anemoi | (no subject)

*Despite being a fox, she remembers where the combat training center is, and decides to take advantage of this. A new memory has come back, and she needs to make sure that she remembers it properly, lest the memory be worthless.

The room is large, which is perfect; she needs a lot of space. She pulls out the deck of cards she'd found in her room a while back and, pulling a single card out of the deck, closes her eyes -- and then holds it in front of her.*

Shikigami "Banquet of 12 General Gods."

*She sends out her shikigamis, and an absolutely jaw-droppingly gorgeous yet intimidating spell is cast out from them, as they begin to simultaneously fire hundreds of magic bullets at once. It is intricate, and one would hate to be in the midst of the maelstrom, although the way the bullets barely damage the surrounding building indicate a deliberate lack of lethality.

At length, the spell finishes. Ran puts the deck away -- and then looks down at the six paper dolls which had simply fluttered to the ground rather than join the formation.*

Why... why is it so much weaker than it should be? What is this power I am missing?

((OOC: 1% on Ran's spellcards. But without Yukari's power boosting, they're about half as strong as they ought to be.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ky was in at the time, and he just. Stares in surprise at what he saw.]

...What was that?

Oh, Ky! I remembered how to use spell cards! Well, I thought I did, at any rate...

*Her ears droop a little, hidden in that hat.*

There should have been twelve shikigamis in that spell, not six. I do not understand why I cannot seem to cast at the level I remember.

Don't worry yourself too much over it. I'm sure the answer will come back in time.

Anyway, what do you mean by "spell cards?"

They're... hmm, forgive me, there are some gaps in my memory still. I remember they're designed so that youkai can fight powerfully and with beauty, but without lethal power. That is about it, however.

Non-lethal combat, then? That's an interesting application of magic.

But what factor does beauty play?

Fun, mostly. It can serve as a distraction as well, if need be.

Fun? So it's a sport?

In a way. It is still fighting, but with the stakes lowered. I do find some enjoyment in their design, although to be honest I only take a half interest in the actual combat.

It looked pretty impressive to me!

Ah... well, I suppose if you have not seen this style of combat before, it would be.

*She picks up the dolls again.*

But there should have been more to it. The way it worked, a fairy could have slipped through the holes...

Maybe a fairy could, but anyone my size certainly couldn't!

...I liked the part where the blue ones went out in circles.

I think you could. You just need to learn how to graze, is all. It's a vital skill in a danmaku battle, that.

Graze? How do I do that?

It's fairly simple, although it can take a lifetime to master. I could always teach you, if you so desire.

One of your lifetimes, or one of my lifetimes?

That, sir, depends on talent.

Well then, let's go!

What's the first step?

Hmm... Well, let's start with this.

*She sends out a shikigami; it glows like a smaller bullet of danmaku.*

Stand as close as you can to that without actually touching it.

[Seems easy enough. He walks towards it until it's a few centimeters away from brushing his arm.]

Like this?

Exactly. Now do the same in between these two.

*She summons two of them, and has them spaced apart. Not too close, but not too far either.*