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

[nightwild]

Well, yeah? I mean, it's only sparring. It's hard to really get into it when it's only sparring, you know?

[Fauna just shrugs.]

A serious match would have involved some finishers, at least. I need to be able to get stronger attacks out without relying on those, though...

[loveedition]

Well... well, of course, but I'd think even sparring has its limits. I guess, if you're not getting other people caught up in it, it's fine.

[ And even though she made that decision, she can't help but just state the obvious... ] You seem really strong.

[nightwild]

Yeah, we need a better place for it.

[Fauna does go a little pensive at that.]

Not strong enough. Not yet. Not nearly.

[loveedition]

Seriously? How much stronger do you need to be?

[ That seemed pretty dang strong to her, but... ]

[nightwild]

Strong enough to defeat a god.

[loveedition]

[ ...she can't actually hide her surprise. Or, rather, her stunned expression. ]

By yourself?! Isn't that kind of impossible?!

[nightwild]

Probably. But I have to do it anyway.

[She rolls her shoulders.]

Besides. Doing the impossible is the bare minimum of what it takes to be a hero.

[She sounds like she might be quoting someone else...]

[loveedition]

[ The impossible, huh. Really... it's been a while since she's heard anyone talk about being a hero, something she hadn't thought of herself in a while. She might even be a bit envious of that idea.

There's only one thing she can really say in return to that. ]

Please don't push yourself so hard. That kind of thinking'll only make things tougher for you.

[nightwild]

[Fauna shakes her head.]

I have to do it. It doesn't matter how tough it is.

[loveedition]

Even if it winds up hurting you in the end? What if you get hurt before then? That'd just...

[ She pauses. Already lecturing someone, even now... ]

...just... you have to take care of yourself, first and foremost.

[nightwild]

If that happens, then it's fine.

I'm not a good person, so if I get hurt beating the Goddess, then that's actually the best possible outcome.

[loveedition]

[ Ah. There it is. Another one of those self-destructive types. ]

That's absolutely wrong! I don't care what kind of person you are, it's not okay to get yourself hurt! You shouldn't have to shoulder that pain just because you think you "deserve it" or whatever you'd say!

[nightwild]

Then who should?

[She's glaring, though trying to keep herself calm.]

If I shouldn't, even though I was her subordinate, then who should be the one to shoulder the pain?

[loveedition]

Whoever you can find to fight with you. If it's something you think needs to happen, you shouldn't be afraid to ask for help.

If it's a mutual enemy of all of us, then I'll help with that.

[nightwild]

...

There's already one person who's fighting. And- She shouldn't have to. Not anymore. She's already so damn strong, but...

[She looks away.]

Who are you, anyway? Are you strong?

[loveedition]

[ ...She's trying to protect them. Of course. ]

No. I'm not.

[ She's a weakling and a coward. She was probably here because of that in the first place. ]

Ryoko Asakura. I'm... I was a magi. [ She doesn't know if she can even call herself that anymore. ] I'm not strong on my own, but I'm good at lending my strength to others. Even if they don't want me to.

[nightwild]

"Magi", huh?

[She does look back to Ryoko at that, sizing her up.]

What does that mean?

[loveedition]

[ . . . ]



Uh... I guess if you want to put it a different way... I was a magical girl before I came here.

[ Which, saying it out loud, feels really embarrassing, actually? ]

[nightwild]

[... you said that to the kamen rider knockoff, so, you know, she won't judge.

Even more than not judging. Though her face remains aloof and disinterested, her ears stand straight up to show her interest.]

A magical girl?

[loveedition]

[ Well, that's a start! ]

Y-Yeah, you know, like... "In the Name of the Moon" and all of that. I ah... fought monsters, but I was more of a support type, you know? I could even transform and everything!

[nightwild]

You can't do it anymore?

[Her voice is carefully kept neutral, like she doesn't care, like she's just talking about whatever.

Her tail, on the other hand, is wagging.]

[loveedition]

[ This girl's suddenly really excited?! ]

I haven't really tried yet. Where I came from, we had to make sure to use our magic sparingly or... well, it'd be really bad. If I can, I'll show you for sure.

[nightwild]

I mean... Only if you want to. I don't care that much.

[Once again, her ears and tail prove the lie in her words.]

[loveedition]

[ Ryoko thinks about it for a moment, rattling around her options in her head. When she thinks about it... ]

I could give it a shot right now, then. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad? I'm sure there's some way to keep things from getting out of hand.

[ As she reaches into her pocket, grasping onto the gem she's holding inside. ]

[nightwild]

What could get out of hand?

[she is paying RAPT attention.]