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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 19, 2011 23:10:52 GMT -5
"Oh, no, no, no. I would much prefer to be flexible than rigid," Emirate Xaaron says lazily, to assure them that he has no desire to be more uptight than Sentinel Prime.
At Mirage's feint, Emirate Xaaron just throws himself off to the side. This works, but it's not pretty, and it's not efficient. It takes him precious time to recover back into a combat stance. Throwing oneself around for cover might work for an unarmed civilian, but if he intends to be attacking back, Emirate Xaaron needs to do better than that.
"Mmm. Concerned and loyal. One of these is true, I'm sure."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 20, 2011 10:43:07 GMT -5
While Rodimus is intentionally 'fighting dumb' due to the skill level of his opponents, he's by far the most experienced in melee of the three combatants, and not so naive as to have not been watching Mirage (what with Mirage still being watchable and such). He slides forward and away from Mirage, just out of reach of his sword. At the same time, when Emirate Xaaron throws himself to the side and needs time to recover, Rodimus strikes, slashing down towards him (yes, the other two are fencing, but energy swords really tend to be more slashers). This is rather mean of him, as it is taking advantage of an inexperienced opponent, but hopefully it will help to emphasize the idea that Xaaron shouldn't do that sort of thing anymore.
"Ah, good, that's a relief." It's unclear whether Rodimus is talking about how improved Xaaron's mode is, or Xaaron's own desire to be flexible rather than rigid.
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Post by Mirage on Jun 21, 2011 14:33:52 GMT -5
Mirage is very, very watchable. >_>
For that matter, if Mirage or Xaaron try to literally cross swords with Rodimus, they could well lose their blade along with the match. Mirage smiles slightly at how easily Rodimus evades the attack. Really, the Prime is the picture of grace....
But right now, Rodimus is an opponent, and so is Xaaron. Xaaron, who reminds Mirage with a careless comment that the spy is still not considered as trustworthy. Perhaps Mirage takes the comment too much to spark, but it is a hot button of his.
"I'm as loyal and concerned as any other mech on this ship, Xaaron," Mirage says. His tone is still as easy as it was before but some of the warmth is missing. "So both descriptors are indeed true."
"And there are certainly times when a bit of rigidness is quite preferable. But some do take it to an extreme."
As Rodimus slashes at Xaaron, Mirage moves around to attack from the Emirate's other side.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 23, 2011 22:14:40 GMT -5
So, Emirate Xaaron is being slashed by Rodimus from one side and having it stuck to him by Mirage from the other.
And yet he's still not getting that good bedding that Mirage seems to think he needs. Life is terribly unfair.
Emirate Xaaron cries out a little as Rodimus Prime's blade bites into him and Mirage's stabs in. He's durable enough that he's not completely pout of the fight - if he knew what he was doing. As it is, he's doomed.
"Any? No. Some? Perhaps," Emirate Xaaron corrects, trying to keep Mirage emotionally on the defensive, even if he can't manage it in combat.
He tries to pull back and step back, to pit Rodimus and Mirage against each others' lines, and keeping in mind that he'll never win if he doesn't do some damage, he tries for a low hit, to hamstring Rodimus Prime. Sorry, Mirage, but dangerous as Mirage is, Emirate Xaaron is a little more worried about the Autobot designed to slay planet-killers.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 24, 2011 13:55:44 GMT -5
Rodimus, who continues to expect an attack from all quarters, again twists back. However, the need to split his focus (combined, perhaps, with the fact that he's really not fighting to his full ability) has him moving a bit slower than normal, and the low hit grazes the right lower leg in the upper portion of his red 'boot' section.
He smiles. "Good hit!" he encourages, stepping back and searching for an opening. He stays silent on the exchange of words between Mirage and Xaaron, though the possibility that the verbal duel will be moving to less friendly territories is already pinging on him. He decides, however, that he'll address that situation when the moment arrives, and instead makes a darting stab towards Mirage's weapon-hand.
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Post by Mirage on Jun 27, 2011 11:41:09 GMT -5
Rather than parry with his blade and risk losing the weapon, Mirage twists and takes Rodimus's stab through the arm.
"Another good hit," Mirage says through gritted teeth. The wound smarts, and Mirage shifts his blade to his other hand, at the same time trying to step in under Rodimus's reach, hook a leg around the Prime's and bring him down. This move will likely fail horribly,
"You really don't like me much, do you Xaaron?" Mirage asks, verbally attacking his other opponent at the same time.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 28, 2011 18:42:31 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron looks a bit sad and tired, and he sighs. He corrects gently, "I do not dislike you, Mirage. I am certain you'd be a fine companion in the correct circumstances. However, I cannot tolerate your attitude. Personal and professional are two very different things for me, and on a professional level, you are very difficult to handle, Mirage, which is frustrating, because if you aren't putting others in danger with reckless actions, you are instead endangering yourself, and that is no better."
"So while I have qualms with you on a professional level, I harbour no ill will on a personal level," Emirate Xaaron concludes, hoping he's made the distinction clear enough. Some cannot handle the difference.
All of this talk is distracting him from the fighting, however. Talk comes naturally to him; swordplay doesn't. Luckily for him, and he is lucky, his opponents seem more interested in each other. Mirage wants Rodimus Prime to go down? Let's see if Emirate Xaaron can't facilitate that. He tries for a quick thrust to the side to try to coax Rodimus Prime towards Mirage.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 29, 2011 7:33:22 GMT -5
Rodimus twists nearer to avoid Emirate Xaaron's thrust, but that makes it almost impossible to avoid Mirage's leg. So Rodimus doesn't try to. Rather than fall, however, he tucks his legs under and rolls out of the way, tumbling between and then past both his other opponents before spinning towards them, remaining crouched as he sweeps one leg out wide enough to try to trip up both his opponents in a single strike.
At Emirate Xaaron's criticisms of Mirage's tendency to recklessly endanger himself, he snorts, then looks up at the Emirate suspiciously.
"Hey, Xaaron. Where did you get that sword, anyway?"
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Post by Mirage on Jun 29, 2011 17:41:03 GMT -5
Rodimus succeeds in tripping up Mirage, and the spy stumbles, struggling to keep himself upright rather than go down in an ungainly pile. His unsteady steps might just carrying him into Xaaron and bring the two down in a pile.
"Rodimus has a point. Though I will say that I do not consider myself a reckless individual." Mirage actually tries not to enter into situation that he doesn't feel he can get himself out of. However, he does sometimes have more trouble getting out of those spots than he expects.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 1, 2011 20:24:31 GMT -5
"A gangster put it through my optic, and I kept it. I suppose I should have surrendered it as evidence, but it was Pz-Zazz," Emirate Xaaron says, matter of fact, shrugging a little. He doesn't get where Rodimus Prime is going with this line of questioning.
He is tripped and goes down in an ungainly heap. Emirate Xaaron has never been taught how to fall properly and recover easily. He's not bad at it, for an untrained civilian, but he could be a whole lot better, and he needs to be better. From the floor, he sheathes his sword cane and tries to use it to lever himself back up. Emirate Xaaron's wasting time that he could be using on the offense instead.
"You might not think of yourself as reckless, but what do you call that thrashing Barricade gave you, then?"
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 3, 2011 13:00:28 GMT -5
Rodimus smirks at Emirate Xaaron's answer. "And what were you doing fighting that gangster in the first place?" he asks. He's not going to leave this line of questioning alone, although to be honest, he's pretty amused that he's in the room, and yet it's Mirage that's getting yelled at for recklessness. That's just an odd experience all around.
He lifts from his crouch, weapon ready, but despite the fact that he has a perfect opening here, chooses not to strike. He does, however, shake his head. "We have got to teach you how to fall properly, Xaaron," he observes. Falling is easy. Falling correctly takes work.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 3, 2011 21:05:29 GMT -5
Mirage rolls quickly away from Xaaron and gets to his feet much faster and more gracefully than the Emirate. He eyes Xaaron critically, then nods in agreement with Rodimus.
Mirage can't help but chuckle when he finds out how Xaaron got the sword. "You can't fall properly and can't hit the broadside of Broadside, and you were fighting?" He shakes his head, "I made an error in judgment with Barricade, underestimating his savageness, but I at least had some chance."
"Who, exactly, is the more reckless one here?" Mirage can take care of himself, after all. Mostly.
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jul 7, 2011 22:01:49 GMT -5
"Nightbeat, Arcee, and Jetfire needed the help. I was there. Any Autobot would have done the same," Emirate Xaaron insists smoothly. "Reckless is tackling an enemy when there are other solutions available."
He looks from Rodimus to Mirage and commands, "Then teach me to fall. I'm your student."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jul 8, 2011 15:56:39 GMT -5
"Not always!" Rodimus protests. "Sometimes tackling's your best available option!"
Rodimus lives by that.
Rodimus, still in his crouch, shrugs. "All right. Watch closely." And then, rather suddenly, he sweeps his leg out towards Mirage, attempting to hook it and pull it out from beneath the spy.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 9, 2011 21:44:43 GMT -5
Mirage snorts, "And what help, exactly, did you think you could give them?"
He shakes his head, "Nevermind. I-."
Mirage's leg is caught, but rather than falling straight backwards, the spy twists away from Rodimus, landing on his side and rolling easily back to his feet. He can't help smirking up at the Prime.
Oh Rodimus, Mirage has already fallen for you. No need to make a literal statement about the fact.
"See how I shifted my balance so that I fell how I wished, rather than in the expected manner?" he says to Xaaron.
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