[HH 1v1] Fire Red The Stage We Tread (Jake v Belladonna)

[AyeAvast]

Most ventures with odd, unexpected endings always begin innocently, a silly tumble down a curious rabbit hole or a curious ghoul wandering down a hallway she didn't know the way out of. Honestly, Belladonna had been headed toward the library, determined to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid the snow that continued to fall outside. But that had meant she had to duck between buildings and hope she could find a path of branching hallways that eventually lead to the opposite side and back out into the snow. This meant the witch ended up wandering, which she knew was a bad thing because of what happened when one wandered the halls, but she just couldn't help it. Really and truly, she hated the snow.
Well, at least, she hated the snow until she cast a glance behind her, turned it back forward and found... Not a hallway. In fact, a thick fog pervaded her vision and it took Belladonna about three whole seconds before she pushed herself all the way forward through the black trees and surprise of grass under her feet. It wasn't long at all until she was out from the forest and instead right at the front of the Haunted House, still derelict, but still there. Whereas she and her fellow classmates had suffered inside it, the house itself remained intact and there, only now a bit more scary looking.

"Batshit." She hissed under her breath and stalked forward closer to the house. Last time she'd accidentally wandered here, she'd met a curly haired ginger girl with some stupid lance and a penchant for not being chatty. That had ended in an absolute disaster, but at least it hadn't ended in dissipation.
So what would this time bring? More Hunters, or more Insanity? More tears and woe and lonely nights? Or another shouting match at fate for doing the witch wrong?
With a frown she turned in her spot on the lawn, reluctant to actually go inside, and instead tried to spy if she was alone or not.

[A.V.]

AH FINALLY. XD
To keep it simple, we'll do a battle with no crazy effects or anything, just normal battle stuff. Until they stop to talk~ heart But you can go ahead and roll for initiate if you'd like!

 

[AyeAvast]

For far too long the witch stood there and watched the fog roil around the house, watched as the house merely stood there and waited, called and beckoned. It was easy to let the memories wash over her and to relive what had happened inside this derelict excuse for a home. All her sadness and pain had been because of this jackdamn building and now she was back, standing underneath its broken eaves and fighting the urge to go kick the front door in. Besides, what would she do once she'd knocked down the door? Set fire to the building? Fat lot of good that would do. It might not even catch fire, let alone properly burn like it should. Most likely it would smolder and then that stupid fog would swoop in and muck everything up, like it had been so inclined to do before.
Just about to bemoan the fog and curse its very nature, Belladonna was instead distracted by the loud shout from across the way that caused her to give a shout of her own and then slap her hands over her mouth. It was most likely just a Hunter that was doing the shouting, but it wasn't very wise to alert them to her position. For a second she flailed in strained silence, desperate to find a place to escape to, to take cover. There would be no repeats of the last fight she participated in, not if she could at all help it.
A quick dart was made as the witch ran toward the porch of the house, sure that would protect her, but any attempts at safety were halted when she actually laid eyes on the Hunter.

"YOU!!" The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it, or even think to stop it, as the witch hopped down off the porch steps and angrily stomped her way over to the Hunter. "Whatever your name is! What are you doing here?!" It was an accusation as much as it was a veiled curiosity. Hopefully he would answer both her questions, if only one was phrased as such.

[A.V.]

Hey! Jake gets to go first! Yay! XD

 

[AyeAvast]

"It looks a bit like you've gone insane. Talking to yourself and what not." Was all Belladonna managed before he surged forward and she was struck with one of his tonfas. It was odd to recognize the particular sting of a Hunter weapon on her skin, especially given her last up close encounter with one. Even if that had been fake, it had still felt real.
"Dear Hecate, what is with you? All I did was ask a question and you're off beating me. Gracious, you Hunters are a touchy lot." Still, she was not one to shy away in a battle and instead dropped back from his attack to throw out her cards. They snapped happily into their circle as she threw two his way with a tilted grin.
"You know, I never got your name. It should be a shame to defeat you and not know it." It was certainly a ploy, for if she could get him chatting, she knew she could get him distracted and spill some secrets. Not that there was really anything she could do with, as the Hunters had certainly taken a backseat in her priorities. Once they were a heavy threat, but now?
Now, Insanity seemed far more pressing, as she could escape Hunters. They were easy to leave behind, but Insanity seemed to haunt her every step. Dreadful thing, really.
To sweeten the idea of the Hunter handing over his name, she gave him a bright, sincere smile along with an inclined head to mean she was vastly curious.


HP: 43/ 50
Damage: 7
Fear Attack: Y3 Battle Cry, Y2 The Chill, Y2 Battle Cry
Items: 3x Peppermint, 3x Red King Shards

[A.V.]

 

[AyeAvast]

"Chatty and cheerful!" She chirped at him with a happy clap of hands. Really no sense in being rude when her own bright mood seemed to so grate on his nerves. It had been quite a while since the witch had gotten to indulge in one of her favorite pastimes: Killing someone with sweetness. The phrase was supposed to be kindness, but she would spare him no blows while she fought. If he wanted to be so horrifically blunt as to attack before any words were even spoken, she was only too ready to give back the same. And she didn't at all feel the need to pull her punches as she took his attack and dealt a much, much heavier one of her own. Her aim was impeccable today and the fact that she was fueling the fight with chipperness only made her hit all the harder.
"Oooohhh~ You say witch like its a dirty word! Don't you at all know how beautiful it really is?" A hair toss might have been thrown in just for dramatic flair.

Another sharp card was sent the boy's way and the witch grinned all too devilishly when it struck true.
"How about this? If I win, of which I have no doubt I will... You answer my questions. That sound fair, little boy?"
Papa Sal really would have been proud of all her lovely inflections.

HP: 40/ 50
Damage: 11
Fear Attack: Y3 Battle Cry, Y2 The Chill, Y2 Battle Cry
Items: 3x Peppermint, 3x Red King Shards

[A.V.]

 

[AyeAvast]

The paltry little attack from the Hunter actually made the witch laugh out loud, a high pitched, cackle of a laugh as she tottered backwards from him. She toyed with a card, but decided to keep it to herself. Instead she snaked both arms behind her back to walk a wide circle about the boy.
"There is a vast difference between being arrogant and being confident. Something you apparently have yet to learn." Belladonna replied with a smile, as though she really were quite confident in this battle.
"But there's time to teach you manners yet. You Hunters act all big and bad, but you're really just scared... And there's nothing wrong with a little fear." If she wasn't careful she was going to get into a soliloquy and that would just not do. Especially if this Hunter played his metaphorical cards right, which would be disastrous. Not like last time was a constant mantra in the witch's head. So though she continued her slow pace, she at least let her smile slip a little, to show that this was still a fight, that she would not back down.

HP: 38/ 50
Damage: 0
Fear Attack: Y3 Battle Cry, Y2 The Chill, Y2 Battle Cry
Items: 3x Peppermint, 3x Red King Shards

[A.V.]

Its all good! XD

 

[AyeAvast]

A rather large gamble had been taken as the witch realized she'd played her cards incorrectly as the runes on the Hunters' tonfas began to light up. It was too late to block and she could only take a hesitant step backwards, her eyes wide with worry as he rose the weapon to attack. An odd, threatening mist seeped from the weapons, a sign that things were about to sour.
But then nothing happened.
The light faded, the wisps disappeared and Belladonna drew herself a little bit taller. Just like Halloweeners, a Hunters' attack could fail. Their big ta-da could also falter, as they too were servant to that strange and fickle Fear. It was something the witch had never considered before, and now felt a little foolish over having never realized, but also took some solace in. It was that little bit more of information, and she could never have enough information on the Hunters.
"Insane?" She found herself asking in a hiss, fingers twitched in anger. Insane was the most base of understatements, as Mort had not been granted the ability to walk away from the Haunted House like she had, but had been so steeped in Insanity that it clung to him like mold.
"Insane?!" It was folly, it was weakness expressed in physical form, it was a trap, but oh Hecate, she could not say no. Both feet spread apart in a firm, enraged plant and the witch snatched a card from her floating circle. He had been so bold as to attempt to hurt her, so why not return the favor?

With a flick the card was throw out and across the bit of space that separated them, but before it could cross its final distance, it paused before the Hunters' face. After a second it backed up and then exploded into a mass of black that quickly formed into the shape of a figure taller than the boy, clad all in black armor and holding a very large lance. The skeleton inside the armor rolled its head before it turned its grim grin down to the boy. Had it muscles and skin to smile further with it would have, but instead it made do with a heavy swing of its lance to the Hunter.
Once the attack was made it disappeared and the witch shoved both her hands on her hips.
"You know, you keep asking after my boilfriend... I'm beginning to think you fancy me."

HP: 38/ 50
Damage: 15
Fear Attack: Y3 Battle Cry, Y2 The Chill, Y2 Battle Cry
Items: 3x Peppermint, 3x Red King Shards

[A.V.]

I feel like they're trolling each other XD

 

[AyeAvast]

If she were being honest with herself, Belladonna was taking far too much pleasure in stomping this particular Hunter into the metaphorical ground. It seemed too easy, whereas the last battle all those months ago had seemed horrendously opposite. Odd, but she was not at all going to question her growth in abilities.
Still, when he did not immediately launch another attack, the witch only crossed her arms under her chest.
"Oh, is that it? And what business would that be? You want to get mauled by a ferocious zombie with a metal arm, then?" Because honestly, that was the only business she could recall between them. Still, he suddenly seemed... Chatty. How very, very excellent.
The witch could work with chatty. Chatty meant the opportunity for understanding, for mutual realizations and hopefully at least a little common ground. Though, she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that, exactly...

"That horseman, in particular, is rather grumpy and I have no shame in admitting I do so enjoy bringing him a little light." Which really just translated into, 'I like being super, duper happy around him because it mildly irritates him'. "As for what I was doing with him, well initially it started as a bit of scolding as some of his attacks had been... Wayward. But then, well you attacked and you know you and I have such a fabulous track record." Here she paused to flash the boy a bright, if slightly sarcastic, smile.
"My turn. What's your name?" Another small pause before she tilted her head at him, the smallest of polite nods. "I'm Belladonna, before you use up an important chance at a question with courtesies."

HP: 38/ 50
Damage: None
Fear Attack: Y3 Battle Cry, Y2 The Chill, Y2 Battle Cry
Items: 3x Peppermint, 3x Red King Shards

[A.V.]

Well it doesn't help that when Bells became Y3 she suddenly became MEGA BOSS AT FIGHTS. ;;;;;;;;

 

[AyeAvast]

Had she been aware that he thought her only there to annoy him, the witch would have been altogether too happy to inform him that 'annoy' was really not the proper word for what she did. As she found it more along the lines of 'exuberantly entertain those who had not yet decided they wanted her company'. Which was much better, really it was! Yet Belladonna was not privy to those thoughts and only stood there under the boy's glare and smiled happily at him.
"Surely, the pleasure is all mine." She replied with a wiggle of fingers at him. Still, he was giving her his name and even though she tried to smile through it, her mouth twitched down a little.
"Jake? Jake what? Do Hunters not have last names? Goodness, humans always have the most boring names... " That last part was mumbled under her breath because no one, Human or not, really did enjoy having their name tarnished or diminished. But really, Jake?
"Is Jake short for anything? Or a family name, perhaps?" Did Humans participate in similar naming rituals like Haloweeners did? Ooohhh the questions she wanted to ask! Why wasn't he more chatty!?

Well, since they seemed to be legitimately having conversation, their fight all but forgotten, the witch filed her cards back into a neat little pile in the center of her palm. Jake's question made her roll her eyes and flap a hand at him, mostly because this was the silliest thing to question.
"I mean his attack got a little out of hand and accidentally hit some allies. I do hope you start asking better questions."
All too pleased to no longer be fighting, she happily pranced over to the steps of the Haunted House's porch and made herself as comfortable as one could on a pair of rickety wooden steps. With a smile for the boy she patted the space next to her, which given how voluminous her skirt was, wasn't all that much space.
"Let me see..." A finger tapped her chin in thought, but after another moment she only folded her hands together. "What did your weapon used to be? A monster, undead, reaper, ghost? Maybe even a demon? Was it a student? Boil or ghoul?" Yes, she was going to be that inquisitive.

HP:38

[A.V.]