Awake and alive [Thane vs Vale]

[Cato]

Thane Rowley

I just want to prove I'm capable of holding my own, but it's hard being young. I feel like people completely just walk over me. All I want is to learn, and grow, and stand with the best of the best. I just don't know how. I've heard it'll come with age, and that one day I'll prove myself. I'm always curious, running around learning what I can as I try mastering everything I'm taught. Today is my chance to prove myself. To show that I am strong and capable of standing my own and fighting against the best, but it's hard when a lot of that swords are too heavy for me to pick up. So I keep looking around until I find one that's perfect size. Some are too light and flimsy, some are way too heavy. But that's when my hand wraps around one that is perfect for me.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself as I try remembering everything I've been taught. Stance is important. Breath. Every step. Everything matters in this moment, and it is important to make sure I remember it all. Sometimes I will fail, and that's okay. I know I will fail sometimes. Strength isn't my strong point, and I know people think I'm just a weakling, but I do desperately want to learn and show that I am strong. That just because I'm small and tiny doesn't mean I'm weak. It's a fear of mine, and when I'm standing face to face with my opponent today, I can feel myself getting nervous as I try pulling myself together. I don't know how to fight, and I'm not sure if I can even win this, but I have to give it my all. That's all I can do and no matter what I have to keep my head held high.

I give a nod of my head, and I ready myself, holding the sword close trying to find a good time to strike. Maybe an element of surprise. I don't know, but I have to see what I'm capable of doing, and I need to keep my eyes focused at all times so I'm not caught off guard myself. And when I'm ready, I quickly swing the sword without looking back wondering what it can do. Everything is falling into place. It's my chance to show that I'm strong and brave. My chance to find something I'm potentially good at. My chance to make everyone proud including myself. I offer a small grin. This has begun, and right now I can't let anything overwhelm me or take my focus away.

District Two

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

Health: 20/20

Thane attacks Vale | Sword

EJaTUb0e7tsword
1087 -- Shallow Cut on Right Thigh -- 3.5 damagesword

[fireflyz]

Only when Vale had sunk face-first into his mattress, body leaden from whiskey, did a reminder of the next morning's tournament flicker in his mind. His reasons for competing and his reasons for not wanting to compete were ultimately the same; failure if he did, failure if he didn't. Maybe being closer to the top of the sign-up sheet meant something for how he'd fare, but he doubted it. Instead, he lay there in silence, the night turning to day, lead melting until his limbs pooled like mercury on the floor, and he was awake, and it was time to fight.

He decided to take a single hit before he left, although at some point a hit became an ember burning the pads of his fingers, the way his heart burned when he let himself think too long about how he had ended up here. Vale blinked and he had gone from his dorm to the floor, standing before someone notably smaller than him. The name escaped him - Thad? - but Thad wasted no time with introductions, connecting his sword with Vale's leg.

Vale hissed slightly, taking a sloppy step back. "You're feisty, aint'cha?" he remarked. The way his arm slumped to his side told him that he had a sword too, but he could barely feel it. "I've got some fight in me too."

Did he really?

hp: 16.5/20
vale attacks thane w sword
QnjwqfzOGGsword
1053 - stabbed in forearm - 8.5

sword

[Cato]

Thane Rowley

I'm not the best fighter in the world, but I'm learning. Standing my ground is important. Making sure to learn the ways of the academy is important to me, and despite being small and young, all I want is to show that I'm strong and capable. In my younger years I never saw it, and people always made fun of me because I am smaller than most people my age. It doesn't matter though. And now I'm standing before someone I don't even know, and I really want to win to prove myself and show I am capable, but I am afraid, and maybe that's why my first attack didn't go as planned.

And when he talks to me, I'm not really sure what to say, and I feel like my voice is leaving me. It catches me off guard, and when he swings his sword, I feel it embedding into my arm. It hurts. It hurts so bad, but I tell myself I have to focus. To keep going if I want a chance of proving myself to everyone around. I take a deep breath, and I take a step back hoping to rethink everything. I can't just do what I'm doing. I can't let him distract me. I take another deep breath, and I steady myself once more, and I swing with all my might. "Feisty? Not as much as you. Stabbed me in my arm you piece of..." Formalities aren't for me, but maybe this will do.

District Two

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

Health: 11.5/20

Thane attacks Vale | Sword

G7ev0nFKMCsword
1150 -- Shallow Cut on Left Thigh -- 3.5 damagesword

[fireflyz]

If Vale had all his faculties, he'd feel the tug of the sword as it carved into Thad's skin. He'd see the blood leaking down his opponent's arm. But instead, he felt himself stumble backwards, felt the sword swinging wildly at his side. A familiar voice appeared in the back of his mind, one that was his own while being simultaneously detached from him. Damn it, you're exposed.

"Feisty?" Thad piped up. Vale squinted, trying to focus on the boy's face rather than the haze that hung over his vision, but there was nothing. "Not as much as you. Stabbed me in my arm, you piece of..."

"Ah-bah-bah," Vale said, putting up a finger. "No need to get vulgar, Thad."

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, watching as purple spots coagulated in the dark. He opened his eyes and Thad's sword had cut his opposite leg, one cut to match the other. "Must really like my legs, huh? You wouldn't be the first."

Stop jeering before he gets you while you're not paying attention.

Vale listened to that painful voice in his head, the same one that would amplify itself no matter how he performed today.

hp: 13/20
vale attacks thane w sword
LhGIo9Lle9sword
1185 - dg on stomach - 9

sword

[Cato]

Thane Rowley

He doesn’t even know my name, and it makes it difficult to continue on, but I have to do something. Winning would mean the world to me. It would show me that I am strong, that I know how to fight. That I belong here in the divergent academy, yet I feel like it slips away with each passing second. I’ve never been strong enough. Never good enough, and I’m not muscular like a lot of other people here, and sometimes it just gets me down. Winning this would give me a chance to prove that I have earned my place. I take a deep breath completely ignoring what the guy said. It doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t matter that he’s stronger than me because things can change in the blink of an eye.

I take a step back looking at the blood dripping from my clothes, and I know I’ll need some medical attention, but that’s okay for now. Right now all I need to do is focus. I need to grip the sword tighter, and follow through on a swing instead of just sending the sword flying without a care. Focused attacks work much better, but it’s hard because my entire being is trying to shake. It’s a good thing I’m good at holding it back and keeping my nerves down. Right now the only thing that matters is making sure I somehow come from behind and win.

My eyes narrow, and this time I don’t even know what to do. The sword is awkward and heavy, but I know what I need to do. I know that I can do this. I can do anything I set my mind to. So many people have told me this over and over, and right now I need to believe it myself. I take another deep breath, and I just find something to focus on. Clearly this guy is getting into my head, and right now I need to make sure he stops doing that. I take a simple step back, and this time I step forward hoping it’ll help me do what I need to do in order to succeed and win. I won’t give up. I’ll keep fighting no matter what. "End it already you meanie."

District Two

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

Health: 2.5/20

Thane attacks Vale | Sword

oQC7d0z2IWsword
1092 -- Shallow Cut on Neck -- 4.0 damagesword

[fireflyz]

"End it already, you meanie."

The words grazed him in a way that Thad's own sword couldn't seem to do. Was he really getting to the younger kid?

Vale had never been the type to intentionally target others. He talked a lot of shit, sure, but that was just shit-talking. It took nothing out of him, and it wasn't meant to take anything out of them. The last thing he wanted was to make anyone else feel as terrible as he did every waking moment of his life.

"I'm not tryna be mean, bud," Vale slurred. "Just doin' what we're both here to do."

He could feel the sword materializing in his grip, and his vision was a bit sharper. The haze was fading, but he didn't want to be sober then. He didn't want to confront what had just happened here.

"Alright, I'll end it," he said. "But only because you asked me to."

hp: 9/20
vale attacks thane w sword
j8cjZv8HNzsword
1115 - miss

His aim swung wide, more than a hair away from where the boy stood. Damn it, Vale.

sword

[Cato]

Thane Rowley

I guess it's reverse psychology or something because he misses completely, and all I did was take a step back. Sometimes it's difficult being here. I just want to prove that I am deserving of being here, and right now I'm not doing the best job at it. I'm not landing attacks the way I need to, but I'm trying to stay in it. I'm trying my best to not go down without a fight because right now I need the strength of my family or something to overwhelm me.

It's hard standing here trying to fight when this person clearly is stronger than I am, and they're just toying along doing whatever, and it's annoying. I'm going to lose, so why just make me stand here like I'm a fool? I don't know what to do really. Fighting within itself is hard. It's difficult, and right now that only thing on my mind is getting out of this. I just want to go relax for a bit and maybe clear my mind.

I take another step back tightening my grip on the sword once more doing the best I can to simply stand my ground. I'm not going to back away, but I know when a fight is lost. I don't even speak to him. I just stand here, and when I'm ready, I give the sword a half hearted swing. Why try when I'm going to lose? I want to succeed, yet I'm not capable of doing it. I'm too weak and frail, but I will come back stronger next time. Maybe then I won't make a fool of myself.

District Two

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

Health: 2.5/20

Thane attacks Vale | Sword

zix_NO9eexsword
1003 -- Shallow Cut on Left Shoulder -- 3.5 damagesword

[fireflyz]

The width of his swing allowed the younger boy to get in a hit on Vale's shoulder, and he absently clutched at the cut. He bit back the urge to say I let you do that, or wow, I fucked up, or couldn't even end this right. No need to air out his problems on the mat.

"See?" he breathed out. "You're tougher than you think, bud."

Vale's consciousness continued to descend to earth, and he could pay more attention to his opponent's features. Brown hair. Mousy-looking. Blood pooling from the wounds Vale inflicted. If he were truly a sadist, he could revert back to the taunts he'd pulled out earlier, when he wasn't even in the right mind to process the words coming out of his mouth. He could've pretended that he meant to do that, just like he spent every other waking moment of his life pretending.

But there was no point. It could be over for either of them with one hit. Vale hoped that he would be the one with the last dance, but he also quietly hoped the other boy would knock him out while he still could - prevent him from embarrassing himself any further.

As he raised his sword again, a sudden thought came to him. "You're not Thad. You're Thane."

hp: 5.5/20
vale attacks thane w sword
jgonNnWbbOsword
1112 - sc on right hip - 3.5

sword