Match of the Millennium

Description: A morning routine brings the kendojutsuka,Sumire Wakabayashi, in contact with a new transfer student, Izuna Kobayashi, and the two meet and talk.

[OOC] Mimi says, "The autologger will log: all poses, all says, all OOC commentary, all public combat actions and, after every combat action it'll automatically read the meters into the log. After done logging, logs are editable in game, and it has a command to automatically remove all OOC chatter."

[OOC] Mimi says, "You can read about it in 'help log'."

[OOC] Izuna says, "Nice."

[OOC] Mimi says, "Usually there's a bit of ooc chatter about who starts first, who logs, etc. etc., I've already started the log and I'll write a first pose."

[OOC] Mimi says, "You can use @emit, it'll take the %r-type tags, or 'sp' does the same thing (@emitting on MUCK has been known as 'spoofing' since time immemorial)"

[MIMI]
Early morning at Seijyun High doesn't really find most of its students, studious or not, up all that early. After all, just past dawn--with orange just creeping up on the dark--transforming the dark to blue, to grey and then on, marked only with clouds here and there, mainly high and wispy. But a few students are up, studying for last-minute tests, finishing last-minute essays, or, in a few cases, out on the grounds.

Wakatsuki Sumire is one of those out on the grounds. Some are out jogging, some stretching; Sumire already did that, as she was up just before the dawn. Now she's out in the courtyard, her long shadow reaching behind her as she silently works through a series of kata. The black stalk of her bokken whips through the air, making more sound than she does, as she shuffles back and forth, chopping, slashing, thrusting.

She would, at home, be dressed in her usual kendogi; here, she wears Seijyun-branded sweats, detracting some from the elegance of her form.

[OOC] Mimi says, "Now, one thing: When you open a log, it'll ask if you want to make the log public or private. Public logs are subject to +pot, which with various switches will give you previous poses."

[OOC] Mimi says, "'pot <name>' will give you that person's last pose, there's also pot/all, pot/since <name>', a bunch of other options."

[IZUNA]
Even to this day, she doesn't really know when she became a morning person, but it was some time after moving in with her uncle. Just something about the early morning seemed right for training and to be frank, was the only free time in a student's life to actually get any work in on that front! Izuna's not really sure why she continues to get up so early though when she doesn't take practice seriously anymore, but it's a habit that's so thoroughly a part of her that it just seems like a waste of energy to actually break it.
So she's out for a walk after having done her usual morning routine of stretching and basic form practice. Her uniform is immaculate--another aspect of her life with her uncle that she just can't seem to break. One must always be respectable when out in any capacity. Well... almost completely respectable. Izuna can't seem to help but yawn in a most unlady-like way as she makes her rounds about the campus. It's partly to do with just having not gotten enough sleep previously, but mostly it's because life is just so painfully dull anymore. It might be because of the choice in school, or it might be something else.
A deep breath, a look to the sky, awash in morning color, the window blowing her admittedly short hair about and forcing her to tuck some of it back behind an ear. Dull or not, there's no denying that her life's a lot less stressful for a number of reasons. Yet one of those reasons might be getting a rude awakening as her path sees her stumbling upon a sight she's rather keen to avoid, yet she can't help but pause in her travel to stare at the girl with the bokken.

[MIMI]
Were Mimi not subject to an early-morning class, she would wear her kendogi. She does feel most comfortable in it. But for practices here, she wears the sweats. She feels the gaze of the other girl on her, knows that the sun coming up is highlighting her as if in a spotlight, but allows none of it to distract her; for the last six strikes in the kata, her eyes are closed as she whips the wooden blade around, hissing through the air in a series of diagonal cuts, alternating left and right, finally ending with a spectacular leaping, slashing uppercut that flips her completely around at the apex before she lands with the blade in her right hand, extended, arms swept behind her.

She holds the pose for a five second interval, then slowly rises, drawing the blade from base to tip through the thumb and index of her left finger before resheathing it through the braided rope belt wrapped around her waist. The last part of the ritual is, she looks at the sun, bowing her head to it in brief introspection.

And only then does she turn to the uniformed girl, her voice a mid-alto, somewhat husky. "Good morning."

[IZUNA]
She's not really all that knowledgable in swordplay, but she can definitely see the skills the girl has honed and Izuna can feel certain urges welling up within her, causing her to clench her fists a little tighter as she fights them down so they can be properly snuffed out. Even still, there's an excitement in her, getting to watch someone put their all into their discipline, no matter how much it pains her to see. Even so, she should be on her way; there's no need to be standing around and staring.
She can't though. She waited too long and has given an opening for conversation. Even before she can turn and walk away, she's met with that greeting and Izuna can't help herself but return it, a hand moving up in a sort of wave as she gives her best smile. "Mornin'," she replies, her voice a little deeper than might be expected. A peculiar accent escapes her, along with the general choice of wording, informing as to the general region she's from. "I didn't mean t'stare... it's just, well, hard not to, I guess." But then she's quick to give a slight bow. "Apologies if it was distractin'."

[MIMI]
A shake of the head. Mimi looks serious but, well, she almost always looks serious. "Not at all. Learning to filter out distractions is a vital part of training, after all," she says, turning a bit and taking a few steps over to a pile of things which includes a small towel, one which she uses to wipe her face, then drapes it over her shoulder.

Her gaze travels the girl briefly, and, though still a student herself, she has enough skill to note those little things that say Izuna is also a martial artist. The knowledge brings a small smile to Mimi's lips as she continues, "Something I think you would understand...?" she asks, a gently probing way of confirming her suspicions, relaxing her stance a touch from the more at-attention rigidity she had.

[IZUNA]
"Even so, I didn't really mean to just sit and stare; probably should've been on my way." She's quick to wave a hand in front of her face, perhaps trying to find a way to excuse herself without being too rude, but Mimi's apparently not having any of that. Izuna thinks she's gotten herself the out she wants, but then that question gets thrown her way and it keeps her in place. She blinks, licks her lips and then giggles a little, maybe a little nervous. "I'm not sure I know what you mean." Yes, ignorance will win the day, right?
Turning to be on her way, Izuna gives another wave and attempts once more to excuse herself, thinking that everything is said and done. She can be on her way, remove herself from this situation, and get on with life. Breakfast! That's what she needs right now. That should help clear her mind and get her head in the right place.

[MIMI]
Hmm. Interesting. Mimi gathers her things--easy process, since she was already standing next to them, stuffing them into a small duffel-style bag, sliding it over her shoulder as she falls into step with the girl, a couple of feet behind. She doesn't pursue the thread directly; instead, she observes how Izuna walks. It isn't for perhaps a minute she speaks, until she offers her name, pulling up next to the girl.

"Wakatsuki Sumire," she says, with a friendly-enough smile, wondering how to break the ice properly...

"Have you been in Southtown long?" she asks, again searching for conversation, probing lightly at the girl's social defenses. It isn't uncommon for Seijyun girls to be somewhat distant.

[IZUNA]
She's following... and Izuna's eye twitches a little. Mild annoyance very briefly shows on her face, though because Mimi's following behind her, that little sign to leave her alone probably goes unnoticed. But what's she going to do, really? How can she say to leave her alone without being rude about it? Back home she'd really have no problem just coming out and saying it, after all, that's just the way people are down there. But here, she's just not sure how to the point she can actually be and not offend.
"Kobayashi Izuna," she offers, perhaps letting just a hint of that annoyance out in her voice, but even so, she seems to be tolerating Mimi's presence relatively well, though that may be because she's slowly accepting the fact that she's going to be stuck with a new friend for at least the foreseeable rest of the morning. "Only a couple of months, really. I moved in from Osaka... after deciding I needed a change of pace," she says, shrugging her shoulders. Fingers curl on one hand, a sound of knuckles popping, and then they relax. "I don't think I picked the right school..." she admits, though probably more talking to herself at this point.
"Anyway, Wakatsuki-san... you're pretty good with that sword, y'know?" It's a quick change of subject, having decided she's more comfortable not talking about herself if she's going to be talking with someone at all.

[MIMI]
Mimi is quietly persistent, especially when someone is intriguing the way Kobayashi-san is. She refrains from overly friendly gestures, particularly anything involving touching, as she listens to the reply, then nods. "Southtown is remarkably different from where I lived as well," she replies, after a moment's thought, "but my home is..." Is very different, she concludes, mentally.

"Is a more peaceful kind of place," she says, after a moment. A few more steps, and then she smiles faintly.

"Thank you but... I am only a student... I have far to go before I would be considered even a senior student, like my brother and sister... but someday." She touches the grip of her weapon, steadying it with her left hand.

"It was truly an honor to earn this much. It will be years before I've earned the right to wield true steel... but that's why I came to Southtown... to be able to expand my skills and knowledge."

The conversation shouldn't be all about her, though. "Why do you feel you came to the wrong school?"

[IZUNA]
Modest is she? Well, Izuna can't say she really knows the real difference between someone that's finished their training and those still in the middle of it when it comes to swords, but what she saw seems like the skill of someone that's ready to be something more than student. She doesn't press that point though, content to let Mimi go on. At least for a little while.
A sigh, eyes closing as she calms herself. "I'm... not sure a girl like me should really be in a place like this; too proper for someone like me, I guess," she admits with a shrug of her shoulders. Sure her days as a more violent person ended when her uncle took her in, but even so. She's hardly as lady-like as she thinks Seijyun probably wants her to be. "But I'll just have to adjust, right?" Chuckling, the thoughts of breakfast seem to have left her mind as she's now very clearly just aimlessly wandering the grounds while entertaining her tagalong. At least she's proving to be far less irritating than Izuna had thought she'd be.
"Then again, if someone so openly practicing with a sword's able to find place here, guess I'm in the clear too."

[MIMI]
A soft, contemplative sound from the swordswoman. "Many believe Seijyun to be only a school for high-class young women, however..." She gestures to herself, "I come from... what could be considered 'common' circumstances, myself. If Seijyun's administrators felt that you weren't right for the school they would not have accepted you."

"Seijyun seems quiet but... it has its share of..." She considers her words.

"... bold young women... a surprising number of martial artists, and fighters of various styles. After all, Southtown is somewhat like the nerve center of the fighting world, thanks to the long association with major tournaments such as the King of Fighters and the World Warrior Tournament... That is why I chose to come here."

Conviction sounds in her voice, buried but understated.

[IZUNA]
There's no arguing that point really, she definitely wouldn't have been admitted if someone didn't think she belonged here. But still, she can't help but think there's too much that's proper about the place--far too restrictive, she thinks. It's all something to grow into, she supposes. "I'm sure I'll adjust..." she says, nodding.
But then those words hit her. World Warrior. It makes her twitch a little, fingers curling just a little bit, posture growing just a little stiffer for a moment. It's almost so slight a change to her that most people wouldn't even notice, but surely Mimi's eyes can pick up on the slight change. She coughs a little, relaxing after a moment and nods. "I'm... familiar with all of that," she admits, fingers idly rubbing at the collar of her uniform as she frowns. How couldn't she be? It makes her wonder if, on some level, she decided to come to Southtown for the same reasons. That's a sobering and unpleasant thought.
"But I don't really have any real interest in fighting, so I'm not sure I'd fit in with those... um... bold women. Like yourself, I suppose."

[MIMI]
There's something in Izuna's response that makes Mimi doubt the sincerity of it. Something that makes her decide she can't really just dance around it forever. "Really? But you seem like you have a fair amount of martial knowledge, Kobayashi-san," replies the swordswoman with a quiet, firm tone in her voice that says 'I think I'm right about this' very clearly.

"You certainly grew more tense when I mentioned the World Warrior tournament... and..."

"And I can tell. Fighters know," she says, with conclusiveness, "when they are seeing one of their own." A guess, of course, though Mimi is roughly 98% sure she's right, practically daring Kobayashi to prove her wrong.

[IZUNA]
Well, this is... bothersome. She'd figured she would have trained those kinds of responses out of herself by now, but apparently she has a bit more work to do. She takes a deep breath, calming or at least trying to be. Eyes close while a storm of emotions whirl about within her, bringing up things both pleasant and unpleasant. "I don't have any interest in this topic," she says once more, putting a little more force into her words than she probably had intended to.
"I'm just looking for a normal life." Izuna turns, looks at Mimi, and has a rather strange look on her face. It's hard to really tell what's there, but it seems like anger? Denial? Something between the two of them? Maybe relief to simply be saying as much finally? "I've got no interest in hurting anyone else." It's already out of her mouth when she realizes it and blinks, surprised that it just slipped out. Truly, very bothersome.
"I'm not interested in bein' some brute," she says, trying quickly to amend her statement, though it hardly seems convincing with how quickly it comes out, with her accent becoming far less restrained.

[MIMI]
"It's true that people get hurt during fights," acknowledges Mimi. She's... hit a nerve and while she has genuine interest in this whole thing, she isn't doing this just to needle her new-found friend, so she has to choose her words carefully. Her tone gentles some, "But I hope you understand that the majority of people who fight--for a living, or as a hobby, or as a calling--aren't fighting for the purpose of hurting people." She touches the grip of her bokken, tilting the handle downward and swinging the blade up until it's pointing up above her shoulder.

"This weapon is my family legacy; it is a symbol of what my family was--and what my family can be. If I draw it against an opponent, I intend to use it... but the intent is not to harm." Another pause.

"My family used to be protectors of the crown... now, someday, I will simply be a protector for those who need it. That day is far in the future; it may never come. But even without that, I wield this weapon as a way of testing myself--my skill, and my strength, not just of arms but of conviction, and to test my resolve. People who fight are not brutes..." Well... not all of them. Or most of them, really.

[IZUNA]
On the list of things she'd been expecting when she got out of bed, being lectured isn't exactly one of them. Izuna's caught by surprise, and whatever anger might have been brewing within her finds itself suddenly without fuel, and the fires begin to die out. She's stunned, to say the least, staring at Mimi with eyes opened just a little wider and her jaw hanging just a little slack. There's so many things she wants to say, to just start poking right into that logic, but she can't bring herself to do it. Part of her wants to just punch the girl and be done with all of it, but even that's not something she can bring herself to do! Instead...
"You sound like my uncle," she says, frowning slightly. It's not his exact words, really, or even any of them. But the subject of the lecture's pretty hauntingly similar to the last one he gave her before she left. At least she thinks that maybe it could be? Eyes narrow in thought as she rolls it over once more. No, maybe she's just thinking too much into it. "Maybe not... but you sound like an old man." That much she's decided is true enough.
Another deep breath, this time proving rather effective at calming her and snuffing out what remains of the fire within. "I don't fight anymore..." she finally says, looking off to the side as one arm moves across to take hold of her other just above the elbow. "I don't have any right to, so if it's all the same to you..." what? She's not sure, but maybe it'll be enough to get the subject dropped? Though given her limited time with Mimi, she's got the feeling that perhaps that's just wishful thinking.

[MIMI]
To her credit, Mimi seems to realize, belatedly, that she was in fact lecturing, and her cheeks color a little. "My apologies for... being presumptive, Kobayashi-san. But..."

Mimi's gaze assesses Izuna once more and she bites her lower lip. "But... you don't seem... at peace with that decision." Something must have happened, obviously, though teasing out -what- would probably require far more time than she has right now.

"And... I'm sorry to say... the way Southtown is, even out here in Seijyun... it's almost inevitable you will be caught up in a fight at some point. They happen everywhere, for any reason. To me, it's what makes this place exciting to be in..." She trails off again, and shakes her head.

Once again she apologizes, bowing deeply at the waist, "Forgive my impudence, Kobayashi-san. I have not earned the right to push into your personal matters." Raising herself, she looks to the sky as if checking the time, and nods.

"Breakfast should be being served in approximately 5 minutes. Would you allow me the honor of accompanying you to breakfast?"

[IZUNA]
Well, this is probably the next best thing to being left alone, she supposes. Then again, Mimi doesn't seem like a bad person, if a little pushy on matters, so maybe this isn't such a bad meeting. Izuna ends up smiling, a little forced perhaps, but still sincere enough. "Whether I'm at peace with it or not doesn't matter. It's simply the only way I can hope to atone for my sins." Surely that's enough information for now, yes? Hopefully all the information she's ever going to require.
There's a bit of a shrug to her shoulders as she looks around the campus. "If I need to defend myself, I will. But that and competition are two very different things," she says as she turns to begin heading back into the school proper. "I'll just do my best stayin' away from unnecesary conflict, right?" A bit of a laugh after that. She's definitely not sure she can actually accomplish that, but saying it definitely makes her feel better.
"So... breakfast then, Wakatsuki-san?"

[OOC] Mimi says, "Okay ending it there? Brainsleepy. z.z"

[OOC] Mimi says, "And dialysis tomorrow. :x"

[OOC] Izuna thinks that's good. z.z

Log created on 21:08:14 11/07/2016 by Mimi, and last modified on 02:29:49 11/08/2016.