Description: A scouting mission disguised as a Neo-League fight disguised as prolonged flirting sees massive amounts of damage done to the Red Arena of Masters Stadium as the enigmatic Ash Crimson and the delicate Chizuru Yata fight for charity and blatant self-interest. ( Draw Match )
Masters Stadium's Red Arena is packed to the proverbial rafters tonight. Why?
Because of another beloved Neo League match, of course!
Cameras are set up around the arena for the most optimal way of capturing the action to be AS it happens. Men and women mill about, most of which have some form of League identification on their person as they spend the last several minutes making sure everything is in its right and proper place. A director spends those last minutes catching up with the fighters' coordinator, seeing to it that his match will happen at its proper time.
Fortunately for him, Chizuru Kagura has made it on time and spent the last thirty or so minutes in her dressing room preparing for the fight. With everything in its proper place she emerges, guided along by a League official to the arena proper. The announcer immediately calls out to the crowds.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Red Arena, we're glad you could make it for tonight's Neo League match! Joining us on one side is none other than miss Chizuru Kagura, who has requested that her earnings here tonight be donated to a Southtown recovery fund!"
Lifting a hand, she offers a small grin as she moves for the center of the arena, waving politely to the audience surrounding the ring. Distantly she feels somewhat nervous--it's been a long time since she's had the chance to be in front of so many people. Board meetings have dulled her nerves.
Hours. Ash Crimson has been here for hours, and he would not have it any other way.
He was very particular in placing this particular challenge with the Neo-League's administration; it's all a matter of getting to know the would-be enemy as soon as possible. If Ryu hadn't already given him reason to want to make Ken Masters' acquaintance, /this/ would certainly do so; it's all so terribly, intrusively /convenient/.
It's an important meeting for the young Frenchman; after all, this is the woman whose power he enviously desires for himself, and it could only help to know the measure of her power /now/, when it is ultimately unimportant.
Oh, also, he'll be on television, and he'll be given money for doing this, and those things are fabulous too; that probably contributes heavily to his pre-fight rituals consisting heavily of checking, primping, and rechecking his hair in the mirror, as well as carefully painting each of his nails with a an almost smoky, strangely luminescent bluish-grey hue; three tiny little rinestones are pressed against his right thumbnail for extra embellishment.
It's not until Chizuru is /just/ about to be announced that Ash strolls through the hallways winding towards the actual entryway into the arena, allowing him to emerge as the guardian of Orochi's reception begins to be dialed back. His hair is pulled back into a carefully arranged and stylishly messy ponytail right at the back of his head, accented by several bright red and lustrously black clips to aid it in staying put.
"And her opponent! Hailing from France, we have Ash Crimson, who has... requested... that his earnings tonight be donated to his bank account?"
He smiles winningly and offers the crowd a delicate wave at the announcement; so far as he's concerned, the privelege of seeing him live and on PPV is charity enough.
COMBATSYS: Ash has started a fight here.
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Ash 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Chizuru has joined the fight here.
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Ash 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Chizuru
The young Frenchman emerges, and almost immediately are Chizuru's dark eyes drawn to the white-haired man. For a moment the heiress of the Sacred Mirror stares at him, her expression neutral for the longest time. Does she suspect him? Is she already getting a weird vibe from Ash Crimson? Are her Treasure senses tingling..?
Tipping her head, she offers him a polite smile before she looks ahead and emerges. Perhaps not!
Ash is introduced, and politely Chizuru bows, formally greeting her opponent for the evening's match. When she stands upright once more the smile is back, black eyes half-lidded hooded lightly as she observes the eccentric young man carefully. He doesn't seem like much of a threat from appearances alone, but she's certainly not about to take him lightly. Appearances, especially in the fighting world, are always deceiving.
"With our fighters gathered, we've no choice but to get things started!" the announcer exclaims, his words followed by an enthusiastic roar from the crowds. Looking from the audience to Ash once more, the woman offers in a quite tone, "Do your best."
"Fighters, BEGIN!"
The woman's form move swiftly seconds after the announcer's cry, dashing part of the distance formerly between herself and Crimson. Only halfway does she stop and drop low, using her body's forward momentum to slide the rest of the way, to deliver a sliding kick right at the Frenchman.
COMBATSYS: Chizuru successfully hits Ash with Cong Cong.
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Ash 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Chizuru
Ash doesn't so much bow as he does press his fingers to his lips, then unfurl his hand to blow a kiss in Chizuru's direction. A kiss expressed as a floating green embers that waver in the air part of the way towards her before vanishing with a little sizzle, a pop, and sparks falling to dissipate on the arena floor.
He is then tipping head over heels thanks to being hit dead on by that sliding kick, and after a deep intake of air once his back has smacked against the ground... he giggles. Softly, happily, as if he was not just brought low in the opening moments of this bout.
"Ah, cherie," he softly says with no hint of the accent that should come with his place of birth, "I seem to have fallen for you."
He rolls backwards to spring back up to his feet, green flames leaking out from between his closed fingers as he stands. "So very /forward/; surely, we can backtrack a ways, can't we? My name is Ash Crimson."
He flicks his arm upwards and opens his hand, releasing... a rose from it. A rose composed entirely of flaming green chi. A rose composed entirely of flaming green chi that's racing to explode against Chizuru's chest.
"Pleased to meet you."
COMBATSYS: Chizuru blocks Ash's Rapide Ventose.
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Ash 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Chizuru
Fortunately, Chizuru is more focused on taking initiative than to be taken off guard by the flirtatious behaviors of the charming Frenchman. Sliding into him with an extended leg, he collides with the ground backfirst. The Yata heiress, on the other hand, draws her leg back in and twists, rising to her feet before she slides a foot back and extends an arm forward.
Then Ash...giggles.
You can almost feel Chizuru groan in response to Crimson's words. Fortunately, she maintains a slight smile on her lips, black eyes watching as he hops back onto his feet and his hand all but oozing green energy. Curiously her gaze shifts to his hand, watching as it gathers--and then is launched toward her. Black eyes widen.
Stepping back, the woman swings her arms up, billowing sleeves fluttering about as she crosses her arms before her. The flames strike, stinging her forearms and singing the cloth of her joue-like blouse before they disperse. She rises cautiously afterwards.
"Interesting color," the woman offers with a quiet tone of voice. "It's the first I've seen.
"And pleased to meet you. I apologize if my actions were a bit too forward. However, I am eager to win; that money is going to a good cause, so you'll have to forgive me if I seem a little aggressive and competitive."
As if to punctuate this the woman moves again, attempting to snatch Ash by his forearm. From there she'll pull harshly forward, dragging him into a rising knee before she releases, thrusting her palm forward at his chest to knock him back.
COMBATSYS: Chizuru successfully hits Ash with Combo Attack.
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Ash 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Chizuru
Ash keeps. On. Smiling when Chizuru seizes his forearm. When she strikes him with her knee, even, though his expression does briefly twist with pain. Only when he is pushed back to fly for several feet before landing in a rough crouch does the expression slip at all, and even /then/, as he clutches his aching chest, he softly giggles and raises his head to flash her a renewed grin.
"My, my," he says as those flames curl off of his body again. "You really /are/ a feisty one, aren't you?" He exhales sharply before hopping to his feet and flicking a strand of hair hanging down over his face back to rest behind an ear. "I approve."
With that, a column of fire shoots directly upwards from his body, piercing the exposed skies and drawing the eyes of the crowd inexorably. Several cigarette lighters ignite uncontrollably amongst the audience, resulting in chaos as their owners hurry to flick them away lest they be burned, but fortunately that flare dies down rather rapidly; it's really just a show of his intentfully trying to pull himself back together internally somewhat before once more trying to probe Chizuru's defenses.
"Why be like anyone else when I could be grand?" he asks, in reference to the unusual colour of his flames. "A gift from an island vacation in my youth."
COMBATSYS: Ash gains composure.
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Ash 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Chizuru
There's something rather disarming about Ash Crimson.
But that's basically stating the obvious. Still, there's an obvious expression of confusion tinged with a bit of uneasiness as Ash flies back and lands /smiling/. She can't really fault him for coming into this with a good attitude, but that doesn't really make it any easier to deal with. Her brow arches slightly as he lifts his head.
And yet Chizuru smiles in return. "And you're quite the charmer," she replies, the corners of her lips twitching slightly as she smiles further. "But, as they say, flattery gets you nowhere, mister Crimson. Your gesture is appreciated, however."
She flinches slightly as the column of energy erupts from him, eyes widening at the display before she frowns slightly. If he's trying to keep her at bay, it works for that brief moment. Once they've died back and he speaks, she offers a thin smile. "Very well then."
While he may hold back, the Yata heiress does not. She moves suddenly, dashing forward and lashing out with a wide swing of her arm, attempting to pierce through his defenses before--she flickers out of sight?
The real Chizuru Kagura remains standing perfectly still a short distance away, arm outstretched. Shikigami? Illusions? Magic?? Who knows.
COMBATSYS: Ash blocks Chizuru's Shinsoku no Norito.
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Ash 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Chizuru
Ash notes the pseudoreal weight of the illusion against his arm, held up defensively to control the amount of impact received somewhat. He smiles anew as he then... slides his hands into his pockets and cants his head aside, regarding the keeper of the Yata mirror.
"Brava, mon cherie; very... /novel/," he somewhat sincerely says. He chuckles softly to himself and then he strolls leisurely towards Chizuru. "Nowhere, though? Shall we be boarding our individual flights and never seeing one another again once all of this is done? Wouldn't /that/ be a pity, to forego even a simple cup of coffee."
He will at least try to raise his left hand from his pocket and reach his index finger to fleetingly brush against Chizuru's cheek once that's been said, and whether contact is made or not... shortly thereafter, his right hand leaves his pocket.
"Think it over, mm?" he adds before extending his fingers towards her, leaning forward, and softly blowing air along the surface of his palm. Tiny sparks swirl across it, and just about instantly they grow into a fully fledged ball of fire intended to explode blindingly and painfully in Chizuru's face.
COMBATSYS: Chizuru blocks Ash's Brumaire.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Ash 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Chizuru
Away the other Yata goes, flickering before vanishing into the nether once more, save faint motes of energy wafting upwards. The real woman maintains her ground, holding her arm out before her and anticipating a swift counterattack. Ash, once again, proves her wrong by talking casually and making conversation. Briefly her pale face falters from a serious expression to something a little confused and lightly flustered.
But Ash doesn't really stop there--he moves, in fact, pacing toward the woman. Reluctant to back down, she actually holds her ground. She swiftly recovers her composure, her head tipping forward slightly as she softly chuckles. "I'm afraid I'm a busy woman," she replies. "However nice your offer is, I'm afraid I'll have to pass."
His hand actually makes contact with the woman's face, but not for long; almost instantly the woman jerks her head lightly backwards, out of his touch. She ALMOST looks offended--until his hand lifts and sparks roil within his palm.
Stepping backwards the woman lifts her arm and again shields her body from the energy, a hand cutting forward and into that ball of emerald flame to disperse it. The energy certainly stings more than she'd like to admit, evident by the faint scowl and light flinch of her eyes.
Without a word the priestess moves in again, attempting to drive her shoulder into his chest and jolt him back before she twists to the side and snaps an arm out, to deliver a knifehand blow at the back of his shoulderblades.
COMBATSYS: Ash dodges Chizuru's Strong Punch.
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Ash 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Chizuru
"Oh, I'm a busy man," Ash replies as he pockets his hands and leans casually to the side to allow Chizuru to move right past him with her shove. "I'm simply one who knows when to make exceptions for the strange and the wonderful; alas. Perhaps if you find an opening in your busy schedule... we could make arrangements?"
With that said, he hops a short ways to get to the illusionist before she's had /too/ long to recover. The heel of his palm thrusts towards her side, fingers curled just so to prevent his nails from being anywhere near the potential impact point. That infernal smile is /still there/ the while while, in spite of his less than stellar performance thus far; this, he figures, is what dry runs are /for/. Getting all of the kinks out before they can be allowed to ruin the important moments.
COMBATSYS: Chizuru interrupts Medium Punch from Ash with Tenjin no Kotowari EX.
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Ash 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Chizuru
Avoiding the attack altogether, there's a faint look of surprise on the woman's face as Ash leans and hops out of her reach. His words, however, earn him a discreet smile. "I'll see what I can do in that case," the woman replies, tilting her head gently to one side. "Though, really, I wonder. Is this the only reason you showed up to a fight like this..?"
She doesn't really anticipate a response. Instead Ash comes charging in and strikes at the woman harshly in her side while grinning. The woman jerks her body sharply to one side in response before she stumbles a step back--but doesn't make any more move to recover. She grins faintly--
And then she moves, her body spiraling upwards as she leaps into the air, striking at the Frenchman with a nasty swing of her arm before she again flickers out of sight. This, of course, leaves the real Chizuru stumbling back a bit and clutching at her side.
Ash is carried along for the ride as the illusory Chizuru strikes him with a very real rising blow. The grin is gone from his expression, because as overwhelmingly non-chalant as he has so far been... that was painful to an extent difficult to ignore, /particularly/ when layered atop the punishment he's already endured thus far.
To his credit(and perhaps Chizuru's chagrin), though, once he has landed and taken a moment to rub his hand along his aching and bruised jaw, he murmurs, "Oh, no, but it's a lovely bonus. The paycheck, the exposure, the boredum, /those/ things brought me primarily here today."
Broad smile.
And then a jet of fire exploding out from the kitchens, hidden a ways away beyond the concessions area for this level of the Stadium; the thunderous boom, and of course, the screams, are rather audible, though.
The best visible confirmation for what has just happened comes in the form of fire tracing snake trails through the sandy section of the arena, coiling around pyrokinetic Frenchman when he is reached. Not to mention the agitated boiling in the watery section that sends steam rolling off of the water's surface at a steady pace.
"Oops," is all he offers in response to it all as he extends his right arm out and collects several tendrils of that green fire in his palm. Hungrily, they gather and writhe against one another for a second or two before that hand is shut and flicked in the Yata heiress' direction. A verdant crescent of chi races along the arena floor in the hopes of exploding against her(into a shower of rose petals), and once it has gone, he slides his hands back into his pockets.
"I /am/ going to be coming into a little bit of money; I'll gladly pay."
COMBATSYS: Ash successfully hits Chizuru with Ventose.
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-
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Ash 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Chizuru
Again the woman lightly frowns in response to the Frenchman, his words not quite settling well with the likes of Chizuru. But quick is the heiress to remind herself that others intentions for fighting are not like her own. Not everyone wants to make the world a better place or put their efforts into trying to help others in need out with their earnings.
And so the Yata woman offers a faint laugh and shakes her head.
But she startles as a sudden explosion in the distant sounds off, followed by screams. Turning her head (perhaps foolishly) the woman looks toward the kitchen and concession areas with obvious concern. What the hell happened, she wonders. The flames, however, move along...right toward Ash?
Chizuru's eyes hood slightly. His manipulation isn't as playful as she'd like to think.
There's little time to properly respond. The green flames crash into the woman, sending her flying back before she hits the sandy section with a heavy gasp. Wincing in pain, she carefully rises to her feet, a hand gently rubbing at the singed portions of her body and the burnt flesh beneath her attire. "I'm not sure," the woman states. "My interest is waning rapidly."
The woman moves forward again, long inky black hair trailing behind her as she moves without hesitation for the Frenchman. Drawing near she'll plant a foot before she swings her arms around in a wide circular motion before bringing them down, attempting to strike Ash at the backs of his knees and drop him. Should he fall the woman's hand erupts in golden energy, said hand reeling back before she'll angle it downward, to strike him in the chest and drive the energy into him--and through him, a numbing sensation sent throughout his body.
COMBATSYS: Ash effortlessly blocks Chizuru's Rakusui no Jingi.
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Ash 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Chizuru
From his new place on the ground, Ash smiles up at Chizuru as he snatches her wrist just inches off from her intended contact with his chest; given the obvious risk presented by her hand, he's certain to keep his fingers /just/ ahead of it.
"Pay it no mind," he says brightly. "These things seem to happen around me; it's the oddest combination of fascinatingly beautiful and frustratingly trite, I'm finding." He pushes her arm away, then leaves his feet by flipping upwards in a high, perfectly arcing backflip. The emerald fire that's not only still wreathing his body but is continuing to intensify moves to coat his legs more than the rest of him, adding a preternatural burn to the potential strike aimed at Chizuru's chin.
"A regrettable price of my wonderful gift; I assure you that you're oh so very safe around me."
COMBATSYS: Ash successfully hits Chizuru with Nivose.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Ash 1/----===/=======|=======\===----\1 Chizuru
He grabs her wrist.
Chizuru blinks, black eyes peering with obvious disbelief down upon the eccentric Frenchman. For a moment the woman is stunned, caught off her guard by the sudden turnaround he's thrown in her face. Was he toying with her, she wonders. Or was she getting a little too confident in her talents?
"Odd," the woman replies as she's shoved away, though hardly sounding at all convinced of the coincidence. Stumbling back, she catches her balance and promptly reassumes her stance, arm outstretched. Before she knows it he's flipping at her and into her feet first, flames lashing out. Try though she may to shield her body, his kicks pierce through her defenses, sending her flying upwards, before she naturally falls.
"I get the feeling you're not being very sincere," she comments with a pained groan, pulling her body up from the earthen arena floor. Shaking, the woman struggles a bit before she finds her footing once again, eyes narrowed sharply as she eyes the Frenchman cautiously. "Perhaps you should reevaluate the "gift" you've been "given?" Or, better yet, learn to properly control it?"
Drawing her arm back, a brilliant flash of light erupts, golden energy swirling around her fist as she draws it back. "Perhaps I could teach you when I have the time?"
She lunges forward rather instantaneously, thrusting her hand forward as she attempts to drive her palm into his chest. But the touch is light, fleeting at best, simply making contact; the chi that erupts afterwards in a brilliant sphere of blindingly golden light is what does it, the energy attempting to surge through him and leave him feeling numb in the process.
COMBATSYS: Ash blocks Chizuru's Reigi no Ishizue+.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Ash 1/---====/=======|===----\-------\0 Chizuru
"Perhaps; it was really rather sedate, before my little vacation; gold, like the sun -- ah. Or like /that/," Ash breezily replies as his eyes move to the flash of light against Chizuru's fist. "But a naughty /thing/ slipped its bonds to do awful things to my mind; I was really rather cross when I woke up later. I'm finding that the green really works rather /well/ for me, though; red clothes. White hair. Pale skin. What do you think?"
He then sucks in a shuddering breath to feel the odd sensation of Chizuru's hand just barely brushing his chest. It /shouldn't/ be painful, and indeed, it's not her touch that makes him uncomfortable so much as the energy accompanying it; warm and cold, bare and crushing, soft and sharp, all at once. Pleasant, unique, and altogether more than he would like to bear now, as he stands on his last legs(in spite of the ease with which he seeks to communicate with the Yata heiress).
So he refuses her touch by slipping his hand into hers. Fire with no weight, or even temperature dances around their hands, clashing with the build-up of chi in hers and buying him time to recover from the almost heart-stopping moment just experienced. A massive sphere of chi expands... and is tinged with flecks of green as the two forces struggle for dominance. The ease of his grip is rather deceptive, as determination is etching across his features in place of the easy smile that's been present for most of the bout. Sand is swirling about the two of them in an amber whirlwind that ultimately leaves this section of the arena entirely bare of any decoration but the plain slate floor beneath, and finally...
... the enigmatic Frenchman is able to exhale, his eyes widened slightly to have felt the illusionist's fury so near, but his lips all the same turned upwards in happiness for having denied it.
And then puckered slightly as he seeks to try and raise Chizuru's hand to his lips to ever so gently brush them against the back of it.
"I shall look forward to your lessons," he says with a soft giggle, whether the contact is denied or not. "We have so much in common, you and I." A contemplative pause as he reaches up to brush his slightly shaky hands back across his hair.
"I fear that this will displease you."
With that, the air around him explodes, obscuring he and possibly Chizuru both behind a burning wall of jade chi. Another third of the arena is laid bare as the watery section is boiled violently away, leaving nothing but blistering steam and an empty pool behind, and throughout the stands, lighters are again firing on unbidden.
Ash Crimson is channeling every ounce of the power that is his heritage to try and down his opponent for the day once and for all, and it's a spectacle that, thanks to the lack of a roof, can be seen for miles away, a green beacon signifying little of import to those who are not already here to witness it.
COMBATSYS: Chizuru stops Sans-Culottes from Ash with Iotsu no Utamai.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Ash 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Chizuru
The young man's story isn't lost upon the woman. Though she gears up to essentially drive lots of nasty chi into the man's chest, she's aware of his words. Vacation? Naughty thing? Bonds..? Part of her finds that her interests are piqued; the other half reminds her that this is a fight and she can't just stop or stray from her train of thought.
She says nothing. Instead she lunges forward and drives her palm at his chest, even as he leans aside. Narrowly he escapes the woman's touch, an impressive display of swiftness that startles even her. But it doesn't end there--that energy begins to swell up, golden chi roaring at her hand...
Which he takes into his and fights off with his own, oddly-colored energy. The exchange of power is certainly startling, even to Chizuru as his energy struggles against hers. Gold and green roar and buckle against one another until finally both energies disperse, leaving a hole in the sandy ground they'd been standing on and a rather surprised-looking Yata heiress.
So surprised she doesn't really struggle to pull her hand back as he places upon it a gentlemanly kiss.
"Common?" she wonders, pulling her hand back before she takes a step away. "I--" He says it for her. Of course it displeases her. "I don't even know who you /are/," she concludes. He's a strange man. There's something about him that just doesn't settle well with her. He seems harmless...but he isn't. She certainly knows that much now.
A gasp escapes her as the air suddenly EXPLODES with green energy, a wall of pure chi blazing right for her and expanding. Drawing her hand out and forward she opens her fingers and lets her energy explode, a wall of pure golden chi struggling against the green fire that threatens to cut her down. So troublesome is the task she brings her other hand out, grasping her outstretched hand by the wrist and supporting it as she maintains that barrier for as long as she can.
And when those roiling green flames die down, Chizuru exhales loudly and sags her shoulders, gasping for breath after such a trying task. Both eyes are, however, settled entirely on Ash with a distrusting look.
Well, that--that is /new/. Once that towering expression of his pyrokinetic potential has died down into nothingness, Ash finds his illusion-casting opponent in relatively good health, thanks to her having managed to ward it all way with a thrust of the hand and a fleeting barrier. He looks to her hand, and then to her several times...
... and then he brings his hands up to clap slowly for her efforts, laughing softly and jovially all the while. It is two parts genuine appreciation for her power and novelty and one part a continuation of his game to keep her kind of thrown, especially with him being so far against the ropes as he really is.
"I could have sworn I thought to introduce myself," he says as he presses a finger thoughtfully to his bottom lip once the laughter has died off. "There were flowers, no?"
Rather than give Chizuru a chance to respond, he spins forward, moving with all of the grace of a dancer to swing the toes of his white right shoe into the Yata heiress' ribs.
COMBATSYS: Ash successfully hits Chizuru with Floreal.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Ash 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Chizuru
Still trying to catch her breath, Chizuru continues to eye the young man as he...claps his hands? Frowning lightly in response, the woman briefly pinches her eyes shut, her posture straightening a bit as she relaxes a bit. If he's gaming her, he's certainly doing a bang-up job of keeping the woman second-guessing just about every single thing he does.
"That's not what I meant," she explains as he speaks. "I mean, I have no idea who you are, what kind of person yo--"
Then he's spinning and kicking at her, his white shoe cracking the Yata woman in the side. She reels sharply, black locks fanning wildly as she dips to one side before hurriedly correcting her posture. For a brief moment she looks at the Frenchman with a mildly surprised look. Then? Then she just MOVES, spinning on her heels and bringing an arm around and sharply down, attempting to crack Crimson harshly atop the head and shoulders without a single word.
COMBATSYS: Ash blocks Chizuru's Zheng Zheng.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Ash 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Chizuru
Ash's arms are both brought to bear defensively... and it's only by the grace of whatever deity he might believe in that remains on his feet beneath Chizuru's assault.
"Well," he exhales with no small amount of effort as he slips free from beneath the swung limb. "We return to talk of coffee and training, don't we? This... lovely barbarism will only get us /so/ far in getting to know one another, non?" He shakes his right hand out a little, trying to get a bit of blood flowing through it after that last attack, and then another happy smile is flashed. Slowly, he brings his hand up to flick the ponytail that's remained more or less intact all this while, and glittering green sparks fall from it to dissipate upon the ground.
"But ah, commonalities: you are beautiful, as am I."
Another column of fire soars around him, clinging very closely this time; though the ground does crack beneath him somewhat, there's no sort of danger present this time around, as it's more of an outward expression of his seeking to focus his chi than an attack. Of course, some grass in the forested section does smolder and burn, but it shouldn't spread /too/ far; it's fairly wet vegetation.
"You are powerful. As am I." He strolls forward as need be, heatless flames not subsiding in the slightest as he seeks to again place himself near her. "We both, I do imagine, have some degree of interest in Orochi's continued sealing..." he finishes in soft, conspiriatorial whispers.
COMBATSYS: Ash gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Ash 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Chizuru
"Mmn," is the only response the woman offers as Ash shakes his hand out. The woman holds her ground opposite him, a long limb stretched out before her and held there, fingers spread and pointed toward him. The look on her face has gone from 'friendly' to a look that is likely suspicion and obvious distrust. Repeatedly he has caught her off her guard with his words and mannerisms. She can't afford to let him do it again.
"Please, do not try to flatter me," the Yata woman quietly replies.
But further word is cut short with another gout of green fire, black eyes narrowing discreetly as she observes the man within that pillar. There's certainly something different about it all, something she cannot quite place. Though the grass nearby lightly burns, Chizuru pays no attention to it. Ash has her undivided attentions now.
Her posture stiffens, however, as he moves, thin lips pulling tightly across her face. Then he goes and says the fabled "O" word, to which the heiress responds with a startled look. He knows of that power? Of the seal--and wants to 'continue' to keep it sealed..? It's a touchy subject with Chizuru, one she's not so easily swayed on.
As result, the woman pivots gracefully on heels and attempts to swing a leg around and catch Ash in the side of his head with the back of her heel. Right now, she sees him as a potential threat, rather than potential ally.
COMBATSYS: Ash interrupts Heavy Kick from Chizuru with Rapide Ventose.
[ \\\\ < > ///// ]
Ash 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Chizuru
COMBATSYS: Ash can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ <
Chizuru 0/-------/------=|
Another burning green flowers forms in the hand dangling at Ash's side as Chizuru's quiet warning reaches his ears. He smiles, for it seems to be working to keep her off-guard, and moreover because he's truly in fine spirits just now. This has, if nothing else, shown him that he has a /chance/ of eventual success, and that's plenty for him.
"I would do no such thing, mon cherie; I'm only speaking the truth. I--"
The roundhouse kick catches him off-guard and forces him to react then and there to have even a /chance/ of survival. The flower he's prepared is flicked upwards to explode in the heiress' face and shower its petals all about her head... and in spite of it, her heel smashes into the side of his head. He wobbles unsteadily on his feet, a touch of surprise evident on his face before he just crumples to the ground, panting heavily and pretty well out of it now.
Moving without really even thinking, driven by the intent to simply strike Ash down where he stands, as it were, the woman snaps a leg out and clocks the fighter across the head.
...unfortunately for the Yata, Ash had a proverbial ace up his sleeve; he moves a hand, and seconds later there's a blast of emerald chi smacking her in the face, knocking the woman back. Graceful though she may be, the woman's footing betrays her; she falls, hitting the ground with a heavy (and pained) thump. Gasping for a deep breath, she struggles there, but finds that her body remains unwilling to really compromise with her. So, down she stays.
The announcer cues up when a referee notes that neither fighter is really able to claim certain victory. He calls a tie, which seems perfectly acceptable to the woman. Black eyes flutter to a close before she simply falls back and rests her body. She cannot push herself any further.
Eventually, long after the audiences begin to clear, Chizuru finally begins forcing her body to move. Standing shakily on her feet once more, black eyes fall upon the man with a light of distrust within, lips pulled in a thin line across her face. "It greatly concerns me that you know of and speak of such a deity," the woman calmly speaks. "And how you know of my interest in that awful power."
Turning her back to Ash, she begins to walk away.
"I can only hope your intentions are good. If you wish to speak of this further, seek me out again sometime, out of the eye of the public. Until then, I bid you farewell, mister Crimson."
COMBATSYS: Chizuru takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Chizuru can no longer fight.
By the time that Chizuru is well enough to get up and leave, Ash has managed to pull himself up into a seated position, from which he rubs the aching side of his head with a faint smirk. On some level, he's wondering whether he'll receive his full purse for a draw match, but it must surely be better than a loss, right?
"I shall at that," he says, giggling softly afterwards. "Pleasure meeting you, mademoiselle Yata; I look forward to the next time."
Log created on 19:32:02 06/24/2009 by Ash, and last modified on 12:11:00 06/25/2009.