« Prev 1 Next » Reply Share Thread Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn MySpace Email Go to Previous Thread Next Thread Please make a selection first Author Topic: Osu! (Piper) (Read 138 times) Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 10:19:09 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top It's not all textbooks and superpowers, here at Paradigm Academy. Sometimes it's not about who can throw a bigger fireball or lift a heavier weight. It doesn't come down to who's faster on a gun or who knows the most about physics. No, even superheroes have to fall back on the simple stuff sometimes, the blood and sweat and dirty tricks. Sometimes you just plain had to know how to fight. Which was why a much larger student was Judo-tossing Aaron right now. He knew to break his fall, the right adjustment of his weight was automatic, but when the world blurs and you spin off your feet, over a man's shoulder and into the ground with a THUD that could shake dust from the walls, that doesn't make the impact smart any less. There wasn't the briefest fraction of a second before an instructor called, "Again!" and he kipped to his feet to start the drama over. The big guy went in for another grab, but it was the same attack and Aaron knew to expect it, warded him off with a thrusting kick on the thigh. They circled, probed, kicks and jabs and grapples and counters and feints, the rest of the training room fading from existence as the only reality became each other. The smell of sweat, the mat under their feet, the rhythm of blow and counterblow. He'd never agree with Dad, call hitting people fun, but something about being here without falling back on powers or tricks, only being able to rely on the strength and skill of his own body and mind, was almost as relaxing as his drawings once he got into it, once he could tune out the burning of his muscles and lungs. It was like chess, but more painful. He ducked in and baited the right hand, which shot out for his face just like he expected. Sway to the left, step in, lean head against the arm, just behind his elbow. Left hand on shoulder, right hooks round to the back of his neck. Bring right knee up into his solar plexus as if trying to break through a brick wall. Wouldn't be so easy on better fighters, but in a moment the big man went from charging bull to gasping for breath on the mat. Aaron barely heard the timer go off. End of round, end of class. The trainer was giving instructions, assignments, criticisms, reminders. Telling people to shower off so they don't go to their other classes reeking of sweat and exertion. It could wait a minute, Aaron went over and pulled the big man to his feet first. "Hey man, didn't hit you too hard, did I?" This was training, they weren't actually trying to kill each other. Big man laughed, as soon as he had the breath to respond at all. "Nah, nah. Go again next time?" "Fine by me." In the field people wouldn't be so nice, they had to support each other to get better. With his opponent okay, he finally let himself off to wash. Aaron'd sparred with that guy so many times, one day he should really ask his name. --- Changed, no longer smelling of sweat and hand to hand combat, and with his muscles guaranteed to be sore later today, Aaron left the training room behind and went on his way. It wasn't every school that had you throwing punches at classmates, these days, but anything you get taught at Paradigm is being taught for a reason. That's how he always tried to think of it. Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 10:41:18 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top She had skipped her first day of classes, feigning too much pain. She had refused any sort of pain killer for her broken arm, and so they seemed to believe her, even as she wandered the halls and watched the people that milled about. She couldn't explain to them that the actual reason she couldn't handle the classes was mental... Those words played over and over again in her head. Piper didn't hate the trainer in the way people normally hated. She hated him in a way that made her want to push, to go beyond her limits. The only class she attended, in fact, was supposed to be focused on some sort of hand to hand combat. The trainer running the class obviously tried not to laugh as she walked in, arm still in a sling. Before class began, their hushed argument could be heard from the corner they had claimed. "You're not in the right shape." "I'm fine. Let me start training." "No. Not with your arm like that." "So I'll use my other arm." "That's not how it works." Eventually, he won out, but he let her stay to watch. She was against the wall, emerald hair mostly in her face, wearing a jacket far too large for her and jeans that clung to her legs. On her good shoulder was the strap of a bag, making it obvious that she had fully intended to try and practice. Throughout class, she was wordless. And after, she was standing outside the door. Nobody seemed to pay her any attention as they wandered by, on to their next activity. She watched them each closely, knowing who she was looking for. She had watched his tussle. When, at last, the stranger appeared, her good hand reached out to catch him by his sleeve, to stop him from leaving without her. It took her a second to realize she had willingly touched him, and then her hand slipped away, back to her side, as she said, "Hey. You were the one grappling in there, right?" Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 11:16:55 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top The touch got his attention for sure, and he stopped in his tracks to look over. How hadn't he noticed her during the session, before focus bled everything else away? Taking in the green hair, then everything else, there was a part of him that almost forgot to reply. Another part was very, very glad he'd taken that shower. Don't say something stupid, don't say something stupid, don't say something stupid... "Oh, yeah, that was me." Right, hadn't she come in at the start? He'd been busy warming up, he'd only caught whispers from a corner of the room. "Sorry, I don't think I saw you in there?" Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 11:37:05 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Wouldn't let me do anything," she said softly. Her arm, still wrapped tightly and in the sling, was hidden by the oversized, patchwork jacket. Swallowing her pride for the moment, she shifted enough to show him her injury, hoping that he wouldn't ask her where it was from. The more time she thought about it, the more time she hated herself for her stupidity. She gave a shake of her head and pulled the jacket back upright, hiding her shame, and let her hair fall into her face. Her eyes were downcast, wondering if she was doing the right thing, of if she should try and do something else. Maybe she should just let him go. "You... Handled yourself well. Against somebody a lot bigger." She glanced up at him from beneath her hair, meshing her teeth together and trying not to hate herself for what she was about to ask. Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 11:53:32 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Thanks, Miss...?" He'd never seen her before and didn't hear her name mentioned whenever it was she sneaked into the class, so it seemed reasonable to ask. Or at least leave the opening for her to introduce herself if she wanted. He did want to ask about the cast, concern welling up in his gut and throat, questions at the ready or at least urging her to get it taken care of, but anything he could say was probably something she'd heard a hundred times already. He was sure there were people who could patch her up good as new at the infirmary but she didn't look like she was in the mood to hear it. Besides, she looked like she had something to say. He'd had to nerve himself up enough times to recognise the look people got when building up to something. He wanted to give her room to talk. Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 12:04:02 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Piper," she said, rather quickly. Her heart was racing in her chest and the nervousness stirred her victim in her head, making her limbs begin to tingle with the idle reminder of her crime. She tried to ignore it, focusing instead on the stranger. "Piper White. I'm... New." New to the school, new to the town, new to the country. She was just new. She was trying hard to work up to it, to explain something to him, this stranger, that she didn't want to admit to herself. "You did really well," she said, again, before finally taking a deep breath. She just needed to get it OUT. "You defended yourself against somebody bigger than you as if it were easy. I... Want to do that. I need to be able to do that." Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 12:22:52 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Well, you'll definitely learn that here." It was an important part of the training here, even if not everybody did it. He'd seen smaller agents than Piper handle themselves just fine in a scrap - though, to be fair, sometimes you can't just not use your power like Aaron could, and that's a factor. Something about how she said it, though, and factoring in how new she was - fresh from the other side of the world by the sound of her voice - carried a vibe like she didn't just want to know what classes to take. He'd been the new kid once, he remembered having no idea who anyone was or who to talk to. But then, who was he? Whomever his parents were, however long he'd been training, some 16 year old kid wasn't exactly qualified to be training people, was he? The other side of that, of course, was could he really brush off someone coming right to him for help? Helping people was why him being at Paradigm was a thing. Not to mention, even though they were still standing here as the last of the students from his class nudged past to be on their way, he didn't exactly mind having Piper here talking to him. His throat was drying up a little but hey, he hadn't made a complete idiot of himself yet, right? "If you want, I've been doing this stuff for a while, maybe I could show you some things?" Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 12:31:07 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top She didn't know how to explain her desperation to him. The people here had certain expectations of her growth and everybody seemed surprised she wanted to focus so much on defense. She had almost lost a battle with robots, and she would not allow herself to be caught unprepared again. She couldn't. Yet, she was certain he was going to toss her to the teachers, tell her to trust them and their teachings. She didn't. It wasn't enough. She needed progress, something to work on and something to show for it. She needed to become, as that douchebag had said, more than her powers. Piper was just preparing herself to leave, to move away and escape, when he offered to help her. She turned her face towards him for the first time, and usually clouded eyes were a clear, almost storm cloud colored grey. "Really?" She murmured, and for once, there was a measure of hope in her voice. Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 12:51:26 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top If he were being completely honest, he would say he had no idea where to start even if Piper didn't have a broken arm. The cliché goes that when it comes to the martial arts, you never stop being a student, but here was Aaron - actually still a student - suddenly being asked to teach a girl kung fu. But then there was the hope in her voice, and that shift in her eyes that kept him from looking away. He couldn't crush that. He wasn't that mean. Piper's hopes being put on his shoulders filled him with determination. "Of course. I'll help out as best I can." He wasn't like, the best martial artist in the world, but surely he knew enough to give her a good start? And either way, he was in too deep to just back out; it'd be cruel. Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 12:59:42 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top A smile slowly crawled across her face at his words, that twinkle never leaving her she. He gave her hope, real hope, that she could find her footing with or without her power. She knew she was smart enough to take on this challenge, to conquer it. She knew she would succeed. And she had faith in this stranger, this complete stranger, that he would help her along the way. "Thank you," she said, voice softer than before, as she relaxed back into the wall. She hadn't realized how tense she had been, waiting for his answer, until her shoulders and back loosened. It was almost exhausting, in that moment, as a sudden lightness took over her, a combination of the relaxation and the victim, making itself known in her head. Raising her good hand to her head, she placed her fingertips gingerly against her temples as she tried to collect herself, before repeating, "Thank you." Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 13:17:20 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm happy to help out." Maybe it went without saying, but she looked like she'd been carrying half of Everest until he said he'd give her a hand. And hey, he'd made her smile at least. That was nice. Less nice was that moment she had to take to compose herself, as if something'd tried to knock her off her feet, but Aaron wasn't going to pry just now. Maybe it was just stress being relieved. If he noticed it again he'd ask! Just because he didn't ask didn't mean he didn't notice, though, as he keeps an eye on until he's sure she's okay. Which brought him to the slightly embarrassing realisation that in the midst of all this hope-pinning and making pretty girls smile, he had no idea if she even knew his name. Bit rude not to introduce himself, isn't it? "And it's Aaron, by the way. Don't know if you heard my name at all with everyone training back there, it gets pretty loud during sessions." Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 13:27:00 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Aaron," she repeated, her smile still in place. This man gave her everything she had asked for, and she realized too late that she hadn't asked for his name. Maybe that should have been first, or when she had offered her own name. She looked up at him, still smiling, and said, "Aaron what?" As way of explanation, she quietly told him, "You know mine, so its only fair, ay?" She was trying to be nice, trying to be calm. He was going to teach her. That meant she would be okay. She stayed calm, even though her fingers were still against the side of her head. Just to make sure, she leaned against the wall, not wanting to show him that her knees had gotten weak, that the tingling had gotten worse. Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 13:53:02 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Silverman." Whenever he brought out that name on Paradigm grounds, there was a part of him that felt like he was lording it over people, but Piper was brand new, so at least he didn't have to worry about that. Still, even if he didn't see everything, he at least noticed how she kept her hand by the side of her head, how she suddenly leaned against the wall. Maybe he didn't have every piece of the puzzle but reasonable guess something was up, and it wasn't just being glad to get help settling in. "You okay?" No judgement, no acting like anything she was doing was strange, just concern. Though maybe that's a mildly stupid question to ask someone with a broken arm. Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 14:06:42 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "Aaron Silverman," she said, oblivious to what that name actually meant. She knew very little about the Academy in general and any of the people of power. She didn't admit that she was repeating the name, not out of shock, but to give her some kind of clarity. She tried clearing her throat, but the dizziness was persistent. Her victim was angry, she assumed. When he asked if she was okay, she looked back up at him and tried to smile, but that smile was weaker than it had been only moments before. She didn't know how to explain it to him without admitting to what she had done, something that seemed to be met with shock. "Yeah," she murmured, trying to think of any excuse she could. "I... Maybe my sugar is just low or something?" She chuckled, then, realizing that it was true. "I haven't eaten today." Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 14:25:08 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top "We can grab something, if you want? Cafeteria's not bad, and there's some nice places not too far away." Was that too much? Maybe it was too much. But people had to eat to keep up their strength, especially if hurt, and well, if she wanted his help it wouldn't do any good to teach her if she was going to keel over, would it? To be honest, it just kind of slipped out of him, and if he took it back after offering he'd look like either a jerk or a fool. Neither of which would be how he'd want to look - to Piper or in general. Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Sarah White Mentor Defense When Autumn Came... [send pm] Joined: October 2015 Gender: Posts: 2,037 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 14:35:57 GMT -6 via mobile » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top For a moment, Piper thought about telling him no. She rarely ate, and when she did, she tried to avoid doing it with other people. That meant conversation, and what did she really have to talk about? She had spent the last few years of her life involved with one thing: Him. And nobody here would understand. Still, he seemed earnest. He seemed like he actually cared. He wanted to help her, and he even allowed her pride to get the better of her for a moment before bothering to step in. He was kind. She enjoyed that. It was so... Different than what she was used to. "Sure," she said, at last. "Surprise me." It was alright, she told herself. It was just food. Just food, and then she would go wallow for a little while in her room, and pray. She needed to eat, didn't she? Surely, He would understand. Back to Top   Aaron Silverman Legend Defense ... [send pm] Joined: November 2014 Posts: 3,701 Osu! (Piper) « Oct 22, 2015 15:35:04 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Surprise her, huh? Hard when he had no idea what she'd like, but it made him finally look away from her, the first time since she got his attention, long enough to fish out his phone and bring up a browser. A flurry of searches and browsing and checking reviews produced some "hrms" and "ahs" muttered to himself, but before long at all he found one he liked enough to nod and put away the phone. Not ludicrously pricey, relatively close by, and he remembered the food being good, which made it a winner for now. "Know a good place pretty close by, I'll drive. If you see anywhere you like the look of on the way, we can pull in there if you'd rather. Just let me know." It came out smoother than he felt, he's surprised nobody can hear his heart thunder. But it hadn't been a disaster so far, so why dwell on it? If she didn't have any objections, he would lead her off. Hopefully she wouldn't, you know, completely hate it or anything. Back to Top   Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die... Reply Share Thread Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn MySpace Email Go to Previous Thread Next Thread Please make a selection first