2017-03-20: Calamitous Misunderstandings

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  • Log: Calamitous Misunderstandings
  • Cast: Hiro, Alisha Diphda
  • Where: Surf Village
  • Date: March 20, 2017
  • Summary: Alisha comes across Hiro in Surf Village. A misunderstanding leads to a fight.

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.

While the Fiends had decided Adlehyde is somewhat safe on the account of it isn't under control of Althena's Guard. It was only safe under the circumstances of when one stuck together and used off hours. It wouldn't save them from a lone drifter trying to make a quick score or the guard using sneaky means.

Thus while Adlehyde was the nucleus which they revolved around, they tended to hit up the small towns for supply runs or to catch up on the local rumors and gossip- all in search for a way home, or at least a hint of what the Guard was doing. Today in the early evening hours their town was a simple country place called-

"Surf Village? It's not even on the coast! Oh well- they've still gotta have some fish right? A fish market is the only true sign of civilization." "Aha- yeah so Ruby... we need to talk..."

The two stood outside the town limits, just out of view, shaded by a local's barn. "What is it Hiro?" "So you know how we shouldn't go near Port Timney for a while?" "Uh yeah? I was there! Hiro you didn't hit your head in that mine shaft right?" "Not where I was going with that."

He looks a little bit at a loss for how to broach this subject, "As you know we're trying to look good to the locals, so I need you try really hard to ignore it when people call you the c-word." "Hiro!? How could you be on the side of anyone who calls me that?" "I'm not! You know I'm not! And I know it's a sensitive subject for you but- please? Try to restrain yourself today, for me. With the Guard around, our only shield is keeping up a good reputation." "Fiiiiiiiiine."

~Eight Eventful Minutes Later~

Every eye in the market is on a tiny pink flying creature who is definitely a cat to all of them throwing a hissy fit- flailing in mid-air, gesticulating wildly with her pink pawsies,"WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU PEOPLE!? I AM NOT A-" "Mommy, the kitty sounds upset." "THAT'S IT! THERE'S ONLY ONLY ONE WAY YOU IDIOTS WILL EVER LEARN! I AM CALAMITY RUBY- BLAZE TYRANT OF THE SILVER MOON! FEAR MY TERRIBLE WRATH AND DESPAIR PEASANTS! RAWR! TREMBLE BEFORE THE MIGHT OF THE WYRM QUEEN!"

People start to shy away when the cat starts spewing gouts of flames wildly into the air. At least she's not singing anyone- yet, but that could come soon. Hiro, the far more subdued presence is trying to down- face alit with second hand embarrassment, "Ruby! Ruby! Look I know you lasted a lot longer than ever before but that's no excuse! Ruby! Come on! Calm down!"


<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

Alisha is only passing through Surf Village. After the Berry Cave sent her, Sorey, and Edna packing, she decided a side trip to the village -- to see it for herself, and see about any supplies -- was a wise idea. The princess knight is here, now, and just stepping out of the general store. She hears the commotion, of course, before she walks out. Her expression, then, is alarmed and confused... at first.

She spies Ruby before she spies Hiro, but she can't help but notice the flying cat (sorry, Ruby) and the gouts of flame that shoot into the air every which way. She sees Hiro, too, but she doesn't quite hear him. The shouts of those nearby cause her to lose that.

'DEMON!'

'DEMON CAT!'

'A CAT THAT IS DEFINITELY A DEMON!'

Alisha's eyes narrow, and her spear swings off her back. Despite the blasts of flame shooting out, she doesn't strike at Ruby directly -- yet. The bladed spear swings up and a flash of light glints off the edge. Then, a fang of light shoots across the ground -- and slashes through a spout of fire, which is torn apart by it.

"Demon Fang!" Alisha cries. The spear points, then, at Hiro and Ruby both. "I do not know what you intend... but I will not let you bring any harm to these people!"

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


"DOOM! DOOM UNTO THE BLUE STAR! A TRIBUTE OF TUNA IS ALL THAT CAN-" One would admit Ruby is talented at fire, she's breathing fire between almost every word. But then- a fang of light cuts her fire in half, and the act is enough to scare her enough to send her backpeddling mid-air backwards into Hiro paws splayed out until he catches her around the mid-riff. The two of them stand there open mouthed for a moment as they stare at the Princess Knight, or more accurately her spear tip- then slowly their heads turn simultaneously to look at each other.

Ruby titters once, nervously, it's a little high pitched, "I really goofed didn't I?" Hiro isn't really one to say anything so long as they realize that fact themselves- "Fly a little higher than normal once you're clear. She's got a long reach with that thing." Hiro lowers his hands, then raises them, pitches her over an obscenely high-priced berry stall- Ruby's wings take over at that point as the vendor runs away shouting. "MY BERRIES!"

Hiro dusts off his shoulder, and grins kind of awkwardly, "Hey Alisha- It's okay if I call you Alisha right? I really don't know how to address royalty. Uh- though I guess I could call you Princess- look- I knowwwww what this looks like but-" There's this sudden realization that he literally cannot explain what just happened in terms that won't satisfy her, especially staring down her spear point, "-so we'll just be-" "Think fast blondie!"

Which is when Ruby chucks a bundle of berries she'd just grabbed and lit on fire Alisha's way before sailing really high into the air- and Hiro tries to take off running, "Why did you do that!?" He calls up to Ruby who is indeed flying really high right now as they try to flee, "It really just seemed like a good idea!"


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Rubyvention!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Hiro's Rubyvention for 30 hit points!
GS: Disrupt! Statuses applied to Alisha Diphda!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Gah!" Alisha shouts, as the berries lit aflame come flying at her. She swings her spear up with the haft -- and then knocks the fiery berries to the ground. They hit the ground and splatter. This sends the crowd in Surf Village running to get out of her way, which may be for the best. After all, the look Alisha gives Hiro and Ruby both is not the friendliest.

She isn't someone prone, easily, to shouting when she gets angry. Instead, there is a flash of anger in her green eyes, and then her jaw sets and she looks coldly determined instead.

"You--you would endanger people in such a way!" she says, before she bolts forward.

She was slowed by the berries, but now she moves with a dogged determination. She leaps, then, and comes down not far from Hiro. Her spear sweeps out -- striking with the haft, first, instead of the blade. The wooden pole swings for his side, before Alisha steps back, then jabs it hard for his midsection.

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Blitz Strike!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro critically Guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Blitz Strike for 18 hit points!
Lucia (L) pages Hiro and Alisha Diphda: Actually can I watch XD
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


"Hiro- spear- Spear- Spear!"

Right now he doesn't have his sword out, and he certainly doesn't have a shield. All he gets is a brief look over his shoulder to see Alisha starting to leap at him. Darting just to his flank, he grabs at the closest thing he can find. A barrel lid with a handle, yanking it off, and whirling it in the way desperately.

The acrid smell of vinegar wafts through the air- as Alisha's spear haft slams against it with a numbing impact against his arm. Alisha takes a step back and suddenly the point is sailing his way, and he lowers it down- just as the point penetrates his improvised shield, only stopping mere centimeters from his abdomen.

Hiro's already breathing a bit hard from the knowledge that he almost got perforated, "Alisha look- I'm not trying to endanger anyone!" Not necessarily succeeding though, "It's true! I only want to endanger fish!" But it's not like he's going to just stand there and take getting poked with a spear even if he thought that right now Alisha had every reason to think what she did. His opposite hand sweeps his sword out of his sheath with a hiss of metal while he simultaneously tries to yank Alisha forward and off-balance using the lid her spear is caught in. The motion would yank Alisha free certainly, and put her in range, where he tries to slam the pommel down on an armored wrist-

He remembers how strong she was in those ruins, so best to make it a tad tougher. Armored as she is, there's few gaps for a length of iron unless he's trying to really hurt her, and he doesn't want to, so instead he steps inside and uses the flat of his blade and his elbow to try to shove her backwards against her platemail.

Only to realize- "Oh right-" Ruby finishes his sentence "-spear." That letting her get distance was perhaps the worst tactic of all.


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Basic Attack Command!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Hiro's Basic Attack Command for 57 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

The fact that Hiro doesn't have his sword drawn prompts Alisha to use her spear. She hesitates a moment, but only a moment at the acrid smell of the shattered vinegar. She steps back when the sword swings out, and she gets pulled to the side -- and stumbles, just in time for the pommel to slam into her wrist. The good news is that she stumbles; the bad news is her gauntlets are the best armor she has, and they take the blow well.

"Tch!" she hisses, with a shake of her head. The sword slams into her plate armor under her tabard, and rings as steel strikes steel. She stumbles backward, before she moves forward again. She swings the long bladed portion of the spear up, swinging it to try to knock him off his guard.

"And what, precisely am I to think you were doing!?" she asks. "I am ill-inclined to trust you--especially with innocent people in danger!"

She lunges in close, then. the haft swings out, and she chops the pole of the spear out for Hiro's side -- trying to knock him away and by herself some further space.

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Serpent Snare!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro takes a glancing hit from Alisha Diphda's Serpent Snare for 15 hit points!
GS: Alisha Diphda takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


This time Alisha swings with the long blade of the spear leading, and instead of trying to block with the shield, he bends forward backwards a bit- watching as his bangs get a shave. "Would you believe it if I said-" He lands on the ground, on his posterior, cape under his rear, and rolls backwards- getting back up on his feet. "-shopping!? Ruby just gets pretty upset when people call her the-"

Only just in time to watch Alisha swing the pole at his flank. He tries to side step it, and gets a tap on his lower ribs. "-C-"

Tap is putting it mildly, he's sent stumbling on one foot through another market stall- only barely missing the middle aged woman gathering them up as she tumbles over an assortment of rough cut gem accessories. The stall shatters to pieces, and when he comes up he's covered in so much gaudy red-gemmed jewelry it looks like someone has bedazzled him. "-word." He says pathetically.

BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcTC7RkmHac

"THIEF!" Yells the vendor who takes a few wary steps back- pulling out a knife from a sheath.

Shaking off necklaces and rings like a dog shaking off water, he stumbles out behind the booth on all fours, brushing them all off him as he clambers away past the swing the vendor takes at him, "Sorry not trying to steal!" "Hiro - Hiro! You think that one was a real ruby? Maybe this town has something to offer us after all." "NOT THE TIME RUBY!"

While running, rings still flying off his cape, he resheathes his sword, and grabs a boomerang out of his opposite holster. Mid-run, he flings it outward with a snap of his wrist, sending it spinning in an arc past Alisha rather than straight at her. If she keeps pursuing him, she'd find herself in it's path on the return.


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Boomerang!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda takes a solid hit from Hiro's Boomerang for 71 hit points!
GS: Hiro takes Cover! He gains 50 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Believe you?" Alisha asks. "No, I certainly would not! How would shopping lead to this sort of chaos!"

She grits her teeth as he smashes into a market stall, smashing it to pieces. "My apologies!" she cries to the vendor, as Hiro comes up and shakes off the necklaces and other goods. She lunges for him, leaping up into the air. She gets clipped by the boomerang -- which slashes into her tunic, leaving a long gash, and rattles the armor there.

And, more notably, there is the crack of ribs.

This time as Alisha leaps, she spins her spear over her head, and she comes down in front in front of Hiro.

Her spear stabs down, plunging for his side. The blade is sharp -- and may well cut him -- but that isn't the only plan. She aims for an area far more sensitive to Hiro. One, perhaps, far more near and dear to his heart.

His scarf.

"Rondo of Light!" she cries. This is not, however, only clothing-related cruelty. Whether her spear strikes true or no, the blade plunges into the wooden post of the fence behind them. Splinters fly, as the spear-blade sinks a few inches into it.

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Rondo of Light!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Rondo of Light for 102 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


"Well shopping tends to be pretty eventful for us!" Hiro catches his boomerang on it's return arc- hoping it gives him some time to get away. He heard a clang after all. Sliding it down decisively- he looks over his shoulder, "Whoa it didn't slow her down at all!?" "She's a beautiful juggernaut! Hiro get out of the way!" Alisha leaps and he pulls his sword out of his sheath, "Can't- can't!"

He raises his improvised barrel lid, then slams it right down on the spear haft, throwing off her aim. The bad news is that it indeed pinned his orange scarf against the fence. The good news is that it did so close to the edge. The really bad news is the fence post then explodes in a spray of splinters that catch him across the face. "HIRO!" Closing his eyes with a gasp, he gets a bunch of bleeding cuts and-

There are a bunch of wooden splinters just sticking out of his tunic, and scarf, and face.

He chuckles weakly now at close range, "Look Alisha- I know you're seeing what happened in the worst possible light- for a really good reason- but-"

It's split along the edge near the end, "Hiro your scarf..."

~Eight years ago~

A little boy looks in a mirror, as he casts the end of an orange scarf over his shoulder,

"How do I look?"

"It's the coolest Hiro! You definitely look like a seasoned adventurer! Or- or a Dragonmaster!"

"You know how in the stories they don't describe what Alex looks like? They just mention his helm- and his sword. Maybe this scarf is what they'll remember when they write about me."

"Definitely! You'll be the most stylish Dragonmaster!"

~Now~

There's a momentary pang, but that's all he can spare for it right now. Surviving to fulfill his dreams is more important than making sure this small reminder of them remains intact.

"-Althena's Guard is wrong about us, and so is the Shepherd-" His sword trails along the ground as he tries to step inside her guard, ripping the remainder of his scarf right off her spear, there's a scrape of it across unpaved dirt and grass, the friction against the point when he drives it upwards causing dirt and foliage to erupt as his sword swings upwards into her guard. "-and so are you!"


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Poe Sword!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Hiro's Poe Sword for 68 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

A beautiful juggernaut? Alisha frowns, slightly, at that choice of terms.

She might feel bad if she knew what she had done to the scarf. She might. But, in the end, she can't feel too bad -- as she yanks her spear out of the wooden post. "The Shepherd is not wrong," he says. "He can see the malevolence around her! You cannot. You must listen to me -- and for that matter, you lied to us about your name!"

It never registers which name he chose. His pull on his scarf twists her spear to the side -- and his sword gets through her guard. It isn't the worst blow she has ever taken, but his sword sinks past her guard and into her side. Blood is drawn and she hisses. Alisha moves forward, then, cutting her spear away from the scarf, sending a few orange threads flying. Then, she slams the haft of her spear into the ground.

She flies at Hiro, using it as a pole vault, to kick at him with a plated foot -- then land and slam the haft towards his side.

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Whirling Blossom!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro takes a glancing hit from Alisha Diphda's Whirling Blossom for 24 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro feels immediately bad for cutting Alisha. It's a fight for his life but still- he knows she's a good person just trying to do what she thinks is right. It's not like he's aiming to do more than wound, but still- he remembers the shape Kalve left her in. And yet he falls here, what happens to Lucia? To her mission?

"I lied because what am I supposed to say!?"

Hiro crouches low and tries to roll to the side as Alisha vaults. Her boot thumps against his ear- and since it's a metal boot, it does more than sting. His ear is ringing and he staggers backwards as Alisha lands and swings the haft. He twists and it's a smack against his hip that causes him to hiss through his lips.

"That Althena's Guard wants us dead- but you- a Princess of a Kingdom where they have a lot of power should totally definitely believe me instead of them!?"

Coming down on one knee, he puts a hand upon his side. "They've been pursuing us for weeks! And if we get caught that's it!" Sucking in a breath sharply, "And he's feeling- a- CURSE!" He juts out his shield arm, and begins a chant- Alisha at least would recognize that it's a spell chant.

The wind shifts, and become gale force out of nowhere- then worse besides, blasting her on her feet with cutting, whirling winds that attempt to knock her back away from him while he catches his breath.


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Vortex!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Hiro's Vortex for 56 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"That--"

Alisha hesitates, because she knows that Hiro has a point. She knows how she would have taken it. How she must take it. After all, she told Talise: she must put the needs of Hyland before all else. The damage that the Lord of Calamity could cause to her nation and her people is hard to fathom. She knows that it constrains her.

She sees the spell chant, but she cannot do much about it. It shifts, whips, and strikes her -- throwing the princess knight backward. She hits the ground and rolls, but throws her hand out. Then, using it, she pushes herself up to her feet.

"She is cursed!" she says. "And the Shepherd--the Shepherd is the only one who can lift that curse! He carries Althena's power within him!"

Then she rushes forward. Alisha dips down, sliding part of the way on those plate mail boots. Then she pivots, spear wielded in both hands, and makes a long slash across the front of Hiro's body.

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Rending Strike!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro takes a solid hit from Alisha Diphda's Rending Strike for 96 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


The wind storm ends quickly, but not before lifting up a squawking chicken, sending it hurling across town. Only a few look up to watch a chicken fly "You don't get it! She was cursed by- cursed by someone-" Whatever he wanted to say after that is cut off by the fact that Alisha is rushing, he quickly scrambles backwards to his feet and tries to raise his improvised shield but she's quick with that spear. Too quick! "HIRO!"

In the aftermath, the blue tunic is severed to reveal chain links, which is perhaps what saved him- Alisha's long blade having torn aside a few of them. Red drips beneath it. And he has a weak smile on his face, almost rueful as he puts a hand to the wound, "You know I grew up on the legend of the Shepherd. I want to believe Sorey means well... to help her..."

Raising his sword up high for a moment, he snaps it down- the breeze rushing in the wake of his strike but nothing but air- swirling around it. "-but if you were in my position and it was your friend." He raises it up high anew- then asks gently, "Would you take that chance?"

That is perhaps his answer as to why he thinks what is next is necessary. He spins the blade around once, turns around one revolution as the whirling winds gathers in a globe of air so dense that it's visible purely from the dust it's whipping up on the ground and carrying from the air flow, then chops it forward towards her. The whole mass glides off the sword tip towards the Princess Knight- and upon impact detonates into a massive concussive blast that blows the entirety of the nearby fence she'd pinned him to away and leaves a small crater in the ground.

There's a lot of angry mutterings in the distance from people within cover who don't wish to intervene on a battle of this scale, though they grip makeshift weapons just in case, Ruby looks their way, waving her paws, "People of Surf Village! Know that- it was an ugly fence anyhow, he's doing you a favor!"

Ruby only barely dodges a thrown shovel.


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Sybillium Sword!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda critically Guards a hit from Hiro's Sybillium Sword for 32 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Yes," Alisha answers, without a moment's hesitation. "I would."

The worst part is that she is sincere -- that her voice does not drip with condescension, with smugness, with falsehood. She sees the blade spin and spots the arte that Hiro is performing, imbuing his strike with wind. And the blast comes, hard and fast, and she throws her hands up, spear across her body. She shouts as she focuses.

And the wind breaks apart on her, splitting into two blades of wind that cut a V-shape into the Filgaian dust underneath her feet. Her lightning-like bang blows backward, and hard leaf green eyes look back at him.

"Because I am a Princess of Hyland. Because I am fighting not for a friend, but for an entire people who depend upon me. Because..." She starts running forward, sprinting straight at Hiro, spear held out behind her. "...I have to think about more than myself, my friends, and any one person!"

As she comes in close, she throws her left foot out, and pivots on it. She stabs at him -- not single, hard blows, but several, rapid-fire strikes that come back to back to test his defenses. As she does, though, she channels her own energy into the weapon. The same light that glinted on the edge of the spear floods it, now, imbued on the point of it.

"It's over!" she cries.

Then, she stabs forward one final time. The spear-point may not even reach Hiro -- and it hardly matters. A brilliant flash of light erupts, then a beam that shoots off it, firing directly at him. One of the signature techniques of the Blue Valkyrie school, placed on display for all Filgaia to say.

"LIGHT BLAST!"

GS: Alisha Diphda has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On!
GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Light Blast!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro has activated a Force Action!
GS: Hiro critically Guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Light Blast for 30 hit points!
GS: Alisha Diphda takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Alisha is sincere in her faith. It's almost enough to stun Hiro mid-action. It'd be convenient to say that's why Alisha defeated his best- but it'd be wrong. Completely wrong. It was definitely her conviction and her skill. "Whoa!" Ruby gives voice to what he cannot say right now.

She comes in her weapon not just her spear but her responsibility, her duty, her burden. It takes him some time to move into action. It's not the shield which springs up, but the sword. Every time she tests his defenses, he slaps the haft. Back and forth, back and forth.

It's a deadly waltz, a dance of faith and conviction and duty as he takes numerous scrapes and cuts across his shoulders and sides, and arms, only barely fending them off. 'It's over.' He sees the glint of light off her spear- the glint of determination in his eyes is not enough to reflect off that spear point. It cannot drown out that light.

But it can reject it. "Not yet." He says with a breathless whisper, crouches down with his barrel lid shield at the fore in front of him. His blade tip sings forward just as the spear tip makes impact. The blast of light causes him to vanish for a while. When he reappears, it's like seeing a photo develop slowly- spots in his vision. Wisps of smoke all over his form- but just on each of his flanks. His shield is bleached and scorched from the light.

And his sword tip is almost touching the tip of Alisha's spear. "I won't take a chance because she's my friend. Maybe I don't know how you feel I don't have that many people depending on me- but everyone and everything depends on her-" Doesn't that mean everyone and everything depends on him too? No- he realizes that as long as Lucia completes her mission, everything will be alright. Lunar doesn't depend on his presence, but it depends on hers.

He steps forward, slashing down diagonally in a feint, to try to get Alisha to withdraw her spear or risk it being destroyed, before stepping in and elbow striking towards her gut- using the momentum of that strike to whirl him around into one final slash from up and across, "-and I will protect her!"


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Basic Attack Command!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda takes a solid hit from Hiro's Basic Attack Command for 94 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

Alisha's spear is made of stern stuff, but it can't take blows forever without taking some damage. Hiro's motion beats her spear backward -- and the elbow slams into her gut. Alisha doubles forward, breath knocked out of her, and she sucks in a raspy gasp. She stumbles backward, sucking in a deep breath -- and then she moves in again. Her spear swings up.

She spins it out, haft striking for Hiro's legs. She tries to sweep her feet out from under him, as she finds her voice. "Your determination seems real enough, but--"

She finishes by turning, and kicking hard for his midsection.

"--How much do you really know about her mission!?" she asks after she kicks, her voice still raspy.

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Spinning Top!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro takes a glancing hit from Alisha Diphda's Spinning Top for 48 hit points!
GS: Slow! Statuses applied to Hiro!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro twists his stance, jerking his leg aside, just as Alisha gives him a rap across a knee rather than managing a full sweep of his feet out from under him. Stumbling backwards, he hops on one foot, warily raising his guard as he gingerly puts that leg back down testing his weight on it- which solicits a wince. "Guess I won't be running away from this one." He says with a sort of resignation.

Though he doesn't sound too depressed about that- under any other circumstances he'd love to spar with Alisha but- like like this, not today.

But Alisha asked him a question, "I know enough. She came to our world from the Blue Star to save our world, not destroy it! I was there! She needs to speak to Althena as soon as possible- our world is in real danger! Danger you can't even imagine!"

"Yeah scary mega-danger!"

Hiro once again juts a hand forward. The chant to this one is lightning fast, because it's a rather simple spell. A squall blast of wind that he uses to attempt to send Alisha across the street to crash into the side of the local watering hole.

"Wait- did I say Mega!? I knew it! I knew Lemina was the worst influence!"

Hiro starts hobbling towards a nearby barn, maybe he has a plan!?

That might be optimistic.


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Squall!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: Alisha Diphda guards a hit from Hiro's Squall for 31 hit points!
GS: Slow! Statuses applied to Alisha Diphda!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"Danger I can't even imagine?" Alisha asks, something hard entering her voice -- cold instead of hot, which reveals her anger as much as anything else. "I have seen villages destroyed! A fell dragon, plague, and men turning upon each other! I have seen what is killing our world, and it is malevolence--the same malevolence that surrounds her!"

She frowns, a little, at the mention of 'mega-danger.' It reminds her of Lemina. She always liked Lemina.

"I--"

The wind slams into her. She manages to raise her spear, but she doesn't shield it in time. The blast throws her back into the barn, through the wall, and she slams into the hay. A few strands of hay fly out of the hole. Hiro may have a moment, if he wants to bolt away.

Or, perhaps, not.

"Demon Fang!"

A bolt of light shoots out of the hole -- and Alisha comes out, moving as quick as she can. Some long strands of hay are caught in her hair as she runs, through.

GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Demon Fang!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Demon Fang for 35 hit points!
GS: Disrupt! Statuses applied to Hiro!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


A bolt of light erupts along the ground, and Hiro- unable to turn too quickly at the moment, shifts, and falls to a knee, digging his shield in the way on the ground, when the bolt is about to reach him, he takes the edge jammed into the dirt and shifts it upwards in reverse to the momentum. It still tosses him into a stall. "Hi-" Ruby flies into the barn after, flying low enough that. A cow in a pen placidly licks her as she flits by, "-BLECH! You dumb walking steak! Can't you see the world is coming down around you!?"

The only response is a long MOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Hiro breathes in rapidly, "That's all terrible! I'm not meaning to belittle your experiences but I'm telling you- the danger is real and it's way worse than that!" Hiro shudders, he's not meaning to be condescending, even if it sounds that way. He hasn't seen what it was that assaulted Lucia, but he felt it. He heard it. He knew what Lucia was capable of before- blue fire raining out of the skies to vaporize their foes, magic which crushed them and turned them inside out- warped them out of existence.

He believes that whatever Alisha has seen, Lucia would have likely been able to handle, defeat those things. And whatever beat her, did it without even truly appearing- rendered that incredible woman into a helpless invalid until it's grip was alleviated on them for a while.

Shifting back up to a crouch, he grunts as his injured knee makes that act awful, "This is really gonna hurt..." He mentions for a moment, before putting a hand down beneath him, whispering a few words.

A blast of wind erupts beneath him, sending him skyward- his sword raised high, face twisted in pain. A blow aimed high at the Princess from Hyland's unarmored head.

To his credit, he's using the flat of the blade, but the impact might send them tumbling into the hay. "DODGE THIS!"

Why would he even say that!? She hasn't dodged once! It makes no sense!


GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Poe Sword!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: You do not have any attacks from that person in queue.
GS: Alisha Diphda critically Guards a hit from Hiro's Poe Sword for 23 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"It was terrible, I assure you!" Alisha shouts back, finally angry enough to start yelling. "And it was nothing with an easy answer!" She grits her teeth, and then she swings her spear back up -- and takes the hit coming in on the haft of her spear. The sword rings against the half, leaving a nasty notch cut into the spear pole. She kicks, once, to knock him backward.

Then she wheels her spear back, slashing, and then slashes a second time. The two make an X-shaped slash. He might not realize, at first, that he has seen this before. Alisha, however, is quite talented.

And, in this case, she changes her technique up, so that the light from before gathers on the bladed head of her spear only at the last moment. The blade shines with light -- and then Alisha stabs it forward. The light gathers into a single ball, before ti explodes into a beam that fires up into Hiro again.

"Light Blast!"

GS: Alisha Diphda has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On!
GS: Alisha Diphda has attacked Hiro with Light Blast!
GS: Alisha Diphda has completed her action.
GS: Hiro has activated a Force Action!
GS: Hiro critically Guards a hit from Alisha Diphda's Light Blast for 31 hit points!
GS: Alisha Diphda takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


It's true- Hiro doesn't realize it's the same as before. The kick sends him backwards into a haypile, where he's only saved from a hard fall due to the fact that it's a fall onto hay, "You think this was an easy answer?! We're choosing to go up against Althena's Church- her Guard- the Shepherd himself- because we think they're wrong about something important!"

Now only barely propped up from sinking into the hay pile. He raises his shield, which is knocked aside by the first slash. His sword rings against the spear point, just as it carves a line against his thigh, dripping more blood into the hay.

Hiro isn't saved by his recognition it's the same technique, but merely his ability to improvise in this sort of environment. He puts a hand down against the hay, and whispers a cantrip. A gust of wind wraps beneath the pile of hay and sends it scattering- flying everywhere just as Alisha strikes and throwing the beam of light just off.

She may be picking hay out of her hair and armor later.

Instead it sears a hole through his shield in the haze of hay, burning the underside of his forearm and he makes this strangled noise of pain in his throat, like a scream that refused to bubble out, "Gck... gah..." It's way worse than the time Ruby accidentally lit him on fire. "Ruby- take cover outside..."

The hay is still falling when he turns around one full revolution- scattering more hay as the winds gather once more on his sword, swirling them about in a maelstrom which his length of iron is the center of it. He sends it towards Alisha point blank, the animals within screaming and whining as it explodes outward, shattering wood and beams and pens.

If the barn is still standing after the two of them are done, it'll be a miracle.


GS: Hiro has activated a Force Action!
GS: Hiro has attacked Alisha Diphda with Sybillium Sword!
GS: Hiro has completed his action.
GS: CRITICAL! Alisha Diphda takes a solid hit from Hiro's Sybillium Sword for 330 hit points!
GS: Alisha Diphda has Fallen! Her is no longer able to fight!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"I did not say that it was easy! But there is more than you know or have seen!" Alisha answers, still angry, and then he manages to send up some of the hay -- and the beam of light blasts through it. The hay scatters each way, and her spear moves to the side. That leaves her guard completely broken for a moment, before the blast of wind slams into the princess.

And she gets blasted through the other side of the barn. She smashes through it, wood splinters flying each way, and her eyes close. She doesn't hit the ground raggedly. Instead, she slams into something invisible, and she comes to a stop then. Her head lulls -- unconscious, and nothing more -- and she seems to freeze in place.

Which is when a pair of water orbs fly, smashing down into the hay. A voice cuts through -- and Hiro can hear it, this time, speaking in a tone firm, learned, and moving beyond displeased and into anger.

"You've done enough. I suggest you leave. Before the others come."

<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.

"I did not say that it was easy! But there is more than you know or have seen!" Alisha answers, still angry, and then he manages to send up some of the hay -- and the beam of light blasts through it. The hay scatters each way, and her spear moves to the side. That leaves her guard completely broken for a moment, before the blast of wind slams into the princess.

And she gets blasted through the other side of the barn. She smashes through it, wood splinters flying each way, and her eyes close. She doesn't hit the ground raggedly. Instead, she slams into something invisible, and she comes to a stop then. Her head lulls -- unconscious, and nothing more -- and she seems to freeze in place.

Which is when a pair of water orbs fly, smashing down into the hay. A voice cuts through -- and Hiro can hear it, this time, speaking in a tone firm, learned, and moving beyond displeased and into anger.

"You've done enough. I suggest you leave. Before the others come."

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro staggers to the other side of the barn, squinting against the renewed light of the sun as he went from outside sun to dim of the barn to bright of Alisha's spear point, to dark- to light anew. Alisha isn't moving, and he's staggering that way. "Ah crud..." He's not the sort who would leave her there, but- two globes of water splash down, and in the glare of the sun- he thinks he sees an indistinct outline. He's not sure. It's more that he hears a voice.

Hiro holds up a hand, then sheathes his sword in one motion. The barrel lid which has now been battered, burned and torn beyond recognition hangs in a nigh useless state, and he drops it. "It's not like he wanted this Silverfish! Come on Hiro, let's go!"

Hiro stares at the indistinct shape in the sun glare for a moment longer, then turns away, "Take good care of her- and I know it won't mean much to you or her but I really am sorry."

"So there were a lot of angry farmers gathering out front and... long story short..."

~Five minutes later~

Hiro stands on a hill just outside town- watching towns folk pouring water on a market stall that's lit on fire. He gestures with both hands. Then does it again. Ruby gives him this long look and despite looking a little sheepish says- "You're not the only one protecting someone."

Hiro can't exactly stay mad at her for long after that. "Come on Ruby, let's head back."