The sun was just rising over the town of Magnolia, peacefully quiet from the lack of morning activity this early. In any other scenario, Tori wouldn't be caught dead awake at this ungodly hour, as the Tenrou Expedition team had only returned back to the guild the night before, and a great party ensued. But this wasn't a morning of recovery..this was a morning of preparation.

Not only was her fight with Houren for the prestigious title of Dragon Emperor on the horizon, but Tori had heard rumors at the party that something big was going to happen soon. She had no idea what it was, who would be responsible, or where it would take place, but she decided for herself that she needed to be ready at all times. For all she knew, something could go down today right in her home town of all places. That hypothetical scenario was all she needed to make sure that she was prepared.

Ever since her spar with Houren, she had been racking her brain to come up with some stronger spell ideas, and she was pretty sure she had some winners on her hands. As she made her way to the training area behind the guild hall, she kept her eyes open for the mysterious figure that always seemed to show up whenever she trained. For some reason, however, he never did. She wasn't upset for the lack of the man, but at the same time his presence overlooking her training in the past and given her something of an expectation. Not seeing him made her slightly worried for some reason. There was a feeling in her stomach that she couldn't shake telling her that something was wrong, but why? She didn't even know this person's name, much less anything else about him. Why should she care if he creeps up to supervise her training or not?

Shaking him and all else from her mind, she assumed a stance in the middle of the training ground akin to a meditative stance. She stood straight, the palms of her hands pressed together as if to pray, fingers pointing to the sky. Clearing her mind and focusing her magical energies, the wind began to whip around as a small gust blew past her in all directions. Anyone who entered the area would feel a change in temperature in the air. While not drastic, it was definitely noticeable as Tori's channeled her energy into the air, the ground, her entire surroundings as she attempted to focus completely and see her magical power bend to her will.

Frost Dragon Mirrors 440/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 0/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 0/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 0/1000

A lot had happen the past few days. From the creepy old man offering to enhance his earth magic with lacrima, to the flag members of Fairy Tail returning from their sacred island. While Kazuki had no idea why the island was sacred, he felt his stomach flutter at the thought of visiting and communing with the spirits there. What tales would they have to share of the Wizards before him? What knowledge did they possess? Were they even friendly? Some could assume that all spirits were, and, well, that would simply be folly. They were as varied as people, and why he would never classify them as evil some were just....dicks.

Having risen with the sun for as long as he could remember, working the fields in a small village among other chores, Kazuki found himself rising as he always did. The Earth mage entered the guild hall, mouth agape from a yawn as a pebble hit the floor in front of him--having formed it himself unbeknownst to him.

The customary roar of Fairy Tail members cheering for whomever entered the guild hall didn't happen this morning, it never did this early, and instead the Slayer found himself standing in front of the job board as he lazily scratched his head. His nose caught something of a scent that made him raise a brow. He wasn't use to this new lacrima, and hadn't learned what it was until after it was implanted. The price had been steep, and Kazuki would never said he had buyers remorse, but he wished he knew how it would affect him physically first. Still, the more you know and all that.

He followed the remnants of the scent to the back of the guild hall, a hand going to scratch his ribs as he did. Clearly he was still waking up. This was solved as he entered the back training area. While it was always chilly in the morning, for some reason it was colder than he remembered and he blinked.

Well, that'll wake ya up.

Blue-greens fell upon what the Slayer didn't know was the source of the cold. Rather, all the young man saw was an attractive woman whom stood alone as if praying. A grin crept to his face before Kazuki raised his arms to his side, as if showing himself off. "And your prayers have been answered, a cute country boy is at your disposal."

Whether she turned to him, ignored him, or spoke, the Slayer allowed his arms to drop but that boyish grin remained. "Or are you brooding? I'm not sure I can ever tell."

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 448/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 0/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

The peaceful silence was abruptly broken as a man approached the Dragon Slayer. He spoke callously about her "prayers" before inquiring as to whether she was brooding instead. She had no idea what she was talking about and was about to tell him to leave her to train in peace, when a familiar scent hit her nose. Taking a second before responding, she slowly smelled the air to make absolutely sure and her suspicions would be confirmed instantly. She lowered the magical pressure she was exerting, thus calming the wind around her. The air would slowly return back to its original temperature as well, now that there was nothing to overtly influence it.

"Well, I'm going to go ahead and guess that 'Country Boy' isn't your actual name. So why don't you enlighten me, stranger? No offense, but I don't much care for interruptions to my training from someone I'm not acquainted with. I'm sure you understand." she spoke sternly, unaware of this man's true intentions. Tori was certain that this man was just like her, familiarizing herself with the scent of the lacrima as Houren had. Whether this man had done the same and followed the scent to find her behind the guild so early in the morning, or whether it was just happenstance that he came across her as he did was irrelevant. This man was a Dragon Slayer, and as such, was in the running for the crown of the Dragon Emperor, same as her. Certainly this was no ambush, as he would have simply attacked her without a word if this was so. But she couldn't be sure he was here purely for social reasons either. Only time would tell, but she would remain on guard until her questions were answered.

Frost Dragon Mirrors 743/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 0/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 0/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 0/1000

At the remark of country boy not being his name, he shrugged his orange glad shoulders. "I mean, it could be. Wouldn't be the worst thing I've been called." He was earnest with his comedy, laughing slightly at his own joke before he placed bare hands on his hide covered hips, his guild symbol in view. This wasn't happenstance, though, as Kazuki enjoyed showing off the mark--he prided himself on it; but he wasn't stupid either. A stand offish attitude was usually prelude to a, possibly, loose canon. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of an attack from a fellow guild member simply for trying to make nice. Fairy Tail was a motley crew of people, a family, and he would be completely ignorant to think all of them were sociable. After all, his village functioned similar to Fairy Tail, and there was certainly some prickly individuals there.

"Haven't heard of me!?" He gasped before he let out yet another laugh, the grin remaining. "Yeah I'm not surprised. Not exactly a bouncing ball of fame over here. Name's Kazuki Kobayashi, Kaz or Koba works fine. Or, if you'd like, 'hun' works good too." A wink was given, playful as the glint in his eyes before he shrugged his shoulders which caused his hands to fall back down to his sides. "Training, though? This early?" He took a sharp breath of the cold air, certain that this wasn't a natural phenom and was quite possibly linked to her. Whether it was her magic, or callous mood, he wasn't sure.

"How about a partner? Not interested in very many jobs, and well, I'm still trying to get a handle on my magic." He leaned forward, as if suddenly excited. "Did you know that lacrima can change your magic?! We don't even -have- lacrima in my village. It's like I'm living in a fantasy novel!"

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 788/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 0/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

The fellow blonde, who would introduce himself as Koba for short, would joke that country boy wouldn't be the worst thing he'd been called, laughing at his own quip. He then inquired about her desire to train so early in the morning, before offering to join her himself as he claimed he was bored and not interested in any of the requests available inside on the request board. While he spoke, he brandished the Fairy Tail emblem on his hip. So he was a member too? This was interesting. Three Dragon Slayer made the Fairy Tail guild a force to be reckoned with to be sure, depending on how this new guy was in a fight.

That question, though, would be answered by the man's next comment. He randomly asked her if she knew that a lacrima could change someone's magic. "Oh, so you haven't had your lacrima for very long, I take it." she said rhetorically, making a subtle attempt to tell him that she knew exactly what she was talking about. "Yeah, it'll take some getting used to. The sensory boost is definitely something that no one would understand without experiencing it themselves." she said with an almost teacher like tone of voice. Her guard remained up, although she made every effort not to give off such defensive body language. His earlier question would suggest he didn't know for sure that she was a Dragon Slayer as well, but he also could be feigning ignorance so she would let her guard down.

As to his other question about joining her for training though, she definitely could use a training partner to see how effective these new spells were. The fact that it was another Dragon Slayer was even more perfect, as she could see how he fought for her future challenge to him for the crown. "Sure. Sounds like fun. I'm Tori Lancaster, by the way." She faced him and assumed a fighting stance, ready for anything he had to throw at her. "So let's go...country boy."

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 350/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 0/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 0/1000

When she concluded that the fellow Slayer hadn't had his lacrima long, she was correct. He nodded in agreement, shrugging slightly. "Yeah, about a week or so--give or take. Crazy old guy didn't tell me--" He was cut off as she spoke of the sensory increase and he practically leaped in place, pointing to her.

"Yes! That! I can smell a squirrel pissing from thirty paces! I'm not even sure if it was a squirrel to be honest....smelled like one, coulda been a guild member." He shrugged at this, nonchalantly, though the joke was obvious as his grin remained. Whether this man was completely ignorant to the Dragon Slayer plight, or didn't really care, one couldn't be sure. Such a tactic, feigning ignorance could be useful if one wanted to throw an enemy off place, to be sure. Those that really knew Kazuki, though, knew him to be earnest and not really capable of such a thing. He was up front about nearly anything he was asked, and even those he wasn't up front about he wasn't exactly super vague either. Of course, this woman couldn't know that and Kazuki still found himself wondering why he felt as if he was being silently judged.

Well, other than the constant hitting on her. He supposed that was fair.

As she spoke her name, the Earth Slayer gave a nod. "Man, ya'll got odd names out this way. But, like I told that other guy, I suppose that shows the varying cultures. Kinda cool, actually." With her acceptance for a training partner, the dye had been cast. She had fell into a fighting stance, granting him the first attack. This was his first actual spar, so he wasn't sure what he was suppose to do--but he supposed he'd treat it as any other fight, but simply pull his punches. He didn't want to seriously hurt her, after all they were guild mates. And, well, she had a pretty face.

Kazuki lowered himself to the ground, similar to how one would prepare for a hundred meter dash. He wasn't fast, at least not any faster than the next guy--but that wasn't the point. Down in such a position, it was difficult, but Kazuki managed to slam a foot down into the earth. The result of such an action was a pillar rocketing forth from beneath him. Because of his stance, the trajectory sent him at a 40 degree angle in the air. Once in the air, the Slayer performed a flip, fists balling as they rested against his chest--out of view. Exiting the flip, and coming down towards Tori, he swung a single blow with fists that were now coated in solid rock.

His face was determined, brows knit, and if the blow would be stopped or even dodged, his grin would return. Clearly just from this alone he was having fun. What could he say? He was a simple man.

Spells Used::

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 295/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 0/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

Koba mentioned that the names were weird in this area, implying that he was not from Fiore, much like herself. She would have to mention, but at a later time, because the apparent rock mage did not waste a second as he knelt slightly as if to sprint towards his guild mate. Instead, though, a large pillar would jet up from the ground beneath him, catapulting him into the sky as he coated his fist in solid rock and brought it down towards her. It would appear from this tactic that he enjoyed high flying maneuvers as well. This was going to be a really fun spar, as she had never seen her own tactics from the outside before.

Without hesitating, Tori would cross her arm over her chest, perpendicular to the ground and form a large shield to intercept the stone fist. It almost broke the shield, but not quite, but the force of the blow alone created a cloud of dust from both the rock on his fist breaking, as well as from the dirt inches away from the impact zone. Tori would use this as a cover to use one of the spells she had come up with on the way home. She outstretched her arms and created four perfect copies of herself which formed in a circle surrounding the earth mage. When the dust cleared, Koba would find himself flanked on all sides by identical Toris, making it impossible to tell the difference. In reality, the real Tori was directly behind him, amused at the inevitable confusion he would experience from such a scenario. The other copies were just made of ice, but possessed the ability to speak as she did.

"If you're pulling your punches, quit. If I can't take a hit, I don't deserve the title of Dragon Slayer. Wouldn't you agree?" each clone said simultaneously.

Spells Used:

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 666/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 0/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 0/1000

His fist of rock slammed into an ice wall and that grin formed as it did. This confirmed his suspicion, from the drop in temperature previously, that she utilized ice. It was the element most associated with winter, harsh and unforgiving but there was a beauty in it, a landscape covered in snow. Silent, for life remains dormant until the winter would eventually yield and give way to the vibrancy of spring. Neither of those were Kazuki's favorite season, though his clothes suggested what that might just be. Of course, as the Earth Dragon Slayer--and before that an Earth Wizard--he loved earthen smells. The smell of damp leaves in the early morning, the smell of acorns and pumpkin--ironically what some would describe as his specific scent.

But this was neither here not there, as solid rock crumbled from his hands and fell away like heavy flakes of snow. As the mist cleared, and he found himself surrounded by copies of the woman he honestly couldn't help but laugh--not out of arrogance, but by his own thoughts. Which, of course, he voiced. "I can barely handle one beautiful you, let alone several!" Still as she goaded him into attacking yet again, he wouldn't deny her. But he spoke yet again, first. "People keep saying that phrase, Dragon Slayer...Dragon's are long gone, if they ever existed at all. And if I met one, I'd rather talk to it, learn about it, than punch it's block off. Besides. It's a friggen DRAGON!" A small chuckle given here, for no particular reason than imagining how fantasical it would be actually meet one. Still, the old man had said something about the lacrima, and Dragon Slayer magic, but Kazuki found it hard to grasp it as he had been still heavily sedated.

He wasn't one to ignore the request of a lady, or perhaps it was the newfound lacrima spurring a competitive streak in him. Whichever it was, his pupils--once round--had become near slits as his grin faded. Teeth ground against one another as a deep, feral growl rose from the pits of his stomach. He felt his strength grow, as if his muscles were bulging against his flesh--though such a thing would be foolish. His fists, which had remained balled, raised across his chest in an 'x' formation as that growl continued to rise in volume. The shards of earth from his fists, the ones that scattered like flakes of snow, began to rattle. Bouncing too and fro as if the earth itself was pushing up against them before they, and many other shards of earth, ripped from the ground. Simultaneously, Kazuki flung both arms out and that growl ended in a shout. The shards of earth whipped around him like a fierce earthen tornado, attempting to shred and pierce all of his opponents. Shards of earth weren't the only thing sent outward with this violent, earthen twister as sand and dust was expelled as well, literring the training area and battlefield even more.

Whether this was successful or not, Kazuki flung his right arm out to his side. Those shards of earth, just previously used as whirling pain, now began to come back. Each piece coated his arm from the forearm down, fitting together like every shard was a piece to a single, deadly puzzle. Once complete, his right arm from the forearm down became a sword.

His grin returned, obviously not one to be full of malice in a spar, but it did give him a certain aura of arrogance that perhaps was intentional. But, for those who knew the turmoil in the young man's heart, he was far from arrogant. "I could care less what I'm labeled as, I'm not doing this to kill any Dragons. I'm doing this because I -have to-. Now, how about you slip into something more comfortable and bring it?"

Spells Used:

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 200/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

Kazuki made a remark about not being able to handle so many copies of the ice mage through his (at this point) trademark grin. He would then comment on the title of the magic which the two utilized, claiming he would rather befriend and learn from a dragon, to which Tori would agree. He ended his thought with words of disbelief of their very existence however, and that was where the blonde woman's agreement stop. Before she could reply, though, he crossed his arms to cause a miniature twister of sand, rock, and dust before extending his right arm out and coating it with stone to form a sword, a familiar sight to the woman. He would then exclaim is apathy towards what his magic is called, saying he is what he is because "he has to," whatever that meant. It was then his turn to goad his opponent into attacking, remarking for her to slip into something "more comfortable."

Tori sighed silently at the comment, but agreed with him all the same. She likewise extended her right arm, coating it in ice by freezing the water vapor in the air around it. Her clones, however, would all rush towards the blonde man at the center of their little sewing circle with a normal punch, but four simultaneous ones. Either the fellow Dragon Slayer would avoid or destroy the ice copies, or the four punches would find their marks and then be dispelled by their creator; either way Tori, clad with her sword arm as well, would speak to the obviously new lacrima user. "Regardless of one's personal opinions, know this. I do my fair share of research on the subject so I have a good idea of what I'm talking about. There are too many recounts of dragons existing to deny them. The magic we wield was originally designed to fight those that threatened the survival of the human race, along with dragons that rebelled against their brethren to fight alongside us. Those dragons gave us this gift that has been passed down through the ages, to break the status quo. We carry their legacy. We fight using their legacy. That is why we are Dragon Slayers, Kazuki Kobayashi. You say that you do this because you 'have to,' then show me why you have to. Show me you can use the Earth Dragon's legacy to forge one all your own!"

Spells Used:

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 750/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 322/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 0/1000

The four punches could be dealt with, had Kazuki chosen to utilize earth for it's defensive properties; however, that wasn't the case. The Great Mother had tasked him with it's protection, not the other way around. When most people thought of Earth Magic, they though of solid rock, defense, durability. Kazuki thought otherwise. He wouldn't use the Great Mother in his defense when he was supposed to be hers, so instead, he utilized her as his weapon--just as much as he was hers.

It was because of this Kazuki found himself hard pressed as those four Tori moved in. The first, to his right, he slashed at to destroy, presumably weakened from his previous tornado, and blocked the one to his left by raising an arm to catch the fist before it became a full swing. This left him open, however, as the other two struck true and hit him in the stomach and jaw respectively. He lashed out at these, but they were gone in a torrent of mist just as he did so. A small 'heh' came out, though he reached up his left hand, his only free one, and rubbed his cheek lightly. Things packed a...punch.

As Tori began to lecture him, Kazuki listened, but it wasn't the first time he had been lectured, to be sure. In fact, he had spent lot of his youth being lectured from saying, or doing, something foolish. But her claims that Dragons were real made Kazuki shake his head slightly. "I haven't seen any Dragons. People claim the existence of a God, too, but I don't see any proof of that either. Omnipotent, benevolent beings wouldn't let a child die from sickness." Said flatly. His tone, usually light, was firm as if the latter statement bore more personal weight than it should. "I'd wager this magic, much like this lacrima, was created by humans for humans. Until I can see, with my own eyes, I'm going to have to disagree. No offense and all, but I didn't believe in spirits either--but I've spoken with them. Still do. You, cannot tell me you've spoken to a Dragon...just a man who implanted that lacrima in you, like me."

She called for him to show why he had to do this, why he had to get stronger. His reasons, while known by their fellow Slayer, were unknown to Tori. It was a long tale, and hardly the type of thing to recount during a spar. He doubted, though, with her beliefs that she would take his words to heart--that the Great Mother had chosen him before birth to be her champion, her very wrath incarnate. To expunge the world of those who sought her arm, and to protect those who honored her. Such a story, he supposed, was just as fantastical as Dragons--the difference was, he could prove it. He had to, as she said.

For a second, perhaps two, golden orbs seemed to float from the ground and gather around him as if the earth itself was giving him power. No, this wasn't the time for that. Not yet. And so, the golden orbs faded from existence as quickly as they had came, as far as Kazuki knew the Great Mother understanding. Instead he nodded to Tori. "This isn't about a Dragon, this is about the Great Mother. The very earth beneath your feet is my weapon." Said simply before he stomped his right foot, causing a fist to explode from beneath Tori in a vision uppercut. Kazuki didn't wait to see if the blow struck true or not, rushing forward to swipe with his own sword arm--a diagonal slash from left hip to right shoulder. His grin remained, albeit forced, as if the speech had brought forth the weight of his task. He was pushed forward by only his conviction at this point. This wasn't just for him, or Earthland, this was for his family too. For his mother and father back home, his younger sister just a few years younger than he. He was away from them because he had to be, not because he wanted to be. And it would -not- be in vain. Not while he could still keep going forward.

Spells Maintained:

Spells Used:

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 918/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

The Dragon Slayer explained himself to be a man of visual evidence over all else, not believing in anything until he sees it for himself. A logical way of thinking, for sure, but too closed minded for Tori's liking. Two golden orbs would appear on either side of the man before disappearing just as quickly shortly after he dispatched of two clones and taking the remaining two hits. He would stomp on the ground more aggressively than he had been this entire time. With equal ferocity, a fist made out solid stone would shoot out of the ground, planting itself directly into Tori's jaw. Through the corner of her eye, she could see the man rushing towards her ready to use that sword of his. He jumped towards her swiping upward; his blade sliding along the edge of her own, shattering them both.

Still flying backward and upward from the sheer force of the stone fist, she used the momentum to flip the rest of the way backward to her feet, landing in a kneel of sorts, one hand resting on the ground in front of her and between her feet. Not wasting a second, Tori whipped her left arm in a swiping motion to her front, generating an air current that would propel her forward. Because Koba jumped to her to use his sword, but she had the momentum from the stone fist, she would land as soon as the earth mage did, if not a moment before. In any case, she used the speed gained from the Borealus to throw a devastating punch of her own, her fist coated in ice; aimed for the precise location where Koba's feet would touch the ground. The force of the punch would undoubtedly be strong enough to knock the wind from Koba, at least temporarily. "Everybody gets one." she said coyly, wiping her now bloody lip and smirking.

Spells Used:

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 750/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 642/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 0/1000

Kazuki locked eyes with the woman as their swords shattered, his blue-greens staring into hers as time seemed to freeze. Both shards of ice and earth flung between the two from the blow, and this caused the grin to be less forced. There was a side of him he didn't know he had, either because he was just discovering it or perhaps the lacrima had generated it subliminally. Most likely the latter, this feeling of primal pride that welled in his stomach. Perhaps it wasn't even pride, but whatever it was it relished in this battle, spar or no, against someone of the same classification of magic.

Whatever it was, he watched her land as he himself did the same, though the counter attack was certainly not expected. 'Shit, she's fast!' This thought occurred only after she had struck him, the force of the blow sending him skidding back a few meters, hide boots digging into the earth. This eventually led to him stopping, though it was his term to take a knee this time. While down, collecting himself, he had enough mind--or perhaps instinct--to slap his boots slightly, causing shards of earth to rocket from the bottom of his boots. These would function as cleets, aiding him in being knocked back again should she land another blow.

Her words reached his ears and that grin widened to a feral smile. A small voice inside of him, faint at first, reached him as clear as her own words. 'Yasssss....' This was it! This was a fight! He gave a breathy chuckle as he stood, those pupils having shifted to near slits for the second time today. This was the challenge, the thrill he didn't even knew he craved. If he were thinking straight, he would have been put off, but he was simply have too much fun to over analyze the why. Kazuki reached up and wiped his own chin, no blood having been drawn as she had struck his stomach, but she had certainly caused a heavy cough to cause a bit of spittle. Without thinking he grabbed the front of his shirt with two fingers, flapping it as one would if they were hot. Some of the ice crystals from her previous attack shook loose and he spoke. "Just one, eh? We'll see about that..."

His feet spread shoulder with apart, those same orbs--perhaps hundreds of the tiny buggers--floated from the earth, gathering into him as if they were answering a call. As if their champion was calling for their aid. She said she could take a hit? He certainly hoped so. "Dragon Slayer." Said simply, his head bowed as blonde locks cascaded forward. His fists balled and raised, tightening to the point that every knuckle had turned bone white. Using the boosted strength of his muscles, Kazuki slammed another foot down into the ground, yet another pillar rocketing him into the sky. Simultaneously his hands went above his head as he looked down at her with wild eyes and a feral smile. Surely she was feeling this too, this surge of...whatever this was. While it likely wasn't new to her, it clearly was to the novice Slayer, and he was content to ride the high while it lasted.

Those hundreds of orbs he had absorbed were not ejected from him, forming solid rock above his hands. The rock, now qualifying well into the boulder-sized range, continued to seem as if chunks of rock were just being manifested onto it, as if tendrils of golden earth were reaching out and pulling these chunks from seemingly thin air--as if it were simply tacking on pieces of armor. "Powerful enough to slay a Dragon? I dunno...YOU TELL ME!" And then he hurled the large boulder down with all the strength his earth infused muscles could muster. Whether it struck true or not, whatever it impacted resulted in an explosion of sand and dust, but more importantly shards of earth meant to pierce flesh. Kazuki would descend, seeming to have hung in the air long enough to launch what he would certainly call his most devastating attack. He wasn't winded, but it was obvious such a move had used a decent chunk of his magic power. Sweat beaded his brow, even in the frosty morning air.

Spells Maintained:

Spells Used:

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 1500/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 155/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

From the moment they stared into each other's eyes when their swords shattered to the moment he wiped his own lip after taking the icy punch; a toothy grin never left the blonde man's face. It was clearly obvious that he reveled in this battle, even if it was an innocent spar. If she was being completely honest, the feeling wasn't lost on the ice mage. She entirely agreed with him. This was an amazing fight that no one could deny; if anyone else was awake at this hour.

In a similar kneeling position that Tori was in a moment before, he slapped his boots for some weird reason, but would then be launched upward by yet another stone pillar that emerged from the soil below him. "This again?" Tori thought to herself, wondering why he would use the same tactic as he did at the start of the spar, when it failed miserably. Then she saw that she was dead wrong in her assumption.

The man held his hands outward as the golden orbs from before reappeared, but this time brought friends. And a lot of them. Shards of earth would come from the ground and seemingly out of nowhere to converge rapidly into a large boulder, which would be hurled directly at the blonde. "Well...this is new." she thought as the rock was thrown. Luckily, Tori had her own last ditch effort of an equally large scale. Bracing herself, Tori inhaled a large breath, freezing some of the water vapor nearby before inhaling that as well. "Not a bad start. But this is what a Dragon Slayer can do!" she yelled as she let the breath go, exploding forth a torrent of frozen air and shards of ice that obliterated the incoming boulder and continued through. The only way Kazuki would be safe from getting blasted by the roar as well is if he made his way back to the ground beforehand. Regardless, Tori didn't let her guard down in case he miraculously made a counter attack.

Spells Used:

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 750/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 986/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 0/1000

His boulder was met with a confidant woman, and Kazuki wasn't sure he'd have it any other way. The Ice Dragon Slayer released a torrent of snow, ice, and wind from her mouth and Kazuki truly wanted to revel in it, perhaps consider if he could do something similar. He knew he could, in a certain way, but not to this magnitude. Still, he was caught in the air with no defensive options. He had offense, though, and if he had proven anything it was that he had a certain amount of testicular fortitude and a whole lot of spirit. As his boulder struck the blast, serving little more as a paper weight to slow down a rising tide, Kazuki brought out his arm, creating a ball and chain from the fist--a flail, of sorts. Grabbing the ball, Kazuiki used this to 'push' himself up as he managed to thrust himself to the top of the blast. His left side still got struck, and Kazuki felt the stinging bite of cold on his skin and practically to his bones, but this painful sting only served as a reminder. A lesson, perhaps, but also motivation.

That flail wouldn't compete with the wintry blast, shattering as quickly as it had formed, but it served his purpose to elevate him further into the air and over a cone of cold that still threatened to consume him because of gravity. Kazuki's right arm this time produced that sword yet again. This was placed on the top of the blast as he descended, using the blade to grind against the blast and allow him to ride it down towards it's owner. This too wouldn't last, and Kazuki found himself spinning like an upside down top as he let out a shout of anger. That same whipping earth that he had produced against her copies came forth, and he used the artificial surface of magic against magic yet again, this time both hands placed just above the blast as he descended. This lasted long enough for him to be within striking range as the whipping earth too would be consumed by the massive cone of deathly cold. As he pushed off a final time, spinning with balled fists, both were coated in earth-made gauntlets just as he came to the end of her roar and the source.

The grin was gone, Kazuki obviously taking proving himself serious. His blue-greens wild with the high, teeth grit from the amount of effort and magical energy he had just exerted. He locked eyes to hers just as he swung one of those gauntlets directly at her nose. Whether it struck or not, the Earth Dragon Slayer let out a single word, or rather, roared it himself. "TWO!" Obviously an allusion to her previous comment of everybody getting one, that he clearly took as a personal challenge. With most of his offensive spells fired and shattered in a single mere moments, a logical Kazuki knew he was at a serious disadvantage. Any offense he -could- muster was certainly at the mercy of her speed and her superior defense. But, he clearly wasn't thinking logically. He was proving himself, that he was quite literally born for this.

Spells Maintained:

Spells Used:

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 1500/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 744/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 0/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

The arctic roar of the frost dragon found its mark, tried and true. But what happened next would honestly surprise the blonde woman, and that wasn't exactly something should could say was a common occurrence as of late. With almost no hesitation, her opponent would propel himself above the blast having only been grazed by the frigid attack. He would then reform his sword arm and use it to slide down the edge of her attack to follow it back to the source. Tori had to admit, he was resourceful if nothing else, but his plan would not come to pass. His confidence, though, was unmatched as he shouted 'two' to contradict the woman's earlier statement.

Tori bent her knees slightly as her magic was forced into the bottom of her feet, pushing her forward 2 meters, using the momentum to turn her body 180 degrees to face the exact spot where the earth Dragon Slayer would land. Without missing a second, Tori let out a second roar. Although not as powerful as the first, it was at practically point blank range and thus impossible to dodge.

"I told you already. Everyone gets one. And I meant it."

Tori realized that her words sounded arrogant, and they were to a point. But this little spar had graduated beyond pleasantries. Even though it was not for the crown of Dragon Emperor, pride had grown to be on the line, and that was something Tori was not prepared to lose.

Spells Used:

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 750/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 1000/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 236/1000

His earthen fist slammed into the ground where Tori had just been, creating a small crater at the point of impact--between his fist coated in solid rock and his muscles infused with earth, such a thing was only natural.

He stood, panting slightly as he did, but as he moved his blue-greens to Tori that wild look had faded and was replaced by something else. Respect? Admiration? Relief? A mix of the three is what he felt rush through him. His grin returned and a small laugh escaped his lips, but he found himself spreading his feet again, ready to continue the spar. He was a bit winded from the surge of magic power he had just expended but he was willing to go more--had to go more. If anything, he'd sleep good that evening.

"C'mon already, that at -least- deserves a date. I busted my ass for that." Said in good humor, the mirth returning to his eyes as his pupils had changed back to their rounded, natural form. "I mean, I'm super scared of heights!"

Regardless of his words, he was ready for more but he knew he had to approach it with a bit of balance now--he had no choice. That was a desperation move, and it if didn't hit with all of it's flashy glory, he would have to fight smarter. "Well...ya gonna stand there looking good or are ya gonna come over here." He didn't attack, instead merely waited for her, goading her in his own way.

Spells Maintained:

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 1500/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 266/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 0/750

After the smoke cleared, Tori waited for his next move, but it never came. Instead, the man as gritty as ever would express his hard work for that last attack, even claiming it went against his natural fear of heights. He would then express interest in a date of all things as compensation for the effort. Tori couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. Not against him personally, but...Tori on a date with a man was something that couldn't possibly amuse her more.

He would attempt to goad her into attacking again, but to be completely honest, she wasn't sure if he could take another direct attack. "Well, as far as the date is concerned, I'm going to have to decline unfortunately. You're not exactly my type, I'm afraid." she said cheerfully, but consolingly. But I would be more than happy to help you find a pretty lady around Magnolia, if you would be willing to return the favor." she winked.

"As far as coming over there goes, are you sure you can take another hit like that one? We've both taken a few hits, but you've taken a coupe of really good ones. I don't want you getting hurt." she said, honestly expressing concern for the man's health. She was actually considering taking the man inside and getting the two some breakfast and taking a break from the sparring for a couple of hours.

"What do you say to something to eat, Koba? I don't know about you, but I could really go for some bacon and eggs after this bout." she suggested. "But if you really wanna go some more, I'm all for it."

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 750/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 1000/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 503/1000

Kazuki had tanked the second blast, and he felt the cold in his muscles. Sweet earth mother, he liked the cold but this was just ridiculous. Her words reached calmer ears, and Kazuki found himself blinking in a rather stupid manner. Not her type? Well, yeah, that was fair. But he simply assumed that it was his looks, or maybe his mannerisms. After all, it was arrogant to think he'd be attractive to everybody. It wasn't until her follow up statement did the actual meaning strike Kazuki.

"Eh? O-oh!" There was a silence between the two before he let out a rather boisterous laugh, from the bottom of his belly."Son of a...if that isn't my luck, I dunno what is!" His grin had widened into a full, boyish smile. "Alright, deal. If I find one I don't quite, ah, fit the bill for I'll send em your way." Said simply with a shrug.

At her insistence that he take a break, Kazuki was hesitant. They could call it there, and that last attack left him with a chill, fearful that he may catch cold. Nothing sucked worse than a cold. Or, as his sister dubbed it, 'The Kaz-Flu'. He allowed the earth that infused his muscles to fade away and it seemed like that was all that was keeping the young man on his feet. He stumbled slightly, staggering to, thankfully, the very first pillar he had created to go skyward. Leaning against it, he let out a small, albeit relieved and heavy sigh.

"Holy hell, Tori. At least act like I made ya work for it." Said with a laugh as he laid tired eyes back upon her. "Woundin' my pride over here."

Her offer for food was almost denied, but the silent pangs of hunger that pierced at his abdomen told him he had better accept and do it now. Besides, it was a good chance to speak with her about this newfound lacrima, get to know her. Obviously any type of romantic pursuit would be equivalent to ice skating up hill, but he could always use another friend. He had felt he had befriended Houren, a Fire Mage. Though Kazuki himself had no clue he was a Dragon Slayer, to the young man he was simply a more experienced Wizard whom he had shared coffee with, and reminisced about their pasts. Friends with a Dragon Slayer, Tori specifically, would perhaps give him insight to his newfound senses and magic.

"Aw, hell yeah, I'm down." Said with a nod as he pushed off the pillar with his shoulder. "Think I'll order double servings, cause, damn. Feel like I haven't eaten in weeks..."

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 1500/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 17/750

Tori's fellow Dragon Slayer took a minute before he realized what exactly she meant by not being her type, laughing out loud and exclaiming at his bad luck. The blonde woman laughed alongside of him out of reflex if nothing else. They say laughter is contagious after all. The man would then lean against one of his pillars commenting on their fight, asking her to at least put on the charade that he wore her out during their bout, going as far as to claim a shot right to the ego, to which Tori chuckled even more. He also made mention that he would take on the role of a wing man for the ice mage, which was appreciated.

After a moment of what looked like consideration, Koba would agree to her offer of breakfast. She assumed he would eventually want to get to know her a little better outside of combat, and she honestly felt the same way. Even though a romantic relationship between the two would be utterly impossible, no one would ever say that Tori Lancaster would turn down a potential friendship. Who knows? Maybe her brethren could even be a decent partner in a fight. If there was one thing Tori was sure of to this point, it was that this man could hold his own should a scuffle ever occur.

On the way back inside the guild, Tori happened to look over her shoulder. "Koba, could you move those pillars back into the ground, please?" she asked, not wanting any undue obstacles for other people wanting to use the training grounds. Trusting that he would answer her request, she turned back towards the guild with him more than likely soon to follow.

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 750/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 1000/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 891/1000

Kazuki looked to the pillar she had spoke of, the duo he had created--not to mention the craters that the two Slayers themselves had made. He could deal with the pillars, and he wasn't adverse to filling in the holes with a shovel, but that would have to wait until after he ate.

The Earth Slayer approached the first pillar and placed his palm on it, expecting to be able to control it as he had been able to do with his previous magic. Such a thing wasn't the case though, and the Slayer blinked slowly before he let out a defeated sigh. A quick chop came, hitting the rock and it shattered, having poured the same magic into it as he had used to create it. Ah, so that's how it worked. He moved at a snails pace to the next one, a leisurely walk before he did the same. This rock column too crumbled into dust and Kazuki turned back to Tori, giving a small shrug. This would have to do, at least for now.

Crossing the courtyard he took another breath and placed his hands atop his head. He was slightly winded, his muscles screamed and he was certain that he'd sleep well tonight. Whatever delusions of taking a job after a brief morning workout had been shattered as easily as the columns just now. He spoke to her, though, blue-greens sparkling despite the tired look he bore. "Mark my words, we'll fight again and I'll get my second hit. I'm not one to back down from a challenge no matter how many times I'm smacked around. You'll get tired of hitting me long before I get tired of taking hits." It was said simply, a rather matter off fact tone. He knew he could be stubborn, he had gotten that streak from his mother, despite having the laid back temperament of his father. "Those copies were pretty spiffy though. I'ma have to work with that." He gave her a nod of his head, as if a tip of the hat. Credit was given where credit was due, and she had certainly earned praise in his eyes.

As they proceeded back toward the guildhall, he decided to try and get to know her better. "So, tell me about yourself Tori? Any special ladies in your life? Favorite food? Do you melt your ice for water?" The last one was obviously a joke, as he chuckled with the question.

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 1500/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 482/750

In response to her request, Koba had attempted to will the rock pillars into the ground, but to no avail. In the end, he would simply shatter them with a swipe of his hand, an admirable show of reflexive strength to be sure. But after he dealt with them, he followed his Dragon Slayer guild mate to the front of the building, swearing to land another blow at some point in the future. This earned a healthy laugh from Tori and a look over her shoulder at the man. "I look forward to it, Koba. I'd be insulted if you didn't." she assured.

He followed up with some personal questions, trying to get to know the woman as she had expected. "Unfortunately, no there isn't anyone right now." she paused, her voice taking a solemn tone before she continued. "Not anymore, at least." No doubt this would warrant a look of confusion and probably even concern from the earth mage, prompting her to elaborate. "There was this one girl. But...something snapped inside her and she did something...terrible." she explained. "To the best of my knowledge, she's in Crocus prison as we speak." No doubt that would completely derail the rest of the conversation regarding trivial things like favorite foods.

Frost Dragon Mirrors 750/750
Frost Dragon Borealus 750/750
Frost Dragon Nitrous Lunge 1000/1000
Frost Dragon Arctic Roar 1106/1000

At her tale of things not working out with a partner, Kazuki's face became somber and he nodded. He too had experienced loss of someone close, though his own was to sickness when whatever they had was just starting to bloom. If he had voiced this, perhaps she would have understood his remarks about a 'benevolent deity' who let children die from sickness. Perhaps it was that very thing that made him so cynical of everything. In the long run, though, his pain was allowed to heal as he would never, as much as he wanted to, get to see her again. She was gone, and so, he had to move on. Tori had that chance, be it through release or breaking out, of seeing that face, of having those memories dragged back into the light. Even more so than him talking about it did.

He shook his head slightly at her. "Well, this just got awkward." Even now, he tried to cope with a bit of wit, something--anything--to take the sting out of the memory, not just for her but for him too. "If it helps...I know what it's like to lose someone you care about." And that was all that was said on the matter. "But, how about we swap to something less...heavy. Favorite food?!" And just like that, the persona the doubt ridden man hid behind was back. He folded his arms behind his head in a leisurely manner, despite his muscles screaming in protest, and offered her the cheesiest smile he could. While he himself knew this was rather corney, he figured that alone would perhaps elicit a laugh, or even a giggle at the least. The past was better left there, for some things.

*Exit*

Earth Dragon's Quaking Maw: 1000/1000
Earth Dragon's Rising Fist: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Trajectory: 1500/1500
Earth Dragon's Fury: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Shattering Fists: 750/750
Earth Dragon's Crushing Hammer: 777/750

Kazuki changed the subject rather quickly upon learning of the tragic history that was Tori's recent love life. He went on to ask, without missing a breath, her favorite food in order to change the topic of conversation to something, as he put it, less heavy. The blonde woman was appreciative that he was so considerate towards her emotional state, and honestly loved the fact that someone had taken their time to get to know her. Despite her befriending personality, she had only really made two people she actually called friends. Kazumi, the first person she met after joining Fairy Tail, only that relationship was currently rocky to say the least, although she didn't know why. And Alice, a member of the Rune Knights. Her beloved Tori certainly would have called a friend, especially after he tried attacking the guild.

In any case, the company was nice and definitely something that she could get used to. After a short while of small talk with Kazuki over breakfast, the two parted with pleasantries and Tori had decided a short nap was in order after the long workout so early in the morning. The next day, it was time to get back to work.

-exit-