Great Dojo

[Panda]

Nanako

"Vega? I met the guy at a matador fight," Nanako said, glancing away for a moment, "It was, ah, a little awkward. Still not sure why he'd do something like this. Maybe I should ask him some time."

"So what's wrong with a bit of showmanship, then?" the squirrel girl asked, canting her head to the side as she looked at Zhang, "At least when you're fightin' for an audience. Do what you want on your own time."

[yinsukin]

Sethrol

"Its not his honor that concerns me, but rather his malicious intent," he said, staring at Jonathan's corpse, looking at neither of the two.  "Whether I like it or not, I will be involved in whatever storm he brings.  The simple matter is the man is crafty and has killed people I like.  I don't want either of you two to be added to that list."

And he was worried about Mira most of all.  Her more straightforward personality didn't match well with one like Vega's.  Worry was an annoying feeling that he did not miss.

[YOLF]

Zhang

He didn't punctuate his scoff towards the no doubt frivolous young woman with an explanation, for Sethrol responded first. Concern was not something he expected to hear directed towards himself, but Zhang Liu couldn't find evidence to deny the reasoning.

His hand tightened into a crackling fist, but the words he was about to say out of habit more than thought, he held back.

"Does this Vega wield Chi, or some other power?" Zhang Liu asked, unclenching and relaxing his fist, reaching around it with his other hand as if to check its condition.

[Panda]

Nanako

Nanako shot Zhang a quick frown, before giving Sethrol a curious look instead, ears flicking this way and that.

"Hm, I'm still gonna go talk to him," the squirrel girl said simply, her tail swishing lazily behind her as she thought back to her meeting with Vega in the arena, and the feeling that had come from Sethrol when he'd shown his chi.

"Mm, don't think he does, no," Nanako said to Zhang after a brief moment, "Just some good old sleight of hand from what I've seen, but he does it really well."

[yinsukin]

Sethrol

The old man shook his head in agreement.  "It is unlikely, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility," he said.  "From his fight with Vanilla, its hard to imagine he was holding back, but even so its a possibility.  After all, its a foolish idea to show off all of your abilities on live television in a city like this."

"And what do you two think of him?"

[YOLF]

Zhang Liu

He hid his hands behind his back, coldly turning his head to the other two. "His skills is true and hard-honed, that much is obvious."

[Panda]

Nanako

"He's...odd, I guess," Nanako said after a moment, tail swishing idly behind her, "I mean he let me run off with the bull. Seems weird that he'd do this."

[yinsukin]

Sethrol

"So neither of you have had much experience with him," he said, his hands running along Jonathan's face.  "Well then, although I am sure Jonathan would like nothing more than to listen to us plan his vengeance, i've always found that sort of thing an energy draining task.  Still, Zhang, you speak as if you have more to say."

At last he finally looked up from Jonathan's body, directly into the scared eyes of his student.

[YOLF]

Zhang Liu

"Nothing of the sort," he retorted, turning his face in a dismissive huff. "I do not trust his kind. Their ambitions are not transparent."

[Panda]

Nanako

Nanako looked from Sethrol over to Zhang, then back to Sethrol again, giving him a curious look and pointedly glancing over to Zhang. At last, the squirrel girl shrugged and zipped around Jonathan's body, over next to Zhang, before promptly hugging the grumpy man, her tail coming around to pat him on the head comfortingly. No words were needed, only actions in times like these.

[yinsukin]

Sethrol

"I s-"

Sethrol's calm expression dropped.  To think the woman would do something so brazen to Zhang.  He froze, his mind racing a mile a minute, wondering how the young man would react to this sudden outburst of physical affection.

[YOLF]

Zhang Liu

"W-"

He balked at the sudden embrace, uncalled for and more unexpected than a cutting blizzard arriving in the dead of Summer. He willed his reflexes to freeze, rather than violently lash out, but that was all he could do to keep his composure. A second later it shattered, and he roughly pressed his palm to her face, pushing her away from him.

"Unhand me, you shamless cur!"

[Panda]

Nanako

"Stop being so grumpy, first! You're like a sad bulldog!" Nanako shot back, voice muffled a little as Zhang's hand accomplished little more than smushing her cheek and forcing her to lean her head back a bit, "Now say what you were keeping bottled up just now!"

Undaunted, the squirrel girl only took a moment to adjust her grip and her footing to be sure they'd stay upright, her fluffy tail continuing to pat Zhang on the head comfortingly.

[yinsukin]

Sethrol

The old man had to stifle a chuckle, walking away to grab a shovel.  It was best to not to stand witness to such foolishness, even if he enjoyed this sort of thing.  Yes, for Zhang's sake he would not bare witness to this unquie shame.  As he faded from their veiw, disappearing into the forest beyond the field, his mind wandered.  Jonathan no doubt found this sort of thing insulting, bickering over his grave, but Sethrol himself couldn't help but smile at the thought of someone else doing the same to him.  The time would come sooner rather than later to join Jonathan in the ground, and seeing those whom he touched bicker like children over his body would be....

Sethrol smiled even wider than before.  There was no need to finish that thought.

[YOLF]

Zhang Liu

The more Nanako clung to him, the more red inundated his expression, painting his skin with a frustrated, burning hue. His arteries bulged, seeing how little his master cared to intervene - of course he didn't! He was "the Calm" because he always had that same knowing smile whenever his students would get in personal disputes over nothing of value! This was worse than that. That infuriatingly soft fur betrayed that her only purpose was exactly as she said, and that couldn't rile him up more.

"I am not bottling anything! Cease to demean my natural temperament and get off!" Zhang Liu protested, groaning.