"Alex-san!" Jiro had been busily focusing himself after loosing his ki blast, and the vamps had gotten past him. Now, Alex was down, along with one of the monsters.

"You will pay for your hunting, monsters," he growled, refocusing his ki. Dark blue light coalesces around his fists as he moves towards the vampire who charged Alex, feinting with a left before lunging into a right with all the force of his will behind it. "Fist of the Oni!"

[OOC: Taking ten on an Acrobatic Feint on the nearest one, shifting the array to Fist of the Oni as I do so and using Fist of the Oni to ki-punch the vamp as hard as I can.

Acrobatic Feint at 22 thanks to taking ten, then punching the charging vamp.
14:39, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 13 using 1d20+10. Fist of the Oni. DC 25 toughness save if that hits.]

Jiro ducks and dodges, stepping towards one Vampire, then suddenly swinging at the second. Caught totally off guard, the vampire takes the full force to it's unbreathing chest. It staggers back a step, then snarls. "You'll have to do better then that, blood-bag!"

The injured vampire licks it's bloodstained claws and swings at Jiro, it's supernatural speed allowing it to score a blow.

The other vampire bends down grabs Alex. It tries to hold her in place and sink it's teeth into her, but she shrugs it's grasping hands off with ease.

[OOC: 17:43, Today: Gamemaster rolled 25 using 1d20+8. Vampire Toughness Save. -3 for math error = Injured.
17:49, Today: Gamemaster rolled 17 using 1d20+8. Intimidate as Move action.
resist with Intimidate, Sense Motive, or Will Save or be flat footed.
17:48, Today: Gamemaster rolled 27 using 1d20+8. Attacking Jiro.
17:48, Today: Gamemaster rolled 20 using 1d20+8. Attacking Alex.
17:52, Today: Gamemaster rolled 13 using 1d20+12. Vampire Grapple Check.

17:53, Today: Gamemaster, on behalf of Alex, rolled 20 using 1d20+19. Grapple Check.

Vampire 1 - Injured
Vampire 2 -
]

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Alex screams in the vampires face. With no concern for defense, Alex attacks. She was NOT going to let this thing suck on her blood.

17:58, Today: Alex rolled 22 using 1d20+17. AAO 5 VS Vampire.
Improved Grab/Damage Combo
17:59, Today: Alex rolled 38 using 1d20+19. Grapple Check.
That's 2 DC 23 toughness saves.

Status - Stunned, Injured 1, Bruised 1]

Jiro winces as the claws connect, but shakes it off.

[OOC: 14:57, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 24 using 1d20+10. Toughness save vrs vamp claws.

14:58, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 25 using 1d20+10. Will save. ]

He shoots the monster a look, sneering. "A poor threat, one which I do not believe." He dances towards the vampire again, fists shrouded in blue light as he channels his ki, then lashes out with a charged kick.
[OOC: Acrobatic Feint, -1 since I used it on him last round, taking 10 for a 21. Shifting the array to Ki Focus and making a ki strike attack.

15:02, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 13 using 1d20+12. Hero point to re-roll. 15:04, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 15 using 1d20+12. Hero point reroll. - adjusted to 25 from the hero point. DC 23 toughness save.

Jiro's playmate's blood curdling scream intimidation factor is somewhat reduced by the fact that it is still shaking off the ki-charged kick to the side of his head. It makes a clumsy attempt to attack, but Jiro doesn't even need to try to dodge.

Alex's panic fueled attack works. She gets a firm grip on the vampire, slams his stomach down on her head and shoulders, then jumps straight up. WAY up. Power slamming the Vampire into the ceiling up.

Dust falls, and soon there after do the combatents. Twisting in the air, Alex cushions her fall with the Vampire's stunned form.

18:07, Today: Gamemaster rolled 21 using 1d20+4. Vampire 1 Toughness Save.
18:09, Today: Gamemaster rolled 21 using 1d20+5. Vampire 2 Toughness Save.
18:09, Today: Gamemaster rolled 15 using 1d20+5. Vampire 2 Toughness Save.

18:11, Today: Gamemaster rolled 18 using 1d20+7. Intimidate as Move action.
18:12, Today: Gamemaster rolled 9 using 1d20+8. Attacking Jiro.


Vampire 1 - Injured 2
Vampire 2 - Injured, Stunned

Jiro Koji's smile was unpleasant as he darted in towards his vampiric foe, ki shifting again as he bobs and weaves. A glance told him Alex was on top of her foe(literally) and he could concentrate on finishing his own. Darting forward, he faked a right and then sent in a left, an uppercut intended to remove heads. "Fist of the Oni!"

[OOC: Acrobatic Bluff once more, the cumulative penalty brings this one down to 20.

Shifting the array to Fist of the Oni

15:32, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 21 using 1d20+10. Fist of the Oni on my dance partner. DC 25 toughness save if it connects.]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:34, Tue 01 Feb 2011.

Alex looks at the chair she had just been sitting on and smiles. She grabs it and then attempts to ram the wooden leg into the heart of the Vampire.

18:35, Today: Alex rolled 25 using 1d20+17. AAO 5 VS Vampire.

Jiro's Oni Fist strikes square on the Vampire's jaw. It goes flying, smashing through the ceiling and up out of sight. At the rate it's going, it's probably going to land some distance into the ocean.

Alex's chair is just sharp enough, and she is more then strong enough, to pierce the heart with ease. The vampire explodes into a cloud of dust.

18:39, Today: Gamemaster rolled 12 using 1d20+3. Vampire 1 Toughness Save.
18:44, Today: Gamemaster rolled 2 using 1d20-1. Vampire Toughness Save, VS Stake.

Jiro smirks at the hole in the roof, then glances at the pile of dust that was Alex's target, and from there to the counter. "You okay back there?"

Whatever answer he gets, he turns back to Alex, his ki shifting and causing his hands to gain a soft, warm blue glow. "I know you heal fast, Alex-san, but I can offer some assistance to speed things up. We might need to deal with this one a bit more." He nods at the last vampire, still lying on the floor with his neck at an angle that would be unsurvivable for a human being. "These sorts have an irritating habit of not staying dead."
[OOC: array shifted to Merciful Spirit's Grasp. If Alex will let me, I'll heal her, but I'm not about to force myself on her in any way given how her night started.]

Alex just sits staring at the pile of dust under her. At Jiro's offer, she gives a shaky nod, and sighs deeply as the healing power flows through her.

"Thank you." she murmurs.

She takes a few deep breaths and looks at the remaining vampire. "No, I didn't finish it off. Wood stake through the heart will dust it." Alex says in a matter of fact tone.

Then she starts to tremble, her voice breaking. "How do I know that? Vampires aren't real, and most of the time they don't go all dusty in books or TV."

She turns and looks Jiro in the eyes, tears running down her face. "I... I killed it. It was going to EAT ME and I killed it. What... How..."

[ooc: The combined recover bonus is means auto-success. No more injuries.]

Kuso. Adrenaline crash. Gently, Jiro lowers her to one of the chairs a bit away from vampire. "Calmly, Alex-san. You did not kill it, it was already dead. It was not a person, just a beast, and it cannot hurt you again." He turned back to the other where it lay. "And neither will this one."

Grasping a fallen chair, he snapped off one leg, getting himself a sharp bit, and took a firm grip on it. Taking a moment to aim, he stabbed the makeshift stake into the vampire's chest. He threw the stake aside, feeling the effects of his own adrenaline fading. He took a moment to walk to the counter, glancing at the clerk.

[OOC: if he's obviously hurt, I'll heal him, if not, I'll just continue.]

"We are alive. I know a place nearby that is relatively safe. And tomorrow, when the sun is high and vampires cannot stalk us, I know of one we can find who might be able to help us both.

He walks back to the chair where he deposited the girl. "Alex-san, will you trust me?"

Alex allows Jiro to lead her to the chair. She nods jerkily in response. "Right. Vampire. Unholy creature of the night. Not a person. Okay..."

She sits there while Jiro stakes the vampire, looking away as he does.



Alex looks at Jiro, down at the piles of dust, then at the door. She takes a deep breath and stares into his eyes. Jiro get's the sense she's trying to judge him. Finally she extends a hand and says "I'll trust you."

The Clerk looks up at Jiro and gives him a thumbs up. You see that he has a cordless phone in his hand. He covers the mouthpiece with his other hand. "I'm good. Thanks man. The cops will be here soon, but I'll forget what you look like if you and your girlfriend want to disappear." He whispers.

"Then I shall endevor to be worthy of your trust." So saying, he accepts the offered hand gently and heads for the door, exchanging a last nod with the clerk and dropping a $10 on the counter. "Sorry for the mess."

As they walk into the night, he leads the way towards his motel, eschewing the shortcuts offered by alleys in favor of the well-lit streets, keeping a close eye on the surroundings and passers by.

[OOC: taking 10 on notice as we walk, for a result of 22]

As the silence stretches, he starts to feel awkward again. Small talk would hardly be the stupidest thing you've done tonight. "So. You never answered my question earlier. Where are you supposed to be?"

"What? Oh... that's right. I should be at home, in bed, sleeping before work in the morning. That's where I was before I ended up in that alley. I'm from a small town in Ontario." She pauses, suddenly looking uneasy. "There is an Ontario here, right? A province of Canada? Come to think of it... if I'm in another world I then I might be in another time. What year is it?"

"There is indeed an Ontario in Canada. The capital city is there. I passed through Toronto on my journeys early last year." Thank you, merciful Kami-sama, that at least that much is the same. "As for the year, this is early September in 2008. And Emerald City is on the west coast, if that helps. Quite a night." He smiled to try and take the edge out of his statement. Now, Kamis willing, we'll have a safe, boring walk back to the motel.

[OOC: still taking 10 on Notice for anything out of the ordinary here.]

It doesn't take long to get back to the Motel. It's a small place, but there is a couch large enough to sleep on in addition to the bed.

"Oh. Good. At least there's that... How much farther to your place?"

As it turns out, not that much.

Jiro probably notices Alex casting an eye towards the bathroom, specifically the shower.

"It's not much, but for now at least it's home," he said as he let her in. I'll definately be on the couch tonight. I think I saw a spare blanket in the closet. He drops his pack on the couch, and, noticing her glances, gestures towards the bathroom. "Ladies first, I insist."

As she closes the bathroom door, Jiro quickly double-checks the lock on the main door, then turns to his luggage. Oooohkay. That shirt is bloody and ripped up now, which is a shame because I like that one, but the pants are fine at least. He digs through the pack, fishing out a clean navy blue t-shirt (it would probably be a bit loose on her, she didn't quite have his build) and some spare socks. After a moment's hesitation, he also grabbed a sports bra and some underwear.

Standing at the bathroom door, he says, "I've got some clean clothes here for you. Can I open the door and put them on the counter, or should I just drop them out here?"

"Thank you. I... I want to talk some more but... I think I really need a shower. Or something else normal, but a shower seems good."

Soon the sound of water could be heard. After a few minutes, Singing could be heard. "I'se The Bye that builds the boat. And I'se the b'y that sails her! I'se the b'y that catches the fish And takes 'em home to Lizer."

"Uhhh... Just put them on the counter will be fine. Thank you!"

Not long after, she emerges from the bathroom, looking to be in a far better mental state. She sits on the couch, rubbing the socks in appreciation. "You know... it's really not my place to pry. But I'm curious. Am I going to have your girlfriend mad at me for borrowing her clothes or do you, like a lumberjack, enjoy dressing up in woman's clothing and hanging around in bars?"

She blushes a bit. "Feel free to tell me to go grapp myself."

http://i63.photobucket.com/alb...perhero/88680908.jpg

Okay, that had to be a reference to something. Now if only I knew what. He filed his pondering of the quote to the back burner. She'd asked a valid question, and she deserved an honest answer. And it's not like she could run off and get you in deep trouble. Who would she run to? Other than 'away from the freak.' He nodded, sighing, as he stood. "A fair question, Alex-san. One best answered by a demonstration."

He walked into the bathroom, next to the sink, giving her a moment to follow to the door. "No girlfriend. I hang on to women's clothes for... practical reasons." He turned on the tap, letting cold water flow for a moment, then sticking a hand into the flow.

The transformation is immediate. One moment, a young Japanese man, perhaps five foot one, stands there in worn t-shirt and slacks. The next, he is replaced by a female of indeterminate ancestry, auburn hair and green eyes at odds with Asian features. "I had a run in with a sorcerer a few years ago, who decided to curse me," she says, "Cold water changes me one way, hot water changes me back."

She turns off the cold water, starts the hot and gives it a minute to reach a proper temperature. A hand slips under, and the Japanese man is back, brown eyes meeting Alex's for the first time in a few long, nervous moments. "One fight in girl-form without a bra was enough to convince me to keep the appropriate underwear around. They might not be big, but it hurts when they bounce around. And most of the time it's like the water is seeking me. I was honestly a bit surprised I didn't get splashed in the coffee shop." A shrug and a feeble smile. "So, yeah. That's my dark secret."

Now, to hope she doesn't flee screaming into the night, or accuse me of being a pervert or something.

"That's... just as strange as everything else that's happened for the hour? Two hours?" Alex shakes her head, in utter disbelief.


Alex shudders a bit at the bra comment, and absently rubs one for an instant. "Tell me about it. When I was fighting those thugs, it felt like these were going to be ripped off."

She pauses, then looks down at the sink."Are magic based transsexuals common?"

"I don't know how common they are, really. I mean, I think mine was something of a special case. The sorcerer was working for someone else, so I think this was Chang's idea of getting even. Beyond that, the gods seem to have a twisted sense of humor, and even past that you have perverted mages and-"

The penny dropped with a heft clang. ...felt like these were going to be ripped off... magic transsexuals common... "Oh. Oh! Oh, kuso, I didn't realize." A beat as memories of the night replayed in this light. "Uh, sorry if I was too... grabby? I... I'm not articulating myself very well again."

[OOC: 18:31, Today: Jiro Koji rolled 14 using 1d20+8. Arcane lore re gender bender magic.]

 A breath. "It exists. It takes many forms, from the sort of thing inflicted on me to, well, to people with temporary versions for, er, 'couples time.' I've been trying to find a cure for my curse for years." Oh brilliant, let her(him?) think it's impossible. "But, I mean, uh, I've been told I've got a really stubborn version of the magic on me, it might be easier to cure in your case. Uh, that's why I'm in Emerald City, there's a mage here rumored to know a bit about this sort of thing."

Another beat as he tried to think about how to respond, and quashed the urge to blurt, "So is 'Alex' short for 'Alexander?' Because I was thinking 'Alexis.' Some part of his brain, at least, was still working; he only asked, "This was part of what brought you here and gave you fast healing and strength and whatever other powers you might have, isn't it?"

Alex nods, seeming to follow Jiro's rambling. "I have no idea but... seems likely." She says, turning the cold water on. She squeezes her eyes shut and sticks her hand in the stream. Her hand gets wet, nothing more.

"Worth a shot at least." she says, sounding disappointed. "Yeah, when I went to bed last night I had a beard and a pot belly. Now... way to bloody strange. What are the chances of two magically transexual people running into each other?"

Alex pauses a moment to consider this. "Pretty good, I guess. I really hope there was some form of intelligent design or something behind all this. Because if it was random..."

Jiro shrugs. "I suspect the Gods have a sense of humor, Alex-san. A twisted one. Either that, or there is some mad, sadistic being of omnipotent power deliberately messing with my life like this. If there is, and I ever find him, I intend to punch him in the mouth."

He heads back for the main room. "I... Sorry, this feels really feeble, even to me, but a night's sleep might help you feel better. I'll take the couch, let you have the bed, if you like. You've had a much, much worse day than me. You deserve it."

And to think, you were feeling sorry for yourself a couple days ago. At least you understand your power, came into it slowly. She(he?)'s had it thrust upon him(her?) all at once, and in a sudden, shocking way.

"I wish there was more I could offer as help, but, well, that's all that comes to mind." A pause as his mind rolled roughly on over the situation. "I... Forgive me, I can think of no way to ask this without being rude, but I fear I must know. How do you wish to be referred to, as male or female? I intend no disrespect, purely the opposite."