[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...
[Ren gives him a smile that says 'I noticed but I wasn't going to tell' because of course he noticed and like hell he was going to tell him. Rip hand holding but that's okay, he'll accept that Ryuji needs his chromawear. For now, anyway.]
A-huh.
[That's all he gives him back, laughing as he gets hit on the arm, briefly rubbing the elbow as a small joke.]
And after a workout, what better way to celebrate than have morning meal, right? I figured I'd get an early start before the others...
[He taps a few things on his watch, and the Kotatsu reappears, going from the other rooftop to this one and landing next to them. Ren dramatically pulls off the blanket top that he'd been using to keep the food hot, revealing some covered dishes and he opened to showcase a much more typical Japanese breakfast and steaming closed mugs of coffee.]
[ why isn't this what ren lead off with! there would've been plenty of room for fooling around (fighting around, not the other kind!) later on! ryuji might kill him, or kiss him, one of the two. he's going to get fed in either case. ]
Jeez, man, everyone knows you're supposed to fuel up first! You can't work out on an empty stomach!
[ he'll forgive him, just this once. although... ]
Wait, up here?! Just us—?
[ if he didn't know any better (he doesn't, for the most part), it sounds a lot like something to ryuji he'd...rather not name...the dreaded d-word... ]
Well that was the plan at first, but then you sounded like you needed to let off steam. It just means you'll get to enjoy the delicate flavors of the food more.
[Ren decided to wing it because why not, really.]
Right, just like when we used to go to the restaurant for food and to talk about classes.
[Ren did see it both as a date and not a date at the same time. Would it also be considered that times they went without the team somewhere as a date? In which cause he took them all on different dates and was happy about it.
He takes a seat and invites Ryuji to do the same.]
We could even go somewhere else if you want. It can hold a good amount of weight while floating.
[ but he doesn't argue any further; doesn't raise his voice, doesn't hurl any more repetitive insults than he already has. to say the beast is satiated isn't quite right when ryuji never got anywhere past shoving the guy around a little. even so, the change in tune and the (semi) thoughtful gestures have charmed him enough to quiet down. for now. he reserves the right to change his mind after he's eaten and sunned himself a little. these prismal-inspired clothes don't exactly leave much to the imagination, which wasn't his intent, but it can give ren a new type of show, he supposes.
whatever. it's nothing he hasn't seen before! ]
Huh? Nah, it's... [ ryuji looks around, scratching the back of his head. it's fine? visually bleak, but fine. the last concern on his mind at the moment is if his shorts get dirty when he flops down. ] Just thought you had a bigger party in mind or somethin'...
[ a bigger party instead of just. ryuji and ren. then again, he probably does this for everyone...obviously they deserve it, so it's nothing to feel slighted over. he's just happy someone besides yusuke remembered him at all, secretly fearing the worst. ]
[Ren appreciates the tight fitting prismal-inspired clothing that leave very little to the imagination. Thank you for their sacrifice.
Nope, but Ryuji needs to stop thinking that Ren enjoys just the first time. He smiles at the words because he understands how that can be. It's fun to be with a friend but as much as Ren would want to play around with the idea, he also doesn't want Ryuji's heart to think that this is it. Just a little not-date with his best friend on top of a desolate building.]
There are reasons why I don't sleep that much.
[Like planning parties in the cafe.]
I wasn't sure if I should do it at the cafe or an arcade but I settled for just renting a bunch of machines for the cafe...it's funny how you can do that in this world.
[ sorry, ryuji's side-tracked with eating, so he doesn't quite follow what's going on at first. there's more? ]
Mmph? [ his cheeks are full, there's grains of rice everywhere...his manners are worse than usual today. ] Whoa, you can do that!? How many we talkin'!?
[ more importantly, can they get one full-time? it'd be a great motivator for coming to the cafe more frequently than he already does, which...hasn't been a lot, in the past several days. ]
[ this changes things, though only slightly. the fact that ren's seen fit to do anything past a basic meal, or coddling, is impressive on its own. ]
They got tons of those here, too? Man, maybe I need to grab a couple...
[ if only so his future guests will have something else to do besides sack out in front of the television. prismal programs aren't really ryuji's thing... ]
What're you thinkin'? Like a real game corner?
[ what is ren thinking...now that ryuji isn't trying to knock him senseless, their faded connection's dawning on him in full. he's already spent a day or two dealing with the varying degrees of fallout for everyone else he'd bonded with, but to lose ren feels like a...special case, more so than the other wildcards who'd also been taking up space in his head. ]
I did [s]leep so much I forgot to tag this like an [i]diot
[Ryuji, little do you know how much Ren would do for his friends.]
Yeah. There's a really popular online game too..[a pause]...granted it did suck people into it last year so. [Slow shrug. This is this type of world, at this point.]
Yeah! Maybe a few fighting games and the like. Or maybe put some televisions on some of the bar's tables and offer gaming if you buy a coffee...
[Do you see the excitement in his eyes? It's too bad he can't share it with you in mind...hmmm...]
But we can talk about that later. It's your birthday!
[ no, he's seen how deep the depths of ren's generosity truly runs. honestly, his selflessness, while admirable, is a little extreme at times, but it's not what ryuji's preoccupied with now. past food, fun, a little fighting again, and maybe...something more sinister in design, if he's brave enough to tackle it, are the only things his head has room for at the moment. ]
Whoa, and end up like that one comic? Thanks, but no thanks...
[ virtual reality's not for him. he learned that one early on! ryuji's a purist at heart, so he thinks he'll stick to the equivalent of the classics here, nothing cutting-edge for him. ]
Now we're talkin'! Just make sure you credit me when you set it up, 'kay?
[ he may not be an official employee, but he likes helping out ren in any capacity. if he can earn a little recognition on the side for it, so much the better. ]
Damn straight—! Beats slumming it at the fishing hole, huh?
[ although he wouldn't have minded going back to one...the city has one here too, doesn't it? while there won't be any time for it today, he starts to wonder about what he can potentially invite ren to in the near future. just for fun, or just to hold him to...some of last week's promises, maybe.
some of them, when his head's on straight and he's not ready to go on a new rampage at the drop of a hat. ]
I didn't think anyone was gonna remember! Feels like I just had one, you know?
[ a couple of months have passed, but...is this the shortest amount of time anyone's ever spent being eighteen? ryuji doesn't know. ]
[Or maybe they aren't quite thinking of the same thing but there's so many anime and comics about people being taken into virtual reality.]
Well if I'm setting this up, I'll need you to help me.
[In his heart you are one Ryuji. Deal with it. Or not. That's fine too.]
Ahh! Well I mean it doesn't change all that much here. It's not like Japan where the adult age is 20...I got lucky since my birthday was April 1st and I was about to leave back home so soon.
[It did fit Ren in a weird way, arriving in Tokyo and leaving before his own birthday. What could they do, really.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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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. ]
no subject
[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. ]
no subject
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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A-huh.
[That's all he gives him back, laughing as he gets hit on the arm, briefly rubbing the elbow as a small joke.]
And after a workout, what better way to celebrate than have morning meal, right? I figured I'd get an early start before the others...
[He taps a few things on his watch, and the Kotatsu reappears, going from the other rooftop to this one and landing next to them. Ren dramatically pulls off the blanket top that he'd been using to keep the food hot, revealing some covered dishes and he opened to showcase a much more typical Japanese breakfast and steaming closed mugs of coffee.]
Oh, and it cools the legs right now.
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For real!?
[ why isn't this what ren lead off with! there would've been plenty of room for fooling around (fighting around, not the other kind!) later on! ryuji might kill him, or kiss him, one of the two. he's going to get fed in either case. ]
Jeez, man, everyone knows you're supposed to fuel up first! You can't work out on an empty stomach!
[ he'll forgive him, just this once. although... ]
Wait, up here?! Just us—?
[ if he didn't know any better (he doesn't, for the most part), it sounds a lot like something to ryuji he'd...rather not name...the dreaded d-word... ]
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[Ren decided to wing it because why not, really.]
Right, just like when we used to go to the restaurant for food and to talk about classes.
[Ren did see it both as a date and not a date at the same time. Would it also be considered that times they went without the team somewhere as a date? In which cause he took them all on different dates and was happy about it.
He takes a seat and invites Ryuji to do the same.]
We could even go somewhere else if you want. It can hold a good amount of weight while floating.
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You're the punk who started it...
[ but he doesn't argue any further; doesn't raise his voice, doesn't hurl any more repetitive insults than he already has. to say the beast is satiated isn't quite right when ryuji never got anywhere past shoving the guy around a little. even so, the change in tune and the (semi) thoughtful gestures have charmed him enough to quiet down. for now. he reserves the right to change his mind after he's eaten and sunned himself a little. these prismal-inspired clothes don't exactly leave much to the imagination, which wasn't his intent, but it can give ren a new type of show, he supposes.
whatever. it's nothing he hasn't seen before! ]
Huh? Nah, it's... [ ryuji looks around, scratching the back of his head. it's fine? visually bleak, but fine. the last concern on his mind at the moment is if his shorts get dirty when he flops down. ] Just thought you had a bigger party in mind or somethin'...
[ a bigger party instead of just. ryuji and ren. then again, he probably does this for everyone...obviously they deserve it, so it's nothing to feel slighted over. he's just happy someone besides yusuke remembered him at all, secretly fearing the worst. ]
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Nope, but Ryuji needs to stop thinking that Ren enjoys just the first time. He smiles at the words because he understands how that can be. It's fun to be with a friend but as much as Ren would want to play around with the idea, he also doesn't want Ryuji's heart to think that this is it. Just a little not-date with his best friend on top of a desolate building.]
There are reasons why I don't sleep that much.
[Like planning parties in the cafe.]
I wasn't sure if I should do it at the cafe or an arcade but I settled for just renting a bunch of machines for the cafe...it's funny how you can do that in this world.
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[ sorry, ryuji's side-tracked with eating, so he doesn't quite follow what's going on at first. there's more? ]
Mmph? [ his cheeks are full, there's grains of rice everywhere...his manners are worse than usual today. ] Whoa, you can do that!? How many we talkin'!?
[ more importantly, can they get one full-time? it'd be a great motivator for coming to the cafe more frequently than he already does, which...hasn't been a lot, in the past several days. ]
half sleepy tags gooo
Um, well it's more like video game consoles than actual arcade machines, but I rented a bunch of TVs for them.
[Although now that he thinks about it...]
That could be fun. There's a few arcades around, but maybe we could make something a little more uniquely Japanese.
[Ren stop thinking about opening a million businesses.]
even though i do it too you better have slept, [H]omie
[ this changes things, though only slightly. the fact that ren's seen fit to do anything past a basic meal, or coddling, is impressive on its own. ]
They got tons of those here, too? Man, maybe I need to grab a couple...
[ if only so his future guests will have something else to do besides sack out in front of the television. prismal programs aren't really ryuji's thing... ]
What're you thinkin'? Like a real game corner?
[ what is ren thinking...now that ryuji isn't trying to knock him senseless, their faded connection's dawning on him in full. he's already spent a day or two dealing with the varying degrees of fallout for everyone else he'd bonded with, but to lose ren feels like a...special case, more so than the other wildcards who'd also been taking up space in his head. ]
I did [s]leep so much I forgot to tag this like an [i]diot
Yeah. There's a really popular online game too..[a pause]...granted it did suck people into it last year so. [Slow shrug. This is this type of world, at this point.]
Yeah! Maybe a few fighting games and the like. Or maybe put some televisions on some of the bar's tables and offer gaming if you buy a coffee...
[Do you see the excitement in his eyes? It's too bad he can't share it with you in mind...hmmm...]
But we can talk about that later. It's your birthday!
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[ no, he's seen how deep the depths of ren's generosity truly runs. honestly, his selflessness, while admirable, is a little extreme at times, but it's not what ryuji's preoccupied with now. past food, fun, a little fighting again, and maybe...something more sinister in design, if he's brave enough to tackle it, are the only things his head has room for at the moment. ]
Whoa, and end up like that one comic? Thanks, but no thanks...
[ virtual reality's not for him. he learned that one early on! ryuji's a purist at heart, so he thinks he'll stick to the equivalent of the classics here, nothing cutting-edge for him. ]
Now we're talkin'! Just make sure you credit me when you set it up, 'kay?
[ he may not be an official employee, but he likes helping out ren in any capacity. if he can earn a little recognition on the side for it, so much the better. ]
Damn straight—! Beats slumming it at the fishing hole, huh?
[ although he wouldn't have minded going back to one...the city has one here too, doesn't it? while there won't be any time for it today, he starts to wonder about what he can potentially invite ren to in the near future. just for fun, or just to hold him to...some of last week's promises, maybe.
some of them, when his head's on straight and he's not ready to go on a new rampage at the drop of a hat. ]
I didn't think anyone was gonna remember! Feels like I just had one, you know?
[ a couple of months have passed, but...is this the shortest amount of time anyone's ever spent being eighteen? ryuji doesn't know. ]
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[Or maybe they aren't quite thinking of the same thing but there's so many anime and comics about people being taken into virtual reality.]
Well if I'm setting this up, I'll need you to help me.
[In his heart you are one Ryuji. Deal with it. Or not. That's fine too.]
Ahh! Well I mean it doesn't change all that much here. It's not like Japan where the adult age is 20...I got lucky since my birthday was April 1st and I was about to leave back home so soon.
[It did fit Ren in a weird way, arriving in Tokyo and leaving before his own birthday. What could they do, really.]
Besides, of course we'd remember.
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