02

[asea]

Who: Walter and Tiir
Where: Somewhere over the rainbow in the forest
When: Late morning
Style: Either
Status: Closed

[If it isn't one thing, it's the other. Peace doesn't seem commonplace within the city and, quite frankly, Walter finds the "murder" not worth making such a huge commotion over. It's not like he really cared to begin with.

And though there's no worry of being recognized for what he is, he prefers to be alone. The forest is expansive enough for that. However, the sound of another pair of footsteps nearby dictates that the day for that is not today. If he's aware, then, surely, so is the other of his presence. Before long, they cross paths.

Black hair and black clothes . . . ]

Comments

[asea]

[For the time being, yes. He straightens, losing the stance before pointing at Tiir.]

You initiated the fight, but you've done nothing since then. Why?

[contemptibility]

[He gives a light shrug.]

I was interested in seeing what your capabilities were.

[asea]

. . .

[His hand returns to his side, and he shakes his head.]

No. I will not show you.

[contemptibility]

Oh? That's disappointing.

[He smiles—and then his eyes flash red, which is the only warning Walter gets.

In just moment, he moves in front of Walter, before grabbing his neck and slamming against the nearest tree, hand still around his neck.]

What about now?

[asea]

[He caught it, if only for a second. The red flashing of the man's eyes, which no longer appear blue but darker --

Then the deceptive strength is present again, pinning him against the tree as he struggles to find good footing. His punches would have no effect from this position, and he's practically dangling.

Fine. Two can play that flashing game.

Deciding that the side of the tree trunk would do, he plants his feet against it and drops to a sudden crouch, his left hand working against Tiir's grip to maintain some semblance of breathing as his right fist goes in for a quick uppercut to the chest. At the same time, his nails glow, signifying the increase of force and speed in the punch.]

[contemptibility]

[At this proximity, Tiir doesn't have time to dodge, and so is knocked back at the punch connects, forcing him to let go of Walter. Once he recovers, he jumps back to put some distance between them.

After catching his breath, he smiles.]

Not bad.

[asea]

[Walter rolls back onto his feet when Tiir's abrupt absence leaves him falling forward, coughing once to clear his aching throat.

Talking just a moment ago cost him, so he's not about to do that again. Without missing a beat, he launches himself off the ground, straight at Tiir for two consecutive side kicks. Better than before, now, with his eres in action.]

[contemptibility]

[Ah, he's getting serious now. This should be interesting.

Tiir moves to the side to evade, before using the momentum to spin on his heel and aim for Walter's head, with the intention of flinging him at the tree again.]

[asea]

[It's perhaps by some stroke of luck that Walter falls into old habits and drops to one knee after the last kick, narrowly avoiding the grab as he twists on his toes to go for a left jab in Tiir's stomach.]

[contemptibility]

[Fortunately, when his attack misses, Tiir's instincts are enough to get him to jump back, avoiding the jab.

Now that there's some distance between him and Walter, he doesn't move for another attack, instead trying to decide his next move.]

[asea]

[Pulling his arm back, the glow of his nails fades. But not for long; as soon as he's up and gauging the distance, Walter sprints straight ahead. Once in close proximity, he angles his hands with his palms facing Tiir when a compact black burst shoots out from them.

It's a smaller manifestation of his teriques, but it would vanish as soon as it hits something, even the ground, thus providing a poor and short-lived view of its form.]

[contemptibility]

[Tiir reacts too slowly to dodge—but it doesn't matter either way, as the attack disappears as it makes contact.

... Strange, though. He's fairly certain that his body didn't absorb it, so what was that...?]

Ah...

[Still, after a moment of hesitation, he decides to ignore it and lunges forward, aiming to grab Walter's neck this time.]

[asea]

[ . . . That wasn't supposed to happen.

As the teriques vanishes upon contact, a strange feeling comes down upon him. It'd retreated because there was something off about the body it was attempting to attack. As if it were being pulled in . . .

That's ridiculous. What can do that to a teriques?

In the midst of his shock, he only manages to take one step back, lessening the impact of Tiir's grip but still getting caught regardless. Snapping out of his thoughts, his hands fly up to pull down the hand choking him for breathing space as he instinctively gasps.]

[contemptibility]

[He smiles as his hand doesn't budge.]

Well, that was interesting. However, if that's the extent of your abilities...

[His grip tightens—slightly, as a warning, as his eyes glow red.]

Need I remind you of how this started?

[asea]

[Despite the vehemence of his desire to protest, he can't talk (much) with the increasing lack of oxygen, and with the determination that he won't divulge more of his abilities -- magic is just that much rarer in land folk, isn't it? -- his nails fade back to normal.

The eyes. They're red. No, the glow is red. Same difference.

How hateful.

He glares back.]

[contemptibility]

[It really is a pity. It'd be so easy to kill him like this—to strangle him or break his neck—considering the fragility of humans.

... But he can't.]

Hmm... I suppose I do.

[And for a third time, he throws Walter against a tree, albeit with a bit more force this time.]

[asea]

[He doesn't -- can't -- make a sound when his back hits the tree again, because that much more force is enough to knock the remaining wind out of him. Walter drops to the ground on his hands and knees, coughing.

This fight is severely unbalanced, even one-on-one. Granted, neither of them has obviously yet to use his full power, but . . .

That's not fair -- ]

[contemptibility]

[Meanwhile, Tiir continues to smile—the perfect picture of nonchalance, were it not for the edge in his expression.]

Allow me to repeat myself: I don't appreciate it when people mistreat my friends.

[asea]

[Staring at the ground as he steadies his breathing, Tiir's words are loud and clear. And irritating. He's already heard this. He's heard it many times in other ways. Everyone is always so protective of their friends.

Which is fine with him because it's not his business, but right now, it is.]

. . .

[contemptibility]

[...]

If you don't understand, I'd be happy to reinforce what I mean.

[asea]

. . . Then keep your distance.

[Their interests might happily coincide.

Not on the girl's watch, apparently.]

[contemptibility]

... As much as I would prefer that Guriko and you never speak again, I'm afraid I can't dictate her actions. As, unfortunately, I can't simply dispose of you, I would ask that you repay her kindness.

[asea]

. . . Kindness?

[Was it kindness that had prompted her to act as she had on numerous occasions, or did she have an ulterior motive? Of course she'd have an ulterior motive. At the same time, she's no longer human, or so she claimed. She's no longer the typical orerines.

But not like she can stop being an orerines, right?]

I cannot trust . . .

[He trails off, shaking his head.]

[contemptibility]

[... Heh.

At that, he laughs.]

You can't trust humans?

[asea]

[The laughter falls on deaf ears.

No. Ferines are human beings. He can trust them. But Orerines also dreadfully share that classification, so at the very least, with that in mind . . .

Walter's silence can be taken as affirmation.]