sparring with an audience

[tigerpoet]

[If you're passing by the detective agency's office today, you might get to see a fight. Fauna, a familiar sight to most around Starsand, and Atsushi - no, the other one. The other other one.

Atsushi's grinning as they battle, so there's probably no bad blood involved… then again, with these two, it's hard to tell, especially with Fauna's mask covering any expression she might make.

Atsushi is a straightforward fighter, and his strikes with his sword are powerful. He doesn't dodge much, but he takes Fauna's fire and ice attacks head-on and keeps going strong. His attacks are almost reckless, the aggressive style of someone who knows he can tank any hit his opponent deals him and can fix any injuries later, trading openings in his own form for damage dealt to his opponent.

Fauna's fighting style, in contrast to her normal, headstrong nature, is quite methodical- First, blasts of fire and ice, scarring the battlefield to restrict her opponent's movements. Then a form change to her owl form, a bombardment of high-speed knives as she flies around to create openings. Then, when she's finally restricted and worn her opponent down, she strikes- Her lion form comes in swinging, intending to end it in a single, electric blow.

The battle ends in a draw, with Atsushi's sword at Fauna's neck and Fauna's sword at his heart. There's plenty of time afterwards to catch either of the two in conversation, if you've stuck around to watch.]

Comments

cw: mortality

[nightwild]

... You probably don't want to be on a team with me.

[At least she's calming down?]

My Changer? It's...

[Should she even explain? Well, it might scare this guy off...]

When I thought I was going to die on the streets, the Goddess of Salvation appeared. Offered me power. Told me to make a wish.

Said we'd destroy the world together, to make a better one.

[luminarian]

[ Look, if threat of bodily harm didn't scare him off, there's no way this is gonna do it. Kaito blinks, obviously a bit taken aback, but then he nods, something intensifying in his eyes. ]

I see. So you're even stronger than I thought.

[ Not many people could make it through something like that. And if she's telling him so easily... he doubts her past is something she's running from. No, her past is too interconnected with her present for that. It's... honestly impressive.

He can't help but be a little jealous. ]

[nightwild]

Not strong enough.

[That red tint returns to her eyes, though slight.]

If I'm going to ever beat that Goddess, I have to be stronger than this.

[luminarian]

...You seem plenty strong already to me, so this goddess must really be something, huh?

[ That's probably why she's a goddess. But... huh. So that's her enemy. ]

I get it. I need to get stronger, too. I've gotten a second chance to protect some people I failed to save, once. Hoping I might actually have half a chance here.

[ Without being under threat of Monokuma and being weighed down by illness... he's got a lot less to worry about. He can do them both better this time. ]

Well, my offer still stands, if you ever feel like training together. You seem like maybe you could use the company.

[nightwild]

She's the Goddess of Salvation. I've never seen her fight, but I know how strong all her other servants are.

[Because she was one of them. The strongest.... she thinks. But can she be sure? She has to be stronger. She has to be certain.]

Train how? Can you keep up with my training?

[luminarian]

You know...! Push-up, sit-ups... the usual kind of stuff that you think of! Stuff you'd see in one of those big budget training montages!

[ He has... a very particular idea of what it means to be a hero. But he's fascinated to find out what it means to Fauna, specifically. ]

[nightwild]

You can't spar, then.

[She gestures around at where she's left the craters from fire and ice.]

[luminarian]

W-well, I'm not trained or anything if that's what you mean, but I've been in my fair share of scraps!

[ He can throw a punch or two! Just... not a lot else. ]