2017-07-11: Janus Cascade vs. White Knight Leo

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==============================<* Silver Coast *>==============================

The Silver Coast is the name given to the northeastern coastline of Ignas. The origins of the name are lost to history, but residents of the area tend to assume it reflects either the famous white-sand beaches northeast of Lacour, or the region's distance from the desertification slowly spreading out from the continent's heart.

The Coast and its surrounding territories are claimed by the Kingdom of Lacour, and contain a wide assortment of biomes, from plains to rocky hills and mountains to rolling beaches. Major roads between Lacour and its next two largest settlements - the Port City of Hilton and the Academy City of Linga - are heavily patrolled by the kingdom's soldiers, and are generally safe. The hinterlands, however, are plagued by monsters of all types; researchers in Linga can find a variety of uses for the body parts of monsters, and do a brisk trade with Adventurers seeking to protect the population and make a little coin to boot.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYbFnoRSW6M


<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Leo's last match was spectacular--a bout where both competitors kept the crowd on the edge of its seat through masterful skill. Many of the people who watched are here tonight, hoping to see a repeat performance.

Janus's last match was also spectacular, but for slightly different reasons. It also attracted a lot of people.

The net result is a packed stadium--Master Torque barely has to try to get the crowd worked up, but he does it anyway, because he has no intensity setting switch. "IN THIS CORNER, FROM PARTS UNKNOWN--THE MOST BADASS TIGHTASS YOU WILL EVER SEE! CAPTAIN LEO!"

The door on one end of the stadium opens, revealing a long roll of red carpet sitting in the doorway. Someone off to the side gives it a good, strong kick, and it rolls out into the arena, stopping a good fifteen feet inside. Leo steps into the doorframe, flanked on each side by a pair of uniformed Guards--he strides down the carpet, waving and grinning as the audience cheers. He steps off the end of the carpet, and onto the arena floor. The guards pick up the carpet, and pull it back with them as they head backstage. The door slides closed.

"AND IN THIS CORNER, THE ORIGINAL BAD BOY HIMSELF, THE OUTLAW JANUS CASCADE!"

More cheers.

<Pose Tracker> Janus Cascade has posed.

"That's a funny way to pronounce 'world-famous Drifter hero,'" Janus calls up, lazily, almost assuredly drowned out by the crowd; but still he walks in. "But what do I know! Ain't much of a letters man, m'self."

He's armed and ready, his ARM in both hands as he confidentlys trides out to the mark. HE has no carpet, and no guards, and indeed cocks that smirk a few degrees sharper as the guards reel the carpet in. "What, mate, you not much for gettin' your feet dirty?" He laughs, chiding, at his competitor, even as the crowd roars. "'cuz I'm afraid..." He shifts his own fine shoes against the bare dirt. "....I'm gonna have to disappoint ya on that one."

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

"Hmf," Leo says, his eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly. "I suppose you would know all about being dirty, would you?" The White Knight draws his blade in a flash of steel, taking a moment to study his foe. Janus definitely thinks he can win, judging by that swagger--either that, or he's just that good at bluffing. Not for much longer, Leo thinks.

"THREE!" The audience chants along with Master Torque. Leo slips into a defensive stance, eyes focused on his foe. "TWO! ONE! FIGHT!"

The White Knight strikes like an unexpected landslide--one moment, he's perfectly still, and in the next, he's crashing down on Janus. Leo slashes at the back of Janus's right forearm, testing his guard. He has no idea how that ARM will perform as a melee weapon, and he needs to find out.

GS: White Knight Leo has attacked Janus Cascade with Testing Strike!
GS: White Knight Leo has completed his action.
GS: Janus Cascade takes a solid hit from White Knight Leo's Testing Strike for 93 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina remembers:

A) that White Knight Leo is a tool, and B) that Janus Cascade straight up cheats.

She elects to make her opinion known in the most appropriate way possible: the arena chant.

"YOU'RE-BOTH-LO-SERS!" she shouts at the top of her lungs, only stopping herself from chucking popcorn into the arena because she realizes that when you throw popcorn, the /real/ loser is you, who has lost popcorn.

<Pose Tracker> Janus Cascade has posed.

Knowing Janus Cascade, he'd somehow find a way to use the popcorn to defend himself. Or beat the crap out of Leo.

Janus rolls his eyes nearly out of his head at Lemina's shout piercing the crowd, scoffing, "I know I get the maniacs, but what'd you do?" he laughs in Leo's direction.

His guard snaps up, attempting to parry Leo's blade with the body of his weapon. Answer: Janus may not actually be good enough with it for Leo need to worry about because he cuts the hell out of Janus' arm instead of his ARM.

Janus grunts and clears out a few steps, but that grin never goes anywhere. "I do! Out there, you learn a lot about dirt. Clings to everything..."

He raises his weapon high and lets it slowly drift back toward his other hand's grip, sighting by eyes alone. "And everyone," he says, and the instant it touches his hand, a bullet flies away. With his spear of a bayonet, he's hoping he can keep Leo from being too up in his business while he shoots the living hell out of the man. "So what are you hiding behind that pretty white jacket, I wonder?" Janus muses.

GS: Janus Cascade has attacked White Knight Leo with SHOOT!
GS: Janus Cascade has completed his action.
GS: White Knight Leo guards a hit from Janus Cascade's SHOOT for 61 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

Arleph is here, in the audience. It's something of a mystery of how, or when he actually managed to get here at this precise moment, if things have proven to be the other way around a few moments ago. The long story of it is:

He's a wizard. Deal with it.

The Symbologist, still wounded from his last fight, is causally eating a small bag of popcorn, one kernel at a time. THIS have something of an vested interest for him. Particuarly with how one opponment is Janus... and this 'Leo' is interesting.

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro eventually takes a seat in the crowd. He folds his hands under his chin. He considers the fighters.

In one corner is a guy who tried to murder Maya.

In the other corner is a guy who says he has to murder Lucia for the good of their world.

And yet when he had the chance he... didn't.

His choice is clear as he shouts, "GO LEO! BECAUSE YOU'RE BETTER THAN THE OTHER GUY!"

"No he's not! I agree with Lemina for once." She cups her pink pawsies and shouts, "DON'T LISTEN TO HIRO, LEO! BOTH OF YOU SUCK!"

They're sitting awfully close to Arleph.


<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.

There are many important life questions that a person asks themselves, such as 'who am I?' 'what is it to be human(iod)?' 'What is the meaning of life?'

Then there's other questions, such as: 'if a childhood friend grows up to become a 'world-(in)famous Drifter hero', should I attend at least one of their tournament matches?'

... Well, it's not like anyone else from Littler Twister has done anything of any real notoriety that Gwen knows about. That's still alive, anyway. Ish. And maybe it'll provide valuable information on how to deal with Janus should their paths cross in the future!

Something like that. And hey, Leo's there. Bonus intel.

Gwen'll just quietly sit in the stands, hunch down, tip her hat low, and eat popcorn over the shouts of 'you're both losers'. That must be Lemina, judging by the volume.

"Go, uh..."

Gwen wets her lips, then tries some words. "Go, uh, home... team....?"

It comes out like the dying, dehydrated croak of a man just moments before vultures swoop in to feast, a sound without meaning or importance in the passage of time.

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

"A Vile Fiend," Leo says, as if that explains Lemina's presence and attitude in their entirety. He steps away from Janus once he completes his strike, settling back into that defensive stance--waiting for the reprisal. He wonders if Janus is low enough to fling dirt at him, but no, a more conventional strike comes his way. Janus is quick on the draw. That shot would've dropped a lesser man, and doubtless Janus has done that many times in the past. Leo sees the muzzle flash and reacts with blinding speed--his sword whips through the air, neatly interposing itself between the bullet and his unarmored torso. A shot that should've hit Leo square in the chest glances off at an angle, clipping the swordsman's shoulder. The upside to that white uniform--for Janus anyway--is that it's easy to see Leo's blood on it. A thin little rivulet appears on it where the bullet grazed him.

Leo tries his best to tune out Lemina's taunting--and Ruby's taunting, too, which is just as expected and unwelcome. Is... that Hiro, though? One of Leo's ears perks, as if homing in on the source of that sound. It's Hiro. Leo nods to no one in particular, and moves.

Once again, there's little or no warning--Leo's rushing at Janus, going from stillness to motion in heartbeats. He feints towards Janus's other arm, before sweeping his blade up and around in a long cut across the other man's chest. He seems to be pretty confident in his ability to close the distance, but he hasn't seen half of what that ARM can do. It's troublesome.

GS: White Knight Leo has attacked Janus Cascade with Flash Blade!
GS: White Knight Leo has completed his action.
GS: Janus Cascade takes a solid hit from White Knight Leo's Flash Blade for 117 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

Arleph sloooowly look to the side, where Hiro is seated as, with some... cute little furry animal that's shouting at the fight proper. The Symbologist, grabs a kernel, purposedly pop it into his mouth and thoughtfully chew on it. He chew slowly, far too much for just a bloody popcorn, bearing the full might of his stare upon them and his fuzzy little companion.

"One of 'em cheats." He says, plainly, waving his bag wildly. "It ain't the pretty striped boy. Any reason for the rage over that one?"

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro nods when Leo looks his way. Though he's not 100% certain that Leo was nodding at him. "Hiro! Hiro! Maybe he was signalling someone in the crowd to jump us! Like an assassin! GWAWR!" "Oh come on Ruby, Leo's not the type to use assassins."

The winged pink cat=dragon though looks over the guy speaking to them. And then flaps her wings to move over to him. She takes a perch on his shoulder without asking. "Okay soooo where do I even start? First off- he talks like he's better than everyone- when at the same time he's going-" Ruby puts a pink pawsie at her mouth and coughs once then takes on a more masculine voice.

"The Lord of Calamity is coming and we have to execute this clueless girl because my Goddess says she is and my manly-senses are tingling and saying she feels all bad-wrong and blahblahblah-"

She's on her hind legs by now, gesticulating with her pink pawsies back and forth. But she stops sounding like him- "I stopped listening when he started talking about the curve of her hip and the sparkle of her eye and how she's entrancing Hiro with her womanly wiles."

Hiro by now is staring at the match as hard as he can, like it's critical he does so that Arleph doesn't see his steaming face. Also because Leo is doing some incredibly awesome swordwork which he's glad to watch from the outside in for once.


<Pose Tracker> Janus Cascade has posed.

"Uh," Janus says, visibly confused by the declaration. "You're not really givin' me a lot to go on here." what is a vile fiend. isn't he a vile fiend. That's what people call him when they aren't calling him correct things, like 'awesome'!

The other thing Leo isn't giving him a whole lot of is ROOM TO USE HIS FUCKIN' GUN. The ace swordsman rushes in, sweeping and slashing, and Janus lets it all happen, eyes flashing...

Then jabbing his bayonet directly into Leo's stomach amid the squall of blades.

"See, mate," Janus says, with that grin in place. "Most people don't choose to stay this close to a guy with a SPEAR."

Then he pulls the trigger - a bullet blasting directly into Leo from zero range. Or....two feet, or so, if that bayonet didn't penetrate.

Janus watches it all. "But I hear you moon men are all pretty funny in the head."

GS: Janus Cascade has attacked White Knight Leo with Sniper Shark XR!
GS: Janus Cascade has completed his action.
GS: White Knight Leo guards a hit from Janus Cascade's Sniper Shark XR for 47 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

There is quite a few things that happened in Arleph's life on this planet that made him a little more jaded, beyeond a life out in space on frontier words. Berries that heal. Metal Demons. Magic that is clearly not defined by Symbology. Swarms of chicken, attacking all that live in a reap of vengeance and hate. Exploding corpses.

Having a flying little furry dragon kitty thing fly up to his shoulder, starting to talk and narrate to him what their problem might be, taking a masculine voice far more that she can handle is not one that's going to change his outview on things. The Symbologist slowly eats out of his popcorn, listening to Ruby and hating much of the fight right now. He chews on the kernel, staring blandly at Ruby, listening to her.

"That's soundin' like religious persecution t'me." Arleph asks, drawl back in full force, looking aside to look at Hiro, then back at the flying, fuzzy dragon cat. He's taking this in strides, honestly. "That's soundin' like a setup more and more, even if I ain't saw that girl with me own eyes."

Eyes divert back to the fuming Hiro. "'Sides, he don't look like t'sort that just got seduced and brainwashed by a succubus."

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Leo looks askance at Janus, as if honestly upset that he doesn't know who these people are. Surely his people have made things clear, right? Even riffraff like this should be able to realize the threat they pose, right? "A band of renegades in the thrall of their leader, who bears the taint of otherworldly corruption." Somehow, Leo feels the need to explain, even as he starts to circle Janus, sticking close by as he presses the attack. How close can he get before Janus can use the blade on that ARM?

That close. Approximately that close. Janus's bayonet sinks into Leo's gut, and the swordsman lets out a sharp grunt, his blood dripping down the weapon. Leo twists back, pulling himself off the bayonet with heartbeats to spare--the rifle goes off with enough force to blow off the side of Leo's shirt, and a large hole appears in the White Knight's dashing red cape.

So he's something of a spearfighter, if a spear could discharge blasts of death from its tip. Reminds him a little of Maltran.

"You're persistent!" Leo says, looking Janus in the eye. "I'll deign to give you that. But now--!" Light glints ominously on Leo's blade. "DEMON FANG!" The swordsman falls at Janus in what looks like another head-on strike, but at the last second, his blade veers to the side, and a corona of blue-black energy sizzles off of it. Moments later, the energy lances up at Janus from beneath.

GS: White Knight Leo has attacked Janus Cascade with Demon Fang!
GS: White Knight Leo has completed his action.
GS: Janus Cascade critically Guards a hit from White Knight Leo's Demon Fang for 27 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


"Religious perse-what?" Apparently that's not really a concept where they come from. "Well it is a religion- and we definitely are persecuted. So I guess that fits. Just never heard it called that." Ruby works that out aloud. Before glancing Hiro's way. "And he's noooottt. Though he sure is a softie and he'd sure be hopeless without me."

Hiro is still staring straight forward, the word succubus having brought his embarrassment to new heights, "Sitting right here you know." There's a wince at Janus' rifle blast at point blank after a bayonet strike, then his eyes follow the signature Demon Fang.

"Huh. I wonder if he trained Alisha or something." "Huh? Well maybe!"

Once that's gone by, he sticks his hand out to Arleph to shake. "Name's Hiro by the way." He keeps his eyes on the fight for a few seconds longer before turning his way- "Pleased to make your acquaintance Misterr-?" He drawls that out, to try to solicit his name.


<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

Arleph listens patiently to the flying little fuzzy dragon cat, trying to puzzle it out. He chides himself mentally, he probably should not talk like that around most people. Still, he didn't think it was THAT outlandish of a concept for her (?) to grasp. His eyes settles on Hiro, furrowing his brows. "Good, then."

The Symbologist coughs for a moment after being called out, giving the fight a brief look, witnessing the Demon Fang. "Ah, so you know Alisha. She is a pretty strong young lady, I'd say." He muses, shaking his head. "No, I doubt she she learned it from this man. That Technique is very common for some subsection of fighters. Projecting energy with your weapons or your body is a basic skill for many schools of combat."

The older man looks back over at Hiro, taking that hand with a gloved hand to shake. "Doctor Arleph Ardan, a pleasure, Hiro. Who is the lady on my shoulder?" He adds, eyes diverting to the fuzzball.

<Pose Tracker> Janus Cascade has posed.

"Y'know, mate," Janus quips, "Bloke like me doesn't really listen to the hype about somethin' like that. People call me a lot worse than 'Vile Fiend'." His lips quirk. "Just innocent ol' Janus Cascade, can you believe that?"

He seems not even slightly bothered by all the blood Leo no longer has.

The White Knight surging in does bother him a touch, though. "I am that. And you're not half bad, y'self, mate," Janus replies, and readies his weapon for the assault. But the blade sweeps! And Janus knows that cry! He's seen enough of these ...sword, guys! The blast snaps away from the blade, and Janus - catches it with the butt of his ARM, crushing the blast with main force, and then forcing his way in - right up into Leo's guard again, blade dripping with blood and ready for more. "HAH!" he barks. There's no technique names, no secret maneuvers - just a man driving a spear into another.

He rips the blade out a second later, flicking blood away, and then follows up by slamming his foot into Leo's side, further inflaming his injuries while he topples the man.

Janus doesn't taunt when he returns to center. He just watches. That grin never moving.

GS: Janus Cascade has attacked White Knight Leo with Heretic Stab!
GS: Janus Cascade has completed his action.
GS: White Knight Leo critically Guards a hit from Janus Cascade's Heretic Stab for 20 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro looks a touch nervous, "Well I know her in... a sennnnsee..." "We're not on the best of terms." Hiro's handshake is firm. "Pleased to meet you Doc." There aren't really many doctors on his world, but he's starting to understand Simple Country Doctors are everywhere on Filgaia.

He takes his hand back, before Ruby extends a precious pink pawsie "And I'm Ruby- his better half!"

Hiro sort of cocks his head to the side like he's debating something, "And well sure, but that one is- uh-"

There's this sort of pause and you can see the mental gears turning, "-exclusive to our world even if doing something like that it isn't. Alisha, Leo, and us we all come from... and I know this'll sound crazy but... the Blue Star's... I mean Filgaia's Moon."


<Pose Tracker> Matilda Whitehead has posed.

Lemina continues to be annoying, and pointedly does not participate in the discussion of religious persecution, because if she intervenes in that it's going to turn into a disaster real fast. She contents herself with trying to start anti-the-whole-match chants. They occasionally catch, but for the most part, Lemina is yelling real loud by herself.

MEANWHILE

Matilda Whitehead sits with her elbows on her knees, watching Janus's movements with more interest than one might expect from the compounder. She can tell that he's lagging behind a little in the match, but there's something about the way he moves that's -- simple, direct. They're the movements of a killer.

She has a pencil and paper, and is taking honest-to-goodness notes.

<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.


"Ah. Enemies, I see. She was a pretty strong woman, but seem to not be used to fight against magic." Arleph says, taking his hand back. His own handshake is also rather firm, controlled. "I fought her in the tournament. It was a very close thing. She is a Princess, is she not?"

The symbologist lend out a pair of finger for her to grab and shake, as well. He could use his hand, but that would be just rude. He wouldn't want to crush her paws! "And well met t'ya too, Ruby."

He settles back fully on his seat, grabbing his bag again and this time offering for both Ruby and Hiro, returning his attention to the fight. He takes a moment to think. Right, coming from a moon is no big deal. HE was born in SPACE. Formulating a jaded answer would not be conductive there. He settles for a raised eyebrow, in the end. "That's quite a claim, Hiro, but you're lucky I know others that claims the same."

Arleph grins at him. "When I was young, after all, my grandmother often spoke of how the moon was made of cheese."

That's a straight up lie. His grandmother was a ship navigator.

<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

This is Claude's fault, Leo thinks. If people like him didn't make inferior counterfeits of good, honest styles--

Leo isn't entirely sure where he's going with that, but Janus displayed more talent with that last block than Leo thinks he has any right to, and he's mad. The counter that follows is equally skillful, and Leo's eyes widen just a little as Janus charges right in.

WHAM

The ground between Leo and Janus erupts in a spray of jagged, rocky shards, gleaming with blue-black energy. One of them strikes Janus's blade dead-on, jerking it to the side as Leo twists away. It misses him by less than an inch, and carves a fresh slash into his poor, bedraggled cape. The rock shards wink out of existence, leaving behind only puffs of definitely-magical energy that quickly dissipate. Janus's kick slams into Leo's side, but without a wound to aggravate, it merely knocks him around.

So wait, the moon people can use magic without crests or tattoos? NOT COOL

There's no battlecry this time. Leo surges forward into what looks at first like a kata--his blade whips through a dizzying series of strikes, none of which come anywhere close to Janus. That's the job of the vacuum blades that flow from the tip of Leo's sword with every strike. There are a lot of those. It's kind of like a bullet hell game in miniature.

GS: White Knight Leo has attacked Janus Cascade with Buzz Blade!
GS: White Knight Leo has completed his action.
GS: Janus Cascade guards a hit from White Knight Leo's Buzz Blade for 90 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


"Good to meet you Doc!" "Yeah she is and-" "It's not like we want her to be our enemy! Or him either!"

Hiro rubs the back of his neck, "Well if you've met Alisha, that fits. She doesn't really hide it. We kinda did at first but... that got awkward real quick when they started posting Wanted Posters of Lucia everywhere- and us too."

And then Hiro sort of snorts in sort of a good natured way. That's a misconception. All the cheese on our world is concentrated in one place and continually reincarnated in the form of one guy. The latest incarnation is named Ronfar-" She points a pink pawsie towards Leo in the arena as Hiro's attention goes back to the exchange for a moment... of Janus stabbing a barrier of rock shards, and Leo's follow up- "-and since he's Leo's friend we assume that's where the White Knight gets it from." Her volume drops, "It's kinda scary how good he is at Earth Sorcery and Swordsmanship both... and that other guy. Maya really wants us to take him down?"

Hiro doesn't reply, but his face says everything about it not boding well for them.


GS: White Knight Leo guards a hit from Janus Cascade's Cascade Gang Cooperation for 72 hit points!
GS: Janus Cascade takes Cover! He gains 50 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.


"His title is actually 'White Knight'?" Arleph echoes, with some amount of surprise in his voice, peering down at the fight again. He didn't expect to have a joke turned back on him with vast amount of mockery for some people he never even met! Still, he listens to the two, drumming his fingers over his bag of popcorn, pondering this over. He did show some interesting ability at magic. In fact, so many people did, here, in ways he didn't fully understand beyond the very basic. The actual machinery of it still eludes him.

"Hmn. So he is both a swordsman and a magic user. I find that people that divide their attention pays the price at some point or another." He peers back at Ruby and Hiro, eyes curious. "I imagine he is not a Symbologist, either, is he?"

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


"Yeah. The White Knight of Althena. He's kind of a big deal." And on the next question- "Ah nope. On our world most people are born with the Blessing of Althena. It means we just are able to use magic. Takes some training. But no symbols, no graphs. Nothing like that. I mean sometimes we mark ourselves to indicate stuff like that." He touches his green cheekstripes, "Like- I'm a Wind Mage." And then he tries to point at Leo's face, "And he's an Earth."

Hiro is flabbergasted when he sees someone throw something into the ring. He catches a glimpse of the man before the guard is on him. Then he's looking at the judge and he stands up and shouts- "HEY JUDGE KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE MATCH!"

He's got a sneaking suspicion someone is cheating, but he's not 100% sure on that. I mean that guy could have been any angry fan right?

"HOW ABOUT A RULING ON THE INTERFERENCE? COME ON!"

"Hiro- Hiro keep your voice down. I don't want you drawing any attention to-" "Hey it's her!"

"Haha Hiro I just remembered that I totally have a thing scheduled with Lucia to uh- get our nails done! Together!" "Wait you... both get your... huh?" "SO I HAVE TO GO LIKE RIGHT NOW! Don't want to be late! Nice meeting you Doc!" And that's when the Pink Dragoncat zips away. A few people follow only moments later.

Ruby may have a restraining order out on her by the... announcers, which turned into an exploding order since the match is sponsored by BLASTEMOL!@


<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Leo sees something flying at him in the corner of his eye--he leaps backwards partway through the assault, only for the mysterious something to slam into the ground he occupied seconds before. "What the--?!" Leo says, eyes widening in confusion and shock. He glances up at the stands, sees the men fighting, and realizes a moment later that it's exactly what Janus wants. He tries to twist away from his opponent, but it's too late.

A gunshot. Leo's body jerks, pain blossoming outwards from the point of impact. It's low in the shoulder, but he's bleeding badly, and it sure might look like a heart shot at first. Leo has no time to fret about whether or not that was intentional--he hears Hiro shout something to the judge about distractions, but he runs the risk of becoming distracted again if he listens too closely. Instead, Leo sinks into a low stance, blue-black energy flaring up around him, tracing out a circle on the ground. Rock rises up from within the field, clinging to Leo's body as if it were a second skin. The strength of earth suffuses him, staunching his wounds.

GS: White Knight Leo has attacked White Knight Leo with Earth Prayer!
GS: White Knight Leo has completed his action.
GS: White Knight Leo takes a solid hit from White Knight Leo's Earth Prayer for 0 hit points!
GS: Hyper and Shield! Statuses applied to White Knight Leo!
<Pose Tracker> Janus Cascade has posed.

Romero is practicing the time-honored ninjerai art of Super High School Level Pedantry and it appears to be working, because the judge doesn't react in the slightest.

Janus, meanwhile, doesn't react like a man who's just killed. One, because right now that's prrrrobably impossible? Janus ain't spending the cash to have them turn THAT off, that might make someone actual mad instead of merely 'CASCADE HOUSE!!!' mad. And two, because he knows Leo's not nearly done. Instead, that power bursts up from Leo, and Janus, done being impressed, decides he wants to murder him for it. Trickery exhausted, he goes back to what he's good at; and once again rushes in at Leo, daring to engage the leonid hero in his own kingdom.

Spears are made to penetrate armor, after all - rock or otherwise.

GS: Janus Cascade has attacked White Knight Leo with Heretic Stab!
GS: Janus Cascade has completed his action.
GS: White Knight Leo critically Guards a hit from Janus Cascade's Heretic Stab for 20 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Pedantry, the deadliest weapon of all!

Leo risks a look at the judge, his eyes narrowing as he sees the argument. The pieces fall into place. "I should have expected this from one such as--" Leo doesn't get to finish the sentence, because cheater or not, Janus has a killer's instincts, and Leo just gave him an opening. Cursing inwardly, the White Knight shifts into a guarding stance, his blade whipping out to try and catch the bayonet. The weapon bites into Leo's uninjured shoulder, clipping off fragments of rock and snipping off the clasp holding his cape in place. Instead of blowing dramatically, it whips free, blowing off into the stands! Some lucky fan is going to get a gory, burned souvenir!

Leo's blade stops Janus's before it can do anything else, like bite into his jugular vein--which it was about to do. Leo flows with the deflection, stepping to the side and giving Janus some breathing room. Why is he doing this now, after spending the entire fight up in the man's face? "Now to end this," Leo snarls. He stomps a foot into the ground, a puff of dirt rising up around his heel. Moments later, the earth beneath him cracks and rumbles, thrusting up into the air in some sort of impromptu platform. Golden light plays off his blade as he draws it back, channeling every ounce of power into it. "LION'S--"

Leo springs from his platform, sweeping his blade forwards. The energy flows forwards in a wave, quickly blossoming into a massive and unquestionably deadly bloom of light. "HOWL! It takes on a definite shape--the head of a lion, its mane billowing out, its teeth bared and seeking Janus Cascade's life.

Leo lands in the dirt. His cape would billow dramatically if it was still attached to him, but it's not. Janus Cascade took that from him.

GS: White Knight Leo has attacked Janus Cascade with Lion's Howl!
GS: White Knight Leo has completed his action.
GS: Janus Cascade has activated a Force Action!
GS: Janus Cascade guards a hit from White Knight Leo's Lion's Howl for 110 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

The Symbologist listens to this, tapping his bag of popcorn again. So, they are all born with the ability to do magic? Granted by a Divinity, at that. Perhaps it's some sort of matrix that spreads it all out? That's hard to say, he don't even have a subject or even see the magic in close details... not to mention, he don't have any equipment to really give it a look. Maybe a peculiar display of psychic affinity?

"I see. Thanks you for your answer." Arleph says, smiling at Hiro again. "That's a question that I have been trying to find the response for quite some times--"

He reel back from the shouting, peering back at the crowd, scanning around it to see what just happened. Arleph's eyes narrows, taking in a deep breath. Right. Janus. The cheater, again.

"He did that too in my match against him." The Simple Doctor says quietly, adjusting his glasses to get a better look around them. This simple little gesture hides a sinister purpose: recording of the lense' range of view. Not that anyone but him would know. He looks up to waves a hand at Ruby. "Ah! Enjoy yourself, young lady!"

And there she goes. With people beyond. Welp.

That leaves him alone with Hiro.

"So. This Lucia. Who is she?"

<Pose Tracker> Janus Cascade has posed.

Janus knows a finishing move when he sees it - he's not so smug to dismiss the theatrics. Idiots might do a light show like that to show off; this guy, for all Janus sneers at him, is no fool.

So he crosses his arms and lets it happen. It's all he can really do as that horrible energy rushes across him, rips and tears at him; that expensive jacket, those white pants ripped at by the surging power of White Knight Leo's glory.

And after it all...all the Hero wins is a grin, as Janus defiantly plants a foot down in front of him, daring to continue forward.

He raises his rifle, his breathing heavy. "Sorry, mate. I guess you never heard."

He lines up the shot, and...for just a heartbeat, there's something cold in those eyes.

"I won't 'end' here," he hisses, almost drowned out by the thunder of his rifle.

GS: Janus Cascade has attacked White Knight Leo with SHOOT!
GS: Janus Cascade has completed his action.
GS: White Knight Leo guards a hit from Janus Cascade's SHOOT for 61 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro's kind of in a state of shock as he sees Leo's ultimate technique when the White Knight leaps from his impromptu platform on high. He moves forward to the edge of his seat, eyeing it. How would he contend against something like that? He sort of sits down and whistles all the same, because he approves of good swordsmanship. Trying to banish thoughts of it coming at him.

Though Janus is still standing- and he's shocked at the blue haired Outlaw's determination as he lines up a shot.

"Oh huh? You're welcome." He rubs the back of his neck, "If you really wanna learn about magic from our world you should talk to Lemina. She's the real Sorceress. Though I'm not bad?"

But then he asks about Lucia and Hiro gets this look in his eyes like Arleph brought up his favorite subject. "Lucia? Pretty much the bravest most determined woman I've ever met! She came from this world originally to save ours from... well it's complicated. But she got cursed and we kinda got thrown back to... hers... due to a mishap with a flying carpet."

He coughs, "Uh. Yeah so we really need to get back as soon as possible. Problem is-" He gestures to Leo, "-that guy and his people are kind of dead set on executing her. And the Shepherd- Sorey is dead set on purifying her which isn't a great idea either."

He sort of crosses his hands in an X. "Because... Lucia is kind of a special lady, and it might remove the curse but it could remove what's special about her too... which we need to save our world and..."

He sort of laughs awkwardly, "-wow. I'm beginning to realize how weird this must all sound to someone who isn't... from... where we are."


<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.

Leo was honestly not expecting Janus to withstand that half as well as he did. It shows on his face as the glow fades and the dust settles--his eyes are a little wide, and his ears are flattened like those of a cat that's getting defensive. "I beg to diff--" The gunshot cuts Leo off, and it's only through trained reflexes that he manages to avoid being shot in the heart for a second time. The White Knight's blade races to guard, the bullet glancing off it with an audible ting before it goes low, punching a hole in Leo's armor. He flinches, ever-so-slightly--it hit, and it hit hard enough to break through to Leo proper. This is no mere ruffian, Leo realizes. This man is dangerous. He's clearly skilled with his spear.

Leo decides to change his tack ever-so-slightly. He thrusts a hand forwards, clenching it into a fist, and the rock beneath Janus Cascade responds. A low rumble is all the warning he will get before the earth erupts into jagged spines of stone, with flying clods of arena dirt for good measure.

GS: White Knight Leo has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Full Clip!
GS: White Knight Leo has attacked Janus Cascade with Rock Viper!
GS: White Knight Leo has completed his action.
GS: Janus Cascade takes a glancing hit from White Knight Leo's Rock Viper for 118 hit points!
GS: Janus Cascade has Fallen! He is no longer able to fight!
<Pose Tracker> Arleph Ardan has posed.

Arleph is still paying attention to the fight. In fact, most of it is fixated on the swordsman in question, while keeping an healthy look around him for further cheaters. It troubled him the first time. If he can catch them with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar...

He listens to Hiro's story, briefly diverting his attention on the young man. Right. So, she's not a succubus, to be certain, but that guy is certainly impressed with whoever that young woman is. He holds her in high esteem, it seems, to go that far to defend her in the face of such... overwhelming force.

Arleph waves Hiro dismissively, shaking his head. "I understood most of it, Hiro, do not worry yourself. She is important, I presume because of the aftermentioned problems you spoke of earlier. This feels... very peculiar." He furrow his brows, pinching a forgotten popcorn into his mouth to which he chews thoughtfully.

"I will not pretend what problems ills your world, Hiro, but I've often felt that when powerfull, arrogant people in charge are angry at you, you are generally doing something correct. Not all the time, but when it comes to saving a life, it tends to be."

Unless you're saving the patient zero of some plaentary epidemics. Good job, Arleph's imagination, to imagine such a dreadful exception.

The fight is ending spectacularly, Arleph leaning back against his seat with an impressed look. "If THAT man is after that woman of yours, you will need as much help you can get."

Arleph snaps a glove finger. A piece of paper is wedged between two of his fingers, handing it at Hiro. "If you need some Symbological items, let me know. I have reasonable prices. Perhaps I can talk shop with that Sorceress friend of yours."

<Pose Tracker> Janus Cascade has posed.

This man is indeed dangerous. His grin is unflinching, and every second it remains stuck in place it feels more plastic, like it hides some greater evil waiting behind the smile. There's a presence here; a man who absolutely can, has, and will kill. He's not even trying to threaten. It's in every move he makes. This far into a fight, he can't hide that murderous impulse...

He ghosts forward as the earth betrays him; juking to one side in preparation to bull straight into Leo for another clash of blades, when one of the flying clods slams directly into his chin from below, physically lifting him from the ground and sending him tumbling gracelessly through the air.

He lands in a boneless heap, incredibly unconscious.

<Pose Tracker> Hiro has posed.


Hiro if anything looks relieved at Arleph accepting it that way... his shoulders heave up and then down as he releases an exhalation of relief, "Well when you put it that way... I'm really glad you agree. That's... how my Grandpa raised me to think."

After all, Gwyn knew way better than Hiro the current affairs of the world and who Leo was and still chose to defy him, and then send them off on their way...

He then nods kind of weakly, "Pretty much yeah. I've fought him once and well... he kind of knocked me around like a little kid playing with a stick." And then he watches the Earth move and Janus laying in a heap. His face kind of spasms as if in recognition of how outmatched they might be...

"Huh?" He looks back at him and- "Oh hey thanks that'd be swell. I don't really know much about Symbology. I mean it's on my world too but I grew up kind of... far removed from everyone. So yeah, Lemina knows more about it than I would."

After a few moments though of watching the results of the match and clapping for Leo, although it's somewhat subdued by the thought of, well him doing that to them- "Say I don't suppose that uh... any symbology... uh... scholars..."

He hopes they're scholars, "...that come asking about me though- that I can send them your way and have you cover for me?" He sounds kind of nervous as he pulls at his collar, his voice becoming a little high pitched, "A whole lot of them are asking me to strip for them after a match where I had to fight shirtless and I am JUST NOT UP FOR THAT!"