DON'T SHOUT AT ME, ASSCLOWN! YOU'RE GONNA NEED A STRETCHER IN A 'SEC!
[ or ten, fifteen, twenty...eventually, ryuji is here, landing in a cloud of dust. the still-sane part of him wishes he could say this is the strangest situation he's been in, but it's far from it.
yet. ]
DO YOU KNOW THE KINDA DAY I'M HAVIN'!? [ he stomps, creating more dust. ] IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, DAMN IT!
[ there's no probably about it, although ryuji can at least do him the courtesy of transforming in mid-flight. a face full of a half-naked just-turned-nineteen (already? it's been, like, two months?) year old boy is otherwise exactly what he's looking for, isn't it? ]
YOU LITTLE—
[ as for whether or not skull's gloved fist connects, that's another story altogether. this still seems lopsided... ]
[Well, he won't be complaining about that. The punch connects alright, but Joker's already activated his trump card, by which the punch moves him off, but also doesn't seem to hurt him. He knows too well that a Sanguis on the moon would probably want to just attack him anyway.]
Not bad!
[He says, as he goes flying before landing a farther from him, two feet gracefully touching the ground.]
[Only because he knew you'd strike him and he wanted to shower you properly with his confetti love, Skull. There's a shattering glass sound that meant he'd changed Persona again before he cracks his knuckles and digs out his daggers, ready to jump to the nearest section of he comes too close.]
ARE YOU GONNA DRAW YOUR WEAPON OR NOT OR ARE WE DOING THIS MAN TO MAN?
[ and it's skull's cue to start dashing head-first. he doesn't come equipped with any horns—at a glance, he's just an ordinary phantom thief, nothing new or interesting to speak of about him—but that's not going to stop him from running into someone or something, if he has anything to say about it. ]
I SAID QUIT YELLIN'!
[ says the guy screaming and charging! he doesn't practice what he preaches, but as long as he can tackle joker, that's all that matters. ]
He has to wonder how much Ryuji wants to kill him now and ponder if him or Akechi is the most who might actually put it off. Ren is fast, but this isn't his moon, even as a Phantom Thief, Ryuji can keep up with him and combined with his skill means they are pretty even at this moment. Which means it's time for some patented parkour dodging skills.
--Ryuji that is not preaching what you're screaming. But hey, it works enough for Ren to briefly side-step a little slower than usual and miss his mark.]
[ kill is such a strong word, though...deep down skull knows who this is, knows who he's dealing with here, but there's just that primal something-or-other inside of him that craves violence and other unspeakable things. it's exhausting, really, after going through the week prior with much of the same goals in mind. as soon as he'd started feeling more like himself, like ryuji, here he is back at it.
if anything, that's what had him running around his bedroom in circles, and it's what compels him to make a break for it here, snatching out at joker's coat to trip him up, clawtips long since penetrating his gloves to render them near useless. that was fast. ]
AND STAY STILL!
[ does he ever shut up? apparently not; skull sees fit to keep screaming and shouting and causing a ruckus in his wake. even each swing of his arms, the clomping of his boots are loud and overbearing. why's this fool darting and shimmying about like an annoying little fly? he could end this all if he could just land a nice solid hit— ]
...?!
[ or he could trip, and pitch right into joker. funny how when he isn't trying, he finally succeeds at something! now if he can only hold on, he'll be all the more successful. there's the problem. ]
[The action is violent enough for Joker to let out an "ouf!" as Skull slams into him. However, he's not one to just be out of the woods just yet, and before Skull can get a full grasp on him, so to speak, he quickly discards and moves out of his coat.
He rolls away with Skull holding on to his coat his shirt apparently being sleeveless as he reposition himself and then attempts to keep his momentum to knock his friend from standing using his legs in a sweeping motion.]
[ of course it's not that easy. he'd just have to make it not easy, make skull actually work for it...
speaking of things that are hard: ]
SHIT, DUDE! [ he stumbles and falls. there's something in his mouth, coppery—tasting a little blood would be nice, but not his own! ] THAT'S WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE OUTTA THE COAT?!
[ wait. what? this, somehow, is a new experience for him? ]
SAVE SOME GOOD LOOKS FOR THE REST OF US, DOUCHEBAG!
[ is this his (incredibly) crude attempt at...flirting? or is he still legitimately enraged? the world will never know. skull sure doesn't, he opens his trap to let just about anything spew forth from it right now. ]
[Not quite the reaction that Joker was expecting, but wow he's certainly take it. Maybe he should have done this earlier back home, this could have sol[ ]ved a lot of problems.]
THANKS!
[Well you gotta take the compliments as they are given to you, swears or not, right? Then he just laughs.]
Ryuji, last week pretty much confirmed what others think about how I think about you.
[It's (sort of) an attempt to flirt back, but also that protag need to make sure their friend understand that they have the goods, so to speak. He stands up with a flip backwards, adjusting his glove.]
Do you want to go for another round, or should I pull out the surprise I have for you?
THAT DRAGON DICK BULLSHIT DON'T COUNT, AND YOU KNOW IT!
[ now who's spewing out hot garbage? as if anyone would want a piece of skull—well, ryuji—on any other day!
if it's supposed to make him feel better, it just has the opposite effect. this guy with the goods clambers to his feet, spitting out the side of his mouth. not a great look for him, all in all. ]
I'M GONNA PULL YOU IF YOU DON'T GET BACK OVER HERE IN TEN SECONDS, Y'LITTLE—...
[ actually, why wait when he can start rushing over again, cracking his knuckles? he's really about to get it, this cocky cock... ]
RIGHT JUST LIKE OTHER YOU HAD THREE GIRLFRIENDS, RIGHT?!
[Come on Skull, get with the program you are the type of guy that people might like! Of course telling Joker to do something just means he's gonna hop away, before sitting on top of the building's leftover chimney. He cracks his own knuckles before waiting for the perfect time to jump down and they can clash again.
He wishes he felt more bad about this, but even not being a Sanguis Joker enjoyed fighting. This was just a 'fun' bout, after all.]
[ right, for fun. fun, and some trace amounts of genuine irritation, perhaps; whatever happened to surprise parties and banal birthday wishes?
then again, the two of them were always unconventional from the very start. with circumstances being as they are, it figures that this is how they'd be celebrating. to do less would be to do them both a great disservice. ]
STOP COMPARIN' TO ME TO THAT ASSCLOWN!
[ wow! it's always ryuji one-point-oh this,ryuji one-point-oh that. who said they were ever the same person with the same goals in mind! he's impressed on some marginal level, sure, secretly wishing he had the same amount of game. who says it's going to end up similarly here and now, though? ]
I DON'T EVEN WANT A GIRLFRIEND!
[ oh.
okay?
no one asked for this information, but there it is! no one asked for skull's spiked club to materialize, either, yet here it is, and he swings it around to enhance his continual temper tantrum. if it smashes any concrete, fine, good, it's serving its intended purpose! now if only it could smash a moving target, or greater still, one who's perched a ways away since he won't come down and take his punishment properly. ]
[Well that was the plan halfway then Ryuji got all up and angry so Ren, being the great friend that he is and knowing it's a Sanguis moon, figured he'd need the exercise.
Basically, Ren is all about making good life decisions. He can't help but laugh, look it's not his fault, he's really not trying to make him think that he needs to be like that but at the same time, he wants to prove to him that if two Ryuji's are good at this maybe it's a...universal consent?]
DOES THAT MEAN YOU WANT A BOYFRIEND?
[Joker. Please. Stop. He looks down, the perfect time was coming soon. Of course he has to egg him on. Again.]
Are you gonna try to hurt me with that weapon?
[Look it's just, Joker is all about, presentation. Because this seems the perfect time for him to whistle and the...kotatsu table appears next to him hovering? Umm...
It's covered in a cloth, as, eyes still locked on Skull, least he makes a move now can't be too careful by enraging a bull, he closes in on something underneath it and it hovers away again, leaving him with a magnificent metallic club weapon that has the end of it wrapped in paper (effort made) that he tosses with two hands towards Skull.]
ARE YOU FUCKIN' STUPID?! D'YOU EVER THINK WITH THAT CRUSTY COMEBRAIN OF YOURS, DUDE?!
[ what's he looking for? a confession, after what he already knows?
skull's not revealing a thing! he's two seconds away, in fact, from trying to knock that kotatsu out of the air, because who needs this in the middle of summer? are you insane?
but no, there's always a method to joker's madness, isn't there? a special delivery isn't what skull expected at all, and he has to stop to look the thing over for a moment, top to bottom, flipping it from one end to the other in his hand. it's cool, sort of, but in all practicality... ]
THE HELL AM I GONNA DO WITH THIS? WE GOT NOTHIN' TO BUST UP HERE!
[ and then it's back to genuine frustration as he smashes this weapon down, too. there goes the paper... ]
YOU GOT A DEATH WISH OR SOMETHING!? GET DOWN HERE!
[ now it's time to throw another fit, swinging both clubs this time around. if he was reckless enough with one, two's just going to make it worse. skull doesn't care, he'll flail and thrash at anyone and anything at the moment, regardless of the shiny prize they give him. ]
[No but it would be nice, to be honest. Also have you never enjoyed a kokatsu that flies even in summer?]
I'M SURE SOMETHING WILL SHOW UP THAT YOU'LL NEED TO SMASH!
[Not that type of smash. He means the smashing a thing with your club smash. Yeah. Goodbye wrapping paper that Ren halfway gave up trying to make fit to it. Although now he can't help but pause at Ryuji's ingenuity.]
You might be the first person I know that dual wields clubs.
[So cool. He pulls out a pair of daggers, one looking futuristic and one looking more like it came out of a sentai show before finally jumping down, twirling them with both hands before one of them is pointing at Ryuji and fires a laser over his head.]
[ it doesn't take much to stall skull again. his one hand's already occupied; what's he going to do, toss away the old weapon for a new one? both of these were from joker! ]
WHERE ELSE AM I GONNA STICK IT! UP MY ASS?!
[ oh, actually, sticking it up someone else's sounds like a great plan. ]
MAYBE I'LL STICK IT UP YOURS, FUCKASS—H-HEY! [ what's that! a laser? who said anything about lasers! why does joker get the advantage! now skull's blood is back to boiling. ] GRR, YOU SON OF A BITCH—
[ that tears it. he's a man with a mission, and it's to smack joker silly—as he hustles forward, clubs clashing together—or die trying. ]
[Thank you Ren, for this riveting commentary. But that does it. It's time for a final proper confrontation. Skull's weapons vs Joker's daggers. As he jumps to meet him, their weapons clash in a series of lighting and sparks - he has no idea if some of it is just caused by Prisma or their powers but he doesn't care, he's just holding on and pushing on his side to see who'll be able to topple the other.]
[ painful is the whole purpose behind it! for as much as skull would like to prove the point of that, though, there's no time for him to prattle on. finally they're of one mind, and instead of continuing to flit and dart about, joker's putting his money where his mouth is for change. to think he could've just done that from the start... ]
Rgh—
[ now he has to actually concentrate. two clubs look cool in theory, whereas in practice, it's throwing off both his timing and trajectory way more than he'd like it to. he's here to pummel flesh and bone, not cause a cutting-edge light show just because their weapons happen to be striking against one another at the right time in the wrong places.
in a way, it should probably impress skull, given how small the daggers are compared to what he's working with. it just serves as an indirect reminder of how joker—or ren, honestly, since neither are exclusive to the other here—always manages to stay two steps ahead of him, barely out of reach. on its own it's already irritating, magnified tenfold with how ryuji's felt ever since he first got his bearings here. add the moon on top of it all, and it's a complete and volatile cocktail of emotions.
all the more reason why he can't hit a thing, most likely. anger dulls his already-lacking accuracy, parried each time he swings. the best he can do is either feint to create an opening (good luck with that, when joker always sees it coming), or use brute force to overtake him. the longer he's dwelt on it, the better it sounds, his muscles fit to burst as it is under the red moon's power—so why not push back the next time joker thinks he's going to deflect him, surging forward? ]
Yeah... [ too bad mating season's over. they really would be two dragons locking horns right about now. ] You like that, you stupid rat bastard? [ at least he's downgraded from yelling. his footing's steady as he pushes, living fo the flex, the strain of each tendon in his body as he holds joker off and tries to shove him backward all at once, an unstoppable force versus a seemingly immovable object.
it's got to be something he can do, though. if the stories are true, and sanguis can pick up an entire vehicle, if they can lift their friends over their heads and make them soar like a toy airplane, then surely he can knock down his...leader a peg or two. ]
[The steel groans under the pressure as Joker skillfully avoids the brunt of the hits, moving away just in time before a hit could do him in. Despite the dangers - or perhaps because of it, he has some barbing remarks left for his friend;]
Looking cool, Skull.
[Joker can't bring himself to insult Ryuji. Sure it does hurt a little to be called a rat bastard, but he thinks (hopes?) that his friend's insults are just foreplay friendly banter.
Yes he's doing it on purpose, and he'll pay for his hubris, right about now, when Skull decides to push him away. Except, perhaps a little underestimating of his strength when he's been taunted enough and Joker goes flying backwards at an incredibly speed, the daggers falling to the ground in almost a cartoon-like fashion before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
There's the sound of a person smacking against a wall a little farther, a grunt and some very loose bricks falling to the ground. Joker's coat disappears as well, and if Skull looks over to him, he'll find that Ren i no longer Joker.]
I forgot how strong you can be.
[Next time he'll just run around him like flight of the bumblebees.]
[ when you're this easily aggravated, skull's vulgar mouth just gets amplified tenfold, with an outdoor voice to match. he's hardly relented on either of these, nor his physical prowess, so it's a little off-putting to see joker already fall. even the lowlifes down in the deeper levels usually put up more of a fight than this... ]
WHAT, THAT'S IT!? [ he spits again; wisps of flame lick around the edges of his snarling fangs, the corners of his mouth below the mask. ] YOU HOLDIN' BACK ON ME!? THINK YOU'RE REAL HOT SHIT, HUH!
[ fine. maintaining his alter-ego is draining, anyway, so it's just as well for him to power back down in turn. ryuji rubs at his jaw, winces when he realigns the thing back into place and gives a vigorous shake of his head afterward, like a dog. he'll worry about the shiny new weapon later when he's through with pissing and moaning about everything. some birthday this is when he could've stayed at home, gabbing with others who didn't drive him out of his mind just from their appearance alone.
but there ryuji goes again, always running after ren in some form or another. ]
MAN... [ he's got half a mind to turn his back on ren and leave right now, as disappointing as he's being. then again, he did lure ryuji out here on the pretense of blowing off some steam, and he'd be lying if he said his tensions weren't eased by at least a trifling amount. he sighs, rolling his bare shoulders, and storms over to yank ren fully upright, his claws snagging. ] You're lucky I like you, idiot.
[ ryuji doesn't mean it the way that it sounds, but it's also the quietest he's gotten all morning, so really, anything is possible now. ]
[Hey he didn't expect the strength to be this bad. Maybe he should have stuck with a draining Persona, but he promised it would be mano-el-mano and he wasn't about to back down.
Seeing the flames tho...Ren half expects him to poof out a fireball, but he has to admit that it gives him a very badass look. He slowly raises a thumbs up at him.]
Nah I think you're the hot one right now.
[The fire or Ryuji? It is a mystery. But Ryuji please consider: how fun would it have been if you didn't get to blow of some steam/fire/ice/fists with Ren? He gracefully accepts Ryuji's hand and pulls himself up easily with it, dusting off his pants and adjusting his glasses before answering back, a very clear twinkle in his eyes.]
No fuckin', duh, Renren, I'm burning up out here...
[ is that he meant? the day is young, but the sun's been bearing down on them, so of course ryuji's gotten a little worked up, a little sweaty, in the heat of their contest.
or, could it be... ]
... { ... ] ...! [ his clothes! he didn't put on clothes, and he's still holding on to ren's hand, and this is kind of a disaster on the surface. ] Tch!
[ he can fix this, but he needs to hurriedly let go of ren to do so, and key in some chromawear. poof. it's like nothing ever happened! ]
Whatever, I'm still pissed off at your dumb ass...!
[ ren's right: ryuji can't do any better at the moment as far as a challenging opponent to square off with's concerned. it's just that this isn't how he was expecting a big day like this to go. the least someone could have done was get him a cake, even if he needs to lay off the carbs right now...
for both good measure and emphasis, he whacks ren on the arm. a love tap. ]
Guess I owe ya, though. Now I don't have to worry about goin' ballistic at home...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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DON'T SHOUT AT ME, ASSCLOWN! YOU'RE GONNA NEED A STRETCHER IN A 'SEC!
[ or ten, fifteen, twenty...eventually, ryuji is here, landing in a cloud of dust. the still-sane part of him wishes he could say this is the strangest situation he's been in, but it's far from it.
yet. ]
DO YOU KNOW THE KINDA DAY I'M HAVIN'!? [ he stomps, creating more dust. ] IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, DAMN IT!
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[He points to him and out shoots...a bunch of colourful party streamers and confetti?]
Happy Birthday.
[He's probably gonna get punched anyway but 100% worth it.]
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[ there's no probably about it, although ryuji can at least do him the courtesy of transforming in mid-flight. a face full of a half-naked just-turned-nineteen (already? it's been, like, two months?) year old boy is otherwise exactly what he's looking for, isn't it? ]
YOU LITTLE—
[ as for whether or not skull's gloved fist connects, that's another story altogether. this still seems lopsided... ]
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Not bad!
[He says, as he goes flying before landing a farther from him, two feet gracefully touching the ground.]
That's not the only surprise I have for you.
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[ oh, not this garbage again— ]
FIGHT LIKE A MAN, YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'M SICK OF SURPRISES!
[ here comes the pose of a track team's former ace; he's ready to race off on a dime, if joker would just stand still for a minute... ]
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[Only because he knew you'd strike him and he wanted to shower you properly with his confetti love, Skull. There's a shattering glass sound that meant he'd changed Persona again before he cracks his knuckles and digs out his daggers, ready to jump to the nearest section of he comes too close.]
ARE YOU GONNA DRAW YOUR WEAPON OR NOT OR ARE WE DOING THIS MAN TO MAN?
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WOW! YOU TOTAL COCKBURGLAR!
[ and it's skull's cue to start dashing head-first. he doesn't come equipped with any horns—at a glance, he's just an ordinary phantom thief, nothing new or interesting to speak of about him—but that's not going to stop him from running into someone or something, if he has anything to say about it. ]
I SAID QUIT YELLIN'!
[ says the guy screaming and charging! he doesn't practice what he preaches, but as long as he can tackle joker, that's all that matters. ]
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He has to wonder how much Ryuji wants to kill him now and ponder if him or Akechi is the most who might actually put it off. Ren is fast, but this isn't his moon, even as a Phantom Thief, Ryuji can keep up with him and combined with his skill means they are pretty even at this moment. Which means it's time for some patented parkour dodging skills.
--Ryuji that is not preaching what you're screaming. But hey, it works enough for Ren to briefly side-step a little slower than usual and miss his mark.]
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[ kill is such a strong word, though...deep down skull knows who this is, knows who he's dealing with here, but there's just that primal something-or-other inside of him that craves violence and other unspeakable things. it's exhausting, really, after going through the week prior with much of the same goals in mind. as soon as he'd started feeling more like himself, like ryuji, here he is back at it.
if anything, that's what had him running around his bedroom in circles, and it's what compels him to make a break for it here, snatching out at joker's coat to trip him up, clawtips long since penetrating his gloves to render them near useless. that was fast. ]
AND STAY STILL!
[ does he ever shut up? apparently not; skull sees fit to keep screaming and shouting and causing a ruckus in his wake. even each swing of his arms, the clomping of his boots are loud and overbearing. why's this fool darting and shimmying about like an annoying little fly? he could end this all if he could just land a nice solid hit— ]
...?!
[ or he could trip, and pitch right into joker. funny how when he isn't trying, he finally succeeds at something! now if he can only hold on, he'll be all the more successful. there's the problem. ]
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He rolls away with Skull holding on to his coat his shirt apparently being sleeveless as he reposition himself and then attempts to keep his momentum to knock his friend from standing using his legs in a sweeping motion.]
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[ of course it's not that easy. he'd just have to make it not easy, make skull actually work for it...
speaking of things that are hard: ]
SHIT, DUDE! [ he stumbles and falls. there's something in his mouth, coppery—tasting a little blood would be nice, but not his own! ] THAT'S WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE OUTTA THE COAT?!
[ wait. what? this, somehow, is a new experience for him? ]
SAVE SOME GOOD LOOKS FOR THE REST OF US, DOUCHEBAG!
[ is this his (incredibly) crude attempt at...flirting? or is he still legitimately enraged? the world will never know. skull sure doesn't, he opens his trap to let just about anything spew forth from it right now. ]
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THANKS!
[Well you gotta take the compliments as they are given to you, swears or not, right? Then he just laughs.]
Ryuji, last week pretty much confirmed what others think about how I think about you.
[It's (sort of) an attempt to flirt back, but also that protag need to make sure their friend understand that they have the goods, so to speak. He stands up with a flip backwards, adjusting his glove.]
Do you want to go for another round, or should I pull out the surprise I have for you?
[No, it's not his dick.]
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THAT DRAGON DICK BULLSHIT DON'T COUNT, AND YOU KNOW IT!
[ now who's spewing out hot garbage? as if anyone would want a piece of skull—well, ryuji—on any other day!
if it's supposed to make him feel better, it just has the opposite effect. this guy with the goods clambers to his feet, spitting out the side of his mouth. not a great look for him, all in all. ]
I'M GONNA PULL YOU IF YOU DON'T GET BACK OVER HERE IN TEN SECONDS, Y'LITTLE—...
[ actually, why wait when he can start rushing over again, cracking his knuckles? he's really about to get it, this cocky cock... ]
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[Come on Skull, get with the program you are the type of guy that people might like! Of course telling Joker to do something just means he's gonna hop away, before sitting on top of the building's leftover chimney. He cracks his own knuckles before waiting for the perfect time to jump down and they can clash again.
He wishes he felt more bad about this, but even not being a Sanguis Joker enjoyed fighting. This was just a 'fun' bout, after all.]
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[ right, for fun. fun, and some trace amounts of genuine irritation, perhaps; whatever happened to surprise parties and banal birthday wishes?
then again, the two of them were always unconventional from the very start. with circumstances being as they are, it figures that this is how they'd be celebrating. to do less would be to do them both a great disservice. ]
STOP COMPARIN' TO ME TO THAT ASSCLOWN!
[ wow! it's always ryuji one-point-oh this, ryuji one-point-oh that. who said they were ever the same person with the same goals in mind! he's impressed on some marginal level, sure, secretly wishing he had the same amount of game. who says it's going to end up similarly here and now, though? ]
I DON'T EVEN WANT A GIRLFRIEND!
[ oh.
okay?
no one asked for this information, but there it is! no one asked for skull's spiked club to materialize, either, yet here it is, and he swings it around to enhance his continual temper tantrum. if it smashes any concrete, fine, good, it's serving its intended purpose! now if only it could smash a moving target, or greater still, one who's perched a ways away since he won't come down and take his punishment properly. ]
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Basically, Ren is all about making good life decisions. He can't help but laugh, look it's not his fault, he's really not trying to make him think that he needs to be like that but at the same time, he wants to prove to him that if two Ryuji's are good at this maybe it's a...universal consent?]
DOES THAT MEAN YOU WANT A BOYFRIEND?
[Joker. Please. Stop. He looks down, the perfect time was coming soon. Of course he has to egg him on. Again.]
Are you gonna try to hurt me with that weapon?
[Look it's just, Joker is all about, presentation. Because this seems the perfect time for him to whistle and the...kotatsu table appears next to him hovering? Umm...
It's covered in a cloth, as, eyes still locked on Skull, least he makes a move now can't be too careful by enraging a bull, he closes in on something underneath it and it hovers away again, leaving him with a magnificent metallic club weapon that has the end of it wrapped in paper (effort made) that he tosses with two hands towards Skull.]
Try this.
[Happy birthday?]
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ARE YOU FUCKIN' STUPID?! D'YOU EVER THINK WITH THAT CRUSTY COMEBRAIN OF YOURS, DUDE?!
[ what's he looking for? a confession, after what he already knows?
skull's not revealing a thing! he's two seconds away, in fact, from trying to knock that kotatsu out of the air, because who needs this in the middle of summer? are you insane?
but no, there's always a method to joker's madness, isn't there? a special delivery isn't what skull expected at all, and he has to stop to look the thing over for a moment, top to bottom, flipping it from one end to the other in his hand. it's cool, sort of, but in all practicality... ]
THE HELL AM I GONNA DO WITH THIS? WE GOT NOTHIN' TO BUST UP HERE!
[ and then it's back to genuine frustration as he smashes this weapon down, too. there goes the paper... ]
YOU GOT A DEATH WISH OR SOMETHING!? GET DOWN HERE!
[ now it's time to throw another fit, swinging both clubs this time around. if he was reckless enough with one, two's just going to make it worse. skull doesn't care, he'll flail and thrash at anyone and anything at the moment, regardless of the shiny prize they give him. ]
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[No but it would be nice, to be honest. Also have you never enjoyed a kokatsu that flies even in summer?]
I'M SURE SOMETHING WILL SHOW UP THAT YOU'LL NEED TO SMASH!
[Not that type of smash. He means the smashing a thing with your club smash. Yeah. Goodbye wrapping paper that Ren halfway gave up trying to make fit to it. Although now he can't help but pause at Ryuji's ingenuity.]
You might be the first person I know that dual wields clubs.
[So cool. He pulls out a pair of daggers, one looking futuristic and one looking more like it came out of a sentai show before finally jumping down, twirling them with both hands before one of them is pointing at Ryuji and fires a laser over his head.]
Let's go.
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[ it doesn't take much to stall skull again. his one hand's already occupied; what's he going to do, toss away the old weapon for a new one? both of these were from joker! ]
WHERE ELSE AM I GONNA STICK IT! UP MY ASS?!
[ oh, actually, sticking it up someone else's sounds like a great plan. ]
MAYBE I'LL STICK IT UP YOURS, FUCKASS—H-HEY! [ what's that! a laser? who said anything about lasers! why does joker get the advantage! now skull's blood is back to boiling. ] GRR, YOU SON OF A BITCH—
[ that tears it. he's a man with a mission, and it's to smack joker silly—as he hustles forward, clubs clashing together—or die trying. ]
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[Thank you Ren, for this riveting commentary. But that does it. It's time for a final proper confrontation. Skull's weapons vs Joker's daggers. As he jumps to meet him, their weapons clash in a series of lighting and sparks - he has no idea if some of it is just caused by Prisma or their powers but he doesn't care, he's just holding on and pushing on his side to see who'll be able to topple the other.]
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[ painful is the whole purpose behind it! for as much as skull would like to prove the point of that, though, there's no time for him to prattle on. finally they're of one mind, and instead of continuing to flit and dart about, joker's putting his money where his mouth is for change. to think he could've just done that from the start... ]
Rgh—
[ now he has to actually concentrate. two clubs look cool in theory, whereas in practice, it's throwing off both his timing and trajectory way more than he'd like it to. he's here to pummel flesh and bone, not cause a cutting-edge light show just because their weapons happen to be striking against one another at the right time in the wrong places.
in a way, it should probably impress skull, given how small the daggers are compared to what he's working with. it just serves as an indirect reminder of how joker—or ren, honestly, since neither are exclusive to the other here—always manages to stay two steps ahead of him, barely out of reach. on its own it's already irritating, magnified tenfold with how ryuji's felt ever since he first got his bearings here. add the moon on top of it all, and it's a complete and volatile cocktail of emotions.
all the more reason why he can't hit a thing, most likely. anger dulls his already-lacking accuracy, parried each time he swings. the best he can do is either feint to create an opening (good luck with that, when joker always sees it coming), or use brute force to overtake him. the longer he's dwelt on it, the better it sounds, his muscles fit to burst as it is under the red moon's power—so why not push back the next time joker thinks he's going to deflect him, surging forward? ]
Yeah... [ too bad mating season's over. they really would be two dragons locking horns right about now. ] You like that, you stupid rat bastard? [ at least he's downgraded from yelling. his footing's steady as he pushes, living fo the flex, the strain of each tendon in his body as he holds joker off and tries to shove him backward all at once, an unstoppable force versus a seemingly immovable object.
it's got to be something he can do, though. if the stories are true, and sanguis can pick up an entire vehicle, if they can lift their friends over their heads and make them soar like a toy airplane, then surely he can knock down his...leader a peg or two. ]
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Looking cool, Skull.
[Joker can't bring himself to insult Ryuji. Sure it does hurt a little to be called a rat bastard, but he thinks (hopes?) that his friend's insults are just
foreplayfriendly banter.Yes he's doing it on purpose, and he'll pay for his hubris, right about now, when Skull decides to push him away. Except, perhaps a little underestimating of his strength when he's been taunted enough and Joker goes flying backwards at an incredibly speed, the daggers falling to the ground in almost a cartoon-like fashion before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
There's the sound of a person smacking against a wall a little farther, a grunt and some very loose bricks falling to the ground. Joker's coat disappears as well, and if Skull looks over to him, he'll find that Ren i no longer Joker.]
I forgot how strong you can be.
[Next time he'll just run around him like flight of the bumblebees.]
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[ when you're this easily aggravated, skull's vulgar mouth just gets amplified tenfold, with an outdoor voice to match. he's hardly relented on either of these, nor his physical prowess, so it's a little off-putting to see joker already fall. even the lowlifes down in the deeper levels usually put up more of a fight than this... ]
WHAT, THAT'S IT!? [ he spits again; wisps of flame lick around the edges of his snarling fangs, the corners of his mouth below the mask. ] YOU HOLDIN' BACK ON ME!? THINK YOU'RE REAL HOT SHIT, HUH!
[ fine. maintaining his alter-ego is draining, anyway, so it's just as well for him to power back down in turn. ryuji rubs at his jaw, winces when he realigns the thing back into place and gives a vigorous shake of his head afterward, like a dog. he'll worry about the shiny new weapon later when he's through with pissing and moaning about everything. some birthday this is when he could've stayed at home, gabbing with others who didn't drive him out of his mind just from their appearance alone.
but there ryuji goes again, always running after ren in some form or another. ]
MAN... [ he's got half a mind to turn his back on ren and leave right now, as disappointing as he's being. then again, he did lure ryuji out here on the pretense of blowing off some steam, and he'd be lying if he said his tensions weren't eased by at least a trifling amount. he sighs, rolling his bare shoulders, and storms over to yank ren fully upright, his claws snagging. ] You're lucky I like you, idiot.
[ ryuji doesn't mean it the way that it sounds, but it's also the quietest he's gotten all morning, so really, anything is possible now. ]
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Seeing the flames tho...Ren half expects him to poof out a fireball, but he has to admit that it gives him a very badass look. He slowly raises a thumbs up at him.]
Nah I think you're the hot one right now.
[The fire or Ryuji? It is a mystery. But Ryuji please consider: how fun would it have been if you didn't get to blow of some steam/fire/ice/fists with Ren? He gracefully accepts Ryuji's hand and pulls himself up easily with it, dusting off his pants and adjusting his glasses before answering back, a very clear twinkle in his eyes.]
Yeah. Me too.
[Simple. To the point. But what next?]
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No fuckin', duh, Renren, I'm burning up out here...
[ is that he meant? the day is young, but the sun's been bearing down on them, so of course ryuji's gotten a little worked up, a little sweaty, in the heat of their contest.
or, could it be... ]
... { ... ] ...! [ his clothes! he didn't put on clothes, and he's still holding on to ren's hand, and this is kind of a disaster on the surface. ] Tch!
[ he can fix this, but he needs to hurriedly let go of ren to do so, and key in some chromawear. poof. it's like nothing ever happened! ]
Whatever, I'm still pissed off at your dumb ass...!
[ ren's right: ryuji can't do any better at the moment as far as a challenging opponent to square off with's concerned. it's just that this isn't how he was expecting a big day like this to go. the least someone could have done was get him a cake, even if he needs to lay off the carbs right now...
for both good measure and emphasis, he whacks ren on the arm. a love tap. ]
Guess I owe ya, though. Now I don't have to worry about goin' ballistic at home...
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half sleepy tags gooo
even though i do it too you better have slept, [H]omie
I did [s]leep so much I forgot to tag this like an [i]diot
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