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Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru


Takimaru

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Status:
Akari: HP = 70, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Akari stepped out onto the porch of her family dojo, surveying the rather grand courtyard before her. It was admittedly rather beautiful, especially when touched by the morning sun's rays in such a manner, the neatly arranged greenery lining the area faintly adorned with sparkling dewdrops. In addition, it was fairly well-maintained, thanks to the efforts of a few hard-working students, as well as Akari herself, the ground largely composed of a flat, wide space paved with numerous square bricks on which the establishment's martial artists could practice their techniques. And yet, there was something missing, something that made the dojo, as well as the gated area around it, feel like but a shell of what it once was. Akari was reminded of this almost every morning, when her father's faithful disciples--her classmates--came strolling in, one by one, in order to do their warm-ups before training began.

Attendance was easy... too easy. Only a little over a dozen--14 students total, including herself--were considered official members of the group. For one as large and prestigious as the Red Phoenix Dojo, this number was, to say the least, pathetic. No, it was embarrassing. Reputation, as well as 'face', was practically everything in the world of Honrainese martial artists, and this one had little to none. Worse was the actual reason for this. The master of the school, Akari's father Hayato, was not always a subpar warrior by any means--his strength was very real, and despite his age at the time, he bore a frame well-toned from countless years of conditioning, no doubt a force to be reckoned with. And while he still had traces of his fabled abilities today, this wasn't as consistent as it used to be, as he was prone to collapsing or falling into a state of temporary paralysis every once in a while. It didn't interfere much with his abilities as a teacher, but it kept him from being able to properly participate in duels or contests with the other masters.

Winning fights in competitions, between members and teachers alike, was necessary for a dojo in the southern region of Honrai to maintain any sort of positive ring to its name, and as the Red Phoenix could only do so with their students, not their master, they were limited in more ways than one. None of it was Akari or her father's fault, either, or so she was certainly convinced of such. Rumor had it that an old prodigy of her father's, from when Akari herself was but a toddler, had betrayed the master and poisoned him in order to sabotage an important duel--one that Hayato lost due to a moment of paralysis, leading to a downward spiral that brought the dojo to this sad state. The rebellious student, whom Akari only knew as Isao, then left, said to have eventually started a dojo of his own. Her father was not fond of speaking about the subject, but she remembers the feelings of despair that engulfed both of her parents at the time, the courtyard that only seemed to look more and more empty with each day... needless to say, none of it was pleasant to the young Akari.

Still, Hayato was strong of both mind and spirit, even amongst other martial artists, and he persevered in teaching his daughter well despite his deteriorating physical condition. Through both of their combined efforts, the Red Phoenix Dojo gradually acquired a small handful of strongly devout followers. It was humble, but it was a new start nonetheless. Now at the age of nineteen, she was considered more than old enough to marry and take a husband, but not even half of the class could qualify, strength-wise, to be considered her equal, and there was much to be done. One day, she would once again see this courtyard full of budding martial artists, eager to learn, and her father's name, as well as that of her family dojo, restored to its rightful place in the hierarchy.

Today, despite some of the usual melancholy undertones of things once had and glory lost, was a day like any other; of hard, rigorous training. A true martial artist would rise in the morning, and seek to be a better person, physically, spiritually, and mentally, by the time they went to bed at night--those were words that Akari's father spoke often, and the entire dojo lived by this creed. As the students got themselves ready, warming up and stretching out a bit, they would greet the dojo's 'princess' in customary manner, with a bow and a solemn salute of sorts, putting a closed fist into an open palm.

The boys would enter in order: Shin, a fun-loving and light-hearted boy with purple hair; Kyo, a serious, red-headed pupil who took everything almost too seriously; Sora, a prodigy of sorts; Take, a brash and somewhat dim one who was known for having a hot head; Ryuu, who was known to be an insatiable flirt; Daichi, an incredibly wide-framed young man; Ichiro, Jiro, and Saburo, triplets whose mannerisms were practically identical, Haru, a boy effeminate and androgynous in his appearance; Eiji, a slacker with no limit on his ability to make light of a situation; and of course Akio, always well-mannered, the most polite of the bunch.

As Akari's father finally entered the courtyard, he gave each of them a solemn nod, and simply watched as they proceeded the morning warm-ups without further need for instruction. Such was their discipline that, for the most part, Hayato needed not whip them into shape... at least when it came to honing their martial skills. In terms of social behavior, however, that was another matter.

And yet, after the head count was done, Akari would find there to be only thirteen of the supposed fourteen present. It was already fifteen minutes past the supposed start time, and someone was late...

"I'M HEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!" yelled a youth with bandages all over his hands and messy green hair as he skidded to a stop. It was Souta, one of the newer members and something of a klutz; if there was one to be considered a 'black sheep' of the group, it would be him. "Just in time! I'm not late, am I?!"

"...You're very late," commented Kyo with no lack of disdain in his voice. "When will you learn to tell the time? Timing is important in everything."

Ichiro, Jiro, and Saburo tried their best to hide a synchronized chuckle, while Sora commented, "You know it's bad if Eiji gets here before you."

"Aw... man. W-Well uh... I've been doing some SECRET TRAINING at night, every night for the past two weeks, and today's the day!" Souta stopped to catch his breath, then looked up at the others.

"You mean masturbating over Miss Akari?" said Ryuu with a grin. This earned him a bad look from some of the others, however, and he flashed an apologetic expression before looking down.

"If today was the day you decided you'd come in on time, you're a little late for that," replied Kyo flatly. "I'd recommend getting warmed up."

"W...W-What?!" A telltale blush creeped over Souta's face. "No! I've been training on my sparring skills, and... today... Akari, I challenge you to a duel!" His visage reddened, sweatdrops collecting upon his forehead as he stuttered to get the following sentence out. "I-If... if I win... y-you have to g-go out on a date with m-me! Just... just like you said y-you would last class!"

A collective silence came over the class, with almost all of them looking at Souta as if he were crazy. Some of them began to mumble amongst themselves.

"Uhhh... I think he's had too much of the bad tea," groaned Take with a sigh. "I don't remember Miss Akari agreeing to anything like that."

"Fantasizingggggg..." teased Ryuu before going quiet again.

"Do you think he can actually do it?" whispered Haru to Sora.

"Hardly. Even I have trouble with Miss Akari in live sparring, and he hasn't shown us anything special in class... well... ever. If he can manage to beat her, that's... quite some training he's been putting himself through."
 
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xgkf

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

“Silence, please!” Akari shouted, her tone more one of mild annoyance than anger at the chatter than had sprung up after Souta issued his ‘challenge’. After a moment, the young woman began walking out towards Souta gradually with a serious look on her face.

“I decline your challenge, Souta,” she said plainly, stopping and looking at him with her hands clasped behind her back. “I have no issue accepting a duel or sparring match with you or any of the students here in order to test your skills or to practice a technique you may have learned or wish to try out, and neither should anyone else here have reservations about issuing or accepting such challenges themselves. It’s why we’re all here, after all, to learn and become stronger, and to become stronger as a dojo. I care about and appreciate the work and dedication that everyone shows, and it makes me happy to see all of us succeed and flourish,” Akari said, glancing around at the other students as she spoke before returning her attention to Souta. “But what you asked of me just now as an added condition to us dueling is simply disrespectful, and that you would do so immediately after showing up so late with little sign of remorse only makes it more so. It makes me question the level of respect that you really have for this dojo and your fellow students, and that you would treat me or my affection as a prize that could be won merely by beating me in a duel makes me question how much respect you have for me, as well. And I can tell you right now that such disrespect is certainly not the way to a woman’s heart,” she explained, her tone remaining leveled and her body language showing that she was more disappointed than angry.

Akari would pause, then, allowing a moment for her words to sink in before taking a deep, calming breath to relax her muscles and her face to soften as her more usual air returned. “Now then, with that being said, if you would still like to spar with me, Souta, I would be happy to...minus any added ‘conditions’, of course. If you have been putting as much time into this ‘secret training’ of yours as you say, I’m sure that I and the other students would be interested in seeing the results. Otherwise, I encourage you to take your place in the yard and begin warming up so that we may begin to days training,” she said, reaching out and placing her hand on his shoulder in a supportive gesture. “And if you want to change my mind about your level of respect and dedication to this dojo, you can start by apologizing to your classmates for your tardiness, and you can make up for it by arriving early every day for the rest of this week,” the young woman finished, pulling her hand back and clasping her hands loosely behind her back again as she awaited his reply. “Well, what do you say, Souta?”
 
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Takimaru

Takimaru

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 70, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Upon hearing Akari's command for silence, the others ceased their chattering in an instant. With how quickly the girl's order was carried out and obeyed, it was almost as if the Master himself had spoken, but under normal circumstances, they definitely wouldn't have done so with the same amount of urgency, and Akari knew it. From the looks on their faces, the other students' haste in quieting down seemed to be less out of pure discipline and more out of curiosity in hearing her answer to Souta's outlandish request.

"O-Oh... but, I... uh..." Souta's spirited expression wilted when the target of his admiration addressed him in such an unexpectedly stern manner, though the others certainly seemed to have predicted such an outcome; they didn't even need to say a single word for anyone to be able to read them. "I just thought that you said... erm..." His shoulders slumped, the youth placed a hand behind his head, the blush still upon his face, though it was less from the nerves of confession now, and more characteristic of sheer embarrassment, especially with the eyes of everyone there upon him.

"Hohoho..." Akari's father Hayato gave a hearty laugh, his hands clasped behind his back as he slowly made his way towards Souta. "For someone to even say such a thing to my daughter in my presence, now that takes spirit! In all my years, I've never met one with the courage to do that outright. I appreciate that much. But do tell, young one, let's say if you were to defeat my daughter, and earn her affections, what then?"

Souta looked up at Hayato, a small degree of hope returning to his face thanks to her father's somewhat encouraging words. "I... I'd be happy, Master Hayato! I really think that nothing would uh..." The youth's eyes wandered up to meet Akari's before turning back to those of her father's once again. "...that nothing would make me quite as content as sharing the rest of my days with her." His face turned beet red.

"Content enough to stop training?" Hayato responded, calmly.

"I... well... uh, n-no... I mean..."

"Mm. It's certainly good to be motivated in your pursuits. But it would be saddening to see a budding young martial artist such as yourself lose his steam over such a matter. The 'way' for those of our discipline is not so short, however. It is an ongoing road, a journey that is never quite over until you make it so, and even then, there is something to be said for what you have gained along the way. A martial artist, especially a subscriber to the way of the Red Phoenix, is never truly vanquished until they, themselves, consciously allow the fire in their hearts to be put out. Whether in a fight, or in life, persevering, staying active, constantly looking to improve one's self... these tenets separate us from mere thugs. They keep us going, in times of hardship and otherwise, whereas others would simply fall by the wayside. Remember that a single flame, no matter how dim, always retains the potential to set an entire forest ablaze."

The master ended his sentence with a calm smile. He didn't have to explain his side of the story. Everyone in class knew the tale, of what the Master had been through at the hands of an old pupil, and of his deteriorating health thanks to the crippling poison planted in his tea one fateful day. He could have left the world of dojos and battles completely, resigning himself to a quiet, yet peaceful life as an acupuncturist. But Akari's father, a true martial artist at heart, would not allow the legacy of his style to die with a whimper. Despite his odd ailments, he continued on, and with what strength he did have, as well as through Akari, rebuilt the dojo into new, albeit humble, beginnings.

"That being said... I would certainly appreciate it if you came on time more often. As you know, it's rude in Honrai to be late to any sort of meeting--certainly you wouldn't want to disrespect Akari in such a manner each day, would you?" He smirked. While Hayato certainly had the ability to be strict, a quality Akari knew well, he was still kind to students such as Souta, ones whose path had not yet been fully established unlike the more serious ones like Kyo.

"Right--I mean, yes, Master!" said Souta, humbled yet strangely energized from Hayato's short lecture. He turned to the others, placing fist in open palm, and bowed deeply. "I apologize for being late! I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again!"

Expectedly, at least half of the class gave him skeptical looks, but for the most part, they returned with a collective nod, accepting his apology.

"Well done. At the very least, your timing seems appropriate, as today is a sparring day. Since Akari seems willing, feel free to accept her challenge, although other conditions are, of course, best left to her," said the master with a most amused look.

"Yes, Master Hayato," Souta replied with the customary salute and bow, his spirit returning. Afterwards, he turned to Akari, unable to help feeling somewhat awkward, but even then, he wasn't to let the embarrassment stop him. "I... I accept!"

"Now?" asked Kyo with a raised brow. "If you don't warm up properly, you'll--"

"I'm ready now! Now, more than ever!" interrupted Souta with conviction. "Master got me fired up, so I'm not gonna let this inspiration go to waste! I'm going to show everyone the results of my secret training!"

As with many formal duels, which tended to end with unconsciousness or the signal to give up, the others formed a line against one wall while Souta did a light warm-up before slipping into stance, keeping a strangely low guard. "Ossu'! Ready when you are!"
 

xgkf

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Akari stepped off to the side and turned to look back at her father as he arrived, standing silently and respectfully as he began to speak. She frowned slightly at his words, which more-or-less colored him impressed by what Souta’s had said, somewhat defeating the point she had just tried to make against such behavior. But as her father continued, asking him what exactly he thought would happen if he were to gain her affection in such a manner, even Akari couldn’t keep from blushing slightly at the boy’s response, somewhat embarrassed at learning just how deep his infatuation with her apparently was.

She managed to suppress her embarrassment fairly quickly, however, and as her father continued and got to the heart of his speech, Akari straightened her stance and listened respectfully as he reiterated the values of the dojo, the values she grew up believing in. Her father had always been able to inspire her and his students with his words and his actions, the green-haired girl just didn’t understand why she couldn’t quite seem to do the same. A fact again pointed out to the young martial artist – whether anyone else was aware of it or not – when Hayato had finished his brief lecture, leaving Souta both humbled and energized at her father’s words, compared to the boy just sounding disheartened after she had spoken to him.

Even so, Akari was at least pleased to see the boy’s attitude changed for the better following her father’s speech, and she returned Souta’s bow and accepted his apology along with the other students.

“Very well, then,” Akari replied after a moment, bowing her head customarily when Souta finally accepted her offer of a simple sparring match. She then took her place in the yard and stood while the other students moved to form a line against the wall to watch, waiting for him to finished his brief warming and take his stance. Akari then fell into her own practiced stance, curious to see what Souta could have learned on his own to make him so confident all of the sudden that he couldn’t have learned at the dojo. “Ready,” she said simply, her eyes focused and waiting for him to make the first move.

RP:
Use Defensive Fighting; -20 Attack, +20 Dodge
Use the “Trip” Skill
 
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Takimaru

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 70, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Akari's Trip:
Attack Roll:
Akari rolled a 15 (+28) = 43. Auto-hit.
Resistance Check:
Akari rolled a 13 (+15) = 28.
Souta rolled a 19 (+10) = 29. Souta wins.

Souta's Stunning Blow:
Attack Roll:
Souta rolled a 2 (+38 modifier, -8 penalty) = 32. Miss.

Ever the eager one, the green-haired lad made the first move, despite the very real danger of a swift counterattack from the master's daughter. He took a quick step forward, entering the pocket without bothering to even do so much as make a feint. Souta's attack was honest, almost too honest in how telegraphed it was, as he swung his leg up vertically, then brought the heel of his feet speeding down towards Akari's shoulder. However, he didn't possess the sheer speed necessary with his leading axe kick to land on time, and the girl managed to sway to the side, allowing Souta to miss just barely. Despite the failure to connect, his foot kept moving, swinging down and underneath him before looping around and horizontally, into a spinning back kick, much to the amazement of the students watching.

"That's new," commented Shin.

"Heh, it's pretty fancy, even for someone as unathletic as him," added Ryuu with a shrug.

"Still... something like that won't be enough to take Miss Akari down so easily," said Sora, watching the bout with a hand on his chin.

The prodigy was right, as Akari saw this coming regardless, and shifted off to the other side before slanting low to her left and sending a low kick to the back of Souta's supporting leg in order to send him down. She felt the force of her shin driving into his calf, and his balance give way, but despite taking a fall that would have sent most on their ass, Souta managed to catch himself on one hand and foot instead of landing in the way that Akari hoped for, then sprung away twice in the most awkward manner, making it questionable whether or not this move was intentional. "At-ta-ta... whew! Ehehe. I'm not done yet!"

Kyo sighed. "I can't tell if he actually got good or just got lucky."

However, this strange series of movements took away Souta's base, and he staggered a bit, trying to regain his footing and stance to follow up with another attack. If there was any time to take the initiative, Akari knew it would be now.
 
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xgkf

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

As Souta caught himself and sprang away, managing to withstand her precision counter-attack, Akari was surprised to see him do so, as ungraceful a rebound as it was. She had learned long ago never to underestimate an opponent, however, so when the opportunity to strike herself arose she didn’t hesitate to take it, hoping to catch the boy while he was still off balance from her initial counter.

Akari sprang forward in a flash, taking the initiative and aiming another precision strike, this time at Souta’s stomach, looking to take the boy out before he knew what hit him.

RP:
Defensive Fighting; -20 Attack, +20 Dodge
Use the “Sudden Strike” and “Paralyzing Strike” Skills
 
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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 70, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Akari's Attack Roll:
Akari rolled a 17 (+28) = 45. Hit.

Stealth check:
Akari rolled a 10 (+30, -5) vs Souta's 12 (+14). Yeah, success.

Resistance check:
Akari rolled a 19 (+15) = 34.
Souta rolled a 9 (+10) = 19. Akari wins.
Souta is paralyzed. He can't move now except on natural 20 rolls, so...

Souta did eventually find the ground beneath him, no thanks to his rather unorthodox method of recovering from his opponent's trip attempt. Unfortunately, he managed to regain his focus far too late, raising a high guard out of instinct more than anything else upon seeing Akari speeding towards him. Then, it was almost as if she disappeared from his field of vision, and the youth's eyes widened in shock, but the others watching saw what the girl had done, feinting high and shooting in low to deliver a stunning strike directly to his solarplexus. It was a technique taught to her by her father, who was intimately familiar with the body's pressure points, thanks to his other profession in traditional Honrainese medicine. Souta himself, as well as many others, were familiar with it, but unfortunately for the green-haired girl's admirer, he didn't recognize the nature of the move until it was far too late, having doubled over, dropping to his knees. Try as he might, he couldn't move, other than to raise his eyes at Akari with a melancholy look to him, and at that point, he knew what the entire class did. That he had lost. In a real fight situation, he would essentially be at Akari's mercy. While some of the heartier students like Daichi could eventually fight through it, given some time, Souta simply didn't have the conditioning to do such a thing right now. It would take quite a while for this state to pass; that, or for someone to properly 'release' him by hitting the right pressure points, which Akari did know.

"Mm... I'd say that's enough." Hayato stepped forward, nodding to Akari in approval before stopping right next to the kneeling Souta, and gave him a light tap not far from where he was struck. Suddenly, the boy regained feeling in his body, and slowly acknowledged Akari, and her victory, with the customary salute.

"U-Uh.. t-thank you, Master. And Akari... for taking at least one part of my challenge..." The fire in his expression was just about snuffed out at this point.

Hayato shook his head, saying, "Don't let such a defeat rob you of your spirit. It is through these losses, through adversity, that we learn to improve ourselves. Not through simply winning alone. If you want to show anyone your strength, it would be by finding the resolve to get back up after you are down."

"Yes, Master Hayato..." Souta trailed off. While he did heed the old man's words, finding them at least mildly comforting, the boy's heart was still crushed from the defeat. After all, he was not a usual sparring partner of Akari's, as he was in the class's lower echelons; Sora and Kyo tended to fulfill that duty for her. As a result, the girl's strength was utterly surprising to Souta, even after whatever training he might have put himself through. "I wouldn't be able to protect Miss Akari anyway, at this rate," he said in a near-whisper, more to himself than anyone else.

"You will, provided you continue your training," said the master in a somewhat encouraging, yet stern tone. "Souta. For today's sparring, why don't you partner up with Haru?" He then turned to the rest of the class. "The rest of the pairs will be as follows; Shin and Ryuu, Kyo and Take, Saburo and Akio, Ichiro and Daichi, Jiro and Eiji. Sora will couple up with Akari. But first, let's proceed with the daily forms and drills." Even on sparring days, there were certain things that the class did without fail. Punching and kicking in stance, as a whole, while the master went around and adjusted everyone's technique, was a common experience during dojo sessions. Not a day went by without at least something like it, especially for Akari.

After they finished, a brief intermission took place before the sparring began. Most of the students used this short period to socialize or exchange gossip, at least in passing.

Ryuu's voice could be heard over some of the rest. "Hey, did you hear about the trouble going around recently? Someone's been busting other dojos, challenging people to fights in their own courtyards... heck, even beating up the strongest members in isolated streets and what not. It's just one family doing it, too... I don't know the name, but I just saw that the Iron Hand Dojo's sign was taken down the other day, and that's what one of their guys told me."

"What? Dojo breaking, from a group no one has even heard of? That seems... far-fetched to me. Maybe the Iron Hand just gave you that story to save their reputation," replied Akio with an understandable degree of skepticism.

"Even then, with schools like the Shifting Steps style, as well as the Jade Balance dojo, they probably won't get far," commented Shin with a shrug.

Ryuu couldn't help but frown. "That... was the second thing I was going to bring up. Both Shifting Steps and Jade Balance are shut down now because of this new group. I'm serious! I mean, those are both big names, so they probably won't target us anytime soon, but just saying."

"But I saw both of their signs up just last week! There's no way a couple of thugs off the street can destroy the reputations and business of two dojos in that short a time! Not by using fair and honorable means, anyway!" exclaimed Akio.

"Whaaaat...?" asked Shin, a brow raised. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Kyo and Sora looked at each other, then to Akari, remaining silent for the most part.
 
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xgkf

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

After her strike landed, Akari quickly leapt away and resumed a defensive stance even as Souta doubled over and fell to his knees, just in case he managed to withstand the effects of her blow as he had done a few moments prior. As her father spoke, signaling the end of the brief match, Akari straightened her stance and gave a customary bow to both Hayato and Souta before moving over to kneel down next to the boy as well, nodding and smiling softly in acknowledgment of his salute to her victory.

She then put her hand on Souta’s shoulder again in a show of support as he spoke, sounding disheartened again by his defeat. As her father spoke his words of encouragement, Akari gave a nod in agreement and helped him to his feet. “Father is right, Souta. Don’t be disheartened,” she said. “You’ll get stronger with time, as we all have, and continue to do. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but you can do it. Just always remember that there are no shortcuts, in martial arts or otherwise,” Akari finished, giving Souta a friendly smile and a supportive pat on his shoulders before finally stepping away and returning to her place in the courtyard in preparation for the day’s forms and drills.

The drills progressed as usual, with Hayato moving around amongst the students and adjusting their forms and techniques. As the class finished their drills and divided up amongst themselves during the brief intermission before sparring began, Akari overheard some of the chatter between the other students about a dojo breaking up, and some unknown group possibly being the cause. She didn’t think all that much of it besides mere rumor until the names of two other notable dojo’s were mentioned as well. As Kyo and Sora exchanged glances with each other, and then with Akari herself, she returned their gazes with a sense of worry on her face. If what Ryuu was saying was true, what sort of group could possibly be going around and be strong enough to break up big-name dojo’s? But perhaps more importantly, why?

“Pardon me a moment...” Akari said, nodding to Kyo and Sora before turning and walking over to her father, her intent to ask him about these rumors likely apparent to the other two students. “Excuse me, Father? Do you know anything about these stories about some...group going around and breaking up dojo? Ryuu was speaking about it just now, mentioning three dojo that they have apparently hit already, and it has me worried...”
 
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Takimaru

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 70, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Also, Akari gained 2 EXP for defeating Souta.

Akari's father turned to her, pausing for just a moment to collect his thoughts before responding. "Hmm, unfortunately I can't say I have. These must be some--"

Hayato's speech abruptly came to a stop. His entire body seemed stuck in that position, as he could only look at her blankly. Shocking as it might seem to those who weren't familiar with the old man, this was commonplace for the ones who did know him, including the students and Akari herself. Even then, it only lasted roughly three seconds; some spells were longer, others shorter. But for the most part, these sporadic spells of temporary paralysis, imposed permanently on his body by the poison given to him years ago, kept the otherwise formidable master from engaging in formal duels effectively.

Suddenly, he seemed to come back to life once again, his eyes returning to focus. "...Ahem. As I was saying, these must be some fairly recent events, perhaps within the last two or three days, though it is still quite worrisome. I haven't heard any news from the other masters themselves within that time. For three schools to be shut down like that..."

"There may be more than just martial artists at work. Perhaps a degree of foul play," suggested Sora.

"It has to be! Those cheaters," said a fired up Take. "We should find these idiots and take the fight to them!"

"Would be nice, if we actually knew what they looked like," quipped Kyo with a slight roll of his eyes.

Hayato shook his head slowly. "It is unwise to act so rashly before gaining a better understanding of the entire situation. After all, with only rumors to go on, what credibility is there? We should first seek clarity on the nature of these events, and look for a peaceful resolution, which would be beneficial to all. A true martial artist of Honrai considers all options before acting, but when he does choose to fight, he gives it his all, so as to make the enemy regret pushing him to such an extreme. That being said, if they were to seek the destruction of this dojo... I would not hesitate to fight them myself."

"But Master," said Akio. "Your condition..."

"...Has kept me from participating in some trials of skill, yes. But to leave the lot of you without a guide to the true Way... that, I simply cannot allow, regardless of how my body might betray me."

"You won't have to," said Take, standing up with a steely look in his eyes. "If those dojo breakers should come here, we'll stop them. We can show them the strength of the Red Phoenix Style!"

Hayato could only offer a relieved smile at this. While he couldn't personally agree on everything the more brash students felt, they did remind him of himself, in his youth, and thus the master recognized it as part of the learning process. If nothing else, their spirit was most admirable, and necessary for most martial artists.

"I wonder what techniques they use," pondered Haru aloud. "Maybe a hard style, or a soft style?"

"It doesn't matter. We'll beat them down all the same," growled Take.

Akari's father shook his head, smiling nonetheless, and said, "Focus on your own improvement first. Should you concern yourself too much with the nature of your opponents, you may forget to enforce your own indomitable will upon any potential adversary. To make your enemies recognize that you will never give up, never truly yield in a battle, and to see them eventually fold under the pressure of your spirit... that is the way of the Phoenix. Let's begin our sparring sessions for the day, shall we?"

With that having been said, the others nodded in agreement and partnered up as usual. Unlike formal challenges, everyone would spar at the same time. Sora, the blue-haired star of the class, at least next to Akari, was assigned to her for the day's sparring session. If anyone was considered her equal, it was him, and while he might have been considered her informal 'rival' by those in class, as each had a fair amount of wins over the other, Sora was never obnoxious or distasteful about it. Confident but not arrogant, he made sure to supplement his natural talent with hard work.

When the match began, he bowed deeply in acknowledgement before taking stance.

"Always a pleasure, Akari."

Unlike Souta, there were much fewer openings evident in his guard, and he did well to hide his intent when it came to attacks. Though it was just a friendly sparring match, this was an opponent that the heiress to the dojo could not afford to take lightly.
 

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Akari frowned slightly at her father’s response, having honestly been hoping that he had known about the rumors and had simply been neglecting to mention anything to her or the other students to keep them from worrying. The green-haired girl truly hoped that the rumors were indeed just that, then, especially when another of her father’s temporary...episodes...of paralysis occurred before her. While she was indeed somewhat used to them by this point in her life, more than anything Akari was worried that one day he simply might not recover from one of them. A sentiment that she knew was shared by the dojo’s students, which made itself evident by both Akio and Take’s responses to Hayato’s assurance to them that, should such a trial befall the Red Phoenix, he would not hesitate to join them in the defense of their dojo.

With the discussion of the rumors coming to a close, Akari nodded her agreement with her father’s words and moved to pair up with Sora for the day’s sparring sessions, feeling a little more inspired herself by the dedication voiced by the other students. Her father was correct that resorting to violence should be the last resort in dealing with these ‘dojo breakers’ should the rumors be true. One thing was certain, though, that if they did come for the Red Phoenix, she and the others would be ready to defend the dojo.

As she stood opposite Sora, the one person in the class that was truly considered her equal by both herself and the other students, Akari clasped her hands together and bowed deeply herself, returning his respectful gesture with her own. “A pleasure,” she replied with a genuinely friendly smile before falling into her own stance, ready to either defend if he made the first move, or attack if he did not.

Akari always enjoyed sparring with Sora. He was confident but not arrogant, and even though they each shared a fair amount of victories over the other, as well as a little friendly banter both during and after, he was never obnoxious or distasteful about the outcome, either in victory or defeat. And while she saw her blue-haired ‘rival’ as more of a friend than anything else, if she were honest, if there was anyone in the class that Akari would accept going on a date with it would probably be Sora.

RP:
Defensive Fighting; -20 Attack, +20 Defense
 
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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 70, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Sora's Attack Roll on Akari:
Sora rolled a 2 (+ 48) = 50. Miss.

Akari's Attack Roll on Sora:
Akari rolled a 17 (+ 28) = 45. Hit.
Damage:
Akari rolled a 7 (+ 21) = 28.

Standing across from Akari in his usual stance, the blue-haired prodigy focused, the intensity in his eyes skyrocketing, and the pressure of his 'aura' rising. This phenomenon wasn't quite something that the dojo heiress could see, but she could definitely feel it. Like a pressure change in the air, it touched down upon her skin, notifying her that the time to brace herself was now. Still, it would be easier said than done. The most challenging aspect of any match with Sora was dealing with his raw athleticism; he was both strong and fast, making up for any holes in technique with unparalleled physical prowess. Akari, on the other hand, was no slouch herself in that department, at least amongst the dojo's students, but made up for the strength discrepancy between her and Sora with sharper technique and a better knack for deception.

It was no secret that Sora intended to make the first move, and stepping forward, he made a swift motion with his front leg, which at first glance to most looked like a front stomping kick to the girl's thigh or knee. However, a swift shifting of his body and pivot of his grounded leg would instantly turn this initial feint into a high roundhouse kick, one aimed towards the side of Akari's head. Luckily, she was prepared for this, having seen him execute this move once before, and angled off to the side while ducking it just barely. His shin almost grazed the top of her head, a close call considering Sora's striking power. But Akari was already speeding towards a now-visible opening in the transition, seeing a spot on the youth's side by which she could sneak something in. Too early or too late and he'd nail her with a counterattack; she had to do it now.

And she did, lunging with a fast, extended punch to his ribcage. As he hadn't fully recovered from the missed blow, Sora grimaced as the powerful thrust caught him, sending him stumbling back two steps only to fall back into stance. It had definitely caused some damage, but like a good warrior, he did a good enough job at hiding the pain that Akari had caused with her counterattack. Still, the psychological impact of having landed the first blow did help the green-haired beauty, as she was still unscathed at this point in the match, and... well, probably hampered her opponent to some degree.
 

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Akari grinned lightly at Sora as he resumed his stance, having clearly taken a fair amount of damage from her counter to his aggressive attack regardless of how much he tried to mask the pain. “You shouldn’t be so eager to strike first, Sora. You leave yourself open,” she said playfully, falling back into her own stance in preparation for the their next round.

If Sora took the bait of her light banter, she would wait for his attack again before attempting to dodge and counter, only this time looking to knock him prone rather than deal any direct damage. If he took her words more to heart, however, Akari would take it as her turn to attack, advancing quickly on the other student in an effort to use her quickness to help knock Sora out of his balance.

RP:
Defensive Fighting; -20 Attack, +20 Dodge
Use the “Trip” Skill
 
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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 47, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Sora's Attack Roll on Akari:
Sora rolled a 19 (+ 48) = 67. Hit.

Damage:
Sora rolled a 3 (+ 21 - 1) = 23.

Akari's Attack Roll on Sora:
Akari rolled a 5 (+ 28) = 33. Miss.

Taking it in stride, Sora responded with a smirk. "Normally that lands on anyone else, but you just keep getting better and better every day," he remarked politely before rushing in again. Unlike Souta, however, whose intent was practically transparent in how easily his attacks could be seen through, the Phoenix Dojo's 'star student' did bother to mix direct strikes with multiple feints, taking advantage of the avenues created from any opponent foolish enough to overcommit.

Even then, Akari was not often one to bite when it came to these baited movements, forcing Sora to resort to sheer speed in order to land first. Again, his lead leg came forward, but instead of curving into a high kick, it shot back, acting as a lever of sorts by which to power the speed of his lead jab. The green-haired girl slipped this swift attack, just barely, but her rival remained a step ahead this time, recovering quickly enough to throw a powerful roundhouse kick from his rear leg into her side.
 

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Akari winced at the impact of Sora’s leg into her side, unable to evade the quick followup to the star student’s swift head jab. Recovering quickly, the green-haired girl would try to use the position of the boy’s leg against her side to her advantage, trying to grab hold of it with her arm and pin it against her side before he could pull away, aiming to use the resulting leverage to try and take him to the ground.

RP:
Grapple attempt!
Use the “Sudden Strike” Skill to try and turn this into a Sneak Grapple for a quick Submission Hold as well. No Defensive Fighting this round.
 
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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 47, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

Stealth Check:
Akari rolled a 17 (+30 - 5) = 42. Success.

Grapple Check:
Akari rolled an 11 (+30)
Sora rolled a 9 (+30). Akari wins.
As per the rules with all the sneakgrapple stuff, Sora is placed in Akari's Submission Hold.
Earned 4 EXP.

Sora, caught off guard by the speed at which his sparring partner caught his leg after being hit, reacted far too late to remedy his situation, and Akari took advantage of this by slanting a low kick to the back of the prodigy's supporting calf, instantly sending him to the ground with a thud. Of course, simply knocking the able young man onto his back was far from finishing him, and the green-haired girl knew this. She had to follow up with a way to end the fight somehow, to leave him helpless and at her mercy, else the session would go on for much longer than she might have been prepared for. In the Red Phoenix Style's sparring sessions, a knockdown wasn't enough; you had to prove a position of complete superiority over the opponent, either by having them submit or rendering them unconscious (or otherwise helpless).

Luckily for Akari, however, her opponent's leg was already caught underarm, like a gift that was there for her to do as she pleased with in these crucial moments, while he was still grounded. And she did in a most swift manner by stepping over, wrapping her legs around his, and joining him on the ground. Clutching Sora's lower leg tightly between her thighs, she maintained control of the limb and pulled back so as to hyperextend the knee. Akari executed her technique with such speed and grace that the blue-haired one couldn't move to counter in time. Knowing that he was caught, Sora motioned to tap a few times upon the Akari's body to wordlessly announce his surrender, but from this position, there was only one readily available target upon which to hit; her butt.

With no other choice, he did so, and a little hard at that, so as to make sure that she felt it, and in the process avoid unnecessary injury to his own knee. The sound of his hand slapping her backside caused a few of the students' heads to turn. However, most of them turned away when they understood the situation to be Akari gaining the edge over her usual sparring partner in groundwork, except for Souta, who could only stare and frown a little, likely jealous of the more talented student's situation in being tangled up on the courtyard floor with the master's beautiful daughter.

After Akari released him, Sora heaved a sigh of relief, slowly sitting up. "That was really impressive, Akari." Rising to his feet, he would offer her a hand up if she needed it, placing it behind his head otherwise in slight embarrassment upon realizing what he had done. "Oh, uh, sorry for... spanking you like that, but I really just wanted to keep my leg." He gave an apologetic smile, bowing afterwards. "Anyway, good match."

If she were to look around, Akari would see her father observing some of the others, his eyes firmly fixed on a match taking place between Kyo and Take, in which the latter continued to charge forth recklessly with a nonstop flurry of punches and kicks, while his opponent calmly parried and dodged what he could. After several minutes of sustained, furious attempts to beat his foe down, Take began to tire, and his movements visibly grew more sluggish, at which point Kyo seized the opportunity to stun him in a way not unlike what Akari did to Souta earlier in the day.

"Mm. Good, good," said Hayato, before addressing Take kindly. "Be sure not to let your emotions, particularly your fear, your rage, overcome you in battle. They are like a fire; left to their own devices, they can be destructive. But should you learn to control them, only releasing them when the time is right, you can wield them as a weapon, one by which you can accomplish great things. Learn well from this defeat, and I can guarantee your growth." He sent a light tap to Take's solar plexus, allowing him to move again, but the student simply sat there, looking utterly disappointed in himself.

Before long, class ended, and after cleaning the courtyard as a group, the students began to pack their things and prepare to head home for the day. It was afternoon now, after roughly six hours of training, and most of the students were sweaty and tired at this point. They conversed amongst each other about their everyday lives, and despite being the only female at the dojo, Akari was always welcome to join them, for the most part. Of course, the hot topic remained Ryuu's gossip about the dojo breakers, but outside of that, discussions about what took place in sparring were also prevalent. The master used this lull to beckon his daughter over, and when she came, he placed several pieces of parchment into her hand. One was a shopping list; the rest was money, in the form of paper bills. "Here is the list of groceries for today, as per usual. Be safe, Akari."

In Honrai, shopping for groceries as a daily activity was the norm, for one could get the freshest fruits and vegetables directly from the harvest this way, and it generated a great deal of rapport and familiarity between the salesmen and their customers. There was still much time to talk to the other students in the dojo before their formal dismissal for the day, if Akari wished, or she could immediately look to accomplish her daily errands afterwards.
 

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

With her quick reversal of Sora’s kick finding success, resulting in them both lying on the ground with the boy’s leg trapped between her own and his knee left at her mercy, Akari grinned as she held firm and waited for either the blue-haired student’s attempt to escape, or for his surrender. She then tensed and yelped suddenly, with her cheeks turning bright red at the abrupt, firm smack on her butt that came instead, however. After a moment of shock, the green-haired heiress looked back over her shoulder at Sora with a look of surprise and indignation on her face at his unexpected action, but those feelings vanished in an instant when she saw the apparent strain on his features and realized that he was trying to signal his surrender, causing Akari to quickly release her hold his leg before rolling away, garnering a sigh of relief from her sparring partner.

“Not bad, yourself,” Akari said smiling as the blue-haired boy rose to his feet and offered his hand to Akari to help her up, which she accepted and rose to her feet as well. As Sora apologized for ‘spanking’ her, however, Akari blushed for a moment again before crossing her arms and looking plainly at him. “Uh-huh...” she replied dryly, shifting her stance and flashing him a bit of a smirk as if to tease him with the suggestion that she didn’t believe him. “I suppose I can forgive you this time,” she teased, returning Sora’s customary bow with her own before turning to watch some of the remaining sparring bouts.

Once the sparring for the day wound down and class came to a close, Akari joined the rest of the students in helping clean up the courtyard with many of them, herself included, a bit sweaty and worn down from the day’s work. It was a satisfying kind of sweaty and tired for Akari, though, reinforcing the accomplishments of her efforts for the day, the only downside being a slight but persistent stinging sensation on her butt from where Sora had spanked her.

The green-haired girl remained somewhat quite during the post-class conversation, only commenting on or answering things that were directed to her, taking a moment to excusing herself when her father beckoned her over to him. As he presented the parchments to her, she accepted the shopping list and paper money with a bow. “I will, Father,” she replied with a smile and a hug before returning to where the other students remained talking, seeing if there was any further conversation to be had before the class’s formal dismissal for the day.
 
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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

While he did show a little bit of embarrassment in response to Akari's teasing comment, Sora wasn't one to let it stick on him too long, and shrugged with a slight grin. "Well then, if you don't, I just suppose that means I owe you one. If an apology won't do, that is," he said smoothly. Though not known to be a player of any sort, the prodigy was good enough at maintaining his composure for the most part, socially and otherwise, which lent itself well to serving him both in and outside of the dojo. "Really, though, I would say that a fight is the last place I'd think to do anything lewd to you," he added, in a tone that made it difficult to discern whether he was being playful or not.

During the wind-down discussion, several small groups had formed, each talking amongst each other. They were divided as follows: Ryuu, Eiji, and Shin; Haru, Sora and Akio; Daichi, Kyo, Take, Souta, and the triplets.

The first group, composed of the dojo's resident 'pranksters', were off several feet to one side, speaking in a most casual tone amongst themselves. After practically all that could be said about the dojo breakers had already been touched down upon, they soon moved onto other topics.

"So, what are you guys doing afterwards?" inquired Eiji, reclining with his back against one of the yard's walls. "Think I'm gonna take a nap or something."

"I gotta do some errands for the family," answered Shin with a shrug. "Not my favorite part of the day, but somebody's gotta do it, I guess."

"I'm gonna go and... uh... relax a little bit, if ya know what I mean," said Ryuu with a suggestive grin.

"You mean you're going to head to the brothels," accused the purple-haired one with a slight chuckle.

"As if! A good-looking guy like me doesn't need to resort to such ways just to find a girl's company."

"Maybe so, but that I know that won't stop you from trying to get in with all the lookers anywhere you can find 'em, and the Pink Lotus is no exception," replied Shin.

Ryuu's expression changed, and he started to hint a few signs of worry. "You're just trying to get me chewed out by Akari or someone, aren't ya?! Shush already!"

"Just trying to get you to be honest."

Meanwhile, Haru, Sora and Akio had their own discussion, the three of them seated between the other two groups.

"So, how did you do today, Haru?" asked Sora, gently rubbing at his own knee and testing it.

"I did... okay, I guess. But Souta beat me good, and I don't ever remember him being that strong! One thing's for sure, he's definitely been training in secret, even if he couldn't quite beat Miss Akari today."

"That's actually rather surprising," said Akio. "Well, good on him. But like the Master said, hopefully he can keep that level of motivation up, even if Miss Akari ends up rejecting him."

Sora put on a thoughtful look. "About that..."

"Hmm?"

"Oh, nothing."

The largest group, composed of Daichi, Kyo, Take, Souta and the triplets, wound up talking about the day's sparring sessions.

"Did somebody yelp during sparring? I swear it sounded like Miss Akari," commented Daichi, scratching the back of his head.

"It was," confirmed Kyo in his usual, serious tone. "She locked Sora in a kneebar submission, and he had little choice but to tap. It was a high-level display of skills, for sure."

"That was a tap? It sounded like he was spanking her," said Take.

"Well, he was. It was made more in panic, hence the sound. But to be fair, I can't blame Sora. Otherwise, the resulting knee injury would have been a terrible thing for someone as talented as him."

"That's true," agreed the largest of them.

Saburo, youngest of the triplets, looking as if something was bothering him, couldn't hold his brewing inquiry back any longer. "Sora and Akari... they seem fairly close. Do you think those two are uhhh... y'know..." Though he said as much in a lower voice, the master's daughter could still overhear them if she cared to listen closely enough.

"Welp, if anyone in our dojo's deserving of Akari, it's Sora. And the other way around, too," answered Kyo. "No one else is quite in their league, so it would make sense, if I must say so myself."

"Hmm... I guess you're right."

Souta, who was sitting near the edge of the group, appeared to overhear this. Making a face, he then stood up. "I'm... I-I'm gonna go."

"Hm? But we haven't even been formally dismissed yet."

"......." The green-haired student made no further comment, instead hurrying out of the gate with a brisk walk. No one stopped him, as they were, for the most part, either too surprised or were still engaged in other conversations.

When the time for a formal dismissal came, Hayato looked around, noticing Souta's absence, and rubbed his chin. "Hmm... did Souta leave?"

"He did," said Kyo flatly.

"That's unfortunate. I will talk to him later. At any rate, the lot of you are dismissed. I will see you tomorrow. Be well."

Placing fist in open palm, the master bowed to the class, who in turn returned his gesture before dispersing and getting ready to leave.
 

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Akari couldn’t help but blush slightly again at Sora’s mentioning that a fight was the last place he would think to do anything ‘lewd’ to her. She didn’t say anything further, though, a little confused at why she felt so flustered all of the sudden. It wasn’t like this had been the first time the two rivals had ended up in an otherwise awkward situation during a sparring match, after all. What happened with Souta and his confession earlier must have gotten to her more than she thought...

As the conversation progressed during the days wind-down, Akari moved to joined Haru, Sora, and Akio, but opted to remain quiet during the remaining ‘dojo breaker’ talk, not really having much of her own to add on the matter. Once that topic had been exhausted, the talk began to move on to other things around the time Hayato had summoned her over, causing the green-haired girl to miss much of the discussion that followed, but returning to her group just in time to hear the tail end of Sora and Akio conversation.

“Hmm? About what?” Akari asked, quizzically. She didn’t press the issue when he said it was nothing, though. It was then the dojo heiress overheard mention of the yelp she had let out, and loud smacking noise from the spanking Sora had given her earlier, causing her to blush slightly again before she suppressed it. “Y-Yeah, and it still stings, too,” she quipped playfully, loud enough for at least Daichi, Kyo, and Take to hear. She then paused a moment as she heard the others understanding and agreeing with the reason Sora did it. “Oh, come on, it’s not like I would have actually hurt his knee. It would be a shame to waste the kind of talent Sora has by inflicting an injury like that in a mere sparring match, after all,” Akari said, turning back and returning her attention to her more immediate group and looking at Sora. “That being said, if it happens again, I may just have to keep that leg,” she added teasingly, reaching over and giving the blue-haired boy a firm – but not hard – punch on his shoulder.

As the time for the class to formally dismiss came not too long after, Akari was surprised to hear and disappointed to find that Souta had indeed left, having missed him doing so a few minutes earlier. She wondered if it was because he was still upset about what had happened at the beginning of class, and considered apologizing to him before class tomorrow for being harsh with him as she had been. There wasn’t much the green-haired girl could do about it now, though, so with the class dismissed and everyone reading to leave, she would do the same and get ready to go shopping for the things on her father’s list. If any of the other students offered to help or accompany her while she shopped, she would kindly accept and prepare to depart. Otherwise, Akari was prepared to do the shopping on her own like she normally did, although if she were honest, she would probably prefer the company given the stories about the dojo breakers.
 
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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Akari: HP = 70, PP = 30, EP = 30, Status = Fine

"Oh, hello Akari. I'll... talk to you about it a bit later, after class," was all that Sora said in response to her inquiry. This did earn him a few blinks from Haru and a momentary raised brow by Akio, but the two were wise not to push the issue any further.

Luckily, any potential awkwardness that might have resulted from this was quickly overshadowed by the larger group's discussions and Akari's reaction to them. "I see. Well, very impressive, either way, Miss Akari," complimented Kyo, in his usual straightforward yet somewhat dull manner.

"Yeah... damn," muttered Take. "Hope I can get that strong someday." A collective murmur of agreement came from the triplets and Daichi.

"If I let you take it again, then I'd say you deserve to keep it," replied Sora, taking her punch where she aimed it. He gave her a grin most charming as he spoke.

"Anyway, I'll be seeing all of you here around the same time tomorrow regardless, so I'd better get going," said Take. "Except for Souta maybe, but who knows, heh." His last comment earned him a few chuckles from the others.

After the formal dismissal was made, the students were free to pack up and even change out into their regular clothes if needbe before heading back to their daily lives. For the boys, a large bathing room in the house was converted for their changing needs, with several dividers having been installed. Akari, of course, had her own room in which she could wind down or swap outfits, and a separate place to bathe all to herself. While there were a few spots by which to peek upon the Master's daughter, she didn't have to worry about it; the boys knew better than that. One thing was for sure, though--the day's workout was a tough one indeed, as it always was when Sora was directly involved, and she needed to change out of those sweaty clothes and bathe. However, when the green-haired beauty slipped out of her clothes, she would notice a new mark upon her backside that wasn't there before...

(picture)

The 'souvenir' that Sora left behind stood out more than expected, a testament in its own way to his strength--or desperation when it came to prompting her release of the hold. It stung only slightly upon being touched, and while it was certainly nothing that the martial artist couldn't endure, its placement proved less than convenient. As she slipped one of her last clean dresses on, a portion of the red mark was still visible. She'd find that it was a similar result for her other outfit, as luck would have it. However she chose to cover it up, if she even bothered to, Akari couldn't take too long, as her errands were waiting.

On her way out to buy groceries, Akari would pass by Haru, Akio, Kyo, and Daichi still hanging out in the large courtyard. This wasn't exactly uncommon, as the more devoted students were very fond of the Red Phoenix Dojo and its beautiful grounds. For many, the opportunity to train there, hone their skills, and socialize about it afterwards was escapism at its finest. They waved to her as she passed by.

Sora would be found just outside of the gate, his back against the large wooden post. He greeted her rather casually, raising his hand just high enough for a slight wave. "Hey. I was actually wondering if you were doing anything for the Second Lunar Festival tomorrow night. 'Cause if you aren't, I'd... really like you to come with me," he offered, though whether or not he meant it in a romantic sense was difficult to tell, as the prodigy was friendly with practically everyone he socialized with. Still, it wasn't any kind of proposal he had made to anyone in the past, and the event he invited her to was known for being a favorite for couples, despite being open to all.
 

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Re: Fist of the Phoenix (xgkf) GMed by Takimaru

As class formally dismissed, Akari waved to the students who elected to leave then before making her way to her changing room, eager to get out of her sweaty training garb and take a quick bath before going on her shopping errands. As she slipped out of her uniform and began to slide her panties down, the young heiress was reminded again of the hard spank that Sora had given her during their sparring match by a sharp stinging sensation as the fabric slid passed her buttocks, causing her to whimper softly as she stood straight and looked back over her shoulder at offending location. The green-haired girl blushed deeply when she finally saw exactly what was causing the persistent sting that she had been feeling...a perfectly formed red mark in the shape of a hand right where Sora had smacked her earlier.

“Geez... Damnit, Sora...” she whined, wincing slightly as she gave it an experimental poke with her finger. Thinking back on the playful punch she had given the blue-haired boy earlier, she suddenly wished that she had hit him much harder than she had. Still, she knew he hadn’t meant to do it – at least not this, and it would fade before too long anyway. She would get him back for it somehow, though. Pushing those thoughts aside for now, Akari slipped her panties the rest of the way off and grabbed a towel before making her way out to the bath allotted for her, which was obviously separated from the boys’ bathing area.

Setting her towel down nearby, Akari stepped into the bath and immediately submerged herself in the refreshing water. She washed herself off fairly quickly, not wanting to doddle too much, only taking a few extra minutes to soak and let the water relax her muscles. The only thing she couldn’t clean off, however, was the mark left by Sora, which – to her dismay – persisted even after her bath. She hoped that her dress would at least cover it once she had dried off and began getting dressed, but even that was not to be as a small bit of it was still visible on her skin just beyond where her only clean dresses would cover, causing her to blush again in embarrassment. The green-haired girl thought briefly about trying to find some other way to cover it, but there was nothing that came to mind that wasn’t likely to draw attention of its own, so she pushed it out of her mind as best she could. There was nothing she could do about it now anyway, and she still had her errands to run, so there was no sense in wasting more time by worrying about it.

As she made her way out, waving politely back to the other students as she went, Akari was surprised to find Sora waiting for her just outside the gates of the courtyard. She was even more surprised when she heard him ask if she would like to go with him to the Second Lunar Festival tomorrow night, causing her to blush faintly and her eyes to widen slightly at the prodigy’s unexpected proposal. Was he...asking her out on a date...? In truth, the young heiress had never really been on a date before. She went to lunch in a group with some of the boys from the dojo often enough, Sora included, but the closest thing the girl had to being asked on a date recently was Souta’s uncouth attempt at it earlier. Still, given the fact that Sora had never asked her anything like this before, and considering the nature of the event he was asking her to...

“O-Oh... W-Well... I’ve always just gone to the festivals with Mother and Father...” Akari began, pausing and glancing down slightly as she considered the boy’s proposal and what she wanted to do. After a moment she looked back up and met his eyes again before giving her response. “But...I don’t think they’ll mind it too much if I don’t go with them this year. Sure, I’d love to go with you, Sora,” she said, smiling softly as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks again. “Although...” she added after a moderate pause, her tone leveled. “...If you’re not doing anything yourself right now, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind helping me with my shopping for a bit. You know, as a favor to make up for this thing...” Akari finished, a somewhat glaring look in her eyes as she turned to the side and briefly inched the rear covering of her dress back just enough to give Sora a look at a small portion of the mark that he had left on her.
 
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