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DragonBall Plus (Koibito & LadyAthene)

K

Koibito

Star
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
"Hey I didn't know she was your girlfriend alright?!"

Shouted the young man running through the streets of downtown West City, sun beaming down on the brightened white of the streamlined buildings and clean sidewalks. Red sneakers splashed out a puddle as the boy turned down an alley, hoping to lose the three figures that were chasing him.

Kyoku, age sixteen, dressed in his usual fashion of blue jeans, a loose black T-shirt, and a purple button up shirt worn open, the sleeves rolled up his forearms. He was just getting out of school when he decided to flirt up a cutie on the way out that he could just not pass up. Unfortunately for him as he nearly talked his way to first base right there her boyfriend and company came out of the woodwork it seemed, after the boy now for trying to get with his girl.

"I mean it ain't my fault she wants to screw around, I-!" A bottle crashed against the wall next to Kyoku, interrupting his attempts to reason with his pursuers as it shattered over the alleyway. Wincing at the sudden noise and threat of sharp glass, Kyoku barked back angrily at those chasing him, "shit I'd be pissed too if I wasn't gettin' my girl off either!", as he sped towards the other side of the alley in hopes to try and lose them in a bigger area with hopefully more people.

Kyoku came to a skidding stop however as a couple more figures stood directly in the way of the exit. The guy chasing him had sent two of his friends around as soon as Kyoku went down the alley and now they had clearly cut him off successfully. "Crap..." Groaned the boy as he pushed up the thin, small circular sunglasses on the bridge of his nose that had disheveled from the frantic running of Kyoku's escape.

"C'mon guys... We can work this out right?" Said Kyoku as he looked back and forth, seeing no real escape from the goons trapping him in, "it was just innocent right?" he changed his tone from earlier as he held up his hands.

"Not so tough now huh?" The one who's girlfriend Kyoku flirted with cockily spat.

"Hey... Hey... I'm not tough" Kyoku swore up and down, "just let it slide this time buddy alright?" Kyoku started walking towards the guy, arms out as he tried to reason with him. "Let's just all be friends right?" He said as he put on a big, wide smile, pointing dramatically to the grin as he approached. "C'mon, smiles all around!" Kyoku Threw his hands up, spinning around as he did so, throwing them to the left, then the right, in quite the odd little dance that suddenly shifted the tension of the situation rather awkwardly.

"Uhh... What the hell are you-Mphhck!!" Before the guy could even ask, Kyoku's fist found itself crashed into his face with a hard punch that sent him reeling back.

"Ha!" Kyoku let out a laughed breath as he struck, before turning quick and hurling his leg for the side of another, kicking so hard that the kid was slammed up against the brick wall before falling.

Kyoku sprinted passed the two who went down and the third who was dumbfounded, attempting to escape passed them the way he came in. That plan fell as flat as he did however as one of them grabbed Kyoku's leg just as he passed, tripping him.

Keeping hold, they regathered themselves around Kyoku, wasting no time in attacking. The group proceeded kicking and swinging at him. They weren't fighters like Kyoku, but numbers trumped his current skill even if he was able to knock a couple off their feet and they beat the crap out of Kyoku for what seemed like minutes on end before finally leaving him there in the alley.

-----------------

"Uuuugh....." Kyoku groaned out as he lay in the alley, defeated. Sunglasses bent, clothes a bit stretched out and covered in shoe prints, Kyoku sat up slowly, running his hand through his dark, almost black blue, spiky hair that messily pointed upwards in random directions, before he wiped over his face, shaking off the throbbing pain. It took a minute to regain himself but Kyoku stood eventually and cracked his neck before rubbing the pain away from his now stiff shoulder.

"Whatever... Don't have time anyway to be kicking their ass all da-.... Shit what time is it?!" Kyoku glared at his watch with wide eyes as he realized the time. "Fuck I'm gonna be late!"

Though he had regular schooling like most kids his age, as a hobby Kyoku took up fighting at the Turtle School of martial arts. It was prestigious among martial arts schools that taught of course fighting, but even about the force of energy known as Ki, a commonly known power within all living things that, as everyone knew, with the right discipline could be taught to be harnessed - what better way to pick up chicks than to come in better than everyone else able to shoot light shows out of your body!

The loudmouthed Kyoku sprinted for the Turtle School Dojo, trying to get there before class started.
 

"So? What do you say?"

A frustrated sigh was the initial response to the inquiry, which had been tossed over to sixteen-year-old Tsuzume for what felt like the millionth time now. It wasn't that many times, not in actuality. But it really did feel like way too many. It wasn't that the raven-haired girl didn't have an interest in men. The better way to word it was she had standards, something that many of her classmates didn't comprehend. Or at least it appeared that way, especially on some days more than others. Now, unfortunately, was one where it was as clear as the sky whilst it was void of clouds.

"Look," she finally began to reply in the most calm tone she could muster, "It's not you, okay? I just -- "

"If it's not me, then why don't you say yes?"

"Because I was trying to explain that part," she muttered bitterly, narrowing her eyes in annoyance. "I don't know. Plain and simple. I'm not going to rush into something I'm ... not one hundred percent confident on, okay? Now, if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be."

Tsuzume barely got to finish pivoting on her feet before an irritated growl resounded behind her. "What kind of bullshit is this you're giving me?! You think you're better than me or some shit?!"

"No, I already -- "

But that was as far as Tsuzume got. Soon, she saw in her blue orbs a very pissed off teenager that towered over her - even if only by four or so inches - and was charging right for her. Probably intending to tackle her, if Tsuzume had to take a guess. Her head weakly moved from side to side as she did perhaps the last thing anyone would have expected. She didn't run, cry, scream, or even elicit the softest of whimpers. Instead, she hunched down slightly, getting into a very disciplined-looking stance.

"Ha! Don't joke with me! You think you can overpower me?!"

"Nope," she replied honestly, earning a confused and simultaneously annoyed glare.

"Stop fucking around with me, ya goddamn -- !!"

By now, the distance had been closed. He was within reach and, apparently, that was the primary mistake the poor bastard made. If anyone was around, they would have had to avoid blinking just to ensure their eyes hadn't deceived them, simply because that was how graceful and swift everything occurred. The boy had gone from rushing towards Tsuzume to ending up flat on his back. But what made it more intriguing - or embarrassing, depending on the point of view one looked at the display - was Tsuzume kept true to her word. She hadn't overpowered him. Even though she did indeed appear to toss the obviously taller and no doubt stronger male, it wasn't exactly what she did.

If anyone with enough martial arts knowledge was around, they would realize the truth of the matter was easier than merely throwing someone twenty - probably more - pounds heavier than Tsuzume. She'd simply used his own momentum against him.

"As I was going to say, I don't need to overpower you. Now then," she stated in a confident tone, "Unless you want to see for yourself if that was a fluke or not, I suggest leaving me alone. I have to go." This time, when Tsuzume pivoted on her feet, she didn't hear anything; no cursing, no footfalls trying to stalk her, nothing. Well, almost nothing. Whispers were gently echoing, most of which seemed to be more directed at the failed assailant, though some were about her and the stunt she had managed to successfully execute.

"Baka," she muttered, sighing as she straightened out the skirt of her uniform. As nice as the practice before arriving at the Turtle School of Martial Arts usually was, Tsuzume found it equally annoying. Couldn't these guys pick on someone else?

Though, to be fair, I wouldn't really wish for anyone to be in my position ...

And so, after eliciting a defeated sigh, Tsuzume decided not to dwell on the past few minutes anymore. Everything that had been said and done already happened. The best thing she could do was continue on her way. No sense in risking being late because of one, immature idiot.
... Speaking of immature people she knew, it seemed she - again - beat Kyoku. Her head slowly moved from side to side as she walked out, now clad in her martial arts uniform. Of course, the sleeves didn't hide everything. Most of her skin was concealed, yes. But if one made an effort to look past the folded-over parts of her gi, hints of white fabric could be made out.

... Oh grow the hell up, already ...

As if everyone else heard her thoughts, the multiple gawks and stares finally stopped. A third sigh, this one holding an exhausted sound in it, passed her lips as she sank to the floor and sat patiently on her knees. Now, she waited for two very specific yet vital individuals; her sensei and Kyoku. All things considered, he was probably her closest friend. While she had half-joked ot herself and him if that was a sad thing or not, today had helped her reassure herself of one revelation.

The answer was no.

Sure, he was immature and annoying at times. But he wasn't that stupid.

.. At least not with you ...

... Hopefully it wasn't only because he knew she could fight back. The thought made her grip her lower lip as Tsuzume hid a groan. Placing her hands atop the fabric of her hakama, Tsuzume slowly shut her blue eyes and began taking deep, calming breaths.

 
As Kyoku walked in he was met with the sight of a much larger student flat on his back, others gathered around him muttering, and Tsuzume off from the rest of the crowd.

"Hey beautiful, what'd I miss?" Kyoku looked around, completely ignoring the fact that he looked rather roughed up himself as if nothing had happened. Though he was a notorious flirt and complete deviant, Tsuzume was his best friend and though their closeness promoted his actions, he did keep it to a more respectful, complementary minimum with her. It didn't mean there wasn't the occasional joke here and there that sometimes earned him a decent knock on the head, it was just how the two operated.

It was then that the rest of the students scrambled to evened out spots on the floor, sitting upright on their knees as an older man entered the class. He was bald and had a thick, grey mustache, and wearing a fold over style gi in the traditional style of the Turtle School, a vibrant orange with it's symbols on the front and back. He came from a door at the back of the room, standing on an elevated part of the floor before he sat cross legged on a mat and greeted the class.

"Hello students, I-..." The old man spoke with a kind, slower tone, his mustache covering his mouth in a way giving him the appearance as if he were constantly smiling. Thick brows raised however as he cut himself off, looking to the one person in class not yet dressed out in a Gi. "Kyoku... Late again?" He asked in a soft tone, "hurry it up and get dressed" he sternly told the boy, "we will all wait right here for you" the teacher explained in a delighted tone.

Kyoku's dark brown eyes widened and his face reddened as he was called out in front of the class. He stood up straight as the master addressed him and when he was told they would wait, Kyoku threw his hands up "ahhh... Y-you don't have to do that really I uhhh..." As he mumbled the boy began to inch his way towards the locker room as subtly as he could as if it would somehow hide his awkward exit.

---------------------------------

The navy blue-haired boy crammed his overshirt and tee into the locker before working his belt off. His body was on the leaner side, but it was rather well toned. Even if Kyoku was a slacker when it came to most things there was something to be said of the exercise one was put through at the Turtle School.

Clothes tucked into his locker, Kyoku pulled the baggy, orange pants of the traditional Turtle Gi over up his legs, tying the drawstring before throwing on the low cut matching top that left his tight chest mostly exposed. Kyoku tied the purple belt over his waist, blending the top and bottoms of the Gi underneath, before he pulled on the matching wristbands. Lastly, he pulled on his socks and black slippers standard to the outfit. The standard Gi was orange, but the belt and wristbands that were a part of it were chosen at the students' requests when enrolling and Kyoku had picked his favorite - purple.

Though it was the standard Gi of the school. Some of the more overachieving students were more comfortable in their own Gi. A few wore the Turtle Gi out of tradition, some liked the style. Kyoku on the other hand, his choice was clear - it was the easiest to wear. It was too much work trying to find his own Gi and there was no real reason to for him, but as long as the clothes were approved by the master, they were allowed.

-------------------

The boy now dressed out in his Turtle Gi, Kyoku inched his way back out into the dead silent room. "Uhh... Sorry... Sorry, my bad. Sorry" he mumbled the same way out as he did going in, returning to his spot next to Tsuzume and sitting on his knees, remaining quiet as if nothing had happened.

"Alright class" the master spoke finally, addressing the class as normal now that everyone was prepared, "we'll start today with our workout routine and when you're finished, partner up for sparring" he instructed.

Kyoku immediately looked to Tsuzume and raised his eyebrows over-suggestively, joking with her but also silently confirming his partner before hand.
 

To help pass some time, Tsuzume had shut her eyes and began to meditate. It wasn't mandatory - not yet. But it was highly encouraged. Sure enough, she could practically feel a proud smile and gaze looking right at her. She didn't need to open her blue orbs to realize whom they belonged to; her sensei. Not only hers, no. Everyone who took up this class, technically. Still, it was correct for Tsuzume to say 'her' sensei also. He had been the first and only martial arts instructor she heeded any instructions from. So, yes, he was special in his own regards. Almost like Kyoku was.

Just ... one was far more grown-up in their actions and words.

"Hey beautiful, what'd I miss?"

" ... Well now. About time you arrived."

Tsuzume turned her head, shooting a slightly exasperated but otherwise sincere grin towards her friend. "Are you ever going to arrive on time? You do know, I hope, that if I weren't scolding you now, sensei most definitely would be. And more likely than not, you would end up hoping it would be me."

Because the harsh truth was this; when he needed to be, their instructor was definitely a strict man.

Lo and behold, he began to prove himself as he arrived and spoke up, not missing the fact that not only Kyoku had been late but out of uniform.

"Kyoku... Late again? Hurry it up and get dressed. We will all wait right here for you."

As Kyoku tried his best to argue against it, he would possibly notice Tsuzume shooting him a look out of the corner of his eyes.

"Please ... just shut up and do it."

Though she wasn't saying it out loud, he could pretty much read the plea in her facial expression. The normally neutral look had vanished once their teacher began scolding Kyoku. Now, a slightly frantic look crossed her face. Unfortunately, he also firmly believed that everyone - not just the single student who made an error - would usually be punished. There were few instances, if any, that he allowed only the correct person to endure such disciplinary actions and quite honestly, she didn't want to see if today would be a lucky day for her and the others or not.

Suffice to say, the softest of relieved sighs echoed from Tsuzume's lips as she watched Kyoku vanish, only to reappear moments later in his own gi. Seconds after hearing they would begin immediately by sparring with a partner, Tsuzume began standing up. She was barely above the average female height, standing at five feet seven inches. Shoes would only add an half of an inch, possibly a full one depending on the type she wore, which made her full height about five eight or so.

Right as Kyoku raised his eyebrows in that same smug, eager manner, Tsuzume crossed her arms over her chest. "After the stunt you just tried to pull? I should say no. But ... "

Another sigh, his time a defeated one, passed her lips as another small smile crossed her face.

"Geez. You really know how to make me feel like a complete bitch and send me on one hell of a guilt trip. Alright. Get up. Come on. Just be ready. I'm not gonna take it easy on you."

Not that she ever had. It was just a kind reminder of sorts, one to help him recall it would be a habit Tsuzume would never change. Not just for him, either, but anyone else. Hopefully, that in itself would be a good sign of sorts, simply because she wasn't at least singling him out.

Still, prior experience revealed Tsuzume was never one for idle threats. Moments like now were some of the best examples of when she said what she meant and vice versa. While he got up to his feet, Tsuzume crouched slightly, lowering herself into a defensive stance. "Likewise, I hope you haven't forgotten my own golden rule; never go easy on me just because of my gender."

Admittedly, she was one of the few women students, but that was more due to choice. It wasn't like females were restricted or forbidden from joining. Most just opted to concentrate on academic studies, not martial-arts related ones. So Tsuzume was, in her own way, akin to a rare jewel somehow hidden in plain sight. Many other classmates had forgotten her golden rule. And ... well ... the reminders they got were anything but generous. If Tsuzume needed to give Kyoku the same remembrances she had done with the others, she would.

Not to say she would enjoy it, but she would definitely help him recall why Tsuzume created and enforced her 'golden rule'.
 
"Well it does do it for me when you scold me~" Kyoku winked to his best friend, making a rather suggestive insinuation before class started.

As Tsuzume acted like she was about to say no, as if she wouldn't be his partner for being so late, Kyoku showed a skill he had more than mastered - puppy dog eyes. The boy pouted at her playfully, giving an innocent expression with exaggeratedly wide eyes that lasted only a moment before Tsuzume gave in already anyway. As she sighed, Kyoku grinned widely at his friend. He had a partner, and now all there was to do was to get through the warm ups.

Though they were mere warm ups, there was nothing 'mere' about them. Though Kyoku was indeed a slacker, one who normally wouldn't progress much in this sort of schooling, this dojo was a tough one and the strength he did have could be attributed to this. Simple warm ups consisted of vigorous exercise, stretches, and running that would wear out any normal, untrained person, in moments.

Still, their sensei was quite the motivator - fearsome yet fair and kind, it kept Kyoku going despite the difficulty until attending class became habit. The training was tough but no one could say that it didn't pay off.

After an intense starting routine, the students more than warmed up, it was time for sparring. After that they would probably continue onto their Ki lessons as they did most days, but for now Kyoku had his opponent and when Tsuzume urged him up quickly he jumped to his feet and took the same basic stance as her. "Guilt?" Asked Kyoku innocently, "nah, you do it because I'm cute" he assured her jokingly, as flirtatious as ever.

He stood at a height similar to hers, Kyoku just barely reaching half an inch over Tsuzume making it hard to tell which was taller at a far away glance. His lean, toned body stood firm in his stance, sweat already starting to glisten from his fair skin from the warm up routines.

Kyoku's mouth went slack as Tsuzume told him not to go easy on her, just because she was a girl. "You act as if I ever would" he said before grinning, readying himself.

Some of the students had already begun, sparring with their partners in their own separated spaces. Though no spectacular brawl was had, the class showed it's clockwork-like precision and strict teachings as they all demonstrated in full the basic teachings of the style up to that point.

And it was time for Kyoku and Tsuzume to join the dance so to speak.

A step forward and Kyoku threw his fist, a simple strike aimed for the face, regardless if it meant hitting a girl or not. Kyoku in many ways was an innocent soul, or perhaps 'simple' was a better word for it. He never saw Tsuzume as just some girl who couldn't keep up with the guys, some frail thing to protect. In fact, Kyoku admired the girl if he was being truthful and as such he knew she could take anything he could dish out and more. She was his equal if not greater and Kyoku always treated her as such, and no feeling on the matter was clearer as he openly attacked with no reservations.
 

"Well it does do it for me when you scold me~"

"...."

Tsuzume had no idea whether to slap him, shoot a glare, or simply opt for their sensei to deal with that remark. After silently contemplating for a few moments, she went with option C and found herself just a bit disappointed when D ended up becoming the result.

Of course it would be none of the above happening. Ugh.

... To be fair, a good part of that was her own fault. And, well, she couldn't turn back time. Knowing she had already made her choice, Tsuzume brushed the words away, turning her concentration onto the fight that was about to happen. Whilst Kyoku got up to his feet, Tsuzume took a moment to use her peripheral vision and study how the others were doing. Many probably would have thought her to be nosy and perhaps to the smallest of degrees, this was partly true. Yet, that was definitely not the main reason she was looking. First and foremost, she was curious. Observing others was by far an easy and efficient way for her to study and gather ideas for new techniques or even counter-attacks.

Disregarding her main incentive, there was the simple fact that Tsuzume was friends with some of the other classmates besides Kyoku.

Yeah.

Believe it or not, the girl who always came off as too serious or even bitchy at times did have other comrades. Mind you, it was true there weren't many in number. But the fact remained as such; she did have others who would eagerly help her in the blink of an eye of not quicker.

Not to say she didn't have any faith in Kyoku. But back-up plans were nice to have. One never knew when they might or might not be needed, after all.

As her head turned and Tsuzume's blue eyes landed back on Kyoku, she grinned upon seeing him in his own posture. "Well," she muttered lowly, "Experience. Too many make the mistake of not listening to me. Force of habit; I'm sure you understand that much." He finally charged forward ....

And ...

Tsuzume couldn't help but snicker slightly and shake her head as she saw where his strike was going for. "You need to be a bit more diverse."

Leaving the hint at that, she pivoted on her feet, turning so her eyes and hands were looking at the same one Kyoku had tried to hit her with. She then proceeded to try to grip his arm and perform the exact same throw she had just succeeded on that annoying punk in the streets not but about five or so minutes. Normally, Tsuzume would admit - at least to herself - she didn't like using the same moves over and over again.

Honestly though, Kyoku had just made it too easy and tempting. How could she not consider doing this move again?

Moreover, it wasn't her fault he had set himself up.

So - assuming this all went according to her plan - she'd help give him the friendliest as possible reminder as to why diversity was so essential in this school. This was even more true when others chose to go against her as an opponent.
 
Around the room pairs sparred honorably, and most of the pairs even equally. Their skill shined against one another in a proud demonstration tempered by the years of training this class had endured. By the time Tsuzume looked around, only about one or two matches had ended in quick favor of the winner, while the rest went on, training their bodies and skills to perfection.

And then there was Kyoku.

He had been with the class as long as most in the room and as such he was no slouch, despite being a slacker. He was fit, strong, and could actually fight but his lack of determination and applying himself left his technique with much to be desired. Though he did keep up, Kyoku still was the least of the class. Even still, there was something about Tsuzume that he admired other than just her looks, and whenever they sparred, he somehow was able to find the inkling of interest in the art itself, rather than as a means to get women.

Rushing at her with his quite obvious attack, something not so obvious was about to happen. Of course with such a reckless attack, Tsuzume easily caught his arm and as always would no doubt use his momentum to throw him over her as was her main tactic. Except this time... There was no momentum?

As Tsuzume grabbed his arm, what would be felt was not a heavy strike carrying his weight, but held back. As she pulled, Kyoku pulled back, keeping the two in place instead of letting her hurl him.

Another wide grin crossed his face, "I knew you'd try that" he said, boasting his memory of Tsuzume's move along with a way to counter it.

Sadly, as impressive as it was, Kyoku clearly did not think anything through beyond that as he left himself completely open and quite obviously so. This would be easy for Tsuzume if she took the chance.
 

" .... Huh .... "

It probably wasn't the reply anyone would have expected, but it felt like the most honest one for Tsuzume to give Kyoku. The momentum Tsuzume had expected to feel suddenly vanished. And when she understood that Kyoku had planned far enough ahead to keep himself from being tossed, Tsuzume flashed him a sly smirk.

"You know, Kyoku-kun, it's all well and good that you actually stopped my throw. But it won't mean shit if that's all you figured out."

Sure enough, while she paused and Kyoku seemed to be hesitating - or was it thinking? - Tsuzume started taking advantage of that. Her brain began going over a mental list of various moves and counterattacks she could do. He was literally right next to her. Another throw? No. That'd be even easier to predict than the first one she'd tried to use against him.

Think, think, think. Quickly now ... aha! Got it!

As the answer came to Tsuzume, she reached over, intending to grab Kyoku's wrist and hand in a familiar position. The Sankyo, to be precise. Despite being a common technique that every student knew, there was a very specific reason everyone was taught it. The grip was very effective. It could easily make even the tallest of men sink to their knees -- and all without having to resort to a low blow.

The other factor would be hinted as Tsuzume started to twist Kyoku's wrist, assuming her grab connected to begin with.

While the pressure and pain on his joints increased, he would be forced to think fast. In a situation like this, it was very simple to make a mistake instead of a smart move. Moreover, unless he could quickly escape, it would make him favor using his lower body.

Even still, that could be fixed by side-stepping and keeping herself mostly out of his range.

Thus, unless she had forgotten anything else that Kyoku could do, she felt confident she would win this spar via a tap out.

 
"Heh heh~" Kyoku grinned proudly in response to the sound Tsuzume gave off.

There the two stood, locked in a clash as Tsuzume held young Kyoku's arm and he pulled, ensuring she couldn't throw him. All too proud of his little show, of stopping the throw of one of the most respectable students in the class - at least the one he respected most - this was as far as Kyoku thought and to him it was good enough, he was satisfied.

There was still the matter of actually winning, however, and so Kyoku reared back rather predictably before throwing his palm for her. In his swing Kyoku aimed for Tsuzume's side but it would prove useless as the more skilled girl pushed forward, forcing his arm back with the painful hold. It effectively stopped him from striking as she moved out of the way, rather suddenly having Kyoku in a bind.

Tsuzume on the other hand in fact had everything thought through. Kyoku growled as his wrist and arm strained, he tried to twist out of it but it was an effective hold, with her skill there was no simple pulling out of it. Just as Tsuzume had predicted, Kyoku would have to think fast and he began to, falling into the more obvious of mistakes and therefore falling further into her plan.

Just as she had predicted his upper body was useless. One arm held back, the other kept out of range of her from the hold, and no way to force himself out as the pain distracted his rational thought, Kyoku had no choice but to rely on his lower body. He kicked, trying to swipe Tsuzume from the side but it would be too easy to side-step, his hand was starting to go numb from the pain and his arm felt like it was gonna snap after a minute of her keeping him in such a basic but effective hold. Still, try as he might, no matter what Kyoku did Tsuzume was out of his reach and that hold was starting to really hurt. He tried to use this, to get angry and yank himself from it, but as the hold didn't rely on Tsuzume's strength, but her agility and angle, it did little good.

"Arrggghh..." Kyoku grumbled against the pain, holding out, trying to think of something... But it was just too much.

"Gaaahh! Fine, fine! I give!" Kyoku blurted out before pulling away, flinging out his arm in pain to shake out the feeling before he turned to Tsuzume. "Damn that hurt..." Kyoku looked to his hand before he looked to his sparring partner with a grin, "that was awesome, as always~" he encouraged with confidence in his friend. He didn't rightly care that he lost, and he enjoyed seeing Tsuzume get better, it was cool seeing what she could do and in some ways she was a model for his idea of just what cool things he could do to impress everyone that he would gain from this class as his reason for always attending. Albeit late most of the time.



After a few minutes, the other matches wound down as well and soon they had all come to completion.

"Alright, everyone" the elderly man teaching the class addressed them. "Find your spots, assume the position" said their teacher vaguely to anyone but his students, who had been running these drills for a long time. What it meant was that now they had worn their bodies properly and tested their skills against one another, it was now time to continue exploring the other side of physical prowess - it was time for Ki practice.

Kyoku nodded and like every class he sat down upon the matted floor next to Tsuzume, cross-legged and back straight.

Ki, the energy that flowed through all living things was a hard thing to learn control over. It was a power that if harnessed, strengthened and sped up the user, enhancing their abilities further through complete control of their form and use of all of their reserves. Masters could even fire it in excess from their hands!

To learn control of this mysterious force, students began by trying to feel their own energy, and then to bring it out. This was done through meditation and focus.

Kyoku placed his hands apart from one another right in front of his abdomen. He focused in, reaching deep inside, trying to feel the energy in him. It was common practice to take this position to try and focus one's Ki, a skill to later be taught to be done without having to be as still and focus as hard. In this early practice one would hold their hands out before their abdomen, and they would focus on their Ki. When one felt a pull at their core, this was the first sign that they had a small hold on it. All that was left from there was to pull it out.
 

Come on. You know what you need to do ...

The longer Tsuzume was able to keep her hold, the more smug her smirk looked in appearance. She didn't usually like people who were overly cocky. However, if they could back it up, then she could tolerate it. The same policy held true for herself, and it was exactly why she never otherwise made such gestures. Only now, when she knew she had completely succeeded, did Tsuzume allow her pride to get the best of her.

Ten seconds turned to thirty, then a full minute, and started to become two.

Before that, though, she heard the magical words.

"Gaaahh! Fine, fine! I give!"

And that's all she wrote, she internally mused, letting go as Kyoku relinquished any and all chances to win their spar. Her head bowed politely as the teenager lightly snickered upon hearing him utter simple words such as "Damn that hurt". Fighting off the urge to roll her eyes, she began walking towards hr spot and sat back down.

"To be fair, those techniques aren't meant to feel good. Not unless you're some masochist I don't know about, that is."

As much as Tsuzume respected and liked Kyoku as a friend, times like now were simultaneously some of the more annoying moments. Because of his nonchalant attitude, she couldn't help but feel like he'd half-assed the spar. And that was what was making her just a bit irritated.
Yet by the time they were trying to work on drawing their ki out, any expressions that would have hinted how she'd been feeling vanished from her face. The smallest bits of anger lingered within her, but most of it was replaced by a sense of excitement.

Ki was a big deal, not just the mere concept but also being able to use it.

No matter how good Tsuzume was, she had never managed to succeed in fully completing this exercise. She could always detect and sense it. Alas, the aura had yet to appear around or in her hands. She wanted today to be the day that could change.

You've been here ... how long? And you still can't do that?

Gripping her lip briefly, Tsuzume let go, eliciting a long, deep sigh.

That kind of attitude is probably the reason why you haven't been able to do it yet. Calm down. Breathe ...

Another soft breath resounded from Tsuzume as she began to relax her body, noticing her muscles were far more tense than they should have been. In ... out. In ... out. The steady breathing patterns continued as Tsuzume listened to nothing except the rhythm of her heart.

... And then ... there it was. The same sense of strength she'd felt before in the past.

Now, all she had to do was keep a hold on it and draw it out.
 
Kyoku bowed to Tsuzume respectfully as their match finished, a grin on the boy's face from observing his friend's skill who he was honestly impressed by. He wanted to learn this stuff because it was cool, because it was badass to be able to throw a person three times your size, to take out punks who want to pick a fight, to do crazy magical kung fu stuff. Tsuzume being further along than him, she was able to demonstrate some of the former options and Kyoku respected that - he though highly of his friend's skill and in fact thought she was cool.

As such, he would never hold back or not try against her. He just didn't have the skill that Tsuzume had. As far as he knew, he went all out, with no idea that Tsuzume thought otherwise.

Taking his spot next to her on the mat, Kyoku focused.

Relaxation was key, one had to let their body flow. Kyoku breathed out, straightening up his back but loosening up his body. His hands assumed the position, bottom of his palms floating just above his abs, palms facing each other, and fingers relaxed.

Kyoku started inward, focusing on himself, inside himself, trying to find the latent flow of Ki all living things had. The boy breathed in, then out, focusing on the pattern as well.

Feeling the energy within himself, Kyoku became aware of it, feeling the warmth through his body, surging through him and pooling at his center, at his core. One moment turned to two, and after a few Kyoku finally felt it, he felt a pull at his stomach, his abs contracting quickly from the pressure of his energy.

As soon as he felt it, Kyoku grabbed hold so to speak, he focused on his hands, as if cupping water from a pool he imagined pulling power from his core. Soon, a faint point of light began to spark between his hands, as he pulled them from his abdomen it brightened, and soon the halo of light produced by the real light in the center filled his hands, and the smallest sphere of energy possible was crafted. Now was to hold it.

They had all been practicing this for a long time, it was still difficult to muster for most but by this point Kyoku could achieve at least this. Perhaps it was because this was the first thing he learned that showed him such crazy stuff was possible for even him. The world knew of Ki and there were a lot who could demonstrate it, it was no foreign concept but even still, to be able to do it felt... Extraordinary. It was the thing Kyoku actually wanted to focus on and so by applying himself he got this far. That could only go to a point however as the rest was needed, peak physical performance, training, everything else the boy slacked on was still needed for the use of this energy and so he was still held back to about this point - but he could do it.

And so meditation began. For the next hour students sat in silence, breathing slowly and holding their small examples of their Ki in their hands, focusing on maintaining it.

An hour passed and Kyoku was easily the first to drop his Ki, to lose focus and be worn out by the use of it. It sparked apart in his hands, fading quickly. Sweat beaded on the boy's brow and once his Ki went, Kyoku panted, falling back to the mat with a grin on his face. He didn't care that he was only this far, it was just amazing to him that he could do such a neat trick.

Once the hour was up, the elder teacher brought out some sort of machine. It was a mounted pad with a screen above it, a punching machine that would give out the reading of the pressure behind their strikes.

"Alright everyone, line up" he instructed. It would be the last portion of class as it was on certain days of the week like today.

This test was a little different than just trying out one's strength. Being able to pull out Ki like they had into a physical state was simpler in practice but harder in application than it was to rouse the Ki within oneself to strengthen them. While the visual example and practice of pulling out Ki was easier to demonstrate, it took more effort than simply pushing one's power - the first was needed to feel Ki but if they could do that, they could push their physical ability with Ki easier. The point of this trial was to see just how much one could strengthen their body with the Ki that the last exercise taught them to feel out.

"You ready?" The seemingly worn out Kyoku asked Tsuzume as he got up.
 

There it is!

When Tsuzume knew she had detected her ki, the same problem that tended to occur repeated, unfortunately. She became too eager and excited. The concentration thus started to falter. When she noticed that happening, a surge of panic mingled in with the other feelings she was experiencing.

Shit, no! Wait, wait! I can still do this! No! Agh!

Frustration snuck in and only made what should have been a relatively simple task far more difficult.

No, no, no! Fuck! Noooooooooooo!

And .... poof. As quickly as Tsuzume had found her ki, it just as swiftly vanished. A pissed off huff elicited as she fell onto her back. Blue eyes continued to stare upward at the ceiling as more labored breaths passed Tsuzume's lips.

Shit. You almost had it, too.

Of course, all of the curses racing through her mind would stay right there. It'd be too weird - or that was what she feared - for anyone to hear her utter such 'unladylike' words. Even with knowing this would have been a perfectly fair and justified moment to let at least one cuss word slip, she restrained herself, remaining on the mat supporting her feminine frame.

Her head turned, out of both instinct and curiosity, and saw Kyoku in a very similar position as her. The main difference was he wore that cheeky grin of his which, admittedly, made her smile in return. If nothing else, the young man could always succeed with one thing that few others could do to Tsuzume, and that was make her smile.

That was no doubt another reason she held a special bond with the immature classmate.

Sure, he could be perverted and seem way too laid back. But at least he never had any bad intentions with anyone. But Tsuzume especially applied that same observation to herself.

Not because she expected the universe to revolve around her. Rather, she was used to tons of people - guys in particular - attempting to take advantage of her due to something petty like her gender.

"You ... didn't do it either, huh?"

It was actually a very serious inquiry. Of course, it was also laced with the faintest hints of a competitive undertone. Tsuzume would highly prefer to be the first between them to succeed in fully bringing her ki out.

But honestly, as long as she could eventually do it, she wouldn't fret too much on who accomplished the feat first.

"Maybe next time, hm? As for whether I'm ready or not? Silly. You should know that. I'm always ready," she added, flashing Kyoku a reassuring grin as she slowly pushed herself back up to her feet.

Soon, the last part of the class began. It was something everyone had long come to accept and acknowledge. The 'test' was relatively simple, in terms of concept, anyway. It was literally a punching bag.

The difference between this one and the first kind that were introduced, however, were these actually measured one's strength and displayed it.

So, naturally, their homework was to try to see if they could beat their previous records.

For now, Tsuzume's best was 120.

It felt - and sometimes looked - like an impossible hurdle to jump over. But Tsuzume's stubborn side had convinced herself she could get better and surpass even a number as high as that.

After all, the point of coming to these lessons are to keep getting stronger. Not suddenly get weaker.

Smiling at the thought, she stood in line and patiently waited her turn.

When she found herself facing the device, Tsuzume moved her left foot slightly behind her right. Clenching her right fist, she then moved it so it was parallel with her hips.

"Hah!"

A buzz resounded and the numbers 125 appeared on the small display window.

Tsuzume couldn't help herself. She jumped up happily, raising her fist in the air.

"Yeah!"

.... Only to stop herself after reminding herself she wasn't alone and quickly got back into a standing position. Clearing her throat, she bowed her head politely to the sensei and moved to the back of the line.

All the while, she continued to wear a very proud and definitely somewhat smug smirk.

Some could call her a cocky, arrogant bitch.

But, as proven by the very recent display, she could at least back it up. And it was something Tsuzume took a lot of pride in.
 
One by one the students tried until it became Tsuzume's turn. Not surprisingly, she was one of the top scores in the class. Some of the larger built kids still strongarmed her number by a bit but she was, as usual, one of the top of the class and more importantly she had beaten her own previous high score.

"Yeah good job Tsuzume!" Kyoku congratulated loudly, even after the girl quickly quieted down and straightened herself up his voice cheered her on.

"Well done" the master bowed back to Tsuzume with a proud smile at one of his top students.

A few more went after Tsuzume and then it was finally Kyoku's turn. The dark haired boy stepped forward and took a deep breath.

When it came to the practice of Ki, the first stage of learning was to be able to feel it through meditation and to pull it out, getting them used to actually harnessing it and holding onto it. Next was what this test was about, to reach that feeling without meditation, while standing and with as little preparation as possible - even though at this stage students were given a bit more concentration time - and to harness it with one's body.

Kyoku kept his eyes on the target, students were not allowed to close their eyes for this as it would be unwise in a fight. The boy breathed slowly and tried to recognize that same feeling at his core. He clenched his stomach and imagined that bright light inside him. Slowly he focused, tensing up his whole body and picturing that light filling him, him pulling it from his core and into his limbs and finally to his fist as he clenched it. It was hard to just feel it accurately filling him, part of such early skill was believing it was there and having faith that one was indeed pulling on their Ki. Part of him could barely feel it though, and it let him have the confidence to trust his strength. Kyoku reared back, and with a powerful strike he punched the pad as hard as he could.

The numbers started calculating and after a moment it beeped as it displayed his number.

108 - it was higher than his record of 105. Not the biggest jump but it was a jump nonetheless and it made Kyoku happy.

"Haha see that?" The boy grinned widely, proud of his own little improvement even if it wasn't that high compared to the rest of the class. Suddenly though, Kyoku put a hand to his head and wobbled a bit, obviously dizzy from the use of Ki. It showed a lack of proficiency but a decent amount of Ki he was able to summon up, for someone of his skill at least.

Shaking it off, Kyoku headed back down with a smirk after bowing to his sensei.

Soon the rest of the class finished up and stood at their meditation spots as the master addressed them all again.

"As you all know, we have started introducing ourselves to the pride of our school, the symbolic technique of the Turtle Style, the Kamehameha" he started. "You have begun learning the motions and how to bring Ki forth from your body and outward. Starting tomorrow, we will be running drills to perform the technique so that you may all be ready by graduation" he explained to them. It was the final test of graduates to be able to perform the school's signature move and the day was fast approaching.

"But I have a bit of a surprise for you all" the master then said, rousing a bit of curiosity from the class.

"This year... Graduation happens to fall near the upcoming World Martial Arts Tournament. As such, our class and another will be participating, so that you may all show off your move and skills to everyone. Of course you all have a chance to win, in which case a couple of you may be able to win the cash prizes" he said tantalizingly as if to encourage the students' enthusiasm.

"Woah we could win money?!" Kyoku exclaimed suddenly excited, showing where his mind was over glory or his passing grade.

"Alright everyone that is all for today. Good work all of you" said the teacher, dismissing the class.

-------------------------------------

After showering and dressing back in his casual clothes, jeans, a black tee, and a purple button down shirt over it. He hung his cracked sunglasses on his collar for now and waited to meet Tsuzume as he often did after class, the two usually hanging out or at least walking home together.

"Tsuzume!~" Kyoku waved her down as he spotted her outside of class, having planned to hang out at their usual spot today.
 

As Tsuzume walked to the back of the line, she watched the small handful of students who had yet to take their turn. They were around her range, maybe one or two actually surpassing her. But even then, they were older, taller, and stronger, so it made some sense as to why they could go higher than Tsuzume. Still, that didn't mean she hadn't tucked away some mental tricks on how to deal with those types of opponents. The Sankyo she'd performed on Kyoku not too long ago was but one of the many examples and techniques to help, in fact. And it was why she practiced religiously; to do any and everything she could from being caught completely off-guard.

If she had to grade herself, Tsuzume liked to believe she'd done pretty damn well, thank you very much.

Finally, Kyoku stood in front of the punching machine. Her teeth latched gently onto her lower lip as she carefully watched not only the screen, but Kyoku's movements. They were calm. Calculated. Thought out. All of that plus including everything he probably should have during their spar.

Either way, the sight made her smile.

Maybe there's hope for him yet, she inwardly mused, her grin expanding as she watched the numbers 108 flash.

"Mhm, I did. Not too bad. Progress is still progress, no matter how much or little it arrives in. Good work!" Giving Kyoku a proud smile, she sat back down in her assigned spot and shifted her gaze to the front of the room. The class was about to end, though before that, their sensei would offer the room some parting words, as he always tended to do. It all started pretty normally, with them all being reminded they needed to successfully perform the Kamehameha by the time they graduated.

As a prideful individual, Tsuzume understood perfectly how it felt to be proud of something. Deep down, however, she couldn't help but feel just a bit irked that this was the main requirement for graduating. She found it much more fulfilling to come up with new moves and techniques herself.

But ... she would allow her pride to be swallowed, simply because Tsuzume had worked too damn hard to abruptly fail this class.

Her attention quickly went back to the instructor as his tone changed. Hints of ... intrigue and the very faintest suggestions of mischief were barely detected as he added something new to his announcement. Something that had definitely never been revealed before.

"This year... Graduation happens to fall near the upcoming World Martial Arts Tournament. As such, our class and another will be participating, so that you may all show off your move and skills to everyone. Of course you all have a chance to win, in which case a couple of you may be able to win the cash prizes"

Tsuzume's eyes couldn't help but widen upon hearing that incentive. She wasn't piss poor or anything. Far from it. Still, extra money was always good, especially since she was too young to apply for a job at most places.

"Seriously?! Awesome!"

Mind you, the money was just a major bonus. She was definitely more eager to simply prove herself. Feeling officially more excited than she'd been in a good amount of weeks, Tsuzume bowed her head respectfully before getting quickly back up to her feet, exiting the dojo and entering the bathroom to change.
Like Kyoku, she got into her own much needed shower. Unlike her classmate, she came out clad in the same high school uniform. Tempted as she'd been to pack away some more casual clothes, Tsuzume had decided against it. She could always get into jeans and a t-shirt when she went home. That was also technically what the weekends were for; to relax and not have to fret about any forced dress codes. Given another weekend wasn't too far away, she could wait. It wouldn't kill her to be seen in a blouse and skirt.

"Hey Kyoku," Tsuzume greeted, following his voice and eventually standing beside him. "That's ... pretty awesome, if not slightly intimidating, huh? To actually be able to partake in the Tournament, I mean. I've watched the past several years but ... wow. This is actually a really big deal, to be allowed to try out and everything. I'm ecstatic about it. What about you?"
 
As Tsuzume met with Kyoku the duo started to walk down the street towards the mall.

It was a decent hangout spot for kids their age. Plenty of walking and loitering space and it was a rather booming mall in a busy location. It was where Kyoku and Tsuzume usually went together during their free time and there was enough to do that it didn't get stale.

She asked Kyoku if he was excited like she was. He had been pretty quiet listening to Tsuzume seemingly politely as she went on about it, but as she asked, a small giggle slipped passed his big, goofy smirk as he was clearly in thought while he listened. At her question, Kyoku might as well have had Zeni signs behind his small rounded sunglasses.

"Mmmmmmm-I'm MORE than excited!" exclaimed Kyoku who was absolutely brimming with anticipation. So hyped about the whole thing he hummed out his blurted sentence as if it were trying to break out of his lips before he could even say it.

"Do you know how much those cash prizes are?!" Kyoku beamed, "if we make it to even the Quarter Finals we'll still get a butt load!" his hands were open, fingers curled in a rather devious gesture as if a villain had just realized his grand scheme.

There it was. It wasn't surprising, characteristic of Kyoku even, that money was the first thing on his mind about this. Even further he clearly didn't really care about winning either, or didn't have much faith in the idea, but that was Kyoku after all. He had his ambitions even if they were a tad misplaced in the eyes of others.

"Plus if I had cash... I could attract so many more girls!" Kyoku's eyes actually twinkled as he said this.

This stuff usually came up with Tsuzume, he never really had to worry about offending her save for the rare phrase that would earn him a strike to the noggin, but they were good friends, he was comfortable enough with her to be himself.

-------

Getting to the mall, their first stop was the food court. Class did work up an appetite after all.

"How far do you think you'll get? Gonna shoot for the quarter-finals too?" He asked, curiously seeming to not have much faith in anyone getting further than that.
 

"Mmmmmmm-I'm MORE than excited!"

The simple but honest reply made Tsuzume grin as she began walking and talking with Kyoku. Slowly but surely, the pair began to walk towards one of the local malls. Typically, they managed to find either an arcade to kill time in or would head to a cinema. It all honestly depended on what they were up to.

Unfortunately, the work out had been tiring and if only due to that, Tsuzume didn't feel like doing too much. Something to eat ... and then maybe playing a few video games. But after that, she wanted to change into some looser clothing and pass out on her bed. Until then, however, she was still with Kyoku; something her mind helped her remember as she lifted her head and looked right at him as he uttered his next set of words.

"Do you know how much those cash prizes are?! if we make it to even the Quarter Finals we'll still get a butt load!"

" .... Yeah ... "

It wasn't hearing him confess he wanted the money. Nah, that wouldn't be fair, not when Tsuzume was in the same boat. What had really bothered the shit out of her was hearing the words 'Quarter Finals'.

.... Why? Shouldn't it be counted as his loss and your gain?

One would think the answer would be a yes. Tsuzume could continue working her way up the ranks, eventually surpassing the entire classroom - or most of them, anyway. Was that why it irked her?

Because deep down, she knew Kyoku was better than that?

Maybe. It was one of the few things that made any lick of sense to her.

Plus, if you just managed to climb up without any struggles along the way, it wouldn't b fun. Not at all.

Still, it wasn't like she could force Kyoku to work his ass off, either.

.... Or maybe she could. That was the new train of thought as an idea came to her had, making her grin spread across her face. Sure, it held a bit of a risk. But if it paid off ... it'd be worth it. True, he hadn't made the biggest leap in his display with the punching machine. The fact he made any progress, however, implied one thing; he wasn't at his strongest yet. He still had a shit ton of potential left to show off to her and the others, including the sensei.

"I think I came up with a new incentive for you. I'll bring it up when we arrive."
True to her word, she waited until after they walked inside and sat in the food court. Yet before she could remind him, he asked an equally important question, one she wouldn't mind answering before giving away the thought that had so suddenly entered her head.

"As far as I can. But I definitely wanna get to the top 10, if not in single digits. That being said, here's my proposition."

Tsuzume had originally paused in order to gather her words and ensure she knew exactly what she wanted to say. However, as the waitress stood beside them and took orders for their drinks, she bowed her head and murmured quickly but audibly, "Green tea, please. Thanks."

Waiting for Kyoku to relay what he wanted first - as well as the waitress to move away from their table - Tsuzume leaned forward slightly. "If you can beat me in rank, you can have one thing you've wanted for a while. A date with me. So if, for example, I place 7th, you have to be 6th or higher."

Stopping again, now to let the offer sink in and Kyoku to understand how big of a deal this was - for a good number of reasons - Tsuzume waited until what seemed like the perfect moment. Then and only then would she ask the golden question.

"So, do you accept? Make sure you are certain about your answer, because I'm not going to let you change your mind. If you say yes, then I expect to see you giving it your all at that tournament."
 
The food court was as bustling as always, and the two took to one of their usual places. It was an eastern joint and was in it's own storefront as opposed to the smaller places lining the food court.

"Soda, please~" chimed Kyoku with a charming grin, leave it to him to put on the moves constantly - even if he wasn't aware of it himself!

His order showed another thing keeping Kyoku back by maybe just a little, his diet. He didn't eat unhealthily per say, but Kyoku did indulge in sugary drinks, his times of eating weren't always consistent, and he did snack more often than not. It wasn't enough to keep him from being as fit as he was but a real feast; rice, meat, tea, rather than chips as a replacement meal a couple too many times, would probably see him with more energy to put towards training and longer sessions without being as tired at least.

As the waitress left the two, Tsuzume finally leaned in and let him in on what little incentive she was talking about.

Through out and even now, Kyoku had a little idea in his head. With his dirty mind, 'incentive' went to as dirty a place:

'Oh Kyoku!~' she would say, wearing a short skirted school uniform, 'I've always wanted you and now take me!' as she would lift the skirt slowly, flashing him her pink, lacy panties

No that wasn't right... It didn't seem enough like Tsuzume to appeal to him.

'Hey Kyoku...' This one was more serious, wearing her training gi. She had a bit of a blush on her face and a furrowed brow as if she hated to admit what she was about to say 'Just get over here and %$#* me okay?!' angrily spoken.

That was it... Perfect. Bold and abrasive just how she could be in a fight. Though he had to snap out of his thoughts as she spoke again.

It wasn't like his fantasies but his eyes widened as if she just gave him the tournament money right there.

"A... A date?" he repeated, sure that he couldn't have heard it right, but he did.

"U-uhm.. Y-yeah!.. Yes!- I mean... Yeah sure, that sounds awesome. Done and done" he said confidently, even if he didn't know if he could beat her. This was the chance of a lifetime and he just had to win that little bet, "deal" he finally said just right between too enthused and acting too cool about it.

----------

After the two ate, it was time to explore around. Really the two were going to end up at the arcade as usual and here they were again.

Kyoku was playing a fighting game next to Tsuzume. He loved these things, the cool moves were one of the only things enticing him about being a fighter.

"So... If I win this. What can we do? Any rules?" he asked as he watched the flashing screen but paid attention to what Tsuzume's answer would be.
 

"A... A date?"

Tsuzume couldn't help herself. The way he stammered made her smirk. If he was already struggling to reply within the span of mere minutes after their class had ended, she felt confident. Unless, of course, he could prove her wrong by the time the Tournament arrived. Still, as things were, she felt more and more certain this would be in the bag for her.

When the waitress returned with their drinks, Tsuzume bowed her head politely, lifting the cup in front of her lips to hide her smug grin.

"Alright then. Just remember; you agreed to this. From here on out, no going back. Well ... you could. But then you give up the right to keep that date."

Tsuzume had noticed that 'zoned out' expression. It hadn't lasted long, but it stayed enough for her to notice it. It wasn't really a secret that Kyoku had quite the dirty mind. What would be unexpected for him to know was that even she could have an equally risque train of thoughts.

In fact, she wasn't as naive to the more sensual subjects, despite her demeanor. She just ... kept her 'alone time' discreet. Unknown to anyone, especially her parents. The same applied to the more sexier wardrobe she had tucked away in her drawers.

Luckily for Tsuzume, her parents were almost always out of the house due to their jobs. It made shopping for low-cut tops, ripped jeans, slightly short skirts, and other articles of clothing that she could never muster the courage to wear out in public that much simpler. The fact they sent her a monthly allowance, most of which she saved for a good while before spending, further helped her with acquiring these things.

Her head quickly shook as Tsuzume barely fought off the urge to blush. Now was definitely not the time to think about ... well ... some of the few skeletons she had in her closet. Ones that even Kyoku didn't know about yet.
The rest of the dinner went with Kyoku doing a lot more talking than Tsuzume. It was mostly under his breath, but there were a few phrases here and there she did catch wind of, and all seemed to be linked to the 'date' she had promised him if he won.

Tsuzume started to walk towards one of the dancing games they competed against each other in, but stopped when she noticed Kyoku moving in another direction. A quick detour led her to a fighting game, which made her chuckle softly.

"We do this enough for real. You sure you wanna fight me again?" she teased, sitting beside him and slowly moving the joystick as she began to select her fighter to use. Her head swiftly turned, however, as Kyoku tossed over a new question. Given the look she wore, it was obviously something she hadn't expected to hear, either.

"So... If I win this. What can we do? Any rules?"

"... Oh? Aren't you being kinda greedy there? Well .... "

Looking back to her screen, she now purposely moved the small square around, taking her time so the two would end up starting their game at the same time. Which therefore meant not immediately picking her preferred fighter in order to answer properly to Kyoku.

"Well ... hmm. For a lack of better wording, think of it as a very one-sided Truth or Dare. However, the loser has to do whichever option the winner asks. I will, however, put one thing down on the 'nope' list, at least for now. And .... knowing you are the perv you tend to be, it's a fair assumption so ... "

The same blush he'd envisioned decorating her face now appeared for real.

"No .... no .... home base. Sex. Whatever you wanna call it. Not yet. But ... if you wanna try other things, fine. Just remember, the same will apply if I win."

Her hand hovered over the "Select" button, ready to push down on it if Kyoku agreed to this also. He would easily recognize, should he look over, the person Tsuzume chose.

A tall, Aryan woman whose primary weapons were her fists as opposed to a blade, gun, or spear like many of the other characters owned. She was a true martial artist, very much like Tsuzume, and it was a good reason she used the character all the time.

Although she had experimented with some of the other people, the fact she went to her default choice suggested she wasn't going to lose easily to Kyoku. Not if she could help it, anyway.
 
As the two started their games, picking the characters, Tsuzume gave him quite the answer.

Kyoku's jaw nearly dropped to the floor as he looked at Tsuzume blatantly. He asked her expecting her to say that they couldn't fuck, but it seemed however that his question changed the game. It didn't hurt to ask indeed.

"D-D-D-D-Dares?!" Kyoku had a huge grin on his face as he tried to express this too fast, greatly stumbling over the word. He calmed only slightly when Tsuzume did affirm his suspicions, they couldn't have sex, but when she went on... Actually saying they could 'try other things', Kyoku gasped loudly, eyes nearly glowing they brightened so much.

The way Tsuzume's hand casually hovered over the button as if she had simply asked him to hang out or something before turning to her game like it was no big deal almost made Kyoku think he just fantasized it all, but there was no way. The way she did this also straight up turned him on.

Kyoku did know that his friend wasn't a prude, it was why he flirted with her and felt comfortable talking like he did around her. Still, that it would get this far... The only unsurprising thing about that was that it came in the form of a challenge - an idea that even further had his chest pounding and brow sweating a bit.

"DEAL! DEAL, DEAL, DEAL, DEAL!" he shouted, luckily the arcade being loud enough no one else would pay them any mind.

Kyoku nearly broke the stick scrolling to his favorite character, slamming the button to select the powerful monk.

Senkyomashuyan as the character was named for nothing but a long sounding name, was a mysterious monk with mystical powers. He was thin, dressed in large baggy trousers of some sort and chords and beads all around his thin, exposed upper body. He was easily the most flashy character in the game, using his open palms and powerful energies to attack. Most of his moves set off cinematics that devastated the opponent, visually at least, doing similar damage to other characters' moves. He was just Kyoku's style.
 

"Yeah. Last I checked, I didn't stutter when I spoke. So yes, dares."

Moments like this were definitely some of the most amusing ones with Kyoku. True, they were also slightly embarrassing. Thankfully though, the crowd in the mall - particularly this specific arcade - made it easy to avoid being heard by anyone who may be close enough. Because his outburst of repeatedly crying out "DEAL!" was definitely something Tsuzume did not want to have as a way to draw unwanted attention to her. Sure, she wasn't the person screaming the word out. But association was a bad of a "crime" nowadays as being the actual person to commit said acts.

"Geez, Kyoku-kun," she muttered, blushing furiously as each exclamation caused more and more crimson to paint her face. "You're hopeless sometimes."

A soft set of chuckles would be the next thing he'd hear from Tsuzume, followed by her hand landing calmly yet roughly down on the "SELECT" button.

"Round One! Fight!"

As the announcer finished his declaration, Tsuzume didn't immediately make a move. Kyoku would easily recognize just how seriously she was taking her own challenge. Normally, she would charge forward and try to get the monk - or whichever character Kyoku chose - in a throw and hurl them towards the other end of the screen.

This time, however, she was waiting, seeing if he would be reckless enough to make a hasty first move this time around.

You want it so bad? Come and prove yourself to me.

She would wait for thirty seconds. Regardless of whether Kyoku made Senkyomashuyan move or not, she would finally act, knowing giving him too much time would be just as unwise. However, instead of going for the typical tactics, she went for an unexpected move. It came in the form of an open-palmed punch, going right for the monk's gut.
 
Kyoku grinned and gave an innocent chuckle as Tsuzume bashfully said that he was hopeless.

His attention turned to the game. If there ever was a time to be serious it was now, the boy focused and the fight started. The two characters appeared in their usual spectacular intros and the announcer declared the fight, it had begun.

Tsuzume hung back and Kyoku did too for a moment. He was going to be careful about this, there was no way he'd lose here.

Before his friend would decide to charge back in, the monk flew forward. The crash of buttons and joystick sounding as he went in for a combo. Luckily as the monk and fighter struck, they clashed at the same time, repelling one another. Immediately Kyoku went in, the monk throwing fancy and wide range move that lit up the arena with big, epic attacks. It involved the monk flinging the floating balls around him and going off like energy based explosives and he hurled the combo right for Tsuzume's character.

"I wont lose" he taunted with a grin, not taking his eyes off the screen for a moment.

Whether or not the combo hit, Kyoku was far enough away that he could plan ahead. Once the combo would finish, Kyoku planned to move in and try and catch her with another strike. The monk spun around and simply hurled two flying balls out at Tsuzume's character.
 

"... Interesting ... "

An amused smirk crossed Tsuzume's face as she noticed that neither of them drew any 'first blood', per se. Instead, the two characters were controlled in perfect harmony. It was so dead on that the result of the first attempt was her character and Kyoku's being repelled away from one another.

Good. It means he won't hold back.

Any doubts Tsuzume may have had about how her friend would do vanished from this display. Striking at the exact same moment and repelling one's opponent wasn't as easy as it sounded. On the contrary, it was harder to perform than some of the more special techniques. And that was quite the impressive feat, when one took the time to dwell on that thought.

Alas, now was not the right time for Tsuzume to be doing that. She concentrated on one thing and only it; the screen with her blonde-haired femme fatale and the monk eager, ready, and very willing to fight against one another. And they would do so with every ounce of strength, thanks to the effort and calculations included by the respective controllers. There was something very satisfying knowing that even if she lost this bet, Tsuzume had finally found a way to inspire Kyoku.

Hopefully, you can do more .. orthodox things to get him in such a good mood ...

Her smirk spread even further as Kyoku spoke up, sounding much more confident than he had in quite some time.

"I wont lose"

"Hmph. We'll see --- shit!"

Tsuzume had subconsciously snuck a sideways glance towards Kyoku in an effort to try to see what buttons he was pressing down on, as well as where the joystick was being led. During those precious seconds, however, it was enough to distract her.

Not completely, though, as she managed to make her own character back flip and get out of range of the monk's beads.

Still, it was enough that the award for who drew first blood went to Kyoku. Tsuzume grimaced as she noticed her life bar went from 100% to about 80%.

Can't repeat that. Gotta be more careful ...

Tsuzume bit lightly onto her lower lip. Even though Senkyomashuyan was nowhere close to being against his end of the wall, the idea that came to her head could still work. It would just involve her taking quite the risk.

But if it works ... it'll pay off. And definitely remove far more than 20% of his life ...

Nodding to herself, Tsuzume instinctively cried out a "HAH!" as her own character charged forward, aiming to execute a combo of her own. Regardless of the outcome, she would try to give herself distance no matter whether her assassin's technique hit its mark or not.
 
"Ha!" Kyoku let out a laugh as he saw his hit connect, far too focused to glance back at Tsuzume.

In fact this seemed to be a whole new level of focus for the young man, but then again there was a whole new kind of stakes on the lines this time around. Still, his eyes glued to the screen with this much focus, it was like he was a whole different person! It spoke volumes of the kind of person he was that took so well to this kind of motivation...

He had successfully chipped a decent chunk off of her health, getting about 20% off of her life bar. Kyoku's heart raced as the possibility of what was to come became slightly more real with each bit of damage gone from her life.

Still Tzusume was about to prove now was not the time to get cocky.

Coming back at him, Tsuzume's character rushed in and just barely connected a combo. A fierce and brutal combo broke out but luckily Kyoku had missed the first couple hits. Still it was just enough to get him into it and a full 50% was taken off his health bar.

"Shit..." Cursed Kyoku under his breath as he quickly got Senkyomashuyan to his feet and in for more.

Without giving her room or time to breathe, Kyoku rushed in to Tsuzume trying to quickly close the distance she had taken after downing him.

Having taken so much damage so quick, the small bar in the corner had filled and while not enough for his ultimate move, he now had access to his few super moves and he was taking advantage of it. Not recklessly surprising enough, Kyoku ducked in and attempted a combo but pulling off a bit of strategy - admittedly something he was better at in games than in real life - he actually faked out his combo before chaining into his move.

With his fakeout he intended on getting Tsuzume to block or move out of the way - either way he needed her to respond, before trying to take advantage of that opening to slip in a devastating move.
 

Hmph. There we go ...

Tsuzume's very proud grin spread even further, despite it seeming like an impossible thing to watch occur. Yet there it was, very noticeable and out in the open for anyone who wanted to look at her or what she was doing to take note of the expression. OF course, that didn't mean she cared, either. But she could hear that Tsuzume had been correct. Behind her, a slight audience had formed and surrounded both Kyoku and herself.

Fine by me. I've had to do katas in front of well over twenty or more people. This will be a breeze.

If anything, she was hoping this would be even more stressful for Kyoku. It'd certainly help give her an edge. Or ... that was her hope, anyway.

Now what will you do, hm?

It looked, initially, like a pretty reckless charge which caused Tsuzume to chortle slightly. "You do realize, Kyoku, that you're not the monk, right? You can --- "

But Tsuzume stopped, her eyes quickly widening as she began to witness the ultimate move being executed.

Fuck, fuck, fuck! Side step!

... Instead, her fingers took the other route, the one that probably wasn't the smartest. And so, Tsuzume made Mira block which, under normal circumstances, wouldn't have been such a horrible decision.

However, when done during an ultimate move, it was a completely different story.

Despite blocking preventing some of the damage, it wasn't nearly as much as it could have been should Tsuzume heeded her inner cries to move completely out of the way.

"Shit!" she hissed, not even realizing it his was officially the second time Kyoku had technically heard her curse out loud. Whether he noticed was another story, and one she didn't care much about. The bar dwindled with each hit, finally stopping at about the same percent as the monk's current health. Give or take a few digits, it was basically 50% for Tsuzume also.

Alright, then ...

Somewhre in between watching Kyoku perform the powerful ultimate move and trying to think while it happened, panic had started to overtake Tsuzume. It became more obvious when she rushed forward without looking to see that Kyoku was making Senkyomashuyan move in for yet another attack.

SHIT!

In a desperate, last ditch effort, Tsuzume slammed own on the button, trying to grapple him before he could finish with whatever he was trying to do to Mira.
 
A bit of a crowd seemed to form behind the duo, apparently the fight was getting intense, but Kyoku didn't even really seem to notice at all. He was sucked into the game, staring blankly at the screen with slightly gritted teeth, smashing the buttons and joystick with a certain level of controlled intensity that showed clearly that he was in the zone so to speak.

A grin crossed his features as Tsuzume started to critique him before he nabbed her in the super attack. She tried to maneuver out of it but ended up blocking, leaving herself open for some massive chip damage.

The special had Senkyomashuyan spinning his orbs so fast they looked like a disk and rapidly hitting the opponent before they were flung out towards them where they would explode in a massive flashy light, before they returned floating around him.

"Take that!" Grinned Kyoku getting into the moment, also smirking to himself at the thought of what else Tsuzume would be taking if he won this.

As the move finished Kyoku even hit the taunt button which activated a small cinematic when hit after downing the opponent showing the monk comically breaking his calm demeanor to chuckle at the opponent. The true purpose of the maneuver however was that it restored some of the power bar slightly.

It was after this though that Tsuzume started to slip up. The pressure or just Kyoku's incessant practice at this game working for him, he didn't know, but what mattered was that Tsuzume had moved in blind. Tsuzume's character successfully grappled, but a grab wouldn't cover the 50% health he had left. Kyoku took the grab move and was flung across the field.

Just as he got up though, Kyoku fired his grab. It was a rather obvious grab, but the trade off was that while the animation gave itself away, it was a long range grab that could be fired fast. It was easy to dodge but unorthodox and so it was his hope that it would throw her off even more.

Moreover, though his grab did less damage, it was easier to combo into and out of. As such, regardless of the success of the move, Kyoku immediately went in after for a harsh combo.
 
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