Skazzlain (fort Tatterack) Vs Crystal Rosepaw (gom, Round One

[Creejak]

Match information can be found here: http://z7.invisionfree.com/ROC_Tourney/ind...hp?showtopic=49

Good luck to the both of you.

[Crystal Mcfox Vallian Rosepaw]

(OOC: Creejak, thank you, thankyou, thankyou, THANKIESYOUETH! **Tackle hug.** I'd been downright peeved if I wrote the post for nothing. >.<)

“Why is it that I never feel quite right on a big day? Such luck.” The speaker threw their bangs from their face, their pupils seeming small against the bright sunlight. Removing her face from the glass of the window, she hardly noticed the small popping noise her left leg made as she stood. The vixen yawned, her white fangs showing and her paws stretched wide above her head. Biting at the loose threads on her lavender dress sleeve, the creature in question turned on the spot, trying to recall an herb to stop the pain in her head. “Lucky beasts, them healers, they can just fix themselves right up. Oh stars, why’d ye have to go an’ say that, Crystal? Make yourself homesick and want your family back again. Can’t go home a failure this time, Crys.”

Crystal Mcfox Vallian Rosepaw often held such conversations with herself. After spending two years completely alone, with only the odd bat for a companion (disinclining when she met up with the young pirate fox on the return trip to the Guardian’s place.), she really could not be blamed for talking to herself. She was crazy, per say, just a bit on the paranoid and insane side. But mostly paranoid, the smallest noises made her jump. But fox hearing was sharp enough without learning from bats. Yawning widely again, the vixen scanned the room, looking for all her things she hadn’t packed the night before.

She had used some of her money (gained in a thieving fashion- but nobody but she and the robbed knew that bit of info) to get a room in an inn. She had stayed for near 5 days now, and didn’t like all the company. She was going to go back to hiding out in the woods. But that was before the little mouse knocked timidly on her door.

“’ello little one, what can I do for ye?” She said soothingly, knowing her appearance was enough to scare away a few young creatures. She made sure to not fully show her face, she didn’t want to upset the younger creature with her heavily scarred face. Putting on her cloak while her searched for the words, and for some reason his pockets, she clipped the two pins- her Third Mate badge from the Sea Patrol, presented to her by her old Captain, and the one made from a pearl, a gift from a dear friend.

“Err, Miss Crystal?”

“Yes?” Crystal didn’t turn; she reached into a pocket of her dress and took out a small glass vial. She applied a measure of the red liquid inside to her paw, and then ran this through the bottom half of her hair. It reminded her of the time wolfs bane had stained her paws, the first time she had seen death, the war, and flames. The deep red reminded her of blood, and that brought back memories of flames. The horrid nightmares had stopped, but the thoughts remained.

“I have these for you. They’re about the Tournament. Begging you pardon that it took so long, someone told me that you’d most likely be in the woods. When I got word you were here, well, I came as quick as I could.” As she turned, he winced upon seeing the blood color on her paws, and her scarred face, and her awkwardly placed footpaw made the lad a bit sick to his stomach. She wasn’t much older than he was, but there she stood, her leg looking broken, and looking like she’d seen war. “The beast’s name was Rikian Zarooah; he wanted me to send you his wish of luck to you.”

“The old’ charmer, hasn’t he got the sense of when enough is enough?” She took the folded papers from the mouse and ruffled his headfur. As she reached into her pocket and pulled out a few coins, she suddenly wished they could trade places, that he’d soon be marching off to fight and she’d be the one giving out maps and charts. Placing the money in his paws, the self-pity was washed away quickly. She smiled and winked at him, closing the worse of the two eyes. As it opened, it seemed gross and clouded, yet she could still see from it. “If you see that old’ rag-tag fox again, tell him that Crystal Mcfox Vallian Rosepaw doesn’t need help or luck, not even at the end o’ the world, if she’s got her sword in her paw, aright?” Suddenly wanting to lie, she did. “I’ll make sure Ms. Crystal gets it, she went out this morn.” “Please do ” The mouse said, before dashing down the hall and disappearing down the stairs.

Sighing regretfully, Crystal sunk onto the bed; she still had a few hours. Opening her bag, she drew a small canteen, full of water for the walk to the sparring ring and back. She took a sip, and gasped through her cold mouth, “A drink for these horrors I’ve put myself in ” Yes, just about anything could turn to wine in her mouth, but it was no match for the real thing, since her cheeks always burned a crimson color after a few drinks, and she couldn’t hardly stand. Yes, the teen fox had very little to no tolerance of wine or ale.

“Smiles before roses, I suppose,” she mumbled, quoting the poem she had written the night before. The mystery of the line was easily solved- well, to her. But the vixen was not perfectly okay in the head, and she liked that factor just fine. Smiling at her own stupid joke, Crystal unfolded the paper with one paw, holding the canteen to her lips with her left. Her right paw shook slightly as she held the paper a good enough distance to read from it.

“SkaZzlain?” Crystal asked herself quietly. She repeated the name to herself twice, still not sure if it was being said right. It ore than likely wasn’t. She was bad with names. “Pestilence, the lad has an odd name ” The vixen let out a chuckle before taking another drink of water. Her creamy white fur glistened in the patchy sunlight the window was letting in, and her messy white and blood-red hair was making a kind of halo around her head due to the angle of the light. Her shadow crept up the wall as she stared long and hard at the parchment declaring who was to fight who. A few rounds made her jump, such as ‘Tasna vs Carrack.’ That was not good at all, the dingo had even beaten the fox’s commander last time. Audrey, Marie, Raiden, Erksta, Stoakly, and the names she knew went on and on. But one made her stop and blink twice. Well, the second one was fine, but the first in the pairing nearly made her sick.

“Idiot, he joined this thing? ” Crystal snarled, and threw the paper down on the bed after crumpling it up into a ball. “That idiot, unless he’s suddenly become more of a warrior than he was last time I saw him, he’s going to be crippled... or dead.” And by the way she said this, she meant it. Her bitter tone had a drop of sympathy. “Rikian, you loser.” Once again, she laughed, but this time it was weak and forced. Taking one last drink from the canteen for now, she placed it in her pocket and stood to gather her things. After this round was finished, she’d be leaving this inn for good

“I’ve got my clothing and such packed... I was just leavin’ the ol’ armory for last.” She said to herself, speaking as if to an annoyingly quizzical child, with drawn patience she held for no other beast but the young types. Shuddering slightly at the thought of young creatures, the fox turned a circle around the room- doing this so many times was making her head start to swim. She could see her weapons easily from the angle she was now standing at. Her four- if you could count the pair of Dagger Kama as one weapon- weapons were all put in places best suited for them. She picked up her belt from her bed and clipped the faded leather thing on; she had long since given up using the chain as a belt.

Her dagger kama were folded like switchblades, just like normal. The polished willow handles were slipped into two separate green, cloth bags, and those tied around her belt to hang at each hip. Crystal finished the knot on the second one, and pulled the kama out. Holding it carefully, she flicked her wrist at an angle. The blade came out an there was a faint click as it locked into place. She held down the grey-ish colored button and pushed down on the not-sharp edge of the blade. The curved, almost scythe like, blade slide back into the dip in the wood. Crystal’s friend, who was a skilled weapon crafter, and made these two weapons for her. The weapons worthy of an cut-throat were quick and light, and had got her through many tight spots after her first weapon (a staff) had snapped in half.

She turned her gaze next to the chain. It was made out of some type of iron, and it was strong. Really, really strong. It was dull grey, but the medium sized links made it great for what she used it for. It was long enough so that she had to loop it around her waist three times, but since her waistline was skinny and she was decently tall, she could easily use it. One end was weighted by a small metal ball, and the over had a loop that she could put her paw through. She wrapped the chain about her waist quickly, then swiftly jerked on it. It came off easy enough, but it wouldn’t come without a fast pull to it. Whipping it back around the small spot under her ribs (putting it here protected her from a blow to the stomach) she made the few twists and pulls she had thought herself to make sure it was as she needed it to be. Crystal then picked up the small dagger she carried, making sure it was in the sheath, and recalled how easy it was to wrap the chain around the wrist of her foe and drag them in for a blow with the dagger. The once honorable now had the darkest heart of any.

Her last weapon was her battle blade, her father’s old broadsword. The two pawed thing was massive, and the blade was a pale color, nearly white. And red showed up easily against the white, and many times had this inspired her writing. The ruby pommel stone sparkled, as if it knew about the upcoming spar, and was ready to bite deep into flesh and bone. The silver hilt shone from the polishing she had given it last night; Crystal was extra careful to keep this blade in top condition. Sliding the sword into the scabbard, somewhat regretfully, and made sure the blade was tucked tight into the brown and silver protection. The vixen put the middle of her sash on her right shoulder, and tied the green thing by her left hip. The metal hooks on the back of the sash caught the loops on the scabbard, holding it in place. To make sure the scabbard didn’t come off with the broadsword, Crystal jerked it free. The lovely feel of the blade in her paws rushed over her. Swinging the sword down, then thrusting, she brought it upward in a parry, before making a warrior’s salute to an invisible audience. Smiling to herself, she put the blade back on her back with a swift movement.

“Hope the lad can hold a blade like a pro, I’d hate to not draw my broadsword,” Crystal’s smirk showed her cocky manner. Even in her mostly depressed state, she couldn’t fully rid herself of that... delightfully annoying habit of being witty and having a quick temper; combined with her cockiness, it was just as bad as a suicidal mood-swing. Leaving a few more coins on the bed, Crystal picked up her bag and opened the door. It lead to a small porch with a set of stairs that led to an alley near the main road, the one that would take the vixen to the pier. Sitting on the railing, she slid down like she had done since age 5 on any stair-rail. Her footpaws were soon at work getting her to the dock.

~~~

“Err, hmm.” Crystal sighed to herself as she walked down the dock, hardly caring that the boards rattled as she trotted down them. Her parchment had said a certain ‘Knolls’ would take her to the ship. She opened her mouth and suddenly bellowed, making a few creatures close to her wince, even if her loudest cry was hardly above a metro-forte. “Knolls?” It was also painfully high-pitched, even if normally her voice was a cracked, deep, somewhat soothing growl. But it still had a high female ring, and when she shouted, it showed. She hated her voice, and the creatures near her didn’t love it ether.

“Over ‘ere, lass ” Crystal turned to the sound, curious. A marten was standing in a small boat, and waving her over. She walked over, and his gruff voice came again, “You’re Crystal?” Crystal nodded slightly. “Well put your pack in ‘ere, I’ve not got much time to get out there.”

“Uh, ok.” The vixen tossed her bag into the bottom of the small boat, but as she stepped forward, the boards on the dock cracked, like some kind of bad omen. And bad omen it had to be, because the creaky board suddenly gave way, and Crystal hit the water hard. It was shallow, and she could almost reach the bottom, but panic still hit her; Crystal couldn’t swim. Yelping as the cold water went into her mouth, she was relived when Knolls reached under and grabbed her paw. He, with her help, pulled her into the boat, still dripping.

“Nice goin’, lass.”

“Shut up and help me row.” Crystal snarled, picking up a pair of oars. She didn’t like Knolls one bit, thank you kindly, and his laugh was annoying.

“I’m rowwin’.”

~~~

“Still wet?”

“Slightly.”

“Well, you might get a bit wet again, you’ve gotta climb up there now.”

“Up... There?” Crystal had climbed on many ships before, but the thought of falling n out here, where the water was much deeper...

“Yes. You’d best go.”

Crystal nodded her thanks and shouldered her bag, then grabbed the rope. Ever three paw lengths it had a knot, and this helped her climb up, even if she was a good climber. The vixen pulled herself up to the railing and looked onto the deck as she climbed up. Nobody was here. She was alone, but her heart began to race. Taking off her cloak and putting down her bag, she put the blade on the floor, still in the scabbard. Taking out her kama, she flicked the blades out and leaned against the mast and closed her eyes; she vainly tried to control her pulse. Her adrenalin spiked, and she knew it.

She knew he’d soon be here, and the spar would soon begin.