Private a project of shooting stars

[Akane Kiseki]

A dry swallow.

Kiseki, bruises from their training healed only to the lightest shades with the imprint of their effort remaining, knuckled the edges of his desk. Tension lingered, his body primed as if his ears could lay back to his head in contemplation of fight or flight. It wasn't a question, really - you can't fly away with wings so easily scorched - but the promise of the 'fight' demanded such consideration. It was an inevitability. It always was, whether further fate intervened or not. That red string of destiny, so bound with deep marks across his skin, had already laid the path to this peak in beckoning stone and a tug along his arm. A staircase to the sun. How far before your legs give out?

He lifted himself, still. It was slow and uneven and ages past in seconds, a million thoughts in a million skies like stars apathetic to his wishes.

He couldn't, in that moment, even begin to wonder what Ichika was thinking when Proctor explained that their lesson for today was a sparring match with a peer to follow up the previous exercise. Now that time had passed and the work had set in to young muscles, it was time for them to apply their previous team on one experience into a true one on one: an unlikely match in the real world, but a very important one to be prepared for. There were rules in place, of course, top of which was no aiming towards vitals with any form of attack and a concession to end the fight if your opponent ever asked to. Still; all Jutsu, all weapons, all force bar lethal was allowed as long as both parties wanted to remain fighting. It was as close as you could get to no holds barred with pre-teens. He couldn't imagine the other boy - as light, as fierce, as adoring as he seemed to be - had considered Kise's hand for this particular dance, but he did seem to have some kind of vested interest in his growth as a Shinobi.

He was such a good ... friend. They had been daringly close this past month, fleeting glances and lunchroom d- hangouts as they laughed with full mouths and poured over messied homework - both mostly Ichika's doing. It was a lovely time, and their friendship was made no weaker from their memories shared from their combat training. They were practically inseperable in school, and Kise had half - most of - a mind to ask him over to his house, but discussing their lives outside of their bubbles always seemed a little ... taboo. Kiseki was so scared of shattering something so picturesque. He was happy. Ichika seemed happy. And now ...

There was no force challenging him to do this. There was no such instruction or assignment. They were made free to ask whoever they wanted out to the field for today's sparring practice, and expected to do so within the next ten minutes and wrap up by the end of the school day. The sun was high in the afternoon; it lit him from behind, his small, wiry frame, his hair speckled with light refracted in strands splitting over near-desperate blue. It shifted as he did, slow steps forward, through impassive throngs of chatting students all asking their friends or engaging in light ribbing to make the most 'fun' out of the circumstance. Kiseki had nothing on his mind but yearning. To be, to grow, to do anything but settle in this unbroken peace. He needed to be more. He needed to .... he needed to ... he needed to -

"Ichan," he started, soft, comfortable. It was easier together than it was before, yet harder than weeks preceding to get the words out. He was almost blushing, in such a strange rush of emotions; addressing all his peer, friend and object of adoration in gentle plea. "Would you like to spar with me?"

 

[Kazanari Ichika]

Ichika’s life had drastically changed since meeting Kise- that much was for sure. He’d grown to love school, no longer did his body sizzle and crack, trapped in a forlorn prison, greedily excited for every opportunity he could snatch up and spend time with the beautiful blue diamond that liberated him. His partner. He cherished him in ways he couldn’t really conceptualize- the comfort, the bliss… love? He yearned for it, here and outside of school, whatever it was.

Another assignment. This time we had to pair up and fight one-on-one with a classmate. Ichika was practically wagging his tail, fidgeting in his chair. He was overjoyed at the thought of fighting his partner, pushing each other past their limits. Ichika was beaming, completely oblivious to everything around him, daydreaming about scenarios that let him get up close and personal to Kise.

“Ichan” Ichika bolts up, slamming into his deck, chair screeching as he shifts backwards. He focuses his attention to the source of the fluffy, little sound, blinded not by the sun- it could only dare to be so bright- but by the object of his delusions. Kise was standing there and Ichika could only stare at him, dumbfounded, heart spasming uncontrollably as his face turned a crimson red, matching the infernal engine in his chest. H-He was asking to spar!

“OF COURSE!” Ichika wasted no time in blurting out his response, flustered and reaching down to squeeze the little cat’s paw, not knowing what to do with his own. He needed to touch him, to center himself and cool down, a dream coming true but not quite how he envisioned it. He just stood there, staring into Kise’s radiant blue, until he could finally squeak out a bratty follow-up “Y-You beat me to it! I was about to come running over!” He scampers out of the class, still holding his partner’s hand, dragging him along, desperately trying to hide his embarrassment… and the stupid smile on his face. “I’m not gonna hold back just because I like you, y’know?”

 

[Akane Kiseki]

There was a lingering nervous discomfort - not caused by Ichika's outburst, as trained to those as Kise had become (even if they continued to flush his poor complexion) - as his blood pumped sluggishly through arms that hugged his chest. He watched Ichika, let him speak, framed himself to the best of his ability with that initial surge that led him here. He couldn't waver in front of him. Sure, he had gotten here. Absolutely, he had made every decision he needed to for this point, crossed every argument, scampered that final hurdle ... and what now? Looking back at Ichika, both shrouded in sunlight that seemed to accentuate the redhead's every brightness and Kise's every shade, he couldn't help but feel the weight of this decision catch up to him. A panic skip to the beat of his heart.

Ichika was going to kill him.

It was a pathetic line of thinking. It was a consideration he could never actually speak or entertain. Even at its core, he knew it was hyperbole - but it was gross, sad, self-deprecating hyperbole standing over a matter of truth. They had fought together in their last training exercise. He knew how Ichika fought, and it was with the rage and force of every passion Ichika showed him, darkened. Animalistic. He knew for his graces he hadn't behaved much better in the combat training - he still remembers the taste of torn cloth and blood in his mouth - but that was an act of desperation. That was the 'win at all costs.' He couldn't behave that way with Ichika - but Ichika was a natural. Ichika was a beast. He, in this moment, was a rabbit in the snow ...

And he was greeting the gleeful hound, far too excited for the coming hunt.

He swallowed. He did so very little to mask his nerves, but even and especially the pride of a young boy wouldn't break so easily in the face of his opponent. His friend. His -- "Y, you were?" He managed, his voice almost dry with the way startled words rasped from his throat. "You thought of me, Kazanari-kun?" He was going to die. He was dying. He could feel it in the pounding of his forearms beneath his clenching fingers. He felt his face heated, burning away. Geez, Ichika. You weren't only an animal on the battlefield.

And Kiseki ever the prey. "Just because - I'll have to do my best, too, Ichan. No matter what." There was something in the back of his head, a lightbulb swinging over a dark room in a rhythmic pendulum. "It'll be good. I think. I'm -," terrified? Ecstatic? Hormonal? "- looking forward to it. Do you have your equipment with you? We can head out now. We just have until the end of the day, so ... I promise to give this my all. Thank you for giving it yours, too. I've been practicing some things since our last lesson!"

 

[Kazanari Ichika]

Ichika tried his best to not skip through the halls, treasuring every moment he could lead his partner by the hand. He couldn’t wait to get to the field and spar with Kise, their only other experience being a much more desperate, chaotic endeavor. An endeavor that pushed Ichika to his limits, mentally and physically. One that made him compromise his ideals and put his partner in a cruel and painful situation just to get a tiny advantage.

“Of course! You’re the only one I would think of. It makes me really happy that you came to me.” Ichika is grateful for the situation that led him to be a constant in Kise’s life, but he felt a twinge of regret at letting his emotions get the better of him, impatience and anger that Kise was all alone… Ignored- an undervalued masterpiece. He paused for a moment, “I never got to apologize…”

“I think you’re really strong. I mean you proved it back when we fought the Proctor, but I’ve always thought you were. It’s why you’re so beautiful!” He looked back at Kise, carefully backstepping while his warm grin shines trying to reassure the boy a little. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun and you don’t have to worry about hurting me. My body is my only strength, remember? So just go nuts, okay?” Flexing with a boisterous laugh before nervously stuttering on, cheeks flushed in a cozy pink “I-I just wanna have fun and get stronger together with you.”

They linger a little before stepping out, collecting their equipment. Ichika reaches for his bat, faltering a moment as he gets lost in thought. He needed to reach the next level and relying on weapons would surely stifle his growth, no? Instead of relying on weapons, he would forge his body into one. He holds out his hand one more time, rosy-tinted cheeks betraying his greedy desire to hold his partner just a little more. “I’m ready when you are, Kise-chan”

The flower’s ember petals bloom to greet the little arctic snowcat.

 

[Akane Kiseki]

He's going to beat me to death with his bare hands.

There was something so lovely about Ichika's kindness; the gentle way he took his hands in guidance, or apologized for something he had never done wrong, or tried to cheer Kise forward with every shared interaction. It was lovely in the way a flower could be, winding up to the sunlight in unadulterated beauty, gentle and thriving, with thorns hidden just beneath. It wasn't a malicious force - it had no intent but to blossom, sharing the radiance it was given from the sun - but there was still something so dangerous about it. It was beckoning. He remembered the glint in Ichika's eyes as he swung at their Proctor, screaming, impassioned. The heavy thunk of his bat as it smashed through the man's face until the clone was forced to pop on critical impact.

Kise saw this all in a reel across his eyes as Ichika reached for his weapon, only to watch him hesitate, slow, and turn back to him with hand out-stretched. He knew, like that flower, there was no intent here. He was shining. He was blooming. He was inviting Kise to share in that warmth, that beauty, with him, and there was no caution given to the thorns he might find there. That's why he glanced down with beaming blue, flickering from the arm to the boy attached, an unreadable light glinting in oceanic eyes. The cosmos blinking out. He's going to beat me to death with his bare hands.

He knew that, too, was hyperbole. He knew he was in no danger. He knew how much Ichika cared for him. He knew how kind he was. He didn't know, however, if the flower had considered its thorns and the way pale skin bled so brightly. He cleared his throat, gasping in a breath. If your body was your only strength, how in danger was mine? "Go nuts, right!" His voice cracks as he says it, clamping hands robotically around the hand offered to shake it in an awkward, stilted manner, his face burning from the racing of his thoughts - not to mention every skip of his heart. He was going to die. He was dying right now. "It's going to be a lot of fun! You're amazing, Ichan! You're amazing!" He couldn't help it, the way his words fell out, slamming to the ground as heavy as the pounding in his chest.

There was a shift in the air, in the sparse hair along his skin. He took a step back, trying to slow himself with his breathing. Trying to find that center - but all he found was that dim light in the back of his head, swinging, swinging. Losing light on every arc. Shadows creeping in from the edges of his thoughts. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

He was in no danger.

"I-I'll start." He took his step back, almost as if he was backing away from the hunt, eyes glued to the predator in front of him. He was coiled to jump away, body to twist in mid-air. He was in no danger. He knew he was going to be okay. He knew this was just a training exercise. He knew that was Ichika. Ichika. Ichika -- "『 G E T B L O W N A W A Y 』"

Spoiler: ROUND 1

KISEKI enters DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUE. (-2 accuracy, +2 dodge)
KISEKI begins fight with EXPLOSIVE SEAL - FREE BASIC ATTACK.

Spoiler: Battle Profile

<Prelude in Violet>
Character Level 1
HP: (36 x STA) 1260
CP: (46 x CC) 1840
Class Bonus: +1 Misc Item Slot, +1 Free Basic per Round
High: Genjutsu DC, Ninjutsu Accuracy
Average: Dodge, Genjutsu Save
Low: Taijutsu Accuracy, Ranged Accuracy

STATS
Agility: 25
Stamina: 35
Ninjutsu: 30
Genjutsu: 50
Taijutsu: 20
Chakra Control: 40
Power level: 200

EQUIPPED
Name: Little Bird [Voice]
Damage Type: Thrown (Handseals)
Damage Modifiers: +/- 0% Bonus Damage
Accuracy Modifiers: +/- 0 Accuracy
Augment 1: Explosive Seal

Utility Slot: Headband
Armor Slot: No Armor
Misc 1: Kawarimi Target
Misc 2: Binding Agent (Throat Spray)
Misc 3: Soldier Pill
Misc 4: Energy Drink

 

[Kazanari Ichika]

Ichika blinks, barely registering what had happened, losing his balance and tumbling into the dirt, quickly catching himself on all fours. Right, Kise’s voice was a weapon he had to be careful of! It stung, not enough to physically hurt the boy, but enough to make him re-evaluate how he wanted to approach. This wasn’t some schoolyard brawl where the boys would just trade punches until someone stayed down- it was a battle between shinobi. Still, he thought Kise was cute, fidgety and yet squeaking so loudly- bravely. “Hahaha. Nice one Kise-chan. I guess it’s my turn, now!”

Hmmm. Ichika wanted to work on his taijutsu but his chakra control also desperately needed to improve, the battle against the Proctor illuminating many areas where he was simply too weak. He grins warmly, beaming towards the wintry kitty. “Let’s get warmed up then, shall we?” Laughing at his own stupid joke intended to melt the ice a little. Ichika digs his heels into the dirt, cracking his hands together, to wring out the correct seals- sparks kindling his chakra, collecting heat into his finger tips. “Infernal Ember!” A small wisp blossoms in the palm of his hand, flickering to life as Ichika winds up, tossing it like a baseball towards Kise. It splits apart, like petals carried by the wind, covering Ichika’s advance to closer quarters, following behind for an opportunity to strike.

"One~ aaand watch your feet~” He twists his body, jabbing at Kise, trying to catch him off balance, a feint for his true objective. Ichika wanted to get back at his partner and knock him off his feet, a feeling Ichika is all too familiar with in the presence of the tiny, pale diamond. He kicks off the uneven ground and kneels down like a dog eagerly frolicking with his playmate, whirling around to ensnare the snowy feline with swift sweep.

Spoiler: Round Log

Ichika takes 124 damage from Kiseki's Explosive Seal
Ichika enters Defensive Technique (-2 accuracy, +2 dodge)
Ichika uses Infernal Ember (Rank 2) (120CP)
Ichika uses Free Basic Attack
Ichika uses Low Sweep (70CP)

HP: 2926 CP: 895

Spoiler: Battle Profile

Blooming Courage
HP: (60+Level) * Stamina
CP: (30+Level) * Chakra Control
Class Bonus: +1 Free Basic Attack, +1 Accuracy (4 Points total)
High: Melee Accuracy
Average: Dodge, Genjutsu Save, Ninjutsu Accuracy
Low: Ranged Accuracy, Genjutsu DC

STATS
Agility: 40
Stamina: 50
Ninjutsu: 30
Genjutsu: 15
Taijutsu: 50
Chakra Control: 35
Power level: 220

Equipment:
Name: Guren no Ken [Bare Knuckles]
Damage Type: Unarmed [Handseals]
Damage Modifiers: +10% Bonus Damage
Accuracy Modifiers: -2 Accuracy
Augment 1: Dual Weapon
Augment 2: Unlocked at D-Rank
Augment 3: Unlocked at B-Rank

Utility Slot: Headband
Armor Slot: No Armor
Misc 1: Kawairimi Target
Misc 2: Adrenal Stimulant
Misc 3: Smoke Bomb

 

[Akane Kiseki]

Kiseki wobbled after firing off his attack, seconds ticking before it caught up to him that he had made the first move in his panic. The blow-back from his attack seemed to stagger him more than it did Ichika - finding his footing with arms wiggling out his sides. He knew one of them had to start the fight eventually - and honestly, he was glad he was able to be the one to do so, both out of pride for taking that step and because he was worried it'd be too hard to keep going after Ichika caved his bones in - but he hadn't actually meant to begin it so explosively. "Oops -- !" There was shock concern to his eyes, the silly picture of a silly boy, waving his hands in front of him as if to tell Ichika he didn't mean to; only for the other boy to laugh it off and praise him, standing up himself and peering back.

Warmth. He felt incredible warmth. The blush that overtook his cheeks was not of shame, or embarrassment, or even attraction - it was a sheer wave of calm that surged from Ichika's eyes on him, washing away the panic that had been taking his chest since he realized they'd have to fight to fight. It brightened his eyes, every star blinking back in a constellation of joy. It was serenity. A new realization. It wasn't that serious. It wasn't about hurting each other: neither wanted to. This was meant to be --

"Yeah! Your turn!" He laughed, thrusting his hands out to his side as a single flower grew under that swinging light. He couldn't help the giggle that followed up Ichika's awful joke, embers sparking the air before he had finished the punchline. "I don't think you need any help with heat, Icchan." Banter. A soft-spoken friendliness on the battlefield. How this should be.
-- fun. A frozen lake melting away.

Despite himself, a quick turn and twist as the lobbed pitches flew at him managed to get away from the first two - only to take the third in a brush against his shoulder. He hissed between his teeth, steam left wisping from the scorch on his Tee - not quite burning away the cloth on its glance, but leaving a clear mark of Ichika's first hit. It stung. But it didn't finish him. He was still here, taking a hit and still standing. He flexed his shoulders back with a wince, a bird-like visage under the afternoon sun as he wiped away the blacken from his feathers. "G-good call, Ichan. What would you say? Am I on fire yet?" He managed to stick out his tongue with only one eye closing as he quickly adjusted to the slight injury, hopping a step back while Ichika barreled forward.

Knuckles connected with a frail frame, briefly winding the smaller boy in spite of the weak feint, but he didn't let it slow the instinctive hop he made over Ichika's sweeping leg - time slowing for the moment as Kiseki hovered above him, wide blue eyes demanding his attention while honeyed words fell from his lips.

"『 I t ' s S n o w i n g 』"

Was it?
Kiseki wasn't quite strong enough to string complicated phrases, commands or suggestions, but just stating his intent was enough for his patchwork talent. The illusion moved to take hold, snowflakes refracting in sparkling azure when his feet touched the ground once more. He felt it snag into Ichika in that moment, allowing him the seconds he needed to swallow back his squeak of pain now that his adrenaline wasn't wholly keeping the hit from connecting with his nerves. It was just a little punch - he had seen Ichika do so much worse with his bat - but he felt the bruise blossom beneath his shirt. It was almost ... well, it hurt, but it was almost ...

A flurry picked up around him in Ichika's sight, blurring his outline. "『 G - 』" You could do it. It's not as bad as last time. Breathe. "『 G e t t i n g T i r e d ? 』" Another snag. Another suggestion cast over the red-head's beautiful emerald eyes, seeping beneath his bones and allowing Kiseki his little advantages. This is the best he was able to do - this was all he could do, compared to the flash and awe of his friend - but it was something that was his, and it could be enough. His chakra was pumping as powerfully as his blood through his system, his one strength, and every word came easier with every word before it. "『 C a n ' t F i n d M e ! 』"

Crap. Not quite. That was his signal to scamper off into the sudden winter, dodging out of site with a kunai thrown in his place. One last calling card for Ichika as he attempts to lose him and regroup for his next attempts. He was gone within moments in the herald of the Kunai's whistling, dipping into the trees in any direction.

Sorry, Icchan! This was fun, yeah, but even Kiseki remembered the number 1 objective for Shinobi they were taught: Victory at all costs.

​

Spoiler: ROUND 2

HP: 1260 - 50 - 65 = 1125

CP: 1840 - 74 - 70 - 75 - 110 = 1511

STATUS: -65 CP/rnd, Defensive Technique (-10% damage, -2 Accuracy, +2 dodge)

ICHIKA's INFERNAL EMBERS: 2 MISS, 1 HIT.
KISEKI takes 85 DAMAGE.
ICHIKA's BASIC ATTACK HITS.
KISEKI takes 50 DAMAGE.
Dual-Weapon misses!
ICHIKA's LOW SWEEP MISSES.

1 AP: KISEKI uses FALSE SURROUNDINGS on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! ICHIKA takes 50 DAMAGE/ROUND. KISEKI has +2 Stealth.

2 AP: KISEKI uses LETHARGY on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! ICHIKA takes 50 DAMAGE/ROUND. ICHIKA has -2 Gen Save.

3 AP: KISEKI uses INTIMIDATION on ICHIKA.
Fails! ICHIKA's Gen Save goes to -1.

3.75 AP: KISEKI uses BASIC ATTACK on ICHIKA.
Hits! ICHIKA takes 45 DAMAGE.

4.75 AP: KISEKI tries to STEALTH.
Succeeds! ICHIKA loses track of KISEKI!
KISEKI's Stealth goes to +1.​

 

[Kazanari Ichika]

He couldn’t help but giggle in pure jubilation, the timid boy moving so freely, playfully quipping while evading attacks. It was such a stark contrast to the overwhelmed little cat that scampered away to the top shelf when they first met. He was even more beautiful, a winter lily he was blessed to bloom beside. Ichika was smiling ear to ear, he was having so much fun, a game of cat and mouse where it wasn’t so clear who was who. “Well, well aren’t you a bit haughty~?” His hands on his hips as he leaned forward and stuck his tongue out in kind to the impish little Kise, before he continued on. --

His little heart thumped as Kise hopped the sweep, gazing into his effervescent, cerulean eyes, a wispy murmur flowing from his lips. Ichika was entranced, the petite figure of an angel delivering a winter wonderland with a simple phrase- or rather, a heavenly decree. Ichika did not believe that there was any chance of snow before he heard Kise say the words. He must’ve willed it into existence and arguing with a divine being seemed a fruitless endeavor.

Right! This is a fight!

He snaps out of his stupor, tracking the fallen angel to the domain of man, but it’s too late- he’s recovered. I can’t let him use his voice! A devilish inquiry resounds in Ichika’s brain, echoing inside as his head begins to dull- an answer. Yes, he was getting tired. But, why? It shouldn’t be possible, right? They just began their match, but Ichika’s body felt exhausted nonetheless. Maybe… Just a little nap wouldn’t hurt, right?

He closes his eyes for a moment, the sharp pain of a kunai slicing along his forearm jolts him awake. The glimpse of the opportunistic wildcat, retreating, cloaking itself into this snowy paradise, surely stalking Ichika like prey, waiting for the right moment to pounce. “Come out, come out wherever you are~” Ichika would indulge in this game of hide and seek, but he refused to sit here and be the mouse. He was wagging his tail, sniffing through the snowy brush, pouncing to wherever he felt beady little eyes peering through. “Got you! Got you! Got you~!” It was the same every time, regardless of if the little cat was there.

He finally caught the evasive feline, tackling and rolling around with him in the snow, sticking his tongue out, playfully. “I’ll find you anywhere, Kise-chan~” They shuffle to their feet, Ichika swiftly moving to catch Kise with a jab that misses its target. Kise moves exactly how Ichika predicts, sidestepping into a right hook that connects into his stomach, a soft blow meant to surprise the boy who so gracefully dodged his last attack. Ichika contorts his body one more time, hiding his hand like a game of rock, paper, scissors. He couldn’t think of a more fitting thing, surprising Kise with a brand new game after their little game of hide and seek. With a pure, childishly innocent giggle he proclaims his selection, one that fits best with his straightforward personality. ”Rock!”

Spoiler: Round

HP: 2926 - 145 = 2781
CP: 895 - 160 = 735

ICHIKA takes 100 damage as result of KISEKI'S FALSE SUROUNDING and LETHARGY and 45 damage from Basic Attack

2.25 AP: ICHIKA uses BASIC ATTACK x3 as Blind Shots (2 MISSES and 1 HIT) 50 Damage
KISEKI is found!

3 AP: ICHIKA uses THE ONE-TWO! HITS ONCE 125 Damage

3.75 AP: ICHIKA uses JANKEN! MISS

 

[Akane Kiseki]

Bum ba-dum. Bum ba-dum. Bum ba-dum.

Kise thought the sound of his heart alone would give him away to the boy so trained to hear it. He stalked the bushes around their combat area sheepishly, slow, untrained in stealth but a natural in hiding away from the world. He brushed leaves with dragging knuckles and caught a squeak in his throat every time Ichika pounced at another location. He - the glowing eyes in the forest - was prey to the hound scampering wildly across open grass. He wasn't sure about smelling fear, but that inexorable arrhythmia ... He had to act quickly, clumsy handseals straining the muscles in his thin arms as heat rushed through them. Again! The flurry increases in a rush, the pounding in his chest met by the pump of chakra through weak veins. He would have him weathering the storm for so much as a chance to find him now --

A shriek, uncharacteristic but reflexive, interrupted his train of thought and planning of his next move as Ichika found him just three guesses in. Not even the blizzard was enough to stop the red-head; that fire he held seemed more than enough to keep him warm. Ah. He was right. Like paper boats, they'd always cross again under this snowy sky. The wish behind them was just too magnetic.

His screaming melted to giggling within moments, spending precious seconds under Ichika just staring up at him with wide, bright eyes and a smile that threatened his rosy cheeks. Snowdrops dripped down his face like beads of sweat, one boy within a winter wonderland and the other a furnace of the heart. "Icchan," he managed, breathless and warm, too warm, so very warm -- and they were on their feet again, little paws scrabbling at dirt to right himself like a deer in the headlights. He remembered himself - where they were - what they were doing - and he did his best to keep breaths free of languid frost. Keep going! He deftly avoids one hit only for the second to force a sharp wheeze from pale lips, flushed skin kept ruddied by the exertion.

He could feel that Ichika was holding back, but the light bruise left by knuckled imprint on the small of his chest was a new, throbbing reminder than he was still nowhere near caught up enough. He could barely unjostle his sight from its daze as Ichika followed up with his -- game? Ah, but if it was a game, not a battle, Kise could win it, couldn't he? And he beats the stubborn, bull-rushing boy with -- "『 P A P E R ! 』" The sound would reverberate over the held out fist and crumple around the chosen Rock in a lingering, piercing sound: just enough to force Ichika's attention away from him for a moment. A moment enough. "『 D R O P 』"

Not nearly a moment enough.

"Uhm. Sit. Stay?" He was waving his arms now that his chance for the distraction had passed, backing away into the flurry while playing into Ichika's excitable personality. Despite his anxieties, he couldn't help but keep smiling, twinkling in the shadows cast by the snowfall. He needed to find another opening, just one more, but he was running out of energy and out of time in the limelight. "『 G - 』" Sorry, Icchan! "『 G I V E U P ! 』" A snag. He felt it, the taste of a concern he knew too well, while it seeped into the pool of Ichika's fists. His fingers would twitch, the muscle and bones beneath them stinging in protest to the ongoing fight. It would hurt, just a little, but all he had to do was put his hands down. Right? That would be just enough for Kiseki to bound off again, leaving a giggle to linger in the air behind him as if the haunting of a ghost.

"Catch me again. ♡"​

Spoiler: ROUND 3

HP: 1125 - 45 - 112 = 968

CP: 1511 - 65 - 70 - 70 - 70 - 55 = 1181

STATUS: -100 CP/rnd, Defensive Technique (-10% damage, -2 Accuracy, +2 dodge), +1 Stealth against Ichika
ICHIKA: -145 HP/rnd, -1 Gen Save, +1 Awareness | Senses Filled: Visual, Will, Kinetic

1 AP: KISEKI uses FALSE SURROUNDING on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! Ichika takes 50 damage and Kiseki has an additional +1 Stealth. (+2)

2 AP: KISEKI uses DECEPTION on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! Ichika takes 70 damage and has -1 Awareness on next check.

2.75 AP: KISEKI uses FULL TOSS on ICHIKA.
Miss!

3.75 AP: KISEKI uses HOT WEAPON on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! Ichika takes 45 damage, & 45/rnd [Weapon] is equipped.

4.75 AP: KISEKI tries to STEALTH.
Succeeds on Ichika! Ichika loses -1 Awareness and Kiseki loses +1 Stealth.​

​

 

[Kazanari Ichika]

Ichika was overheating, every speck of imaginary snow, sizzling and hissing against his skin. He didn’t feel like he was working himself too hard.. He’d kept his chakra usage low and physically he was fine besides a bit of lingering lethargy. Then why was his heart beating so fast, rolling around in the blizzard, every bit of contact making his heart flicker to turn up the heat. The little yelps from Kise, reminiscent of a squeaky toy, did little more than add kindling to the hearth. “Kise-chan~” An involuntary response, hearing his voice spoken by such an adorable creature, captivated by a siren song as he’s attacking.

It didn’t even shock Ichika to see Kise completely trounce his attack, in a way that seemed so fitting for him. Of course he chose paper. This boy is naturally his weakness. Even now, his body felt so heavy, his knees wobbling to keep up with him and his mind befuddled with delusion. His mind was elsewhere, face flushed a crimson red, imagining being embraced by Kise. “Kise I-” The little cat didn’t miss a beat, another command, this time to drop? “What? Like a dog?” It was exactly what Ichika needed to regain his composure, he couldn’t help but pause and bellow out a boisterous, howling laughter that echoed and burst through the snowsquall.

He decided to obey this command of his own volition, crouching down low to the ground, his elbows resting on his knees, chin resting against his lightly bruised knuckles. Ichika tilted his head, admiring the enthralling little creature flailing his arms around.. He’d stay here forever; it meant he could look at Kise. He kept his composure even as his hands began to scorch, flesh and bone in searing pain, a result of another of Kiseki’s decrees, as the petite silhouette vanished into the canvas.

His obedience didn’t last long, rising up to dash into the frosted forest, throwing kunai at any sudden movement or sound. The puppy missed seeing his darling grimalkin, diving into bushes, recklessly, desperately trying to track his playmate. Where could he be? He catches a glimpse of something stalking through the whirling sleet, a happy little bark as he pounces! "Ha!"

It was Kise-chan! He was ecstatic, tail wagging so fast he would be in danger of flying off if he had one. Ichika holds him tight, pinning him down , his modest shape hollowing out the snow.. “I caught you! I told you I’d be able to find you anywhere, Kise-chan~” Ichika couldn’t help but hold him down, sweltering paws branding pale glass, staring deep into gorgeous cerulean.Trying to hide out in this dreamlike canvas, a snowdrop shrouded in a blizzard- Ichika didn’t want to let him out of his sight again. HIs heart pounds in his chest, a little engine burning a hole in his chest. Ba-dum! Ba-dum! He leans in close to Kise’s face, steam escaping from his wobbly lips. “You’re too beautiful- I’ll always catch you.”

Ichika stands up, offering a hand to Kise to help him up. The fight wasn’t over yet as much as he would like to just roll around in this transient snow with Kise. He frantically motions his fingers, wincing with every movement of his hands as he collects his chakra, tapping his foot into the soft snow to make the ground shake underneath, to make escape more difficult for what would come next. Ichika would push through, sprinting at the unmistakably most beautiful snowdrop, perfectly conspicuous to any admirer, delivering a light kick to his side, spinning in place to deliver another.

So you might as well just stay with me.

Spoiler: Round

HP: 2781 - 265 = 2516
CP: 735 - 170 = 565

Ichika drops out of Defensive Stance

FREE BASIC ATTACK as Blind Shot - MISS

3 AP: ICHIKA uses BASIC ATTACK x3 as Blind Shots (2 MISSES and 1 HIT) 50 Damage
KISEKI is found!

4 AP: ICHIKA uses Gravel Shift on KISEKI- MISS

4.75 AP ICHIKA uses The One-Two on KISEKI - 1 HIT, 1 MISS 125 Damage

 

[Akane Kiseki]

Kiss him.

A preposterous thought. A gripping, wriggling, burning thought. A heaving breath that might have been a sigh if the impact hadn't shaken it from his little frame. Like a dog, indeed. A dog and his cat, rolling in circles, frolicking in play fight. It wasn't meant to be a game, though - this wasn't meant to be as fun as it was, and yet it was, and yet they were, and yet he was so lost in this entrancement even though Ichika was the one under so many spells.

Can you breathe frostfire? All air through his lungs burned. His body burned all over - aching, trembling - but it held nothing to the heat across the outside of his skin. His muscles screamed in protest at the idea of any more energy expelled. Each movement was a force of nature, a rumbling beast within the snowstorm: the shadow of something bigger while obscured from sight, giving no leverage to the weak little creature in truth. His circuits were sparking, literal flecks of chakra snapping at the air in wisps from his skin. He felt awful. He looked awful. He looked adoring.

Kiss him.

Ichika had caught him again, as he always would. They knew this as universal truth within mere months of meeting. He could feel a constriction around his neck, choking his breaths, a thread of bright red twined with Ichika's own like a balloon or a leash. Shared in a single gravitational pull between the two of them. He was panting under the eager red-head, watching him with sparkling, wide eyes overtaking color to dilute his stained skin. It hurt. Everything hurt. The pull at his heart - the tightness around his throat - it hurt so much more. It was an ache unlike any exertion. Every exhalation labored in restraint, control, understanding and the complete lack of it. How lost was love that found it new.

He could feel hot breath wash his face, and he thought then he might just cry. For just a moment, he looked like he might. They were both saved from this lingering intensity only by the rememberance of their reason for being here. This wasn't over. They couldn't just stop fighting, they couldn't just give up, lay in the dirt, wait for the night sky to be as bright as their eyes on each other -- He couldn't just --
He moved alien to himself, instinct taking hold to fend off the continued assault on a body so quickly taken by its own entropy. He could barely breathe anything that wasn't lost to the pound of his heart. Tha-thrum. Ba-dum. Tha-thrum. Ba-dum.
It hurt.
Aaaah.
He couldn't breathe.
His body blossomed in bruises and blush.
A rose within winter.
Bright red on a snowscape.

A static shock.
The air became ionized, Kiseki lurching away from Ichika's contact with a frenzied gasp.

"『 MAKE 』"
This first word had little impact, pushing Ichika slightly back, but every that followed made significant distance. That wouldn't do at all.
"『 IT 』"
Kiss him.
"『 GO 』"
He couldn't.
"『 QUIET 』"
And if he couldn't.
/
And if he could.

Tragedy and comedy; realism and fiction; ingenuity and simplicity; a miracle in red / a clarion in blue.
This prelude in violet lightning as electricity whipped from his panting maw. He dropped to fours in a mirrored play: if Ichika was an animal, truly, then Kiseki could join him in the hunt. We were all primal at our core. We all had this one desire. His heart would strike as true as glistened fangs.

He lunged, caught, and rolled, sinking teeth in a shadowed beast's final proclamation into the light.

​

Spoiler: ROUND 3

HP: 968 - 45 - 112 = 811

CP: 1181 - 100 - 110 - 110 - 55 - 70 - 90 = 646

STATUS: -110 CP/rnd, +1 Stealth against Ichika
ICHIKA: (-640 HP this round) -155 HP/rnd, -.5 AP, +10% Cost on next Ninjutsu, -1 Gen Save, +2 Awareness | Senses Filled: Visual, Will, Kinetic, Audial ( NONE END OF ROUND )

Kiseki leaves Defensive Stance.

1 AP: KISEKI uses INTIMIDATION on ICHIKA.
Fails!

2 AP: KISEKI uses INTIMIDATION on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! Lethargy is dropped. Ichika takes 55 dmg/rnd.
9% chance to auto-fail on attacks against Kiseki.

3 AP: KISEKI uses WASTEFUL on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! Ichika takes 75 damage. +10% CP cost to next Ninjutsu.

4 AP: KISEKI uses 1000 YEARS OF PAIN KAI on ICHIKA.
Succeeds! Ichika takes 90 damage.
6% chance of suppression: Ichika is suppressed! (5)

5 AP: KISEKI uses THUNDERFIST.
+270 damage to next melee attack.

KISEKI uses a free BASIC ATTACK.
Hits! Ichika takes 320 damage!

Kiseki stops maintaining all Genjutsu!​

 

[Kazanari Ichika]

It felt like the sun was erupting within his chest. The lingering images of Kise’s lips, the way he shuddered and trembled, his enchanting blue eyes on the verge of bursting and flooding this winter wonderland. Every fabric of his being screaming at him to embrace his instincts, to kiss Kise- devour him. Ichika was fighting against an inevitability. He was already completely bewitched by the little kitten that fought so courageously against a pragmatic world that would forsake him as pathetic or pitiful- a being of pure beauty.

Enduring another onslaught of Kise’s hexes- if only he could quiet this maelstrom burning a hole into his heart. He’s trying to shake it off, each word straining his body, bringing him to his knees. Kise was relentless in his assault and it wasn’t going to stop there. The air crackles, the kitten- no, right now he was a ferocious tiger, inching down into the snow on all fours. An apex predator ready to lurch at the jugular. Ichika refuses to simply be prey. He readies himself as the apex predator stirs and pounces, livewire fangs sinking his flesh.

He’s so in love. Even in this feral state he’s so beautiful. This primordial beast twisting and wriggling as Ichika loses his balance, falling to the ground. The whimsical snowy landscape dissipates, left alone with the object of his desires savagely chomping down, lightning surging through his body. Every jolt that courses through his veins rouses him to action. Ichika kicks and struggles, freeing himself from gnashing teeth, climbing on top of the carnivorous wildcat, pinning his arms above his head.

Ichika can’t take it anymore. His body is so hot, electrified, erupting in a torrent of passion. It’s completely instinctual- a primal need to dominate as his fangs snap into pale skin, breath like fire scorching a marshmallow. He keeps nipping at the worn down boy, moving up his neck, with the same thought echoing in his head.

I want to kiss him. I want to kiss him. I want to kiss him!

He lingers a moment, their bodies pressed up against each other in the autumn forest, a ray of sunlight piercing the branches, accentuating his luscious lips. They parted, pleading as Ichika leaned in, nose awkwardly brushing against rosy cheeks. It was electric. Literally. Sparks shivering as their lips collide together. His lips were impossibly soft, losing himself in the comforting warmth blossoming in his heart. It was in a word- Perfect. He draws back, eyes fixed on Kise’s dazzling cerulean, blushing and longing for the respite of another electrifying kiss.

“I love you, Kise.”

[Thread End]