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]

[... She snorts derisively.]

I wonder if it was gratitude. She told me the world I wanted wasn't possible... unless we destroyed everything. And put her in charge of the world.

Maybe I was just selfishly pursuing my ideal.

[tigerpoet]

...Just because you were going about it the wrong way doesn't mean the ideal itself is a bad thing.

[nightwild]

... I wanted a just world. A world where people helped each other. Where good was rewarded and evil was punished.

She told me she would make that world. A perfect world. But we had to put her in charge of the world to make it happen.

[tigerpoet]

That's a worthy goal to try for. ...Honestly, I know a lot of people who would have done the same thing as you.

[nightwild]

Mm. But I knew what we were doing was wrong.

... But I was scared. If I didn't obey, I'd end up alone on the streets again. And this time, maybe monsters would be going after me.

I hurt all those other people because I was too scared of getting hurt myself.

[tigerpoet]

That's normal, too. Lots of people would be scared in that situation.

It was wrong, what you did. But I think that just means that you're human.

[nightwild]

... I'm not sure I am anymore.

[tigerpoet]

Fauna...

[...Reaches over and gently squeezes her shoulder, if he's allowed to.]

[nightwild]

[She doesn't move.]

This isn't a human body anymore, after all.

[tigerpoet]

So? Neither is mine.

[Humans don't drink ink to heal and can't go inside books.]

[nightwild]

... I wasn't going to ask about that, honestly, but...

[you're FUCKING WEIRD, dude.]

[tigerpoet]

Did he drink ink in front of you? We weren't injured when I came to, so he must have. I'm so sorry.

[nightwild]

...

So it was ink.

[tigerpoet]

It's ink. Book spirit.

[nightwild]

Why?

[tigerpoet]

I honestly couldn't tell you. That's just how we work.

[nightwild]

... R... right. Okay. Sure.

[tigerpoet]

My point was that not being physically human isn't necessarily bad?

[nightwild]

Maybe. But I threw away my humanity on purpose.

[tigerpoet]

To get the power to make a difference in the world?

[nightwild]

Yeah.

I could transform even before that. But... The disconnect between my soul and my body limited the power I could draw from my Discs. Or something like that.

So... the Goddess 'baptised' me. Burned away my old body. Now I'm like this, and I'm way stronger than I ever was before.

But I was still no match for Elemental Knight.

[tigerpoet]

I still don't think that makes you less than human. ...And, speaking of someone who was always physically weak when I was alive, I really can't blame you for that decision.

[nightwild]

Then what would you call it? Burning away everything I was to devote myself to a goddess who wanted to control the world?

[tigerpoet]

Desperate. But understandable.

If you're a monster, then I think a lot of people put in your circumstances would be monsters. I can't tell you whether that should make you feel better or not, but it's what I believe.

[nightwild]

[She just shifts, staring at the table.]

... It's not right.