2017-07-03: Shalune Amira vs. Lady Chloe Alexandre

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==============================<* Lacour - Castle *>==============================

Lacour Castle is a medieval-styled stone keep, although it shows several signs of having profited from more modern construction standards. Gas and oil lighting provides illumination rather than fireplaces and torches, and the castle seems designed more for first impressions rather than resisting attack. The one particular oddity of the castle is the large built immediately beside it; this is where the annual Lacour Tournament of Arms is held, and as visitors flock to the spectacle, Lacour opens its doors wide open.

Guards are present throughout the castle, but are generally polite to visitors. The lower levels of the keep, however, are strictly off-limits and constantly guarded - perhaps the dungeons, perhaps something more sinister, but whatever is down there, there is no way of finding out.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bqMqHag86c

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"Welcome back, folks, to the Tournament of Lacour's second round! Presented by Blastemol!®, when you absolutely need tooh god, Cam, it's her again." "We~elll, John, don't forget to put up the blast shields on the commentary box. Folks, please make sure you have your protective glasses on hand and try not to peer too closely into the explosions lest they peer back into you, if you know what I mean, ha ha."

* * *

Shalune has no idea what she's doing here, and a little part of her mind keeps incessantly reminding her of that fact - but things seem to be going mostly okay, and the roar of the crowd as the match starts galvanizes her into action as she bobbles out onto the field at a jog, one arm waving her broom to the crowd as she does so with a protracted "heeeeey guuuuys!"

She does not exactly look cut out for this: a mass of comfortable-looking and brightly coloured coats and sweaters topped with a technicolor bobble hat, carrying a broom reinforced with strips of thick metal that catch the sunlight. But anyone who's watched the first round knows full well that the pockets of that red coat are stuffed with 'presents', an array of mechanical bombs that seem to be able to produce a range of bizarre effects. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Talise is a long way away from the Lacour Arms Coliseum right now. Something about going off into the desert to practice her swordsmanship.

The same is not true for the mysterious green-masked stranger known as Lady Chloe Alexandre. The lady from the Mystery Mare is absolutely present, standing on her side of the combat arena with a hint of a smile behind the green ballroom mask she's wearing, complete with butterfly wing-looking pieces that hide much of her cheeks.

The smile is just the slightest bit nonplussed, because this round is one she dreads even more than fighting Leo.

Fighting a tiny cute thing. And if she wins, fighting an even tinier, cuter thing.

Not that she's about to dismiss Shalune that easily. She's watched enough of the fight to know that the girl could blow up half the arena if she wanted to.

She takes a step forward as she's introduced, drawing her sword in a short swordsman's salute, then turning it and planting the point against the field turf and crossing her gauntleted hands atop it. Her chin comes up, her green seafarer's coat billowing out with just the right amount of dramatic flair. Raising her voice, she calls across the arena to the girl in the red coat.

"I'm looking forward to this! You've done well so far, Shalune Amira. But can you go on and meet your friend in the next round? Do your best, and fight hard!" 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata is on the stands, staring horrifiedly and at the same time wanting to be there for her friend. "P-please do your best, Lunie! I believe in you!" she shouts at the top of her lungs, before looking around embarrassedly. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline is, of course, in the stands as well, sitting right next to Lunata. Her hands are clenched tightly in her lap, and there's a look of slight concern on her face. She glances toward Lunata when she cheers, then turns her attention back to the arena as well.

"You can do it, Shalune!" She calls out, deciding to join Lunata in cheering to help her feel less embarrassed.

She believed in Shalune as well...but she'd heard about Lady Chloe's impressive showing in the first round. She didn't know much about the White Knight, but defeating him could be no easy feat. She couldn't help but worry. 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius usually doesn't show up in the crowds when his turn is up. He seems to have been favoring skulking about... somewhere. Is he here as part of solidarity with the Caravan Kinship, or something else? He may be simultaneously both a welcome sight in the stands, and a worrying one... but he does have a free seat due to being a participant, and it is located very close by to where Lunata and Jacqueline are presently seated.

"I suppose I shouldn't squander the opportunity," he comments out loud. That's as close to 'hey go Shalune!!!' as anything, isn't it? 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"Wah--" blurts Shalune at the sight of her opponent lighting up the far side of the field - visibly perking up beneath her pink hair as she pumps her fists at her chest in a sense of excitement that's definitely been buoyed up by the cheer of the crowd. She actually looks dazzled for a moment, even, awed at the sight of the super suave step forward and chivalric salute.

And then she blinks, and lights up again--

--in recognition?

"Oh, oh! Wow, it's you! I didn't know you were here too, Miss--" she blurts out her deadliest weapon of all: an almost immediate threat to accidentally break Talise's cover.

Why is she the only one who notices?! 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Sitting with the kinship is a robed female figure with exotic features and a stoic disposition. She's eating some jellied eels right now, so we'll hear nothing more from her corner.

As for Lady Chloe, she opens her mouth to say something else.

Then Shalune sees through her incredible disguise of... a mask. Behind it, her eyes widen a little. "Ah, yes, yes, I'm definitely here!" she cuts Shalune off, lifting her sword and giving it a twirl. "I, Lady Chloe Alexandre of the Mystery Mare!" she adds overdramatically, brandishing the two-handed weapon and gesturing forward with a wide sweep. "Come to experience the best combatants the world of Filgaia has to offer! Yes, that is precisely why I'm here, ho-ho! And what better way to do it than to enter this fine tournament of great champions, Shalune Amira?! Ho-ho!"

She plants her heel apart from its opposite, then, wetting her lips and lowering her sword - it's Rastaban guys, it's literally just Rastaban - into a defensive stance, angled across her body. It's a similar stance to one of those she used on Leo.

"Now," she calls across the arena, "let's see your power, Shalune Amira!" 

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

"Wait, I thought you were Lunie."

Claude C. Kenny is also in disguise, in the sense that the last time anyone saw him he was getting his ass dislocated effortlessly by Dias Flac, and currently he is sitting in the stands, not far from Lunata, eating the local equivalent of a hot dog. (Although he is less than 50% certain that the animal making up the contents of the sausage came from a named animal, which makes it better than many hot dogs he's known.) His left arm - the one that got stabbed - is wrapped up heavily, and covered by a steel vambrace. He is frowning at Lunata.

"I mean, your name is Lunata, right? So short form is Lunie. We can't call you Attie," he says, not unreasonably. "So she'd be... Shally, maybe?" 

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

Though Matilda's always been on the periphery of the little group that surrounds the Starfall Saloon -- some medical assistance here, the occasional drop-in for a meal there -- there's something that draws her to Shalune's fight. ... Maybe it's just that she wants companionship on Fruit Day. It is, after all, a somewhat trying moment.

When she spots Lunata and Jay in the stands, she makes her way somewhat hastily to them, taking a seat a couple of seats to their left. She doesn't quite seem comfortable plopping down right next to them -- but she does give a small wave.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" she asks. "Oh, and Miss Barber -- stop by the hotel in the town square some time tonight? I have some lavender and artemis leaf for you... I really hate to owe people." 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

"We're both Lunie, have been since childhood!" Lunata answers Claude with a soft smile-- smiling quietly as she puts her hands behind her back. "Mom does call her Shallie, but -- don't you think being the two Lunies sounds cute?" She doesn't know what a loonie is, apparently. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Yes, they're both Lunie." Jacqueline agrees, glancing toward Claude with a smile. Her eyes drift toward the vambrace covering his arm, but she doesn't comment on it. Instead, her smile is turned toward Matilda, and she returns her wave with one of her own.

"Feel free, Matilda! It's good to see you!" She says, and then nods when she asks her to come by the hotel.

"Well, you don't have to, really...but that would be rather helpful, so thank you. I'll do just that!" 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Of course, Shalune's eyes scan the crowd for any sign of the kinship; when she spots Lunata and Jacqueline sitting together, Ethius and Catenna behind them, she breaks into an enormous beaming smile, waving with both hands above her head in an exaggerated motion that doesn't seem likely to stop until it gets reciprocated. Shalune, shouldn't you take this more seriously?

Oh-- right. They're here to fight. That's kind of the point, isn't it? The mechanic grins sheepishly as she gets cut off, one hand going to the back of her hair to rub at it as she lets out a bashful giggle before reaching for her broom with both hands. "Well-- um, I mean, if you're sure!" she decides, and then drags in and out a low breath that's apparently meant to calm herself down from her excitement.

"Okay!-- okay..." she mumbles after a moment, eyes closed as her posture relaxes; one foot shifts forwards a little, and then she suddenly breaks into a run forwards.

Contrary to any popular belief or expectation, Shalune's actually in pretty good shape. You don't bum around Elru for a year and manage to survive without picking up some tricks, and you don't manage to keep up with Aunt Hilda on the job without learning a bit about how to move when the rush hits. She's not about to start doing Zed-teleports any time soon, but she does suddenly drop and pivot to sweep the handle of her broom in a low strike.

* * *

"We~elll, Cam, it looks like Shalune is trying to clean up the competition, ha ha."

"We~elll, John, I can tell I'm going to be in a hell of my own making today sat next to you, ha ha." 

GS: Shalune Amira has attacked Talise Gianfair with Sweep!!
GS: Shalune Amira has completed her action.
GS: Talise Gianfair guards a hit from Shalune Amira's Sweep! for 57 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny, whose childhood nickname was 'Heroboy' (and not in a good way), remains silent on his opinion on the matter of calling two kids by the same nickname. As an only child, he can only imagine that would get confusing, but whatever - not his problem. He chews thoughtfully on his hot dog until it vanishes, which does not take long given the rate he eats.

"Congratulations on beating Zed, by the way," Claude says. "Sort of impressive how you did that when you couldn't fight at all three weeks ago."

He just sort of leaves the question hanging there, wondering if Lunata will pick it up. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

"... o-oh, was his name Zed?" Lunata tilts her head as she waves and smiles at Matilda, scooting over to let the compounder have her seat. "He was really odd and..." She looks towards the cube that's kind of just floating up and down next to her, seemingly also pleased at Claude's compliment of her.

"It isn't me... it's just-- this cube," she explains bashfully. "Ge Ramda."

It did kind of turn into a long katana and drag her around the battlefield, possibly with a spectral ghost for those with the Resonance to see it. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

A little smile tugs at Lady Chloe's lips. It's hard to tell if it's a cat-in-the-cream-dish smile or something else.

In fact Talise is trying to work herself up to beating up someone as sweet as Shalune - and reconciling herself to the fact that she'll have to do the same to Lunata if she wins this one.

Then Shalune comes dashing at her with a broom. Drawing in a breath, Talise slides her heel back and moves her weapon smoothly to one side, angling the blade to try and catch the broom handle. She doesn't quite get it solidly, mostly because Shalune went just a bit too low for someone of Talise's height to hit without doubling over. The broomstick thumps against her calves, and she stumbles to one side.

It feels awfully embarrassing. She blushes a little and manages a flustered sort of smile.

Then she plants one heavily-plated boot down against the turf. Her shoulders bunch beneath her coat as she takes another step to the side, denying Shalune an easy follow-up opportunity, yet not exiting the reach of her sword. Only then does she step back in.

"Then let's do this," she calls out sharply before bringing her weapon down in a quick, controlled strike. She's aiming for Shalune's broomstick - aiming to swat it away, whether to outright disarm her, or at least to force her to twist her wrists painfully trying to hold on to it. 

GS: Talise Gianfair has attacked Shalune Amira with Surge Rolls In!
GS: Talise Gianfair has completed her action.
GS: Shalune Amira guards a hit from Talise Gianfair's Surge Rolls In for 108 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny has less magical affinity than most ham sandwiches. What he saw was Lunata beating a guy who kicked him across Adlehyde. He frowns, peers at the cube, then frowns some more. "Uh huh," he grunts, then turns to regard the fight. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata looks just a little concerned, even as she watches Shalune barely hold onto her broom as Talise goes in for another swing. "Y-you can't just stay in there, Lunie! Keep your distance!" She has no idea what she's yelling out, but it seems to be wise. Pointy swords hurt. Stay away from pointy swords.

"Mister Claude, are you... doing okay?" she does try to console the young man, perhaps thinking he might need a bit of support. She has no idea where that blue-haired elf lady Rena he's usually with is. "I kind of-- caught the start of your fight, before the crowd kinda swallowed me and tossed me out into town." 

<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

"Excellent," Matilda says, before taking a long look out into the arena itself. "This -- this seems a little one-sided..." she says, with an awkward expression on her face that would be well-matched with a sweatdrop.

"... No! I'm going to have faith," she affirms, before adding, "Oh, and, ah -- hello, Lunata." A beat. "... is -- Lunie, the appropriate address for both of you, then?" 

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

'MEANWHILE, IN CLAUDE C. KENNY'S HEAD'

A pair of cartoony blue-haired figures prance through a field of clovers, accompanied by happy singing children of the forest.

RENA: O DIAS Y R U SO KEEEEEEEEEWL

DIAS: i pretend to be broody and mysterious because it's easier than having an actual personality

RENA: SQUUUEEEEEEEEE

DIAS: i will leave you for months now, remember to bring me up daily

RENA: LOL OK

'IN THE STANDS'

Claude blinks hard as Lunata's question breaks him out of his reverie. He stares at her for several seconds, rewinds the mental tape, and then... just sort of leans forward onto his elbows. "I'm fine," he says.

(he isn't)

"It's okay."

(it's not)

".......I just... really... needed a win of some kind," Claude says wearily. "Anything at all." 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

Well, the tiny pink-haired girl has the basics down, at least - she remembers to keep both hands on the shaft of her broom, remembers to put her shoulder forwards and her weight behind the swing rather than adjacent to it, letting her mess of layers do some of the defensive work. She's even remembering to use her lack of height, staying low in an attempt to turn the relative difference into an advantage against Talise's frame.

Quite where she learnt to do that is another question entirely, but maybe that's one of the nebulous collection of things she learnt when out in the eastern side of the world.

If she's lacking anything, though, it's how to mount a solid defence. Rather than try to flick the blade away, she catches it straight on her broom, pushing against it as if to bull straight through the momentum of the blow; the impact reverberates through the entirety of the metal slats, though, drawing a soft yelp from the girl as she feels the friction pass through her grip.

shalune, there is a reason why swords have crossguards to absorb stuff like that

"Wah!" she blurts immediately after the clash, vaguely catching Lunata's advice and letting herself stumble backwards from the momentum; on instinct, a hand flies down to one pocket, undoing the clasp to suddenly toss a bright sphere of red forwards. Nothing like the yield of the ice bomb that swallowed half the area, so much as a smokescreen and distraction to allow her to scurry backwards and gain some distance.

Later, she might wonder if that's being a terrible sport. 

GS: Shalune Amira has attacked Talise Gianfair with Rusty Sky!
GS: Shalune Amira has completed her action.
GS: Talise Gianfair critically Guards a hit from Shalune Amira's Rusty Sky for 18 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata looks rather concerned as she sits by Claude's side and pats at his shoulder. "Um..." she lets a moment pass in silence between them, before she points out: "The... the cube is a ghost. Do you wanna... poke it with your ghost-punching gloves? Would that count as a win?"

Her eyes are drawn towards the arena again as Shalune backs up and throw ssomething shiny and red, gasping, "T-that's it, go for it!"

The cube kind of bobbles in front of Claude silently. I mean... it's a cube. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

There is definitely a reason swords have crossguards. Rastaban has a nice silver one, actually!

Lady Chloe's eyes follow Shalune as she staggers backwards. Wetting her lips, the taller, more built woman presses her advantage - but she remembers something she picked up against Leo and checks her pace by about half a stride. She doesn't need to be right on top of Shalune to follow up, after all.

It buys her a foot or so of separation - a precious distance that allows her to see what Shalune's doing. She jukes to one side just as Shalune hurls the bomb.

Smoke and explosive fire bloom across the arena; a few cinders burn across Chloe's cheek and scorch at her arm, but all told, she's able to cover herself by sweeping more of her coat into the way, letting the reinforced fabric take the damage rather than her skin and muscles. Material burns away across her right shoulder and bicep but mostly exposes a hardy underlayer.

She can hear familiar voices among the thundering crowd. One of them is Lunata's. It bothers the hell of out Talise. The mask, at least, helps to hide that hint of unhappiness with this whole situation. Bounding through the smoke, she continues her pursuit of Shalune, seemingly intent on making this a close-range fight as much as she can.

"Sorry!" she shouts, and it actually sounds genuinely apologetic, as she turns Rastaban in her hands and takes one short, controlled swing, then another.

She's aiming to slam the flat of her sword into Shalune's dominant arm - not the cutting edge. That'd be too cruel. Evidently she's hoping giving Shalune a few solid bruises will disarm her without doing anything too painful to her. 

GS: Talise Gianfair has attacked Shalune Amira with Infinitely Rippling Stream!
GS: Talise Gianfair has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius' gaze remains transfixed on the action. The way Shalune attempts to parry and overcome the blade of a far more skilled and powerful warrior, her decision to toss a distracting red-colored bomb that explodes into smoke...

The downside is that it hurts his own ability to see what's going on down there, himself, as Lady Chloe comes in swinging.

"I wouldn't be too concerned," he comments unsolicited to the nearby Claude's moping without giving anyone eye contact. This is coming from the guy who looked like a total fraud and amateur in his first fight, and only won his second because his opponent nearly passed out from dehydration and exhaustion trying to chase him around the arena. He shouldn't speak with any confidence about the subject, at all. "In some circumstances, simple observation can prove its own reward."

Like observing how much of a scrub the white-haired Symbologist is. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline doesn't say it out loud, but she has to agree with Matilda's assessment. She doesn't know how often Shalune has had to deal with human opponents before. They were a vastly different beast from, well...actual beasts. Lady Chloe's talent was clear.

"Yeah, we just have to believe in her..." She says with a nod. Her hands still clasp together worryingly all the tighter, however. 

GS: Shalune Amira guards a hit from Talise Gianfair's Infinitely Rippling Stream for 100 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude looks at the cube, which bears a more than passing resemblance to one of his Academy classmates, *glorp*, (yes pronounced with the asterisks), who came from a Federation planet of invertebrate non-solid based lifeforms. *glorp* was a pretty nice individual of non-binary gender, Claude reflects, right up until its truly epic break-up with its then-girlfriend, Cindy Lou Wu from San Francisco, which was caused by a sexual misadventure resulting from Cindy Lou using a slightly-too-basic-pH soap. Which was Claude's first (but not last) experience with the Pangalactic Federation's Prime Directive.

FEDERATION ACADEMY

INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS

COURSE SYLLABUS

A. COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course involves a careful examination of Federation Navy values and ethics codes, and their applications when dealing with xenospecific idiosyncracies.

B. ORGANIZATION

This is a lecture-lab course in which topics are presented by the instructor, discussions are held are explained, and assigned scenario briefs are completed by students both during lab periods and outside of class. Quizzes are given daily, and there is a comprehensive final exam.

C. TOPICS

The following topics will be covered:

  • Don't bang aliens.**************************************

Claude looks back up at Lunata. "Uh, thanks for the offer," he says. "But I might hurt it, and I don't want to affect your chances in the next few rounds." 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata nods gently, looking up -- well, a little past up the cube like she's staring at someone else. "He says it's okay." The cube kind of... bobbles up and down, as if lightly disappointed. For a moment, it was as if it exuded a positively brimming aura of 'come at me bro!!', but, alas, things are not meant to be.

"I'm sure you'll do well the next time," Lunata encourages him. "Don't give up, okay?" 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

That suggestion is probably right on point, actually - it really doesn't seem like Shalune's had much experience fighting one-on-one, let alone against targets with limbs and arms and weapons held in their hands. If the rumours are to be believed, a lot of Elru is now filled with technological dangers - and Shalune's movements and weapons are probably meant more for ducking behind bits of cover rather than actually going toe to toe with someone else.

She does try her best, though, because of course she does. It's Shalune. If she has anything at all in her, it's that impulse - whether for good or ill, whether it's something big or small.

"I can't-- wah-- back down! I've gotta save Lunie!" she blurts, and to her credit she ignores the squeak of pain and the way she winces at the impact, even if her hands shake this time around as she catches the blow on her staff. "She entered, so-- of course I had to try too! I couldn't just leave her!"

... exactly how she's going to 'save' Lunata from a voluntary tournament where barriers prevent serious injury is not something she's actually worked out, okay? She's trying her best!!

The next impact knocks her broom out of her hands, sending it spinning away; the pink-haired girl lets out another involuntary shriek, but both hands are already skimming down to her pockets again. "So-- take this!"

This time, it's not just one bomb but an array of them, big and around and carrying cute skull-and-crossbone signs emblazoned on them as if they came right out of a pirate cartoon. Immediately, she turns for something else, strapped to her back - just in time to shield herself from the string of explosions that bloom into several puffs of smoke to obscure half the battlefield.

From one of them, denting the mushroom cloud, suddenly bursts the mechanic, moving at speeds faster than anyone could muster on foot - because she's not on foot, perched atop the bizarrely hovering scooter she calls the Little Dipper, her hands tight on the handlebars as she sweeps around the perimeter of the arena and tries to catch sight of her obscured opponent. "--s-sorry!" 

GS: Shalune Amira has attacked Talise Gianfair with Handball!
GS: Shalune Amira has completed her action.
GS: Talise Gianfair guards a hit from Shalune Amira's Handball for 81 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

"Well, we'll find out in an hour or so," Claude says. He sighs, then forces a smile onto his face as he gives Lunata an appreciative pat on the shoulder (that totally won't be seen, or misunderstood, by Rena or anyone else). "Thanks for the pep talk," he says as he stands up. "You're a nice girl, Lululu Wait." 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Talise wants to win, but this feels bad. As Shalune starts blurting things about saving Lunata and only entering because her friend did, the half-Beastwoman bites her bottom lip, her sharp incisors dimpling it.

It has an effect. Shalune will find herself with a window of a couple of seconds as Lady Chloe slows down her approach. She takes a breath and lets the younger, less experienced girl collect herself a little. The last thing the woman behind the mask wants to do is be hard on someone who's scared.

The mercy costs her. She blinks as Shalune starts hurling bombs around the field. Explosives burst to life all around her. She's able to swat one away with a wide sweep of her sword, but the others detonate into the air around her, the thunderous shockwaves throwing her back several feet. She stumbles, grimacing. The explosive force isn't especially kind to her even with the fact that she's wearing armour over her upper body, given that all a breastplate's going to do in this situation is ring like a bell and transfer the concussive force straight through it.

Indeed, Talise is wincing somewhat as she comes out of the smoke. She can't see Shalune yet but she can hear the whine of something familiar.

(That's right,) she thinks. (Shalune has that scooter thing.)

Smoke billows around Lady Chloe, obscuring her from view save for a vague silhouette. Then, with a sudden movement, the tall woman crouches down in the smokescreen and seems to vanish from sight.

A few seconds later, the smoke parts.

Exploding out of a crouch like a very large, green-coated lion about to pounce, Chloe sprints up towards the hovering Little Dipper, Rastaban gripped tightly in both hands. "I prefer you," she grates, "down here!"

She swings with a loud shout - and attempts to bring her sword up below the lip of the hoverboard. It's a move intended to flip the Little Dipper and throw Shalune off! 

GS: Talise Gianfair has attacked Shalune Amira with Tidal Blow!
GS: Talise Gianfair has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

"T-that's not my name... ohh, it seems to have stuck," Lunata sags, as the cube actually floats up to just sit on her head. Does it get tired of floating? Some death artifact. Doesn't even have a USB charger for convenience! Ugh.

She gasps and says, "T-that's it, Shalune! Use Little Dipper and keep your-- wah!" she's surprised at how quickly Lady Chloe can cross the distance! 

GS: Shalune Amira guards a hit from Talise Gianfair's Tidal Blow for 142 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

The noise that Shalune makes as Talise suddenly bears down from her is not a terribly ladylike one; it's sheer instinct that spurs her to suddenly bank the craft upwards, leaning heavily on her back leg as she ramps higher in the sky. That instinct is what saves her from being knocked off the craft entirely; Chloe's attack digs into her side and nearly sends her flying, but she's able to absorb the impact with a soft kind of 'gnn--!'.

The way she pulls to one side on the handlebars send her spiralling upwards higher, though, twirling in a vertical barrel roll as she pierces through the top of the arena barrier in a way that the technology was simply never designed for.

* * *

"W-we~elll, Cam, it looks like she's... blasting off again, ha ha!"

"John, I will throw you out there myself."


  • * *


Shalune's craft was evidently never made for a climb this steep, whatever passes for its engine immediately starting to putter out as it approaches a stall. The way it hangs unnaturally in the air for a moment is almost peaceful, and allows the girl clinging grimly to it a miniscule chance to catch her breath. The horizon's pretty, she thinks, and also how am I gonna win this? It's not like I can keep up, y'know, so--

Oh, it's Big Shal, she adds dimly, realizing that the golem has-- somehow sensed her impending defeat, and started to move towards the arena, spreading tension in its wake despite the 'I'm NICE I SWEAR' sign hung around its neck. That might be bad, she realizes, and she frantically waves for a moment. "No-no-no, it's okay, it's okay!!"

She catches herself when the craft finally hits zenith, and begins what is obviously going to be a spiral downwards - and at the same moment, an idea hits her. It's incredibly foolish, but that's never stopped her before, and her hands grasp the control stick with renewed vigor. It's something, at least, and she signals it with a stomp of her feet, the impact suddenly jolting the craft down on its descent.

"--let's go! Little Dipper!" she cries as she hangs on for dear life, passing back through the barrier with only a slight tug of inertia. What was a stall quickly becomes a controlled swoop downwards, and then an uncontrolled one - and then it becomes abundantly clear that Shalune simply intends to crash-land right on top of her opponent.

"--aaaa...!" Maybe it's a yell of courage, or a yell of worry. Probably both! 

GS: Shalune Amira has attacked Talise Gianfair with Soaring Clouds!
GS: Shalune Amira has completed her action.
GS: CRITICAL! Talise Gianfair critically Guards a hit from Shalune Amira's Soaring Clouds for 53 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata stares agog as Shalune flies up and crashes through the arena-- and then comes flying back down again. "L--Lunieee!" 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius stands in his seat when he takes note of the approach of Big Shal, stretching out an arm behind him seemingly out of habit - but hey, good to know he does more than just 'hold his head' or 'hit the butt of the spear on the ground' or 'hold his hands behind his back,' still flashing a glance over to the sheer chaos of movement afforded to Shalune and the help of her Little Dipper - to just watch her go as high as she does, well...

...That does answer a question as to the construction of the barrier fields, as he mentally draws an estimate about how far down it must go.

He doesn't sit back down. The people behind him start yelling about it. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline stands abruptly as Shalune goes flying into the sky, holding tightly onto whatever is closest to her. It takes all her willpower to prevent her from interfering with the match by pulling out a Crest and doing something to break her fall...especially as Shalune goes rocketing downward toward Lady Chloe.

Th-the symbology in the arena would protect her from the impact, right? Shalune wouldn't break anything in the process, right...? Jacqueline's too fraught with worry to even shout. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Shalune Amira does a goddamned barrel roll and all Talise can do is stare after her with something resembling bemusement.

Lady Chloe can't possibly chase Shalune up that high. Ground-pounder that she is, she takes a few slow steps back, watching Shalune ascend - and taking a critical moment to prepare her defense against whatever it is the girl has in store for her. Skills mismatch or not, Shalune's at least keeping the swordswoman guessing what she's going to do next; she can't possibly predict the follow-up move from the strange girl.

Then Shalune comes diving towards her out of the sky. It's a vast downward spiral and the girl's roaring through it at what looks to Lady Chloe like top speed. In the audience, the crowd begins to come to its feet, looking on with rapt horror.

So is Lady Chloe. So is, behind the mask, Talise. She does the only thing she can think of in this situation.

She sheathes Rastaban. Then she bunches her shoulders and brings her hands forward. Magic begins to thrum through her gauntlets as she waits for Shalune to descend -

And at the last second, she swings out with both hands, attempting to propel herself off the scooter with a magically-boosted burst of strength, hurling herself away from the Lunie-meteor that comes plummeting from above!!

She doesn't manage it cleanly; the descending scooter slams into her bodily, but she's able to throw her arms up to shield herself even as she's flung away from the worst of it. Not even her magically-enhanced strength would be enough to catch Shalune at that speed. All she can do is cry out, "Shalune!!" as she's flung away, hitting the ground a few metres outside and rolling back to her knees with her wrists defensively crossed.

Behind her mask, she stares on in horror, praying to Althena that Shalune's alright. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

For all that Big Shal seems docile most of the time - well, there are obviously some protective instincts buried in the Golem's core somewhere. Fortunately, it stops as Ethius holds up a hand, stops as Shalune waves at it, the light in its eyes flickering from an unusual brightness back to a quiet light, instead peering over the wall of the arena--

--as Shalune's fall hits home and the Little Dipper impacts first with Talise and then with what looks distinctly like the ground. It's hard to tell exactly what happens given the cloud of dust that immediately gets thrown up in its wake, though the dangerous-sounding crunch combined with a number of small gears and mechanical parts suddenly rebounding off the walls of the arena at speed definitely provide some clues as to the Little Dipper's fate.

When the cloud clears, the Little Dipper is a wreck, half-buried in a twisted and broken mess.


Fortunately for all involved, though, the impact is the same moment that a red-and-yellow bundle comes not-quite-rolling out of the blast zone, more flung in a curled-up ball - she bounces once, thanks to the mass of fabric around her, then rolls and slides to a stop, spreadeagled and dizzy and with her eyes unfocused and swirling.

"B-bweeehhh--..." she blurts out at length, raising her arms as if to try to get up - and then flopping to the ground again. "I'm ti~ired..." 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata is seen sprinting towards the waiting arenas as she calls out, "Luu~nieee!" with her cube toppled off her head, then panicking a little as it tries to keep pace with the waitress running off to go see her friend. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

The dust clears, and Lady Chloe stares for a few seconds at the mangled, twisted aftermath.

Then she realizes that the wreckage lying twisted there is of Shalune's hoverboard - and a floofy blob of sweater fluff comes bouncing out of the blast radius and rolls to a halt. Letting the magic flow out of her gauntlets, Lady Chloe gasps, "Shalune!" She darts forward quickly; there seems to be no point in protecting herself anymore, nor any point in pressing an attack.

She drops to a knee beside the battered, sweater-clad girl, sliding her gauntlets off and moving a hand to cradle the back of Shalune's head. From the audience, she can hear the other Lunie crying out in alarm and scampering to the arena, the sound of an alarmed Lunie call audible even above the anxious murmuring of a crowd that realizes this wasn't supposed to end like this.

Behind her Chloe mask, Talise is looking Shalune over, a look of anguish etched into her face. "I'm sorry, Shalune," she whispers. "I didn't mean to be so hard on you. Just please be alright...." 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline is, of course, right behind Lunata as she runs off to go check on Shalune. She doesn't shout, but the worry on her face is no less evident than Lunata's.

"S-sorry everyone...we'll be back!" She says to her spectating friends, a note of panic in her tome. 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Ethius casts a gaze back over the arena and the unfolding spectacle. It's most curious - he's not sure he's ever seen or heard of a Lady Chloe, but she seems to be familiar with Shalune enough to care for her well-being.

The distraction surrounding this is ideal, for his purposes. In situations like these, Ethius is quick to capitalize. Normally he'd slink out of sight and start making decisive moves towards whatever his objective is.

Here, he seems to pausing.

He's also continuing not to acknowledge the rquest by others behind him to sit down, but the point is rendered moot as he starts following behind Jacqueline, Lunata, and a Deathcube. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"E-eh?" blurts Shalune after another unfocused moment, her eyes opening again as it suddenly dawns on her that people are worried about her-- and given that she's just crash landed her prized craft and gotten rolled halfway across the arena, there's something anticlimactic about the way she goes 'hup--' and suddenly sits herself up without a care.

Well, nearly without a care. She's definitely kind of dinged up, with scuffles and scratches and aches all over her, but there's still a light in her eyes and she's still beaming happily as she raises a hand to scratch at the back of her mess of hair, only wincing a little as she realizes that she's got sand all through it from her final skid.

"A~awww..." she sounds out after a long moment, having gotten her bearings. "I thought that'd maybe work, but I guess not, huh?" Maybe her expression's a little sad for a moment, but then she perks up immediately afterwards, raising her arms in a cheer. "Wah, but moving like that was super cool! You did amazing!" 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata kind of looms at the gates as the soldiers and attendants tell her that she's not quite allowed in yet, which she has to... begrudgingly accept, but then she stares at Shalune as she springs up and kind of just beams happily and scratches her hair. "... haah ... even after a year, she's still worrying us to Lunar and back like this!" she grouses good-naturedly to Jacqueline, and possibly Ethius if he catches up in time to hear her complain. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Mysteriously, Catenna's following the rest of the Kinship down to check on Shalune, though she'll stop at the foot of the platform. She looks awfully worried.

Meanwhile, beyond the impenetrable eel barrier, Lady Chloe keeps her hand cradled behind Shalune's head - until the chipper girl suddenly sits up like some sort of undead Lunie-zombie. The masked woman blinks a couple of times before lowering her hand, folding her arms atop her knees, but it's her smile that tells the whole story - it's wide and flushed with relief, her eyes softening a little. "It almost did work," she assures Shalune, keeping her voice quiet. "I didn't know how I was going to get away from that."

The very tall woman slides her gauntlets back on and reaches out to give Shalune a gentle clap on the shoulder. Her smile remains, a quiet glitter in her eyes. "Thanks, but you're the one who did amazing, Lunie. I know you entered because of Lunata... but you were really brave and you did a lot of things that surprised me. If you stay in the tournament, I'm sure you're going to do good and make Lunie proud."

She's pitching her voice quietly enough to avoid the crowd or the announcers picking her up. It's Talise talking, not her persona. 

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

There is relief on Jacqueline's face as Shalune pops up, seeming to recover like nothing happened. That was...undoubtedly a Shalune thing to do. She lets out a sigh, and sends Lunata a smile.

"That's our Lunie." She says, chuckling more out of relief than anything.

She doesn't know if the swordswoman can see it while they're behind the gate...but she glances toward Lady Chloe with a look of respect, due to the kind way she's treating Shalune. 

<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.

"Ehehe..." chimes the girl, scratching at her cheek for a moment. "A-aww, it was all I could think to do, y'know? I mean, I knew I'd be okay, I'm built pretty tough!--" technically a lie as far as their battle is concerned, but then she does seem unnaturally able to deal with the rough-and-tumble of explosives and crashes. Maybe it's some kind of selective immunity. "--but-- uuu, I guess that was a little rash... I'm gonna have to spend all my time 'til the next match fixing the Dipper..."

She doesn't seem too torn up as she glances in the direction of the wrecked craft, mind you, her words definitely carrying the sort of tone that suggests she's had to do this before. Besides, looking in that direction allows her to home in on the group gathering at the gate - and somehow she's found it within her to pop up to her feet, waving brightly at them with the entirety of both arms.

"Luni~ie! Ja~ay! I lo~ost!" she chimes aloud over the din of the crowd, all cheer despite her words. Well, there you have it. 

<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.

Someone grabs at Ethius' sleeve as he attempts to follow up from the rear. There's a sharp turn of his head to the offending person behind him, at which point he sees...

"Uh, h-hey," it's that middle-aged loser that runs Old Rusty, "I j-just saw the, the... brackets. Y'know, good that you beat Grondo, but..."

"Yes." Ethius says. "It was difficult. I gave it my all." He lies through his teeth.

"If, if they call that girl on the... the thing out," the Old Rusty man continues, keeping hold of Ethius' sleeve, "she's your next, uh, opponent."

"That is correct." Ethius says, maintaining impeccable calm as he tries to disengage by pulling his sleeve out of the older man's grasp. The older man's grasp is not so easily deterred.

"I, uh, n-notice you hang out with... with her friends, like... Miss Barber," the older guy continues, "so, um, I'm... I'm sorry to have to a-ask you this, but... bu--"

"Speak." Ethius speaks.

"Y-You didn't just... just come outta nowhere to give a, a, a free pass to her, uhh, her friends, did you?"

Ethius does not respond.

"'Cause if you are, um, I'm... n-not going to be happy." The Old Rusty guy lets go of Ethius' sleeve and walks off. "D-do me proud, okay? I, um, you're... you're the, the first guy I ever, y'know, sponsored... ever, th-this means a... a whole lot to me."

Ethius doesn't look the older shopkeeper in the eyes as the sponsor walks off, leaving the would-be sneaky git to stand a far distance away from the friends that gather at the gates, from the cheerful defeated mechanic, standing as stoically and unemotive as ever with the statement as follows running through his mind:

This complicates matters. 

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata lets out another sigh as Shalune shouts out about her loss to them, placing her hands to her chest and lowering her head in relief. "We saw..." she kind of gives Jacqueline a look that positively says 'let's pore over her and bandage her and make sure she also gets in the bath and gets a good scrubbing good lord young lady you're filthy after that!'. It's a very specific kind of look.

Then a pause.

"W-wait, that means I'm..." her eyes widen as she checks the bracket on the board again. "O-oh, I'm against Lady Chloe next...??"

She also doesn't seem to have clicked that Shalune is going to be up against Ethius next.

"Uh oh..."

The cube, meanwhile, looks about as positively hype as a cube can be. SWORDFIGHT, SWORDFIGHT!! 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

The other girl accepts things with such good cheer that Talise-as-Chloe can only smile, scratching behind one pointed ear in bemusement.

"Sometimes you have to do rash things. And it almost worked," she assures with a shake of her head. "But you did good anyway. You're a real tough person, Lunie." With a crooked smile, she pats the younger lass on the shoulder one more time. "...Lunie's down there and worried about you."

As Shalune makes it official, the tournament officials mull over it for a moment, then finally sound the ring bell and pronounce the winner. Lady Chloe doesn't celebrate it, though. She remains on one knee, bowing her head and resting the point of her sword against the turf, as though to convey that the crowd should be cheering for Shalune and not her.

When she looks up, it's with a hint of a blush as she watches Shalune bobble off to meet her friends.

(That is one lucky girl,) she realizes. (Having great friends like that.)

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