thebastion | Day 113 - Action [Open] | The Meaning of Strength

Entry tags:

Day 113 - Action [Open] | The Meaning of Strength

[To say that it had been a while since anyone had seen Ippo might have been a bit of an understatement; in fact, he hadn't been around the Bastion since he had returned from the last core retrieval. Upon his resolve to become stronger, he had used his shards to purchase a heavy bag and had since locked himself away in his room, only emerging at "Night" to do his laps around the Bastion and to eat and drink what he needed to stay alive. His mind was set entirely upon what he was doing...honing his body into something that could protect the people he cared about; becoming someone that the others could rely on.

During the day, anyone going near his door would hear the methodical noise of a fist meeting leather or the sounds of heavy breathing; at night, one might catch a glimpse of a hooded figure dashing along the edges of the Bastion, getting faster and faster with each subsequent sighting. Either way, Ippo wasn't apt to reintegrate himself into the community without prodding...he didn't feel he could properly face everyone just yet...he wasn't strong enough yet...]

For everyone's sake...I need to be even stronger!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Though he doesn't look it, Alucard does somewhat keep an eye on the rest of the Bastion's residents. Ippo's absence had definitely been noticed. He'd let the boy be up until now, keeping an eye on him during his nightly runs. Now though, he thinks it's about time to be a little more direct in his observation.

...Or as direct as starting his own laps on the opposite side of the Bastion and using his speed to loop around by the boy to make this seem like pure coincidence can be, at any rate.]

[Ippo barely had enough time to see the impressive blur that was Alucard coming head on towards him as he threw himself to the side; his body twisting just enough to give the man space to go by him while the rest of his body skidded in a heavy circle, leaving Ippo standing with a hand on his chest. He could only imagine how easily Alucard could have blown him off the side if he hadn't moved...it was only an affirmation to him that he wasn't even close to where he needed to be...]

[The boy had been able to dodge him without any need for him to slow; a good sign. The training was definitely paying off, and he must be eating enough. It is reassuring, given how few of them there are, that he has not been neglecting himself for training.

He skids to a halt, then makes his way back to Ippo at a bit of a slower pace than he had been going.]

My apologies. I did not intend to nearly collide with you.

[Ippo regarded the man carefully as he approached, not out of any weariness or distrust; just a silent observation of the man and how he carried himself. Perhaps he could glean some sort of secret of Alucard's strength from his form or posture...anything that might help him in one way or another. When Alucard had finally gotten close enough, a raspy voice would meet his ears coming from beneath the hood that was obscuring Ippo's face; the voice sounding almost completely unlike the young man he'd heard before.]

That's okay...no harm done, I'm just glad...I didn't interrupt you too badly.

Edited 2013-10-01 09:07 (UTC)

[The rasp the boy's voice has taken on is certainly a red flag, but not nearly so much as an all too familiar scent.]

...You are bleeding.

[He can't quite see where from ten paces away, but the smell is strong enough that it colors his tone slightly stern.]

[Beneath his hood, Ippo's eyebrow raised quizzically on instinct; how could Alucard have known such a thing? Ippo raised his hand to stare at the bloodstained bandages currently encasing his hand...and it had all but dried at this point, leaving reddish-brown splotches in contrast to their normal stark white color. Something didn't add up...but he wasn't about to press the issue, maybe Alucard had good night vision was all.]

Oh this is nothing...the wounds stopped bleeding hours ago...they won't be any problem.

[He steps a bit closer. Five paces away now.]

That is not the point. If it has soaked through the bandages enough to smell so strongly, at minimum you should change them and not put more stress on your hands until they heal.

It also sounds as if you are in desperate need of water. You should see to that as well.

[It hasn't occurred to him yet that the boy is unaware that he's speaking to someone not entirely human, and is attempting to hold himself to those standards.]

I'm alright, this won't kill me and I was headed to the river soon at any rate.

[He had found he actually enjoyed the taste of the river water if truth was being told. Sure it flowed from and into nothingness...but it was fresh, renewed, and surprisingly crisp for something infinitely spawned from the ether. Either which way, Ippo felt that if he could not even handle something so trivial as some blood and a little water deprivation; then he wasn't even close to being able to be a help to anyone here.]

[Rin had seen the movement around the Bastion a few times, but unlike Ippo she had gone down the road to emotional break down, wallowed in it for a while, and forced herself back to her feet once more to keep moving forward. So while it was a bit of a concern, she hadn't really made a point to pay attention to when it was happening, or to even really figure out who it was once she'd returned to working in the Distillery.

It was this day, though, that she was going to find out just who it was... by nearly running in to him.

Her reflexes had never been that great during her "human years". Even if her strength was far, far above most humans, it wasn't like she could catch a hurling projectile without looking or side step something about to crash in to her with grace and style. When she fought, it was one thing, to be reliant on senses that came with being part demon, but any other time she could almost be considered clumsy if she wasn't actively paying attention.

This was one of those times. Taking a covered basket of bread back to her room after her shift, she came around to the apartments just as Ippo came barreling down in the opposite direction, and it was only when she paused to shift the weight of her basket that she realized they were nearly about to collide.

Letting out a surprised squeak she jump-stumbled out of the way, feet kicking up and balance wavering until she crashed right on to her tail, the bread beneath the worn checkered towel bouncing and nearly flying out of the basket.]

OI! WATCH IT!

[Ippo had been moving so fast he hadn't even seen Rin come from around the corner, only barely being able to slide out of her way; though it seemed she was unable to keep herself on her feet. In the night's he'd been doing this; he hadn't been disturbed once, so it was just as much a surprise for him as it likely was for her...but that didn't stop him from feeling bad about it.

Honestly, it sounded like it hurt, so he walked over silently and extended a bandaged hand to help her up; the white cloth being stained with splotches of red here and there, some big, some small, and his voice sounding rather raspy and out of breath...almost indistinguishable from the Ippo people were used to.]

Are you okay...? You're not hurt...are you...?

... Ippo. Jesus, you scared the hell outta me.

[Now that she knows who it is, she's a little less prickly over the matter, rubbing her lower back with one hand, the basket still in her lap.]

Just my pride...

[And her tail

An exasperated huff left her, hand starting to reach up to take his only to stop when she noticed the blood.]

What the hell have you been doin' to yourself?!

Only what needs to be done.

[An unusually concise answer from the normally shy and flustered boy. Seeing his friends hurt had conflicted Ippo deeply; had reminded him that once before he had been powerless to help the people who mattered and the consequences that came with it. So if he had the ability to change that, to even help one person rather than just sit uselessly on the sidelines...it was worth any hell to walk through.]

Its not nearly as bad as it looks.

[His answer only makes her scowl more, but with a look in her eyes that's one of worry, not anger. A lot of people had been affected during that mission, and for a time she wallowed in her own self pity too much to realize it, but now that she was out of it like hell she was going to let others destroy themselves, too.]

I may not have been a doctor like my sister, but she showed me enough to know that's just as bad as it looks.

[Standing, she tucked her basket under her arm, grabbing his wrist with her other hand.]

C'mon.

[Silently and without much argument, Ippo let himself be pulled along; though Rin might note when she took hold of his wrist that it felt like warm Iron to the touch. For 13 days with only time taken to sleep a few hours and eat, Ippo had been punching his new Heavy Bag as hard as he could; he needed to push past his propensity to injure himself with his own punches and there wasn't any better way than to toughen his hands as his coach had done when he was younger.

It hurt, he had bled, he had wanted to stop; but the memories of his friends in pain had pushed him past such things...for them, if no one else, he would endure and become better than he was before.]

How have the others been?

[And of course his first thoughts would shift to those very same people. For however much he changed mentally or physically...he would always been essentially the same; it was just something he couldn't stop.]

[She didn't answer, and it almost seemed like she wasn't going to answer at all, at least until she had him in the hospital and sitting down somewhere on the first floor.

She vanished after that, but returned a moment later with a bulky first aid kit.]

They're... fine. Better. Morale sucks right now but we made it. That's the important thing, right?

[Rin might not have been a doctor...but she sure had intuition like one. While she had been going to get the first aid kit, Ippo had begun to undo his bandages and once his actually hands were visible...it wasn't pretty. The skin look practically mangled; especially around the knuckles where it looked as if it all looked as if it had been blown off by a non-incendiary explosive. Scars of old wounds intertwined with fresh ones, even a few that were still open...it was horrible to look at; but if Ippo was reacting at all, it was hidden well under his hood.]

Yes...I'm sure everyone will kick back soon; you're all incredibly strong individuals.

[Living with one for most of her life certainly made a difference. Yuki was the one who always bandaged her up whenever she came home from a fight, and while Rin wasn't book smart she still couldn't help but pick up a thing or two.]

Jesus...

Yeah, well... even if we weren't, we wouldn't have a choice, would we?

[Finally, with some reluctance on his part; Ippo finally pulled back the hood to his jacket and his face looked little better for the wear. His cheeks looked gaunt...yet his jaw definitely seemed to carry more power to it behind his paler complexion; his sunken eye sockets and dark rings beneath them doing nothing to help his image.]

Perhaps not...but either way, you're making a choice...I respect all of you for having that kind of courage.

Stop puttin' yourself down!

[Rin's voice rose again, and even if he wanted to argue, she was going to silence him by grabbing a piece of bread and shoving it in his mouth.]

You think I don't know what you're doin' by talkin' like that, but I know! You're just as brave, strong and courageous as the rest of us and just because we almost failed doesn't give you the right to almost kill yourself!

If we're gonna get through this we gotta work together and stop blamin' ourselves for our fuck ups! Remember what I said when you first got here? "Keep moving forward". This isn't movin' forward, this is... is throwin' yourself in to an even earlier grave because for some reason you don't think you're good enough to be a part of this team we need to have!

[For however brave or strong Ippo had been trying to act, it was all quickly torn apart as he was both chastised and fed in the same breath; all he could really do was chew the bread and listen to Rin speak...part of what she said was true. He didn't really feel like he belonged...he felt like he couldn't live up to what other could do, and that ultimately he would drag the rest of them down because of his weaknesses...but that wasn't all of it.

He also genuinely wanted to improve himself, not just so he could fit in, but so that when it came down to brass tacks, he could apply himself without fail. That was what he truly wanted. He finally finished his bread, he gulped it down and sighed; giving his friend a small nod as he gazed at the floor.]

I'm sorry for worrying you like this...but there's more to it than all that. What I want...is that if...or when the day comes when it falls on me to do something important...something that might have someone's life on the line...I want to have the strength in order to do what I have to do; and I don't feel like I'm physically or mentally there yet...

[There wasn't a hint of self deprecation in his voice, only an earnest desire to improve himself...even if he hadn't been going about it the right way.]

[That earned a finger in his face, her voice lowering to a more dangerous tone.]

Killin' yourself ain't gonna help anyone. What you need is the strength to tell yourself when to stop.

Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am...

[It was like talking to his mother...she knew just the right words and tone to take the fire right out of him. Sure he felt stronger...maybe he was, he was definitely making progress; but Rin was right, what was the cost of it all? What was the point of getting stronger if he wasn't around to help anyone with it? He had...admittedly, gone overboard.]

I let my insecurities get the better of me...I'm glad I had someone around to snap me out of it.

[Rin cares. Rin cares in a very loud, angry way, but she still cares damn it.]

Good. Now, hand. And eat more, damn it! You ain't starvin' while I'm around!

Yes ma'am!

[He extended his first hand while the other took from the food he'd been offered as he silently began to munch on it. He would throw himself at monsters all day, fight any horde, argue with anyone else...but Rin was just someone he couldn't hold a candle to. What she said went...the possibility of trying to argue back left a solid pit of fear in his stomach that wouldn't go away...perhaps it was for the best that he'd complied...]

[She does have a demon's temper, and has no qualms about screaming at people when they're being stupid. But she also has a human side, the side that reaches out to her friends when they're in need, and both things apply right now.

Discussion over, she set to taking care of his hands, taking the right one first.]

[It wouldn't be an easy task...if his hand had looked bad from a distance, up close it was downright terrible; it was definitely going to take more than your average wrapping and bandaging to fix these hands up. But Ippo didn't mind...Rin had his best interests in mind and if this was something she felt needed to be done...then all odds were that it most certainly something that needed doing.]

[She couldn't do everything, of course. At best she could treat it with plenty of antibiotic and new, clean gauze. And she told him as much when she was finished with both hands.]

You're gonna want more treatment than this. But it's a good start.

[Ippo nodded, giving his hands a few flexes to make sure everything was alright; she had actually wrapped his hands very well, they weren't too tight but they didn't feel like they were going to fall off either.]

Yeah...I should probably go talk to Dr. Kroenen or Dr. Stein; thank you for your help though...I'd probably be in a worse position if I hadn't run into you tonight.

Well... I just have good timin' then!

[... not really, Rin.]

You're gonna quit this abusin' yourself shit, right?

Yeah...I got a little stronger and faster from it all...but there has to be other ways I can get the same result. Do you have any ideas?

[He gave Rin a curious look; for someone so clearly strong, she might have some ideas on things he could do to improve his situation.]

Well... Night and I started sparin' more. You can't get much tougher than a demon.

Then could you teach me as well?

[His question was quick and he looked rather excited by the prospect. If someone like Rin was willing to help him...there wasn't any doubt in his mind that he'd get stronger in no time! After all...he saw what both she and Night were capable of...if he could hit even a fraction of that; he was sure he'd be ready for anything!]

Teach? Ohhh no no no. I ain't no teacher!

[Rin shook her head frantically, putting both hands up as she did so.]

I'd be the worst teacher ever!

Spar then! Anything at this point would be a help...

[He's giving you the puppy dog eyes Rin, he really wanted to improve and if Rin could at the very least put him through his paces...that would be more than enough in his books.]

[Oh gosh... not that...]

... alright, geez. If it gets you to stop doin'... this.

It's a deal!

[This was excellent! He was so happy he could have jumped up and thrown a fist into the air if not for the fact that he still had some semblance of shame. He was absolutely sure this would be a great way for him to improve and that this in no way could go awry whatsoever.]

[Most of the friendly NPCs sleep at 'nighttime' here, but one of them happened to be a night owl, and thus eventually saw Ippo during one of his runs.

It was curious, but Louise didn't approach him at first, choosing instead to observe him. But night after night, Louise saw the same figure training, and eventually he gave in to his curiosity.

When one of Ippo's laps brought him close-ish to the arsenal, Louise will finally speak up.]

What's got you bothered this late at night?

[The sudden call of a voice made Ippo slide to a stop out of knee jerk reaction than anything else...no matter his state of mind, he couldn't find it in himself to be overly rude. He simply gazed at Louise from beneath his hood and gave a light shrug of his shoulders, it was a valid question after all.]

Nothing particularly...it feels better to run at night...with the cooler wind around.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Day 113 - Action [Open] | The Meaning of Strength

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject