~ 1 day later, Omni Pov ~
Akira went to school the today. Leaving Rivera by herself up at the house. Things went normally for him. Which was rare...
'Looks like they've all wen't possum... I guess Haguro getting knocked out must've done it. Now they just look at me with either curiosity or fear...' Akira realized.
Rumors never spread about the incident on the roof, so no student committee came for him either. For once, the time was peaceful...
Akira looked towards his teacher, Akiko. Who was avoiding him now. He didn't mind; it was for the best for both of them. Well... for her. She still didn't stop staring occasionally, though.
Akira saw a familiar presence nearby.
'Ryuuko? She looks like she had the worst hangover,' Akira thought, snickering to himself.
Ryuuko, on another hand, came in with her grumpy state. Eyes baggy and hair somewhat disheveled.
'𝘈𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘭... 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘺, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦?' Akira pondered. The air filled with these smells after Ryuuko arrived.
He saw her make her way towards the seat beside him, no longer greeting him cheerfully like before. Akira, seeing this, minded his own business. Like he usually does.
She then dropped her head onto her desk, sleeping. After that, she peeked over to Akira once every couple of minutes before finally dozing off...
Akira simply sat there staring at the chalk-bored while solving the equations in his head for fun.
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*RING!!!*
The school bell rang, signalling the end of the session.
Akira packed his things. Then began to leave. He had plans later today, so he didn't want to waste too much time.
However, it wouldn't be a wolf-guy story with a bit of a twist.
"Akira."
Akira, hearing his name get called, he recognized the voice.
'Chiba? What could he want?' Akira thought.
"Yeah? Wha' do ya need?" Akira said.
"Meet me on the roof." Chiba said. Leaving first.
Ryuuko, who was awake at the moment, stayed quiet. She saw Akira raise his eyebrows, before sighing and walking away...
She didn't wait too long, though. Ryuuko was curious about what was going to happen again. And she wasn't the only one, either. Aoshika heard the shout, but acted as if she had heard nothing...
Ryuuko quickly made her way behind her 'wolf' friend. And Akiko did so right after.
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~ On the roof ~
Akira made it to the roof. He scanned the area, seeing that he and Chiba were actually alone.
'A talk perhaps?' Akira thought...
"... So... why did you bring me here alone...?" Akira asked aloud.
"I want to test myself against ya'..." Chiba said, getting into a stance.
Akira looked intrigued...
"A spar... quite sudden, but ok... let's see what ya' got." Akira said, dropping his bag to the side.
Chiba, hearing this, charged towards Akira with speeds of a professional fighter. He swung with two quick right jabs.
Akira, in response, dodged both strikes with ease, with no wasted movement.
'How's that possible? He dodges my punches with a within a hair's breadth...' Chiba thought. His eyes sharpening, and his teeth clenching...
He pressed forwards some more, using more of his power, but no matter where he punched, his hits couldn't land. It was as if a mystical force was wavering him off of Inugami's body...
'Why can't I hit em'? Is he that far ahead of both me and Haguro... Is he even human?' Chiba pondered. He was frustrated. First there was Haguro, and then there's Akira...
"Why..." Chiba said, pressing even harder than before.
"Why what?" Akira asked. sensing his opponent's emotions riling up. Akira knew that as a fighter, no matter the pedigree of expertise, all have on common thought they share when in a battle...
And, that's to hit their opponent...
Even if it's once. Hell, even if the hit didn't connect properly. That is what all fighters alt least want to achieve against someone of any level they are facing. However, what happens when a martial artist encounters an opponent they can never hope to scratch?
They initially start to feel a sense of despair... then hopelessness in their endeavours... then their passion, effort and blood all feel like a waste of time against something absolute in nature...
Chiba was experiencing just that. He knew he was a hard worker. Sure, he couldn't defeat the likes of Haguro in a 1v1. However, he could at least graze him when they sparred, and land couple of hits at most, but this, it felt like it was a wall he couldn't imagine overcoming, no matter how hard he tried, all because there was a gap in talent...
"Why... Why must there be another!?" Chiba said out loud. His stoic facade fading.
Akira kept dodging Chiba's attacks. He realized that he was losing his momentum and quickly. His attack patterns were becoming far more predictable than before...
Chiba then stepped in and swung a right hook swiftly.
"First Haguro... and now YOU! I could face Haguro and hold my own, but. You! I feel like a baby facing against a superhuman expert." Chiba said. Singing even more wildly than before.
Suddenly, Akira caught a strike from Chiba. Catching the fighter off guard.
'The hell? It feels as if I hit a tissue in mid-air!' Chiba thought.
"... I jus' don't get it... why would a guy like you be fretting over somethin' like that?" Akira said.
"If you can't beat someone, just play at your own level. As a fighter, you should know that there will always be someone bigger, better, and stronger." Akira added.
Chiba said nothing, stopping his advancement... Huffing from the excess use of his stamina...
"... Ya don't get it... What you did that day wasn't human... Fer' a guy like me to keep living in someone else's shadow, and even now. I'm under a show even darker than the one before... But, you're right... I should play my own game, set goals within my limitations, and try to not let it bother me... but it's hard..." Chiba said, letting out his thoughts for a bit.
Clenching his fists in anger.
Akira listened, letting the quiet boy speak his mind... He could understand why Chiba was like this... to a small degree... to always live in someone else's shadow...
"It's fine, Chiba..." Akira stated.
"Though... you have disappointed me a bit... why follow Haguro? You're more refined than those group mongrels."
Chiba contemplated for a bit before continuing...
"I... owed them... let's leave it there..." Chiba said, leaving.
Akira scoffed. He picked up his bag and began walking towards the exit of the roof.
He sighed once more...
"I know you are both there... so just come out. You both are doing a shitty job at hiding." Akira shouted.
Confusing Chiba.
Then two female figures came crashing down. Akiko was on top of Ryuuko.
"Ouch... Get offa me, you bimbo!" Ryuuko shouted. Irritated.
"What!? I am not a bimbo, young lady!" Akiko responded, getting up.
Akira looked at both ladies, who looked away from him...
"Ya' know... you both a troublesome sometimes." Akira stated, smiling to himself.
Then walking away.
Chiba, seeing this deadpanned a little, sweating too...
'Heh... You sure are interestin'...' Chiba thought, grinning.
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~ At Akira's residence. ~
"I'm back!" Akira shouted.
"Akira? You're home. Welcome..." Rivera said happily.
"Mhmm. I think we should get right to it. Don't you agree?" Akira said, smirking.
Rivera widened her eyes, then smiled.
"Of course. I'm ready when you are." Rivera said, with her gaze sharpening.
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END