Description: In the snowy fields of a Japanese winter, Takako comes across a swordswoman in her training spot. As is inevitable, the pair test their might in the traditional fashion. One sword clashes against two, and the brute force of Takako's style is pitted against the subtle and tricksy style that Munin employs. When all is said and done, only one warrior can remain standing... and the question is answered, is two really better than one?
Winter. A cold time. Loathed by some, beloved by others. The clearing glitters beautifully, covered in a small layer of freshly-fallen snow, which has yet to be disturbed, by animal or otherwise passing through it's space.
However, the serene visage of the landscape is not entirely perfect, some would say. The sound of a flute of some kind being played in the distance, breaking the silence. It's just loud enough to hear from the road if one is paying attention, it's melody soft and sad. The young woman playing it sits comfortably against a tree, seemingly unaware of the world at large.
Perhaps that is precisely why she has come here.
Takako comes here fairly often to train since her arrival in Southtown. The girl values privacy when she's training, and especially in the chill of winter, she doesn't often see other people here. Certainly she could train in her hostel room, and that would be fine, but she knows that variety is the spice of life, and training in natural environments is a part of all worthwhile schools.
When she gets here today, however, she finds that she is not the only person to come to this particular clearing. The short girl walks towards Munin, sandal-clad feet making remarkably little noise as she does. When she's almost on top of the older girl, she draws her bokken.
And the smack of wood against wood rings out loudly as she hits the tree. "Hoi." She says, demanding attention. "I'm going to start training now." She continues, meaningfully. Then her eyes fall down to the weapons the woman is carrying, and the tension of her arrival becomes even thicker.
*SMACK!* comes the hollow echo of the training weapon against the tree, which seems amplified by the setting somehow. Munin seems undisturbed by this, letting her last note linger once the girl has finished her statement.
Her eyes open and glance up slowly at Takako, an eyebrow raised in an expression somewhere between annoyance and curiosity. They flick to the weapon in her hand, then back, running over her body in a quick sizing up.
"No need to strike a perfectly innocent tree to get my attention. Your approach was loud enough to wake the dead". The sarcasm is thick as she smirks "If you want to train, be my guest. What do you need my permission for?".
Takako narrows her eyes at the sarcasm. Her sense of humor is apparently as well developed as her sense of politeness. She swings the bokken around once, flourishing it as she puts it to rest by her side. "I wasn't asking your permission. I was informing you of what is going to happen."
She moves to nudge her foot against the prone woman, just because she can, really. "Are those swords you're sitting on just for show, or are you actually a fighter as well as a musician?" She asks, blunt as the sword at her side. "If you CAN fight, maybe you want to warm up a bit, eh?"
Munin puts her small instrument away in a sack next to her, still smirking, and still with a tone dripping in sarcasm "Glad to know i rank highly enough that fighters knock down my door every time they train".
At being nudged and proposed to a match, her eyes get that calculating look. The goosebumps on her skin bely that she's feeling colder than she is letting on.
Standing, she shrugs "Why not? I could use the practice, and it'll get my blood pumping again". She starts doing some quick minor warmups as she walks towards the clearing, the obvious place for such action to occur.
Takako shakes her head slightly at the additional sarcasm. She's never been one for that kind of showboating, and her disapproval shines clear in her eyes. Still, she's going to get what she wants out of it anyway; a good fight will make up for any irritation she might feel now.
Working her shoulders and legs as she takes position at the other end of the clearing. "You should be careful." She says, "At the moment, I'm in a good mood. If you keep poking fun at me, you're going to piss me off, and that'll ruin the fun."
She might say she's in a good mood, but she's not smiling. Her sandals kick idly at the snow when she feels she's ready, though she doesn't want to hit Munin first... not exactly sporting when you've issued the challenge, to move before the other is ready.
There's a flash of a genuine smile briefly as the thought of a mirror opposite runs through Munins mind. Sarcastic versus serious. She slowly draws her shortswords from their sheaths, which promptly begin to glow veeeery faintly. "I'm Munin, by the way. What's your name?".
COMBATSYS: Munin has started a fight here.
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Munin 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Takako has joined the fight here.
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Takako 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Munin
"Takako. Takako Fujiwa."
The girl digs her sandals into the snow, and raises her sword to face Munin in something approaching a typical Kendo ready stance. Her every muscle is tensed and ready for movement, like a coiled spring. "Feel free to make the first move. I intend to make the last."
A nod is given, as Munin ponders what she knows of Kendo, as well as what she can tell from the girls stance and physical details. Strong, taken a good beating, sure, aggressive, and intensly focused. Hits from her will likely hurt. A lot.
She closes the gap rather quickly, starting simple with a basic strike of one of her blades, probing the girls defenses.
COMBATSYS: Takako endures Munin's Weapon Jab.
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Takako 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Munin
Takako doesn't even try to get out of the way of the strike. She doesn't seem to have any defense to speak of. Instead, Munin's strike hits home right into Takako's gut, and the shorter girl steps forwards, seeking entrance inside Munin's defenses.
"Hn. Fancy trick." She mutters, apparently not appreciating the energy burn that came with the attack. But there isn't much more of that, as she brings her bokken down hard, aiming to bounce the wooden blade right off Munin's forehead, with a loud shout of "KYAH!"
COMBATSYS: Munin fails to counter Medium Strike from Takako with Riposte.
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Takako 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Munin
Can appreciate the tactic used. Take the hit to get in close. Kendo users use a lot of specific strikes, so she expects the head attack. She'll simply knock the attack with one sword while striking with the other.
What she does NOT expect is either the speed nor the power behind the strike, and it bonks her on the head full tilt, filling her vision with all sorts of shapes and colors for a moment, along with a pained yelp.
Takako nods her head with grim satisfaction after her attack got through. That was, pretty much, exactly what she wanted to happen. Sure, it'd hurt a little bit to get to this position, but two blades are no match for one if you know what you're doing!
Her foot is raised, and she slams it down into the ground. At the same moment, her voice is raised again! This time, in a loud, echoing shout... which is coupled with a sudden burst of strong wind energy from the girl. There's not too much force in it as these attacks go, but the loud "HYAH!" Is intended more to throw the opponent back and shock them than actually... hurt them, it seems.
COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Takako's Kiai.
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Takako 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Munin
Shaking her head to clear it, Munin is too annoyed with herself to be intimidated much. The sound does hurt her eardrums a bit, though, but with the strike to her head, it doesn't cause much more disorientation than was there prior. DEFINATELY not a good way to start this off.....
Coming in high, she abruptly changes target, swinging low at the last minute with both blades, aiming for the legs. Maybe if she can limit Takakos movement, it will improve things somewhat.
COMBATSYS: Takako blocks Munin's Cross Slash.
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Takako 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Munin
Takako's blade is longer, and she moves with surprising grace to intercept the paired weapons, forcing them back and away from her. The girl is glad, at least, that Munin isn't fleeing or obviously intimidated just by her shout... that would have made for a rather boring match!
Instead, with her sword dragging upwards, she strikes out with the hilt, sudden, sharp, and definitely too close and brutal to be standard Kendo style. "You'll have to be a lot sneakier to trick me!"
COMBATSYS: Takako successfully hits Munin with Weapon Jab.
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Takako 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Munin
%Munin frowns, deciding to play the same trick. She steps into the strike, moving slightly to the side with the impact so as to lessen it slightly, hopefully close enough to be inside her guard. Going from bad to worse, it seems.
Not wasting any time, she jabs forwards at Takakos stomach with both blades fiercly, her violet eyes flashing with purple light for a brief moment as she moves.
COMBATSYS: Takako endures Munin's Twin Impale.
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Takako 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Munin
Takako grits her teeth as Munin cuts across her torso. Once again, the girl does not try to defend herself. Unlike last time, she doesn't try to move into the strike either. She just, takes it. Two cuts across her stomach.
With her sword still raised, she reverses her grip on it, and brings the weapon down as hard as she possibly can, aiming, pretty much, to impale Munin's head on the tip.
"KYAH!"
COMBATSYS: Takako successfully hits Munin with Crushing Strike.
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Takako 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Munin
*BONK!* goes the bokken as Munin dodges just a bit too slowly. That she would just take a pair of hits like that, let alone that it had that little an effect, takes her off guard. Now, she is definately paying for it.
She figures she'll take a chance, rears back a bit to get some power, and goes for a straight hit to the side of Takakos head with the flat of one of the blades!
COMBATSYS: Takako blocks Munin's Fierce Strike.
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Takako 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Munin
Takako's blade again comes up and around in a swirling pattern to catch the fierce blow. The strike glances from the wooden sword, and she steps backwards, bringing her sword around with her.
Both hands take a firm grip on the weapon, and she exhales slowly. "You're not bad, that energy of yours stings. Most people can't keep that up forever."
And that's all the time there is for conversation, it seems. Takako relies on a continual, violent forward motion, and her sword comes in hard in a targeted strike, aiming to drive the air from Munin's lungs; after all, if her hunch is right, this kind of flashy display has to be taking its toll... right?
COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Takako's Random Strike.
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Takako 0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1 Munin
A nice attampt, but a quick crossblock robs the strike of most of it's power. Munin looks her opponent in the eyes, smirking, her breath visible in the cold air "I can do it long enough. Your strikes hurt a lot, by the way".
Her eyes suddenly then flash brightly, like a camera almost, flaring with dark purple energy, so bright it honestly hurts and even partially blinding!
COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Takako with Flashbang.
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Takako 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Munin
Takako is surprised by the flaring energy. It doesn't even occur to her to try and close her eyes, or anything similar. She just stares right into the flash, and it does hurt! It burns into her retinas, and the girl is finally forced to go backwards. There's a low snarl in the back of her throat as she does so, however.
"Damn, what sort of trick is that?" She shouts, blinking her eyes rapidly and trying to get her vision back, "You think you can beat me by... CHEATING?!"
COMBATSYS: Takako focuses on her next action.
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Takako 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Munin
Munin smirks darkly, seeming to genuinely be enjoying herself, even if she is really hurting. "This is a duel, right? You set rules at the beginning. Since no rules were set, what did you expect? As for cheating, all's fair, as they say. Long as no one is killed". Those eyes of hers glow slightly for a moment, the same dark purple color, before returning to normal, as if in punctuation of her statement.
Meanwhile, she takes a deep breath, aware that this is not looking as good as she acts. (I have to end this fast.... one or two more good hits and i'm down for the count).
COMBATSYS: Munin gains composure.
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Takako 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Munin
Takako isn't happy, that much is for certain. "Don't try and twist it around!" She bellows, her anger starting to flare. The wind is whipping up in the area, sending the snow flying in brief flurries around the pair. An overly dramatic mind might think that Takako's fury has something to do with it.
Because in this universe, overly dramatic minds have the right of it. "You CHEATED. Trying to BLIND me? I'll DESTROY you! HRAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Slamming her bokken into the ground, the air around the pair EXPLODES into a whipping frenzy of tearing winds, blinding snow and freezing cold just adding to the distinctly painful, lashing air.
COMBATSYS: Takako successfully hits Munin with Explosive Tornado.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Takako 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Munin
Well, once again, it seems Munins inexperience is her downfall. The sudden vehemant burst of anger she can expect, but the large burst of tearing winds she definately does not. She closes her guard, trying to resist it, but is ultimately unable.
With a cry of pain, she is painfully cut into in multiple places, dotting the snowy landscape with crimson droplets from some of the deeper hits. Though still standing at the end, her legs are visibly shaking from trauma and exertion. She glares up at Takako with a grimace, her eyes glowing steadily.
COMBATSYS: Munin focuses on her next action.
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Takako 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Munin
Takako is definitely pissed, and she doesn't hold back at all. She can see that Munin is on the back foot, but although she might want to do things sportingly at the start of the fight... showing hesitation when the enemy is bloodied is a good way to lose. She can see that the girl's eyes are glowing, too, and with a mighty, bellowed shout, she hurls herself forwards.
"KIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The sword might as well be a lance the way she holds it, braced against her shoulder, and she throws herself at the older girl, utterly heedless of any danger she might be in, and any instinct of self preservation; one, desperate strike with all the force she can muster put behind it.
COMBATSYS: Munin counters Deep Strike from Takako with Double Vision.
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Takako 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Munin
Never underestimate a cornered, wounded animal, especially one with glowing eyes and a pair of fangs, as it were. This is the classic swordsman scenario, Munin thinks to herself. One opponent injuried and on the ropes, the other charging in heedlessly, to deliver the finishing blow, carelessly ignoring or not noticing the risks to themselves.
Who is she to not play along with the drama. After all, isn't there usually a turnaround after that?
Her form begins to shimmer, and as the strike comes in, Takako feels it strike, then give way as the chi-illusion crumples and fades after the impact.
Munins blades as well as her form blurring into vision as she moves in a highspeed burst around Takako, and with her comes the pair of strikes, both simultanious full strength stabs, aimed right at her back!
Takako looks grimly satisfied as 'Munin' crumples. When it becomes apparent that Munin has not, in fact, fallen down and out, she looks momentarily confused. And then she stumbles as the blows to her back strike home, and she falls over herself in her confusion and frustration.
Rather amusingly, Takako is actually blushing as she rises. She's hideously embarrassed she fell for such an obvious ploy. Once more, she shouts her determination to the world, and she lunges forwards again. Her sword swings in three powerful downwards arcs, aiming to brutally smash aside any defense Munin might muster with those two swords of hers, and finish this once and for all!
COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Takako's Violent Hurricane.
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Takako 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Munin
With a suprising show of skill, despite her injured and almost spent status, Munin manages to duck, dodge, and block all three strikes, the last one making her grunt in pain. She stumbles, the white and slightly red field getting slightly brighter. She shakes her head to clear it, and strikes out with her swords, unable to aim them too precisely now.
Blunt trauma as well as some blood loss is starting to take it's toll on her, finally, and considering her build, she's gone longer than most would think she would.
COMBATSYS: Takako interrupts Medium Strike from Munin with Kami's Roar.
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Takako 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Munin
Takako walks up to Munin when she lashes out with those swords, and the girl's head is brought backwards.
And then whipped forwards. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
There's actually a small *crack* as skull meets blade, and then keeps on going.
Takako's skull slams bodily into Munin's and although she's bleeding from a shallow cut on her face, and she's clearly bruised herself in the attack, the headstrong (literally!) Kendo fighter is still standing, raising her sword again. "THAT'S how you fight!" She shouts, angrily, accusingly, at Munin.
COMBATSYS: Munin can no longer fight.
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Takako 1/-----==/=======|
With that last blow, the world goes bright white. With a stumble, Munin jabs forwards with what might she has left, and loses consciousness half-way through it. She is almost falling onto Takako as much as striking her, for all appearances.
Hit or miss, her weapons plop as the snow muffles the sounds of them hitting the ground, and her body goes limp.
COMBATSYS: Takako Toughs Out Munin's Deep Strike!
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Takako 0/-------/=======|
Takako takes the stab to her gut. She tenses up as it comes in, and she lets Munin collapse on top of her. Through it all, the Kendo Girl stands firm. She doesn't even flinch. The only response she gives, is to shrug gently as Munin collapses, and let the purple-eyed swordswoman fall to the snow at her feet.
That done, she finally lets herself exhale. Her bokken is resheathed at her hip, and she looks down at the girl. "You have some good moves." She says, at last. "If you'd just focus on one sword and stop with all the fancy tricks, you might be able to beat me."
And the camera pans out as sad, whistling music plays. ~OoooOOooooO~
COMBATSYS: Takako has ended the fight here.
Log created on 13:35:07 01/24/2012 by Takako, and last modified on 16:26:25 01/24/2012.