18 Mar 2022, 01:04
Retribution
Narumi's seriousness seemed to drop as he celebrated upon hearing Akira call him by his given name by accident. Of course, all that talk was just a facade, wasn't it? How could Akira possibly have believed he was actually that serious, even for a moment? This boy was so different from the one he had known before -- one who had once taken his studies seriously, and knew how to focus. Now, he was simply an out of control freak.
Of course, Akira would never admit to himself that he had appreciated Chikao's bouts of mischief when they were younger... somehow, the boy's cheeky smile seemed to lighten the mood whenever Akira found himself suffering the disappointment of a less-than-perfect score. No, he could never admit that now, even to himself.
Was Narumi seriously telling Akira that it was better to be a slacking sloth? ”I'm not like you, Narumi-San. I don’t wander around aimlessly, squandering my talents. I have goals in mind, places to go, and responsibilities to shoulder, and you’d never understand that,” he said, thinking about his family’s legacy, which was up to him, the first son, to inherit and uphold. A sloth like Narumi who did not have the weight of generations of expectations pinned upon him could never understand what that felt like.
"You've already walked into the palm of my hand Akira." At these words, Akira fumed, mustering his anger and transferring his will into arcane power. "Incendio!" he whispered rapidly, and with the incantation as his matchstick, flames shot forth, still managing to snag onto Narumi's robes as his opponent attempted to evade the attack. "First blood," he uttered -- more to himself than to anyone else, satisfied that he had drawn damage ahead of his opponent, almost like a badge of achievement. Oh, how it made the adrenaline rush through his veins, to be able to draw damage first. It was about time to start the show after their slow start of too much clownery, and he could feel his rage boiling. While others may be hesitant to cast the Fire-Making Spell at the risk of seeming psychotic, Akira showed no hesitation when using this spell. It was within the rules, no? Even if it caused more pain and distress than most other spells. It was everything that Narumi wholly deserved.
To his surprise, a massive last sneeze made Narumi's wand swing off-stage... towards Hitoshi-senpai. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You out-of-control freak!" Akira shouted, glaring at this imbecile, who dared to make such a mistake. "Just how bad can your concentration be? You're an utter embarrassment to our year! No wonder I hate letting people know that we used to be friends," he spat venomously. Those were words meant to hurt, but were not necessarily true. "Hitoshi-senpai, are you okay? Should we stop for a break?" he asked, concerned for his upperclassman, ready to help out if he needed assistance or a break from moderation. He knew that the spell was probably nothing to their senpai, who had certainly braved much worse than an 11-year-old's measly Dancing Feet Spell, but it didn't mean that any careless duelist should be easily forgiven for forcing their mistakes on him.
The irritating clown in question only seemed to laugh and chant a ridiculous song that he seemingly made up, even making fun of Hitoshi-senpai. Why Narumi was so obsessed with Akira saying a bygone name of their friendship was beyond him. "You're just trying to dig your claws in deeper, aren't you, Narumi?" he said darkly. Of course, Narumi was only dangling the memory of their friendship in front of him, trying to lead him on like a dog with a bone he could never chew again, taking joy in his suffering as Akira was reminded how he was cast aside so easily as an old friend. "I would just prefer it if you simply shut up and disappeared. And I'm serious, alright." No, he didn't need to have fun. He needed vengeance.
Action: As strategized
@Dan Palmer as Hadashi Hitoshi, @Hunter Argentum as Chikao Narumi
[Akira Shimizu]
100% HP (600/600)
Damage: None
Adjusted Stats: None
STA: 6 | EVA: 8 | STR: 1 | WIS: 7 | ARC: 5 | ACC: 8
Ability: Perfectionist
19 Mar 2022, 16:12
Retribution
It was just getting worse... Hadashi hoped this would end up being salvageable at all.
He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Chikao's garbage aim sending a spell his way. Before he knew what was happening, he had slight pain, and his legs were jerking about uncontrollably.
Hadashi, despite slight jumpscare panic in the beginning, readied his wand and pointed down.
"Finite Incantatem."
Upon success (I rolled before this post), he looked up at the sound of Narumi-kun's laughter. His trash ass aim had caused a spell to hit a judge, and then he had the gall to laugh at him and then MOCK him?!
Chikao Narumi was INDESCRIBABLY lucky that he was in a duel. Or else Hadashi would have shown him what REAL dueling spells were like.
Hadashi's gaze was ice, aimed to pierce right into Narumi's soul. His tone was low and threatening. A tone his opponents in duels feared to hear, as it signified that Hadashi was well and truly pissed.
"Narumi-kun. After your punishment, I think I will add something else to the end. Look forward to it."
If Narumi-kun wanted to laugh at him, Hadashi would give the little gaki something to laugh about.
He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Chikao's garbage aim sending a spell his way. Before he knew what was happening, he had slight pain, and his legs were jerking about uncontrollably.
Hadashi, despite slight jumpscare panic in the beginning, readied his wand and pointed down.
"Finite Incantatem."
Upon success (I rolled before this post), he looked up at the sound of Narumi-kun's laughter. His trash ass aim had caused a spell to hit a judge, and then he had the gall to laugh at him and then MOCK him?!
Chikao Narumi was INDESCRIBABLY lucky that he was in a duel. Or else Hadashi would have shown him what REAL dueling spells were like.
Hadashi's gaze was ice, aimed to pierce right into Narumi's soul. His tone was low and threatening. A tone his opponents in duels feared to hear, as it signified that Hadashi was well and truly pissed.
"Narumi-kun. After your punishment, I think I will add something else to the end. Look forward to it."
If Narumi-kun wanted to laugh at him, Hadashi would give the little gaki something to laugh about.
Hadashi used Finite Incantatem, because SOMEBODY can't bloody aim properly. (DC=9)
12+13=25. Hadashi succeeds! By like a lot.
Narumi... May the gods have mercy, because I sure as hell won't.
Akira Shimizu uses another Sneezing Hex (DC=9)! I'm... starting to see a pattern here.
Aaaaaand his wisdom IS: 5+7=12! It succeeds!
And now, his accuracy: 14+8=22 vs Chikao Narumi's evasion: 6+0=6!
And Akira Shimizu's sneezing spell hits again! More sneezing for Narumi!
And now Chikao Narumi attempts the same spell for the third time in a row!... Speaking of patterns... Tarantellegra! (DC=9)
His wisdom iiiiiis: (drumroll sounds)7+9+10%(CL)=18! The spell succeeds!
Now.... for the moment of truth! Will it actually hit his intended target this time?! WILL IT?!?!
Chikao Narumi's accuracy: 7+18=25 vs 19+8=27!
And Akira Dodges again! Even with an amazing 18 roll from Narumi, Shimizu just one-ups him!
And finally, Chikao Narumi takes 20 burn damage!
Final standings:
Akira Shimizu is still pristine as ever at 600/600 hp and no debuffs!
Chikao Narumi is at 930/1000 hp, is on fire for another round to take 20 more damage, and has -4 wisdom and -2 accuracy for 2 rounds!
20 Mar 2022, 04:23
Retribution
93% HP: 930/1000
Evasion: 0
Strength: 10
Wisdom: 7 +10% (-4) [2 rounds]
ArcPower: 1
Accuracy: 7 (-2) [2 rounds]
Satus: On Fire (-20 dmaage) [1 round]
Chikao always had something to look forward toward, and he greeted the future with a smile no matter what it held. Attempting to have Akira join in on the fun dancing that Chikao had shared with Hitoshi-senpai, his spine slightly shivered as he began to recall that the person he was laughing and had casted the spell at was in fact none other than Hitoshi-senpai. The slight chill caused Chikao to barely miss by a fraction, but luckily the flames on his body thawed out the slight fear overcoming the young boy. Even though the burning fires made Chikao flinch from slight pain, it wasn't something he was too worried about. They were slowly getting weaker, and with a few pats, some had gone out. Chikao had to focus on the present, not the future, and what it held for him. Even if his future was in the hands of someone like Hitoshi-senpai.
Having been slightly distracted by flames and frozen of realization, Chikao was hit and dragged back down into another sneezing frenzy. With each sneeze, came a slight feeling of annoyance. Chikao let out a slight sigh, that swiftly was pushed into a sneeze.
Chikao's eyes shifted towards Akira and gave thought to what he said. It was humiliating for Chikao to be seen in a sneezing fit, to be on fire, and has yet to land a single hit on Akira. Was he really giving it his all? Of course not, but Chikao couldn't even tell when he was being serious. Being serious was only necessary for certain situations, and to Chikao, this duel wasn't one of them. He would try to win, for Shamsi-sans and Ohashi-sans sake. However, perhaps it was also for Akira as well. The venom that flew out of the boy's mouth through the words he said stung more than the fires that slightly burned Chikaos skin. Whatever Hitoshi-senpai had planned wouldn't be able to amount to what Akira said.
Chikao sneezed and sneezed. He wondered if his humiliating state was satisfying to the eyes of Akira and Hitoshi-senpai. To be called a freak? So what, Chikao was called worse. The issue was perhaps he was sleeping too much, or too little? He could already see Akira resembling more and more like all the other blue-robes who mocked them. Chikao was upset to know his friend had fallen this deep. Was is it his own fault? Chikao wondered as the term "responsibilities" rang in his ears for a bit. Perhaps he was responsible, and his reckless behavior had consequences that affected everyone around him. With more sneezes, he decided to comply with Akira for once. Wand up, and slight regret with more sneezes. Chikao didn't utter a word, except for a few more sneezes before his next cast.
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
21 Mar 2022, 13:51
Retribution
Of course, he wouldn't have to worry about Hitoshi-senpai. The senior duelist skillfully doused the Dancing Feet Spell with Finite Incantatem, and the dancing stopped. The speed with which the mistake was corrected did nothing to quell his annoyance with Narumi, however. The boy and his crazy antics were ever so exasperating, especially when one was on the receiving end, instead of being partners in it together. Indeed, Akira had shared a few amused smiles and covered laughs in the days of old, when Chikao's jokes would be directed at any of their cut-throat navy-robed peers...
But, of course, now was not the right time to be feeling nostalgic.
He shot a Sneezing Hex in Narumi's direction, and watched in satisfaction as it struck his victim, bending him over in sneezes for the second time. Yes, Akira was here to deliberately debilitate his opponent. When he was on the dueling piste, one had to be of single-minded focus. No mercy, no pity. No nostalgia, no regrets. None of that was allowed. The sparks of a Dancing Feet Spell was shot his way, but he reacted quickly, carefully and narrowly evading the spell, feeling his heart beat against his chest at how close that was. "Well, it seems your aim is getting better, Narumi-san," he said. "But not quite enough."
He was surprised by how quiet this round was: No more jeering, no more singing, no more Giant. His opponent was exceedingly quiet, and it was not what Akira had expected. He had fully expected more taunting from Narumi, or at least anger-filled words whose barbs were aimed to sting in response to the venom he had just spewed. Was Narumi actually switching tracks and focusing his energies towards this duel, now? Was he actually hurt by what Akira had just said, and had decided he no longer wanted to be a part of this war of words and malice?
"So, are you actually listening to me, now? That's a first in over a year." Akira's eyes narrowed in thought. Why wasn't Narumi biting? A part of Akira wanted Narumi to be angry, to be yelling, to want to hurt him with his words. Akira, as much as he was one to pent up and redirect his emotions in order to achieve a state of perceived calm, needed an outlet somehow, somewhere. And the confusing emotions around his lost friendship had been bottled up for too long, craving release. But he was now being denied that outlet, when faced with a wall of Narumi's silence. Akira wanted Narumi to be malicious, so he could justify hating the boy and turn his own sadness into anger.
Because sadness over a lost friendship was much worse. Only anger and hatred could cover those wounds, and make him forget the pain that came with any sadness and nostalgia: If he hated Chikao, the pain of losing him would be less.
He had to do something to prod the bear. Anything.
Action: As strategized
@Dan Palmer as Hadashi Hitoshi, @Hunter Argentum as Chikao Narumi
[Akira Shimizu]
100% HP (600/600)
Damage: None
Adjusted Stats: None
STA: 6 | EVA: 8 | STR: 1 | WIS: 7 | ARC: 5 | ACC: 8
Ability: Perfectionist
25 Mar 2022, 15:10
Retribution
To Hadashi's surprise, Narumi had stopped talking. He didn't know if this was good or bad. Good in that maybe he wouldn't make the situation worse by being snarky, but also talking things out was the fastest way to fix emotional problems.
That was to say nothing of the emotions behind the newfound silence. This was like the closed eyes character in an anime or manga suddenly opening them. Things could rapidly deteriorate if left alone like this.
Shimizu-kun was also taking note of Narumi's sudden silence. And, given the face and body language, he wasn't happy about it. He spoke twice, attempting to get a reaction from Narumi, and got nothing.
Hadashi looked at Narumi carefully, studying his face. He appeared to be lost in thought, and concentration. At least he was taking the duel seriously.
Then, all at once, a single thought hit Hadashi like a bullet train.
Why had Narumi actually requested this duel?
Shimizu-kun was a duelist. Narumi had to know he had little hope of winning... Was he working an angle?
Hadashi highly doubted that he was doing this just for Shamsi-kun. Especially after the dialogue between the two hadn't so much as mentioned him.
This was certainly something he would have to ask Narumi-kun later.
That was to say nothing of the emotions behind the newfound silence. This was like the closed eyes character in an anime or manga suddenly opening them. Things could rapidly deteriorate if left alone like this.
Shimizu-kun was also taking note of Narumi's sudden silence. And, given the face and body language, he wasn't happy about it. He spoke twice, attempting to get a reaction from Narumi, and got nothing.
Hadashi looked at Narumi carefully, studying his face. He appeared to be lost in thought, and concentration. At least he was taking the duel seriously.
Then, all at once, a single thought hit Hadashi like a bullet train.
Why had Narumi actually requested this duel?
Shimizu-kun was a duelist. Narumi had to know he had little hope of winning... Was he working an angle?
Hadashi highly doubted that he was doing this just for Shamsi-kun. Especially after the dialogue between the two hadn't so much as mentioned him.
This was certainly something he would have to ask Narumi-kun later.
And here we are again, boys and.... no, just boys are present here, alright then!
And so, Akira Shimizu attacked with Flipendo!
5+7=12! His spell succeeds!
Now. To Battle!!
Shimizu's Accuracy: 14+8=22 vs Narumi's Evasion: 2+0=2
....
Shimizu lands the hit! Narumi takes 150 damage!
And now, Part 2! Chikao Narumi used Flipendo as well!
But, is he smart enough?
12+7-4+10%=17 (rounded up)!
Yes! He is!
And now, the battle of Accuracy vs Evasion! Will Narumi FINALLY land something?!
Chikao Narumi's Accuracy: 3+7-2=8 (oof) vs Akira Shimizu's evasion: 7+8=15!
No. No he wont.
Shimizu dodges! Again.
I am running out of dodge gifs.
Chikao Narumi is hurt by its burn! -20 hp!
Final standings:
Akira Shimizu: Pristine. Perfect. Max hp. No debuffs. Still.
Chikao Narumi: 780/1000 hp. No longer on fire. -4 wisdom, and -2 accuracy for one more round.
28 Mar 2022, 21:38
Retribution
With a quick hook movement of his wand, and the muttered incantation, he sent a Knockback Jinx in Narumi's direction, watching with satisfaction as the spell hit and sent the boy backwards a few steps. Narumi sent the same spell back towards him, and he pivoted away from the attack. It seemed that the Sneezing Hex was really affecting his opponent and his ability to produce well-aimed spells. With some amusement, Akira noted that his strategy was working.
However, he couldn't help feeling that it was a bit odd for Narumi to be quiet for so long. Was the boy upset by Akira's words, and no longer wanted to join in on the battle of venomous words? Or was the boy finally deciding to focus on the duel in order to prove something to himself and others? Akira knew that dueling wasn't Narumi's strong suit as a quidditch player, but it wouldn't surprise Akira if Narumi landed some damage towards the end, after finding his ground. In his mind, he noted to himself that if Narumi managed to hit him at all, he would give the boy some credit. It was certainly a feat for the lavender-robed boy to dare going up against a duelist like Akira in the first place. Akira's eyes shifted towards the clock on the wall. It was half-time already, and Narumi hadn't managed to land a hit yet. If it were Akira, he would be panicking right now, but Chikao Narumi never panicked.
Something must be going on in that boy's mind. But what was it? If only he could hear his opponent's thoughts.
Akira had no doubt that a hit from Narumi would hurt him more than Akira's attacks hurt Narumi. The boy was strong and sturdy, like a bear. There was no way Akira could beat him using brute strength. The best way he could have a chance against Narumi was if the boy never struck him at all.
Now, what should he do next? Akira felt a twinge of guilt in his chest at the next spell he was going to cast, but he reminded himself to be merciless. Pushing aside any empathy, he raised his wand at his former friend.
Action: As strategized
@Dan Palmer as Hadashi Hitoshi, @Hunter Argentum as Chikao Narumi
[Akira Shimizu]
100% HP (600/600)
Damage: None
Adjusted Stats: None
STA: 6 | EVA: 8 | STR: 1 | WIS: 7 | ARC: 5 | ACC: 8
Ability: Perfectionist
29 Mar 2022, 06:22
Retribution
Chikao patted the last of the fire away. Only a few minor burns to his robes, and it barely felt that serious. A couple of hits already, and the incoming flipendo that landed on him didn't feel much different. Of course, it took a bit of wind out of him, but he could handle a hundred more of Akira's flipendo's if he wanted. The issue wasn't the physical battle, it was more of the mental psyche going through Chikao at the moment. Another miss came out of his wand, and he had yet to land a single attack on Akira. Chikao wondered if he missed because of the onslaught of sneezes, or if there was more to it than he thought. He placed his hand on his chin and gave a sincere thought to it.78% HP: 780/1000
Evasion: 0
Strength: 10
Wisdom: 7 (-4) [1 round]
ArcPower: 1
Accuracy: 7 (-2) [1 round]
To others, he probably seemed serious now, especially since he was no longer talking back. Chikao thought back to all the moments before and during this duel and wondered if he held any respect for the two blue-navy-robed individuals standing with him. Of course, Chikao always felt respect for anyone no matter how they treated him. Whether Akira blasted him with a couple more attacks, or Hitoshi-senpai had him go through the most intense and inhumane punishments, Chikao wouldn't lose respect for either of them or hold a grudge. That's because they held true to what they wanted, they were true to themselves and others. The question now, was how true was Chikao being with himself? His gaze turned towards the floor, not looking back at Akira or Hitoshi-senpai. A few minor grumbles beneath his breath, that even if someone was to hear him they wouldn't understand his words of the giant tongue. Was Chikao being true to himself? Was he really enjoying this duel? Of course, he was because he hadn't hurt his friend yet.
Chikao lifted his wand at Akira and noticed his hand shook a little, a slight feeling of hesitation could be felt between his fingers. He slightly shifted the wand at Hitoshi-senpai, and swiftly moved it back down as he felt his grip tighten when it pointed away from Akira (and also so Hitoshi-senpai wouldn't get the wrong idea that Chikao was about to cast at him again). Chikao sighed, tapped his feet a bit, and whispered a bit more. He already knew he wasn't going to win this in the best of situations, but he had more than just one reason to have this duel. Voice still kept shut, he looked up to finally meet Akira's bitter gaze. Akira's wand was back up, prepared for the next cast. Chikao calculated that about half of the time for the duel was most likely already up, and was slightly disappointed that the fun was basically half over.
Chikao met Akira's gaze and gave him a smile, "Oi, Akira. I'm feeling bored, hurry up and knock me down. You're doing that bad habit again, your wand is slightly off by... I'd say 10 degrees? I thought we got rid of that bad habit of yours. Guess you no longer wanting to be friends brought back that bad habit. Try again, this time more perfection, right?" Chikao stretched his arms and slightly yawned.
Chikao and Akira always discussed strategy and always improved one another skills. Always making comments about each other's stances, and always helping each other become better than what they were. Even in the midst of battle, against an enemy. Chikao was helping Akira in a bitter-tasting situation like this.
Chikao lazily lifted his wand for his next attack, but still wondered if he was willing to attack someone like Akira. They were both missing something, but Chikao couldn't figure out what it was. This duel would provide an answer, an answer he was searching for a while.
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
30 Mar 2022, 16:31
Retribution
And so finally, Chikao spoke again. But he wasn't entirely sure what he was getting at. Was he trying to help Shimizu? Was he trying to goad him? Was he just being petulant?
It was difficult for Hadashi to tell.
He was going on about the minute flaws in Shimizu's technique. While he had also noticed that himself, but 10 degrees was not a big enough deal in a duel between two first years to warrant bringing up. Maybe it WAS a habit, but-
Then Narumi, for a moment, pointed his wand at Hadashi. this caused Hadashi to grip his own. If Narumi tried to INTENTIONALLY cast a spell at him, Hadashi would unleash Hell upon him, duel or no duel.
Oh. He brought up their friendship. Maybe his plan wasn't going to be needed after all. But, he was still going to implement it unless this didn't absolutely resolve their issues.
He did know that it was nearing the time to call the duel, and then call a winner. With his trained eyes, Hadashi was already sure that Shimizu was the winner so far. While Narumi was not very bothered by Shimizu's attacks, the fact that he had sustained damage while Shimizu remained pristine and untouchable was pretty indicative of a winner.
But, Hadashi knew better than to immediately expect it. He'd won plenty enough of duels in the latter half to know that nothing is set in stone this early.
It was difficult for Hadashi to tell.
He was going on about the minute flaws in Shimizu's technique. While he had also noticed that himself, but 10 degrees was not a big enough deal in a duel between two first years to warrant bringing up. Maybe it WAS a habit, but-
Then Narumi, for a moment, pointed his wand at Hadashi. this caused Hadashi to grip his own. If Narumi tried to INTENTIONALLY cast a spell at him, Hadashi would unleash Hell upon him, duel or no duel.
Oh. He brought up their friendship. Maybe his plan wasn't going to be needed after all. But, he was still going to implement it unless this didn't absolutely resolve their issues.
He did know that it was nearing the time to call the duel, and then call a winner. With his trained eyes, Hadashi was already sure that Shimizu was the winner so far. While Narumi was not very bothered by Shimizu's attacks, the fact that he had sustained damage while Shimizu remained pristine and untouchable was pretty indicative of a winner.
But, Hadashi knew better than to immediately expect it. He'd won plenty enough of duels in the latter half to know that nothing is set in stone this early.
Dawn of the Sixth Round.
4 Rounds Remain
Akira Shimizu casts Incendio!
10+7=17! The spell succeeds!
Only one thing to do now boys and.... more boys.
Akira Shimizu's Accuracy: 8+2=10 vs Chikao Narumi's Evasion: 10+0=10
..........................................................
Its an impaired hit.... Again. With the same spell..... from the same person....
-_-
50+5x10= 100/2= 50! 50 total damage to Chikao Narumi!
Yes I copy/pasted that. Sue me.
Does Narumi catch on fire this time?
[d6 : 4] In the end, the result was: 4.
Yes he does. For one round. So, next turn, Narumi will take an additional 20 damage!
Narumi... maybe change your cologne or deodorant type. What you're wearing now has managed to defy physics and caught on fire twice on the same application.
And now it's Narumi's turn! How will he respond to the exact same scenario from before?
Oooooh, he casts the Curse of the Bogies!
Somewhere, a barefooted Irish boy named Dan Palmer is suddenly seething with rage for reasons he can't identify, and that he has long forgotten.
Now, will Narumi's use of the Booger Curse, that which was, in the Dueling beta, the most unfairly broken-ass OP garbage spell that only Ravenclaws WITH NO SKILLS IN DUELING OR LIFE USED-
*ahem*
clench him a comeback?
I would put a gif here, but anything involving what this spell entails is disgusting, so that is a hard pass.
17+7-4+10%=22
The spell succeeds! Actually kind of impressed... thats one of the harsher 1st year spells to get right.
And now, the moment I've all been waiting for....
Will Chikao Narumi Finally land a hit? Place your bets now!
Chikao Narumi's Accuracy: 6+7-2=11 vs Akira Shimizu's Evasion: 12+8=20!
Shimizu dodges! the Mod wins the pot! ALL YOUR MONEY IS MINE!
Final standings:
Akira Shimizu: Full health. No debuffs. Wand pointed 10 degrees the wrong way.
Chikao Narumi: 730/1000 hp. No longer sneezing. On fire again. Will take 20 damage next turn. Smells of burning clothing.
31 Mar 2022, 15:54
Retribution
Narumi was bored? Tch, that was so like him. Always moving on to the next friend thing, like how he got bored of Akira? Was that why he turned and actually aimed his wand at Hitoshi-senpai, to change this duel into a two-against-one? His breath caught for a second when he saw Narumi's wand swing towards the upperclassman for a second, and Hitoshi-senpai tensed as he should've, but Akira relaxed as the wand swung back to where it should be. This duel was just one emotion after another for Akira, which was so unlike all the other duels and opponents he faced.
'Hurry up and knock him down'? With pleasure, Akira thought bitterly to himself.
However, what Narumi said next about his posture, Akira did not expect at all. The words rang familiar to his ears, but he had never expected to hear them uttered again. Narumi, for all his nonchalant attitude, could focus intently if he committed his mind to it, noticing details that even Akira himself would've missed. They could be details that his dueling coach would've thought to be irrelevant, but only Narumi truly understood Akira's drive for perfection enough to point out something so small. And that darned Narumi was right. Immediately, Akira became hyper-focused on the direction of his wand, adjusting it several degrees to his right to correct his posture.
"Guess you no longer wanting to be friends brought back that bad habit. Try again, this time more perfection, right?" How did this boy know him so well? It irked him that Narumi knew his ins and outs -- what bothered him, how to help him, words that he liked and disliked hearing. He gritted his teeth to fight back the frustration.
And what was that? Narumi said that Akira no longer wanted to be friends, like it was his fault? All the rest of what Narumi said, he could ignore. But this one was impossible, and the resentment came spilling out. "From what I remember, you were the one who didn't want to be friends anymore. Remember, you chose quidditch over studying. How do you think I felt, when I was left in the library studying alone while you had your various practices, matches, and team social events? I had to work extra hard without your help just to keep my grades where they were. There was no way I could make any extra time for you outside of studying, but you chose a different life and you chose your lavender robes, so you no longer wanted to be friends with me," he spat venomously, seething. How could Narumi not see this, plain and simple? In his rage, it was difficult for Akira to see any other side of the story besides his own. If he were to reflect upon their situation from a higher plane, it was obvious that Akira had similarly left Narumi by choosing to focus on his studies instead of cheering on his friend in the quidditch stands, or making time to hang out on the beaches of Iwo Jima.
Now, he simply fixed his wand towards his opponent, preferring to let spells settle their dispute.
Action: As strategized
@Dan Palmer as Hadashi Hitoshi, @Hunter Argentum as Chikao Narumi
[Akira Shimizu]
100% HP (600/600)
Damage: None
Adjusted Stats: None
STA: 6 | EVA: 8 | STR: 1 | WIS: 7 | ARC: 5 | ACC: 8
Ability: Perfectionist
Last edited by Avery Chen on 31 Mar 2022, 23:29, edited 2 times in total.
31 Mar 2022, 23:02
Retribution
73% HP: 730/1000
Evasion: 0
Strength: 10
Wisdom: 7 +10%
ArcPower: 1
Accuracy: 7
Status: On Fire [1]
Another miss, but also a bit of a surprise to Chikao this round. His arm twitched a bit as he casted the "Curse of the bogies" at Akira and had missed once again. Or rather, it was most likely the fact that Akira was just that grand when it came to dueling. Taking the fight seriously, showing little no openings in his form. Chikao was taken a bit aback at the start of this duel when Akira had failed one of his attacks; something he realized rarely occurred. Either way, Chikao missed and learned that the independent variable was most likely related to Akira's skills and not his own. Chikao was testing to see if he was capable of casting a curse at Akira, and it seemed he had enough malice in his head, or heart, to do exactly that. The issue was just the fact that Akira was trained when it came to dodging attacks, although Chikao didn't always see that as a plus.
Unlike Akira, Chikao took hits from spells, punches, kicks, and bludgers head-on. He was more than capable of handling all sorts of attacks unlike the many other students at Mahoutokoro. Even though he was born pure blood, Chikao was taught ways of improving his own stamina and strength. The Magical beasts back at home have always been building up ways to counter magic, but they were rather vulnerable to the most simple of physical captures. Chikao endured a lot in his life, both psychologically and physically. He wasn't going to go down with just a mere couple of spells, and he was certain he'd be standing no matter what Akira did at this point. This is what made Chikao different from Akira when it came to dueling. A Duelist who dodges doesn't endure hits as hard as those who do. Those who dodge don't build a natural feeling or sense of endearment. Chikao barely lifted his arm as the incendio from Akira's wand soon blasted at him like a ball of flames. It landed on his arm, but in similarity to before it only grazed Chikao, and this time the flames were a lot smaller than last time. Again, Chikao paid no mind as the scorching hot brand of magic burned on his robe, "10 degrees Akira, 10 degrees was all it took for the spell to be weaker," Chikao stated, in a voice that sounded lost. It had a tone as if Chikao wasn't speaking to Akira, but rather speaking to a ghost. The same tone one has when they call out to a loved one they lost, or when a muggle believes a ghost is in their presence. A tone that reaches out towards people, but sounds lost as it tries to find them.
Chikao listened to Akira and his venomous words. The seeping fangs of the boy's teeth, and the forked bitter tongue as they spat such things at Chikao. He listened and soon began to grow and realize the pain that Akira must had went through. The joy, the laughter, the comments, and the feelings of power the two held. Chikao's strength, and Akira's magic. The two could have been legends. Chikao never understood Akira's bitterness till now. Perhaps he didn't have a full view or idea, but he at least understood that his friend was in pain. Chikao was filled with sorrow, a painful sorrow that he escaped by meditating, exercising, and ignoring everyone around him. Chikao had to block out the world in order to live with the pain of mockery and loneliness.
However, how could Akira do that? Akira was well known and had to keep his status. Chikao knew Akira couldn't ignore all the blue robes, and that he couldn't block out the world for his own good sake. Also, there was the fact that Akira had a bit of a temper, one that Chikao use to have. Some would say Chikao's temper was a lot worse and he use to be known for being a rather violent person; a bad trait he got from learning about the giant's culture that he accidentally picked up on. Chikao wish he could apologize, but he knew who Akira was. An apology would do nothing at this point.
If anything, Chikao wanted their friendship to continue as he began to become the lavendar-robed boy he was now. However, Chikao wanted to still look out for his friend. The two got enough backlash as blue robes, if anything they would have been criticized and hated more as Chikao began to descend towards his lavender color. Chikao faced more and more mockery, and soon annoying calls of respect from those that thought they were better than him. Chikao believed (and still does) that Akira was able to be relieved of the jealousy of other students. Chikao became the main target as he fell, and he didn't want to drag Akira with him. If they had stayed friends, Akira most likely would have been mocked, disciplined, and degraded by fellow students. Chikao did what he thought was best: to not get in his friend's way.
Still, Chikao wanted to reach out to Akira, and this duel felt like the best way to do so. Dueling was what Akira was, and Chikao wanted to re-live a bit of the nostalgic past they had. Even though Akira told Chikao of the pains he had to endure, Chikao refused to share the pains he had to go through. Chikao was always at a loss and was always in pain from it. He was strong and smart, and yet he didn't know what to do with those skills. He had no goal and still doesn't.
Chikao kept his mouth shut and allowed the poison that Akira yelled to seep in. Chikao took a breath. Their friendship was a dead fireplace, and there was no way they could reignite it. Chikao wish he could, but the burning in his arm made him remember that if they did become friends again, it will end up with someone being burned. Chikao lifted his wand, and still wanted to re-live the past a bit more, "Nice one Akira! Still though, like we discussed you gotta imagine the flames being a lot hotter, otherwise they'll die off too quickly." As if ignoring the things he heard Akira yell, Chikao continued to volley advice.
Action as Strategized
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.