awashlogs | August Catch-All Round 2

[On the one hand, he's good at manipulating himself so that he doesn't fall forward. It comes with learning to swing a sword and staying on his feet. On the other hand, Damian gets low and behind him to punch his legs and he stumbles. Instead of falling on his face, his knees buckle and he rolls in a somersault before landing in a crouch, extending a leg to kick and try to pull him to the ground with him.

He's smart. It's a good way to see just how easily Damian can adapt, too. He's hoping to pull him down solely to grapple on the same level but he's preparing himself to spring back up if needed.]

[Not wanting to take any blows to vital places like the ankles or calves, Damian sacrifices stability to dodge the leg. Unfortunately, it puts him on the ground anyway, just with less pain from a hit.]

This isn't high school wrestling, Jackson!

[But both hands come up, and he's ready to fucking grapple if Percy is wanting to grapple. He just doesn't like being on the ground with someone bigger having the control above him.

Palms flat, he tries to defensively block and knock away Percy's arms so he can try to reach in and jab Percy in the chest.

Back. Off.]

Well if they'd left our weapons this would be totally different! [It's pretty obvious that he's uncomfortable without Riptide despite knowing how to fight and defend himself well enough. It's a crutch, basically, something he's taken to using as his main physical skill.

Nevertheless they're both on the ground and Damian goes for the chest. Abruptly, Percy lets go and he rolls out of the way to spring back up into a crouched stance.

It's risky, sure, but he has to think fast. It's clear that they have to fight long enough for one of them to get knocked out to leave the pit and if that means "cheating", oh well. It may appear as though he's standing still, but as his hands shift a little it's more clear what he's doing.

So like. Hopefully Damian's prepared for the small hurricane launching straight at him, water contained and rapidly moving.]

[At first, Damian is startled at the retreat. It's not a block, it's a flee. He's quick to flip up to his feet, arms again rising, eyes narrowing in suspicion--

Oh. Oh. The reason for the retreat is obvious. Tactical. Percy is immediately breaking out the big guns, and Damian's stance relaxes ever so slightly in surprise, in uncertainty.

Bracing for it seems foolish, but running seems even more foolish. The pit is only so big. The crowd is now screaming, and he can't tell if it's from excitement or fear, or both.] Percy, don't--! [Well, it's too late. He takes a few steps back and... braces for impact.]

This is CHEATING!

[He yells it over the sound of the water as it sweeps him up, and he tries to keep all of himself tucked in small enough so no limbs get snapped flying wildly. It's fine. He's sturdy. Even if he doesn't come out conscious, he'll at least not be dead.]

[THIS IS DEFINITELY CHEATING but he has to do it. In the end, given that he can control his own water he leaves the hurricane whirling and waits for Damian to come flying out of it, bursting into the water and making sure the final blow is with his own hands to sufficiently knock the kid out. The roar of the crowd is deafening and it's not something he's proud of, exactly, but as soon as Damian falls unconscious they're teleported back out of the pit away from the crowd and straight into the woods. They land with a solid, heavy thud against the forest floor and Percy sits up, limbs a little weak and gaze unfocused before he turns to check on his companion.

...apparently this is a quest passed, but now he has an unconscious 13 year old to deal with. Man. How did they wake him up all the time? At least nothing's broken but he checks his head for lumps and bruises before taking him by the shoulders and also kind of batting him in the face. Gently. Totally.]

Damian? I know you're not dead, come on...

[It takes a minute or two, some initial sputtering of water, but Damian comes back. Except--he comes back feisty, as expected. Once he realizes he's conscious and someone is over him, his instinct is to defensively block the hands and jab Percy briskly in the shoulder and chest--

Oh.

His eyes narrow, and then for a second, they flick around their vicinity. The forest? God damnit, Percy won the pit fight. He can't believe this. (DAMIAN LOST TWO OF HIS FIGHTS HELLO)]

Jackson...

[~~At least this time he doesn't have a bullet wound in his forehead upon revival.~~ Damian jabs and Percy stumbles back, promptly falling on his ass.]

Hey! [Oh wait.] Oh hey, you're up. [There's a small grin and...yeah, he won. Sorry about him.] You good? Looks like that did it.

[When given the chance, Damian is absolutely going to wake up with a bullet wound in his forehead for old time's sake.]

It was an opportunity for a fair fight, and you botched it by using your powers. [TO GET THEM OUT OF THERE, but listen.......... Damian. Just: Damian.] You tried to drown me.

[If he's being this sassy, then he's fine.]

I did not try to drown you. [Teenagers. So overdramatic.] And there's nothing about a coliseum fight that's considered fair.

[But he seems fine and there's a sense of relief there.] If you're really that mad, I'll take you on in an actual fair fight sometime. Weapons only, no powers.

[Just think, if Nico gets here, Percy gets TWO dramatic teenagers.]

It was as fair as it was going to get until you used your powers. [As carefully as he can without losing any fluidity, he turns and tries to get to his feet.] You owe me that fight. I'm holding you to it.

Weapons only, no powers.

[#endhim. This is payback for also being a dramatic teenager.]

Hey, if you want to go back down there be my guest. I'm not joining you. [That is to say "I did what I had to do." He doesn't reach out just yet but he's also monitoring Damian closely to make sure he can actually stand. He's not entirely convinced just yet, but he's giving him the benefit of the doubt.]

Rest up for the day and we can do this again tomorrow with weapons if you want. Or whenever. I'm probably not going anywhere.

[The words seem rather morbid, and Damian bunches up his face. He seems alright--mostly. It'll take him a moment or two for the steadiness he's accustomed to having. It in no way impedes the serious expression on his face, though.]

"Probably"? If I find you gone before you give me what you owe, I'll get Elizabeth to open a rift to wherever you are, [Not that she can, BUT THE THREAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW.] and I'll make you pay once I get through.

[Damian Wayne just wants to fight people who a) won't, or b) fight him with powers. Suffering.]

[Sometimes you just kind of accept that the world sucks. Either way, he seems satisfied when Damian stays standing and he slips his hands back into the pockets of his jeans.]

--wait Elizabeth can do what? [Things Percy missed in literally all of his conversations with Liz: that.] Okay, sure, whatever. I'll try not to make that a necessary thing.

We're in agreement then. [It isn't a question. Damian now requires Percy's undying loyalty not to abandon him in Chroma without a good tussle.] She can open dimensional rifts.

They don't go anywhere but the town, unfortunately. It's not advisable to pass through one. If you want to know more about it, you should talk to her.

Absolutely. [How Percy keeps making dumb deals with kids we just don't know.] Somehow I maybe should have picked up on that after visiting her city in the sky. I'll have to ask her more about it. That's...I know people who can travel through rifts but they're all still in the same dimension.

[Shadow traveling. This is different than that though.] Guess I should start talking to people more, figure out everybody's skills and what we can do about this place. Thanks for the heads up.

August Catch-All Round 2

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