Sparring (open, preferably other students)

Masaru stepped onto the sparring grounds very deliberately, letting his huge frame announce him rather than words. Instantly, the atmosphere became hushed, and people scrambled to get off the grounds. No one wanted to get into the ring with Masaru. He was simply enormous, and many people felt that they would die if Masaru so much as fell on them. Masaru scanned the emptying grounds with an air of sadness. No one ever wanted to spar with him. It was a downright shame, really. Everyone had so much to learn from everyone else; Masaru simply couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to take the risk. Besides, it wasn't like Masaru wasn't competent. He had clearly shown his ability in a variety of other settings.

"Come on now," his low voice carried well across the grounds. "Isn't there anyone willing to fight me? There is much to be gained!"

Sakumara yawned as he walked leisurely to the sparring grounds. He wasn’t really tired just really bored. He’d finished his classes for the day and had nothing to do, so he decided to check out what was going on at the sparring grounds. When he entered the sparring grounds he noticed that it was quiet... far to quiet. As he looked up to check out the unusually quiet room a huge figure standing by it self.

Everyone was giving the person a large space of area and he could practically feel that some of the other student’s fear towards the large man. He looked at said person and saw what appeared to be a sliver of sadness in his eyes. He could feel for him so he decided to see if he could have a spar and maybe become friends.

He walked up to the human mammoth “Yo. The names Sakumara. Whats your’s?” He asked the guy out right. From what he could tell the man was more along the type to cut straight to the point instead of beating around the bush.

Today was a day of battling, ok it was a day Shii set aside to go out and check out the sparring grounds to see if there was anybody good enough to fight. The teachers where getting to be a bit too much for herself. The bruises covering most of her arms and back, the cracked rib she got a time or two, and let’s not forget about the slight concussion she received from an overzealous teacher’s assistant. Then again it was Utsukushii’s fault; she never learned what it was to back down from a fight. She’d rather die than admit defeat, lucky for her the teachers couldn’t actually kill students, and the school frowned upon such things.

Shi had found herself sitting on a tree branch overlooking the sparring grounds. “Look at them run like scared rats, just because he is bigger than them. Take him out at the knees and he will fall just like the rest of us, better yet cut an artery and he will be dead.” An evil smirk came across her face. Her eyes caught a sight of somebody else coming on to the grounds, he seemed nice enough. He was just a bit taller than Shii and younger then herself. Shii leaned forward on her perch to see how things would proceed, except in true Shii fashion she somehow managed to slip of the branch and hit the ground below. With a thud and a few choice words Shii found her resting place. “Ya that’s going to do so much for that cracked rib, amazing.” She thought to herself as she slowly got up, trying to hold back the pain in her eyes. “Real smooth, now they probably think I’m some sort of stalker person or something.” She ran thru her head. “Oh uhm hello there, I’m just gonna go sit over here and watch your skirmish.” She said with a fake smile. She was utterly embarrassed just was trying hard not to show it. Shii quickly found a seat and watched the two men; really she was trying to see how each one of them fought, and if they had any weaknesses.

Masaru brightened as a man had the courage to approach him. Of course, you couldn't tell from his face because it was veiled, but you could tell by the way he stood a little straighter, and how his muscles relaxed. "Sakumara-san, thank you for accepting my open challenge. My name is Masaru Arata. Let us begin immediately." Masaru took several steps back and drew his nodachi. It was an enormous blade, polished, and looking sharp enough to split a hair.

Masaru was about to start the spar when they were interrupted by a girl who informed them that she was going to watch. Masaru shrugged; he had no problem with that. So long as he got as much training in as possible. He glanced over at Sakumara to ensure that his opponent was ready. When he was, Masaru gave a salute, and began circling his opponent. Because he was so large, Masaru's fighting style was a little different than it would have been had he been within a normal range of height. Though he could fight someone as large or larger than him (like Hollows, mostly), Masaru had to made little adjustments when fighting people much shorter than him, like his current opponent.

After all, Masaru stood at an impressive 9'5". This was why his blade was pointed down in a defensive stance, but at an angle, so he could bring it up efficiently to either attack or block. Of course, given the strength and size of him and his blade respectively, his fighting style was not based on precision and accuracy, but more on brute strength and force. His spiritual pressure rose to its utmost. "I hope you will do me the honor and privilege of not holding back!" he said, and attacked.

His sword flicked up diagonally, aimed to cut across from his opponent's right hip to shoulder. This proved to be something of a feint, however- Masaru had not put much force into the blow (relatively) so that he could instantly change its direction. Just as his blade passed the shoulder, it reversed and came straight down in a brutal cut, like a guillotine. Should it connect- it would probably sever Sakumara's arm. Though, based on his preliminary assessment of his opponent, Masaru was confident that his opponent would be able to dodge or block.

Sakumara saw that Masaru felt a tiny bit better when he approached him. When he Masaru draw his blade, enormous, he felt something in his chest that slowly spread out. It made him tense, but light at the same time almost like when he was about to play soccer when he was still alive.

He drew his blade almost shaking with excitement, but quelled it knowing that being nervous never helped anything, so he took a deep calming breath and became highly focused.

He could tell Masaru was about to start fighting when a girl fell from an overhanging tree. He raised his eye brow at her and when she said she was going to watch he shrugged and refocused on his opponent.

His opponent took a stance to protect from lower attacks and noted that the rather cumbersome looking blade provided no difficulty to the warrior in front of him. He didn’t know many stances since he’d only recently started with the sparring and techniques. So he placed his feet about two-and-a-half feet apart his right foot forward pointing towards his opponent and his back perpendicular to that. His sword in his right hand he heard Marasu basically say not to hold back.

Marasu swung at his hip, but feinted and attacked his left shoulder, the attack was at a speed that Sakumara could keep up, but the sword itself was rather fast.The blade was about to come down on him when he acted. Sakumara leaned back and put all of his weight onto his right foot then he swung his left foot around him and spun on the ball of his foot. His left foot came down and his sword came across his body towards Marasu’s unprotected side, in a sort of kneeling position with his right knee just above the ground. He could tell his opponent didn’t have the versatility in movements that he did, but knew that his opponent should not be underestimated by no means.

Masaru's blade whistled past Sakumara's shoulder and into the ground. Masaru registered Sakumara's sword coming at his unprotected side and acted purely on instinct and reflex; moving faster than one would expect from a person his size, Masaru stepped past his sword, grasping the hilt with his left hand as he did so and lifting the point from the earth just as Sakumara's sword hit the unyielding steel.

Masaru hadn't meant to put himself in this position, but sometimes, one was just lucky in a fight. Right now, Sakumara's sword was on his left, blocked by his lengthy blade. This left Sakumara very much open on the opposite side, and with quite a long blade to traverse in order to bring it to that side. Masaru took his opportunity, and punched out with a massive, gloved fist the size of a ham. If the blow landed, it would likely wind his opponent as well as send him flying backward.

When Marasu moved out of the way with his sword blocking Sakumara’s sword. Sakumara’s eyes widened as he realized he was in a terrible position to do anything. He saw the fist coming and try’d to fall back into an awkward back hand spring. Marasu’s fist grazed his shoulder, but that still sent him into a strange side ways flip.

When he landed he rolled with the fall and was a few more paces back from Marasu. Sakumara rolled his shoulder wincing at the pain. “Gona cause a bruise” he mumbled to himself. “That was a nice hit” he said out loud praising his opponent, he suddenly got an idea. “Try and keep up with this. He grabbed his sword with both hands and charged at a dead sprint with his sword pulled back looking like he was going to stab.

Masaru felt a twinge of satisfaction as his fist grazed Sakumara's shoulder; the ability to act quickly in battle was something that he strove for, and considered very important. Being able to act so quickly, and have the attack work, was definitely pleasing to Masaru. "Thank you," he responded to Sakumara's praise of the hit. "I rather liked it myself." That being said, he reached over and took up his massive sword again in his right hand.

And then Sakumara began charging at Masaru at a dead sprint, sword pulled back as if about to stab. Masaru did not see why exactly Sakumara would go with such a tactic, especially when Masaru had such an advantage when it came to reach. A feint, he thought in the back of his mind. Well, he would just have to prevent even the feint from happening.

Masaru's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. He would have to time this just right. As Sakumara approached, Masaru stuck his arm and sword out pointed at Sakumara's chest, which would force Sakumara to go around his blade in some way. Probably left or right, but possibly under or over, which Masaru was also prepared for.

Sakumara saw the Marasu hold his sword up about to stab at him. The whole world around him seemed to slow. He saw Marasu’s sword, a massive death dealer, pulled back and ready to deal a blow that would likely kill his already dead self.

‘I wonder what happens if I die?” he thought.

As he got in close he readjusted his grip so that his sword would go partially diagonal across himself.

Then the world speed back up. Marasu lunged forward and stabbed at Sakumara. Sakumara parried the blow upwards into the air and dropped down to the ground, sliding towards his opponents foot he cocked his leg back and lashed out. Hoping to either take out Marasu now or make him even slower so he could get the upper hand later in the battle.

Sakumara knew that as of right now Marasu had the upper hand in battle. Sakumara did not have that much training in battle or experience and Marasu had a longer reach and stronger blows than he did. He needed an advantage or to end this now.

ooc: i'm gonna let it slide this time, but you can't dictate what my char does (i.e. stabbing at you, as i only indicated he would hold it there, not preparing to stab)

Masaru's blade was deflected up by Sakumara's; to be honest, Masaru had not expected Sakumara to attempt to bulldoze right through. The idea would be laughable, if Masaru ever laughed. He just wasn't used to people charging someone his size head on; at least, not unless they were incredibly brave or foolish. Sakumara didn't strike Masaru as exceptional in either category: perhaps more brave than some, but incredibly, not so, nor foolish.

And then Sakumara dropped down to the ground, sliding toward Masaru's foot, with his leg cocked and most likely intended to give Masaru a good kick in the shin or perhaps ankle or something. This strategy perplexed Masaru as well, seeing as even if Sakumara succeeded in landing the kick, he was going to be on the ground, right in front of Masaru, with very little time to get up and away. And he had just knocked Masaru's blade up into an ideal striking position from above.

Oh well. Even as Sakumara's foot kicked out and connected with Masaru's trunk-like shin, Masaru brought his massive nodachi down toward Sakumara supine body. He of course did not intend on actually cutting in half, which Masaru was confident he could; instead, he would bring it to a stop above Sakumara's chest or some other vital area.

OOC: Oh I'm sorry. XP I thought that's what you meant in your last paragraph when you said "Masaru stuck his arm and sword out pointed at Sakumara's chest" I didn't know I'll be sure not to do that again.... sorry!

Sakumara's foot connected with Marasu's trunk like ankle and found out that it seemed to have done the opposite of what he had intended. Sakumara came to a dead stop and pain roared up his leg. Making him freeze up for a second, but that second cost him.

Marasu's blade came tearing down looking to cut him in a half. Unable to roll away in time he did the second best thing he could think of. He put his already half raised sword above him at a steep angle towards the ground, with the flat end facing him and Marasu, and putting his knee to the blade.

Sakumara knew that no matter what he did he would get hurt, but this way he at least would not die.

Masaru's blade crashed into Sakumara's blade with more force than he intended, as Masaru had not expected Sakumara to have been able to respond in time, he had been planning on stopping his sword later on in its swing. As it was, Sakumara's quick reflexes had stopped Masaru's sword earlier than expected. Now, the point of Masaru's sword was just inches away from Sakumara's face. Had Sakumara been a real enemy, Masaru could have disposed of him in one quick bloody instant.

Of course, Sakumara was no such lawbreaker, so Masaru stepped back, and you could just barely tell he was favoring his right leg over his left. It seemed Sakumara's kick had done some form of damage. Masaru reached down with his ham-sized left hand to Sakumara. "Please allow me to help you up, Sakumara-san. This was an excellent spar; I'm sure we have both gained much from it," Masaru paused; his facial expression unreadable of course through the veil. "I hope that we can call each other more than comrades after this."

Sakumara felt his leg forced down and his sword jerked in his grasp as Masaru's blade came down on his own. Sakumara could tell that if he had wanted Masaru could have ended him in any number of ways in his practically defenseless position. Masura stepped away from Sakumara and straightened up. His form towering over Sakumara's prone body.

Sakumara noted that Masura seemed to be leaning a tad bit more on his right leg. His eye brows raised in amazement laughing on the inside. He took Masura's out stretched hand and pulled himself up, wincing at the pain in his shoulder and feeling his leg bruised and probably sprained at the ankle.

When he got to fully standing he leaned heavily on his left leg and cradled his arm. "Heh. Ya thanks a lot. That was my first real fight and heh it was quite a humbling experience. Sakumara for no reason, it seemed, he was laughing. "I'm sorry. It must seem rude that I'm laughing like this. It's just that I quite enjoyed that."

He calmed himself down a little and looked Masura square in the eye, needing to look up. then held his hand out, "I'd be honored have someone like you that I could call a friend Masura-san." A warm smile present on his face.

"Oh I understand your laughter completely; the adrenaline rush is quite...pleasant," said Masaru as he shook Sakumara's hand. "And I too would be honored to call you a friend." He paused a moment, and then added, "I think a trip to the infirmary for some ointment for my leg might be in order. That kick hurt." You couldn't tell, of course, but Masaru was smiling ever so slightly when he said that. It was probably the closest thing to humor he had ever said in all his years at the Academy.

Sakumara grinned at Masaru's comment some how getting the feeling that he was making his own form of a joke. "From the way your walking it looks like I maybe nipped it or something rather than diving full speed and kicking at it. Rolling his eyes "what are you? A walking tank? Laughing at his own joke.

Sakumara felt light heart-ed he'd just made a friend, an actual friend. He'd been here for a few weeks now and was only really acquainted with some of the other students. Now finally he could say that he had a friend, something he hadn't truly had in a long time.

Wincing again as he moved about "mind if I go with you to the infirmary? That punch hurt more than I thought it would.

In the back of his mind he wondered where that strange girl who fell from the sky and said she was going to watch had gone.

"A walking tank? I think not. A more apt description might be...a juggernaut of justice, yes?" Again, you could just faintly detect a hint of humor in Masaru's voice. Undoubtedly he found his alliteration to be a little amusing, considering he generally never concerned himself with anything besides his studies and general lawfulness.

"I would be happy for you to accompany me; and I apologize for any pain my actions caused you," Masaru said as they headed off to the infirmary. Though he probably would not have admitted it to anyone who asked, Masaru was secretly happy that he had made a friend. It was sad, but in all his time at the Academy, he had been largely ostracized because of his size. His views on strict adherence to rules and the law had also not earned him many friends. Even through the limp, though, there was something light about his steps.

Chuckling "Alright, alright a juggernaut of justice it is." Sakumara could tell that this guy was serious about his justice and was curious about what his opinion on the subject was. Back in the real world he'd had some philosophical debates with his few friends that he'd had and enjoyed them.

Waving off the big mans apology. "No need to apologize. This pain is a lesson and only temporary."

Cradling his left hand he started to put his right hand down by his waist like he was about to put it into his pocket, but it just slid right past. Scowling at nothing in particular and stating, "I need to cut some pockets into these robes." Putting his hands into his pockets pockets had become a habit for him in the living world that he couldn't drop now.

With his annoying limp he walked towards the infirmary.

As the pair entered the infirmary, they were greeted by a pair of friendly looking nurses. "What can we do for you gentlemen today?" One of them looked up at Masaru's imposing figure and seemed without words for a moment, and then said, "Oh my, I can't believe someone like you got hurt!"

Masaru inclined his head slightly. "It happens to us all," he said seriously. "I require some form of ointment to ease the muscles in my leg. Perhaps bengay?" The nurse seemed taken aback by Masaru's request, but rapidly recovered.

"Yes, of course we have some," she bustled away and quickly came back with a small container of bengay. "If you'll just take a seat on the table over there, I'll rub it on for you," she said sweetly.

"Thank you for you kind offer, but I'm afraid I must decline," said Masaru. "If you'll just give me the ointment, I will apply it myself, and return it to you." The nurse looked taken aback a second time, but again, quickly composed herself.

"Of course, if that is your wish, sir," she said as she handed Masaru the ointment. He took a seat gingerly at the table she had gestured at; it creaked ominously beneath his weight but held. There were curtains around every table/bed that could be drawn, and Masaru reached out to draw his so he would be alone behind the fabric. He quickly brought his leg up and removed his glove, revealing his bestial appearance.

Masaru began applying the ointment as fast as he could to his furry appendage, eager to be done with this. His real appearance was a closely guarded secret, and even though he was obscured by the curtain, he made certain to make sure that even if someone were to open them, his other arm would be blocking both his furry paw and leg from initial view. Masaru realized it was suspicious of him to have the curtains drawn for such a relatively minor wound...but it couldn't be helped.

When the nurses greeted them he just let Masaru do the talking. He didn't mind. One of the other nurses walked up to him. "What's wrong with you?" Sakumara shugged "He punched my shoulder, think I sprained my ankle a little and, I got a bruise on my knee" he said it nonchalantly. She nodded an affirmative and went away to go get some stuff.

Masaru had just rejected the offer of the nurse to rub the ointment in for him and he went behind the curtain. For Sakumara there had always been two things that he'd thought were strange about him. One he noticed and remembered some of the most random, or seemingly random events that happened, and two was that he forgot the important things, like peoples names unless he got lucky, or it was drilled into his skull. He knew that it was normal for someone to want their privacy, but Masaru was hiding his entire self behind a curtain. He thought it strange, but decided to leave him be because he probably had his own reasons to do so.

The nurse came back and wrapped his ankle tightly and his shoulder/chest area. She had also offered him a bag of ice for his knee but he declined He went over and waited by the curtain opening.

Masaru quickly finished applying the ointment, and gave the muscles in his leg a few experimental flexes. They felt better already. Satisfied, he pulled his pant leg back down and put his glove back on. He then screwed the cap back onto the container of ointment and pulled the curtain aside. "Here is your ointment back," he said to the nurse. "Thank you for lending it to me."

Then he turned to Sakumara. "Would you care to join me at the local bar? I do not drink, but I understand that bars are a good place to solidify friendship."

ooc: if you wish to join me at the bar, it'll be a separate RPWO thread

Sakumara waited patiently for Masaru while he finished things up. He chuckled a bit at his friends try at being social. In his opinion it seemed that Masaru was held back a little in social terms, not being polite, but knowing how to act casually. In his opinion he thought that was kind of funny, but still cool at the same time.

"Ya sure lets go."

OOC: lol I was planning on doing the same thing a little later.

ooc: Click here to go to the bar