The MCL Fair

[Sieg Zephyr]

Sieg brushed a hand through his hair, giving the woman a goofy grin, his eyes darting towards Gerrard as he moves to leave. He pulls at the open collar of his loudly coloured shirt, in an effort to neaten it up, then speaks.

"Well, there goes mah chance o' introducin' mahself." Sieg again turning towards gerrad as he left.

"Cya later" Before once more turning his attention to this Annalyse, trying to avoid being drawn off focus.

"How'dya do anyway."

[Tenrai]

OOC: Moving past the match, past the break, onto Sieg's skill Exhibition. And on that note....no more events. Those of you who participated and kept this going. Thank you, but if we're going to give you free range fun and exposure to public and each other and you don't do anything, I'm not going to ok any more.

IC: The girl looks at him and smiles, "So...do you know Gerrard personally or did you just happen to meet up with him and be eating at the same place?" Annalyse smiled at Sieg flirty, deciding to use the young man to get ahold of Gerrard's comm information and maybe a little more. The loud speaker announces Sieg's skill exhibition would be starting soon and she steps forward and reaches up trailing her index finger along his left cheek.

[Sieg Zephyr]

“Well, Ah, know him through the games o’course.”

Sieg didn’t react to the woman’s actions, and played it cool with her attempts to get closer, the loud speaker then called for him.

“ehh, sadly I’ll have ta leave sooner then I’d like. Perhaps you can find me later.”

Sieg smiled, standing up, then bowed jokingly towards Annalyse, before turning and heading towards the hanger complex.

---

As he approached his machine’s dock, Mitch was waiting for him with a grin on his face.

“Well, we got the Cirrus workin’ in time for the show; just the Flight pack still needs work so all you can do is jump, no sustained flight.” Mitch spoke, leading Sieg towards the Cirrus. They were both looking over the machine as the other Hanger 8 techs begin to finish up and get down from the machine.

“Lastly, the cannon is still busted, we’ve managed to replace the other torso systems damaged, but we had to remove the cannon. We’ll finish that up when you get back.”

Sieg nodded as Mitch finished his overview of his machine, then spoke on the topic of his skill show.

“An’ the stuff fer the show still set up?”

“Ah yeah, that’s all done already, just suit up and head out, the emitters are set up.”

Sieg nodded then smiled. “Awesome, lets hope I can win some fan’s back eh?”

Sieg moved closer to the Cirrus, changing into his piloting suit as he did.

[Sieg Zephyr]

The Cirrus moved out into the designated area, flanked on both sides by the public stands, several devices flank the outskirts of the display arena with three ahead of the cirrus, two on both sides, and two behind the cirrus placed at the sides of the enterance. To a discerning eye they are a familiar training tool for generating holographic targets. The devices look higher grade then the usual training devices, once Sieg and the Cirrus reach the centre, the devices hum into life.

As this happens, the Cirrus drops into a ready stance, hand floating above both sword hilts’s much like he did during his battle against Gerrard and the Gale during their last league battle.

“Lets Rock.” Sieg signalled the start of the skill show; he didn’t know what direction that he was about to be “Attacked” by phantom assailants, produced by the devices.

First one appeared and came from the rear right, as well as from the left flank, as they approached one formed in front of him and charged moments later.

Sieg drew the Sunset with a fluid motion while twisting his body backwards to the right so the motion formed the first slash, cutting through the cockpit of the left Target. As that motion reached it’s natural end, the sword flipped loosely backwards, the Cirrus now holding it with a reverse grip and stabbing backwards along the right arm with an elbow motion. Splintering the cockpit area of the rear attacking target, the hologram shattering like it was glass. Lastly Sieg takes a step back then upper cutting with the blade to smash the frontal attacking hologram.

As a moment passes, the telltale noise of more holograms begins.

[Sieg Zephyr]

Several more holograms approached quickly from almost every angle, only to be met by a slash of the sunset. The cirrus was twisting, turning, ducking and diving between each hologram, moving past ones attack and delivering a fatal blow to the phantom machines with parries and counter strikes of unusual grace for Sieg. Though Sieg felt this display was rather empty himself, as he found it easier to predict these machines “random” actions, they weren’t human, they wouldn’t try and douse the sensors or throw up clouds of debris.

After a few moments of dancing around several projections and shattering as he finally comes to a standstill, The brief moment of nothing was replaced with all the projectors starting up, forming a circle of phantoms around Sieg and the Cirrus. At this moment the Sunset clattered against the floor as Sieg’s hand went to the hilt of the Wildcard, as the projectors seemed to double up their creations.

[Donovan Dragovan]

Over the screams and pushing of his fans, Donovan heard snatches of the Cirrus's skill exhibition.

Heh he thought, Projections? Too predictable...No real opponent would behave in that manner. I hope that guy doesn't actually use those things to practice with. Then again, I suppose the training program I use currently isn't much different.

He was jarred from his thoughts by one particularly pushy fan. A man this time, the guy had almost bowled him, and the two nine year old girls he had been tending to, over and shoved a pen and autograph book in his face. He was one of those pimple-faced dweebs that made it their life's purpose to get every pilot's autograph during these conventions. Unfortunately, Donovan was anything but an ordinary pilot.

Now, he knew Nanako had been hovering around close by and had been trying to draw closer to her but hadn't had much luck. This guy, however, probably wouldn't escape her notice though. He wasn't an assassin, but his approach could be taken differently by certain people....

[Nanako Soriyu]

Nanako saw the offender plowing his way through the crowd shortly before he reached the front, and interposed herself between him and Donovan, not paricularly considerate of the two nine year olds either, and drew her Sig Sauer P220, aiming it at the pimpled fan as he thrust his pen and notebook toward the monarch she was protecting. Wrong move. Nanako had used a pen gun herself to take out one of her bounties and her trigger finger left the indexed position as she accquired a good sight picture. She then squeezed the trigger.

[Sieg Zephyr]

The thrusters down the side of the Wildcard ignited as he pulled it up from his hip, swinging the sword round in a violent three hundred and sixty degree’s slice. The Cirrus, turning with the sword, pivoting on it’s toes for the attack, which seemed to only manage to thin the number of holographic assailants by three, four at most. The Cirrus then leapt backwards, using the body thrusters to aid it’s lift landing behind the group, though they seemed to quickly move towards his sides to surround him once more.

Sieg then charged forward at the leading projection, shattering it with a devastating looking horizontal slash, though the attack with the large sword left his open. The other dummies seemed to have been programmed for that level of activity and closed in on the Cirrus.

Or would have if the Wildcard at the finish of the swing hadn’t suddenly exploded apart, with three trails of thrust vapour following the trio of remote blades, which proceeded to pierce, slash and shatter most of the phantom suits around him. Leaving just a lone unit left for the skill display, as that’s all this was, it wasn’t really a training routine, just something that shows of some of the Cirrus’s good points, though it was shortened considerably due to the damage it sustained during the first sparring match.

Sieg activated the now naked wildcards beam blade edge, and brought the sword blade back across himself, cutting down the last unit with swift ease. Standing the Cirrus up straight, he punched the air, then waved to the stands with his free hand, before walking the Cirrus back towards the hangers.

[Donovan Dragovan]

Donovan saw Nanako push past him and her arm shoot up.

"Oh shi---"

He barely breathed to himself as he surged forward, simultaneously elbowing the dweeb in the chest and pushing Nanako's arm as high as he could so that gun discharged harmlessly into the ceiling. Recovering in an instant, he put his showman's mask back on.

"Now, as my compatriot just signaled, I'm afraid that my time with you is up for now. Never fear though, for I shall be available again after my next exhibition. If you'll find your way to your seats, I assure you, you'll be in for quite a show."

He ushered the stunned crowd out of the hangar with slight shooing motions, once they were gone, he turned on Nanako once again.

"Come with me." Taking her hand, he led her to a corner where they could not be overheard. Whispering, he began to berate her.

"What were you thinking!? Discharging a loaded weapon in the middle of crowd? At an innocent during an international event, no less. That was foolish of you, Nanako."

He sighed a bit, before continuing.

"Look, I appreciate your dedication to keeping me safe, I really do, but I trust you to think like an assassin, not act like one."

He wasn't angry. Not precisely. Just a bit frustrated.

[Nanako Soriyu]

"As foolish as that seemed, you could just as easilly have been dead.", Nanako replied coldly, taking what looked like an ordinary pen out of her pocketand handing it to Donovan, "These things take less than five minutes to make and are just as deadly as any larger weapon." The pen was not by any means normal. It would not write if someone tried to use it, as it carried a single .22 caliber round where the ink cartridge would normally sit. "With all due respect, you don't seem to truly grasp your situation here. Untill I can handpick a contingent of guards to aid me in keeping you safe, I'm the only thing standing between you and an assassin's blade or bullet. I am the last line of defense. I can't afford to give people the benefit of the doubt."

[Corrupted]

A familiar suit was now on the field Zander was watching, shades moved from a seated position atop his eilver hair to the bridge of his nose just because he felt like it. This suit had nearly been totalled before, but was now back and was showing off surperb skills. Although the holograms looked a little too underprogrammed, they were effective at riling the Cirrus into action. He clapped when the rest of thr audience did, but so far was able to keep away from anyone who might be his fans.

[Donovan Dragovan]

"And I can't let you go around shooting people at an international event. Yes, you are a Chained Knight and, though I cautioned you against doing this sort of thing in Lybania, you technically could and suffer no direct repercussions."

He sighed again and rubbed his eyes.

"Here, the rules are different again. It sucks, I know, but it happens. If you had killed that man, it would have launched an international inquiry into Lybania. In the best case scenario, a fine is levied and you would spend some time in the appropriate country's disciplinary system until the Lybanian government posts bail. In the worse case scenario, our home is turned to glass by a trigger happy despot."

He let the comment hang in the air.

"As for the danger of concealed firearms, I know all too well the possibility of attack. A lovely young lady at last year's Christmas Ball managed to put a dent in my crown with one. I'm not telling you to stop being suspicious. I'm telling you to try something a bit more nonlethal next time. I had assumed a woman of your skill would know how to stop someone without killing them."

The last part was said warmly and without malice. It was a simple fact. Someone with Nanako's skills should have been well trained in both lethal and nonlethal ways of subduing someone.

[Nanako Soriyu]

"If either of us had thought to wear some kind of armor, I might have.", Nanako replied, "As it is, my hand was forced. If that had been the real thing, chances are good I wouldn't be standing right now." Nanako reloaded her weapon, placing the short clip in the emty holder hse had drawn the new one from and holstered her gun. Nanako took a deep breath, steadying her nerves and placed a call on her PDA to the local embassy. Nanako wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

[Donovan Dragovan]

Donovan thought briefly about mentioning the thin layer of mesh underlay that his pilot suit presented, but decided against it.

"We'll discuss this more later. I've got to get back out to the exhibition arena."

Nodding his farewell, he climbed aboard the refitted Censura and, within five minutes, was back out on the arena field. Cuing up his comm unit, he sent out an encoded signal.

For the next few moments, he gave the crowd something to look at as he tested his suit's combat readiness and movement systems. He cut with the sword a few times, swung the mace twice, and went through a general melee kata. He got some faint clapping, but the crowd seemed disappointed. They were expecting a bit more out of the Royal. Donovan was almost breathless with laughter and thankful that the comm was off. If the fans thought this was it, they were in for a BIG surprise.

A half second after his kata had finished, a great rumbling was felt and heard in the distance. It shook the stands so fiercely, the fans began panicking slightly, thinking it might be some kind of earthquake. Then, the rumbling stopped and, high above the arena, something burst it's way through the clouds and descended rapidly. A large carrier, flying the flag of Lybania, descended smoothly into a sweeping pass above the stage. Seconds later, the cargo bay opened and forms began to drop from the large ship. Two, four, six, and finally eight humanoid figures dropped mechanically from the overhead craft. As they descended, adrenaline pumping music began to blare from the sound systems. One by one, Lybanian Zaku's impacted the arena staging area and assumed combat readiness.

Piloted by a Mobile Doll system, they'd give fans a taste of Censura's true abilities. Drawing the Dragovan Broadsword and his Mace, Donovan brought them up and charged his mechanical foes.

(Part 1 of 2. Will Post the Second Half Soon.)