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Post by Mirage on Jul 15, 2009 22:46:26 GMT -5
Semi-private for now. Please ask before posting in. Will likely open up later, though!
There are several training rooms on board ship, and most of them are not equipped with the simulation technology. It is to one of the basic rooms that Mirage is heading, intending to get in a bit of stance practice and the like. If he understands correctly, the one he's picked should have a reflective wall for self-evaluation.
<insert crude joke here>
The door panel slides open, and Mirage starts to enter, but instead stops in the doorway. He lounges against the jam, head tilted as he takes note of the female Seeker already in the room. The spy's expression is thoughtful, considering, and yet politely neutral.
"My apologies," he drawls, "I had not realized the room was in use. I can choose another. If, that is," Smirk, "you are adverse to company?"
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jul 15, 2009 23:36:45 GMT -5
Unwinding herself from her own practice stance, Oracle looks briefly at Mirage upside down, then drops out of her handstand and stands, dusting off her hands. She hadn't expected company, but at least the intrusion is tolerable and not someone she minded. One of the Dinobots might have been another story.
"I don't mind. The few times we're had contact, your presence has not been a bother." She couldn't really say much more about it, social situations with him had been either dilute or on the awkward side. She couldn't say she remembered any non-social situations either.
Moving further to the side of the room to give Mirage space, she was about to return to her own practice when she paused. "Though, if you do that vanishing thing, please be sure not to come too close." Oracle would hate to accidentally strike him, or do so on reflex.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 16, 2009 9:55:38 GMT -5
Mirage chuckles. "So looovely to learn that you do not find me a bother, I would so hate to inconvenience."
He moves on into the room, and the door slides shut behind him. Rather than immediately take up a practice position, however, he pauses again at her caution. His posture is relaxed, weight shifted primarily to his right leg, arm bent so that he can lightly stroke his chin with fingers. He smiles slightly.
"Now where on Cybertron would you get the idea that I would use my abilities to perhaps make you uncomfortable? Really, I am tempted to feel insulted. Surely no one has been carrying such tales out of school." He sounds more amused than insulted, however.
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jul 16, 2009 21:11:48 GMT -5
Oracle has to laugh slightly at his tone. "Well a vaguely awkward situation and a late night poker game aren't much of a chance to find out if I enjoy your company either, are they? Call it reserving further judgment if you like." Though thinking of that awkward situation, she knew Skyblast liked him, so that was at least a mark in his favor.
The rest of his comment prompted her to turn and face him curiously, head tilted slightly, instead of further preparing to resume what she had been doing. "What do you mean? I hadn't really thought you would do it on purpose." She paused thoughtfully. "Would you?" After a moment she shook her head.
"I more meant I'm really not used to unexpected things popping up near me, and I'd hate to try and take a piece out of you on reflex because you strayed too close." Not out of nowhere like he would be appearing anyway.
After another moment, she grinned, and it was a bit impish. "On the other hand, if you do get restless and still want to play tricks after that warning, that's entirely up to you." Should be interesting, she'd never tried her skills against someone that could appear out of thin air.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 16, 2009 23:03:21 GMT -5
Mirage's smile falters a bit as she actually seems to be considering that he might be so crude as to try and scare her. Really, he thought by now he'd fostered the opinion in most everyone that he had more class than that.
But she seems to drop the idea quickly, and his smile returns. It broadens as she issues as a challenge of sorts, and he's about to reply with something smooth and suggestive and flirty when a thought occurs. His expression grows quite serious and considering.
"Your ability...it is to predict, is it not? Future elements or actions? Have you ever tried it in combat with one you cannot see?"
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jul 18, 2009 17:22:56 GMT -5
Well, how would Oracle know Mirage considered himself too classy for that sort of thing? Once again, not really much experience with him and she hadn't really meant that in the first place anyway.
Her posture straightens a bit cautiously as he goes from teasing to serious all of a sudden, shifts like that occasionally herald unpleasant things in her experience. What he says though, while a bit anxiety provoking for a moment, is more interesting then anything else.
Letting a bit of the habitual fight or flight tension unwind as she considered his question, Oracle shrugged. "That's the basics of it, yes." The second part made her grin slightly. "Ah, no. I've never gotten in a fight with the invisible man before, that I'm aware of." Rocking up on the toes of her feet, she looked him over with a more studying expression. "Are you offering then?"
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Post by Mirage on Jul 18, 2009 21:37:02 GMT -5
But it's Mirage! Word is supposed to get around! Though perhaps not so fast as Mirage himself does.
"And I have never had to face an opponent who could ferret me out in such a manner. I think such a practice might prove both interesting and advantageous; do you not agree?"
Mirage smiles as he talks, moving a bit more toward the center of the room. He's sizing her up as he does so. She would not be an easy opponent, even letting alone their mutual advantages. He will need to use quick, hit and run style tactics, avoid closing if possible.
"Hand to hand only, no weapons, no blades?"
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jul 18, 2009 22:10:09 GMT -5
Oh but Oracle is pretty much a failure at gossip, so if she's going to get that impression, it was pretty much going to have to be from Mirage anyway.
"You forgot fun." Because it definitely sounded like it could be entertaining as well, to her. "I do agree though, just because I haven't encountered someone invisible before, doesn't mean I won't. I could use the experience." Potentially more applicable then she knows, but even if she never uses the experience, it's still good to have.
Watching him as he moves further into the room, a pleased purr is in her voice as she replies to his comment about restrictions. "A distinction between weapons and blades? I like your style. And I agree. Light touches or not, adding edges might annoy anyone that ends up having to repair us." Accidents happened too, and she would really rather avoid the mess that would accompany that.
Sizing him up as she was saying that, affirmed her assessment this would probably be fun indeed. He would probably use fast, darting strikes she bet, to take advantage of his invisibility. The trick would be to determine if she could see things fast enough to react, and then had the speed and skill to make her own moves. It was interesting to get a chance to counter what was basically her own style, with a twist.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 18, 2009 22:48:08 GMT -5
"A blade, while still a weapon, is in its own class, especially in the hands of a master- or mistress." He inclines his head differentially. "So yes, I do make the distinction, though I know not many might."
"And I expect this to be much fun indeed, my dear," he purrs back as he flickers out of sight.
Mirage does little for those first few minutes, watching Oracle instead. He silently paces around her, noting her reactions, how she tried to follow him, or doesn't, her stance, be it ready or relaxed. Occasionally, he deliberately makes some sound, the lightest scrape of foot upon floor, the chink of metal touching metal. It is all calculated to try and give the spy an idea, an inkling, of her behavior.
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jul 18, 2009 23:13:00 GMT -5
In the hands took on a whole different meaning with her, Oracle thought, flexing her fingers, but that was beside the point and she was distracting herself. She quickly put it out of her mind, other than locking her blades in place, just in case she fell back on instant at some point.
Then she grinned in amusement as Mirage vanished. "I suppose that's 'go' then?" Fine by her, let the games begin.
Since she couldn't see him, she listened, felt for large air currents and the like and slowly tried to build up a picture of where and how he was moving. Wings flicking slightly, after a moment she abandoned her attempt to track him that way, and returned to sound and simply trying to anticipate his movements. Staying light on her feet she rotated to face the larger sounds, but she didn't strike out against any of them, even the most obvious. Nice of you to indicate position Mirage, but she's not going to be baited, and she hasn't stopped grinning yet.
"Are you trying to see if I get dizzy, or if I'm impatient?" Or something else, but she's doesn't see the point in listing off potential behavioral cues. "I'd probably get bored first. Or maybe dizzy." She actually seems to be considering that one, though the relaxed alertness of movement doesn't leave her frame.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 19, 2009 0:04:51 GMT -5
Mirage replies over radio: //Merely getting a feel for you, my dear, seeing how you react, your carriage in the dance. I've not even really seen you in action, you know.//
Halfway through the comment, and from the position just to the right of front and center, he drops and sweeps his leg out, trying to trip Oracle.
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jul 19, 2009 0:54:49 GMT -5
Oracle laughs wryly before replying. "I'd say the same, but the whole purpose of the exercise is that I can't see you in action. Maybe another time though." And she'll end up getting her own feel for him as things progress, though it will be a somewhat slower process for obvious reasons.
Feeling Mirage's leg connect with her shin, she allows it to impart it's momentum to knock her into a forward handspring. She might have tried a roll if she knew where he was, but this had a better chance of keeping her out of his reach. Well that was one theory down, she hadn't Seen him coming so until he appeared it looked like this was going to be purely skill based. For keeping her sharp, she guessed that could be even better. It was going to take some patience to wait for the right opening though. "I suppose it's a good thing you consider this dancing. Then I can say I know at least one sort of dance." Because any other sort? That's right out.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 19, 2009 10:16:47 GMT -5
//Darling, if you can ever actually see me in this type of action, letting alone my required decloaking moments, I should hang up my hat. After I do whatever it takes to sweet talk you out of the method by which you discerned my movements, of course.// Oracle may not be able to see Mirage, but the smile that goes with those words should be clearly evident in his voice.
The way Oracle takes advantage of his attack is impressive. Mirage has had more chances to practice such combat since coming to this universe than before. While he isn't likely to use such skills in an actual combat situation, they are still valuable skills to have, and he is slowly building upon his own, more polite and structured, fighting history.
As she is recovering from the handspring (however she does) he reaches out and tries to snatch her off balance as he darts by her.
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Jul 19, 2009 20:15:11 GMT -5
Hm, required decloaking? That was something to keep in mind. Depending on the frequency, maybe she could take advantage of that. In fact, now that she had warning, she knew she could. Mirage's unseen smile was returned, though probably not for exactly the same reason. "You haven't got a hat to hang up, and expressions aside, why ever would I let you sweet talk me into something that would end up depriving me of a challenging opponent?"
Feeling a tug against her arm as she's straightening from her landing, Oracle's optics narrow slightly as she goes with the pull again and spins down into a leg sweep, regaining her balance and attempting to strike back at the racer at the same time. It looks like she has another theory to test a bit though, her wing was a much easier grab if he was strafing by and attempting to unbalance her, why hadn't he grabbed it? If he was being polite because it was a spar, she wasn't sure if she was annoyed or impressed to spite herself...which annoyed her anyway. Ugh.
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Post by Mirage on Jul 19, 2009 22:25:33 GMT -5
Mirage simply doesn't know Oracle well enough for such a touch. Some jets are very sensitive about their wings, and this is after all just a friendly spar. He would not wish to risk harming or upsetting her, you see.
Oracle's leg sweep connects with the back of Mirage's heels, but he manages to salvage the landing, rolling in a somersault rather than faceplanting. Quick as he can, he springs up and moves to the right; there is no way for him to tumble silently, and he can only hope she misreads his position.
//Oh but, darling, my lovely, you would not be losing the opponent. And I,// he drawls, //Can be very, very convincing. Obtaining information is my function, after all.//
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