Kazuki
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You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 18, 2023 3:07:28 GMT 9
The insinuation hadn’t been lost on him. Kazuki’s delight at being indulged is clear in his voice. He scoffs at the concern Verai posits. “Anyone and anything that comes between us gets their bones snapped in half,” he says easily, as if the threat went without saying.
But he does perk up at the mention of the cabin. “That’s not a bad idea. The arena’s pretty fun. We get to pick wherever we want and there won’t be any annoyances.”
He pauses for a bit, briefly irritated, before reaching out for Verai’s chin and tilting him like 5 degrees to the left. There. Eye contact. “I’ll take you there. You’ll choose where we fight since you need to work on honing your senses.” He snickers. “Pick someplace you’ll feel comfortable.”
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Kazuki
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You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 18, 2023 2:56:46 GMT 9
Verai moves for the swing, the blade singing as it slices, but continues into a perfect arc. A massive splash sounds, melding with the crash of the falls, and then silence.
Verai had learned how to read his movements, how to listen for his patterns, and how to corner him. Without the option of either side, there is really only one direction Kazuki could go.
Two hands shoot out of the water, grabbing Verai’s ankles, and pulling. Near the waterfall is the largest and deepest divot in the cave, enough that even tall men such as them can’t immediately reach the floor.
Kazuki grins, green eyes open in the deep water. His blood continues to flow from his wounds, but he remains stalwart in his endeavor to drag Verai down with him, his hair flowing like tendrils all around the armorer as all senses except sight and touch are overwhelmed with cold water.
It turns out, you can still blind someone who can’t see.
{Prompts} KAZUKI (BLACK BELT) - SNEAKY/CAREFUL - use a teammate to cover your attack
- attempt to conceal yourself
- engage in distracting banter - attack from behind your opponent
- try to blind your opponent - fake an injury
- lay a trap
- create a distraction - observe your environment carefully
- bide your time - wait until you're in position - carefully line up a precision shot - anticipate a move before it hits - take a hit on a non-essential part of your body - find cover
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 17, 2023 2:40:26 GMT 9
So. He might have fucked up.
Kazuki is staring at his UI, at the ominous ring of teeth that plagues him. It calls itself—and by extension, him—a PARASITE. It is identified as the Corruption Subclass.
And it is now in Stage 2.
Now the thing is, he’s not that fucking stupid. He had read the description. He knew there would be consequences for upgrading it, but he was also fucked if he didn’t touch it. It’s not a class he can switch out. And usually, he wouldn’t give a shit about that either—but then the incident with Verai happened. The scar on his hand has long since disappeared, but he still remembers the deep bite, the violent switch the other man had undergone: peaceful one moment and then mindlessly aggressive the next.
Nearby People and Pokemon may find themselves afflicted by violent or unnatural impulses as this player's proximity triggers unpleasant memories.
So, he relented. He funneled some BYTES into it, not much, just to see what would happen.
<Kazu… ki?>
He snaps out of it, looking down at Sprigatito curled up in his arm. The kitten breathes, slowly and shallowly, his coat a green not of fresh mint leaves, but of mold. Yet there isn’t a speck of dirt on him. When he opens his eyes, it’s only halfway, and the pink in them is dulled.
“Go back to sleep,” Kazuki says, voice low, as his other hand taps through his UI.
He needs to do something. Ask someone. Someone who knows the game better than him. Someone who he—well, knows. And at least kind of trusts. It is dawning on him now just how much time he’s spent with only one player.
But a name does come. It’s with an image of a relaxing dock, iridescent colors, and a playful smirk.
I don’t know if you remember me But you said once that if I’m nice you’ll show me something cool Yeah, well, need to cash in on that promise Can you meet me at Mistra?
SPRIGATITO'S HP: 200/250
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 16, 2023 3:00:40 GMT 9
<He is so cool!> Sprigatito beholds the man with the hugest eyes. Verai’s armor is sparkling under the light. When Kitten mentions eating a Sawsbuck though, Sprigatito snaps out of it, his voice high. <Wait, Kitten! Do we really have to eat it! Kit—> He yelps, hopping a little as he tries to toe around the little trail of fire his best friend leaves. <Ah, ah, ah! Wait for me!>
Kazuki watches as the duo disappear into the grove. “Unless they figure out how to summon a demon again, the worst that can happen is a forest fire.”
He unfolds his arms and slaps Verai on the shoulder. “Now, come on. If you aren’t getting a wardrobe change, then you might as well spar with me.” He secures his handwraps tighter, the challenge clear in his eyes. "Or have you turned into a scaredy-cat?" he chuckles.
The change is still jarring, but Kitten had made a good point. This could be an improvement, if they could just figure out how to use it.
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 16, 2023 2:35:27 GMT 9
He’s trying to push Verai’s face away when the man pulls back and clamps his hand between his jaws. There’s nothing playful about it- he bites hard enough to snap bone, and without a second thought, Kazuki throws a punch into his temple, whatever concern and confusion he felt now replaced with red-hot fury.
“Enough!” Ignoring the pain, Kazuki pushes, shoving his hand further into Verai’s mouth and yanking the man's head as he twists his body to flip their positions, his knee poised to pin the rabid armorer on the ground. His hand is bleeding down his wrist.
This isn’t a fight he wants. Verai is writhing like a man possessed. His injured hand protests, but he does his best to hold the man down, his mind reeling as he tries to figure out what set him off. Verai's eyes are normal. His blood is on his chin. “Snap out of it,” he growls low, tightening his grip over Verai's mouth and exacerbating his wounds. "Let go of my hand, or I'll knock the shit out of you."
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 16, 2023 1:05:41 GMT 9
As Verai climbs over him, his other hand comes to join the first, twin grips keeping him from falling to his death as the other player reaches the earthy barrier. Though he knows it’s a dumbass move, he still looks down, immediately disoriented by the sight of his legs dangling over a blank canvas, no floor to compare the height to.
No floor, except a rising sea of pitch black.
His heart can’t be going any faster than this. Something patters on his head, and before he can snap, irritated, he sees the clumps of dirt slip from his hair, and Verai’s legs disappear.
Scrambling, filling his nails with dirt, Kazuki pops out after Verai, gasping in the fresh air. He hadn’t even realized he missed it—the earthen, autumnal scent of Birchwild. He yanks the rest of his body through the hole, immediately collapsing beside Verai.
“Holy fuck,” Kazuki heaves. “Holy fuck, we got out.”
He has to take control of his breathing before his heart bursts out of him. He takes a deep inhale.
A weight slaps on top of him, forcing him to choke.
<Oh!> Sprigatito mewls, shaking his head, having somehow popped back into existence. He starts jumping on his trainer’s chest as if it's a trampoline. <We’re home!> He mewls excitedly at Verai, Kitten, and Kitty. <Guys, we made it!>
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 16, 2023 0:43:24 GMT 9
“Are you saying you don’t like the view?” Kazuki snickers. “Oh, wait. I guess not.”
Verai follows after him, still alert and on guard, but clearly more confident in his strides. It means the training is working. But Kazuki isn’t going to simply bare his neck and die.
After an amusing display of budding cockiness, Verai stills. Kazuki remains where he stands, grinning.
“Something wrong, Ver? You seem scared.”
The sound of the waterfall is louder here.
{Prompts} KAZUKI (BLACK BELT) - SNEAKY/CAREFUL - use a teammate to cover your attack
- attempt to conceal yourself
- engage in distracting banter - attack from behind your opponent - try to blind your opponent - fake an injury
- lay a trap
- create a distraction - observe your environment carefully
- bide your time - wait until you're in position - carefully line up a precision shot - anticipate a move before it hits - take a hit on a non-essential part of your body - find cover
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 6:20:02 GMT 9
Something’s wrong. There’s something like distress in Verai’s face, but he can’t decipher it. Knuckles come to slam into his cheek, forcing his face to pivot.
“Fuck!” He curses, touching the point of impact. It radiates pain. Shoes scrape the grass as Verai gets to his feet, his eyes wide and frenzied like a panicked animal—like an angry one. It’s a complete 180 of his previous temperament, and Kazuki can’t even fathom what caused it.
“What is wrong with you?” he says, trying to stand as Verai hisses at him. Why is this happening? The hell had he done? “I was just trying to—”
He’s tackled back to the ground. The shock punts the air out of his lungs, his body kicking into self-defense as he braces for attack. His hand shoots up to grab Verai’s jaw, grab it the same way one would if attacked by a frothing dog. “Ver- VER! Get off! Listen to me!”
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 5:53:41 GMT 9
“Squeamish, my ass. I just don’t want you holding us back by climbing with a shit hand,” Kazuki growls as he pulls him up by the waist, raising him until he can use his shoulders as a foothold. It’s unfortunate then that he can’t enjoy the view, since the tower is threatening to collapse under his feet and homicidal goop is about to kill him before he reaches the next platform.
A hand from above is extended right on time. He grabs it, leaping just as the sword platform collapses, leaving him to dangle, his life briefly and quite literally in Verai’s hand. He uses his other hand to grab the cheese, pulling his body up to the next level.
The tower shifts like waves. Mimiqueue’s remnants are spilling uncontrollably like a geyser of tears, flooding the lower ground and swallowing them into nothingness. The explosion causes the platform Verai and Kazuki are standing on to get launched skyward, Kazuki cursing loudly as he flails in the air, just barely managing to snag his hand on a tree root.
His other hand nabs Verai’s robes. “Shit,” he hisses, arms straining under the weight of his own body and the weight of the grown man. “SHIT!”
The unfathomable abyss of white is filled with a distorted howl.
"VER! HURRY UP!"
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
|
Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 5:40:22 GMT 9
Hearing the actual sample Verai obtained only serves to sink the dread further into him. He shouldn’t be bothered by this. It’s a subclass, so it’s clearly designed for players, and he hasn’t noticed anything particularly strange since Mistra.
He can mind it later.
“So, you did get a subclass,” Kazuki says, a little triumphant. “Never heard of a Seer, though.”
Verai struggles through the commands—so it seems he relies on audio cues in this mode, of course—but eventually blinks.
The color that returns to his eyes has never looked more vibrant.
“Your eyes are back to normal!” Kazuki grins, pushing up to his face to get a good look, seeing the light that shines over the shrine dance over them. He's reminded that red is his favorite color. “Fucking finally! Now we can get on with our lives.”
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 5:29:54 GMT 9
Sprigatito beams at Verai. <You’re welcome!> He’s just happy to be helpful, especially after not aiding in the fight.
“The what?!” Kazuki snaps, irritated at having been disturbed despite his punching bag already being KO’D for a while now. He looks over his shoulder to see Verai already pummeling another bandit, the other wagon ahead apparently having been stopped by the commotion.
“You are so demanding,” Kazuki huffs, but does get up, albeit on slightly shaky legs. He is feeling better, though, after the extended comatose state in the wagon, but his body still hurts like a bitch.
Now: the egg.
Sprigatito hops out of the wagon, following after his trainer, his worried eyes glancing over Verai. <Um! What are we doing?>
Kazuki raises a brow, not understanding the cat’s mewling. He continues on, muttering to himself: “Where’s that fucking egg…”
He searches the front of the wagon, chucking out all sorts of trinkets and stolen loot. Not there.
The next wagon requires a little more elbow grease, because the bandits manning it are actually alive. Kazuki solves this without using his head this time: he lets Sprigatito blind them with leaves first, and then takes his fist at them. This surprisingly goes down much better than just charging straight into a gaggle of angry thieves.
He returns looking a little more beat-up, hair in knots, but carrying the egg. “They even kept the carrier.” He extends it expectantly to Verai.
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
|
Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 5:15:06 GMT 9
Kazuki’s punch lands, shattering on the sword. His hands are spared of further cuts, but his arms continue to radiate pain, now bleeding. He’s given little reprieve before Verai launches the next attack. For a man in armor, the bastard could move.
Unable to block, Kazuki is forced to retreat. It’s not the best move; the sword offers Verai a long range, and it lands a slice on his exposed side. He’s starting to collect tiger stripes.
“You really do love slicing me up, don’t you?” Kazuki snorts, wading further back. The water is a detriment, but between the two of them, he’s got more movement. He continues moving until he finds the right spot.
The smell of blood taints the air.
{Prompts} KAZUKI (BLACK BELT) - SNEAKY/CAREFUL - use a teammate to cover your attack
- attempt to conceal yourself
- engage in distracting banter - attack from behind your opponent - try to blind your opponent - fake an injury
- lay a trap
- create a distraction - observe your environment carefully - bide your time - wait until you're in position - carefully line up a precision shot - anticipate a move before it hits - take a hit on a non-essential part of your body - find cover
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 5:04:22 GMT 9
Verai asks him a question, but it’s background noise. His eyes linger on the symbol, its greeting that causes his hairs to stand.
“I think,” he says as his eyes trace the description, a feeling of dread looming over him, “I might’ve brought something back I wasn’t meant to.” He remembers the mission. Corruption samples. Is this part of it? Is this what Verai is dealing with?
He shakes his head, turns his attention to Verai. “Ver, have you checked your profile?”
And then something dawns on him. “Wait, shit. Can you access it?” He was able to fast travel, so surely.
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
|
Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 4:53:29 GMT 9
Verai struggles up to reach him, but by some miracle makes it by the sweet virtue of cheese and disobeying every rule in knife handling ever written. Kazuki grimaces, glancing over the edge they’ve climbed onto. It really isn’t much of a platform, composed of mostly swords after the carriage fell, and the next level above is a gap they can’t reach with their arms.
“Kids are into some fucked up shit these days,” Kazuki points out. The floor at the bottom of the tower has turned into a familiar puddle of black. “We need to double time. I think someone might be pissed, and I’ve got the feeling we won’t respawn where we want to if it gets us.”
He raises a brow at Verai’s hand. “Is your hand bleeding?” Oh, this was not the time for this shit.
He grabs the man by the collar, glaring at him as the platform under their feet trembles violently. “Get on top of me and grab the damn platform.”
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Kazuki
•
You Can't Take Me
The Creed
Posts: 883
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Himura Atsushi
OOC Username: Sleepy
Arena Points: 113
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Post by Kazuki on May 15, 2023 4:41:58 GMT 9
The sword hits solid. The blade trembles mid-air, lodged against the target.
An aborted sound is pushed through grit teeth. Kazuki’s mouth stretches into a grin, eyes shining where they meet Verai’s blank ones, which shine even brighter.
“Damn, how'd you even guess? Nothing gets past you, huh?” He chuckles, his arms shaking where they block the sword from meeting his face. Its teeth sinks into his forearm, blood tracing his sweeping tattoos and dripping into the water below. “Well, almost.”
He suddenly ducks, dropping both arms and drawing back, preparing to slug him with an ICE PUNCH.
{Prompts} KAZUKI (BLACK BELT) - SNEAKY/CAREFUL - use a teammate to cover your attack
- attempt to conceal yourself
- engage in distracting banter - attack from behind your opponent - try to blind your opponent - fake an injury - lay a trap
- create a distraction - observe your environment carefully - bide your time - wait until you're in position - carefully line up a precision shot - anticipate a move before it hits - take a hit on a non-essential part of your body - find cover
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