Playing with Fire [Tag: Liu]

Gia

Aug 6, 2012 23:36:17 GMT -6

Ren’ai walked into the park. Normally, she would have asked Yuri to come with her, but for once, she wanted to be by herself. The dark-haired young woman just wanted to train privately today. A lot had happened recently, and she needed some time to think by herself. They had gone from being an incomplete team of just two best friends, to have a Team Manager and a Waterbender for their team in the upcoming season. It was exciting, but nerve wracking at the same time. She was nervous. As Captain, she had a certain level of expectation for herself. The Firebender had to be better than the other two members of her team. It wasn’t necessary, but she felt that if she pushed herself, then they would push themselves, too. At least that’s how she saw it, and honestly, she didn’t care if Yuri or Kamil disagreed or not. They were a team, and she would push them so that they did their best.

Ren’ai found a clear spot in the park where no one would bother her, and where she wouldn’t bother anyone. She would have to be careful with her fire, though, as if she set the place on fire that would probably land her in jail. She wasn’t afraid of Chief Bei Fong or the police, but that didn’t mean that she wanted to end up behind bars for damage of public property. Her amber eyes glanced around, and didn’t see anyone near her that would interrupt her or get in her way. She was not alone in the park, of course, but there was no one in the near vicinity to bother her, at least not that she saw right now. Of course, she probably would pay as much attention once she started training, so it is possible that someone could sneak up on her if they wanted to. She wasn’t sure what the point would be, but anything was possible.

Ren’ai ran her hands along the sides of her black pants that she had put on today. She had worked earlier, but it had given her enough time to go home, change, and come to the park. She had chosen a pair of black pants and matched with a simple red shirt. Normally, she liked to wear things a little more… well feminine. She was a girl, and she enjoyed putting on makeup, doing her hair, and wearing pretty clothes. It was one of the good things about being a girl as far as she was concerned. Right now, though, her makeup was very minimal and barely noticeable. Her long, black hair was done up in just a ponytail, nothing special. Most people, seeing her now, would not think that normally, she was all done up just like a lot of girls were. This was a different Ren’ai, this was the one that kept things simple and was focused with her goal of being in Probending’s elite in her mind. First, she had to do well in their first match, and that meant training as much as possible.

The tall young woman took a deep breath, slowly inhaling and then exhaling. There was really no reason for her to be nervous, she told herself. After all, she and Yuri had been training for this for so long. They had to be ready. If they weren’t now, would they ever be? The young woman shook her head, a small smile crossing her face. She was thinking too much. They would be fine, provided Kamil stuck around and lived up to the potential that he’d showed, of course… The dark-haired young woman almost got herself down the train of thought of thinking of everything that could wrong, but she stopped herself. There was no reason to go down that road until she had a reason to. For now, everything was going. That was unusual, but she should take good things when they came along and not complain about them.

Ren’ai began to start, at first doing a few quick jabs and simple dodges. It was nothing special, but she wanted to start small and work her way up. She remembered everything she had seen from Probending in the matches. She focused on those Firebenders. Yes, she was classically trained, but she had worked hard to be better at Probending, and her natural power certainly didn’t hurt in that area any. She then started to get into more complex moves, doing combos of jabs and kicks, while still trying to practice some dodging maneuvers to get her out of the way of whatever her opponents might try to hit at her. She wanted to be prepared. She was not going to go in that water, and it didn’t matter what they did. She honestly believed that, and wasn’t about to doubt herself about that now. Confidence was exactly what she needed. After a few minutes, she stopped to take a rest, and thought her first set had gone rather well.

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Last edit: Aug 6, 2012 23:37:15 GMT -6

braddletard

Aug 7, 2012 0:56:51 GMT -6

A blanket of golden-red sunlight covered the surface of the Park in Republic City, faint echoes of twining shades of crimson and orange danced playfully along the idle blades of green grass covering the area. The cry of turtleducks and gurgle of artificial streams lured attention from the couples striding hand-in-hand along the green; children playing with kites and throwing leather balls back and forth with screams of delight; elderly companions playing Pai Sho in the fading light, chatting merrily of younger days.

For Liu Zhon, moving with an easy step along one of the smooth pathways snaking through the park's entirety, the scene was one of static reliability. No matter how bad his day was, how eventful, how monotonously boring; he could come to this place and feel... soothed. It was not merely a representation of the hard-won peace achieved by Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang, but a lasting memorial to the kindness of the Human heart, the truth that within all men was the potential for the admiration of this; a strange and impossible beauty.

His thick, soft black hair fell in rebellious strands over his eyes, shimmering faintly in the reflected light of the setting sun. His irises, normally a muted colour of virgin gold, were enhanced to a flare of brilliance: Soaking in the solar light and allowing it to optically enhance his appearance. Purely aesthetic, of course - visible only at just the right angle. But nonetheless, it was there. A change in his appearance, the way the twilight radiance flowed along the contours of his sharp features. His skin, darkened and lightened to a tenuous balance of honeyed-olive, soaked in the rays of light: absorbing their warmth and primal caress by means of a faint layer of shine on Liu Zhon's flesh.

The pendant on the firebender's chest, his gold-and-silver sun-and-moon charm, reflected the light of the dominating star with keen alacrity; the imitation of its majesty - larger than the moon designed next to it on the chain - reflected the gifted light with near-adulation, throwing spots of light this way and that onto the grass as Liu moved, sending one child's animal haywire trying to catch the illusive flickers. For his part, the bender paid little heed to the behaviours of others, at least when they deviated from the idyllic stereotype he had come to so comfortably associate with the park.

This selective vision, however, did not extend to those of a less-than-noble persuasion. More than once, he had soundly thrashed common street toughs who tried to harass passers-by when night had firmly taken hold. Once, he himself had been set upon, much to the small trio of muggers' great regret. It was not that he took pleasure in the actions; after all, the men and women were products of their environment. It was highly unlikely that they alone were to blame for the way they developed. A person is only as pure or corrupt as the environment they're raised in - at least, that was his father's belief.

There was, however, a certain spot that Liu Zhon enjoyed more than any other. A place, secluded from everyone else, usually devoid of activity due to its distance from paths and bodies of water. It was invisible to most tourists and park goers unless one bothered to actively search for it, often too interested in the more blatantly attractive spots and landmarks. At a glance, it was unremarkable to the naked eye; he'd gone there quite often when he was younger. Privacy, a few stolen kisses, mainly bending practice. It was a place he enjoyed, loved even - just another patch of grass to most, but it was like a second home to the son of two worlds.

Two worlds. Those words held significant meaning to Liu Zhon. As he steadily walked along the path, towards the section of park he preferred, he mused over the words of his elderly grandfather - a veteran of the final days of the Hundred Year War. "You are the pride of our family," the old man had said in a surprisingly firm voice. "A symbol of peace hard-won by the Fire Lord Zuko. Never let any others fill you with shame, grandson." He also remembered the old man coughing, his entire frame trembling from the sickness as it displayed its true presence and enfeebled him. Still, he had finished his intended words. "You are the child of Fire and Water, and you will bring honour to the Zhon name. Never be afraid to tell others who you are; for you represent the true harmony of the world. You represent our future."

He had been fifteen when those words had been spoken. Now, he could appreciate them in a way he never had as a teenager. The symbol behind his Grandfather's message was a sentiment more noble, more honourable than what Liu had ever imagined possible. In retrospect, he should have realized it sooner; but hindsight is often cruel in that way. He shook his head slightly, a wry expression on his features. 'Snap out of it,' he told himself idly, 'that sort of thinking only leads to bitterness. Just focus on the park, and enjoy the-- what the hell!?'

Liu Zhon stopped abruptly, eyes locking onto a gout of flame that erupted from the fist of a rather attractive firebender stepping through the motions of her routine. It wasn't the fact that he recognized probending that halted him, nor the way her figure seemed to almost flow from form to form with the sinuous grace of the Dragons of old. No, it was the fact that she had chosen the exact place in the park that could not inconvenience him more. Of all the secluded areas of grass, she had chosen the one place that - against all odds - had already been long ago claimed by someone else.

Him.

Approaching without hesitation, albeit with a mildly wary gait akin to an inquisitive wolf, Lie Zhon had forgotten that he usually only expressed a very clear attitude to strangers: Dislike and irritation. His lips were downturned at the corners, his walk was more of a wolfish prowl and his eyes were as hard as polished topaz. When he came up to her, he looked her over once - eyes to toes and then back up again - before speaking in a to-the-point, but oddly calm tone. "Who are you," he began, eyes flashing with dislike, "and why are you practising your probending - which I have to say actually looks rather impressive - here, of all places? There are plenty of other spots, some more secluded, to practice." Though his words were civil, only irritation and annoyance dominated his striking gold stare.[/color]

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Last edit: Aug 8, 2012 21:52:19 GMT -6

Gia

Aug 7, 2012 15:51:01 GMT -6

Ren’ai felt good. Her body didn’t feel tight. On the contrary, she felt very loose and confident. Despite the fact that she had felt somewhat nervous upcoming here, as soon as she had started to practice, everything seemed to fall into place. The Firebender’s moves flowed one into the other. It all seemed effortless and seamless. Maybe that could just be because she always felt better when she was practicing. This was what she wanted to do with her life. The dark-haired young woman wanted to be a Probender. That had always been her goal in life, and there had never been any other. She was Captain of the Dragon Hawks. She had to be better than everyone else. She had to believe that. As good as she felt right now, she believed that. The young woman knew that wasn’t entirely true, but the point was, that sense of confidence helped her when she trained, which would help her when she was in their first match.

Ren’ai went through some more complicated moves. She did a kick, and then immediately put her leg down and spun out of the way. Everything had gone so well in training so far; she almost wondered when the other shoe was going to drop so to speak. The Firebender put that out of her head, though. Yes, while it was true that she didn’t know if Kamil was going to work out or not, there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t. She needed to take everything one day at a time. The young woman had no reason to believe that Kamil wouldn’t work out because no one else had so far. She had a good feeling about him, and she knew that Yuri did, too. There was no reason for her to doubt him when he hadn’t given her a reason to yet. He seemed to be rather easy going, which was what they needed in their member – someone who wouldn’t get pissed off just because she was being tough on them. She as the Captain, it was her job to be tough and push her team to be better.

Something else also crossed Ren’ai’s mind. If she succeeded this season, her father would have to shut his mouth. Tasukete and his wife, Kyouko, would have to acknowledge their daughter’s talent. He had already said that if she made it, he would pay for any and all expenses. A smirk crossed her face as she did a kick and punch combination. She was keeping her actual Firebending to a minimum, as she had no wish to set anything in the park on fire. They wanted her to settle down, get married, and have kids. While she wasn’t opposed to the former two, she had no wish to have kids. It would take her out of the game for a while, and she wouldn’t know if she would be able to get back in shape soon enough for the next season. Her parents didn’t understand this. She was eighteen, they wanted grandchildren. Part of her felt bad, because she knew that her father was getting old and wanted to see a grandchild from her before he died. He already had grandchildren from her two older brothers, though.

A voice broke Rena’is concentration and her thoughts, nearly making her fall over. It was a man’s voice, and he sounded annoyed. He said something about his spot, as if this place had his name on it. She got her footing again, and then turned to look at him. He was a big guy, even making her feel small. That was not an easy thing to do, as she stood at five-eight. He was easily head and shoulders taller than her, something she didn’t see very often. That didn’t stop her from being annoyed, though. She put one hand on her hip, cocking it as she looked at him. “Oh, really, is that so?” she asked him, her voice clearly annoyed at the interruption. That was the whole point of finding a quiet spot, so she wouldn’t be interrupted! “Is your name written on this spot somewhere, because I sure don’t see it, and last time I checked, this wasn’t a private park.” Her amber eyes flared with annoyance and intensity.

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braddletard

Aug 7, 2012 22:57:26 GMT -6

She was flushed. That was one of the first things that Liu Zhon noticed; the faint crimson bloom spreading from her pale, defined cheekbones to the bridge of her nose. Accompanying this, an elevated intake of breath and exhalation, as well as the faintest glimmer of perspiration on her forehead; casting a very faint glimmer to her unmarked flesh in the caressing light of the soon-to-be setting sun. Now, that wasn't to say she was perfect, nor that his heart stopped or his palms turned clammy. She was pretty, yes. Heck, she could even be called a natural babe - but that didn't overrule the fact that she was: one, in his spot or two, currently leering at him in a challenging manner. Right then.

Liu cocked his head and listened when she spoke her mind, noting the way in which she jutted her hip and the hand that came to rest on it. What happened next was only to be expected, she was pointing out the glaring holes in his argument and the fact that the park was public property. She also noted that he didn't have his name on the grass anywhere. At that, he gave a little smile. That was something he could one-up her on, if not the fact about the park's legal ownership. After all, she was correct on that account; the park was public property and in no way subject to private claim - or at least, not legal private claim.

Still, there was something he could do - or rather show her - that would put a wrench in a partition of her argument. "Alright," he said to her with a hint of flirtation, though the majority was annoyed amusement - as if speaking to a particularly humorous child. "I'll duel you for it. One bender to another. Nothing too serious, just a little game. First person to fall over or be pushed back roughly six metres loses." As he said this, Liu Zhon pointed his right fore and middle fingers to an area of grass behind him and and nodded. "Six metres. I go past that, and you win. Alternatively; I fall over and you win anyway. Think of it as practice. Just a friendly competition."

The firebender smiled, gold eyes flashing in the sunlight. He pulled his hands from his pockets, but hooked his thumbs into them casually - he wasn't wearing his gloves today. His sun-and-moon pendant rested lightly on the white of his undershirt, flanked by the loose-hanging collar of his shirt. The two buttons closest to the top were undone, giving him a much more casual look than if he'd done them up. His pants were tucked into the black boots on his feet, and his lips curved upwards at their right corner. His tone was faintly challenging as he spoke, hiding just how much the way her ebony hair heated his blood, shining faintly in reflection of the sunlight.

Liu Zhon could feel the heat in his veins rising for another reason, as well. His body was readying itself to bend. He could already sense the flames in his chest, feel the ripple of power that subtly indicated his preparation. His chi flowed freely, muscles contracting beneath the flesh as they readied themselves for smooth and practised motions. His posture, straight and proud, hardened imperceptibly. He dispelled the attraction factor in that moment, and - where before he had analysed her based on gender - he instead looked upon her as an opponent. He noted the strong stance she took even now, the readiness of her body, her advantage: an already elevated heart rate and passion, inspired by her earlier practise.

Liu Zhon knew she'd already been doing kata, but he doubted she'd wasted her energy nor truly strained herself to the point of being incapable of a friendly duel. There was something powerful about this girl - no, this woman. Something primal and barely restrained behind that alluring exterior. He was eager to find out what it was. Even if it meant he might lose. He knew that it wasn't going to be like the other matches; he would need to play smart this time. Thanks to his size and talent, he had a lot of brute power - but it would take ingenuity and strategy to defeat this girl. Use your basics, his Father had said. 'Strike effectively and break their routine, don't waste time on flashy exuberance.'

Liu Zhon smiled at her, golden eyes crinkling at the edges, pearly white teeth bright in the sunlight. A silent challenge, a borderline flirtatious encouragement. Prove me wrong. The look said. Show me I should respect you.

Time to see if her spirit matched the competitive world she'd entered.

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Last edit: Aug 8, 2012 21:51:59 GMT -6

Gia

Aug 8, 2012 21:19:54 GMT -6

Ren’ai saw the man give a little smile. The Firebender wondered why, until he started talking. Then, she almost scoffed at him, but resisted from doing that. What was this man’s damage? There were plenty of other places for him to go. After all, she got here first. It didn’t matter if he thought that this was his spot, he should have shrugged it off and found another spot. No, he decided that he was going to fight her for it. Who does that? It seemed rather ridiculous to her. Part of her thought that she could just let him have it, if he wanted it that badly. It was just a training spot. There were others around; this was far from the She had been challenged, and her only one. Of course, the dark-haired young woman was not the kind to back down from a challenge. Her competitive blood was raging now at this stranger’s words and tones as he spoke to her.

Ren’ai looked him up and down, as if she was judging him. In truth, she was. In his voice, she had heard mostly annoyance. It had almost sounded condescending, something she detested. Part of her almost thought she heard a slight flirtatious tone, but if it was there, it was hidden behind all the annoyance. She hated his tone, and the dark-haired young woman wanted to wipe that tone out of his voice – by force if necessary. He was smiling at her, which wouldn’t normally bother her if the Firebender didn’t get a feeling from him that he was arrogant. She knew that she may be over thinking things, but she doubted it. He had seen her training, so he must be confident in his own abilities if he was challenging her. She was confident her own abilities, too, though. She would not be trying to be a Probender if she was thought that her abilities didn’t stack up to anyone else’s. She didn’t care if he thought that, though.

Ren’ai also realized that she had no idea what he was capable of. He had an advantage on her in that area, because he had seen her training, if however briefly. He probably had also seen that she was a Firebender, not that it mattered in the scheme of things. It was just another point to prove that she knew nothing about him at all other than what she saw, and what she saw was an arrogant, condescending man who was, if she was honest with herself, somewhat attractive. That’s not what she was concentrating on right now, though. What she was thinking about more was the fact that he had challenged her… for a piece of grass. How stupid was that? Who did that? Just go and find another piece of freaking grass. It was a park! It wasn’t as if there was just one! What kind of park would be if that was true? It annoyed her that was challenging her like this, for that stupid reason.

It had seemed like a long time since he had spoken, but in truth, it had only been a few moments. “Fine,” she said. “You’ve got yourself a deal, if you think you can handle it.” There was more of a challenging note in her voice than anything. Size was not a factor when it came to bending, and the strength of your bending. It didn’t matter that he was taller than her or bigger than her. She was strong, and skilled. If he thought that he was better than her just based on what he saw, then he was dead wrong. The Firebender would prove that. “By the way, since I feel that it’s only right to fight with someone when we at least know each other’s names, my name is Ren’ai. I would say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but…” She gave a shrug, and then bowed. It was only polite after all. With that, she got into her fighting stance. She almost thought about letting him go first, but that wasn’t in her nature. So, she took one step forward, and then with one of her fists, sending a stream of fire towards him.

It was a small step, but there was no reason to come out from the front gate with everything you got.

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braddletard

Aug 8, 2012 21:44:12 GMT -6

Her amber stare slid across his body, and Liu Zhon felt a slight tingle of anticipation as it did. Whether it was simply excitement for what he hoped was to be a very good battle, or simply a reaction to the fact that the annoyed look on features only added to her attractive appearance, he couldn't quite tell. However, he knew one thing; there was no way she was going to turn him down. Oh, she was likely tempted - most would be. Telling someone to sod off when they challenge you to a random duel could be quite fulfilling. After all, accepting would be enabling a potential egomaniac to undertake yet another ego-trip. However, this time, he knew he had picked well.

The woman's expression turned from annoyed, to incredulous, back to annoyed. By the end, both were consumed by a more focused appearance to her finely-crafted features: Determination. His lips curled into a wider smile, and his near-unblinking, combative stare maintained contact with her amber orbs. He would not allow her to subsume his focus for anything; no amount of silent communication nor spewed vitriol would derive more than an internal emotion, shuffled away to a place beyond his combat-oriented mind for review at a more leisurely time.

As she relayed her reply, his head shifted sideways to crack his neck audibly, rolling back his large, broad shoulders and nodding to her casually. Arrogant though he was, it was also a battle tactic: Rage broke focus. Firebenders were creatures of passion, but blind fury was the worst thing for them. It threw off their focus, creating discord in their sinuous movements. Earthbenders were force, Waterbenders guidance and Airbenders focused drive. Firebenders were unique in that their art of practice was both powerful and elegant. Merciless, but beautiful. Their movements were precise, flowing, even more sanguine that the very water bent by their natural nemesis.

When she made note of her name, Liu Zhon arced a black brow, lowering it a moment later to smile at her again, another wry curve of his lips. "That name," he said in a tone of infuriating velvet, "is absolutely fitting to such a beautiful creature." He did not bother with more flattery, instead returning her bow and his name. "I am Liu Zhon. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, dear Ren'ai." Smiling his enraging smile - he had practised until it was especially anger-inducing - with complete confidence, he slid his right foot back and formed a variable curvature of an angle with his left foot, braced a shoulderwidth-and-a-quarter apart, so as to allow for maximum balance without sacrificing an ounce of agility.

When she shifted, his hands snapped up immediately in preparation. A step closer and then she opened with a basic thrust, pushing her right fist forwards to project a gout of flame at his torso and head region. His smile never wavering, Liu Zhon simply stepped to the side and forwards at a 60 degree angle, left hand leading the movement with his right hand idling in the guise of a waiting serpent. His footsteps were smooth, and quick. It wouldn't be easy to dodge again, but meeting the first move with an avoidance often allowed for a more punishing retaliation.

That was exactly what he delivered.

The moment his feet hit the ground, Liu Zhon whirled into action. There was a level of finesse inherent to firebending, but then there was also a kind of fierce primal brutality, linking back to first wielders of the flame; the Dragons. Exerting his physical power, he snapped his right leg up from behind and arc it forwards before him horizontally, flinging a condensed crescent of sunray-golden flames at her knees. Following this, he used his momentum to bring his right toes into the dirt and allow him to exert his abdominals and calves, dragging his left foot up from the ground in a flowing toes-to-heel upwards-arcing full roundhouse spinning kick, his body doing a full 360 spin on the ball of his right foot to manufacture the movement. The result was a body of flame moving at a 50 degree angle towards her upper torso and head, also a crescent shape.

When completed, his left foot slammed firmly into the ground; the movement turning his body frontal once more and facilitating him punching downwards through the air with his right fist, a twin-headed thread of flame spiralling towards her mid-torso. All three attacks used minimal fire to avoid collateral damage to the park, but enough to send her sprawling if she didn't block, dodge or avoid them by some other means. Of course, at this stage in the duel, it was doubtful either would land a solid hit. This was the testing stage; feeling eachother out.

Liu Zhon had taken a defensive stance the moment he'd completed his triple-threat assault, arms angled and feet ready for movement. He was waiting to see what was to come.

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Last edit by braddletard: Aug 8, 2012 23:26:26 GMT -6

Gia

Aug 9, 2012 21:33:24 GMT -6

Ren’ai didn’t believe a word of Liu’s flattery at all. Luckily, he kept that to a minimum, and returned her bow and his name. His smile pissed her off, though, and she wanted to wipe that smug look off of his face. He was completely confident, bordering on arrogance, and she hated that. It didn’t cross her mind that she was the same way, because that didn’t help her at all right now. She needed her aggressiveness and her anger right now. It helped fuel her fire, just like it did for any Firebender. That was their passion. Anger had always made her more powerful. It may not give every Firebender focus, she wouldn’t now, but it gave her focus. There was such a thing as too much anger, but the dark-haired woman had never got to that point yet, despite the fact that she was known for being emotional.

As she attacked, Ren’ai saw that the smile had not left her opponent’s face. That didn’t bother her, not really. It wasn’t the fact that he had not wiped the smile off of his face that had bothered her, but the fact that he seemed so exceedingly arrogant to her. It was extremely annoying, and she still had that feeling of wanting to wipe it off of his face. He easily avoided her first attack, something she had expected. After all, if he couldn’t even avoid a simply thrust, there would be no point in the man even challenging her. It would have been foolish. She noticed that that he had avoided it fairly quickly, too, so she made a mental note that he was probably a lot faster than he looked. She knew better than to judge someone by their size, but you could never know. That was why she given him something simple, as a way to judge his ability to judge and possible speed that she might see later.

Evidentially, later was now, because as soon as Liu’s feet hit the ground, the other Firebender sent a furry of attack towards her. He was strong, and the dark-haired young woman could see it in every moment he made. It wasn’t just that he was strong either, as he moved, he was also skilled as well. Neither really came as a huge to surprise to her, but she also knew there was no guarantee about someone’s skill level just by looking at them. His first attack headed towards her knees, his second towards her upper torso, and the third towards her mid-torso. Separately, none of the attacks were hard to avoid. The problem was that they came back to back to back. Of course, there was minimum fire to avoid setting the park clearing on fire. He didn’t seem to want to go to jail for destruction of public property either, much like her. She didn’t really know who did.

Ren’ai knew that she had to think quickly as the attacks came towards her. In a split second, the dark-haired young woman knew what she had to do. She had to get out of the way of these attacks, there was no standing where she was and fending off all three of them. It may sound simple, but there were various ways of dealing with an attack from your opponent. It was not long before the attacks came sailing her direction that she quickly moved her body to the side, and then quickly moved back so that the attacks sailed right front of her. In reality, it was only mere seconds, and she also found herself leaning back slightly to avoid the second and third attacks. Turning her head, her gold eyes fixed themselves on her partner. As soon as the attacks were clear, she righted her back so that it was straight again. Obviously, she had to retaliate to something at least close to what he gave her.

Ren’ai put her weight on her back foot, and lifted her right leg up into roundhouse kick, which sent a stream of fire towards opponent’s torso. She put her foot down on the ground, and transferred her weight again. As soon as the weight was off of her back leg, she spun around bringing that left foot to the front and with another kick sent a stream of fire towards Liu’s midsection. She put her foot down then, and punched twice at him, sending another two quick bursts of fire at his knees. All of these attacks came in rather quick rapid succession. Her body moved seamlessly from one attack right into the other. There was no pause in between each one, and if she’d had a moment stop, then the young woman would have been proud of the seamlessness of the attacks. As soon as she finished the punches, she turned her body towards Liu again, keeping her body loose and ready to move a moment’s notice. She was prepared to quickly retaliate.

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braddletard

Aug 13, 2012 21:49:30 GMT -6

She was flame, and light and passion. Watching Ren'ai move was akin to observing the twining grace of an ancient spirit, shifting from one position to another with dizzying clarity and breathtaking beauty. They were simple movements, of course, used only to flow away from the assault - yet executed in such a way as to dazzle even the most uninterested audience. She seemed to shift moreso than move, altering her position through sheer force of will, as if secretly an airbender slicing the currents around her to move her frame from its initiation point to the area of its conclusion.

As his assaults passed through naught but air, Liu Zhon smiled, shifting his stance in preparation and igniting his veins. Nothing showed outwardly, yet beneath the flesh, fire began to sear his veins with life - surging through his body in preparation for its actualization into the air before him. He waited, watching with focused eyes the movements of his opponent. She was both decisive and elegant, sizing him up for but a moment before erupting into movement.

A solid kick projected a lance of flame at his chest, while another struck towards his midsection and a third made for his knees. The duelist smiled at this and did something odd; he charged. His hands came to his sides and he abruptly shoved off from the ground, corkscrewing closer and generating a circle of flame around him, while shifting his hands, manifesting threads of fire around his body to slice neatly through her first assault, landing in a run and sweeping his hands forwards, two disks of flame burning on his palms. He slapped them together and launched forwards again, spinning like a drill to pierce through the flame burst and land in an action roll.

His movements, however, did not cease. Palms pressed to the grass and he kicked with both legs as one, projecting a large flash of fire at the incoming jab-shots, cancelling them out flame-to-flame. His grin was infuriating as he turned the kick into momentum, arcing his back and bridging up to his feet without his hands, stance ready. Now, following his little escapade, Liu Zhon stood within four metres of Ren'ai, close enough to see the individual droplets of sweat on her brow, the grim set of her lips, the burning desire to win in her eyes.

His lips curled approvingly; she would not be shamed by him. His right foot slid back, then snapped up and forwards abruptly, sending a diagonal slash of flame at her in a 70 degree angle. Following this was two forty-five degree slashes of fire from each arm, sliced to each of her sides with strength, eliminating the simple dodge. A look of challenge was flashed at her before he finished his assault kata, a double-snap kick that sent a large, twined ball of twin-flame bolts hurtling at her lower body, one for each shin.

Silently, Liu Zhon anticipated her reaction with eager awareness, settled back into a defensive stance to watch the short distance of impact. Either she would dodge one and black one, duck and weave or disable the assaults with counter-flame. Either way, it would be a good show. A good bout of sparring between to Firebenders.

Glorious.

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Gia

Aug 14, 2012 0:31:11 GMT -6

Ren’ai watched as Liu charged at her before pushing off the ground, spiraling forward while generating a circle of flame around his body. He landed in a run, two disks of flame on his palms that he slapped together, before launching forward again, spinning to slice through her flame burst. The other Firebender landed in a roll. He then pressed his palms to the ground and kicked with both legs. The move projected a large flame that cancelled out the other two jabs she had sent towards him. He had an infuriating grin on his face as he did that. He then used the kick as momentum to stand up without using his hands – unnecessary, and more of a show off move than anything. It worked, though, so she supposed that was the only thing that mattered. A part of enjoyed watching the skill, while the other part was saying that he could have just used his hands to stand up and been done with it. She pushed that thought aside, though.

Then, his attacks started. He sent one diagonal slash of flame towards her, followed by two more, but the second two aimed at her sides. Clever, she thought to herself. He was making sure that she couldn’t just move out of the way like she didn’t list time. Ren’ai grinned, but Liu wasn’t done yet. She saw a look of challenge in his gold eyes as he sent a large ball of twin-flame blots at her shins. The first one she easily dodged, by simply leaning her body to the side, but she quickly moved it back as she knew the other two diagonal attacks were coming. As she was standing straight again, the dark-haired young woman brought up two diagonal attacks, and directed them exactly where the other two were coming at. They cancelled out, and a grin crossed her face. It wasn’t over yet, though, and she knew that. There was two more attacks, and the young woman had to think fast as to how to deal with them, because the Firebender was going to take any of her opponents attacks. They weren't using a lot of fire, to avoid setting the park on fire, but that didn't mean she wanted to be hit with any of his attacks.

As soon as she was done with that, Ren’ai pushed hard off the ground with her feet, just barely sailing over the twin attack that Liu had sent towards her shins. In fact, the dark-haired young woman could feel the heat on her shins as she jumped over. As soon as she landed, though, she was on the offensive. The moment that the Firebender landed, she put her weight onto her front foot. Picking her back foot off the ground, she spun around, sending an arc of fire towards Liu’s chest. Setting that foot down, she transferred her weight again, bringing the other foot up and doing two front kicks, both which sent shorter arcs, one towards each side. Putting her foot down again, she sent a stream of fire towards Liu’s knees with a movement of her hand. She then balled that same hand into a fist, and sent a fireball towards his waist. She was attempting to cover as many bases as she could. the dark-haired young woman didn't want the tall man to be able to move out of the way like she had with his first set of attacks. Of course, that's why he made sure that she couldn't do that with the second set.

Ren’ai quickly went back into a defensive pose, waiting for his retaliation. Liu was good, she admitted that. He was so strong, and it showed in every move that he made. She appreciated the physical strength that he possessed, because it was something that she lacked. It wasn’t the thin young woman wanted to appear physically stronger, she was a woman after all, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t appreciate a man who was physically strong. It wasn’t just the strength, though, because he was also fast, and his movements weren’t simple or predictable. The other Firebender also possessed good skill, and it was making this fight very interesting. In fact, this was the most fun the dark-haired young woman had in quite some time, aside from the Probending match that she'd been in recently. Besides, it had been a very long time since she had fought against another Firebender. Her fights were usually against Yuri, her best friend – and an Earthbender.

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Last edit: Aug 14, 2012 0:37:03 GMT -6

braddletard

Aug 19, 2012 19:28:42 GMT -6

Liu Zhon curled his lip in pleasure as she blocked, evaded and discounted his assault. The woman was not simply talented, she was enrapturing, her movements primal and beautiful, mesmerizing in a fashion he could scarcely explain. Watching her move roused something inside him, a primal desire, a veritable heat that was even more powerful than the rage of fire within his heart. He wanted her. That was the only explanation; he wanted her, and he was determined to have her. First, though - the fight.

Ren'ai retaliated swiftly, and Liu Zhon was impressed by her voracity. The sheer animal strength of her attacks devastated his expectations - he had not anticipated such aggression. Foolish of him, considering his jeering and taunting, yet it was as it was. Marking the flanking strikes for initial deterrence, he kicked off the ground and corkscrewed through the air towards her, generating thin blasts of flame in slicing arcs as he did, cutting clean through her initial three attacks and then landing with a downwards kick, foot to earth, obliterating the strikes to his knees and torso.

Liu Zhon did not pause his movements, however, as he had been trained to never do. Even as his foot landed, he flipped forwards, striking a wheel of flame towards her and spin-kicking to advance, sending two horizontal cuts of heat to her waist. He followed this with two punches of flame and continued moving in. For her part, Ren'ai was undaunted, her hands cutting through or countering his assaults with deft awareness, focus in her eyes and a determined set to her lips.

He was not to be thwarted, snapping another kick at her face with a spurt of flame and dodging a retaliatory punch at his mid-section. They were close now, easily within two metres of each other. Liu Zhon punched a spurt of flame at her feet and she leapt, just as his right hand snapped upwards with a gout of fire at her head. She twisted and shifted her hands mid-leap, dissipating and dodging the flame, but at the expense of her guaranteed balance. As she landed, teetering but for a heartbeat, her opponent exploited the weakness.

A foot slid forwards, and a spout of fiery assault snapped towards her soles, stumbling her long enough for Liu Zhon to step forwards and kick a strong bolt of fire into her chest. With nothing to grasp, and her balance already precarious, Ren'ai blocked - losing her footing in the process - and thumped into the ground. It was not for lack of grace or skill that she fell, but instead a cruel matter of timing. She had not had speed on her side when she'd needed it most, and the moment had decided the remainder of the match.

Yet Liu Zhon neither gloated, nor offered condescending remark. Instead, the young firebender stepped closer to her and with a charming, wry smile, extended his hand. "So," he said with a hint of cocky charm, "how about dinner?"

——-

Godmoding done with permission.

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Last edit by braddletard: Aug 19, 2012 19:34:20 GMT -6

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