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 11, 2023 10:05:01 GMT 9
Kazuki canāt help but chuckle a bit. āSeems like youāve been seeing me a lot.ā Which is priceless from the guy whoās gone out of his way to embed himself in Veraiās game- though in his defense, becoming an ominous figure of his delusions had not been part of the plan.
But any amusement he feels at this prospect dissipates as Verai describes him as having been overtaken by something. He doesnāt know why, but the idea causes his body to tense, some part in the back of his brain receding as if having had a light flashed on it.
Sprigatito makes it to his destination, lazily draping himself around Veraiās shoulders. Verai gently bunts him back and he purrs, rubbing his head against the manās cheek. If Purrai says it will be alright, then surely it will.
Theyāve made some good headway. Scraping the Steppes for so long has paid off in how many shortcuts Kazuki has found. But he stops when he catches Veraiās next words, barely overheard in the rumbling landscape.
His hand, still clutching Veraiās arm, squeezes, and though Verai canāt see it, the conflict is clear on Kazukiās face. He doesnāt say anything for a good, long while.
āā¦ I went into Mistra because that player- Lacrimosa said he saw you go in.ā Which, as it turns out, was a load of bullshit. āHe tagged along, and I figured, ah, well, fuck, heās harmless, itāll be fine.ā
The Steppes feel so quiet, despite the weather. The vast patches of short grass rustle under a passing breeze. āThere was this sea of darkness all around us, and I couldnāt- I didnāt even realize how long Iād been wading in it. There was something at the end I needed to see. It was calling for me.ā
He starts walking. Itās better if heās moving during this part; heāll be less angry. āAnd then I couldnāt move. And Lacrimosaāā his face pinches āāfucking hell, I donāt know what came over him. He started acting strange. Getting all touchy and talking nonsense.ā
A shadow passes over his face. He can see the boundary line now, the edges of the crawling mists that mark the Timberlands. āBut I think he- knew. About me. Who I am in real life.ā Itās fucking annoying to admit, since a good part of him is still convinced it mustāve just been because of his avatarās identical looks. But another part of him doubts.
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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 11, 2023 9:21:15 GMT 9
They roll in a little red and green snowball, Sprigatito flopping onto his belly and groaning dizzily by the end. But his face isnāt on fire anymore! But sweet Mew, this is going to take so much grooming!
Before he can fret further, he hears Kittenās yelling and starts to panic, bracing himself for more fire, but when he falls back, all he feels on his paws are the thump thump of kitty paws. <Hey, thatās not fire! Ow! Ow! Youāre slapping me!> He whines, reflexively retaliating by swiping back, attempting to SCRATCH her. The catfight has evidently switched into a slapfight.
Between slowly strangling Verai and the threat of electricity, Kazuki could feel Veraiās body losing the struggle. He snickers, tightening his hold. And then his vision turns white.
He gasps at the sensation of something slamming hard into his already-bruised ribs, doubling over as Verai suddenly pries himself out. Kazuki coughs, spit and blood pocking the floor under him. He yanks the breath back in his lungs before raising his head to see Verai shining.
The corner of his mouth twitches up.
"DID YOU REALLY THINK THAT COULD TAKE ME DOWN?"
āNah, I didnāt think so,ā he rasps, before straightening to a stand. He wipes the corner of his mouth and smiles, teeth blood-stained. āI know I can.ā
The THUNDER PUNCH dancing over his fists burst into a SURGE, spreading across his body. He charges forwards in a flash of white, every muscle in his body at full power as he takes a running leap and slams his foot into Verai, sending them both crashing to the floor, where he puts the rest of his energy into pinning the armorer down.
{Prompts}Sprigatito - Quick
- take an action on reflex - start your move before your opponent's lands
- ricochet a move off something
- get a running start - make a hasty decision - make a sloppy mistake - leave skid marks - act without orders - use a speed-raising move
- use a priority move
Kazuki (Black Belt) - Forceful
- fight through the pain - try to crush your opponent
- try to strangle your opponent - get blood in your eyes - break something in the arena - take damage from falling - get hurt to protect a teammate
- turn the power up to 11 - use a move with recoil - use a move with over 100 base power - use an attack/sp.atk-raising move
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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 11, 2023 6:56:14 GMT 9
A Drilbur bursts through the ground, its long snout poking curiously at the newcomers. It must have heard them trudging over its home.
Kazukiās brows raise and he takes a moment to look it up on his Pokedex, checking to see if it was the right type. The answer is no. āHold the fire,ā Kazuki says, causing Tepig to choke a little, as the pig had been building up an Ember to spew. Tepig frantically gulps, huffing out smoke from his nose. āItāll crush you if you fight it. Keep moving, we got to get off its territory before it goes haywire.ā spawn reset
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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 11, 2023 6:49:00 GMT 9
Verai recounts his experiences, Kazuki stepping carefully to avoid dragging the other man. The mention of a ring catches his attention. Heās unsurprised at the knowledge that Verai has been in a fighting ring- the man moved with experience, but unpolished from lack of practice. Heās left to wonder why he quit.
His brows knit together as he finds out something in that hellhole had his face. And that Verai has a daughter.
Veraiās hand squeezes his arm, and Kazuki finds himself thinking, 'Fantastic. That kid is going to fucking murder me,' because inadvertently or not, heās contributed to her dadās nightmares.
Verai continues, and Kazuki does end up snorting at the understatement, but doesnāt interrupt. The rest of the details, with Verai finding his own dead body, getting attacked by a mysterious figure, and then having the brief respite followed by more inexplicable paralysis dream-esque encounters, leave Kazuki muttering, "How are you still even playing this game? All of that sounds insane."
āRotted fruitā¦ā Of everything, that rang the most bells. āDid it look like that fucked up deer we fought a while back? It could be that again. It couldāve been from Mistra in the first place.ā Maybe wandered to Birchwild by sheer bad luck.
Kazuki clicks his tongue, frustrated at how little he knows. He grips Veraiās arm tighter, the frantic pulse a dull beat under his palm, and tries to move them quickly to cut through the Steppes, back to the edge of the Timberland.
Sprigatito doesnāt understand whatās happening, still so tired, but it doesnāt seem like Verai is doing well. He mewls quietly as the trainers talk, taking advantage of how close the two stand to try and move to Veraiās shoulder, his fur abundant with the aroma of fresh, relaxing jasmine.
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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 11, 2023 5:57:08 GMT 9
Sprigatito giggles, landing on his feet as Kitten howls in pain. <Haha! I got you!>
It lasts for all two seconds before a ball of fire is spat in his face, which lights up like a baby fern.
Sprigatito squeals, running around in circles as his whiskers burn like candlewicks. <HOT! HOTHOTHOTOWOWOWPUTITOUT!> Still screaming and flailing blindly, he tries to douse himself by tossing his entire face in a QUICK ATTACK at the nearest objectāwhich just so happened to be Kitten.
Kazukiās hit lands, but before he can take advantage, Verai charges again. His planted feet are ripped off the ground, his back colliding with the far wall. Picture frames rattle at the force of the impact, his lungs wrung dry, his ribs trembling to the same beat. The strangeness of his skin is drowned out by the feeling of being crushed alive.
āYou say that,ā Kazuki wheezes, his voice only a rasp, but when he meets Verai eyes, heās still grinning, ābut you wonāt even stay away.ā
He twists, encircling Verai with his arms as he moves to pull him into a standing guillotine choke. All the while, the skin of his hands crackle, having switched to grapple with THUNDER PUNCH.
{Prompts}Sprigatito - Quick - take an action on reflex - start your move before your opponent's lands
- ricochet a move off something
- get a running start - make a hasty decision - make a sloppy mistake - leave skid marks - act without orders - use a speed-raising move
- use a priority move
Kazuki (Black Belt) - Forceful
- fight through the pain - try to crush your opponent
- try to strangle your opponent - get blood in your eyes - break something in the arena - take damage from falling - get hurt to protect a teammate - turn the power up to 11 - use a move with recoil - use a move with over 100 base power - use an attack/sp.atk-raising move
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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 11, 2023 5:00:53 GMT 9
Sprigatito has barely left a dent before Kitten turns to him and sends him flying. āAIEEK!ā he yelps, tiny enough that he is sent careening to a nearby tea table, at which point the cat reflexes kick in and he ends up bouncing off the wooden leg, launching himself right back at Kitten.
āWAFFLE CHOMP!ā he cries, invoking the power of early morning munchies and opening his mouth wide to try and BITE Kittenās unarmored nose.
Meanwhile, between the two trainers, a fire was brewing. The frustration that passes over Kazukiās face is brief- just in the moment it seems as if Verai will deny him the title- but is quickly replaced with triumph.
Kazuki is impulsive and brash, but choosing his rival had been deliberate. The armor and sword only serve to validate his decision.
When Verai charges at him, he welcomes it. The collision is jarring, Veraiās armor tips cutting into his skin, and the man wearing it is by no means a lightweight. Heās reminded of his attempts at stopping a charging Duraludon with his bare hands.
Except this time, it works.
Kazuki grins, all teeth as he stands his ground. His heels have practically left scorch marks in the rug below, Momās RUNNING SHOES being of apparently incredible quality. Blood drips where the reckless sword swing has cut into his arm, pouring down the underside and staining the rug. His heart beats at the sight of RED.
āNow thatās what Iām talking about,ā he hisses through the pain. āNo holds barred, fucker!ā
He twists, attempting to use the weight of the sword to drag Verai closer while his other hand bursts into flame with FIRE PUNCH, aiming for the armorerās temple.
{Prompts}Sprigatito - Quick - take an action on reflex - start your move before your opponent's lands
- ricochet a move off something
- get a running start - make a hasty decision - make a sloppy mistake - leave skid marks - act without orders - use a speed-raising move - use a priority move
Kazuki (Black Belt) - Forceful
- fight through the pain - try to crush your opponent - try to strangle your opponent - get blood in your eyes - break something in the arena - take damage from falling - get hurt to protect a teammate - turn the power up to 11 - use a move with recoil - use a move with over 100 base power - use an attack/sp.atk-raising move
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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 11, 2023 3:36:28 GMT 9
FREEFORM BATTLEāNot much of an arena, isnāt it?ā Kazuki chuckles, looking around. In his eagerness and impatience, he hit the randomizer for the style of the battlefield and had gotten something like a memory from his vacations instead of a colosseum.
<This place smells like cinnamon!> Sprigatito chirps, sniffing the air before rubbing his face all over the fur carpet. The bits of fluff that fall off him are a duller mint than usual.
Kazuki looks away from the windows to settle on Verai, the smile on his face stretching into a grin. āBut it should be enough.ā This has been a long time coming. They hadnāt had a proper fight sinceāwell, since they met, right at Momās doorstep. Funny how the rematch is in another house.
āCat, get ready.ā
Sprigatito stops rolling around on the rug. <Oh, right!> He hops up to his feet, puffing out his chest and putting on his War Face. He must strain his eyes, since the arena is super comfy, and he was already a bit sleepy even before they got here- but he canāt show weakness in front of his best friend!
<Kitten! You might have your cool armor, but I have cool stuff too!> The firelight bounces off the polished metal of his waffle-shaped collar tag. It strengthens him. Makes him invincible. Fire burns bright in his bubblegum-pink eyes. <And I! AM GOING! TO WIN!>
<AAAAAAAAAA!> he screams, charging head-first into battle, his claws already prepped to SCRATCH as soon as he can reach.
The battle begins, but rather than spectate the catfight, Kazuki is seen wrapping his hands.
āWhat?ā He snickers, flexing his fingers to test the wraps. āDid you think you could walk out here wearing battle armor and expect me not to smash?ā
Restless energy courses through him. His veins feel as if theyāve been lit on fire, something like adrenaline, but not quite. Where adrenaline waxes and wanes, the itch under his skin has only grown stronger, and he has finally been presented with an opportunity to release it.
āFight me. Youāre my rival. I chose you.ā
He steps forward, his smile growing, the look in his eyes amber-lit and wild. He clenches his fists and sparks of electricity weave through his fingers in a silent threat.
āCome on. I know you want to, Ver.ā
{Prompts} Sprigatito - Quick - take an action on reflex - start your move before your opponent's lands - ricochet a move off something
- get a running start - make a hasty decision - make a sloppy mistake - leave skid marks - act without orders - use a speed-raising move - use a priority move
Kazuki (Black Belt) - Forceful - fight through the pain - try to crush your opponent - try to strangle your opponent - get blood in your eyes - break something in the arena - take damage from falling - get hurt to protect a teammate - turn the power up to 11 - use a move with recoil - use a move with over 100 base power - use an attack/sp.atk-raising move
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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 10, 2023 18:08:19 GMT 9
No matter how closely he looks, whichever angle he turns the manās face, thereās no mistaking itāVeraiās eyes have turned completely white. A stuttering note confirms he canāt see, and the revelation douses Kazuki like cold water.
āHow is this even possible? You canāt die in this game, but you can go blind?ā Thereās anger in his voice, an edge of panic. He knows that fundamentally, Verai hasnāt been hurt. This isnāt real life, itās just a game- but how the hell could this be fun by design?
Mistra. āThe mists?ā Before he can ask further, he feels Verai clutch his arms. There is no dig of nails or attempt to grapple, itās purely for support, and when Verai speaks, itās with the voice of an aimless man, trying to find any kind of bearing in reality.
It is a far cry from who he knows Verai to be.
āItās real. In the game, at least.ā He thinks back on his hallucinations at Mistra and wonders if theyāve lingered in Veraiās case. His hand lets go of the otherās face and moves to take hold of his arm. āCome on. Iāll take you back to the shrine. That has to fix this.ā
He thinks this might just be an injury. Heās had to complete an adventure with a punctured shoulder, after all, and knowing Verai, he has to have set himself to the same unreasonable pain threshold. But that still didnāt answer how.
āThat something you mentionedā¦ were you attacked?ā His voice dips into a growl, eyes flickering around the barren landscape as if he could spot the party at fault and pulverize them.
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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 10, 2023 6:48:01 GMT 9
After getting crushed to death on a flying carpet, Kazuki joins the rest of the party at the elevator, immediately greeted by an extensive cutscene at the top of the tower that involved quail revival, the secret sixth player, and a ritual sacrifice. The team so far has answered by ripping off the warlockās thumbs and destroying his prized unholy artifact, with the current player engaging in an inspirational roast session.
āWhat?ā Kazuki asks as one of his fletchling comes to flutter by his ear.
<Iāve spoken to our missing duet! They know of a weakness! And we have hatched a plan,> the quail twitters gently, which Kazuki strains to hear over the queue of quelling quicksilver quotes. Uninterrupted, the fletchling continues, detailing the plot.
āThat is the stupidest thing Iāve ever heard.ā But compared to everything thatās happened? āIām in.ā
As Sarah Lee is having her quarrel with the quibbler, two fletchling fly up and rip the spooky tapestries from the walls. The heavy fabric drapes over the distracted warlock, at which point Kazuki launches a synchronized attack with his three free quails.
āHold still, Thumbelina!ā Kazuki cackles, restraining the flailing warlock as his quails make use of their brandished beaks, slicing the fabric as masterfully as Wiley does to human flesh. āHow are you supposed to experience the purest form of magic without getting properly dressed?ā
By the end of it, the warlock breaks out, and stares down at himself aghast. āWhat is the meaning of this?!ā His majestic robes! Theyāve been transformed into a gown, the shredded tapestry forming floor-length frills. Even his wizard slippers have been replacedāwith a pair of geta looted from woodblockās corpse.
Kazuki grabs the warlock and pulls him into the closed position, grinning like a maniac. All of his fletchling, in and out of the cages, start to sing, filling the tower with a tinny, pop-filled tune that inspires the feet of teen girls everywhere. With the combined might of his own gorilla grip and the warlockās complete inability to move and thus blast his head from his shoulders, Kazuki waltzes.
āAs your surrogate father, Iām going to do what your actual dad never did and say Iām proud of you.ā Kazuki leaves no room to answer, dancing with little consideration for the warlockās ankles. He waltzes as if evading a field of hidden geyser mines. āNow letās end this QUINCE with a bang!ā
He spins the warlock, wrapping him in his own gown. He keeps his grip tight, remembering how he braced against the wild carpet as he careened through the sky. And then he yanks, launching the bastard Beyblade-style.
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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 9, 2023 21:37:13 GMT 9
The little crash incident with the Doduo had led them to a quick retreat back at the shrine. Itās a considerable time before they return to the Steppes.
āThis should be fine,ā Kazuki hums, kicking away a few stones. The path theyāre taking this time is up the side of a jutting stone hill, where grass tickles Tepigās nose and the trees arenāt particularly tall. Itās actually pleasant. āNo sheep, see? Now letās find you some opponents.ā
They continue up. Tepig is in front, using his snout to sniff for any occupied territories. He turns his nose to the air, taking in the scent of ozone.
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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 9, 2023 21:14:22 GMT 9
They take a quick break, though returning to the shrine is a much longer endeavor as Tepig refused to be carried or returned to his ball.
āNot sure if your staminaās really what you need to work on here,ā Kazuki says, taking millimeter steps to stay right behind Tepig, who is currently traveling at the pace of a slug. His little nubby legs are trembling as he waddles up to the abyss, at which point Kazuki takes the lead.
āLetās get you topped up.ā He kneels down at the edge, looking over into the portal and waiting for its strange energy to seep into his tired pokemon.
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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 9, 2023 20:57:28 GMT 9
āVERAI!ā
Kazukiās brows furrow. Verai ignoring him is nothing new, but heās been calling after him for a good minute now and hasnāt heard a thing. It's even more eerie since the man has already turned his way.
Sprigatito purrs on his shoulder. <Hi Purrai!> he says, chipper as ever, though he doesnāt do his usual greeting of launching off Kazuki to run up to his friend. His body feels too heavy for it, likely due to sleeping too much at the shrine.
āI know you want your āalone timeā and all, but someone wouldnāt stop crying about how he didnāt get to see you,ā Kazuki huffs, drawing closer. He doesnāt understand why Verai would come hereāitās a barren waste, a pit even more than the Precipice Shrine, as the hole left leads only to darkness. The grass is dying, and there are no other visitors, pokemon or human.
āWhatā¦ is going on with you?ā He stops in his tracks a few feet away from Verai. His eyes widen.
A frantic series of steps as he surges up to him, his hand reaching to grab his chin. āWhat the fuck happened to your eyes?!ā
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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 9, 2023 13:25:32 GMT 9
His smile wavers for a second, but he keeps it tacked on and scrunches his nose as if Verai has just ruined his fun with a boring answer.
āStop apologizing.ā There is a simple question hidden in the string of nonsense he just spewed, but it doesnāt matter if Verai got it. Itās just annoying how he gives apologies heās not asked for. āIf you need to go, then just go.ā
He continues tending to Sprigatito, leaving unanswered questions to hang in the air. He will not pry into what Verai has seen, because he doesnāt want to say what heās seen either. And if the other man seems a little offā well. Itās not as if heās sticking around.
The flowers around him have withered to an unsightly, crumbling brown. Later, when Sprigatito finally wakes from his deep slumber, theyāll get going, leaving only that patch of dead weeds as a sign of having been there at all.
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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 9, 2023 10:48:10 GMT 9
Fate returns to sleep. The pokemon that comes bursting out to the dry plains is a Doduo, its twin heads flailing wildly in the wind. Kazuki and Tepig watch it run around in circles for a good 10 minutes or so.
<Whatā¦ is it doing?>
Looking back to where the bird came from, Kazuki notices a flash of something in the distance. He chuckles. āLooks like our little sheep friendās pissed off it canāt find us. This oneās just one of the casualties.ā
The Doduo gobbles incoherently, trampling all in its path as tiny sparks dance across its plumage. Kazuki steps out of its way, but Tepig is slower.
spawn reset!
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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 9, 2023 2:56:44 GMT 9
The silence stretches between them after he asks his question. What he sees on Veraiās face only lends to his increasing discomfort. In his mindās eye, he can see Veraiās silhouette marching confidently into the mists, accompanied by Kitten, who would trudge into the unknown so willingly for him, both oblivious to what awaited them.
Kazuki had been wrong. He had assumed heād been chasing that silhouette when he entered Mistra, when in fact it was the other way around.
When Verai finally answers him, itās with a statement so infuriatingly simple and him that Kazuki has to lean forward and press his face into his palm. This fucking guy. āHas anyone told you how youāre soāā
What even is the word? Willful? Indecipherable? Endearing? āTalking to you is like talking to a brick wall. Except the brick wall canāt decide if it wants to crush you or stay still.ā
He takes his hand off his eyes, moving to rest his elbow on his knee, and his chin in his palm. āSo, what is it?ā And his former self returns a little, in how he snickers at him. āDo you want to crush me or to stay?ā
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