Wandering streets (open)

[Elles Jinn]

The streets in the neighborhood weren't crowded at this hour. Not empty, but enough so to satisfy her. Elles Jinn walked slowly, her gaze forward but not really there. She was lonely but it was a feeling that had become like a shadow in the last five years. It always followed her.

Better to be alone than to be betrayed...

It was the same mantra that had kept her going for so long. Now though... now she wasn't sure if she wanted to follow it. So much had happened in the last few days... it made her head spin to think of it.

Turning the corner, Elles sighed and ran a hand through her dark hair. She needed to take her mind off everything. Up ahead the flashing lights of a bar and cassino attracted her attention. She never gambled but she certainly drank. And who knew? Perhas she'd find a game of some interest. Perhaps she'd meet someone of interest.

[Oishii Sakana]

Oishii Sakana sat outside a bar and casino. Swordfighting was not allowed indoors, but outside it was fine. A sign on the wall said,

SWORDFIGHT ME! 2 CREDITS TO PLAY.

As always, Oishii and Yasashii were working their skills to their own advatage.

"Come one, come all! Swordfight one of us! Pay 2 credits and pick your skill level! The harder the difficulty, the greater your winnings!"

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii cracked his knuckles.

"No swords? Fight one of us hand to hand then! 2 credits, try your luck against one of us! Or do you think you may have the skill to fight us both? 2 opponents is double your winnings, Surely someone dares to challenge?"

[Elles Jinn]

Their calls attracted Elles' attention. It had been so long since she had fought... But as long as it remained hand to hand, why not? It was time to remove herself from her narrow comfort zone. Besides, it would be nice to have a release. She had been bottling up everything for years... Maybe she could find some relief in this.

"I will fight. Hand to hand. One or both, I leave the choice to you."

She did not boast, for Elles did not know how she would fare. She wasn't completely confident in her abilities but neither was she afraid. It was simply a game.

Tossing the credits to the two men, Elles reluctantly removed her cloak and folded it, setting it under the sign.

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii snatched the credits from the air and pocketed them.

"Alright. You'll fight me, alone. My brother will judge. Do not fear an unfair judgement; honor drives us to be true."

A circle was drawn on the ground, approximating a small arena. Yasashii stood at one end and assumed a low stance, left side forward, arms up.

[Oishii Sakana]

Oishii sat on a crate outside the arena.

"Very well. Miss, there are 3 ways to win. 1: You knock Yasashii out of the ring. 2: You make him give up. 3: You knock him out. Bear in mind that if you knock him out, then we cannot conduct business until he comes to."

There were scattered bits of laughter among the crowd. Oishii held up his hand. "Get ready! Fight!" Oishii let his hand fall, a signal that the fight was now beginning.

[Elles Jinn]

Elles nodded her understanding of the requirements to win and took a breath to clear her mind, eyes closed. When they opened, they focused on Yasashii. Moving nimbly, Elles executed a simple back roundhouse to start things off easily. There was no need to use up her energy in flashy moves with more show than effect.

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii blocked with relative ease, then crouched, moving in to sweep her other foot.

[Oishii Sakana]

The crowd held its breath as the match began. Oishii decided that if there was gonna be a crowd, he might as well make them pay to watch.

Oishii took a deep breath. "Place your bets, folks. The Lady, or the Tramp?" Oishii worked the crowd, smiling and using his voice to coax some sort of a bet out of the spectators. Yasahsii wouldn;t mind being called a Tramp. They both were called Tramps 99% of the time.

[Elles Jinn]

Making a small leap to clear Yasashii's sweep, Elles returned with a spinning back kick, aimed down towards his lowered chest. She noted Oishii's calls to the gathering crowd but made no reaction to them. What was it to her if the two made some money off of the audience?

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii hauled himself over backward, her foot blowing mere millimeters by his nose. The crowd cried out; close call. Yasashii gained his feet and let loose with a straight jab with his right.

[Elles Jinn]

Sidestep. Block. Return punch.

She wasn't thinking about the fight so closely now. The movements were becoming easier, her rythym returning slowly. Fighting was like riding a bike. You never forgot.

Scissor kick, aimed for his head. This reminded her of chess. If you looked at it carefully enough, you could break down the mechanics, slow everything down to individual movements.

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii came quickly to the side and grabbed her legs, preventing her forward motion and leaving her flat on her back. He let her go and gave her room to recover; there was more to be seen, and he would know this girl's potential.

[Oishii Sakana]

Oishii smiled. If they had not been trying to make money, he would have been upset for Yasashii not ending the fight sooner. As Oishii collected the Audinece's money, he watched Elles. She was good. They'd see some Force maneuvers soon, though if Yasashii got her in a corner. Might make business hard. But then, they'd make a lot of money to see some Force action.

[Elles Jinn]

"Oomph."

Her breath was knocked out of her as she hit the ground. Elles didn't linger long, flipping her legs over her head and into a fighting stance. Against her will, her fathers lessons returned to her in bits and pieces, the most ironic like a brand.

Do not fight in anger... Anger is the path to the dark side...


Leaping a little for momentum, Elles performed a wheel kick, and grimaced at her balance. It was slightly off. She was still rusty at this.

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii ducked with ease, she was off balanced.

"Try that again."

He was convinced that she had skill, but her form didn't show it.

[Elles Jinn]

Elles gave a brief nod and adjusted her stance so that she was comfortable, in control. She did not reach out to the Force. She never did anymore. She found it uncomfortable, like a bad dream.

Slowing her breathing, Elles aimed a kick for his side, bring her foot back quickly so as not to be vulnerable. As soon as it was returned to the ground, she placed it behind him, sweeping it forward and jabbing his chest back simultaneously.

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii's feet left the floor as she sweeped them. He landed in a handstand, a difficult feat, then rolled back toward the center of the arena. She had skill, that was certain.

[Elles Jinn]

Elles took a few precious seconds to shake out her arms and neck. Her breathing was still calm and regular. SHe'd have to kick it up a notch to get that satisfying exaustion.

She attacked in a flurry of movement, throwing a quick jab with her right and front kick to Yasashii's chin. When the foot landed she leapt up and turned over, landing the blade of her foot on her opponents face. If she landed in the right position she'd be able to turn onto her back and flip up within a few seconds. If not she'd have to roll, a less dignified ascension.

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii ducked the jab and stepped back from the front kick. She hit him full in the face with her 3rd kick. the crowd let a cry at that attack. Yasashii grimaced. Too much skill in her to play around anymore. She landed and flipped to her feet, and he gutted her with a crushing blow with his right fist.

[Elles Jinn]

"Uhngh!"

Elles grimaced and took a few steps back to have a few seconds to gain her ocmposure. She waited for the initial force of the punch to dissapear before throwing herself back into the fight. Leaping as high as she could, Elles spun in a wheel kick aimed at her oppenents jaw, then swung the leg over and tucked her chin in. As she came down, the heel of the foot she'd done the jaw kick with came down on Yasashii's shoulder.



OOC: Erg, I hate not being able to describe this. I jsut learned it in class and as far as I know, there's no name. Basically just a jumped spinning wheel kick with a double heel drop:)

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii's bracer hummed, assessing Elles' range of skills. It selected one, a telekinetic push. A Force skill.

"You're a-whoa!"

He ducked the wheel kick, but the last of the move caught him fully on the shoulder. He grimaced, then pushed with his newly acquired skill.

[Oishii Sakana]

Oishii raised an eyebrow at Yasashii's skill.

"A JEDI versus Yasashii Mikan! Who will win? Put your moeny where your mouth is and place your bets!"

[Elles Jinn]

OOC: Elles didn't actually use the Force but I'll go with it:)

IC:

That made her stop. She hadn't even realized her unconcious use of the Force.

"No... No I'm not... I'm not a Jedi!"

Elles kept moving, arms up to block any hits that might come her way, but she was distracted and shaken by Oishii's luring of the crowd.

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii cracked his knuckles. That move was sorta cheap in the small arena, but it then, he thought that about all Added-Effects that required strategy.

"A Sith then?"

He feinted with an elbow strike and moved in with a spinning round kick.

[Oishii Sakana]

OOC: The bracers scan for skills the opponent has. Then chooses one at random. Force push is a basic skill most Force users have and is therefore a likely candidate to be chosen by the bracer because it is a common technique.

IC

"Not a Jedi, eh?"

Oishii decided to play this to his advantage.

"EVEN BETTER! HERE WE HAVE A SITH APPRENTICE IN THE RING!"

The people were oblivious to the word Sith, and began placing bets on Elles's victory. Yasashii knew better than the crowd did. If Yasashii took care of her now, they would not have to hold a street fight for at least another couple of months.

[Elles Jinn]

"What!"

Elles stood up straight only to be knocked down by Yasashii's kick. Using her grounded position, Elles scissored her opponents legs, bringing him to the ground. She grabbed one of his legs and used her weight to push it forward and twist it to the side. It would give her a few extra seconds to talk.

"I'm not a Jedi and I'm not a Sith. I don't care how else you lure a crowd to get money but if you make either claim again you will regret it, I assure you."

[Yasashii Mikan]

Yasashii fell to the floor, and gritted his teeth as Elles put a lock on his leg. Forunately, it was a simple one. He rolled backward out of the lock and came forward again towards the ring's center.

"Just chill. We'll be done soon enough and Oishii will quit playing the crowd."

He held his hand out and beckoned her forward.

[Elles Jinn]

"It's not the'playing the crowd' that's bugging me! It's the way he's doing it!"

Elles didn't move forward. This was the second time she'd been reminded of her past since arriving here. Keeping a defensive stance, she tried to look angry rather than unnerved.

"Use anything you want to make your money, anything but that..."

[Oishii Sakana]

Oishii smiled. She was losing her cool. She'd lose the match and then he and his brother could rest easy for a while. But he would have to apologize afterward.

"It seems she is getting angry, folks. Maybe she will make a mistake?"

The crowd booed at Elles, then began to chant, "Red Hair, Red Hair, Red Hair!" Referring to Yasashii.

[Yasashii Mikan]

"Then how about this?"

Yasashii moved in and swept her feet, punching as she landed, halting his fist inches before her face.

"Give up?" he asked. His voice bore no malice, carried no tone to indicate that he was forcing her to give up. In fact, he sounded almost sorry for her.

[Elles Jinn]

In response, Elles grabbed his wrist with her right hand for leverage. Lifteing slightly with her left foot she twisted and met his side with her right leg.

"No."

[Yasashii Mikan]

Now they were both flat on their backs. Yasashii curled and kicked upward, snapping a strike at Elles with the edge of his hand as he did so, regaining his feet.

[Elles Jinn]

She rolled away from his hand and pushed herself up, shaking her hair out of her eyes. Elles circled Yasashii, keeping her eyes on his. Instead of striking at him first, she waited.

"There are better ways to get an audience."

The young woman crooked a finger, motioning her opponent forward.

[Yasashii Mikan]

"None better than this."

Yasashii moved forward, faked a left punch, then shoved with his right. His acquired skill pushed her to the very edge.

"Give it up."

He pushed again with the Force.