high_seas | You'll Die as you Lived

You'll Die as you Lived

Who: Brook, Zoro, and the unfortunate crew of the Million Merrily and the Katabami Crew
Where: Aboard the Million Merrily
When: May 30th - 31st
What: Sparring and the chaos that entails
Warnings: Violence, Property Destruction, Foul Language, and Bad Jokes
Status: Closed to Brook and Zoro to start, open to the rest of the Million Merrily and Katabami Crews!

[It had been some time since Brook had done any sparring.

He'd been confined to his old ghost ship for so long that he had placated himself on simply practicing his sword routines on his own; unfortunately this was a bad habit he had ground into himself and he had almost forgotten the benefits of actually sparring with another living being. Fortunately, the last few battles he had been a part of had shown him that there was still much more improvement to his technique that could be made, and so he resolved himself to once against step into dedicated sparring in order to more accurately hone his skills.

And who better to pit his skill against than the crews very own master swordsman? After all, Zoro had been the one who had ultimately bested Ryuma on Thriller Bark when he could not, and while time had past since then, Zoro was still the standard to which Brook set to measure his sword skills against.

So silently, the skeleton waited on the top of the deck, basking in the light of the full moon. He'd chosen to fight at night simply to avoid causing problems for those topside during the day...he wasn't about to ask Zoro to hold back, and he knew that this was likely to take a more destructive turn than a normal sparring match might, so Brook chose to air on the side of caution. He rested his back against the mast and stared out into the open sea, humming a familiar tune, knowing Zoro would have gotten his message and would be arriving shortly.]

Yoho~ This should be quite interesting to see where I stand, I just hope I don't lose my head! Not that it would be fatal of course, yohohoho~!

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Edited 2014-05-30 23:22 (UTC)

[It was like everyone wanted a piece of him, these days, but Zoro didn't mind. More chances to spar? Yes please.

He came out on deck more or less on time, still yawning after having a good after-dinner nap. He was supposed to take late watch, so a good fight should get his blood pumping and keep him awake the rest of the night.]

You're sure about this, huh? You know I have two years on you.

Of course! If I don't pit myself against the best, then how will I know where I truly stand?

[Brook said with a laugh, pushing himself off his resting place and walking forward; his cane spinning lightly around one of his bony fingers.]

I've thought hard about who I wanted to spar with and you were the obvious choice. Well...I thought about it as hard as someone without a brain can think at any rate~

[slight eyeroll. He should be used to skill jokes by now, and yet he's not]

Fine by me. Flattery won't get you anywhere, though.

[Even though he does appreciate being called the best. He knows he isn't, yet, but it's all relative. He draws two swords to start, shrugging his shoulders to loosen up. His right one is still a little stiff, but he can ignore that.]

Whatever happens, just remember that you asked for it.

Don't take me so lightly...at least not in a metaphorical sense.

[Brook said with a laugh, bringing his cane in front of him and placing one hand on the grip as he took his ready stance.]

I'm actually quite looking forward to this! Or I would be if I had eyes~

[grooooaaaann]

Save the jokes for later. You're gonna have to work hard.

[He gauges Brook's stance for a moment before leaping to get things started, coming in hard and fast with some very basic swings, first one side then the other, with all of his strength behind them.]

Yohohoho, as you wish!

[Zoro had definitely improved from the last time Brook had seen him fight, and that hadn't been all that long ago. The speed at which he moved and the power behind his swings was almost beyond belief. With what speed he could muster, Brook brought his tall frame down into a crouch which send the blades sailing harmlessly overhead, only missing his afro by a literal hair.

He used the momentum of his drop to spin his body around and like a coiled viper, Brook came back around like a lighting bolt with his blade drawn and aimed right for Zoro's exposed midsection as he fell towards the skeleton.]

[Zoro was not the type to leave openings, even now. He twisted to use his leading blade to block and parry, and then followed it up with the other. He knew Brook was no slouch, but wanted to set the pace himself before seeing who could overcome who. After all, Wadou Ichimonji was still sheathed at his hip.

He disengaged without backing away and pushed in again, first pairing the blades together in a single sweep and then letting each take its own path from opposite sides]

[Brook's blade was easily pushed away as Zoro parried the blow, but instead of trying to fight back against it, Brook let the push carry his body into another spin. Like a man amidst a waltz, he spun just out of reach of the dual-bladed power strike and pushed his body into a single thrust aimed right for Zoro's chest as the swordsman came back with his vice like swings from either side.

It was a calculated risk of an attack; if Zoro followed through, Brook would likely be decapitated, but hopefully the threat of a split sternum would provide enough for Brook to get some breathing room. Not that he needed to breath though.]

[The flash of haki gave Zoro the right path. He jerked Kitetsu back and only let Shuusui follow through, his whole body turning with the momentum to let Brook's blade pass within a whisper of his chest. It was close, but better than either of them taking a hit. After all, he wasn't being gentle tonight.

Enough of the random hacking, his opponent deserved more. Rather than press, Zoro gave back a step or two to allow himself the chance to draw his third sword and place it between his teeth. There, now he was ready. Back into the fray with a well-timed Oni Giri.]

[Brook let himself follow through with the missed thrust, pushing his body forward enough that he was able to bend over, feeling the whisper of Shuusui across the back of his coat before he sprung back up and spun away on the balls of his feet to face Zoro once more.

He flourished his blade and held it in front of him in a reserved fencing stance, keeping both of his eye sockets locked on Zoro as the swordsman finally drew his third blade and clasped it tightly in his mouth. If he had a heart, it would be beating a million miles a minute as Zoro flew forward with his mighty attack.

Brook couldn't block the attack, Zoro was far too strong for that and he'd be blown away. He couldn't dodge at this range, his blades had too much coverage and he'd be cut to ribbons. The only choice was to push himself to the limit and go straight through.

The skeleton felt his bones tense as he brought his blade back into its sheath and held himself ready as he waited. He waited until Zoro was right in his face with his blades homing directly in on him. There was a flash, the sound of a sword being drawn, blades sweeping through the air at all angles, and a single string of words.]

Hanauta Sancho: Yahazu Giri

[There was a click of metal on metal as Brook placed his blade back in its sheath, now standing back to back with Zoro from where he was a moment ago. There was no way to know in the flurry of activity if either attack had connected just yet, even Brook couldn't tell at the moment. They would just have to wait and see, even if he didn't have the eyes for it.]

Edited 2014-05-31 01:46 (UTC)

[Zoro could sense the iai, even without hearing or seeing it. He respected such a move, it was extremely powerful. Against Oni Giri, it served to cancel out the momentum of the attack so that neither took damage. Glancing over his shoulder, Zoro considered what to do next.]

Not bad. But I haven't even broken a sweat, yet.

[He turned and placed himself into a defensive position, allowing Brook to choose the pace this time.]

[Brook felt the energy of the attacks disperse behind him, the force of it all shattering a few railings into splinters around them. Brook stood straight and dusted the shards off wood off his coat before turning back to Zoro and taking a more aggressive ready stance.]

That I can see, though without skin I can hardly make the same comparison~ Still, I believe the time for holding back is over, yes?

[Brook let himself tip onto the balls of his feet...and then it was as if he were never standing there in the first place. He began to circle Zoro, the speed of his movements creating various illusions for the swordsman to try and see through; each one finally drawing its blade before thrusting at Zoro, though which one was real and which ones were just afterimages was something Zoro would have to figure out.]

Staccato de Waltz!

[Two years ago, he would have had only his natural senses, hearing and momentum, to tell him which one was real. He might have missed it. But now, Zoro barely needs to close an eye to let his haki pick out the movement, the vibration of the metal and bone that had no blood, the soul within that drew his inner sense.

Sorry Brook.

Zoro turned swiftly to one side, thrusting his swords into a perfect three-cross block just in time to stop Brook from getting a hit on him. He followed it up with a sweep of two swords outward, creating a small cutting wave of air to push the two of them apart.]

[Brook had anticipated the block, stopping his blade a tips inch from Zoro's swords and kept himself moving as he spun around, keeping in tune with his musical nature as he danced out of reach of Zoro's attack.

He brought his blade down hard, managing to disperse the wave of air out of the sheer speed of his slash as not to be blown back by it and let the loop of his cane catch on his wrist, spinning it back around into a ready stance as he moved forwards, his arm thrusting at an intense enough speed to make it look like twelve blades were thrusting simultaneously at the opposing swordsman.]

Bolero da Allegretto!

Edited 2014-05-31 02:39 (UTC)

[Zoro planted his feet in place and flicked his wrists in short, fast arcs to block each thrust, letting them ping off his swords and spark in the darkness. At the very last strike of the sequence he counter-attacked, lowering his head and plunging straight through Brook's momentum. Two swords cross the third, and his spirit practically tangible.]

Crossing the Six Paths!

[He might have scored long lines in the deck with that one, too. But he was now on the far end of the deck, with no way of even seeing how he cut through his opponent.]

[This was a losing battle from the beginning, and no sooner did Zoro delve into what he'd learned over those two years unknown to Brook, did the battle end. Brook's torso was sent flying over Zoro's head, both of his arms lopped off and clattering to either side of the swordsman as his legs slumped down uselessly where they stood.

Brook's torso landed on its back with a thud, leaving him to stare idly at the moon as he contemplated the fight.]

Yohoho! It appears I've been disarmed...and dislegged as well!

[Straightening up, Zoro took the sword from his mouth and looked back.]

Sorry. Looks like I got a little carried away.

Need a hand pulling yourself together?

I think I'll need both of them back, thank you~

[For the loss, Brook was in good spirits. He'd managed to keep pace with Zoro for a time, and even though harder application had lead to a quick defeat, it had shown Brook what he needed to know. He had a lot to improve on, but he had an idea where to start, and that was something rather than nothing.]

[He sheathed his swords before going to find bits of Brook, setting his arms next to him before finding his legs, and then reverently picking up his sword and sheathing it for him.]

I did warn you.

Yohoho, you did! Still, this was a good learning experience, I feel like I know what things to focus on from here.

[Brook felt his arms next to him and through force of will, reattached them to his body, as he did his legs. Dusting himself off, Brook rose to his full height and gratefully took his sword, bowing politely to Zoro]

Thank you, Zoro-san.

Yeah, no problem.

[folding his arms over his chest]

I would have let it go on longer, but I'm not sure it would have done anything besides damage the ship.

[Brook looked around, noticing the broken railings, gouged floors, and the ruined steps behind him.]

Indeed, it seems we made quite the mess~

Whoops.

Oh well, when Motochika gets done with the crow's nest, he can fix that too. [he has decided]

Ahhh, indeed! Shall we adjourn to the galley then? I'm feeling quite peckish.

[Nothing like a good sparring match to get your stomach rumbling. For the one among them to have a stomach anyways.]

Sure. Although I think the cook's already in bed.

...we can still raid the fridge and the liquor cabinet.

I think Sanji would be rather angry if we did that.

[Brook said, letting the statement hang in the air for a few moments.]

I'll handle the food, you procure the drinks~

Yeah, I ain't worried about that.

[he smacks Brook in the shoulder as he leads the way to the galley. The liquor cabinet has their names on it!]

[Some might ask how a skeleton would eat or drink, but Brook would ask how a skeleton couldn't eat and drink a little. Every skeleton dreams of putting a little meat on their bones after all.]

With any luck, there will still be some leftovers from dinner!

[He said with a chuckle as he followed Zoro. He wasn't much of a cook, so if there wasn't something premade, there was a 50 percent chance the kitchen might accidentally catch on fire.]

There might be. But, you know, Luffy...

[With Luffy around, what are leftovers? But there should be some, all the better for Sanji not to kill them both later. He'll leave that search to Brook while he pulls a couple of bottles from the liquor cabinet and inspects them. Rum? Wine? Sake. Yes, that'll do.]

[Brook rummaged through the fridge and to his delight, he found a few large hunks of meat along with various assortments of seafood arranged in many different ways. Taking one bit of meat, a pot, and a large bowl of rice, Brook brought them all back to the table and set them down.]

It seems there's quite a bit left! Sanji-san has certainly adapted to Luffy's eating habits well.

[Oh, Brook, you brought him just what he likes. Zoro sets the bottle of primo black sake on the table with the food with a resounding thunk.]

That'll do just fine. Nothing like a midnight snack to tide me over on watch.

Oh, you're on watch tonight? I hadn't any clue.

[Brook had gone to fetch some plates and set them out as he began to fill them up with the food he'd gotten. Glasses wouldn't be necessary between crewmates after all, especially where alcohol was involved.]

I think I might join you, my bones are restless this evening and I just can't imagine sitting still for the rest of the evening.

I noticed. [He smirks as he pulls a plate to him, wanting mostly rice right now.] Might as well, an extra pair of eyes....well...

[Crap, he set himself up for that one.]

Yohoho, eyes non-withstanding, it would be a delight to help you. Perhaps you could even instruct me on a few key points in my swordsmanship to pass the time.

[He stretches to take the bottle and have a sip, first.]

There's nothin' wrong with your swordsmanship, Brook.

[They may come from different schools of technique, but even now he can't see any flaws in the technique itself.]

Wrong? No, of course not! But there's always room for improvement~

[Brook had been alive for the better part of 88 years, so he knew better than most the virtue of learning from those around you.]

My weakness lies in simply being overpowered by stronger opponents, so perhaps with your help I can adjust my technique to counteract that. It might be okay when sparring with you, Zoro-san, but an opponent will be far less willing to help put me back together again should I meet the same end results.

Edited 2014-05-31 17:48 (UTC)

Yeah, all right. I guess you got a point, there.

[While he knows what the Brook of the future is capable of, he has absolutely no idea how he got there, whether it was self-taught or learned from another. Zoro would never be able to advise him, there.]

It's like I told Keimi, though. There's different kinds of strength. What works for one person might not be good for another.

Oh that's very true, but if I'm going to learn how to keep myself from being overwhelmed, it only stands to reason I work with someone incredibly strong. Between your strength and ability to observe, I'm sure we can put our minds together on this problem.

[Brook said with a laugh, taking a long draft from the sake bottle before letting out a loud belch that echoed off the galley walls.]

Well, I can put as much of my mind as I have left together with yours at least, yohohoho~!

When you put it that way, I guess I got no reason to argue.

[nice one.]

Thank you kindly, Zoro-san.

[With that, Brook handed over the sake to his crewmate and took a large bite of the meat in front of him. Even cold, it was still as delectable as when it was made, truly a testament to Sanji's cooking skills]

Herfs to goouf healf!

[Maybe it would have been more clear if he wasn't talking with his mouth full, but the sentiment rang true either way.]

[The carnage has passed and now Brook can be found all over the ship, but mostly on the deck reflecting on his sparring match and what he learned from it. Feel free to bother or yell at him about the noise/property damage that happened last night~]

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You'll Die as you Lived

Brook and Zoro - May 30th (Night)

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Brook Catchall - May 31st (All Day)