Anything in italics is action text, which means that something's either happening of someone or a setting is being described.

 

Person: Text is the format I use to show that a character is saying something

 

Chapter 4: Tenshirou Moon

                                                 

Oscar is standing just outside the city gate, waiting for his meeting with Iricryo.  He stares at the gloves on his hands.

 

Flashback:

 

Rook: I'm not going to be able to help you on this one, so just don't do anything stupid, okay?  Just give him the gloves.

 

Real time:

 

Oscar (in thought): I can't give up my gloves now ... not to some scam artist.

 

Rook is sitting inside the Militia base behind a desk.  He stares up at the ceiling.

 

Rook (in thought): That poor lagger is going to get himself killed, I just know it.  And there's nothing I can do to help him.

 

Katherine walks in.  Katherine is a tall, nerdy looking woman with thick glasses and messy hair.  Her militia uniform seems incredibly loose on her body.

 

Katherine: Is there something wrong, Mr. Rook?

 

Rook: Maybe...

 

A brief pause, then looks turns to Katherine.

 

Rook: Katherine, do you think you can do me a favor?  I need to look up the effects of a certain rare item...

 

Back outside the city.  Iricryo has shown up and now faces off with Oscar.

 

Iricryo: So, you're not just going to give up the gloves, then?

 

Oscar: Not without a fight!

 

Iricryo: Very well.  I hope you've studied how to fight, because I will not go easy on you.

 

A small crowd has formed around them, and one bystander turns to the other.

 

Bystander 1: They're allowed to duel by the city?  I thought city duels were only allowed between two similar level people.  That guy looks a lot higher level than the other.

 

Bystander 2: They're both low level, actually.  That one just has a lot of rare equipment.  It's a strategy used by some more dishonorable players so they can fight evenly with high level player while still being able to duel low level ones.

 

Iricryo pulls a rapier out from a sheathe under his cloak.  A member of the Militia stands between the two.

 

Militia: Ready, Duel!

 

Oscar charges forward Iricryo, going for a punch.  Iricryo dodges nimbly.  Oscar isn't swayed, and continues with a barrage of blows.  Iricryo smiles and gets hit by one of the blows across the chest and is sent back onto the ground.

 

Oscar: All right, I got him!

 

Iricryo: Only because I let you.

 

He rises, brushing dust off of himself.

 

Iricryo: I was curious to see what about those gloves made them so special, but obviously it's not attack strength, or I would have at least been scratched.  Oh well, I'll have plenty of time to examine the gloves when they're in my possession.

 

Iricryo quickly jumps over Oscar and lands behind him.  Before Oscar even has a chance to turn around, he is hit from a blow off Iricryo's rapier.  Oscar stumbles back in pain, and Iricryo stabs at him again.  This time Oscar holds out his hands again, and the gloves block the damage of the blow.

 

Iricryo: High defensive gloves, huh?  That must be their ability.  Not worth all the money it goes for, but who am I to complain with the market, huh?

 

Iricryo stabs a few more times, Oscar blocks a few with his gloves but many of them graze of him, causing tears in his clothes and cuts at his sides.  Oscar finally manages to push himself a few feet from Iricryo, giving him a moment to catch his breath.

 

Oscar (in thought): Man, I'm really outmatched here.  I guess I only got one shot left.  I have to hit him with my special ability.  I just wish I knew how powerful it was.  Oh well, here goes nothing.

 

Oscar charges forward at Iricryo, lunging his hand outstretched like a claw in front of him.

 

Oscar: CLAW MOON!

 

Oscar lunges his claw-like hand at Iricryo, and a large, glowing white circle resembling the moon surrounds his hand, spinning rapidly as the make a cut onto whatever it strikes.  Iricryo simply hold out his rapier and blocks the attack, making it seem like it took no effort whatsoever.

 

Oscar: The rapier didn't even move an inch when it was hit!

 

Iricryo: Hah, like an untrained level 1 ability was going to stand any chance against my all-rare equipment,

 

Iricryo pushes Oscars fist out of the way and stabs straight through Oscar's chest.  Oscar's eyes open wide and he falls backwards onto the floor.

 

Iricryo: Darn, looks like I missed his vitals.  Oh well, I'll finish this now!

 

He stabs down on Oscar's fallen body.  Oscar pushes himself out of the way and barely stumbles onto his feet.  He stands opposing Iricryo, hunched over.

 

Oscar: There's got to be ... some way ... to win this fight...

 

Rook comes running up to the group of bystanders.

 

Rook: Hey!  Lagger!  Activate your gloves by combining them with your special ability!  Replace the first word of the move with "Tenshirou" and then activate the gloves powers for an entirely new special ability!

 

Iricryo: What are you doing here Rook!  Don't interfere with the battle, it's against the rules.

 

Militia: You are allowed to give advice to competitors in a duel at any time.

 

Iricryo: Whatever, all you've done is saved me the trouble of finding out why those gloves are so valuable.  I guess I should be thanking you, really.

 

Oscar: Guess I'll give it a try, then.

 

Iricryo: Go right ahead, you'll be dead before you even get the attack off!

 

Iricryo charges at Oscar with his Rapier, lunging it forward towards him.  Oscar outstretches his hand like a claw and slashes down on Iricryo.

 

Oscar: TENSHIROU MOON!

 

A similar attack as the Claw Moon, except this one radiating red energy, collides with Iricryo's Rapier.  The rapier and the attack hold this collision for a moment, then the rapier breaks into pieces and the attack digs deep through Iricryo's robes and cuts him across the shoulder.  Iricryo's straw hat goes flying off his head as he is forced to step back and grab his shoulder.

 

Iricryo (in thought): What the -  How?  He broke straight through my rare rapier!  And my robes couldn't even soften the blow!  And my robes and rapier appear to be permanently damaged, too, I've never seen an attack cause so much destruction on an item.

 

He looks at Oscar, who is panting heavily and bleeding from his wounds.

 

Iricryo (in thought): I could probably still beat him, he's weakened enough and I've got one more trick up my sleeve, but if he uses that again and destroys more of my rare equipment, what would be the point.

 

Iricryo smiles and raises his hand in the air.

 

Iricryo: I concede, you have bested me this time, without my weapon I'm useless.  You win, congratulations.

 

Militia: Iricryo concedes, Oscar is the winner!

 

Oscar sighs in relief and sits down on the ground, panting and Rook runs up to congratulate him.  Iricryo pick up his hat and walks away calmly, looking back for a second as he does.

 

Iricryo (in thought): Those gloves will be mine yet.  I just have to think of a better strategy for beating you without losing all my current rare items, that's all.  To think, a rare item like that would choose a host like you, how strange.

 

He walks away clutching his shoulder.