Time in the Stars(Akassa/Open)

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

Chuckling a little Akassa says nothing. Through her recent training the Princess had learned it was not always wise to take hits if she did not need to. It was not that she could not handle the blows of the foes she had been facing, but that they themselves had become more durable. Against Ninjin it had come down to the very end. She had realized that if she had dodged one or two more of his attacks he would have been the one to lose and Conri might very well be addressing her as Champion. Learning Zanzoken had been the next step in improving her close combat prowess, but that did not mean she was afraid to take a hit.

As several of her blows connect she grins, glad to see that she could match him for speed and then some. As her assaults continued Akassa was caught off guard by the two Ki blasts he charges in his hands, impressed with his speed even if they were on the smaller side. He manages to smack her arms out to the sides, the quick jab connecting with her face soon afterwards. Smart enough to realize the punch was not strong enough to be what he had been aiming to turn the tide of the fight with she was somewhat prepared for his kick. The muscles in her abdomen tighten as he drives his leg into her side, a small grunt coming from her. Starting to bring her arms down to protect her core the left hook catches her across the jaw. That punch pushed her back a couple of feet from him, the Princess shaking her head after it connects, tasting blood.

To her credit Akassa recovers quickly, managing to snap her head to the side as his knee rises to try and hit it. Barely able to get her head out of the way, his knee slides along her cheek with a glancing blow lucky enough to save her from taking any serious damage. The half-saiyan’s left arm snaps up to wrap around his leg, grabbing onto his thigh as she pulls his shin in against her chest to keep him close to her. With his leg bent and held in her grasp her right arm reaches up to grab for his throat. If she was able to pull it off her hand would grip his throat tightly, starting to choke him.

”Impressive combo Conri…but too slow.” He might be able to notice the small amount of red on her lips, his left hook having split her lip a little. Despite the confidence and cocky comment it was obvious those strikes had hurt. She would not admit it yet, but the two of them were on par with each other. So far their fight had been going back and forth with him being unlucky enough to take more of her attacks head on, resulting in his wounds. As her fingers squeeze around his throat he might also notice she was breathing heavy, her chest rising and falling with some effort as the fight takes its toll on her stamina.

[Conri Lane]

Conri knew well enough that Akassa wasn't afraid to take hits, but it was nonetheless fun to get to tease her for a change, rather than getting it. If anything that she dodged showed him that he had improved quite a good deal, so he supposed that he should change a bit himself if he was going to be able to match her. That was where his latest plan came into play as his Ki blasts spread her arms open to create the chance that he needed to make everything fall into place. Her own attacks had struck a bit harder than normal thanks to the previous damage he had taken, but it had been worth it for the setup to work just right.

The attacks had landed properly, the left hook catching her squarely on the jaw, but the knee hadn't been as fortunately as she wrapped her arm around his thigh and pressed his shin against her chest. An awkward, but ultimately enjoyable situation overall, until she started to reach for his throat which meant he should probably initiate his own little trap. His free leg wrapped around her back, pulling them even closer together than she had by holding his thigh, making it much harder for her to get away now. When her hand moved towards his throat, he moved his hand to intercept hers, managing to squeeze his hand between her own and his throat to prevent a solid grip. This way she couldn't choke him as easily as she might have wanted to and with his free hand wrapped around the extended arm with a slight smirk to his lips. If Admiral Ackbar were here, he would say his famous line right about now, but at this point it would be a little too late.

"Let me change that up then," he responded with some confidence, as he noticed both the blood on her lip as well as the heaving of her chest. They were both pretty tired and he was pretty well beat up thanks to taking those extra attacks from her, so it would probably be drawing close to the end now. However, until it was over, he would fight until the end to make sure that he was the last one standing. That way he could hold his head high and know that he did everything in his power to bring his opponent down, although this was a bit of a special case here, he did get serious about it. So, to make up for the insult earlier, Conri would not hold anything back here and show Akassa just what he was fully capable of when he was looking to win no matter what the cost.

While she tried to choke him, he concentrated on the area around them and gathered as much electricity into the area as he could, continuing to focus his mind. If he kept the attacks so that he wouldn't overtax his mind, he could probably get out about four more attacks with his electrokinesis. However, if he didn't worry about it, he could squeeze out about six before the pain became too excruciating for him to handle. If he did too much it could probably cause permanent damage, if he was going to prove himself worthy of being the champion and show Akassa what kind of person he was, then this was his best chance. After a bit of thinking he decided to just do it and launched three bolts of lightning in rapid succession towards both of them, covering different angles that Akassa might try to evade. Since they were interlocked that other ability of hers should be locked as well, as he doubted she could fully utilize the speed with both of their weight holding her down.

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

As his hand blocks hers from getting a firm grip on his throat she growls a little, her arm flexing as she attempts go power through his blocking arm. Still looking to grab a hold of his neck her momentum was fully halted when his other arm wraps around her extended one. Then came his leg, the appendage bending around behind her body in order to hug her in close. Sure now that he was trying to hold in her place for something the Princess begins to struggle,  trying to pry herself free of his grasp.

After a couple of jerks and attempted twists she quickly realizes she can not simply pull away, their strength to close. On top of that he held her pressed up against his shin, the lack of space making it difficult for her to move in the first place. "This best not be some ploy of yours Conri...so help me if your hands make any attempt like before. I will rip them from you arms." Her tone was quite serious, her assumption based off of his comments and actions from earlier in their fight. Glaring up at him she was unsure if he planned to do anything more, perhaps he wished to hold her in place and talk until her ears bled...something she believed he was capable of. It wasn't that Conri was necessarily long winded, Akassa just wasn't much for words in combat so anyone that chose to converse throughout it was more talkative than the Princess would like. Akassa was about to find out how wrong she was, he was done holding back.

Momemts after her comment the female felt the hairs on her arm start to rise, remembering that feeling just before he had knocked her from the sky with a bolt of electricity. A quick learner she knew she did not want to be the target of that technique again, especially this far into their fight. Not able to get free she does the next best thing, sends her fist towards his side. With one hand protecting his neck and the other wrapped around her arm it meant his right side was open. Letting go of his thigh with her left,  no longer needing to hold his leg, she drives her fist into his ribs. Not thinking he would be able to block without letting go of her other arm she would attempt to send in multiple shots towards his side.

As for his attack she does her best to jolt them around in the air, lucky enough to dodge the first of his bolts. Unfortunately that was the extent of Akassa's luck. The second one in the salvo caught her in the leg, a powerful jolt running through her body as it strikes her. That was enough to stop her punches,  the Princess slightly stunned, unable to move as the final bolt slams into her lower back. Groaning deeply from that one as another powerful shock rocks her body she slumps against him, barely conscious after the two powerful jolts. Since her bukujutsu had been what was the holding them up the pair start to drop towards the ground as she struggles to remain conscious. The real question was how much of the shock had made it through her body and into his, the Princess having most likely taken the brunt of it.

[Conri Lane]

Thankfully his hand had succeeded in blocking hers from his throat, that would have been an experience he would not like to relive at the moment. Especially while she was still angered about his previous little act of mischief, it would be a bad idea to let her get a hold of his throat any time soon. As she tried to power her way passed his own hand, he tightened the grip of the one around her arm, seeing the arm stop in its tracks just centimeters away form reaching the intended target. Swallowing a bit, it was a bit awkward to be staring down her hand like this, it was almost like staring down a poisonous snake that could slip out of your grip at a moment's notice and bite.

Still, the next words caused him to raise an eyebrow as he looked down at Akassa with an expression that asked if she was being serious about that, but her tone said she was. "I have both my hands above your head, so unless you expect me to magically sprout a third one, I think it's safe to say your butt is safe...for now," that last part much quieter as a smirk crossed his features for a moment. Fortunately or Unfortunately, depending on how one looked at it, Conri would not be talking Akassa's ears off as he had said he would prove himself worthy of the title Champion. As of now, that was his goal, and he was going to do everything in his power to ensure that it would happen, one way or another. Even if it meant risking his own safety to accomplish that goal, but he supposed the final judgement rested with the Princess as it was anyways.

When she brought her arm down and released his thigh, he had a sinking feeling of what might be coming his way now thanks to that, and tensed his muscles to try and ready himself for the blows. It was also when he noticed that they had taken to the air to dodge the lightning bolts, and he watched as the ground got further away from him. That wasn't going to end well, he just knew it, but before he could say or do anything, he felt the punch hit his right side. The force behind it able to start cracking some of his ribs as he winced in pain but continued to hold on as much as he could to prevent her escaping from his attacks completely. The first bolt of lightning barely missing as it flew right passed his own body, and suddenly he knew why people didn't want to get hit by that.

Although he did have to say that he was impressed that Akassa dodged it so readily, impressed by her maneuverability with her flight. It was when the second bolt hit that things went bad, not only did the strike electrocute him as well, but it caused Akassa to slump against him possibly taking her out of the fight. Which left a sudden feeling of the ground becoming closer a lot faster, as the third bolt hit sending another shock through his own system, causing the Half-Saiyan to pant heavily, trying to keep himself awake. He needed to stay awake for both their sakes, and shifts himself so that his body is aligned with Akassa's wrapping an arm around her head and another around her waist.

This next part would really hurt as he setup three barriers of psychokinetic energy to slow their fall along the way, the exertion of pushing to his absolute limit already began causing massive pain to his mind. Nose bleeding rather profusely as they fell, he forced himself to stay awake and when they pushed through the last barrier he turned his body to absorb the majority of the impact from the fall. A pained grunt as he hit concrete, his arms falling limply to his sides as he was on the cusp of unconsciousness himself, he looked at Akassa. "You alright?"

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

Her fist connected with his side and bones cracked, but it was not enough to break herself free. Barely conscious the Princess was unaware that they were falling, unaware he had grab onto her so that she would not tumble off to the side. As he gripped her to his person they fell, his three psychokinetic barriers slowing their descent some as they dropped, before finally he slammed down on his back. Akassa landed on top of him as another groan came from her from the force of the impact. Struggling to try and stay awake she did not move at first as darkness bit at the edges of her vision, working its way inwards.

Unaware he had been holding her as they dropped she didn’t even notice the difference as his arms dropped away to land on the ground. With a soft groan she puts a hand to his chest, weakly trying to push herself up. The Princess heard him say something, but could not make out what it was. Beginning to prop herself up on him with her right arm she was visibly trembling, the aftereffects of the bolts still obvious as her muscles strained to lift her own weight. It was simply too much, the amount of electricity that had flown through her had sapped her of what strength had remained. Akassa loses her fight to remain conscious, her arm buckling as she drops back onto him as she blacks out.

The truth of the matter was that Conri was probably lucky she had not heard him asking if she was alright. Ezekiel NeCross had done the same thing during their very first spar and she had harshly reprimanded him for it. Akassa did not need anyone concerned with her well being, no matter what shape she was in the Princess was always “all right.” A proud warrior she would never answer otherwise, even if she were to be lying on the ground bleeding out. A Hattori did not complain and they did not bother others with their personal concerns.

During their fight she had, on multiple occasions question his true strength. She had even insinuated his victory in the tournament might have been a fluke, but when she awoke she would not do so again. Lying unconscious on top of him Akassa had lost. It was no fight to the death so everything had not been on the line, but just like when Conri fought against Ninjin neither of them had held back. Conri Lane could now say, if he wished, that he had bested the two eldest Hattori children in competitive combat, something no other in the Universe could claim. It seemed he was deserving of the title of Champion after all.

[Conri Lane]

It was a shame that he couldn't quite move too much in this current situation, it wasn't everyday that one had a princess laying on top of them. Then again it wasn't everyday that someone was skewered, burnt, had broken ribs, and had their mind trying to rip itself apart either. Remembering the last part he let out a hiss if pain as his back arched from the pain that sheered through his mind like thousands of tiny needles being hammered into his head. He really needed to gauge his usage of his kinetic abilities at lower levels a bit more, otherwise he was likely to destroy his mind the way he was going, but all thoughts were soon pushed out of his head by another surge of brain-ripping pain. It was only when Akassa put her hand on his chest that he could focus on something else, watching the Princess as she tried to push herself up. Probably not the best idea considering the kind of voltage she had hit her, hell he was hurting from the current that went through him and she took the full hit.

It also didn't seem like she heard what he had said, and then seems to fall unconscious as she falls back on top of him, seeming to be completely out of it. If it weren't for the fact that she was likely in a lot of pain to be passed out, he would have smirked at the fact that she just fell on top of him, but he supposed that he should try to wake her up. First, he would really need to stop the pain surging through his body before he lost consciousness himself, and given the positioning they were in it could be damaging to the Princess' reputation should they be found. Gritting his teeth he reached for the pouch that was tied to the back of his belt, pulling out the single sensu bean that he had saved for a rainy day. "Well, this isn't really a rainy day, but what the hell," he spoke, popping the thing into his mouth and chewing it thoroughly before swallowing. In an instant, his wounds, the pain, and all the fatigue that he had gotten throughout the battle were gone without any trace.

Pushing himself up slightly he tried to make sure that Akassa didn't fall off onto the concrete, and instead gently shook her shoulder to see if that would get her attention. "Hey Princess, can you hear me? You need to wake up," he tried to keep his voice low, figuring it would be able to wake her up as if she were asleep. Hopefully it would work and she would get up, he wasn't sure how badly she was injured, but if the lightning was an indicator it was probably pretty bad with being struck by three bolts. He would wait to see if his initial efforts had any results before trying something else to wake her, without also possibly causing more harm, that would be counterproductive.

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

When Akassa had fought Ninjin in the tournament his final blow, the kick to the side of her head, had knocked her unconscious. It was strange really, her practice sessions seemed to end with someone on the ground, out cold despite the fact they were only meant to be training exercises. It was most likely Akassa’s fault since she always took them so seriously and pushed her opponent to do the same. In her mind there was no point in a training session if you did not truly push yourself, even if the final result was one of you ending up unconscious. In a way it was sort of odd how the rush and excitement of combat so often ended with the calm release that unconsciousness brought with it. Such was the case today, the Princess lying motionless as he takes his senzu bean, starting to sit up while attempting to wake the girl up.

His words and the first couple of times he shook her were met with no response, the Princess not moving. As he continue to gently shake her though she would slowly begin to stir, groans coming from her first before her eyes flutter open. For a couple seconds after her eyes open Akassa looked lost, the haze brought about by losing consciousness still lingering. When her head finally clears, her body aching from their spar and especially the lightning bolts she seems to finally realize where she was. Looking at his chest first, her eyes then start scanning upward until they meet his face. Figuring out she was lying on top of him the Princess’s eyes widen as she quickly rolls off of him and onto the ground.

On her back, looking up at the darkness of space high above Alpha Prime she closes her eyes for a moment, trying to gather the energy to sit up. Slowly she forces herself to sit, slumping forward some as she does. Her entire body felt as if it had been put through hell, the powerful electric charges having done a number on her muscles and nerves. After a moment longer, seeming to have a full grasp on her bearings now she looks back over at him.

”Well fought Champion…” There seemed to be frustration in her tone, but also undeniable respect. The frustration was at her for having again been bested in combat while the respect was of course for him. Akassa had challenged him to prove his worth and he had done so, he was deserving of his title. Honestly, it was a rather impressive how powerful he had begun. When she had first met him days ago she had easily been able to overpower him, demanding that he reveal what information he had known. Now he had defeated her, although she was not sure how close to his limits he might have been there was no denying he had pushed her past her own. Rolling her neck she then starts to try and get to her feet, having some trouble as she attempts to get her legs underneath her.

[Conri Lane]

It was almost cute watching her like this, although he'd rather it be her sleeping than unconscious he could settle for this for the time being. It took a few tries to start even getting a sign of response from her, he had worried that he might have hit her too hard with those bolts of lightning and done worse damage to her. When she opened her eyes he relaxed though, watching as she seemed to realize where she was and seemed in a bit of a panic to move, while Conri let out a little chuckle at the sight. "G'Mornin' Princess," he gave her his little playful title for her, although she was a princess so it probably was a bit serious as well. Bah, semantics. It was still funny to see her reaction though, but he wondered what had been going through her mind at that point, it would be fun to find out.

Watching her for a moment it seemed like she was trying to get her bearings for a moment, feeling bad since it was mostly his fault, he kept quiet to let her focus. When she turned to him and spoke, he blinked slightly at her, the two tones of her voice seeming to clash a bit. Was she mad at him for beating her, but then she used a respectful tone to address him...this was really confusing. Scratching at his cheek, he figured he should probably say something, but he couldn't just be insensitive about it either. "You know you don't have to address me by title, right? I mean, aren't we friends?" he asked, though the question itself was somewhat serious, but he figured that she didn't need to be so formal with him.

When she was trying to stand up, he shook his head slightly a bit before standing himself and offering her his hand. He wouldn't say anything, he didn't look at her with any sympathy in his eyes, instead he held a gaze that showed he respected her. He kind of figured her for the type that wouldn't willingly accept help especially if the other was taking pity on her or whatever, but he would still try regardless. Of course, if she had any complaints, then he had something to say to her that might be able to allow him to do what he wanted for the time being. It might also have an adverse effect, but he would just have to wait and see what happened to know which way things would go first.

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

His first comment was ignored; his playful tone still not something she was that found of. Of course that didn’t mean he was going to stop it anytime soon, something she didn’t put much confidence in. Sitting still she attempts to stand once, but can’t quite get her legs in place under her as the Princess ends up on her backside again. Letting out a small sigh she gathers herself once more, glancing over at him as he asks if they were friends. Friends? Akassa wasn’t really friends with anyone. Even Ninjin, Ezekiel and Celeh, those she was closest too were not her friends…where they? Snorting some the female decides not to look too far into it, they were what they were no reason to categorize them.

Seeing his hand extend to her after he stands she has to look up a bit more to meet his eyes, expecting some sarcastic or playful comment to accompany the outstretched arm. To her surprise none came. Reaching up she grabs a hold of his hand, her grip still firm despite how exhausted most of her muscles were. With his help she rises to her feet, staggering a step before managing to stand on her own. Once up she rolls her neck slowly, feeling plenty of tension in the muscles there from the convulsing his bolts had induced before. She had lost just like to Ninjin and Ezekiel…what was wrong with her?

”Would you prefer I address you as Conri? It seems strange to request I not address you as Champion when you continue to address me as Princess…even if you are not referring to my actual title when you say it.” Already Akassa’s tone was mellowing out, her frustration fading quite quickly. The Princess prided herself on being in control of her emotions more often than not. It was true she was prone to outbursts, but in most cases she quickly reigned in her temper, rarely letting it get out of control.

Looking over at him the half-saiyan almost seems to assess him, as if trying to figure something out and indeed she was. When she had lost to Ninjin in the tournament she had believed it was simply because he was stronger, he had bested her. However, since then she had lost to Ezekiel NeCross and now Conri in one on one matches, perhaps something was wrong with her. If Akassa had learned anything from the Galactic Tournament and her trip to Alpha Prime it was that she needed to get stronger. Upon returning to New Vegeta she planned to train harder and longer than she ever had, her current level just wouldn’t do.

[Conri Lane]

Watching her she seemed to hesitate at his extended hand and instead looked him in the eyes instead, seeing that he wasn't about to put her down or joke make an inappropriate joke. There was plenty of time for that later, after all. When she grabbed his hand he pulled up gently so as to not through her off balance and made sure to be ready to catch her if she looked ready to fall again. A slight smirk formed at that the idea that she seemed to at least be able to depend on him enough for a simple thing like helping her, he was sure she would have made a comment about pride. Well, maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he expected, still it might be good to get to know her better as well and earn some more respect from her. She had wondered what she thought about them being friends as well, did she like the idea or was he gonna get smacked and called stupid for it. Honestly, he gave it fifty fifty odds for either scenario.

What she said next though struck him similarly as well, he had never considered that when he was making the request, so maybe he should see what she would prefer from him. "You're right and I apologize for that, I should have asked you about that. Would you prefer for me to address you as Akassa? I mean, if you have any preferences like that don't hold back and let me know I don't mind," he grinned a bit. He would be fine addressing her however she wanted to be addressed as, whether it still be princess or Akassa. If he was going to make that request of her than it was only fair that she could do the same of him, as he saw the two of them as equals. He crossed his arms and waited to see what she would prefer him to address her as, and he would adhere to it whenever they met, unless of course there was a situation where doing so would likely get him punched in the face or worse.

When she looked at him as if she was trying to assess him, he raises an eyebrow and wonders what she was thinking about, but instead of not saying anything he does what he does best. "Is there something on your mind? I mean, if you were just checking me out I don't mind, but it seemed like you were in deep thought," he smirked a bit. Hey, he had proved worthy of being the champion, he figured he at least earned the right to tease her a bit. Although, he would only do it when it was the two of them, since he was sure she wouldn't enjoy it in public and would probably try to kill him...again. Still, he was curious about what was on her mind that she seemed to be so deeply contemplating, it seemed like it had something to do with him.

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

Aching all over Akassa wasn’t in the best mood, but then again when was she in a good mood? During a fight was probably the time she was in the highest of spirits, even if her competitive side did make her seem aggressive. The Princess had been increasingly violent during their spar, but now that it was over she was quite calm, outwardly appearing that she did not care she had lost. Of course internally she was furious at herself for the poor performance especially after having so recently lost to Ninjin and Ezekiel as well. Whether he sensed this or not his sudden change in demeanor seemed to relax her further, the female handling a serious conversation much better than the playful ones he had been attempting.

”You may address me as Princess, but using it in reference to my position or you may call me Akassa.” There came a slight pause before she spoke again, taking a deep breath to finally get her breathing back to normal after losing consciousness. ”I will address you as Conri if that is what you wish, although I do not understand why you would prefer that over the title you have earned.”

Looking him over she does get a little lost in her own thoughts as she contemplates her apparent weakness compared to him and the others she had recently fought against. When he starts to speak to her again she snaps out of it, looking back at his face before letting out a snort in response to his words. His serious approach had been nice, but she should have been smart enough to realize it would not last long. He insisted on flirting with her, regardless of how many times she ignored it or turned him down. Privately she had to admit she held more respect for him now, but they were not quite friends…more like acquaintances at this time. Honestly she wasn’t sure if she could ever get used to the strange half-saiyan, then again she had thought similarly when it came to Ezekiel and Celeh at first.

”I was not ”checking you out,” I was trying to figure what it is that I lack. It seems all I have done since arriving on this system is get bested in combat.” There was obvious frustration in her tone and having gotten to know her a little Conri most likely understood how prideful the Princess was. Rolling her shoulders she starts to walk away, apparently done with their conversation or at the very least still distracted by her own thoughts.

[Conri Lane]

"Then I'll call you Akassa from now on," he agreed to her request on that. If he wanted her to call her by his name he should do the same for her, plus he preferred names to a person's title. When she asked about why he wanted to be called by his name, he chuckled lightly and tried to find the right words to explain the reason. "I prefer my name because it's who I am while the champion title is what I have done. I value who I am over what I've done, if that makes sense." Laughing, he thought it sounded kind of corny, but it was at least the truth for him, his name held more importance to him than a title ever could.

The snort at his words elicits another laugh from him, sometimes it was fun to make little jokes like that and he figured being so serious wasn't good. Who knew what he would be like if he was serious all the time, the only thing he knew was that it wouldn't be a good thing that was an indisputable fact in his mind. Still, it was amusing to see her reaction nonetheless, but then she started to talk about what she was thinking about and he crossed his arms while listening. It was odd for her to reveal something like this to him, he didn't think she was the type to talk about such a heavy subject, least of all with him. So, he did the only proper thing and listened seriously while thinking of possible ideas to why she might feel that is lacking.

"Well, what is your reason for fighting? I mean, our battle was close enough that it could have simply come down to luck or perhaps what each of us were willing to do," he shrugged slightly. His tone was serious, and he would at least walk with her for a bit before heading off to try and help her with trying to figure this out.

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

His words actually struck Akassa quite profoundly. As a proud warrior the Princess was all about honoring what she was over what she had done. Sure she had wanted to win the tournament to prove her worth to everyone, but it had been more than that. If she had won the tournament than the Hattori name would have been the one the known Universe was talking about. Above all else Akassa wanted her family to benefit from her actions, from what she could accomplish. Actually smiling some as he laughs, the half-saiyan no doubt feeling a bit awkward after such a serious statement, she could understand where he was coming from.

”Very well Conri.” Again he seemed serious as she spoke about what was on her mind. The sudden shift in his temperament was odd. Had they finally found some common ground between the two of them? Starting to walk away from him, not wanting to bother him further with the realization of her short comings she was surprised to find him walking up alongside her. Glancing over to him as he asks her what she fought for the Princess says nothing for a moment, not sure if he would understand.

”I fight for my family. Not in the sense that you did in the tournament in order to protect your father, but for my family’s honor. The stronger I am the better I can represent them. That was the same reason I joined the tournament…another failure.” Snorting some again she seemed to be getting a bit frustrated, or perhaps it was the fact she was sharing more with him than she intended. Akassa was a confident woman and quite controlled most of the time, but her human half sometimes caused her emotions to shine through.

(Sorry its a bit short, got tired heh)

[Conri Lane]

Very few could say they truly knew Conri Lane as well, but he was proud of the man that he was right now, so putting a title over it was a no go for the man. Winning the championship was in reality just a stepping stone for him as well, it helped him to become more powerful over the course of the event. There was something much higher on his list that he was aiming for that it just made the tournament seem unimportant in comparison. Not that he was putting the thing down, but priorities were something he did actually have a grasp on even if he seemed to be a bit of a goof. He was still going to be the champion and a role model, it just wasn't what he would let define him as a person either.

"Thank you, Akassa," he enjoyed saying her name, especially since through her own admission she preferred for him to call him by it. Well, it was that or using Princess in relation to her actual position, but that seemed rather odd to constantly refer to her as whenever they met up. So, he name was much better in that regard. Stealing a glance to the side as she seems to be assessing his behavior, but he supposed that was natural. He had been more of a goofball recently, so it was easy to see why she would doubt that he was being serious and sincere right now. When she spoke, he listened carefully to what she had to say regarding her reason for fighting and stroked his chin slightly at that.

"I can understand fighting for family honor, like the warriors of old would do fighting the toughest of opponents to do so. Well, I have two questions for you then. First, do you have a personal reason beyond the fighting for your family's honor? The second, are you willing to die for your cause even when fighting in spars?" his eyes glanced over to her once more. That might have been the difference between them really, while he would rather not die, he was always willing to do so to become stronger for his reason for fighting. Then again maybe it was just no one was crazy enough to electrocute themselves multiple times to bring down an opponent, either scenario was likely with him.

"My fighting for my father was my reason for joining the tournament, my reason for fighting reaches far beyond the tournament and I am fully willing to die for it even in something as simple as a spar," he added just to confirm any possible suspicions she might have from his words. He had a reason for fighting that he would risk his life in a spar if it meant that he could get stronger, it would probably get him killed sooner than later, but no one ever said that he was sane.

[Queen Akassa Hattori]

A personal reason? Akassa wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by that. Of course she wanted to become stronger, to increase her power so that she could better serve her family, but that was still for the crown. Walking slowly with him she seems to hesitate with the first question, looking over at him again. Perhaps it was because she had just lost or maybe she was actually getting a little comfortable with him, but the Princess actually answers his question. Recently Akassa had been slightly more open with her own personal thoughts, having had spent much more time away from the Palace. Maybe the new people she had been meeting were having an influence on her after all.

”I fight to become stronger if that is what you mean. Beyond that I do not really have any other goals that are my own, that would be selfish. Like you, many others do not understand the duties I have as daughter of King Tsuyo. I do not have the leisure of fulfilling my every whim and desire as I please.” Snorting some she looks away from him, not really that surprised he would question her goals. Everyone she met asked her why she did so much for her family and most complained about the poor treatment she often received. So many individuals questioned her without even knowing who she truly was.

”As for your second question…yes. I have no intention of dying during any sparring session, but you can bet your life that I will give everything I have.” Rolling her neck the Princess starts to quicken her pace as the muscles in her legs start to feel like normal again. Akassa was going to sleep well tonight after all of this. For a moment she would just walk in silence, apparently satisfied with their conversation so far, but before long something needed to be asked. Ever since the end of the tournament there had been something she wanted to ask him. Clearing her throat a little she speaks again.

”My turn to ask a question. Why is it you want to start this organization of yours? Are you looking to make money as a mercenary? I only ask because you seem to care little for your title and the attention that goes with it, yet if you start a group like that then you will only find yourself getting more attention if you are successful.” Akassa felt it was a legitimate question since he seemed to care little about his newest title. Then again she had to admit as much as she had learned about him today she felt she still did not know him well, he was just too unpredictable to know without spending a decent amount of time around him, at least in her opinion.