Sparks Ignited

[a_linear_mind]

[Locked to Elys]

[A few days after a rather disastrous reunion with an old friend, Willis has taken Strahlend out (despite it's damage) and is using it to vent out his frustrations on the poor rusted targets that litter Fort Alhambra. After he finishes destroying everything around him he fixes the targets and then gets ready to destroy them again.]

....what am I doing?

[He collapses back into the seat of his cockpit, pausing the second round of mindless destruction. There was no reason for him to be acting like this. And yet here he was, he wasn't sure if he was more mad at Elys or himself but the entire situation between them just frustrated him to no end.]

Comments

[a_linear_mind]

...don't you have more important things that you should be doing right now.

[And an immediate thorny reaction.]

You shouldn't be wasting your time here.

[a_centered_mind]

You weren't listening before. I abandoned everything to get to the bottom of this.

The Ambassador told me that you were keeping whatever happened in Antarctica from her. But even if she knew, I'd rather hear it from you...

[a_linear_mind]

[There's a significant pause from Willis. If he told her right now what would she think.]

...it's not something you need to know about.

[That's complete bullshit, it was bullshit and he knew it.]

[a_centered_mind]

[Elys lowers her head, which in turn causes her machine to do the same. If he's still mad, she's partly to blame for this too, so...]

...I know that I went away without telling you. That you were frustrated about that. But what you said before? If you didn't leave the ESUN or didn't join Aegis? I would have looked for some way to help you regardless.

Maybe just disappearing wasn't the right thing to do, but there was no other choice for me.

Knowing that and what I just said, are you still going to hide it?

[a_linear_mind]

There were other choices, you and I both know that.

To me it seems like...the only reason you wanted to help me was because of your own guilt, whether you admit it or not that proves that you knew there was another choice you just didn't take it. That's why you're here aren't you? To clear your own conscious?

[And there he went again...]

[a_centered_mind]

I'm here...because I finally realized there was no way I could keep both my worlds. I could do what I had to, or what I wanted to.

I chose the latter. You're in danger, and I'm here because I want to help.

That's why you have to tell me what happened.

[a_linear_mind]

And that only took how many years?

[Once again, things were breaking down.]

I already told you, it's my own problem. How many times will I have to tell you that?

[a_centered_mind]

[With that, she finally sighs.]

...I knew you were stubborn before, but it was never this bad.

You can stop that now.

[a_linear_mind]

I could say the same thing to you.

[Willis starts to runs his hand through his hair nervously, knowing that this wouldn't be the end of it.]

[a_centered_mind]

I just...don't understand why you keep choosing the option that's bad for you...

Do you think I can't handle it?

[a_linear_mind]

Because I'd rather bear it myself than have people that I care about have to worry about me or worse, get hurt because of it.

You should know, sometimes it's better to leave people you care about in the dark, for their sake.

[a_centered_mind]

I don't want to be lectured on that by you, of all people.

[Amagahara places a palm against its face, mirroring Elys.]

And we still have to come to some sort of solution.

[a_linear_mind]

You're the one that started all of this.

...but I agree, just trying to talk about this won't solve anything when it keeps leading to arguments.

[That's when Strahlend forms Quicksilver and points it at Amagahara.]

Since we both intend on being stubborn and childish...let's settle this like we did back then. If I win you tell me exactly why you left, if you win I'll explain everything. That sounds fair enough to me.

[a_centered_mind]

...

Fine.

[Amagahara draws its long sword, Kuchinashi, and takes up its usual stance.]

Talking was never my strong suit anyway.

[a_linear_mind]

That's unfortunate, because you're going to be doing a lot of it in a few minutes.

[Strahlend flicks it's wrist and in an instant the sword it was carrying seemingly disappears. A second later Strahlend swings twice with the missing blade, unleashing two bright crescents of energy towards Amagahara before it charges at it's sister machine. The machine swings with it's right hand, however this is merely a feint and at the last second Quicksilver reappears in the machine's left hand and is thrust towards the chest of the elegant machine.]

[a_centered_mind]

Where's all that confidence coming from?

[Amagahara intercepts the blade waves with swings of its own, though it doesn't fire its own waves with those. Which leaves the melee attack...]

...

[The feint almost works. Almost, because Elys suddenly releases her hold on her sword, and reverses her grip to deflect the left handed thrust, which goes off to the side and only scratches her machine's shoulder.

While that happens, Amagahara's left leg suddenly shoots out in a straight side kick directed at Strahlend's center mass to knock it backwards.]

[a_linear_mind]

Who knows, maybe I'm just an overconfident idiot.

[Willis focuses as Quicksilver is deflected, quickly changing the shape of the blade into a much larger broadsword and swinging it down at the same moment that Strahlend is knocked back by the force of that kick. The machine's grip on it's weapon is released, sending the sword crashing into the ground.]

Zephyr!

[He wastes no time in shifting Strahlend's form and ignites the newly formed thrusters, charging at Amagahara again. At the same time the machine raises a hand and the blade embedded into the ground begins to move and then swings upwards. A few seconds later, Strahlend catches the handle of the blade while moving towards Amagahara and swings the weapon down again.]

[a_centered_mind]

Well...

[Amagahara sidesteps as Quicksilver, embedded in the ground, begins to move. Sparks fly when the sword remotely swings upwards though, because it's parried again as Elys turns - her own sword still held in that reverse grip.

Willis' downward strike is likewise blocked as she completes this turn. The only difference is that she has to raise her weapon almost horizontal, and with both hands, to stop Strahlend in its tracks.]

At least you're acknowledging something.

[a_linear_mind]

I did say maybe.

[As his own weapon is stopped by Amagahra's blade, Willis could see the two nanothorn blades attempt to and fail at tearing through each other. The constant stream of nanomachines repairing each blade was a sight to be seen.]

Doesn't look like this will work... Spada.

[Strahlend waves out it's hand, spreading his own swarm through the area. He knew it was useless to attempt a nanomachine attack on a machine that had them also. As such, the swarm begins forming thin, arrow-like blades that quickly reposition around the deadlock.]

Let's try this then.

[And with a simple snap of it's fingers the blades encircle Amagahara and all charge at the machine simultaneously. Not leaving any room for escape.]

[a_centered_mind]

That's...

[Shortly before the blades approach, the ring on the back of Amagahara flashes. Willis' projectiles are countered by similar weapons that manifested out of thin air.

At the same time...]

It won't work!

[The deadlock is suddenly shifted, as Amagahara swings with surprising might. It's as if all of the weight of Willis' previous blows were channeled in this one strike too!]

[a_linear_mind]

That's quick...but you should know me better than that!

[And against the powerful attack coming towards him, Willis decides to...step into the attack!? Against all common sense, Strahlend moves forward with a single step towards Amagahara and seemingly defeat. As he does this the summoned blades collide into each other, scattering the many weapons in every direction and completely tearing up the area around them. Strahlend reforms Quicksilver back into it's regular form and this time the blade disappears as he swings it in the step he took, breaking the deadlock of his own accord and risking himself to land a hit on Amagahara.]

One step.

[Any person that didn't have a death wise wouldn't do what Wiillis was doing, even if he was able to recover from severe wounds. Walking that easily into danger without hesitation was something he was uncomfortably used to doing.]

[a_centered_mind]

...You're right.

[Thanks to that move, Strahlend begins cutting into Amagahara. Begins, but doesn't quite finish, because it'll find its sword arm suddenly restrained.

In a matter of miliseconds, Amagahara's blade has shifted its form, mid-swing - partly becoming something more like cloth than a solid piece of steel. This moves like a snake to entangle Strahlend's limb.]

But what I'm holding isn't just a sword!

[The momentum from the slash is brought into yanking the opponent by the arm and swinging it up, away and into the ground!]

[a_linear_mind]

That quickly?

[Considering that they were in a very intense situation he was surprised that Elys was able to shift Amagahara's blade that quickly. Something about the form change looked different as well but he couldn't put his finger on it, and he didn't really have time to think hard on it. His opponent could easily shift the blade back into metal and carve up the arm along with Strahlend very easily in a few short attacks if he let her.

As the machine's sword arm is plunged into the ground the blade suddenly grows and expands into several different blades that all branch out into the ground. Since he was about to go head first into the ground while being tied up with a bladed cloth this move had to count. Strahlend pulls on the blade as it's new branches began to spread into the ground, lifting itself up using it's captured limb. As it reaches a vertical position with it's legs in the air it's shoulder joint breaks off almost intentionally, allowing it to continue it's movement forward and come down with an axe kick aimed towards the back of Amagahara's neck. To make matters worse for Elys, small thrusters as well as rounded almost buzzsaw-like blades emerge on both sides of the heel of the foot coming down at her machine and they are both activated to put even more power into the kick.]

Got you.

[a_centered_mind]

[Sparks erupt as Strahlend's buzzsaw axe kick makes contact.]

Well done.

[Contact though, in this case, is made with the ring on Amagahara's back, that is now glowing brightly to fend off the strike. A half turn was all that was needed to put the ring between itself and Strahlend. Good thing it was already doing so while trying to swing its foe around.]

You would have gotten me...had this not been here.

[But it doesn't end there, as the ring emits a burst of silvery blue energy to repel Willis!]

[a_linear_mind]

The ring...

[Strahlend is caught off guard by the sudden burst of energy, the machine's awkward grip on it's deeply rooted blade is released but thankfully Willis manages to catch the hilt of the blade with Strahlend's left arm as it's blasted back. The damage on the machine was very visible as sparks began to shoot out from exposed bits of the machine that were blown off thanks to tanking that explosion of energy at point-blank range. For some reason the self-repair functions of the machine did not seem to be working as quickly as they usually did.

This did not seem to deter Willis at all. Once again the thrusters on the feet of the machine are charged before exploding out, sending the machine whirling around the sword in the ground. The result was a tornado of bladed kicks all aimed towards Amagahara. In case Elys wanted to escape she would find it a bit harder to do so as a large amount of dart-like blades suddenly emerges from the ground, surrounding Amagahara and attempting to pin her up to stop any escape attempt.]