Down to business. (Open)

[Mantis]

Unusually quickly, Mantis made his way toward the training grounds. He'd more or less gone missing for the past couple of months and was now more than ready to get down to training. He wanted to get stronger as well as faster. Despite Julie being fast her self, she just wasn't skilled enough to defend her self, let alone strong enough.

Bobbing along side Mantis at a jog, was his sister, Julie. Her pig tails were bouncing up and down as she moved along at a much quicker pace to keep up with her brothers stride. The bug manipulator soon crossed the threshold to the Training rounds and marched out to a boulder that was a fair ways away in the vast main field. Julie, knowing that she wasn't to disturb her brother, made her way to another rock where she sat down, swinging her legs and humming to herself. Right now it was just going to be the man training, not the girl, though she would need to work out some offensive spells at some point.

Unbuttoning his coat, Mantis threw the thick overcoat aside, revealing slightly thick, toned arms and a black tee-shirt. His hands were balled into gloved fists that flexed his forearms revealing the toneness of the some what pale flesh. The steel studs on the gloves glimmered in the bright afternoon sun. Closing his eyes for a second, Mantis breathed in deep, then exhaled. At the end of the breath his eyes opened and he whipped out a quick combo of strikes that popped just about every joint in his upper body.

Albeit it wasn't so terribly fast as compared to other students, but it was decent compared to normal humans, and was sufficient to ring out dozens of crack from the young mans wrists, elbows, shoulders, nuckles, and spine. After the combo he was still for another breath, then one more combo, this time with the less used legs. The whole time turning both of the combo's his wakizashi, which was strapped to his back horizontally, and his knife pouch on his right side shook feircly, seeming to threaten flying off into the distance.

Another dozen or so ringing cracks later, and the combo stopped. Those two movements were all Mantis needed to warm up before going into physical activity, though some subsequent streching did follow, mainly of the legs and shoulders since his combos didn't quite pull the hip and shoulder joints all the way into waking up.

Now all that was left was to wait for an opponent and the bug manipulator could get down to business.

[Menboku Rakuten Eiki]

The tall student was making his way through the halls of Arcane Academy, scanning everything with his black eyes as he did. The floor looked cracked, possibly from fighting. The pillars were slightly broken, possibly from fighting. Eiki sighed, and placed his right palm on his forehead. I hope to god, the training grounds are the only messed up spots. Someone tugged on his vest behind him, and he turned, it was Misumi. [blue]"Where you going, Eiki?"[/blue] He let his hand fall down to his side, and he smiled. I'm looking to see if there's anyone else here, so I can train. I'll need it, badly. You know my Necromancy isn't that good, right?" Eiki looked forward, than noticed someone training. He grinned, than jumped between two pillars, and landed on the ground. He than dashed forward, his jacking swaying with the wind as he did so.

He slid to a halt in front of the guy, and laughed. "Misumi, watch if you want!" He said, than lifted his arms up to form acute angles. "I see you're training, want someone else to train with?" Eiki let his left foot slide back as he awaited the guys response, and let his left elbow stay at his side. His right arm now formed a ninety degree angle, facing up, and his right foot slid forward. He knew the guy was going to say yes, so why wait? If you get your stance ready after they say yes, you'll most likely be left open. As he stood there, his sword strapped to his back, weighing him down, he awaited the guys answer.

[Mantis]

Mantis saw the man approach with ease. To not see a guy that big moving would be rediculous. The bug manipulator let out a slight uncharacteristic grin. This guy was more anxious than Mantis to get into some combat. Though, instead of answering him, Mantis bowed, opening one hand into a tight ridge hand and brought his other hand, still in a tight fist to the palm of the open hand. The bow was crisp and quick before Mantis took off. Albeit, it wasn't that fast, but he was about as fast as this guy had just been moving. At times he cursed his low speed, but then thanked his abilities for making up for that fairly well.

Granted, for the most part, Mantis was an ordinary human, but he still was superior to the average guy walking down the side walk. The bug manipulators stance sunk into that of his Shaolin style, which was where the bow originated from. His hands came up in claws, though not claws of a tiger style, but of a Mantis style, wrist bent, fingers tight together. As the young man came in on his opponent, he was rather light on his feet, his foresight was nothing to shake a stick at and he'd be able to react if this guy attacked before Mantis was in range.

He, once in close range, would leap up and make a stepping stone of the guys right bicep and deliver a quick but strong five finger strike to the tendons of the neck just below the right side of the opponents jaw. This was an odd place to hit, but it almost always made that side twitch and flex, leaving an opening for a hard and rarely used right hook to the forehead that would cause some concussive and stunning damage. After that, Mantis would simply kick off and away using that right shoulder of the mans as a stepping stone, and land in a crouch with his right leg extended forward. No fancy flip, just straight forward moves that kept well in range of his current human limitations.

[Menboku Rakuten Eiki]

Noticing the man running toward him, and realizing he was going to jump, Eiki shifted his arms and legs, switching positions, but also taking a step or two to the left. This would make the guy fall, rather than let him use Eiki as a platform to leap off of. Seeing as the guy msised his jump, as well as his attack, he would be off guard, still having to recover from his attempt at an attack, and while he did, Eiki charged him. "Not fast enough!"

What Eiki was planning to do, was use his rather hard head to headbutt Mantis in the right of his ribcage, which would make him fall to the side opposite where he'd been hit. If his hit were to be successful, Eiki's take advantage of the guy, and while he'd be falling, Eiki'd grab his ankle with both hands, and drag him accross the ground, slowly lifting as he'd spin in circles, and suddenly stop, propelling the guy into the air as he'd let go of his ankle. Basically, what he'd done was Mario-throwing-Bowser type of throw.

Still, if his attack were to miss, Eiki would leap forward, and flip, striking at the guy with both heels if he were to sidestep, and bring himself forward and ram the guy's nose in with his right shoulder. If he were to side step, either way, Eiki'd drag his feet accross the ground, grip the grass with both hands, and kick the guy with both feet at the same time. If the guy were to leap, well, Eiki wouldn't know what to do, but the guy wouldn't know that, and besides, the way Eiki'd seen him move made it seem like he was pretty slow, and still, the time it would take to recover from his own attack would be enough time for Eiki to hit him..


Or would it?

[cues ominous music. >_>]

[Mantis]

Well, he missed. He'd just have to get faster before a move like that would work. The way Mantis had jumped however, left him in a position to land well and with him moving just as quickly as his opponent, he hit the ground just after this guy rushed. That gave Mantis just enough time to get into a defensive position, that of his Hercules Guard. The guys head was met by a stiff right bicep instead of ribcage, which would be odd enough and probably jar his neck back slightly as hitting muscle was quite different from hitting bone.

What followed was Mantis' right arm pushing that big ol' head back slightly before whipping around to the top and grabbing hold of the back of the guys head. A quick and hard right knee rose up as that right hand would push down on the head and the man would be smashed in the nose. Being that he'd have to move his entire torso to dodge, which moved much slower than Mantis' simple quick moving arm, there was little chance to avoid being that they were both the same overall speed. Mantis' strength was seemingly superior however, which was odd given how big this guy was, so the bug manipulator, while smaller, still had the upper hand. Especially since it seemed this guy had no formal training.

Before his opponent could make an effort to grab and trap, Mantis kicked back off of that left foot which was still on the ground and launched himself away with a slightly odd degree of distance and height for a human. The bug manipulator once again took his Mantis fighting stance, only now it was stationary so there was solid foot work involved. That foot work had Mantis facing rather sideways with his right foot forward, knee slightly bent, and leaning away on that left which was bent to a much greater degree, or smaller angle, which ever way one chose to look at it.

The offensive hadn't quite worked, it was time to see if the defensive was any better against this particular giant.

[Shadow Chrestmire]

OoC:two thing 1.Triple Threat Mantis vs. Eiki vs. Shadow and two
Mantis isn't that Steve from tekken for your advitar. (just wondering)

IC:Shadow being Shadow felt pissed by the two fighting he didden't have a problem with them exept Mantis he hated Mantis Mantis was just to cruel. Shadow pulled out a hammer (one of the two advradge size) and chucked it at Mantis aimmed at his head hopeing to Knock him out then take The large demon like thing for himself.

[Menboku Rakuten Eiki]

The bicep hadn't hurt, and if another attack wasn't coming, Eiki'd be able to attack again, but recieved a knee to his nose. Eiki's head flew up, and he stumbled back a bit. Damn, this guy.. He's stronger than me! Eiki looked forward at the guy, grinning. Oh well, he may be stronger, but I still have a chance of winning. It makes me wonder, though.. I'm a giant, and he's your average human.. Sort of. So how is it that he's stronger than me? Eiki sighed, and pulled his arm back, prepared to rush again, and this time, he'd push even after his fist would make contact, and slam Mantis into a wall, but than he noticed something just fly above his head. What the.. a hammer?

Before it could go far, Eiki reached out and gripped the handle of the hammer, and crushed it, throwing it to the ground. There had better be no more distractions. I won't even bother looking to see who'd done that, because than, he'd probably attack me when my back would be turned. [blue]"Come on, Eiki! You can do it![/blue] Misumi's cheering made Eiki more positive, and he charged forward. Once in range, he'd throw his left arm at the guy's chest. If he'd dodged or blocked, it wouldn't matter. If he'd block, Eiki'd throw his other arm forward and ram the guy into a wall. If he'd dodge, left or right, he'd thrust his other arm out and grab the guy before he could get far, and throw him into a wall, and continuously punch at him. If he'd jump, well.. Eiki didn't know what for THAT either, but neither did his opponent.

[Mantis]

OOC: they're in the middle of a field with just more scenery surrounding...no walls. Big ass boulders...but no walls >.> ill just go with you trying to ram him into one of the bigger boulders hmm? Oh, and yes it is. incase you hadn't noticed thats mantis' image >.>

Mantis, on reflex, rolled back quick and hard when the hammer came in. Other wise he was waiting for his opponent to attack. He'd rolled back and to his left, the opposite way that the hammer (I'm assuming) was thrown. Mantis looked to see Shadow. [This idiot again...Guess I'll have to take him down after this big guy.] Yep...He wasn't planning on using magic...but it looked as though he might have to, especially if this moron whipped out his guns again.

As for the matter at hand, Mantis quickly stood and was running back as his opponent was running forward. They were moving at the same speed though Mantis had to severely widen his stride to match. The mans fist came in and Mantis blocked it with a sort of middle block, pushing it outward slightly and canceling the forward momentum by redirecting it. The other arm came to, and Mantis did similar, he mis guaged how ever, and ended up having the fist meet his forearm which wasn't too pleasant. Looking over his shoulder a bit, the bug manipulator saw a boulder.

So that was his game eh? Time to turn the game around then. As Mantis was coming up to the boulder, he decided to use his opponents speed and momentum against him by jumping up and back. Now he wasn't jumping over...oh no. He was simply using the mans arms and speed as anchoring points to flip his body up so that his feet met the boulder first and he could run backward, putting him ontop of the boulder, if in a crouched position to deal with the positioning, and putting his opponent head first into the rock. Albeit, the guy had his arms out, but the way they were positioned he'd likely still end up gut checking the stone, quite unpleasantly one might add.

Once that happened, Mantis would jump off the boulder and do a taunting sort of move by stomping on the guys back and jumping off from it. If he'd straightened out by then, his shoulders would bt the points jumped from. A quick aerial round-off and Mantis' feet would be firmly planted in the grass. He would then circle around to his and his opponents right, if he were still facing the boulder, in order to get Shadow in his sights as well.

[Shadow Chrestmire]

Shadow did his signiture jump REALLY high into the air and geet a bird-eye view except something was building inside faster then normal "Aw Shit" Shadow landed right behind Eiki uh-oh thats two parts the stuff that was building was hatered,jelousy,anger,depression and many other negitive things four no not all nine sevin can't restrain it NINE

[glow=red,2,300]I'LL DESTROY YOU BOTH! SERPENT SNAKE STRIKE![/glow] Four snakes flew out of Shadow's wrist one for Mantis one for Eiki, Julie, and Misumi they'ed bite the neck and inject poison. The snakes could feel no pain I can't control myself anymore. Shadow thought What is this, this thing what can I do I'v lost it The snakes were close to everyones neck now. [glow=red,2,300]DIE! *Evil laugh* DIE AN EXCRUTATING DEATH TO YOU ALL [/glow]


Crap these snakes have two funtions if the poison doesen't work then they wrap around the opponets neck to inject it and they can't have their heads cut off my wrist has to be hit

OoC:Shadow's not Shadow right now he's *****'s puppet (what like I'm going to say who?) so he's out to kill unwillingly and is doing everything agianst his will also he's closest to Eiki (like three feet behind him.)