[1 v 1] The first of many things (Mai x Vaith)

[peipuru]

Damn. He'd caught that she hadn't been specific about how many nights she planned to stay. She had been hoping she could get away with an open invitation by making her terms vague. Mai was immensely pleased, however, when he didn't shoot down the idea of a multi-night sleepover. She was even more pleased when it was apparent that he was agreeing to the bet regardless. When she was positive that he was in, she added "Any amount of nights. I can come and go as I like.."

She waited for him to give his answer and his terms, but instead he threw a punch. It glanced painfully off her ear, pulling dangerously at the earring hanging there. The blow stunned her for a split second, but she recovered quickly enough to counter. She stepped close to him as his arm was still outstretched over her shoulder, and as she did, she slid her hands up his forearm and bicep. Mai twisted suddenly so that her back pressed into Vaith's front, her hands still firmly gripping his upper arm. There was just the briefest of moments where she leaned into him in a very intimate manner.. before she crouched, bracing herself, and heaved the boil over her in a crude throwing maneuver.

It wouldn't win any prizes for execution or technique, but it got the job done.

Mai's HP: 25/30
Damage: 3  

[revenant aria]

There was only so far their mutual teasing went. Unfortunately, the line was a very thin line and difficult to locate. It was also impossible to erase, their teasing often a lineup before their attacks. When Mai's body met his, it was a instinctive boil freeze, her cool fingers leaving a magnetic icy trail, where her fingers glided lightly up his arm. The pressing of her body against his was deceptive, his body jerking and stiffening back.

Making him a perfect throw target.

The yellow and all was a swirl of colors, against Mai's blue and black form, his long coat bottom flying after him and spreading out on the ground on contact. He landed on his back, his vision blinded with the bright white of the lights .. and things went pitch black. He wasn't unconscious, he realized, his eyes was just closed. He made a brief grimacing sound, his brown eyebrows furrowed deeply. This wasn't the time to take a pitstop of a rest but his body made it hard for him to get up. Ignoring the blunt pain, he was sure it would dull soon, he stood up, his vision a little disoriented.

There were Mai clones. He knew there should have only been one but it was hard to identify which one was the one.

Vaith: 21/30 HP
Damage: 0 damage  

[peipuru]

Mai felt a little bit guilty as Vaith staggered to his feel, obviously dazed.

She held her attack so he would have time to recover.

Mai's HP: 25/30
Damage: 0  

[revenant aria]

"Waiting's all good and all .. but I dont think those hunters are going to wait.. But thanks." Vaith brought up, the not-so-fond memories of white uniforms and nets. Too many damned nets. He shook his head, shaking off the traces of dizziness, holding up his hand in a silent count down to resume action.

3 ..

2..

1.

Both of his hands extended out, placing himself in a handstand pose, launching a spinning kick towards Mai. It was obvious that the reaper had put an uncountable time of effort to achieve this, priding himself on bits of agility.

Vaith: 21/30 HP
Damage: 5 damage  

[peipuru]

Ouch.

Mai was mesmerized for a moment by Vaith's impressive looking attack. Unfortunately, time didn't stop so she could appreciate his execution. In fact, it kept right on going as his foot traveled swiftly toward her. The delay in reaction was enough that she wasn't able to dodge properly and took the kick flat in the shoulder. The force of the blow was substantial, and she spun fully around several times before she hit the ground, hard.

"Ungh," was all she managed to get out. That.. hurt. But this was good. Finally they were getting down to the real fighting.

Mai's hair slowly floated up around her in wispy strands as she made herself semi-incorporeal. She was feeling a little weak-kneed, but levitation was effortless for a ghost. The resulting effect looked more like she was being lifted by some outside force, as if some giant invisible hand reached down and re-positioned the ghoul so that she was standing. When she was upright, her hair and clothing settled in a more natural way as she became solid again.

Now that she was right side up, Mai lunged at Vaith. She slid one of her hairsticks out of her ponytail in a smooth motion as she shot forward for her attack. They weren't exactly weapons, but the long metal adornments were sturdy and deceptively sharp. She slashed at his chest with the pointy end, a slight tinkling sound ringing in the wake of her attack from the decorations hanging off the other end of the accessory.

Mai's HP: 20/30
Damage: 2  

[revenant aria]

Sometimes, Vaith forgot that Mai was a ghost. It was a little abnormal to see Mai's ethereal qualities, the strange levitation forcing a chill down his spine. She looked really cool but also really creepy-- He gave himself a little slap on the cheek, forcing himself to snap away from getting caught up within her pace.

He should be accustomed to it. Probably. Monsters and zombies were one thing. Ghosts were another.

Unfortunately, he slapped himself awake a little late. Timing was the key. It was also a skill he wasn't going to obtain in his very first battle. His high-collared front bore a diagonal tear from Mai's hairpin, revealing the reddening skin underneath. The kitty on his shirt briefly flashed a neutral smile at Mai, Vaith's torso turning, his hands reached out to knock the hair pins from her fingers, the objects dropping to her feet.

"I'm pretty scared of your taste in hair accessories. If they're all pointy and sharp like that, you might not need any sparring practice." Vaith pointed out in affable amusement, shaking his head at the sight of the cleverly concealed objects. In her hair?

It was hard for a boil like Vaith to comprehend hairpins could be weapons. It was a hairpin!

Vaith: 19/30 HP
Damage: 2 damage  

[peipuru]

Despite the sting in her wrist from Vaith knocking her 'weapon' away, Mai could only smile. "Lots of 'ghouly' things are dangerous," she offered. She tapped a stiletto heel on the ground and jangled her over-sized spike bracelet for demonstration. "And I would spar with you even if I didn't need the practice, Vaith. It's kind of fun taking swings at you."

Mai grinned and skipped forward, hitting him solidly in the gut with a good old fashioned punch.


Mai's HP: 18/30
Damage: 3  

[revenant aria]

heart  

[revenant aria]

Vaith took that sucker punch to the gut. With manly pain, his abdomen flexing to harden. But that didn't make Mai's punch any less of a surprise, for the ghoul to do such an old-fashioned move. Coughing, Vaith tried to throw some more banter into the battle.

That's what a battle was about, right? The verbal and physical aspects?

"I like hitting on ghouls a lot more than hitting ghouls. But I see nothing wrong with a good swing of common sense."

Hitting a boil or ghoul to slap them out of it .. or into it, wasn't a concept that Vaith was adverse to. His hand reached out to grip Mai's wrist, the ghostly hand still impacted with his gut, to maneuver and twist her arm behind her, pulling Mai's form roughly, her back faced against his front. The movement was slightly painful but slightly lessened from it's normal degree, trapping the use of one of Mai's arms against him. He couldn't go that easy on her, she if he did, he was going to end up on the gym floor instead. His fingers brushed against her wrist, tracing the brief outline of her palm ..

"Your spiked bracelet really is sharp. Damn."

Vaith: 16/30HP
Damage: 4

EDIT -- ACCIDENTALLY POSTED INSTEAD OF EDITED SORRY ;;  

[peipuru]

Mai smirked at his comment about her jewelry. She had lots of clothing items that were spiked. The spiked bikini was always fun.

"How about we finish this up, hm?" she said, twisting out of his grip and making a swipe at him with the bracelet.


Mai's HP: 14/30
Damage: 3  

[revenant aria]

"But can you?"

The spiked bracelet nicked his cheek, leaving a trail of blood. But it was a shallow cut, with little need to feel bad about the wounds they would be leaving. A few cuts and scrapes were necessary in battle.

In return, the reaper watched as she twisted from his grip, his hand chopping to the back of her neck instead. He didn't think it was enough pressure to knock her out and it wouldn't kill the ghost either.

Vaith: 13/30HP
Damage: 4  

[peipuru]

Oof. That smarted a bit. Mai shot Vaith a playfully frustrated expression before making a halfhearted attempt at a low kick.

"Well.. let's find out."


Mai's HP: 10/30
Damage: 1  

[revenant aria]

"Well, hitting is one thing. Damaging is entirely another." Vaith advised, taking her kick with a deflecting blow of his leg. Ouch, that smarted a bit.

He had missed his chance to hit Mai, however, by deflecting.

Vaith: 12/30HP
Damage: 0  

[peipuru]

Her opportunity to get in a good hit presented itself as Vaith recovered from blocking her earlier attack. She spun into a more deliberated kick this time, aiming high as her boot sailed for his head.


Mai's HP: 10/30
Damage: 4  

[revenant aria]

His arm automatically lifted to deflect but the momentum of her kick and his arm only raised gave them both a rush of knocking against his head, throwing Vaith off to the side. Owowow--- Was Mai going to pull another move?

Vaith gingerly tried to get up, one hand holding the impacted side of his head. Meanwhile, a noise marking threw itself out from Vaith's hand to slash and block the other from another attack.

peipur

Vaith: 8/30HP
Damage: 1 damage