad last time to enjoy it anymore so Mignon is NOT going to keep fighting. If she fights anymore you'll hit Mignon again and Mignon doesn't want that!"
She nods as she looks over to Frei and waves, like nothing at all is wrong. Oh, hi, sorry I ditched you but Mignon TOTALLY enjoys cool rides and has no interest in 'getting stronger'. "Anyways Mignon didn't really want to keep fighting anymore! Mignon already knew she lost so Mignon just wanted to stop being punched! Plus Mignon doesn't think there's any evil people here so Mignon doesn't need to try her hardest. Mignon's best attempt went KABLOOIE! So Mignon thought it was over anyways!" She cheerfully recounts her failures, and the somewhat obvious of reasons of 'not wanting to be hurt.
"AAAAAAAAAAaanyways Mignon just wanted to come here because of the ride! And Mignon REALLY likes rollercoasters WEEEEEEE! Mignon just didn't get to jump between them because she was being dragged and punched and Mignon wanted to stop that! So now she can REALLY have fun!"
Tic Tic TIc.
"ARE YOU CALLING MIGNON LAZY!?"
Mignon suddenly yells at Hotaru, of course
COMBATSYS: Mignon takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Frei
At least she has time to catch her breath now. Puff, puff, puff. "S'okay... Frei-san. This is what happens in fights..." Namely, friends beating up on each other. "It isn't like we haven't fought before... or won't ever again, right?" She pauses, glancing over at Hotaru, then over at Mignon.
"Guess things are turning out a little odd, aren't they? Ah... this would be much easier to manage without the mine carts, I think. Plus it's dark in here, I'm sure there won't be much good footage."
Okay now she's just rambling a little. "The fight goes on... I think?" She honestly looks a little confused by the whole thing. "Though I think Mignon-chan has something else in mind, it sounds like. Ah, I think I can safely say that right now, I'm not likely to be beating you. Or anyone else..." Translation: That really hurt.
"But if you and Hotaru-san would like to finish this out, then I am willing, and ready. I'd prefer it if we could fight on solid ground, though. I guess that might just be me."
COMBATSYS: Mizuki takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Frei
Hotaru turns away from Mignon to follow Frei, his patient words of advice rather sound in light of the fact that it's he that finds himself left without backup mid-fight. "Yeah," the Kenpo artist agrees with a bit of a shrug. And then Mignon answers her questions, piping up and explaining herself. She came, she saw, she tried, she got punched, and now she wants to enjoy a damn roller coaster ride if no one else minds!!
The initial reaction on Hotaru's part is sustained surprise, eyes widened slightly as she watches the pink haired girl. But her surprise fades, replaced eventually with a faint smile and bit of a grin. In her mind she remembers Kentou's first SNF, when he fled the match rather than face the frightening Blanka by himself. "Hm... No, not lazy, Mignon. You were brave for coming out to try this in the first place. Go ahead and enjoy the ride." Kids. They gotta start somewhere. Turning back around, she listens to Mizuki, shaking her head a little as the other girl takes a breather.
"All right, Frei, we might as well take this to the end, right?" He's had a moment as well, and now Hotaru decides she's going through with the match. It's the only respectful thing she can think of to do at this point. But for right now, she's not going to try jumping after him. She's had enough of that for the moment. Instead she's going to try her aim.
Drawing her right arm out to the side, she charges her forearm with a vibrant blue aura that courses over her limb. The build up gives Frei time to react, but maybe not enough time to deal with the sheer force of it when she at last unleashes her famous projectile and sends it hurtling toward him, releasing a small cry of effort in the process. "YA!"
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Hotaru's Hakki Shou EX.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Frei
The blue sphere flies across the distance between the two fighters, and impacts solidly on Frei's outstretched palm in a splash of energy. He makes it look effortless, but it's not; Mizuki might be in bad shape but Frei is possibly in even worse shape, and now that he's standing still for five seconds it shows: cuts, bruises, a little bleeding from the lip. The hiss of breath as the remainder of Hotaru's projectile flickers against his outstretched arm. But he's going to keep going, as far as he's concerned. "I guess so," he says simply to her comment. Mizuki, well... she can make decisions for herself about if she wants to proceed.
Hotaru may have had enough of jumping around, but Frei hasn't; his reaction time is slowed a bit from the pain of taking that projectile on the chin, but in spite of it being tactically inadvisable, he leaps back at Hotaru in reversal of the previous situation. The arc of the leap is low, and at the midpoint he brings his hand up, glinting with a silver-gold metallic glow... and as he nears his opponent's position he slices his hand downward right at her, a combination of a chopping knifehand and a slicing arc of metal chi that follows along with it. It might hurt Hotaru, but if she doesn't do something about it, there's also a good chance he'll cut *right through the minecart*.
As Mizuki talks about how it goes on, Mignon just stays paying attention only as they move. "ZOOOOM! Up and down.. weeehee!" She's certainly enjoying herself alright. And Hotaru tells her she's not lazy. "Huh? Why would Mignon be brave it's JUST a scary cave with darkness it's not like there's evil or anything here! Mignon doesn't understand why people are scared about these things! So Mignon's just going to enjoy herself anyways." She responds, looking over, and nooooot really paying attention to the fight going.
Unfortunately, Mignon's no kentou. She sometimes shirks what she should be doing to goof off, and goes on dangerous evil hunts.. even when told not to .. and also doesn't give two shakes about her power level or any of that nonsense. What does a witch need with more power anyways?
"Mignon just came for the ride, but Mignon only fought a little.. Mignon doesn't really understand... oh but she's done still!"
COMBATSYS: Mignon takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Frei
There is the question of whether Mizuki should use that healing talent of hers again. She certainly -could-; there's no rules against it. But... well, let's face it. Hotaru's barely been touched, and Frei's off and attacking her. A brave thing to do, in her opinion, knowing Hotaru's strength. Testing her limbs, she considers for a moment, then shakes her head. She's still recovering, and she isn't sure she can use her talents properly under these conditions. More training is in her future, for certain--more and more, ever more. But that is the life of a fighter.
If Mignon is not really inclined to fight, then Mizuki is not particularly inclined to make her--nor is she willing to dogpile on Frei just for the sake of a 'win'. That isn't her. So instead she leans back against the cart, as it speeds on.
"S-sorry, Hotaru-san. I -- I don't think it's fair for both of us to attack Frei-san... and I'm still pretty beat up..."
COMBATSYS: Mizuki takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Frei
COMBATSYS: Hotaru parries Frei's Houken!
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Frei
Lowering her hand, the risidual energy coursing along her arm lingers on, the girl deciding not to dismiss it right away. It's going to be crucial in a moment, and she doesn't have the energy to draw it back to scratch a second time. And that proves to be decidedly true as Frei comes in swinging with a brand of elemental chi she hasn't seen him use before.
The confines of the cart make traditional evasion rather difficult at the angle he's bearing down on her with what seems to be an unusually sharp attack from the unsually serious monk. That chi she has coursing along her arm comes into play at a critical last instant as the girl swings her arm up and into the attack. A clash of energies results in the intended strikes parting around her rather than slashing into the girl, leaving portions of them to slash into the edges of the cart instead of her.
Her defense rendered, the Kenpo artist springs back another cart, blue eyes studying the situation for a brief moment. She has Mignon enjoying the ride, clearly not up to the task of being a regular contender quite yet... maybe down the line. Mizuki, understandingly so, feels compelled to hang back, her scruples keeping her from double teaming Frei who's stuck having to fend for himself now. She's done well at avoiding getting struck, herself, right up to that precision defense on her part.
The girl is somber for a moment, before her shoulders come up in a bit of a shrug, "I feel like what we have here is a mismatch. I'm sorry, Frei, Mizuki. We should get together sometime. We're a team after all," she finishes, hands coming down on the edge of the cart, wind blowing her hair over to one side as she looks ahead just a little, judging her timing. "Can do some training and practice that way. This really isn't the right place or time, I don't think."
She gives the auburn haired young man one last nod of acknowledgement, flashes a fleeting smile Mizuki's way, and then simply vaults over the edge of the cart to land on the ground in a long, even stretch, letting her skid for several yards before coming to a dusty stop. Stretching her arms as she's left behind, the girl rests her hands behind her neck and slowly turns to begin the long... very long walk back out of the mine. At least she just has to follow the tracks. No getting lost on the way out!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Frei
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Mignon
> //////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Frei
As Hotaru, Frei and Mizuki talk between each other, Mignon sits back in the cart and stretches. "Mignon doesn't understand, it's like you all think that Mignon has to fight because she's here! Mignon keeps hearing how it's odd.. but Mignon doesn't understand why it's odd to stop when you feel hurt.. Mignon does it all the time!" Her brain was hurt so her homework, while it is being done, generally is second to ICEE CREEEEAM and things like that.
Mignon's well.. just going to enjoy the rest of the mine ride as she planned!
What's a contender anyways? "Weeeeeeee!"
COMBATSYS: Mignon has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0 Frei
There's a blink of surprise from Frei at the defense, partly from having that strike entirely deflected, and partly because he hadn't seen Hotaru use 'pure chi' defenses all that often, with the exception of her reflective kick. It's impressive, and it also gives him a place to land rather than a shredded mine cart, so in retrospect he'll find it a fortuitous event even if it wasn't in his advantage in the fight. A little overbalanced from the attack itself, though, he slams into the cart next to Hotaru in an unsteady crouch.
He's just getting to his feet as Hotaru delivers her opinion on the situation, and for a moment his face is inscrutable. She's not saying words he hasn't thought this fight, after all, and words that Mizuki outright said: there are things he needs to say that probably shouldn't be said here, not the least of which is the sudden surge of competitive feeling that's been driving him this entire fight, despite the strange terrain and the sudden stop of Mignon's participation. Thankfully, he's a practical sort at heart, and sees the wisdom of what she's saying, only giving a slow nod for the time being.
When Hotaru jumps out of the cart, though, he simply slumps down into it, too injured and exhausted to try anything. The end of the ride must be safe, after all, and so he'll sit and enjoy it for a while... or at least 'enjoy' not having to be standing upright for a bit. Echoing around his head, Hotaru's words play backwards and forwards in the monk's conscious. He holds out one hand, looking at the back of it with fingers splayed for a moment, before saying in a low tone, "...'mismatch', huh..."
Then he leans his head back on the cart's battered rim and just... thinks for now.
COMBATSYS: Frei takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0 Frei
COMBATSYS: Frei has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Mizuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
Well, looks like the match is over, somehow. Mizuki slumps down; Mignon's gone, Hotaru left. Frei is still here, but Mizuki... for now she just concentrates on healing. And thinking about what Hotaru said. It's true; the Glory Hounds, as a team, need to get together and talk, train, even just go to the damn park. It's a fine idea.
Whether their special team dynamic will keep them from tearing each other apart during such a thing... okay so that's mostly Jiro->Alma and Tran->anyone, but the point remains. "As a team, huh," she says, murmuring to herself, as she sits in her minecart. Eventually the officials will reverse the carts and bring them back; until then, Mizuki is content to concentrate herself, regaining energy and healing wounds.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:09:18 08/02/2008 by Mizuki, and last modified on 17:17:28 08/14/2008.