Sentinel001 posted:That's hardly God-modding, even if we hadn't agreed on it, which we did, assuming that someone is gonna react harshly when you turn on a light saber in front of them is more often that not a good assumption.
Cort raised an eyebrow as he took a quick glance around the dojo program. Version 2.21 of the Hokkaido Environment or some variant of it, he guessed. He turned his eye back to Wraith and let a thin smile cross his lips. "Seraph did always have a...flair...for the dramatic," he said easily. "There is some truth to what he says. Even for programs, perhaps." Cort took the stetson off his head, tossing it across the room where it caught and hung on the end of one of the katana. "I admit you may find me less of a challenge than within the Matrix. I would imagine I can still accommodate you, though." Cort glanced down at his clothes, then smiled wryly at Wraith. "Forgive me, human. I am somewhat improperly dressed." He closed his eyes, reaching down into the code-- (skin=987372) --and opened his eyes again dressed in a white karate gi top, and a long, black pleated skirt that the samurai had once worn, and that some sensei in Japan still "wore". He folded his right hand into a fist, palmed it in his left, and squeezed it in front of his chest in a quick salute. He selected Wing Chun from his library of techniques, and picked out the Tiger Style. And exploded, from a standing start, into a long flying kick leading with his right foot, the traditional kiai roaring from his lips as he flew through the air at Wraith... TAG: Kai OOC: "My style is de art of fighting widdout fighting..." ... seriously, I know little about the martial arts, so please excuse any techniques you don't recognise. Fear not; I won't be pulling out the "TigerCraneDeathFist UnblockableUnbeatable Technique" ...
OOC: Yeah, not a problem, Saintheart. I'm only babbling off what I've learnt from the most reputable sources of all knowledge - an extensive knowlege of arcade fighting games. Minor GM warning: IC: Network's response came a moment later and Wraith grinned. "Sure. It might be interesting for the crew to watch combat with an Agent derivative in controlled environment...." Before he could finish, Cort was upon him, a savage and fluid kick launching at him. Even in the restrained environment of the dojo application, Cort was still easily stronger and the kick caught Wraith's chest, sending him flying across the room. He smashed into a pillar, causing the wood to splinter. In real life, he'd of broken every bone in his ribcage and possible shattered his spine. Nice opener. Wraith got up and snapped his neck back into place with two resounding twists of his head. He came at Cort, snapping a driving punch with his left hand that was easily blocked. Following through he spun to face the opposite direction, thrusting back with his right elbow. It connected with Cort's stomach and was followed by a backhand to the nose. As Wraith turned around one hundred and eighty degrees, his left leg thrust forward in a kick that Cort was able to catch. However, it was easily countered by Wraith's backflip that tagged Cort's jaw with a kick from his right foot as he sommersaulted backwards, landing in a crouched pose. Switching to a new combat form, akido, he awaited the next move..... Tag: Saintheart
Minor GM warning Recovering his balance, Cort ran his tongue along the inside of his top lip as the tingling from Wraith's kick faded. The human was fast indeed. He recognised Wraith's stance and moved effortlessly into the second sequence of the Tiger Style, his hands weaving in front of him like a giant cat's paws. He ran at Wraith again, feigning another flying strike before launching into a series of high strikes aimed at Wraith's head. The human blocked or dodged--and, unnaturally fast, jumped over Cort's sweeping leg strike that had been aimed at Wraith's right leg. Wraith went for one of the aikido armlocks, and almost got it, but a subtle twist of Cort's hands found the program free. Wraith swung a forearm at Cort's head, and the program dropped to one knee, pulling in his strength in this place. And snapped a half-dozen knife-hand strikes at Wraith's solar plexus in less than half a second, compressing the time down so his blows would appear to overlap to an observer. Cort pulled the punches as much as he could, but even so he heard the "air" whoosh from Wraith's lungs and the human staggered back. Cort snapped into a horizontal roll that carried him back about fifteen metres. He landed lightly on his feet and looked across with concern at Wraith--but the concern was unfounded; the human seemed to have shrugged off the strikes easily. Tougher than Cort had thought. Cort glanced over at the weapons rack where his hat had landed. Two items drew his eye. Grinning, he grabbed two of the long bamboo bo staffs, and tossed one across the room to Wraith, who caught it easily. Cort wheeled his staff above his head and locked it into a defensive position behind his back, one hand forward. He gave a lopsided grin and curled the fingers of his free hand in a beckoning gesture. TAG: Kai
GM Warning (as usual, only minor) IC: The staff landed in his hands and Wraith tightened his grip on the solid length of wood. He was not an expert with the bo, preferring bladed weapons but had downloaded a programme or two to make him adept enough to weild it with some degree of threatening skill. Cort taunted him forward and he acknowledged, moving to attack. Bad idea. Cort parried his fist attack with ease, a simple flick of his wrist sending Wraith's weapon astray. The first strike from Cort struck his neck, the second his left kidney. Doubling over, he fell prey to the staff being brought down on his shoulder blades then swinging in for a sweep that floored him. He rolled asided to avoid a downwards hack that would of driven his face into the floor and rose, vaulting off his staff in a dropkick to Cort's face. Cort managed to roll with the blow and their weapons connected again, this time, Wraith's being thrown from his hand and across the room. He moved with inhuman speed, flipping over Cort and dashing to the weapons rack, where he retrieved a wooden training sword. This battle was far from over.... This is not a fight for merely being a fight. It's a sign of honour between two warriors. A duel amongst equals. His wooden bokken training sword in hand, he slashed forwards, the weapons resounding in cracking sounds as they met, each attack and counterattack flowing with a speed that surpassed most that the watching crew had seen before. Sword still in hand, Wraith shifted to a backhand stance and began making short sliding steps around Cort, the other man firming his grip on the staff in his hands. It was indeed, the ultimate battle between man and machine yet Wraith could now see it wasn't a battle of good and evil, just between two minds who wanted similar things but had very different ways of achieving them. He prepared for Cort's counter..... TAG: Saintheart
Minor GM warning Cort was impressed in spite of himself. The human had managed to turn the battle to a weapon he was obviously familiar with. How was it that he could move so much like a machine, with such resolve, such purpose, and yet be nothing more than human? Perhaps there is more to being human than merely being flesh and blood, a codeblock of the Oracle Mod whispered to him. Cort put the thought aside for later consideration, and blocked another of Wraith's slashes. This could not continue, the strategic programming within him decided. The bo was a serviceable weapon, but its application against the bokken was limited. That weapon required a match of its own. Wraith went for another attack from the right. Cort blocked, but windmilled the staff with greater force than necessary, blowing Wraith's bokken aside. Instead of taking the momentary advantage, Cort flowed with the movement of the staff, leaping backward in three butterfly maneuvers, back to the arsenal. He slapped the staff back into place and snatched up a second bokken, turning into Wraith's charge, calling on the kenjutsu styles he knew. Something was different about Wraith's attack this time. The human was moving faster, quicker than Cort had seen before. Of course, he thought to himself. Edged weapons are his forte. So the program decided to pull out all the stops, to truly test Wraith's strengths. He brought up the bokken to meet Wraith's Reed Thin, Oaken Arm technique with Wall of Water. Then attacked. The styles, the techniques blurred so quickly, the bokken clashing together in a swift staccato. Summer Grass met The Campfire. Firefly, blocked with Lotus Blossum. Boar Rushes Downhill met Lion's Cave. Raincloud against Scattered Lanterns. Cort felt himself sensing an alien emotion, as the Oracle Mod opened further within him, shifting his programming even further. The program was enjoying this. Cort sensed a minor, small defect in the angle of Wraith's blade; perhaps a hair's-breadth out. It was enough. Cort snapped his bokken out, and Wraith's weapon went wide. Cort brought the weapon down, stopping it effortlessly an inch above Wraith's head-- To find Wraith's clenched fist an inch away from Cort's face in a strike that might have stunned him had Wraith intended it to connect. For a long second, program and human stood still in the position, staring at one another. Finally, Cort felt the flicker of a smile. "I offer a draw...Wraith." TAG: Kai
OOC: Great post, Saintheart. A fitting ending to a short but sweet duel. IC: Wraith relaxed his muscles as Cort finished his comment in regards to a truce. He noted it was the first time the programme had used his name and it indicated to Wraith that the machine developed some sort of warrior's respect for him. It had been no easy battle, that was for certain, but Wraith founding himself enjoying it for having a relative degree of difficulty. With his Matrix-enhanced skills, there were few fighters equal to him or the crew of the Shinobi within the mainframe itself and it was refreshing to come up against someone so varient in their techniques, much like him. It made Wraith wonder for a moment about how well he might fare against The One in combat. He'd met Neo once before and he had a great deal of respect for him and his fighting skills. Standing up straight, he stretched his arms out and bowed, clenching his right fist within his left palm. "I accept, Cort. Thank you for your participation. I can see how profficient you would of been at policing the Matrix." Wraith cocked his head upwards, as if indicating to an unseen ally. "Computer. Please load lounge_bar.exe and wraith_attire/smart_casual02." "Complying" In a blur of white light, the dojo was replaced by the location of an inner-city sidestreet, a local tavern behind the two men. Wraith's gi had been substituted for the blue shirt/grey suit he was wearing earlier with the addition of his glasses. He took a seat at the table nearest to them outdoors and lit up a cigarette. "Computer, please inform the crew that it may be important for them all to be here, including Ash if she's up to it. We need to discuss our next course of action together and it's better if we do it here where Cort can interact with everyone face to face." "Complying. Message will be relayed to crew via operator:Network." Wraith indicated for Cort to sit opposite him. "Well, Mr Cort, perhaps you should start telling me about the Matrix's operational programmes and whatever information you can offer than will help bring them down....." Tag: Everyone.
