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Only Their Second Dumbest Decision (Luke and Iko)
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 28, 2016 2:29:54 GMT
"You're telling me this is what you've been sneaking off to do every day?" Elliot asked, gesturing to the wide open expanse that the pair was standing in. It was almost like a twisted mockery of the Network Plains, every bit as infinite and spacious but with a desolate, hostile quality to it. The two brothers were like islands in an endless sea of dust and sand, currently standing tall in their Strikedramon and Yasyamon forms. They were the forms Elliot and Isaac felt most comfortable maintaining for extended periods of time, while still leaving their beast fragments open as options in case of danger.
"You were the one who had the most trouble with that Porcupamon. I'm trying to sweep the area to make sure it'll stick to your nightmares, not your daily life," Isaac explained. That shallow-breathing, hunchbacked, stuffing-leaking beast still shambled through the boys' nightmares. Elliot in particular often seemed to wake up in a cold sweat over it, his already fragile sleeping patterns disrupted by the nightmarish figure. Making sure it was stuck in the lab and not wandering into the human world was Isaac's top priority.
"But this place is so big! You'll never find it. And it's so scary, too. What if a big, mean Digimon tries to hurt you?" All of Elliot's points were really sound. Was Isaac really giving up hours of sleep on a wild goose chase? No, he had a system. He was searching first the perimeter around the lab, then fanning out to explore more distant areas. The Porcupamon couldn't be too subtle of a creature. If it reached the Digital World proper, it would've surely left a trail of claw marks and cotton in its wake. Then he could track it down and stop it where it stood, now able to reach forms strong enough to fight it mano a mano.
Unless the Porcupamon could transform too.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm over thinking this," Isaac said. Porcupamon couldn't be that big of a threat, and the Dark Area was quite the sprawling place. He could be anywhere right now. He could be nowhere, too. Something bigger and stronger could've slurped his data up like a milkshake. There were far too many variables in the equation, and giving up the ghost was starting to look like a far better solution.
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Post by darkblade on Apr 28, 2016 3:57:49 GMT
Despite its nature, the Dark Area was a good place to go when one needed time to think.
Until recently, that was Iko's thinly veiled excuse whenever he needed a reason to come back here, and it was his excuse for dragging his tamer along today as well. The theory had merit: very few intelligent travelers made their way out here, and sound carried for miles in The Forsaken Wasteland, so it wasn't exactly easy to get the jump on anyone. That said, it was still the Dark Area: pockets of air were thick with a vile miasma, the general feel was enough to make the skin crawl, and there was a difficult to explain presence that drove the mind to darker ends.
For the human, this was a burden.
For the Digimon? This was home.
"Ugh... still can't see why you dragged me out here of all places." Pinching his sinus and contorting his face, the human trudged along, as Iko led their way into a clearing. The wolf gave his usual smirk, looking over his shoulder:
"Oh, c'mon, don't tell me this is a bit much for-"
"Cut the crap. What are we doing?" Luke cut him off, a bit of a sharp edge to his voice. "Tending the city in Whitewater, talking about helping the city. Then we go back, and suddenly we're what? Training in the Dark Area?" Luke shook his head. "This isn't like you."
"..." Humor lost in his voice, Iko gave a sigh, scratching his head. "Like it or not, this is where I'm from. And I've only managed to hit my Ultimate once. So I figured that it would just be easier in my natural habitat?" A shrug, but it seemed like he had at least a little bit of a point.
"... If you say so." It would just be a matter of charging then, right? Figuring they were alone, he pulled out his Digivice... only to be stopped by Iko, holding a hand out to signal him to stop. "Hm?"
"Hold up." He heard something, ear twitching at the distance. Just the wind? He closed his eyes, to try and filter, to convince himself... "Never mind. False alarm, I guess."
Luke shrugged, and the wolf shrugged back. Right, no point holding this up any longer: holding the Digivice in his hand, clenching his fist around it, he started to focus. But on what? Just what did hitting Ultimate feel like? Back then, it was just a need, on that dead, floating island! Clenching his hand, a red flash appeared across the screen, a large spike of energy surging from the device, bursting outward!
However? There was nothing to be made of it, Iko remaining in champion, merely shielding his eyes from the screen. "Well, there goes that theory."
"You're telling me. Sheesh..."
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 28, 2016 4:45:22 GMT
Sound traveled fast and far in the Dark Area. For Elliot and Isaac, that included two very familiar sounding friends. Their heads snapped over in unison, each trying to figure out what Luke and Iko were talking about. Isaac, more perspective of the two, realized it was Digivolution trouble. That was one advantage of being a Spirit User, he supposed. Even if it was harder to actually obtain his Digivolutions, once he had them they were his. Being dependent on the whims of his emotions would likely just make everything trickier in the long run. Still, what he wouldn't give for the ability to gain a sudden burst of strength for the sake of the people he loved.
"Luke and Iko? Been forever since we saw them!" Elliot said, cheerfully. His voice was lower and harsher due to his spirit change, but the duo might recognize it if they strained hard enough. "We gotta go over and say hello."
"A pair of strange Digimon running up to them in the middle of Digimon Hell? That sure won't get them startled and dangerous or anything like that," Isaac answered. His own voice sounded wispy, hollow, and distant, but much like Elliot's a bit of focus would likely bring recognition. Of course, if Luke and Iko didn't pay attention, they'd likely get caught majorly off guard by what happened next.
The two brothers ran off to find where their friends were, torn between whether to degenerate or not. Degeneration would bring familiarity but add so much vulnerability to the mix. They'd be easy pickings if a giant bird of darkness was to swoop from the skies, or if an invisible lurker had been hunched over just waiting for the right moment to strike. On the other hand, if they stayed in these forms, they would likely seem quite suspicious just casually bounding up to the duo. In the interest of not being stabbed to death, Elliot decided to give proper warning for a change.
"Hey! Hey guys, it's us! Long time no see!" Elliot called, the Strikedramon grinning uncharacteristically and waving. Elliot's goofy mannerisms still did not suit the commando street-shark very well.
"He means Isaac and Elliot," the Yasyamon clarified, figuring he'd fill in his brother's criminally vague statement. Sometimes Elliot could be a little on the dense side, couldn't he?
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Post by darkblade on Apr 28, 2016 23:42:08 GMT
"Why not... one more try..."
The sooner they figured this out, the sooner they could get out of this musty desert. Luke once more focused on his Digivice, about to go through the process once more. However, with a twitch of an ear from his partner, his concentration broke. Iko, casually putting his weight on one foot, looked off into the distance. But just why was he distracted? Blinking, and hearing something call out, he turned to see...
A purple dragon-man, running right at them! Pulling his device at the ready, Luke prepared to defend himself.
"What the, Iko! We-"
"Calm down. He's harmless." Iko's trained eye picked up on key cues: the spacing of Strikedramon's feet, a jogging pace instead of a full stride, standing straight up instead of curling to protect his core with his arms. Oh, and I guess the obvious waving his hands over his head. Per the wolf's prediction, a friendly call came out a moment later, earning a raised brow from the Ankomon and a confused look from Luke.
"Um... are you mistaken?"
The Yasyamon, following just behind, cleared that up rather quickly. Luke took a moment for his mind to click before- "O-oh! Sorry 'bout that!" Relaxing his arm to his side, he gave a shallow laugh, the embarrassment entering as the fear left his voice. Well, this was a pleasant surprise for Luke...
... But at the two being here, Iko merely gave a huff. "Yeah... fancy seeing you two out here." No, really, what were they doing out here, in the middle of nowhere? Its not like they were anywhere of value in the Dark Area; even the few resources this place had were miles away. All this was, was a nice long stretch that Saberdramon occasionally liked to hunt. Then again, that didn't explain a lot of why these two were even there.
"Sheesh... not a beat lost with him." Iko didn't even flinch, with the Yasyamon and Strikedramon. And now he was scolding them?" "Well, let's be fair. What does bring you two out here? Iko and I were just getting some space to practice. As for why its here-"
"-It's because I'm a Dark Area Digimon." Iko finished the sentence, stretching out his arms with a yawn, as if it was the most casual comment in the world. "That thick smell in the air and that sunless sky? Feels just like home to me."
"Yeah... his preference, not mine." Could his partner have been any more creepy? It didn't help that now he spun a black flame in his palm, idly letting it float and dance in front of him. "So, that's our story. Either way, strength in numbers, I guess? Maybe we can help with... whatever you're doing.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 29, 2016 0:21:27 GMT
Sparring practice and home. Those were far better ideas for being in the Dark World than random hunches about killer teddy bears. Elliot knew that if there was a California Area in the Digital World that he could regularly go to and remember the life he once lost, it'd be impossible tearing him away from it. Still, at least one of the two seemed really happy to see the duo. Iko seemed ambivalent at best and suspicious at worse, but considering how much of a secret worrier the wolf was Isaac and Elliot expected that. Surely he was just worried about them, for many of the same reasons why they were worried about coming here in the first place. Seeing such familiar faces was wonderful for evaporating that worry, thankfully.
"Isaac was just trying to track down a Digimon that first gave us trouble when we came here. Remember how we were all tired after a hunt when we first met?" Elliot asked. "That was why. It was like this big, demon-possessed dummy with some kind of breathing mask. I thought we left it behind perfectly fine, but Isaac's been snooping around here to try and make sure it doesn't sneak out and hurt any of our friends. He hasn't had much luck, though."
"At least now we're strong enough to fully take it on, instead of having to chase it through an entire lab first," Isaac grumbled in response. Their relative weakness compared to their enemies on that first hunt still stuck in Isaac's craw, and even as he gained strength in newfound spirits he still couldn't shake the overall feelings of weakness that resulted. Still, it was important to remember what the duo said about fighting to get better. Between their wise counsel, and the advice of Alicia's spirits, Elliot and Isaac were finding so much mentorly advice on their adventures. It was almost kind of heartwarming.
"We don't really need much help now. It's been weeks. I'm just calling it off as a wild goose chase. Do you guys need any help with your training?"
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Post by darkblade on Apr 29, 2016 4:40:58 GMT
"Looking for trouble, then?" As Elliot went through his description of the events, Iko's gaze slowly shifted over towards Isaac. It was clear that he was why they were there, after all, on this pointless bout of... what was it? Revenge, fear? Either way, after the two got through their explanation, the wolf merely shook his head.
"Ya'know... there are plenty of reasons to be in the Dark Area, good or bad. Search of power, dark magic, inspiration to write, a walk down memory lane... but to just come here to pick a fight? That's not even a question of moral, that just sounds off." His eyes pierced through Isaac, through his rebuttal. He wanted every single one of his words to stick in the middle of his ears, and for him to realize just how pointless this venture was. For Elliot's sake, though, he passed it off a moment later with a shrug: "But I suppose you have your reasons. Not up to me how you want to spend your time."
"Y... yeah." Luke shook his head. At least that scary stuffed animal thing wasn't anywhere around them. If it was, well, they would have heard or seen it by now - okay, Iko would have, with his senses, but that was hardly the point. He was all too eager to latch onto anything else to change the subject, and as Isaac offered help, he looked towards his partner. "What do you think?"
"Might be good to get the blood moving, I guess. Yeah, there's a way you could help." Motioning for Luke to step away, Iko first looked at Yasyamon, then the Strikedramon. "Hm... that should about do it, yeah. Both of you." Cracking his neck, he took a stance: right foot planted forward, his weight pressed aggressively, he held one claw forward, brandishing his claws. "Come at me."
"Here? Isn't that a little-"
"Relax." Iko gave a smirk towards Isaac. "If these two can pressure me hard enough? I might not have to worry about them after all."
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 29, 2016 4:56:55 GMT
"I wasn't looking for a fight. I was looking to make sure none started in the first place," Isaac said. He knew the venture was pointless, but he still found himself bristling at Iko's judgments. "That thing chased us through an entire 3-tier lab facility. I had to make sure it didn't keep chasing us into the human world." He sighed a little. That was all well and good as an excuse for the first day or two. Why did he keep coming back day after day? "And I guess even when I didn't find anything, I figured it'd be as good a place as any to try and clear my thoughts," he finally admitted. In a way, that more than anything was why he never had Elliot come along with him. It felt stupid, having both a helpful reason and a really selfish one, but he wasn't going to keep on hiding his thoughts like that. It was a disservice to everybody.
Elliot figured he'd have a long talk about this with Isaac later. For now, though, he wasn't going to dwell on it. After all, Iko just threw down the gauntlet! The boy looked rather shocked by this declaration, turning from himself to Isaac to make sure Iko wasn't talking to some other pair that happened to wander by. It seemed like there was no way out of this one, though. Tonight was fight night, and both he and Isaac would be competing. "Wait, really? Like, at once? Now?" Elliot asked, trying to get the idea through his head. It just didn't seem like a fair fight!
"I mean, he did say both of us," Isaac replied, shrugging slightly. "And I guess it'd be a big help in fighting as a pair. Alicia never really went over that one with us in our training." He slid into a fighting stance, Elliot nodding and assuming one as well.
The brothers refused to move until the other did, and after a few seconds of pause a mental countdown started up. Three. Two. One. Showtime! In unison they ran off, Elliot charging forward in a straight line and Isaac unpredictably weaving back and forth. It was as good of an opener as any, in hopes of disorienting their friend-turned-sparring-partner. Upon reaching Iko, Elliot stopped short and fired a blast of flame from his tail in the wolf's direction. "Tailblazer!"
It was a fairly strong move, angled high in order to avoid burning the desiccated grass. However, that wasn't the true point of the Tailblazer. In this case it was meant to be a distraction, hopefully hiding the fact that Isaac was vaulting over his brother's shoulders. His goal was to land on the other side of Iko, at which point he would wheel around and slam both of his swords right at the wolf's back.
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Post by darkblade on Apr 30, 2016 1:58:23 GMT
Quite honestly, annoying Isaac about his choice to be in the Dark Area could wait. It wasn't something that Iko wanted to argue off-hand, after all, and it was worse to have it blow up in front of Elliot. Fortunately, the Yasyamon wasn't too keen on raising his voice...
... And besides, a spar was a perfect way to put these awkward thoughts behind them. "Yes, now. Time's not going to stay on our side forever." This was especially true with the Dark Area. Behind, Luke relented, raising his Digivice and taking several steps back. "As long as you're sure."
"Don't worry. I don't intend to make this take long." Iko threw a little taunt in there as well, and a few moments later, the brothers were off. Iko's eyes only trailed on Isaac for a split second, before focusing fully on Elliot in front of him: there was no point getting distracted this early. Besides, if they thought it was going to be a simple one-on-one, these two were going to be sorely mistaken. To Iko's surprise, Elliot stopped short of Iko's stance, tail twitching in the back. Mid-range? Tch...
The wolf wasn't going to just wait while he stood there! Pushing off on his feet, Iko led in with his right shoulder, a black flame covering his leading arm (Burning Darkness!). As soon as he saw the high-aimed flame, he would duck low, feeling a singe at his ears and back... but he would press in. An attack like that would have likely have a blind spot directly in front of the blue lizard. He would aim for a full charge, attempting to slam his flaming shoulder against Elliot's upper chest. But surely he wouldn't know where Isaac was. Then again?
"One above!"
He didn't need to know. With Luke as a spotter, able to stand a great deal away from the fight, it was much easier for him to keep track of Isaac. But really, that mattered little: as long as he could barrel over this blue lizard, he could skirt away, and break out in a sprint!
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 30, 2016 2:48:34 GMT
There was no way Elliot could account for that one in time. He didn't usually count on his foes being brazen enough to just charge through the fire like that, and even though he was on his guard he was fairly confident that he wouldn't be getting attacked today. So unfortunate that it proved not to be the case. Seeing no way of dodging or blocking in time, he did the one thing left he could do. If he rolled with the shoulder tackle, it would hurt less and put him in a far more advantageous position to transition into a grapple. It wouldn't be his strongest of locks, thanks to being fresh off of some serious should pain of his own, but it would be better than nothing.
He shifted very slightly to the side as Iko rammed forward, making sure to flow in the direction of the hit. Just as he predicted this lead to him eating all of the force on his left arm. Thankfully rolling with the blow lessened the effect, and his right hand was his more dominant hand in the first place, but you can never really take a flaming shoulder tackle and come out of it saying "I'm okay." He seethed a little in pain, but refused to let his focus break. If he was able to lock in this grab, everything would be okay!
If the wolf thought he'd be sprinting unopposed, he'd find Elliot wasn't about to let him get away that easily. Not being bowled over was a big help, but it still would take Elliot running at full speed ahead to try and catch up to the wolf. He lunged forward desperately, shouting "Commando's Lock!" as he tried to grab Iko in a full nelson. It was a tried and true combat technique that worked wonders in most of his matches so far. Would he have so much luck now?
As he lunged, he felt a sudden swirling feeling around his hands. Whether he had landed the grab or not, he would have noticed in short order that Isaac head lent him some support. Green windy patterns traced around his gauntlets, making his strikes harder and most importantly his grip stronger. "Earth's Blessings!" the Yasyamon shouted as Elliot made his lunge. This changed the zero-sum game to one a bit more favorable. If Elliot landed his hit, he'd have a very strong grab locked around Iko, leaving him control but easily injured with future hits to the arm. If he failed, at least he'd have a powerful attack buff backing him up for future strikes. The main question was whether he would be able to properly chase down the wolf or not in case of a miss.
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Post by darkblade on Apr 30, 2016 23:45:53 GMT
Not as green as I thought, eh?
Whether by skill, luck, or instinct, Elliot found the way to parry Iko's brazen charge, rolling with the momentum instead of taking it head on. And though this would dull the impact itself, it let the flames carry over a longer part of his chest, the wolf still forcing his way through to the other side. Pressing off on his leading leg, he would try and gain a bit of distance, only to have Elliot right on his tail. Surely, catching him like this would catch the white wolf off guard, wouldn't it?
Really? Catching a glance over his shoulder (not wanting to keep his eyes off the fight), he saw Elliot's charge, and a bit away, the Yasyamon preparing something. In general, getting caught with his back turned was far from what Iko preferred. Then again, there was one thing about him, that these two boys simply wouldn't know:
Iko was a very close-range fighter. And even in this situation, he had a plan: bracing his arms to his side, the wolf turned slightly, only to be caught in Elliot's grip. His right arm would be caught in the nelson, his left braced across his chest as he would be taken to the ground. It would seem, for a moment, like a successful pin. And it definitely hurt, Iko's pain visible through his gritted teeth and his smirk-
Smirk?
"Would you look at that?" Stifling a chuckle, a black flame ebbed below them. This one was a little more intense than the flame just around Iko's arm: after all, his attack was based on the amount of shadow he had to work with. With Elliot's shadow to work with, Iko's entire back would be covered with a burning, cursed flame... and it even left his back, to try and coil directly around Strikedramon! It wouldn't have substance or keep him from moving, as it was just flame: however, the longer Elliot stayed in contact, the longer and further he would have to deal with this Burning Darkness.
"So... wanna cry uncle first?"
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 1, 2016 1:24:04 GMT
Elliot couldn't keep the Commando's Lock applied for more than a short time even in the best of circumstances. With his shoulder injured, and shadowflame coiling around his body? There was no way he wouldn't end up throwing in the towel first. However, he had done what he sought out to do. He prevented Iko's escape and in the process got in some painful arm-wrenching. Loosening up the opponent through constant harrowing was the first step towards victory, and wars of attrition were the sturdy Strikedramon's specialty. He could afford a little bit of give-and-take when the situation called for it. He released his grip, flipping himself backwards to get away from Iko as soon as he could feel the heat of the flame.
That wasn't his entire plan, though. The first two flips were to make Iko expect a retreat. The third, rather than another flip back, was instead a handspring that lead into a forward launching dropkick. It was a sudden reversal of momentum that Elliot had practiced quite a bit in past sparring matches, allowing him to seamlessly transition a retreat into a counterattack before an opponent could properly get away. He aimed for Iko's center mass, not wanting to try anything fancy and risk whiffing the move. "Rolling Start!" he shouted as he finally launched, the only tip-off that this flip wouldn't be another retreat like the last two.
For Isaac's part, he simply waited to see how Iko would react to Elliot first. If Elliot was the close range brawler Isaac was the lurker in the shadows, stalking after anyone who got away from his brother and doing his best to keep up the pressure. He waited for some sort of movement on the wolf's part, preparing his move by holding his blades in a cross-shaped pattern. The plan was to aim his move in the direction Iko moved next, whether from the force of Elliot's kick or from the momentum of a properly-executed dodge. If they attacked in rapid enough succession, it would take a really agile opponent to properly avoid both moves. Iko seemed to be just the Digimon for the job, though. Isaac knew he had to be on his toes for even the slightest movement, a mindset that left him wide-open for being tricked by a feint. Nevertheless, whether real or false, Iko's next movement would be met with a shout of "Cross Slash!" and an X-shaped blast of energy headed his way.
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Post by darkblade on May 1, 2016 3:11:32 GMT
Alright, good news: Iko's arms were free. And in his current position, the wolf wasted no time rolling to his back as soon as the grip loosened, flames dying quickly around him. Right now, he needed to keep his eyes on his target. It was clear that this Strikedramon was a mid-to-close range fighter, and he didn't expect for him to take too much distance before his next move. Heck, if he had the opponent off his feet, he would certainly try and press the advantage.
And Elliot felt the same! It was difficult to tell from position, but the Digimon's habit of calling out their moves was a hint enough that something was up. He pressed his arm against the ground, and with a tuck, made a hard roll to his right, away from the Strikedramon's kick... in a way that might make Isaac second-guess his attack.
Been a while since I've seen him pressured like this... hm?
Still observing the fight from somewhat of a distance, Luke's current job was to keep tabs on the one opponent that his partner couldn't see. But for the most part, Isaac hard been uncharacteristically passive: moving at a range, darting in the shadows, holding his weapons in some odd formation. He seemed particularly interested in Iko's current position, enough to even aim, which made the tamer call out: "In your blind, on the left! Keep moving!"
Yeah, now you're getting it, Luke!
If it was to his left, all Iko had to do was dodge to the right. With the roll, a hard kick landing behind him, a huge 'thud' on the ground, the wolf had time to scramble back up to his feet. He reached into his shadow on the way up, slipping a four-inch throwing needle made from the shadow, which he flicked right at Elliot's center (Solid Darkness!) But this didn't come, in heed of Isaac's attack.
Why?
The way he rolled. Elliot was between Isaac and Iko. His entire purpose at the start of the fight, pushing past and focusing right on the forward aggressor, was meant to keep Isaac's brother in the line of fire the entire fight, limiting Isaac's line of sight and making it much more difficult to find a ranged opening. If he did fire at Iko's position, it would have to involve firing right through Elliot. Like this, he could try and fight them one at a time.
At that same distance, Luke blinked, looking right at his partner. That... that smile.
There was no doubt about it. Right now, in the throes of this fight, Iko was enjoying himself. This was more than just training for Ultimate, or teaching these kids a thing or two. This is the first time I've seen him enjoy a fight.
He clutched his Digivice in his palm. Perhaps there would be something he'd see here. This sort of fight, well, it was entirely new ground for them!
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 1, 2016 21:31:48 GMT
Unfortunately, Isaac's trigger finger was very itchy due to Iko's agility. He didn't realize that the wolf was dodging toward Elliot until he already fired his Cross Slash, quickly shouting "Elliot, heads up! To your right!" as he realized his mistake. The Strikedramon nodded and quickly sidestepped to the left, but that left him wide open for Iko's throwing needle. It hit right at Elliot's center mass, making contact with the scar he had been left from his fight with Myotismon. The recent wound made the hit more painful than it otherwise would have been, and Elliot staggered back from the force of the blow. Could this be the opportunity that Iko was looking for?
Not if Isaac had any say in the matter. The Yasyamon vaulted over his brother's shoulders, not wanting to let his injury get in the way of the steady momentum that they had been building. "Cross Slash!" he called as he flew at Iko, aiming to shoot off his attack at point blank range instead. While he may have been a better ranged fighter than Elliot, his agility and arm guards made him quite the tricky contender in close range as well. He would gladly take the wheel during this combat if it meant Elliot would have time to recover. By making sure only one of them was in the thick of things at a time, they could keep harrowing Iko and shortening his time to dodge. It wasn't as advantageous as having a full blind spot to work with, but with Luke around there was no chance of the duo pulling that off. He was just too good of a spotter.
Elliot wasn't about to just sit this one out, though. After Isaac entered the fray he began circling around the fight, like a shark orbiting around some fresh meat. If he kept a close eye on the fight and avoided staying in one place for too long, he could greatly cut down on Iko's escape options. It would make fleeing into a gamble, where Iko would have to have faith Elliot wouldn't be too close before breaking off into a run. However, for the time being he chose to keep watch instead of striking in his own right. Perhaps later he'd rejoin the fight in earnest, but for now he was biding his time.
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Post by darkblade on May 2, 2016 2:04:04 GMT
Elliot's stride was the same as Iko's: in part to dodge the move and in part to stick to his target, the same sidestep was made as the needle was flung. And as the target hit home, it appeared that Iko was going to waste no time with the follow-up, already moving his stride to try and kick forward. If he could apply some pressure here, he could-
Tch!
No time for even a breath! Seeing his brother in trouble, Isaac was already on the charge, that same attack attempted again at close range. Not wanting to concede his position, the wolf elected to block, raising both of his arms up to cover his chest. A hissed breath escaped his teeth, as Isaac took the front, Elliot gaining distance to lick his wounds. And this combatant was a little different: simply approaching with the same charge as before would be punished by either the shields or the swords.
"Cycling out to keep me honest... not bad, kid." This required a change in tactics. Resting his arms at his side, the green lines on the outside of his arms gave a short pulse. (Crescent Blades!) A moment later, sharp, green energy blades, curved and the full length of his forearm, erupted out. They were curved outward, and covered his arm from the wrist to about his elbow: holding one arm forward, blade in front to guard, Iko slowly stepped forward. This soon led into a vault forward: with the front arm to guard, he would try and deflect anything incoming, and use his other arm to slash in. Even like this, he still had to get far closer than he currently was. "Time to see what you can do!"
In the background, Luke kept his position as a spotter. Now, Elliot was the one on the outside. He already knew to watch for the tail, but was there anything else about him that would work at a range?
And beyond that, Iko's own attitude about this was all too interesting to note: Was he holding back not using those before? No... no, he fought Elliot fist to fist. Now he's fighting Isaac blade to blade. Its like he's challenging himself against their styles. Hm... hope it doesn't get the better of him to show off like that.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 2, 2016 3:34:51 GMT
Isaac grit his teeth in focus, waiting to see what Iko would do with his new arm blades. His stance was ironclad, and judging by Isaac dropped into a similar one was a tried-and-true method of swordsman protection. However, Iko's blades were shorter than those of the Yasyamon, and Isaac knew if he didn't let Iko get in too close he'd still have the range advantage on all of his strikes. That was why as Iko lunged in he hopped back, using his own back hand to parry away Iko's swing. They were both dual wielders, which meant that front hand and back hand were fairly interchangeable. Which of the two fighters this would be most advantaged to remained to be seen.
For now, Isaac figured he should take advantage of his range advantage as it lasted. Once Iko's strike was parried he began swaying back and forth, arm twitching to try and force out a premature movement on Iko's part. This strange dance began with a shout of "Swaying Strike," and each undulation lead to another feint or another strike. It was as if the forest demon had fallen into a warrior's trance. Would Iko be able to predict his frantic movements?
Elliot, on the other hand, was planning to re-enter the fight. However, he knew the second he dove in Luke would call out his position. That was why he knew it was time for his most unpredictable move to be brought out yet again. He started out lurking behind Iko, hunching down in a fighting stance that may have been a little bit too obvious. With a cry of "Rolling Start!" he hunkered down and prepared to roll right into the wolf. Or, at least, that was what he wanted Luke to think. Instead of rolling forward to charge directly into the fray, he instead cartwheeled to the right to try and get at Iko from the side. He could only hope his sudden change in direction would be enough to throw off Luke's spotting as he hand-sprung toward Iko's left flank, feet-first.
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