family secrets [ private | plot | training ]

[neko bo beko]

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 2: [ ?? || 30 ]

Because she'd recently spent so much time on things metaphysical and astralemotional, Harue decides it wouldn't hurt to stretch her muscles again. It was good to keep a balance. In her home, she takes to a mostly unused gym. The dummy of a reckoning from months ago has since been swept and replaced, giving her a brand new dummy to tackle. But she wanted something to fight back, and all this dummy could do was absorb her pseudo powerful blows.

"A fight to the death," Harue says to herself as she steps in front of her. Straightening out of the slight bow, Harue faces off against herself. Her split offers a smile, though Harue is familiar enough with herself to recognize it as fake. As if on cue, the two dizygous beings draw swords on each other. There's an echo of sword on sword throughout the home gym that continues well after they've separated. The pinkette wasn't apt at all.

She found effortlessly that she was no good, even against herself. And she wasn't very good either, so that was saying something. The both of them could take blows like a dead pig though, even the most solid of punches faltering against her halves. Or perhaps both of them were weak - it was a toss up that neither cared to yield to. This was an exhausting idea, and at this rate they'd end up just tiring each other out. Neither knew anything strong enough to tip the balances.

[neko bo beko]

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 3: [ ?? || 30 ]

Instead of focusing on just taking herself down, Harue takes time to weigh the gravity of her own toughness, her own strength. Her own physical limits. The sword she used wasn't expertly wielded by any means, but she knew her own fluid motions well enough to counter every single attempt at her. It was almost disappointing if not for the fact that she could definitely feel herself struggling to keep up.

The other Harue felt no different, but considering that Harue was the one leaving the openings, Harue figured she'd take the lead. An upward swing is deflected by a frontal stroke, a bunt is reflected too easily by a turned wrist and pommel. Harue was tough, but no tougher than the other. It was like fighting a mirror that could read your mind, but you couldn't read it's. But you both feel that same way.

The pinkette tried to think less about why and more about how she could overpower herself, and why what she was doing was so easily dismantled. Just because she could pack a punch didn't mean she knew how to expertly deliver it. Punches being an analogy for the swinging of swords though, because she was certain her fists were even less effective beyond the base toughness innate to her. She'd remedy that as well, perhaps. 

[Cadoc]

+30

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Improved Toughness
Rank: "C"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User has exceptional physical stamina.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Gain +5 Armour Points per Class Level.
Limit: Must learn Toughness.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 1: [ 00 || 10 ]

Nowhere near the thirty minute mark, Harue was already feeling a pull at her chest, below her ribs but not her heart. It was her lungs. Not fatigued but still working hard to rake in fulfilling breaths, Harue understood that she was certainly nowhere near as physically adept as she'd like to think. She was, of course, stronger and had much more endurance than once upon a time. 

Comparatively, though? Harue had a long way to go if she wanted to stand a chance against a number of individuals she'd met so far in her life time, most of which were never actually pitted against her. Still. She could observe their strength and contrast it against her own, and nine out of ten times she was the weaker opponent. To be tough, she'd first have to work through mild fatigue.

Honestly, it wasn't fatigue. Just the strenuousness of training catching up with her after an amount of time that went unbroken. Training was usually chopped up into easily digested portions, but she needed to push herself. If her stamina increased, so would her endurance. If her endurance increased, so would her fortitude and patience. With those would come leeway into strengthening her prowess. 

[Cadoc]

+10

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Epic Toughness
Rank: "C" (Always 20 Training Points)
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User is preternaturally tough.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User gains +30 Armour Points.
Limit: Must learn Improved Toughness.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 1: [ 00 || 20 ]

Pushing forward, Harue forgot about the time they consumed and the fatigue that burned in her thighs and chest. At first she thought maybe she could diffuse the simulation in an attempt at a break, but Harue was dead set on carrying through what she'd first called a fight to the death. She was determined, and this was absurdly evident as the second Harue comes to a hopeful stop.

She is met, tragically, with a blade through the shoulder. Damn. Missed her heart by a side. The scream rings through the soundproof gym, echoing in their ears and mutually throwing off their graces. Harue with a sword through her right half stumbles back in the same moment the original Harue similarly takes a moment to distance them. Although she shocked herself, she didn't regret it. 

Surprisingly though, Harue was... unfazed. It was that damn soul-deep toughness. The pain was searing hot, distracting and throbbing, but she fumed with hotter rage that drowned out the feeling of pierced flesh and bone. Just as Harue registers her own mistake and her expression steels, moving forward to reclaim her blade, Harue takes one step ahead of the other and removes the blade herself. 

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Epic Toughness
Rank: "C" (Always 20 Training Points)
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User is preternaturally tough.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User gains +30 Armour Points.
Limit: Must learn Improved Toughness.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 2: [ 00 || 20 ]

Never stabbed before. Never... She'd never hurt like this. Harue winces but doesn't slow down, moving fast to keep up with herself. She was dipping into soul energy now which was no far. This wasn't supposed to be more than physical, but she was bringing it to a new plane. She'd have to work to keep up with that. Every extended movement draws thicker blood from her wound, the smell of iron overpowering in her sensitive nose. It made her eyes water. She needed to slow down before she bled out, but the opposing Harue wasn't easing up. 

Red eyes flicker on across from each other for different reasons. Bloodied Harue wanted to observe chakraflow and monopolize weak points. Bloodthirsty Harue wanted to pinpoint her limbs. Harue didn't want to die, but it didn't matter. One of them would, but the odds weren't in her court anymore. Not with a wounded arm; honestly, she didn't want the newly original Harue to be left with the scars of a moment's ago past. But even still, she'd fight until she couldn't. And so far her endurance was keeping her going, addrenaline making the gushing mouth at her shoulder feel no larger than a prick. 

Apparently the toughness ran to the core, to the mind. Emotionally, Harue was stronger. She wasn't brought to tears by the idea of dying in this moment. Only anger, really. How dare she let herself be stabbed? It wasn't very cash money of her, and she'd have to punish herself. She had the upperhand, despite one of them going increasingly limp. Blood loss. But two swords? All the Harue across from her had was a mean look in her eye and chakra coating her entire person. Harue activates the same ability, only adding to her currently heightened defense. 

[Cadoc]

+20

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Combat Reflexes
Rank: "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: User can make additional opportunity of attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User may make a number of additional opportunity attacks per round equal to 1 + 1/4 of their movements. With this technique, the user may also make opportunity of attacks while flat-footed.
Limit: Universal TaiJutsu Technique.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 1: [ 00 || 50 ]

Unfortunately, they were playing a waiting game. They were essentially trying to wear each other out before making a personal blow in an attempt to avoid the blades, no matter how close Harue got to using them upon her despite a  wounded limb. Bloodthirsty Harue was waiting for an opening between the two unevenly swung blades. Bloodied Harue was waiting for a chance to leave no openings.

A single misstep, any moment of a lowered guard. Harue needed to capitalize on the smallest thing, otherwise she wouldn't close enough to widen that hole in her opponent's shoulder. She does a lot of dancing around the subject, vanishing out of view each time they're too close. With her red eyes, Harue can still see the movement of soul - she was no stranger to it.

It was hard, fighting herself. She wouldn't admit it, though. It didn't help she was no fighter, no good at this. For a moment, it weighs on her and she feels sort of.. Bad? Not necessarily about her self or even her strength. Only her tactics, her gameplay. Her effectiveness was nowhere near where it could be. She kept her eyes peeled, watching for even a moment. Any moment she could exploit was valuable to her. 

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Combat Reflexes
Rank: "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: User can make additional opportunity of attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User may make a number of additional opportunity attacks per round equal to 1 + 1/4 of their movements. With this technique, the user may also make opportunity of attacks while flat-footed.
Limit: Universal TaiJutsu Technique.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 2: [ ?? || 50 ]

Double unfortunately, Harue was looking for just as many openings as the other. Any opportunity that was valuable to the other was hazardous to the first, keeping their strange mirror-fight at arm's length endlessly. It was like this would never end, like there was starting to be less of time around them. The artificial lights and windowless atmosphere of the gym created an isolated feeling like no other. Being trapped in a room with yourself trying to kill you was a bit strange too.

"Fuckit," Bloodied Harue spits. She didn't have time to stand around like this. She launches forward off of the chakra gathered in the soles of her feet instead of moving her soul, startling the Bloodthirsty Harue just long enough to gain an opportunity opening. Instead of attacking head on, Harue comes at her from a downward angle, the momentum of her burst jump bringing her and her sword down swiftly.

A reflexive, outward burst of soul energy sends Harue backwards before she can leave more than a scratch across the woman's cheekbone, just under her eye. Bloodthirsty touches it, the red stain on her fingertips only making her snort. Bickering would be pointless at this point, so she only moves forward to take advantage of the currently downed Harue. That blowback really took a lot out of her. So much for that surprise rush.

[Deleted]

+22

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Combat Reflexes
Rank: "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: User can make additional opportunity of attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User may make a number of additional opportunity attacks per round equal to 1 + 1/4 of their movements. With this technique, the user may also make opportunity of attacks while flat-footed.
Limit: Universal TaiJutsu Technique.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 3: [ 22 || 50 ]

Harue steps forward to loom over the Harue whose back is against the wall. This wasn't what she thought it would be - either they were both too scared to go hard or they were both incompetent fighters. Harue assumed it was the former, because even standing over the nearly incapacitated Harue with the ability to end it in an instant, Bloodthirsty didn't feel very bloodthirsty at all.

The moment of hesitation in standing over Harue was detrimental anyway, but not to the one on the ground. That moment of hesitation was an additional opportunity blooming before her and she wouldn't let it slip away. The bloodied arm is nearly useless now, so she moves it first in an attempt to draw the taller one's attention. Precisely as she'd predicted, Bloodthirsty Harue uses the sole of her foot to deflect the blade, maneuvering so that her heel cuts through the wind and forces the wrist away. 

The twist draws pain in her arm, throbbing in the part of her wrist pinned down. In the split instant it took Harue to pin her useless arm down, Harue used her unscathed arm to swing a healthy blow at an upward diagonal angle, fully ready to cut the other woman in half. It was sloppy, but she'd managed to make her own opening. 

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Combat Reflexes
Rank: "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: User can make additional opportunity of attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User may make a number of additional opportunity attacks per round equal to 1 + 1/4 of their movements. With this technique, the user may also make opportunity of attacks while flat-footed.
Limit: Universal TaiJutsu Technique.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 4: [ 22 || 50 ]

It was by less than a millisecond, but the looming Harue had narrowly managed to erect a moment's notice wall of force to deflect the sword. At the angle it was swung, the deflection was impervious to it instead of being pierced - Harue's wrist pains with the reverberation of blade clashing with something so condensed, powerful, and sudden.

The blade clatters across the floor, skidding to a halt a couple of feet away from them. "Ghh," Harue grunts when her wrist is crushed, her knuckles loosening and her hold on the sword coming entirely undone. Even though she'd managed to exploit her cleverly devised opening, it had held little weight when it came into fruition. Harue had absolutely no guard to uphold now, and she on the ground had no genuine wish to continue.

It felt odd, being the 'original' one. Or was she? She'd forgotten in the adrenaline of it all. She didn't remember her source, whether it was biological or planar. She doesn't want to continue, but she does out of obligation. She allows her instinct and reflexes to take over entirely now. As Harue above her reaches for the sword, Harue below takes the opportunity and springs into action the moment her head is turned.

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Combat Reflexes
Rank: "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: User can make additional opportunity of attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User may make a number of additional opportunity attacks per round equal to 1 + 1/4 of their movements. With this technique, the user may also make opportunity of attacks while flat-footed.
Limit: Universal TaiJutsu Technique.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 5: [ ?? || 50 ]

Down to split second decisions, they faced off the same way as when they began but from different points of person now. One wanted this just to be over, one wanted to undo this whole exercise. Had their personalities broken in half too? Both were still cold though, and their reflexes were far better than their step by step thinking. She had to react in the moment.

One moves first and the other draws their blade up, hindered by a gaping wound. The pain was subsiding, but blood still poured. If it weren't for her free hand pressed stiffly against the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding. It wasn't deadly, unless the other took advantage of it. Unfortunately, she planned to do just that and follows through after using her sword to redirect the attempted strike.

With the pommel of her blade, Harue bunts the wounded shoulder over the protective knuckles. Despite letting out a hiss, the first woman only uses her wielding arm to knock the offending hand away, taking advantage of the turned sword. The blade in her own hand moves dangerously close, sending the second into a rage. It was a ridiculous mistake on Bloodthirsty Harue's end and she knew it.

[Cadoc]

+28

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Counterpunch
Rank: "C"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: With deft reflexes, user capitalizes on an opponent's mistake.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Once per round, when the user is fighting unarmed with both hands free and an opponent misses the user with a melee attack, it provokes an opportunity of attack from them. user must use an unarmed strike for this opportunity of attack.
Limit: Universal TaiJutsu Technique. Must know Combat Reflexes.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

00 || 10

It's not long before one of them is disarmed again. Evidently, it was a favorite among them. In the moment Harue is unable to reach her katana, she's forced to use her fists. It was uncommon for her, and against a sword it was pathetic. Both of them were adaptable to each other and knew each other's weaknesses, even newly additional ones.

In a second that Harue extends her blade, the other drops her weight to get under the punch. Within that very second, she extends her own strike from a wound up shoulder, knuckles colliding with a solid thud against the first pink's right side. It was below her protective hand this time, but against her sternum.

It felt like Harue's heart palpatated in response, sending her back a few steps with a ragged breath caught in her throat. Like a bubble in her lungs, the pain protrudes then rolls away in favor of a new breath. It was only another second but Harue acted quickly, adding another healthy blow to her stomach after narrowly avoiding a lopsided attempt at a winded bunt.

[Deleted]

+10

[neko bo beko]

SPOILER: Click to show

Full Counter
Rank: "B", "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: Full counter is a reflective technique allowing the user to counter Chakra Techniques.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Full counter enables the user to reflect oncoming, single target, physical damaging chakra attacks aimed back at the enemy at double (200%) the power; therefore, the stronger the opponent's attack is, the stronger the Full Counter becomes. However, there are also drawbacks to Full Counter; user cannot initiate any attack themselves. Can only perform Full Counter on a technique not already countered. Performing a Full Counter takes 2 weaving movements. Full Counter only reflects "Damaging Chakra" attacks. This Jutsu is useless against indirect attacks, and non Chakra TaiJutsu techniques. User may learn this technique a 2nd time. If user does this technique may reflect Non-Chakra TaiJutsu techniques.
Limit: Universal TaiJutsu Technique. Must know Counterpunch.

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 1
00 || 50

It was impassive of them to clash blades and only punch each other a little. As much breath as Harue loses, the more futon she draws in to satisfy her lungs. They were possibly damaged, but the chakra she coated them with allowed her respitory system to continue entirely unimpeded. For now she had to focus on at least divert all powerful blows and widdle away with smaller ones.

Instead, the other decides to once again break the "rules" and tap into that Tasukeru. The collection of life, chakra, behind Bloodthirsty Harue's eyes suggests she's activating a chakra-based doujutsu attack. The pinkette sneers and gathers protective energy somewhere. It was uncontrollable but maleable, divertable.

Harue hoped it was a direct approach and not some pussyfooting jutsu. Gusts of winds right now were useless to each other, and this was getting old. But it was definitely gathered behind the eyes and even a split second was enough to prepare herself. Readied, she raises her blade and moves forward, unafraid of whatever she was attempting to do with her eyes.

[neko bo beko]

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 2
?? || 50

She wasn't wrong. The other pinkette indeed throws a chakrabased maneuver at her, but it wasn't necessarily what the first was expecting. Still though, she had readied herself and preemptively put herself in the place of being affected. In the same instant that the second pinkette casts her move, the first puts up a block.

It was reflective, beams of light bouncing invisbly off of the metaphorical mirror. It was, as the theme was going so far, split second and reactionary, but still planned ahead of time. Like scripted improvision. An oxymoron of a thing. It was unexpected, something neither of them had attempted before.

Honestly, Harue barely understood the mechanics of it herself as the newly original caster and she wanted desperately to study it, establish an understanding of it. Would it work only metaphysically, chakra against chakra? Or could she reinvent it in a way that it allowed her to take a step back from that and translate it to a barbaric form of alteration?

[neko bo beko]

+1 TP to "A" Rank

post 3
?? || 50

Because neither of them had attempted it previously, the offending Harue hadn't had any way of preparing herself for it. The attack which was meant for the mangled arm of the first Harue bounced off in a wildly disappointing turn of event, instead immobilizing a mirrored version of the limb. Now both of them were near incapable of using their right hands.

Luckily they were both left handed, the primarily comfortable hand to use their blades with. Their weapons were diagonal to each other. With the second Harue's right arm petrified and the other's pinched of nerve endings and still steadily losing (albeit less) blood. If she was going to do this properly, she had to use as little of her physical strain as possible to reflect whatever was next.

Although she was furious, the second Harue already knew it was in poor choice to once again use her Tasukeru's power. She didn't know how the reflection worked though, and until the two halves of the whole were rejoined, she wouldn't understand its innerworkings. She couldn't properly understand how to avoid it. And know that bitch across from her, she was going to use it relentlessly now.