Aberrant: Quantum Zero - Nippontai High

[ProfPotts]

(Cue cheesy saxophone solo...):

"Yeah, why don't we?"

Seiji leans down and...

... Nezumi bursts out laughing! ::laugh

Pushing away from Seiji's amorous attempts she can hardly contain herself as she guffaws, tears starting to run down her face, & points at him,

'You... Bwahahahah!... you should see... Hah!... see your face!... You... Bwahaha!... you really thought I was going to kiss you?... Bwahahahahahahahahah!!!'

::biggrin ::laugh ::tongue

(Kicking @$$ &) Taking Names:

"It's so nice to see so many of my fellow students willing to help their fellow classmate, with no thought of reward. I certainly hope that Salene won't have to report any of her items missing... especially since I have every single one of your names written down here."

::blink

::blush

::sad

Like proverbial rabbits caught in the headlights of a car the wannabe knicker-thieves freeze in response to Miyako's subtly threatening declaration. Then, with some muttering & grumbling, they 'repack' Salene's kit (well - stuff it all back in the bag anyway) & slink back under the rocks they emerged from. Shouldering past Ken one of the offenders mumbles under his breath,

'She must be a Nova in the sack for you to put up with all that nagging...' ::angry

(Painful) Head Games:

"Ah, I have PE next period... It's not that I'm lazy or anything, but I don't think I should...."

With a sweet smile & a firm push out the door the nurse cuts Akira off mid-sentence,

'Trust me,' she offers, 'you'll be fine.'

As the door to the nurse's office closes on her Akira turns... to almost run head-long into another pupil! The boy looks like he's, perhaps, in the year above Akira - tall, skinny, & pale he appears gaunt with dark-rimmed sunken eyes & scraggy black hair which is either greasy or has been subjected to some poor choice of cosmetic product. His uniform jacket is half-open &, combined with his hands in his pockets & his slouched stature, he generally appears dishevelled. Fixing Akira with a rather creepy stare & speaks, his voice soft yet rough,

'I heard what she said,' he nods towards the nurse's office, 'don't take any notice... those baselines don't understand people like us... pre-eruption Novas. I'm betting you're one of us...'

Trailing off for a moment the boy seems lost in thought for a second, then shrugs & adds,

'... I'm Dark... my baseline name doesn't matter... There's a bunch of us, like an un-official club... pre-eruption Novas. We get together & try out ways to release our powers... ways to erupt... You should come along - I'm sure you'll find it... interesting... At least, better than little-miss "take two of these & call me in the morning" in there...' he again nods towards the nurse's closed door, then fishes a business card out of his pocket - glossy black with embossed silver letters it has the name 'Dark' emblazoned across it (in both English & Kanji) along with a mobile phone number & an OpNet e-mail address. Handing the card (which appears to be in impeccable condition, unlike its owner) to Akira 'Dark' adds, 'call me.'

Making Friends (& Influencing People...):

"De, we're in the same class now, eh? Cool, I guess."

"I guess."

Clapping her hands & beaming a smile Ryoko exclaims,

'See Kazuo - I told you people are friendly here...' ::biggrin

Turning to the crowd around the two judo-heroes as a whole Ryoko calls out,

'Everyone! Everyone! This is my friend Kazuo - I want you all to be nice to him...' ::smile

Running Late:

Charging through the corridors Salene turns a corner... only to run head-long into what feels like a solid brick wall ::brick ! Bouncing off & sprawling across the floor she barely manages to note that it's a pupil, a boy, she's just run into as she falls - that flare of flaming nimbus which, for a moment, seems to surround him must just be a trick of the light... ::unsure

[Jeremiah]

(Cue cheesy saxophone solo...):

... Nezumi bursts out laughing! ::laugh

Pushing away from Seiji's amorous attempts she can hardly contain herself as she guffaws, tears starting to run down her face, & points at him,

'You... Bwahahahah!... you should see... Hah!... see your face!... You... Bwahaha!... you really thought I was going to kiss you?... Bwahahahahahahahahah!!!'

::biggrin ::laugh ::tongue

Seiji stops, his mouth dropping open for a moment. He takes a step back and looks around, his face a mixture of amazement and confusion as he runs both hands through his hair. Seiji exhales deeply, seeming to deflate a bit.

"WWWWOOOOOWWWWWWWWW. She got you good boy, oooooh she got you good. Now, don't think I'm not gonna have myself a long laugh fit about this (because I will) or I'm gonna let you forget about this (cause I won't), but she just destroyed you. Hey, I'm a disembodied voice and I wouldn't stand for disrespect like that."

Seiji's face goes hard with anger for a split second as Nezumi laughs, then he puts his head down, rubbing it with his hands for a moment. When he looks back up he has a half grin on his face, embarrassed but amused almost despite himself. He looks at the little girl and shakes his head, even chuckling a little bit,

"Okay okay, you got me. That was good Nezumi, I hate to admit it, but that was good. You had me totally fooled."

Seiji leans against one of the tree trunks, still all embarrassment and smiles.

"Oh, I seeee. Revenge is a dish best served cold, huh? I like it. Well, if you don't mind, I'm gonna have the first of many laughs about this... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, OH GOD SHE CLOWNED YOU, WAHAHAHAHAHA, SHE'S RIGHT, YOUR FACE WAS HYSTERICAL, HAHAHAHAHAHA..."

[Expendable]

(Painful) Head Games:

With a sweet smile & a firm push out the door the nurse cuts Akira off mid-sentence,

'Trust me,' she offers, 'you'll be fine.'

Akira winces. I hope the asprin works, swimming with a headache like this.... >.<;

As the door to the nurse's office closes on her Akira turns... to almost run head-long into another pupil! The boy looks like he's, perhaps, in the year above Akira - tall, skinny, & pale he appears gaunt with dark-rimmed sunken eyes & scraggy black hair which is either greasy or has been subjected to some poor choice of cosmetic product. His uniform jacket is half-open &, combined with his hands in his pockets & his slouched stature, he generally appears dishevelled. Fixing Akira with a rather creepy stare & speaks, his voice soft yet rough,

'I heard what she said,' he nods towards the nurse's office, 'don't take any notice... those baselines don't understand people like us... pre-eruption Novas. I'm betting you're one of us...'

"H...huh?" Akira stammers, leaning her head back slightly. "I... uh?"

Trailing off for a moment the boy seems lost in thought for a second, then shrugs & adds,

'... I'm Dark... my baseline name doesn't matter... There's a bunch of us, like an un-official club... pre-eruption Novas. We get together & try out ways to release our powers... ways to erupt... You should come along - I'm sure you'll find it... interesting... At least, better than little-miss "take two of these & call me in the morning" in there...' he again nods towards the nurse's closed door, then fishes a business card out of his pocket - glossy black with embossed silver letters it has the name 'Dark' emblazoned across it (in both English & Kanji) along with a mobile phone number & an OpNet e-mail address. Handing the card (which appears to be in impeccable condition, unlike its owner) to Akira 'Dark' adds, 'call me.'

"Ah, arigato gozimasu," Akira managed, remembering her manners as she took his card. He has cards already? "I uh, don't have a 'Nova' name yet...."

'It was only a headache!' she wanted to say. She could understand why someone would want to be a Nova but really, who did it happen to? Did he say 'release our powers'?

"How do you uh, do that? Release your powers?"

[Sai]

Running Late:

Charging through the corridors Salene turns a corner... only to run head-long into what feels like a solid brick wall ::brick ! Bouncing off & sprawling across the floor she barely manages to note that it's a pupil, a boy, she's just run into as she falls - that flare of flaming nimbus which, for a moment, seems to surround him must just be a trick of the light... ::unsure

Salene mutters something under her breath, stands up a bit shakily and gives the boy the once over...

"Sorry, I was in a rush and didn't mean to run into... My name is Salene, kinda new here and all... So whats your name?"

As she talks she straightens her clothing from the fall, and rubs her arm... Not really knowing why this guy was so solid that she bounced and he didn't move... Not to mention that strange glow about him... The only things that pops to mind is the fact that she is kinda physically exhausted, so instead of seeing the stars, she sees glows, or maybe she can see auras?? Nah, has to be her eyesight failing her some more.

[Alex Green]

Making Friends (& Influencing People...):

Turning to the crowd around the two judo-heroes as a whole Ryoko calls out,

'Everyone! Everyone! This is my friend Kazuo - I want you all to be nice to him...' ::smile

Kenshi thinks, *And I'm standing right next to him.* ::wacko ::blink

*Which might be good if he's a nova. If he's a nova.* ::unsure

Kenshi opens his mouth to ask and then closes it. He's put his foot there too many times already today.

[Bahamut810]

Like proverbial rabbits caught in the headlights of a car the wannabe knicker-thieves freeze in response to Miyako's subtly threatening declaration. Then, with some muttering & grumbling, they 'repack' Salene's kit (well - stuff it all back in the bag anyway) & slink back under the rocks they emerged from. Shouldering past Ken one of the offenders mumbles under his breath,

'She must be a Nova in the sack for you to put up with all that nagging...'

Ken is almost knocked out of his chair, but manages to keep his balance. He looks over to his club president. "You know...you really should loosen up a bit. Its hard to get and keep club members when you are so rigid! We are already going to be tight on time as is...and I am still not done with the pencils for that manga..." he runs his hand through his hair in frustration, then rubs the back of his head. "You know life is more then just rules."

[Centimane]

Making Friends (& Influencing People...):,,

Clapping her hands & beaming a smile Ryoko exclaims,

'See Kazuo - I told you people are friendly here...' ::biggrin

Turning to the crowd around the two judo-heroes as a whole Ryoko calls out,

'Everyone! Everyone! This is my friend Kazuo - I want you all to be nice to him...' ::smile

Kazuo is pretty nonplussed at this, and rolls his eye, but otherwise he just stands there and looks around (probably for a small cat or a dog that he can kick maliciously, judging from his expression).

He's fairly certain that the chances of everyone here being "nice" to him are about as good as nova-bubble-gum-pop sensation, Miss Pink-friggin'-Pigtails Nezumi wanting to make out with him (or any other highschool student for that matter... ::wink ).

Kazuo gets sidetracked for a moment as he ponders over the possibility that her upholstery matches her curtains.... ::huh... ::indifferent ... ::laugh ...

Then he stifles a snort, and looks back at Ryoko. Kazuo finds himself considering the possibility that his only friend at Nippontai High might be insane in a happy, fluffy Nasubi kind of way. This is definitely better than a creepy, pathological Gozu kind of insanity, and it probably means she'll be pretty entertaining to be around, in a weird sort of way. He weighs all this against the fact that she is a really hot (potentially) unbalanced person, adds into the mix his own desire to make nani with her sometime relatively soon, and (okay, okay...) admits to himself that she's nice and he just plain likes her.

Kazuo decides to stick it out and see what happens, and his expression changes just a little.

It could probably be assumed that any small cats or dogs in the area are now safe.

((Japanese are really big on the idea "Don't call it what it is", and so when Kazuo thinks about making nani with Ryoko it literally means "make what" with her, but it actually means something else entirely. I'll let you guys figure it out. ::wink Nasubi was a guy in a Japanese game show, and Gozu is a Japanese movie. Both were fairly popular in Japan (though Gozu is more of a cult film, from what I gather). As to specifics and what they have to do with insanity, do yourself a favor and don't ask. Just....don't ask. ::unsure ))

[ProfPotts]

Under the Cherry Blossoms:

"Okay okay, you got me. That was good Nezumi, I hate to admit it, but that was good. You had me totally fooled."

Nezumi shrugs, the motion causing her pink bunches to bounce in a (rather infuriatingly) cute way as she does so, & blows a raspberry at Seiji ::tongue ,

'Well,' she pouts, 'serves you right for that "pop princess" rubbish.'

Suddenly the teen singer's expression saddens - almost as if a mask had been pulled aside for a moment - but she turns away before Seiji can get a really good look. Waving a hand at Seiji with a 'shooing' motion she mutters, a trace of bitterness in her tone,

'Just leave me alone...' but Seiji also just manages to catch what she says next, under her breath, '... it's my own fault for thinking it'd be any different here...'

Under the Weather:

"How do you uh, do that? Release your powers?"

'Dark' parts his hands in an 'open' gesture,

'There are many ways,' he replies to Akira, 'Kamisama Buddhist meditation, exposure to Quantum Powers, certain...' he trails off for a moment & glances around as if to check that no one is listening to their conversation before continuing, '... medicines. We use all those, when we can, but a prime "trigger" for eruption is stress: physical, mental, emotional - or a combination. So we experiment with subjecting ourselves to different types of stress... we call such practices "trials"...'

Falling Down:

"Sorry, I was in a rush and didn't mean to run into... My name is Salene, kinda new here and all... So whats your name?"

The boy retrieves Salene's scattered glasses & hands them back to her; she replaces them & his good looking, boyish, face & slightly unruly hair come into focus. Salene instantly recognises him as Yoshio Kono, son of Nippontai member (& pin-up heart-throb for teenage boys & salarymen alike) Fujiko 'Tenshi' Kono. Sharing his famous mother's legendary power to manifest flaming wings Yoshio is one of the few known Novas at the school - although Salene had heard that he'd got a reputation for being a stand-offish loner...

With an expression of concern on his face Yoshio reaches out for Salene's arm - where she's rubbing it - but appears to think better of it & pulls his hand back before he touches her. Looking into her eyes with his own - deep pools of dark mystery that they are... - he replies,

'I'm... I'm Yoshio... I'm... look, I'm really sorry, okay - something happened outside & my mind wasn't on where I was going, I...' screwing up his fists & gritting his teeth the young Nova turns his face aside, '... I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt... not again... I am sorry, okay - I'm faster than that, dammit, I should have moved...'

Outside:

Brushing off the dust from the judo practice Tetsuo takes a couple of steps towards Kazuo. Looking the 'new kid' up & down the portly judoka grins & whistles,

'Where'd you dig this guy up, Ryoko,' he asks, a sarcastic twinge to his words, 'I mean, are you sure he's not just a little too old for high school?' addressing Kazuo (& the crowd) he adds, 'What's up with that, Scarface? You get held back or something? I didn't know we had a special ed' department...'

Chuckles ripple through the crowd...

[Expendable]

Under the Weather:

'Dark' parts his hands in an 'open' gesture,

'There are many ways,' he replies to Akira, 'Kamisama Buddhist meditation, exposure to Quantum Powers, certain...' he trails off for a moment & glances around as if to check that no one is listening to their conversation before continuing, '... medicines. We use all those, when we can, but a prime "trigger" for eruption is stress: physical, mental, emotional - or a combination. So we experiment with subjecting ourselves to different types of stress... we call such practices "trials"...'

"I see," Akira said, trying to keep her voice neutral. Her stomach was trying to twist itself into knots. "So where do you meet?"

[Alex Green]

Outside:

Kenshi mentally waits for Kazuo to blow up.

[Centimane]

Outside:

Brushing off the dust from the judo practice Tetsuo takes a couple of steps towards Kazuo. Looking the 'new kid' up & down the portly judoka grins & whistles,

'Where'd you dig this guy up, Ryoko,' he asks, a sarcastic twinge to his words, 'I mean, are you sure he's not just a little too old for high school?' addressing Kazuo (& the crowd) he adds, 'What's up with that, Scarface? You get held back or something? I didn't know we had a special ed' department...'

Chuckles ripple through the crowd...

"Tsubo Ni Haitta", says Kazuo as he chuckles along with the others. "Tsubo Ni Haitta..."

The other kids gathered around are perhaps surprised at his reaction, but not Kazuo. He's not surprised because he saw this coming even before he started out his front door this morning, before he even got out of bed. He's had plenty of time to consider his options.

Looking around at the crowd, Kazuo points without looking at Tetsuo and says, "Koitsu here is a real funny guy, isn't he? A real comedian!"

"There's only one problem..." , he says, and looks down. Directly into the eyes of Tetsuo, who is suddenly no more than 15 cm away. Most of those standing around are confused, trying to recall how Kazuo went from standing at Ryoko's side to staring into Tetsuo's face. But this because Kazuo has long since learned the importance of knowing how to close the distance between himself and his prey without anyone noticing. It makes for a quicker kill.

"There's only one problem...miss Mendo-san just asked you to be nice, and that didn't sound very nice to me."

Kazuo leans down a little so that he's eye to eye with Tetsuo, and this time his good eye is glaring just as balefully as the dead eye, all humor gone from his face. He speaks quietly, so that only Tetsuo is likely to hear.

"The scars are a parting gift from some angry Yaks, fat boy. I've got lots more that I could show you too, since you seem to like them so much. But first I suggest you apologize to Miss Mendo-san over there for your rudeness, unless you want me to give you a few scars of your own...."

((Intimidation check, please, with a temp WP thrown in for good measure cuz Kazuo's not about to botch a roll on his first day of school (he has an image to maintain here!). Tsubo Ni Haitta expresses that something is funny, Koitsu means "this dude/chic" and can be considered rude.

[phoenix]

Kazuo leans down a little so that he's eye to eye with Tetsuo, and this time his good eye is glaring just as balefully as the dead eye, all humor gone from his face. He speaks quietly, so that only Tetsuo is likely to hear.

"The scars are a parting gift from some angry Yaks, fat boy. I've got lots more that I could show you too, since you seem to like them so much. But first I suggest you apologize to Miss Mendo-san over there for your rudeness, unless you want me to give you a few scars of your own...."

Unable to quite hear Kazuo's mumbled threats, Jinsei is quite taken aback by Ryoko's new "friend". However, he's pretty sure that Tetsuo can handle the thug on his own.

Heck, if I tried to help him out, he'd probably throw me again. ::glare

Jinsei crosses his arms and watches Tetsuo for a reaction.

[Jeremiah]

Under the Cherry Blossoms:

Nezumi shrugs, the motion causing her pink bunches to bounce in a (rather infuriatingly) cute way as she does so, & blows a raspberry at Seiji ::tongue ,

'Well,' she pouts, 'serves you right for that "pop princess" rubbish.'

Suddenly the teen singer's expression saddens - almost as if a mask had been pulled aside for a moment - but she turns away before Seiji can get a really good look. Waving a hand at Seiji with a 'shooing' motion she mutters, a trace of bitterness in her tone,

'Just leave me alone...' but Seiji also just manages to catch what she says next, under her breath, '... it's my own fault for thinking it'd be any different here...'

Seiji stops again, almost as stunned by this show of vulnerability as he was by what had happened moments before. His calm exterior and plan for revenge immediately starts to crumble again as he feels empathy for this girl.

"What! No really, WHAT!?!? This girl just played you and now you're feeling sorry for her? You're gonna fall into another one of her traps? You've got to be shitting me. Okay, now I don't feel bad for you at all. Fine, go, reach out to her, extend yourself again, see what happens. What an idiot..."

Ignoring the voice in his head and forgetting her mockery of him earlier Seiji takes a step forward, putting one hand out towards her,

"Nezumi...I know what it's like to be an outsider and feel alone, even when you're surrounded by people. Take it from someone who...who doesn't have alot of friends around here. It's alot easier when you do, when you have someone to talk to. I know you've got plenty of people around you and everything like that. But if you feel like you want someone different to talk to, well, I'm a good listener and I know how to keep my mouth shut..."

Seiji speaks softly and gently, he finds himself caring and empathizing for this little girl despite how badly she just treated him. He brushes aside any discomfort he has from acting so out of character and takes one more small step forward, still a few feet from her. He runs his hand through his wild hair, a look of real concern on his face as he watches her.

"Oh. My. God. What a baby."

[Sai]

Falling Down:

The boy retrieves Salene's scattered glasses & hands them back to her; she replaces them & his good looking, boyish, face & slightly unruly hair come into focus. Salene instantly recognises him as Yoshio Kono, son of Nippontai member (& pin-up heart-throb for teenage boys & salarymen alike) Fujiko 'Tenshi' Kono. Sharing his famous mother's legendary power to manifest flaming wings Yoshio is one of the few known Novas at the school - although Salene had heard that he'd got a reputation for being a stand-offish loner...

With an expression of concern on his face Yoshio reaches out for Salene's arm - where she's rubbing it - but appears to think better of it & pulls his hand back before he touches her. Looking into her eyes with his own - deep pools of dark mystery that they are... - he replies,

'I'm... I'm Yoshio... I'm... look, I'm really sorry, okay - something happened outside & my mind wasn't on where I was going, I...' screwing up his fists & gritting his teeth the young Nova turns his face aside, '... I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt... not again... I am sorry, okay - I'm faster than that, dammit, I should have moved...'

Salene ensures her glasses are in place, covering up her own shock at actually running full tilt into someone... Adjusting her dark blue hair she looks up at Yoshio Kono smiling...

"Oh its quite alright, I am just a tad on the clumsy side. Really my arm is fine, I think it was the bouncing off the floor."

Dusting herself off a bit, she gives Yoshio a brilliant smile, her blue eyes even sparkle just a tad.

"Just remember it always takes two people to make an accident, and I was more at fault running how I was. So, you hinted now ya gotta answer, just how Fast are you?"

(( Can I get a style roll to recover from falling ::cool , and a seduction roll ::blush ))

[Alex Green]

Outside:

Jinsei crosses his arms and watches Tetsuo for a reaction.

Kenshi holds his breath...

[ProfPotts]

Meeting of Minds?:

"I see... So where do you meet?"

Something akin to a smile snakes across Dark's gaunt face as he fixes Akira with a rather chill stare,

'That's not something I'd tell just anyone... The baselines don't get us, we have to be careful...' glancing around once again to make sure there's no eavesdropping going on he adds, '... think about what I've told you. If you're interested, then contact me. We'll take it from there, just...' he fixes Akira with another stare, a hint of menace in his tone, '... just don't tell anyone what we've been talking about, okay?'

With that the rather sinister self-proclaimed 'pre-eruption Nova' turns on his heel, hands jammed into jacket pockets, & walks off.

Tough Guys:

"The scars are a parting gift from some angry Yaks, fat boy. I've got lots more that I could show you too, since you seem to like them so much. But first I suggest you apologize to Miss Mendo-san over there for your rudeness, unless you want me to give you a few scars of your own...."

Tetsuo's mouth gapes open a little &, unconsciously, he takes a step back, away from the clearly psychotic Kazuo... ::scared

... Then the big judoka glances around at the gathered crowd, at his teammate Jinsei, & at his classmates - all waiting for him to act. Swallowing hard he manages to not retreat any further, squares his shoulders, opens his mouth, &...

... just kinda' squeaks... ::ohmy

... another chuckle passes through the crowd. Tetsuo glances around again, embarrasment flushing his face ::blush (but fueling, it seems, his resolve), moistens his lips, & manages to reply, punctuating his words with a pointed finger stabbing towards Kazuo,

'Look, Scarface,' he begins, 'I'm not... I'm NOT scared of you! You want to take me...' he glances back towards Jinsei & hastily corrects himself, '... you want to take us on, then fine - you'll see what the school's judo team can do!' ::angry

A few ragged cheers pass through the crowd at Tetsuo's attempted stirring speech, but they're soon interupted by Nabiki Watabe, who pushes herself to the front of the crowd,

'Okay folks,' she announces happily, 'taking all bets, taking all bets! Our very own "Ironman" Tetsuo versus the challenger "Scarface" - two-to-one Tetsuo wins!' ::ultracool

Just behind Nabiki her best friend Rumiko, Tetsuo's twin sister, looks less convinced that this latest money-making scheme is worth the risk, but doesn't seem willing to go against Nabiki's lead, & only manages a weak shrug when Tetsuo glares at her...

Olive Branches & Cherry Blossoms:

"Nezumi...I know what it's like to be an outsider and feel alone, even when you're surrounded by people. Take it from someone who...who doesn't have alot of friends around here. It's alot easier when you do, when you have someone to talk to. I know you've got plenty of people around you and everything like that. But if you feel like you want someone different to talk to, well, I'm a good listener and I know how to keep my mouth shut..."

Nezumi spins, no longer even trying to hide the tears in her eyes as she stalks towards Seiji, yelling at him ::angry ,

'You think you know what it's like to be me? To have a deranged fan kidnap you - then get killed before your eyes? To have your family forced to flee the country to avoid the gangsters who want to make you a slave? To be abandoned by the only man who... the only man who...'

The novox singer's rage seems to trail off with her words, & she collapses against Seiji's chest, weeping openly... ::cry

Flirting with Boys:

"Oh its quite alright, I am just a tad on the clumsy side. Really my arm is fine, I think it was the bouncing off the floor."

Yoshio nods, but only seems slightly less concerned than before...

"Just remember it always takes two people to make an accident, and I was more at fault running how I was. So, you hinted now ya gotta answer, just how Fast are you?"

The young Nova boy seems quite caught off guard by Salene's sudden change of conversational direction ::blink ,

'I... uh... I'm not sure, really...' he stammers before, it seems, he even realises what he's saying, '... I haven't managed hypersonic yet, but Kou says...' shaking his head Yoshio appears to regain some of his wits &, in a firmer tone of voice, concludes, '... it's not import, okay?' ::angry

For a moment the young Nova's expression is full of pent-up anger & frustration, but then he glances again at Salene & suddenly looks appologetic,

'Look,' he says, 'sorry I... I didn't mean to snap, it's just...' again an expression of frustration passes over the boys face, but he shakes it off &, changing the subject, manages to conclude with a rather feeble, '... you're really pretty...'

[Expendable]

Meeting of Minds?:

Something akin to a smile snakes across Dark's gaunt face as he fixes Akira with a rather chill stare,

'That's not something I'd tell just anyone... The baselines don't get us, we have to be careful...' glancing around once again to make sure there's no eavesdropping going on he adds, '... think about what I've told you. If you're interested, then contact me. We'll take it from there, just...' he fixes Akira with another stare, a hint of menace in his tone, '... just don't tell anyone what we've been talking about, okay?'

With that the rather sinister self-proclaimed 'pre-eruption Nova' turns on his heel, hands jammed into jacket pockets, & walks off.

Akira watches Dark walk off, then sighs, leaning against the wall. Whatever they were doing to 'stress' themselves in the vague hopes it'll get them Nova powers had to be dangerous. She should tell someone - but who? After all, what did she really know about what they were doing?

She was going to have to see for herself what was going on. And if they were doing something dangerous, try to talk them out of it. But first, she was going to have to get her PE gear and head down to the gym to change for swimming.

Reluctantly she got up and began retracing her steps back to her locker....

[Centimane]

Tough Guys:

Tetsuo's mouth gapes open a little &, unconsciously, he takes a step back, away from the clearly psychotic Kazuo... ::scared

... Then the big judoka glances around at the gathered crowd, at his teammate Jinsei, & at his classmates - all waiting for him to act. Swallowing hard he manages to not retreat any further, squares his shoulders, opens his mouth, &...

... just kinda' squeaks... ::ohmy

... another chuckle passes through the crowd. Tetsuo glances around again, embarrasment flushing his face ::blush (but fueling, it seems, his resolve), moistens his lips, & manages to reply, punctuating his words with a pointed finger stabbing towards Kazuo,

'Look, Scarface,' he begins, 'I'm not... I'm NOT scared of you! You want to take me...' he glances back towards Jinsei & hastily corrects himself, '... you want to take us on, then fine - you'll see what the school's judo team can do!' ::angry

Kazuo straightens up, folds his arms, and smiles lopsidedly as Tetsuo bumbles his way through what for him, Kazuo is sure, is a truly impressive display of konjyo.

Yep, this is starting to feel more like back home already, just like old times.

But then he notices Ryoko still standing off to one side and, thinking that this probably isn't what she wanted, Kazuo is nearly floored to realize that he actually cares! He's actually thinking of backing out! For a moment Kazuo breaks out into a cold sweat, and what feels like twenty pounds of frozen lead settles heavily into his gut as he contemplates sacrificing years of hard work, pretty much his entire image, and a large portion of his self-respect for some girl. What kind of an idiot is he turning into!?

Against everything he believes in and hopes for, Kazuo opens his mouth to try and defuse the situation without resorting to violence (stupid girls...), when....

A few ragged cheers pass through the crowd at Tetsuo's attempted stirring speech, but they're soon interupted by Nabiki Watabe, who pushes herself to the front of the crowd,

'Okay folks,' she announces happily, 'taking all bets, taking all bets! Our very own "Ironman" Tetsuo versus the challenger "Scarface" - two-to-one Tetsuo wins!' ::ultracool

Just behind Nabiki her best friend Rumiko, Tetsuo's twin sister, looks less convinced that this latest money-making scheme is worth the risk, but doesn't seem willing to go against Nabiki's lead, & only manages a weak shrug when Tetsuo glares at her...

Kazuo could kiss this girl, this angel who has saved him from a fate worse than death, but seeing as this would tarnish his image almost as much as backing out of a fight would he doesn't. Also, he's not sure, but he thinks it might get him in trouble with Ryoko.

Quickly, he walks over to Ryoko and unshoulders his pack, saying, "Sorry babe, I tried to help, but I guess I'm not very good at this kind of thing. Watch this for me, will you?"

Then he strides purposefully towards Nabiki. When he reaches her he pulls something out of his pocket and says quietly but with clarity, "If you think I'm gonna let you cash in on this without cuttin' me in on the action babe, you're dead wrong! If I win this, I get half of your winnings, plus the earnings from this!" And he slaps down a sizeable wad into Nabiki's hand that turns out to be 3000 yen (about $25 US).

"Don't even think about trying to scam me girl! Half, plus double my money, or nothing for either of us. You wanna make money off of my fights, fine, but I make money right along with you, got it?" He starts to walk away, but then turns back and adds, "And if a teacher breaks this up before it's over, I better see my money back in my hand before the end of the day!" Looking around at the gathered crowd he adds one more thing, "And make sure you do your part and get these kids betting! Empty their pockets out dammit!"

When the matter's settled he walks back to stand across from Tetsuo and, quietly so that no one but Tetsuo will hear, he says, "So, should I demonstrate to these kids how to pop a man's shoulder out of its socket, or do you think they'd rather learn how to choke a man 'til he passes out?" Then Kazuo grins at Tetsuo like a demon and waits... ::devil

((As far as splitting the winnings goes, Kazuo could be brought down to 30% if Nabiki would be totally opposed to splitting the winnings, but he'll stonewall after that. He'll make a streetwise roll (assuming that's the appropriate roll) to get her to agree, and an Intimidation roll to make his point about the cash if the fight breaks out. His remark to Tetsuo is also an Intimidation attempt to throw him off when the fight begins. Konjyo means "guts".))

[BlueNinja]

Ken is almost knocked out of his chair, but manages to keep his balance. He looks over to his club president. "You know...you really should loosen up a bit. Its hard to get and keep club members when you are so rigid! We are already going to be tight on time as is...and I am still not done with the pencils for that manga..." he runs his hand through his hair in frustration, then rubs the back of his head. "You know life is more then just rules."

Miyako has a slight blush rise to her cheeks, probably more from anger than embarassment, but she does her best not to snap at Ken. "I know that, really, but if you don't follow the rules, it tends to come back and bite you." She looks back out the window, more like she's staring off into space. "Besides, you try living with hard-core military parents and see how you turn out." she mutters under her breath as she picks up her bag.

Then Miya actually sees what's happening in the courtyard down below. "Nani? Ken - get a look at this! Who's that guy? He looks about ready to stomp on Tetsuo!"

((the part in Arial Narrow is said in English.))

[Sai]

Flirting with Boys:

Yoshio nods, but only seems slightly less concerned than before...

The young Nova boy seems quite caught off guard by Salene's sudden change of conversational direction ::blink ,

'I... uh... I'm not sure, really...' he stammers before, it seems, he even realises what he's saying, '... I haven't managed hypersonic yet, but Kou says...' shaking his head Yoshio appears to regain some of his wits &, in a firmer tone of voice, concludes, '... it's not import, okay?' ::angry

For a moment the young Nova's expression is full of pent-up anger & frustration, but then he glances again at Salene & suddenly looks appologetic,

'Look,' he says, 'sorry I... I didn't mean to snap, it's just...' again an expression of frustration passes over the boys face, but he shakes it off &, changing the subject, manages to conclude with a rather feeble, '... you're really pretty...'

Salene blushes slightly at the blunt observation. Then lets a killer smile wash over her face, "Why thank you Yoshio-kun, then I suppose you will probably want to take me to dinner some night soon to make up for your part in our accident? Then you can really explain how Fast you are. I really am interested, I know I probably sound like a groupie or something, but its a pretty good ice breaker now that we've managed to smash our paths into one another."

Another smile as she looks into Yoshino's eyes and adjusts her long braid of hair.

[Bahamut810]

Ken frowns, at least she had parents. All he had was someone who came back to make themselves feel better.

Ken was glad at the change in subject.

Then Miya actually sees what's happening in the courtyard down below. "Nani? Ken - get a look at this! Who's that guy? He looks about ready to stomp on Tetsuo!"

"Eh?" he says as he walks to look outside. "Looks like their might be. Man...that one guy is big! I'd hate to meet him in a dark alley. I hope Tetsuo will be ok...if he gets hurt we wont get to put up our decorations..." he says, then stops for a second and puts a hand on his chin as if considedring something, "Hmmm..."

[Alex Green]

Outside:

Kenshi is almost floored with how all this has gone, but right now is enjoying the show. This is much more fun than fighting mitoids. He does check his watch to see how much time he has.

[Jeremiah]

Olive Branches & Cherry Blossoms:

Nezumi spins, no longer even trying to hide the tears in her eyes as she stalks towards Seiji, yelling at him ::angry ,

'You think you know what it's like to be me? To have a deranged fan kidnap you - then get killed before your eyes? To have your family forced to flee the country to avoid the gangsters who want to make you a slave? To be abandoned by the only man who... the only man who...'

The novox singer's rage seems to trail off with her words, & she collapses against Seiji's chest, weeping openly... ::cry

Seiji's eyes go wide as she starts to scream at him and don't get any smaller through the whole tirade, even as she presses against his chest again. He puts his arms around her, simply holding her as she sobs.

"It's okay, it's okay, let it out...there ya go"

"Wow. You really never know what to expect from this girl. I'm half hoping for her to start laughing at you again, but this seems pretty genuine. I don't have any witty comments, just...yeah, you're doin a good job i guess."

Seiji stands, letting her cry as much as she needs to, his mind racing trying to figure out what Nezumi is going to do next...

[ProfPotts]

Two Men Enter...:

"Sorry babe, I tried to help, but I guess I'm not very good at this kind of thing. Watch this for me, will you?"

Ryoko opens her mouth, as if to reply ::ohmy , but Kazuo's already on his way before she can utter her protests.

"If you think I'm gonna let you cash in on this without cuttin' me in on the action babe, you're dead wrong! If I win this, I get half of your winnings, plus the earnings from this!"

To Kazuo's surprise the rather alluring Nabiki Watabe thumbs the 'wad' next to her ear in one swift motion & declares,

'Three thousand on yourself, gotcha'... but "half my winnings"... get real, new kid...' ::sly

"Don't even think about trying to scam me girl! Half, plus double my money, or nothing for either of us. You wanna make money off of my fights, fine, but I make money right along with you, got it?"

Apparantly totally unimpressed by Kazuo's bluster Nabiki shrugs,

'Hey - looks to me like you're fighting one way or the other - you place a bet or not, that's your choice: but you're not gonna' strongarm cash away from me just 'cos you look like you lost a fight with a lawnmower or something...'

"And if a teacher breaks this up before it's over, I better see my money back in my hand before the end of the day!... And make sure you do your part and get these kids betting! Empty their pockets out dammit!"

Nabiki stretches & pantomimes a yawn,

'Oh my - what a lot of demands you have! Look, pal, I appreciate the effort... I really do... but no amount of posturing is gonna' cut it round here. However...' she feints a thoughtful look, then adds, with an all-to-sweet smile, '... since you're new & all I'll cut you a deal - if you manage to defeat our Tetsuo I'll throw a nice fat bonus your way: either ten percent of the winnings from the fight or...' she glances over Kazuo's shoulder at Ryoko, then fixes his one good eye with a narrow-eyed gaze, '... the exclusive copies of some choice pictures of your friend Miss Mendo in the shower which happened to come my way after PE last week. I was planning on selling them on-line tonight, but...' again Nabiki shrugs, leaving the sentance hanging in the air... ::ultracool

When Kazuo again approaches Tetsuo he notes that the rotund pupil has been watching his interactions with Nabiki closely, & now seems more angry than frightened ::angry ...

"So, should I demonstrate to these kids how to pop a man's shoulder out of its socket, or do you think they'd rather learn how to choke a man 'til he passes out?"

... Much to Kazuo's annoyance his threatening words appear to have the opposite of their intended reaction: first Tetsuo smiles ::smile , then he actually laughs out loud ::laugh ! Keeping his eyes on Kazuo the large judoka calls back over his shoulder,

'Hey, Jinsei - I was wrong about this guy! I'll admit he had me worried at first: I mean, just look at that mess he calls a face! But now he's actually trying to threaten me with joint-locks & choke holds!'

Still laughing Tetsuo shakes his head in disbelief as he addresses Kazuo, his words - with new found confidence - carrying clear over the gathered crowd,

'I think you missed the sign on the gate as you came in, Scarface: this is the Osaka School for the Gifted. You think we're called that 'cos of a couple of Novas? Get a clue, friend - we're the best of the best here (& I'm not here for my academic record): our judo team are national champions. You think I don't know ju-jutsu, sumo, & karate as well? I've been competing all my life - against the country's best fighters. What claim to fame do you have? By the looks of you all you do well is get the living cr@p beaten out of you! You think threatening to dislocate my shoulder is going to worry me? Hell, I do that for practice! Mostly I fight by the rules, but if you want the gloves to come off then I'll be happy to oblige - it's been too long since I've had a good opportunity to really let loose...' ::devil

... by the fire dancing in the young judoka's eyes Kazuo starts to worry that the kid might not actually be bluffing... ::unsure

Standing by Nabiki's shoulder Rumiko gets a concerned look on her face & calls out,

'Please be careful Tetsuo - you promised father after the last time that you wouldn't put anyone else in the hospital!' ::ohmy

Trying to Pull:

"Why thank you Yoshio-kun, then I suppose you will probably want to take me to dinner some night soon to make up for your part in our accident? Then you can really explain how Fast you are. I really am interested, I know I probably sound like a groupie or something, but its a pretty good ice breaker now that we've managed to smash our paths into one another."

::blink

Yoshio looks a little stunned, & for a long moment just stands staring rather stupidly at Salene. Then he turns his face away once more (although this time with flushed cheeks ::blush ) & mutters,

'Look - you're nice & all, Salene, you really are but...' once more the young Nova's hands tighten into fists at his sides - & Salene even notices the flicker of bright flames starting to dance across the surface of his body just a couple of centimetres above his clothes, '... it's not safe to be around me, & I wouldn't want you to get hurt...'

A Shoulder to Cry On:

"It's okay, it's okay, let it out...there ya go"

After a good couple of minutes of tears Nezumi snuffles, wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, & pushes away from Seiji. Refusing to meet his gaze she just says, quietly,

'Thanks...' adding, almost as an afterthought, '... don't... don't tell anyone about this, okay?'

Not waiting for an answer the novox singer starts to walk quickly back towards the school.

Fighting Up Stream:

Trying to get to her locker Akira finds her way blocked by a crowd of pupils moving the other way...

'Hey, man,' one of them exclaims as the press of bodies starts to push Akira back the way she came, 'there's a fight brewing outside - you gotta' check it out!'

[Expendable]

Fighting Up Stream:

Trying to get to her locker Akira finds her way blocked by a crowd of pupils moving the other way...

'Hey, man,' one of them exclaims as the press of bodies starts to push Akira back the way she came, 'there's a fight brewing outside - you gotta' check it out!'

"A fight?" Akira repeated blankly. Her eyes widen in sudden worry - could this be one of those 'stress tests' Dark mentioned? She turned and let the crowd sweep her towards the fight....

[Alex Green]

Kenshi considers betting on the outcome... then wonders which would be worse, losing or winning?

[Sai]

Trying to Pull:

::blink

Yoshio looks a little stunned, & for a long moment just stands staring rather stupidly at Salene. Then he turns his face away once more (although this time with flushed cheeks ::blush ) & mutters,

'Look - you're nice & all, Salene, you really are but...' once more the young Nova's hands tighten into fists at his sides - & Salene even notices the flicker of bright flames starting to dance across the surface of his body just a couple of centimetres above his clothes, '... it's not safe to be around me, & I wouldn't want you to get hurt...'

"Oh, I see how it is." Salene mutters perfectly audiably, "You claim you so fast, and let little me smash right into you, and now your not even honorable enough to make amends? I'm trying to make amends as well. Nice, pretty, but not good enough to be seen with? This whole dangerous thing is probably just some male ego thing anyway. Shouldn't I be old enough to decide whats dangerous at least to a point?"

((Diplomacy check please))

"So if your flattery was just nothing, I guess that ends this conversation. I thought we'd get to know each other. The accident turned to good, but if you are so adamant in this ego thing... I guess I don't have a chance to..." Bites her lip a bit, trying to paraphrase the lecture some... "It doesn't matter. If your really that uncomfortable, I guess I should just accept that. I was wanting to meet some new friends since I came to this school, but so far its been rough for me. I'm little miss late girl, and no one respects me much less wants to get to know me...."

Once again Salene pauses, collecting her thoughts... "Look, we both have our problems, apparently you don't wish to share yours in a civil setting, and I am so not going to sit here and try to convince you to do the right thing."

With a shake of her head, her long braid swings in front of her body. With a look into Yoshio's eyes, and ignoring the flickering of aura, she bends down and grabs her bag as lady like as possible.

[Jeremiah]

A Shoulder to Cry On:

After a good couple of minutes of tears Nezumi snuffles, wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, & pushes away from Seiji. Refusing to meet his gaze she just says, quietly,

'Thanks...' adding, almost as an afterthought, '... don't... don't tell anyone about this, okay?'

Not waiting for an answer the novox singer starts to walk quickly back towards the school.

For once, Seiji isn't completely caught off guard by the little pink haired girl. He hurries to catch up with her.

"Right, right, lips sealed...if you give me an interview for the paper later. Okay?"

Seiji grins at Nezumi as they emerge from the trees out into the school yard.

[BlueNinja]

"Eh?" he says as he walks to look outside. "Looks like their might be. Man...that one guy is big! I'd hate to meet him in a dark alley. I hope Tetsuo will be ok...if he gets hurt we wont get to put up our decorations..." he says, then stops for a second and puts a hand on his chin as if considedring something, "Hmmm..."

Miyako stares at Ken for a moment, perhaps unable to tell if he's serious or not, then goes back to staring out the window, eyes wide and hands nervously wringing the hem of her skirt. For a moment, she seems to be taking Ken's advice to kick back and take it easier - then she gives in, hopping down off her desk and out into the hallway, looking for the nearest staff member. After all, it's not like the Nippontai actually came into the school hallways.

[Bahamut810]

Ken watches as the stubborn girl runs off, and shrugs then goes back to watching the fight.

[Centimane]

Two Men Enter...:

Ryoko opens her mouth, as if to reply ::ohmy , but Kazuo's already on his way before she can utter her protests.

To Kazuo's surprise the rather alluring Nabiki Watabe thumbs the 'wad' next to her ear in one swift motion & declares,

'Three thousand on yourself, gotcha'... but "half my winnings"... get real, new kid...' ::sly

Apparantly totally unimpressed by Kazuo's bluster Nabiki shrugs,

'Hey - looks to me like you're fighting one way or the other - you place a bet or not, that's your choice: but you're not gonna' strongarm cash away from me just 'cos you look like you lost a fight with a lawnmower or something...'

Kazuo is a little taken aback by this girl's seeming indifference to his anger, but is undeterred nonetheless. He's also equal parts pissed, amused, and sorry for her if she thinks he's 'fighting one way or the other'.

What, does she think he's bound by some kind of bushido honor code? As if! Fat Boy can stand there screaming at him until he's blue in the face for all Kazuo cares, but there's not going to be a fight unless Kazuo wants there to be one. He once heard someone try to sound to tough by saying, 'I don't start fights, I just finish them', but he wasn't impressed by this witticism. How you gonna act tough if you ain't even in control of the fight? If you didn't start it, you're just some guy trying to survive it. Che!

'Oh my - what a lot of demands you have! Look, pal, I appreciate the effort... I really do... but no amount of posturing is gonna' cut it round here. However...' she feints a thoughtful look, then adds, with an all-to-sweet smile, '... since you're new & all I'll cut you a deal - if you manage to defeat our Tetsuo I'll throw a nice fat bonus your way: either ten percent of the winnings from the fight or...' she glances over Kazuo's shoulder at Ryoko, then fixes his one good eye with a narrow-eyed gaze, '... the exclusive copies of some choice pictures of your friend Miss Mendo in the shower which happened to come my way after PE last week. I was planning on selling them on-line tonight, but...' again Nabiki shrugs, leaving the sentance hanging in the air... ::ultracool

This bitch was really starting to get on his nerves. Ten percent! Who did this girl think she was? And why the hell was she throwing f*cking photographs in his face? Did he actually look like the kind of guy who'd take nudie photos over cash?! With cash he could go buy all the nudie pics he wa -

Wait....

He glanced over his shoulder at Ryoko, then back at Nabiki, frustration and anger coursing through him. He was also a little bit confused. Pictures of Ryoko Mendo naked in exchange for ten percent of the winnings from this one fight? He hadn't been here long, so maybe Ryoko was pretty average for this school, but somehow he doubted it. Pics like that would be worth serous money. Either this little scammer was lying, or she was seriously undercutting herself...

Kazuo smiled. The little bitch just tipped her hand.

"Listen busu, you really are stupid if you think I have to fight no matter what you give me. But you're right, I am new, so I guess I've got somethin' to prove, neh? As for your... offer... well if you really wanna just give those pics away like that, how can I refuse? But in exchange for ten percent? Sounds to me like you've got something to prove. ::wink It's too bad you didn't want to work with me girlie, I'd have settled for only thirty percent."

Kazuo walks off.

... Much to Kazuo's annoyance his threatening words appear to have the opposite of their intended reaction: first Tetsuo smiles ::smile , then he actually laughs out loud ::laugh ! Keeping his eyes on Kazuo the large judoka calls back over his shoulder,

'Hey, Jinsei - I was wrong about this guy! I'll admit he had me worried at first: I mean, just look at that mess he calls a face! But now he's actually trying to threaten me with joint-locks & choke holds!'

Still laughing Tetsuo shakes his head in disbelief as he addresses Kazuo, his words - with new found confidence - carrying clear over the gathered crowd,

'I think you missed the sign on the gate as you came in, Scarface: this is the Osaka School for the Gifted. You think we're called that 'cos of a couple of Novas? Get a clue, friend - we're the best of the best here (& I'm not here for my academic record): our judo team are national champions. You think I don't know ju-jutsu, sumo, & karate as well? I've been competing all my life - against the country's best fighters. What claim to fame do you have? By the looks of you all you do well is get the living cr@p beaten out of you! You think threatening to dislocate my shoulder is going to worry me? Hell, I do that for practice! Mostly I fight by the rules, but if you want the gloves to come off then I'll be happy to oblige - it's been too long since I've had a good opportunity to really let loose...' ::devil

F*ckin' idiot... what a load o' crap. Still, he didn't just buckle like Kazuo expected him to, so maybe he'll actually be a challenge.

Kazuo smiles at the last part.

"You dislocate your shoulder for practice? What kind of a moron are you? And as for rules? Don't make me laugh kid! You can take your rules and shove 'em up your ass. As for my offer of a demonstration, if you're not interested that's fine."

Kazuo looks over at Nabiki, then back at Tetsuo and grins. He was pretty sure this would rub someone the wrong way.

"Little Miss Referee over there just offered me a 'special reward' if I can kick your ass anyway, so if it's all the same to you, I'd just as soon get this over with. So come get me Champ!"

((Busu means "bitch", although it more literally translates as "ugly girl". If Tetsuo attacks in the next post, Kazuo will respond by trying to throw him. If he doesn't attack, well then nevermind. ::happy ))

[Alex Green]

Kenshi ::blink ::rolleyes

*At least I've got a good viewing spot.*

[Expendable]

There was a crowd already. Akira scowled. How did they get here so quickly?

"Let me through," she said, trying to wiggle her way through the crowd, vainly trying to catch sight of the fighers and the one called Dark.

[ProfPotts]

Poking at Sleeping Tigers:

"Oh, I see how it is... You claim you so fast, and let little me smash right into you, and now your not even honorable enough to make amends? I'm trying to make amends as well. Nice, pretty, but not good enough to be seen with? This whole dangerous thing is probably just some male ego thing anyway. Shouldn't I be old enough to decide whats dangerous at least to a point?"

... Yoshio frowns at the harsh words, hands clenched into fists, & turns his face away...

"So if your flattery was just nothing, I guess that ends this conversation. I thought we'd get to know each other. The accident turned to good, but if you are so adamant in this ego thing... I guess I don't have a chance to... It doesn't matter. If your really that uncomfortable, I guess I should just accept that. I was wanting to meet some new friends since I came to this school, but so far its been rough for me. I'm little miss late girl, and no one respects me much less wants to get to know me...."

... The flames flickering around the young Nova suddenly intensify, his eyes become globes of inferno - Yoshio screws them tightly closed, a pained expression engulfing his face,

'Please... please don't...' he manages to mutter - almost beg - through gritted teeth...

"Look, we both have our problems, apparently you don't wish to share yours in a civil setting, and I am so not going to sit here and try to convince you to do the right thing."

::nuclear

... There is an explosion of fire as huge wings of flame manifest from Yoshio's back, bursting forth & spreading: their span exceeding the corridor one wing shatters the outer window, its heat vaporising the shards of broken glass, the other sears clean through the concrete of the inner wall, causing it to explode into blackened dust as it does so! The shock & force of the blast knocks over Salene (& several other pupils in the area) - she can feel the heat being generated by the young Nova, a heat so intense it threatens to blister her skin even without direct contact. Even though Yoshio's eyes are still shut tight Salene can see the glow beneath the lids; from behind his gritted teeth trails of scalding steam excape his mouth...

'I'm sorry...' Yoshio's tortured words sound as though they're ripped from the depths of his soul, '... I'm so sorry...'

With no further comment the flame-winged young Nova leaps through the blasted window, soaring off high into the sky... ::blink

Totally Scooped:

"Right, right, lips sealed...if you give me an interview for the paper later. Okay?"

Seiji's words stop Nezumi cold. Turning on her heel she fixes him with a disbelieving stare ::blink ,

'You're a reporter?'

Her shock soon turns to rage ::angry as she stabs an angry finger at his chest,

'You bastard! This was all a set-up? How dare you...'

Nezumi's latest tirade is cut short by the sound of an explosion from the school - followed moments later by Yoshio's flame-winged exit! Seiji is as shocked as everyone by the event... & almost as shocked when he regains his senses only to find Nezumi once more clinging onto him, her Nova-perfect nubile form pressed against his all-too-baseline body! Nezumi herself is staring after Yoshio, & doesn't seem to have realised that she's, once more, ended up in 'the evil reporter's' arms... ::blush

The Sensible One:

Searching for a figure of authority to put a halt to the pending senseless violence in the schoolyard Miyako is relieved to spot the distinctive outfit of a Shinto priestess - as worn by the beautiful Kuramoto-sensai. Gliding gracefully out of the staffroom a smiling Kuramoto-sensai pauses to exchange a few words with each of the pupils she passes - often resulting in the boys trotting off blushing, & the girls gaining relaxed & contented expressions. Reaching Miyako she once more pauses, a slight frown creasing her brow,

'What's the matter, child?' she asks gently, placing her a reassuring hand on Miyako's shoulder as she does so. Suddenly, just as Miyako starts to answer, Kuramoto-sensai gets a troubled look in her eyes & looks up & away - moments later an explosion can be heard in the distance!

'Oh no...' ::ohmy Kuramoto-sensai murmurs. Turning back to Miyako she appologises, 'I'm sorry, Miyako, I have to go - we'll talk later.'

With that the Shinto priestess hurries off in the direction of the blast...

Too 'Street' for Words:

"Listen busu, you really are stupid if you think I have to fight no matter what you give me..."

Nabiki lurches forwards at Kazuo's insults ::angry , but a restraining hand from her friend Rumiko holds her back...

"... But you're right, I am new, so I guess I've got somethin' to prove, neh? As for your... offer... well if you really wanna just give those pics away like that, how can I refuse? But in exchange for ten percent? Sounds to me like you've got something to prove. It's too bad you didn't want to work with me girlie, I'd have settled for only thirty percent."

As Kazuo walks off he hears Nabiki's barely concealed reply (in English)...

'Stupid cock sucker.'

"You dislocate your shoulder for practice? What kind of a moron are you? And as for rules? Don't make me laugh kid! You can take your rules and shove 'em up your ass. As for my offer of a demonstration, if you're not interested that's fine... Little Miss Referee over there just offered me a 'special reward' if I can kick your ass anyway, so if it's all the same to you, I'd just as soon get this over with. So come get me Champ!"

Kazuo's not quite sure if it's his words, or the glance over at Nabiki, which sets Tetsuo off, but the 'champ' seems steamed & charges to the attack when...

... the sound of an explosion can be heard from the school, followed by a young man with flaming wings flying out of the blasted window! Tetsuo, Kazuo, & all the spectators can't help but turn their attention to the sudden Nova action...

[Alex Green]

For the second time that day Kenshi watches with no small amount of awe as Yoshio does his thing. From the way he flies away it seems unlikely this second appearance was intended to prevent this fight, not that this lessened in any way Kenshi’s appreciation of the first intervention.

It’s only several moments later Kenshi connects the hole in the wall to Yoshio’s previous behavior and decides maybe Yoshio really does have a serious problem. It also points out the likely fate of the mitoid if he’d pushed the issue earlier, but that was beside the point. He says out loud,

”Something is really wrong.”

[Expendable]

The explosion and sudden appearance of a winged nova flying out of hole in the side of the school makes Akira stare and mutter, "maybe this school wasn't such a good choice..?"

[Bahamut810]

Ken ducks slightly when the explosion rocks the campus, out of reflex. "Shit! Whats happening?" he says while looking around.

[Jeremiah]

Totally Scooped:

Seiji's words stop Nezumi cold. Turning on her heel she fixes him with a disbelieving stare ::blink ,

'You're a reporter?'

Her shock soon turns to rage ::angry as she stabs an angry finger at his chest,

'You bastard! This was all a set-up? How dare you...'

Nezumi's latest tirade is cut short by the sound of an explosion from the school - followed moments later by Yoshio's flame-winged exit! Seiji is as shocked as everyone by the event... & almost as shocked when he regains his senses only to find Nezumi once more clinging onto him, her Nova-perfect nubile form pressed against his all-too-baseline body! Nezumi herself is staring after Yoshio, & doesn't seem to have realised that she's, once more, ended up in 'the evil reporter's' arms... ::blush

Seiji stares at the little girl and begins to object, holding up one finger, but then stops at the sound of the explosion. He stares at Yoshio for a moment, wrapping one arm around Nezumi in the process.

"Whoa...Um, lets...lets go find some other people, come on Nezumi"

He grabs Nezumi's hand and takes off at a half run, pulling her towards the school grounds and other students.

[phoenix]

Jinsei watches the fire-winged nova erupt out of the building like a hawk taking to the skies. His first thoughts turn to Kohana's safety, but she's right outside, and there seems to be no immediate danger. In fact, this defused the situation between Tetsuo and Kazuo (to an extent).

I wonder where Kou is, and if she knows.

Backing off as if intimidated by the display of power from the building, Jinsei casually interposes himself between Tetsuo and Kazuo, making it difficult for one of them to attack the other without going through him. Anyone watching now would just see a bunch of guys standing around, instead of two who were about to fight before spectators and were interrupted.

[Centimane]

((Damn you, phoenix! This is what I get for taking so long to post....))

When Yoshio launches himself out of the school, Kazuo stops and stares just like everyone else. He briefly wonders what in the hell's going on, but he's in the middle of a fight (which is way more important), so he looks back down and over at Tetsuo.

And sees fat boy's friend standing between him and his target....

Damn! Talk about losing the momentum...

Kazuo isn't sure if Tetsuo's friend is purposely getting in the way (he suspects he is), but he doesn't really care. Time to worry about that later, and Kazuo has been keeping one eye on him anyway, in case the kid decided to double team him or something. Right now, whether he's pretending to be distracted by the explosion or not, he's still looking at the flying nova and not at Kazuo or his opponent. And it looked like Tetsuo was still distracted as well, so Kazuo figures it's now or never.

Quick as a Tengu Kazuo ducks into a low run, following a severe arc with Jinsei's back at its center. At the arc's halfway point Kazuo abruptly dropps out of the arc and begins running straight at Tetsuo, still half crouched and ready to duck any attempt on Jinsei's part to stop him. By doing this Kazuo hopes that, if Jinsei is actually trying to get in his way, he'll turn in Kazuo's direction in an attempt to keep facing him. Given Kazuo's speed and the fact that he wouldn't be within Jinsei's reach until he was almost past him on Tetsuo's side, this would require Jinsei to execute a rapid turn of well over 180 degrees. Given that Kazuo cuts straight across when he's only half way through his arc, it's highly likely that he'll be able to head Jinsei off at the pass as it were, leaving the kid to flail impotently at his back.

That's what he hopes at least. Tetsuo's friend might be faster or more quick-witted than he looks though. If the kid's one of those guys that always thinks several steps ahead, like Kazuo does, then he might realize what Kazuo's up to and just start turning towards Tetsuo instead. A turn of less than a 120 degrees in Tetsuo's direction would leave him facing Kazuo at just about the same time Kazuo would be closest to him, and it would be much easier to grab or hit him, but this is extremely counter-intuitive thinking since it also leaves Jinsei's back vulnerable, so it's unlikely Kazuo will have to worry about this. Either way though, Kazuo's half crouch leaves him in position to duck or jump rapidly to dodge any attack, assuming Jinsei actually does anything at all. His plan is to simply evade Jinsei altogether, but if the kid wants to start something with him, Kazuo is happy to hit him a couple of times as well. Still, he'd prefer to keep it between himself and Tetsuo, and deal with any other takers some other time.

Kazuo quickly scans the scene, checking to see if Tetsuo has noticed his maneuvering now that he's coming around from behind his fellow judoka, and double-checking the lay of the land to make sure his footing is right. Once he's past Jinsei, Kazuo will abruptly rise up out of his crouch and cock his fist. If fat boy is actually still obliviously staring after the departing nova, then Kazuo will go ahead and use this as an opportunity to further toughen up his already knobbed and calloused knuckles by smashing them at high velocity into Tetsuo's face. Anywhere around his eyesocket and his temple would give his knuckles the best opportunity for toughening up their callouses, but Kazuo figures he'll just take what he can get. And anyway, he'd actually be kind of embarrassed for poor Tetsuo if he turned out to be that oblivious. He's not actually expecting to get a free potshot at fat boy's face.

Kazuo's really raising his fist so that Tetsuo won't notice what he's doing with the other one. His other fist is feeling lazy and isn't interested in any toughening-up exercises, so Kazuo has decided to let it take a shot at one of Tetsuo's love handles. Centered as they are over certain, relatively important organs, that don't normally react well to being pushed violently out of place, Tetsuo's love handles should provide a nice soft target for Kazuo's less-motivated fist, while still giving him a satisfying target to hit.

All of this passes through Kazuo's mind in an instant, at an almost subconscious level. Even so, he barely has time to get through it all before he's almost on top of Jinsei. He puts his plans for Tetsuo's painful future out of his head, and focuses on the here and now.

((So is all of this is underhanded enough to bring his specialty die into play? ::unsure ::devil ))