Fight:Hildegarde vs Misaki
Part of the Festival of Aramoth Contest.
Frostmaw Arena
Hildegarde had taken a seat at the arena, whetstone running down the length of her short-sword while her halberd was propped up beside her, having already been honed and tended to. The knight sighed with a contented look upon her face, finding a sublime sort of peace in the rhythmic action of taking care of her weapons. It always served well to keep a blade sharp: you never know when you might need it. The couatl near her coiled his tail and pushed the rest of his body up, giving his forked tongue a lazy flick as he allowed his mind to verbalise his thoughts: ~I think you could shave one of the giants beards with that!~
Misaki slips quietly into the arena. The pink-haired avian was all clean now, and pretty rejuvenated, though still slightly shaky from her most recent brush with death. Her weapon and partner, Satoru, was yelling at her. "You need more rest!" he yelled, "You shouldn't be coming back here looking for a fight when--" Misaki was quite obviously ignoring her blindfolded companion. "And you've already lost all the feathers on your wing!" Satoru said, tugging on Misaki's bare left wing, "What are you going to do if this gets chopped off, hm?" "Simple," she replied, "I'd chop the other one off so I'd be able to watch them both regenerate." Satoru threw up his hands in exasperation. "You're impossible," he stated. "Thank you," the avian replied, her eyes finally finding Hildegarde. She smiled politely, walking over to her acquaintance. "Greetings, Miss Hildegarde," she said, being careful to avoid stepping on the couatl.
Mark enters in stadium in silence, this time he's above, in the seating area of the colosseum as he gazes down into the fighting pit where he'd been defeated just yesterday. The events run over and over again in his mind as he takes a seat. The as his surveys the area, however, he finds that the arena isn't empty as he had expected. Misaki, with whom he'd spoken with not too long ago, was down there... but why? Then there was another female as well, he recognized her from the Caber tossing event, she'd conversed with Nowfaleena before the feline took her cubs to the smaller Cabers to allow her son to attempt the toss... but who was she and what was she doing here?
Hildegarde’s scale tipped hears picked up on the sound of conversation, albeit a heated one from the sounds of it. A final stroke of the whetstone before she raised her head, the knight smiled at the sight of Misaki – and her unknown companion – and made to rise to her feet, “M’lady Misaki,” she said in greeting, bowing at the waist respectfully. “What brings you out here to Frostmaw?”
Misaki || "I said I'd visit, didn't I?" She smiled, and chuckled, "I'm here for the festival. Though the results weren't what I expected." She ran her fingers through her once-white hair, "Blood got into my hair, turned it pink. I'm gonna have to live with this for a while, until my hair grows back." She shrugged. "Just last night, I was in a two-against-two battle against Her Majesty's husband. It didn't go as well as I had planned." Satoru grumbled, itching at his blindfold, "She got cut all the way through her stomach," Satoru stated, "so I'm saying that even though she feels better and her wound is closed, she should get more rest." Misaki waved a hand. "This man here is my servant, companion, and my weapon, Satoru," she said.
Hildegarde smiled at the remark, nodding, “Indeed, m’lady, you did say you would visit! I must assume that you found some warm clothing, then.” The knight laughed lightly, “Ah, yes, blood can ruin many things with the stain it leaves behind. It can even ruin the things we cannot see,” she said with an almost wise tone. “Her Grace and His Lordship are a force to be reckoned with! I truly fear the prospect of fighting either one. It is why I am glad I merely serve them.” At the mention of Satoru, the knight turned and offered him a bow, “An honour to meet you, Sir Satoru.”
Misaki chuckled. "I'm kind of in the mood for another fight, though," she said, "not a serious one, mind. I don't think Satoru would be too happy with that." Satoru frowned at his mistress. "How about it, Miss Hildegarde? Would you like to practice with me?" the avian asked. Satoru sighed. "...that fight-loving blood of your is going to get you killed," he muttered.
Hildegarde said to Misaki, "I suppose nothing too serious would be all well and good! What do you suggest, m'lady? Hand to hand, blunted swords?"
Misaki said to Hildegarde, "I'm no good with swords, but I can do hand-to-hand pretty well."
Hildegarde nodded her head in agreement, sheathing her sword and unbuckling her sword belt. Addressing Kenway, "You look after those," she said, unbuckling her breastplate and leave it beside her companion. Gauntlets removed, she rolled her shoulders and smiled to Misaki, "Then let's fight, m'lady!"
Misaki smiles, nodding once to Satoru. He sighed, backing off. and sitting on one of the benches. The avian had no sleeves to roll up, but she did the next best thing; she concentrated, placing her palms together. Her wings started to shrink, getting absorbed into the avian's back. "Now I can fight without hinderances," she said, spreading her feet apart and lifting her arms in a defensive stance, "You first, Miss Hildegarde."
Hildegarde offered a nod at Misaki’s words, stepping in quickly to initiate their combat. Her arm swung in an arc, as if it were aiming for the point where neck and shoulder meet, only to never land! The knight dropped swiftly and swung her leg out in an effort to trip up the avian, the arc of her arm being used merely as a feint. Having battled with Seriis and other foes who were quicker than her, she knew the dangers of lurking around them too long: causing her to roll to the side regardless of the success or failure of her attack.
Mark watched as both women seemed to be preparing for something, the stranger removed her armor and weapons while the Avian signaled for her familiar to move to the sidelines. Then it came, the first strike from the woman who was a stranger to Mark, it became clear that the two were going to have a little bout. Mark shifts, moving from his seat to one where it'd be easier to observe the two. He wasn't too sure of Misaki's skills in close quarters combat, but she looked like she'd be swifter than her opponent while the other definitely seemed more experienced at close range, she also looked to be superior in strength...
Misaki fell for the feint. She thrust out her arm to block the attack, only to be tripped by the dragon's leg. Misaki squeaked like a baby bird as she fell and his her head on the hard-packed snow. She placed her hands on the ground and pushed with all her might, swinging her legs around in an attempt to kick the dragon, but she had already moved out of the way... so Misaki decided to use a different approach. She swung her legs under her and pushed on the ground with all of her might. She managed to launch up into the air a few feet, flip, and aim a downward punch towards Hildegarde, screeching like a hunting falcon in an attempt to daze her opponent so hit would land. However, regardless of whether or not she managed to punch the dragon, she would leap away a few feet to avoid an immediate counterattack.
Hildegarde was pleased her feint had worked, but she would be sure to apologise for her misdirection after the battle. However, the knight had been impressed by Misaki’s display of strength and grace: allowing herself to become distracted and punched square on the nose. With a cry of discomfort, the knight staggered back and away from the avian. But unlike any human or weaker dragons, her nose did not bleed nor break, for Silver dragons were perhaps the most physically powerful of all common breeds of dragon! Hilde offered Misaki a sort of angry snort, curling her hands into tight fists as she suddenly sprinted for the avian. With no wings to carry her, the knight had hoped the woman would be caught up in the sudden burst of speed from the knight and be tackled harshly to the ground, followed by the Silver cracking her skull in the direction of Misaki’s.
Misaki gritted her teeth as the dragon charged at her. So she did what any stupid person would do - she charged at the dragon as well. She was still fragile from her earlier fight against Kasyr and the strange smoke-blowing illusionist, but she took the attack head-on... literally. Her forehead smashed into the Silver's, leaving her a little dazed. As she started to fall backwards, the Avian lifted her right leg, planting it on the silver's stomach. And so she fell, pushing on the dragon, hoping to flip the larger woman over her harmlessly. If that were to succeed, Misaki would prepare to aim another spinning-kick acrobatic attack on the dragon. If not, well... squished bird, anyone?
Hildegarde had thick dragon bones and was far heavier than most people, she was a meaty warrior after all: made of thick muscle and dense bones. The knight ‘oomphed’ as the avian contacted her skull with her very own, but she had already seen how acrobatic the woman could be and had grown tired of the flimsy and tricky movements! The leg planted against her stomach, but the knight shot out her hand to grip the ankle of Misaki and throw her in the other direction: over her shoulder and down into the cold, hard ground with a mighty smack, stepping in quickly – if her counterattack was a success – and pressing her booted foot down hard on Misaki’s sternum, “Do you yield?” she would ask.
Misaki || Woah was her move just reversed on her? Misaki had lost sense of everythign that was going on in her shock. The next thing she knew, she was lying in the snow, with Hilde stepping on her sternum. "...you are very good, Miss Hilde," she said, "I know when to quit. I yield." She smiled at the dragon, "I'm impressed you managed to keep yourself from being tossed like that."
Hildegarde immediately lifted her boot and knelt beside the woman, offering her a gloved hand in order to assist her in standing. “M’lady, I am a dragon and what giants consider to be a meal, I consider to be but a morsel! I am a heavy woman, though my figure will tell you I am fit and healthy.” She said it all in good humour and politeness, “A good stance will also help you to keep your balance. I must also apologise for my misdirection in using that feint… but a feint is often a warrior’s best weapon. The mind is a weapon, m’lady, too few remember that.”
Misaki accepts the offered had and allows herself to be pulled to her feet. "A feint id a good weapon when your opponent is not at their best," Misaki stated, "there is nothing for you to apologize for." She chuckled, "Thank you for the bout. It was very educating. I still have a lot to learn, it seems." Lifting people much heavier than her was number one on the list.
Hildegarde said to Misaki, "If it interests you, I am sure the Academy could show you a thing or two, m'lady. But yes, thank you kindly for the bout. It was most invigorating!”