[Masao Ando]

She always started her morning routines early, but today she made sure to get up extra early to make sure she was in peak physical condition for the training session ahead of her. Usually she would be going for a jog at this hour, but something unusual had happened the other day. Enma Arashi, a fellow student and a swordsman on a Journey had met her by chance in one of UAU's classrooms. She immediately saw his potential and offered to make him a sword, an offer which he graciously accepted. What she didn't expect was that she didn't only get a new customer, but a sparring partner as well.

Making her way to the physical education grounds she had made sure to stock up, carrying a couple of water bottles for each of them and swords, training or real depending on what he preferred to use. Putting her stuff down she opened up her phone and looked at his name in her contact lists, a list consisting of less than 10 people, and that was including family members. She thought about what to text him for a moment before she started typing away.

''I'm here.''

''...This is Masao.''

It was a simple message, but it conveyed what she wanted it to. Hitting send she put her phone away, tying her hair up so that it wouldn't get in her eyes. Not that having long hair hindered her skill as a combatant, but she still remembered his words from the other day. If he truly wasn't going to hold back, then she needed to work harder not just to make a good first impression in combat, but to be a worthy opponent for him. Once she spotted Enma, whether he arrived before or after her she would give him a formal bow. ''Good morning, Arashi-san. It is great to see you again so soon, I hope today's training proves most useful.''

enma

[enma]

Enma was very formulaic in the morning. He woke up at six in the morning, began with a large glass of ice water and stretches and eventually light aerobics. Eventually he would take an ice-cold shower and pick from his vast and varied selection of plain, black clothing. It was his preference not to show much skin, as it was scarred from the intense training he did. People would ask questions, be concern and look at him like he was a hurt puppy.

The swordsman was far from it. At least he thought, but with how pleasant it was to meet Masao the previous day he might soften up like one. Seeing her text, he caught himself smiling out of excitement. It was small, soft and what would be normal for most when they have a pleasant start to their morning. Packing up his things, he brought along Raiju just in case. He also had a pair of bokken that they would likely use.

On my way. See you soon, Ando-san.

Waltzing over to the training grounds, he wondered if the grounds would be suitable. With his physical conditioning, he knew he'd have to be careful as he did not know where his peer was. Meeting her there, there was a thrum in his chest that came from the excitement of having another person to train with. He could even help her learn to make up where he lacked. It was still dawn and nobody was out, so here they stood.

"Good morning, Ando-san. I'd like to gauge where you're at. I hope you had plenty of rest." Almost on impulse, the short and stocky Enma removed his jacket and revealed a black tank-top and the rough skin of his arms. Lines drew jagged horizontally and patterned what would be rather dense, muscular appendages. It wasn't normal for him, but he began with hand stretches. "Uh...let's make sure to stretch before hand. We can jump into a quick sparring match, or we can focus on what you want to."

Nodding, he rolled his head and shoulders. He had Raiju wrapped up along with the bokken, drawing the wooden swords and stabbing them into the ground. He continued a few limbering stretches while he waited for Masao's answer.

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

She smiled when she received his text and for a second she considered texting him back, but her thumb was left hovering over the phone display, unsure, hesitating. While she waited her thoughts drifted, thinking of family and home. No matter what she did she was never enough. It was her third year at UAU and she hadn't managed to make the Andos proud once. Not with her smithing skills, her ability to utilize a weapon, or use the armor she had been born with. All of that would change soon. She had to believe that it would, that Enma could help her make some kind of breakthrough. It was ultimately selfish, but she hoped that they would both reach their goals by helping each other.

''Plenty indeed, you said you wouldn't go easy on me so I figured I would need it. And yourself?'' She had felt awake before, but seeing him here it was like she felt a rush go through her body. She was going to train with someone, not begrudgingly, or out of obligation, she was going to train with someone she actually liked being around. One of the first things she took note of as she started stretching was that he was surprisingly muscular. That shouldn't really surprise her all things considered, but his jacket did a good job hiding it. The scars too... She didn't want to stare, but she couldn't help but feel a bit concerned. How did he get those? Raiju wasn't especially damaged so she assumed Enma hadn't been in that many fights, but she could be entirely wrong. Nevertheless, in case the scars were a sensitive topic she decided not to comment on them. Communicating emotions had never been her strong suit and she had a feeling she wasn't going to become an expert today. ''A sparring match sounds ideal. While I know my way around the forge I am merely a novice with the sword. Even so, I hope I can make you break a sweat.'' She smirked, finishing up her own stretches. She had chosen to wear her UAU gym uniform which gave her a more androgynous look, not that a dress would have done her much good on the battlefield either way.

''I see you brought bokken as well.'' She couldn't help but smile at the fact that they both came prepared. ''Back when I first started wielding a blade my parents got me a private teacher. He always said that it is wise to choose the bokken first over real swords.'' Although truthfully, she didn't mind going with a real sword. ''At least until the combatants know each other well.''

enma

[enma]

Enma was able to get a good laugh once he realized that they both came with bokken, but realized he hadn't thought of bringing any water. Hydration was important to physical activity, especially if he ended up using his quirk for a demonstration. The hard part of their training session was going to be modulating his strength in response to hers, so using the wooden swords was preferred for the swordsman.

"I get the rest I need." In reality, Enma was training at all hours of the day to maintain his fitness. A strong heart and lungs were necessary for his quirk and the stronger a person was, the more they needed to keep up the discipline. If it was some inherent strength from a quirk, it might've been different. He wasn't sure what it was like for those that were born with supernatural strength like that.

The demeanor of Enma with how he carried himself would hide the fact that he often sacrificed sleep for his insane training ethic. People usually just assumed that he was just an intense and dark person. Moving over to Masao, he unconsciously entered her space more closely than he normally would. "Ando-san, do you mind if we use yours?" He trusted the strength of her bokken more than the ones he had. They were purchased from a typical proprietor, but Masao's skills were certainly beyond them.

"From what I've gathered, there are powerful monsters that make up the super villains that counter us heroes. Think of me as one of those monsters as we spar, Paragon." He looked up at her as he awaited the wooden sword. When he realized how close he had gotten, his mouth squished and squiggled out of anxiety as he tried to subtly step back. This would be the first time he trained with someone that wasn't his grandfather or some robots, which excited him.

But the excitement wasn't just the anticipation, it was the electricity between them.

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

''I would expect nothing less of a man dedicated to the sword.'' She smirked, taking his words at face value. Even if he didn't get enough rest it wasn't like she was just able to tell. Not because she didn't look at him or well... She hadn't taken a close look at least. Besides it was rude to stare, and she didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

''It would be an honor.'' She half-turned to get the wooden swords. As a weaponsmith, nothing made her happier than her weapons being put to use, even these rudimentary training swords needed to see the light of the Sun every now and then. ''You? A monster?'' She was about to let out a chuckle, but paused for a moment when she turned back and noticed how close he was standing to her. Maybe it was just her imagination, but his eyes looked different up close, a vibrant, crimson color, like a field of roses. ''R-Right..'' She cleared her throat and looked away to hide the warmth that was flooding into her cheeks. The oddest thing was that her heart was beating faster too, but she hadn't broken a sweat yet. Was she this nervous to face him, or was it something else? ''You referred to me as Paragon, my hero name.'' She handed him one of the swords with the handle facing him. ''I realize I neglected to inquire about your hero name. You have my sincerest apologies, Arashi-san.'' She bowed her head formally. ''May I ask, what is your hero name?''

Enma... A monster? If it could improve both of her sparring experiences, perhaps she would need to look past his exterior. He neither looked nor acted like a monster after all. ''Prepare yourself.'' She said calmly, assuming a dignified fighting stance that gave away not only that she had been taught by private trainers, but clearly came from a privileged background.

Striking out, she started by swinging for Enma's shoulder, a simple strike meant to test him even if he was gauging her level of skill.

enma

[enma]

To Enma, growth only came from pain. The scares on his body were signs of his intense training and even the injuries he'd suffer in doing so. His greatest shame was how inexperienced in the field he was, but that was going to change. The name he chose, while not a perfect fit, was representative of how he was going to deal with the monsters of the world. "Just for the match. My grandfather taught me that we must expect the worst in the world when facing its greatest darkness."

As the two met face-to-face, there was a warmth that coalesced between them. That electricity that made Enma take a step back but still resonated in his excitement was ever-present. Seeing the flawless emerald rounds in Masao's eyes, the gemstones that looked back at what she thought were a field of roses had stunned the swordsman. Taking the wooden sword politely, he would swing it around to feel its weight. As expected, it was perfectly balanced.

"Helsing. I'm going to be a monster hunter myself." It was poetic, but not in the way he said it. Like the famous hunter of what seemed like ancient literature, he would hunt and slay the vampiric monsters of the world. Or at the very least, bring the appropriate justice. "Don't tell anybody, but I'm an appreciator of old literature. Dracula is one of my favorites."

As they assumed their stances, Enma kept his in a balanced state. As Masao approached without hesitation, he deflected her blow with extreme precision and speed. In a swift one-two, he would use the clack of wooden swords to give him his cue for attempting to slash across her chest. Still in the process of modulating his strength, the blow would be mighty in comparison to someone unarmored like Masao. "I stay prepared, Ando-san."

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

''Your grandfather was a wise man.'' From the sounds of it he prepared Enma for situations like this all his life. It was eerily familiar to her own upbringing, except there was a bigger emphasis on creating weapons rather than wielding them. She had received training, sure, but she was stepping onto the battlefield of her own volition. She believed that no weaponsmith could truly know what it felt like to create a weapon if they hadn't wielded one first.

Hearing his name and the reasoning for it made her excited. ''Helsing? Very well.'' She could feel it, she wanted to stand there by his side. Fight tyranny and make the world a better place together, but was she truly worthy of such an honor? Maybe she was just hyping the spar up to be more than it was, but she couldn't help but feel a lot was riding on her performance here. ''Is that so? Your secret is safe with me.'' She smiled, steeling her mind for the fight ahead. ''Personally, I have an appreciation for The Count of Monte Cristo.''

Just from a cursory glance she couldn't see any flaws in his stance. He was calm, collected and ready. She had expected him to parry or deflect her blow, but the speed with which he was moving almost startled her. Wood struck wood and soon she found herself taking a step backwards as she just barely managed to guard herself from his follow-up strike. The blow itself almost making her slip. She had only made one attack and she was already put on the defensive. There was a clear disparity between them, but she didn't feel scared. If anything, it made her want to work even harder. ''Impressive, Arashi-san.'' She kept her sword pressed up against his, already struggling a bit. ''Your stance is flawless and your reflexes are immaculate. I can tell that you take your training very seriously.'' With her next move, she angled her sword and tried to stab, or rather catch him with a quick jab.

At this point she knew she wasn't going to give him much of a challenge, but her pride left her unable to back down. At the very least, she would give him an honorable fight, and more importantly, the best that she had.

enma

[enma]

Papa Arashi was a wise man indeed. He taught Enma nuances in combat that most wouldn't receive unless they went into the streets and learned for survival. To be as durable as he was took conditioning beyond simply lifting weights. As they sparred, Enma knew that someone needed to treat Masao as someone who can grow, which means treating her as someone who will know pain. It was a harsh lesson, one he had to be more careful with than his grandfather, but a lesson that would help her decide if she was willing to be a warrior.

Every field, to Enma, had merit as long as there was enough determination and consideration behind it. A creator like Masao had talents the warrior could never hope to achieve. To a degree, it made him jealous. Focus would make him a frontline hero, but he would be one of many. As they clashed, he pondered how he would bring change when he couldn't separate himself from the masses. Enma didn't want fame as Helsing, just impact.

"That is a good book."

As Masao lunged at him, he held his bokken straight-up and let his companion's blade slide along his. In a pendulum motion with the way he rotated his hips, he slammed his elbow against Masao's arm in an attempt to strike the muscle and make it difficult for her to wield her sword as firmly. "My form isn't perfect by any means, but if I inspire then it'll just make me aspire to be even greater. Your form isn't bad, but it's simple and you need to be stronger. Faster."

Leveraging his greater speed, he would shift and close the distance and attack on the offense. Not necessarily trying to strike, the tip of the Bokken would stop shy of Masao's chin. "Especially more so than the other combatant." He was impressed with her form, but battle was quick. It was unpredictable. An element that every warrior must learn, usually the hard way.

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

He was fast, strong... Too strong. She had to actively suppress the urge to activate her armor. Donning the armor could mean the difference between life and death. If this was a real battle, she would most likely already have sustained terrible injuries. Fighting him without her quirk was a mistake, but she also couldn't rely on her quirk to do all the work. No, the better question wasn't whether she should follow the advice of her father and use her quirk, why was she losing her cool? Through every match, every exercise, every fight, every assignment she always managed to keep her cool. What was so different about Enma? Why did it feel like a storm of emotions were whirling inside of her?

Predictably, he saw her attack coming from a mile away and responded faster than her eyes could comprehend. When his elbow hit her arm she flinched from the pain, almost losing her grip on her sword as she had to clutch a hand over where she was struck, forcing her to wield it one-handed. ''You saw right through me.'' She smirked through the pain, still refusing to lower her weapon despite her current predicament.

She was hoping that she could catch him if she just focused, but once again he moved faster than her and before she knew it the tip of his Bokken was already pointed at her, essentially forcing the fight to end then and there. She looked down at the training sword with a mix of shock and amazement. She expected to lose, but not so soundly. ''You have made the difference in our skills abundantly clear.'' She let out a small sigh and lowered her sword. ''If you were expecting something more, then I am sorry, Arashi-san.'' She looked away for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. ''However, if you give me time, I will grow much stronger. I may not be strong now, but I am serious about this.''

It was hard to face the reality that she wasn't good enough, but if she always let her pride get in the way, then she was never going to be worthy of her armor.

''Arashi-san, if you allow me to continue training with you then I promise that I will soon match your potential, or perhaps even exceed it.'' She bowed formally. It was a stupid, selfish request, she felt weak for trying to rely on someone else like this.

enma

[enma]

Masao was reminding Enma of his lessons in his childhood. There was a pride buried within that authority could suppress well, but it would come out in some way. The agitation in response to losing the bet in a trade of blows. The point of a match was to end it quickly, not to prolong it. He needed to show her that, to allow her to feel defeat and be okay with it. Whoever trained her before might not have been understanding.

To make failure unacceptable in the wrong way was to expect only success from the beginning. This wasn't the time for her to succeed so directly. This was when Masao should fail so that when it matters, she will be victorious. "A warrior does not delay the end. A warrior who fights with purpose will be quick and efficient. You'll get there." Seeing how Masao seemed to think it was over, Enma stepped back and took another stance.

Staring at her intently, he smirked. "I didn't say we were finished. I want you to keep coming at me. Keep coming until your body cannot anymore. You are worthy as long as you try. You're not strong, but you will be." Looking at her, he felt something in his heart. Dark energy secreted from the backs of his hands and swirled up the sword, turning it into what seemed like obsidian wood. The damage from the previous deflection began to slowly repair.

Looking down at the sword, Enma closed his eyes harshly and let the energies retract. Sighing, he opened and looked more softly towards Masao. "I will never expect anything but effort from you, Masao."

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

Failure was nothing short of unacceptable, it always had been. Ever since childhood she had never been good enough, it all started when she was born a girl, as the boys of the Ando family were expected to inherit the family business. That was why her father raised her as a boy, but she still wasn't good enough. Failure wasn't something she learned through, it was something she actively feared. If I'm not perfect, then what am I? What will people think when I fail? Am I going to grow old and die with regrets? Those thoughts haunted her, fueled her to become better, but they weren't productive or healthy, they were actively holding her back.

She fully expected him to give up on her. To lay down his sword and call it there. She could continue to create weapons for him, but as a fighter she was a nobody. She had learned as much from the Sports Festival arena too. She blinked her eyes when he changed his stance rather than put down his weapon. Somehow, she couldn't help but meet his smirk with her own, his energy was that infectious. ''If that is your wish then...'' She raised her sword again, once more assuming the only stance that she had learned. ''Thank you, Arashi-san.''

She was running straight into a beatdown, and yet the look in his eyes was soft, inviting, trusting. ''Then I will show you everything that I've got!'' Following his advice, she pushed her body even further this time, sending out a flurry of strikes in an attempt to hit him. Before she was fighting with hesitation, fighting like she was afraid to get hurt. Now, she was going to fight with vigor and with passion. She was going to keep fighting him until she dropped. Through all of it, a single word he had just said played on repeat through her mind.

''Masao.''

Usually she corrected people that tried to call her by her first name, but there was something about the way he said it that made it sound nice.

enma

[enma]

Feeling the weight of expectation radiating off of Masao, Enma could relate even if a bit differently. His father expected him to use his quirk to follow in his footsteps, his grandfather expected him to rekindle the flame of the Arashi Clan. Both put a lot of expectation on the boy, and it would be sometime before he could realize any accomplishment. He wasn't following in his father's footsteps, but he naturally wanted him to accept and be proud of his choices.

Masao chose not to simply be a creator, but to be a warrior as well. That choice to be different and her own being was going to shape who she was and how inheriting the armor would manifest. Feeling their connection through the match, he deflected her blows and swung halfway to nonverbally point out openings made from fighting defensively. Each time she would come at him, he would make sure to repeat this step.

"Your formula isn't bad, but you must be mindful of the openings you create going both ways. Threading the needle helps you land a blow, but every action can be exploited." Enma was an efficient instructor on how he viewed the flow of battle. His combat intelligence was backed by his swordsmanship, yet he lacked in his abilities without a sword. "Adjust the angle of your blows in accordance to where on me you want to strike and in anticipation for my parry."

When she would be on the offense, he would use enough strength to simulate what he felt he needed to without completely overpowering her. In this way, he could help her understand her weaknesses. Physically, she just needed more conditioning. "Let me know when you tire, we should take breaks here and there."

Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

Where normally she would get upset when her attacks didn't work, instead she slowed down and took a deep breath, turning every deflected blow into a lesson learned. When he pointed out weaknesses she made sure to take mental notes and correct her movement as much as she could. She wasn't going to become amazing at this in one day, but it was a start. ''I see...'' She replied, slightly out of breath. ''Cause and effect, moves and countermoves.'' Fights were dynamic and her opponent was constantly going to be moving around just like her. It wasn't enough to simply fight defensively, or lean fully into offense. She needed to be able to read Enma better. She only took a moment to catch her breath before she raised her training sword again. Smirking at him, her eyes shining with determination.

Taking his advice to heart she continued to push herself, so much so that she didn't notice her hair tie coming undone, letting her red locks flow in the gentle breeze. Finally, she aimed for his chest, trying a similar strike to the one he swung at her earlier. ''Tire? I appreciate the sentiment, Arashi-san.'' She was sweating, her vision was getting blurry, but she had to keep going. ''But I do not... Tire...'' She tried to keep her sword raised, but eventually had to collapse, falling onto the ground. Her entire body was impossibly sore. She more tired from this one sparring match than from her usual full day training routine. ''How about...'' She panted, pushing herself up into a sitting position. ''Some water, Arashi-san?'' She smiled up at him, truly grateful not just for this opportunity to learn, but to get to know him too.

enma

[enma]

It was so refreshing for Enma to not be the student in the training dynamic. He didn't see Masao as his, still feeling her to be an equal of different talents. However, the training they performed felt like a favor among good friends. He wanted to lift her up where he could, and she wanted to provide Enma with the weapons that best suited him for hero work. It was transactional at first, but as he felt the determination in Masao's moves and strikes, he couldn't help but feel their connection deepening.

They would continue drills for a few hours, eventually bringing Masao to exhaustion and Enma to needing a break himself. As they sat, drinking water, he looked at her quietly and pondered the first of many sessions together. He could have expressed his dominance, beaten her in every round they had as he searched for satisfaction for being so strong. It's what he wanted when he would lose every time to his grandfather.

To feel what it was like to be the victor. But with Masao, he felt something new. He felt friendship for the first time because he finally found someone he could resonate with. She was probably better with people, which would make her even more inspiring. As he finished his water, he would let his fingers touch the ground as different colors would bleed from each finger tip. Masao was important to him, which might mostly be potential.

But if it triggered his quirk, then he knew it to be true. "You did good today, Ando-san. I look forward to seeing you blossom." The colors bleeding from his fingertips only left spots behind, ones they would miss when everything came to an end. Ones that would take longer to fade than his superficial uses like calligraphy. Before departing fully, he would secure his jacket and turn to her a final time.

"You can text me anytime, Ando-san. I...think we get along." He was not smooth, but it was his way of saying he liked her presence. Taking his bokken back to the dorm, he'd freshen up and find himself laying in bed. Staring at his phone longer than he'd ever had before, he debated sending a text. In a bout of impulse, he blindly did.

Good night, Ando-san.

Masao Ando

[Jinx]

☆ MISSION SUCCESS ☆

Swords at Dawn, Texts at Dusk. One can only guess at what tomorrow will bring~
Great thread you two!

+ 5,000 EXP!!

Enma: 5,000 // 10,000
Masao: 10,500 // 15,500

tag: enma,Masao Ando