Description: Hakuya Suigetsu: nice guy, Guardian King, keenly skilled martial artist. As Haru steps out of the self-created obscurity and prepares to enter the world of professional fighting, he happens upon Hakuya and decides to give this socializing thing a try... and rapidly finds out that fighters have an interesting definition of what 'socializing' means!
It's the late afternoon, and most students at this point are gone, other than those having stayed late for club activities. Students are few and far between in the halls, and the remaining people are mostly congregated in groups. Like the one in the courtyard. It's a small group of about five teens, all sitting in a ring, looking inwards with a great deal of concentration, as if this were a matter of life and death. Next to one of the boys sits a pile (a big pile, too) of what look to be various lunch breads. This boy gives a serious look to the other four teens, holding two dice between three extended fingers, the arm crossed over his chest, with the other hand holding a bowl of sorts. "You all know the rules, right? One shot and one shot only to claim the entire pot. If house wins, your lunch tickets are forfeit."
Gambling, it seems, is being done on the grounds of Gedo. Who would've thought that Hakuya would be the one to perpetuate it?
However, no sooner are the words out of his mouth than he smiles in that usual, vacant way of his. The other boys had been looking a touch nervous, yet the smile relaxes them some. "Heh, you've been on a winning streak recently, Suigetsu, but this time we'll win for sure, and reclaim our honor!" This gets Hakuya smiling more, and he nods, completely cheerful. There isn't an ounce of bad will in this kid. "I really hope you do! Alright... here we go!" Hakuya suddenly moves his hands, and with surprising alacrity, casts the dice into the bowl, while simultaneously swirling the latter, then flipping the dice into the air. When the dice start to descend, he catches them in then quickly turns it over. It looks like a normal, if tense situation...
Except that sharp eyes would be able to pick out Hakuya was cheating.
The bowl comes down, and the four boys nervously look at each other. A silent thought runs through the four of them, and then, wordlessly, one of them speaks up. "Even." The bowl gets lifted... and it shows odds. "Ahhhhh! Damn!" The boys show obvious signs of good-natured frustration, while Hakuya laughs openly, though again without any bad nature in it. That's the odd thing about the boy in the hoodie, too - he's not even faking the good naturedness, it's completely natural and honest. For some reason, he seems to find nothing wrong in what's going on. Perhaps because a moment later he resets himself and says, "No, no, I feel bad! Why don't we try one more time? Same odds, no need for another bet!"
On this type of day, for the past three years, there's one Gedo student whose routine continued without interruption. Collect books, perhaps finish up any projects in Shop he's been working on. Head home and then straight to work in order to put food on the table. Sadly, that routine finds itself broken this year, and for the first time since he came to Gedo, Haru Izanami finds himself without a routine to follow. There's no job to rush home and prepare for, and while there's food -- for now -- if he doesn't throw himself wholeheartedly into this new enterprise, he's going to end up boiling shoe leather for steak. And while homemade jewelery might work for migrant workers and the homeless, Haru has hopefully found a slightly more lucrative way of staying afloat.
But he's not ready... not just yet. There's steps he needs to take first, steps appropriate to his way of approaching problems: methodical data collection, analysis, and eventual practice. Thus this late afternoon would usually find the third year heading home and instead finds him wandering the halls of Gedo. For some students who pass him by in the hallway, it's nothing major; a few even give him a nod or even a mention of his family name, which he returns with perfunctory, if not ebullient, grace. But he walks with purpose after a few precise inquiries into where he might find an individual he's looking for, and as Hakuya's good-natured enjoining falls back to him, he knows he got it right.
His approach to the ring of students is slow and hesitant, as if he is forcing himself to do it... and in a way, he is. Haru has cultivated three years' worth of 'leave me alone' at this school and is now breaking it of his own free will... and all to meet this curiously smiling young man, Hakuya Suigetsu. Many on Gedo's campus can fight... but few so well that they get notice beyond the school walls. Hakuya is one such individual... and if Haru's goals are to be realized in the long term, then Hakuya knows information that the black-clad youth is going to need.
Eventually he comes to stand just outside the ring, watching, saying nothing. Almost absently a curiously shiny and metallic-looking silver and black-patterned yoyo drops out of his palm toward the ground, then expertly snaps back up, over and over, rhythmically... like someone performing a nervous motion.
The other Gedo students nod vigorously to Hakuya's offer; while normally they would be offended at such, Hakuya is rather well known about the school by now, and most everyone knows him to be a guy who has not a judgmental or ill-tempered bone in his body. He's viewed as guileless and... well, in a word, -innocent- almost. Yet he can fight well, at least by Gedo standards, and as such is afforded a great deal of respect. He's also afforded a kind of leeway. They know he never means to offend, and as such, don't get offended. Like now. Gedo pride would demand they accept their loss and move on, but Hakuya was being genuinely kind. Or so they thought.
"Alright then! One more time!" Hakuya's hands go through the same motion, tossing the dice into the bowl, swirling the bowl, then flipping the dice into the air, catching, then flipping the bowl over. This time there's no pause in the response from the other four: "Evens!" Hakuya lifts the bowl... and cheers of elation erupt. "Hell yeah! Ha ha ha!" Hakuya just smiles real big, and then pushes the plate of lunch breads forward. "See? Just need to hang in there, it's all about luck!" The Gedo students gleefully begin to divide the spoils between the four of them, leaving Hakuya to now free up his attention enough to notice the boy nearby playing with a yo-yo. Blinking curiously at him, he offers a genuine, good-willed and absolutely guileless smile to Haru. "Oh, hello! That's all for today, if you wanted to bet. I normally do it during lunch, though, if you'd like to swing by?" The Suigetsu heir stands up, and dusts off his shorts, stretching a little.
There's a little snap-slap sound as the yoyo pulls back into Haru's palm and then seems to disappear. Of course, the problem is that for the moment he seems unable to respond, which might seem... fairly suspicious. The truth is that he wasn't expecting the other student -- even with his relatively gregarious reputation -- to walk right up and say something point blank. Haru's too composed to show flustering outright, but the brief silence IS pointedly awkward. When he does open his mouth to speak, it is to give the most banal and honest reply he can think of: "I'm not a gambler by nature." His voice is pleasant enough; not friendly, but it has a musical quality to an extent. Pleasant, but... dully so.
There's a moment while he drills his gaze into Hakuya, then starts to... well, circle. Like he's examining an art exhibit or a piece of particularly interesting statuary. His steps are slow, his expression contemplative, and again he says little. After a few rotations, as if he were drawing a half circle around the other student, he finally opens his mouth. "Hakuya Suigestu. One of the fabled 'Guardian Kings' and a highly skilled fighter." There's a pause, and then one black eyebrow goes up, as if daring Hakuya to confirm it. "Am I right?"
The four gamblers seem more intent on their gains - particularly who gets the most melon bread, and whether spicy bread should 'count' to one's total or not because none of them liked it. Thus, it leaves Hakuya mostly alone in talking to the newcomer, not that that's something he particularly minds. Not even when the other Gedite seems almost painfully awkward at talking to new people, it would seem. Indeed, if Hakuya notices this at all, he pays no mind to it, just giving that ever-present smile of his and watching the other boy, apparently quite patient. "Oh, well, that's okay!" Hakuya says, bobbing his head in several nods in quick succession. The pause is bared, as is when Haru starts to circle around him. It does cause him to blink, giving a slightly confused look, but he rolls with it, head turning to keep his gaze on Haru until the young man passes out of his easy vision, then looks forward again for awhile until Haru walks back into sight. "Eh-heh, fabled? Um... well, thank you for the compliments, I guess," Hakuya says in response, lifting a hand up to rub behind his head a touch nervously. "That's my name, though. What's yours? I don't think I've seen you around, actually."
Name. Right. It's like you can almost see the mental notepad taking that down. Supposed to start with the greeting, the name, then move on to business. For a moment the dual-colored eyes look off to the side distractedly, before Haru shakes his head and turns back to Hakuya. Friendly, yes... of course, lots of things in nature look friendly from a distance and are a little nastier up close, and it's clear that Haru isn't sure which of the two Hakuya is. He does, at least, think of the presence of mind to answer the question. "...Izanami. Haru Izanami, third year." There's a beat, and then he adds, almost as an afterthought, "I keep to myself, so I'm not surprised that we haven't met."
Internally, Haru is wishing he could sit down and have a drink. This socializing stuff is hard work.
Instead, though, he lets his posture shift to something slightly less stiff, slightly more relaxed... though his version of 'relaxed' is to cross his arms over his chest. "I don't know about compliments... I'm just stating a fact. You, Tenma Kiryuu, Kenji Ashima... strong, even by this school's standards. You're talked about quite a bit by your classmates." A rare smile crosses Haru's face, though why is anyone's guess. "Perhaps because you seem a little more approachable than the Bancho, who is a bit... inscrutable."
"Izanami-san!" Hakuya says, and energetically at that. He smiles more, and perhaps thankfully (for Haru) doesn't offer his hand for a handshake, just that beaming smile of his. He continues to listen to the other teen's words, though he does interject with, "And Stasya too!" Can't leave out a Guardian King, after all, if you're listing them and calling them all strong. He had great respect for the female King's strength, so of course is quick to amend the non-inclusion of her. And, well, saying he's strong and that the Kings are 'fabled' may all be fact to anyone around Gedo, but one of the things quickly becoming clear here is that Hakuya is rather modest. While he would go on at length about his friends' awesome strength and abilities, he'd be quick to say he himself was probably the weakest member of the Guardian Kings. So he looks a bit uncomfortable. "Ah... Daigo-san? He's usually quite busy, I think..." in truth Hakuya had yet to meet the man, but that didn't precisely matter. "Er... Izanami-san, is there something you wanted?" He doesn't ask this as if he were impatient or anything. Indeed, it just seems to be that Hakuya is reading the situation and the other teen's choice of words, and he seems curious as to what Haru would indeed want.
Good freakin' question.
Amusingly, a gloved hand comes up and messes up the blue-streaked black hair brushing into Haru's face, a gesture of total and utter frustration. Any idiot can see that he's not used to this at all, though perhaps what comes next *is* completely unexpected in that he rather honestly admits it point blank, though his tone is kept quiet enough so that only he and Hakuya are likely to hear. "I have no idea what I'm doing. This is so unlike me it's like walking into a room blind..." Yet beneath the frustration there is something genuine and honest in the way he admits it so freely.
When his hand comes back down, Haru's eyes are closed for a moment before he opens them again and fixes them on Hakuya evenly. "You are... a successful fighter." The words aren't a question, they're a statement of fact. He's kicking himself for not having heard much about Stasya -- the foreign girl's name and face come easily enough to recall, but absolutely no other distinguishing features -- but this much he knows. If it weren't true this entire exercise would be for nothing. "And not just in the typical Gedo fashion of smacking someone in the head until they stop moving. You're out in... the circuit. Professional-level. How..." He pauses, then frowns, before continuing. "I'm interested in seeing the strength that made that success possible."
Hakuya's eyes widen a little as it becomes evident that Izanami is becoming frustrated, unable to get the words out that he wants to. Canting his head a little to the side, Hakuya concludes something, so that it all makes sense. Haru is one of those types that speak more with their actions than they do words. Of course! That makes perfect sense, and not that Haru is socially awkward or anything. The preference of actions over words is something Hakuya himself knows, and can sympathize with the other teen to a degree. So it doesn't bother him at all that there seem to be an abundance of awkward pauses and the like. And, as Haru talks? Hakuya suddenly also 'gets' another thing. Haru wanted to become a professional fighter. "Oooooohhhhhh!" Hakuya says in sudden realization, nodding his head several times quick. "Ah, I get it! You want to learn how to fight?" Or maybe he already DOES and just doesn't know how to get in on the part of it where he gets paid to do it. But, phrasing it as Haru did, it leaves Hakuya to conclude that the other Gedo student wanted but one thing: to test his strength against another. After all, that's the best way to do it, isn't it? With that in mind, Hakuya says, simply: "Then, punch me."
Only Hakuya could say that with such honest good cheer.
For a moment, Hakuya might have the pleasure (or confusion) of watching Haru's eyebrows raise and eyes widen in surprise. Well... he did in fact get his point across, just not in the way he'd hoped. This 'conversation' thing... it's clearly going to take more time and research. But the yoyo-using Gedo kid is up to the challenge, which... compared to some he's faced in his life, seems considerably surmountable. If that's even a word. Still, he really does find himself smiling and even chuckling, genuinely, at Hakuya's statement. "Not... exactly," he admits, shaking out his arms. "Close, but... well, you'll see for yourself."
Haru's right hand drops to his side, somewhat like a gunslinger's, and his fingers even curl in and out briefly in the same way... a showy thing, silly, but as far as Haru can deduce, entirely necessary for this sort of thing. SNFs, Neo League matches... hell, even observing people getting whacked in this very courtyard. He's watched it all carefully. He even sounds apologietc as he says, evenly: "Well, you did ask."
His right hand snaps out, and... the yoyo appears. The distance between Haru and Hakuya is short, certainly 'melee range'... but the bop in the nose Hakuya might have expected from a 'punch' is in fact coming from the weighted, metallic yoyo... though if it connects, the difference might be indistinguishable.
COMBATSYS: Haru has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Haru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hakuya has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Hakuya 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Haru
COMBATSYS: Hakuya endures Haru's Quick Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Hakuya 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Haru
Hakuya did indeed ask, and as the fighting position is taken, the Suigetsu heir doesn't move too much, doesn't even seem to take a guard, though he does shift his feet a bit so he isn't as likely to get knocked on his ass by the event that Haru turns out to be able to punch really hard. But there is no punch... rather, a yoyo. The inclusion of the weapon, by simple fact that Haru doesn't tuck it away, is noted quickly, and so it doesn't surprise him that much when the yoyo is employed in the attack. It does make him blink some, of course. The yoyo snaps at his face, and he looks just a bit surprised, but does he flinch from it? No. In fact, he lets it hit him, as would be normal for someone trying to gauge the strength of their opponent, and in this case he is genuinely interested in how strong Haru is. It also seems, he's interested in other aspects of Haru's fighting potential. The yoyo hits him, but perhaps a little unexpectedly, his hand snaps forward before the yoyo can even be drawn back, and Hakuya seeks to drive a single open handed palm strike, right at Haru's sternum in return for the yoyo strike.
COMBATSYS: Haru dodges Hakuya's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Hakuya 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Haru
It's not exactly clear that Haru expected Hakuya to punch him back. On the one hand, this is Gedo. On the other hand, asking for someone to deck you one right in the jaw is weird even by Gedo standards. Why? Most people don't ask first when it comes to punchings, period. One eyebrow goes up in surprise again, however, as Hakuya just... sits there and takes it. That's unexpected and entirely out of Haru's paradigm too. Luckily, at the last second he seems to get to his senses and, as the hand pushes for his chest he suddenly skids back a step, feet kicking up dust. It's clear that the evasion was a very near miss on Haru's part.
"Heh... your reputation's deserved, alright." A hand comes up near his face, yoyo visible in his grip as he holds that hand in front of his mouth, locking his eyes on his opponent. Read, deduce, react... that's Haru's way. The nose bop didn't phase him too much, but that's not all that's in his repertoire either. "But as you can see, I already know how to fight. What I want to know is something different, but I'm not sure if I asked you, you'd be able to tell me what it is..."
Twisting his body in a stationary spin, Haru brings his hand to waist level and then, from behind the back, snaps the yoyo out for Hakuya's stomach this time, instead of his head. The difference now is the range... apparently the string is a little longer than it looks.
COMBATSYS: Hakuya fails to reflect Medium Fling from Haru with Full Moon Sunder.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Hakuya 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Haru
When he misses due to the reflexive drawing back, Hakuya smiles cheerfully. "Heh, I can see! You're pretty fast!" Even in the midst of battle, he seems never to falter on that smile. The other part of what's said is what muddies the smile some, replacing it with a more confused, though still cheerfully optimistic smile. Yet, there's no time to ask what it is that Haru wants to ask him, as the other teen launches right quick into another attack. Maybe it's the mild confusion, wondering at what Haru wants, that distracts him, or maybe it's the unique string on that yoyo... or, well, a number of other things that went wrong or could have otherwise contributed, but Hakuya's hand tries to snap out to catch the yoyo then... misses. It impacts against his stomach, causing a small grunt of pain, and he takes a step or two backwards, his hand moving to the spot in order to rub at the spot. "That yo-yo is kind of difficult to track... it makes for a good weapon, I think!" He moves into a fighting position, his traditional one with his hands open, palms held out towards Haru, being made, then motions. "Ask or attack... or both! I'd be willing to spar with you for a bit." It's also at this point that the gamblers behind Hakuya have decided to take less interest in their bread, turning to watch the fight.
There's another combination snap-slap noise as the yoyo is yanked back to Haru's waiting hand. He makes it look easy, but the truth is that his poise is 90% facade. Hakuya doesn't fight like the other Gedo punks he's had to endure in his tenure at the school... even if what he just tried failed, it's that he tried anything at all. Most Gedo fighters Haru knows have two settings: walk into punch, and punch. There are major, rare exceptions... Daigo, Edge, and Gan are one, while the Guardian Kings are the latest fresh blood example of the same. "It had to be," Haru admits. "If I wanted to survive in this school, I had to find something fast and effective. And I might be quick, but you're tough... very very tough." Again, it isn't a surprised admission, or even a compliment: it's a statement of fact. Hakuya appears, to Haru's eyes, built to last.
Crouching, the yoyo fighter gets ready to keep this going. It's a surprising feeling, the rush of adrenaline... and there is a faint grin on his face. "I wonder if this is the difference..." he murmurs, keeping his eyes on Hakuya's face. "I never *wanted* to fight before, I just did. And as for asking... your attacks should tell me everything I need to know!" Pushing off the ground, Haru hurls himself into close range again, snapping out the yoyo again at waist height. However, rather than striking, he looks to loop the reinforced string around the Guardian King like a lasso; if he can make that happen, there's a grunt of effort as Haru simply twirls Hakuya in a tight orbit parallel to the ground, and then slingshots him into the courtyard at high speed.
COMBATSYS: Haru successfully hits Hakuya with Evocative Jade.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Haru
That yo-yo was proving to be difficult to gauge. With a punch, you had the motions of the body, the whole arm, and lots of other 'tells' as to where a person intended to strike. With the yoyo, it was a bit more difficult, and Hakuya had actually never fought someone who used such a weapon. So it's not completely surprising when, as the yo-yo whips around him rather than striking him, Hakuya's a bit lost as to how to react. First he's going to defend, lean into the attack, and then the next thing he knows he's being whipped up and slammed back down into the ground with a cry of 'uwah!'. It's true Haru doesn't hit as hard as some people he knows - people like Tenma or Marisol - but he'd fought someone else who also had weak attacks and still lost by virtue of chipping him down. So, as he picks himself back up from the ground, he decides he's going to need to step it up a bit if he wants to win! "Alright then... I'll try and show you the answer you seek!" And with that, he gets a foot under him as he lifts himself off the ground, pushing off of it. He seeks to snap a kick up towards Haru's head, following it through and twisting his body around in order to kick with the other leg again. Continuing on if he's successful to that point, he performs an almost breakdance-like move, where he drops to his shoulders on the floor, and spins in place, kicking his legs out in a kind of cyclone kick.
COMBATSYS: Hakuya successfully hits Haru with Rising Dusk.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Haru
Hakuya's move is complex and technical... but it also shows firsthand the weakness in Haru's style. He had to get in close to try that throwing technique, but in so doing he made himself all the more vulnerable to a physical strike at close range. Squinting somewhat as he tries to follow the pattern of the kicks, Haru decides against evasion and just tries to get a body part -- preferrably a forearm -- in front of the attack. Sadly, he misjudges the speed and takes the kick rather hard on the noggin, making connecting with the rest of the maneuver a fait accompli; the black and blue-haired Gedo student ends up on his back on the dirt a few feet away.
However, he gets up soon enough, brushing dust from his shirt and nodding at Hakuya. "Ah... thanks." It sounds awkward, probably because it is somewhat. "Sorry. This whole 'talking to people' thing... I'm not used to it," he admits, swaying back and forth a little, judging his next move. Whatever that was, it hurt... but anybody can do that. Where's the hidden element? The only way to find out, Haru decides, is to keep going. Keep away seemed to be working... but if he's noticed anything in his research, it's that sometimes the tactically inadvisable thing is exactly what fighters like the Guardian Kings do. Thus, he doesn't stay safe at range; he rushes forward and, letting one yoyo drag low to the ground, suddenly whips his hand up at high speed, looking to smack it into Hakuya's jaw from below. Telegraphed a mile away, but it's going to really make the orthodonture sting if it hits.
COMBATSYS: Hakuya interrupts Fierce Strike from Haru with Blind Crescent.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Haru
Lowering one leg back down to the ground as he twists on his shoulders, Hakuya seemlessly gets back to his feet after executing the attack, finding that it more or less made Haru collapse backwards. Hopping a bit backwards to make sure his balance was secure, Hakuya waits a moment for the other Gedo student to get back up, offering him a smile as he does. "That's okay! I understand!" And no doubt he probably does... in his own way. Actions > words, right? Right. In any case, as Haru surges forward to attack him again, -this- time Hakuya gets a bead on that yo-yo. Shifting his feet a bit, his hand moves just as it comes to about waist level. He doesn't grab the yo-yo this time, but rather the string, which allows the yo-yo itself to impact his jaw, if having somewhat lesser physical strength behind it. With his grip on the string, Hakuya pulls, tugging Haru forward, out of that 'safe distance' and into Hakuya's waiting hands. Other hand shooting out to grab Haru's shirt, Hakuya yanks him off his feet, past Hakuya himself, and forcing Haru into a flip while he does. Before Haru can hit the ground, however, Hakuya raises his foot in order to kick it back down, driving his heel into the other Gedo student's stomach and sending him to the floor all the quicker.
Of course, fights at Gedo always tend to attract attention, almost moreso even than the other schools. Gedo kids really get into these things; maybe it's their background, maybe it's just the way they are. Maybe it's society. The two involved fighters might not even really bee noticing the crowd, for all the raucous cheering and (to be sure) betting action going on, and that's all to the good; they -should- be focusing on each other.
But they're also being noticed by someone else--someone who isn't in the crowd at the leading edge, but who is rather standing atop one of the tables, to try and get a better view. After all, fighting interests her very very much so, and Adira likes to take in all the fights she can. She might stand out for wearing a boy's uniform, modified, but she's not likely to be seen by these two in any memorable sort of manner, being fighters, however, they might feel her intense gaze, somewhat sharper than that of the other students.
In any case, this girl is clearly NOT hiding herself amongst the crowd, rather quietly observant.
It's both creative and effective; Haru rolls to a stop in the dirt in due time, groaning in pain. That stung! The throw isn't so bad, but the kick is a real killer, knocking the breath from Haru temporarily with a loud exhalation. When he gets up, though, there is no look of consternation on the challenging student's face. Indeed, he seems... if not happy (he's not smiling) then at least relieved, or perhaps expectant. He takes a second to wipe dirt from his mouth and then nods at Hakuya. "A good strategy. After all, if a yoyo string is good enough to fight with, it's good enough to fight back with..." Way to monologue your weaknesses to the entire courtyard.
"I do have... one question," Haru says, flicking the yoyo in his hand up and down absently, clearly a nervous motion for him, giving him something to do while he plans his next move. "The story goes the first day you met Kiryuu, he launched himself at you in the cafeteria. The story might be wrong but it seems consistent with his... public behavior." A beat, then a shrug. "But this is... fun. The question I can't understand is... *why*."
Of course, he doesn't give Hakuya time to answer. Instead he twists his wrist and flicks out that yoyo again for Hakuya's stomach... but if he can land the blow, the impact is different from before. Rather than pulling back, it pulls *up*... and a second yoyo in the other hand makes an appearance. The result is a staircase of alternating hits, each dragging Hakuya's body higher and higher until, at the apex, both yoyos swing for the fences and look to knock him out of the air.
COMBATSYS: Haru successfully hits Hakuya with Garnet Intensity.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Haru
Hakuya dances backwards some as the kick delivers Haru to the floor, hopefully moving out of range before the other Gedite can think to physically reprise attacks from below. Though that still doesn't account for that yo-yo, of course. Haru stands up, and begins talking again - for someone who isn't very socially adept, he does do a lot of it, it seems! But again, the Suigetsu heir isn't given any time to respond adequately to the questions asked, even though he does lower his arms, just a bit, as though he were going to. This is likely his mistake, because he can't react fast enough to the yo-yo; it might also be that he really has no idea -how long- that string is, because he tries to avoid the attack altogether by stepping backwards, which proves not good. The yo-yo hits him, then knocks him up into the air surprisingly, and then continues to do so, until finally it knocks him right back down to the ground, landing with a rough thud and a grunt. Instantly, he's rolling onto his front, then pushing himself up again, getting to his feet in less than a second, and turning to look to Haru over his shoulder. "Because... you're testing yourself. You're learning more about what you're capable of, and who you are."
This line is delivered with an almost philosophical look by Hakuya, but it's ruined when he turns to face Haru fully, then crouches over some while dashing forward, intending to catch the yo-yo wielder on his shoulder at the waist. If this is successful, the grappler will then lift Haru up over his head, then slam him right back down in a quick and gritty throw, back down to the floor.
COMBATSYS: Haru dodges Hakuya's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Haru
An experienced fighter like Hakuya can probably sense by now the rhythm of Haru's style; he is a little fragile, and quick to react but not exactly fleet of foot. He relies on the range advantage to make things harder for his opponent, and in this case the gambit worked. Although that technique put him closer to the philosophical grappler than he'd have liked, it gives him enough distance to see the grapple coming. Deciding assurance is better than saving face, he dives to the left, landing in a crouch at a 90 degree angle to Hakuya and his former position.
When he gets up, the blue and green gaze is trained on Hakuya for a minute. It's an interesting proposition... that he's a 'born' fighter and only now finding that out. His smile is a little less genuine when he responds, a little more like a smirk, but not wholly without warmth. "There was a time when I'd have reacted very badly to being told I had anything in common with most of the students here." A brave declaration, all things considered, even if the compliment is backhanded. He doesn't attack, not just yet; instead he watches Hakuya, content to try and see what he's going to pull out next. "Maybe those days are over after all."
COMBATSYS: Haru focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Haru
Even as Haru talks, Hakuya seems to flow seemlessly into his next attack. The throw had been dodged, yes, and now Haru was flanked, but a grappler who had to get in close was aware of what positioning meant to battle: good positioning meant victory, bad meant loss. And of course, rolling turns and the like were a necessary component to keep good positioning. Thus, he steps forward again, past where Haru had been, then sweeps his foot in a broad half-circle, stirring up some dust from the motion, and already is facing his opponent again. He pauses for just a moment, but now sees that the other Gedite has no intention of trying to attack back... yet. Giving merely a smile to the statements Haru is making, he steps forward, then suddenly launches into another dead run. This time it's not trying to catch the other student at the waist, but around his chest with a clothesline. Should it hit, he'll wrap the arm around Haru, then pick him up and start to run across the courtyard with him at a dead haul, and assuming all's well up to that point, something odd happens. Hakuya, despite running quite fast, just suddenly -stops- as though all of his forward momentum were suddenly cancelled. Where does it go? Into Haru, who is flung towards the ground in what will likely be a very painful landing.
COMBATSYS: Haru counters Tidal Crush from Hakuya with Emerald Vivacity.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hakuya 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Haru
The moment's come. Haru finally feels like he has a grasp on Hakuya's fighting style. He's proven to be both resilient, and very adept at moving bodies around the 'field'... both his own *and* his opponents'. But to Haru, for a second, Hakuya ceases to be a person and instead becomes a series of obstacles and variables to be controlled and then overcome. True, the yoyo-using fighter doesn't have fantastic foot speed, but he does have very sharp reflexes. When Hakuya's clothesline comes in, Haru suddenly *ducks*, trying to become as compact as possible... but at the same time, one hand is snapping the yoyo up to loop tight around the grappler's arm. Moving forward as he rises, Haru heaves with all his might and slings Hakuya into the air, using the yoyo again like a sling... but even as he does so, the second yoyo is out and lashing out to repeat the process *in midair*. Effectively using Hakuya's body like a midair grappling hook, Bionic Commando-style, Haru swings up and above him, then hurls Hakuya right at the ground before falling himself and landing in a crouch, both yoyos slapping back into his hands with that same slap-snap sound.
He doesn't say anything, and observers will note that he's breathing slow but heavy from all the exertion, trying to keep it all under control. It never helps to show a weak face in Gedo.
Okay, that's a bit unexpected! Hakuya isn't a stranger to his clothesline getting ducked, and as he feels himself miss, is already in the process of doing another roll-turn, his feet digging into the ground and then performing a 180 with his momentum. Or, that's the plan, but the yo-yo wielder has different ideas, and before Hakuya can get fully turned about, he's being lifted off his feet, a process made easier because the grappler's manner of turning deliberately puts him off balance. "Uwah!" he cries out almost comically, and then is slingshotted up, then down into the ground once more, landing face-first with a much deeper thud than last time. He also doesn't get up as fast, apparently his senses knocked from him with the rapid change of directions going on there. He does, however, get back up, rubbing the back of his head and groaning. "Ahhh, heh heh, I think I'm taking it too easy on you... or maybe you're a lot stronger than you realize!" Now the game was afoot! There's no reason for Hakuya to hold back any more, because Haru's proven he's at least somewhat competent at fighting... -at least- that. So, what does he do? He leans over to pick up a large stone tile jarred loose from all the throwing about, turns, and then simply flings it, though oddly either his aim is off or he's going for something odd, because he targets the other teen's legs instead of his body.
COMBATSYS: Haru overcomes Large Thrown Object from Hakuya with Power Fling.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hakuya 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Haru
However exhausted he appeared to be for the time being, apparently it's not quite as bad as it initially looked! Rising to his feet, Haru shrugs at Hakuya as he collects himself, trying to keep a neutral expression. "I thought you might be taking it a little soft on me," Haru admits. If that fact bothers him, he doesn't let it show. The truth is, in Hakuya's place he would probably do the same thing... and more to the point, Haru's entire fighting style and even a little bit of his public persona is *cultivated* to produce exactly that reaction. The less threatening someone thinks you are, the less seriously they take you... which is only a problem if you're too prideful, and while Haru has enough self-respect, he can do without pride if it means accomplishing what he wants.
However, even as he speaks Hakuya is in motion and Haru's gaze tracks him carefully, trying to figure out what he's going to do. That he's going to throw that tile seems obvious once he reaches for it; that he's going to throw it low is not. However, the yoyo fighter appears to have things well in hand. "The thing about yoyos is..." he says, "is that they hit hardest moving with gravity." As the tile sails through the air, Haru brings one hand over his head and then *hurls* the yoyo downward at an angle to intercept the tile... which it does spectacularly. He had hoped to simply knock it off course; instead, he *pulverizes* the stone in a cloud of dust. In fact, now it's Hakuya who has to deal with an attack heading for his lower half!
COMBATSYS: Hakuya fails to reflect Power Fling from Haru with Darkside Sunder.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Haru
In Hakuya's case, it wasn't a matter of thinking Haru was not threatening, it was simply a matter of 'Izanami-san is new, time to take it easy on him!' In fact that was the precise line of thought that went through the grappler's mind. However, getting knocked around while 'taking it soft' is no use to anyone. If Haru was that skilled, why take it easy on him? He needed to be pushed more, in that case! And Hakuya was indeed wanting to do just that... because it was exactly how he was trained, and so too, thinks it would be good for Izanami. He already admitted to be having fun, right? So there was no harm in amping things up. Unfortunately, the idea of 'amping things up' by casting a loose tile stone towards his opponent is shown to be not enough as that yo-yo completely obliterates the stone, and then continues on towards his legs. Blinking in open surprise, Hakuya's left with little time to react once he actually gets his senses back, and his hand once again, almost by reflex, tries to strike at the yo-yo itself with his hand. But it once more goes right past his hand, and strikes directly at his knee, taking his support out from under him. With a surprised cry, he falls, landing on his rear with a heavy thud. The strike to his knee was what did the most damage, but he doesn't look like he's quite ready to get back up just yet. "Eh heh... ow..." he says, looking a touch sheepish, even rubbing the back of his head. "Your yo-yo hits pretty hard, Izanami-san."
"It has to," Haru responds carefully as the tethered projectile snaps back into his waiting palm. He's watching Hakuya carefully now, trying to puzzle him out. That's the second time he's seen the ghost of some complex maneuver not manifest, through whatever means, but given Hakuya's expertise with complex grapples, the yoyo-using Gedo senior(tm) expects that Hakuya is quick with his fingers as well. For a brief moment, he even wonders if Suigetsu has ever tried his hand at yoyo tricks. After all, if he could move the dice cup with such dexterity, a yoyo would be nothing after that.
Haru doesn't attack; whether he's letting Hakuya get back up, or simply doesn't want to take advantage, is anyone's guess. But it gives him an excuse to keep talking... even though when his mouth closes after these sentences, he almost seems surprised that they've come out of his mouth. "I learned to fight out of necessity, but I get the impression that's not how it was with you... am I wrong? I had to be as strong as I could get up front to defend myself. But I'm curious as to why you learned how to fight."
COMBATSYS: Haru takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Haru
The moment given is taken, as Hakuya presses his hands down to the ground and pushes himself back up onto his feet, shaking his head to clear a bit of daze from his vision. He pats his head at the side, shaking it again, and then offers a smile to Haru as he starts to listen to what the other teen has to say. "Um... why I learned to fight?" He considers this a moment, blinking his eyes a few more times. Then, he gives another smile, looking almost philosophical again. "It was necessary, too." In fact, he almost seems mystical, for just a second. But then he lowers into his fighting stance once more, and takes a deep breath. "Now, what are you waiting for? You might not like how we do things here, but you -are- a student of Gedo! And Tenma says Gedos don't stop until the fight's over!" And with that, Hakuya dashes forward again. He stops just short of Haru, and his hand snaps out in order to try and grab onto the other teen, tugging it forward, then down in order to force his opponent into another flip that would send him past Hakuya and into the floor, just like before. However rather than kicking him into the dirt, Hakuya instead raises a knee to slam into Haru's back, sending him back into the air. Should that all work out, the Suigetsu heir will grab onto the other teen while he's in mid-air, then suplex him into the ground.
COMBATSYS: Haru fails to interrupt Silent Crescent from Hakuya with Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Haru
Necessary, huh. One eyebrow quirks at that, but it's the assertion of Gedo identity that actually makes Haru blink in surprise a few times. The entire fight, Izanami had thought of his opponent as *very atypical* when it came to Gedo students. Even other Gedo students (well, a few) think of Hakuya as a little unusual by Gedo standards. That was why Haru was interested in him in the first place, among other reasons. "How we do things here, huh..." he murmurs, then sets his jaw, as if making a difficult decision. "Alright." Bringing up one hand, he snags the finger of one of his black gloves in his teeth and pulls it off quickly, then the other, and drops them on the ground.
'Taking off the kid gloves', maybe? After all, such a symbolic gesture is certainly not unheard of in fighting. The 'bring it!' palm wave, the middle finger... taking off gloves to signal being 'serious' could be among them. But the sudden bland expression Haru wears suggests that in fact, he just made a very difficult decision.
When Hakuya drives at him, Haru stays his ground, somewhat strangely. In fact, as the Suigetsu heir grabs for him, he pushes forward and tries to wrap *his* hand around Hakuya's arm. Sadly, close combat is not his specialty, and he misjudges the timing rather severely. Instead his bare hand brushes across Hakuya's shirt harmlessly as he executes a complex, stylish, and rather painful combination suplex. Haru's body actually *bounces* after the end, sending him tumbling across the dirt. He winces in pain as he stands, grimacing... his body's not built for punishment like other fighters' and Hakuya knows precisely where to deliver blows for max hurting. But he's not out of it yet. In fact, he looks down at his palms, then at Hakuya in surprise... but verbally, all he utters is: "...huh."
Hakuya has learned a few things since coming here to Gedo. And while most of the typical Gedo "teachings" he wasn't precisely convinced over, such as pretty much all of Gedo student's preference for just enduring pain and bowling through it, there are a few things he DOES like, such as the pride, or perhaps 'spirit' of Gedo. Never give up. Never stop fighting. Always better yourself. That was something he liked. Quite a lot, in fact. And thus, adhered to it. It seems Haru understands too, as he moves into a fighting position, even pulling off his gloves. But unfortunately the spirit is not with him as he tries to move into position to interrupt the Suigetsu grappler's attack, and thus is simply swept up into it. Down, up, then down again, Haru is slammed into the pavement, and Hakuya backs off a little bit... however it seems the other Gedo student is too stunned to do much of anything but try and stagger back to his feet. The verbal response gets a short laugh from him, but other than that, Hakuya sets off on setting a good example as to how one never stops fighting. Even though Haru is dazed, he steps forward, and aims a open palmed strike towards his jaw, and if that is successful, he follows it up with another hit, more of a shoulder ram, aimed at the teen's stomach.
COMBATSYS: Hakuya successfully hits Haru with Strong Punch.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Hakuya 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Haru
Later on, reviewing this day's events, Haru is going to look on these few moments as the point where he 'lost the fight' by making a massive error in both personal and tactical judgment. Yet truthfully, he doesn't seem to mind too much. At least, not initially. Whatever surprised him KEEPS surprising him, and Hakuya's jaw-aimed punch is seen a little too late. Haru's attempt at a defense is clumsy, made moreso by the rather obvious fact that he's trying to avoid touching Hakuya with his bare hands again and instead diverting the punch with his forearm. That doesn't work; in fact it just makes it worse. Instead of taking it on the chin he takes it right between the *eyes*; the shoulder ram understandably sends him flying across the courtyard to land lying down rather than crouching.
It takes him too many seconds to get up, and even then the best he can manage is a sort of combination sit/kneel. Teetering on the edge of consciousness, Haru puts all of his will into keeping upright. "I guess I deserved that..." he muses aloud, before turning his gaze to Hakuya. "I know when I'm beaten. Thank you for indulding my request." There's a pause, and then Haru winces in pain, bringing a hand up to the bridge of his nose. Nothing's broken, but boy does that hurt. He stares at his own hand cross-eyed for a moment, then puts it down and looks at Hakuya. His expression might be considered... quiet wonder? It's still quite neutral -- all of Haru's expressions are -- but it does seem to register a bit of pleasant surprise. "You really believe that. You were having fun the whole time, genuinely..."
COMBATSYS: Haru takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Hakuya 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Haru can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Hakuya 0/-------/----===|
Even Hakuya winces a little at the impact his palm makes against the other boy's face, sending him flying. Though the other Gedo students get quite a kick out of it, laughing a bit. They, at the same time as the grappler, however, gauge that the fight is over, and with a parting wave to the bread gambler, they depart, taking their spoils with them. Hakuya drops his guard, rubbing the back of his head absently, and then walks over towards Haru, offering him a hand to help him get back on his feet. "Of course! It's not like Gedo is any stranger to fights, and I wanted to know if there was another good fighter here anyway, you know? It's just... fun, I guess." He smiles, and then backs up from the yo-yo wielder as he stands, his gloved hands moving into his pockets idly. He can't really explain 'why' it's fun, though his earlier suggestion about learning things about oneself seemed to be the best he could come up with. "In any case, I need to be going home, my au- er, sister will be wanting me back home to cook dinner. Go see the nurse before you leave, just in case, okay? See you around, Izanami-san!"
COMBATSYS: Hakuya has ended the fight here.
Log created on 00:44:20 03/05/2008 by Haru, and last modified on 12:06:56 03/07/2008.