Stasya - Guardian Queen

Description: The new girl at Gedo High unintentionally intrudes on Tenma's territory, triggering a bit of a rough response from the Guardian King. At first indignant at this invasion, Tenma ends up sufficiently impressed by Stasya's performance to press-gang her onto his team. Guardian Kings takes a step towards gender equality!



It's been a few days since Stasya ran into Hakuya, and already she's starting to notice the benefits of fighting down one of the Guardian Kings to a draw. She's getting harassed a lot less than when she first stepped past Gedo's threshold, and for the most part she's either left alone... or actually approached in overt friendliness. It would seem showing one's strength is the route to making friends in this rough and tumble school.

Still, there are certain things which Stasya hasn't been told by the people she's become friendly with. Perhaps because said things are so ingrained in the boys' minds that they don't realize that Stasya wouldn't simply know as well. Such rules have become things taken for granted. The fact that they would need to warn Stasya doesn't occur to them at all.

That's why Stasya can be found, this very fine afternoon, on the roof of Gedo High: a location she had been quick to discover, used as she is to ferreting out the little-known corners of the various schools she's attended. What she doesn't know is that it just so happens to be the hideout of a certain team. Largely oblivious to the fact she's 'trespassing,' she's coiled in a corner with a book, spending a free period to herself in the sun while the weather's still fair enough to permit outdoors reading.

It's true, the best way to get by at Gedo is to prove that you're not worth messing with. That's the first step to gaining respect; whatever influence Daigo might exert on the student body, turning them from a disparate bunch of troublemakers into a unified force for the betterment of Southtown, they are still, at heart, teenaged delinquents. You don't get sent to Gedo High for being a wonderful student and a joy to get along with, after all. And, you know, many Gedo gang members are... Territorial. Especially amongst the smaller sub-gangs that seem to make up the group like some kind of crazy patchwork quilt.

Case in point, the Guardian Kings, whose claimed section of the roof Stasya is currently occupying.

The roof is hardly a safe and easy place to be, but they like it. Or, well, Tenma likes it, and that's enough for them usually.

Speaking of Tenma Kiryuu, he's not especially pleased to find someone up on 'his' roof. Especially someone matching the description he'd heard of the girl who actually managed to fight Hakuya to a standstill. /In front of other people/. Suddenly, a shadow falls across Stasya and her book, a tall, slender shadow belonging to a tall, slender young man with a cloth-wrapped bundle over his shoulder. Dark blue eyes stare down at the Russian girl in an expression which can best be described as a 'delinquent's glare'. Apparently, he is not happy. "Hey, girlie. That space is reserved," he says. Like he wants to provoke trouble over it or something!

The book's in Japanese. Stasya is apparently working on her ability in the language, which as of yet is somewhat subpar and heavily accented. But her efforts are soon interrupted the instant that foreboding shadow falls across the pages. Stasya pauses, squinting a bit, and then-- after a moment-- she looks up at Tenma. She looks about as unamused as the Guardian King does, her grey eyes heavily unimpressed with the boy she's heard so much about and has only gotten to see up close now.

"Kiryuu Tenma, yes?" Stasya has moved too many times not to gain an awareness of cultural differences, and unlike most foreigners she's got the presence of mind to know that surname comes first in Japan. She looks him blatantly up and down, her gaze raking from top to bottom and up again, and... she refuses to move. She doesn't even get up. Not yet.

"I did make a point to be looking very carefully before I came here," she replies him, her voice deeply apologetic even if her eyes aren't. Her mouth seems to be running a little counter to the sound of her voice, as well, as it's wearing a smile so innocent it reeks with guilt. "And I was not seeing any 'Kiryuu Tenma' written here. Perhaps I should have... looked little harder?"

Since she's continuing to sit, Tenma has even more of a height advantage than he normally would over her, which of course translates to him glaring way, waaaay down at the slim, pale blonde. For a moment, he seems rather expressionless despite the challenging defiance he's being subjected to. Why? Well, actually he's pretty used to having his rather limited authority around here challenged, since he's hardly Daigo or anything. But what he IS, is the guy in charge of the group who has claimed the roof. And there's only one way to deal with challenges to your territory.

Tenma grins, a wide, dangerous expression, sharp like a blade, and he even lets out a faint chortle of amusement. "Well, y' got spirit, I'll give ya that much," he allows, graciously indeed from his perspective.

And then his right arm swings down in a blur, that cloth-wrapped bundle in his hand sweeping down, right for the top of the Russian girl's pretty blonde head.

COMBATSYS: Tenma has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Tenma            0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Stasya has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Tenma            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Stasya


COMBATSYS: Stasya blocks Tenma's Random Weapon.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Tenma            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0           Stasya


Stasya slants a crafty sort of look up the considerable distance to Tenma's eyes. She can already tell she's in his territory and that he's irritated about it. And from years of experience being the 'new girl' at countless different schools, she's well-versed in picking out just what response is best when she ends up crossing some unspoken line. She's already learned that in Gedo's case, what NOT to do is look panicked or uncertain. Sure, she'll get attacked whatever she does... but the important thing is not to earn disrespect. And to avoid that, she can't show weakness.

She covers up by being the worst sort of crafty bitch. The sly cant to her mouth creeps into her eyes, the blonde's expression shifting into one of mild impudence. It seems to work, that show of spirit, as it wrenches that gracious little comment from him. But Stasya's still watching him carefully. However magnanimous he's being now, she knows--

--that the followup will be, as per Gedo standards, an attack. A flick of the wrist sends Stasya's book skidding on its spine, and her newly-freed arm snaps up in a guard. The girl twists out of her seated position subseqeuent to guarding that blow, getting some distance between herself and Tenma with a skidding leap. Her stinging arm swings down to brace her in the tense crouch she ends up in. "The one I fought, Hakuya-- he mentioned his friends to be strong. You are one of them, aren't you?"

Clearly she expects Tenma to be able to talk while fighting, for she follows up her question immediately with an attack. Her lean body twists upwards into a sweeping horizontal kick, and then upon landing immediately launches into a tight backflip: one leg leading in an ostensible kick. Each kick slings a series of crimson psi blades at Tenma, the keen projectiles humming through the air: the first arc whipping out parallel to the ground, the second perpendicular.

COMBATSYS: Tenma dodges Stasya's Chandrahas.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Tenma            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0           Stasya


Crafty is something Tenma respects, you know. It might seem odd - most people assume he's a straightforward bruiser type, given his general temperament, but he's well aware of the usefulness of cunning, of quick thinking, in a combat situation. "So what if I am?" Tenma wonders at Stasya's question, clearly having no intention of making this easy for her, particularly since she isn't going to make it any easier for him, kicking blades of energy at him like that. Looks like he might have to get serious.

But first, the Kiryuu heir simply dodges back, then to the side to evade the blades entirely. Somehow, in the process, he manages to slip the cloth sheath off of his bokken, the slightly curved wooden weapon clearly designed to mimic a katana with no crossguard. "You better not focus on somethin' else here, Princess," the nickname Tenma delivers has a clear meaning behind it - she hasn't gained his respect yet, Gedo student or no. It's the name he /usually/ assigns to the sort of girl that comes out of Seijyun. "Otherwise you're gonna get back to the ground floor the hard way, y'know?" And then his left hand comes up to his mouth, and he bites his thumb, drawing blood.

That bloodied digit is drawn down the edge of the bokken, painting a crimson stripe along its length, the first step of the chi link. The second, and final, is the single sweep through the air the weapon gets, setting it alight with a violent aura of red energy, misty blood-and-chi mingled together. Most people think it's pretty gross.

But regardless, Tenma rushes right at Stasya, swinging at her one-handed, a single vicious downward slash - until he reverses the blade at the bottom of the slash, and swings it back up, still one-handed, forming a shallow V-shape. "GRAAH-!!"

COMBATSYS: Stasya blocks Tenma's Ungyou.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Tenma            0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0           Stasya


Quick thinking is what carries Stasya through combat situations. Her style is one that relies on adaptability. That fact is clear enough in the way she watches Tenma carefully, the look in her grey eyes intent even if a lingering insouciance still ghosts along her mouth. She lands in a crouch, a slight frown pulling at her mouth as he ducks around her attack, but the expression soon passes into frank curiosity as she watches him swipe blood down the length of his bokken.

She doesn't look quite as disgusted as she could be.

"If you are... I may expect a challenge," is her succinct reply. "Which is all that is concerning me." The implication being that she is strangely blase about the prospect of being thrown off the roof. In fact, her lack of concern about the prospect is downright worrying.

She has more immediate things to worry about than being kicked off the roof: such as the incoming strike Tenma levels at her. She blocks the first swipe, boldly blocking that bokken with nothing but her bare arms. It hurts a considerable amount, especially considering the bloody chi painted along its length, but the girl shows little reaction save a twitch of her expression. Her retaliation is quick-- an abrupt flash of blinding light, and a keen edge comprised of red energy plates along her arm. The blade swipes forwards, cutting towards Tenma's chest.

COMBATSYS: Stasya successfully hits Tenma with Halteclere.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Tenma            0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0           Stasya


And this time, at least, Tenma is in for a surprise. Too close to do much else, with hs wooden sword and its raging aura of crimson, bloody energy straining against the girl's arm, the sudden flash of light makes him blink his eyes... And then he sees the blade headed towards his chest. But he doesn't even try to move, or block it, or anything. The leader of the Guardian Kings grunts as the blade strikes home, and he miscalculated - badly - the nature and properties of the attack, a mysterious sensation flowing from the point of impact. He's felt that before, not often, but he has. It makes him, oddly enough, think of Miu - who couldn't be more different than Stasya, could she?

But rather than disengaging from the Russian, though he's lost the advantage of initative, Tenma swings his bokken back - and out of the way. Instead, it's his free hand he attacks with, striking out in a series of deceptively simple punches at Stasya's chest and torso, carefully positioned to disrupt the flow of energy through her body... As well as to force her back, into a worse position, to create a fresh advantage for Tenma himself. "C'mon, you got better than that, right?"!

COMBATSYS: Tenma successfully hits Stasya with Flow Breaker.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Tenma            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0           Stasya


Stasya shoves clear of Tenma's bokken the instant her strike connects, pulling back in a clear attempt to get out of range of whatever followup Tenma might have. She's a bit too slow to get fully out of range, however, and that series of blows drives her back: each strike hitting home. The girl tsks in irritated pain, skidding backwards a few feet, grey eyes narrowed. There was something more to those punches than mere blows.

"Maybe," is her quiet reply, coy almost: her voice a bit breathy from the effects of that strange attack. "Are you really wanting to see it?" She's watching Tenma closely, knowing her current position is slightly disadvantageous and thus not trying to get immediately back on the offensive. That skill of his, to know where to strike to disrupt natural energy... it's proving effective. She takes a moment to let herself settle-- and also, to keep a careful eye on the Kiryuu heir.

COMBATSYS: Stasya focuses on her next action.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Tenma            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0           Stasya


"Wouldn't ask otherwise," is Tenma's simple reply, as Stasya chooses to /not/ just attack him, but instead stand over there and watch him. Okay, so she wants to see what he's going to do, huh? With a brief twist of his head, he cracks his neck a little bit, raising his right hand to slant his chi-emanating bokken against his shoulder, standing casually. His left hand, thumb still bleeding and that red bracelet of prayer beads in place, hangs loosely at his side. And he watches the Russian girl right back.

Tilting his head to one side, Tenma arches a brow, casting an amused look at the blonde. "So, you really did that well 'gainst Hakuya, huh? He musta been goin' easy on ya. Maybe he's got a crush," he muses, bokken tapping his shoulder lightly in thought. "C'mon, I don't see it, Princess. Show me that was more'n a fluke, or else I'll havta end this a bit embarassingly for you." His grin is... Arrogant. Insolent. Challenging. Basically, Tenma Kiryuu in a nutshell.

COMBATSYS: Tenma takes no action.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Tenma            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0           Stasya


A long breath huffs out of Stasya at Tenma's words, blonde hair sliding across a shoulder as her head tilts slightly at the boy's refusal to take action against her. She waits a few moments more. Then her eyes half-lid, and the girl... simply walks right up to Tenma, displaying a certain amount of recklessness in simply closing the distance so straightforwardly.

"If he were having a crush," her voice comes warmly, a tinge of amusement lingering along the edges of her words, "I would be able to tell." A secretive smile, and then she abruptly shoulders forward in a quick rush, sinking back into the most basic of arts in her repertoire: Systema. Almost as if mention of Hakuya could transmute her attack style to mirror his, she essays a quick and deft attempt to ram her shoulder into Tenma: hands touching along his arms to shut about his wrists and aid her in unbalancing him and spiking him to the ground.

COMBATSYS: Tenma fails to interrupt Quick Throw from Stasya with Head Breaker.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Tenma            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0           Stasya


Recklessness is good too. When it comes from bravery, anyway; stupidity is never a good trait. Tenma watches Stasya with that same grin on his face as she comes at him, going for that shoulde rush, and even as she does his hand lances out, grabbing at the front of her shirt. But his timing is off, through miscalculation or simple laziness on his part, and instead of his intended attack, he ends up tossed rather roughly to the ground, hitting in a roll and getting up a few moments later, smoothily but a bit tiredly, his blue eyes considering the Russian more closely than before. "Hmm... Maybe you've got somethin' there after all," he allows, though he doesn't sound entirely convinced of this fact.

Typically, Stasya's recklessness is a product of bravery, yes. She isn't quite immune to stupidity, however. No teenager is. It might initially seem stupid of her to march in so purposefully on Tenma, but soon enough her sudden swap from attacking with those bursts of energy to a style more reminiscent of Hakuya's proves diverting enough to let her attempt connect. Stasya operates not only on observation, but also to some degree on taking opponents by surprise with quick and unpredictable shifts in style. "I am paying little more attention now," she replies, watching Tenma closely-- as always-- with those careful grey eyes. It's about the only warning given before she abruptly spins into movement, switching style yet again into a form Tenma might be somewhat familiar with. It's reminiscent of the capoeira his favorite member of a certain Pacific High team employs. Tossing herself forwards into an impromptu handstand, her back arches and her legs scissor, a rapid kick thrown for Tenma's face.

COMBATSYS: Tenma endures Stasya's Light Kick.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Tenma            0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0           Stasya


The broken talking is pretty reminiscent of that same Pacific Resistance member, too. But you know... Stasya has Tenma's full attention now, for a variety of reasons. But the only thing that matters right now is that Tenma is taking the Russian girl more seriously than he was when this started. Even as she tries to kick him in that handstand - does, in fact, kick him as he offers no resistance at all to the attack - his head rocking away from the blow, even as he lunges with his right arm, thrusting the point of his bokken, red blood chi flaring, at the small of Stasya's back!

COMBATSYS: Tenma successfully hits Stasya with Weapon Jab.
- Power hit! -

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Tenma            0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1           Stasya


Oh go to hell, Stasya's Japanese sucks. Trying to improve it is much of the reason she was up here in the first place. The accent differs noticeably, too, the way in which the words are broken grammatically different; a testament to the fact that the two girls are coming from two different mother tongues. They do, however, have in common the privilege of getting to kick Tenma Kiryuu in the face.

Stasya's initial intent had been to retract out of her stance immediately. Hopefully, she would have connected solidly with her blow, buying her some additional time in which to do so. However, the fact that Tenma had simply leaned into the attack means that he's able to attack quicker than she can retreat. His bokken smacks into her back rather painfully, and she's knocked clear off her balance: skidding a short distance before she throws a hand down to stop her progress.

She climbs to her feet a bit slowly, a flicker of pain crossing her face-- that hurt-- but that deceptive stiffness soon melts away, shaken off like water and suppressed. A grin cuts across her face, the languid look humored. "I usually am not showing this so obviously, with no tricks," she tells him candidly, blowing a few strands of blonde hair from her face with a careless breath. "But you look little tired, so I will get to the point." And get to the point she does; she's barely finished talking before she whips forward in an aerial cartwheel, trying to come down on Tenma with a quick blow of the heel of her hand to his jaw. Should she manage to connect, she'll follow up with an uppercut kick to the jaw, bring her heel back down to bow the Guardian King's head, and then launch into a backflip to smack another smarting kick straight into Tenma, the force sufficient to knock him airborne. Each blow is, notably, laced with more of that bladed, cutting red energy.

COMBATSYS: Stasya successfully hits Tenma with Khanjali.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Tenma            1/---====/=======|==-----\-------\0           Stasya


Welcome to hurtyville, population: Tenma.

Though he tries to guard against the sudden flurry of attack sfrom Stasya, he's simply unable to keep up with the initial strike, leaving him wide open for the remainder. He's battered by the physical strikes, cut deep by that psychic energy, but... It's not quite enough to finish him. His arrogance, perhaps, has left him in a worse situation than he ought to be in, but... As he lands after being kicked in the air, Tenma rolls and whirls to his feet, a wider grin than before on his face.

Oh, she's good.

"Congratulations, Princess," Tenma says, assuming some kind of a stance. His left hand is pushed forward, fingers lightly contorted in a mudra position, while his left hand swings back, holding his bokken horizontally behind him, the arc of it highlighted by the rapidly increasing red glow. Soon, the bloody energy completely obscures the wooden blade, making it seem like he holds a sword of pure red power. "You just earned yourself the chance t' see somethin' /awesome/." He's humble, isn't he?

As the energy reaches its peak, Tenma suddenly charges forward at full tilt, rushing Stasya down with his hand still outstretched, but when he gets closer it becomes clear his intention is indeed to strike with the bokken. He twists, putting the full torque of his body behind the strike, the full weight and force hs's capable of mustering, aiming to slash Stasya hard across the body with that bloody blade. But the strike of wood on flesh, the cut and burn of bloody chi, isn't the worst part; the worst part is how Tenma's chi will seem to pass /through/ Stasya, reversing the flow of life through her body for a split second, stealing vitality and leaving behind it only a numbing cold... "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!"

COMBATSYS: Tenma successfully hits Stasya with The Sealing Sword.
- Power hit! -

[                        \\\\\\  < >  /                             ]
Tenma            0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1           Stasya


Panting slightly from exertion, Stasya backs up a few steps, a crooked sort of grin patterning across her face as she watches him gear up for Something Awesome. She can tell she's hurt him pretty damn badly with that assault, yes... and she can now tell that an equal-- if not greater-- amount of pain is now heading her way. "Then show me," is all she has to say on the matter, shockingly bold. "Fair trade, yes?"

She braces as best she can, attempting to reduce the damage she'll take; but there's only so much that can be done to defend against that numbing chi. She can dull the potency of that bokken-strike, certainly, can shift her own psychic energy to help cut the power of the bloody chi carving across her body. But that slash of chi that cuts deeper she can do little about. Knocked back by the bokken's blow, she recovers in the air and tries to land on her feet. The sense of enervation that comes in that wake of that strike, however, throws her balance off, and she ends up stumbling into a three-point, breathing heavily, tangled blonde hair brushing the floor of the roof.

Grey eyes narrow, breath coming in shallow pants, the girl still has the presence of mind to crack something of a rueful grin. "Ahhh, I did ask for it," she muses, straightening slowly and painfully. Her shoulders roll, back cracking as she works the stiffness out. She'll be bruising like all hell from this fight. "Hakuya wasn't lying about the strength of his friends, I think." She ruminates a moment, seemingly entirely spent: and then she nips forwards, paying the mention of Tenma's teammate a little homage in an attempted parting throw spiked-- rather literally-- with psi.

COMBATSYS: Stasya can no longer fight.

[                        \\\\\\  <
Tenma            0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Tenma dodges Stasya's Cortana.

[                        \\\\\\  <
Tenma            0/-------/-------|


Funny... It's actually been a while since Tenma last used that technique. Not since he fought Elle and her cronies on the Suiryuu, alongside Marisol. Oh, how he got himself hurt in order to land that attack on Elle. This time? Much less painful. But the seemingly overwhelming might of Tenma's ultimate technique sure seems to do a number on Stasya whatever defenses she puts up, leaving the Gedo swordsman feeling a familiar surge of confidence - of assurance that all is right in the world, and right with his place in it. And then Stasya tries to do something painful to him.

But Tenma isn't there when the Russian tries to throw him. Instead, showing speed that he seems to use fairly rarely, assisted by the really awful telegraphing of Stasya's intentions thanks to the damage she's taken, the leader of the Guardian Kings puts himself /behind/ the Russian, and she can feel that bokken, and its bloody chi aura, grazing the back of her neck. "You lose," Tenma says, simply. Certainly. As if it were only right and proper. It reminds him of the end of his first fight with Kenji... Both put up quite a strong fight, but in the end just couldn't manage to beat Tenma.

But that's why he's the leader.

Speaking of which, as Tenma thinks back on his confrontation with Kenji Ashima, he gets an idea. An idea that makes him laugh, a short bark of amusement at his own cleverness. "Since you lose, I get to collect a forfeit." This probably sounds like it's going someplace bad. "You're on my team now. Don't worry, you'll like it. Get t' hang out with Hakuya all y' want."

COMBATSYS: Tenma has ended the fight here.


Stasya pulls up short, finding herself confronting air. She slows to a halt, breathing shallowly, feeling the bokken against the back of her neck. She hears his words, but beyond that, she hears his certainty. It's not like hearing the tone of his voice or his choice of words; it's literally hearing that confidence that lives in him, bleeding out of him like that red chi he employs. She can feel it, much like she felt Hakuya's straightforward honesty.

Nothing if not charismatic, Tenma. Even if his people relations could use some (a lot of) work.

Stasya doesn't turn around. She just cants an eye over her shoulder at Tenma, blonde hair shifting slightly across the wood of his bokken. The start of his sentence does indeed sound like it could go somewhere bad-- but abruptly-- as far as Stasya is concerned, anyway-- it ends up going somewhere all right. She could live with this.

"I am thinking I do not have a choice," is her dry reply, half a smile pulling sardonically at the corner of her mouth, "but I have found no better talent in this school. So I am not complaining--" A toss of her blonde head, and Stasya finally turns around just in time for that quip about Hakuya. Her expression flattens a bit, the girl reaching up to shove Tenma's bokken lightly back at him in a teasing manner: her flickering psi protecting her from the bloody chi edge. "--not -yet-, anyway."

And Tenma is also thinking that Stasya doesn't have a choice. So far as he's concerned, she's one of the team now, and any efforts to avoid being associated with them can only end in tears. "Heh," he chuckles, as his bokken is pushed back at him, taking a step away and sweeping the weapon through the air again; as he does, the red aura dissipates with a sound like a breath slowly exhaled, and a perceptive person would no doubt notice that the red stripe of blood he painted on the sword is gone. Tenma's next move, of course, is to retrieve that cloth sheath so he can re-secure the bokken, some care going into tying the the sheath closed.

That done, Tenma straightens, and glances back over his shoulder at Stasya. "Never did catch your name, anyway," he says, which is actually a good deal more polite than how he /might/ have phrased it, so thank goodness for small miracles. Of course, yes, it's pretty clear tha his people skills... Really aren't that great.

Stasya watches carefully as Tenma dismisses that blood chi, grey eyes narrowing slightly at the way that strip of blood sighs from the wood as if carried off by a breeze. She's never seen anyone manipulate chi in such a manner, though her experiences are admittedly limited... and it's not like she can really talk when it comes to strange abilities. She knows her own is just as aberrant, if not more so.

Her attention having drifted a bit absentmindedly from Tenma proper, the girl comes back to earth with a start when the boy asks her a direct question. Her eyes flick up to his, and-- perhaps recognizing how rare this moment of politeness is-- the girl cracks a bit of a smile. "Anastasiya Voronkova," she offers, electing to leave out the patronymic for the sake of Tenma's sanity. A few moments pass, and then she adds, "...Though I understand it is a hard name. The short is Stasya."

She turns then, gathering up her derelict book and sidebag. She seems quite ready to follow Tenma about, having found some semblance of an anchor in this rough school to latch onto; that, and she figures that if she's going to be on a team, she ought to see just what the other people this guy might have collected are like. Other than Hakuya, anyway.

Okay, fact? Russian names are weird. In fact, Tenma is going to go on record that Russians are weird. "Tch," Tenma exhales through his teeth at the name, shaking his head. A hard name? That's freaking impossible! How does she live like that? "Voronkova for now," he says finally; for all his general informality and failure to conform to the rules of polite Japanese society, the intimacy of names is still an important thing to him, someone who understands the significance of names beyond the temporal. These two factors are the root of why he slings around nicknames like weapons; because they are. Give someone a nickname instead of their true name, and you hold them are more than arm's length. You cast down their value, make them perhaps less than they truly are. But beyond that, names have power.

Hakuya gets named properly by Tenma because the Suigetsu heir has perhaps the rarest thing Tenma ever gives: Acknoweldgement that he is an equal.

With Stasya gathering up her things, Tenma shrugs, and sits down on the roof. "Might as well stay here," he says. "Since you're one of us now, an' this is our spot. Me, I'm takin' a nap." Fighting Stasya was harder work than Tenma would care to admit, but he at least feels comfortable enough around the Russian now that he feels no compunction against sleeping right there on the roof with her sitting around doing whatever.

Tenma Kiryuu is a weird guy.

Log created on 21:47:43 11/10/2007 by Stasya, and last modified on 21:03:05 11/11/2007.