Dante (
royalguard_style) wrote in
tushanshu2014-09-09 07:09 pm
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Video Two// This threat produced by your local high school theater department
[Dante's been the closest things to diligent and vigilant as he can be since the other foreigners were attacked. Since he saw the initial reason for the meeting as a petty political squabble, he was sound asleep until it was too late to go help with the attack. It's not the worst news that could have come out of that meeting, but it still sucks to find out that a war you were supposed to be fighting turned hot, a bunch of innocents got hurt, and the enemy was nowhere to be found.
So here he was, speaking in front of the console and sitting on a flimsy wooden chair. The video is harshly lit with a black background. Dante wanted answers, but apparently circumstances aren't dire enough to scrimp on the dramatic flair. Things only get worse once he actually starts talking.]
You. Yes, you jerks hiding out in the castle right now.
[He makes an exaggerated pointing motion towards the screen.]
A few of the folks here have been waiting a good long time for a piece of you. You know how much it sucks to sit around waiting for an enemy that doesn't feel like showing it's ugly mug?
[He stands up and starts pacing around the flimsy chair and starts pacing around it, never straying out of the light. All the while, he keeps talking with an increasingly theatrical timbre.]
And then you finally decided to show yourselves! But apparently the people who actually want to kick your ass aren't worth your time. No, you wanted that good-for-nothing emperor, didn't you? That's why a bunch of cowards like you decided to charge into a building full of foreigners.
[He swings back onto the chair and crosses his legs in one fluid motion. Afterwards, his voice drops down to it's normal, casual tone of voice.]
Let me give you a bit of friendly advice. That guy's not the guy you want to worry about. Haven't you heard the news? I'll tell you what: why don't you come on over so I can kick your ass personally. There's a nice little bar not far from here you can try and ambush me at, and you'll have me outnumbered. I'll be waiting.
[And he waves before turning the video feed off.]
So here he was, speaking in front of the console and sitting on a flimsy wooden chair. The video is harshly lit with a black background. Dante wanted answers, but apparently circumstances aren't dire enough to scrimp on the dramatic flair. Things only get worse once he actually starts talking.]
You. Yes, you jerks hiding out in the castle right now.
[He makes an exaggerated pointing motion towards the screen.]
A few of the folks here have been waiting a good long time for a piece of you. You know how much it sucks to sit around waiting for an enemy that doesn't feel like showing it's ugly mug?
[He stands up and starts pacing around the flimsy chair and starts pacing around it, never straying out of the light. All the while, he keeps talking with an increasingly theatrical timbre.]
And then you finally decided to show yourselves! But apparently the people who actually want to kick your ass aren't worth your time. No, you wanted that good-for-nothing emperor, didn't you? That's why a bunch of cowards like you decided to charge into a building full of foreigners.
[He swings back onto the chair and crosses his legs in one fluid motion. Afterwards, his voice drops down to it's normal, casual tone of voice.]
Let me give you a bit of friendly advice. That guy's not the guy you want to worry about. Haven't you heard the news? I'll tell you what: why don't you come on over so I can kick your ass personally. There's a nice little bar not far from here you can try and ambush me at, and you'll have me outnumbered. I'll be waiting.
[And he waves before turning the video feed off.]
video; private
That may not be wise. However, the same could be said for our endeavour.
Would you like some backup?
[He didn't like all that poisoning going on, so Dante may as well have someone to drag him back to safety if things go wrong.]
Re: video; private
[If the emperor ever lets any of them speak to him again, he's going to have a word with him about how many small children get summoned to fight this war.]
I thought you were dead-set on that whole "neutrality" thing. So all bets are off now that they've attacked your hotel?
video; private
[Anton's been wondering about that as well. Or he would, if he was the type to dwell on things that enrage him. He smiles. Unlike the smile he once gave Daisy, this one is almost wolfish.]
The Hotel is a place of neutrality. I am but a man seeking to avoid his allies being harmed more than they have currently.
Re: video; private
[Dante recognizes that smile, but isn't too worried. "Wolfish" isn't that bad, at least not compared to the downright sadistic smiles he's seen from some of his friends back home.]
Huh.
Well, if anything happens, you'll probably be able to hear it from miles around. I'll admit I don't exactly feel like dealing with these guys peacefully right now.
video; private
[He just hadn't realised quite how badly until now.]
I am not much of a diplomat, I assure you. If you want someone to fight alongside, I am your best choice.
[He'd fight. Just be on hand to pull Dante out of the fire if he needs to. And he really wants to punch some things.]
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Really? I wouldn't have guessed that about a guy like you.
[Good luck to him. At this point, Dante would have to be dragged kicking and screaming out of a fire, literally or figuratively.]
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[Read: to keep the idiots who'd get in the way out of the way. He inclines his head.]
Oh?
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You struck me as the kind of guy who would insist on talking things out rationally with a volcano.
[Not that he's complaining about the new discovery. "Sleeping giant" made a whole lot more sense to him then "insanely powerful shut-in businessman". Granted, the two weren't mutually exclusive, but still.]
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[Read: he's an idiot who needs to learn to delegate. Anton smiles.]
No. That would be my friend Hopeless. He died some time ago and isn't here besides; unfortunate, as he would have been able to talk Evandau into sense. I'm a warrior, one who offers a safe place to rest, nothing more.
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So the guy's named Hopeless? What is it with guys from where you come from and weird names, anyway?
[Says the guy who has a given name of Dante.]
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Given names grant power over their owner. Sorcerers take names based on their natures, pasts and dreams for the future in order to build a seal of protection around that control.
Where shall I meet you?
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Right now? There's an empty building not that far from the hotel's water entrance. If the cultists actually take me up on my little offer, I should be able to draw them there. If not, then we've only wasted about five minutes of both of our time.
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In that event we could have a sparring match to make it worth our while.
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Sounds like a good backup plan.
--> action?
I'll meet you soon.
[He disconnects. He has a bit of a walk, because even though he's nearly got the door to transfer between sectors, he has to use consoles elsewhere. It still won't be too long before he arrives.]
yes, action
Bad news, our dates stood us up.
permaction!
[The smile is friendly enough, but there's a certain amount of tension evident around Anton's eyes. Though he isn't restless or twitchy the way he moves would make it clear, to a fighter like Dante, that Anton is very much in need of some physical outlet.
[He takes a moment to glance around the empty warehouse.]
It seems adequate for our purposes, at least.
Re: permaction!
[Dante's seen that kind of subtle agitation before. It was the kind of subtle change that other devil hunters got when it was too long since a good job. This look wasn't supplemented with a ton of complaints, but Dante knew what it meant just the same.]
Better then some of the places I've had to pick fights back home. So, how do you want to do this?
[He kept his sword slung onto his back and withdrew a wooden sparring sword instead. He wasn't comfortable going into any kind of fight without Rebellion, but he clearly doesn't plan on actually using it, either.]
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[Usually, his sparring matches were hand-to-hand, but sometimes they were bare-handed against weaponry.]
Though you may use one, if you would like.
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I'll stick with this then. I've never been much for fisticuffs.
He strikes a stance with the wooden sparring sword. He had some hand to hand skills, but he was much faster and more skilled with a weapon in his hands.]
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[He sketches a quick sigil on the wall, where it pulses with a soft light, counting down to ten before it activates fully.]
Timer. We have two minutes to establish a victor.
[Anton takes off his jacket and leaves it on a piece of debris, and when the sigil reaches zero to begin its secondary countdown he attacks, his movements smooth with that benefit of long experience.]
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Should be more then enough time.
[The first attack was always tricky. While some opponents dance around and try and psych their opponent out, that didn't seem to be the case with Anton. Dante felt a fist hitting his shoulder, but struck back without flinching. He lacked the experience or grace that came with a magically-granted long life, but he struck with the ruthless efficiency of someone who started at a very young age.]
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[Dante fought like Dexter--quick and ruthless and brutal. Brawlers. Anton shifted his style to quick jabs and dirty-tactics, using his shoulders and forearms as cover for the blows he couldn't parry but taking advantage of his benefit of experience to widen his footwork. It gave him a greater range of area--and it meant that, when he got the opportunity he was watching for, he could surprise Dante with a quick change in styles using his feet and knees.]
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He continues trying to take aggressive strikes, trying to take advantage of how light his sparring sword was. With the way Anton was blocking those attacks, his best bet was going to be to wear him down until he slows down. He's used to dealing with dirty tactics, but it's the sudden change of style that catches Dante off guard- it was a technique he only recently figured out himself, and he was thus hasn't seen it properly countered yet.]
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I'm pretty sure you're asleep, so please ask me to edit if you don't want Dante figuring this out.
this is fine, it's great!
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