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Post by datafox on Dec 31, 2006 4:29:36 GMT 1
"Calculate momentum..." Dimitri's voice was quiet, so quiet the echoes of birds and th rustling of leaves in the wind was just as audible in the deep forest. The area was pretty tight when it came to tree cover. Just enough for someone to walk around without fear of bumping another tree. "Apply the vectors..." It sounded like he was doing math of all things. Doing homework was fine, but doing it as deep in the woods as he was seemed pretty unnecessary. It wasn't that hard to go to his dorm. Bruce wasn't always busy with people in the dorm. So of course, him being out here for math seemed a little off. "And determine the focal point!" Dimitri's voice rose as he said that, to a point where it was at that of a normal voice.
Dimitri's right fist slammed into a tree trunk, causing the bark to splinter around his hand and chip away. It was only his first punch of many he'd be throwing. This tree was about four feet in diameter, and probably upwards of fifty years old. The tree itself was a pretty solid deciduous-type, but he didn't know the name of the tree's species. There were certain things that weren't meant to be known, and there were things that had to be known. Tree names fell under the category of "Who gives a flying shit?"
"Adjust vertical vector by ten degrees, ascending... Drop origin point one inch..." Dimitri's fighting stance was pretty normal. Legs were shoulder-width and a half apart, the feet formed a forty-five degree angle, and his front foot was pointed forward. His hands were up in front of his chest. His front hand was always shoulder level, nd the back arm was set so it was pointing for the lead shoulder. He launched his attack again, a mere straight-out punch at the tree. It wasn't quite a jab, as jabs were meant as quick attacks to throw off a target's balance. This thing wasn't just quick, it pierced through what it hit. With almost his whole body weight behind the punch, the tree's bark took another devastating blow, the bark where his fist landed actually peeling off, hanging on by a mere horizontal inch of bark.
All this damage had come from two punches done by the school's weakest man. At least, that's what the school though of him as. It was the ruse he put on so he wouldn't get caught up in the fighting. Despite his informal Sambo training, Dimitri felt it best to let things take their course. But every day, he felt the need to fight. Every time he saw something that didn't sit well with him, he wanted to fight it, take it down, and be done with it. It was a hard temptation to resist. He was a part of the toughest school in the world, at least since the Varron students came, and that fact boiled within him.
His hardest fight was coming from within. The fight to resist the temptation to fight that which threatened his way of life.
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Post by leaf on Dec 31, 2006 12:40:59 GMT 1
*Rather out of the way compared to the one near Varron. But, I wanted to see how the forests are in this area. Guess one could say this was for old times sake. Back in Varron, many went to the forest that was near the school to enjoy the peace or for many of the students...train. I did much of both and I found myself enjoying spending some time in the wilderness.
I managed to find a trail to walk easy enough. Starting with the well traveled paths to the less and in some cases, I made my own path. I let myself relax, my hands in my trenchcoat pockets and letting the wind blow through my hair as I explored these new forests.
As I walked, I heard the sudden flapping of birds taking flight. But, that was not all I heard though I could not describe the sound other than an impact. Perhaps I am not alone here. In most cases, I would continue on my way but, I was a bit curious I suppose. I began walking in the direction of the sound and soon heard it again. My eyes fell upon another close to my age, a student more than likely. Heh, seems not just Varron has people that train out in the woods. Punching a tree? Guess it is no better than some of the training I went through before moving here.
I move closer to the student. I was not sneaking but nor was I making any effort to make myself known. My trenchcoat rustling some of the brush as I stop a distance away. For now, I saw no reason to interrupt or disturb so I shall wait and watch this one.*
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Post by datafox on Jan 1, 2007 11:24:51 GMT 1
Dimitri re-adjusted his glasses, sliding them a bit further down his nose than normal. As he looked at the tree, it was like he was thinking, taking his time, his lips lightly moving to form words unintelligible to even those who could read lips. Unless they read lips in Russian. That was a pretty big chance at a no, especially since he was most likely the only one there. With his right foot back, he cracked a few kinks in his neck, starting at the tree like it was something fierce or dangerous. Of course, it was just a tree.
His right leg flew forward in a blur of motion, his pants leg making a flapping noise as it was tossed around by the winds passing by it. The leg never kicked out, instead the knee just rose higher and higher. Dimitri torqued his whole body behind the attack, his knee the point of impact as it struck into the tree's bare wooden core. It was a dull sound, the impact, filled with crackling and splitting. It was a horrible sound, especially so for the tree.
As the knee dropped back to it's neutral position, there was a crater left by the knee. Not very deep, but the wood all about it was chipped and broken, a mere peeling away until it was nothing more than sawdust. Some of the tree's sap held the pieces on, and had left a quarter-sized chunk of wood on Dimitri's knee, or rather the knee of the denim jeans he wore. Dimitri merely blinked, his jaw tensed for a mere moment as he felt the pain of that strike in his knee. By now, it actually wasn't that bad.
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Post by leaf on Jan 1, 2007 11:36:08 GMT 1
*A sigh escapes my lips.*
"Some may say a punching bag would act just as well," I say softly, "The tree may be thankful as well."
*He would not be the first I have seen striking a tree for training but I generally fail to see the point. Though I was not much better. But, for a school that supposedly has it's situations under control, why is he training so hard? Perhaps as a hobby or just because.
Maybe it is none of my business but it was better to say something than to just stand here and seem like I was spying. That would just be rude. Could also use this chance meeting as a way to get to know some of the locals though that is up to this one more than me. I still make no move to come closer to the student as I know I am just a stranger and many assumptions could arise from this one.
Besides, no matter his power, he will more than likely break before that tree does. He did not show much signs of pain though that will happen in a matter of time as well.*
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Post by datafox on Jan 1, 2007 11:52:50 GMT 1
Dimitri whipped around at the same time as the sigh, maybe a hundredth of a second later than it had started. It got him by surprise, but then again, so did a lot of things. He was jumpy, but he had become capable of handling that jumpiness. It was all a matter of making his mind faster. He had to asses the noise, who it had come from, and their location, pose, and mannerisms all in that spit second. Of course, he wouldn't have a full bio of the guy from just that mere look, but he'd have enough to make a snap decision.
"N-no room for one..." He resumed his timid mannerism, faking a slight stutter into his words to aid the illusion of weakness. That weakness would explain why he was training, so he could maybe get some backbone. But depending on how much the guy saw, it may have been a mute point to feign weakness. First time he's discovered, and it had to be in the middle of the woods of all places.
His eyes were harder-edged than that of a weak person though, as Dimitri prepared himself for something. He didn't know what, but he wasn't going to stay light on his feet. He'd be solid, ready for impact, and the inevitable reversal if it came down to an attack. For the most part though, he found it safe to assume there was no real threat from the guy, at least not yet. From the body language, there was no sign of hostility, and for that, he was thankful.
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Post by leaf on Jan 1, 2007 12:12:46 GMT 1
*His reaction compared to his focused composure he had while training was rather...amusing. A stutter as well? Was he shy or perhaps wanted to keep this training a secret? He was nervous of my presence which I easily gathered from how he stood ready. Perhaps he was similar in the aspect that he did not socialize much. But, the fact he can make an impact on a tree shows that he had been ready for some time. Generally one does not have that as a natural talent.*
"No room?" I reply calmly, "Yet you chose a tree in a denser area of the forest?"
*It was a bit strange to go this far just to train alone. I shrug slightly. I suppose it is not my place to pry. I mean I am the visitor or the invader depending on what he thought. But, his reaction and answer left it open to continue. He was training for a reason and to be continuing such training even after being able to strike a tree with limit damage to one's self, must be quiet a reason. Or perhaps I am delving too much into this, no matter.*
"Seems you are as far as you can go though unless you are doing a refresher," I continue.
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Post by datafox on Jan 1, 2007 12:23:30 GMT 1
"I... It's a matter of people. I-I get self-conscious..." That was the actual truth coming from his mouth. He made it sound like he was deathly paralyzed or something, but the truth was that he was just good enough with people to survive a conversation with a few. The more people there were though, the more he broke into the background, not wanting to be there.
He was fumbling for a way to explain himself, and his anti-social tendencies were looking like the right answer as far as he could tell. "I train out here... Because nobody... Usually... Nobody but I am present." He backed off one step, inexplicably, his tenseness rising.
"Tell me... What have you seen here? What do you doubt of me?" He asked, turning the questions back unto this intruder, this interloper. He'd have to assume he saw at least his knee strike the tree, maybe just after impact. But it could have been any time. Dimitri didn't notice things other than what he had his mind set to. A weakness and a strength at the same time. Really though, the question was; How much of the charade was seen through?
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Post by leaf on Jan 1, 2007 12:44:08 GMT 1
*Self conscious? That is obvious but I wanted to hear him say it. I made no move towards the kid, leaving my hands in my pockets. Do hope he does not take too many steps back, I do not like to yell. But, if he were to just leave, I would not follow.
He was here to stay for now. Seems he was concerned as he threw questions on what I saw him do. If he was nonchalant about me seeing him he would simply say he was training and leave it at that. Instead, he is asking if I saw him strike the tree. Which, if he was not so nervous, he would find to be an irrelevant question. No matter when I arrived, anyone could gather that it was him that did this. He still had bits of bark on his hand and was in fact the only person within some distance I can assume. It still mattered little to me though it sparked some curiosity.*
"Hmm...what I saw is you kneeing a tree after taking moments to gaze at your target," I answer, "Though what I have gathered without my eyes is you also struck the tree two more times. Such impacts tend to stir the birds and animals since few humans walk this deep in which led me here in the first place. But, the question is does it really matter what I saw?"
*I saw no need to hide what I saw though he apparently wanted it to stay hidden. His second question was odd and I decided to leave unanswered. Why would he ask what I thought of him after a brief time of watching him? Self concious...well perhaps.*
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Post by datafox on Jan 3, 2007 10:18:38 GMT 1
"Actually, it does matter what you saw."
Dimitri's voice had gone completely... Normal. It was cold, no stuttering, just normal, fearless speech. He had dropped his weakness routine, around this guy, there was no reason to act as weak as he looked. The guy knew he had power beyond that of the normal inconfident, jumpy geek he tried to act as. The very detail with which the guy had spoken of Dimitri's attack was reason enough to believe he had seen all he needed to. So why hold back?
"The part that matters, were the numbers involved in what you saw. You saw one strike that shattered a layer of wood, maybe two. And you can assume two other strikes. It's hard to do as much damage as I did with so few strikes. You know the power with which I can strike. You know that I am not weak."
An ice-cold glare came from Dimitri's spectacled eyes. "Therefore, I need you to stay silent. I worked pretty hard, to ensure the school thought I was too weak to bother with. I worked hard, to be considered weak. And you threaten that image. And therefore, you threaten my safety at Hircine."
The words were colder than his stare, dead serious and ready to do what was needed to keep the silence. Knowledge was a powerful thing, and lies were fragile. If this guy decided to blab about seeing Dimitri in the woods, breaking trees, the school's perspective on him could very well change quickly, and for the worst.
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Post by leaf on Jan 3, 2007 10:58:22 GMT 1
"Strong?" I say calmly, "You think punching a tree is what decides if you are strong?
*And people were worried about Varron students? Seems he decided to drop his charade and seems I know some deep dark secret about him. So the difference between this woods and Varron's is simply how far I have to walk to get here? Indeed, this is annoying but might as well do what I can here. Maybe I can avoid this with minimum conflict.*
"So you are worried about me talking about you hitting trees?" I continue, "Well I suppose it may be embarrassing when people find that out. Since they will say that a punching bag would hurt less in the end."
*I was calm so I suppose cool would be the way to describe myself as opposed to this kid. I still had made no moves from my position, leaving my hands in my pockets. Though I could say there was nothing to worry about, perhaps this kid will do anything to keep me silent. That would be troublesome.*
"The truly strong would not care about you punching a tree," I said simply, "And the only people that would think that is cool or 'strong' as you like to be called are those that are ignorant and foolish. Hmm and they said that the Varron students were the aggressive ones. Seems there is not much of a difference after all."
*Perhaps I am being a bit harsh but this kid needed a wake up call. Perhaps I should have more tact but I would have to have some social skills first to even start that.*
"What I know," I said softly, "Is that you punch trees and you think people knowing that will affect your future in Hircine High. I find the whole concept strange."
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