horns

[redo because arcelia froze]
(Jester Vulpine)
redo
(Arcelia Hirano)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 10)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 9)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 8)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 7)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 6)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 5)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 4)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 3)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 2)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 1)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: Go!)
Your body begins heating up painfully!
Your body begins heating up painfully!
It seemed that in the first round of their sparring sessions, Jester was able to close the distance in power which. To be honest? Was probably expected. The Kaor was still a Kaor after all. And being as powerful as she was was to be expected. Kaors were the top of their game; the final 'monster form' of Yokai. Imperfection was humanoid after all. It would seem that the Yokai had indeed grown in power. But she still had weaknesses when it came to combat, that speed of hers, and closing distance was still a weakness.

Oh well. Who needed speed when; whenever you hit, you hit like a bull-dozing truck? It was an amusing prospect. If she could defeat Arcelia here; would that mean she was no longer the servant and it would instead, be a role reversal between the two of them? An interesting thought indeed. But for now; she'd not comment on such thoughts. Instead, the Yokai would focus on the battle at hand.

"Come Princess. I am probably the next-strongest Fire Kaor to Kudana in all the land. We will train whenever you desire. Only until you can solidify a crushing defeat over me, do you even dare stand a chance against her." Of course the Yokai would grin. Despite knowing Kudana was stronger, admitting such was rather painful.

And there the Yokai would await.
(Jester Vulpine)
That... was a lot closer than she expected. They matched blows, and while Jester came out on top in the end, they were still relatively even. Be it through fighting experience or raw power, the gap wasn't nearly as wide as Arcelia thought it'd be. This filled her with a sense of pride, but she had to be careful to not let it get to her head, lest all that accumulated fighting experience go to waste. She needed to relax. She needed to fight with a clear mind, using similar strategies as before. She could win this. She knew she could.

It was just a matter of execution.

Jester's flames burned hot, and Arcelia's werent much better. The two combined vaporized whatever they touched, including a few unfortunate woodland creatures who made the mistake of getting in the way. Oh well... such is life. Arcelia swung her spear a few times, using it to brace herself so she wouldn't be overwhelmed again. Easier said than done, of course, but she knew she at least stood a chance.

And that's all that mattered.
(Arcelia Hirano)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 10)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 9)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 8)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 7)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 6)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 5)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 4)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 3)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 2)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 1)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: Go!)
Your body begins heating up painfully!
Your body begins heating up painfully!
A smile came upon Jester's form. It was able to ocne more lock down Arcelia and instead of taking a large amount of Brute-Force damage like Arcelia may have been hoping the Kaor would take; the beast would isntead come out on top; despite being clearly injured by the princess, Jester was once mroe showcasing the power of it's race, and showing just how strong all Yokai could be at this form, at they worked at it.

And to think; even Jester knew she didn't stand a damn chance against Kudana in a one-on-one fight. The difference in their powers was far too much. Likely do to age and experience that Kudana had over the newly made Kaor. "Good good... But still not enough! Fight smarter princess! Not harder! In the end, battle is won more based on knowing your strength and your opponents, and learning weaknesses as well." Jester's fighting style was very up-close-and-personal. Bursting out waves upon waves of damage, with little concern or remorse.

A powerful, flame covered hand crashed down onto the girl, as she was scooped up and then thrown across the praires, allowing her the distance and the time needed to catch her breath. "You cannot defeat the strongest Kaor if you cannot defeat one as young as me. You must push yourself! Harder and Harder! I cannot be working with a Weak princess unable to become the Queen she was born to be. Just as you cannot have a Weak Yokai unable to become the Imperfect it was born to be. Yes?" A smile grew on the creature's face.
(Jester Vulpine)
Turns out fire hurts when you let most of it hit you.

Is that what she's been doing to other people?

Arcelia shook her head. She lost some of her focus and suffered because of it. She could've done far better than she did, but due to actually letting herself be hit, Jester overwhelmed her by a rather significant margin. Above all else,she was disappointed in herself, and knew exactly what to avoid next time.

But, as said before, it was easier said than done.

She utilized her spear to keep herself balanced, hesitating for a moment. Her body screamed at her to stop, but her mind refused to allow it.

"Not yet... I can do better."

Could flames of darkness burn with the same passion as flames of light? If they could, they certainly would, because Arcelia was not about to let herself take such a crushing loss sitting down.

"I know I can do it. I won't stop trying!"
(Arcelia Hirano)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 10)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 9)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 8)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 7)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 6)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 5)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 4)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 3)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 2)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 1)
{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: Go!)
Your body begins heating up painfully!
Your body begins heating up painfully!
And so it would seem that Jester's power was far, far beyond what Arcelia was capable of at the moment. But was that not to be expected? Jester was a Kaor after all. An Apex beast meant to haunt and devour humanity. Or so that's what many would believe. But this Yokai? NO it believed in acquiring influences. Acquiring strength beyond compare. And working with humans as an ally. Gain their support; rather than their ire.

And yet again; did Jester win. Yet again, did the beast prove it's incredible strength; the strength of a Kaor. The strength of a beast that just could not be defeated by your average Magi through normal means. Mayhaps one day, Arcelia would have been strong enough to beat the Jester; but as of right now? The Kaor had proven it's might. Yet again did it show that it was a worthy fighter.

Perhaps one that Arcelia would no longer label as a simple Pet.

With another powerful paw coming up, raising, and then crashing down upon the Hirano's body, the Yokai would then embed the girl's form into the praire grounds, glaring downward at her, the beast would only smile. "My dear Princess. Do you see how strong I have grown? So that you and I can work together in our goals. I am your greatest ally. Your friend. Your marauder to your cause. However there is but one thing I ask.

I have proven my strength. I have defeated you with a crushing difference in power. And now? I require your respect. No longer address me as a pet. Do not demean what I am. I am your warbeast, I am your greatest weapon. So long as you aid me in my goals; aid me in devouring whatever other Yokai or occultists defy our path. I shall stand by your side." And with that, the Kaor would aim to pull Arcelia up to a stand. Before Jester did anything else.

It'd give a preformer's bow, staying in that position. "Now I ask you, my Little Mistress. What am I to you? What does your heart tell you?"
(Jester Vulpine)
Boar: Rraaaagh!
Arcelia couldn't do it. She just couldn't inch out the power needed to win. She didn't know whether she was missing something or just too juvenile to actually hope to win, but that was just it- she couldn't win. Evolution was far too much of a gap, and Jester's raw power, even for a young Kaor, gave Arcelia an all-new perspective on just how powerful Kudana could actually be.

"I did... better than I thought I would."

But not good enough.

Arcelia stood up with Jester's help, her entire body hurting. Is that really what she made people feel...? At first, she reconsidered her whole approach, but then the realization that she had -that- kind of power over people made her feel... strange. It actually caused her to momentarily lick her lips, but when she realized what she did. She realized how much she enjoyed it.

Old habits die hard.

"Even though history has shown it's an awful idea... you're not my pet. You're not just my ally, either."

"You're my friend."

"Maybe you should be named Vulnona. Or Kyukon. Or something. I don't know where it came from, but my brain says it's the kind of thing that sounds like it'd fit."
(Arcelia Hirano)
A smile came from the Yokai as it rose back up to it's feet. A name? Friendship? Could Friendship between Yokai and human truly exist; even if one had the temptation to eat the other from time to time due to the Occult energy that flowed around her? Luckily for Arcelia the Kaor had long since learned to withhold Temptation if it meant something greater could bloom in the long run.

"I have yet to take a name, but the fact you offer me one is so kind. I will take on one of the names, but to decide..." Jester reached behind Arcelia's ear, pulling out a coin with a fox head on it and nine tails on the flip side, the creature would then toss the coin up into the air, allowing it to flip several times over before clattering several times against the ground, finally landing with the laughing fox face upward. "Vulnona it is. May our friendship be mutually fruitful." It was still unsure if Friendship could truly work between the two of them.

But both desperately needed fairly powerful allies. Ones that they could use to their fullest advantage. And so the risk was work it. A hand reaching back toward the horn of the Yokai that rested behind the left ear, a groan of pain sounded as it was broken off. BUt something to show a mutual gift exchange.

"Your spear is made of high-pedigree Ebony wood. Powerful for occultism. However it lacks a proper spear-head. My horn embodies the ocuclt nature of Yokai and the flames of my might. Should you ever wish to have your weapon a proper spear-head... you may use this horn. Or you may use it for something else. A gift to you, my Friend." Saying the word. It was so odd.
(Jester Vulpine)
Boar: Grrr!
Arcelia took the gift with a smile on her face. Since her getting Exodus didn't seem likely right now, perhaps upgrading the spear was warranted. Mind, she actually didn't have the faintest idea how to go about this, but if she asked  a few people, she'd probably be able to figure it out, or find someone else to do it for her.

rip hendrix

"Thanks. I'll be sure to make use of it!"

The more likely scenario is that she'd forget it was even an option, but it was nice to have as one regardless.

"I'm gonna head back now. I'm kinda exhausted and hurt all over."
(Arcelia Hirano)
Vulnona: As you wish.
Vulnona: You may call upon me whenever you need. Shall I accompany you back to Nostvale?
Arcelia Hirano: I'm just gonna town return and log off.