Sounds good to me. I had to skip breakfast, anyway, so this'll be good for me too. Just gimme a bit, okay? [ Safi reassured the former monarch, excusing herself back to her kitchen. It sounded as though she was quite busy for the time that she was gone, judging by the sounds of running water, +

Who's gonna MAKE ME? It definitely isn't gonna be- WHOA! [ Before her next taunt, she had to silence herself and focus on getting out of the way of the incoming blows. Only, it was getting harder, Zeena was getting more aggressive than Safi had planned for. She had to seal the deal, and fast... ] +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

The Zeti snarled; more of her strength was coming out, as she started throwing harder and harder punches, advancing on Safi, bloodthirst evident in her eyes. And the air was starting to get colder too. The echidna was VERY close to pushing her over the edge... "Shut. UP."

Should I be? I should've been KO'd a few punches ago. [ Safi teased with her tongue stuck out, only narrowly avoiding the second punch before retaliating with a kick to send the Zeti back. ] For as sleek as you look, you aren't all that fast on your feet, and if I'm dodging you... [ But for +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

The punch to the side landed, but Zeena managed to catch the uppercut. Her gaze was icy cold... and the air seemed a bit chillier now... "You should be." She drew her other hand back, curling it into a fist, before throwing it out, letting go of Safi's hand moments before the punch can land.--

You can't be THAT easy to read! [ Another taunt, anything to make her more aggressive and prone to mistakes; that was going to be Safi's ace in the hole. As the next punch came her way, the echidna once again kept on her feet and avoided the oncoming blow, dipping to the side as she let loose her +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

"GUH-" Okay, that caught her off guard. Her eyes went wide as the echidna's foot met her midsection, the force of her launch making it actually *hurt* to a decent degree. That, she didn't expect... She tried to ignore the echidna's comment. She was trying to get under her skin. She couldn't let--

Trust me, I get sick of those types real easily. I don't get them myself. And if you mop the floor with them, then they're drawing weapons, threatening to tear up your smithy, calling me a bunch of words you shouldn't say around kids... [ A snicker, and Safi's turned her back to Jet briefly +

Jet the Hawk@jetthehawk.bsky.social · last yr.

Holy SHIT someone who gets me! [The hawk threw his head back in exasperation, tensely clawing his hands across his scalp.] Like...ninety percent of the races I get into are with the type who you gotta take the first swing at or they'll run you right off the track! ...

[ And, just as she was prepared for, Safi moved out of the way of the next strike, if only slightly, with her foot stock out and tripping the Zeti once she had advanced close enough, so the only person meeting the ropes was going to be Zeena. And once she was bounced off said ropes, the echidna's +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

"Nah, I'd just rather not kill someone.~" She gave a smirk, cracking her knuckles before beginning to move towards the echidna; her steady walk turned into a lunge, aiming to shoulder-check her right into the ropes! Though, if avoided, she'd be left wide open for an easy counterattack...

Hey, I don't mind showing you around! The place isn't super quiet, but it isn't super busy like one of the major cities, either. Just gimme a sec to put all the stuff away. [ Safi responded, not exactly picking up on any of the audible cues from Sally regarding her difficult past prior to meeting +

Duh, of course there's more class to it. The only injuries you get in a race are gonna be caused by the rider slipping up... or if someone decides to play dirty. Still, I think my chances of escaping unscathed are better in a race than in a fight. I totally get what you mean, though. [ Safi stood +

Jet the Hawk@jetthehawk.bsky.social · last yr.

Nah, nah, nah, nothing like that. [ The bandit holds up his hands defensively, shaking his head. ] I'm just tired of people who think threatening me with a fight'll get me to back down, like I can't handle myself when the fists start flying. ...

[ So far, she's only gotten one good hit in, and she wasn't even sure how good that hit was. Safi wasn't up against another being like herself, was this stranger an alien of some kind? She didn't have time to try and understand, but merely think outside the box; a victory by KO or ringout wasn't +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

Zeena went for a swipe of her claws as Safi approached, but was caught off guard when she redirected into a punch to her midsection; thinking fast, she threw her head back, narrowly dodging the uppercut, before grabbing at the echidna's forearm to fling her into the ropes; if successful, the--

In my defense, we've only spoken to each other twice. I barely know you beyond you being a racer. [ ... this was very awkward now. ] Sorry to get your hopes up for something else... besides, I wouldn't take trash talk THAT seriously. It's not like our lives are on the line over it. Just dumb +

Jet the Hawk@jetthehawk.bsky.social · last yr.

[ Jet raised a brow. ] Hold on, are you trying to tell me...But what about all that talk about throttling me? And the back-and-forth about knocking each other on our faces!? [ Just like that, the fire flickered out of the Rogue's eyes, his shoulders slumping as he dropped his stance. ] ...

. . . W-wait a sec, we ARE racing, aren't we? That's what I thought your challenge was. [ Not the direction she expected this encounter to go in. ] I don't doubt you could take me in a fight. I'm kinda terrible in a fight. [ Not entirely a lie, but she couldn't use her real "strength" against +

Jet the Hawk@jetthehawk.bsky.social · last yr.

[ Resting a palm against his forehead which cast a shadow over his eyes, the Rogue turned to the side, casting his gaze on Safi from the edge of his vision. ] Cute of you to still think you stand a chance. Don't worry, though. I'll deal with you the same way I do everything else! ...

Oh, crap-! [ She was fast. She LOOKED fast. But taking a hit or two wasn't bad in this instance, what she needed most of all right now was information. So, the sweep and the following strike connected, and the echidna was knocked down, letting out an annoyed grunt as she quickly stood back up. +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

The punch landed home; secretly, the Zeti was trying to gauge the strength of the echidna. After all, like she said, this wasn't a deathmatch. She'd rather not accidentally kill her. She was pleasantly surprised at the force of the blow; alright, good, she didn't need to completely throw in--

Ugh. I hate cocky types. Especially when it's under a mask of "playing nice." But fine. I guess you want to study as much as I do. [ A crack of her neck, and Safi took off towards her opponent. Once she got close enough, a single punch was launched, but it seemed to lack force. In her eyes, she +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

Zeena grinned at that, cracking her knuckles. "I gotta go easy on ya since this is a tournament, not a deathmatch. So... I'll let you take the first strike, yeah? But ya better not waste it~!" She adopted a fighting stance, fists up... smirking confidently, ready to fight... #𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚𝑭𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒐𝒏𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒛𝒂

[ Safi entered the arena, far less extravagantly, not really knowing the steps of what made a good introduction... and her nerves were getting to her a little. She didn't know anything about this opponent. With a deep breath and some quick stretches to limber up, the echidna's eyes finally met +

Zeena the Zeti@invidiousgreen.bsky.social · last yr.

@echidna-engineer.bsky.social Zeena vaulted the arena's ring, landing on the ground with a 'thud'. She was in her usual attire as always. She'd discarded her sword for now; after all, weapons and powers weren't allowed in the fights. She could deal with that. She also knew she had to hold back--

... okay. This has been a veritable wealth of information. A shame about the green one, but I understand that the bluebird is a tactical fighter; attack first, and she will punish you. The rabbit is... powerful. I don't think I stand a chance against her in a straight up fight, not with my skill...+

... the green one is fast. She keeps throwing out attack after attack. She doesn't seem terribly bright. But the blue one is completely quiet and focused, like she's waiting for a mistake. Two totally different sides of battle... [ She's getting invested in the first match! ] #𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚𝑭𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒐𝒏𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒛𝒂

[ She's taking her seat in the stands in anticipation of the first match. Her eyes were practically glued to the arena, knowing well that she had to memorize what her potential opponents excelled at, so she could plan accordingly when the time came for her own battles. ] #𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚𝑭𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒐𝒏𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒛𝒂

All this for a fashion show...? I must have missed a few things. But either way... [ Safi snickered mischievously. A place this big was sure to be filled with people with deep pockets, or people with good connections -- this was a big opportunity for her, if she could turn some heads! And luckily +

۝ ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝘼𝙎 𝙃𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙔~.ᐟ@sweetlikehoneycomb.bsky.social · last yr.

« 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑮𝑨𝑳𝑨 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹 » The cat opened up the doors to a grand hall she had rented out just for this event. It was extravagant, laced with gold ribbons everywhere and beautiful decor and fashionistas from all over Mobius, including Honey herself. +

So you don't really know what you want, either. [ A curious hum from the echidna. ] I don't think anyone really does, beyond basic needs or wants. With your ego, though, I'm surprised you'd be worried about something that... deep. I think that's the right word for it.

Jet the Hawk@jetthehawk.bsky.social · last yr.

Sometimes I wonder what it is that I even want anymore. I keep telling myself that it's respect...that I deserve to be treated as equals no matter what I apply myself to, both on and off the track. I don't want to be seen as only a racer. I don't want to be seen as only a thief.

Fashion is like... the LEAST of my concerns. However! [ She's hurriedly and happily signing her name up for this. ] Anything to get my name more out there! More eyes on me means more business!

۝ ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝘼𝙎 𝙃𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙔~.ᐟ@sweetlikehoneycomb.bsky.social · last yr.

«𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑!» 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐏! 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩!

. . . [ That ego and that tone tells her who this is before she even turns to look at him. This would have been a good day for some tune-ups, but she can't very well let that attitude slide, either. ] I don't remember asking you for one. But it's kind of you to show up and receive yours! [ She +

Jet the Hawk@jetthehawk.bsky.social · last yr.

Jet appears behind @echidna-engineer.bsky.social, a wide grimace plastered on his beak as he raps his heel loudly against the pavement to try and get her attention. "I think I owed you an ass-kicking, did I not?"

. . . that's not normal. [ Her arm has some kind of... growth? No, that wasn't quite right... it looked as though someone poured liquid metal onto her arm. She could have sworn she bathed the night prior... so why was something like this still on her? Was it even ON her yesterday? ] Proto's been +

[ Safi watched with eyes wide and her curiosity being piqued. She wasn't expecting to see the process in person, nor just how intricate it was. When she finally saw the board in question, she couldn't help but grab hold of it and throw herself onto it, giving it a brief spin as asked. Safi was +

Allie, huh... [ A tilt of the head, and a hand up to her chin, as if she was trying to remember something - or someone. ] ... nah, you're definitely new. I've memorized most if not all of the locals, and even some passerbys who regularly pass through town, and you don't fit with either group. So,+

Oh, issuing a challenge for that abolity of yours, huh? Okay. Then, in that case... you know about extreme gear, right? Can you cook up a new board with those nanites of yours? J-just in case I ever need a backup gear.

"You just let me worry about that." [ A pat on her back, and Safi went right back to carrying her goods, as if that abrupt crash between the two didn't even take place. Leading the stranger a bit aways from the market area, the pair found themselves at a simple looking house, standing out was not+

[ Safi was no stranger to helping folks out on hard times, and this one looked to be going through some herself. She wasn't sure of her story, nor how she got here, but none of that really mattered at the moment; someone needed help and she had the means to offer that help. Plus, they seemed kind +