Okay, bastard, lets do this. * Hope finally catches up with Karasu just as he steps out onto the roof of Fight Tower. * The roof is heavily sloped and quite large, though luckily it's not icy. * Hope holds her sword at ready, glaring arrows at Karasu. * Karasu stands in the center of the roof. He looks over his shoulder at Hope. "Affected so easily by a taunt. You truely do have no talent for leadership." I don't care anymore. I'm just tired of you acting like a smug, superior JACKASS. * Karasu takes off his shades. "And I'm tired of your hipocrasy." He spreads his arms wide, and grins. "Come, then. Do what you can; it won't be enough." * Karasu glows darkly. * Hope starts slow, dashing forward and slashing at Karasu with her giant blade. * Karasu grins as he leaps over the sword. "Brute force, but you're too slow!" He comes down aiming a kick at Hope's chest. * Hope leaps backwards out of the way of the kick. "You're not so fast yourself!" * Karasu lands in a crouch and springs another kick from there. * Hope brings her sword up to block the attack, the force of the blow knocking the blunt part of the blade into her face. "Okay, maybe kind of fast.." * Hope moves the blade with terrible swiftness, aiming a solid slash directly for Karasu. * Karasu flips to his feet. "You should know who you're dealing with. But then," he grimaces briefly as he blocks the attack with his arms, then grins and darts forward. "You've never concerned yourself with that, have you?" He throws a knife-hand at Hope. * Hope moves quickly, blocking the knife hand with her arm, although it leaves a nice bruise. * Karasu continues to spin, his hand wrapped in darkness. "You aren't good enough. Raven Nine-Needle Slasher!" * Hope isn't quick enough to dodge this one and takes the hit head-on, skidding across the roof. * Karasu darts up to her with incredible speed as he delivers the follow up kick. * Hope takes the follow up kick head on and goes flying over the edge. * Hope narrowly grabs the edge, holding on with one hand, the sword danging from the other. * Karasu walks up to the edge and looks down at Hope. * Hope struggles to lift herself. "I'm.. not going.. to lose.. to you.." You're pathetic. 'Hope' is a fitting name. That's all you are. No substance, no means of winning, just a fool's hope of a chance. You.. * Karasu raises his hands, darkness flashing around them. "You should have left long ago. But now it's over." * Hope pulls harder, not letting go of the sword. * Karasu's eyes begin to glow a demonic shade of red, especially startling as it's coming up on full dark. * Karasu grins widely. Heh.. * Hope looks between the multiple-story drop and the thing above, gauging the greater threat. * Karasu aims his hands down. "This is goodbye." * Hope screams. "You bastard! I'll kill you!" * Hope struggles, but she just isn't strong enough. "You god damned..." * Karasu fires his attack. "Raven Wing." You BASTAAAAAARD.. * The ancient slate tiles of the roof surge outward as the Raven Wing blasts down at Hope. Just before it impacts, a hastily formed shield of slate plates slams together in front of her face and the attack pushes them back almost until they touch Hope's nose. Then the attack dissipates and the shingles fly out and away, leaving Karasu flat on his ass because they came from beneath his feet. * Karasu falls? He gets back up. * Hope pulls herself up, sword in her hand, glaring at Karasu with burning hatred. * The slate shingles, undented by the Raven Wing, take up a cylindrical pattern as they float around Hope. * Karasu narrows his eyes. * Hope dashes foward, swinging her sword at Karasu. "Diiiiiiiiiiie!" * The slate shingles manouvre deftly to keep out of the way of the massively oversized sword as Hope swings for Karasu. * Karasu blocks the attack. "So, you've learned a new trick, have you?" RAAAAAAA! * Karasu darts at Hope, slashing at her with a knife hand. "Raven Calamity Crimson!" * A shingle slides deftly into place as Karasu's hand thrusts forward, neatly stopping the attack even as it begins to crack under the strain. * Karasu narrows his eyes again, unleashing a different attack. "Raven Nine-Needle Slasher!" * The plate snaps in two as Karasu thrusts forward with greater intensity, and then he's through into the eye of the shield. RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAR! BATTER UP! * Hope glows with energy as she slams her sword into the "ground". * Karasu is launched into the air. But when he comes back down, he's grinning. He reaches out and grabs Hope's neck before she can follow-up. "Raven Spoiler!" * Both fighters are suddenly aware of a... presence. Someone is watching you. * Karasu and Hope are standing there, with Karasu's hand locked around Hope's throat. * Karasu glances towards the presence. * Hope attempts to bisect Karasu as he is distracted. * Principal Quentin is standing at the peak of the roof, watching. Just watching. * Karasu tosses Hope aside, and turns to fully face Quentin. * Even as Hope is tossed aside, her sword lashes out and barely catches his side, hardly a nick if he were unhurt, but he's been blocking hits for the past few minutes. * Karasu falls to one knee. Stupid nick. * The Principal looks down at Karasu from the peak of the roof, face not betraying a thing. * Hope lands in a crouch.. but it doesn't look like she'll be standing up again, blood dripping from her wounds. So? Has the great principal come to solve matters his own way? I never interfere in the affairs of the students. * Karasu looks at Quentin, eyes glowing red. * Hope glares at Karasu. "Shut up and pay attention to your opponent, bastard." I see no opponent here. Only an ant who needs to be crushed. * Hope coughs. "So why don't you come finish me, if you can actually move?" * Karasu points a hand at Hope. "I needn't move to do it." Heh.. I can see deep inside you. You're as tired as I am. You can't do anything. I've got enough energy to finish you off, if it pleases me to do so. Put up or shut up. * Karasu glances sideways at Hope, and darkness forms around his hand. * Karasu grimaces suddenly, and his hand shakes. Then it drops. His fist closes and the darkness vanishes. Thought so. * Hope sighs, thankfully. * The evil glow in Karasu's eyes fades. * The principal smiles enigmatically and vanishes. * Karasu pulls out his shades and slips them on. Oh, quit it. * Karasu staggers to his feet. "Come on. We may as well go back." * Hope staggers up. "This one is a tie. Next time, you lose." * Karasu heads for the stairs. "We'll see." [End]