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003 💀 text/action

Hey, Sakamoto Ryuji here.

I can't be the only one with ass kicking on the brain after that invisible dog bullshit. What's the consensus on fighting instructors around here? Did that turn out to be a thing?

If anyone's got the time show a few moves and still taking requests, I got one of my own. I'd appreciate a few tips if you feel like sharing. I'm talking about the badasses that know what they're doing, not just the make it up as you go kind (like me). Hate to say it, but the stuff we're facing in events is a little different from what I'm used to.

Dunno what I could trade for it, but I learn fast! And I'll think of something. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

PS: And if you're looking for Akira, don't worry. Nothing bad happened to him. He just went home. Sorry.

_{[The last bit is the real crux of the message and also the thorn in its side; bundling it in with the request lessens the sharp prick of it. Not by much, but some.]}

I | Exercise facilities + outer grounds

_{[Anyone with an eye for blond phantom thieves can usually spot Ryuji adhering to a runner's training schedule, a carry-over from home. Indoors in the weight room, outdoors on the grounds, casual long distance jogs, short distance drills--he's at it most days, alternating between staving off boredom and building on his strength.

Usually time following an event are cool down days, a period to let himself recover from the trial of the week. Not this time. He keeps his foot jammed on the gas pedal with the restlessness energy of someone who has something he has to face but is taking every detour to avoid it. The request for some self-defense pointers had been practical--if the Tartarus event taught him anything (and the Asgard event before that, and the zombie event before that), he could use them--but it's also fuel for the avoidance fire.

Usually there's room for a chat in between squats on the beach or a friendly wave on a run, but don't take it personally if he seems a bit standoffish today. He's distracted, brows set in a flat line, viciously pouring energy into his routine with a nice, healthy contempt for the ground or the horizon, whatever he happens to be staring at.

If someone catches his eye, though, he'll forcibly relax, offering a smile. It comes a beat too late to be effortless, but that's hardly out of place, right? They've all been through a lot coming out the other side of the event meat grinder.]}

II | Training center

_{[Futaba. Morgana. Iwai. Yusuke. Ann. Makoto. Haru... Akira. How could he have thought this place felt small? With all of the people most familiar to him--people he'd shared the burden of events with, sat across the breakfast table with, lived with in the case of his two best friends--gone to fuck knows where, Wonderland feels infinitely massive and empty. He could handle this together. Alone, it's... it's hard. Harder than he imagined.

There's still Akechi, and isn't that the height of irony, to be the last man standing with Akechi Goro, out of everyone. He hesitates a while with phone in hand, Akechi's name in the To: field, but his hands aren't interested in sending more messages.

They want to make fists. They want to break.

Those in the training center will be privy to Ryuji, uncharacteristically stoic and grim-faced, slipping on a pair of gloves and squaring off with a punching bag with a frenetic violence to match. Either that punching bag insulted him, or someone didn't burn off quite enough energy climbing stairs in Tartarus.

The flurry is broken up only by a wince after a particularly hard punch. Peeling off his glove reveals a streak of red from split knuckles. Apparently someone also doesn't know when to quit.]}

Fuck

_{[Any gym rats handy with bandaids...? Alternatively, maybe you see him taking himself and his bloody hands for a walk to the clinic for something to wrap them with. He's probably not the only needing aftercare after that doozy of an event, even if his most recent war wounds are fresher.]}

III | Kitchen

_{[The thought of going back to his empty room in his empty section of hallway throbs worse than his bandaged knuckles. Suddenly it's like his first day in Wonderland all over again, not knowing what to do or where to park himself in a strange, unwelcoming environment.

He ends up in the kitchen, hungry but not really, searching the fridge and cupboards with a listless indecisiveness. He's probably standing in your way as you go to grab something--and will continue to stand in your way until prompted, or he notices you.]}

_{[And he'll slide to the side to let you get to your business, smile apologetic.]}

IV | Wildcard

_{[Ryuji'll be going about business as usual in Wonderland post-event, so feel free to come up with your own starter around the mansion and/or elsewhere! Or hit me up for a different one if you're not feeling the locations/prompts.]}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think it's the enthusiasm that gives it away, but not in a bad way.

I can't promise I won't be a dickhead sometimes but I'll try to reign it in . -- and yeah, meeting in person is probably a good start. Do you want to meet up in the training room?

I really sound that young?

_{[Flashback to all the calling cards he ever wrote and realizing almost two years later that Ann was right all along, he does write like an immature tween... Feels bad, man.]}

No worries, dickhead-wrangling is kinda my specialty.

But that's cool by me, I can be there anytime you're ready. When do you wanna do this thing?

A little bit? It's not an insult or anything.

[ or not an intentional one, anyway ]

wanna meet up tomorrow afternoon?

[ that way she has enough time to ensure she's sober...cause that's not always a thing... ]

I had my 18th birthday here in summer, I ain't that young!

_{[Soooo not as young as he probably seems, in other words.]}

All right, sure, tomorrow's great. Should I bring anything with me?

_{[While Wynonna is bringing herself and her sobriety. Probably for the best she doesn't show up drunk to meet a kid with a bad history with drunks after they started off so well...]}

and I turned 28 in September, so I'm a good ten years older than you.

[but probably not much more mature.]

just the basics like water and stuff, you gotta make sure you take care of yourself when doing this stuff.

[look she doesn't tend to show up at work drunk. hungover sometimes, maybe....

she's a mess.]

Well, I'd sure damn hope you were older than me if you're calling me kid, that'd just be weird.

_{[And he'd be kind of mad if someone else his age was famous back home... It's hard to stand out when you can't turn around without hitting a hero who saved the world, huff.]}

I think I can figure my way around that much. I was an athlete before this. I was thinking more like weapons? ... But I guess that's getting ahead of ourselves.

_{[As eager as he is to do something productive, on second thought maybe he better stick to shaking her hand first before he starts bringing in the bludgeons and heavy artillery.]}

i should probably just get a feel for skill first,
before we throw any weapons into the mix

Yeah, that's a good point. I'm just impatient to get cracking so I can stop feeling so goddamn useless.

And to meet you in person. I'll catch ya tomorrow afternoon, then.

_{[Look at that, already slowing his roll. They're off to a good start.]}

Thanks again for being willing to help a guy out.

_{[Pissed off with everything as he is, he hasn't lost sight of the generosity others have shown taking time of their days for someone they don't know.]}

this place can have that effect on anyone --
making them feel useless, that is. don't let it get to you

and honestly? you're helping me just as much, I'm not used to having so much free time

I was trying not to until it sent the last of my friends home. Now I'm extra pissed off. I could use something to hit.

When you put it that way, it's--how do you put it? Mutually beneficial? In exchange for helping me out, you can count on me to do the same when you need. Fair's fair.

that sucks dude, the only person I have from home is my boyfriend and it'd suck if he got sent home. but finding an outlet will be good

yep. it's a win-win.

This place is seriously a couples palooza. Now I gotta ask--is he one of the guys whose ass you can kick around the block?

But for real, it's good to have somebody here. Good for you.

_{[Let's just ignore that abyss of loneliness looming large, okay? Okay.]}

i've been known to toss him against a wall or two in my time

[ if they were unarmed she could give him a run for his money but if doc had his guns or knives on him? she'd be toast. ryuji doesn't need to know that ]

thanks, but i mean, i could wake up tomorrow and he could be gone, that's why it's important we make other connections here too, you know? don't lose hope, kid

Edited 2017-11-16 07:32 (UTC)

_{[That's... good advice. Maybe it takes hearing it from someone else to remind him just how much.]}

I already feel like you and me'll get along just fine! If tomorrow comes and one or all of us are gone, I'll remember that. But I hope it doesn't happen 'cause I'm looking forward to meeting ya.

_{[As it so happens, they don't manage to jinx themselves by the time tomorrow rolls around. His room is still claustrophobically small with one bedroom to its name instead of two, and his heart seizes at first until he confirms time and place with Wynonna and she answers.

Still here. And no missing boyfriend to throw her day off, it would seem. It hurts a little less after that.

It's a freshly bathed and changed Ryuji who arrives at the training facility in an eye-swearing yellow gym shirt to match his hair. He's not sure how much they'll do in a first meeting, but you can't go wrong with gym clothes at the gym, regardless of whether you're using the facilities.

For once in his life, he's early, and Wynonna will find him warming his body up with stretches, gym bag lying against a wall.]}

[wynonna, for once, is not dressed in tight jeans or leather pants -- while she can totally kick ass in those they aren't deal for sparring or training. instead she's opted for some leggings and a loose tank top -- and sports bra which the straps of which can seen of -- she never cares about that stuff.

she's not here to look glamorous. she's not late when she rolls in, but she's not early either.]

Looks like you got started without me.

_{[The minute she zeroes in on him and approaches, honorifics go right out the window in his surprise. He stands straight, triceps stretch forgotten.]}

You're the Wynonna Earp I was talkin' to?

_{[She's, like, crazy hot. He doesn't know how to process this information besides staring at her like he'd expected a 6'2" hairy body builder in her place.]}

[wynonna smirks proudly at that because she is not one who is above letting a kid stroke her ego a little.]

The one and only -- I'm guess I'm not what you expected?

_{[Best to leave stroking out of it entirely, that's dangerous talk around an adolescent who's been frustrated in more ways than one over the months. And with only an apartment full of dudes to keep him company. Porn mags don't count.]}

Uh-- _{[He stumbles, "deer in headlights" mode engaged.]} N-no, you're definitely a chick. Like you said.

_{[Such wit!

She doesn't give off as intimidating an air as Sae (not wearing a pantsuit helps), but a voice in the back of his head that sounds an awful lot like his mother advises him that calling an older woman a total babe might not be the best way to set an impression.

Compensating for his initial hesitation, he comes toward her, hand on the back of his neck in sheepish greeting.]}

I'm just--surprised you actually showed up.

I suppose you never know for sure with strangers on the internet. Or Wondernet, as the case might be here.

[wynonna would not be caught dead in a pantsuit. that sounds like something akin to torture to her.]

I'm not in the business of making promises I don't intend on keeping. This place is dangerous and if I can help people learn how to better keep themselves safe? Then I would be an asshole to not try.

_{[Wynonna's indisputably the exception to the rule that people on the internet are mouth breathers behind the screen. Wonderland, be honest, do you have a thing for hot ladies on the tawny hair spectrum, is that why you keep kidnapping them?

And this one's into the gross anime hero sentiment, too. Hm, we likey more and more...]}

Payin' it forward is somethin' I can get behind that.

_{[He bites back a smile--or tries to--and puts out a hand to shake. It's a rather miserable attempt to hide his mood just improved by like 900% laying eyes on his new "teacher." (That's a weird thought.)]}

Good to meetcha in person!

[look could you blame Wonderland if it did? Wynonna knows she's hot stuff, she can't blame the mansion for having good taste.

She takes his hand and gives it a firm shake. It's pretty easy to tell he's not in the best place but she's not the type to call people out on that shit. it's not like she doesn't try to hide her own emotions half the time or anything.]

Nice to meet you. I've never really trained someone directly before so this will be an experience for both of us.

_{[He realizes it only gradually, but her relaxed and casual demeanor helps relax him in turn. Ryuji hadn't been worried about who he might be meeting--making a good impression on an adult, or any impression at all, continues to rank fairly low on his adolescent list of priorities--so much as wound up with displaced anxiety in general.

It'd been a rough night, to put it frankly. Being alone with his thoughts gave him too much time in which to think them and in the light of day he feels like a piece of yarn split and stretched in a dozen different strands in a dozen different directions. He tries, however, to match her handshake with firmness and energy of his own, not wanting his sore feelings over the Phantom Thieves' departure and his continued imprisonment color their meeting.

That's another problem; this is here and now and the only thing he'd be hurting by going all sour grapes on her is their introduction. Their text exchange had left him with a good feeling--he'd like to see where that goes.]}

S'all good! I ain't expectin' anyone to be a karate teaching master when I ain't got a background in this stuff, either, just a year of grittin' my teeth and plowin' through whatever asked for it.

_{[Casual trial and error suits the spirit of a phantom thief. Resolved to make the most of this, he props his hands on his hips, the animated angle of his arms telegraphing readiness for anything.]}

So what... are you trained in, exactly?

[wynonna doesn't really care about good impressions -- neither making them or having them made with her. first impressions don't mean a lot, ultimately, it's when you really get to know someone that matters. she's been judged by the cover of her book too many times to count in her life. nor would she expect him to want to impress her because she was an adult -- she remembers being a teen and most of the adults in her life sucked.

wynonna doesn't envy his position -- if doc was sent home she would be spiraling and not doing well. it would be hard to lose the only connection from home she's had here.

so if she can help distract from that? good]

Well, most of my fighting I learned out in the streets, if I'm honest, but in the past year I've started more formal hand to hand combat training, a mixture of styles mostly.

You? Street fightin'?

_{[You, Wynonna Earp, are a chick full of surprises! Emphasis on the chick part. His head absently tips to the side, intrigued at what a girl street fighter looks like--and how that girl had grown up into a woman who's still kicking ass and taking names.

He only wishes he could be that cool in ten years' time.]}

Wow, so you must have your own reasons for sharpenin' your skills.

_{[He likes the coincidence that they both come from a kind of rough-and-tumble background with a shared recent need to improve--it shows in his voice.]}

Yep. I was what one would call a troubled teen. I even ran with a biker gang, the Banditos, for a while.

[which is maybe not something she should be bragging about but the kid seems to be impressed by this stuff instead of weirded out by it so she's basking in it a little.

most people don't look at her history and think it's cool. it's refreshing.]

I learned pretty early on that if I wanted to be safe in the world I needed to do it myself.

[ie none of the adults around her were very reliable or helpful, which is why she has such issues with authority figures even now.]

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