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Post by hoodwink on Sept 20, 2021 10:46:07 GMT -5
Yuto’s comment of his Keyblade caused the teen to notice the weight on his back. Though he admired the sword he now carried, Henoke definitely was feeling the bizarre after-affects of using an unfamiliar weapon. Part of him missed the hunk of giant metal he’d gotten used to clobbering Heartless with, truly. Kids and their toys, you know? ”Remember all the stuff I was doing when we first met?” Scrunching up his brow, Henoke worked his hard head to recall their first encounter. It had occurred on an abandoned world teaming with Heartless, in an abandoned castle. Sure enough, the paladin recalled his friends affinity with their mysterious black fire, as they’d bonded over it—but his poor memory hardly painted a vivid enough image for him.
”Uh…I think?” Before he could truly try to focus on the memory, Tori’s mist began to shroud and consume them, the wisps expanding and growing into one massive canopy.
”Don’t regret it later, Henoke.” Tori’s final tease caused the teen to jolt and stiffen a bit, his already spiky hair bristling somewhat. He wouldn’t back down though, not now.
”Bring it on!” With one final act of defiance, Henoke’s vision was replaced by the events of his previous battle. It was bizarre, watching an event he took part in from a third person perspective—even more bizarre when he watched himself do things he couldn’t fully remember. ”Woah!” Sure enough, just as Tori said, Henoke watched himself fight through the effects of the Bad Breath attack to deliver a finishing blow—one engulfed in flames. As the smoke and explosion of the battle wafted over him, the vision dispersed. Thankfully, the teen was too immersed in what he’d seen to notice one of the wisps specifically seem less than pleased with him.
”So? Now you’ll believe me?” Sure enough, it had been just like she said. Despite the minor embarrassment he’d felt at seeing himself impeded by the monsters stink attack, overall Henoke was feeling a mixture of confusion and being pleased with himself. He’d tried to cast spells before without the Keyblade though, and nothing had happened. What made the fire appear? It had definitely been a fluke, but if he could do it once, surely he could do it again?
”Huh…” Crossing his arms and giving a mild huff of exasperation, Henoke grumbled out his admissions with only a little resentment. He wasn’t a sore loser, after all. ”Guess I was misrememberin'…” The teen still seemed in a somewhat awestruck state, confused and bewildered by his own abilities—especially since he couldn’t remember doing it or what caused it. If anything, he just looked annoyed and sick in the vision. If that was all it took for his weapons to burst into flame, surely it’d have happened by now, right? ”Heh—guess I didn’t know my own strength!” Recovering himself rather quickly, Henoke wore a confident grin and rested his hands behind his head, swaying somewhat with a look of visible self-satisfaction on their face.
”I bet if I get the hang o’ that move, I’ll pass those Guild tests fer'sure!” One-tracked minded as always, it seemed the rowdy warrior had still barely given up on the whole ‘ranks’ thing, despite clearly misinterpreting how they worked. Sometimes you just had to pick your battles though, with characters like him. ”Y’know what this means, right, Yuto?!” Finding his friend, Henoke gave the older guy a devious look before pointing at him directly, his stance confident and clearly saying ‘I won’t take no for an answer’. ”We gotta train!” Despite his poor memory, it seemed the boy had taken his friends recollection at face value. If what Yuto said was true, about being able to teach him how to master engulfing his new sword in an epic fiery explosion—it was definitely moving up to the top of Henoke’s priority list.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
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Post by ravenheart95 on Sept 21, 2021 13:08:21 GMT -5
Yuto watched as the battle replayed, shaking his head at Henoke's usual stubbornness. Tori's replay was surprisingly realistic. 'She is replaying something that she was there for. It makes sense that it had this level of detail."
The end of the fight played out just as Tori said; Henoke's sword caught fire and exploded on impact. ”So? Now you’ll believe me?” Tori's question was more of a statement than anything else. Henoke even admitted that he misremembered now that the memory was shown to the group. "Gotta admit, Tori, that was a lot more detailed than the last 'memory' trip I went on." Yuto started thinking about what just happened.
”Y’know what this means, right, Yuto?! We gotta train!” Henmoke's excitement was apparent, the man could tell his fiery friend wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. 'If we can recreate whatever he was feeling at the time, we should be able to get him to do it again.'
Yuto doubted asking would work, but he figured it was worth a shot. "So, now that you saw the fight, do you remember what you were feeling at that point in time?" He looked over to Tori, doubting that Henoke would remember something like that. "Actually, do you and Mei think we could go on a hunt tomorrow? Specifically a hard one? I have an idea, but we're gonna need locals and support whether it pans out or not. Last thing we need is to get lost after a fight."
He started pacing the beach. "In my experience, uncontrolled reactions like that are an adrenal response. Considering how Henoke is, if we can put him in a similar situation as what we just saw, he should be able to do it again." The man was on a roll now. "And if we can get that to happen, then we can not only prove that it wasn't a one time thing, but we can also identify what triggered it and hone the focus further from there. It's not a quick process, or an easy one."
He put a hand on The teen's shoulder. "But if you're serious about learning this, and learning it properly, then you'll be able to do it basically whenever you want." The man was pretty excited about the situation. As he had stated before, he taught himself how to fight without a Keyblade so teaching someone else how to was something he couldn't pass up.
"Anyway, thats all for tomorrow. For now, lets enjoy the rest of the night."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 25, 2021 14:34:21 GMT -5
With a sigh, Tori finally relaxed, having gotten her point across by means of actually showing the events —and all of it happened without much fuzz afterwards, given that Yuto had taken it rather lightly. Henoke seemed to wonder about it, though his resentment towards what they’d just seen was evident —not that it’d stop him from finding a positive in it all.
”Heh—guess I didn’t know my own strength!” Tori couldn’t help but groan audibly, finally giving up on him, while Mei mustered an uneasy smile. While in the end nothing serious had happened, the girl was still convinced it had been a fluke rather than a planned move, both due to the state Henoke had been in at that time, plus his usual demeanor. Not to mention, he himself had admitted that magic didn’t come to him naturally —only able to muster spells while wielding the Keyblade.
All in all, it was a problem waiting to happen.
“You’re so out of touch…” Tori shook her head, disappointed, “The fact that you’re not even aware of it is scary enough…” “Well, doesn’t hurt if he keeps trying, does it?” Mei asked, trying to cheer Tori up. “You’re not getting the point…”
While the pair of friends tried to gather their thoughts back up, Yuto had gotten to action, asking the relevant questions to the relevant things —something neither had seen yet. Tori perked up a little bit, a brow raised after listening to the man’s questions at the teen, and giving out surprisingly good insight to what had happened.
Was this… Really the Yuto she’d met? It was a completely different feeling… Not that it was a bad thing.
Unlike a certain someone…
“Considering how Henoke is, if we can put him in a similar situation as what we just saw, he should be able to do it again." It wasn’t a bad plan, all things considered. Yuto had seen things in a way that would most likely suit Henoke’s temperament —though only in theory. If any of the girls knew something about magic, well… The teen wouldn’t even know the basics. In the end, what had happened was a display of fire magic —a random, unthought spark of fire ignited by fury.
“Well… I guess we can try with some small fry, if you really think this’ll work…” Tori shrugged, “I’m not getting my hopes up, though. It’s Henoke we’re talkin’ about —and if I know something about the guy, it’s that magic ain’t his forte.” “If we’re going on a hunt together, then… I guess Neku could tag along, too —since he didn’t get to do so today…” Mei agreed, “So, let’s meet at the Guild tomorrow and schedule things out! I’m sure Luneth can help us again.”
Looking out at the ocean, Mei seemed lost in thought with her smile, yet quickly returned to her senses after realizing the time. Wanting not only to go home at a reasonable hour but also check on Neku, she had to make sure she had enough time for both things —which she had been spending with Tori, Henoke and Yuto. Seemingly noticing this, Tori chuckled a bit, shaking her head with a smirk, before tapping Mei’s head playfully.
“If you wanna get going, you’re free to do so” she said, “Don’t you got someone to look after?” “Tori…” Mei’s voice was soft, but with a smile, it picked up volume, “Thanks” she then turned towards Henoke and Yuto, “Great job today. Let’s keep it up tomorrow, shall we?”
After receiving her answer, Mei would wave back as she left to the town, leaving the trio behind. Tori scoffed a bit, the smirk remaining in her lips before looking down and snorting out silently, the ice cream stick still in between her teeth.
There was no changing that attitude, was there? Whichever the case, it was one she wouldn’t mind seeing forever. It was, after all, the right amount of sweet in her eyes.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 28, 2021 9:49:54 GMT -5
”You’re so out of touch…” Tori’s comment did little to deflate the new energy Henoke had, merely rolling his eyes and waving her off as a response. Mei was quick to jump in and back him up, though this time it didn’t make him feel any type of way. Yuto’s question of how he ‘felt’ during the fight caused the teen to furrow his brow, crossing his arms and drumming his fingers against his bicep while glancing towards the sky in focus.
”Actually, do you and Mei think we could go on a hunt tomorrow?” Instantly, Henoke’s focus was shattered and replaced, consumed by his friends new idea. ”In my experience, uncontrolled reactions like that are an adrenaline response.” Yuto was pacing on the beach, having successfully grabbed the attention of all teens in the sand as he spun his plan out. Truthfully, Henoke wasn’t listening too much about the details. His golden eyes had practically been replaced by stars, twinkling with excitement as his orange spiky hair bristled. A hunt! Sure, he’d already been on two—but the rowdy paladin always had more energy for another fight! Especially if it helped him learn that awesome fire move! ”If you’re serious about learning this, and learning it properly, then you’ll be able to do it basically whenever you want.” Yuto had come and placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding the teen for a moment before he gave a broad and confident smile, nodding and clasping a hand on his friends shoulder in return.
”Hell yea! I’ll be the Flamin’ Swordsman!” It was clear the boy was enthusiastic and dedicated—in his own way. Heh—this Guild better get ready for a new number one! With Yuto and Tori as his peers, there’s no way he’d fall behind!
”Well…I guess we can try with some small fry, if you really think this’ll work…” Tori didn’t seem too enthusiastic, but the fact she agreed (albeit, somewhat reluctantly) was enough. Though her mention of his lack of skill with magic stung his pride somewhat, it also wasn’t totally untrue. Even with the Keyblade, the teen only had a handle on a couple of elements. Most who had had such a weapon for the amount of time he had surely would be able to at least produce all of them—or so Chirithy would always remind him. Huh? Why was he remembering that, now of all times?
”If we’re going on a hunt together, then…I guess Neku could tag along, too—“ Mei pulled Henoke from his vague memory, exciting him all over again as they planned on meeting the next day. ”Great job today. Let’s keep it up tomorrow, shall we?” Henoke puffed up his chest a bit, pounding his fist against it before giving the girl a ‘thumbs up’.
”Yea! See ya tomorrow, Mei.” Waving goodbye as the bubbly girl made her departure (with an extra pep in her step, not that someone as boorish and unaware as him would notice), the spiky haired warrior was quick to turn to his remaining friends. ”Alright, I’m hittin’ the trainin’ grounds!” Patting at the large sword holstered on his back, it was clear Henoke had gotten a second (fifth?) wind. ”How ‘bout it? Wanna come with?” Grinning at Tori and Yuto, it was clear their latest talk about him learning that ‘fire move’ had consumed his focus. With the devious glint in his eyes, there was little doubt the boy was about to spend most of the night waving metal around.
If they’d had other plans, it was obvious that he’d forgotten.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Post by ravenheart95 on Nov 13, 2021 5:21:15 GMT -5
I’m not getting my hopes up, though. It’s Henoke we’re talkin’ about..." While Tori had a point, Yuto was quick to make one of his own. "Considering I still don't have a six-foot-tall key to use as a catalyst, I'm confident I can teach the man something." Having had to teach himself magic from scratch, he knew what it was like. The other thing they had in their favor was that both men used fire.
Henoke's response caused an almost devilish grin to spread across the wandering warlock's face. "Perfect. You have my word, when we're through you'll have a new move that you can use no matter the weapon." The man knew that once his friend put his mind to something nothing would sway him. With everyone in agreement on tomorrow's activities, there was an air of determination that he could feel.
“Great job today. Let’s keep it up tomorrow, shall we?” Yuto smiled and nodded in response to Mei. "Tell the lad I say 'hi'."
As Mei walked off, the man turned to Tori and Henoke. The teen's offer was tempting, and Yuto did want to spend some more time in the Training Grounds. "I'll join you. How bout you, Tori, you wanna join, or are you gonna call it?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 13, 2021 17:06:08 GMT -5
With everything done and dealt with, maybe it was better to call it a day prim and proper, going back to the Shacks and sleep to recover the lost energy. Though Tori was up for such a thing, it seemed Henoke was not resting just yet, eager to go train immediately to the Training Grounds for who knows what. Yuto seemed keen on tagging along, thing that she couldn’t blame him for, though why she considered it such…
Let’s just say Tori thought it better if someone kept an eye on Henoke, less he went off on his own and did something reckless… Which was often.
“How bout you, Tori, you wanna join, or are you gonna call it?" The girl hummed a little bit, unsure on what to do. One side wanted to rest, even if she technically didn’t need it. After all, how many times had she travelled without a wink of sleep in her system? …Did Spirits even need rest (OOC: not answering this one anytime soon, though), or were they fine continuing on with whatever they were doing? Physically she didn’t even feel exhausted, though maybe it was better to act the part.
The other side, however… Wanted to test just how far it would take before Henoke pulled that fluke again. The promise seemed tempting, if the conversation before gave any indication. “Let’s see…” she hummed a little, “We can’t stay too long at the Training Grounds, since they check at night —the Council, I mean. They’ll kick us out if we stay there too late” Tori finished with a shrug, “So… So long as we keep an eye on the clock, sure —I’ll tag along. After that, though, we really need to call it a day. Else we won’t make most of the day tomorrow, remember?”
She took the ice cream stick out of her mouth, a smirk permanent in her lips as she looked at the two guys. They wanted to train, so they would get some training —and Tori would be watching all of it. Who knows? Maybe she would pose a challenge if someone wanted to.
They had no reason to hold back now, did they?
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 23, 2022 10:39:42 GMT -5
“You have my word, when we’re through you’ll have a new move that you can use no matter the weapon.” Yuto was more than reassuring, with a slightly devilish grin that played perfectly to Henoke’s own less than polished morality. If there was one thing the boy wanted more than anything, it was power. Of course, his sole reason for wanting power was pure—as the rowdy Paladin wanted nothing more than to protect his own and to aid those in need. To do so, the young teen decided he needed some pretty sick moves, accordingly.
Hearing Tori mention a curfew with the training grounds, a mild sense of urgency wormed it’s way into Henoke’s heart. It’s now or never! Determined to get a grasp on the natural affinity with fire it seemed he was able to channel without the Keyblade, the young warrior knew he’d have to work hard with the time crunch. “After that, though, we really need to call it a day.” It seemed Tori’s compliance came with a cost—though it was one Henoke could easily accommodate.
”No sweat! I’ll master this move in no time!” Giving his friend a triumphant smile, the spiky haired boy pounded a fist to his chest before gesturing to Yuto. ”I’ve seen Yuto’s fire, it ain’t no joke! With him and you showin’ me the ropes, we’ll still have time for dinner!” Of course, Henoke was being overzealous in his optimism, repressing the fact he was terrible at magic, but the boy was dauntless.
If there was one thing he wouldn’t do, it was quit on his ambitions. ”Alright! Let’s go!” Though excited to begin, Henoke was also horrible with directions. Already, the teen had forgotten the way to said training grounds. Pausing in his march, he turned to look over his shoulder with a slightly sheepish grin. ”Er…lead the way!”
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 6, 2022 2:28:50 GMT -5
“We can’t stay too long at the Training Grounds...They’ll kick us out if we stay there too late.” Yuto shrugged. "If time's an issue, we could just stay here and train. Especially if the Council's gonna check. But I'll leave that decision to Henoke." He didn't mind staying on the beach, especially if things got out of hand. Yuto didn't doubt that the Training Grounds would hold, he was more concerned about the surrounding town and being caught. If there was one thing that the man learned about Henoke's new 'Hail Mary' was that it was loud and explosive, much like the teen himself.
”I’ve seen Yuto’s fire, it ain’t no joke! With him and you showin’ me the ropes, we’ll still have time for dinner!” The man blushed a bit at the praise. "I think you may be over-estimating me a bit. But anyway, this isn't something you'll get the hang of in one night. Tonight and tomorrow are more of a test to see if you can do it again." Yuto stretched, a bit sore from the day's activities. "After that, we can work on you mastering it." Henoke's optimism was evident, but the man needed to be sure that his friend didn't go too far into his fantasy. Yuto was confident he could help Henoke, but it was going to take time.
”Alright! Let’s go!” Henoke's lack of direction caused Yuto to stifle a laugh. The teen never ceased to amaze. "Well, since it seems like he's set on going to the training grounds, Tori, could you lead the way?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 6, 2022 13:33:22 GMT -5
Once again, Tori’s face was unamused, even pouting at Henoke’s recklessness. Still, there was no point in fighting it any longer —it wasn’t going to change anytime soon, and if she were to bet, she’d probably say that it would never change, either. Maybe it was a good attitude to have at times, but on others…
It was starting to get somewhat tiring. Being more towards the serious side, if only a little bit, Tori was tempted to smack him upside the head once more, though it would probably do little to solve the problem.
“But anyway, this isn't something you'll get the hang of in one night.” Good thing Yuto helped to give reason a voice. As he turned towards her after Henoke comically stopped mid-way towards the Training Grounds, Tori sighed, having given up completely on opposing them.
Not that she was going to comply with every whim they had, that is.
“Really, now… I’m not gonna be your guy’s guide forever, y’know” she teased, walking forward to the Training Grounds, “So you better learn the way properly this time —I’m not gonna help you a second time, Henoke.”
She beckoned them to follow, to then continue on with her pace back into town. The sun had already fallen, the night sky turning the orange and purple shades into deep blue, the stars shining brightly. Unlike the last few times, the town was quiet, less merry than other times, but not inactive by any means. Some people were still strolling about, though all the shops had closed by now. The way to the Training Grounds was quiet enough, and upon arrival, they would find the place completely deserted —the dummies that still were intact were stored away, and so were the many practice weapons made of hardwood. Without a worry, Tori headed forward, noticing how it was somewhat dark, but still visible. With that in mind, she turned around towards the two.
“So… This is what we’ve got for now” she mentioned, “You can probably guess why the Training Grounds are closed at night —in a little more, you’ll probably won’t be able to see much. Still…” Tori frowned a little, “If you wanna get started, Yuto… I’d suggest you start ASAP.”
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 8, 2022 9:03:50 GMT -5
“This isn’t something you’ll get the hang of overnight.” Though Henoke deflated somewhat at his friends realism, his spirits remained high. I’ll make it happen, fer sure! There was no way he’d wuss out before starting! Determined to make the fire appear once more, the teen was ready for action.
“Really now…I’m not gonna be your guys’ guide forever, y’know?” While Tori led the way, Henoke staggered at her remark.
”Huh!? F’real?!” Groaning before running after her, the rowdy carrot-top would spend most of the way there hollering and going back and forth with her, while also bugging Yuto about the training to come. Once they traveled through the quieting town and emerged at the grounds, night had already nestled in and gotten settled.
“So…this is what we’ve got for now.” Despite Tori’s mention of it only getting darker out, Henoke was already rushing towards the wooden dummies, yanking the hefty claymore on his back from its sheathe.
”Don’t worry, Tori! This won’t take long.” With confidence and bravado far exceeding his skills, the spiky haired warrior readied a stance. ”Let’s gooooooooo—fire!” Having scrunched up his eyes for a moment, Henoke had seemingly tried to initiate the trick himself as he swung out at the dummy. Shwoom! Thunk! Steel sliced into wood, though not much else happened. ”Hm…?” Scrunching up his brows, the boy made a face of mild surprise and embarrassment.
”Fire—ON!” Another swing as a chunk of the dummy was hacked into the earth. Still, no flames or light emerged from the large and finely crafted sword he held. ”Tch, c’mon!” Clearly aggravated, the teen turned towards Yuto, deciding to finally slow down enough to listen. ”A’right, Yuto! What’s the plan?” He sure bounced back quick.
It was clear that even though it stung his pride a little, Henoke was eager to learn how to summon the flames once more.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 10, 2022 13:57:31 GMT -5
“Really, now… I’m not gonna be your guy’s guide forever, y’know?” Yuto just gave a shrug in response. The only reason he didn't offer to use his Dark Corridor was because he didn't know how it would affect Tori. Otherwise, he could go to and from whenever he wanted.
The walk over was energetic as always, mostly because of Henoke's constant back and forth between Tori and Yuto. Yuto tried to answer whatever questions Henoke had about the training to come, but the majority of the information would come from practice.
“So… This is what we’ve got for now.” Tori gestured to the Training Grounds, now harder to make out distant objects due to the low light. It was more than enough for him to see fine, however. He was used to dark places, he was a night owl after all.
”Don’t worry, Tori! This won’t take long.” Henoke's gumption was impressive, as always. However, it quickly lost its momentum after his first few failed attempts. ”A’right, Yuto! What’s the plan?” The teen's request for assistance was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
"Well," The man walked up to Henoke, stopping a few feet away. "The last time you used that move, you were in danger. Your life may have even been on the line." As he spoke, Yuto slowly unsheathed his bat and examined it. "So, the first thing we should probably focus on is you remembering that feeling." With that Yuto swung at Henoke, holding nothing back. "That's not something you're gonna get fighting a training dummy."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 10, 2022 17:08:59 GMT -5
While the way to the Training Grounds was loud and obnoxious to a point, Tori didn’t seem to care much about whatever Henoke had to say, though the reasons she didn’t pay any attention to his hollering was simply because she knew he was being bratty. The faint smirk that remained in her lips was proof of her teasing, enjoying it at the expense of Henoke’s own pride. Still, did it hurt to learn the way to some places?
She crossed her arms as Henoke lunged forward towards a dummy, swinging his sword with just as much bravado as before, only lacking the flames bursting forth. Tori had figured as much, though, knowing that the trick wasn’t just to swing about and destroying things. However, she was caught off-guard as she spotted Yuto standing forward, stopping a few feet away from Henoke and unsheathing his own weapon.
"That's not something you're gonna get fighting a training dummy." Tori blinked, dumbstruck, but eventually couldn’t help but show her amusement. So, Yuto wanted to spar with Henoke, to try and see if he could replicate that move again? It certainly seemed like a proper strategy —not something she’d expected from Yuto, though.
Still, a nice surprise, to say the least. “Y’know —had you told me this was your idea, I would’ve taken you guys elsewhere” she mentioned, “I have the feeling this’ll last for much longer than either of you would care to admit.”
Now she was hooked, though. Her arms were crossed over her chest, yet there was a smirk of pride written in her expression, wanting to see how far they’d push themselves. Standing away in order to give them space to spar, Tori was secretly eager to see what each side would do —what cards they’d use, and which tricks to hide for a last-minute surprise. All of it was intriguing, and if it came to it, well…
She could easily extend the amount of time they had in that place, if she focused properly. It would have to be seen, however.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 12, 2022 16:53:49 GMT -5
“Had you told me this was your idea—I would’ve taken you guys elsewhere.” Tori’s amused tone lofted through the air as Yuto struck with their bat. CLANG! Sparks flew as metal sliced against metal, the hefty Claymore meeting the blunt instrument with a honed edge.
”Tch—so that’s your plan…” Henoke grit his teeth as he regained his stance. Part of him was excited to fight his friend—to test both of their limits. ”Y’know…” His golden eyes flared like fire in the night. ”I can’t help but think…you’re lookin’ down on me!?” His competitive nature had flared up.
How long had it been, since he fought without his Keyblade? Sometime before he got it. Despite not having his usual weapon in hand, the boy felt confident. ”Let’s go!” Rushing Yuto with new tenacity, Henoke ran in while swinging his large claymore. SWOOSH! The hefty metal created it’s own gust as the teen’s muscles allowed him to swing it effortlessly through the air.
No fire had emerged yet, however. It seemed that if Yuto’s idea was correct, they’d need to turn it up a notch…
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 12, 2022 17:25:48 GMT -5
Yuto had just barely registered Tori's comment as Henoke met him mid-clash. "To be fair, I did mention staying at the beach." He leaped back as he spoke, setting himself in his proper stance as Henoke did the same.
”Y’know… I can’t help but think…you’re lookin’ down on me!?” Yuto laughed at the teen's comment. "Oh, my dear firebrand, for me to look down on you in this instance..." The man smirked as his eyes began to glow their signature gold as he felt the power of Darkness begin to build. "I'd have to drop a few thousand levels." He knew he was going to need it.
If he played his cards right, Henoke's attitude would cause him to become emotional at Yuto's teasing. All he had to do was push that button until the teen slipped, and then he could put Henoke in another life-threatening position. It was the only real way to gauge what he could do, after all.
He readied himself for his friend's response. If The Land of Departure showed him anything, it was that Yuto would have to constantly be on his toes.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 14, 2022 8:45:43 GMT -5
The spar began within the blink of an eye, the little light remaining heightening everyone’s senses. Tori perked up as she felt a surge of power coming from Yuto, but said little against it. After all, she could keep things under control, should he lose it. His further goad towards Henoke were all they needed for things to spark alight —though the fire didn’t roar like before, it was bound to happen eventually. The theory planted beforehand did have valid backup, and if that were the case, then probably something could be done to make it so that the magic-less warrior could use magic more reliantly on his own.
How much longer would it take for that to happen, however? Even with her abilities to sense subtle changes in the balance, Tori wasn’t precisely sure. She would stay alert for the time being, and if things sparked further ahead, she would stop them before anything else happened, securing things so that no one would get hurt.
“Still… I wonder how he would react inside of an Illusion…” Tori thought, frowning a little, “Would he have a similar reaction to how the Heartless react, or a different one? I don’t wanna chance it, but…”
She would have to, eventually —that was a given. If things got out of control, then she had to be ready. For now, she would continue to observe…
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 15, 2022 12:20:40 GMT -5
“Oh, my dear firebrand, for me to look down on you in this instance…” Yuto’s eyes illuminated an eerie gold as he broke free of their clash, leaping back to create distance. “I’d have to drop a few thousand levels.” Henoke staggered in visible confusion for a moment, breaking his stance entirely.
”Huh…?” The teen was cautious. Yuto tended to speak in a way that confused him at times, so he wasn’t really sure what the guy was getting at. What he did know was that look on his friends face and the tone they used was clearly mocking him. ”Tch—yea right! I think ya mean up a few levels!” Despite Yuto’s goad, the older boy stood in readied patience—a foreign concept to Henoke.
Then I’ll come to you! He’d never cow out from a challenge! Rushing forward across the training grounds, the rowdy warrior heaved his Claymore onto his shoulder so he could sprint faster. ”So—let’s go up!” Wearing a mischievous sneer, Henoke lifted his weapon high before plunging it into the earth, using it as a pole-vault to spring off of the grass beneath him.
Combined with his High Jump, it wouldn’t be an understatement to say the boy nearly flew into the air directly above where his friend lay in wait. Using the weight of the claymore he held to adjust his position in the air, Henoke was soon spinning down towards Yuto at a blurring speed. Becoming a wheel himself as he allowed the massive sword to careen him in a down-spike, the rowdy teen shouted out in excitement as he attempted to pummel his friend into the ground.
Still, no fire had emerged quite yet.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 15, 2022 14:13:38 GMT -5
Henoke's response took Yuto by surprise. Patience was never the teen's strong suit, so the man was sure there would be some reaction. 'He's learning. Good.' The last thing they needed was Henoke's fire going berzerk because he couldn't keep himself in check.
It was a good thing Yuto was paying more attention to the situation than his analysis of it. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have noticed his friend running at him with the full intent to strike. Readying himself to block any incoming attack. However, Henoke did something he never expected. Watching as the teen launched himself many feet in the air, Yuto realized what was happening just as it started. Seeing Henoke spin as he came down, the man opened a 'Dark Corridor'. He fell through as Henoke landed, a cloud of dust emerging from the point of impact.
Yuto emerged from the other side of the corridor behind the teen, clapping a bit mockingly. "Alright, Henoke. Fight, fight, fight!" His exterior looked unfazed, but on the inside, Yuto was silently thanking whatever higher power may exist that he pulled that off. "Now, let me show you how much better at this I am." The man raised his bat and focused. His 'Dark Flare' came quickly and easily now. Though it may be hard to see in the current light, his bat was once again coated in its usual black and purple fire.
"Now, lets see if you can keep up."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 16, 2022 7:24:53 GMT -5
So far, so good —things seemed to be okay to a certain point. It was reassuring to see Yuto holding back and knowing what buttons to push when forcing Henoke into a corner. Some things were details Tori hadn’t picked up on earlier, so it was good to have those at the back of her head. Who knows? Maybe they’d be useful when dealing with his whims later on.
Henoke fell for the taunts here and there, picking up his greatsword and dashing forward, though Yuto had tricks no one could match. His dodge later, followed by a mocking tone and yet another taunt caused Tori to snicker. That was sure to trigger something, alright.
Henoke was too competitive for his own good.
“Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile…” she mumbled to herself, “Still…”
She had her tricks at the ready, just in case something happened —the mist faintly but surely taking shape at the end of her fingertips. Once again, her senses perked up as Yuto used his Dark Flare, though mostly out of reflex over anything else. She knew she could trust him and his use of his powers, though there was always the worst-case scenario lingering at the back of her head. She would start subtly —the scenery barely flickered as her mist did her bidding, changing the scenery only subtly, slowly creating its own space within the world, while at the same time disconnecting the three practicing in the Training Grounds from the real place. Just in case things went wrong…
Tori would be able to handle it if they were all within her own Illusion —her own, isolated bubble from the world outside.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2022 20:45:14 GMT -5
”Hyaaaaat!” Henoke shouted out as his vision lost focus, the spinning from his attack leaving him clueless. ”Urk—!!” Meeting the rough ground of the training area, Henoke was jarred and slammed into his own weapon as it sank into earth. ”Wha—?” Dizzy from his unorthodox attack, it took a moment for the orange haired warrior to focus on his friend’s entrance.
“Alright, Henoke. Fight, fight, fight!” Clapping rang in his ears as his golden gaze fell on Yuto, emerging from a Dark Corridor unscathed. Tch—o’course! He mentally kicked himself for not seeing that one coming. Despite Henoke himself having limited capabilities without his Keyblade, Yuto was under no such restriction. The older dude could use his bizarre powers freely.
“Now, let me show you how much better at this I am.” Activating his Dark Flare form, Yuto’s bat began to seep with an aura of purple and black. Despite the darkness pervading the night, Henoke saw this one clearly. He’d spent so long fighting the ‘Dark’, after all. W-woah… It was honestly kind of cool, though he knew Chirithy and his Master would chastise such thoughts. He’d never seen his friend’s strength like this. “Now, let’s see if you can keep up.”
A dark grin crossed the teen’s face as a vein faintly throbbed along his forehead. ”F’real!?” Having recovered himself, Henoke stood gripping his claymore tightly as he regained his stance. ”You’ll need more than a lil’ upgrade ‘ta stop me!” Taking the bait, the teen’s breathe seethed through his teeth as he charged forward, a competitive glare in his eyes.
It was clear he remained oblivious to Tori’s subtle illusion—as caught up in the training as he was.
Yuto’s all about fire— Through his flared temper, he honed what focus he could as he charged forward once more. ”—so, let’s fight fire with fire!!!” Roaring out with his heart, the boy felt his hand and face flush hot as he swung his blade with all his might. Fwoosh! SHWOOM! As he swung, the orange metal seemed to come to life as it illuminated the night with a burst of flame, engulfing it from the hilt up.
Yuto would be met with a powerful attack of metal and fire, finally!
That being said—Tori, who had witnessed the attack first hand, would note it wasn’t of the same intensity as in the forest. Not that Henoke himself noticed anything, consumed instead by his brewing emotions. At least it was a start?
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Mar 17, 2022 0:11:57 GMT -5
”You’ll need more than a lil’ upgrade ‘ta stop me!” Henoke finally took the bait. His competitive attitude giving way to Yuto's mocking. 'Perfect.' Yuto barely noticed the change as Tori shifted all of them to her illusion. He had his mind on other things, after all.
The man watched, ready for whatever came his way. The teen's attack was finally wrapped in flame. 'Perfect!' This had been exactly what he was waiting for. 'But it seems weak, compared to the memory.' The man wondered if the fire could be made stronger as the fight went on.
To avoid being hit head-on by the now flame-wrapped claymore, he used his 'Shadow Srike'/font]. Launching an arch of purple flame to meet the teen mid-attack, The resulting confusion would allow Yuto to regain himself. "Fine. Let's try something a little MORE." Putting a hand to his mouth, a wave of Darkness crashed against everyone around him. After a moment, the man glowed a mix of black, purple, and lime green, everyone could see. Yuto was now in a suit that laced across his body as though sinew, the black and purple material stretched across the man's torso and legs, a large Heartless emblem blazed in the center of his chest, though it was just the outline. On his right shoulder sat a studded and spiked shoulder guard, a deep black and rich purple lacing across it. Plating his right arm was Kote-styled armor, crafted from darkness to form purple, black, and green plates that covered his upper arm—which was no longer the arm he recognized. Both arms had been shrouded in darkness, forming into large talons as though a NeoShadow. His legs were covered in the same dark sinew material, though his shins were covered in armored guards. Around his waist was Kusazuri styled thigh armor, black and purple with green Heartless emblem outlines, mimicking that of his chest, forming a 'belt' that they hung from. His feet were bare, covered by the dark sinewy material to expose all toes and allow full movement. The eyes that peered all of this glowed a violent yellow, similar to a heartless, the only features of his face exposed. The rest was covered by a dark Oni face-mask: transforming Yuto's mouth into that of a demon baring its fangs.
Once, the transformation was complete, Yuto would rush Henoke. Using his 'Shadow Step' to avoid incoming attacks, the man would follow up with a barrage of slashes with his 'Dark Arms'. "More than just a LITTLE upgrade, eh?" Yuto wanted to see how far he could push his comrade. the bit of fire was a good star, but could they push it farther?
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