November catch-all

[toobigtohandle]

WHO: Ooshima Kenta, Derek Matthews, Li-Na Yiu, Theodore Leonhardt, Sandalio de Rabiffano and OPEN (will update as we go)
WHERE:Kenta's usual training dojo, several different parks and Recolle University
WHEN: All over November. Park prompts are happening very early mornings (think between 5 and 6 am).
WHAT: Training, training with swords, trying to get on with life
WARNINGS: Might be a bit of violence? (will update as necessary)



I.Hajime!

[Kenta has finally started training more regularly at a dojo, even if he still has trouble finding sparring partners his size at times. His former teammates from his high school championship days, now National champions themselves, sometime drop by to help him out, thankfully. And he keeps up with his training no matter what because he enjoys it.]

[I.a]
[Most of the time, Kenta will be doing some solo bokken training, dressed in a white kimono and black hakama. He’s going at it pretty intensely, but he will actually be more open to conversation than if you were to meet him randomly in the streets, because if you’re then you’re interested in martial arts and that gives you a common point with him.
If you’re a beginner or even a more advanced user, he’d be happy to give tips, since he was a regional champion himself and is good enough to qualify for the national team (except he’s a foreign national, so he can’t).]

[I.b]
[If you’re lucky enough to be there at the same time as Kenta’s former teammates, you might actually be treated to a real match. You probably won’t be the only one watching either, since things will be… intense.]

[I.c]
[The rest of the time, Kenta will mostly be practicing hand-to-hand with one or two of his bodyguards while wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. And unlike what you may have seen before, this is not martial arts. This is all out street brawling, and they’re only holding back enough to not seriously injure one another. If you approach, the bodyguards might be on alert at first until Kenta tells them to stand down.]


II.The Great Outdoors

[Kenta’s Retrospec-given sword (that is actually him, but he still doesn’t really get the concept) is so absurdly big he can’t very well use it in a dojo setting. It’s also very real and very sharp, but he feels the need to actually see if if he can use it properly, since Jirou can use his. Especially since he’s adamant no normal human being should be able to and yet it appears he… is. Somehow.

He’s started to get up really early in the mornings a few times a week and taking the sword to an empty park so he can practice with it. If you come across him, he’s wearing warm sportswear, and swinging the blade around, going through several motion sequences. Feel free to stop and watch, or if you’re a cop, ask him what the hell he thinks he’s doing swinging a giant blade out in public.]

III. Go to class!

[It’s hard to miss Kenta on the university campus. He’s 6’4 with jet-black hair going down past his waist even when it’s up in its ponytail, gold eyes, and he’s always dressed extremely fashionable and expensively.

He’s also often walking fast when not in the buildings because he attracts modeling agency scouts like honey attracts flies and after years of it, it’s getting more annoying every day. So today, as usual, he’s ignoring the poor guy who’s half-running after him trying to hand him a business card as he’s going to class. And his strides are long enough than even though he’s not actually running, it’s hard for the guy to keep up.]

I said no. I’m not interested.




[OOC : as a note, Taroutachi, Kenta's blade, is 220 cms, which means it's actually taller than him by almost 25 cms and he's 6'4"/196 cms.
Feel free to PM me or hit me up on the plot post if you'd like a different starter/scenario!]

Comments

II

[blondferret]

[Derek is a early riser and is jogging by a park when he sees a man swinging around a huge sword. What? Derek slows down and stops to stare. It's obvious that the man has some idea of what he is doing. Folding his arms, Derek leans up against a tree and continues to watch. As he is watching, he is mumbling to himself.]

Where the bloody hell did he get that thing?

[toobigtohandle]

[He does indeed know what he is doing, and his movements are both powerful and yet fluid and graceful as he goes through slashes.

An oodachi is different from the usual length of his kendo practice wooden sword, and he's figured out it's easier if he doesn't move too much so as not to tire himself out... but he's also figured out it takes a lot for him to get tried doing this when by all rights he shouldn't even be able to swing that thing so easily given that it weighs ten pounds.

After a while, though, he seems to feel a presence and stops his movements, looking around until he locates the man watching him next to a tree. If people are starting to come into the park, he should probably pack his things up and he goes to pick up the scabbard and sheathe the blade.]

[blondferret]

[Stands up a bit straighter when he realizes that the man is packing up.]

Don't pack up on my accord. I was just watching. I had hoped you wouldn't mind since this is a public area.

[toobigtohandle]

It is, yes, but I do try not to make too much of a spectacle of it. That thing is dangerous and I don't want to swing it around hard where some people might get caught.

[The blade is seriously massive. Now that he has sheathed it and if holding is next to himself, it's easy to see it's taller than Kenta, and he's quite tall himself already.]

I usually stop around this time anyway. That's when the joggers start to arrive.

II

[invocate]

[Li-Na is cutting through the park early one Saturday morning when she spots Kenta and his giant sword. She pulls up short, whatever errand she'd been on completely forgotten. Seeing Kenta with a giant sword had not just been a dream! Here he is, swinging around what she is pretty sure is the exact same sword she'd seen in the battle and the shrine.

Not wanting to interrupt, Li-Na ignores the dew on the grass and sits herself down.]

[toobigtohandle]

[Kenta is so absorbed with practicing his swings and slashes that he doesn't immediately notice that there's a bystander, but after a while, he stops and turns in her direction.

People are starting to come in, so he should stop and go home, and he goes to grab his scabbard, but there's something bothering him about her.

She looks... vaguely familiar.]

... Have we met?

[invocate]

Sort of. I think.

[Li-Na tilts her head to the side slightly.]

I had a dream. And you were in it. You and that sword. Taroutachi.

[she doesn't realize that it was actually her invading his dream that time]

[toobigtohandle]

... You know the name of the sword?

[He almost said 'my named', but unlike Jirou he still has a bit of trouble wrapping his head around the whole 'being a sword' concept.]

I think I remember you too. From the dream. You tried to make me feel better about being too big.

III

[lienhearts]

[Theo's shoulders are already hunching up protectively around his face as he sees the scouts come into view. He recognizes this guy; his class is in the same building, and if that's going to be the case...

...

He really doesn't want them coming in here with him. Which is why, as Kenta enters the building, Theo quickly moves to shut the door.]

Sorry, students and staff only.

[Please don't look too closely at his face and also go away.]

[toobigtohandle]

[Kenta looks surprised as the door shuts behind him and the scout ends up trapped outside. Some of them are really into this whole scouting thing and they have followed him into class at least on a few occasions.]

... Thank you. He was being annoyingly persistent.

[lienhearts]

Looked like a real pain in the ass.

[His own words are a dark grumble, already far-cry from the at least matter-of-fact tone he'd used for the scout.]

They just don't leave you alone, huh?

[toobigtohandle]

No, they don't. It's been about six years now, I say no every time, and they keep coming anyway.

[Kenta doesn't even seem to notice the change in tone for now.]

I should remember this trick. Most people won't come into a restricted area. At least I hope they won't.

III

[dandyofawolf]

There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!

[The young Spanish lad comes strolling up with a smile on his face as he actually gets in the way of the person trying to give Kenta the card. He saw this happening on his way to class and knows that the other isn't at all interested. Really it's so rude to keep harassing over something like this.]

Do you happen to have my book for my next class? I'll be needing it shortly.

[Already he's nodding for Kenta to walk with him and use this excuse as a way to get away from the man trying to give him his card.]

[toobigtohandle]

[It takes Kenta just a second before he identifies the face and matches it to a name. He nods back, grateful for the interference and quickly plays along.]

It's in my locker. We can get it on the way.

[And once they are in the building, they can shake off that tail.]

[dandyofawolf]

[Well he can say this bit of trickery has been a resounding success. Biffy smiles cheerfully at him.]

You're a lifesaver! Lead the way!

[He rests his hand on Kenta's back like they're old friends instead of just two people who met once. It helps to sell the act. Of course, because he's terribly pretty, a card is being offered his way too but ignores that in favor of getting Kenta out of here.

Once they're inside, he looks back and lowers his hand.]

That should be better now.

[toobigtohandle]

[Once they're inside, Kenta actually gives a sigh of relief and puts his bag down, rolling his shoulders to try and relax.]

Thanks. I think one of those days I'm going to end up decking one them flat on their back.

ii

[embraves]

[There are times in which Cloud will still take an early morning ride around the city, even on his days off. Sometimes that even means finding places to kill the time and enjoy the morning sun and breeze, the quietness of the city before it begins to kick fully into gear. Today, that place is the park, a place that his younger brother Prompto can swear by — he’s walking along one of the paths, hand in his pockets, gazing around and taking in the scenery. And in the distance…. it’s very difficult to not spot a man with a very long sword.

Curiosity draws him closer, and eventually he’ll just stand nearby and watch wordlessly, not wanting to interrupt.]

[toobigtohandle]

[It takes a bit of time before Kenta feels a presence behind his back, and he finishes his set of movements before turning towards the person who came in.

He thought it was still early, but he may have been here too long. He should probably go before too many people arrive.

He goes to grab his sheath, all red and golden, and sheathes the sword before catching a towel in his bag to wipe his own sweat.]

[embraves]

[It's not until the other begins to pack up all of his things does he realize that maybe lingering and watching could've been a bit... awkward, all things considered.]

Sorry, wasn't trying to make things weird. That's a pretty interesting sword, is all.

general dojo shenanigans | mid-November

[flowrite]

[After being injured during the monster fights in August, and then everything that's come after, Fai hasn't really had much of a chance recently to use those nifty fighting and acrobatic skills he suddenly discovered. And honestly? He's been pretty okay with that. Some people enjoy fighting. Fai... really doesn't.

But even with his friends and his boyfriend to support him, he's a bit stressed out from house hunting and stacks of paperwork dealing with the adoption, and work, and things going wrong with friends, and....

Anyway. He's followed Kenta to the dojo today to get some exercise, and maybe see what he's actually capable of. There wasn't much time for fancy tricks and trying new things out when he was being attacked by monsters all the time. He's wearing a set of soft track pants and an old t-shirt, and he brought his bo staff with him.

For now he'll just stand on the sidelines and watch Kenta spar his bodyguards, though!]

[toobigtohandle]

[They've chosen a time when they know there aren't too many people, since these sparring sessions can get intense and usually involve at least four or five of them going at it.

And boy, are they going at it. There will be bruises by the time they're done. Every once in a while, they stop what they're doing so the bodyguards can explain - in Japanese - how to better make a certain move. Then, they try again.

They finally take a break after about fifteen minutes and Kenta comes near Fai to grab a towel to wipe off his sweat and a bottle of water. He's breathing hard already.]

[flowrite]

[Fai doesn't know a lick of Japanese aside from one very bad (and badly pronounced) pick-up line, but he watches the match with interest--and not just because it's a bunch of brawny Japanese guys, ahem. Partly it's because he's wondering if he can actually do some of that himself, since he's gotten better at this stuff, and partially it's because he's half-afraid that Kenta's going to get hurt. He knows Kenta is good, but that still doesn't stop him from worrying. (It's a mom thing.)

He looks visibly relieved when Kenta wanders back over during the break, and offers the bottle of water up himself.]

Ah, you're doing great! I didn't realize how good you really are!

ii.

[grumpei]

[ A dude swinging a giant sword around like that in public... Junpei's not sure if that's technically illegal, but it certainly seems pretty dangerous. Enough that he feels the need to intervene somewhat. ]

...Hey, uh. Don't you think that's a little dangerous?

[ Yes, that is totally the way an officer should intervene. ]

[toobigtohandle]

[Well, it's definitely dangerous when you all but sneak up on the person swinging the giant sword - or they just didn't notice you before you spoke - and they seem to react faster than expected and you end up with a blade that stops short of actually hitting you by just a few centimeters.]

... Don't do that.

[grumpei]

[ He certainly hadn't been making any attempt to sneak up on Kenta, so the sudden sword in his face is a bit of a shock. He jumps back immediately, hands going up. ]

...Pretty sure that's my line.