( closed. )

[serve]

Who: Frankenstein (serve) & others
What: Event starters + monthly catchall
When: September
Where: Flona Cove, likely other places
Warning(s): Violence in at least one thread, sex in another. Looks away.


(( Starters below in the comments!

If you would like a custom starter, feel free to PM/hit up baklava! I'm very open to new CR, just not crazy about writing toplevels right now. :D ))

Comments

[serve]

[ This may be the first time that Frankenstein is facing off against a completely unknown force. Though it may make for a longer, less exciting battle than simply charging in full force, he is, at his nature, investigative. Every passing second of testing each other is an improvised collection of data, of seeing just how quickly Archer moves to dodge his attack, and of how readily and rapidly he escalates the interaction. His speed doesn't disappoint, at least, the movement registering as a sharp breeze before he can pinpoint his presence once more.

By that point, it's time to move again. Frankenstein scarcely gets a chance to see him make the decision to move, though the reciprocal blow Archer aims is still relatively trivial to skirt with a quick jump backwards. It's a slow night tonight, apparently, because the previous contenders certainly haven't moved with this much speed, and that enough is sufficient to make the audience rapt with enthusiasm. ]

And you make a good dance partner so far. Can you keep up? [ He says with rapidly growing interest on his part and a widened gaze that is far less restrained than before, though speaking doesn't mean he's taken a respite. They can keep going like this, increasing speed, testing until they're able to land a hit, and it's certainly the safest route. Yet, although he considers himself a calculative man, sometimes it doesn't hurt to speed data collection up a bit.

The next time his fist looks to land a swing, this time aimed for Archer's shoulder, dark tendrils of power his fingertips, a controlled and inhibited spark of his aura. ]

[fakers]

[ his opponent's reflexes are impressive. it's obvious enough that they're both trying to get a read on one another, though so far neither has been willing to show their hand. fighting with his fists is hardly his forte, but he's proficient enough at it. when frankenstein's fist manages to connect, archer can't help but grimace; a normal blow shouldn't even be capable of phasing him, so this is obviously something more.

when he catches sight of frankenstein's fist, it becomes more than obvious why. ]

It depends on the dance. But I'm afraid you're a little mistaken. [ thus far he's limited himself to essentially what a normal human would be capable of; this opponent can clearly handle that with ease, so there's no need to hold back. though not apparent to a normal observer, someone in tune with supernatural forces would likely notice a slight green emitting from archer's arms as his magic circuits begin to fire.

it's a minor spell, but archer nonetheless reinforces his arms and legs, increasing their output dramatically. he launches himself at frankenstein again, though this time far faster than he was capable of earlier. his knee shoots upward at frankenstein's abdomen, aimed at knocking the air out of him. ]

If this is a dance, I'll be the one leading.

[serve]

[ They have hardly begun to move, but already, Archer's movements are more impressive and provide more of an interesting show than most others he's had the pleasure of fighting. There was nothing to be thankful for regarding the loss of their worlds-- everything his Master had worked so hard to protect was no more, after all. But meeting others who could actually provide a bit of a challenge for him was a small blessing.

He's almost disappointed when his shot actually lands, wondering if this would be enough to end their dance. Frankenstein draws back enough to analyze the damage, half-expecting to see a downed man before him. The strength and subdued power behind it would be enough to bring an end to a human, but this is clearly something more. He is relieved, nay, awed, at the development that follows. ]

Try and sweep me off my feet, then! [ Even if he could physically move out of Archer's way and avoid a hit to the chest, he doesn't, preferring to gauge just how powerful the force behind the attack is, and to retaliate directly. Instead, he braces himself, gritting his teeth in pain and groaning as the force of the attack forces him against the makeshift wall, breaking that portion of it and making the audience there scatter.

But as pain surges through his veins, so does power, and excitement at the possibility of things between them elevating further. He lets his aura flow more freely now, tinging every inch of his skin with the familiar sensation of dark energy-- something that wants to burn and consume. He attempts to grip Archer's leg firmly, before he can pull away, pitting his aura against Archer's magic in a tense standoff. His aura intensifies and grows with every passing second. ] Aha, are you feeling shy now? Leaving me so soon?!

[fakers]

[ there's a dark power there that archer doesn't quite understand; a building malevolence that's enough to make his skin crawl. for some reason, the image of a spear comes to mind, impressive in terms of both length and girth. he's not sure why, but he's immediately sure that spear must belong to this man... ]

Don't worry. I'm just getting started... This dance has just reached its second movement. [ something about the sensation of frankenstein's power touching him makes him feel ill, though it's hardly an ordinary illness. no... it fills him with a far more uneasy feeling, if only because there's something about it that's familiar. power born of the suffering of countless humans: this is unmistakably similar to the Grail, even if it isn't quite the same.

for that reason alone he quickly swings an arm around, trying to catch frankenstein in the jaw with an open palm strike. the attack isn't entirely meant to connect - he just hopes for an opening that will allow him to pull his knee free so he can make some distance between the two of them. that feeling... that is anathema to Servants. for beings made of spiritual energy, a power born of corrupted souls can do much the same to them: if he allowed himself to continue being in contact with that power, there's no telling what it would do to his own spiritual core. ]

Though it seems if I let down my guard, you may end up swallowing me whole. [ why is this fight like this... why is it just getting worse. why am i not even trying to do serious brackets at all anymore; anyway archer is just sizing frankenstein up from a distance now, not sure how to engage. though he's hardly to type to run away from a threat, this has definitely gone beyond the bounds of a normal fight now. but it's still not a true fight, aimed at killing (he thinks?), so he makes a compromise. with a wave of his hands, two wooden practice swords appear. ]

I imagine you won't protest if I use some toys.

[serve]

[ The attempt works to Archer’s favor: the instinct for self-preservation and avoiding a hit is strong enough that he disconnects his hold from Archer’s leg and moves quickly out of his way. It’s a smart move, even if it denies him the desire to test his power head-to-head. Though it is still enough that he can feel some of the impact, it is nothing that he reacts to with more than a frown.

His intent isn’t to kill, he isn’t fargone enough for that at least, but it’s been a long time since he’s stretched his legs, and he may be feeling a bit rowdy. His aura returns to a simmering presence surrounding his corporeal form, and when he sees that Archer has a summoning power, he’s intrigued.

Until Frankenstein sees what he produces. He laughs, and that’s enough to remind him that they’re just sparring, after all.

Still, he wants more than wooden swords. ]

Your toys disappoint me. Am I not good enough for the real thing? [ By which he means real sword, or something that demonstrates his true power, but of course I’m going to leave it as the worst innuendo because that’s what this thread has become. He makes no further move now, unsure if this is a trick of some sort. ]

[fakers]

[ this isn't a battle to the death. archer understands that, even if he views the person he's facing as a true threat to his life. the power he wields is too dangerous... part of him wonders if it wouldn't be for the best if he simply eliminated him entirely. but no, that would be far too hasty. frankenstein has seemed reasonable enough so far, even if archer questions the kind of power he wields.

so he simply turns the weapons in his hands, taking a defensive posture. ]

Don't be hasty. This is simply some light... foreplay. [ .-. ] A warm up before the main event.

[ the wooden swords, though they may appear undaunting, are far from normal anyway - which he'll demonstrate as he shoots forward at full speed, slashing one at frankenstein before quickly following up by thrusting the other.

as he says, the wooden swords are reinforced to be far more powerful than simple wooden weapons. while the impact alone would normally be enough to break a wooden weapon, these hold up well enough - in truth, they're more than sturdy enough to match blows with a steel blade. not that it would have been obvious just looking at them; the magical reinforcement is hardly visible to the naked eye. ]