Fighting chloe

[17:09:45] Acclimation to Frostvale's frigid weather did not come easily. The human's one gift was adaptation. Put a frog in the desert and it will dehydrate. Place a bird in the water and it will drown. Put a fish on land and it will suffocate.

But the human? It spits in the face of adversity and runs. A prime example of this is the Tilandrean woman who now stands in nearly an inch of snow. A jacket lined with fur is drawn over her shoulders and a scarf nearly covers her mouth. The air around her is humid compared to the dry winter air elsewhere, and her fingertips are so hot that steam rises up from them as the warmth hits the chill of Frostvale's environment.

One hand holds Anguirel. The other arm is engulfed in the blazing, raging form of Ifrit's Claw, poised and ready to strike, not unlike the limb of the yokai it was named after.

Directly in front of her is a dummy. It is half her size but made of metal sturdier than the biggest boulder, rooted into the ground with gravity magic so intense that it was hard to combat without breaking the spell. Two eyes were glued onto it, staring Rosaline down with a mocking intensity.

With breathtaking speed, the woman flew off of her feet with a moment's notice. Gravity and time and pure mana all merged together to send her flying towards the dummy, Anguirel poised alongside Claw.

Her childhood. Her parents. The Avis. Cain's curse. Alexandra's betrayal. Her arm. Her hand. Her guild. Cain's betrayal. Her father. Rosaline persevered. She spat in the face of adversity. She would not be held back. She was unconquered. She was unstoppable.

The sound of metal shredding against metal reverberated throughout Frostvale's wilderness. Anguirel pierced the unpiercable -- time withered the force of the metal, gravity increased her momentum -- and Rosaline brought it downwards, shredding through the metal that others thought to be strong and trusty with ease.

She pulls her sword out and the Claw moves in, ripping from one side of the opening in the dummy to strip off the metal. The sound is sickening, gut-wrenching, like nails on a chalkboard, as she decimates the dummy one inch at a time.

WHUMP. Her feet touch the ground and the scrapped remains of her training toy fall to the ground. She had been so into it, she wouldn't have even noticed if someone moved in to watch...
(Rosaline)
[17:21:42] Chloe's spiritual journey to the north had been long lived - it took a year, and then some. Meditating, hunting, speaking to Phyros, training, learning - for a whole year and a half she had practically seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth. No one knew where she was, she hadn't left a single person a letter. There at one moment, then gone the next.

However, that time was over. She hadn't found what she wanted in the northern, icy expanse but she found so much more. She found new talents, new skills that she never thought she would have resting in her hand, the gifts of Phyros, Astral Arts.

She was making her way to the city - she had little money, but she had much leftover from her time. Pelts, meat, and other resources from hunting that she could sell and trade to get a nice wagon ride back to Byson, but something caught her attention.

A familiar face, and a suffering training dummy.

One hand traveled to brush her hair behind her ear, her prosthetic resting firmly upon her waist. She rested against a nearby tree, relaxing as she watched the 'dance'. With the display complete, the blonde haired warrior clapped, the sound of flesh on metal traveling around the near vacinity.

"Damn, boss. I'd hate to be that guy." She mused, walking closer to the former Unconquered leader. "Been awhile, hasn't it? Something gotten you so pissed that you have to terrorize some poor metal? I didn't exactly expect to catch you running around these parts..."

"What've you been up to? Hopefully been takin' care of yourself? You were a bit of a wreck, last we talked." She said plainly.
(Chloe Hastings)
[17:31:56] Rosaline's dipped head snapped up when Chloe's clapping echoed through the frigid air. She pivoted on her heel, turning to face her former elite. When she revealed herself to Chloe, she was practically glowing.

The once emaciated Rosaline, ravaged by depression and an alcoholism that held her captive now stands tall and proud. The scars covering her face are no longer a magnet of pity but isntead respect; her broad shoulders now come with lean, attenuated muscle to match; her eyes glimmer with a contentedness, a determination, and a smile tugs at her lips.

She is a new person.

"Chloe." Despite the harsh beating the destroyed dummy next to her just suffered, she seems to be in a good mood. "I'm doing fine, better. I live over here. I rent in Danarium, and I loiter in Frostvale some. Johannes sent me out here to stir up good feeling towards Byson."

She tilted he head, offering her a quizzical stare of her own.

"Why are you out here? I thought you dropped off Valmasia."
(Rosaline)
[17:31:56] Rosaline: you know what i meant to say)
[17:36:12] Rosaline: hi)
[17:36:12] Bastet Silvertongue: (hui)
[17:38:46] "Hot damn, Ros. It's good to see you like this again." Chloe said, smiling wide and closing the distance towards her former boss, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug as long as she wasn't pushed away. "Not the best of shit goin' on around here, but it's far better than Tilandre, that's for sure."

"Fell off Valmasia? Well, no. I was off on a spiritual journey. Communing with the stars, 'n shit. You know how it is with cosmic magi. I was having a little bit of a rough time with shit, and Phyros helped. Guided me. I'm still a bit fucked about some shit, but..."

"I'm doing better. He taught me a few tricks, kept it cool. I was stopping by Frostvale to get some crown."

"Though, I guess I have been gone for a little while... What was it? A couple months? A year? You lose time really fast that far north, days kinda just bleed into eachother..."

Chloe's eyes suddenly twinkled for a moment. "Hey..." She said, her gaze turning playful. "How about a demonstration? I've done some training for the techniques, but I haven't gotten to apply them to actual combat yet..." She said.

"Whaddya say?"
(Chloe Hastings)
[17:44:44] Rosaline accepted the hug wholeheartedly. Where a mere ten years ago she would shrink at the idea of physical contact, the new and improved ex-Chief embraced (get it) it!

When they pulled away, she met Chloe's stare and caught the gist of it. Her grin could only grow. Her hand moved down to rest on Anguirel in anticipation.

"You know I'm all for it. You know, once, I went on a spiritual journey of my own. Back when I was trying to learn how to do Ifrit's Claw, I was having issues honing in on my wind magic, yes? So after some studying, I learned that up north, even more so than here, there were monks on a mountain."

"They praised the godess Boreas. In exchange for a patch of my skin," metal fingers rose up to trace the tattoo beneath her eye, "'she' granted me her powers. Now I think of it more of a mental thing, rather than Boreas herself... if she even exists."

A sudden burst of gravity sends Rosaline flying backwards without moving an inch of her body. She lands firmly on her feet, Naruto-style, with Anguirel drawn.

"But! Story time is over! Show me your stuff, Chloe!"
(Rosaline)
[17:53:16] Chloe let out a long, relaxed breath. Her smile faded, but she didn't seem so much angry as much as she is focused. "Tying it all together..." She said, Her prosthetic went back, gripping Liable and pulling it from its hold. Drawing the grand blade, she took two steps back before thrusting it towards the sky.

"Alright, Phyros! Let's do this together! Let's show her just what we've got, Astral Arts - Astral Flash!" Chloe called out. There wasn't any immediate display of power, but rather something seemed to build. If Rosaline was perceptive, she might have noticed the faint cosmic energy that surrounded Chloe grow more intense, with stardust gently floating around, hardly distinguishible from the snow that fell.

Serene hearth, Breath of the Earth, and the lightness of wind - it's all together. It's all one...

Chloe closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting all thoughts leek out of her mind. She took her stance, vastly different than any she had been seen used in the past - however, parts of it seemed familiar.

If Rosaline saw her fight with her Cetus-esque style, she would likely recognise her slacked posture, and empty demeanor. If she saw her Fomorian style, she would likely recognise the defensive way of holding her blade. If she saw her Garuda style, she would likely recognise the footwork.

Regardless of any of this, she wouldn't recognise what would happen next.

As if projected down from space itself, a figure of gold appeared, resembling a human female. And when the battle started, it was gone - or rather, it had moved. Where it once was, Chloe now stood, and where Chloe stood, instead there was that same golden figure.
(Chloe Hastings)
[17:53:16] Chloe Hastings: ((brb bathroom))
[17:56:41] Chloe Hastings: ((Back))
[18:02:40] Rosaline watched with wonder as Chloe began to reveal her astral arts. The ambience of her star was foreign to Rosaline -- her magics were technical, intricate, complicated... But Chloe's were out of pure spirit. Her connection with her star was something Rosaline could never obtain, not with a star of her own, not with a person, not with anything.

But jealousy had to be put aside. She had skills of her own that Chloe could never hope to conquer, and now was her time to show them off!

With a tiny push on her heels, Rosaline was suspended in the air. She did not float, no, she stood there, defying gravity and all known laws of physics. Anguirel was drawn, held with a downwards bend of her arm and poised in Chloe's direction.

Her other arm whipped out, clad in the scales of a chimera. Metal fingers curled inwards, stiffening... and then snapped outwards. Wind and flames followed, erupting from the base of her palm with a roar. They engulfed the limb, swirling and merging together in the deadly form of Ifrit's Claw.

Her eyes squinted. Time and space bent around her, shimmering -- her frame seemed to twist under her own mana's thrall... it's almost as if she moved faster than the things around her. Her form was distorted to Chloe, elongating and snapping back to reality in a looping cycle. Illusion magic. It could surely serve to be a distraction.

"Your magic," Rosaline began, "can it best mine?"

She shimmered and twisted under the illusion's thrall... and then charged forward, Ifrit's flames following suit!

"Let's see!"
(Rosaline)
[18:02:40] Rosaline's speed increases!
[18:04:22] Chloe Hastings's speed increases!
[18:04:22] {combat} Chloe Hastings has been defeated by Rosaline! They're unable to continue fighting.
[18:04:22] Chloe Hastings's speed returns to normal.
[18:05:13] Rosaline's speed returns to normal.
[18:11:12] Rosaline burst forward with speed untold. Gravity furthered her momentum and sent her flying towards Chloe. Time did not fail her, no, she conquered the small space between them in mere seconds.

Her strikes were empowered by raw strength, the flames of Ifrit and the force of gravity, sending Anguirel towards Chloe with force untold. She scraped and banged against her armor nearly too fast to see, braving any attacks the Hastings had to offer her with a level head.

...And then things slowed down.

Chloe felt herself lag despite Phobos' connection with her. Time slowed for her, but the shimmering, shuddering, illusion-clad Rosaline did not cease. Her footsteps were slow and lethargic, but Rosaline flew through the frigid air with ease. Her strikes were heavy and slow, but Rosaline's were swift and effortless.

A final, devastating blow marks the end of her flurry. It's enough to send Chloe off of her feet, or dazzle her at the least, and the recoil causes Rosaline to fly back.

Time's influence on Chloe's movement ceases at once... this is her chance!
(Rosaline)
[18:12:03] Chloe Hastings: ((One sec lemme see something))
[18:12:03] Chloe Hastings: ((ok))
[18:12:03] Chloe Hastings: ((wanted to see the click tp range))
[18:16:19] Chloe's movements were entirely hard to track. When it seemed like she was far, one moment later, and it was a simple cosmic projection which would prompt an attack, and then she would be gone once more. It seemed like she could be anywhere at once, but even still, she fell just a bit short of Rosaline.

Chloe wasn't nearly done, though. Even through combat, she was learning. Watching Rosaline was actually a great example of what she needed to achieve - her skill in the theory of wind was fair, but she still had a long way to go.

Chloe's eyes never seemed to leave Rosaline no matter where she was, equal parts learning and fighting, and even as she was sent off of her feet, she was quick to create another projection and switch places, with it, recovering opposite of Rosaline once more, blade still in hand. Chloe was panting. Whatever the technique was, it wasn't healthy for her to use, perhaps.

It was clear it was at least exhausting her.

"Not done yet..." She said, blade held towards Rosaline. "Come on, let's keep going."
(Chloe Hastings)
[18:17:10] Rosaline's speed increases!
[18:17:10] Chloe Hastings's speed increases!
[18:18:01] {combat} Rosaline has been defeated by Chloe Hastings! They're unable to continue fighting.
[18:23:08] Chloe's speed got even faster, and she was using her ability to create and close distances to her advantage. Gone, and back, gone and back. Every time she returned was accompanied by a string of powerful blows that would be enough to stagger even the hardiest of foes.

Finally, Chloe began running towards Rosaline from a fair distance, leaping into the air. Crossing through space and placing herself before the Ifrit practicioneer, she would tackle the girl before jumping away in the same moment, either throwing her off her balance or off her feet.

Turning on her heel and kicking up snow, Chloe raised the greatsword up to Rosaline. "One more Rosaline, come on! Let's see just how good this little trick is!"
(Chloe Hastings)
[18:31:40] Rosaline's speed increases!
[18:31:40] Rosaline was fast, but she could not compare to Chloe's speed. She was too fast to see, too fast to catch. Befuddled and flustered, she struggled to catch up...

But something caught her eye. Nestled within the trees was a familair face -- one of the frequents of Frostvale. Their single meeting had been discarded by her memory. A quick grin was offered to Hibiki, but that single second was one second too much.

Before Rosaline could react, she found herself toppling backwards into the snow! Just before her shoulders connected with the ground, gravity picked her up. She rose, sword redrawn and Claw blazing just as strong as before.

There was no time to waste! Up into the air Rosaline flew, magic flaring and ready to unleash upon the Hastings girl!
(Rosaline)
[18:32:32] Chloe Hastings's speed increases!
[18:32:32] {combat} Chloe Hastings has been defeated by Rosaline! They're unable to continue fighting.
[18:32:32] Chloe Hastings's speed returns to normal.
[18:33:23] Chloe Hastings: ((i did so bad that verb...))
[18:33:23] Rosaline: do not fret)
[18:33:23] Rosaline: i am fourty rpp above you)
[18:34:14] Chloe Hastings: ((ur 25 rpp above me))
[18:34:14] Chloe Hastings: ((scrub))
[18:35:05] Rosaline: oh)
[18:35:05] Rosaline: i thought you were 150 or smth)
[18:35:05] Chloe Hastings: ((155))
[18:35:05] Chloe Hastings: ((ur 180, right))
[18:35:05] Rosaline: i do not remember numbers well)
[18:35:05] Rosaline: ya)
[18:42:46] Rosaline rebounded tenfold. She rose from the ground like a phoenix, blazing and flying with speed untold. She charged towards Chloe, Anguirel raised and claw right by it's side.

Her gravity was centered around Chloe. No matter how far away she disappeared to, it seemed that Rosaline was following her at her heel. She was faster, but not by much -- with a sharp eye and a sharper mind, the duelist knew there was some way she would be able to outsmart Chloe.

A flurry of blows were exchanged before she knew the Hastings would disappear again. When she did, Rosaline charged to position herself out of sight, behind the trunk of a tree. There was no doubt that she would be on her tail, but she had a plan!

Chloe would find Rosaline standing behind the tree, Claw poised and blazing and ready to attack... but a single strike towards her would cause her to disappear! It was an illusion! If Chloe dared to look up, she'd find the real Rosaline floating above her and moving closer at unbelievable speeds!

WHAM!

She toppled into Chloe, tackling her to the ground. This marked the battle's end -- when they collided, Rosaline's flames dissipated and Anguirel clattered to the ground.

She was exhausted!
(Rosaline)
[18:43:37] Rosaline's speed returns to normal.
[18:48:44] Rosaline: brb again)
[18:50:27] Even with new tricks, she was still learning how to use them and best take advantage of the advantages it gave her. Cutting through the illusion with confidence, she was taken aback as it was naught but a deception. She was struck down, the stardust scattering, Liable falling to the ground.

"Fuck..." She groaned, pushing herself to her feet. "I can't believe I fell for a trick like that. It was so...fucking obvious." She grumbled to herself, brushing snow off her form, grabbing Liable and placing it on her back once more. Her movements were somewhat sluggish, slower.

"Good fight, though. I have a lot to learn from watching you. More than just swordsmanship..." Chloe said. Indeed, observing the skills of a wind user who also fought with gravity was almost exactly what she needed. She gathered a lot from just one simple fight.

How her body moved, how she swung, how she used her weight, everything was another lesson for the Hastings.
(Chloe Hastings)
[18:53:52] Rosaline: sorry had to help my mom w a baby)
[18:56:25] Rosaline rose from the ground slower than Chloe. She collected brushing snow off of her frame before finally moving to her feet. Anguirel was kicked up and retrieved with a bout of gravity magic, and promptly placed back in its sheath.

"Thanks for the fight, Chloe." A genuine smile was offered to her comrade. A metal hand moved to clasp her shoulder, a friendly gesture. "It's been a while since I've had something that challenging. Remember, every fight is a learning process... you learn more from a loss than you do a win."

"It's good to see you again." Her hand moved from Chloe and she paused. With a tilt of her head, Rosaline's stare moved to rest on Hibiki. "Looks like we have an audience."
(Rosaline)