A Dark Justicar and a Canned Copper [Thread II]

[Tokoz]

 (Bobbie)

It had been a while since he had gotten back to this city. The floating fountain that was Water 7 was as bustling as ever, even in the early afternoon while most of the shipyards were still at work. Moving through the crowd, Lassa hummed to themselves as they strolled down the street. It was cool here, and the sea air filled the momentary pauses with crashing waves and the chatter of people. 

He had a friend to visit. A friend, huh? That was a slightly odd concept. At least outside of home. Thus, Lassa began a quick circuit of highlights. A stop by the police station, glancing inside and asking around. A different walk, a fake beard and some spectacles and nobody recognized the "Special Inspector" who had been by for a few minutes long before. 

Then, he circled through a couple bars, listening in and asking a few idle questions. When he finally finished trawling the shallows of Water 7 for information, he found himself with eyes narrowed and fingers tapping in the corner of a kebab restaurant. Simon had been fired. The exact details were fuzzy, but the fact that it seemed like Miguel might have been fired as well prevented Lassa from finding out where the Sergeant lived and making his night extremely unpleasant.

There was a number of competing stories, and he was not entirely sure all of them were even about the same person. Therefor, he would have to utilize the most dangerous and most reliable technique in the Intelligence Game. 

First-Hand Information Gathering. 

This was far more dramatic than it sounded, as in practice it really meant leaving a message for Simon to find whenever he checked his mail or got back home. The message was simple.

"Meet me on the roof of the building across from the restaurant we never ended up visiting last time I was here. 10 PM, whatever night you get this. We should talk about what happened with your job. 

-L"

It was vague enough that almost anyone else would have no idea what he was referring to. After all, a Takoyaki stand wasn't exactly a proper restaurant. Still, it gave him a good location that wouldn't be ambushed by anyone else. 

When the time came, Lassa would be waiting in the shadows of the rooftop, ready to bolt if anyone other than Simon showed up. Assuming the intended recipient was there, and there alone, he would arrive to Lassa exiting the shadows, a leather briefcase at his side and a raised eyebrow crowning his face. 


"Sooooo. I hear you've recently had a bit of trouble. What happened?" Lassa said, seemingly slightly stern but a hint of worry in their voice. 

[Bobbie]

The past month or so has been a rollercoaster of emotions for Simon. Between losing his job and seeking a new way to make a living, the one consistent thing in his life was Annika, whom he considered his closest friend. An incredibly sweet blue-haired girl who never failed to bring a smile to his face and for whom he wished the very best. Working with her was certainly far from the worst outcome of all this.

The actual worst part was the idle time, as Simon didn’t really know what to do with himself during his free time.

Now was one such situation, as while his only friend was busy and Miguel was not a whole lot of company, Simon took to walking around the streets at a slow leisurely pace, thinking about how he got to be here once more. The day the news was given to both him and Miguel was still fresh in his mind - despite them being suspended a longer time ago, their official discharge as police officers happened somewhat recently. It crushed the two of them, but they each reacted so differently. Simon remained calm, Miguel lost his temper... Simon put on a brave smile, Miguel let out a roar... and from there, everything just got worse as all professionalism flew out the window. He himself had even taken quite a hit as his former sergeant needed somebody to blame.

However, Simon heard that there were other reports of Miguel’s corrupt dealings, made anonymously, that contributed to him being let go, but never thought to look into it further. It really didn’t matter.

Simon’s legs carried him to his apartment while his mind kept him preoccupied during his walk, and he paused when he found a note left in his mailbox. Entering his home, he closed the door blindly, his eyes fixed on the note that he stared at through the tint of his sunglasses, the one part of his previous appearance in uniform that he insisted on holding on to.

Reading the note brought a smile to his face, signed off with just one single letter. A single letter that Simon recognised in an instant, and it belonged to somebody whom he had been longing to see since the day they left. Idle time can wreak havoc on anyone’s mind. If his assumption was correct, then the location must be the building across from that Takoyaki stand they had mentioned a while ago, which was an old storage warehouse that has since been abandoned. Access to it should be easy enough.

Thankfully, there was not much time until 10 p.m.

Sure enough, when the time finally came, Simon would reach the rooftop a little bit early, dressed in casual jeans and a button-up shirt, and his sunglasses still on despite it being dark. Upon passing the threshold of the last step and bursting through the door, he leaned forward, his palms on his knees as he panted. “So many... stairs...” the roof could be reached after three flights of stairs.

Spotting Lassa emerge from the shadows, however, he straightened up and cleared his throat. Watching his old friend, his gaze drifted to the briefcase, then back to their person, then specifically to the inquisitive look on their face.

“Trouble?” for a moment he genuinely blanked, a big smile plastered on his face with his focus entirely on his company as all his personal concerned were washed away, but that didn’t last long. “Oh! Right, my job?” he asked, getting nervous, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. The note was quite specific in regard to their topic of discussion, so this must be it.

“Uh... yeah.” he reached up to remove his sunglasses, it being far too dark for them at this hour. “Not a huge deal, I just... got fired.” as he uttered that, his voice reducing to a mumble while his gaze was lowered, he wondered if that statement would ever be easy for him to say.

"Miguel too." he threw in, as if that would make him feel better. It didn't.

---

Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 Thankfully for Lassa's rampant paranoia, or as he liked to call it, 'justified suspicion', Simon was indeed the person who showed up. It wasn't paranoia if they really were out to get you, after all. It seemed to take Simon a moment to realize what Lassa was talking about, and he had to stifle a brief laugh. 

"What happened?" Growing more Somber, Lassa sat down on the side of the metal top of one of the warehouse's windows, looking out over the lights of Water 7 below. Though mostly above, the Warehouse was in the bottom-middle of the ascending town. When he clarified Miguel had been fired too, though, Lassa raised an eyebrow.

"Hrm. I guess there was a chance that might happen because of that deal." He tapped his chin. "If Miguel cut off contact with the people he was in shady deals with, they might have tried to burn him in return. Unless he was smart about it, they might be worried he was planning to do the same to them."

Those engaged in corruption and conspiracy rarely enjoyed having their partners back out, and it would explain why the rumors about people getting fired seemed... off. If one of them was the much angrier Miguel, that would put the story about 'a desk being heaved through a window, followed by several chairs' in it's place. Although he was preeeeetty sure that was bullshit. 

"Well... I guess my question is, are you okay? And what are you going to do now?" If he was fired, then that meant no more police work. Although, there was another organization that might take him. Probably not Lassa's, Simon was too... 

Lassa mulled it over. Bumbling? No, not exactly. Innocent? Also no. Cute? Wait, what, no, why did he think that. Naïve? Mmm...

Kind. Simon was too Kind for the kinds of work the Cipher Pols could get up to, even if it was necessary. Still... "Are you considering joining the Marines? Following the family?" His hand tapped a slow staccato on the bag he was carrying, feeling the lump inside. It would be a fast-track to some form of safety, regardless... 

None of them were ever a guarantee, but you wouldn't get weaker. As long as you didn't try to swim, anyway. 

[Bobbie]

With a heavy sigh, Simon’s smile wavered and he followed Lassa to sit down beside him and continue their conversation, his sunglasses in his hands for fidgeting. He wasn’t quite sure where to start. It was a long story and it got very complicated with all the rumours going round - not to mention the way Annika’s was consistently seen as a villain to the law, but not to him.

“Well... I was reprimanded for associating with criminals. The Stratonovski family...” he threw the family name around quite lightly because in his mind, they were not criminals, despite Annika's father being renowned for harbouring criminals with bounties on their heads. It was for a good cause though, so it had to be different. They were always very kind to him and Annika was an absolute delight to be around. Frowning, he shook his head, fairly conflicted on the matter, “So the chief wasn’t happy with me for that, and he wasn’t happy with Miguel for letting stuff happen, and then there were some anonymous reports, and after being suspended for a over a month, we were both let go.” he concluded after his long ramble, which he felt captured the most important points, and with a smile that hid a level of despair as his job meant very much to him, having always given it his all. He wasn’t quite sure what to say about Miguel. He had vouched for the man before and would likely do so again, but he wasn’t so certain that Miguel got out of that shady business when he had the chance to, if he ever did.

Next came the harder question. Was he okay, and what was he going to do now... Was he okay? He found that he couldn’t confidently say that he was, but he couldn’t say that he wasn’t either...

“Yeah... Yeah, I think I’ll be fine. Annika has been keeping me grounded most of the time, and I’ve already been settled, more or less, in a new position with her family.” he shrugged, watching Lassa in return. He seemed to be watching Simon very intently, which almost made the man squirm. What... is he looking at? Was I supposed to say something else? He couldn’t help but wonder if he came across as a fumbling goof to Lassa, and that mattered. For whatever reason, it mattered more than with most people. Relieved by the question that soon filled the silence, he shook his head, “No, I don’t think I’d like to join the Marines. Honestly, I don’t think I’d survive.” he laughed, and his smile once again returned.

“Oh! There is one thing!” Lightly tapping Lassa’s arm, prompting him for all his attention to be on the following statement, he continued, “Simon Rickshaw, Private Eye. What do you think? It’s got a ring to it, I like it. I’ll be working with Annika and her father in a private detective sector.” Simon’s excitement for this new position may have been a cover for his sadness of losing the job that he previously held and loved so much, but there was no denying that he maintained his positive outlook nonetheless. What this also revealed, however, was that Simon had learnt nothing from his last experience with the Stratonovski family, them being the very catalyst that landed him in this position, yet he still viewed them as generous people whom he seemed to treasure... he was either ridiculously blind or dangerously loyal.

When he realised how much he had been going on and on about himself, an embarrassed blush grew on his cheeks, which was thankfully mostly concealed within the darkness of the night. "What about you? You must have been pretty busy all this time, I'm sure..." he wondered if... he ever popped up in the young man's mind at all.

---

Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 After hearing the admission for why Simon was fired, Lassa had to stop and stare at the man for a moment. 

"Associating with criminals? The Stratonovski Family? 'a new position in her family?'" He had to phrase this delicately, he didn't want to offend Simon, but.... 

"Oh, me? I've been alright. Just working, traveling around a bit. Had a few run-ins with some people but I'm tough, as you know." He laughed for a moment, flexing briefly, before wincing. No way around this. 

"Simon, did you... join the Mafia?" They weren't as common outside of West Blue, but at least one gang titled a "Family" had been active in this very city for years. Although...  "I mean, I admit, Private Eye doesn't sound exactly like a Mafia position, but still. Criminals get up to some complex things, and uh... look, I don't want you getting in trouble, okay? This all sounds... a bit worrying." 

Still, Simon seemed enthused about the whole thing.... Should he...

No. He had let things slide for Simon's sake once, he would at least bring it up.

"This family, you said you got fired due to associating with them. That's not quite right though, is it?" Lassa's face was grim as he leaned forwards, staring at Simon. "You got suspended, and then some anonymous reports came in. The very people who you were associating with, who got you in trouble... they were just waiting with a job offer for you, one that you'd be useful in. Because I'm a twisty bastard, Simon."

He frowned, looking to the side for a moment as he thought. "And if I was trying to recruit someone, and make them feel thankful for doing it, I'd get them fired and then be waiting with a smile and an offer when they walked out the door. It'd build loyalty, wouldn't it? Being the one who rescued them from such a problem."

Standing up, he strode across the roof and then back, running a hand through his hair. ".... Punch me." If Simon responded in confusion, Lassa would fix him with a stern look. "Punch me. Hard as you can. If you have a knife, take a slash. I want to see what you're capable of, if this goes south for you. I want to make sure you're safe."

[Bobbie]

Simon nodded to everything Lassa echoed after him, then smiled as the topic shifted to being about his company rather than himself. “Oh yeah, I know you are... I remember.” he nodded with wide eyes and a sideglance as if to say such an incident would be engraved into his memory for an eternity. Good or bad, it certainly was an experience... and a secret he promised to take to his grave.

Lassa's question brought a subtle frown to Simon's face, only to be promptly replaced with a grin and a laugh. “Mafia? Of course I didn’t join the mafia, that’s ridiculous. The Stratonovskis are not mafia. Annika is perfectly delightful, I don't see how anybody could not love her.” he shook his head, seeming to have found that quite funny, although he felt quite flattered to have this mysterious character before him worried about him.

However, as Lassa grew more serious and leaned toward him, Simon arched back as the corner of his mouth twitched, his smile becoming somewhat crooked as his nerves were getting the better of him again. Listening to every word Lassa said was not impossible, but was suddenly a challenge, as Simon’s mind was more preoccupied with how close they suddenly were. Just as he was beginning to sweat, Lassa looked away and Simon sighed as quietly as he could. That was far more tension than necessary.

In reality, Lassa’s argument made perfect sense. If that were the actual situation, then everything was falling into place quite perfectly.

“No. I mean, yeah, sure, it’s a huge coincidence, but Annika didn’t cause any of what happened. We both got pulled onto a ship... somehow... and we were both in danger.” He decided to leave out the fact that he only ended up there because of his clumsy act. “It was definitely not an intentional plot, trust me... there’s no way. Besides, she’s going out of her way to try and help me out, there was nothing opportunistic about it.” he explained, watching as Lassa stood up, following his movements with his gaze. “Also, why would they specifically go through all this trouble to get me to work for them? If this were about Miguel, maybe, but me? I don’t think so. I think I'm a little too ordinary for that.” he scoffed, amused by his last point.

Lassa’s next request did indeed create confusion - lots of it. Simon stared blankly at him before he was met with a stern look. “What? No, I’m not going to punch you, Lassa... or take a slash or whatever. I don’t currently have any weapons on me.” he admitted, though he was in the process of fighting to keep his modified revolver... maybe Annika’s father could pull some absolutely legal strings to get the chief to return it to him.

---

Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

"Of course. Not Mafia. Just a "Family" with criminal connections." Lassa said, raising an eyebrow. That was... possible, but it sounded too convenient. 

"So, you both got pulled onto a ship. Somehow. Perhaps by the criminals she has a connection with?" He paced back and forth for a moment, ignoring the refusal Simon gave in regards to exploratory fisticuffs. "And there's nothing opportunistic? How can you be sure?" 

Sighing, he shook his head. "That's the problem. This all fits... very well, and I don't KNOW why she and her family would go through all that trouble. Maybe they want you because you did them a favor? Maybe they want someone who knows the police? Hell, maybe they just want a cute face who can ask questions in a manner that seems innocent."

That one fit, actually. The daughter of a mob boss, building up power on her own terms, finding her own men. Ones that were loyal to her, and wouldn't betray her. "Actually, that fits... if you send thugs to ask around, people close the doors. If you send the local former cop, the good-hearted one who just wants to help... people will talk."

He turned back, pointing at Simon. "That's the thing, Simon. Being ordinary is a benefit. When I come around, I have to work not to draw attention. I have to hide any ability or plans I have. You? If Annika told you to ask if anyone had seen a man fitting a description, people would look at you and assume you were trying to help, regardless of why she wanted to know."

He folded his arms in front of him. "Therefore... I want you. To punch me." His tone was stern. "I want to know that you can defend yourself if this turns out to be a trap, or a con, or even if they just send you somewhere dangerous. You've seen what happened to me before. I can take it. Punch. Me."


Setting his stance, he waited, eyes brooking little argument. Unless Simon was hiding a truly incredible amount of muscle, Tekkai should see him through this without an issue. 

[Bobbie]

“Right. Not mafia...” he repeated, his eyes glued to Lassa who was starting to worry Simon. He wasn’t concerned about trusting Annika, but what if even she was being manipulated? No... No, that couldn’t be, firstly, she wouldn’t be fooled that easily, and secondly... “They’re nice people! They’re not...” he hesitated, unable to say that they stayed out of trouble.

“They were not her friends, they...” he sighed once more, “they had her devil fruit, smuggled illegally, yes, but stolen by them, I was checking the cargo to make sure everything was in order and I accidentally set a gun off, people panicked, and then the boat was moving...” he said in a single breath, embarrassed by his mistake that led to both of them being kidnapped, essentially, but he felt it proved his point. “She couldn’t have planned that.”

Reaching up to scratch his chin, he paused once more. “I did do them a favour, they made a huge fuss about how I brought Annika back home safely... it earned me a 24-hour pass to their spa. It’s an amazing place, by the way.” he went off on a tangent for a bit, as he remembered the heavenly massages he had received from that place.

In that moment, his silence giving him more time to process what Lassa was saying, he mentally backtracked for a moment - did he just call me cute? That very same cute face grew very red in an instant.

It was at this moment specifically that Lassa’s ramblings became near impossible to follow. No, Simon’s mind was elsewhere, going on about how he had spent so much time thinking about this man, who now said that he had a ‘cute face’ - but then again, that could simply be an expression, a very general cute face that so many people had. Anyone could easily think a person has a cute face without having any interest in the person whatsoever, so it didn’t prove anything... and what if it did? Should he do anything about it?

As Lassa stood there with his arms crossed, Simon blinked, having been completely lost in his own thoughts and he sadly missed a lot of what was said. The last thing he remembered was, well... Lassa stating that he had a cute face for asking questions and he seemed innocent. The new focus of his attention, however, was less verbal and more visual, as he eyed the broad shoulders, his tall stature, standing so...

Simon, say something, he’s waiting for you to say something - or do something? He looks like he’s bracing himself for an attack...

Trying not to panic, he gauged Lassa’s stance and took a gamble, feeling butterflies in his stomach. “I... don’t want to punch you.” he said in an uncertain tone as his eyes narrowed slightly.

Did I get it right? Is that what he’s waiting for? Please tell me I got this right, or I just made myself look like an idiot.

---

Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

Lassa didn't respond to Simon's refusal at first. Then, he sighed, and walked back over to sit down next to him again. Resting his arms on his knees, he looked out over the city. It was starting to drizzle a little.

"You're a good person, Simon. I get it. You don't want to hurt me."

He turned back to look out again.

"What happens when someone doesn't give you a choice?"

Lifting a hand, he drew a newspaper out of his briefcase. "Albion the Gashed. Known violent criminal. Bounty 92 million." He dropped the bounty poster on the roof and pulled out another. 

"Smoking Devil Lillith Lilin, took part in an infiltration and attack on a Marine Base and Prison. Bounty 72 and a half million." Another. 

"Suleiman the Beheader. Class B War Criminal from the South Blue. Name should speak for itself. 67 million." Another.

"Red Wraith Venus Jades, recently popped up again in the South Blue. 42 and a quarter million." and finally, he stopped, and pointed down towards the docks.

"Big Helmet Mikazuki, Captain of the Big Helmet Pirates. Got into a fight and was arrested a few years back right here in Water 7. Worth 36 million."

 Raindrops had started to dribble now, and Lassa reached over and picked up an umbrella that had been laying hidden against the edge of the roof, tossing it to Simon. Water danced across the brim of his hat.

"Even if you're lucky enough to just go poking your nose into people's business on a mundane level, you're dealing with angry husbands and wives who find out their partner is cheating. Dark secrets, people with things to hide, or even just those who get angry at you snooping around for no reason at all."

He lifted an arm slowly, and placed his fist in front of Simon's face for a moment. "If you run into the wrong person, you could quite literally be dead in the blink of an eye. You can't just... muddle through and hope it works out."

Finally, he looked back at the former police officer. "So. Either prove you can handle yourself, or back out of this before something happens. Or...." 

There was one way he could be relatively sure Simon would become stronger, be given a path to handle himself. "If you want an alternative that will make me stop worrying about you as much..."

Reaching into his bag, he grasped something. "It's funny. I guess those smugglers with that Stratanovski's Devil Fruit were connected to the ones we fought. After all..." He pulled out an orbular fruit formed of overlapping flat layers of off-white, with traces of orange inbetween. It was covered in tell-tale spirals. 

"They weren't the only ones." 

[Bobbie]

Simon watched Lassa move closer and sit beside him again, just as it began to drizzle. He nodded in agreement, “Why would I ever want to do that?” he asked, but was soon met with another question from Lassa, and it was a good one. “What do you mean? I’ve handled situations like that before, you saw...” his gaze now left his friend’s face and drifted to the newspaper that was brought out, causing his sentence to trail off into silence.

He didn’t recognise the face on the poster, but knew what a bounty poster was and could see that this was one. As Lassa read through the first one, Simon sighed and was about to argue, but before he could get a word out, the next one was being pulled out.

92 million, 72 and a half million, 67 million... the situation wasn’t looking good. These were dangerous people, and despite having worked in a sector that dealt with criminals for so long, none were of this calibre, and even if they were - Simon would flinch each time. Turning his head to follow the direction that he pointed, he stared toward the docks. A place he had been to so many times before, now being referred to as such a dangerous place only a few years ago. A heaviness quickly filled Simon’s heart, his smile entirely gone now and a knot forming in his stomach.

Catching the umbrella, he lowered his gaze and sat in the rain for a few seconds, before he pushed the spokes open.

What am I doing?

He raised the umbrella over his head, a quick glance passed in Lassa’s direction to check if he was okay in the rain. It seemed this was his only umbrella, so he tried to share it between them, but his gaze soon returned to the ground so far below their feet. Maybe he was right... maybe he was biting off more than he could chew, but what options did he have? He tried to play the game by the rules, everything he did was by the book - apart from any accidental mishaps - he was brimming with positivity, and he put people first. Always. In the end, he still lost... everything.

Lassa’s fist made Simon pull away slightly as it seemed to appear out of nowhere, but it was his words that stung the most. He frowned, narrowed his eyes and looked away from Lassa to hide his face for a moment as he breathed in the damp air and felt a lump in his throat.

Muddle through... of course, that was exactly what he did. That was exactly how he got out of the majority of predicaments he found himself in.

Swallowing and softly clearing his throat, he finally turned back with a sigh, allowing Lassa to see his face again once he was sure it would be safe to do so without revealing the reason he looked away. “Alternative?” he looked directly at him, then down to his bag, and finally, as his eyes widened, he looked at the item that emerged from it. “A Devil Fruit? You’re offering me a Devil Fruit?” looking up at Lassa, he already began to shake his head. He didn’t want to eat one of those, he saw the effects it had on Annika and wasn’t particularly fond of the changes that a fruit like that could impose on one’s body. “What do you mean by that?” he asked, as Lassa made his final comment. “When did you...” the look on his face changed from confusion to a subtle smirk as he chuckled. “Was it when I passed out or when I went to get reinforcement?” he asked, raising an eyebrow with a slightly disappointed look - that should have been confiscated with the other goods.

Shaking his head one more time, he didn’t wait for an answer and stood up before he brought the umbrella down and closed it, setting it down at the spot he was previously sitting. He appreciated the concern that Lassa expressed. It was touching, even if Simon didn’t like what he was implying with it... regardless of that, he was right. He let out a heavy sigh, watching Lassa and waiting for him to get up after him.

“Come on, then.” he stood in a jujutsu fighting stance, one that he hasn’t needed to be in for a very long time, but it was needed today against a very unexpected opponent.

If I can’t convince Lassa... then I can’t convince myself.

---

Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

"When you went for reinforcements. I turned it in to my bosses, but then they... well, they handed it back to me, told me it would be useful." He tossed it up in the air for a moment, then caught it again. 

"Been considering whether to eat it or not. I fight in a specific way, and if it turns my legs into pencils, might make things more complicated. Then again, there's a saying about these things, that any power can become amazing." He turned it over slowly in his hands, wondering. 

Was it a Zoan? That'd fit the 'tradition' in a way. Could be a Logia, although there weren't many of those. Just based on the odds, it was probably a Paramecia. Supposedly, the power all depended on how you used it, and at the least, you wouldn't get weaker. 

But for now... Lassa tossed it one last time into the air, and then dropped it back into his bag, locking it before standing up. Moving back across the roof, he stood opposite to Simon and settled into a wide stance, hands loosely at his sides. 

"Well, if we're doing this, and you don't want to punch me, then I guess I should start?" Should he use... no, that was just harsh. The odds of Simon going up against a user of the Six Powers was pretty low, at least at first. In that case...

Lassa crouched, then sprinted forwards, legs pumping. As he blitzed across the roof, he grabbed his hat and tossed it upwards between himself and Simon, skidding to a stop. With a whirl, he spun on one foot and delivered a harsh kick with his heel, slamming into the hat and then towards Simon. It'd both disguise and cushion the blow, although he was pretty sure Simon was preparing for a counter, not a dodge or block. He'd seen that stance a few times before. 

[Bobbie]

As Lassa explained how he got the Devil Fruit and his rationale with regard to eating it, Simon listened intently, but decided he would bring it up again later. Thinking about it now would only be a distraction, already able to predict the million concerns that would plague his mind before they actually did.

No, he needed to remain focussed. After having seen what Lassa can do in battle, he assumed this was going to be quite a challenge. The fact that he hadn’t practised martial arts in a long time didn’t help very much.

Simon readied himself as Lassa crouched before him and then made a sprint in his direction. Was he worried? Absolutely, he was terrified, because while he was sure that Lassa wouldn’t deliberately hurt him to an extreme degree, he could also see that Lassa wanted to make a point. If Simon wasn’t ready for a fight, it was very clear that Lassa intended to show him that.

Expecting his opponent to keep charging at him, he was caught by surprise when the hat was suddenly tossed in between them. He couldn’t see past it very clearly, so his gaze dropped low and he braced himself for a head-on assault - only to see Lassa’s feet come to a sudden stop, and then one of them vanished as it was lifted off the ground. Unable to see specifically where it was coming from with the hat in the way and everything happening so fast, Lassa’s heel slammed into Simon’s chest, the fabric of the hat providing enough of a cushion to prevent serious damage, though it was enough to knock the wind out of him as he let out an 'oomph' of grunt.

As he nearly lost his balance, his stance not as steady as he thought it was, he reached up to grab Lassa’s ankle while he took a step back, then pivoted on his other leg to rotate his body on its axis, using the momentum of all his weight - which, was not very much. Twisting Lassa’s leg with him, he used his opponent’s weight instead of his own to disrupt his balance and aiming to send him crashing to the ground.

If that was successful, he's use the distance between them to recuperate, his chest already starting to bruise. If I can just keep this up, I wouldn't have to hit him... he thought to himself, but even he knew that would be too good to be true. First, he needed to gauge how far Lassa was willing to go against him.

---

Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

As predicted, Simon's hands wrapped around his ankle, and he was sent tumbling. Catching himself on both hands, he sprung back to a standing position. Simon was clearly feeling the kick, and there was a brief moment of guilt.

Still, this was for Simon's own good. Any real fight would go much, much worse if he wasn't prepared. Still, no need to crush his hopes. "Good! But you still took the hit! If you can't counter, dodge. If you can't dodge, block. Kicks have more range and power than punches in most cases, but they also put people more off balance."

As he moved forwards, hands held wide, he began throwing jabs towards Simon. Not quite connecting even if the man didn't dodge, they would still sting. He spoke over the barrage. "If you can, move to the side or backwards. Let the blows brush past, and move into their guard! Become soft and flowing!"

Hopping backwards, he cocked an arm and prepared a palm strike. "If dodging is not an option, against blows, then tense and step into the strike! The further it travels, the more power it has! If you meet it before it can go far, then you rob it of it's strength." 

There was no way Simon was prepared to learn even an approximation of Rokushiki, nor was Lassa in a position to teach it. But if there was one thing Simon had, it was good reflexes. Something similar to Kami-e would probably serve him well, providing chances for counters. 

"Unless a lot changes, you're not built for power fighting. Your wins will come from taking as little damage as possible and striking hard and fast. The throat, the knee joints, the stomach, any weak spot like that. There is no honor in a fight for your life, and it's only through skill and technique that you get to decide whether your opponent lives or dies." 

Lassa had begun training as a young child. Stretches, simple exercises, katas. It had only increased as he got older. His body had been shaped in more ways than one, and it showed. Lassa controlled the flow of his muscles, the unconscious flinches of his body. 

As the rain fell, and the wet hair stuck to his head and face, Lassa slid into a wide stance. "But most importantly... you need to be able to be prepared for anything." At which point he threw a wrench at Simon and then lunged forwards to sweep his legs. 

[Bobbie]

Simon was quite pleased to see that his counter worked and Lassa was sent tumbling - but it didn’t take him long at all to spring back onto his feet, and this was going to be a problem. He handled the situation with such delicacy, however, and Simon appreciated the advice offered, nodding in response as he got ready for a second attack.

As the punches came, he did his best to dodge as many of them as he could, following Lassa’s advice to move sideways for most and backwards for a few others. He got a few scrapes from some of the jabs that he failed to evade, but made it through the barrage relatively alright, though a little out of breath and had no chance to throw a strike of his own in. Once his attacker took a step back, Simon took a moment to catch his breath, looking away for just a moment at a graze he’d received to his shoulder that had torn a slit in his shirt's sleeve.

Lassa’s voice brought his attention back to their spar, as he saw his opponent prepare a palm strike. He dodged that at the last second with a hint of panic in his eyes, and wouldn’t even dare step into the strike as was suggested. There was no way he was confident enough to muscle through a blow like that, not from Lassa or anyone, really. “Right...” he muttered anyway, as the combat lesson continued. Creating some distance between them with a backward step, Simon eyed Lassa, scanning his body for any such weak point that he could hypothetically strike at. The throat was a possibility, but he doubted he could get close enough to land a blow in such a small and guarded area. The knees, maybe, but Lassa was too quick on his feet. The stomach seemed to be his best bet, that having the largest surface area, but he knew that would most likely have the weakest and short-lasting effect.

The next thing he knew, Simon was met with blinding pain as a wrench smacked him in the face while he was distracted, just above his right eye. His head thrown back, he was already on the brink of toppling over, the leg sweep finishing the job and sending him tumbling onto his back in the rain that was beginning to pool on the rooftop around them.

With a pained groan, Simon reached up to cover his right eye, pressing his wet palm against his wound. He appeared to be out for the count, making no attempt to get back up to his feet. The second Lassa was close enough, however, he wrapped his legs around Lassa’s leg, raising one of his feet to the back of his knee and pulling forward while the other kicked at his shin in the opposite direction. Swiftly rolling over and getting back up, he swung a punch as heavily as he could at the spot where he presumed Lassa’s jaw would be, if his previous sweep was successful at getting him down onto his knees.

---

Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 Wincing, Lassa watched as the wrench smacked Simon in the face, leaving him toppled over and unmoving. 

Oh. Shit. Maybe he had misremembered how much pain a normal person could take. Was one wrench really enough to knock them out? Fuck, had he just concussed Simon?

Swearing repeatedly in his head, he strode over quickly to lean down and take a look. It didn't look like it had broken-

Simon's legs swept around his own, pulling the knee in and kicking the shin. Surprised, Lassa tried to re-assert his balance but instead he topped forwards, barely catching himself with his hands. He would have announced how impressed he was at this deception, but the words were cut off by a sudden slam to the jaw. Grunting in genuine surprise, Lassa tumbled over again, ending up against the side of the window they had been sitting on. Standing up, he rubbed his face for a moment. 

"Good shot. I admit, that actually got me. Let my concern blind me. You pick that up from my gambit back in the basement?" 

It seemed they were actually doing this, at least somewhat. 

"Very well. Then I suppose I should do you the courtesy of ceasing to try and worry over you quite so much, eh? Guess the gloves are off." Lassa said ruefully, before sliding his foot out. With a kick, he tossed his bag into the air and snatched something out. A white orb, which he brought to his mouth.

"Maybe I should have taken one last swim before this, huh?" He whispered, with a curious little smile, before taking a deep bite. 

Chewing for a moment, he let the remainder of the fruit fall, before a slight tremor ran across his face. 

"... Oh my god....."
 
For a moment, there was silence. Then he shook his head. 

"Those really do taste ABSOLUTELY awful. Imagine eating sackcloth and wax. Ugh."
 
Flexing his hands, he tilted his head back and forth. Then, his eyes widened, and he held up a hand. Cloth spiraled up from out of his sleeves, wrapping about his hand like a boxer's wrap. 

"... Huh. Interesting." 

And then he went back to trying to punch Simon, although much more rapidly now.