PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Dec 26, 2020 22:19:05 GMT
This was probably a bad idea.
Kuro stared down the training dummy in front of him, his brow furrowed in concentration as he rested a hand on it's chest. It wasn't a simple process, despite how it might have seemed from the outside. The words were important, and sometimes it was hard to get the idea across within the limitations. Honestly he had no idea why three was the limit, he'd tried to go beyond countless times when he was first learning to experiment, but the seemingly arbitrary constraint was apparently absolute. As interesting of an exercise that the wording provided though, it was far from the only deciding factor. He also had to have at least some idea of what exactly he was trying to do. Some sort of mental image to accompany the words, to give them meaning and intention. If the image wasn't strong enough, the result would be rather underwhelming; reduced effectiveness in the best cases, nothing but wasted breath in the worst. And so as the boy tried to solidify the picture in his head, he wasn't 100 percent sure what would happen when he spoke the words.
"Fight me."
A flash of red passed through Kuro's eyes and the dummy shuddered to life. Before he knew what happened he felt something grab his arm and then he was on the ground, his world turned upside down and his vision full of stars. Blinking a few times, he shook away the daze and looked up to see the mannequin standing above him, taking on a martial arts stance as it began to advance again. Recognizing the danger, the boy rolled out of the way just before a second strike came down on him and then scrambled to his feet. Backpedaling, he managed to avoid a third strike, but as he went to duck under a forth he stumbled over his own feet and went down on his backside. The mannequin showed no hesitation in light of the student's struggles however and continued to march forward. Kuro immediately started to scramble backwards across the floor as he tried to create some distance between him and the construct, but soon enough found his back against the wall. With his escape cut off and his opponent still closing in, his eyes rapidly darted back in forth in search for a way out. There was none, which meant that his only option was...
"Stay In bounds!"
He shouted, holding up his arms in defense just as the mannequin was about to deliver another blow. As the light once again passed through his eyes, the construct froze in place for a moment and then took a step back, then another, retreating behind a thick red line on the matted floor of the gym that marked the edge of the training ring. Kuro eyed the training dummy until it was apparent that it wasn't going to strike again, and then let out a sigh of relief as he practically deflated against the wall. "Well that certainly could have gone better..."
The mental image he'd used with the command was that of their instructor during the last phys ed class, and the dummy was mimicking the forms almost perfectly. They'd gone over a number of basic self-defense techniques, primarily focused on evasion, throws, and disarming. The idea was a simple one; not every hero had a combat focused quirk, and even those that did couldn't always rely on said quirk, and so it was important to know how to defend yourself and those around you. That all made perfect sense, but Kuro himself had very little combat training to begin with and was already behind most of the class due to his transfer. He'd decided to find one of the more secluded training rooms after class and get some practice to try to catch up a bit... but perhaps his solution for a sparring partner wasn't the greatest in the world. Although it would have exactly the capabilities as him in terms of strength and speed, the mannequin wasn't limited by his own lack of skill. After being given the command it was effectively a robot, it didn't need to rest, it didn't need to think. Maybe that meant it was a fool's errand to try to fight it with so little experience... or maybe that gap in ability would help in the long run...
In any case, he wasn't going to call it quits after just one failure. The dummy had caught him off guard the first time and he hadn't been able to regain his balance, now that he knew how fast it could move he'd be more prepared. Certainly that would improve his odds... Or that's what Kuro told himself anyway. As the boy circled around to the other side of the room, the training dummy turned to follow his movements, but it didn't move from the spot. Not until he finally stepped over the line and back into the ring at least, at which point it promptly shifted back into it's fighting stance and charged.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Erin Potts
N/A
quirk Second Guess
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N/A
alias Moed
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Post by Sugimoto Mitsuko on Dec 27, 2020 2:16:59 GMT
Fundamental understanding [kuro/mitsuko]
⤜don't slack off now⤛ Mitsu-chan, do not be slacking. You were accepted into UA, you must continue to hone your skills.
Hai, mama. I won't slack off. I love you, I got to go.
I love you, too, Plus Ultra!
Mitsuko's face became beet red as she ended the call with her mother. Zo genant...1 she held the phone in front of her as she walked down the corridor. With her free hand, Mitsuko covered her face and just stared down at her phone screen between her fingers. Thankfully, there were not too many students out and about today. When the heat started to fade from her face, she removed her hand and slid her phone into her pocket. Mitsuko had planned to practice today, the skills that they learned yesterday in physical education could easily apply to the beginner skill of Jūjitsu her mother has been drilling into her. Is Jūjitsu even the combat style I want to adopt fully into my hero identity? Mitsuko queried. Her mother and father both pushed their fighting styles onto her - and although she learns quickly - neither feels like her.
As Mitsuko drew nearer to the gym, she thought she heard two individuals already there. At least, to her it sounded like two individuals in a scuffle. Her curiosity on who was going at it on school grounds had convinced Mitsuko to sprint the rest of the way to the gym doors. The closer she got, the clearer she heard, Stay Inbounds! Mitsuko's eyes widen - it was Kuro! And he was fighting... Alastar? No - Alastar was too small to spar against... It had to be some inanimate object, from what she remembered of Kuro's quirk. When she arrived at the double doors of the gymnasium, Mitsuko just peered through the windows to get a better look.
Ah! a training dummy... She continued to watch the pair beyond the window. It was apparent that the original command had caught Kuro by surprise. She was interested to know if he was better prepared now that he gave the training dummy parameters to operate in. Her focus flickered from Kuro as he stepped into the ring to the training dummy - now in attack mode and charging at the boy. Mitsuko played with the hem of her shirt, due to her own quirk she had to make sure she didn't stare at Kuro for too long. Her focus shifted between the tops of her tennis shoes and through the window at either the training dummy or Kuro. It looks like the techniques that were taught to us yesterday.
Mitsuko stayed outside of the gym for quite some time, People are going to wonder if I'm a lurker... She did not want to interrupt, however watching Kuro - he was acting differently than in class. She saw hesitation and a lack of confidence. He wasn't doing too bad - but maybe somethings you practice with other people. Besides, Mitsuko had to train too. She placed her hand on the handle and pushed the door in. Mitsuko slipped into the gym and ran up to the edge of the training ring.
Hey Kuro! Need some help?
⤜outfit⤛⤜Dutch⤛⤜Japanese⤛⤜English⤛
translations 1: So embarrassing...
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Jan 2, 2021 6:32:51 GMT
Not two seconds after Kuro stepped into the ring, his opponent was already upon him. Any thoughts of getting the first hit in vanished with the mannequin's single minded advance. At the very least the boy actually saw the attack coming this time, and as the construct threw out it's first strike he brought up an arm to block, stepping around to the side to get a better angle just as they'd been taught in class. Before he could finish maneuvering around and go for the grapple though, his foe quickly spun about and threw another punch. While Kuro hadn't been expecting such a quick reaction, he did managed to get his guard back up in time and tank the hit. Rather than try to go for the counter again, he found himself retreating back toward the center of the ring, sidestepping another blow and then ducking the next.
It soon became obvious that even without the element of surprise working against him, Kuro was still a bit out of his league. As his opponent threw attack after attack at him, he was able to keep up with his defense, but only just barely. He could dodge, block, and slip out of the holds, but any thoughts of attacking were far out of reach. His reactions to the relentless assault were clumsy, and it was taking all of his concentration just to stay on his feet. When the dummy threw a heavier punch and he did finally see an opening however, the fact that he knew how quickly it could recover made him hesitate for the briefest moments. He took a step to the side and reached out to grab it's shoulder, but the window had already closed. The mannequin stepped in to close the distance as it twisted it's shoulder out his reach. It grabbed hold of the boy's own shoulder and hooked a foot around the back of his calf. As the construct gave a shove Kuro toppled backward over it's foot and once again found himself on the floor, knocked out of the ring.
After laying there for a few seconds, Kuro pushed himself back up into a sitting position with a grumble. As he settled into place he shot a glare toward the training dummy, which waited silently just on the other side of the boundary line. A part of him understood that there was something to be gained even from just trying to last as long as he could against the thing; he could improve his reaction time and practice his defense, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. If he was so focused on just trying to keep up, he wouldn't get much of a chance to actually practice the techniques from class. Sure he could probably pull off some of the more basic moves, but beyond that... maybe he could tweak the commands slightly to give himself a little bit more of a fighting chance...
It was at that point that Kuro heard the door to the gym swing open and someone called out to him. The boy's posture instantly straightened up and he reflexively tried to slip back into character as he realized that he was no longer alone. When he turned to look over his shoulder he was greeted with a familiar face running up toward the ring. "Ah, Mitsu. How does this fine afternoon find you?" He tried to downplay the situation and act as naturally as possible as he climbed back to his feet, but the particular way his fellow classmate greeted him and the fact that there were windows lining the gym made it obvious enough that he wasn't fooling anyone. "I suppose you saw that, didn't you?" He asked as his expression turned sheepish, one hand scratching the back of his head. "I would have much preferred you hadn't, but alas... In any case, what brings you here? Looking to get a bit of extra training in as well?"
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Erin Potts
N/A
quirk Second Guess
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N/A
alias Moed
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Post by Sugimoto Mitsuko on Jan 7, 2021 2:12:43 GMT
Fundamental understanding [kuro/mitsuko]
⤜don't slack off now⤛ Mitsuko smiled softly, I was on the phone with my mom, she explained, She's been badgering me to practice, but my afternoon has been pleasant. How is... yours? She asked hesitantly, with a pretty good idea on what the answer is. When asked if she saw what had unfolded, Mitsuko looked down and to the side. It's training. We are never expected to be perfect from the start. Isn't that what class is for? She asked, then continued, As I said, my mother has been hounding me to train. She wants me to strengthen the jūjutsu skills she's taught me.
She peered over to the boundary lines, and pointed to the dummy, Will it attack me too? She asked before turning her gaze back to Kuro. If you'd like, we could train together? She offered, surely it would be a lot more beneficial for them both as well. It would definitely even the playing field a bit, she thought eyeing the mannequin. Curious on how Kuro's quirk works, and what exactly he told the training dummy for it to go as hard as it did. It was quite impressive, in her opinion. Alastar, her duffle bag and now the training dummy she has personally seen in action.
Mitsuko got real close to the edge of the ring. She bent her knees down low, with her hands open palm in front of her. Keeping her elbows close to her body, she gets ready to to enter the ring. Maybe I could give it a try?
⤜outfit⤛⤜Dutch⤛⤜Japanese⤛⤜English⤛
translations --
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Jan 11, 2021 1:52:54 GMT
Kuro did his best to hide his embarrassment as he climbed back to his feet. Mitsuko was right of course, it was only natural for someone to mess up when they were learning, but you weren't supposed to see heroes fail. The fact that someone had seen it was a crack in the mask, and that bothered him more than the incident itself. At the very least no one was around to see him get tossed around the first time... he hoped.
As the boy brushed himself off, he noticed Mitsuko inspecting the training dummy as it continued to stand vigil just on the inside of the sparring ring. "No, I'm afraid my friend there only has eyes for me at the moment. You could push it over and it wouldn't even react until I step back in bounds." Kuro explained as he stepped up beside his classmate. The mannequin continued to track his every move, it's featureless head following him even as Mitsuko moved right up next to it. It would have been rather unsettling if he wasn't already long used to such things. For whatever reason, when something he animated was unable to complete its assigned task, they would always just sit there looking at him... or at least that's what it felt like, kinda hard to tell when most objects don't have a discernable face.
Staring at the thing, Kuro couldn't help but thinking of how he could fight it more effectively. He could order it to leave more openings, or try to reapply the original command with a different mental image... or he could just try running head long into the wall a few more times to see if he could make any progress. As he considered the options, Mitsuko offered one of her own. Having transferred in on that same day he had, the girl was probably the closest to him in terms of experience. All things considered, there probably wasn't a better choice for a sparring partner on campus unless he somehow managed to fine tune his commands enough for the dummy to cooperate. "Though I loathe to admit it, this fellow isn't exactly accommodating to those of *ahem* less practiced skill. So if you'd care to be my partner instead..." He glanced away with a slightly bashful expression, some of his natural shyness showing through as he forced himself to ask for help. "...I would appreciate it." He managed a timid smile before the mask slipped back into place and his projected composure fully returned.
"I don't mind if you give it a go before we get started, gives me a chance to catch my breath." Kuro responded as she asked about the mannequin again. Since it was already animated, he didn't have to make contact to give a new command. That was good thing, because he was pretty sure if he tried to touch it right now it would just toss him right back out of the ring again. "Did you hear that? You have a new opponent now, you're going to Fight Mitsu." With a flash of his eyes, the training dummy suddenly seemed to recognize the girl's presence and it turned it's head toward her before shifting into a fighting stance of it's own, just waiting for her to cross the line.
"That should do it. Whenever you're ready."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Erin Potts
N/A
quirk Second Guess
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N/A
alias Moed
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Post by Sugimoto Mitsuko on Jan 12, 2021 15:56:01 GMT
Fundamental understanding [kuro/mitsuko]
⤜don't slack off now⤛ Mitsuko nodded her thanks to Kuro, and with a deep breath, she calmed her nerves. She had yet to figure out a way to use her quirk on herself, that didn't diminish the confidence she actively builds herself. So, quirkless for now, I guess.
Keeping her stance, she crossed the line. With the same ferocity that the mannequin had towards Kuro, it charged Mitsuko. Despite her stance giving her balance, the impact of the blow still knocked her to her rear and back out of the ring. Mmpf... too close... Mitsuko muttered in embarrassment. The training dummy wore no clothes for a counter-grab. While the dummy stood at the edge of the ring with its focus on her, Mitsuko stood. This thing can hit... she laughed off her embarrassment before getting into her ready stance again, about an arm's length away from the boundaries. The training dummy also got back into its fighting stance. Mitsuko twisted her body around into a high kick to the shoulder. The mannequin grabbed her leg and attempted to flip Mitsuko back, however she caught herself and back-flipped away. Smart... she thought after landing back on her feet.
The training dummy staggers a bit to and fro. Mitsuko dashed back into bounds, the training dummy right after her. This time, Mitsuko twists her body into a mid-kick, making contact with the abdomen region of the mannequin. I'm getting lucky... The dummy staggered back from the force, before charging forward. Mitsuko's eyes widen as the mannequin launches a strike of its own. She grabbed it's wrist before it could hit her, and flips the dummy over. Mitsuko attempted to maintain her hold on the arm, however, her grip wasn't as tight as she thought she had. The mannequin rolls to its feet, and rushes to Mitsuko. Ready to strike again.
Mitsuko falls back from the hit, a little dazed. Mitsuko rolled to her side dodging another strike from the training dummy. Jesus, Kuro, what did you originally tell it to do? The mannequin attacks are relentless. When the mannequin goes for another strike, Mitsuko grabbed its arm again, and wrapped her legs around its waist. She let go of the arm, and swung her body with as much force as she could muster to pull the training dummy down to the ground.
⤜outfit⤛⤜Dutch⤛⤜Japanese⤛⤜English⤛
translations --
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Jan 14, 2021 5:58:40 GMT
Kuro took a step back to give Mitsuko some room as she prepared herself to take on the training dummy. It was immediately obvious that the girl had a much more solid and practiced stance than Kuro, which made him rather curious about how well she'd fair against the construct. Of course the second she stepped over the line she was met solidly with the same sort of rebuke that he had received, and almost instantly fell right back out of the ring. The display made the boy feel slightly better about his own experience dealing with the thing, but soon enough his classmate was jumping right back into the fray. The second exchange went better than the first, considerably so in fact. Although Kuro had been able to play the defense game for a decent amount of time, Mitsuko was actually going on the attack rather frequently. She'd mentioned being taught Jūjitsu, so it made sense that she'd have a better showing, but what exactly was the difference? Part of it was obviously simple experience, muscle memory meant having to think less about your actions and letting your instincts do a lot of the work for you, but that wasn't everything. While he had primarily focused on avoiding the mannequin's attacks, she seemed far more willing to trade blows, take small hits in order to land her own... Or perhaps it was just the simple ability to actually commit to an attack when the chance presented itself.
Interestingly enough, now that he wasn't directly in the line of fire, Kuro also started to notice things about the mannequin's fighting style that had eluded him before. Small things mostly, like how it favored it's left side more often when attacking, or how whenever an attack was heading toward it, it reacted immediately before the attack had been fully committed to. Those little quirks would either be a result of his mental image of their instructor, or his own experiences fighting, it was really impossible to tell which unless he could more closely examine the teacher's fighting style again. Either way, maybe there was something that could be exploited there? As he pondered the idea, A shout from Mitsuko broke him out of his trance. It took a moment to recognize exactly what she'd said, but when his mind caught up he shook his head. "It's not really what I told it to do, it's how it does it. It doesn't need to consider what it's going to do, it just does it. It has no eyes to fool, it can't be surprised, it never needs to catch its breath. It isn't really alive, so it isn't bound by any limits of anatomy... and it is capable of moving in ways that we aren't." He added with a nod toward the thing as she pulled it down to the ground. Even as she tried to grapple it, he could already see the dummy's limbs bending at angles that would be impossible for a human as it started to wriggle free and attempt a counter grapple.
As Kuro looked on he found himself breathing in deeply all of a sudden, as if extra air had rushed into his lungs. It was a tell tale sign that his previous commands had run their course. "Do be careful, I'm afraid it won't care much about the boundaries of the ring any more. I can still stop it if needed though, just let me know."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Erin Potts
N/A
quirk Second Guess
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N/A
alias Moed
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Post by Sugimoto Mitsuko on Jan 14, 2021 17:23:15 GMT
Fundamental understanding [kuro/mitsuko]
⤜don't slack off now⤛ Just for the few minutes that she was fighting the training dummy, it had made her fatigued. Perhaps it was because she was fighting against a wooden construct rather than flesh. Part of her was curious about how Kuro could tell about the mannequin no longer caring for the boundaries, but she didn't ask. Mitsuko was mid-scrambling to her feet, the same as the training dummy, but Mitsuko also wanted to put some distance between the two of them, just so she could catch her breath.
The hope was short-lived since once the wooden man was driven. Mitsuko ducked under a swing from the right and backflipped out of the way of a kick. It just does, huh? She went to land a punch of her own, in the chest of the training dummy- but it caught her before it landed. She brings her opposite leg up and kicks the dummy back off of her. It was getting easier, but also harder. I'm already hitting my physical limit... She couldn't linger on her thoughts because the wooden figure began its next strike.
Mitsuko prepped herself to catch the next swing, in which she turns, pressing her back up against the construct then flips it over her, so it lands on the back on the ground. Yeah... I think... Mitsuko felt herself getting slower, I'm done with Mr. Dummy here. Mitsuko switches her gears from counter-attacking to just defend. Hoping that she could prevent a least a few hits if the mannequin managed to land any prior to Kuro's command to turn it off.
She may be slightly bruised by tomorrow - not that she'd mind. It was proof that she was working on herself. Her skills, whether she wanted them to be hers or not, are improving. After you... turn off your quirk... Mitsuko voice raised in an inquisitive pitch, unsure if that was how Kuro's quirk actually worked, We could spar, it would be easier than a relentless... dummy... giggles escaped her mouth, this was an odd situation for her. Sure, she's sparred against training dummies. However, they never hit back. They certainly didn't leave bruises elsewhere. Her defense was solid enough, just getting pushed back from the blows - for now.
⤜outfit⤛⤜Dutch⤛⤜Japanese⤛⤜English⤛
translations --
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Jan 21, 2021 6:34:17 GMT
As the bout continued, Kuro did his best to keep analyzing Mitsuko's fighting style. The longer the fight went on, the more she seemed to be able to adapt to the mannequin's aggression... Although it seemed as her strategies improved, he also found himself able to track her movements better. Not because he was suddenly improving, but because she was slowing down, getting tired. That wasn't particularly surprising considering how long she'd managed to hold out against the tireless construct. When she flipped the thing onto the ground and finally gave the signal that she'd had enough, Kuro was ready for it.
It was a bit of an odd sensation, cutting off one of his commands early, he really couldn't explain how it worked if someone asked. There was some sort of link between himself and anything he animated, it was what let him issue new commands without having to touch the object again. Focusing on that intrinsic link, the boy closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Again he could feel that familiar rush of air as his lungs expanded back to their normal capacity and the command faded. As the training dummy advanced towards Mitsuko it collapsed to the floor mid swing, falling into a heap like a puppet with its strings cut.
"Certainly easier." Kuro agreed at the suggestion of switching to a more conventional form of sparring. "Although after watching that display, unless we suddenly swap to sword fighting, I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to keep up with you. I dare say you have me a bit outclassed." He shot Mitsuko a smile as he made his way over to the corner of the gym where his bag was tucked away. It was true enough; although the two had a similar level of experience with the hero course as a whole, it was now rather obvious that the girl's combat training well exceeded his own... which given his history with the subject wasn't entirely surprising. Of course the fact that he might not put up that great of a fight was besides the point, he had to start somewhere.
"Before we begin though, I imagine..." He started as he opened up his bag and dug through the contents. "...That you'd probably like to take a second to rest." Producing a pair of water bottles from the bag, Kuro made his way back over to Mitsuko and offered one to her. "Fair is fair after all, I got my chance while you were fighting, so take a break while I get our friend out of the way." He added with a motion toward the mannequin as he opened up the remaining bottle for a quick swig.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Erin Potts
N/A
quirk Second Guess
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N/A
alias Moed
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Post by Sugimoto Mitsuko on Jan 23, 2021 1:46:50 GMT
Fundamental understanding [kuro/mitsuko]
⤜don't slack off now⤛ When the training dummy fell, Mitsuko's muscles relaxed and she also plunged to the ground. She landed on her knees, but then slid further down into a sitting position. Ahh... she smiled, the ability to sit for more than a few seconds without being stuck was a blessing. She hadn't notice how much sweat she had worked up, her shirt partially clinging to her. That was a workout! Mitsuko proclaimed.
After hearing, Kuro agreed to her idea; Mitsuko slowly got back up to her feet. She shuddered that the mention of the arts of sword. An involuntary response from remembering how many times her father has knocked her down onto her rear end in training. Hand-to-hand, swordplay, whatever makes you comfortable, Mitsuko smiled politely. One can only exceed their current skill set by practicing against those who are higher than they, Mitsuko recited almost robotically, much like it was drilled into her. We wouldn't be worried about that sort of thing when we get released to the public as Pro-Heros, she pointed at him, her green eyes focusing on his auburn, You my good sir need to have the confidence to be a hero, she made the last statement with a huge, bright smile on her face.
After watching the last part of his spar against the training dummy, his words may have some weight of truth. However, Mitsuko believed in all of her friends abilities. A second to rest sounds great, she responded, taking the water bottle offered to her, Dank je. She twisted the cap off and tipped her head back and chugged about half the bottle. She could feel her body feeling more refreshed than it was just with the large gulp of water. It's sounds like a good plan, she said wiping the corner of her mouth.
Mitsuko gracelessly sat upon her bottom, and just sprawled out. Allowing Kuro to take as much time as he needed before she would get up and ready herself. Currently, just letting herself air out. Man I got sweaty... she muttered to herself, I definitely deserve a shower after this.
⤜outfit⤛⤜Dutch⤛⤜Japanese⤛⤜English⤛
translations 1: Thank you.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Jan 27, 2021 1:18:43 GMT
Kuro let out a soft chuckle as Mitsuko unceremoniously flopped down beside the inert training dummy, seemingly satisfied with the brief yet intense exchange she'd had with the mannequin. She seemed less satisfied however, with the boy's own admission of his inferior fighting skills, going so far as to give him a miniature lecture on self confidence. Kuro of course needed no reminders on the subject, that was what this whole façade of his was about after all. He simply returned her expression with an enthusiastic grin of his own. "Quite right! Although many would say it foolhardy to put forth such bravado in the face of overwhelming evidence. You, my friend, have quite obviously trained in martial arts, where as I must unfortunately admit that I have not. But that is why me must endeavor for better after all. And so-" He gave an exagered sweeping flourish, throwing his arms out as he tipped his head toward his classmate. "I shall confidently do my utmost to make a decent show of it."
"And we shall begin right after I return from the storage room." Capping the display off, Kuro proceeded to spin about and set his water bottle aside before going to heft the mannequin off the floor. The thing was actually fairly light for it's size, but the fact that it was only just slightly smaller than the boy made it a rather cumbersome thing to carry. He managed by slinging it over his shoulder as he made his way toward the gym's door. Because he'd chosen a room so out of the way, it was a bit of a walk to get to the storage unit where most of the equipment was kept. In the few minutes that the round trip took, he continued to mentally review what he'd observed during Mitsuko's and his own fights with the animated dummy. Surely if he could manage to move like it did, he could offer Mitsuko a much better challenge... could he do that? As he was on his way back he couldn't help but his fingers against the cuff of his gym uniform. Would that work? The image was already in his mind, all he needed were the words, and...
Kuro shook his head. No, even if it did work Mitsuko had already seen him fight, the difference would be obvious. More than that he wouldn't actually be improving any if he took that route.... Actually, would he? Maybe just going through the motions could help with muscle memory somehow... Something to try out later perhaps, but not now.
Arriving back at the gym, Kuro found his friend still sprawled out on the floor. Once again putting on a smile, he approached the girl. "I dare say he won't be offering us any more bruises today. So, shall we get started?" He asked, offering her a hand to help her to her feet.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Erin Potts
N/A
quirk Second Guess
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N/A
alias Moed
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Post by Sugimoto Mitsuko on Jan 27, 2021 5:10:19 GMT
Fundamental understanding [kuro/mitsuko]
⤜don't slack off now⤛ Mitsuko sat the water bottle on the floor to her side then just took the few moments that Kuro was away to do some deep breathing. Her eyes were closed and she was just focusing on emptying her mind. She listened carefully, and for a brief moment she could only hear her own breathing. Doing this helped relax her currently sore muscles. Her eyes fluttered open upon hearing Kuro's returning footsteps. She smirked at his comment of bruises. We can always inflict our own, ja?1 She asked with a laugh, taking his hand. She pulled against his weight to bring herself to her feet.
It's a good thing that you're a bit taller than me. Ja? Otherwise we may topple over, Mitsuko laughed. Picking on her own size, at least being two inches shorter than Kuro, if not lighter than him as well. Once she was firmly on her feet, she tapped the nose of her shoes on the ground. Mitsuko looked Kuro over, just realizing he was in his gym clothes. Are you actually comfortable working out in those? She wrinkled her nose. Honestly, she probably should be using her gym outfit, but instead she was just in shorts and a t-shirt. She played with the hem of her shirt, then she grumbled something under her breath. However, to avoid being asked about what she said, Mitsuko blurted out a painstakingly obvious question, Where do we get the swords if we're doing sword training?
If her dad were here, he would probably gladly make each child their own sword. However, he is not so he cannot. Mitsuko also did not come prepared to the room like Kuro did. She stooped down and grabbed the water bottle to finish off what she had yet to drink.
⤜outfit⤛⤜Dutch⤛⤜Japanese⤛⤜English⤛
translations 1: Yea?
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Jan 29, 2021 5:25:25 GMT
"Good thing indeed, though certainly not by a wide margin; mere inches from potential disaster." Kuro joked as he took Mitsuko's hand and pulled her up. For the briefest moment after she was back on her feet his inner bashful tendencies almost panicked about how close they were standing, but he forcibly shoved them down, instead giving his classmate as charming a smile as he could manage before stepping back toward his starting position on the mats. Kuro gave a shrug at Mitusko's question about his attire, only really just noticing himself that she hadn't come particularly dressed for a workout. "Well, you have seen my normal attire, it's hardly suited for this sort of activity, so yes, I suppose the uniform does the job well enough." The thought of having to clean and iron his entire outfit every time he did some physical activity made him grimace slightly. It was already enough work curating his appearance every day, but that sounded like a nightmare. If there was one thing he missed from his previous lifestyle, it was being able to just laze around in an oversized hoodie and shorts. Unfortunately he hadn't even brought a particularly large amount of more 'casual' clothes with him when he moved into the dorms, so it wasn't an option.
The sudden dark expression that his classmate put on gave Kuro pause for a moment, enough that the question that followed caught him slightly off guard. "Swords?" He cocked his head slightly. She had mentioned having some training with the weapons before, but why did she seem so sore about the subject? Kuro himself hadn't exactly been enthusiastic with the forced training from his mother when he was younger, but he'd at least learned to appreciate the lessons over the years, especially after he'd gotten into drama club and found alternative uses for it. Perhaps her experience wasn't quite so positive? "I actually have my own, but I believe there are practice blades in the storage room across from where I found the training dummy. That'd be down the hall to the left from here, around the corner and 2nd from the end of the hall on the right side."
"How much training have you had with the sword?" The boy found himself asking after he finished giving directions. "Perhaps we could make a deal? You help me with learning martial arts and I help you train the blade." He offered with a curious expression. In the past he'd actually gotten pretty good at sparring with his mother, whether or not he could replicate that sort of performance now however was up for debate. It had been an awfully long time since he last practiced actual combat...
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Erin Potts
N/A
quirk Second Guess
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N/A
alias Moed
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Post by Sugimoto Mitsuko on Feb 1, 2021 3:16:39 GMT
Fundamental understanding [kuro/mitsuko]
⤜don't slack off now⤛ Bobbing her head in agreement, she could see how the PE uniform was much more comfortable than Kuro's usual attire. She then eyed the boy, her green eyes twinkled with mischief, I haven't even seen you in street clothes - we should go shopping, I'll pay. Mitsuko smiled brightly. After hearing Kuro's confusion to her asking about swords - Mitsuko's body becomes rigid. Embarrassment began to heat her cheeks. She waited until he finished speaking. And with a shaky voice, she answered his question, My father trains me in Ittou. I'm not very good. Then she inhaled sharply. I think I've had a misunderstanding... she said, rubbing the back of her head. She began in a small voice, So when you made the swapping to sword fighting comment, Mitsuko's began to fidget, feeling incredibly embarrassed currently... You didn't mean you actually want to change to sword fighting? She finally finished putting emphasis on the word want. Mitsuko looked to the ground, her cheeks hot with embarrassment. Her self-consciousness was surfacing, which just increased the discomfort Mitsuko felt.
Get a grip Mitsu... This is a good thing, yea? It is okay. She eventually talked herself down, and a smile replaced the mortifying look she had. With her cheeks still bright red, Mitsuko swiveled around so that her back was now facing Kuro and after a deep breath, I'll agree to your training exchange. I'm just going to stand like this for... a moment. All the while, she was just waiting for confirmation she had a misstep in communication and for her cheeks to return to their normal color.
⤜outfit⤛⤜Dutch⤛⤜Japanese⤛⤜English⤛
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mako
N/A
quirk Commanding Will
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N/A
alias Royale
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Post by Kuro Murakami on Feb 3, 2021 15:13:00 GMT
Kuro closed his eyes and frowned, feigning displeasure at the implications behind Mitsuko's comment about his clothing. "Those are my street clothes." He said plainly. Even with all the extra effort, there really was no accounting for taste. Still, he wouldn't outright refuse the offer. He had to admit that he was curious as to what his classmate had in mind... but then again, that look in her eye was dangerous enough to send a shiver down his spine. He'd have to exercise some caution with this one...
Even as the girl answered his question, he noticed her starting to act strangely, with her face starting to turn a rather impressive shade of red as she spoke. As she continued however, everything started to snap in place. "Ah..." So just a simple misunderstanding then, no big deal. It was probably his fault for making such a poor joke. Still, even as he looked at her he couldn't help but smile slightly. It was a rather endearing trait he thought, being so honest with your own emotions. Unfortunately it was one that he couldn't really afford to indulge in himself. "Alas, no. As nice as some more equal footing would be, that sort of training will simply have to wait for another day." Despite his offer to help her train on that front however, her answer to his question revealed something that probably should have been more obvious. The sort of swordsmanship she was trained with was very common given where they were, but it was not the same as what he was used to. Despite having lived in Japan his whole life, Kuro had only ever learned the western style of swordplay that his mother taught him, never the more traditional Kenjutsu of the region. That could certainly make things a bit more complicated, but... well, it was still the same sort of weapon, the fundamentals couldn't be that different, could they?
Giving a bit of a mental shrug, Kuro turned his attention back to Mitsuko. Hopefully the misunderstanding had been cleared up now, but he had no problem giving the girl an extra moment or two if she needed it. In the mean time, he took his own position on the mat and closed his eyes. Once again he conjured up the image of Mitsuko's fight with the training dummy, focusing on the way she held herself and the way she moved. One of the side effects of how his quirk worked was that he had a very strong visual memory, and had learned to make very clear, detailed mental images. Shifting his body he did his best to match the stance he saw. He had to suppress his muscle memory that tried to adjust to the sort of footing he was used to with sword fighting, but eventually he got into a position that he was satisfied with. Opening his eyes again, he gave his classmate a nod. "Ready whenever you are."
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