Don't Judge a Being by its Cover (Eve VS Sam)

A young woman was lying in the middle of a green field, partly obscured by the tall grasses. She had been there for a while, admiring the big, blue sky above. It was peaceful. Relaxing. Calm. For now.

A sigh escaped her lips, and she sat up. The movement caused the hat on her head to fall behind her, but she didn't move to pick it up. Instead she watched a breeze blow the grass; the field almost looked as though it was doing the wave. She smiled a small smile and looked to the distance. At the edges of the field was forest all around, and through one area of that forest was Clover Town. And through another, maybe... Pursing her lips, the girl stood, brushed dirt and little plant pieces off her clothing, and picked up her hat. She tapped it against her leg and looked back to the edge of the field.

She had been waiting for a short while now - nothing too serious. She wasn't growing impatient as she normally would, but she supposed that was due to the serene atmosphere. Too bad it'll all be ruined shortly, she thought, a scowl forming on her lips. But no matter...

In all truth, Eve liked wasn't too fond of fighting. Sometimes, she came to realize, when she fought... It was like she was another person. Shivering, she put her hat back on. It's true... I am like a different person... Another breeze ruffled the grassy plain, and the woman shook her head to clear her thoughts.

As she continued gazing across the meadow, she reminded herself why she was even there in the first place. Some creature-like man-thing, that she had the pleasure of briefly meeting once in Oak Town, had caught her attention once more. On a whim, she had challenged the beast. But why? The question plagued her momentarily. Maybe it's because he looks... Dangerous?

Despite his appearance, he hadn't done anything too menacing. She had no reason for her prejudices, and yet they remained. Maybe that'll change today... If I don't end up killing him.

She wasn't known as the Merciless Eve Furey for nothing.

Sam had been traveling once again, this time in Clover town, when he saw that woman from so long ago at Oak Town. Though he was going to accept a request at a freelance board, Eve's demand of him of a duel convinced him to hold off for now. He could probably use the practice after all. It was just a friendly bout after all, right? Eve gave him the time and place since he seemed willing to engage her whims.

Samael began walking over the grassy hill from the edge of the forest into view of Eve a little early; he hadn't expected she would be waiting for him. He rose his hand in a wave. He was wearing his typical attire for his Missions and travel: white padded pants and a harness. He had a backpack hooked onto the harness, which he set down before approaching further.

"It is nice out here. It is a shame mar it with combat.." He looks around at the nearby thickening woods. "You wanted to see me here, right?" Sam sounded like he expected further explanation for her somewhat pushy challenge to him in town.

He crossed his arms and stood there with the evening sun off-centered-ly giving his features a menacing shadow as his tail flicked casually across the mid-shin high grass.

Nodding, Eve said, "Yes, this is the spot." She had cautiously watched him approach and didn't allow her tensed muscles to relax. "Let's hurry up and fight." She took a few steps back and braced herself. She didn't have the faintest idea if the creature before her could use magic, but if he couldn't... There's no way I can go head-to-head with an alligator!

Sucking in a breath, she brushed her fingertips across her card holder for a moment before quickly pulling two out. "Flash," she said softly, holding the cards in front of her. The card on the left glowed and took effect, causing a massive flash of light to appear. Before her opponent could hop away, she activated the other card in her hand. "Lightning Shot!" A blast of lightning was released from the card, and Eve could only hope that her aim was good, as for now she had double-vision and couldn't tell if the lightning bolt would hit or not.

Spoiler:

Samael takes a step back into a more ready stance as Eve claims to desire an immediate start to their combat. He watches her draw cards just like the last time he saw here.. "So that must be you magic.." He said mostly to himself before one of the cards began to shine. He tensed up as the light grew to a bright flash suddenly, causing him to shut his eyes with an annoyed his.

He crouched instinctively and looked up, eyes squinting, just in time for a lightning blast to zip right over his head, making his scales tingle and his spine to shiver at the adrenaline and sensation of being 'under fire'. Granted, Eve's near-hit was a total fluke; Sam had, at least some, insight into her power prior to now from her past holding of the cards. He blinked a few times, trying to get some focus before he decided to just take a guess at it.

Sam leaned forward in his crouch and charged forward, aiming to tackle Eve. Since Eve used an item for her magic, taking it away from her, if he could find it in this semi-dazed state, would cripple her, right? He decided to try for the quick end to this seemingly sudden, and unexplained desire to fight him. He had no reason to really try and hurt Eve, though the lightning wasn't really supporting his attempted pacification of his opponent.

Eve's opponent was missing when Eve's vision cleared. "W-what?" she stammered, blinking rapidly. Where did he go?! Her vision was still funky, but she caught movement on the ground. "The ground!" Sucking in a breath, Eve hastily replaced the cards in her hand with another. "Earth Shake!" she cried, slamming the card in her palm onto the ground. The earth began to quake, and Eve watched as the ground before Eve cracked and rocks and dirt flew into the air.

((I'm not going to miss all of your nonsense, FYI xD I just don't want you to catch her so soon D: ))

Spoiler:

Sam tumbled forward as the earth shook suddenly, rolling back onto his feet. He couldn't be sure what was going to happen, so he slammed his fists atop each other. A magic circle appearing under him. "Bone-Make: Form," He said quickly, slamming a hand down onto the splintering earth. A 10 ft scaffold of bone appearing under him to keep him from falling into the fissures or onto the spikes. Your earth spell, however struck the thin scaffolds and snapped several of the support beams, causing the 'tower' of bones to lean to one side toward collapse.

Sam ran up the side of the tower as it fell and leaped off of it toward you, slamming his fist against himself as he did. He looked rather determined as he glared don at you. "Bone Lord!" He yelled. A Magic circle appeared in front of him as he fell. Sam fell through the magic circle, arming him with bone armor and a bow, an arrow notched in it already. He fired down at you while he fell to try and force you back.

Dodge, Block, or Hit he would reach at his back with his free hand after firing the bow, appearing to rip out his spine (though he didn't), and give the spinal scourge an intimidating swing to a ready position.

((If You didn't Dodge, Block, Get Hit, or allow him to land, ignore the last paragraph as it is just set up for the next post.))

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Are those bones? Eve's eyes widened as she took in the site of her opponent making some sort of scaffolding structure. "Well damn," she muttered. "What kind of thing is this creature?" She returned her "Earth Shake" card to her holster and waited to see what her opponent would do next. It seemed as though her spell had caused his structure to break, and he soon came flying towards her.

She couldn't catch his words, but a magic circle appeared and he continued his approach, this time with bow and arrow. As he fired, she turned and ran a few paces backwards, skidding to a halt and almost slipping on the grass. She whipped out another card and held it before her. "Diamond Strike!" The edges of the card in her hand grew sharper, and six other cards appeared, doing the same. Eve tossed the original card towards the alligator-man, and the other cards followed suit.

Spoiler:

Samael takes stance and charges forward against you with a confidant grin. He had faith in his 'Bone Lord' spell, as it was his signature spell. His footsteps thud against the ground as he pressed the assault on Eve. Sam holds his whip-like weapon in hand, ready to strike when he gets in range.

Eve's sharpened cards 'thunk' like ninja-stars into his bone-armored chest plate, causing it to crack and shatter. He takes a hopping step and spin as your cards hit, leaving both your diamond strike card and the remains of his breastplate behind him and scattered across the ground. As he finishes his spin and lands, he swings his spinal scourge out out you. It stretched out in a wide arc (25 ft) in a broad slash across what would be your middle if it hits.

If it does hit your side, it would likely wrap around your middle and possibly your arms if lucky with any remainder of length. If this happens, he would pull hard on the whip and cause the bladed sections to close in tight and bind you. The blades would probably sink into your skin a little, maybe an inch it caught you just right.

Eve, really not liking the looks of that whip-thing, moved to pull out another card. She was too late, though. The bone whip caught her side, and before she knew what was happening, it had curled around her arms and body, digging into her skin as the alligator-man pulled it tighter. She gritted her teeth, really not liking the bone whip-thing now. And, for the moment, I seem to be unable to use any spells......

Sam sighed with relief that the fight is essentially over, as far as he can tell. He held out his free hand and cast 'Ground Substance' at Eve's legs and feet. If it hit, Eve would be more or less 'stuck' in place. The grounding was like a fibrous goo that clings to you and the ground. While you could probably have escaped if you were not bound and held in place, that doesn't look like it's especially going to happen.

Sam Would then walk cautiously toward Eve. If he gets close enough he'll tie his remaining whip around your body and then reach to take your deck away. "I've never seen magic that uses cards before.. then again I've never seen much magic at all." He smirks a little. "So.. do you surrender or do I have to cover your whole body in the stuff that is on your legs?"

He didn't sound like he was trying to be smug, but this would be his first victory over any other magic-user in his life if it all works out. "Why did you want to fight me anyway? We barely met."

"You will do no such thing," Eve hissed, glaring as the creature approached. "I'm a lady! This goop stuff is disgusting; get it off, will you?!" Her temper was flaring from being caught, and she really wished she could punch the guy right now. Not that it would do much, she thought bitterly. In all truth, Eve was about as strong as your stereotypical school nerd. At least, she felt that way half the time. With a world full of brute men...

She resisted the urge to spit at the approaching opponent. "You already caught me; let me go and I'll talk! Otherwise, I'll answer none of your ridiculous questions." If she had the use of her arms, they would have been crossed over her chest. Ouch, she mentally moaned. The bone pieced inlaid in her skin made it impossible for her to make the slightest movement without them tugging and slowly ripping at her skin.

Why the hell did you let yourself get caught, Eve?! She clicked her tongue as she pondered the idea. Me? Get caught? Unheard of! Unless... Her face paled as she remembered the rumors she heard about the ice queen of Sabertooth - some sort of masochistic demon running around Fiore. I'm not like that... right? One wince later, she was convinced that she was, indeed, no masochist. Thank Merlin for that.

But at the moment, she really wanted to rip the alligator-man limb from limb. If he's enjoying having me tied up here... Yuhhp, when she was free, she'd have to restrain herself from clawing his eyes out.

Samael held onto Eve's deck for now and started to untie her. After untying the whip he loosened the coils and stepped away from Eve so that she could have space to let the whip fall off and stuff. He dismissed his 'Bone Lord' spell, the whip dissolving as he no longer put any effort into maintaining it. "Sorry to have been so rough, but you did just suddenly attack me without context."

Sam let Eve wiggle herself out of the 'Grounding' that she was stuck in. While she freed herself, he hit his fists atop each other and thrust his palm out. "Bone-Make: Form." He says as he crafts a table and chairs for them. "I hope you are not too mad at me. I did my best not to cut you outright with my whip."

He sits in a chair and waits for her. "I don't have any ridiculous questions.. I just want to know what you why you wanted to fight me, maybe your name, and maybe take you back to Clover Town to tend to any wounds I might have given you."

Sam really had no reason to be mad at her. He accepted her challenge of course, so he had expected a fight, just not one that was so immediate. Sam set Eve's deck of cards on the table in the middle and looked up at her expectantly. "I'm Samael."

After freeing herself from the death grip of the whip, Eve settled for trying not to glare at the creature. Be civil, Eve. Try to, at least. Every move she made seemed to cause either her arms or her midsection to ache, so she tried to keep as still as possible after moving to the table and chairs Sam made.

"Eve Furey," she said shortly, plopping down on the chair with a wince. She eyed her card deck on the table and resisted the temptation to snatch it. "Well, I want to know what exactly you are and why, as you seem to think, you don't post any threat to society." She examined his physique, and despite finding it odd, she was actually kind of curious as to how he came to be. In all of her 22 years, she had never seen anything quite like him. "And how is it that you can legitly talk and use magic, alligator-man?" After a pause, she added, "Samael."

She slumped a little in the seat, but as she noticed that irritated the cuts in her back, she clenched her teeth and sat ramrod straight, tapping her fingers on the bone table. I'm going to have to buy new clothes, she thought bitterly. How lovely. Shopping. The thought almost made her gag. Shopping wasn't her thing.

Sam looked a little guilty at at seeing Eve wince and hurt. He placed a clawed finger on your deck and looked up at you. "I am myself. I cannot be sure what I am by your own standards and names. I pose no more threat to anyone than you do with your strange tool-based magic." He picks up the deck and spins it in his palm. "I was taught largely by myself until later in life in speech. My mentor in Bosco taught me magic." His tail flicked and curled a little around the legs of his seat as he spoke.

His gaze shifted to the nearby woods for a moment, then back to Eve. The tattoo on his neck of a oddly stylized lotus flower gave a flicker of a glow. "I cannot explain my existence. I was simply born as such as far as I know." He gets up from his seat and slide Eve's deck of cards to her.

He did look legitimately sorry. "So.. you thought I was some kind of monster I take it?" He crosses his arms and looks down at Eve in her seat. "I guess I can't blame you.. though it doesn't make it right." He seems a little disappointed that this whole thing boiled down to that. "Whatever I guess... Do you need help getting back? I was too vicious with my strikes."