[D3 LA] Floating Battle Carp

[Kakita Haruhi]

"That was an impressive attack Kakita-sama" Sumiko said as she bowed to Haruhi "very impressive! You turned drone combat into an art form. Congratulations on your victory."

Haruhi smiled. "Thank you for the opportunity to practice. I have learned from my bird studies, particularly the raptors. But I am perhaps aided by the fact that this drone is not built to dance. Else I could not resist pure choreography."

[Susumu Sumiko]

Haruhi smiled. "Thank you for the opportunity to practice. I have learned from my bird studies, particularly the raptors. But I am perhaps aided by the fact that this drone is not built to dance. Else I could not resist pure choreography."

"I can see that it came naturally to you" Sumiko nodded " you and Sky Blue were as one in perfect harmony, soaring in the sky eying up the target before a perfect strike to lay down the target. It was wonderful to see. Still, you say it is not built to dance yet you turned it into an art form. I'd say soaring is a kind of dance, wouldn't you?"

[Kakita Haruhi]

"I can see that it came naturally to you" Sumiko nodded " you and Sky Blue were as one in perfect harmony, soaring in the sky eying up the target before a perfect strike to lay down the target. It was wonderful to see. Still, you say it is not built to dance yet you turned it into an art form. I'd say soaring is a kind of dance, wouldn't you?"

"That's true. It is the ... extemporaneous aspect of it. Rolling with the punches. Rather than a planned routine. But plenty of dance is impromptu. And there are dance battles! You are right."

"And it is wonderful to see the technique and skill of the other drone pilots, too. Perhaps it is possible to anticipate some of their steps, with careful observation."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Once the first two duels were done, Taraka would face off against the Shinjo fighter pilot.

Taraka tends to fly like she had flown transport shuttles. Solid and dependable, a good tutorial enemy.

First Pass, 28

But shockingly, it looked like the Shinjo might actually be an ace pilot.

Suh-Hyun followed the Yasuki into the ring and got her drone airborne. The worn little thing looked unsteady compared to the sleek one Taraka had, but it served all the same. As in her previous match, the Shinjo doesn't close for an attack immediately. Her drone moves upward in sort of curved arc, exposing her banner but opening the distance. Then as suddenly as the climb started, it turned into a dive. Gravity doing considerable work as it whipped past the Yasuki's drone, nearly slicing the banner off in the first pass.

Piloting/AGI for duel vs Yasuki Taka at the Battle on the Azure Dragon. +1k0 from Prodigy. Roll 1 of 5 | 10k4 ⇒ 39

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Jizo!" Taraka exclaimed as she had to push hard on the controls to avoid getting knocked out just before launch.

"Oof, I'm glad I'm not actually up there. I think I'd be in a lot of trouble if my life was actually on the line." she remarked.

Taraka tended to fight fairly Crab-like, steady, going for the long wait rather than a blinding charge. It was fine but maneuverability really was more important in these matches that durability.

Also 28 on the second pass, Shinjo up by a point.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"Jizo!" Taraka exclaimed as she had to push hard on the controls to avoid getting knocked out just before launch.

"Oof, I'm glad I'm not actually up there. I think I'd be in a lot of trouble if my life was actually on the line." she remarked.

Taraka tended to fight fairly Crab-like, steady, going for the long wait rather than a blinding charge. It was fine but maneuverability really was more important in these matches that durability.

Also 28 on the second pass, Shinjo up by a point.

The Unicorn, in contrast, was very much the hunter. Her drone was in constant motion, circling climbing and then in another burst of gravity assisted speed it merged flight paths with the Crab drone. The Yasuki's weariness had paid off this time, and the drone zipped out of the Unicorn's attack with a much more comfortable margin.

Piloting/AGI for duel vs Yasuki Taka at the Battle on the Azure Dragon. +1k0 from Prodigy. Roll 2 of 5 | 10k4 ⇒ 30

[Yasuki Taraka]

If she was going to turn this around, this is where Taraka would need to fight back. With the two passes, she'd gotten a better grasp on the Shinjo's style. How and when she'd charge, and what she'd do after the charge. With that information, she set up to take advantage to get into a better position when she dodged this time.

3rd pass, 33

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

If she was going to turn this around, this is where Taraka would need to fight back. With the two passes, she'd gotten a better grasp on the Shinjo's style. How and when she'd charge, and what she'd do after the charge. With that information, she set up to take advantage to get into a better position when she dodged this time.

3rd pass, 33

As the Yasuki had predicted, the Shinjo's attack came in fast and this time the Crab's dodge brought her dangerously close to the Unicorn's banner. And now the hunter had become the hunted. Suh-Hyun's face had remained impassive through out the fight so far, but the slight raising of her brow might have indicated surprise at the maneuver. And the small twitch of at the corner of her lip, a suppressed smile. Still the fight was not yet over.

Piloting/AGI for duel vs Yasuki Taka at the Battle on the Azure Dragon. +1k0 from Prodigy. Roll 3 of 5 | 10k4 ⇒ 29

[Yasuki Taraka]

It was a good maneuver, if she could build momentum on it, Taraka could yet take out this dangerous Ace. She pulled the drone into position, getting ready for the moment.....

...And then the wind took an abrupt shift. Taraka's drone stuttered in mid-air. She devoted all her efforts on recovering, but the wind was fully on the Unicorn's side now.

4th pass, 22

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

It was a good maneuver, if she could build momentum on it, Taraka could yet take out this dangerous Ace. She pulled the drone into position, getting ready for the moment.....

...And then the wind took an abrupt shift. Taraka's drone stuttered in mid-air. She devoted all her efforts on recovering, but the wind was fully on the Unicorn's side now.

4th pass, 22

The Unicorn had already entered into a defensive mindset to regain the advantage when the wind shift happened. Luck was always a fickle thing. Suh-Hyun immediately switched back into an offensive maneuver, dipping her drone and gaining a temporary increase in speed. That little bit of extra speed was used to execute a climbing turn and then it was over. The Yasuki's recovery came just as the Shinjo's drone slipped under and then came back up the other side. A banner drifted down from the Crab's drone.

Piloting/AGI for duel vs Yasuki Taka at the Battle on the Azure Dragon. +1k0 from Prodigy. Roll 4 of 5 | 10k4 ⇒ 56

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Tch." Taraka said, piloting the now bannerless drone back to the ship.

She offered a respectful bow to the Unicorn once the drone was stopped.

"Well fought, Shinjo-san. It was an honor to get a chance to go up you, even if it is in miniature." she said.

She took out her portable computer to update the leaderboard with the results of the party thus far.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun lowered her on drone to the ground and then bowed in turn before retrieving it, "And you as well." She finally smiled again, "You caught me off guard and exploited my carelessness."

She picked up her drone and packed it back up, "And you've flown more the drones." It wasn't a question.

[Yasuki Taraka]

Suh-Hyun lowered her on drone to the ground and then bowed in turn before retrieving it, "And you as well." She finally smiled again, "You caught me off guard and exploited my carelessness."

She picked up her drone and packed it back up, "And you've flown more the drones." It wasn't a question.

Taraka grinned.

"Never said I didn't, Shinjo-san." she admitted. "All Crabs have mandatory military service. Mine saw me with the supply corps. Oh sure, I spent a lot of time behind a desk looking at logistics reports, but I also spent time piloting transport ships. I even know which end of a gun to point at the enemy.

She chuckled.

"You didn't think I was born at a register and my world stopped at the island borders did you?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Taraka grinned.

"Never said I didn't, Shinjo-san." she admitted. "All Crabs have mandatory military service. Mine saw me with the supply corps. Oh sure, I spent a lot of time behind a desk looking at logistics reports, but I also spent time piloting transport ships. I even know which end of a gun to point at the enemy.

She chuckled.

"You didn't think I was born at a register and my world stopped at the island borders did you?"

"Oh I know Crab have mandatory military service," Suh-Hyun nodded, "But I also know that militaries in this age have many more clerks and people working behind the frontlines to keep the complicated machine moving."

"Never had much problem with transport pilots, at least the sort you seem to have been." She shrugged, "Did their job only ever made noise when they needed cover, which if we were doing our job right should have been never, shared gossip in mess then went home."

"Now assault transport pilots," The Unicorn laughed softly, "Mad. All of them. I've seen them trundle into fire that made me balk. Probably lost their minds from being in close proximity to marines for an extended period. Would drive anyone to madness."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka shrugged a bit.

"True, but the Crab military philosophy has always been, 'Everyone needs to be ready to fight'. The Crane might have 'Paper Legions' like they did back in the day, but if you try picking on a Crab military analyst? They're going to fight even if it's just long enough for the really serious warrior to come and remind you that we are the wall, just like in ancient times.'

She couldn't help but laugh a little at battle transport pilots.

"Have you heard the one about the Hida battle transport pilot that became a private driver after he left the service? He had a client get in, tell him to get him to the spaceport as quickly as possible. So the car just takes off, weaving in and out of traffic. Car's coming up on a red light, and he just barrels right through it. Passenger says, "Hey you ran that red light!" Driver says, "Neither me nor any of my three brothers yield to a mere red light." So they're just rocketing down the road, blazing through the lights. They come up on a green light and the driver slams on the brakes screeching to a halt. "What are you doing? That light is green!" complains the passenger. "Yeah," says the Driver, "But you never know when one of my three brothers might be coming through."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Taraka shrugged a bit.

"True, but the Crab military philosophy has always been, 'Everyone needs to be ready to fight'. The Crane might have 'Paper Legions' like they did back in the day, but if you try picking on a Crab military analyst? They're going to fight even if it's just long enough for the really serious warrior to come and remind you that we are the wall, just like in ancient times.'

She couldn't help but laugh a little at battle transport pilots.

"Have you heard the one about the Hida battle transport pilot that became a private driver after he left the service? He had a client get in, tell him to get him to the spaceport as quickly as possible. So the car just takes off, weaving in and out of traffic. Car's coming up on a red light, and he just barrels right through it. Passenger says, "Hey you ran that red light!" Driver says, "Neither me nor any of my three brothers yield to a mere red light." So they're just rocketing down the road, blazing through the lights. They come up on a green light and the driver slams on the brakes screeching to a halt. "What are you doing? That light is green!" complains the passenger. "Yeah," says the Driver, "But you never know when one of my three brothers might be coming through."

"That sounds extraordinarily dangerous." Suh-Hyun's eyes widen for a moment, then they shift away and her lips press into a thin line. "...that, that was a joke. Yeah obviously a joke." She awkwardly laughed, totally having not actually believed it was a true story for a moment there and her face flushing a little was from the cold. Heat. Cold Heat.

[Yasuki Taraka]

"That sounds extraordinarily dangerous." Suh-Hyun's eyes widen for a moment, then they shift away and her lips press into a thin line. "...that, that was a joke. Yeah obviously a joke." She awkwardly laughed, totally having not actually believed it was a true story for a moment there and her face flushing a little was from the cold. Heat. Cold Heat.

The Unicorn's reaction was noted...but it's not like Taraka was a comedian.

"You look like you could use a drink, Shinjo-san." she offered. "Yoritomo-san keeps a nice bar on the Dragon. Why don't we go grab a couple, and you can tell me about some of your more daring exploits?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

The Unicorn's reaction was noted...but it's not like Taraka was a comedian.

"You look like you could use a drink, Shinjo-san." she offered. "Yoritomo-san keeps a nice bar on the Dragon. Why don't we go grab a couple, and you can tell me about some of your more daring exploits?"

"Yeah a drink sounds nice, but a little moderation," Suh-Hyun's smile waivered a little at the request to cover her exploits, it recovered quickly, "What do you think of your competition so far? I notice Bayushi-san has been climbing quickly up the ranks."

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Yeah a drink sounds nice, but a little moderation," Suh-Hyun's smile waivered a little at the request to cover her exploits, it recovered quickly, "What do you think of your competition so far? I notice Bayushi-san has been climbing quickly up the ranks."

Taraka walked to two to the bar, and avoided some of the Mantis's more potent brews, grabbing a cup of glasses of plum win.

She nodded.

"Bayushi-san's good, although her real passion is racing not flying. Not nearly your level of training as a pilot, but she's got quick reflexes and most importantly, she's pretty passionate about finding people to challenge. But that's the nature of glory ne? You can be the best at something, but if no one ever sees it and someone who is less impressive but good is always out showing their talent, it's the latter people tend to remember." she says.

She sips her wine.

"But regardless of skill, I'm thankful for everyone who is participating. I'm sure my father appreciates it too." she adds.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Taraka walked to two to the bar, and avoided some of the Mantis's more potent brews, grabbing a cup of glasses of plum win.

She nodded.

"Bayushi-san's good, although her real passion is racing not flying. Not nearly your level of training as a pilot, but she's got quick reflexes and most importantly, she's pretty passionate about finding people to challenge. But that's the nature of glory ne? You can be the best at something, but if no one ever sees it and someone who is less impressive but good is always out showing their talent, it's the latter people tend to remember." she says.

She sips her wine.

"But regardless of skill, I'm thankful for everyone who is participating. I'm sure my father appreciates it too." she adds.

"I would agree with that assessment of Bayush-san's flying." The Unicorn had ordered a mixed drink which she sipped casually. She smiled slightly, "I suppose it's true, though only if one is seeking glory in a particular arena. Sometimes one just is there to enjoy an interesting low stakes game while enjoying good company."