[Last Time, on Battle High: Our heroes and some of their friends and admirers and a random hanger on celebrated the end of the hellish first week of school by going out on the town for a night of chaotic fun. Dinner was had, games were played, dances were danced, fun was had, and money changed hands several times. And there were, fortunately, no fatalities.] [It's a new week, now, and that means a new morning, with everybody just waking up, except for Karasu, who doesn't need sleep, thanks to his EVIL POWER.] [Soul Battle... Fight!] * Ao-Lang hears the alarm and throws her pillow at it. * Mariah climbs out of bed, grumbling, and slumps towards the shower. * Hope gets up and streaches. "Wonder why we even bother giving Karasu a bed." * Ao-Lang throws her other pillow at the alarm, accidentally hitting Mariah, but she doesn't seem to care. Or notice, really. * Karasu has been awake for some time, like the GM said. * Hope idly does some warm ups while she waits for Mariah to get out of the shower. * Isaac looks at the ceiling when the alarm goes off in the other room. He gets up, and looks around groggingly. ~Will someone turn that stupid clock off!~ * Mariah is hit with the pillow. She's enough of a zombie right now that she honestly doesn't respond. To the shower with her. * Ao-Lang falls out of bed with a thud. ~Turn it off yourself,~ she thinks back irritably. * Mariah does, in fact, get out of the shower eventually, dressed and mostly with-it. She goes back to her room just long enough to sit down at her desk and do the morning's Tarot reading. * Hope hops into the shower before anyone else can. * Ao-Lang sits and yawns, then stands and makes her way out of the bedroom and halfway to the shower when she realizes it's taken. Fortunately for her, Mariah pops out. Unfortunately for her, Hope pops in. "Damnit." You've got to be quicker. 's good to be able to wake up.. * Ao-Lang flops on the couch and watches Mariah do her reading. She idly scratches at the side of her head as she does so, which is covered with, well, bedroom hair. "Not all of us are perky morning people, thanks." * Mariah squints at her cards. "Huh." Not all of us are perky. * Isaac gets up. ~Fine, fine...~ He walks into the common room and is... shorter? He looks a little like Kai used to, but is a few inches shorter (5 ft. now) His hair's a new color too, being brown with silver hilights. He looks around the room with dazed brown eyes that flicker red when they focus. Coincidentally, his clothes didn't shrink with him, so they look very baggy on him. Okay, goth types who don't need sleep. * Mariah looks up at Isaac. "..." ... this is getting *really weird.* * Ao-Lang squints at Isaac. "Didja put yourself through the hot water wash?" * Karasu looks over at Isaac. "Seems you're doing a good job." * Isaac blinks looks around. ~What the heck? Everything got bigger!~ * Ao-Lang squints a little longer, then stands and walks up to Isaac. Formerly the shortest person on the team, she's now about eye level with him. * Mariah looks back at her cards, singling out two in particular. "Man..." * Hope walks out of the shower, dressed in her usual clothes. She eyes Issac. "Whoza new guy?" Isaac. I think. He needs new clothes, or I need to wake up. * Isaac looks at Ao-Lang, his eyes flickering red. ~And I'm not tall anymore.~ ;_; * Ao-Lang wanders into the shower and shuts the door after her. You gonna keep throwin' surprises at us Issac? Is that... what you used to look like before? ~I don't know? I'm not trying to shrink. At least I don't think so...~ That would be my guess. * Isaac looks in the mirror. ~Kinda... I was still shorter, and my hair's still weird.~ * Isaac looks at his hair. ~Who has silver hair anyways?~ You'd be surprised. * Karasu shrugs. Hmm. * There's a light scratching at the door as a note is slipped under it. * Isaac blows the hair out of his face. ~There's nothing I can do about it. Do any of you guys have a clue what's going on?~ * Hope grabs the note and reads. ~And... um, does anyone have clothes that will fit me?~ Alexander the Great 103 vs Musashi #101, Fight Room 501, * Ao-Lang opens the bathroom door and wanders out, dressed in silk shirt and jeans. She goes about braiding her hair. "I could probably help you with that. We'll just have to stay away from more girly stuff. C'mon, Isaac." She heads into her and Mariah's room. * Isaac follows along. ~I hope we do. I can't fight in this.~ -- oh, is that the fight, Hope? * Ao-Lang snickers and kicks at the closet door. "Open it. Hands busy braiding." * Isaac opens the door. Yep. * Isaac looks inside. Mushashi 101 in a half-hour. * Ao-Lang scans the clothes. "No, no, GOD no... Hrm, miniskirt? Nah, you'd probably die. So would everyone else. Gotta save that for a special occassion." ~Don't even think about that.~ But I already am!~ Musashi? Didn't we fight them already? ~You tell me!~ Pick out some jeans you think you'll fit, Isaac. About half of them are guys'. And I think there's some sweatshirts that should be fine for ya, over there. * Ao-Lang tilts her head towards one side of the closet. * Isaac looks through the jeans and the sweatshirts. ~I don't really like sweatshirts, but nothing else would look anything appropriate.~ You could grab one of the silk shirts, but I dunno if it's too 'girly' for you or not. After all, you've got to protect your masculinity. * Ao-Lang tries to keep the snicker out of her voice and mostly fails. * Isaac smiles a little. ~Tell that to the guys at school.~ I think I will! * Ao-Lang pokes her head out of the room. "Hey, Karasu! Isaac has to protect his masculinity!" * Isaac shakes his head. ~Wrong school.~ * Karasu peers over his shoulder and asks simply. "Why?" * Isaac walks out of the room holding a pair of jeans and a green sweatshirt. * Ao-Lang finishes braiding. "Ask him!" She turns back to Isaac. "Hurry it up." * Ao-Lang pulls on her socks and boots. * Hope idly grabs her sword and gives it a few practice slashes. "This should be fun. We gotta hurry tho'. Don't have a ton of time." * Karasu shrugs and turns to Isaac. "Ao-Lang says you're attempting to protect your masculinity. Why?" * Isaac rushes into the bathroom and changes, comming out afterwards. The clothes fit reasonably well. ~Well, I don't like the look, but I don't really have any room to complain.~ He looks at Kai's shoes, and then his feet. ~Dammit, I need new shoes too.~ * Mariah pulls a brush through her hair, ponytails it back, and starts looking for her shoes. ~Me? Protect my masculinity? It was a joke.~ * Ao-Lang folds her arms and eyes Isaac critically. "You're right. I look much better in those clothes." She smirks. And I'm not gettin' you new shoes. We don't have the same size feet. Are you sure? I doubt ya got the same size feet as me. ... you can try mine, but they probably wouldn't work... * Mariah is putting on a pair of hers at the moment. ~Nah, I think I can live with these shoes. Just can't fight in them.~ C'mon folks, we gotta hurry. * Isaac puts Kai's old shoes on. ~Now let's get going, we don't have much time.~ Okay! Okay! * Karasu shrugs and stands near the door. "I'm all set." * Mariah grabs her staff and prepares to depart. * Ao-Lang nods. * Isaac gets up and walks to the door. * Hope heads for the room! The room of battle or justice or something. * Ao-Lang follows! * Karasu follows. * Isaac follows the silly people he's roomed with. ^_^ * Mariah follows mightily! * It takes so little time to get to the arena now that you know where it is that you'd almost suspect that the GM didn't want to describe it, except that that'd be breaking the fourth wall, and we all know what happens to characters who do THAT. (Should I just assume you people are thinking what I think you're thinking?) * Karasu wouldn't dream of breaking the fourth wall. * Isaac wouldn't do something like that, nope nope nope. * Waiting across the room as you enter are the people who gave you such a horrible beating the last time you fought them. Serena Albon and Roxie Ditullio, who you didn't fight last time, and Yogo Shidachi and Elinor Gianonne, who you did fight, and at the end of the row, the object of all of Hope's hatred, Max Spitz, complete with a reforged greatsword. * Hope cracks her fingers. "This should be fun." * Isaac looks at them. ~Who're they?~ He says to the group. We fought them before. * Ao-Lang looks around. "We did, huh?" * The referee, an old man with thick glasses, looks over as you enter and speaks in a quavering voice, "I understand your two teams know each other already..." ~Oh.~ * Isaac's eyes flash red. More or less. * The arena in room 501 is, as before, positively immense, the size of four of the standard freshman arenas placed in a square. Eighteen rows of eighteen square stone blocks form the arena, making ring outs much, much more difficult. * The referee looks over at Isaac and quirks an eyebrow. "Alexander 103, send out the first fighter." * Isaac looks taken aback, then realizes the ref's pointing at him. ~Who want's to go?~ Hm. Issac, you okay with going? I'll go. * Hope looks at Karasu. "No, not this time." * Isaac looks at Hope and nods. ~Sure.~ * Isaac hand-signals. Why? * Hope nods and grins at Isaac. "You kick some ass." * Ao-Lang steps over to Isaac and taps him on the shoulder. "Remember to take those clown shoes off." Because you broadcast your type so much you might as well wear a neon sign. I'd rather wait and send you up against someone you've got more of a chance against. So do the others. * Hope grins and punches Karasu in the arm. "Don'tcha worry Angsty McAngstington. I still trust ya." * Mariah looks at Isaac. "Good luck..." * Hope shakes her head. "Not Isaac. Isaac is special." * Isaac takes off his shoes. He walks into the ring. ~Don't worry about a thing.~ He gives a Sora smile back to his team. I didn't mean him. I meant the other team. Of course they do, but we're sending first this time. Worry? Who's worried? * Hope motions at Karasu. "I think he is." I suppose you could say that. Well, let's hope... * Mariah watches Isaac in the ring cautiously. * Isaac starts streching while Musashi 101 picks their fighter. * Hope watches the other team, curious to see who they send in. * Serena hops into the ring opposite Isaac. * Isaac eyes Serena, his eyes flashing a bright red. * Serena lifts one gauntleted hand and makes an insulting gesture at Isaac. Go Isaac! Kick her ass. Aww, she's so sweet. I love her already. Reminds me of me, only I'm somehow more subtle than that. ... oh, her. She's too... * Isaac reaches back and pulls out Song, striking it on each side of him. He smiles. She's too *obvious.* (No he didn't just hit himself... He hit the floor on each side of him.) * Ao-Lang snickers. * Isaac sends to Mariah. ~Ya think?~ * The ref perks up a little. "Fight!" * Serena stands there, bobbing lightly from foot to foot, and waits for Isaac to make a move. * Isaac watches, then quickly runs forward, attacking her with a side-slash from Song. * Serena doesn't move at all as Isaac's blade slashes viciously into her gut. A moment later, the clone dissolves into a dust devil, defeated by the single hit. * Serena falls down from above Isaac, bringing her claws down in a two-handed slash down his back. * Isaac sees the clone dissapear just in time, and rolls to the side as she comes to the ground. He jumps at her, his blade streaming on the ground and a green spark on the end, slashing at her overhanded when she's in range. ~Lambda strike!~ * Serena catches the blade on the blades of her left gauntlet, which lets out a painful ringing noise. She lunges forward under the strike, lashing out with her right claw for Isaac's gut. * Isaac moves the blade, but not fast enough to completly block the attack from slicing at his sweatshirt. He grimaces and gets his blade out of the gauntlet, bringing it back with both hands, in a nice pink color. ~Siphon Soul!~ * Serena avoids the attack neatly by jumping upward, all the way to the ceiling, and then pushes off in a gravity-assisted jump down at Isaac. "POWER DIVE!" * Isaac takes part of the attack as he jumps backward just as Serena hits the ground. He glows a pulsating blue as he rushes at Serena with the trailing sonic attack again, not letting a single instant slip by. ~Lambda Strike!~ * Serena stands up from the small crater caused by her dive just in time for the humming sword to impale her upper left arm. "GaaaaAAAAH!" * Isaac reaches back and attacks Serena on the side a second time with a normal slash. * Serena claws the blade viciously aside, nearly wrenching it from Isaac's hands. "Damn you, how did you get so FAST?" * Isaac 's eyes flash a bright red as he brings the sword around for a third attack. ~Some things you don't ask, Serena.~ He slashes downwards with his extended pink sword. ~Siphon soul!~ * Serena splits into two, neatly avoiding Isaac's overhead strike. The two of her start running in opposite directions, faster and faster, and a whirlwind quickly erupts in their wake. In a strange double voice, they call out, "Final attack! Raging TORNADO!" * Isaac falls through as Serena's tornado takes him up to the ceiling and smacks him repetedly against it. After the attack, Isaac stops glowing blue and falls to the floor un-ceremoniously. * Isaac does not get up after the attack. Isaac! He'll live. * Ao-Lang runs on into the ring and helps Isaac out. ... Isaac! * Serena pulls her gauntlets off and waves her hands in the last of the whirlwind to get the sweat dry. * Hope checks on Isaac after Ao drags him out. * The referee nods a little, and then speaks again. "Okay, fight's over. Clear the ring. Musashi, send out your fighter." * Serena looks over her team and motions for Shidachi to take the field. Er... arena. * Shidachi vanishes from her position in a corner and reappears on one edge of the arena. * Ao-Lang raises an eyebrow at Shidachi's ninja move, then looks over to Hope. Hm. Ao, you're up. * The referee quirks an eyebrow at Hope's choice. * Ao-Lang blinks, then shrugs. "If you're sure, boss." She doesn't do any such ninja move, as she just walks on in, stretching. Should've sent me. * Ao-Lang stops, faces Shidachi, and bows. I'm still workin' on this leader thing, gimme a break. * Shidachi mirrors Ao-Lang's bow, then drops into an iaijutsu stance and waits patiently. * Karasu shrugs. * Ao-Lang studies Shidachi's stance for a moment, then runs at her. Her tessen flicks out of her sleeves as she whirls around the other girl, striking first with Bolt, then with Wave. * Shidachi fades away from the first strike, then leaps aside at the last split second from the second strike, leading Ao-Lang towards the center of the ring. * Ao-Lang narrows her eyes, but spins with Shidachi's retreat, keeping Wave open and glowing as she slices at Shidachi. "Strike of Flowing Water!" * Isaac opens his eyes at the sound (or lack thereof) of the fighting. He looks around. ~I guess I didn't win...~ He looks at the fight that's happening. ~Kick her butt Ao!~ * Shidachi whips her katana from its saya, blocking the tessen with the back of the blade. She keeps retreating, and in Ao's ears form the words, * Ao-Lang just grins in response and snaps Bolt open, throwing the tessen at Shidachi as she spins, throwing Wave behind her. * Bolt spins through the shadow clone, then returns through the space it occupied. Behind Ao, Wave draws sparks from the real Shidachi's katana as the girl is forced to block. <...the replacement is better.> * Ao-Lang catches the first tessen, then the second. She keeps smiling. "I aim to please." * Shidachi splits off from herself, then each of those selves split, and split again. The eight Shidachis begin circling around Ao-Lang. * Ao-Lang snaps her tessen closed and brings them into a defensive stance as her eyes flick from opponent to opponent, watching them circle. * Isaac sits up. ~How long have they been at it?~ Not long. * Isaac frowns. ~I think you should have sent Karasu in against her instead.~ * The whirling ring of Shidachis rotates faster, and then closes in on Ao-Lang as all eight slash at her body. * Hope shrugs. "But where would the challenge be in that?" * Isaac looks at Hope with a side-glance. ~Are you playing games or are you trying to win? Because I can do both if you want.~ ... man. I don't like this clone thing at all. * The referee, meanwhile, is watching this fight very interestedly. * Ao-Lang dodges most of them, deflecting other strikes with her tessen. One of the slashes isn't deflected enough, however, and skims her right arm. * Mariah continues watching nervously. * Isaac 's eyes flash red as he looks at the circle of Shidachis. He then closes his eyes calmly. * Karasu watches expressionless. I remember her. She's... man, oh man. * The clones surge back outwards and keep rotating once Ao-Lang blocks their strike. * Hope frowns. C'mon, Ao-Lang... * Mariah pauses and whispers something under her breath. "The Chariot. Strength reversed. The Chariot..." * Ao-Lang has not, amazingly enough, lost her grin. Her tessen go up again, into a similar defensive stance. * Isaac looks at Mariah. ~Strength reversed? Counterattack, mind games... use the opponent's advantage against them.~ * Mariah shakes her head at Isaac. * Isaac starts tapping his chin. ~Hmmm... I got it!~ * Shidachi's clones surge back in for another attack, lunging for Ao's leg. ~The charriot means strength, and the ability to keep winning without consequence, right? Then that would mean if it is reversed, you do not win through strength or determination, no. That would be the way to defeat. Instead, you feign weakness, hold back. Then, the opponent will tire of the game and make a mistake on their own.~ * Ao-Lang doesn't make any motion to stop Shidachi this time, and her leg is neatly slashed through with the katana. She hisses in pain as blood stains her left pant leg. * Isaac 's eyes snap to the ring. ~Ao-Lang, what *are* you thinking?~ Holding back and taking damage is no way to win a fight. * The shadow clones whirl back out, blood dripping from their blades. ~Oh, of course you don't hold back forever. You fake weakness, not actually become it.~ Strength reversed and the chariot would symbolize a quick, powerful victory. Hanging back is exactly the wrong thing to do. If the cards could be trusted, mind. * Ao-Lang looks from girl to girl as they whirl, then smirks and dives at one of them... and goes through it. She tumbles to her feet, turns, and with open tessen slices at the closest Shidachi. "Chaos Stream!" * Shidachi smirks as Ao dives through one of the clones. She's propelled backward by the stream of electrified water and tumbles head over heels halfway across the ring before rolling to her feet. No, you missed. * Shidachi points behind Ao-Lang. * Isaac looks behind Ao-Lang. * Shidachi is behind Ao-Lang. And in front of Ao-Lang. * Isaac sighs. ~I don't like this at all...~ * Isaac closes his eyes again. * Ao-Lang glances at Shidachi. And Shidachi. She crosses her tessen. "What, didja run out of tricks?" * Isaac crosses his fingers. ~Com'on Ao-Lang, you can figure it out...~ * The two Shidachis rocket together straight for Ao-Lang, their blades coming from directly opposite each other. Oh, no, I *knew* she'd do that... * Isaac signals to his group, except Ao. ~I... I think I figured it out. But I don't know if I should tell Ao, seeing as it's her fight.~ * On the opposite sideline, Elinor growls angrily. "DAMN IT! STOP STEALING MY ATTACKS!" If you want to tell her, then tell her. If you don't, then don't. * Mariah looks at Elinor, wincing. ~... I dunno, Isaac. Do what you feel, I guess.~ * Ao-Lang manages to snap her tessen around to block the clone in front of her, but not behind. Or to her side, for that matter. Where'd that come from? She shrieks as she's impaled not once, but twice, and slumps to the ground. * Shidachi looks down at Ao's body. [Fight... To Be Continued]