You begin to clap as the dust settles and the music fades, letting the ring of your palms meeting and the heavy sound of your boots on the concrete as you step out of the shadows fill the air. Immediately the Heroine pulls herself up and whirls, eyes narrowing, and you can practically see the questions whirling through her mind. She probably suspects a rival, but with the decision to obfuscate your powers your appearance is decidedly martial with dark red plates of armor and a black cape swirling behind you, potentially making her suspect a dragon or even perhaps a big bad reveal.
Admittedly it would be a little early for one of those two but only by an episode or so. Hardly unheard of.
"Not bad, not bad at all... But sadly disappointing nonetheless."
Her magic flares again at that immediately, surrounding her with a faint battle aura, and you have to suppress a flinch at the thought that she might just immediately lunge at you. Fortunately it looks like she's got at least something of a head for traditional banter however as she restrains herself from an immediate offensive, though the aura doesn't go away either. "Who the hell are you?"
A bit of a mouth though, you hadn't been expecting something so overtly aggressive. You bow theatrically, though you keep your eyes on her just in case. Now that the talking has started in earnest you don't think she'll go off on you unless you give her a reason or make a challenge, but it's always better to be sure. "Call me... A concerned citizen I suppose?"
That takes her off guard, and you have to suppress a smirk at her confused expression. "A what?"
"A concerned citizen... A citizen with concerns. A resident of this city who is also worried about something pertaining to said residency."
She blinks, clearly trying to process your statement and figure out how to respond to it before reverting to comedy, letting just enough time pass for an appropriate 'beat' before letting her face fall into confused annoyance. "Huh?"
Ouch... You can practically feel the audience laughing, and you're not at all sure whether it's at you or at her. Quickly you try to take back the conversational initiative. "I've been watching you, trying to defend these people from the shadows... You aspire to be some sort of guardian I suppose? Typical hero of justice..."
You raise your chin slightly in a sneer, but at the same time, your fingers twitch, right hand hovering over the holster of your weapon, the left shaping the symbols of a spell, ready to throw it out at precisely the right moment.
"You're not worthy of that title."
Her aura flares immediately, reacting to her anger, and with a yell she lashes out, hurling a wave of power at you, but you've seen her do this. The magic in your left hand flares bright as you click your fingers, a swirling runic barrier springing into place in front of you. It's quick spellwork, not nearly as strong as it could be, but with her ranged attacks being so diffused it doesn't even so much as flicker as it weathers the assault. As the wave dies, you ready a second spell, a binding trap that you cast out into the floor between you, then you give her one more taunt as you let the barrier fall entirely.
"Pathetic... You'd be better off staying home."
She lunges at you with a scream, sword coalescing out of thin air into her hands, but she is barely three steps into her charge before your trap activates. If you were a straight up villain you could have probably gone for some binding ropes of light or something with all the distressing implications those entail but you're a rival, you're supposed to have class, so your trap is a good old fashioned paralysis field.
Of course, it doesn't completely paralyze her. She's still moving thanks to a combination of Heroic Willpower and the fact that even if her control is worthless, her overall strength exceeds yours. However, she struggles for every step, inching forwards. The trap will run out of power before she manages to reach the edge at all though, so you've got some more time to get your point across.
"Reckless." You admonish her. "Unfocused." You snort. "Arrogant."
"You..."
You carry right on through her enraged utterance. "The monsters fill the shadows and only the brightest streets are safe, yet you waste time taking on a single pack with fists and feet." You look her in the eye. "How many do you think have died because you decided to take your time and play around with the monsters instead of killing them?"
"D-don't you dare..." Oh? You must have struck a nerve there, must be something in her backstory, or perhaps an episode one tragedy. You'll have to see if you can find out later. Meanwhile, more monologuing.
"This isn't some game you know." You try to keep worry off your face, you can't help but feel as though you're forgetting something...
"You... Kuh..."
"Your abilities are worthless if you just play around, so it would be better if you just gave that power up to someone el-!" Your words are cut off as a sound of sparks crackling rises from your trap, and the Magical Girl within lets out an enraged scream.
"YOU BASTAAAARRRD!"
Ah yes... Heroic Willpower and high Magical Strength couldn't just resist effects like that... They could break them entirely in the right circumstances.
That's what you were forgetting.
And then there's no more time to think as she hurls herself towards you, closing what little distance there is in an instant as she swings her sword.
[] Dodge and evade her assault!
[] Throw up a magic barrier for defense!
[] Quickdraw and shoot her!
[] Flash Step and Counterattack!
[] Write In.
Current Status: Combat Start!/Oh Shit/Uninjured
Current Tolerance: 3
