Description: Howard Arena has borne witness to many a fight. That is its purpose. Now, it bears witness to another. Can the military might of Leona Heidern overcome the tagteam duo of Miu and Munin? (Winners: Miu and Munin)
The Howard Arena is packed out to the brim. The first fight in over a year for the league champion, Miu Kurosaki, and she's doing it with the up-and-coming Munin, against Leona Heidern. The fact that this is a fight for friendship has only sparked dozens of rumors. Is there some existing history between the two? Miu has never shown any signs of having ANY friends before, let alone Munin. The atmosphere in the stadium is electric. As in all the best fights, the questions that are on everybody's lips have very little to do with who will emerge victorious, and more to do with the fighters in question, and why they are there at all.
Miu herself has said nothing on the matter to anybody, though she has wondered the same herself. She is not a friendly person, and any gesture of friendship which involves the Crow Girl of Seijyun High HAS to be some manner of joke, right? The young psion has taken up position on the left side of the arena, and resolutely stayed there.
A trio of crows are her companions. The birds settled about her, one on her shoulder, two around her feet. She hasn't said a word to anyone since she arrived. Truth be told, she's starting to think this had been some form of ghastly mistake. She despises people, and whilst the money was useful, it isn't as though she really needs it. So why is she here?
Because she hadn't fought in over a year, and she is going to walk into a warzone, that is why.
And that underlaying tension hangs about her like a pall, almost a physical presence which wards away unwanted human contact and the feeble questions of sycophantic hangers-on. Miu really does work to maintain an image as an antisocial, vaguely frightening young woman. She has no intention of allowing that to fade tonight.
It never ceases to amaze Munin just how big the crowds can get. She stands nearby to Miu, speaking with one of the medics concerning what to be careful of. She looks none the worse for wear.
A bandage wraps around one side of her neck, and under the edges of her clothes, on her torso, more bandages can be seen wrapping around her. She was honestly lucky to survive her encounter with Freeman in as good condition as she has, for what it's worth. The medic gives her one last looksee to make sure nothing has come loose, and to fix anything that does once the match is over.
From what Munin has read up on her opponent, something very likely will.
As for Miu, Munins thoughts are very similar. She's never met the girl before now, and is likewise not entirely the most 'social' of people. However, there is a sense for her that Miu is something of a kindred spirit in a way, and Munin feels no fear or discomfort from her aloof manner, nor the birds that are her company.
She smirks to herself at the irony as she approaches the ring. Miu keeps the company of birds, while Munin is named after one of Odins ravens in Norse myth.
She pulls out a small handle, and with a flick, the blade snaps out, sharpened and ready. Giving Miu a glance, Munin nods to indicate she's ready to go.
Saturday Night Fights. They are... an amusement. A change of pace from Leona's usual duties. Something of a distraction, perhaps. A way to meet new people, to re-join with old comrades... a way to fight that isn't a fight to the death, or with serious repercussions. (Usually.)
She isn't a flashy fighter, not one out for public acclaim--that's not why she does this. The part of her that she keeps under lock and key has to come out a little bit, and it's safer in these conditions--when she knows she doesn't need to fight to the fullest of her potential to... well, to kill. It is a fact, after all, that what Heidern taught her was intended as a killing art. She has to modify it for public use.
As the two women wait, Leona is nowhere to be seen. Is she late? Not showing? Neither--at exactly the right moment, she emerges from the tunnel on the other side of the arena, walking with calm, measured step, up the ramp to the main stage. Only there does she stop, gazing across the platform at her two adversaries, her blue eyes almost clinically disinterested as she goes through her small prefight ritual--tying her hair back into the accustomed ponytail, tightening gloves, kneeling and securing the laces of her combat boots. Then she rises and, without a word to the two, walks forward... and stops, bringing her hands up, sliding her feet to a wide stance.
Clearly, she's ready... and waiting.
COMBATSYS: Leona has started a fight here in the center.
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Leona 0|-------|------=
Miu steps forwards, and her birds flutter off, up, and away. This is possible the least talkative three people they could have chosen to throw together, but such are the whims of fate. If it must be that they must fight, then Miu will do as she has learned. She will fight, and prove to herself that her style has not grown rusty through neglect.
There still isn't a word from her, though. Or any sign that she has even acknowledged her partner. Instead, she moves to form one point of a triangle. And she waits for the announcement--
"READY?"
"FIGHT!"
In the same instant that the announcer shouts, Miu brings her arm sweeping around. The power she wields spills out of her, and this time, it isn't merely an 'almost' tangible wave. Dark energy is clasped between her fingers, and she hurls it forwards towards Leona.
Three pitch black feathers streak across the Howard arena, leaving a trail of sparkling darkness in their wake. Miu's eyes are focused and intense, and for the moment anyway, she only has eyes for Leona.
She just hopes Munin doesn't get in the way.
COMBATSYS: Miu has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Miu 0/-------/-------|
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Leona 0|-------|------=
Munin is likewise silent as she sees her opponent enter. As Mius birds flutter off, Munins eyes begin to glow more brightly, and dark shadowy chi begins ti drift off her body and weapon like faint black steam.
The bell is rung, and as Mius projectiles streak towards Leona, Munin zips sideways, coming in from the right with a swing of her sword, hoping to hit Leona while she's distracted with dodging the incoming attack!
COMBATSYS: Munin has joined the fight here.
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Miu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Leona blocks Miu's Kakure Amagakeri.
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Miu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Leona with Medium Strike.
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Miu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
This is, to borrow a phrase from a popular movie, a much more difficult style of fighting than Leona is used to--but in the opposite direction. Her style is to focus on an enemy, take it down, and move to the next. Fighting two at once... well, it should be an interesting exercise, if nothing else.
Miu's feathers--not actual feathers, of course, born of psycho power--slam into crossed forearms, three solid impacts which, nonetheless, are largely deflected. They're enough to put her a touch off-balance, and that sword of Munin's takes a slice off of her, cutting across her bared stomach... but Leona reacts not a whit, emotionally. Damage was to be expected. Even as blood flows from the wound--relatively minor, nothing to write home about--she shifts towards the closest attacker--Munin.
And she hops up, cranking her right leg up and around, and then slamming it downwards, for Munin's forehead. The follow-through of the axe kick will bring Leona back down to two feet, already centered and balanced for the next exchange.
Miu watches as Munin closes the distance, and as the pair of fighters start to get into it, she sighs softly. Such is the long-suffering problem of the style with many ranged moves. When you are supposed to care about who you hit, you've got to be really careful about firing into a melee. She raises her hand anyway, and this time the power which forms between her fingers is white.
She is severely tempted to just risk it anyway.
In the end, her head rules her heart, and instead, she dashes into the fray herself. Munin has Leona's attention, so her hope is that if she glides into the back, she won't be seen coming. The bright energy smoothing the ground underneath her feet definitely helps.
And she does come in fast. Leona seems tough, and she doesn't want to hang around. So the sliding figure pauses only for the briefest possible moment to aim a stinging smack of her tiny fist against Leona's side, before she carries on and past her.
Really, it might just be more of an annoying distraction to Heidern's soldier... but it may buy Munin the opening she needs. Or just really piss off Leona. One or the other.
COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Leona's Strike Arc.
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Miu 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|----===
As Leona hops up, Munin guesses an axe kick, or something similar, is coming shortly after. As Leona brings her foot down, Munin brings her empty arm up, blocking the strike with her forearm, so that her weapon is still free to attack with.
As much as her arm hurts afterwards, It's nothing compard to how much it would have hurt if the strike hit full on.
She hops back herself as Miu comes in, trying to draw Leona further towards her and put her off balance for her partners attack, before moving in for another hit, striking with both her empty fist and weapon simultaniously! Hit or miss, she hops back a few steps afterwards, hoping to try to avoid a counter-attack
COMBATSYS: Leona just-defends Miu's Jab Punch!
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Miu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|----===
COMBATSYS: Leona fails to interrupt Twin Impale from Munin with Moon Slasher.
-* CRITICAL FAIL! *-
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Miu 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
Leona quickly finds herself beset by the two--and their ability to charge their attacks with their energies is... troubling, to say the least. A moment of fortune and instinct finds her twisting, left hand reaching out, grasping Miu's striking hand just before the elbow, and pushing it aside, and that lets her turn to face Munin's charging strike--
--just in time to take the twin strike, solidly, a grunt of escaped air issuing from her lips as she finds herself on her back. More wounds, but she rises nonetheless. The look on her face is fierce, her wounds bleeding more gravely now...
...but she certainly looks ready to fight. She's been in worse situations before--she's already adapting her tactical thinking, her methodologies. Adjusting her parameters of victory.
Miu is surprised by the speed with which Leona turns her attack around. She had hoped that the distraction would prove enough for her to make contact. That certainly doesn't happen, but the solid connection that Munin makes with her opponent is impressive. For a moment, she considers pressing the attack at that second... but something holds her back.
Rose had tried very hard to instill in her that not every fight needed to be taken so utterly seriously; that in fact, even many fights that seemed as though they needed to be life or death, need be no such thing. To find a third way. The desire to attack her downed opponent is a /sensible/ one...
But it is not one to which the Crow Girl of Seijyun High gives in.
Instead, she waits for Leona to rise, and then she gives an almost imperceptible nod of her head. If her punch didn't work...
Instead, she comes running straight in for Leona, doing her best to maintain eye contact throughout. It is a frighteningly intense approach for someone who had moments before been trying to stay on the sidelines.
And at the last possible moment, she slides! Both arms come out with her as she goes, and she aims to snare Leona's ankles. The momentum from her run is augmented by that ever-present psycho power, and she'll do her best to channel as much as she can into Leona as she goes... assuming she can manage to get her hands on the elder fighter, of course.
Munin winces a bit as she hops back, her attack successful. A jolt of pain from her abdominal injuries, hopefully not a hint of something coming unstitched, makes her pause. This gives Leona the time needed to stand.
As Miu comes in with her dashing attack, Munin begins watching Leona veeeeery carefully, her eyes beginning to glow brighter, waiting and watching for an opening, as her hand tightens on her weapon......
COMBATSYS: Munin focuses on her next action.
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Miu 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Leona dodges Miu's Power Throw.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
In this case--no. Leona's breathing calms and she centers herself in an instant. Quashing her emotions, controlling them, is second nature to her now. It's too dangerous otherwise. She doesn't cultivate the ice queen model because she enjoys it, precisely--she does it because the alternative would be too risky--and would, in all likelihood, force the Ikari to have to try and kill her. That simply wouldn't end well for anyone involved.
With Munin not attacking, she only has to deal with Miu--and she's ready, when the girl comes in low, attempting to grab her by the ankles. It looks simple--it looks easy--but the timing of the back-hop she takes is more complicated than it looks. Hop too early, and she avoids the attack but cannot retaliate; too late, and she is snagged.
As she hops back, she puts a little flair into her own attack--a flying side-kick aimed for Miu's forehead, one that might not be a knockout blow, but might give Miu pause... if it hits.
COMBATSYS: Miu dodges Leona's Light Kick.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
Miu is quick. It is one of the advantages of being so very small. Leona has almost a whole foot and sixty pounds on the tiny ball of psycho power that is Miu Kurosaki, and when the swinging kick comes in for her, it is that size which saves her. She bursts her power out against the ground, and her small body tucks into a roll in mid-air, spinning over Leona's outstretched leg.
When she lands, the girl spins on her heel. This time, her power carves a bright and shining arc through the air, cleaving a white slice across reality itself as she brings her knuckles around. The energy actually extends extends outwards from her by a good four inches, though. A thick coating of psycho power which sweeps in to try and catch Leona diagonally across the middle.
Bizarrely, what Miu is mostly thankful for... is that the fight is so quiet. Sure, the crowd are baying for blood, as they always do, but neither her 'partner' nor her opponent have tried to get any girl talk or witty banter going.
All her worst fears are unfounded. It is fantastic.
That's just Munins style. Unless her opponents or teammates are talking, she tends to be straight, and to the point.... pun not intended.
Speaking of points, once Miu gets Leonas attention, dodges, and comes in again, Munin takes her shot, doing something completely unexpected of her!
She throws her sword at Leona, the razor-sharp blade spinning dangerously as it whirls through the air towards it's target!
Why a swordfighter would throw their weapon away, only she knows currently.
COMBATSYS: Leona dodges Miu's Shubatsu.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Leona blocks Munin's Thrown Weapon.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|--=====
Ah, now they're working together again. Leona lands from her hop and pushes off, almost literally sliding back a little more, and to her left. She can feel the shimmering edge of that Psycho Power, like the buzzing edge of a chainsaw just a bit too close. Munin's timing is pretty good, with the sword throw--but Leona is ready for that as well. She -catches- the sword--earning a cut on her left hand, but not too deep. Painful but not disabling. And for a moment, she just stands there, with the sword in hand, her blood sliding down the edge...
...and then she tosses the weapon aside, listening to it clatter along the floor of the arena... and then she leaps. Not for Miu--but for Munin. Leona flips through the air almost lazily, tucked into a tight ball, and as she reaches the swordswoman, she lashes out with crossed knifehands, cutting arcs through the air--aimed at her head, and empowered by the sharp, electric blue-white of her chi, hissing outwards.
To outsiders, it looks as if she's quite literally trying to cave Munin's head in.
Miu is, surprised, when Munin throws her sword at Leona. It takes quite a lot to phase the young woman, but that certainly does it. From what she understood, doesn't Munin need that to fight? And... oh dear, Leona is pressing the attack again.
So Miu does the only thing she can think to do.
She hooks her foot underneath Munin's sword, and kicks it up into her hand. And then, as Leona carves a lazy path through the air, she *HURLS* it at the swordswoman. And she breaks the vow of silence that has stood between all participants thus far, to try and make it clear that she isn't trying to murder her teammate.
"Catch!"
Which... is all very well and good, but when you get right down to it, Miu has still basically chosen to throw a very sharp bladed instrument at her teammate, as hard as she can, so that she can try and have something to block an oncoming Heidern with. How much this helps in the long run remains to be seen.
COMBATSYS: Leona successfully hits Munin with X-Caliber Strike.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Munin catches Thrown Object from Miu with Riposte.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|---====
Drat. She blocked it. Oh, well.
Unfortunately, Leona is now making a beeline for her! She is about to block when she sees something she doesn't expect: Miu tossing her sword back to her!
Without hesitation, she catches it cleanly by the handle, drawing ooohhh's from the crowd. Unfortunately, she is unable to bring it up in time to stop Leonas attack, and winces as the blows connect, partially due to the strikes themselves, and partially from the still-healing injuries.
She looks none the worse for wear, however, and eyes Leona cautiously as she plans her next move....
Leona isn't inclined to let Munin get off that easily. They're both dangerous, but she's -right here- in front of Munin, and that makes the swordswoman a natural target.
Leona lands, arms crossed, in a crouch, that blue energy wisping off her gloved hands... and she rises smoothly, swiftly, and ready to attack. Of course she's keeping an eye--figuratively--on Miu, but right now.... right now.
Feinting a quick hand gesture, instead she launches a high, snapping front kick with her right leg, aiming a steel-toed boot for Munin's chin, a grunted outrushing of air the only thing she 'says'.
She does have a new tactic, it seems...
Miu is glad at least that she didn't accidentally gut her ally. That would have been rather difficult to explain. She might cultivate a reputation as a bit of an oddity, but not as a dangerous psychopath! She's no Iori, no sir.
Of course, Leona's blow still hits true, and Miu winces. It seems pretty clear to her that the best way to handle the soldier, with her incredible speed, is going to be to wear her down. Keeping her splitting her attention between herself and Munin seems to be paying off, but that means, unfortunately, that she can't just leave Munin to be beaten savagely to death in order to save her own skin.
She is going to have to go in there.
Miu *is* completely soundless as she descends from above. When the girl decided to jump is a good question all on its own. You'll have to catch the video replay.
Her intent is to grab on to Leona's back from behind, and tug her arms up. If she can just get them to bend, she'll bring both hands around and in front of the Ikari, palms facing towards her...
And then a bright white spike made of energy will burst from the pair, right into Leona's face. The power is naturally stinging and numbing, rather than cutting (thankfully), but that is unlikely to be much solace.
Why, if the all-out attempt to get and keep Leona's attention works, the fact that they dissolve into a beautiful spray of feathers will likely go completely unappreciated by her, too!
COMBATSYS: Leona successfully hits Munin with Light Kick.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|--=====
Munin sadly falls for the fakeout, eyeing the hand, then taking the kick directly to the chin, snapping her head to the side.
As she looks back, her eyes and mouth suddenly glow painfully bright, as her body goes pitch black, her chi enveloping her small form!
The sudden change may startle Leona enough for Miu to get the drop on her. The bloodcurdling SCREAM Munin makes as she does this may unnerve her enough that the razor-tipped spikes of chi Munins body launches may strike her as well!
COMBATSYS: Leona blocks Munin's Iron Maiden.
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Miu 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|-======
COMBATSYS: Leona interrupts Grasping Yomo EX from Miu with Moon Slasher.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Miu 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 0|-------|=======
It takes a whole lot to unnerve Leona. She was -taught- by a man who routinely tried to kill her, outright, though of course he wouldn't -actually- have done it. She thinks. Maybe. She's faced down tanks, terrors, and more. A swordsman screaming, unleashing spikes of chi, she can handle that.
And she does, her aura flaring invisibly as she reaches inside herself. The impact of Munin's chi forces Leona away from the swordswoman and turns her towards the incoming Miu. The reaction... when she feels Miu above her, not a psionic ability but instinct honed by training, she acts without thinking.
Almost without even realizing she's doing it, Miu's weight impacts not from behind, but from in front, and before Leona knows it, her hands are slicing through the air, impacting into Miu's chest, explosively, cutting blue-white trails of energy through the air again as she forces the girl away from her, the sound her hands make something like that of a razor-edged blade slicing through a side of beef.
If there is one word which could be used to describe Miu, it is unflappable. As Leona turns the tables on her in a quite explosive fashion, there is no doubt that she is caught by surprise; wide eyes and shock show that clearly enough. When she picks herself up, however, she has also come to a certain realization. If Leona is going to be defeated, she needs to be unafraid of taking such powerful hits, and, she needs to do so swiftly; before a few more blows like that fell her for good.
Other girls may panic, Miu just nods her head, as though silently congratulating Leona on an impressive display of force.
And then she explodes into action.
There had been feathers before, but now they are everywhere. Swirling around Miu in a chaotic storm, she assaults Leona with everything she has. She must seize the initiative whilst it is there to be seized!
Pushing herself to her very limits, Miu *had* seemed to be acting almost effortlessly before. Energy just flows when she moves, it is natural. But this? This is different. There's nothing so crass as a speech, but she is breathing harder, sweat beading on her brow as she slashes at Leona over and over again with raw psychic force.
It is a display that the crowd has not seen in a very long time.
And as she pulls backwards, all of her energy comes with her. For a split second, it is as though a tangible weight has been lifted from the arena. Miu's will is a staggering thing, and the raw force of her personality is gathered into her fist...
Before being unleashed all at once. A massive drilling lance of raw psychic energy rips between herself and Leona, big enough to dwarf both fighters and fully intent on finishing it all at once, in one glorious display of her psychic prowess.
Or at the very least, break this frightening offensive momentum that Leona is getting.
As if by unspoken agreement, Munin also goes into something of an overdrive of sorts. Illusory doubles of herself suddenly appear, striking from a variety of angles and directions! These illusory chi-based images do no harm if they strike, and vanish instantly moments after, or if struck.
Figuring out which is the REAL one, however, THAT is the challenge!
One comes in low with a sweep, one from the left with a sword swing, yet one more from the right with a sword swing, while one more comes in through the middle, attacking head on. Yet another hangs back, doing nothing!
What WILL Leona do?
COMBATSYS: Leona endures Munin's Deep Strike.
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Miu 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Munin
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Leona 1|------=|=======
COMBATSYS: Leona interrupts Psychic Secrets from Miu with V-Slasher.
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Miu 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Munin
[ ||||| ]
Leona 0|-------|----===
She's seen a similar type of attack before. Chizuru Kagura possesses this ability--to form phantoms of herself that can strike. She remains... well, prepared. Whiff. Whiff. Whiff. The images dissipate harmlessly... and when the last one comes, Leona is ready for it. She jumps, away from Munin, and towards Miu... and her leap is aided by the force behind the sword strike--a leap which, through pure happenstance, keeps any major injuries from being inflicted. That is, while the cut is deep, it doesn't strike any internal organs.
That leap takes her right into Miu--right into the teeth of that savage strike--and Leona has to reach deep to stop it. Drawing her right arm back, she takes several hits before chi explodes into her right hand, making it glow not blue, but orange, and she drives the hand downwards, literally cutting a line of chi across Miu's torso, reaching the bottom of the strike just as she lands.
Without pause, she pushes off, strong legs propelling her upwards as she lands another strike, upwards, this time--more glowing, orange-white chi staying, pulsating for a moment, as if primed... and just as Leona reaches the peak of her second jump, it literally explodes, like a bomb. As Leona lands, she's panting, sweating with the exertion and the toll her body has taken, along with her psyche... but that cold glare hasn't once left her eyes. It's possible it's still there when she sleeps, waiting behind closed eyelids.
The first blow draws a surprised gasp from Miu.
The second shuts her up.
It is not often that Miu meets a force capable of ploughing through her unleashed power. It does happen, but very rarely, and she had not expected Leona to be one of them - especially after exerting herself as much as she has. it is a mistake which costs her dearly.
She can tell that the assault still hurt her, though. The panting, the sweating. Miu herself is more composed, but, only barely. She takes a deep, shuddering breath as she rises, and snatches one of the dozens of feathers still drifting through the arena, from the moment that Leona's chi shattered her will.
The shard grasped, Miu closes her eyes. To trust her instincts over her head; to give herself over to fate rather than try to analyze everything. It is... difficult, but right now, her head is telling her she should sleep, and rest after such a powerful blow.
And now is not the time to rest.
So instead, that single feather is flung in a blindingly fast arc, aiming to smack in a stinging impact with the back of the crouching woman. It is not much, but in this moment, whilst her will takes a few seconds to recover itself... it is all she has. Far easier to throw her power, than to convince her legs it is a good idea to remember how to walk.
Munin watches Leona take her attack, and then plow through Mius with a disconnected, analytical gaze. Leona is as impressive in person as the information and recordings display.
She is also as dangerous as expected.
As leona lands, and Miu launches an attack at her, Munin does likewise. In a change-up from her normal style, instead of using her sword, her shadowy chi instead builds in her empty hand, and she throws a chi-wave at Leona from the opposing angle as Miu!
She can feel her bandages under her clothes starting to seep a bit, and the one on her neck, invisible to herself, has a line of red down it's center as well, though veeeeery thin.
COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Leona with Shadow Wave.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Munin
[ || ]
Leona 0|-------|--=====
COMBATSYS: Leona fails to interrupt Amagakeri from Miu with Moon Slasher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Munin
[ ]
Leona 0|-------|--=====
COMBATSYS: Leona can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Miu 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Munin
The two are working together. Were they Ikari recruits, Leona might praise them... faintly. Her body, at last, betrays the mind of its owner; too slow to avoid either projectile, as tired as she is, she is hit by the wave of shadowy chi, and, sluggishly, attempts a response to Miu's feather--but it catches her in the upper chest and Leona's charge is halted.
She stops, slowly, then drops to one knee, panting heavily, gloved hands down to the floor to sustain her. Wordlessly, she rises, after a moment--but it's clear the fight is out of her; with a dismissive wave--not for her opponents, for the medics--she turns to walk off stage. She's limping, and bleeding, but the Ikari medics can treat her far better than Masters' medics. They try to coddle her. Ikari first aiders know that she doesn't give a damn about the pain.
She is gracious enough to stop at the edge, turn, and give the two an almost-military salute, recognition of their prowess... and of how far she yet has to go.
Log created on 16:45:27 06/02/2012 by Leona, and last modified on 10:26:41 06/04/2012.