"Can't be hurt?? Listen, girl. Nobody talks like that in reality. I hope you know that... Been watchin' too many animes and now she thinks she's invincible," said the thug with a shrug as he looked off to the side. But soon his eyes were on Tsuki again.
"Alright, boys."
"Hai!" Two goons from the circle ran up and attempted to seize Tsuki by the shoulders. One way or the other, thought the bully, he was going to get some lunch money today.
There's such a fooled heart In search of new dreams, a love that will last.
I'll place the moon within your heart.
He did not lead the charge, but let the lesser and subordinates lead the attack. Both came from either side of the main bully. Same angle... eleven and one o'clock.
Game: Tag
She shifted her footing just slightly and stabilized her stance. Father wanted her to be safe, so she was trained in martial arts. A few different kinds. However... for this moment, would it be effective to crack their pride by bruising them?
She began by evading the boys. She swerved around one arm, registered the wind of the motion where it missed her face, and hooked her foot on one of the forward-bully's leg. His stance was weak. While he stumbled, she leaned and threw that flimsy balance off, and the boy would tumble into the comrade.
I'll paint you mountains of gold I'll spin you Valentine Evenings
The whole thing looked like a vaudeville skit. Bodies flopping all over the floor, goons accidentally hitting each other, boys and girls alike swooning and widening the circle until...
"You think just 'cause you're a girl I'll take it easy on you? Wrong! Time to practice some equality; even pretty little things like you can get mugged if they're in the wrong place. ... !!" The leader seemed a bit sharper than the others, coming in with cleaner jabs and hooks.
"Hold still!" A big haymaker came next, the boy clearly frustrated.
There's such a fooled heart In search of new dreams, a love that will last.
I'll place the moon within your heart.
The strikes were quick, suggesting that he spent time practicing these strikes just across from a mirror. They were faster than the entirely untrained, but only marginally so, and the speed of this was mostly for show.
Even now, he demanded that to help his aim, that she should hold still. Planting her feet firmly, she moved her forearm to directly intercept his bicep, leaning forward in such a way that his fist would have gone behind her head. It seemed as though she would have to lift a finger for this one.... On the other hand...
There was fire in his eyes. His attention to her face and how ticked off he was. He must not have been thinking about how open he really was. There were options here. The height difference put her forehead at his nose, if she wanted to be bold and to make sure the statement left him bleeding.
When did being a girl have anything to do with the situation? Hadn't she told him to stop? Hadn't he ignored that and her? Was he ignorant of the rules of this school? ... Perhaps he didn't intend to stay here. It suited her just as well if he departed. That meant that this school would be that much safer, that much cleaner, and more perfect.
She knew she was a girl. She understood her limitations perfectly. Could he claim the same?
She drove her knee forward, boldly striking below the belt, but her eyes stared into his. It was the practice of many to strike where they were looking. It took practice to be able do otherwise, and to leave your opponent ignorant of your next strike.
She would step away from him after she dealt the blow. Fifty kicks, every day. Twenty five combinations. Two club meetings a week.
She was Tsuki Doji. Vice President of the mixed-martial arts club at Montoya.
"Will you stop?"
I'll paint you mountains of gold I'll spin you Valentine Evenings
Curled, dropped to his knees and wheezing, the boss let out a pathetic, breathless whimper with his hands covering his crotch. "Haa...!" For a moment he looked as though he was going to black out right there, but he rallied, jumping back up to standing.
"Damnit! A nutshot, seriously?? ... That's it... Time to get rekt!" A final, desperate tackle: his last resort. It seemed like he was going to take this the hard way, and that meant to the last bell.
There's such a fooled heart In search of new dreams, a love that will last.
I'll place the moon within your heart.
He wasn't going to stop.
Some would back down at a certan point, but there was a unique streak of stubbornness that existed and was nurtured by continued violence and the feeling of having been slighted. That neighbor of frustration fueled blind determination that led many generals and countries to ruin.
Foolish.
The bully leapt toward her, reminding her of how elementary school students wrestle. Bold. Arms spread wide. Head low.
Great way to fight, by the way. Arms away, face presented.
She moved both of her hands in front of herself and caught his head. Well... more pushed, really. She forced the angle of his tackle so that he was fighting gravity to stay on his feet as he used him to vault to the side.
"You said you weren't going to hold back." She recounted this as she reset her stance. "Do you expect me to?"
After all... she did invite the challenge, but he was the one to declare it by making the first attempt.
I'll paint you mountains of gold I'll spin you Valentine Evenings
These words would be wasted, unfortunately, as the thug bounced face first on the tiles of the cafeteria floor. He was only able to look back for a moment, make a gurgling noise, and then pass out. "Boss!" His crew was quick to come to his side. "You're a monster..." "Come on, man! Let's leave it." A quick but reluctant nod then the boss's arms were draped around their shoulders and the thug dragged off." At this point Rin came, and the rest of the crowd began cheering and going nuts for Tsuki.
"Hey, what happened??" Asked Okamura fighting her way through the growing mob.
Q u o t e s
Rihenian
Sultry Criminal
O t h e r s t u f f !
Health: 100% Train of Thought: Poor Tsuki-san... Texting: Megumi Jamz
Posted: Sat May 14, 2016 12:37 am
There's such a fooled heart In search of new dreams, a love that will last.
I'll place the moon within your heart.
Tsuki seemed slightly disappointed that her opponent was unconscious and didn't seem to be able to answer. Did what she say register? Probably not. It didn't exactly matter at the moment, as he was quickly attended to by his crew, small in number as they were. She watched them as they conversed, plastered her with a label, and then as they retreated with their unconscious leader.
Monster... and this coming from someone who defended a thief and a bully who would beat on someone in broad daylight. ... Who, really, was a monster? And by what social standards was she alone with this title? She said nothing to this effect, as it didn't particularly matter for the situation. She was unnatural. She couldn't deny this.
But, when there were this many people around, why was she the only one to say anything? To stand up? Honestly, if they as a group had stood together and opposed the bully, the force of their numbers was likely to intimidate him and his buddies. ... That, at its core, seemed to be the problem with the bystander effect. So many people, odds were that someone among them could, or would, do something. It was a problem.
She shied away from the applause, and for some appeared to be embarrassed at having been moved into the spotlight like that. Rin broke her way through the numbers and got close enough for a question. What had happened? Anyone in the area would have been able to answer that question, and probably give more details than Tsuki would.
"The bully did not hurt the one he had pinned to the wall." Tsuki absently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear that had fallen loose in her retaliation. It was tickling her face. "He stopped. Everything is fine."
Though... she did want to pick up her plate and begin lunch. That little practice in short-lived conflict kick-started her appetite.
I'll paint you mountains of gold I'll spin you Valentine Evenings
"Yeah... I can definitely see that. You really didn't go for a teacher though? Not that I'm complaining especially, but it just doesn't seem like your style..." As the two walked back to their table, wherever it was that Tsuki wanted to sit, the pair was approached by hyperactive reporters from the school paper.
"Tsuki-san~!" Called the girls in unison--because that's what twins do--as they approached; and as they did they each took pens out from their hair and notebooks from their bags with such fluidity that one had to wonder just how much time they'd spent perfecting this art of preparing-without-breaking-stride.
"Can we ask you some questions about what just happened?" "We heard there was a fight and that you rose to champion justice! Is that true?"
"Well~?" "Well~?" Smart enough to have a phone ready with voice record; it looked as though these intrepid journalists weren't going home without their scoop. Rin shrugged and patted Tsuki on the shoulder.
"Looks like your afternoon's getting full. Have fun being a hero!" With that Rin quietly took her lunch off someplace she could eat it in peace.
Q u o t e s
Rihenian
Sultry Criminal
O t h e r s t u f f !
Health: 100% Train of Thought: Poor Tsuki-san... Texting: Megumi Jamz
Posted: Sat May 14, 2016 3:26 pm
There's such a fooled heart In search of new dreams, a love that will last.
I'll place the moon within your heart.
Rin was right. It wasn't her style to be the hero. .... Though, if it had gone according to plan, the teacher would have been present, she wouldn't have needed to say anything, she wouldn't have been attacked, and she wouldn't have gotten everyone's attention on the first day. The idea made her face warm up uncomfortably.
"I didn't see any..." She said under her breath. Fortunately, paying had been a fairly quick matter, after she had managed to maneuver out of the crowd. Unfortunately, they didn't have long to sit until the reporters arrived in force.
Tsuki fought the impulse to hide. They were too energetic for her. All this excitement and motivation. They were everywhere at once. ... Anything or any report that was to be explored, they were usually on scene within minutes. If there were multiple things happening at once, one can at least find one of these sisters somewhere. It made one wonder now and again whether or not these two were able to teleport.
..... Phone held up like a microphone. Eyes watching her closely. A pat on the shoulder and Rin excusing herself. ... Supportive-Backup retreating.
... Somehow, Tsuki forgot about the twins and about publicity. What questions could she answer about what just happened? ...... She silently determined not to be in the paper again. Flying low would be much easier to handle. She also decided she didn't like being a hero if this is what that entailed.
"Teachers were absent in the cafeteria when a student was assaulted by another for lunch money." Tsuki answered simply and plainly. That was the long and short of it, and really, it was the source of the problem. In the presence of authority, cowards and bullies had a tendency to keep to themselves or not cause injury to others. After that, she merely defended herself. "You can ask Yasu for his story."
I'll paint you mountains of gold I'll spin you Valentine Evenings
The twins stared at each other for a moment after Tsuki had finished. These two were thick-skinned enough not to mind being told how to do their jobs--which is the type of petty job pride one might expect from the foreman at a warehouse--and instead flicked the emerging heroine a mirrored wink and victory/peace sign.
"Right!" "Right!"
"Thank you very much, Doji-san. We'll make sure to get the whole story." "Ayane, you go get started on the doc while I find Yasu?" Both shared a determined nod and rushed off to their business, leaving Tsuki free.
Q u o t e s
Rihenian
O t h e r s t u f f !
Health: 100% Train of Thought: Poor Tsuki-san... Texting: Megumi Jamz
Posted: Sat May 14, 2016 4:41 pm
There's such a fooled heart In search of new dreams, a love that will last.
I'll place the moon within your heart.
Tsuki confirmed for herself that the reporters seemed satisfied with the answer, for they didn't linger very long around her. Perhaps her statement seemed an affirmative and was all they wanted or needed to spin a thread and tale about heroic activity on the first day of school. She quietly hoped to be anonymous, but that didn't seem to be likely. There had been a number of witnesses, and she wouldn't have been surprised if there were cameras that caught some of it. The only one of the three that had been injured was the leader of the small pack, who face-planted. Not bad, all things considered, and with not a great deal of energy expended on her part... but still...
She rubbed her eyes. Perhaps she hadn't thought that one through. She accepted this and tried not to worry too long over it. After all, what's done had been done. Though, she felt a new apprehension at a thought that crept into her mind. What would the reaction be to this story? Would it be approved? Maybe the teacher who edited the paper would see it, worry about violence broadcasted in the school, and wouldn't allow it to be printed as a story. Still, rumors and stories got around.
What would the prince think?
She didn't taste the food on her plate. The hotdog was bland and had no condiments on it. The salad had no dressing. The fruit's sweetness alone seemed acknowledged by her taste buds. She slowed down to savor the flavor. Today was just day one. In a few weeks, the story would be forgotten and she would blend into the background again, where it was safe. Besides this... there was time yet to prove herself worthy of his heart. Just... she found herself beginning to worry that if she didn't act soon, that she might never have the chance.
That was an unacceptable loss. It couldn't be allowed.
She finished lunch in silence, ignorant of those who might have been watching her, and unaware of the stories that might have been told and cycled. She mindlessly reached for a pocket, where a folded piece of paper was kept. She knew what was written on it. She knew what it held. She hid it. Protected it. A dream made it real. ... This dream was real. She closed her eyes.
I'll paint you mountains of gold I'll spin you Valentine Evenings
I'll paint my love between the stars...
Cotton Shorts Kid
(Not a bad time to bring in Hyrule, meesa thinks.)
Up on the roof, Hideaki wasn't allowed to be alone. Never was. Texts came flooding in: from Jason at gym from Ayami in the library, from Toshi at lunch even; all of which said nothing interesting, but a certain gem from Emi (the previously unnamed twin) made Katsuro perk up a bit. "... Well," he said flipping his phone shut--because everyone knows smart phones are so out--"looks like it's not gonna be a boring year at least.
The next day things went off like normal in the circus school that was Montoya Academy. The only thing that might have made it seem more outrageous to Tsuki would have been due to the spectacle including her now; no longer able to simply watch from the shadows, the students paraded her name through the halls, and in spite of the rain kept on going, gossiping all the way about their new heroine as the ink which held something Tsuki could call a reputation coated the gutters.
Too dramatic? Perhaps you haven't seen the flyers printed up as an order from the principal which had a pink haired superhero--who totally wasn't Tsuki!--sending a giant monster, symbolising violence, flying with a victorious uppercut; or maybe you haven't heard the students going off about the "Invincible Lunar Princess," who can charm anyone with the slightest wave of her hand into doing her bidding with absolute loyalty (the male version) and was able to take on the entire football team by herself (female); or would it be the way all fell silent on her arrival to convince you that this was totally a thing? Tsuki was the star of Montoya.
Taking the opportunity to ride out a day unnoticed, Katsuro glided through his day with the closest thing to a smile on his face. During homeroom he was in the library, during lunch, in the library... The boy did some studying. Left alone, save a few of his closest, Katsuro was able to free himself from the public eye and recharge quite a bit. Upon his return to class, the one he shared with Tsuki, he looked somehow even more radiant! It was like he'd been dipped into a reflection of the moon, and by some weird alchemy had taken on its ethereal silver dust as his own aura. Brightened further by the light of midday, it was as though he became a god or even a Buddha. Still, he was able to sit with the minimum fangirl activity to deal with.
The paper itself had printed Tsuki's reluctant heroism as its cover story, but close to it was an intro for an interesting story. This headline read: PHANTOM JANITOR SPOTTED AGAIN, and was accompanied by the blurried, grainy image of a man huddled partway behind a tree giving the impression the that he had something in his hands.
Last night in Hyrule. at the Unity Festival, some students reported seeing a similar figure ducking in and out of tents so fast it was thought he was teleporting or perhaps slipping in and out of reality. The man wasn't recognisable to many, and so no one noticed when he was talking to them. He darted all around the landscape, leaving no trace of himself but rumors and urban legends. When it was all said and done there was nothing but a vague sound of chatter and the occasional clamour that came with high school life. But it all seemed so out of place at night time and in the middle of a big festival.
There were usually only two places one could ever spot this particular Zora at. Which was either swimming and lounging about at the lake or being with everyone else at the domain. At the current time she was at the lake. Zana had been speeding through the waters like a living torpedo. The fine like skirt at her waist rippled with the rushing waters as the ones along her arms did the same. Partially wrapping around her as she did slow twirls. She seemed pretty carefree and content in what she was doing.
As she was swimming around she saw something suddenly fall into the water from the corner of her eye. Turning to look at what it was she spotted one of the fishers that had fallen from their boat. Flailing and trying to swim up as they were getting tangled in their own fishing line. With great haste she darted through the water and snatched them up by the back of their shirt to bring them right back to shore. She was quick enough to get them to the beach without needing to take a break for them to breathe. Of course they were gasping for air when she pulled them above the water and onto the sands. Giving them a slap on the back as they coughed she used one of her twin cutters to carefully slice part of the line to begin untangling them. Of course a Zora suddenly dragging a person onto the shore like that was quite a scene but not to uncommon.
Coughing, the fishermen eventually got their barrings about them and were able to speak. The both of them had the same kind of loose clothes on, as their job entailed long periods of sitting around waiting. Their ears were rounded, which suggested they were human and not Hylian--whatever that difference was other than this initial indicator. it may have just been that there was no bigger difference to point to... I digress. The two stood on the shore, sand in toes and heads bowed.
"Thank you so much!" "Thank you so much!" They cried in unison. Next one of them was digging in his pockets.
"You deserve something for what you did. ... Now where did it go..." After a moment the fisherman furnished a fine fish-shaped gem, multifaceted and fitted neatly in silver. "Here, take this. It should be worth a lot of rupees."
