Waking the Dead 2.0 || July 5-11, 2063 || The Wait

[kawaakari]

[Beautiful as Seigi is and generous as your hosts have been, it is hard to forget why you're here again.

Zangyaku is carrying on as per usual, as if your presence doesn't mean anything. It isn't a dismissal, though: it's an acknowledgment of the work that you must do, and that they are, by merit of your presence, helping you do it.]


General OOC Notes:
+ This is a catch-all post for any interactions that take place during the in-game period I indicated. Make sure to label your subject lines accordingly!
+ You're all staying at close to the Wolf's Ward, which is the wing devoted to the Blade King and the Wolfborn.
+ You're free to move around until about 7 PM. You have free run of the base.
+ You can, regardless of whether you have a license with Zangyaku or not, join in on minor routine engagements like patrol, or helping out at any of the divisions.
+ There is a free teleport back to Falner. You can go any time, as long as you're back before call time for the vigil with Ginko Takasugi-Vice from 8 PM until 4 AM.

General behavior of significant NPCs in the area:
+ Kasumi is your host, and effectively the officer in command for this leg of the operation.
+ Hikaru is generally NOT around during the day. He only turns up around dinner time to eat with everyone, take a temperature check on his end, and then immerse himself in his own work.
+ NPCs that have been fielded out to watch over David Young and Minato Arisato are available on call.
+ Other NPCs may be available on request. Just ping me?

Comments

maybe i'll have people come around eventually then. :))

[riskythunder]

[Flashing you one last crooked smile before he's dropping into a stance - something loose, hard to read - and putting just enough distance between you. Then he's shifting, studying you carefully.

No need to rush headlong into things. This one may goof around a lot off the field, but he's a careful fighter when it all gets down to it.]

[bladeweaver]

[Nice form, in that it is nearly formless. This spar is going to be a tough one. He's gonna need everything he's learned.

Fortunately, iaido translates well to hand-to-hand. It does incorporate some aikido principles, after all. Adamantine Hand will probably have to take care of the rest.]

Excellent form, man. You'll probably dislocate a few of my joints. Well, I'll try to make it hard for you!

[That last word came as a bit of a yell, because he has charged into Nico's space. Forces Adamantine Hand, in its pure physical aspect, is a lot like the magical aspect: brutal, forceful, and seemingly unsubtle, but is actually quite deceptive in the hands of a skilled practicioner.

As he plants his pivot foot (the right) in Nico's range, he feints a standard right open palm thrust, but at the last minute, switches it for a high-low left elbow/shin strike.]

[riskythunder]

[He immediately goes on the defensive, and - thankfully - that's what ends up saving him. He just manages to block the blow.

Rather than jump in for a strike of his own, he's backing off with a chuckle.]

I think you're going to end up giving me a run for my money!

[And now, analyzing Taning again, even while he's smiling and bantering with him.]

[bladeweaver]

Whatever, kiddo, I know you're not even trying yet!

[That really is what he believes. He rushes back in and tries the same thing again, just to check the young man's battle instincts and prejudices. Normal people would be caught dead by this, on the premise that it's much too obvious.]

[riskythunder]

[He'll only chuckle at that statement --

-- and promptly dodge the blow entirely. He uses the momentum of his movement to shift forward, and goes for a quick jab just to test the other man's defenses properly.]

[bladeweaver]

[It's a good thing he expected some reaction, or else he would have walked right into that. As it was, he was off-balance to do anything other than to rotate his forearm down into the jab to deflect it, and leap off.

He wades back into his space, and begins an earnest campaign of actually trying to land a solid blow. Since this is just a spar, there really can only be three outcomes: he lands a solid blow first, or Nico does, or both land one at the same time or tire each other out.]

[riskythunder]

[Since he has a better idea of what you're capable of now, he's deflecting your next strike and attempting to get himself in the ideal position to counter attack the moment there's an opportunity.

He's also being a typical Zangyaku oni-tsukai by striking up a conversation, as if the two of you weren't sparring at all.]

It's getting hard, isn't it? All of this waiting.

[bladeweaver]

[He sees what you're doing there, Nico.

... Then again, seeing what he's up to and moving to counter accordingly are two entirely different things. Nico is skilled enough to make the distinction matter.

While Taning is concentrating on not giving Nico an opening, he'll also be responding to what he's saying.]

I'm a mage, I think we're typically pre-programmed to always be doing something and hating not knowing what's going on. Is that how you mean?

[riskythunder]

Well, that and I've kind of noticed that your blade leader's pretty tense.

[Nico, it seems, is very, very good at testing those defenses, and setting up the field for him in a way that might get other people to provide openings for him that they aren't even aware of.

Not a dumb puppy at all, this one.]

[bladeweaver]

[Aaaand Taning only now realizes that Nico had flipped the tables on him: he's the one on the defensive now. He takes a small pause in Nico's attacks and presses that for all its worth, in a transparent attempt to take back control of the spar.

Too transparent.

Josh has always been very earnest. I suppose that sometimes means he can get preeeetty tense, yeah. It's all part of his campaign to be the best he can be, which is an admirable goal in itself.

[But it's not "in itself", and if Nico detects a slight hint of disapproval in this mage's voice, then it's because Taning thinks Josh has let fear and insecurity color his actions to the point of self-destruction. Or it could be because Nico almost smacked his knee into Taning's chin. Either one works, really.]

[riskythunder]

[Yep. Way to transparent. He's moving it for a good, solid strike. You may be able to be fast enough to defend yourself and not get as badly hit as you could have.]

Gotta admire a guy like that. I kinda feel the same way, but I guess my training over at Seigi's made me inclined to control my emotions when there's nothing I can do but wait.

[bladeweaver]

[Good. He's going to take that hit and launch a rapid series of strikes on the area left undefended because of Nico's extended arm.

A core principle of mage hand-to-hand: take the blows you can and use them to leverage yourself. Chances are your retaliatory strike will be much more painful than the one you took.

He wheezes his reply to Nico (he did, after all, get hit hard in the kidney).]

I admire him, myself. I also both feel bad for him because he hasn't had the training we had, and feel good that thus far he hadn't needed to. Guess that's changing.

[riskythunder]

[Taking a couple of those before he's adjusting with almost breathtaking ease.

Now to recalibrate.]

Maybe it's better? That he hasn't been trained the way we have.

[Yeah, he said 'we'. It's a Hunter thing.]

[bladeweaver]

[He drops into a defensive stance because holy shit something's definitely coming. Also:]

That's actually kind of why I voted him our blade leader, really.

[No harm in telling the kid. One, he'll understand, and two, he's Kaz's boy. That makes him practically family, in his head.]

[riskythunder]

Makes sense. What made you not too hot on the others? If there were any other reasons beyond them being "typical" in their own rights.

[Yeah he's definitely upping things a notch. You're going to discover that he's figured your pattern out, because whatever you throw at him, he can defend against near perfectly now.]

[bladeweaver]

[Taning is regretting that he didn't stipulate that he can use movement-enhancing magic now, because holy shit this guy is good.

He'll concentrate on counterattacking, now. It's always been his strongest suit, after all, and iaido principles can and do apply to unarmed, as well.]

It's not that I wasn't too hot on them, so much... but all of us vets tend to tunnel-vision a lot, and Josh always somehow manages to keep on top of the general tactical situation.

[riskythunder]

[...And that is going to be difficult, because Nico now seems capable of reacting on the fly.]

Because of that fresh perspective, maybe? Kinda makes sense.

[bladeweaver]

Yeah, precisely. Has a dangerous mind, that one.

[Taning is getting more and more tired. Because he is, he'll attempt to parry one blow, and over-extend his arm as he misses. Not only does he get hit, his arm is just there, ready for the arm lock.]

[riskythunder]

[Which comes rather promptly, coupled with a solid takedown.]

Checkmate?

[Ehehe.]

[bladeweaver]

[Not that he was expecting to win this fight, but still: that was fast.

Boy you're good.

He smiles sheepishly as he taps out.]

Yep, you got me. Also, ow.

[riskythunder]

[Chuckling, then releasing you.]

If I didn't get you, it just means that I'm still not good enough.

[And Nico's all about hard work.]

[bladeweaver]

[Laughing along with you at that, which sends several jolts of pain across strained muscles as he is standing up.]

I'd say the same, but I'm a mage. We're traditionally squishy.

[Dusting himself off.]

I'd ask if we could do a little bit of swordplay, but I don't want to die.

[Yes, that is a conceding grin on his face. He'll stick to magic when he's facing the likes of you, thankyouverymuch.]

[riskythunder]

C'mon, it's not like I really will kill you! You're one of Kaz's brothers.

[And he loves that boy, ok ok.]

[bladeweaver]

[Yo man, he knows that. Still and all, he's gotten beat up enough today. Swordfighting another day. Rest now, before the next engagement.

He laughs at you, plops cross-legged on the floor, and conjures up a flask of sake and two cups. Then he looks up at you, nonchalantly.]

I do believe drinks being on me is customary, seeing as I lost, and all.

[riskythunder]

[Oh, he loves the way you think. Plopping down now!]

Only if I get to pour for us both.

[He's Zashiki-Warashi, mehn. This is what he ought to do.]