[That's better. He lets the sword catch him in the ankle solely to attempt a strike to Kara's shoulders with the flat of his blade, the other aiming for his hand to try and disarm him.]
[ kara is already pulling back for another attack, but the sword catches him on the shoulder and forces him to pause to stay balanced and on his feet. as soon as he realizes sol's intent, however, he pulls his arm inward to protect his sword hand, letting the blade cut into his arm instead. he'd rather that than lose his own sword - his life.
that was a good move, and with his sword arm injured, he's left at a disadvantage. but kara still has the sheath, so he uses it to jab at sol's chest, hoping to push him back and regain some ground. ]
[The biggest flaw in Sol's fighting style is that he always has to scramble to recover for defense. He always leaves himself open because he's used to delivering an onslaught of attacks without pause, and this is no different. Even as Kara guards his sword and takes the cut to the arm, Sol is trying to get in another strike.
However, the problem is that he's not watching and the sheath stabs straight into his chest, knocking him backwards and nearly flat on his ass. It gives some space between the two of them, enough time for Kara to regain his stance and for Sol to fumble and keep his footing.
That doesn't stop him from charging almost immediately, going after the sheath to flip it up and out of Kara's grip. He might not be successful, but he seems to be staying away from the sword for the moment. At least if he can narrow it down to one weapon instead of two, that's another advantage for him.]
[ sol is relentless as an opponent, fighting with an single-minded focus that kara can respect. it's not hard to see how quickly they could overwhelm someone, as the sheath falls from his hand to land on the grass a few feet away.
but just as often as he fights with the sheath, kara wields his sword alone, and he refuses to let a slight disadvantage like this stop him just yet. he'll have to pull his defense a little tighter to compensate for the loss, at least until he can put them back on an even level. but first - before sol can pull back or launch another attack, kara counters by driving his sword forward to break his defense, aiming directly for his heart.
he'll stop before he can actually hurt sol, of course, but he also wants to see how far he can get here. ]
[He kicks the sheath away once it drops to try and keep it away from Kara, but there's still a sword and there's still raw skill. He doesn't get very far though before the sword's aimed back at him again and he comes up to block, not quite stopping Kara from breaking through. If Kara hadn't chosen to stop, it would have been a direct hit and it's why Sol tries to guard with one arm and strike with the other before seemingly changing direction and getting out of the way. Both swords are at the ready, but he doesn't attack again just yet.]
Not bad...[He says, as he's trying to catch his breath and also not die. But he sounds impressed as he stays back to calculate his next move.]
[ when sol steps back, kara draws up to his full height, watching sol with a thoughtful expression. were this a different opponent, he could have easily claimed that kill... though lune would probably have something to say about it, if he hadn't pulled his sword up short.
instead of continuing the offensive, though, his eyes slide over to wear his sheath has fallen, waiting a moment before walking slowly toward it. and just in case sol plans to launch another attack, kara keeps his distance for now. ]
You need to work on your defense, [ is all he says as he picks it up, sliding the sword inside. guess they're done. ]
[Lune probably wouldn't have been too thrilled, no, but at least he doesn't have to worry about Sol or Ookurikara actually killing each other. Sol allows Kara to pick up the sheath, not quite moving but watching him from under the hood. Once the sword's replaced inside, however, he wills away both of his weapons and stretches a little. Ow.]
Thanks. [He thinks.] I've been training since I was born, so...a lot of practice. But usually I have different weapons and my magic. [i.e. defense is for suckers.]
I don't exactly have opponents to practice with, and the last guy I fought here was kind of a huge jerk and didn't even use weapons. [So excuuuuse him. But that's fair. He can't exactly excuse that.] We used to train every day when I was first learning how to fight, but then it came naturally. The universe decided it was going to make things more "fair" and take away my weapons upon arrival.
[But there's a shrug.] These hoods are kinda weird. Like magic? They change some stuff and they're pretty deep, but I don't know if the universe would interfere or not if something tried to attack us inside the hood. They have ways of interfering if we say too much, so it wouldn't surprise me.
If you're that worried, then why leave the hood on? I know you can take them off.
[ but then the explanation about sol's weapons is... distracting. and not a little concerning, now that he knows who lune is. and they've sparred before, but he hadn't used his usual weapon, either. was it because he didn't want to be found out yet, or... ]
[...] When we first got here, we weren't allowed to. It was part of the universe's plan. Things have changed now that we've been here for a while though. And I didn't want to fight you when you could see me in case you'd hold back.
[But yeah, he knows. He knows, and there's a brief shake of his head.]
I'm pretty sure he got to keep that. [...but hm.] You've seen his face then.
[ a genuine question - he spars with tantous daily, at least one of whom he'd actually call a friend, and he never holds back. (maybe kara just doesn't know how)
You'd be surprised. [Some people don't actually want to fight kids, weirdly. He doesn't get it either, but a hand comes up, lingering and toying with the edge of his hood. He's debating, it's fine.]
And anyway...I figured that was the case. I was hoping you'd see him sooner or later anyway. [He sounds kind of happy about that, too.] Lune keeps saying that it's for the best that I make friends and stuff, but I think he's forgotten I'm not the only one who could use the support. [That is to say, this situation sucks a lot but at least it's nice for Lune to have people from his own world, too.]
It's just another reason the universe wouldn't let us reveal ourselves sooner though.
If you let appearances distract you in battle, you're likely to get killed.
[ but he shrugs. it is nice, to have someone around (and still alive) who understands where kara is coming from, but if he had to choose, it probably wouldn't have been mikazuki. ]
He just likes to hear himself talk. He's always been that way.
So I've noticed. [Dryly. But he doesn't elaborate on that just yet. The shrug is interesting because it's not exactly a reaction he would have expected...but then again, with Kara, it sort of makes sense.]
[A sigh.] Why am I not surprised...[Although.] When it was just the two of us here, it was nice to have him around. So even if sometimes I don't get what he's saying or he's embarrassing he's done a lot for me.
...and it sort of helped that we're in the same situation on a couple of different counts. [He rubs the back of his neck.] He and Tsurumaru both told me a little more about how things are back where you're from. It's sort of familiar.
[ kara does frown as he tucks the sword back into his waistcoat. it doesn't sound like this one's another sword, so he can't help but wonder about that. ]
[Goodbye sword. Sol's folding his arms over his chest, trying to think of how to explain this.]
There's a group kind of like your Revisionists back home that were doing things to go back and change things to create a different future. It was lead by a guy who wanted to create, like, multiple copies of himself to make up for thirteen darknesses to oppose the seven lights that would face off against them.
…I used to work for him, but I left. But when I was part of it, we were lied to so that we'd focus on the goals necessary for that future. […] There were a lot of worlds that fell to darkness, and more that were threatened recently. It was the job of the Light to go and fix those worlds, and help them, and stop the darkness from winning.
[There's a light huff of laughter, incredulous and almost tired.] I always figured that was why I was called here when Lune was.
[ ...ah. well. he can see how their two worlds might sound alike, when it's put that way. it makes him wonder if there's something like that happening with the revisionists - if they're being told one thing, to suit their leader's goals, whatever those even are. ]
Is it the same darkness we're facing here?
[ kara won't pretend to understand the universe, or even try. but if this one's dealt with darkness before, then maybe he can help them defeat it now. it's worth asking, at least. ]
[...but now that he's told Kara all of this, he pauses again before reaching up and pulling off the hood entirely. Hello. Apparently he trusts Kara enough to actually have this conversation now.]
It's frustrating because a lot of this is the same. But the universe won't give us the answers we need as fast as we need them, and the way this has been designed is...pretty bad. [...] Tsuru's been sending you messages, hasn't he?
[ he doesn't show much reaction to sol removing the hood - kara's got no issues fighting kids, and this one's basically a dual-wielding wakizashi. it's fine. ]
Do you always speak so lightly of people dying?
[ his voice is flat, but doesn't have quite the same bite that it did when he'd come after sol for this before. ]
...He has, but they keep getting cut off. All he's managed to say is that he's been watching me, and "more people have to die."
Normally, no, but as you know they're safe with us. Tsuru's kind of proof of that. [He likes Tsurumaru, actually, but also Tsuru's a lot.] I'm not happy with this either but there's at least something a little better about knowing where they're going and that it's not over for them.
[There's a frown then.] That's what I was wondering, if that got through. We're finding things out as the weeks pass and I have to wonder why we weren't told in the first place. But it's information that needs to spread to people who're still alive, too.
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but only so he can spin into the next attack, his sword aimed at sol's legs much like he'd done earlier. ]
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that was a good move, and with his sword arm injured, he's left at a disadvantage. but kara still has the sheath, so he uses it to jab at sol's chest, hoping to push him back and regain some ground. ]
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However, the problem is that he's not watching and the sheath stabs straight into his chest, knocking him backwards and nearly flat on his ass. It gives some space between the two of them, enough time for Kara to regain his stance and for Sol to fumble and keep his footing.
That doesn't stop him from charging almost immediately, going after the sheath to flip it up and out of Kara's grip. He might not be successful, but he seems to be staying away from the sword for the moment. At least if he can narrow it down to one weapon instead of two, that's another advantage for him.]
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but just as often as he fights with the sheath, kara wields his sword alone, and he refuses to let a slight disadvantage like this stop him just yet. he'll have to pull his defense a little tighter to compensate for the loss, at least until he can put them back on an even level. but first - before sol can pull back or launch another attack, kara counters by driving his sword forward to break his defense, aiming directly for his heart.
he'll stop before he can actually hurt sol, of course, but he also wants to see how far he can get here. ]
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Not bad...[He says, as he's trying to catch his breath and also not die. But he sounds impressed as he stays back to calculate his next move.]
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instead of continuing the offensive, though, his eyes slide over to wear his sheath has fallen, waiting a moment before walking slowly toward it. and just in case sol plans to launch another attack, kara keeps his distance for now. ]
You need to work on your defense, [ is all he says as he picks it up, sliding the sword inside. guess they're done. ]
...But you're a good opponent, otherwise.
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Thanks. [He thinks.] I've been training since I was born, so...a lot of practice. But usually I have different weapons and my magic. [i.e. defense is for suckers.]
And thanks for taking me up on the offer.
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[ it shows and kara is judgy - he definitely thinks sol should be sparring more, if he's used to fighting in a different way here.
he's not going to acknowledge any gratitude though, the jerk. ]
And what did you mean before, about my sword disappearing under the hood?
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[But there's a shrug.] These hoods are kinda weird. Like magic? They change some stuff and they're pretty deep, but I don't know if the universe would interfere or not if something tried to attack us inside the hood. They have ways of interfering if we say too much, so it wouldn't surprise me.
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[ but then the explanation about sol's weapons is... distracting. and not a little concerning, now that he knows who lune is. and they've sparred before, but he hadn't used his usual weapon, either. was it because he didn't want to be found out yet, or... ]
Did it take Lune's sword, too?
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[But yeah, he knows. He knows, and there's a brief shake of his head.]
I'm pretty sure he got to keep that. [...but hm.] You've seen his face then.
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[ a genuine question - he spars with tantous daily, at least one of whom he'd actually call a friend, and he never holds back. (maybe kara just doesn't know how)
at any rate, he'll breathe a sigh of relief. ]
Yes. He's not very good at hiding who he is.
[ not if you know him ]
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And anyway...I figured that was the case. I was hoping you'd see him sooner or later anyway. [He sounds kind of happy about that, too.] Lune keeps saying that it's for the best that I make friends and stuff, but I think he's forgotten I'm not the only one who could use the support. [That is to say, this situation sucks a lot but at least it's nice for Lune to have people from his own world, too.]
It's just another reason the universe wouldn't let us reveal ourselves sooner though.
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[ but he shrugs. it is nice, to have someone around (and still alive) who understands where kara is coming from, but if he had to choose, it probably wouldn't have been mikazuki. ]
He just likes to hear himself talk. He's always been that way.
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Is it just because he's old...?
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[ or both... it's probably both, actually. ]
Give him some tea and manju and he usually stops for a while.
[ something something "how nice to be taken care of" blah blah blah ]
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...and it sort of helped that we're in the same situation on a couple of different counts. [He rubs the back of his neck.] He and Tsurumaru both told me a little more about how things are back where you're from. It's sort of familiar.
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[ kara does frown as he tucks the sword back into his waistcoat. it doesn't sound like this one's another sword, so he can't help but wonder about that. ]
Familiar how?
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There's a group kind of like your Revisionists back home that were doing things to go back and change things to create a different future. It was lead by a guy who wanted to create, like, multiple copies of himself to make up for thirteen darknesses to oppose the seven lights that would face off against them.
…I used to work for him, but I left. But when I was part of it, we were lied to so that we'd focus on the goals necessary for that future. […] There were a lot of worlds that fell to darkness, and more that were threatened recently. It was the job of the Light to go and fix those worlds, and help them, and stop the darkness from winning.
[There's a light huff of laughter, incredulous and almost tired.] I always figured that was why I was called here when Lune was.
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Is it the same darkness we're facing here?
[ kara won't pretend to understand the universe, or even try. but if this one's dealt with darkness before, then maybe he can help them defeat it now. it's worth asking, at least. ]
1/2
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It's frustrating because a lot of this is the same. But the universe won't give us the answers we need as fast as we need them, and the way this has been designed is...pretty bad. [...] Tsuru's been sending you messages, hasn't he?
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Do you always speak so lightly of people dying?
[ his voice is flat, but doesn't have quite the same bite that it did when he'd come after sol for this before. ]
...He has, but they keep getting cut off. All he's managed to say is that he's been watching me, and "more people have to die."
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Normally, no, but as you know they're safe with us. Tsuru's kind of proof of that. [He likes Tsurumaru, actually, but also Tsuru's a lot.] I'm not happy with this either but there's at least something a little better about knowing where they're going and that it's not over for them.
[There's a frown then.] That's what I was wondering, if that got through. We're finding things out as the weeks pass and I have to wonder why we weren't told in the first place. But it's information that needs to spread to people who're still alive, too.
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