Post by Kaija on Dec 28, 2021 21:44:40 GMT
If you walked through the front door that afternoon, you’d have found it oddly quiet.
Not silent, mind you, but lacking in the clanging of steel, effortful grunts and loose chatter that blended into the usual background melody of the Hellcat Gym. Instead, you’d have found a crowd gathered around the center ring. Two well-known faces clashing with wooden swords, but only one was familiar. One glance at her bruised, pale skin, violet eyes and jet black hair was all it took to identify the woman as Kore Smith. And the other?
His name was Henry Pines and it was his first time at the gym.
He had many other names that people liked to call him. The European Samurai. The Blade God. Three-time gold medal winner in Olympic Fencing. Probably would’ve done the same in Kendo, Katana or HEMA if they were equally represented. And, sure, you could argue that it was a waste of time dedicating your efforts to master such an outdated combat style in a world with handguns and automatic weapons. Especially for a man with no powers. But, no matter how you felt about him-
-you couldn’t deny his skills.
Especially not when you compared their bodies. He had his share of bruises, of course, nothing like what the hunter had been carrying. It was funny, really. They were right there outside the ring waiting to be used. Two sets of armor and a broken bokuto; the former neatly stacked and folded up while the latter left a story of its own untold. Even Kore had forsaken her Pride for, well… for a different kind of pride, I suppose. And the pain didn’t seem to bother either of them much.
There were a quite a few questions and rumors that swept through the crowd concerning Mr. Pines’ presence here. Did Mr. Hellcat, himself, ask him to come as a publicity stunt? Did the hunter invite him down for a spar? Maybe he made his way down here himself to enjoy a fight in a place where he could forgo the usual procedures held up in combat sports and practice his art in its truest form. Nobody knew. And, quite frankly?
It didn’t matter.
When the dance began, all that mattered was the next motion. The next movement. And, just as quickly as it began, it came to an end. 15-25 in favor of Mr. Pines. Kore couldn’t even conceal her annoyance in the face of his shit-eating grin, but she shook his hand all the same at the end of their bout.
And the crowd cheered.
With a wink, he let go of her hand and leapt out of the ring in what had to have been the most theatrical exit possible. Kore merely rolled her eyes, then turned her attention towards the crowd with a mild annoyance written all over her face.
The reaction from the crowd was almost unsettling. Eyes darted away from her and people spun in place as though they were dreidels. Every empty piece of exercise equipment quickly found itself occupied by previously gawking eyes and the “ambiance” natural to the Hellcat quickly returned.
Kore merely sighed and slipped out from the ring rather unceremoniously.
She grabbed her towel from the side of the ring and wiped the sweat off of her face and around her neck before making her way over to the nearest water fountain. And she’d take a nice, long drink before getting caught up in anything else.
Not silent, mind you, but lacking in the clanging of steel, effortful grunts and loose chatter that blended into the usual background melody of the Hellcat Gym. Instead, you’d have found a crowd gathered around the center ring. Two well-known faces clashing with wooden swords, but only one was familiar. One glance at her bruised, pale skin, violet eyes and jet black hair was all it took to identify the woman as Kore Smith. And the other?
His name was Henry Pines and it was his first time at the gym.
He had many other names that people liked to call him. The European Samurai. The Blade God. Three-time gold medal winner in Olympic Fencing. Probably would’ve done the same in Kendo, Katana or HEMA if they were equally represented. And, sure, you could argue that it was a waste of time dedicating your efforts to master such an outdated combat style in a world with handguns and automatic weapons. Especially for a man with no powers. But, no matter how you felt about him-
-you couldn’t deny his skills.
Especially not when you compared their bodies. He had his share of bruises, of course, nothing like what the hunter had been carrying. It was funny, really. They were right there outside the ring waiting to be used. Two sets of armor and a broken bokuto; the former neatly stacked and folded up while the latter left a story of its own untold. Even Kore had forsaken her Pride for, well… for a different kind of pride, I suppose. And the pain didn’t seem to bother either of them much.
There were a quite a few questions and rumors that swept through the crowd concerning Mr. Pines’ presence here. Did Mr. Hellcat, himself, ask him to come as a publicity stunt? Did the hunter invite him down for a spar? Maybe he made his way down here himself to enjoy a fight in a place where he could forgo the usual procedures held up in combat sports and practice his art in its truest form. Nobody knew. And, quite frankly?
It didn’t matter.
When the dance began, all that mattered was the next motion. The next movement. And, just as quickly as it began, it came to an end. 15-25 in favor of Mr. Pines. Kore couldn’t even conceal her annoyance in the face of his shit-eating grin, but she shook his hand all the same at the end of their bout.
And the crowd cheered.
"Perhaps the lady should spend more time on her footwork and a little less on magic tricks.”
"Yeah, nah, keep talking. It’ll make it all the more sweeter when I knock you off of that pedestal.”
"I can’t wait for the day,”
With a wink, he let go of her hand and leapt out of the ring in what had to have been the most theatrical exit possible. Kore merely rolled her eyes, then turned her attention towards the crowd with a mild annoyance written all over her face.
"Who’s next?”
The reaction from the crowd was almost unsettling. Eyes darted away from her and people spun in place as though they were dreidels. Every empty piece of exercise equipment quickly found itself occupied by previously gawking eyes and the “ambiance” natural to the Hellcat quickly returned.
Kore merely sighed and slipped out from the ring rather unceremoniously.
"Alright, well, if anyone wants a go, lemme know!” she shouted to no one in particular, "I’m gonna get some water and take a couple minutes to let these bruises heal up. Come get me if you’re interested. And figure out what kinda of session you want before you do.”
She grabbed her towel from the side of the ring and wiped the sweat off of her face and around her neck before making her way over to the nearest water fountain. And she’d take a nice, long drink before getting caught up in anything else.