[Last Time, on Battle High: The fight was on in the school pool. A false floor below the surface provided footing just a foot below the surface of the water, impeding movement, and the chlorine stung the eyes and made the air difficult to breathe. In spite of this, our protagonists prevailed over the fighters of Tecumseh 101.] [In the process, they destroyed the pool building, but luckily for them, it was an official fight and won't come out of their hides like the cafeteria still is. It's just after the fight now, and they're still standing outside what used to be the pool building, and freshmen and sophomores are beginning to gather as they finish their fights, staring at the destruction wreaked on the innocent building.] [Pool Aftermath... FIGHT!] * Mariah is just kind of standing around, obviously still recovering from her fight, although she's looking more awake by the moment. * Ao-Lang fights the urge to collapse, and just frowns at her bare feet. "Man." * Clinton runs up and skids to a stop next to Mariah, her hair whipping out like a dangerous weapon. "Wow. What happened here? Are you okay? What happened here?!" My boots are under all of that, that's what. * Ao-Lang blinks, then looks up at Clinton. She smiles, almost sheepishly. "Oh, hi." -- Oh! Hi! ^^; Yeah, I'm okay... we just... uh... had a really *big* fight today. * Hope stares at the building grinning. She made it through her fight without a scratch, and doesn't look that tired. We kinda destroyed the pool. That's insane. Why were you fighting in the pool, anyway? * Ryo clomps up, armor clicking loudly to announce his arrival. "Probably a non-standard arena fight. I hate fighting in water." ... I dunno. We just kinda got assigned. ... And I think some of this's my fault, too. Darn. Yeah, some kinda weird rule. * Clinton goes wide eyed as he looks at Mariah. "You? That's amazing. What did you DO?" * Ao-Lang blinks at Ryo, then shrugs. "It's cool, Mariah. Everyone blows stuff up sometimes." She grins. * Mariah blushes. "... uh, I'm not quite sure, but the guy I was fighting went through the ceiling... Well, I ping-ponged a guy into the ground, Karasu got beaten up, and then Mariah and Ao-Lang blew a lot of shit up. That's incredible. Why the heck aren't you guys higher ranked? Because they're not as good as _MY_ team. I dunno. I don't really understand the rankings... * Hope shrugs. "No idea. I blame Atsuko." I can't believe you guys got a new fighter, though. According to some of the upperclassmen, that's NEVER happened before. So where _IS_ he? I wanna meet the guy that's good enough to get in after the school year starts. First time for everything. Well, I don't think they were gonna stick up with three fights after Astuko got pulled out. * Hope points at Ao-Lang. "SHE, is right there." Really? ... oh, she's over here.. * Ao-Lang just grins at Ryo. "Yo." She? What, do I look like a guy to you? * Ao-Lang looks down. Yup, still female. * Ryo turns and gapes at Ao-Lang. "Er... no." * Clinton turns, too, and a small blush appears on his cheeks. * Ao-Lang smiles right back. "Didn't think so." She's really pretty good -- she got their captain... That good, huh? * Ryo points dramatically at Ao-Lang. "Fine. If you're that good, I challenge you! One on one!" * Ao-Lang blinks. "Now?" Yes! My opponent was grass beneath my blades. I need a REAL fight. Uh.. Dude, she just got done fighting. * A goat walks up from behind Ryo and starts nibbling on his armor. * Ryo doesn't appear to have noticed, as all his attention is focused on Ao-Lang. .oO(Man, he's *really into this.*) Are you man... er... WOMAN enough to face me in single combat?! * The goat has now eaten a small hole in the lower left leg of Ryo's armor. * Ao-Lang flicks her eyes down to the goat, then back up to Ryo. "Sure. I don't turn down a challenge. But I'm not exactly at full strength right now. And I have pool hair." And a goat is eating your armor. * Ryo pales and looks behind him. * Hope simply watches, amused. * Ryo reaches over his right shoulder and whips his swords free, jumps high into the air, and comes crashing down point first on the spot where the goat was a moment ago. DEMETRI! WE'RE HAVING GOAT FOR LUNCH! * Mariah snickers. * Ao-Lang laughs. This man is obviously insane. I think I like him. He'll be a fun fight. * Ryo chases the goat off into the school. ... if he comes back... * Hope streaches. "Man, we really kicked some ass. Wish we had another fight comin, I'm pumped for more." You're pumped for more, but I need to take a shower and lament my boots. * Karasu shrugs. "Maybe you'll get lucky." He heads for the room. * Mariah yawns again. "I could fight again if I could just take a nap first... Yeah, let's head back. Maybe sleepyhead is awake from his coma. Your captain still has not recovered? Nope. He hasn't yet... we're not quite sure what to do. 'm still Acting Captain for the moment. S'kinda fun actually. Like Chess, but with less violence. * Ao-Lang perks. "You play Chess?" Err.. yeah. Suck at it though. * Ao-Lang looks around for Ryo again, then starts back to her room. Can never remember how the little horsey thing moves. Who doesn't? Of course, not everybody comes to the gaming club, because of other things... * Ao-Lang giggles. "Two and one left, or one and two left." ... there's a gaming club? That's neat... and I don't play Chess all that well. I should prolly learn. There is? Cool. Maybe I should look into that. What's played there? There are lots of clubs. Gaming, magic, drama... the special effects are GREAT. Oh, we'll play pretty much anything anybody can bring. Mostly people play chess, go, and mancala, though. * Ao-Lang scratches at her cheek. "Not really my style. Not enough money changing hands. But it does sound fun." * Clinton giggles girlishly. "Well, you can always play for money, if you can find someone willing to play against you." * Ao-Lang grins. "Now we're talkin'." Chinese currency is weak, though. Eh, who cares. There's a small contingent devoted to videogames, and of course, everybody loves playing Battle High. * Ao-Lang considers that. Playing Battle High? We have a video game now? I've never played video games, actually. I mean, besides the displays in the stores, sometimes. You've never heard of it? It's the most popular fighting game series ever. Every year, the top eight teams in the Principal's Favor tournament are put in that year's Battle High game. The proceeds are split between Battle High and the company that makes the game. It's part of why you don't have to pay tuition to come here. * Around you, the crowd has slowly dispersed to go seek other entertainment. * Ao-Lang whistles. "Sounds cool. Does everyone get in this tournament?" IN a video game? Weird. Not exactly. I think all the upperclassmen get in automatically, but the number of freshmen teams let in varies according to how many upperclassmen there are. Ah, I getcha. So you've got to be good enough to get in the first place. Cuts down on elimination rounds. yeah. And it keeps the weaker freshmen from getting pounded by the upperclassmen. Man. The games are pretty cool, and they capture the students pretty well. * Ao-Lang sniffs at one of her braids and wrinkles her nose. "Pool hair. I'm gonna get going, okay? Shower. Need shower." It was nice meeting you... uh... Clinton. Clinton Sweigart. I'll see you guys later. I hope the new rankings go up today. Sure. I'm Ao-Lang, by the way. * Clinton waves to Ao-Lang and prances off around a corner, searching for her teammates. * Ao-Lang watches Clinton go, then gets moving for the room. Pool hair, pool hair, blah! Okay! See you later... Who gets first dibs on the shower? * The gang runs into Karasu just as he's leaving the room. He appears to be freshly showered. Me! I lost my boots! Fair enough. Who wants to deck Karasu for stealing the shower first? You can do that. * Mariah waves to Clinton and heads roomward. * Clinton appears to have forgotten about Mariah for the momemnt. Who's going to grab the shower while the rest of you decide who hits me? * Hope lightly punches Karasu on the arm. "Havn'tcha ever heard of ladies first?" * Ao-Lang slips past Karasu and runs to her room, grabs her showering things, and scoots into the shower. * Hope heads back to the room. * Karasu heads out of the room. I'm just gonna go take a nap... * Mariah heads off into her room; if anybody checks, she is indeed lying down for a nap. * Hope goes to practice a bit until the shower is free. * Ao-Lang comes out of the shower before long, dressed in a fresh set of clothing. She walks into the practice room and watches Hope as she braids her hair. * Hope grins at Ao when she notices her. "Done?" * Ao-Lang finishes and grins back. "Yup. It's all yours if you want it; I think Mariah's nappin'." Any idea where our token guy is? Brooding. * Hope grins and heads into the shower. * Ao-Lang snickers as Hope leaves. "Goes without saying." * Ao-Lang grabs the pair of wood and paper fans she left by the wall, then goes about her own kind of practicing. * Hope comes outa the shower and walks in. She watchs Ao-Lang fight. "Not bad.: * Ao-Lang doesn't seem keen on responding to Hope as she goes through a series of fluid movements. It's similar to her fighting style, but after some time, different: namely, it looks more like a dance than a martial art. * Ao-Lang finishes and bows to Hope, fans spread. She smiles. "Glad you like it." * Ao-Lang closes the fans and puts them away. "My family always did think of me as a dancer first and a fighter second." Heh. Well, you must be one helluva dancer. * Ao-Lang laughs. Nah, it doesn't mean I'm better or worse at one or another. It isn't really good to compare the two, anyway, since they rely on each other. Heh. Good point. * There's the noise of a note being slipped under the door. * Hope goes to see. So! You want me to teach you how to play Chess? You wouldn't have a set around here, would y- * Ao-Lang blinks and walks after Hope. * Indeed, a note has been slid under the door. I don't think we're gonna have another fight so soon.. * Hope picks it up and reads. * At the top of the note is written "CURRENT FRESHMAN STANDINGS" * Hope quickly looks for our ranking. What's it say? It's the current standings. Really? Yep. * Ao-Lang is at Hope's side in an instant, trying to get a good look at what's on the note. #1) Musashi 101 #2) Musashi 102 #3) Musashi 103 * Hope angles it so Ao-Lang can see too. #4) Son Wukong 103 #5) Alexander the Great 102 #6) Alexander the Great 103 * Ao-Lang grins. "Hey, we're number six. 'S not so bad." Not at all. * The rest, in order, are Son Wukong 102, Tecumseh 102, Tecumseh 101, Sun Wukong 101, and Sun Tzu 101. So it's middle of the road for us, huh. Could be worse. Still... * Karasu comes back. * Ao-Lang turns and waves Karasu over. "If you're done brooding, we've got the standings." * Hope holds it out to Karasu. Brooding? * Hope grins at Ao-Lang. "Better then what we had before." * Ao-Lang snickers. "Yeah." It's all you do, dear Karasu. * Ao-Lang blinks at Hope. "Really? Do I want to know?" You don't. * Karasu takes a look at the standings. Then don't tell me. Ignorance is bliss. * Karasu shrugs. * The door fairly bursts open as the occupants of Alexander the Great 102 invade the room. WOOOOHOOO! We're in the top five! * Ao-Lang jumps, then just... stares at the people invading her team's room. That's nice. Why the hell are ya in here? Because we just have to lord it over you guys! * Greg smacks Marcie in the back of the head. * Ao-Lang just blinks. Because you guys are right behind us! Not bad considering we're a man down. We oughta celebrate! We're near the top! YEAH! Celebrate! Party all night! I donno.. ALL night? * Ao-Lang snatches the note from Karasu and scans. Ah. Alexander the Great 102. Hell yeah! Our rise to the top deserves no less! * Marcie looks around. * Marcie blinks and looks around again. Before ya ask Marcie, your rival is gone. Oy. Where's -what? Gone? Like, dropped out, gone? * The room gets a lot quieter. Her mom took 'er. * Ao-Lang stops scanning the note and decides to get a good look at Marcie instead. My archrival... got withdrawn... by her MOMMY?! * Marcie starts to turn red. * Ao-Lang then looks over at Hope. "This happen much?" SHE RAN AWAY TO HIDE BEHIND HER MOMMY?! All the time. * Ao-Lang nods. Just checking. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! No, it's more like her mother used Mad Ninja Skills to sneak her out. * Marcie storms out of the room, leaving the door hanging open behind her. Literally, it's hanging from one hinge. She storms down the hall wreathed in an aura of flame, tapestries lighting up wherever they're touched. * Ao-Lang whistles. ...aw SHIT! Well, she took that well. Need some help guys? * The occupants of GreatAl 102 run out the door after her, shouting as one back to you, "YES!" C'mon Ao, Karasu. Time for some action. ^_^ * Hope runs after 'em. * Karasu follows Hope out. "What a bother..." * Ao-Lang runs after Hope, still barefoot. "Maybe, but I have to do my good deed for the day." * Following Marcie is easy, you just follow the flaming footprints right down the hall to the main doors, which are pushed slightly open and have a Marcie-shaped hole melted through them. Out in the courtyard, you can't see Marcie. Instead, there appears to be a miniature sun at ground level. * Ao-Lang squints. "Talk about your firecracker." Jesus Christ. Uh... can you cool her off Ao? * Ringed around the miniature sun are Marcie's teammates, trying desperately to contain the heat and flames. Something tells me she'd be even more pissed if I did, and at me. * Hope heads over to 'em. "What do we do?" * Ao-Lang does, too. Hell if I know. Just try to sorta... uh... direct everything upwards, maybe? How long can she keep this up. * Karasu does as well. No idea. * Ao-Lang sighs. "Great." I REALLY hope she doesn't melt the mountain. * Hope frowns. "You might wanna try the cooling off thing." We can't! We don't have anybody with that kind of attacks! * Ao-Lang grumbles. I'll do it, I'll do it. Sorry. But if she tries to kill me, you've gotta stop her if she gets too nasty. I don't think my family wants to collect my insurance just yet. You've got it Ao. * Ao-Lang grins at Hope, then concentrates. A wavering blue, gold-flecked aura surrounds her. * Kento deflects a blast of fire up into the air just as it's about to hit Ao-Lang. * Karasu mumbles, "Going to regret this..." *You're* gonna regret this? * Ao-Lang moves into Marcie's blast radius anyway. "Hey! Calm down!" * Hope gets into a fighting stance, ready to intercept a flaming ball of rage. * Ao-Lang is pushed back by the sheer heat of the aura of flame, in spite of her glowing aura. * Ao-Lang grimaces. "Well, worth a shot." She flicks the left tessen into her hand and snaps it open, cutting into the heat. "Strike of Flowing Water!" * The fan cuts into the aura of flames, but in short order the attack is repulsed and the fan slightly singed. * Ao-Lang grumbles and snaps the other fan into her hand, then glances back at the other team. "Sorry if I hurt your friend," she apologizes. * Hope frowns. There hasta be something we can do.. I don't think you even got through to her. I know. I'm apologizing in advance, since I don't say sorry later. * Ao-Lang runs at Marcie, getting as close as she dares, before bringing her tessen down in a familiar cross slash. "Chaos Stream!" * The fire lashes out as the stream of charged water impacts its surface. For a moment, the two battle back and forth, and then the fire appears to win the battle and lashes back down the path of the water with physical force, picking Ao-Lang up and carrying her bodily through the air to slam into the castle wall. * Ao-Lang is pinned there for a moment as she flame expends itself. Ao! * Hope rushes over to Ao. "Jesus. I'm sorry. Are you okay?" * As Ao-Lang falls to the ground, the flaming aura around Marcie dies out and she slumps to bottom of a crater of ash. * Ao-Lang doesn't respond, seeing as she's busy lying unconscious. Grr... * In spite of having been immolated, Ao-Lang isn't that badly burned. Her skin looks like she just came from a hot shower. * Hope GROWLS and stares at the crater where Marcie is. "I hate that girl." * Greg appears from the crater with Marcie slung over his shoulder. We're not all that fond of her, either. She REALLY needs to learn some control. * Hope picks up Ao carefully and walks over to Greg. "You're not wrong." * A note appears from midair and floats down into Greg's hand. * Greg hands it to Kento, who opens it and grimaces. Great. A week worth of detentions. Sounds familar. Sorry it had to happen to you guys. Oh, she's gonna catch it so hard when she wakes up... Detentions are always physical labor. They're going to force ME to sully this beautiful body with menial labor! I gotta get Ao back before she wakes up. Talk to ya later? Yeah. At lunch. If you're not too angry at us, anyway. ^_^; See ya later then. Naw. Just punch her in the face for me, okay? * Hope grins at Greg and starts back to the room. No problem. [Session End]