[1 v 1] Like Only a Honey Badger Can (Yin and Mort)

[ramenli]

El Greco had left, and Yin had taken the time to re-hydrate and rest for a bit, though the previous battles had started to wear on him a bit. He was still ready for action though and when a familiar zomboil came into view he could not help but approach him.

"Greetings Mort," he said, fairly cheerful and masking any pain that he felt. He waited then for a split second before making his offer. "Would you be interested in a spar Mort? To work on self-defense perhaps? Or to...work on whatever you are here for?" If all zombies were as strong as Alexander was it would be nice to go up against someone with so much raw strength. To test himself in that type of battle yet again.  

[medigel]

Mort hadn't actually seen the mantodae when he entered the gym, which was a huge oversight given that it was currently empty beyond their presence. He had been focused on making sure the FEAR meter he'd bought so many weeks ago was still working, ever paranoid that its cheap price belied unreliable data gathering in the future - and to even consider his studies so much as a percent off because of this would be infuriating.

Mind you, rage was no longer a concern to the boil. He had faced his Shadow self and won, albeit on his last legs. By the time Yin called his name, the zomboil was quite in a state of zen, and snapped back into reality with a little jump. "Mrr? Oh! Yin. Ah. Spar?" Come to think of it, he didn't really have much on monster data . . . His battle with Taryn could have gotten him some, but he had been preoccupied then. "Sure," he replied, pushing his glasses back into position. "Self-defense a-always good, yes. Also need get more FEAR readings n'way."  

[ramenli]

"Fear readings? What are those?" He had never even thought about reading fear, though he normally did not consider reading much of anything. "Do you need me to help with that? I do not know how useful I would be if reading is involved though."

He began to make his way to an open area, ready to begin. He assumed his limp-wristed and bent-kneed position, looking to the zomboil and giving him a razor smile. "Whenever you are ready then Mort."

HP: 40
Damage: LOLOLOLOLOL only to Y1s  

[medigel]

"Actually, can help! Do need attune to Monster signals, n' always can use more fight practice n' calibration." He followed Yin to the open area and placed himself across from the boil, pulling from his pocket a small black machine with a circular face, multiple colored indicators, and a needle that quivered with anticipation. It came with a velcro strap, which he stuck around his upper arm, and then pressed a button; the little machine began to whir quietly.

Facing Yin, Mort returned his grin with a toothy one of his own, assuming the simple free motion stance Hel had taught him, fists raised, feet apart, knees bent a little. "All just need to is battle. Use FEAR also will help."

And then without warning he lunged forward, electricity arcing as he aimed a right hook.

HP: 40
Damage: 7  

[ramenli]

"So simply fighting will assist you? I can do that." He looked rather cheerful about it really. "And the use of our Fears? If you need to feel free." He still had his eye on the odd device when the zomboil lunged for him. The fist slammed into his arm, and probably would not have been as bad had it not been for the jolt that hit his arm in the process, sending an unpleasant tingle down it.

It seemed wrong in a fight, almost like a weapon and he reacted to it immediately, stepping in closer to the zomboil and bringing his own fist in for an attack. This one lacked the zing that Mort's had to offer though.

HP: 33
Damage: 6  

[medigel]

Oof! It was all but a gut punch, making him stagger back before a second one could follow. Those stretched fingers looked a lot more lethal now, though the position was strange to him to say the least: somewhat similar to what Hel had taught, but very different at the same time. Gathering himself again, Mort tried to adopt the pose Yin had started with, though the limpness of his hands was left to be desired. ”What style?” he couldn’t help but ask as he tried an attack with this new stance, though the “punch” behind was a fraction of the impact his first one was – but at least there was no electricity this time.

HP: 34
Damage: 2  

[ramenli]

What style? He could see the zomboil mimicking his pose somewhat and hazarded a guess. "What fighting style? This is a form of martial arts that my clan utilizes. I seem to have been changing it somewhat, more punches than open-palmed attacks, but I try to stick to the roots of it."

The new punch connected but the wrist was a little too limp, and there was no shock to surprise him. To demonstrate what he meant he lifted his hand and gave Mort a stinging slap to the upper arm free of the odd device rather than a punch, trying to showcase the style for him.

HP: 31
Damage: 2  

[medigel]

Slaps rather than punches? He'd never considered the option, oddly enough . . . A fist was just what he naturally went to when he wanted to hit something, though it wasn't as if Yin's open palm hadn't stung. "Mrrr . . . Like-?" Mort mimicked him, raising a flattened hand to return fire with a light rap against Yin's arm. "Is interesting! Must make for good fighter. Mrrr . . ."

His hand tingled from the hit, and he shook it a bit as he stepped back, leaving himself open as he gestured for the mantodae to strike. "Would like seeing more!" he decided with a little smile. "Different attack, r' FEAR maybe?"

HP: 32
Damage: 2  

[ramenli]

His fear? Well, if it was for science...how could he deny the zomboil? Though really, he had a bit of experience denying zomboils.

And it was apparently that his Fear agreed with that sentiment. Deny all the zomboils. He tried to focus his Fear to close in for a flurry of blows and simply...it fled from him. He frowned, looking down at his hands as if to check and see if something was wrong. Focus. It was probably just a lack of focus, which really made sense today.

He looked up apologetically at Mort. "Apparently my Fear would not like to cooperate in attacking you. Perhaps you should try your Fear instead?"

HP: 29
Damage: LOLOLOL YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD WORK?  

[medigel]

"Know that feel," he said, all too sympathetic with FEAR failure. Why, his had yet to work even! Which was why Mort was a bit apprehensive to answer in kind when Yin suggested it, though to say no would mean to take a backwards step in his personal growth - he had to trust himself, not fear or ignore it. That was what the legal class had taught him.

"Kay, lesee . . ." Mort concentrated for several seconds, his brain going into overdrive as FEAR centralized into a concentrated bolt. Of its own volition his cranial top lifted to the limit of its stitches and fired a green bolt at the mantodae - it was a very brief moment of pain, though Yin would be bugged by it for a short time more as it cotinued to course through his body.

Mort was delighted despite the weak attack, his face lighting up. "Worked!" he cheered. "Finally."

HP: 32
FEAR: Brain Storm - Yin suffers 1 extra damage for the next 4 turns  

[ramenli]

Yin waited, wondering what sort of Fear Mort could have. The result was....not what he had expected. A blast of green came toward him, striking him lightly but the odd sensation continually coursed through his body.

"I have never seen a Fear like that," he admitted, a little too weirded out to attack. Undeads and their removable and movable body parts.

HP: 28 (-1 for 3 turns after this)
Damage: owo naw son  

[medigel]

"Yes, is specialty," Mort replied cheerily, quite tickled with the success even if the FEAR brought on the beginnings of a headache. "N-Not sure why, but has and use. Good learning 'sperience for both, yes? Come!" Assuming Hel's stance, he stepped forward and tried another limp-hand maneuver slap thingy.

HP: 32
Damage: 4  

[ramenli]

Teaching Mort was apparently super effective. The brainy boil seemed to take everything to heart, and this attack had even more force behind it. "You are improving quickly," he noted almost happily.

"Another good tactic is to try to gain distance. Sometimes you retreat but sometimes you try to force your opponent to." He reached out and shoved at the other boil with a flat hand to the chest, though without much force behind the action.

HP: 23 (-1 for 2 more rounds)
Damage: 1  

[medigel]

While Mort had gone through a very rough patch the last few days, today really did seem to be looking up - even if it did mean half of the reason came from nearly dying by his own hand (technically). Perhaps self-reflection wasn't so scary after all . . . Today could go uphill!

Grinning, Mort nodded in reply, brushed off Yin's light shove, and replied in kind, though . .. probably with a little more force than intended. Sometimes the zomboil forgot that his skinny self didn't necessarily lack in power. "Errr . . . whoops?"

Careful with the praise, Yin, or Mort might happily slap you senseless in his glee.

HP: 31
Damage: 4  

[ramenli]

"Do not apologize, that was good." Really, right now Yin just wanted the zomboil to come at him. Zomboils seemed to do well when they attacked him he noticed.

"Now then, what other methods can you think of to get someone away from you?" As he spoke he was aware of an odd tingling sensation continuing to run through his body. No one else had ever made him feel this way before.

HP: 18 (-1 for 1 more turn)
Damage: