Description: Can Miu Kurosaki never catch a break? Even in Hot Topic, the so-called haven of counter-culture, Seijyun's dour outcast is unwelcomed. But this is the least of her worries. Just as it seems the day cannot get any more irritating, along comes the pertest, perkiest goth in Southtown to brighten her day with the promise of friendship and psychic bonding!
Death. Gloom. Despair. At sale prices.
Hot Topic isn't known for its great strides in Japan, but there are still enough people, especially in Southtown, who dig the American gothy fashion trends to enjoy the chain store. The majority of these people are clingy hangers-on, total fakes and losers who wouldn't know how to make their own look if they were staring into a mirror.
One girl, however, does not suffer from that problem. As small as Miu is, nobody could ever accuse her of being a copycat. The uniform she wears, she customized herself, but that doesn't mean she can't appreciate some accessories every now and then. Her, particular style took a lot of inspiration from the Americans, and, well, it is sales time. Who doesn't like sales?
Which is how Miu has come to be staring at a Hot Topic worker. The girl has a raven on her shoulder, and the sales woman is clearly torn about whether she should admire the pet, or try and throw Miu out of the shop for it. "Is it real?" She muses, to which Miu nods, and the bird squawks. "Well, uh, I don't know..." She starts.
And then is silenced. Not because Miu says anything, or really does anything, menacing. The young psion just meets the shop worker's eyes, and something in those cool, lazy orbs seems to steal the words from her lips. There's nothing to be said to the look she gives her. It is a look which just says, simply, 'Really?', and it is a look worn by the gothiest Japanese girl in all the world.
Cliques and trends are not something that Annie Murakami has ever had to concern herself with. Not because she is 'above' the company of others, or has developed some revolutionary new means of dealing with people that renders her utterly safe from all forms of peer pressure; but because she has never actually been given the opportunity. In another life, she might have been a peppy socialite, a nerdy member of the chess club, or a coarse, quite possibly lesbianic femme-jock. Nobody will ever know...
And it probably doesn't matter. After all, the most important question is, would she still be strutting around in a revealing mini-dress and striped stockings? The answer, is yes. It's the style to which she has gravitated naturally, in much the same way as she seems to be drawing ever closer to the store where Miu finds herself the victim of such mute adversity.
Annie has never been to the mall before. As she walks through these hallowed halls, her mouth and eyes are equally wide, turning her usually pleasant face into some sort of lovestruck, gigantic universal plug socket adapter. Honestly, it's a wonder she's not drooling. The amusement park was something - but it was a big, garish, honest something that was at least easy to figure out. The mall is packed with an array of bizarre and alien beings, spending vast amounts of money on whatever trinkets happen to be thrust their way. There are lights, and advertisements, and food, and music...
She's a sixteen year old girl. In her peoples' chosen Mecca. At the most important time of year on the shopping calendar. If she knew what was going on, she'd be squealing with joy as she seized items left and right from rapidly emptying shelves. As it is, she has simply been trying to comprehend the majesty... whilst simultaneously dealing with the psychic resonations of several thousand frantic consumers, with all the stress in their lives bubbling to the surface as they bump and grind their way through the frenzy.
Thankfully, by the time Annie reaches Hot Topic she has fluttered a little closer to the earth, and is now merely bantering away excitedly to her ever-present companion - who a lot of people fail to notice, at least immediately. "Did you see those drinks? Blue ice, in a cup, with a miniature umbrella? This whole town is incredible, Qui-zi. Is everywhere like this? How did all those wars get started, why are there so many problems, when all anybody does is hang around in places like this? Oh! Look at that man over here! Is he wearing /stilts/? Look, Qui-zi!"
Qui-zi is a very normal-looking, very black cat, who doesn't seem bothered by all the hubbub as she walks calmly along beside the slender psychic. The feline does, however, grind to a halt when she does, making a little grumbling purr and bumping insistently up against her mistress' ankle.
But Annie is busy staring at the shop window she has almost walked into.
Hot Topic. So many pretty dresses, so many ribbons and stripes and spikes!
Even more importantly, however:
"Qui-zi! I think you're allowed in this one...!"
Like a shot, the Murakami heiress all but appears inside the store, beaming from ear to ear as she pops up inbetween Miu and the clerk. Despite her attire, she is certainly /not/ a proper goth, as she turns back and forth to wave at both of the women. "Hello! I'm Annie! Am I allowed to buy things in here?" It's not an odd question; it's just that every other shop so far has asked her kindly to leave when they've caught sight of the feline, who even now is wandering in at her own pace to greet the assembled women with a quiet 'meow'. Wait... wouldn't most cats be intent on that glossy-winged bird?
Miu doesn't believe in talking much. Not because she doesn't have opinions, but because when you speak, other people so rarely listen. They tend to put in things that they want to hear, and really, Miu doesn't work here. So, when the strange girl appears, it isn't her place to speak for the stunned saleswoman. But, given how the saleswoman has been stunned into silence, perhaps she should say something after all...
It's difficult to explain, but Miu feels... something, from the girl. Some innate sixth sense tingling at the back of her mind. The bubbly girl could not be more different, in personality, to Miu's own quiet calm. But there's a familiarity regardless. Something made all the more distracting by the cat. There's something odd about Annie beyond just being a too-bubbly sixteen year old, and it sets Miu on edge.
"Excuse me." She says, just the lightest hint of frustration edging into her tone. "I was talking to this woman."
Said woman seems to snap out of her stupor at being addressed, and shakes her head rapidly, "No! No animals in the shop, that's just crazy, who ARE you people?!"
Miu's brow furrows with irritation, and she sighs. The raven flutters from her shoulder, out the door, and away. It's obviously annoying to lose her friend and companion, but she did want to buy those cute skull earrings. The way the raven just /left/ without so much as a shrug from the schoolgirl, though, has the staff staring at her in, once again, complete shock. Surely this had to be some sort of joke, didn't it?
The explanation that Miu struggles for comes rather easier to Annie, whose formal training has occupied most of her life - or at the least the parts where she wasn't playing truant from it, in favour of galivanting about in search of what little entertainment her stuffy, traditionalistic home village offered. Though as always with their kind, 'explanation' is a relative term. How much can ever be truly explained is hazy. In short, not everybody gets to be Rose.
So it as that Miu finds her irritated comment countered by a wide grin. But the slightly older girl is not entirely rude, and at least drops into a swift, respectful bow as she backs off with a happy little, "Gomen nasai." She turns on her heel and is about to peruse the racks in the shop when the clerk's floodgates finally shudder open. Annie glances back toward her, bottom lip protruding for just a moment before she gives a shrug.
She's been leaving every other shop in the mall, less because she's worried for her beloved pet; more because she's not keen to be the cause of any conflict. It's discomfiting, and not in-tune with the positive day she has planned. It also reminds her of something her first friend in this brave new world has said, about people and their attitude to her 'kind'. In this case however, the black is allowed to leave, starting to saunter out with tail swaying a few seconds before the girl actually speaks.
"See you later, Qui-zi. Take care. I'll try not to be long!"
Annie turns back to Miu, disregarding the clerk's foul mood and remaining bright and cheerful as she shoves a hand out toward her fellow psychic. "I'm so pleased to meet you. I thought I might be the only one here. Do you attend school nearby? What's your name? Do you come here often? Do you want to shop together?"
For anyone else, it might be hard to deny that wide, innocent smile.
Miu finds herself looking at Annie's hand. For a few moments, there is a stony silence.
Then, she gives the slightest nod of her head. Alright, Annie was obviously not a normal person, and it didn't take a genius to see what was meant. "Yes." She replies, ignoring the hand, because physical contact is so... not her, and instead focusing on the questions.
"There's a few of us. I go to school at Seijyun High. My name is Miu. I come here sometimes." The last question, well, that's not something she's going to answer until she's gotten some questions of her own in. But she quite likes this format. It gets all the basic and important details out of the way immediately. Never mind the fact that Annie was obviously a bit enthusiastic for her tastes, there were some things she'd like to know...
"You must be pretty strong for me to feel it so easily." She says, quietly. Her fingers hook into the waistband of her skirt. "I haven't seen you before. I'd remember. Who are you? Where do you come from?" Memories of... strange people, flit in the back of her mind, and she adds, perhaps a little more darkly than is necessary, far more noticeable because of how detached she has sounded throughout the rest of her speech.
"... And who are you working for?"
Despite her youthful vigour, her irrepressible enthusiasm over this chance meeting, Annie does not seem unintelligent. Far from it. Her amber eyes watch Miu eagerly but intently past the jagged yellow bangs that hang to either side. And there's the physical sign, should anybody need to look for it - a Japanese girl with blonde hair running to the roots? Clearly something is subtly off-kilter, though it could always be a genetic quirk or the result of out-breeding. Still, Miu needs no such clue.
Her concise answers to Murakami's questions are devoured with keen nods of the head, until the cheeriness finally takes a hit. Gradually calming herself from the emotional spike of first encountering a kindred soul, Annie becomes aware that the other girl's mood is far from her own. She's expecting the conversation to turn just a moment before it does.
Breathing a sigh, Annie settles back on her heels, hooking a hand upward to rub at the back of her neck as she glances past Miu, idly, to the clerk. The woman is doing her best to angrily ignore the two 'freaks' who have invaded her haven of freakishness. "Saaaa," the blonde looks back to the raven with a cant of her head, "I'm not allowed to tell you that. At least, I don't think I am." The hand lifts a bit further, scratching behind her ear as she drapes the other arm over her midriff. She's hiding something; but hardly seems /evil/.
"So!" She recovers with a renewed smile, trying to move the subject on, "Seijyun High, huh? You know, it might be fun to attend a normal school. What sort of things do they teach you? I bet it's better than dusty old books and scrolls, anyway. Oh, right." She pauses in mid-flow, and extends her hand a second time, "You asked who I am. I'm Annie Murakami, and I come from Japan. Not that far from Sunshine City, where I'm headed next, right after I see what Southtown is all about. Honestly, so far it's a little... overwhelming, you know? So many people!" She leans in a little closer, dropping her voice so only Miu can hear her properly. "So many /thoughts/! You know? How do you cope?"
Miu narrows her eyes at the answer. It's hard, with Miu. She projects an air of utter detachment. Although she can seem cool, cold even, mostly it's just like everything in the world bores her. The girl is actually feeling quite intense emotions, though. Which can be jarring for extremely sensitive psions. Inside, she's deeply suspicious of this girl. Sure, she was pleasant and cheerful enough, but there's still that underlying... well, she was working for /someone/. If she couldn't tell her who, should she really trust her?
"I'm not sure I can talk to you if you are working for someone." She says, honestly. Still with that too-calm, detached voice. Doing her very best to remain level and calm despite her growing suspicion. "I've joined a King of Fighter's team. I'm not going to let you get to them through something I give away. Sorry." Not, that she's actually moving to leave. Psions are rare, after all. She's curious, as much as she is suspicious. This girl knew things. She was obviously quite talented, too. Maybe... maybe she could help her brother...
Annie has a well-attuned psychic sense - it is, or at least should be, her entire purpose - but she is also an excited sixteen year old. It's a combination of these two things that sees her effectively blocking out the worst of what Miu is projecting. She is also hoping to bypass the obviously uncomfortable girl's defences; whatever other vibe she exudes, she seems no more viciously twisted than Murakami herself. Just... curt, and aloof.
Drawing back with a gently disappointed hum as her extended hand is ignored for the second time running, the perky blonde's cheer still only fades slightly. So Miu can't talk to her? She's just even more intrigued by that, and further again by the mention of the grand tournament. Annie is unlikely to have any part in that, but she will doubtless try to find out as much as possible about it. At least until something else seizes her short-spanned attentions.
For the moment though, she is happy here. And Miu isn't leaving.
"You must be pretty talented yourself," the older girl muses, tapping a finger to her bottom lip as she examines Miu closely from head to toe. When she looks back up, she gives a brisk nod, elaborate pigtails bouncing. She seems to make a decision; and it's one inspired by her first new friend. "So if we can't talk, why don't we find out about each other through our abilities? And just to make it interesting..." She giggles, and spreads her arms flamboyantly, stretching her slender body out underneath her skin-tight dress. A couple of quiet goth boys in the far corner look over with interest. "The loser buys the winner something from this store!"
Miu is indeed pretty curt. She just, doesn't like to waste words. Words are expensive, and can get you into a lot of trouble. She lets her fingers slide from the waistband of her skirt, and already, softly glowing feathers start to flutter from her sleeves. Some are bright white, glowing and beautiful. Others, dark black, so deep as to appear to be holes in the world. She's not smiling, but there's definitely a sense of, relief? Well, something similar, anyway.
"I wouldn't say I am talented." She says, quietly. "I just have ..." And there's the rub. What is it that she has? What's the proper word? Really, there's only one which comes to mind, and it makes her sound arrogant to say it, but, is there any denying it?
"Power."
The poor, traumatized saleswoman from earlier now looks practically terrified. Fights are not known for being forgiving on their surroundings, especially in so crowded a locale as a store in mid-sales season! But, already, customers are starting to rally into the too-familiar Fighting Crowds. Miu has made a splash by winning all her Neo League fights so far, and being a local face to boot. She's starting to build some notoriety, and now, apparently, the girl is ready to face off with some mysterious blonde girl who is new to the area? Clearly, this is going to be an exciting match!
Honestly, the slender blonde didn't mean to suggest for a second that they begin brawling amidst this wonderful assortment of trinkets. She's a tad shocked as people start to creep in, far more than she is at Miu's dark admission. Though that one word does seem still to be echoing about her skull as she looks from the gathering throng - buoyed up by their excitement in spite of her misgivings - toward her apparent opponent.
Drawing in a long breath through her nose, Annie releases it before dropping into a rather formal bow. "Then," she begins to say as she straightens, expression taking a turn for the solemn as she falls into a fighting stance, "Show me your power, Miu of Seijyun High!" Unfortunately she cannot hold her mouth in a line, and she busts out a wide, impish smile as she drops into her heels... and her knees, which actually turn /inward/ as she prepares herself. It seems dubious that she's had any formal training at all.
"Oh," she blinks then, pausing in the act of clenching her fists before her chest. What could be so important as to delay the fight their audience is expecting? "You didn't tell me if you're happy with the wager? It's proper etiquette to make one, right?"
COMBATSYS: Annie has started a fight here.
COMBATSYS: Miu has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Miu 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Annie
Miu actually hesitates. The girl looks suspicious of the stance that Annie has adopted, the uncertain way in which she holds herself. It all seems a bit, off. Her brow furrows, threatening to crack her usually stoic demeanor, but, it holds as she straightens herself up, and brushes down the front of her blouse, cleaning away some errant dust.
The audience is held in tension for a moment, as the feathers continue to flutter and flow, swirling around her, and the girl gives just the slightest shake of her head. Truth be told, she didn't care about the wager; she's far more worried about who this strange girl works for, and whether she should be afraid for her life, or the safety of any of her teammates. The last thing she wanted to be was the weak link for Rose.
"I'm fine with the wager." She says, quietly. "But, I will let you make the first move. Your style is strange, Annie Murakami. Please. I do not want to ... hurt you, by accident." The words are chosen very carefully. After all, she has no trouble hurting people on purpose.
If Miu knew the truth, she would realise that she absolutely no reason to be concerned. It's a shame that Annie holds the sense of duty that she does, or she would have no problems spilling the beans; for her part, she knows that the crow maiden is nothing to do with her mission. There could be a portion of doubt, perhaps, if she stopped to consider every small possibility... but the odds are minute. Too small to be flustered about.
Though from the impression the raven-haired student has been given, there's nothing that does fluster Annie Murakami. She begins to bob lightly in her stance as Miu speaks, briefly blinking in puzzlement as the other girl urges her to take the initiative. It reminds her of an observation she made in Aranha's movements; that the man was holding back, withdrawing the full extent of his abilities to her favour.
"Very well." Her voice is subdued, but Annie will not let it bother her too much. Slipping Miu a small smile as she shifts her footing, turning one toe outward and stepping forward with the other, the girl wonders only in passing exactly what she is in for, before launching herself forward into a fast dash across the shop floor. Not that she far to go, and within a few steps she is springing off her back leg, leading into an uppercut with her left arm.
"Zuum~!" She sings out, a kiai too sweet and cheery to be intended as such in the classical sense. And indeed, the physical power behind the blow is scant; the power is in the reflexively drawn spark of violet energy that burns along the outer edge of her hand, leaving a crackling trail in its wake.
But this is only the beginning, as the blonde seeks to carry her foe aloft and then tuck herself flexibly into a tight ball. From here she releases a full-body burst of that searing energy, the momentum of it spinning her like a shuriken as she soars down to impact Miu with protruding 'blades' of Psycho Power driven home by all the weight of her slender body.
COMBATSYS: Miu dodges Annie's Zuum Cross And Fall.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Annie
Miu might have urged Annie to show her what she's got, but that doesn't mean she's going to just take the hit. When Annie comes in at her, the girl twists around to the side. She doesn't miss the flash of violet- which was, after all, expected- but she is in no hurry to see exactly how strong it is in the girl.
A trail of feathers is left in Miu's wake, but these are just a fluttering distraction from what she's getting up to. It was far too early to leap to any conclusions, but she could guess that Annie is rather like her. A lot of potential, but not an awful lot of refinement. Which is, interesting. Most psions she'd encountered had seemed to be much more trained than her, although with lesser potential in most cases...
Still, there's a fight to be won. The girl's hands move to grab Annie by the shoulders. If she can manage this, then the numbing, tingling sensation of psycho power will follow. It's hardly a perfect move, but, her aim is to flip Annie over her head, and back towards the ground. A bright, white arc of a trail would follow with the girl before she crashes into the floor head-first. It'd hang for a few moments, before it, too, would break up into those pretty feathers. So far, Miu has demonstrated without much doubt that her fighting style is certainly very /pretty/.
COMBATSYS: Miu successfully hits Annie with Quick Throw.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Annie
It's not that Annie has not received any training. It's the manner of that training.
Some are bred for war, others to drive and guide those that are. A warrior's more direct talents are a distant second priority for the Murakami, who focus their discipline on learning and honing the deep instincts. It's quite possible that the quirky teenager is one of the more latently gifted pure psychics on the planet, but this does not necessarily mean she will be able to overcome demi-gods by her eighteenth birthday. In fact, judging by the way she falls as Miu tosses her through the dingy store...
If the wrong people find her, she may be lucky to even make it that far. The blonde does manage to at least react, twisting her body as she flies, making a valid attempt to power through the energy accosting her, railing at her emotional defences as she finds it takes a far more numbing, violent form than her own. She hits the floor in spite of her efforts, only to rebound /off her skull/ and hurtle into a display stand loaded with spiked collars and wristbands. They fall in a shower upon her dress-clad form as she pushes herself up.
"You /have/ got talent," she enthuses somewhat groggily, flipping rather acrobatically into a crouch with just a little wobble from her pained body. She proves to be resilient enough though, rising into a slightly less frontal approach, circling to one side of Miu - coming within a few feet of another cluster of ogling boys - before stepping into a spin. The psion dispenses with any tricks, simply swinging her right leg up and over in a twisting roundhouse kick, the strike weighed down by one of her big, clumpy boots.
"But we're just getting started, Miu! Show me more!"
COMBATSYS: Annie successfully hits Miu with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Annie
Miu does her best to step to the side of the incoming kick, but, she misjudges it. Winding up, instead, quite thoroughly kicked in the side. She stumbles for a moment before she can recover herself, and when she comes up, she's taking a deep breath. Miu has been doing a lot of work lately on harnessing her inherent powers. The girl is practically a big bundle of psycho power, waiting to burst out. The problem is doing so in a controlled fashion. So, if she wants to see that power...
"Alright."
Suddenly, the girl steps forwards, spins once on her heel, and then thrusts her arm forwards. There's an explosion of feathers. In an instant, a mass of tightly compacted black and white psycho power lances forwards, aiming to literally impale the other girl. The energy will spear her, but, thankfully, has little physical force behind it. Instead, it will numb and shock for a few moments, before it explodes, and, hopefully, throws the girl back with it. And possibly into even more property damage.
COMBATSYS: Annie dodges Miu's Yomosugara EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Annie
Thanks to years spent being honoured by her tiresomely zealous teachers, Annie does possess a rather mistaken view of her own abilities. She's not wrong to take a little pride - after all, she's put more effort into playing with Qui-zi and teaching herself how to style her hair and put on make-up than she has into progressing her martial training. She's a lot better than she should be. But she does need to learn where she really stands. Before someone even more powerful than Miu hurts her.
Which is to take nothing from the crow maiden. Murakami can feel her aura flaring as she makes a counter-assault, watching out of the corner of her eye as she continues to turn in tandem, leaping and turning in the opposite direction to deftly slip past the fearsome drill of soul's fury. Oddly, Annie's gaze lingers more on the accompanying feathers than the actual means of attack.
"Why feathers?" she asks curiously, as she twists her flexible frame and lashes out with a jaw-rattling backfist that sends the black sleeve about her arm rippling. Whether the blow lands or no, she is ready to land upon both feet, sinking a little to soak her impact with the floor. "There has to be a story there, Miu."
COMBATSYS: Annie successfully hits Miu with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Annie
Miu is surprised by how quickly Annie turns from attack to defense. The girl's head whips to the side after the fist cuts painfully across her jaw. Miu hadn't seen that coming, and it is a little frustrating. She'd need to be on far better form for the upcoming tournament, that is for sure. If she took so long to recover from her own techniques there, she'd be a laughing stock before the end of the first round.
She recovers swiftly herself, though. Turning her power inward to accelerate her healing, ease the pain from her jaw and side, and otherwise get herself back in the fight. She exhales.
"It is just, natural."
And then she presses the attack. Suddenly rather more interested in the fight, she aims a quick punch at Annie's nose... but this is a bluff, transforming, instead, into a sudden twist, and aiming to grab her wrist. If she can, she'll wrench the girl's arm up behind her back, burning with that numbing power again, before kicking out the girl's legs. Because, really, one must try and stay focused on ones opponent in a fight, no? It's a valuable lesson to learn.
COMBATSYS: Annie dodges Miu's Charged Combo.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Annie
Tasting the other girl's frustration in that palpable way only a psychic can, Annie tilts her head faintly to one side, chin canting a touch upward as she regards Miu silently. For once. It seems remarkable to her, how terse the Seijyun student is, that a person can be so jaded to the joys and wonders of the world that she does not wish to share of herself. Least of all in a place so vibrant, so full of life, as the mall in Southtown. Being watched by an audience... cheered and cajoled in equal measure... it should feel so uncomfortable, but it doesn't. It feels like finally, truly /living/.
The Murakami heiress does not have long to dwell on her thoughts, merely nodding to Miu's reply even as she struggles to figure out why she is so distant and cold. It doesn't seem like something unusual for her. But she is not a mind-reader - not really. She can only sense intent, feel the corresponding warmth or chill of a person's heart.
This is so natural to her that she does not remove herself from the battle to do so, reacting to her opponent's violent ministrations on instinct. That punch is disregarded, the feint caught, and Annie is ready for the attempted grapple, twisting her wrist through Miu's grasp and dropping low, coiling her slender body over well-toned legs. She moves within the moment of over-extension, lashing out with an upward swing of her arm, scything the edge of her hand up along the chest.
"Zuum~!" She cries again, the lyrical note carrying with it another searing flash of Psycho Power, burning white along her skin and flaring to warm violet at the edges. The first stroke is mild, a means to an end, preparing for the other hand to sweep a wide, backhanded chop that will drive Miu back with a broader wave of energy. Annie smiles behind it, her goodwill somehow driving the assault -- it hurts, but it is a pain dealt by a caring creature.
COMBATSYS: Miu dodges Annie's Zuum.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Annie
Miu may never know the source of Annie's power, it seems. She jumps into the air, flipping neatly over the top of the other psychic, and landing on the tips of her toes. She takes a deep breath, and raises her hand, closing her eyes as she centers herself.
Half her power is still focused on easing the pain within herself, the other half draws closer around her. The feathers which had followed the girl around incessantly actually stop flowing now, and she lets her hands fall to her sides. Her eyes meet Annie, and she speaks softly. Yet, her voice is still quite audible over the cheering crowd. Who seem quite irrelevant to her, as though, she genuinely doesn't care a jot about what they, or anyone else watching, may think of her.
"Sorry, Annie." She states, "I was rude. I have not been treating you as a contender. I arrogantly thought myself better than you because of your attitude and style. I was wrong."
COMBATSYS: Miu gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Annie
Her psychic energy shimmers and dies, doing so with considerably less fanfare than Miu's rather dramatic feathered displays put out. Whether it is more or less potent, it is clear that they have a different will and purpose behind their techniques. Annie is unable to find a connection though - a very apt situation given the demeanour of her opponent. She smiles at that, scolding herself inwardly as she almost laughs.
But then she realises there is no need, because Miu is not attacking.
Straightening her back, letting her hands drop to a loose half-guard in front of her, she glances at the raven-haired girl with amber eyes wide and mouth quizzically open. "Are you..." She begins, before her short - /very/ short, she now realises as they face one another like this - opponent begins to address her. 'Sorry'? The words that are spoken were not ones that she expected, and suddenly she thinks that she understands Miu a little better.
Annie inclines her head in recognition of the apology she did not consider due. She can appreciate honesty, not least because it validates the opinion she had already made. The crowd maiden is a good person; a soul worthy of knowing. The slender blonde draws herself back into that sloppy fighting stance, doing so with a hint of determination, her gaze intensifying.
"I accept your apology." She says it with a hint of gravitas, though tempers this with a broad, devil-may-care grin as she continues, "Now come and show these people what you're capable of when fighting an equal. No holding back, Miu! Show them, and me, how a Queen of Fighters is going to represent her team!"
COMBATSYS: Annie focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Annie
Miu has never been one to care about what other people think of her. It's not for their praise that she agreed to Rose's offer. She wanted to join Rose's team to learn, not to earn fame and fortune. She would gladly sacrifice all of that if it would help her understand... herself. Because isn't that really the biggest tragedy? Miu knows so little about /why/ she can do the things she can do. She understands nothing of the wider world. Her brother, though, is relying on her. Really, if Annie wanted to spur Miu on, she should have asked her to show what a Queen of Fighters can do... for herself.
Without any more hesitation, Miu's power flares about her once again, and the girl spins. Dark black, the depth of space, flows out from her before shattering into a storm of feathers, and from the center of that storm, three bright white spears lance out.
Cutting diagonally across, they aim to skewer Annie directly across the torso. There's no more words from the girl, no more chatter or apology, Miu has said everything she needs to say right now. No, right now, she needs to reaffirm to herself what it is she is capable of.
COMBATSYS: Miu successfully hits Annie with Kakure Amagakeri.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Annie
Would compelling Miu to prove yourself have had such an effect if it did not force her to think about what matters to her? Annie has no way of knowing that there is a sickly brother in need, or even whether the quiet girl has family of any kind. All she can safely say is that a part of her clearly has drive, and ambition of some sort; why else would she fight like she does, or even present herself in such a serious manner? /Something/ matters to Miu, and it is connected to the reason that she fights, here and now.
Murakami lifts her chin slightly as her opponent twists around, summoning forth the darker half of her power. The attack is fast, certainly - fast and beautiful, those bright lances lashing through the air to reach their mark before she can do more than have her brain relay instructions. The body moves too late, only worsening her fate as she flies back, feet leaving the floor as she is sent into a horizontal spin, vestiges of psychic energy still sizzling across her torso as she tries to land upright only to fall into a three-point crouch, breathing hard.
And suddenly she /does/ understand more about the crow maiden.
"I wish I could help you," the slender blonde offers, rising to her feet as she begins to flash in turn with her own power, a white flare encompassing the upper half of her body, bleeding out to dark violet at the edges as it rapidly expands into a cruciform shape. Annie is only faintly visible within, amber eyes burning with soulfire. "You're so strong, and yet you're so /lonely/!" Her arms lash out to either side, pushing the blazing cross away from her, sending it careening across the store toward Miu.
It's an impressive thing, her power, for all her apparent naivety and inexperience. Should it make contact, the projectile will strike with the sharp warmth of thunder, sending a psychic shock through the dimunitive psion's body before flinging her backward in the explosion.
COMBATSYS: Miu dodges Annie's Crossing Wrath.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Annie
Miu makes no immediate comment on Annie's words. Instead, she focuses on the here and now. This turns out to be a wise choice, as burning soulfire is rarely a good thing to wind up eating. The girl slides underneath the lance of power, letting it pass overhead harmlessly, though it comes within a hair's breadth of making contact.
She comes up again, and closes the gap as swiftly as she can. This time, she turns as she comes, feet skating on bright white energy, and a glowing white feather melding from her elbow, as she aims to drive it into Annie's sternum. Contact or no, though, unless Miu winds up on the receiving end of some serious pain, she is going to deign to respond with actual words to Annie. Which is a very rare thing indeed.
"Someone close to me is relying on me." She says. Her voice just as calm and cold as ever. And that, is all that she needs to say. Although she has now, at least, gotten the impression that Annie is not someone trying to manipulate her or do her any harm. She gets the feeling she could probably even trust this girl, though she would have no idea how to articulate /why/ this is the case.
COMBATSYS: Annie dodges Miu's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Annie
"So that's why you feel so empty," Annie responds with uncharacteristic hush, amber eyes gentle as she emerges from a graceful pirouette, bypassing Miu's striking elbow and coming around at her flank. The slender blonde sways down into a crouch, coming almost to her knees before she claps a hand to the ground and launches from this singular point of balance, both legs kicking up as she seeks to bring the left as high as she can.
"I've not had many friends," she admits without any hint of sadness as she busies herself trying to boot the Seijyun student rather harshly in the back of the head. She may not be large or terribly fast, when it comes to the heavy stuff - but there's a considerable amount of stopping power in the blow. It's at serious odds with her words and her demeanour, as she straightens from the kick, hopping to her feet with a gasp of breath and a smile.
"But if you ever need somebody to listen, or help in any other way, I'd be more than willing." Why would she offer help to someone who was a complete stranger just a few minutes ago? It doesn't seem as though she's begging for companionship herself; or angling to pick up information for some kind of secret society. Could be that Annie Murakami is actually a nice person, without any particular hangups or conflicts of her own? It might explain the curious warmth in her energy. Though it doesn't go very far to justifying why she would boot a younger girl in the head. Ah, fighters.
COMBATSYS: Annie successfully hits Miu with Strong Kick.
Grazing Hit
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Annie
Nice people who aren't scouting for secret societies don't exist. This is something that Miu Kurosaki keeps dear to her heart, one of the few certainties there is in life. Everyone has their own hangups, idiosyncrasies and problems. It is, in fact, one of the reasons she tried so hard not to let other people get close to her. She has so many problems of her own, and so many others relying on her already. She can't get close to others; she'll feel compelled to take their problems on her shoulders, too. She doesn't have time. Her brother's life hangs in the balance.
The kick only barely makes contact, but it is enough to send her stumbling forwards. She does her best to recover from the attack and return the favor herself. Turning her momentum around, she aims to grab hold of Annie by the legs, and, with a strength fuelled primarily by her will, swing her in a set of three, long, loops.
Each one leaves a different colour, white, then black, then white again, before she'd let the girl go sailing off. There's been no response to the offer of a shoulder to cry on. Miu, doesn't need one. She's the only person who can do what she has to do, and she'll do it. It's her duty. Maybe that made her feel empty, lonely. But, she doesn't feel it. She keeps a strong distance between those emotions and the demands made on her... she had to do these things. It was stupid to feel lonely or upset about it. If she didn't do it, who would?
COMBATSYS: Annie fails to interrupt Power Throw from Miu with Zuum Cross.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Annie
Lonely. Burdened. There's a lot of sadness surrounding Miu. There is a reason that half of her feathers are black, that her power manifests with such a startling duality. She drives from both sides of the spectrum. Annie has heard legends of psychics who possess a terrible power, though they are not stories that her people take particularly seriously; they are a talented but single-minded lot. Still. If she knew, what would she assume about Miu Kurosaki's future? Perhaps her kindness would see her reach out further...
For the moment, it is moot. It's all she can do to not pass out as she is spun rapidly around, startled by the sheer /strength/ stored in those small limbs and ravaged again by the energy that is more than a match for her own. No doubt, her opponent possesses incredible, unrefined potential. Today, her will manifests itself not only in causing considerable damage to Annie, but in levelling another portion of the store as the Murakami heiress is sent topping into a bank of shelves. This time, there is an explosive shower of eyeshadow and black lipstick as the makeup stand falls victim to the fighters.
Clearly losing the ability to function normally after that one, it takes Annie a few attempts to right herself. When she finally gets to one knee, she looks in quite a state. One of the bows in her hair has come loose, leaving one ringleted tail high and perky while the other slumps against her shoulder, various strands coming loose. One amber eye is shut - though more to ward off the spatter of eye-liner that has been directed over one side of her face.
Still, she manages to smile a woozy smile, determinedly adjusting the hem of her dress as she slides to her feet. "Is that the best you've got?" She asks with a mischievous twinkle, abandoning her quest to convince Miu to embrace the path of light and instead cajoling her on to the final stage of battle. Perhaps, through fighting, through winning this tournament, the younger girl will find her own salvation. That must be what drives her; winning, for the person she cares about. "Come on, Miu!" Annie raises her arms, slapping a fist into the opposing palm, "Hit me again!"
Miu doesn't hold back any more. The girl has gone from seeing the Murakami heiress as a strange girl in need of some guidance and practice, to a person of equal skill. It's confusing to her why the other psion is so very focused on getting Miu to keep hitting her... but she's not going to question it. It isn't really her place to do so, is it?
Annie isn't looking so good, but, looks /can/ be deceiving. Miu should know. She navigates the treacherous lipstick-strewn terrain like a pro, and draws her fist back as she does so. Putting herself fully into the movement, she barrels forwards, and strikes out with her fist as hard as she can. Dark black light cleaves a hole after the motion, as she does her very best to slam her opponent in the jaw, and bring an end to the fight. Miu isn't, for all the rumors, a cruel person. She'd really like to end the fight with as little pain as possible.
When all is said and done, she'd certainly have to try and keep an eye out for this 'Annie' in the future. Perhaps try and talk to Rose about her, see if she was known to the team leader. There's something strange about her, she obviously wants to learn about other psychic fighters but... for the life of her, Miu just couldn't see why. An irony, considering how much she wished to meet other psychic fighters purely for the experience of learning from them herself.
COMBATSYS: Annie dodges Miu's Aggressive Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Annie
It's ironic, really, how little these two would have to tell one another to be almost fully informed. There is a great deal of complex lore lying behind the Murakami family name, and if Annie were to sit down with Miu and outline everything she has ever been taught about her duties... well, they would develop very sore bottoms indeed. But the gist alone is relatively straightforward - as it is for her fellow psychic. Such is the nature of a mystery, however. When explained it is oh-so-simple.
And right now there are few chances to actually explain. Miu's character is much more open when she fights, and while they can converse to an extent, it is draining even for the chatterbox blonde to keep it up whilst dodging the rapid, energy-laden attacks of her opponent. So she says nothing for the moment, staying focused as she vaults over the incoming fist -- leapfrog style. Her own hands prickle with a sheath of psychic power as she briefly claps them to the other girl's fist.
She can feel it, that emotional sting in the tail, but she is already gone before it can manifest properly. Annie is clearly gifted with great agility, almost effortlessly leaping the little raven, then bending forward as she flies over. She may have shown her serious and caring sides during this impulsive bout, but the slender blonde is bringing back the perky... as she looks to slam Miu from behind with what can only be described as a butt bump. It's not a page from Rainbow Mika's book; it's all her, as that tightly clad rear end is slammed into the fifteen year old's back with not inconsiderable force.
COMBATSYS: Miu interrupts Strong Punch from Annie with Psi-Launcher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Annie
Miu is not one to be an open book, it must be said. The girl practically thrives on mystery, whether genuine or cultivated by her peers. She likes being the strange, distant one. It keeps people away when she needs them to be kept away, and it meant that idiots didn't generally try and bother her. These are all good things, and very real reasons why she doesn't like the notion of just opening up to people. It's doubtful if she'll even have everything drug out of her by her teammates in the course of the King of Fighters tournament. If people don't know more than they need to know, they don't feel compelled to meddle. That's Miu's reasoning.
Truth be told, though, Miu doesn't even recognize what Annie does as an attack at first. The girl vaults over her, and Miu comes around with her fist blazing with dark energy. This time, it is manifest as a sharp point, recognizable as a feather moulding out of her knuckles, and she strikes forwards... into Annie's backside.
The result is that the force of the punch upwards, and the shock of dark, numbing power which follows, is practically uninterrupted. But at the same time, Annie's /ass/ bruises Miu's knuckles, and, for the first time in a long time, Miu actually looks mildly surprised. A stunned whisper on her lips.
"... I'd have /never/ thought of that."
Never let it be said Annie Murakami is not pragmatic. She is, by the standards of professional fighters, grossly technically flawed. Her punches sway between being limp and over-committed, her kicks are merely passable - at least given her impractical choice of attire - and the list of techniques she has created to be her own reads like a page from the extensive 'don'ts' section of 'Martial Arts for Dummies'. But her raw talent, her passion and a healthy dose of ancient power have all driven her to some level of achievement.
She's really not all that bad, despite being /terrible/.
Though she does pay the price for challenging an opponent like Miu, giving a pained squeal as she is launched through the air by that imbued punch. It's not a smart position to be sent flying from, and she crashes head over heels over the sales desk, scattering the till - and the money inside - along with a rack of gothic-styled candy treats. The till itself just narrowly misses falling on her head. "Saaaa..."
But miss it she does, and with a sigh, Annie pushes herself to her feet, rubbing at the back of her head with one hand and her butt with the other. She glances over at the younger girl, wrinkling her nose, "You'd think there'd be some kind of taboo about punching me there." What's with all the complicated rules in this place if they don't account for situations like this? "Oh well!" She did let herself in for it, and it probably looked /great/.
"Hup!" Vaulting the counter with a perky grin, at least pleased that she's drawing the best out of Miu, Annie hits the shop floor running, hopping once or twice to clear some fallen stock. But she's more or less making a direct bee line for the raven-haired girl, reaching out to snag her by the front of her uniform and yank her close. It's a little more direct and honestly brutal than using your anus; but she's nothing if not unpredictable!
COMBATSYS: Miu dodges Annie's Ichi Ni Zan.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Annie
Miu gives a little shake of her head, but no verbal response. She's probably just done something that will ensure half the teenage boys watching the match don't get a good nights sleep for weeks, but she's not going to dwell on it. Instead, she's going to do her level best to finish off this match right now.
Annie comes in, and it is Miu's turn to slide around to the side. As she does so, bright white light follows her arm, creating a beautiful spiral in the air as she goes low, and then, suddenly, she's coming up and across with stunning force. Aiming to catch the girl with nothing more than the glowing white power, which seems to fill up... well! Far more space than it has any right to, all things considered, given it comes from such a small arm.
Hit or miss, Miu is starting to run out of steam. Sweat is beading on her brow, and her breathing is coming harder than before. She's not running out of power. She's got plenty of that to spare. But her body is weak and feeble, and her physical stamina is starting to flag. They have been throwing a lot of power back and forth at each other for a while now, after all.
COMBATSYS: Annie blocks Miu's Shubatsu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Miu 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Annie
Her momentum is up, and Annie cannot rapidly stop her advance. Her grasping hand meets the air at the same instant that Miu sends out that lashing whip of energy - what the blonde psion has come to associate as the 'positive' side of it, though it is clearly a misnomer. The world is not so simplistic. Though, sometimes the simple and direct way is the best; so rather than draw on her gymnastic talent, on this occasion the Murakami heiress settles for folding her arms about her, sinking low and absorbing the force of the wide blow.
"Not..." she gasps out, "Enough!"
Though it's clearly plenty for her. She is noticeably shaken by the effort of defending, almost falling as she forces her ravaged body forward. What she unleashes is nothing spectacular; leading in with a testing low kick of reasonable form, then delivering an open-handed strike to the cheek. The final part of the combination comes with a third sway of the hips, as Annie fires off a basic, straight-slugging punch from her right arm. It lacks power, but she stops herself stretching too far. Perhaps she is even getting a little better, more focused, as she tires.
COMBATSYS: Miu interrupts Combo Attack from Annie with Fierce Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Miu 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Annie
Miu weathers the storm. There's really no other way to put it. The first blow knocks softens her up, and the second turns her head a little. But, she can see the straight slug coming a mile off, and she responds in the fashion she feels... is right. Which is to say, she kicks Annie straight in the head.
It's an impressive snapshot, really. In a display of athleticism, she brings her shin into sharp contact with the side of Annie's head. At the same time as Annie's fist descends and meets her cheek. For a moment, they are held in tableau. The two girls colliding in some kind of Rocky Freeze Frame Ending.
And then the moment passes. The momentum behind Miu's psychic-powered kick carries her on, and she lands on both feet. Annie is knocked to the floor, but, she's not dropping her guard yet. There was almost always one more burst than you would expect, when fighting professionals...
Kapow.
Under any less dramatic auspice, Murakami would have simply fallen like a discarded sack of legumes. But their is something fateful about this battle, as though a future were being forged, as though those who continue on will look back on these frantic minutes and remember what happened. It may be a simple thing, a word or gesture that is recalled, but Annie - as she is enveloped by an explosion of light not entirely caused by a flood of Psycho Power - is certain that they will laugh about this, one day.
Until then, she collapses, buckling beneath the will of her opponent. Or... does she? A murmur runs through the assembly, and even the poor beleagured store clerk takes an interest as the slender blonde catches herself on a knee and an outstretched palm. Her head is swimming, her beautiful body bruised and quivering with the very effort of even functioning. But she slowly, agonisingly pushes herself upright, reaching up to brush the dishevelled bangs from her eyes. Amber eyes flare as they settle upon her fellow psychic.
"Promise me something, Miu." It's spoken clearly enough, despite the gasp of breathlessness running beneath the words. The sharp crackle of Psycho Power fills the air, and a streak of violet soulfire runs up a black-sleeved arm as it raised to hang in the air between them. Suddenly, her hand explodes, slender fingers casting off a blinding light as that energy blossoms. A beat later, a searing, soaring crucifix of deep purple light is tearing toward Miu.
"Win the tournament! Find that person who believes in you, who /you/ can believe in!" On contact, the shout of Annie's soul fills the dark confines of Hot Topic, casting a divine light upon the assorted gothic regalia, bringing a feeling of hope and triumph to the gathered crowd. And then it grows brighter, as she sweeps her arm outward, hurling another glowing cross seemingly from her very heart. "Become the best you can be, /Miu Kurosaki/!"
COMBATSYS: Annie can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Miu 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Miu interrupts Double Crossing Wrath from Annie with Psychic Secrets.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Miu 1/--=====/=======|
It isn't every day that Miu finds herself staring down a huge blast of purple power. Though, it can feel like it, sometimes.
She does hear Annie's words, and the diminutive psychic cracks a little smile. Her lips tug upwards for just a moment, before they return to the calm, neutral position. She cuts it fine. A fraction of a second more, and she would have been swallowed up in that light. Instead, bright white power flares and meets it, slashing through the first blast, and sending it to either side of her. The power washes over her arms, and she steps forwards...
The second blast is cut diagonally by a thick band of darkness. This time, the remainder of the exploding power ruffles her hair, sending her ponytail fluttering madly in the breeze. She takes a deep breath, centered, ready. A third step, and she's standing in front of Annie. The distance she's traveled is only a few paces, but it feels like she's run a marathon.
"I will not fail."
Those words spoken, she brings both her arms up, black and white crossing in a contrasting X with Annie in the center. She's still whispering, for the girl, not for the audience, as she prepares to unleash her power completely.
"This is... what I am."
And all of it flows out of her. A gigantic lance of sheer power and force which would eclipse what almost any fighter in the world could do casually. It shines once, painfully bright, forcing the audience to look away, before turning as dark as pitch, rendering the entire shop deep in shadow...
And then it explodes.
By the time anyone has realized that it is safe to look back, Miu is walking out of the front of the shop as though nothing at all has happened. Annie is left to fend for herself. The bet? Well, Miu never really cared about the bet. Did she really need another set of skull earrings or some dark lipstick? No. The important thing now, is trying to get to somewhere she could sit down and catch her breath without looking like she's ready to keel over. Which is how she feels.
Log created on 14:44:58 01/04/2011 by Annie, and last modified on 05:51:32 01/06/2011.