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 Jan 23, 2024 13:00:53 GMT 9
#s://c~l3n~co/i/3QvTOA~png It was a relief when Tarou agreed to stay. Again, without any scathing commentaryâAtsushi was inclined to doubt again if he was the right man, until he saw the scars.
Atsushi had no shame; heâd been ogling him since they met, though this case went beyond simple admiration. His mouth pressed into a frown. You didnât obtain scars that extensive in a regular fight. Not ones so deeply-engraved, as if by a deliberate hand. Like he was material to be carved into shape.
His elbows were still hooked over the edge of the pool, a pose that came off lax despite the urge to commit federal offenses against people heâs never met, and likely never will. His fingers dug into the poolâs acrylic shell.
After a moment of relaxation, Tarou introduced himself. It snapped Atsushi out of his thoughts, reminding him of how fucking weird this situation was. His gut instinct was to tell him the truthâHey, so, Iâve been after you for about a year now and weâve been dating online for a few months, and Iâm your asshole hotel neighbor, good to fucking meet you. The PR hindbrain trained into him said otherwise.
âAn honor, huh?â He should feel proud, preen. Instead his guard was up, hating the new treatment. Wishing, fervently, that Tarou would just tell him off and the world would feel normal again.
âYou sure about that?â He raised a brow. âItâs been a long time since I was on camera.â
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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 Jan 18, 2024 2:40:44 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/847006452118978590/1147822551632990318/200x200_civilian2~png Whatever doubts that he could have had over the connection between Tuesday and MarzĂĄn is smote to cinders. The smug of that mug, the total disregard of Atsushiâs demands, and the almost innate talent for targeting the soft spots in Atsushiâs brainâthe man could be no one else.
The commentary, innocent as it may be, crawls under his skin and pulls his lips into a snarl. He bares teeth like a dog cornered, despite having the door standing right behind him. He is not being held captive here.
But he isâby his own pride. Turning away now would mean proving MarzĂĄn right, and heâs starting to think heâd rather chew his own fingers off than feed the deep well MarzĂĄn calls his ego.
âIâm starting to feel like this is a waste of my goddamn time.â He could be at his hotel room by now, strangling Ren for abandoning him to his self-imposed Kentucky Fried Crisis and making Guinness records for Longest Shower of Shame.
The assistant standing nearby is sent off for coffee, likely to ensure he shits himself out of view. Atsushi had not been surprised at the reaction; itâs a day-to-day occurrence, and heâs learned itâs best not to comment unless he has to interact or if heâs hankering for a restraining order. But it leaves him alone with MarzĂĄn.
His body tenses at the wordsâYou looked like you were in pain back thereâand it flips the anger heâs been using to numb everything else. Like being reminded of your breathing, it makes him aware of his body, the exhaustion lining his shoulders in lead weights, the stiffness of his leg as he props himself up on it like a peg, all his weight, as if by making it hurt as much as possible, itâll stop hurting at all.
âFull offense, I donât care. Iâm not in the mood to drink tea and sing kumbaya with you.â He snorted. âAnd if you wanted friends so badly, Iâm sure you can just pay for them.â
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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 Jan 18, 2024 1:07:02 GMT 9
And of course, Ada was quick to shoot back. Atsushi had expected it and encouraged itâit was an old habit that wouldnât die. His retort was so goddamn stupid as well. Leaving things to ensure theyâll always come backâit was juvenile, and once Atsushi had believed it. Weaponized it.
It infuriated him that even now, some part of him was pleased to know it worked.
âYou know what? Yeah. Fuck yeah, youâre right, I got bored.â His smile was cruel, arms folded over his chest without a need to defend himself. âI got bored watching your indecisive little ass walk out and come crying back every week because none of the your new boytoys come close to me.â
There was also the fact his career that young would never have allowed him to settle. The well of fights wouldâve dried up; training getting stale. But facts werenât the point here.
The point was to hurt.
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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 Jan 18, 2024 0:53:35 GMT 9
#s://c~l3n~co/i/3QvTOA~png The biting commentary did not come. Not even so much as a glare.
It rendered him speechless, the look on his face entirely wiped by a simple nod. Heâs frozen there, watching Tarou speak with utmost formality, calling him by his full nameâwhat, as if he was in trouble?
Because it felt like it. It felt like Atsushi had just made the wrong fucking move, and compared to all the times his teachers have tried to punish him, this has been the most effective in making him feel like a dick.
âYouâhey! Hey! Shitâ!â He cursed, getting up so fast that he could feel the muscles in his leg pull. Standing was out of the question. He had wanted the hydropool so badly, and now he was stuck in it.
âGoddamn itâI wasnât telling you to leave! I was justââ he wiped his hand over his face. âI was just surprised. Iâm not going to bite your head off if you want to get in here.â
His eyes slid to the side. âActually, Iâd prefer if you would. The receptionist already thinks Iâm enough of an ass, driving away another guest might just be enough reason for her to kick me out.â
Said receptionist and the masseuse that had been chatting quite happily were indeed staring this way. He couldnât see from this angle, but he wouldnât be surprised if there was a hand over the phone for security.
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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 Jan 17, 2024 13:00:18 GMT 9
CURRENT BYTES: 5,856 DATE OF CHARACTER APP: FEB 23 2023 CLAIMING TYPE MOD: Secondary,
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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 Jan 16, 2024 18:39:32 GMT 9
#s://a~l3n~co/i/4sHS9x~png Itâs morning. She knew it was morning because sunny rays were on her back, and because the heating pad under her paws had gotten up to pull open the curtains.
She whined, stretching to take up more bed space. No need to rush. She raised an ear flap as she listened for the slow drag of feet on the carpet, the bathroom door swinging open, the rush of water. The flap flapped back down. She melted into the thick duvet that smelled like her and her favorite person and slept a little more.
âSumi.â There was a hand on her head. She rolled over to demand belly rubs. Belly rubs are the Greatest Gift In The World. These ones werenât as good, too slow, but were still a solid Second Greatest In The World. Sheâs on her back and wagging her tail and Atsushi looked tired but he was wearing new fur and the new fur smelled familiar, rubbery and synthetic, and it made Sumi wag even harder.
Time for walkies!
She was bouncing all over the place, excited, excited, excited. Thereâs the jingle-jangle of the leash and she stopped jumping so Atsushi could clip it to her collar. She sniffed his shoesâthe ones for walkies that sheâs not allowed to chew even though theyâre very sturdy and chewableâuntil the door clicked open and they went into the moving metal box to go outside.
Walks are the Best Thing In The World because thereâs so much to do, so much to see, so much to sniff. Not many dogs though, because not many people come to the places they do walkies in. That was fine! Sumi loved the wind in her fur, loved being with Atsushi, and she loved walkies.
They pass the buildings and the distracting road until she can feel grass under her paws. They squeezed through alleys and little winding shortcuts, Sumi barking every time Atsushi whistled for her to keep up. They reached a hill.
There was a flower by the side of the road, and sheâs sniff, sniff, sniffing it up. Very interesting. She has walked this path plenty of times but theyâre usually running too fast for her to investigate the flowers.
Her ears perked up at the sound of a groan. She padded back.
Atsushi was on the ground. She nudged her head on his leg, trying to make him get up, or get on his side if he wants to lie down. He looked kind of like a dog, standing on all his legs, and sheâs not sure if itâs normal for humans, but it must not be nice if heâs making those sounds.
Heâs saying a lot of things, and she can only make out a few words, namely âStopâ, âSlowâ, âBadâ, and a slew of loud words he used when heâs excited or angry. Angry this time. But none of them were directed at her, and he didnât even notice sheâs back until she pressed up against his side.
His hand was on her back. Sumi didnât sit down, recognizing what sheâs meant to do. Her eyes are open and her earsâsuper open. Standing up like flags. Sheâs keeping a look out for threats, like humans with the flashy lights, cars, big animals, and squirrels. Sumi is bigger than most dogs that look like her. She can take on anything.
The sun crawled into the sky. They sat by the edge of the road, Sumi lapping up water from her bowl, Atsushi drinking from the bottle he used to fill it with. She paused and watched a car drive by. The road was filling up.
âWe should head back. You hungry, Sumsum?â
Sumi barked. Atsushi picked up her bowl and put it away in his bag. She bundled up against him, holding still as he slowly got up from the ground. Though sheâs eager to go home and eat, she stays still until Atsushi lets go of her back. She learned this trick nearly a year ago, and she was very good. The ruffling hand on her head told her that.
They head home. It was even later when they reached the door since they didnât run. Her packmate, Box Head, was awake to greet them. They werenât wearing a box yet. They screamed when Sumi jumped onto them to lick the weird face gunkâthere was always new face gunk and todayâs was not very tasty!âthen she hopped off the couch to the kitchen, where Atsushi was filling her bowl.
Breakfast! She munched and munched until sheâs licking the bottom of the bowl, and then she goes to paw and whine at Atsushi sitting at the table, because she knew he still had food. He had a lot more food these days, which meant a lot more food for Sumi!
With breakfast done, she spent a little more time lounging on the floor, resting from running and eating until the faucet stopped. She followed Atsushi into the big room where Box Head was sitting on the couch in front of the big thin box full of tiny people, her pack yelling at each other. Happy yelling.
Atsushi whistled. Box Head said no, no dogs on the couch, but Box Head was lower in the pack than Sumi, so she climbed on the couch and cuddled up to Atsushiâs side. This is the good side. She could put her head on this leg, and she does, and a hand comes to rest on her head as her eyes drift shut, happy and sated.
She wished every morning could be as perfect as this.
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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 Jan 13, 2024 23:46:34 GMT 9
Even from a far distance, it was easy to retrace his steps and find the walking edifice. The destruction it left in its wake had already flattened a sizeable chunk of the ruin.
The creature smashed another apartment building into rubble, still seized by the insufferable sensation of something atop itself, a pest scurrying on its scalp, a weight pressing its feet onto its segmented carapace. It steadied itself, preparing to charge forwards once more.
Only to find its legs stuck together.
Grinding metal wrapped around the massive building, tying its limbs together. Steelix hissed, barely long enough to span its circumference, and with the building being more than double his weight, it felt like trying to stop a car with rubber bands.
Kazuki was crouched on top of Steelixâs crown, eyeing the building frantically until his gaze caught Verai clinging to a corner with Kitten and the egg tucked under his arms. Favorite of the fucking year. âVer! Holy shit, no omelets!â Cackling, he tried to stand, only to nearly topple off with his platform currently engaging in a tug-of-war with the enemy.
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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 Jan 8, 2024 0:33:12 GMT 9
The pain came in flashes. It burned through him first, a volcanic press impossible to ignore, and when it seemed as if synapses had numbed, then would a shock of renewal take its place: from the bowels of a crater to the sub-zero cut of a glacier.
The Glaceon was chewing him like a fucking toy. Kazuki screamed in frustration, opportunity staring him in the faceâall he needed was a punch to its eyeâbut his arms remained pinned under its fangs, all sensation numbed by their icy coating. Its spit froze in an instant, killing any attempts of conjuring flame. It ate his health in chunks. Wind rushed his ears as the Glaceon swung him about, spraying the snow with flakes of black. The cries of his team and the by-standers were distant echoes. All he could hear was the ear-piercing screech of a single thought:
GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT
As the Glaceon loosened its jaws for another bite, Kazuki twisted his body, scraping himself on the frozen, jagged molars in a violent gamble against his PAIN THRESHOLD. It tore open new wounds. It filled the Glaceonâs mouth with tar. Thick, rancid, the taste of congealed rotâthe Colossal choked and gracelessly spat its half-eaten snack on the ground.
It hacked and gagged as whatever it just ate stuck to the back of its tongue. Its fur stood on endsâsomething was wrong. Was it the opponents? In front and behind, all around. But the air was thick with frost. The sky was entirely covered with dark clouds. It wouldnât be long now.
A voice came from the bounds of the arena:
âBLIZZARD INCOMING!â
And with the Glaceonâs howl, the sky descended upon the battlefield, rendering everything a roaring white.
GLACEON used AOE BLIZZARD on ALL COMBATANTS! hZp1|eWX3d50
It became impossible to see.
But in the barrage, woven tight between the gales of frost, was the scent of life. It pulled his feet forward, ushered him through the storm towards the eye. He didnât know what strength was keeping him on his feet. The snow was pockmarked with oil dripping from the harsh rips across his body.
Something finally came through the numbness.
His fingers had been clenched into fists and were now encased in a strong, but ultimately harmless warmth. It was a smear of color in a blank canvas. It was the blur of his body twisting to launch off the ground, momentum swinging the punch like a javelin.
A loud smash, glacial pieces sent flying, a flurry of snow and a geyser of ice cold water. The Glaceon screeched, its foot slipping into the hole, pain spiking where its leg was scraped raw by the shards. It fell to the ground, feet scrambling on the snow as it struggled to keep another foreleg from falling into the hole.
The screams continued. The massive crack in the center of the arena grew, breaking the floe into smaller pieces. As the blizzard subsided, the silhouettes of his team revealed themselves: Combusken leaned against Pignite, standing only on one foot. The other was sprained. Pignite appeared uninjured, but enduring the battery, carrying his teammate, and moving while his body burned through fuel at an accelerated rate had taken its toll. He slumped despite supporting Combusken, dragging his stubby feet on the snow as they fled from the encroaching fissure.
They stop at the edge of the floe, the half-frozen river lapping at their feet.
âKAZUKI, STOP! YOUâLL BREAK THE ICE!â His eyes werenât turned in Saintâs direction, but it sounded as if the younger man was moving, making a circle around the chaos. Scrambling towards the PokĂŠmon, with that incessant honking sliding beside him.
A plume of hot breath hit his body. Heâs thrown back, ripped from where he stood as massive fangs clamped around air, missing him by seconds. The Glaceon growled, a rumble he felt in his chest as it struggled to pull itself from the water. It moved sluggishly. Its end was close. He could even leave it and rescue his team without risk.
Yet standing there, inches away from its snapping jaws and the seething hatred in its eyes, he was eerily calm. His facial muscles didnât twitch. His skin had numbed to the point even the copious amounts of tar dripping down his body was nonexistent. He had escaped, he had survived, and now all that was left was to ensure the threat couldnât pursue him further.
His arm reeled back, panic in his veins as the power that formed his palm far outweighed what was necessary. He watched his body throw it.
The arena was engulfed in an explosion, a deafening crash as the floe shattered, plunging its participants into the merciless deep.
KAZUKI used RECOIL! KAZUKI used CORRUPTED EXPLOSION on GLACEON! 5d20 bonuses: very rare (+15) + corrupted move (+5)
GLACEON: -273/800 3d50¡5d20
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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 Jan 6, 2024 21:53:22 GMT 9
It would be just his luck that another bastard would arrive on the scene; a friend of ozoneâs, of course. And somehow this one was even more of a eyesore, decked head to toe in red and black.
âYeah, and yours is doing you a lot of favors. How was the Hot Topic bargain bin?â The only man allowed to size up his chest was absent; he was not taking it from a newcomer.
But ăRed Velvetă plucked a strip for himself and the crowd moved to the house where an unsuspicious figure peeked at them through a slat in the door. The inevitable death by academic disembowelment of the Bird Finderâs Club didnât matter; what piqued his ears was the mention of a reward.
The players dispersed. Whispers arose as people brainstormed for how to catch the uncatchableâsome going as far as the Alps to capture the elusive, exclusive bird.
But fuck the Alps.
This was a bird. Birds were dumb. And if the thing was as quick and unpredictable as the rumors say, Kazuki figured he could probably catch anywhere. He opened his PC box and squinted. He intended to employ his motherâs tactic for capturing a rabid child who refused to stop terrorizing squirrels: nailing bait to a tree and dragging the brat home by the ankles. Except instead of bacon, heâd use bugs.
He only had one bug in his inventory, and it was not going to fit in any standard rope or box trap. And it needed to be immobilized, else it would burrow into the earth, never to be seen again.
The sound of construction filled the air. Kazuki offered no explanations and no certification; he nabbed spare parts of scrap steel and wood wherever he could find, cobbling together the parts with the diligence of a kindergartner making macaroni art.
âThere! Finally done.â He stepped back, patting dust off his hands. âNow all thatâs left is waiting âtill dark for the bird to bite.â
The bug had been attached to a tree upright, all six of its wagging, punchy arms held either side of its body by metal straps.
Kazuki had crucified an Orthworm.
xEMretgI1-20
Time passed. Kazuki lounged on a tree stump, carving some kind of bird stake in preparation when one of the townsfolk came out asking about his little âart exhibitâ. Specifically, where he obtained the woodâthe wood pieces that looked an awful lot like the timber they were saving for winter.
The response, as expected, was Kazuki telling them to fuck off, and instigating a brawl that drew the attention of a patrolling officer who hurried over on his mudsdale to break up the fight.
As the commotion grew, only one being remained untouched: watching from above, complacent with its place in life, heart bare to the worldâOrthworm forgave. Kazuki didn't notice the little red blur that would leave Orthworm a small treat it would munch on as it saw the carnage unfold.
1-20
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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 Jan 6, 2024 1:02:06 GMT 9
Kazuki couldnât help it; he cackled as Ash mentioned the County Jail. âShit, did you see my poster or something?â Still grinning, he leaned forward, voice lowered conspiratorially. âIf you want tips on how to break outâyâknow, just in caseâall you gotta do is ask.â
He pulled away, shrugging, sitting back with his coffee. âIt wasnât that tough, honestly. If you pay attentionââ memorize the guardsâ walk patterns ââyou can jam the lock with a stick in your teeth and scram. Your real issue will be leaving town without getting wrecked by the Braviary airstrikes.â
But he digressed. Ash was not here to make the job transition from esteemed region professor to UNOVRâs Most Wanted. As the topic moved onto more meta subjects, he took note of the lag in her response and what was lacking.
The explanation continued, Ash going into further detail about her circumstances, laying her cards on the table. He heard the sound of her voice even as his mind was filled with images from Thunderfall. He blinked, taken abackâWhat the fuck, pre-programmed flashbacks?âbefore returning to reality, where Ash was ruminating aloud, asking further about his strange abilities.
And of course, she did not see the pop-up window on his screen. A list of prompts was provided.
His brows slowly rose.
His eyes drew back to Ash, who was watching him patiently, intentlyâfinding it a little sad how even her rebellion was carefully mapped out for her and the people she trusts.
But pity would do her no favors. It wouldnât do him favors either. What he needed to do was think of how to explain science-fiction to someone whoâs lived their entire life in science-fiction. The easiest method would clearly be Trainer Classes, but none of what he had unlocked could really be used in an enclosed space without mass property damage; a consequence that would be a boon if he wasnât wary of cutting this encounter short. And it wouldnât prove what he wanted to show her.
Well, just this once.
In Ashâs eyes, Kazuki would be doing something weird with his hand. It was flapping in the air for a bit. âAaaand⌠there. Alright!â
He sat back, satisfied. âFirst of all: No, I wasnât hired by anyone. Do you really think a board of directors would hire thisââ he gestured to himself ââfor a goddamn research expedition? If they needed obedient muscle, youâve got Machoke.â
âSecondââ he pointed at her. âDo not freak out.â
He smashed the mug of steaming hot coffee in his face. The ceramic was reduced to thousands, burning liquid splashing onto exposed skin on his face and chest and turning his complexion pink. Shards lodged into his skinâ
âand he didnât even flinch.
Kazuki wiped the coffee residue from his eyes, bewildered. âHoly shit. This is what Reduced feels like? Thatâs bullshit!â This was cartoon physics! After nearly a year of taking Hyper Beams to the face, it honestly felt like a scam.
But now was not the time to be outraged by his own decisions. Now was time to explain himself before Ash had a conniption. âOkay, you saw that? Felt like nothing. Felt like an autumn breeze. While you'd be writhing on the ground from the lacerations and second or third degree burns, it doesn't affect me. This is an ability that lets me decrease the pain I feel in exchange for getting knocked out faster, and this works for all the trainers you got. Itâs called Reduced Pain Threshold.â
Maybe phrasing it like some kind of superpower would bypass the censor. He reached down, sifting through the shards. âI know youâre nice and you want to look out for us and shit, but if youâre going to accept that your allies are the cryptids you shouldâve been studying, then youâd better accept the parts of us that are inhuman.â
âThe point Iâm trying to makeâŚâ He stuck a large shard in his thigh as easily as one might slap on a Pikachu print bandage. â⌠Is that trainers are a lot harder to hurt than anything you know. We have a ton of abilities to keep us alive so we can venture into danger and survive for as long as possible. That even includes corruption.â The blood that stained his pant leg was an unsightly black that quickly coagulated, the wound trying to seal itself around the shard. âAs long the shrines are around, not much can stop us.â Not even death, but that concept would be harder to prove on the spotânot to mention far ruder.
He relaxed in his seat, surrounded by mess. âSo donât make the same mistake as before. You were scared for our safety, right? Now you know we're not working under the same rules as you, so use that.â
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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 Dec 31, 2023 12:51:45 GMT 9
Kazuki snickered at the rebuttal. âSmall miracles.â It had been a long time since they last spoke, but the speed of their response was a little refreshing. Perhaps this would be different after all.
Waffle purred louder as Silvermoon kissed his head, ears folding down for a second before heâs released. He shook out his coat and hopped back to his trainer, trying to weave together the manâs ankles. One scoop under his belly lifted him back into Kazukiâs arms.
âWho said anything about refusing?â He chuckled. âYou said you got stronger. Iâm here to see you prove it.â
Waffle was placed on an elevated jut of stone, right under a nice spot of light peeking in from the pockmarked ceiling. With the cat settled, Kazuki turned back to Silvermoon, taking long, confident strides.
âFighting weaklings is a waste of time and an insult, but thatâs a mean-looking beast you got. Iâm guessing thatâs what youâll use.â Despite how long heâs been playing, itâs the first time heâs seen a creature like this. It looked like something that belonged in Ostelliaâan otherworldly hodgepodge. It looked like it would hit hard.
"Come at me!" Kazuki slapped his chest and grinned. âHit me with your best shot.â He stood under the arenaâs archaic canopy, at home even in such a small platform, at home even in the gloom. After so long, his skin was singing for itâthe fight and spectacle you can only experience in the arena of your dreams.
(And if it was a little off-tune, heâd just have to make it a quick song.)
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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 Dec 22, 2023 18:03:47 GMT 9
#s://c~l3n~co/i/3QvTOA~png The sound of rainfall bounced off the walls. Water poured over Atsushi, set hot as if to peel tattoo ink like paint off a car. A dayâs worth of grime and stress swirled into the drain, and he finally felt human.
The floor was barren. It was a shit hour, and with most of the hotelâs occupants being exhausted con attendees and travelers, Atsushi and the few employees manning the area were the only signs of life. The receptionist and a masseuse continued chatting together, having already been informed their assistance wasnât needed (or at least coming to that conclusion after seeing the look on his face and his feral hog-like grunting).
The towel around his shoulders was tossed on the sun lounger by the hydropool, draping half on his duffel and half dangling off the floor. He stood by the edge for a moment, before slowly, gingerly lowering himself, mouth twitching as he bent his knees to slide into the bubbling water.
A quick spike hit him, numbing as he focused on the sensation of a water jet against his back. He hooked his arms over the edge of the pool and exhaled.
It was safe here. The employees wouldnât bother him, he could take up as much space as he wanted and let all his ink breathe. Hydrotherapy was bullshitâ he didnât know how long it took to shut off most of the sensory showerâs settings and he did not want to knowâ but the pool felt good and made his sore leg weightless.
Alone, his thoughts naturally drifted to the dayâs events.
A sharp smack was heard. Atsushiâs hand stuck to his face, peeled off with a grumble. Attacking his problems would not work if the problem was himself.
He would need to contact his manager about Tuesday. Adelaide understood discretion, and she had the brains for these types of politics. And then he would find Tarou and talk him down from filing a restraining order on him. He was not a creep.
He was just curious to the point heâd stalk him at a videogame con in a giant chicken costume.
Atsushi leaned back fully, hitting the back of his head on the poolâs edge to glare at the traitorous ceiling.
Fuck. Maybe he could rely on the tried-and-true Come to Brazil tactic instead.
The sound of footsteps pull him from his thoughts of Brazilian citizenship, and he lifted his head to glare at whoever had the gall to approach a big guy in full-body tattoos who had clearly taken dibs of the whole public hydropool.
â⌠Youâve got to be fucking kidding me.â
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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 Dec 17, 2023 8:07:46 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/847006452118978590/1147842896519757855/200x200_moltres~png Moltres froze entirely at the sound of Tarou scolding his daughter, his words, his voice, his face â all of it slotting together like perfect puzzle pieces.
His wing was released, and still, he did not move. Eyes widened from within the costumeâs beak, Tarouâs frown the killing blow to send the tiny Jenga tower of his brain cells toppling over, crushing neuron and synapse.
Oh.
Oh shit.
Itâs him.
Kazuki has had more than enough time to think of what heâd say when he finally meets Verai in person. It was not so much as an if as a when once he found out the man lived in HokkaidĹ. And knowing him for this long, it shouldnât be such a surprise to see how much he resembles his avatar â and yet it is.
Verai is real, he was standing right there, with his daughter, and not too long ago theyâd been close to decking each other stupid at the airport.
Every little rational thought had just burned to a fine, Kentucky Fried Crisp.
Moltres sputtered out something between a âbye!â and a âb-gawk!â before making a hasty escape into the sea of con-goers.
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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 Dec 17, 2023 7:40:04 GMT 9
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/847006452118978590/1147822551632990318/200x200_civilian2~png There is little he offers to the warm welcome that greets him once he flashes the card, Atsushi moving through the motions with a numb sense of distaste, recognizing the ease at which people will bend themselves backwards for those with money and standing.
It had already become apparent what he was dealing with, once Fake Tuesday revealed her true colors â not as an impostor; he didnât really care about being deceived in that regard; but as someone who had bark with none of the bite it promised. There had been an inkling there, but in the end, she was another limb for someone who couldnât be bothered to leave the chaise lounge for a bag of chips.
He had wished, sorely, that she at least had the decency to deck him. Every iota of her body language screamed it, but she had heel-clicked away before he could goad her into action.
He regards the overdressed young man and his fake little smile with an ugly scrunch of his nose, before grunting his assent and following him through, their shoes clicking against the expensive marble. Cold air clings to him and itâs like a breathe of fresh air after the sauna; the suffocating chicken costume had been disposed once he found Ren outside the hotel, his soaked inner clothes replaced by discreet ones. Fresh â or once been. After a whole day running around in full mascot, the overgrown man was in dire need of a hose down.
But if âTuesdayâ was eager to meet him so soon, then he would deal.
They move past a procession of increasingly extravagant rooms, ending finally with the curtains drawing to an almost hilariously mundane scene lifted out of a Hallmark commercial.
The running theory had been that Tuesday was piloted by some spoiled nerd.
Here, Atsushi learns sheâs piloted by the wet dream of every Silicon Valley douchebag to walk the planet.
âOh, cut the shit.â If he wanted to interact with plastic, he would have gone to the Artist Corner and its vast array of PokĂŠmon figurines. âItâs Mr. Himura to you, and I know you know it â considering you tried to blackmail me.â
Polite company would approach, see if they can take a seat. Atsushi is not polite company. He is a tired old fuckhead whoâs had to bow to rich men all his career, and if said career is at an end, he is not going to punctuate it by bowing to another.
âWhat the fuck do you want, MarzĂĄn?â
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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 Dec 11, 2023 11:41:40 GMT 9
Kazuki was not the best at messaging. Not only was he irritable â meaning notifications were mostly shut off â but he was distractible, which meant he had about 50 unread messages in his inbox months overdue and yet still had the audacity to bitch when heâs left on read.
But when ozone messages, the response is instantaneous.
I donât know what kinda shitty bird that is But Iâm going to roast and serve it on a plate After I roast and serve your ass
He yanked open Ozoneâs profile â which he only had access to because heâs on his list for fight reasons and promptly hit fast travel, arriving at the heart of Briarbane in a flashbang.
And of course, the lights only accentuated the scales on Ozoneâs gaudy avatar, making it hilariously easy to spot him. Who would even play as a dragon?
(Nevermind the fact the man heâs dating was part cat, and one of his closest friends in this game had every cosmetic slider ramped to 11.)
âFancy bastard,â he said, a greeting in some language. âIs this it?â
There were already a couple of people around, grouping up or trying to figure out what to do, each with little strips of paper. It seemed to come from a poster mounted on the haphazard scrapbook they call a Wanted Board, Kazuki raising a brow as he inspects.
âLooks like something my roommate made when they got addicted to Pretty Little Liars.â Rip. âThis will be easy.â
He grimaced, looking around. âBetter not be any cops here, though.â He hadnât returned to Briarbane in a long time, not since the prison break. His chances banked on post-update memory loss.
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