To Be a Master! (Reboot!) (IC Thread)

[alfheimwanderer]

Competition Block Courtyard
Noon, July 22, 2014

It was not often that Tohsaka Rin found herself so utterly outmatched. Not since the Holy Grail War itself had she been forced to face a magus of this level of power. Not since the Holy Grail War that she had been so soundly defeated. She'd become a little too comfortable with the politics of the Tower, after Shirou had left for...for Atlas, at that woman's request.

...in some respects, she'd forgotten her place, lost the edge that had kept her alive in the Fuyuki War.

And she supposed that whoever Shirou chose was...well, who that idiot chose. It wasn't as if she liked him or anything, or had any particular feeling towards him. Not now. She'd never actually admitted...well, it was too late for that anyway, and she had her duty. The Grail had to be dismantled, even if the rest of the Association had insisted on this farce of a tournament for other reasons.

"The first match will be Albert of the House of Welf opposing Joey of the House of Shorts," she announced, an expression of utter calm on her face. It would be interesting to see the diplomat facing off against a magus skilled in the manipulation of probabilities. "Following this will be Matou Shinji, of the Founding Families opposing Sajyou Ayaka, chosen Observer of the Second Magician. Third..." Here she paused, blinking as she verified the names. "John Smith, the Storyteller, will face...'Little Red Riding Hood,' followed by Mitsuzuri Ayako opposing...Sir Duck, a representative of..." What. "...Sumire. Further matches to be announced after the conclusion of these!"

[EnigmaticFellow]

Albert Welf
July 22, 2014

A match against Joey of Shorts. Of course they would set me up to go against him first. Can't disagree with El-Melloi about giving the other branches of the Association a good show. Why simply show off a man taking down an opponent far inferior to him when you can show a much closer match so as to show off the strength of the Clock Tower? If he wants to play that game, I will oblige him.

The both of us take our positions at the stadium and promptly start the match.

Without a single word being uttered, my daemon manifests itself as it menacingly stares down upon its new foe. And as soon as my opponent calls forth his own daemon, Gyarados primes up the necessary prana to charge at the opposing daemon with a wall of water along with it. Let Joey think of me as being arrogant by attacking with a seemingly less than optimal move. I will see how he attempts to defend himself and continue from there.

[alfheimwanderer]

Joey Shorts
July 22, 2014

'So, Albert of the House of Welf. The diplomat with the Gyarados daemon, eh?'

Certainly, the other had left a truly impressive body count, with terrified classmates in his wake, so Joey of the House of Shorts knew he could not go easy on this opponent. But then, that wasn't his nature anyway, for he himself was quite a snake in the grass. Many had underestimated his daemon due to its looks, but they only ever did so once.

Yes, the other was a grave threat, with its intimidating aura dropping Bibarel's physical attack capabilities...but it didn't seem as if the other was exploiting it, as it charged up the prana for what seemed like the Waterfall attack. Well, if he was going to let that be the way of things...so be it. He'd prepared for such.

Gyarados' Intimidate lowers Bibarel's Attack! (- 1 Atk)
Bibarel HP: 82/112
Gyarados HP: 86/99 (recoil from foe's Jaboca Berry)

He snapped his fingers, and his daemon called down a powerful electric bolt at the opponent, grimacing as it did not simply crush the enemy outright.

'A Wacan Berry, eh? Can't say I'm surprised.'

He supposed his enemy would have prepared for such an eventuality, but then, pure damage wasn't the only consideration he had in mind - a battle could be won in more than one way.

Gyarados HP: 44/99 [Paralyzed]

Bibarel's Moody boosts Special attack by 2 Stages, lowers Special Defense by one stage (+2 Sp.Atk, -1 Sp.Def)

[EnigmaticFellow]

Albert Welf
July 22, 2014

Tch. That was unfortunate, but the stat bonuses his daemon recieved does tip my opponent's hand. They are far too fortuitous to simply be made without some manner of probability manipulation. Given that Thunder was used against me, there is little point to regenerating Gyarados' health. If my opponent personally wishes to act in this battle, then he will have to pull his own weight in order to benefit his daemon.

With the battlefield already set, I bring forth a spell to send all the surrounding water towards the opposition. He must be unused to competent magi facing him in two-versus-two duels if he did not take my daemon's attack seriously. I should take measures to rectify that gap in his learning, then. This will force him to not neglect a single defensive stat.

Meanwhile, Gyarados charges yet again with Waterfall towards the opposing daemon, struggling much more than before to bring forth the attack. It may be unlikely for the attack to land, but I am sure that Joey must be aware of the true purpose this attack serves to me in this match.

[alfheimwanderer]

Joey Shorts
July 22, 2014

Joey raised an eyebrow at this display of unusual competence. For a magus to use his daemon to bypass the usual prana requirements of summoning water was interesting indeed, and spoke of long practice. Then again, one would need long hours of practice to train a daemon up from a lowly magikarp - most who were cursed with such a daemon tended to drop out of training. The fact that Albert had not...well, that tended to speak of a certain bloody mindedness.

And of course, the spell coming at him was one designed to hit multiple targets. But then, Joey himself knew of such wide-area moves, and enacted his own mystery, as something that looked like shimmering hexagons of crisp violet light flared into existence, forbidding such moves from making contact - and indeed, the opponent's spell broke upon his barrier.

As for the enemy daemon Gyarados, limping along despite its paralysis, it was time to stop it before it could provide yet more ammunition for the other's spell.

Once more he snapped his fingers, with the Bibarel acting first, calling down a bolt of lightning from the heavens to blast the enemy daemon out of existence.

Gyarados FAINTED
Bibarel's Moody boosts Special attack by 2 Stages, lowers Defense by one stage (+2 Sp.Atk, -1 Def)
Total Change: Bibarel 82/112 HP (+4 Sp. Atk, - 1 Def, -1 Sp. Def)

[EnigmaticFellow]

Albert Welf
July 22, 2014

As the bolt of Thunder crashes down upon my daemon, its ashes fly across the battlefield before disappearing as motes of prana. This site is hardly new to me, though it has been a while since I have seen it. No matter, I will simply make do with the present situation and grasp victory.

Wide Guard only lasts for a turn and leaves him open to an assault as soon as it drops. I better take advantage of that defensive hole while I still can. So I once again motion for the water to crush Joey and his daemon.

After that I make an effort to cast a reneration spell upon myself. Although special attacks from daemons are not primarily designed to effect the physical world, the boosts to his special attack stat makes getting hit by Thunder hardly a pleasant experience. He probably would not use Ice Beam seeing as I can simply block the attack with water long before it reaches me. I will just have to hope that the attack misses.

[alfheimwanderer]

Joey Shorts
July 22, 2014

Once more, the spell coming at him seemed to be one designed to hit multiple target - one for each of the enemy daemon's waterfalls, to boot. Something like 3x surf attacks - fearsome indeed. Too powerful to leave to chance, sadly, and he didn't have his daemon's resistance to water attacks to boot. But he could also see that his enemy was trying to regenerate.

'No. I've come too far to fail now!'

And in the end, he was a gambling man, so he placed his trust in his daemon, the being born from his soul who had been with him since it was but a small bidoof.

The waters rushed over him and his Bibarel, tearing at it, ripping mercilessly at its form, but the creature carried through, though bloody and worn, one final bolt of power ready to loose.

Bibarel HP: 1/112
Joey HP: 3/112

And then for the first time that match, Joey spoke.

"Thunder."

Two bolts of lightning lanced down from the sky, one evoked by the daemon - one evoked by the man himself, slamming into the water mage of the house of Welf - and with that, the match was over.

Albert FAINTED
Victory goes to Joey of the House of Shorts

---

The Einzbern representatives hurried to clear the field before the next battle, with Tohsaka Rin muttering under her breath about noble showoffs and things of the sort. It had certainly been much flashier than the battle between Rin and the Director of Atlas, that was for sure, and both sides had displayed quite a bit of skill.

In the end, victory or defeat on this battlefield wasn't what mattered - but simply skill, determination, and what one was willing to risk in order to win. By those standard, both would score very high indeed.

'...better than one of the people in the next match, I'm sure...'

"Next is Matou Shinji, of the Founding Families opposing Sajyou Ayaka, chosen Observer of the Second Magician."

But someone came up to her then, one of the messengers helping to run the event.

"What? Zelretch is? Ok, slight change of plan. By request of the Second Magician, next is John Smith, the Storyteller, facing 'Little Red Riding Hood. The Matou vs Sajyou match will follow."

[mangafreak7793]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014


Just as the Tohsaka heir announce the sudden change of match order, a loud burst of dust and smoke appeared near her vicinity spooking the announcer as she covered her eyes while holding down her skirt from the wind. Meanwhile the smoke began to cover the stadium obstructing the viewer's view of what's happening only to hear a bone chilling howl echoing from the center of it and just as quickly as it appeared the smoke began to dissipate revealing a young man wearing a wolf mask still continuing his rather convincing growling and howling out in the open.

"What are you doing out here, lit-" The young man wearing the mask growled with as much friendliness he could muster but before he continue on his charade of that famous children's story the quote suddenly died in his throat as he saw his opponent who just like him suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The figure before him had the form of a young girl,who wears a white and red gingham dress and a pair of brown muddy tough boots. Her hair brown flowing lock tucked neatly around a red silky bonnet the covers the rest of her facial features.

This seems like the perfect act for the young man.

To say a quip, a line, and a funny little tale while running around like a madman before either bumbling about to victory or to stumble into defeat.

The perfect scenario to toss his concerns and play the fool for all to see and for those who know him expect to see a show like this.

And so....he did not do these things.

Instead he put away the mask and don his Wizard's Hat and with a small smile and bow directed to the little girl he said.

"Hello Miss, My Name is the Storyteller. What is your name?"

[alfheimwanderer]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

But the little girl did not reply, she lifted her arms, as an ominous wind began to blow in the courtyard, a cyclone of malignant air and information that billowed outward from the girl's form towards the so-called Storyteller.

She did not want to answer. There was no point in answering.

After all, she was already long gone.

???'s Atk increased
???'s Def increased
???'s Sp. Atk increased
???'s Sp. Def increased
???'s Speed increased

[mangafreak7793]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014


Sensing the incoming attack with a tap of his shoes rollerblades popped out the soles as he poured some prana into his legs and started gliding across the stadium in an effort to dodge.

"Come on, don't be like that. it's kind of rude." He said with a lightness to his tone one would think he was casually playing in a park. "But then again I'm the one who approached you....Ok, How about this I tell you something about myself and then you tell me something about youself that way we can know about each other on an equal footing? I can go first my name is the Storyteller and my hobbies are reading, watching things and having eating duels with my ultimate rival to say a few. Please tell me more about yourself, Miss?"

[alfheimwanderer]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

A blood red grimace under a blood red hood, that was all anyone could see, even if the Storyteller came close. And though the other may have avoided the attack, darting away from the wind like a ship before the storm, it didn't matter.

She didn't want to talk to strangers.

Strangers wouldn't help her.

She just wanted to see A again.

One last time.

And so she vanished from sight and sound...gone without a trace...

[mangafreak7793]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

He saw the bloody grimace as she vanished into the thin air causing the Storyteller to frown as he stopped running. He take a moment to look at his surroundings and find no one is around.


"Well considering that this is technically a fight she won't just run away so that will mean....."

"I really do want to talk to you....so I'll tell you more about myself and maybe you can tell me about yourself too." He said as he pulled on a pair of shades and with a distinct click. "For example, I'm a magician and a magician who always tries to amazes the crowd and tries bring smiles onto the audience's face."

"Please work."

"Always likes to makes things flashy!"

a couple of flashbangs fell from his robe just as she appeared behind him and was then enveloped into light.

[alfheimwanderer]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

The form of the girl was enveloped in light, but this did nothing to stop the strike from going through, tearing through any possible defense, any possible protection. Storyteller HP: 30/79

But even as it hit, worms of ink lashed out at the other's form, restraining it and digging into its skin.

??? HP Remaining: 13/35

But still, the girl said nothing, only looking out at him with her soulless eyes, as an ominous wind began to blow once more...

[mangafreak7793]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

"Ooooooh, That Hurts!" The Storyteller howls as he rolls around in pain for a few moments before regaining himself and shakily standing up. "That really, really, smarts you know."

'In hindsight I should have reinforced my robe....but at least i got her pinned and...'

For a moment you were not at the clocktower but at someplace you do not recognize or is entirely a blur except for a single door in which you walk towards it and knock.

And Knock.

and Knock

and Knock

But no matter how much you knock, no one answered the door...why?

And you are back to the arena and seeing the girl looking at you with soulless eyes that you know all so well as she charges up for an attack as his partner summons himself behind him.

"....."

"I know Savonarola, Kind of got caught up in the moment."

"...."

"She packs a mean waloop, I know that too."

"...."

'Well I have you with me, in case she does because you always have my back." The Storyteller smiles as he turns to the girl. "I forgot to introduce you to my lifelong friend, Savonarola and don't let his looks fool you, he's a really nice guy. What about you? I really do want to know more about you, talk to you, even if you do try and attack I won't stop until you talk and maybe know each other better? I'll do my best to listen to what you have to say and if you want to listen to me that is fine too. I can also help if you want to cry I'll lend you a shoulder and a tissue, if you are angry I'll do my best to try and take on your anger, and if your sad or regretful I'll take it in as well."

"Just let me listen to your story, to hear your tale, and I will never forget you."

[alfheimwanderer]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

Tears? Crying? What was those? What was help? What was a friend?

No one had come when she hurt. No one had come when she bled.

Not even A, who lived next door.

To flee from the words, she vanished once more - or tried, with the worms of ink catching fire in the attempt, ripping her form apart.

[???'s Substitute was broken]

...only to reveal a daemon.



Drifblim HP Remaining: 135/135

For an instant it remained - only for an instant, before it vanished once more.

[mangafreak7793]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

"....."

"I know, I know..." The Storyteller curse slightly as he pulled out several smokebomb and tossed them into the corners of the stadium and when they burst into four seperate clouds of smoke, my partner grabbed me and started to Teleport.

"A long time ago there was a guy name Eddie." The Storyteller from within the smoke clouds, though one could not tell if it came from one or the other or perhaps all four. "He was a maintenance man who believed he did nothing in his life but fixed rides at a small carnival."

And so the Storyteller begins to weave his tale in hopes to reach a young girl's heart.

[alfheimwanderer]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

Confused by the smokebombs, the deadly strike of the rogue daemon missed its mark, but it was not to be deterred. It could sense the other, blinking in and out of existence, moving from place to place to place, but that didn't matter. The smoke was confusing. The sounds were confusing. The words were confusing.

It hurt. Being confused hurt.

And in the middle of the smoke, the form of the daemon shifted, forming once more into the appearance of Little Red Riding Hood, the girl with the bloody smile.

Drifblim HP: 101/135
Substitute HP: 35/35

Empty words. Empty promises. Empty. Empty. Empty.

And as the other spoke, a fell wind began to blow once more, a cyclone of miasma tearing apart the smoke, removing all places to hide.

???'s Atk increased
???'s Def increased
???'s Sp. Atk increased
???'s Sp. Def increased
???'s Speed increased

[mangafreak7793]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

"However, no matter what tragedy befell his life, he became crippled, lost opportunities to get ahead in life, lost his wife." The Storyteller continued. "He still went to work, still fixed the rides, he by the end of his tale realized there was more to it then that. He protected the kids by doing his job, made sure the rides were safe and took no chances to ensure their safety, he saved their lives and until his end saved the lives of the kids."

The area begins the warp, change shape, and distort until things reformed, grew or just appeared almost like a pop-up book.

There was no more audience, no more arena.

Only Ruby Pier.

and with it that the sights of bright lights, the sounds of laughing children, and the smell of roasted peanuts and popcorn filling the air.

The Storyteller himself stood in the center of it all, a bright happy smile on his face despite his haggard appearance filling the mood with something wondrous in one's chest.

"Welcome Miss, to Ruby Pier the place where that man's heaven was, a place where children were safe in a place that is made to bring laughter and joy into one's heart. Shall we enjoy the festivities?"

[alfheimwanderer]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

The world vanished. The noise vanished. The wind vanished.

Another place. A place that wasn't a place. A time outside of time. A living story.

For a moment, the daemon felt a flicker of something she had not felt since she ran long ago, but it faded as quickly as it had come.

Lies. Everything was a lie.

The food she couldn't eat. The foreign sound. The sound other children made sometimes.

Not her. Never her.

Joy. What joy. Safe. What safe.

Running, running, always running.

Bleeding out. Bleeding in. Bleeding.

Long ago she made a wish, to become like a balloon.

To fly away.

Yet her wings would not let her escape the memories of that night. The feel of the knife. The screams. The screams. The screams.

Once more, she vanished.

[mangafreak7793]

Competition Block Courtyard
July 22, 2014

'Not again.....' He mentally sighed as the emotions from the girl flowed into him, how the story was a lie, the bleeding, and the running. "Savonarola!"

His Partner teleported him high into the sky overseeing Ruby Pier, the sights, the lights, the chatter brings a warm flutter in his heart. Even despite the pain the man had found himself a piece of peace for himself and it was in that he had saved many others. Can this storyteller do the same?

"I know you can hear me but you got one thing wrong. A Balloon doesn't fly it only floats letting the current drag you among a fickle breeze and then witters away when it runs out of gas." He yelled out in the open air, hoping but knowingly she can hear you as you threw you voice in random directions. "You said you ran, and ran, and ran but never escaping the memories, never eating the food, never hearing these sounds, never laughing."

"AREN'T YOU HERE NOW, IN A PLACE THAT OFFERS SUCH THINGS!" He roared. "I'M HERE NOW AREN'T I SO YOU WON'T HAVE TO BE ALONE! DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE STORYTELLERS FOR THEY CAN BECOME ANYTHING THEY WANT TO BE! YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE LAUGHTER I'M A MASTER OF MAGIC THAT WILL AMAZES THE HEARTS OF MANY! YOU WANT TO EAT,I CAN BE A GUIDE TO SHOW YOU SOME GREAT PLACES TO EAT, YOU WANT TO ESCAPE, A STORYTELLER CAN BE AN ESCAPE ARTIST AND HELP YOU BREAK OUT OF THOSE CHAINS!"

"DO NOT BE THE SILENT BALLOON THAT CAN ONLY BE DRIFTED BY THE WHIM OF THE WIND, BE A BIRD THAT CAN SOAR AND GO WHERE IT PLEASES AND CRY OUT WHEN IT WANTS! LET ME BE THE PERSON WHO CAN OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU THAT HAS BEEN KNOCKING ON IT FOR SO LONG!"

And thus the Storyteller has been consumed by the light of the Ruby Pier's firework display.