Mistletoe Mingle!

[passingthrough]

Who: Those who are about to be kissed! OTA
Broadcast: Not likely
Action: On any ship in the fleet including the Iskaulit
When: Now until December 26

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight.
Lead me out on the moonlit floor.

(Adventures in Mistletoe info post. Remember to mark your top levels with any boundaries you want to set! Enjoy!)

Comments

[canofmanji]

[RUDE! Maybe if he didn't have only the one arm he might have done a bit better at defending himself against that move. For half a moment he thinks of just dropping the weapon and pulling one of the hidden blades out of his kimono, but with Koga's threat about not using real weapons and the living blade right there he resists the urge as the bokken goes flying out of his hand.

Manji grins as he does indeed move to pick up his dropped blade. Kicking it up with his foot and catching it out of the air.] Not half bad, kid.

[He's not waiting. Rushing forward again. Looking like he's going to try the same move again. Only at the last moment instead of attacking he pulls his arm back and goes to kick out with his legs. Looking to sweep Tim's feet out from under him.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim falls but learning how to fall was his first lesson from Nightwing so he rolls immediately into a crouch, swinging the Yari around to hit Manji in the ribs.

[canofmanji]

[He could block it. He was fast enough, but had also been one major asshole. He brings up his sword, but just misses blocking the blow completely and only just softens the blow a bit. With a grunt Manji just accepts the pain and follows through with another attack. This time swinging his sword tip up aiming for Tim's jaw.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim doesn't just move his head back, his whole body follows in a flip. Usually, he would get out of the way and throw shuriken but dammit if they're not gone too. He at least has the reach with this spear.

He moves forward, spinning the spear to hit at Manji's left and right at changing heights, anywhere between head height to shins.

[canofmanji]

[Manj quickly dodges and tries to stay out of reach of that staff. Occasionally getting hit, but never too bad. Then when one goes to attack at his shins he slams his foot down on it. Hoping to pin it between his foot and the floor. He doesn't expect that pin to last for long and for Tim to try to flip him off his weapon so he wastes no time trying to quickly bring his blade down to slam on the back of Tim's hand. Not enough to break bones, but enough to sting if he can land the hit.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim simple drops the weapon, his foot coming up to slam into Manji's nose, neck and chest in quick succession]

[canofmanji]

[WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! Too fast! Manji quickly bring the bokken back up to block the kicks to his nose and neck. He just misses the one to his chest, but as he stumbles back from the blow he kicks out with his foot to send that bo rolling further across the floor.] You-- cough-- might want to get that.

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim does not go for the Yari. A bo staff is his primary weapon but it's not everything he has. He rushes at Manji, goes into a slide to slip between Manji's legs, leaping up into a spin kick to the back of Manji's head.]

[canofmanji]

[Manji raises his weapon as if to strike at Tim, but it only hits air as Tim suddenly vanishes. Manji doesn't wait to see what Tim is doing as he can guess. He throws himself forward into a quick roll to get away from whatever attack is coming for him from behind.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[He lands hitting nothing, but Manji's back is still turned so he tries to move as silently as he can as he moves to Manji's right. The side with the sword but also the side without an eye. Then a strike to the ribs and kick to the knee and he rolls back to his left to keep out of Manji's 'good' side]

[canofmanji]

[When Manji gets to his feet and doesn't "see" Tim he knows instantly what the teen is doing. It was smart. Something most have done before to him. Blindly he stabs out with that sword in his hand. He doesn't exactly know where to aim, but he has a rough idea where Tim would need to be standing if he was planning on hitting him with a punch or kick seeing as he no longer had a weapon in his hand.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim brings up his arm to take the blow against his gauntlets. The resounding crack as wood hits his armour is loud and he falls sideways but he's not going down alone and he grabs Manji's to bring him with him. Thank god for his armour though, that would have broken his arm.]

[canofmanji]

[He can't see the grab coming and therefore does nothing to stop it when Tim launches on.] FUC- [Manji gets ready to brace himself for the fall. Although maybe this could still work? He's going to try to scramble himself upright enough to throw one leg over Tim and sit on him. His goal to pin him to the ground if possible.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Yeah this isn't graceful, their legs are tangled and Manji is heavy. He ends up on his back but he's not going to just lay there. He throws up strike after strike to Manji's face and throat while trying to get his legs untangled.]

[canofmanji]

[You know what would be really nice right now? Having two arms. Unwilling to let the sword go the best he can do is trying to block a couple of those strikes that come at him. Although most end up getting through at such a close angel.] Ow! Ow! Ow! Fuck! For the lov- OW! [Yeah, this isn't working. Manji throws himself off of Tim and gets back up to his feet.]

God damn, kids! [They have TOO much energy!]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[If he wasn't pissed off he might feel a little bad about this. Beating up a one-armed, one-eyed man but well he's a little-pissed off and taking it out on Manji.

He rolls to his feet in the direction of the Yari, grabbing it once again.]

What's the matter old man, this weakling kid giving you a hard time?

[canofmanji]

Aw hell, kid. I never meant to call you weak. [Except you kind of did.] Just the idea that you can spare everyone you fight against. [Manji no. Not helping.] It's a nice fantasy, but I can't believe you really need me to tell you that a fantasy is all it will ever be anymore.

[But Tim wasn't here for a lecture. He wanted to see what Manji could do. So he rushes in keep his body low and coming in with a swing that will start off low for the legs, but then swing up. He doesn't have a swing arch completely in mind as he's expecting Tim to dodge out of the way of the first strike low. Manji is hoping he's fast enough to catch the superhero on the follow through.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[The Yari comes up to counter to block the blow while it's still low, however it does leave Tim vulnerable.]

It is not a fantasy! You have no idea how my world works and how much it means to be above those psychopaths. We have a code and we. do. not. kill.

[canofmanji]

Yeah!? [Manji leans his head back in order to bring it back and forcefully slam it against Tim's forehead.] And how's that working out for ya? [He almost says for "your parents" but he wasn't willing to go that far below the belt.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim stumbles back, blood dripping from his nose. He wipes it away with the back of his glove.]

I didn't say it couldn't be crap at times. We can't save everyone all the time but if we start killing, if we start down that path, we're going to look back one day and realise we just became what we were fighting against.

[Tim comes in swinging with the spear again, he doesn't stay still, moving first to Manji's armless side and attacking his knee.]

[canofmanji]

[He'll find that spear bounces off of Manji's sword as he blocks it.] Exactly. There are no heroes in this world. You're either the bad guy or the victim. You don't get it both ways. [Manji certainly sees himself as a villain. It was impossible not to. Too much blood on his hands good reasons or not.]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

Your view of the world is sad and narrow.

[Tim comes in too close again, making their weapons difficult to use and an elbow comes up to Manji's chin.]

So what are you? bad guy? or victim?

[canofmanji]

[Manji grins wildly and he lets Tim hit his chin, but it doesn't seem to bother him any.] You know, you're the first person who hasn't seemed to surprised or asked me more about being immortal. [He takes his foot and shoves it hard into Tim's stomach in an effort to push them apart.] Why don't you ask me about it now?

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

[Tim grabs at Manji's top again and uses the backwards roll to throw him over. He still ends up on his back and winded. He lays there panting for breath for a moment.]

Ugh. So you're immortal, not the first one I've met. If you want to monologue at me, you go right ahead. I'll just be waiting here.

[canofmanji]

[Manji lands hard, but it's only a few seconds before he's pushing himself up onto his feet.] You asked and wanted to know if I was bad guy. [Monologue!? He doesn't monologue!] The immortality is a cruse. For killing a hundred men. [Granted, that only happened after Manji killed his own lord when he found out he was causing great suffering for all the people in the land, but it didn't change the number. It also didn't change the fact that those men and officers attacked him because he killed someone no matter if that death was right or wrong.

And he'd do it again in a heart beat if he had to.] You don't want to hear someone's life story? Then don't ask for it. [So not a complete monologue, but he still waits and gives Tim a chance to catch his breath before they continue.]