[center][img]https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/z1BI9da9Vcj4stEUvq9llwWZVzpz_CzzA7KIVmcTp2E/https/i.imgur.com/CVO0GIm.png[/img] [h3]KARIN KANZUKI! And the Witcher[/h3] Level 1: 4/10 Location: Limsa Lominscuttle- Kanzuki Beach Word Count: 3321 Points Gained: 4 [@multi_media_man] New EXP Balance--- Level 1: 8/10 [/center] Karin smiled warmly as Geralt made his way over to her. On her knees, like a proper beach goer, Karin worked away with her tools and kept creating her magnificent beach castle. Her eyebrows raised slightly as Geralt admitted his ignorance on the subject. [color=fff200]“I assumed it was fairly self explanatory. A castle of sand. Though obviously miniature in this case.”[/color] It was difficult to explain the mastery of beach architecture on display. How she worked with a plastic trowel, bucket, and an array of various custom made tools was truly remarkable. A man in very high quality and fancy beach wear and sunglasses moved from the shoreline back to Karin, bringing her a fresh supply of water. [color=fff200]“The idea is to use tools to create a mimicry of a castle. The most simple process is to fill a bucket with sand, douse it with water, and then flip it upside down. That is an example of a Level 1 Sand Castle Technique, for beginners and casual castle makers. I am a certified Level 350 Sand Castle Maker and have won several competitions. However this is just a very simple sand castle I am creating to entertain myself.”[/color] She said. The foundations were forming and she used her fingers and even her fingernails to soften edges or create corners. Was that a gargoyle? [color=fff200]“You see, this is a rudimentary recreation of Cologne Cathedral in Germany, originally built in 1248. Note the flying buttresses and pointed arches around the stain glass windows, signifying it’s Gothic origin.”[/color] She finely plucked at the tips of the many rising towers, creating spikes. [color=fff200]“Here. Accept this pail and trowel. You may participate as well.”[/color] She said as if she was handing them over to Geralt, when in fact the member of staff had picked them up and was handing them to him with a deep bow. Geralt rolled his eyes good-naturedly at the explanation. He hadn't realized such a thing was a popular pastime, though it may not have been among Continentals and Skelligers, given the much more welcoming nature of this beach compared to what Geralt typically saw. As he watched her work, Geralt's eyebrows rose a bit in surprise. It was very impressive to see, admittedly. He wasn't entirely sure whether there were actual levels to this sort of thing or if she was simply exaggerating, but he wouldn't don't that she'd won a competition or two in her time with this sort of workmanship. Her explanation of the castle, which was apparently a recreation of one from her world made not much earlier than his present time, left him nodding appreciatively. "Was only 1272 where I'm from, and that's certainly something that wouldn't look out of place on the Continent, maybe Redania. Wonder if there's any connection there..." Taking the offered tools, Geralt looked at them with a frown. He had only the most bare-bones hints on how to begin, with what she'd called a "Level 1" technique: filling the pail with sand and flipping it over. Carefully doing so, Geralt frowned when the sand quickly fell apart, before remembering that one of her servants had been bringing water to help bind the sand together. After a few minutes, Geralt had a truly pathetic excuse for a sand castle for him and an amused look on his face as he tried to make a small rampart on one of the towers he'd created and repeatedly failed. "I'll admit, you make this look much easier than it's proving." Karin laughed politely at Geralt's joke. [color=fff200]"Oh, I'm sure you're not that old."[/color] She replied after he explained what year it was where he was from. [color=fff200]"Well, like I said, I have thousands of hours of experience and am a world champion. It's one of my lesser hobbies but it has a certain soothing quality, wouldn't you agree?"[/color] She said, looking down at his pathetic excuse for a sandcastle, almost successfully hiding her small amount of superiority. [color=fff200]"You don't need a rampart. Just stick with the bucket. Children can do it, I'm sure you can, too." She said 'encouragingly.'[/color] Geralt's eyebrow rose at the comment about his age. "Well, actually...I'm 98 years old." Chuckling as he admitted it, he met here eyes and forced his pupils to contract slightly, showing off his pupils. "Mutations make me age significantly more slowly than a normal human." Returning to the task at hand, however, reminded him of how Ciri got frustrated when she was having trouble with learning a new technique, or mastering one she'd been having trouble with. Deciding that the self-proclaimed expert probably had the right idea, he smoothed out the ramparts and tried to go with a simpler design. [color=fff200]"Mmh." [/color]Karin nodded, looking Geralt over again behind her gold-rimmed sunglasses. Mutations. [color=fff200]"One hundred years ago my grandfather challenged a man to a battle. They dueled for three days straight. It was a draw of course, since a Kanzuki never loses. But the point is, that was one hundred years ago and the man my grandfather and father challenged still lives. His name is Master Oro...I've yet to meet him yet, but I have challenged a student of his." [/color] [color=fff200]"My point being it's never too late for a master to learn something new."[/color] She looks down at the beach. [color=fff200]"If not sandcastle building, then something else."[/color] "Oh, I've learned plenty in this place. Like how shit life really is back on the Continent." Geralt muttered the second part, remembering the things Sakura had told him about what life was like in her world. Free education his ass. At least he rarely wanted for coin, given his skillset. "So, Master Oro, huh? Must be one hell of a fighter if he can force one of the Great Kanzuki to a standstill. And he's still teaching? Wonder if he'd be willing to put a Witcher on his ass once or twice." Karin smiled sadly.[color=fff200] "Life can be so terribly unfair, can it not?" She frowned. "I only ever examined my tremendous material privilege recently." [/color]She said, almost like it was a complaint. [color=fff200]"He's more of a hermit. I would have found him already otherwise. I hear he's going around fighting with one hand behind his back these days. Though he also uses fireballs, psychic energy, both of his legs and telekinesis. And sometimes his other hand. A bit of an empty boast if you ask me."[/color] Geralt honestly had no idea how to address the admission of her privileged life, so he didn't think about it. "Sounds...heh, believe it or not, like a Witcher. Igni, Yrden, and Aard would match the fire, psychic energy, and telekinesis, they're simple enough magic, and I'm sure there's some prick in the Cat School who'd fight with one hand behind his back just to prove he's better than you." Shaking his head at the reminder of the dying School, he shrugged. "Though we prefer to use steel and silver blades as well. Crossbows and bombs for when you need to keep a distance from your opponent, as well." [color=fff200]"Igni, Yrden, Aard. Magic, you call it? I've never heard of it." [/color]Karin said, looking a little cognitively dissonant.[color=fff200] "I've trained with many weapons, but I found at a certain level of skill the necessity of them lessens so much that eventually, they become a liability. I suppose that's not an option for everyone, though. Though I still do enjoy the occasional game of horseback archery."[/color] "Well, it all depends on the situation. Even with some basic Signs on hand, hardly even real magic, it's not exactly simple to take down the likes of Manticores or Kikkimoras without a real weapon. I once had to beat a Striga half to death with just the silver studs on the gauntlets I was using at the time because I was forbidden from killing it. Had to break the curse or it was my head on the line. Damn thing near ripped my throat out." Sighing, Geralt figured it was best to rip the bandaid off. "I'm a mercenary, a monster killer for hire. Where I come from, monsters and magical creatures used to be a dime a dozen, and in response, mutants like me were created to hunt them. To make a long story short, we're very good at our jobs on the whole. But we can't slay a 15-foot fiend with our bare hands, even with our enhanced physiologies." "What you're capable of, from what little I know from Sakura, might make it seem like we're in a weight class far beloew you. And, honestly, you'd probably be right. But. Where I come from, I'm a renowned, respected, feared slayer of monsters. I'm near a century old, with more life experience than all but the most wizened Witchers and Sorcerers. And I was killed by a pimply farmhand with a pitchfork. It took the combined power of a unicorn and a Source, a person with a direct and physical connection to the literal concept of magic, to revive Yennefer and I, and it did so at the cost of a long bout of amnesia." Chuckling, Geralt shook his head. "Look at me, getting defensive over a comment that isn't even wrong. Ugh, Lambert would get a kick out of that. What I'm trying to get at, my point about how we're so different, is exactly that. But on a scale I don't think you realize yet. It's barely been, what, a day? Have you noticed anything...off? Maybe a [i]giant flaming ball of energy in the sky?[/i]" Karin listened, but at some points it was hard to tell if she was hearing Geralt. A lot of the things he was saying weren't making sense. They'd probably be sorted out later, once she was free from Galeem's curse. She managed to connect the dots in her own way. [color=fff200]"I didn't mean to offend. I'm sorry to hear your destiny was chosen for you, though. But if you've stuck with it for this long you must have taken a liking to it, hmm?"[/color] She said. At Geralt's last comment, she glanced up, squinting at the sun. Not at Galeem in the distance. [color=fff200]"Yes, that is the sun. A giant flaming ball of nuclear energy." [/color] Geralt shook his head. "No offense taken. I've seen things far beyond what I thought normal or possible. It's been eye-opening to say the least." At her comment about the sun, he frowned. Thinking on it for a moment, he realized he didn't actually know just how wide an area was freed after a Guardian was defeated. Dammit, that made this harder. They couldn't just beat their way through the streets and take the entire city out from under Galeem. "Never mind that." Geralt carelessly deflected. "It's not important." Hopefully, the Gleaming Curse would work with him on that one, as he was trying to get her to notice their Universal Jailer. "I was bitter, sometimes. About having the choice stolen from me, I mean. But the others like me, we all decided we'd be the last a long while ago. Most of the secrets to creating us were lost or destroyed, anyway, but we wouldn't force anybody else into what we were made to endure. Besides, there are benefits. I'd be long dead otherwise. I've made a hell of a lot of coin doing what I do, even if taxes are a pain when you make it in half a dozen different places that all work differently." Shrugging, he looked out over the beach. "Besides, what I made of my life is more than enough for me. You're right, I've taken a bit of a liking to it. But I've enjoyed having a family as well. When the world isn't trying to tear us apart, that is." Karin seemed to accept Geralt no longer pushing the issue. She thoughtfully followed his gaze across the beach, strongly considering his words. Her initial broaching of the subject was casual, almost off hand. In reality it was something she often thought of herself. [color=fff200]"What if the world needs more people like you? Could there be some kind of alternative that isn't so cruel?"[/color] She asked, seeming interested, but only from a distance. So much so that she keeps working on her sand castle. Geralt pondered it for a moment. "Maybe. But the changes are...drastic. Some of it's training, but much of it is a genuine difference in biology. Compared to an average human, I'm faster, stronger, my organs process poisons significantly more efficiently, I build muscle more quickly, my wounds even heal much more rapidly. Were I normal, that Striga that cut my neck open would have killed me. I still needed significant medical care, but I wouldn't have survived to get it without my mutations. It would take much more knowledge, much more careful application of power, and it would be excruciating. It was for us as children, with bodies made to be molded. For an adult, with their body already set? The shock may very well kill them outright." Karin smiled slightly, her expression unreadable behind her sunglasses. [color=fff200]"I see."[/color] That answer was correct, but it wasn't the answer to the question she was asking. Not being nearly as open about her feelings as Sakura, Karin decided to lighten things up a bit and go back to normal. [color=fff200]"Well. I suppose this grim topic was inevitable. But we're past it now. Perhaps in future we can stray towards lighter subjects."[/color] She said lightly. [color=fff200]"Not that I don't enjoy discussing the torture of children on a sunny day, of course."[/color] "It beats politics, at least." Geralt gave a half-hearted laugh, remembering the whole plot against Radovid and how poorly it turned out. "Still, unpleasant talk aside, it's been good to relax for a bit. Seems the last while I've been constantly doing something, so being able to just...be. It helps. Thank you for the opportunity to see what a true sand castle building expert is capable of." He joked. Karin laughed. [color=fff200]"Indeed. But I am a sand castle building expert. Seriously."[/color] She said flatly, looking at Geralt. CLearing her throat, she sat back. [color=fff200]"Yes. I am...quite interested, I must admit, to learn about you Seekers and what you've been up too. I-" [/color]Someone distantly called Karin's name. She perked up, glancing around. It was coming from the ocean. Swimming on a wakeboard was one Kasugano Sakura, coming from the ocean blue and swimming along the shoreline. [color=f49ac2]"Karin-san! Karin!"[/color] She called out. She was newly de-cat girl'd, sporting one pair of ears, her tail bone once again vestigal, her height increased back to its towering 5'2 instead of 5 flat. Karin was silent, before looking down and continuing her sand castle. [color=fff200]"Did you hear something, Geralt?"[/color] Geralt looked between Sakura and Karin, remembering that the last time they met, the two had fought. And Sakura had, apparently, been soundly beaten. "What, not excited to see your old friend again? Though, it hasn't exactly been a while since you saw each other last?" He couldn't help the sass. [color=fff200]"Old friend? Why, I have no time for challenging dishonorable little street cats. Birdie, do away with her for me, would you?"[/color] She said, not even looking up. Birdie, rolled to his feet out of the shallows and hiked him his swim trunks. "Right. Stop [i]right[/i] there, you little pipsqueak!" He said, wading over, arms flailing, interposing himself between the two women. [color=f49ac2]"Pipsqueak?!" [/color]Sakura said, swimming to shore.[color=f49ac2] "Pipsqueak! Mister Birdie, I can't believe-"[/color] Sakura was hit from behind by a wave and submerged. Karin giggled at the misfortune. Sakura emerged, holding her wakeboard over her head. She spat out some water.[color=f49ac2] "Ptuh, ptuh. Pipsqueak!"[/color] She resumes. [color=f49ac2]"No way. I remember the time we tied in an eating contest. Now let me through, I have to go speak with Karin."[/color] Karin hummed along, putting the finishing touches on her sandcastle. "That's Miss Karin to you. Probably." Birdie said, rolling his neck. "Go home, girly!" He declared roughly. [color=f49ac2] "Pleased to meet you, too. But please, this is important. We can fight afterwards, okay?"[/color] "Look, I gotta do [i]somethin'[/i] to earn my paycheck." He cracked his knuckles. "Now I mean it, I'll wallop ya. I don't get me jollies beatin' up on school girls but I know you can take it." Sakura sighed. [color=f49ac2]"All right, fine. If you insist. Hold on, I can't fight with this."[/color] She frisbeed the wakeboard over Birdie's head and onto the shore. Where it landed point first directly into Karin's sand castle. Karin's placcid smile didn't falter, though her eyebrow twitched. [color=f49ac2]"Oh!"[/color] She said brightly, recognizing the distant figure Karin was sitting with, while still totally oblivious about the catastrophic damage she just wrought. [color=f49ac2]"Hi, Mister Geralt!"[/color] She waved her arms, prompting the raising of a hand in greeting from the Witcher. Geralt watched the scene unfolding before him with smug amusement. He knew Sakura could more than take this guy, he'd seen her shake off hits from much bigger, much stronger opponents. Still, part of him was tempted to intervene to keep it from coming to blows. "Just gonna let her break him in half? You know as well as I do that she's no slouch in a fight, and these past few days she's seen some real shit. Don't know if it'd change how a rematch between the two of you, but him...? I get the feeling he's not exactly on the same level." It didn't particularly matter whether Sakura beat the guy's face bloody to him or not, but Sakura was never one for unneeded violence. It was refreshing, and he might as well help her out on this one. He wouldn't Axii the guy, that would be more trouble than it was worth, but he'd give it a shot. Karin looked down at her ruined sand castle. She picked up the wakeboard between two fingers and flicked it away like it didn't weight much of anything. [color=fff200]"He's my body guard. He protects me from vagabonds and commoners."[/color] Her eyes poured over Sakura trying to read her. Something was different about her from the last time they met. Or rather, something was there once again? [color=fff200]"Geralt, a martial art is the soul made manifest. For the first time, Sakura disappointed me in battle. I feared she had lost her way. Her returning for another challenge is good first step...but I must know that she is worthy of my fists."[/color] Karin wiped away the remnants of her gothic architecture and rose to her feet. She removed her sun hat and her sunglasses, hanging them off to her butler. With a swish of her ringed blonde hair, the steely resolve of her golden eyes seemed to cut through the haze of Galeem's curse like sunrays on an overcast morning. [color=fff200] "Ninety seconds. Best of two rounds."[/color] Karin said Sakura took her fighting stance turning her hips perpendicular to Birdie. One fist even with her navel, the other by her chin. Birdie extended his hand outward and waited. [color=fff200]"...Birdie, what are you doing?"[/color] Karin asked, sighing. "...eh?" [color=fff200]"Your hand. It's empty."[/color] "Well yeah, but- one of your lads'll give me my chain." [color=fff200] "You have to [i]say[/i] that, Birdie, they can't read your mind."[/color] Karin said flippantly. "They seem to read your mind just fine!" Birdie protested. "You're all communicatin' with each other with nothin' but posh looks and sneerin'!" [color=fff200]"All right, enough. Retrieve Birdie his chain." [/color]Karin called out, clapping her hands. [color=f49ac2]"Aw, man!"[/color] Sakura whined. [color=f49ac2]"I hate the chain!" [/color]"If YOU get to shoot bloody fire outta yer hands, [i]I[/i] get me chain." Birdie said with finality. Karin glanced down at Geralt. "[color=fff200]You'd do well not to understimate Birdie. I don't hire just [i]anyone[/i] into the Kanzuko Zaibatsu."[/color] She smiled. A chain- with gold finish, was fed into Birdie's hands and he rolled it around his arm. Geralt's eyebrows raised as Birdie was handed a golden chain to fight with. "Alright, have to admit. Didn't expect that. Fair enough." He shrugged. This would be an interesting fight to watch. [color=fff200]"Round one."[/color] Karin said, cupping her elbow and holding her fingers beneath her chin. [color=fff200][b]"Fight!"[/b][/color] And they began.