2008-09-08 "So Awesome!"

[Scient]

I really hope she isn't going to give up her secret ultimate ninja technique in a friendly sparring match.

[Pillaroforder]

Why does Sarine's expression in panel 2 look more like a 'realisation' rather than aknowlegment of Sara's location? Do I feel a 'private conversation' between both elves coming up?

[RubberBandMan]

What, like "Stay away, she's MINE" Kinda thing? Out in the field she may of not been able to 'get to know' Sara as much as she would of liked, and now Misa is cutting in and trying to get the girl before Sarine makes her move.

Ignoring the lesbian-fantasys, its more likely that Sarine knows that this sparring match will not end well.

[davester65]

Ignoring the lesbian-fantasys, its more likely that Sarine knows that this sparring match will not end well.

When Sara and Sarine had their little duel, Sara played by the rules until Sarines goading made her lose her temper (that and Sarine's nifty little trick of grabbing Sara's staff and then punching her in the face with her swords bell guard). Misa seems too perky and friendly to goad Sara on so this really could just end up being a friendly little sparring match. Just because Sarine can kick Misa's ass doesn't mean Misa couldn't hold her own against plenty of other people. Possibly even Sara in a non magical match.

[Slamlander]

Seriously, though, what we have here could easily turn into that famous militaryn saying "No combat ready unit has passed inspection, no inspection ready unit has passed combat." It all depends on Misa. She's had 1500 years of training... and no real application. It's probable that her trainers have real combat experience, but she herself, as RubberBandMan states, would have gotten no opportunity to get any of her own. Unless her trainers have been REALLY good at simulating real combat conditions, she's going to be doing things from the prespective of tournament regulations, and safety rules, and proper form...

This is indeed the main reason that my instructors forbade any of our school from participating in (or even to help train those for) tournaments (Why I missed the Long Beach, California, Tournament, in 1969. Yes, a sore point with me, at the time. I learned better later, in the US Army).

If Misa has a good head on her shoulders and her trainers have been able to get a sense to her that there's a time to chuck out the book, she'll be fine. If, on the other hand, she's very stuck on tournament play... she's done. The fact that she gleefully is suggesting live blades implies to me that she's clueless...

The fact that one of her trainers was, in fact, Sarine, suggests that she may indeed have proper training. Note that they are not starting with live blades until Misa has had a chance to assess Sara. That suggests a certain element of caution on Misa's part, showing a good strong hint of clue-factor. Note that they've both sparred with live blades before but neither of them knows that about the other.

If y'all remember, Sarine has challenged Sara to not relie on time magic as much. However, Sarine is probably worried that Sara will reveal her ace card. Sparring with Sara is like practicing with a live granade that you think is a dummy practice granade. Get careless and it'll go off.

I'm noting that both Amraphaels are trained to a high degree of sociopathy. Both of them know that losing your temper in a fight is the fastest way to lose the fight and get dead. There should be nothing, in a sparring match, that could get Sara to blow her cool. That said, Sara has been chided, by Sarine, for dropping into time-ninja mode too easily. Sara does that too much without thinking and it's too easy for her to do. Misa has been trained by Sarine and is relieing on her inate Elf combat superiority. No, I think that they might surprise each other, in this one.

*grabs popcorn and chair in order to spectate properly, expecting a bonding moment.*

[Sareth]

I bow before the logic of your arguments. Makes sense to me.

Here, gimmie some of that popcorn.

[Talancir]

hmm. fangirl with weapons. scary, scary business.

[Slamlander]

Sarine could be in real trouble from this, if those two bond.

[Amaterasu]

The fact that she gleefully is suggesting live blades implies to me that she's clueless...

Not really, you are thinking real world instead of fantasy.

Sarine got a killing blow sliced through her chest and shoulder by a vibro blade and she just slapped a heal spell on it and went on to win the fight. When you can heal mortal wounds with a single spell practicing with live blades is not much of a risk.

[runic]

Sarine could be in real trouble from this, if those two bond.

that sounds a lot like EN.

I think in the end that sara has invariable found someone else to drive her out of her mind and into plot device.