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 Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:34 pm
 The pink kushi-kushi barelled its way through the halls, turning corners, twisting its little body and flattening its ribs. Amarus ran, inches off the ground, after it. Her pink light flickered across her skin, flaring whenever the stupid kushi-kushi made it under a door and she had to open it to get in. Eventually, she would catch the little ja--
It was trying to squirm through a hole in the wall. Amarus lunged, grabbed, and secured it in one hand, trying not to squeeze it too hard. Someone she did not know particularly well had left her with their kushi, just for a single day, to make sure it ate and had adequate playtime. What they had not mentioned was that this kushi was a Houdini of its species, and excelled in lockpicking. Not that Amarus knew, exactly, who Houdini was; if she had, that would have been her rather bitter nickname for the kushi-kushi.
Its name was something like Edgar or Mortimer or Rasputin; she could never remember what, so she would typically change its name every time she had to address it. She was getting up, ready to return the stupid little kushi-kushi to its cage, when it startled her with its little teeth. She didn't make a sound, but dropped the kushi-kushi from where she held him, having not moved a great way off the floor in the first place. Amarus sucked in a breath, and chased after it again.
It was a good thing that Amarus had no temper to speak of, so she merely chased it with a cold resolve... but at the same time, this was a colossal waste of time. Perhaps she should just tell the student that Jin, her Firelands Wyvling, had eaten the kushi. That would be acceptable, would it not? It was getting into the Gym, now. Amarus wrinkled her nose in distaste. It was a place for combat, which she loved, but the setting... strange. And those uniforms they had to wear. Unpleasant. She, herself, did not feel anger or aggression, merely discomfort.
In any case, she chased whatever-its-name-was into the gym, where she ran straight into a rather elegant reaper. And that was when she lost track of the kushi, which had darted under some benches or a floorboard or Jack knows where, because Amarus certainly didn't. "Well, thanks to this, I've now misplaced the kushi-kushi-- I think you owe me some conflict resolution. Ideally through battle, I must admit that is the only way I can get rid of my bad mood now. I must insist."
Amarus certainly didn't look like she was in a bad mood. But she did look resolute.
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:54 pm
Sparrow was practicing when it occurred.
Or rather, he was attempting to practice.
His jacket lay neatly over the back of one of the various seats that lined the indoor gym, the sleeves of his white dress shirt pushed up until his elbows. The smoking scythe in his gloved hands was held at the ready, sweat sliding down Sparrow's face as he swung it over and over again, determined to get the hang of it quickly. After several rounds of this, he straightened, nodding approvingly to himself.
Then was promptly hit in the side by - er, something.
He didn't fall - thank Jack - but Sparrow did stagger sideways abruptly, surprise registering in his eyes as he righted himself, looking around for the source of whatever it was that had just interrupted his training. His eyes fell on a pale-skinned ghoul just a few feet away.
"I think you owe me some conflict resolution. Ideally through battle, I must admit that is the only way I can get rid of my bad mood now. I must insist."
Sparrow blinked at her, completely nonplussed.
"Er," he said. "What?"
[ HP: 30/30
Target: N/A.
Damage: N/A.
FEAR Attack: Using the blade to "capture" the shadow, Sparrow can hold an opponent in place long enough to do at least some sort of damage. ]
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Face your demons rolled 2 6-sided dice:
1, 2
Total: 3 (2-12)
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:00 am
The smoking scythe, which Amarus managed to notice once she had been standing still long enough, was an impressive and attractive piece of work. What kind of a Reaper would wield such a weapon? It made her uncomfortable on a visceral level, stirring the emotions which she typically hid well under her calm facade. Having only recently been awoken to sentience, Amarus' emotions were still a little iffy: she did feel things, but they were muted, as if far away, or belonging to someone else.
What she did feel strongly was a desire to fight this Reaper, and see what he was all about. She may be new here, but that didn't mean she wasn't absolutely fascinated by the process in which one might fight another student. To find who held the greatest strength, both in their FEAR and in their heart.
Amarus was an ambitious first-year. She had no weapon, as she was merely a Ghost, but her skin flickered with her purple-pink aura, which spread into a kind of ghostly flame the more excited she got about fighting. She contained it to her hands, finally, as it was making her uncomfortable to be such a source of light. The flames would produce the lotus smoke, a calming agent, one which made it desirable to be around Amarus; not so much to leave her.
She bounced back and forth from one foot to the other, and finally said: "Basically, I'm going to fight you, because it makes me feel better. I'm Amarus, by the way; would hate to be rude."
With that, Amarus lunged out at him, her fingers folded together in a strange position until she opened her palms to thrust at... well, something tangible and not too bony, ideally. And apparently her aim was so off, for some reason or another, that she misjudged the arc of her thrust altogether, and had to roll off to the side to correct her awfully obvious miss.
HP: 30/30
Damage: 0
Effect: N/A
FEAR: Lotus Wine; Amarus cuts her palms to release a narcotic essence that, when absorbed through the skin or inhaled, serves as a sedative. Fever follows, breaking into hallucinations or confusion. Lasts only a few minutes at Y1.
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kuropeco rolled 2 6-sided dice:
4, 1
Total: 5 (2-12)
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:32 pm
He did not even know this ghoul, yet she was already taking a swing at him. Sparrow was quite bemused by this entire situation, and he wondered where in Jack's name she had even come from. She was not familiar, nor could he recall ever seeing her around the school - and that ghostly, purplelish pink aura that curled around her would have been memorable. Perhaps she was a new student?
Either way, it seemed she most definitely wanted to fight him. Sparrow sidestepped the ghoul's blow, but it was unnecessary - she had misjudged the distance, and had missed him anyway.
"You are fighting me...to find some sort of cathartic release?" he asked her, tilting his head as his brows contracted together, trying to make sense of this whole situation. He absently swung his scythe around, not really attempting to hit her, which was good, since he did not even reach where she stood.
"My name is Sparrow, by the way."
[ HP: 30/30
Target: Amarus.
Damage: 0.
FEAR Attack: Using the blade to "capture" the shadow, Sparrow can hold an opponent in place long enough to do at least some sort of damage. ]
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Face your demons rolled 2 6-sided dice:
6, 4
Total: 10 (2-12)
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:02 pm
Somehow, even while taking a swing at him, the Reaper seemed elegant. Perhaps if she was not in the middle of fighting him, she would have enjoyed talking to him. That would have to wait-- or, perhaps, they could speak while they fought. It seemed like Sparrow was willing to chat in between blows. She laughed when he failed to hit her; not in a cruel way, merely in good fun. "Looks like we're both starting off rough, Sparrow," she said, before answering him.
She thought for a moment, as she concentrated to touch her feet to the ground and become as tangible as possible. For some reason, this touched on a distant memory, and it was easier for her to fight if she could forget, even for a moment, she wasn't stuck in spirit-form. Amarus flexed her fingers, and formed another symbol, striking this time with her elbow.
"Maybe that's why I fight, but I think it's just because I want to test my strength. It means nothing to be strong if there is someone who can defeat you. Well, maybe that's what I think. I don't know. But if anything, I'd like to disturb this endless calm I feel-- do you know that? That feeling of something without end," Amarus finally replied, in between stretching and considering how far the range of that scythe carried. If he manage to cut her with it, however, it might release her FEAR. That was an aspect she had never thought of before. It turned out that, if given the chance, Amarus would talk and talk. She was by no means angry or unfriendly... if anything, while she fought it was with a sense of wonderment and curiosity. She was fascinated by Sparrow's scythe.
HP: 30/30
Damage: 4
Effect: N/A
FEAR: Lotus Wine; Amarus cuts her palms to release a narcotic essence that, when absorbed through the skin or inhaled, serves as a sedative. Fever follows, breaking into hallucinations or confusion. Lasts only a few minutes at Y1.
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kuropeco rolled 2 6-sided dice:
6, 2
Total: 8 (2-12)
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 8:55 pm
This was certainly one of the strangest occurrences Sparrow had ever experienced.
"Or perhaps you are just curious as to fighting in general," he said mildly, giving a small shrug even as he winced from the impact of the ghoul's elbow into his side (that was a rather unpleasant blow). "I've not yet met anyone who wanted to fight to 'disturb the calm,' though that is quite a unique and interesting reason."
The scythe swung out again, Sparrow idly twisting it from one hand to another as though it were just a simple baton.
"Amarus," he said, and all at once he disappeared into nothingness - nothing, that was, except for a cloud of black smoke which dispersed and flew around behind the ghoul. It reformed in an instant, Sparrow standing with his scythe around her neck.
"Are you new here, then?" he asked her pleasantly, then swung his scythe upwards, simultaneously lifting his knee to slam it into Amarus' back.
[ HP: 26/30
Target: Amarus.
Damage: 2.
FEAR Attack: Using the blade to "capture" the shadow, Sparrow can hold an opponent in place long enough to do at least some sort of damage. ]
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Face your demons rolled 2 6-sided dice:
2, 2
Total: 4 (2-12)
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:32 pm
It was the only time Amarus had ever met anyone in this fashion. Hey, maybe if she fought for long enough, she would even see the kushi again and get a chance to nab it before it got away. Although it would be a shame to put their battle on hold... Still, she supposed there could always be a rematch. Amarus flexed her fingers out and folded them back into fists. There was something sweetly familiar in the way her fingers folded together, joining instead of remaining separate fists. They would split apart to strike a blow, it was true, but for a moment some snippet of something or other comforted her.
"I know that there's something more to this than I can tell, so if I can just break through the surface, maybe it'll be beyond my wildest imaginings," Amarus suggested, stepping back from the blade to watch in fascination as he twirled it from hand to hand. She had judged its range accurately enough, this time around. "Apart from this fight, which I clearly started, why would you fight? You seem strong, you seem to love your weapon." Amarus didn't know much about the affinity Reapers might have for their weapons, but she could see it in the way he fought, and wondered at that connection. Her aura-flames flickered higher again, before she remembered herself to dim them.
He said her name, and that was all, before he had disappeared and reformed in a cloud of black smoke. What a technique, and with such style. Amarus would have laughed, the bells on her head jingling with the motion, but she was extremely conscious of his scythe around her neck. She did smile wryly.
Even if she had wanted to reply and risk the scythe, Sparrow's knee slammed into her back. She choked with the sudden sensation of pain, and took a stumbling step forward before turning to face him again. "That was sneaky," Amarus began, her eyes glinting with excitement. She was starting to feel her own emotions stronger, clearer; fighting was pulling away the fog that kept her perpetually calm and vaguely sleepy. Perhaps it was that the fighting woke her up, but she was shamefully preoccupied by her fascination with how Sparrow could vanish and reappear better than even she could in her most translucent form, so when she aimed a glancing blow at Sparrow with one leg she suspected that it would miss.
"To answer your question, I am relatively new. Quite new, in fact." She smiled, and rocked back and forth on her heels, playing with her aura on one fist, as though she held a soul in her hand. Not that she understood what souls were yet, per se-- that was one of her goals, at this academy. Come to think of it, might a Reaper be able to explain to her...? HP: 28/30
Damage: ?
Effect: N/A
FEAR: Lotus Wine; Amarus cuts her palms to release a narcotic essence that, when absorbed through the skin or inhaled, serves as a sedative. Fever follows, breaking into hallucinations or confusion. Lasts only a few minutes at Y1.
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kuropeco rolled 2 6-sided dice:
1, 1
Total: 2 (2-12)
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:58 pm
He was beginning to find this battle a bit more exciting than he thought he would, despite all of the oddities surrounding it. Amarus spoke with a dry, calm voice even as she was rushing towards him, her eyes glinting with something Sparrow could not read.
"Perhaps," he agreed, with a small, inconsequential shrug. "Or perhaps not. I like to see things as they are, not as what they could be. A bad habit, maybe, but one that's not quite easy to break."
The scythe swung around in his hands, Sparrow looking at it with an amused expression before he turned his gaze back to the ghoul in front of him.
"I fight because I can, I suppose. My scythe is a part of, me, after all," he answered, and lifted his hand, flicking it. Smoke curled from his palm and the weapon dissolved down in a gust of black, disappearing from sight. He flicked it again and the smoke billowed back out, forming the long, sleek weapon once more.
"See?" said Sparrow, and then smiled. "I rather enjoy being sneaky; I find it's infinitely more interesting than a dull fight, after all. And I often find it yields better results."
One pale brow arched, and he nodded towards her, stamping the end of the scythe into the ground as he gave a small bow.
"New people are always interesting," he said, with a mischievous grin. "Especially those who challenge you right off."
[ HP: 26/30
Target: Amarus.
Damage: 0 - Sparrow wtf seriously?
FEAR Attack: Using the blade to "capture" the shadow, Sparrow can hold an opponent in place long enough to do at least some sort of damage. ]
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Face your demons rolled 2 6-sided dice:
1, 4
Total: 5 (2-12)
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 9:01 pm
Amarus smiled at his shrug. Something about the way in which he sounded certain of himself made her happy. To see such certainty, for better or worse, that was what Amarus admired. A strength of character. One who gave in too easily was not worth her time nor her fight, and she was happy to note that Sparrow was an interesting opponent. "How do you know to see what is really there, instead of what seems to be? Do you take it for granted?" Amarus asked him, genuinely curious, rather than accusatory. Could it be true that the muted emotions she felt now would never become what she imagined to be full emotion? Would she never feel strongly about anything or anyone, never have a reason to be mad, never have something she could not bear to lose?
She refused to accept that the way that she was could ever be the most refined version of herself. Her aim was constant betterment.
"Just because you can?" Amarus tilted her head, the bells jingling, as she watched his scythe dissolve and reform. She lifted her hand, as though mimicking his gesture, and returned her aura to its full brilliance before dimming it again. While his scythe was part of him, her aura was an extension of herself, but she couldn't fight with her aura. If anything, it dissuaded from fighting. It made others sleepy, calm, dizzy; any number of effects.
Amarus felt the flutter of something inside her, but she wasn't sure if it was merely the thrill of a fight with such a fascinating opponent, or if it was joy at talking to Sparrow. How was she ever to tell? She'd never really made a friend, given she had been part of a painting since she could remember, so this was all new territory.
"Actually, I suspect since I'm so new here I really shouldn't be challenging strangers, should I? But it's so satisfying..." Amarus shook her head at herself, ribbons bouncing, bells ringing. "In any case, use that sneaky fighting style to show me more tricks," she asked, her request nearly imploring him. Amarus wanted to see this weapon in real action. She folded her hands into another position, concentrating her thoughts and motion on the attack, and with a slow sweeping step approached Sparrow before attacking much faster from a different direction, unclasping her hands to strike with both palms.HP: 28/30
Damage: ?
Effect: N/A
FEAR: Lotus Wine; Amarus cuts her palms to release a narcotic essence that, when absorbed through the skin or inhaled, serves as a sedative. Fever follows, breaking into hallucinations or confusion. Lasts only a few minutes at Y1.
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kuropeco rolled 2 6-sided dice:
4, 3
Total: 7 (2-12)
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:21 pm
"Here's the thing," said Sparrow, straightening and taking a few steps back away from Amarus. He knew she had asked him questions, and ordinarily he would have responded to them pleasantly, but right now he was a bit too concerned over the fact that he was fighting with a complete stranger. The strangeness of it all seemed a bit too...different for Sparrow, and he leaned forward, resting his hands on the top of the scythe and resting his chin atop them, scrutinizing the ghoul.
"I feel as if this battle isn't quite warranted," said Sparrow. "I can understand your wanting to fight me to release some sort of tension or whatnot, but I feel as though we should perhaps get to know each other a bit first?"
A smile crossed his face, and Sparrow shrugged, shaking his hand. The black shadow scythe dissipated in a gust of smoke, spilling into his palm.
"Once we're friends, we can resume this little debate," he said, eyes glinting with mischief. "But for now, what do you say to just calling it a tie?"
[ HP: 26/30
Target: Amarus.
Damage: 1.
FEAR Attack: Using the blade to "capture" the shadow, Sparrow can hold an opponent in place long enough to do at least some sort of damage. ]
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:57 pm
When Sparrow straightened, and backed away, she dropped her offensive stance and sighed, looking vaguely disappointed. Fighting with a stranger didn't particularly bother her; he had an interesting ability, she was bored, and she lost the kushi-kushi somewhere. In truth, whatever "tension" she might have felt over losing the Kushi would have faded rather promptly afterwards. Amarus hadn't quite felt anything strongly, yet, much less over a missing minipet.
In response to Sparrow's scrutiny, Amarus stared back at him, silver eyes mirror-like in their emptiness. She reached down without a second thought, scooping up some pink ball of fluff and clutching it firmly, though without crushing it. She didn't address what she had just done, but the kushi had been wandering close to her feet, so she snatched it up while she had a second. "They have to be warranted...?" She thought about it a moment, and concluded, "Yes, I suppose you're right, fighting with a reason would make more sense. I did have a reason, though, and I was getting to know you, in the way I am most interested in." Amarus' mouth tilted up in a smile. She was clearly satisfied, at least a little, that she'd gotten to see his weapon in action.
"How do we go about becoming friends, then?" Amarus asked, her own smile growing as Sparrow's eyes glinted with mischief. "Deal. Let's get out of here, the decor is ... unpleasant," she finished, reaching out with her kushi-less hand to ask for Sparrow's own in greeting.
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sparrow. I hope I run into you much more."
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