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 Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:12 pm
There are few things that Elves cannot dodge when they see them coming, but as it stood Ruu did not see the table he was sitting at lift up and head towards the the ceiling, thus he was chinned by the woman object and toppled backwards off his chair and to one side of the room. No scratch was there, definitely nothing broken, but it still hurt like a b***h and he was left wondering why there was such a large fight over Max's hat.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 7:04 am
:: No no no, no time for a break, no time to stop and take a breather. This guy was intense, he couldnt underestimate him, he could shatter through the table, or dive under it at the last minute or...
Clip clop...the sound of feet hitting a close by surface...like a ceiling.
...or run straight up the wall and cling the ceiling, and then bounce off. No that most certainly was not on the list.
Like a swimmer jumping into the water after a few weeks off, Maximos's mind was in the right place, but his body was not. It wasnt that he didnt want to move, or that he didnt know he had to move. It was more that his body was running on old equipment, it needed to be pushed, to be strained, to be forced back into the shape it used to be. And this...this was perfect. Not to mention...::
Its my hat! Keep your sticky hands off of it!
::Walter always made his steak juicy...always. Sticky hands were a definite when handling it. But he didnt have the time to be worrying about that sort of thing.
He had no intention of just being slammed into a wall. He could tell he wasnt fast enough at the moment to dodge, all he could do was brace for impact and brace he did. His feet digging deep as Joshua came careening down. Impacting the dead center of Maximos's chest just as he had managed to fold his arms in front of it, Maximos's feet shattered into the floor boards, scraping back and kicking up broken chunks of wood as Joshua's sheer force propelled him back, into, and through the far wall behind him. With a crunch and a bit of a caucophony of crumbling the wall was broken, crumbling down in a pile rubble and a white fluffy dust cloud. All that was left was really only a whole about the size of the average door. And of course, the hat precariously perched on top of the wreckage in the middle of the guest bedroom floor. And not a stir visible in the room.::
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:22 pm
THUK!
The sound of impact into a soft, juicy object. The kind of object that Maximos hadn't been for an eon or more. Joshua knew before they had even started that he was different... that he was human. He didn't expect him to know how to control his body this soon after the transformation, and that was why he'd been pulling his punches.
It was true, Joshua was a bit rusty, himself. He'd been wasting away in this black abyss for a year now waiting... for today. He knew that this guy was the kind of guy that could take it, but only if somebody woke him up first.
"Njjsty ffrgrth'n duh bsthtkn'd." Those sticky fingers had brushed the edge of the hat at the time of impact. In truth he'd thought Maxi would have provided more resistance, which would have thrown him back more slowly and given Joshua the time to recapture the ball, but it looked like there was no fumble this time.
He tore the steak off again, chewing as he jogged up through the new door towards the rubble.
"Yo~ ...you dead?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:07 pm
themightyjello He tore the steak off again, chewing as he jogged up through the new door towards the rubble. ::He waited, his body was going to take a bit of waking up, but his mind was sharp. Strategy was as much a part of this fight as anything else was. As it stood his opponent was his equal if not his better, he needed something to keep him in the game! To any one sensing life, Maximos wasnt in that rubble, and the moment Josh came through the "door", a pair of swinging feet would be flying for his face. His hope was to hit the face and kick off, giving him a position to ready or counter a follow up attack. Maximos had taken keen advantage of the rubble to make it up, climb onto the corner betwix the roof and the wall, and he'd made slight use of his shadow manipulation, to add a bit of extra grip, to a flat wall so he could deliver a nice swinging kick toward the unsuspecting Joshua. Hopefully, just before he could reach down and claim the prize. Brains, he still had brains...body would come later. Hopefully soon.::
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 7:30 pm
There was no hiding, unless Maximos managed to block out his existence entirely. It was true, he couldn't see anyone under that pile of rubble, nor could he hear anyone moving, and the overwhelming presence of shadow magic in this mansion made sniffing him out all but impossible... but there was one thing that Maximos could never hide from Joshua, something so familiar to him that he had been using it himself for years. Just like Maximos' glasses, which had shown the presence of souls, there was no way Joshua would have missed a soul with as high spiritual energy as Maximos, even if it did not bear the distinctive mark of the Reaper upon it.
It had definitely been a bold move, using brains over brawn. 'Work smart, not hard' applied to fighting as well, if you can't overcome your opponent then you only have to corner them and win at your own pace. Joshua knew where Maxi had been hiding, but there was no sure-fire way to predict what he would try next -
WHUD!
Maximos' feet connected... with Joshua's face.
He'd taken a firm stance, not just bracing for the impact but fighting it. From the way that the blow had struck it was clear that he should have been able to dodge it easily, but instead he'd headbutted the soles of Maximos' shoes.
"Come on..."
A drip of blood ran over his brow and down the left side of his nose. Rather than striking back, though, he tucked the last bite of steak into his mouth.
"You hit like a girl."
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:02 pm
themightyjello WHUD!Maximos' feet connected... with Joshua's face. ::Maximos's grin stretched from ear to ear. His knee's bent soaking in the impact. Contact! His plan had work---He wasnt budging. He hadnt knocked Joshua back at all, not even an inch! The smile faded as his eyes widened, a look of shock splattering across his face.:: themightyjello "Come on...You hit like a girl." ::This wasnt the first time Maximos heard big talk during a fight. Trash talk brushed off his back like water off a duck. But this time was different in truth...Joshua was right. Not that he hit like a girl persay, as he knew some girls that could hit pretty damn hard...but he wasnt where should be. Flesh and blood were lagging him down, he knew he was stronger than this, more agile than this, quicker, tougher...but he had to push it. With shadow all he had to do was think and it was done, his body was meaningless. As long as he could hold he thought, and the will the body would move until it was broken, this wasnt the same. He had to push this body, make it move, fight its aches and pains...though the base principal was the same the application was totally different. Despite his training in all those years, he had honestly forgotten what it was to be alive... That shock faded as solid cold determination shot across his face.:: Enough play.::The single solid though ripped across his mind, clearing it. It wasnt that the hat shouldnt be in Joshua's hands...it wasnt. That was all there was to it. His toes grinded down using Joshua's head like the firm base that it was. He pushed, gritted his teeth and rolled his body forward, over the round surface that was Joshua's head. Rolling to the back and pushing as if he was going to kick off. Just as his body moved airborne he tucked his upper half down and under into a front flip behind Joshua's back. Two hands immediately and expediently flew back to grip the mans shirt from behind and tug, just as his two feet smacked the ground behind Joshua. An almost primal...:: Rrraaagh!!::Was let loose as he landed, immediately wretching his body forward, using his not so light wieght to jerk forward and swing his arms overhead, basically aiming to toss Joshua flying back across the dining room. Passion. Drive. Determination. These were lost emotions, the Destroyers, but he had them now. He could feel them seething through him and shoving him forward without any chance of retreat.::
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:30 pm
Joshua was bent over by the weight; having someone stand on your head, even for just a second, is not the most pleasant experience in the world. He slid his front foot forwards more to keep himself upright, even as Maximos rolled over him, and what happened next instilled some new faith back into him.
Flesh, blood, bone... it's all just dead weight unless you use it.
He chuckled, even being thrown across the room he was still chuckling. There was enough simple control left to throw his legs up over his head and turn the fall into a landing; the balls of his feet catching the force of his fall and dropping his center of gravity in front of them. A four-point stance, sitting on the balls of his feet with his fingertips pressed to the floor, was one of the best stances a person could be in if they want to answer a charge.
All he had to do was throw himself forwards with both legs, push off with his hands to raise his body up, and drive straight into the opposition's chest. His arms crossed over in front of him, forming an X that he intended to use to slam Maximos right back through that 'door' he had come out of.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:46 pm
themightyjello Joshua was bent over by the weight; having someone stand on your head, even for just a second, is not the most pleasant experience in the world. He slid his front foot forwards more to keep himself upright, even as Maximos rolled over him, and what happened next instilled some new faith back into him. ::Maximos wasnt done. Anyone can make it out of a throw like that unscatched, you just flip and land, set in motion. Just because he found determination, he could just let his brain go to mush and rely on instinct. Instinct can only carry one so far. Just as his hands released Joshua, his body lurched forward, fingers smacking on the ground like a runner on his starting block. But the gun had already been fired and Maximos took off in full sprint. He need to know how far, and how fast he could push this body. And then he needed to know he could use this speed to his advantage. He prided himself on that speed, that agility, and his unyielding viciousness in attack. Speed and attack...speed and attack...he had to focus now. This was a challenge... themightyjello He chuckled, even being thrown across the room he was still chuckling. There was enough simple control left to throw his legs up over his head and turn the fall into-- --The moment Maximos was hoping for. He wasnt quick enough just yet to toss a sword and follow directly beneath it, but Joshua wasnt a sword, he was a full grown man. He wouldnt have to slow him down, gravity and Josh himself, would do that for him, all he had to do was be there at the right time. He could let himself have the doubt that he wouldnt. He had to make it! And just as Joshua's feet were coming for that ground...he did. Wether his attack was successful or not, he was there. His ducked himself down, stepping extra low, reaching his arms out to grasp both Joshua's feet by the ankles before Josh could have the moment to fully right himself. In that awkward phase between turning and landing. Then he'd leap, pushing as much force into his legs as he could muster, his arms trailing overhead. His right eye flaring up, as if it had ignited in a white torch in his skull. As he leaped, he aimed to swing Joshua by the feet and send him crashing straight into the overturned table below to finish the furniture off. Letting out another raw, shout. He simply could not afford to hold back.::
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:59 pm
Maximos ::He wouldnt have to slow him down, gravity and Josh himself, would do that for him, all he had to do was be there at the right time. He could let himself have the doubt that he wouldnt. He had to make it! And just as Joshua's feet were coming for that ground...he did. Wether his attack was successful or not, he was there.:: Gravity could be a harsh mistress... it could aid a man one moment, and work against him the next. Joshua hadn't expected Maximos to have gained that much speed yet, the man had seemed to be a little slow on realizing just what his body was capable, and incapable of. He hated to admit it... but Joshua was impressed. " NICE!" The shout would be accompanied by an impact. Maximos had rushed in, head low, but Joshua was not the kind of person who would be overcome with speed alone. His body was already in motion, he just had to make use of it, and with no hesitation at all he used the torque of his body's backflip to bring his knees up under Maximos' chin at the same time as a doubled fist came hammering down to the top of his head.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:45 pm
::A smirk, he couldnt help but smirk. As he realized, this was not about the Hat at all. This was about him, this was about the fight, he had to be happy with himself for his little achievement, and then... THWACK! Now in all fairness, that hurt. Not a deep emotional pain, more of a "OW!" sort of pain. He had that wonderful shadow form before that barely felt anything good or bad. Now he had flesh and bone, and could see the few black splotches in his vision and the quick flash of red as the hammer wieght smacked his head down. His teeth gritted in protest as chin met knee and nearly bit his tongue off. The wieght ricocheted down his body slamming him down. Pain. Pain was a very old feeling, like the arrows that used to pierce his body when he failed in training. Pain, like having live steel slice through limbs and body parts and being forced to continue before his mother, the healer could reach him. Pain. He remembered pain... And he remembered how much he liked it... The smirk, grew to a smile, a slightly twisted smile from ear to ear... The force drove his knee down, thumping against the wood. His arms rose to push Joshua back. Not to attack, just clear a space, just for a moment. There was an unspoken feeling in the air...this wasnt over. This wasnt even a break, the fight had barely even begun. He stood, his arm pushing off his knee as he stood. His gloved right hand rising to wipe a streak of blood off his grinning face.:: I believe its time we move past the warm up round...::He scanned the broken and destroyed room. There were no people here, in this void the only person in this room was Joshua. There we no chairs or silverware, there were potential weapons. His mind had finally settled where it belonged. He lived a life living for his "friends" and that life was over. This moment was for himself. Only himself. His hands moved to pat the dust off his sleaves and coat.:: If you would be so kind as to join me on the surface we can continue this without making life too strenuous for Walter...what do you say?
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:09 am
Joshua pressed the heel of his hand against his face, wiping away the bit of blood that was left from where Maximos' kick had struck. Behind the blood there was nothing, no cut, not even a mark to show he had been struck other than the smeared blood on the skin.
...and he laughed.
"Sure."
He walked away, bending beside the table before tilting it back on its side with a heave. Beneath it, a few feet from where all of this had begun, his sword and bracers sat in a pile. He pulled them both on in little time, feeling that when they continued, Maximos might have cleaned off enough rust to make him need them.
Respectfully, he bowed his head to Walter as he passed towards the door; not saying anything, but making it clear enough that he was apologizing for the damage.
"Hey," the man said, pausing at the door, "...don't come without the hat. I still think it looks good on me."
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:34 am
::Maximos nodded keeping that smile ever present. He had at least a base level of trust in this man...no trust was the wrong word. It was a sense of honor, the way they had just swung on each other, Joshua just didnt seem the type to turn dishonorable and try and get a cheap strike. He didnt need it. So he felt safe in turning around, brushing the last bits of debris off his shoulders, and picking up the hat from the comfortable resting place on the pile of rocks. Just as his hand graced the brim the voice called out. themightyjello "Hey," the man said, pausing at the door, "...don't come without the hat. I still think it looks good on me." It made sense, Josh hadnt watched him walk over here, he had gone to get his equipment. The very fact that he said it made him laugh just a bit. They were just too similar, this was going to be good. He picked up the hat, a few sparks dancing across his hand. The holes, the wear and tear, they were still the same, but safe in his hands they were repairing. With a flick of his wrist the hat rolled down his arm and plopped onto his head. He took a moment to check his pocket feelng all 5 stones, and then headed for the stairs. Josh had probably already exited the lighthouse door and Maximos followed soon after. Pausing just outside the door, letting it click shut behind him as he eyed the competition with a smirk on his face. There were no words, just a silent look that seemed to quietly ask "You ready?"::
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:52 am
Joshua had already left, exiting the lighthouse with a hand over his eyes to cut out the light. There was really only one disadvantage to darkvision... it tended to make the transition back into the light rather jarring from time to time, especially with a darkness so opaque as the one inside that mansion.
Seeing Stryphe smoking beside the lighthouse wasn't a surprise; he knew that the demon had an addiction to the things, and he'd noticed his arrival earlier. However, he didn't stop to say hello or anything like that... there was just one long glance before Joshua walked to the side, towards an open area.
A glance that said 'keep out of this'.
Maximos wasn't long behind, and in another minute the two of them were standing at opposite ends of a grassy clearing among the hedgework. Though there was just something here, about this day, that couldn't knock that grin off of his face.
This guy... he wasn't like any of the other guys... this guy had a seal of approval. This guy was grade S, top notch, the cream of the crop... You don't get to be in this line of work if you're shabby or slow. This guy was the kind of guy that he wouldn't have to hold back on.
Joshua slid his right foot back, taking up a left side stance with his arm in front of him. Before had been nothing, nothing at all. A slap in the face as a wake-up call... this is where the real fight would begin.
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:22 am
With the two fighting men gone, Ryugi sighed, and took up a seat on one of the chairs that HADN'T been destroyed in the fighting. Things were suddenly much quieter after the two had left, almost eerily so. He shrugged, and looked around, wondering what he would do now. He could always start a conversation with Walter, but it would seem that Walter was going to be very busy for a while as he cleaned up the mess. Maybe he could try and talk to Ruuvan, since he seemed to be bored out of his skull as well, and the girl seemed to have vanished among the chaos of the fighting.
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:26 am
::That stance, that look in his eye. Thats all he needed, words simply were not necessary. His eyes said it all. This was not the kind of opponent Maximos could hold back on. He could give no quarter and expect none in return. This would be a fight to remember.
Only one weapon would do in a match like...
His left hand slid up his side resting on the hilt of the Nameless.
His legs slid apart, his right hand gently resting on the hilt of the blade, and then...black. Not a fog, or smog, or cloud of black. But the rush of his feet carrying him, bursting him forward across the small distance. Seconds like minutes, minutes like hours. It seemed he'd never actually draw the sword, but he couldnt have been stupid enough to swing a dull sheath, he could dare insult an opponent like that, with an attack like that.
SNAP!
At the last minute, the skidding could be heard of feet against ground, there was no grinding of metal just the silent hum as the seemingly flawless blade glided from the sheath soaring directly for a clean cut across the shoulders. A beheading was in the works. The bade hummed almost musically as it sliced the air.
Maximos wasnt cruel, he wasnt murderous, he had to attack with his all, and yet he knew it would take much more than this to kill this man. Much more. He would never use this sort of force on someone he could kill, these men tettered on the edges of life and death, defending its borders. It would take much more than either of them to push them over.::
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