[Round 3, Rest Day] And They Said: Let There Be No Light.

[utopiamods]

Characters: ALL
Format: ANY
This log is: OPEN
Location: ALL OF CAMPUS
Summary: In a flash of lightning and the deafening roll of thunder, the power goes out across Utopia Academy.

It's early in the morning when it happens, about six o'clock. The clouds were gathering gradually through the night, the rain only getting heavier from the near-constant downpour during the previous week. Lightning crackles across the sky, the water around the academy is violent and the waves are high. And in a particularly loud clap of thunder, what lights were still on go out and the academy is plunged into darkness.

Comments

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[shishi_sonson]

At first, Zoro made no effort to reply; instead, he remained stationary, his eyes still clamped shut - his brow did twitch a little when Rafiel first approached, then lightly once more when the man began to speak. When Zoro realized, however, that Rafiel was not simply passing by, he let out a quiet sigh as he finally opened his eyes.

"I'm fine, of course," he replied casually as a droplette of rain beaded at the tip of his nose, then fell. He spoke in a gruff tone, but there was no anger in his voice.

Zoro wasn't completely soaked yet, thanks to the natural umbrella granted by the trees, but he had gathered a bit of moisture along his shoulders. He seemed perfectly content to remain where he was, but for the moment, he had company, and was too disciplined to be rude.

"...what about you?" he asked, raising a green eyebrow in question. "What are you doing out here? Don't you know it's raining?"

Not only was there no anger in his voice, there was nary a hint of irony or sarcasm either.

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[waddles]

It was hard not to, especially when a strong gust of wind pushed at the flimsy material keeping the rain off of him. Still, Rafiel was worried and determined to check up on Huashi, so there was very little he could do about that. The fact that he had stopped was only a testament to how surreal it had been, finding Zoro sitting in the rain as if it wasn't even there.

"There is a girl who likes the trees. I was going to check on her and make certain she was alright." Rafiel explained quietly, seeming to take no offense from Zoro's redundant question. If anything, Rafiel felt he should have been asking him that. The fact that Zoro seemed to be fine, however, was a bit of a relief. He didn't know what he would do if he found someone injured in this kind of weather. He could barely walk from place to place as it was.

"I thought you might have been hurt since you were sitting here in such weather."

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[shishi_sonson]

"Mmmn," Zoro grunted in quick reply, nodding his head. "I think I've met her."

Going right back to closing his eyes, Zoro kept still, his breathing very deep and very controlled. His lean, strong shoulders lifted and fell every time he took in air, while his hands remained joined together in his lap as a part of the meditative pose.

"No, I'm totally fine. This is training," he answered, as if Rafiel had actually asked him for a reason. Zoro had often felt that extreme conditions, especially weather, were conducive to gaining strength - one simply had to be able to endure it.

After a moment, though, Zoro's brow furrowed, as if something was bothering him. "...but you seem a little shaky yourself," he added, his eyes still shut. Without looking, Zoro seemed to pick up on Rafiel's lack of strength, perhaps by the sound and pace of his breathing, or perhaps by some other intuition. "You need some help?"

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[waddles]

"Training?" Rafiel couldn't help but repeat a little dumbly. Sitting in such horrible weather was... training? Such a strange beorc practice... Regardless, if Zoro was certain of what he was doing than Rafiel wasn't going to question it. It simply wasn't his place to, after all.

Instead, he regarded Zoro's latter question with some minute amount of surprise. Had his frail state been so obvious? Or was the swordsman merely that perceptive? Either way, Rafiel was reluctant to answer. Yes, help would certainly be welcome but he could hardly ask Zoro to interrupt his training. So, after a moment, he merely decided to answer truthfully.

"Help would certainly be appreciated but I can manage as I am." Though already he was starting to feel weary from battling the elements. Doubtless, once he returned from visiting Huashi he was going to have to take a long rest.

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[shishi_sonson]

"Training," Zoro replied in an affirmative tone, pairing it with another silent nod. Pitting his body against the rain, against nature, was sure to increase his stamina - it had worked in the snow, after all.

He inhaled deeply then, drawing in a breath through his nose, held it, then exhaled through his mouth. Once he was through, Zoro opened his eyes once more to the world, the stunning depths of his chilling gaze unleashed, he pushed himself off of the ground and rose up to his full height and posture.

"I'm about finished here anyway, so I'll come along," he said after a brief pause. Turning towards Rafiel, Zoro then suddenly started to smile rather darkly. "But maybe you can help me out too."

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[waddles]

There was something breathless about Zoro's eyes in that moment, Rafiel noticed. A beautiful clarity that seemed to stretch into eternity.

As the moment passed and Zoro pushed himself to his feet, Rafiel stood back a little to let him and continued to watch him with ill-concealed interest. There was something almost charismatic about this beorc, he thought. Something that made him think of the many people he had met back during the war. People like Micaiah, Sothe and Tormod. All wonderfully strong, determined and capable souls. It was enough to make the frail and delicate Rafiel envious of their strength.

Still, as Zoro turned upon him with an almost wolfish smirk, Rafiel tilted his head slightly and blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[shishi_sonson]

Zoro shrugged casually, though the intesity on his face never left. At the moment, he only had one thing in mind, something that had been hindering him since his arrival.

"It's not a big deal," he said, chuckling faintly at Rafiel's initial concern. "I'm looking for a Player, and I was wondering if you were one."

Training outside, rain or shine, only got him so far; Zoro needed access to more of the facilities, and being alone as a Weapon left him barred from entry to far too many things on campus.

"If you are, I'll lend you my strength," he added, sounding perfectly serious. "I'll even teach you how to use me if you need it, so long as you're ready to win."

Oddly, Zoro said 'me' when describing his Weapon, as if the blade he were to lend a Player was his very soul; maybe it was even more odd that he said it all without a hint of hesitation, but such was what it seemed to him - if someone where to use his katana, they were taking him in hand and embracing his strength and his ideals in the process.

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[waddles]

Of course, Rafiel interpreted this request as someone who desired a player in order to battle and win tokens. Something he was incapable of doing.

Before the swordsman could finish speaking, Rafiel was already shaking his head with a crestfallen expression on his face. "I'm afraid I cannot help you. They have yet to announce the players for this round and even if I were, I am unable to fight." He explained solemnly, appearing to be genuinely sorry that he was unable to help Zoro.

Re: Forested area near the Gym/Library

[shishi_sonson]

That disheartened look on Rafiel's face brought an unsettled one to Zoro's; briefly, his eyes squinting, he turned aside and seemed to study Rafiel's expressions, wondering why he would be so disappointed over such a small matter as not being a Player.

After the pause, though, Zoro shrugged, trying to convey to Rafiel how overall unimportant the issue was. He shook his head, then gestured to a distant direction so that the two could resume the search for Huashi.

"Never mind. It doesn't really matter," he said calmly. "I'll look for someone another time. Let's just find the monkey and get you out of the rain."