2017-07-22: Lacour Tournament of Arms: Hiro vs. Lemina Ausa

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  • Log: Lacour Tournament of Arms - Hiro vs. Lemina Ausa
  • Cast: Lemina Ausa, Lunata Croze, Jean, Linvidia Diargento, Hiro, Shalune Amira, Layna Manydays, Fei Fong Wong, Maya Schrodinger
  • Where: Lacour - Arms Coliseum
  • Date: July 22 2017
  • Summary: Two members of the Vile Fiends come together for an epic clash in this top 8 matchup in the losers' bracket! Unfortunately, they're on at 8:00am, with a 6:00am wakeup time... and one of the competitors has had his name changed for the sake of a goof?! Liro and Lemina? Liro AND Lemina??????

==========================<* Lacour - Arms Coliseum *>==========================

Situated immediately adjacent to Lacour Castle, the Arms Coliseum is a temple to the pursuit of perfection in physical prowess. Built more than three centuries ago by King Etienne I, the Coliseum is laid over with ancient Symbols that blunt weapons and protect combatants on the brink of death, allowing competitors to fight to the best of their ability without fear of killing their opponents.

The Coliseum is the site of the annual Lacour Tournament of Arms, a competition that fuels the spirit of martial artists and weapons merchants both. The Tournament is a spectacle that draws visitors and competitors from across Filgaia, and is the major event on the continent while it is running. A series of smaller tournaments are organized throughout the year; entering as a combatant is free of charge, but spectators pay a nominal fee that nonetheless provides a significant boost to Lacour's coffers.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s8YkgEYlvY
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Even in top 8, some tournament situations remain true. For example:

No one wants to see a heel-on-heel match.

No one is that excited about the losers' bracket.

No one wants to see a match where everyone's friendly with each other.

Accordingly, while strictly speaking, Hiro and Lemina have to fight, they've been put on in the wee small hours of the morning, with most of the day dedicated to armorer panels, exhibition matches, and supposedly Counterpunch debuting armor thick enough to take a shot from one of their own cannons.

(Have fun with that one.)

Lemina is deeply resentful of her 6:00am wakeup time and walks out into the arena, paying exactly zero attention to what's being announced about her. She's clad in her third revision of Knockout armor -- this time, all the protection is in the chest, with a thick studded cuirass and nothing on her arms or legs, and no helmet. ... this is more her speed.

"MMMMMMAKING HER WAY TO THE RING FIRST, FROM THE WESTERN READY ROOM," the announcer booms, "It's the scourge of the tournament! The young lady who's been making her name just as known in the stands as in the arena! The..." A pause. "... Really? She's who keeps doing the ice drinks?" A beat. "... Well, okay. Anyway. Rrrrrrrepresenting Knockout -- and hailing from the city of Vane -- Lemina Ausa!"

Lemina looks up at the announce box at this stage, finally, with a vague, tired expression, before whipping out a metal can with a big lid. She unscrews the lid, takes an absurdly long drink, and... just tosses it aside, the last dregs of bird's nest soup splattering out of it. Whatever, it's fine.

Now she feels awake enough to go. Breakfast does that.

For good measure, she fluffs out her big, fluffy blonde hair, and -- now that she's awake -- starts getting pushy. "Get Hiro out here! Gosh, it's bad enough you put a semifinals match on at eight in the morning..." she laments, taking a breath and sighing it out. "Jeez, who's even running this...!?"

<Pose Tracker> Lunie Croze has posed.

Lunata is here as well, early in the hours of the morning, feeling strongly chilled like she's shunned for liking to watch the grand finals of a 16-year old game full of people who insist they be played on CRTs and don't understand when they insist on bringing modded controllers and are told that ain't kosher. ... no, Lunata's not that kind of person, but she does like Hiro and Lemina, in part because he helped her to teach her more about her powers, and Lemina in part because she bought wine coolers from her that one time.

"... brr..." she shivers just for a moment, rubbing at her head. "I would've thought it would be warmer, but it really is kinda cold in the wee hours of the morning..."

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean is here all right, and the wee hours of the morning have never bothered her all that much. In fact, of the Fiends, she might be the most obnoxious morning person there is when she's not recovering from a hangover. Speaking of...

Jean has a hangover.

She's already hard at work on that with orange juice and more beer though, as well as hearty snacks in order to keep her going. She wasn't... precisely looking forward to watching her friends fight.

Jean is not so far from Lunie Croze though, glancing over at her when she shivers. "It's pretty cold," she agrees, in light clothing of a wrap skirt and a 3/4ths sleeve top. She doesn't shiver the same way though. Instead...

"They'll both be fine," she reassures ostensibly Lunie. After all, she was n the tournament, and she's in a wheelchair now. "Fine."

<Pose Tracker> Linvidia Diargento has posed.

"What happened to YOU," says Linvidia Diargento, who was proceeding to her box seat but lingering - holding a 20-ounce paper cup of what is probably some fruit-based cocktail they're selling - because she saw something funky.

Linvidia seems cranky but the reason is unclear. (The reason is Old Petra.) She is also addressing Jean, even as she looks out to the ring when people begin being introduced.

<Pose Tracker> Liro has posed.


Hiro finally comes out after Lemina's announcement. Still yawning himself as he waves towards Lemina. Before he goes into light calisthenics in the ring. Up and down. "And in this corner we have a guy making his debut to this bracket- H-" "STOP EVERYTHING PETE! I'VE DECIDED TO MAKE AN EXECUTIVE DECISION HERE! LULULU WAIIIIIIIIIIIT BEAT HIM SO HARD THAT I'VE DECIDED HIS NAME FOR THIS MATCH IS NOW- LIRO!" The announcer currently named 'Pete' even though it's not his name is quiet for a moment then- "Well it'll stop all the dumb Hero jokes. Sure why not? Liro it is. A kid who has made a name for himself with his use of wind magic and-"

The announcer continues blabbing on. Liro is now in the corner of the ring squatted down- blue despair lines wafting off him. His gear has all been replaced at least. He looks for the most part like he's recovered from his match with Lunata... for the most part.

Eventually however he does get back up, and draws his new sword out of his scabbard. "Didn't think it'd come to this Lemina." He yawns again too- "So early in the morning too. Barely finished half a cup of coffee before the organizers yanked me out here..." And then his eyes drift upwards, "...and changed my name."

DESPAIR!

He tries to shake it off though, literally shaking out his arms. "Let's agree to both give it all we've got though, no matter what happens." He grins amicably, "No regrets."

The announcers call: "GO!" And then Hiro rushes forward, relying on his speed some to hope he can be on Lemina before she can finish an incantation. He's been around her enough to know how she fights, so he starts with a series of thrusts, high- low- then back up in a diagonal slash down and across.

He tries to keep moving to prevent her from getting a good bead on him but... does that even matter with how much area she can cover with her magic? And her precise control?


GS: Liro has attacked Lemina Ausa with Basic Attack Command!
GS: Liro has completed his action.
GS: You do not have any attacks from that person in queue.
GS: CRITICAL! Lemina Ausa guards a hit from Liro's Basic Attack Command for 87 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

Shalune puts her hand to her mouth, her eyes blissfully closed as she lets out an enormous yawn; ever since arriving at the Arena she's been doing that thing where she ever so slowly tilts towards Lunata's shoulder, her eyes drooping closed before she finally thunks against the other girl and promptly jolts back up to start the cycle anew. She looks-- well, she looks like she was awake until the early hours of the morning working on something, and anyone with prior Shalune experience will know that's almost certainly the case.

"Aw, yeah, that'll happen," she notes as she finally stretches upwards to try to shake some of the tiredness off; at least she doesn't look cold, but then she never does, bundled up as always in a variety of brightly-coloured layers. A glance at Lunata, though, and she's pulled her fatly-stuffed backpack towards her, grinning happily as she undoes one of the side pockets to take out a metallic flask and offer it towards the other girl proudly. "Ehehe, that's why I made some coffee this morning. It should be nice and warm, just use the top as a cup."

Yes, Shalune totally stole the concept of a vacuum flask from the Veruni.

A pause, and she peeks over the head of white hair, kind of wearing an 'uwah' expression at the sight of Jean. A moment to study the two of them, and she bobs a little from side to side. "Ah, um-- there's enough for everyone if you're cold...?"

But then her attention is tugged towards the match, and--...

"W-wah--... Lunie, you shouldn't make people change their name just 'cause you won!"

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Jacqueline isn't here. That was because she usually didn't care to watch fights that didn't involve her close friends. While she considered Lemina a friend, and Hiro was a friend of a friend and therefore good enough, it was not enough to get her to wake up at 6:00am.

What this meant, however, through some arcane systems no one quite understood, is that Layna was there. As a rule she was always used to wake up early, so she's looking rather refreshed as she strolls up.

"Ah, Jean, good to see you, aye? And...is that Lululu Wait I spy?" Layna greets with a wave. And just as she says this, Shalune bobbles up in her normal manner.

"And Shalune Amira, too! This is a blessed day, it is!" Layna chuckles to herself. She'd been hoping to meet some of the competitors she'd never gotten a chance to fight.

"Mind if I sit here? And..." She glances toward Jean. "You can borrow my cape, if you'd like."

Jean didn't look cold, but...she looked like she ought to be.

While she waits for a response, she glances toward the arena. Things were starting off in an interesting fashion.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Hiro -- sorry, Liro, not that that's going to stick -- gets a nod back from Lemina. The mage gives her traveling companion a quick, "Yeah, obviously! If you do this by half-measures, trust me, I'll know!" This is one of many things Lemina would know if Hiro did, such as 'use a turbo controller.'

The opening bell rings, and Hiro's instincts are good; Lemina's not able to get an incantation going before Hiro comes in with several thrusts, and two of them land flush on her unprotected shoulders. She's in the midst of backpedaling when he lands the strikes, but on balance, it... doesn't actually help her that much.

Hiro's more balanced in his approach than any other opponent Lemina's faced so far, which has her a little on-edge; it doesn't give her a lot of weaknesses to exploit. On the other hand... it means her best bet is the most characteristically Lemina thing of all: just be herself.

Lemina's stance lowers slightly, as she gives Hiro a much smaller profile to aim for; he's a fair bit taller than she is, so that's just good sense. She starts up a chant, but it's a very quick one -- and just like that, one of her staves is drawn from her back and swiped upward in a quick, scything maneuver!

It's not the staff itself Hiro should be worried about, though. The crescent of flame formed behind it is probably the bigger concern, as it streaks for Hiro -- just a little to his sword-side, rather than for the center of his mass. "Were you always this fast?" she asks, wincing a bit at the pain in her shoulder.

GS: Lemina Ausa has attacked Liro with Firestrike!
GS: Lemina Ausa has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Linvidia surprises Jean a bit, and the loud question gets a faint wince from the not-yet-drunk woman. "Not so loud," she requests, and takes a moment. "I was in the tournament," Jean explains, "Fighting on an injury. Then I got hit in the injury. I'll spare you the gory details."

Her leg isn't precisely in a cast, but it's in enough bandages that it looks that way, down past her knee.

Jean looks to Shalune as she looks over to her, tilting her head. "Wait, you have a... Wow! That's really impressive!" She says after a moment, "I'd love you for some coffee, I have a killer headache." It is not just a headache. Her eyes are a little bloodshot. But the match...

"Oh come on they changed his name!?" Jean says, leaning back in her chair for a moment before despite everything she leans forward to watch them. "Come on you two," she murmurs loud enough for everyone to hear, "Keep your defense. Don't go overboard!"

She's... worried. Until she's given coffee, she works on her beer. A pause. She looks up at Layna. "Yeah, it's good to see you." She pauses after a moment, and nods. "I'd appreciate that, Aifread. I should've brought a blanket."

Jean looks to Lemina's fire, next, holds her breath.

GS: Liro guards a hit from Lemina Ausa's Firestrike for 63 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lunie Croze has posed.

Lunata calls on the both of them with cupped hands to her mouth, "Go for it, Miss Lemina, Mister--"

"--HIS NAME FOR THIS MATCH IS NOW- LIRO!"

A pause.

A longggg pause.

Lunata's eyes are more accurately described as white discs with thick black borders in turn, mumbling, "A-ah-- I didn't do anything!" She pauses. "If anything, I want to change my own name! Everyone's talking about Lululu Wait and it-- it-- it sounds--"

She sniffles just for a moment. "Lunie-lame!"

She does take a cup of the hot coffee from Shalune with a blissful smile afterwards, however. "Mm..." she sniffs it once, before remarking, "... ah. Is this single origin ... ... no, don't tell me... it's Saint Centour--" sip "--Highlands. It doesn't quite have the nutty body of the Lowland beans..."

She smiles-- just a bit nervously at Layna, though, bowing at her head to say, "Oh--" she gestures and says, "Yes, please, go ahead," with a soft nod as she smiles and waves at Jean too. "Oh... aren't you-- Miss Jean? You're Hiro and Lemina's friend, aren't you...?"

<Pose Tracker> Linvidia Diargento has posed.

Linvidia answers Jean thus: "Oh. Well, good luck with it," taking a belt off her cocktail and then -- !!!

Lunie sniffles and talks about coffee. Linvidia crab-walks away, giving Lunata an astonished, almost horrifed - or is it disgusted? - look; perhaps she's repelled from a pure heart, the way that vampires fear garlic.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong, I'm sorry, LEI LONG LONG? .... no that's dumb. The Lagon Laying Lacker? That's also dumb! Lll Llll Llll has just barely made it to this match, spotting Lunata (LUNIE) first whom he's been doing a REALLY AWFUL job of keeping an eye on but to be fair, she has been eviscerating her competition so maybe she didn't actually need an eye on her. Then again, she seems to have traded actual life force in order to win a tournament, so maybe she hasn't had an eye on her enough.

So Lll Llll Llll is going to just kind of sit down nearby. He looks kind of exhausted. He's been doing a lot of ruin dives while he was busy being a TOURNAMENT LOSER.

"Hey Jean." He says, first. "Do you ever get that feeling like something's on the tip of your tongue but you never actually quite figure out what you're trying to say? Or think?"

He pauses for a moment before adding, "Oh, uh, sorry. I guess that's not really in tone here. Uh..." He pauses and slowly offers a bag of caramel kernel corn to Lunie and Jean.

"....It's sweet, if you like sweet stuff."

<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

Perking up in surprise as her name is mentioned, Shalune immediately grins sheepishly, sticking her hand in her mass of pink hair; she bobs a little from side to side, as if uncertain whether to be bashful or worried, and settles instead on just smiling widely. "A-ah, yeah, that's me! Ehehe, it's a little weird to think that I'm known around here for being in the arena... normally it's just 'cause I've been fixing stuff up, y'know, or because someone's busy trying to report Big Shal to the guard... I guess we didn't fight, huh?" she asks innocently towards Layna, her eyebrows raised.

Somewhere in there is kind of a worrying statement, but she does leave it at that, instead giving first Lunata and then Jean a bright-eyed smile as she leans back down to fish through her bag. "Ah, I've got another mug in here somewhere, yeah--" she blurts as she opens a pocket, pulling out a chipped and cracked but clearly well-loved mug with half of her name scraped off; she hands it over to Lunata, with the intention of passing it on to Jean, and grins happily. "Ehehe... um, well, I can't match up to your knowledge, y'know? I kinda just asked Aunt Hilda what would be the best to use and went from there."

After a pause, she leans across and carefully and gently pats Lunata on the shoulder. "A-ah, um-- I'm sure we can get it straightened out eventually... Oh, Mr. Fei! Are you okay? I heard you didn't make it through, and got kind of worried - um, but I guess it's probably for the best if we don't have to fight anymore, huh? I kinda realized I've got a long way yet to go," she adds, smiling warmly.

<Pose Tracker> Liro has posed.


Liro's watching that staff really closely- uncertain of Lemina's deception. Magic Staves on Lunar are a big deal. Maybe Lemina was going to try to snatch his sword away?

Tightening his grip on his sword- he doesn't realize the true trap. "Training with Jean helps!" He gets time to laughingly say before he hears the crackle of the flame-

...that cuts off his laugh REAL quick as he sort of flails under the realization and instinctively barks a word.

A gust of wind strikes the flames head on- and while flames may feed on oxygen- evidenced by the sudden explosive burst in the opposite direction, the force of it at least keeps his whole body from getting engulfed. Wisps of smoke rise off him as he coughs. "Ha. Should have known."

And with that he immediately starts another short incantation. Lemina may be looking around her for the wind. Well she doesn't have to actually look because suddenly there's a downdraft striking her head on in a column- as if he were attempting to pin her to the arena floor or just making moving- or speaking for spellwork more difficult.

"Maybe I can't beat you in a real magic duel-" He calls over the wind, "-but I'd never forgive myself if I didn't test my magic against you a little- Miss Junior Premier!"


GS: Liro has attacked Lemina Ausa with Rushing Breeze!
GS: Liro has completed his action.
GS: Lemina Ausa guards a hit from Liro's Rushing Breeze for 61 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna obliges, undoing the clasps of her cape and handing it over to Jean. It's...actually, surprisingly quite comfortable. It was crafted mainly to make dramatic swishing noises as it moved about, but because of this it had a tendency to catch the wind in disadvantageous ways.

Well, at least this meant it was pretty warm!

She returns the bow of Lunata's head with a grin. Whether she notices the nervousness or not, she takes the seat. As she sits down, she spots Fei, or rather, Lll, approaching and offers him a wave.

"And the Dragon Slaying Slacker, too! This fight's bringing out all of the competitors, it is!" Layna says with a laugh, then nods toward Shalune.

"Nay, lass, we didn't. It's a shame, but at the same time I feel like it'd be hard to bring myself to hurt someone like you...so perhaps it's a blessing in disguise, aye?" She comments.

As for Lunata...

"Lululu Wait is a fine name, lass! You should be proud!" She says.

She looks back to the fight, then, taking note of the way Hi- sorry, Liro - defended against Lemina's attack.

Something to remember for later...

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

The cloak goes about her shoulders, and while Jean didn't look that cold, she should've been and she was. She just has the knack of pretending otherwise. "Thanks," Jean says, "This is great!"

"That's right," Jean answers Lunata, dippin her head for a moment and putting on a smile that she doesn't feel. It's as warm as any, though. A glance to Linvidia, "Thanks! I'll recover fine," she says, casual.

"But yeah I'm--" She stops when she sees Fei, and smiles at him too. When Linvidia is moving away, Jean is moderately confused and shows it, but shrugs after a moment.

"Hey it's fine," Jean says to Fei. "I've felt like that, totally. Don't worry about tone, okay?" It's a glorious, wonderful distraction. Jean starts downing more beer.

"I can't do candy right now," Jean says, "But thanks. It looks great!" Being her usual vibrant self is definitely making her hangover worse, but what can you do?

Lunie Amira smiles at her and then talks about that mug, which has Jean brighten. "You're a lifesaver," Jean says to Shalune, but indicates Lunata too. Shortly there is her mug in Jean's hands, and Jean inhales the whole aroma. "I love coffee," she says reverently, and takes a sip. She says nothing for a few more moments.

"That's so good."

She stares forward, and finally she does shiver, looking at the magic at play down in the arena. "...They seem in good spirits," Jean says, but sounds strangely glum about it. Or maybe not that strange.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Moving around Liro cautiously, Lemina studies his spell-work carefully. It's an unusual trick -- it's not a whirlwind... what is it?

Lemina intuits the nature of his attack just before it starts in earnest. Almost immediately, one hand shifts to grip her staff with one hand while the other comes to retrieve a second implement -- an umbrella. She brings it up above herself shortly, and it eats the worst of the wind... but she's still getting ground into the arena dirt before long.

"... Oof, okay, that was actually pretty good," she admits, through gritted teeth. "Not -- mega-good yet, but I'm impressed! You might really be going somewhere with the whole magic thing, Hiro!" A beat. "Liro."

That leaves her the question, of course -- of what she's going to do in response. Maybe one of her new tricks -- taking a step back and reassessing her maneuvers after losing to that Guardsman has done her wonders, after all.

Twirling her staff around with eyes closed, Lemina shouts, "Try this one on for size! Mega-magic FLAME!" A wreath of fire forms on the ground beneath Hiro, closing off some of his options for movement and no doubt heating up that armor in a big, uncomfortable way too.

... That said -- she knows it'll only buy her a few moments to gain a little more separation. She has to come up with a slightly longer-term plan or it'll be her that's toast. ... or at least, her that's blown away?

Magic is hard. That's the lesson here.

GS: Lemina Ausa has attacked Liro with Fire Ring!
GS: Lemina Ausa has completed her action.
GS: Liro guards a hit from Lemina Ausa's Fire Ring for 86 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lunie Croze has posed.

"Oh-- oh!"

Lunata waves a little bit as she beckons Fei over, noticing how tired he looks -- gesturing to him as she pours him a cup of coffee too. "Mister Fei, you look exhausted... coffee? It's our serve, and I'm proud of it." She tilts her head and-- doesn't really want to interrupt that conversation between Jean and him, though, so when Shalune starts nattering to Layna, she sticks her attention that way.

She glances back towards the arena for a moment, the cube kind of sidling a bit closer to her. It's looking a little excited right now, bobbling up and down like whoaa, maybe a bit on tilt. Literal on tilt.

"They're both really good with magic...!" Lunata gasps just for a moment. "It really reminds me of mom. ... even with the Medium, it doesn't feel like things are coming out like a magic spell ... not-- that I'm complaining, but watching Mister Cyre and Miss Catenna, it's a bit different than I expected."

Lunata looks just a little bit shy as she sags to say, "U-uugh... that's not my name, but no one's listening..."

She looks at Jean for a moment longer, before asking, "Do you all travel together? I got to speak with Mister H-- Liro... Hiro??" She looks confused. "A bit before our match..."

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

"Huh? Oh yeah, yeah, I guess I competed! People from Lunar sure are strong." Fei says before looking back towards Lunie. "Well, considering I had a bounty on my head, I wasn't really trying to draw attention--"

Notably Fei has failed to not draw attention in nearly every single way. Not only did he kind of get super thrashed in two out of three of his fights but he kept going like an animal and on top of that accepted a challenge from some other eliminated individual purely because he pissed him off AND he kind of forgot to use his alias like nine times out of ten.

"Oh but, no worries Jean." More kennel corn for him. He puts a bunch in his mouth, chewing noisily. He glances sidelong towards Lunata but nods slowly to Jean's words.

Lululu (not to be confused with Lulu) offers coffer. Fei says, "Oh sure. Coffee sounds great." He pauses. "I did two ruin runs back to back. One of them was uh... It was..." He scratches at his forehead. "It happened?"

He shakes his head at Shalune. "Thanks for owrrying though. I'm just glad I didn't hurt anybody seriously."

He glances at Lunata again though to be fair some of her opponents just stabbed themselves?

Lunata's matches are really weird.

<Pose Tracker> Liro has posed.


Liro's kind of surprised by the response to it. "Ah- sorry about the umbrella. Forgot what those things get like in a wind s-" Then Liro. Eye twitch, "-you didn't have to go along with it too!" Though he sort of laughs it off after a moment which is cut off again by Lemina twirling her staff. "O-Oh crud!"

And then turning around he starts to run and gets cut off by the wreath of flame. And suddenly he's sweating as he's surrounded- his armor becoming uncomfortably hot. This reminds him of his match with... his match with Fargo kind of, except there the flames were mostly on contact. The best defense he has about it is speaking another word and shifting an air current down into the ring, but all that does is cause the flames to flicker and him to get a faceful of sweltering hot air- "BLURGH!"

Trying not to panic, he considers his options. He can still see a silhouette of Lemina beyond the flames. He's never tried hitting something beyond a curtain of flame before- but now was as good a time as any to learn! "Well- Here goes nothing!"

Lemina might not get a good view of what he does next- but suddenly a boomerang spirals out of the flames in an arc- it looks like a blur in the heat haze. Lemina might swear her vision has doubled before it would reveal the truth. It really is two. They both come from different directions- but they converge on the same spot for a one two combination right at her collarbone if she's not careful.


GS: Liro has attacked Lemina Ausa with Cross Boomerang!
GS: Liro has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

For a moment, Shalune mimics Lunata's wide, blank-eyed gaze when the fierce-sounding woman behind them scuttles away from the bright aura around them both; she fidgets a little uncertainly, then tries to offer a smile over in her direction, hoping that an application of BRIGHT SUNSHINE might help matters.

"Oh, um--" she blurts towards the captain, having not yet realized the piratey nature of the woman. "--truth be told, I'm not really all that good at this fightin' stuff yet, but I'm at least pretty proud of how tough I am! Even if you knock me down, I'll just keep springin' back up!" she kind-of-boasts, sheepish again as she sticks her hand back in her hair to fuss with it. "But, yeah-- it was good, but I'm kinda thankful I'm done at the same time, y'know? There's only so many times I can repair the Little Dipper all at once."

When Jean cheers the drinks on, she only bobs that much more in merriment - but at the same time puts her fuzzy-gloved hands up in placation. "Aw, naw... really, it's all Lunie and Aunt Hilda who do it, y'know? I'm just the waitress, or-- well, the messenger, this time around, I guess. Just enjoy, yeah? That's good enough for me."

"Wah!--" she blurts at the sudden explosions of flame from the arena, glancing across at Lunata as she bobs her head. "It's kinda-- um, you can definitely tell it's different, yeah. Theirs is all slow and methodical, but this stuff's all 'bababam!', kinda thing."

Somehow, she's managed to fish out another lovingly battered mug, and this time it goes towards Fei; is this the hidden power of the Lunies? To just waitress out at every opportunity? "Aww... I'm sorry you didn't get far, but at least we found Lunata-- safe and sound, right?" There's definitely a light hitch in her voice, and she's obviously aware that 'safe' might not be the right word - but willing to hope past it too.

GS: CRITICAL! Lemina Ausa critically Guards a hit from Liro's Cross Boomerang for 41 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna grins as Jean puts the cape to good use.

"Anytime, Jean." She replies with a nod, then glances toward Lunata. She finds the mention of their magic pretty interesting...but then again, it wasn't like it was news to her - she used her magic in the same manner, after all. Also interesting was the fact that Lululu Wait...wasn't actually Lululu Wait.

"Really...that so? Well then...I'll tell you a secret, lass." She says with a grin. She waits a moment in order to give the moment the appropriate dramatic timing before dropping the Big Secret. "I'm not really Aifread."

This probably wouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone from Lunar who was familiar with tales and legends - Aifread was something of a mythical figure, after all, and the Infamous Pirate Captain of Legend to show up out of nowhere would be...a little strange.

Not that stranger things hadn't happened lately.

"Stage name, lass. Makes things a little more interesting, aye?" She says with a chuckle, then glances toward Shalune.

"Still, you managed a win. Counts for something, aye? The important thing is that you learn from this."

<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean watchines Lemina of course. She watches, she sees, "Trying to keep your distance, that's smart, but Hiro knows how to close, so you're..." Jean also talks to herself during this fight, her eyes practically crossed with concerning herself in so much detail with both fighters.

She remembers how Lemina was worried. Right?

"They are," Jean agrees with Lunata. "Lemina teaches Liro some." Wait, she's using it? "Oh, do you have a.. Medium?" Jean laughs. "I can do a little magic, but I'm not really an expert on it."

"Yeah though, we all travel together. Right now they're taking care of me while I'm hurt." Jean sips at her heavenly coffee again, nodding at Fei. "I'm glad you didn't, either. ...Glad I didn't, too."

She could've.

"That boomerang..."

"Hey, not letting yourself stay down is part of a fight. Sometimes it's better to go down or make them think you have, but that's advanced, and I don't really want to encourage it."

She's maybe not at her best. The coffee though, "Whoever made it, it's amazing, and you shared it with me so I'll thank you too! The best hangover cures I know are coffee and eggs. One out of two's not bad!" She grins at that.

"Lemina has a lot to say about magic on the Blue Star, but it's all over my head," Jean admits, smiling again at Layna. She pauses at that, and hmms a little at Aifread. "Pity," she says, "I'm pretty sure I've danced some of Aifred's stories." A beat, "..." She starts drinking the coffee faster.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Things suddenly get complicated. Hiro chucks two boomerangs right for Lemina -- and on any other day, in any other circumstance, Lemina might have just had her collarbone broken. She's already looking to block high, though, thanks to Hiro's downward pressure... and she's already accounting for the heat haze, thanks to her consistent use of fire so far.

Accordingly, she doesn't have to make guesses about where Hiro's aiming -- she knows -- and she doesn't have to make a last-second reaction -- because she can tell both boomerangs are real. Her staff comes up, held alone now with the parasol put back away, and blocks her collarbone; the boomerangs come in with enough force to slam the staff itself into her collarbone, though, and that prompts a wince and a falter.

"Hhhff," she groans, taking a couple steps back. "I think I owe Jean my life right now," she admits, with a good-natured laugh. She definitely didn't used to be that fast -- that's thanks to the dancer putting her through her paces.

Hiro seems to be pretty comfortable dealing with the fire -- not drastically so, but enough that Lemina's starting to feel like she needs to switch things up a bit. Accordingly, she twirls her staff around with a big, enthusiastic whirl, a large spike of ice forming at the head of the weapon. "Let's see what you've got to deal with this, 'Liro'!" A beat, before she adds, "Stay frosty! ICE STORM!

She lets the giant icicle fly, aiming it for Hiro's midsection as she leaps back. Its magical push forward makes her backward leap a little bit longer -- while Hiro's no slouch at a distance, Lemina thinks she has the advantage over her dear friend if she stays 'out' rather than going in.

GS: Lemina Ausa has attacked Liro with Ice Lance!
GS: Lemina Ausa has completed her action.
GS: CRITICAL! Liro guards a hit from Lemina Ausa's Ice Lance for 77 hit points!
GS: Mute! Statuses applied to Liro!
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei seems to have an understanding with Jean. He gives her a respectful nod of understand +2. It can cut through understanding resistant monsters. He also reminds himself that just because someone's adorable, it doesn't mean they're not also the deadliest and scariest person in the area. It's a new phase of understanding he has had to get used to.

He takes the coffee. "Thank you," He doesn't ask questions about how waitresses waitress because those are, like, trade secrets but instead he just kind of doesn't respond immediately to Shalune's comment. He just looks more worried instead, that's basically his response. He looks into the coffee. FK IN THE COFFEE? No he is not so skilled.

"I--yes. Safe." He says. "That's what's important." But to be honest, he doesn't quite manage to sound certain that Lunata IS safe so--there's that. It's distracting him from the fight between two people he cares for but it's hard to forget that one match.

"I think Lemina's got this one." He says. "She wants it more."

<Pose Tracker> Lunie Croze has posed.

"... oh... mm," Lunata nods just a bit at Fei, looking worried for him and handing the mug over. "I-- hope you're okay. Get a lot of rest and check in with Miss Lily sometime soon, okay? I wouldn't want you to get sick or ill." She sucks in a quiet breath, then places her hands just a little closer to herself.

She's just a bit embarrassed at the both of them, mumbling, "I really am sorry about all the trouble..."

She's still not really sure what she's doing. More of an idea than before, but it's just embarrassing if she admits 'I have no idea what's going on' when she's in the semifinals, at this point.

"... I'm-- still not really sure about how to learn more about a fight watching it..." she admits also, as she watches Hiro throw his boomerang past the curtain of flame.

She draws her legs just a little closer, placing her arms a little closer together. She doesn't quite put two and two together. "O-oh? Um, Aifread is..." she squints. "Sorry, I don't think I've heard of a Mister Aifread before... but... I-- thought it was a really neat stage name!"

At Jean, she gestures towards the cube to frown a little. "This is a Medium, but... it's more like it teaches me... through memories? It's a bit strange..."

'A bit strange' is probably a baffling understatement.

She gasps and says, "W-wah, it's ice now! She really is like mom!" A pause. "T-that's meant to be a compliment!"

<Pose Tracker> Liro has posed.


Liro doesn't actually see how the hit makes contact- so he asks, "Did I hit her?" And then he calls out, "Hey Lemina did I hit y-"

That groan and she says she owes Jean her life. Hiro kinda laughs a little awkwardly because while he's glad he did- "-I sure know that feeling."

And suddenly there's a call for Ice Storm and an icicle coming through the flames. In part he's glad because he SURE COULD USE some cooling down-

but he's hastily raising his shield and- the giant icicle strikes against it after erupting from the flames, shattering into a million shards in his face. And also jarring his shield arm up so it hits his throat with a- HUCK- that would cause any swordsman watching from the audience to wince.

Out of options since the ice didn't put out the flames- and now feeling like his throat is bruised- he suddenly bends at the knees.

The heated winds swirl around at his feet before suddenly he springs upwards and the updraft column launches him high in the air past the boundary of the ring flames.

His sword- tip gleams in the morning sun, before he descends down in a powerful two handed slash as he flies across Lemina's side, "HODG 'IS!"

One might imagine he's trying to say Dodge this! You'd be correct, he just sounds extremely silly right now.


GS: Liro has attacked Lemina Ausa with Poe Sword!
GS: Liro has completed his action.
GS: CRITICAL! Lemina Ausa guards a hit from Liro's Poe Sword for 106 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

"Aww... man, y'know, that first guy barely even counted as a win. And Mr. Ethius was kind of a lucky break, 'cause I'm pretty sure he was about to blow me up to kingdom come if I didn't take him right there and then," she counters the Captain with another of those sheepish grins, apparently completely clueless about the fact the man dodged at the last moment; at least she seems upbeat about things in general, as if nothing is ever likely to get her down. "But, yeah. We started training, even! Someday, maybe I'll beat Big Shal!" A big sister? How many Lunies are there?!

"Ah, we're doin' the same thing!" she exclaims at Jean when she talks about travelling together, suddenly piling around Lunata's shoulders in a comfortable sort of hug to grin over the other girl's white hair. "We're all gonna be part of the CaraKin - look out for our wagon when you're out in the wilderness, yeah? We'll feed you an' fix your stuff up, whether it's your injuries or your ARMs or basically anything else!" Not exactly Lunata's jingle, but it does seem to have enthusiasm behind it. "And I can guarantee Lunie's cooking."

At least she looks between Lunata and Fei for a moment, then breaks into a warm smile between the both of them. "We're all looking after her, I promise. ... and, we're really glad you and everyone else are too," she adds towards the poor martial artist, more gently. A glance at Lunata to confirm it, and she puffs up. "Things are goin' much better. We promise."

"U-uwah, look at Mr. Hiro go!" she blurts all of a sudden, perking up around Lunata's shoulders as she raises her eyebrows. "Um, but I think I like Miss Lemina's sorcery more? They both look super neat, y'know?"

... are you just rooting for people based on pyrotechnics, Shalune?

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

"You have, aye? Wouldn't mind seeing one of them sometime, then." Layna comments with a glance toward Jean. Once she had recovered fully, of course. "'Course, wouldn't mind seeing you dance in general. Proper-like, I mean - without us trying to hurt each other in the process, aye?"

She nods toward Lunata, then.

"'Ppreciate it, lass. He was a famous pirate, back where I come from, aye? Sailing the seas...I'm something of a fan." She says, chuckling. "You can just call me Layna."

She...wasn't going to launch into the 'Captain Layna Manydays of the Ruby Empress' spiel right now.

"A win is a win, lass, take 'em where you can get 'em. But really, sometimes a good fight is a victory in itself, aye?" She says with a chuckle. She didn't know who 'Big Shal' was, but...she could imagine.

She listens to the CaraKin advertisement and files it away for later.

Somewhere, Jacqueline feels really proud of Shalune and she's not entirely sure why before rolling over and continuing to sleep.

Layna's attention turns back to the fight for a moment. She doesn't have any interesting commentary, she's just enjoying the spectacle.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"I -- I'm sorry what --" Lemina starts, shortly before Hiro comes in with a two-handed, massive slash. She brings her staff up to guard it -- but when she hears a tiny crack in it, she thinks better of it and ends up sacrificing herself for her implements. ... Maybe not the best idea she's ever had -- but points for effort, at least.

The sword, bereft of some of its momentum but surprisingly little, bites into her chestplate and through it, drawing blood. Lemina's whole body sags a bit, and she brings a hand to her head as she staggers back. "Hiro..." She can't quite bring herself to meme for the moment, given how off-balance she is from the blow. "... thanks," she eventually says. "I can tell you're not holding back... so..."

Lemina puts her staff at her back -- and pulls out a different staff?! This one is a little bigger, with an ostentatious silver and gold head. This one is the one Hiro is all too familiar with from countless digs with Lemina...

... but she doesn't seem to intend to use it that way. Right now, it's just an implement that isn't cracked, like her other one is. Always bring a spare, right?

Giving it a quick twirl, Lemina finally finishes, "I'm not going to hold back either! Watch out, first row -- it's time to see what Lemina Ausa can do!" She chants an incantation -- one of the same ones she's already gone for -- and whirls her staff around, before planting it in the ground. "Burn to a crisp!" she declares, as fire wreaths Hiro from all sides -- but more importantly, this time, she leaves a gap in it...

... leading straight toward her? Lemina Ausa, daughter of a thousand years of tradition -- *what is your game plan*?

GS: Lemina Ausa has attacked Liro with Fire Ring!
GS: Lemina Ausa has completed her action.
GS: CRITICAL! Liro guards a hit from Lemina Ausa's Fire Ring for 87 hit points!
GS: Mute! Statuses applied to Liro!
<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.

Jean can't hear everything Lemina says or Hiro says, but she knows the improvement she's seen in both of them. She knows they're both strong. She trusts both of them. But...

Well, Fei gives Jean a nod and she seems to get it. Fei comments about who might win though and Jean says, "Lemina's good at wanting things, but I wouldn't count Hiro out. Hiro knows about how to stay in a fight."

"Watching a fight you can learn how people move," Jean explains, "And what they're likely to do. You pick up maneuvers and you have a chance to think about how to counter theirs. It's no substitute for being in the fight yourself, but it's something."

"Sometimes you can't learn what you want." A weird look at the Cube--it might like her for her violence, or dislike her for shying away from it--and Jean shrugs. "That's over my head. A box teaching you things? I dunno."

Like... Jean laughs. "I won't tell her then."

Hiro moves upward, well upward, and Jean watches. "Good move..." She stares for a bit, and finds herself hearing what Lunie Amira has to say. "Oh, is that what it is? Sure, I'll look out for CaraKin then!" Jean isn't... here to watch out for Lemina, but she's willing to to a point. It's something she does. Layna though, she gets a smaller smile; Jean remembers she's hurt. "I can arrange that once I'm better, Captain. Just seek us out." There's a genuine enjoyment there at the idea, but also Jean finds herself drinking coffee faster. Layna... Layna, that sounds familiar...

"Lemina? You're..." Jean narrows her eyes.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei looks back to Lunata. He is embarrassed by Lunata being embarrassed which creates an embarrassment loop that will never end unless someone breaks the cycle. The eternal embarrassment cycle...! Fei instead listens to Lunata talk about that damn cube. It's a Medium? Like for the Guardians? Are Guardians that vicious?

"Memories." Fei says. "Sometimes I feel like I'm receiving memories of other people too. Learning from them. It's never anything useful. I hope what you're learning is useful and not too draining."

He takes a long sip of the coffee and stares into it longer. Despite the cynical trend of his words, despite his concerns--he's smiling in a strange way, like he's remembering something fun--maybe something not even related to his words. "No power or teaching is worth more than you."

He sets down the cup and looks over to Shalune after. He offers her some kettle corn if she is interested.

"We went into the Ruins of Memory today, Ethius and I--and some others. That's why I look so exhausted. Found a bunch of books--" He glances towards Jean. "Mostly culture stuff. I should have brought some back for you so you could get to know a bit more about what our planet was like a thousand years ago."

He turns back to Shalune. Rooting for people based on their pyrotechnics is probably the way to go. He nods, firmly. "I think Lemina's got it but it'll be close either way." He leans back as things get a bit hotter. He can't summon a magic raincloud over his head.

<Pose Tracker> Lunie Croze has posed.

Lunata gasps and exclaims, "W-whoa...!" If Shalune's mesmerised by Lemina's sorcerous techniques, then maybe some part of her -- perhaps the part that made a bargain with Ge Ramda -- kinda empathises more with being a sword boy/girl. "Hodg is?!"

A pause.

"Wow, I think that might be a new technique..." she rubs at her chin. "He didn't use that one when we fought!"

She sucks in a breath as she listens to Layna, lowering her head. "Sailing the seas... I'd-- really like to do that one day." A pause. "The actual-- watery ocean. I suppose if the Yggdrasil counts, then I've sailed on the sand ocean, but..."

There's just a little bit of something different there...

"They're both really intense. I could feel it -- even after I... um, handed the fight over? I'm not quite sure how to express it," Lunata squints, as she responds to Jean. "Hmm... it's so-- so fast I can't even really... keep much track of it. So much of what I do right now feels very instinctual..."

She sighs faintly at Fei, looking uncomfortable. Then admitting with a lower voice, "It's... draining. ... but it's useful." She seems just a little mum at it, but given the rather pointed theme of death that permeates the cube, it probably doesn't take a wild guess to assert that the memories have to do with death too.

<Pose Tracker> Liro has posed.


"Neva..." He still sounds kinda dumb as he staggers from recovering from such a massive leap. Before turning around on her. He clears his throat- he sounds raw but less dumb. "You're my friend Lemina." He puts up his sword in an almost casual salute. "And the best mage I know, of course I'm going to take you seriously." He takes a deep breath and notices how Lemina changes her staff. "How many staves do you have again!?"

Does she like, have this huge box of luggage full of staves!? He's never seen it!

However he puts up his shield arm- at the ready and bends at his knees. Trying to be prepared for whatever she has for him next.

And then comes the same wreath of- "OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KID-!" He starts running, and almost gets a face full of flame as they flare up into life. Holding up his shield, he takes his orange cape and wraps it around the lower half of his jaw. This time his throat feels scorched instead. Really taking a beat from that nigh faceful of superheated air.

He turns around to try to figure out exactly what to do here... because I mean- she's expecting him to just leap out right? And that's when he sees the gap.

"Looking for a showdown?" he rasps, seeing a black cameo of a girl he knows well in the mirage haze of heat. "Alright." Holding up his sword- the air around the arena seems to be drawn in. Even the people in the stands might feel their hair and clothes shifting subtly towards that sword- light dances off of it in a prism of light, molecules of dust becoming tiny specks of melted glass as they flow through Lemina's fire wall to his sword and becoming a disco ball's worth of light.

And then he starts a whirling advance towards her, flourishing his blade on one side of his body, then the other, before he steps forward and slashes it down. "IT'S THE LEAST I CAN DO FOR YOU!" The pressurized mass of wind and specks of glass is launched towards her side of the inferno. Before erupting outwards in a titanic detonation.

And if Lemina's not careful, all those flames? Well- they're going to flow outward towards her too as part of the eruption.


GS: Liro has activated a Force Action!
GS: Liro has attacked Lemina Ausa with Sybillium Sword!
GS: Liro has completed his action.
GS: Lemina Ausa has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Guard!
GS: You do not have any attacks from that person in queue.
GS: Lemina Ausa guards a hit from Liro's Sybillium Sword for 96 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

... ... already, Shalune is getting a little on board - possibly literally - with the romanticised idea of a pirate captain, her eyes suspiciously close to starbursts as she perks up at the accented Layna behind them. "W-waaah... sailing the seas sounds really cool... last time I travelled across the sea it was Little Dipper all the way, and that was kind of too fast to really enjoy it. Oh, though it was enjoyable in its own way, too, goin' super fast over the waves..."

She trails off, partially because she's in a happy place and partially because she's looking towards Fei with a quiet sorta smile, at the very least thankful for his consideration over Lunata - and reaching over to pat him on the head, as she has done before. "Aww, well, take it easy! It must've been one hell of a trip, y'know? There's more coffee where that came from if you need it."

She does not, absolutely does not, get distracted by the springiness of that front lock of hair. Do not bwong it, Shalune, do not...!

Except, well. "U-um. Are they both the sort to hold back, or somethin'? That kinda seems like a bad idea at this stage, doesn't it?" she wonders to herself, right back to being as nepped out as Lunata can be. She steals a glance at Jean, biting at her lip in curiosity. "H-hmm... I'm not really used to reading people so much as-- things. Like, if someone's got an ARM, I can usually spot stuff about it, but if someone's just standin' there..." She turns back to the arena, and her look of concentration would be almost comical were she not still stuck mostly acting as Lunata's hot water bottle against the cool morning air.

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Jean gets a nod and a grin.

"Excellent. I'll be sure to bring drinks, then. Get well soon, aye? For your friends too, of course, not just for me." Layna replies.

She glances toward Lunata then. The mention of a ship that sails on sand gets her interest.

Did her own ship count? It was in the sand, right? ...No, probably not.

"It's a beautiful thing, lass. There's no feeling greater than sailing on the sea, water on all sides the ocean breeze through your hair...if my ship were in sailing shape, I'd offer everyone here a ride." Layna says. There was a wistful nostalgia in her voice as she spoke, and her bombastic smile has lessened slightly. It perks up, though, when she glances at Shalune.

"Ah, so you have an idea of what I mean, then, lass! The Ruby Empress...she's the fastest ship on the seas, she is, though we do sometimes take a more leisurely cruise." She comments with a grin.

Of course, they couldn't always afford to do that - not when they had enemies on their tail.

A hand reaches up to keep a hold on her hat as she feels it subtly drawn toward the arena. That technique of 'Liro's'...it must be pretty strong, to reach this far out.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"Two! Plus the bow, plus the umbrella." Lemina smiles brightly, noting, "One of them is new -- Knockout had it kicking around in a back room!"

The silhouette advances in toward Hiro, and Lemina... locks eyes neatly with it. She gets -- well, almost exactly what she wanted. ... admittedly, she didn't know it was quite going to be this, as those flames flow toward her along the nasty, gushing wind and the resultant slash.

A winter wind curls around Lemina Ausa, and the flames, at least, dissipate. It clashes with its higher-intensity, much windier cousin, too -- and while it can't stop it, it at least slows it down. ... that leaves the sword slash itself, though. The blade bites into Lemina's chestplate, ripping into it; it doesn't quite split it in twain, but even the triple-reinforced leather -- the best Knockout could make -- is struggling. For those in the crowd who are into that kind of thing:

Yep, there's blood. (Not so much muscles, though.)

The Junior Premier's whole body sinks for a second -- but it's only the count of two before she's back on her feet, youthful exuberance and morning soup carrying her toward victory at an even keel. ... For now, anyway. "Hhhfff," she breathes, inches from Hiro now. Suddenly, there's a gleam in her eye as she shifts her staff to a two-handed, almost baseball-bat-like grip.

"Perfect."

There's only the shortest chant before Lemina cries out, "FREEZE CLAW!" at the top of her lungs. Swinging the staff hard to one side, Lemina threatens to push Hiro back with a massive claw of jagged ice. That, on its own, might be enough of a problem -- but Lemina manages to twirl her body and refocus her momentum in the opposite direction, and the claw grows much larger as she swipes with it a second time.

With its ungainly size, the staff proves too difficult for Lemina to whirl to swipe the opposite direction a third time... but she's already halfway there, so instead, she calls out, "Watch your head, 'Liro!'"

Then, she swings it up, before finally bringing the massive claw back down over 'Liro's' head with all the force she can muster. Last time she informed an opponent to watch a body part, she went for the opposite maneuver -- against Zed. Is this --

-- the no-mixup mixup?!

GS: Lemina Ausa has attacked Liro with Freeze Claw!
GS: Lemina Ausa has completed her action.
GS: Liro has activated a Force Action!
GS: Liro guards a hit from Lemina Ausa's Freeze Claw for 107 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Liro has posed.


The 'perfect' kind of hones him in to something that's wrong. Which is Lemina uses her most powerful spell that he knows of, "OH CR-" The massive claw of jagged ice slams into his shield arm, and knocks him backwards in a hail of ice, before she reverses directions. And Liro tries to slam outwards with his shield arm- which causes him to get battered almost nearly into the wall of flames.

And then she says watch his head. He looks up at the looming shadow- mouth agape. He should run, but he doesn't. Instead gripping his sword, he cleaves desperately from low to high, slicing through it- but the impact showers him with so many ice shards that-

There's blood too.

Blood in the ice. The antipode of fire and ice is starting to get to him and his armor. "C-Can't believe I made it through that one."

Taking a deep breath, he realizes his throat is MEGA MAGIC SINGED right now, but he doesn't have many options.

He speaks an incantation which ends in his own brand of- "FEROCIOUS WINDS!" He'd joke and say MEGA MAGIC WIND but that's kind of taking Lemina's thing.

And that's when when the winds around the arena shift again, and a small twister descends upon Lemina's position- sucking up ice and fire into its center as it batters and cuts again and again and again. Over and over and over.

And if she's not careful it'll suck her up into it anew.


GS: Liro has attacked Lemina Ausa with Cyclone!
GS: Liro has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Meanwhile Fei is like 'How do I keep ending up around pirates?'. He's not, like, actively seeking pirates out. He doesn't ask people if they're pirates. They just sort of sprout up around him as far as he can tell. Maybe if he's very careful he won't be shanghaied into a pirate crew again.

Fei's hair is pretty bwongable. He probably would like it very much if he could take it easy but it's just not in his nature. He is someone who frets a lot about what the right thing to do is, what the smart thing to do is, what is ethical what is monstrous what can be forgiven and what must be punished. Right now he's worrying about Lunata's long term health. It's not all he's worrying about though. He's also worrying about the leader of the metal demons. It's just a little harder to actually say that out loud to people he's personally tried to murder.

"I don't know if I can say what they're like too cleanly." Fei admits to Shalune. "I haven't known them for long. But I know why they entered and Hiro's reason for joining doesn't exist anymore, so unless he found a new reason... I think Lemina has the better shot." His head may get patted but he endures it stoically. He walks around on people's heads sometimes so he has no room to talk.

Quietly he admits to Lunata. "I don't really care how useful it is. I'm not trying to be cold, but--ugh. You know." Words fail him. Especially if it feels so instinctual, CAN it be stopped? Is Lunata DOOMED like he fears?

GS: Lemina Ausa has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Guard!
GS: You do not have any attacks from that person in queue.
GS: Lemina Ausa guards a hit from Liro's Cyclone for 81 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Someone noisily slurps from an official Pink Pawsies-brand slurpee in the seats behind The Lunies, The Pirate, and The Forehead. A blonde lady with a race-day sunhat is observing the carnage and peeking over the top of horned-rimmed sunglasses. First it was chewing gum, and now this: does Maya Schrodinger have no respect for the laws of man and God?

(No.)

"Fight fair, you two! You're both my pals no matter what!"

Inspiring words. Just inspiring stuff. Really, really great.

Sunhat Schrodinger leans forward and asks the Pirate, the Waitress, the Certified Mechanical Engineer and the Boy Not In His Robot in a conspiratorial whisper, "Do you think she's really gonna win it? Is it that close?!"

<Pose Tracker> Lunie Croze has posed.

Lunata nods rather warmly with Shalune, as she imagines -- imagines -- a pause. "W-wait, you flew Little Dipper over the ocean!? What if you fell?! That's really dangerous, Lunie!" She looks aghast and in consternation for a moment, before sipping just a little bit more coffee.

"On a ship, though... yeah! I--I want to, definitely!" she nods to Layna. Ooh...

The whipping power of the sword thrushes against them, and she murmurs, "Ah-- that one...!" A pause, shivering. "I stood up against something like that...?"

There's a very faint sigh from her as she watches the exchange between wind and ice, then glances to Fei in turn. "... I know." She glances aside. "I know the kind of danger I'm in, Mister Fei. But at the same time..." She purses her lips. "After fighting with Mister Hiro, I both know... I don't think this is the kind of thing I can just step away from -- and..."

She glances to the air.

"It did save mother's life. Running away's not gonna help... so I just have to-- give it Lunie-percent of my effort!"

A pause, as she looks to Shalune, as if expecting her to follow up with the exact percentage out of a hundred that Lunie-percent is.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

This time, when Lemina guards, it's with ice -- but it's not the traditional wall she brings to bear when she's getting rushed hard by a swordsman, or when a bullet is coming for her. No, she gets a little more inventive -- while she knows she doesn't have the speed to avoid the cuts and batters of the wind itself, she can avoid getting sucked into its highest point and taking the worst of it.

She freezes her feet to the floor, and as for the rest... well... she'll simply have to grit her teeth and bear the pain at this stage. "N -- not bad," she starts, teeth chattering and voice strained. "Th -- that's... new, since you got to the Blue Star, right, 'Liro?'" She laughs, though her throat feels dry and her body quakes with the effort. "J -- just goes to show... wh-what... a student of the Magic Guild of Vane can d-d-do."

Okay, Lemina. You've destroyed your ability to gain separation. This last one has to count -- because it's the last one you're getting. She closes her eyes and chants again. This one sounds... mostly like an earlier chant, save for two things:

1) It's much longer, and there are some extra syllables shoved in there for good measure.

2) It sounds like someone hit Fast Forward.

"SorryLirobutthatprizecouldgoalongwaynowthatit'snotforLucia!!" Lemina declares, before snapping her staff forward in a whip-like motion with a final cry of, "ICELANCE!"

The resultant massive icicle is much like the one she used much, much earlier in the tournament -- practically an eternity ago at this point -- to take down June Lim Ze. Rather than the jagged, irregular spike Lemina usually uses, this one is perfectly aerodynamic and lightning-fast, aimed right for Hiro's midsection.

GS: Lemina Ausa has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Snipe!
GS: Lemina Ausa has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On!
GS: Lemina Ausa has attacked Liro with Ice Lance!
GS: Lemina Ausa has completed her action.
GS: Liro has activated a Force Action!
GS: Liro takes a solid hit from Lemina Ausa's Ice Lance for 124 hit points!
GS: Liro has Fallen! He is no longer able to fight!
<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

"--Lunie!" blurts Shalune all of a sudden, pumping her fists as she sits up. O-oh no, she's imprinted...! "Let's become pirates! The-- the-- the PiraKin!" she beams, her eyes lit up as she tugs at her bobble hat. "--oh, but we've got Jay and everyone, and it's not like we can go back on that now," she admits towards the Captain, rubbing again at her hair with that characteristic tic as she sniggers. "But, y'know, that sounds totally amazing. Maybe we can give it a go sometime, maybe, right?" she bobs as she wheedles, her eyebrows perked up.

She pauses, and glances towards Fei with what is surely for her a kind of thoughtful air. "... um-- hmm. Y'know, maybe that's part of why I didn't do so well? I kinda joined really impulsively, just hoping to catch up with Lunie-- and then I did, and now she's right here, so maybe what my reasons weren't really strong enough? Like I should have gone in with something bigger?" She seems a little uncertain about it, but maybe she's got the right idea in there somewhere--

--and then she beams at Lunata, and then at Fei. "That's a whole lot of percent," she says solemnly, and might even sound impressive were she not to immediately wither in the waitress' direction. "A-aww... but I was worried about you all, y'know...?"

The battle rages, though. "Aah-- oh, that's pretty neat. So Mr. Hiro's all about wind and lightning an' stuff, while Miss Lemina's all about fire and ice? That's pretty neat-- ehehe, it's like she's covering her weaknesses all by herself," she burbles. Shalune doesn't know about such silly things as the elemental square or resistance accessories, but she can certainly appreciate a good theme when she sees one, her eyes wide and pleased as she watches.

Glancing back over her shoulder at the newcomer, she bobs in her seat, clapping her hands briefly together in excitement. "Oh, oh-- um. ... hmm. I'm rooting for her, at least!"

Oh no, Shalune's picked a side right as one party wins! She perks up all of a sudden, blurting out the surprised 'Wah!' just as she does so.

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Fortunately for Fei, Layna's not the type to shanghai people. No, everyone on her crew was there willingly. What he should hope is that Layna never meets Bart, because that's when the real madness will likely begin.

She glances back as someone drinking something out of a blindingly-pink cup addresses them.

"Well...I might be a bit biased because we've got something in common, but I think the lad might have this one." Layna comments. Of course she had to root for a fellow user of wind magic. He was putting on a pretty good display out there. Lemina was too, of course - even Victoria, the best spellcaster of her crew, would have a hard time standing up to her in a fight.

Shalune's enthusiasm gets an earnest laugh out of Layna. If she was more familiar with her - and if it wasn't for that hat - she would undoubtedly reach out and ruffle her hair.

"That's the spirit, lass! Just keep those feelings in your heart and you too can be a pirate one day, aye?" She says with a chuckle.

While she's distracted, though...she catches out the corner of the eye something that very well may end the fight.

...Well, at least she hadn't bet money on him. She still approved of his style, though.

<Pose Tracker> Liro has posed.


"I've come a long way thanks to your teaching m-" He didn't figure she'd freeze her feet to the floor as his wind storm rages. That's some commitment to dodging his attacks. Blink blink. He wonders if she'd SET HERSELF ON FIRE TO WIN A MATCH!

NOTE TO LEMINA PLEASE DO NOT EVER SET YOURSELF ON FIRE TO WIN SOMETHING!

Hiro figures he's ready for Lemina's next attack. He's got his shield up and everything-

And then suddenly she says that- "Huh? Well of course I know t-"

And that's when we slow down to see in slow motion Hiro completely not noticing the lightning fast Icicle coming his way.

Now cut to slow motion as Hiro gets slammed in the gut.

It is a super good thing he's wearing armor or he'd be impaled. And even with the wards that would be MEGA MAGIC GRUESOME and uncomfortable to watch.

However it does launch him backwards a good ten meters up and down and- that's him hitting his big dumb head on the ground.

Dizzy and only on the edge of consciousness he tries to get up.

But his body just won't obey.

His lips still try, and after a moment he croaks, "... if you win it all then..." He sounds hazy, dreamlike, only on the edge of consciousness, "...can we not owe guild dues for a while?"

And then he's out. "AND LIRO IS DOWN! LIRO IS DOWN! HIS NAME WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE GUY WHO GOT MEGA MAGIC PWNED BY THE SAUCY SORCERESS LEMINA!"

Meanwhile Ruby tries to grab a sip from Maya's slurpee- she sighs, "Well at least it was close. I wouldn't be able to stand it if Lemina got to gloat that she destroyed him." And then she looks at her pink pawsies then at the slurpee, "Hey! Someone out there should owe me royalties!"

<Pose Tracker> Linvidia Diargento has posed.

Linvidia's new fur coat: Brought to you by Pink Pawsies slushies.

<Pose Tracker> Linvidia Diargento has posed.

And by you we mean Linvidia.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina takes a moment to stare blankly at the results. For all that she'd fantasized about winning the tournament, she hadn't actually thought she could go through Hiro -- many of the competitors, sure, but Hiro? This one's... surprising, even for her. She blinks a few times, looking across the pitch.

Then she remembers to thaw her feet with a quick burst of fire magic, before making her way, slowly, toward Hiro. "H -- hey... at least you're not Liro anymore, huh?" She laughs good-naturedly, her breathing still a little ragged. "... I don't think I've got... the strength to help you outta here... no 'ffense, but you're bigger than Xantia was. Just... just a bit."

Evidently, her mouth can still go. "HEY! JERKS! GET SOMEONE OUT HERE AND GET MY FRIEND TO THE READY ROOM!" she shouts, before starting to drag herself out of the arena; they've got a schedule to keep, and Counterpunch doesn't want to be kept waiting for their tech demo, after all.

As she gets about halfway away, though... "Sorry! Dues only suspend if there's an act of Althena! It's in the contract, Hiro." As if on cue, one of the special-effects crew plays a sad trombone.

<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

"Oh-- oh--" Shalune blurts, and her eyes go wide as the Mysterious Liro goes down for the count, and the first thing that the mechanic can think to do is-- go wide eyed. "Um. ... I didn't do that, did I?" she blurts quietly, bobbling in uncertain worry. "All I said was I was rootin' for her!"

<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Maya adjusts her sunglasses and glances over her shoulder, at an adorable shoulder-perched Ruby. "Pre~etty sure Lemina marketed this drink, sorry. Speaking of which, you sure Hiro's gonna be okay down there? That was a real whallop, but then, your boy's a real tough one."

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata looks rather surprised at the -- frankly, extremely sudden end of the fight. She'd started to see what Jean was talking about. Watch how people were moving. How they react. How they don't react. "O-owwch!" She flinches, before listening to Lemina's shout as she nods and goes, "I--I've got it!" as she starts on what's pretty much by now a ritual of racing down towards the stands.

Hey, she's ran down there for a Lunie before, and she can run down there for a Loonie. Loonie Moonie.

The cube floats along behind her, ever so silent and enigmatic in its... cubiness?

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

"Yeah," Fei admits to Lunata. "Wasn't expecting to be the one lectured but you're not wrong. Alright." He shakes his head. "I won't bother you with my worries anymore." He finally lets it go even as the match is ending. He smiles over to Lunata. "You got this so--you'll win your next bout, right?"

He leans back and adds, "But if you do want to run away someday. It's okay. I'll fight for your right to do that too."

The match turns out to the wire and with Lemina as victor as he expected. They're both strong people.

"Well it's just a tournament." He says. "It's probably better to give your all for something that matters. I mean, unless winning the tournament to help your magic guild is why you're here for example, or a friend--then you definitely should give it everything you've got."

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna doesn't run down there. That's not really her thing. Instead, she just kind of leans back in her seat and folds her arms behind her head.

"Well, that was quite the fight, aye? This lot puts on a pretty good show..." She comments with a chuckle.

<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.

Lunata skids to a pause as she listens to Fei, before-- putting her hands behind her back. "... thanks. And-- don't worry about it -- just tell me anything that bothers you! Lunie and I both are happy to listen, promise!" She puts her fingers in a horizontal V for a moment-- the Lunie-Idol pose?! before giggling in turn.

<Pose Tracker> Lunie Amira has posed.

Shalune had not yet got the memo that Hiro is a Loonie, which is close enough to a Lunie - so she starts with surprise as Lunata suddenly bolts, perking up in surprise. "W-wah, hold on--" she blurts, but has enough time to give Fei a wide smile. "Ah-- I guess I just wanted to see how far I could go, y'know, but-- I think that's fine for the moment. I don't really have any regrets about entering, that's for sure."

She catches up, and beams as she mirrors Lunata - accompanying the pose with an arm up in triumph. --before she wahs. "Ah-- um, c'mon, let's go!"

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei stands up. Kids are tough, Fei thinks, even if they have jobs and killer robots and super science inventions.

"Sure," He says. "Maybe when we're back at the Yggdrassil."

For now though, he should just be happy for his friend and congratulate her for winning yet another match. Is that two more until she can claim the title now? It's going to be the toughest ones yet on the way. For both of them.