A chance meeting (closed to Reiko)

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena sighed wearily as she approached the outskirts of the Radasanth. Even from here the temple was visible, towering over the other buildings. Shielding her eyes from the harsh, biting light of the sun, Elena ended her short rest and walked into the busy, confusing streets of Radasanth. Wary of being around so many humans Elena kept her hands close to her weapons.

She grew jumpy at the constant jostling of people around her, the noises grating on her nerves until she wished she could scream. Now unused to the direct heat of Corone, she longed to turn around and head back to the cooler shadows of the Concordian forest. Elena pressed forward, hurrying towards the temple that dominated the Citadel skyline.
She noticed vendors, crying their wares to anyone and everyone, oddly silent when she passed them, only to resume their shouting after a dozen or so paces of space between them. Her lips twisted slightly in amusement though her expression remained harried and downright irritable.

Something, someone, far too close to her caught her attention. Elena turned her gaze to look at a young man dressed in little more than rags standing right beside her, his hands frozen in mid reach for the pouch on her hip. She stared at him for a long moment, the young man starring back at her with the expression of a rabbit staring at a snake.

“How old are you?” Elena demanded. The young man blinked in surprise, he glanced towards his best bet for an escape route, the alley. Elena grabbed him by the tattered cloth covering his shoulder. After a moment of struggling to pull away, his thin shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Twelve.” The kid muttered, looking sullenly at Elena. Watching him for a moment, she pulled the ties of her pouch open and pulled out three gold coins then held them out.

“Here.” Elena dropped the coins into the kid’s hand. “Now, get outta here.” She said, retying the pouch to her belt. She lightly cuffed him on the back of his head to get him moving then turned and began picking her way through the streets towards the temple.
Half an hour later, hot, sick to her stomach, a little tired and very lost in the confusing streets Elena stopped to lean against the wall of a building. She lifted her head as a pair of feet appeared at the edge of her vision.

“What in the hell do you want now? What are you doing? Following me?” Elena barked at the boy. She paused, pinning the boy in place with her gaze.

“Oi, if you want to earn a few more coins lead me to the temple.” She waited, almost patiently for the kid to react. Elena was a bit surprised when he flushed and began walking away. Elena almost yelled at him before she realized that he was heading towards the temple.

Half an hour and several disgusting side streets later Elena finally found herself at the steps of her destination. Giving the kid a quick grin she tossed him five more coins before heading up the stairs towards the man dressed in orange awaiting her at the doors. She gave a half bow of respect and followed the man inside the building. Blessedly it was much cooler inside. Torches lit the stone hallway at regular intervals, leaving tiny patches of shadow between pools of wavering light. Set into the walls every forty or so paces was a plain wooden door. Elena studied them as well as the random halls that branched off with more than a little curiosity.

The Ai’brone monk stopped in front of door that looked no different than any other they had passed, Elena frowned and looked at the monk.

“This is your arena, please enter and your opponent will enter shortly. Please leave any unnecessary items with me, they will be returned to you later.” The monk said, Elena raised an eyebrow at the surprisingly melodious voice that came from the ancient looking monk. Elena took off the necklace Avery had given her then handed that and the pouch from her waist to the monk. Bowing once more to the monk she reached for the handle of the door and started in surprise when it opened of its own accord to let her enter.

Taking a deep breath Elena stepped in, the door closing behind her, and abruptly stopped, staring at the landscape before her. She cocked a brow at the picturesque scene before her. A cerulean sky extended over lush grasslands as far as she could see. Here and there trees far bigger than any she had ever seen in the Concordian forest rose majestically out of the ground. The scent of cinnamon and ginger floated through the air, the scents just strong enough to tease the senses.

A grey stone roof top and the upper half of several stone pillars far to one side caught Elena’s attention. Slowly she moved in that direction, absently noting the gentle swells and dips in the ground. The stone rooftop she had spotted was part of a large open air structure. With no walls the roof was supported by its large pillars alone. Through the center a narrow stream cut through the stone floor.

“Strange that the Citadel should hold such a peaceful place for battling.” Elena shrugged. Glancing around a final time she began stretching, loosening the muscles made tight with travel and irritation, to pass the time until her opponent arrived.

[Reiko]

A samurai always keeps her word. Whoever said that wasn’t a mother and didn’t have to worry about spoiling his kids, but Doji was going to keep her word anyways. The vixen had promised the kits could do something of their choosing if they’d give her some time alone with Seth. The love was affirmed but there wasn’t much time for love making with the kits around and Ai working on a project with Ki’s usual kimono. Still that kimono was hot and today was perfect for her white yukata, just a simple dress.

AS for the promises: Chiyo’s was really easy, for she wanted a toy to cuddle and a simple wolf pup plushy was enough to make her happy; Ryo’s was more difficult and led the hot trek to the citadel. He had wanted to see his mother fight like in the stories and hearing about the how the citadel was a place where epic battles happened every day and no one got hurt. So he wanted to see his mother fight a true battle.

Doji was kind of against it but it seemed to have fit within the rules of her bribe so she was going, though not very fast. Chiyo was coming too as Ki wasn’t going to leave her and then there was the heat, a perfect time for ice cream.

Once Ki had purchased the frozen treat for everyone they went to the citadel. It was good choice since it made Doji forget about how hot Radasanth was and not think too much about the citadel. She should have said ‘no’. That place was for violence and they let anybody fight. Doji had to worry that the sight the kits would see might traumatize them.

The vixen in her worry hurried the pace. She had to keep her word. It wasn’t the first time they saw her fight with the blade so it was going to be fine. Doji winced as she finished the rest of her ice cream in one bite giving her a bought of headache as she opened the heavy doors to the arena.

“Ok you two, be good and stay out of trouble.” Doji said to the kits with a smile. She looked at the picturesque temple. She was looking for a place that hey could hide and be safe, in case her opponent had reckless magic that would do more damage to the surrounding area than Ki herself. “Stay near the pillars and hide behind them. Or climb the trees but you better not go too high. So help me, I’ll yield if I see you go higher than reasonable.” Ki threatened.

Ryo twitched his tail like a cat that got caught eating precious flowers. “I wasn’t going to climb too high. I promise.”

Ki smiled as she felt he would keep that promise since she had a threat. Chiyo looked at her mother. “Good luck mommy. I know you’re the greatest samurai ever!” The girl cheered and held up her toy by its tail as if a prize to cheer her mother on.

Doji then looked to her opponent. She had a feminine scent and the shape had Doji that she was surely a woman. Good that might help her in understanding each other. No need for them to be barbaric towards each other. “I really apologize for things being a little odd but I promised them that they can watch. Anyways I’m Doji Ki and pleased to have you as an opponent.” Doji bowed and smiled. The woman wore light leather armor and had a fast build, it wasn’t going to be an easy fight but then it would be pointless. Challenge was going to make this promise worth while for Ki.

[Moonlit Raven]

The sound of a near by door closing alerted her to the fact that her opponent had arrived. More than one set of footsteps approached the temple, curious and a little wary Elena straightened. A faint tingle of warning crept across the back of her neck and down her arms. Elena frowned her warning system seemed almost confused, hesitant as if what ever sense it was couldn’t figure out if the figures approaching were demonic or not.

A slender young woman came into view but Elena’s attention was immediately drawn to the two small children following her. Her hand loosened its grip in her falchion; uncertainly she looked from the two small tailed children to their mother. A brow rose of its own accord as she took in the woman’s appearance. Dressed in a loose white robe, it hid everything about the woman except for the fact that she was of a slender build. The robe contrasted prettily with her violet eyes and ebony hair and tails.

Elena found herself smiling despite herself at the exchange between the three. The little girl’s encouragement was cute enough that Elena completely relaxed her grip on the handle. Elena nodded her head at the woman’s greeting.

“I am Elena Nito. As long as they keep their promise to you and stay out of harms reach I have no problem with your children being here.”

Elena backed away a few steps and readied herself. Mentally she pushed away her worries about fighting before two children. Firmly she held her falchion to the side, the rough leather wound around the grip familiar and comforting in her grasp. Taking a deep breath she looked up at the woman, watching her for the first signs that would indicate an upcoming attack.

[Reiko]

“Thanks for understanding.” Ki wagged her none tails, she was quite glad that this stranger wasn’t offended too badly about being part of a spectacle before the nine tails’ kits.

The battle looked like it was going to be pretty strait forward, the arena was simple but had a few points of advantage, the trees would be a good place for the vixen to head if things got bad and a good place for the kits to go too. But at the moment the children were happy to watch in silence, as they wanted to first move to be uninterrupted.

Doji saw the stance Elena took. The blade was held out but ready, it would have fooled a lesser swordsman into thinking she was foolish enough to keep her guard down but Doji had a better feeling, with the sword out like that it could make a nice preemptive too. The ronin vixen was sure that she wasn’t going down in the first moments.

Now it was a choice of weapons. The Onitachi might kill the fun if it hit right and broke the fine sword, though that would be pretty rare with a well-made blade but it was a possibility. The Wakizashi would trade off reach for speed but wouldn’t end the fight with dumb luck, so Doji chose that and placed her hand on it as to draw and strike in one motion once close enough.

Once done with that choice it was time to attack and Ki went forward with her speed and grace, angling her path to the opposite side of her enemy’s blade. Sure she could turn but it would buy Ki a fraction of a moment so that she wasn’t cut in two with a foolish charge.

Once Ki was getting close she drew her blade and ran it forward towards Elena’s belly, while sending the short sword's Saya (Sheath) towards the Falchion to divert it away. It was a simple move but a deadly one that would cull out a fool not worth Ki’s sweat.

[Moonlit Raven]

The familiar feeling of adrenaline started to sing through Elena’s body. Her perceptions narrowed down to her immediate surroundings. The scent of the air and greenery around her, the feel of the hard stone beneath her boots. Her vision narrowed down until Doji was the only thing she watched consciously. A vague thought crossed her mind, cursing the robe the woman wore as it covered the betraying tense of muscles before a movement.

Elena felt her body tighten, as Doji suddenly moved, the sheath of the short sword flying for her hand and the falchion. Her breath left her in a hissing exhale as she lunged to the left in a controlled fall, letting Doji’s blade skim over her shoulder. Bracing her weight on her free hand she lashed out with her foot. Elena let her momentum carry her until she was just past Doji. She swung her blade up, knowing it would need to be blocked, giving her enough time to get to her feet and face her opponent.

[Reiko]

Ki grinned and the kits cheered the first clash of blade. It seemed that the whole Doji family was impressed by the maneuver of the seemingly human woman. It was a done with impressive speed and was a little unorthodox but effective though Ki would have claimed first blood if not for the leather armor which made the sword skim over with no gain. That armor was going to be an advantage since Ki’s yukata wasn’t going to give the nine tails any leeway against a cut but even if Elena had normal clothing it would have been only a scratch at worst.

Doji then saw the counter coming from the woman, an upward slice that would be quite devastating if it hit solidly but Doji was ready and kept her blade’s momentum to bat the Falchion wide and quickly step aside to keep from taking a hit. So far no blood was drawn so the fight seemed like it wasn’t going to be quick.

“Mom, use foxfire! That’ll surprise her and win the fight.” Ryo called out as he watched Ki dodge to the side.

“Shh, Mom knows best. She’s been a fighter for a million years.” Chiyo cheered and hugged her toy, starting to enjoy the show too.

“Hey no fair, you shouldn’t enjoy my promise when you got your own.” Ryo protested and thought about taking Chiyo’s toy but he knew that Doji would quit if he did anything bad.

“Hey you two are distracting me, I know what to do and thanks for pointing out my ace in the sleeve.” Doji laughed a bit since she wasn’t really upset over the fact that he revealed her foxfire but Ki didn’t need it. One thought that did cross her mind is that this fight might be teaching them something that Ki didn’t want; she probably would need to give the kits a talk about violence. She couldn’t have her kits becoming bloodthirsty cutthroats.

Still Doji had to worry about winning the fight and she would make her counter not even a moment after speaking to her kits. She went forward and lashed out her blade in a downward motion but her body went down as well for a low strike, she was sure a parry would be needed then Ki would attempt to kick out Elena’s Feet from under her. Lost footing could mean a lost battle.

[Moonlit Raven]

The shock of blade against blade rang through her arm. The minute vibration sang through the bones of her wrist and arm, with a familiar sensation long missed. Thoroughly enjoying the exercise Elena grinned even as she fought down her normal reaction to any stressful situation. ‘This is not a true battle.’ Elena fought to remember that fact.

Using the gently curved edge of her blade, she slid down Doji’s blade before they became guard locked and leapt back. Her vision brightened slightly as her vision began to alter. The sounds of children’s voices ripped Elena back into the present. Her head whipped to the side, towards the sound of Doji’s children even as the woman admonished them.

Elena pulled back another step to give her a second longer to recover. She was mildly shaken by the fact that her darker side had nearly rose to the surface. The dark insanity buried within her must not could not be shown to innocents, such a thing was unthinkable.

“Gods above.” Elena whispered on a ragged exhale. Doji’s sudden attack startled her, catching her off guard. Her eyes widen slightly as she moved her blade to parry without thought, her booted feet shifting against the smooth grey stone as she shifted stance. Blade locked for the moment Elena lashed out with the only other weapon she had on her. Her abnormally hard nails.

[Reiko]

“Wow, I thought she was going to fall over.” Ryo said seeing the exceptional evasion of his mother’s Opponent.

“Why, it looked easy enough?” Chiyo asked as she thought that Ki kick wasn’t so hard to dodge.

“Well in the stories when a swordsman kicks low like that they fall down and the swordsman wi…”

The conversation ended with a woman’s yelp and both kits perked their ears and quieted down, they knew it was their mother that yelped since most children could tell the voice of their mother.

Elena was the one to claim first blood for raking Ki’s face; her cheek had four lines running down. Doji was lucky that she had made her opponent frantic; if that move had more planning she could have lost an eye. But it was no time for brooding, as Ki would suffer worse if she gave her opponent time to take advantage of the pain.

Ki growled as she struck with her sword, hoping to knock the blade wide and maybe disarm the girl, but instead of kicking she tackled forward using her weight but also conjured a storm of leaves to swirl about, obfuscating both fighters. Doji had noticed there was pillar not to far behind the vampire and she hoped that she could slam the girl into it and daze the woman for some advantage.

“Hey mom! Why’d you do that? I can’t see.” Ryo complained

Ki wasn’t going to hold back, her kits believed that their mother was the best warrior on Althanas and she didn’t want to disappoint them.

[Moonlit Raven]

A slight hint in warm stickiness on her fingers and the startled, pained yelp from the woman attacking let Elena know her blind strike had done damage. The warm air carried the scent of blood on a soft breeze. Elena felt her stomach tighten at the scent. Panting for a moment she sought to pull in an breath of untainted air.

The sunlight glinted off of Doji’s blade, the bright gleam stinging Elena’s eyes, temporally blinding the girl. Fire score her lower arm and wrist, automatically her hand jerked back, losing its grip on her sword. Through the grayish white patches the shifted across her vision Elena caught sight of many things rapidly moving around them both. Before she had time to wonder what those things were, a weight slammed into her stomach throwing her back. Pain flashed through Elena’s body as it struck the pillar.

Stunned, Elena slid down the pillar slightly before her legs caught and held her propped against the pillar. She was more than a little thankful that the thick braid of hair had softened the blow to her head slightly. Any more force or a little less protection and she would have found herself insensible. She curled her unwounded arm over her lower stomach for a moment, trying to ease the sharp pain that flared there then slowly died away.

Her fingertips tickled slightly as blood trickled down from the wound on her arm; absently she shook her hand flicking some of the blood away. Growling low in her throat she shook her head, ignoring the spike of pain that lanced through her temples. Blinking several times she cleared her vision enough to finally see the swirling leaves obscuring their surroundings.

“Okay, let’s play this game out.” Elena stopped trying to hold her darker side in. Instead she let it slide through her consciousness, filling her mind with dark thoughts and darker images. She grinned at Doji, barring newly sharpened and lengthening teeth as she relished the pain from her arm and the throbbing sensation from the abused muscles of her back. She used those sensations to feed her other side and letting settle fully in her. Bracing her shoulders against the stone pillar, she could feel the slightly rough coolness through the leather armor. She kicked out, aiming high for either the woman’s shoulder or chest.

[Reiko]

Ki smiled, her maneuver had worked, as the swirling leaves cascaded down and she could see through the stragglers, Doji saw Elena had been dizzied from the attack, the next moments should be easier, she was close enough for a killing blow but then she hesitated. Ki realized that she shouldn’t kill this woman in front of her children. Heck fighting was bad enough and the nine-tailed mother realized she should have said ‘no’ to Ryo’s request. But she didn’t and this fight was happening.

Doji realized she would pay for her hesitation as she heard the woman speak, her voice sounding colder than normal and her scent changing to something sinister, the smell scent goose pimples from tails to neck for Ki.

“Chiyo, Ryo, be quick, run away and hide!” Ki screamed out before seeing the woman lash out in a savage Kick, she was quicker and Doji had wasted time yelling at her kits so she had to take it but she did jump back, taking some force from the savage blow, leaving a bruise under the kimono and then landing in a crouch.

“Mom, are you alright?” Chiyo yelled and Ryo followed with, “She didn’t hurt you too badly?”

“Run away and hide!” Ki answered. “Listen o me, get away!” Ki quickly switched hands with her wakizashi and took out the Onitachi. She looked grimly at the other woman. “I guess I awakened a demon.”

The kits thankfully listened and fled into the grassland and quickly climbed a tree.

Ki called forth an illusion of her and made a zigzag run at the woman in hopes to confuse her before she lashed out with the Onitachi in a foul diagonal strike, the shorter blade staying in a defensive position in case the woman had any more surprises.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena shook her head a finally time, ridding herself of the dizzying after effects of hitting the column. A cooling breeze flowed through the temple, lifting stray loose stands and tickling her face and throat with them. A feral grin slowly but permanently fixed itself over her features as she eyed the woman. Movement off to the side captured her attention for a moment, for a moment her gaze tracked the movements of the two children. Something in the back of her mind poked at her, protesting, she shrugged it off dismissing the children from her mind.

“Shame shame, Doji Ki. I thought you wanted your children to see the fight, to see you fight. After all, they need to learn about blood and pain and death. Those are what this world was built upon, there are more monsters out there, many worse than me. They should know that mommy won’t always be there to protect them.” Elena voice lowered until it was a mocking, growling rasp. Her now black eyes sparked with a sadistic gleam.

Elena pushed off the column, her nails scoring the soft grey stone with a high pitched squeal; she dropped into a fighting crouch. Her hand dropped to the first of the two small daggers strapped to her thighs. Her hand tightened on the leather bound hilt until she thought she feel every rough leathery twist. The appearance a copy of her opponent threw Elena for a moment. Growling quietly she, threw the dagger in hand at the woman.

Elena dodged around behind the pillar. A line of burning appeared on the back of Elena’s left shoulder, where the blade scored a partial hit before she move just out of range. Dropping to the ground, Elena dug her nails into the ground to stop her momentum. Awkwardly she twisted before springing up and darting around Doji for her own blade. The second dagger found its way into her palm, she held it up defensively. In the back of her mind the small voice that had poked at her to ignore the children was whispering about remembering something. Something important, fragile and precious.

[Reiko]

Ki heard the taunts and decided it was time to forget about any honor at all. She couldn’t be merciful if this woman won she would probably torture the kits or at least torture her in front of the kits. The stench of a dark heart was more powerful than the normal body odor of Elena.

Ki noticed that her illusion was a failure, for Ki was never really good at illusions. The knife that came at her was a distraction but the ronin couldn’t let the blade strike true so she knocked it aside and came at the woman but instead struck the pillar, leaving a notch much like the first cut a lumber man would leave on a tree before making more until it fell down. Ki could cut down the pillars but such a tactic would be pointless and leave her open. Instead she looked to the woman ready in the defensive and waiting for fox girl to get close and counter, a solid defense with quick weapons. Doji was sure that the woman had a trick, probably to play a gambit to get too close for the sword to be used in a manner that was not awkward and slit or stab a vital area.

But the vixen wasn’t going to get close and jammed the Onitachi into the ground while putting way the wakizashi and taking out Seikyu, her short bow. Arrows fired from the Kirin horn bow would retain some of the sacred residue and would be extra painful and perhaps harmful to the woman whose dark soul just cropped up. Doji notched an arrow and shouted while aiming her arrow for the woman’s chest.

“I know there are more vile and stronger monsters than you, and I’ve fought many. Be glad that you’re in the citadel because you can’t win.” Ki said as she released was hoping to unsettle the woman, before her dark side was revealed, Ki liked the woman. She might even see them become friends. Ki was in love with a man that had an inner monster. Ki then quickly notched and fired too hasty shots, not aiming in anything in particular but just hoping to hit if the woman dodged.

[Moonlit Raven]

“Some one that is beaten and bloody may not always be the loser. Nor one left unscathed the winner.” Elena slid on the stone floor, her boots scraping for purchase at the end of mad dash for her sword. Bending over, her fingers just touching the hilt, she lost enough balance to fall harshly to her knees. Pain lanced up from the long cut on her right arm, making her arm weak, unusable for combat. A snarl born of frustration burst from her.

Elena ducked her head lower flattening her body to the ground, as an arrow passed over head, with a whistling sound. Elena sighed, resigned, knowing that this was a fight that she would not walk away from unscathed. Jumping to her feet, she wound up skipping awkwardly back and to the side, narrowly avoiding an arrow that would have struck her hip.

Her world narrowed down to single point of pain that burrowed into the stomach. Elena froze, halting even her breath. She groaned quietly at the pain. Carefully Elena knelt on the ground; her vision dimmed as she pushed back the darker side of her and her body began to return to normal. Using her sword for balance she stared at the woman, the other hand, curled around the arrow protruding from her stomach.

“Monsters come in many forms, Doji Ki. A mother that takes her own children into battle, simply for them to watch that too is a monster in disguise.” Elena paused to clutch at the arrow as it seemed to bite deeper within her. Growling she gripped the shaft and broke it close to her body, she was unable to keep a sharp cry of pain from escaping her.

“Then again, I guess I must be no better. A true monster that brings its unborn child into a battle field. Thank the gods this is the Citadel or Avery would kill me.” Elena steeled herself and stood, using her sword to help her until she stood firmly on both feet. She brandished the sword.

“Come, I’m still willing to fight. Shall we make one the victor on the death of another?”

[Reiko]

At first it was easy for Ki to feel good about her success with the bow. A weapon she didn’t use as much as she should had proved devastating against the dark woman. It was a victory and everyone liked to be the winner including Ki but when Elena started to show some rationality the victory turned seemed to lose some of its glimmer.

“I was just keeping a promise. That doesn’t make me a monster.” Ki, made the excuse though Elena was right that it was something a true and good mother wouldn’t do. She had kept the promise but one she should have declined. Doji let her tails hang low in slight shame though they would drag the ground when Ki heard what came next.

Hearing that Elena was pregnant made Ki sick, sick that she could do such a horrid thing to another mother and not even knowing it. This is why she hated the citadel and why she never came here to train in all those years, but Ki had forgotten until now that reason for not coming.

And here she had damaged the belly, close to or even the womb, Ki had realized that she may have killed this woman’s child with that arrow and here she was still ready to fight. The ronin mother put away her bow and looked at Elena, sure the monks would fix the damage but what effect would that have on the baby. It didn’t take much to ruin a baby’s life while in the womb, a little too much sake could make one the future village idiot, what would bringing back from the dead do to the child.

“I’m sorry, I won’t fight anymore… I’m sorry.” Ki said flatly, there were some tears welling in her eyes but she didn’t want to cry, not in shame. “I didn’t know…” Ki said as she sniffed the air, only smelling blood. Perhaps if she paid more attention to the woman’s scent she could smell the hormones that meant pregnancy. “Please see the monks quickly, I have to speak with my kits.” Ki turned away and put away her sword. “You can strike my back if you want but there’s no honor in it but then again you’re no samurai.” Ki walked towards the tree. “Chiyo, Ryo! The fight’s over, it’s a draw.”

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena stared at the woman as she walked away, her sword lowering until the tip rested against the stone floor. A warm gust of wind blew through the open walled temple, swirling around Elena like a soothing caress before racing on. She shook her head slightly and sighed, the last remnants of her darker side faded into the back of her mind.

Elena found the raising her arm to sheath her sword a difficult task. She was forced to use both hands to put away her sword with out further damaging her self. Elena carefully pressed a hand over the arrow head and half shaft that still lay lodged in to stomach as if the careful pressure would ease the pain. Hissing quietly she forced herself to remain rigidly upright, fighting against the instinctive urge to curl over against the pain.

Elena’s hand slid lower on her once flat stomach to the hard knot that was just starting to swell. Slowly taking one step after another Elena carefully picked her way across the temple and towards the way she had originally come from. Now that she didn’t have anger or rage clouding her mind her whole body ached and burned. Elena shook her head, mentally chiding herself.

“We’ve survived much more than this little battle and yet, little one, your mother is a fool. I had hoped that a battle this day would help relieve the stresses building up. Instead I find my self sadder more than anything else. The horrible thing is I don’t know why I am sad. Doji was a worthy opponent, everyone shall survive. Given the temple’s reputation I doubt we’ll even retain any scars.” Elena broke off, unsure of what she was trying to say to her unborn child and her self. She stopped and braced herself against a tree, the bark oddly textured against her tender skin, and rested.

“I guess I’ve been wishing on a star that will never fall.”

The near soundless noise of a door opening caught Elena’s attention. Slowly she turned, one of the Ai’brone stood in the door way. Elena bowed her head in greeting. A wiry smile touched her lips as she pushed away from the tree and moved to follow the monk, to what ever end lay beyond the door.

[Reiko]

Ki had left the Citadel quickly without a word as her kits followed their mother. The hollow and quiet halls of the citadel echoed with the loud and somewhat angry steps of Ki and with the quick pitter patter off the kits as they tried to keep up with the Ronin woman.

Doji said nothing the whole way out for she still felt sick from what she had done. She had attacked and wounded another mother for no reason other than pride and had her kits watch. What was she thinking? The walk out felt painfully long and if any monks or patrons said anything to Ki she didn't notice, the only thing she wanted was away from this place.

Once the trio were out of the citadel in a nice calm spot out of town with a nice shade tree, Ki sat down and looked at her Kits, not sure how she should.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Chiyo asked holding her stuffed toy close, she wished she knew what was wrong with her mother.

"Ryo..." Ki started as she shifted to her son. "Please don't ask me that again. I did something I shouldn't have."

Ryo looked guilty for a moment, lowering his fox ears and coming closer hesitantly as if expecting to be bopped. "Mommy I'm sorry. I thought it would be fun, you like to fight."

Ki wanted to bop herself when she heard that, she was a terrible mother. "I don't like to fight. I only fight when I need to, or at least try to. I wanted to please you so I listened and fought for you. But please promise me that when you grow up you will only fight when it's needed, when there's no other option. I've made so many mistakes in my life and I still make them but I want you two to live a better life."

"Umm... ok mommy." Both kits went to hug their mother and they both said they're sorry and Ki said she was sorry too.

But in the end Ki just hoped the other girl and her child was alright. the vixen was such a coward to run from her mistake like that but she didn't know what to do, she couldn't heal the child or the other mother and she couldn't comfort her either, Ki was useless.

(ok done, not sure if you wanted another post. So if you're done you can submit it or tell me to. I don't want to cut you off if you have anything else.)

[Sighter Tnailog]

Battle Judging
A chance meeting

Moonlit Raven

STORY

Continuity ~ 5/10. You were going to the Citadel, but I didn't quite discern your reason for doing so. Was it an impulse? If so, help the reader see that!
Setting ~ 6/10. A decent setting, even if it lacked some pizazz.
Pacing ~ 7/10. I liked your shorter posts at times. It was a throwback to an era when people didn't annoy me with gratuitous existential crises in every post, and I thank you for it.

CHARACTER

Dialogue ~ 6/10. Well-managed, concise, and clearly written.
Action ~ 7/10. Decently simple explanations, not much that was fancy. Only worry -- your character WAS a level 2, not Reiko's level 7. Keep level in mind when taking and launching attacks.
Persona ~ 6/10. Nicely done. I got a feel for Elena without having to deal with copious inner dialogue and angst-ridden character introspection.

WRITING STYLE

Technique ~ 6/10. Nothing really fancy.
Mechanics ~ 7/10. Well done -- but always room for improvement!
Clarity ~ 7/10. I understood everything quite well, which is worthy of praise.

MISCELLANEOUS

Wild Card ~ 7/10. I decided the battle was close enough that I would hold you dead-even with your opponent in Wild Card and let the scores themselves tip the battle one way or the other.

TOTAL ~ 64.

Reiko

STORY

Continuity ~ 7/10. I liked your reasoning for bringing your kits to the Citadel -- to see their mother fight.
Setting ~ 5.5/10. Raven had a slight edge thanks to her description of the arena, but I would say that neither did much better than the other in this category.
Pacing ~ 7/10. Your posts weren't short like MR's were at times, but they still were interesting -- they paced the battle in a different way.

CHARACTER

Dialogue ~ 7.5/10. The kits made your dialogue have a slight edge over MR's.
Action ~ 6/10. Good and believable -- but remember, you are the level 7 in this house!
Persona ~ 6.5/10. The "motherly touch" gave you the edge here.

WRITING STYLE

Technique ~ 6/10. See comments for MR.
Mechanics ~ 6/10. Work on this! I saw some run-ons and things of that nature. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't entirely professional.
Clarity ~ 6.5/10. Sometimes your mechanics made this area suffer just a tad.

MISCELLANEOUS

Wild Card ~ 7/10. See comments for MR.

TOTAL ~ 65. By a nose!

Reiko wins the battle!

EXP REWARDS

Reiko gains 2475 EXP!
Moonlit Raven gains 675 EXP!

GP REWARDS

Reiko gains 275 GP!
Moonlit Raven gains 300 GP!

OTHER REWARDS

Doji's kits each get a plushie -- Reiko, feel free to choose the type of plushie.

Elena receives a Devon Starslayer memorial paperweight -- limited edition, Certificate of Authenticity #6678. The weight is of spun glass, with a single falling star wrought in gold suspended the middle of the medium.

As with all Citadel Gift Shop awards, these gifts may not be sold.

[Letho]

EXP/GP added! Moonlit Raven, welcome to the next level.