Nanami began walking down the now-familiar, winding hallways from her tea break to return to the lab. She wasn't ready to examine the feelings she'd had after her spat with Overhaul, especially the ones that caused her such sadness at the thought of not seeing him again. In the back of her mind, she knew whatever she was feeling could simply be the result of successful manipulation on his part, but it didn't change the relief she felt knowing they'd continue working together. Hoping to push away the thoughts before facing him again, she decided to focus on her efforts to find a suitable class for self-defense. Sure, Hitomi had a point in that it would at the very least be a confidence booster, but Nanami felt like she needed more.
I know Kurono said it was a cheap shot in a 1 vs. 30 battle royale, but still. * BANG* If Overhaul, ~*killer extraordinaire*~ can get injured like that, * BANG* I might as well be a sitting duck. Nanami concluded, remembering that she had involved herself in a world much more dangerous than she wanted to acknowledge. But where in the world am I gonna find * BANG* a class that'll * BANG, BANG* teach me how to survive a fight to * BANG* the * BANG, BANG* death? * BANG, BANG, BANG* Ok, what the hell is making all that noise? Nanami thought now annoyed at whatever had been interrupting her train of thought.
Following the sound, she found the source of the noise: a very large man beating a block of concrete in the training room as though his life depended on it. She watched for a moment in amazement as his fists covered in heavy, metal gauntlets wore down one block of concrete after the next, ignoring the traditional workout equipment. He stopped for a beat, sensing her watching him from the doorway.
"Hey, doc. What brings you here?"
"Hi Rappa, it's nothing, just heard a lot of commotion and wanted to make sure everything was alright. Don't mind me!"
Shrugging, he continued training, now moving to weightlifting. Man, this is nothing like the classes I sat in on. I wonder what kind of training you'd have to get to be this proficient… I wish I could… Oh, duh. Nanami thought at the epiphany.
"Hey, Rappa, can I ask you a question?" Nanami asked, with a plan already in mind.
"Who's gonna stop you?"
"True. Have you ever tried teaching anyone?"
"A couple times, but most don't last too long. They lack the warrior spirit."
"So… if someone did have this 'warrior spirit', you'd consider taking them on, right?"
"It would be a dream come true, to trade blows with another man, hellbent on victory! They'd have to prove their mettle, but nothing would bring me more joy!" He exclaimed and she could tell he was already daydreaming about the next fight.
"Well, what if there was a person that was hellbent on victory and had a true warrior spirit... but they were a woman. Would you train them?"
"Impossible." He responded immediately.
"What makes you say that?" Nanami queried, a bit miffed at how sure of his answer he was.
"They don't have it in their nature. Besides, we yakuza have a code of chivalry. I could never fight a broad."
"Even if said broad could kick your ass?" Now she was pissed.
He laughed heartily, "The day I meet a woman like that, will be the same day Mimic can keep his mouth shut for more than 5 seconds. Or when hell freezes over, whichever comes first."
"Well get ready for 5 seconds of bliss and Satan in some long johns because that woman is here." Nanami said with a renewed sense of resolve.
"What?"
"Nothing, I'll talk to you later, Rappa."
"Uh… Ok, see ya later, doc."
On the remainder of the walk back, Nanami practiced her proposal in her head. She knew it might be a hard sell, but she was determined. Bursting through the door, she saw Overhaul focused on his laptop, going through some data sheets. Aw, he looks so peaceful—no, snap out of it. Back on task. Nanami chastised herself, though she was happy knowing she'd be able to see him like this regularly since they'd done their version of making up earlier. Focusing on the task at hand, she spoke confidently," Overhaul, I need to borrow one of your bullets."
"Who do you need taken care of?" he turned to her, a serious look in his eyes.
"Wait what?"
"What?"
They exchanged looks of equal confusion, before realizing what the other meant. "Oh no, no, no—I don't need anyone 'taken care of', I want to take care of them myself—but not like that…"
"It would be clearer if you referred to them as the Eight Bullets or Eight Precepts of Death in the future."
"Oh, yeah that sounds way cooler." She stated matter-of-factly.
"Tch. Of course, it does." He said turning and she could tell he was grateful in his own way of the compliment. "What do you need them for?"
"I don't need all of them, just Rappa. And I want... no, I need him to train me."
"Why do you need him to train you? It's you and I who share the same quirk…" He trailed off at the last part.
"Oh, don't be jealous, it's just that I... I want to learn hand-to hand combat. I want to protect myself. I need to. You were right earlier when you said I've entered a world that prioritizes violence. It's not that I want to prioritize it myself, but I know it would be naïve of me to be unprepared." She replied resolutely.
"Of course, I was right."
"That's what you got from that?"
"However, I fail to see how this benefits me. Technically speaking, you have yet to rectify the power imbalance between us; you being able to completely negate my attacks is… problematic. Making you stronger would border on foolishness on my part."
"So, you plan on attacking me in the future?"
"No, but the point still stands and the question remains: what do I have to gain from this?"
Nanami's resolve did not waiver. She had the answer to this one, "An ally."
His eyes narrowed at her, almost cautioning her to use her words wisely, but he continued to listen, pushing his laptop to the side. "Go on."
"I wouldn't serve you or be an accomplice, nor conspirator to any crimes. However, I will not plot against you, attack you without proper provocation, and if you're in a bind like tonight, I will be there. In addition to this… I'll tell you how I was able to negate your attack. It's still a working theory, but I'd be willing to share and practice it with you until it's fully proven. I can teach you, but only after Rappa has trained me and you teach me a defensive move using Overhaul. This way, we will be equal, for the most part."
He stared at her searchingly, considering her proposal. After letting her squirm for a bit in suspense, he responded," It cannot interfere with our organization's daily dealings or our work in the lab."
"Of course."
"Then it's a deal."
"Also, could you talk to Rappa for me? You know the whole chivalry thing…" She trailed off hoping he would catch her drift.
"You're just full of requests today." He said, slightly annoyed as she raised her brows waiting for an answer, "He will comply. You may have to prove yourself, but he will comply."
It was decided that Nanami would be tested by Rappa a week from the day. If she wasn't sure about the nature of the test, it was certainly made clear when Rappa explained in a way only he could:
"I'll take it easy since you're a woman. If you can make me surrender, I'll teach you."
Such a generous soul~ Nanami mused to herself after pushing through the fourth lap. She didn't expect to become a prize fighter in a week, but not getting winded just by going up the stairs at work was a good start. She'd kept somewhat in shape and had grown up doing club sports in school, but nothing she could think of that would constitute a "warrior spirit". Looks like we're gonna have to get creative with this…
Checking her watch, she realized she had just enough time to make an important call before her next appointment. "Hey Miki, how've you been?... That's awesome, I'm doing alright myself… Hm? No, no we're still on for dinner Thursday, I just had a favor to ask… Could I join you for some freerunning this week?... Nevermind why I'm breathing so heavy! Can I come? ...Thank you, Thank you, Thank you—I'll see you at the station by your place. Bye!" The phone clicked.
She wouldn't become a master in a week—maybe not even an intermediate level fighter—but at least she could have a sliver of a chance at winning Rappa over. With her plan coming together, she pushed for another lap, a little more confidence in her step than before.
A week came and went, now Nanami stood in front of her closet, unsure of what to wear.
"What do you usually wear to a fight anyway…" She pondered, remembering what every fighting person she knew wore on a regular basis. Rappa wore jeans and a t-shirt, "If I can't sleep in jeans, how the hell am I supposed to fight in them? Next." Overhaul wore business attire, "The man's an enigma, not even realistic to compare wardrobe choices there…Wait." Nanami had an epiphany. Her fighting style, if she could call it that yet, wasn't much like either of theirs from what she knew. Deciding it would be smartest to wear what she'd been training in that week of preparation, she got changed and hurried over.
Rushing her park job, she sat in her car for a beat, trying to catch her breath. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been a nervous wreck anticipating her "trial by fire" today. Even with a plan, it would be hard to predict how she'd react in the moment when her safety was on the line. After rejecting her quirk and consequently, her body, for such a long time, it seemed like an impossible task to lean on it completely, to trust it, but what choice do I have? Nanami asked herself with equal measures of resignation and resolve. Deciding it was do or di—nope, gotta use a better phrase. We are not speaking the possibility of death into existence. Not today. Deciding it was now or never, Nanami took a deep breath, centering herself as she worked up the nerve to exit her car and march to the base and down to the training room.
Stopping in front of the entrance, she exhaled deeply once again, pushing the large door open. Upon opening it, she saw Rappa rotating his shoulders and stretching his arms. She gulped heavily, remembering his quirk, Strongarm, would soon be used on her. Focusing on her opponent, she hadn't noticed someone else standing in the corner by the door.
"If you focus any harder, you'll pop a blood vessel." Said a familiar voice, startling her from her thoughts.
She put a hand to her chest, trying to calm down, "Oh my gosh you scared the shit out of me… and leave me alone. Everyone has their own way of preparing, I'm just… figuring mine out."
"That and your sparring attire." Overhaul responded too quickly for her liking, giving her a once over.
Defensively pulling her tracksuit closed, she gave him a look," Did you come to roast me or root for me?"
"Neither. I am merely here to supervise. Whether you win or not is none of my concern."
"Aaaand this is why I didn't ask you to train me. If you need me, I'll be stretching over there, ref."
Nanami rolled her eyes, making her way to what she figured would be her side of the arena. The training room was large with two sections; one part took up a third of the room, hosting a myriad of traditional gym equipment and weights. The other part which was the arena, took up the remaining two thirds and was outlined on the floor in white with room on the sidelines for observers …and sassy referees. Nanami thought, remembering his dig from earlier.
Removing her tracksuit, she donned black leggings and a matching, sleeveless workout top. It was sleek and formfitting, maximizing her range of mobility. After she completed a couple toe touches, lunges and back stretches, Rappa took a step forward into the ring, "Alright, you know the rules! I'm making it easy on you by only asking for a surrender, but I won't hold back."
"I wouldn't want you too. Let's do this." Nanami said, her game face on and her voice confident in an effort to override the doubts she had in her head.
"Now that's the spirit! Come at me, doc!"
Getting into a stance, Nanami made a B-line towards Rappa, sprinting at full speed. He braced himself in a defensive stance, ready to attack when she came within striking distance. He was wearing his mask, but she could feel how serious the mood of the room had gotten. Just stick to the plan, it'll all be ok, she said, steeling herself from further doubt. Focusing, she saw the second he was readying himself to take his first swing. Just then, she slid and dodged, slapping her hand firmly on the ground as she slid, sending a ripple in the direction she was headed, a pillar forming. She then slid past the new structure, extended her arms, and grabbed onto the pillar to swing herself back in his direction at full force. Keeping both her feet together she surprised him, landing a solid kick to the face. She followed through as he staggered, and she landed, rolling to minimize the impact. Before she could appreciate the look of surprise on Overhaul's face, Rappa had recovered. Her refresher course on parkour with Miki had paid off and she had a few tricks up her sleeve.
"Now that was good. Give me more!" He exclaimed, punching the ground, barely missing her head as she dodged. Nanami had been fast, but Rappa was much more agile than he looked. She'd done some research on his quirk, but no amount of reading could have prepared her for the reality of it. Though it probably wouldn't have seemed threatening if it had belonged to someone else, it suited him perfectly. He didn't just have a quirk, he had a set of skills and used it to amplify them. Even without the added power, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Before she had the chance to think too much, he struck again and again, dodging becoming more difficult with each blow. Deciding to act, she erected more pillars.
"Putting up a wall for protection won't gain you a surrender—come and fight me!" He warned, charging towards her.
"Who said these were for my protection?" Nanami responded as she ran. She launched herself to gain enough momentum, bouncing between the pillars, she managed to land a punch to his side, just beneath his ribs, earning her a grunt. Now more confident, she went in for a second attack, this time she was going to aim for his chin, hoping to knock him out. In this movement, her lack of combat training caused her to make a grave error: she was wide open. By the time she saw Rappa winding up for an uppercut, it was too late to react. He landed a solid blow to her abdomen before grabbing her like a ragdoll, tossing her clear across the room and into the wall on the opposite side of the arena. Her back hit the wall with a thud, and she gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of her. She was certain she'd broken a rib or two. She fell on all fours, heaving as she grasped at the broken parts of her rib cage. She coughed up blood, accepting the consequences of being hit in real combat. When she expelled more of the red liquid from her mouth, she could've sworn she saw Overhaul reflexively lunge towards her. Without thinking she raised a hand motioning him to stop whatever he planned on doing, the other still clutching her side. Looking over to him, her expression must have relayed her determination. He took a step back, his face expressionless once again.
Reaching under her shirt to the affected area, she felt for a moment and healed herself, the sound of bones cracking back into place echoing throughout the room. She rose again, steadying herself as she took up her stance once again, "I'm not done yet." Nanami gritted.
His mask was now ripped from her previous blows she could see a large smile forming. "Now that's the look I want to see. IF YOU WANT VICTORY, COME AND TAKE IT WITH YOUR FISTS!"
Nanami charged forward, landing some solid blows as using her ability to manipulate the arena to her advantage. Though she'd used her quirk on their surroundings, she'd yet to use it on her opponent directly. Deep down, she was still too afraid to use it in that way. The only "fight" she'd ever used it against someone was when Overhaul and her first met, but really it was just a means to escape. Even in the face of danger, she found herself more afraid of losing control like she had all those years ago. As she hesitated, Rappa landed another solid blow, this time to her shoulder, dislocating it. She managed to stifle a scream of pain, but she knew this was bad. Before she had time to heal, he was charging towards her once again. She had enough mobility to dodge some of his blows, but not all of them. She couldn't heal herself quickly enough to keep up with his attacks. He landed another to her ribs, a fist to her back and a knee to her abdomen. Rappa was enjoying himself and she was becoming less and less sure that he remembered this was a duel to a surrender and not to the death.
Completely forgetting where she was in her panic, an immense sense of danger crashed over her, the adrenaline taking over giving her tunnel vision. Judging by how he wound up, the next blow could have certainly killed her. She braced for impact, no longer thinking strategy and then… nothing. All she felt was the gust of wind that came from his fist stopping near her face and his breath on the back of her hand. Focusing her vision, she realized she had her finger pointed, mere inches from his neck and Rappa was frozen in his place, careful not to even clear his throat. Nanami hadn't realized it, but her eyes were almost black and her face that of a cornered animal. She would have obliterated him had he not stopped short, an experience he wasn't quick to relive a sixth time.
A smile slowly crept back across his face and Nanami was snapped out of her trance by the sound of jovial laughter. "I surrender, doc. THAT WAS GREAT! The look on your face right now, it's perfect! I'll see ya Thursday for training." He boomed before shaking her hand that was aimed to kill him mere seconds ago. "I gotta make my rounds, but I'm looking forward to working with ya, doc. You're one tough broad!" He said as he continued laughing to himself, exiting the room.
This whole place is just a dozen different flavors of crazy… I almost killed him, Nanami thought to herself, happy to have passed his trial, but terrified at the possibility of repeating "the incident". Losing control scared her more than anything, but deep down she knew in order to master her quirk, she would have to take the risk and use it first. One step at a time, Nanami reassured herself, quelling the effects of the traumatic memories. In reality, she knew whatever training he could give her would far surpass any of the self-defense classes she was going to settle for before. She wasn't just going to be confident; she was going to be prepared. Just as she was riding the waves of her victory, the adrenaline began to wear off and the pain came washed over her like a tsunami. It left her breathless for a moment and all she wanted was to cry out but couldn't as she felt one of her ribs pushing into her lung. Now laying on her back, she focused on moving the arm that wasn't dislocated to her side, repairing her ribs and internal organs.
As she sat up to kneel on the floor and heal her shoulder, she heard footsteps coming towards her. "You're going to have to get quicker at recovering if you plan on standing a chance the next time." He said, looking down at her exhausted form still seated on the floor.
"I know." Nanami sighed, reflecting on her sluggish reflexes with a bit of disappointment.
He stood in place, examining her for a beat. Suddenly something white entered her line of sight. Lifting her gaze, she saw his gloved hand extended to help her up, though his face was turned away. Quickly brushing off her surprise at his gesture, she patted her palms on her sides, before clasping his hand. He lifted her up with ease, and had she not already tempted death once today, she would have jokingly asked for a piggyback ride. Now standing close, their hands remained clasped between them longer than she expected. Craning her neck to make eye contact, she could tell he was thinking, his gaze unwavering with an emotion she couldn't name. Just as she was about to get lost in those golden eyes, he spoke "You smell terrible."
Ah. The ~emotion~ was in fact just stank face. Should've known he'd say something like that... She thought as her face dropped into one of exasperation.
"That, my very rude friend, is the smell of victory, so take a big whiff." She retorted, moving past him, flipping her hair as she sashayed over to her bag to collect her things.
"Still wreaks… however, your performance was impressive, for an amateur." The last part added as though it would break the very laws of nature itself to award a compliment without a catch. "See you tomorrow." He remarked, leaving the room.
Her back was still turned as she zipped her bag, trying her best to hide the small smile that rested on her now proud face. "See you tomorrow."