for witchesreign

[forged_miracle]

Ruka could be found in the steaming crucible of the training grounds. His elaborate uniform (a holdover from the school he'd just come from) was stuck to his chest with sweat and he was grinning wide and cocky.

He knew the para-magic he'd been learning would no doubt prove useful, and he would get to practicing it soon enough. But he liked warming up with physical combat first. Nothing quite compared to the cut, the thrust, the staccato back and forth rythm of steel on steel (or in this case steel on ambulatory plantlike creatures that swayed and attempted to wrap him up). It was in these moments of fierce passionate concentration that he believed, contrary to his recent history, that he was alive. His blood raced as he immersed himself, seeking the high only outwitting an opponent could give.

Then something huge punched him in the chest and his vision went alternately red and white, synched with his now spastic heartbeat.

I pushed myself too far...a rookie's mistake. He thought, full of shame as he hit his knees, hand that formerly held a sword grasping at his heart.

Comments

[fighting4afuture]

The training center wasn't too much of a challenge for Trunks, wouldn't have been even if he didn't have the ability to turn into a Super Saiyan. Whenever he went in there, his aim was to test some of the new abilities he was gaining through Garden's curriculum--mostly, what magic he'd picked up. But he always kept his senses open, just in case, and it was for that reason that he caught the fluctuation in another person's energy that probably indicated trouble.

The grat he was fighting was dispatched by a flick of Trunks' sword, and he ran toward the other person's energy.

[forged_miracle]

Ruka looked up through hazy vision. Through the red, Trunks was a big blob of blue. Healthy blue.

"Thank you, i'm fine." He said, struggling to his feet, clearly being a big ol' macho idiot about the whole thing. He'd forgotten to pick up his rapier too.

[fighting4afuture]

"You don't look it. You should get to the infirmary."

Don't make him sling you over his shoulder and walk you there himself, Ruka. He doesn't even know you, but he'll do it.

[forged_miracle]

Ruka stooped to pick the rapier up and sheath it. This set off another wave of dizziness, causing him to stagger. He smiled a little weakly.

"I suppose I should. And who are you, good samaritan?"

[fighting4afuture]

"My name is Trunks."

Not that he thinks this is really the time for introductions.

"Here, I'll help you."

Not that he thinks you can't make it on your own, oh no. Not that at all. He's just going to offer a shoulder to lean on, on the way there.

[forged_miracle]

"I'm Ruka Tsuchiya. Thank you."

He leans on trunks, perhaps a little flirtatiously. Already he's developed a bit of a reputation as a playboy, so if Trunks has heard of him, he may not be surprised.

"And how did you know I needed help? I didn't see anyone nearby when I engaged those creatures.

[fighting4afuture]

Trunks just nods--he doesn't really listen to gossip and is fairly oblivious to flirtation. His mind is generally elsewhere, after all.

"I can sense energy. I always keep my senses open in here, just in case." It's useful for letting him know if things are trying to sneak up on him, too, if somehow he doesn't hear them coming--he never gets ambushed. "I felt yours change."

[forged_miracle]

"What a useful talent..." Ruka says as they hobble away. He means it too. He could do quite a bit with that. Akio's sex level was off the scale, after all. "So a person's...aura?...looks different to you depending on the condition their body is in."

[fighting4afuture]

"More or less." It's not really a sight thing, more of just a sixth sense, but it's a close enough comparison that he's not going to bother with a correction.

"It also makes me rather hard to sneak up on. Speaking of which, we should probably detour, unless you feel up to dealing with some monsters."

[forged_miracle]

Another rueful smirk. "Normally i'd say yes but...Anyway, what can you tell about a person with that?"

Hard to sneak up on...I'll have to adjust to that military mindset. I'll be going out into battle soon, not just a dueling game.

[fighting4afuture]

Trunks leads them away from the grat ambush then, cutting a wide berth around the creatures. "Mostly how far away someone is, if they're fighting or at rest, if something is generally wrong...if I'm familiar with the person's energy, I can also tell if who I'm sensing is them or not. I would say I could also generally get a feel for how powerful someone is, but I don't seem to be able to detect any magic or junctions." Therefore, his senses are all skewed.

[forged_miracle]

"And how about if they're engaged in other strenuous activities?" Poor Trunks will probably not get that one either. The laviscous grin is there regardless. "Was this something you were born with?"

[fighting4afuture]

Either that or he'll choose to ignore it entirely. He might've caught on to that one more than you think.

"It depends. And no. It was something I had to learn."

[forged_miracle]

Now he's interested, oh yes. "I hate to impose on your kindness more, but can you teach me how?" They limp along, nearing the medical office.

[fighting4afuture]

"...I could try."

He's never been much of a teacher, but he doesn't see any reason to say no.

[forged_miracle]

And there they are at the door of the nurse's office. Ruka reluctantly disentangles himself (hey, Trunks is kinda cute). "And once again I am in your debt then. If there's anything you may wish of me...say, for instance, to learn to fight with a sword...you need only ask it."

[fighting4afuture]

(Why does everyone think that :|)

Trunks ducks away slightly, helping the disentanglement process. "Thanks for the offer."

He's not going to say he already knows how to fight with a sword. He might be in the classes for it, but hey--he had to pick a specialty somewhere, and he's pretty sure choosing martial arts would end up with him punching someone through a wall accidentally.

[forged_miracle]

(Because he is the most moe in DBZ!)

"Until then, ciao." And he ducks into the nurse's office, there to be scolded by the doctor on duty.

Hey Hedge! It's Ammy

[y_so_standard]

623 had yet to really venture deep into the Training Center, being unused to having to work alone and not having made very many 'friends' yet, he was still being careful. And well, he'd managed to find someone who was willing to sell a 12 year old a machine gun and wanted to test it out.

However he is not unkind, and when he sees someone obviously not exactly the most alert in this jungle, he'll go over to investigate.

"Hello? Are you alright?" He asked, after drawing away the ugly thing that was attacking the guy.

hi!

[forged_miracle]

Ruka's vision slowly cleared and he managed to stagger to his feet. He sheathed his sword and regarded the newcomer.

A child. What was a child doing in a place like this? He had a sinking feeling he knew. The boy was another recruit, of course, being groomed for a life as a mercenary. After Ohtori, that didn't sit completely right with him.

"It's...nothing." He said, still a little short of breath.

[y_so_standard]

To be fair, this 'boy' was already a mercenary pretty much in his home world. A created soldier, that gets really confused when people think it's strange. He chooses to stay here because it's close to what he knows.

"Are you sure? You don't look so good."

[forged_miracle]

A created thing...Ruka can't deny that he's known a few of those. Suspects, in his more paranoid moments, that he might be one himself.

He waves the concern away. He has enough pride to not ask for help from a kid. Unsteadily standing, he looks down at him (he's pretty tall). "I recently got out of the hospital. I have to remember that I can't push myself at my former level."

[y_so_standard]

Everyone (except a certain brightly coloured chameleon) is quite a bit taller then 623, considering he's 12 and hasn't hit the growth spurt that will take him to the towering height of 6'3.

"I understand, it's hard to remember that you are still not quite right for a while after treatment. Maybe you should go back and rest."

[forged_miracle]

Still, the men of Ohtori Academy (except Miki) all seem to naturally tower, with fabulously long, coltlike legs. Sounds like he'd fit right in.

Ah wonderful. From champion of the dueling game to being scolded by a child. This part wasn't in the brochure about the world revolution.

"Yes, that would probably be for the best. And what's your name, good samaritan?"

[y_so_standard]

Oh for the age of neo-shoujo.

"I'm 623 sir. I've never seen a blade like that out side of a book, you must be very good with it to get this far with it." He is however, impressed with Ruka's weapon, eying it curiously.

[forged_miracle]

Oh brave new world that has such bishies in it...

Ruka's eyebrows shot up.

"You've really never seen a real sword? Well, I used to be the fencing coach at my old academy and I fought in a few duels."

[y_so_standard]

"So that's a foil then?" He's seen a broadsword, and maybe a katana once, but not anything like Ruka's. Too impractical for the space faring universe he comes from. Blade users are archaic there.

"That's pretty impressive."

[forged_miracle]

Ruka chuckles, shakes his head (causing that mutant forelock of his to bob).

"Close. This is a saber. A foil is basically a flexible rod with a guard and pommel, used only for sport. It would not be much more effective than bare fists against these grats. A saber is sharp though and the tip is pointed, making it an effective stabbing weapon."

He holds it out.

"Would you like to try it?"

[y_so_standard]

Coming from a world with sparkly robots, and spaceships, and people who have weird hair, kind of makes that mutant forelock something rather par for the course for the little guy.

"Oh, I see." 623 looks at the weapon for a moment, and then back up to Ruka.

"I would if you don't mind."

[forged_miracle]

He opens his hand, carefully supporting the blade on his hand. "Do be careful. This isn't a toy."

[y_so_standard]

623 nodded and slowly took the blade by its hilt, being very careful to take it with out accidentally hurting Ruka. His form sucks, considering he was trained with a gun instead of a sword, but he doesn't seem to have trouble dealing with the balance or the weight of the weapon.

"Oh, it's lighter then I was expecting."