Week 3.3
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
"I've been given a strike?!"
Your shock is evident, but doesn't seem to phase Sensei Hazma. He merely sits on his knees in front of you with an impassive expression. At his sides sit your three seniors. To his left sits Setake, who watches you with clear disappointment in his eyes while his wooden sword lays sideways across his lap, and Hose, who keeps looking between you and Sensei while rubbing the back of his neck nervously. To his right sits the only girl you've seen in the club so far.
Her stare matches Setake's but there's something more to it than just disappointment. Where the Kenpo instructor has his eyes furrowed into a frown, her expression is a softer one. Like she's simply confused as to why you did what you did.
Which you don't understand, and would like to know what you did wrong. You say as much and but still get no immediate answer. It is only after a minute Sensei finally speaks, "Nagai, please reiterate exactly what happened during your bout with Yunagi."
"Oookkk," you're not sure why you need to do that. Hose should've done it already. Either way you start at the beginning with Yunagi challenging you, how Hose gave you guys the mat, Yunagi giving his full name, you grabbing up the sand-
"And there is the problem," you turn a confused look to Hose as he shakes his head, "You're not supposed to do stuff like that man."
"Why?" you ask with a shrug, "It's a fight, isn't it?"
"Wrong!" you almost jump at Setake's shout as the blonde man's blue eyes stare daggers through you, "When you face a fellow student in a bout, you do so with the honor and dignity expected of member of the Raijin Academy Martial Arts Club. Using such tactics in battle strictly taboo and will be subject o disciplinary action!"
It takes you a moment to understand exactly what has been said. Then you raise your hand to ask a question. Sensei nods to you so you ask, "Does that include attacks below the belt?"
Hose places a hand on his face to keep himself from laughing. Setake's face gets red with anger as his teeth start grinding. The girl has joined Hose in trying to stifle her laughter.
But it all stops when Sensei gives you the 100% serious answer, "Yes it does."
He says this with such conviction that everyone else stops whatever they're doing, and you can't muster up the need to argue. He continues, "I do understand that you were unaware of this, as it is only your second day here and that was your first unofficial bout. However, there is no special treatment here. As such, you have been given your first strike. On the next you will be suspended from the Club for three meetings. And on the third you will be expelled and your scholarship will be canceled. Do I make myself clear?"
The idea of losing your scholarship is what really hits home for you. You sit straight up and bow to the man as deep as you can manage, "Yes, Sensei! I understand!"
"Good. You are dismissed," you stand and start to walk your way out of the main club room.
Well...guess you need to rethink how you fight while in the club from now on. Still not entirely sure why, but you guess your typical way of using whatever you have to to win won't fly here. Kind of weird, but alright. It's their club. You'll follow their rules.
[1 Strike In the Martial Arts Club]
[] Spend Time With Yato
Your plan to hang with your Partner turns out to be kind of difficult to do.
Mainly cause...well how exactly do you "hang" with someone who is attached to your arms? Still though, you had some time before you went to train with Hose. So, you tried to make it work by going back to the library. You remember Yato mentioning something about a "Lord Mukawa" while you were training. Figured you should look the guy up and see what you could find.
"This course of action is unnecessary, Lord Hayato," Yato's voice rings in your head as you drop the three books the Librarian gave you onto a table, "While I am flattered that you are curious about my past, it is not needed for me to fight alongside you."
"I know," you open the first book's index and start looking for names that start with M, "And that's not why I'm doing this. I'm doing this because I want to help you find out your past, Yato. We're Partners. It's the least I could do for you."
"...I am grateful, young Lord," Yato's thanks makes you smile as you start your search through the history books.
[Education: History: 15]
Unfortunately, you don't find much. There are a few mentions of a Lord Mukawa here and there, but nothing concrete. The only thing you're able to confirm is that the Mukawa's were a small family that swore themselves to Hideyoshi right before he started his famous Sword Hunt. After that, your search runs cold. You can't find any more details on the family in any of the three books.
Strange, but nothing you can do about it now.
You shake your head and whisper to Yato, "Sorry, buddy. That seems to be as far as we can go now."
"No, it is fine," Yato's voice has that same wistful sound to it as from last time, "It seems even just knowing that much is enough."
"You mean....you got your memories back?"
"Not entirely. But the bits and pieces from a prior training session have become clearer. I was indeed a sworn Retainer for the Mukawa Family. I was charged with the sacred duty of teaching the young Lord the Way Of The Sword. And while that is as far as my memory can go, it is still more than I had when I first entered this world. You have my gratitude for that, Lord Hayato."
"Anytime," you smile while standing up to return the books.
[Yato Relationship Rank Up! 3/10 (4 of 7 Points]
[New Yato Bond Gained! History Buff Buddies!]
[] A Busy Mind
If the Kumiho can affect your mind, then you're gonna need someway to defend yourself. Easier said than done, as there's no surefire method to improve your mental defenses. Oh, you can do all the meditation you want, but at the end of the day there's no guarantee it will work. Or that it won't just be blown through by whoever your up against. The only reason you have anything approaching a "defense" is because Yato happens to be a spirit that livings in your gloves.
However, while you can't prepare to keep the enemy out of your head, you can make it difficult for them to find what they want.
How do you do that? Train yourself to be thinking about random crap whenever you have a moment. Instead of thinking of how your going to handle Hiroko, think about cards. Instead of thinking about what your brother and his new Partner are doing to prep themselves, think about games you can play with cards. Instead of how well your training with Yato is going, think about if Yato could play cards.
It's not going to be easy, but you have the weekend. You can get it down.
[New Perk Gained! A Busy Mind!]
Random Event Roll: 53
Cool! Someone dropped some of their tokens on the ground! There aren't many of them, but still more Tokens is always good. Finders Keepers!
[+3 Raijin Tokens]
[] Train with-INTERRUPT!
Random Event Roll 10:
You feel something's up the moment you spot Hose walking away from the club. He's got on a normal red sweat shirt with blue jeans, carrying a small bag over his shoulder and his free hand in his pocket. His face is focused towards the ground though you can't tell why from here.
"Hey, Hose!" you raise your hand for a high five when you get close enough...only for Hose to leave you hanging. You let your arm down as your face wrinkles with worry, "Something up?"
Hose lets out a sigh before lifting up his head.
His mouth is smiling but you can tell he isn't happy. Before you can ask why, he takes a hand out of his pocket and hands a small slip of paper with the Raijin Academy symbol emblazoned on it to you. Confused, you gingerly take the paper and open it up. You read through...and can only scratch your head in confusion.
"Hose," ask your senior,"What is this? It says I'm to remain in my dorm room for three weeks?"
"It's a Confinement Order," Hose says with his smile turned into a impassive flat line, "It's meant to be a punishment."
"Oh....wait, what?" what does he mean by punishment?"
"Basically, you need to stay in your room and not come to any classes, clubs, or any academic/extracurricular school activity for three weeks. If you do, they'll give you a harsher punishment. You're still allowed to go to the cafeteria to get something to eat but that's it. I know because Sensei gave me one, too. So we're in the same boat."
He shrugs while you process all that information.
Once you do you have to stop yourself from tearing the fucking piece of paper up, and marching right into the fucking Principal's Office.
"But why?!" you shout at your senior, "I already got a strike from Sensei, and I haven't done anything else deserving of punishment! And neither have you! Whey are they doing this?"
"That Yunagi punk you beat?" you nod at Hose's mention, to which he shrugs, "The little weasel went crying to dad about it. Daddy pulled some strings and got the school to 'rectify this slight against his family name'."
"And he wasn't told to go kick rocks because...?"
"He's bankrolling the school along with a bunch of other parents. Running this place like a college campus ain't cheap ya know."
"But what about our classes?"
"Our teachers will mark us absent and continue the lessons without us."
"But won't that-"
"Affect our grades? Yes. Thankfully, if we can do all the work we missed within a month's time, they'll grade it as if we were there."
"But....but...," this didn't make any damn sense. Why would Yunagi do this over losing a fucking sparring match? You didn't hurt him that much! And the fact that the school is allowing this is....is....bullshit!
And what makes it worse, is how Hose is taking it all in stride! He just shrugs and places a hand on your shoulder, "Sorry man. Normally, I'd train with you to get your mind off it...but I don't think that would be a good idea now."
"Why?" you ask, even more confused, "Hanging out with me isn't grounds for a punishment according to the school."
"Yeah...not yet," he shakes your shoulder with a serious look on his face, "But I know Yunagi's type, cause I've seen it happen before. He didn't do this simply to hurt both our grades, or keep us away from the Club. He did this cause he wants to see us suffering. He wants the both of us to pay a price. You for not standing there and letting him beat you up, and me for not doing something to stop you from beating him up. Nice job on that by the way, and I mean that honestly."
A faint smile comes across his face as he continues, "Point is, he's going to come around sooner or later to see how you're doing. And if he sees me and you hanging out to get through all this, he'll cry to his dad again and get the school to do something to separate us."
"That's, fucking bullshit."
"I know....I know."
[Empathy Check: Feelings: 17/15: Pass! +5XP]
There's more to what he's letting on, but he doesn't want to say anything about it. Before you can ask he starts to walk away. Before he leaves though, you turn towards his back and shout, "Hose! I'm gonna fix this! I swear it!"
Hose stops walking turns and gives you a thumbs up, "If you do, I'll owe you one. Good luck, Nagai."
With that he starts to walk away towards his dorm.
...Well, shit.
"If it please my Lord, we could always hunt down this Yunagi and physical punish him for his transgressions."
"...Thanks for the offer, Yato," you nervously say while heading towards your dorm. Guess you're gonna be stuck there for a while.
...Wonder if your bro will mind you using a pillow as a punching bag while you get all the stress out.
[You've been confined to your room for 3 Weeks!]
[Hose has been confined to his room for 3 Weeks as well! Social Linking with him is now Locked!]
[Certain Options have been Locked due to your decreased freedom of movement!]
[+5 XP]
Your shock is evident, but doesn't seem to phase Sensei Hazma. He merely sits on his knees in front of you with an impassive expression. At his sides sit your three seniors. To his left sits Setake, who watches you with clear disappointment in his eyes while his wooden sword lays sideways across his lap, and Hose, who keeps looking between you and Sensei while rubbing the back of his neck nervously. To his right sits the only girl you've seen in the club so far.
Her stare matches Setake's but there's something more to it than just disappointment. Where the Kenpo instructor has his eyes furrowed into a frown, her expression is a softer one. Like she's simply confused as to why you did what you did.
Which you don't understand, and would like to know what you did wrong. You say as much and but still get no immediate answer. It is only after a minute Sensei finally speaks, "Nagai, please reiterate exactly what happened during your bout with Yunagi."
"Oookkk," you're not sure why you need to do that. Hose should've done it already. Either way you start at the beginning with Yunagi challenging you, how Hose gave you guys the mat, Yunagi giving his full name, you grabbing up the sand-
"And there is the problem," you turn a confused look to Hose as he shakes his head, "You're not supposed to do stuff like that man."
"Why?" you ask with a shrug, "It's a fight, isn't it?"
"Wrong!" you almost jump at Setake's shout as the blonde man's blue eyes stare daggers through you, "When you face a fellow student in a bout, you do so with the honor and dignity expected of member of the Raijin Academy Martial Arts Club. Using such tactics in battle strictly taboo and will be subject o disciplinary action!"
It takes you a moment to understand exactly what has been said. Then you raise your hand to ask a question. Sensei nods to you so you ask, "Does that include attacks below the belt?"
Hose places a hand on his face to keep himself from laughing. Setake's face gets red with anger as his teeth start grinding. The girl has joined Hose in trying to stifle her laughter.
But it all stops when Sensei gives you the 100% serious answer, "Yes it does."
He says this with such conviction that everyone else stops whatever they're doing, and you can't muster up the need to argue. He continues, "I do understand that you were unaware of this, as it is only your second day here and that was your first unofficial bout. However, there is no special treatment here. As such, you have been given your first strike. On the next you will be suspended from the Club for three meetings. And on the third you will be expelled and your scholarship will be canceled. Do I make myself clear?"
The idea of losing your scholarship is what really hits home for you. You sit straight up and bow to the man as deep as you can manage, "Yes, Sensei! I understand!"
"Good. You are dismissed," you stand and start to walk your way out of the main club room.
Well...guess you need to rethink how you fight while in the club from now on. Still not entirely sure why, but you guess your typical way of using whatever you have to to win won't fly here. Kind of weird, but alright. It's their club. You'll follow their rules.
[1 Strike In the Martial Arts Club]
[] Spend Time With Yato
Your plan to hang with your Partner turns out to be kind of difficult to do.
Mainly cause...well how exactly do you "hang" with someone who is attached to your arms? Still though, you had some time before you went to train with Hose. So, you tried to make it work by going back to the library. You remember Yato mentioning something about a "Lord Mukawa" while you were training. Figured you should look the guy up and see what you could find.
"This course of action is unnecessary, Lord Hayato," Yato's voice rings in your head as you drop the three books the Librarian gave you onto a table, "While I am flattered that you are curious about my past, it is not needed for me to fight alongside you."
"I know," you open the first book's index and start looking for names that start with M, "And that's not why I'm doing this. I'm doing this because I want to help you find out your past, Yato. We're Partners. It's the least I could do for you."
"...I am grateful, young Lord," Yato's thanks makes you smile as you start your search through the history books.
[Education: History: 15]
Unfortunately, you don't find much. There are a few mentions of a Lord Mukawa here and there, but nothing concrete. The only thing you're able to confirm is that the Mukawa's were a small family that swore themselves to Hideyoshi right before he started his famous Sword Hunt. After that, your search runs cold. You can't find any more details on the family in any of the three books.
Strange, but nothing you can do about it now.
You shake your head and whisper to Yato, "Sorry, buddy. That seems to be as far as we can go now."
"No, it is fine," Yato's voice has that same wistful sound to it as from last time, "It seems even just knowing that much is enough."
"You mean....you got your memories back?"
"Not entirely. But the bits and pieces from a prior training session have become clearer. I was indeed a sworn Retainer for the Mukawa Family. I was charged with the sacred duty of teaching the young Lord the Way Of The Sword. And while that is as far as my memory can go, it is still more than I had when I first entered this world. You have my gratitude for that, Lord Hayato."
"Anytime," you smile while standing up to return the books.
[Yato Relationship Rank Up! 3/10 (4 of 7 Points]
[New Yato Bond Gained! History Buff Buddies!]
[] A Busy Mind
If the Kumiho can affect your mind, then you're gonna need someway to defend yourself. Easier said than done, as there's no surefire method to improve your mental defenses. Oh, you can do all the meditation you want, but at the end of the day there's no guarantee it will work. Or that it won't just be blown through by whoever your up against. The only reason you have anything approaching a "defense" is because Yato happens to be a spirit that livings in your gloves.
However, while you can't prepare to keep the enemy out of your head, you can make it difficult for them to find what they want.
How do you do that? Train yourself to be thinking about random crap whenever you have a moment. Instead of thinking of how your going to handle Hiroko, think about cards. Instead of thinking about what your brother and his new Partner are doing to prep themselves, think about games you can play with cards. Instead of how well your training with Yato is going, think about if Yato could play cards.
It's not going to be easy, but you have the weekend. You can get it down.
[New Perk Gained! A Busy Mind!]
Random Event Roll: 53
Cool! Someone dropped some of their tokens on the ground! There aren't many of them, but still more Tokens is always good. Finders Keepers!
[+3 Raijin Tokens]
[] Train with-INTERRUPT!
Random Event Roll 10:
You feel something's up the moment you spot Hose walking away from the club. He's got on a normal red sweat shirt with blue jeans, carrying a small bag over his shoulder and his free hand in his pocket. His face is focused towards the ground though you can't tell why from here.
"Hey, Hose!" you raise your hand for a high five when you get close enough...only for Hose to leave you hanging. You let your arm down as your face wrinkles with worry, "Something up?"
Hose lets out a sigh before lifting up his head.
His mouth is smiling but you can tell he isn't happy. Before you can ask why, he takes a hand out of his pocket and hands a small slip of paper with the Raijin Academy symbol emblazoned on it to you. Confused, you gingerly take the paper and open it up. You read through...and can only scratch your head in confusion.
"Hose," ask your senior,"What is this? It says I'm to remain in my dorm room for three weeks?"
"It's a Confinement Order," Hose says with his smile turned into a impassive flat line, "It's meant to be a punishment."
"Oh....wait, what?" what does he mean by punishment?"
"Basically, you need to stay in your room and not come to any classes, clubs, or any academic/extracurricular school activity for three weeks. If you do, they'll give you a harsher punishment. You're still allowed to go to the cafeteria to get something to eat but that's it. I know because Sensei gave me one, too. So we're in the same boat."
He shrugs while you process all that information.
Once you do you have to stop yourself from tearing the fucking piece of paper up, and marching right into the fucking Principal's Office.
"But why?!" you shout at your senior, "I already got a strike from Sensei, and I haven't done anything else deserving of punishment! And neither have you! Whey are they doing this?"
"That Yunagi punk you beat?" you nod at Hose's mention, to which he shrugs, "The little weasel went crying to dad about it. Daddy pulled some strings and got the school to 'rectify this slight against his family name'."
"And he wasn't told to go kick rocks because...?"
"He's bankrolling the school along with a bunch of other parents. Running this place like a college campus ain't cheap ya know."
"But what about our classes?"
"Our teachers will mark us absent and continue the lessons without us."
"But won't that-"
"Affect our grades? Yes. Thankfully, if we can do all the work we missed within a month's time, they'll grade it as if we were there."
"But....but...," this didn't make any damn sense. Why would Yunagi do this over losing a fucking sparring match? You didn't hurt him that much! And the fact that the school is allowing this is....is....bullshit!
And what makes it worse, is how Hose is taking it all in stride! He just shrugs and places a hand on your shoulder, "Sorry man. Normally, I'd train with you to get your mind off it...but I don't think that would be a good idea now."
"Why?" you ask, even more confused, "Hanging out with me isn't grounds for a punishment according to the school."
"Yeah...not yet," he shakes your shoulder with a serious look on his face, "But I know Yunagi's type, cause I've seen it happen before. He didn't do this simply to hurt both our grades, or keep us away from the Club. He did this cause he wants to see us suffering. He wants the both of us to pay a price. You for not standing there and letting him beat you up, and me for not doing something to stop you from beating him up. Nice job on that by the way, and I mean that honestly."
A faint smile comes across his face as he continues, "Point is, he's going to come around sooner or later to see how you're doing. And if he sees me and you hanging out to get through all this, he'll cry to his dad again and get the school to do something to separate us."
"That's, fucking bullshit."
"I know....I know."
[Empathy Check: Feelings: 17/15: Pass! +5XP]
There's more to what he's letting on, but he doesn't want to say anything about it. Before you can ask he starts to walk away. Before he leaves though, you turn towards his back and shout, "Hose! I'm gonna fix this! I swear it!"
Hose stops walking turns and gives you a thumbs up, "If you do, I'll owe you one. Good luck, Nagai."
With that he starts to walk away towards his dorm.
...Well, shit.
"If it please my Lord, we could always hunt down this Yunagi and physical punish him for his transgressions."
"...Thanks for the offer, Yato," you nervously say while heading towards your dorm. Guess you're gonna be stuck there for a while.
...Wonder if your bro will mind you using a pillow as a punching bag while you get all the stress out.
[You've been confined to your room for 3 Weeks!]
[Hose has been confined to his room for 3 Weeks as well! Social Linking with him is now Locked!]
[Certain Options have been Locked due to your decreased freedom of movement!]
[+5 XP]
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